Era of the Moon, page 35
Once fully dressed, they turned to look at one another. Sebastian’s chest heaved with a stoic inhale as Cerilla released a sigh from between her lips. They both were dressed in royal finery, gone were the clothes of war. Sebastian wore a dinner jacket in the deep crimson color that represented his nation, while Cerilla donned a silver and blue gown made of velvet, which still needed corseted.
“Would you tie me up?” She asked innocently, though he took it differently, his brain still fogged with the lust that accompanied their bonding ceremony. His first order of business once off the Isle was to whisk her away, where they could stay joined for days on end – with no interruptions.
With a single twirling finger, he gestured for her to turn around. She braced her hands against the tent post, sending his blood rushing south as he remembered the last time he had seen her in that position.
“I’m going to come to your chambers later tonight with a silk tie and I would like you to whisper that question to me again while wearing nothing but the light of the moon.” His voice was a husky whisper in her ear, filled with lust and primal need.
“Promise?” Cerilla replied, voice just as thick with sultry seduction and need as his. A gasp fell from her lips as he jerked the strings of her corset abruptly.
“I swear on my life.” His teeth grazed the lobe of her ear with a teasing pull, sending a chill down Cerilla’s spine.
Sebastian made quick work of her corset, tying it with a lack of flair which showed he had never dressed a lady in a gown before.
“Ready?” He asked, offering his hand to her.
“No,” She replied honestly. “You’ve yet to tell me of your plan. What are we going to do about our clans even numbers?”
“I have a proposal for the priestesses that includes a tie and extra tithes from our nations for the next decade.”
“Not the tie you promised to use on me though, right?” Cerilla teased, desperate to relieve the tension that had settled around them.
Sebastian’s warm laugh filled the tent. “No, Ame.” The kiss he planted to her lips was as swift as it was sweet. “That tie is only for you.” The wink he gave her was devastating, knee-buckling even.
Silence stood between them for a minute before Cerilla asked the question they were both thinking. “Do you think they’ll agree to your terms?” Her voice was filled with worry.
“They have been requesting a raise in tithe for years…so I hope that will entice them enough to agree.” What he didn’t say was how worried he was that they might not accept it.
They stepped out of the tent, letting the dawn air kiss their skin. Though anxious, Cerilla let her eyes lovingly caress the idyllic view that was the Isle. “To think, in such a place I led such a life.” She sighed, mind flashing with images of her time on the Isle – some devasting while others were blissful. “But I’m glad it’s over.”
“Tomorrow begins a different kind of trial.” Sebastian’s lips touched down lovingly on the top of her head.
She winced, knowing his words were true. They no longer would be in eminent danger of dying every day, but navigating court provided challenges of its own – especially for their celestial-crossed soulbond. “Maybe we should stay.”
“To stay is to reject the call we’ve been given, and I refuse to.” He took her hand in his. “I believe together we can do anything.” His eyes found hers. “Including face the priestesses and end of the Trial right now.”
Their eyes held onto to one another’s for several moments, communicating all the words they were unable to say. That they were worried, but also ready to leave the Isle and deal with the next set of tribulations they would face. Cerilla longed to tell him of the goddess Selene’s words to her, but the timing seemed wrong with the Trial still looming over them. Without another word they left her tent, walking hand in hand to the Temple to face their fate once again.
The sun was nearly beginning its rise over the horizon when Cerilla and Sebastian walked up the Temple stairs. Cerilla could sense Callahan nearby, his menacing energy permeating the space with dread. All she could hope was that he would accept defeat and not act rashly in the presences of the priestesses – who were lined up and waiting with cloaks up. Daeva stood, as always, in front of her sisters.
“I see you remain steadfast in this false bond and alliance?” Daeva remarked, clearly as displeased as everyone else with Sebastian and Cerilla’s soulbond.
