“Master Lucerne?” Toler responded hesitantly. “Does Master Nox know this?”
“Yes, and he wasn’t too happy about it, but please don’t worry. While it is obvious that Lucerne and Nox are bitterly fighting for my loyalty, I believe they are both simply looking out for their Houses and all of the Eld. As I hold both bloodlines within me, I don’t want to simply default to my Agarb marking. And I’d like to know more about my father as well. He was, after all, Lucerne’s best friend.”
Toler nodded though he couldn’t hide his concern. After making arrangements for Mila’s safekeeping, and to see him later on to perform his freedom ceremony, Yara then gave him a quick embrace.
As he watched her saunter down the tunnel, his stomach turned at the thought of her spending even a moment with Lucerne. Even though he had only seen him once in passing, something about that Eld felt evil. Roma’s journals had spoken of his manipulative and deceptive abilities being greater weapons that the most powerful brute force. And while Toler didn’t think of Yara as naive, he also knew that with so many new, conflicting experiences and choices that lay before her, it would be difficult to clearly perceive the intentions of those around her. But she had her le-feer, and her Guiding Star…
And you have me, always… so be safe, YaraStar… trust your le-feer, trust your Guidestar… and don’t let your guard down!
Chapter Thirteen
“Announcing Queen Yara, Queen of the Eld and all of Mira,” the doorman called out in Eldish as Yara stood by the large, open doorway.
As she entered the exquisite tunnel dwelling of Master Lucerne, a party of purple-glowing Spreukens stood and gracefully bowed with Sunstar’s salute. Rising, they gazed upon her with mostly blank expressions.
It unnerved her.
Spreukens were notoriously difficult to read when they didn’t desire to be known. They were, in fact, the only people on Mira who had no desire to be understood, even among each other. They viewed individual knowledge not only as sacred, but also as leverage. It was why they were the least likely House to engage in temple bonds, and never asked it of others.
“Queen Yara,” Lucerne gushed as he walked toward her with his stoic mate, Preccia, on his arm, “what an honor it is to have you in our humble abode to celebrate the first night of Mira in thousands of years. While this tunnel is a far cry from the beauty of our former dwelling, our builders in the House of Ladden are busy reconstructing the homes of old. Soon, you will be living in the way you should have been since the day you were…born.”
Lucerne cleared his throat as Yara shifted uncomfortably at the exchanged looks among his dinner guests. Preccia nudged Lucerne but he coyly smiled back at her.
Yara’s birthing was a point of both curiosity and discomfort among the Eld. It seemed strange for him to make such a comment in this setting, but Yara resisted the urge to view it suspiciously. She was already distracted by another view that was rapidly consuming her.
Atlase…
Walking toward her with an endearing charm in his eyes was the Eld who had the power to raise her le-feer’s warmth beyond comprehension. Staring at his strong physique, clad in a one-sleeved, soft white shirt covered by a leather-like waistcoat stitched with gold threading, Yara could barely breathe. The markings on his exposed, muscular arm seemed to respond to hers and a strange sensation moved between them when he finally stood before her. He looked both mesmerized and equally confused—his first outward acknowledgment of their shared experience.
What is this feeling…?
“Queen Yara,” Atlase said with another, smaller salute, “it is an honor to have you here, and to see you again. We have been speaking of your miraculous display of power in the Photak village. You have become quite the talk among us, and to know that your Spreuken blood remains so strong speaks even to the strength of your father. You may be an Agarb, but we welcome you as one of our own.”
Yara smiled at his open eloquence, finding his words a soothing balm to the longing raging within her.
“Thank you, Atlase. I am honored to share this meal with you all,” she responded, turning toward both him and his parents. “You have been of great assistance in helping me understand the ways of my Spreuken side and the House of my Eld father.”
A few Spreukens glanced oddly at each other at her statement, while one in particular stared at Yara with a tinge of disdain, and even anger, before looking away. She was a beguiling Spreuken beauty, and clearly was not enthused by Yara’s presence or her popularity among those present.
