by Emma Harley
“So this is all a ruse to trick King Albior into handing over his crown?” Logan asked warily. Raina nodded stiffly.
“We’re adding a clause to our contract, if either of us dies before the annulment, the crown passes to our named heirs, not the living spouse. That should keep the thrones safe too,” she added gently. Taranis cocked his head slightly.
“Neither of you have children, who are you naming as your heirs?” he pointed out, pouring himself some wine.
“My elder sister will be my heir,” Kade stated, “the ridiculous rules in my country allow for a male to take precedence over a female and I think it’s abhorrent. My sister is almost seventy years older than me, she was fully prepared to be queen before I came along.” Raina shuffled slightly in her seat before turning to Ryver.
“I named Ryver as my heir,” she mumbled quietly. He shook his head sadly.
“I’m illegitimate, I can’t take the throne,” he sighed. Raina smiled and raised a finger.
“Our father can’t name you as his heir. I am heir apparent to the throne, as such I am not actually the monarch. Since I have no children, I can name any blood relative as my heir as long as they are of sound mind and body. Should you refuse the crown, it would pass to Prince Raubyn.” Taranis stood to let Ryver sit down as he tried to process the news.
“You would really name me as your heir? I haven’t been trained for the throne. I have no title either, despite my father being a king, I am not a prince,” he argued.
“I have less training than you but I’m still expected to sit on it. It’s a chair, I can’t imagine it would be difficult.”
“That’s not what I mean Raina.” She took a sip of wine and leaned back in her seat.
“You’re my closest blood relative. I was raised by a mother who shared no blood with me, and my most beloved people don’t share blood with me. Blood means nothing. I have to name an heir, and if you don’t want it, the crown will pass to Raubyn.”
Ryver was laced with worry and anxiety after Raina’s revelation, leading Davin to force his head roughly between his knees as the shock rattled through him in sharp breaths.
“Damn Ryver, I didn’t think it would be such a shock to you,” Raina mumbled, kneeling before him with a glass of water. He sipped it gratefully before leaning back in his seat.
“Sorry. It’s a lot to take in when one spends their life being told they are a bastard child and their only worth is serving the military.” Raina gave him a sympathetic head-tilt and patted his knee.
“The crown only passes to you if I die before our marriage is annulled. I don’t plan on dying just yet so calm down,” she chuckled softly. A loud ding rang through the cabin as they buckled in to begin their descent into Mordoire.
“My mate will be meeting us as we arrive. She is not yet aware of our plan but I believe she will go along with it, although I can imagine she will not be too happy with it all,” Kade informed her. Raina loosed a breath and shuddered.
“She just needs to think rationally. It’s not as if I’m keeping you away from her, we just need to keep this up for a short while. And I won’t be rubbing her nose in it either,” she sighed, her stomach tightening. A jealous mate might cause problems, especially if she couldn’t control her temper when Raina had to act loved up with Kade. The plane slowed to a stop and Kade led her down the metal steps to the runway.
She squinted in the sunlight, shielding her sensitive eyes with her hand as she tried to adjust to the brightness. A tall blond female dressed in a power suit came striding towards them, clutching a leather folder and followed by four very regal guards. She dropped into a low bow before Kade.
“Welcome back Your Highness,” she chittered, her tone strained slightly at the sight of Raina on his arm, “I will have the driver fetch your luggage immediately.”
Kade smiled softly at her before gesturing to Raina.
“Ceressa this is our guest, Princess Raina of Avellia. My father has granted her permission to visit the Halls of Ogma and I am to escort her and our other guests. I would like you to join us,” he offered, his tone urging her to understand that it was not a request. She nodded stiffly before turning her attention to Raina’s guards. “We will need a second car to accommodate everyone, allow me a few moments to have one readied,” she forced a smile and began speaking into her earpiece. Raina squeezed Kades arm.
