Arii offered him a sly smile. “You said ‘don’t blow your cover’ twice. I don’t need to be reminded.”
Krepth poked a finger to her nose, causing Arii to rear back and growl.
“Now now, little Fury. I know sometimes the thrill of the hunt gets to that sharp mind of yours and hazes your priorities.”
Arii’s brows narrowed and then she shrugged, finding no reason to argue. It was true, the thrill and bloodlust of a good hunt did sometimes fog her mind.
The thread had been pulled and it was ordained that King Lorch had to die. Everyone who had their string pulled from the Tapestry of Life had it cut eventually. No one in history had ever escaped this fate.
Again, Arii found herself wondering what this royal had done to piss off the Gods.
What Arii knew of the young King was that he was absentminded, negligent, entitled and a spoiled brat, distracted by the glitter of court life. He was known for his love of women and gave the West Court’s party boy Prince Brolikian a run for his money, throwing fancy parties and spending the town’s taxes on gold and jewels rather than fixing the run-down streets and assisting poverty-stricken families.
The cart rumbled to a halt at the castle checkpoint. A smattering of guards dressed in silver armour, adorned with red capes and a symbol of an open jawed reptile pressed to their breast of their attire, demanded the cart drivers present their identification. The horses snorted and stomped their hooves in agitation, eager to get to the stables and be fed after the journey.
“We are hired help for the King’s birthday festivities.” said the driver, a thin and tired man, said as he supplied a roll of parchment to the guards. As one man studied the papers, another headed to the back of the carts.
A gloved hand threw back the shade and a guard stared into the back of the cart where Arii sat. For a heart stopping moment, the guard’s eyes slid across her face to the space adjacent from her, and Arii expected the guard to call a warning when he saw the hooded male occupying the space. Her eyes slid to the spot and was relieved to see the spymaster was gone. She would never understand how her friend did that, disappeared into the darkness like he had never been.
Sure, she was skilled at subterfuge but Krepth was a whole other level.
The guard’s eyes lingered on Arii, but soon fluttered over her to survey the crates of supplies accompanying her in the cart.
To the guard, the assassin looked no more than a meek servant.
Her eyes remained low as the guard tossed the canvas closed and rapped his fist against the cart side, to signal the all clear. The cart jerked and began its lumbering roll through the gates, the thick mahogany doors slamming behind them with a boom of finality that had Arii’s hairs rising on her arms.
She slowly sat forward, flipping her dagger from one hand to the other. Her eyes lifted from the weapon, her preferred choice of steel. It had tasted so much blood, and soon it would taste that of the King.
~~~
Ariiaya slipped deftly between two party goers as they chattered and laughed, their hands shooting out to take the offerings of the silver platter she held. The party was in full swing, the colossal high-ceilinged royal throne room was filled with the chatter of voices. Decadent furniture was covered in spreads of fine foods ranging from whole stuffed pigs roasted and propped with blood red apples in their mouths to elaborate spreads of desserts, glittering with sugar candy and carefully arranged displays of succulent canapes.
The walls of the room had been fixed with stone to offset the linings of gold, and the grand throne room was lined with windows – allowing the moonlight to filter through. Above the royal seating area stood floor-to-ceiling stained glass cathedral windows, the world beyond the intricate colours dark as pitch. Expertly carved wood candelabras adorned the walls, lit with flickering candles which caused the gold to glimmer in the candlelight.
It was an impressive room, one which took the palace staff the entire day to set up, dragging the heavy and expensive mahogany tables and chairs from the castle cellar. The castle cooks had outdone themselves, as well as those who has decorated the room in an array of lanterns filled with candles. Flowers lined the walls and various table settings, a natural display of whites, reds and yellows with thick green leaves. Hanging from the impossibly tall ceiling were glittering chandeliers, intricate metal masterpieces made of pure gold.
Arii’s eyes skimmed across an expensive looking rug, large and round, in the middle of the array of dining tables. It sparkled, as if magic infused the strands of the fabric. It was not magic of course; magic was feared in Fythnar after all. Those with magic were either hunted, served the Fates or stayed hidden.
It had been many years, two hundred to be exact, since any kind of significant magic wielder was known to the land. Arii’s magic was mild, useful - but not incredible. It was an advantage in a fight, and she could cast little tricks, heal minor wounds and flutter light veils, but nothing like the incredible Fae magicians of old. The power of one’s magic came from within, and their abilities reflected their control and training.
History showed that male Fae were the strongest of all magic users, until the uprising. Humans, despite not having magic themselves, were strong in numbers and sheer fear induced persistence.
Her eyes roved the elaborately dressed royal guests as she drifted through the crowd, serving food and beverages. She felt like an old rag in amongst a pile of fresh laundry. Her garb was plain, her looks nullified with magic. She prayed to the Gods that no one here could sense magic.
Those Gods owed her for her service, surely.
At the end of the impressive space was an elevated dais, and there was placed an elaborate, high backed wooden carved throne, laced with gold detailing and jewels encrusted into the backing. A young man sat there, his posture no way that of a King. He slouched slightly, body angled to one side, arm resting and propping his head in a look of pure boredom. His light brown hair, tinged with copper, was short but thick, swept in a stylish wave which emphasised his high cheekbones and alluring, thickly lashed ocean blue eyes.
