Crown of Destiny (17 page)

"Take me back immediately!" Marzina snapped at him, knowing even as she spoke that he would not obey her. But she had to try.

"Now, sweeting, you know I cannot do that," Kolgrim said. "Mother has hidden my chosen bride away. I might find her for myself, but I do not choose to waste the time when it's easier to simply take something that our mother values instead.
You!
" he chortled. "Unless, of course, you know where Nyura is. Do you, sweeting?"

"No! I didn't even know you had chosen a bride. Why doesn't Mother want you to have her?" Marzina asked him candidly.

"She is a descendant of Ulla, and carries her powers," he answered. It was not necessary to say more, for being of the magic world Marzina would understand the rest.

"It has taken aeons to get to this point," Marzina said thoughtfully. "The mating of a descendant of Ulla's with a descendant of Jorunn's."

His eyes lit up with pleasure at her intelligence. "You understand the ramifications," he said, smiling at her. While he believed that ordinary women were beneath the male of the species, Kolgrim knew that some women could be their equal, or close to it. His mother was one of these women. This little sister he had so newly discovered was obviously proving to be another. He could actually talk with her, and he had to admit to himself that he had been lonely for another with whom he might speak on equal footing. "Then you also comprehend why I must regain custody of Nyura. Soon the season of the mating frenzy will come upon me, and she is the chosen one even as our mother was once our father's chosen one."

"If you can only sire one son, and it must be on the chosen one, then why can't you just wait until you find the girl?" Marzina asked. "And who chooses your bride for you?"

"The strongest son is sired during the season of the mating frenzy," Kolgrim explained to her. Then he said, "Come, and I will show you the Book of Rule. It directs me in all my important actions," he said as he beckoned her across the chamber where the book sat upon its stand. Opening it, he saw new words upon the page.

"I realize that you cannot read the words, for only certain of us can comprehend this ancient language of the Twilight," Kolgrim said.

"What does it say?" Marzina asked him innocently, but to her surprise the words upon the parchment page were quite understandable. Still she knew it was wiser to keep this knowledge to herself.

"It directs me to treat you well as my guest while you are here, little sister," he told her, lying with such charm that had she not known better she would have easily believed him. He smiled warmly at her.

"Oh. I expected it would be something with far more portent," Marzina replied, sounding quite disappointed.

He laughed. "The Book of Rule is not always portentous," he said. "Just sometimes." Then changing the subject, he asked, "Do you like my Throne Room?"

"It is beautiful," she responded. "I like the black, the gray and the silver."

"You see," he said. "You will not be unhappy here, little sister."

"You cannot keep me here, my lord," Marzina said.

"Ah, but I can," Kolgrim told her. "I have put a lock upon your magic. You cannot leave until I let you leave."

Return me now from whence I came. I do not choose to come again,
Marzina said. But nothing happened. She remained where she was. The girl grew very pale. Until now very few had been able to thwart her magic. Her grandmother. Her mother. Prince Kaliq. And they had not interfered with her in years. "
My mother
will punish you for this," Marzina said, in what she hoped passed for a hard and strong voice. "You have overstepped your bounds, my lord."

"You are brave," he told her admiringly. "I only intend keeping you until
our mother
releases the lady Nyura, my bride, to me. She will resist for a brief time, of course. But that will allow us to become better acquainted, little sister."

"I have no desire to know you better, my lord," Marzina said.

Kolgrim laughed. "You are a poor liar," he responded. "You wanted to know all about me, which is why you watched me in your reflecting bowl. I could sense your eyes on me, which is why I was able to catch you so quickly, little sister."

"You did not even know about me until the dwarf told you," Marzina replied. "Who is he? He is very old."

"Aye, he is. He has served several Twilight Lords before me as chancellor. His name is Alfrigg. He would spend his declining years tending his mushroom and nightshade gardens if he could, but I have found no one to replace him," Kolgrim told her. "I have never known him to keep a secret from me before, but I forgive him for he saved this secret for the time I would need it the most."

