“I am Corthiahxah, daughter of Vinthiordaer,” the new guard said.
“Corthiahxah,” Balaedras said, smiling cheerfully. “Well, we haven’t been properly introduced. Come before me, dear.”
Corthiahxah approach the dais with naïve confidence. She bent on one knee before Balaedras and lowered her head. Balaedras had an image of a deer sipping water in a stream, unaware of the thrihn cat lurking in the brush, as she quickly took the knife she kept tucked into the side of her chair and plunged it straight up into the throat of Corthiahxah. Crimson blood spurted out of Corthiahxah’s neck, soaking Balaedras’ gown. She took her foot and pushed the body away from her.
“Does anyone else feel the need to speak?” Balaedras asked. There was silence in the throne room. The kind of silence that echoes without a word spoken. “Good,” Balaedras said, standing. “Now I have to go fuckin’ change. Send her body along with Dothmeadon’s. Meat’s meat, and the people of Jroan will definitely eat.”
An hour later, she’d given her generals their orders. The attack on the town of Lolsthrokith would happen in two days. The town was to be razed to the ground and everyone in it killed. And as she made her way to her apartment, she only wished she could watch it all happen. It was a bloodlust that surprised her. It was that change that she’d seen in herself that at first had scared her. But she’d embraced it.
Walking into her apartment, she immediately knew something was off. The atmosphere in her apartment was thick. It was the only way she could describe it, and then she knew. Her breath caught in her throat at the realization.
“Do I frighten you, Balaedras?” a voice said within her apartment, but from what direction, she couldn’t tell. The voice seemed to surround her from every direction.
The fairy walked in from the balcony in the living room. Her yellow-and-gold gown seemed to float around her from an unseen wind as well as her yellow hair. She smiled at Balaedras with coy anticipation. The fairy seemed to suck all of the air out of the room, replacing it with fear and trepidation.
“I-I-I wasn’t expecting to see you here, Queen Thalutharoch. You didn’t notify me that you wanted a meeting.” Balaedras sat down on her sofa, with a soft smile. She hoped she was appearing at ease. But the fairy high priestess fuckin’ scared the shit out of her.
“I’ve been watching you, Balaedras. I worry about you,” Thalutharoch said in her fairy-whisper of a voice.
“I’ve honored our agreement, Thalutharoch. So…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t see any reason for this meeting.”
In the blink of an eye, Thalutharoch had moved from the balcony entrance to stand to the right of Balaedras. “I am here to advise you, Balaedras. Are we not…confidantes?”
Balaedras would have laughed out loud if she hadn’t been afraid that Thalutharoch would rip out her throat in the next second. “Confidantes? I would say we’re more like business associates.”
“Balaedras.” The hoarse whisper of Thalutharoch’s voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “They are only words. In the year we’ve…worked,” she giggled, and it reminded Balaedras of the sound of jingling bells mixed with rocks scraped along glass, “together, I feel I’ve come to know so much about you. And I tell you this, Balaedras, attacking the town of Lolsthrokith is unwise.”
Balaedras was shocked that Thalutharoch knew of her plans, since she hadn’t told her or anyone else outside of her counsel. Thalutharoch seemed to know of her shock, as she laughed. The hard sound of fairy laughter set her teeth on edge.
“Yes, Balaedras,” said Thalutharoch. “I know. I know everything. I know of your plans to raze Lolsthrokith and kill all the living. I know that you murdered King Dothmeadon, and a poor, unfortunate guard.” She smiled, as she slowly walked the perimeter of the room with her gaze fixed on Balaedras. “I also know that even as you plan to engage Balknae in battle to lure Zinvia into your web, you will fail,” she said, stopping in front of Balaedras and piercing her with her yellow eyes.
“It’s the only way to gain the two kingdoms,” Balaedras said softly.
Thalutharoch giggled again. “Is it? Perhaps there is a better way.”
“If you know something, Thalutharoch, please tell me,” Balaedras said, trying to sound nonchalant when all she wanted was for Thalutharoch to leave.
“You are impatient, Balaedras. You must gather enough power before you strike. Let them all believe you’ve given up. Build up your troops. Take them all by surprise. And that is possible in one way only.”
