Deviation: Altera Realm Trilogy Book 2 (61 page)

After a few moments, however, a deep burning inside her chest began. It stung and clawed at her pain receptor, but she kept quiet, as she knew Ridge was on the other side of the door. The pain became almost unbearable, and she felt as though she would pass out, when finally the stone glowed blue. A thick black smoke seeped out of every orifice on her mother’s face.
This feels wrong
, Adanna thought, letting go of the stone and stepping away from the bed. What had her mother gotten herself into?

Once all the black smoke had come out of her body, Mellisandrianna seemed to shrivel a little, as though all the water in her body had been pulled out, and the smoke hovered over her. Adanna stepped back until she was against the wall, staring at the foreign smoke. Suddenly it shifted and swirled until the shape of a face pushed forward, a smile curling its lips.

Adanna opened her mouth to scream but was nearly choked by the black smoke as it shoved its way into her mouth and invaded her body. A moment later she opened her eyes and looked around the room. She stretched her arms out and moved her jaw around. She took a deep breath and walked over to the full-length mirror on the other side of the room. She looked at her reflection and smiled. This was exactly what she wanted to happen, albeit not the exact way, but she could work with it. She always did.

She ran her hands down the front of her dress as she admired herself. It felt good to be so young again. Sighing in contentment, she walked back to grab
the stone from Mellisandrianna’s chest. It had worked its magic once again. She wrapped it in the deep blue scarf she had found it in and tucked it inside her pocket. She had work to do and people to eliminate—Syney being her top priority. It took much more than a simple life-force stealing to kill the great Adaeve, and Syney had just proven that.

Syney stood in front of her full-length mirror and brushed the same section of her long auburn hair for the tenth time as she stared blankly into the empty space in front of her. Adam wasn’t sure what was causing her funk, Reed’s death or Mellisandrianna’s. It was the latter that weighed the heaviest on his own heart, only because it had been at Syney’s hand. There were so many things he wished could have happened the day before, but there was no use dwelling on them. Now he had to deal with the consequences of what had happened. More importantly, he had to force Syney to deal with them.

Adam walked over to stand behind Syney and gently took the brush out of her hand. She looked at his refection in the mirror and mustered what Adam assumed was supposed to be a smile. He took her hand, led her to the couch to their right, and sat her down. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, taking her hands in his.

She nodded. “I just thought…I don’t know…that there would be, like, a weight lifted once she was gone. But I feel nothing.”

“I think you’re still in shock.”

She peered at him, tears clouding over her violet eyes. “Then I guess I’m not looking forward to the moment when it wears off.”

Adam tucked her hair behind her ears and placed his hands on either side of her face. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. If anyone can get through this, it’s you.”

“And you’ll be here, with me.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be. I promise you.”

She nodded. “Good, because I need you.”

The words echoed in Adam’s ears, putting a warm feeling in his chest. He leaned forward and kissed Syney lightly as a knock came at their door. Adam reluctantly let go of her and walked over to open it.

Ridge and Ivy gave short bows.

“Is it time?” Adam asked.

Ivy nodded. “The emergency council meeting will start in a few minutes.”

“Let’s go then,” Syney said, stepping into the hall.

“Is it all right if I have a word, Your Majesty?” Ridge asked.

Syney looked at him with tired eyes. “Is it important?”

“You go with Ivy,” Adam said, closing the door. “I’ll speak with Commander Ridge.”

Syney weakly smiled at him before heading down the hallway.

Once they were out of earshot, Adam turned to the new head guard. “Sorry. She’s still not entirely herself.”

“I understand,” Ridge said as they headed down the hall.

“So what can I help you with?”

“Her Majesty’s and your Protectors.”

Adam’s heart nearly stopped. He knew the topic would come up sooner or later; he’d just hoped it would be later, when he had more of a plan. He didn’t know enough guards to trust one over the other, and even though Mellisandrianna and her cohort were dead, that didn’t mean their way of thinking wasn’t still prevalent among some of the guards. Unfortunately he didn’t know how much he trusted the wolf who was walking with him right now. “Right. That is, well, something that does need to be talked about.”

Ridge stopped walking and looked Adam dead on. “Before I came back to the palace, I stopped to speak with Commander Leaf. Almost as soon as they learn to walk, Royal Guards are trained to obey and respect their commander. I like to say that all guards do this, but I know it isn’t always true. I, for one, feel that obedience and respect should be the number-one priority for a guard, and Commander Leaf still has my respect no matter what may have happened regarding his character.”

Adam was silent as his respect for Ridge grew.

“So I went to see him,” Ridge continued, “but he was reluctant to give me much advice. He said a commander must find his own way to lead, but he did tell me a few things. The first being that Queen Syney is important, not only to us but also to our future generations. The second being that not everyone feels that way.” He looked away, down the hallway. “I knew Reed was the only
Protector she had, for whatever reason, and I feel partially responsible for what happened to him.”

Adam shook his head. “You shouldn’t—”

“I’m not entirely sure what happened yesterday.” Ridge put up his hand when Adam opened his mouth to speak. “I’ve heard your story and the queen’s, and that’s what I’m going with, because Queen Syney is important, and I do believe that. I’ve also, with the blessing of the Lycin Council, reinstated Ivy to the guardship and assigned her as Her Majesty’s Protector, along with my brother, Cliff. They’ll be on your duty as well. I just need one thing.”

“Anything,” Adam said.

