22. Vale

Chapter 22

Vale

T he air in the throne room was different. Heavier. The blooming trees and floating lights were replaced with harsh stone columns and flickering mage lights. The wide chamber was filled with people—council members, noble families, and emissaries from every province. Somehow with no notice, they'd all managed to be here, each of them standing silently, their gazes fixed on me as I stepped through the massive double doors.

A few days ago, I'd blown those doors to pieces, and now I was walking through them as a queen. Beside me, Idris’s presence was steady, grounding. He held my hand gently in his as we walked together, but when we reached the raised dais, he let go and took his place beside the throne.

The throne.

I hadn’t even dared to look at it directly—not once. Made of obsidian and gold, it loomed like a black sun at the end of the room, its edges carved with an intricate dragon that looked a lot like Rune, the golden inlays shimmering in the torchlight. It wasn’t just a chair—it was a declaration of power, of rule, of responsibility.

Next to it rested another throne—one that hadn't ever been there before. Absent was the dragon scales and sharp teeth. No, my throne was made of shining obsidian, threaded through with silver and gold, the back drawn into a sunburst of gold flowing into swirling carvings of shadow. Idris’ handiwork, I realized, his magic imprinted in every detail.

The archbishop’s voice rang out, breaking the silence. “Queen Isolde Vale Tenebris, you stand before the throne of Credour, not as a Luxa, not as a witch, but as a sovereign. Do you accept the responsibility of this crown? Do you vow to serve this realm, its people, and its magic with all that you are?”

“I do,” I said, my voice loud and clear despite the knot in my stomach.

Step by step, I ascended, each one heavier than the last. When I reached the top, Idris strode forward with the crown—silver and gold accented with onyx and ruby.

“Bow,” he instructed, and I bent into a curtsy. His golden eyes held mine as he placed it gently on my head, the weight both grounding and daunting.

“Rise,” he murmured through the bond. “Rise as their Queen.”

I stood, adjusting to the weight as he turned to address the crowd. “Behold your Queen,” he proclaimed, his voice resonating with authority. “Queen Isolde Vale Tenebris, Light Bringer, Curse Breaker, Grand Luxa of Tarrasca, and ruler of Credour.”

The room erupted into cheers, the sound echoing off the stone walls.

“You did it, my Queen.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat as I turned to take my seat. The obsidian was cold beneath me, the high back curving slightly to support the weight of the crown. Idris sat beside me, his golden eyes scanning the crowd before he spoke again.

“This is a new chapter for Credour,” he said, his voice steady and resolute. “A chapter of unity, of strength, of hope. Together, we will face the trials ahead, and together, we will prevail. With our Queen beside us, the realm will endure.”

Cheers rose again, but this time, I let myself take a deep breath and sit a little taller. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this, but I was here.

And that had to be enough.

Soon the crowd parted to make way for the royal procession. Idris offered his hand once more, helping me rise from the throne. My legs felt like jelly, the enormity of the movement making me unsteady on my feet.

Idris leaned in, his golden eyes warm and steady. “One step at a time,” he murmured through the bond. “You’ve already won most of them over. The rest will come to adore you soon enough.”

I wasn’t sure about that, but I nodded, letting him guide me down the dais. The procession was orderly, the council members bowing their heads as we passed, while the nobles curtsied with precision. I caught glimpses of admiration, skepticism, and outright distrust in their eyes, but I refused to let it rattle me.

Freya fell into step beside me, her sharp grin cutting through the tension like the decorative blades crisscrossing her back. “Well, little Luxa,” she said under her breath, “you survived a wedding and a coronation. Now, let’s see if you can stomach the feast.”

The sound of laughter and clinking goblets filled the grand ballroom, the air warm with the mingling scents of roasted meats, spiced wine, and honeyed desserts. The celebration was in full swing, yet all I could feel was the weight of every gaze that landed on me.

I sat beside Idris at the head of the table, the sheer opulence of the banquet enough to make my stomach churn. Golden platters were piled high with food I couldn’t name, enchanted lights dancing above us, and musicians playing a lilting tune that seemed almost too cheerful for the tension lingering in the air.

War was on the horizon and a party of this magnitude seemed out of place. I understood why—there were deals to be made, alliances to strengthen, but it all seemed trivial in the face of what was coming.

“Eat,” Idris murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. He leaned in, his lips brushing the mating mark on my shoulder. “You haven’t touched a thing.”

I forced a small smile, my fingers brushing the edge of my goblet. “I’m not sure I can.”

“Where’s my brave wife?” he asked, his hand squeezing mine under the table. The gesture was subtle, but the steadiness of his touch sent a flicker of calm through me. “They’re watching you, yes, but they’re also trying to figure out how you managed to survive everything thrown at you.”

His words brought a faint smirk to my lips. “When they find out, do you think they'll clue me in?”

Across the table, Kian and Xavier were deep in conversation with Talek, who seemed far too at ease for someone who’d just joined the council. I still hadn’t forgiven him for letting us walk right into a trap with Selene. His sharp features and easy smile belied the calculating look in his eyes, and I made a mental note to keep an eye on him.

As the banquet continued, I found myself lost in the ebb and flow of conversation around me. Plates were passed, goblets refilled, and laughter rang through the hall, but I barely tasted the food. My gaze kept drifting to Idris, who was listening intently to one of the council members. His hand rested on the table, fingers threaded with mine in a silent reassurance.

Idris leaned closer, his voice a soft murmur against my ear. He could speak inside my head anytime he wanted, but I had a feeling he enjoyed the way my body reacted to him. “We’ve done enough, my Queen. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”

I glanced at him, startled. “We can just leave?”

His lips curved into a faint smile. “Queen’s prerogative.”