Balaedras stared at Thalutharoch suspiciously. “And what’s in it for you? Why are you so willing to impart your fairy wisdom to me?”
Thalutharoch sat down in the chair across from Balaedras, arranging her gown perfectly around her. “Oh, Balaedras. How little you think of me. But I do want one, small, compliance.”
“Yes?”
“Fairy is growing in Ai. But our sisters in Jahlmerikahl don’t agree with our ways here. The fairy queen in that land—Queen Opithinahr—challenges us. You want to rule Oaes. I want to rule the fairies of Oaes. The Jahlmerikahl fairies outnumber us now, but when our children are of age, we will have the numbers to defeat them. But I must be put into a place of trust in order to convince our sisters of our power. Help me, Balaedras, and in turn, fairy will help you succeed in your endeavors.”
“Help you how?”
“Patience, for now. Patience and a seat on your counsel, Balaedras.”
“What?” Balaedras exclaimed. “A fairy in the Teveoch royal counsel? No kingdom will enter into any alliance with me if I do that.”
“No, they wouldn’t,” Thalutharoch said smiling. “But what will it matter? You have the kingdoms of Tulor, Jroan, Ja’Kahl, and soon you will have Drisa. You will not need any other kingdoms. Bide your time, Balaedras. Give me a seat on the counsel so that I may gain the trust of all fairy. Then I promise, fairy will help you to attack those kingdoms opposed to you. You will have your power, Balaedras. And I will have mine.”
Balaedras thought about what she was saying. She’d lived her life being patient. She was now the fuckin’ queen of Teveoch. In one short year she’d accomplished more than she thought she ever would. But it was only through intimidation and death. Thalutharoch was promising her all of Oaes. Let her gain control of all of the fairies of Oaes, and then the fairies will help her to take Oaes.
“How long?” Balaedras asked finally.
“Seven short years.”
“Seven?”
“Our fairy children need that time to mature. It takes fairy offspring seven years to reach adulthood. Seven years and you will have your time. Until then, lie, manipulate, and murder all you want. Show the people of Ai the powerful queen you are. Gain their respect if that is what you want. But more than that, instill fear into them. It works wonders,” Thalutharoch giggled.
Balaedras sat nodding in agreement. But something occurred to her then. How did Thalutharoch know of her plans? She wanted to know the name of the spy in her counsel. “How did you know?”
“You want to know the name of the spy, Balaedras?” Thalutharoch stood and started to walk the room once again like an antsy child on too much sugar. “There is no spy. I told you once, fairies are much more than many humans realize. On our first meeting, I imprinted on you, Balaedras, queen of Teveoch,” she giggled. “We are connected. I know everything that happens to you. In your thoughts. I know your most anxious fears and your most sacred hopes. And because of that—because of our connection—you have been given a fairy gift.”
“I d-d-don’t want a gift.”
“My gift to you is life, Balaedras,” she continued as if she hadn’t heard Balaedras. “A fairy lifespan. As long as I’m alive, so shall you live.”
“What?”
“You shall never age, and you shall never die. Keep your promises, Balaedras, and you will rule Oaes for thousands of years.”
Balaedras wanted power. She wanted more power than any other ruler that had come before her. She wante
d her name to go down in history as the most powerful queen of Teveoch. But to rule for thousands of years…well, hell. That was something she’d never considered possible.
“Patience,” Balaedras said with a nod. “All right. I’ll withdraw the order to attack Lolsthrokith. But I won’t give up my quest to have Drisa. I need the kingdom of Drisa. Understood?”
“Of course.” Thalutharoch went to the balcony entrance, as the invisible wind began to blow around her again. “We will meet again soon, Balaedras.” In the next second, Thalutharoch had vanished over the balcony.
“And since you know my thoughts,” she said out loud to herself, “hear this. I am queen of Teveoch. I will rule for thousands of years. We may be connected in some strange fairy way, but I will rule any fuckin’ way I choose. And I will make sure those opposed to my reign are eliminated. Starting with that supposed true ruler of Ai. No one!” she said, standing up. “No one will challenge me or my reign as queen!”
