by Narro, B. T.
As they finished undressing each other, Jek stared into her eyes, unwilling to miss one of his favorite expressions—her look of lust. Her eyebrows were low over eyes that begged him to satiate her.
She pushed him flat on his back, then pressed her bare breasts against him as they settled into a long kiss. Reaching between them, she encircled him with her delicate hand. Her touch made his mouth fall open. She moved her lips down to his chest.
Slowly, they came together. She lifted her head and gasped, then moaned, which inflamed him even more. As they moved in the rhythm of love, Lisanda cursed. Their passionate dances were the only times he ever heard her do so. He liked this cruder side of her, often embarrassing her by complimenting her choice of words.
As she rode him at an ever quickening pace, waves of hot pleasure rolled through his body. She whimpered and closed her eyes. When his hands cupped her bottom, she let him take control. Her breaths became louder and more rapid, as did his, until eventually she collapsed onto his chest and bit his shoulder.
Without pause, he tucked her beneath him and gently swept her hair from her face so he could see her clearly. She panted and clutched at him, and then her body stiffened as pleasure surged through her with such ferocity that she couldn’t speak or open her eyes.
In the hours that followed, they shared the pleasures of each other’s bodies in every moment they weren’t passed out from exhaustion.
“I think I’m going to fall asleep for good,” Jek finally said.
Lisanda took a moment to catch her breath before responding. She brushed away the strands of hair clinging to her damp face and kissed Jek’s cheek. “It won’t be long before I can stay cuddled against you all night long.”
“I look forward to that just as much as the end of my nightmares.”
Reluctantly, Lisanda slid away. But she reached back and took his hand.
She fell asleep without letting go.
Chapter 41:
JEK
“Jek Trayden, are you in there?” a voice asked. “Lady Lisanda?”
Jek sat up abruptly. He looked at Lisanda. She was still asleep. The blanket that covered them slipped down to her waist. She was as naked as he was.
“Who’s there?” Jek asked.
Lisanda awoke. “What’s going on?” She pulled the blanket up to her chin.
“It’s Gerace. I’m sorry to disturb you—”
“Lisanda and Jek,” Vala’s demanding voice interrupted. “Come out now. We must be leaving.”
They hurried to get dressed, handing clothes to each other. “What’s going on?” Lisanda asked again, this time loud enough for those outside their tent to hear.
“Just hurry,” Vala said. “We’ll explain on the way.”
“We are hurrying, Mother. Just give us a moment.”
They emerged to find Vala, Gerace, and Jessend each on the back of a horse. They’d brought one for Lisanda, too. Jek was asked to ride the mare he’d shared with Lisanda.
“Gerace, tell them what you told us this morning,” Vala said as their horses trotted along.
“Fatholl sent me—”
“To bring us to Raymess,” Jek realized.
“Yes, he’s about to attack The Nest with an army from the north. He’ll be at the wall soon. Some of Fatholl’s soldiers have gathered there to stop him.”
“Bastial hell,” Jek muttered. “He’s gone…” He stopped himself, not thinking it was right to call the man mad in front of his mother and sisters. “What is Fatholl asking of us?”
“To stop the battle,” Gerace said, “and convince Raymess to join his army with Fatholl’s against the desmarls.”
“Only his family can do that now,” Jek said. Perhaps it wasn’t his place to say such a thing, but there wasn’t time for him to pamper the Takarys. When no one replied, he decided even more force was necessary. “My queen, what will you say to him?”
“Does my son have any hope of winning this battle?” she asked Gerace.
“Fatholl says he’ll surely die if he attacks.”
“And do you believe Fatholl?”
“I…I’m just a serving girl. My opinion is—”
“Gerace, you’re a trusted friend of our family. Answer me with honesty and pride. Will my son be killed if he attacks Fatholl’s army?”
“Without a doubt, my queen. The psychics are too powerful to beat.”
“And do you agree with Jek that Raymess’ only option is to join Fatholl and trust that he means to kill the desmarls?”
