Chapter 35
Raiden
After giving her days to recover and dealing with the logistics that come with becoming the ruler of a realm, It’s finally time for me to speak with Lavinia.
“What in the godsdamned realms were you thinking?” I storm into the room we’ve put the shape-shifter in, but I’m surprised to find she’s not alone.
Anyx, my half-brother, is draped in a chair near the fireplace, flipping through a book.
We found many of them hidden in different rooms, and are doing what we can to copy the important ones and disperse them throughout the kingdom.
With a heavy focus on historical texts to help the people reconnect to their roots.
“I was thinking I had nothing to lose. And you both were risking everything!” Liv matches my volume and tone.
“I am never going to be free to love who I want, and my mother will never allow me to rule Clestraya. With father gone, I’d rather die than be forced to marry someone I don’t love.
” She doesn’t hesitate in her response, but she does exchange an odd look with the male who only grins up at her.
Though I understand her reasoning, I can’t help the sense of betrayal I feel.
“It was not your choice to make! You could have died!” I want to shake her. As relieved as I am that Arina did not die, Lavinia made a decision that may have cost my mother’s life. I can’t help wondering what might have happened if Arina had been there instead.
I don’t say it out loud, not wanting to make her feel responsible for something I risked all on my own. But the thought festers.
“Raiden, you have sacrificed so much, and I couldn’t watch you lose your kingdom or your love. I know you would have done the same for me.” She reaches out to touch my arm, and I put one hand on top of hers.
“That doesn’t make it right,” I say, finally lowering my voice to its normal level.
She smirks at me. “You’re right, but what’s done is done.”
I swallow the knot in my throat that continues to creep its way up each time I think of Gideon and his sacrifice.
“Your father would want to see you happy, Liv. I will do what I can to help you deal with your mother,” I promise.
She gives me a sad smile. “You have enough on your plate without worrying about Mother. I will deal with her when I’m ready. But I do have a favor to ask?”
She’s not wrong. The castle is mine. Lukasia is no longer ruled by an imposter. I should be thrilled, but there is still so much to tend to.
“Of course, what is it?” I ask.
“Let me stay here for a while? I can help. Besides, I cannot face Mother while she’s freshly mourning.”
The picture of Queen Kyrrah in all black sends a shiver down my spine. “Stay as long as you need,” I tell my friend. “But, Liv?”
“Hmm?” She grabs a book from the shelf and plops down on the chaise.
“You cannot run from her forever.”
Her laugh is soft. “I’m not running. I’m strategizing. There’s a difference.”
“Does this mean we’re sending the armada back to inform her without you?” I ask. The trolls and the Clestrayan ships are waiting on orders from Anyx and Lavinia.
The two of them exchange another look, and then Anyx speaks, “I’ll be escorting the armada back to inform Queen Kyrrah of the king’s passing. The trolls will accompany me as far as my father’s realm.”
The male is my half-brother, and I hardly know him. I am weary of the gods and their motives, but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I hope, for Liv’s sake, that we can all find a way to get along.
“And Raiden?” Liv’s voice is soft, almost hesitant just before I reach the door to leave.
I turn back to my friend.
“I’m really sorry … about your mother. If I had known—"
My hand goes up out of reflex. “Don’t. If you had known, things could have gone so much worse. I could have lost my mother and my mate. I’m grateful, Liv. Just, next time you decide to be reckless, can you try not to get yourself hurt?”
She laughs, but it's Anyx who answers, “She won't be putting herself in any further danger from now on.” He’s not looking at me, rather staring over his book at the princess.
Lavinia tosses a throw pillow at the blue-haired demi-god, and he’s lucky it wasn’t a book. She starts to yell something about how he can’t tell her what to do, but I sneak out the door, closing it behind me so her voice doesn’t carry into the hall.
The castle is in a greater state of disrepair than I expected, but Arina and Phillipa have made it their life’s mission to bring vibrance and joy in while, as Phil says, “Ushering out all the negative energy.”
I follow the scent of hot bread down to the kitchens, where I find my mate elbow deep in dough and covered in flour. She recently discovered she’s able to grow her hair using her healing powers, and it’s tied back with a black ribbon.
“Breesha, do you mind if I borrow your helper for a little while?” I ask, knowing if I ask Arina, she’ll make me wait.
Breesha snaps her fingers at my mate, shooing her away, but Arina doesn’t budge. “I’ve been tryin’ to get her to take a break all afternoon, Highness.”
I swoop in, ignoring the squeals of protest, and throw her over my shoulder.
“What are you doing? Put me down!” She laughs and wriggles all the way to our room, where I lock the door behind me and throw her on the huge pillow-covered bed.
She’s got both her arms behind her back, and her knees pulled up like she’s ready to bolt.
“There's something I want from you.” I slouch in the chair across from the bed, legs spread wide and head tipped down, giving her space.
She studies me, but it’s hard to take her seriously when she’s covered in bread flour. “What would that be?”
“Something I believe you’re rather eager to have, too. If I’m not mistaken?” I gesture for her to come to me, and she obeys at an agonizing pace.
When she reaches the chair, I put my hands out, but I don’t touch her. “May I?” I ask, waiting for permission.
“Mhmm.” She nods and straddles me as I lift her dress.
I can’t help myself, and lift my hips to meet her, rubbing my dick against her sex. The motion makes her moan, and I’m instantly hard. Ready.
