Chapter 38
Thirty-Eight
RONAN
ELLNESARI, PRESENT DAY
T he Lynx castle is a towering masterpiece, beautiful and yet savage, with its spires reaching toward the clouds like the claws of a lynx about to pounce. It seems every construction in Ellnesari has been built to impress, and this place is no exception.
Banners of midnight silk hang between columns showcasing the emblem of the kingdom—a silver lynx embroidered with constellations in the background that seem to shift positions when viewed from different angles.
The inner courtyard is a mosaic of glittering marble and delicate flowering plants, surrounded by tall columns and guarded by statues of fierce silver lynxes.
They almost look real, and for a moment, I think their heads turn to watch us walk by.
I blink fast, and the illusion vanishes.
They’re still as statues should be. My head feels light, though, and I wonder if it’s the scent hanging in the air that’s doing that to me.
The cloying and sweet perfume from the flowers is so strong that it coats the back of my throat.
Ollie is fast asleep in my arms, but her nose wrinkles, and then she sneezes. She doesn’t wake up, though. I glance at Cheryl to see if she’s affected as well, but she seems fine. The baby, however, is much calmer now than he was a moment ago.
Cheryl catches me staring and asks in a whisper, “What is it?”
“Is the fragrance of these flowers doing anything to you?”
“No. Why? Is it affecting you?”
I open my mouth to reply, but Castiel looks over his shoulder and answers, “The shinti flowers have a calming effect. Perhaps that’s what you’re feeling.”
I’m not calmer by any stretch of the imagination. But I’m also not keen to disclose to Castiel how the perfume of these flowers is affecting me, so I reply, “Perhaps.”
He seems satisfied with my answer and continues walking ahead of us without a care in the world. The king and queen have already vanished, and I suspect they walked the wind when I was distracted. They weren’t that far ahead of us, after all.
As we approach the entrance to the palace, the columns in the courtyard give way to archways where bioluminescent vines crawl up stone walls, casting everything in an eerie blue-green glow.
Cheryl gasps, her eyes widening as she leans forward, fingers reaching out as if to touch the shimmering surface.
The fascination etched on her face hits me straight in the chest. She’s never looked more breathtaking than she does now, staring at everything in wonder.
I want to pull her into my arms and never let her go.
For once, I’m not guarding my feelings from her. She turns to me, and the emotion I see glimmering in her eyes echoes my own, which makes it much harder to control my impulse to kiss her until she begs for more.
Castiel clears his throat without looking back, but I know that was meant for us. Shit. Are we projecting our feelings to the world that loudly? Cheryl’s cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink before she focuses ahead, making me forget all about Castiel and the other soldiers in our vicinity.
We don’t find any guards stationed in front of the double doors that lead into the palace. However, there’s another pair of lynx statues, one on each side of the entrance. Once again, I have the sensation that they’re watching me.
Inside, the wonders don’t stop. The wide hallway has a domed ceiling with paintings depicting the night sky so vividly, it’s like I’m staring at the real thing.
The walls are adorned with intricate carvings of fantastical creatures—I recognize a couple, such as the rombolos and the giant birds from the Aquila Kingdom.
“Where are we going?” Cheryl asks.
“My mother wants you to rest. You’ve been through a lot, and we’ll need your testimonies in my brother’s trial.”
That’s new information, and I don’t like the implications. “And when exactly is the trial taking place?”
“Why, Ronan? Are you in a hurry to leave?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. You know very well what’s at stake. Don’t play dumb.”
We reach a junction in the hallway, and Castiel turns around. He glances at the guards, and I sense that he doesn’t want to discuss what’s at stake in front of them. I bite my tongue for now.
“I wouldn’t even know how to do that,” he replies, then glances at a party approaching us from the left.
The queen is coming, accompanied by a group of four females and a massive black wolf by her side. It’s twice as large as the wolves back home. I watch the animal closely and notice the white markings on its face and its neon blue eyes. It’s a beautiful animal.
“I didn’t realize there were wolves in Ellnesari,” Cheryl says.
“Ah yes, they’re sacred animals in Etheos Kingdom, where I’m from. They’re called shadow wolves,” the queen replies, running a hand over the animal’s head. “This one is Luna, and she’s been my companion since I was a young child.”
“So… a long while, then. Are they immortals like the Nightingales?” Cheryl asks.
The queen smiles. “They have a natural long life, but Luna is bound to me, so her life force is linked to mine.”
Cheryl’s eyes grow larger. “Oh, like vampire familiars.”
The queen nods. “Yes, similar. However, Luna doesn’t shift into Nightingale form, unlike you, my dear, who possesses two forms.”
Cheryl’s eyebrows pinch together, and I’m blasted by her annoyance. “I’m not a familiar.”
The queen’s lips curl upward. “I know.”
Luna approaches Cheryl, who stands her ground. The wolf isn’t threatening, and Cheryl isn’t distraught at the proximity, so I control the urge to act like a vampire shield. Besides, I have Ollie in my arms—I wouldn’t be able to do anything without putting the youngling at risk.
“Is there a reason they’re called shadow wolves?” I ask.
The queen smiles as if she’s holding on to a secret. It’s Castiel who replies, “Yes, they can walk the shadows.”
My forehead crinkles. I want to ask what that means, but the queen speaks before I can. “King Ruel shall arrive shortly. We’ll hold a small reception for him in a few hours, and I’m sure you want to rest and freshen up.”
Cheryl pats the wolf’s head, which is almost at her chest level. The white markings on the wolf’s face turn a glowing neon blue, matching the color of her eyes.
“Oh, Luna likes you,” the queen says. Then she gestures with her hand, and two of her ladies-in-waiting step forward, one veering for me and the other for Cheryl.
The female reaches for Ollie and I take a step back, holding her tighter. “What are you doing?”
The female lowers her arms and bows her head but doesn’t answer me.
“They’ve been instructed to take care of the younglings while you and Cheryl rest,” the queen replies calmly.
“They’re staying with us,” I retort.
Castiel arches a brow. “Are you sure you don’t want some time alone without kids?”
The son of a bitch. He knows very well I want to be alone with Cheryl, but I can’t surrender the younglings to strangers in a foreign land.
“Where exactly are you taking them?” Cheryl asks.
“Their quarters are next to yours. If you feel more at ease, you can take them there yourselves.” The queen smiles, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she inclines her head slightly, the gesture reminiscent of a mother acknowledging a child’s small triumph.
“I’ll leave Luna with them. No one will harm them while she stands guard. ”
I snort in my head. I don’t know this lady from Adam. Am I supposed to trust her words? But Cheryl agrees, surprising me. I look into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts.
“They’ll be okay, Ronan,” she says with conviction. “Trust me.”
I relax a bit. I do trust you, sweetheart, with all my heart.
“All right.”
We follow the queen’s ladies-in-waiting down the hallway and leave the younglings with them. We are right next door to them, and now that I’m about to finally be alone with Cheryl, my heart is beating so fast, it might leap out of my chest.
This is it. This is when I put everything on the line.