Three Kings

by Nikki Jefford

  I sat up, clutching the blankets to my chest. “What time is it?” I asked.

  “Late afternoon.”

  “Did we win the battle?” I mean, of course we did, but I still wanted confirmation.

  Peridot grinned and nodded eagerly. “Yes. Dahlquist is safe thanks to your sister and King Liri.”

  Pits and stems! I’d missed out on all the action. Ugh, I’d been in bed during the battle. I was never going to live this down.

  “Did you say Liri?” I gaped at Peridot.

  “He and Princess Jastra returned to Dahlquist. Queen Hensley has been portaled back as well.”

  “Um, does that mean Lyklor isn’t king any longer?” My cheeks flushed as I spoke his name.

  “They’ve been discussing Lyklor’s title.”

  Peridot went to the curtains and pulled them open as though to show me the hour by allowing afternoon sun to stream inside.

  I groaned as light illuminated the chamber.

  “Are you okay?” Peridot asked in alarm. Her eyes widened.

  I held my head in my hands and groaned again. It felt like pinpricks of sunlight were burrowing into my skull. “Fine, ugh.” Speaking of Lyklor . . . “Can you prepare me a tincture?”

  “Yes, of course, right away.” Peridot hurried across the room, stopping at the door. “And your bath is ready anytime.”

  “Fine, after the tincture.” I rubbed my temples, tempted to tell her to close the curtains before she headed out, but I didn’t want to delay her any longer.

  Peridot quickly returned with a mug, chirping about adding honey to the mixture. I stared at her in exasperation, clamping my mouth shut to keep from snipping at her about how I didn’t require sweetener in my tincture. Instead, I held my torn bodice together in one hand, took the mug in the other, and downed the contents in big gulps.

  My bath was next, and I was relieved when Peridot didn’t follow me into the bathing chamber down the hall. I lucked out more by not running into anyone in the hallway.

  There were no bubbles in the tub, but the temperature was nice and steamy. I removed my torn gown and flung it aside. I’d already tasked Peridot with grabbing a pair of breeches and a blouse from the guest room I’d occupied before riding out with Ryo for Ravensburg. It felt like another life.

  Was Ryo safe now? Had he freed himself from the tramp team? Tears stung my eyes. I’d failed to protect him. I’d never felt so powerless in all my life. I hoped Albedo was dead. That news was worth rejoining everyone. I didn’t think I could handle it if I found out he’d escaped and still held Ravensburg, along with Ryo.

  And if Ryo was now free, I didn’t know how to handle that either.

  Was our relationship doomed?

  We’d been forced together, but that didn’t make me love him any less. Sky help me, I cared for Lyklor too. How was I supposed to go on without either of them? They meant more to me than I’d ever believed possible.

  I sank beneath the surface of the tub, fully submerging myself. I didn’t come back up until my lungs burned for oxygen.

  I felt more like myself once I had on my breeches and blouse. The effects of the lust dust were gone, but the longing in my heart swelled with each breath.

  Back in the chamber, there came a light tap.

  “Mel, it’s Aerith. I’m coming in.” My sister swept through the door and closed it behind her. Tears filled her blue eyes. As she took me in, a smile burst up her cheeks. We rushed at one another, grasping hold in a tight hug. “Dear, dear, Sister,” she breathed in a soothing voice. “How I’ve missed you.”

  “I wasn’t gone that long.” My attempt at nonchalance fell flat.

  Aerith pulled back and steered me to the edge of the bed. She sat on the mattress and patted the spot beside her. “We need to have a talk.”

  “I’m fine,” I insisted.

  Aerith pursed her lips.

  “Ugh, I don’t want to talk about my sex life.”

  Her eyes widened. “You said it rather than spelled it.”

  I folded my arms and shrugged.

  Aerith rubbed her thumb over her sky-blue skirt. “Did Albedo force you to mate Ryo?” she asked softly.

  I snorted. “No. He threatened to marry me to get to you and the Dahlquist throne.”

  Aerith hissed. “If that bastard were still alive, I’d kill him right now.”

  “He’s dead?”

  Aerith nodded. “And so is Isadore.”

  I released a deep breath. “Good. What about Malon?”

