Slowly Nem inched away from Arii, the fire in her eyes lessening as she spoke. “Had I not witnessed his bodyguard just now, I would be far angrier with you, Arii,” she said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “The Fates are wondering what is taking you so long. They almost resorted to sending Devina, but I offered to come instead – also planting the idea of a second set of eyes. You owe me.” Her lips twitched in a small smile, and Arii felt her muscles relax.
“There are Kryverns, Nem, and they have iron claws and teeth.”
Nem’s brows narrowed at this as she responded, “Impossible.”
“It’s true, one swiped me naught a few days ago and my magic fled my body. Someone is modifying the beasts.” Arii blew out a breath. “I feel something is at work here, and something big is coming.”
“And you feel it’s up to you to get to the bottom of it?”
“Well, I feel after almost having my leg ripped off, it has become personal.”
Nem slipped to the table bearing the cakes, swiping one up in her silver nails. She paced, taking a bite of the cake as a look of contemplation graced her features.
“Iron, you say?” She chewed thoughtfully. “Do you think someone could be preparing to hunt Fae once again?”
Arii bit her lip. “There are hardly any Fae left, Nem. Unless whoever is doing this is preparing to oppose the Fates? Furies are the only Fae left.” She paused. “Unless there have been reports of Fae in the other Courts? But I have not heard.”
Nem shook her head. “If there were signs of males in the other Courts, Krepth would have heard and reported it to the Fates.”
“Well, there have been more frequent sightings of the Kryverns, and people are bound to notice their modifications sooner or later.”
“It’s possible,” said Nem, swallowing the cake. Her striking eyes lifted to Arii. “Are the other Courts aware?”
The other Courts.
Arii recalled a mark she had in the West Court a few years ago, a young spring lord who had found a fondness for a forbidden substance called Crystal Ice, and set about selling the stuff for exorbitant amounts of gold. The drug, if taken for a small amount of time, caused paranoia and violence along with an incredible high. It was said to be created from the shavings of Nexus Crystals, a mineral mined from the Dragon’s Teeth mountains that were once used as a sort of conduit for magic, and the stones could store magic like electricity in a glass jar. The crystals were fabled nowadays - with the absence of powerful magic there was no longer a way to fill them with power.
Unpowered, the stones were naught but crystal paperweights, except for their drug factor.
So, Arii had been sent by the Gods to end the young lord’s thread of life. It was a shame, the boy had found riches at the expense of ruining the lives of others, and as the light left his eyes, she saw regret there.
The image remained in her mind for months afterward.
She was reminded of the young man when she looked at Lorch Kruel - they were of the same age.
Arii’s eyes met Nem’s briefly, before sliding to the window.
“I’m not sure, but the King will send word to the other Courts, right?”
“There seems to be more discord between the four Courts now than ever before. The events of the past and the fear of another uprising seems to be keeping them from coming together,” Nem replied.
“Does that surprise you?”
“Not at all, the relationships between the Courts have been rocky since the slaughter of the Herington family.”
Arii bit her lip, feeling a chill run down her spine. The family had been killed in this very castle. She briefly wondered where the events had taken place and made a mental note to dig out some tomes and read up on the history.
Who knows, she could learn something that could shed a little light on her current questions.
It was rumoured that the rebels who stormed the castle had set loose a Kryvern as a distraction before falling upon the family. The irony was not lost on Arii after Nem’s similar use of the Kryvern at Lorch’s birthday party.
“Alright, fulfil your assignment soon but find out as much as you can before you do,” Nem stood before turning to her friend.
Arii broke from her reverie, glancing at the silver haired Fury.
“Oh, and Arii, don’t get yourself killed.”
Arii nodded and smirked at her friend.
“Welcome to the North Court, Nem.”
~~~
Arii was greeted at the barracks by a hot meal on a wooden serving tray as she returned from her time in the library, and she gladly set to downing the hot beef soup and a side of bread.
Sitting in the gardens close to the barracks, the air was becoming cool as it reached half afternoon. Part way through her meal, she suddenly noticed Quinn, who was watching her intently. She had not even heard his approach, her mind so unusually preoccupied.
Her hand paused halfway to her mouth, a chunk of the bread dripping with mopped up soup, and she did not need to speak for Quinn to answer her questioning gaze.
“Thank you, Arii.” he said simply, and she felt a mass of weight behind his words. She knew he was talking about their Kryvern encounter.
She placed the bread down and looked at him, his mop of brown hair to his dark brown eyes - wide in his tanned, boyish face. She noticed that he had the tiniest shadow of hair beginning to grow on his chin, and she imagined he would grow to be a dashing young man. She suddenly thought of Tikkani, her lively face and foul mouth, and then Emerson, his gentle disposition and shy smile. She imagined them heading off to battle and their short lives getting cut short on the end of some stranger’s blade, or by the jaws of a Kryvern. She suddenly felt her own beast within begin to rise at the thought.
These people, they did not deserve to die.
She felt a stirring within herself that she had only ever felt once before, the feeling she once held for her mother long ago. She smacked the feelings down and swallowed, before answering Quinn, her voice but a whisper.
