by Jaime Marks
Reyana had Redeemed Demytria before the ceremony. Kato had requested Redemption as well and he had tried to think of a way that he could stop it, but unless he wanted to raised his old friend’s suspicions, or hers, he was forced to allow it. He had hoped as Demytria had not sensed anything that Kato may not either but the Fae of the Forest were innately in tune with essence. Kato’s stern gaze as he met his eyes told him he knew.
There had not been time to address it and Kato would never make a scene but it would have to be addressed, and soon. She was not ready to know. If he told her now, he risked her getting lost in her mind again and she might not make it out this time. She had taken steps in the right direction today, reconnecting with those around her and continuing her work with the Redemption of the Gray, but she was shaky. He could not yet risk it.
He wasn’t even sure if it were exactly as he had sensed it in her. In truth it didn’t make any sense and he had been researching it when he was able. He had even reached out to Alysse but she wouldn’t answer him. Which only concerned him more.
Reyana pulled back her essence and he went to her side offering her his arm. He could feel she was tired and weakened. It confused her. She didn’t think it should have taken so much out of her. He would have to be mindful and try to get her to pace herself. It was his place to see to her care until she could be made aware and be more cautious. She had Redeemed Demytria, Kato and Trycen all in the span of a couple hours. It was obviously too much and she still had the Claimings and her own coronation to attend to. He would have to get Mythos to put that off. She needed her rest.
She smiled at him warmly as she held his arm. “Rise Trycen, son of Lunya.” She spoke more softly, but the entire room still hung on her every breath.
He took in the boy as he rose. His hair no longer black, but a dark brown with silver highlights slowly emerging, his skin no longer ashen but a pale tan. His eyes were what caught everyone’s attention though. Where they had been pure black, the irises were now a steely grey with the whites emerging and he smiled warmly to her. Before it was almost as if the gesture had been forced and stiff.
“How can I ever thank you for this? What can I do? There has to be something.” Trycen insisted kneeling before her.
“You can live, free of oppression, that is all I ask.” She smiled as she tapped his shoulder and bade him to rise.
“If you feel the need, Trycen.” Marcus interjected. “You are free to assist with helping the unawakened to understand and easing their transition into this world under your brother’s supervision.”
He nodded enthusiastically. The boy only wanted to have a place and Marcus was more than willing to help him find it. “I will, Praetor. I swear my allegiance to you both, and to the King. Anything you need of me you have only to ask.”
Marcus inclined his head a moment. “There are no expectations of you. I will have some information brought to you of our culture and you can make your own choices. I do not want to influence you, son. Princess Reyana a Mythion has spoken the truth when she said your life is your own now.”
The boy bowed, the smile still gracing his features and turned to return to his place near Guardian Gavyn. He watch as the Fae clasped hands with him. Trycen would no longer need a guard but perhaps, depending on his choices, Gavyn could serve him as a mentor.
He assisted Reyana back to the throne but kept hold of her arm as the cot was removed and the altar was set up for the Claiming to continue. Kylion now bounced happily in Byryn’s arms as he and Grifyn explained to the boy what was about to take place. Marcus supposed he should have seen it coming. Byryn rarely left the boy out of his sight from the first moment he had pulled him from that cell. Sometimes he even set him up to play quietly in the library while he met with the unawakened. It just caught him off guard as Byryn was so young. He was only eighteen, not even old enough for his awakening really, but per the decrees and covenants he had the standing of any adult and they had all treated him as such.
He just worried the boy would be overwhelmed. When he looked around the room however, he realized he had all the support he needed. In his Claiming today he gained not only a Father in Grifyn, but a Mother in Trina, an Uncle in Kato, and an Aunt in Demytria. She, of them all, would understand acutely any issues of conscience he faced from his past. In his attachment to Star, he gained not only her love and support, but also her Mother’s, and Marcus’, not to mention the favor of the King. The boy would be fine, and when he wasn’t, they would all be there to help him out.
