Page 79 of These Fractured Bonds
“For centuries, Her Majesty has declined to bear an heir. Now a threat looms over us, and Her Majesty fails to provide appropriate measures to safeguard our future.” Elder Beihr continued, his cheeks ruddy. A bead of sweat rolled down his balding head.
Elder Zalher nodded in agreement. Lord Endrim looked grim, but there had been a brief flash of annoyance in his eyes when Elder Beihr had spoken. He had gone off-script then, Yareli observed.
“There is no denying there is no heir; however, Her Majesty is a young queen. There is no hurry. Her Majesty’s mother, may she prosper with our ancestors, was older when she conceived,” Augrys retorted.
“The topic of heirs should be avoided as it lacks relevance.” Dragon General Andre nodded. “It is, however, concerning that Her Majesty is not in attendance.”
“Then, let’s end the council,” Tonio drawled. He looked bored, sprawled on his chair as though he was at home and not at an important diplomatic meeting. “We’ve no power to execute any action without Her Majesty present.”
His arrogance was that of a person whocouldafford to be; he was not afraid of others stomping on him, because hewasthe one doing the stomping. Yareli decided she didn’t want to be caught in his path. Multiple voices spoke up at once. Some argued against Tonio’s proposition; others agreed. Augrys stayed silent, but his tense shoulders revealed his stress. She bit her lip. Was this really what he dealt with when he was away from Enchanted Brew? Guilt struck hard and fast. All those messages, vent and study sessions. Augrys had entertained every single one of her requests while shouldering his duty’s burden without complaint.
A boom resounded in the reception hall, echoing in the mostly bare room. The curtains slammed shut, throwing them into instant darkness, and Yareli jumped. Torches flared to life at the end of the hall, casting the throne into view.
The Fae Queen, her chin lifted high in the air, stared down at them. Her dark hair was slicked back behind a crown of jewels, loose waves falling down past her breasts. She wore a dark green dress that cinched at her waist and fell into lush layers pooling onto the floor. Her vibrant, green eyes gleamed, and a slow smile crawled onto her face.
“Well, here I am.” Her voice was cold but smooth like honey. “Speak, Elder Beihr, what complaints do you have against my rule?”
He went pale, but to his credit, he spoke evenly. “Your Majesty, you’ve yet to respond to our inquiries regarding the non-aggression decree.”
“I do not waste my time on senselessness. We remain under the decree until further notice.”
If Allyah had stolen a piece of admiration from Yareli, the Fae Queen drew all of her admiration without effort.
“If I may, Your Majesty,” Dragon General Andre said.
“You may.”
“Is there any progress in our historians’ efforts to locate the nox’s origins?”
“We’ve acquired a lead. I am optimistic that it will be fruitful.”
“What about the light devices from the Grand Institute?”
“Still unfruitful.” She tapped her fingers against the throne’s wood. When no one else spoke, she said, “If that is all, then I declare this council adjourned until further notice.”
Yareli’s lips twitched in amusement. The elders and Endrim had been clamoring moments ago, and now, the words had seemingly died in their throats. She wanted to laugh at their cowardice.
Then, a pulse vibrated through the air, reverberating through her bones until they shook. Pain followed, and she bit down on her tongue, cutting off the yelp that threatened to spill from her. She tensed her muscles, and sure enough, another pulse came. It was like a steady gong that only she could hear, except it was silent, and it hurt like a bitch.
The queen stood, momentarily distracting Yareli from the pain. To her shock, the queen noticed her. The hardness in her eyes softened, almost as if she was surprised at her presence, but then she turned and vanished from the room, and Yareli doubted the interaction had happened. The curtains drew back, casting them back into the blazing light of the afternoon sun. She blinked until her vision adjusted, her eyes landing on Tuom. He glared at her, promising a terrible punishment for her transgression today. She looked away, in too much pain to care about him. The pulses stopped, leaving her with the remnants of pain.
It’s here,the female voice whispered.
What is? Yareli asked.
The power you seek.
Chapter 30
Afterthecouncil,Yarelileft the capital with Augrys and Erick. Although her fingers tapped and her thoughts remained on the palace, she endured the strain of shadowstepping back to Samire, the Keepers’ underground mountain base, without complaint. She retreated to her room, claiming she was exhausted from travel, and drew a bath. The last moments in the reception hall replayed in her head—the pulsing, the queen, and the whispers.
The power you seek.
It was tempting. Attended by some of the strongest Fae in Izmari, the council brought goose bumps to her skin. She wanted the strength to overpower Tuom fast. It would ensure he’d never harm her or another human again, but… did she really need that power? She had her own, albeit developing, magic. The power that awaited her was tremendous in scale; the pulses had carried a heavy residue, just as the palace’s magic had initially reacted on her skin. It wasn’t until she scrubbed her body clean that the feeling disappeared. Power had never been in question. How much, however, plagued her, demanding that she answer it now.
Except, she didn’t know. Yareli was a whisper of who she had been, a sliver of consciousness with only fragments from her previous life, and her answer lay in the memories of her childhood, her family.
She stood in the bath; it was now or never. Dressing in a hurry, she decided that it was best she lie down before she attempted to remember.
