Chapter 11
Eleven
Jasyn fidgeted with the cuffs of his sleeves. It was a mesh fabric, hand-sewn with beads in the shape of flowers. It let the warm breeze through, and although most days, he would feel shy, today was the perfect occasion for such an ostentatious garment.
The yearly party thrown by the royal family was a celebration for all, a time to let loose before the possibility that, a few weeks later, the court could burn to the ground.
It was also a way for the royal family to experience the extravagance of royalty one last time in case the competing royal lost and a new person took over.
His parents did not hold back. The castle workers spent days cleaning every glass surface, scrubbing the stone floors, and decorating every inch of the grounds.
Jasyn tried not thinking about that aspect of it, how in a few short days, this castle might no longer be his home.
It’s all he knew, and saying goodbye would break him.
Instead of chasing those thoughts, he was standing on the bottom of the stairs like a dog, waiting for Esi to appear.
It would be a long day and night, and he couldn’t wait to spend it with her.
“Don’t be nervous,” Mych teased.
“Shouldn’t you be wooing Bron?” Jasyn snapped back, and his guard shook his head as he laughed.
“The wooing will commence as soon as you and Esi are at each other’s hips.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…it’s like pulling a stubborn weed from the dirt when it comes to separating you two.”
Jasyn scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“But true.”
Jasyn was ready to fight the notion further, but footsteps sounded on the stone stairs.
Esi gripped the railing tightly, but he barely noticed her wobbling.
She was a vision before him. She wore a long ivory silk dress, her train sweeping behind her.
It had short, fluttering sleeves that bounced as she moved.
It would have been shapeless, save for the porcelain corset at her waist. It had a marbled effect of reds, oranges, and yellows, a picture of the sun up close.
Her hair was down in waves, embellished with clips that looked like the ruby gemstone of the Heart.
“Close your mouth,” were Mych’s parting words.
Jasyn shook himself out of the fog. “You look…breathtaking.” Breathtaking wasn’t enough to describe Esi’s beauty. She radiated, and he could do nothing but stare in awe.
She played with the beading on his sleeves. “You look handsome.”
Now that she was before him, he noticed how her cheeks were rosy, her eyes covered in an iridescent glitter.
When she caught him staring, she said, “Your mother told me the more shine, the better.”
“She was right.”
“I tried refusing the shoes, but she told me it was necessary—for the daytime, at least. At night is when the party truly unfolds, and I can whip them off.” Esi lifted the skirt of the dress to reveal strappy shoes so high, it was no wonder she was struggling.
“I’ll make sure to not let you fall.” He extended his arm, and he saw relief wash over her face.
She stepped cautiously off the final stair, and they were together at the hip like Mych had proclaimed. Jasyn chuckled to himself.
The festivities had started at sunrise, music and cheering everywhere. People were already dancing and drinking in the ballroom, but Jasyn guided Esi to the throne room.
“Unfortunately, the first part of the day requires us to be responsible.”
“How so?”
“Greeting guests.” Esi shuddered, and he knocked his shoulder against hers. “It won’t be that bad.”
The throne room was crowded with everyone wanting to give their hellos to the royal family.
With Esi on his arm, it was easy to move through the chaos.
He carefully guided her over the stone steps of the pond, carrying the end of her dress, making sure she could skip across them without falling into the water.
His parents were just as extravagantly dressed. His father wore a sleeveless silk shirt that showed off his muscled arms, and his mother looked refined in her maroon dress.
“You make such a beautiful couple.” His mother smiled, and he blushed at the attention.
“I have you to thank for my appearance, although I’m not surprised you were right. The glitter was a requirement.”
“See?” His mother patted her husband’s arm, which rested on his throne. “I am always right.”
His father leaned in as close to his mother as he could, and she inched her face in to accept the kiss. “I never doubted you.”
Before he met Esi, he would have turned away from such a display of affection. He thought that love would never find him. He thought he didn’t deserve it, but Esi changed that for him.
“Go have fun,” his father said. “No need to worry about royal duties this year. You’ll have decades of it soon enough.”
Jasyn nodded, resenting the confidence. He hoped he had the responsibility in his future. He wanted it, but desire did not guarantee him the throne.
As they moved away from the dais, Esi leaned in. “He’s right. You’ll be on that throne next year.”
Jasyn gave her a half-hearted smile, but he didn’t want to think about the future right now. He only wanted to experience the present with the woman in his arms.
“Let’s dance,” he said.
Iskra’s feet and calves burned. The shoes were a nuisance, and when Jasyn could no longer take her wincing in pain, he sat her down and slowly lifted the skirt of her dress, lingering on her calves before he undid the clasp of her shoes.
She moaned in relief, but he held on to her leg and pressed a kiss to her shin.
Goosebumps dotted her skin, and he only smirked up at her when he saw her body react.
“You’re beautiful.” His voice was sensual and soft, and it hit something deep at the apex of her thighs.
“You’ve told me that three times already.” He wouldn’t stop saying it as they danced together. Each time, it made her face heat even more.
“It’s true.” He shrugged as he released the skirts from his grasp and sat in the chair opposite hers.
The whole ballroom was surrounded by brass tables and chairs, and the perimeter was alight with fire.
Candles covered every empty spot, and when Iskra asked if that was a fire risk, he told her the fire was magic.
It wouldn’t burn anything as long as whoever lit it kept it in its place.
