by Ivy Clyde
“You’re more.”
I shook my head. “I have always been a wanderer, my darling. My elder brothers were enough to look after the clan. I was allowed to be wild and willful. My travels took me far and wide. I met many mages on my journeys and they all taught me some of their tricks. For many years, I traveled and learned. If they could see me now, they would be proud of my mastery.”
Eithna stumbled toward me. “You’ve been hiding your abilities all this time.”
“Not really,” I said. “People like your father and that traitorous Vishen were fooled by their own ideas of invincibility. Your father thought no one could be greater than him because of the army he led. Vishen thought he was powerful because he could manipulate big shots like your father. You thought you were the prettiest and cleverest of all the women in my harem.” A wry chuckle escaped me. “Look at all of you now. You’ve fooled yourselves into thinking you are unbeatable.”
“You’re the one who’s been manipulating the rest of us,” said Eithna, finally guessing things correctly. A sarcastic, self-loathing grin came on her lips. “I thought I was spying on you but you were the one watching over me.”
“Now that you know who your true master is, will you pledge your loyalty to me?” I asked.
Eithna nodded her head. “My father is gone now. You are the only one who holds power over me.”
“It’s good you understand. Go back to your room and from tomorrow, start preparing for the coronation ceremony. Make sure you arrange for the grandest wedding ceremony as well as coronation ceremony. The whole fae world would be watching us.”
“I will do as you command, My Prince,” she said and lowered herself on her knees to curtsey.
“Go back to your own quarters,” I said. “It is time for my rest.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Eithna picked up the front of her skirt and walked out of the room, leaving me alone to my thoughts. The sound of rain broke the usual silence of this space. It was already day time but the heavy clouds made it seem like dusk. Walking toward the windows, I stared out.
It was truly a lovely sight to see it raining in Amaris. The earth was thirsty and so was every living creature in this kingdom. What a blessing to have a true royal heir!
Shirking off the heavy robes off my shoulder, I leaped onto the window sill. The weather was just too good to not take advantage of it. I let my wings manifest on my back and dropped down from my perch. With a single beat of my massive wings, my body thrust upward. The strong wind allowed me to spread my wings to their full extent and just glide away from the palace grounds.
Gentle rain buffeted around me, soaking my clothes and hair. Water clung to my eyelashes, hazing my vision a little. A smile curved my lips as I thoroughly enjoyed the cool water being showered over me from the heavens.
I flew high over the streets of Cataria and watched the people who were still outside and frolicking in the rain. No one seemed to want to sleep. Snatches of laughter and song drifted up to me. I couldn’t help but grin as well.
This would be the only respite for me for a while now. The greatest battle for the throne was on the horizon and I had to make sure everything went according to my plans. I wanted the least danger and suffering for Moira. All my efforts so far were to shield her from the wrath of Vishen and the people he commanded. When the time came, we would know the name of every traitor in the court. I would only spill their blood to safeguard the kingdom.
The thought of Moira made me groan. There had been no chance to see her after the moon ritual that evening. It seemed late but my heart refused to settle without catching a glimpse of her. I could always take a peek through the windows, I told myself. That would be good enough.
I circuited over the city one more time and changed the direction of my course to go back to the palace. The clouds made it easier for me to sneak toward the harem building.
I’d expected Moira to be asleep at this hour but found her sitting at the table with Rowan and Leon. The windows of her room were open despite the rain buffeting inside. I wondered if she kept them like that for me. Taking advantage, I let my wings disappear and jumped in through the window to land on the floor.
Loud gasps rose up from around me.
“Are you okay, Lucia?” I heard Moira’s voice. Next moment, she was before me, staring up at me with wide, concerned eyes. Before I could answer her, she threw herself at me and hugged me tightly. Loud sobs broke out of her as she wept loudly.
I looked over at Rowan and Leon with a baffled expression. Their reaction surprised me too. Instead of comforting her, they stood in their spots with pain-filled eyes.
