“Where are you going to sleep?” I asked Tejus as he made his way into the room, carrying a coverlet and a cushion.
“On the floor,” he replied.
“Oh.”
I had thought that he would be sleeping in the spare room or on one of the sofas – surely that would be more comfortable?
“Problem?” he asked wryly.
“No…won’t you be uncomfortable?”
He shrugged. “No. I don’t see why I would.”
“I feel guilty,” I burst out. “I should sleep back in the – “
“No,” Tejus interjected. “Please Hazel. I feel bad enough having been intimate with you without us being married – it is not the sentry culture, and definitely not the accepted behavior of a royal. The only reason I didn’t ask you to wed me was because of the ceremony – I wasn’t willing to risk it…more of my foolishness. However, I am certainly not willing to go on as we were before – you’re mine, and I intend for it to stay that way – no matter how difficult our path together may be.”
Wow.
Marriage?
I didn’t realize Tejus felt that way…I was speechless; completely thrown by his honesty. I felt the heat rising once again in my cheeks.
“Do you not feel the same way?” he asked.
“I do,” I whispered. "I just didn’t know…”
“Now you do,” he replied. His eyes grew hooded and dark, watching me from the foot of the bed. Every bone in my body, every single particle that made me who and what I was, screamed out to touch him – to feel the hard, sinewy muscle of him under my hands, and his firm lips pressed against mine. Now that I knew what sensations and emotions Tejus could bring up in me, I would never get enough of him…I would never want to be apart from him.
He smiled softly, his eyes changing from lustful to gentle in a moment. He carelessly threw the bedding onto the floor, and then removed his robe and shirt – flinging those on an armchair in the corner of the room. I held my breath, my mouth running dry as I observed his scar-torn, muscled chest.
“I will ask you properly, Hazel. When the time is right…I mean it. I want you to be mine, always.”
I nodded, swallowing. “Always,” I whispered.
Between Tejus and me, I could no longer imagine it being any other way.
Hazel
I didn’t sleep well.
I spent the night hyper-aware of Tejus sleeping so close to me, my body tossing and turning as I grew too hot and then too cold – frustration burning through my nerves; wishing throughout the night that he would join me…and then running over and over his request that we be married someday. I had tried to think about it logically – to understand if I was ready for such a huge commitment…but I swiftly became distracted by the overwhelming feelings I had for him – where logic just didn’t come into it.
When I did sleep, I had horrible dreams where I thought Benedict was syphoning off someone, only to realize that it was me doing the syphoning…
It was now the morning of Ash’s coronation and I was back in the spare room getting dressed in the only attire I had that was suitable—the dress I’d worn to Tejus’s coronation. The dress that I’d been wearing when Tejus had first kissed me.
This time I was spared the awkwardness of having servants dress me, though it made some of the job problematic as I couldn’t do up the back on my own. I heard Tejus pacing impatiently outside my room. I sighed.
Behold the awesome power of a sentry. I can’t even dress myself.
I opened the door, and came face-to-face with Tejus. He was wearing black robes, his long hair pulled back in the leather tie and his face freshly shaven. I’d prepared myself for feeling the pang of mental hunger when I saw him this morning—but not the electric shocks of lust and want that coursed through my body. His dark eyes latched onto mine, his pupils dilating.
“Hi,” I murmured. “I need help with my dress.”
“Right,” he replied, his voice hoarse.
I turned around, moving my hair to the side. A moment later his fingers brushed against my spine, carefully buttoning the million pebble-sized beads that held the dress together. I felt goosebumps rise up all over my body in response.
“Sorry, my hands are cold.”
“It’s fine.” I swallowed. “It’s an annoying dress.”
“It’s a beautiful dress,” he replied softly, hooking the final button. Carefully he reached for my hair, letting it cascade back down.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
He must have moved his head closer toward me, as the next moment I could feel his warm breath on my hair—but I could also sense his mind…and it sent a wave of hunger washing over me, obliterating the more carnal desire I’d felt only seconds before.
I stepped hastily away.
“I’m worried and relieved that Benedict didn’t come back last night,” I babbled. “Did you see or hear anything?”
“He may have returned,” Tejus replied, “but I wouldn’t be the first to know. Ash would.”
Oh. Right.
“Okay. I guess we’ll speak to him after the coronation.”
Tejus nodded.
I looked back up at him, trying to read his expression. I wondered how he felt, having Ash take his place. I imagined that he would see it as a lack of control—and for Tejus of all people, I imagined that would be difficult to take.
“Do you have to attend the coronation?” I asked softly.
He smiled and rose his eyebrow.
“Yes, Hazel, I have to attend the coronation. Do you think I’m going to fall apart because I’ve lost my beloved kingdom?” he asked dryly.
I rolled my eyes. How could he not take this seriously?
“Obviously not,” I retorted. “But I did think you might be a bit upset…or, I don’t know, have some kind of emotion going on behind that mask?”
“I do have an emotion going on,” he replied.
“And?”
