“The wizard?” Griffin asked.
King Edward nodded.
The four princes all started talking at once, asking him questions about Gaylen.
The king raised his hand. “Boys, enough. I’ve told you everything I know about him already. I haven’t seen the wizard for a long time, so there’s nothing new to tell you. Right now, we have important matters to attend to. Come, Marcus. We might need to hold an emergency council meeting.”
“I have to get Mariselle home first,” Marcus said, frowning.
“I’ll have one of my watchmen take her home. Don’t worry, she’ll be safe,” he said, turning around. He began walking toward the castle entrance. “I’ll meet you in my cabinet.”
“Yes. Of course, Your Magesty,” Marcus said.
The boys and Eva raced after their father, still hounding him with questions about Angelique and Gaylen.
Marcus looked down at Mariselle, who’d been unusually quiet. Knowing that his daughter also had a very active imagination, he put his arm around her. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be all right.”
Unfortunately, his reassurance did little to mollify Mariselle’s fears. Not after all of the talk about dragons, sorcery, and revenge. She felt sick with fear. “Father, can’t I just wait for you with Princess Eva?” she asked, afraid to be without him.
“I don’t know how long we’re going to be and I don’t want your mother to worry. I’ll send a message with you, explaining things,” her father replied, giving her a quick hug.
“But-”
“No buts. You should bring your new kittens home anyway, don’t you think?” he said, picking one of them up.
She sighed and nodded
“Good. Now, keep your chin up and be brave. For all we know, this crazy dragon-lady sighting might not even be real,” he whispered, looking toward the castle entrance. “The boy does spin some tall tales. This could be one of them.”
But, Mariselle didn’t think so. Something in her gut told her that not only was it real, but it was the beginning of something very bad. Something that would affect all of the people she cared about.
2
When Mariselle arrived home, she handed her mother the message from her father, and told her what was inside of it before Karina could remove the seal.
“Prince Aiden said he saw a woman turn into a dragon. They think it might be the sorceress, Angelique,” she blurted quickly.
Hearing the news, Karina’s blood turned to ice. “Who said that? Your father?”
“Yes, and the king. They’re going to try to find a wizard to help,” Mariselle added and bit her lower lip. “I forgot his name.”
“Gaylen?” Karina asked, looking at the message.
“Yes. That’s it.” Mariselle frowned. “Papa always said that Angelique was nothing more than a fairy tale. Why did he lie?” she asked, setting the basket of kittens down on the floor. Mariselle opened up the lid and they instantly began crawling all over each other to try and get out.
“He didn’t want you to be frightened.” She looked down at the kittens, who were racing across the floor to investigate their new surroundings. “Why are there four? You were only supposed to pick out one.”
“I know, but they need each other. Anyway, Papa said it was okay,” Mariselle said, picking the black one up. She tried snuggling him against her neck, but the kitten was far too excited about exploring and put up a struggle.
“I’m sure he did after a little persuasion from you,” Karina said, putting the message on the table.
Mariselle set the antsy kitten down. “King Edward said that Angelique might be back for revenge. Did she really get banned from the kingdom?”
“Yes. I believe so.”
“Why?”
Karina walked over to the bean pottage she had bubbling over the fire. She picked up the ladle and began stirring it. “For disobeying the king and breaking the laws of the land.”
“Was it true that she practiced dark magic?”
“From what I hear, yes.”
“Is she going to try and kill the king?” The very idea was too terrifying for Mariselle to imagine. If he was murdered, what would happen to the royal family or… the kingdom for that matter?
Karina threw up her hands in frustration. “Gah, all of these questions. Don’t worry about Angelique. They’ll find Gaylen and he’ll take care of her.”
She knew her mother was frustrated, but Mariselle still felt like something bad was about to happen. “Is he more powerful then Angelique?”
“Gaylen is the one who made her disappear in the first place. Now, enough. Remember when I said that it’s rude to pester people with too many questions? That goes for your mother as well,” she said wearily.
“I’m sorry,” Mariselle replied, lowering her eyes.
“I’m sure your father will be able to explain more about what’s going on when he comes home. Now, you’re going to need to do something with those kittens. Bring them out to the barn before it gets too dark outside.”
Mariselle began to protest.
“Mariselle,” Karina scolded. “They’ll be fine out there.”
“What if a wolf gets to them or some other wild animal? They’re so little and helpless.”
“The chickens and the ducks haven’t had any problems. I’m sure they’ll be just fine. Show them to their new home and then come back inside for supper.”
Mariselle sighed and then gathered up the kittens, who were still exploring the kitchen. She brought them out to the barn and let them out of the basket. As she watched them wander away, Mariselle made a decision.
If her mother wouldn’t allow the kittens in the house, she would sneak out and sleep in the barn with them.
Feeling better, she carried each of them over to where the water trough was and then ran back into their cottage.
“How did they like their new home?” Karina asked as she set a bowl of stew in front of Mariselle.
“They were frightened to death of being out there,” she said with a wide-eyed stare.
Karina bit back a smile. “Oh, they told you that, did they?”
“No, but I could tell from their expressions.”
Shaking her head in amusement, Karina sat down. “You’re going to be a good mother someday, Mariselle. I can tell already.”
She smiled. “I’m a mother already. To my kittens.”
Karina nodded. “Indeed you are.”
They held hands, said Grace, and then ate supper.
