Echoes of the Raven (The Eldrystone #2)

42. CHAPTER 42

42

VALERIA

“Loyalty burns brighter than any blade.”

Tuathacath Proverb

I tremble as I regard the strange tableau: Calierin kneeling in front of Rífíor, her vicious expression folded inside out and replaced by incredulity and shame. And Rífíor… tall and unwavering, looking more commanding than ever.

“ Forgive me, my king ,” she said.

My king.

My king.

My king.

The words echo in my ears, and I think there must be something wrong with my hearing because this can’t be true. Yet, here is more than what Calierin said swimming in my mind.

“ Let the whispers turn to screams if you dare defy me. My crown demands obedience. My blade demands respect. By the will of Niamhara and my people, I am your ruler! And in their name, you will stop.”

I know these words. I learned them from a story Mother told me. She said that in a realm where espiritu reins, anyone with enough power can usurp another’s identity, even the king’s .

“That is why,” she explained, “ our wise goddess devised a declaration that only the rightful king can intone. No one else, no matter how hard they try, can issue the same statement. So if these words ever grace your ears, my little pixie, know that you stand before the true Fae King.”

Rífíor is Korben Theric.

Korben Theric is Rífíor.

Slowly, he turns to face me, his expression uncertain.

The Eldrystone still hangs from a branch right above his head. I peer up at it and then down at him.

“It really belongs to you,” I whisper. That’s why he never seemed afraid of it.

He doesn’t answer, but the look in his eyes seems to say I told you it did .

“You’re… Korben Theric.”

Tears blur my eyes.

“ Let’s talk about Loreleia Elhice ,” he said three hours ago. “ She stole The Eldrystone from me, Valeria. I know you doubt it, but it is the truth. ”

My mother stole from the Fae King, barring him from his throne, his people—all along hiding the key to his return.

The meaning smashes into me like a relentless hammer, delivering blow after blow, each one a different truth threatening to shatter me. There are his new lies and betrayal, but the worst… the dawning horror that the fae have been without their ruler for over two decades.

I try to envision Castella without Father at the helm for all that time, and I can only picture chaos.

The initial reaction would have been raw panic. First, the desperation to find the missing king, hoping to unravel his disappearance. As the days went by, fear would have gripped the kingdom, whispers of abduction and murder swirling in the air. Then those bound by loyalty would have fiercely guarded his throne, clinging to the hope of his return. But as that hope dwindled, a grim reality would have set in, and the question of “ if he comes back” would have morphed into “ who will succeed him .” Ambition would have raised its ugly head then, and at last, power struggles would have erupted, the rightful heir’s claim challenged by those consumed by greed.

Father did his best to keep us in the dark about the Theric dynasty, and I never understood his reasons until now. From the scant knowledge I was able to acquire before we left Nido, I know that Korben Theric was unwed and had no heirs, which means the fae throne would have become a glittering prize for power-hungry nobles. And then what? Infighting, cruel alliances, murder, anything to seize control.

I can only imagine his desperation and impotence at the thought of his kingdom unraveling at the seams in his absence. It would have been a torment he couldn’t escape.

Yet, despite understanding what he has been through, it is his betrayal and lies I feel more keenly along with the questions that still stand unanswered even after everything we’ve been through.

He tried to explain, Valeria. He did, but…

Calierin’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “Forgive me, my king. Never in my wildest dreams could I have guessed who you truly are. I wish to atone for my mistake. Please accept me as your humble servant. I am a Tuathacath warrior, and my order has always served our realm proudly. From today till the day I die, you have my loyalty and my sword.”

Rífíor says nothing—no, not Rífíor. Every guise he has worn required a different name, a different lie.

King Korben Theric says nothing. He only regards Calierin with magnanimity.

Calierin moves suddenly, jumping to her feet and walking toward the tree where The Eldrystone hangs.

“No! Let it be,” I command, but she doesn’t listen .

Instead, with a powerful push, she launches herself off the ground, using the tree trunk as a springboard to propel her even higher. Soaring effortlessly, she snatches the amulet, unhooking it from the branch, before landing gracefully in front of Ríf… Kor…. No! I can’t think of him with this new name. I simply can’t.

Bowing, she cradles the amulet in both hands and presents it to her king.

Rífíor’s jaw twitches as he regards her and the amulet with a mixture of emotions I can’t decipher. At last, he takes it with a curt thank you .

Once more, he turns his attention to me. “I was going to tell you.”

Head still bowed, Calierin takes several steps in retreat, then disappears silently through the trees, leaving us alone. I barely notice her.

“But you didn’t,” I say.

I look down at The Eldrystone, the chain hanging from his clenched fist. Just moments ago, it had felt so rightfully mine. I’d thought that once I reached the other side, I would find its rightful owner to hand it back, but he was here all along, playing me for a fool. I want to snatch it from his fingers, and it takes every ounce of my will not to do it.

He must see something in my expression because he takes two steps forward and presses the amulet into my hand.

“Will you still help me?”

I want to deny the relief that washes over me, but it’s impossible to ignore. I’ve become used to its weight around my neck. I want to place it there, but it’s broken, so I only grip it and tighten my hold around it.

The words that come out of my mouth don’t match the way I feel. “But it truly belongs to you, King Korben .”

He flinches as I say his name, at the reminder of all his lies.

How many times did he laugh at my na?ve pursuits? Korben Theric is two hundred and twenty-one years old—I learned that much before I left Nido—he must think me nothing but a na?ve child.

“Valeria, everything I did was for my people.”

I shake my head and hold a finger up. “Before you say more, there is one thing I want to know.”

His nostrils flare and an invisible shield seems to appear in front of him.

“You know what it is,” I say.

The shield only seems to thicken.

“Fine, I’ll ask.” I pause and feel the chasm that stands between us open wider. Still, I need to know. “Why did my mother curse you? What did you do that drove her to such an extreme?”

He takes a deep breath as if in need of strength.

“And no more lies, please. I just… I just can’t take anymore, Rífíor… Bastien… Korben… whoever you are!”

Anger flashes in his eyes. “Yes, I lied,” he says so quietly that I barely hear him. “What else did you expect from me?”

“Nothing more and nothing less than I expect from others,” I reply with just as much anger, then throw the next word in his face like a slap. “ Honesty! ”

“Why? Because it’s what others have given us in abundance? People like your mother? She deceived you, too. Don’t be naive, Valeria. Of course, I had to hide my identity. Loreleia was willing to let your father kill me, even knowing who I was.”

I shake my head, ears ringing, heart hammering. He’s right. Mother lied to me. Father, too. The knowledge tears me apart.

“Simón Plumanegra may not have known my identity at that precise moment, but I’m sure she told him who I was eventually. And did he come looking for me then? Did they try to fix the mess they made? No, they did not. Instead, they holed up in their fortress and let my people suffer.”

“You keep pointing fingers,” I say, “but you’re still not answering my question.”

“Yes, I lied,” he repeats forcefully. “I lied because I’m—”

The earth beneath us quakes, a monstrous wave rippling through the woods. I fall, hands and knees scraping the rough ground. Rífíor, reflexes sharper, manages to fling his arms wide and stay upright. A second wave hits. He lurches sideways, grimacing as he collapses to one knee.

“What in all the hells?!” he spits.

I realize the ringing in my ears and the accelerated beat of my heart has nothing to do with our argument.

“Danger,” I whisper.

Calierin appears to the right, staggering and cursing under her breath. “The guards and that fucking for-hire sorcerer are here. We have to run.”