Perhaps she is a Spreuken loyalist…
“Please, come sit with us,” Lucerne said, gesturing toward the head of the table.
Atlase accompanied her to her seat while Lucerne and Preccia sat at the opposite end facing her. As Atlase took his place next to Yara, he now sat between her and the still unimpressed Spreuken. Yet, not for a second did he take his eyes off Yara. They locked eyes for what must have been a moment too long as the Spreuken girl suddenly cleared her throat belligerently.
Yara barely noticed her interruption as she continued to steal glimpses in Atlase’s direction. At least not until…
“Oh, uh, Queen Yara,” Atlase stammered, evidently thrown by the rudeness of the Spreuken girl. “I would like to introduce you to… Kiyar.”
Atlase reached out toward the Spreuken beauty, but she pulled away, looking even angrier.
“Uh…” Atlase continued softly, looking down, “Kiyar is my promised one.”
Only then did Kiyar allow him to rest his hand upon hers while smugly eyeing the Queen.
He’s promised?? But…
Yara’s eyes widened as her newfound knowledge sank in… that the Kiyar was the Eld with whom Atlase would soon mate.
“Queen Yara, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Kiyar said coldly, making no effort to hide the extent of her scorn.
Yara nodded politely in response while her heartstar sank in a way she couldn’t understand. Why did it matter that Atlase already had someone with whom he intended to mate? Kiyar had likely been in his life four thousand years ago, and she had probably been imprisoned in the same cocoon as him for that entire time. They would have suffered together, reaching out to each other with their minds for strength and comfort. Of course, such a Spreuken should be his mate. They had a few millennia to grow close beyond anything Yara could ever imagine.
Yara was the outsider here. She reading more into this attraction than was actually there. She had projected her fantasies onto an Eld who had been spoken for by his House, and by his heartstar.
But why did he react the same way that I felt when he greeted me? Surely, I could not have imagined that. I could be wrong but…what if there is something here…something that shouldn’t be? I know he had no reason to tell me about Kiyar before now, but why do I feel so betrayed?
As the meal began, Yara did her best to not look toward Atlase, although she could feel his eyes pleading for contact many times. She felt aggravated, hating the realization of how much she still did not know. She didn’t want to make him feel any more special than she already had with their stolen glances. She wanted to reestablish the boundary between them.
She focused instead on the other Spreukens around the table, questioning them about their lives before the cocooning, and about her Eld father. Most shared funny, inspiring stories of his bravery and leadership. As she listened, she also got to know the Spreukens’ current roles in restoring the queendom of the Eld.
“Why yes, I do oversee the Ladden and their rebuilding of the old castle, my Queen,” an old Spreuken, Master Puton, smiled warmly as their chatter continued until the end of the meal. “In fact, they have just finished piecing back the chambers that once belonged to your Eld mother and father. Much of it was preserved even through the planet’s attack and the thousands of years that passed. Thankfully, thankfully none of the ruins had been overrun by greenery – the ruins do lie on the dark side of Mira after all. Nothing grew there.”
“Former dark side,”
Lucerne chipped in, smiling, “as tonight we gather to witness the first night and its beautiful lights. It will be good for the dark side of Mira to see growth again, and for us to replant our fine Eld gardens there.”
“Indeed, Master Lucerne,” Yara agreed, trying to imagine the splendor the Elds had lived in before the Hack’amad attack. “I am quite excited to see it all, even as it exists now!”
Turning to the old Spreuken man, she added, “I am also eager to see my Eld parents’ chambers on the other side of Mira. Do let me know when I can arrange a visit.”
“Oh, but my Queen, as it is already complete,” Lucerne said. “You could go there tomorrow! I think it would be good for you to see the work of your people. You are already going back to the Photak village, so this would be but a small addition to your expedition.”
