Page 78 of Pawns of Salistya

‘You think I’d allow him to have you? You think you’re allowed to belong to anyone else? You were promised to me,’ he spat out. His laugh was harsh. ‘If I don’t get you, nobody does,’ he said possessively, his eyes firing with rage, a twinkle of emerald in those depths.

Before I could blink, he slit Eliasson’s throat.

I could do nothing but stand there, paralysed in place and magic-less. Forced to watch Eliasson’s lifeless body drop to the ground.

Epilogue – Xylan

Two Weeks Earlier

Nervous anticipation.That’s what I was feeling loud and clear as I closed my mental shields to everyone but her.

Her emotions were so strong that it was hard to discern my own. She was sending out waves of emotion that were slamming into my very being. Was she nervous to meet me? Or did she simply hate these Royal Forums as much as I did?

Well. Hate may be a strong word for it. There was no avoiding them; especially the previous one, which was made even more interesting with Valare in attendance with Eliasson.Her husband.I forced down the usual nauseous feeling that arose at the thought of my True Infinite being married to someone else. Being in someone else’s bed. Ishuddered.

Her marrying Eliasson was a necessary evil. It had gotten her out from under the thumb of the Salistyan Queendom and set her on her true path. But it still sucks from where I’m standing.

‘Woah, Xy. Are you okay? There’s a lot of passion coming off you right now.’ Qynthia shivered with the influx of my emotions.

Oops. ‘Sorry Qynth. Why don’t you have your shields up?’ I asked.

‘You know as well as I do that your power is too great to shut it down completely. Plus, I wanted to gauge a certain someone’s reactions as we approached. Can you do me a favour and lock yourself up a bit tighter? And, why the foul mood suddenly? You’re meeting her. Finally.Is this not supposed to be the best day of your life?’ she asked. Those last words left her mouth on a dreamy sigh. She always was a hopeless romantic, and the idea of True Infinites was the pinnacle for her.

As the most powerful psychic mage of the age, my magic trumped any other mage’s shields. If I wanted my emotions to be felt, I could simply break down the shields of the other person and make them feel it. My power was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be the most skilled and strongest psychic mage? But when my emotions became turbulent like this, it was a curse as my control tended to slip and I accidentally broke through mental shields. It didn’t happen often. But I had a feeling it would become more common while I was acquainting myself with Valare.

I cleared my throat as I tightened my shields. ‘I’ll try. But these next couple of weeks may be testing. I apologise in advance now. One has their first meeting with their True Infinite only once. And I’ve no idea how this is going to go down.’ I didn’t count the last Forum, where I had to cast illusionary spells to remain invisible while unable to do anything as my father shamed the MarlystKingdom and put a target on our backs, as meeting her. Nor did I count seeing her corporeal form in the Lull as a first meeting.

I nudged the horse into a faster pace as we rode along the last bit of the winding path before it straightened out. The Amarald Palace was straight ahead, and I could see three figures in the distance.

‘We’ve got your back, bro,’ Orlandia said from her horse, keeping pace with us. ‘I, for one, can’t wait to meet my future sister-in-law. Well, officially that is.’ She threw me a rueful grin as I shook my head. She was a busy body who couldn’t keep her nose out of my business. Though she always had the right intentions, her delivery was often questionable.

My arms wound around Qynthia, taking comfort in the familiarity of having my best friend next to me through this.

‘Do you think it’s a good look to be so close to me right now? I’m not sure it is a good first impression,’ she murmured, turning her head to give me a knowing look.

My mouth twitched, fighting a smile. ‘I want to see her reaction.’

‘Evoking jealousy so early on, Your Highness?’ Ramone teased.

‘Some may say evoking jealousy, I say testing the waters. If what I’ve read about the True Infinite is correct, she should feel a pull almost instantly. Let’s see how the pull fares when she sees me holding your Queen,’ I said.

I wasn’t sorry. I needed to gauge her power. She may be a physical mage, but her psychic magic would be brimming under the surface by now, waiting to escape, just like I could feel my physical magic searching for its key, eagerly anticipating its unlocking.

As we approached the palace, I shifted my eyes to reflect those of a regular Marlyst. Only those in Marlyst and Nyarelle knew of my fuchsia eyes. I would keep it that way. For now.

‘Ramone, are we clear on what needs to happen?’ I asked.

As he nodded, a sense of foreboding fell on our group. ‘I’m aware, Xy. Qynthia has briefed me on her vision. I’ll do my part, as discussed.’

‘Thank you,’ I said. I couldn’t manage more than that. The weight he had to carry in this was too much to ask of him. Yet he would do it with a smile on his face. He was a loyal man, always willing to fight in a cause bigger than himself.

‘No need, Xy. It’s a pleasure to serve Fyriane,’ he said warmly. The sincerity in his voice brought a tear to my eye that I quickly pushed away. There would be time to cry. Today was not the day.

We approached the steps. Ramone and Orlandia dismounted their horses before handing them off to the stable hands.

I kept my face hidden behind Qynthia until, wanting Valare’s first look at me to be by myself, not sitting behind a woman who wasn’t mine. I may be prodding the bear holding Qynthia, but I wasn’t selfish enough to take away the moment from her.

Sliding down the horse, I reached back offering my hand to Qynthia as I felt a wave of emotions coming from Valare. Desire. Intrigue. A flash of jealousy.

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