by Jaime Marks
“Had to…make it…home,” Cymeryn choked.
Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. “You foolish ass, why didn’t you call me to you to heal you instead of risking travel?”
“She comes…first.” His twin coughed roughly but the Light between them intensified to its normal luminescence and he could feel his breathing finally begin to ease.
“Yes, well she is likely going to be livid with you for not seeing her before you left seeing as she felt your pain as well as I.” Marcus chuckled at the groan that rose in Cymeryn’s throat. Neither of them wanted to upset Reyana, but catching her ire was even more daunting.
Byryn’s fury pulsed through him as he walked beside his Dad. He didn’t want them here. They had come here seeking Redemption but he didn’t trust either fucking one of them. They had victimized Steph and they’d targeted Staryana. It wasn’t just a simple bet, they would have raped her just the same as they did Steph if they had the opportunity, but he had kept that tidbit from her. She didn’t need to know what had almost happened to her any more than she needed to know he had beat them far worse than he’d admitted.
He wasn’t about to let them near either of them. Kyle had always had some odd fixation on Staryana and John had cornered her just days before her essence surged for the first time, not to mention John’s obsession with Steph. He would sooner kill them than allow them even the opportunity to harm any of the females he cared about. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind the two of them had come here for the girls but as unawakened they were still human and the Fae guided and protected humanity. Killing them went against the Covenants. They would have to be watched closely.
Staryana wasn’t even the largest problem. She had no idea what threat they really posed to her and he’d be able keep her safe. The real issue was Steph. What they had done to her was unforgivable and it still haunted her. She’d never shown signs of it before but they’d never really been close until she came here a few days ago. He’d only really seen it affect her once and she’d seemed fine after that but he knew there was more too it.
There was so much to Steph he’d never seen but then he also thought she was merely human. While she was a spitfire and Staryana’s closest friend, he assumed when they awoke that Steph would be left behind so he hadn’t bothered to pay attention. He had never imagined that she was actually Fae. The last of her line hidden in plain sight, her essence masked so none would know she was unawakened.
Steph had only been with them a couple days but as it turned out they were related through the binds of their blood. Grifyn had awakened and claimed him as his son through ritual and Steph’s Mother, while human, had been a dormant Fae of the Grifyion Line of Lucerna. Grifyn was his Father and she was his ward. He’d claim her if she allowed it, though that wasn’t looking very likely. They weren’t exactly seeing eye to eye when it came to her relationship with the King of the Fae. It would resolve eventually, once Mythos finally declared they were courting, but that was the crux of it wasn’t it? She needed time but their customs didn’t exactly allow it and Mythos wasn’t about to rush her.
He glanced to his Dad wondering what he would do to these two bastards if he knew the truth behind all their issues. Byryn was certain that these assholes were a good part of the reason that Steph felt she couldn’t let Mythos make the declaration. The Fae were beings of Light, even the Gray were partially Light. Their bodies were considered sacred and they only gave themselves to their bonds, their true mates. John and Kyle had been part of the group that had drugged and raped her. She felt that she wasn’t worthy of the King’s love because of what they did to her. Byryn could sense the pain and fear in her, the shame. He couldn’t let them near her, he wasn’t sure what they would do, or how she would react and it wasn’t worth the risk.
The night they had planned on attacking Staryana at one of their parties she had turned them down and he had gone and beat the living hell out of them. No one was meant to see it, especially since he had nearly killed a couple of them, Kyle included. Steph had shown up, however.
He had ignored her at first planning to erase her mind once he was done, and he would have, but he saw it in her eyes. She had stood there grasping the gun that she thought she’d hidden, watching him beat and break every one of them. He had sensed her, the rage in her was driving her. She wouldn’t allow them to hurt Staryana the way they had hurt her, but she wasn’t about to tell Staryana the real reason why she should break up with Matt. She couldn’t handle her knowing the truth. No, instead she was just going to kill the lot of them. If Byryn hadn’t intervened he had no idea what would’ve happened to her. Now that she had all that untamed power just below the surface, power that she didn’t know how to control yet? He had no idea what would happen if she had to face John and Kyle with her defenses on overdrive.
