Noc
Waking beside my still-slumbering anam-cara the next morning was a sight that warmed my soul. It’s not that we hadn’t shared a bed during our travels, but to see her tucked against me in total relaxation was something else. Ruling would demand many more hard nights from us, so being able to find even an ounce of reprieve was a gift. Gently, I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. Her bare skin was silk against mine, and I resisted the urge to rouse her just so we could enjoy each other all over again. I was content to simply lie there until she awoke when a loud knock on our door shattered the illusion of a slow, lazy rise from sleep.
“Yes?” I didn’t bother to hide the annoyance from my tone. Judging by the faint light slanting through the cream-colored curtains, it was still early. There was no doubt in my mind that Elianna and Jayla had spent several more hours discussing our proposition, which had left me to assume we’d have a later start to our day. Apparently, I’d been wrong.
“Pardon the interruption, but Princess Jayla has requested an audience with Leena,” an unknown feminine voice called through the door. Leena groaned, scooching closer to me and burying her nose in my chest.
“She’s still sleeping,” I said, tucking the sheets tighter around her. “Come back later.”
A minute passed, but the just-visible shadow beneath the door didn’t disappear. Finally, the attendant braved another attempt. “I’m sorry, sir, but Princess Jayla insists.”
A wordless growl rumbled in my chest, but Leena pressed a finger to my lips. “Please tell her highness that I will join her shortly.”
“Yes, my lady.” And with that, our lazy morning went down the drain.
Bleary-eyed and clearly still longing for sleep, Leena yawned. “Duty calls.”
“I suppose so.”
“Don’t look so sour. You don’t have to go anywhere.” Sighing, she peeled back the sheets and stretched her hands to the ceiling. Her muscles tensed and loosened, and then she stood, picked up her discarded clothes from the night before, and shimmied into her undergarments. After pulling her gown up to her waist, she touched her chin to her shoulder and glanced at me. “Do me up?”
“And if I say no?”
She rolled her eyes. “What happened to my calculating, tactical pair bond? He’d never go along with me slighting the princess of Rhyne.”
“He’s still sleeping,” I mumbled. “This pair bond wants his love to join him in bed.”
“Another time.” Her smile was soft, if not a little forced. Clearly, she didn’t want to be awake any more than I did. But she was right, and if speaking with Jayla before our larger meeting today resulted in a greater possibility for success, then getting out of bed was the best thing to do. Relenting, I came to the edge of the bed and laced her up as quickly as I could. I hadn’t been able to replicate the exact way the strings had been threaded before, but I gave them a tug for good measure and the dress seemed to hold.
Running her fingers through her tresses, Leena untangled a few knots before skillfully tying it all back with a thick lock of her hair. “How do I look? Presentable?”
She was ravishing, as always. Leaning forward, I gave her a quick kiss. “Beautiful.”
A blush crawled over her cheeks, and she waved me off. “See you soon.” And with that, she made her way to the door and left. I’d hoped I’d be able to fall back asleep, but the rapidly cooling space where Leena used to be was jarring. I tossed and turned, contemplating all the reasons the princess would ask for Leena to speak with her privately. Perhaps she didn’t trust me. I couldn’t blame her—there was no telling what her mother had told her over the years. And while entering into an alliance with Lendria inherently meant trusting me to some degree, maybe Jayla felt she’d be more willing to do so if she understood the woman who stood by my side. In any event, at least it gave Leena a chance to determine whether or not Jayla was worthy of owning a beast, if it came down to that.
But when the minutes dragged by and the sun rose fully, darker thoughts slipped into the recesses of my mind. There was no reason for Rhyne to take Leena prisoner. Or worse, harm her. Elianna might have fashioned Leena’s capture as some sort of revenge plot for what I’d done to Amira, but not Jayla.
I’d long since abandoned the bed, dressed, and started to pace. Senses straining, I listened to the sounds of the castle waking—the scuttle of feet on stone, muted conversations between attendants, idle chitchat from the guards. Nothing out of the ordinary. I was just about to give way to the shadows, to attempt to sneak through the foreign castle, when another knock sounded from my door.
