Chapter 30 – Vale
VALE
Thyra accepted my mate’s request to meet on the condition that Thantrel not join us.
The demand shattered the youngest brother Riis, but he rolled his shoulders back and claimed he would be fine.
Selfless was not usually how I’d describe my half-brother, but he knew how having three loyal vampires could benefit us.
When one did not possess an army at their disposal, any ally was welcome.
As Thyra did not yet know of the vampires, we suspected she had agreed to meet because she believed Neve wanted to speak about the heists. A reasonable assumption that we would leverage until the vampires arrived in the grand hall.
Caelo had woken up feeling nearly his old self, so my best friend, Luccan, Arie, Anna, Clemencia, my mate, and I walked to the meeting right as the scent of fried eggs filled the castle corridors.
Rynni had, once again, been called to healing rebels, and Duran had decided to remain behind with Thantrel.
That latter turn of events I couldn’t quite fathom, as they usually squabbled, but Duran seemed to have been struck hard by Thantrel’s brokenhearted state.
Crisis can bring out the worst, or the best, in us all. And there are few life events more dire than a rejected mate bond.
Our escort led us to the grand hall. We were the first to arrive. I breathed deeply and tilted my chin up, preparing for a meeting that could either sour or sweeten our relationship with the rebels.
Even in the so-called grand hall, Valrun cried out for help. The soaring ceiling was open to the elements in three areas, all of which were, thankfully, at the far end of the room. Windows that had once been stained and beautiful were boarded up and the chandelier hung by a single chain.
“Fates, they need to work on this place,” Arie muttered. “A dunghole if I’ve ever seen one.”
“Would you like to supply the coin, lordling?” Thyra breezed in with two advisors at her side.
Neve nodded as they stopped before us, both groups a dozen paces from the door. “Thyra, Brynhild, Bac, good morning.”
“Is it good?” Thyra asked as the male shut the door behind them. “What did you need to call me for so early? And with so many?” Thyra gestured beyond Neve. “Can they not survive without you, sister?”
“They wished to stretch their legs.” Neve spoke as if three vampires wouldn’t appear at any moment, and we’d need these witnesses to vouch for them. “We’re planning to get breakfast together after the meeting.”
“Get on with it, then.” Thyra crossed her arms.
Neve cleared her throat. “Well, there are people I wish to introduce you to. They want to join me, and as I am in your keeping and hoping to work with you, that would mean them joining the rebellion too.” She carefully avoided the word alliance.
Did she think it was too strong for her sister’s tastes?
“I realize you’ll need to approve their presence. ”
Thyra’s eyebrows arched. “How did you get a message out?”
She shot a glance at me, likely wondering if she needed to worry about the king arriving. Maybe she believed that his flying overhead on a gryphon had been down to me.
“I didn’t. They found me. They’ve—um—been looking for me for a while. However, they’re going to cause a stir around here, so we wanted a private meeting first.”
“A stir? Why?”
In answer, three figures dropped from above. They landed, lithe as snow leopards, behind Thyra, blocking the door.
Astril rose first, her eyes, now a vivid green thanks to the hours they’d spent feeding, locked on the rebellion leader. “We’re fae turned vampires.”
I sensed the spiking of magic in the air as it radiated from Thyra. Bac was calling his powers too, though neither had struck, so I did not know what magic they possessed.
“Vampires!” Thyra hissed. “You said you wished to work together, Neve, and you bring these bloodsuckers here!?”
Neve darted forward, putting herself between Thyra and the vampires. “Look, Thyra, they have wings! They were once fae of Winter’s Realm and turned against their will.”
Thyra sliced a glare in my mate’s direction. “And?”
“Their maker was Prince Gervais, so they no longer have a sire whom they must listen to. They wish to join us as protection. And they’ll help with the heists.”
“Last I heard, Red Assassins were following Neve. She just said you were following her, so are you Red Assassins?” Thyra directed the question to the sisters, who again were not dressed in the garb of their guild.
“We were of the guild and deserted the command to kill Princess Neve the moment we could.” Freyia held up her hands and stepped closer. “We don’t want to harm you or the rebels. We wish to make change in the kingdom in which we were born. To make it our home again.”
Thyra scoffed. “No fae will accept that.”
“They will if their leader, the fae they are fighting for to become queen, sets an example.”
Thyra glared at my mate, and I felt a rush of protection rise inside me. If she so much as moved a hairsbreadth toward Neve, I’d intervene.
But my mate’s twin stayed put, her stance hard as ice. “And that leader will be you, sister?”
“Me? A leader of the rebels? Please, Thyra, that could not be further from the truth.”
“You know what I meant. As queen.”
Neve swallowed. “We haven’t discussed that, have we?”
Thyra snorted. “Why should we? As far as I can tell, I’m the only one with an army.
I also have far fewer enemies—just the king.
You have Magnus, the Red Assassins, and the Queen of Vampires hunting for your blood.
Plus, I was raised in this land. I’ve seen its ruin, and the people suffer.
You have not. As far as I can tell, I’m the obvious choice. ”
“That might be true,” Neve said carefully, trying not to give in to her sister’s obvious need to egg her on.
She’d quickly gotten a read on Thyra. “However, I might be able to get many noble houses to rebel against the Crown. And if they provide armies, well, that would make us closer to equal, wouldn’t it? ”
Pride bloomed in my chest.
