Chapter 11

GOLL

We'd conquered Lumeria. The war was over. And I had my mizrah at my side, the high fae Princess of Issos. The knot in my gut loosened. Actually, she was currently in my arms as we flew on Drakmir to the encampment. As we lowered over the Bluevale River, Una stiffened.

"We aren't returning to N?kt Mir?"

"We will in the morning. Tonight, we camp with my soldiers."

We had much to celebrate, and as their king, I must assure them all that I was one of them, that I was a king to be trusted, to follow.

"Is it safe for me?" she asked.

The tremble of fear in her voice fired anger in my blood. I didn't like that. I had to remember that she'd been abducted, her handmaiden and fellow Issosian killed before she was dragged to Northgall by my father's men. The faint bruise I'd noticed on her left cheek told me she hadn't been treated gently. That was why I'd taken so much satisfaction in incinerating Erlik and my father's second in the throne room. One of them had been responsible for that.

Clenching my jaw, I studied her profile while the frigid wind gusted around us. "Hear me," I commanded. "You will not be treated as my father would have. You are to be the mother of my heir. You will not be harmed in any way."

"Will I not?" she arched a brow.

"You believe I plan to hurt you?"

She didn't answer, keeping her gaze on the river below, a silvery serpent cutting across the land.

I scoffed, gripping her chin, and forced her to look at me. "Who do you think is going to harm you?"

She blinked nervously, a blush filling her cheeks as she averted her gaze.

"Ah." I chuckled. "I suppose there will be some pain the first time. But you agreed to the terms."

"I know what I agreed to. I know my duty ." Her words were laced with more ice than was in all of Northgall.

"You never know." I let her chin go and whispered in her ear. "You may enjoy it."

"Never."

That had me outright laughing. She turned a surprised expression on me right as Drakmir dove for the encampment. She clutched the pommel tighter while I held onto her for the landing. Drak's landings were always rough. Probably because of his adolescent isolation, he never learned from dragonkind. He was rougher and more savage due to that early separation from his family.

" Gloyen , Drak," I crooned, praising him for flying us so well. I patted him roughly then climbed down first.

I didn't even have to tell Una to come to me. She was ready to get off my dragon, hurrying down the rope ladder. Grasping her around the waist, I eased her to the ground. Her breath hitched when I set her close to me.

Her hands clutched mine, she ordered in that royal air of hers, "You can let go now."

"Best get used to my touch," I told her before I stepped back.

We'd landed right outside the encampment. Drakmir stalked toward the trees, preferring to sleep there since there were no caves to be found nearby. Hundreds of tents dotted along the Bluevale River with some soldiers left behind tending to work, preparing for our return.

As we drew closer to my tent, Ogalvet stepped from the large fire he'd been tending. "Sire?" His yellow-eyed gaze slid to the woman trailing me, his fanged mouth hanging open in awe.

I stopped and gripped her hand, drawing her closer. "The army will be returning within the hour, Ogalvet. Can you prepare a plate and bring it to my tent for the princess?"

"Of course, Sire." He planted his fist over his heart and bowed his head, horns forward in obedience.

"Thank you. Tell Keffa we've arrived and send Meck and Ferryn to guard my tent."

"Right away, Sire."

I'd had to wait for my kinsmen to complete the trial of the Kel Klyss before I finally met with Una. I'd brought all them and Keffa on Drakmir to the encampment, having received the message that Soryn had breached the city walls of Issos and would have it under control within a few days.

Dalya had assured me they both endured the trial with the strength of true wraith fae warriors. Ferryn had suffered the most, she reported, though he'd never asked to leave the site.

The trial required being chained in the lower caves of Vixet Krone beneath N?kt Mir where the spirits of Northgall whispered and roamed. Meck and Ferryn were given a single drop of water from N?kt Lykenzel, the black lake deep underground. The sacred water invited the spirits to visit them. If they withstood the visitations all night, they could join my elite guard.

The test wasn't one of physical strength, but mental. And whether they were devoted to me enough to take hours and hours of psychological torture. For the ghosts who dwelled in the heart of Vixet Krone weren't all benevolent. They could fill any trespasser with the pain and loss and grief they carried into the afterlife. The trial to be one of my elite warriors was a true test of loyalty.

