Dark, page 37
“Oh? What about him?” King Airre responded, his attention divided between the lanterns and me, in an attempt to dissuade anyone around us from listening to our conversation by making it appear unimportant.
“Yesterday, after we returned from the hunt, he attacked Izidora.” I allowed the words to fall with a seriousness that befitted them, my voice hardening over each word.
King Airre sucked in a sharp breath, subtly shaking his head after. “Did he lay hands on her?”
“Yes, he struck her across the face, then forced her to the ground and choked her.” My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms as my fury flared anew.
The king’s head snapped up. “Is she alright?”
“She was badly shaken but managed to defend herself until Zuriel, the Angel, came to her aid,” I replied.
“I have let many things slide during my reign, but one I have never condoned is violence against females,” the king of the Crystal Realm spat out, as disgusted with Kazimir’s actions as I hoped he’d be.
“He is the newly crowned king of the Night Realm, but I find it inexcusable as well.” Izidora and I had not been public about accepting the mating bond because of her worry that Kazimir would snap and do something crazy when he found out. But I knew the final card I needed to play to convince King Airre to break his alliance. Dropping my voice and leaning in so others would not overhear, I said, “Izidora and I have accepted our mating bond. You can understand how difficult it is for me to allow him to wander the halls of our home unchecked.”
King Airre blanched, his lips drawing into a thin line before they broke into a grin and he clapped me on the shoulder. “Congratulations, King Ruslan. I am pleased for you both. I wish you all the happiness the Goddess has to offer. Being mated was the best thing that ever happened to me.” His attention turned to his wife, still poring over the lanterns with my mate a few stalls away.
“As with me,” I agreed, returning the gesture. “I hope we can continue to build relations between the Iron and Crystal Realms since we share such special bonds.”
He regarded me for a moment before answering. “I would like that very much. Would it be possible to arrange a… private dinner for the monarchs of Day, Crystal, and Iron tonight?”
The wicked grin I wanted to display remained hidden beneath my carefully practiced mask as I answered. “That can be arranged. Why don’t we dine on one of the balconies overlooking Radence? There is one with a lovely view I’m sure you would appreciate.”
“As long as you have some fires going. It’s too cold here,” King Airre chuckled, feigning a shiver to emphasize his point.
“Noted. I’ll send someone to fetch you this evening,” I promised.
Izidora and Queen Immonen returned moments later, both carrying lanterns. The queen’s was a light lilac shade that matched the color of her dress, and her husband immediately voiced his approval of her choice, kissing her until she shoved at his chest, claiming he would crush her selection.
Izidora returned to my side with a lantern so white that it nearly filled the whole courtyard with light. “It’s perfect,” I grinned down at her, tucking a lock of chestnut behind her ear.
“I think so too,” she smiled back, melting my heart with how happy she was.
“You’ve always been my light in the dark, and now your lantern will guide mine to the Goddess like the beacon of hope that it is.” I pulled her flush against me and pressed my mouth to hers, not caring who viewed their king showing his devotion to their future queen. In only a few days, we’d be married, mated, and crowned together, and I couldn’t fucking wait.
A throat cleared behind me, forcing me to break away from Izidora. Drazen and Liliana waited there, both holding the lanterns they’d selected, plus the black one I’d picked out for myself. “Ready to go to the other side?” Liliana asked, her seafoam green eyes dancing with amusement.
“First, we need to make a trip upstairs. I have a feeling we’ll be buying more,” Izidora laughed, lifting some of her items from Drazen’s precarious pile. I snatched my lantern before it tumbled to the ground, then grabbed Izidora’s before saying goodbye to the king and queen of the Crystal Realm. The crowd had thinned, making it easier to navigate the distance between us and the open doors of the citadel. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I carried our things inside.
