Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
T he doors creaked open, unveiling the throne room. The echoes of our footsteps resonated in the vast space, yet the ominous whispers from the castle’s shadows followed us. The ambient light from the chandelier overhead cast flickering patterns on the walls, and its intricate design added a touch of elegance to the otherwise foreboding atmosphere. I wondered how many of my kind had been here before me. As we approached, I glanced at the tall, arched windows lining one side of the room, their heavy curtains drawn aside to reveal a moonlit night. The pale glow from the outside world mingled with the chandelier’s glow, a dance of contrasts playing on the floor, as if the room held secrets whispered by the castle’s ancient walls.
The piercing gaze of the crowned King of Sagaya found me. He waited on his throne, a throne assembled entirely from silver, seamlessly designed to amplify his presence. To my surprise, no grand assembly awaited except for a handful of the king’s closest guards. As I approached, the air thickened with unspoken tension, ready to confront whatever destiny lay ahead. I glanced at Silas and went to move, but he extended an arm, securing me in place as we stopped to face the king.
“Ronan,” the king’s voice rang out, a melodic greeting. “It is so delightful to have you join us once more.” Ronan glared, unamused. His displeasure towards the King was clear. “And Silas and Henry! I love it when you bring your friends with you. Tell me, where is the formidable Scarlett this evening?”
“She’s occupied.”
“Oh, what a pity.” His words lingered lazily, and I felt his focus shift to me. “Ahh, so you must be the infamous Jayne I’ve heard so much about.”
The sharpness of his tone sliced the air. I sensed him studying me, dissecting every detail of my presence. I wanted to lift my eyes to behold the son of the one they called The Cruel King, but I resisted. Instead, I focused on a small, unremarkable yet grounding stone, nestled on the floor before me.
“Look at me when I address you, girl.” His voice held a certain lightness, but I was no fool. Unwillingly, I met the king’s gaze.
Contrary to my expectations, he appeared younger than the image I had conjured in my mind. Seemingly in his early thirties, his features held a certain regality, yet there was a youthfulness hinting at his complexities beneath the surface. He might have seemed conventionally handsome, but his eyes… his eyes were sharp, penetrating, and glinted with chilling darkness.
The air seemed charged as the king continued regarding me with measured intensity. His golden crown glinted in the light as he straightened. His gaze never left mine. I shifted on my feet.
“You’re quite lovely.” A slow smile graced his face while his eyes lingered on my body. Ronan, barely audible, snarled.
“Keep your composure, Ronan,” Silas reminded him. The king turned, so his red embellished cloak draped gracefully around him and his throne.
“Tell me, Geoffrey. What power was gifted to her?” he asked.
I glanced at Geoffrey beside the king and noticed a pin on the left side of his cloak, a symbol of his rank and allegiance. “She can wield fire, your highness.”
“A fire wielder… is that not unheard of?” The king’s inquiry hung in the air. Silas and Henry remained close, and I felt them tense beside me. Ronan stayed silent.
“It’s been centuries since the gods bestowed such power on a faerie,” said Geoffrey.
“Half-fae,” the king interjected, raising his hand. He leaned back on his throne. “Well, she is only half-fae, isn’t she?”
“Yes, it appears one of her parents was fae and the other was human,” replied Geoffrey.
“All this time, you’ve resided here right under my nose,” the king added with a note of contemplation.
“In ancient times, mortals were once enslaved in the faerie realms. Did you know that, Jayne?” He paused, waiting for an answer. I didn’t speak. “My father, my father’s father, and his father before him, all had a vision. And do you know what that vision was?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “To live in a world free of magic. A world where humans could reign without the threat of anarchy. After the human rebellion was formed and we fought in the war, a treaty was established with the fae. Mortals were granted lands to inhabit, and a magical wall was erected to separate the enchanted kingdoms from the mortal realms.” The gravity of his words lingered in the air as he pressed on. “Since the moment I was brought into this life, I was trained to take over and continue their legacy of capturing and enslaving any fae who dared to hide in our lands, just as they had done to us once upon a time. But now, here we are, on the brink of a new era, where that vision may be challenged and changed.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re wanting to start a second war in Faerie?”
