Black Crown

by Kelly St Clare

  I’m sorry. I felt like the biggest hypocrite. After all my tirades on his lack of honesty, I’d done the same thing. I just didn’t want you to come here and protect me when you didn’t need to. I . . . I wasn’t sure you’d be able to put your instincts aside. He had stunned me because it meant he’d been listening to my fears about our mating bond. He really loved me, I realized, staring at my hands. He was going against his instincts for me. But was I willing to? Could I go against my instincts?

  It wasn’t easy, trust me. But . . . I also know you can protect yourself even if the concept of you needing to do so is foreign. At least to me.

  Did he have any idea what effect his words had? Here he was, changing himself for me, and I couldn’t even tell the truth. Tyrrik . . . Thank you. You have no idea what it means to hear that.

  Now, go get Lani to Phaetynville. I’ll go wake up the others and let them know Draedyn is not in his lands like we’d thought.

  He stood and stretched, much like Lani had done a few minutes ago, only I was way more distracted by his lack of aketon and skimpy undergarments. His promise to show me what love felt like unfurled low in my belly, a languid desire. Even away from him I couldn’t escape my attraction. Actually, that Ryn seemed less reasonable now than when I’d left, which was super great. Not.

  I’m leaving here in less than twenty-four hours so I can meet you outside the forest tomorrow night. He stopped mid-stretch, corded arms extended to the ceiling. His chest twitched, and I focused on the muscles. I can’t wait to see you too.

  Hot potato, what a view, but I rolled my eyes. I never said that. And are you looking at yourself to give me a peep show?

  I felt his grin widen, and my heart tried to race its way across Gemond to him. I stood like I was making to leave, but I couldn’t help stretching up as if that would allow me to get a better peek at him.

  I’m going to bathe. Too bad you’re not here to join me. But I can give you a peep show for that, too, if you like?

  My jaw dropped.

  “Ryn!”

  I squealed, my attention on Tyrrik destroyed by Lani’s shouting. I turned beet red as I spun toward her.

  She stood two feet away, waving her arms in the air as she jumped up and down on a rock, yelling my name.

  “I’d like to go,” she said when she had my attention. “I’ve only been waiting to find my people for fifty years, but feel free to continue your conversation.”

  I brushed off my hands and then my butt. “Yeah, Tyrrik and I were just discussing the . . . the plan. He suggested the same.”

  Lani raised her eyebrows and said, “Right. Sure he did.” She shook her head. “Don’t insult my intelligence. You were not discussing ‘the plan’ unless it was a plan for what he’s going to do to you when the two of you finally hook up.”

  I felt Tyrrik’s laughter as our connection faded, and I huffed at Lani but didn’t bother denying anything. What was the point? Instead, I pushed past her to our bags and guzzled a waterskin of nectar before packing everything up.

  Lani said nothing as she packed her stuff and ate breakfast. “I’ll be right back,” she said after she finished. “I need to go to the new and improved bathroom.”

  Huh? It was then that I noticed the scraggly spot we’d used for our toilet last night was no longer scraggly or small.

  A verdant copse of evergreens rose high into the sky. Bright purple blackberries hung heavy on thick stalks of the thorny plants. The grassy undergrowth was almost waist-high, and several bushes filled the spaces between the trees. The lush growth melted into the surrounding area, and I stared in awe at what would surely be a beacon from the sky. We were so lucky that hadn’t sprouted during Draedyn’s fly by.

  My mouth dropped open, and as Lani marched toward the area, I pointed at the thick growth. “Did you do that?”

  I was used to seeing some change in growth at the places Tyrrik, Dyter, and I had stopped at on our way to Gemond—let’s just say all Phaetyn fluids did the trick—but nothing like this. The trees were huge, like at least thirty or more feet into the air. And those blackberries were the size of Lani’s fist. “Is everything still growing? What’s in your pee?”

  Lani said nothing as she marched into the copse of trees and foliage. A few minutes later, she returned, stopping to pick a blackberry that, yep, was way bigger than her fist. She took a bite, and its purple juice dripped down her chin.

  “Your turn,” she said cheerily.

