“I could train her to defend herself,” Silver offered. “But you wouldn’t approve of my methods.”
“You’re avoiding the question.” Romana observed, “Come, please.”
Silver shifted so she was sitting and looped her arms around her bent knees looking her sister in the eyes.
“I must find Alda. This wedding would be a waste of my time.”
“But when else am I likely to be more in danger from her?” Romana argued. “Even if I am suffering from the romantic delusion that you even care about me pledging my love to Marten for eternity, you can’t deny that Alda would love the irony of murdering me then.”
Romana was right, but… “You’re suggesting I use you as bait?”
“Yes.”
Silver flared with rage. “You are carrying a child! What kind of mother are you that you would risk your daughter’s life on the need for revenge?”
“I’m not doing it for revenge.” Romana argued. “I’m doing it for her safety.”
“Then put the wedding off till after the child is born.” Silver argued. “I’ll use you as bait, but I made a vow to protect the thing growing inside of you.” She ignored her sister’s wince at her vocabulary. “Wait a month.”
“No,” Romana insisted. “I want this child to be legitimate.”
“It obviously isn’t!” Silver muttered. “It will always have been conceived before the wedding. What does it matter if it’s born before you’re married anyway?”
Romana gave up on words and sighed heavily. “It matters to me because it matters to Marten.” She eventually replied.
Silver groaned. “You’re both insane.” But she knew she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to catch Alda. “Everyone is to stay out of my way.” Silver muttered. “She’ll likely send another of her brothers, you’ll spike whatever the guests are toasting your marriage with using my blood. You will keep yourself covered in glamour at all times. Alda does not find out about the child.”
“Her name is Asha,” Romana said quietly, her smile peeking out from behind her lips.
“Asha,” Silver repeated dumbly, surprised at how much more real the concept of a child became when it had a name. She knew Romana had chosen the name; it was a traditional name of the desert people and hearing it for the first time among the sands made it all the more poignant. “You realise naming her something that means ‘life’ will not protect her from death if you’re not careful?”
Romana scowled.
“You’re lucky I care about you.” She muttered. “Or I’d burn you to a crisp right now.”
Silver wasn’t sure what to say to that. At some point in the past year she had decided she didn’t want Romana to die for more reasons than just the bond between their souls. But caring wasn’t something she was used to or bothered about. Tommy had served as a reminder for exactly why caring was a bad idea.
“Caring makes you negligent, and weak.” Silver informed her sister.
“It’s always made me sad that you feel that way.” Romana replied. “You do care about some things; I just think you’re too afraid of the pain of losing them.”
Silver smirked. “Don’t push your luck, I haven’t killed you yet, and I will be there tomorrow at sunset, but you better not start trying to think like me.”
“I already did that for years.” Romana replied with a shrug. “I would like to say I know how you think as well as you know how I think, yet when we were trapped together your thoughts were incomprehensible and chaotic. For whatever reason, you’ve become calmer.”
Silver looked away as she answered. “It’s probably the same reason my eyes are becoming golden.”
Romana didn’t stare, didn’t peer into the changing irises that were causing Silver’s disquiet whenever she looked into the mirror. “I had Joanna make you something.” She said. “I know I said you could wear your armour, but maybe wytch queen armour would suit you better for the occasion?”
Silver groaned. “I am not accepting a place on your Coven.” She stated.
“I know.” Romana looked sad for a moment. “I’ve accepted that the medallion will never be complete. But I can still give my sister gifts.”
She held the weightless armour out, and Silver accepted it in silence. “Go back to your isle.” She informed her sister. “The child – Asha,” she hastily inserted the child’s name, “should not be put in any more danger than you’ve already agreed to.”
Romana looked uncertain, and Silver knew the wytch queen was scared to leave in case she decided not to come. Without an instant’s hesitation, she pulled a knife from her belt and slashed it across her wrist.
“I vow by blood that I will attend your wedding tomorrow.” Silver informed her. “Now go.”
Romana gave a grateful smile and teleported away, melding in with the air currents till there was nothing left to see of her.
She waited a few more seconds in the isolated peace of the moonlit desert before she teleported back to Dalmorin.
Chapter Thirty-Three
EVERYONE CRIES AT WEDDINGS
Romana gazed down at the gown that Joanna had surprised her with in the earlier hours of that morning. Floor length, with a modest train, it had a halter neck and was white, as was the mortal tradition. What definitely were not traditional were the bold slashes of crimson that edged the neckline and hem, cutting into the white in spirals that were softened by golden embroidery of flowers and vines. The flowing gold cut into both colours, joining them together and matching her bracelets and earrings.
“You look beautiful.” Katelyn informed her, standing behind her in the floor length mirror, along with Lynette as her two bridesmaids dressed in gold and Zada, Halo and Erika were her flower girls wearing dresses that echoed her red and white theme and carrying small sheaths of wheat.
Romana had asked Averna to be a bridesmaid, but the wytch queen had declined politely. Now she would be somewhere in the temple with the rest of the Coven possibly attempting to keep Silver from murdering the guests.