"Return me to my hall," Marzina said. "By taking me you have set yourself up against a host of those who would gladly destroy you."

"No," Kolgrim said. "I want my bride returned to me first."

Marzina sighed. "I shall be here a long time then," she told him. "Where am I to sleep? You took me just before the dinner hour. I am starving. Do you mean to starve me then?"

"Will our mother sacrifice you needlessly, little sister?" he asked her. "I mean to have Nyura to wed and bed. Her path was chosen centuries ago."

"You mean to bring the darkness to the world of Hetar,
brother
. You intend to bring it forever, but the good in our world will not allow you to do so," Marzina said.

"Nay, little one. I will only lead Hetar into the darkness. It is the son Nyura bears me who will keep it there," Kolgrim told her. "That is why our mother is so desperate to stop me. But she will not this time. She lingered too long among the mortals. And worse, she behaved like them except in the privacy of her own chambers. They no longer believe in her, or in the magic world. They do not even believe in their own mortality. Status, power, wealth and lust have become their deities. They will follow any creature who promises them more of it, and I will. I do not have to bring the darkness to Hetar. They will bring it upon themselves."

"Yes, yes, but where am I to sleep?" Marzina demanded of him.

Kolgrim laughed aloud again and held out his hand to her. "Come, and we will eat. Then you will be shown to the quarters that will always be yours when you come to visit me, little one." He smiled warmly at her as he led her from his Throne Room down a beautiful dark marble corridor to a small, intimate dining room.

Marzina could not help herself. She took his hand, and he gave it a little squeeze. She had to admit that he was, as she had been warned, a very charming man. She knew she was going to like him in spite of herself. His manners were impeccable as he seated her. Who had taught him, she wondered. "When are you going to send for Mother?" she asked him as a silent servant ladled soup into a bowl before her. She took a spoonful, and it tasted of the earth and the forest. It was delicious.

"I'm not," Kolgrim said. "She and Ilona keep a close eye on you, although you have not been aware of it. They will both know soon enough that you are missing. It will not take Mother long to know with whom you are currently residing."

"And then she will come and get me," Marzina said as she tore a piece off a warm loaf of bread, dipping it into her soup before popping it into her mouth.

"She will come, little sister, but she will not take you from me," he told her.

"Why not?" Marzina asked him.

"Because you will be where she cannot retrieve you," Kolgrim told her. "She must first return Nyura to me so our marriage may be celebrated. Then I will release you."

He smiled at her. "Don't worry. I promised our mother long ago never to harm any of my blood, and I have not. Now eat your supper, little sister."

The soup was followed by a platter of some kind of fish, lying upon a bed of dark green leaves and thin slices of lemon; a capon roasted to a golden-brown, and stuffed with sweet and tart fruits; a stew of venison in a rich wine gravy that was filled with leeks, mushrooms and slivers of carrot; more fresh warm bread, butter and two cheeses. When it had all been cleared away a sponge cake soaked in sweet wine and covered with rich thick cream was served.

"My aunt is fond of cake like this," Marzina remarked as she enjoyed the sweet.

"Ah yes, the beautiful dragon Nidhug," Kolgrim replied.

"You've seen her?" Marzina was surprised.

"When Ilona finally invited Nidhug to her domain because the egg in the dragon's nursery hatched a faerie child, and not an infant dragon," Kolgrim said, "I came to see for myself. Of course no one knew I was there." He smiled. "Have they produced any other children, Prince Cirillo and Nidhug?" he asked her.

"There is another egg in the nursery nest, but it is believed that one is Nidhug's successor, and will not hatch until a thousand years before her time as guardian of Belmair is to come to an end," Marzina told him. "It will take the Great Dragon of Belmair that length of time to teach her heir all he will need to know."

"Fascinating," Kolgrim said, shaking his head. Then, seeing she had finished, he asked her, "Are you ready to see your chamber, little one?"

"I am tired," Marzina admitted.

