The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  He needed to stop thinking about it. There would be time to tell his family everything after they had time to dote over him the way he knew they would. Maybe then he would have enough energy to stand on his own two feet.

  “Let’s get him inside. The physician will be waiting.” Cadell slid his hand under Edric’s other arm to ease some of the weight from the King’s shoulders. Grateful for them both, Edric leaned into their hold, a heavy sigh escaping him as a wave of dizziness overcame him, swaying unsteadily. Noticing his struggle the two men tightened their grasp, lifting Edric off the ground to remove the last of his weight from his feet. Edric didn’t have the strength to retain his already tenuous hold on consciousness. Despite his attempts to cling to the light, he felt it slipping away, the images of his father and Cadell growing dim until they were nothing more than shadowy figures guiding him forward to the palace entrance. He didn’t need to fight it anymore. The worst was over. He was finally home.

  Edric awoke to the feeling of someone gently shaking him, whispering his name loudly to pull him from his slumber. Groggy from sleep he managed to open his eyes, a blurry image of Cadell’s face appearing in his vision. “General? What is it?” His voice was hoarse, coming out as nothing more than a cracked breath. “Is something wrong?”

  “Do you have some strength in those legs of yours yet?” Cadell tapped Edric’s knees from atop the blanket. “My son is asking for you, and your sister insists that you be summoned.”

  Instantly Edric’s mind cleared, going over in his head all of the reasons why they would call for him. The baby? Was something wrong? “General, what is going on? Is my sister alright?”

  “Your sister is fine. Can you stand?”

  “I… I’m not sure.” He was already forcing himself to an upright position, Cadell’s hands helping to remove the blankets which covered him. For days he had been trapped in his bed. It didn’t matter if he had the strength to walk or not; he was determined to find a way. The task of rising from the bed was simple enough until his weight settled over his knees. Immediately he felt them start to tremble, reaching for Cadell to keep himself from falling, his teeth gritted, obstinate. He would do this. Nothing was going to stop him.

  Cadell extended his arm for Edric to hold onto, making no move to grab onto him or aid him in his efforts. He knew Edric too well. He shared the stubbornness of his parents which the General had learned to handle over the years. Edric was grateful for it. The last thing he wanted was to be seen around the palace being carried like some invalid.

  It was a grueling task. Every step left him winded, gasping for air, his fingers tightening their hold over Cadell’s arm to keep from crumpling to the ground from exhaustion. He found himself cursing the size of the palace. The hallway between his chambers and Aiva’s felt like miles, tedious in their length. So often he wanted to give in and allow Cadell to carry him the rest of the way but he couldn’t. He didn’t want Aiva to see him that way. She’d suffered enough during their absence. It wouldn’t do her any good to know the extent of Edric’s injuries. Knowing her, she would blame herself for them, convinced that she could have somehow prevented it if she’d been able to accompany the soldiers to Ethrysta.

  By the time they reached the antechamber Edric felt himself finally getting his stride with some ease, hindered only by the burning in his lungs from the exertion. The muscles in his legs continued to shake but he refused to give in. Pausing inside the door he looked around at all the familiar faces seated throughout the room. His brothers and sisters were all present, quickly rising to their feet at his arrival. Ehren was the only one who lingered back as they rushed toward him, his sisters catching him in a warm embrace, uttering praises to see him doing better. Locked in their arms he felt himself start to choke up. While in Ethrysta he’d given little thought to how much he missed everyone but faced with them now he was reminded of how long it had been since he heard their voices. It meant so much to have his family surrounding him again. He caught Ehren’s solemn gaze, beckoning him to come closer. A soft smile crossed his brother’s lips as he accepted Edric’s urging, stepping in to join the cheerful reunion.

  From over their heads and shoulders he could see the Consul and his wife, standing a few feet away with Jaslyn and Soren. Herryk nodded to Edric politely, Danil following his father’s lead with a courteous bob of his head. Calie and Valeska made their way over to the General, their usually solemn expressions replaced with pleasant smiles, gently working to pry Edric’s siblings away from him. “You should let him through. Your sister is waiting.”