Outside, a distant rumble hinted at the onset of a storm. The glass panes of the castle’s windows trembled, sending ripples through the moonlit hall. Shadows flickered as the chandeliers swayed, yet the king seemed oblivious to the dark clouds amassing on the horizon. The air grew heavy, carrying the scent of a storm. No one so much as glanced outside.
“I intend to bring an end to this war once and for all, Jayne. I am going to tear down that wall, brick by brick,” he declared, descending from the dais to approach me. “I am going to require power.” Anticipation lingered in the air as King Theon approached, and Ronan, sensing the tension, moved closer to me. The king glanced at Geoffrey, who nodded.
“The stone is in her necklace,” Geoffrey confirmed, watching me. As if the hearthstone itself were aware of our conversation, it began humming against my skin.
The king leaned closer, fixated on my necklace. The stone’s hum grew louder. He reached toward it, tracing the chain with his fingertip. I turned my head, unwilling to meet his cruel gaze, as he reached for the pendant. Yet when his fingers touched the stone, a sudden jolt made him recoil and clutch his hand in pain. I looked at him, surprised.
“It burned me!” His eyes darted from the stone to my shackles, mirroring my astonishment. He turned to Geoffrey. “How is she able to do that wearing Garvarian iron?” Geoffrey appeared visibly taken aback by the question.
“Retrieve the Seer from the dungeons,” Geoffrey ordered a guard, who nodded. “And be quick about it!” The guard jumped, spinning abruptly and almost running to the door.
“If I have to extract it from her lifeless body, so be it,” King Theon said, taking a cautious step back. A smile tugged at my lips. After countless moments of silence, the stone chose now to awaken? Out of all the times, this is the perfect moment to whisk us away. Do you hear me?
The King whirled and raised his hand, but before he could strike me, Ronan intervened. His eyes blazed with barely contained fury, his jaw clenched tight. His stern look was a silent but deadly warning as shadows swirled around him, ready to lash out. Every muscle in his body was taut, a clear sign that he was moments away from unleashing his wrath if the king dared to proceed. “I may not be able to harm you, but I’ll be damned if I let you lay a finger on her.” I held my breath, waiting for the King to erupt. To my surprise, he closed his eyes and shook his head.
“Ronan, oh Ronan. You have let me down yet again. Do you truly believe I failed to notice your affection for her?” He turned from us and strode back to the dais. His regal attire, a deep crimson gold-embroidered cloak, billowed behind him.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Ronan gritted his teeth.
“I can sense it from here,” the king declared, sinking into his seat with theatrical flair. “Tell me, does she know?” He glanced at me with disgust.
“Do I know what? What is he talking about, Ronan?” I asked, turning to Ronan with a puzzled expression.
The door creaked open and closed, drawing the king’s attention to a slender figure beside the guard. Until this moment, the man’s presence had slipped my notice. He stood in chains with his arms and feet tightly shackled. His skin was so pale it almost looked translucent, and his features seemed solemn in the dim lighting. I wondered how long he had been underground, residing in such oppressive darkness, deprived of the sunlight’s touch. I couldn’t help but imagine the toll it must have taken on his spirit, with the damp, cold walls serving as his only companions while he clung to his distant memories.
The king’s voice reverberated, his tone heavy with accusation. “You forewarned me of the boy’s threat to my reign, did you not, Seer?” He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. “Yet after I took him into custody, you claimed a shift in fate. It is the girl who now holds the key to what I seek. Well, here she stands before me.” His gaze flitted towards me again with a mixture of anticipation and calculation. “Tell me. How do I force the stone from her grasp?”
When the Seer’s auburn eyes met mine, I recoiled. It was as if his eyes alone could unveil the secrets of the universe. The air around him shimmered with otherworldly energy, emphasising the importance of his next words. The room hushed in anticipation, and even the guards stood a little straighter as the Seer prepared to share insights that transcended the ordinary realms of understanding. The Seer tilted his head to decipher the enigmatic connection before him.
“It appears to have bonded to her,” the Seer uttered, his voice tinged with unease. His gaze pierced mine, a mix of curiosity and concern. “Its power courses through her veins, yet she remains unaware of its magnitude. It has marked her as its chosen vessel.”
