Chapter 28 #3
“Of course you are, and it doesn’t bother you because you and your children would be free to rule Galaythia in a stewardship once they came of age with the added bonus of a deeper alliance with Thalyrius.”
I would never be king of Thalyrius, even through marriage, since titles were inherited through birthright and blood. But if I had a son with the princess, he'd get that legacy. And I would still be cursed, still trapped in this endless darkness.
“It's interesting to me that you've thought so much about the benefits I gain.”
"Of course I have. None of the other members of House Nightblade would benefit in any way.
Just you." I had four aunts who had children who were more suited to the benefits of leadership than him and his no-good brood.
But they would have to fall in line even more if such a union was made with Thalyrius.
“I assure you, while I can't complain, my wellbeing is not my sole priority.
I'm simply looking at the bigger picture. You will do the same.” He stood, straightening the cuffs of his robe, and glared at me with cold authority.
“I've invited King Paeulyn and his eldest daughter, Princess Seraphina, to attend my name day celebration next week.
If you value what little power and assets you still have control over, you'll ensure you get to know the princess.”
My vision went red around the edges, my hands curling into fists beneath the table, as white-hot fury blazed through my veins.
Every muscle in my body coiled tightly, ready to spring.
Every instinct screamed at me to lunge across the table and show him exactly what happened to those who dared manipulate me. But I forced myself to remain seated.
My fucking hands were tied behind my back.
One wrong move, and he'd have the excuse he'd been waiting for to take away the little power and assets I still had. I needed those to help me find the ring.
So, instead of killing him, I gripped the arms of my chair, suppressed my darkness, and let the silence stretch between us.
Dreynthor waited for me to comment, but I remained quiet, watching him with untamed fury I was barely managing to hold back. My silence seemed to piss him off and amuse him in equal parts.
He smirked, looked me up and down, and gave me a crude stare. “Heard you have a new house guest. I dearly hope the little red-haired half-mage won't be a problem. I hear she's quite lovely.”
My blood ran colder than the lethal temperatures of the ice islands.
Motherfucker. Mere hours, and he already knew about Elariya. He wasn't even bothering to hide the fact that he had his spies watching me. I only hoped they hadn't seen too much.
“She won't be a problem.” I only answered because it might help keep him away from her.
I waited for him to elaborate, to reveal the extent of what he knew. When he didn't, I pieced together the obvious—since the ship was cloaked, his spies must have been stationed at Vyrenth Hollow and witnessed Elariya's arrival with the others.
There were cloaking wards woven into the manor walls through blood magic, tied to my ownership of the estate. No one could step inside unless I invited them. Dreynthor had never crossed that threshold, and he never would. But that didn’t stop him or his people from lurking on the grounds.
He was a Nightblade, after all. All Nightblades, and those granted leave by one, were free to walk the grounds, though never to enter the house itself. A courtesy of my grandfather that now turned against me.
“Why is she at your home, Wolfe? Don't you already have a mage?”
“She's training under Arielle's care.” I'd practiced that line so much in my mind it was easy to say it, regardless of my inner turmoil.
“I hope that's all it is.” His answer assured me for now that he was still in the dark, right where I needed him.
I didn't answer. I was done talking. So was he.
Dreynthor turned away and phased into the air, disappearing in a cloud of mist like the coward he was.
I gritted my teeth and slammed a fist into the table, releasing some of that bottled rage burning my soul.
Fuck. I hated being controlled. And I despised Dreynthor with every inch of my soul.
Things would only get worse from here onwards. Not better.
I had to find the damn ring. I had to.
No future existed without it. More importantly, I had to find the ring before I unleashed death on my uncle and lived to regret it.
Night had fallen by the time I made my way back to Vyrenth Hollow. I'd spent the last few hours with Alaric and Bastian, checking that things were in order with my unit and conducting a full sweep of the entire kingdom, the outer lands, and trade routes.
I placed my best-skilled warriors at the watch towers of the busiest villages and cities and briefed my spies with orders to watch everyone—especially Dreynthor and his lackeys.
The last thing I did was tie up some very important loose ends from the mortal realm.
I sent echo ravens to spy on Elariya's family and Thayden. Through port visions, I was able to see that Thayden was in the process of getting a petition to King Varis for permission to search the magical realm for Elariya.
To throw them off track, I left evidence—that I made sure Thayden found—to suggest Elariya had been taken west to the savage lands of the mortal realm.
I could have been a prick and made it look like she'd escaped because she didn't want to marry him, but I didn't think anyone would believe that. Not because they thought she was in love with him, but because of her duty to her family.
The marriage contract was only arranged because they needed it to happen. I shouldn't care, but I didn't want to make them suffer. I'd promised Elariya I wouldn't let them, and I meant to stand by my word.