"Come along then," Kolgrim said, standing up. He led her from the dining room down another wide marble corridor. At its end was a single door. Opening it, he ushered Marzina into the chamber. "It is simple, but I thought you would prefer it. Your own home is without ostentation. You may come and go within my palace whenever you choose. However, be advised that if you are not in this place when our mother arrives to discuss matters with me, you will be magicked back here immediately, and the chamber door will be locked. Do you understand, Marzina?"

"Of course," she answered him. "But if you think you can keep Mother from retrieving me, you are mistaken. Her magic is far stronger than yours, my lord."

"We shall see, little sister," he told her. Then, bending, he kissed her cheek and was gone, closing the door behind him.

Marzina looked about her. The chamber was windowless. The floors were smooth stone as were the walls. It was more a dungeon cell but for the comfortable furnishings. There was a curtained bed draped in lavender velvet and covered in soft furs. Beneath it she noted a delicately painted chamber pot. At the foot of the bed was an iron-bound trunk. Lifting its rounded lid, Marzina was surprised to find it filled with beautiful robes made from a mixture of silk and fine soft wool. The colors, however, were mostly dark. Forest-green, deep blue, black, lavender and a rich purple. She let the lid fall shut and, going to the door, turned the handle. It opened, as Kolgrim had said it would. Marzina was surprised but pleased he had not lied to her.

Shutting the door, she continued her inspection of the chamber. It had a large fireplace that burned scented wood that perfumed and warmed the room. In the coals of the hearth was a dark bronze basin and pitcher of water for her bathing. There was a small round candle stand by the bed with a thick taper in a carved silver taperstick with its own snuffer attached by a delicate chain. A dark wood sideboard stood against one wall. Upon it was a silver tray with two decanters and a single silver cup. There was also a bowl of fresh fruit, and a little plate of honey cakes. Nothing was lacking within the room that a guest would need, Marzina thought.

Lying across the foot of the bed, a soft night garment of white cotton was ready for her. She wondered if she was being watched but then decided it didn't matter. Before Marzina prepared herself for bed, however, she tried her spell once again.
Return me now from whence I came. I do not choose to come again.
But nothing happened. That was twice now she had caught Kolgrim in a truth. She would not have thought such a thing possible of a Twilight Lord.

With a sigh of resignation she took the basin and pitcher from the hearth, set them on the sideboard, poured the warm water into the vessel and bathed. When she was finished she was surprised to see the water drain away from the basin. With a little laugh she put them back, noting as she did that the pitcher was full again. Then Marzina took off her gown, donned the night garment that had been laid out for her and climbed into the bed. It was as comfortable as it looked, and deciding there was nothing else she could do, Marzina fell asleep. It had been a very long day.

Watching her in his reflecting bowl, Kolgrim smiled to himself. While love was not an emotion he usually experienced, he had come in the few short hours he had known her to adore this younger sister of his. When their mother released Nyura, he would keep his word and release Marzina to her. But he meant to win Marzina to the dark side. What an asset she would be to him. And it would certainly break their mother's faerie heart. He smiled again.

"SHE IS GONE!" ILONA, QUEEN OF THE FOREST Faeries said to her daughter as she materialized in burst of purple mist.

Lara looked up. "Good morning, Mother," she said. "Who is gone?"

"Marzina! Marzina is gone! I went to Fairevue to discuss some matters of great import with her, and she was gone, Lara. She was there two days ago her old body servant says, but then the next morning she was gone."

"Kolgrim!" Lara said immediately. "Kolgrim has her. He knows how much I love her. He has taken her in exchange for Nyura."

"To wed?" Ilona sounded scandalized.

"Nay, nay. The Book of Rule has chosen Nyura as his mate," Lara said.

"Will he harm Marzina?" Ilona asked her daughter. "He does not know she is his sister, after all."

