Protectors and Kings (Mists of the Fae Book 4)

by Jaime Marks

  “Then it shall be done. I will consult with Alysse on the adjustments needed to recognize the unique circumstances and it shall be performed this Friday eve.”

  Almost as if on cue a Light began to glow and intensify from Staryana’s skin as wisps of Shadow also swirled about her. Byryn lifted Kylion placing him on the other side of him as he slid over to her, pulling her into his lap so he could embrace her as their essences flowed visibly between them. They all exchanged concerned glances as they waited to see if the awakening would subside. Steph was staring at her oddly relieved. Cymeryn himself was shocked, Staryana was so young.

  As the glow began to subside Byryn kissed her softly and glanced around the room. “I know we have the first raid scheduled, but I think I need to be close to the Palace for a while.”

  “How often is it coming on Star?” Reyana inquired.

  “Umm, I’m not sure. I haven’t really timed it. It happened three times yesterday and this is the second this morning.”

  She seemed to stabilize and Byryn kissed her cheek, “Better Brightness?”

  “Very,” she murmured as she settled against him pulling Kylion close to reassure the boy.

  Marcus stared directly at him letting what he was requesting pass through their link.

  Cymeryn smiled slyly, “You do realized you could just ask, I do have ears that work as easily as my mind. But no, there is no reason to cancel the raid. In fact, I think with the Brood’s current obsession with regaining Byryn it is best that he sit out the first couple of missions regardless. I will lead the raid in Byryn’s stead if there are no issues.”

  Kato shifted uncomfortably and Demytria leaned to his ear. The Fae’s discomfort was understandable given the nature of Cymeryn and his mate’s previous involvement. “Kato, you should come with us,” he offered. “I would welcome your assistance.”

  He rose a brow in surprise as he inclined his head. The tension and concern bled from him. “Thank you, Cymeryn. I will gladly join the raid.”

  Reyana sat stiffly beside him, her irritation evident. It was not her concern of his previous involvement with Demytria that had her upset however. She merely did not wish to risk him leaving the realm. Marcus pulled back giving them a moment to connect more intensely and Cymeryn pulled her to him.

  “Reyana, it will be fine, my love. I cannot in good conscious sit back and do nothing. You know me better than that.” He kissed her gently as he caressed her cheek.

  “It’s too much risk, Cymeryn. Alayne and Lazurys will try to reclaim you and I can’t bear to lose you again, not now.” A single tear rolled down her face and he wiped it gently.

  “I have waited the entirety of my existence for our Bonding, Reyana. Do you honestly believe that any save the Divine Being himself could keep me from you now, hmm? Do you not understand to what lengths I would go to for you after everything that has happened?” He smiled as he brushed the hair from her eyes. “I love you, Rey. I have always loved you. I will not take undue risks, but I have to do this. You know I have to correct the wrongs that I myself am in part responsible for.”

  Marcus’ hand rested on her shoulder as he kissed her head. “It’ll be alright Reya. I wouldn’t allow it if I thought the risk was too great. I need him with us as well. Cymeryn needs to do this and he is more suited for this than any other, myself included or I would simply lead the raid.”

  “I will accompany them to offset the risks,” Grifyn offered.

  Marcus nodded, “Thank you, Grifyn. We’ve already agreed that for at least the immediate time being one of the two of us need to remain in realm. There have been too many issues to risk it, especially with the Council being shifted over later in the month. We have emissaries coming and going regularly.”

  “Agreed. We have discussed the need for the realms to each have their own security force and I believe we need to move forward with that at this point more quickly than anticipated.” Mythos leaned back with his leg crossed over his knee. Cymeryn smirked when he realized he still had hold of Steph’s hand. “I am at a loss as to who should head the force in each realm, however Cymeryn, I believe it would be not only prudent but well suited for you to oversee the force in its entirety.”

  “My lord, with all due respect, I am unsure that would be wise.” It was a shock that the King would even make such a suggestion. There were still many Fae that were unaware of his Redemption and it would take time to lay the foundations of trust. “I do not believe the Fae will feel…comfortable following my orders.”