“Fatholl—although he’s done despicable things—should be trusted, my queen. He doesn’t lie.”
“Then I don’t see any other choice besides speaking openly against my son. However, I fear that even my word won’t be enough to sway him. Fatholl is his father’s murderer. It might not be possible to subdue Raymess’ rage for the Elf. I’ve had a difficult time of it myself.” The Queen kicked her mount into a gallop. The others followed suit.
As they came through the south side of the city with haste, the few people they saw pointed and shouted to each other.
“The Takarys have returned.”
“Where are they riding with the Sartious mage?”
“My queen, will there be battle?”
Vala called back, “Not if we can prevent it.”
Reaching the center of The Nest, they crossed by the palace. Some Elves clad in armor bowed to them.
“Why are so few defending the palace?” Jessend asked.
“I’ve been told that nearly everyone allied to Fatholl within fifty miles has gathered at the northern wall for the battle,” Gerace answered. “Fatholl says he wishes to stop Raymess before his army gets within the city to prevent damage and harm to the citizens.”
The palace would be far easier to defend, Jek thought and realized he couldn’t have been the only one to think it. He could sense the Takary women’s loyalty changing. There was determination on their faces. They paid little mind to the people of the northern side of the city who gawked at them with dread.
These people must know of the battle.
The farther north they rode, the more Jek saw frightened citizens traveling in the opposite direction with bags on their backs and dragging children by the hand. The inns to the south would see a surge in business that evening.
Every street by the north wall was empty. Thousands of archers and swordsmen had gathered about a mile outside the city, where hills like towering ocean waves cascaded behind one another. At the peak of the farthest hill in sight was what had to be Goldram’s army.
It looked like a dense shadow, and it certainly wasn’t big enough to be all of Raymess’ men and women, but it was at least many thousands of them.
Fatholl had more. Many more, Jek realized as he looked back and forth between the armies. And Fatholl had psychics. Jek had seen how effective they were in battle. This would be a massacre.
The silver-haired Elf was at the front of his troops, standing beside a beautiful white horse. “Thank you for coming,” he said. “We wish to avoid this battle at all costs.” He looked meaningfully at the Takary women. “I’m sure you must despise me. But I hope Jek and Gerace have spoken on my behalf.”
“We do, and they have,” Vala answered, determined and unexpectedly emotionless.
“Your son along with all the men and women standing behind him will be killed if he attacks,” Fatholl said.
“We’ll speak with him,” Vala said.
“Thank you. Let’s go.” Fatholl surprised them all by having his horse gallop toward the hills. Jek and Vala followed with Jessend and Lisanda close behind.
“Why are you coming?” Jek asked Fatholl.
“Why are you?” the Elf retorted.
“To make sure Raymess will listen.”
“I’m going for the same reason.”
“Fatholl,” Vala said, “he won’t listen to a word you say. Same for you, Jek.”
“We’ll stay behind you and keep quiet,” Fatholl said. “If you begin to
convince him, he’ll want to ask me questions. So it’s best if I’m there.”
Lisanda’s horse came up to Jek’s. “You should go back,” she told him with a dire tone.
“I want to be there to defend myself. He’ll call me a traitor and try to convince you never to see me again.”
“I won’t listen to him, and it’s dangerous for you.”
“Raymess is hot-blooded. It could be dangerous for you and your family. I need to come.”
They reached Raymess and his advancing army in a stretch of flat land covered in a film of grass. Raymess recognized his family riding toward him with Fatholl and Jek. “No!” he shouted, anger contorting his face. “No, no, no! How could you?”
Fatholl and Jek moved their horses behind the women’s mounts.
“Raymess,” Vala began, “There’s no longer a choice. As distasteful as the idea is, you have to join your army with Fatholl’s.”
“There is a choice. We’ll kill him here and now and retake the palace.”
“The palace is yours.” Fatholl spoke from behind Jek and the women. “It always has been and always will be. In one more week, I won’t need it anymore.”
Raymess ignored the Elf and turned to look for someone. “Micah!”
