“Good,” Diamond took a breath then broached the subject she most wanted to talk about. “First, will you tell me about my mother? I have bits and pieces of information, but I don’t understand how she ended up in Rhodainia—or with you.”
Arades sighed and leaned back against the wall of the arbour. He closed his eyes, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
Diamond didn’t push him but sat straight-backed and tense as she watched colourful butterflies, bigger than any she had seen before, land on the nearby blooms to suck at their nectar. Her mouth tightened at the continued silence. She would give him some time but she would not let him leave without giving her answers.
“Tanelle was the love of my life, my soulmate as Eryanth is yours,” her father began. “About a thousand years ago, Griana stole the Avalonian throne from King Noan Arjuno and his pregnant queen—your grandmother. After forming a deal with Erebos—the Lord of Chaos—Griana attacked King Noan. Together they had planned the attack for when Lunaria was helpless and completely without magic. The night she gave birth to your mother, though her magic returned almost immediately and she quickly joined the battle, trying to save her mate. Before she did, she found and freed two prisoners of Griana’s: Prince Lexon Arjuno and a red warrior called Erzion Riddeon…”
Diamond gasped. She had heard some of this story before but she had never really understood it.
“They had been locked away by Griana. I believe so she could force Lexon to become her consort. Lunaria entrusted the life of her new-born child to Prince Lexon, exacting a pledge from him to protect her and build her an army. She demanded a far greater pledge from Erzion. He was to stay behind and become Griana’s warrior. He became her general and did her worst bidding whilst fulfilling his promise to protect the Avalonian people and throne for the descendant of the goddess. With the help of Alethia, the Goddess of Truth, Lexon escaped. But Griana never gave up her search for your mother. It was your mother’s first betrothal—to the heir of the High Wizard—which saw her life change. Kalib Orage was his brother, the younger son, and as their law dictates is allowed, he chose to challenge his brother for the right to rule. He colluded with Griana and they brought in an Ice Mage to try to kill your mother. It didn’t work, thanks to Prince Lexon and Alethia. Your mother’s first love died that day. She tried to use the spear you now hold to kill the Ice Mage—but that spear was not destined for her hands—only yours—and it condemned her to fall into a deep slumber. Eighteen years ago, Queen Kilar ruled the Fire Mountains. She had to leave her lands for peace talks with King Turez. Of course, she had met with him many times before but this time, before she left, she visited Tanelle in the sacred chamber under the volcano.” Arades gazed at the peak’s summit. His face was tight, his eyes dark.
Diamond hated the pain she saw in her father’s eyes but she had to know what had happened to her mother.
“Kilar confessed to your sleeping mother that she knew Firan would be there as a mediator for the talks. She was in turmoil, wondering whether to take her son—their son—to meet him. Firan did not know he had a son. It seemed Kilar and Firan had fallen in love at the last peace talks they had both attended. The young queen knew she could never be with Firan and did not want to cause a scandal for her husband but she also did not want Firan to be ignorant of his son. She cried to Tanelle that day. Sobbed until her voice became hoarse. It was those tears, the tears of a guardian, which contained so much love they awoke your mother from her slumber.”
“She told you all this?” Diamond whispered, brushing a wisp of hair from her eye.
“Yes, she remembered that moment vividly. Her spirit had spent those thousand years suspended in the beauty between our world and Eternity. Throughout all those years, she was drawn to the cavern each time one of Alethia’s and Lexon’s ancestors entered.”
“What happened after Mahaida awoke?” The fae word for mother fell naturally from her tongue.
Arades swallowed and smiled a little. “She was weak. Too weak to walk.” Arades turned and stared into Diamond’s eyes, taking her hand in his.
She gripped it tightly, glad of the feel of that calloused touch once again.
