Dark Illumination

Chapter Eleven

Serena’s heart sputtered. What was this feeling? Her throat closed, hindering her ability to speak. A flush climbed up her neck to settle in the balls of her cheeks. Despite the roughness of the calluses on his hand, his palms were warm. Because he was touching her, could he feel the dampening of her own palm? He made her anxious in the most unsettling of ways. She didn’t understand what was happening to her. How could she both be frightened and excited all at the same time? How could he steal her breath one second then give it all back the next, leaving her breathing too hard?

When he looked up at her with those eyes, as if he saw straight into her soul, she forgot everything. Her name. Her stations. Even her responsibilities. In that moment, nothing mattered but his hands enclosing hers. Why? It angered her not to know.

She lived a cloistered life in the palace, this she could freely admit to herself. But she never lacked for male companionship. She interacted with Bowen and his manticores and the Swordmaster all the time. She had sparred with them. Even exchanged pleasantries with them. She gave them benedictions every time they knelt before her. What made Sebastian different? Why could he awaken flutters in her belly that none of the others have?

Here, alone in this kitchen, knelt the most dangerous Knight in Lumeria. He had cultivated a reputation of being a rogue and a scoundrel, yet his loyalty to his brother, the Prince of Light, was undisputed. Yet here he was asking for her forgiveness and what came out of her mouth seemed like the most obvious question of all.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, almost afraid. Of what she couldn’t be certain. It was like she faces an unpredictable feral dog. She had no idea if he would bite her or lick her cheek. Unnerving. Definitely unnerving. She wished there had been a class that thought her how to handle herself in the presence of handsome, intimidating men. If she couldn’t hold her own against Sebastian then what chances did she have against the prince who was rumored to be so handsome his brilliance rivaled that of the sun?

To be clear, those were just rumors. She hadn’t seen the prince since the summer they met for the first time. For all she knew the virtues of his looks were inflated to make him seem better than he really was. Like some sort of legend the travelling minstrels sang about. Well, they would find out soon enough.

It was Sebastian’s voice, deep and cool as the darkest sea, that pulled her away from rambling thoughts when he said softly, almost reverently, “It is tradition.”

Of course she knew that. It was Lumerian tradition to place the knuckles of a holy person against their forehead after a benediction as a sign of respect. Sebastian was just doing what he had been taught since he was a boy.

Flustered for making a fool of herself, she pulled her hand out of his grasp and stepped back. Not paying attention, the small of her back collided with the counter’s edge. Pain. Glorious, mind-clearing pain shot up her spine. She winced and whimpered, curling into herself. How much worse could this night get?

As quick as the flashes in the sky he was named after, the Duke of Lightning rose to his feet and grabbed her arms. “Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Suddenly she was surrounded by a stunningly male body that radiated warmth and the most intoxicating scent that had ever deigned to climb up her nose to find a home in her lungs. She inhaled, not only in an attempt to ease the agony bumping into a granite countertop caused, but to also take in more of that heavenly smell. Sandalwood and something else. Something she couldn’t identify yet overwhelmingly craved. Was that Sebastian?

There went her heart again; sputtering like it was defective or something.

She needed…space. This was all too much. She couldn’t think with him hovering over her like some protective gargoyle waiting for a response. With the counter behind her and the huge hulking male hovering, she was trapped. On impulse she placed her hands on his chest in an attempt to push him away. The unyielding muscle there made her gasp for some reason. He was as hard as bedrock beneath her palms.

“Answer me, Your Highness,” he said, more worry in his tone now. “Are you alright? Do you need a healer?”

“I…” She couldn’t speak. Each inhale sent more of that tantalizing scent into her body. It was terribly distracting. So she did the only thing she could think of considering the circumstances. She held her breath and pushed.

At first Sebastian paused, uncertainty clear on his beautiful features. She added more pressure against him, looking up in desperation. Finally he seemed to understand what she wanted and took a step back. This allowed her to skirt around the offending countertop to the other side. Having a barrier helped when she finally let out the breath she had been holding and gulped in new, fresher air.

He tilted his head to the side and studied her. “Are you having some sort of fit?”

The mocking in his tone allowed her nerves to settle. Belligerence she could handle. “I’m fine,” she said, rubbing her sweaty palms over the front of her robe. “Just bruised myself is all.”

“Doesn’t look like it to me.” He glanced toward the winding staircase. “Maybe I should—”

“No!” She held up a hand in panic. No one could know they were here together at this late hour. Her staff were good people, but there’s no telling what rumors could begin flying if word got out that she was…what? In the kitchen after hours with the Duke of Lightning? No matter how innocent their encounter might have been, just having their names together in the same sentence as midnight didn’t speak well of her reputation. Especially when she had been waiting for his brother to arrive so the union could commence.