“What’s wrong, Moira?” I asked. “Why are you crying?”
She spoke something but it was completely incoherent. Helpless, I looked toward Rowan and Leon. “What is going on? Someone has to explain it to me.”
“She was forced to go to Vishen’s manor today,” said Rowan in a low, grim voice. “He wanted to test her, so he had someone impersonate you and then commanded her to kill the person.”
“Did you think that was really me?” I asked.
“No,” said Moira, looking up at me. Her beautiful sapphire eyes were still brimming with tears. “I knew it wasn’t you but he looked the same as you. His voice was the same as yours. It still hurt to do it even when I knew the person wasn’t really you. I stabbed him thinking it was a mere illusion but it turned out to be a real person. I hate what I did to an innocent man.”
“You don’t have to feel guilty,” I said in a grim tone. “You fought a battle with Vishen today and won. The death of that person was a casualty but his death is not your fault. I am sure that man knew what he was getting into by agreeing to work for Vishen. If you didn’t kill him in time, I am sure he would have killed you. Vishen would never keep a useless pawn.”
“He did threaten to kill me and my entire family,” said Moira. For a moment, her tears stopped as she thought back to the incident. Shaking her head, she stepped away from me and stumbled toward the table where Rowan and Leon stood. She sank into a chair and placed her head on the table.
Moira was exhausted both physically and emotionally but I had to talk to her and her two mates. A battle was coming our way which would determine the future for all of us. I wanted to let Moira rest but couldn’t afford to take matters lightly.
“I am glad you’re both here,” I said, glancing between Leon and Rowan. “Please, sit down.”
Moira moved away while the three of us sat down. She came back with a towel and started drying my silver locks. My eyes almost closed in pleasure as she gently massaged my scalp with the soft cloth.
Leon cleared his throat loudly. “You were saying?”
I let out a sigh and placed a hand on Moira’s, stopping her. “Come on. Have a seat,” I said.
“But you’ll catch a cold.”
“You’re so very kind, Moira. But again, my body will heat up on its own and dry off my clothes. Stronger than regular humans, remember?”
“Oh.”
She looked embarrassed but I kissed her hand. “You’re lovely for caring so much, my sweetest honey.”
Moira’s cheeks flushed pink like a cherry blossom.
Leon cleared his throat again. “If you’re here to romance her up, we can all take it to the bed.”
I frowned at him. “Don’t even think of touching me,” I told him in a cold tone.
Leon’s face broke into a wide grin. “I am teasing, Lucia. After meeting Moira, I haven’t been able to look at another woman the same way. Don’t worry on that front. I’ll treat you like one of my brothers.”
His words sent warmth shooting through me. My lips curved into a smile as I felt his sincere acceptance of my bond with Moira.
Taking a deep breath, I broke the grim news. “The coronation is happening in the next few days,” I said. “Vishen has been gathering armies from all over the kingdom to launch an attack on me. While I have been able to crush most of these rebel forces, I
don’t think I can do it when he brings his personal army of a hundred thousand men before the palace gates.”
“A hundred thousand men?” gasped Rowan.
I nodded. “The surviving men from all the lunar clans were forced to join him. It was the only way they could feed themselves and their families.”
“That’s horrible,” said Moira with a grim look on her face. “Can’t we speak to them and bring them on our side?”
“There isn’t a lot of time to do that,” I said.
“You must have already thought of a solution,” said Rowan, staring at me with his steely-gray eyes.
I nodded but hesitated.
“Tell us,” he pressed me.
“I want your help in the matter,” I said slowly. “I want you to bring an army from Aelia.” Before anyone could say anything, I hurried on. “Not to fight but to pose as a threat. I can ask the men from Vishen’s army to surrender to us. Tell them that things will be different from now onward. I already feel this rain will change their minds. They just need someone to show them the possibility of a better future.”
“What about Vishen?” asked Leon.