Reyana was right. This was their family. One they had both been without for entirely too long. He needed to make sure it stayed that way. He needed to protect her and her secrets, some of which she wasn’t even aware of yet. What he really needed was a confrontation with his twin but his summons had been ignored. He needed answers but he had no idea how to go about obtaining them when no one would hear him.
Byryn stood beside Grifyn and placed Kylion on his feet beside him. He stared up at Staryana. She was absolutely beaming. They’d discussed the possibility of him Claiming Kylion, but not for several months. He was relieved that she seemed every bit as happy about it as Kylion. She smiled warmly at him and his heart jumped in his chest.
Should they announce their intentions tonight? Would it be too soon? A better question would be whether Marcus or Mythos would skin him alive for it. He smiled to himself. This was almost normal. Sure they were Fae and bringing about a revolution of sorts, but hey, from what he had heard fighting with your girlfriend’s overprotective family was pretty damn human.
Grifyn clasped him on the shoulder smiling. “Something you want to tell me, son?”
“Not just yet.” He winked.
Grifyn just chuckled and shook his head. “At least I’m armed.”
They laughed together and Staryana looked at them curiously. He shook his head to reassure her he hadn’t let out their secret. She wanted to tell them all together, which was why tonight would likely be it. Mythos would need to return to the Realm of Light to manage issues in the Kingdom. He planned to be back regularly but there were never any real reassurances. It wasn’t as if he could just stop by unannounced. He wasn’t Gray so arrangements would always have to be made. Tonight would be the best option to do things the way his Brightness wanted. He didn’t think he could wait until their next opportunity.
Reyana stepped forward, steadying herself with the table. He gave her a look of concern but she only smiled warmly back. “Are we ready to begin?”
They all looked to Kylion and he nodded. Byryn breathed out in relief. He had no idea the kid was that upset or he would’ve addressed it earlier. This was what he wanted but he regretted that he’d stressed him out so badly for no reason.
Reyana took several deep breaths and her essence surged forth illuminating her before she began. Silvery white essence rolled over her skin pulsing with a power that no one could question. She was a goddess reborn. An ethereal being in mortal form. She was magnificent and her existence had granted Byryn and so many others a life they never believed possible. He felt honored to have the love of her daughter and to be accepted so readily by this female into her family.
“Byryn, son of Trevyn the Shade, awakened of Lunyan essence, are you prepared to make the offering of thine own blood and to renounce the lines of your birth?” She requested her voice echoing through the room as her power encompassed him.
“I am, your majesty.”
He presented his arms to her wrists up over the gold bowl that sat before him on the altar. He watched as she took the dagger and cut a deep vertical line in first his right arm, then the left. Relief flowed through him as he saw that it ran red. She turned his arms over allowing them to drain as she spoke words in the Sacred Language. Her Gray essence flowed through her hands into his wrists. It felt almost as if it was cleansing him from the inside out.
After a moment the bowl glowed and she turned his arms so his wrists faced up once more. “The offering has been made and received in the e
yes of the Divine.” She waved her hand over the bowl, her essence flowing over it.
Turning to the man that would be his Father she requested, “Grifyn a Grifyion, are you prepared to claim Byryn, son of no one, as blood of your blood? To offer to him the essence of your Father, Lord Grifyion, son of Lucerna, that flows through your veins so he may be made blood of your own line?”
Grifyn bowed and offered her his arms. “I am, your majesty.”
Byryn watched as she cut his veins in the way that she had his own, but left them face up allowing the blood to pool and roll over his wrists. She raised a glass chalice to catch the blood as she recited more words in the Sacred Language. When the cup began to glow she pulled it back, wiping some of the blood from Grifyn’s wrist. Dipping her fingers into the bowl of Byryn’s blood, she scooped some and then dipped them into the cup stirring the fluid with her fingers. She then rubbed some of the blood on each of their wounds and intoned a chant that Byryn neither understood nor recognized. Her essence wrapped around their wrists.
“Grifyn a Grifyion, claim him as your son before the Divine.”