  “Still locked in the dungeon. Liri wants him to suffer in captivity. Called him a prized prisoner. I wouldn’t want to keep the little cockroach alive, but I’m no longer in charge.” Aerith sighed. “Now tell me what happened with Ryo.”

  Groaning, I sat beside Aerith to avoid her probing eyes. “We claimed one another in secret to prevent Albedo from taking me as his queen.”

  Aerith rubbed her temples. “It could have been much worse then. I suppose I’m indebted to Ryo.”

  I turned my left hand, palm facing up, and stared at my unmarred skin. “Isadore broke the mate bond.”

  Aerith rubbed my back. “Lyklor made the request. We wanted Albedo to believe he was willing to give up the kingdom in exchange for you.”

  Would he have been willing to make that sacrifice on my behalf for real? It was a selfish thought—one that filled my heart with longing. It also hurt knowing my sister and friends had plotted to tear Ryo and me apart. Yet again, I’d had no say in determining the outcome of my life. Berlin had cut and bled my palm. He said the union was broken. Then why did Ryo still feel like my mate?

  “So, this was all part of your plan?” I asked in a small, bitter voice.

  “I’d do anything to get you back,” Aerith answered without hesitation, her arm pressed firmly against me. Unlike Lyklor, she wasn’t a cyclone of apologies. And she wasn’t letting up. “I want to know what happened with Lyklor. Did he sleep with you?”

  “Arg! Aerith. Give it a rest.” I shrugged off her arm.

  “I need to know if I should have Peridot prepare a tincture,” she insisted.

  “She already did!”

  “Oh. So, um. Okay . . .” Aerith studied my side profile. “You are okay, right?”

  “I told you I’m fine.” I got to my feet and huffed. “I’d rather discuss the battle. Who killed Albedo? Was it Jhaeros? How did you manage to kill the sorceress? And was it just my imagination, or did I see Keerla, Devdan, and Sana fighting in the throne room?”

  Aerith scooted up onto the bed and sat cross-legged, giving me a condensed rundown of what had occurred after Lyklor and I left. Ugh, I didn’t want to remember how I’d acted like Giselle and Jana, plastering myself all over Lyklor. Utterly mortifying. Maybe in a year, I’d be able to face him again. As Aerith recounted the final battle, I had a feeling she was leaving parts out, but I kept quiet, wanting to hear as much as I could.

  “Wow. Ruthless,” I said when she got to the part about Liri, Isadore, and the kiss of death.

  Aerith inclined her head. “Yep. Took that one right out of Jhaeros’s playbook.”

  I pressed my lips together and studied my sister. “Aerith, was it hard when Jhaeros was with Queen Naesala pretending to be her fiancé? I mean, I know it had to be awful. I guess what I’m trying to ask is how you got past that. She was with your male.” My heart squeezed.

  Aerith pulled at her earlobe, breaking eye contact. “Jhaeros did what he had to do,” she started slowly. “I know he was never really with her. Even when it appeared that way, he was always with me.” She placed her hand in her lap and pushed a smile to her lips. “That’s all that really matters. That and winning.”

  I rolled my eyes, but her smirk eased some of the weight off my chest.

  Aerith cleared her throat. “Liri is preparing to ride out to Ravensburg to meet up with Teryani and storm the gates. He doesn’t expect any resistance after he shows the guards Albedo’s severed head.”

  Ew. My upper lip curled.


  “Is Lyklor going with him?”

  Aerith shook her head. “Someone needs to stay at Dahlquist just in case. He’s still a king.”

  I squinted at my sister. “So, now there are two kings?”

  “For now, I guess.” Aerith shrugged.

  I lifted my head. “I’m going with Liri to Ravensburg.”

  “Mel—”

  “Ryo’s still trapped there.” I glared at Aerith, silently daring her to stop me.

  She got to her feet slowly and sighed. “Fine, but Jhaeros is going with you and so are Keerla, Devdan, and Sana.”

  I slapped my hand to my forehead and groaned. So much for escaping romantic turmoil. Now I’d have to face Devdan. Since leaving Pinemist, I’d slept with two Fae princes. He’d never forgive me. I doubted that my capture followed by a hasty, albeit necessary, mating ceremony and lust dust would be explanations that appeased him. No excuse could change the fact that I’d handed over my heart. Confronting Devdan was still easier than Lyklor. The lust dust didn’t change my feelings for him. Our connection felt as deep as the one I’d had with Ryo. Would it still be there when I found him at Ravensburg? I had to know.

