Conclave (Vampire Conclave: Book 3), page 13
“Yes,” I reply. “Thank you for your willingness to listen to my plea and alter your initial verdict.”
“You can thank Bryn for that. I suppose it’s good to look at things from a young person’s perspective every once in a while.”
I look over at Bryn and smile. “Thank you for helping me save Corym’s life, Bryn.”
Bryn smiles at me shyly. “You’re most welcome, Princess. I’m just glad I could be of service to you in such a delicate matter.”
“You can’t keep me a prisoner forever!” Corym protests madly. “I’ll kill myself before I let that happen.”
Shael turns to Alden. “Please take this ungrateful fool back to his jail cell, Alden, before he says something that gets him executed.”
Alden rushes over to Corym and pulls him along like a father trying to control an unruly child. As we all watch Alden drag a screaming Corym out of the building, I can only wonder what life in prison will do to the man. Will it change him for the better or for the worse? If I had to guess right now, I would say his madness will only worsen the longer he has to stay trapped inside a jail cell. However, my heart still holds out hope that he will one day understand that his father’s sacrifice was a noble act of generosity and kindness, not a foolish one.
When I turn back around to look at the valkyries, they’re gone.
“Where did they go?” I ask, knowing there’s only one way to get in and out of the building, and I just watched Alden walk out of it with Corym.
“They only stay in Alfheim for as long as they have to,” Shael tells me without going into a deeper explanation. “Thank you for coming here today, Sarah. I know Galather would be grateful for what you did for his son.”
“I don’t think Corym is thankful at all,” I say despondently. “Do you think he’ll ever let go of his hatred toward us?”
“It’s hard to say.” Shael sighs her disappointment at Corym’s behavior. “I hold out hope that he will, but it’s certainly not a sure thing. Hopefully, time will heal his wounded heart and mind, allowing him to see reason again.”
Julian and Nadia walk over to us.
“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the valkyries reversing a judgment once they made one,” Nadia says, sounding awed by what happened. “That was pretty impressive, Sarah.”
“I think it’s a day made for miracles because you just called me by my first name,” I tell her jokingly. “Honestly, I don’t think Kindra would have changed her mind if Bryn hadn’t sided with me. As it is, I wasn’t able to get Corym a pardon from spending the rest of his life in jail. He probably hates me now more than ever.”
“I remain confident he’ll come around eventually,” Shael tells me, even though I can feel her doubt about that eventuality ever coming to pass.
“Uh, are they gone?” I hear a timid Agatha ask as she cautiously enters the building.
We all look her way.
“Yes, Agatha,” Shael says, “the valkyries are gone. What brings you here?”
“I’ve asked her to help me coordinate the engagement party with Jhann Nysas,” I explain to my aunt before returning my attention to Agatha. “Do you have an answer for me already?”
“Oh yes, Your Highness,” she says, bobbing her head up and down. “He said he would like to have it as soon as possible. Therefore, we’ve scheduled it for the night after next, and I suggested we have it here at the castle, if that’s all right with you, Your Grace?” Agatha asks Shael.
“Yes, that is acceptable,” Shael answers.
“If I’m not being too bold, I have to say Lord Nysas is quite smitten with you, Your Highness.”
From Agatha’s expression, I can tell she’s rather taken with my fiancé. I can’t say I blame her. If things were different, I might even find Jhann attractive, but considering my heart belongs to Julian and that Nadia is in love with the ruler of House Nysas, such a match is not meant to be. I still need to figure out a way to end this charade of an engagement, but something tells me that all I have to do is bide my time and a solution will present itself naturally.
“I assume you’ll be able to handle all of the arrangements for the party?” I ask Agatha.
“Absolutely!” she says cheerily. “Just leave everything to me, Your Highness. I will plan everything to your liking. Perhaps we’ll even have time to play a game.”
“A game?” I ask.
“Nothing too strenuous,” Agatha readily assures me. “I promise it will be fun. I won’t let you down.”
“I have no doubt whatsoever that you will do your best,” I say to her.
“Do you have time to stay and have lunch with me?” Shael asks.
“You don’t have to offer me food twice,” I readily say in acceptance.
“Wonderful,” my aunt says before she turns her head to look at Agatha again. “My dear, could you do me a favor and go back to the castle to ask the cooks to prepare us something to eat? Tell them we’ll be in my quarters.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Agatha replies, curtsying awkwardly on her high heels. “But you may want me to tell them to bring the food to the formal living room.”
“And why is that?” Shael asks.
“Aron Firestorm is there waiting to speak with you,” she informs us.
“Did he happen to tell you what he wants to speak with me about?”
“No, Your Grace, he didn’t confide that information to me. He simply said he needed to discuss a private matter with you.”
“I see.” Shael looks calm on the outside, but I can tell Aron’s unexpected visit has thrown her for a loop.
“Please return to Aron and let him know Sarah and I will be with him shortly.”
Agatha curtsies again before turning in an about-face and making her way back to the castle.
