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

LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II

O NCE AGAIN, I HAVE found myself not receiving any form of sufficient rest.

Ivella sent word to Esme relatively early before the evening could begin that she would not be returning to the house. She has been entirely absent since I last saw her yesterday.

Waiting around with my thumb up my ass for her to return is all my morning and afternoon have been. Then, I begin to question if she will return at all. I know Zevyk would be capable of such a thing, but Maivena would say before leaving me.

As much as I would like to despise being here, there is nothing to detest. On the contrary, the cottage is consoling in its own ways. The waterfall continues to give my mind a form of rest that sleep has not been giving it. Everything here is irrevocably restful.

I could use this relaxation I am receiving but lying around for such a prolonged time is immoral. There is still much to be done on the citadel that it is impossible for me to truly rest.

My waiting does soon come to an end.

Now a letter is being delivered by a messenger.

A fragment of me does not wish to pull off the wax seal as I already know what will be written.

Laven,

Ivella has informed me of her situation over the past years. On behalf of myself and my family, we would wish for you to ultimately grant over her freedom as well as her father Naius, her cousins Kaden, and Ethel. With the Intimacy Arrangement intact, you hold all power in wholly freeing herself and her family. And since you hold high placement in your government there should be no issues in the process of this.

If you request to deny this plea—which you hold the right to—the messenger should still be there to send us word.

Ivella & Zevyk

As I fold the letter, the door to the cottage forces open to Ivella storming in. The letter is snatched out of my hands, and I raise my eyebrows at her.

“And what was that for?”

“He was not to send that,” her sharp tone could slice this entire home in half.

“Why not?”

“Because I am no coward,” with each word she grips the letter in her hand tighter and tighter. Soon a slight flare of smoke begins to form. “I wanted to speak with you myself.”

I reach for the letter, and she breathes, allowing me to remove the paper that is about to catch fire in her hand.

“Well,” I initiate. I would rather not stand here and waste our time. “Is this what you want?”

“I need to get my family home, they–”

“That is not what I want to know,” I interrupt. “If you crave your family’s freedom, say the word, and I will have it done instantaneously. But you, what is it that you covet for?”

Those quiet seconds go by as she debates with herself as she did yesterday when at my door, chose not to say anything and left. As I know she is now. I give her the time to answer, although I know what it will be. Still, I wait—letting her decide on her own without my influential force.

“The same.”

I nod. “That was all you had to say.”

Standing from my chair, I walk to the chamber to gather my things.

*  *  *

I should not be angry with what she chooses. Nevertheless, I am. That bitterness I have been suppressing since being here is sitting on an edge, and I am afraid anything will tip it over that edge toward anger at any moment. And that is what I will not allow Zevyk to have. He will not receive the delight in knowing he unequivocally pisses me off.

When I leave the cottage, I see Ivella and Zevyk quietly speaking near the kitchen.

“Will Roaner meet you here to leave?” She is quick to ask.

I turn on my heel to face them. “No, I will go on my own. Roaner and Esme will spend however much more time here that they want.”

“Why do you not stay and take a few day of rest with them?”

Nearly laughing at her question, I cover it with a smile. “No days off for me. Morano is going to the Servant Grounds to collect your family and bring them here.”

“Thank you,” she smiles, stepping forward. I lean slightly away and look out the window as a decoy of my attention. She does not come any closer. She has caught the hint.

“I should be going; the clouds are darkening.”

“I spoke with Esme,” Ivella announces. When I look at her, there is a twinge of ire circling within her eyes. “She said you will still come here to retrieve me for Vuamsati Academy.”

“Yes, if you still want to attend.” I counter.

Zevyk finally attempts to speak from the corner of the room, she is fast to shoot him a glare, and he shuts his mouth.

“I do,” she nods. “You will come here tomorrow morning, and you will show me around the academy. I know they wish for people to arrive earlier in the morning like last time.” Her hands hold together in front of her, resting over the white fabric of her dress.

“Then I will arrive when the sun rises.”

I ascend before having to bear any more of this conversation with a brooding Zevyk in the corner of the room.

GORDANTA — WESTERN COURT OF VAIGON

Upon arriving at Fonavyn House, I find Hua and Amias with one another in the kitchen. Hua points the knife in his direction with a glare and he leisurely backs away from her.

“You are nearly on time; we are struggling to prepare a shitty supper.” Hua hurries over to hug me around my shoulders tightly. Her eyes drift behind me and through the window in search.

“Where is Maivena?” She asks while tucking her brown hair behind her ears.

Roaner ascends into the kitchen and Esme is not with him. I look to them both and nod. “Feel free to explain where Ivella is. I have someplace to be.”

