by Ivy Clyde
“Yes, Your Highness,” they said in low, subdued voices and retreated through the doorway.
I walked toward my mother and came to a stop before her. “Why are you doing this?”
“How dare you ask me that?” she said. Her lavender-hued eyes, so similar to mine, flashed darkly. “No mother deserves such an ungrateful son as you,” she hissed.
My expression stayed impassive despite the ache I felt deep inside. If she saw how her words affected me, she wouldn’t hold back from hurting me more. This was her way. Wound my sentiments for her and force me into doing whatever she wanted. So far, I’d bent to her will but no more. She’d gone way too far this time.
“Why do you have this desperate need to protect Coran?” I asked without giving her a chance to change the subject. “He is guilty. There is concrete proof of him colluding with Lord Vishen of Amaris. I found the letters they’ve been exchanging over the past two hundred years! Why, Mother? It’s shameful enough that you’ve let him get away with so much abuse of his powers while Father has been away. Why must you make things worse?”
“Ha!” she screamed, pointing a finger at me. “How dare you speak such words to me? Shameful? I ought to have you thrashed for using such words. Is it those stepbrothers of yours who are controlling you now? Where are they hiding? Why isn’t Rowan in court these days? What is he conspiring behind my back?”
“Why would you think Rowan is conspiring against you?” I asked. Mother fell silent but the storm behind her eyes grew darker. “Have you done anything against him? Is that why you fear his retaliation?”
“Are you here to interrogate me too, Son?” she hissed. Stepping closer to me, she stared into my eyes. “If your father hadn’t stopped me, I would have whipped you for going against my commands.”
“You would rather hurt your son than punish a traitorous bastard.”
Mother’s eyes went wide. Her face blanched, turning her as white as a sheet. She stumbled backward as if I’d just slapped her. Suddenly, she broke down into large sobs. Turning away from me, she ran toward the hanging noose. I sprinted after her, stopping her from climbing up on the tall table so she could get to the rope.
“Stop it, Mother,” I shouted. My voice was heavy with pain as I held onto her thin shoulders. “Please, stop already! Just tell me what it is he holds over you that is worth dying for.”
“Answer him, Brenna,” said a deep voice from behind me.
Turning around, I saw King Drustan walk in through the doors with an unexpected figure at his side. Lady Demitria strode forward and knelt down beside me and my mother.
“Spill the secrets that have been weighing on your conscience, Sister,” said Demitria in a low, soothing voice. “Let others judge your actions.”
Lady Demitria was clothed in a red gown as usual. Heavy jewelry of bronze, encrusted with rubies, glinted at her neck and ears. It was rare to see her being so informal with my mother in front of others. She gestured for me to move away and slid in beside Mother.
“You have never been a coward, Brenna,” said Demitri, holding my mother’s shoulders and helping her stand up. “Don’t ever think of killing yourself. Confront your actions. It’s never too late.” She glanced toward the thick rope hanging before her. The noose immediately caught fire. “Have a seat,” said Demitria, leading my mother to a plush sofa in the corner.
Mother glanced at each of us. Tears spilled from her eyes and streamed down her pale face.
“I have cast an impenetrable barrier on that door,” said Demitria. “Tell us what you’ve been hiding. What does Coran know? We have already guessed he has threatened to spill your secrets if you don’t free him.”
“You will hate me if you knew about it,” said Mother in an anguished voice. Her gaze toggled between Demitria and my father. “You would both hate me.”
“Speak the truth, Brenna,” said Demitria. “I’m afraid we already know the facts.”
Mother stared at her sister. There was barely any similarity between the two. This was the reason most people never connected them together in any way.
Mother stayed quiet as silent tears flowed down her cheeks. Her shoulders slowly slumped down. She seemed to grow smaller between my father and her sister.
“It all started with the trials for the queen selection,” said Mother in a low, pained voice.
Demitria exchanged a look with Father. Something passed between them as Mother started speaking again.
“Coran first approached me during the queen trials,” said Mother, gazing at Demitria. “He said he would get you removed from the competition but in exchange, I would have to promise to always support him at court.”
Demitria’s face went slack.
“I didn’t know what he would do,” wailed Mother. She flung herself at Demitria and grabbed her hands tightly. “I truly didn’t know he would go as far as to hurt you so badly. Please, believe me, Sister. I thought he would bribe a servant to slip you a sleeping potion so you would miss the trials but I never thought he would…”
“What did he do?” asked Father in a tight voice. His eyes were blazing with cold rage. “What did Coran do to her?”
“Let it be,” said Demitria. “It’s already passed.”
“No,” said Father. “Let me hear what happened that separated you from me forever. I don’t care I lost a potential mate but I do care about losing one of my closest friends.”
Mother let out a sound between a sob and a sneer. “This…this is what I’d been afraid of. That even if I came on top of the queen trials, you would choose my sister over me.”
“What did Coran do to her?” asked Father. Demitria had gone quiet now but she kept her gaze fixed on Mother.
“He used mercenaries to kidnap her. While the trial was going on, my sister was being beaten and raped by those men. Coran kept his words. He kept her out of the trials and she never came near you to entice you again. The throne was mine and I was forever bound to him.”
