by N. M. Howell
Rhea turned to her other guardians, her expression full of relief and unanswered questions.
“You could have told me he was fine,” she said to them as she slowly pulled her hands from Grayson’s grasp and kissed him once more on the forehead before returning to the table around which her guardians and cousin stood.
Grayson slowly pushed himself up from the bed and joined her. His footsteps were unsteady, but he held himself up. Rhea returned to him and wrapped her arm around him, helping him hobble toward the table where he sat down on a large chair and leaned against the wood in exhaustion. He had been completely destroyed, but he still offered her a small smile. He was one of the strongest people she’d ever met, and she hated herself for allowing him to be hurt so terribly.
“You look beautiful,” he said to her.
She stood there next to him, looking down at herself. She didn’t feel like her old self. She felt royal. She felt like a queen. It was a strange feeling that she hadn’t expected herself to enjoy, but for the first time in six years, she actually felt whole. She felt like herself.
“Why didn’t Aelon lock you away with the rest of them in the dungeons?” Rhea asked him, unable to pull her eyes from the scars that ran down his chest. “Why did he choose you to make an example of?”
Grayson rubbed his neck as he gazed out of the window, silent filling the air.
“I don’t think he was so much making an example of him as he was trying to pry information from him,” Arry said.
Rhea’s eyebrow shot up. “Information? What information?”
Roan grinned and winked. “Our Grayson here seems to have secrets even we didn’t know about.”
“What are you talking about?” She turned back to Grayson who still held his gaze out at the horizon, ignoring them all as he stood in deep thought.
“Aelon seemed to believe Grayson knew the whereabouts of something he desperately wanted,” Crystalline finally said. “But it’s no matter now; Grayson didn’t give anything up. He remained strong.” She looked on at the gargoyle with approval in her eyes, and Rhea caught herself feeling a pang of jealousy for a brief moment.
She then shook herself out of it and turned her attention back to the sword on the table. It was clear to her Grayson wasn’t interested in speaking about this, and she didn’t want to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was.
“What are you guys doing in here, anyway?” she asked. The room was empty, the bodies had been removed. Crystalline and her guardians must’ve done quick work, clearing the remains of the battle away. From the dirt that still clung to some of their hands, she figured that they had buried Crystalline’s warriors outside. Her heart ached for them as she gazed up at her cousin, her heart filling with sadness.
“Do you know what this is?” Crystalline asked her, motioning to the large sword that lay on the massive table. It still shone with the same white magic, and the carvings were so intricate and stunning that Rhea couldn’t pull her eyes away. She walked around the far side of the table to get a closer look at the weapon she had used to destroy her uncle.
She shook her head, gazing down at it. “I know it’s carved from the same horn that my mother’s daggers were made from,” Rhea said.
“I’m talking about the stone,” Crystalline said.
Rhea shook her head and gazed down at the stone, tracing her fingers along the outline of the amethyst that pulsed with purple light. It cast strange shadows around the sword, its magic so strong and yet so familiar looking that Rhea couldn’t help but feel drawn to it.
She lifted the sword up and closed her eyes, allowing the magic to fill her once more. If felt familiar and she felt at home as she wielded it. It was unlike anything she had experienced before that day, the magic intertwining with her own, making her feel as if they were one.
“No,” she finally said. “Some rare jewel, I imagine?”
Grayson cleared his throat, pushing himself up to stand. He was unsteady on his feet and grasped the table for support as he spoke.
“Rhea, do you remember the story your mother used to tell you about the young princess who saved the world from the evil magician?”
Rhea nodded slowly, turning her attention back to Grayson. Her eyebrows raised in confusion. “Yes of course, it was a well-known children’s tale. She would tell it to me almost every night. It was my favorite story.”
“Do you remember what it said about the stones?”
Rhea couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, nodding at the memory. “Yes, of course. Everyone knows the story of the stones, the fairy tale. The seven magical stones when brought together gives unlimited power to whoever holds them. It’s how the young princess saved the world from the evil magician.”
Grayson nodded slowly, pressing his lips together in silence.
“Why do you ask?” Rhea said, her gaze faltering and returning to the large sword.
“The stones aren’t a fairy tale, Rhea,” Crystalline said. “They’re real.”
Rhea couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh, holding her stomach as she chuckled. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course they are. They’re simply a children’s story.”
“And how is it that the princess defeated the evil magician?” Grayson asked, ignoring her.
“She wore the crown with the stone of destiny because she was the one meant to beat the magician. Only she could wear it, because she was the one destined to do it.”
“And what happened when the gem fell into the magician’s hands?” Crystalline asked.
“Nothing. He couldn’t wield it because he wasn’t the one destined to win.”
They both stood there in silence for a long moment watching Rhea as she puzzled through their words. When realization dawned on her face, she gasped. “You guys are being ridiculous. It’s just a children’s tale.”
All of their eyes fell to the large amethyst that shone with magic within the hilt of the sword.
“Is it?” Grayson asked.