Of course, Una's test would be more dangerous by far. But I wouldn't think of that yet.

Meck and Ferryn's first assignment was to be my mizrah's personal guard. I wasn't so arrogant to believe she welcomed her new fate. She might try to escape. And if she didn't try to flee, there was always the chance that a hidden enemy might do her harm to get to me. She wasn't entirely wrong that her life may be in danger. The threat just wasn't from me.

I tugged her along, noticing two of fae males carrying chopped wood for the campfires and the old smithy sharpening swords outside his tent. All three froze like stone as I led Una back to my tent. I ushered her inside, a knot tightening in my chest at the thought of all of their eyes on her.

Of course, they would stare. I knew this. Not only was she foreign and different, but she was the light-fae Princess of the highest court in all of the realms. And she was undeniably, jarringly lovely.

When I ushered her inside, she exhaled a breath, closed her eyes and crossed her arms. She was obviously relieved. Perhaps it was better for her too to stay away from all those prying eyes. I couldn't avoid it forever, but I could give her a moment's privacy to catch her breath.

"Make yourself comfortable. Ogalvet will bring you food soon," I told her.

She nodded, finally opening her eyes and taking a look around. There wasn't much to see besides a store of weapons and a small trunk of clothes. There was a fire dome, now cold, at the center of the room. A standing lantern had been lit, awaiting my return, casting a blue glow in the small chamber.

Stepping toward the fire dome, I opened the grate and whispered, " Etheline ." Flames leaped to life on the coals.

She held her palms out to the grate, relief softening her face. My chest eased at the sight but tightened again when her gaze finally landed on the wide bed of furs. She recoiled and gulped hard, her disgust for our marriage bed blatant.

"Do not fear," I told her, my irritation obvious in my voice. "We will consummate our union in Silvantis, not here." Not in Lumeria.

She nodded, looking down at the raised markings on the tops of her hands where the priest's magick had left traces behind.

"Are you pleased we did your moon-binding?" I asked her curiously.

It galled me to do anything beneath Lumera's light, but I wasn't going to argue with her once she'd agreed to the terms. It irritated me to no end that I'd have done anything for her to agree.

"It will save my reputation since the rest of me will be lost." She clasped her hands demurely and looked up at me with the haughtiness of an Issosian royal, gathering her shield around her. "Maybe I'll be lucky. Maybe I'll become pregnant after the first time and I'll never have to suffer you in my bed again."

I wondered if the gods blessed me or hated me by giving me this feisty harpy of a moon fae. For the way I wanted her was frightening, humiliating, and all-consuming. While she despised me. As she should. She would hate me more after the Rite of Servium.

Over the years of war, word had come to me by my spies how beautiful the Princess of Issos had grown, how remarkably elegant in speech and manner, how regal in her bearing, how enchanting her violet gaze. But I'd never been able to picture anything but the young girl I'd taken from the dungeons. Nothing had prepared me for the reality of her.

Now, here we were. She was by all accounts already mine. And she loathed the very sight of me. The gods could often be cruel, but Vix had put her in my path for a reason, so I could use her to gain control of Lumeria. And I would use her however I wanted. It was my right after all her people had done to mine, after all the bloodshed and heartache.

When I stepped closer to her, she didn't budge. I liked it when she stood her ground, a steady warmth burning low in my core.

"Best not get ahead of yourself, Princess."

"Of course not," she said sarcastically.

"And just to be clear, until you give birth to my heir, you will not go anywhere without my permission."

She arched a brow in defiance. "Are you afraid I'll seduce one of your soldiers?"

"Hardly. But I am concerned a rival amongst them might take advantage and put a babe in your belly before I can in order to make my men doubt my right as their king."

She frowned. "Your people worship you."

She was still so naive, my little princess.

"By all appearances." I stepped toward the entrance and held open the flap, needing to get away from her. "But appearances can be deceiving, my mizrah." Then I stormed out into the cold, a more welcome companion for the night.