Chapter 44

Béke Day Twelve

"So what's the lineup for tonight?" I asked Drazen, who held several sheets of paper in his hand, shuffling through them as he tried to find his place.

"A ballet, fire jugglers, another dance, dog trainers, someone telling jokes, a poetry read–"

"No poetry," I cut Drazen off before he could finish. "Give them something for their time regardless, but there will be no poetry tonight."

His ocean-blue eyes lifted from his papers, along with a raised brow. "May I ask why?"

"Because of what happened to Izidora," I said, cracking my knuckles as the memory of her flashback in my tent during our trip between the Night and Iron Realms surfaced in my mind. "The last time she heard poetry, she lost touch with reality. She told me that her female keepers used to force her to recite it and punish her if she messed up."

Drazen paled, though his eyes flamed with anger. "That's so fucked up."

I nodded, lifting my glass to my lips and relishing the burn of alcohol in my throat. "That isn't even the worst of it. I forced her to tell me everything before I killed her guards. I wanted to feel every ounce of rage imaginable as I tortured them."

Drazen blew out a breath. "I don't blame you."

"So, no poetry," I emphasized.

"No poetry," Drazen repeated. "Anything else I should screen out of here?"

"Anything with whips." The scars across Izidora's back were enough to make me consider banning them in the Iron Realm. It was unfortunate that they gave us such an advantage over other Fae.

Drazen scribbled something in the margin of his paper. "Alright, I think that's it for me. Need anything before I go?"

"No, that will be all. Thanks, Drazen," I said, downing the last of my drink and hissing out the burn.

Drazen only made it halfway out the door before he leaned back to say something. "King Airre and Queen Viktoria are here, and they'd like to speak with you. Should I let them in?"

"Of course," I replied, hurriedly straightening the mess on my desk as the other monarchs entered. "Can I get either of you a drink? I do have water in here, Queen Viktoria."

She waved me off, the golden bangles around her wrist jingling. "We'll only be here a moment."

"Please have a seat." I gestured to the two lavish chairs across from me.

They did, the queen resting a hand on her belly. "We spoke with King Kazimir."

I raised a brow. "And?"

"We have broken our alliance with the Night Realm," King Airre declared. "We'd appreciate it if High Lords Aake and Soma could have an escort out of the Iron Realm."

"Consider it done," I replied, then shouted for one of the guards at the door.

"Yes, My King?" Kriath said, poking his head into my office. "Please fetch Drazen for me."

"Right away," he replied, closing the door softly behind him. Drazen appeared moments later, having evidently not gotten far.

"How can I help?" he asked, looking between the three monarchs in the room.

"Can you arrange an escort for two High Lords returning to the Day Realm through Ferzo Pass?"

Drazen turned his attention to me, a silent question in his gaze. I dipped my chin to signal my approval. "Absolutely. When would they like to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Queen Viktoria said. "We need to slip them out of the Iron Realm to stop the advance of the Crystal and Day Realms' forces."

That the king and queen were so forthcoming with me after all this time was a relief. The monarchs of északi liked to be reserved in their thoughts and opinions, lest they reveal an advantage to a potential adversary. "Please make the arrangements before you take care of the evening's entertainment," I instructed Drazen, and he nodded.

"I'll send a messenger to your rooms when the males are ready to depart." He addressed the monarchs. "The stablehands will saddle their horses in the meantime."

"Thank you, Drazen," King Airre said warmly, Queen Viktoria echoing the statement.

Once Drazen hurried to arrange for the High Lords's departure, I asked, "Do you think King Kazimir would try to prevent them from reaching the army?"

Queen Viktoria slumped in her chair. "I do not know what to make of King Kazimir anymore. But I will not risk my people by putting blind faith in someone who has binding magic."

"I understand the sentiment completely, Queen Viktoria," I replied. "What else can I do for you?"

