Dark Breaks the Dawn

by Sara B. Larson

  “Indefinitely? She wishes me to stay—”

  Lorcan spoke over his mother’s screech, cutting her off, “You may tell your queen that we will think on her offer.”

  The tall Light Draíolon bowed briefly and shut the door behind him with the inescapable sound of the lock scraping back into place.

  The moment his scent was gone, the indignation smoothed off his mother’s face. Completely serene once more, she glanced at Lorcan, who met her gaze, his expression cold. And then she lay back down on her cot and closed her eyes.

  Lothar stared at Lorcan until his brother finally turned to him.

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you.” It wasn’t a question.

  Lorcan didn’t even blink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Lothar inhaled deeply, letting his brother know he could scent his lie. But Lorcan merely turned his back to him and sat down on his cot, leaving Lothar to resume pacing.

  “It’s been five days.” Evelayn stared at the plate of scones and her cold peppermint tea despondently. “If he truly wanted peace, he would have made the oath and gone to reclaim his power by now.”

  “I can’t pretend to understand what he’s trying to accomplish, but he hasn’t rejected your offer yet, either,” Tanvir pointed out.

  They sat at a small table in the gardens, having tea. Well, he was having tea. Evelayn couldn’t eat. She was too worried to do much more than take a sip or two before abandoning her cup entirely, and she didn’t even attempt to eat the scones.

  The full heat of summer was upon them; her people were enjoying the height of their power and the first peace in a decade … but Evelayn couldn’t relax. Not yet. Not until balance had been restored, and the problem of King Lorcan and his all too intelligent quicksilver eyes was solved.

  “He is a proud Draíolon,” Tanvir continued musingly, “raised by one even more proud and domineering than we can imagine. You hold all the power right now—he can’t do anything unless you let him. Perhaps he fears looking weak if he agrees to your offer too quickly.”

  “Or maybe he’s as sadistic as his father and doesn’t want peace. Maybe he’s just trying to make me sweat.”

  Tanvir reached out and gently covered her hand with his own, stopping her from picking the tablecloth apart entirely. “Unluckily for him, you are just as attractive when you’re sweaty as you are when you’re as dry as this scone.”

  Despite herself Evelayn laughed softly. “Were they that bad?”

  “Let’s say I will be quite glad when your regular cook comes back from visiting family next week.”

  Evelayn smiled with a shake of her head, but quickly sobered. “He doesn’t care how attractive I am. He wants his power back. And his people need it.” She glanced across the grounds at the forest to the north of the castle, where far away the border was no longer guarded by her priestesses, and Light and Dark Draíolon were once again able to travel freely and without fear. “But I can’t let him do that unless I can be sure he will maintain this peace.”

  Tanvir’s fingers curled around her hand, and he squeezed it reassuringly. “He’ll answer. And he’ll accept your offer. Lorcan is smart. He knows the only way to get his power back is to make the vow and keep the peace.”

  Evelayn looked back at Tanvir. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am. Haven’t you learned that yet?”

  She pursed her lips at his teasing but couldn’t keep from smiling.

  “And speaking of being right, I’m looking forward to tonight. It will be just the distraction you need from all of this. I promise.” Tanvir lifted her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles.

  “And you are always right,” she said with a smile.

  “Yes, I am.”

  THEY’D BEEN WALKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME WHEN Tanvir stopped Evelayn. She recognized the scent of the lake even though she couldn’t see it—he’d blindfolded her while they were still inside the castle, and then begun leading her to his “surprise.”

  “Wait right here.”

  Evelayn nodded, straining to hear anything that would give her a hint of what he had planned. Besides the lake she could also smell flowers—an inordinate amount for where she knew she stood. After only a few moments, he spoke again.

  “All right. You can look now.”

  Evelayn reached up and took off the blindfold and then gasped.

