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

LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II

W HEN YOU HAVE FALLEN deep in thought you look like the angriest man I have seen.”

I smile at Stravan as he approaches me on the dining room terrace, he fixes his fitted vest as he walks over, the silver lining in his clothing just matches his neatly styled white hair.

“No, not angry, just confusion. But that seems to translate to anger does it not?”

“It does indeed.” He sits down at the table and gathers a small plate of food. “How is the Princess this morning?”

“Levora is well, she has been carrying along. She is now training with Roaner and Phyv again. Nonetheless, I saw the heaviness in her eyes when she was here moments before you arrived.”

“She will get through it. Levora is a quiet force, her determination and capability to retain knowledge and memory is a gift she is unaware of.”

Below, I hear the loud barking from Nyt as he chases Salem through the courtyard beneath us and they race up the stairs to here.

“He has done exactly what we thought,” I speak and Stravan lifts his head from his plate. “The first rogues all those months ago were tests. They were little pets to practice with before discovering how to properly craft something that can be our greatest end and his greatest rise. Those men that attacked my family last night are perfectly capable of conversation and agility like someone skilled, Hua said so herself when she spoke of them to me. What is next? Skilled Warriors with amped strength and speed?”

“May I get you anything?” Abyl, our dining hall servant, who is a new hire from our land approaches.

“Tea, please.” Stravan nods. “Thank you.”

And when he is gone, Stravan begins. “Laven, there is nothing that Yaro could do that is undefeatable. We are doing everything to prepare for what he has. We are crafting indestructible fighting gear that our ancestors would come back from the dead to fight in, instant cures are in the works, we have thousands upon thousands of Warriors across the universe. We have allies who, if they are smart, will not break their allyship. He does not yet have an army of rogues built strong enough to properly defend themselves.”

“From a young man to now being almost six and twenty, I have built too much for this nation to go to waste. Do I particularly agree with the way the land was acquired? No, but that does not diminish everything I have done to be sure we stood steady even while Lorsius was alive–”

“And we have a grand amount of time to be sure we defeat this fool of a war bringer,” he interrupts. “And we will be certain that you continue to live on as the High King you are ready to be.”

‘Prophecy says Laven is to be the strongest High King Vaigon and many other nations will know and I need him sitting on that damn Throne sooner rather than later.’

“How long do you and Dyena plan to stay?” I leave my thoughts and focus on him.

Abyl returns with Stravan’s tea and sits it in front of him with a small jar of honey and thoughts begin to eat my brain.

I rub my finger across my lips as that taste in my mouth from two nights ago returns.

“I am unsure yet, if that is fine with you to accompany us for an unknown amount of time?”

“That is fine with me.”

Last night during Stravan’s visit he mentioned staying for a period of time to teach me and my brothers how to wield our powers to the depth that he can. After what transpired with my sister, Iysha, and the rouges, I want to waste no more time to be better and gain more knowledge.

But, Stravan wants to know more about Phyv before they are sent back to the Mortal Lands to find the final three of the six.

I have tried to explain to him that there is nothing about Phyv to be on alert of, in his eyes, that does not stop him from questioning why Phyv is so unexplainably ancient in looks and powers. Levora spoke with me of a few of the magical abilities he has, they are extensive, extensive to the degree that only those of ancient origin had. When I discussed this with Stravan it just made him even more on edge.

“And what will you be doing about your Coronation?”

I sit up straighter and grab the bowl of strawberries. “I do plan to have a coronation, but I do not want one that is a large gathering of all the high people in our nation. I want it to be intimate and small. I will only have a traditional Coronation if Ivella chooses to be High Queen. If not, then no.”

“I had a feeling you would say that.” He smiles.

“Where is Dyena?”

“She is with Ivella, I was going to ask you to show me the way to her home. Dyena has already gone there since she knows the location by heart, but I do not.”

“Ivella stays at her fathers old home in Nadrexi.” And I hate that she stays in that small mansion alone so far away and too close to her mother that needs to be kept away.

His white eyebrows rise. “Nadrexi is quite the distance away.”

“It is,” I walk away from the terrace and to the dining table. “I try not to think about it too often, nevertheless, here I am.”

“Well, let us put your worries at ease and go see her.”

He grabs an apple before holding his arm out to me and I reach across the table ascending us to The Sunset Provence.

NADREXI — SOUTHERN COURT OF QUAMFASI

Arriving at Ivella’s home, we find both Ivella and Dyena sitting wholly naked on the short dock that leads to the waterfall next to her home. Their wings are sprawled out behind them as they sit with their legs entangled laughing about whatever they may be while eating figs.

I nearly cannot tell them apart from behind, but Ivella has one tiny beauty mark on her back that is slightly offset from the center between her shoulder blades.

Next to them sits Vaigon and Vorzantu who hurriedly come my way. I kneel to their level as they are now too large to fit on my shoulders. Stravan was not exaggerating when he said that young dragons can go through growth spurts within the matter of days.