“While you’re dealing with him and having lunch,” Julian says to me, “would you mind if Nadia and I go gather what we need for the battle royale?”
“Sure,” I say. “That’s fine.”
Julian leans in and kisses me on the cheek before he and Nadia walk away to handle their little errand.
It seems odd for Julian to kiss me on the cheek considering the places on my body his mouth was kissing me last night, but I guess he didn’t want to seem too forward while we’re on Alfheim. I am engaged to another man, after all, and who knows who’s watching us at any given moment.
“There’s something different about you,” my aunt says to me as she takes one of my arms and escorts me out of the building and toward the castle. “What is it?”
“I can’t think of anything that’s different,” I say, trying to figure out what it is she’s sensing.
“You have a certain glow about you,” she says, eyeing me curiously. “Could it be that you and Julian have finally consummated your relationship?”
“Oh that,” I reply, unable to suppress an embarrassed smile that undoubtedly makes my cheeks as red as apples. “We have. Quite a few times, actually.”
Aunt Shael laughs, easing my embarrassment because I can feel how happy she is for me.
“To be able to love someone and share it physically must be wonderful,” she laments.
“Aunt Shael,” I say as we continue to walk down the path toward the castle, “I’ve been meaning to ask you about something.”
“You can ask me anything, Sarah,” she says, opening herself up to me.
“It’s about you and Alden,” I say, hoping she’ll get the hint considering what she just said to me.
“Ah, that,” she replies, as if she expected me to ask her about it at some point. “It’s complicated, Sarah.”
“You love him and he loves you. What’s complicated about that? He’s your sentinel, so you’re within your rights to marry him, if you want.”
“I know, but Alden is still young enough to marry someone who can give him children. I don’t want to take that chance away from him for selfish reasons.”
“Have you even bothered to ask him if he wants children?”
“We haven’t discussed it openly,” she admits, which instantly makes me suspect something else about their relationship.
“Have the two of you even told each other how you feel?”
“We don’t have to say the words out loud,” she says, looking uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation. “We’ve always known.”
I come to a standstill, forcing my aunt to do the same.
“I know we haven’t known each other for very long,” I tell her, “and maybe you won’t even listen to my advice.”
“I will always listen to what you have to say,” she says sincerely, even though her tone tells me that she may not always follow my advice.
“If there is one thing that the death of my parents taught me, it’s that you should take every opportunity you get to tell the people who matter to you the most that you love them. I hate to point this out, but you’re not getting any younger, Aunt Shael. You’re far from old, but I would hate to see you waste any more years denying your feelings for Alden when you know that he feels the same way too.”
Shael’s resolute stance on not acting on the love she feels for Alden seems to waver, and I can immediately pinpoint the exact reason why she’s been denying her feelings for him for so long.
“Are you afraid he’ll reject you?” I ask her. She doesn’t even have to answer the question. I can see the panic my question causes in the pools of her clear blue eyes. “Well, that’s just ridiculous.”
“Not when you think about it,” she replies—not defensively, but with a sense of sad acceptance. “What I fear is committing myself to him only to have him leave me once he realizes that he wants to have children that I can’t give him.”
“Do you honestly believe that’s the type of man he is? He’s had years to think over the possibilities, and he still hasn’t left your side. How long are you going to continue torturing him?”
“Torturing him?” she asks in surprise. “How am I doing that?”
“You’re making him wait for you to make the first move,” I say as though it should be obvious. “You’re the queen, Aunt Shael. He isn’t going to tell you that he loves you first. That would place him in an awkward situation if you didn’t say it back. He would probably just leave your service because it would cause a strain on your relationship.”
“I never thought about it like that,” she confesses. “And here I was waiting for him to say it first, but what you just said makes perfect sense.”
“Then does that mean you’re going to tell him?” I ask hopefully.
Shael smiles at me. “You are just like your father—so demanding and wanting things done right away. Give me a day or two to think things over, Sarah.”
“Don’t wait too long,” I tell her. “Life is short and getting shorter by the second. None of us know how long we have left.”
“I know,” she says as she tugs on my arm to make me start walking toward the castle again. “Come. Let’s see what Aron Firestorm has to say for himself. I honestly have no idea why he’s here.”
It’s a mystery to me too, and not one I am eager to solve.
Once we reach the castle, Shael takes me to the formal living room where Aron is supposed to be waiting for us. It’s close to the front entrance, which makes me wonder if it was situated there to hasten the departure of unwanted guests. I have to admit that I’m not looking forward to seeing the heir of House Firestorm again. He’s crude and obnoxious—two traits I hate most in any person. I still can’t believe Galan Firestorm thought I would choose his son over the candidates the other houses chose to present for my hand in marriage. Is he that blind to his son’s egocentric traits? I hope not, because Aron doesn’t strike me as having many scruples. If I were his father, I would watch my back to make sure my son didn’t stick a knife in it to accelerate the timetable of his rule.
The room we enter is tastefully decorated in off-white hues and lavender accents with touches of gold present in the trim and knick-knacks scattered around on the furnishings. I notice Viktor lying comfortably on one of the settees as he keeps a watchful eye on Aron. The heir to House Firestorm is standing in front of one of the many windows located in this corner room.