When he crested the steps and exited onto the plateau he froze blocking their way. Steph was over to the left in the training area working through some of the positions of the Luxyndi Forms. He tried to figure out a way to avoid them seeing her but it was too late. Kyle had already noticed her. Byryn could feel a confused desire roll through him that didn’t really make sense but he assumed it was because they all knew who John believed she belonged to and Kyle was his protégé.
“Found your sweets, John,” he mused from behind him and it only made him want to tear him apart.
He turned, putting him against the wall before he even realized he’d made the decision to do so. “You’ll stay away from her, Kyle. You won’t look at her, talk to her…you won’t even think about her or I swear to you…”
Kyle sneered looking over his shoulder. “Hey Steph, good to see you.”
“What are they doing here?” She demanded, her voice was laced with pain and rage.
He slammed him back into the wall harder this time. “I said don’t talk to her.”
“Easy Byryn,” John murmured quietly. “She came over to see us. Didn’t you, sweets? We can’t control her actions.” The last part was said with a taunting lilt. His eyes were locked with Steph’s and Byryn positioned himself between them.
“Shut up, John. I swear to god…” She spat as her eyes flashed brightly a moment.
Grifyn looked to Steph in exasperation. He wanted to intervene but he knew he needed to give her space. “I’ll see to them Liaison, tend to the Lady Steph.”
“Lady?” Kyle chuckled, “That’s a laugh.”
This time Grifyn grabbed him by the throat slamming him into the wall. “You will bite your tongue or I will tear you apart.”
Byryn looked them over. “I want them confined to quarters and a detail placed on each of them. Wycelion will also need quarters, preferably near Trycen. Trycen and Gavyn will attend to his detail until he can be Redeemed.”
He met his Dad’s eyes as he went to Steph pulling her away from them. He needed to get her the hell away from here before she lost it. If John pushed her even slightly she was going to lose it. She was right on the edge of it now.
“Why are they here, Byryn? They shouldn’t be here.” Rage flowed through her. Her eyes were still locked with John’s despite the fact that Byryn was leading her away. They were glowing brightly and her skin swam with essence. Byryn looked back to see John studying her with keen eyes as he watched the essence pulse through her. His eyes raked over her body with hunger and possession. He had to get word to Mythos. If she lost it he was probably the only one who could pull her out of it.
“Steph, look at me.” He sent his essence out flowing through her when she didn’t respond. She was still in control but her mind was in utter chaos. Fear, anger, rage, shame, guilt, it all coursed through her. “Steph, I need you to listen to me. I’m going to send for Mythos, but I can sense where you’re at. I need you to pull it together.”
“I always knew you were delicious, Steph, but damn that power of yours is seductive.” John smirked goading her. “I should’ve kept a tighter leash on you. You ok, sweets? They treating you alright here?”
He
r energy surged forth and her eyes pulsed with sheer gold Light. A ball of essence formed in her hand and Byryn’s eyes peeled wide. Fae could wield essence like that but he had never seen an unawakened even come close. And the intensity of it? He had only ever seen the Kings wield essence so powerful. He stepped in between in her and John. What would happen if she killed them? The Fae were bound by the covenants to protect humanity, but was she unawakened or Fae? He wasn’t sure looking at her now with the strength of her essence and the control she seemed to have. Would she be bound by their laws?
“Steph, listen to me, you can’t kill them. The Fae protect and guide humanity, if you take their lives you could turn.” He shook her a moment trying to reach her but she couldn’t hear him. “Steph please, think of Mythos. He loves you Steph, let me call him. Let him come help you through this. If you do this you’ll never see him again, Steph.”
