Chapter 33
KAELERON
The elkyn’s hooves were loud on the pale marble flagstones of the courtyard of Ereborne’s palace as we set down and trotted to a halt near the entrance of the cathedral-like building.
The guards who had been talking amongst themselves before I had landed now broke apart and approached me, curiosity brightening their eyes.
One of the black-clad attendants hurried from the stables, heading at speed for us.
The elkyn snorted and kicked as the male dared to come too close, and I patted his neck, murmuring hushed words to him to soothe him as I waved the male away with my other hand.
The beast had been temperamental for the entire ride here, as if he could sense my mood and was also not in the mind for games today, and wanted to unleash hell on anyone in his path.
I dismounted, continuing to pet him, easing him as the attendant backed away.
I pressed one palm to his cheek and the other to his shoulder, and brought my head close to his twitching ears, and murmured, “I will let you know when I wish to return and will wait for you as agreed.”
The elkyn nodded his great head and snorted, his right hoof digging at the flagstones, and then he threw his head back, scaring the two guards away as he reared onto his hind legs.
I chuckled as I watched him race towards the stone balustrade that surrounded the courtyard and afforded a view over the pale city far below, and the water beyond.
He kicked off at the last moment, launching into the air to run on the wind.
“King Kaeleron.” A warm male voice swept around me, gentle and light, and filled with the surprise I could sense in everyone present as he bustled towards me. “We were not expecting you. I will speak to my master about an audience, if you would just wait here.”
I turned and waved my hand in the young dark-haired male’s direction, dismissing him. “I will find him myself.”
I strode into the beautiful castle, the male hot on my heels as I moved with purpose towards the great hall, sure Elduin would be there holding court.
The towering gold statues that lined the white marble entrance hall stared down at me as I passed them, each standing almost as tall as the vaulted ceiling. Gold patterns inlaid into the marble floor glinted as I prowled towards the great arched doorway ahead of me.
“If you would just wait—”
I cast a vicious growl at the attendant, and he wisely fell back, halting near a staircase that led upwards as I continued towards the great hall.
I pulled the grand doors open, the sound of them slamming against the marble walls loud enough to demand silence.
The cluster of fae standing before the high king where he sat on his golden throne on the dais at the far end of the enormous room all looked over their shoulders in my direction as I stepped onto the broad landing of the staircase that swept downwards to my left and right.
Elduin stared at me across the expanse of obsidian marble floor inlaid with the gold crest of his kingdom, my sharp sight able to make out the displeased twist of his lips before he calmly dismissed the males he had been speaking to before my interruption.
I swept down the staircase on the right side, remembering how I had guided Saphira down it the night of the ball, when Kalyn had ruthlessly clawed at her mind, controlling her thoughts.
My own claws came out beneath my black metal gauntlets, and shadowy talons flickered over my hands.
I reined them in before the males approaching me noticed them, but they still chose to take the other side of the staircase, avoiding crossing my path.
The polished floor reflected the black and gold columns set into the walls on either side of the room, the mirrors set between them on the left bouncing the light that poured in through the bank of windows on the right and the great glass domes of the roof around the room.
My metal boots were loud on that floor, a heavy thud that echoed around the room like a heartbeat.
Elduin watched me approach.
Watched me carefully.
Closely.
I held my head high and my shoulders back as the doors closed, leaving us alone, and kept my focus sharp and my mind on my strategy.
By now, Malachi would be positioned above the palace, skulking around the roofs and the towers, keeping watch and listening to the court as it whispered about my arrival.
I halted before the steps of the dais upon which Elduin sat on his gilt throne and rested my hand on the pommel of the sword that hung from my waist, holding it steady so it did not strike my black and silver armour as I waited.
“Kaeleron.” Elduin smiled, his golden crown catching the light as he dipped his head in greeting, barely moving it. Just enough to be considered polite, but never enough that he might be viewed as lowering himself before me.
I did not dip my head.
I was not here to be polite.
The dark slashes of his eyebrows lowered to narrow his silver eyes, but he did not mention what I had done.