"Nothing, King Ruslan. You've been incredibly helpful," King Airre said, rising from his seat. He offered his hand to me, and I clasped his arm in farewell.

"I hope to see you both tonight for the performances," I said, standing respectfully as they departed.

"We will be there." Queen Viktoria offered me a warm smile before disappearing through the door King Airre held open for her.

When it clicked shut, a wide grin rippled across my face, and I threw my head back in a manic laugh.

We fucking did it.

Kazimir was destroyed and discredited before Béke was even finished. The other realms readily broke their alliance, and I looked like the hero instead of the villain. Everything was playing out exactly as was needed to advance our agenda, and I couldn't wait to tell Izidora the good news.

"Sprite, I have something to tell you."

"You sound relieved. What is it?"

"The Day and Crystal Realms have broken their alliance with the Night Realm."

Her excitement coursed down our bond, mirroring my own.

"Zuriel is happy for us too. Do you think there will still be a war?"

Her question halted my exhilaration because my gut reaction was yes, and I knew she wanted to avoid bloodshed. If Kazimir hadn't been so aggressive with her since his arrival in the Iron Realm, I might have said no. But he was unstable and unsupported, and that was a deadly combination.

"Unfortunately, yes. I don't see Kazimir letting this go. You need to tell him that you accepted our bond and want to break off his."

I could almost see Izidora's annoyed expression – scrunched nose, a little huff of breath, eye roll – from my office.

"I will."

"When?"

"Tomorrow, I promise. Then we can have our wedding in peace."

Our bond hummed contentedly as we both basked in the knowledge that we'd be married in only a few days.

"I can't wait to tear that dress off you and call you my wife and my queen."

"Zuriel is rolling his eyes like he knows you're saying dirty things to me."

"When am I not saying dirty things to you?"

"Good point. We're almost finished with our lesson for the day, and then I'll see you in our apartment?"

"You will."

She disappeared from my mind, but the echo of her never really left me – not anymore.

A stage had been erectedin the ballroom, spanning an entire wall, with heavy gray velvet curtains lining either side and firelights controlled by a host of Iron Fae casting color on various parts of the stage. In front of it, rows and rows of chairs were arranged in a semi-circle, but at the back, a heavy table on a riser hosted more luxurious seating for the nobles of the realms in attendance. Outside the ballroom, the halls bustled with vendors selling treats to enjoy during the show, and I purchased a bagful of sweets for Izidora before carving a path for us into the ballroom. King Airre and Queen Immonen were already seated, and Izidora rushed to her side, Liliana and Domi joining them moments later, their heads bent in giggled conversation.

What they always had to chat about, I had no idea. I selected two seats for us, ensuring there was at least one on either side so Liliana had a place to sit as well, and poured three glasses of wine from the bottle waiting for us.

The ballroom buzzed with conversation as people navigated the rows and rows of chairs facing the stage, and I dipped my head to Zuriel and the other Telivér as they walked in. They ambled toward the back of the room, slipping into a nearly empty row close to us, for which I was grateful. Moments later, the Night Fae joined us, Kazimir's dark attention falling over Izidora immediately. As if she felt it, she glanced away from her conversation, eyes narrowing before she pointedly returned to it.

That's my fucking sprite.

She and Liliana bid goodbye to the other females, then joined me. Izidora chose to sit on my right, where there was less space between the Crystal Fae and us, preventing a large group from squeezing between. Liliana settled on her other side, and I passed the metal goblets in their direction, wine nearly sloshing over the rims.

"You know what I like most about you, Ruslan?" Liliana said.

"No idea," I deadpanned.

"You know how to pour a drink," she laughed, tipping back the glass and chugging. She sighed when the wine had vanished, then held out the goblet. "Can I have more?"

Rolling my eyes, I grasped the bottle and made a show of watching it fill to the brim before stopping. "Is that enough for you?"

"Yep," she said, popping the P. Izidora laughed at her friend's antics, and I squeezed her leg beneath the table.

