by Mia McKimmy
When they materialized, Riana and Cy had Iggy by each arm, in order to keep him upright. Riana looked him in the eyes, pleased to see they were still open. “Are you okay?”
Iggy shook his mop of blond curls. “I think so. It feels like I’ve been on a whirligig.”
“It’ll pass in a minute,” Riana said. “See, I told you it would be easier this time.”
Iggy‘s eyes appeared as if he were focusing on a moving target. “It was better, but I wouldn’t call it easy.”
When they got inside the palace, the grand ballroom was set up like a huge auditorium. A dais covered one end, with two large golden thrones sitting in the center. Six chairs sat on each side of the thrones for the twelve members of the Royal Council. Hundreds of chairs were set up facing the stage for the audience.
Cy took them down front and seated them on the first row. “I have to go get my garb on.”
“You are going to look handsome in your, ‘garb,’ as you call it.”
“Yeah, well, you may change your mind when you see it. The cloak is about nine yards of crimson velvet with all kinds of Sivadian symbols embroidered in gold and silver. If you count the Sivadian crystals set throughout, it weighs around fifty pounds. Everything has meaning, but handsome is not what comes to mind when I think about wearing it.” Cy motioned to someone in the back, gave her a quick kiss and left.
Iggy stared at the thrones on the stage. “Are we going to live here after Cy becomes king?”
“No, we’re going to remain at the compound until we build a palace of our own. Right now, it’s the only place large enough to house all of the extra guards required when someone becomes king. Since there are three of us now, Cy plans to triple the number of guards the queen has.” Riana shook her head and smiled as guards took seats on each end of the row and directly behind them. “If he doesn’t calm down, we’ll be stepping on guards every time we turn around. I’m hoping after some time passes he’ll quit obsessing about our protection.”
Iggy shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve read his emotions, and he’s pretty intense when it comes to your safety.”
“I know, and I’m glad he loves us enough to want us safe. I wish he wouldn’t worry and stress over it though. He’ll probably make us live deep inside an isolated mountain.” Riana glanced around and laughed. “Kind of like this one.”
“Oh, yeah, I can totally see that happening,” Iggy agreed.
“Are you and Lily excited about our trip to Disneyland tomorrow?”
“Lily is.” Iggy fidgeted with the buttons on his jacket.
“What’s wrong, you don’t want to go?”
Iggy’s brows drew together. “It’s just that Lily keeps calling it, ‘The Magic Kingdom.’ I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but where I come from there was plenty of magic, and I never want to go back to a place like that.”
Riana placed her hand on his. “Iggy, Disneyland is only make-believe magic. It’s not real. They call it magic because it’s so much fun. Most humans know nothing about real magic, and find it fascinating. But if you don’t want to go, then we’ll go someplace else.”
“No, Lily really wants to go there. And if you say it’s not real magic, then I trust you.”
Oz, Analae, and Elle came in. Riana stood, giving them each a hug.
“Darling, you look beautiful,” Analae said.
“So do you, Mother.”
Oz shook Iggy’s hand. “So, Iggy, are you ready to become a Sivadian?”
“Yes I am. I told Cy, as long as I don’t have to drink blood like you guys, I’m good.”
Riana and Oz exchanged smiles. “No son, you don’t have to drink anything or change a thing about yourself. Asking someone to become an honorary member of our race means you are revered by the king and queen. Since we came to Earth, we’ve only done this twice. It’s something we don’t take lightly…the highest honor we bestow on a non-Sivadian.”
“Riana said it means you’re my family. That’s the part I like most.”
Oz placed his hand on Iggy’s shoulder. “Son, you are our family. For as long as you’ll have us.”
Iggy gave Oz a toothy smile, deepening the dimples in his cheeks. “Well, that’ll be forever.”
The rest of the Protectors came in right before the music started, indicating the coronation was about to begin. A blend of violins played a hauntingly beautiful melody as the Royal Council, dressed in long crimson robes, came in and took their seats.