  She was eating her pee blackberries. Yuck. “Is that because of you? Or is that because there are double powers here?” My mouth hung ajar as I scanned the bounty before me, torn between disturbed and amazed. “Holy Pancakes, I can’t believe—”

  Lani started with a giggle, but the small chortle quickly turned to big guffaws, too much for her frame to handle. She shook as tears streamed down her face.

  “You set me up?” I asked, incredulous. “You set me up! You sent power into the ground. Jeez! I thought we had some super magical pee going on.”

  She was seriously twisted. But then I thought about my ginormous pumpkin. Maybe there was something wrong with the Phaetyn who had ancestral powers. Did we all get a kick out of big? Maybe we were all really competitive.

  “You’re sick,” I said as I walked into the trees. I couldn’t help the grin.

  “Yeah, you too.”

  A few minutes later, with our bellies full of fruit, I took off with Lani on my back for the Zivost Forest.

  Did you fly all day and stay up all night? Tyrrik asked, interrupting my thoughts.

  What? I asked. I’d flexed my Phaetyn mojo on and off all morning, alternately talking with Tyrrik.

  You’re still tired. Normally, your Phaetyn side heals you, but I can feel your exhaustion. He paused a moment before continuing. Is the barrier that difficult to hold? I thought if you had the ancestral powers, it was supposed to be easy.

  You're not telling me anything I haven’t already thought. I asked Lani about it, and she said it was like a muscle. Apparently, I don’t do enough Phaetyn mojo sit ups.

  Tyrrik chuckled, and I sensed him sitting against the stone wall in our room.

  Where are you? How much farther do you have?

  Tyrrik’s questions drew me away from my musings. I calculated how much time we’d flown and the number of hours Lani had said at the outset. Another hour. Maybe two. Why?

  Just wondering. I love you, Ryn. The council is sending me to get you now that we know Draedyn is hunting you. I’ll leave tomorrow at first light, and when we get back from dealing with the pointy-ears, I want to show you what love feels like.

  Whhaa—? My attention snapped to my mate, and I blushed, grateful for the cloak of Drae scales, but I still had to right myself in the air.

  “Stop talking to him,” Lani yelled from my back.

  Instead, I altered the course of our conversation slightly. I’d like that if we ever have time to just be together. Everything gets in the way.

  You’re being pulled in a lot of directions, Khosana, but you need to remember to take the time for the things that matter most and do what it takes to protect them. I want you to know you’re the most important person to me. The most important thing in my life. I want to show you that too.

  My stomach flipped harder than pancakes made of rocks, and I couldn’t help the slow smile tugging at my lips. I was giddy and immensely grateful to have found Tyrrik—or to have been found by him. A deep, glowing warmth for my mate unfurled in my chest. You’re pretty al’right yourself.

  He chuckled again. I forgot to tell you, I found the most beautiful vein of lapis lazuli yesterday with Zakai’s men. I had them pull a piece out so I could polish it for you tomorrow.

  I forced my emotional attention to my mate while keeping both eyes on the sky. You know . . . you never told me how big your hoard of treasure is. And where you keep it. Is it in your lair in Verald?

  Our hoard, he corrected. And I promise no Drae has ever had one as big.

  My heart sput
tered, and I dipped in the air again. I couldn’t help the satisfaction that pulsed through me with that bit of information. Where is it?

  I won’t tell you where. I want to show it to you. He laughed, and the emotion pulsed to me through the bond. It’s a package deal, Ryn, me and my treasure. But I’ll tell you this; you could hide in the mound of treasure, in your Drae form, and be completely covered.

  My mouth dropped, and I plunged downward.

  “Stop doing that,” Lani shouted, pounding me with her fists.

  7

  By the time the sun was a quarter of the way through the sky, I landed in the familiar clearing outside of the Zivost forest. I took a deep breath as I surveyed the rock spikes I knew were covered in Phaetyn blood. The early morning sun bathed the rocky valley in golden light, and it seemed like an omen of the golden barrier that would soon follow.

  I jolted as the stone spikes surrounding Zivost shifted. The ground seemed to liquify as the jutting rocks sunk into the dirt, disappearing from view.

  “Ryn,” Kamoi yelled, waving at me from the other side, just outside the tree line. His face was alight with excitement, and he grinned when our gazes locked.

