by Reid, Stacy
His sister faced him. “We have tracked the presence of Mevians within the Darkage. They move with stealth and darkness that is hard to penetrate. At least one elder aids them.”
“We also suspect that the elder resides at this keep,” Tzar said.
His father exhaled sharply. This was the first time his father had been privy to this information, and Drac saw fleeting shock chasing across his face. His father, Raki El Kyn, was close to being an elder and a powerful one at that. Gidon's father had appointed him high chancellor, and Raki had fulfilled his task ruthlessly. He worked closely with the warrior factions and was a member of the king’s council.
"What is the meaning of this? Darkans are affiliating with Mevians within our walls? To what end?" his father asked.
“Conspiring, not affiliating,” Tehdra said. “Since Gidon’s ascension, we have stopped three assassination attempts. They were weak and belonged to the civilians’ caste. Our investigations discovered they were smoke screens.”
"Smokescreens for what?” Raki demanded.
"We are not sure," she murmured. "We dug deep and uncovered dissension. There are whispers we cannot yet trace that speak of our King as being weak, and of The Kingmaker rising. There is another who they say is stronger who should lead us. Whoever is spreading these whispers is inciting doubt in many, that our king’s ideals will place our kingdom in danger and we will be perceived as weak. The whispers talk of war that may revisit Amagarie, and that the Darkage will need a leader who is capable of withstanding the rigors of strife and death. A leader whom the Kingmaker approves.”
There was a long bout of silence before Drac spoke, “Tell me about the Mevians’ presence.”
Tehdra flowed to perch on a turret, frowning. “Tzar came upon a meeting while patrolling the caves of the Hoyekan forest. He scented not a Darkan, but some other. He approached and was able to see the Mevia insignia on their cowls. He was detected.”
There was a deep pause as the implications sunk in that someone had detected Tzar’s presence. “Continue,” Drac commanded.
“The Mevian was shiktred away. Tzar tried to follow but could not keep up. The speed of the one moving the infiltrator had to be very strong and powerful for Tzar not to be able to follow. It must be an elder or a high chancellor. The level of secrecy surrounding the plots against our Ricarkri leads me to believe their leader is someone powerful, respected, and feared. And without a doubt another Darkan,” Tehdra said.
Drac felt coldness permeate his being, and his beast uncoiled inside him. His mind shifted to the Mevians who had pursued Saieke into the forest. “Mevian grand generals pursued the princess into the forest bordering this land. Their hesitation in crossing over was fleeting, and they were without fear." They were confident about their presence not being detected in his world.
“They have Darkans working with them,” Raki snapped.
“We need to uncover why they pursued the princess,” Tehdra said. “Then we may understand why Mevians and Darkans are working together, and what it has to do with our king.”
Drac felt the icy rage that ran through his veins spread throughout his body. Someone who sat on Gidon’s council plotted to overthrow his rule and take Gidon’s place as king. They must know that to do so they would have to take out his cadre as well. Whoever was planning this was confident they could assassinate his king, himself, Lachlan and Talon; then their enforcers. Such was a feat they should know is impossible, yet they believed it. That meant they had might with them that Drac should not underestimate.
“Tehdra, Tzar. Work relentlessly until the traitors in this keep are uncovered. When found there will be no hearing.”
“Drac what are you saying?” his father asked. “Our king has worked tirelessly to implement laws within our society, and you threaten that foundation with your order.”
Drac looked at his father distantly. The coldness had spread to encase everything inside of him. “They will seek to hide behind such laws to further their plot against our king. There will be no hearing, no trial. Just retribution.”
Savage satisfaction howled inside of him when he espied a similar resolve within Tehdra.
“Gidon will not be brought down while we live,” she swore and shiktred away with Tzar at her heels.
With a nod to his father, Drac flowed with the shadows, standing on the highest turret of his keep, overlooking his domain. War was inevitable…and he had a mate who could be exploited. A mate he had been thinking of claiming despite his fears. We must give her up.
