Chapter 23 Rose
ROSE
The ball lasted all throughout the evening and until dawn, since no one would travel while it was dark.
Many danced away the entire night, while others retired to guest rooms for the evening, including Lord Malren, who had the nerve to send a note inviting me to his bed.
I wrote back claiming I was exhausted from the ball, but that I’d like to continue our discussion another time.
Hopefully that would give him the idea I was willing to be allies so I could learn more of what he planned.
I truly was exhausted from entertaining people until the wee hours of the morning, and by the time I woke, it was late afternoon and all of our guests had left the castle already.
As sunset fell, things returned to normal in the place I now thought of as my home.
It was strange to think that only weeks ago this kingdom had been my enemy, or at best a strange land I could barely fathom.
Now I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Or with anyone else.
I gazed across the dining table at Raith during our evening meal. “Lord Malren invited me to his room last night.”
Raith slammed his wine glass down. “What?”
“I said no, obviously.” I took a sip from my own wine glass. “Although it’s too bad I couldn’t get more information out of him before he left.”
Raith’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t want him near you.”
“You don’t need to worry. I can handle myself with Malren. If he tries anything, I can always set him on fire.” But then my tone turned serious and I glanced down. “Although once you learn what he told me, you’ll wish I had done exactly that.”
“What is it?”
I was hesitant to tell him what I’d learned because it would bring him pain, but perhaps it could bring him some closure too, with the possibility of justice someday.
But opening up old wounds was never easy.
“Malren told me that he and my father have been allies for some time. He implied that he was in on my father’s plan to assassinate you that resulted in your wife’s death. ”
Raith’s hand tightened around his fork. “He told you this?”
“Not outright, but the meaning was clear. I believe he helped my father, though I don’t know how exactly.”
Raith’s face darkened as he slipped into a memory.
“Silena and I were meant to visit her parents, who live in the estate next to Malren’s holdings.
I was delayed by some business in the castle, but told her I would catch up to her carriage later.
Malren must have heard we were going to be traveling to her parents’ that day, and then supplied that information to your father.
The assassins simply had to wait off the road, knowing the carriage would pass by that exact spot on that day. ”
“I’m so sorry, Raith.”
He shoved his food back and rose to his feet with a growl, his eyes blazing with cold fury. “I’m going to murder him. You should have told me before he left the castle.” He grabbed his long black cloak and set it on his shoulders. “No matter. I can find him.”
I jumped to my feet and rushed over before he did something rash. “This is exactly why I didn’t tell you last night.” I grabbed his arm tightly before he could teleport away, forcing him to look at me. “There’s nothing you can do about Malren now. We need proof and all we have is speculation.”
He stared down at me while menacing shadows shifted around him, coming to life with his rage. “I’m the King. I don’t need proof.”
“Please, Raith. Let me try to get more information out of him and figure out what he is planning.” I swallowed. “Especially because he hinted he had something similar in the works for you, and that if I was willing to help he would take me as his queen.”
“He will never have you or my throne!” Raith’s face flashed with dangerous intent while his hands clenched into fists. A cruel smile curved across his sensual lips. “But I’d very much like to see him try to take them.”
I slid my arms around his chest, wrapping him in a warm embrace. “We’ll get proof of his involvement, and we’ll make sure he is brought to justice, I promise. But at the moment there is nothing we can do, and we have more pressing problems.”
I thought he would push me away and storm off, but after a moment he let out a long breath and his shoulders relaxed. His hands slid up my back and he drew me closer, resting his forehead against mine.
“Why are you helping me with this?” he asked.
“Partly because it’s a way to atone for my father’s sins.” I stroked his neck softly with my fingertips, wondering how he could even ask me that. Wasn’t it obvious how I felt? “But mostly because I care about you.”
“It would be better if you didn’t. All I bring is death and darkness to those close to me. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay far away.”
“Lucky for you I don’t care what’s best for me.”
I kissed him with my hand on his jaw, stroking the rough stubble there.
He pulled me closer as he returned the kiss with vigor, like he couldn’t help himself despite all his previous protests.
He held me there as he took control of my mouth and body, his hands roaming across my dress.
When he brushed the side of my breasts, I gasped into his lips, my fingers tightening on his shirt.
As his tongue teased mine, his hand cupped one breast through the fabric, tracing the spot where my nipple had already hardened.