  Mythos waved a hand dismissing him. “If the four of us have not yet killed you then I am sure your subordinates will adjust admirably.”

  “But, my lord, it would be inappro-…”

  “Give it up, Cymeryn,” Marcus interrupted him. “Believe me if his mind is made up you won’t get him to relent. It’s his way of keeping tabs on his sister’s mates.”

  Mythos smirked before clearing his throat. “High Councilman Kato, despite the lack of formalities, as we lack at present Council to make presentation to, will you witness this so that note may be made of it upon the recommencement of the Council.”

  Kato shook his head with a smile, “As you wish, my lord.”

  “Then may I hereby present the appointment of Cymeryn a Cymarcion, esteemed Protector of Night, Crowned King of the Night Throne of Balance and proclaimed bonded mate of the Queen Reyana a Mythion as Praefect to the Securine of the Realms.”

  “So witnessed,” Kato inclined his head.

  “I shall…endeavor to serve my post with honor, my lord,” Cymeryn grumbled feeling somehow shell-shocked as if he had been ambushed.

  “Oh come now, Cymeryn. You were the most infamous Supryn in history and the most long-lived, not to mention a damned fine Commander of the Fronts at one point.” Grifyn laughed, “You can’t possibly be intimidated by the post?”

  “It is not a matter of being intimidated, Grifyn. We both know my infamy will make some uncomfortable,” Cymeryn shot back.

  “Perhaps, but you’re King by appointment of the Divine Being. It’s not like you would be able to avoid it. They will get used to it as will you, my fr-…” The Fae cleared his throat, “Yes well...”

  Cymeryn skirted the verbal slip. “You are correct of course, I suppose that I am the one who needs to adjust.” He shook his head not meeting their eyes, “I have much to atone for, especially within this room.” Feeling Reyana and Marcus’ essence flow through him, he reached over and took her hand as he allowed his essence to mix with theirs.

  “Cymeryn…” Grifyn began but grew silent. When Cymeryn looked to him, he was staring thoughtfully at Byryn. As if sensing his Father, the boy turned to meet his eyes. Grifyn kept his attention on his son as he spoke. “There are Fae that come into of our lives that we can’t possibly foresee, and the reasons aren’t always clear, but there is a reason they’re there.” He nodded to Byryn and turned to Cymeryn taking a deep breath. “There was a time when we served together; a time when we were even friends. Yes, it’s true you have done terrible things, but you have also shown me that you are still that same Fae who I fought beside all those years ago. You saved my son’s life, Cymeryn. If you weren’t here, Byryn would be gone, and so would Star for that matter.”

  “I wouldn’t even be here. Alayne was in my apartment the night before you came for me. When I didn’t show at Star’s house I’m pretty sure he would’ve come back,” Steph added while Mythos paled as he stared at her in disbelief. It was not many who evaded the High Priest unscathed.

  “I wouldn’t have been able to traverse the Darker Realms and I certainly couldn’t have navigated that fortress without you, brother. Reyana and our young would have been lost.” Marcus’ voice cracked as he pulled her close, the very thought painful to him.

  Mythos nodded, “The entirety of the realms would be lost had Reyana fallen under Lazurys’ control.”

  “Cymeryn, while I will admit the idea of your presence troubled me at first, in the short time you have been here you h
ave had a profound impact. No Fae can deny that you are meant to be here. The rest will come in time,” Kato offered.

  Demytria looked to him and nodded, “It gets better. The weight you feel in your chest, it lessons with time.”

  Cymeryn met each of their gazes. Most of them had been his family once and those who were new to their group were their mates or the decedents of their lines, or of the lines that had been lost. They had been dealt horrible hardships at his very hands, and yet they were not only attempting to accept him herein, but endeavoring to assist him in coming to terms with his own guilt for the pain he had caused them.

  “You humble me. I will make things right with each of you. I swear it.”

  “Look forward, Cymeryn. Make it right as you move forward. Getting lost in the past will only cause distraction and pain,” Byryn reminded him as he turned and kissed Staryana.

  Grifyn smirked, “Now we all heard that correct, because when my son gets into one of his moods we should remember to throw his words back at him.”

