Neel’s voice rang out as he continued his father’s story. “Knowing this now, you will be able to see the severity of the next part of this story. Despite the fact that she had been harshly abused by the Elders and Valkyries who were supposed to protect her, she had not broken. She began to train with us in order to assess her situation. One night, however, she disappeared. This wingless girl, this hope for our future, was suddenly missing from her room. Imagine our surprise, our horror, our disgust, when she was eventually found in the company of Valkyries. Trusted Valkyries who had orders to protect her. They weren’t protecting her. Instead, they tortured her. They tore her apart, poisoned her; they tried to destroy her. Yet, she managed to hold on. She fought to survive. After days of agony—days of healing herself—she came back to us, this time bearing wings.”
“Four Valkyries were responsible for her torture. Two have already been dealt with as they were members of the Palace Guard.” This time the hisses were loud and emphatic in response to the king’s statement. A betrayal by any member of the Palace Guard was an act of treason and punishable by the removal of wings, imprisonment, or death at the joint decision of the king and Captain of the Guard. I had not asked what became of Cecilia’s co-conspirators, nor had I actually wanted to know. All I really wanted to do was forget them. “The third and fourth assailants were not members of our Court. Instead, they were high-ranking Valkyries known to Lady Emberly from her time in Scottsdale, and they were the reason that she was initially brought to us. It is their trial that you are all here to bear witness to.”
Surprising me, it was Lady Dierdre who was next to speak. “They have been interviewed. Questioned. Their responses researched. This is not a decision that has been made lightly by this Court. Due to both Valkyries’ inability to remain calm or rational, they will not be testifying in open Court today. This is a viewing of the Court as their verdict is read.”
“Their claim is simple. We are misguided in our information and research. They were encouraged by other individuals to remove Emberly. Our information and research is solid and has been verified by multiple sources. There is no proof available that anyone else besides they and their cohorts were involved in the planning or execution of these terrible acts. Due to this, my judgment is that Cecilia Blagden and Lynn Trener acted to kill. Cecilia willingly requested Palace Guards to violate their oaths in her service. Mistress Lynn blatantly abused the rules of her position as training mistress and acted specifically to harm and to violate royal decree. Therefore, both Valkyries are sentenced to death. Their execution shall be carried out in Executioner’s Tower on a later, undisclosed date.” Murmurs of objection rolled across the room. “This is not meant to be a public spectacle. The reason this sentencing is public is twofold. It is to announce Emberly’s status and to emphasize the severity of four Valkyries’ actions. I do not sentence anyone to execution lightly. In this case, I have no choice. Their execution will be private. Their deeds are enough to speak for them.”
This time it was Jett who stepped forward, drawing all eyes to him. “No more rumors. No more threats. No more talk of curses. Lady Emberly is ours, and she will be treated with the respect deserving of her station as our mate and the future mother of Queens. Disrespect will not be tolerated. This is the last we will discuss these events.” As he stepped back into our group, the Court began to bow. The situation was surreal. I had been ignored or abused by the masses most of my life. I was sure the effect of the bow was meant for King Anyil, his ladies, and the princes rather than for me. It didn’t make it any easier to understand. Slowly, the Court began to filter from the room as they lifted from their bows.
“Good girl,” Jett’s voice was barely a whisper by my ear, only for me to hear. After the last member of the Court was gone, I felt my princes relax behind me, loosening their posture and falling back into comfortable positions.
“Well, that went better than I expected.” The king ruffled his hair as he studied me. “Emberly, we haven’t had a chance to speak. I apologize for that. I want you to know you are welcome in our family. For now, however, I believe you should return to the rooms you are sharing with my sons. I am sure this has been extremely stressful for you.”
“Your Majesty?” I was confused. If I was being welcomed into their family, why was I being removed?
His eyes were gentle, his smile soft. “There are political issues which you are not yet privy to. You will be. The time now is for decision making, not for asking questions or giving explanations. My sons will not want you to sit idly in the meeting. They will try to fill you in, and not give their full attention. Unfortunately, this is not the time for that.”
“But, Father, I could - “ Hunter began, reaching out his hands in entreaty.
“No, Hunter. Saradin is too volatile. The issues too complicated. I need all of you, and I need your full focus.” I sucked in air, the hiss louder than I expected. Saradin was our nearest neighbor. Our relationship with them was tempestuous but had been held in check by our king for years now.
“I understand, Your Majesty. I will gladly retire to my rooms.” I sent my mates a smile. I would be waiting for them to finish and soon, I would take my place at their side. With a small bow, I left the throne room, heading back to our chambers. Maybe a bath would help clear my head. Surprising me, the ladies all reached out to clasp my arm as I passed. I bit my lip as I caught the edge of my wing on something sharp. Would I ever get used to these and stop looking like a fumbling youngling?
I had only gotten a few yards from the throne room entrance when the edges of my vision began to blur. My mouth was dry, my heart racing. I tried to call for Tesha or my princes. Not again. Why would this happen again? Part of me was focusing on staying upright, to getting back into the room, to getting help. The other part of me was furious. I was so tired of people messing with me. I lunged forward, reaching for the doors that held my salvation. Instead, I fell into the darkness.
