Chapter 45 His Answer, His Choice

It was the day of the coronation.

The wedding had taken place the day before and the newlywed omega bore her bonding mark proudly for the world to see. She wore another stunning gown for her coronation as queen and the entire court sat in attendance. The royal family still seemed a little on edge, but less so than yesterday.

The throne room was done up in beautiful red and gold draped fabric, the royal colors apparently, and Ryedir was back in his military style outfit while Kari was adorned in yet another fanciful tunic-breech outfit.

He could feel the tenseness of his alpha. The entire line of succession was in one place and he was wary of something happening. Jaid had been organizing extra guards who were outside of the capital’s influence, but the omega could see just how concerned both alphas were. Ryedir had muttered something about it being too easy with no attempts on anyone’s life so far, especially after they had had two assassins sent to Mishal recently.

Nobles once again dressed in their best packed the room. Many watched the royal family, some with open disdain or curiosity on their faces. It reminded him of Ryedir’s comment that all would not be as it seemed. Were the disdainful people only putting on a mask? Could a few of them even be unknown allies with the royal family? It all made his head hurt.

Guards lined the walls behind them in brightly shining armor and it all felt a little surreal suddenly. Like Kari should not be standing in this hall surrounded by such opulence.

Wasn’t he only a little country bumpkin omega? Yet he stood here beside Ryedir, his place set far above most others in the room. He wondered idly what his parents might think to see him set so high yet so low at the same time.

The ornate golden crown was set amongst burnished copper locks of the woman named queen when the giant double doors flew open.

Kari craned his head around and was surprised to see a familiar alpha stride confidently through the doors with another alpha behind him that shared a familial resemblance.

“Such perfect timing, do you not think? I had to wait until the time was absolutely perfect. After all, I’ve waited many years for this day. What’s a few more minutes?”

Hanzen’s voice boomed through the space as he came to a stop just inside the doors with a cocky grin on his face. He appeared dressed for battle with shining armor and a sword at his hip. It didn’t have the same ceremonial feel as the rest of the guests. Kari frowned as he looked around. The nobles were oddly impassive, although some faces showed glee while others fear.

“Hanzen,” Ryedir growled but it was the king who spoke.

“What are you doing, Hanzen?”

“Taking what’s mine.” He cocked his head to the side and grinned, wide and feral. “How rare for the entire line of succession to be in one place. I would suggest you not interfere if you value your lives.” The alpha spoke the last sentence to the nobles gathered who were muttering amongst themselves and they all stepped back to the edges of the room at once. Only the royal family were left standing in the middle of the room with what few personal guards they had brought with them. “I’ve spent a great deal of time and money planning for this and organizing the palace guard to be under my command. Your pathetic number of guards will not protect you.”

“Do you really think you’ll take us all down so easily, Hanzen?” Ryedir’s voice rang out in the silence and Kari noticed that his expression hadn’t changed at all but he was tense, clearly worried.

He moved in front of Kari as though to protect him and that was all the confirmation the omega needed.

His Alpha did not expect this to go well.

“Easily? No, not at all. Many failed assassins can attest to that. After five years of planning, I’m not about to assume anything will be easy. Which is why I prepared a special ending, just for you.” He waved his hand lazily and an armored guard hefting a large crossbow stepped forward. A huge bolt already sat locked in place, the crossbow already cranked and straining to release into its target. Kari’s blood ran cold at the sight.

No.

He couldn’t be doing what he thought he would. Surely not.

“I’m not about to take any chances with you especially, Ryedir.”

“No!”

Kari jumped out from behind Ryedir to stand in front of the alpha with his arms outspread. There was no way he would let anything happen to Ryedir.

Not now.

Not after he had made his choice.

And certainly not because a jumped-up alpha decided he wanted a better lot in life.

“Oh? What do we have here?” Hanzen asked, voice thick with amusement. He turned to look at the alpha behind him. “I told you we needed to watch out for this one, uncle.” The other man grunted in reply.

“Kari…” Ryedir’s voice whispered behind him.

The omega turned his head to the side and whispered back, “I made my choice.”

Ryedir didn’t reply but Kari felt his resolve firm even more at the spoken words.

He had finally told him. Finally acknowledged his alpha’s claim out loud. It was freeing somehow. It made his body feel lighter and less tense than he had in days. The weight of his impending choice had been like a physical thing, he just hadn’t noticed until it was gone.

“Now if you think your little pet Daiyan is going to save you, you have another thing coming.”

Gasps were audible around the room as eyes riveted on Kari.

“They die just as easily as anyone else but just to make sure, I prepared a little something earlier.” Two more men carrying the heavy crossbows moved forward, spreading out beside the first one. “I’d like to see how you fare against armor piercing rounds. If you’re lucky, you two might just get skewered together with one arrow. Isn’t that romantic?” He threw his head back and laughed as though it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. He stopped laughing with a suddenness that was jarring. “Now, enough talk.”

Hanzen gave a lazy flick of his wrist and all three crossbows raised, sights locked onto Kari and Ryedir. With all having been cranked earlier, it would only take a few seconds for them to release and hit them. Armor piercing bolts would tear through their flesh with sickening ease.

Kari closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and it felt like time stood still.

He couldn’t deny the fear thrumming through his veins, but he found it wasn’t for him or even for the thought of sparking his memories.

No, he was scared of losing Ryedir. The thought was like a physical blow to his stomach.

This wasn’t about him anymore.

Ryedir was in danger. His mate. His alpha.

The entire royal family was also in danger as were the other people gathered in the room. They were his mate’s family and by extension, his own. He would not let anything happen while he was still alive and breathing. Anyone with such lofty ambitions as to take out his mate would have to go through him first.

He found he didn’t care about the fact that he was going to attack people.

Not this time. Each of those guards raised their weapon against his alpha’s family intending to do harm.

They had all made their choice, just as he had made his.

They had betrayed their king, the royal family, and let themselves be bought. Or perhaps they sided with Hanzen for the prospect of more power, or maybe some were coerced. It didn’t matter. No one would threaten his mate or his mate’s family.

He didn’t even need to visualize his power pool this time. He knew it overflowed with water and the ice that layered the top of the idyllic pool.

Yhieris, please give me strength.

Kari’s eyes snapped open and he raised his arm, pushing out with his power just as the crossbows clunked as they released their arrows together. Dimly he registered his tattoo glowing on his wrist and knew his eyes must glow now as well.

Loud crashes rung throughout the hall as the arrows hit a wall of ice and bounced off in splinters. Shards of ice glittered as they chipped off the wall with the force of the blows.

But the wall held strong and the beauty of the sparkling shards seemed to accentuate the stunned silence that surrounded them.

Kari’s lip twitched up in a smile of grim satisfaction before he pulled on the ice in front of him, manipulating it into three spears and sending them flying forward with all the force he could muster.

Pin-drop silence reined as all three crossbow men were skewered where they stood.

Then, chaos erupted.