“I am not my brother who was slaughtered with his family for greed. I am Shilah Malia Symonrah, and all who come for my bloodline will only know death. Citizens of Arcadia, I judge your crowned Prince Quan guilty of the crime of mur
der, and treason against Dxyriah and his fellow Serangites.” She fed to their minds, her memories of his vicious attack, her fear, and the horror of fleeing to another realm. She shared everything. “I judge him guilty for his crimes against this monarchy and the punishment is death.”
Shock echoed from several minds, denial roared from thousands, and thousands of others agreed. But what they wanted did not matter. Not in this instance. With ruthless precision, she found his thread of life, and sliced it. He dropped to the ground, his screams of terror no more.
In her sister’s eyes, she saw the regret, the love, and the fear.
Darkness flowed through Shilah, violence blossoming through her mind as she waded through, slaughtering, and sending a message to the traitors of her realm. Those who had not fallen hurriedly bent their knees and bowed their heads to her power and sovereignty, but she showed no mercy. And with the neural connection formed with all citizens across the three kingdoms, they witnessed it all. Their impressions flowed through her.
The Dark Queen
The red queen
Queen of Darkness.
But she remained unmoved, flashing with speed, ripping through minds, and commanding death. She stood in the center of the carnage she’d just wreaked. From the Senate, she’d kill over one hundred people. Sorrow rose in her, but she battled it down. They could not know with this sacrifice, what she had saved her people from. And what she had to save Lachlan Ravenswood from.
Kala wept, staring at the bodies on the floor, then she pushed to her feet and stared at Shilah. There was gentle acceptance in her eyes. “I’ve always seen myself on the throne, in your stead, Shilah. I simply never knew how I got there. Now I know. I promise you, I see that I will be at the helm of a revolution years from now, and I will also be at the helm of the ashes our world will rise from. I see the peace and happiness of our citizens, and a man whose face I yet cannot see but know I will love him with every emotion in my soul. I’ve not seen you beside me, and for so long I feared it was because you died…. But I just saw a vision of you years from today, with your children and your mate beside you.”
Shilah’s legs trembled, and then she fell. Her body made no impact, instead powerful hands caught her and gathered her close. A finger touched her cheek with exquisite gentleness. Her heart sang when she recognized the familiar, comforting feel of Lachlan. She wanted to wrap her body around his and lose herself in his protective strength. She inhaled deeply. “You came.”
“Always.”
Then the shadows swallowed them, and he took her away.
* * *
Lachlan flowed with the shadows, taking his mate away from the place which had filled her with such an abject sense of despair and betrayal. Picking images of the castle from her thoughts, and how much she had missed the palace, he roiled with the shadows, breaching the fortress and spilling into her palatial chambers. He felt edgy, the sense of terror that he’d lost her still coating his senses. A terrible craving to forge their bond in the most primal way pummeled him. He ruthlessly contained the need, for her, for himself, and because he wanted to show her, he loved her more than anything in his entire world. That she could trust him to place her happiness above anything else.
Her tears wetted the skin of his neck where she’d buried her face, softly sobbing. Lachlan did not disturb her, he merely used memories of her home to fill a large gold inlay bath with steaming water. Her incredibly long and very pale lashes fluttered against his jaw. Her eyes opened, her gaze flicked up to his face, lingered on his mouth for a heart-stopping moment before her eyes met his. He set her gently on her feet and stripped the bloodied garment from her body. Lachlan had the curious sensation of tumbling forward. He wanted to drag her into his arms and kiss her forever, but he only stooped and removed her boots. With a swirl of the shadows, he could have her undressed within a second, but he wanted to savor touching her. How he’d missed her.
After removing her boots and every strip of blood-soaked clothing, he stood and loosened the tightly braided plait her hair had been caught in. The entire time she watched him, with huge, somber eyes. Her small teeth bit nervously at her lip, drawing his attention to the fullness of her soft mouth.
The softest of hands touched his cheek. “Hello, Lachlan Ravenswood.” Then with a sigh, she hugged him, tightly, breathing in his scent, and releasing the air of fear that had lingered within her. Trust flavored her senses, and he returned her fierce embrace.
With a swirl of the shadows, he immersed her in the spacious bath.
Large, heart-stoppingly vulnerable eyes peered up at him. “Will you not join me?”
Another pulse of shadows and he was in the bath, naked, with her sitting astride him. Her eyes were wide pools of pain and haunting emotions. Their link flowed with energy, with her raw power as she sank into his mind seeking comfort. He held her, offering her warmth and protection without asking anything in return.
“I killed them,” she whispered. “Men and women I’ve known my whole life without offering them the benefit of a trial as our law demands.”
“You defended your life.” And saved them from a far worse death than what he would have subjected them to if he’d arrived and found her lifeless body.
“I cannot stay here in Serange.”
“If you wish to remain and govern your kingdom, I will ensure it is done.”
A watery laugh slipped from her. “I want to be at your side, loving you now and forever. The laws that I fought so hard to uphold will require Kala to be crowned Dyxriah’s ruler. I…I will advise her and help her select the team needed to shepherd her into her rule, but when that is all over I want to live where ever you are, Lachlan Ravenswood, for I love you, quite desperately.”
Everything in him—every thought, every one of his senses, arrowed on every nuance of her face.
“I entrust my heart to you,” his mate vowed softly, her eyes soft with love.
His heart pounded, and his mouth went dry. His body burned for her, an unmerciful, relentless, savage need. “And I will keep it, always.”
She smiled, and her happiness burned along their thread. The chain of their link curled around their body like the whip of dark silver fire.