“Prince Noc? The royal family is ready to meet now.”
The attendant had barely finished speaking before I’d wrenched open the door. “Take me to them.”
Kost, Ozias, and Calem joined one by one as we passed their rooms, their silent, wary gazes speaking volumes about their concern for Leena’s absence. I offered one slight shake of the head. One tense action in the hopes they’d remain calm—or at least as calm as I was pretending to be—until we found out more.
Instead of the throne room, the attendant ushered us into a small library with a polished oak table centered beneath an unlit chandelier. A semicircle of bookshelves enclosed the space, broken up only by large picture windows open to the morning light. A warm glow filled the space, and Elianna, Jayla, and Maddox watched us quietly from their seats at the table. I scanned the room, surprised to find only two unknown guards manning the door. Before I could consider what that meant, my gaze snagged on Leena. She was lingering, unharmed, by the nearest bookshelf and fingering a stray tome. She turned as we entered and offered a reassuring smile. My hand found hers in an instant, and the worry that’d clawed up my throat died.
Taking the seat directly across from Elianna, I slid into my chair just as Leena slipped into the one on my right with Ozias beside her. Kost and Calem sat to my left. Elianna glanced at us all before allowing her hard stare to settle on me.
“We’re concerned about what aiding Lendria would incite with our southern enemies,” she said, voice terse but not overly argumentative. A flicker of hope ignited in my chest. Not an outright no, then.
“Understandable,” I said. “I wish circumstances were different. I wish I could offer forces to eliminate those threats first before requiring your assistance. Unfortunately, I don’t have the power to do so until I reclaim the throne—an action that requires your backing.”
She pressed her lips into a fine line. “I know. But I cannot budge on this matter. If we send forces to Lendria to aid you in your cause, we leave ourselves vulnerable for an attack. What’s to stop them from invading?”
I turned to Kost, and he lifted a stiff shoulder. “We could offer them some of our numbers, but that defeats the purpose of why we came. We need all our strength focused on Varek and Yazmin.”
With a tight nod, I looked back at Elianna. “What is the scale of the threats you face? How brazen are they?”
“A few ransacked villages, their stores depleted.” Elianna tapped her fingers on the smooth table. “We’ve been fortunate in our haul of grain and were able to replenish those towns from the capital’s reserves, but there’s only so much more we can take. The local guard can’t seem to keep the raiders from returning, so we’re looking into stationing some of our forces for their protection.”
As I grappled with a solution, I snuck a glance at Leena. She hadn’t seemed surprised by the news, and instead reached beneath the table to give my knee a gentle squeeze. My brows drew together. What was she trying to tell me? What did she know? My gaze turned to Jayla, who was studying me with a calm look. There was no telling what information had passed between them, but if there was no chance of this working, Leena would’ve been more distraught. Instead, she held her chin high and regarded Elianna with conviction.
“You’re looking for a show of strength.”
“To a degree,” Elianna answered, her words edged. “War with the southern countries would be costly. They’re testing the transition of the crown to see what they can get away with. If we show them—”
“If you show them an unyielding throne, it all goes away.” Leena removed her hand from my knee and braced her forearms on the table. “That’s what you really need. A way for Jayla to be viewed as a powerful queen beyond contest. Soldiers will quell the threats for now, but what if I can provide something much more…lasting?”
Elianna raised a purposeful brow. “Such as?”
“Such as a beast worthy of a queen.”
She dropped the words with such certainty that the room was stunned to silence. And she didn’t dare break it. Instead, she waited, letting the gravity of her offer sink in. Finally, she touched a finger to her bestiary. “With your permission?”
Eyes tight, the queen gave a single, definitive nod.
