Protectors and Kings (Mists of the Fae Book 4)

by Jaime Marks

  Mythos watched them in silence as they stared at themselves and one another taking in the changes that had occurred. Shala flitted past him still full sized and lit upon the stairs to the thrones.

  “Arise Chosen Protector of the Light. Arise Chosen Protector of the Night.”

  The twins looked to each other. Cymeryn appeared highly uncertain but when Marcus nodded to him he followed his lead rising to his feet.

  “The Divine being has chosen thee, to rule beside her majesty. The power that you hold within shall grant you gifts to use herein. Choose your next move wisely and with care. She is still whole, do not despair. But hurry forth as one you must, before all we’ve built falls to ash and dust. Now kneel before the Fae so they may see, what the Divine Being does now decree.”

  Mythos watched as they knelt as one without hesitation. Two rays of white Light drifted down on an angle from the skylight illuminating them both. Mythos looked around the room as one by one the Fae and the unawakened knelt before them. Grifyn and Kato glanced to him and each other before slowly kneeling.

  Shala’s voice rang out as her gaze ran over the room. “The Kings of Balance now are known. Two to preside beside her on the throne. The Divine Being’s will is done. Night and Light forever joined as one.”

  Mythos looked to Cymeryn with concern. He had been their enemy for so long. He had done his sister so much wrong. How was he supposed to accept this? He was unsure what had happened, what any of this even meant, but he could feel the Light and Gray that flowed through him. He looked to Shala who was staring at him expectantly. Reluctantly he bowed at the waist as was custom for the King when meeting royalty.

  The white Light engulfing them subsided as they rose. Marcus looked to the Fae around them, kneeling in reverence. Well, aside from maybe Mythos who was reluctantly abiding by custom. He looked to Cymeryn and had to smile at the look of bewilderment on his twin’s face. He looked almost as uncomfortable as Reyana usually was with all the formality. Reyana.

  Cymeryn met his eyes, their thoughts so in tune with one another. “We need to go, Marcus. As…humbling as this may be we do not have the time to continue.”

  Shala spoke, “Hurry, Protectors. Go find her. I shall with the King confer.”

  Mythos met Marcus in the eyes, “Marcus, you need to tell me what is happening. Where is mine blooded sister?”

  Marcus shook his head. “I’m sorry my friend, there will be time to talk once she is safe.”

  As one he and Cymeryn misted from the realm.

  Byryn came to slowly as he struggled to open his eyes. At least he thought they were open, it was hard to tell since he couldn’t see. He reached out to Staryana through the link they shared and was relieved to find she was home in his bed. Someone was with her but he couldn’t sense them. Who would be with her that he wouldn’t be able to sense their essence? Right. Steph was at the Palace. At least she wasn’t alone. He wanted to reach out to comfort her but he didn’t want her to know his pain, or worse to accidentally open another avenue for Alayne to assault her mind.

  Slowly he moved his fingers in an attempt to regain sensation in his hand but it didn’t seem to help. When he tried to move his arm he found out why. He was braced to the wall, his arms stretched wide, with some form of cuffs or brackets that were cutting off his circulation. His legs were braced as well.

  Cursing under his breathe he reached out with his senses. Everything was Dark. He couldn’t feel Light anywhere here. They were in the Darker Realms. There was no other explanation.

  Something slithered up his legs, snakes. He nearly gagged thinking back to what he had seen in Staryana’s mind. He didn’t know how, but he would find a way to make that Shade pay for what he was doing to her. Bringing him here was a mistake that bastard would regret.

  Suddenly there was movement in the hall and a door opened allowing a small amount of illumination from the flames of torches to flood the room. Syneous and another Shade entered dragging a female with them but he couldn’t make out any of her features in this lighting. He caught the silver glimmer of her gown and paled. They had Reyana.

  Byryn watched as Syneous gripped her roughly by the throat and pushed her back against something that resembled an operating table. “Lie down or I swear to you Reyn, I’ll bury my blade in your womb. The only thing saving you right now is my Father’s desire to gut you in front of your lover.” He spat.

