Chapter 31
BELENUS
King Nechtan, Slaine, and I hovered over my outline of the castle as I walked them through Drust’s and my plan. If we intended to strike the following night, we’d have to quickly decide if we wanted to make any adjustments so we could send someone to alert our castle troops.
“Generally speaking, this seems sound, but how many guards came with the spring princess?” King Nechtan inquired, squatting by the dirt drawing and staring at the northern wall.
“Not many. She had a detail of about twenty soldiers,” I answered, then sensed that my mate was approaching. My heart leapt, and I turned to greet her with a smile. Though she appeared well rested with her alert umbral eyes, I sensed irritation through our bond. My sister and Ferrer followed her, but Emer appeared to be complaining about something. Hekla’s face told me she was moments away from snapping.
What’s going on with our sister? Escort inquired. It was weird to hear him refer to her as our sister, but I supposed she was as much his sister as she was mine .
She hadn’t warned Nofre that she was leaving when she gathered your team from the castle, and he flew off the handle when he realized she was missing. Now he’s hovering so she doesn’t sneak off again, Eventide reported.
I gave my mate a sympathetic look as she greeted me with a hug and a kiss, also offering me a ration bar and some fresh fruit. “You’re thoughtful,” I murmured, nuzzling her forehead. “Thanks for joining us. It was good you brought Ferrer since Nofre will be busy with Koray for a while.”
“Promise stuff?” she asked, blinking up at me through her thick eyelashes.
“Yes.” I sighed and gestured to the castle layout. I then shared the plan with the new arrivals, wanting to verify that the strategy worked for Hekla and her shifter army. “Did we ever get a number on how many bats are willing to join the takeover?”
“We have about three hundred and twenty-three volunteers,” Hekla said, wrapping one arm around me as she addressed the group as a whole.
“There are many who are unwilling to risk further diminishing our population,” Ferrer added, pushing his hair from his face. “The older generation is more conservative about it.”
“I think that’s fair and completely understandable. I’m honestly surprised that we have any volunteers because of that,” I replied.
“So with the castle soldiers, my forty-six warriors, and the shifters, we’ll have approximately eleven hundred and sixty-nine,” King Nechtan surmised, placing a hand to his chin. He stroked the black stubble there that thickened by the day. “That leaves eleven hundred inactive soldiers and one hundred and twenty hostiles.”
“There could be unknowns, though,” Hekla muttered thoughtfully. “Especially if we’re worried about rot-witches. From what Belenus told me, we haven’t quite discerned what that rot-witch was saying. Her trying to kill me… well, that would free Be lenus to marry. I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up seeing one or two. What do you think?”
“It’s possible,” King Nechtan replied, and I nodded in agreement. “However, I don’t know how we’d prepare for that.”
“I’ll discuss it with Koray later,” I said.
Hekla wrinkled her nose. “From your description, I’m sure I’ll smell one coming.”
“We’ll be able to as well. It was… unforgettable.” Ferrer grimaced, looking slightly green at the thought of old, spoiled food.
“So our army’s goal is to restrain the hostile units. I do not want anyone killed if it can be helped,” I reiterated firmly. Ferrer looked away for a couple seconds and cleared his throat.
“There is a way to… weaken them if we… take enough blood,” he shared quietly. His drawn brows told me he felt ashamed for even mentioning it. “A specific percentage of blood loss will result in confusion and dizziness… sometimes fainting.”
“I realize that was hard to suggest,” Hekla said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. He couldn’t look at anyone after that. He just shrugged.
“How hard would it be to stop drinking before they’re killed?” the winter king asked frankly.
Ferrer’s red gaze remained averted. “If we eat before we leave, some of us could handle the temptation.”
Both King Nechtan and Hekla turned to me for the judgment call. Emer just shifted restlessly. “Advise those who you trust to do this,” I told Ferrer. “We’ll use it on those who prove to be particularly problematic only if we have no means of restraining them. Be strict with those you pick. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Prince Belenus. Your order is clear.”
I gestured for Ferrer to go about his task and turned to King Nechtan to ask about his contribution. “Forty-six of your warriors?”
His countenance darkened as he frowned, irked that I’d noticed. He merely nodded, choosing not to volunteer an explanation. That alone verified my suspicion .