  Everyfae, even Steph laughed. Cymeryn looked around the room. He was unsure what the future held, but in this moment, here, he felt like there was hope for the first time since he had left for the fronts. He had a lot to atone for but he also had a lot to be grateful for. Reyana nestled against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her head. He knew it was her way of saying they would figure it out together and they would. With his mate and his twin back at his side he knew for the first time in a century that he would again find his way.

  Chapter 15

  Alayne could feel her essence pulsing through her. The awakening was indeed upon her. It could still take a couple of days to fully set in but it was definitely here and could progress at any time. He needed to act quickly. Crytos appeared at his left. He addressed the Shade without turning to him.

  “Your mentor has betrayed us, Crytos. He has sought Redemption with his whore of a Queen. What say you?”

  “Forgive me, High Priest Alayne, but what proof have you? Your rivalry is well known and I was with him just the day before. He was more than determined to deliver the Prophesized Reborn to the Dark Lord,” Crytos asserted. “In fact, he was willing to take whatever measures were necessary to accomplish it before you.”

  Alayne shot out his hand throwing Crytos against the wall. “I need no proof. The Dark Lord has seen it with his own eyes. Cymeryn and his twin united and stole Reyn and Byryn from my grasp, slaying the Kyndra in their wake. He succumbs to the lure of the seed he has lain in her womb.”

  Crytos grit his teeth against the force that held him to the wall. “Then I would hear it from Lord Lazurys’ decree or see proof with my own eyes. Cymeryn’s heart is the Darkest I’ve ever seen aside from you, Priest. If a young was conceived when he claimed Reyn as his slave he would use it to gain complete control over her.”

  Alayne laughed, how well Cymeryn had been at gaining the loyalty of his Shade. They would follow the ghost of him even to their deaths despite the fact that he had finally forsaken them. If they had only known it was always inevitable. Cymeryn’s turning had never been complete. Lunya always had the ability to set him free as they were bound in a way the feeble minds of mortals could not conceive. It had been a brilliant move by the Divine Being in truth. Their fates were tied, even more so now that the true nature of the Protectors had been unlocked.

  Calling up a pool of Darkness he knew there would be no other way but to prove his betrayal. “Let us see how well I have infected Trevyn’s failure.” Alayne mused as he reached through the ether to the boy’s mind feeding it through the pool. “Ahh, more than I could have hoped. They have protected him from my influence but he is not completely immune to the Taint.”

  The image of the small brat Byryn had Claimed came up. He was leaning against him as Byryn tussled his hair. He turned and Alayne was blessed with an image of his lovely granddaughter, though it brought his rage to boil with how close they were.

  The image spanned around a room. “I see Byryn has made himself at home amongst the Lines of Lucerna. That might prove useful.”

  “It appears so,” Crytos snarled. “But what does any of this have to do with Cymeryn?”

  As if summoned by his name the boy turned to see Cymeryn lounging on the bed with the Queen lying in his arms, his twin sat on her other side. Light essence flowed freely between them, binding them.

  “I would never have believed it…” Crytos all but whispered. His head fell forward in concession. “You have won my loyalty, High Priest Alayne. Forgive my insubordination. What is it you ask? My life is yours.”

  “I want control of the Brood…you may retain them, Crytos. I know how you now enjoy taking your fill of them and I have no real use to play their keeper but I expect their loyalty and obedience. They are uniquely motivated to get to the boy and I need to regain him to reach my bride.”

  “As you wish…I have a plan in motion as we speak to do just that.”

  The image panned again and the human Steph came into view. She sat at the King’s side, her hand in his. Alayne brought the image closer. “Why ever would the King of the Fae and the Lines of Lucerna be entertaining a common human? Hmmm, bring me the girl as well, if nothing else she can serve as payment to the Brood once I ascertain her true worth is naught.”

  “As you wish.”

  Alayne released him, dropping him to the floor as he watched his bride through Byryn’s eyes. Soon, so very soon, she would be his. He would finally taste her as he ripped her flesh open. He had such plans for their mating night. Perhaps he would even take her with his Father.