He exhaled. “It’s frustration. I am frustrated that I can’t kiss you, or touch you, or be near you without you wanting to feed off my energy.”
“You’ve lost your kingdom, and that’s all you can think about?” I asked, trying not to let my reaction to his words show. Perhaps I had been living in denial. His frustrations were mine too, and all I wanted to do was get swallowed up in his arms again.
“That’s all I can think about, yes.”
“I’m flattered,” I replied, teasingly. “Who knew you were such a romantic?”
He snorted with derision, folding his arms across his chest.
“Hardly.”
“I know one when I see one, trust me.”
I thought of my addiction to romance e-books…or my past addiction. Obviously, I hadn’t been able to get hold of one here, but the girl who liked nothing more than to curl up on a sofa with a romance seemed so far removed from who I was now. Like we were a million light years away from one another. I guessed that along the way, the dimensions which separated my normal life from this one had started to become more than just geography.
“Are you still here?” Tejus asked, smirking at me.
“Sorry.” I blushed. “I was just thinking…so much has changed. It’s weird.”
“It doesn’t have to be ‘weird’ forever. Later we’re going to practice syphoning—and we’ll continue to do it until you get your hunger under control. You’ll be able to live an ordinary life. I promise.”
I nodded, not really knowing if I was capable of having an ordinary life. Whatever that was.
“I really don’t want to hurt you,” I objected. “Can’t I practice on Lithan or someone equally mean and pointless?”
Tejus laughed out loud.
“We could try, but trust me, you’ll have a far more pleasant experience with me.”
I believe that.
“I also need to see my brother,” I reminded him. “It’s been too long since I spoke to him properly.”
Tejus nodded. “I
thought about that—it may be worth doing as the sun sets. If we stay there, we might be able to see what happens… where he takes the stones, what he does with them, if anyone joins him. There’s still so much we don’t know.”
“Good plan. But let’s get there a bit earlier than sunset—I want to be able to speak to him before…you know, he changes.”
“All right… Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” I took one last look at my dress, smoothing out the flow of the material. I hoped I wasn’t overdressed.
“You look incredible,” Tejus murmured as he opened the door.
Despite the lack of official announcement and celebration at the actual trial, word had clearly gotten around. The hallway was buzzing with villagers, kids running about the place and men cheering for their hero—Ash.
Tejus stalked through the crowds, and I hurried to stay by his side. The villagers parted as we approached, falling silent as their old king passed. I cursed my sentry affliction, not for the first time. I wanted to comfort Tejus more than I could bear—even just a brush of my hand against his to know he wasn’t alone.
When we entered the coronation room, it was packed. The obligatory ministers stood at the front, a mass of black robes and solemn faces. The villagers had crowded in at the back, jostling for the best vantage point. It was crowded, and I started to panic. With this many minds gathered in one room, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to control myself.
“Hazel, follow me, hold on to my robe if you need to,” Tejus commanded.
Like in the hallway, the crowds parted when they saw him coming and I was given a bit of breathing space as we made our way to stand against the left-hand wall of the room.
I leaned against the stone wall with Tejus next to me. Here we had a good view of the throne that Ash would be seated in. There was no second chair, and I wondered if Tejus had insisted on it during his coronation. I scanned the room for Ruby, but I couldn’t see her—she was probably waiting with Ash.
The minister of ceremonies, whom I recognized from the trials, stood up on the dais.
“Sentries! Please be seated for your king, Ashbik of Hellswan!”
The minister certainly sounded more positive calling out Ash’s name than he had in the past—clearly he realized that there would be a lot of sucking up to do in order to redeem himself in the eyes of the new king. He wouldn’t be the only one. Lithan and Qentos sat right at the front. Lithan’s face was like thunder.
Ash entered to applause, and Ruby crept in from the back of the room. She looked for a seat, but couldn’t find any, so I gave her a small wave and she came to stand next to us.
“Quite a crowd, right?” Her blue eyes widened in surprise as she took in the full extent of the audience.
The minister droned on, going into great detail about the nature of a king’s duty to his kingdom and its people. It was the same stuff that had been said at Tejus’s coronation, and coming from the minister it sounded just as hollow and meaningless today as it did then.
“We’re going to see Benedict before sunset today at the temple, and then wait around to see what happens when the sun goes down,” I whispered, gritting my teeth against the tugs of hunger that were pulsing through me from being so close to Ruby.
“That sounds like a good plan.” She nodded. “I’ll see if Ash can come too.”
I guessed I had to get used to Ash and Ruby being a package deal from now on. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Ash—I did, but after he had voluntarily decided to work with Queen Trina, I had my misgivings about his judgment…not that I could really talk. I was just watching out for Ruby, and I had no doubt that she probably thought that Tejus was an equally inappropriate match for me. She was just too good a friend to say anything.
I looked over at Tejus.
