66. Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Six
Zalen
“ W hat do I need to wear?” Maera called from the bathing room an hour before dawn.
We had only just gotten out of the bed, but neither of us slept well. Maera tossed and turned through the night, the worry of her Drehiri ritual this morning eating at her sleep.
I had been up dealing with new developments in Shara. A large portion of their forces were seen on the move, and we feared they were going to force our timeline up. I ordered nearly all of the Vord we had to the border. We’d worry about the infiltration later. It was important there were no disturbances for the next day while Maera and I went through the Drehiri.
After that, everything would change.
“You don’t need to wear anything specific. Even what you’re currently wearing is fine if you want,” I said, pulling on a pair of pants.
She popped her head in the doorway. “I’m in a nightgown , Zalen,” she said flatly.
“It really doesn’t matter what you wear. You’re going to be naked anyway.” I shrugged.
“I’m what ?!” she asked incredulously, coming out of the bathing room with wide eyes.
Oh. Maybe she didn’t know about that part.
“You’ll be naked for the duration of the Drehiri.”
“Why?” She eyed me warily, crossing her arms.
I walked over to her, unable to resist touching her in some way when she was in the same room. I brushed her hair behind her shoulder.
“Because, love, the Drehiri is a transformation, rebirthing you in the deep magic that lies within Vansera. Your body must be pure.” Not that I particularly enjoyed the thought of my wife and Queen being bared before others, but it was something that had to be done.
“Oh. Well, okay then. That makes sense, I suppose.” She rested her head against my chest. “And you’ll be there the whole time?” she whispered.
“The whole time,” I assured her with a nod.
She released a deep sigh then lifted her head. “I guess I’ll just throw something on really quick, then we can go.”
After a couple of minutes, I led her out of the bedchamber while she held Anera in her arms. I really didn’t want her to bring the little beast, but if it made her feel better then I’d deal with it. However, she definitely wasn’t going to mine.
The city of Kanth was still and quiet in the early morning hours, the crisp air held a refreshing bite that woke me up. Maera shivered, and I draped her robe over her shoulders more, wrapping my arm around her as we crossed the city.
The House of the Elders rested in a valley between the gentle rolling hills just outside Kanth, only a few minutes walk from the castle. The Drehiri was a private affair with only those necessary in attendance.
All of the Elders had to be present, as the joining of every single one of them at the same time was required—even just one missing would mean the ritual couldn’t be performed. Collectively, they cast a series of spells, conjuring the magic capable of transitioning the sorcerer into their higher power. Other than me, they would be the only ones present for Maera’s Drehiri.
We approached the House of the Elders. On the outside, it looked small, no bigger than the throne room of the castle, but that was just the entrance. The House extended deep beneath the surface, spiraling down into a cavernous space that held the pool where the Drehiri would take place.
Maera shivered as I led her inside, not from the chill but from nervousness.
“Deep breath, love,” I said quietly.
She inhaled and released a shaky breath as I guided her down the wide, spiraling staircase down into the cavern where the Elders were already waiting. They all bowed as we stepped off the last stair and approached the center of the space where they stood.
“Queen Maera Drolvega,” Ekatla, the oldest woman to become an Elder, greeted. She had long silver hair that was loose with several braids and beads woven into them. Her soft blue eyes were welcoming and reflected the wisdom of her ancient years. “It’s almost time to begin the Drehiri. Please, follow me.”
Maera glanced up to me, and I nodded, taking the sleeping cub from her arms and staying right behind her as she followed the Elders down to an opening on the other end of the cavern. It led to a small cavity, lit with the flame of torches lining the walls, making them seem to glisten and shimmer from the collected moisture.
There, nestled in the side of the rock, was the stone basin filled with magical silver liquid.
Heill was a rare but natural substance that came from beneath the ground. The House of Elders and the basin before us were built around a naturally occuring pool of the thick fluid.
The Elders gathered around the basin, parting for Maera so she could approach it.
“Queen Maera,” Ekatla began. “Please remove all worldly possessions and enter the heill in the way in which you were born.”
