Ascension (Unbound Prophecy Book 1) Page 9

  With that he shifted and Sinow was left to think of his words in the resounding silence. He scratched his head running his brother’s words around in his mind. He’d had no idea Tynan felt so passionately about the prophecy. He had some valid points. His father had put his faith in the prophecy with no questions asked which was very unlike him. He’d always been a man of little faith in prophecy and even less in the ways of the Lightbearers. But as he’d told Sinow when he was a boy, he’d always felt he was the one who would bring about the chosen heir. He never had a reason for his knowledge other than instinct, but when the Lightbearers had called, he took the risk and answered. He’d once told Sinow that he knew Sinow was special when he was still in his mother’s womb. He was right; Sinow was by far the most powerful immortal Tenebron had ever seen. His power was already twofold that of his father’s, and he’d yet to take the crown. There was no telling the amount of power to which the ascension would bring him and what more there would be with his union to Violissa.

  What Sinow could never reconcile was that blind belief in words. That’s really all the prophecy was, words written hundreds of thousands of years ago supposedly by the Fates. Words that spelled out Violissa’s life and the intersection of his life with hers. He understood her frustration with it all, the lack of control and direction of your own life, never being able to set your own course. It was tough. He’d gone along with it all because he had faith in his father’s judgment. He was a good king whose decisions had always been correct ones and whose reign had been very successful. He’d been a different kind of king than many of his predecessors, much more tolerant than those before him. He followed the true ways of the crown; the ways the Fates had intended. The king and his Darkbearers were there to protect the people and instill order. They were the law: judge, jury and punisher. Only through the generations had the true code of the Dark King and his Council been corrupted. Dark powers had that effect. Sometimes his actions bordered on kind, a trait not found in Darkbearers, especially not their kings. Sinow attributed his father’s random penchant toward the Light ways to his childhood, for it could not have come from his grandfather. His father had spoken often of his childhood when he’d had a Cirillian slave who’d helped take care of him. In earlier days, people had been stolen from Cirillia and used as slaves. Once the borders were placed, those remaining slaves were forced to mate to supply more slaves. The practice had been prohibited once Sinow’s father had claimed the throne, and one of his first acts once the Lightbearer Council had contacted him was to return the remaining slaves to Cirillia through a temporary rift created by a combination of Lightbearer and Darkbearer power at the boundary. This act had strengthened the treaty. At first his Council had been concerned about banning slavery. Drostan had been a new king, and the act defied everything they had known. However, after he had offered the explanation that having the slaves was inviting their ways and influences into the realm, the Council fully backed the decision. It had been harder to convince them that a treaty based on prophecy would be beneficial for the realm, but he’d eventually worn them down on that as well.

  Sinow stretched and ran his hands through his hair. He had time for a ride before the hustle of the day began. That would give him more time to think about Tynan’s words. He turned and checked out the window. It was still dark, his favorite time to ride. Within a moment, he had shifted, the billowing of the curtains the only sign he had been there.

  He had been riding for some time when he heard, rather sensed the voice. It was a soft whisper of his name that echoed through his head. He stopped the horse and listened. He looked around, the darkness of early morning still enveloped him. There was no one there with him. Sinow, the voice called again, sweet and distinctively feminine. He knew that voice, there was no way he could be hearing it, but again it came. Sinow, follow my voice and find me, she called. He closed his eyes, knowing what he was about to do was crazy but instinct drove him to follow the path of her voice. He relaxed and breathed deep, then shifted on the trail toward the voice.

  Eleven

  Tynan shifted back to his wing of the castle, satisfied at the conversation he’d had with Sinow. He’d laid the first seed but still had work to do. He just needed to keep his brother and Violissa apart until he was able to complete his plan. He walked into his study and over to his desk, books were scattered on and around it. Stacks were haphazardly piled on the window pane while others were toppling over the bookshelf beside it. Across the desk, pages were laid open with notes scribbled throughout the margins. Thankfully his study was downstairs from his room so no one ever saw his work. Otherwise he’d have Council rummaging through his research, trying to determine what he was up to.

  He looked out the window upon the view of the woods that backed the castle. The moon was still out, dawn still fighting for dominance on the horizon; its light cast down upon the trees throwing eerie shadows across the lawn. To the eye, they appeared as demons dancing in the flames of a bonfire. Tynan rubbed his eyes attempting to force away his own demons. He longed to be the one preparing for the ascension, but instead it was Sinow. Sinow the true heir, the chosen one who would bring ultimate power to Tenebron. Blah, blah, blah. He slammed his hand against the pane of glass, sending shattered shards flying. Blood ran down his fist as the wounds slowly healed themselves. It should have been he who was chosen, he who would wear the crown, and it ate at him constantly that it wasn’t. Sinow had no idea the hatred that burned through Tynan for him; he wouldn’t have any reason to believe Tynan would feel this way. But Tynan knew the truth.