  It would not be the first time he had partaken in the Dark Lord’s intimacies. He was his creator’s son. Lord Lazurys had cultivated the depravity and violence in him well. He could not wait to do the same to his own creation, and she would be just that. He had carefully sculpted her from conception and now that she was coming of age he would make her his masterpiece…until the time came for her to serve her true purpose.

  Cymeryn’s head snapped up. He could feel the Priest, but where? It was the echo of Lazurys’ essence in his veins, in the veins of Alayne. The Dark Lord no longer had control but he retained the ability to sense his line clearly, as well as all Darkness for that matter. Whether that was a result of his understanding of the Night essence or the remnants of Lazurys’ Taint he did not know. He knew only that he was certain that Alayne’s presence was somehow in this room regardless of how faint.

  “What is it, Cymeryn?” Marcus asked sensing his distress.

  He lifted Reyana’s face so he could see her eyes as he sensed her and was immediately relieved. Calmer, he allowed his essence to flow throughout the room touching every one of them. He froze measuring his grand progeny.

  “Staryana, come sit by your Mother a moment please, and Kylion please come with her.” Cymeryn spoke calmly, levelly as he slowly rose from the bed.

  “Why?” She asked in confusion.

  “Cymeryn?” Byryn looked to him in question, but he was too busy calling his essence to him. It would not do to alert the boy any further regardless.

  “Staryana, do as he asks please,” Marcus requested meeting Cymeryn through their link.

  She rose gathering Kylion in her arms and went to Marcus and Reyana.

  He slowly pulled his essence to his hands approaching Byryn and met him directly in the eyes. “Nice try, Alayne. Very clever…” He reached out and flooded the boy’s mind with Light and Gray, allowing it to seep into his heart, into his very soul. The power of Cymeryn’s essence was so forceful it lifted him off the couch and he heard a struggle but he could not look to see what was going on or hear what was said. He had to purge Alayne from the boy somehow.

  He found the Taint within him, neutralizing it. Using the unique mix of his essence to merge the Taint into the Gray, he burned out the sludge that it had left behind. Alayne’s essence was becoming more like Lazurys’ own. Luckily Cymeryn had more control over Lazurys’ Darkness than even Reyana a
s he now wielded it as part of his being. Alayne’s essence was the same as his own had been though it had somehow thickened over time. It had been forced through both of their veins by Lazurys himself.

  Slowly he allowed his essence to withdraw, carefully lowering the boy. “Are you alright Byryn? How do you feel?”

  He shook his head, “What was that Cymeryn? What did he do to me? I didn’t even sense it until you began to integrate it.”

  “He was attempting to Taint you in the way I had been. When he made contact with your mind, using you to see through your eyes, I sensed it,” he explained. “I do not believe he could have used it to influence you, but you would have made for an excellent spy, despite your obliviousness.”

  “Can he still reach me? Use me in any other way?” Byryn asked the concern written clearly on his face.

  “No Byryn, the Taint was not that pervasive. You were already resistant to it because of the Gray within you and it is gone now.”

  “I thought he was immune because he is Gray? Is that not the case of the Redeemed?” Mythos requested.

  “It is, but...” he paused sensing Reyana’s warning regarding Byryn’s uniqueness. Why it was so important to allow him to discover it on his own he was uncertain but he would respect her wishes. It was not like it would impact the boy’s decision to bond to Staryana, they were already eternally connected. “Alayne’s essence is very strong with the Darkness of Lazurys. It has apparently thickened over time to an almost tangible sludge. In truth, it is becoming similar to Lazurys’ own.” Cymeryn scratched his head trying to grasp the idea that he played around his mind. He knew there was a significance to the form of that essence and he felt like if he reasoned it through he would understand it but he could not pinpoint what it was. “He had obviously worked on Byryn extensively to even gain that small amount of access. I can sense it however,” Cymeryn explained crossing his arms over his chest.

  He turned to take in the amusing scene before him. Marcus and Kato had Grifyn restrained and Mythos had pulled Steph back against his chest. Slowly they were relaxing.