When Iskra anchored her head upwards, she was rewarded with a view of colorful ribbons hanging across the glass ceiling.
At the end of them were small glass orbs that caught the sunlight pouring in, glowing across the whole room.
Yet, it was watching others enjoying themselves that warmed her heart. Everyone was dressed spectacularly in their finest, shiniest garments. Some wore masks, which Jasyn informed her was a way to keep one’s identity safe as they let the debauchery of the night consume them.
One of the servants passed by with a tray of sparkling wine, and Jasyn swiped two flutes. He handed one over to her, and they clinked the crystal glasses.
“To us and our bright future.”
Iskra sipped and swallowed both the drink and the growing lump in her throat. This sparkling day would be one of the best in her life. When Jasyn had a sword at her heart during the Undertaking, this would be the memory she would come back to as the light left her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
Iskra snapped her head to Jasyn, who had put down the glass and leaned over the table towards her.
She smiled. “Show me your favorite place.”
He smiled back at her and took her hand.
They ran out, neither of them caring if anyone stared at them when they left the castle to the sounds of chirping bugs.
Iskra turned around to glance at the building, and it truly was a marvel.
She could see all the candles inside, the building seeming like it was burning.
Jasyn pulled on her arm, and they were off again.
They slowed, and when Jasyn faced her, she could read the nerves on her face. “It’s not anything original, but this garden is unlike the rest. I never touch it. I let everything grow as Slone intends.”
“Why does this one remain unchanged?” she asked, her heart beating rapidly.
“This was the garden my siblings and I would spend hours playing in as children. It’s the one place that will keep growing without change, even when they are gone. Even when I’m gone.”
Iskra wiped the tear rolling down his face with her thumb. “That’s beautiful.” Her hand trailed to his chest, where she felt the rushing rhythm of his heartbeat. “Your soul is beautiful, Jasyn. You’ll make such a wonderful king.”
“I hope my people feel the same way.”
She snapped her gaze to his, taking in his green eyes filled with so much doubt. She hated the sight of it.
“The people already love you. You might not be your siblings, but you’re you. A man with a kind heart who wants good things for this court. A man with a unique gift from Slone, one you shouldn’t be afraid to shine in front of others just because it's not the harsh heat of flame.”
He nodded, but she had a feeling the words didn’t stick fully. She wished he could believe her, but she knew he ultimately had to accept the words as truth himself.
“I want to share this with you…” He gestured towards the reason they were here.
He opened the latch of a white wooden fence, and it was like stepping inside a dream. They were surrounded by a burst of colors. The grass reached Iskra’s knees, and she could hear the trickling of water somewhere to her left.
“It’s so…” No words could encompass the sensation she felt as she stepped into this other world, but she finally landed on one. “Peaceful.”
She laughed at herself; that barely brimmed the surface of it. Jasyn was right in front of her now, clasping her chin so it was tilted toward him.
“Your laugh is my undoing. I want to swallow it until it's embedded in my soul.”
“Do it,” she said brazenly. Her entire body scorched with the eternal flame of her desire for him.
He leaned down and kissed her, and she laughed into his mouth. This time, he didn’t hold back. His tongue swiped into her mouth, and she moaned as she gripped his hips to bring him closer. They both wore such thin fabric, she could feel his hardness against her.
It was overwhelming, how one person could make her feel so much with such little touch. Her body had been craving this her whole life, and she had been denied such an experience before this. Once this moment was over, she would grieve the lost potential of so many years she’d been stuck in a cage.
Before she could tell what was happening, he undid the ties at the back of her corset. It dropped to the ground with a thud, but she didn’t care, because Jasyn was now gripping her waist tightly, and she delighted in how firm his grip was, like she was his anchor keeping him from floating away.
“Is this okay?” he asked, as his lips moved to a spot behind her ears.
Even in a state of such desire, he was a gentleman. It made her eyes burn. Esi would be such a lucky wife.
Before she could respond, he lifted her to bring her gently down into the grass. The sky was a burning mixture of reds and oranges, but darkness would sweep over them soon. For the first time since she had been captured by Kryth, she would experience the night sky.
His mouth was on her clavicle, and she arched into him as he rolled his hips into her core. She whimpered at how good it felt.
“Is this okay?” he repeated.
It was hard to answer as his hand began pulling the sleeves of her dress off her shoulders. Soon, the dress would be down her navel, and he would see the brand on the underside of her breast.
“I’ve never done this—” she practically shouted.
He kissed her shoulder softly and looked at her for a moment. “Me neither.”
That alone was a splash of cold water. She couldn’t be doing this with him. He deserved to know the person he was giving his body to for the first time, not some lie dressed as a fraud.
She got up on her elbows, and his brows frowned. He rolled off her, though, sensing her distress.
“Maybe we should wait.” Her voice shook, because, deep down, she wanted him. She wanted to entwine their bodies and souls, but she couldn’t, not even if Esi had given her permission.
Jasyn recovered quickly. He hopped onto his feet and extended his hands toward her. He always had his arms waiting for her. She took them and got to her feet as well. He grabbed the corset, but she shook her head.
“I think I want to dance the night away comfortably. With you,” she added to stress how much she wanted him, that she wasn’t pushing him away.
“You lead, and I will always follow.”
She wished that was true, but not too long from now, he would not be able to follow her in death. Luckily, he would never know the difference between her and Esi. Their connection would be extinguished by the Undertaking, just like her existence.