“Bad men always get what they deserve, isn’t that right, Mr Ivory? No longer will you serve up elf children on silver platters.”
The head jiggled in agreeance.
Arii suppressed a wince. Etropos loved to play with the remnants of her victims. From behind Etropos, two other women stood, all dressed immaculately in attire fit for a function at a royal castle. Etropos was the liveliest of the three sisters, the other two were more placid and stoic in comparison.
Klotho, a woman sporting midnight hair and pale lips, looked at the head of Con Ivory with slight disgust, her top lip twitching. Of the three sisters, she was the one who pulled and weaved the threads from the Tapestry. Each woman was beautiful, their eyes all a shade of gold that matched the shimmering tapestry beyond.
The other woman, Lakhesis, was donned all in white with silver hair and blood red lips. Lakhesis measured the strings of the Tapestry, determining the victims’ span of life. She stared serenely at the scene and when she spoke, her voice was light and airy.
“Good, now take that vile thing away, if you are done playing with it, Etropos. We have the next assignment to deal with,” she said, waving a carefully manicured hand dismissively before turning back to her work.
The last sister, Etropos, was the allotter of justice – the hander of the assignments to their assassins.
Beside Lakhesis, Klotho pinched a thread of the tapestry and began to pull. The string came free of the drapery, glowing much like that of Mr Ivory’s string in the market.
The Three Fates handed down justice after being told by the seemingly non-sentient drapery who was to be ended. Normally the targets were criminals, individuals who evaded the regular justice of the royal guards. Those chosen were purely random and chosen by the Tapestry itself, and it was a continued debate of what the Tapestry was and where it had come from. The three sisters themselves did not know - it just was, and they were its messengers.
Many believed the Tapestry of Life was a link to the Gods, controlled by a higher power. Through methods inexplicable to anyone but them, the Fates had glimpses of who the string could belong to, the visions flowed from one sister to another – first Klotho, to Lakhesis and then Etropos, the latter being the one to deliver the message.
The visions were but fragments, they claimed - the exact target an educated guess.
Turning, Klotho passed the string to Lakhesis, who studied the thread intently. Slowly, her eyes lifted to Etropos, and the red-haired woman dropped the severed head to the floor with an audible thump. Rushing to her sisters, Etropos took the string between her fingers, handling it as if it were made of glass.
The string, unlike that of the previous one handed to Arii, appeared to be woven of pure glowing gold, so unlike that of the rest of the Tapestry.
The sisters looked at one another, as if a silent conversation were happening between them, before turning to Ariiaya in unison.
“Your next assignment…” Etropos murmured, her grey eyes glazed over as visions assaulted her mind. Her sisters had the same look as she held up the golden thread. “…will be located in the royal castle of Viridya.”
Her voice took on a sound of distortion, as if someone or something were speaking through her lips.
“We see a crown, and a royal seat covered in blood…” Etropos’ flippant smile was long gone, her hair lifting on a phantom wind as the message was passed through her from the Gods.
Arii felt her entire body tense, a spring coiling within her.
As long as she had been in service of the Fates, she had never heard of an assignment to take out a royal. Viridya Castle was a fortress made of gold, almost impossible to infiltrate, as discovered by countless previous assassins and shady persons hoping to either take out someone from the Court within or rob from the royal treasury.
Klotho was next to speak, her voice clipped and noxious. Her brows narrowed and her teeth bared. “Your next target sits upon the royal throne…” she confirmed, and the air in the large room was thick with magic.
Arii felt trepidation slither through her form, a fine tremor running down her spine as Etropos spoke.
“Your target, if the Gods speak true, is Lorch Kruel, the young King on the throne of Fythnar.”
Arii felt her blood turn cold.
Well, shit…
~~~
“My next target is the King.”
The air in the cluttered tavern was stifling, and even as the golden rays of dawn’s light touched the rafters, the space was crammed with people drowning their sorrows.
Arii lifted a mug of mead to her lips, sipping the amber liquid before her violet eyes flicked to her two drinking companions. Sitting across from her was a dark-haired male with striking green eyes. His face was clean shaven, the straight black strands of his hair falling into his eyes. He was handsome, in a mysterious way, with sharp cheekbones and thick brows. Krepth Hallier was her oldest friend, their history starting before her magic’s awakening and her service under the Fates.
His eyes roved Arii’s face, as if scouting for the answer to a riddle.
With a sigh, the assassin lowered her cup to the wooden table. Her other companion, a slim female with straight silver hair to her chin, had been throwing darts at a board.
A perfect bullseye, every time.
Arii did not expect anything less from her long-term friend and fellow Fury, Nemesis Rion. But the woman’s hand had paused in mid-air just as Arii delivered the news. Her aqua eyes slowly slid to the two at the table.
“Will you stop staring like I have a second head, Krepth, it is starting to piss me off,” growled Arii as she lifted the mug to her lips once more.
They had the back of the tavern to themselves - their usual spot when they needed somewhere at short notice to meet but also hidden from prying eyes. The tavern, located in Colkirk - a little seaside village just south of the School of Fate - was a popular place for a careless social gathering.
It also featured the best mead in Fythnar - in Arii’s opinion.