He smiled widely as Preccia nodded enthusiastically. “In fact, Atlase, you will be responsible for giving the Queen a tour of what was once our Eld kingdom, uh, queendom. It is only right that the Queen be privy to the diligence of the Elds who surround her. You will take her there, and then accompany her to the Photak village.”
Kiyar seemed alarmed upon hearing Lucerne’s instruction, and turned to glare at Atlase, who looked like all color had vanished from his face.
“Uh, yes, of course, Father,” he responded, stammering. “My Queen, it would indeed be an honor to be of such service to you. This is your planet, your queendom, and you should see and know all of it. I will adjust the arrangements with the troops and the Urses to carry us out in the morning.”
Kiyar balked at Atlase’s agreement and as her mouth closed, she narrowed her eyes at Yara.
“It is settled then,” Lucerne said. He then rose to address the entire dinner party. “Thank you for joining me for this auspicious dinner with our Eld Queen. Let us prepare to leave the tunnels, so that we might witness every second of Mira’s rebirth. We have a few more hours before it begins. It will be a great night for us all.”
Yara finally stole a glance toward Atlase, whose eyes were now locked with a clearly upset Kiyar as they whispered to each other. Kiyar seemed particularly incensed and Yara wasn’t sure how to feel about Lucerne’s strong suggestion. There was also something she didn’t quite like about Kiyar. Maybe it was the manner in which she acted, making it clear above all else that Yara should not be there. But perhaps Yara was at fault to feel that way and to judge so harshly. If Kiyar was Atlase’s promised, then Kiyar wasn’t wrong to feel threatened, especially if she sensed the shift within Atlase when he was around Yara.
Assuming he even feels the same way and that this sensation isn’t all in my head…not that any of this even matters. He is promised, isn’t he? I need to let this go.
Yara tried to shake off the thought, feeling pressure from what once again felt like the Spreuken side of her le-feer. It caused another thought to follow…an unexpected one, a dark one…
But I am the Queen…the Queen of the Eld and of all of Mira. Am I not entitled to any Eld I desire, if that Eld has not yet mated? And being promised is not the same as being mated. I don’t even know how he feels about her. What if this was simply arranged by his father but it isn’t what he wants? What if he is being forced into this?
As her justifications for her uncontrollable intrigue began to overtake what she knew was right, Yara felt more and more compelled to get to know Atlase. She especially wanted…no, needed…to know exactly how close he and Kiyar were, and whether what she felt with him was mischief of her imagination.
As Atlase stood up with his promised one, Yara saw Kiyar indicate that they should speak away from everyone else. They stole away down a side tunnel, with Kiyar’s body language seeming far angrier than Yara felt was necessary.
Poor Atlase… she thought as she watched him walking with his head bowed.
As Yara continued to stare after them, Lucerne approached her.
“It is not easy for the rare insecure Spreuken woman to have such a powerful Eld Queen grace her beloved’s Spreuken table, an Eld Queen who is an Agarb, yet is somehow able to grab the attention of all the Spreuken men who surround her.” he murmured quietly.
Yara stared at him, a bit shocked by the straightforward sharing of his thoughts. His insight also confirmed the energy she knew she had been feeling from the Spreuken girl.
“Master Lucerne, did I do anything to offend Kiyar in a way I don’t yet understand? As in, an Eld way?” she asked, deciding to engage his observations head-on.
“Why, no, of course not, my Queen!” Lucerne responded, aghast. “You were, in fact, quite a noble delight to serve at our table on this first night of what I do hope will be many. Please do not receive the immature behavior of a jealous Spreuken to mean that you are in any way not welcome, or desired, here. The pleasure of your company is beyond invaluable to my House and to me, Queen Yara.”
Yara breathed a sigh of relief, happy to know that the energy she felt from Kiyar was limited to her alone, and was not shared by other Spreukens. For Yara had enjoyed getting to know her people in a way that was hard for her to put into coherent thought. All she knew was that a part of her felt at home with them as all of her interactions were completely natural. In some ways, it even felt like her Eld father had been among them when they shared the stories of his childhood.
