Chapter 26
Chapter
Twenty-Six
Elias and Gerard strode towards a large pavilion by the edge of a cliff.
From this distance, Elias could see quite a few monks with their shiny bald heads amongst the nobles and dignitaries gathered. In particular, he saw quite a few warrior monks. And quite a few Draconian guards too.
There’d also been a warrior monk and two Draconian guards riding on the front of the carriage that had brought Elias and Gerard here. Ensuring everyone’s safety had clearly become a top priority since Warden Flint’s attempt to kill Onyx and Luther.
“You don’t have to worry about today’s couple’s quest,” Gerard said as they walked. “Senta was involved in the organisation. She didn’t tell me what our quest would involve, but she assured me it was nothing too dangerous. She promised it would be safe.”
Elias smiled. He said nothing, but his insides rankled. Gerard thought he was being comforting by telling Elias he would be safe. He thought he had to protect delicate Elias because he was weak and cowardly. Elias flexed his fingers.
But Elias wasn’t afraid of a little danger! He was an archmage! He’d fought in the war! Fuck. He’d fought Gerard and almost killed him!
You can’t be upset because people believe the lies you tell them.
Still, he wanted to show Gerard the truth; he wanted to light up the sky with lightning and yell, “See! This is what I can do! Are you impressed now?”
He wanted Gerard amazed, like Elias had been during the Tournament of Dragons. He wanted Gerard to be proud to be marrying him.
It almost made him want to reveal the truth and break his vow. Almost. But he wouldn’t. His word did not mean much. But this was the only vow he’d ever made. He would not break it.
And even if he hadn’t made a vow, he knew better than to trust someone so completely. After all, years ago, he’d wanted to tell his father about his abilities. If he’d done that, it would have ended disastrously for Elias.
So just because he wanted to open up to impress Gerard didn’t mean he should.
Also, Elias had almost killed Gerard. He didn’t know how Gerard would react to that news. And since they were getting along so well, it would probably be better to stay silent.
Elias had no problem with the fact Gerard had almost killed him. But you could never tell how one might react to such revelations.
So he just smiled as they approached the crowd and let Gerard believe him to be useless and gutless even as it gnawed at Elias’s spine.
People nodded and greeted Elias and Gerard as they entered the pavilion. Tables of food and drink had been set up. People milled around. Gerard took two goblets of wine and handed one to Elias.
Senta smiled at them. She’d smiled at Elias a lot since the tournament. It seemed he’d charmed her and Gerard at the same time. Senta stood with Juniper and Colette. Colette often gravitated towards them when Elias had duties to attend to and she couldn’t find Lord Wolf.
As long as Colette wasn’t around the empress or his half-siblings, Elias was satisfied. Although, he still kept an eye on Lord Wolf.
Gerard cleared his throat. “Senta mentioned that Empress Emmeline had rather … extreme ideas about the activities our couple’s quest should encompass. She wanted it to be very challenging and dangerous.”
“I’m sure she did,” Elias muttered, flicked a glance at his stepmother and father. He lifted his goblet to his lips.
“But Senta held firm, and the empress relented.”
“I see.” Elias could feel Gerard’s questioning gaze on him. He gave a rueful smile. “My stepmother doesn’t like me that much.”
“Senta and I thought that might be the case.”
So Senta and Gerard, having known his stepmother for only an extremely short time, had picked up on something his father had not noticed in twenty years.
“Cousin Gerard.” A monk approached them.
“Clara.” Gerard smiled at the woman with her shaved head, beige robes, and copper chains hanging around her neck. “Have you met my betrothed, Prince Elias?”
“Not yet.” She inclined her head. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Elias.”
“You too, Monk Clara,” Elias said. “How long have you been in the monkhood?”
“Since the war,” she said. “I wished to work towards peace after spending so many years as an agent of destruction. It is a truly wonderful path to be on.” She smiled. “Anyway, I wanted to wish you both luck on your couple’s quest.”
“Thank you, cousin,” Gerard said.
“May peace guide your steps.” She bowed and withdrew.
“I didn’t know you had a monk in the family.”
Gerard nodded. “Father rants about it all the time. He keeps saying she abandoned her bloodline and her kingdom. He doesn’t understand it at all.”
Elias watched Monk Clara walk away. “I don’t think I’d like to be a monk. There are so many rules and vows. But I give them lots of money so they can continue doing all their good works. That way I can tell myself I’m contributing to peace whilst not having to shave my head.”
Elias slid a hand down his hair. Then he smirked. “And I don’t need to take a vow of chastity.”
Gerard cleared his throat. “I, ah … appreciate that you have not taken that vow.”
Elias sipped his wine and smiled. They’d become intimate a couple of times in the days since the Tournament of Dragons. And since their marriage was part of creating the peace treaty, he could claim he was doing it for peace.
It was a lot more fun than shaving his head, wearing ugly robes with a silly dove on the front, and being celibate for life in the name of peace.
Konrad stood alone by a table. He held a glass of wine and glared at Shadow Prince Wraith, the tall, lean, and deathly pale necromancer.
“Does Konrad hate Shadow Prince Wraith?” Elias whispered.
Gerard glanced at his brother and the shadow prince. “He hates all necromancers. And he will be required to marry one of them.”
“Yes. I am aware that Necros required that as part of the peace treaty,” Elias said.
Gerard hesitated. “Konrad also thinks the necromancers were colluding with Warden Flint.”
“Does he? Why does he think that?”
Gerard exhaled. “Honestly, he just hates them. Even before any attempt to destroy the treaty came about, he ranted about how evil they all were.”
“So he has no actual proof?”
Gerard shook his head. “No. Just a general dislike of them. Father thinks he is prejudiced.”
“What do you think?” Elias asked.
“I’m not sure. All the necromancers make me uncomfortable. The stuff they did during the war …” He paused. “But I don’t know if that means they are part of this new plot.”
Elias nodded. He stared at Shadow Prince Wraith, the only necromancer present today. The man stared off and up into the distance, dark eyes unfocused. Elias glanced in the direction he stared. He saw only blue sky and clouds.
He looked back at the shadow prince. He continued to stare at the sky, face blank and gaze unseeing. Meanwhile Konrad kept glaring at him.
Grand Monk Ferdinand approached them. “Prince Elias. Prince Gerard.” He bowed. “Are you ready to begin the couple’s quest?”
“We are,” Elias said.
The grand monk looked at Gerard, who nodded.
“Then come this way, please, Your Highnesses.”