  It had been centuries ago when he’d discovered the letter his mother had left for him hidden deep inside one of her favorite books. That letter had revealed the true details of what had been stolen from her and from Tynan. She’d written of how she had caught the king’s eye and had him close to a proposal when Sinow’s mother had come along and stolen his affections from her. The whore had flaunted herself so that no man could have resisted, and he’d fallen for it. They had sealed their union by the third rise of the moons, and Sinow had been born the first son. Only afterward did the king come back to Tynan’s mother to beg her hand back. Of course, she accepted despite being previously overlooked. Tynan had been born only a few years after Sinow. Their father had never revealed any of this, and Tynan did not let him know he’d discovered it. It had haunted his every waking hour until he realized what he had to do. He would take back what was rightfully his: the crown and Tenebron.

  He spent years waiting for his chance, looking for every opportunity but none had come. Then he began researching, reading up on the realm’s history, his family’s history and lineage, all the while looking for anything that could help him claim the throne. Finally, his patience paid off and he found something. Yes, he had found it, the thing for which he had searched for years. He’d finally found the key to Sinow’s destruction, to bringing down the entire realm and making it his. He had discovered the location of the Lost Realm. Not just the general location as everyone knew it was in the sacred forests that were split between the two realms. No, he had found a way to enter the Lost Realm, a spell so simple that even he could perform it. He’d laughed himself silly at how preposterous it all had been. Such a valuable piece of knowledge under their noses all this time. Of course, it had not been easy to figure it all out, and he doubted anyone who had even thought to find it had ever been as dedicated as he. The Lost Realm itself was of no use, but there was a treasure hidden deep within that realm that no one seemed to know about but him. That treasure would be his salvation.

  He dragged his finger across the bookshelf. It had all happened so innocently a century ago. He’d been rummaging about in the cellars of the castle and come across an old library locked away deep below. When he questioned one of the Council about it, he was told no one used it anymore. There was no need to research the past when they had so much to worry about ahead of them with the prophecy. So, Tynan had ventured in and started sorting his wa
y through the piles of books that were stored there. Tucked in the back of a book that had been buried deep in a stack, he found a scroll. Layers of dust had hidden its title, and Tynan guessed it had been down there since well before he and Sinow had been born. The book had merely been a history on the last war between the two realms, but he’d been surprised to find much more detail on the lost realm than he had ever learned from his tutors. The scroll gave him even more.

  His grandfather believed the Elvin had thought themselves protectors of the Fates’ word. He knew they hid the scroll of prophecy so surmised they must have other powerful relics hidden as well. His war on Cirillia had been a farce; he never cared about finding the prophecy. In fact, he despised any thought of mixing the bloodlines. He had been searching for something even more powerful. His grandfather had never found it even though he continued to secretly search after Cirillia’s capital and the Elvin were lost to him. Tynan, however, had done the one thing his grandfather had not; he had figured out what that treasure was and where it was hidden. That treasure would give him the power to finally bring down his brother and take the crown that was rightfully his. Now all Tynan had to do was keep Sinow from a union with Violissa before he was able to get his hands it. Today’s talk had gone well, but Tynan realized he’d have to keep a close eye on Sinow to ensure the two were kept separated. Their father claimed that a union with the bitch would make Sinow more powerful than any king before him and as much faith as Tynan had in the research he’d done, he didn’t want to tempt the Fates by waiting for that theory to be tested. No, he’d keep them apart until his work was done, then it would be too late for them both, for he would rule both their realms.

  Tynan looked up suddenly as he felt Sinow leave the castle. He’d told Sinow the truth; he did have an uncanny ability to know where Sinow was at all times. Usually, it was quite annoying, but lately, it had definitely been coming in handy. It was very unlike his brother to be about so early, so Tynan tossed the books aside and shifted to where he felt his brother’s presence.

  Twelve

  Violissa stood in the middle of the room. Her lips were pouted, and she wore an expression of discomfort. Around her three women bustled, fussing with her hair, her dress, her face. She honestly had no idea why or even how she’d gotten into this predicament. Someone had suggested it would be good to have the local businesses involved in today’s ceremony, everyone had thought it a grand idea, and so now here she was in her new handmade gown, with the latest updo hairstyle and powder on her face. She gritted her teeth; she would have easily settled for having her hair flowing loose and wearing a dress created with her own magic. As for her face, natural was the only style she knew; she’d never had any color added to her cheeks that wasn’t natural, and she felt very uncomfortable with it. But the women who’d been selected to help her were having a ball; they’d done nothing but thank her for it, and she knew they’d have a story to pass down to their grandchildren one day. How they made the queen unrecognizable, she thought as she blew a curl up that had slipped over her eye.