I had spoiled Izidora, but she deserved it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
41
Béke Day Ten
The large terrace overlooking Radence was finely decorated for entertaining our noble guests. Fire tables like the ones Ruslan had used when he asked me to marry him ringed the round table, blasting heat on the dark, chilly night. Soft candlelight flickered on the table and above us, adding elegance and romance to the atmosphere.
When Ruslan told me that King Airre had asked for a private dinner for the monarchs, without Kazimir, my heart leaped to my throat. The time spent winning them over, slowly but surely, had paid off. We would be able to unite the realms, bring peace, and allow all peoples to live in harmony with one another. Zuriel and the other Telivér, as well as the Félvér, had mixed and mingled with them as well, and their presence melted my wariness away like the snow on a sunny day.
The six of us settled around the round table, blood-red rose petals decorating the center so nothing blocked our views of one another. Servants appeared and disappeared with fine wine and delicious food, and no one’s glass was ever empty. The monarch of the Crystal Realm needed to be thoroughly flattered before we broached the subject of Kazimir, and Ruslan ensured that success with the fine meal he arranged.
I was seated between the two monarchs of the Day Realm, while Ruslan sat across from me, between the two monarchs of the Crystal Realm. The placement felt balanced and non-threatening, seeming to place us all on equal ground.
Queen Viktoria’s colorful attire stood out among the six of us, the bright, warm yellow of her dress almost replacing the sun as the stars winked to life above us. King Consort Geza wore a matching yellow ensemble, the color nearly as deep as his voice. He was by far the biggest male I’d ever seen, and yet he exuded a warmth that put me at ease. “King Consort Geza, what part of the Day Realm are you from?”
“Believe it or not, I am from a tiny fishing village close to the border with the Iron Realm. Growing up, I could sit on the tip of my father’s boat and gaze upon the peaks of the Agrenak Mountains,” he replied, then lifted a piece of flaky fish to his mouth and chewed slowly.
“It sounds lovely. I’d love to explore more of the continent. I spent too long in one place.” I sipped my wine, savoring the crisp taste as it washed over my tongue.
“I agree. It is far too cold here in the Iron Realm. You are welcome to warm your bones in the Day Realm anytime,” he chuckled.
“I will hold you to that,” I grinned back.
“And you must visit us in the Crystal Realm,” Queen Immonen exclaimed, lifting her glass of wine to me.
I mirrored her. “Absolutely. You said this white wine is from one of your vineyards?”
“It is. King Ruslan has good taste,” she enthused, glancing at my mate.
“In more than one respect,” he replied, shooting me a look that held enough heat to make me blush.
Dessert was a fluffy vanilla cake with fruit-filled frosting, and I nearly moaned at the way it melted in my mouth. Sweets would never cease to amaze me.
Queen Viktoria chuckled beside me. “I have the excuse of growing a babe in my belly to eat an extra slice of this.”
“I’ll have to train twice as hard tomorrow for the next two slices I’m eating,” I replied, shoveling another forkful in my mouth without regard for proper decorum.
“Do you train every day?” she asked, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
“I do. It is what makes me feel strong, powerful, like I can defend myself after so long of not being able to.” The queen flattened her lips, concern passing over her brow. She had seen the scars on my back the day we shopped for dresses, so she knew just how powerless I had been. “It was thanks to my training that I was able to force Kazimir off me when he attacked me yesterday.”
A hush fell over the group like my words had sucked all the oxygen from the space around us.
“King Ruslan mentioned that. Can you tell us exactly what happened?” King Airre requested, his words careful and slow.
Before describing our encounter, I sipped from my wine to steady myself. “The males had returned from the hunt while I was training with the Angel, Zuriel, and High Lady Liliana. I ran to greet Ruslan, and afterward, he helped carry the stag inside. I watched them go, only to be stopped when Kazimir approached. He told me you almost died in the mountains again, trying to make me feel sympathy for him. When I didn’t give him that and tried to leave, he used his magic to stop me, slapped me, called me a bitch, shoved me down, and tried to choke me. Thankfully, I was able to get him off, and Zuriel was nearby to assist me in returning to the citadel safely.”
