36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Six
Zalen
W ith Maera tucked against me all night, I had the best sleep of my life. I felt the connection between us becoming something more, bringing us closer together on a deeper level. Just being wrapped up in each other’s arms without a looming ticking clock.
Cracking my eyes open, I nearly gasped at the warm feeling inside my chest as I watched her sleeping. Our legs were tangled together with her head on top of my arm—which was uncomfortably asleep, yet I couldn’t bring myself to disturb her. I wanted just another minute to admire the remarkable woman in my bed. But I had plans for today, and I was eager to show her what I had prepared.
I kissed her forehead, and she stirred, nuzzling against my chest.
“Good morning, love. It’s time to wake up,” I whispered, my voice thick from sleep.
“Mmm,” she grumbled with her eyebrows drawn together.
I chuckled, finding her reluctance to wake up nothing short of adorable. My finger gently traced along her jawline, lightly touching down her neck and shoulder, and kissed her cheek.
“There’s something I want to show you,” I said, and that had her peeling one eye open, glowering at me.
“What is it?” she mumbled.
“It’s a surprise,” I said with a smirk.
She turned her head and planted her face in the pillow, muffling her voice, “Can’t you just tell me?”
“I could,” I drawled teasingly. “But it wouldn’t quite have the same effect.”
Maera groaned but finally sat up. My eyes shot to her peaked nipples through the fabric of her shirt as she stretched her arms above her head. While I would have loved to push that shirt up and take her breast in my mouth, I resisted.
She noticed me staring and leveled me with a flat look. “Do you really expect me to go anywhere wearing this?” She gestured to herself.
“Of course not.” I tossed the covers off and went to the door.
As expected, three large oak trunks, braced with brass detailing that encased the heavy wood, were waiting just outside the door. I lifted them one by one and carried them inside, pushing the heavy door closed with my bare foot. Maera leaned forward as I placed the last one on the stone floor next to the bed, unlatched it, and lifted the lid, revealing her entire wardrobe of clothes from Aedum.
Not that she’d be wearing most of these for much longer. I fully intended on giving her an entire room’s worth of new Damanthus-style clothes, but I wanted her to pick out her personal favorites before I burned the rest of them.
“I told you last night that your clothes would be here by morning. Why don’t you get ready, and then we can eat?” I gestured to the trunk, and she walked over and pulled out a top, skirt, and undergarments, then padded off to the bathing room.
I went over to my wardrobe and pulled out my own clothes, mindful of the attire required for the day’s tasks. The timing of the servers was impeccable, arriving to deliver breakfast right after I was dressed in my dark tunic and loose pants, fastened with a belt and tucked into my boots.
By the time Maera emerged, I’d rolled in the cart filled with platters of meats and freshly picked fruits and arranged them on the table. She wanted to take her time eating, and I had to refrain from urging her to hurry. I was eager to show her what I had waiting for her.
“Should I be nervous?” she asked, pushing a slice of ham away.
I tilted my head in question.
“You stuffed your face so quickly, and you’re tapping your foot,” she explained. “What’s the surprise? Am I going to like it?”
“You will,” I said confidently, grinning. “Now finish eating so we can go.”
Maera finished her plate, then I led her out of the room and through the castle, my hand resting at the small of her back. She questioned no less than four times where we were going, but I refused to even give her a hint, despite her practically begging.
We continued up to the highest level of the castle, until I brought us to a stop in front of recently crafted arched double-doors. Surrounded by a special kind of stone, the doors were embellished with continuous carvings depicting a grand tree inside an intricate bordered circle.
I spun to face her and took her hand in mine. “Close your eyes.”
She rolled them, didn’t even try to hide the smile creeping across her lips, before she shut them.
I hope she loves it.
I pushed open the doors and led her inside, closing them behind us so she could take in the full-effect of the room I had meticulously prepared. I had been working on it for well over a year.
“You can open your eyes now,” I said quietly, keeping my attention focused solely on her, anticipating her reaction.
Maera opened her eyes and let out a soft gasp. The look on her face was exactly what I had expected, filled with shock and awe as she took in the space of the brewing room I’d made just for her.
My chest swelled with pride as her eyes roamed over the tables, cauldrons, and bottles of every shape and size imaginable. Drying herbs hung by twine next to shelves filled with books of alchemy.
With one more surprise to add, I placed my hand on the nearest wall, still watching Maera’s face.
“Ljoss.”
In response to the spell, the stone walls and ceiling began to transform, light streaming into the room as they turned translucent.