“Ceressa can ride with us, I’ll bring General Taranis and Ryver in my car, the others can follow behind,” she suggested gently. Kade nodded and led her to the sleek white hummer that looked like it came straight from a sci-fi movie. He called over to Ceressa as Raina went over to the men, who were huddled together like scared penguins.
“For the love of all that is holy will you guys act like guards,” she hissed, “Ryver, you and Taranis are in the car with me and Kade. The rest of you follow in the car behind us.” JJ gripped her arm as she turned to leave.
“Will you be safe without us there?” he asked cautiously. Raina cocked an eyebrow and scowled.
“I think I can handle myself you know,” she forced out, glaring at the smirk on Logan’s face. She beckoned to Taranis and Ryver and got into the car with Kade. Ceressa’s jaw twitched as she sat down beside the prince, with Ryver on her other side. Kade motioned to her silently, pointing towards the blackened division that obscured the driver. As the engine started, he leaned down close to her ear.
“He’s one of my father’s men, we can’t discuss anything here,” he whispered, so quietly that she barely heard it even with her Fae ears. She nodded and said nothing. Any further attention she gave the prince would only serve to infuriate his mate, who was staring at Raina with a look she had only ever seen on men before she put a bullet between their eyes.
After over an hour of driving, Kade peeked out the window as the car slowed to a stop. He extended his hand for Raina to get out, and she noticed the soft graze across Ceressa’s hand was swiftly rebuked as she ripped her hand away from him.
Atop a mountainous hill sat a blindingly white marble structure, almost as bright as the setting sun itself. Kade waved his hand and produced glowing slips of parchment that he handed out to everyone.
“Do not take these off your person. The magic protecting the halls is incredibly strong, should you even sit this down, you will find yourself thrown from the building. Do not attempt to open any doors that are locked, and under no circumstances do you listen to the voices you hear. These halls are home to more than just books.”
The ominous warning made Raina gulp as she swung her handbag over her shoulder, glancing back at her friends. Izak pushed her forward slightly.
“Ladies first then,” he winked. Raina rolled her eyes and began climbing the winding stone steps that spiralled around the hill.
“Wuss.”
The parchment glowed brightly as she stepped through the barrier, feeling like she had just run through a waterfall and the wind had been ripped from her lungs. She looked back to ensure her team had made it through safely before carrying on ahead.
“So are you looking for anything in particular or would you just like a tour?” Kade asked curiously, his eyes fixed firmly on Ceressa’s slim frame above him.
“Well I was first considering a tour, but now I might look into this dark god behind the gate. Perhaps I could find some information on how to remove the curse from the shadow walker tribe,” she mused, panting slightly as they finally reached the entrance. Kade placed his hand on a golden sun embedded in the door in lieu of handles. It spun slowly before the doors clicked open, allowing them through.
Raina gasped in awe as she entered. A labyrinth of hallways lay neatly stacked side by side and atop each other like perfectly placed blocks, accessible only by the floating platforms that crept between each entrance. A small wooden desk lay before them, almost hiding the hunched figure that stared at them with tiny red eyes. Kade and Ceressa bowed as the figure fluttered toward them on gossamer thin wings. Raina dropped into a bow as well until the sprit
e landed before them.
“King Albior has granted permission for Princess Raina of Avellia to access the knowledge of the Halls. Would you be so kind as to…” The sprite almost flew into her face as it examined her carefully.
“So you are the mortal that has everyone in such a tizzy,” it interrupted, not even acknowledging the prince. Raina was gobsmacked for a moment, shaking her head to regain her senses.
“I beg your pardon?” she asked warily. The sprite was no bigger than a puppy, but she exuded a strange power that made Raina want to mind her manners. It extended a claw and beckoned her to follow.
“The oracle has been driving me crazy, insisting that you come to her immediately upon your arrival. Even the scholars have been rushing about preparing for your visit.” The sprite flew into her face and examined her once more.
“You don’t seem very special. Why they think you’re so important is beyond me.”
Raina bit down a sarcastic remark as the sprite led her onto a platform before shoving a few of the males off.
