Everlasting Kingdom (The Winter Court Chronicles Book 3)

by Stephany Wallace

  He held both my shoulders then, and lowered his head to look straight into my eyes. The urgency of his words exuded from his eyes as they bored into me.

  “I know it is difficult for you to understand, because until recently, the dragon and his emotions were trapped inside of you. You got used to being logical and calculative, nothing else, but you must let this be. Our dragon claims, and it seems to me a decision has already been made.”

  “No!” I stubbornly argued. “That cannot be true, Father. I thought—”

  “That was your first mistake,” he interrupted, and I had to force myself to breathe the frustration away. “You can try to justify this until the Winter Court melts, but it doesn’t change the fact that this decision is not yours to make. Your dragon has sent you all the signs, yet you have chosen to ignore him and now he is shouting at you, demanding to be heard, but you still won’t listen. Do not hurt yourself that way, son. I felt it in you just now. You want to love Aura… you ache for her. The last thing you need is to be at war with yourself. You’ve already chosen… whether you like it or not.”

  There was no room for argument as he turned around and reentered the room. This was our nature, Father had said, but I couldn’t accept that. I couldn’t rationalize hurting Kah this way. I silently followed him inside.

  “What did you mean, that it had been different for you and mother? When you claimed her, I mean.” I inquired through our bond, not sure I could utter such an inappropriate question out loud. The skin on my cheeks flushed in response, as embarrassment rushed through me, unforgiving—my dragon was having a blast, I was sure—but my curiosity wouldn’t be pushed aside. I needed to know.

  Father gazed at me silently for a few seconds, as though judging whether or not he should share such an intimate matter with me.

  “I will look at it objectively, Father. I promise.” I understood his hesitation, but I wasn’t my brothers.

  Having made his decision, he sighed resignedly. He knew I wouldn’t let it go. “The story of your mother and I is far too long and complicated to share just yet. Perhaps after all of this is over, and the realm is freed, my sons will finally learn what we went through, and the decisions we had to make so that we would be here with you today. But I can tell you this, when your mother and I finally were together, she was so sure of her love for me that as I claimed her, she opened up to me instantly.”

  I frowned, and Avra grunted in my mind. This time he was the one to blush; it was so out of character for him, I found it comical.

  “She opened up the moment I slid inside her.”

  “Oh.” My mouth formed the “o” even though no sound came out. I immediately felt my blush deepen and Father’s lips twitched.

  “You wanted to know,” he reminded, fully enjoying my embarrassment.

  He stood in front of the mirror, reaching for the cloak that hung from the chair on the vanity. Lifting the heavy garment to his back, he brought the hooks on the corners of it to the diamond brooches at either side of his shoulders, but as he attempted to clasp the closures together, his fingers trembled, causing the cloak to drop to the floor. The tremors in his hands seemed to be getting worse.

  He tensed and his worried gaze went to me, but I avoided his eyes, reaching for the cloak instead while he clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to regain control. Standing behind him, I lifted the ends of the fabric over his shoulders once again, and secured them to the brooches.

  Father’s hands gripped mine firmly, and our gazes connected through the mirror. “Thank you, son.” He sent into my mind.

  I shook my head. “There is no need.”

  A strained breath left him and he faced me. “You haven’t questioned me or told anyone else of what you have noticed in me, and for that I’m grateful. Nevertheless, you deserve an explanation.”

  He paused for a moment, then offered me a smile that didn’t quite graze his eyes.

  “I have exhausted myself too greatly, I’m afraid. As Drayvok, our powers, our magic, is greater than that of any other race by ten fold. We were made to protect the universe, and as such, we feed from the core of all magic, from our Goddess herself. Yet protecting this temple, the realms, your mother and all of you, has been my vow, no matter how much of a toll it takes on me. My Dragon form makes it much easier to endure my exhaustion…”

  He let the words fade, and turned towards the mirror, reaching for a ring that rested on the vanity. However, there was no doubt in my mind, he was avoiding my gaze.

  “Even then, there is no escape from the price we must all pay for the misuse of magic. I have strained my abilities to their full extent, for far too long.” He continued. “It has drained my energy.”

