CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ONCE EVERYONE FINISHES EATING, MADAM Windwhisper ushers us into a small and private drawing room, shutting the door behind us.
A knock sounds at the door and Jesper slides in. “So sorry I’m late. Tisur was not having it today with his teeth cleaning. I don’t know why he’s being so irritable!” He sighs, collapsing next to me on the couch.
A piece of me relaxes being squished between my two mates, and I try to ignore the burning need lighting up within me.
“Have you been settling in okay, Princess Ravina? I hear that’s the name you prefer to go with these days,” Madam Windwhisper states, as she makes herself comfortable in a chair across from me.
Ember, Roz and Lennox all stay standing, posted in different parts of the room like they’re keeping an eye out for something.
Killian is most likely on them to stay on high alert, but we should be fine here.
Nero hops from my shoulder onto my lap and gets comfortable, while my hands stroke his silky soft feathers.
“Yes, that is the name I prefer, and we are settling in great, thank you. What did you wish to discuss?” I ask.
She clasps her weathered hands and places them on her lap. “You may not be aware, but myself and another advisor, who has now long passed, advised your mother not to share that her mate bonds were fated. I’m aware that you are not keeping yours a secret, am I correct?”
“I’m not. I’m not only proud to call them mine, but the realm needs some hope. I’m not sure why the Fates stopped bestowing mate bonds, but it’s obvious that favor is returning.”
She sighs and nods. “I understand, and I actually agree with you. I’m not sure if keeping it secret is what caused the realm to fall into chaos—”
“If I may be so bold, but it wasn’t that. After discussing things with my mother when she was still awake, we think it’s because of Lord Craven’s obsession with my mother. We think it twisted his mind.”
She hums. “He was always such a meddlesome fae, but yes I can see your point. Your mother refused to discuss him after she found out about the bonds with your fathers. Lord Craven changed after that. Once things escalated she only shared her plans with Librarian Merriwhether, myself, her handmaiden Gretchen, and of course Lady Zorn. We did everything to keep you safe. Tell me your story, and then I shall fill in the gaps and answer any questions you have, or try to at least.”
So I do. I tell her of my time in Shalo, glazing over the brutality of my time there after Gretchen had passed, all the way up until I made my way here, back to the home of my fledglinghood.
“My Fates, dear one,” she gasps. “I’m sorry, it was never supposed to be like that.”
“So Merriwhether has shared,” I smile hoping to ease her shock. “She answered a lot of my questions, although… I do still have one. Why not keep me hidden here?”
Her gaze softens. “Well, we needed a Gallalaus of Her Majesty’s bloodline on the outside to free the city once it was safe.
She never thought she would survive, we came up with our plan for you.
We thought it was foolproof, but I see we were wrong.
The magick it took to get the barrier up and dispel anyone of cruel intentions from the city took a few days, and by that time, Craven had already taken over.
He was searching for you and something else but he never found it.
The day the spell finally completed, Lord Craven was already out of the city with your mother, and there was nothing any of us could do.
He warped the minds of anyone in his way or killed them, hung them on the gates of the castle as a warning.
It was maybe six hours after they left that the fae who didn’t belong were whisked away to outside the barrier.
It took a long time for us to repair and come up with a system to flourish while we waited and hoped you would come back for us.
That you would regain your memories and take your place as Queen as is your right. ”
I swallow, grabbing Talyn and Jesper’s hands. “And my fathers?”
Tears prick at the elder female’s eyes. “Ah, yes. They defended your mother the best they could, but with the wraiths, they didn’t stand a chance. Your mother had found a way to protect us from them, with her dragon, but they didn’t have time to arm themselves. Their deaths were quick.”
The armor I found, they didn’t have time to get to it. Maybe if they had more warning…
Talyn squeezes my hand three times and I ground myself back in the present. “I see,” is all I manage to say.
“Perhaps you can read your mother’s journals—they should be locked away in her rooms. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you helped yourself to them.”
“How is my mother doing?” I haven’t been up to see her since she arrived, but last I checked in there was no change, still in a coma. The healers have been doing what they can to keep her comfortable, but it is obvious now that it’s only a matter of time.
“The same,” she says, confirming what I already knew. She takes a deep breath and forces a smile on her face. “Now, let’s discuss some happier topics, shall we?”
“I am all for some happier conversations,” I tell her.
“Perfect. As you are aware, we have plans to throw you and your mates a homecoming ball, and then when you complete all the bonds we can throw a mating celebration as well. I was thinking we could have everything thrown together in a few days time—”
Jesper cuts in. “Actually push it a week. Our delightful queen-to-be completed all her bonds last night and so have our dragons. And according to Ravina we will be unreachable in a few days for about three days if the books are right.”
“Just tell her you’re going to have a sex marathon that is forced upon you by the Fates. Oh, tell Rozen that I will be expecting him to feed me while you are otherwise occupied,” Nero adds lazily as he cleans his feathers.
“Actually, we should probably hold off on any major engagements until after the war. So that gives you a lot of time to plan something extravagant,” I add with a smile.
Madam Windwhisper’s eyes widen. “Yes, of course. I’ll make all the arrangements for after. Congratulations, Princess. I hope you have a long and happy mating. Now, onto the details.”
MY HEAD HURTS after going through all the decisions with Windwhisper with my bonds chiming in from time to time with their opinions.