“I feel your rage, sweets. I can taste it,” John chuckled moving closer. “Release it, baby. Use me. Sate your desires on me no matter how vicious. It’s only fair…I used you.”
Her essence surged as her hands came up before her, the orb she formed growing between them. Byryn grabbed her hands trying to pull the essence into himself but it was too much. He could feel pain rolling through her but she was using it. She was wielding it as if it were a weapon.
Marcus and Cymeryn took form beside them. Cymeryn slid to the ground, his wounds weren’t completely healed from the raid but Marcus rushed to her, his voice stern and commanding. “Steph, Dysteno.”
She didn’t respond, instead she took a step towards John pushing Byryn back. Marcus glanced behind them to John and Kyle. “Grifyn, take them back into that passage and seal it.” He stepped up to her. “Steph, you need to listen to me. There are rules to our existence, you cannot take an unawakened’s life.”
“Is that what you want, Steph…” John’s voice rang out laced in arrogance. “You want my life? Take it. It’s yours. We both know you won’t do it, baby. You need me.”
Byryn looked back to see the dickhead fighting to remain in the open. “Get him the hell out of here!” He barked out. Several other Guardians ran over and started pushing him back as the Light around them intensified. Her Light was surging forth so strongly it was blinding.
Marcus stood directly in front of her, holding her by the shoulders. Byryn could see him pulling her essence into himself as he looked down to his brother in exasperation.
“She needs him, Marcus.” Cymeryn pulled himself to his feet and limped over to her. “Steph, listen to me, Marcus is going to get Mythos. You need to talk to me.” He grasped her by the shoulder and pushed his twin out of the way. “Go Marcus, but hurry, I am uncertain how long I will have the strength. Byryn…”
Byryn watched as Marcus misted and stepped back into Steph’s path as she tried to push through Cymeryn. “What is this, Cymeryn? She’s not awakened.”
“I have no idea, but something has triggered her defense mechanisms. Something tells me you know the cause of this more than I,” Cymeryn grunted trying to force her back.
Kato and Demytria came up from behind and hooked her arms restraining her. Together the four of them moved her back further from the targets of her rage, all trying to reach her, trying to get her to hear them. She wasn’t responding to anything they said.
“Why won’t she respond, Cymeryn?” Demytria demanded.
“She is lost in her confusion. Her instincts have taken over triggering her defenses. I cannot reach her unless she calms down. Something has her in a heightened state of fear and she has tapped into her abilities to protect herself. She does not have the knowledge to control it.”
Byryn felt her temperature rising, her skin so warm to the touch that it was almost burning. Marcus had better hurry up with Mythos because they were doing everything they could to stabilize her and barely denting the sheer force of the essence surging through her. At this rate, she could easily burn up and they would lose her. There was nothing they could do except hope that Mythos could reach her in time.
Mythos sat at his desk staring at the necklace his Mother had worn. The necklace that by tradition he would give Stephynia on the eve of their betrothal. She would wear it the day they completed the Bonding Rituals; the day she would be crowned Queen. He was supposed to be reviewing documents, but he was unable to concentrate. She monopolized his thoughts.
She needed time. This world, his world was new to her. Her own existence in it was new to her. She did not yet understand who she was or what being Fae even meant. Their enemies would hunt her simply because of her lineage but once they were mated? Once she claimed her rightful place by his side as Queen of the Fae they would hunt her not only because of her blood, but also because they would know she was his greatest weakness. She had to learn to defend herself. He needed to give her the time to find her way but for some reason he could not shake the feeling that time was shorter than he imagined.
It had haunted his thoughts since he left her last eve. He had been prepared to make the declaration. There was nothing more that he wanted than to let the world know she was his, but he was trying to give her time. Grifyn, however, felt that their affections were revealing them. He had all but demanded that either Mythos declare their courting or cease relations with Stephynia. He could not bear the thought to have any more distance between them than was enforced through the covenants and her unawakened status already. He was afraid she was not ready and he had been right, but not for the reasons he supposed.