His eyes slowly swept the festivities. Anyone would have thought by the King’s posture that his birthday celebration was a boring council meeting. What women, and some men, said in description of the young King in taverns across the Kingdom did not stray far from the truth. King Lorch Kruel was an incredibly attractive man and would be more so if he sat straight and with authority like a true King.
His eyes held a weight that would have any woman melt, their depths glimmering with mischief. He was young, twenty-seven exactly this day, and looked every bit the snot-nosed royal he was rumoured to be. He blew a breath between his teeth and watched the party held in his honour with the mildest of interest.
Beside his throne were two more chairs, pulled to the side like an afterthought. Perched on the one closest to Lorch was an older woman, her hair like spun silver tinged with gold, braided, and pulled into an elaborate knot on her head, adorned with jewels and a delicate golden headband. Her eyes, a lovely sky blue, surveyed the masses as they danced and celebrated. Her face was cool and calm, no sign that she was enjoying the celebrations either. There were hints of laugh lines on the skin around her eyes. Arii knew her to be King Lorch’s mother, Lynnera Kruel. Dressed in a simple gown of moss green with silver trimmings, the older woman was elegant and beautiful.
Beside Lynnera sat a younger woman with golden spun hair, much like her mother. Sybell Kruel was the King’s sister, an enchanting and beautiful woman of twenty-three. She was watching everyone down her petite nose, a look of distaste on her stunning features as she was approached by a servant who offered her glittering golden sweet wine in a glass goblet. She waved the servant away dismissively, boredom written plainly on her face as her dark brown eyes rolled in annoyance.
Beautiful she might be, but Sybell Kruel was said to be a surly bitch.
What a lively bunch… Arii thought as she swept up another tray of delicate edibles and moved through the throng, pausing to offer a canape to another party goer. Her dulled dark blue eyes inched over the man’s shoulder to survey the royal family, and paused on a severe presence on the opposite side of Lorch’s throne, where an older man stood straight, his armour freshly polished and a sight to behold.
Valdis Kruel, father of Lorch and Sybell and husband to Lynnera, was a formidable and severe looking man. He had the exact same coloured hair as his son, his face chiselled and weathered with a light copper-tinged beard. It was obvious that his son has inherited his eyes for they were the same deep blue. A scar ran down the right side of his face, obtained in battle long ago. Valdis’s thick brows were narrowed over his hard face, a face which had probably only ever smiled once or twice in his life.
Then there was the mysterious figure to the far right of the royal family, standing like a shadow out of place. A hood hid his face, all that was visible was a strong, lightly bearded jaw. Arii wondered momentarily who he was, standing like a statue on the royal dais. He was clad in dark armour - a mix of lightweight, expensive leather and dark tinted silver plate. On his hip was a sword, a shimmering sphere of ruby encrusted into the pommel, the guard made of polished gold – the metal gleaming in the firelight.
A bodyguard?
Surveying his position on the dais – so close to the King – confirmed her thoughts.
There were a few more guards stationed on the bottom of the steps leading up to the dais, along with one more well-dressed and armoured man.
All stood straight backed, hands by their sides and eyes darting across the party.
Her brows narrowed as she swiftly avoided a party goer who almost collided with her as they danced by.
This she had not considered, there were sure to be many guards around and she hoped Nem’s distraction would be something significant, and soon.
~~~
After a few hours, Arii flittered to the edge of the party to take a break, and her eyes drifted to the sounds of a man’s singing across the room. The night’s entertainment was a small musical band with acoustic instruments fronted by a young man dressed in dark blue tunic and pants, his voice echoing in the colossal throne room. He had quite the voice, and paired with the melody of the instruments, he belted out songs that had the room moving with abandon.
Whipping up another tray and balancing crystal goblets of sweet wine, Arii made another round of the room, past an elaborately decorated table where she paused in her tracks. Her magically dulled human-looking ears twitched as she heard a familiar voice.
A stunning burgundy haired woman sat on the lap of a very dazzled man, his eyes glittering as if he were watching a goddess.
At a glance, Devina Divine could indeed be mistaken for a goddess. Her body was voluminous, her skin creamy and flawless. Painted into a stunning gown of sky blue, she was almost too bright to look at without squinting, as if looking into the sun. Her ears were delicately pointed, her slightly elongated canines flashed as she threw her head back and laughed in a show of forced humour.
Gods above, she was in plain sight, utterly and unmistakeably a Fae Fury in all her undulled glory. Heads turned, particularly that of the male party goers, but some women too, more to slap their husbands as they threw longing glances at the Fae female.
Arii felt a bubble of anger ripple up from her stomach. If Devina blew her cover tonight, she would kill the female herself. It was likely the assassin had a mark in the castle and she pitied the man who bedded the stunning redhead tonight.
Devina threw her mass of wavy deep viridian hair over her shoulder and stared directly at Arii, canines flashing in a sultry grin, like a cat about to have at a bowl of cream. She was enjoying this immensely and her expression said Why not have a little fun before getting to work?
