Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 24 - Reincarnation

Two elves stood guard in the ceremonial death chamber. Painted with identical white tattoos on their face, arms and legs that symbolized their sworn loyalty to the winter queen. Armed with beautiful, yet deadly swords and daggers at their waists, each guard also held a long pike in one hand. They wore traditional armor decorated with beaten gold.

"All is well?" Dethemina strode up to them. She had excused herself to check on the bodies. They saluted her and nodded, stepping aside from the entrance to the Death chamber. She walked in, knowing that the guards were unaware that this room was merely an antechamber, to the real room. A room that had for decades only housed one person. She strode to the wall, unmarked as all the others were, and put her hand flat on it. Runes glowed blue for a second before allowing the door to swing forward. Ignoring the swirl of cold wind that blew from the open doorway and ruffled the clothes on the two other bodies resting in the antechamber, Dethemina stepped in and with half a thought, lit the candle in the room. They illuminated a stone slab, artfully carved, with a body resting on it. She took a step. Two steps. Before she had realized it, she had crossed the room and knelt by the side.

"Oh, Rylore. They tell me it gets easier. They tell me the pain eases... but it doesn't. For half a century, now... I've missed you." She whispered, silent tears streaking her face, "Come back to me... Rylore."

She stood up, gazing at his solemn face, unyielding even in death. Stroking his pale face with the back of her hand, she smiled sadly down at him. His face, which used to be tanned, was now sickly pale. She had put a spell on him, so that the body would never wither, never crumble. Still, his closed eyes were a sign that what she had done, all that she had done, was not enough. Love was not enough. However wonderful the fairy tale was, life was brutal, and love even more so.

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Dethemina walked out of the death chamber, not sparing the guards a second glance. She knew that the human bodies would stir soon, but not her dear Rylore. Life magic did not work on elves, because they had already been granted so many gifts from Sylune. Lost in thought, Dethemina ran right into someone.

"Oh. Hey. Didn't see you there." Taryn straightened his robe, giving her a small crooked smile. Her son. But not Rylore's.

Taryn stared at her. Then his eyes narrowed, "Why were you crying?" He demanded.

"Oh. No. It was nothing. Just... memories." She said, wiping them away. His gaze softened.

"Why did you name me your heir?" He asked suddenly.

"You are my son, and the legitimate heir to the winter throne. Who else should it have been?"

"Someone. Anyone. But not me! Can't you see? I'm a mess. I lost my friends, then they might live. Suddenly I'm a crown prince of the winter element and I have a cousin and a mother who hid for so long." He had tears outlining his eyes, as he pleaded, begged his mother to see. Just to see.

"Taryn." She said only one word. His elven name. Then she spoke, "I tried to find you. You think I hid? Your father stole you away one night! I searched everywhere, but I knew that I would not be able to search the human lands, for the hatred of elves was still strong. He knew, too. That was why he brought you there."

"No. That's not true. He said that you threatened to kill him! He told me!" Taryn backed a step away from her.

"I would never kill a former lover! I was grief stricken over the death of my husband, Rylore Agian, and foolishly got into a relationship with him. Your father was a good man. Then he changed." Dethemina sighed.

"Alcohol. I know. I saw how it ravaged him. I took over his work when I was fourteen. A boy commanding men. But he did nothing." Taryn said bitterly.

Dethemina opened her mouth to speak when an unearthly screech cut through the air. Open of the guards ran out of the death chamber, his eyes wide. Those guards were trained all their lives not to show emotion. No sadness, pain, shock or fear. They were the living equivalent of statues. Now, here was one, so spooked that he had show such fear in his gaze. He skidded to a halt, doubled over and gasping for breath.

"My queen... the... the dead! They live!" He gasped. Her eyes lit up. Then he spoke again, "A young boy and girl. The humans." Dethemina's eyes dimmed again. Rylore was not among the living. Yet.

Just then, Lirya stumbled out of the death chamber, blinking her eyes. Her hair was disheveled and she had a small cut on her forehead.

"Jon?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! Lirya. You... you live!" Taryn rushed over and wrapped her in a hug. She stood still a moment before returning the hug, winding her arms around his middle. Dethemina stood watching them.

"Oh. Yes. Lirya. Meet my mother, Dethemina." He took her hand and they walked over to her. Dethemina nodded at Lirya, "I am the winter queen of the elves. And you are?"

"Lirya, Daughter of Lord Rowan Thronesgar." Her eyes grew slightly flinty as she said that.

"Thronesgar! That bastard!" Dethemina cried.

"I agree. He lied to me. Stopped loving me because he had an heir." Lirya said quietly. Then she turned to Taryn, "Jon. Where is Jason?"

"He died. With you. He should have woken by now."

"Died?!" Lirya shrieked, "Oh no. No no no. Not him too." She seemed to sag, to deflate and Taryn held her up as she sobbed.

"Come. Let us check on him. He should wake any moment." He said soothingly.

"Wake up? He's... not... dead?" Lirya stood up and glared at him. He gave her hand a small tug and she followed him. They walked into the death chamber, where they found one of the guards, passed out from shock. Jason was laid on a slab of stone in one of the corners. Lirya rushed over to him, noticing the fancy burial clothes they had put him in. He wore a gold decorated pair of leggings that clung to his legs, and had a cloth wound around his bare chest. His gold hair was shimmering in the candlelight. He had a thin scar on his cheek, a bit under his right eye.

"Jason?"

At that moment, his chest rose and fell. He opened his eyes, smiling as he beheld Lirya.

"Hey, Lirya."

"You died!"

"I'm alive now, right?"

"Jason!"

She pulled him in a tight hug. Taryn arched an eyebrow.

"May the world face the wrath of the reincarnated Lirya Thronesgar."