Layla saw it now as they curled together in a loving group, flooding a harmonic wave through all of them, together. Dusk was part of it, and Layla saw him shudder, sloughing off the pain and horror of living under Markus’ rule for so long. As the court gathered close, clutching torn clothing around their nakedness and watching a deep healing take place among the concubines, Layla felt them all entrain into that vast, sweet harmonic. As a beautiful music hummed up to the broken vaults in the settling night, Layla saw other members of the palace who had been too weak to take part in the battle pour in through the hall’s blasted-out doors.
Watching everything with enormous eyes.
Someone moved forward, offering Dusk a men’s midnight blue cloak with gold and white embroidery and a high collar, which he accepted gratefully. Belting it around his nakedness, though his strong arms were bare through the cloak’s slits, it fit him perfectly like a royal Egyptian robe. As the concubines’ harmonic flooded the hall and clothed palace servants moved around giving their cloaks and jackets away to those still naked, Layla suddenly felt Dusk offer up his voice – standing tall in the ruined throne hall as his robust baritone echoed from every broken vault.
“King Markus Ambrose is gone, slain by his wrathful dead.” Dusk spoke solemnly, separating a little from the concubines so he could address the hall. As the concubines moved aside, Layla wrapped her arm around Dusk, cuddling him as Adrian curled him close into their trio as well.
“Markus was a tyrant,” Dusk continued in his resonant power, “and like all tyrants, there comes a time when they must fall. All of you here have felt his terrible power; a power no Crystal Dragon should be able to wield – the ability to harmonize another’s body and dominate them, wielding their magic and using their self without permission. I abhor everything he was, and everything he stood for. But I love my people, and seeing you all now, seeing that Royals of every clan around the world still live, lightens my heart with joy. Long had I thought you all dead. Long had all your clans, believing Markus simply slew any who grew strong enough to oppose him. Yet now I know some were spared, and though I know also that many of you have suffered, I am glad you are alive.”
There was motion in the hall, and Layla craned her neck as someone stepped forward through the mess – Davira Breneman, entirely naked though somehow still classy as fuck as if she still wore her businesswoman’s suit and black stiletto heels. Her labradorite eyes were enormous as she gazed upon Dusk, then Layla and Adrian. As she moved to the center of the hall, standing before Dusk, she suddenly sank down on both knees, looking up at Dusk with awe.
“Clan First of Egypt,” she spoke solemnly, “we have seen great works today. Like the others in this palace, I feel the liberation of my Royal magic flowing freely through me now – a feeling I have not had in many centuries. It is a tremendous gift, and it brings me to tears to feel my freedom once more. I thank you, from the depths of my heart. I thank you, for the thousands of rageful dead now put to rest by your actions and that of your Bind and brother. Never have I been so impressed with the strength of heart you three possess. I would like to put forward a motion at once – to nominate you as our next King. You have fought King Markus and he is slain. I do not care if that was done through the power of your Bind or your own magic, only that your coming to us was its instigation. I feel you are a powerful First, and a deeply powerful Royal with a good heart. And that is what we need now in this time of tender re-awakening… a Crystal Dragon King with a good heart.”
Silence consumed the broken hall as Davira held her posture of obeisance, gazing up at Dusk with a plea in her labradorite eyes. As Layla watched, she saw a wash of turquoise light flush through the dark-opal, feminine scales upon Davira’s cheekbones and temples, the same light flowing deep into her long black hair.
With a wry twist of lips, Dusk moved forward. Extending a hand, he gently helped her rise.
“Davira.” He spoke quietly. “I don’t want to be your King. I came here to break the tyranny of King Markus, and now it’s broken. Now more than ever, I want to return home to Egypt and re-build my lost clan.” Extending a hand to his mother, who took it with a bolstering smile, Dusk spoke again. “Two Egyptian Crystal Dragons yet live, and we will see our clan re-born.”
“More than two.” A rumbling basso voice pummeled the air as a massive man with classical Egyptian features strode forward, ten other caramel-skinned men and women with him. “There are at least sixty of us who hail from the Egyptian clan here at the palace, my First, and fifty or so from the Tunisians. We would, more than anything, love to return home and rebuild what was lost.”
As the man spoke, Layla saw at least a hundred others of the court move forward, all of them lovely and caramel-skinned in the way of north Africa, though she presumed quite a few of those were Tunisians.
“It is well, and I would welcome it. Thank you.” Dusk smiled, vast pleasure beaming from his bright sapphire eyes. “And if my mother is still willing, I would love to resurrect the peace talks she once negotiated between the Egyptians and Tunisians. I have suspicion they were interrupted by foul play on the part of our former King.”