“Ivella?” Amias asks, but I leave before any further questions are asked.

My ascension ends in Carmen’s study.

“You are back. How did it plan out?” He asks, standing from behind his bureau.

“Not as well as I thought.” I dryly say. “They are now a Court of New Quamfasi, I did not ask why, but I am conjecturing it is for protective matters. The Lord of their Court will send word to Vallehes and Penelope in attempt to request that they ally with us again. Yet, I am sure they will say no.”

Carmen exhales heavily. “I am sure they will say no as well. What of Ethivon? Do you believe it would be worth the travel to their continent?”

“I do not think so. We will wait for Stravan to arrive during the week of Summer Solstice, fulfill his wishes and ask for his aid in the war.”

“An astute High Prince.” Carmen praises. “Now, what is wrong? You are brooding as you speak.” He analyzes my face before walking around the bureau and leaning against it.

He removes his black topcoat and waits for me to speak.

Instead of telling him what is on my mind. “I need a friend and a saloon.” I say in replacement.

His eyebrows furrow. “Laven, what is wrong with you?” He laughs.

“I will explain it after we get a drink.”

“Emotional drinking is a bad habit to develop.”

I cut him a glare. “Do we genuinely desire to go down that path? Shall I remind you of all the times you would drag me into town, emotionally drink, and cry about Lorena not wanting to–”

“My Gods, all right!” He interrupts, not wishing to backtrack too far into the past when Lorena denied their mating bond and they had to be tied by the Blood Bond Ritual.

Carmen grabs his topcoat and flings it over his shoulder, holding it there as the other hand shoves into his pocket.

The moment I touch his arm, we ascend to the city and walk toward Korna’s Tavern.

We are greeted upon entry, and Carmen leads me to a more private area of the saloon.

“Dark and two glasses,” he nods to the young boy who has approached.

“Well?” Carmen urges.

“I said after the drink,” I bite out.

He chuckles at me and leans back in the cushioned chair.

The tavern is dimly lit, and with the sun receding, a woman moves through the area, lighting more candles and lanterns.

The interior is elegant. This is one of the newer taverns built since I have last been here.

When the liquor is brought out, Carmen pours a fingertip full, and I wave my hand in small circles for him to run more, only causing him to burst into laughter.

“Oh, I cannot wait to hear about this while you are shittily drunk.” He brings his glass upward as I give him a vulgar gesture.

*  *  *

“And she will marry that bastard, then what?” The glass in my hand slams onto the table.

“You become High Prince Laven, the paramour.” Carmen laughs, teasing me.

“No, she would never ask that of me.” I struggle to pull off my topcoat with the rising heat in the tavern.

“Possibly not.” He considers.

“There is no possibly,” I say as I pour more of the liquor into my glass. Then, I burst into laughter as I miss the glass, and the bourbon goes pouring onto the table. “There is no possibly because Ivella is a devoted woman, and she wants others to be devoted as well . . . oh, Gods, she will marry this fucker.” I whine into my hand.

Carmen’s laughter pulls my head upward.

“Fuck you,” I flick the liquor at him after I dip my fingers into the glass. “You were me not so long ago. Mourning your desperation to the fucking moon thinking she would hear you.”

“Trust me, my friend.” He wipes away the splash of liquor on his skin. “That will be you tonight.”

I grunt at the sharp downfall of the liquor in my throat. “No!” I shout. “I am not crying to the moon. I am not that despaired.”

“You make yourself think you are not that despaired.” He leans across the table as I drink from the bottle. “Just wait until we get out those doors, and you see the bright shine of grey and white. Then you will scream at the stars.”

I slump in my chair, throwing my hands lazily over my face. “The stars! The stars! I took her to those fucking stars. And what will he do? He will only show her them. He will not be as romantic as me. He will not be as gentle and caring with her as I would.”

Carmen snorts. “I am sorry. It is just very entertaining to watch you spout this way. I never thought I would see the day.”

“It is not day, Carmen. It is night.” I can hear the slurring of my words, and I reach for more alcohol. “That little shit had the gravitas to tell me he knew she would stay, and she fucking did.”

I shift to the door, measuring the distance I must walk from here to there.

As I look away, a woman is entering the tavern. Her hair is light, and it stops at her ivory shoulders.

“No,” Carmen instantly says, yanking my chin in his direction. “I know what it is that you are thinking, and the answer is no. I am taking your drunken ass home and to your bed. The bed you were sharing with Maivena just nights ago.”

Maivena.

“Maivena? Maivena is nonexistent. Maivena, the one who wanted me, is gone. Shot into oblivion. There is only Ivella, and there is no having her. So, I will entertain myself elsewhere.”

