Brantley walked to Dawn and asked, "Don't mourn Gayle yet Dawn. Sedora has taken him as a prisoner only because he was bonded to her. You have to understand that it would have been difficult for Gayle to live without knowing how Sedora lived or whether she even lived or not."

A muscle feathered in Daryn's jaw. "That evil woman took him by force." His muscles strained. "I will bring him back. I am going to find my father through hell or heaven!"

​​

"You must!" Ileus stepped forward to interject. "However, we will get on finding Uncle Gayle later. Right now you have pressing matters to attend. And the most important one is that you have to be crowned as the King of Ixoviya and as the King of the Silver Clan."

Daryn whipped his head to look at Ileus. In his rage against his mother, he had forgotten these things. Suddenly he felt such a heavy burden on his shoulders. His parents were the King and Queen of two very powerful kingdoms and he was alone. He longed to see Caleb. Where the hell was he?

All at once a battery of servants gathered around them followed by the guards. A tall middle-aged man with brown hair and hazel eyes, dressed in white pants and shirt with gold cufflinks, came forward. He was wearing gold earrings and a heavy gold chain. He bowed to Daryn and Dawn and said, "I am Caton, the Chief Priest of Ixoviya. I welcome you Prince Daryn to the throne of the kingdom of Ixoviya."

Daryn gaped at him. Everything was happening so fast that his mind stuttered.

"We will be conducting the ceremony to your ascension to the throne tomorrow morning before sunrise." He clapped and the servants stepped closer to them. "We all know that you are extremely tired and need a lot of rest. Your subjects here are going to make sure that you are taken care of. Tomorrow morning they will assist you to get dressed for the ceremony." Saying that Canton bowed again. "I will take my leave. However, you must issue a statement to Ixoviyans that everything is under control. There is quite a pandemonium in Renada at the moment."

Seeing that Daryn was short of words, Ileus spoke for him, "We will do that shortly. And we would like to convene a meeting with the top brass here to discuss the future."

Canton bowed again. "Sure. We will meet in four hours from now at dinner."

When Canton left, the servants looked at the royal couple with anticipation. Everyone just had one thing in mind—would they be changed or would they continue? Without the former Queen some of them felt empty while some were nonchalant. The change was sudden. Sedora ruled for five hundred years and they could never imagine that she would be brought down by a neotide. They looked at her with reverence. The fact that she was a dragon rider only enhanced her image in their eyes.

The head servant stood in front of her and said, "My Queen, would you like to take a hot water bath?"

Neal was standing along with Brenda and other Lykae. Their bodies were bruised and blood caked along their claws and skin.

"What would you like us to do?" Neal asked. He was feeling much better now.

Daryn shook his head. "You all need a lot of rest."

Some servants guided the Lykae to their rooms. The werewolves were at first very cautious but when Ileus assured them that they would do nothing against them, they relax.

Two hours later Dawn was lying beside Daryn in the royal chambers within Norhall Castle. Dawn's soft breath fell on his shoulders as she slept peacefully in the crook of his neck. Her black hair was spread behind her. Daryn had lifted them and let them slip in between his fingers—his usual favorite thing.

He remembered how she created the cage after plucking the lightning bolt next to her. His wife mesmerized him. He had used all his power, all his concentration to fight against the sorcery-the men in Sedora's army to not come near her. While she fought inside the cage, he battled outside.

Brantley had reinforced the magic on her stomach after ascertaining that the babies were fine. He marveled the King of Aztec for being so careful for his mate for whom he had been waiting for so long.

Dawn deserved all the sleep that could get. Wearing a silk white gown with nothing beneath it, she had put her leg on his thighs. Her chest was heaving with a rhythm that calmed his nerves. Over the last few days they had undergone so much that this mental relaxation was gratifying.

Ileus, Brantley and Neal had asked him to stay back with Dawn while they called upon meetings with important people of the kingdom. They weren't taking any chances. Daryn thanked them mentally for this help. He looked around at the royal chamber. The servant had informed him that this chamber was spelled. It only opened when the king or the queen of the kingdom had their spouses with them. The chamber recognized the owners. So when the servants walked to the chamber along with Dawn and Daryn, its heavily crafted door opened on its own. A large room came into view. A huge bed, which could accommodate more than five people, was in the center. It was draped in white silk and gold laces. The walls were an ivory with gold inlays. The rugs ran from wall to wall.

The ceiling was dome shaped and a layer of gold covered it on the inside. The room was candle lit.

Intricately crafted wooden armoires lined a wall.

Daryn was lying on the bed in a state of disbelief. There was so much to take in, so much to process. His mind was restless and only Dawn's presence gave him some respite. He looked outside the window whose curtains had been drawn. Evening was setting.

"I don't want to stay here," Dawn said feebly when she fluttered open her eyes. She moved closer to him.

He kissed her head and said, "Neither do I."

"Then how are you going to manage it?" she asked. She was in no mood to even think about all that had happened, but her thoughts went to Emma. Was she able to get her husband back?

""I don't know, Dawn…" he replied. "But one this is for sure — we won't stay here." Ileus, Brantley and Neal are working out something." He paused and covered her again with the blanket. "How are you feeling and how are my babies?"

"The three of us are very fine," she chuckled. A pause later she added, "I am sorry about your father…"

"Hmm…" He hummed. "We have to find him. Sedora's danger is still lurking in the background." Bringing his hands under his head, he said, "I really have to see his business. We have been away for so long."

"I have an idea."

"What?"

"Find Caleb and call him here."

"Not a bad idea," he said. A smile crossed his lips. He turned to look at her with a glint of excitement in his eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, now that I am the king and all," he wiggled his eyebrows, "You must pleasure me."

"Get lost!"

"Come here you wench!" he said and held her by her hips.

Two hours later after he had taken her again and again, they were ready to go for the meetings.