A shocked gasp rushed over the growing crowd. Chigaru didn’t know what to make of Kitty’s words. He did know the middle of the palace garden surrounded by visiting lords and guests was not the place for this conversation.
He walked forward, making sure to stay in Kitty’s sightline. She glared at him but he kept coming. Once before her, he went to one knee.
“What, demon?” Kitty snapped.
“This isn’t the place…your majesty.”
Kitty looked around. “Isn’t it?”
Melchior came forward then. “No, it isn’t. Royals do not play to an audience or have you forgotten something so important after so long off your throne?”
Though she bared her teeth at him, Kitty nodded. “You are correct, King Melchior. I haven’t forgotten. So be it. In private then with those you choose.”
“Good.” Melchior turned to Nym. “Gather King Alric and his family to meet in my audience chamber. This concerns them.”
“My king.” Nym bowed and ran to do as she was told.
Melchior said in a loud voice, “This is a royal matter. Do not concern yourselves. Details will be revealed at a later time.” He turned his attention to Serenity and Nyeki. “Come. My wives should be present for this.”
Serenity nodded. “The Hell Hounds as well. All of them.”
Chigaru wanted to argue since all the Hell Hounds meant Erezion would have to bring Princess Nilam. He stayed silent. Nym would be there. If the situation called for it, she could use her power to drain all magic from the room. He hoped that would be enough.
Melchior approached Kitty and held out one hand. She regarded him with cool indifference before placing her hand on his and walking alongside him to the palace.
Serenity whispered to Chigaru, “I don’t understand. Is this the same force that inhabited Kitty last time? Who is she? Why would Melchior think she is royal?”
Chigaru rose to his feet with a shake of his head. “This isn’t the place, Serenity.” With his hand on her back, he urged her forward to follow her husband.
Everyone gathered in Melchior’s audience chamber, a location made much smaller with so many people crammed into it. There was standing room only, with the children—Nilam and Theyn’s boys—sitting on Melchior’s desk.
Melchior ordered his advisors out of the room and secured it behind a privacy barrier spell before he faced Kitty. “Now we are ready to speak, Queen Damia.”
More than one person gasped. Serenity and Alric said in unison, “Explain yourself.”
Kitty said, “He speaks truth as you know he must. He is a demon after all. I am Damia, first queen of Cheslav.” She turned her attention to Chigaru. “How did you guess? I gave you no indication during our brief meeting of my identity.”
“I knew your demeanor to be that of a royal and acted accordingly. When King Melchior sent Nym to fetch King Alric, I knew you could be no one else.”
“Does that disgust you, demon, to know your wife and I share a soul? As well that soul is now shared with you?”
Chigaru blew out an annoyed breath. “Kitty knows nothing about her disgusts me. Your attempt to rile me into saying something I cannot take back is childish and I begin to see why the first war started.”
“You see nothing!” Kitty screamed. She huffed several times before she said, “None of you do. You know lies and repeat those lies as truth. I didn’t start the first war.” Kitty jabbed her finger in Silny’s direction. “She did.”
Trent tutted. “Now, now, Damia. You do have to accept your part in it as well. Silny might have supplied the motivation but the impetus to act was on you.”
“I care not to hear you speak either, vampire. You are as much a part of this as she is.”
“I don’t deny that.”
Melchior raised his hands with an angered noise. “Silence, all of you. Enough.” He faced Silny. “Who are you?”
Silny straightened to her full height and met Melchior’s gaze without flinching. “I am Silnyanhin, first mage assigned to Queen Damia and King Tarchon’s court at the behest of Queen Twylain.”
Chigaru didn’t know how to react. Silnyahin was a name etched in history as one of the strongest bhresya mages of her era. She had been on her way to becoming mage supreme when the first war started. History had lost sight of her. He asked the one question that made sense, “How?”
Trent grinned, flashing his fangs. “How do you think, bhresya? Humans aren’t the only ones susceptible to vampirism, though Silny is the only bhresya among us. King Ganon turned her as an experiment. He’s still weighing the results before he does so again.”
Serenity said, “Your lost memory. You lost your real name and the first centuries of your life.”