“On that account, I can shed light.” Sky Arlohaina spoke, stepping forward and pinning the Egyptians and Tunisians with her fierce sky-blue eyes. “It was the treachery of King Markus who tore our peace treaty apart a hundred and fifty years ago. Some of you know only a time when war raged between our clans, but in recent times, we have mostly been at peace. A hundred and fifty years ago, I was working hard to forge a formal peace pact between many clans along the Nile and in North Africa, and it was then that King Markus interfered. He called me to court, to test for my Trials. And after he had claimed me as yet another concubine, he traveled to Tunisia and told their clan I had been a spy sent to gather intelligence on their wealth for an Egyptian invasion. Long have tensions simmered between our clans, and it was like gasoline on a bonfire. Markus encouraged the Tunisians to go to battle and bring down the clan who had held the ancient houses of Crystal Kings and Queens before he came to power.”
“So Markus started the war.” Dusk spoke darkly, hatred seething off him to understand how it had all begun. “He pitted the Tunisians and Egyptians against each other so he could claim the wealth of both lands – and end any Royal lines that had endured through the generations.”
“He was furious when you slipped through his talons, my son.” Sky Arlohaina spoke, looking to Dusk. “Part of acquiring me was to find you and kill you if you still lived. King Markus felt threatened by the old bloodlines that still lived in Egypt. And it was those old bloodlines that brought him down at last.”
“Not just.” Dusk spoke, curling Layla beneath his arm as he set a hand to Adrian’s shoulder. “I could never have succeeded without our Bind. Though it gives me power, it changes me. I don’t know if I’m actually fit to lead this Lineage.”
“Perhaps you’re more fit than you realize.” Davira spoke up, eyeballing Dusk with a shrewd gaze. “Even without the power of our Crystal dead flowing through you, you have abilities no other Crystal drake can replicate, thanks to your Bind. Not only could it make you a strong leader, but it would also intimidate any who seek to challenge our Lineage. Who wants to mess with a Lineage that has a King who can wield not only Crystal Dragon power but Desert, Storm, and Siren? I think it appropriate that you consider the Kingship – especially since you are the most powerful Royal we have now.”
Dusk’s gaze became sad as he stared around the hall. Gazing back at him, the other Royals were riveted, watching history take place. And though they were strong, Layla saw how only Dusk had the maturity of diamond-light in his scales – only Dusk shed that ultra-bright luminescence through his hair and eyes and golden scale-lines. Though his coloring was still predominantly sapphire and might always be, Davira was right: he was the most powerful Royal they had now. Layla thought suddenly of old Norbu Gyatso, but he was a peaceful man, not a fighter.
As she looked back to Dusk, she saw him realize it, too.
“I am no dictator.” Dusk spoke quietly, gazing around the hall as he inhaled a deep breath. “We put it to a vote. Summon the entire palace, Davira, anyone who isn’t yet here. I would rather all clans have a say in this, and we shall take an initial vote now, then another one later all across the world.”
“Yes, Egyptian First.” Davira nodded smartly. Lifting up her chin, Davira raised her hands,ringing the remains of the palace like a resonant bell. It was a crisp, clear tone, and as Layla blinked at the sound, she suddenly felt everyone left in the entire palace moving toward their location. It took a number of minutes for everyone to cram into the devastated hall. But once it was full to bursting with thousands of Crystal Dragons, Davira at last turned to Dusk with a nod.
“We are assembled.”
Gazing around them all, Dusk took a deep breath.
“In this hour of darkness and light,” Dusk intoned, his voice resonating from every wall and pillar, “a decision must be made, my kin. King Markus is gone, and I stand before you now, Dusk Arlohaim, First of the Egyptian Clan, nominated to Kingship. I wish to hear your voices. Who in this hall would call me King, and wish for me to ascend the Lineage’s leadership?”
Layla was aware that Dusk had not used the wordthrone. He was being very careful to remain magnanimous, but as hands were thrust up all through the long hall, a deep, flowing resonance filled the space. As if all the Crystal Dragons were humming, joining their resonances as one, a beautiful music flowed around Layla. Ringing from broken balconies, singing from smashed domes, it was like a symphony of crystal singing bowls all being rung at once.
And the sound filled Layla with joy.
It was a landslide vote. Most of those present wanted Dusk as their King, and as Layla gazed around, she felt history turn. A tyrant was thrown down and a good man had stepped up to take his place. As Dusk took another deep inhalation, nodding at the vote, he swallowed hard.
“Very well.” He spoke. “I will take the position of Lineage Regent until a final vote can be made by all the clans. But I thank you all today, from the depths of my heart. Your resonance brings me joy, and hopefully I may do the same for you in the coming days and years.”
Setting his palm to his heart, Dusk joined his resonance to the Royals of his Lineage.
