Chapter 40

Béke Day Ten

"You need to tell the Félvér females to stay away from Kazimir," I instructed Rares as I stood in his office beneath the halls of Ryza. "Izidora was up most of the night last night worrying for Taya because she disappeared with Kazimir during the ball. He is not stable."

The old Mage huffed, not deigning to look up from his writing to respond. "Affairs between kings is not my area of expertise. He is your equal. You take care of it."

In the span of a breath, I had a hand planted on either side of the paper he scribbled on, my bared teeth inches from his face. "Do you forget who I am, Rares?"

He narrowed his eyes as he finally lifted his gaze from his work, his lips pulling apart to reveal his creepy, toothy grin. "No, My King. But since you refuse to let me continue my experiments, I fail to see how the Félvér are my problem any longer."

"Do you consider yourself to be their creator?" I hissed. "You've always liked playing Goddess, Rares. You can't turn your back on them now because you're pissed at me."

The Mage's face reddened as I called him on his bullshit. Izidora and I were the crown jewels, his greatest accomplishments, and he couldn't stand that we had more power and backbone than him. But that's what happened when he wanted to play Goddess without regard for the consequences.

"Fine," he spat, as if the word was a bitter potion. "On one condition."

I lifted a lazy brow. "I'll bite. What do you want?"

"At least let me study the new babes born to Félvér parents. I need to keep track of the winged ones especially, since they tend to have more physical ailments."

Rares was fucked in the head, but I couldn't deny his logic. I'd rather have healthy babes born in the Iron Realm, and if it were unavoidable, know how to help them. "Done. But none of the fucked up shit you used to do to us. Only assessment and observation. No potions. No magic unless I give explicit permission." I pushed back off the worn wood, tired of intimidating the man who had spent so long torturing me. "See to it that the word gets around to the Félvér not to get close to Kazimir."

Rares grumbled his response, but I at least heard him say he would take care of it. I left him hunched over his desk, allowing the heavy wood door to slam shut on my way out.

The tunnels beneath Ryza were eerily empty of people and noise, as most of the residents had sought other accommodations since being given free rein over the Iron Realm and encouraged to mingle with our guests. What I had done was good, right even, especially with how well our plans unfolded.

I'd gifted Zuriel a suite near ours a few days ago, especially since Kazimir had not stopped his menacing ways. He still leered at Izidora every chance he got, and clearly followed her to places he should not. Izidora was strong, as I had trained her to be, and she could take care of herself, but I wasn't leaving anything to chance – not with him still around. With everything Zuriel had done for me – and Izidora – lately, he more than deserved a change in status.

Same with Drazen. I'd given him a similar set on the floor below so my general and all-around assistant was close by.

The long halls leading to my office allowed my mind to wander over the good deeds I'd done lately and onto the next steps in my plan to unite the realms and free the Félvér. More papers awaited my review before I could break for the day and find my mate. We would then head to the courtyard where the sprawling artisanal fair was already underway.

What would she wish for?

My greatest wish had finally come true, and our bond hummed as I reached down it, offering a soft caress against her mind. She returned one, a small, simple gesture to some, but just knowing she was there at any time to offer a whisper of comfort soothed the ache of loneliness in my chest, if only for a moment.

There was nothing I could wish for really, other than saving the Félvér from bloodshed in a war; I doubted the Goddess would, or could, answer that wish – not if it was as we suspected, and the Goddess battled with the Fates over the outcome of északi.

The rest of the day passed in a blur as financiers, business owners, and lawyers rotated through my office like clockwork, all needing something from their king. By the time mid-afternoon rolled around, my head pounded from stress, and I needed a drink. Taking a break from my desk, I poured two fingers of whisky into a glass and stood by the window, watching over my kingdom as I sipped from it. My back was to the door, but I sensed the moment my mate slipped into the room, trying to be quiet so she could sneak up on me. If it weren't for the bond signaling her arrival, the scent of roses and plums would give her away every time.

