Chapter 32

Béke Day Eight

"You're certain you can summon them?" I asked the Iron Realm's High Priestess as she perched on the edge of a chair across from me. The midmorning sun glinted off the polished wood in my office, and I leaned forward to remove the glare from my line of vision.

"Yes, as long as we have enough herbs and a distraction for our guests," she confirmed.

"Consider it done. Take all the herb you need from the stores at Steel." I scratched a note to the manager and handed it to her. "The note also asks for his help in setting up… intimate spaces around the site. That and free-flowing herbs should be enough distraction for you."

She accepted the slip of paper in her dainty hands, then dipped into a curtsey. "Thank you, My King. I shall not disappoint." Then she glided along to the door, passing Drazen on her way out.

The half-Dragon plopped down in her unoccupied seat. "You busy?"

"Not at all," I said, leaning back in my chair and kicking my feet up on the desk. "What do you need, Drazen?"

"It was Kazimir that Izidora felt watching her yesterday. Confirmed the prints this morning after Kriath followed him out toward the mountains again."

"Fuck!" I swore, dropping my feet and banging my fists onto the desk. "I'm going to fucking kill him. He cannot keep terrorizing her like this." My chest heaved and I searched for something, anything, to slake this rage burning through me, because the need to protect my mate was driving me insane. Finding a liquor bottle, I threw it against the windows, the glass shattering with a satisfying crack, and the smoky scent of the liquid filled the air.

Drazen sat, arms crossed, his usual air of nonchalance on full display as I raged, waiting for me to calm down. "Your bond is fresh. Tell me again, why doesn't Kazimir know?"

"She said she still feels this pull to him," I grumbled, finally collapsing into the chair behind me. "Zuriel suggested she might need to speak the words aloud to break it off like she had to do to accept our bond."

"But to do that, she'd have to get close to him."

I nodded.

"And she does not want to do that."

I nodded again, tilting my head to the side and popping my neck to relieve some tension. Blowing out a breath, I replied, "Nor do I want her that close to him. Who knows what he would do when he found out? He's already stalking her."

"Well, she can't avoid confronting him forever," Drazen pointed out.

"I know. I'm trying to let her figure it out on her own, but fuck! I want her to be safe." I buried my head in my hands, trying to fight back the overwhelming urge to hunt her down and lock her in Roc Palace until Béke concluded.

"He won't fuck with her if you're around, Ruslan. Between the two of us and Zuriel, someone will be with her at all times from now on," Drazen promised, his tone softening.

"Speaking of Zuriel, are he and Izidora training?" I asked. She had been exhausted last night after the excitement of choosing her dress for our wedding, the subsequent terror of feeling Kazimir's attention on her, and then another session with Zuriel. I never asked what occurred in these sessions, but by the way she spoke of them, they were helping tremendously with her trauma. Despite her heightened emotional volatility and jumpiness, I thought they were working, too. Izidora told me that after each session, she felt like another layer had been stripped from her, and the transformation was incredible to behold from the outside looking in. The weight lifted from her left her shoulders looser, movements lighter, her breath flowing easier, and she bloomed more beautifully than I had ever imagined.

"As we speak. He told me he thinks there will be a war, and soon," Drazen informed me.

I lifted my head from my hands, only to discover the worry in Drazen's blue eyes and the stress lining his forehead. "And what do you think?" Because there was no doubt in my mind that Kazimir would wage war once Izidora broke off their bond.

"I agree with him."

"Are you still sending patrols toward the borders?"

He nodded. "I've asked the scouts to report back immediately if they spot large movements in the distance."

"Good." I blew out another breath, then pushed to my feet. "There's not much we can do but wait is there?"

"Nope," he replied with a wry grin twisting his lips. "And I know that's your least favorite thing to do."

The makeshift arenahad once again been transformed. All the event materials from the strength and horseback competitions had been removed and dark tents spanned the area instead, beckoning in revelers with the smell of sugary treats and warm drinks. A blistering chill had settled over the afternoon, and as the sun dipped beyond the reach of the mountains, the wind picked up, blowing Izidora's loose chestnut locks about.

In the center of the space, dried branches had been twisted and twined together to form an enormous tree, bags of herb hanging from the bare branches protruding at every level. The High Priestess stood before it, her acolytes twirling around it in a ritualistic dance that called to the deepest parts of us that were connected to nature all around us. The hairs on my arms stood on end as their chanting grew louder, drawing all in attendance closer to the dancing circle. The priestesses called flames to their hands, weaving them through the air as they illuminated the creeping night. Their magic bloomed, blending with their sisters' around them, until a ring of fire danced around the offering, lofted by the fast-moving priestesses.