"Alfrigg knew and has undoubtedly told the Twilight Lord the truth by now, which is why Kolgrim acted so swiftly to steal Marzina. Nay, he will not harm her," Lara said. "But I can guarantee you, Mother, that he has some wicked plan in mind. He needs Nyura back quickly for the season of the mating frenzy is almost upon him. The fiercer the frenzy, the stronger the child he will spawn on Nyura. He cannot wait."

"You must go to him at once!" Ilona said.

Lara could not help but laugh. "Did you believe I would wait. Aye, I will pay Kolgrim a visit to learn his terms and decide how we may delay him," she said. "Tell Kaliq where I have gone. I will not linger long in the Dark Lands." Then in a puff of lavender mist she was gone.

"Mother!" Kolgrim smiled toothily at her as she appeared in his hall. "How lovely of you to pay me a visit." Stepping forward, he took up her hand and kissed it.

Lara glared at him. "Where is Marzina?" she demanded without any preamble.

"My little sister?" he said, smiling again at her.

Lara was silent a moment. There it was. Out in the open at last after all these years. "Aye, where is your sister?" she said wearily. "I know you have not harmed her, Kolgrim, but I also know that you have her."

"She is a charming girl," he said. "I mean to win her to the darkness. Her blood is equally divided, Mother. The decision is hers to make. She will be mine eventually."

"Never!"
Lara replied. "You will not blacken and steal her soul from her, Kolgrim. My daughter is filled with the light. She will always be."

"My blood began as hers did, Mother. Equal parts light and dark, yet the dark triumphed in me. I am my father's son. I might have been my mother's son, but that you deserted me and destroyed my father in the process," he accused her. "The Book of Rule had declared you his true mate, and he loved you."

"Oh, Kolgrim, do you not yet understand that the Book of Rule was manipulated by the magic world, even as I was, in order that your father mate with me and give me his son. He stole my memories from me to accomplish this, and when the Shadow Princes saw my memories restored I did what I knew had to be done. I divided the child in my womb into two in order to cause chaos in the Dark Lands. And after I birthed those twins I fled back to my own world where the memories of that time here were hidden from me so I should not go mad. I was another man's wife. I had other children who needed me."

"I needed you!" he told her, anguished. It was the first honest emotion she had ever seen him exhibit and Lara was surprised.

"Your father wanted only one thing from me. An heir. I gave him two. But he could not leave me alone. He tugged at those hidden memories, until finally the Munin had to restore them all. Then I carried the burden of them, of those months with your father here in the Dark Lands, and it was painful beyond all else, Kolgrim," Lara said.

"You put us from your thoughts," Kolgrim accused.

"I did," Lara said bluntly, "because had I not, I should have gone mad. I despised your father and what he did to me here, and afterward on the Dream Plain, but it did not negate the fact that I had borne two little boys, and then left them to a terrible fate. But your father would have never let either you or Kolbein go, and I could not remain."

"Did you ever love us?" he asked pointedly.

"I could not allow myself to love you," she answered him candidly.

He nodded. Then he said, "Return Nyura to me, and I will return Marzina to you. I will not promise you, however, not to take her from you."

"You will try, but you will not succeed," Lara told him. "Marzina is my child, and she is of the light, Kolgrim. As to Nyura, since I know you will not harm your sister I shall wait a while before returning your bride to you."

His handsome face darkened. "You know I must mate her soon," he said meaningfully. "The marriage must be celebrated soon. You know the reasons."

"Aye, I do," Lara told him with a small smile. "But a son is a son, Kolgrim. Don't you think that is so?"

The young Twilight Lord shook his head ruefully. "Mother, dearest mother," he began. "How little you must think of me. My powers lack a certain strength outside of the Dark Lands, it is true, though they are increasing each day. But here in my own castle my powers are strongest. Did you think it would be as simple as I have Marzina, you have Nyura and we will make a civilized exchange? Nay, it will not. If I return my sister to you before the wedding, you will find a way to conceal her while snatching Nyura from me once again. That will not happen. I will return Marzina to you after the wedding has been celebrated in Hetar. And the wedding will be celebrated in a few days' time. Come," he beckoned her. "Let me show you what will happen if you do not return Nyura to me in a timely manner. Marzina is sleeping now, and so she will not be frightened."

Kolgrim led Lara from his hall, and after several turns they entered a long corridor lit by torches that were set in iron holders bolted to the stone wall. At the end of the corridor he stopped before a single small wood door. With a wave of his hand the wall before them became transparent so the chamber beyond was visible to their eyes. Looking into it, Lara thought it was very comfortably furnished, and she saw her daughter sleeping soundly in a fine high bed. Kolgrim pointed a single finger at the chamber, and suddenly all its walls and even its floor and ceiling were translucent.

"It is a glass cube," he said, "attached firmly to my castle. It hangs over the endless canyon that separates this structure from my House of Women. If the magic holding this chamber is released then it will fall into the canyon."

"You cannot harm her!" Lara cried softly. "She is your blood, not just by me, but by her sire as well, Kolgrim!"

He smiled sweetly at her. "She would not be harmed, but she would face eternity within a glass cube, falling deeper and deeper into a bottomless pit, mother dearest. I seriously doubt any magic--yours, mine, the Shadow Princes--could save her from her fate once the chamber began its descent. But of course you are welcome to attempt a rescue. Or you can return Nyura to me immediately. I am not an unreasonable man so I will give you a day in which to make your decision," he said.

"You are a monster!" Lara cried, looking into his handsome face. Then she turned to look back at Marzina, but the wall had become stone once again.

Mother, return from whence you came. I'll call when you must come again.
Kolgrim spoke the spell silently.

"M
Y LOVE
!" K
ALIQ CAUGHT HER
as she literally fell into his arms, sobbing. "What has happened? What is the matter? Speak to me, Lara!"

"Lara, why do you weep so bitterly," Ilona demanded.

"He is Kol's son," Lara sobbed, "and his father would be proud of him."

"Does he have Marzina?" Kaliq asked. "But of course he does, and he wants Nyura in exchange. We can delay him, my love. He won't hurt Marzina. You know it."

Lara swallowed back her tears. She pushed back the fear he had engendered in her heart and soul. Then she told her mother and her life mate of her visit to Kolgrim. "He is ruthless. He will not hesitate to send my daughter into an agony of an eternity."

"But can we trust him to return her once he has his way," Ilona wondered aloud.

"What choice do we have?" Lara said. "But I do believe if he gets his way he will release Marzina to us. He wants the triumph of luring her to the dark side, of hurting me. He wants to win this new war he makes for Hetar. I must attempt to warn Palben. I must get him to listen to me."

"He will not," Kaliq said quietly. "Palben will take a second wife tomorrow. She is another of Grugyn Ahasferus's granddaughters. Her name is Divsha. Your great-grandson is a clever man, my love. He will now be able to publicly claim a blood tie with the Twilight Lord for he does not know he already has one."

"If Hetar and the Dark Lands are united by marriage, what will become of Terah?" Lara fretted. "Did not Grugyn Ahasferus have three granddaughters? What of the third girl? If she is not wed, then I can make a match with Terah. Cadarn's oldest son is not wed. Did not Anoush predict that one day I would unite the worlds? And if the three are united and bound by familial ties then perhaps we can prevent Kolgrim from overwhelming all in his damnable darkness," Lara said excitedly. "All three of them will be busy attempting to overcome the other two, and rule alone."

"It is possible," Ilona said slowly but her voice held little conviction.

Lara would not be content until she had accomplished it, Kaliq knew. But she would not change the fate assigned this world. Yet until Lara could be convinced that all was lost, she would not move forward and could not meet her destiny.

"You will have to move swiftly. Cadarn will not be easy to sway, and you may not convince him. You know he will not acknowledge our world of magic," the prince reminded her.

"Then you must come with me and convince him that it does exist," Lara said.

He nodded in agreement.

"I will come, too," Ilona said. "We must dazzle this foolish mortal publicly so he is unable to deny the evidence of his own eyes."