“Are you ready to leave, mother?” Ash asked, poking his head through the balcony window while Icarus drifted on the air behind him.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Romana replied, walking up and allowing Katelyn to arrange her skirts behind her on the dragon. The triplets rode with her two bridesmaids on Icarus.
“Are we late?” Romana asked as they circled the temple, glad for the glamour that concealed her now obviously pregnant state.
“I believe it’s a mortal tradition for the bride to be late.” Ash informed her with a smile. “Last chance to back out,” He informed her. “I could fly away right now.”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.” Romana informed him, surveying the temple below her.
It was the temple of Morendor, displayed in all its glory outside the city walls atop one of the tall hills that overlooked the palace. Tall pillars of marble that would tower over even her dragons lined neatly up in a rectangle, with a roof balanced atop them and covered with golden tiles. It was ostentatious, and well-guarded for fear of thieves. As a daughter of the beings worshiped here, with first-hand experience of them, Romana had to wonder as to what the point was of having such an extravagant temple.
They landed, and once both she and her bridesmaids were safely on the ground, her two dragons took to their perches on the roof, looking in using their long necks to see between the gaps in the pillars.
Romana took a deep breath, and walked up to meet Gaillean at the start of the red carpet. She hadn’t been sure whether or not to invite her father, but in the end Kate had persuaded her that Gaillean still found her important in his own way. Music floated out from inside the temple, and the guests were all turning in their seats, attempting to get a good view of her. Her eyes instinctively sought out Marten; standing by the altar, looking uncomfortable in the robes of the king, and standing next to him was Endis, who’d agreed to be best man. But sure enough, her almost-brother was looking somewhere else entirely, and
she’d bet that spot in the audience would be where she would find Silver and Keenan.
Forcing her mind back to her wedding, she met Marten’s blue eyes, and walked towards him and her uncle Isaac who had agreed to perform the ceremony with his wife Marta. She smiled at the gobsmacked priests who were bowing in awe at the sight of four Ancients in attendance of her wedding as Kate was seated with the rest of the Coven.
*
Keenan tapped her on the shoulder, distracting Silver from her careful scrutiny of the guests as he joined her at the edge of the wedding party.
“We need to talk.” He informed her.
“What about?” Silver asked, her mind only half on him.
“Naphulan told me to come to you.” The words granted him her full attention. She knew the two had been working to overcome his half-demon impulses since she had used the hellhound blood on him. Whatever Naphulan wanted Keenan to talk to her about would be important.
“Carry on.” She said, eyes searching his for some hint as to where the conversation was going.
“I’m beginning to sense things, feelings, thoughts that aren’t my own.” Keenan informed her slowly. “Naphulan said it would make sense for me to experience a bond with him since he gave the blood that healed me.”
“I see,” Silver said, wondering what this had to do with her.
Keenan shook his head. “But it’s not only Naphulan I have a bond to.” He informed her. “I thought it was only him at the beginning, but I’ve come to realise it’s you I’m attuned to as well. I can look inside your mind if I want to, I haven’t, but I just know that I could if I wanted.”
Silver’s eyes narrowed. “What explanation did Naphulan give?” Had the hound known this would happen as well?
“He said his blood must have fused with some of your power when you rubbed the blood into me, so now I have a stronger version of the bond all hellhounds have with their king.” Keenan explained. “Apparently it’s a demon link, and he said it would be wrong not to tell you, that you probably would have already found it anyway.”
Naphulan had been wrong on that one, Silver thought as she searched her mind for this new bond. She found it deep within her subconscious, close to where her bond to Theria lay. “Did he mention any way to sever it?”
“My death.” Keenan said levelly. “Or yours.”
Silver gave him a steady glare and began building shields around the bond to protect it from outside influence, only to find the bond strong enough to defend itself. “There are situations,” She began, thinking quickly. “In which this bond may be useful. I will teach you to build shields around it later, but for now you should ignore its existence.” She paused. “You should be aware, one sign that this bond is negatively affecting either of us is all it will take for me to kill you.”
With that warning left hanging between them, she turned back to the crowds, but apparently Keenan wasn’t finished.
“It would be rude not to dance at your sister’s wedding.” He informed her.
“It would be rude to be so lax as to allow my sister to be murdered at her own wedding.” Silver retorted.
Keenan snorted. “If something was going to happen, it would have happened when she said ‘I do’.”
“Call me paranoid,” Silver muttered. “But the wedding isn’t over yet.” She looked around at the torch lit temple, hung with colourful flowers and fabrics. The benches had been waved aside by the wytches, creating a dance floor which Romana appeared to occupy every spare second she had. Silver eyed the area dubiously as Keenan offered her his arm.
“You’ll be closer to Romana and better able to get to her if you’re down there.” He informed her.
Silver gave him a glare but, being Keenan, he wasn’t put off and simply kept his arm extended.
“Don’t you think you’d have more luck with one of the court airheads?” Silver muttered, looking at where Crown Princess Arianne and her ladies floated around each other giggling.
“They don’t go for men who’ve been scarred as a vow-breaker.” Keenan replied.
“Maybe–” Silver was halted from her next insult by a sharp tug at her sleeve. Seeing the child who had dared to pull on her armour she refrained from slapping her away as she wanted to. “What does Romana’s underling want with me?” She enquired.