Nem’s full lips pressed in a line as their male companion barked out a laugh, his smooth voice laced with amusement.
“Gods Arii, you are full of fantastical jokes tonight, I do suppose you get that way as the bloodlust wanes after a hunt,” he chuckled again, taking a swig of his own mead.
“She isn’t joking, Krepth…” said Nem as her arm lowered to her side, fingers clutching the dart. It was not like Ariiaya Trillia, the infamous Violet Assassin, to joke about a mark given to her by the Three Fates. The woman was emotionless and cool, not one to joke around with something so serious, so monumental within their small society.
Krepth lowered his mead to the table as he studied Arii’s deadpan expression. “You’re not jesting? Are the Sisters of Fate taking the godsdamn piss?”
His tone flipped from jovial to serious in a split second. It was unlike the shady spymaster to lose his cool, but this was unlike any news he had heard in a long time. Perhaps ever.
Arii’s carefully composed expression faltered for a small moment and Nem was then beside the dark-haired assassin like a shadow.
“The images given to the Fates are undeniable…” Nem said, her gaze flicking up to her friend’s face. “If what you described is exactly what they relayed, then I have no doubt that the King is your target.”
“Viridya Castle is near impossible to infiltrate.” Arii said, pausing as Krepth lifted a hand.
“You cannot sneak into the castle and slice off the head of the King,” he said, brows pulling in a look of frustration.
‘Quiet!’ Nemesis was quick to jump in, her voice hushed.
They spoke of high treason after all.
“So, what do you suggest?” Nem barked, frowning. They all knew that the targets given by the Three Fates were final, and there was no point arguing.
&
nbsp; A Fury should never question fate.
Arii absently wondered what the young King had done to draw the Gods’ ire.
“Usually, you are full of good ideas, Krepth. Perhaps I should have approached you when you were sober,” said Arii, one brow arching.
Krepth’s mouth opened to retort, but Nem was quick to speak first.
“We will have to get you in under cover, ensure you have the closest access possible to the King.” Nem’s aqua eyes were pinned to her friends. “You will need to go in as a servant, get the King’s attention somehow…” she trailed off, before lifting a finger. She hesitated, staring at her mercury-coloured nails, filed to long points. Nemesis was known for scraping them across surfaces before ending her targets, her nails enchanted with silver. It was a hell of an effect, causing the toughest men to loosen their bowels in fear as her swift shadow descended.
And the sisters called Arii theatrical.
With hand raised and fingers curled, Nem’s gaze lifted to Krepth.
“What perfect timing,” she breathed, a revelation coming to her.
Krepth’s dark brows narrowed as his eyes lifted to the light-haired Fury.
“Explain,” he snapped, impatient.
Elongated canines flashed as Nem grinned sardonically.
“It is the King’s birthday tomorrow.”
Arii felt something stir in her gut.
Was it excitement? Trepidation? Emotions were foreign to her, pressed into the deepest depths of her mind thanks to her training as an assassin.
Of course, the annual birthday party was a massive celebration in the golden behemoth of a castle, filled with fine food, festivities, and well-dressed rich people. It also required extra catering staff.
How old would the King be now, twenty-seven?
Krepth snapped Arii from her reverie, clicking his fingers together in front of her face as he said, “Perfect! Arii, I have connections that can get you into the castle as an extra hand. We-” he eyed Nem quickly, “-will create a diversion that will enable you to stand out to the King.”
Arii’s eyebrows creased as she stared at her friends. It was uncanny, how the two of them seemed to be on the same wavelength at times.
The remainder of the time, the two were normally at each other’s throats.
Krepth inclined his mug at Arii, a dark grin splitting his handsome features. “It will be up to you to do the rest.”
He lifted the mug to his lips, followed by with a wolfish grin over the rim, and Arii saw immediately the resemblance to his shifter form, an enormous black wolf with deep viridian eyes. Shifters were elven people who could take the forms of animals – some could even use magic for healing, but their magic stopped there.
“Fucking hell…” Arii muttered, such an unladylike curse to grace delicate lips, which in turn caused Nem to chuckle darkly.
Arii pinched the bridge of her nose as she said, “I knew cheating in that game of cards last week would come back to bite me on the arse.”
“Cheaters never prosper,” agreed Krepth, lifting his mead in a mock salute.
Arii titled her head to him, both brows now raised as she said, “You were the one who suggested tampering with the cards!”
The Shifter offered her another wolfish grin. “Mhmm, that’s the golden word, suggested – you did the rest.”
“Fucking hell…” repeated Arii.
“We have much to do in little time,” Krepth continued, tipping the remainder of the mead down his throat and slamming the mug to the table. Nemesis mirrored his action albeit a little more delicately and dropped a hand on Arii’s shoulder in comfort as the pair stood, preparing to leave.
“Any hint of what to expect, perhaps?” snapped Arii. Krepth’s trademark smirk spread across his face at the assassin’s unimpressed expression.
“And ruin the birthday surprise? Come now, Arii.”
Ariiaya’s eyes turned dark in the candlelight, two pools of deep amethyst.
She hated surprises.