He’s dressed casually today in a plain white shirt and a pair of tan slacks. I can’t deny that Aron is handsome, because he is. With his short brown hair and well-trimmed facial growth, Aron looks the part of a royal. When his brown eyes meet mine, they dance with amusement as if he has a secret he wants to share with me but can’t just yet. He seems to be extremely excited about something that’s about to happen, but I also detect a note of righteous indignation. I don’t sense any hatred from Aron toward me, but I get the feeling he believes I’m about to get my comeuppance concerning some phantom crime. I have no idea what wrong he believes I committed to warrant such a reaction from him, but I’m even more wary of him now than I was before I entered the room.
“How nice to see you again, Aron,” my aunt greets him. I have to admit that I’m impressed with Shael’s ability to lie so believably. I know that she isn’t any more pleased to see him than I am.
Aron smiles politely as he bows at the waist to us.
“How did the trial for Corym go?” he asks out of curiosity. “I heard the valkyries were leaning toward an execution.”
“Sarah was able to convince them to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment,” she tells him, sounding proud of my achievement.
“I was lucky enough to have one of the valkyries support my side of the argument,” I clarify. I don’t want to accept full credit for something I didn’t accomplish all on my own.
“Still, changing their minds is no small feat from what I understand,” Aron replies, sounding genuinely impressed with me. “You should feel proud of that accomplishment.”
Now I’m a little worried. Aron is saying and doing all the right things. He’s acting like everything is normal, even though he harbors an underlying animosity toward me.
“What brings you here today, Aron?” Shael asks, getting to the heart of the matter now that the pleasantries of polite society have been satisfied.
“I wanted to come and personally apologize to Sarah for the spell my father placed on the ballroom the other night,” he answers. “I would have preferred that he didn’t do it that way in order to give her more time to consider her choices.”
“I don’t think more time would have changed my mind,” I tell him.
Aron nods. “Well, I can see why you would choose Jhann. His house is weak and isn’t a threat to you.”
“I chose him because he’s a good person, not because I felt like I could control him,” I quickly correct him.
“I see,” Aron says, looking confused by my reasoning. “In any case, I also came here to see if you would accept a peace offering between our two houses to make up for my father’s lack of manners. I know your engagement party should be happening soon, and I would like to offer you a fireworks show to enhance the celebration of your upcoming nuptials.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Shael says graciously. “Your house does make the best ones. I’m sure Sarah and Jhann will enjoy watching the display, especially since this will be the first time Sarah has seen such a thing here on Alfheim.”
“Wonderful,” Aron says with a smile. It may be fake, but I’m probably the only one who sees through his act. “Has a date been set for the party yet?”
“Two nights from now,” I tell him.
“I will notify the people on my end. Is there someone here they can coordinate with?”
“Agatha is in charge of the details,” Shael tells him. “Have one of your people contact her, and she’ll finalize the arrangements.”
“Thank you. I’ll do that.” Aron looks over at me. “Will any of your friends or family from Earth be joining us that evening?”
“No,” I tell him, wondering why he wants to know.
“Too bad,” he says, almost sounding like he means it. “It can be a blessing to have family around during such a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
“The situation with them is a little … complicated,” I say, feeling a strange need to give him a reason for their absence.
“It’s a pity your father isn’t here to see you assimilate so well into our world,” he comments. “I’m sure he would be proud of you.”
Unsurprisingly, I feel a moment of anger toward my father from Aron. Many of the alfar believe my father abandoned them when he chose to live on Earth with my mother and me. Even though Aron was probably too young to remember it happening, it’s obvious the hurt feelings were passed down to the next generation. I hope in time the people here will learn to forget and forgive what many of them still consider to be a transgression against them. I don’t relish living my life here under constant scrutiny. It’s almost like they expect me to follow in my father’s footsteps instead of forging my own path.
“Well,” Aron says, “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’m sure you have things to do to get ready for the engagement party. I will have someone from my house contact Agatha today, so please let her know that she should expect a message from one of them. I hope the remainder of your stay here in Alfheim is a pleasant one, Sarah. You should enjoy it while you can.”
Aron bows to us again before walking out of the room.
Enjoy it while I can? What exactly did he mean by that? It almost sounded like a threat.
If there is one thing I can’t complain about on Alfheim, it’s the food. The cooks serve a feast to me and Shael for lunch. Since it’s no secret to anyone here that I’m a vampire’s companion, they know I have a hearty appetite and provide more than enough sustenance for me. They even remember to bring up a bowl of freshly chopped chicken and roasted vegetables for Viktor to eat.
Just as we’re finishing our meal, Nadia and Julian walk into the living room.
“I was about to send out a search party for the two of you,” I say as Julian leans down to give me another chaste kiss on the cheek.
“I asked Nadia to show me something,” Julian says with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.
“Are you going to tell me what this something is?” I ask now that my curiosity is piqued.
