CALYTRIX
The temple bells rang a mournful lament as the First Flight breathed fire on the funeral pyre.
Arkyn was gone.
Given the full funeral rites of the Crown Prince, mourned by the entire kingdom.
Alaric stood at his father’s side during the prayers, head low and eyes glassy.
But alone. Nova could not stand with him.
They were still unmarried. Kol could not either.
It was no place for a friend. So we watched, as our friend bore the farce alone, while the repugnant King made a show of grief for the loss of the son he thought would succeed him and felt pride in the one who now would.
Because, unknown to the fae of the kingdom, the King bore no grief for the heir who’d lost his way.
He'd become hard to manage. It was only the lack of a suitable replacement that had prevented the King from turning his own dagger on his wayward son.
But when Alaric took it into his own hands, the King saw something in him he could finally work with.
A worthy heir who made hard choices for the future of the crown.
Who took decisive action and did not let sentiment stand in the way of strong rule.
Alaric was a wreck. Going through the motions to satisfy his father’s terms.
Terms that would ensure no one ever knew he took his brother’s life and would one day see Alaric rule. But kept him bound to the King's every whim.
I always thought Nova would make the better queen.
I just never wanted it for her. I'd resigned myself to the role and all it entailed so that she would never have to endure it.
But Alaric was not Arkyn. She would be safe with him, even if there was no love between them.
He was a decent male who'd proved it by ridding the realm of the poison his brother would have spread on the throne.
Arkyn was gone. I still hadn’t fully processed it. I would never have to stand his touch, or bear his offspring, or stand by while he damned the kingdoms to suffering through negligence or greed or just plain sadism.
I was better off. I was free. But I was not the only one who mattered.
Faolan had paid a stiff price.
Nova and I watched the dragons file off the field hand in hand. The King and Alaric remained to watch the pyre burn. But the crowds of mourners began to disperse.
The palace was a very different place for us in the days since Arkyn’s death.
I was no longer watched by an army of handmaidens who'd been, as it turned out, under Arkyn’s orders, not the King’s.
My rooms were empty, no longer my own. I still had a place in the palace, but it was no longer in the royal apartments.
I was free to move around the palace as I pleased, though. After all, my sister would be queen, and the guards held open the doors for us with bows as I walked Nova back to her rooms.
“I need to get out of these clothes,” she huffed.
I smirked.
“If you laugh at me for having to wear these ridiculous outfits, I’ll—” She halted, clearly not having a suitable quip in her arsenal.
“You’ll what?” I challenged.
She huffed. “Wait until I'm queen, and you’ll find out.”
I began to laugh but cut myself off. “Are you okay with this?” I asked for the hundredth time.
“For the last time, I’m okay with this. Just worried about Alaric.”
“We will get him through this,” I told her. We all would. None of us would let him go through it on his own.
“I don’t think it’s fair to have his coronation as Crown Prince the day after his brother's funeral, though. It’s too soon for him.”
“It has to be done. There is protocol. The King must have an acknowledged heir, or he stands to be challenged.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “Which might be better for all of us.”
I glanced about looking for handmaids. “Careful with your words,” I scolded her.
“No one is here. Alaric ordered them all away and assigned his trusted staff only to attend me. They were all given the day to attend the funeral as tomorrow, I have to be presented with Alaric to the kingdom, so they will be worked off their feet.” She tried reaching behind her to undo some tie or bow, but she was too trussed up to do it herself.
“Here, let me help you," I chuckled.
“I warned you not to laugh,” she giggled along with me as I untied the first of many fastenings.
“It’s hard not to.”
"What I wouldn't give for a pair of your leathers,” she sighed.
“When you are queen, you can change the fashion. That can be your legacy to the kingdoms.”
She dug her elbow into my ribs.
“Ow!”
I helped her out of her funeral dress and into something more comfortable, then left her to read and wait for Alaric to return.
She was trying to be a shoulder to lean on, but he was still intent on suffering alone.
I had to leave her to figure out when she was needed and when she should give him space.
I left the royal apartments with purpose and strode through the doors. The guards once again dipped a bow to me as I passed.
I turned the corner, headed for my new rooms, and froze. There, leaning against the opposite wall, was my mate, clad in leather, and looking like he was ready to eat me alive. I ran, jumping into his arms, and pressed my mouth to his as he clasped my own leather clad arse.
“Should we be doing this here?” he murmured into my lips between kisses.
“I’m not hiding it.”
“It’s your fiancé’s funeral day,” he breathed, still kissing me despite trying to look like he was objecting a little at least.
“Ex fiancé I didn’t want, who kidnapped and tortured my mate. Who is going to think less of me for showing my real feelings now I’m free to do so?”
Faolan chuckled into my lips. “You're ruthless.”
“I’m in love.”
“Say it again,” he said, kissing me deeper.
I tipped my face up to the ceiling when he let me up for air. “I’m in love!” I cried.
“Shh! Goddess Caly, someone will hear.”
"Let them.”
“I need to get you back to our rooms before you get me kicked off the First Flight.” I baulked at his words, but he set me on my feet before I could say anything and dragged me along to the legion quarters we now shared along the corridor from Kol and Jaxus and Kiera.
He stopped at our door, fumbling with the key and letting us in. He hoisted me into his arms and carried me over the threshold.
“Faolan!”
“Hush, I’m busy.”
"Let me speak,” I demanded.
He tossed me down on our bed and began to strip. “Not if you are going to tell me again that I should run away and be free.”
“But I—”
He crawled over me and silenced me with his lips in a punishing kiss. I pressed at his chest, and eventually, he pulled back some.
“Faolan,” I said seriously.
“Caly,” he said in an impersonation of my tone.
“I'm serious.”
“So am I, and we are done discussing this.”
“I just need to know that you don't resent me for needing to stay for my sister. You have had to give up everything and do the one thing you never wanted to do so that I can be here, and it’s not sitting well with me,” I rushed out.
Faolan took my hand and pressed it into the mattress above my head with one of his, then he took the other and did the same, pinning me down so I had no choice but to listen to him.
“I don’t resent you any more than you would have resented me if I said I had to leave.
I have everything I will ever need now that I get to have you.
I’ve given up nothing, and there is nowhere else I'd rather be. Just be happy with me. You’re a ryder now!
And if I haven't mentioned it…leather really suits you.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve mentioned it. But the legion, Faolan. You’re stuck with it now, and it was the one thing you said you refused to do.”
“It could be worse,” he shrugged. "We made the First Flight, and honestly, no dragon actually wants to be there. They’re all forced. And with Alaric as heir, maybe the future looks brighter for everyone.”
“I know, b—”
“No buts, unless it’s your butt, then I’m interested.” He grinned.
I shook my head but laughed. Maybe he really was okay with being here, and I just needed to get over the guilt.
“Are we done with that now?” he asked with a smirk.
I smirked right back. “Fine.”
Then he began to strip me.