“Oh, Arii?” called Krepth, glancing over his shoulder as he headed for the tavern door. Dark hair shifted into his glittering green eyes, filled with amusement.
“Don’t get killed,” he said with a grin, pulling up his hood before disappearing into the night beyond.
Chapter Two
Arii had learned the basics of their volatile land during her lessons at the School of Fate. When she was not wielding a blade, she had her head in one of the many textbooks from the sisters’ library. Once a land united, Fythnar had been a prosperous place of allied nations, each bringing their own unique trades from all four points of the continent. Trade was teeming, and allegiances were strong. The land was brimming with magic, along with fantastical beasts of all kinds. Living in harmony with the creatures were Humans, Elves and the Fae. The Fae, a strong and proud elven race with powerful magic, had ruled all four Courts of the land.
Then things changed. In the North, the Fae living there held dominion with majestic, magic-bound dragons. Slowly the humans of the land began to fear the power of the Fae, so they began to rise up and form rebellions. Just over two hundred years ago the humans slowly began to wipe out the Fae - in particular the males of the species. It was believed by the humans that male Fae were becoming far too powerful, and that power was causing them to show signs of madness. The uprisings were swift, carefully planned and bloody, and before long there were only a handful of male Fae left, up until the last known males in a family ruling the North Court were killed in their beds on a cold Winter Solstice night twenty years ago.
The Courts at all points of the compass in the continent of Fythnar had families watching over them. The North Court consisted of the Kruel family, ruling over the vast majority of the map in their glittering castle of gold. The Kruel family had ascended to the throne once the last royal family were wiped from the board. With no one left of the bloodline, Valdis Kruel - Hand to the King in the North, had taken the throne of Fythnar, earning his son the title of King once the boy turned eighteen.
The East Court was submerged in the thick and dense forest of Evergrave, their homes built into the ancient trees headed by Freya Bloom. The folk there were the elves also known as Shifters, Krepth’s people.
The South Court was seemingly in a constant state of Winter, ruled by Jero Vox and his twin brother Thogan, from their impressive castle overlooking a vast range of snow-capped mountains. Their people were harsh and barbarian-like, weathered and bred for battle.
Lastly, the West Court floated on an island just off the coast, the land littered in rainbows of flowers in an eternal Spring. In the middle sat a crystal castle housing Prince Kadec Brolikian, a party boy ruler who always seemed to be throwing a sparkling event.
Viridya Castle in the heart of the North Court was a sight to behold. A colossal structure built on the edge of a massive waterfall, the home of the royal family was made entirely of pure gold. Rumour had it that the original king who built the impressive structure was absolutely infatuated with himself, and demanded he be able to see his reflection wherever he went on the castle grounds. Those architects surely outdid themselves. With turrets reaching to incredible heights, the castle overlooked a mass of water called The Sapphire Depths with an impressive view of the sprawling land.
It was said that no one can sneak into the Viridya without immense difficulty, as it was surrounded by massive bodies of water. The only way to and from the structure and its pristine grounds and town was a bridge, only wide enough to allow horses dragging carts of supplies.
Arii’s eyes were pinned to the glittering sapphire body of water, all that was in sight from her position on board a supply cart as it headed along the bridge towards the castle.
She lifted the canvas covering to catch a glimpse of the shimmering golden colossus and blew an impressed whistle.
“No matter how many times I see this damn place, it never fails to impress me.” she said, awe slipping into her carefully masked tone.
Sitting across from her in the cramped supply cart, Krepth’s teeth flashed in a grin from under his hood.
He tilted his head, forest green eyes on his friend. He studied her attire and pinched the dull cloth of her cotton pants. Arii battered his hand away, a grimace of annoyance fluttering over her features. Krepth’s chuckle was dark and humorous.
“You are too used to being the ‘golden castle’ yourself in the towns you frequent, Arii. Look at you, I have never seen your skin look so dull,” he said, canines flashing.
He was like a wolf, surveying his lunch. Nem had once asked her if she had ever tangled in the sheets with Krepth.
A roll in the hay with a Shifter? No, thank you…
Besides, Krepth was her oldest friend, and she would never go there no matter how incredibly handsome and charming he was.
“Well, I can’t walk into the castle looking like a typical Fury, you know. I’ll be recognised immediately.” she waved her hand over her luminous face, and magic crackled in the air. Her eyes, naturally a vivid shade of purple, were now dulled to a dark blue. Her lips curled into a humourless clenched teeth grin, showing blunt human teeth – her elongated canines hidden under a veil of magic.
“Is the distraction ready?”
Krepth nodded and his eyes were suddenly serious, all laugh lines disappearing.
“Nem has everything under control. You need to ensure you catch the King’s attention, and NOT give away your cover…” he gestured at her plain servant attire. “That means-” he held up a hand and began to count on his fingers. “One - no unnatural super Fae speed or magic, humans are freaked out by that kind of thing.” he lifted another finger. “Two - No killing anyone at the party aside from your intended target.”
When Arii’s mouth popped open, Krepth held up a hand to stop her protest.
He continued, “Three - Do not, I repeat, do NOT blow your cover! If this goes wrong, we will never get another chance.”
Love, Blood & Fury Page 2