by ERIN BEDFORD
“Man, I haven’t shifted like that in, what?” Lord Amun mused as he approached us. “Ten years or so. Not since the last war. Now, I remember why.” He rotated his shoulder and cracked his neck.
“Glad to see you still have it in you, old man.” Firestar snickered, earning him a warning look from his father.
“So, did we win?” I asked, pulling away from Jack. “Is it over? Cause I’m starving.”
Firestar’s chest rumbled as he laughed and patted my back. “Yeah, I think we’re good. Let’s get you some food in you.”
It was finally over.
Thank God.
I needed a cheeseburger and a nap. Maybe even a bath. Okay, totally a bath. Not in that particular order though. Oh, yeah, and pants. Pants were a must when storming a castle.
19
Unfortunately, I didn’t get my pants first as I hoped. Also, my list expanded to add shoes to the top of it. Broken rubble was killer on the toes.
“Where to?” I asked as Firestar helped me through the wreckage of the Eastern capital. I could say one thing about Drac and his men. They were utter monsters.
The beautiful, lively marketplace I’d escaped through a few months back had none of the warmth or splendor to it. Stalls were smashed beyond repair. Houses were boarded up and their doors closed tight. As my eyes scanned the area, I would get glimpses of eyes peeking through cracks. The moment my eyes landed on them though, they disappeared, like rats scurrying back into their holes.
“What has she done to this place?” Raiden asked, sadness filling his voice. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything would be alright. Which it would, eventually.
We’d won the war, but the battle was only half done. There was still Lady Nariko to deal with and then we had to find Lord Shen. Please, God, let him be alive.
Our steps were quiet as we filtered through the city. Our men did their jobs well, searching for any remaining soldiers loyal to Lady Nariko or Drac. They brought them out and tied them up, putting them with the rest of those who had surrendered. They would be a chance for those who were previously loyal to Lord Shen to repent for their crimes, but I couldn’t say the same for Drac’s men. They’d be dead before they even had a trial.
Such was the way of war.
Eventually, the doors of the homes began to open. Heads and fingers poked out of the entrances. They reminded me of turtles, coming out slowly and then darting back inside before finally emerging when they thought it was safe. A few of them recognized Raiden. Even more came out when the twins finally followed us in. I would have killed to known where they had found clothes after their shift.
“Praise be,” a man cried out, coming up to Raiden. The citizen grabbed his prince’s hand in his, shaking it enthusiastically. Raiden smiled politely, even though I’d have been ready to gnaw my own wrist off to get away from the guy. Irritable, who me?
Another half dozen people came out and did the same, each of them more excited than the next. A few even hugged Firestar and Jack, though the citizens seemed to think better of that after a moment. Thankfully, I was in the middle of the three and anyone who came too close received a warning growl from one of the guys. I guessed I wasn’t the only one feeling a bit overprotective.
After what seemed like an eternity of picking through wreckage and greeting survivors, we finally reached the doors to the palace. For some reason, I imagined they would open on their own, a way to greet us for taking back the kingdom. Sadly, that didn’t happen, and they sat there quietly, still closed tight.
“Are you ready?” Raijin asked Raiden, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “There’s no turning back now.”
Raiden scoffed and pushed his brother's hand way. “Like that was ever a choice.” He shook his head, a solemn expression on his face. “No, our mother put herself in this position. I won’t feel guilty for this.”
Lady Nariko waited up above. For judgment? For forgiveness? Or maybe even death? I wasn’t sure, it wasn’t my call. Really, it would be Lord Shen’s decision, but first, we had to make sure he was still alive.
“Why don’t we find your father?” I suggested, pushing through the wall of muscled flesh. “Or do you want to find your mother first? I’ve never been in this situation before.”
Raiden snorted. “Think we have? We’re just as clueless as you.”
Fujin and Raijin stood in silence, a thoughtful expression on their faces. Eventually, it was Fujin who made the decision.