  At the sight of so many cheerful faces Edric couldn’t hold onto the fear of something being wrong. They were too happy. And judging by the absence of his parents, he could only think of one reason why they would have summoned him while in his condition.

  Excitement filled him, carefully pushing through the others to clear the path toward the door. Overcome by the thought of Aiva having given birth, he didn’t care about the weakness in his legs, releasing his hold on Cadell’s arm to support his own weight as he moved across the room. He had been present when Shaelyn and Herryk had their child, and when his mother gave birth to Audri, but this was somehow different. This was Aiva and Callum. The two people who had meant the most to him for so long. They deserved happiness for all the torment they’d endured over the years.

  A wave of dizziness came over him as he reached the door, grasping the handle to regain his composure before stepping inside. The door had barely opened when he heard Aiva’s voice call out to him, her blue eyes sparkling in the bright candlelight. “Edric! You came!”

  “Of course I came,” he smiled, shuffling forward to where Aiva sat up on the bed, resting lightly against the headboard. Callum was at her side, leaning forward over Aiva’s shoulder to something held there in her arms. He couldn’t remember ever having seen them so happy. Callum’s face was alight, a sense of pride evident on every feature, grinning widely at Edric as he came closer to the bed.

  “We wanted you to be the first to meet our daughter,” he beamed. All traces of the sadness which had haunted Callum for the past several months were gone. It warmed Edric’s heart to see him smile again, his arms wrapped protectively around Aiva and the baby. “I expected my father to be with you. Can it be that you are starting to regain your strength so soon?”

  Edric chuckled to himself, aware of the trembling in his knees, resting a hand against the bedside table to keep upright. “You know I would have crawled here if I had to.”

  “Come,” Aiva patted the mattress beside her. “You should not be on your feet. If you sit down, I will let you hold her.”

  “Oh, I’m not sure I should…”

  “Nonsense. I will be right here,” she insisted.

  Uncomfortable at the thought of holding something so fragile and delicate as a newborn, Edric let his gaze drift around the room, casting a hesitant glance to his parents, his mother motioning him toward the bed. They all appeared to have more faith in him than he did. Still, he wanted to hold the child. His niece. The future heir of their family. “What is her name?” he asked, slowly lowering himself onto the bed. Carefully Aiva slid closer, gently placing the baby in his arms, making sure he kept a secure hold against his chest. In awe at how tiny the child was, he stared down at it, the brilliant blue glow of her eyes peeking out at him from under the blanket wrapped around her to keep her warm.

  “We decided to pay homage to the Queen’s mother,” Callum smiled, nodding politely toward Edric’s parents. “Aiva was rather fond of her grandmother’s name, so we settled on Sarai. It is fitting, I think.”

  “Sarai Levadis,” Edric nodded, lightly pressing the blanket away from the baby’s face to get a better look. “Yes. I think she will make a wonderful Queen, some day.”

  “You will have to keep an eye on her, Captain. She has Evantine blood in her. I imagine she is going to keep you on your toes,” the King chortled. His wife playfully swatted at his arm, shaking her head in disagreement.

>   “We are not that bad. Perhaps a bit stubborn.”

  “Even worse, then,” Callum chuckled, leaning forward to place a loving kiss on Aiva’s cheek. “That trait also runs rather high with the Zerne line. We are going to have our work cut out for us.”

  Surrounded by so much joy, Edric couldn’t help feeling the familiar weight of sadness start to creep over him. He was happy for them. Callum and Aiva would make the best parents of anyone he knew. But somehow he couldn’t help thinking of Neomi. Regardless of whether she ever carried a child herself, she would have loved to see little Sarai. And maybe she would. There was still no word on the General’s retirement celebration. It was possible Chief Okivra would bring his family to Tanispa out of respect for the aid the Vor’shai had given during their time of need. The least he could do was venture south for a day or two and present his gratitude to the King and Queen personally.