Riana’s eyes widened as the queen entered, taking her seat on one of the thrones. She was beautiful and graceful. Royalty radiated from every pore. A sick feeling twisted in Riana’s stomach.
How could I ever be as regal as her? I hope there’s someone to teach you this stuff.
Since Cy decided to accept his title as king, she’d began having nightmares. Cy thought it was because of everything she’d gone through with Vind. She had no intention of telling him about her paralyzing fear of becoming a queen. If she did, he would refuse to accept what he was destined to become. Above everything else, his sense of fairness and protecting the innocent would make Cy one of the greatest kings their race had ever known.
Cy entered from the other side of the stage. She’d never seen anyone more breathtaking. He was every bit as majestic as his mother. He looked surreal as he took a seat on the throne beside the queen.
When the music stopped, Cy and his mother stood and faced each other.
“Cygan Cieran Turgeon,” the queen said. “Do you solemnly promise to govern the Sivadian race to the best of your ability?”
“I solemnly promise to do so.” Cy answered.
“Do you solemnly promise to uphold the laws of the Sivadian race?”
“I solemnly promise to do so.”
“Do you solemnly promise to preserve, protect, and defend the Sivadian race, placing them above all others?”
“I do solemnly swear these things before you, Queen Mother, Royal Council, and the Sivadian people. I will uphold these oaths until the time of my death, or it is deemed time for me to step down, foregoing the kingship to my rightful successor.”
A Royal Councilman brought forth a sword lying on a crimson pillow, and handed it to the queen. “Here is the royal sword, which King Cieran asked that you, his rightful heir, receive at the time of your coronation. By accepting this sword, it signifies that you will protect the race at all costs, as your father did, and his father before him.”
Cy took the sword by its hilt and laid it across his heart. “I do solemnly swear to protect the race at all costs, as my father did, and his father before him.”
The Royal Councilmen brought forth a crown, also lying on a crimson pillow. Cy knelt before his mother as she took the crown from the pillow. “I hereby crown you, King of the Sivadian race. Let your hand be your strength. Let justice and judgment, honor and mercy be your soul.” She placed the crown on Cy’s head. “May our king live forever.”
Cy rose and faced the crowd. As everyone stood, the cacophony of voices shouted. “Long live the king! Long live the king! Long live the king!”
As Riana watched Cy, tears stung her eyes. She was so proud of him, and her heart so full of love she could barely contain it.
“Thank you for your warm reception,” Cy said, addressing the crowd. “I am greatly honored to become your king. As most of you already know. Our enemies took my life-mate—your future queen and me captive, from which we narrowly escaped with our lives. Of all the privileges that come with serving as your king, I have none greater than honoring those who were courageous enough to come to our rescue.
“Of all the honors one can receive, there is none higher than the medal for valor. Sadly, some of those we honor today gave their lives during this conflict—their last full measure of devotion to our race. In the face of danger, these Sivadians possessed unwavering courage and selflessness in their duty to eradicate the enemy.”
Cy called everyone receiving honors to the stage, along with family members who
were accepting medals for the fallen.
Iggy looked at Riana with wide eyes. She patted his arm to calm him and whispered. “You stay here for now. Cy will call you up after them.”
“But I don’t want to go by myself.”
“It’s okay, Iggy. Don’t be frightened. Try pretending no one else is around, it’s just you and Cy.”
“I’ll try, but I don’t think it’ll work.”
Cy faced the group, addressing them as a whole. “For strength of will, and courage of heart in the face of battle, I hereby honor you with the medal of valor.” He called each person forward. As they knelt before him, Cy repeated the phrase again and placed the medal around their neck.
The medal was a gold circle, symbolizing Earth. A star set atop the circle, the edge inlaid with bloodstone, symbolizing Sivadia and the tears shed for its loss. A scene of the great Sewol Mountains of Sivadia was engraved into the star’s solid gold center. Those mountains were the last place any Sivadian set foot before their planet’s destruction. The metal hung from a crimson ribbon, bearing the royal emblem.
