59. Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Zalen
“ H ow large?” I asked Thane.
He had just returned from Shara with his report from the infiltrators. This new King—still a complete mystery despite our best efforts—had ordered an assembly of his masses, building an army of any able-bodied magic user or human.
“We don’t have an exact number, but if they really are forcing every man and woman over the age of sixteen, then it will be in the tens of thousands. The humans alone triple their numbers.” He sat across from me in my study, alert and at the ready regardless of how exhausted he must have been.
“And with the additional witches and sorcerers from Aedum and Innon we’ve absorbed, that still rivals our numbers.” I leaned forward and started jotting down the numbers, comparing them.
“Unless,” Thane said slowly. “We increase our numbers too.”
I glanced up, meeting his knowing look at what he was insinuating.
“No,” I stated plainly.
“It’s a tactical advantage to at least get more boots on the ground,” he argued.
“I said no.”
He took a deep breath. “Can I ask why ?”
“I don’t care if they live or die, but the humans would be nothing more than dead bodies getting in my way. One magic user is worth thirty humans in a moment of battle. We don’t need to outnumber them. We need to outmaneuver them—and better yet, overpower them. With me holding the power of two Kingdoms, the people also have increased power.”
“Alright. What’s your plan?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“For starters, we’re going to get into Shara undetected and slaughter as many of those fuckers as we can.”
His brows creased. “How are we going to get in undetected?”
I spun the book in front of me so it was facing him, already open to the page Ander had shown me about the Horgor.
“At the same time, I want to line the border with every magic user we have, creating a blockade to keep anyone from escaping Shara,” I said.
“ Escaping Shara?” he asked, looking up from the book. “Isn’t the concern about us getting in, not them getting out?”
“The biggest threat to Damanthus’ rule lies within those borders. I want to contain it, then destroy it from the inside.”
“What about everyone inside?”
“Let them burn.” I shrugged.
“Hmm. But other than those who are already there, how are the rest of us going to get in? With these God-touched footprints?” he asked skeptically.
I pulled out a map and laid it across the desk, trailing my hand across the parchment until it reached the area of the woods where Maera had shown me the stepstone.
“Here is the Horgor. We can use it to get into Shara.” I glanced up to Thane who was deep in thought, waiting for his response.
“How do you know it leads to one in Shara? Is that the next step or is there one closer?” he asked after a moment.
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
He nodded to the book I had just shown him. “They’re stepstones that travel you from one to the other right?”
“Yes,” I said dryly.
“Well, do they go in order? Can each one only take you to the next one, or can you go to any you choose?”
I hated to admit it—I really did—but I had no idea. It wasn’t something that had crossed my mind. But since it was his thought in the first place…
“I guess you’ll find out.” I shrugged with a sly grin.
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. But—Ah!” Thane nearly jumped across the room when he looked down. “What is that doing in here?”
I quickly stood and looked over the desk at his feet. I groaned internally when I saw a white and gray mass of fur pawing at Thane’s boot. The sounds of footsteps approaching had me raising my head to see Maera pushing open the ajar door to my study with a confused look.
She looked up from her search, and her eyes met mine, wide with embarrassment. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just looking for—Anera! There you are.”
“You named it?” I said with an amused smile.
“ Her ,” she corrected sternly. “And of course I did.”
Maera crossed the room and gathered the beast in her arms. Anera pinned her ears back when she saw me, and I bared my teeth in return. Maera rolled her eyes, watching the interaction.
“You two will get used to each other soon enough. Just be nice to her, Zalen.” She leveled me with an adorable, stern look in her eyes.
“I let her live. That seems pretty nice to me.” I shrugged.
“You have a cat? I hate cats…” Thane grumbled under his breath but not low enough Maera couldn’t hear.
She glared at him.
“She’s a leopard, not some mangy alley cat. You’ll deal with it,” I ordered Thane, and Maera raised her head proudly. “Thane, you can leave now. I want a few minutes with Maera.”
Thane bowed his head in my direction then to Maera and left, softly closing the door behind him.
I stepped around the desk and came up to Maera, gripping her throat and pulling her lips to mine. I kissed her deeply until she was out of breath.
“You’re going to have to find somewhere Anera can be locked up tomorrow night,” I said as I pulled away and let go.
“Why?” she asked through a pant, smiling.
“We can’t have her running around the castle unattended during the wedding.” I smirked.
“The wedding? Tomorrow ? I thought we still had another week!” she exclaimed.
I chuckled. “It seems the days have passed you by with everything going on.”
“No. I know exactly how long it’s been. You killed my father only a week ago.”
“Yes, but my father was killed a week before that. And according to the old laws, a fortnight is the allocated amount of time.” Perhaps I should have been more communicative with her about this from the perplexed look on her face.
“I’m an idiot. I had it in my head that since you took my father’s power, you’d have to wait two weeks after his death,” she said, shaking her head.
“Only if I were going through the Drehiri on Aedum land, but I’m not. Both of us will do it here in Damanthus. After we wed. It will be done privately and discreetly. ”
“When did you decide this? That I’d be going through it too.” She was getting worked up.
“A while ago.”
Her smile faltered. “Why?”
I guided her to sit down in the seat, running my hand through my unkempt hair as I sat next to her.
“Now that I know of the stepstones, I’m guessing the murderer is using them to get from Kingdom to Kingdom. I don’t trust anything or anyone right now so I want us to go through the Drehiri as soon as possible—especially you.”
“Why does that matter? I’m a witch. Not a sorcerer.” She shrugged as if it was pointless. “I can’t make fancy shit happen with the muttering of a word and a flick of my wrist. I don’t really see the point in me going through it.”
