Orden took the crown reluctantly but with reverence. “I…I will do that.”
“You don’t mean to crown yourself?” Brigette asked in disbelief.
Cyrene slowly turned to her. The last dissenting voice in her council. “I’ve never desired a throne. I still don’t. What I want is equality for magical users. I want to stop Malysa before she finishes what she started all those years ago. That is my only goal.”
Brigette seemed to weigh and judge her with new eyes. And that was just fine with Cyrene.
“Any other questions?”
“I have one,” Dean said from her side.
She raised an eyebrow at him.
“When do we march?”
“As soon as everyone is ready,” she told them. “We’ll move everyone to Tenchala. I’m going to open a door into Aonia. Then it will be a ten-day march to Byern where we’ll take on Malysa once and for all.”
She met the eye of each and every one of her generals. Saw the knowledge of what they were finally going to be walking into. That they were prepared and ready. That they’d done everything that they could.
And it was time.
Finally time to end it all.
44
The Wedding
Elea
Elea wore white.
She was swathed in layers of lace with seed pearl buttons trailing down the back of her long gown. The train was a work of art, held up by a half-dozen children for the occasion. Her dark hair had been pulled up into its own event with gold Byern climbing vines woven into the design. Her lips were the palest of pinks, eyes rimmed with kohl, and cheeks had just a hint of sparkle.
Her hands trembled, no matter how much she’d tried to stop them.
She had dreamed about her wedding day her entire life.
Even joked with Cyrene about one day marrying the prince.
She had never imagined it would come to this. To a king she loved and feared. A dress that had been sewn onto her body without her input. And guests waiting in a banquet hall, all wondering if he would kill her by the end of it as they stood to watch her walk down the aisle.
She inhaled sharply as the musicians began the royal wedding tune. A tear slipped down her cheek. A few onlookers oohed and aahed at the gesture, thinking she was so overwhelmed with joy.
But it was that this was happening under these circumstances.
With a man who did not love her.
A gorgeous man, clothed from head to toe in black. Cyrene’s sword strapped to his hip, as it had been since he returned. Those blue-gray eyes keenly watching her. Not with affection, but interest. Another checkbox for him to fill. Another person to bring closer into his fold…just in case he needed more power.
She’d been playing a dangerous game from the start. And this was the bluff she had never anticipated.
Kael took her hands when she finally reached him and drew her a step closer. “You look beautiful.”
She flushed at the words. The ones she’d longed to hear. “You too.”
He grinned. And it was boyish. The madness momentarily held back by the sacred ceremony.
Words were spoken.
Vows promised that she knew he would break.
And rings exchanged that were nothing more than metal.
She played her part. Held her fear and anguish at bay. He could never know how upset she was by the proceedings. It could only mean death sooner. Fenix’s words to him had been bad enough. He’d suspected her a bit more after that. That she was working against him. And it was only Rhea’s tip that Fenix had spoken to Kael about what had happened that had saved her cover. She’d have walked right into his questions if she hadn’t known. She hadn’t seen Rhea since then. Since she’d refused to leave the castle.
She was foolish and naive enough to still think he could be saved.
Even though she had seen all the signs to the contrary.
“You may kiss the bride.”
Elea turned her face up to Kael’s. He stared down at her, and it was all him. Completely him. A part of her relaxed when she saw the man within. The man that she was still fighting for, however lost he was. She had fallen so long ago. And maybe it was insane to keep hoping that he would be hers in truth, but she couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when he needed her most.
Then his lips were pressed to hers as he claimed her as his bride.
And all of her thoughts were forgotten.
The crowd cheered for their union. And they broke apart, flushed and laughing. Then he took her hand, put it into the crook of his elbow, and walked her back down the aisle as man and wife.
They just made it to the entranceway with guards waiting to escort them to the reception for a feast when a cloud of darkness appeared in the foyer.
Kael drew her to an abrupt halt.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“It’s not me,” he told her. Gone was the boy underneath. The man who had married her vanished. In his place was the hardened murderer. The unholy host that occupied his body.
She almost shrank from him…but knew that would make it worse. So, she squared her shoulders and waited for the worst.
As the cloud dissipated, a woman appeared in the space where it had been.
“Malysa,” Kael said, bowing slightly at the waist.
Elea hastily followed. So, this was Malysa. She had heard of her. Kael had talked of her. But she had never seen this goddess of destruction. She looked a fright with long, wavy black hair and black eyes. Darkness spreading up past her elbows and disappearing into her midnight dress. Black veins extending across her chest as if it were slowly eating her alive.
“Hello, General,” she said with a smile. “Congratulations on your happy nuptials.”
He straightened to his considerable height. “Thank you, Goddess.”
Malysa took a step toward Elea, took Elea’s chin in her hand, and moved her head side to side. “You do resemble her strongly. What a good choice.”
“Thank…thank you,” Elea stammered.
Malysa ignored her. “I bring you a wedding present.”
“That is too kind,” Kael said.
Malysa quirked a cruel smile. “Oh, I think it’s the best present you could have asked for.”
She flicked her hand. The black cloud exploded again next to her.
Elea waited on bated breath to see what present she could have possibly brought Kael. And, as the smoke cleared once more, Elea couldn’t help but gasp.
The dowager queen, Kaliana, and her child, Alessia, stood in the once-empty space. Tears streaked down Kaliana’s face, and Alessia was screaming. Kaliana tried to soothe her, but nothing could work.
“A gift of magic,” Malysa said with an evil smile. “If you’ll take it.”
Elea just watched in horror as Kael could do nothing but accept.
45
The March
Moving an army of this size took time. Cyrene would have loved to have woken up the next morning, opened the portal to Aonia, and taken the army through to the other side. But portal key wouldn’t stay open long, and they still had no real idea if Malysa could see their portal usage. So, it was safer to go through the solid gate in Tenchala then risk it.
They had waited and gotten everything together, which included Orden leading the Aurumian army to their camp. Cyrene had met with the lords and been as charming as she could without wanting to strangle them. But they had agreed that they no longer wanted to be a pawn of Byern and would fight if she assured them that they would be free to rule themselves after the war ended.