"Do you need me to top you off too, sprite?"

Shamelessly, she pushed her glass to me. "Sure do."

I had to lean down the table for another bottle to fill her glass, and she eyed me hungrily while I did so. "Like the view?"

"It's definitely the nicest in the ballroom," she said, chewing her lip.

I caught her face in my hand, using my thumb to peel her lip away from her teeth. "Don't make me fuck you while the whole realm watches."

Her eyes heated, and she took the wine from me, pouring it into my glass instead of her own. "Better get drunk first."

"Is that a challenge?" I purred, snatching the alcohol back and filling her drink to the brim.

"Maybe," she whispered, her fingers trailing along my exposed forearm, tracing a tattoo there.

Our flirty encounter was interrupted by the scraping of chairs behind me, and I whipped around as the Night Fae took their seats to my left. Kazimir sat beside me in an open challenge, and I almost lost my shit and tackled him right there.

He was not allowed to be this close to my mate.

A growl rumbled in my chest, and Izidora's grip tightened on my arm in warning.

"Ignore him. He wants the attention, to make you look bad in front of the other realms. He probably knows we turned them against him."

She was right, but that didn't soothe my inner Dragon, who wanted to fight and protect his mate. I greeted every other Night Fae except for him before turning my back. I wasn't an empath, but the anger radiating off of him at the blatant disrespect was palpable, like pinpricks of hate spearing into my skin. Izidora's brows pinched like she felt it too, so I reminded her to block the emotions of everyone around us.

She nodded, eyes closing momentarily as she worked to block out all the demands on her attention pounding into her like a thousand silent raindrops. Our bond was thick, strong, and unbreakable, and while it acted like a steady stream of emotion and thought to one another, I couldn't begin to comprehend the enormous toll all of that took on her. I only hoped I didn't contribute even more stress to her with my own inner turbulence.

When she reopened her eyes, revealing those beautiful aquamarines I wanted to drown in, she looked lighter, her shoulders falling lower and a sigh escaping those perfect pink lips. Lifting my glass, I offered her a toast. "To a lovely evening with my future wife."

Her smile was devastating as she raised hers in turn. "I cannot wait."

Anton and Slavian dropped down on Liliana's other side, both holding glass bowls of popcorn. Slavian looked pointedly past me at Kazimir, raised his eyebrows, then shoveled a handful of food into his mouth, not caring that he missed and some fell to the floor around him.

"You alright over there, buddy?" he asked, slurring his words, and I rolled my eyes again.

"I am your king, Slavian, not your buddy," I scowled, leveling the same stare at an equally drunk Anton.

"Ruslan, you gotta come out to Steel again soon and bring Izidora. She had so much fun the other night at the ceremony," Anton whined, lifting his drink and sipping from it.

Liliana tossed her hair over her shoulder and perused the two noble Félvér beside her. Then, she dug her hand into Slavian's bowl and stole his food, casually popping piece after piece into her mouth. The two fixated on the movement like hounds drooling over their dinner. "I'll come any night," she said suggestively, saving me from having to respond to my High Lords.

Slavian's eyes flared with hunger, and three different scents of arousal hit my sensitive nose. I lifted my wine to my lips and sipped, trying to cover the smell. Izidora watched the exchange with barely veiled amusement, and for a moment the male behind me was forgotten.

Before their flirting could go any further, the lights dimmed around us, signaling the start of the performances. I scooted my chair closer to Izidora's so I could touch her – not in a sexual way, but rather because I wanted to feel her against me and know she was safe.

The same announcer from the competition greeted us, outlining the evening's entertainment and bolstering the excitement of the crowd. "For our first act, we have a ballet! Please welcome the dancers to the stage."