Arii met her stare with a heated one of her own, chin lifting and lip curling in clear warning.
Devina’s answering chuckle was audible over the riot of sound in the room but her eyes were first to break the staring contest.
Ignoring the woman, Arii continued on, heading closer to the royal dais. Any moment now and Nem would deliver on her distraction.
Arii needed to be ready…
~~~
The castle grounds were silent save the echoes of the music, voices from the party and the rumble of the waterfall that reached the dark area housing the carts of the extra hired help.
A leather-clad shadow nimbly leapt upon the cart without a sound.
Silver nails carefully peeled back the canvas of the cart, revealing an assortment of heavy sacks and crates.
With a wave of her hand and an exhaled breath, the air shimmered with a veil of magic as a spell lifted from the air, and Nemesis’s moonlit eyes lay on a steel cage.
From it came the deep, heavy breathing of a large creature, followed by the stench of carrion. Nem lifted her hands, eyes riveted to the terrifying creature as it slept, a reptilian beast of nightmares.
Closely resembling a typical draconic wyvern, this creature was a twisted cousin, with a snout full of dagger sharp teeth and thick eyebrow ridges, a long neck and barrel chest running to long forelegs, tipped with menacing curved claws.
The beast had thin skin connecting its arms to its body, which could have assumed to gift the creature with flight, but the skin was far too thin for that. Powerfully muscled hind legs preceded a long tail. The entire creature was covered in black scales, riddled by a motley array of scars and dirt, possible remnants of its last meal in its teeth.
Swiftly, the Fury dashed her fingers through the air above the beasts’ snout – a little bit of manipulative magic to the animals priorities, making it’s target clear.
This was the most insane thing she had done to date, and Nem was a murderous, cold blooded killer.
Her lips split in a wicked smile as she flicked the latch on the cage.
~~~
If there had been a clock nearby, Arii would have glanced at it not for the tenth time this night. She felt edgy, her eyes jerking to every clink of a glass, every bellow of a courtier as they spoke to one another in excitable tones.
What was taking Nemesis so long with her distraction? Perhaps she had been caught by the castle guards?
Unlikely.
The King’s royal Red Guard were not the most honourable of men, made up primarily of ex criminals, murders and rapists. Ever since the uprisings against the Fae two hundred years ago, hardly any man would willingly go into service for the Kruel family, so they resulted to the dregs of the Kingdom to fill their army barracks. The family’s selfishness and lack of care for their subjects was what had sealed the division of the North Court from the East, South and West Courts.
They had inherited the throne after mass murder after all-
Arii’s thoughts were interrupted as a loud screech thundered from outside the throne room, like an animal in fright. It split from somewhere above the royal dais, causing the glass cathedral windows to shudder.
From beside the King, Valdis Kruel placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, stepping forward as the sound repeated, causing the guests to slowly pause their celebrating.
Arii felt her arm hairs stand on end, a flicker of anticipation rocketing through her body as she placed her tray on a nearby table, taking care to be inconspicuous. Swiftly her fingers shot out, swiping a nearby kitchen knife from a platter of roast mutton, adrenaline coating her tongue as her eyes darted to the dais.
She knew that sound.
Holy Mother of Darkness, Nemesis was truly insane.
Confusion lined each feature in the room, shadows playing across faces in the glowing candlelight. Some people continued to dance, oblivious to the noise of something crashing outside.
Suddenly a scaly mass shattered the towering windows above the royal da
is with a thundering boom, causing shards to rain down like diamonds. The monstrous creature screamed down into the room, claws skidding and screeching as it scrabbled for purchase on the marble floors.
The beast righted itself, and slowly its head lifted, lips rippling back from a jaw of glinting serrated teeth as it bellowed a roar at the packed crowd. Muscles twitched beneath its thick hide of obsidian scales.
It took only a few seconds for pandemonium to hit the people as the shock wore off and panic set in.
Between the guests and the royal throne was a beast that haunted nightmares, a biproduct of failed attempts to replicate the proud and fearsome dragons of old.
A Kryvern.
From the mouth of the shattered window, Nem hung by a line of rope, cloaked in darkness and surveying the damage she had caused. Her eyes found Arii, and their gazes met.
Nem gestured in a salute to her friend, her face devoid of emotion.
Good luck.
The sign was clear, and she swiftly disappeared into the darkness.
The creature bellowed again, causing glasses to rattle and people to scream in terror.
Arii’s eyes snapped to the creature, its eyes like glowing pools of blood as it sprang upon the nearest guard. The man screamed as the massive jaws clamped around his middle and the beast shook him like a ragdoll, his cries of agony shrill and keening. Blood flecked the walls and splattered the polished marble floor as the Kryvern threw the body into the crowd, the man seemingly boneless and most certainly dead.
Utter terror took hold of the room as people fled, knocking one another out of the way as they ran for their lives.
Across the room, Devina stood from the man she had used like a settee and led him from the room, a drawn-out sigh escaping her lips as if she were pissed her night had been rudely interrupted.
Typical Devina.
Love, Blood & Fury Page 3