Sebastian growled, a deep guttural sound that came from the back of his throat. Any lesser being would have flinched at this sound, but Daeva was no such weakling. With hundreds of years or more on the Isle, she had seen it all – and Sebastian did not scare her.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She lowered her hood, blinking at him unamused. “You may step from the shadows Prince Callahan. Sulking in her moon-made shadows will get you no closer to claiming her than standing in the sun will.”
Cerilla gawked at Daeva, she was in fit form this day – no doubt displeased with the outcome of the Trial.
Callahan stepped from behind a tree, stepping toward them with a nearly visible cloud of malice around him. The grass wilted where he walked and from her place on the steps Cerilla could see a sliver of thorns encircling his wrist, ready and willing to grow and kill anyone who challenged him. Though this choice was not without consequence, as she could also see the small drips of blood that dabbled the cuff of his white dress shirt.
“Thank you for joining us.” Daeva remarked. “And unless you have plans of genocide against one or both of their clans, I assume you accept that your nation is not this year’s victor.” The tone of her voice made Cerilla assume she wouldn’t mind if the former had been his plan for the day.
His teeth audibly ground together. “I accept we have lost this battle.” Callahan remarked. “Though don’t count me out of the war.” With this cryptic warning hanging in the air, he turned on his heel and returned to the shadows. Either he was content to watch without being seen, or he no longer cared who won if it wasn’t him.
“And what say you two.” Daeva’s voice held a tinge of disdain. “Your clans have the same number of dead and we’re drawing near to our ending. I don’t think you so daft as to hope this is how the Trial will end.”
“We have a proposal.” Sebastian replied, voice even and regal.
Daeva arched an eyebrow, humor clear in the pinched expression on her face. “A proposal.” Her sisters snickered behind her. “Do share.”
“We would like to share the title of victor this decade and form a permanent alliance between our nations. We are soulbound now,” Daeva’s eyes bulged in shock. It seemed that some things did get past her notice on the Isle. “We are willing to share the rule and the blessings of the deities with no issue – and in exchange for this favor we will gift an increase in tithe to the Isle from both our nations.”
With pursed lips Daeva considered his words, for so long that even her sisters turned to watch her as she deliberated.
Sebastian could hear the sound of his own heart beating in his ears, while Cerilla continually swallowed down the bile threatening to rise in her throat. They both nervously eyed the horizon, knowing the time for solution was slowly ticking away. Daeva bowed her head, eyes closed in what they assumed to be prayer to the deities. Minutes passed painfully slow, the sun creeping over the mountains, while she considered his offer.
Finally, Daeva spoke, “No.” Both Cerilla and Sebastian began to speak, which she silenced with the raising of a single hand. “Two of the three deities agree that if a tie is to arise, then the rulers must duel. No other offering besides one of blood will be accepted.” Her smile was pinched, and her eyes unwavering.
“Duel?” Cerilla gasped. The air around her suddenly seemed insufficient, not enough to fill her lungs properly.
“We will not duel.” Sebastian said definitively.
“I will gladly fight him.” Callahan growled from the shadows. Alerting them all to the fact that he was still watching.
“You will be silenced.” Daeva ordered. “And we will not leave this Isle until one clan has one less member.” Daeva flicked her wrist a surge of power coming from her hand, but seemingly nothing happened.
“What did you do?” Cerilla asked, sensing something off in the air around her but unsure of what exactly was causing it.
“I froze time.” Daeva shrugged, giving a sliver of insight into just how powerful she was. “And I will not change that until we have a winner.” Her feline smile was taunting, because she knew they could do nothing to stop her actions or change her mind.
Blackness funneled in around Cerilla’s vision as anxiety threatened to blow her over. Sebastian’s mind raced with options, knowing that he would rather fall on his own sword than duel his mate. They both wondered, perhaps as a shared thought, how fate could be so cruel. They had been mated, fought to survive, one of them nearly died, and then they were bonded – only for the deities to demand one of them to die.
With another flick of her wrist Cerilla and Sebastian were separated. A force stronger than wind pushing between them, sending them sailing toward opposite ends of the dais. Daeva snapped, and swords dropped from the air, clattering to the stone floor before them.
