by Jaime Marks
He kissed her chastely. Allowing the need and desire he felt to flow freely through his voice and the link they shared, he gently caressed her cheek. She needed to feel it, to know that what had happened in her mind didn’t disgust him or turn him away from her. His usual confidence and resolve slowly slid into place as he reached a decision. “You’re still pure, baby. You have no idea what your body can really feel like but if you let me, brightness, I can finally show you.”
He felt her ease as she met his gaze. “I love you, Byryn. I don’t want anyone but you.”
Her words bridged the gap between them and he gently captured her lips. He needed her so badly and he could only hope that he could prove to both her and himself that the love they shared was stronger than both the ghosts of his past and Alayne’s manipulations. Cymeryn was right. They needed to heal this and grow from it. There could be no more of this distance if they were to going to overcome the threats against them.
Chapter 10
Mythos stood in the library with Marcus waiting for Cymeryn to return. He glanced around the room. It was not as large as the one in the Palace of Light, but it was every bit as magnificent. It was two levels of shelves lining the round ring of the room. The inner ring of shelves was on the same level as the floor the outer ring of shelving had a ramp leading up to it on either side of the large oak double doors that made up the entrance. The room was done in white marble flooring with four matching marble columns denoting the directions of the wind that were each marked with one of the symbols of the Elemental Fae. Above each of them was a small round skylight that illuminated the room in addition to the large silver and crystal chandelier of candles that hung in the center of the ceiling. Three large oak tables sat in the center of the circle, which could easily seat six Fae each.
Cymeryn formed in front of them. “Staryana has begun her awakening.”
“Is Byryn with her?” Marcus asked as he approached from where he had been standing searching the shelves for something.
“Yes, she will allow him to awaken her, but the rest…I am not sure.” Cymeryn smirked, “Though, I did give them a push in the right direction.”
Marcus gave him a shrewd look. “Not too much of a push I would hope.”
Cymeryn shook his head. “Have faith, my brother. I simply know more than even Byryn about why she is keeping him at arm’s length at the moment. I encouraged her to discuss it and in doing so revealed that she was blocking him. In all honesty if they cement the bonds between them it will alleviate a lot of the issues she faces. We all know the love they share. It is merely a matter of time regardless. I would just prefer to not watch them torture each other for a hundred years before they find their way.”
“Agreed,” he mused. “It’s just so hard not to feel she is rushing ahead. I watched her birth, saw her grow to the strong young woman she is and now she is awakening. It was less than two months ago that she was content simply being young. Now she’s soon to be mated, taking care of a young herself and becoming Fae. It’s a bit much sometimes to take in.”
Mythos considered it. “It concerns me as well at times, Marcus, but we must bear in mind Staryana has her Mother’s strength and spirit. Aside from this, she has all of us to aide and guide her when need be. Byryn is good for her, as is Kylion. I truly believe if she did not have the two of them we would have lost her by now. The Darkness she fights within her…” He shook his head unable to continue the thought.
Cymeryn sighed, “I would have to agree. In truth, no other has ever succeeded in evading Alayne this long. The fact that she is of his own blood and done so?” He shook his head. “She needs Byryn more than you understand. Kylion only fuels her strength, because much like any Mother she feels a responsibility to her son, and in her mind that is precisely what he has become, her son.”
Marcus measured his twin, “What does he do to her, Cymeryn? What is it that plagues her so? You keep it so guarded in your mind.”
Cymeryn met him in the eye. “It is not my truth to share, Marcus, and as much as you want to know you do not truly. Byryn is right about the fact that knowing the world of the Shade and bearing witness to it firsthand are two entirely different creatures. We have discussed this and agreed you would not push this and allow her this privacy.”
“I have seen your history clearly, Cymeryn. I know more about the world you existed in these last hundred years and how it affected you than I care to. I can manage knowing the truth of this. She is like mine own young.”