His words hung heavy in the air, laden with an ominous weight that forced me to draw back. Strange sensations coursed through my body as if his words alone awoke an invisible force within me, stirring dormant energies I never knew existed. Each heartbeat seemed to echo the stone’s power, pulsating through my very being like a river of untapped potential. The Seer’s eyes narrowed, sensing the latent energy swirling around me.
The king broke the tension. “Enlighten me.” His eyes bored into the seer with a steely intensity. “What consequences would await me if I were to end her life here and now?”
Beside me, I felt Ronan’s tension mounting. The Seer glanced at the king and shook his head.
“The stone is unpredictable. Breaking its bond so abruptly could lead to catastrophic consequences,” he warned. “Perhaps if she willingly surrendered it to you of her own accord?”
“So,” he drawled, rolling his hand. “You don’t know for sure?”
The Seer paused. “A disturbance has rippled the fabric of time, making the path unclear. I cannot see her future, for she was never supposed to tread this path.” His voice echoed, each word weighted with significance.
“I’ve heard enough. Remove him,” King Theon commanded.
As the guards moved to seize him, the Seer cast one last piercing look in my direction. His eyes widened, and a stormy-white hue swirled within its depths. “The bond between you and the stone is both a gift and a curse. Embrace its power, and you may unlock abilities beyond your imagination. Succumb to its allure, and you risk being consumed by its darkness forever.” I stood, frozen, grappling with the enormity of his warning.
“Enough of your ramblings, old man!” barked one of the guards, forcibly escorting the Seer away. With a rough shove, he propelled the Seer forward before seizing his arms.
“Ronan.” The king jerked his chin. “Retrieve the boy from the dungeons.” Ronan hesitated and clenched his teeth; he exchanged a knowing look with Silas and Henry.
“Well, go on! Be quick about it,” he added. Ronan nodded subtly in my direction.
During my short time with Ronan, I had become adept at reading his expressions, and this one spoke volumes. He was worried. A rumble sounded in the distance, signalling the beginning of a storm. The castle windows trembled, yet no one took any notice.
I shifted, yet the restraints hindered my movements. King Theon’s eyes lacked any trace of kindness; I saw only malice.
“You will surrender the hearthstone, Jayne Ritherton, willingly or not.” His voice dripped with authority.
“I will not,” I retorted. The king’s gaze returned to me once more.
“Oh, my dear,” he responded, his tone condescending. “You believe you have a choice, don’t you? How charming.” Fear like I had never known entered my heart as Ronan dragged my brother, gagged and bound, before the king. My blood ran cold. “I suppose you leave me no choice.”
“Jesse!” I leapt forward, but Silas and Henry held me back.
“Hold on, Jayne.” Their words were hushed but drowned out by my fear as I locked eyes with my brother. His once baby blue eyes were now bloodied, bruised, and wide with fear.
“Jesse ,” I called to him, mind to mind, but he didn’t answer. I pleaded with my eyes for him to reach out. What had they done to him? I saw red.
“I’m going to kill you!” I screamed, struggling against the restraints of Silas and Henry. Desperation surged within me as I attempted to summon my fire, my efforts hindered by the Garvarian restraints clasped around my wrists. “Get these off me!” I dropped to the ground, banging my wrists against the unyielding stone floor.
“Stop her,” King Theon commanded, rubbing his eyes in apparent frustration. Henry and Silas pulled me up. The King clucked his tongue in amusement. “My, my, you’re quite the fighter, aren’t you?”
“Please.” Desperately, I looked at Ronan, silently urging him to intervene. “Release him!” Ronan’s expression tightened with conflict as he met my pleading gaze. His jaw clenched, revealing his evident struggle. He was trapped by his binding oath to the king, unable to act against him.
“Release him?” King Theon scoffed. “And why would I be foolish enough to do that?”
Jesse’s hair was longer than last time, his face worn and gaunt; his eyes were devoid of his former carefree spark. He seemed so broken. I had spent my entire life trying to shield him from this fate, and here we were.
The king’s lips curled into a sinister smile, yet his tone was sympathetic. He said, “He doesn’t look good, does he?” Jesse’s head shook vigorously, his muffled ‘no’ barely audible.
