Easton
My hands inched along the stone as I leaned against the wall, trying to slow my breaths.
It hadn’t always been difficult for me to calm down. Just the opposite, really. The others might think I could smirk and laugh and act the brooding prince without a care for others, but that was just a façade. And those closest to me knew the truth.
Before all of this, I was always calm. I had to be. There hadn’t been another option. My family—my mother—needed me. So, I had been the calm one with the mask that spoke of something else. But that had been what was needed at the time.
Then I met Lyric, and everything changed. Although I hadn’t realized that it’d changed until it was almost too late.
Until I nearly lost her.
And now, it seemed I had.
The Gray had taken me and cursed me with thanks to Lore’s reach, but The Gray now had Lyric. I had to be here to help my people. I couldn’t go to help her.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown?
Those words might be uttered with contempt, even in my head, but those who spoke them never really understood. How could they when I barely did?
“Are you sulking again?” I glanced over my shoulder at Wyn, who stood in the doorway to the throne room, leaning against the doorjamb, her arms folded over her chest, feet crossed.
“I’m not sulking,” I said, my voice quite sulky.
“I don’t believe that at all.”
“We’re going to get news soon,” she said, and I turned fully, rolling my shoulders back as I tried to cast off the rest of my bad mood. I wasn’t a fan of sulking, but it was apparent that was what I was doing today.
Something I would have to refrain from doing again if I wanted whoever was left in our realm to see me as a competent leader.
“Of course, we are. That’s why we sent Rhodes and Alura, two of my best warriors. Oh, wait, neither of them is mine.”
“Now you’re just looking for something to growl about,” Wyn said, rolling her eyes. She pushed off the wall and made her way to me. Wyn had always been a good friend. We had grown up together. She understood my moods more than most did. The only one who understood me better was Lyric. The fact that she got me, after such a short time, meant more to me than anything.
“Rhodes will find her. We both know that prince—or is he the king now?—whatever he is, he won’t leave a stone unturned. After all, he found her the first time. He and Alura. They’ll find her again.”
I ground my teeth and let out a breath. “Of course, he found her.”
“Stop it. You’re not actually jealous, are you?”
I gave her a look and then shook my head. “No, I’m not. It’s just habit to growl about him.”
“Because pretty boy prince has always been your rival because he had to be.”
That put a smile on my face as my lips tipped up. “I love that you call him that. And so many other things.”
She shrugged and tossed her long, curly brown hair over her shoulder. “What can I say? He annoys me. So, I enjoy making fun of him.”
I studied her face and frowned again. “Why does Rhodes annoy you?”
Some expression crossed her face, but I couldn’t tell what it was. I moved forward. “Wyn?”
“It’s not important.” She shook her head. But I still studied her.
“Wyn.”
“It’s fine.”
“If it was fine, you wouldn’t be changing the subject.”
“There’s nothing going on. Pretty boy prince just annoys me. I don’t know why he always gets under my skin. However, all I can see now is when he almost died.” She shuddered, and I reached for her. I gripped her shoulder, giving it a squeeze before I let go.
“That was hard for all of us.” And that was the truth. Although we had grown up on different sides of the war, I had always respected Rhodes in many ways. He had never been cruel or callous like the rest of his people. Mostly, he annoyed me back then because he had a family—one who seemed to care about him. I hadn’t realized at the time that they were broken just as much as my family was. And maybe I was jealous, but I would never tell the man that. I had principles, after all. But no, the thing that made me the most jealous was that he had found Lyric first. The person I was supposed to be with, though I hadn’t been able to tell for too long because of the curse.
I fisted my hands at my sides.
As long as we get her back.
“We’re going to get her back,” Wyn whispered, echoing my thoughts. I raised a single brow and turned away from her.
“We will, but there’s a reason I didn’t go. Our people need us.”
“They still call you king,” she whispered.
“They still think of me as one, but it doesn’t mean I deserve the title. After all, the Obscurité Kingdom is gone, just like the Lumière Kingdom.”