“Bidelia will be safe here,” Hekla reassured, echoing my thoughts precisely. “I have people guarding her, but your warriors are welcome to stay to watch her.”
“I was hoping no one had noticed,” he said tersely, but when Hekla burst into laughter, his expression turned thunderstruck. She held up a hand in apology and composed herself. The king gritted his teeth and added, “Worry yourself not. You may think us barbaric, but we of winter follow the biding just like you. I have no plans on seeing her again until she comes of age.” He crossed his arms and his nostrils flared. “If we’re done here…” he asked flatly and looked to me for dismissal.
I nodded, not too surprised about his irritation. Bidelia would be his weakness, and no king wanted their vulnerability known, especially with her being raised outside of his court’s influence. Had he been any other winter fae, or perhaps one from an older generation, I might have been more worried about him absconding with her.
“I’ll come find you if we’re prepared to go tomorrow,” he said and strode off rigidly with Slaine.
“What about me?” Emer finally asked, eyeing the departing king with open amusement.
“Do you know how to fight, Emer?” my mate asked. Though she meant it without insult, Emer bristled in offense.
“I can be useful,” she snapped at us and fisted her skirts at her hips. “I also have a thing or two to say to the queen before you do… whatever you’re going to do!”
“Yes, you know some things. You can put up barriers, but you’re not tested, Emer. You’ve never seen violence,” I argued, having a feeling I was going to lose this debate. I wasn’t sure it was right to deny my sister some closure. “And what about Nofre? He’s going to lose his mind if you put yourself in danger.”
You really shouldn’t have said that, Eventide said with a fairly audible wince.
Get ready, Escort warned.
In the corner of my eye, I could see Hekla slide a hand over her face.
True to my track record of pissing off those I cared about, Emer blew up and started throwing obscenities at me. She yelled about how controlling men were and that she’d not be left behind no matter what. After telling me that I’d be running into battle with a steel-toed boot up my ass, she stomped off, cursing up a storm.
Hekla’s hand slid to her mouth in an attempt to conceal a poorly disguised smile. I withered and sent her my own flat smile, fully accepting the backlash I’d received.
“I’m, uh… going to check on Koray,” I mumbled and trudged off to see if any progress was being made.
I found him leaning over the wooden table, drawing something with red ink. Dumnorix was gesturing to the parchment, muttering while Macdara watched from his place next to Gallcobar. Nofre sat against a nearby tree, only partially paying attention to the discussion.
I arrived at the table and Koray beamed up at me like a kid showing off a drawing. “Belenus, I think we did it! We designed the counter, and now we’re just adding in some precautionary measures!”
I leaned over to examine the elaborate illustration. It reminded me of what the rot-witch had placed on Ragna’s back, which Koray had carefully worked to remove like it’d been a complicated puzzle. The outline was like an arched doorway, curved on the top and flat on the bottom. The inside contained mazelike lines and symbols that I didn’t recognize. I had to admire Koray’s steady hand; some sections he’d drawn were in fairly cramped spaces and inked with delicate precision.
I stayed to watch the drawing’s completion after I made certain I wouldn’t be a distraction to Koray’s focus. Once he finished, the parchment was passed around to the other mages who reviewed and eventually signed off on the design and its details. Dumnorix placed the paper down on the table, rolled up his sleeves, and rubbed his hands together .
“Alright! Now we designate it as a counter. I’ll have to do this part,” he explained to Koray before placing his scaled hand on the design and focusing intently on it. After a minute, Dumnorix removed his hand, revealing the faintest traces of diffused sunlight seeping into the red lines, turning the illustration copper. He nodded to Macdara, who carefully set a flat pan of red liquid in front of him. The master instructor lowered the parchment into the mysterious solution, pulled it out slowly, and tilted it like he was panning for gold.
“You want to make sure you get a nice, even coat,” he said to Koray. “Are you ready?”
Koray jumped to his feet in excitement, threw off his shirt, and turned away from Dumnorix. The master instructor sandwiched the paper between his palm and the flat plane of the young man’s shoulder blade. When the parchment was peeled away, the image of the counter was branded on Koray’s skin, just as vibrant and detailed as it was on paper.
“Let’s go test it,” the young man said with an enthusiastic grin, and we followed him to the edge of the glamour, making sure to stay behind it. Dumnorix grabbed both of Koray’s hands and skillfully crafted a skintight barrier to encase them like gloves. It was impressive, I had to admit. I didn’t even think I could create a barrier that intricate.