  Green hills bathed in sunlight rolled out before our riding party.

  This time, there was no angry mob howling outside the gates. Aerith told me that as soon as Lyklor was crowned, the last of them had dispersed. I still thought they were all a bunch of pit heads.

  Liri and Jastra led about fifty of Dahlquist’s guards all on horses. I rode near the back beside Jhaeros.

  “Shouldn’t you have stayed behind with Aerith?” I asked.

  “She’s safe now.”

  “And I’m not?” I challenged.

  Jhaeros grunted, gaze on the horses and road ahead. “I’m here for moral support.”

  Uh-huh, sure. Aerith had probably sent him to chaperone my travels with Devdan and reunion with Ryo.

  Devdan hadn’t spoken much to me so far other than a strained greeting. He, Keerla, and Sana all rode together at the very back.

  Jhaeros cleared his throat. I gripped my reins tightly and tensed in the saddle, fearing he’d attempt some kind of awkward speech.

  “I’m here because you’re the closest thing I have to a sister.”

  What? Aw. That was so sweet. If I wasn’t riding, I would have given him a hug. When had I turned into such a sap? My emotions and hormones were all over the place.

  “Plus, I’m going crazy stuck in that damn castle.” Jhaeros glanced at me and grimaced.

  I laughed. “You and me both, Brother.”

  “As soon as we get back to Pinemist, I’m marrying your sister.”

  “About time.”

  Jhaeros coughed and raised a brow. Oh right. They’d been holding off for me.

  “Um, thanks for waiting.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jhaeros smirked.

  I wondered if Shalendra would be invited and if Aerith would allow Father to give her away. I was sorta in the mood for a family reunion after spending time apart. Would Aerith be able to fit into a wedding dress? It was easier to think about my sister’s upcoming nuptials than dwell on my own brief union.

  After passing through the forest, Devdan rode up alongside me, slowing his horse to match my gait. My heart skipped a beat. Wordlessly, Jhaeros pulled back, giving the two of us privacy.

  “Hey,” Dev said.

  “Hey,” I said back.

  The clip-clop of horse hooves filled the ensuing silence. Working up my courage, I looked over at Devdan. His brown hair had picked up copper highlights and was slightly windblown. He had a healthy tan that brought out the exotic blend of green and brown in his eyes. It looked like he’d spent a lot of time outdoors—probably helping rebuild Pinemist. He looked good. He always looked good. He also looked older somehow.

  He met my stare and forced a smile. “So, you’re mated,” he said softly. Devdan looked ahead, avoiding my eyes.

  I fiddled with my reins and readjusted my boots in the stirrups. “Um, not exactly.”

  More silence and hoofbeats followed. Devdan sighed. “I should have never walked out on you the day we returned to Pinemist.”

  “You came back. I’m the one who left. I should have gone after you,” I said. Heavy weights pulled at my chest and limbs. I was grateful the horse below me was doing the walking because my energy had drained.

  One small choice had altered our lives. One stupid argument. For all I knew, I would have still ended up going on the mission to Ravensburg. If Devdan had been around, he would have insisted on accompanying me. He could have been killed. A shudder went through me. That wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on. It was hard enough remembering Ella and thinking about Galather. I’d been told of his death but still didn’t believe it. Despite giving them a hard time, I’d become particularly fond of the twin guards. I’d offer Folas my condolences when we returned. He’d opted to stay behind and see to his brother’s burial.

  I was so ready to put all the ugliness behind me. I wanted to go home. I even wanted to hang out with my dad. It would be a lot easier to move on from the tragic events that had taken place in Faerie if I was far away. That was my reasoning anyway.

  “Can we still be friends?” I asked Devdan.

  “We’ll always be friends, Mel.” The warmth in his voice brought sunshine and sorrow surging through my soul. In another life, we might have eventually mated and settled into a cottage together—not that I ever saw myself settling down. But Devdan was a rare and special find, one that hurt to let go. “I don’t think Aerith ever really approved of me anyway,” Devdan added. “Not royal enough.”

  “Hey! That’s not true.” I sat up in the saddle and swung a glare at him.