“Tanelle didn’t have magic when she fell into her slumber but when those tears pulled her back to her body and she awoke, she felt something stir in her veins. She described it as a fire in her soul. It took days for her to relearn what her body could do, how to stand and walk. She swore the Eternal Flame that Alethia had set aglow in the cavern replenished her strength, the way food and drink would have done for a mortal soul; and whilst her strength grew, her magic grew too. When she eventually left the cavern and found her way through the halls of the obsidian palace, she overheard Lord Protector Yornath talking to a young guard called Ugan. He was telling the boy how the royal family had died, that the king had been poisoned and that the queen and the baby prince had disappeared. He charged the boy with guarding the little Princess Ilya with his life as she was now their queen.”
“But why did Mother leave the palace? I don’t understand. Surely it would have been safer to tell the Lord Protector she had awoken?”
“Neither did your mother understand her urge to leave, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She said when the High Ruler had pulled her energy, her spirit, into the beauty between the stars, he foretold that a lost prince would be the saviour of her bloodline. The High Ruler held your mother in that void between worlds for a thousand years just waiting for fate and destiny to align. When Kilar’s tears awoke Tanelle, she knew she had to search for the prince.”
Diamond gulped. “But she never found him,” she whispered.
“No, she didn’t,” he agreed. “She stowed away in traders’ carts, glamouring herself as an older woman. She travelled way past the borders of the Fire Mountains, learning more about her magic every day. She stole food to survive and worked as a maid to earn money where she could. When she made it to the city of Ducat on the Gar Anonian coast, something urged her to cross the ocean. She waited until a trading vessel docked and when no one was looking, stowed away. After weeks at sea, hiding in crates of silk and stealing food from their stores, she heard talk the vessel was to land in Port Garrison.”
Diamond’s stomach churned with something akin to excitement. She was finally learning something about her mother. “That’s where you met her?”
Arades huffed a laugh. “No. Your mother jumped ship. I was on patrol in the nearest part of the Perjua mountains to Port Garrison. There had been sightings of Seekers crossing into our borders.” He huffed a laugh. “The first time I saw your mother, she was dripping wet and crawling from the ocean onto the beach, right into that pack of Seekers. She looked like a drowned rat.”
“What did you do?” asked Diamond.
“My men and I were on a clifftop watching the Seekers. They had crossed into our lands and we were about to descend upon them.”
“What happened?” urged Diamond again.
“The Seekers grabbed her from the water. Her cry touched something—here,” he revealed, tapping over his heart. “Something tugged at me. Without thinking, I launched myself off that cliff. By the time I landed, this skinny, courageous female who had just crawled from the sea was fighting for her life.” He grinned. “And your mother could fight. She had no sword but she used her body like a weapon, and although her magic wasn’t overly powerful, she used it to help her fight. She took some wounds before I could reach her, which meant the only Seeker to escape had her blood on his blades. He took it back to Ragor, his master. Neither of us knew that at the time though. I didn’t know who she was.” He shrugged. “She just looked like a dirty, starving stowaway, but there was something about her…” He took a deep breath and Diamond squeezed his hand, giving what measure of comfort she could. He smiled his thanks.
“Did she run from you?” Diamond almost whispered. “You must have looked pretty scary to her.”
“No, but I knew right then that my soul and my heart were lost. I couldn’t
bear to let her go, to leave her to survive on her own. She was mine to protect,” he breathed and closed his eyes, his voice catching on those words. For a moment his eyes drifted, a faraway, sad look in them.
“So,” Diamond responded and squeezed his hand again, not wanting him to dwell on what he obviously thought was his failure. “I guess she fell in love with you too?”
“No,” he huffed a laugh. “Not straight away. She fought me for weeks. I followed her everywhere she went in the city, trying to find out who she was and why she was there. I was an overbearing jackass and did not let her go anywhere alone. If I wasn’t there, I asked Amsal to watch her.” His face darkened. “That was when he was truly my friend. I trusted him back then,” he remarked grimly.
“I know,” she answered, her heart hurting for her father. Guilt had her dropping her eyes.
“Don’t you ever feel guilty for killing him,” Arades reassured her. “He brought it upon himself.”
