Chapter 72
House Barshaa was a sea of commotion as family and friends of Troya, Dante and Inés descended upon the palace in celebration of Troya's wedding to Lyra Lightbourne.
While Sana and Zena spent the day shopping with Inés, Uma and her maids, Rhyel and Loic were put to work helping Dante and Troya set up the cove on the beach front where the music and dancing would transpire after the feast in Troya's honor.
Weddings had always been a grand celebration for the Barshaas. It was the best and most treasured excuse for the family to get together.
Of the many aunts and uncles Rhyel had on his Barshaa side, it was only Dante who remained in the small city of his namesake while his brothers and sisters spread themselves far and wide throughout the realm.
And now that he knew the truth of his heritage, he wondered if the Barshaas dispersed themselves among the realm because they'd always been subconsciously searching for the lost coven they were meant to protect.
That would be my guess as well.
Kal murmured.
"Troya!" Rivo's voice boomed as he stood at the edge of the cove with his arms held out wide with bottles of liquor in his hands. "What are you doing working on your day of celebration? You should be drinking with me!"
"Because this is what we do," Troya said, pounding a smooth sandstone tile into the ground to finish the dance floor. He wiped his brow, looking over at Rivo with a grin on his face. "We don't rely on our servants to do everything like you pompous serpents."
Rivo shrugged, tucking the bottles of booze under his arm as he neared them.
"Call us what you like, but you wouldn't catch me doing this on a day meant to celebrate me," he said, sitting a bottle of sea kelp spirit on a bench while he opened the other.
"Come on old friend, have a drink with me before your family robs me of any time with you.
" He took a drink from the bottle before pointing it at Rhyel.
"And you too. I don't care if you're still mad at me.
We're family and I want to make amends."
"Ah, yes for that stupid obstacle course." Troya laughed, standing as he dusted himself off. "You're lucky he didn't gut you like he said he would."
"No." Rhyel scoffed. "He's lucky we're family and I know how to honor my words," he said, slapping a hand on Rivo's shoulder and squeezing it tight.
"But yes, let's make amends, cousin, because I know if you do anything like that again, your father couldn't beg me hard enough to stop me from gutting you. "
Loic stifled a laugh while Dante and Troya guffawed. Rivo gulped, nodding. "Y-yeah, I know. It won't happen again."
"Alright, alright. Enough of that," Dante said, laughing. "Why don't you boys go on? Have some drinks and make amends. I don't want any fighting this evening."
"You sure, Pa?"
"Yes," Dante said, waving them off. "We're almost done. Loic and I can handle the rest."
"We can." Loic nodded. "Go enjoy yourselves, my Lords."
"Come on, Troya," Rivo said, wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulder. "We need to make sure you're ready to tie the knot."
Dante huffed. "He better be."
"I am." Troya laughed. "I've been ready since the day I met Lyra."
"Aw," Rivo said, squeezing Troya's cheek. "You've always been the softest out of all of us."
Rhyel smirked as he followed his cousins out of the cove. "And you've always been the clown."
"Well, one of us has to be the fun one." Rivo shot him a glare. "You're always hiding in your castle being all dark and broody. I'm glad Lady Sana came into your life. At least you crack a smile every now and again with her around."
"Yeah," Troya said, swiping the bottle from Rivo as they walked along the shore away from the bustling chatter from the palace. "It's nice not to see you so uptight for once, but I'll be honest, I was scared for Sana when my father said she was betrothed to you."
"Why?" Rhyel raised an eyebrow. "Did you believe all the rumors about me too?"
Rivo barked out a laugh. "It was hard not to," he said, shaking his head. "Especially with all your failed betrothals and the way the Ladies used to talk about you like you were some sort of monster."
"It's true," Troya said, taking a hefty drink from the bottle. "Sana used to be so meek and shy. I didn't think she'd be able to handle life with you or the rough traditions of the Darcanos, but my Pa said she'd be fine and he was right." He smiled. "You two are actually good for each other."
"Thank you." Rhyel chuckled and nodded. "We are good for each other, but this day isn't about me and Sana," he said, patting Troya on the back. "How are you feeling about marrying Lyra?"
"Like I said, I was ready when I met her and I always knew we were going to get married." Troya shrugged. "A Barshaa-Lightbourne alliance was brokered before I was born and Lord Sirius decided Lyra would be my intended. I'm just lucky we actually fell in love with each other."
"Mm, and you're lucky he didn't pick Aneera for you," Rivo said, shaking his head. "That one is odd."
"Eh, she's alright," Troya said, passing the bottle to Rhyel. "She's just high maintenance and a good fit for House Issian."