“Bring him to his knees!” King Theon ordered Ronan. Ronan unsheathed his blade and, with a sombre expression in his eyes, he looked at me. Ronan advanced toward my brother and kicked the back of Jesse’s legs, sending him to the ground. I winced.
“Well, what is it, Jayne? The stone or your brother’s life?”
“I—” The stone’s power thrummed through my chest, aligning with my heartbeat. “Don’t give me to him!” it all but purred.
“Oh, just kill him, Ronan. He is of no use to me.”
“No!” My voice cracked as tears fell from my eyes, my body trembling. I wanted to run to Jesse. Ronan looked down at my brother, readying his blade. He looked into my eyes again, a blend of conflict and sorrow. “Don’t, please!”
“My life for a life,” Ronan whispered, and then he looked at the king.
“What did you say?” The king’s gaze fell upon him, his expression twisting with disdain.
“Remember the terms of our blood oath we made all those years ago? I solemnly pledged to serve you in whatever capacity you required for the rest of your mortal life in exchange for the assurance that you will one day spare a life—a life of my choosing.”
King Theon looked at Ronan, stunned. “It has been thirty long years since you pledged your allegiance to my father, and it was all for this? Your plan all along was to free a useless halfling boy?” he questioned. “No, that can’t be right.” His words dripped with bitterness as he turned his attention towards me. Confusion gripped my thoughts. “For she was never supposed to take this path.” King Theon grinned, repeating the Seer’s words. His smile was cruel as he pieced it together. “It was all to free her, wasn’t it?” What was he referring to? I glanced at Ronan; a flicker of darkness clouded his eyes. “She was meant to die, wasn’t she?” I stumbled back, my knees buckling beneath me. Henry and Silas moved in closer toward me, holding me upright.
“Wait!” The King rose from his seat again, triumphantly lifting his hands. “Allow me a moment to explain this to everyone here. Young Jayne is supposed to be dead, isn’t she? And he”—His ring-clad finger pointed at Jesse—“was meant to possess the hearthstone?” He put his finger to his lip. “Hmm, could it be that she gave it to him when she was dying?” The king asked excitedly. “Am I close? But how can you be sure I won’t just kill her now, Ronan, and all your plans, after all those years, will be ruined?”
Ronan’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his voice low and steady. “You won’t,” he said in challenge. “You know better than anyone that you need her alive.” The king’s face twisted. He pressed his lips into a thin line, frustration flickering in his eyes. His grip on the throne turned white. Silence hung heavy in the air, thick with the weight of Ronan’s defiance. A shadow of resignation crossed the king’s features. “Free him!” Ronan’s shout made me flinch, and the king curled his lip. Geoffrey made a noise of disbelief before nodding to the guard through gritted teeth.
“Do as he says.”
I trembled as the guard started to undo Jesse’s shackles around his feet, wincing at the sound of leather sliding against his bare skin. Outside, another distant rumble echoed, and Silas and Henry exchanged a quick glance. I snapped my attention back to Jesse. Every second felt like an eternity—they weren’t freeing him fast enough. Desperation clawed at my chest, urging them to move faster.
“So, what’s the plan now, Ronan?” inquired the King, looking at Geoffrey. Only then did I notice the coolness of Geoffrey’s features. He sent a shiver down my spine as he watched the scene play out before him like a predator planning its next move. The guard went for Jesse’s hands next. The wind pushed against the window, and raindrops slammed against it. The guard undid his gag, and relief filled Jesse’s features. In an instant, Geoffrey flicked his hand, and a shaft of an arrow flashed in the air, hurtling towards Jesse’s chest.
“No!” My scream split the silence, raw and desperate. Jesse crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with shock. Blood pooled in a dark, ominous puddle around the arrow embedded in his flesh. Another loud crack of thunder reverberated overhead, and the windows smashed with force.
“They’re here!” Henry whispered. Henry and Silas moved from me as the metallic clinks of their drawn blades echoed.
“Now, Jayne! Go!” Silas ordered.
Without a moment of hesitation, I ran to Jesse. Ronan crouched over him, pressing his hands against the wound.
“Jesse!” I pushed Ronan aside, reaching out to place my hands over Jesse’s chest. My hands trembled, wet with blood. “No, please. Please, no.”
