Mated To Rival Kings

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Raven's POV

A crazy warmth was what woke me. For a split second, panic flared in my chest because I thought my heat had returned, that the fire was starting all over again. But as the fog of sleep cleared, I realized it was just a physical weight. Something—or someone—warm was pressed up against me.

I blinked my eyes open. The room was slowly brightening with the first rays of dawn, and I realized I was still in the lounge. We must have fallen asleep right there on the sofa. It was amazing; I hadn't stirred once through the entire night.

I looked down and nearly laughed. Valen was wrapped around my legs tightly, like a vine seeking a trellis. His head was resting right in my lap, and he looked completely knocked out, his usual sharp features softened by sleep. Then I noticed Darian. He was slumped on my other side, his arm draped loosely and comfortably over Valen’s waist.

The sight was so ridiculous that I let out an unintentional little laugh.

That was all it took. Both of them woke at once. They must be incredibly sensitive, even in the deepest sleep. They both looked up at me, then slowly looked at each other. Valen’s eyes trailed down to where Darian’s hand was resting on his hip, and Darian’s eyes followed.

I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable argument or the familiar snarl of competition. But there was… nothing. Darian just casually removed his hand, and Valen looked back up at me, a sweet, sleepy smile stretching across his face. His hair was a mess, sticking up in every direction.

"Good morning," he rasped.

"Good morning," I whispered back.

Darian sat up, stretching his broad shoulders until they popped. "How did you sleep? We must have crashed out here. I hope your body isn't aching, Raven. Valen's heavy ass was crushing you all night."

I chuckled, feeling a strange lightness in my chest. "Not at all. I feel surprisingly refreshed."

Valen sat up too, rubbing his eyes. "I know, right? I feel like I slept for a week."

As they spoke, I could actually feel the bond between the three of us pulse. It felt stronger, more stable. Something had definitely changed between the two Kings in those dungeons.

The peaceful moment was shattered by a loud knock. Before any of us could say "come in," the door swung open. Darian was on his feet in milliseconds, a low growl vibrating in his throat. He looked ready to tear whoever it was apart for the lack of propriety.

"Easy, easy," a familiar voice said. "I apologize for entering unannounced."

Elder Fabian stepped into the room, and I saw Darian’s muscled shoulders drop slightly as he took a deep breath. He backed away, but he still looked incredibly pissed. I could understand why; it must feel invasive for someone to just show up in his safe space like that.

Elder Fabian was followed by the other two Elders. I noticed the second female Elder particularly this time. I’d never heard her speak. She was so quiet you could almost forget she was there. She was beautiful, with long hair streaked with silver like an old woman’s, though her face looked to be only about forty.

The three of them went to sit, and Valen and I shifted to make room. Darian looked at Valen and pointed toward his room. "Go put on a shirt."

Valen was currently only wearing the black singlet he’d slept in. To my absolute wonder, Valen didn't argue. He just stood up and disappeared into his room. The Elders looked at each other, and even I stared after him. The old Valen would have made a scene just for the sake of it.

"King Darian of the South," Elder Matilda said, her voice stiff. "It appears that you and the King of the North are no longer enemies. How did that come to be?"

I wondered why the woman had to talk so formally. Wasn't it tiring to be that serious all the time?

Darian sat down, looking calm. "We talked it out."

Elder Fabian stroked his long beard, an annoying glint in his eyes, the kind he got when he knew something the rest of us "peasants" didn't. "Not fight it out? But talk it out? Interesting."

Valen returned then, dressed handsomely in a dark tunic. He sat down regally, instantly adopting the cold, distant facade of the King of the North. If I hadn't seen him drooling in his sleep ten minutes ago, I would have been terrified of him.

"Anyways," Elder Fabian said, leaning forward. "We just came to see how things are in the aftermath of the female’s heat. Seeing as she isn't marked and I can't smell either of you on her, I assume the mating did not happen."

My face went bright red. I scratched the back of my neck, looking at my feet. "No... nothing happened."

"Why?" Elder Fabian asked, his eyes narrow.

Valen looked irritated. "That’s just it. Nothing happened. What more do you want to know? It was pretty convenient that you three made yourselves scarce when we were in the heat of things. If the mating had happened, what was the plan? To keep us apart? You haven't given us a viable solution yet, but here you are, poking around unnecessarily."

"Valen," Darian said sharply, a warning in his tone.

Valen clamped his jaw shut and leaned back, looking completely unrepentant.

Darian turned back to the Elders, his voice diplomatic. "What he means is that we are awaiting your decision about this bond. We want to know the way forward so we aren't pushed to take matters into our own hands."

"I see," Elder Fabian said. "We will double down on our efforts."

"Also," Darian added, glancing at me. "There is something we’d like to discuss. Raven has been having some... experiences." He gave me a nod, encouraging me to speak.

I cleared my throat nervously. "So, I’ve had books disappearing, weird dreams about women with purple eyes, and... other stuff. The Kings think it has to do with mages. I want to know if you have any information. I need to know where I came from."

The silent Elder finally spoke up. Her voice was like running water with a deep vibrato that seemed to hum in the air. "Do you speak of the Book of Indina? The one in the deepest parts of the library? You saw it?"

"Erm, yeah," I said, my heart thumping. "Is that bad?"

I looked anxiously at Valen, who reached out and rubbed my arm soothingly.

"No, it is not bad," the woman said. "But it says a lot."

"What?" I followed up quickly. "What does it say?"

The woman remained silent, her piercing eyes fixed on me. What the hell? Were they really going to keep me in suspense?

"Interesting," Elder Fabian said again.

I resisted the urge to punch him. If he said that word one more time, I was going to lose it.

"Well? Is anybody going to speak the f**k up?" Valen snapped.

Darian just rubbed his forehead in frustration. Elder Fabian stood up, and the other two followed suit. "In a few days, we will return," he said. "By then, we will have an answer for Raven. And a decision about this... bond."

They swept out of the room without another word, leaving us in a heavy silence.

Darian walked over to the large window, staring out at the sun as it climbed higher into the sky. Valen turned to me, his expression softening. "Don't let them bother you, Raven. Elders are an unhelpful species. I’m not even sure why they exist."

I hit his chest playfully. "You shouldn't talk like that. You probably made Elder Fabian mad."

"Good," Valen said with a smirk. He stood up and stretched. "I have some letters to write, so I'll be in the study. Don't miss me too much."

He leaned down and kissed my cheek, making me smile stupidly, before he left the lounge.

Darian was still quiet at the window. I walked over to him, looking at his profile. He looked tense. "Is everything alright?"

"Can you see that carriage in the distance?" he asked, pointing toward the winding road that led to the mansion.

I squinted. At first, it was just a dark speck against the green hills, but as I watched, I could make out the shape of it. Darian’s eyesight was much better than mine so he must have seen it minutes ago.

"Is it coming here?" I asked.

"I guess so," Darian said, his voice flat.

"Why? Who is it?"

Darian turned to me, his amber eyes clouded with worry. "It bears the Southern crest, Raven. It’s from my home."