Relief washed over me, tempered only by the weight of what leaving meant. Every time I had been with someone before, it had been natural, unspoken, organic. This was different. This was deliberate—a ritual of sorts—and I didn’t know what was expected of me.

Idris rose, his movement drawing the room’s attention. “My lords and ladies,” he began, his voice carrying effortlessly. “Tonight, we celebrate a new era for Credour. But my Queen and I must take our leave.”

He extended his hand, his golden eyes warm and insistent. “Shall we?”

Taking his hand, I let him guide me from the room. The applause followed us, a thunderous wave that faded as we stepped into the quiet corridor.

The cool air was a relief against my flushed skin, and Idris’ thumb brushed softly over my knuckles, grounding me. “Are you ready?” he asked, his voice a blend of anticipation and promise.

I nodded, my breath catching under the weight of his gaze.

His rare, unguarded smile sent a flutter through me. “Good. Because tonight, you’re all mine.”

The words sent a delicious shiver down my spine, but with it, came a wave of nervous energy. My body reacted to his presence, my mating mark pulsing faintly where his lips had brushed earlier, but my mind wrestled with the weight of expectation.

By the time we reached his chambers, my nerves were wound so tightly I thought I might snap. The familiar dark-red walls of his bedroom glowed warmly under the flickering mage lights and the low crackle of the fire in the grate. It was exactly as I remembered it from the first time I’d seen it—when he'd rescued me from my first dream walk as I stumbled through the Dreaming, disoriented and afraid. Idris had been there, steady and unyielding, anchoring me, keeping me safe.

I’d wanted him then, though I hadn’t understood it at the time. And now? Now, I wanted him even more.

Idris closed the door behind us with a quiet finality, the sound sending a jolt of awareness through me. He moved with the easy confidence of someone completely in control, his golden eyes never leaving mine as he crossed the room. The tension in my chest tightened further as he stopped just short of touching me, his presence a magnetic pull that I craved.

“You don’t have to be nervous, my brave one,” he rumbled, his voice like silk over gravel.

I opened my mouth to deny it, to brush off the twisting in my stomach as something insignificant, but the way his gaze softened stopped me. He saw through me—he always did.

I hesitated, searching for the right words. I knew we needed to complete the bond—that it might help in some way—but the reasonings were so muddled that I didn’t know which way was up anymore. I just kept remembering needing his kiss in Everhold as Kian and Xavier shared me. How right it had felt—how special. I’d wanted him with everything in me then—still did.

“I just…”

His lips curved into a faint smile, his hand coming up to brush a stray strand of hair from my face. “This isn’t about expectation,” he said gently. “This is about us. Nothing else matters.”

His words settled something inside me, the sincerity in his tone wrapping around my frayed edges like a balm. Idris’s hand slid from my cheek to the curve of my neck, his thumb tracing the edge of my mating mark as he circled me. The faint pulse of his magic brushed against mine, a subtle invitation. My heart skipped a beat, the tension in my chest shifting from anxiety to anticipation.

“I’ll wait as long as you need,” he murmured against my ear, his voice a low rumble that sent a delicious heat pooling in my sex. “But if you’ll let me, I’ll show you there’s nothing to fear.”

I swallowed hard, the warmth of his skin against my back grounding me.

“I trust you,” I whispered, the words spilling from my mouth, ringing with truth.

“Good,” he growled in my ear, his hand moving to my throat. His grip was light but firm and he tilted my head to the side. He ran his nose down the column of my neck. “I fucking love the way you smell when you’re turned on.”

Biting my lip, I covered his hand at my throat with my own, my fingers lightly tracing the scars that crisscrossed his flesh. His fingers flexed, tightening as he tasted my skin, and I fought off a moan. I’d always been attracted to Idris—even the first time I’d met him in a dream that was not a dream.

His presence—his desire—had always struck me, consumed me. From that very first time with his fangs at my throat, I’d been a goner. I’d fought, I’d argued, but somehow, I’d always known I would end up right here in his bedroom exactly where I started.

“It’s almost as good as your scent when you come. I swear, it drives me insane how much I need you. Will you let me show you, my Queen?”

I couldn’t help but nod—not knowing what he meant but needing to find out all the same. In the next moment, it was as if he’d pulled back the veil of his emotions, allowing everything to flow through the bond we already shared—the one that seemed so much stronger since he’d bitten me.

His desire was so strong, my knees buckled, the flames of need nearly burning me from the inside out. A moan escaped my throat, his yearning like a drug that threatened to drown me.

How had he been holding all of this back? How had I never noticed before? And why did being craved this way make me ache to let him do anything he wanted to me? Why did it make me lose all reason, all sense?

And why didn’t I care?

“Do you see? Every second of every day, I need you like this. I’m nearly blind with it. Never in all my years have I wanted someone the way I want you, Vale. Will you let me have you?” His grip on my throat tightened, eliciting a needy whimper from my lips, even as he closed the connection in the bond. But just like a fire, once started, it wouldn’t burn out easily.

My skin was on fire, my sex ached with need. My dress felt too tight, too hot. I needed it off, needed him to help me. I?—

“I need the words, Vale,” he growled in my ear, the vibration cascading down my body like a caress. “Tell me I can have you, and I’ll help you out of that dress. I’ll take care of you. I’ll do anything you want me to.”

It was a deal with the devil, but he was my devil—my husband, my Beast. Turning my head, I stared into those golden irises that had sealed my fate the first time I’d laid eyes on them. “Yes. But… don’t shut me out. Give it back. I want to feel you—all of you. Let me see all of it.”

His gaze darkened as he pulled back the curtain, and in that second, I knew I was absolutely done for. Idris could have whatever he wanted from me—anything, everything. For the first time today, or maybe ever, I reached up on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

Idris wasn’t taking, I was giving.

I just hoped it wasn’t more than I’d be willing to lose.