Heart of Fire (38 page)

“Tonight before I sit down to dinner
in the great hall, I will proclaim Ertemis as my heir and crown
prince to the throne of Shaldar.”

The king nodded toward Jessalyne.
“In two weeks time, a coronation and royal wedding will take place.
As you are still the Blessed Bride, my dear, it falls to you marry
my first born.” He smiled broadly. “I hope that will not be too
much to ask?”

Jessalyne flew off the window seat.
“Of course, I will marry him, your highness.” She laughed out loud.
“In truth, I was going to marry him regardless of what happened
today.” Her smile faded. “What about Prince Erebus?”

“Please, call me Raythus. We are
family now.” Raythus looked exceptionally calm for a ruler about to
create chaos in his kingdom. “Prince Erebus may be a foppish
peacock of a man but he understands protocol. I am ashamed to admit
it, but I have known since he was very young he would never be fit
to rule. Why do you think I put off blessing a bride for so long?
Soon enough he will have all the time he wants for visits to his
tailor and chasing skirts.”

Ertemis spoke, perhaps seeing
Jessalyne’s disbelief on her face. “Raythus, I doubt Erebus will
give up the throne so easily. Or Jessalyne, for that
matter.”

Raythus punched his fist against his
palm. “I’m his father and his king. He has no choice but to abide
by my ruling. I need a man with a spine of steel and the heart of a
warrior to take my place. Too many of Shaldar’s neighbors eye us
like some plump stonefruit, ripe for the picking.”

Laythan stood, clearing his throat.
“Your highness, there is something more you need to
know.”

“Yes?”

“Jessalyne and I have knowledge that
Sryka was the one poisoning you.”

“What?” The volume of Raythus’s
voice threatened to shatter the parlor windows. “How dare she break
her oath. But how can it be? Her magic should be useless against
me.”

“It should be, but she found a way
around the oath. The tonic she sent you was laced with pixie dust,
an ingredient that could save your life in small doses or kill you
in large ones.”

Jessalyne stepped in. “She’s
harvesting the dust from the stolen wings of my friend, Fynna. She
used a separation spell to take her wings away as a
punishment.”

“Call my guards.” Raythus clenched
his hands in anger. “Then send for Erebus and my scribe,” he
growled. “I have work to do.”

Jessalyne and Ertemis waited in the
parlor for Raythus to call them back into the library. Her fingers
dawdled with the pendant around her neck.

“I was surprised to see you still
wearing that.” He smiled at her in a way she was not yet used
to.

“I thought many times about taking
it off but I couldn’t.” She rolled the pearl back and forth between
her fingers. “I’ve been told this is a very costly piece. What made
you buy such a thing for me when we barely knew each
other?”

His mouth was partially hidden by
his hand on his chin, but she still saw the corners of his smile.
He motioned for her from his overstuffed chair. “Come
here.”

“I’m right next to you.”

“Come here or I’ll come get
you.”

Jessalyne stuck her tongue out.
“Hah.”

He raised one eyebrow as he uncoiled
from the chair and swept her up off the window seat, reseating
himself with her on his lap before she could scarcely blink. He
nuzzled her neck, making her forget what she’d been saying.
Reluctantly, she pushed him away. “You haven’t answered my
question.”

“A beautiful woman should be adorned
with beautiful things.” His lips against her ear. “I shall shower
you with fine things for the rest of your life.”

At the sound of footsteps, they both
looked up. Laythan cleared his throat, his eyes on Ertemis. “Your
father would like you to join him. Lady Jessalyne, you may come
with us if you like.”

Ertemis kissed Jessalyne’s temple as
he stood, setting her feet on the ground. “If you don’t want to
face Erebus, you don’t have to come in.”

“I’m not afraid of him.”

“After last night, it’s more likely
the other way around.” Ertemis nodded to Laythan. “Lead the
way.”

* * *

They entered as Erebus slammed his
fist onto the table. “You cannot do this!”

Raythus stayed calm. “But I am. It’s
time you meet your brother.” He gestured toward Ertemis.

Erebus spun around, his face clouded
with rage. The crimson flush darkened like the underbelly of a
thundercloud as he realized what other bloodline ran in Ertemis’s
veins. Ertemis nodded, taking pleasure in seeing the man suffer
who’d hurt his beloved. “Hello, brother.”

Erebus slammed his fist down again.
“You expect me to accept this baseborn spawn as my brother? Never!
I will not pay for your dalliance with some elven w-whore.” He
sputtered with fury.

Jessalyne’s hand clamped onto
Ertemis’s arm as he started forward, but he shook it off. He
tightened his grip on his sword hilt. “Refer to my lady mother with
such disrespect again and I will slice your tongue from your
mouth.”

“Erebus, enough!” Raythus moved to
stand between them. “Ertemis is my first born. He will marry the
Blessed Bride and be crowned king. That is the end of this
matter.”

“You would break my betrothal? Is
there no end to your duplicity?” Erebus’s mouth curled into a
sneer.

“I gave my blessing for her to marry
my first born son. There is no duplicity.” He stared down Erebus’s
fierce gaze. “The proclamation is written. It will be read in the
great hall tonight when I introduce Prince Ertemis to the people of
Shaldar.”

“So it is done, and I am cast
aside.” Erebus was rigid with rage. He smoothed his velvet tunic,
obviously trying to compose himself. “In truth, I’m happy to be
free of the witchling bride.”

Ertemis growled and Erebus laughed
bitterly. “You’ve been well matched, brother. A marriage made in
Hael, to be sure.”

Raythus stepped back. “It doesn’t
need to be like this, Erebus.”

“Yes. It does. I will not be made
the fool in my own kingdom.”

“Where will you go? Do you want me
to arrange for a delegation to travel with you? You could sail to
Myssia as my emissary.”

“Your concern overwhelms me.”
Sarcasm poured from Erebus’ words. He sneered at Raythus as he
brushed past, keeping wide of Ertemis and Jessalyne.

He paused at the door. Straightening
to his full height, he schooled his face to indifference. “The
people will never accept this creature in place of me. I will
always be the rightful king of Shaldar in their minds.” He pointed
at Raythus, the slightest tremble betraying his attempt at apathy.
“You will rue this moment, old man. Mark my words.”

Chapter Twenty

Blaring trumpets announced the
processional as the king waited to make his way into the great
hall. Almost three years had passed since he had dined amongst his
people. How would they receive him? How would they receive the news
of his newly discovered son?

He glanced back at Ertemis. Shrouded
in a voluminous black cloak with the hood pulled low over his face,
his son loomed like a shadow. In truth, he had some fear of the
man, but also a great deal of sadness over what his life had
been.

His gaze shifted to the beautiful
woman beside his son. Like a beam of moonlight, Jessalyne radiated
with an ethereal glow. Her hand rested on Ertemis’s arm as she
offered him a slight smile. How perfect a pair.

The music changed. Raythus took a
deep breath. The doors into the great hall were pulled open by a
pair of valets wearing his colors. He went forward with head held
high, smiling and nodding to greet his people. The crowd in the
hall sat briefly stunned at the sight of him, but before he passed
the first table, they stood as a whole and erupted with
adulation.

Chants of “Hail the King” rang
throughout the hall and eased his mind as he headed for the dais.
Today was the start of new promise for Shaldar.

* * *

Through the parted doors,
Jessalyne’s gaze swept the assembled mass. How they would react to
the king’s news? What would the sight of Ertemis do to them? She
turned her attention back to Raythus as he began to
speak.

“Noble people of Shaldar, gentle
folk of this great kingdom, I am so pleased that my return to good
health allows me to join you in our great hall.”

Again, applause filled the room,
echoing against the high mosaic ceiling.