"Fire is cleansing," the High Priestess shouted over the others' chanting. "Fire is burning. Fire is destroying. Fire is life." Her black robes billowed about her thin frame as if the wind that had been chilling us all had decided to blow all its attention on her. "Our Goddess, we offer you our souls this night. Purify our hearts for the coming year, and may you allow us to remain peaceful in your infinite wisdom."

The dancing priestesses halted in their tracks, fingers splaying forward as they shot their flames into the dried brush, lighting the tree from bottom to top. The offering caught immediately, smoky crackling filling the air and blasting heat around the open field. The sweet scent of the herbs followed moments later, and I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the drug. Down the bond, I sensed Izidora's confusion.

"Breathe deeply, sprite. The herbs will make you feel tingly and lightheaded, and if it gets to be too much for you, just let me know and I'll take you home."

"Is it like wine?"

"Not exactly. You'll know when it hits you. I promise I'll be by your side the whole time."

She chewed her bottom lip, and I knew she worried about Kazimir seeking her out in the darkness. "Drazen has our guards keeping an eye on everything too. You're safe."

Her aquamarine eyes speared into mine, captivating me with their ethereal beauty. Clasping a hand around her upper arm, I tugged her toward me, sweeping her hair off her shoulders and capturing her lower back. She arched into me as I kissed her roughly, claiming her as mine in front of the Goddess and all onlookers.

Someone cleared their throat beside us, and I growled a warning before breaking our kiss to see who dared interrupt me. Liliana waited there, along with Anton and Slavian, who both looked like they had trouble planned for the night.

"We've got another bag of herbs," Anton said as he produced a pouch from behind his back, "and you should smoke them with us, Ruslan. Like old times." A wolfish grin spread across his face as he waited for my response.

"Why not? We are celebrating the Goddess after all. Follow me." Izidora and Liliana linked arms and whispered conspiratorially as I directed us through the clearing toward a tent erected for my personal use at the far side. As we passed closer to the burning offering, the sticky sweet smoke thickened, and I checked on Izidora to ensure she was handling the herbs. It was her first time using them, and my mouth twitched up in anticipation of her reaction. We'd been fucking like crazy since accepting the bond, and the herbs would only enhance our sexual appetites tonight.

Dipping into the lavish tent, I fanned the flames burning in the braziers, casting more light into the space and heating it for my mate who tended to catch a chill.

"Thank you," she whispered down our bond, and I squeezed her hand in response.

I pulled her onto my lap as we settled on a half-moon-shaped couch, and the two young High Lords of the Iron Realm wasted no time preparing the herbs for consumption.

"We're going to have so much fun tonight, Izidora," Liliana said as she lounged beside us. "You've never been to Béke before, but tonight is one of the best ones. In the Night Realm, they use a lot less herb, and there's never any to go around freely after the burning begins. You'll feel more connected to nature than ever before."

"So what's the purpose of the burning?" she asked.

My curious little sprite.

"The burning represents a new beginning, like wiping the slate clean for next year," Liliana explained. "The herbs are supposed to help bring the realms together, forming new bonds and forgetting old grievances. And tomorrow night at the masquerade, we all get to pretend that we're meeting for the first time. The days after that are filled with arts of all kinds, including a ceremony where we release floating lanterns into the sky holding our most fervent desires for the coming year. The end is the most beautiful part of Béke."

"What did you wish for last year?" Izidora asked, snuggling into my embrace. I draped my arm around her, resting it against the back of the couch as I settled in.

Liliana blushed, and I had to press my lips together to suppress a smile. I'd never seen the fierce female be anything but unabashedly confident. "A friend."

Izidora's emotion flooded our bond, and she burst forward, leaving me forgotten so she could embrace her friend. I scented salty tears from both of them and decided to allow them some space, even though everything in me wanted to have her all to myself. But with the sanctity of our bond, I'd never have to worry about her permanently leaving me for anyone else.

Anton and Slavian had finished packing the herbs and Slavian lit the end with the tip of his finger, drawing a deep breath to fill his lungs with smoke. He passed the apparatus to me, coughing, and I repeated his action using my black fire. The rush from the herbs was almost immediate, and as I blew out rings, my connection to everything around me heightened, my senses simultaneously sharpening and dulling at the edges as if I were slipping into a dream.

My mate had sidled up to me again, an eagerness in her eyes that I was happy to oblige. Holding the herbs out to her, I instructed, "Go nice and slow so you don't cough."

Putting her lips to the end, I lit my finger, only allowing a tiny flicker to touch the herbs. She sucked in a breath, and I snatched the apparatus away from her a moment later, already seeing the inevitable choking. Izidora's eyes watered as she coughed out a lungful of smoke, eliciting a laugh from Liliana and rubs on her back from me.

"Damn," Izidora swore through wheezes. "You weren't kidding about going slow."

