The Eden Series: The Complete Collection (141 page)

Her eyes widened. “But he fell from the
sky
, Nolan! And he has wings!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her interest. “As soon as I figure this out, I will tell you all about it. I promise.”

That made her smile. Nolan never broke his promises. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

“Now, go do something productive instead of just lying out in the sun all day, while I deal with this.”

Isla smiled, not bothering to deny her lazy habits. She kissed his cheek before turning to kiss Cecelia’s round belly, and then turned to run back down the hall with Elora in tow. Just like that, she was gone as quickly as she’d appeared.

“I don’t know where she finds the energy,” Cecelia said with a laugh.

There was nothing threatening or powerful about Prince Nolan. He radiated a kindness and approachability that Elex hadn’t expected. When he’d first saw him enter the throne room, he’d been anticipating someone much different. Instead of a ruthless leader, he was met by a young man with bright blue eyes, reddish blonde hair, and a gentle smile.

Perhaps Elex had been so used to his father, the feared sorcerer Aziz, or had been mentally comparing him to the High King of Capital City in Eden, Callum, who was a large, hard looking man. Either way, the easy, relaxed nature of the man ruling Veritas, the biggest city by far in all of Elysium, was both a blessing and a curse for what Elex had planned.

For the past five days, Prince Nolan had accepted them into his home as his honoured guests. Elex had given him very little history of just where he and Rain had come from, and the man had asked even less. It was perplexing. Elex could tell how shocking his presence was to the man, and yet the Prince never pressed them to explain what had brought them to Elysium. Although Elex had sensed his caution when they’d first met, it soon melted away as his awe over Elex’s wings and extraordinary appearance took over.
Such strange people
, Elex thought.

Their days had been spent touring around the city, which increasingly impressed Elex the more he saw. The town was clean, the streets wide and open. No walls surrounded them. Towers were stationed at all roads leading into the town, which were constantly posted with men from the Guard, and usually one of the Elite.

Even Rain seemed to be enjoying herself, thankfully. Elex had worried about her after seeing her family at the battle outside the mountain fortress he was raised in. During the long and exhausting flight over the sea from Eden to Elysium, Rain had been unusually subdued and quiet. But as the days wore on, her eyes brightened more and he caught her smiling often. At night their lovemaking would take on a desperate tone that silently spoke of their intense need for one another.

It was clear to him that this place was the best choice for them. There was no way he could return to Eden, and Elysium was the last option. Veritas seemed like the perfect place to settle down. They could have ventured further north to Montis, the city in the mountains, but Elex was sick of being hidden away in highlands. He wanted to be amongst other people, where he could show them just who and what he was.

There was one problem, however, with Veritas – the Elite. There was no hope of Elex taking over the throne with the, supposed, God’s children around. Even though Elex had been created using the blood of the Elite, he doubted that he’d be able to beat any of them in battle, should it ever come to that. He needed the throne though. There was no way around it. He refused to live under another’s thumb anymore, and Prince Nolan was the perfect person to steal a crown from.

This was why he and Rain had started to put together their plan. Each night, Elex would distract the young Prince with a question about his fair city, while Rain would mix the poison they’d brought with them into his food. It was the same poison that ran through Elex’s veins via the tattoos etched on his face and arms. The poison that had bound him to his father for so long, until the day he’d finally found the strength and courage to take the woman he loved and escape.

The poison that had imprisoned him for so long would now be his only tool to bind the Prince to
his
will. Elex would control the Prince while letting him retain all outward appearances of being the ruler. That had been Rain’s ingenious addition to his plan. Where Elex would have just taken the crown, Rain had suggested otherwise.

“You cannot simply take it,” she’d said one night as they lay naked together. Elex had been trailing a finger over her hip, letting it skim down the dip of her spine and back up, fascinated by the way her skin glowed in the fire-lit room. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Her words had made him glance up to see her face pensive, her dark brows lowered over her bright eyes.

“And why not?” he’d asked, curling a strand of her hair around the same finger.

She’d sighed like she always did when she found him vexing, something that made him smile each time. Rain was one of only two people that had possessed the courage to stand up to him. The other was now dead. He’d dropped the raven lock and had gently stroked the throbbing pulse at the base of her neck. His fangs had ached to taste her, as they did so often. He was well and truly addicted.

“Because he has a whole army behind him,” she’d replied in a tone that implied the answer was obvious, and then lifted a finger to hold off any response from him. “Correction, two armies. You might be strong, but even you cannot beat both the Guard and the Elite singlehandedly. What you need to do is use him to do your bidding, while letting him remain on the throne. He will be nothing but a puppet for you, and we will be safe from any attacks.”

He’d known she had a point right away. “The Elite might become suspicious,” he’d said. “They already look at me strangely. I don’t know how my father came to obtain the blood of one when creating my brother and I, but I’m sure it wasn’t in a manner that would please them.”

Rain had shrugged and said so simply, “then we get rid of them.”

