Page 17 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood
I met his gaze without blinking. "At least one on the Shadow Council is in league with the Aureline Council faction. One of you was in the garden with a younger member of the Aureline Council, and the lower court guards who took Briar away did not heed my orders. That means they have some direct measure of influence beyond simply wanting to see our kingdom's magic stabilized."
"We are aware, though we do not yet know who is involved," Vyraetos responded. "We will uncover all who are part of this conspiracy. But what I’m proposing is that you permit us to buy you time.”
“And how would you accomplish that?” I folded my arms.
Vyraetos exchanged an almost imperceptible glance with Melnani. “Tonight, we will vest the shadow magic in you. It is the only way to ensure the connection does not unravel and leave the kingdom vulnerable to outside manipulation. But it will last for only a limited time, and the pain will be…excruciating.”
Laro and Melnani glanced at each other, hesitation seeping into the lines of their faces.
I remained motionless. “How much time will it buy me?” I didn’t fully trust them; this could be a trap. But if they could strengthen my magic, it would help me delay the third trial. I still felt weak and tired, which didn’t bode well for getting Briar back.
“Six days, perhaps. Maybe seven, if Fate favors us.” His gaze drifted over me as if evaluating me once more to determine if I was strong enough. “But it could be as short as three days. We won’t know for certain until the vesting is completed, and this magic can be capricious.”
In my current condition, I might not be able to push off the final trial for more than a day. Three days would be a blessing from Fate.
Melnani leaned forward slightly. “You have enemies, Your Highness. There are many who have the ear of the ShadowCouncil, as well as some on the Shadow Council who do not trust your judgment. If you do this, you must not let them see you falter or that you suffer. You must project strength and composure at all times.”
Her voice scraped over my ears, reminding me of every moment when I had nearly lost control. Especially tonight. “I will not falter.” And I wouldn’t. I didn’t care about pain, or risk, or the slow rot that might consume me from within if something went diabolically wrong. If the ritual gave me six days—feck, if it bought me only three days—I would find Briar and drag her out of whatever Aurelian prison they had put her in. I would take whatever pain or torment was required gladly, even if it splintered me to dust in the end, so long as I saved her. “Can any of you tell me where they took Briar? The Shadow Council has connections with the other kingdoms’ councils, so I would presume it is a simple inquiry.”
The three exchanged glances. Melnani’s mouth twitched, and Laro stared at me without blinking.
Vyraetos lifted his wrinkled hands as if helpless. “Ordinarily, yes. But this night, when we spoke to our friends and allies outside our council, we learned that the Aureline Council is treating this assassination with more care and intensity than when the Ignis king and the Terran queen passed under similar circumstances. They are not permitting even some Aureline council members to know where she is.”
“My father is the one who was murdered. I have the right to face the accused.”
“You do, but if you do not know where she’s being held, they can delay you from seeing her. We will do all we can to ensure you are able to speak with her as soon as possible. I have renewed my request, and Melnani and Laro have done the same. But…if I may offer one piece of counsel—do not acknowledgehow deeply you long for Briar, or in any way signal your intent to make her your queen.”
Vyraetos did not even ask me if I intended to make Briar my queen. He understood. “My focus is on justice for my father.” I spoke the words with flat conviction. “What else do we need to do to continue this…vestment process?”
Vyraetos dipped his head. “Come with us. We must make haste. The loyal members of the Shadow Council have assembled. But first, Your Highness, I must warn you that this process is not without risk. Connecting to the raw power of the Shadow Realm after the previous king failed to transfer it may destroy your mind, or even take your life. You will have to endure with great strength and a formidable will to survive.
“The alternative is to delay until the magic weakens and hope that Rhielle awakens in time to participate in the final trial, or another bride comes forward to displace Kaylen as the favorite.”
My stomach twisted, and bile crept up my throat. The horrid taste spread over my tongue. There was no real choice in this matter. They could not ask for a better cover to assassinate me. What choice was left to me though? There did not seem to be much chance of rescuing Briar within less than a day. “What are my odds?” I asked.
Vyraetos did not flinch. “At best, it is an equal chance of success to failure.”
“Realistically, based on what you know of me and what has already happened.”
“Perhaps a one in four chance, Your Highness,” he said. “It’s impossible to say for certain, but you have been under great strain and are already weakened due to your father’s death.”
I clenched my jaw, inwardly cursing the wretchedness of the situation. Even having a few hours’ delay would be better than nothing. But having more time could give my plan a chance to actually succeed, and Briar would be safe.
“What assurances do I have that this is not a trap?” I lifted my chin and stared at the three of them. If I went with them, I’d have to go alone. Silus wasn’t an option, and Thalen was investigating the guards involved with Briar’s imprisonment. Could I trust any of my personal guards? Involving more people in this matter would make it more likely that our enemies could discover our plan. I had to be wise.
Vyraetos inclined his head once more and pressed a hand over his heart. His shadow magic flared in dark swirls around his shoulders and away from his chest, making itself more apparent while leaving his heart vulnerable, as was custom in vows such as this. “I swear it on my own life and on the lives of my children and their children that no harm shall come to you by my hand. Should any within the chamber seek to do you ill, I will fight at your side with my own lifeblood and power.”
Laro and Melnani mirrored his pose. Their magic was not so potent, and Melnani’s seemed more silver while Laro’s was more charcoal. But they uttered the same words.
It was more than I’d expected. If any of them proved treacherous, then their entire line would suffer.
“Very well. Should things go wrong, I ask that you extend your vow then to these matters—look after my sister, and find a way to transfer the throne to her if possible. And if that is not possible, ensure that she is provided for and kept safe from any who might harm her. See to it that Briar is rescued and returned to her home on Earth. She is innocent of all that has been levied against her, and she does not deserve to suffer.” One consolation was that, if I died, the Aurelines would likely not be as determined to hold her. They would no longer need to keep her from becoming queen. They’d probably keep up the show of a trial, but they’d be more receptive to a compromise. At least, I hoped so because she was an uncertainty here with her connections and magic.
My heart panged. I didn’t understand why Fate would be so cruel as to select someone I had a life-altering connection with to be framed for killing my father and dragged away for his murder. I wanted to protect her, and the best way to do that was to become as strong as possible so that no one would question my decisions. If I could get Briar to safety, then my death would have purpose.
Eyes stinging, I blinked back tears. I hadn’t wanted love, and now that death was at our door—hers or mine—I could finally imagine the life I could have with Briar.
Vyraetos’s shadows again swept around his shoulders and away from his chest, and his words brought me back to reality. “My vow is so extended. As you have said it, so shall it be.”
