by Zoey Ellis
He turned the corner into Emric’s little corridor and pounded on the door.
"Your Majesty!" Emric breathed. His shoulders sagged as he exhaled long and hard. "I thought you were Banon."
"I’m not saying long," Malloron said, as he swept inside. He had no intention of being here when Banon arrived. "I have something to ask you," he said.
Emric’s self-assured stance returned as he clasped his hands in front of him and gave Malloron his full attention.
"I just did a magical search of the temple," Malloron began. "The book isn’t in there." He hadn’t admitted to Amara how much he needed to draw from the tenebris. She didn’t need to know how desperate he had almost become. Immediately after he replenished his energy, he conducted a magical sweep of the temple that he hadn’t been able to do without the full power of the tenebris to locate the book and each item in the room flashed into his mind. The book had not been one of them.
Emric frowned. "Where would it be?"
"If the magic of the temple was intact," Malloron said, "nothing could be removed from the room without me be notified, but since it is not in force, it could have been at taken any point."
"But who would take one specific book?" Emric asked, thoughtfully. "The guards that have been guarding the door are completely trustworthy, Your Majesty. They wouldn't have even known to search for anything specific."
"I know, but my brother would," Malloron said, his voice hard. "And he was left in that room alone when I learned Amara had escaped the castle."
Emric’s face smoothed in understanding and he nodded.
"What exactly did he say when he left here?"
"He said to tell you that he has returned to DarFara and that he would be happy to receive you when you arrive."
Malloron nodded. Elion knew that Malloron would be coming to get the book. "I’m going to see him. I shouldn't be gone for more than a couple of hours, but make sure that Amara stays in her room. It will be locked anyway, but I will not be in the vicinity so I want guards at her door. She is not to be anywhere near the shinno or any member of Tribe Nyek for any reason."
Emric nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty."
After he left, Malloron made his way to the library and collected a number of books that had some information in them about Omegas. There wasn't a lot, and he doubted she would find much, but it seemed he and Amara were on a different path now. She seemed to be less averse to the idea of being his mate and instead wanted to see how much she could trust him, just like he wanted to see how much he could trust her. It wasn't ideal, but if she was the one that had to initiate the claiming, it was a start in the right direction.
When he returned, Amara was waiting for him at the table.
"What is this?" she said, surprised.
Malloron placed the books on the table. "There is not much in here. We do not have much information on Omegas."
Amara frowned. "You want me to read them?"
"I thought you might be interested in what I know about Omegas… and what I don’t know. And maybe it will help to keep you occupied while I’m out of the castle." Malloron sat next to her at the table. "I need to go to where I think the book is. I will be gone for a couple of hours, but I’m posting guards at your door. Do not try to leave, Amara."
Amara nodded, a faint smile on her face. "I can't come with you?"
"You are too vulnerable and too valuable to leave this room, chameleon," he said with a wry smile. "I will be back as soon as I can." He rose and grabbed the back of her head pulling her face up as he hovered over her. "And when I do come back, it will not be because I have been drawn here by need." He lowered his face to hers, angling his mouth for a kiss. “It will be because I am returning to my mate."
***
Malloron stepped directly from the portal into the living area in his brother’s house in DarFara. He didn't have the patience to use the front door. The fact that he had to be here at all, collecting something his brother had stolen infuriated him. He wanted to get it and go straight back to Amara.
“Brother.”
Malloron turned to face Elion as he closed the portal behind him. He sat on the couch, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped.
"Give me the book," Malloron ordered. "I have no idea why you took what belongs to me, but unless you return it immediately, I shall have to re-evaluate your usefulness to me."
Elion nodded slowly. "That is all you care about isn't it? That is the only reason why you keep me around."
"I have wondered many times why I keep you around," Malloron growled. "You have caused me more trouble than you are worth."
"And yet if it wasn't for me, you would never have found Illora."
"I am not discussing this yet again!" Malloron bellowed. "Is this what this is all about? You’re still pining for the woman who did not want you and so you are choosing to interfere with my affairs?"
"It was about that," Elion said quietly. "It has always been about that, but not anymore."
Malloron frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Elion was silent for a long moment, and in that time Malloron noticed that his chin-length, gold-streaked, brown hair had been gathered together and his beard and goatee had been trimmed short. He actually looked like he could pass for royalty for once. And yet, his usual mocking sneer was missing from his face.
Elion took a breath. "We haven't got much time. Your portal alerted him that you have come here."
Malloron flexed his fingers. "Who?"
"I wanted to use the time it would take for him to get here to explain to you why I did it, but even though I rehearsed this, I cannot remember anything I plan to say." Elion laughed nervously. "I suppose that is normal when you are telling your brother you have betrayed him."
Malloron tensed, suddenly alert. "What have you done? Where is the book?"
“Just give me one thing,” Elion said, his tone almost desperate. “Before you decide my fate, let me explain.”
“Tell me now what you are talking about,” Malloron growled.
“Just say you will let me explain before you do anything to me,” Elion insisted. “You didn’t let our siblings explain before you punished them—I want to be given that chance.”