Chapter Eighteen
My head was still spinning as I tried to sit up and get my bearings. I was so tired of someone getting the jump on me. I couldn’t even remember what happened. I pressed my fingers to my aching head, trying to think past the fog that was clouding my brain.
“I didn’t want to do this, you know.” The soft voice startled me, my eyes straining to make out shapes in the darkness surrounding me. I squinted into the shadows. I knew that voice, but I wasn’t sure how. “Why couldn’t you have just disappeared? The Elders were more than happy to bury you back where you belong, but you and those boys kept pressing and pressing.” My eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness, and I could feel the tingle climbing up my spine as I watched the blackness shift and swirl around me.
“What are you talking about?” I tried to keep my voice calm. I needed time. I needed the world to stop spinning so that I could find my center and have a chance of getting out of here. My princes had been right to train me. “Where am I?”
“You’re back in Scottsdale. In one of the unused dormitories.” The voice was still soft, too quiet for me to pinpoint more than the fact that I recognized it and it was female.
“Why?”
“To correct everything. You need to disappear, Emberly. I’m sorry.” I breathed deeply and evenly the way Tesha had taught me. The female had moved closer, that I was sure of. Instead of her voice coming from the distant shadows, it was nearly in front of me at this point.
“How does my disappearing correct anything? I’m mated to the princes. If I disappear, so will they. You don’t want them hurt, do you?” I was scrambling to get my balance. I was laying on the floor and didn’t want to risk moving too quickly yet. If she became aware that I was ready and willing to fight her to make it back to my princes, she might lash out quicker than I was able to defend against. I wasn’t willing to risk my princes for my pride. I sucked in a breath as light flared in the small room and a torch began to glow. My eyes stung fiercely at the sudden brightness that bloomed next to my face.
�
��It is my daughter’s turn to rule, Emberly.” Lady Dierdre’s smile was sweet, her hands cupped gently across her swollen belly. “You will not take this chance from her.” I bit hard on my tongue, trying to swallow the words of shock and disgust that wanted to spill from my lips. Lady Dierdre had drugged me? Taken me back to Scottsdale to get rid of me? This fragile, weeping, heavily pregnant female?
“My lady.” I tried to keep my tone deferential as I awkwardly bowed my head in my prone position. While I didn’t want to expose myself further, I also knew that she could not be operating on a fully functional level if she had gone this far.
She smiled and wiped away a tear. “I could have loved you as a daughter, Emberly. I am so sorry about all of this, but my own daughter must come first.”
I froze for a moment, trying to process what she had said. This was getting worse faster and faster. “My lady, you cannot be carrying a daughter. A queen hasn’t been born in centuries, and you are not a Guardian. Your son could rule, though. The princes may be next in line to rule at the moment, but the king could acknowledge your son as an heir as well. Nothing is set in stone.” My tone stayed low and calm. Years of remaining still and calm through abuse had lent me the skill, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for it than I was in that moment.
She simply shook her head, the soft smile never leaving her lips. “A mother knows, Emberly. I’ve known from the moment I conceived that I would be the one to bear a new queen for our people. That my daughter would return our people to their glory and usher in a new age. I had no desire to eliminate the princes. I view them as sons. I know the other ladies and my king will mourn their loss. They will recover though. My daughter will give them the strength they need to rebuild.” She gently stroked her stomach as she rocked and hummed under her breath. “I don’t understand what you had against her, Emberly.”
My head was still spinning, more in confusion now than in regards to whatever drug I had been given. “Against whom, my lady?”
“My daughter, of course. I knew from the moment in the throne room when we met. You’ve been draining her of strength. You want the throne for yourself.” Her face had hardened slightly, though her hands never stopped moving and stroking. “I will not allow you to drain her for your use any longer. I had hoped you would stop on your own; that you would realize that stealing from an innocent baby was cruel. Yet you haven’t stopped. I can feel her getting weaker with every day as I watch you strengthen. It needs to end, Emberly. You won’t do it yourself, so I am forced to do it for you.” Even with her being heavily pregnant, I knew a fight against Lady Dierdre would be a struggle. I had made strides in my training, but I was still new at combat. Having been chosen by the king, Lady Dierdre would have had years of extensive and meticulous training. I wouldn’t go down without a fight, however. My princes and Tesha would all be searching for me. I had to trust that my training could keep me alive until one of them reached me. I didn’t want to be responsible for killing - or even injuring - the king’s pregnant lady.
I knew I had to get up off of the floor, and i had to do it quickly. Staying prone was dangerous. Though getting up without startling Lady Dierdre into action would be a risk, it was better than waiting for the strikes I knew were upcoming. I could hear Tesha's voice in my head, urging me to get up and get into a defensive position. I bit down hard on my tongue, using the pain to help me focus and clear my head. I would have one chance to get on my feet and get balanced. I doubted Lady Dierdre would give me another chance if she saw what I was doing.
