CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE WALK TO AMETHYST's OFFICE is mostly in silence. What does one even say to a long-lost sister? Nothing feels different other than the fact that I’m not alone.
That other than our dying mother, I’m not the last Gallalaus fae anymore.
Does she even want this relationship? Did she know or have a feeling we were related the whole time?
I have so many questions, but I don’t want to overwhelm her or scare her off.
“Here we are,” I say softly as my knuckles rap against the solid wood door.
Cynder smiles nervously and I try to give her an encouraging grin back, but I’m not sure how convincing I am. I want her to be comfortable with me, but this feels out of my scope of expertise. Not that I’m an expert in anything.
“Except for being a badass Queen in training,” Nero adds as he comes soaring down the hall to perch on my shoulder.
I roll my eyes and Amethyst opens the door, her face lighting up as she sees me.
“Ravina! Please come in.” She glances at Cynder, her brows dip slightly in confusion but her delighted expression doesn’t fade.
“What can I help you with, dear?” she asks as we enter her space, seemingly forgetting her offer for tea and answers.
Her white ash desk sits on the far side of the room, giving her an unparalleled view of the ocean that sparkles with a deep blue, the afternoon sun high in the sky.
A gentle breeze brings in the warm salty air, making the pale gauzy curtain sway.
The room is bright and it’s as if she was able to bring the essence of the ocean and capture it in the decor of the room, where books and nautical decor seem as if they were always meant to go together.
“My sister and I were curious about royal traditions we may not be aware of. I was already caught off guard with the Royal Guard inductions and how that goes.” I still remember my surprise and nervousness doing my first ceremonial cut, and if I can not be caught off guard again, that would be great.
Thankfully I had Aemon there who happened to know what was going on.
She smiles at Cynder unfazed. She was there when our mother dropped that metaphorical bomb on us, but this would be the first time they’ve interacted with each other. “It’s so nice to formally meet you, Princess Cynder—”
“I’m not a princess,” she states hastily, staring at me in horror. “I mean, I guess I am, but I’ve never thought of myself like that. I don’t want it. I can’t be tied down to a role like that.”
“Breathe,” I tell her with a smile. “No one’s asking you to perform royal duties.
Trust me, I’m the last one to enforce something like that, but the title is your birthright.
” Which is something I’m coming to terms with myself.
My burden to bear, and I won’t push it on her.
From what Talyn has told me, she’s never had freedom either, which is something I can relate to.
My scars throb as I remember my punishments for venturing outside of Shalo. I push back the memories so I’m not thrusted into the past of horrors.
Amethyst thankfully steers the conversation back towards the point of our visit while I gather my composure, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Are you okay?” Jesper and Aemon ask at the same time.
My heart lightens at their concern. “I’m okay, the memory just caught me off guard,” I assure them both before focusing back on Aemon’s mother.
She gestures with her hand for us to take a seat in front of her desk as she lowers herself into her chair. “What do you remember about your mother’s duties from when you were younger?”
I think back, remembering times where I would sneak into the throne room to watch my parents while I was bored.
“I remember they used to talk to citizens and fae of power from other provinces. Settle disputes, I believe.” She nods encouragingly as I continue.
“Lots of paperwork…” I drag off realizing how underprepared I am to take on this role.
How am I going to be able to guide the realm into a new, better era for the fae if I don’t even know how to do the job?
She must see the terror and uncertainty in my eyes because she leans forward, resting her forearms on the desk as her features soften.
“You will learn a lot of this as you go. And once you go back to Maleen, there are plenty of tomes, scrolls and parchments to be studied that will help guide you and your court.” She winces. “If the library wasn’t burned down…”
My gut drops like a bag of stones at the mention of the library, so I change the subject. “My court?” My brows pull together as I try to remember my mother’s court. Flashes of trusted advisors come to mind but I can’t be certain of what they did.
“Yes, your court. Each Queen upon her coronation chooses her most trusted fae to help guide her and take the pressure off, helping with your royal duties. These are often close friends or elders. The Queen’s mates also take on roles such as liaisons to deal with out-of-court issues and overseeing the Royal Guard. ”
Killian instantly comes to mind. He’s already taken over that role without anyone telling him to, and it suits him.
