Soul of Shadows

Two months later…

Merry

It was hard to believe, but the letter in front of me was signed by both the High King and Queen of The Borderlands, having been copied and delivered to each and every one of the Royal Palaces, and then to each of the allies. A copy had been nailed to the noticeboard in the Town Square, the news written in bold letters across the front: The High King and Queen of The Borderlands were divorcing. The death of Tallila had broken them, not to mention broken any kind of relationship between them. Cain was still at Destiny’s Palace, the two cousins having forgiven each other over the last month. Des no longer blamed herself for Tallila’s death, instead focusing her grief over the situation, narrowing it into a hatred for Lilith that would not stop until the Mother of All Demons was dead, while Cain… Cain kept to himself. When he left his room, it was to eat a quick meal in the dining room, often with Seth or Destiny, never the two of them together, since it was too much interaction. According to the letter, Adelia would be leaving not only New Dela, but The Borderlands itself, heading to the Northern Isles, where her family now lived. Cain was giving her half his wealth, as was typical with divorce proceedings, and she would be abdicating from her crown, although that would come later. For now, she wanted to go home, and be with her family.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Des sighed sadly from where she sat at the head of the table, picking at her food. Seth had invited Mira and I over to discuss the situation, and while my little brother hadn’t said anything, he clearly wanted help in consoling Destiny over the news.

Cain was at the New Dela Palace, arranging for Adelia to receive half his wealth, giving us free reign to talk about the situation without using hushed voices and glancing to the door every five seconds, all of us paranoid that he might walk in and hear us.

“It really broke them. Adelia blames Cain for Tallila’s death,” my sister-in-law added, “She told Cain that had she married anyone else, this wouldn’t have happened. She wouldn’t have lost her child to her mother-in-law.” Mira gasped at that, horrified, exclaiming, “How could she say that?”

“Because she’s right. Cain and I are both threats to our families. Well… I’m a threat to mine. Cain’s is gone, now. We were discussing it last night, and Cain wants to stay here permanently, at least for the foreseeable future. He can’t imagine himself in the Palace alone, and he has nobody else left, now that Adelia is leaving him.” We all nodded sympathetically, understanding why he would feel that way. I wouldn’t be able to bear living in my house if Mira were to leave me. Lifting his head from the cup of blood in front of him, Seth mumbled, “He must be heartbroken.” Destiny had all but enveloped Cain’s territory into her own, including his crown, since she now maintained a majority of his paperwork as well as her own, and his people often turned to her for help now that Cain was practically a hermit. He’d withdrawn from society. The other Royals had thrown balls and diplomatic meetings, trying to draw him out, and he had refused each and every single invitation. Destiny’s family dinners were the only place he seemed to show himself, and even then he remained silent, according to my brother. There was a grave for Tallila in Cain’s Palace gardens, although my sister-in-law had revealed one night, with a wince, that there was no body buried there. Lilith had left no chance of the Princess being raised with Necromancy, since that was Cain’s specialty. Neither of the parents visited it, unable to bear looking at it. Cain had devolved into a sobbing mess when Destiny had broken the news to him that she had paid for a gravestone. The entire city had mourned their Crown Princess, having shut down for a day to pay their respects to Cain and Adelia, grieving alongside the ex-parents.

Destiny had spent the last two months, rather than grieving with the city, planning for war with her Dark God rival. There were alliances with the other five cities, all of them volunteering the soldiers they had left. Maige Turied, New Dela and Celtin had the largest forces. Arthuria was offering the little they had, only ten thousand soldiers, while Eiddwen could supply nothing but food, weapons and tents. Old Dela was arranging it all, and would be supporting the camp financially. There was a war camp being set up outside the city as we spoke, tents being erected by paid servants, supplies being gathered by Abel’s soldiers…

Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, my little brother said, “How long do we have before the war begins?”

“As soon as everything is set up, I plan to start,” his Connected replied calmly, taking a long sip from her glass of blood. Mira and I would be fighting once again, as would most of the allies and Royals. Everyone except for Sellan and Jane, basically. It was unknown yet it Cain would be fighting alongside us.

“Who did you end up giving that house to?” Destiny asked suddenly, a curious look on her face- trying to divert the conversation away from war and Cain and Adelia’s split. I couldn’t blame her. It must have been hard to plan a war and her cousin’s divorce in one breath.

“Jason and Lillian. He wanted to expand his shop into the floor he lived in, so I gave him the house. Lillian lives with him.”

“What is Bal’gag planning to do, since I heard Madorinne came to collect him two days ago?”

“He’s going to the Northern Isles with Nym, Lydiav and Emmett. They plan to leave in two months. Madorinne is sorting out some business here, and will accompany them. Lydiav and Emmett are leaving tomorrow.”

“Isn’t Adelia leaving tomorrow as well? They’ll be on the same boat.”

“Yes, they will be. Who knows, it might help Adelia to have a friendly face or two. I heard Karla is divorcing that Lord?”

“And marrying Darcie,” I said, Seth looking vaguely pleased. Even Destiny’s lips were pulled up in a smile, although it was hard to tell if she meant it or it was just to sate Seth, who had strictly banned her from verbally hating on his mother. Mira nodded, beaming and saying, “Lucy and Tarragon, along with Venali, are going to Tarvenia for training. They’ll remain there from now on. Venali is being trained for the throne, Tarragon has chosen to become a warrior. He’s training to become an Eclipsian.” They were sending the children away in case everything went to Hell in a handbasket, not to mention that Venali was now of an age that he would start being trained to become King one day, when Lucifer and Tatiana were long gone.

Destiny sipped from her cup once again, murmuring, “And Lucy?”

“A Princess,” Seth snickered, “Like she wasn’t one already.”

The doors creaked open, Cain shuffling into the room, a dull look on his face. His cousin hid a wince behind another sip from her glass, longer this time, her power pulling a chair out for Cain, which he fell heavily into, picking up the glass Destiny summoned for him.

Her power tingled against my skin, Mira bristling in her seat. A silent warning not to say anything that might upset him.

“You’re back. Want anything to eat?”

The High King of The Borderlands shook his head, abandoning his glass after downing it in one go, lowering his head to the table. Destiny, upset that he was in mourning, but happy that he was staying, let him be, turning back to me and asking, “So what’s your plan, hm? After this war, where do you plan to be?”

“I have a home in New Dela with Mira. We plan to settle down and have a kid.”

“Speaking of, we need to go and do some shopping, or there isn’t going to be anything to eat tonight,” Mira said with a laugh, Destiny waving her hand, dismissing us with a smile.

“Thank you both for coming.”

Seth gave me a tight hug, patting me on the back and whispering, “Come back to visit soon?”

“Of course. Only two months, and you’re a dad, so believe me, I’ll be back.”

His face paled, and he swallowed thickly, looking nervously back to Destiny. She didn’t look pregnant, not in the slightest, but her hand was resting on her abdomen while she spoke to Mira, the two of them saying their goodbyes.

Seth released me with a nod, assuring, “I’m excited, but nervous.”

“You’ll do great,” I promised.

With that, Mira took my hand, leading me out of the room, the King and Queen of Old Dela waving goodbye…