“It is true you have seen much of my truth, but I am not Alayne and even I try to avoid remembering that Shade’s deeds.” He clasped his brother on the shoulder. “Leave this. Let her manage this in her own way. Knowing the truth is a burden you need not bear and one I wish I did not know the strain of even as I bear it willingly for her. She is our young brother.”
Marcus and Mythos grimaced knowing full well that Cymeryn had fallen far into the Darkness. Mythos had sensed him thoroughly, seen much of the acts he had committed in his mind and Marcus all but shared his mind. If even he, former Supryn of the Umbra, legendary for the depths of his Darkness, did not want to consider what Alayne was capable of it implied horrors beyond imagination.
Gavyn entered the library and bowed. “Are you ready, my lords? The boys are here in the hall. Also Wycelion is demanding to see Perylia.”
Cymeryn glanced to them and they nodded. “Gavyn, will you ask Demytria to speak with Perylia? I want to ensure the female truly wishes his company and she will have the best chance of ensuring the girl is being truthful and not simply responding out of fear. It will also give us a better gage of the Shade’s intentions. Tell Demytria I will expect a debrief on the matter before I attempt the boy’s Redemption.”
“Yes my lord.” Gavyn bowed.
Mythos wondered once more exactly what his intentions for Demytria were but ultimately dismissed it to deal with the issue at hand. “Send the boys in, Guardian Gavyn.”
He turned and left the room returning a moment later. Mythos measured them as they entered. They were larger than your average young. He knew them from Stephynia’s mind. John was the taller of the two at roughly five, nine, which meant Mythos still stood over a foot taller than him and he towered over Kyle’s mere five, six. Both boys were corded with muscle but John’s stocky girth hinted at the potential for true strength. He looked up at Mythos with his almost blackened brown eyes from under his shaggy black hair. Mythos wanted to smack the smug grin off of his face.
Kyle looked cautiously around the room. He was thinner but still well built. Oddly his eyes were a deep blue. Also odd was the light brown color of his hair. Mythos studied him closely, there was something familiar about him but he could not place it. He appeared cocky and arrogant but deferred dominance without question to John. If Mythos had to guess his attitude was an act to protect himself from other unawakened he encountered. His appearance brought questions that only Cymeryn would be able to answer and now was not the time, but there was something off about this boy.
Kyle looked around the large room feeling like he was facing a firing squad. Fucking John. He never could control himself when it came to Steph. He didn’t care what he said, there was no way this was the plan. The idiot was lucky that she hadn’t actually killed him after everything he’d done to her. Now they were standing here in front of not only the King of the Fae but fucking Cymeryn a Cymarcion of all fucking males. Forget the damned dungeon, they’d be lucky to get out of this shit alive.
He was still trying to come up with a plan to get Star the hell out of there before the shit hit the fan. Hopefully he could take Steph with them but if it came to a choice between her and Star the choice was already made. He was still leaning towards her being his best option at this point though. Her strength was incredible even if he couldn’t figure it out. She was only sixteen and the Fae didn’t force awakenings but that girl had to have awakened. He’d never seen an unawakened wield that kind of strength. If he didn’t know she was Cerulyion he’
d wonder if the Fae had a line of Priests and she wasn’t just massively gifted in casting but her line was the greatest of all the Warrior Clans, Fae or Shade. It still didn’t make sense. Then again nothing much here did.
It was clear that they were being watched and guarded as prisoners but they hadn’t locked them in a cell or even placed them in shackles. They hadn’t been left to roam free exactly but they hadn’t been fully restricted either. In fact, they’d been given rooms and clothing, a good meal. Shit, he had no freaking idea what to make of all this. Everywhere he looked there were unawakened Shade that roamed free and they were almost…happy. They weren’t smug and faking through their encounters, drunk, drugged and partying away the trauma of their lives. That shit was genuine and they definitely weren’t prisoners. It had left him confused and trying to sort out his head about what he thought was going on here.