No, his demon beast hissed.
Yes…in the fight to come, I can have no weakness. They will find her, shatter her to break me, and then our kingdom will lose because we will kill and devour ceaselessly if they harm her.
An ache built in Drac’s chest. He could lose his mate and his king.
Gidon was just five hundred years old but was enormously powerful and brutally bonded with his beast. Only an elder within the Darkage would plot to overthrow him. Almost all the elders had fully bonded with their beasts, and to contend with one could mean death.
Since he’d created the seven orders of law, their society had been a less barbaric one, and trade within their walls had flourished, and their nation had grown. How could anyone wish Gidon’s demise because he wanted to make their realm prosper? The entire cadre would start a war within their kingdom before they allowed Gidon’s death while they were alive.
Even if it meant relinquishing all they held dear.
16
Saieke strolled with Chedra and Cullen in the gardens. They bantered amicably with each other, and Saieke had settled into knowing Drac’s family. They did not let her rank rattle them at all. Other kingdoms would have treated her with more deference. She was happy they were at ease, which made her relaxed.
Drac’s castle was a beautiful one, in a very macabre way. Castle Kerberos had more elegance, more grace, which she attributed to the influence of the late queen. Only a few tapestries adorned Drac's walls, and ferocious beast sculptures were strewn about randomly. The castle boasted over three hundred rooms and had three magnificent courtyards that converged into one. "What is the name of this castle?” she asked trailing her fingers over the massive wings of a sculpted dragon.
“Castle Kilindore,” Chedra said.
What Saieke loved the most about the northern castle, was the great lake that ran from the eastern end of the castle to the southern end. She could feel the ebb and flow of the water from within the castle walls. “This is one of the most amazing courtyards I have ever seen. These stone and iron sculptures are fearsome, yet beautiful.”
The wildness of the jungle courtyard, the different howls, roars, and cries, blended into a beautiful and strange canopy of sounds. The lighting in the yard barely dispelled the darkness to highlight the grace of the foliage and the trees. Saieke inhaled to steady herself as her pupils contracted, expanded, and vision became much sharper. She could see beyond the darkness, out into the jungles for at least a mile. "Oh kings!"
“Are you well?” Chedra probed.
“I am enthralled,” she said, and then smiled at the joy in Chedra’s laughter.
“I am happy, Princess Saieke, that you see the beauty of our realm.”
She nodded. She could see the strange animals that wove through the underbrush, the snakes that slithered on vines and the colorful winged creatures that flew and perched from limb to limb.
She glanced down when she felt small warm hands slip inside the folds of her caftan.
Cullen, Drac’s nephew, had really taken to her. Cullen watched her with wide eyes and with a child’s trusting nature and chattered at her incessantly. Saieke felt an ache twist inside her at the normalcy of the dark realm. Her perception had shifted so much that she hoped she could impress upon her kingdom how much like Boreas they were. She smiled ruefully, to think that everyone in her kingdom believed they killed their babies out of sheer savagery and lived in caves and holes in the ground.
“Prin
cess Saieke, please show me again,” an excited demand from Cullen.
Saieke crouched to his level, ruffled his hair and smiled. He was a beautiful boy of only six years. His hair was multi-colored with brown and streaks of russet red, but it was his eyes that captivated her. They were burnished gold with flecks of green on his iris. Devilry danced in his eyes, and it was apparent that he was well loved.
She had passed a fountain earlier inside the main hall and had manipulated water for him so that it danced in the air. He had been so amazed; she felt humbled.
Darkans themselves were ignorant of the other kingdoms and their abilities. The segregation was two-sided. They kept themselves solitary, apart from the rest of the world content to reside in darkness and treachery, unless they were spying.
“Please do it again,” he chortled.
She lifted him and swung him around. His loud shrieks of laughter bounced around the courtyard, and Saieke paused when she saw the tattoo of a tail on his neck.
