Secrets Past (Mists of the Fae Book 2)

by Jaime Marks

  There was a pause before Byryn replied with reverence in his voice. “Because once I met her there was nothing else.”

  Marcus had to smile slightly as the kid shrugged. Grifyn was right. Byryn did indeed remind him of himself.

  Kato met them at the next passageway and they followed Byryn out of this god forsaken place through the tunnels. He knew it would haunt him, but not for the reasons he had assumed when he came for her. Now he feared the truths that had been revealed, what they meant, and where it would take them. He feared the secrets of her past.

  Chapter 13

  “This place is huge.” Star yawned as she sat on the castle steps. They had been through the entire compound and the others still weren’t back yet. She was starting to worry. “Is the other Palace, the one in the Realm of Light, this big?”

  Tryxia nodded. “They’re set up a bit differently layout wise but yes, they are about the same size I think.”

  “I didn’t think they would be by the front appearance of it or I probably would not have suggested we explore the whole thing.” Ryo groaned as he stretched out his legs.

  “Stop whining, Ryo. That was nowhere near as trying as the drills at the Academy.” Tryxia shoved him playfully.

  Star got up and walked over to the dried out fountain. Walking along its edge as if it were a balance beam, she actually wished the castle was larger. It had been a hell of a distraction. The large halls and throne room reminded her of one of those Disney movies. The ones that start out with the bad guy having already won and the prince needing to save the princess to rescue the kingdom, anyway. It was freaky how the place was just deserted. It wasn’t like a horror flick where dinner was still set up and everything was running and that, but it wasn’t right either.

  The curtains were all still drawn as if to let in the sun that she wasn’t even sure shined here. The closets were still full of clothing. None of the furniture had been draped in sheeting or prepared in anyway. There weren’t even any cobwebs or dust. In all honesty it was sort of like when people went on vacation. The house was left battened down but ready to welcome the family home at the end of the week.

  It had to have been much longer according to Ryo, though. Marcus didn’t seem to know that this place even existed when they spoke earlier and he’d lived here, seemingly alone, for almost a hundred years. Then there was that statue in the inner court yard. It looked like a statue of her Mother but it had been dated over a hundred years before her birth as Fae according to Ryo. That would make it over two hundred years old.

  Everywhere they went there were these symbols, a silver crescent moon on top of the golden disc of a sun. She had seen something like it before. There were kids at school who were into the whole Neo-Pagan, Wiccan thing. They sometimes wore something very similar to it. She wondered if the two were connected. If they were, what did that even mean?

  She sat on the lip of the fountain and watched the Fae tease each other back and forth. These people amused her. One minute they were stern and serious as if the world were coming to an end, the next? They would be joking and laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Their society had been at war for as long as any of them had memory of and yet in so many ways it didn’t define them. It had shaped their society. It ruled how they could live their lives. They didn’t let it rule their hearts, though and that was something to admire.

  Her finger grazed over a bump under the lip of the fountain and she played with the rough edge. She was bored. She was trying like hell not to think of Byryn but all she could think of was what if he didn’t come back? Did she really want to explore this world without him?

  Her finger slipped and the rough stone depressed. The fountain shook and she jumped back. Ryo was at her side steadying her before she could blink. They watched as the fountain slid back revealing a set of stairs.

  Once the shifting stopped, Ryo released her arm and studied the opening. “Wait here with Tryxia your majesty. I believe you may have found a hidden way down.” The Fae drew his blade and disappeared out of sight.

  Cymeryn lay on the bed enraged. Pain seared through his veins as her Light flowed through him from the wound where the dagger still punched through his chest. He struggled to reach the blade, to pull it from his back, but she had been clever. The angle of it was beyond his reach.

  It had all flooded in on him the moment they had left. Trevyn was dead. The hole left from the broken connection to his progeny only served as fuel to the fire within him. How had he been so careless, so blind? He had been completely lost to her. There had been nothing but her. Even when he had been focused on turning Marcus it had only been through her; her pleasure, her pain, her Darkness. He had not felt it happen. If he had, he would have had Marcus held and taken her immediately to Lord Lazurys.

  He had missed Demytria’s confusion in his need to claim Reyn. She had tried to reach him, tried to let him know there was something wrong. He had dismissed her for Reyn, sent her to Kato in her vulnerable state, and he had taken full advantage. He could feel her but could not leverage the control he had had on her. He let his pain flow freely through their link. She would pay for her betrayal once he reclaimed her, for her role in freeing the unawakened.

  He could almost see through her eyes. If he could just focus he could use her. Demytria was still Shade, she would need to be monitored until Reyn was balanced enough to attempt to cleanse the Darkness from her. Kato would keep her close. He would not allow anyone else to see to her and he was never far from Cymeryn’s twin. Marcus would keep Reyn close to him now, if she allowed it. He would use his connection to Demytria to find them and reclaim them both.

  Her face haunted him. He could feel her lips on his, her hands on his skin as she had taken him within her. She had kissed him, held him to her while he thrust into her core as she plunged the blade through his back. If his brother only realized how truly Shade she was in that moment, how Dark her actions had been.