I pretended not to notice her until she was moments away from grabbing me. In one swift motion, I downed my drink, tossed the glass, and hooked her to me, forcing her back against the glass window in front of me. "Did you really think you could surprise me?" I purred, caging her with my body.

Her floral arousal mixed with a hint of fear filled my nostrils, and I inhaled deeply, savoring that I could still make her heart pound.

"No," she whispered, looking up at me through long, dark lashes and chewing on her lip.

I caught it between my thumb and forefinger and ripped it from her teeth. "Sucking on that pink pout is my job," I reminded her.

Her fingers darted out from behind her back and walked their way up my chest until she cupped the side of my face, scratching at my beard with her nails. "It's also your job to help me buy a lantern."

I cocked my head as I gazed down at her. "Is that so?"

She nodded. "You are the one with all the money, after all."

"I see that I have spoiled you," I grinned, tracing my fingers along her collarbone. "I'm not mad about it."

She shrugged, some of her hair falling over her shoulder as she did so. "Me either. Now let's go." Her smile was breathtaking as she slipped from beneath me and tugged on my hand until I followed her to the door.

I stopped her in her tracks, needing to show her I was still in charge. With a tug, she was in my arms, and I bent her backward to prevent her from going anywhere as I hovered my lips over hers. "Say please."

"Please," she breathed, and I rewarded her with a brush of my lips over hers.

"Good girl," I said, releasing her from my embrace and intertwining our fingers. "Where is your cloak? It's cold today."

"Liliana has it," she replied.

"And where is–" I stopped mid-sentence when I opened the door and discovered Liliana flirting with the guards stationed there.

With a flick of her hair over her shoulder, she ended their conversation and left one of the young males standing with his mouth slightly agape as he watched her jog to catch up with us. She handed Izidora her cloak, and my mate fastened the large diamond at her throat before tugging the fabric around her to keep her warm. I smoothed the back of it, ensuring every bit of warmth it provided was given to her.

"Thanks," Izidora beamed up at me, so much love in her eyes that it almost physically hurt.

"I'll always take care of you," I reminded her.

"Can you two be less in love for a bit? I'm struggling over here," Liliana grumbled, and I tore my gaze from Izidora, lifting a brow at her.

"Trouble with Endre, or did Zuriel turn you down?" I guessed with a teasing lilt to my tone.

"I don't want to talk about it," she huffed, and I dropped it, since she and Izidora had likely hashed it out already.

The halls of Ryza buzzed with activity, excited voices echoing off the stone walls as people streamed out the main door and into the courtyard that bustled with activity. All morning, artisans had arrived, setting up booths from the barracks to the stables and everywhere in between. Color danced in all directions in front of the citadel, and it was nearly wall-to-wall with people.

"Where do you two want to go first? Over there," I indicated the direction of the stables, "is where you'll find stones, salves, and fresh goods. While over there," I indicated the direction of the barracks, "you'll find metalwork, woodwork, and other crafts. In the middle is where the lanterns and other Goddess-related artifacts are."

Izidora's stomach rumbled, and I had to suppress a smile. "Snack first," I said decisively.

"Are there sweets?" she asked.

"Of course there are. We'll make ourselves sick on them."

The crowd parted for the king of the Iron Realm, opening up an easy path for Izidora and Liliana to follow behind me. We found Drazen at a stall shoveling the treats in his mouth. The vendor offered brown sugar-coated balls with honey to dip, and by the looks of the empty cups beside him, Drazen had already had more than a few.

"Drazen! I didn't know you had a sweet tooth," Izidora laughed as he sheepishly looked up from his half-full cup.

"I don't. These are my favorite treats, and I can only get them during Béke," he mumbled through a mouthful of food.

The shopkeep tsked at him. "I've told you for the last several years that if you come to my shop I'll make them for you anytime."

"I think he needs the mental block of only eating them during Béke, otherwise he wouldn't stay in shape," Liliana teased, running a finger along the muscles of his free arm.

