Page 35 of Legacy of the Heirs
“No,” Sadira breathed.
Tears pooled in Larelle’s gaze as the creature’s hold tightened, yet behind her eyes was a look of resolve and determination—a queen who accepted her fate. Larelle’s voice cracked as she spoke in forced breaths.
“I, Queen Larelle of Nerida…” Caellum pulled Sadira close as they edged towards the others who gathered before the creature in the centre of the room. Elisara gripped Nyzaia’s arm, who frantically scanned their surroundings. Following her lead, Caellum searched for a distraction and checked the gardens outside, hoping for a miracle of more arriving soldiers, to no avail. There was no way out. “… declare, in witness of my fellow rulers.” Larelle gasped, and Caellum looked at Kazaar, who held Alvan back with one hand while gripping the Sword of Sonos in the other. They needed to find a way for the creature to drop Larelle. He looked at Elisara, who also explored the room. Their eyes met as Larelle continued, “That upon my death—”
“No!” Alvan yelled again, struggling against Kazaar. “Larelle, you are not dying!” The creature shifted on its feet and jerked its head in different directions, narrowing its amber-ringed eyes on each of them. Larelle offered Alvan a sad smile, watching only him. She struggled to open her mouth again but managed to force the words.
“That upon my death, Lord Alvan shall rule the realm of Nerida until my daughter is of age.” A tear fell down her cheek.
“Larelle, please!” Alvan whimpered. “PLEASE!” He screamed,frantically looking at everyone else in the room. Slowly lowering into a crouch, Caellum’s eyes remained locked on Elisara’s as he reached for a sword in a dead soldier's hand and angled it in a way she would recognise. He jerked his head towards the creature and tapped his arm. Elisara nodded. Positioning the sword, Caellum prepared to throw it towards the creature’s arm, knowing Elisara would use her power to guide it.
“Look after her,” Larelle sobbed. Tears streamed down her face as her eyes stayed locked on Alvan. Sadira sobbed beside Caellum, her hand over her mouth. “She loves you as much as she would have loved her father.”
Caellum raised his arm while the creature angled it’s head at Alvan and threw the sword. He saw the moment Elisara caught it on the breeze, but the creature saw it too. With a shattering scream that matched Alvan’s, shards of glass rattled on the floor as the creature launched through the remains of the shattered ceiling with Larelle still in its clutches, disappearing into the darkness of the night.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sadira
“How dare you?” Alvan shrugged free from Kazaar’s hold and rounded on him, shoving him back. Kazaar stood his ground, hardly budging against Alvan’s fury as his tirade of hits continued. No one spoke, a solemn and shocked silence heavy in the air. “I promised her!” Alvan screamed as his shoves against Kazaar slowed. Tears rolled down his face. “I promised her I would always be with her.
Sadira swallowed tears as Alvan’s emotions weighed heavily on them all. This was more than a man losing his queen. Sadira thought back to Larelle’s reaction when she asked if there was a man in her life, and while Sadira knew little of the queen's feelings, Lord Alvan’s were evident.
Alvan wiped his face and turned to the rest of the group. “We need to get her back.”
“Alvan, we have no idea where it would have taken her,” Elisara reasoned, and Nyzaia nodded beside her, though her gaze tugged toward Tajana who was tending to the victims of the attack.
“I do not care,” Alvan snapped. “We. Need. To. Find. Her!”
Sadira’s head turned as the servant's door at the far side of the hall squeaked open, and a woman’s voice called out, “Larelle?”
“Caellum!” Sadira urged, signalling to the door. He ran over to it as a blonde woman appeared holding the young princess, who nuzzled into her neck. Caellum blocked their view as he approached, shielding them from further devastation.
“Vlad!” Elisara shouted to the captain of her guard, who assisted the flood of Garridon soldiers arriving tosupport the injured. “Can you take Princess Zarya to her rooms? Make sure she is comfortable,” Elisara said. Alvan’s face crumpled again, and he turned his back on the princess. Sadira wiped the tear from her cheek, ignoring the ache in her chest upon knowing the child had now lost her father and mother.