"Come, Cullen, the princess must be tired from the castle tour and our chattering,” Chedra said laughing, rubbing her rounded stomach.
“Absolutely not. I enjoyed every moment. I would love to show him more of my Shenkiri.”
“Are you certain Princess? Would you not like to retire to your chambers and rest? Mother left to prepare the silver room for you and to assign ladies in waiting for your needs.”
Saieke gave Chedra a lopsided smile. Pia had left earlier with the same parting remarks. She had been unsure of how to state she was in Drac’s quarters. She had no idea how far from his bedroom the silver chamber was, or even if she wanted anyone to know they were lovers. A blush climbed her cheeks as Chedra looked at her quizzically. “I am not tired at all, and I would love to explore the courtyard with Cullen and show him the beauty of wind and water.”
“I will accompany you. It can be intimidating to travel through the courtyard. It's enormous and teeming with wildlife. If you are not familiar with the animals, one can be scared.”
“Are they ferocious?” Saieke asked while they strolled further into the jungle-like courtyard.
“Some.”
Chedra took a great torch with her and Saieke took one as well, not wanting to reveal that she was able to see in the dark and the why of it. “Are you not afraid of being attacked?” Saieke murmured as a piercing scream rent the air.
Chedra laughed with surprise dancing in her eyes. “We are Darkans. The animals are wary of us.”
"What about Cullen and the other children. They are quite small."
Hands squeezed hers, and she looked down into a face scrunched up in ferocity. “I am not small. Drac says I am a big and a great Darkan, and one day I will have access to my Lyon.”
“Forgive me; of course, I know how big you are. I spoke of other children.”
He nodded, pleased and his mother chuckled.
“No, our children are safe. Even though their beast powers are latent until they are about one hundred years, the animals can sense something more in them. Not only that, they are faster than any creature in our world and yours. We are dominant here in all ways.”
Saieke dipped her head under some foliage. It was stunning. Although it looked wild and in disarray, there was still a particular organization to the design. There were clear pathways for walking that had no obstruction. There were sculptures made from onyx strewn about and arrangements of stone benches and tables arranged everywhere. “Cullen has a dragon as well? Drac told me that your parents possess dragons and that the beasts are inherited,” she explained at the surprised look Chedra threw her.
“I have a dragon, but my mate possesses a Lyon. Cullen has inherited a Lyon as my mate’s beast is more dominant than mine.”
“I thought that only the same beasts mated, as your parents both have dragons.”
“That is normally the way of it, but we don’t choose who we mate. It just happens and to deny that connection is impossible. When Tzar and I mated with different beasts, it was the fifth in our history. Many said we were an abomination as the power of the child we brought forth is unknown until he is grown, and his tattoo is fully formed.”
“How awful,” Saieke breathed. “Why would it be an abomination?”
“There may be a convergence of the two beasts, and for some, the idea is abhorrent. We have people that are full of fear and prejudice as well in our society.”
“But Cullen will only have a Lyon?” Saieke asked with curiosity.
Chedra’s lips flattened. “His Lyon has formed already, but I can see the outline of wings forming on its back. We do not worry; it’s only a few that have such a perception and their perception cannot harm us.”
Cullen shouted. He released her hands and ran to a fountain and started to splatter the water. It gurgled powerfully and in abundance. Saieke laughed at his excitement, then waved the spiral water towards him. He reached out to touch it, and the broad smile on his face was the sweetest one she had seen all day. She blew wind and created several ice sculptures. She heard Chedra’s gasp of amazement as she formed several birds and animals out of ice.
“That is so amazing, Princess Saieke,” Chedra cried clapping.
She flashed over to her. “Please let us not be formal with names anymore. Call me Saieke.”
Chedra gave her a blinding smile with a firm nod.
Cullen demanded more and more.
“I will need more water.”
“Please Mother; can we go to the lake?”
“No, Cullen,” Chedra said firmly. “We will disturb many of our lake friends with our noise and antics.”