“But we’re still at the Obscurité Court. They still see you standing near your throne, where the crystal once was before it shattered.”
“You’re right. Because that’s what the people need to see. They don’t see us in the war room. They don’t see Rhodes’ aunt, the former Queen of Lumière, healing because she lost her sight in the last battle. They don’t see you learning your new element. They don’t see that our family, our people, are struggling on the inside. Because we have to show them that we are strong.”
“That’s our job. To be the strong ones.”
“But it all seems like a lie, doesn’t it?” I asked.
“Maybe. So, perhaps it’s precisely what it needs to be. We can’t decide on titles and who should rule until we get rid of The Gray. Once we do that, the right answers will be in front of us. Hopefully.”
“I never wanted to rule,” I said honestly, surprising myself.
“We all knew that,” Wyn said softly.
“You did?” I asked, letting out a harsh laugh that was anything but humor-filled.
“Of course, we did. If you were to rule, that meant your mother was no longer with us. And we loved your mom, even though she kept secrets from us.”
I ignored the familiar pang I felt at that.
“We all keep secrets. That’s what royalty does, it seems.”
“Yet what are you going to do when we find Lyric and defeat The Gray? When we all survive the war and are forced to make plans for a new world. Do you know what you’re going to do?”
Dread crawled through me, and I shook my head. “One thing at a time.” One thing I did know, Lyric would not be queen. She was a Spirit Priestess. And that meant, in order for us to be together, I couldn’t be king. And I could handle that. I could walk away. I’d never wanted to be king. I’d never really wanted to be a prince. I only wanted to help my people. And so, I had done it in the best way possible. I stood back and let the Lumière find the Spirit Priestess so she could help our entire realm. Because I had known they’d be there to help my dying kingdom, even as they helped theirs. And now, I was the ruler of a lost society.
Or maybe just a ruler in name. Because we all worked together as one. My uncles, Luken, and Teagan. Wyn and the former queen and lady. We worked together to find a way to heal those who were injured, to train those who were able, and to find The Gray.
But all of it would be for naught without the rest of the prophecy. Without my soulmate. Without Lyric.
The ground shuddered, and Wyn’s brows rose.
“Hold back your Earth Wielding, Easton.”
“I’m fine,” I snapped.
“You might be, but you’re still growling.”
“It’s what I do. I sulk. I growl. I don’t get shit done.”
“Now you’re talking like Lore. Or any of the old Lumière that didn’t come to our side. Or anyone who’s ever talked about you behind your back or even to your face to say that you weren’t good enough. Don’t be that person.”
“I’m not. I’m just waiting. As always.”
“Easton.”
“What do you expect me to do? People are starving, and we are trying to find the food that wasn’t tainted in the war to feed them. People are dying because we don’t have enough healers. Rhodes and Rosamond’s grandma is trying to ferret out the deserters and those Lumière who aren’t on our side. They’re using magic that isn’t bone magic, isn’t death, but it’s something I don’t understand, nor can I Wield. They are doing so much for this realm, and all I can do is stand back and organize it all.”
“Stand back? No, that’s not true. That’s not you. When was the last time you had a full night’s sleep? When’s the last time you sat down and ate with your family?”
“There’s no time for that,” I rasped.
“There needs to be. You have to put yourself first, even if for a moment.”
“Not until Lyric is back.”
“And what happens if she doesn’t come back?” Wyn asked, and I turned to her. Fire erupted from my fingers. She blocked it with her Water Wielding, even though I hadn’t sent it her way. I had that much control, at least. Still, I staggered back, my hand over my chest as I tried to shove my emotions down again.
“Easton. What are you going to do if she doesn’t come back?”
“If she doesn’t come back, if we lose the Spirit Priestess, then we will fight The Gray with our dying breaths. And we will piece our realm back together. We don’t have the crystals anymore. We don’t have our conduit anymore. Our realm can’t use its own power to push Wielding and health through the crystals to keep our people alive. We will find another way. I refuse to believe there’s nothing else we can do.”