Drazen swallowed the last of his food and nodded. "Exactly."

The shopkeeper handed over four more cupfuls, and I paid her before the four of us continued our stroll around the stalls. Izidora and Liliana, unsurprisingly, stopped at several jewelry stands, oohing and aahing over the finely crafted rings and necklaces. Izidora wanted a set of tiny bands meant to fit around each knuckle, and I gladly handed over coins for them. The smile that crossed her face as she slipped them on was enough to make me weak at the knees.

"You're going soft." Drazen elbowed me in the side as we followed the females around.

I snorted. "Only for her. I still expect perfection from you and the guards. One fuck up, and you're done."

"Uh huh," Drazen responded, stealing a pastry from my cup.

I rolled my eyes and did not rise to his test. The throng of people around us was so thick that it was difficult to move, and the smells drifting on the breeze were an overwhelming mix of herbal concoctions, sharp metal, and sugary treats. I crinkled my nose at the combination, wishing for once that I didn't smell everything. Drazen did the same, though our female companions didn't seem to notice when they stopped in front of a stall selling soaps, candles, and salves. We waited several paces back to avoid the worst of the combination, and mutterings of ‘My King' filled the space around us as my subjects offered me the proper respect. I nodded in acknowledgment to most of them, though I refrained from speaking. Even though the Félvér numbers grew every year, power was still respected most of all in the Iron Realm, as with every other realm on the continent.

And I was the most powerful Fae, and Félvér, in the whole of it.

Finally, Izidora and Liliana returned to us, the two casually passing off their new items for us to hold before linking arms and beelining to a stall at the end of the stables. Mistik's gray head popped out of the open door, and she neighed merrily when she noticed her rider.

Drazen smothered a snicker as I followed, my arms laden with goods, smelling as unkingly as possible with the floral scents rolling off me. "What was it you wanted the other realms to see? Wealth, strength, and power?"

"Fuck off, Drazen," I grumbled with a hint of amusement.

Once Izidora finished giving her mare attention, I suggested we select lanterns for the following day's events before all the good ones were gone. Drazen led the way through the crowd until row after row of paper lanterns stretched toward the open doors of Ryza Citadel. They were a kaleidoscope of color, ranging from light hues that were cheery and bright to deep hues reminiscent of the night sky.

"What color is your favorite?" Izidora asked me, her eyes wide with the vast selection before her.

"I always get black," I stated, lifting one so dark it swallowed up all the light around it.

"Last year I got a light blue," Liliana said, standing on her tiptoes to gain a better view of the lanterns at the opposite end. "This year I think I might buy a green one."

"What about you, Drazen?" Izidora asked.

"I'm leaning toward this red one," he replied, selecting a scarlet color that reminded me of the blood I had spilled killing Izidora's former guards.

"Wander until you find a color that speaks to you," I encouraged my mate, gesturing for her to continue walking. With a wry grin, I dumped my armload of goods into Drazen's unsuspecting hands and followed her away while Liliana perused the lanterns nearby.

Slipping my freed hand into hers, I allowed her to lead me through the people, some bent over the spread of lanterns, examining the color and quality and asking questions about the craft. Every time Izidora stopped to admire one, I took the opportunity to scan our surroundings for any sign of Kazimir. Some of the other Night Fae were huddled together off in the distance, but thankfully, there was no sign of the new king.

King Airre and Queen Immonen were picking through a set of pastel-colored lanterns a dozen feet away, and I greeted them as we approached. "Your Majesties, are you finding everything you're looking for?"

"Oh, yes, these hues are lovely," Queen Immomen enthused, then turned to kiss Izidora on either cheek in greeting. "What color are you thinking, dear?"

Izidora lifted a single shoulder, then dropped it, her focus on the array of paper lanterns. "I haven't seen anything that I'm drawn to yet."

"I think I know just the one for you. It was a few stalls back," she exclaimed, tugging Izidora by the hand through the crowd. I kept a watchful eye on them as they lifted one after the other, examining them and chatting merrily as they did so.