  Tanvir stood next to a table, where two chairs were set up across from each other, with yellow ribbons tied around the backs. The white tablecloth was strewn with flower petals as was the entire shore of the lake where the table stood. He was dressed in his formalwear, his brown hair pulled back and a nervous smile on his face. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it was dipping below the treetops, painting the entire scene golden with its waning light.

  “May I get your chair, my lady?” He pulled one out and Evelayn sat down, still speechless with awe.

  After he sat down as well, servants materialized from the forest as if he’d summoned them by magic. Within moments a candelabra was lit in the center of the table, crystal goblets were filled with fresh-squeezed guava juice, and a beautiful dinner of warm bread and butter, honey-drizzled melons, sliced pears, crisp vegetables sautéed with herbs, an aromatic vegetable soup, and roasted pheasant were set in front of them.

  Evelayn surveyed the table and then looked up at Tanvir, his golden eyes glowing in the candlelight. “This … this is unbelievable.”

  “I wanted to do something special for you. I hope I succeeded.”

  Evelayn nodded, unable to speak again. “You did,” she finally managed.

  He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, gently kissing each one of her fingers, sending thrills up her arm and straight to her belly. “I’m so glad.” He smiled and let go of her hand to pick up his fork. “Now let’s eat.”

  Evelayn was surprised to realize she was actually hungry for the first time in … a while. But she couldn’t resist teasing him back—at least a little. “Do I dare? I know you weren’t impressed with the scones earlier …”

  “I might have convinced your cook to return a day or two early, for the special occasion.” Tanvir winked at her.

  “You didn’t!”

  He grinned.

  “And what special occasion did you convince her was so important that she had to cut short her first vacation in three years?” Evelayn asked before taking a bite of the sweet bread. It melted in her mouth, delicious and warm and perfect. She nearly groaned in pleasure.

  “Why the night I asked you to be Bound to me, of course.”

  The fork clanged against Evelayn’s plate when she dropped it and stared at Tanvir with her jaw half-open. He was still grinning at her … Was it another joke? Was he still teasing? But then his jaunty smile slid away until he was staring back at her, completely serious.

  “I was going to wait until after we finished eating—but I can’t wait one moment longer. I know it’s fast. I know we’re young. I know I don’t deserve you for so many reasons. But I also know that I love you as I’ve never loved anyone, and I can’t imagine my mornings without waking up at dawn to chase you through the forest. I can’t imagine my dinners without your smile to brighten even the worst of days. In short, I can’t imagine my life without you beside me now—and forever.” Tanvir stood and came over to where she sat. He took both of her hands in his and gently pulled her to stand up in front of him. “I don’t want you because you’re the queen, or because you’ve been pressured to provide an heir, or for any other reason except that you love me as I love you. Do you, Evelayn? Do you love me enough to Bind yourself to me?”

  Evelayn could barely see him through the tears she struggled to hold back. “Yes,” she finally whispered. “I do love you, Tanvir, and I will Bind myself to you.”

  “You will?” He almost sounded shocked, which almost made her laugh, but then he kissed her, stealing her words and her air as his arms came around her body, pulling her into him. She held on as tightly as she could, me
eting his need—his love—with her own, as his mouth moved on hers. But all too soon he broke away to reach into his pocket. She whimpered in protest, and he laughed softly.

  “Patience. I have something I need to give you.” And then he pulled out the most beautiful ring Evelayn had ever seen.

  “Tanvir,” she breathed, speechless once again as he slid the ring onto her right hand. It had a thin band with diamonds all the way around it, and an unbelievably clear, pink center diamond, surrounded by small white diamonds set in a way that made it almost look like a flower. She couldn’t stop staring at it.

  “So … does that mean you like it?”

  Evelayn nodded so hard her diadem threatened to fall forward off her head. And then she threw her arms around Tanvir’s neck, staring at the glittering ring over his shoulder, unable to stop grinning. “I love it. And I love you.”

  “I told you I’m always right.”

  Evelayn pulled back with an affronted snort. “Excuse me?”

