Beauty In Darkness

28

At the top of the steps, the elderly female priest gave us both a warm smile, her eyes twinkling. The sun had nearly set and was casting us in the deep purple hues of twilight. All major ceremonies were performed at dawn or dusk, the holiest times of day when the Celestials were a little closer to each other. The only more auspicious times were eclipses, which were sacred holidays in all the Six Kingdoms.

The priest performed a long blessing on both of us, her voice carrying out across the crowd as night fell and the Sun passed control to the Moon. When it was finished, she nodded to both of us and stepped back with a low bow.

Raith caught my eye and gave my hand a squeeze, before turning to the crowd gathered upon the steps and through the street. Hundreds of people stared up at us, some with hatred, some with fear, and some with awe or relief. My people now, I realized with a lump in my throat.

Raith raised his hand and cast a spell that amplified his voice so it spread throughout the city. “My good citizens of Ilidan, it is my greatest pleasure to announce that the long war between our kingdom and Talador is over. King Balsam has removed his troops from our borders, and I have called back our army as well. After decades at war, our kingdoms are finally at peace.”

The audience burst into cheers and applause, drowning out anything he might have said next. He paused as he waited for the response to die down, then turned toward me and took my hand again.

“I have this woman to thank for our newfound peace,” he said. “Princess Rose of Talador volunteered to marry me to end the war started by our forefathers and to unite our kingdoms despite our differences. Both of us are committed to making this alliance work, and though we’ll never be able to make up for what was lost during the many years at war, we hope we can bring forth a new era of prosperity and stability to Ilidan. I’m proud to present her to you as your new queen.” He raised our hands above our heads. “Together, the two of us shall fight back the darkness covering our land!”

Although my smile was genuine as we faced the crowd, I couldn’t help but wonder about his last sentence and what he meant by it. The crowd roared even louder, clapping and stomping their boots, and I didn’t hear any booing this time. Perhaps his speech had won a few of the doubters over.

Raith raised his other hand and magic danced across the sky, with pinpricks of bright light bursting into vibrant colors that formed different designs, including a rose, a bolt of lightning, and the symbols of the Celestials. An awed hush fell over the crowd as he worked, and with his other hand still entwined with mine, I felt the power thrumming through him. I sensed when he cast each rune and saw the symbol in my mind as if it were before me in a book. I raised my free hand and traced the same rune, adding my own light to his, sending spirals of color across the night’s blank canvas. Our power surged together as it did before, wrapping around both of us and becoming stronger with the two of us feeding it. The crowd gasped as we both continued the show, culminating in a grand finale of riotous color and light, before we lowered our arms and let the magic fade.

When Raith looked into my eyes, my heart soared. We were both breathing fast, our faces flushed from exertion and the rush that came from doing magic together. Everything about it felt right, as if all our lives we’d been doing magic wrong because we hadn’t been doing it together. But did he feel the same?

Seventeen

Rose

W

hen I returned to my room after the grand feast in the temple, it was already well past midnight, though you couldn’t tell based on the torchlight illuminating every inch of the castle. Raith and I hadn’t been alone for even a second all evening, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I knew the truth about the darkness everyone was so afraid of, no matter how exhausted I was after the long day. And unlike most other nights, Raith had retired to his bedroom, instead of disappearing into his study or teleporting somewhere else.

After Loura removed my gown and helped me prepare for bed, I dismissed her with a warm thanks. Once she was gone, I knocked on the connecting door to Raith’s room. When he didn’t answer, I banged harder, again and again, growing more and more annoyed at him for avoiding me. “I know you’re in there!”

The door flew open. “What is it?”

He stood before me in nothing but black silk trousers, which hung low on his hips, and I was momentarily stunned into silence at the sight of all that naked skin in front of me. I’d seen him shirtless when he was sparring, but never this close. His chest was toned and lean, with a touch of dark hair trailing down his stomach and disappearing into his trousers. I swallowed hard, trying to remember why I’d wanted to speak with him, and noticed he seemed similarly entranced by the sight of me in my nearly see-through chemise. My n*****s hardened at the knowledge he was looking at them with those intense gray eyes.

I tore my gaze away from his chest and crossed my arms. “Tell me about the darkness.”

“Now?” He ran a hand over his weary face. “Can it not wait until tomorrow?”

“No, it cannot.” I paused and tried a different tactic. “Please, Raith, I can’t be a good queen if I don’t know what is plaguing the kingdom.”

“Very well. I suppose it’s time you knew.” He sighed and leaned against the doorway. “It started almost three years ago when living darkness began to take shape and spread across the land.”