  “There, my Lady,” Nellina, the dressmaker said, standing back to admire her work, hands on hips. She looked Violissa over and then smiled. “I didn’t think it possible for you to be any more beautiful, your majesty, but I do believe we’ve done just that. Come look for yourself.” She gestured for Violissa to follow her, the other two women stepping back to give her room as she led her over to the mirror. Standing before the mirror, Violissa couldn’t help but gasp. Looking back at her was the most stunning woman she had ever seen. She put hand her to her cheek to make sure the reflection belonged to her. The reflection in the mirror did the same. She felt unrecognizable. Her curls were piled neatly on the top of her head, with a few strays that seductively brushed her cheeks and neck. A dress the color of a field of lilacs fitted her waist and hung loose in fine layers down to skim the ground, hiding the delicate slippers of the same shade underneath. The top of the dress draped just to emphasize the curvature of her breasts and tease with a line that peaked at her cleavage. Straps of loose material ran over her shoulders where they then plummeted to the middle of her back. It was a beautiful dress she had to admit, but what really startled her was the face that looked back at her. Gone was the innocence of the girl she had been, and in its place stood the ageless beauty of a queen. Power flickered behind her eyes. That power and the paint that had been placed around her eyes made them stand out even more than she thought possible. They were a green deeper than any evergreen yet at the same time brighter than the brightest emerald. The shades of green within them seemed to be at war, struggling for dominance; it was a sight to be seen. She put a hand to her cheeks that now held a permanent pink flush from the powder. Her lips, a slight shade of mauve emphasizing their fullness, would have made any man in the room melt. She felt overwhelmed at the transformation.

  “Well, my Lady?” one of them spoke questioningly. She’d been so entranced she didn’t know which one had spoken. She smiled back at them in the mirror. “You’ve all done an amazing job. I couldn’t have even come close to this myself, thank you.”

  The three women smiled and, curtsying, let out a collective sigh of relief.

  “Now, if you don’t mind, it would seem I have a few hours before the ceremony.” She glanced out of her window; it was just dawn. “I have some things I’d like to take care of before then. Thank you again, you’ve made the day all the more special.” They curtsied again and, upon saying their goodbyes, left Violissa to herself. She turned around at the mirror again, laughing at how little she looked like herself. Then she held her hands out before her; they were shaking again. She’d had a hard time controlling it while they’d been working on her. She’d noticed a tingling in them as well as through her arms and legs beginning earlier that morning. Changes for the ascension were starting, and it frightened her. She needed to know what else would happen, and she only knew one person who would have the answer. She closed her eyes and shifted to her library. She warmed the room with a wave of her hand and opened the curtains. The morning light streamed in to reveal a room filled floor to ceiling with books on each wall. The soft cream of the walls magnified the light from the windows. A soft green chaise sat in the middle of the room along with several overly large mauve chairs. This was Violissa’s favorite room. Its shelves contained all there was to know about their people and culture as well as many others that either no longer existed or now lived in the minority. She’d read every book in the room trying to understand who she was and the history from which she’d come. The room was a haven to her just as the glade where she swam had been. It was also the safest place for her to do what she was about to do.

  She closed her eyes and waved her hand, muttering an enchantment in the ancient tongue of her people. Satisfied that the spell she had woven was strong enough to keep the Council in the dark, she took a deep breath and softly called, Sinow in her mind, reaching out to him. She waited a minute then repeated his name again, wondering if it would work. Although she could use enaigne with her Council and Sinow could with his Council, no one was ever able to cross to the other’s realm. Lights and Darks could not speak mentally to one another. Violissa theorized that if she and Sinow’s fates were so intertwined, possibly their enaigne would be as well. If it did work, would their connection be enough to bring him through the barrier? She had a feeling it would be. She had pondered it all morning as the uncertainty of today’s events grew on her. He was the only one who had knowledge passed down from his father of what the ascension would really do to her. She had to know and so here she stood trying to contact him. She couldn’t believe she was doing this and hoped that he wouldn’t read too much into it if it did work.

  She cleared her mind again, and this time reached out far beyond normal, beyond the Council’s minds, beyond those she felt of her people, beyond the magical border that separated their realms. When she crossed it, she could sense a heavier air enter her mind. She reached through it, out bey
ond the sleeping voices of Sinow’s people until…there she sensed his presence. Sinow, her mind spoke. She sensed his mind questioning. Sinow, she spoke again, the silence that spoke back was deafening until she suddenly felt his full awareness. It had taken him a moment to understand. Sinow, follow my voice…find me, she spoke one last time as she slowly withdrew. Back through the dark murmurs into the light airy tones of her people and finally back to the library. She opened her eyes and waited. Her heart was racing at both the excitement she felt at having been able to reach out to Sinow and from the instinctive reaction her body had in response to being so connected to him. She shivered, the room had not cooled down, but the shiver ran down her spine. Sinow had followed her trail and was now across the room from her. Although her back was to him, she sensed his presence.

  “Vi,” he said with a sly tone, “not exactly who I’d expect to be calling me. Of course, how you called me is a secret you’ll need to share with me. Being able to seep into your mind whenever I want will be quite a pleasure.”

  She turned her head and eyed him curiously. “Then that will be one secret that won’t ever be shared Sinow.” As she turned to face him, she watched the expression on his face turn from surly confidence to that of awe like a young boy with his first crush. She knew she looked much different today than usual, but the way he stared at her made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. Although her beauty surpassed any other woman’s, she had never been conscious of it, instead feeling plain among the inner beauty she saw in her people. She should have been uncomfortable with his stare, eyes taking in every inch of her, but it did the opposite. Instead, in that moment it made her feel like a queen.