Defy The Alpha(s) - Chapter 726
Capítulo 726: True Names
“Nonetheless,” Nirmal said, “it’s a known fact that the more coloring one has, the closer they are to royalty. As you can see with the previous queens, their hair and eyes were mostly—”
“Purple,” Violet finished.
“Purple is the Fifth God’s color,” Nirmal continued. “Most fae give thanks to the goddess when they birth a child with purple hair, eyes, or even skin.” She paused, scrutinizing Violet, her gaze lingering on the purple roots of her hair before following the black lengths down.
“…Although you,” Nirmal clicked her tongue, pity outweighing admiration, “I suppose that’s enough for a half-breed.”
Violet’s spine straightened.
In a quick motion, her purple wings unfurled, snapping open and claiming most of the room as the air stirred violently.
“I think this is enough purple,” Violet said coolly. “Any more than this and I might actually throw up.”
Nirmal only nodded. “You make a fair point.”
Violet tucked her wings back in just as swiftly, the movement clean and controlled. She had to admit Lucien’s lesson had helped, and she was curious what else he could teach her.
They went back to studying the holograms as the rest of the Queens appeared. Each of them were magnificent in her own way, carrying a different shade of authority. However, all Violet felt for them was admiration and no pull of any kind.
Well, that was until Queen Iskava appeared.
The Fae was breathtaking.
Unlike the others with their familiar purple hair and overwhelming beauty, Queen Iskava had long white hair that spilled down to her waist while her eyes were an enchanting luminous purple. But it was her smile that made Violet’s breath hitch.
So warm and kind. It was certainly not the smile of a ruler towering over her people, but of someone who welcomed them in. For a moment, Violet forgot she was looking at a projection because she felt her shoulders relax without realizing it, a strange peace settling over her.
“I’ll go for her,” Violet said suddenly.
Nirmal studied Violet’s face. “You’re certain?”
Violet nodded, her gaze never leaving Iskava’s image. “I can feel it. She’d help me. I don’t know how, but she would.”
Nirmal smiled in approval. “Not a wrong choice. Queen Iskava was the kindest of all the queens.”
“Obviously,” Violet murmured.
Griffin cleared his throat. “Not to interrupt,” he said carefully, “but did none of the queens marry? Or am I missing something?”
Nirmal glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
Griffin gestured vaguely toward the hovering figures. “The ancestors are all queens with no mention of kings, or is it consorts? The rules say Violet needs approval from an ancestor, but I refuse to believe the men back then were so shortsighted they didn’t matter.”
Alaric added immediately. “I was actually thinking the same thing.”
Asher remained silent, but he was clearly listening.
“So,” Griffin pressed, “where are the men?”
As if this wasn’t Violet’s lesson, the cardinal alphas began talking over one another, throwing theories and countering them. Their voices became louder as the debate grew louder.
“What about the queens’ men?” Violet asked Nirmal. “Were there none? Or are they simply not counted among the ancestors I’m meant to convince?”
Nirmal did not answer immediately. Instead, she turned her head toward Lila, their eyes communicating subtly.
“Well,” Lila said slowly, “the truth is no one seeks out the consorts.”
Violet lifted a brow. “Why not? They were still royalty and ruled beside the queens. Why then are they ignored?”
Lila shrugged. “Because the queens were the ultimate rulers. Every Fae who has ever entered the Trial of Death believed that a queen’s approval carried the greatest weight. So that’s where the focus has always been.”
Asher’s eyes had narrowed, his jaw tightening as he listened. “So it’s not forbidden,” he said. “No law says Violet can’t seek their approval. Faeries just don’t bother.”
Lila nodded. “Correct. There’s no rule against it. The tradition simply celebrates the queens.”
“Who gives a fuck about tradition?” Asher continued coldly, “What matters is Violet surviving, and if Queen Iskava doesn’t answer her, or worse—rejects her—then what? You expect us to stand there and watch her die because everyone decided the men weren’t important enough to wake?”