“Too many heavy brutes! Wait your turn!” it hissed, swiping sharp little claws at them. Logan stayed on as the rest of her team waited on the floor, helping her off the platform as the sprite fluttered down the hallway. Raina waited patiently for the rest of her team as the sprite screeched at her to hurry up and leave the dead weight behind.
“The customer service here is abysmal,” Izak whispered. JJ chuckled in agreement, hurriedly turning his laugh into a fake cough under Raina’s disapproving eye. The sprite knocked grumpily on a large golden door.
“Rise and shine Oracle, the princess is here finally,” it snapped. The door creeped open and Raina tried to adjust her eyes to the dim light.
Instead of a room as she expected, it resembled a large cave. A glowing blue pool lay in the middle, surrounded by clusters of growing crystals and what smelled horribly like dried blood. The water rippled and pulsed as a stunningly beautiful creature emerged, standing on the surface like it were glass. The oracle looked like every mermaid princess ever described in a fairy tale, her skin faded into patches of iridescent scales around her neck and limbs. Barely a wisp of fabric covered her naked body, draped with rows of beaded jewels and a large conch shell that hung at her waist. Raina was too gobsmacked to notice that the males behind her had dropped into a bow.
“Give me your name,” she said, her voice glittering like the clearest ocean. Raina tilted her head slightly, her lips pursed.
“You’re an oracle, don’t you already know my name?” she asked cautiously. The Oracle tipped her head back with a tinkling laugh that sounded of windchimes.
“What do you like to be known as Your Highness?” she asked tauntingly, stepping off the pool and conjuring a chair from mid-air, “you do not want to be known as a princess. Your identity is almost disappearing is it not?”
Raina’s chest tightened, realising that Kade would hear everything she had hidden from him.
“My identity isn’t disappearing,” she countered, “I am happy the way I am.”
The oracle chuckled and gestured to yet another summoned chair. “No you are not. Even your deepest secrets are not secrets to me. But perhaps you would prefer speaking about those without your friends present?” Raina turned to the squad.
“Get out,” she snapped, pointing her finger to the door. JJ grinned smugly and sat cross-legged on the ground.
“Come on Raina, we’re like family. There are no secrets with us,” he teased as Izak sat down beside him, eagerly waiting for the oracle to divulge her secrets. The oracle bore her milky eyes into JJ before smiling softly.
“Would you like me to share your own mysteries? You seem quite eager.” JJ’s face dropped as the oracle chuckled. A loud click had them turning to the door as an intricate system of cogs sealed them in. the oracle stood with a sigh and wandered to her pool.
“My power is fuelled by mysteries and bargains. I cannot willingly gaze into the future and divulge its secrets until I receive an equal payment. Such is the balance of power. I can only look to the events that have already occurred. I know why you are here, and what it is you are looking for. But my power forbids me from freely handing you the information you seek until you make a trade,” she rambled, squatting down to trail her finger in the water.
Taranis scowled. “So you want us to tell you our secrets in return for information. How do we know you won’t use them against us?” he frowned, stepping slightly in front of Raina. The oracle smirked and summoned a circle of chairs around the pool.
“My powers do not work that way. I am confined to this room by the goddess who granted my abilities, otherwise I could have overthrown this world quite easily. I already know your secrets, but I cannot speak of them. You must freely offer them as payment for the knowledge you seek. One secret, and I will offer one answer to a question.” Taranis perched himself warily in the seat beside Raina, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The oracle didn’t even seem fazed.
“Do you believe that I would have permitted you into my lair if I had foreseen my death, Malakhai?” She gestured to the others to sit down as a tendril of water snaked up from the pool, splitting off into smaller tentacles that wrapped around their wrists.
“What are you doing?” Logan snarled, attempting to cut through the water with his blade. The oracle rolled her eyes as a tendril snaked its way around her scaled arm.
“Calm yourself Logan. This is a binding spell, ensuring that the secrets you offer cannot be divulged to anyone who seeks them.” Raina frowned as the oracle settled her attention to her.