Silny nodded with a sigh. “Not lost, your majesty. Taken from me. I spelled the truth from myself to lessen my pain. Centuries later, I had forgotten the spell and knew only my past was blocked from me and I had to get it back.” Her attention went to Damia. “In doing so, I returned her to this world.”
Kitty said with triumph, “At last, the truth. Do not stop now, demon. Tell them the rest. Tell them why you stole your own memory. Tell them how you also stole my husband and unborn child from me.”
“I’ll confess my sins after you do the same,” Silny snapped. “Do not think to deny it, Damia. The spell that returned my memory revealed much to me, specifically the reason you fled this world.”
Heat radiated from Kitty and her hair fanned out around her. Whatever spell she enacted died as soon as it started. She heaved an annoyed sigh as she closed her eyes. “Fine.” She faced Rhiannon as she opened her eyes. “I am the reason King Kiros reneged on your marriage to King Melchior.” She turned to Serenity. “I am also the reason Prince Joah hated you.”
Serenity’s smile dropped. “Explain.”
Alric said, “What explanation is needed? She started the first war and worked after her death to make sure it continued.”
Kitty snapped, “Silence, child. You don’t know of what you speak.”
“I am king of—”
“Be still, Alric,” Rhiannon said in a clipped voice.
Her son gaped at her in shock but closed his mouth with a small nod.
Rhiannon said to Kitty, “Continue, grandmother. Explain your words so we understand.”
A sad smile curved Kitty’s lips and she reached out to Rhiannon, cupping the woman’s cheek. “I see my husband in you, Rhiannon. You have his patience and his strength.” She dropped her hand. “Unfortunately, Kiros inherited my quick temper and stubbornness. The generations after my murder, I stayed and watched the royal line of Cheslav. Some perceived me from time to time, but lost the ability as they grew older and reasoned me away as a figment of their childhood imagination.”
“I remember the stories of a ghost roaming the halls,” Rhiannon said.
Kitty nodded. “Me. I started as a vengeful spirit and refused to leave. It took the death of my son to mellow me. Centuries of births and deaths, watching my line and the world change, taught me the error of my ways.” She smiled at Melchior. “You bhresya are truly lucky to live as long as you do. Time is a wonderful balm to the soul.” Her sad expression returned. “I am truly sorry for what happened to your first wife and children. That was not my intention when I forced Kiros to sign the original treaty.”
Serenity asked, “Forced?”
“Yes. Forced. I was a powerful mage in my life thanks to Silny’s teachings. One of the strongest human mages on Gezane. In death, my magic followed me. It took centuries of practice but I learned to manifest myself and to eventually inhabit the living. When King Melchior came to Kiros with talks of peace and sealing that peace with Rhiannon as his wife, I saw Kiros would deny him. I entered his body and made him agree as well as sign the treaty.” She snorted and shook her head. “I couldn’t do the same again when it came time to uphold the bargain. Kiros searched out every warding charm and spell he could. They were nothing to me and I could bypass them easily but they grew in strength when coupled with
his strong hatred and will. Kiros ordered the assassination of Melchior’s family.”
Melchior said, “Kiros meant to kill me.”
“No, King Melchior. He meant to kill exactly whom he killed. His aim was never you. He wanted you to suffer and to restart the war. Kiros wanted Nexeu.” She laughed without humor. “Knowing what Kitty now knows about the bhresyas, that was a laughable goal. He would have been no match had you bhresyas joined the war for real.”
Melchior glanced at Rhiannon and Alric then pointed a hard look at Kitty.
“Relax, King Melchior. I say no more about that subject than I already have. Kitty’s confidence is mine now.”
Serenity asked, “You said you were the reason Joah hated me, but why would you say that if you wanted peace between humans and bhresyas?”
“Because I am at fault. Kiros perceived my presence in his life too many times to dismiss it as imagination. He died with the knowledge he could stay on and continue his campaign of hatred. But he didn’t want to be a simple spirit. He quickened a stillborn babe, intent on resuming his deeds in a new life not realizing his memories wouldn’t travel with him. That babe was Joah.”
Rhiannon gasped as she pressed her hand to her stomach. “But I… I was barely a month when my father died. I didn’t know I was pregnant until King Melchior informed me.”