  Her eyes flashed bright white a moment but she complied silently. She hadn’t made a sound as they drug her in. She didn’t even so much as gasp when they strapped her to the table despite the fact that they tightened the metal bindings so tight that blood trailed from where they cut into her skin. She was solid and stoic and Byryn couldn’t help but admire the stubborn will of the Queen.

  Syneous snickered, “That’s alright, Reyn. I feel that fire of yours simmering just below the surface. You don’t have to beg for me,” He took his blade and sliced her gown open straight down the middle. The blade lightly grazing her skin as he moved it to one side and Byryn averted his eyes. “But I can promise you will beg for my Father, the High Priest Alayne.”

  He heard the other Shade chuckle and felt both their desires. It sickened him to think of what they would do to her. Byryn had to find a way to get free, some way that he could help her. He felt her sensing him and he left himself open for her, well mostly, he blocked what he had seen in Staryana’s mind from her. There was no reason to add to her pain and stress.

  “Come,” Syneous commanded. “The Kyndra will be here soon. It’s time we prepare for our esteemed Supryn’s arrival. There will be time to attend to my wife once my Father has played with her.” The Shade laughed as they exited the room leaving them in complete Darkness.

  “Are you hurt, Reyana?” He asked quietly, hoping they wouldn’t hear him. The last thing they needed was for them to come back enraged.

  “No,” she sighed, “not nearly as bad as you anyway. I only need to rebalance my essence.”

  “They’ll come for you Reyana, whatever happens you know both Marcus and Cymeryn will come for you. You need to hold on for them.”

  “It isn’t me I’m worried about, Byryn. I know they’ll come, but so does Alayne. In fact I’m pretty sure he’s counting on it.” Her voice cracked ever so slightly and he sent his essence to her trying to comfort her. She grew oddly quiet. “They’re trying to Taint you. Alayne is trying to turn the Gray.”

  A chill ran through him. “He can’t do that can he?”

  “I don’t believe so. It isn’t supposed to be possible, but you’ve definitely started shifting. I believe that you’re immune to the control he’s trying to place on you, perhaps because of Staryana, but Alayne has definitely managed to shift your balance. Then again you’re not exactly like other Gray.”

  What did she mean by that? He wondered if he should ask but she grew quiet. It wasn’t the first time that Reyana had made odd comments that separated him from other Fae. He’d tried once to ask her about it but Marcus conveniently interrupted them. When he’d confronted him later he explained that Reyana couldn’t always explain the whats and whys of her ramblings and when she made comments that didn’t make sense it was best to leave her be, that she’d explain when she was ready. It made him curious as to what exactly they thought was going on with him.

  After a few minutes he felt her essence flowing through him, stabilizing him and giving him new strength. He could even feel some of his wounds begin to heal. It was a soothing balm on the pain that ran through him but she needed to worry about herself, not him.

  “You should save your strength, Reyana. Don’t waste it on me.” He shook his head, although it probably didn’t matter, it wasn’t as if she could see the gesture.

  “You’re already Gray, Byryn. It doesn’t really affect me to rebalance you. It was harder to rebalance myself and even that only took a few minutes.” He heard her shifting around on the table before she cursed. “I don’t suppose your bindings are any looser than mine?”

&
nbsp; “I’m afraid not your majesty.”

  Suddenly her entire form was illuminated, Light flooding the room. He looked away out of respect as they’d left her lying exposed on the table. “What’s happening, Reyana? Are you alright?”

  “I think so, it doesn’t hurt. I feel…Marcus and Cymeryn…and the Divine Being.”

  He heard her sigh almost in relief as the energy flowed through her. It reached him as it expanded through the room and all the pain within him eased. In his mind’s eye he saw the throne room at the Palace. Mythos, Grifyn and Kato stood staring in awe at three thrones. Reyana’s was supposed to be the only one there but there was a throne on either side of hers. The one on the right was white and silver bearing the insignia of the sun and the one on the left was a dark gray and silver bearing the insignia of a crescent moon.