I took the opportunity to speak to the king of the Crystal Realm without our mates around to distract us. "So, King Airre, I've been meaning to speak with you alone regarding King Kazimir, but I'm afraid my other duties have kept me quite busy."

"Oh? What about him?" King Airre responded, his attention divided between the lanterns and me, in an attempt to dissuade anyone around us from listening to our conversation by making it appear unimportant.

"Yesterday, after we returned from the hunt, he attacked Izidora." I allowed the words to fall with a seriousness that befitted them, my voice hardening over each word.

King Airre sucked in a sharp breath, subtly shaking his head after. "Did he lay hands on her?"

"Yes, he struck her across the face, then forced her to the ground and choked her." My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms as my fury flared anew.

The king's head snapped up. "Is she alright?"

"She was badly shaken but managed to defend herself until Zuriel, the Angel, came to her aid," I replied.

"I have let many things slide during my reign, but one I have never condoned is violence against females," the king of the Crystal Realm spat out, as disgusted with Kazimir's actions as I hoped he'd be.

"He is the newly crowned king of the Night Realm, but I find it inexcusable as well." Izidora and I had not been public about accepting the mating bond because of her worry that Kazimir would snap and do something crazy when he found out. But I knew the final card I needed to play to convince King Airre to break his alliance. Dropping my voice and leaning in so others would not overhear, I said, "Izidora and I have accepted our mating bond. You can understand how difficult it is for me to allow him to wander the halls of our home unchecked."

King Airre blanched, his lips drawing into a thin line before they broke into a grin and he clapped me on the shoulder. "Congratulations, King Ruslan. I am pleased for you both. I wish you all the happiness the Goddess has to offer. Being mated was the best thing that ever happened to me." His attention turned to his wife, still poring over the lanterns with my mate a few stalls away.

"As with me," I agreed, returning the gesture. "I hope we can continue to build relations between the Iron and Crystal Realms since we share such special bonds."

He regarded me for a moment before answering. "I would like that very much. Would it be possible to arrange a… private dinner for the monarchs of Day, Crystal, and Iron tonight?"

The wicked grin I wanted to display remained hidden beneath my carefully practiced mask as I answered. "That can be arranged. Why don't we dine on one of the balconies overlooking Radence? There is one with a lovely view I'm sure you would appreciate."

"As long as you have some fires going. It's too cold here," King Airre chuckled, feigning a shiver to emphasize his point.

"Noted. I'll send someone to fetch you this evening," I promised.

Izidora and Queen Immonen returned moments later, both carrying lanterns. The queen's was a light lilac shade that matched the color of her dress, and her husband immediately voiced his approval of her choice, kissing her until she shoved at his chest, claiming he would crush her selection.

Izidora returned to my side with a lantern so white that it nearly filled the whole courtyard with light. "It's perfect," I grinned down at her, tucking a lock of chestnut behind her ear.

"I think so too," she smiled back, melting my heart with how happy she was.

"You've always been my light in the dark, and now your lantern will guide mine to the Goddess like the beacon of hope that it is." I pulled her flush against me and pressed my mouth to hers, not caring who viewed their king showing his devotion to their future queen. In only a few days, we'd be married, mated, and crowned together, and I couldn't fucking wait.

A throat cleared behind me, forcing me to break away from Izidora. Drazen and Liliana waited there, both holding the lanterns they'd selected, plus the black one I'd picked out for myself. "Ready to go to the other side?" Liliana asked, her seafoam green eyes dancing with amusement.

"First, we need to make a trip upstairs. I have a feeling we'll be buying more," Izidora laughed, lifting some of her items from Drazen's precarious pile. I snatched my lantern before it tumbled to the ground, then grabbed Izidora's before saying goodbye to the king and queen of the Crystal Realm. The crowd had thinned, making it easier to navigate the distance between us and the open doors of the citadel. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I carried our things inside.

I had spoiled Izidora, but she deserved it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.