  “I promised that tonight would be a perfect distraction from everything else.”

  She laughed and swatted at his chest, but that made her ring flash in the quickly dimming light of dusk and she got distracted staring at it again, which made Tanvir laugh.

  “We should probably finish this incredible dinner that Cook slaved over all day to make for us,” he gently teased, and Evelayn made herself sit down and pick up her fork again. But she kept stopping with her food halfway to her mouth to admire her ring again and again.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you only said yes for the ring,” Tanvir teased.

  “And how do you know I didn’t?” Evelayn shot right back.

  “Because,” Tanvir pointed his fork at her right hand, “I didn’t show that to you until after you said yes.”

  The forest echoed with their laughter. It was the perfect moment—Evelayn couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy.

  She was so distracted, as Tanvir had promised, she didn’t even hear or scent the Draíolon running toward them until he burst through the trees, breathing heavily, startling them both.

  Evelayn half stood up in alarm, but Tanvir beat her to it.

  “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. “I gave implicit instructions we were not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency.”

  The male Draíolon held out a sealed piece of parchment. “General Kelwyn said this constituted an emergency and that the queen was needed right away.”

  Evelayn’s heart sank as she stepped forward to take the missive. It bore General Kelwyn’s seal, not quite dry yet. She unfolded the parchment and quickly scanned his message, then looked up at Tanvir’s questioning gaze.

  “It’s Lorcan. He asked for an audience with me—tonight.”

  LORCAN ALREADY STOOD IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM when the queen walked in, followed immediately by Lord Tanvir. Both dressed in finery, flushed, smelling of happiness and frustration and even desire; Evelayn was wearing one of the thin, glittering diadems that marked the queen of Éadrolan’s status and—

  Lorcan cursed silently. A stunning stone flashed on her right ring finger. An interesting development, to be sure.

  He watched them closely, while the four sentries stood around him, maintaining the strands of Light that coiled around his body like ropes, pinning his arms to his sides. A compliment, he supposed, that they deemed him dangerous enough to still require binding him, even without access to his power.

  Evelayn faced him and he was struck once again by how beautiful she was. Large violet eyes, lavender-streaked hair, tall, lithe, and so graceful. She moved the way water flowed, smooth and gliding across the floor. But he knew she was also capable of raging like the worst storm imaginable. He’d never forget her blinding speed in the forest when his father had struggled to keep up with her.

  “What did you call me here to tell me?” Her eyes were cold and calculating, but he could scent her nervousness beneath the bravado. His lips twitched from a barely suppressed smirk.

  “What, no pleasantries? No ‘How are you enjoying your stay in our dungeons?’ Or perhaps a ‘Did you hear the good news of my impending Binding?’”

  “How could you possibly—”

  “You weren’t wearing that on your finger when last I saw you.” Lorcan cut her off, holding her gaze for a long moment before turning to Lord Tanvir. “What an unexpected turn of events.”

  Tanvir glared at him, his fury roiling below the surface, a sharp ashes-and-burned-cinders tang in the room. Lorcan wondered if Evelayn recognized just how deep that anger seemed to run in her chosen companion.

  “Everyone deserves at least some happiness in their life,” Lord Tanvir bit out.

  Lorcan allowed himself to smile this time. “Ah, yes, but at what cost? I wonder … just how much that happiness is worth?”

  “Is that a threat?” Evelayn placed a restraining hand on Tanvir’s arm when he tensed as though he wanted to attack. Now that truly would be an interesting turn of events. “If you called me here to taunt and threaten me, then I bid you good night.” She turned with a swirl of sky-blue skirts, preparing to walk away.

  “I will make the vow,” Lorcan called out.

  Queen Evelayn froze, then slowly turned to face him once more, but remained silent, her expression stony.

  “I am the king and … my people need their power back. In my involuntary forced time for reflection, I have come to realize there is no other way to accomplish that except to make the vow and do as you wish.”