He expected to find some form of oppression or manipulation, especially once he’d found out Byryn held some form of power here. That wasn’t what he was sensing. He’d learned how to discern deception pretty damned well and he wasn’t sensing any here. It was fucking with his head and giving him second thoughts, which was just stupid. None of this made sense.
Even Byryn confused him. He’d threatened them on one hand and then protected them from Steph on the other. Sensing him hadn’t given him any more information than he’d started with. Just because the asshole suddenly held Light essence didn’t make him a Fae. In all honesty he didn’t know what he was but there was still enough rage and Darkness in Byryn to make him dangerous. He’d have to be careful how he proceeded. He needed to find Star.
Looking up he nearly lost it as his gaze met Cymeryn’s and brought his full attention back to the room. Breathing deeply he held every lesson he’d ever learned close to his chest and tried to figure some way out of this but he knew there was none. If Supryn Cymeryn found out who he really was…he might kill him just for existing.
“Gavyn, Trycen, get the boys a chair would you,” Cymeryn commanded in an arrogant tone and Mythos had to smirk as Marcus’ stare bored into the young. He was almost tempted to let the two of them handle this alone. They were extremely intimidating together. Marcus had already been adept at channeling his brother to suit his purposes but now it was almost like facing two Cymeryns when he chose to employ the method.
The boys were shoved roughly into chairs as Cymeryn sneered. Kyle sat stiffly watching them, but John lounged casually measuring them all. It was telling. He met each of them directly in the eyes. “Is Steph Smith alright?”
Mythos cleared his throat drawing his attention. “The Lady Stephynia is not your concern and you will stay away from her or you will deal with me.”
John measured him with a smug look, “Steph is my mate. You may be able to control my actions but she will come to me and I’ll never turn her away.”
Mythos grabbed the boy by the throat lifting him from the chair. “You set her up to be raped, reveled in her fear and pain. You took advantage of her heart, her confusion, and then cast her aside. In no way does she recognize you as her mate and if you so much as look at her I will make you wish you were dead.”
He smirked even as he struggled for air. “I see she’s told you about me, even if she did twist shit.”
Mythos squeezed his throat closed for a moment, tempted to crush the boy’s windpipe but when he felt the twins’ essence wash over him he dropped him and watched as he struggled to breathe. “Let me be clear. You are here only because you were offered Redemption wiping the slate clean of the evils of your past. That means you leave your past behind, including the Lady Stephynia. If cannot do this I suggest you leave because I will not allow you to cause her pain, stress, or endanger her in any way.”
The boy looked up at him shrewdly. “I’m not gonna hurt her. You’re the King of the Fae, I understand your desire to protect your ward, but have you bothered to…”
“The Lady Stephynia is not my ward. She is my courted and soon to be my betrothed.”
The boy met his stare with fury as he pulled himself to his feet and Cymeryn stepped beside him clamping his hand on his shoulder as he firmly guided him back to his seat. “You know who I am, boy?”
“You’re Supryn Cymeryn, or at least you were,” he ground out, his eyes still focused on Mythos.
“I am the Crowned King of the Night Throne of Balance, Lord Cymeryn will suffice.” He stepped between the boy and Mythos, his hand still clamped firmly on the boy’s shoulder. “The Lady Stephynia is ward of the entirety of the Lucerna Lines. My lines,” he spat. “I have discussed her wishes with her in detail and I assure you, she does not wish anything more to do with you. You are viewing this through the perspective of the Shade and she has never been Shade, nor will I allow her to succumb to that world. I am more than clear with how you goaded her out on the plateau that you mean to turn her. If it were up to me, we would not be having this discussion and an example would have been made of you, but luckily for you that is not our way.”
“I see. Then tell me, Lord Cymeryn, what exactly is it you’re going to do with us?” John smiled smugly.
Marcus went to his brother’s side. “Your movements will be restricted. Until such time we feel you have proven you can be trusted. You will be remanded to separate quarters outside of class and training. Your education will be provided for here in this room and you will respect and obey the Scholar. Training is in the courtyard and I will provide you with a schedule once I determine where precisely I have the time. You train only with myself and Cymeryn and I assure you the sessions will be brutal. Liaison Byryn is otherwise engaged at the moment but once he is free I will see that he has assigned you each a Personal Guard detail.”
