by Jaime Marks
Cymeryn had the grace to look humbled but Marcus met his stare head on with anger and indignation. “I beg your pardon, your majesty, but in truth…you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about. I’ve never done anything your sister did not request of me. I’ve never once brought her harm. I spent the last month searching out the truth to the illusions of Lazurys’ lies and the truth in all of this. I have consulted with Shala, I have consulted with the Divine Being himself and I have gone over and above to protect her. You were my primary concern, the main reason I kept everything secret so long, because I couldn’t allow you to place additional stress on her. Now, if you wish I will gladly explain the truth to you, some of which if you think back to our conversation with Alysse you already know, but I will not sit here and allow you to accuse me of harming her. And I will most certainly not allow you to chastise her, or cause her undo strain. As strong as she is Mythos, she can’t handle it.”
Rage boiled within him as his essence surged around him. “You forget your place, Marcus.”
“With all due respect, Mythos, no I don’t. I am her mate. I am the Chosen Protector of Light, crowned King of the Light Throne of Balance and protecting her is not only my place, but it is my duty,” Marcus retorted.
“Marcus, you must curb your anger, my brother. I understand your frustrations but she will sense you. I am blocking you from her even now.” Cymeryn placed a hand on his twin’s shoulder and Mythos could see the essence flow between them. “This is not going to help the situation mine blooded twin.”
He nodded with a sigh, “You’re right, Cymeryn. I’m sorry I lost my temper but it has been an extremely long day.”
“My lord, I understand how this must look to you, and much of it is my own fault.” Cymeryn bowed momentarily. “Marcus forgets, not even he knew our secret.”
“And what secret is that Cymeryn, by all means enlighten me?” Mythos all but snapped.
“My lord.” Stephanie spoke firmly and he could feel the untamed flow of her essence.
It calmed him immediately as he turned to meet that intense stare of hers. “Yes, Stephanie?”
She looked to the ground as if carefully considering her words. “It’s obvious you love your sister, my lord. It’s pretty plain that all of you care for her, but it’s also obvious that regardless of what the result of the conversation is, this situation isn’t going to go away. I may not know all the details, but it sounds like she needs all of you. You need to at least listen to them and hear what they have to say before you pass judgment.” She looked up and met his gaze as she sat there leaning slightly forward with her arms crossed on her knees. “You need to hear them and attempt to understand this, your majesty.”
He ran a hand roughly through his hair and took a deep breath. She was right of course. His temper was out of line as well, but this was his sister they had defiled. But had they defiled her? He saw the coronation. Cymeryn’s Redemption was plain to see before him. He nodded tensely but sat back beside Stephanie in an attempt to ease himself with her presence. His anger was still surging and the light caress of her hand on his arm calmed him further. He breathed deeply trying to regain his composure as the essence flowed between them.
Grifyn raised a brow but sat quietly and motioned Trina back to him. Kato remained standing as Demytria sat in his place. Marcus glanced between him and Stephanie but remained graciously silent. That Fae was annoyingly perceptive and the last thing he needed was his judgment...he paused. Was that how he felt? Was that not what Marcus had just said, that he had made him feel that he had to keep these secrets to protect his own sister from him?
He took a deep breathe humbling himself. “I am listening.”
Cymeryn studied the King. He had never seen him listen to anyfae as he had just listened to Steph. She was likewise more reserved and respectful with him than he had seen her be. He glanced to Staryana. She was studying her friend with the same curiosity. The girl had Ceryn’s fire, his courage and the connection between she and the King was strong. He had felt it when he was guiding her out of the confusion in her mind.
Clearing his throat as he refocused he tried to figure out how to begin. There was so much they did not know, so much he had kept secret all these years. Perhaps, as with all things, it was best to begin with the beginning.
Cymeryn let his mind drift to the memories of his youth, of their time together as he spoke. “While you all flew through Basic Studies and then the Academy, I spent every day by Reyana’s side. I was her companion, her protector, and I was completely taken with her. Nothing came before her, nothing. I was the one who found her every time she evaded her guards. I even convinced her not to leave Palace grounds without me,” he paused to smile at the memory. “She used to ping rocks at my window in the middle of the eve when she was restless and I would climb out to take her to the lake until she felt she could sleep. I comforted her when she was unsure. I supported her when she needed it and I would not stand for anyfae to bring harm to her. I was the one who set up the trap for that wretch of a girl who tormented her, though no Fae even looked my way.”
Grifyn chuckled, “You set the tripwire that sent Faynia a Sergion flailing around in the mud?”
Cymeryn gave him a sinful smile, “Somefae had to put that girl in her place. She never bothered Reyana or spoke ill behind her back again after that.” He turned back to face Mythos. “I was the one, your majesty, who hid her until she was ready to return when your Mother died. We sat in a grove behind the falls of the lake where only she and I could access and I comforted her until she was able to handle realty again.”