Diamond nodded and stayed quiet. No one knew that Eryanth had controlled her that day. And no one ever would.
“Your mother was so stubborn. She did not like me trying to protect her. One day she took off through the streets of Stormguaard, gave me the slip whilst I went to fetch her some food,” he chuckled. “I was so angry that when I returned she had gone. I saw red and searched her down through the streets by her scent alone. I didn’t pay attention to what was around me, though, and she turned the tables on me. She hid behind some old crates in a warehouse and waited until I ran by her, then hit me over the head with a wooden plank, telling me I deserved it for trying to control her.”
Diamond giggled.
“Gave me one hell of a headache,” he laughed. “And a fine dressing down for not leaving her be. She was right of course. Damned mating urge makes us males utterly stupid,” he joked.
They lapsed into silence. “Dad?” Diamond asked tentatively.
“Hmm?” Arades responded, returning to the present.
“How did she die?”
Arades pulled his hand from hers and rubbed both his palms over his face. “Your mother was brave and stubborn. She told me who she was right before she told me of her quest to find the little prince.” He glanced sideways. “She confided he had blue wings. I had heard through our spies in Valentina that there had been sightings of a young child, a boy put in servitude to the Queen. And that he had blue wings. Tanelle wanted to leave immediately, but I couldn’t let her go alone, so I petitioned the king to release me from my responsibilities. He agreed.”
“He agreed? Wow,” breathed Diamond.
“Yeah. Jack’s father was not ignorant of where much of my time was spent. Royalty always have spies,” he quipped. “The king told me he had seen Tanelle, that he could tell she was—special, and he let me go with his blessing. He just made me promise to keep her safe and return home to serve him—or his son—when we had achieved our goal. I believe he knew who she was.” He paused and inhaled deeply before continuing.
Diamond let her fingers drift to a nearby bloom. She fingered its silky petals, rubbing them absentmindedly between her fingertips and thumb.
“We left for Avalonia but were attacked by a group of Seekers just before we entered its borders. We killed all of them.” His face grew dark. “It seemed the Seeker that had escaped from the beach gave Ragor your mother’s blood and told him of her necklace, which had been glowing when she fought the Seekers. Ragor knew what that necklace was, who your mother was. He sent his Seekers for us time and again. From then on, we were hunted constantly.”
Arades cricked his neck and rolled his shoulders.
“We discovered your mother was pregnant when she was attacked and her magic did not respond. She was wounded—badly. We continued up towards Valentia but it took us months. Your mother became very weak, never really recovering from her injuries. We were forced to stop in a small village and were lucky that they let us stay. I helped out with woodcutting and carpentry whilst the village healer managed your mother’s wounds and health. She remained so weak we decided to stay. When your mother was about eight months pregnant, Seeker’s attacked the village.” He paused, squeezing his eyes shut. “I wasn’t there,” he whispered, his voice breaking as guilt swamped his face. “She was my mate, my heart and soul, pregnant with my baby and I left her alone and vulnerable. Your mother couldn’t fight them off. She was injured again.” He swallowed hard. “One of those monsters was reaching for your mother’s necklace when my sword took his head.”
Diamond looked at the gravel floor. Her heart felt so heavy with loss and guilt. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, feeling somehow responsible for her mother’s death. If her mother had not been carrying her, she might still be alive.
“What? No. Why?” uttered Arades, taking her face in his hands. “Listen to me and listen well. You did not kill your mother. You did nothing wrong. Carrying a child leaves a female magicless, but it was the injuries inflicted by the Seeker that killed her in the end. She stubbornly held on to life just to give you yours. After you were born, she made me promise to raise you safely, away from anyone who might know who you are.” His fingers brushed where her necklace had always rested. “She named you after the key; the diamond which had once belonged to her mother’s guardian. She hoped that you would one day find a guardian of your own. I could not be her guardian; I could not save the one I loved but I promised to keep you safe and raise you right—and I did.” He looked deep into her eyes before he kissed her forehead. “Look how you turned out.” He smiled, tears glistening in his eyes. “Your mother would be so proud of you, Diamond. Just like I am.”