  “What are you saying?” I questioned out loud.

  “Nyx?” Mother asked, finally hearing my voice. “Is that you, sweetheart?”

  Only then I noticed that mother was in the room. Ora was helping her dress behind the partition.

  “I chose to stay a man since you arrived. I did it for your mother—to heal her—for you and your brothers—to teach you, and give you a sense of a father you could recognize after growing up without me… it has only drained my energy more.”

  Thoughts whirled in my mind as my heart began to race. “We use our energy to transform. If yours is gone, you won’t be able to be the Dragon Lord anymore, will you? You will be stuck as a man.” My eyes widened as his stern gaze confirmed my words. “Change now, Father! What are you waiting for?”

  “I just need to make sure that your mother is fully healed, and that you all have learned everything you can from me.”

  “You can still do that as a dragon! We can hear you through our bond, and your blood can continue to heal mother. It brought me back from the brink of death. She’s well now. You can finish healing her as a dragon.”

  “Not the way I’m able to do as a man. Our bond is far stronger in this form. I have more power to heal her this way.”

  My heart thundered in my chest at the meaning behind his words. “You don’t need to sacrifice yourself, you’ve done more than enough for us. Transform, Father. You are our family. We need you. Please change into your dragon self…” I begged.

  A flash of pain crossed his gaze as he cupped my cheeks. “I’m afraid it might be too late, my son.” Kissing my forehead, he turned towards Mother when she stepped out of the partition.

  “How do I look?”

  Her voice echoed in my mind as I struggled to calm after what I had learned.

  “Please keep my secret, son. You and your brothers have enough to worry about with the upcoming battle against Laeroth. The whole realm depends on you retaking the kingdom. There’s too much at stake for you to be worried about me. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  The pain in him was quickly replaced by love as his eyes settled on my mother. A true smile stretched his lips, seeming as though his world had shifted at the sight of her. My gaze followed him as he moved towards her, mesmerized, our conversation forgotten.

  She stepped out in a stunning silverish gray gown, which was embroidered with diamonds of all sizes. The corset was softer than her usual, and the full skirt fell gently over her curves, all the way to the floor. Yet, the sparkling stones covered every inch of the lace on her dress, arranged in subtle, yet different patterns. Long delicate sleeves covered her arms, and a mantilla veil seemed to gently fall over her head and shoulders, all the way to the ground. It was embroidered just like her gown, with the diamonds found in this very mountain, yet nothing sparkled as brilliantly as her eyes did.

  “It still fits,” Mother whispered, slowly caressing the dress with her hands. Her eyes brimmed with tears and I finally understood. Tonight, their Mating Ceremony would finally take place, after all these years apart.

  “It shouldn’t be possible, but you look even more breathtaking now than you did the day you first wore it, Estarev Naeathlor Linossa Vaetha,” Father whispered, his words raw with emotion.

  The tears she’d been holding fell from
her lashes, and onto her naturally rosy cheeks. She rested her forehead to his. “Estarev Naeathlor Linossa Vaetha—My eternal Love.”

  Father cupped her cheek and claimed her lips, and although the kiss was chaste, it seemed too intimate a moment for me to witness. I turned away as my heart constricted, emotions once again overwhelming me, except this time I welcomed them. Ora slipped out of the room unnoticed, while my gaze sheepishly returned to my parents. Avra kissed her softly once again and wrapped her in his embrace. They stood there, in silence, while mother rested her face against the curve of his neck. Nothing existed then but the two of them and their love.

  The tears left my eyes as I watched them, and I realized in that moment, that I wanted more. I had never understood emotion, I never thought much of love, but staring at them now, I wanted it. I wanted to look at someone the way Avra looked at our mother. I wanted a woman to own every part of me, and hold me so deeply that I was nothing without her. I needed to love someone so desperately that I would renounce anything for her, even my life… just as Father was willing to do for us.

  *

  “I’m truly sorry to disturb you, my lord, my queen.” Ora interrupted them a few moments later, and I had to bite my tongue not to growl at her in my dragon voice. Father kissed my mother’s tears away, and turned to face Ora. “Everything is ready, my lord, and everyone is waiting in the chapel. The Bloodcroix Witch has also just arrived.”

