Deathbringer

by Tamara Grantham

  “I suppose these are not the best circumstances for a wedding, with the queen’s war ever approaching and the threat of an asteroid coming dangerously close to our planet, but Eyrin tells me you’ve made up your minds. You want to be married now and you won’t be dissuaded. Is that right?” Wendolun asked.

  “That’s right,” Kull answered. He tightened his hand around mine, and those butterflies came back again. I knew this was right, but I also couldn’t deny that I was still scared witless.

  Wendolun looked intently at each of us. “Then I will not try to dissuade you, but I will warn you, you are being married in a place that is sacred to our people. The vows you make this night in this sanctum are not to be taken lightly. The gods and goddesses who watch over this temple see you even now. They have felt your magic; they know your hearts. Is this truly where you wish to be married?”

  “It is,” I answered, and as I said the words, I knew they were true. It was sudden and extremely unplanned, but honestly, we wouldn’t find a better time or a more perfect place.

  “Then you should also know that our marriage ceremonies are simple and without fanfare. If you wish for more pageantry, this is not the right place. However, I sense that neither of you care about such a thing, so, with your permission, we shall begin the ceremony.”

  Kull and I agreed, following Wendolun up the raised dais and to the altar—which was tall and rectangular—a seamless slab of marble carved with the images of gods and goddesses on each of its facets.

  Three elves—two women and a man—stood at Wendolun’s side across the podium from Kull and me.

  Magic emanated as the four elves began chanting. Behind them, a large stained-glass window glowed a brilliant shade of purple. The window disappeared altogether, and streamers of light entered the room. The light encircled us. As the chanting increased, the light took shape. The forms of pixies, fairies, unicorns, and several elves appeared. Last, a golden light in the shape of a dragon stood behind Wendolun. The dragon spirit outstretched its wings, and as it did, I couldn’t help but feel that I was in the presence of my stepfather.

  Is it possible?

  I looked from the light creatures to Wendolun to Kull, but no one else seemed to notice the giant spirit dragon in the room.

  Is it you? I asked the dragon.

  The dragon only gave a curt nod. Could it be possible? If so, then Fan’twar had found a way to be here after all, though I wasn’t entirely sure how he’d managed it. However, Fan’twar never failed to surprise me, and traveling the five lands in spirit form may have been entirely possible. Hadn’t he eluded to this while I’d spoken to him in Silvestra’s castle? Now, his mention of a dragon’s spirit made sense. It was a hard thing to confine.

  When the elves’ song ended, the four joined hands.

  “Kneel and join hands,” Wendolun instructed us.

  Still keeping an eye on the dragon, I knelt. Kull bent to one knee with me. The light creatures fluttered around us. Their presences, mingled with the overwhelming magic in the room, made it hard for me to see through the tears blurring my eyes.

  “You are strangers from a faraway land,” Wendolun said, “yet your presence here has brought the manifestation of our spirit ancestors, an event which has not occurred in more than one hundred years. You are both rare people indeed. Dare I say, you are the future king and queen of us all—and the entirety of Faythander. You will rule with wisdom, strength, and most of all, integrity. Your marriage will be blessed from this day forward. I pronounce you the highest of all, the one spoken of in prophecy, whose lives will give strength and hope to others. King and queen, man and wife, for this life and those lives yet to come. This is said in the names of our gods and our ancestors. May peace fill your lives, joy be present in your home, and virtue follow your actions. This marriage I proclaim sacred and holy. Amen.”

  Wendolun outstretched his hand. “You are now married.” He winked. “I promised it would be simple, didn’t I? You may stand.”

  We stood.

  Wendolun’s grandfatherly smile returned. “Olive, Kull, as is traditional in many cultures, you may now share your first kiss as husband and wife.”

  Kull turned to me, and although I half expected him to grab me in a bear hug and plant a sloppy wet one on me, he only took a step forward, clasped my hands in his, and leaned forward. When his lips met mine, my heart leapt. It was a gentle, controlled kiss with a hint of passion. As he pulled away, his eyes lit up.