“Don’t mention it, Quinn.” she said, offering him a small smile.
The boy returned it with his own, before it lifted into his usual lopsided grin.
“Would you believe Emerson is bragging! Actually bragging about his perfectly placed arrow that felled one of the Kryverns, the one - I may add, that was nipping at your arse on the rooftops. I thought you’d want to come witnesses this rare moment of confidence; our boy is becoming a man!”
With a grin, Arii stood and retrieved the tray of half-eaten food.
Quinn draped an arm over her shoulders as they headed together towards the barracks.
Arii did not push him away this time.
Chapter Eight
A boy of around nine years dashed through the golden halls of the castle, laughing merrily and clutching a worn blanket in his slim hand. He flew down the candlelit hall heading to his parents’ bedroom. It was early, and the boy knew he should still be in bed, but excitement filled his belly, his little body humming with energy. He could not sleep, for it was the morning of Winter Solstice, and he imagined the array of colourful gifts riddling the pine trees brought in from the forest and decorated with those little glittering hanging lanterns he loved so much.
Winter Solstice was his favourite time of the year.
Slapping his hands against the wood, he chuckled and pressed open the door to his parents’ bedroom.
“Mama! Papa! Wake up, it’s Winter Solstice!” he cried as he entered the dark room, candlelight flooding into the room from the hall beyond.
There was no candle lit inside, no fire in the hearth. Why were his parents not up and awake yet? They normally rose just before he did, preparing the gifts for their family.
The boy’s eyes slowly made their way to his parents’ bed, and he felt his hands begin to
quake, the blanket rising to press against his chest.
There upon the bed lay two bodies, vermillion stained sheets around them, glassy eyes wide to the ceiling and throats cut open to the air. Hovering above the bodies of his parents was a dark shadow, and it tilted its head towards the boy as a wail began to rise from his throat.
The shadow’s eyes flashed, jagged teeth yawning wide in a terrifying half-moon shaped smile.
The boy sobbed in fear, blinking as the scene slowly melted into something else.
Suddenly on the bed lay Lorch Kruel, sapphire eyes normally full of life glazed with death. Hovering above him now was a lithe, dark figure, violet eyes flashing, and elongated teeth pulled into a sardonic grin.
Elijah shot up in bed, sweat drenching his bare skin, chest rising and falling rapidly as he speared a hand through his mussed hair.
Outside, lightning streaked across the sky, followed by the deafening boom of thunder.
~~~
The next morning, castle staff flitted about the grounds, hauling furniture and crates towards the main building with haste.
Arii lifted the bow and notched an arrow, resting the thatch to her cheek as she narrowed her gaze at the target across the grass. Her attention was grabbed by some maidservants fluttering by with tablecloths, the white material catching the sun’s rays like they were flagging down an army in surrender.
Arii slowly lowered the bow and looked at Tikkani in question. Tikkani’s gaze was returning to her from watching the maids also.
“Oh, that’s right!” she clicked her fingers. “Tonight, is the biannual stick our wealthy noses up each other’s wealthy arses soiree!”
“The… what?” said Arii, resting the bow by her side.
Tikkani waved her hand in the air dismissively.
“The royal family hold a party twice a year for all of the wealthy people of their Kingdom. Don’t ask me why, an excuse for royal fuckwits to wine, dine and be merry,” Tikkani said and jogged towards the target, proceeding to gather the arrows littering the grass.
Emerson groaned from a few metres away at his sister’s boorish language.
Arii briefly wondered if Lorch put out invitations to the leaders of the other Courts. Could this be an attempt at the extension of an olive branch?
“We will be required to be on guard duty during the party. It is pretty chilled, honestly. We stand around, make sure no drunken brawls break out and no uninvited guests try to barge their way in,” Quinn said, taking the arrows from Tikkani and shoving them into a leather satchel as he grinned.
Arii could feel excitement radiating from the boy, enough for her to ask.
“And?”
Quinn was practically vibrating now as he said, “And there is a very good chance she is going to be there.”
Arii knew exactly who Quinn was talking about.
The flame haired bombshell, Devina Divine.
The boy practically drooled on his tunic when he spoke of her.
Ah puppy love.
“Oh, please Quinn!” moaned Tikkani as she poked him in the butt cheek with an arrow tip. Quinn squeaked and the group began to chuckle.
“A boy can dream,” Quinn said meekly, rubbing his backside.
“Wet dream!” said Tikkani with a mad cackle, and soon Quinn was sprinting after her as she retreated, swinging his bow above his head and calling curses at the top of his lungs in a comical display of anger.
Arii and Emerson once again found they were rolling their eyes in unison, retrieving their training weapons, and trailing in their friends’ wake.
~~~
The King’s throne room was once again dressed in an array of fine furniture, tables covered with carefully arranged floral centrepieces and lanterns flickering with candles inside. Moonlight glimmered through the cathedral windows over the throne.
People from all over the North Court, dressed in fine clothing and gowns, feasted and knocked back sweet wine as if it were going out of fashion.