The crowd applauded as he departed, lights dimming momentarily before music filled the space and dancers leaped onto the stage. An array of colorful lights followed their movements, some acting as a landing pad for the astonishing leaps the dancers took through the air. They floated across the stage as if they were Crystal Fae dancing on water, movements so airy and elegant it was hard to imagine gravity having an effect on them. Beside me, Izidora leaned forward ever so slightly, enraptured by their movements. As the tension in the music heightened, the dancers twirled faster and faster, weaving flawlessly in and out of one another until the music stopped altogether, freezing them in place. A beat of silence passed, all dancers still as stone, the crowd holding its breath in anticipation of what would happen next. The lightest of notes cut through the stillness like the clanging of metal, and the dancers began flowing like a stream, running off in every direction as the music faded out.

Cheers followed them offstage as the audience went wild for their act, and after a few whistles they returned to give a series of bows and accept the flowers offered to them. Once the excitement had died down, the announcer returned, introducing the next performance. "Those of you on the front row might want to lean back if you don't want your eyebrows singed," he warned. "Please welcome the Firebreathers!"

A troupe of Iron Fae and Félvér took to the stage, splitting into groups of three across. On one end, a series of flaming hoops were lit, and the performers took turns leaping through them, displaying their bravery. In the front, a group juggled flaming balls and batons with expert care, and I covered my smirk with my hand as the crowd gasped as time and time again the three held the flaming balls in their hands without getting burned. Little did they know, the three performers in the front were all half Dragon Shifter, so the fire did not burn them. On the other side, three performers were setting up for their finale, building what looked like a mountain out of crates and boxes and covering them with gray sheets. The other sets began working their way around, giving them the space they needed to continue their uphill build, until finally they rose high above the crowd. One raced to the top, flaming batons in hand, and paused, surveying the area beneath him. Then with a mighty roar, he tilted his head back, brought the baton close to his face, and exhaled, breathing fire into the air and spewing it over the heads of the crowd. Once the flames died down, the crowd erupted in applause, and the performers bowed to the audience and tore down their set in rapid succession.

We watched another dance after the Firebreathers, then listened to a male tell jokes for far too long. By the time the hounds and their masters walked onstage, Izidora and Liliana were drunk, giggling, and falling all over each other beside me. I squeeze my mate's leg under the table to get her attention. "You're going to like this one, sprite."

"What are they going to do?" she asked with a slight hiccup.

"Watch and you'll see."

She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I sighed contentedly, reaching across to stroke her hair and turning my head to plant a kiss on her forehead.

The trainers shouted commands at their dogs, and they pranced across the stage, never looking away from their masters as they remained glued to their sides. They sat obediently when they halted, spun on command, then returned to their place. One pair broke away, centering themselves on the stage. The trainer produced a length of rope, showing it to the dog, then used a ladder to place it on a newly-erected stone wall at the end of the stage. The dog remained stationary while his master placed the rope, his eyes never leaving his prize. On command, the dog sprinted toward the wall, launching himself into the air as he scaled it, and snatched the bit of rope before backflipping off of the wall and landing lightly on the ground.

Izidora gasped beside me, her head lifting off my shoulder as her hands covered her mouth in shock. "That was amazing!"

"I thought you might like it," I smiled down at her.

Our attention returned to the stage, where the second dog jumped through the flaming hoops of the Firebreathers, fearless in his flight as he chased his master. After the fifth hoop, he turned sharply and raced to the second trainer, whose arm was thickly padded and extended to the hound. With an incredible display of force, he lunged for it and latched on to the padding, not letting go as the second trainer lifted him into the air. Only when his master shouted the command to release did he back away and begin barking at the second trainer.

"That is so fuckin' cool," Liliana slurred, clapping her hands.

"Agreed," Izidora said, wholly captivated by the show.

After a few more displays of obedience, the two pairs ended their act to an absolutely enthralled audience, the unique performance winning everyone over.