“I have too many questions to be offering up all my secrets. What other payment will you accept?” she snapped, looking at the worried faces of her comrades.
“That is not how this works Raina. The deeper the secret, the more details I can provide in return.”
“How are we supposed to know what sort of secrets you’re looking for?” Ryver quizzed, “Aren’t the deepest secrets ones that we hide from ourselves?”
Raina’s look of confusion make the oracle laugh heartily.
“Oh my dear prince, what a poetic way of putting it. I’ll make it quite simple for you. I already know everything you hide from yourself. I can nudge you in the right direction,” she twittered, seemingly oblivious to the scowls from her visitors.
“May as well get this over with. Where is the weapon to defeat Erebus?” Raina huffed, panicking slightly as the rope of water tightened on her wrist. The oracle tapped her chin lightly and smiled.
“I want you to tell me about the man you love.” A chill ran down Raina’s spine as all eyes fell on her.
“No. Ask another question.”
The oracle tutted, giving her a toothy grin. “Rules are rules. That secret weighs heavily on your soul and I have deemed it worthy of an answer. No secret, no answer I’m afraid.” Raina breathed in sharply, blinking furiously as tears threatened to overwhelm her.
“Fine. I’m in love with Logan,” she snapped, “Is that what you wanted to hear?” The oracle grinned and nodded.
“The weapon itself is within Ogma’s Halls.”
Kade turned to Raina with a confused expression.
“You came here looking for a weapon? Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” he asked sternly.
“If I told you the truth your father would have been suspicious of me. I’m not some idiot princess, I was a general in the human world. I needed your father to grant permission for me to visit, and he wouldn’t have done that if he was suspicious of my motives,” she scowled. Kade sucked his teeth and forced a laugh.
“So your marriage alliance was all a ruse to get into the Halls?”
“Your marriage alliance?” Ceressa shrieked. Raina winced and shook her head.
“No, the alliance was all true, everything I said was the truth about that. I need to keep my country safe, and the deal still stands. I left out the part about me being a general because it was unnecessary.” Ceressa leapt to her feet, angrily pointi
ng a finger at Raina.
“You’re in love with someone else and you’re trying to take my mate away from me?” she snarled, her canines flashing.
“I’m not trying to take your mate, sit your ass down,” Raina roared, watching the female flinch at her tone, “the marriage will be a ruse so Kade can take the throne and be with you. Neither of us will be married off to anyone else if we marry each other. For example, someone else who will not allow him to see you or expect an heir from him, neither of which I will be doing. This is only to secure an alliance for the war and make sure that our countries will be kept safe.” Ceressa’s wild expression calmed as Kade placed a soothing hand on her arm.
“Raina is willing to do this for us Ceres, and once I am king we will annul our marriage and I will make you my queen.” He kissed her softly on the forehead as she turned to Raina.
“I’m sorry for losing my temper. Obviously I wish you were not marrying my mate, but I suppose the situation could be worse,” she mumbled, resting her head on Kade’s chest. The oracle observed them carefully, the glint in her milky eyes betraying her enjoyment at the drama.
“Well who is next? Any more questions?” she gleefully clapped her hands as Raina sat down, deliberately keeping her eyes on the Oracle.
“You said the weapon is within the halls, what is the weapon exactly?” Taranis demanded, his scowl deepening at the oracle’s games. She smirked at the general and raised an eyebrow.
“First, I want to hear what happened to your mate,” she requested, a tinge of sympathy lacing her voice. Raina raised an eyebrow as he loosed a warning growl at the oracle.
“Keep your answers you sick bitch,” he snarled, trying to rip the tentacle of water off his wrist. She frowned and tapped a manicured finger on the armrest.
“Oh come now Malakhai, surely you wouldn’t put your country at risk just to keep a little secret?” she taunted.
Raina and Ryver leaped to grab Taranis as he lunged for the oracle, shoving him back down into his chair. Raina grabbed his chin and forced him to look up at her.