“We should go to Mother first. Who knows if she’s even keeping our father in the dungeon anymore? For all we know, she’s planning to use him as leverage.”
“You think she’d be so ruthless?” Aeis gasped, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
I hugged her tightly, having not seen her since before the battle. Pulling back, I gave her a once-over, but besides a few bruises and cuts, she was none worse for wear. “I see you’re still alive.”
Aeis snorted. “Those guys were barely a blip on my radar.” She adjusted the armor on her shoulder. “Hardly worth my time.”
The way the twins beamed at her even though we were about to take down their mother really said something about how much they cared for her. I wondered if she knew it too?
“Alright, let’s save the war stories for after we take back the castle.” Firestar raised a brow, and I shifted near him to loop my arm around his.
“Aye, aye, captain.” I mock saluted him with the other hand, earning me an eye roll.
“Well, I guess there’s no time like the present.” Raiden took a deep breath and then pushed the front door open. We followed him, poised and ready for any attack that might be waiting for us in the castle.
The entryway was clear, but as we rounded the corner toward the throne room, a few stragglers of Nariko’s army jumped out at us. Since Raiden and the twins were in front, they easily overtook them before the rest of us could even acknowledge we were under attack.
“Do you think that’s the last of them?” I asked in a quiet voice. I wasn’t sure I needed to whisper but better safe than sorry. For all we knew, the ones outside hadn’t been the only ones Lady Nariko had at her disposal. I knew if it were me, I’d have a bunch more men in reserve to guard me.
As if I had just jinxed us, in front of the throne room door was a dozen or more men, all heavily armored and ready for battle. My hand warmed with fire as I prepared to get the first attack in, but Raiden grabbed my wrist before I could hurl the fireball.
“Wait,” he whispered harshly, his eyes scanning the men, and then a broad smile spread across his lips. Raising his voice as he approached them, he said, “You’re not going to guard anything with your asses to your enemies.”
In one movement, the whole guard turned to Raiden. Their weapons lifted, and lightning crackled in their hands. That was until someone in their group called them off, and they lowered their weapons. A large, older man pushed through the group to greet Raiden.
“Well, better our asses than our honor.” He smirked at Raiden before clasping hands with him and bringing him in for a chest-bump hug. The two began to talk in quick, low voices, though I could catch enough snippets to know this was talk of peace and not a plan as to how we would now kill each other like civilized people.
“So, what exactly is going on?” I asked aloud while we made our way over to them, the threat obviously over.
“Those,” Raijin pointed out, with a gleeful look, “are our father’s personal guard. They’ve been on the inside all along, biding their time until we were ready.”
“And that man?” I cocked my head to the side. “Who’s he?”
“Why, that’s the captain of the guard, Gerald,” Fujin answered this time. “He was like our cool uncle when we grew up.”
“Oh, you grew up?” I smiled at them. “I couldn’t tell.”
Fujin threw an arm around my shoulder and laughed. “Out of all the women, my brother had to pick someone with a mouth like you.”
I nudged him with my elbow and
moved out of his embrace. “If you think I’m bad, then my sister has really been on her best behavior.”
Sidling up to Raiden, I bumped him with my shoulder as a reminder that we were still here. He glanced away from the older man and grinned as his arm wrapped around me, dragging me against his side.
“Gerald, this is the love of my life and mother of my future child, Maya Rose.” There was so much love and pride in his eyes, it made my heart and face warm.
I ducked my head and greeted Gerald.
“Well, it’s good to see someone was able to tame this wild child.” Gerald chuckled. “Now, if only someone would do the same for your brothers.” His gaze went over my shoulder to where the twins stood.
I grinned. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.” I glanced over my shoulder at my sister who was shamelessly flirting with the twins.
“I see that.” Gerald’s eyes slid away from them to me. “A family member of yours?”
“Sister, actually.” I winked.
With another chuckle, Gerald shook his head. “Ah, to be young.”
