Chapter 54
KAELERON
My sister was the first person I saw, standing there so regal, proud and defiant with her head tilted up and her shoulders squared as she stood with Riordan and a small contingent of Shadow Court guards.
Facing Elduin.
The high king had his own guards as he stood on a broad section of pale flagstones between the formal garden and my onyx stone castle. At his side stood Vaeleryn, cinched into a gown of royal blue and silver, with a broad black satin sash tied around her waist. The colours of my court.
Beyond them, just to the right of Vaeleryn, Kalyn loomed like a shadow, his pale silver eyes ringed with night narrowing as he smiled at Saphira who tensed beside me.
I unleashed a fraction of my power, enough to draw the shadows from the cracks between the flagstones, and aimed them all at Kalyn, warning him to keep his eyes off my little wolf and keep his power from touching her.
The Nightmare King grinned at me as he pushed his short black hair back in a way I supposed was meant to make him look as if he did not fear me, as if he was relaxed and unafraid of what wrath I might reap upon him should he step out of line.
That calm air fractured just a touch as Oberon appeared beside me with Chase, and Rhyn followed him, and then Malachi rose from a dark abyss that opened in the patio close to Jenavyr, bringing Morden with him.
Vaeleryn’s silver-violet eyes landed on Rhyn first, and then drifted to Saphira, and then a frown flickered on her brow when she looked at someone else. Someone who closed ranks with Saphira.
Morden.
She stared at the wolf as he fell into line beside his alpha, her eyes widening an almost imperceptible amount before she shook herself out of whatever spell the male had unwittingly cast on her, finally shifting her gaze to me.
Earning herself a low growl from Saphira.
I squeezed Saphira’s hand, lightly flexing my fingers against the back of it, this connection between us the reason I had forgone wearing my gauntlets.
I needed this contact between us to get me through the next few minutes, when so much hinged on how I played my role and the outcome of everything I had put into place in her absence. I knew she needed it too.
She needed to know that I was hers, and that nothing could change that.
Nothing could take me from her.
Elduin casually lowered cold silver eyes to the point where we touched and then lifted them to lock with mine, his voice devoid of any emotion as he played the first piece in our little game.
“Sylvan is dead. Your vengeance is done. It is time for you to uphold your end of the bargain, Shadow King.”
So the high king had spies everywhere as I had suspected.
Even among the Summer Court.
I swiftly studied the males who stood in regimented lines behind him, a blend of the elite warriors of Ereborne and soldiers from the Nightmare Court, and then the fleet that was partially anchored in the harbour and partially anchored just off shore, within range of cannon fire.
And then I slowly shifted my gaze back to Elduin.
“I am not so sure my vengeance is done,” I drawled and canted my head as I narrowed my gaze on him. “I am not so sure the architect of the attack on Belkarthen and my brother’s abduction has yet paid for their crimes against my court.”
Elduin did not miss a beat. “Sylvan is dead. Your vengeance ends with him. The seelie high king has informed me of it, and the fact you broke the accord by entering his lands. I am feeling generous though, and upon hearing of what you had done, I came here to offer a solution… one which will allow you to retain your freedom and protect your court. Wed my daughter as agreed, and I shall send word to the high king that your house and court are joined with mine.”
He wanted me to choose between Saphira and my court.
“What agreement?” Vaeleryn turned on her father, her eyes wide and her tone unusually firm. I did not think I had ever heard her speak to her father with such demand, and I was not sure it would go well for her. “I have never heard of this agreement.”
“Because it does not concern you.” Elduin slid dark silver eyes to his daughter, a silent command to be quiet.
One she ignored. “Does not concern me? You have bartered my hand. How does that not concern me?”
He held his hand up, the sharp action making her shrink back, and the thunderous look he cast at her had her snapping her mouth shut and lowering her head.
Becoming the meek, dutiful female he had raised her to be.
One who did not question, she merely obeyed.
How had I ever believed I could marry such a female and be happy to live with her, forsaking the chance to have my mate, to have someone who could match my wit and my darkness, and my defiance?
I was not sure I could have borne it even for my beloved court.
I was glad I did not have to.
“I have not broken any law.” My words were firm, as unyielding as fae steel as I kept my head high and my eyes on Elduin even as murmurs ran through the guards behind him and Kalyn studied me closely.