"Or House Darcanos." Rivo smirked. "There's a rumor going around that she forged some letters to make it look like you were trying to seduce her."
"What?" Troya laughed. "Have you heard about this, Rhyel?"
He grinned, taking a drink of the sugary, smooth spirit. "I didn't know there were rumors going around, but it's true and I confronted her about it."
"No!" Rivo gasped. "Do you think Zehev knows?"
"Of course," Rhyel said, passing the bottle to Rivo. "He and his wives were there when I spoke to Aneera."
Troya frowned. "And she's still betrothed to Zehev?"
"I don't know what transpired after I said my piece and I don't care." Rhyel shrugged. "All I care about is keeping Sana's honor and reputation intact."
"Well, you certainly did that." Rivo nodded. "Your beautiful fiancé is the darling of the nobles right now," he said, taking a drink before sitting on a long thick piece of driftwood beside Troya. "Everyone's been saying nothing but kind things about your House and the north because of it too."
A smile tugged at Rhyel's lips as he sat in the sand beside them. "Good."
"So, I know this party is about me and my nuptials," Troya said, leaning forward with a mischievous grin on his face. "But are you going to dance the Sha'ani with Sana tonight?"
Mm, we had better.
Kal purred as a tingling warmth spread through Rhyel's veins and pool between his thighs.
A blush scorched Rhyel's cheeks as he choked out a laugh. "I don't know," he said, dragging a hand through his hair. "Maybe if she wants me to and that's even if she knows how."
Troya chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure she does."
Rivo frowned. "What's the Sha'ani?"
"It used to be a dance the Barshaa dragons used to do to find their mate, but now it's become something that couples do at celebrations like tonight," Troya said, passing the bottle to Rhyel. "And when you do it around the Barshaa flame, it's supposed to make you feel closer to your partner."
"Oh," Rivo wiggled his eyebrows. "So, it's like a love potion, huh?"
Rhyel laughed, shaking his head. "It's not that intense."
"No, not anymore," Troya said, gazing out at the ocean. "That kind of magic died when the phoenixes left and the Barshaa dragons fell dormant inside of us."
Rivo frowned. "But isn't that what happened to all the dragon clans after the Great War?"
"Mm-hm, dragons don't really have a reason to shift without a phoenix," Troya said, rubbing a hand over his chest and a soft laugh left his lips. "But lately I've been seeing them in my visions."
Rhyel's heart clenched as he dug his hands in the sand. "Who? The phoenixes?"
"Yeah," he said, waving his hand over the sea. "A whole coven of them flying above the ocean like they never left."
"That would be wild," Rivo said, sighing as he took a drink from the bottle. "I've always wanted to see a phoenix." He grinned, swinging the bottle between his fingertips. "When I learned about the Poccanam coven, I told my mom I was going to marry one."
Troya laughed, shoving Rivo's shoulder. "Is that why you refuse to get married? Are you waiting for your blue-tailed phoenix to rise from the waters of Grensea?"
Rhyel fell silent while Troya teased Rivo.
Do you think Troya's vision is true? Is it possible for the phoenixes to come back?
It's possible.
Kal murmured.
He could be seeing a future beyond the darkness that's coming.
Rhyel pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.
Or maybe the darkness won't come and Sana's awakening will bring rebirth instead.
You can't have a time of rebirth without destruction, brother.
Rhys said.
That's not how the cycle of life in this realm works.
"Rhyel, you alright?" Rivo said, patting a hand on her shoulder. "You went all broody overlord on us again."
"I'm alright." He chuckled. "I was just thinking what it would be like if the phoenixes returned."
"We'd be dragons again!" Troya pumped his fist in the air. "And I could fly with my Lyra." He pouted, leaning against Rivo. "I wish I could ride on the wind beside her."
Rhyel burst out laughing as he stood. "Alright, Troya," he said, standing over his young cousin and hooking his arm under his shoulder. "You need to get some food in you before you get too drunk and miss your party."
"Shit, yeah," he said, holding on to Rhyel as he helped him up. "My mom will beat the both of us if I don't make it. She's been waiting so long for this."
"You're a disgrace." Rivo shook his head as he hooked Troya's other arm over his shoulder. "Why can't you hold your liquor? We didn't even finish the bottle."
Troya narrowed his eyes at Rivo. "Because your fucking fish juice is potent!"
Rivo looked above Troya's head at Rhyel before they both burst into a roar of laughter. "Oh, it's going to be a fun night," Rivo said as they walked along the shore back to the palace. "You're probably not going to remember though."
