Princess of Fire and Smoke (Forbidden Court Book 1)

by Stephanie Bell

  I stand there covered in monster blood, holding my death sword, and grinning like a fool. This is more fun than I thought it would be.

  Two of the creatures growl at me and I can't help but grin back, feeling like I've officially lost my mind. They run for me and I dive in between them, landing with a roll to my shoulder. My mind flashes a reminder that there's pain in my shoulder, but I'm too far gone to care.

  I kick my feet out with a newfound strength and feel the monster's knees break under my feet. It crumbles to the ground and I use its huge body for a boost as I launch myself off it and come face to face with the other monster. It snarls at me, and I swing my sword out. Quick as lightning, it slices straight through the creature's neck, severing its head from its body. I land in a crouch and slam my blade into the monster that's clutching its knees.

  Three dead, four to go.

  The wendigo holding Aileen screams what I can only imagine is a battle cry and the remaining monsters converge on me as one.

  "Three against one? Is that really fair, guys?" I ask as I rush for them.

  I can feel the darkness shimmering around me, pushing me faster. I rush one of them and duck under its claws, kicking my foot out, it slams it into the creature's stomach. The force of my blow throws it backward and I spin towards the other two monsters. They're much closer than I anticipated. I scream as a hand rakes it's claws across my chest and the scorching pain engulfs me, threatening to burn me alive.

  My magic catches fire inside me, and I know it's trying to heal me.

  I fight desperately as the creatures throw themselves on top of me, trying to rip open my flesh. Pain radiates down my thigh as claws rip through it.

  Something stirs deep within me, a deep primal force that refuses to accept my inevitable death.

  It begs me to get up, to let loose my full power on these monsters. I can feel it gathering in my core, building a force, unlike anything I've ever felt. Darkness tinges my vision and I know I'm about to die. I can feel it just as certainly as I can feel the claws digging into me, tearing me to shreds.

  But if I die, so does Aileen...

  The primal force within me screams for me to get up and fight.

  The thought of death doesn’t scare me. I almost welcome it, if it will make this suffering stop. But the thought of Aileen dying brings such agony through me, I can't possibly bear it.

  I close my eyes and give in to the primal force.

  The ground begins to shake. The air rushes around me and the monsters shriek as they're thrown off me. My blood turns to fire and my skin is as cold as ice. I fight the pain rippling over me as I pull myself to a standing position.

  There is blood everywhere and it takes me a moment to realize it’s mine. That’s way too much blood for one person to lose and magic can only heal so much. If I stop right now, I might be able to heal myself, but one look at Aileen and I know that won't ever happen. I'll die here to save her.

  The monsters rush me again and I run at the closest one. Right before it reaches me, I slide straight through its legs. Crouching down behind it, I launch myself onto it's back. Then I grab its head, pull it back, and slice my sword across its throat. It collapses underneath me.

  The two remaining monsters circle me slowly, watching my every move.

  I run at one of them and they both close in around me. A claw swipes out at me and I bring my sword down hard on it, slicing through the monster's arm. Then I quickly thrust the sword into its chest, using my momentum to slice through it.

  I can hear the final monster closing in behind me and I swing my sword backward, praying I make contact. Sharp claws slice open my arm and I drop my sword.

  By the Ancient, what am I supposed to do now?

  My hands tingle and I can feel my magic rushing towards them. I whisper a quick prayer, ducking down as the monster lunges for me. I swing my hand upwards into one of its thighs. As I make contact, I can feel blood gushing over me. I don't have time to see what weapon I have this time, because the other monster tackles me to the ground.

  I try to kick out at it as it pins my legs down. With a horrible grin on its face, it leans down towards my neck, ready to rip my throat out.

  At the last moment, I swing both hands up and slam them into either side of the monster's neck. It cries out and falls on top of me, dead.

  My body is shaking as the adrenaline begins to ebb out of my system. The only monster left is the one holding Aileen.

  It takes all my strength to shove the dead creature off of me and my legs feel like jelly as I try to stand. Looking up at Aileen and the wendigo, I force myself to walk towards them attempting to ignore the blinding pain shooting through me with every step.

  Her eyes meet mine across the grass, mirror images of my own. Everything moves in slow motion as I watch the Wendigo lean down and dig its long teeth into her throat. My breathing stops and everything around me freezes. I watch as the light in her eyes slowly fades away.

  The monster stares up at me with its horrible glowing eyes and laughs.

  Everything fades away as I stare at that monster. A scream rips itself from me and I run towards it. Glancing down I see two curved daggers in my hands. The black blades shine just like my sword did and I can see the flames covering them. I have no idea how to use them, but a sense of completion fills my body at the sight of them.

  This monster is faster than the others. It moves away from my first blow, with a grace that surprises me and it counters my attack with one of its own, giant claws slashing at me. I spin to the side and lash out at it. My dagger makes contact with its thigh and slices it open to the bone. The creature screams in outrage as it clutches it's wound. I use its temporary distraction to spin and slice my other dagger through its stomach.

  A war cry explodes from me as I jump up and slam my blade through its chest. It crumples to the ground and I watch as it takes its last breath.