  “How does it feel to be Mrs. Skullsplitter?” he whispered in my ear.

  Yep, I’d have to put up with that mouth for the rest of my life. Good thing I liked the guy. I pressed my hand to his chest and gave him another kiss. “I think I could get used to the title,” I whispered back.

  Wendolun cleared his throat, and we turned back to him. “Eyrin will lead you out. Congratulations.”

  Eyrin approached us. “If you will follow me,” he said with a low bow, then turned and led us out of the sanctum. As we left, the spirit creatures dispersed in an array of purple, blue, and gold magic. The light was dazzling, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful that they’d appeared on this night. I counted it as a good omen. Kull and I could use all the good luck we could get.

  The night air was cool and clear, and when I looked up through the tree branches, the stars were so close it seemed they were touching the treetops. Keeping his hand in mine, Kull walked beside me, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt so happy, as if sadness could never possibly touch me again. It was a fragile feeling, one that I knew couldn’t last, but right now, it appeared I’d finally found what I’d always wanted—what I’d always needed—right here with Kull at my side.

  Eyrin led us to a pier jutting out over the river. The sound of our footfalls on the wooden planks carried through the forest. At the end of the dock, we found a white wooden boat tied to a post. The long gondola was an elegant creation, with its bow gracefully carved to resemble a melimar. An elven man stood at the stern. He carried a long paddle as he waited for us to board.

  “Where will this take us?” I asked Eyrin.

  “We’ve prepared a place for you to rest tonight, but it’s not much, I’m afraid. For the occasional guests, like yourselves, we do keep a few small abodes open in the river forest area. The home is quite small and humble, but if you wish, you’re welcome to stay there. I’m sorry I do not have anything more suitable to offer.”

  Eyrin’s words brought up something that had been on my mind for a while. With Theht still inhabiting my mind, what kind of wedding night could Kull and I have? I wasn’t sure how far we’d get. With Theht’s presence, not to mention my own underlying insecurities—and yes, I had to admit, they existed—was I ready?

  “The homes in the forest are fine,” Kull answered, pulling me out of my thoughts.

  “Very well. Ravénois will take you there,” he said, nodding at the man standing in the boat. “If you don’t mind, I will take my leave. I wish you farewell and the best of luck. May the gods smile upon you.”

  “And you also,” I said before Eyrin turned away and left us to board. Kull and I stepped off the pier and into the boat, where we found a low wooden bench and sat beside one another, keeping our fingers intertwined. Without a word, Ravénois untied the rope, placed the coiled loop on the bottom, and pushed off from the dock.

  The boat glided across the water. An occasional splash came from Ravénois’s paddle, but other than that, only the sounds of night insects broke up the silence. The magic sparking through the trees, coupled with the lanterns hanging in the branches, reflected on the dark surface, and maywelters danced in our wake. Kull kissed my cheek, and I looked up at him.

  “We did the right thing,” he said quietly.

  “Yes, we did. I just hope your mom is okay with it.”

  “We won’t tell her. We’ll have the ceremony she wants—assuming we’re still alive—singing, dancing, and theatrics, all of it. She’ll be happy and blissfully ignorant.”

  “So we�
�ll pretend to get married all over again?”

  “Yes, if we must.”

  “Hmm, maybe we should let that asteroid destroy us after all.”

  “Good idea.” He smiled, then pushed a strand of hair away from my face. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier,” he whispered.

  “Me either,” I whispered back.

  We entered an area where the trees were spaced more infrequently apart. The trees that remained jutted from the water and were much taller than the others. Water rippled away from our boat and splashed the base of the trees’ trunks. Unobstructed by the tree canopy, moonlight spilled out over the water, a glow that turned everything to quicksilver.

  Ravénois stopped at the base of a tree where a porch had been built around the bottom portion. A spiraling staircase wound up around the trunk, then stopped at a structure built atop the tree branches.

  Kull and I exited the boat. As we climbed onto the platform, our boots echoing on the wooden boards, Ravénois maneuvered the vessel away from the deck and steered back the way he’d come. The sounds of splashing water grew silent as he rowed away and out of sight.