The councilman walked out from between a line of men. Raymess dismounted, as did Vala and then everyone else.
Micah bowed his head. “My queen. Lady Jessend. Lady Lisanda.” He finally looked over to meet Raymess’ stare. “How can I assist you?” He sounded subdued and hopeless.
“Tell the officers to kill this Elf and the traitorous mage who stands next to him.”
“You won’t!” Lisanda dared shout at her brother, the King. Jek reached for her, but she already was marching toward Raymess. “No one’s asking you to defend Fatholl or to forgive him. We’re just telling you to do the only thing that makes sense. Mother is right. You don’t have a choice.”
“And as I said, we do have a choice.”
“Death is not a choice!” Lisanda screamed.
Raymess ignored her. “Mother, come over here. Stop standing in front of our enemies. Micah, have the officers ready their archers.”
“Yes, my king.” Micah turned.
“Micah, don’t do that.” When Vala thrust a finger at him, he stopped. “Aren’t you a strong enough psychic to tell if Fatholl is lying?”
“I am.”
“Raymess, question the Elf right now!”
“Poison—that’s all psyche is. Father knew it from the start. Look at what’s happened because of it. You’ve been tricked into choosing your enemies over your own son. I won’t tell you again. Get over here!”
Jek fought down rage as Raymess continued to call him an enemy and scream at his family.
Vala stepped forward…as if to join her son?
“What are you doing?” Jek asked in panic, careful to stay behind her. Fatholl grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
“She’s still with us,” he whispered.
Vala continued toward Raymess as Lisanda and Jessend gave her a look of bafflement. “Mother!” Jessend reached for her arm.
“It’s fine, dear. I have this under control.”
As Vala neared Raymess, the wind caught the end of her dress. It danced wildly as she raised her arms. “I am invoking the law of corrupt kingship!” she announced. The army behind Raymess stirred, shuffling closer to hear her. “The King is unfit to rule.”
“This is madness!” Raymess screamed.
“He’ll lead us all to death if we follow him.”
“Don’t do this!” Raymess warned her, his anger radiating from him. “If you start the vote, I’ll follow the rules of the law. You’ll be hung once you fail.”
Vala ignored him. “I need two men of the proper rank to support me before the trial can be initiated. I call for Jek Trayden, the King’s mage, and Micah Vail, the King’s head councilman. Will you offer your support in my plea?”
“They’ll be killed as well if they agree.” Raymess sneered at them.
“Only if this fails,” Vala argued.
“Jek is no longer the King’s mage,” Raymess said. “His service was disbanded.”
Vala looked at Jek with ferocious resolve. “Betroth Lisanda.”
Jek felt his eyes go wide with shock.
“Mother, don’t,” Lisanda said.
Vala wouldn’t look away from him. “Ask her to marry you.”
“I don’t have a ring,” Jek blurted.
“Take this.” She removed her own golden wedding ring! Jek was incredulous.
“Father gave that to you!” Raymess screamed, his face blood red. “You’ve gone mad!”
Vala closed Jek’s hand around the ring. “Hurry.”
Lisanda backed away as Jek approached her. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.
But the idea of marrying Lisanda didn’t scare him anymore. Raymess did—Raymess drunk with power. He reached out toward Lisanda. She stopped and let him take her soft hand.
Jek knelt. “Do you agree to marry me, Lisanda Takary?”
“Are you certain?”
It’s my only choice. It must be done. No, those are false excuses. “I’m certain. I do wish to be your husband.”
“Then of course I’ll marry you.”
He stood and slipped the ring on her finger. His chest swelled with giddy relief. It was wrong to be so happy considering everything that was happening, but he couldn’t help it. He kissed Lisanda’s lips. She kissed him back, caressing his cheek. Jek was surprised to hear cheering from the army behind Raymess.
“Shut up!” the monarch shouted, and the cheering stopped. “My mad sister just agreed to marry a traitor.”