  "That's for Aileen."

  I turn and run for my sister. I'm almost to her when a giant wall appears in front of me, blocking my path. I scream as three more walls appear around me and I'm thrown into the darkness of the holding cell.

  She did all of this for me, and I couldn't save her. She died because of me, just like everyone else.

  I fall to my knees and deep gasping sobs pour from me, making my body shudder.

  I'm done. I don't want to be the High Queen anymore. Not when it means I have to lose everyone I've ever loved.

  My gut-wrenching cries echo off the walls and I almost miss the creaking sound of the door as I'm thrown, once again, into another living nightmare.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  I look up to see a crystal chandelier shining above me. Its flames flicker down on me, casting shadows throughout the room. Glancing around the room I recognize my parent’s throne room and my stomach clenches as I fight back the memories of that night.

  No... He wouldn’t do this. Not with all of Chadonia watching. But even as the thought crosses my mind, I know he would. He would never out himself for murdering my parents, but he would twist it around.

  My mother's laughter fills the room and I feel it like a physical blow. I turn towards the entrance and see my parents standing there smiling down at me.

  "Adeline dear," She frowns at me. "We have dignitaries that will be arriving soon, why aren't you wearing the dress I had sent up for you?"

  I glance down at my clothing and my world tilts. I'm wearing my favorite purple shirt and brown pants. The clothing I was wearing the night... My mind blanks. What was I just thinking?

  There is something I desperately need to remember, I know that much, but I have no idea what it is. I struggle against the fog rolling through my head.

  "Adeline, did you hear me?" My mother asks. "I have a delightful purple gown sitting out for you on your bed. If you hurry, you can be dressed before they arrive."

  I can't help but make a face. I know what purple dress she's talking about. I hate that dress. It's full of ruffles and poofs out like a
tent around my legs, so I can barely move in it.

  "Mother, please not that dress. It's so uncomfortable and what happens when I need to fight?" I ask earnestly.

  "Daughter, we're going to have dinner with them. Why in the world would you need to fight anyone?" She asks with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

  My father laughs beside her. "Darling, I know you love your sweets, but I promise you there's no need to fight anyone over them." His eyes shine with mirth as he smiles down at me.

  My heart squeezes and a great sadness washes over me, although I have no idea why.

  A nagging feeling keeps pulling at my stomach. Demanding me to run, to fight, to do anything.

  "Something is wrong, don't you feel it?" I ask them wearily as I clench my hands together. Isn’t there something I should be doing?

  "The only thing that's wrong is your constant need to argue with me. Don't you understand that the future High Queen can't host dignitaries wearing that? And where did you get those daggers? Are you trying to terrify our guests?"

  I glance down at my hands and see terrifying curved black daggers in my hands.

  Mother walks over to me and holds out her hands, "Give them here, Adeline, and go get dressed."

  I have no idea where these daggers came from, but something about them feels right. I back away from my mother slowly. "No, I think I need to keep them."

  "Adeline, listen to your mother." My Father orders from beside her. Disapproval flashes in his eyes and tears prickle at the corners of my eyes.

  I don't want to disappoint my father.

  I hesitate as the tugging increases, warning me that something is coming.

  Father's voice is stern as he frowns down at me. "Adeline, you don't need weapons here. The guards are more than capable of defending you if it's needed."

  Confusion clouds my head and a sickening feeling floods my veins.

  "Father, you've always told me that a Royal should always have a weapon nearby because we never know when we'll have to fight for our kingdom."

  Father scowls down at me, "Adeline, just give your mother the damned daggers!"

  His voice echoes through the throne room and I pull my daggers close to me, readying my fighting stance.

  "I don't know who you are, but you're not my father. My father would never yell at me."

  "That's right, we're not your parents, Adeline. Your parents are dead," My mother says to me and my heart breaks with her words. I can feel the truth in the statement.

  My parents walk closer to me and I back away. Whether they're my parents or not, I don't know if I can fight them.

  My father laughs coldly down at me. "They're dead because you killed them."

  The words threaten to pull me under.

  "No, I would never kill my parents."

  But the guilt I feel about their death is real. It rushes over me, chilling my bones. They did die because of me.

  "I couldn't have," I insist. "I love them, I would never hurt them."

  "But you did, didn't you Adeline?" My Mother sneers down at me. "They died because of you. I can feel the guilt radiating through you."

  That's true, there is an obscene amount of guilt over my parent's death. But there's also something else. There's fury and betrayal, a hurt burns through me that I can't describe. Something bad happened that night, but I can't remember what. Vague memories flash through my mind of horrible black eyes with a mad glint to them.

  "They were betrayed!" I gasp as the memories fight to come back.

  Pain explodes in my head and I fall to my knees. Blood pools across the ground below me and I look down to see black armor covering my body, but it's shredded in some spots and my legs look mutilated. I fight the torment radiating through me.

  I feel a hand under my chin and my father yanks my head up to look at him. "They were betrayed, weren't they? They were betrayed by you! Your magic exploded and killed them. You murdered your parents!"

