Lady of Light and Shadows (20 page)

They could still weave magic, though there were limits to what they could do before the pain became unbearable. They had tested those limits many times over the last ten centuries, even expanded them, though only once had they managed to work significant magic. Only that once had they managed to suppress the immutable
shei’tanitsa
instinct to ensure each other's survival and brought themselves near the brink of death to spin their weaves.

The Evil One had suspected something, of course, when the child had disappeared. But not enough. Not the truth. He had been secure in his knowledge that
shei’tanitsa
bound them as securely as the
sel'dor
piercing their bodies. But that once they had managed to thwart him.

«Does she still live free, beloved?»
She'd not asked the question in years, but he would know. He was bound to the child through threads of the Evil One's blackest magic.

«Aiyah. She comes into her power.
»

Though Elfeya had suspected as much since Vadim Maur's visit to her bedchamber-prison, the cold hand of fear still clutched at her heart.

«How much has she revealed?»
Once the Evil One discovered the child's true abilities, nothing would save them from his fury. Elfeya remembered in vivid, agonizing detail the years of torture she and her mate had been subjected to when the Elden servant, in whose mind they had implanted unalterable commands woven with Spirit, escaped the High Mage's palace with her precious burden. That agony would pale in comparison to what he would do when he discovered the full extent of their deception.

«Only a little, but with her even a little is more than enough.»

«How is that possible? Our weave should never have failed so soon.»

«Her power is vast, Elfeya. Even unbound, we could never have hoped to hold it back for long. »

She raised her head and looked into the beloved bright green depths of her truemate's eyes. Once, countless lifetimes ago, she had been the greatest healer in the Fading Lands, a
shei'dalin
without equal. When she met him, he had been a legendary Fey warrior only one or two souls away from becoming
dahl'reisen,
a dark, dread lord whose steel had tasted the blood of millions, whose incredible soul had staggered and would have fallen beneath the weight of the hundreds of thousands of lives he had claimed had not her strength and her love brought him back from the edge of the abyss.

Together, they had been the strongest matepair seen since ancient times, representing the greatest concentration of power in all the Fading Lands, more powerful in their oneness than
even
a Tairen Soul, though without the ability to summon the Change. And all that power, all that strength, had been captured in a single moment when the Elden Mages took her in an ambush. A knife to her throat, a single slice into her vulnerable flesh, and the man who'd once been the Fading Lands' greatest warrior surrendered his steel and walked willingly into captivity.

The High Mage had kept them alive because they were useful to him, strong and powerful creatures upon which to test his vile experiments. But when he realized exactly what they'd helped escape from his grasp, no amount of experimentation would make up for his loss.

«If he knows ... »
She could not even complete the thought.

«Then we die, Elfeya. If we're lucky.
»

There were far worse things than death, as both of them were now intimately aware, but still her eyes closed against a swell of fear and denial. Though she could have embraced her own death freely, nothing in the world could make her willingly embrace his. He was her
shei'tan,
her beloved, the half of her soul that she must protect at all costs. She would suffer any torment to ensure his survival.

Elfeya guided her truemate's hand to her breast and leaned down to kiss him. "Love me, Shan," she whispered against his mouth. "As if it were the first time. As if it were the last.”

"Always," he vowed.

She took Shan into her body as so long ago she had taken him into her soul. Wholly and without reservation. As their bodies and souls entwined, the words of an ancient Fey warrior's creed came to her mind.
Live well. Love deep. Tomorrow, we die.
Never had she appreciated it more than at this moment. She smiled into her beloved's eyes and laughed as if they were free, because she knew it brought him joy.

They could not fight. They could not win. But with each moment left for them to live, they could love. That was the greatest gift the gods could ever give, and it was worth the price they would have to pay.

As the coach wound through the cobbled streets towards Celieria's royal palace, Rain took Ellysetta's hand and placed something in it that sent a tingle up her arm. She glanced down and caught her breath. The rich golden light of the setting sun gleamed and sparkled like magic across the heavy, incredibly beautiful bracelet in her hand.

Diamond brilliants and baguettes glittered in radiant sunbursts around a cabochon Tairen's Eye crystal, much larger and richer in color than Dajan's
sorreisu kiyr,
which she was wearing around her throat. The band was fashioned in the shape of two golden tairen holding the crystal aloft on the backs of their proud heads and outstretched wings.

"The crystal was my father's, delivered to me after he and my mother died.”

"Oh Rain, it's beautiful." It was stunning. She started to give it back to him, but he stopped her, his hand closing around hers. She felt his surprise, his uncertainty.

"This gift ... does not please you?”

"It's for me?”

"Aiyah,
of course”

She drew a breath. "I thought you meant it was your father's Soul Quest crystal-”

"Aiyah, it
is," he confirmed. "The
sorreisu kiyr
of my father, my dearest possession, which I give into your keeping. My parents were not truemated, so my mother never wore it, but I think my father would be pleased to have his son's
shei’tani
wear his crystal. Kieran made the bracelet today while you were packing. Will you accept it?”

She nodded, and he clasped the bracelet around her right wrist. Her hand-her entire arm-tingled. Rajahl vel'En Daris's crystal hummed against her skin, and the resonance of it seemed to generate an echoing vibration in Dajan's crystal. It swept up through her skin to the tiara in her hair, where one of the loaned
sorreisu kiyr
responded with its own shimmering power. Bel's crystal, she realized with eerie perception. .

Dajan, Rajahl, and Bel's Soul Quest crystals were all resonating in a joint harmonic that pulsed in time with the beating of her own heart. As if they-and she-were somehow joined.

"Rain," she whispered, "I can feel your father's crystal and Dajan's ... like a heartbeat.”