  Other Phaetyn were there with the prince, but I couldn’t spot Kamini. The group edged farther out of the trees, their eager expressions filled with hope as they looked to the young woman with me.

  Yikes. I still hadn’t told the queen the name of her kingdom. “Uh, Lani? Remember how I called this place Phaetynville?”

  She didn’t deign to look my way, her gaze riveted on her people. “I know it’s not called Phaetynville.”

  I sagged with relief. “Who told you?”

  “Dyter,” she whispered, her attention still on the dozens of Phaetyn before her.

  Of course he did. I studied Lani’s face, empathy for the Phaetyn queen spreading through my chest. I would never truly understand how she felt seeing her people for the first time, knowing that she wasn’t alone anymore. I’d felt some awe the first time I’d been here, too, but at that point I’d known what I was for three months, not fifty years. I’d had my mum and Arnik and Dyter before that. What I’d felt must be a mere shadow of what Lani was going through right now.

  I took Lani’s hand and squeezed it tight before tugging her toward the forest.

  The crowd surged as we did so, and Kamoi raced out, his lavender eyes bright with joy. He didn’t slow as we met in the middle but crashed into me and crushed my body to his. Drak, he was excited. I froze as he stroked my hair, and then he lowered his face.

  “Whoa—” I said, pulling back before he could kiss me. Hot indignation pulsed through me, and I raised my hand to slap his face.

  Only I didn’t. I couldn’t. I needed the Phaetyn to accept Lani, and if I pissed them off now, I might ruin that.

  What just happened? Tyrrik asked, confusion lacing his voice. Are you okay?

  La la la. I forced myself to clear my mind before I showed or told Tyrrik anything. I thought of Mum’s lavender syrup on sweet potato pancakes, Dyter throwing wet dish rags at me late at night while cleaning up The Crane’s Nest, Arnik giving me a birthday present of an entire cluster of grapes—

  That’s not helping me feel better, Tyrrik growled after the last image. Something happened; I can feel it, Ryn. I thought we’d discussed this.

  Right, we had. I deflated. I’m safe. Kamoi’s an ass.

  Tyrrik snorted. Tell me something I don’t know.

  I cringed, but I needed to be present right now, not conversing with Tyrrik. Later. I’ll tell you later.

  “Don’t ever do that again,” I snapped in a low voice at the Phaetyn prince, plastering a smile on my face for the benefit of those watching. I narrowed my eyes as I patted his face in what I hoped could be interpreted as a kind gesture to the Phaetyn around us but was definitely as hard as I dared with the watching crowd. I trusted the fake-smile and glare would communicate with him just how upset I was.

  “I—”

  “Ever,” I said and then stepped to the side, still smiling as I glanced over our audience. Still no Kamini.

  “Where’s Princess Kamini?” I asked.

  His smile faltered for a moment as he looked at Lani for the first time. “She’s at her castle.”

  “We need to speak with her.” I pointed at Lani and said, “Guess who I found.”

  The unease Kamoi’s greeting caused faded during the traipse through the forest into the center. The energy of Zivost filled me, and I smiled, reveling in the successful return of the Phaetyn queen. But when we followed the path to the Rose Castle I’d demolished not too long ago, we found it wasn’t destroyed any longer. I studied the entrance of the newly erected rose quartz house, thinking castle definitely may be a better term. Though still under the tree line, the castle possessed at least two towers I could see.

  Alani’s ash tree was gone, and a huge courtyard spanned the meadow where the civil war had taken place, a tiered fountain splashing where the queen’s tree had been. Kamini certainly hadn’t held back. Nice to see she’d been focusing on the essentials of keeping Phaetynville safe. I shook my head.

  “Ryn,” Lani said low in my ear. “Are you okay?”

  Was I al’right? Last time I was here I’d squished the queen and killed the king. Last time, I’d felt threatened from the get go, like a rope tugged between two opponents. I’d set out from Verald hoping to find answers and a balm to my aching heart, and the Phaetyn here certainly hadn’t delivered. But much had changed since that time. Alani and Kaelan were dead and gone for one, and I’d only seen the people smiling on my way in. I liked Kamini—even Kamoi when he wasn’t being a freakin’ prat. I took a deep breath and tried not to jump to conclusions.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “Just some lingering juju.” I hope.