We backed off as Koray unstoppered the jar that contained the cursed ring. The draw was instant and sobering, an unforeseen slap to the face, and we all stepped forward with an irresistible urge to wear the hideous, gaudy thing. The young man stared at us for a moment, released a sharp burst of laughter, and put the cork back in to seal it.
The compulsion dissipated as fast as it’d come, and I nearly lost my balance. “Shit,” I muttered, catching myself before I fell over my own blisterin’ feet.
“Report?” Dumnorix asked, apparently unsurprised by the ring’s potency—or at least he didn’t look like how I felt.
“Nothing. Felt nothing.” Koray turned around to reveal the counter on his back, and the instructor compared it to the paper copy. He gestured for Macdara to remove his tunic and applied the counter to his back in the same fashion after soaking the parchment again.
“Are you prepared to resuscitate?” he asked Macdara as he removed the barrier from Koray’s hands.
“Wait, wait, what are you going to do?” I asked, alarmed. “No, don’t test wearing the ring, Koray!”
The young man shrugged, then uncorked the bottle. We were compelled again, lured as aggressively as before. My alarm fell to gut-wrenching fear.
“Koray! Don’t! Let me test it!” I yelled, so anxious that I was close to retching. This was my mission, and the risk should have been mine! “Koray! Stop! That’s an order!”
He ignored my pleas and commands, and the blood drained from my face when he slipped the ring on his forefinger. An electric-like snap vibrated from the air down to the magic layer, then, there was silence. That was all that occurred. Koray drew his lips back in a relieved grimace when it became clear that the counter held strong against the will of the curse. He shuddered, ripped off the ring, and shoved it back into the jar, freeing us from its lure and thus allowing me to come down hard on him.
“You shouldn’t have done that!” I thundered, yanking the jar from his hands. “That was my risk to take, Koray!” Shit, that’d been terrifying. My blood raged through my veins, echoing my fury.
He just shoved his hands in his pockets and said, “Well, it worked!” He chuckled nervously and ran his fingers through his hair before shaking the nerves out of his arms. His nonchalance was particularly rage-inducing right now. Koray, the Key of the Lunar Coven, continued to march to his own blistering rhythm.
I sat down hard and ended up flopping onto my back. “Great blisterin’ Sun God’s rays of shit,” I cursed nonsensically. “Thank the fucking gods it worked.” I placed my hands over my eyes, rubbing them and fighting a sudden bout of fatigue. “I want to make it clear that you’re staying here tomorrow night, Koray. I’ll not have you risking yourself twice.”
He didn’t reply, to my annoyance, and just turned to let the mages look at his back. I peered up and saw that the counter was gone. All that remained was the arched outline. I exhaled slowly, hoping that it’d work against whatever we’d be hit with tomorrow.
“Can we make enough to protect multiple people?” I asked from the ground and Macdara nodded.
“Just let us know how many, but we should have enough for a couple dozen,” he answered.
“That’ll have to do, I guess. I can’t imagine the contract would target more than a handful of people.” I closed my eyes and sent a more fervent prayer to the Sun God.
Please let this work. Please don’t let anyone die.
·
I crossed my arms and studied the post-midnight sky, taking a deep breath and enjoying the spread of stars that reminded me of my Hekla’s glittering, dark eyes. Dawn wasn’t due for several hours, and I hoped to keep this final meeting short so everyone could be as rested as possible for the takeover. I was personally anxious to retire with Hekla and curious about what she wanted to discuss.
Hekla, King Nechtan, Emer, and Nofre quickly gathered, each displaying a variety of emotions. I could sense Hekla’s nervousness through our bond, but she hid it well, straightening her shoulders and holding her chin up proudly. Emer, never one who could—or cared to—hide her own feelings, was openly anxious and flustered. Nofre was serious, but I could tell that Emer’s presence and behavior was making him wary. King Nechtan was the only one who seemed calm and collected. I had to wonder if he was almost bored with this takeover. The fae king had seen many wars, all much larger than what we’d planned .
“We’re ready to go tonight,” I said, making sure to meet every single person’s eyes. “We’ll rest through the day and gather at sunset. Once the volunteers are ready, we’ll begin our march on the castle. I’m going to set up glamour barriers on the way to hide us. It’s not foolproof against the queen if she’s paying attention, so we must move as quickly and quietly as possible.
