Chapter Fifteen

S weat ran down Liana's back while the carriage ambled down the winding road from the castle into the city. The day had been cooler with overcast skies and autumn approaching, yet she felt stifled. Flinging open the windows, she whipped up a breeze through the carriage.

"Liana, you are fidgeting," Damien commented, his nose pressed into a stack of papers. They were finally on their way to Charlotte's wedding celebration after spending two days at her family's home to keep an eye on Charlotte. Ranville had taken far longer than they'd allotted for him to plan an appropriate celebration that would quiet any of the gossips surrounding their private marriage ceremony.

Damien gave up too much of his time during these last two days, eating dinner both nights with her and her family and even stayed in her old bedroom. Their butler, Henry, had been beside himself with the presence of the King. Damien didn't bother bringing any of his own staff which left Henry with free reign of going completely overboard on accommodations and excess comforts that neither of them needed.

In all of the dramatics, Damien had fallen behind in his work which is why she didn't bother him now. At least, she tried not to.

"I am fine. Focus on your work." Crossing her arms, she stared out the window trying to force her thoughts onto more pleasant things like magic studies because the last place she ever wanted to go was to Ranville's home.

"Wife, you know better by now than to attempt to divert my attention from you." He set his papers beside him. "Now, tell me what has you so bothered."

"There is plenty to be bothered about." The list grew by the minute. Something Liana didn't quite know how to deal with other than to ignore it.

"Probably right about that, but we both know there is something." He reached for her hand and pulled her arms from their clenched position.

She knew he wanted the truth. Knew that he only ever wanted to help her or to make her feel better. It would end with him getting his way, so she saved them both time and arguing, and explained, "It's where we are going. Ranville's home. I've never been inside, aside from that cell, nor do I want to go anywhere near it."

A growl came from Damien at the mere mention of her past torture. "I feel like a fool. You didn't mention anything before, so I thought you were okay going back there. You may return to the castle. I will go alone and say you are feeling under the weather."

Liana brought his hand up for a kiss. "You are too good to me," she said then let out a wistful sigh, his attention and worry enough of a balm on her nerves. "I sincerely appreciate it, but I am going. Besides, if you tell everyone I am feeling unwell they will assume I am pregnant." There would be no pregnancy this month, but they'd try again next month, not that Damien pressured her about it. In fact, they never talked about children.

He huffed and picked up his papers once more. "It would certainly take the attention off your sister and Ranville's abrupt elopement."

Liana didn't want to entertain the idea of making herself even more the center of attention. "What are all those papers? Can I help you with any of them? Perhaps it will distract me."

He pulled one from the bottom of the stack. "Letters addressed to me. My squire reads through all of them and passes on the most important things. If anything needs to be done regarding the letter, make a decision and jot a note down at the bottom."

Eager to be of help, she started to read. By the time they pulled up to Ranville's home, the stack was completed. Damien only briefly glanced at her notes before giving her a nod and asked if she could magically send them back to his squire to deal with.

Damien took her hand with a reassuring squeeze. "You will get through this, Liana. We only need to make an appearance then we can go."

She only nodded before a soldier opened the carriage door. Damien exited first, Liana keeping a shield around them both even though he had his protection charm. Luckily there were no large groups of people waiting for them. By design, they arrived slightly late to avoid waiting in a carriage line which would potentially open them to attack. Liana had never been so attuned to her own safety or others. Nor had she been so paranoid before, not even with her magic being discovered before she understood why it terrified her.

Music greeted them when the butler opened the door to Ranville's estate. Damien led her into the grand mansion with her hand in the crook of his arm, making their way to the ballroom. As soon as they entered, the music cut out and the chatter slowly fell into silence.

"King and Queen Damien Ashwood," the butler announced. The room bowed and curtsied as one. A glance around told Liana all she needed to know about the attendees. They were all mage. Not a single other person from another breed was in attendance, although Liana knew Charlotte was good friends with a few shifters that she would have liked to be present.

Liana spotted Charlotte with her questionable husband and their family standing across the room surrounded by well-wishers, or more likely gossips. The group acknowledged their presence once more when Liana and Damien joined them. A servant arrived with a tray with two glasses of wine, which she gratefully took, before anyone could get a word in.

Damien lifted his glass toward the couple. "Frank, Charlotte, may the gods honor your marriage with many blessings."