The ballroom brightened after they exited the stage, and the announcer returned, relaying the intermission information. I blinked rapidly at the change in light, and as my eyes adjusted I glanced to my left. A smug Kazimir still sat there, looking pointedly at me and then at my mate. Ignoring him, I returned my attention to Izidora. "Do you want to move around during the intermission or stay here?"

She yawned, covering her open mouth with the back of her hand. "I think I"ll move around. Otherwise, I might fall asleep. I had too much wine."

"But I need more," Liliana declared, shaking the empty bottles on the table in front of her.

"I can get you both more," Kazimir offered behind me, and Liliana glowered over my shoulder, a threat of death flashing in her eyes.

"On second thought, I think I agree with Izidora. I've had too much wine." The ice in her tone rivaled the glaciers in the Agrenak Mountains, and the wine must have emboldened her because words sharper than icicles speared out of her mouth. "Why are you sitting there, Kazimir? No one wants you here. You should just leave."

Izidora's eyes widened, and I snapped my head around just in time to see Kazimir shoot to his feet, eyes turning black. "I am your king, Liliana, and you will address me as such."

"How about no?" she challenged, and I held my breath, calling on my magic to defend the females sitting beside me.

"I will not tolerate your disrespect," Kazimir snapped, banging his fists on the table and causing the silverware to jump.

Seconds later, Vadim and Endre had their hands on Kazimir's arms and shoulders. "Liliana has had too much to drink, Kazimir. She won't remember what she said in the morning. Let's go get some food from the halls before the theater performance starts." Vadim tried to soothe his mad king, but the asshole shrugged him off.

Scraping back his chair, Kazimir leveled a disdain-filled look on Liliana. "Drunkenness is no excuse. Do better."

Vadim and Endre shot apologetic grimaces in our direction as they followed Kazimir out of the ballroom, and I released the breath I had been holding before cracking my knuckles one by one.

"Fuck him. You definitely made the right choice, Izidora," Liliana grumbled, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

"I think so too," she confirmed, looking up at me with so much love I couldn't imagine her making any other choice.

"I love you, mate."

"I love you too."

I ushered the females into the hall, keeping them close to me and using my heightened Dragon senses to watch for Kazimir. We ended up wandering around, mingling with people here and there, but the three of us were on edge from our earlier encounter. As the crowd began returning to their seats, I made a split-second decision. "Why don't we skip the theater performance?"

"What would we do instead?" Izidora asked.

"We can go to Roc and enjoy the hot springs on the ground floor. No other female has set foot there, and I don't want to bring Liliana with us unless you say it"s okay."

Izidora's aquamarine eyes softened, and she reached up to cup my cheek.

"You take such good care of me, Ruslan. No one has ever taken my thoughts and feelings into consideration like you have. You make me feel like the most special female in the world."

"Are you two talking through your bond again?" Liliana huffed, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

Izidora snickered and turned to her friend. "Yes. Do you want to come with us to our real home?"

Liliana lifted an eyebrow. "Real home?"

I dropped my voice so no one could overhear our conversation. "Roc Palace. I built it for Izidora and myself to enjoy, away from the citadel."

She swiped at her hair, then shrugged, as if she were trying to hide her jealousy. With how intoxicated she was, she couldn't cover her pinched expression and the way her attention drifted down the table toward Endre. "Sure, let's go."

"Follow me," I instructed, searching our surroundings for the stalker.

Slipping down a side hall, I navigated us to an empty room where we wouldn't be disturbed. There was an entry on both sides, so if someone had followed us, when they barged in they would think we had exited through the other door. Taking a deep breath, I tapped into the well of black fire in my chest, then grasped both the females' hands. The low chant of the spell to move us spilled from my lips, and Liliana jerked her hand as the magic settled over us. I tightened my grip, needing to concentrate on the words as I worked.

And then, we flew faster than light through the distance between Ryza and Roc as I bent space to return us to our home. When we halted in the entryway, I released them, and Liliana braced her hands on her knees, panting and swearing as she regained her bearings.