  Devdan’s smiling eyes and smirk showed he was goading me. We fell into easy conversation after that. Being the considerate male and good friend he was, he distracted me for the rest of the ride with updates from home and all the progress they’d made rebuilding.

  Shadows fell over our procession as we rode the last stretch of road up to Lady Rosecliff’s estate. Jhaeros and I urged our horses into canters to join Liri and Jastra at the head of the group, then slowed to a walk as we approached the manor.

  Liri lifted his arm and his guards halted, remaining on their steeds. One of the guards stayed with Liri, carrying a basket in front of him.

  As we dismounted, Teryani stepped out of the manor, appearing like a queen emerging from her castle. An exquisite full-skirted gown of white crepe, satin, and lace covered her from neck to toes. The gown was so long I couldn’t see her feet. Gold and copper frills, lace, embroidery, and beadwork overlaid every scrap of the frock in stunning detail. Long sleeves met with white lace gloves. Teryani wore the royal sunstone ring around the outside of one glove. A cape of white lace and gold embroidery hung from her shoulders down her back in a train that reached her ankles, while a white satin and gold crown rested on her head.

  Fae totally confused me, Teryani in particular. She’d worn all black to her coronation—a day of triumph. Right now, she looked like a queen preparing for her wedding. Maybe it was an opposites thing. Maybe white was her color of mourning.

  Before leaving Dahlquist, Aerith told me she’d sent a messenger ahead with news of Ella’s death. I knew it was cowardly, but I felt relieved I wouldn’t have to break the news to Teryani.

  She floated up to her twin brother in a swish of gold and copper lace. Lady Rosecliff hurried at her heels, lifting the skirts of her cream skirt to keep up.

  “Show me his head,” Teryani commanded.

  As usual, the Elmrays weren’t much for family reunions.

  Liri snapped his fingers at the guard with the basket. When the male brought it over, Liri gave him a nod to pull Albedo’s severed head out by its long black hair. The skin looked bloated and puffy around the wide glassy eyes.

  Ew. I didn’t want to look but couldn’t stop myself from gaping. Lady Rosecliff gasped and turned away, clutching her neck. Teryani smiled the tiniest bit.

&n
bsp; Liri waved his hand at the guard, who then returned Albedo’s head to the basket.

  “Ready to reclaim your castle, Sister?” Liri drawled.

  “I am,” she said.

  Lady Rosecliff’s servants handed out lit torches to the Dahlquist guards. It was fully dark by the time we reached Ravensburg’s gate. My heart thudded the closer we approached. The sound of burning torches was like wind murmuring around my ears. Anytime someone passed me, I felt a lick of heat over my face.

  I didn’t join Liri, Teryani, and Jastra in front when they rode up to the gate. I pulled back, remaining near enough to watch the exchange.

  “Open the gates. Your queen has returned,” Teryani called out.

  The bronzed guard with the bun stepped up to the bars, his golden skin illuminated by the torchlight. I sucked back a hiss as memories of the beating he’d given Ryo assaulted my mind.

  “What of Albedo?” the guard asked.

  There was a shuffling as Liri’s guard handed Teryani the basket. She lifted her cousin’s head, gripping his dark hair in her lace-gloved hand.

  I thought the guard might resist, but his voice sounded relieved as he said, “As you wish, my queen.” He turned to someone I couldn’t see and ordered the gate to be opened. The bronzed guard issued a command to another faerie, telling him to get “the widow,” whom I assumed was Oreal, and “the prince.”

  My heart reached a full gallop as the gate lifted, and we clomped into Ravensburg’s outer courtyard. I hadn’t wanted to confront Lyklor, but suddenly, facing Ryo felt a thousand times more awkward. We’d taken all kinds of liberties as mates and captives clinging to one another for strength and comfort. What would it be like once we were both free?

  My muscles tensed. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. Maybe I should have waited for Ryo to return to Dahlquist, or left Faerie altogether and sent him and Lyklor a postcard. Nice knowing ya. Maybe we’ll run into each other in another realm one day. Take care. -Mel

  Arg. I had a coward’s heart when it came to relationships. I couldn’t run off or portal away this time. I’d already blown it with Devdan. I didn’t think I could do friendship with Ryo. I once thought I could, but not any longer.