“The second boy was never meant to live. If Kiros hadn’t forced his soul upon it, Joah would not have lived. And though Kiros didn’t retain his memories, his hatred transcended death and new life. Joah was born hating bhresyas with no explanation as to why or any inclination to change the opinion.” Kitty shook her head with a tired sigh. “I realized what Kiros was about too late and couldn’t stop him. I knew what was coming. I didn’t want to watch it happen again, so I threw my soul across the dimensions, leaving this world to be reborn into a new one.” Her gaze went to Silny. “Until that one dragged me back.”
All attention turned to Silny, who lifted her chin in defiance.
Chigaru said, “Damia confessed her crime. It’s time you do the same, Silny.”
“I agree,” Trent and Melchior said in unison.
Silny said, “I entered Damia’s kingdom as a teacher.”
Kitty snorted, which made Chigaru glance at her. She didn’t do more than that. He turned his attention back to Silny. “Continue.”
“Damia showed an aptitude for magic. As she said, she was the strongest human mage on Gezane in that era. King Tarchon was not as talented though he insisted on continuing his lessons. He didn’t want to be thought of as less than his wife. Our lessons graduated into intimacy.”
“Understatement,” Kitty snapped. “Tarchon declared before the kingdom you were his new concubine and favored. A demon.”
Chigaru held out his hand to stop Kitty, though he now saw why his relationship with Serenity was such an affront to Damia.
Silny said, “Tarchon named me a favored concubine. I didn’t relate that news to Queen Twylain and my fellow mages promised to keep the news from spreading beyond Cheslav. I didn’t know how other bhresyas would react. We were at peace with the humans then but we had never mixed romantically or physically as Tarchon and I had. As such, my pregnancy came as a great surprise. I was both happy and shocked.” Her gaze traveled to Nilam and the boys. “I’ve long wondered how our baby would have looked. Like them perhaps?”
Serenity asked, “Would have looked?”
“Yes, would have. I never got to find out. Damia ordered the pregnancy terminated. I refused. Tarchon did as well.”
Kitty said, “I won’t apologize for that. Tarchon and I barely conceived our son Elek. Our marriage bed was a duty to him, one he didn’t enjoy. He went to you for that. Our son was an only child when I had hoped and prayed for so much more. However, the love that prompted me to promise a merger between the two kingdoms to form Cheslav was not reciprocated as I had hoped it would be.”
Silny said, “Which is why Tarchon returned to you to impregnate you again. He thought another child would distract you from mine. But he was wrong. The promise of a new life didn’t assuage your anger in the least.”
Kitty answered with a loud huff and baring of teeth.
“I was four months into my pregnancy when Damia robbed me of my child. She impaled me in my sleep, sparing my life but decapitating my child.”
Chigaru startled with a quick glance at Kitty. “Kitty’s nightmare.”
Kitty shook her head. “Not quite, Chigaru.”
“She’s right,” Silny said. “What Kitty witnessed wasn’t a nightmare but a memory. Damia’s memory, because I returned the blow to her. But I get ahead of my story. After Damia murdered our child, Tarchon and I fled to Night Creature Forest.”
Trent said with a happy grin, “That’s where I came in. They asked for asylum from Damia’s pursuing soldiers. I presented their case to King Ganon, who decided it might be amusing to let them stay. We laid a false trail to Nexeu and waited.”
Melchior said, “Damia accused my great-grandmother of harboring them when she wasn’t, which angered Damia and thus the first war started.”
“In a nutshell,” Trent said, pointing to his nose.
Kitty snapped, “You over simplify, vampire. You as well, Melchior. I didn’t start the war then. I left a message with Twylain to my husband. He need only return for all to be forgiven. I only wanted my husband back. She”—Kitty waved in Silny’s direction—“could have stayed gone for all I cared.”
Silny said, “Twylain used magic and delivered the message. Tarchon determined to return and I refused to let him go alone. Damia’s soldiers found us. They were under orders to capture Tarchon and kill me, but Tarchon took a blow meant for me. He died in my arms. However that wasn’t the story the soldiers told Damia. They relayed a tale of how I used Tarchon as a shield to cover my escape to Nexeu. While I did go to Nexeu to confess myself to Queen Twylain, it wasn’t with escape in mind. I wanted her to punish me, to put me to death because I was too scared to kill myself. She banished me instead, not wanting me to bring danger to Nexeu with my presence.”
