CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE MOMENT I STEP INTO the war room, the air is charged.
Suspicion and hope saturate the air and it’s nearly overwhelming.
Fae I recognize—and some I don’t—are standing around the long, wooden table.
A table that hasn’t changed during the years away from here.
A memory rushes to the forefront of my mind and the emotion from it clogs my throat.
It’s of me running into this room time and time again after meetings my parents held.
One of my fathers always scooped me into his arms and held me close, whispering words of love and gently chastising me for entering as they escorted me out.
It became a game, but I only entered after the talks were dismissed.
I clear my throat and notice Talyn and an older male exchanging harsh words, their hands lingering on their weapons. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Talyn doesn’t lower his gaze from the male, and his words are laced with frustration. “We are being accused of being in league with the Lords because of our blood connection to them.”
“Princess Maeven would never show up with you all willingly! Not after what you have done to her family. Now, you can go to the dungeons willingly, or you can be forced there!” the male snaps, his dark hair greying with age and his wrinkled eyes narrow, but with the way he moves, you would never think he was an elder.
“You will not lay a hand on my fated mates!” I growl.
“They are not in league with their fathers. In fact they’ve been the head of the rebellion against them, aiding Vathia with the war.
A war that is not over, let me remind you all.
” It’s not how I wanted to address the fae of Maleen, but if one more male or female threatens what is mine, I won’t be nice about it.
“You can either listen to what we are about to tell you, or you may leave.”
“Fated,” he scoffs. “There haven’t been fated mates in eons.”
I search the gazes of my friends and chosen family, noting their strength and trust in me and the curious gazes of fae I’m sure I’ll come to know well in these coming days.
I turn back to the male. “We bear the marks and the bonds, though you will need to take my word that, unless you wish for all of us to disrobe in front of everyone. I would never purposely lead the enemy into our home.”
My mates growl but they don’t interrupt, knowing I need to handle our first impression.
His gaze rakes down my form, but not in a creepy way like how Bracken used to; it’s more assessing, and yet I can’t help my eyes narrowing in response as my males growl.
“This will need to be documented. Fetch a healer,” he snaps to the younger male beside him.
“They can determine whether or not these marks are fated or artifice.”
Killian takes a step forward and my hand darts up, pressing it against his firm, amour-bound chest as I push into his mind.
“No, we will give them what they want for now. He’s not going to harm us, once he determines we aren’t lying.
” As much as an ass as this male is being, it’s understandable.
After everything they’ve been through, I would be just as suspicious.
A younger male darts out of the room and it’s only ten minutes of uncomfortable, silent posturing before he returns with a fairy healer in tow, her belt of herbs and tools clinking at her waist.
“I was summoned, Sir Geoffrey," she murmurs, dipping her head at the elder male who’s still glaring at Talyn.
“Yes, Tabitha. I need you to determine whether these mate bonds are real,” he states gruffly.
She gasps slightly and nods. “Of course…” Her gaze meets mine and I can see the gears ticking as she puts together who I am. After all, the whole city must know I’m back after I brought down the barrier, even if word hasn’t reached every ear. “Your Majesty!” She falls into a deep curtsey.
“Thank you, Tabitha, but if you don’t mind hurrying this along. We have things to discuss and put in order before nightfall.”
“Nightfall?” Sir Geoffrey inquires.
I ignore him for now, waiting for the healer to answer me. “Of course. I would only need to see one of the marks—”
“All of them. Our Princess is claiming all the lords’ sons are her mates.”
The room full of fae bristle, and I’ve had enough. “I will not strip down in front of strangers, so if you all could wait out in the hall while Tabitha does her assessment, then we can get over this pointless hurdle.” The room slowly clears and Geoffrey stays.
Jesper takes a menacing few steps towards the male, undoing the laces of his leathers before dropping them—thankfully he’s wearing briefs—making Geoffrey’s gaze widen in shock as he stutters, but Jesper tsks, cutting him off.
“You can see us disrobed, but you will avert your gaze when my mate shows the nice healer her mark. Or I will take your eyeballs for her familiar, as he happens to have a penchant for collecting them from the people who wrong his fae. Do I make myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” he grumbles before he eyes the completed and darkened mark on Jesper’s leg.
Tabitha’s gaze stay firmly on me as she swallows. “Your Majesty, do I have permission to assess the mark?”
I tamp down on the urge to claw her eyes out, but I understand this must be done.
“Yes,” I grind out. I don’t like having another female look at my mates, but at least her profession is a healer, and fairies are known for their healing and nurturing abilities.
And at least she had the decency to ask.
She makes quick work of looking it over. “There’s no needle scarring,” she states in awe. “How did this come about?”
I shrug, “They all appeared after I bonded my dragon and fell from her. We think that must have been a trigger.” I don’t tell her that I didn’t know about it, even though all my mates knew something had happened and suspected our fates were tied.
Jesper thankfully yanks his pants back up and all I feel is relief.
“Him next,” Geoffrey states, nodding his head towards Talyn, and I nearly grind my teeth, but if I need to prove my mates are innocent and not working with their fathers, then showing our bonds is an easy way to do that. Even if it’s taking everything in me not to help add to Nero’s collection.
“Wait, Tal… Are you okay with…” My words fall off as I dip my eyes to the scarring I knows lays underneath his tunic.
He smirks but that doesn’t stop me from noticing the subtle bob of his throat as he swallows. “It’s fine, Rav. I can handle this.”