Cold washed over me at those words. I glanced at Demitria who could no longer bear to look at her sister. Father, on the other hand, went pale. Pain descended into his blue eyes as he laid a hand on her shoulder.
Demitria shook off his hand. “I don’t need you to comfort me, Your Majesty,” she said in a soft, deadly tone.
“I am sorry I couldn’t protect you, Demitria,” said Father in an anguished voice. “I can never guard the women I love.”
“It’s not your fault, husband,” said Mother. “I am the one responsible for snatching them away from you.”
“Cynthia…” Father grabbed Mother’s shoulders and shook it hard. “What happened to her? Tell me, Brenna!”
Neither Demitria nor I said anything to hold back my father. He deserved to know what happened to his beloved mate.
“Coran filled my head with poisonous thoughts,” said Mother. “He started doing it ever since Ingrid became your consort, but things were fine because she produced no heir. Then, you married Cynthia and suddenly, things started moving too quickly. She got pregnant first, followed by me and Ingrid.”
“You were the one who said I should bring in new consorts,” said Father. “You’re the one who pushed me toward them. Then, why would you feel threatened by them?”
A hollow chuckle escaped Mother as she slumped in Father’s arms. “Coran said my son was in danger from both Rowan and Leon. He said Rowan would kill him when he took the throne.”
“Rowan would do never do such a thing!” I shouted.
Three pairs of eyes turned to look at me.
“He wouldn’t!” I said.
Father gave a nod. “I know he wouldn’t. He is not as ruthless as you think, Brenna. Cynthia’s son is as gentle as her. It is only that I have placed a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders that he acts tough. He has to. It doesn’t mean he would get rid of his brothers.”
“Maybe not, but could I really trust him?” asked Brenna. “Coran promised he would get rid of Cynthia and make sure Rowan is powerless. He w
ould remove them from my son’s path to the throne.”
“Mother…please tell me you didn’t agree to him,” I said, feeling something shatter inside me. “Don’t tell me you’re responsible for Lady Cynthia’s death.”
“I am,” said Mother. “I told Coran to do whatever it took to get Cynthia away from the king. I didn’t want her slipping more power to her son. Of course, I thought he would plan some elaborate trick to make her leave the palace but look at what he did. He brought in human mercenaries to murder her.”
“Why did you have to go to him?” asked Father in a pain-filled voice. “Why didn’t you come to me with your worries?”
“What would have been the point?” asked Mother. “You would never believe what I had to say. You would have laughed at my fears.”
“I would never laugh at you,” said Father, drawing her closer against him. “But I wish you came to me with your worries instead of going to someone as faithless as that man. He hurt your sister so badly. That incident should have been enough to warn you against him.”
“I know but I was greedy. And I was afraid for my son.”
“I am not a child, Mother,” I said. “I can look after myself if someone came after me. Coran has been the enemy all along. You were stupid to have trusted him instead of your own family.”
Mother nodded. “I was stupid and destroyed everything.”
“Is this the thing he is threatening you with?” I asked.
“Yes,” said Mother. “He has threatened to expose me if I didn’t get him out of the dungeons. I can’t bear it if that happened.”
“He will never be able to do that,” I said. “My men have swept through his manor, gaining evidence after evidence of his wrongdoing. His words of being innocent will soon be proven wrong. No one will believe what he has to say.”
“That may be but I deserve to be punished too.” A shuddering breath left her and she started sobbing once more.
“I forgive you, Brenna,” said Dimitria. Reaching out toward my mother, she gently caressed her head. “My wounds healed a long time ago and I met my soul mate, the person who I was truly meant to be with. She completes me. Her love nurtures me. You, on the other hand, have suffered all these years. Your guilty conscience punished you enough. That said, you must confront your demons before it causes any more damage to your mate and son. You are the queen of this nation. You have to be stronger than this.”
Mother shook her head. “I am done being the queen. I don’t deserve the throne.”
“Are the rumors true, then?” I asked, unable to hold back my curiosity.
Demitria suddenly giggled. “Well, yes. Chantal is my lover and mate.”
“Is that the reason you choose to stay in Belenus Court?” asked Father.
“Yes,” said Demitria with a nod. “I will follow her wherever she goes. Chantal is my home.”
“You’ve been happy all this while despite being torn apart,” said Mother, gazing at her with tear-filled eyes.
“Chantal healed me,” said Demitria. “There is nothing like the love of a true mate. I hope you will find the same comfort and safety in his arms. You have spilled the dark secrets that have festered in your heart. Give it time and you will find love and acceptance once again but remember, you have to surrender first.”
Demitria got to her feet. “I must go back now. It’s quite late and Chantal would be angry if I didn’t return soon.”
“What were you doing here in the first place?” I asked.
“Oh, I get around,” she said, waving a hand. “It’s the only way to gather news.” She bowed at my parents and me before turning around and walking out of the room.
“I will go too,” I said, getting to my feet. “You will look after Mother, won’t you?”
Father gave a nod. “I will stay with her.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said, bowing before him. “I will have Coran confess to all his sins tonight.”