Diverting her betrothed's attention to the savage lands would give him and everyone else searching for my mage plenty to do for a very long time. The land was extensive and known to harbor all sorts of criminals who practiced forbidden magic.
That plan would create a good distraction until it didn't. Hopefully by then, I would have found the ring.
Now that I was home, I was eager to see Elariya. Just see her. Not speak to her.
It was time to become the observer again and keep my distance.
I planned to conduct the spell in two days. That would give her enough time to recover from the Ruskiel’s attack, and me the space I needed to get my head together.
I sensed her presence in the garden, so I portalled out there and concealed myself in the archway by the fountain.
Standing amongst the roses, she gazed up at the Phantom Moon, looking more beautiful than I'd ever seen her.
Her hair hung in loose waves down her shoulders, and the bodice of her dark blue dress hugged her delicate frame, pulling my attention to all my favorite parts of her. Parts I wanted to touch and taste so fucking badly it ached my soul.
The fascination on her face was something I wished I could bottle, or at least be closer to. Close enough so she knew I was there, watching her discover the magic of my world.
When she saw the moon this morning, I'd told her to wait until tonight. I knew her mind would be blown because during a Phantom Moon, the magical realm held two moons in the night sky, a complete eclipse of souls.
It was the only remaining celestial wonder here. Many of us had grown up on stories of the Illymiare Moon—a time when two moons always hung in the sky.
As children, we called it the fading moon because of how it disappeared.
“It's so beautiful. And two moons... My mind can hardly comprehend it,” Elariya spoke as if answering my thoughts, and I wondered for a moment if she could see me.
Then Garrick walked up to her. I'd been so taken with her I hadn't even noticed he was around. But of course, he was. He was guarding her, just like I'd ordered him to.
“It only ever happens during the Phantom Moon,” he answered, his eyes roaming over her body in ways that made me clench my fist until my knuckles cracked. “The magic from the realm allows us to see both of them.”
“I feel like I'm caught in a dream.” Her tone was hushed with reverence.
“That sounds like a good thing. At least you didn't say nightmare.”
“No. Not nightmare.” Elariya smiled at him. Actually smiled at him. The only time I'd ever seen her smile was when she'd been with her cousin at her engagement celebration. And that had been a forced smile.
The one she gave Garrick just now was genuine. It came as easy and effortlessly as breathing. It was the sort you gave a person when you enjoyed their company.
“I’m glad, because that would mean I'm not doing my job right.” He reached out and playfully took a lock of her hair between his fingers.
My already simmering blood boiled, and I stepped out of the shadows, my mind conjuring all the ways I'd break my lieutenant's hand for touching what was mine.
Just then, Sirril rushed out, and I stopped in my tracks, still concealed from them all.
“My Lady, the chocolate cake is ready, and it's absolutely divine,” Sirril chortled, clapping his hands with glee.
His positive energy diffused my rage and I hung back. Garrick dropped his hand to his side as Elariya faced Sirril, and I was glad when she moved away from him.
“Thank you so much for going to all that trouble.” Elariya smiled at Sirril, but I didn't feel the same rage as I had with Garrick. And not when Sirril bowed and took her hand to lead her inside with fatherly care.
“The pleasure is mine, my lady,” Sirril rattled on. “I simply can't wait to make the next meal. It's rather exciting having you here.”
“That's wonderful to hear.” Elariya's sweet voice reached out to me.
Garrick followed them inside, and I watched them go, wanting nothing more than to join them. But I held back, fighting the temptation that pushed me forward like an invisible hand.
The door closed behind them, the soft sound impossibly loud to me.
I stared at the door, the truth of my mage's power over me hitting hard again.
I'd placed Garrick in charge here because of his strength and power. His ability to scout and sense trouble before it came made him perfect to keep Elariya and Arielle safe. Yet here I was, still seething because of his closeness to my mage.
And I was fucking jealous. Me.
It should have been me who showed her the moon, not him.
It should have been me touching her hair and going inside with her and Sirril to have cake. Not him.
I'd spent years searching for vengeance, for purpose, for a way out of the dark. Then she came along, and suddenly, I wanted more.
I wanted her.
It felt like I wasn't truly alive until her.
Days. That's all it had been since I’d known her. And she'd become my new obsession. The thing I couldn't stop thinking about, couldn't stop wanting.
Elariya Grayson crawled under my skin and into my mind, working her magic until she was all I could think about. But wanting the little mage came with a price. One I couldn't afford. Weakness.
Weakness was a disease that could consume you the instant you let it take root in your soul.
I should have known better. Fate had never been kind to monsters like me. The moment you reached for the light, the shadows always took more.
That was the cruelest part of being Death.