34. Chapter Thirty Four Rhowyn
Chapter Thirty Four: Rhowyn
All thoughts of my father were pushed aside as I worried about what to do with this new development. It seemed the hits just kept coming. “So, what are we gonna do about this new information?” I asked the guys who’d remained silent up until now.
“Jude, is there any way for Genevieve to actually be crowned?” Arryn asked my grandfather, leaning on his knowledge of magic.
“It shouldn’t be possible since the Queen’s powers are granted by Avalonia. However, I can’t say what the Queen knows about magic. She has access to texts that I’ve never been privy to. One of them very well may contain a way to force a connection to the land.”
“I guess that means we need to form that connection first, right?” I asked, my mind racing through the possibilities. “If I am connected, then theoretically that means Genevieve, and thereby Titania, won’t be able to succeed. It’ll keep them from gaining any more ground.”
“That would be the most ideal scenario. I’ve never heard of more than two connections at one time. Once the connection is formed, it drains the magic from the predecessor until the new Queen holds all the power. This usually happens over several years, with the old Queen holding most of the power in the beginning,” Jude explained, answering so many of the questions I had about the actual transfer of power but hadn’t had the time to ask.
“Okay. Then we’ll form this connection,” I said, slapping my legs with my hands, pushing up to a standing position from my chair, my mind settled on the next step. When no one rose to action with my pronouncement, I turned back.
Jude held out his hands to halt my progress, an amused smile on his face. “It’s not that simple.”
Sinking back down into my chair, I sighed heavily. “Of course it’s not. Why would anything in my life ever be simple?” I could see the apology in his eyes, making me feel like a spoiled brat. So, this is what I had to look forward to with my family. Despite my annoyance, I loved every minute of it.
“Why can’t you just do the ceremony here?” Baer asked before I could. I smiled at him, getting a look of devotion in return.
“The ceremony takes place over several days with only a small part made public for the citizens. We’ll first need access to the waters of Avalonia, the pool I drank from while speaking to her. It’s how we commune with her and know what the trials will entail. It purifies the body and allows the connection.”
“Great. That reservoir is deep within the heart of Cashel Rí,” Lennox grumped. “There’s no way we’re getting in there again. It’s too risky.”
“I may know of an alternative.” Brannoc spoke up for the first time, his eyes meeting everyone’s but mine. I frowned at his obvious avoidance of me.
“Go on,” Callum growled, impatient as ever.
“My people have guarded it and all knowledge of it for centuries. I’ve never been there, but I have heard about it,” Brannoc said, imparting the importance of keeping this secret. He was taking a risk and trusting us with this information, which had the power to ruin his relationship with the others of his kind.
“Great!” Baer said. “Just whisk us on over there, and we can start the process.” His eagerness belied the fact that we all knew that it wouldn’t be that simple.
“What exactly does the rest of the ceremony entail?” Arryn asked, already deep in thought, no doubt planning out the details of what we needed to do.
“Rhowyn must drink from the pure waters of Avalon, where she will commune with Avalonia and start the process of building the bridge between them,” Jude explained.
“Wait, what do you mean a bridge?” Lennox asked, leaning forward.
“The Queen’s duties involve being a vessel for Avalonia here in Avalon. To speak for her and to do her bidding. The Queen is tasked with upholding the balance of all the magics. To do this, she must form a connection with Avalonia herself and to the land. The waters help to purify the Queen for this connection to form.
“Once Rhowyn drinks from the pure waters, she must enter a period of reflection and communion with Avalonia. Sometimes this can take hours or days. However, the process cannot be rushed and shouldn’t be interrupted at risk of harming the vessel. Rhowyn in this case.”
“Okay, that doesn’t sound too daunting,” I admitted, still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Nothing so far had been easy, and I expected this task to be just as difficult.
“Ah, while you may drink from the waters and enter communion from anywhere, the next part must be done at the castle. You must undergo the rest of the ceremony in the seat of the Queen’s power. Cashel Rí.”
“Why must it be there?” Arryn asked, his tone indicating he was simply curious and looking for any loopholes that we might be able to use to our advantage. Watching him now, I couldn’t contain my admiration for him. My steadfast consort who thought first before acting, always so sure of whatever action he took.
“It must be there because that’s where all the magics combine and where they’re at their strongest. It’s why the high fae have always preferred to settle near the castle instead of on their own lands. It’s why Cashel Rí has a mind of its own and is constantly shifting to meet the needs of everyone within,” Jude patiently explained to us.
“Okay. What exactly do we need to do in this ceremony? Can it be done anywhere on the grounds? Or do we need to do whatever it is in a certain place?” I asked him, leaning forward, running through scenarios in my head.
“Technically, it can be done anywhere on the grounds, but the closer we are to the throne room, the better. That’s the one part that never changes as it’s the seat of the Queen’s power.”
“Once I’ve started the connection to Avalonia, will I have some control over the castle? It stands to reason that I would also have some sway over it after we’ve started the transition of power,” I reasoned, speaking my thoughts out loud. I could see Arryn’s eyes cut to me, wide and impressed by my question. He, at least, had an idea of what I had in mind, but I didn’t take my gaze from my grandfather as I waited for his response.
He leaned back, settling deeper into his chair to ponder my question. “I’ve never really thought about it before, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t. Since it’s a part of the land and the magic itself, it should ideally respond to your requests once you’ve established a connection.”
“What do you have in mind, Killer?” Baer asked me with a teasing tone.
I laughed, “Well, first, we’ll get this water that Brannoc knows of. I’ll do my spiritual journey thing and speak with Avalonia. Once that’s done, we’ll move to Cashel Rí. Between Brannoc and I, we shouldn’t have too much trouble carrying everyone. I’ll make the castle give us a room beside the throne room that only we can enter where we can complete the ceremony." I paused with a wicked gleam in my eyes, smiling at my deviousness. The Bitch Queen shouldn’t see that coming, giving us the upper hand for once.
“And that’s the look I’ve come to realize means trouble,” Callum groaned, putting his head in his hands and bracing for my next statement.
“Then, how about we crash Titania’s little party to make a demonstration of just what I’m capable of?”