Lara laughed. "Whenever I made magic," she said, "that is just what he did. He would declare the air poisoned, or the cheese bad."

"Not this time," Kaliq said. Lara was wrong, but he would aid her to the best of his ability until she could admit it. "You must look the part," he told her.
Make this faerie woman fair so no one can deny her there.

And Lara found herself clothed in a beautiful bejeweled robe of cloth-of-gold. Her long gilt hair was braided with thin plaits intertwined with delicate gold and silver chains filled with tiny sparkling gemstones and pearls. About her forehead was a narrow gold band, an oval emerald in its center. Ilona waved a languid hand, and a pair of iridescent wings sprouted from Lara's shoulder blades.

Lara chuckled. "Why, Mother, you never gave me wings before," she said.

"Mortals have certain ideas," Ilona told her drily. "Today we will cater to them."

And a pair of pearlescent wings popped from her back. She was garbed in a royal-purple and cloth-of-gold silk gown, her gold crown of office upon her golden head.

Kaliq had transformed himself into his all-white trousers and bejeweled white tunic. Upon his dark head he wore a small turban, a bloodred ruby and three plumes at its center. A small gold dagger, its hilt decorated with diamonds was stuck into his wide sash. A white satin cloak lined in cloth-of-gold floated out of the air, fastening itself onto broad shoulders. His dark leather boots rose to his knees. "I think we are all ready now," he said. He nodded to an attending servant, who brought a reflecting bowl to his master. Kaliq gazed into it and then said, "They are in the Great Hall of the Dominus's castle, celebrating Cadarn's birthday. Ilona, will you go first?"

"Of course, my lord," the Queen of the Forest Faeries said with an arch smile.

T
HE RAFTERS OF
D
OMINUS
Cadarn's Great Hall shook with the clap of thunder as Ilona appeared in their midst. "Greetings, kinsman," Ilona said.

A second clap followed the first, and Lara appeared. "Cadarn," she said.

And finally Kaliq stepped from what appeared to be thin air. "My lord." He bowed, flourishing his cape as he did so.

The silence was palpable. Those in attendance to celebrate the Dominus Cadarn's birthday stood with open mouths. What they were seeing could not possibly be. Surely this was some entertainment. But there were a few in the hall who still believed in magic, and for them what was happening was marvelous. They recognized the magical trio, and were excited to learn why they were here and what was to come.

"How do you explain us away, my lord Dominus?" Kaliq asked Cadarn. "Is the air poisoned? Then open the windows and doors here, but we will still remain. Perhaps it is something you all ate this evening? Even if you purge yourselves we will remain before you. Deny the evidence of your own eyes, Cadarn, son of Amhar, grandson of Taj, great-grandson of Magnus Hauk. Look at us, and say we do not exist," Kaliq said in a deep and commanding voice that boomed about the silent chamber.

"Who are you?" the Dominus asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"I am Prince Kaliq of the Shadows," came the answer. He drew Ilona forward. "And this is your great-great-grandmother, Ilona, Queen of the Forest Faeries. You know your great-grandmother, Domina Lara, widow of Magnus Hauk."

"It is not possible," Cadarn said low. He had been relieved when Lara departed Terah. He could now relegate her to history and legend. But here she stood before him with her two companions, and he was finding it difficult to say they did not exist.

"Reach your hand out, mortal, and touch us," Kaliq said. "We are real. It is time you admitted to it. We come to help you, for the darkness is threatening once again."

Cadarn kept his hand by his side. "We need no help," he said icily.

"That I should ever live to see a Dominus of Terah not just stubborn, but stupid, as well," Lara said to him. "Magic exists, you lumpish fool! And while you look the other way, Hetar and the Dark Lands are making an alliance against you. The Twilight Lord will wed a Hetarian noblewoman. The Lord High Ruler makes that girl's cousin his second wife. If you are to survive this disastrous union, your son, Vaclar, must wed Yamka, granddaughter of the great Hetarian magnate, Grugyn Ahasferus."