He watched the King as reality sank in, giving him the opportunity to speak but he remained silently watching him so he proceeded. “I only entered the Academy so that she would not endure the trials on her own. In truth, I wanted to become a Scholar in order to avoid competing with mine twin, but I would have forsaken anything for her. I knew she loved me, but she was not ready for such things and so I waited. The day I received my appointment as Sector Commander I had received a letter from her. She asked me to meet her by the lake if I still loved her but the situation on the fronts was dire.” He shook his head, “If I had known how long it would be before I was able to send word to her and that it would be even longer still before I could return, I would have said to hell with my orders.”
Mythos stared at him in disbelief. “Why did you say nothing? Why did you never request to court her? I never put it together before, but right after you left she fell into a fit of depression. She would not even discuss what had her in such a state. How could you just leave and not say a word? If you had said something, my Father would have gladly granted you exception or at the very least known to call you back from the fronts to ease her.”
He huffed, “She was not ready, Mythos. I knew well how such things worked. I did not want her to feel pressured to rush ahead of herself. I wanted her to come to me when she was ready. Once she was sure I had every intention of approaching your Father, but I never had the chance. I thought that I would be able to send her word from the fronts. I still have the letter I wrote her that day. I never imagined it would be over four cycles before I was able to return. That I would not even be able to send word to her for nearly two.” He shook his head. “It was a mistake, one I lived to regret…When I returned I meant to make it right, but…” he hesitated. It still pained him in some ways how much they had lost, but he was no longer consumed with rage towards Marcus and he had long forgiven her.
Marcus rested a hand on his shoulder and he could feel their essence merging, soothing the pain of his loss. “When he returned we had already begun courting.”
He nodded, “And I was Tainted. Lazurys had found me, taken me when I was wounded. I did not realize it at first. I could not even remember what had happened. To the best of my knowledge I am the only Tainted that was handled in such a way. I would have dreams I could not understand, but the impulses, I fought them easily. It was not until the day of their Bonding that it
began to take hold, but not as you would think. I coveted her, craved her but I would never hurt her. When I hit my breaking point, I no longer wanted to live without her. I wanted to die. I went to the lake, to our secret place, with the intention of taking my own life.” Marcus turned to him in shock as he witnessed the truth of the memories in his mind. He knew he could see the events unfolding clearly through their link. It was a secret he had never revealed. “The Dark Lord came to me in my mind. Lazurys claimed that she was lost in our world but that she was destined to his, to rule by my side. He called me her protector, told me that I was the only Fae who could save her and that without me she would lose herself. The Dark Lord claimed that Marcus was manipulating her and that only he could help her understand who she was. He promised if I brought her to him, we could finally be together. My mind was so twisted from the Taint,” he shook his head. “I needed to believe so badly that she was meant to be mine…” He trailed off and looked to the floor composing himself. He could not even meet Marcus in the eyes but breathed deeply before looking up to meet the King’s stare again.
“Before the raids, I asked her to meet me by the lake. I would not allow her to be in the line of fire. I tried to convince her to come with me but she would not leave Marcus. I…I overstepped and kissed her, but she kissed me back as she felt the love and passion we shared. It was still there, the bond between us. It nearly tore her in two, though neither of us understood what was happening to her at the time. She felt she had betrayed me, betrayed Marcus and betrayed herself. I believe she began to shift and when she ran from the grove the Shadows came from seemingly nowhere and took her. She was so besides herself…” his voice broke.
Marcus cleared his throat and rested a hand on his shoulder, fully aware he was unable to speak through the pain and guilt he felt. “Using the Taint that had grown within him Lazurys convinced Cymeryn the only way to help her, the only way they could be together was for him to turn. When he couldn’t abate her pain, couldn’t help her…he conceded, giving himself over freely to the Dark Lord. While the essence took root in his blood, transforming him, Lazurys turned his attention on Reyana, unlocking her memories of her life as Lunya. She killed herself with Cymeryn’s dagger before the change had even fully taken hold of him. She told me she had no choice if wished to save us all but she was so scared for him. Reyana stayed with him, trying to reach him, but it was beyond her ability and eventually she faded even from the veil of death.”
Cymeryn regained some composure and nodded. “Lazurys convinced me it was Marcus’ fault; that he had manipulated her mind so much so that she had killed herself over breaking the vows that she had made to him. I was so angry but I felt so alone. I was tormented by the confusion I felt from the things he filled my mind with and crippled by the pain of her loss. I hated Marcus but I needed him, and make no mistake, with Lazurys’ essence coursing through me, I was definitely Shade. I set her body in such a way that I knew it would push Marcus over the edge and went to confront him, pushing every button possible to bring him closer to the edge of Darkness before allowing him to pass after inflicting a minor wound upon me. I waited, knowing he would hunt me but instead, he disappeared. I searched the territories for him for years, forcing the Tainted and Shade to search as well in their free time once I gained command.” He shrugged, “I was never sure what would happen if we met. I never knew and often swayed back and forth between needing him at my side and wanting his blood for the wrongs I felt he had caused me and Reyana.”
Mythos shook his head. Likely shaking the images of how Reyana had been found from his mind. He cursed as he rose, “And what about when you took her last month, Cymeryn? I saw her afterwards. The bruises, the gashes in her skin.”