“As he’s now engaged to Lisanda Takary, Jek Trayden is of the proper rank to vote on this matter of corrupt kingship,” Vala announced. “But to vote is to agree that our lives are forfeit if the law doesn’t pass. Micah Vail and Jek Trayden, do you understand the risk?”
“I do,” Jek said.
Micah’s eyes shifted to Raymess. The King shook his head with a warning in his squinted eyes.
“I do,” Micah said.
Vala continued without pause. “Now that they understand the risks, each man needs another person of the proper rank to vouch for him. Jessend Takary, will you agree to support Micah Vail’s decision?”
“I will.”
“Lisanda Takary, do you agree to support Jek Trayden’s decision?”
“I do.”
“All the requirements for preliminary voting have been passed.” Jek had never heard Vala speak so quickly and officially. “I call for the preliminary voting to begin now. Micah Vail and Jek Trayden, raise your hands if you believe that—in the interest of Goldram and its people—power should be stripped from Raymess.”
Jek raised his hand. Micah did the same.
“Mother, you need to stop this! I’ll give you one last chance to end the voting before the preliminary phase is complete, then you won’t suffer death when the process fails.”
“The votes have been counted,” she sped on. “Preliminary voting is complete. Now we go to the final step—the officers’ decision. Micah, choose five officers to vote on this matter.”
Micah pointed at the line of men and called out names.
“Are they obligated to vote?” Jek asked Lisanda. He’d never heard of any of this before.
She nodded. “If they’re chosen, they must vote yes or no. They cannot abstain.”
“Raymess, it’s your right as the king in question to choose the other five officers to vote on this matter,” Vala said.
Raymess was already turned away from her, studying his army. He quickly called five men. Harold was one of them. Jek didn’t know any of the others. Then Raymess spun to Vala. “I’ve never despised you more than in this moment, Mother.” He all but spat the last word. “Are you really too stupid to see that everything Fatholl has done is just to take our power? He’s set up a trap, not even a clever one, and you’ve fallen
into it!”
“If you’re done, we need quiet so we can vote.”
“I’m not done, you disrespectful…” Instead of swearing, he transitioned into a growl, shaking his fist. “We’ll lose our entire army because of this. We’ll lose Goldram!”
“If you’re done, we need quiet so we can—”
With all of his strength, Raymess struck her with the back of his hand. She uttered no scream as she spun to the ground. Jek had never seen Vala fall. It was an unnatural sight. She was a woman of grace, dressed in robes of fine silk. It was like watching a beautiful bird fall from the sky.
If Raymess felt any remorse, it was stifled by rage. He pointed at her as she rose gingerly, her face bloodied from one of Raymess’ rings.
“You’re going to get everyone killed!” he yelled.
Lisanda gasped and covered her mouth, but Jessend was trudging toward her brother. Vala pushed out her hands to stop her daughter. “I’m fine. Stay back with Jek and your sister.”
Like a distant river, worried whispers sounded among Raymess’ men. Jessend didn’t listen to her mother. She sprinted at Raymess, swinging at him with calculated punches.
“Are you mad?” He tried to grab her arms. He got hold of her left, but she struck him in the chest with her right. He stumbled backward, and she connected her fist with his chin.
“What’s happened to you?” she shouted as she beat on him.
“Stop it, Jessend!” Raymess shoved her back, but she kept at him. When she caught him in the stomach with another punch, the hesitance in his voice and face was instantly gone. He stopped backing away and surprised her by grabbing her roughly. They started to wrestle, but it didn’t last long. He elbowed her in the stomach, then threw her to the ground as she wheezed. Vala ran to help Jessend up and pull her away from Raymess.
“What’s wrong with all of you!” he yelled at his family. The murmurs of the men behind him had grown to the sound of a crashing waterfall. Raymess spun to them, pointing at Fatholl over his shoulder. “All of this is his fault! We would be winning the war by now if this Elf hadn’t murdered my father and taken my palace.”
“You wouldn’t,” Fatholl said. “You would’ve lost Lake Mercy if it weren’t—”