Lila drew in a deep breath. “I understand your concern, Asher Nightshade. Truly. But the consorts rarely awaken during the Trial of Ascension, they just remain dormant.”
Roman snorted. “Probably because no one ever looks for them. I mean, if I slept for a thousand years and every time my wife got summoned for a fun trial like this one, I was left behind, I’d be pissed too.”
Griffin let out a low chuckle despite the severity of the situation.
Alaric tilted his head. “He’s not wrong.”
Violet’s gaze drifted back to the holograms of the Queens—row after row of them—and not a single one featured the men beside them. It didn’t sit right with her. If she ruled, her men would stand with her, not be erased from history. No wonder Baron wanted to take it all away. The realm had been unfair to the men for far too long—though trying to kill her was definitely not the way to fix it.
Then Violet said to Nirmal, “There surely has to be a way to wake them, right? I’m entering the land of death anyway, that means the rules are already broken. I’ll be dead if I fail. So why not go all in?”
Roman grinned. “That’s my girl.”
Asher supported her. “I don’t care if it angers them. If their approval means Violet lives, then she better wake every single one of them. So tell us, is there a way?”
Nirmal hesitated, then said, “Yes, there is a way. Once you cross into the land of death, you can summon more than just the queens.”
“Good,” A slow, dangerous smile curved Violet’s lips. “Tell me how to wake the men history forgot.”
“You summon the consorts by calling their true names.”
“True names?” she repeated. “Just that?”
“That is not just anything,” Nirmal said flatly.
Violet frowned. “Then explain it.”
Nirmal began to pace as she explained.
“Among the Fae, names are bindings. When a Fae is born, they are given a calling name—a name for the world, the one that can be spoken freely. But beneath that lies a true name which is bestowed by the gods themselves. And that name holds power.”
She continued, “To know a Fae’s true name is to know their essence. It grants the speaker the ability to summon them across realms, demand their attention, or, if wielded cruelly, bind them. That is why no Fae gives their true name lightly. It is often shared only with a mate.”
“So let me get this straight….” Violet tried to absorb the information, “I need the true names of the consorts to summon them. And I’m guessing those names aren’t just lying around in a book somewhere.”
“No. They are not.”
Violet didn’t look surprised. If anything, she looked resigned. “Figures.”
“However you are the princess, so you will be given the names.”
Huh? Violet straightened at once, her eyes listening up. “I will?”
“Yes,” Nirmal continued. “But not while you remain in the land of the living.”
The spark in Violet’s eyes dimmed. “Of course,” she muttered. “There it is.”
Nirmal folded her hands behind her back. “True names of the dead are not to be spoken in the living realm. Doing so is considered a grave disrespect.”
“So when then?”
“Right before your ascension into the realm of death. The names will be entrusted to you privately.”
Asher’s gaze sharpened. “And what’s the likelihood she remembers them once she crosses?”
Silence fell.
“That,” Nirmal said, “depends entirely on her.”
Alaric cursed under his breath. “You’re asking her to carry divine-level information across a realm shift. That’s not exactly stable ground.”
“I am aware,” Nirmal said. “But this is as far as the laws allow us to bend without breaking. Those names are not trifles. If they fall into the wrong hands, they could be used to enslave an ancestor. Or worse.”
Violet lifted her chin. “I won’t let that happen.”
Griffin turned to her. “Violet—”
“I know,” she cut in. “None of you are okay with this. But this trial was never meant to be safe. If I fail, I die. If I succeed, I rule. Either way, I’m walking into danger. I’d rather walk in prepared.”
Nirmal gave a single nod. “Very well.”
She snapped the heavy book shut with a decisive thud. “That is all you need to know for now.”
Roman blinked. “That’s it?”
“For that subject,” Nirmal said. “Yes.”
She turned sharply toward the exit. “Now we move on to general lessons.”
“General lessons?” Asher said.
Nirmal looked over her shoulder at all four of them. “The princess will soon be presented to the Fae. Publicly. With her mates at her side.”
Her gaze swept over them, unimpressed. “What makes you think we would allow any of you to embarrass her—or yourselves—before our people?”
Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers!