Esmeray directed her attention to Merrick, her wings flaring out ever so slightly in what Lenna concluded must be a dominance trait between gargoyles. “You heard our conversation–I hope it also confirms something for you. The dragons will only bring treasures from their trove to me. My parents named me Queen on High, and that title cannot be taken away as easily as Adara believes. Lord Magnamus couldn’t give you the Prism even if he wanted to. Irridessen and its magic acknowledgemeas its main ruler, my twin a secondary Queen as the succession dictated, and the dragons will refuse to affiliate with anyone except myself, which makes my uncle pretty testy. Adara can call herself whatever she wants–it does not change the fact she isactuallyLesser Queen based on Irridessen's succession. And only I can change the titles now for future rulers.”
Queen. Esmeraywasthe Queen on High–even if Adara rebuked her title.
Dragons and magical successions, hidden titles and secret royalty… Truly it all made Lenna very overwhelmed.
Merrick opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “I will hear your story,” he said a bit hoarsely.
Esmeray clasped his hand in hers. “Thank you. Even if you listen and still hate me after, we do have a common goal to save Keerian.”
“Save Keerian from what?” Lenna heard herself ask, and she was surprised the words came out as steady as they had–especially since she just saw adragonand now held an object that was currently humming in her hands with a type of magic that felt very ancient to Lenna’s bones.
Esmeray growled, the bloodthirstiness in the Queen’s eyes giving Lenna pause. Baring her teeth, exposing two sharp canines, Esmeray answered harshly, “From my sister.”
Chapter twenty-five
Laurent
LaurentwatchedMerrickapprehensively.Their time serving King Scottrell had made it to where Laurent knew Merrick as well as he knew himself. While Laurent and Keerian preferred to deal with absolutes, Merrick never shied away from reveling in the grey areas of their duties. Merrick balanced them out as a fighting unit, but Keerian always groused that Merrick’s temper would get him in trouble one day.
Esmeray’s presence confirmed for Laurent, at least, that they should hear Esmeray out before deciding their next steps. Merrick looked ready to fight the Queen–yes, Esmeray was Queen on High after all, until his silent conversation with the great dragon and Esmeray. Now, he seemed too quiet, too subdued.
Seeing Resso had been a surprise since the dragons that lived below the Obsidian Palace typically avoided any interactions with the beings above them, and were prone to “eat first, ask questions later” when it came to beings stupid enough to venture into the treasure troves that tunneled through the caverns.
But Esmeray…
Laurent had seen both Adaraand Esmeray in passing, though their words exchanged had been short and far between. No more than flat greetings on days where Esmeray deigned to even acknowledge her father’s guard. Princess Esmeray always came across as the troublemaker, actively skipping Council Meetings her father would demand she attend, wane out of the Palace on a whim, returning days or weeks later with no explanation for where she was. She was cunning, aloof, larger than the box her parents begged her to fit into as Princess.
In comparison, Adara always sat prim and straight-backed in every Council Meeting, shaking hands with foreign nobility, giving small, approving smiles as laws were passed and new avenues of trade or other boring topics were presented. Adara encapsulated the perfect Princess that was presented to the beings in Irridessen as their next Queen–once Carra gifted Adara the soul tie. And now she had declared herself Queen Absolute.
Yet Carra had given the fateful soul tie to Esmeray, and now Laurent found himself in a very backwards situation.
“I’ll do it.” Lenna interrupted his thoughts, her bright red hair shimmering under the torchlight. “If it helps your um…mate. I can help. I want to help.” Lenna ducked her flushed face as Esmeray focused on her, though the Queen seemed to relax at the admission.
Esmeray gave Lenna a tight smile, “Thank you, Oracle.”
A feminine shout from the hall was their only warning before the throne room doors burst open. Esmeray whirled, her golden staff appearing out of thin air as Royal Guards flooded in, swords drawn and magic rallied around the fists of the fae fighters.
“Seems my warm welcome has officially run out,” Esmeray notedsarcastically.
“Fuck,” Merrick growled, his head pivoting from the Royal Guards to Esmeray, and Laurent watched the battle of the gargoyle’s own morals play across his face.
Fight against the Crown and find yourself labeled a traitor.
Fight against Esmeray–find yourself dead.
With a prayer sent to the gods above, Laurent made the decision for him. Blue flame ignited at his fingertips as he took up a position of defense between Lenna and the guards, siding with Esmeray. Merrick cursed as he drew his sword, taking up a position on Lenna’s other side.
“We’re so fucked,” Merrick commented as more fighters poured into the throne room.
“Laurent, can you wane?” Esmeray slashed her staff through the air, a gnarled mass of thorny vines appearing between them and the guards, the brambles thrashing on the ground like live snakes.
Laurent shook his head, directing a wall of fire to flank their sides, forcing the guards into a bottleneck against the thorns. The Royal Guards fought viciously as the vines pounced, the sharp points of the brambles piercing their metal armor effortlessly, yet the sheer amount of foes soon became overwhelming.
“I’ll wane us,” Esmeray shouted, throwing her hand out as Laurent’s howling flames drowned out the yells of pain from the fighters ensnared by the magical plant, the bellows of those flying above them, hunting for a way to get closer. Merrick gripped Lenna’s upper arm, propelling her towards Esmeray. Lenna screamed Laurent’s name, fear strangling her voice, as she threw a hand out to him. Laurent hurdled towards it, grabbing ahold just as Esmeray caught Merrick by the lapel of his vest. Her staff blazed with magic, a wisp of golden light arching gracefully over the wall of flame before crashing into the opal throne on the dais, blasting it to rubble.
Laurent blinked in surprise. Esmeray shot him a sneaky smile before twisting, waning them out of the Obsidian Palace.
The golden flash of Esmeray’s magic dissipated a moment later, depositing their group atop a grassy knoll. Esmeray staggered slightly as Merrick, Lenna, and Laurent landed in a jumbled heap of wings and limbs. Merrick groaned, heaving a ghost-white Lenna to her feet. Laurent squeezed Lenna’s shoulder in reassurance, receiving flat glare in return. The Oracle did not seem adept to speak anytime soon, as if she left her voice in the throne room of the Obsidian Palace and needed a moment for it to catch back up.