And so they had begun their plan of poisoning the Prince until they could weave a spell to bind his will to theirs, and order him to send the Elite away. It wasn’t until the fifth night that they were able to complete this task.

Sitting down to dinner, Elex noticed the dull look to the Prince’s gaze and knew they had reached the moment they’d been working toward. Thankfully the Prince’s advisor was absent, as was his little sister, who had kept her distance enough that Elex didn’t think there was a need to poison her as well. Giving Rain a discreet look, Elex turned to the Prince to engage him in conversation. He could see Rain’s lips move silently from the corner of his eye as she whispered a binding spell.

When she finished, Elex decided to conduct a test.

“Take your chicken leg and toss it across the room,” he ordered.

The Prince did so without hesitation. Rain smiled at him when their eyes met. “Well done, my love,” Elex praised.

“Thank you,” she said, her smile widening.

Elex turned back to the Prince. “From now on, you will obey me and only me, do you understand?”

“Yes,” the Prince replied.

“You will tell no one of the things I say to you.”

“Yes.”

“You will act normally around others until we are alone. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“My first order to you is to send the Elite away from Veritas. They are no longer needed here. The Guard is sufficient protection, and you grow tired of the arrogance of the Elite. They are no longer welcome.”

“The Elite are no longer welcome in Veritas,” the Prince said firmly.

Elex smiled slowly, looking to Rain. “Perfect.”

Elex stood on the top steps of the castle as he watched the hundreds of Elite file out of the city. Prince Nolan stood beside him, his face impassive as he observed the activity below. His advisor stepped up, his face betraying his confusion and displeasure at the current situation, although the man remained silent on the matter.

“We still have not located Artem, my lord,” he said.

“He must be here,” the Prince replied. “He would not abandon his people. Find him and use force if need be to make him leave.”

“Yes, my lord.” The advisor shifted nervously, not retreating from them. Elex turned to watch him fully.

“What is it, Christophe?” Prince Nolan asked irritably.

“It’s the Queen, my lord,” he said. “I’m not sure if there is any cause for concern, but the healer was sent to her rooms only a short while ago, and I got the impression it was a serious matter.”

Elex saw the change in the Prince as his entire body tightened at the mention of the young woman who held the title of Queen here in Veritas, though did nothing to earn it. Elex had hardly seen her his entire time here. However, he knew that she carried a child.

Prince Nolan turned immediately, Elex following. When they reached her quarters, it was clear to see that something was definitely wrong. Nurses ran around the room in a flurry of activity, while an older woman prayed loudly beside the young Queen, holding her hand tightly in hers. The Queen lay in a large, four-poster bed, her back propped up by a pile of pillows. Her brown hair was matted to her head, her face scrunched into a grimace of pain.

The healer knelt down between her spread legs, coaching her with soothing words.

“What’s happened?” the Prince asked, finally bringing attention to their presence.

“The Queen has gone into an early labour, my lord,” one of the nurses said.

The Prince staggered back a step. Elex reached out to steady him with a hand to his shoulder.

“’Tis too soon, no?”

“Yes, my lord,” the nurse said, nodding sadly. “We will do our best to save the heir.”

The heir. Elex turned to watch the Queen. This was
not
part of his plan. He already had a pawn to use, and didn’t want a young babe to grow up and take what was his. He would rectify the situation.

When the cry filled the room only moments later, it felt as though everyone but him breathed a sigh of relief.

“Take the baby,” Elex whispered urgently into Prince Nolan’s ear.

“Give him to me,” the Prince said immediately.

The healer walked over with a smile on his face. “You have a strong brother, my lord. He will make a good King, being so strong so soon.”

“Let me have him and you can tend to his mother.” The healer handed the small bundle over, and the Prince instantly turned to exit. Elex twisted to look at the Queen before leaving, their eyes meeting. Something in them seemed to understand what was to happen. Awareness entered into the dark brown eyes that watched him, and deep anguish promptly followed. He heard her cry softly just as he walked out.

Prince Nolan was waiting in the antechamber, his back to Elex as he stood before the hearth. “What will you do?” he asked without turning.

Elex didn’t answer outright. “We cannot have another person fighting for the throne, Nolan. Surely you know this. We must set things right.”

The Prince nodded woodenly.

“You will tell them that he did not make it, and that you disposed of the body to save the mother from further heartache.”

“Yes,” he whispered.

“Now hand him to me.”

Finally the Prince turned, his face pale, features drawn. They said nothing as Elex took the child and left the room. He walked quickly through the halls to the outside, and lifted off as soon as the fresh air hit him. The child did not cry as Elex flew through the night until there was nothing below but the white capped waves of the sea, as far as the eye could see. Only then did he look down at the bundle that he held, to see a tiny set of dark eyes staring back up at him, as if he comprehended the fate that awaited him.

He hovered there, staring at the small child for what felt like hours. Then he dropped him.