Rosewood light blossomed from the back of Leena’s hand, surrounding us in a soft, warm glow. But out of that wondrous, peaceful beauty came a deep, bloodcurdling growl that would’ve sent the hairs on my arms skyward if I’d not grown accustomed to Onyx’s call. He emerged from the beast realm just as the light receded. My mind raced as I tried to keep my expression indifferent. Summoning Onyx made little sense. Leena would never offer him to Jayla. And when she stood to greet her beast, she only further solidified that belief by pressing her forehead to his and running a gentle hand down his neck. He pulled away then and shook out his feathers so they stood on end. And…realization struck my gut with unexpected force.
Onyx was regal. He stood beside his queen, black coat glossy and feathers shimmering in the morning light. Fierce eyes full of power and wonder. He even outstretched his wings, nearly knocking over the closest bookshelves in the process. He was a force and Leena knew it. She knew what it would look like to see something like him standing on the battlefield. The wonder and fear. Jayla’s enemies wouldn’t know how to act. And that was the very feeling, the very truth, Leena demonstrated with Onyx by her side.
Elianna’s mouth had fallen open, and she white-knuckled the edge of the table. After a minute passed, she collected herself. Swallowing hard, she asked, “You’re offering this beast to my daughter?”
“No.” Leena clasped her hands together. “Onyx is already bonded to me. But Princess Jayla already has a beast in mind. And I have the ability to charm it.”
The queen’s brows shot to the ceiling. She targeted her daughter. “Since when do you know anything about beasts?”
“I don’t.” Jayla’s voice was cool, but her eyes were alight with mischief. “You always chastise me for spending so much time away from the castle. But did you know there’s a strange, unexplained phenomenon that’s been happening in Goldwind?”
“My attention has been focused on replenishing grain stores, as should yours,” she responded.
“I was checking on the grain silos of our nearby towns to see how much we could reallocate if need be.” She let out a belabored sigh. “Anyway, the people there told me of a strange sight they’d noticed over the past few weeks—what they thought was a shooting star. But it was far too regular for that. I’d been looking into it when the presence of Leena’s beast last night got me thinking… What if it’s a beast?”
“I’ll need to see for myself, but if Jayla’s descriptions are correct, we’re likely dealing with a Vyprale.” Extending her hand, Leena once again channeled power to her symbol and opened the beast realm door. Onyx disappeared from view, along with the rosewood glow, and Leena retook her seat by my side. “It’s a winged, snakelike beast with extraordinary powers. All Jayla would have to do is show up to one of these border skirmishes atop its back, and your enemies would flee.”
“Rumors of her power would travel fast,” Kost mused. “Since the First War on Lendria, no one has dared to cross a Charmer because of their beasts. I imagine the same would hold true here.”
I nodded my agreement. “If Leena is willing to tame the Vyprale and gift it to Jayla, do we have your support in our war against King Varek and Yazmin?”
A heavy silence fell over the table as all eyes turned to the queen. She reclined into her chair and formed a steeple with her fingers, bringing them to her lips. For a long time, she didn’t move. Hardly seemed to breathe. Her stoic expression was unreadable. I was used to these games, to hiding my intentions while letting my enemies sweat. It was always a fantastic way to gauge their weaknesses and learn how quickly they’d crack under pressure. I wouldn’t give Elianna that satisfaction, and the rest of my family held fast. Not even Calem twitched. Together, we presented a united, unrelenting front. Both a strong ally and potentially a strong adversary if things went south.
Fortunately, they didn’t. Dropping her hands to her lap, Elianna let out a tight breath. “We will form an alliance with Lendria under the rule of King Noc and Queen Leena, assuming my daughter is presented with a suitable beast and the aforementioned trade routes are established once this mess with Varek and Yazmin is cleaned up.
“But,” she continued, cutting me a hard glance, “I will not send my entire army to your aid. Not now. I still need to station forces across the towns spanning our borders. Jayla can’t be everywhere at once, even with this beast. I can spare three of our ships, the crew needed to sail them, and as many soldiers as can fit. In addition, I’ll send Isla with them. As a show of good faith.”