"It's the only time I want you to go slow, sprite," I purred, the herbs heating my blood in the most delicious way. The way Izidora's long lashes fluttered against her blushing cheeks made me want to capture her mouth and claim it mine.

Anton and Slavian snickered, taking the herbs off my hands. "We need to get more people in here so it will be a real party," Slavian commented as he lit the apparatus. He blew his smoke in Anton's face as he exhaled. "Go find the females."

Waving his hand in front of his face to clear the smoke, Anton shot back, "Why don't you?"

"Ugh," Liliana interrupted them. "I'll do it. You two will only seek out females when what we really need is more dick."

Izidora muffled a laugh beside me, and I turned my attention to her as Liliana brushed past the tent flap and into the night. Her pupils had darkened, and they only grew as she returned my gaze. "How are you feeling?" I murmured.

"Really, really good," she breathed, seeming at ease, and a peaceful smile spread across her lips. All I wanted was for her to be happy, and not taking matters into my own hands was killing me. Izidora wanted to deal with Kazimir herself, and even though she had accepted the bond, my promise to redeem myself still stood.

I brushed my knuckles across her cheek and she sighed, leaning into my touch. Slavian tapped me on the shoulder and I accepted the herbs from him, taking another long drag, welcoming in the sensation of the world around us, and releasing my worries with the dissipating smoke. Outside the tent, the sound of revelers, clinking glasses, music, laughter, and merriment filled the air as Fae, Félvér, and Telivér celebrated together.

Liliana brought some of that joy with her when she returned with a few of the Night Fae and Félvér in tow. She knew better than to bring Kazimir, at least. Endre, along with Kaztar and Domi, ducked in behind her, the former making quick work of placing himself next to her, across from Anton and Slavian. The noble Félvér were a tight-knit group, though I'd always been on the outside of it. The rest of them scattered along the couch, and two familiar females forced their way between myself and Slavian.

"Natasha, Aliana, long time no see," Liliana joked, and Izidora offered them a small wave.

The two smirked knowingly at me. "Your bride-to-be will look stunning on your wedding day, King Ruslan. We made sure of it," Natasha said.

Izidora giggled beside me, her giddiness flowing down the bond. "So sexy, too. You'll rip it to shreds the moment we're alone." Her floral arousal hit my nostrils, and I inhaled it more deeply than the herbs, wanting to get high on her already.

My nose trailed along her neck, and I whispered in her ear, "What if I ripped it off in front of all our guests?"

A sharp intake of breath told me the herbs were opening her up to the idea. "Then everyone would see me."

"And they'd see me claim you, my mark sitting squarely between your shoulder blades as if my ring and my crown weren't enough."

She whimpered as my hand rested high on her thigh, slipping beneath the slit in the dark dress she wore. With my other hand, I unclasped the square diamond at her throat, allowing the cloak I'd given her to fall away and expose the deep V in the front of her dress. My tongue trailed along her collarbone, eliciting a soft groan. I pulled Izidora from the couch into my lap, holding her firmly there as my cock grew thick beneath her.

The air around us grew hazy as Anton and Slavian passed around more herbs, attracting more Félvér in with the heady scent. Some brought bottles of liquor and the acolytes with them until the tent was heating from the bodies alone.

My skin buzzed, and my whole focus went to drawing pebbles across my mate's skin. Snaking my arm around her waist and fisting her unbound hair with the other, I forced her to collapse against me, giving me the perfect view of her breasts. Tingles erupted across my palms at every point of contact, and that thread that tied us together hummed contentedly.

Both of us pulled smoke into our lungs the next time the apparatus was passed around, and we began floating higher, the world beyond the canvas tent melting away. Each person surrounding us was a kaleidoscope of color, some shining, others glittering, and most gleaming with pure ecstasy.

The open space at the front of the tent became a sea of bodies grinding against each other as the music filling the arena turned primal. The drums beat a rhythm that was both a deep, steady thrum and a rapid-fire of sound, and the chanting that accompanied it was disjointed to my dulled senses.

The young priestesses ground against Anton and Slavian, some of the other Félvér joining in their dance. Beside us, Liliana and Endre became wrapped around each other without a care for anyone near them. Izidora's long hair whispered between us, and every time my fingers brushed across her bare skin, it felt as if I had left a trail of fire in my wake. She leaned into my touch, circling her hips slowly, unconsciously as she watched the scene unfold.

"Do you want to play?" I murmured in her ear, my voice echoing in the space only we could occupy together.

"Yes," she breathed, a rosy flush creeping across her chest.

My cock twitched beneath her ass at her throaty tone. "No one else will touch you, mate, but there are other ways to participate." I ran my nose from the crook of her neck up to her ear, nibbling on it from behind as I moved a hand to the slit in her dress, bunching the fabric in my palm. "Watch them."