Page 49 of Oaths & Vengeance
“Please don’t do this,” she begged, shaking with fear.
“You’re staying in Veronna and not going back. It’s the only way,” I said as she lost control of her channeling, and the portal closed.
A moment later, she slumped into me. I lifted her into my arms. It was time for my father to learn the truth and help me with the next stage of my plan. Aella wouldn’t know or remember it, but she was about to be the firstTherressian visitor to Darynia—Veronna’s capital—in many centuries. I was bringing my wife home.
Chapter 22
Darrow
Crystal Castle was located in the heart of Darynia on an island in the middle of a massive lake. Beyond that, marshlands extended for miles, making the location difficult to reach by land. Numerous other islands dotted the waters around my family’s home. Each served a different purpose—housing, markets, barracks, armories, farm and pastureland, orchards, parks, and much more. To reach any of them, one must take a boat. We had numerous types to fit our various needs so that transport for any purpose could be easily obtained.
The portal ring sat on one of the perimeter islands at the south end. The small rise of land could barely fit a hundred soldiers at a time if packed tightly. Invading Veronna’s capital from that point would be nigh on impossible without risking excess troops drowning in the nearby waters or swamp reptiles coming up from below to eat them. Only protection spells kept them from creeping more than a few feet onto inhabited land.
As the sun’s rays slowly broke across the city of islands, I waited for a boat to transport myself, Aella, and my horse. For security reasons, we rarely kept more than one or two small crafts near the portal. We’d also dispatched other vessels to take the eighty soldiers who’d accompanied me while the rest remained back at Parvayn to return home once they’d finished assisting with recovery efforts at the village.
After the portal channeler I’d used to transport us to Parvayn regained his strength, he sent us to the capital near dawn. I thanked the nameless ones that I happened to be home when I detected Aella’s arrival in our territory, or else I wouldn’t have had access to the troops I needed or someone to move them quickly. My father had wondered how I couldknow about the attack, and now he’d get his answer. I’d had no time to explain before we left.
Finally, a sleek gray boat arrived, pulling up to the wooden dock. I carefully laid Aella on a bench seat at the front before returning to retrieve my horse. The stallion was used to traveling this way and easily kept his footing as I stopped him at the back end, where up to two equines could fit in a small pen. A couple of castle soldiers who’d come with me last night were up front already to balance the weight, but the vessel wasn’t large enough for many more to ride. The rest of the troops would wait for the longer crafts, which would take them directly to the barracks and officer housing island.
I joined Aella on the bench, placing her head in my lap as we drifted into deeper blue-gray water. We passed multiple rises of land along the way to the castle. The one full of flower gardens made me wonder what my slumbering wife would think if she could see it now.
Next was the army training area to our right and the open market fair to our left, currently shuttered at this early hour. The last we passed included a sizeable island with middle-class housing to the west and the soldiers’ quarters on the land mass to our right, but straight ahead past the stretch of blue-gray waters were the high walls of Crystal Castle, where I’d been born and raised.
The towers and ramparts were constructed with glimmering, crystallized rock, only found in abundance on our lands. My ancestors used most of it more than a thousand years ago to build the impressive structure. It glinted like blue and lavender diamonds in the dawning sunlight.
As soon as the guards on the dock saw me, they ordered the front gates open. My vessel’s captain glided us to a stop and tied our craft to a pillar. One of the soldiers led my horse away to the stables while I carried Aella in my arms. We entered the keep, where the inhabitants were only beginning to stir for the day, giving me curious looks as I passed them. I hurried across the glimmering cobblestones reflecting the dawn’s brilliant colors toward the castle at the center.
It was three floors high and sprawled outward with two parallel wings on each side to house family, guests, and servants with rooms left to spare. Thecentral wing comprised common areas such as the great hall, kitchen, and library. Crystal stones formed the outer walls, but since they were nearly as clear as glass, white quartz was used for the interior to provide privacy. The all-around effect was stunning, though I’d long grown accustomed to the sight.
My father burst out of the black, double-front doors. The Lord of Veronna was a tall, stout man who still cut a strong figure at over a century old. He had warm ivory skin, brown hair short enough not to hide his pointed ears, and a trimmed beard. Today, he wore a fitted black doublet with silver buttons running up the front, matching pants, and freshly shined leather boots.
He took one look at the woman in my arms and stopped stiffly at the top of the steps. “Who is that?”
“Lady Aella of Therress.”
He glared at me. “You should have killed her, not captured and brought her here. The number of lives that her death could save is countless. Never mind that her uncle couldn’t use her anymore to defend against our attacks.”
“If you give me the privacy to explain, you’ll understand exactly why she must remain alive,” I said calmly.
Cradled in my arms, completely helpless, I continued to find myself surprised at the protectiveness that surged within me for the woman I held. Absolutely no harm would come to her if I could help it. The fact that she felt right while cradling her close hadn’t escaped my notice.
I couldn’t begin to understand the reason, having never experienced such a sensation before. Even with my Aunt Durelle, I didn’t feel anything quite like this, though I still had memories of loving her as a child before the curse took hold. The connection between Aella and me was a mystery.
My father narrowed his gaze. “Give me a reason now, or I’ll slit her throat on these steps.”
Over my dead body, he would. I pulled Aella closer to my chest as I leaned toward my father and whispered furiously, “She is my wife, and you won’t touch her.”
“What?” He took a step back as shock transformed his features. “When did this happen?”
“Twenty-five days ago.”
“Curse the nameless ones, Darrow. Have you lost your mind?” he asked, fury in his hazel eyes.
I shook my head. “If you’ll allow me to install her in a guest chamber—not to worry, she is currently in a deep sleep and can’t wake—I’ll explain why she is exactly what we’ve been searching for all these years.”
Lord Gannon stared at her as he likely tried to determine what I saw in her. Eventually, light dawned in his gaze, and a slow smile spread across his face. Though no one stood too close to us, he gestured at everyone working in the courtyard to leave. They were gone in seconds.
“She has gotten past our most powerful wards time and again, which means she is no average portal channeler,” he said in a low tone. “While that is significant, how can you be sure she’s strong enough?”