They faced one another and clasped arms so that their wounds aligned. Byryn could feel their essences flowing between them as their blood merged. Grifyn smiled as he spoke. “I claim you, Byryn, as son of mine own blood and name you Byryn a Grifyn, of the Grifyion Line of Lucerna.”
Byryn had to swallow the lump in his throat. “Thank you, Father.”
Reyana reached over and touched each of their arms. A warm glow flowed through them both. The glow spread over them, through them, as she removed her hands and he felt the connection between himself and Grifyn strengthening. It was like an invisible cord formed tying them together, linking them in a way that not even his awakening had done.
When Grifyn removed his arms, the wounds had closed.
Mythos stepped forward once more. “Byryn a Grifyn, you may make your presentation.” He nodded to where Kylion stood with a smile.
Byryn turned to see the boy who he’d take as his own now stood patiently waiting through the ceremony. “Your majesty, may I present Kylion, son of the Shade Trevyn, whom I wish to claim as blood of my blood, son of my own line.”
Reyana skipped the formalities and dipped her finger into the blood in the cup. She then walked around the altar and knelt down to Kylion. “This might tickle a little,” She whispered. “Try not to giggle.” Byryn watched as she anointed his head, forehead, throat, chest, palms, wrists, and feet. She placed her hand on his head speaking an intonation as her silvery essence flowed over Kylion. The boy breathed in involuntarily as his eyes drifted closed, a look of pure peace etching his features.
She rose and took her place by Mythos’s side. “The presentation is made and accepted in the eyes of the Divine. Place your hand on his head and allow your essence to flow over him as you claim him as your own.” She instructed him.
He turned and the boy looked up at him hesitantly but Byryn only smiled as he placed his hand on his head. “I claim you, Kylion, as son of mine own blood and name you Kylion a Byryn, of the Grifyion Line of Lucerna.”
He smiled brightly as tears streamed down his cheeks but he remained quiet. It was fine, he wasn’t required to speak but Byryn had to fight the urge to scoop him up to comfort him.
Reyana raised the chalice and spoke an incantation. The chalice glowed illuminating the throne room and the power of her essence caused a slight breeze to swirl around them. She lowered the now glowing chalice and handed it first to Grifyn. “To seal the bonds of the blood, you all must drink.”
Grifyn took the chalice, “Blood of my blood.” He spoke and took a large gulp from the Chalice of Union before handing it to Byryn with a bow.
Byryn took the chalice and smiled to Staryana, “Blood of my Blood.” He spoke and took a large gulp of the blood as he had seen Grifyn do before turning to Kylion. He knelt aside of him offering him the cup.
“You must say it and drink Kylion.” He whispered.
“And then I will be yours, Byryn? Really?”
“Yes little one, two hands now.” He prompted not wanting him to drop it.
Kylion took the glowing chalice and eyed it suspiciously. For a moment Byryn was afraid he wouldn’t trust it enough to finish the ritual but a broad smile spread over his lips and he all but yelled, “Blood of my blood.” Then he took two large gulps from the chalice and handed it back to Byryn.
“Did I do good, Byryn?” the boy whispered.
“Perfect.” Byryn chuckled as he took the chalice and handed it to Reyana. A warm glow seeped over them and Kylion giggled quietly. He and Grifyn knelt before the King and Kylion slowly followed suit.
Mythos smiled as he spoke, “Arise Grifyn a Grifyion, of the Lucerna Lines, Second in Line to Praetor Marcus a Cymarcion. Arise Byryn a Grifyn, of the Grifyion Line of Lucerna, Liaison of the Unawakened Shade and Head Personal Guard to the Princess Staryana a Reyana. Arise Kylion a Byryn, of the Grifyion line of Lucerna. Arise and embrace as one in the eyes of the Divine.”
Byryn scooped Kylion in his arms and embraced, Grifyn. This felt right. This was his family. All of them. There was only one piece missing and that was only missing in title, he thought as he looked up at her. She was his guiding star and he couldn’t wait until the day he could take her as his own.
