Chapter 47
AUREN
When I wake, Vivienne is still in my arms. Her head is on my shoulder, her leg draped over mine with her hand on my chest, directly over my heart.
I brush the hair back from her face, tucking it behind the delicately curved shell of her ear. Her long lashes fan over soft pink cheeks and her lips are parted in a small ‘o.’
She is lovely, my beautiful wife, and I can hardly believe she is my mate.
I press a soft kiss to her hair as she begins to stir. Her lashes flutter and open and her luminous eyes meet mine, full of warmth.
“Good morning.” I cup her cheek and trace my thumb across her lower lip before I lean in and kiss her.
It’s soft and tender at first, but it soon becomes more passionate and urgent. I roll her beneath me, desperate to join my body with hers once more. “I need you again,” I whisper between kisses, but a nagging thought enters my mind, and I still.
There are things we should discuss before we do anything further.
“What’s wrong?” Vivienne asks, a slight frown creasing her brow. “Why did you stop?”
Her long red hair is spread out beneath her like a silken halo. She’s so beautiful, it takes my breath away. Reaching down, I trace my fingers across the petal-soft skin of her cheek.
I want her so badly. The temptation to sink deep into her warm, wet heat is almost too much to bear, but I force myself to wait. “We must discuss something.”
Worry flits across her features. “What is it?”
“We haven’t discussed children,” I tell her. “And after last night… I didn’t know if you’d want moon tea this morning before we—”
She presses a kiss to my lips, silencing me. “I don’t need moon tea, Auren. If the gods bless us with a child, I will be happy, my love.”
I hadn’t expected this. Not so soon, anyway.
She continues. “And I’ve already decided that we’ll have two.”
“Two?” I gaze down at her, slightly in shock that she’s already thought of this.
“At least,” she confirms, and then kisses me again.
A soft knock on the door interrupts, and I drop my head to the curve of her neck and shoulder with a low groan as Vivienne laughs.
Sighing heavily, I lift my head. “Who is it?” I call out.
“I’ve come to check on the queen,” the familiar voice of the healer speaks through the door.
“We’ll meet you in the main chamber,” I call back.
“I’m fine,” Vivienne whispers, but I notice the slight wince that crosses her features as she shifts beneath me.
As much as I long to make love to her again, I want to make sure she’s alright. “You’re still hurting, aren’t you?”
“Just a bit,” she reluctantly admits. “But it’s very minor.”
Guilt fills me. “Gods, Vivienne, we shouldn’t have made love last night. Not while you’re still in pain.”
“It’s nothing, Auren.” She cups my face. “Truly, my love. And I wouldn’t change last night for anything.”
“Neither would I.” I give her another kiss. “But I’d like for Meryl to assess you.”
She sighs. “Fine.”
I start to rise from the bed, but she catches my hand and gets up on her knees on the mattress, pulling me back in for another kiss. “After the healer leaves, can the king spend the day in bed with his new bride?” she asks with a playful grin.
Gods above, I’d love nothing better. “If I could spend all day here with you, I would, me’lira. But there are a few things I must do first.”
Starting with informing my warriors of my intent to challenge the Goblin King to trial by combat so he’ll release Vivienne from her father’s bargain.
I hate keeping this from her, but I already know she would try to talk me out of it. I’ll inform her when I return, after I’ve sent a raven to the Goblin kingdom, informing their king of my demands to settle this once and for all.
I won’t let him have her. No matter the cost to myself.
“I’ll return shortly.”
Her fingers curl against my chest as she presses another kiss to my lips. “Don’t take long,” she murmurs.
“I won’t,” I promise.
While the healer is assessing Vivienne, I go to the main council chambers. Tarin is already there, along with Dain and several of my warriors.
“Another raven came from the Goblin King,” Dain says, handing me the scroll.
I unroll it and read the message. “He’s demanding she be brought to his court immediately or else he will come for her.” Anger burns through me as I scan the note, but it falters when I reach the signature at the bottom. It’s different.
Before, the messages were signed only King of Thornreach, likely dictated to some servant. Now… there’s a name. My grip tightens on the parchment. “Branneth’thyr is king now?”
One of my advisors steps forward. “We’ve received word that his father—Grynlon’myr—stepped down and passed the throne to his eldest son a little less than a year ago.”
“This doesn’t make sense.” I frown. “Does that not make the bargain null and void if Grynlon’myr is no longer king?”
“If it did, I doubt he’d be so insistent that your queen go to his kingdom.”
He’s right. A Goblin bargain is usually a very complicated contract, with several clauses and twisted wording that is always bent in their favor.
“Your warriors are ready to march, my Lord,” Dain says, and the rest of my guards all nod in agreement. “We’ll not allow the Goblin King to take our queen from us.”
Our queen. The words strike deep for they mean they’ve already accepted and embraced Vivienne. She has earned their respect through blood and choice, and the unyielding strength of will she has shown them since the moment she crossed into Valethryn.
Pride fills me as my gaze sweeps over Dain and the others. In their eyes I can see the truth. They would follow her, fight for her… protect her.
“I’ll send a raven to King Branneth’thyr,” I tell them. “We will march upon his kingdom, and I will challenge him to trial by combat.”