  He owned her, owned her heart, every bit as much as Marcus. Despite the bonds, the vows, the…complications, she loved him. She did not choose Marcus out of love, she chose him out of self-preservation, out of fear. Fear of what the Dark Lord intended for her. Fear for the life her daughter would lead in his world. If she had seen another way, she would not have been able to choose.

  He had counted on that, the strength of her connection to both of them. When she had given herself to him, merged freely with his essence, he had known her heart. He had known he could not break the connection between she and Marcus, any more than Marcus would be able to break the connection she had to him. The two halves of Reyn would always exist and so long as they did, they both would own her heart. His way was the only way she would ever be fully complete, the only way she could have what it was she truly needed.

  Syneous formed in front of him. Wisely, he did not comment on the scene as he approached the bed and pulled the dagger from Cymeryn’s back. “Staryana is almost ready.”

  Cymeryn nodded suppressing the urge to scream as the dagger was ripped from his flesh. He let out a ragged breath as the Shade helped to pull him upright.

  “Can you move, my sire? This location is compromised.”

  Cymeryn nodded as the Shade retrieved his robing. “We will go back to your former home until I can mist to the Dark Realm. Did you bring transportation as I requested?” He grunted through his teeth.

  “Yes sire.” Syneous handed him his clothes. “What would you like me to do with this gown and jewel?”

  “Bring them.” Cymeryn closed his eyes picturing her in the perfection of it. “I will have need for them again.”

  Marcus surveyed the camp. There were too many. He couldn’t possibly risk leaving them in these woods. There wasn’t enough security here and they were open to the harsh extremities of the Earth’s elements. He wanted to take Reyana back to the Sanctuary but a decision had to be made first.

  “Where will we go with them all?” Byryn murmured echoing his thoughts. “They can’t possibly s
tay here. Where are all their parents?”

  “There really is no other option Marcus but it is your call. It is your home as you say.” Mythos stated plainly.

  Marcus sighed. “No, it is the only option. They are merely young. My concern lies more with how much influence Cymeryn will be able to leverage over Demytria and Trycen once he has healed.”

  “I will take responsibility for Demytria.” Kato replied sternly meeting his eyes.

  “I know you will my friend, but it is obvious he has some connection to her still.” Marcus turned studying his friend’s mate. He could feel Cymeryn reaching out to her. She sat against a tree her knees pulled to her chest as she rocked in pain. She rubbed her chest in the exact spot Reyana had pierced through Cymeryn’s heart. “I do not know how the connections of the Shade work.”

  “He’s calling her to him, letting his pain bleed through to her, punishing her for betraying him.” Byryn replied. When everyone turned to him he shrugged. “Trevyn makes a point of letting you know he can reach you.”

  “Made,” Grifyn replied studying the boy. “He is dead, Byryn. He can’t reach you anymore.”

  Byryn nodded releasing a breath. “It’s a common method used to keep control of progeny both unawakened and Shade. I saw Trevyn stab himself once to punish one of my brother’s just for taking too long.”

  Kato looked to her. “Can he reach her? Can her regain control of her?”

  “I don’t think so. Shade rarely go rogue though, so it’s hard to know. There was one instance where one of my brother’s broke the hold Trevyn had on him. I had to...he had be hunted down, Trevyn couldn’t reach him. Trevyn wouldn’t lower himself to go to him but he knew where he was.”

  Marcus clasped him on the shoulder. “You don’t need to hide from us. We don’t judge you on the boy you were but the male you are becoming before our eyes. The information you supply is valuable insight we wouldn’t possibly have access to otherwise.”

  Kato looked at him with an amused smile and raised brow. “I see I have missed much these last few days.”

  Marcus glowered as everyone else burst out laughing. He crossed his arms over his chest and continued, ignoring their amusement. “It would be best until they can be redeemed that they are both monitored closely to be safe. If they can be found then we need to bring them to the Sanctuary, but they can’t be left to their own devises.”

  “I agree,” Mythos nodded, “It is a chance we cannot take.” He measured Marcus carefully. “And Reyana herself as well, until we can ascertain the extent of her connection to Cymeryn.”

  Marcus focused on the ground. “I had already considered that.” He sighed, “This would be much easier if we had the safehold we had discussed.”

  “I will make suitable arrangements once everyone is secured in the Sanctuary. We should be able to begin construction post haste but we will need to scout locations and determine defensive positions.” Mythos offered.

  Marcus and Kato looked to each other.

  Marcus spoke first. “It is your post my friend, and you serve it well.”

  “I was only ever holding the position until your return, my friend.”

  “Perhaps at first, but one hundred years is far more than an extended leave of absence.”

  Mythos groaned, “I thought I had already made myself clear on your appointment per my decree, Marcus?”

  He smirked. “I mean no disrespect your majesty.”

  “It is a moot point, regardless,” Kato interjected. “I am requesting an extended leave of absence immediately to tend to Demytria. She has…there have been years she needs to come to terms with and she will need me at her side to do so.”