"It's okay as long as I remember my wedding." Troya beamed. "Lyra's going to look so beautiful and I can finally free her from the fucking Lightbournes," he said, looking up at Rhyel. "I'm sorry for what they did to Sana, but Lyra's different. She never wanted to hurt her."
"It's okay, Troya. There's no need for you to get into that now," Rhyel said as they took Troya through one of the side doors out of sight of his family members gathered on the terrace. "Today is all about you and I'm sure Lyra is as wonderful as you say."
Troya nodded. "She really is."
"What the hell did you two do to my son?"
The trio froze on the steps leading up to Troya's rooms as Inés glared at them from above.
"Oh, fuck," Rivo whispered as Inés' gray eyes sparked with anger.
"I'm...I'm fine, Ma!" Troya stood up straight, swaying into Rhyel and Rivo. "I'm good."
"No, you're not," she hissed. "Bring him up here and you two better get him sober."
"Of course, Aunt Inés, that's what we're doing," Rhyel said, lifting Troya on his back as he carried him up the stairs. "I promise he'll be fine for the party."
"He better be," Inés said, slapping her folding fan against Rhyel's arm, but a laugh escaped her lips. "Oh my silly darling." She patted her son's cheek. "There's food in your quarters. Dante and Loic told me you three went off to drink."
"I love you, Mama." Troya slurred. "I-I promise I'll be fine."
"I know you will." She smiled. "Now go on, you boys need to get ready too."
"Yes, Lady Inés." Rivo bowed. "We'll make sure he's presentable."
"Mm-hm and no more of that kelp liquor until later," she said, pressing her fan into Rivo's chest. "You hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am." Rivo nodded as they moved past her.
Troya sighed with relief. "That...that could've been worse."
"Mm-hm." Rhyel chuckled and his heart thumped at the sound of Sana's laughter filtering out of Lady Inés' chambers. He tried to get a glimpse of her through the slightly ajar door, but Inés was quick to block his view with a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.
"You'll see your Lady soon," she said, winking as she slipped through the door and closed it behind her.
"This is Sana's day too." Troya laughed, patting Rhyel's cheek. "That's why I asked you about the Sha'ani." He grinned, leaning into his ear. "I've seen who you two are," he whispered. "And you should propose to her in the way of our people too."
Yes, you should, brother. We have honored our ways as an Alpha, but not as a dragon.
Rhys murmured, nudging his head against Kal.
Kal curled his lips into a sharp-toothed smile.
And had I not given my heart and loyalty to Ragna back then Ember would have been the one I danced the Sha'ani with.
"You make a good point, Troya." Rhyel nodded as he carried him into his quarters where a hefty feast was laid out along the balcony and his amused servants were waiting for him. "I'll honor our Barshaa traditions for Sana."
"Good man. My mother will be so proud," Troya said, slipping from his back and staggering toward the balcony with the aid of his servants. "You...you all have to eat too. I don't want you waiting on me with an empty stomach."
"Of course, my Lord."
Rivo snickered beside Rhyel. "He's such a softy."
"Stop calling him soft," Rhyel said, smacking his cousin upside his head. "You could learn a lot from Troya and start pulling your own weight in your nation."
Rivo rolled his eyes, rubbing his head. "You sound like my father."
"Because he's right." Rhyel crossed his arms over his chest. "One day, life might not be as easy as you've had it and you should be ready for that."
"Well, today's not that day." Rivo huffed before a bright smile cracked across his face. "So, let's not talk about doom and gloom stuff," he said, holding up the half empty bottle of liquor. "Troya's got plenty of food now for us to finish this."
Rhyel laughed, shaking his head. "You'll be the one to answer to Lady Inés if he stumbles into his own party."
"I'll take it." Rivo shrugged. "It's the last night my best friend will be a free man and I want to make sure he doesn't remember it so he wakes up eager to marry his Lyra."
Rhyel raised an eyebrow. "That's a strange way of saying you're happy for him, but okay," he said, gesturing to the balcony. "Let's just make sure he has a good time."
And let's make sure we honor our phoenix in the ways of a dragon tonight.
A grin curled over Rhyel's lips as he followed Rivo to the balcony.
Indeed, brother.
And now that he knew what kind of connection Kal had with Sana's phoenix in a past life, he was even more determined to show her that he would be the guardian her phoenix always wanted and give her the love Sana never knew she deserved.
A/N: I kind of love this moment Rhyel has with his cousins. Curious about Troya's vision though...?? And Ines had me rolling catching them on the stairs ?? Anywho, I'm ready for Rhyel to see Sana and get this party started ??