"There was nothing for them to explain," Malloron bellowed. "It was extremely clear what they did and why they did it."
"Father played a bigger hand in that than you think," Elion said. "I know you think that he was perfect, but there is plenty you do not know about him."
"He was the only one who was honest with me about what you all were," Malloron snapped. "He was the only one who warned me about betrayal and how much it could damage my rule. He was protecting the Visant family and if you have betrayed me, he hasn’t yet been proven wrong."
"He was fucking insane," Elion snapped back, a surprising amount of force in his tone. "He taught you never to trust because of Mother’s betrayal. He never once considered that maybe what she was doing could have helped."
“What are you talking about?”
Elion’s eyes flicked over his face. "I forget that you were too young to know the story.” He straightened, locking Malloron with a wary gaze. “Father killed our mother."
Malloron froze. "No. That’s not true. She killed herself."
"That is what he was able to tell you because he separated you from us," Elion said. "But that is not the truth. He killed her."
"No. He loved her—he was weak for her," Malloron insisted. "He would not have killed her."
Elion shook his head as he got up. "When Mother realized that she would have to live her life in seclusion, and any potential Omega child she had would also have to do that, she looked for a way to destroy the power Father used to keep his Talent. She thought that if he no longer had that it, they could leave the Visant name behind and find somewhere safe where they could raise their family. She regularly sneaked into the temple to collect potions and ingredients to aid her attempts, and she would try to access Grandfather’s research to find
out how it would be possible." Elion stood behind the couch, leaning over the back. "She made an attempt to strip that power from him and Father saw it as a betrayal."
"Of course he would," Malloron growled. Not only would trying to strip him from the tenebris potentially kill him, but he could have gone immediately insane. Maybe she didn’t realize that but it was reckless to even try. Malloron shook his head in disgust. “After everything he gave up for her, he killed for her, he made Eiros weak for her, and she betrayed him.”
"She was trying to gain freedom for herself and her children."
Malloron shook his head. "She would never have had freedom. There is nowhere safer she could have gone to hide. It was a foolish thing for her to do."
Elion shrugged. "If something has the power to control you, is it foolish to destroy it? That is what you do, isn't it? Destroy everything that has the potential to harm you. That is the kind of heartless bastard he has trained you to be."
Malloron snarled. “Do not absolve yourself and your conspirators from that equation, Elion. You all played a part to teach me what I needed. And I do not regret it. Look at what is happening now? You have betrayed me in some way and you have only done that because I allowed you to be here instead of with the rest of our brothers. That is a lesson for me to learn. But if you want a chance to explain, fine. I give you my word I will allow you that. Now tell me what you have done.”
Elion moved back around to the front of the chair, but as he opened his mouth, another voice soared across the room.
“King Malloron.”
Malloron tensed as Duke Brecc strolled in the room followed by a number of Talent-crafters. The man looked as though he hadn’t slept for weeks; dark circles hugged his eyes and his clothes were disheveled, but his expression was as hard and ugly as always.
Malloron inclined his head, forcing himself to embrace an expression of indifference, like he always used when dealing with the rulers. “Duke Brecc, a pleasure as always.”
“Your three weeks were up a week ago,” Brecc said casually, as he came to a stop in front of the couch next to Elion. “The rulers are deciding their position.”
“I’m sure they will come up with something that I won’t give a shit about and will not abide by,” Malloron said, casually. He eyed his Talent-crafters, holding back the laughter that the man still thought any were a match for him. “What are you doing here? You are interrupting precious family time with me and my brother.”
Duke Brecc laughed, his voice thick. “So he hasn’t told you yet.”
Elion kept his eyes low and an ominous feeling twisted in Malloron’s stomach.
“Your brother has been very useful to me,” Brecc said. He turned to Elion. “Tell him.”
A silence hung in the room for a long moment.
“What the fuck is going on here, Elion,” Malloron said, his gaze flicking between the two men.
Elion finally met his eyes. "I sold Grandfather’s research to Brecc, Malloron."
Shock blasted into Malloron so deeply he could not speak for a moment. The entire room seemed to close in on him before he was able to finally find his voice. "You did what?"
“I must say, your grandfather was a very determined man,” Brecc commented. “The depth and breadth of his research is better than some of the best studies done in the whole of the Western Lands. It was very good reading.”
The rage that hit Malloron roared through every muscle and vein in his body. Every single thing about the tenebris was in those documents! "Why the fuck would you do that?" he bellowed at Elion, unable to hold onto his anger. "Do you know how precious that research is? Do you know how much information is in those documents?" He wasn't even aware Elion knew where to locate Grandfather’s research, let alone have the audacity to sell it.
“Remember you said you would let me explain,” Elion stressed.
“Come now, don’t fight among yourselves,” Brecc mocked.
“Did you give him the book?” Malloron asked Elion.