He went to lift a hand, the fine golden embroidery that ran around the cuff of his tunic jacket bright against the inky black of it. “I shall have refreshments brought to us. It must have been a long ride from Falkyr.”
“No, thank you.” I thumbed the pommel of my sword.
How easy would it be to draw it and sever his head from his shoulders?
I had the speed, but he was quick too, and his magic could easily halt my blade before I could finish the job.
I was not sure I wanted to claim his head.
Anyone who did placed themselves in line for his throne.
The few who had tried had not lived to tell the tale.
And I had no interest in becoming high king.
I did dip my head now, easing that dark edge that was building in his eyes as I said, “I have no intention of staying long. I merely had a few questions for you. Ones I wanted to ask in person.”
Elduin casually leaned back in his throne, his gaze calculating as he regarded me and rested his chin on his knuckles. “A few questions? For your high king.”
I smiled, the picture of calm, feeling nothing so he could not sense anything in me. “It is not so unusual. It is not as if I have never questioned you before.”
“The timing of these questions is curious though.” His lips pursed slightly as he studied me, so intently I pulled up a mental guard around my mind, not trusting that he would not attempt to control me, even when he had never tried before.
“Oh, how so?” I held my polite smile, all innocence.
“You recently, finally appointed an advisor in your court.” He lowered his hand to rest on the gilt arms of his throne. “I thought perhaps that advisor would be able to answer these questions for you.”
He had heard that Oberon now held a powerful position within my court.
Just as I had suspected he would.
I poured every ounce of charm I possessed into my smile, affecting a light and almost pleased air, as if I was glad the high king knew or was flattered that he paid such attention to my court.
“The appointment has been a very long time coming. Prince Oberon has been an advisor to me in many capacities since we met.”
His silver eyes darkened a shade. “Might I remind you that the rogues who call the Stygian Isles home have no right to call themselves royalty.”
I nodded, tiptoeing somewhere between grave, ashamed and apologetic. “Of course.”
He tilted his head back, the shrewd edge his eyes gained making me want to grin as he betrayed his curiosity and hunger to know more about my new advisor. I was not surprised by his next question.
“How much do you know about this male you now call your advisor?”
I pretended to think before I said, “I know much about Oberon. In fact, it was Oberon who prompted my visit here today.”
“Really?” He sat up and leaned forwards slightly. “And how did this rogue prompt your unsanctioned presence in my court?”
I released my sword and relaxed my posture, feigning lowering my guard and acting as if I was not a threat to him. We were friends. Allies. No bad blood between us. No reason to have his guard up around me.
“He raised a very good point during a recent conversation,” I said.
“And that point is?” He leaned a fraction closer.
“That you believe my vengeance is not done.”
I let those words fall quietly in the room, a subtle shaking of the foundation between Elduin’s booted feet that had the male leaning back again.
It was his only reaction, but it gave so much away.
I could see his mind churning, turning over everything, plotting a route out of this verbal game he had suddenly found himself in and in a way that would make him the victor.
“What reason does the rogue have for believing this?” His tone was light, almost jovial, the darkness that had clouded his eyes lifting as he looked as if he wanted to laugh it off as some sort of terrible joke.
I inspected the black claws of my right gauntlet and then smiled at him.
“Only that you have not demanded the second part of our agreement is carried out. Of course, I questioned this myself, and mentioned that my vengeance has been tied to not only the death of the one responsible for my parents’ murder and brother’s abduction, but the act of making the entire Summer Court bleed for it.
Something you knew was important to me.”
He nodded. “Of course.”
“And yet,” I continued, “when we struck our agreement, I was young and grieving, unable to see beyond the hunger to bring their killer to justice and find my older brother. It recently occurred to me that my wrathful feelings did not evolve to include the rest of the Summer Court until much later.”
Elduin waved me away, but I scrutinised him, seeing the unsteadiness of his fingers as he gestured at me and said, “You forget. You were young. I recall you made it very clear that the whole court should bleed for their sins, and you have not done that yet, and so your vengeance is not done.”