This couldn’t be spun into a better angle. People will think what they want and court gossip tended to be the salacious kind. Having her purity questioned would hinder her upcoming nuptials.

Desperate, she looked around for an escape until her gaze landed on the sandwich she had made. “You can have that.” She pointed at the plate. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

Before he could respond, she hurried toward the stairs and, with all the will she possessed, tried not to take the steps two at a time. What was she thinking staying that long in the kitchen alone with Sebastian? Not even with Bowen had she done anything like that. Sparring was a different matter. It was public. It was exercise.

She paused at an empty corridor lined with marble busts of High Kings and Queens of old on pedestals. Her fingers immediately went to her lips. Had he been asking for forgiveness for kissing her? It couldn’t be. She felt the eyes of the busts on her, judging her. She had kissed someone other than her betrothed. What did that make of her? They had names for women like that. Her insides seemed to shrivel at the thought of betraying the prince by allowing his brother to steal her first kiss. Yet how could she have known Sebastian would take liberties when all they were doing was sparring? She didn’t have to worry about her uncle saying anything. He was loyal to her. But he had been giving her admonishing glances lately.

Her guilt redoubled. She was making such a mess of things. Her confusion where Sebastian was concerned wasn’t helping either.

Then, as if she was being punished for her sins, a sharp, blinding pain stabbed through her head. She dropped to her knees, clutching her forehead. The agony was so intense she bared her teeth like a snarling animal. Over and over the pain pulsed as if it wanted to crack her skull wide open. She screamed.

Almost immediately two sets of hands touched her. Murmuring voices followed. Through the horrid ache she recognized the prayers for healing and protection. They were shielding her from something. But what?

Unable to do anything other than wait for the prayers to take effect, Serena focused on her breathing. In and out. Slow and steady. The murmuring continued, and soon, with each new line completed the pounding eased.

“Your Highness…”

With the attack over, she was able to recognize the voice of her High Priestess. She looked up into Katarina’s white eyes and asked, “What just happened?”

It was her uncle who spoke, his staff in hand. “There was a massive distortion in The Light close to the palace. From what I can determine, it came from the prince.”

“The prince? He’s here?” She allowed them to help her to her feet.

“Yes.” Katarina nodded. “Which is why you reacted the way you did to the shockwaves of the sudden burst in power. The question is why?”

“He’s under attack,” Sebastian said, hurrying on quick strides toward them. He held a small piece of parchment in his hand. “The Knight of Morningstar just sent a hawk relaying a message that they are at the border of Teare where a horde of minions have gathered.”

“How is that possible?” Serena looked to her uncle and Katarina. Both of them had equally confused expressions on their faces.

“I just checked the wards this morning,” Lucius said. “They were all fine.”

“And Bowen would have sent word if there was a gathering of minions this close to the palace,” Katarina added.

“We can figure all that out later,” Sebastian said. “I must ride and help my brother.”

The fierceness in his gaze gave Serena pause. Then she realized this was not the time and place for her confusion regarding this man.

“I will come with you,” she blurted out.

“No, Your Highness,” he uncle said. “It is too dangerous.”

“Lucius is right.” Katarina touched her shoulder. “The balance is too unstable for you to leave the palace. Let Sebastian gather his forces and bring his brother here.”

She knew everything they were saying to be true, but she had to help somehow. “Take Bowen and a contingent of manticores with you. Our forces are at your disposal.”

Grim-faced, Sebastian placed a fist to the center of his chest then turned on his heel and strode away. Serena looked to her uncle who nodded without having to be told. He vanished in a blink of an eye. She had all the confidence that he would make sure to help and get to the bottom of why minions have gathered at their border. This was truly a disturbing night. Maybe that was why she was restless to begin with. Her powers were reacting to The Void and the congregation of its servants.

“Come,” Katarina said, placing her free hand on her arm. “Let us aid them by praying.”

Serena met the unwavering gaze of her high priestess once again. “Why is this happening?” She wasn’t sure what she was really asking, but the question seemed appropriate.

“We are not here to know why things happen. We are not to question the challenges The Dark place before us. We are here to whether the storms.”

Katarina quoted the Scroll of the World, their most ancient text. It was said to have been written by no one and came into existence during the creation. All Serena could do was trust. In herself. In the prayers. And in the strength of the prince. From everything she had heard about him, being a fierce warrior was the truest assertion. If there was anyone who would make it out alive during a battle, it would be him.

With a nod to the diminutive high priestess she called friend, she laced their hands together and used her powers to bring them to the top of the tallest tower. They appeared before the door of the Room of Remembrance. They would pray this night. They would pray until everyone came home safe.