Chapter 25
‘Our home is shrouded by stormclouds and rage.’
– Excerpt from House Kazimyr’s history book
Taryn
They had traveled day and night to make it to Judla, only stopping at night to rest and always leaving well before dawn.
Taryn taught Airess how to use her dagger in self-defense nightly, and though she was nowhere near ready for real combat, he saw a ferocity in her eyes that held true to her strength.
Besides, he surmised, that when her Magick got advanced enough, she wouldn’t need a dagger at all.
Airess had been practicing her Magick every day since he told her about the Oathmark.
She could conjure multiple orbs now and throw them.
Anything in their path disintegrated instantaneously.
It seemed that her power only amplified to something more during moments of fear, but this led to Taryn’s theory that what power she did conjure was only the surface of her true power.
Taryn and Airess had been speaking in Runean to each other during their travels.
Airess most definitely had a Mrkynian accent, but she was able to understand Runean and form sentences and converse with him.
Taryn couldn’t exactly understand why, but he felt pride well up in his chest hearing her speak his native language.
Throughout all their conversations, they had grown closer. Taryn tried his best to ignore the emotion he felt whirring between them when they shared a bed at the Inn. He could kick himself right now thinking about it, and how they had not spoken of the kiss they shared since.
Taryn thought this may be for the best. He was not good enough for Airess.
She viewed the world differently than he did, always finding beauty from even the most mundane moments.
Taryn had seen it, the compassion in her eyes when she watched the townspeople during their travels.
She was an artist, a singer, one who found meaning through words and melodies.
Airess was just becoming the person she was meant to be.
She didn’t deserve to be tainted by him. She deserved a life in high society, preferably with a prince to give her the life she deserved. Airess didn’t need to be with some back-alley assassin like Taryn. He didn’t want his own darkness to destroy her.
Besides, if Raiden was only giving him two weeks to either die or betray Airess, he wouldn’t be here on this earth much longer, anyway.
Taryn looked over to her then. Her hair had been left unbound, falling in waves down to her waist, dress hiked up to her knees as she rode on horseback. His stomach twisted at the new energy that fell between them.
When they woke up the next morning after their shared kiss, Airess had acted completely normal. Like nothing had happened. He could have sworn he saw emotion brimming behind her eyes, but it was gone before Taryn could name what it was.
When Taryn had tried to bring the kiss up, she had dismissed him.
It hurt him more than he cared to admit, but if she didn’t want to acknowledge the stirring feelings between them, who was he to put that on her?
“Are you ready to see your home?” Taryn asked her, diverting his thoughts. They had decided to visit her old manor before leaving. Airess wanted closure, and he wanted anything that she did.
“I’m ready.” She said confidently as they came out into a clearing, a meadow of grass so tall it reached their horses bodies.
A grand manor made of stone, half in ruins, lay before them.
It was completely abandoned, with decade old vines growing up and into the house.
Airess paused before nudging her horse forward, Taryn following in suit.
They silently dismounted in front of the building. Airess stepped forward with a hardness in her brow, in her eyes, as she stared down the building. Taryn gave her the space she needed as she took in the place she was taken from ten years ago.
“Destroying the building was a personal touch. I watched it happen as I rode in the back of the carriage. They didn’t have to destroy it, but they did. Because they wanted to,” Airess let out a bitter laugh. “They had already killed my parents, but apparently, that wasn’t enough.”
Her boots scuffed against the stone as she stepped forward into a large, jagged hole in the wall. Taryn followed, careful to take one last glance outside to make sure they weren’t being followed. No one was. Their surroundings were as desolate and abandoned as the building.
They walked into a grand foyer that had once been beautiful.
Rotted wooden beams with intricate gold lacework, now faded, ran along the ceiling overhead.
The cracked tile floor had now been littered with rubble.
Curtains had been ripped from the walls, leaving the grand arched windows bare, allowing the afternoon sunlight to shine through and grace Airess’ now pale face.
The manor had been well looted in its deserted years, with nothing left behind but broken furniture.
Airess hesitated, stopping abruptly in front of him as she scanned the space. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, her fists clenched. Taryn ached for her, for what she must be reliving. She nodded, the movement miniscule, as she opened her eyes once more.