Vlad jogged over to where Caellum shielded them, guiding them back through the servant’s entrance. He stepped aside to allow someone entry. The Historian shuffled through and clasped Caellum’s arm for stability. While Caellum guided him to where the group stood, shell-shocked, Sadira surveyed the situation. After all, she was the future queen of Garridon, and this happened in her realm. She handled what happened next. Soren leaned against what remained of the long table while the rest of it was mostly scattered in pieces across the hall; vines left from Sadira’s decorations wilted behind her amongst the blood. Soren wore a sullen look as she surveyed the room, watching the Garridon Soldiers following Sir Cain’s commands. Sadira lifted her chin, recalling the ease with which her own sister lowered her sword and refused to save them. She refused to allow her emotions to take over.
Elisara stood opposite Sadira on what had once been the ballroom floor, her arm braced around Nyzaia, whose face remained unreadable. A pale blue-eyed guard plucked the glass from her hand while the Keres queen stole glances at Tajana and the similar-looking woman beside her. Something had happened during the devastation. Nyzaia’s syndicate were mixed among the Garridon guards, checking the pulses of those who lay scattered across the floor. So much loss and devastation. Sadira would visit the infirmary later to gauge the survivors.
Kazaar stood close to Elisara and held Alvan’s shoulders, talking to him in hushed tones. When Kazaar clapped him on the back and headed to his queen, Alvan strode towards Sadira, and it took everything in her to keep the pity from her face.
“I need to do something,” he said. “Anything: a distraction, a plan—anything to stop my mind from pondering everypossible scenario of what could be happening to Larelle right now.” He gulped, and Sadira nodded, glancing at the surrounding devastation.
“Help me clear the debris from this table,” she said, turning to clear the scattered wood and broken flowers. As Alvan cleared the debris, Sadira got to work. She flourished her hands until vines grew and twisted, reforming and securing the tables and chairs, weaving the wood with flowers and plants until they formed a vague resemblance of what they once were: a mismatch of wood and greenery rather than their previous, finely carved, state.
“I’ve never seen the Garridon powers in action before,” Alvan said, his face down-turned.
“That would be because there hasn’t been a true Garridon heir on this land for so long.” Soren’s dull tone approached the table as she pulled back a chair and took a seat. Sadira clenched her jaw as she watched her sister, who was fortunately smart enough not to rot the vines this time for risk of falling through it. Alvan barely acknowledged the statement but helped Caellum lower the Historian into the chair beside her. The Historian studied the room as the other rulers approached and took a seat. Elisara and Nyzaia sat on one side of the long table, with Soren and the Historian on the other. Alvan took a seat at the end, staring teary-eyed into the distance, and Sadira waited until Caellum joined her. Together, they each took a seat at the head of the table.
Kazaar stood firm behind Elisara and Farid behind Nyzaia. The Keres queen’s syndicate and Vlad formed a line to keep anyone from approaching the table, and when Tajana and the other woman approached, the steely gazes from Elisara and Nyzaia were clear. The women opted to stand beside Alvan and Soren, far enough to survey the room but close enough to hear the conversation. Elisara clasped Nyzaia’s hand.
“Are we all comfortable with those present, given the sensitivity of this conversation?” asked Caellum, directing his question at Elisara and Nyzaia. Nyzaia opened her mouth as if to speak, butSoren cut her off.
“Yes,” she said simply. Sadira glanced between Soren and Nyzaia, who glared at one another, yet Nyzaia did not challenge her.
“We were not prepared for today,” Caellum continued. “It is evident now—more than ever—that we must work together as a kingdom to protect our people.” He led the conversation, and Sadira watched him with pride swelling in her chest.
Alvan was the first to challenge. “How do we do that when we barely even survived five creatures? The Sword of Sonos is not enough if an entire horde arrives at our shores.”