Kyle sneered with obvious disgust, “I’ll bet he’s otherwise engaged.”
Without so much as blinking, Cymeryn swung with his free hand knocking the boy from his chair. “I can sense you easily, boy…if I catch you so much as talking to mine bonded-daughter, what Byryn has done to you in the past will be nothing compared to the pain I pace you and your friend here through before I hand you over to mine blooded twin. I doubt when he is done there will be much left for her uncle thereafter.”
Marcus glowered down at the boy, “Indeed not.”
“Nothing will be left of you once I have finished,” Mythos hissed not willing to even fathom what this boy wanted with his niece.
Laying there on the floor he stared up at Cymeryn in shock. His bonded-daughter? How the hell could Star be of his line? Before he came here he thought this was all some Fae trick. Syneous had led him to believe that Cymeryn was only working some strategy or manipulation that only suited himself but…was Redemption real? His essence washed over the former Supryn and his assumptions nearly made him sick as he tried to reason out his options.
His shrewd eyes studied him. He wasn’t allowing him to sense him fully but there was no denying the truth. Cymeryn was Light. He wasn’t just Light but he’d been every bit as Dark as his Grandfather and now he held Light. He was his line’s greatest enemy. Trusting him meant certain death but staring up at him, sensing him…god help him but he felt some connection to this male that he damned well knew held his life in his hands. What the hell did that mean? Star was of his line somehow? Through her Mother maybe? Or was there some other connection…?
It didn’t matter how and it wasn’t something he had time to try to reason out. If Cymeryn was seriously protecting Star there was no better place for her but he needed to know the truth of the situation if he was going to be prepared. There wasn’t time to fucking work out all his options. He was here now and he had a choice to make. Either way his life was on the line. He knew the consequences of going against Alayne and Syneous. Cymeryn may be their damned enemy but well…he was about to become one as well. Wasn’t he? Isn’t that what he’d decided, to protect Star from them no matter the costs?
Taking the biggest gamble of his life he trusted his instincts. Something inside of him was screaming to tell t
he Supryn everything, to trust him despite the near deadly look in his eyes. Swallowing hard he forced himself to his knees and lowered his head in submission to whatever fate brought him. He just hoped he wasn’t costing Star her life too.
“Lord Cymeryn, I beg your forgiveness. I didn’t know she was of your line, but you misread my thoughts.” He glanced nervously up at John whose eyes narrowed. He knew he could never take this back. He was his mentor. John had been his friend and protected him in a sense despite everything he’d ever put him through, but that wasn’t the life he wanted either and if it meant keeping her safe he was prepared to die to do it. There was nothing he wouldn’t put on the line for her. “I don’t want any part of this, John. I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I won’t allow Star to be hurt like this.”
“Shut up, Kyle!” John spat pushing against Cymeryn’s hold. “Do you have any fucking idea what the hell you’re doing? Do you think they’ll be any easier on you? That he won’t kill you? I swear to fucking god if…”
Cymeryn cut him off shaking him hard. “You have no dominion here!”
The Supryn’s twin walked up behind him and pulled him to his feet by his shoulders. He didn’t fight him, he had no idea what the hell to expect but there was no going back.
“Speak son, it might just save your life,” he commanded, the rage in him barely controlled.
Glancing over his shoulder at the guy and then back to Cymeryn who stood just in front of him was fucking intimidating as hell. Shit, he hoped this wasn’t a mistake because he knew that the while the Supryn might not be anywhere near as depraved as Alayne, he was legendary for being every bit as ruthless, especially to the Line of the Priests. As far as his twin? He had no idea what he’d gotten himself into there and he wasn’t even factoring in the King of the Fae who looked pretty freaking lethal, himself, at the moment.