  Juju, Lani mouthed, but she didn’t bother asking aloud. She squared her shoulders and glided, appearing to float over the grass, to join Kamoi, who waited in the entrance of the Rose Castle.

  I trusted Lani; that’s why I was here. Despite what had happened with the previous Phaetyn queen and king, the power within the forest and the people had to be saved, for their good and the good of the empire. Their healing powers would be invaluable in a war, but if we won, Draeconia would still be a land leeched of its ability to grow. We needed the Phaetyn to beat my father and ensure the fight wasn’t for nothing.

  “You are a scary Drae with long teeth and pointy-eared mojo,” I said under my breath. Nothing like a pep talk to calm the nerves. “You can do this.”

  I strode over to join the others, noting the way Kamoi was staring at me like I was a juicy peach and he was starving. If he didn’t stop, I was going to burn his stew. In a sharp voice, I reminded him, “We’re here to talk with Kamini. Stop being a tool.”

  His violet-eyed gaze flew to mine, his mouth curving in a wry half-smile. “Sorry, I can’t help it. I’ve always been captivated by you.”

  If he continued, pretty soon I wouldn’t be able to help shoving my foot up his butt.

  Lani rested a hand on his forearm, and Kamoi jolted. His gaze dropped to where her hand was, and he furrowed his brow.

  “It is imperative I speak with you and Kamini,” Lani said to him. When he looked up, her gaze didn’t waver, and her tone remained firm and commanding. “We must protect the people and the forest as our first priority. There is much happening in the world outside, and the Phaetyn cannot hide from it.” Her features softened slightly, and she added, “And then I hope to start making up for all the time I lost with you and Kamini.”

  A small smile spread over the prince’s face. He took Lani’s hand in both of his and turned on the full intensity of his charm. “I would like nothing more.”

  My shoulders relaxed somewhat. Tyrrik had never liked the prince—though I suspected jealousy was a big factor. Even so, I couldn’t dismiss the unsettled vibe I got or the way Kamoi wouldn’t respect my boundaries. He seemed overly used to his position as prince, too used to getting what he wanted. Out o
f him and Kamini, I’d been least sure of his response to Lani’s arrival, so his enthusiasm was a relief.

  Probably more lingering juju.

  I kept up with the others through the quartz passages, glancing side to side as we passed the open double doors of a ballroom, four sitting areas, and what appeared to be an inside waterfall . . . not superfluous or ostentatious whatsoever.

  Kamoi broke off conversation with Lani when we reached a heavy door with a tangled vine carved into the rich wood. Before he could knock, the door was wrenched open.

  A slightly younger appearing version of Lani stood in the entrance, dressed in silver robes with only a plain crown to mark her as leader of the Phaetyn.

  Kamini’s mouth dropped open, and her eyes widened. Together, the two looked really similar, but little differences, like the shape of their nose and the way Kamini’s face was filled out, made them unique, too.

  Lani’s face lit up with joy I’d never seen.

  The younger Phaetyn stared for a long moment and whispered, “Sister?”

  I stepped back as the surrounding area seemed to hold its breath. A lump rose in my throat as Lani stepped forward and clasped her sister’s forearms.

  “Kamini,” Lani answered, her voice breaking on her sibling’s name. “I’m Lani”—she tilted her head back in my direction—“Ryn found me.”

  The prince was currently lost for words, so I cleared my throat and said, “Princess Kamini, this is your sister, Lani. She—”

  “Queen Kamini,” Kamoi said in a strangled voice.

  The words settled like a heavy blanket, a heavy, itchy, uncomfortable blanket. Lani glanced at me, eyes wide. Kamini opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Kamoi’s slack expression made it clear he was reeling although how he could be so stupid to make such a comment was beyond me. He’d asked I find her in the first place. Regardless, I’d come too far to remain silent. I was grumpy without Tyrrik, and we had no time to mince words. I’d been embroiled in their stupid war once; I was not dealing with more Phaetyn lunacy. Success didn’t include this horseplop.