Geoffrey’s power surged, and I instinctively covered Jesse’s body, shielding him. A sudden gust of power swept past me, and I felt the force of it; it launched Henry and Silas in the air.
“I’m here, Jesse. I’m here,” I whispered. He lifted his gaze to mine, his face a canvas of bruises and bloodstains. His lips were chapped and split, quivering as he tried to form words. Tears pooled in his eyes like reflective shards of glass.
“What took you so… long?” His words were short and breathless. I smiled at him, trying to hold it together as a cry left my throat. I used my shackled hands to prop his head on my legs.
“It’s a long story.” My voice caught as I forced another smile. His eyes shifted to me and then to Ronan.
“Yes,” he grunted. “I can see that.”
I ran my fingers through his tousled hair like I used to when he was just a boy. Dirt and sand now muddied his once golden locks. Ronan looked at me, his eyes brimming with worry. He turned to Jesse’s wound. “I need to remove this.”
Jesse tightened his grip on my hand, his voice urgent. “Listen, we don’t have much time.” Time. The word halted me in my tracks, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I loathed the relentless passage of time, a fickle force we had been dancing around for all these weeks, and the very thing I had fought against my entire life. All of it had brought me to this moment.
“Don’t.” I began to cry. “Don’t you dare speak like that?—”
“I’ve heard their plans. You cannot let them get their hands on the hearthstone,” he pleaded urgently. I nodded, consumed only by my brother’s well-being. The stone seemed trivial now. The hearthstone’s power felt like a curse, the source of all our suffering. I wanted to destroy it and end the pain it had brought upon us all.
“Hold on,” I whispered, my voice steady despite the surrounding chaos. Protecting him was all that mattered. I glanced up at Ronan, who clenched the iron arrow so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“On the count of three,” Ronan said, locking eyes with me. “One, two…”
With practised precision, Ronan pulled the arrow free. Jesse let out a sharp cry before his eyes rolled back into unconsciousness.
“Jesse!” My voice broke as I leaned in close, our breaths mingling. I frantically searched his face for any sign of consciousness. Ronan sprang into action, swiftly removing his coat and draping it over the gaping wound.
“He has passed out from the pain,” Ronan said. Blood soaked the fabric.
“What do I do?” I asked, my voice trembling. Ronan reached for my hand, guiding it to the wound.
“You need to apply pressure.”
“Ronan,” I whispered. “He needs a healer.”
A wave of dread washed over me. An impossible task was ahead of us. How were we going to get him out of here? I glanced up, my breath catching as Silas and Henry battled a swarm of armed guards. The clang of metal and the shouts of men created a chaotic symphony around us.
“Stupid fools!” The king roared from the dais, baring his teeth. “Secure them with the Gavarian shackles immediately!”
“They won’t be able to hold them off for long,” Ronan said, his eyes flicking between me and Jesse. “I must go help them.”
His eyes dropped to my necklace. “Use the power of the hearthstone. You did it once before Jayne—in the past with Jesse, you transported him to Faerie—you can do it again. You can get out.” I met his determined gaze. “Escape from here!”
Ronan studied me like he were on the verge of saying something more. Then he stopped himself and gave me a slight nod before rising to his feet. My heart constricted as I peered down at Jesse, overwhelmed by the fear of losing him. Yet an ominous certainty settled within me. I knew at that moment that saving Jesse meant losing Ronan.
I stood and called after Ronan. Ronan spun, our gazes colliding like dormant flames, finally ignited. Without hesitation, he reached for me. His large hands cradled my face; his touch, both fervent and tender, imprinted my skin, and I knew he had marked me for eternity.
I closed my eyes, breathing his scent. “Your oath to the King…” I peered up at him. “You did that for me, but why? Why would you risk your life?”
“Aleithra,” he whispered. “I need you to know that I’d do it all again.” His voice was a gentle caress. “Every battle, every hardship—I’d endure it all a thousand times over.” His fingers traced a line from my cheek to my jaw. “Just to touch you like this, to feel your warmth beneath my skin, if only for one moment.”
I closed my eyes. My shackled hands found their place against his chest. I felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the way our hearts pounded as one.
“I—I don’t know where this will lead me. I’m afraid, Ronan. What if I can’t return? What if I can’t come back to you?”