Dain starts to protest, but I quickly add, “I appreciate your willingness to go to war for your queen.” I look at my warriors.
“But she is my mate. And if the Goblin King is not a coward, he will accept my challenge.” I curl my hands into fists at my sides.
“I will defeat him, and end this once and for all.”
“No.” Tarin steps forward. “I will challenge him on your behalf. Valethryn cannot afford to lose its king.”
“She is my mate. This isn’t your fight.”
“What if you fall?” Dain asks in concern. “The queen would then be handed to him anyway, would she not?”
“The trial by combat is a claim-forfeit challenge,” I explain. “If I win, he must release her from the bargain. And if I lose, my life pays the debt, fulfilling the terms. But she will be free.”
The room falls completely silent.
Tarin’s expression darkens. “You would risk leaving her—”
“I would save her,” I reply, resolute. “She will not be bound to the Goblin King. I will fight him, and I will win. And if I do not, then my death will ensure she is never his.”
“No,” Vivienne’s voice rings out. My head snaps in the direction of the sound to find her standing in the doorway, a devastated look on her face. “I won’t let you die for me, Auren. I won’t risk losing you, my love.”
“I won’t surrender you to him, Vivienne. This is the only way to make sure you’re free.”
“No, it’s not,” she fires back. “I will go and speak with him. Surely he can be reasoned with.”
“No.” The word leaves my mouth, sharp and final.
If Branneth’thyr is anything like his father before him, the very idea of her being anywhere near a monster like that is unthinkable.
“Well, I won’t let you sacrifice yourself.” Defiance sparks in her eyes. “You cannot stop me.”
The air shifts and cold seeps into the room, prickling my skin. Tarin and my warriors fall silent, sensing the change as well.
“What is that?” Dain asks, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room. “It feels like—”
“Magic,” I finish his sentence.
Dread trickles down my spine as fog curls across the floor. A ring of shimmering blue smoke unfurls beside Vivienne, the edges of it flickering like flame as someone steps through.
My heart stops. It’s an Incubus.
They are powerful creatures, with magic that rivals our own.
He has black horns, blue skin, short, black claws, and bat-like wings. He’s tall and heavily muscled. His orange, reptilian eyes calmly sweep the room, setting my instincts on edge.
“Who are you?” I demand. “Why are you here?”
His gaze settles on Vivienne, and a predatory smile curves his lips, revealing two rows of sharp, white fangs, as his arrow-tipped tail flicks behind him.
“My name is Taryx,” he says, his voice smooth and deep.
“I’ve come on behalf of King Branneth’thyr of Thornreach.
” Panic spikes through me as he turns toward my mate. “And you must be Princess Vivienne.”
Magic surges through my veins in a violent rush, blue energy crackling across my palms as I bare my fangs. “Stay away from my mate,” I growl, placing myself in front of her, hiding her from his line of gaze. “Or I will end you.”
“The Goblin King demands your presence at his court, Princess,” he says smoothly, leaning to the side just enough to see her behind me. “The time has come to settle your bargain.”
“She is my Queen,” I snarl. “And she stays here.”
He sighs, as though disappointed. “I really hoped this would be easy.” He steps back through the ring of smoke, disappearing.
Vivienne screams, and I spin back as the portal reappears beside her, and the Incubus steps through.
I reach for her, but slam into an invisible barrier. Clenching my jaw, I send a bolt of energy toward it, but it bounces harmlessly off. My power surges and the air crackles with arcs of blue lightning as I strike the barrier again and again, but it does not yield.
Behind me, the others are shouting, lashing at the invisible wall with their powers, but it is useless. We cannot reach her.
Panic constricts my lungs as she beats her fists against the magic shield, crying out, “Auren!”
“Come along,” Taryx says, gripping her arm to pull her toward the portal. “The Goblin King awaits.”
“Leave me alone!” She jerks free of his grasp.
“Do not touch her!” I snarl. Rage blisters through me as I lash out again with my magic, hitting the barrier with everything I have.
The Incubus wraps his hand around her wrist and pulls her toward him.
She punches and kicks out, struggling to break free. “Let me go!” she yells. “Now!”
Taryx lifts his hand almost lazily. A soft shimmer of light gathers in his palm and he flicks his wrist, sending a puff of sparkling dust in her face.
“No!” I cry out, because I already know what it is.
Vivienne’s terror-filled eyes meet mine. “Auren.” She reaches for me, and my heart stops as her body goes slack, and she crumples to the ground.
“Vivienne!” I charge forward, slamming into the invisible wall, but it’s no use.
The Incubus lifts her unconscious form from the floor and turns toward the ring of blue smoke.
Desperate to save her, I tear at the barrier, my magic spiraling out of control as I struggle to break through.
“The Goblin King sends his regards,” Taryx says over his shoulder as he steps into the portal and vanishes.
Panic and anger flood my veins as my magic crackles around me, searching, striking, lashing out violently at the spot where the Incubus stood only moments ago.
“Auren!” Tarin’s voice pulls me back from the edge.
I curl my hands into fists at my sides as power crackles across my skin like lightning. The Goblin King dared to take what is mine, and I vow that he will not survive it.