The ribbon in her hair releases easily when I pull one end. It flutters to the ground, landing out of sight. I thread my fingers through her hair with one hand, pulling her ear toward my mouth so I can whisper, “Do you want to know how we complete the mating bond?”
“Yes!” It comes out a hiss, and I pull her hair back gently, exposing her neck and trailing soft kisses up it.
Her fingers brush against my pants, and then she’s tugging at them, moving them down my hips.
“It’s simple, really,” I tell her, pulling her dress up over her head. I can’t decide if I’m fucking livid or thrilled to find she’s not wearing any undergarments while she traipses around our castle full of people, but that’s an argument for another time. Right now, I need this. We both do.
She’s been begging me to fuck her since the first time I made her come, and it’s been hell holding back.
I needed to know she was ready, and that she understood what it meant when we did this. Needed her to be sure of me. Sure of us.
She helps me with my pants the rest of the way and then my shirt. I move us to the edge of the bed, flipping her around so she’s facing away from me. Her legs are on either side of me so she’s kneeling with her ass against me.
I tease my cock at her slit, barely touching her, and her body tightens in my arms as she attempts to get closer.
She arches her back, lifting her hand behind her so it rests on the side of my face, and rolling her hips.
“Please,” the vixen whispers. “Please fuck me.”
My resolve is broken in an instant, and I ease my way inside her hot, wet pussy. The sound she makes as I enter her makes my breath hitch, and then she’s using her knees to bounce on my cock, riding me like the good fucking girl she is.
I knew this would be good, but gods, she’s fucking perfect. I can’t get deep enough or close enough, and my toes curl when she tightens around me.
I reach my hand down to swirl gentle circles around her clit, and her moan is like a trigger, begging me to release.
“I’ve not had the chance to tell you.” I thrust as she slides down to meet me.
“And I won’t let another second go by without saying it.” Her whimpers tell me she’s close, and I toy with her perfect clit more, loving the friction and the way she loses the rhythm, just a little bit.
“I love you, Arina Chiron.” She twitches in my arms, and I hold her close, releasing inside her. A blinding white light gleams for half a breath, and I feel complete for the first time in my life.
“You are mine,” she whispers. “I love you, too.”
Arina
THE AIR SMELLS of jasmine and sweat.
The training grounds are bustling with life this afternoon, and the sun reflects off swords as they swing. The Rhiza and Lukasian soldiers have been mentoring each other at Raiden’s behest.
I swing my leg under Raiden’s, pinning him to the ground. A small, white moth flutters by, and I cannot restrain the smile that forces its way onto my face as I help my mate to his feet.
“You will make one well-rounded and formidable queen, Captain,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
“Queen of death and shit?” I ask.
“I fucking hope not.” He laughs. “Shall we go clean up and get ready for dinner?”
He offers me his hand, and I take it. When we pass Eryk, the two males acknowledge each other with tight nods. Raiden wanted to kill him, and rightfully so, but this is one way we can demonstrate to the people that things are different now.
We walk together to the castle. To our home, and I marvel at the beauty already revealing itself through the destruction left behind by the curse.
The Smog did not vanish all at once, but slowly dissolved into the sky.
Our lands will take much more time to heal.
We’re starting to see hints of it already.
Green grass, flowers, and animals all making their return a little at a time.
Soon we will have an abundance of food, and this will all be a distant memory.
I pray our people will heal, too. Their hearts and minds grow stronger each day.
We are working to put together instructional facilities for anyone who needs help managing their powers, and it’s been a great joy of mine to witness all the different ways gifts can manifest now that they’ve been unlocked.
Among my favorites are those blessed with the ability to help our crops grow, once they have a strong hold on their abilities, no Lukasian will ever go hungry again.
Phillipa’s gifts did not surprise me, she is an oracle. She’s had many hazy visions already, and she practices her power religiously.
Our friends are gathered in the great hall, listening to my father’s stories of the past and ideas for the future of Lukasia. He is the perfect man to help guide us into this new world, and I’m so grateful to get the chance to know him better.
Lavinia healed nicely, and she begrudgingly allows me to check in on how my magic has held up from time to time, but something just feels off about her. As if the experience left deep wounds within her that my healing cannot touch.
“She’s disconnected and listless. Not the same,” I whisper to Raiden.
“None of us are the same.”
Heavy footsteps alert us that Baltas is coming down the hall. He has been spending more time in the village since the Rhiza who had been left on Ophis Isle returned.
“There is a letter, sire.”
“Let's see it.”
He opens the golden envelope and pulls out a small piece of parchment with glowing, golden lettering.
He reads it, and then hands it to me to inspect. My heart plummets.
You have won back your home in an honorable manner—though I'll have it be known I intentionally withheld a large portion of my army in your favor—and while I agree it was time to free the kingdom and allow the people of Lukasia their magic returned to them, you are fools if you believe I will allow my brother to claim two territories by putting his spawn on thrones.
Expect to be hearing from my other siblings, as well.
-Aidoneus, God of the Underworld
“What does it mean?” I ask, hoping Raiden knows enough of the politics of the gods to have some idea of what’s coming for us. Fear dips its claws in me. After all we’ve been through, the threat of losing it so quickly makes me sick.
Lavinia snatches the note from me, and her shoulders straighten when she gets to the end.
She pins Raiden with a look, daring him to argue with her. “It means it’s time to plan a celebration.”
THE END