Chapter 41
LEON
“Only the truth from now on,” I vow to her, and I mean it, bringing her hand up to my lips to kiss her knuckles.
“A few months ago, Jedrick told me he had to live as long as he could to keep Grayden out of power since he didn’t have it in him to kill his only living son.
He was weak and I offered him a way to help Adreania after he died.
He quickly agreed and I revealed myself to him.
He was never kidnapped. When Jedrick was close to death, he arranged for two of his guards to get him out of Adreania and meet up with one of my soldiers in Kalvorn.
I followed in case we were caught by Grayden.
The plan was that when Jedrick died, I would take the crown and return to my place as Kalvorn’s king.
I told him Kalvorn and Adreania would merge into one kingdom and flourish once more, but it was always my intention to place Lyrora on the throne. ”
“Why wouldn’t he have let Lyrora inherit if he didn’t want Grayden to rule?” Izadella asks, annoyed.
“Jedrick would never let a woman have power. But before any of that happened, I needed you safe. I wanted you to escape before all the chaos and potential carnage. You would have gone to Kalvorn, and even though you were married, or so I thought, you would be near me. That was enough. To have you happy and safe in Kalvorn even if I couldn’t have you.
To know the family you loved was safe, that your children would never again know empty bellies and cruel kings.
Even if you being so close would drive me mad with desire, I would take whatever crumbs of your attention I could get.
I’m ashamed to say I was already plotting ways to get you alone again as often as I could.
I knew what you were to me, even though I had no idea how it was possible for a human to be my mate.
Your soul called to me from that very first night. ”
Her eyes glimmer with tears. “I felt it, too.”
I wipe away one that escapes. “I was going to commission royal jewelry, repairs of old family heirlooms, anything for a moment of your time, your talent. I was greedy for every second with you. All of my dreams came to an abrupt halt when I found you on that forest floor with the ground burnt black around you and the crown on your head. At first, I was just terrified for you, that it had hurt you in some way.”
Guilt pulls at her beautiful face. “You must have been angry with me.”
I laugh. “I waited for the blinding outrage to come, for the overwhelming grief that I had wasted a century of my life just for the crown to slip from my fingers like it had done for generations before me, but it never came. The crown was out of Adreania, I was a king, and you had the crown. I knew it meant something, validation we were destined to be together. I wanted to toss you over my shoulders and take you straight to Kalvorn, to crown you queen and tell you everything.”
She laughs and it is a glorious sound. “That would not have ended well for you.”
I join in her humor before taking a long breath.
“I was so close to revealing myself, but then you said you were going to Ellova, the birthplace of Inara, a place I didn’t think existed anymore.
I followed you because I loved you, but I also had a responsibility to my kingdom to find out if Ellova would be friend or foe to us in the upcoming war with Adreania.
I had to put my people first at that moment.
They are all descendants of Ellova, too.
Maybe they could return, to know the true heart of magic again.
I’m so sorry I hid who I really was from you. It was never to truly deceive you.”
She stares up at the dark ceiling, appearing to collect her thoughts. “I wondered why you took to learning my identity so well. The fact I wasn’t a human named Arra didn’t seem to faze you. In fact, you seemed oddly delighted that I was fae,” she teases with a small smile.
My chest feels lighter with every word I speak, the truth flowing out, and I'm desperate to tell her everything, to have no secrets or lies between us ever again. “Oh, I had never been so happy when you told me you were fae, too. It was further proof we were destined to be together.”
“And the journal?”
“Lyrora found it hidden away in the Royal Library and shared it with me. She thought it may include something about the healing magic Inara brought with her when she became queen. I understood some of it, but Inara had written in ancient Ellovian and I wasn’t a very good student when my tutors attempted to teach me the language as a child.
It was actually Lyrora who sent a message to me through my hawk, Lula, that you had been taken.
She let us know where you would be last night. ”
I squeeze her hand, drawing it to my mouth, and press my lips to the soft skin.
“Anything else I need to know?” Izadella sounds a little tired. Maybe we should sleep some more. I hate the dark crescents under her eyes, a reminder of her mistreatment at the hands of dead men.
“I renounced the throne of Kalvorn. Callen will remain king and retain the name of Zilas, ruling in my place. I’m just Leon now.”
Her eyebrows draw together but I cannot tell what she is thinking. “Is your brother truly a good man? A kind and just ruler?”
“Yes. He is what Kalvorn needs and deserves. He’s a family man, as well.
Apparently, I became an uncle while I was away.
” She smiles at that, but it fades when I speak the next part.
“My mother died when I was in Adreania, but she had many plans for me while I was away. One was that when I returned with the crown, I would immediately marry, so I left knowing I was betrothed.”
Her eyes narrow.
I press on quickly to get past this part.
“I sent a letter the night after I met you, cutting it off. Turns out my intended bride had fallen in love with my brother long before that and had already had two children with him by the time I sent the letter. My brother and I had a long chat about it when I returned home.”
Izadella blows out a puff of air. “Multiple children? You are a kind brother to forgive that, but I suppose fate was playing a part in all of our lives.” She pushes me onto my back and lies over me once more with her head resting between my head and shoulder.
I pull my arms around her and inhale deeply.
“I’m forever sorry, for every lie and half-truth,” I whisper in her hair, kissing the rosy-golden strands.
“I couldn’t reveal anything to you until you chose me!
Chose me over your fear, or anything else.
Revealing myself meant revealing my kingdom, my family, my people.
I needed to know you loved me the way I loved you.
I thought that was the best way, but clearly, I was wrong. ”
“Trust goes both ways. I should have listened to you, allowed you to explain. I forgive you.” Her words are soft.
“I have not even begun to earn your forgiveness. Izadella, I saw the golden marks on your skin before I brought you back.” I choke on the words. “I cannot believe I hurt you so badly. I broke your heart so completely.”
A tear slides down my face, but she is quick to brush it away with her thumb.
“Everything went wrong so quickly but I know you never meant to hurt me. I forgive you.” She must know I need to hear it again, not believing her because she whispers, “I forgive you. You came for me. You fought for me and brought me back to life.”
“It's not enough, but I will try for as long as you let me make it up to you,” I promise.
Her response comes in the form of a long kiss. Each press of her lips and swipe of her tongue brings me hope everything will be all right.
Finally, she rises off me, stretching her arms above her head. The low cut of her neckline draws me in, making my mouth water.
“I’m starving. Prisoners aren’t exactly fed well.
One of the many downfalls of imprisonment.
Let’s go find Nueena and see what the kitchen has for us.
” She smiles down at me, but it falls when I don’t smile back at her.
“Oh no, where is she? Nueena!” She stops yelling when I pull her down, holding her face in my hands.
“The last time we saw her, she was hovering in the sky and placing a wall of protective magic around Ellova. I don’t know where she is now, but we can’t get through it.
I’m sorry; I tried. The forest is filled with iron guards looking for you, or her, or us.
It’s not safe out there. Do you remember? ”
Recognition fills her face, and she yanks herself away from me. “We need to go find her. She came for me! I need to be with her! I need to know she’s okay!” She rises quickly from the pillows before I can stop her.
“Izadella, we cannot reach her right now.”
“Wait, where are we?” The moment she stands, the crystal lights illuminate the cave. Her flabbergasted expression freezes on her face as she looks around the crystal cave. “Oh, fuck.”
I jump up, ready to grab my father’s sword. “What's wrong?”
She’s staring at me, lips in a perfect O and eyes blown wide.
“Leon, we’re in the Zemra temple!”