  The thought made him want to laugh. The Ovatai showing gratitude? Edric didn’t think they were capable of it. He wondered if anyone had even given a simple “thank you” to Callum before they departed Nahedu. That would have been better than nothing at all.

  “You are far away in your head, Edric,” Callum’s voice cut through the haze of Edric’s thoughts. “Maybe we were selfish in calling you here. You should be resting.”

  “No… no, I think it is good for me to be moving around some,” Edric argued, forcing a smile as he handed the baby over to Aiva’s arms once again. He didn’t want to risk dropping the child while in his distracted frame of mind. “I was just thinking about how busy the two of you are going to be the next few months. With little Sarai, and the General’s retirement… I have to assume there will be a celebration for your promotion as well.”

  Callum’s expression softened. There was no hiding the truth from his friend. He could read the despair in Edric’s eyes, recognizing immediately what troubled him. “We have decided to make it a larger celebration than originally planned. My father will announce his retirement and present me with my promotion in the same evening. In turn, I intend to pass on the title of Captain to Gadiel. He has more than earned the title for the work he has done.” He paused, considering his words carefully before continuing. “Invitations have already been sent. The Mialan King and Queen will be in attendance. A courier was sent to Ethrysta as well, but you know the Ovatai tend not to give their decision at the time of receipt. It is our hope that they will choose to come, however.”

  So an invitation had been sent. It was comforting, though only mildly. There were a number of factors which would prevent them from coming. Chief Okivra had been injured severely during the battle. Depending on his recovery, it was possible he wouldn’t be up to the journey so soon. Still, there was a chance he might send Onuric and Neomi. They were both familiar with the Vor’shai now. Perfectly capable of handling themselves within the foreign culture without their father present. He had to hold onto the hope. It was the only thing he had left which kept him from going mad.

  Satisfied that Sarai was safely back in Aiva’s arms, Edric shifted his weight on the mattress, slowly rising to his feet, wobbling unsteadily. His father was at his side, hand extended. Prepared to grab him in case he fell. “I think you have had enough exercise for one day,” he said firmly, giving an apologetic nod to Aiva and Callum. “The others will be anxious to see the new addition to our family. I will send them in after Edric is returned to his room.”

  “I’m fine, Father. Do not wait on account of me. I am sure the General would like to see his grandchild.”

  “He will,” the King nodded decisively. “I intend to see you to your room personally. Valeska and Cadell can see the child while we take our leave. When I return, your brothers and sisters can accompany me.”

  Something about the way his father spoke told Edric that it wasn’t up for discussion. When the King voiced his intentions, they were firm. There would be no arguing against them. “Very well,” Edric conceded, averting his eyes to stare down at the floor. It made him uneasy to think of why his father would insist on walking him back. Had he heard about what happened in Nahedu? Did he know about Neomi? Panic flared through him, his pulse racing, fearful of what he might say about the matter. He couldn’t be too angry if he’d allowed the invitation to be sent. At the same time, there was no way to know exactly what the invitation said. It was possible that Neomi was excluded from the guest list without Callum being made aware. Whatever his father’s reasons were, Edric would find out soon enough.

  The trip back to his room seemed to take longer than he recalled it being before. He dreaded what his father would have to say while simultaneously he wanted to hear it. He needed to know what his family’s decision was in regards to him and Neomi. If they wouldn’t support him, he would know that his only option was to run away if he intended to make things work. His hope was that it wouldn’t be necessary, but it was too difficult to read his father. He never looked angry. In comparison to usual, his father appeared quite relaxed. Nothing the way Edric expected him to look if he was about to shatter his son’s heart.

  “Go ahead and lie down,” his father motioned him toward the bed. Edric peered at him, unsure if he wanted to do what was being asked. Lying down was the last thing he wanted to do if he was about to receive bad news.

  Uncertain, he settled himself on the edge of the bed, making no move to get comfortable. “Is there something wrong, Father?”

  The King’s head tilted to one side, amused by Edric’s question. “Wrong? No. I cannot say I would consider it wrong. But there are a few things which have come to my attention and I think it best if we discuss them now before anything gets worse.”