Maera’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened with a broad smile. “This… Is this for me ?” she breathed.
I nodded.
“Why?” she asked with a look of astonishment.
“A witch needs a place to practice her craft. And my future Queen will have everything she needs to be the most powerful alchemist to ever walk the land.” I swung out my arm, gesturing to the room. “Look around. Imagine what you’ll be capable of, what you can create, once you come into your higher power.”
She let out a soft laugh and squeezed my hand, enraptured by the room.
Her lips pursed in thought for a moment. “Can you take me back to the Aedum castle? ”
My heart stopped, automatically assuming she was second-guessing everything and wanted to go back.
“No,” I said firmly.
Her brows creased, and her eyes snapped to me. “Why not?”
“Because there is no castle in Aedum anymore. I had it burned then torn down.” I shrugged.
It was a grand statement for the people more than anything, removing any symbolism of the Aedum Kingdom and making it clear Damanthus had taken over.
“But… I had things in my rooms. Notes and documents, years worth of research on potions I’d been working on. Did you not think I would want those kinds of things?” she scolded.
The side of my mouth lifted into a humorous smirk. I wasn’t even the slightest bit offended she assumed I wouldn’t take care of her completely.
She’ll learn.
Maera’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “It’s not funny, Zalen. That was my life’s work.”
“All twenty-seven years of it?” I teased with a raised brow.
From the flare in her eyes, I guessed she had the urge to hit me.
Oh, please do. I would love nothing more than to punish you right here.
“Stop worrying,” I chuckled. “ All of your belongings have been retrieved. The entire castle was pillaged before it was destroyed. It’s all being sorted through right now, but you will have everything you need.”
“Oh,” she said, but it still held a bite to it. “I still can’t believe you destroyed it. You didn’t have to be that fucking dramatic you know. However, I’m sorry I doubted you.”
I lifted her chin with my finger, forcing her to look up at me, and kissed her. “Don’t ever apologize, love. Not here, not to anyone. Not even me. It shows weakness, and you are anything but weak.” She didn’t know her strength yet. She had been raised to stifle it without giving it a chance to grow. But that would all change. “And don’t thank me just yet. I haven’t told you why I’ve made this room for you or what I want in return.”
Her brows raised. “What is it?”
“I want you here practicing and studying. Daily. While you can brew whatever you want, I request that you focus most of your efforts on potions for offense and defense. Things you can use for protection. Like that lightning brew you threw at me the other night.”
Maera had a talent for creating complex potions, and I wanted her to have the ability to enhance that talent.
“Not that I’m complaining that I get to finally explore my alchemy without restriction, but should I be worried? I’m just a witch, I’m not a fighter. Can you not protect me?” she asked with concern in her eyes.
“I am protecting you.”
She tilted her head to the side questioningly.
“The greatest protection I can offer is to teach you to protect yourself.” I reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear, grazing my fingertips down her neck. “And you are more than just a witch. You’re the future Queen.”
She leaned into my touch with a soft smile.
“The herb garden is yours to do with as you see fit. If there’s something you need that isn’t there, just say the word, and you’ll have it.”
Maera gazed around the space for a moment before looking back at me with a purposeful glint in her eyes, and reached up to pull her hair back. “Alright. Well, get out of here then. I have work to do.”
Maera stayed to mess around in her brewing room, already reorganizing things to how she wanted them as I left. I told her I would leave her be until this evening while I took care of a few things. There were a lot of logistics to be dealt with when you forcibly absorbed another Kingdom—especially before even officially becoming King.
I headed down to my study to meet with Thane, who was waiting for me just inside the door.
“Thane,” I greeted as I entered and made my way behind the desk in the center of the room.
He closed the door behind me then walked over to sit in the chair in front of my desk. “So, is the Samanya daughter giving you any trouble?”
“Not at all. She’s quite pleased with her new accommodations.” I picked up one of the reports in a pile and began skimming over it.
“Surprising. I thought she’d be much more resistant. She didn’t seem like the compliant type,” Thane said, leaning back in the chair. He looked tired, as if he had been up all night—which was likely.
I bit my lip to keep from smiling. She was compliant alright, but not in the way he assumed. “Maera is adjusting just fine.”
“ Maera , huh?” He eyed me suspiciously. “You know, I still don’t understand how you’re going to convince her to agree to be the Queen. You can’t exactly threaten her with anything besides her life, seeing as you killed everyone she knew and destroyed her home.”
