Dark Illumination

Chapter Fourteen

Dillan regained consciousness gradually. As he blinked his eyes to refocus his blurry vision, he found himself in an elegantly appointed room. The grey purple of early morning light streamed in through floor to ceiling glass windows. A fire in a hearth across from where he lay sputtered its last breaths of life. The embers and ashes smothering the flame. A part of him wanted to get up and use the iron poker to stoke it.

The other part of him, the one that felt like his soul had been sucked out, scrambled then reassembled before replacing it back into his body, wanted to remain in his inclined position. He appreciated whoever arranged him this way. He didn’t think his back could stand to be full prone. No actual physical pain, which was good. It meant he hadn’t lost a limb during the crazy stunt he pulled. Then again, in the two kingdoms, there were always worse things than physical pain.

For a moment, he closed his eyes and cleared his mind. When he was ready, he slowly reached out to the source of The Light located at the center of his being. The pulsing flame was there, but it was weak. He wouldn’t be using the Light Detonation technique any time soon. Or any other technique involving the use of his powers. He was amazed he was still alive. Sebastian and his reinforcements must have gotten to them in time.

Dillan opened his eyes once again. A soft murmuring pulled his attention to the edge of the round divan he was on. He turned his head slightly until his cheek touched the pillow and he had an excellent view of the mass of straw hair fanning out near his side. It undulated gently, indicating that the owner beneath said strands was fast asleep.

The memory of the afternoon they spent together beneath the wisteria tree brought him much needed comfort. He and his men have made it to the Onyx Palace. Sending a silent prayer to The Light that everyone was safe and unharmed, he reached out and curled his fingers around a handful of the wild locks. A smile tugged at his lips. Years later and she still hadn’t found a way to tame the beast. There was some semblance of softness in the strands, at least. Someone must have taught her the virtues of a great conditioner. But that was never enough considering the kind of hair she owned. Coarse and thick. It reminded him of corn silk. In the back of his mind, he wondered how many brushes she had broken since he had braided these stubborn tresses.

Had she changed since last they’d met many years ago? Or did she still hold the impish impertinence he had grown to appreciate. From what he remembered, Serena didn’t mean to be insulting. She was merely blunt. His understanding of her nature didn’t prevent his annoyance of her words and actions. They were young. Maybe years of study and ruling have matured her. It certainly had for him.

As if thinking about her disturbed the peace, Serena sniffed and jolted awake. He immediately let go of her hair to keep from pulling the strands out from the roots. She looked around in a sleep haze, as if she had forgotten where she was. In that moment, she looked so much like that nine-year-old that hung upside down by the tops of her feet from a branch on the wisteria tree.

Like he had done when he woke, she blinked those butterscotch eyes. Unlike him, she brought fists up to rub away the last of the sleep haze still clinging to her. She looked so soft and gentle. His fingertips itched to explore the blush that colored her cheekbones. One side of her face was still probably warm from being pressed against her folded arms on the divan. But he suppressed the urge by returning his hand to his lap. Touching her might be seen as an untoward advance, not matter how innocent the intension behind it. Or was it really innocent? In the farthest corners of himself he could admit that he’d missed the Princess of The Dark. That summer they spent together weren’t all arguments. They had had their share of fun.

“You’re awake,” she finally said, bravely combing through the mass with her fingers.

He grinned. “You know not even a horse brush can accomplish what you think your fingers can.”

She paused, puzzling out what he had meant. The instant she recalled the memory, she beamed. “I’m starting to think no one knows my hair better than you do. Penny struggles with it every day.” She stared down at the tips badly in need of a trim.

“Penny?” He c****d his head to the side.

“The palace matron. She’s the one who took over hair taming duties when you left.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Remind me to give her the Purple Star.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a medal to honor the brave in battle.”

Her face crinkled in the most adorable way. Just like when he annoyed her that summer long ago. Maybe she hadn’t changed one bit. He braced himself for the coming blow. She did like to get some quick jabs in.

She raised her fist, but the blow never came. Instead she reached out and took his hand in hers. Then she closed her eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked as warmth gathered between their joined palms. It was a familiar sort of energy akin to the static one felt after walking over carpet and touching something metal. It travelled up his arm to gather at the center of his chest until eventually it covered his entire body. The bone-jarring fatigue he had woken up to eased, eliciting a sigh from his lungs. He leaned his head back and breathed easy for the first time since waking up. Any heaviness had left his body. The well that had gone dry was suddenly filled again. He reached for The Light and the flame inside him was brighter than ever.

His eyes shot open and he stared at Serena in absolute wonder. “That was amazing. What did you do?”