“All that is not even considering our magic,” Neve added. “We have yet to see who is most powerful. Wouldn’t, by the law of the kingdom, the strongest magic win the Crown of Winter?”
She was correct. My family had been an exception, for we’d hidden Rhistel’s forbidden whisperer powers.
To do so, we’d had to feed into the rumors that his winter magic was so strong he needed to wear ice spider silk gloves to keep those around him safe.
In truth, though, Saga was not only the only real heir to the king, but she held the strongest winter magic.
Thyra growled. “I suppose we’ll have to see.”
“Allow me to take off these spider silk binds, and we will.”
“Not yet.” Thyra’s gaze skittered to the vampires before returning to my mate. “You say they wish to help with the heists?”
A not so covert change of subject. Not a surprise either. Neve had known that the vampires’ ability to help in the heists would be a large draw, for her sister coveted a Hallow.
“We will,” Astril answered. “We’ve already committed to making an oath.”
“Which is?”
“We fight for Princess Neve loyally, or we die.”
Thyra’s jaw set. “That won’t do.”
“Why not?” Neve frowned.
“They must swear to us both.”
“You are barely tolerating them as they stand in front of you.” My mate scoffed. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
The twins fell quiet and in that silence, one could hear the individual breaths of each fae present. Finally, Neve sighed in resignation.
“As long as they wish to do so.”
“We will protect you both,” Astril said. “And when King Magnus is off the throne, we will be free to live here. Not persecuted as we would be now. Whatever squabbles over the throne itself, however, will not be settled with our help. That is a matter between the Falk princesses.”
Another silence. More glares shared between Thyra and Neve.
“Then you may stay,” Thyra announced. “Your kind will be useful for sneaking about. And if we’re in a bind when we flee the cities we plan to steal from, you can run ahead with the Fr?r Crown—should we find it.
That way, it’s safe. Fates be good, both me and my sister will survive, but we cannot bet on such a blessing from the Fates.
Not when they seem to enjoy ignoring us. ”
To that, Livia, the most quiet and youngest of the vampire sisters, cocked her head. “Why would you travel by foot when you have a gatemaker amongst you?”
I stiffened and sensed Luccan doing the same behind me.
Upon hearing about the heists, Neve had brought up the idea of using his gateways, but had assured Luccan that if he didn’t wish to come out as a gatemaker—a regulated magical talent—she would understand. Luccan had told her he’d think about it.
He’d not come to a decision, but he no longer had the power to remain a secret.
To make matters worse, Livia was staring straight at him, the confusion evident on her face. “Couldn’t you make gateways into the cities?”
Thyra sputtered. “Y-y-you’re a gatemaker!?”
Luccan’s face had gone paler than usual.
“What makes you say that, Livia?” Neve asked, clearly trying to play this off.
The vampire laughed. “I can smell magic. Gatemaker magic is rare, but I’ve been sent to kill one before, and I recall the smell. Even if he’s bound by silks, I can tell that he’s one. A powerful one.”
“You had this magic before your turning?” Luccan asked.
“I did. It intensified after I became a vampire.”
I supposed Luccan, as a super smeller himself, would find that interesting. I, however, was dying to know if the other sisters retained magic.
Thyra held up a hand. “Could you make gateways from here into Avaldenn and Bitra? That would save us from having to go by armies and through city gates. Save rebel lives.”
“Yes,” Luccan admitted, making my stomach harden.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought my brother. In doing so, I’d placed a large target on his back.
“That settles it then,” Thyra said. “If we can use your gateways, the vampires can join.”
“You already agreed they could join us!” Neve said.
“I didn’t have all the information. I suspect I still don’t have it all, but I possess what I need.”
“No you don’t,” Luccan said, to which Thyra’s lips flattened.
“What else is there?”
“I already have gateways set up from Vitvik into both cities. I don’t recommend having me make new ones, since that will take weeks, but you can use those.
As long as someone with Riis blood passes through them, others can too.
” He paused. “I’ll give you access, as long as you swear that everyone under your command keeps my secret. I’m not safe if the king learns of it.”
“You’re not safe now, Luccan,” Neve whispered. “You’ve allied with me.”
“Still,” Luccan said. “I require secrecy.”
“Then you have my word,” Thyra stated stoutly. In that moment, she reminded me very much of Neve, for she looked like she cared about honoring her word.
“No one will know of your magic, save for those here today and those chosen to go on the mission with us. We will go from Vitvik in two days’ time.” Thyra twisted to the vampires. “I wish to see what you can do before then.”
“You’ll be pleased,” Astril said, her tone held unbridled confidence.
Thyra hummed and switched to Neve. “I’m impressed. This was an insane plan. One that I might have killed you for, but it turned out to be something that will be of great use to us.”
“That’s right,” Neve said, her chin lifted.
Thyra assessed her baldly for a long moment.
“Very well. Let’s make our oaths, here and now.” She held out her arm. “We can’t use the Drassil of Valrun to perform our eiera’s. That’s too risky.”
“And unnecessary,” I said. “An oath made between fae is quite strong enough.”
Thyra snorted. “So you say. I, however, require extra assurance.” She jerked her chin to the male at her side. “Third party binds are stronger than those done by oneself, so Bac, you will be the binder in my oath. Prince Vale, you will do Neve’s.”
I bristled at being commanded, but when Neve sent me a pleading look, I remained silent. My mate had finagled what she wanted from her prickly sister.
The price on our end was Luccan’s secret.