Who better to handle that than a seasoned Vopn Fo warrior who’s overprotective of me?
Ember would work well as his second in command, considering he’s been training her. I should officially ask them.
Rozen and Lennox would be great choices too. Mel would have loved this. She always wanted to be a part of royal life. Emotion clogs my throat as I nod so Amethyst knows I’ve heard her.
She continues on. “You will oversee the Lords and Ladies and other higher class fae, making sure everyone stays civil and signing off on requests they will make for coin for their provinces. A lot of this will come as you learn. Most of it will come after the war comes to an end.”
I sit back in the chair, feeling slightly overwhelmed, but the strength from the others in my bonds keep me grounded.
Cynder shakes her head. “I don’t envy you. I want to see the realm, travel… maybe cross the sea and see if there’s an end. The crown sounds like a gilded cage.”
Amethyst’s head teeters back and forth. “In a way, but she will be allowed to travel as well. Especially in times of peace, the Queen usually makes her rounds to villages and cities every few years and gives blessings to the Fates.”
I sigh. I understand where Cynder is coming from, but I know this is my burden to carry.
It’s what I was born for, and I would never make her do anything she wouldn’t want.
Even if there was someone I could trust to take the throne, I’m not sure that I would.
My mother had a vision and I know I’m the only one who can help it come to fruition.
I take Cynder’s hands in mine. “I will never make you stay. After all of this is said and done. If we make it through this alive, you have my blessing to travel the realm. After all, I’ll need someone to tell me about distant lands, if there are any.”
Her eyes widen and she nearly blinds me with how bright her smile is as she nods. It’s almost like some of the shadows around her have lightened.
The ground shakes and my eyes widen, just as a booming blast echoes across the castle. A quick glance at Amethyst’s shock tells me it was far more than just a rogue wave.
“Nero, go check it out and see what’s happening. Amethyst, do you have somewhere you and the staff can take cover?” She nods. “Take Cynder with you, I’ll come for you or send one of the others when it’s safe.”
She hurries around the table and places her hands on the shoulders of Cynder, whose pale pink eyes are wide with terror.
“Ravina,” Aemon starts, “We are under attack. Lord Craven’s troops have somehow breached the gates. Do you want to stay inside with the staff or would you like to join us?”
My heart thunders in anticipation and warms at the same time—appreciation for my mate as he gives me the choice instead of trying to squirrel me away like some damsel in distress. “I’m on my way.”
Jesper’s bloodlust and excitement overwhelm the bond, and I can’t help but feel his giddiness, even as I worry for everyone here.
The shadows pull around me and I take a breath. When I exhale, I’m surrounded by my mates. My fist wraps around the hilt of my sword and I draw it in the next breath as I focus on the fight ahead.
Jesper kisses me. “I’m glad you made it, my Little Beastie.” He licks his full lips and winks.
“I still think she would be safer up above,” Killian grumbles, taking his place at my side and eyeing the silhouetted dragons patrolling there. Always the protector, even if he is grouchy when I won’t hide away.
“It’s her choice,” Aemon states. “But if I see that you’re overwhelmed out there, I will whisk you away to some cave while I disembowel every enemy who even looked at you.”
“Agreed,” Talyn states. “We should just do that now before they breach the gate.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. “How did they even cross Vathia without resistance? And why didn’t we have any warning?”
Another blast sounds, and before any of them can answer my question, a platoon made up of berserkers and infantry invade the grounds. There can’t be more than fifty, but their presence here is concerning to say the least.
Magick ripples through the air as swords clash. The Vathian warriors take the brunt of the first hit, and before I know it ours and theirs are so intermixed it’s impossible to tell where everyone is.
Killian glances down at me. “Stay close and keep your guard up.” And then we are overwhelmed.
My sword meets another in a clash so loud my ears ring. Block, slash. Block, slash. I go through the movements with adrenaline coursing through my veins as I try to keep myself alive.
Nero circles above, watching my back. “Rav, Behind you!”
I spin and block a strike that comes too close for comfort before using air to throw my opponent back. Fuck, that was close.
Jesper comes up behind the male and slices his throat. “No looking at my mate!” he growls before quickly carving out an eyeball and tossing it into the air for Nero to grab. He blows me a kiss before jumping back into the fray.