He was hard too. I could feel it even through all our layers of clothing, and it made me press closer against him, aching for more of his touch. Maybe he would stay tonight. Maybe he would choose me.
But then he groaned and tore his mouth away. “I can’t do this, Rose.” He glanced at the wooden clock on the wall. “And it’s time for me to go. I received a report earlier that another town is in trouble.”
“Don’t leave,” I begged, overcome with both worry and desire. “Stay with me tonight.”
“I took last night off for the ball. I can’t ignore my duty for a second time. The darkness grows stronger every minute I wait.”
“Then take me with you!”
“You’re not ready. I’ll only be distracted and worried if you’re by my side.” He pressed one last kiss to my lips, before the shadows swallowed him up. He vanished in front of my eyes, leaving behind only a lingering wisp of darkness where he’d once stood.
I wanted to stomp my foot in frustration or howl at how unfair all of this was.
Raith wouldn’t admit it, but he couldn’t keep fighting the darkness on his own.
He’d barely made it back to the castle the other night.
He said he was worried about me, but what of my worries? I couldn’t lose Raith either.
With stubborn concern guiding my steps, I found Oren in the hallway outside the kitchens. “Where did he go tonight?”
Oren’s face betrayed nothing. He was too well trained for that. “I can’t say, my queen. I do apologize.”
“Did he order you not to tell me?” I asked.
When Oren didn’t answer, I huffed but stood my ground.
“Raith foolishly thinks he has to do everything on his own, but you and I both know he’s wearing himself out and can’t keep doing this much longer.
One night he isn’t going to return, and the darkness will win. But not if I’m there to help him.”
“Maybe so, but he wouldn’t want to risk your life, no matter what happens to him.”
“This kingdom needs Raith alive.” My heart clenched at the thought of losing him. “I need him alive.”
Oren frowned, but I could tell I’d won him over. After a long pause, he said, “He went to Bellsover.”
Relief flooded me. “How far is that?”
“Nearly a day’s ride away.”
My relief vanished. I had no idea where Bellsover was and no way to get there in time to help him.
Unless I could teleport like Raith.
“Thank you, Oren,” I called out as I rushed down the hall. I raced through the castle with my skirts in hand, past curious servants and guards, before making it to Raith’s workshop. I traced the rune to open the door and stepped inside, easily lighting all the candles at once with barely a thought.
There had to be a book in here that taught the teleportation spell. It wasn’t in the one he’d given me, so I had to look for something more obscure. Something he wouldn’t want me to read.
I quickly searched the tall bookshelves, pulling out various spell books and skimming through them, until I discovered one that was made of worn black leather entitled Spells of Darkness and Shadow. This had to be it.
I flipped past the warning on the opening page about how these spells were dangerous because they created a link to the Shadow Lands and began reading. Most of the spells were of little use to me, or sounded far too dangerous to try, but about halfway through I found what I was searching for.
The teleportation spell involved stepping into the Shadow Lands—where time and distance were different from our world—and then emerging in another place.
To do it you had to imagine the place you wished to journey to while summoning the darkness with a complicated rune.
The book warned that few fae could manage such a thing, but I wasn’t concerned.
One problem remained—I had never been to Bellsover. I had no clue what it looked like and only a vague sense of where it was, so there was no way I could conjure it in my head. But I’d come this far, and I wasn’t giving up now.
I practiced tracing the complicated rune with my finger many times without magic before feeling confident I could cast the spell without error.
I moved to the center of the room, took a deep breath, and then closed my eyes and thought of Raith.
He was the location I wanted to travel to, no matter where he was.
I imagined his brooding face, his raven black hair, and his commanding presence.
I thought of the way he looked at me, as if he wanted me but hated himself for it.
I replayed the sound of his voice when he said my name.
And then I traced the rune and pushed power into it.
Darkness swept over me like a blanket tossed over my head and I nearly screamed, even though I’d done this once before.
Back then I’d been with Raith, and although we’d only met hours before, I’d already been comforted beside him.
Now I was alone in the Shadow Lands and had no idea what I was doing.
And if I didn’t get out fast, I could be trapped here forever.
I pictured Raith again, remembering the feel of his mouth on mine and the way he’d fondled my breast earlier. The darkness slipped away like water dripping down my body, until I was no longer in the workshop, but outside in the middle of an unfamiliar road on the edge of a town.
Or what used to be a town.