“Part of the reason this war has spread so far is because the gods have been in search of the stones. They believe whoever wields all seven stones will hold ultimate power,” Crystalline said. “Whoever wields all seven will be able to rule the Otherworld for all eternity. No one will be able to oppose them.”
Rhea shook her head, unbelieving. “But it can’t be. It’s just a story.”
“Rhea,” Taelor said, motioning toward the sword. “We all saw what happened when Aelon tried to wield the sword against you. The blow should’ve killed you. It should have sliced you in half and killed you instantly.”
“He must have missed.”
“He didn’t miss, it went right through you. But it didn’t kill you. The magic of the sword simply went right through you, not harming you in the slightest. Not even a scratch.”
Rhea shook her head, stepping away from the sword. The magic suddenly felt overwhelming as it pressed into her skin. “That must’ve just been my own magic, helping me. That can’t be the stone of destiny. It doesn’t exist.”
“Rhea,” Grayson pleaded. “You’re the only one who doesn’t see it.”
She looked up at him, her eyes softening. They wanted to believe so badly that she was destined for greatness, and it pained her to tell them they were wrong. But they all looked so determined.
Rhea finally sighed, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t see what?”
Crystalline reached forward and lifted the sword. “Watch.”
Grayson stepped forward, standing directly before her. Crystalline raised the sword high above her head, wielding it with both hands. Rhea screamed loudly as she drew the sword down, slashing into Grayson with all her strength.
“What are you doing?” Rhea screamed, running toward him. But when Grayson simply turned to her and shrugged, she let out a loud gasp.
“You’re not hurt? It went right through you, I saw it!”
“No,” Grayson smiled.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not destined to
wield the sword,” Crystalline explained.
Rhea blinked, confused. She couldn’t believe it, she just couldn’t. It was too much for her to accept. She was about to protest when a sound began echoing in her ears. It sounded like chanting or singing, so faint it was hardly recognizable.
“Is that coming from the sword?” she asked, eyeing the weapon in Crystalline’s hands.
Crystalline shook her head and handed the sword back to Rhea. The magic of the sword flooded her once again, and she closed her eyes against the wave of energy that fueled her. It made her feel as light as a feather. The air in the room changed, the winds picked up, and her hair blew around her. The magic wound itself deep within her, taking hold in her very core.
Her eyes grew wide as she stared down at it the stone that glowed even brighter now that she held it. She shook her head. “It can’t be,” she whispered.
“Rhea,” Grayson said, “the only reason that you could wield the sword is because you are the one destined to hold it.”
“You are destined to be our queen,” Crystalline said, bowing her head.
“I don’t…” Rhea shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears yet again.
It couldn’t be, it made no sense. She was nobody. She just happened to be the daughter of a god who had once been king. That didn’t mean anything. She wasn’t a strong warrior like her cousin, or a seasoned magic wielder or trained combatant like her guardians. She was a weak godling and daughter of a fae demigod who’d spent her formative years in the human realm, away from magic.
She didn’t belong there. She felt guilty for leaving and she knew no one would look up to her on the throne. She’d abandoned them all—who would accept her now? She didn’t know the first thing about ruling.
“I can’t,” she finally said. She placed the sword down on the table and stepped away from it. She turned her head away, unable to meet the gaze of her guardians. “I’m not strong enough.”
“Rhea,” Arry laughed. “We won. You won against your uncle,” he said.
Rhea shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. She wiped them away with the back of her hand as she gazed out of the far window toward the rising sun that hung behind light passing clouds.
“I didn’t kill him,” Rhea said. “He disappeared. Who knows where he is? He could return at any moment.”
Crystalline stepped forward, placing her heavily armored hand on Rhea’s shoulder. “He was gravely wounded. While I’m sure he’s still alive out there somewhere, he will not be returning anytime soon.”
Rhea considered a long moment, focusing on her breathing as she gazed out at the horizon. “It all seems so surreal,” she said.
Her guardians moved to surround her, placing their hands on her skin, their warm energy filling her with strength.
“We all knew who you were your entire life, Rhea,” Keaven said. “I know it’s hard for you to accept, as you’ve been away for so long. But you wielded the stone of destiny. You saved our lives, and you saved the realm from your uncle’s rule.”
Rhea shook her head again. “I didn’t do anything. It was all you. I simply held the sword that stopped him at the end.”
Grayson nodded slowly. “Yes, you wielded the sword. Because only you could have actually used it. You are destined to lead this world to peace, Rhea.”
The stone flared once more, casting a large wave of magic around them. The warm air grew hot and the energy buzzed. Rhea turned back toward it, her eyes falling on the sword that seem to shake on the table as if some invisible force shook it. The others gazed at her, their eyes wide.
A loud humming filled her ears, and then suddenly the stone popped out of the hilt, rolling onto the ground and settling before her. She gasped and stared down at it, the large purple amethyst shining brightly beneath her feet. She bent down to pick it up. The same familiar magic flowed through her hand as she held it.
“It’s real,” she finally said, hardly believing her own words.
