Chapter 55

Chapter 55

T he bright spring sun was warm on Ryenne’s pale cheeks. She tipped her head, ignoring the stiffness in her neck and the pain in her back, closing her eyes against the glare.

She was always so cold now. Every muscle and joint in her body ached. Her skin sagged, her once-lovely blonde hair now grayed and thin. Most days, she could hardly get out of bed or leave her rooms.

Of course, that had nothing to do with her age. She’d been a shell of herself for months, ever since her seven Armature were brought down to six.

Other queens in the past had lost Armature before the end of their reigns. It sometimes happened; lives were often claimed by conflict long before old age had its chance. But those queens were young, at the height of their reigns, and could continue with the full power of the goddess in their veins.

Ryenne had no such luxury. Already weakened, already lost, Cedoric’s death had stolen the last of her fight.

Today, though … today, she’d forced herself from her bed. Had asked one of her ladies, Seiren, to help her dress and escort her down to her favorite courtyard garden. It was filled with cherry blossoms and azaleas, the latter’s floral blooms filling the air as butterflies flitted from flower to flower. She’d wanted to enjoy the palace, the beauty of her kingdom, one last time.

Because tomorrow was Mariah’s coronation. The formal beginning of the life of the eleventh Queen of Onita.

And with the beginning of one life, the other had to end.

“My Queen?” A familiar, beloved voice rumbled above her.

Ryenne cracked open her eyes, meeting Kalen’s deep brown gaze. He was just as aged as her, just as tired, but he’d always been stronger. He left their rooms every day and kept his presence in the palace known. But he always returned to her, never asking questions, only holding her close as her exhaustion drowned her.

Over three hundred and fifty years of life, and she was so, so tired.

She smiled up at him, invigorated by the sun’s warmth. “My love. Sit with me.”

He nodded, bracing himself heavily on his cane as he settled on the bench beside her.

She leaned against him with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder.

“It is such a beautiful day today, don’t you think? With the azaleas blooming and the butterflies out in the gardens.”

“Yes. It is beautiful. But none of it compares to you.”

She wheezed a laugh. “Oh, Kalen. All these years, and you still try to make me blush.”

“Try?” He shifted, turning so he could meet her gaze, fake shock on his face. “Does that mean it didn’t work?”

Ryenne smiled. “Of course it worked, my love. It always works.”

Kalen answered her with a warm grin of his own before settling back against the bench, Ryenne’s head again resting on his shoulder. They remained like that for a long moment, an old queen and her consort, watching the butterflies dance in the air.

More footsteps sounded from the hallways leading to the courtyard. Five more figures emerged, stepping into the sunny flowering glade, each one as aged and tired and quiet as the couple on the bench.

Ryenne lifted her head from Kalen’s shoulder as her Armature approached. More smiles, more than she’d had in days. Weeks.

And yet, they were still missing one. Cedoric’s loss pricked at her like a knife, the wounds still not healed. Never healed.

But soon, those wounds would no longer matter.

“How did you all find me?” The comfort of their familiar presence surrounded her like a fortress. Her fortress. Their bonds remained, but they were so weak now, the magic bridging her soul to theirs diminishing with each new bond Mariah made. That, too, was the way of things. They had enough to stay by her side until the very end. But she could no longer feel them, could no longer trade presence and emotions like others might trade friendly words and embraces.

Orryn stepped forward, his once-long, dark hair now dull and gray. She looked up at him as he rested a hand on her shoulder. “Even without the bond, we will always know where you are, Ryenne. We will always find you.”

Tears pricked behind her eyes. With a delicate sniff, she quickly wiped them away. “Even … even after tomorrow? Even after it is done?” She didn’t need to finish those words. They all knew what she meant.

“Even then. Our souls are yours, and we will follow you until we are nothing but forgotten specks of dust between the worlds.” Warren’s words were soft, just as he was; he had always been the most lyrical of them.

Ryenne felt more tears forming, but they did not fall. She was too old to spare more than a few.

She was just so … tired.

“Steven.” She turned to a tall man whose auburn hair had always set him apart. Now it was as faded as the rest, stripped of life by the passage of time. But his eyes were as bright as ever, just as icy blue and fierce as they’d been the day he’d sworn his oath at her Selection.

“Have you had a chance to … to say goodbye to your family?”

A hush fell upon the small group. Steven smiled, expression pensive and quiet and only a little sad.

“Yes,” he said. “We are having dinner tonight. We’ve always known this day would come, ever since Briella became pregnant. I knew one day the magic keeping us here would fade, and they would be left without me.” He paused, and Ryenne dared not speak.

She didn’t think she could.

“But,” Steven continued, “I am glad. While not all has gone to plan—far from it—at least this part did. At least I will not have to see myself outlive my daughter. We raised Delaynie to be strong, for just this moment. Knowing that we leave this kingdom with her, with Lady Ciana and Queen Mariah, soothes the sting of loss.”

There were murmurs around the group, more than a few wiping tears from their eyes and coughing emotion from their throats.

Somehow, some way, Ryenne found her voice, aided by a gentle squeeze from Kalen around her hand. “Yes. The goddess has blessed the kingdom with strength to see Onita through the coming years. Although, I still do wish that Mariah did not have to suffer through what she did to get here.”

More murmurs of agreement.

Ryenne drew in a deep breath. “Regardless, my time—our time—is over. We’ve fulfilled our service. It is time to rest.”

“What do you most look forward to? On the … on the other side?” Ryenne smiled at Warren’s quiet question. None of them knew quite what awaited them after tomorrow, but she had her faith.

After all these long centuries, even when she’d lost so much and gained so little, she would always have her faith.

“Cedoric,” Ryenne said, his name catching in her throat. “I will look forward most to seeing Cedoric. It has not been the same since he left us.” She glanced around at this group of men who’d spent several lifetimes by her side and had never wavered, never faltered.

Ryenne prayed Mariah would have the same. That she had the same now. Ryenne believed she did, from what she’d seen, but every queen was different, and every Armature unique.

She rose from the bench, her joints aching. Her hand shook as she rested it heavily on her cane, but she met each set of eyes, as much love and devotion in them as there was on the day hundreds of years ago when they’d sworn themselves to her forever.

“I look forward to being whole again. To being complete. United with the gods, and all seven of you by my side, for eternity.”

Hundreds of years, and she was ready to rest.