Thankfully Jesper and Aemon were all too happy to help me decide when they noticed I was getting overwhelmed.
Ember helped keep them in check: Jesper and Nero wanted floral centerpieces with daggers and swords, but she managed to talk them out of it.
I’m hoping that one day all this will be easy, but something in me doubts that.
I’m just glad I have a great group of friends to help support me through this, because I would be utterly lost without them all.
The moment I step back into the library it’s like my whole body finds peace, and the stress from earlier melts away.
“Princess Ravina,” Merriwhether says, exasperated. “Can you explain what happened to the table? And the books?” She places her hand on her hips and my face instantly heats as I try to stammer my way through an explanation.
Roz wraps his arm around my shoulder and ruffles my hair. “We will clean it up.”
“You better. I won’t have you destroying my library, Queen-to-be of the realm or not,” she states, but her eyes sparkle with mischief. She takes a step closer. “Congratulations on your matings,” she winks and then disappears down an aisle.
“Oh my fucking Fates,” I mutter, pressing my hands to my cheeks, trying to cool them down.
Killian’s amusement trickles down the bond as Nero gives him a play-by-play of what just happened. “Tell them to not throw out the table. I’m keeping it.”
“Whatever for? It’s broken.” He doesn’t reply and shuts me out of his thoughts, but I can still sense he’s plotting. “Killian?” Nothing.
Ember steps up beside me, eyeing where the librarian disappeared. “Is it just me, or did she have more of a pep in her step?”
“I think Rav’s little rebellious actions brought some life back to the old fae,” Roz teases, bumping my shoulder. “Come on, let’s clean up your mess so we can go back to researching how to destroy the most powerful magickal artifact in the realm.”
“Actually…” Lennox adds, stepping back towards the door. “I need to go meet someone. I’ll see you all for dinner later.”
“Is everything okay?” I ask, my brows furrowing.
“Yeah, everything’s good, I promise.” He gives us a tight smile and then leaves through the library doors, back into the main part of the castle.
“What the Fates was that about?” I mutter, and Nero lifts his wings in the bird version of a shrug.
Ember shakes her head, letting out a dry laugh. “Cynder is training right now, and I think our friend wants to keep an eye on her since the rest of the Safir Raiders are back.”
I shake my head in amusement. “Alright, well, let’s get this finished so we can see if we can find out anything more.”
I would be kicking myself in the ass for making the mess, but it was worth how amazing it was, and honestly I wouldn’t change a thing.
“THERE"S NOTHING HERE,” I sigh, closing yet another tome and rubbing my temples. At this point I just want to crawl into bed with my mates and sleep for the rest of the week.
Ember rolls up the scroll she was reading. “What if we try to find that magickal being your mother got the spell from? Maybe they would have an idea of how to destroy it?”
A wide smile spreads across my lips as I jump up and hug her. “Why didn’t I think of that! Surely if they know about spells and different magick, they must know something!” My smile drops and I groan. “But I have no idea where to start or if they’re even still alive.”
“Well that’s easy,” Rozen grins. “They’re obviously in the Nairiden Woods. My mother used to tell me stories about the different creatures and legends from there. If this being is hiding out anywhere, it’s there.”
Ember smiles and kisses his cheek. “You’re so smart sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” he gasps in mock horror.
She frowns. “Sometimes I worry that your last two thoughts are struggling for attention.” Her lip twitches and I can tell it’s taking everything in her not to laugh.
Nero chokes on a cough. “Rav, I think this is our cue to leave. I know how you feel about watching other fae.”
I shake my head. “I’m going to head out, and tomorrow we can reconvene and see if Merriwhether knows of any books my mother might have taken out about the Woods.”
They say their goodnights, and I pull on the shadows and slip into them before slipping out into the room I share with my mates. All four of them, since we are now all bonded. A soft smile appears on my face as I notice Talyn sitting by the window in nothing but his leather pants drinking a tea.
“Where are the others?” I ask as I sit in his lap and we look out into the city where purple flames light the streetlamps and torches, giving it a mystical feel.
He places his tea down and wraps his arms around my waist, tugging me close as he buries his head in my neck.
“Killian is in the barracks, doing what he does best and getting your army into shape. Aemon has been keeping all the high society at bay; they’ve been itching to have an in with you.
And Jesper has been keeping an eye on things from the shadows and slipping into fae’s minds. ”
“So it’s just me and you for a little bit?” I bite my lip, looking up at him.
“It seems so—”
A knock sounds at the door. Talyn stands with me in his lap before placing me behind him. “Stay here,” he growls as he strides towards the door.
I think not. I follow after him and he shakes his head. “I wish you would listen,” he mumbles.
“Hey now. I may let you males boss me around in the bedroom—”
“Or library,” Nero adds.
“—but I will make up my own mind and be a part of decisions when it comes to the rest of my life,” I state, gesturing for him to open the door.
He leans in toward me. “I think your ass is going to be tanned red if you want to mouth off to me like that, Princess.”
I cross my arms. “And if that doesn’t work?”
He smirks. “Then I’ll make sure your mouth is stuffed full of cock while I spank you.”
My mouth falls open as I try to think of a retort.
“Glad to see you’re already practicing.” He winks and then opens the door to reveal Lennox. “What’s going on?”
“Evander’s back and he has a message. He sent me up to get you while he tracks down Aemon. They found the dragons.”