Saphira tensed beside me, her gaze leaping up to scald the side of my face, coaxing me into looking at her but I kept my gaze on Elduin, savouring that surprise that shone in his eyes.
“I had considered abdicating my throne,” I glanced at Vyr, “and making my sister queen, because I was intrigued by what I read about the Summer Court, and how progressive it appeared to be, and so I also changed the laws of succession, allowing her to become heir.”
My sister hid her feelings about that rather admirably, not letting her cold mask slip to reveal just how heated our discussion had been when I had told her of my plan in regards to that.
“But then I read the accord again,” I continued.
Elduin’s brows rose. “You read the accord… again?”
“Yes, again.” I dipped my head, keeping my tone even and matter of fact, and my emotions level, all the nervous energy that coursed through me hidden beneath the veneer of a king who felt nothing—who knew how this was going to play out and that this game would end in my victory.
“And I do not believe my court can be punished for my actions.”
“I shall indulge this little farce of yours, Kaeleron. How so? You crossed into the Summer Court. You broke the law. I should warn you that if you do not accept my kind and very generous offer that war with the seelie will be unavoidable and your people will be put to the blade.” He smiled coldly at me, his mask slipping for a moment to reveal he thought he would be the victor, that my words were all bluff and bluster, and my plan would crumble and end with my defeat.
“The accord makes it very clear.” I barely held back my grin as I waved my hand through the air, summoning the accord to me, and relinquished Saphira’s hand to unroll it as I quietly put that beautiful look of shock on Elduin’s face to memory so I could savour it later.
I cleared my throat as I read the passages neatly written on the parchment, seeking the one that had stood out to me.
“It says right here that a court may only be punished if their king passes into another court without permission from the ruler of that court. All very clear, and obviously put in place so there were no accidental breaches of the accord should one ruler invite another into their court.”
I looked down at Saphira.
“I did have permission to be there, did I not?”
She stared at me for only a heartbeat before she caught up. My clever little wolf. “Of course. You were invited, no less.”
“By the heir presumptive,” I added as I turned to Elduin, “which according to this document signed by both your hand and the seelie high king, for all intents and purposes counts as a ruler of the court.”
“It does not,” Elduin spat. “A ruler is a king or a queen.”
I pursed my lips as I read the document again, my eyebrows rising on my forehead, and then shook my head. “No. It states here that it must be a king, queen or heir awaiting coronation. Saphira is an heir awaiting her coronation as queen.”
“The steward of the Summer Court was ruler,” he countered.
I shook my head again. “Steward is not listed. A steward is not a ruler. He is a caretaker, overseeing a court in the ruler’s absence, and Saphira is very much not absent.”
She waved her hand and gave him a small smile. “Right here. Very much present.”
Elduin glowered at her and then glared at me. “Your vengeance is done. End this ridiculous farce and wed my daughter as promised.”
Vaeleryn boldly stepped away from her father. “I have no intention of marrying Kaeleron, and I will not let you force me into it… or Kaeleron. Whatever this agreement that exists between you is, I had no say in it and I will not go through with it.”
The high king turned on her, his voice a black and commanding snarl. “You will have no say in it still. You will do as you are told.”
She shrank back, her hands coming up protectively in front of her chest, but this time she did not back down or grow meek. She let her hands fall as she looked from her father to Saphira, and then to me.
“What we discussed at the ball remained my closely guarded secret.” Her soft words had Saphira snarling and taking a step forwards.
I caught her wrist with my hand before she could pass me. “What we discussed?”
Vaeleryn smiled softly.
“During our dance you spoke of the wolven. Saphira, was it?” Her gaze shifted to Saphira and when my love nodded, Vaeleryn looked back at me.
“I knew then that you felt something for her, and when the dance ended and you saw she was gone, I knew you were falling in love with her. I watched you go, leaving without a word, a beast on the hunt, and I knew then you were mates.”
Elduin snapped, “It does not matter whether he loves her or whether they are mates. We had an agreement, and Kaeleron will uphold his end of it now his vengeance has been fulfilled.”
I turned on him, my voice a black snarl as shadows spread across the patio, creeping along the cracks between the flagstones.