“I will handle him,” I replied. “He doesn’t have any support left among the nobles. He is alone at the moment.”
“He wants to use me to hurt you,” said Moira with a worried look. “What if there are others working for him? You never know who will suddenly stab you.”
“I will take all precautions,” I said. “It’s you I worry about. I don’t want Vishen doing anything to you.”
“He won’t do anything to me,” she said. “He thinks I am on his side.”
I glanced back at Rowan. “Can you help?”
He took a moment to reply but then, nodded. “Leon and I have to go back to Aelia though. We’ve been here too long and don’t know how things are going on over there. If things are going well, it won’t be impossible to bring the army to your door.”
“But you’re not completely sure?” I pressed on.
“I will do my best for Moira,” said Rowan, glancing at her. “It’s the only thing I can promise at this moment.”
She reached out to him and he caught her hand in his grasp. Something passed between them and I felt Moira relax instantaneously.
“I need to get back to my quarters,” I said after a while. My exhaustion was suddenly weakening me. The weight of keeping up the charade was draining on most days but as the ultimate battle loomed closer, I felt the strain creeping up on me. “If a maid or valet comes in and finds me missing, there would be too many mouths to close.”
“It’s all right,” said Rowan. “Go back to your station. We’ll take care of the rest for you.”
My insides warmed at the note of sincerity in his voice. It had been years since I felt such camaraderie with anyone. I felt connected to the two princes of Aelia. Moira was the string binding us all together.
Leaning toward Moira, I gave her a small kiss. I wanted more but it could wait. We all had a battle to fight and needed to focus all our energies into it.
“Goodbye until I see you again,” I said, nodding toward both Rowan and Leon.
26
Cade
Leaning down over the desk, I fished out the scrolls sent from the army general who guarded our border with Amaris. One by one, I pulled them open, noticing the same short note he sent almost every day. Everything was calm and peaceful. There was nothing out of the ordinary.
A heavy breath escaped me. Relief spread through me once again, closely followed by curiosity and worry. I was relieved because if something did happen to my brothers, they would have reported about it already. Rowan and Leon hadn’t been spotted in Amaris yet, telling me they were safe from the clutches of the royal administration there.
My respite was short-lived though because I had no idea where they were or how they were doing.
“Moira…” Her name was like a whisper on my lips. My eyes closed for a moment and her face flashed before me. I still didn’t know whether she was safe. There was no way to know whether Rowan and Leon had found her yet.
I hated the heavy anxiety that had settled into my chest since the day Rowan and Leon left to find her. More than two weeks had passed since they left Aelia.
It’s all Coran’s fault. Rage boiled in my veins as my mind focused on the cause of my worries. If he hadn’t smuggled in those lunar fae mercenaries to hurt Moira, none of this would have happened. Moira would have been safe and close enough for me to protect. My brothers wouldn’t be missing and they’d be by my side to fight against my mother’s madness.
Coran’s continued imprisonment seemed to be driving Queen Brenna to the edge of insanity. She’d assumed things would go her way when Rowan made me the chief of all investigations related to the attack on Coran’s manor. The incident not only made us lose Moira but it also cost the lives of a number of solar fae noblemen and noblewomen.
I still didn’t understand why my mother would want to protect a traitor like Coran. She sought me out every day to argue about the case, insisting I let him go and to suppress the reports of the inquiry.
A week ago, she threatened to punish me if I refused to obey her commands. Thankfully, my father, King Drustan, heard of the situation and came out of his self-imposed exclusion from the royal court to put a stop to it. This act was sort of a gift to me. He finally seemed to have overcome his grief and become stronger both physically and emotionally.
King Drustan praised my efforts to stop the corruption of the nobles in front of the entire royal court. It was the proudest moment of my life but the moment was shadowed by the fact my brothers were missing and my mother was still sulking, refusing to see me.