She dropped her gaze, a shyness he hadn’t seen on her before. “The healers said you tapped directly from the purest powers of The Light, so none of them could properly heal you. They informed me that being Princess of The Dark, wielder of the same pure form, am the only one who can help.” An enchanting blush followed her words. “So I called upon all the healing arts they taught me and tapped into my powers and slowly filled you up.”

So he had been right about the well image in his head. “How long have I been out?” He was almost afraid to ask. They had little time as it was for the union when he traveled from base camp to Teare.

Her gaze flicked up then, her shyness replaced with worry. “They brought you in early morning yesterday.”

His eyes widened. “So it’s only been a day since I collapsed?”

She nodded. “Why?”

“It usually takes me a week to recover from using the Light Detonation technique.”

“Is that what that was?” She grimaced then her eyes flashed. “I felt it all the way here. It was like taking a meat cleaver to my skull. Thank you for the migraine.”

There was that fire he had grown accustomed to that summer they were together. But when he responded no humor crept into his voice. “I didn’t know you would be affected. There were too many of them and my men were injured. We couldn’t cross without my having to take drastic measures.”

The fire turned into contemplation as she crossed her arms. “We’ve been getting reports of unusual minion activity at the borders, but nothing like on the scale I’ve been told. Were there really close to a hundred of them at the Neutral Band?”

She referred to the small strip of land unclaimed between Teare and Lumeria. “Maybe more. I’ve never seen that many at one time.” He leaned his head back, a different kind of fatigue hitting him. “Please accept my sincerest apology for being late. I shouldn’t have sent Sebastian in my stead. If I had known—”

A wave of her hand interrupted the rest of what he was about to say. “You were only making sure that your kingdom was protected. I never thought the balance would be this precarious. Even my forces are stretched thin fighting off the hordes roaming our borders.”

“But—”

“I have to admit,” she cut him off again. “I was initially annoyed by your decision to send an envoy during this critical time. But your decision has also given me a chance to come to grips with our coming union.”

Lips in a thin line, he nodded once. “I agree. This must happen for the protection of our people.”

“Preparations are already underway. The healers will look you over today. They might ask you to stay in bed for another day before you start moving around. The first stage doesn’t happen until the end of the week anyway.”

“But I feel so much better.” He sat up, flexing his arms as if his injury had been there instead of something more spiritual in nature.

“I’m glad.” She gave him a small smile. Then her face sobered. “But I must insist that the healers look you over. This is the first time that I tapped into The Dark in order to heal a deletion of powers sourced from The Light. I want to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes.”

For the first time since he’d awoken he took in her appearance. Besides the disheveled hair, which was a default appearance for her when not in formal wear, she actually wore a light robe over a simple dressing gown. It was unlike her. He was used to seeing her in tunics and trousers. She really must have matured some. She certainly looked more beautiful then he remembered. There was a radiance about her that he hadn’t remembered her having before.

“Ruling suits you, my lady,” he said, allowing that one impulse. It granted him another sweet blush. He had a feeling he would be enjoying sending color to her cheeks each chance he got.

“I don’t know if I can say the same,” she said. “You have just arrived after all and in a stretcher. Not the entrance I was hoping to get from you.”

He threw his head back and laughed. An open sound he hadn’t heard come from himself in a long time. “Fair enough.” He cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his composure and stirred back their conversation to the situation at hand. “And my men?”

“Are all being cared for,” she replied immediately, returning to her previous seriousness. “Those with serious injuries are in the medical wing of the palace and those with more minor injuries are in the barracks, most likely spreading the word about how heroic their prince was. I say foolish, but who listens to me?”

Dillan had a feeling he would enjoy ruling with this woman—no longer the girl with wild hair. She knew when to bait him and knew when they had to talk business. He had a feeling the more time he spent with her the more his previous doubts would disappear. At least he certainly hoped to or it would be a very long union.

He let the foolish comment go since he agreed with her. If they hadn’t been desperate to reach the Onyx Palace he wouldn’t have considered using that particular technique. “What about Sebastian?”

Something crossed Serena’s expression he couldn’t quite catch. She had masked it too quickly. Hesitation maybe? But her response to his question captured his attention fully.

“He is at the sight now with my uncle and the commander of the manticores.” She shifted slightly. “They will be back later this afternoon with a full report.”

“I should like to be at that meeting.”

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Pushing to her feet, she rearranged her robe and tossed a clump of her hair over her shoulder. “It’s almost time for my morning prayers. I will send the healers and some breakfast. When the Duke of Lightning arrives with my uncle and the commander, I’ll have someone inform you.” She curtsied. “Your Highness.”

He responded with a tilt of his head. “My lady.”

Granting him a small smile, she took her leave.

Dillan watched her go, wondering where her sudden need for distance came from.