He was clever, and I knew the moment he saw us together he’d know it wasn’t what it seemed—I hadn’t savagely kidnapped my enemy’s heir to make her my involuntary bride. I supposed it was time he learned.
I put down the paper and leaned back, lacing my fingers and resting them in my lap as I held his pointed stare.
“Maera and I have been seeing each other in secret for years. While she didn’t know what was going to happen, she wanted it all the same. I don’t have to threaten her because she’s happy to do this of her own volition. Had she and I not been royalty, we likely would have run off and been married already.”
“So this entire plan we’ve been working on for the past few years has all been so you could have her for yourself?” he asked incredulously.
It seemed like a perfectly justifiable reason to me.
“For the most part, yes. But additionally, so that the Aedum Kingdom wouldn’t be a thorn in my side when I come into power. And King Erix was still the most likely suspect for the murder of Makkor. I can’t have some King killer out there threatening my rule. Not one with that kind of capability. But as you know, that was what drove up the timeline.” I shrugged. “It worked out all the same anyway.”
Thane ran a hand down his face. “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about keeping her locked up or anything,” he mumbled.
“Absolutely not.” My voice darkened, chilling the atmosphere of the room. The thought of anyone so much as laying a hand on her—let alone locking her away—made my blood boil. “She is to be respected just as I am. And she will be going through the Drehiri ritual as well.”
If I had the power, I’d have her do it now rather than wait. But the old laws ran deep within the land, and I couldn’t change them. All three of us would have to wait.
“She’s going to go through the ritual too?” he gaped. “Shit. She’ll be the most powerful witch to have ever lived.”
“I know.” I smirked, enjoying the look of shock on his face at the realization that I wanted her to have as much power as possible. “We can discuss all that another time. Now,” I said, leaning forward with my forearms resting on the desk. “Bring me up to speed.”
Thane shook his head, clearing his mind and switching from my friend to my counselor. “We have resistance from the Aedum magic users, but the human citizens are cooperative, as expected.”
“Kill the highest ranking users who are defiant—publicly. Make sure the rest understand we will not tolerate rebellion. Reward those who cooperate,” I ordered.
He nodded. “It might not be a bad idea to relocate some of the families inside the original Damanthus border, integrate them with the loyal communities. And I’d even encourage Damanthan citizens who are willing to move into the old Aedum regions as well. The more physical merging there is, the easier the transition.”
“I agree. Delegate those looking for better opportunities and send them to the homes of the moved families.” I pulled out a blank piece of paper to jot notes. “What’s the update on Shara?”
“It’s…unusual,” he said.
My eyes popped up to him. “Unusual how?”
“Because their borders are closed off by order of their King. Their new King.”
“New King? Who?” I demanded. That meant King Edmund was dead. The third King to die mysteriously in such a short time frame.
“No one knows. We’re unable to access any information because we can’t get inside. They have it locked down tight. If you want us to go in force, it could start a war, and without knowing who we’re dealing with, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Thane said.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Shara. Maera said that was where the elusive captain was from…
“Captain Lyron Vika is dead. He died weeks ago,” I stated.
Thane’s brows lifted. “So we can stop searching for him then. ”
“No. King Erix named someone else as captain to fill his place. But we don’t know who. And seeing as we just killed the entire Aedum Royal Guard—” I was a fool.
“Then we have no idea who it is,” he sighed. “What does it have to do with the Sharan King?”
“Apparently, he’s from Shara.” I saw the moment Thane came to the same conclusion I did.
“We already suspected the captain of being the murderer. And if he killed the Sharan King, he could have taken over Shara.” He nodded in understanding.
“That’s what I’m thinking.” Which was a real pain in the ass if it were true.
Thane’s lips pursed, and his eyes went distance in thought. “Why would he kill the other Kings if he only wanted to take over Shara? He could have tried to take over Damanthus or Innon. But instead he went back to Shara without claiming the other Kingdoms? That doesn’t make sense.”
I couldn’t make sense of it either. It had been bothering me since Makkor’s murder—why someone would go through the trouble of killing a King and not at least try to claim the Kingdom.
“Find out. Have a small unit infiltrate Shara. Have them kill a patrol and take the clothes off their corpses for all I care. We need to know who the fuck this new King is and why. And most importantly, if he poses a threat.”
No. It didn’t matter if he was an actual threat or not. Just the fact he could be a threat to me meant he was a threat to Maera. And I simply couldn’t allow that.
Thane stood to leave, but I stopped him just as he was stepping through the door.
“Thane.”
He turned to face me with a hard look.
“I want his head.”