Queen Brenna went on a hunger strike three days ago, adamantly refusing to even touch water. Her behavior was deliberate and shameful. She wasn’t even caring about the way the rest of Aelia was speaking about her. Most of the population was happy to see a corrupted noble like Coran get arrested and punished, but no one understood the queen’s desperation to set him free.
Putting the scrolls away, I decided to go back to my chambers to rest. It had already been a long day with all the official matters I was handling for Rowan. It had only been a few weeks and I was ready to tear my hair out. I had no idea how Rowan did this every day for years and still had the mental stamina to attend lessons at Belenus Court! Just talking to all the officers of the various administrative offices exhausted me.
“Your Highness! Your Highness! Prince Cade!”
The sound of feminine shrieks made me halt in my steps. Irritation flashed through me. Why did the maids have to lose their heads and shout after me in the corridors? I whipped around, intent on rebuking whoever it was for such insolent behavior.
A familiar maid ran toward me. Coming to a stop, she stared up at me with wide, fearful eyes. Something about her blanched face and trembling lips gave me pause.
“What’s the matter?” I asked in a grim tone.
“It’s the queen, Your Highness,” she said in a breathless voice. “We need you right now, Your Highness. You have to come with me. Please, Your Highness! We cannot delay.”
“What’s wrong with the queen?” I asked at once.
She was momentarily struck speechless. Her hands were gripped tightly as she hesitantly looked up at me. Taking a few steps closer to me, she whispered, “Queen Brenna is trying to hang herself. The maids are trying to stop her but she is far more powerful than us. We won’t be able to stop her for long.” She swallowed and tears sprang to her eyes. “Please, come with me, Your Highness. Only you can help us save the queen’s life.”
“Take me to her,” I commanded.
Turning around, the maid rushed ahead before me. I took long strides and kept up with her until she led me to the queen’s quarters.
The sounds of struggles and voices begging and pleading reached me as soon as I neared my mother’s chambers. My worry for her was infused with shame. Her madness had gone too far. I am going to force her to
tell me the truth today, I decided, balling my hands into fists. This insanity ends today.
“Wait,” I called out to the maid hurrying before me.
She turned around at the sound of my calm, commanding tone. “Your Highness?”
“I can go the rest of the way. In the meantime, go to the king’s quarters and request him to come here. Tell him it was me who requested his presence.”
The maid gave a quick bow and hurried down the hallway. I looked toward the open doorway to mother’s bedchambers. Bursts of golden glow illuminated the shadowy depths of the room from time to time, followed by the sounds of explosions and screams of female voices. Anger made my magic rise to the palms of my hands, burning the skin. I couldn’t believe the tantrum Mother was throwing over the imprisonment of Coran. Shame burned my face. If this was how I was feeling, I could only imagine my father’s anger and humiliation from such behavior. It was finally becoming evident why he’d chosen self-isolation from the court as well as the rest of our family. My mother drove him to it.
I marched through the open doorway and narrowly missed a tongue of crimson flame shot my way. Far ahead, Mother was trying to shake off the maids who hung to her arms and legs. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms, shot them with powerful bursts of magic, but the tenacious maids kept going back to stop her from moving toward the noose hanging from the ceiling. The women were badly hurt now.
This was not the way for a royal to treat his or her servants. Mother was abusing her power and privileges. What would it take for her to see herself as we were seeing her?
“All of you!” I called out loudly. “Leave now.”
All eyes fell on me.
“What are you doing here?” Mother shouted. She looked truly mad at the moment. Her blond tresses were free and loose, trailing along the floor behind her. The elegant, smooth façade she usually put up was gone. Her face was contorted with pain and despair. Her robes were crumpled and falling off her shoulders, revealing the sheer nightgown she wore underneath.
“I have come to see you, Mother,” I said in a calm voice. My gaze fell on the maids who were hesitantly standing by the doorway. Turning to them, I said, “Go to the healers and get some rest. I will take care of the queen now.”