When he nodded, Malloron held in the numerous curses he wanted to release. Never before had he deeply regretted sparing Elion the fate of his other siblings as he did right now. No wonder Brecc had been able to create such a powerful magical source; he was trying to create his own tenebris! Malloron held himself still, eyeing Brecc’s smug face and the Talent-crafters that surrounded him. Brecc had everything that could be used to bring down the family line. The only solution he could think of that would still protect him and the tenebris was to kill Brecc and anyone else he could have shared the information with. The question was, could he kill him and all his Talent-crafters right now? Although he had just fed from the tenebris, he had no idea how his grandfather’s information and research may have been used to reinforce Brecc’s Talent-crafters. It could get messy and brutal, but did that matter when the throne was on the line? Elion might not survive the battle, but he didn’t give a shit about that.
"I hear there is a new queen," Brecc said casually. “You must be taken with her if you are only coming to collect the book now. Elion said he took it weeks ago.”
Malloron’s fists clenched and every muscle tensed while Elion squeezed his eyes shut, his regret clear.
"She is your new victim, isn't she? For your grandfather’s experiments. I thought you had created some new magical creature, one that has abilities beyond anything anyone has seen before. But when I got that last page from the book, I finally realized that you have put the tenebris in an Omega." He began to clap slowly. "Bravo." He smirked. “I don’t know how you masked her scent, but it was indeed a surprise that you found one.”
Malloron growled low and long, a number of things flashing through his mind simultaneously. The first thing was that he needed to kill everyone in the room. He also wondered how quickly he could draw magic to create a magical spear to kill each man, even Elion. He had promised to give him a chance to explain, but he could do that while he was dying.
"I am deeply impressed by your grandfather,” Brecc continued. “His control over your mother was impressive. I was thinking about the family tree that is displayed in the royal courts and I had to wonder if any of your siblings were actually your grandfather’s children. Perhaps that’s why you have subjected them to a life of pain and misery."
“Thinking is not your strength, Brecc,” Malloron bit out. “Don’t do yourself any harm pondering things you have no understanding of.”
“Oh, I don’t,” Brecc replied with a grin. “My head Talent-crafter is the one that interpreted that research for me, and he said that page in the book was the key to understanding your grandfather’s research.” Brecc grinned and gestured to the Talent-crafter nearest him. “He seems to think it makes me more powerful than even you, Malloron.”
A wave of tension rocketed through Malloron’s body. "What the fuck do you mean?"
Brecc grinned. “All I need is the right spell.” He nodded at the nearest Talent-crafter and he began to chant in the Ancient Tongue.
Before Malloron could do anything, spirals of magic leaped into the air, twisting into many funnels that fed into a revolving, pulsing ball before stretching out into a wide portal. Amara appeared in the center and floated into the room, where she hovered next to Brecc, shock on her face. "Malloron?"
"I mean,” Brecc said, his grin dark and vicious, “that with the right words your grandfather could still control your mother, regardless of whose blood was coded to the tenebris."
Immediately, Malloron drew on magic to pull together numerous spears all facing each of the men in the room and at the same time created a shield to surround himself. He tried to create a shield for Amara, but it would not hold. "Release her!" His anger crashing through him wild and savage. He connected to her, preparing to pull her to him if need be.
Brecc ignored him. “She is indeed beautiful,” he said, his eyes running over Amara appraisingly. “You have good taste, Malloron.” He took her hand and pressed his lips to it. "Welcome, my queen. My name is Brecc."
Malloron was incensed to see his hand on her. "Release her, Brecc," Malloron thundered. "I’m not going to say it again."
Amara glanced at Elion, Malloron, and then took in the rest of the room, the horror deepening on her face as her eyes darting to the spears in the air and where they were directed. "What is happening?"
"What is happening," Brecc said, still attempting to use every ounce of his disgusting charm, "is I’m taking control of the tenebris."
Amara’s face dropped. “No,” she whispered, horror on her face. She glanced at Malloron. "Can he do that?"
"He has my grandfather’s research," Malloron said tightly. "But I will not allow him to take you."
Brecc laughed thickly. "He cannot stop me, my queen," he said to Amara, shooting Malloron a hard look. "But I didn't realize you knew all about it—I thought you were an unwilling victim like his mother."
Malloron used his will to pull together another set of spears, but this time instructing the magic not to show itself. It was delicate work that took immense concentration, but sometimes it was necessary for magic to remain undetected. He created them around the room and directed them to point at Brecc and his Talent-crafters.
"I’m surprised that you are happy to hold the tenebris," Brecc said to Amara. "Especially considering where it comes from."
Malloron shot two of the visible spears at Brecc as a warning.
They crashed against an undetectable shield and dissipated. Brecc grinned. "Your grandfather fortified an entire dungeon. We have used that spell to create shields—you will never get through."
"Where does the tenebris come from?" Amara asked hesitantly.
"Amara," Malloron called. "That is not a question for him, that is a question for me. We agreed it."
Brecc laughed. "I see you did not tell her everything." He turned to Amara. "The tenebris comes from the souls of young children, my dear."
Uncertainty struck her face. “That can’t be true. Souls cannot be harnessed.”
