Yes…in the fight to come, I can have no weakness. They will find her, shatter her to break me, and then our kingdom will lose because we will kill and devour ceaselessly if she is harmed.
An ache built in Drac’s chest. He could lose his mate and his king.
Gidon was just five hundred years old, but was enormously powerful and brutal, already bonded with his beast. Only an elder within the Darkage could plot to overthrow him. Almost all the elders were fully bonded with their beasts, and to contend with one could mean death.
Since he’d created the seven orders of law, their society had been a less barbaric one, and trade within their own walls has flourished and their kingdom had grown. How could anyone want Gidon’s demise because he wanted to make their realm prosper? The entire cadre would start a war within their kingdom, before they allowed Gidon’s death while they were alive.
Even if it meant relinquishing all they held dear.
Chapter Sixteen
Saieke strolled with Chedra and Cullen in the gardens. They bantered amicably with each other, and Saieke had settled in to knowing Drac’s family. They did not let her rank rattle them at all. Other kingdoms would have treated her with more deference. She was happy they were at ease, which made her relaxed.
Drac’s castle was a beautiful one, in a very macabre way. Castle Kerberos had more elegance, more grace, which she attributed to the presence of the queen. Drac’s walls were adorned with few tapestries, and ferocious beast sculptures were strewn randomly about. The castle boasted over three hundred rooms and had three great courtyards that converged into one. “What is the name of this castle?” she asked trailing her fingers over the massive wings of a sculpted dragon.
“Castle Kilindore,” Chedra said.
What Saieke loved the most about the northern castle, was the great lake that ran from the eastern end of the castle to the southern end. She could feel the ebb and flow of the water from within the castle walls. “This is one of the most amazing courtyards I have ever seen. These stone and iron sculptures are fearsome, yet beautiful.”
The wildness of the jungle courtyard, the different howls, roars, and cries, blended into a beautiful and strange canopy of sounds. Even though the courtyard was lit, it barely dispelled the darkness to highlight the grace of the foliage and the trees. Saieke inhaled to steady herself as her pupils contracted, expanded, and vision became much sharper. She could see beyond the darkness, out into the jungles for at least a mile. “Oh kings…”
“Are you well?” Chedra probed.
“I am enthralled,” she said, and then smiled at the joy in Chedra’s laughter.
“I am happy, Princess Saieke, that you see the beauty of our realm.”
She nodded. She could see the strange animals that wove through the underbrush, the snakes that slithered on vines and the colorful winged creatures that flew and perched from limb to limb.
She glanced down when she felt small warm hands slip inside the folds of her caftan.
Cullen, Drac’s nephew had really taken to her. Cullen watched her with wide eyes and with a child’s trusting nature and chattered at her incessantly. Saieke felt an ache twist inside her at the normalcy of the dark realm. Her perception had shifted so much that she really hoped she could impress upon her kingdom how much like Boreas they really were. She smiled ruefully, to think that everyone in her kingdom believed they killed their babies out of sheer savagery and lived in caves and holes in the ground.
“Princess Saieke, please show me again,” an excited demand from Cullen.
Saieke crouched to his level, ruffled his hair and smiled. He was a beautiful boy of only six years. His hair was multi colored with brown and streaks of russet red, but it was his eyes that captivated her. They were burnished gold with flecks of green on his iris. Devilry danced in his eyes constantly and it was apparent that he was well loved.
She had passed a fountain earlier inside the main hall and had manipulated water for him so that it danced in the air. He had been so amazed, she felt humbled.
Darkans themselves were ignorant of the other kingdoms and their abilities. The segregation was two-sided. They kept themselves solitary, apart from the rest of the world content to reside in darkness and treachery, unless they were spying.
“Please do it again,” he chortled.
She lifted him and swung him around. His loud shrieks of laughter bounced around the courtyard, and Saieke paused when she saw the tattoo of a tail on his neck.
“Come Cullen, the princess must be tired from the castle tour and our chattering,” Chedra said laughing, rubbing her rounded stomach.
“Absolutely not. I enjoyed every moment. I would love to show him more of my Shenkiri.”
“Are you certain Princess? Would you not like to retire to your chambers and rest? Mother left to prepare the silver room for you and to assign ladies in waiting for your needs.”
Saieke gave Chedra a lopsided smile. Pia had left earlier with the same parting remarks. She had been unsure of how to state she was in Drac’s room. She had no idea how far from his room the silver chamber was, or even if she wanted it to be known they were lovers. A blush climbed her cheeks as Chedra look at her quizzically. “I am not tired at all, and I would love to explore the courtyard with Cullen and show him the beauty of wind and water.”
“I will accompany you. It can be intimidating to travel through the courtyard. It’s very large and teeming with wild life. If you are not familiar with the animals, one can be scared.”
“Are they ferocious?” Saieke asked while they strolled further into the jungle-like courtyard.
“Some.”