When everyone returned to their seats, Cy looked at Iggy and Riana. A slight grin lifted one corner of his mouth. “There are a couple more medals I have to give. These two are the bravest, and the youngest heroes I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Lily Magnolia Paolos and Ignasha Laufeyson, will you come up here, please?”
Lily and Iggy looked at each other wide eyed and jaws slack. Neither of them knew Lily would receive a medal. Riana and Kyra had decided to withhold that bit of information. It was hard enough dealing with Iggy’s excitement. If they’d known Lily was getting one as well, they would’ve bounced off the ceiling all week.
As Lily reached Cy, he bent to greet her.
“Hello sweetie.”
Lily threw her small arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. The audience burst into laughter. The fact that he was dressed in his kingly attire, didn’t intimidate her in the least. To her, he was just Cy, someone she loved.
Cy straightened and looked at the audience. “This little lady was also taken by our enemy. Even though she went through a frightful ordeal, my young friend never lost her courage. In my opinion, that is the true definition of bravery. Someone who is strong in the face of danger and does whatever it takes to come out on the other side. That is exactly what Lily did, and why I am awarding her a medal for bravery. Cy reached down and placed the medal around Lily’s neck.
Riana wiped tears from her face, and glanced over at Kyra, who was doing the same.
Cy and Lily kissed each other on the cheek. “Will you stand over there by the queen mother?” he asked.
Cy motioned for Iggy to come closer. He stood ramrod stiff, as if his feet were frozen to the floor. Cy moved closer and put his arm around Iggy’s shoulders. “I am extremely proud to present to you, Ignasha Laufeyson. If it were not for the actions and courage of this individual, Lily, my future queen Ayriana, and I, would have lost our lives. For that, I am eternally grateful.
“That is why the Royal Council, the queen mother and I, your king, are in agreement that Ignasha Laufeyson is hereby conferred the title of honorary member of the Sivadian race.”
The Council rose to their feet and applauded. The entire room followed. Iggy looked out at the audience with a frightened expression. He would take on a feeder five times his size, but this crowd of well-wishers caused him to paralyze with fear. Riana read Cy’s lips as he whispered to Iggy. “It’s okay. They are doing this in your honor.”
Cy waited until the crowd settled before continuing. “Ignasha will not only be an honorary Sivadian, he has agreed to become a member of our family, and will live with Ayriana and myself. Anyone who treats him as anything less than royalty, will answer directly to me.”
Cy stepped away from Iggy and picked up the final medal. “For strength of will and courage of heart in the face of battle, I hereby honor you with the medal for bravery.” Cy placed the medal around Iggy’s neck, and asked him to stand with Lily.
“There is one last thing I would like to do. Ayriana, would you come up here, please?”
Riana’s heart leapt to her throat.
I guess Lily’s wasn’t the only one getting surprised. Once she reached Cy, he took both her hands and kissed her lightly on each cheek.
“This is my life-mate, Ayriana. I am proud to announce that in a few short weeks, she will honor me by becoming my wife, and your queen.” Riana’s stomach knotted as everyone stood, applauded, and then shouted. “Long live the queen.” After the third exclamation, the audience took their seats.
“Thank you,” Cy said to the crowd. “Now, it is time to celebrate. If everyone will meet in the second floor ballroom, we have food, drink, and music. Enjoy your evening.”
Cy guided Riana off the stage. “You didn’t tell me you were going to do that,” she said, doing her best impression of being stern.
“I didn’t see a reason to make you nervous about an introduction.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her senseless. Her body melted into his as every cell came to life and called out to him.
“Guys,” Lily and Iggy sang out in unison. “Can y’all stop now, so we can go eat?” Iggy asked.
“Yeah we’re starving,” Lily added.
Cy and Riana smiled at the two of them standing there, not so patiently waiting. Cy reached over and tussled Iggy’s blond curls. “Come on, guys, let’s go eat.”
“And dance, don’t forget dance,” Lily said happily pulling Iggy forward by one arm.