  Kull and I climbed the spiraling stairs until we reached a small porch and an alcove overshadowing the doorway. Kull opened the door, and we looked inside the room. In traditional elven style, the blue glowing tree trunk took up the center of the space, and the rest of the room was filled with a large four-poster bed covered with a white duvet and a wash basin with exposed copper tubing.

  In a separate room, we glanced through the open door and found a small table with a vase of elven herbs and flowers atop the surface. The scent of lemongrass filled the entire chamber. Sheer white curtains covered the picture windows on the far wall, diffusing the moonlight as it filtered inside.

  As I moved to go in, Kull took me by the waist, stopping me.

  “You can’t walk inside,” he whispered seductively in my ear, then lifted me into his arms and carried me across the threshold.

  I could hardly believe this was all happening. It had only been yesterday that Kull’s memories of me had been erased and I’d worried he’d never remember me again, yet here we were now, his memories restored, and we were actually married. It was almost too much to take in.

  As he placed me on the bed, I sank into the soft covers. Kull moved down to my feet, his eyebrows rising as he untied my mud-caked boots.

  “Something wrong with my shoes?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” he answered, smiling. “They suit you perfectly.” He removed one boot, then the other, and tossed them to the ground. They landed with a loud thump. A magical burst sparked through the tree’s trunk, casting Kull’s features in silvery blue.

  Although I still had that piece of Theht in my head, I prayed, just for this one night, that the goddess’s presence wouldn’t affect me. More than anything, I hoped I could let go of my past garbage and insecurities. That I could just, for once, let go.

  Kull came close and pushed the hair away from my eyes, letting his fingers linger on my cheek, then over my lips, his eyes intense. “Is this okay?” he asked quietly, as if reading my thoughts.

  “I hope so,” I answered.

  “You’ll tell me if it’s not?”

  I nodded.

  He trailed his fingers to my neck, then cupped my cheeks and softly kissed my lips.

  “How was that?” he asked.

  “Fine. Better than fine, really. To be honest, I haven’t felt Theht’s presence since I touched the water in the pool.”

  “You think it scared her off?”

  “Maybe, but I doubt she’s gone for good.”

  “But could she be gone for now?”

  “She’s not gone. Hiding, maybe.”

  He kissed my knuckles slowly. “Hiding is better than nothing. I can work with hiding.”

  With his hands cradling my face, I let him kiss me again. This time, he deepened the kiss, gently moving his tongue inside my mouth. His lips were soft and pliable as they moved with mine.

  When he pulled away again, he rested his forehead against mine. My breathing came out labored, my chest rising and falling as excitement pumped through my blood. Was this really happening or would I wake up soon and find it was a dream?

  “You don’t have to stop,” I whispered.

  “No?”

  I shook my head.

  Passion lit his eyes. He kissed me again, then trailed his mouth down my exposed neck. He brushed his lips over my collarbone. Arousal sparked inside me at the feel of his mouth on my skin. My breasts tightened against the confines of my dress. Kull ran his fingers up my arms, then behind my neck.

  He reached behind me and unfastened the row of buttons on my dress. My heart raced, its frantic beats echoing in my ears as he lifted the dress over my head and pulled it free, then cast it to the ground along with my boots.

  He leaned in close, his mouth brushing my ear. “You have no idea what you’re in for.”

  I laughed, holding his face in my hands. “Prove it,” I whispered back.

  And he did.

  Chapter Twenty

  Somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, I lay wrapped in Kull’s arms, the heat of his body keeping me warm. His naked torso was pressed to my back, and I felt the gentle rhythm of his breathing. My own breathing matched his, and I was certain I had never felt more content in my entire life.

  The first rays of sunlight filtered into the room, waking me fully, but I had no desire to move. I wanted to stay right there wrapped in his arms for the rest of forever. I knew sometime soon I would have to get out of this bed and face reality—but not now. Now, I would simply be happy.