Not as many bodies as we’d wanted, but it was a great deal more than we’d had before venturing to Rhyne’s shore. Isla was an interesting development. A mage wasn’t someone I’d ever turn down, especially not in battle, but no doubt Elianna was sending her closest guard to keep an eye on us and Rhyne’s interests. Still, we had no room to argue. “That’s reasonable. We accept these terms.”
Queen Elianna stood, and the rest of us followed suit. She strode around the table until she came to an abrupt stop right between the exit and me. “I don’t trust you. I don’t know if I ever will. But…” Her shoulders slackened, and she looked at Jayla. The ice in her voice ebbed. “Holding onto grudges won’t help my daughter rule over Rhyne. You might. Your pair bond certainly will.” She extended her hand to Leena. “Do right by my daughter, and you will always have my favor.”
Leena grasped her hand in return. “I will.”
Elianna tipped her chin in a subtle bow and then left, taking the two manned guards with her. Jayla practically skipped to Leena’s side and gripped both of her forearms in excitement. “So, when do we go searching for this beast?”
Leena grinned. “We can leave today if you’d like.”
“I’d like nothing more.” Jayla spun on her heels and threw her arms around Maddox, who’d been largely silent for the duration of our negotiation. He seemed as unsurprised by the turn of events as his bride-to-be, but there was an unmistakable air of caution to his movements. Not as trusting as Jayla, but not as standoffish as Elianna.
“Goldwind is about a half day’s ride from here.” He looped an arm around her waist and glanced at Leena. “What supplies will you need?”
“Not much. Some gold paint and bright feathers will do. The art of taming a Vyprale has more to do with the bait than the dressing, so to speak.” Leena gave a nonchalant shrug—one that fooled the royal family, but not me. I’d never heard her speak of such a beast before, which meant she was relying on knowledge passed to her from one of her fellow Charmers. Unease simmered in my gut. She’d had no experience with the Revmandra until she’d tamed it. It was safe to assume she was being light on the details to minimize any fear on Maddox or Jayla’s part.
Plus, I didn’t like the way she said bait.
Slipping my hands into the pockets of my trousers, I pressed my lips into a fine line, then tipped my chin ever so slightly her direction. She gave her head a subtle shake. Suspicions confirmed. Biting back my words, I turned my focus back to Jayla and Maddox.
“We’ll get them together while you gather your things,” Jayla said. Threading her fingers through Maddox’s, she dragged him out the exit.
Once the door closed behind them, I let out a forceful sigh. “Bait?”
“Oh, not me.” Leena smirked. “For once.”
“Then, who?” Kost asked, not bothering to hide his confusion.
“You four can draw straws.” She waved her hand as she made her way for the door. “That’s the safest option, anyway. I highly doubt Maddox would agree to participate, and it must be a man. Based off Jayla’s description, we’re dealing with a female. And let’s just say she’ll only descend from the heavens if a suitable mate presents itself.” Hand wrapped around the handle, she paused at the threshold. “Hence the feathers and paint. I’m going to bathe. See you soon.”
And then she left, a light laugh trailing behind her.
Calem found his words first. “She’s officially gone crazy.”
“We asked her to consider a beast for Jayla. She’s done us that courtesy. We can’t be picky about the semantics.” Kost slipped his fingers beneath his glasses and pinched his nose. “Though admittedly, I’m not keen on this.”
“Me either,” Ozias mumbled.
Chuckling, I extracted one hand and summoned a wispy shadow. I willed it to separate into four separate threads and then fisted them as they solidified, hiding their lengths. “Fair is fair.”
“So long as you’re not cheating and know which one is the shortest,” Calem hissed.
“On Zane’s blood, I wouldn’t dream of it.” I grinned. “But just to satisfy you, I’ll take whatever’s left.”
Calem lunged for the first shadow straw before anyone else could move. Ozias fidgeted for a full thirty seconds before finally caving and choosing next. Kost extracted his with much more dignity, and I opened my palm to let the final straw roll to the tips of my fingers. One by one, my brothers did the same.
With a loud gulp, Ozias palmed his face as the shortest straw rolled from his hand and clattered to the floor.