Arii was almost upset she was on duty tonight. Even her uptight arse would loosen at a party like this. The music was quick and jovial, people danced with abandon on the free space in front of the raised dais, as well as standing and conversing in groups around the tables.
She stood on the outskirts, evenly spaced from Tikkani and Emerson. She was closest to the royal dais, the others spaced at the middle and entry to the room, along with other guards and Commander Hawke. They were all dressed in their armour, having been cleaned up after their time in Amberbourne, save for their helmets. The King had requested they keep the head armour off, allowing them a little bit of comfort in the stifling room. Another hint at the unusual kindness that Lorch Kruel was not widely known for.
Her eyes met with Tikkani – who grinned widely back at her, causing Arii’s lips to twitch into a small smile in reply. The girl was growing on her, despite her defences.
Arii’s gaze slid to Emerson, and her smile lifted slightly. This morning she had caught him grinning so widely over a piece of parchment that she thought his face may split in two. The handwriting upon the letter was neat and sloping – and she knew by the pink tinge on the boy’s cheeks and the shimmer in his eyes that it was a letter from Luc. Despite her best efforts, her heart squeezed at the undiluted joy on his face.
Gods, she was softening.
Quinn was once again with the brass band, his melodious voice echoing about the room. That boy had a set of lungs, Arii gave him that.
She watched without expression as Lorch - looking glorious in an immaculately tailored suit of dark grey stitched with silver thread – meandered about the packed room. His simple gold crown was perched on his russet hair as he chatted with an older man and his young wife, the King’s face plastered with a smile. Arii found herself surveying his smile, watching the way he ensured his attention was solely on his courtier as the man rumbled on about his business selling antiques.
That smile though, was not like the ones he had given her.
Nyx’s arse, was she getting to know his smiles? Arii bit her tongue as punishment, almost tempted to draw blood.
Lorch’s shadow, Elijah, was also visible and not far away from the King. Always nearby and watching. Arii’s eyes narrowed, she could practically feel his moodiness from across the room.
So far, she was not the man’s biggest fan. He seemed dark, brooding and unapproachable; someone almost as severely guarded as herself.
Across the room was a flash of glittering red, and Arii spotted Devina on the arm of a middle-aged man. She was clad in a floor length gown of shimmering blood red, her burgundy hair pulled into an elegant knot. Loose tendrils fell about her neck and face, striking against her pale skin. The man looked stunned, his lips wide in a grin as if he could not believe how lucky he was.
Arii knew he was, in fact, the unluckiest man in the room, soon to be a corpse on Devina’s bedroom floor. Devina’s blood red lips cracked in a smile at her prey as the man handed her a crystal goblet of sweet wine.
Arii slid her eyes from the Fury back to Lorch, passing Quinn on her way. She paused on Quinn as the boy’s voice hitched in the middle of his song, and Arii forced her eyes not to roll.
Who knew who was watching?
At the thought, she glanced to where Elijah stood, and weight pressed in on her as she saw his hooded head was inclined her way.
Bloody uncanny! Was he a mind reader now?
Across the room, Nem was conversing with a woman. The courtier’s hair was the colour of raven’s feathers and she spoke animatedly with her hands, her carefully manicured fingers dancing as she delved into her story. Nem looked bored, her light eyes sliding from the woman to the party, and then to Arii.
The silver haired Fury’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly, and Arii knew that internally Nem was laughing at her.
How ridiculous that The Violet Assassin was on guard duty at a party, protecting the man she had to kill? Nem knew now why Arii was stalling but it did not make it any less absurd. If they were back at the School of Fate, they would be engrossed in a battle of banter that would shake the stone castle walls.
Suddenly Devina was swiping a small pastry roll from the table nearest to Arii, and her amber eyes alight with amusement.
“Oh, my dear Ariiaya! Guard armour really becomes you!” she chuckled. “Fitting, really.”
Arii pursed her lips and stifled a hiss.
“Fuck off, Devina.”
Devina’s lips pouted in a mock pout as she said, “Coming up with the best comebacks – as usual.”
“Flutter away now, peacock. I’m on duty,” snapped Arii.
“Duty!?” breathed Devina around her full mouth, only replying after swallowing the last of the pastry and licking her nails. “You’re taking this far too seriously, Violet Assassin,” she drawled. “Why have you not killed him yet?”
Arii wanted to catch the woman’s smirking head and slam it into the tray of cream cakes between them.
The temptation made her fingertips tingle.
If anyone overheard Devina’s words – the mention of the Violet Assassin - her cover could be blown. Arii and Devina had never truly gotten along, the woman was insufferable, self-absorbed and wicked, and not wicked in a good way. She would stab a fellow assassin in the back if they were in threat of taking her glory. Arii did not trust her, and never had.
Besides, Elijah was already suspicious, and she could feel it in his weighted gaze, colourless eyes staring their way.
“I’m working on it.” Arii snarled, eyes breaking from Devina to survey the room. Did every Fury in the school know of her assignment? Were anyone watching, it would look as if the redhead were surveying the table of delights beside where Arii was stationed.
Love, Blood & Fury Page 11