“Duel.” Daeva ordered. With another snap a throne appeared behind her, giving her a place to sit and cross one leg over the other as she waited for the last bit of carnage in the 164th Trial to take place.
“I would sooner take my own life than hurt her.” Sebastian voiced his inner thoughts.
“Then do that.” Daeva said passively. “It would still be a death that solved the problem before us.”
“No!” Cerilla cried out, eyes already wet with tears. “We will figure this out.” She was insistent on this, though her mind was unsure.
“Yes, perhaps your clans will revolt and fight one another as ordained while we wait.” Daeva smirked.
With frantic eyes Sebastian looked around them, as if the answer to their problem would appear out of thin air. He considered Daeva’s words, that they would not leave until a clan had one less member.
As he contemplated this, another idea flew into his mind. It was crazy, and premature, but it was all he had.
“I will not fight you, Cerilla. You will live to be Queen.” His gaze was piercing, nailing Cerilla to the spot she stood in.
His statement confused her, so she said as much. “Sebastian, I will never be queen of the Monarchy. I have my sister and brother before me.” His steps echoed on the stone beneath him as he traversed the distance Daeva had put between them.
“You shall not be the queen of the Moon Monarchy,” Sebastian’s knee kissed the earth as he bowed before her. The Prince who bowed for no one, kneeling before his mate. “But the Queen of the Sun Dominion.” Cerilla’s right hand clutched her chest while Sebastian held tightly onto the other in his own. “Marry me, and pledge fealty to my nation.” His eyes flitted slowly between hers, waiting with bated breath for her to speak.
“How does this help us?” Cerilla whispered.
“If you swear loyalty to my Dominion, and renounce the Monarchy, then the numbers will be in my clan’s favor. No one will have to die.” Daeva gasped, shocked that he came up with such a loophole. “I know you don’t need to be rescued, but caring for you is now my life’s purpose. Let this proposal not only fix our present problem, but also be the start of our life together. I wish to take you to my land, and care for all your needs. Nothing else will give me satisfaction.” He paused, eyes flicking between hers. “I need you, Cerilla.” His voice quivered, Adam’s apple bobbing as he said his next few words. “A King is nothing without a Queen.” Words that she had once spoken to him, words that made him angry at the time, were now his truth.
Tears filled Cerilla’s eyes. So much of their mating and bonding journey had been forced or rushed, and never was it given their full attention while they had the Trial to worry about. And now the offering of marriage had to come in the same way. She mourned this, wishing to have the space to enjoy him before the pressures of their worlds and duties came into play. But despite all this, as she stared at the male before her, her mate, only one answer came to mine.
Cerilla knelt, unsheathing the gilded victor’s sword from her belt in the process. With this blade she cut her hand in fealty, an ages old tradition for when a warrior surrendered to another. A few drops of blood fell to the earth, hungerly absorbed by the Isle. With head held high she offered the victor’s blade to her mate.
“Yes,” Sebastian was on his feet in an instant, scooping her up and kissing away the tears that had fallen from his mate’s cheeks. “I swear loyalty to the Sun Dominion and renounce my loyalty to the Moon Monarchy. I pledge to spend the remainder of the Trial at my mate’s side, fighting for the Sun clan.” The sound of cracking glass filled the sky, releasing the sun from Daeva’s hold. Warmth kissed Cerilla’s back as the heat of the sun shone down upon them, announcing the end of the 164th Triad Trial.
Epilogue
“To Sebastian! To the Dominion! To the rise of the Sun!” The King of the Sun nation roared from atop a banquet table. Red wine splashed from his golden goblet, staining the white table linen beneath his feet. Sebastian wore a proud smirk on his face, basking in the praise like he would a warm sunbeam.
They were back in the ballroom of the Isle’s Castle, though a few members of their clans were permanently missing. To which a toast was made, but a toast wouldn’t bring back the dead or comfort their loved ones.