She didn’t understand my deep-seated fear that something would happen, and she wouldn’t be able to protect herself like she could after going through the Drehiri. If the murderer was going after royals, then both of us were targets. I refused to allow either one of us to be caught fighting against someone while we weren’t as powerful as we could be.
“You know the lightning potion you used back in Aedum to hold me off while you tried to run away?” I asked.
She nodded.
“When you go through the Drehiri, you’ll gain royal power, and the next time you brew a lightning potion, it’ll be strong enough to destroy this entire building rather than just a single room.”
“Oh.” Her eyes glanced around the room as if she were mentally measuring it. “What about the coronation?”
I smiled and took her hand in mine, bringing her wrist up to my lips and kissing her imperceptible scar. “By this time tomorrow, you will be Queen of Damanthus.”
“You seem nervous,” I said as Maera and I approached the throne room.
Her arm rested on mine, but she was tense and fidgeting with her ceremonial gown—which I couldn’t wait to rip off later.
“A little,” she said with a shaky breath but reassured me with a smile.
Arnesia had worked through the night to get her gown completed, and I had to admit, she did very well.
A cream dress and a hooded robe, perfectly fitted to Maera’s form, draped to the floor, cascading behind her as it softly brushed the stone floor with her movements in the dark hall. The shoulders of the robe were covered with white fur. The low-cut dress exposed the top of her breasts and was stitched with golden lace. Staying with tradition, her head would remain hooded until the coronation, when she would be crowned immediately following the wedding ceremony.
I wore a long, blue tunic—so dark it appeared black—also covered by a hooded robe and paired with my dark pants and boots. Though we differed in many ways, we were the perfect accompaniment for each other.
She was the beacon of light within my darkness.
We stopped in front of the large double doors. “Are you ready, minn astir?” I asked, looking down at her.
She gazed up at me with her bright blue eyes from beneath her hood. “I’m ready.”
Oveus—the only Elder I trusted—presided over the ceremony. He stood in front of us on the dais and recited the prayers for the heavens to bless our union. I didn’t need a lost God’s blessing. We would be together no matter what—no God nor Kingdom would stop this union. But I remained silent and allowed the traditional words to be spoken.
“Join your hands and state your words of honor.” Oveus gestured between Maera and I.
We turned to face each other. I took her hands in mine and brought our heads together, our lips nearly brushing against each other. No magic would be used.
Joined in breath and body, we spoke our oath in unison.
“I give you my promise, my eternal dedication, and my unwavering devotion to you and you alone, surpassing beyond this mortal life.”
Maera’s face brightened, elation glistening in her eyes. I had never seen her so happy before. That look on her face would be etched in my memory forever.
“Zalen,” Oveus began. “Please kneel.”
I winked at Maera, making her blush, then turned to face the Elder with my head held high, kneeling in front of the throne right where my father’s body had lain. I stared at the throne. This was the moment I had planned for years. Everything was falling into place.
“Zalen Drolvega. As the only living royal of the Drolvega line, you are tasked with the honor and responsibility of the Kingdom of Damanthus.” Oveus stepped out of my line of sight and returned a moment later holding the crown I’d had crafted.
The crowns of Damanthus, Innon, and Aedum had been melted and reformed as one. A trophy, a symbol of my triumph and power over what was once three separate Kingdoms and forged into one. And I intended to add a fourth, erasing any lines of separation that divided the lands.
One crown, one Kingdom—one King and Queen.
Slowly, I removed my hood, letting it fall behind me as Oveus raised the crown.
“Do you, Zalen Drolvega, swear to uphold your duty to the Kingdom, reining over it until your last breath?” he asked.
“On my honor.”
He nodded and placed the metal on my head. I stood, and Oveus bowed low at the waist.
“King Zalen Drolvega.”
I turned to face Maera who began to lower in a bow, and my nostrils flared.
“You do not bow. Not to me. Not to anyone.”
Her spine straightened, and she gave a shallow but firm nod.
The side of my mouth lifted, and I sat down on the throne behind me. “Siyna,” I uttered with a wave of my hand next to me, breaking the concealing spell.
Maera’s lips parted in a gasp as another throne appeared next to mine. Two thrones made of three, just like the crowns. She would be the first Queen to have a throne.
It was her turn to be crowned. I watched her kneel before her throne, and Oveus stepped in front of her.
“Maera Drolvega…”
I inhaled sharply. Fuck, that had a nice ring to it, and it sang to my ears. Just hearing her name paired with mine had my chest swelling with pride.
“…formerly Samanya. As the joined royal of the Drolvega line, you are tasked with the honor and responsibility of the Kingdom of Damanthus.”
He grabbed another crown and placed it upon her head.
Everything else seemed to disappear, and all I could see was Maera as she swore to uphold her duties to our Kingdom. I stood and held the honor of announcing her reign.
“Queen Maera Drolvega,” the words felt so good as they crossed my lips.
She smiled widely, displaying that sweet mouth of hers, and I stepped toward her. I waved Oveus away, and he quickly exited the throne room, leaving the new sovereigns alone.
In the darkness of the midnight hour, with nothing but the glow of the moon streaming through the windows for light, I took her face in my hands and kissed my wife—my Queen . My hand wrapped around to the back of her head, brushing against the cool metal of her crown, and deepened the kiss.
She pulled back, a blush running up her neck.
“What now?” she whispered, gazing around the room in awe.
I glanced at the throne behind her, then slowly trailed my eyes back to her with a look of unmistakable intent. Her breath caught, and her knowing eyes widened with thrill.
“I told you I was going to fuck you on every throne in the realm.” I grinned, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her against me. “Now, I keep my promise.”