"Stealing from her?" I wanted to keep her talking. If she was raving and pacing, she wasn't paying as much attention to me. It gave me a better chance to get up and get my footing stable before I would be subjected to whatever attack she was planning for me.
"You brushed against me during your introduction in the throne room. When you did, my daughter stopped moving. I thought it was a coincidence at first. That she was having a slow day. The stronger you were getting, the fewer movements she began to make. I watched you grow, gain your wings, get more confident as every day passed. It was the only explanation. You were pulling strength from her to make your changes. Once I figured out what was going on, I realized it had to be stopped. I encouraged Cecilia to do it for me." Lady Dierdre cradled her stomach, methodically stroking as if she couldn't stop.
My chest tightened at her words. She had encouraged Cecilia? I would never have thought her capable of that kind of deceit. Apparently, I should have. If she had acted that quickly, she could never have been stable. "You told Cecilia to poison me?"
"Of course." Lady Dierdre shook her head, as if disappointed in me, her mouth pinched tightly. "It's not as though that venom is easy to get, even for a strong Valkyrie. She was more than happy to do so. Seeing you train with the princes every day, watching you have the life she had pictured for herself. It wasn't hard to encourage her to follow her desires." Her hand froze on her abdomen, her eyes vacant as she stared ahead. "But you refused to die. You took all of her strength to save yourself."
Pushing aside the dizziness and nausea that still plagued me, I took advantage of her distraction and surged to my feet, slightly opening my wings to achieve better balance and quicker movement. I winced at the pain as my crushed and twisted feathers caught the breeze. A deeply ingrained fear struck my chest. Depending on what was damaged I may never be able to use my wings again. I swallowed the fear, waiting for Lady Dierdre to move towards me. Tesha's training taught me that the first move would be swift and brutal, especially if your partner is weaker than you are. Instead, Lady Dierdre backed away from me, her face still twisted and her hands cradling her stomach.
I froze, confused by the reaction. Why would she back away from me? That went in complete opposition to all training that a Valkyrie would receive. Was she afraid of me? She knew I had training but nothing as extensive as hers would have been. If anything, her lack of sufficient knowledge of my training would make her strike even quicker, to avoid any surprises. Yet, she made no move to either strike or balance herself for a forward movement. She seemed intent on staying outside of my reach. Was it possible that her lack of sanity was going to be my salvation? If she really believed I could drain her or her baby with a touch, she wouldn't want to get within arms reach of me. I continued to use my wings for balance, widening my stance and raising my arms to ward off any surprise attack she had planned.
"Don't touch her!" Lady Dierdre's voice was high and sharp, her arms wrapped tightly around her burgeoning stomach as she glared at me. Surprising me, her body jerked as she gasped before taking yet another step backward.
"My lady, let me get you some help." I doubted anyone but my princes would believe what was happening here, but I really didn't want to hurt a pregnant woman who had lost her grip on her mind.
"No!" The word was a snarl. "You need to die! Then she'll be born with all of her strength!" The words were a breathless gasp. Was it possible? I watched her closely, studying the way she paced and the twist of her lips.
"My lady, are - " I trailed off, unsure if asking the question would make Lady Dierdre more upset and dangerous. "Is the baby coming?" I was hesitant, prior to the revelation, to strike out at her. Now I was in a complete panic. I needed assistance, and I needed it quickly.
"She'll come as soon as your gone." The snarl faded away, and the look on her face was pleading, her eyes soft and damp as she studied me. "Please, Emberly. Do it yourself. I don't want to have to hurt you. Make it quick for yourself and your mates. They're my sons too. Do it swiftly, so none of you have to suffer."
"My lady, you know I can't. Your child is on its way. You need your nurses and you need them immediately. I don't have much experience in childbirth." I tried to plead with her, shifting slightly to back her a little more towards the wall.
"I'll call them. I'll call everyone. You just need to be gone first! If you aren't, she won't be strong enough!" Her words were panicked, her motions frantic again as she rocked and stroked. A cry was dra
wn from her lips as she froze in her movements. I knew the pain had to be intense for a Valkyrie to call out. Her labor must be further along than I had previously assumed.
"How close are the pains, my lady?" I took another step towards her, herding her into the corner.
"Don't touch me!" She threw up her hands, warding me away. She was panting at this point. "Emberly, if you won't do it yourself, I will do it for you." Fumbling behind her, she pulled out a shortened spear she must have hidden from my view in her waistband. "Last chance. Make the smart choice." Her face was pinched in pain as she cocked her arm, balancing on the balls of her feet as she prepared to launch her spear.
"Alright. Alright." I murmured the words, trying to soothe her. No matter how strong she was, the birth of her child would put her out of commission in short order. The pains seemed to only be minutes apart at this point. It wouldn't take much longer before the baby was born.
"Now, Emberly. Or I'll take over. I can launch a spear faster than you can run." Her breathing was rhythmic, her attention torn between her fear of me and that of her child.
"I will, my lady. Let me help you, and I will." Just a little longer. I had to stall her just a little bit longer.
The Valkyrie's Princes Page 18