Chapter 75 Theron
THERON
“I don’t understand exactly what happened back there, but I have a feeling a great tragedy was averted,” the Old King who’s also somehow my grandfather says.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around that because how the Hell is the King my grandfather? But we seem to have moved on to other topics—like the fact that the witch, Grizalyn, apparently killed me and Elowen brought me back with the Time Weaving spell.
“A tragedy was averted,” Elowen answers him.
She’s had a bath–we both have–and we’re wearing new, clean clothes and sitting at a small table in the King’s private chambers.
The table is heaped high with the most delicious smelling delicacies the kingdom can produce, but somehow I find I’m not hungry.
I’m only interested in what my curvy little priestess has to say.
“Tell us again what happened,” I say, leaning towards her. I wish I could take her hands in mine, but she’s got her arms crossed and she’s keeping to herself. After clutching me so tight she nearly squeezed me in two earlier, she’s now staying firmly in her own space. I wish I knew why.
Elowen starts talking and what she says makes me lean forward, my eyes going wide.
“So…the witch sent you to me specifically?” I ask. “I thought you said she just cursed you to go to the roughest male you could find.”
“She did…but when I protested, she cursed me to go find you,” Elowen admits.
Her fingers are twisting together nervously.
“I know I should have told you before, but it didn’t seem important.
I mean, I had no idea what she wanted with you or that you were the Lost Prince or any of that.
” She takes a deep breath. “I’m so sorry.
I should have told you right from the start.
I just got so…so wrapped up in our quests…
in collecting the elements for the Time Weaving spell. ”
“So…what actually happened just now. I mean, back in the Court?” I ask, wanting to be sure I get it straight.
Elowen explains, her voice trembling when she gets to the part where Grizalyn killed me and then dared her to go back in time to save me using the Time Weaving spell.
It’s fucking weird to hear her talking about my death but I don’t doubt her for a minute–tears are glimmering in her eyes as she speaks.
“I was so afraid I couldn’t stop her–that I couldn’t bring you back,” she whispers. “I really don’t think she thought I’d even try. She told me I should go back to the time before she cursed me and the rest of the girls at the temple. Back…back to when my eyes were still blue.”
I feel my heart twist. Elowen isn’t the only one with something to be ashamed of.
“Baby–” I begin, my voice coming out hoarse.
She shakes her head.
“I didn’t want to give up–I was hoping your Drake could help stop her.”
Inside, I feel my Drake roar in agreement.
“She was right,” he tells me. “I felt her talking to me–I knew what she needed. And I felt the witch’s evil–I knew what she was the minute she appeared. I knew I had to flame her.”
He’s different now–more articulate than ever before.
It’s like he was never an Ash Drake at all.
I think maybe the curse that was hanging over my head all my life affected him more than it affected me.
Now that the curse is gone and the one who cast it is dead, he’s coming into his true form–his true self.
“He’s glad you asked for his help,” I say, translating between them.
“I know,” she says quietly. “I can feel it.” She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “I just want to say I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the witch right away. And I’m glad I could turn her curse back on her. But now I think it’s time for me to go.”
“What? Why?” I ask, feeling my heart twist in my chest. I don’t want her to go–I don’t want to lose her.
Then I remember my Drake and what she’d have to do to stay–to Bond with me. With both of us.
“Don’t go, my dear,” the Old King, who has been mostly silent up until now, says. “I’ll have a room prepared for you here in the palace.”
“Thank you.” Elowen looks down at her hands. “I can stay for the night but after that, I need to move on.”
The words, “Don’t go–stay with me! Marry me!” tremble on my lips. But I bite them back. The Drake–she won’t be able to handle him.
“I’ll have the maid take you to your room,” the King–my grandfather–says. “But you won’t go empty-handed. You brought my grandson back to me–and you saved his life. You shall have anything your heart desires, my dear.”
“Thank you, Elowen says quietly. “But I don’t really want anything but…”
“But what?” I urge her.
She shakes her head.
“Nothing. I don’t need anything. Thank you anyway, Your Majesty,” she says to the Old King.
The King rings a small silver bell, and a maid appears in the doorway.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” she asks, dropping a respectful curtsey.
“Elowen would like to sleep now,” the King tells her, nodding at my curvy little priestess. “Please take her to our finest guest bedroom and see that she has anything she needs.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Elowen rises and nods respectfully. She follows the maid out of the room, leaving me alone with the King.
“That’s a fine woman—courageous and beautiful. You shouldn’t let her go, my boy,” he says, breaking the silence after she leaves. “I can see that you love her. Don’t let her leave you.”
No one has spoken so plainly to me since my mentor, Kline, died. And I feel my Drake reacting to his–bowing to the older male’s wisdom.
“I don’t want to let her go,” I admit. “But…I’m afraid of what she’ll think if I ask her to Bond with me…and my Drake.”
“Ah…” He nods, his long white beard whispering over his chest. “I understand. My own wife–your grandmother–was reluctant at first. It wasn’t until she felt a real fondness for my Drake that she agreed.”
His words give me a tiny surge of hope. Elowen has a fondness for my Drake–I’ve felt it before. And it was him she appealed to when the witch threatened her and promised to kill me. She didn’t ask me to Shift—she asked him to come out. And he listened to her.
Maybe I shouldn’t let her go, after all.
“Go speak with her,” my grandfather says quietly. “That girl was meant to be your queen.”
“I’ll try,” I say. “I don’t know if I can convince her.”
“You’ll never know unless you try,” he points out. “Don’t spend your life regretting a lost love, my grandson. You need a good woman by your side to take my place on the throne.”
The thought of me ruling the kingdom makes my head spin. It’s too fucking strange to think about right now. But the idea of losing Elowen is what’s on my mind right now.
I make up my mind–I have to at least try. She’ll probably be horrified and tell me to go to Hell, but I can’t help it–I have to ask if she’ll Bond with me and my Drake and stay with me forever.
Otherwise, my grandfather is right–I’ll regret it forever.