Page 81 of Mated To The King's Gamma
Azalea, Kyson, and Damian stayed back for a few last-minute things. I know her well enough to know she is hiding something.
But she told me to go ahead. “Get settled,” she’d said, squeezing my hand before we left. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”
So we left with Gannon.
The moment we cross the Landeena Kingdom borders, I feel it—that strange mix of reverence and anticipation. The land becomes more overgrown and wilder, eventually giving way to what would look like to anyone else an abandoned gated community high up in the mountains. The Valkyrie guards who left last night are stationed along the entrance, and they bow their heads respectfully as we pass. Gannon dips his chin back at them, the way he always does.
When the road opens into the courtyard of the castle, I gasp.
It is massive. Twice, perhaps triple, the size the Valkyrie castle was.
The castle sits in the dead center of the small town, which looks more like a ghost town; despite that, it is still elegant, though wild.
Where Valkyrie had been polished cobblestone roads, and the castle dark stone, Landeena is raw white sandstone, ivy climbs the sides, making it look like something more out of a fairytale than real life. The place, even without people here for so long feels alive.
The guards move quickly as we park—unloading, organizing, checking patrol routes. Cedric greets us near the main steps, dressed in worn tactical gear that still somehow looks regal.
“We’ve assigned you the East Wing,” he tells us, shaking Gannon’s hand before giving me a small bow of the head. “Closest to the queen’s quarters and with a private staircase to the gardens. It’s quieter. We thought you’d prefer it, and Queen Azalea wants you close.”
“Thank you,” I say, honestly surprised by how thoughtful the arrangement is.
“I’ll show you,” Cedric adds, motioning for us to follow.
Grabbing Tyson’s hand, we follow Cedric inside; the place is still furnished, though it is covered with blankets. Cleaners rush around, closing the windows as the breeze from the storm brewing outside picks up.
“We’ve cleaned nearly all the sleeping quarters and kitchens; we only need to fix the main areas now. Feels good to have this place awakening,” Cedric says, and my brows pinch at his words.
“Awakening?” I ask.
“You didn’t feel it when you stepped over the border?” Cedric asks. I did feel it, that strange shift as we crossed that hasn’t left. I thought it was awe at how magnificent this place is, now I am not so sure.
“When her power manifested, this place felt it. It knows its empress is coming home.”
“You mean queen?” I ask.
Cedric laughs. “No, Empress. She is far more powerful than her parents. Garret would have been furious. He longed to hold that kind of power, and Azalea does naturally now that she has awoken it. Only the most powerful can awaken their power and the sacred land. I noticed it when I stepped foot in this place; It hasn’t felt like that since Garrett first forced Tatiana here. She awoke this place, the land, and it died with her.”
“No, she passed it to her daughter,” Gannon says, making me look up at him.
“That she did,” Cedric agrees.
Cedric pauses, and I see some guards removing a huge painting of Queen Tatiana and King Garret. “Azalea asked us to remove what we can; she wants this place to be a fresh start, not a memory of the past,” Cedric explains as I watch them cart it off.
The East Wing is beautiful. The ceilings arched like cathedral beams, and tall windows were framed with sheer curtains that danced with the breeze. Our bedroom is massive. It has a balcony covered in vines, along with a sitting room that opens to a smaller bedroom for Tyson.
Gannon drops our bags just inside the door and wraps his arms around me from behind. “It’s not Valkyrie,” he murmurs into my hair. “But maybe that’s a good thing.”
40
THE NEXT DAY
The castle grounds are buzzing with movement. Guards shuffle back and forth, prepping patrols and inventory as supply trucks roll in through the gates. Once still and cold, the courtyard is alive with purpose as we prepare for their arrival. Because today isn’t just another day.
Today, Azalea is coming home.
I stand on the front steps of the Landeena Castle, hands tucked into my jacket sleeves as Gannon leans against the stone pillar beside me, watching the entrance road like a hawk.
“She’ll be here,” he says, glancing down at me.