  Evelayn signaled for Lord Tanvir to stay where he was and then stalked toward Lorcan until she was only a foot away. She had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. Her skin was luminous, especially with the pulse of her blood brightening her cheeks, pounding at the groove in her throat. “I will only allow you to make the vow if I am assured that you will keep it.”

  “And how do you intend to see to that?” he asked, his voice whisper soft. “A vow is binding. What more do you want from me, Your Majesty?”

  She was close enough to touch—if his arms hadn’t been bound to his sides. Lorcan’s finger twitched by his thigh, itching to stroke the smooth skin of her cheek, to caress the whiteness of her throat, to see if it was as soft as it looked. Her eyes narrowed, making him wonder if she could scent his thoughts.

  “Vows are binding, but hearts and wills are not. Will you keep the peace between our kingdoms, Lorcan? Will you help me restore balance to our world?”

  Lorcan stood there, staring down at her, a million thoughts and images and plans racing through his mind. She was beautiful—magnificent even. She’d defeated his father. Though he could taste her fear like salt on his tongue, she was resolute and determined. If only I had met you a decade ago, he thought.

  But she had been but a youngling then, and it wouldn’t have changed the reality of his life.

  “I will make the vow and bind myself to your terms, Evelayn,” he finally said. “And with time, perhaps you will be able to bind my heart and will to your cause, as well. You are not the only one who has suffered at the hands of my father.”

  Evelayn held his gaze, her chest rising and falling rapidly. And then without another word, she turned on her heel and strode straight to the door. Just before she left, she called out over her shoulder, “I will accept your vow in five days.”

  Lorcan watched as Lord Tanvir followed the queen, waiting for him to turn, as he knew the Light Draíolon would. And sure enough, he paused to look back at Lorcan, his expression murderous.

  “Don’t you dare hurt her.”

  “I’m making a vow, apparently in five days, to that very end.”

  Lord Tanvir looked like he wanted to say more, but his gaze flickered to the Light Sentries, then back to Lorcan. Finally, he added, “She’s been through enough.”

  “Haven’t we all?”

  Queen Evelayn’s chosen one glared at him for a moment longer, then turned and stormed out of the room after her, leaving Lorcan alone with the sentries, h
is thoughts, and the lingering scent of violets and determination the queen had left in her wake.

  “Evelayn! Evelayn, wait!”

  She continued to walk swiftly away from the room and from Lorcan’s smirk, his unreadable quicksilver eyes, and his frost-laced scent of pine trees and something heavier, muskier. Was she making a massive mistake? If he made the vow, he couldn’t break it. Their magic would bind him.

  But he was smart and powerful. And desperate. She didn’t feel comfortable around him—she knew she had to tread carefully with the new king of Dorjhalon. Though she’d defeated Bain, there was a nagging feeling, like an itch that always remained just out of reach, that her battles still weren’t over.

  “Evelayn,” Tanvir exhaled, jogging up to her side and taking her hand in his, pulling her to a stop. “Look at me.”

  She turned reluctantly to face him. Her sentries paused to try and give them some privacy, but remained at the periphery of her vision.

  Tanvir lifted her hand—her right hand, where the beautiful ring glittered, even in the dim candlelight—and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Evelayn closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his lips on her skin, the strength of his grip, his familiar scent of citrus and spice that cleared away the lingering memory of Lorcan’s.

  “Am I a fool to offer him this?”

  Tanvir kissed her knuckles again and then let her hand go. “You are no fool, and if you wish for balance, you really don’t have any other choice.”

  Evelayn sighed and gave him a wry look. “That wasn’t very reassuring.”

  “If you word the oath correctly you can protect yourself and your people. Everyone will get what they want, and we can finally put all of this behind us.” There was a ferocity behind his words that took Evelayn by surprise. When he met her questioning gaze, his eyes were haunted; the ghosts of the family he’d lost seemed to enshroud him.