  Mother frowned. “The Bloodcr…” her question floated off when recognition filled her eyes and she looked at Avra.

  He nodded with a smile, and mother rushed to the door. We followed her as she hurried down the corridor and into the chapel—her skirts and veil shimmering while flying behind her. Kyr, Avrielle, Ash and Gabriella stood in the center of the aisle—right in front of the altar—but their gazes were fixed on the Bloodcroix Witch, who stood on the far right corner, next to the first pew. Kah wasn’t back yet; I noticed, but let it go. My gaze returned to the strange woman. She didn’t look the way she had the last time I saw her, or the way my brother’s had known her, I was sure.

  Long, glossy-platinum hair fell graciously over her shoulder in an elegant braid. The black and red markings were gone, instead, light feminine make up adorned her skin, but it didn’t hide the scars that marred it—at least not to me—the deep gash that lay on the center of her left cheek was proof of it, but as my gaze returned to my brothers, I doubted they could see it.

  A sophisticated crimson gown clung to the woman’s silhouette, covering her back and arms and brushing the floor. It was simple, yet graceful. Her staff was absent, but there was a silver cuff on her right wrist with a large ruby stone, oddly similar to the one in her staff. Small ruby earrings hung from her earlobes, yet what was most remarkable about her then, was the joy in her smile as mother rushed to her side.

  They fiercely hugged and tears fell from both their eyes, followed by laughs. They pulled back and stared at one another with such happiness, that it seeped into me. “You are well!” the Witch said, amazed at the sight. “You look beautiful, perfectly healthy.”

  They hugged again and I grunted, clearing my throat, and pushing aside my reaction to what was a very emotional encounter. “Damn feelings.” I mumbled.

  “How do they even know each other?” Ash whispered, and I rolled my eyes.

  “Have you always been this stupid?” He punched my stomach and Kyr chuckled.

  “She did the spell on Mother to repress our dragons, during each pregnancy.” Kyr reminded him.

  “Ooh, right. Father told us that the day we transformed. Never mind.”

  “Sons, please come closer.”

  Avra’s voice brought me back to his secret. The one I was now keeping for him. He hugged the Witch as my brothers and I exchanged a glance and walked towards them. I couldn’t help but wonder… what happened to our dragon self if we couldn’t transform anymore? Would it die? Would it fall dormant inside us, until we could become dragon again? Would it disappear, taking our life with him? If so, how long did our father have left?

  “You haven’t properly been introduced, and I’d like to take this opportunity to rectify that.” Father brought me back to the present. Mother stood next to the Witch now, smiling at us. “Kyr, Ash and Nyx, please allow me to introduce Selenia Veyreth, Fallen Queen of the Rising Kingdom, and your grandmother.”

  Gasps erupted from the women, reverberating through the space while my mouth hung open.

  “What?!” I whisper-screamed.

  Chapter 10. Enemies

  KYR

  *

  “Calm down, Brother.” I placed my hand on Nyx’s shoulder almost mechanically and gently massaged it. I was so used to appeasing my little brother’s anxiety fits, it was an instinct now, yet my mind wasn’t fully focused. My scales were pulsing intensely, sliding on and off over my body as a reaction to the news. I was unable to concentrate on anything other than Father’s words.

  “Selenia Veyreth, Fallen Queen of the Rising Kingdom, and your grandmother.”

  I blinked, startled, when Nyx ripped my hand from his shoulder. “Don’t be ridiculous! I’m not having an anxiety attack.” Nyx huffed, and I frowned. “Never did I have one before, for that matter. The symptoms I felt, were the result of my dragon self, fighting to be noticed. It turns out, he is quite demanding. I’m fine now, thank you very much. There is no need to baby me.”

  I lifted my hands in surrender. “Fine, I apologize.”

  Chuckles reached us, and my gaze returned to our parents and the Witc—our grandmother. Was she really the fallen queen? “How is this possible? I thought you were killed that day…” I couldn’t help my words. Avrielle reached my side just then, instantly soothing me with her presence. “We were told our grandparents died.”