"Many blessings," the group intoned before sipping their wine. Liana gulped hers down.

"Your Majesty, we were just talking about the latest victory over the rebels," Lord Kent boasted, his young wife hanging on his arm. "Such a pity that boy got caught up in all this. He had such a promising future in the mage community."

That boy had been rude and entitled like most male mage in Liana's opinion. She should have known he would be part of the rebels after his comments at the brunch.

"It is truly a shame to lose any citizen of Triaedian to the rebel cause," Damien replied expertly.

Lord Kent pushed on. "It's those country folk that are more susceptible to the separatist ideals. They live out there with hardly any interaction between the breeds like we do here in the city. We mingle with one another every day without a thought about it. They're too secluded out there."

Liana didn't know much about the rural populations of their kingdom. She'd only ever visited another major city. They'd traveled past remote cottages and farms on the way and had to admit that they were far removed from their neighbors. Perhaps the boorish mage had a point, as much as she hated to admit it.

"I can see how you would think that," Damien started. "Although, it is not the location of the person but the morals they uphold that dictates their actions and beliefs. If location were the issue, there wouldn't be a single rebel in this city."

Lord Kent kept his face plastered with a genteel smile. "Quite right, Your Majesty. I for one hope the whole mess ends swiftly. Why they keep regrouping is beyond me. Time and time again, they have proven how outnumbered they are. They cannot win against the might of the royal army."

Ranville interjected his thoughts. "I do not agree with the situation, but I admire their tenacity. If all mage had the same dedication to their magic, we'd have far more boys entering into the school. As it stands, our numbers are down another two this year. At this rate, there will be no mage left to take over the council."

Liana spoke without thinking. "Perhaps it is not the lack of discipline or desire to study but the cost of your prestigious school, Master Ranville. If I recall correctly, the tuition started to rise ten years ago, which coincides with the declining number of applicants."

Ranville barely looked at her while she spoke, instead, glancing to the dance floor where few happy couples performed. "The school has a high cost of maintenance. If they want to learn from the best, they must pay for the best. Your Majesty," he added on after a long pause.

Classes were held in the council building. The only thing they had to pay for was boarding and the professors. The outrageous fees were meant to keep any but the elite and wealthy out of their school.

"If you seek such funding, then the daughters of the wealthy mage are just as capable. Surely, they're not beneath your notice. How could we be with how much we sparkle with all the jewels we wear?" Liana felt Damien's hand slide across her back and rest at her hip in an attempt to keep her grounded.

Lady Kent cackled, breaking Liana's glare toward the insufferable male. "How right you are, Your Majesty. But I hear you have no need of schooling. I heard you are plenty capable on your own." She leaned in as if it was a secret although everyone could still hear her. "Is it true you supplied potions and magic to the homeless? Even to vampires and shifters?"

Liana's rage dove into fear at the mention of her extracurricular activities and at the mention of her magic. She forced herself to calm, reminding her magic that they were not in danger anymore. "I've ended that particular hobby."

Lady Kent put a hand to her chest. "Where did you learn such magic? How did you learn it?"

Liana did not like the direction this conversation had taken. "I taught myself from books. But today is not about me. We are here to celebrate my sister and her marriage. Have they had their first dance yet?" she asked, quickly changing subjects.

Lady Monroe clapped her hands together. "Oh! They have not. Come on you two, your dance is waiting." Bless her mother. For once, she saved Liana with her heavy handedness.

Their mother halted the four-piece orchestra then shooed everyone out of the way before urging the newlywed couple into the center. She motioned their father over hurriedly, her eyebrows up to hairline the only sign of her annoyance that he wasn't already standing beside her.

Lord Monroe cleared his throat. "Welcome. Thank you all for attending this joyous celebration of my firstborn daughter's marriage. I've known Frank since he was born, and I couldn't have chosen a better man to take care of my daughter. His father was my mentor when I was just a lad learning the basics and I know Frank Ranville the Third will uphold the same level of expertise, compassion and prestige for generations to come."

Magic surged to her fingertips at the mere mention of that vile man. The last thing Frank Ranville the Second could ever be called is compassionate. That man locked a child in a cell and beat her for days. Liana pushed the memories to the back of her mind while Damien pulled her tighter into his side.