  Mythos nodded with a sigh. “We all need time at this point but unfortunately there is much to do. In this instance, however, your needs are aligned. Demytria must be kept under constant watch and she needs your constant attention. See to it my friend, you are her Personal Guard.”

  Kato bowed. “That will suffice, my lord.”

  “We will review the issue once things have settled and she has been redeemed.” Mythos turned to Marcus a stern challenge in his voice. “Now, I believe that leaves you once more as our Praetor, Marcus and as you have already been presented to the Council, let us move forward shall we.”

  Marcus cleared his throat. “I will take a team and scout out viable positions at the first moment we have chance but it will take a while to get everyone settled. Byryn, I know you have already accepted the appointment as Staryana’s guard, and that is something I believe is even more necessary now, but I must also request that you serve as a liaison to the unawakened Shade.”

  Byryn sighed, “I don’t know how good of an idea it is for me to manage both. Staryana,” he hesitated, “she shouldn’t be allowed around the Shade. Any of them.” He turned from them.

  “Byryn, what is it I don’t know? I cannot protect her if you don’t tell me what transpired.”

  He shook his head. “You must understand what she’s fighting against. The pull of it.”

  “How close was she Byryn?”

  He turned and met Marcus’ eyes. “Close.”

  Marcus scanned the group, “Byryn, come with me please. Excuse us a moment, my lord.”

  Marcus turned and walked away from the area, through the shielding and stopped only once he was out of hearing range. When Byryn stopped behind him he turned.

  “I can respect your reasoning. It is the same as the reason that I will not discuss what happened to Reyana. I need to know though, Byryn. What affects Reyana affects Star and the reverse is true as well.”

  Byryn studied him. “I know you care for her as a daughter, and I realize you want to protect her, but I love her every bit as much as you love her Mother.” He paused seeming to consider what he was about to say carefully. “Which is why I am going to forget ranks, status, and implications and lay this out on the table. She may not be my mate but I mean her to be someday, if she’ll allow it. I won’t disrespect her and I won’t take advantage of her. What I will do, is whatever it takes to protect her. So if you want to know what happened, then it’s very simple,” the boy crossed his arms, his visage resolved and unrelenting, “so do I.”

  Marcus turned from him trying to work through it all in his mind. It was not an unreasonable request. Their intentions and motivations were aligned, even linked. Of all his allies, Byryn was the one who had the most invested in this situation. Aside from that, the boy had been raised as Shade. He would never judge her for this and he may yet have an idea of how to protect her.

  “If I tell you, it goes no further and I would also have a request to make.”

  “Anything.” He replied sincerely. “You know I’ll do anything for Staryana and by virtue that extends to her line.”

  Marcus nodded and faced the boy once more. The pain in his voice as he spoke caused him pause but he relented. “Reyana gave herself willingly to Cymeryn. There was an unknown connection of some type that he exploited and manipulated but it was what she wanted, to be with him. When she drove the dagger through his back, it was an attempt to trigger his redemption. She collapsed immediately after. I have no idea why she sleeps and I may need your help to figure out how to wake her.”

  Byryn rose his brow as he studied him silently a moment. He met his eyes speaking quietly. “How strong a connection?”

  Marcus looked to the ground and forced out the words. “She loves him…as she loves me.”

  The boy let out a low whistle, “And he loves her, or thinks he does? That’s why the damage to her body was almost nonexistent?”

  “Yes,” Marcus gritted his teeth. He did not feel the damage was nonexistent. “He made a point of telling me he will be able to reach her anywhere.”

  Byryn paced. “It’s not good, Marcus. Even if she chose to leave him, it could be the very thing that has her in that coma.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, have you ever seen a Fae turn to Shade?” Byryn paused regarding him.

  “
No.”

  “It’s a very painful process when they fight it. It’s as if they have to choose to give in to the Darkness. In rare cases, it doesn’t take. Sometimes the Fae or Shade, whatever they are at that point can’t pick a dominance and they can’t fight the infection. They fall into a deep coma until they relent.”

  “Do you think this is the case with Reyana?” Marcus felt a knot of fear growing in his stomach.

  “I don’t know but it’s possible. If she felt torn in some way, it could happen, but with her ability to wield the essences the way she does…I don’t know. I would have to take a closer look into her mind.” Byryn sighed, “In all honesty, it could come down to Staryana and that might not be the best thing.”

  Marcus pondered it. “If we lose either of them we might well lose both.”

  Byryn looked him over. “Before the awakening took me, Staryana wasn’t just shifting to Darkness. She had shifted, it owned her. Her Father is somehow feeding her essence through their connection. She asked if it was what she wanted if I would take her to him.”

  “Are you sure it was not a mere moment of weakness, a whim to save her Father?”

  “I have no doubt about the state she was in. She asked if she went would I go with her and I told her she didn’t know what she asked. That I couldn’t bear to see her abused like that.”

  Marcus grimaced unable to escape the image of Reyana and Cymeryn. “What did she respond?”

  “That she wanted to make it a condition of her return that she be given to me, that she would only be turned by me, owned by me.” Byryn ran a hand roughly through his hair. “She all but offered herself to me.”