“I was just asking Gerald the situation in there,” Raiden explained, pointing his thumb toward the throne room door.
“How’s it going?” Firestar asked, having been unusually quiet for once. “Should we expect another fight?”
Gerald gave Firestar a curious look but shook his head. “No, we’ve secured the throne room. Lady Nariko is in there now with a few maids.”
“And our father?” Fujin asked, his expression no longer laughing but anxious.
“He’s still alive,” Gerald assured him. “Your mother might be a piece of work, but I think some part of her still loves your father and didn’t want to see him suffer. He had been moved to a room on the east wing and confined there, though we haven’t checked for ourselves yet.”
Raiden’s arm tensed around me, and I knew he was holding back the need to run to his father’s side and make sure he was alright. I wondered, if I was in his position, would I be so worried about my own father? My mother, sure, but my father hadn’t done much to gain my love. Maybe with some grandchildren, he would loosen up some. One could only hope.
Without warning, Raiden released me and pushed through the group. He yanked open the throne room door and stormed in. The rest of us scurried to catch up, not wanting to miss a moment of the drama that was sure to unfold.
Lady Nariko sat on the throne, having a cup of tea like it was a Goddamn normal day in the palace. Did she not even care about the men outside dying for her? I asked myself once again how such a woman could have given birth to such remarkable, selfless men.
Her dark hair was pinned in a complicated updo that I couldn’t even begin to figure out how to do myself, her dress a deep golden hue that I would never have worn, but somehow, she made it work for her. For all purposes, she looked like the queen she was pretending to be.
“My sons,” she cooed when she saw us approaching. “So nice of you to visit. I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”
“Cut the shit, mother,” Raiden snapped as he barreled toward her like a train on a track.
Lady Nariko placed her hand on her chest and gasped. “Language, Raiden. I thought I raised you better than that.” She sure had a knack for the dramatic.
“That was before you tried to whore out my mate,” Raiden snarled, his anger pulsating through the room. “Before you decided your need for power was more important than your family and your people.”
With a roll of her eyes, Lady Nariko sighed. “Don’t be so dramatic, Raiden. I didn’t choose power over you. I was trying to give you power. Power so you could be all that you could be and more.”
Raiden let out a bitter chuckle. “I have power, mother. More than I will ever need, and it was no thanks to you.”
“But what about your brothers?” she gestured to the twins waiting like silent volcanos just waiting for their turn to erupt. “Don’t they deserve the same? Or would you be so selfish to keep something like her” - she gestured a hand toward me with a sneer - “all to yourself?”
“Don’t talk to Maya that way,” Raiden growled, stepping in front of me and blocking his mother from my view. “Never, ever talk to her again. This is the mother of my child, who could have been your grandchild, but now all she will be is a reminder of what you have lost … if you live that long.”
“Would you kill your own mother?” Lady Nariko stared Raiden down, but he didn’t flinch. When she realized she would get nowhere with him, she turned her words toward the twins. “Fujin, Raijin, you can’t possibly agree with him. You’re the heirs to the throne. You know the costs of ruling. We must think of the whole above ourselves. Is one little girl worth losing the power she could give you?”
Fujin crossed his arms over his chest. “That little girl just took out your friend, Drac. I wouldn’t go talking like that about her if I were you.”
“Unless you want a big hole in your throne room,” Raijin added with a threatening growl.
Some would say that the twins were only standing up for me to earn points with my sister, but I wouldn’t. I’d known from the beginning that these guys were good. Like breaking-your-heart good. There was nothing they’d do to hurt an innocent. Not that I was that innocent but still, they weren’t like their mother.
“So, you’re just going to kill me?” She shifted in her seat. For the first time, worry made her face look pinched. When no one immediately answered, she jumped to her feet. “You can’t kill me. I’m the Lady of the East.”
“Not anymore, you’re not.” Gerald stepped forward and gestured to a few other guards to grab her.
