She gathered the twins closer and eyed the warriors with naked fear. "This isn't necessary. Really. One or two to serve as an escort would be fine."

"Be at peace, little sister," Marissya said. "They will not harm you." There was understanding and sadness in her voice. "Indeed, they would each die to protect you from the slightest harm”

«Go.» Rain saw Ellysetta jerk when his voice sounded in her head. «They will protect you while I am gone. No harm must come to you.» He could not compel her with a thought—she was his shei'tani, so free access to her mind was denied him until she accepted their bond—but he knew she feared him enough to obey. Fear was his specialty. He stood there, alone, remote, imperious, until she bowed her head to his will and began walking.

One hundred Fey accompanied her, with five of the Fey's greatest warriors ringed protectively around her. Belliard vel Jelani, the oldest unmated warrior of the Fey and Rain's most trusted friend, walked at Ellysetta's side. Bel and the other four warriors Rain had designated to be part of his shei'tani's personal guard would kill hundreds and die themselves before allowing harm to come to her. Magic glowed bright around the procession as it departed from the main thoroughfare, heading into the narrow, winding side streets of Celieria.

Rain waited until Ellysetta was out of sight before he broke into a run, then leapt into the air, transforming in an instant into a massive black tairen. Powerful wings beat the air, lifting him above Celieria into the freedom and silence of the skies. He rocketed high up into the icy coldness of the ether, released a scream of tairen fury, and disappeared over the horizon.

As the Tairen Soul took to the sky and half of the Fey warriors escorted the Celierian girl away, dark eyes watched with interest. Black eyes that glowed with red lights. Elden Mage eyes, steeped in Azrahn, though the magic was tightly leashed to avoid Fey detection.

The Tairen Soul had a truemate. A truemate with tairen- flame hair and green eyes like those of the child that had been stolen from the High Mage of Eld more than two decades earlier. Kolis Manza, apprentice to the High Mage, knew his master must be informed. The decision of how to proceed belonged to the High Mage alone. In the meantime, the girl must be watched.

Kolis made a quick gesture, little more than a flick of one wrist, accompanied by a brief command sent on a filament- thin weave of red-tinged black carefully hidden within a subtle Spirit weave to avoid Fey notice. Two young lads beside him, unfortunate children of the street who'd given Kolis access to their souls in return for full bellies and warmth in the winter, darted after the Celierian girl's entourage.

Marissya sent calming thoughts over the curious crowds as she, Dax, and the remaining contingent of Fey warriors continued on their way to the royal palace. Despite the long delay, the King and Queen of Celieria and a host of Celierian dignitaries were still waiting on the steps of the palace to greet the Fey with even more ceremonial pomp than usual.

It seemed as though the entire court had turned out for their arrival. They were hoping to get a glimpse of the Feyreisen, Marissya knew, and disappointment hung like heavy smoke in the air. She had never seen so much bosom on display, many ladies bordering on indecency with the amount of skin they revealed. They were so obvious, these women, with their foolish hopes of attracting the Feyreisen's attention.

Unlike the women of their court, King Dorian X and his queen had clothed themselves with both extravagance and decorum, and if they were disappointed that Rain was absent, they did not show it. They stood side by side in royal splendor, King Dorian outfitted in robes rich with gold thread, queen Annoura shining in silver. The queen's pale hair had been piled high and decorated with shimmering silver birds and jeweled butterflies. The pair of them remained cool and composed while the rest of their court had melted in the summer heat. Marissya suspected King Dorian had wrapped himself and his wife in the same cooling Air magic that Dax had woven around her. Dorian had inherited at least a minor command of magic from her sister's bloodline.

Standing before the royal couple, Marissya raised the heavy outer veil from her face and uttered the traditional blessing of the shei'dalin. "Peace, health, and fertility upon the house of Marikah of the Fey. Greetings from the Fey, your kin”

"Greetings, Lady," returned King Dorian. "Truth and light upon you. We welcome the shei'dalin into our walls and vow to protect her from harm. Enter in peace.”

Marissya lightly embraced the king and queen, sending them a wave of healing and peace as she did so. Her brows drew together in the tiniest frown as her fingers touched Annoura.

«Marissya?»

«It is nothing, shei'tan. A whisper of darkness that I don't remember.» She felt Dax's concern and smoothed the frown from her face. «She is mortal. It is to be expected.» But it was more than that, too. During the procession, she'd been aware of an unusual level of hostility in the crowd. She'd thought it was in response to Rain's presence—he was responsible for more Celierian deaths than any other individual in history— but now she wondered if that was the case. She touched Prince Dorian and his chosen bride, Lady Nadela, and was pleased to find little trace of darkness in either of them.

As they moved towards the doors of the palace, the Fey warriors fanned out around them. Several broke off from the main group to stand guard outside the palace. Inside, Dax and five Fey remained with Marissya while the rest of her guard took up pre-assigned protective positions throughout the palace. Dax walked beside his mate, and Marissya rested her fingers on the back of his wrist in the Fey way, leaving his fingers free to call magic or unsheathe weapons should the need arise.