Queen Viktoria shook with anger, throwing her napkin onto the table as she scoffed. “Unbelievable. And he calls you his mate. No male would ever treat their mate that way.”
“I can confirm that,” King Airre offered, the grip around his fork so tight I thought he might bend it.
“There is more.” Ruslan released a heavy sigh, lifting his glass and swirling the wine in it. “Kazimir has binding magic.”
“Binding magic?” The queen of the Day Realm spit the words out like a bitter potion.
I nodded. “When he attacked me, the magic he threw at me was like two black ropes, crawling toward me. They were sinister, slithering almost, and if it weren’t for my training, I wouldn’t have been able to blast them away as quickly as I did.”
King Consort Geza made a disapproving noise in the back of his throat. “In the Day Realm, binding magic is the worst of omens. It only breeds evil in the heart of its bearer. How long has he been in possession of it?”
“According to my sources, since the Night Fae stopped in the Crystal Realm,” Ruslan answered for me, and I was grateful that he did not reveal Liliana as our source of information.
King Airre paled, nearly matching the shade of his blonde hair. “How… how did we not know?” He and his wife held a long look, and I gathered that they spoke mind to mind.
Their connection broke, and he returned his attention to me. “We knew they kept secrets from us because when we arrived in the Day Realm, they revealed your heritage, Princess Izidora. Kazimir had plenty of time to convey the information between arriving at Blire Palace and entering Aress Keep, but he chose not to disclose until he was under pressure to do so.”
“It appears the Night Realm holds many secrets. Who knows what else they aren’t telling us?” King Consort Geza mused, reaching for his wife’s hand across the table. I leaned back to provide them space to embrace.
“We must not ally ourselves with the Night Realm any longer,” his wife declared, and for the first time all evening, my chest loosened.
Their alliance was breaking apart, and there would be no war.
“The Crystal Realm will no longer ally with the Night Realm,” King Airre seconded, Queen Immonen also offering an affirmative nod.
“It is a relief that you understand the severity of our situation. Kazimir is dangerous, and as you can see, Izidora wants nothing to do with him. We are ready to be mated, married, and crowned in a few days. I hope you will remain in the Iron Realm following our wedding and coronation to celebrate with us.”
Ruslan certainly knew how to turn up his charm when he wanted to. Even after all this time, he continued to surprise me with different sides of himself.
I realized it hadn’t been that long – not really. Still, the way I felt about Ruslan transcended time, lifetimes even, and I simultaneously felt that I’d known him forever and would never know him long enough.
“Only if you continue to provide us with these delectable treats. I’m afraid my babe loves them a little too much,” Queen Viktoria chuckled, smoothing a hand across her belly.
“What the little princess wants, she gets,” King Consort Geza cooed, thumb brushing across the back of his wife’s hand.
The conversation returned to lighter topics, and Ruslan grinned impishly across the table, the heat in his eyes promising a thrilling celebration after we’d finished our royal dinner.
“Only a few more days until you’re mine in every possible way, sprite.”
“I can’t wait.”
42
Béke Day Eleven
Iknocked on the door to the Crystal Fae’s temporary residence after breakfast, having slept so late I nearly missed it. I’d been up all night again with Taya, whose sexual appetite was nearly insatiable. It was a good thing I had my own pent-up sexual frustrations to work out, and she was a good substitute for the female I truly wanted.
King Airre had asked me to come alone, so I snuck away from Endre, Viktor, Vadim, and Kaztar, who were all off gallivanting about the Iron Realm doing shit I didn’t care for as Ruslan continued to flash his obnoxious wealth for all the realms to see.