  “What sort of things?”

  “Let us not start like this.” Gracefully his father sat down on the bed beside him, placing his hand over Edric’s. “Would you like to tell me about your time in Ethrysta?”

  He knew. It was embarrassing to think that Callum or Ehren had come to his father about any of it without his knowledge. He didn’t want to believe that Callum would say anything. Everything they experienced in Ethrysta had been personal. Edric kept his promise in not revealing Callum’s hesitation to accept the position of General. Why would he in turn reveal Edric’s deepest secret to the few people who were capable of crushing him? “Ehren must have said something…”

  “What would Ehren have said?”

  “Father, why do you torture me? I know you already have the answers you seek to pull from me.”

  “I know what I have heard, but until I hear it from your lips, I can never know the extent of the truth. You can trust me, Edric. I like to think I have never given you reason to keep secrets from me. Have I ever been so unreasonable that you cannot tell me what weighs on your mind?”

  “No. I simply would have preferred to come to you myself rather than to have someone else bare my problems while I was indisposed.”

  The King nodded, tapping his index finger over Edric’s hand where his ring once had been. “Callum and your brother did not come to me. I may have a great deal on my mind with business and politics, but I’m more observant than you might think. When the family crest disappears from the hand of my son, I take notice of such things. I confronted Callum about it on our way from Ethrysta. He was disinclined to answer my questions at first, but eventually I managed to pull the truth from him. It is the reason why we chose to extend the invitation to the entire It’aryn family instead of just the Chief and his son, as is usual for our social gatherings.”

  “Then you know where it is and who possesses it. There is little more for me to say on the matter.”

  Gently yet firmly the King placed his fingers against the side of Edric’s chin, turning his head to face him. There was no disapproval in his gaze. In their depths Edric could see nothing but sympathy. “Edric, your mother and I understand your plight better than you might think. Callum said the two of you were concerned how we would react to the news of your relationship with the Chief ’s daughter, but I assure you we hold
nothing against you. In truth, we have no reason to be unhappy with the union.”

  Confused by his father’s admission Edric stared at him, unable to accept what he was saying. They weren’t unhappy with the union? How was that possible? “But she is not Vor’shai. The marriage would ruin the purity of the Levadis bloodline.”

  “Ruin it?” his father shook his head in disagreement. “You worry too much.”

  “I worry with reason! The purity of the line is why our grandmother refused to marry Uncle Enaes to the Mialan Princess when the proposal was offered.”

  “Your Uncle Enaes was in line for the Tanispan throne and the Princess was…Mialan. An inherent half-breed in her own right. Aiva and Callum have secured the line of heirs. The Levadis line is in no danger by allowing you to branch out, if you choose to do so.” His father exhaled, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You might find that the Ovatai are more respected by our people than any other race. Many legends would even imply that we are somehow descended from them. Whether or not this is true, we cannot argue the fact that the Ovatai share a strength similar to that of our own. The marriage would not weaken us. It would strengthen us. Perhaps not physically… but the alliance between us and the Ovatai would be forever secured. If Chief Okivra felt inclined to make an offer for his daughter’s hand, your mother and I would accept it without hesitation, if it is your desire. We only ask that you tell us if this is your wish.”

  The anger he had felt toward Callum at the thought of him speaking of Neomi to the King vanished at his father’s words. They would accept it? I must be hearing things…“I… Father, do you mean what you say?”

  “Do I ever not?”

  He was speechless. His heart swelled to realize that he had his parents’ blessing. The only setback now was Neomi’s father. Instantly the joy he felt started to wane, staring at his father, miserable. “It changes nothing, Father,” he sighed, forlorn. “The Chief would never make such an offer. When his son discovered that Neomi and I cared for one another, it was his intent to kill me. He nearly succeeded…” The King’s brow rose, stiffening at mention of Onuric’s hostility. Edric shook his head dismissively. “Do not worry about it. He must have gotten over the urge to take my life or he would have removed my head from my shoulders before allowing Callum to send me home.”