28. Arim

Chapter 28

Arim

A s we walked through the castle toward the commons looking for Sava, I stared at the back of Lexa's dark head, my mind a whirl of chaos. My emotions ran the gamut from one end to the other. Grief for my sister's untimely departure, joy that I finally had Lexa where I wanted her — in love with me — and fear that my happiness might be taken away before it had a chance to take root.

Our relationship had taken a drastic turn. Through it all, my little Dark Lord remained tough as nails and twice as sharp. Though I'd had her screaming my name in ecstasy and in love, the cold, emotionless shield that encased so much of her feelings remained intact.

The caution that seemed so much a part of her had yet to fade. I wanted to press Lexa up against the wall and fuck her until she cried my name out loud again, showing me, if not telling me, what she felt inside.

Several Light Bringers passed us, staring in fear. A few Church brethren glared with hostility, bringing home the very real problems we would need to face soon. Still, I couldn't stop looking at her, feeling the touch of her soft skin under my palm, the spicy taste of her on my tongue, and the exotic scent of Dark and danger she emitted like the sultriest of perfumes.

A cautious part of me suddenly reared its head.

Mother of Light. Had I lost all sense? My sister was gone, another casualty in our war against an evil blood-drinker and Dark Lord, and I drowned in love for my enemy's sister.

Rationally, my decisions made little sense. Emotionally… How could I consign Lexa to the same hatred I felt for her sibling and many of her kind? Lexa was as much a victim of Dark manipulation as her family had been. I rubbed my forehead as a familiar headache surfaced. Thoughts of the life I'd lead before coming to Tanselm remained foggy, my one connection to that life now swimming in the Next.

Ravyn had died, but Lexa lived. She needed me, whether or not the stubborn witch would admit it. She had a lot of issues to deal with, the least of which would be facing her last sibling, a creature more demon than man. And she was surrounded by what she no doubt still considered the enemy, a Light Bringer populace that would as soon hang her as welcome her.

Lexa had already suffered much at Light Bringer hands. The notion made me pause. Could I expect her to put the past aside and start fresh? She had a clear right to her anger. She'd been blamed for a crime she hadn't committed and lost a loving family, only to inherit twisted relatives emotionally barren of anything akin to affection.

Dark individuals like Sin Garu, Balen, and Ini were a veritable hell in every sense of the word. I thanked the Light that at least Ini and Balen had died and no doubt would writhe in hell for eternity. Now I just had to convince Sin Garu to join them.

Walking past several Light Bringers sorcerers and one Churchman I definitely needed to talk to, I noted the absence of children in the halls — a safety precaution — and couldn't help wondering if Lexa was carrying my child.

I'd tried but had detected no signs of life in her womb, though I knew it was likely too soon to really tell. Even my magic had a hard time seeing through Lexa's Darkness, and a baby could only have been conceived hours, or even days, ago.

Still, the thought of my child made my heart soar and balanced much of my grief. Ravyn had gifted my nephews, and me, with that final goodbye. Word of her sons and daughters expecting a new generation of Light Bringers would please her. Just as soon as I took care of an evil Dark Lord bent on world dominion, I'd do my best to add to the royal brood. As the royal uncle, I and my powerful Dark Lord wife would do much to heal the land's hurts…provided we all lived long enough to conceive.

I snorted, ignored Lexa's concerned glance, and walked faster toward the commons, where Sava waited. If Lexa really thought I'd allow her to put herself in danger, she wasn't as smart as I thought her to be. Yes, I'd admit that together, our magic was more powerful. But Lexa was still missing a part of her Light-forsaken soul . Fuck. I seethed just thinking about it.

If that weren't bad enough, the little fool had just healed me at a cost to herself. She'd been weak before I'd given her my energy, and in her bid to return the favor, she'd given me back more than she should have. Which didn't explain why I felt odd bursts of incredible strength mixed with a weakened pulsing of Light.

But all that could wait. I had an evil Dark Lord to obliterate. I made a mental list of the spells I'd need to review, as well as the weapons I planned to take with me. My staff, a Light-edged knife, a quick trip to Tanselm's healing fountains deep within Morn Mountain.

Morn Mountain — a place not many knew about because it was so Dark and because the land would only allow a privileged few the knowledge.

Ravyn and I had visited the well many times. But never with Faustus. And never with my nephews. Though I'd thought it odd at the time, I didn't question Tanselm's right to share her power. She'd given me added strength, and now I needed to use it to the best of my ability to heal the savaged land.

Sin Garu had lost whatever right to life he'd had. Killing Light Bringers and Storm Lords was wrong, but the threat to Lexa's life brought out my Darkest emotions. Though I mourned my sister's passing with my whole heart, I couldn't contain my fury at thoughts of Sin Garu harming Lexa.

"Arim? Your eyes are doing that funky rainbow thing," Lexa murmured and took the lead, tugging me after her toward the commons.