She struggled against him, screeching and yelling, “You can’t do this. You obey my orders, not theirs. I am the Lady of the East.”
“Nariko,” Gerald’s voice boomed through the throne room. “You are hereby under arrest for treason. You will be taken to the dungeon where you will await a trail … if your husband is merciful enough to give you one.”
A bitter part of me hoped Lord Shen wouldn’t be merciful, but the part of me who didn’t want Raiden and the twins to suffer any longer disagreed. I also tried to think about what I would do if I was in Lord Shen’s position. If it were Firestar, Jack, or Raiden who had betrayed me. Could I kill them? My gaze moved over to them, and my heart ached.
It would kill a piece of me to hurt them. Even if they wanted me dead, I wasn’t sure I could do it, and I prayed to God I never had to find out.
20
We waited in the throne room for the twins and some guards to bring Lord Shen back. They had already taken Lady Nariko down to the dungeon. Probably a good thing too, since my patience with her nasty words was being sorely tested.
They found Lord Shen exactly where Gerald had said he would be. He looked like he had aged thirty years since the last time I had seen him, but overall, he was in good health. I knew he was happy to see his sons at least.
I stood off the side as Lord Shen hugged each of his sons, one after the other. The reunion would have made the strongest of us tear up. Being that I was pregnant, I didn’t even have a chance.
My sniffles drew Lord Shen’s attention, and he walked toward me. “Look at you,” Lord Shen grinned, urging me to hug him. “You’ve grown quite a bit since I last saw you. I hope you are taking good care of yourself.” He held me tightly before patting my stomach.
I forced myself not to lash out at him. He’s just been held prisoner for months, he could touch my stomach. Once. After that, it was hands-off. If I let it be known that it was okay to touch my belly, then everyone would take that as permission to rub it like I was some kind of dog begging for a scratch.
An arm came around my shoulders, pulling me away from Lord Shen. I glanced up at Raiden with a thankful expression. “Father, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
Lord Shen’s brows furrowed at his son’s serious tone. “What’s that? You’re not splitting up, are you? Not with a baby on the way. What would pe
ople think?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. And I thought Lady Nariko had been the dramatic one.
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Raiden shook his head and waved a hand in front of him. He placed his hand on my stomach and smiled down at me. “Maya isn’t just having my child, she’s having our children.”
We watched together in growing amusement as Lord Shen tried to process Raiden’s words. It was easy to tell when he figured it out. His eyes widened, and a delighted grin covered his face, making him look younger than he had in a while.
“Children?” he asked, laughter in his voice. “As in more than one?”
“Three to be exact.” Firestar moved in next to me and slid his arm around my waist.
“Wow, three.” Lord Shen chuckled and glanced at the twins who were, as usual, with my sister, whispering amongst themselves. “I thought twins were bad. I can’t imagine having three of those little hellions all at once.”
Giggling, I placed my hand on top of Raiden’s. “We’ll manage. Besides, I have three wonderful fathers to help me.”
“That you do,” Jack agreed, moving in next to Firestar. “And we’ll be here for you every step of the way.”
“You better.” I snorted. “You’re the ones who put them in me, and if you think I’m hormonal now, just wait until my third trimester.”
The look of utter mortification that covered all three of their faces was worth every second of discomfort I was sure to have in the months to come.
“I remember your mother in her third trimester.” Lord Shen grinned, a twinkle in his eyes. “She was a feisty one, but with all the griping and complaining came a lot of random needs for …” His voice trailed off with a wag of his eyebrows.
“Ew, come on.” Raiden made a face. “I don’t want to hear about you doing it with my mother.” He smirked down at me. “Though I won’t complain if Maya needs more physical attention.” He leaned down and kissed me on the nose as I swatted at him.
“Sorry to interrupt the direction of this conversation — oh wait, no, I’m not.” I gave Raiden a warning look. “But have you thought of what’s going to happen now?”