“As far as the contract goes, my team has devised a means of protecting against the retaliation. There’s no way to know for sure that it’ll work, but it’s the best solution we have.” I gestured to King Nechtan and said, “It’s supposed to work on all curses, and we’ll have leftovers, so if you and some of your warriors want to be extra protected during battle, you’re welcome to it.”
After the winter king nodded his acceptance of the offer, I turned my back to the group and lifted my tunic up so they could study the counter that Dumnorix had placed on my left shoulder blade. I straightened my shirt after a minute and turned to face everyone. “I want Hekla, Emer, and Bidelia protected with a counter, so please go find Dumnorix after this. I doubt the contract would target anyone other than Hekla and myself, but it would ease my mind a great deal.” I also had a feeling that King Nechtan would insist on Bidelia’s protection even though the queen probably didn’t care or even know who she was.
I ran everyone through the plan one more time and answered all questions. Emer still insisted on coming along, to Nofre’s dismay. He tersely asserted that he’d be her bodyguard during that time and wouldn’t take no for an answer. That did make me feel better about her tagging along.
After a half hour, everyone quieted, and I adjourned the meeting to take my mate to Dumnorix where he applied the counter. Hekla then quietly took my hand and strolled with me until we found a private spot.
“Want to go for a run?” she asked in a low voice, squeezing my hand with hers. I didn’t need to feel her sweaty palm to know that she was nervous. It was coming across the bond loud and clear.
I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. “I think that sounds like fun. Should probably give Escort and Eventide some time together before we go into a dangerous situation,” I said, thinking clearly before speaking this time.
Hekla, pleasantly surprised, stepped into my arms to deliver an emotional hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, “for being open and understanding.”
“Escort’s not always a little shit,” I replied with a chuckle, squeezing her tight against me. “I suppose I owe him.”
Yes, you fucking do, big shit, Escort retorted, but his comment lacked malice this time. Maybe we were making progress after all. Now we had nicknames for each other.
In the chirping night of the Summer Court, Hekla moved back to disrobe and placed her clothes on a nearby branch for her to gather later. I didn’t bother hiding my groan as I watched her, wanting nothing more than to take her right here, right now. I considered myself lucky that I could transform fully clothed. Had I been nude, she’d have had an eyeful.
She shifted while I transformed, and for the first time, I sat back in Escort’s mind and allowed myself to truly enjoy the experience. I’d always been too distracted to focus on what it was like to be a wolf, and now I could better appreciate the wind in his fur as I received his senses.
After a joyous, yipping reunion, Escort and his sweet ‘Stardust’ ran out into the hills. I sensed some degree of alertness from both of them, knowing that creatures would always lurk in the dark, but for some reason, I wasn’t worried about it. The farther we ran, the more secure I felt. It almost seemed like the sensation of being home had now extended into the wilds.
I tucked my mind away to give the two wolves privacy for an hour. I was happy to do it now, understanding the importance and finally accepting it as part of my identity. Ultimately, I realized that I’d actually given Hekla exactly what she’d wanted: a wolf for Eventide. It’d just turned out better than I’d originally planned. I’d done it to please her, then tried to tolerate Escort to prove my love to her, then realized I had to accept Escort as part of myself to truly make her and Eventide happy.
It was worth it.
When our wolves decided to retire and rest, Hekla and I reclaimed our bodies. They’d taken us to an outcropping by a crystal-clear stream that trickled merrily in the balmy night. Whether they’d intended it as a thoughtful gesture or not, it was a perfect site to be alone with my dear Hekla.
I reached for her hands and stood back, letting my gaze sweep over her body. “You are pure ambrosia, my female,” I murmured, staring at her firm arms and legs, then raking my eyes over the swell of her hips and breasts. I could already see her excitement in her dilated eyes and in the glistening of the dark curls between her legs.
I was ravenous for a taste of her, but I also knew she wanted to talk. I’d let her talk, but I didn’t think I could let go of her. I loosened my grip on her fingers, then slid my palms up her arms and behind her back, pulling her to me a little rougher than intended. She released a gasp when she hit my chest and looked up at me. The angle of her face under the starlight made her eyes glitter all the more.