  He jolted as a bright flash of white Light pulsed and Marcus and Cymeryn appeared seated in the thrones. A powerful energy flowed through them. Their features were slightly different but it was them all the same. He watched as the entire room knelt before them. Mythos, Kato and Grifyn were shocked and confused but even they knelt and bowed; although the King didn’t exactly seem pleased. Just as suddenly as they appeared they misted from the room and the image slowly faded as the room dimmed.

  He glanced over at her. A soft glow remained on her skin and she appeared far more relaxed despite the situation. “What does it mean, Reyana?”

  “I believe we just saw both Marcus and Cymeryn crowned King.” She groaned.

  He almost had to smirk, “Forgive me, my lady, but considering your circumstances, I would’ve thought that would make you happy?”

  “Oh it does, Byryn, more than you know. It actually simplifies things in a lot of respects.” She sighed. “It also means if we ever get out of here I’m going to have to deal with my brother and attempt to stop him from killing both of them.”

  Marcus and Cymeryn took form on a Dark writhing field of Shadows. Cringing with disgust he drew his blade looking upon it for the first time and knew it for what it was. The Sword of Light, not what the Fae called the sword of their Praetor, but what the Divine Being had created eons before. It was a pure white, curved blade that pulsed with essence. He could feel the vibration of its power pulsing in his hand. Marcus prepared himself to fight but the Shadows didn’t appear to react to them.

  “It is the Night essence we hold within, they will not attack because they recognize it as Darkness.” Cymeryn explained as he took in the area. He drew the Sword of Night, its dark gray, curved blade pulsing with an odd Dark and Light mixture as he wielded it. Pointing it towards a tall black fortress with jagged spires that looked more like teeth than towers he explained, “That is Alayne’s safehold there, the Dark Spire of the High Priest.”

  He nodded, “They’re both there. I sense them.”

  “We cannot mist through its walls, they are likely blood bound. Besides there are traps and beasts within. There is no way to know what we would run into. We will have to mist to the exterior and fight our way in. There will be Shade as well.” He grimaced. “Syneous is amongst them. They know I am here but I do not believe they will anticipate you or our transformation.”

  “Beasts?” Marcus’ brow creased.

  “Trolls and goblins mostly.” Cymeryn looked to him with a nonchalant shrug, “Welcome to the Darker Realms. My former home.”

  Chapter 2

  Grifyn watched in awe as Marcus and his twin misted from the realm. What had they just witnessed? He studied the insignias that adorned each of the thrones. Cymeryn’s and Marcus’ each half of a whole, half of the symbol of Lunya. He rose slowly and met Kato and Mythos’ gaze. They seemed as perplexed as he was.

  He watched as the faerie floated down in front of Mythos. “I sense the questions in your mind. Ask them now, it is the time.”

  “What exactly just happened, Shala?” Mythos demanded. The King’s anger pulsed around him.

  “The Dark Priest has taken Lunya this day. The Protectors were called forth to save the Fae,” she replied levelly as Mythos cursed.

  “Alayne has Reyana?” Kato cringed, “How is that possible, she was in the Sacred Grove with you was she not?”

  “She was restless and would not sit out the fight. She feared for her daughter and her plight. When she left the grove in a rush, another awaited hidden in hush,” the faerie replied watching them closely as if she was trying to determine if they followed her.

  Grifyn mused over her rambling rhymes. He hated trying to reason through her meaning. “Somefae was waiting when she left the grove? They took her?”

  Shala nodded to him, the springy curls bouncing on her head. “Neither Protector alone could survive the fight, to free her from the Darkest night. Together united finally, through love and Light is the key.”

  Kato gasped and Grifyn looked up to his friend. His eyes widened in shock, his mouth formed in a thoughtful circle as he seemed to be considering something.

  “Hold thy tongue now Forest Fae, that thought is not yours to reveal or say.” The sprite gave him a stern look her and voice had taken an edge he had not heard from her before.

  “Of- of course, Shala.” Kato bowed seeming to regain his usual composure.

  Mythos studied him before addressing the faerie. “What does it mean, Shala? The thrones, the crowns? What status are they to hold?”

