Dark Illumination

Chapter Four

Halfway down the crystal tower’s thousand steps, Serena paused at an arched window to take in the arriving envoy and his retinue. Customarily, the Knights of Lumeria wore gold breastplates with white capes hanging down their backs. The fabric flapped and billowed when they walked. When she was younger she always thought of the capes as wings, unfurling behind them. Having crushes on the handsome Knights were common within the castle. And today was no exception as a fresh contingent of them arrived.

What caught her attention the most was the Knight at the head of the group. Unlike the others, he wore black armor. Even from this distance, his chestplate gleamed under the sun. She gasped when she recognized the five-pointed star at the center pierced by three bolts of lightning. The Prince of Light sent him? Serena wasn’t sure if she should be honored or insulted.

He rode in on a magnificent Barbaro Colt—a war horse so fierce only the strong of heart could tame and train. Its blue-black mane and coat shone like the polished onyx of the palace’s pillars. She didn’t see creatures like that every day. Truly a sight to behold, not only in size but also in elegance. Even from a distance she could tell there was intelligence in those round eyes. His rider didn’t even hold on to the reins, instead content to rest his hands on his thighs.

Once they passed the palace gates, Serena was reminded of what she must do. So she gathered up her cumbersome shirts and hurried down the rest of the steps. At the bottom of the tower she was met by a bespectacled girl in braided pigtails and a corset and trouser combo. Her palace matron always loved experimenting with clothing, uncaring of what others thought. They still, after all, lived in a world where most men believe women should walk around in skirts. Serena was working hard on changing that perception, and it started with allowing Penny to wear whatever the hell she wanted.

“What are you thinking?” the palace matron asked as she scampered to match her strides with Serena’s almost gallop.

She knew right away what Penny meant when she asked that question. “I want to make a statement. Bring out the leather,” she said, veering into the hallways that would lead to her chambers. Their steps echoed off the high ceilings and think crystalline walls.

Other palace staff hurried to and fro around them. Initially they had been prepared for the prince’s arrival. But with this wrinkle in the plan, more rooms must be prepared and other protocols of conduct to be followed. Katarina must be running everyone ragged to get ready. Not that Serena had anything to worry about. The personnel at the Onyx Palace were the best in the land. They were a well-oiled machine ready to move at a moment’s notice. Commands were followed to the letter, and many of them have been trained to anticipate needs without having to be told of what to do. Most likely, those scurrying about carried out tasks of their own volition, no longer waiting for instructions.

This freed up Serena to worry about more important things like making the right impression on their unexpected guest. What it too much to ask the Prince of Light for a heads up that he wouldn’t be the one arriving today? This slight was huge points against him, if she was being perfectly honest. What was she so nervous about when the man she was supposed to unite with couldn’t even bring himself to arrive at the allotted time? Now everything had to be moved back. The ceremonies. The engagements. The feasts. Her uncle wouldn’t like this wrinkle in the schedule, but he would still be the one to meet the new arrivals at the palace steps. Serena was sure of it.

She and Penny strode toward the ornate double doors of her rooms. On either side gray gargoyles stood guard. Serena preferred them for her security within the palace, freeing up the manticores for more important duties like maintaining the security of their borders against minions of The Void. From the strategy meetings, she had the impression the incorporeal creatures were growing bolder since the deaths of the High King and Queen. Not good, especially when her husband to be was currently missing in action.

The stone-faced gargoyles pushed open the doors without waiting for her to give them any signal. She nodded her thanks and passed through the threshold. A throb had begun on her temple, the undue stress and worry she had before entering the Room of Remembrance catching up with her.

Penny scampered toward the closet to retrieve the clothing she had asked for while two maids assisted Serena in unfastening the countless hooks and loosening the many lacing of her clothing. No formal dresses today. She was going into battle. And when there was a confrontation, one must dress the part.

***

Dressed in an all-white ensemble, Serena silently thanked Penny for her selection. The one-sleeved ivory leather dress featured a dramatic funnel collar and daring asymmetric cutouts. The palace patron paired it with skin-tight leather trousers that they then stuffed into over the knee boots that were killer. The only pop of color were the scared-heart emblem which featured prominently on the front of the dress and the burgundy lip Serena had chosen to emphasize her mouth. When she spoke, she wanted all eyes on her lips so they understood what she was saying.

Keeping the circlet on, Serena allowed her lady’s maids to gather the often unruly mass of her hair into an intricate chignon with gleaming white pearls woven in. If this wasn’t enough to make an impression, her words for the prince’s representative surely would.

Once the final pearl had been set, she admired herself one last time in the mirror then left her chambers. Outside the door, she was met by Katarina, who wore a creased brow.

“Something on your mind?” Serena asked as they made their way to the throne room.

“I don’t like this breech in etiquette,” the high priestess grumbled. The pommel of her staff produced a musical thud similar to the sound produced by massive church bells every time it hit the marble floor.

Serena chewed on the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning. This wasn’t the time to earn the ire of one of her most trusted advisers. Katarina was a stickler for following the rules and maintaining proper protocols. For what was a kingdom without rules and order? She would always say.

But just because she couldn’t grin didn’t mean she wouldn’t tease. “Consider this the modern age. Are we not progressive future monarchs of this land?”

The shocked gasped told Serena without having to look that her words had produced the desired effect. She loved unsettling Katarina, and considered it a guilty pleasure worth indulging in. Especially during such a high tension situation—like the arrival of one of the most infamous Knights within the two kingdoms.

“You’re not serious?” Katarina asked, still incredulous when they rounded a corner where they were met by six manticores in full regalia, including their commander in his formal uniform of black trousers stuffed into leather boots and a crimson jacket featuring a lion head emblem on the breast pocket to denote the army he belonged to. He opted to remain in his human form. But when he did decide to transform, it was glorious. The first white manticore of his kind.

“Shouldn’t you be at the front lines?” Serena teased the handsome commander, who took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles before he knelt to one knee. She touched the top of his head and granted him the benediction he sought. “From The Dark we came…”

“From The Dark we shall return,” he finished, gracefully pushing to his feet.

“It’s always good to see you, Bowen,” she said with a gentle smile. She always had a soft spot for the manticore, who didn’t let the difference in his coloring hinder his rise to the top.

“Considering today? I’m at your service, Your Highness.”

Serena huffed. “Can you imagine the rudeness?”

“From what I’ve heard of the prince’s reputation, this isn’t an unlikely occurrence.” He offered her his arm and she took it. With a silent signal to his soldiers, they all proceeded toward the back entrance into the throne room. “He is considered a maverick in Lumeria, fighting on the borders of his land instead of plotting strategy from the safety of the command tent.”

She looked up at the tall commander with sun-kissed dark hair. “From your reverent words I get the feeling you are half in love with this prince. Maybe you two should be the ones uniting this day.”

A dimple peeked out of his cheek when Bowen grinned. “If you don’t want him.”

“Oh, shut up.” She playfully slapped his shoulder. Unbecoming of a princess, but they were still among friends. Not even Katarina minded. Considering she was brooding at the moment, it seemed like it would take a catastrophe of epic proportions to get her to pay attention.

Bowen shrugged his mighty shoulders as they entered the antechamber with its domed ceiling and carved reliefs of past High Kings and Queens. “What I’m trying to say here is he is as progressive as you are. Your union can only be good for our land. Bring us into the future, my lady.”

She smirked before waving her hand for them to proceed. Two of the manticores opened the double doors. With a tilt of his chin, Bowen gave the other four under his command to precede them. They would take their placed along the steps of the dais. Should anyone be stupid enough to attach the princess they would be met with a barrage of poisoned needles before they could even make it two steps toward the throne.

Serena hated the need for precaution. She wanted to believe that they lived during a time when her death would be meaningless to anyone who thought to do her harm. That their land was a peaceful one. But that wasn’t the case. Until she was united with the Prince of Light and the balance was regained, they would all be left vulnerable.

Lifting her chin, she gave Bowen leave to proceed. She would be the last one to enter the room. He let go of her arm and took his place to the right of her throne. Katarina met her gaze. They shared a nod as if to say “show time.” Then her high priestess stepped out and took her place to the left of the throne.

A rustle of robes from the royal master of ceremony was soon followed by her introduction. “Princess Serena, the chosen one, lady of The Dark, ruler of Teare. May her prayers save us all.”

Taking one last deep breath to settle her nerves, Serena rounded the majestic throne made of polished black granite and took her place before it, choosing not to sit. The courtiers lining the great hall bowed their heads. She lifted her hand and said, “We are made from The Dark.”

“And from The Dark we shall return,” they answered in perfect harmony.

Then she settled her gaze on her uncle, who stood all by the closed doors of the great hall, his staff in hand. His graying hair that reached his knees was tied at the name. The hem of his white robe pooled on the floor, giving him the appearance to standing on a nebulous cloud. From the monocle he wore he met her gaze. Then he tapped the pommel of his staff against the marble beneath his feet, producing a tremulous ringing.

The doors opened to reveal their guest and his retinue of Knights. The dust from the road was scrubbed from their faces. Good. They were given time to freshen up. Serena would hate to have to address them while they were travel weary.

The Knight in all black approached the dais with a sure stride, head held high. Like her, he wore a circlet, but his was a plain gold band that was mostly covered by his jet black hair. What startled her most were his eyes. As deep and as sharp as rubies were their color. Such a haunting blood red. His cape the color of a starless and moonless midnight billowed like a storm cloud behind him as he walked, attached to his breastplate by shoulderplates made to resemble howling wolves’ heads. He met her gaze full on before taking a knee a few yards away from the steps to the dais. He was beautiful the way nightmares were beautiful. Frightening and exhilarating at the same time.

“Your Highness, I am—”

“I know who you are, Sebastian Sloan,” she interrupted, if only to remain in control of the situation. The aura that surrounded him, although from the light, held a hint of The Dark that she couldn’t quite understand the source of. Only those from Teare could access the forces The Dark provided. Yet here knelt a Knight of Lumeria who seemed to draw from both power sources. He intrigued her. “The Duke of Lightning. I’m surprised the Prince of Light sent you. Couldn’t he be bothered to come himself?”

The gasps that filled the air said she over stepped her bounds. But the duke merely remained kneeling, head bowed when he responded. “My brother sent me because he cares, Your Highness. If he didn’t he would have sent a mere messenger.”

Unwilling to be swayed by his logic, she asked, “So? Where is he?”

“A fortnight away.” He met her gaze then with those unsettling eyes. “He had been in the process of securing the border with his Legion when we received word of the High King and Queen’s passing. He sent me immediately here as he made preparations to depart for Teare. She shall arrive shortly.”

“Then as the Prince of Dark, I welcome you and your mean into my kingdom, Sebastian Sloan.” She lifted her chin higher and looked down her nose at him. “But know that your prince’s actions are not appreciated by this court. The breach of protocol must be atoned for.”

Sebastian stood slowly, never breaking eye contact. “Then I shall endeavor to serve until you are satisfied, Your Highness.”

A band of heat stretched from one cheekbone across the bridge of her nose to end at the other. Serena never had cause to fear The Dark. Not until this black Knight walked into her palace.