  Memories fight through my brain. A flash of my father laying on the ground with a dagger in his chest. My mother looking at me with tears running down her face and such sadness in her eyes.

  I remember kneeling on the ground while my head pounded, and pressure built inside me. My magic was trying to free itself.

  Fire. I remember lots and lots of fire.

  I heard my mother screaming and my father's angry yell.

  Did I kill my parents? I don't think I ever could, but my memories are real.

  "It is my fault they're dead," I sob into my hands.

  A laughter fills my head and that has my blood boiling.

  The memories keep slamming into me:

  My mother handing me her ring.

  The love in my father's eyes.

  A man with warm brown eyes smiling down at me, "Hello, Feisty."

  A woman with eyes the same color as mine.

  Dark gray eyes flash and an angry growl fills my senses, "Get up and fight, Princess!"

  A shock of power rushes through me and clarity sharpens my mind. Slowly, I stand up and glare at the creatures pretending to be my parents. There is only one way to end this trial and even though the thought of it makes me sick, I know what I have to do.

  "It is my fault my parents are dead because I couldn't protect them, just like I couldn't protect Aileen. But I will protect my people from the monster that threatens to destroy them." With that, I grab my daggers and swing them at the creatures. My blades slice straight through their guts and they collapse to the ground.

  Horror floods me as I stare down at my parents in a pool of blood and bile fills my throat.

  First, I watch Aileen die, then I have to kill my parents. What could possibly be next?

  This time I embrace the walls that appear and the darkness that washes over me as I'm thrown back into the holding cell.

  Hopefully, I failed and I'll never have to compete in a trial again.

  Chapter Thirty

  Everything is screaming in pain. I stand there, not wanting to know what's coming next. Haven’t I suffered enough already? I’ve fought monsters and watched every one of my family members die. What more could I possibly do?

  I hear the creaking sound and the wall falls away exposing a long rectangular room with a tall table standing in the middle. I grip my daggers and slowly walk towards the table, waiting for some horrible monster to appear. Instead, I find two large buttons on either side of the table.

  Okay, this one is a little different… What am I supposed to do here?

  “Hello?” I call out. “Is anyone here?” My words echo across the room.

  My eyes stray to the buttons but there is no way I’m going to push either of them without knowing what they do.

  Bright lights flash towards the opposite side of the room, lighting up two podiums and my heart sinks when I see who is on them. There is a little girl standing on the podium to the left and Emerson stands on the podium to the right. As soon as Emerson sees me, he bangs on the glass that separates us, yelling something to me that I can’t hear. The little girl just hugs her arms around herself and bursts into tears.

  I look down at the two buttons in front of me and my heart drops. No, no, no… I back away from the table and run into a wall. The room is getting smaller. There is nowhere to run, and tears burn my eyes as I try to fight them back.

  A voice echoes throughout the room, but I already know what it’s going to say, “You must decide which one survives.”

  Maximus is trying to make me choose between the man I might love and an innocent girl.

  I can feel my magic yanking at the bracelets, fighting to escape. But the adrenaline that has been pushing me this long is beginning to fade.

  “Please!” I beg whoever might be listening. “Please, don’t make me choose between them. I’ll give it all up. Just don’t make me choose!”

  Silence echoes through the room as my plea is ignored, I fall against the table as a sob racks my body.

  This must be the trial related to sacrifice, but I'm not sur
e if I'm strong enough for this one.

  Do I really have any choice? The trials are made to destroy you so that your real personality will show. Can I sacrifice a little girl for the man I'm beginning to fall in love with?

  I walk over to the glass separating us and place my hand on it. Emerson leans over and places his hand against mine. He leans his forehead against the glass and says something I can’t hear. Tears poured down his face as recognition shines in his eyes.

  He knows I could never sacrifice a child, even for him.

  “I am so sorry,” I whisper as I back away from him, turn and stumble my way to the table. My hand trembles as I raise it above the button. My eyes meet Emerson's as I slowly lower my hand.

  A bright light illuminates the rooms surrounding mine, making me snatch my hand back from the table.

  To my right is Charis, to my left is Xander. I watch Charis as she curls up on the floor and shakes her head no. Tears roll down her face as she stares at the two people in front of her. I recognize one of them as her Captain of the guard, who has been like a father to her.

  Glancing to the left, I see Xander yelling as he bangs his fists on the glass. My heart breaks when I see Rosabel is on the other side. She stands there with a look of determination, telling Xander to save the child that stands beside her. Xander falls to the ground in defeat, shaking and sobbing at his wife.

  “No, this isn’t right,” I tell whoever is listening. “You can’t expect him to sacrifice his wife and his child!”

  Fury builds in me and I can feel the raging power bubbling back up, seething below my skin like a wildfire. Closing my eyes, I focus on it, trying to draw it up. Exhaustion slams into me and I stumble into the table. My magic was strong enough to escape the iron bracelets in the last trials, but my energy is draining out of me quickly.

  I need to help them.

  Glancing down at my wrists I see my bracelets turning red. My magic is trying to burn them off. I desperately look around for anything I can use to break them, but there’s nothing in the room beside the table.