"The first time is always the worst," Izidora soothed, rubbing circles on her friend's back.

"What… the hell… was that," Liliana managed to say.

"Mage magic," I smirked. "Quite handy isn't it?"

She lifted her seafoam green eyes from the polished stone floor. "It's something." Straightening, she swayed slightly, and Izidora caught her arm to steady her.

Inhaling deeply, my shoulders relaxed with the knowledge that Izidora would be safe for the evening, tucked away in Roc Palace. Down the bond, I felt her loosen, that frantic energy that had been consuming her disappearing like smoke in the wind.

"To the hot springs?" she asked.

"Let's go." I led the way down the stairs to the bottom floor, and as we pushed through the door, the humidity blasted us, clothes immediately sticking to our skin.

"Wow, this is incredible!" Liliana exclaimed as she surveyed the space.

The underground grotto was all-natural, the stones still rough, as hot water piped up from a hole dug into the side of the mountain. Using my earth magic, I had shaped a few seats into the pool after my first few uses, wanting a place to recline rather than having to stand or squat in the water. Low lights flickered to life as we moved further into the space, enchanted so they created the perfect ambiance for relaxing, depending on the bather's mood.

Both females began tying their hair on the tops of their heads, and I turned my back to them as I stripped from my finery and laid it across a stone bench. The water soothed my soul as I entered it, the warmth seeping into my muscles and the healing minerals working their way into my skin. Ducking under the water, I wet my hair, slicking it back as I emerged. I waited to turn around until I heard splashing, Izidora and Liliana submerged in the water up to their collarbones.

"There are seats over there." I gestured to my left, and they glided through the water until they reached them. I joined them there, and the opaque green water swirled around us as a small geyser exploded with fresh heat.

"Why haven't we used this more?" Izidora groaned, sinking back into a comfortable position.

"We are always too busy. I had to ensure you were properly trained and strong." I planted a kiss on her forehead and scooted onto the rocks next to her before lifting my arms from the water and bracing them on the rock ledge behind me. She snuggled closer, leaning her head against my chest as Liliana took the seat across from us.

"You are the first female to set foot here besides Izidora," I told her.

"Really? Why?" she cocked her head to the side, studying me.

"Because I wanted this place to be special for her – for us. I never wanted her to feel like she was an afterthought."

"Fuck me, why can't I find a male like you?" she groaned, and Izidora giggled beneath my arm.

"Do you mean a villain, a king, or something else?" I smirked.

"For what it's worth, you may have started as a villain, but I don't think you are anymore – not really," Izidora murmured, lifting her head from my chest to look at me.

"Then I am not doing my job in scaring you enough, sprite," I whispered, my hand reaching from behind her to grasp her throat.

"The scent of your fear mixed with your arousal was and always will be my favorite combination."

A rosy red crept up her chest to her cheeks, and I knew it wasn't from the steam swirling around us.

Liliana interrupted our moment with a scoff. "How about a male who thinks about me first? I'd settle for that. You saw how Endre chose Kazimir over me earlier."

"I'm sorry, Lil," Izidora said, floating through the water to embrace her friend. I let her go, knowing that the two of them needed each other.

Wanting to change the subject away from the one that plagued my every waking thought, I asked, "So what does Izidora's dress look like?"

Liliana's mood shifted immediately. "Nope, I am not telling you a thing. You have to wait to be surprised."

I protested, but she and Izidora held firm, insisting that it would be better if I waited. After that, conversation floated around our upcoming wedding, the decor the temple would have as we took our vows and our crowns before the Goddess, and our plans for after Béke.

We remained in the spring until we grew lightheaded and sweat poured from our temples. As we dried off and prepared to return to the citadel, a twinge of sadness speared my heart, for in a few days' time, Béke would be over, and I did not know for certain if Liliana would stay or if she would return with her brother and the Night Fae to the Night Realm.

For Izidora's sake, I wanted her to stay.