In the brief span it took us to reach the eating area, I regained control. Sava nodded to us warily, his gaze keen on us as we joined him and four Light Bringer females crowding Sava's space. Fans of the charming Aellein king, no doubt.

Littered with plates of sweets, snacks, and goblets of ale, the table had filled with beautiful, gracious ladies feeding Sava from their fingers.

"Typical." Lexa huffed and sat with me across from Sava. She frowned at the besotted ladies. "He's busy. Find someone else."

They gasped at my "dreaded Dark Lord" and scurried away.

Sava grinned, and I couldn't help laughing even as I shook my head. "Blue, you're really going to have to learn to use tact."

"Oh? Why?" She tilted her head in question, the cocky look one she'd perfected over the years.

Sava chortled and drank what smelled like cinarum.

"Who the hell gave you that?" I wanted to know. The cinarum stores were preciously guarded, the spiced drink one that Ravyn used to pull out for special occasions.

And once again, my heart pinged at our recent loss.

Sava shrugged. "One of the women in the kitchens found it. Does it matter?" He drank again, closing his eyes in bliss, and grinned at Lexa's irritation.

"Could we focus on Sin Garu for a minute? I think your belly — and your ego — should hold."

Sava frowned. "What has you so irritated?" He sneered at us, including me in his aggravation. "You've at least slaked your hungers. Let me deal with mine."

"Please." Lexa rolled her eyes. "Does it really take four women to ‘slake your hungers'?"

"There were five here. One of them went to fetch more sweets before you rudely interrupted."

"Great. Five women. Whatever. We need to hit Sin Garu now while we know where he is."

"What's the sudden rush?" Sava fingered his goblet and narrowed his gaze on us. "The Dark Lord has yet to leave his haven in Orfel, and that means his Netharat can't be too far away. The wraiths and Shadren pop in and out of that place at all hours. Only the Djinn remain conspicuously absent. I figure that's because even they draw the line at so much blood and gore saturating any one place."

"And you know this how?" Lexa's suspicion echoed mine.

"I left a spell in place to alert me to Sin Garu's movements, but I don't think he cares who knows where he is. He's suddenly very open to anyone who wants a peek. If I didn't know better, I'd think he's waiting for you."

"Then let's not disappoint." Rage flared, and I fed the fiery anger burning within me. Just let that fucking blood-drinker try to touch Lexa again. I would feed him his head in one bloody lump before I'd see Lexa harmed.

"Look, you two, we have to be careful ." Sava's words dripped with sarcasm. "Arim, you're supposed to be having a calming effect on Lexa, but it seems as if our bloodthirsty little Dark Lord is affecting you." He scowled at Lexa's grin. "With the demon world sapping Tanselm's strength, you're both going to have a hard time defeating Sin Garu. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that may help."

I considered my friend. Though I sensed the ultimate battle would be between myself and Sin Garu, I didn't have the energy I knew I would need to fight through the Netharat and the demons to conquer the Dark Lord.

"The demons are going to be a problem."

"You're telling me," Lexa murmured.

"Which brings up a good point." I knew this would be the hardest part of the planning. Convincing Lexa to remain behind. While I realized I had lost significant power, Lexa's healing had leveled us both off. Now neither of us were at full strength but middling somewhere between. "Lexa, you're going to have to stay here."

She stared at me, her gaze chilling. Her rebuttal, when it came, was both expected and brutal. "You're nothing without me, as well you know. You healed me in a moment of irrational sentimentality, and now you're paying the price. Healing me as you did degraded your power, something no self-respecting Dark Lord would ever do. Hell, I'd be surprised if you could take Sava down." Her blue eyes were pale in her already white face, but the glare she blasted me with had the room lowering in temperature.

"Thanks a lot." Sava shot her a frown and rubbed at his arms. "She's ill-mannered but speaks true. How are you going to manage Sin Garu at his full strength and then some, courtesy of demon magic? His blood drinking has eroded much of his mind already, but the demons have totally turned him from anything you once knew."

"And that's my point." Why did Sava have to be so obnoxious about this? Having already lost Ravyn, I couldn't stand to lose Lexa, too. "You don't seem to realize… Lexa? Where are you going?"

Right in the middle of our argument, she rose from the table and walked away.

"I have to use the facilities. All this foolishness is making me ill," she said over her shoulder and stalked toward the far wall of the hall. "I'll be back before you can blink, so don't even think about leaving me behind."

She not only looked mad, but a glimmer of hurt lurked in her gaze. As if my wanting to keep her safe and away from danger was some kind of rejection.

"Lexa, love, you have to understand —"

She stopped and turned to glare at me. "No, you have to understand. This is a battle you alone can't win. Get that through your small, idiotic, Light Bringer brain. Because you're stuck with me whether you like it or not." That said, she stalked away, the heels of her boots sparking blue as a trail of anger followed her from the hall.

I sighed with frustration and turned to see Sava grinning like a fool.

The Aellein king took another draught of cinarum. "How the mighty have fallen. As Jonas likes to say, ain't love grand?"