Chapter 17
Diamond returned to her room, still smiling. Tom and Jack had re-joined them in the gardens. It had come as a surprise to learn her father had developed feelings for Marianne, Tom’s mother, but Diamond was pleased for her father, glad he would have someone to share his life with—that was if he lived through the coming months. No, she would not dwell on those thoughts. Of course he would survive. They all would, she tried to reassure herself.
The sun was dropping in the sky, the cooler air releasing the scent of jasmine and roses into the air. It was heady and gorgeous, far better than the incense she had become used to in the desert.
“I’m off duty tonight,” Attion informed her as she made to enter her rooms. “So is Tawne. But we will not leave until your father arrives to escort you to dinner. Two other guards will be by your door when you return. Regardless of them, I trust the shadow demon will protect you when we are not there,” he rumbled.
“Thank you, Attion,” she replied, omitting to point out she could take good care of herself, especially now that her magic had returned stronger than ever.
Attion’s vivid green eyes regarded her steadily. He really was striking to look at now. He had always been good-looking, if somewhat austere, but now his magic had bloomed, he was painfully handsome. She cocked her head, wondering if he had any idea of the attention he commanded—from both males and females. She doubted it. Attion had no awareness, or desire, for such frivolous regard—she didn’t think. “I’m sorry I haven’t had much time to talk with you both,” she apologised.
Attion shrugged, and Tawne nudged her hand.
“You are our queen, Diamond.” Attion regarded the spear in her hand. “And you have much to think about. I am sorry Otekah had to die to give you that weapon. But he would not have let you leave without it. If he knew he was serving the guardians and helping you save the world, he would have sacrificed himself no matter your protests.”
Diamond nodded. “He did,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as she thought of the serene look on Otekah’s face as he fell into that unbearable heat. She had prayed for him every night since, hoping that he had not felt any pain when he died.
Attion gave her a small smile. “His death was not your fault, Diamond. It was preordained.” He straightened his spine, every inch the proud warrior. “Do not worry over the fate of your friends too much, my que
en. If you need us, we will always be near and we will always be willing to sacrifice our lives for you,” he told her.
Diamond swallowed, her throat tight and her eyes burning. Whispering her thanks, she entered her room before she began to cry. She was exhausted and just wanted to crawl in bed and be cocooned in Eryanth’s arms. She wanted to leave the world and thoughts of war behind, even if only for a little while.
A middle-aged woman greeted her and within minutes, there was a bath full of hot, perfumed water. Diamond undressed and stepped into the heavenly water. A sigh escaped her as she sank down, letting the silken water close over her aching body.
Someone entered her room. She stiffened pulling up her magic as voices drifted in from the outer chamber to the bathing room.
Rose stuck her head around the doorway and grinned.
Diamond smiled; it was lovely to have Rose by her side again. For the first time in weeks, Diamond let herself relax. Rose ordered a jug of sherbet rose wine; once she was out of the bath, Diamond took a large swallow. She let the sweet yet tarte beverage roll over her tongue and down her throat. It was sublime.
Rose giggled at Diamond’s groan of delight.
As Diamond dressed, the two women chatted. It seemed Rose’s time with Clarissa had helped her work through her grief and guilt over what had happened to her in captivity. Rose admitted anger burned inside her but she also admitted that directing her anger at Elexon had been wrong.
“Why were you so angry with him?” Diamond asked.
Rose sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I honestly don’t know. I guess because I didn’t want to give him chance to reject me. I thought if I rejected him first it would be easier to deal with.” She huffed a self-deprecating laugh. “It didn’t work out that way, though. He is the only person I know who would allow me to be so vile to him and still forgive me,” she said simply.
Diamond grinned and squeezed Rose’s hand. “You know he loves you, don’t you?” she asked.
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