Maera audibly swallowed, the sound echoing in the space.
“Breathe,” I reminded her in a low whisper.
She took a deep breath. She could do this. I knew she could.
She began to remove all of her clothes, from her robe to her undergarments, until she was completely naked, and her skin pebbled from the cold air. Then she removed each band of her braids one by one. Once she was finished, she stepped forward.
No one could be part of the ritual, not even to courteously hold her hand as she entered the stone basin of the fluid. She had to do everything on her own.
She turned around to face me, and I couldn’t help the proud smile as she held onto every shred of bravery she had.
Ekatla stepped in front of her, her robes swishing quietly against the damp floor. “You will immerse yourself in the heill. Completely . Accept it into your lungs and allow the Drehiri to breathe your power into you. It will not kill you, no matter how much you think it will. Keep your eyes open. The Drehiri wants you to see your transition. Once you submerge yourself, the Elders will begin.”
“And it only takes a few minutes?” Maera asked. She knew the answer, having asked me a dozen times already.
“Yes. You will know when it is completed. Your magic will sing your new name to you.” Ekatla stepped back to her place. “When you are ready, Queen. ”
Maera’s eyes met mine. All of her fear vanished as I smiled at her. She held my stare as she lowered herself into the silvery liquid, laying back until her head went under the surface and I could no longer see her. I placed Anera on the ground.
The Elders began their incantations, entering a trance of sorts that wouldn’t break until the ritual was over, and I stepped up to the magical spring, gazing down into the eyes of the witch who held my heart and soul, barely visible through the heill.
“Hold on, minn astir. You can do this. It’ll be over soon.” I doubted she could hear me.
She jerked a bit, struggling to hold her breath.
Don’t fight it. Just breathe. It’ll be over soon, love.
It wasn’t but a few moments before her mouth gaped open, her lungs desperate for air.
It was then I realized I may have been mistaken, perhaps past Kings did love their Queens and it wasn’t that they didn’t want them to have great power like them, but that they didn’t want to have to watch their beloved endure so much pain.
Maera’s eyes bulged, and she thrashed, flailing her arms and legs the moment the heill seeped down her throat.
My heart stopped, and I wanted to rip her out of there, but I forced myself to remain still and instead held her gaze so she could see me the entire time. It felt like an eternity, watching her body fight the transition as the cavernous space was filled with the deep magical words of the chanting Elders.
You could see the moment it happened, when power flooded into Maera, and the Drehiri was complete, even before the Elders stopped their incantations. Her body relaxed, and her eyes turned hard. But it was her lips that made my heart start again as they lifted into a triumphant grin.
That’s my fucking Queen, right there.
Without breaking my stare, Maera lifted herself from the basin, the silvery heill dripping down her bare, glorious form. She took my offered hand as I helped her step down on the ground.
The moment she was completely out, the Elders stopped.
“Look at you,” I praised Maera. “You did so fucking good. How do you feel?”
Her movements were slow and calm. “Different,” she breathed. “And…weak.” She swayed on her feet a bit.
“That’s normal. But you should feel fine in a few hours. You just need rest.” I bent down and grabbed her robe, wrapping it around her and gathering her wet hair to drape over her shoulder then pulled her to me, kissing her on her head.
Maera turned in my arms, wobbling so much I had to catch her from falling as she faced the Elders when they gathered closer together.
“Reborn in the magic of Vansera, you are the first witch to come into a higher power. State—”
Ekatla was cut off when Maera collapsed. If I hadn’t had my arms around her, she would have fallen to the ground. I held her up, cradling her to my chest.
“Thank you, Elders. We’re done here.” I began to leave, not caring about her discarded clothes on the floor, only concerned with getting her into a bed and watching over her while she recuperated. I stopped when I heard a soft whine, echoing off the walls.
I sighed. “Come on, beast,” I said to the leopard cub.
Anera trotted up to my side and walked with me as we left the cavern of the House of Elders.
I would return tonight, and Maera and I would become the most powerful magic users to ever rule.