“Except you did,” Melchior said. “Damia demanded you of Twylain and didn’t believe my great-grandmother didn’t have you… again.”
Kitty nodded. “Yes, I made the same mistake twice. I was angry and grief-stricken over the senseless death of my beloved husband. I let my emotions blind me and I acted irrationally. I ordered the death of any and all bhresyas in my kingdom. One every hour of every day until Twylain gave me Silny.”
Trent raised his hand and said, “I would like to point out that Silny returned to Night Creature Forest and we had no idea of the situation outside our borders.” He smiled at Kitty. “Continue.”
Melchior said, “She doesn’t need to continue. The rest is known. The families of those killed retaliated. Damia took the aggression as an act of war and thus the battle was joined.”
“Yes,” Silny and Kitty said in unison. The women stared at each for a long while, both wearing the same sad expression. Kitty said, “The stress caused me to miscarry. The last of Tarchon had died and my grief over yet another loss made me inconsolable.”
Silny said, “I nursed my guilt, grief, and rage for three long years before I acted on it. Under cover of night, I returned to Cheslav and, using the same sword Damia had used on me the night she took my child, I killed her.” She met Chigaru’s gaze. “That is the memory Kitty sees in her nightmare. A slow death by my hand. I bound her to her bed with a powerful spell and made her endure as I eased the blade into her body. Only when I had left did I lift the spell and allow her to scream. By then it was too late for anyone to save her. Damia died.”
Alric said, “Elek was crowned king the next day and he called an end to the warring, not wanting to carry on his mother’s vengeance.”
“But the damage was already done,” Serenity whispered. “Bhresyas found they could not trust humans and humans wouldn’t easily forget the power the bhresyas had displayed in battle. Fearing bhresyas
would one day resume their attacks and take over fueled centuries of hatred and malice.” She looked up at Silny and Kitty. “All because of you two and the love of one man.”
Silny and Kitty said in unison, “Yes.”
Serenity’s gaze turned to Chigaru and her apologetic expression stabbed his heart. Tears shone in her eyes. “I’m sorry, my confidant. I’m so sorry.”
Kitty said, “You have no reason to be sorry, Serenity. Your situation with Kitty and Chigaru only mimicked mine with Tarchon and Silny on the surface. The similarities are few, though I was determined to see otherwise. You are true mate to Melchior as Kitty is true mate to Chigaru. I loved Tarchon but he never loved me and I refused to believe it. My jealousy of Silny manifested into something dark and ugly that stained this world, which is why I left it.”
Trent said, “And that’s where Silny comes in. Continue, my love. Tell Damia-Kitty why you sent Chigaru to her, why she had to return.”
Silny glared at her husband but nodded. “I…after I killed Damia, my grief didn’t abate. Trent comforted me as best he could, but finding out he was my true mate couldn’t eclipse what I lost with Tarchon. I decided to lock away my memories. From the moment I returned to Night Creature Forest after killing Damia, to my birth, I sealed the memories in a spell I tied to Damia’s soul. I knew her soul remained after her death. I also thought I would never seek it out to reclaim my memories. I hadn’t considered a time when I would see my loss of memory as an evil that needed undoing.”
“I tried to warn you to leave it alone, my love,” Trent said.
“You didn’t tell me why!”
“You swore me to secrecy. You know that now even if you didn’t before Kitty arrived. Was I to break a past promise because the present you wished it?”
“No,” Silny said with defeat coloring her voice.
Chigaru lost interest in Silny and Trent’s conversation. He planted himself before Kitty. “Return my mate.”
Kitty nodded. “Of course, though you have to understand something before I do. Silny’s spell awakened me. I was dormant though the memory of my death haunted Kitty. Past lives are supposed to remain past until death reunites the soul with its memories. Now I am awakened and no magic can undo my presence.”
Kristar (Bookstrand Publishing Romance) Page 25