Chapter 10 #2
Just ahead Valeen stood in the foyer and his stomach tumbled.
It brought up strange feelings to see her standing in his castle again.
He’d avoided one-on-one interaction with her as much as possible since their talk in his room.
Their relationship had been over months before that, but that night was the finality of her choice.
The mixed emotions whirling inside him made sweat bead on his brow.
A flurry of excitement, sadness, and trepidation.
The way she teased him while they rode on dragon back made him want her again.
Friends or lovers, he’d take either. Now that she knew everything it wasn’t like he could take advantage.
At the very least he wanted them to be close friends like they had been when he was War but after loving her so deeply, and her sharing those same feelings, it couldn’t be the same.
She beamed at them both. “Good morning.” In a few quick strides she threw her arms around her sister. “I’m so sorry I slept for two days. I should have been with you.”
“Do not trouble yourself over me. You needed the rest, Val.”
Valeen tilted her chin toward him and playfully tapped his arm. “Hello, Thane.”
“Valeen.”
The corner of her mouth turned up. “Wow, I’m reduced to a name as a greeting. Not even a smile.”
“Good morning.”
“You’re so formal today, High King.”
“Should I be something other than formal, Valeen?” He wasn’t even sure how to act. He wanted to say that she looked lovely, that he was torn with her here, and to tell her to leave and then ask her to stay. It was confusing.
Valeen folded her arms. “I’m sorry for how I reacted when I saw the ruins. I should have had better control of my emotions. You were right about Synick.” She held out her hand. “I don’t want to fight with you. Truce?”
He shook her hand trying not to smile. That wasn’t why he was feeling the way he did but he appreciated the apology. “I’m sorry for what has become of House of Night, but I will help you get it back. And I don’t want to fight with you either.”
“Friends?” Valeen smiled sweetly.
“Always.”
“I expected to be at my castle and since I’m not, I’ve thought about going to stay with Aunt Evalyn. I know it’s not ideal for me to stay here with Hel.” She pushed her hair behind her ears.
That was an understatement. But he wouldn’t ask her to leave. He blew out a slow breath. “Look, if Hel can live in this castle when it was you and me to make sure you were safe from assassins, I certainly can, and I’ll do it without killing random guards and being an asshole to everyone.”
“Good.” She arched a brow.
“It’s safer if you stay. It’s a big castle and that’s your room. You just won’t find me next door to you anymore.”
“It’s probably for the best.”
“It’s certainly for the best.”
Katana reached out and took her sister’s hand, “Have you eaten breakfast?” It was a welcome change of subject.
“Not yet but I am hungry. Have you?”
“We did but I will sit with you. We can talk and have a good time.”
“Just the two of you?” Valeen slipped into a mischievous smile. Katana smiled back as if they had some secret way of communicating. These two together were trouble.
“Just us. But I am sure he would enjoy both of our company for lunch. Or another dragon ride perhaps. Snuggled up between us this time.” Katana giggled and playfully nudged his arm.
Valeen laughed. If turning it into a joke worked to ease the tension in the air, then he’d take it.
“Is this going to be a thing now? Just wait until Hel hears about it,” Thane grumbled, even though he liked this playful banter more than awkwardness between them.
“He would not get angry with you will he, Val?” She suddenly looked nervous and started pawing at her hair. “Maybe we should not tease Thane anymore. If Hel loses his temper with you…”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “If either of us has a temper it’s me, and he wouldn’t hurt me if that’s what you’re worried about. Hel loves to get a rise out of people more than anyone.”
“He’s actually fanatical about keeping her safe,” Thane added, but he wondered if she heard rumors about things Hel had done or if there was another reason she would think that. His mind drifted to her former husband. Maybe the reason she didn’t want Atlanta to know she was alive went deeper.
Out of the corner of his eye, a guard approached with a letter in hand. “Excuse me, ladies.” He took a few steps away from Katana and Valeen and held out his hand.
“Sire, a letter from the woodland elves.”
He recognized the green seal on the back and tore it open.
One thing he had not kept a close eye on were his old rivals.