Har magic leapt into him, needing an outlet. The only sign he felt what was happening was the tightening of his arm around her. Magic glided through his arm, into his chest where it twined around his heart before finding the little piece of itself woven into his head. They danced around each other for a moment, her magic prodding at the piece.

"What are you doing?" Damien questioned into her mind.

"Nothing. It's acting on its own again. I can try to stop it," she offered, already pulling back.

"No. It doesn't feel malicious. But I do have the sudden urge to rip Ranville's head from his body."

Liana turned into him as the music started and the couple began their dance. "I'm fine. It wasn't this Ranville that hurt me."

Damien hugged her closer, his nose going to the crook of her neck to inhale deeply. "I don't particularly care at the moment. I think your magic is trying to warn me about him."

"I thought you investigated him already."

"We did. I personally beat his face bloody before Kinley removed his memories."

Liana found herself smiling at his words despite the seriousness of the moment. "I'm glad you had a bit of vengeance."

He pulled back, a vicious smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "I did, my blood thirsty queen."

She chuckled. "You are the vampire in this relationship, in case you've forgotten."

He spun her around and pulled her backside tightly against his front. "I'll never forget the addictive taste of you." Planting a kiss to his claiming mark, he didn't bother hiding his affection from the room of mage staring at them. They should have been watching the newlywed couple during their dance, instead, all eyes were on them. Liana's cheeks heated.

"Everyone is staring."

"Of course they are. They are jealous that I get you all to myself." He kept his hands latched around her waist, not letting her move away.

Liana glanced around the room noting the obvious disdain on some of the older males' faces. Most of the women stared with either desire or jealousy.

The music drifted to an end, changing into the next song. Couples joined on the ballroom floor, Damien dragging her out as well.

"I think the females are jealous that I get to be loved by you," she countered, falling into his arms and into the steps of the dance easily. His smile lit up her whole world.

"Are you truly complimenting me? Is there a qualifier coming?"

Laughing, she shook her head. "No qualifiers or modifiers. I'm being serious for once. Being loved by you is truly a gift."

His eyes softened. "I can say the same to you. My world is infinitely brighter with you in it."

As they danced around the room, she spotted Ranville once more. His glowering face annoyed her to no end, but the simmering fear and rage of her magic had quelled. Liana narrowed her eyes at her husband. "It is also a gift, or a curse, that you handle me so well." He always knew how to distract and calm her.

That familiar brow rose in question. "Handle you? You are not a horse, nor am I a stable master."

"You understand my meaning. You've always been able to read me, to manipulate your words and actions to suit me. From the very start, you meticulously planned how to court me."

He shrugged a shoulder. "I knew what I wanted, and I knew you. I did what I had to do to make you see past your own bias towards men and the patriarchy to let me in."

She huffed. "Manipulation is what I'd call it."

"A bit, yes," he admitted freely. "I wouldn't change a thing."

Liana felt a bit affronted by his blunt admission, but also couldn't quite bring herself to care. Her next words slipped out without a thought, "Do you ever feel burdened by the extra care and thoughtfulness it takes to love me?"

His feet halted, dragging her to a stop as well. Eyes hard and unyielding, he pulled her off the dancefloor and out of the ballroom. He didn't stop until they were outside and hidden amongst the beautiful garden.

Hands cupping her face, he let the love in his eyes shine through. "Liana, you are never a burden. Not a single moment have I ever thought that. I love every part of you… except for your willingness to put yourself in danger," he amended, breaking the tension.

She smiled, blinking away tears. "I believe you love me. But wouldn't it be easier to love someone else?"

"I have no idea. Nor do I ever want to find out. I loved other women before, but I have never loved someone like I do you. I can't explain it well. All I know is that you consume my mind. Everything I do to make you happy makes me feel strong and worthy of every moment you grace me with a smile or your attention. Not once have I thought that you require too much of my effort. You deserve all of it and more."

Ducking her head, she wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you, Damien," she whispered. Maybe the gods did curse her with this powerful magic. But they made up for it by blessing her with Damien.

"I feel far more at peace now than when we arrived," she teased.

He growled in response. "I'm glad to hear it, but I still want to turn this home into rubble, along with its owner."

She patted his chest. "I didn't get a knight in shining armor, I got a bloodthirsty vampire," she teased.

He puffed up his already muscular chest. "We're far stronger and ruthless."

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss and sent a silent prayer to the gods and goddesses for him.