Chapter Ten
Two days later, Eielawyn was in the shop when Raenos walked in. They’d spent that night after Zhoardaeash’s attack on her talking, and she could honestly say that she knew him. Not before. Before she’d built a wall to keep from knowing him or any man. Before, she’d closed herself off to feeling anything for him. But as much as she wanted to deny what she felt, each time she saw him, her stomach did flips, and she couldn’t help the smile on her face.
“Hi,” she said softly, as he closed the distance between them.
“Hello,” he said, as his eyes bored into her. “I wanted to see if you were doing all right. I’m sorry I didn’t stop by earlier or contact you. I’ve had duty, and the charges filed against Zhoardaeash.”
“So, you actually filed them? Is anything actually going to come from it? I mean, the way that asshole was blustering, nothing could touch him.”
Raenos shook his head. “I don’t know if it will. He’s part of the queen’s personal guard along with being part of the infantry. If I had my way, he wouldn’t be part of the guard at all. Hell,” he sighed heavily. “If I had my way, neither would I.”
“Do you mean that?” she asked, looking into his eyes. “Because from what you told me the other night, you take your job seriously.”
“Eielawyn, I do take my job seriously, as I would any other job. I was born to be in the guard. I didn’t pick this. But, I don’t know anything other than being a guard.”
“There are other things that can fulfill you, Raenos. Sometimes you have to act on your conscience and not on what someone tells you to do. Not on some order given to you.”
“Did you mean what you said?” he asked, touching her gently on the arm. “Were you serious about what you said the other night?”
They’d talked about so many things that night. He’d stayed with her for several hours, only leaving early that morning. If anyone had seen him, they would have assumed he’d spent the night in her bed, but they’d only talked. And she had meant what she said. She knew what he was asking her. Did she mean that from the moment she’d met him, there was a connection she’d felt. There was. But it was much more than that.
“And I’m only asking you because…I feel the same,” he said, as his eyes softened in that way that she’d come to know, making her want to reach out to touch him, to feel his skin, his warmth in any way she could. So she did. She reached up with her hand and traced her fingers along his strong jaw. “I don’t understand how it can be,” he said. “But from that first time—”
“Up against the wall over there in this shop?” she asked with a sly smile. “Yeah, I know. Don’t question why, Raenos. It just is.”
His hands continued to trail over her arms. He trailed a finger gently along the softness of her cheek, as he gazed deeply into her eyes. “I wish I weren’t a guard. We aren’t allowed to have…relationships.”
“What’s stopping you from leaving it? You told me that you don’t agree with what the queen is doing. You said the guard isn’t what it was in the past. You told me that the guard was once a prestigious and respected branch of the realm. If it isn’t what you believe in anymore, why stay?”
“I wish it were that easy, baby. Before Gaeldos, if anyone wanted to quit the guard they could.”
She saw the pain in his face. “Not anymore? I know that if you’re part of the Yaeltaran military and want to end your service you only need to petition the court. Make your request, fill out the forms, and the king makes the decree. Done. Easy and over with.”
“Well, there is no quitting the Teveoch royal guard,” he sighed heavily. “If you want out, there’s only one way. Death.”
“Or you could desert,” she said, staring imploringly at him.
“And go where, baby?”
“Yaeltaran.”
Raenos sighed again, walking away from her, and running his hand through his hair. “I’m part of the Teveoch royal guard, Eielawyn. King Lavaerion won’t accept me into his realm. They’ll think I’m there to spy for Balaedras. No kingdom will offer me sanctuary.”
It came to her then. The idea shot through her mind like a lightning bolt streaking through the sky tied to a comet. And for some reason, it seemed as if it was always supposed to be.
“What if you were to ally yourself with the cause?” she asked somewhat apprehensively.
“Cause?”
She swallowed hard, taking a deep breath before she told him…everything. She glanced around the shop, then looked out the front windows of the shop. Taking his hand, she led him to the back of the store.
“I need to tell you some things, and I’m doing this because I trust you. I don’t trust many people, Raenos. I’m taking a big leap of faith here.” She took another deep breath. “I’m helping with the rebellion. I get food, and medicine for those that need it. I’m also helping—” She looked into his eyes before she continued. “—a friend of mine hide the leader of the Ai rebellion. Filkothinor.”