He knew there was no easy way to address this. No matter what he said it would not please the King, but he could only offer him the truth. “I will not deny that I coerced her, nor will I deny that I handled her a bit roughly, but I did not hurt her in truth, Mythos. I wanted to, I was supposed to, but I could not bring myself to do so.” Cymeryn looked away as he spoke. “I did not force her. I only opened the memories of who we once were together and opened my heart to her. She turned, well shifted. I do not believe any save Lazurys himself can truly turn her. Consider what you know of the Shade, Mythos. None of her wounds were more than superficial. She did fracture, she did begin to split and I closed off all memories except those of us to keep her from drifting into that coma. The same coma she fell subject to once Marcus released the blocks I placed.”
Marcus interjected, “She wouldn’t leave him, Mythos. It was plain in that room to see that she was there willingly. I couldn’t leave her.” He shook his head, “I could not lose her again. I shifted to Darkness, but in doing so, I unblocked her memories and she made a choice. She chose to remain free of Lazurys and to do so, she sacrificed Cymeryn, stabbing him through the chest and sending every bit of her love through him. She wanted him to live, to seek her out for Redemption.”
Cymeryn grimaced, pained by the memory of how thoroughly she had ripped herself apart over it. He rubbed his chest absently over the wound recalling everything he felt for her and the excruciating pain of it. “She split in half over the pain it caused her. The guilt over the betrayal she felt she had served us both sent her into a deep coma. I am well versed with how to manage the Coma of Chaos and even I had a hard time alleviating her pain, fear and guilt to guide her out of it.”
“You guided her out of the coma?” Kato questioned in surprise.
Marcus nodded, “Byryn and I had attempted to reach her but we could not. Reyana told me herself that he had freed her from it. I had sensed her thoroughly while she was in her coma, I thought I felt it then, but I didn’t know for sure. In a couple of days I could not deny that she was with young. I also couldn’t deny that I could sense Cymeryn for the first time in years. I think it was only our link as twins that allowed me to sense his young as well.”
His twin sighed, lowering his head. “I knew the fragile state of her mind, though she hid it, and I placed blocks shielding her from the knowledge of her pregnancy and its circumstances. She was still so overwhelmed with guilt, torn between the love she felt for us both and the fact that she felt she had also betrayed us. I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle even the idea of this.”
He glanced to Cymeryn before continuing to address the King. “It didn’t make sense to me at first, I struggled with it searching for some form of an answer, a reason. It was what Shala had said, how she had called me Lunya’s chosen Protector of Light. I remembered Reyana had told me Lazurys had called Cymeryn her protector when he was attempting to turn him. We know everything the Divine sets in motion is created with balance in mind. Even her insignia implies it so I sought out the truth. The Protectors of Balance had been bound directly to Lunya. We were meant to rule herein by her side, to protect her from Lazurys’ growing greed, but he took her before it could come to pass. The bonds were never broken, that is how she bound to us both. I can feel it now, the bonds that flow freely between us. We are at peace with it, the three of us, Mythos.”
“It was her love and Marcus’ acceptance that began my transformation and our young only cemented. I have never in my existence felt as I do now. Complete. It is as if Marcus and I are of the same soul and Reyana completes that soul, binding it as one,” he explained sincerely. “I know that it is hard to accept and I feared how this could ever even work in the world of the Fae. In fact, at first I insisted that Marcus and Reyana complete the Bonding Ritual and that he Claim my young as his own, but Reyana would not hear of it and…she is right. Bonding to either of us separately and denying the lineage of our young is not right nor fair to her, or them.”
Cymeryn watch Mythos closely awaiting his reaction. The King was notoriously protective of his sister but that could sometimes be a source of strain and issue for her. If he fought them on this, if he challenged their rights despite the coronation he was unsure how they would proceed. It would likely divide the Kingd
oms and that was not something he wanted. He could only hope the Fae would see reason. Even he could not deny what was clear to see before him and what had been presented by the Divine when they had been crowned.
Chapter 9
Mythos stared between them. In some respects what they said made perfect sense, but in others it went against everything they knew as Fae. He could sense the sincerity and the pain in Cymeryn’s admissions. He had never even suspected they had been in love. They had indeed hidden it well. He shook his head, in truth it was too much to believe. If he was going to trust this he needed to know. He needed to see and feel for himself the love they all shared.
He met them each in the eye. “I am trying to wrap my head around this, I really am, but I need more. I need you both to open yourselves to me. I want to know the truth for myself.”
Cymeryn hesitated, “It is her wish that none save those who were present know what she endured this day…”
“And what of what she endured?” He demanded the rage surging in him once more. He looked to Marcus but the Fae would not meet his eyes. Pain lanced through his being.
“I will say only, my lord that none save Alayne and Lazurys left that room. Every one of them fell at either our feet or Byryn’s. The Kyndra are dead.” Cymeryn met him in the eye and Mythos could tell if it were possible he would kill every one of them again.
The King cringed but nodded, “As long as she has been avenged I can accept that. I will not disrespect my sister’s wishes. Remove the table and sit before me.”
Cymeryn glanced to Marcus and they moved as one each taking an end of the table. They sat before him and opened their hearts and their minds.