Father looked grim. “Ask him about those human mercenaries,” he said. “I want to know how he brought them here. Make sure to get to the bottom of his relationship with Vishen as well. I fear there are more secrets and conspiracies to unveil.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
Turning around, I strode out of the room. Rage flowed in my veins but I reined in my emotions. This was the time to keep a cool head. There was still so much more to learn from Coran. At least, I will have something to offer Rowan when he comes, I thought as my feet moved toward the underground dungeons.
I didn’t know how he would react to my mother’s involvement in his Lady Cynthia’s death. While Mother hadn’t commanded her death, she was still responsible for what happened to her. Coran was the true culprit for Lady Cynthia’s murder but Mother had a hand in it too. If she wasn’t swayed by the traitor’s words, Lady Cynthia would still be with us.
Taking a deep breath, I cleared my mind. There was nothing I could do in this regard. It would be Rowan’s decision whether he decides to forgive my mother or not.
27
Chantal
My gaze was set on the dark night sky. The windows to my bedchambers were wide open, inviting a cold breeze that seeped in through my sheer white slip, chilling my skin.
“Where are you, Demitria?” I whispered, channeling my magic through my body to keep warm. She’d been gone the whole day and evening. Lately, it became a daily ritual for her to stay in the palace from dawn to dusk in an effort to gather more news about Moira and the princes. Even though Rowan and Leon were spotted in the palace a day after she went missing, they disappeared the next day. No one seemed to know where they’d gone even though Prince Cade had been making up excuses for them.
A sudden gust of wind whipped my face. The feathers of a large red-feathered eagle brushed my cheeks. Next moment, it flounced onto the bed.
“Where have you been?” I scolded at once. “Do you know how worried I was?”
The bird squawked loudly at me.
“Is that all you have to say for yourself?”
The vision of the bird before me shimmered. Next moment, Demitria’s form materialized before me. She sat cross-legged on the bed in her red-silk gown and heavy bronze jewelry.
“If you heard what I learned today, you would tell me to stay away longer,” said Demitria.
Excitement flooded through me. “Did you find out about Moira?”
Demitria’s expression turned grim as she shook her head. “This is not about her,” she replied. “But Brenna confessed what she did to me all those years ago. While she hadn’t meant for me to get so badly hurt, it was her idea to get me away from the royal trials. She was certain Drustan would choose me over her even if she won all the rounds.”
“But you knew that already,” I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You were certain it was her.”
“Yes, but I didn’t know it was Coran’s idea to hire mercenaries to beat me up and rape me.”
“I still thank the goddesses who watched over you,” I said. Even thinking of Demitria being in such a terrible situation turned my heart cold and heavy. “If Selene hadn’t rescued you in time, you wouldn’t have survived.”
Demitria nodded. “I know. I owe her my life.” Her green eyes brimmed with tears. “She gave me a second life. Without it, I wouldn’t have met you.” She reached out toward me and wiped the tears on my cheek.
“Who else knows what you know?”
“Drustan and the second prince know now,” she said. “I am sure Coran will pay for everything he did. The second prince has been intent on finding all the evidence against that shit-eating bastard. There is no way for him to escape once again. Brenna confessed to everything. He holds no power over her anymore.”
“How do you feel, darling?” I asked. “It couldn’t be easy to get a confirmation on a suspicion you’ve nursed for over five hundred years.”
She wiped at the tears still pouring from her eyes and smiled. “To be honest, I feel fine. A little overwhelmed by th
e way Brenna wanted to kill herself but otherwise, I am all right. Even though she never confessed before, I knew she was the person behind the attack on me. I held on to my grudge for years but after I met you, I somehow forgot about it. You made my rage and hurt disappear. You healed me, Chantal.”
Leaning toward me, she captured my lips in a sweet kiss.
“Are you sure about that?” I asked when we broke apart.
She nodded. “You’re the sun of my life, Chantal. As long as you’re by my side, no shadows of anger and hate fester in my heart.” A wry grin lifted the corner of her lips. “It’s not the same for my sister, though. She has suffered from guilt all her life. She hasn’t been able to have a peaceful or joyful life. All the power in the world couldn’t heal her wounds. She hurt everyone she loves.”
“You’re saying you’re doing better even though you went through all that pain?”
“Of course, my love,” she said as she kissed me again. “If I wasn’t hurt, if Selene didn’t help me run away, I would have never met you during my travels. My life would have been such a waste without you. I would go through it all again just to be with you.”
Pain and joy lanced through my heart at the same time. I hurt for the pain Demitria suffered but I couldn’t help agreeing with her on one point. We wouldn’t have met if she didn’t choose to leave Aelia.
“I always felt bad about dragging you back here,” I said.
“Don’t,” said Demitria, putting a finger on my lips. “You wanted to teach and this is one of the most prestigious places to do it. You have the talent to manage Belenus Court, so why wouldn’t you? Nothing else matters to me as long as you’re by my side. I am content as long as you’re mine.”
Her words were like a soothing, warm balm on my heart. “I am so glad you’re safe.” My hands rested on the side of her face as I leaned in to kiss her. Absolute bliss surged through me as our lips moved against each other. Our tongues danced together, savoring each other’s sweetness.