Upon the end of the Trial every champion and clan member had trudged the long walk to the castle, pushing through exhaustion to be greeted by their family members.
Daeva had met the courts and royals at the castle before this, announcing to them the general outcome of the Trial – namely that the Sun Dominion had won.
Callahan’s father had all but snatched him by the ear upon seeing him, scolding him like a child for losing and embarrassing their nation.
The first person Cerilla had locked eyes with upon crossing the bridge was Cassiopeia, whose skin was curiously bright with a healthy glow – one Cerilla hadn’t seen on her in years. Cassiopeia ran to her with teary eyes and open arms, only to halt upon seeing Cerilla’s fingers interlaced with Sebastian’s. With a single glance to her father she could see he saw it too, and he was furious.
Sebastian’s family was far too excited to let a simple holding of hands dampen their mood. They swooped in immediately, taking him from Cerilla to worship him with praise and meet with Daeva to receive his final blessings.
Their eyes met for a brief second as their hands were pulled out from the others, but through their bond she sensed he would find her again as soon as possible.
Cassiopeia finally approached Cerilla once Sebastian was gone, hugging her tightly before asking the question Cerilla had been dreading.
“Where is Sterling?” Her eyes searched for him but came up empty. They all watched as a tearful Jewel ran into her confused father’s arms – no doubt telling him of Sterling’s death. Cerilla winced, knowing her time to share that story was quickly approaching. “And why was The Prince of the Sun Dominion holding your hand?” Disgust was clear in Cassiopeia’s voice.
“Yes,” Her father’s deep voice boomed. “I’d like to know the same thing.”
“Come,” Cerilla grabbed her sister’s hand. “We have much to discuss.” She led them to a private balcony and began her story.
The conversation with her family went about as Cerilla had expected it to. She told them of her journey to the Pool of Pairings, and Sterling’s death by both Callahan and Sebastian’s hands. Then she told her family of the goddess mating her to Sebastian, only for them to get trapped in the cave for many weeks. And she ended the story by explaining how the Trial had come to its final moments with a tie between the Sun and Moon nations, and she had denounced the Monarchy to push the numbers in his favor so the Trial would have a winner without any more bloodshed.
“You did what?” Deep red fury colored her father’s face, an image she had never before seen.
“It was that or one of us had to die!” Cerilla tried to make the stakes clear to him, but it wasn’t happening.
“Easy! You should have killed him.” Her father replied as if it were the simplest solution in all the Realm.
“Father, he is my fated one, how can you say that?” She understood it would be hard for him to accept, but she hadn’t thought he would be so cruel or dismissive of her feelings.
“Fated is not bound! You could have won still.” He assumed Cerilla hadn’t completed the bonding ceremony. Her silence spoke volumes. “Cerilla.” His mouth fell open in shock, disgust clear in the furrowing of his brows and snarling of his lips. “How could you?”
“He was going to die if I didn’t!” Hot angry tears fell down her cheeks. She felt bitter that she had to defend herself or her mate to them. All she wanted was for one single being to be happy for her.
“That would have solved all our problems then!” He yelled.
Cerilla scoffed. “You weren’t there, you don’t know what the stakes were or what it was like.”
“I should have known better than to send you to the Trial. Not only have we lost, but you have given yourself to our enemies.” His heart was breaking with grief, for in his mind there was no worse fate than to send his daughter to the Sun Dominion.
“Father,” Cerilla’s voice cracked. His hand slipped from hers as she reached for it.
“I need some time to think, Cerilla.” And with that he walked off, Cassiopeia following after him with a mournful look flashing across her features.
“Well, you really fecked this up.” Alaric commented.
“Silence yourself, Ric.” Cerilla spat, no tolerance for him in her angry sorrow. He hadn’t said a word to defend her the entire time she spoke to their father, and she didn’t want to hear what he had to say now that he was gone.
“If you came back betrothed to anyone I figured it would be to Callahan.” He continued.