Nero catches his grisly gift and I can feel his excitement as his collection grows. “I told you he’s my favorite.”
I shake my head and parry off the next few attacks, but before I can strike a final blow, Killian has done it for me. “Go straight for the death blow, this isn’t sparring,” he growls, and I can feel his Vopn Fo magick swell as he pummels a male into the blood-soaked grass.
We work as a unit to protect Aemon’s home and keep everyone safe, though by the time the last invading warrior takes his last breath, I’ll be exhausted and numb. All this life wasted and for what?
A blast comes from above and I curse, realizing it’s the tower where Cynder is hiding out.
Aemon disappears in smoke and shadow, and just as I’m about to follow, his voice is in my head updating me as I cut down yet another fighter.
“Cynder is safe. Someone tried to take her back to Craven, but she blew him up. She’s safe.
I’ll guard her, though, until the threat is dealt with down there. ”
I breathe out a sigh of relief and run to Talyn, who looks like he’s about to run inside. I use my Szelemi magick to enter his mind and he lets me. “She’s safe. Aemon is with her. Let’s finish up here and then we can go make sure she’s good.”
It doesn’t take long to clear the last few enemies from the courtyard and, unable to help it, my eyes drag across the area. What once was sprawling green grass and gardens that Amethyst enjoyed tending to is now strewn with bodies from both sides.
One by one, my mates all check on me: Aemon through the bond and Jesper by covering my face in kisses, not bothered by the blood that’s splattered there, touching me as I walk through the massacre.
Talyn steps in front of me, his eyes soft yet piercing as his thumb brushes my lip, wiping blood from it, while Killian grabs my hand, giving it a quick squeeze before ordering the remaining troops about.
The castle is quiet as we all pitch in to clean up and prepare the burials for our own.
Talyn and I use our earth magick to encourage the ground to soak up the gore that lays about, and I attempt to return the gardens to their natural state.
By the time we’re done, it’s almost as if the invasion never happened.
“We need to call a meeting,” I tell the others. “I’m done sitting by and waiting. It’s time we do something.” Waiting for information isn’t doing us any good. Not now. Not when the one place we thought was safe is no longer. If Craven can get to us here, then nowhere is safe. Not for anyone.
“WE NEED TO send word to the front lines,” I state the moment everyone is seated around the table. “Give them orders to push back. We played defense long enough. I won’t see any more innocent bloodshed if I can help it.”
Killian shakes his head. “This is war, Little Warrior. There’s no getting around that.”
I sigh, knowing he’s right. “Which is why we need to make a statement. I won’t hide behind Vathia’s borders any longer.”
The room breaks out in arguments. My mates are the loudest.
“You will not be putting yourself in harm’s way!” Killian bellows, standing so quickly that his chair knocks over. “The front lines are no place for a Queen, especially you.”
“I was already on the front lines,” I remind him. “Plus that’s not what I was thinking. We need answers. We need to go home. We need to go to Maleen.”
Talyn scoffs. “No one has been able to get into Maleen since that night. Whatever your mother did, kicked everyone out, it’s impregnable.”
He’s right, but my gut is screaming at me that it’s time. “My mother wouldn’t have blocked me out forever. She always intended for me to take the throne when I was old enough. Maybe whatever she did was to keep it safe until then?”
“She has a point,” Jesper says as he feeds Nero more trail mix. “She’s probably the only fae in the realm to be able to get through whatever magick Queen Calantha Pendroko placed over Maleen.”
Aemon takes my hand. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? We can stay here and reinforce the grounds. We—”
“It’s time,” I tell him gently.
Roz leans forward, taking Ember’s hand and slapping Lennox on the shoulder. “I think it’s safe to say that the three of us are with you.”
“As are we,” Cynder adds, speaking for herself and Evander’s crew. She smiles at them before taking Evander’s hand.
Jesper’s temper spikes and Talyn’s fist tightens on the hilt of his blade.
“Enough, you two. She’s an adult.” I push the message into Talyn’s mind.
They both don’t move, but they don’t relax either, and I know that’s the best I’ll get from them at the moment.
“When do we leave?” Ember asks.
I place both hands on the table and stand, my gaze meeting each of them. “We leave tonight.”