Nectar of War: The Song of Verity and Serenity (The Nectar of War Series Book 1)

LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II

I watch Maivena and Carsten from the balcony of the dining room. They sit in the courtyard below as he presents different aspects of healing with her. Hopefully he is teaching her things she does not already know.

The book of healing herbs is extensive as he turns through different pages.

Maivena’s eyebrows are joined together as she focuses on everything he is saying. Soon enough, she is communicating with him and asking questions.

“Well, tell me,” Carmen says as he wanders out to the balcony.

“What?”

“Who she is. To you.” His lower back presses against the stone rail as he crosses his arms. A smile rests playfully on his face. “And do not lie; you know I will see through it.”

“We have an arrangement.”

“Is that how we entitle mates now? Are people sick of the word?” His smirk meets the mockery in his tone. “Laven, you may be able to play your jests and secrecy with others, but not me. I can sense it.

Now, who is she?”

I look below us at Maivena and Carsten; they are now walking through the palace doors.

“She is one of our servants–”

“Laven,” his tone is suddenly sharp. “Do not tell me this arrangement you have is the Intimacy Arrangement.”

I sit next to him and he turns towards me while leaning in closely. “You are aware of the horrid Intimacy Arrangement my second father was in, hell, most Intimacy Arrangements are horrific. You saw how he treated her, you do not want to be seen that way. Those who once thought highly of you will begin to think poorly of you because of this arrangement alone.”

I shake my head. “Not if I care for her better than other arrangements that people remember.”

“Laven,” Carmen grips my shoulder tightly. “No matter how well you treat her, no matter if she leaves the doors of your home without bruises, people will suspect the worst solely because it is an arrangement. You are paying her for her loyalty, and that has been highly looked down upon since the beginning of Intimacy Arrangements being known.”

“Is that not how we function in day to day life?” I stand from the bench and look down at him. “Being paid for our loyalty in some form. Either it be in money, kindness, sex, gratefulness, anything. In some way we are always paid back for our loyalty. But, with Maivena, all she covets is her freedom. She may not ask for it, but I know that is what she is after.”

“And you will give it to her?”

“Yes, if anything, it may make my situation much simpler having her free.”

“Is she not aware that you two are mated?”

“No, she does not see value in shifting into her Wolf, and I do not want to tell her. I want her to find out on her own, not by me having to force her awareness.” I would feel as if I were forcing it on her.

As much as I would love to be her only option in life, mates do not always fall in love. But, sometimes, a mate is just that—a dear companion you are bonded to and nothing more. I could never comprehend what agony Amias goes through. We vowed to never speak of him and Hua unless he does first.

“I can perceive that she has not shifted. She is taking a contraception, I suppose?” He sits down on a stone bench, and I lean my elbows against the rail wrapped in green vines and flowers.

“Yes.”

“Now I see why you are in an Intimacy Arrangement,” it all forms in his mind. “It is your only way to have her in every imaginable way.”

“I am not the one who proposed it up,” I hold up my finger. “She speculated that is why I am generous to her, and I said yes.”

“Quamfasian women are always candid, and rather,” he pauses. “I will just say straightforward.” His purple eyes shift toward grief. Memories are flooding his mind of the woman he fell in love with before finding Lorena.

“When did you meet her?” He questions.

“I met her the day she arrived. The guards were on another raid under Lorsius’s mandates, and she happened to be one of the people that were taken. This was seven years ago.”

His eyes broaden. “And how long have you known that you two are foreordained?”

I clench my jaw. “Nearly all of it.”

“Wait, all those years ago you went on a—killing spree—so to say.” He grins.

“Yes, the only man not dead for her taking is Lorsius.”

“And she is why you had that home built here?” Carmen smiles, playing with a flower wrapped around the stone pillar.

“That was extemporaneous,” I laugh. “It is innocuous here, and there is nowhere else that I have been as prudent as this land. The vision you have for our Western Court is what I aspire to do when Lorsius is gone. Complete reversal of everything he has caused.” Gordanta and the people here are a haven compared to my other Courts in Vaigon.

“Lorsius’s translation of a Kingdom is never what mine has been. Therefore, I refuse to allow a man like him to influence my decisions.

“And your choice to have a home built here was not extemporaneous, you were manifesting—and it served, in your own way. It has been years since I have seen a glint of light in your eyes. I know Levora would have loved to meet Maivena.”

Pain overcomes me and I look out to the sea at the mention of my sister, hoping for the serenity of the sea to calm me.

“You understand you can leave Maivena here whenever you wish? I am sure Lorena is relishing in her company.” He turns to the dining room through the open balcony doors. Maivena is walking in, and Lorena is already at her side.

I nod. “Thank you.”

Maivena peers around the room and across the table where Roaner and Morano are sitting.

Carmen chuckles. “See how she looks for you upon entering a room.”

“Leave it be, Carmen,” I warn.

I fixate on Maivena until she can find me.

“Wait for it,” Carmen whispers.

Her eyes drift to the balcony, and I know I am smiling like a fool.

Maivena smiles as well and quickly walks across the room.

“Look at her, blooming like a butterfly, floating her way over.” He teases. “Laven, her beauty is truly unusual.”

Yes, it is. Her features are sharp yet somehow so soft and gentle. Old rich beauty.

She is charming in this dress, and the faint hint of orange behind the fabric does nothing but make her brown skin glimmer more illustrious than it already does.

Maivena notices Carmen, and she gradually comes to a stop. I can read that expression on her face—it is the same expression as the day my mother entered my chamber, and she did not know if she should have been submissive or open.

And just as she was then, she is now, unsure if she can approach the conversation.

Maivena turns toward the table in the dining room and finds the seat she was previously in next to Morano.

I furrow my eyebrows, and make my way to her.