“I need whatever information you can give me so I may help whenever I can,” he said, holding his hand out. “Consider me on your side if sides are drawn for whatever reason.”

Adam took a deep breath. “You seem like a decent man, and I’m starting to like you, but as head guard, your first responsibility should be to your guards.”

“And my queen. Besides, I do believe the future welfare of my guards is hinged upon Her Majesty.”

After a moment Adam shook Reed’s outstretched hand. “I’ll do what I can.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they reached the council room, they each took a seat on either side of Syney. The room held more people than usual, as each council member had brought family members for the occasion. Syney seemed unfazed by the crowd and focused on only those she knew. Adam and Syney each gave a large hug to Helen as she made her way around the table, accepting condolences. Helen had been with Syney most of the night before, each consoling each other for their respective losses. The memorial services for Mellisandrianna, Reed, and Grass were set for the next day in the Magic User and Lycin chapels respectively.

Once the council members were seated, Syney stood up. “Thank you all for coming. Yesterday was…a painful day for all of us.”

The door to the room opened, and Adanna strode in, her heels echoing through the large room. She stopped at the end of the table opposite Syney, Mellisandrianna’s old seat, and sat down. “I apologize for my tardiness,” she said.

Adam looked at her as she smiled sweetly down the table at them. Her eyes and voice seemed a little icier, if that were possible.

“It’s all right. We were just starting,” Syney said, giving her a sympathetic smile. “The first order of business should be the queenship. As seated queen, I motion for an immediate crowning of myself to the position of ruling queen.”

“Seconded,” everyone at the table said as a chorus.

It was tradition for the crown to pass this way. Adam had gone to the library the night before and researched the topic at length. He didn’t want Syney
to make any mistakes as she became queen. She had to motion an immediate crowning, which needed to be seconded by the entire council. The swearing in took less than five minutes. Helen, as high priestess, led Syney in long pledge to lead the people of the Village with a pure and steadfast heart. Adam had no doubt she would do that and more. He also played a small part in the ceremony, as her joined husband, although his pledge had more to do with supporting Syney than really ruling anything. He never realized how matriarchal the Magic User society was until he had lived in it at length.

Once the swearing in was complete, Syney looked at each council member. “I thank you for your support and promise to…do the best job I can.”

Adam smiled at the very human phrase.

“OK, so, um, Justice, make a note that I have been sworn into the queenship.”

The man smiled at her, his olive-skinned face lighting up at the thought. “So noted.”

Syney nodded. “Is there any other business anyone would like to bring up today?” she asked, her voice showing her unease at running the meeting.

“Yes, there is.”

All eyes fell upon Adanna.

“Yes?” Syney prompted.

“I motion to be crowned seated queen as soon as possible.” She paused. “This is obviously a very dangerous time, and there should be a seated queen…just in case.”

Adam stared at her. He had spent a year with Adanna, and although he disliked her just slightly less than her mother, she never had been this aggressive, especially in the council meetings Syney had dragged him to. He looked at Syney, who didn’t seem as fazed by the request. The line of succession should run down the ruling line. It was unusual for the queen and seated queen to be from different houses. Adam frowned as he thought back to the last time this had happened—before Syney that is. It had been Lassandrianna, he knew from Hadrian’s notes on the past. The idea made his mind run with suspicion.

“I second,” Queen Lilith said. “The princess is right, and until Her Majesty has children, the rule should revert back to the Crystallianna line if need be.”

Adam watched as a smile snaked its way onto Adanna’s lips. A tiny voice in the back of his mind screamed some kind of warning, but he shook it off as the vote went around the table. Everyone approved, and Syney ordered Adanna’s crowning to take place the following week. The whole thing didn’t sit well with him, although he couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason.

Once everyone had cleared out of the room, he turned to Syney. “How does it feel to be queen?”

She shrugged. “I have to talk more now.”

He smiled. Joking was better than sullen silence. “We should go to the library. I found some good books on the whole aristocracy of the palace. There are a lot of rules and obligations you’ll have to follow.”

Syney frowned. “I don’t think I’m up for that right now, to be honest. Could you just do a little reading and let me know what I have to do? For now at least?”

Adam didn’t like the idea; he needed to get her motivated and living again. But he also didn’t want to push her. “OK. For now.”

She placed her hand on top of his on the table. “Thank you. I couldn’t really ask for anyone better right now, you know.”

“I do.”

She gave a small laugh. “Now there’s my cocky husband. You’re going to give me gray hairs.”

“I think you’ve already given me a few.”

“Nonsense. You’ll always be young, and you’ll always be beautiful.”

Adam stared at her, his smile fading into a serious face.

Syney stared back, her own smile fading. “That is, unless you’ve started to age again.”

Adam folded his hand into hers. “The second they named you my wife,” he paused. “I want you to be my last lifetime.”

Syney ran her other hand down his face as she smiled again, a genuine smile that actually ran to her eyes. “You know, I think I see a wrinkle already.”

“It’s from the stress of being married to you.”

“Oh, really?”

He nodded. “Yup. And I’m expecting more.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “Lots more.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the library?”

She nodded and stood from the table. “I think I need a nap.”

“OK. Take Ivy.”

Syney gave him one more kiss before heading out of the room.

Adam smiled as he watched her walk away. He had seen his Syney just there in their conversation. That thought alone made his heart beat faster. But then he thought of Adanna’s odd behavior and tensed up again. He needed to keep any eye on her, although he still wasn’t entirely sure why.