Lessia snorted, and Merrick knew then Aixle was speaking to both of them.
It was silent for a moment, only Lessia’s shifting on the couch and its whining under the pressure reverberating through the room, and Merrick began wondering whether he would need to ask after all when Aixle finally spoke again.
Do you know the story of Queen Trista?
I do.Merrick almost jerked when Lessia’s beautiful voice caressed his mind—the sound like light itself,settling into Merrick’s bones and soul—and Aixle smiled wider as he tilted his face to the fire.
Trista Rantzier was the first queen of Vastala,Lessia continued, and Aixle must have linked their minds somehow because an image of the library in the castle of Ellow—of a beautifully carved railing telling the queen’s story—appeared in his thoughts before Lessia spoke once more.She was supposed to marry another Fae of royal blood, but she refused when she found her mate, Melekh, and married him instead, even though he was only a foot soldier, and the nobles threatened to take her throne for it.
Yes,Aixle agreed.She married Melekh Morshold, but it wasn’t because he was a foot soldier that people were outraged.
Merrick shot straight, and when Lessia’s wide eyes found his, he opened his mouth, but Aixle raised a hand, the gesture so foreign—he’d barely ever seen Aixle react outwardly—that Merrick swallowed his question.
Yes, a Morshold and a Rantzier found each other, and their love was so strong—so consuming—that they believed it would conquer everything. But instead, it led to their demise.
A flicker of rage kindled in Merrick’s gut when worry seemed to take hold of his mate, her hand holding his so firmly it would have hurt a lesser male. This was definitely not what he had planned when he brought her here.
MelekhMorshold? Why had Merrick never heard of this?
You haven’t heard the whole story because almost everyone who knew it died. Melekh was a foot soldier, yes, but he was one of the best. He was what was then called a soulbinder, or a Guardian of Death. He could call upon the souls ofthe restless dead and ask for their help. He saved Trista this way when they fought the gods, and… something happened to her then. She was a water wielder—just like Rioner—but with Melekh? She was something more… something different. Even if she fought it all the way to the end, refused the name and the powers that came with it, they called her Queen of Shadows.
Lessia’s face was void of emotion as she stared at the pale Fae, but Merrick could tell so many thoughts, so many worries and emotions fought within her.
But she was too strong.Aixle moved to hang the teapot over the fire, somehow easily avoiding the flames.Her fierce love made her too strong. That’s why her parents—your great-great-great-grandparents, Elessia—opposed the marriage and made her step down from the throne, giving its seat to her brother instead. No one should be stronger than the gods, not even after they’d been driven from our realms. And the two of them?Aixle shook his head.They were magnificent. It was magnetic being around them. Until… it wasn’t.
There was no balance. Without the gods… there was no countering their powers.
Lessia didn’t phrase it as a question, but Aixle nodded anyway.Even after Trista no longer led Vastala, she stayed to keep her people safe, and the more they fought for the people—and they did, because Trista’s large heart didn’t just beat for Melekh—the weaker they got, until one battle…
Merrick snarled as the image flashed before his eyes of a golden-haired female falling to her knees before an enemy who didn’t hesitate as he severed her head, a silver-haired Fae screaming out his pain until he also took a sword to the gut, his eyes raging as he tumbled down a steep cliff, his body already broken before it reached the dark water.
What can we do?Merrick knew Aixle wouldn’trespond, but he couldn’t… fuck, that would not be him and Lessia. There must be a balance out there, there must be something?—
Five queens. There must be five queens awakened to save them all.Aixle moved the pot off the fire, pouring himself a cup of flowery-scented tea.That’s what Trista used to say. We didn’t… we didn’t know what it meant, but she kept dreaming about five girls—about a world burning and breaking and fracturing. We thought it meant they were out there… that she just needed to find them, but…
What if they don’t live at the same time?Lessia stared into the flames, the golden sheen on her face doing little to bring color to her cheeks as the imagery in her mind showed Merrick she believed she might be the second queen, another female doomed.What if there is no balance?
No.Merrick refused to accept that.My parents told us to find the one who clings to life. If she is a queen, we’ll find her. How many can there be out there?
There was no fucking way he was giving up because of someone who’d died centuries ago, and who hadn’t even tried. No. Fucking. Way.
You can try. Melekh wouldn’t give up either. That’s why he wasn’t by her side to save her that day. He’d been traveling, trying to find any information he could, only getting back as they were ambushed, and as you saw… he didn’t make it in time.
He was a fucking idiot, then.
Merrick would never leave her side. There was nothing that could stop him from saving her. And besides… Lessia had agreed to come with him. They weren’t going into battle.
I hope you’re right.Aixle sipped from his cup.I really hope you’re right.
Chapter 36
Raine
“Ichoose you too.”
The words hung in the air between them, but they didn’t make it heavy. No. Raine didn’t think he’d ever felt so light. Despite the situation they were in, despite the ship now a distant shadow, despite that they were sitting on a fucking rock in the middle of the Eiatis Sea with only dark water surrounding them, despite that he had no damned idea how they’d get to the others… he smiled.
Weaving his hands into Frelina’s wet hair, Raine tilted her head back so he could press soft kisses on her neck, trailing them up until he placed a kiss on her chin. On her lips. On each of her cheeks. Kissing every inch of her he could until he reached her ear.