Raenos only nodded thoughtfully. “You don’t have to say anymore. I know what you’re thinking. I can help the rebellion. That’ll show King Lavaerion and any other kingdom that my loyalty isn’t with Balaedras. But it’ll also put a price on my head, Eielawyn. By helping the rebellion, Balaedras will definitely want me dead. And if Lavaerion doesn’t offer me sanctuary, it’ll tell the kingdoms of Valwithia, Balknae, and Zinvia that he doesn’t trust me. They won’t offer it to me either, and I’ll be fucked.”
“They will. I know they will. I know the ambassador, and I know a few other people in Yaeltaran that can speak for you.”
“Why, Eielawyn? Why would you do this for me?”
“You’re an idiot,” she said jokingly. She closed the small distance between them. “Because I love you, Raenos. I thought that was evident.”
He grinned widely, pulling her into his arms. “And I love you.” He kissed her tenderly, as they held onto each other for a few seconds.
“Is this something you can do, though? Because if it is, I can let you know that we’re moving Filkothinor this Sixth day. He’s ill, Raenos.”
“I understand. I have to ask you to trust me, though, Eielawyn. At this moment, I’m still with the guard, and it has to look as though I’m still with the guard.”
Eielawyn frowned. “So, like what? Don’t question your actions if you have to beat up some people?”
“Eielawyn,” he said in exasperation.
“Raenos, I understand. I’ll contact my friends. So…what happens after you get to Yaeltaran? I mean, I know we haven’t known each—”
Her words were quickly cut off with Raenos’ lips on hers. “You talk too much,” he said, briefly pulling away. “You’ve always been in my life, Eielawyn. I just didn’t know it at the time.”
She reached up to touch his face tenderly with her hand. “Yes. I know. I tried to fight what I felt for you, but I can’t. This was all foreseen, Raenos. I believe that. Do you?”
He nodded, as he devoured her lips once again with his. She pulled away from him, leading him b
y the hand up the stairs to the right and the small bedroom up there. Once there, she turned to gaze at him, as she slowly began to remove her dress.
“I want you to see me, Raenos,” she said, letting her dress fall from her body to the floor. “And touch me.” She removed her bra, and then her panties, as he stood breathing with what seemed to be a lot of effort. “And taste me.”
He quickly closed the distance between them, taking her into his arms. He kissed her passionately, trailing his lips and tongue down to her neck. His hands cupped her breasts in his hands, as he brought his mouth to suck on her erect nipples. He only stopped long enough to remove his pants, as Eielawyn crawled onto the small bed there. He joined her, trying to fit his large frame onto the bed with her.
“I don’t think I’ll fit,” he whispered to her.
She smiled slyly. “Oh, I think we both already know that you do. But maybe I can help us out a little bit with fitting on this bed,” she said, as she stood up and then straddled his body.
He smiled broadly, letting his hands roam over her generous curves. “By the goddesses, I love a woman that can think on her feet.”
She ground her pelvis on top of him, feeling his cock growing underneath her. “Is that all you love about me?”
She reached between their bodies, guiding his stiffened dick inside of her. She began to move on him, working his length deeper, as she moaned her pleasure. Raenos’ breathing was quick and shallow, his hands on her wide hips, as he thrust his hips upward.
But he finally surrendered himself to her, as she rode his body. She felt the exquisite length of his cock nestled deep inside of her, hitting that wonderfully erotic spot that made her yell out into the room. She placed his hands on her breasts, as he kneaded and massaged them. His thumbs ran over her nipples, hardening them under his touch, before he leaned up to taste her flesh, using his tongue to illicit delicious tingles throughout her body. With as much pleasure as she was feeling—his tongue, his hands, his cock—nothing could compare to what he had done to her heart. It was the intense pleasure of love, coupled with the carnal and erotic sensation of an undefinable orgasm she felt building within her. She didn’t think that his cock could get any larger, but within an instant she felt as though he’d grown inside of her, touching places deep within her that defied description. She released her aura, pulling Raenos into a pleasure center that defied words. She felt his orgasm pour into her, as he moaned and yelled something unintelligible, and then was still.
Eielawyn [The Maidens of Mocmoran 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 11