“Do you need me?” Nero asks, catching the violent thoughts.
I sigh. “No, just annoyed. How does everything look out there?”
“People are celebrating. From conversations I’ve glimpsed, only an heir of the queen could have unlocked the barrier. They’ve been waiting for you. It seems you are still loved here, Rav.”
I swallow the emotion. “And how about around the city, Vasari?”
Her presence seems longing but she quickly hides the emotion. “All is clear…”
“What’s wrong?” I push.
She sighs in a way only a queenly dragon could.
“If you must know, I was hoping to find a clue of my mother. But there is nothing. Not even a scale. The Keep is nice though; let me know if you need anything. My mates and I are going to feast. We saw a delicious-looking flock of sheep nearby.” She cuts off the bond and I rub my chest. We will get you answers too, I silently promise her.
A shocked gasp startles me back into the present. “I’m so sorry Consort Talyn. That was very unprofessional of me. I’ve just never seen scarring so bad. The mark is there, although greyed out… it hasn’t been completed?” she questions, turning her head towards me.
“His scars are beautiful. They show he’s a survivor, and they are nothing to be shocked at. I would hope in the future you mind your expressions.”
She dips into a curtsey again. “You’re right, Your Majesty. It’s just we haven’t seen any injury like this since before the barrier went up. I will do better.”
Now I feel slightly bad for chastising her. If only she saw my back… In fact two of my mates still haven’t, and I know they are going to have to find out sooner than later, but that’s something to worry about when I’m not in the middle of proving said mates’ innocence.
I can’t seem to help myself as my eyes roam Talyn’s muscular form, hard lines and all male.
Even though I wish he never had to experience what he went through to get those scars, I can’t help but react to his beautiful body with heat curling in my stomach.
It’s right then I realize that I want to bond to him.
He is mine. And even though he treated me like crap, I know it was the cursed magick of the Soul Stone—that even though we still have things to work through, I want to make him officially mine.
“Seems to me like the bonds are real, Sir Geoffrey. I do not need to view any more as it would be rude to do this to our Queen. Especially if the other—”
“Enough, fine. Thank you,” he rubs his head, defeated.
My brow raises. ‘The other…’ what?
Before I can ask, Geoffrey continues, “I apologize for my skepticism. But as you know, mate bonds haven’t existed in quite some time. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t under any Szellemi influence.” He eyes Jesper who hasn’t taken his eyes off me.
“My mind is my own,” I state. “But we really need to discuss things before nightfall. If you can call in the others, I wish to get this done with no more delays; we have been traveling for a while and would like to get some rest before we have to be up again fighting.”
“Of course,” he mutters, dipping into a small bow.
Aemon slips into my mind, “I’m not sure what to think of him…”
“Me either. We will just keep an eye on him. Although, I’m pretty sure my mother’s magick would have kicked him out if he meant any true harm.”
He sighs, reaching for my hand as we take our seats at the head of the table, exactly where my parents sat. “You’re right. It’s just been a long day. That’s all.”
Once everyone finds their seats, we begin updating them on everything that has happened since they’ve been shut out from the realm and, most importantly, on our plan to protect the city from wraiths.
BY THE END of our tale, leaving the more personal part of our stories out, their faces are pale with horror and fear.
One of the female warriors speaks out. “We have been training to aid you once you came back. Your mother left instructions that only her heir would be able to free us, yet it wasn’t supposed to be until you were ready to take the throne and the realm was at peace.
Which always pissed me off a bit, if I may be honest. A lot of the warriors here have been trained under the tutelage of some of the greatest warriors in the elite guard that didn’t perish during those dark few days.
I would be honoured to help you bring the kingdom back to its former glory. ”
I shake my head. “No, not its former glory. Better. I want to see my mother’s plan come to fruition. Where every fae is equal and Nulls aren’t treated as servants. But that can be discussed later. Is there anything else I need to know before I adjourn this meeting?”
Sir Geoffrey clears his throat, his cantankerous personality fading after he listened to our debrief. “There is one more matter you should be aware of, Your Majesty.”
The ominous tone of his words has me sitting straighter in my seat as I wait for what feels like forever, preparing myself for a metaphorical boot to drop.
He nods his head and five others stand, looking nervous, including the one female warrior who spoke earlier.
“We didn’t yet tell you the true reason for your mother putting up the barrier.
” I hold my breath as he continues. “The Galallaus fae were not completely wiped out as the rest of the realm believes. When the attacks on your bloodline started, Queen Calantha did everything she could to hide them here. So after the castle was attacked, she did what we thought was her final act to protect the fae. You are not alone, Princess Maeven. Your fae type has survived.”
I stare at the others who are staring at me with glistening eyes. My mother saved the Galallaus fae? Words evade me as a tear escapes and I hastily wipe it away. “How many?” I manage to whisper.
The female who spoke up before smiles. “There are fifty of us, Your Majesty. Seven of them are only fledglings.”
“Holy fucking Fates,” Aemon mutters.
Jesper laughs. “You took the words right out of my mouth.”
But all I can think is that Cynder and I are not alone.
We are not the last. But that poses a bigger problem: if Talyn’s father finds out.
Would he go after them now that he doesn’t have Cynder and my mother to control the Soul Stone for much longer?
Who knows how much or how little of her blood he has stockpiled.
Talyn grabs my hand and squeezes it three times and I take a breath. I still have time to figure it out. But for now, I’m home and almost everyone I love is with me.