His eyes gleamed with catlike satisfaction in the Fire-light. "That is a good sign,
shei’tani.
Your
magic recognizes
the magic of the warriors whose crystals you wear.”

"Gel's crystal is beating, too.”

"He has bloodsworn himself to you. That bound his soul to your service. Dajan forged a tie between his soul and yours when he died trying to protect you.”

"And your father's crystal?”

"The link is a reflection of your bond to me. It is good that you feel it so strongly.”

"It feels ... strange.”

"That will pass in a moment as your body absorbs the resonance into itself”

She held her breath, and the energies quieted ... still there, but less noticeable. Rain watched her, smiling. There was a deep-seated peace in him she'd never sensed before. "You seem pleased," she said. "Did your meeting with Dorian go well?" He'd sent the
selkahr
shards and word of the demon attack to the king, then gone to see him in person as soon as their session with Master Fellows concluded.

"It did. I will address the Council directly tomorrow. If I cannot convince them, he has promised to invoke
primus.
One way or another, the borders will remain closed.”

"But you still want us to wed and leave tomorrow”

"I do. Keeping the borders closed only stops the Mages from sending their agents freely into every city and hamlet. It does not mean the danger is past. I'm sorry,
shei’tani,
I know you would like more time, but I need you safe behind the Faering Mists.”

"It's all right." She laid her hand over his. "As long as I can visit my family, nothing else holds me in Celieria. I'm ready to go to the Fading Lands with you. I'm ready to learn how to use my magic and do whatever I can to save the tairen."

"His esteemed majesty, Rainier vel'En Daris Feyreisen, The Tairen Soul, King of the Fading Lands, Defender of the Fey, and Lady Ellysetta Baristani Feyreisa, truemate of the Tairen Soul, Queen of the Fading Lands.”

With her hand on the back of Rain's wrist, Ellysetta descended the curving staircase. She looked out over the sea of faces below, and all she could think was that the last time she'd descended this staircase, she'd ended up humiliating herself and everyone else at the dinner.

As Prime Minister Corrias approached to greet them, she saw his gaze flicker briefly over the wealth of Tairen's Eye crystals she wore. He bowed, and his forehead nearly touched the floor. "My Lord Feyreisen, Lady Ellysetta." There was respect in his voice. And a hint of fear. He had not escaped the other night's Spirit weave unscathed, then.

She murmured what she hoped was a suitable reply and breathed a little easier when Rain guided her past the prime minister, saying, "Come,
shei’tani. We
must greet our hosts, and give the prince and his betrothed our blessings.”

Queen Annoura, Ellysetta noted when they reached the dais, was missing the usual predatory gleam in her eyes. Instead, there was wariness and chilly respect and-as with Lord Corrias-a hint of fear.
«She knows I spun that Spirit weave, doesn't she?
»

«Dorian told her,»
Rain confirmed.

Surprisingly, the queen's reaction hurt. Ellysetta was used to the fear and distrust of the common folk of the West End, but she had not expected it from the queen of all Celieria.

Behind the queen and off to one side, stood the queen's ladies-in-waiting, including a beautiful young woman with dark hair and stunning blue eyes, whom Ellie recalled meeting briefly at the previous dinner. What was her name? Jiarine? She was staring at Ellysetta with a strange intensity. Jiarine looked away as soon as their eyes met, but the brief exchange of glances left Ellysetta frowning. There was something unsettling about the lady.

King Dorian greeted her with a crooked smile and
false
heartiness.
«I trust we'll have a less eventful evening tonight, Lady Ellysetta?»
he added, surprising her by weaving his thoughts on the common Fey thread.
«I'm getting a bit old for that much excitement. »

She blushed and promised to avoid the pinalle and keflee. After sharing a few more stilted pleasantries with the king and queen, Ellysetta and Rain moved to the left of the dais where Prince Dorian and his betrothed sat on smaller thrones.

The couple stood as they approached. The prince gave first Rain, then Ellysetta a quarter bow, and Lady Nadela made a curtsey of similar respect. There was no fear in either of their gazes, only youthful arrogance and a touch of resentment. Oddly enough, that made Ellysetta relax. The arrogance of Celierian nobility was something familiar and understood.

She stood silent as Rain laid his hands on the young couple and said, "The blessings of the Fey upon you, Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela. May you enjoy long life, prosperity, and the continuation of your line." He stepped back.
Now you give them your blessing, Ellysetta.”

She gave the couple an apologetic look. "Though the Fey have accepted me as one of their own, I wouldn't feel right offering you their blessings. I do, however, believe in the grace and mercy of the gods. If you'll permit me, it's their blessing I'd like to request on your behalf”

Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela shared a glance, then the prince nodded. "Of course.”

Ellysetta smiled, relieved. "Thank you." She reached out and took the couple's hands in hers. "May the gods bless you, Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela, with a long life, a strong love, and the happiness of many healthy children." A strange, tingling warmth hummed through her, and her vision took on the fecund green glow of Earth. The tingling sensation concentrated in her chest, then traveled down the lengths of her arms and into her hands, where it flowed out of her fingertips and was gone, leaving only a cozy warmth and slight weariness.

She blinked and shook herself to clear her head. The prince and his bride stood before her, swaying slightly. The Tairen's Eye crystal on her wrist shone with glimmering rainbow lights that dimmed even as she glanced at it in surprise.

A hand touched her elbow. Approval and joy and gleaming hope flooded her senses as Rain guided her away from the royals.

"That was no level-one weave," Kieran said.

The warriors shared glances amongst themselves. "The gods are her key," Bel murmured.

"What is it?" she asked. "What did I do?”

"You spun a
shei'dalin's
weave upon them," Rain told her. "You gave them health. And long life. And fertility.”

"I did?”