He still hadn’t met the new Lord of Calladira and it had been half a year since he killed Lord Brunard in his manor.
His spies reported the new ruler was a cousin of Lord Brunard’s, but not much else was known about him.
They’d kept themselves locked up tightly while the pale ones roamed free.
He’d been too preoccupied with Hel, the pale ones, and a demon prince terrorizing his land to bother with the woodland elves.
The last time Calladira was supposedly coming it was only Hel playing a trick.
High King Thane Athayel,
The new lord of Calladira, Lord Maelus, requests an audience with the High King of Palenor at Castle Dredwich for your convenience. Please respond with a desired date.
Lord Maelus
The name sounded familiar though he couldn’t remember why.
No details in the letter as to why he would request an audience was odd.
They usually included a reason—talk of opening trade, or more often than he liked, land boundary discrepancies.
Without prior permission, High Elves caught roaming on their land were considered trespassing.
But times had changed with the Black Mage awake, and more than likely it was to discuss that particular problem.
Their new lord would faint to know he now roamed about Castle Dredwich freely and as an ally.
Thane shoved the letter into Hel’s chest and then dropped onto his throne.
“This better not be you again.” The sun shone down from the high windows casting an ethereal light, even making Hel look less sinister.
He’d eased up on the black cloaks and kept his rune tattoos covered except for those on his hands but often he wore fingerless gloves to not raise questions.
Surprisingly he’d become well-liked among the staff.
The males thought he was suave and even funny, while the females whispered about his handsome face and air of mystery.
Hel’s brows furrowed and he looked the letter over.
“I wouldn’t pull the same thing twice. I’m more creative than that.
Besides, why would I trick you now? I thought we were friends again.
Although, I do sort of miss being the villain around here.
I might need to kill a few people just so no one forgets who I really am.
Where are those green sash people that formed when Val was born?
You know, the ones who think she’s a dark mage and should be killed. ”
“Oh, you’re still hated, no need to worry about that. And you have better things to do with your time than worry about them.” He pointed at the letter from Lord Maelus. “And I don’t know why you do half the things you do, so it wouldn’t be far-fetched if you sent this.”
“Everything I do is either for her or my vengeance. I’m a simple creature really.” Hel crumpled up the paper and tossed it into the air where it vanished. “You seem a little jealous.”
“Of you? Far from it.”
“We haven’t talked about her choice so let’s get it out of the way.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. You’re too sensitive.”
Hel chuckled and put a hand on his chest. “ I’m sensitive?”
“We’d end up in a fight.”
“You want to fight me?” he mused, curiosity and challenge rising.
“Not at the moment.”
“Good, because we already did that in this room once, and we both know how that went. You almost cried.”
Thane let out a barking laugh. It stung that Hel had taken on both him and Valeen while barely breaking a sweat.
His magic held Thane in place without Hel even moving.
The strength he drew from the Void made him more powerful than both him and Valeen for now.
Even if Thane was a full immortal, he wouldn’t want to fight him.
“Gods, you’re such an arrogant ass. If you didn’t use your magic, there would have been a very different outcome. ”
“Are we back to measuring cocks? If you want to fist fight, I’m up for it.” His red eyes flashed, and he slipped his jacket off and with a snap of his fingers it hung on a hook near the entrance doors. He rolled up his charcoal sleeves and adjusted his black vest.
Thane rested one boot across his knee and drummed his fingers on the onyx armrest of his throne.
He truly was not angry with Hel for what Valeen chose, it was her choice to make, but he did want to punch him for being such an asshole and all the shit he pulled before.
“The last time we had a duel you dropped me into an illusion of the underrealm.”
“Well, you were an idiot and didn’t set any rules.” He walked to the base of the steps leading to Thane’s throne and tapped his chin. “Hit me. Right here. I know you want to.”
“This feels like a trick.”
“I will allow you to hit me once, real fucking hard without consequences. I deserve it.”
“You know what, you do deserve it.” Thane made it down the steps in two strides, and swung hard. His fist cracked against Hel’s jaw, snapping his head to the side. Hel stumbled off balance, caught himself before he fell, and held a hand to his mouth.