Raythus raised his hand, stilling
the crowd. “It is with even greater pleasure that I announce the
most wonderful news. Many years ago you will recall I attempted to
forge a union between Shaldar and Elysium. The elves sent a council
here for many months as we worked on building this alliance. That
much you know. What is not widely known is that one of the women in
that council captured my heart. I promise you that she shared my
feelings.”

The hall went deathly quiet, then a
hum rose like a swarm of bees coming closer. The buzzing stopped
when the king continued.

“With respect for this elfess, the
most I will reveal is that a child was born of that love. Not just
any child but my first born. A son I’ve just been reunited
with.”

He looked back at Ertemis, still
veiled in his cloak. Voice fraught with emotion, Raythus gestured
toward the man beside her. “Fine citizens of Shaldar, nothing would
please me more than to introduce you to my first born son and
rightful heir to my throne, Prince Ertemis.”

Ertemis stepped forward, slipping
his hood back as he did.

A collective gasp broke the silence
as the crowd realized what Ertemis was. Whispers of “dark elf” and
“halfling” murmured through the hall.

Raythus raised both hands to regain
their attention. “Gentle folk! Please!”

When they had quieted enough, he
spoke. “The wedding planned for just a few days from now is not
being canceled, merely pushed back a week. The Blessed Bride has
been promised to my first born son and in a fortnight’s time, my
first born will indeed marry the lovely Lady Jessalyne. Tonight we
feast in celebration of their troth!”

The cacophony of cheers and hoorahs
erupted filling the great hall with happy noise once again.
Jessalyne smiled as she and Ertemis made their way to the dais and
their seats at the king’s side. The promise of a wedding feast and
the king’s assurance seemed all the people needed to overlook
Ertemis’s notorious reputation. Or perhaps it was Erebus’s
displacement they cheered for.

Raythus quieted the assembly one
last time. “Before the feasting begins, I must bring a serious
matter to your attention. The matter of treason.”

Again, whispers hissed through the
great hall.

“Through her vigilant observations,
Lady Jessalyne discovered the affliction ailing me was due not to
age or illness but a deadly poison. The traitor behind this poison
was none other than my mage, Mistress Sryka. She now enjoys the
full benefits of Castle Ryght’s dungeons.”

He turned toward Jessalyne. “For
your fealty and courage, I bestow upon you the Star of
Shaldar.”

Laythan came forward, a velvet
pillow in his hands. Hung on white silk ribbon and embossed with
the king’s crest, the Star rested on top of the pillow.

The king draped the medal around
Jessalyne’s neck, kissing her on each cheek when he was through.
“You’re like the daughter I never had, child. Thank you for all
you’ve done for me,” he whispered.

“Thank you, Sire.” She curtsied, not
sure what the proper response was to being honored in such a way.
She looked from the medal around her neck to Ertemis. The pride in
his eyes overwhelmed her with bittersweet emotion. In a day’s time
she had become betrothed to the man her heart desired and awarded
the kingdom’s highest honor. If only her mother were alive to see
her.

The next few days passed in a blur.
After Jessalyne approved the invitations, royal scribes worked
through the night to finish them. Messengers were dispatched to the
furthest parts of the kingdom. She made sure their first stops were
Fairleigh Grove and Warren on the Wick.

Dressmakers demanded Jessalyne’s
time for fitting her wedding gown, cook sought her input on the
menu for the feast, and when she wasn’t consumed with a myriad of
other details, she poured over Sryka’s books, looking for a way to
reverse the separation spell that had stripped Fynna of her
wings.

“Found anything yet?” Fynna peered
over the pile of cleaning supplies in her arms as she pushed open
the door to Sryka’s old quarters with her elbow.

Jessalyne placed a leather ribbon
between the pages and shut the book. “No reversal spell but I did
find this.” She held up a key worn shiny with use.

Fynna’s eyes widened. “Is that the
key to the armoire?”

“It has to be. We’ve tried every
other key possible. I wanted to wait until you got here to try it.”
Jessalyne stood and pushed open the door into Sryka’s bedchamber
where the armoire stood. “Ready?”