  “As King, The Protectors of Balance shall rule by her side. Chosen before birth their true nature did hide. Bound as one the three shall be and that is the only answer you need of me.” They watched as the sprite shrank to a small orb of Light and flitted away.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Mythos scoffed as he studied the room. “Kato, have the Guardians clear this hall and increase the patrols until we know for sure what has happened to the Queen.”

  “Yes, my lord.” Kato bowed and walked away.

  “How are you holding up, Grifyn? I need to know.” The King met him in the eye.

  “I,” he sighed. “I don’t know, my lord. He is still alive. I can still sense him. He reaches out on and off, but I do not know how to find him. I don’t feel him in the human realm, nor is he in the Realm of Light or the territories.”

  Mythos grimaced. “They took him to the Darker Realms? He is Gray, I thought he was free from the threat of Taint?”

  “When Alayne took him he forced Dark essence through his veins, it was something tangible.” Grifyn’s eyes squeezed shut as he thought of it. “It tore his skin as it entered his body. I don’t know what he did but it must have shifted him enough to cross the threshold of the realm.”

  Kato approached as the room began to thin. “The unawakened Shade, Tomas, is missing as well, my lord.”

  “How would a simple unawakened overpower, Reyana? She is well trained. I sparred with her only two weeks ago and she gave even me a bit of a challenge.” Mythos stared off out the windows.

  Kato seemed preoccupied as he stared up to the thrones. Some internal struggle warred within him. He knew something, that faerie had confirmed it, but whatever it was he apparently wasn’t meant to say it.

  Demytria slowly approached her mate, pausing to bow to Mythos. “Am I intruding, your majesty?”

  “No, Demytria your presence is always welcome.”

  Grifyn watched as his sister walked up to Kato and he embraced her, kissing her chastely. They communicated silently through their link, their essences flowing between them. His Fae in law was highly troubled.

  “Kato, my friend, what is it that plagues your mind?”

  “Your majesty, you know I am ever upfront and honest with you, but in this matter I am afraid I must remain silent until I can address my suspicions with her majesty.” Kato replied, his voice slightly shaken. “It would be highly...improper to do otherwise.”

  Grifyn cursed. “Am I the only one who has no clue what’s going on around here? For the love of Lucerna, Kato, I thought we agreed the secrets here needed to cease.”

  Mythos looked up
to the thrones stoically. His anger had risen to near violence. “Kato, I have always respected your advice and allowed you the time you needed. Were the situation different, I would gladly allow you to hold whatever information you felt the need. Unfortunately, my sister is missing. Byryn has been abducted. Marcus and Cymeryn were just somehow both apparently crowned Kings that have the ability to mist in this realm, which even I cannot do; I have tried. We have more questions than we have answers with no time in which to ponder them. I am sorry my old friend, but in this case I am going to have to demand that you tell me what it is you either know, or believe, because at this rate there is no other option. We need to know what is going on and we need to form some sort of plan. Now.”

  Grifyn watched as Kato’s shoulders slumped and resignation washed over the Fae. He stared at the floor a moment before looking around to make sure they were indeed alone. Demytria caressed his arm in reassurance, an odd look on her face. “I believe I know how the unawakened Tomas may have been able to accost our Queen, my lord. Her majesty, Queen Reyana, is with young.”

  Grifyn’s felt like his mouth may as well have hit the floor. He had not sensed the tell of pregnancy upon her. “How do you know, Kato? I have not sensed it. I don’t doubt you, but if you had sensed her…”

  “The eve of your Bonding, Grifyn, when she Redeemed me. During the ritual the essences flow between she and the subject. I felt it then, but Marcus bade me to remain silent. Her mind was still so fragile and he did not wish her to have the added stress.” He glanced at the King hesitantly. “There was also an oddly strong connection to Cymeryn that had concerned me. I had tried to address it with Marcus. I had even asked if it were possible if the young were his twin’s but he refused to discuss the topic. He was so protective of her in regards to it. So adamant that he would not allow her to be judged harshly…”