Queen of Light (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, #3)

Five

The sky turned overcast during the night and it stayed like that all through the next morning.

Fitting, Cal thought as she gazed up at the grey clouds. The promise of terrible weather for a potentially terrible outcome.

She stood in front of the council halls, the arctic wind that blew off of the Vardand Fjöll bit into her skin. The sound of clinking chains reached her ears.

"Good," she said to no one in particular. "You made it. I was wondering if he would give you trouble."

Akaljot and Lucas held the chained and hooded Matias between them firmly.

"We had to put a gag on him, rough him up a little, but he cooperated," said Lucas, a bruise forming on his cheekbone.

"Great! Let's get this over with," she chirped.

As she turned away, Cal caught a glimpse of her father furrowing his brows. She strode into the Council Hall and made her way through the corridors. She pushed open the large double doors to the chamber within.

Eight men and one woman sat at a large table. She didn't recognize any of them men, but she did know the woman. Maria Magik—daughter of Dahlia and descendant of Javareya—sat at the far right end of the table. Her greying blonde hair was braided in a crown, and her kind face was impassive. Her eyes moved beyond Cal and clouded over. Maria pursed her lips and gave her head a shake.

"Princess Calista Pyro-Bjorndottir," the man in the middle said. His long greying hair was pulled back, his eyes scathing. "You hail from two mighty bloodlines—Krigere's very own Everlight, and—" He hesitated. "—House Pyro."

She tore her gaze away from Maria. "I do. And Lucis needs your help—Zemlja needs Krigere's help."

The man sat back and smirked. "How the mighty have stooped so low. Just twenty years ago, your mother was begging us for help. Seems that you are following in her footsteps."

Maria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Skarsgard, please. Let's hear her case out and put it to a vote."

Skarsgard scowled and motioned for Cal to continue.

Cal took a deep breath. "Melania Andhera breached the Wards surrounding Tenebrarum. She has also successfully raised a Prince of Helheim—James." Several council members stiffened and shifted in their seats. She gestured for her father and brother to move forward. Cal yanked off the hood.

Matias's inky black hair fell into James's hellish orange eyes; the torchlight and bangs that cast shadows across his face made his eyes glow like embers.

"Ungag him," Cal instructed.

"Are you mad?" Lucas asked dubiously.

"No. Quite the opposite, actually," she said sweetly.

Akaljot pursed his lips and Lucas clenched his teeth. Her brother moved behind him and removed the gag.

"I felt you at the first set of bodies," said Maria, her voice wavering.

The demon's gaze slowly moved across the council before resting on the trembling Maria. Matias's face split into a cruel grin, the scar on his left cheek gleaming.

"You did," he said. His gaze moved back until he was staring at Skarsgard and he barked a laugh. "You're all fucked."

"Why are you here?" asked another councillor. Cal glanced at him and he looked... familiar. His chin-length hair was strawberry blonde with streaks of grey, but his eyes... they were ocean blue. Just like Lance's.

James turned to the councillor. "I was summoned. Your precious Light-Bringer helped. Now I am trying to help Queen Melania resurrect her dead lover. After that—" A chuckle. "—I go back to my world of origin and finish what Maia Arrowsmith started."

"How are you able to possess Prince Matias Pyro-Bjorndottir?"

"He ingested my blood. I could just make him a follower, but alas, this is more fun."

Cal glared at him. James had turned his full attention to her, his grin raked chills down her spine.

James turned away and his grin fell. "You are all scared of me. Good. Because once I'm through with every single one of you—"

Lucas interrupted. "That's enough." He re-gagged the demon prince, cutting him off.

Cal looked back up at Skarsgard. "Will you help us get rid of the Queen of Darkness?"

The councillors exchanged looks.

Skarsgard asked, "All who oppose?"

No one raised a hand.

He shook his head. "All in favour?"

One by one, Cal watched the councillors raise a hand. Skarsgard sat back, the ghost of a smile on his face.

"Well, well. The fate of our world rests on the shoulders of an eighteen year old girl who—until recently—was rumoured to not be able to wield so much as an ember. Yet now you can bend light and summon wildfire.

"If we are to organize and give you aid, you must promise to do two things for us."

Cal arched a brow. "And they are?"

"You must eradicate Queen Melania and all of House Andhera, and you must get rid of the demon prince."

She smiled up at Skarsgard. "Consider it a done deal."

Cal turned on her heel and left. The clinking of chains close behind her meant that her family was following.

"Akaljot!" Maria shouted.

They looked behind them and saw Maria jogging towards them.

"Akaljot, do you have any time later today so we can privately discuss an important matter?" she asked.

Akaljot nodded. "Of course. I'll be right back after we lock the prince up again."

Maria wrung her hands. "Good."

"When would you like us to leave for Zashchita?" asked Cal.

"We leave tomorrow morning," Akaljot said sternly.