As I sit in the chair next to her, she looks up at me with a vague smile and sips juice from a glass vessel.

“Why did you come over here?”

She swallows. “I did not want to intrude.”

“You were not intruding on anything; he presumed you would come over.”

Lifting higher, she is no longer slumped. “He did?”

“Yes, Maivena.” I smile.

I intend to break her from this meek behavior.

Amias and General Vanytha enter the dining room and take the seats waiting for them.

“There are two nations of Wolves that do not associate with us.” Vanytha pauses as she weighs what she will say next. “Well, they do not associate much with anyone other than New Quamfasi. Do you remember their names?” She asks me.

Maivena comes to attention.

“One of them lies on the outskirts of Xenathi; Nadrexi is their name.” I clarify. “Ethivon has land claimed further North. Why do you ask?”

“Because there are many Warriors Xenathi acquired from Nadrexi that are the most influential Warriors known.” Amias explains. “We could use their help in developing other effective war tactics, as well as warning them as to what is coming.”

“We can venture there tomorrow evening,” I decide. “We still have more to handle here before departing.”

Maivena is fidgeting with the fabric of her dress below the table, an apprehensive tendency I have noticed of hers.

I reach for her, but she propels her hand for the glass of juice before I can touch her.

“Maivena,” I speak quietly as the others begin to converse amongst one another.

She extorts a smile and looks up at me. “Yes?”

I say nothing and touch her hand, ascending us from the dining room to the sand where water rushes toward us.

She yelps and rushes backward.

“Laven!” Maivena exclaims.

I cannot help but laugh as she frantically gathers the dress’s fabric in her hands to keep it from the sand and water.

Her eyes sharpen as she listens to my laughter while unstrapping those painful-looking shoes.

Maivena walks forward, her striking green eyes stare up into mine.

“You got my dress wet,” her voice is low.

I smile and sparsely shrug a shoulder. “It will dry.”

Even closer, she steps. Slowly nodding, she becomes devious. “So will you.” She says all too mercifully.

My footing is lost as she jostles me backward into the water. I sink below, hearing her laughter as I drop under the sea.

I ascend from the water and back to the sand. She is still giggling as I stand soaked from the ocean.

I am the one to slowly nod this time while pushing a hand through my wet hair.

“Run,” I say as I unbutton my topcoat and toss it to the sand.

“Run?”

The undershirt clings to my skin and it peels off as I remove it, leaving me in only trousers and shoes.

“I will let you get a head start before I throw you into the sea.”

As the sun emits earthward, it ignites the hints of brown in her black curly hair.

Her arms sit loosely crossed beneath her chest. “You do not frighten me, Laven,” Maivena says in her suave tone.

I hum. “You frighten me.” I outline the sweep of her chin, leaving behind fragments of sand over her skin.

“Good.”

Then, she rushes away in a run and I grin following behind her.

Like two children playfully in love, she bursts into laughter as she runs towards the sun and I linger in her shadow as she grins at me over her shoulder.

Her laughter grows as I catch her and she turns and her happiness stays, but it takes a turn. “Just borrowed time.” She whispers.

“What is borrowed time?”

“You.”

What if I told you, time is not relevant?

That what we have is infinite.

What would you say?

I do not ask, I stand in this moment with her and let her not know that we are the equivalence of eternity.

*  *  *

We have returned to the house, and Maivena is now in leather armor again. Today she trains with Morano; Esme has decided to cook dinner today, and I can sense that she is watching from the windows not far off. Roaner and Amias are on the training grounds with General Vanytha, helping seasoned and unseasoned Warriors gain knowledge of the rogues.

Maivena trained to strengthen her agility with Esme, and now she works with Morano to channel any power she could possess.

I stay near the house, observing from a distance. Morano and Maivena stand a great length through the trees near the steep slope of land leading to the water below.

As Morano begins to speak, I further my hearing, listening to everything he tells her.

“When was the last time you took the contraception to suppress your Wolf?”

Maivena is reluctant to answer. “Perhaps a week, if not more.”

“How long have you been taking it?” His arms cross tightly over his chest.

She stiffens. “A few years now.”

“And the dosage?”

“A tablespoon twice every week.”

“Well, if it has been a week, it is working its way out of your system. Nevertheless, Maivena, you can put yourself in grave danger if you continue to consume that. Not only can you suppress your Wolf so deep she could never appear, but your powers could never appear as well.” Morano informs her. “Do you know what your power could be? Have you ever felt or witnessed them beforehand?”

“Before taking the contraception, I was stronger, faster even. But no sign of magic.”

“Maivena, this contraception could eat you from the inside out. Killing off organs you need to function in day-to-day life that are connected directly to your Wolf.”

“I am careful.” There is doubt in her voice.

“Which form of contraception are you taking?”

“It is called Pelven. It is in the form of powder you soak in tea.”

“Do you think she would have any sign of power since she was taking it for so long?” I ask through the bond.

“It is hard to tell; Pelven is the strongest contraception. I do not even know how she got her hands on it—most of the people who have taken it must be set off into using their powers. I do not think it is the best option even to trigger her powers to come through. It may injure her because her body is not used to them; it will overwhelm her organs to have a shock of power unleash from her.”

“Would it kill her?” I ask.

“No, but she would be weak for a decent amount of time. And that is not an option.”

“Unquestionably not. Explain this to her.” I exhale heavily, no longer listening in on their conversation.

Roaner appears from his ascension, standing next to me. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“That Vorian got through my shield.” His eyes hold no expression as he speaks.

Roaner took down the shield the moment he arrived in Gordanta. I did not know if he removed the shield because he knows of Vorian getting through or because we no longer needed it.

“So he says. However, you know Vorian is prone to lying.”

Roaner says nothing more before ascending into the house.