I turn to the woman who still stands near the tavern’s door. This time she is looking at me as well. She is tall and slender; her long fingers clutch a small bag.

“You halfwit!” Carmen harshly whispers. “Are you even attracted to her?”

I purse my lips together as I look back to Carmen. “No, but she is convenient. And it seems I am convenient for her as well. So, leave me be,” I stand from the table.

“Laven, I mean it. You will be revolted with yourself in the morning. Let us just go home.”

Snatching from his grasp, I step farther away from him. “I am going home. With her.”

His eyes widen. “Do you dare to bed a woman in a house meant for another? You are drunk out of your mind and not thinking properly.”

“That house I made is no use. My manifestation is shot to hell. I may as well turn that hell house into a brothel. That may be my finest idea yet.”

He reaches for me once more, and I step back again. “Do not touch me; you will ascend us away and ruin my night.”

“I am trying to save your idiot ass from a enormous mistake.” He points. “Or are you too drunk to remember what I went through the time our roles were reversed in this exact situation?”

I shrug. “Honestly, friend. What is the worst that could happen?”

“You are absolutely impossible!” Carmen plucks me on my forehead, and I swat his hand away. “Fine, go off. Bed that woman, and when you wake up next to her, your realization of the mistake you made will hit you harder than your hangover.”

He ascends away, and I hesitate to walk toward that door where the woman stands. Instead, I tilt back another glass of bourbon, thoroughly washing away the hesitance.

A RUSH OF COLD water yanks me awake, nearly drowning me in my sleep.

Hua is standing there, ready to pour another bucket of water, and I quickly hold my hands out.

“Hua, what in the Gods name is wrong with you?”

“You do not get to ask what is wrong with me!” Her voice towers above my own. “You brought this woman into this house drunk out of your mind and obnoxiously bedded her. Roaner had to put a shield around your chamber so we could get some fucking sleep. I get to wake you up however the hell I want!”

Her shouting sends a roaring pain into my head.

Woman?

What woman?

I look next to me at the shuffling that draws my attention.

I look to Hua and she grips me by my hair, I wince as the pain soars over my head.

“Felicitations to you, Laven.” She yanks my hair harder as I close my eyes, forcing me to reopen them. “If your strategy was to make Maivena miss her first day at the academy, you succeeded. Get some fucking clothing on, go downstairs, and apologize to her.”

“And you,” Hua looks to the woman hurriedly putting her dress on. “Get the fuck out of this house.”

“We ascended here,” she says, panicked. “I do not have a carriage to take me to my home.” She says.

Hua’s eyes flare in a deep purple as she turns to the woman. “Then fucking walk. It is what you have legs for. Use them.”

I nearly trip over my trousers as I try to pull them on.

“Ivella is here?” A sharp stab of terror strikes through as I connect the multiple dots from last night.

“Yes, she is here. Roaner went to Nadrexi to retrieve her since you were too busy fucking this woman until the sun came up. By the time they made it to Vuamsati, it was too late.” Hua strides out of the chamber, and just as I stumble into the hall, I see Ivella walking down with her belongings.

She looks toward me and then to the woman walking out after me.

“Do not make her walk,” Ivella says. “Take her home.”

I follow her down the hall as she glides down the stairs.

“And who will take you home?” I reach out to catch her arm when we are on the first floor.

She stares down at my hand in disgust and then up at me. “Do not lay your hand upon me; I know where they have been. Go clean yourself and take that woman home.” Her voice is curt as she speaks.

I am nailed to this place on the floor by the development of hatred blaring in her eyes.

“There is still tomorrow,” I quietly speak.

“No, there is not. You will not retrieve me tomorrow or any day after that. You humiliated me in front of the leaders at the academy by making me late. It is already enough that I am not a woman of Vaigon attending that academy. You handed them the chance to talk down on me by doing this.”

“If you let me speak with them, I can resolve it.” I try to reason, but I know it is no use.

“I do not need you to resolve anything.” The cold expression over her exterior is unmoving. “Roaner,” she calls.

Immediately he appears at her side.

“I would like to go home.” Her voice is low.

“Just wait,” I step forward, and she grips Roaner’s arm sliding closer to his side, nearly hiding. He lets her, and he stands his ground between the both of us.

“I am sorry, I can–”

“I do not need your apology either. Zevyk will find me an education elsewhere.”

That is low, and she knows it. I cannot defend myself any more before Roaner ascends with Ivella clutching his arm and the few items that belonged to her.

I rush to the chamber she was staying in during her last night here, and I see the dresses neatly stored in the wardrobe. The scarf I gifted her sits folded on the corner of the bed as well.

She took absolutely nothing that I gave her, nothing other than the pieces of myself that she stormed away with.