4. Arim

Chapter 4

Arim

R avyn stated, "Reports of attacks on Djinn and Aellei have been coming in. It's not just the northern and eastern kingdoms with problems. In Marcus's territory to the south, the rilk forest has begun dying, the trees decaying from within. Our healers and sorcerers are baffled. Here in the west, the Church has been stirring unrest in the marketplace. Questions about the royal affai and —" Ravyn stared into my eyes — "your loyalty has been challenged."

" My loyalty?" I didn't understand.

Darius was happy to explain it to me. "Those dickhead — sorry Mother, but you know it's true — Church brethren are implying that since you helped Lexa to heal, you've fallen under Dark enchantment."

I could feel the heat behind my eyes, anger building. " What? "

"Yeah. Apparently, doing the decent thing and not killing a vulnerable, unprotected female now goes against everything we stand for. I don't get it either." And I don't think our walls are safe anymore , Darius projected to me, using the telepathy he'd inherited from Ravyn. Mother's still recovering from Sin Garu's attack and doesn't hear the things I can. There are those among the Light Bringers that seek to overturn Storm Lord leadership.

I frowned. We'll speak about this later. Say nothing to your mother. She doesn't look as if she can handle any more stress.

Darius discreetly nodded. He shot Ravyn a concerned glance and turned back to Marcus to agree with his brother's latest tangent about instilling a curfew at night, to better protect the people from Netharat invaders.

While my nephews came up with a game plan to better secure the people, I tried to see past my sister's inner shields. How injured was she? Like Lexa, Ravyn had fallen during an attack by Sin Garu. For weeks, she'd lain unconscious, her energy perilously low. None of the Light Bringer sorcerers had been able to help her.

Until Lexa had restored my sister's power.

I still didn't understand it and planned to fully interrogate Lexa when I found her again. Why would she do something so out of character? For that matter, why help my family at all? She'd saved Ravyn, Aerolus, and Cadmus. Had turned both her Dark Lord kin into blood-drinkers, which had weakened them substantially. She'd even had a hand in Balen's death.

But why? There had to be a sinister motive in there somewhere, something I didn't see or couldn't see because I was still too close to her.

Despite the years and battles between us, the passion between us remained. Hell, taking care of her had soothed me in ways I couldn't explain, even as it bothered me to still feel for the murderous — I glanced at Jonas — alleged murderous, Dark Lord.

Why am I concerned with Lexa when my sister sits wounded before me? Shaking free of my traitorous desire that should no longer exist for the enigma constantly taunting me, I focused again on Ravyn.

The idea floating in her mind shocked me into speech. "You know who the next overking of Tanselm will be?"

The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to my sister.

I didn't understand why she hadn't told me before now. Like me, Ravyn possessed a strong background in sorcery. Though she was a Valens by birth, she'd kept our sibling bond a secret from everyone until a few months ago.

Ravyn commanded Tanselm's magic and wielded it with astonishing skill. She had talents that ebbed and flowed as she aged. The telekinesis that had once been her strongest gift had faded decades before, but her telepathy remained powerful. She still commanded the lightning her husband, a powerful Wind Mage much like Aerolus, had mastered when alive. And now, apparently, Ravyn could still tell the future — an ability she'd passed on to Cadmus recently.

"Mother?" Darius croaked. "Who is to be the next overking? Which of us will create the next Royal Four?"

"Tell us, please," Aerolus said with a smile, seemingly the only Storm Lord not panicked at thoughts of ruling all of Tanselm.

"She isn't pregnant yet, and until she gives birth, I'll say no more." Ravyn glared at me. I'll talk to you about this later. Had I wanted any of them or you to know, I'd have said something. Now stop digging through my mind. You're giving me a headache trying to repel the intrusion.

I released my mental hold on my sister, shocked she would have kept anything from me at all. From the time I'd been old enough to understand our place in the world, we'd bonded with a strength that had withstood curses, spells, and familial deceit. Even while Faustus lived, Ravyn and I had maintained that blood bond, though in secret from all but her husband.

The Valens name, once synonymous with fear and death, had undergone a transformation centuries ago after Ravyn had recreated herself to marry the man she loved, King Faustus Storm. Yet she'd pledged to remain faithful to me, her last living blood relative, and she had. Keeping our relationship secret had protected me as much as it had helped her. Only recently had we shared our relationship with my nephews, and only with the Royal Four and their affai.