Chapter 45
Riana and Cy stood at the entrance to the banquet room greeting people as they entered. She had shaken more hands in the last hour than in her entire life.
Riana nudged Cy and pointed to Lily and Iggy on the dance floor. He twirled Lily around and around, causing the full skirt of her dress to fan out like an umbrella. The joy radiating from them warmed Riana like the noon sun on a spring day. “They’re having a ball,” Riana said.
Oz walked up beside her. “I think that’s about the sixth song in a row they’ve danced to. Are you sure that boy doesn’t have ADHD? He can’t seem to sit still for long.”
Riana laughed. “Trust me, this is his calm mode. You should see him after he’s shifted from an insect. And, don’t even try carrying on a conversation with him. You’re lucky to understand a word every other sentence.”
A male dressed in a black tux was last in the line of greeters. “Thank God,” Riana whispered to Cy. “I’m ready to sit, have something to eat and enjoy watching the kids dance.” She glanced back at the dance floor. Iggy’s dance moves ground to a halt and his face no longer held the joy of only moments earlier.
Riana turned and looked behind her to see what had frightened Iggy. Something heavy knocked her off her feet and slammed her against Cy. A large, golden-brown blur flew past, and landed on top of the man who’d been at the end of the line. The huge lion released a loud roar, and then its mouth surrounded the man’s throat. Blood sprayed as the lion jerked back, revealing a large opening in the man’s neck. The lion collapsed on top of him and didn’t move again.
Riana turned and searched for Iggy. The air left her lungs when Lily ran toward them alone, screaming Iggy’s name. Riana and Cy pulled the lion off the man. A knife was imbedded in its chest. Lily threw her body across the lion and sobbed.
“Iggy!” Riana screamed. “We need to get him to a medical facility.”
“There’s a clinic on the next floor.” Cy, Oz and two other Protectors hefted Iggy’s lion form off the floor. The crowd gathering around the scene separated, allowing them to leave the banquet room.
As they entered the clinic and laid Iggy on the exam table, a large explosion vibrated the floor. Oz’s cell rang and he stepped into the hall to answer.
Riana and her mother started hunting supplies to remove the knife in Iggy’s chest.
“I need to see what’s going on,” Cy said, and then followed Oz.
Moments later, Cy came through
the door with Oz on his heels. As she took in the change in their demeanors, time ground to slow motion. Both were red-faced and angry.
“The hell I will!” Cy snapped. “I’m sure they’re trying to break Vind out. I’m not going to hide and let that happen!”
Oz pulled Cy to a halt. “You are no longer a Protector. You’re the king. I can’t guard you and fight at the same time. And I have no intentions of letting another king die on my watch.”
“That’s right, Oz. I am king, and if I say I’m going, then I am going!”
Oz shook his head. “God, you’re as stubborn as your father.”
“What’s going on?” Riana asked.
“We’re under attack. That explosion came from the dungeons,” Oz answered. “I need to round up the Protectors and get down there. I don’t have time to argue with you, Cy. Once they’re finished working on Iggy, find your mother and take them all to the safe-room.” He kissed Analae’s cheek and left.
Riana braced around Iggy’s wound with gauze. As Analae eased the knife out, Riana slipped the gauze over the entry wound and applied pressure.
The moment the knife left Iggy’s body, he changed back to his natural form.
Riana peaked beneath the gauze and then looked at her mother. “I don’t believe this. It’s already healing. We don’t even heal this fast.”
Cy’s mother came through the door. “I just saw Oz and he said we’re headed to the safe room. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing,” Cy answered. “Are there any medical supplies inside the safe room?”
The queen nodded. “There’s enough of everything to hold up there for a month if need be.”
“Good, let’s go.” Cy picked Iggy up, and they followed him down the large hallway.
Iggy tried to convince Cy to put him down so he could walk, but Cy ignored his complaints. They entered a hidden passage inside the queen’s office. She punched a code into the door and it opened. Riana looked around the large space. It was as large an apartment. Cy laid Iggy on one of the couches, only to have him spring to his feet as if nothing had ever happened to him.