“How about our cave of dragon?” he yelped.
Chedra looked at Saieke. “Our cave of dragon has deep underground tunnels and waterfalls that converge into a deep body of water, which is about two miles wide. Nothing lives in it.”
“Waterfalls underground?” Saieke asked excitedly.
“Several waterfalls and caverns. There is also a pool of hot water in the midst of everything.”
“I would love to visit.”
“Are you sure? It is very far away, and you have not rested or eaten again yet. I would not want Cullen to exhaust you when mother has planned a wonderful dinner for you.”
"Far from it." Saieke laughed. "I leave the Darkage soon. I hope to return if my people agree, but I want to explore as much as I can before my departure. And I do miss the roars of the falls, the foams, and the power of the water."
“I will have to carry you,” Chedra said.
“Absolutely not!” Saieke glared at her.
Chedra giggled. That was one sound Saieke thought she would never hear from a Darkan.
“The cave is more than a thousand miles away. If you flash, it will take longer than if I simply shiktre with you.”
"You are with child, and I'm a grown woman," Saieke said.
"I am ten times stronger than you, Princess. It would be no hardship.”
“I would still be more comfortable flashing,” Saieke laughingly said. “It will give me the chance to see where I am going. When I travel with Drac, it is as if we disappear to appear again."
Chedra nodded. “Follow, yes?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Cullen crowed triumphantly.
Saieke laughed and followed. She whipped the wind beneath her feet and propelled herself with speed.
“Look,” Cullen shouted, “Princess Saieke is flying!”
They limited themselves to her speed, and he appeared before her with his face a mask of amazement and curiosity. “Are you flying?”
“No, I harness both wind and water. I generate a rush of wind to propel me forward. It is somewhat faster than flashing."
“Oh,” he said then gave her a mischievous smile. “Watch me.” He ran before her, stopped and launched himself into the air like a great cat. He jumped more than ten feet to perch on a limb. He jumped from tree to tree traveling overhead.
“That’s amazing,” Saieke said to Chedra, who was keeping pace beside her.
“He can spring that high due to the Lyon in him. Even though the young ones cannot yet start drawing on the powers of their beasts, they have several characteristics from birth.”
“There is so much about Darkans that is unknown to me.”
“Many of us are ignorant about the other kingdoms as well. Theoretically, we know that there are persons who manipulate the Shenkiri water, fire, wind, sound, light, and earth, but we do not know how or the extent of their powers,” Chedra said. “Most of the ignorance belongs to the civilians of our world, however. Because Darkans have met other Amagarians on the battlefield."
“Why is it so?” Saieke asked.
“We are reviled. In the past, our ventures into other kingdom were met with revulsion. When people encounter us, they react defensively, and when we counter-attack and eliminate threats to ourselves, our savagery inspires more fear. We tend to keep within our kingdom.”
“Are you saying that Darkans do not live in other kingdoms at all?
“It’s very rare.”
She had only flashed for about ten minutes when they came to a stop at a vine-covered cave entrance.
“This is the cave of dragon,” Chedra said. “It was discovered by my ancestors hundreds of years ago.”
She parted the vines that hung like curtains and stepped inside. Saieke followed her absorbing the essence of the cave. Chedra lit several other torches in the mouth of the cave that created a chain reaction and many others ignited in rows and rows in the cave. They flashed inside, and Saieke’s lips parted at the beauty of the cavern. The central area had a waterfall gushing from the rock into a deep and wide body of water. The walls of the caves had several drawings depicting man and beasts struggling for dominion. It was fierce and riveting.
Six tunnels branched off, and Saieke reached out with her senses to feel the waters. The tunnels ran for miles with water at the end of each. Several steps led to a ground floor in the cave. Some sort of vine ran on the walls with flowers of gold and scarlet colors adorning it. At the center, was a pool of heated water that had gold glistening on the floor creating a shimmering effect on the surface.