“It is,” Grayson agreed.
“As are the other six,” Crystalline said.
Rhea let out a breath, her head shaking side to side. “And whoever wields all seven will hold ultimate power, just as the story says? It all seems so outrageous, I’m having a hard time believing it.”
Taelor nodded and came to stand next to her, wrapping his hand around her hand that held the stone. “So long as you have this stone, we are one step ahead of any enemy who would threaten your claim.”
“I’d feel better if we had all seven,” she laughed. “That might make me feel a little better about this whole thing.”
“In time,” Crystalline said. “But that can be a battle for another day.”
Rhea closed her eyes, allowing the severity of what this all meant to fill her. She finally knew it to be true, though she wanted so much to deny it. She’d been through so much, and every one of them had endured so much because of her. She wondered where the other stones were, and hoped they remained hidden from the enemy gods wreaking destruction on her world. She stood in silence, the strange and distant singing and chanting in the distance growing even louder.
Her eyes flung open and she looked to her guardians in confusion. Crystalline motioned to the balcony, a smile forming in her lips.
“Go look, Rhea,” she said softly. Rhea turned toward the large doors that led to the royal balcony. Its heavy curtains billowed in the wind. She walked toward onto the balcony, followed by her five guardians and her cousin. The only people who truly could be called her family.
Stepping outside, she was greeted with a sight so overwhelming she had to grip the edge of the balcony to prevent herself from falling to her knees.
Thousands upon thousands of people stood gathered around the castle, chanting up at her. They held candles and banners and they all looked up at her, chanting her name.
She gasped and her heart felt heavy as she gazed down at all of them. The crowd went on for miles, so far and so wide that the entire fields were covered with her supporters. She turned back to her guardians, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“But why?” she asked, her body beginning to shake.
Grayson placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, steadying her. “They’re here for you, Rhea,” he said softly.
“They’re here because they support you,” Roan added.
Rhea swallowed hard and turned back toward the gathering crowd, gazing out at them with tear-filled eyes.
She let the sound of their voices fill her ears as she closed her eyes and felt their energy, a beautiful soft and peaceful feeling that pressed against her skin and calmed her. She’d never felt such love and devotion before, an entire sea of people all chanting her name in support.
As the chanting filled her to the brim, she opened her eyes and gazed out of them once more, finally knowing deep in her heart what she must do. She held the stone of destiny to her chest, smiling out at everyone.
“They’re calling my name,” Rhea whispered, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.
Crystalline nodded and stepped up beside her, placing her hand over Rhea’s and Rhea clung to the balcony. “The entire world supports your claim, Rhea.”
“The only thing left is for you to accept your destiny,” Grayson said.
Her gaze fell one each of her guardians in turn. She gulped through a knot in her throat as she wiped the tears from her eyes. A hard determination settled deep within her heart.
She nodded slowly, accepting her fate.
She felt connected to these people, to the world. She now finally understood the role she had to play in restoring the world to peace. With all the thousands of people looking up at her with hope, trusting her and standing beside her, she finally recognized how important having someone to fight for was. She had her guardians and her cousin, and she in turn would be that person for the realm.
Gazing out at them all, she knew she couldn’t let them down. She wouldn’t run away. She wouldn’t deny her destiny any longer. She finally admitted
defeat to her guardians and turned back to the people, bowing her head deeply to them in acceptance.
A wave of louder cheers and shouts flowed over her as she sent a wave of her own healing magic over the crowd. She wanted to reach out to them, to feel their energy meeting her own. She sent a wave of peace and love through them, her magic extending as far as the eye could see, the air brimming with the same rose gold of her hair.
A gasp went through the crowd as they began to feel her presence, and they began to kneel, the chanting of her name in their song growing louder as it echoed around the castle grounds, the sound so sweet it brought tears to Rhea’s eyes.
Rhea bowed her head, having no idea how she was going to manage to accomplish what she needed to do, but she knew in her heart that she must try. She would lead these people to peace if it was the last thing she did.
Beside her, her guardians knelt, bowing their heads to her, their eyes gazing up at their god in reverence.
“I don’t know how we’re going to survive this,” she finally said to them as she turned down toward her guardians, lifting them from beneath their chins, each in turn.
They all stood together in a circle on the balcony before the people of the realm. The peoples’ chants had now changed to “Long live Queen Rhea.”
The sound echoed in Rhea’s ears and filled her with a renewed sense of hope.
“There are still powerful gods with armies out there, fighting for the throne,” Rhea said.
“Yes,” Crystalline said. “But you have the stone of destiny.”
“There are still six more out there, and who knows how soon it will be before the opposing armies find them.”
“It’s not going to be an easy road,” Keaven agreed.
Taelor nodded. “There will be much danger ahead for us.”
“But if we stay together, we’ll be just fine,” Arry said, smiling.
The burden of her role weighed heavily on Rhea’s shoulders, her heart full yet tight within her chest. She looked out at the chanting people, clinging to hope as best she could.