Star watched as two Guardians came forth with gold robing. She watched Byryn remove the silken white robe exposing his chest. Her eyes traveled the contours of his muscles and her desire grew. She couldn’t wait ‘til she went into her awakening. She wanted him. There were no doubts in her mind where he was concerned. In her mind he was already her mate and nothing could change that. She would gladly give herself freely to him tonight but he insisted she wait until her awakening. He meant to make a formal declaration of their intention to bond once her awakening took her.
She was nervous. She didn’t think her Mom would mind, provided they waited until then to sleep together, but Marcus and her uncle? She had no clue how either of them would react. She knew she was young but once she awakened she would be considered an adult with all the rights and privileges of any Fae. She also knew that her awakening would be soon, probably earlier than Byryn’s had been.
Her essence was surging regularly in an illumination that encompassed her whole body. She was beginning to get tired and achy just like her Mother had when her awakening had first started to present. They had said Mom’s would’ve been sooner if they hadn’t kept their distance in an attempt to prevent it. Apparently the more essence you interacted with as an unawakened the more likely you were to trigger the awakening once your body was ready. She knew twenty was supposedly the magic number and it had taken her Mother four years to awaken but she was surrounded by essence. She interacted with it constantly. It was coming and she could feel it. Byryn had even taken to asking her how she was feeling and specific questions in an attempt to try to figure out how close she was.
Marcus grunted from besides her, his arms crossed over his chest. “Star, it’s not proper for you to stare like that.”
She dropped her gaze. “Sorry Da-…” She froze mid-sentence. She didn’t know what to say.
Marcus turned to her, a cautious curiosity in his warm gaze. “It’s alright Star. Either way, it’s alright.”
She smiled tentatively. “I do kind of think of you as my Dad in some respects, Marcus. You sure act like you’re my Father.”
He chuckled. “I’m only looking out for you, Princess. I care for you greatly. To me, you are my daughter and if I thought you would have me, I would Claim you as such.”
She reached over taking his arm. “Maybe someday. I still have a Dad and it still feels a bit like a betrayal that I’ve gotten so close to you so quickly. Let me get used to it and I’ll let you know when I’m ready.” The truth was her Dad was starting to scare her. The harder he pushed her the more she pulled away and the closer she got to Marcus. He viewed it as a betrayal and there was no hiding it from him. It pissed him off and every tim
e he sensed it he became cruel and calculating. She was starting to realize he had his own agenda.
Marcus smiled warmly and embraced her, pulling her into his arms. “I love you, Star and I will be here for you regardless of your decision.”
“What did I miss?” Her Mother chuckled as she came up the stairs. “It’s not every day my daughter allows such public shows of affection. At least not from her parents.”
She pulled back from Marcus and hugged her Mother. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, Starshine.”
Byryn came over holding Kylion patiently. She went to his side and he pulled her into a one armed embrace and place a chaste kiss on her lips. “Are you ready for this tonight?” He whispered.
She nodded and smiled up at him. “If you are. I’m not the one they’re going to try to kill.”
He smiled playfully, “Yeah, I’m kind of counting on Gr-…on my Dad, to protect me a bit.”
She kissed him on the cheek, trying not to push their luck too much and pulled back from his embrace taking his hand in hers. Maybe if she proved they had some boundaries they would be calmer. It was going to be a long night.
Chapter 23
Reyana stood holding Marcus’ arm as they witnessed Grifyn and Trina’s Bonding. It was beautiful. Almost identical to their own Bonding so many years ago. A pang of regret lanced through her and Marcus pulled her closer wrapping his arm around her hip.
“None of that, my love. That is not what I want for you to be feeling as you think back to the night of our Bonding.” He kissed her head.
“I don’t regret it Marcus, not a moment of it. I regret where we are now.” She admitted. The distance between them was killing her, the distance she kept from both the twins if she were honest.
He hooked her chin, “We are here, together, very much in love now. There is no need for regret. You judge yourself too harshly, Reya.” She nodded as he kissed her chastely.