“My name’s not ‘underling’ it’s Lillian,” The girl informed her. “Casey, Hannah, Misty, Averna and I wish to talk to you.”
Silver’s guard went up instantly.
“And what would four wytch queens and a child want with me?” She sized up the girl.
“I’m not a child.” Lillian retorted. “I’m the youngest wytch queen ever to walk on the Isle of the Gifted.”
At her words, the golden bridesmaid dress flickered, the threads briefly changing to the sand coloured hooded cloak of one of the Coven.
“Averna says to tell you she hasn’t sensed any deaths happening in the next hour.” Lillian muttered in the pause where Silver measured the girl’s motives.
“Fine,” She muttered. “Keenan, keep watch.”
The thief didn’t question her and she was grateful for it as she left the temple passing the many jubilant peasants still straining for a look at the important guests. The dark eyed girl led her past several groups towards one of the bonfires they had set up. It was obvious that the wytches had commandeered one for the warmth, and now they stood around it, hands extended towards the flames.
“You came.” Averna sounded surprised.
“I did.” Silver confirmed, “Now what do the wytch queens of minds, sorrows, blood, death and time want with me?”
“We want to help you.” Casey stated. “The others on the Coven refuse to have any contact with you out of respect for Romana, but we will not sit still and do nothing because of their prejudice.”
Silver wanted to stare. “You are sworn to Romana’s side.” She reminded them, “That is not something you can just ignore.”
“It is if we have the blessing of an Ancient.” Averna muttered, but it was so quiet Silver wasn’t sure she was meant to have heard.
“We wish to aid you in capturing Alda’s brothers.” Misty, a centaur much older and larger than Leigh, informed her. “I have been monitoring them from a distance, though for obvious reasons I have not gotten too close to the Coven.”
Considering the centaur was a rogue wytch queen like herself and Grandmother Black, Silver didn’t blame her.
“Can you tell them apart from the rest of the guests?” She asked.
“Yes,” The centaur seemed completely certain. “Lillian can freeze them as well.”
“That makes things easier.” Silver commented. “But just to be clear, how far does your loyalty to me extend?”
“You are sworn to protect Romana and her child are you not?” Lillian demanded.
“I am,” Silver confirmed.
“Then it is till death.” Silver’s eyes widened.
“Grandmother Black is with us.” Averna informed her. “The wytch queen of souls will follow you. Each one of us is prepared to swear our allegiance to you before the Ancients.”
*
Kate sighed, her eyes looking at the dance floor and her daughter smiling and laughing there, but her ears attuned to the conversation that the wytch queens were having with Silver.
“Kate, would you care to dance?” Gaillean asked, and she knew from his stare and the stares of people around them that there would be no way to decline his offer.
She nodded, reluctantly allowing herself to be twirled into his hold, trying to resist noting how good it felt to be back there.
“The others came to you for permission to leave Romana’s side.” Gaillean reminded her. “I judge from your expression that you are worried about their decision, surely you could have stopped them had you simply told them no.”
“Marta had the vision.” She reminded him; thinking back to the way that Marta had approached her and Gaillean after Silver had left their war meeting. “I would
not wish this upon the wytches, but it must happen. And even I cannot say I did not see the foundations of this divide coming years ago.”
“It will be better in the long run.” He assured her, as the beat of the song slowed and somehow she ended up snuggled into his chest. “Kate,” He stopped, and she guessed whatever he was going to say was hard for him to express, but it would be harder for her to hear. “I want to apologise if my actions back in my forge scared you in any way. But I will not apologise for expressing my hopes and feelings; now that you have seen that Isaac and Marta have been happily together for so long without discovery I want you to rethink your answer to me.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he kissed the top of her head. “I want you to know, I won’t stop until you say yes. I love you Kate.”
Her eyes filled with tears that burned their way down her cheeks. “We cannot.”
Gaillean’s figure tightened and she knew her tears had dripped from her cheeks onto the skin bared by his armour. “Kate, no tears, please. I cannot bear your tears.”
Abruptly, the music stopped, and so did everyone else. Hurriedly Kate dried her eyes on the pale blue sleeve of her dress, leaving marks on the silk as she did so.
“This is interesting.” Silver’s voice murmured over the eerie silence. “If we hadn’t been touching you, would we be like that?” Her dark hair became visible as she moved through the crowd, accompanied by Averna, little Lillian and the rogue wytch queen Misty.
“Maybe not,” Lillian commented. “I tried it on you once before and the energy coming from you was so different it was impossible, probably due to your demonic power.”
“And the only people frozen are the ones in the temple?” Averna also appeared curious.
“Yes, I would find it extremely draining to pause the entire world for the amount of time necessary to get the brothers back to wherever you have planned. As it is, the level of concentration to freeze just this temple is near my limit.” Lillian replied.
Kate and Gaillean moved apart, and Silver glanced at them. Her cold eyes seemed to evaluate them, however when they said and did nothing she seemingly dismissed them. But Kate knew their presence had not been ignored, the Silver Eyed Wytch had hellhounds watching their every move.
Silver's Redemption (Soul Merge Saga Book 3) Page 29