Taryn imagined Airess as a small child, running through the halls, a smile on her face. He imagined she was happy here, untouched by the cruelty of this world. He hated that it had been taken from her.
Airess lifted her chin up to the bannister, her eyes distant. “I was walking up those stairs when it happened. The royal guard didn’t bother to knock, they just busted down the door.”
“That can’t be legal.”
“It’s not. They did whatever they wanted.
Said they had a warrant out for my mother and father’s arrest, that they were traitors to the realm and had plotted an assassination on the Crown.
” Airess ran her hand along the walls, holding onto a remnant of the past that had no longer held its natural form.
“Do you really believe that?” Taryn asked softly.
Airess furrowed her brows in frustration.
“There was a time I denied any possibility of it, that they couldn't be capable of something so evil. But… I’m not so sure now.” She turned to face him, her dress rustling at the swift motion.
“I’ll never know if they did it or not, but would they do it if they thought it was best for the country, for me? Perhaps–perhaps it was true.”
Taryn angled his head. “And if it was?”
Airess pursed her lips in contemplation, “Then I wouldn’t blame them for trying. The crown could view them as rebels, but perhaps they were revolutionaries.”
Clap!
Clap!
Clap!
The sound of applause startled Airess and Taryn out of their conversation, their heads whipping to the source of the noise.
“My apologies. I’d hate to interrupt whatever… this is.” Eryx’s cool voice beckoned from another room. Taryn’s blood turned to ice as he moved next to Airess instinctively.
How the fuck did he get in here? How did Taryn not hear him?
Footsteps grew louder until Eryx came into view.
“Oh, Taryn. You are a hard male to find. I hope you’ve had a fabulous field trip away from the Guild you swore an oath to.” Eryx said, a taunt laced in his tone. His eyes slid to Airess, a greedy curiosity in his eyes.
Taryn bared his teeth at the way Eryx looked at her, as if she were a piece of meat. “Don’t even think about laying a hand on her.”
Eryx waved his hand, “I won’t have to. No need to get burned alive from Lightborne Magick. I couldn’t help overhear your conversation about your parents, Lady Haeleth. Or is that your real name?” Eryx laughed.
Airess stepped forward next to Taryn. “What did you just say?”
“Perhaps I should give you the closure you deserve. It seems fitting, after all, considering I’m the one who planned to assassinate the Crown with your mother.”
Taryn could practically feel the rage seeping off of Airess in waves.
“It was your father who connected your mother and I, you see. I was astounded by Aesira’s ferocity, her grit, and willingness to stoop so low in order to get what she wanted.
I simply could not refuse such an ambitious female,” Eryx continued with a smirk.
“She came to me with a brilliant plan to get rid of the Luciens once and for all, promising me my rightful throne in exchange for protection. Such a shame she got caught, but that’s neither here nor there. ”
Airess’ body trembled with a rage Taryn had never seen.
“Fuck you,” she spat, voice wavering. Eryx waved a hand, dismissing the comment. He flattened a hand over his garments, standing tall. “I did not come here to sling insults or cause anger. I have come here with a proposition.”
Alarm bells rang in Taryn’s mind. He knew exactly what Eryx was going to offer. Taryn wouldn’t–couldn’t allow her to go down that path.
“I don’t care what you have to offer–”
Eryx held a finger up to cut Airess off. “I’ll tell you everything I know about you and your mother, only if you join my cause.”
Airess didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely not. I will never help you.”
Eryx shook his head slowly, a deep chuckle rumbling in his chest. “I urge you to reconsider your words. You have no idea what kind of power I possess. This is your last chance to accept my offer.”
Airess boldly took a step forward. “I know exactly what kind of man you are. You use witchcraft to compel your Guild members into submission. I won’t have any part in that.”
Eryx stared Airess down. The Guildmaster’s face twitched, ever so slightly, but just enough to let Taryn know she had disappointed him. Did Eryx truly think he would convince her? Did he know something Taryn didn’t?
“Perhaps you won’t have any part of it, for now. Alas, you have made your decision, and I have made mine. Let me show you what it means to be my enemy.”