“Your mother is rather naked,” I say to them and they both let out a quiet noise that rumbles in their chest. Vaigon opens his mouth to produce that same sound again, and in the back of his throat, I see the flare of fire circling and as his mouth closes it is gone.

How did they go from tiny beings to predators so instantaneously?

Both children are now at the height of my knees, by next week, I expect them to be at the height of my hips. The span of their wings are comical, they are much longer than their height, placing them in that odd stage of growing. At first, their wings were too small, now, they must grow into them.

“Ladies,” I begin.

They both turn with smiles on their faces, reeling down from whatever little words they were telling each other.

“Dyena do you not remember what clothing is?” Stravan immediately asks.

“Do you not remember what free will is?”

Ivella stifles a laugh and I narrow my eyes at her. “Please, get dressed.” I politely plead. “We must get back to Vaigon.”

“You and Laven have training before I meet with him and the others.”

We have training?

“What training?” Both Ivella and I ask Stravan in unison.

“You will learn how to ride a Dragon. I have Tuduran and Nara ready for you to train with and we will bring the littles, they must be there observe and this can be step one to prepping them for war. The fastest way a young Dragon learns is by visually seeing and hearing the commands given.”

“Must we go now?” Ivella asks.

“Yes, please. Go dress.” Before I do not know what to do with myself.

“I have a session at the academy to attend after so we would have to make it quick.”

“That is fine, Ivella, please get dressed.” I attempt to rush her.

They both laugh at us before ascending into the house.

Stravan turns me and shakes his head. “I did not need to know they looked exactly alike.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, finding the words to say unless I choose to hit him. “Just get in the house.” I shove him.

When we enter the home, Stravan slowly makes his way in and I guide him the rest of the way through.

“The house is mostly an open concept. Kitchen is here, drawing room is across, there is a nook there,” I point to the corner where the window reveals the waterfall. “Books to read are there as well dependent upon how long they need to get dressed.” I take across the long expanse of the house and go toward the kitchen.

A wide window stretches across the entire wall of the kitchen from the counter and stops beneath the first shelf that has plants of all sorts hanging over it.

I grab a large vessel near the sink and pull the lever that allows the water from the well. As I reach to water the plants drying out, I hear Stravan chuckle from behind me.

“You move about this home as if it is your own.”

Setting down the vessel, I smile and turn to him. “I have just been here often, that is all. If there is anything I see may need to be done, I do it.”

“You said this house belonged to her father?”

“Yes, Naius had this home built years ago, it is now Ivella’s.”

“Good, he should keep something as this in the family.” Stravan walks toward the hall. “And down this way?”

“Down this way leads you to a larger library, a private drawing room, and a study. Upstairs is a level with three chambers and a study, above that floor are more chambers and another study that is combined with a library.”

“Perfect home for a family and to house guests.” He nods.

And down the stairs Ivella is first and Dyena strolls behind her.

Ivella’s dress crosses over her chest, covering one shoulder and leaving the other bare, and just opposite to that, her entire side is revealed. Just over her hip, the dress is tied in a little knot that reveals one full leg down to her sandals.

“Will you be comfortable enough to ride in that dress?” I ask.

“Laven,” her hands smooth over the cream colored dress that hugs her body. “Anything you may do in trousers I may do in a gown.” Dyena pulls Ivella’s wet hair away from her shoulder and ties it half up for her.

I turn to Stravan as Dyena reaches him, I tilt my head to the door and he smirks before ascending, Dyena in hand.

“Ah,” I say in warning as she aims to get away from the conversation I have been wanting to have since that night. “Did you not see my note?”

“I saw it.”

“And you did not want to respond?”

Her eyes propel up. “You think I wanted to wake up to a note instead of you? I wanted you to stay with me and you did not and I woke up in the–” she abruptly stops and shakes her head, she is fighting the urge to speak with me.

Just as I have with her.

“Let us just leave.”

“No,” I jump in front of her. “What do you mean you woke up in–”

“I mean nothing by it.” Her tone turns harsh. “I am leaving now, you know your way to Provas.”

“Ivella, please–”

“No!” Her voice reaches its peak and I see pain begin to ruin her face. “You–” she struggles to speak and she searches for the words before she can say them. “You lie in bed with me and then you left me!”

I flinch at the porosity of her voice, but mostly the terrorized expression taking over her face that was once so happy.

She slowly inhales and her eyes close for a moment before reopening.

“I am sorry, I tried to wake you but you were already sleeping so deeply that even when I moved you, you did not wake. You looked peaceful so I wanted you to stay that way.”

She looks down at the floor between us and takes a single step backward.

That distance, that wall she builds guarded by the strongest Warrior known, has returned.

When I see, or believe that I see we are moving forward, we take ten steps back.

“Peaceful,” she hums. “What is that?”

“Something is the matter, Mai. And you need to tell me.”

She stares upward and a smile appears, a smile to cover fear, a smile to cover pain, a smile to cover every burden still feasting on her limb by limb.

“We need to meet Dyena and Stravan. I am going to take Vaigon and Vorzantu with me, you may ascend there alone.”