The words of the minister floated over. “…to pledge one’s life to the protection and care of a kingdom and its people is a great honor. It should not be taken lightly, but with reverence and dedication, a determination to put others before oneself. To rule fairly, to rule bravely, to rule with heart as well as mind. To undertake the sacrifices that go with such a position, and to undertake them with grace and dignity. To be honest above all else—about your own limitations, and others’. To love your people as if they are your own children, to care, protect and love…”
Tejus might never realize it, but he had fulfilled his duty to his people in the short time he had ruled. The night that he had abdicated the throne was, ironically, the night that I had believed wholeheartedly he was made to rule and lead—and if it wasn’t going to be at Hellswan, it would be somewhere else.
The crown was lowered on to Ash’s head.
Tejus stood, perfectly erect and silent against the wall, his eyes fixed on the ceremony. My heart broke for him. He did care about losing the crown, but he would never show it because of all the attributes the minister had just listed. Bravery, dignity, honesty, determination. Tejus had all of those qualities in abundance—and although few people in this room knew it, Tejus had just selflessly lost everything in the hope that he might save Nevertide from the deadly clutches of Queen Trina.
Ash
It was over.
The ministers left the dais, and I searched the room for Ruby. She was standing over by Tejus and Hazel at one end of the room. Her gaze met mine through the crowd. She smiled at me, and it seemed genuine enough, but I noticed the lack of sparkle in her eyes. Ruby always smiled at me like she was contemplating her own private joke—that whatever the situation, she was finding humor in it somewhere. That was one of the things I loved about her; she was challenging. I could win every single one of the Imperial trials and it wouldn’t make me feel as victorious as the moments when I managed to make Ruby laugh.
I stood stiffly up from the chair—it wasn’t the most comfortable seat I’d ever sat on, and already the crown was starting to make my neck ache. It was also strange sitting in the seat that Tejus had occupied only a week ago. It didn’t feel like it belonged to me. I felt like an imposter, playing the role of king while the real one stood, practically shunned by his subjects, a few yards away.
I’d glanced over at him a few times during the ceremony. He had kept his eyes fixed on the dais, and as the minister of ceremony had droned on, Tejus had remained motionless, as if he was genuinely listening to every word the sentry said. I hadn’t been able to attend the actual ceremony of Tejus’s crowning. I had felt too bitter and twisted up inside to watch. But he had braved mine, and once again I started to feel like perhaps Tejus was a better man than I had ever given him credit for.
I noticed that he and Hazel had stood a few feet apart throughout the ceremony. I still hadn’t had a moment to ask Tejus about the logistics behind the transformation, or if there was any way of avoiding it. It wasn’t a conversation I was looking forward to. There would be no way of phrasing it that wasn’t going to be excruciatingly awkward for both of us.
But I had to know.
Because if there was only one conclusion, only one possible outcome, then both Ruby and I had some tough decisions to make.
I started down the small steps of the dais, smiling at the ministers who insincerely congratulated me. The villagers were being moved out of the hall as quickly as possible by the guards. I didn’t like the implication that they weren’t welcome.
Then I realized I could do something about it.
“Hey!” I called to one of the guards who was firmly, but not unkindly pushing a family out of the door, “Enough.”
He spun around, and bowed when he saw who had interrupted him.
“I’m sorry, your highness, the ministers said that villagers should be escorted out.”
“The ministers are wrong. I know there’s food laid out for all the Hellswan subjects—the villagers will feast with them too. There’s more than enough to go around.”
“Yes, your highness.” The guard nodded quickly.
“Thank you, your highness,” intoned the father of the famil
y. “We had high hopes for you, and it looks like we weren’t wrong. Once one of us, always one of us, didn’t I tell you?” He nudged his wife, who loosened her grip on her two children and beamed up at me.
“You did. Thank you, your highness. We’re very grateful,” she responded.
I nodded, feeling uncomfortable with my new title. It just didn’t seem like it belonged to me, and I doubted that it ever really would.
“Ashbik!” a familiar voice cried out. That was more like it!
“Hello, Abelle.” I smiled as she drew me into a slightly overpowering, floral-scented hug. Eventually she drew me back at arm’s length, inspecting me.
“Every inch the king,” she declared.
“It doesn’t feel that way. I keep thinking someone’s going to come and drag me back into the kitchens and stick me in an apron.”
Abelle laughed.
“If that were the case, you’d still be a king, Ash. It’s not in the title or in the clothing—it’s what’s inside of you. And you, my boy, were born to lead.”
“Thanks.” I nodded, feeling awkward but pleased. I knew that most of the ministers opposed my position—they’d be waiting in the wings for me to do something wrong. Just knowing that I had supporters and sentries who believed in me helped. It reminded me why I’d wanted to do this all along. It wasn’t for me, it was for them.
“I’m glad to see you survived the ice fires. Your shop’s still standing?” I asked.
“It’s all in one piece. Yes, the ice fires and the blood rain weren’t exactly ideal, but I managed. Plenty didn’t. A lot of livestock’s gone—and most of the fields are ruined,” she added, raising her eyebrows. “You’re going to have a lot on your plate, Ashbik…”
“I know,” I replied. “I’m ready.”
She beamed at me again. “I know you are.”