For Ravyn's ceaseless selflessness and dedication to helping those in need, Tanselm had chosen Ravyn to birth the next generation of Storm Lords. Not only that, but the land and the Light had graced me with the power to protect my sister and her children, so that they might one day return the favor, defending Tanselm.

But I hadn't protected my sister well enough. My inattention when it had been needed most had given Sin Garu the opportunity to kill not only Ravyn's beloved husband, but almost herself as well. I took a deep breath, trying to release the rage roiling within.

I would do none of us any good by sinking in self-blame, not when I had a kingdom, a sister, and my nephews and their wives to protect. Logically, I knew I couldn't have protected Faustus from the insidious Djinn poison that had killed him, considering a loyal servant had served it. Emotionally, I couldn't help second-guessing the measures I'd once ordered to protect the king.

"Sorry," I murmured to her before standing and addressing the others. "I'm going to take Ravyn back to her chambers. The rest of you, continue to plan our defenses. And Cadmus, focus. You need to see when Sin Garu plans to hit next."

Cadmus nodded.

I took Ravyn by the arm and helped her to her feet, concerned when she glared but said nothing about not needing my help. That she clearly did spoke volumes, and her sons noted as well, their faces strained with the knowledge.

"Jonas," I continued, walking with Ravyn from the table. "Stay here and gather our Djinn allies. I want you and Cadmus to keep a sharp eye on your people. I have a feeling one of them is not as innocent in all this as he appears."

"Why do you say that?" Jonas didn't protest the accusation, and his lack of defense told me what I wanted to know.

"Just keep a sharp eye out. In the meantime, the rest of you watch your affai. Sin Garu has thus far failed in his attempts to prevent the next coming of the Storm Lords. But if he harms any of your women before they conceive, Tanselm will fall."

Ravyn nodded. "I've seen this possibility. It's not pretty. You must take care of my new daughters."

Darius nodded. "We will, Mother." His gruff voice softened as he stared at her hand clutching my forearm for support. "Now why don't you let the new Royal Four take over the city's defenses and get some rest? You must remain strong. We still have need of our overqueen."

"And of our mother," Aerolus added, his eyes bright. "Please, go with Arim. I'll send Alandra to you soon."

I thought about it. "No. Keep her in the east with the Aellei. She's safer there. Cadmus, the same goes for Ellie. Jonas, you and the select Djinn you trust play bodyguard."

Jonas nodded, his expression tight.

"Marcus and Darius," I continued, "send Tessa and Samantha to the keep to help your mother. Ravyn, don't argue." I halted her objection before she started. "This will keep both affai safer than they would be without you. And they won't argue if you tell them they're needed."

Darius raised a brow at me. You want Samantha and Tessa with Mother to keep her safe, or to keep them safe and out of the way?

Both. Despite my reasoning, the plain truth is that your mother needs to take her mind off her worries. Having her daughters near comforts her. It makes her think of babies and a future instead of the bleak promise of death coming for the land.

"Good idea." Darius nodded with vigor. "Mother, tell Samantha how much you need her with you. It would put me at ease to know she's safe with you. She's a little bloodthirsty when it comes to setting fire to invading Netharat."

Marcus agreed. "Tessa will listen to you over me. For some reason, she questions everything I tell her." But he didn't sound displeased.

Cadmus snorted. "That's because you don't tell her anything. You order her around."

"I do not." Marcus sniffed, but I could see the smile in his blue eyes. "I lovingly suggest . I am, after all, her lord and master."

"Lord and Master? Please. She'd kick your ass if she heard that. From what I hear, the master thing is more Aerolus' department," Cadmus ragged, earning a flush from the tight-lipped Wind Mage.

I stared at my nephew. I'd once overheard Alandra saying something of the sort to Ellie, and the two had shared a wicked laugh, but I'd believed her to be joking. Apparently, my nephew liked to play games in bed…something I hadn't wanted to know. At all.

I shook my head at him. "It's always the quiet ones."

Ravyn coughed, not managing to hide her laughter, and tugged me away from the others. "Before Aerolus gets any redder, let's go back to my chambers. We have a few things to discuss in private."

I teleported us both to her room. Ravyn had never believed that I no longer cared for Lexa, so I was fully prepared to stave off any more questions about Lexa and my nonexistent feelings for the woman.

What I wasn't prepared for was to see Ravyn's dead husband, Faustus, shimmering with the glow of the afterlife, waiting for us with open arms.