I slid a hand up her neck to cup her cheek. “How am I so lucky to have you?” I breathed out in wonder, mostly to myself.
Her soft expression grew worried when she glanced around the immediate area. “Are we safe here?” she asked, leaning into my arms. “I still feel like there is so much left to learn about my new realm.”
Her question poked at what I’d been feeling, and I thought more deeply about it. “I believe so. I feel… more comfortable now than I ever have. I can’t say that I really know why.”
“What do you mean?”
“A king or queen pulls power from their entire court and can walk the wilds like they’re in the safety of their own chambers. A prince or princess only draws from the surrounding area, but it’s starting to feel like more now.” I closed my eyes and could almost see the wilds around me through my magic. “The royal summer sunlight sees through all… and I feel nothing but safety.”
Hekla leaned her head into my chest, and I stroked her hair. A sighing breeze blew past, calling my attention back to nature. I felt the spongy ground beneath my feet and fixated upon the sound of nomadic water. We were surrounded by the earth, the water, and the sky. I wondered if the godlings of the three domains were showing their support.
“Triskelion must be urging me on,” I murmured as I ran my fingers through my mate’s locks. “The three godlings,” I explained when she looked up at me in confusion. I realized I’d never clarified that. “Supposedly they’re the ones who originally tied the royal line’s magic to each court. Perhaps they’re offering me more before tomorrow… because I feel… more.”
“I hope so,” she whispered from my arms. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”
“Tomorrow will bring you to your rightful place, Hekla. The queen’s throne waits for you.” I wanted to offer comfort and tried to push my fears away for her. “Our people wait for you.” I tilted her chin up to lay a soft, slow kiss on her lips. “The king’s bed waits for you,” I murmured into her skin, holding back a smile when I felt her goose bumps rise under my wandering hands.
A throaty moan escaped her lips, but I was already as hard as steel under my pants. It was a challenge to not be erect around her. She completely sated my mind and soul, but my body incessantly demanded the pleasures of its fated mate, and the prince in me wanted a small army of heirs. The prince in me also quite enjoyed the process of making them. My cock throbbed as I imagined her round with child. I couldn’t imagine a sexier sight.
I groaned into her lips, sliding my hands down to hold her hips while I grinded my cock against her. I really should remove these pesky clothes, but I didn’t want to release her lips.
Oh shit, that’s right, she wanted to talk.
I released her reluctantly, trying to ignore the almost intolerable ache in my groin. “Sorry,” I said with a bashful laugh. “You wanted to talk. What is it?”
She smiled and placed her hands on her heated face. “I… almost forgot too.” She cleared her throat and rocked on her toes a couple times while she adopted a thoughtful expression. I openly admired the movement of her breasts and hips as she planned her words. I could multitask; I was certain of it.
“I… It’s been with me a while, but I couldn’t find the courage or right opportunity. I’m no fool, Belenus. I know we could very well die tomorrow.” Her expression sobered as she looked far off into the night, like she was staring at tomorrow. “It’s been a battle since the day we met, you know. Nothing went according to plan except for when it was just us. Going into town to pick up Arse… late nights in my chambers… rolling around behind closed doors. When laws or people weren’t trying to interfere, everything was clear and beautiful.
“It took me time to get the hurt to move off my heart.” She looked down at her hands while she worried at them. “I couldn’t feel anything under its oppression.”
My heart steadily accelerated as she spoke. I knew what she was working toward, and I had to be patient. I had to let her say it even though I wanted to show my gratitude this very minute by making her scream in pleasure. I felt her mild nervousness too, but it was greatly overshadowed by anticipation.
“When its weight was gone… I could fully appreciate our connection again. I’m sorry it took as long as it did. I know this whole ordeal has been hard on you as well.” She stepped closer and reached up to cup my face in her palms. We locked eyes and stayed like that for a moment until she bit her lip and pulled my forehead down to rest against hers.
“Don’t be sorry,” I whispered. “I don’t want you to be sorry.”
She nuzzled against me to acknowledge what I’d said. My heart was racing at a speed that could challenge even Escort .
“I… I love you,” she confessed quietly, arching her back so she could look up at me again. She smiled softly but had a little worry line between her brows.
I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and crashed my lips against hers, delivering the roughest, most passionate, and penetrating kiss she’d ever had in her life.