“There is nothing in this world, nor the next, or in the gods forsaken afterlife that could ever keep me from you.” He pressed his forehead against mine, and my mind raced with all the things I longed to say. “I found you once and will find you again, Aleithra… my mate.”
With those words, he whirled to face Geoffrey. Magic erupted from him, cloaking Ronan in shadows that curled and writhed like the wings of flying serpents. His eyes, once silver, were now black—cold and calculating—and I felt the darkness emanating from him, absorbing the very light from the room.
“Aleithra… My mate.”
The words echoed through me like a clap of thunder and resonated deep within my core. He was mine, and I was his, bound to a fate that intertwined our destinies in ways I couldn’t begin to understand. He had found me, his beloved. His Aleithra.
“I always knew you were a fool, Ronan.” Geoffrey’s voice was smooth and mocking.
“You know, Geoffrey. I’ve been dreaming about the day I would finally make you bleed,” Ronan said through gritted teeth, “It seems today’s my lucky day.”
Geoffrey sneered. “Lucky, you say?” He raised his hand, and energy crackled at his fingertips. “Let’s test that luck.” With a flick of his wrist, Geoffrey sent magic hurtling toward Ronan, yet the shadows around Ronan thickened, forming a barrier that absorbed the attack.
Geoffrey narrowed his eyes and began chanting, summoning a swirling vortex of power. The room trembled, and the air smelled like it was on fire. Ronan stood his ground as the surrounding shadows pulsated. The two forces collided—dark magic and shadow—each vying for dominance. Silas and Henry continued fighting, and the sounds of clinking swords echoed in every part of the room. Ronan seamlessly joined them, keeping Geoffrey at bay with one hand while using the other to direct tendrils of shadows at the guards pouring in from every corner.
“Kill them!” The king screamed as more soldiers entered the room. I looked over at Ronan. Henry clutched his side; he had been hit. I felt immeasurable panic. We were surrounded. There was no way out.
I reached into my pocket, brushing the worn brass key Henry had slipped to me earlier. With a deep breath, I inserted it into the rusted lock of the shackles.
Come on, come on. I wiggled it until I heard a click, and it instantly released my wrists. Igniting my flame, I prepared to unleash it at the advancing guards.
“Jayne!” Ronan’s shout echoed, but he was too late. Geoffrey sent a whip of power hurtling at me. It coiled around my legs and yanked me down with a sharp slap as my back collided with the hard floor. He pulled me towards him, yet I directed my flames at him, severing the connection and breaking free.
I scrambled to my feet, and Ronan’s shadows enveloped me so I could regain my balance. My head spun from the impact, but I dodged another of Geoffrey’s attacks. Invisible forces seemed to hold me captive as Geoffrey’s laughter echoed throughout the hall. With all my strength, I fought Geoffrey’s restraints. Summoning my flames once more, I hurled a blazing line toward Geoffrey, and the searing arc struck him, buying Ronan enough time to capture Geoffrey in a swirling cage of shadows.
My eyes shot up as a deafening roar filled the air, and a bolt of lightning struck through the ceiling. The walls crumbled, showering us in a cascade of debris. I lunged to shield Jesse, holding him to me as the sharp sting of rubble struck my back.
Geoffrey whirled, freeing himself. He locked his gaze on the creature emerging from the rubble. A wolf. I gasped, my breath hitching as I noticed the distinctive scar running across its right eye.
Kaelan.
Briefly, his eyes met mine in silent assessment. His lips curled into a menacing snarl, ready to confront the invading guards. Another wolf approached from behind, yet this one was slightly smaller, starkly contrasting Kaelan’s reddish-brown fur. Soon, more followed suit until at least five other wolves gathered behind him, their varying colours a stark contrast to one another, despite their similar features. Their growls blended into an eerie chorus of communication—a unified pack.
They forged a path as Prince Ambrose stepped into the room. My breath caught when I saw him, and his eyes swept the crowd before he finally found me. Relief washed over me. Ambrose’s shoulders relaxed, and he released a deep breath, staring right at me. Sparks of light danced between his fingers, illuminating his intense expression—he was ready. Then his gaze shifted, landing on Ronan across the room. A slow, predatory smile curved his lips. “It’s nice to see you’re alive… brother.”