“Thank you, Master Lucerne, for your hospitality. I will indeed be back again to dine with your House. I must leave you now, but I will join later on for the first night ceremony on the outside of the mountains.”
“You are not coming with us now?”
“I can’t. I have a duty to the Skotad, Toler, for his service to me…for saving my life before anyone knew I was the Eld Queen, before I was even marked! I am going to perform the freedom ceremony on him tonight.”
Lucerne looked noticeably aggravated to hear that, but tried to mask his expression. His face became eclipsed by a show of concern.
“But my Queen, are you sure you wish to risk doing such a complex le-feer task when we have yet to fully train you to use your powers? It could be very dangerous for this…Toler.”
“Oh, I have already done it!” Yara responded proudly. “I performed the freedom ceremony on Mila, completely unlocking her from her Photak curse!”
“What?! When did this happen?!” Lucerne barked before attempting to compose himself again.
“Yesterday, before we returned to the mountains. You had gone ahead with the Bravads to brief them of their next mission,” Yara said slowly, not liking Lucerne’s reaction. “I freed her in the Greens with Master Nox. She can see everything now…she can see in the darkness just as well as any Skotad can!”
“I see… I did not expect Master Nox to risk teaching you such a dangerous procedure right after what had happened in the Photak village. It seems very irresponsible of him, don’t you think?” Lucerne responded, his voice now filled with contempt.
Yara was no longer blind to his clear disapproval of her relationship with Master Nox and what she had been able to perform. But she didn’t understand his opposition if she had been successful. It not only meant that she was aligned with Sunstar’s will, but also that, with this power, she would be able to free those creatures who had risked their lives for her. She knew she needed to draw a clear, bold line. Nothing would stop her from honoring those she cared for, and rewarding them for their loyalty.
“Master Lucerne, it is clear that you are not very pleased, but I suspect it has more to do with this apparent power struggle between you and Master Nox, and perhaps even the Houses. And to some extent, I do understand why. But I was not born into this clash…and I am certainly not willing to inherit it. I believe that all the Houses can stand stronger if they stand together. However, let’s make one thing clear: as the Eld Queen, I will do what I believe is right. Freeing both Mila and Toler is what I believe is right. I will continue to do anything for them, in honor of what they have done for me.”
Lucerne stared at her, a bit wide-eyed, shocked at the strong rebuke
she offered to his opposition. He took a moment to re-strategize, but that moment was not lost on Yara. Not anymore.
“I did not mean to offend, my Queen,” he started slowly, “and please know that I hold nothing but respect for the creatures who so willing put themselves on the line for you as I also do, and as all of Mira should. But…there is something I believe Nox may not have shared with you. Accomplishing such a feat, the freedom ceremony, means that you are accessing your Agarb power…and this Agarb power will likely cloud and dampen your Spreuken willpower…the very Spreuken power that seeks to enable you to execute exactly what you have just expressed–to do the things you believe are right. I worry that you will become a slave to the Agarb way rather than free to be all that you truly are in the Spreuken way…free to do what you believe is right.”
“But I am both a Spreuken and an Agarb, Master Lucerne. As such, I owe it to myself, and to the queendom, to understand all of me and not default to one way over the other. Do rest assured that I will not overlook my Spreuken side, but I will not revoke my Agarb side, or marking.”
Lucerne bowed low before Yara in response to her reassurance, but his eyes shifted as his mind churned away.
“May I ask one more thing, my Queen? So that I can assist you on that particular quest?”
“What is that?” Yara asked impatiently.
“May I put Atlase to train you in the Spreuken way? He can assist you in getting to know that side of yourself in a manner that may be currently unimaginable to you,” he gushed slightly with a glint in his eye.
Yara’s edginess melted a little as her le-feer began to pulse rapidly at the sound of Atlase’s name and the implications of Lucerne’s suggestion.
Easy there, little thing…Is this really a good idea?
The Eld Queen (The YaraStar Trilogy Book 2) Page 12