She was haunted by what had been done to her. It tore her apart. Nightmares, memories of the night they assaulted her, tormented her every eve. In her mind they had tainted her, made her impure in some way. She felt that it made her unworthy of her future crown, unworthy of his love. She was scared to give herself to him, that she would never be enough because of what had been stolen from her. He did not know how to make her see, how he could make her understand that to him, there was nothing but her. Now that he had found her, nothing else could ever be enough without her.
Out of nowhere pain pierced his heart and those horrible images accosted his mind, images that he knew were not his own. It felt as though his heart was breaking. Stephynia. She felt such pain, anger…such shame. Something was driving her to the edge of sanity. It was her memories, her pain he felt.
Marcus appeared suddenly at his side. “Mythos your hand, now!”
Without hesitation he clasped his hand and was transported to the plateau where the Palace Lunya stood. There, standing before him was Stephynia, engulfed in Light, immersed in the sheer force of her ancestral power. He pushed Cymeryn and Byryn away from her and pulled her into his arms. Her body stilled at his touch and the others released their hold but kept contact with her skin. They were all drawing her essence. If they ceased she could burn herself alive with the heat that was emanating from her.
“Stephynia, listen to my voice. Come back to me please, my caria,” he pleaded nuzzling into her neck as he let his essence flow through her, comforting her.
He reached within, flowing through her essence but he could not reach her. How could he reach her? She wanted their blood, their very lives for what they had done to her. They had robbed her of her innocence, her strength and confidence. What had her more enraged than anything, however, was that she felt they had robbed her of her future; her future with him. They were here, in the tunnel stairwell, and she wanted their blood.
Her essence was pulsing around her, she was showing signs of the awakening and it might be the only way to pull her out of all this. He needed to prove to her that she was his always, that no Fae could come between them, but she had already asked him not to do so. He needed to prove to her the truth of his heart. This was entirely too public, entirely too open. If he moved to so much as kiss her here it would cause her more stress, especially with the accusations she feared John and Kyle would bring against her.
He fought himself but something in him broke. The future for them was already written. All he c
ould do was trust in fate. “Get me Grifyn!”
“My lord?” Byryn asked in shock.
“Get me your Father, Byryn. Get him now!” Mythos commanded more than aware of the urgency and near panic in his voice.
Grifyn came running over to him shielding his eyes. Her Light was so bright now even with all of them pulling her essence that it was blinding. “My lord?”
“Grifyn a Grifyion, I, Mythos a Mythion, King of the Fae, Royal Regent of the Lines of Lucerna and rightful ruler of the Realm of Light profess my eternal love for your ward, the Lady Stephynia a Ceryn, daughter of the Cerulyion Line of Lucerna and do so request the right of Courting as well as the rights to the Lady’s awakening.” He swallowed the lump in his throat as he continued to try to reach her. He knew this went against her wishes, he knew she deplored any infringing on her independence but he could not see another way.
Grifyn stared at him in shock.
“Grifyn a Grifyion, what say you?” Marcus prompted struggling under the force of her essence. The churn of it was still steadily increasing in strength and heat.
Grifyn cleared his throat and met his eyes. “Are you certain, Mythos? She said just last eve she wasn’t yet ready. She’s not exactly fond of people making choices for her, trust me.”
“Look at her Grifyn, I have no choice. I will not lose her to this, I must trust what I know in my heart, what I feel in hers. It has already been decreed by Lucerna herself. From her first breath she was destined to be my Queen. I must trust in the will of the Divine. I need to save her and I cannot bring her dishonor,” he pleaded his voice cracking. “I love her Grifyn, with every part of my being. I love her.”
He nodded squeezing his eyes shut as he rapidly granted the decree. “I, Grifyn a Grifyion, do so grant you, King Mythos a Mythion, the right to court the Lady Stephynia a Ceryn, daughter of the Cerulyion Line of Lucerna and the right to the Lady Stephynia’s awakening.”