  Minutes later, Kull stirred. He kissed my cheek, and I turned to look into his eyes. Those crystal clear, glacial eyes caught me off guard, making my heart patter and butterflies fill my stomach. I could hardly believe I was waking up next to this guy.

  He pushed the hair away from my forehead and kissed my brow. “You look so beautiful in the morning.”

  I laughed. With my hair mussed and sticking up in every direction, I wasn’t sure I agreed with him. “So do you, Sunshine. Should we find some breakfast?”

  “No, I have other plans.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Other plans?”

  He kissed me, ever so softly, on the lips. Deepening the kiss, he gradually moved his tongue into my mouth, working slowly, yet sensually, causing a heat to grow within me.

  A knock came at the door, startling us apart.

  “Who—?” Kull sat up, looking at the door.

  “Maybe they’ll go away,” I whispered after a pause.

  The knocking started again, more insistent. “Go away!” Kull called.

  “How dare you!” came a familiar female voice. “Let us in before I break down this door!”

  Kull growled. “Heidel. Someone else must be with her, too.”

  “What are they doing here?” I whispered frantically.

  “No idea. How did they even find us?”

  “Good question.”

  Heidel pounded on the door. “This is urgent, Brother. Open this door!”

  “Urgent, huh?” Kull said to me. “I know something else that’s urgent.” He kissed me again, but with the incessant knocking in the background, the mood was ruined.

  “I guess you should open the door,” I said.

  “I don’t have to.”

  “But she’ll never go away.”

  Kull let out a long sigh. “I know.” He moved off the bed and hastily grabbed his clothes off the floor. Pulling on his pants and shirt, he stumbled to the door, opening it a crack.

  “What?” he demanded.

  “Good morning to you too, Brother. Maveryck and I are so happy to see you alive and well.” Even from my spot on the bed, I could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

  “What do you want?” he growled.

  “Well, aren’t you going to invite us in?”

  He glanced at me as I lay naked under the covers before turning back to Heidel and Mav
eryck.

  “No,” he answered.

  “Why not?”

  “I’ll let you guess.”

  “Is Olive in there? Brother,” she said, aghast. “You are a liar! I knew you were lying when you told me you were waiting for marriage. You bedded her, didn’t you?”

  “Maybe so.”

  “I knew you were lying to me!”

  “Yes, Sister. I am ashamed to admit that I am an absolute liar. That being said, Olive is not decent, so I suggest you come back later.”

  “Not decent? Brother, you disgust me. You’ve been here in this place the whole time, having your way with your woman while we’ve been struggling for survival? Maveryck and I have a message for Olive, too, and it is extremely urgent, so will you please ask her to make herself decent so that I can relay it?”

  “How urgent?” Kull asked.

  “Life-or-death urgent, if you please.”

  “Fine,” he grumbled, shutting the door in her face.

  “Liar!” she called from the other side. Kull’s bemused smile made me laugh.

  “Are you ever going to tell her?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe later. I should like to see the look on her face when she learns we’re married.”

  “She’s going to gloat over this for a while.”

  “Even better. It will give me even more pleasure when she learns she was wrong.” He knelt beside the bed, took my hand, and kissed my knuckles. “I hate to admit it, but I’m afraid she might have some dire news for us. You should probably get dressed.”

  “I don’t want to.” I sighed, glancing at the door. “But I guess I don’t have a choice.”

  I dressed quickly, not worrying about the sad state of my hair or bothering with my shoes.

  When Kull opened the door, Heidel stormed into the room, followed by Maveryck. Grace also padded in, following closely behind her master. Heidel barely acknowledged me as Kull led them into the separate room with the table. I followed, and Heidel sat in one of the chairs at the table. Maveryck also sat, although his wolf remained standing at attention at his side. Maveryck carried the staff of Zaladin, but how had he gotten it? Even more confusing, how had they found us? We had no way off this island for another two days, so how had they arrived here? As I eyed the staff, its blue jewel glowing with magic in the morning sunlight, I had a suspicion I knew how they might have been traveling so quickly.