King Airre himself opened the door, much to my surprise, and he ushered me inside before peering up and down the hall, no doubt to ensure no one would be eavesdropping at the door. I strode into the room, brimming with self-confidence until the sight of Queen Viktoria and King Consort Geza stopped me in my tracks. Recovering myself, I said, “Ah, Queen Viktoria, King Consort Geza, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“Please, have a seat,” King Airre said from behind me, and I squared my shoulders before dropping onto a leather couch across from the monarchs of the Day Realm and adjacent to the chair Queen Immonen perched in. King Airre settled himself in a chair opposite his wife, and suddenly, the visit seemed more like an interrogation than a friendly chat.
“Is King Ruslan joining us?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral. Glancing around the room, I noted the absence of the Crystal Realm’s High Lords.
“No, it will be only us talking,” Queen Viktoria said, her eyes holding a hardness to them I’d never seen before.
The binding magic slumbering in my chest woke as I sensed a looming threat. Running a hand over my face, I tried to appear calm and collected as I reclined back against the couch. “What would you like to discuss?”
King Airre leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as he leveled his gaze on me. “Kazimir,” he started, trailing off before clearing his throat and straightening. “You have not been completely honest with us.”
His informal use of my name irked me, but I waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, I asked, “How so?”
“Did you receive any new magic recently?” King Consort Geza’s tone was flat and directed at me like a well-thrown spear.
“How recently?” I asked, lifting a brow.
But Queen Viktoria was having none of my games. “Cut the shit, King Kazimir. You may be a ruler now, but when you came to us, you were a High Lord. We put the lives of our people on the line for a cause you convinced us to join, and yet you didn’t reveal all your information.”
Who fucking told them about the binding magic?
Gritting my teeth and shouting down that black beast rumbling in my chest, I retorted, “Because what I gained was extremely valuable and would help us in the war. If Ruslan had found out before we launched our attack, it would have put us at a disadvantage.”
“So you do admit that you gained new magic?” King Airre pressed.
“Yes,” I spat out like it was venom, my vision darkening as that magic thrashed in my chest, begging to be released.
“And what is it?” he asked again, his tone condescending.
How dare they corner me and scold me like a petulant child.
With a wave of my hand, I released a snake-like rope onto the table separating us, expanding it so it engulfed the table, wrapping around itself. Making a fist with my hand, I commanded it to squeeze, and moments later, the metal groaned until it collapsed inward with a screech.
“Binding magic,” Queen Immonen hissed, looking from the table to me with utter disgust.
Banishing it with a dismissive wave, I turned my attention to her, King Airre stiffening on the fringes of my vision. “Yes, binding magic. I can throw these ropes around Ruslan and the other mongrels, suffocating their magic until we can slaughter them all. We will win because of this.”
The queen of the Crystal Realm’s eyes turned white, her head dropping back as her empty gaze fell toward the sky. King Airre burst by me moments later, supporting his wife as the sight claimed her. The monarchs of the Day Realm gripped the edges of their seats, waiting for Queen Immonen to return to us. I half rose, planning to leave, but a sharp look from Queen Viktoria stilled me.
Several minutes passed before Queen Immonen gasped, clutched her chest, and whipped her head forward. “What did you see, my love?” King Airre asked, stroking her platinum hair as he kneeled beside her.
She shook her head. “I need time to make sense of what I saw. There was… so much.”
His brows pinched, but he nodded. “Later, then.”
Scooting along the edge of the couch, I took King Airre’s former seat, allowing the mated pair to sit together on the couch, and finally I felt like I had some power over the situation unfolding before me.
But Queen Viktoria sliced right through it. “The Fates are seeking to manipulate you, King Kazimir, and I want no part of their games for my daughter.” Her hands covered her swelling belly as if the simple movement could protect her unborn child from the evil lurking within me.
“So, what, you want to break our alliance?” I growled, gripping the arms of my chair so hard the wood beneath my fingers protested.
“The Day Realm will not fight with the Night Realm should you decide to attack the Iron Realm,” she declared, and her husband made a noise of affirmation.
The wood snapped as I dragged my attention to King Airre. “And what of the Crystal Realm?”