  “A part of me was…” Selenia answered simply, but I could see the agony coming alive in her eyes.

  Our mother’s eyes shone as she reached for her mother’s hand. Although I knew the loss of battle, I couldn’t imagine what it must be like to lose your mate, the person you loved with all your being. I welcomed the feelings rushing through me as I recognized both the strength and the pain in the woman before me.

  My grandmother was much stronger than I thought I could be in that situation. Now that Avrielle was finally mine, I couldn’t even fathom… I cut the thought before it took root. I would die without her, I was sure. Remaining silent, I stepped forwards and hugged Selenia. Shock pulsed through her at my gesture. This woman had helped me, opened my eyes to the truths kept from me, the ones I had chosen to ignore, and to who I truly was. She had shown me the path I should take… not once, but twice. She had been there for me, even without me knowing who she really was. My eyes stung as I pulled back and gazed into hers.

  “Thank you, Selenia. I’m honored to have you here with us, with your family once again.”

  Tears shone in her eyes as she took my hands in hers. “No, my king. Thank you for realizing the truth. For being genuine to your heart, and to your true father.”

  My chest constricted as my gaze shifted to Avra, I straightened in response to the overwhelming love and pride pouring through his eyes.

  “I will not fail you,” I vowed to him, and to my grandmother once my eyes connected with hers. “All this will not be in vain. I swear to you, that the sacrifices you all made for me to stand here today, have been worth it. That everything you went through will matter, once I rid this realm of the evil within. And I swear to you, my queen, that I will live every day of the rest of my life trying to erase the vile I helped spread, and to be the ruler you and my grandfather were. I will not fail you,” I vowed again, and knelt before her, kissing her hand.

  “I know,” she answered, looking much like the powerful queen she was… the powerful witch. “I’ve known you would avenge your grandfather’s death since the moment you were born.” Only but a tear slid down her cheek as the pledge held between us, and I stood, understanding then the true strength this woman carried within her.<
br />
  I turned to face my brothers and motioned for them to greet her. Ash immediately pulled her into his arms and squeezed her. We all chuckled. Of us three, he had always been the one most connected with his emotions. Nyx and I however, were a different story. Between my need for resilience, strength and leadership, and Nyx’s utter devotion to logic and knowledge, we had neglected everything else.

  Nyx followed, hugging her affectionately, as though she was frail or hurt, and his hand lifted, cupping her cheek. He lightly caressed it. I frowned at his behavior. He had embraced his emotions recently, but even then, this gentleness was out of character for him. His gaze suddenly focused on her cheek, and his thumb soothingly stroked it.

  “I understand your scars now, although I’m certain the ones on your skin hold no weight to the ones inside of you.”

  The emotion behind his voice was evident as he kissed the skin his thumb had just laid on. My brows gathered in confusion and I searched Ash’s gaze to find the same emotion. What was I missing? Her skin was flawless, just as any Fae.

  “I didn’t imagine it…” Ash whispered. “There were scars on your face that day.”

  Selenia nodded, and removed Nyx’s hand with a tender smile. “Your youngest son has the gift of true sight,” she announced to our parents, and my frown deepened.

  “What does that mean?” I immediately asked.

  “He can see the truth behind the magic. He can see behind the illusion, to the true nature in us all. Just like my daughter can.”

  Mother smiled, pleased by the news, while Nyx nodded silently, as though finally understanding. My gaze swept over the amazed faces that surrounded me. “What can he see that we cannot?” I asked, my eyes returning to our grandmother.

  Mother nodded to her as though encouraging her to show us, even though pain clouded her features. The next second, the illusion disappeared. My heart sank as deep gashes materialized all over Selenia’s skin. On her forehead, over her lips, on her cheek, small scratches were scattered around her neck, and the rest of her visible skin. I could only imagine how the rest of her body must look. Yet the one on her cheek—the one my brother had just kissed—was the most haunting. What had she been through in that battle? She looked like she had fought tooth and nail for her kingdom, for this realm, for her life… and had barely come out alive.