“Then make sure the others see that. Know that. You’re doing an excellent job, but you’re starting to fray around the edges, and those who love you can see that.”
“Then don’t needle me,” I growled. “Let me be.”
“You know she’s never going to let you be,” Teagan said from behind Wyn, and I let out a sigh as my best friend walked into the room, Luken, the Air Wielder, right behind him.
“You know, I should take offense to that,” Wyn retorted. “But somebody needs to keep us on our toes. To keep us looking forward.”
“Maybe, dear Wyn. Or perhaps we could all just use a break. You asked when Easton slept last. When’s the last time you slept?”
“I’ll sleep when I need to,” Wyn said, rolling her shoulders back.
“Afraid Rhodes won’t come back?” Luken asked, and everyone looked at him. I knew there was surprise on my features, and saw the same on Teagan’s face. However, Wyn simply glared.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said.
Everyone just blinked and then looked away. Well, that was interesting.
“Either way, he’s going to come back. Same with Alura. Same with Lyric and Braelynn,” Luken said, and I met the man’s gaze then nodded quickly.
I had to believe that Lyric would be okay, and I had to tell myself that at least I was in a better position than Luken was.
Luken’s mate was now a Familiar. She was lost to him, and there was no coming back from that.
I was about to say something when my chest warmed. I rubbed it and felt the connection that had previously been dulled. My eyes widened, and I ran past the others, my feet slapping the floor. They quickly followed me.
“What is it, Easton? Do we need to sound the alarm?” my uncle, Justise, asked as he came around the corner, his husband by his side.
“No, no, I don’t think so.”
Suddenly, I was out in the courtyard, my eyes wide as a shadow blocked part of the moon.
A very large shadow.
“Is that a...is that a dragon?” Wyn asked.
The smile on my face widened, even as my heart raced. “I do believe our Familiar has found her second form.”
“My goddess,” Luken whispered. Teagan whispered something to Wyn, but I didn’t hear what was said.
I looked at the blond-haired woman riding atop the dragon, two others behind her holding tightly as well. Relief soared through my veins. It was almost too much, and I nearly fell to my knees. But I didn’t. Because others were watching. They saw the power of their Spirit Priestess.
They didn’t need to see me being weak.
When the dragon landed, Alura hopped off and moved to the side, that familiar odd breeze that wasn’t a breeze in her hair. But I didn’t pay much attention to her. Instead, I focused on Rhodes, who hopped down second, his hand outstretched. Lyric took the proffered palm, and I realized there wasn’t a single ounce of jealousy in me. I couldn’t feel that. Not when them being together meant she was here. I peered at her more closely. Blood coated her, and she looked exhausted. She was probably in pain, but she was here.
I ran towards her, not caring who saw. When my arms were finally around her, Rhodes stepped to the side, and Braelynn nuzzled both of us with her massive head. I cupped my mate’s face, then ran my hands down Lyric’s back.
“You’re here,” I whispered, my voice cracking.
I could feel her warmth against me, even as her knees shook. I held her up, knowing she would likely pass out soon.
“I’m back,” she whispered. She looked at me then, her eyes wide, gaze piercing.
“I knew you would come back,” I whispered.
“I had to. I had to come back to you.” She paused. “And everyone else.”
In a blink, my mouth was on hers, tasting her, needing her.
Her arms wrapped around me, and there were cheers and shouts as everyone moved around, welcoming Alura and Rhodes and Braelynn back home. I felt a rush of warmth beside me, and then a small cat jumped into Luken’s arms, purring as he ran his hands down her back, checking for injuries.
When Ridley came up, ready to heal, it was hard for me to let Lyric go, but I did.
Because Lyric was back, the Spirit Priestess of the realm had returned.
And now the war could truly begin.
And the battle within myself could finally calm.
I could breathe again.