3
ANGELIQUE WAITED UNTIL nightfall before returning to Castle Rothhaven, this time as a raven. Revenge had compelled her to return to the place where her dreams had been shattered, and her heart broken, by a man who’d once promised her the world, but instead took hers away. If only she’d known how quickly he would turn on her after Gaylen filled his head with lies, accusing Angelique of performing Black Magic. Instead of giving her the benefit of the doubt, he’d believed the wizard’s accusations, banishing her from the kingdom and everything she cared about.
But now, she was back to make sure that Gaylen would get what was coming to him. As for the man who’d broken her heart, King Edward, she’d vowed long ago to strike back at him, too. She just didn’t know if she’d have the willpower to do it now that she’d actually returned. Part of her still loved him and always would. Of course, even if he fell down to his knees and asked for forgiveness, she wouldn’t give it to him. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. Couldn’t.
Angelique landed on Griffin’s balcony. He was a handsome lad who would, no doubt, be a heartbreaker like his father. The other boys were also attractive, as was the princess with her lily white skin and jet black hair. In fact, Princess Eva looked a lot like her father, although she had her mother’s eyes. Angelique wanted to hate them all, and was admittedly jealous of Queen Lizbeth, but she mostly felt sadness and regret. If things had gone differently, she would have not only been the mother of his children, but the queen of all of Syracuse.
Finding the prince’s chamber empty, she transformed from raven to mouse and went in search of the king. She was curious as to whether Aiden had mentioned seeing her in the courtyard, the night before, and what his reaction had been. Of course, Angelique had made sure to turn into something terrifying to really cause a stir: a black dragon. She had to admit, seeing the shocked look on the boy’s face had been quite amusing.
Angelique wandered through the dimly lit corridors of the castle, preparing herself mentally for what would come very soon - the confrontation between herself and Gaylen. As before, his arrogance would make him believe that he still had the upper hand. This time, however, things would end much differently. Especially now that she had the Wand of Aberdeen. She’d been gifted the magical item by the Goddess of Witchcraft herself, Hecate, after serving her for the last twenty years. It happened after the newly appointed King, her beloved Edward, had banished Angelique from Syracuse. She could still remember that fateful night; Hecate had taken her under her wing after finding her sobbing in the Forest of Ezernon and learning of Gaylen’s treachery.
“It does not surprise me that he’s up to his old tricks,” Hecate had said, a disgusted look on her face. “My question is why does he hate you so much?”
“I don’t think that he wants Edward to marry me.”
“You’re not a noble. The king would never marry you and even Gaylen must realize that.”
Her words had cut Angelique deeply. Of course, Hecate had been just stating the facts. Both she and her mother, Beverly, had been mere peasants, working in the castle. Beverly, a cook, and Angelique, a chambermaid. Still, Edward had once claimed that he’d loved her, before being crowned King of Syracuse, and there hadn’t been any talk of him being betrothed to another. If anything, she’d been invited into his chamber more than ever after taking his rightful place on the throne, after the death of his father.
“Still, Gaylen must feel threatened by you, somehow. You’re very beautiful,” the goddess said, eyeing her curiously. “Did you ever refuse any advances from him?”
“No.”
Gaylen had never even given her the time of day, let alone tried to woo her. And if he had, she would have never let him touch her. The wizard gave her the creeps. Not only was he quite homely with his long, pointy nose, beady black eyes, and oversized chin, but there was an evilness about him that always gave her the chills.
“What of your mother?”
“She died last year. The plague.”
“I’m sorry. You were close?
“Yes.”
Although, they’d drifted apart once her mother learned of Edward and Angelique’s secret relationship. Beverly hadn’t approved of her daughter warming the king’s bed and they’d argued about it frequently. But, he ruled the land and even if she hadn’t wanted to be his lover, Angelique might not have had a choice in the matter.
“I can see that you are truly heartbroken and have been wronged by Gaylen, who I don’t particularly care for. As much as I’d like to help, I cannot as he is a demigod. If you serve me, however, I promise that one day… you will stand before him as a suitable opponent. One who will have the tools to destroy him, if that’s what you want.”
And that’s exactly what Angelique had done. She became Hecate’s attendant, jumping to her every whim dutifully, for the last two decades. During her servitude, she also became her apprentice, learning how to cast spells, create potions, and use enchanted objects. Angelique knew that she would never be as powerful as a goddess, but she was now a formidable adversary to Gaylen. Especially with the wand Hecate had made for her. Although she couldn’t kill Gaylen with it, she could cast some pretty powerful spells that could make life very difficult for him.
After scurrying around the castle, in search of King Edward, Angelique overheard a conversation his sons were having in the north solar room.
“Do you think that Father will be able to find Gaylen?” Prince Mathias asked.
Griffin, who was playing chess with Aiden, shrugged. “I don’t know. From what I overheard, Gaylen has made himself scarce for the last few years.”
“Why?” asked Mathias.
“I don’t know. I’ve only met the wizard a couple of times,” he replied.
“I’ve never met him at all,” Mathias said.
“Nor have I,” said Zackary, who was sitting next to Aiden and looking bored.
“Do you think it really was Angelique?” Mathias asked, scratching his cheek.
“Yes,” said Aiden. “Unless there are other sorceresses stalking our castle.”
“Was she an ugly old hag?” Zackary asked.
Aiden shook his head. “I don’t think she looked any older than Mother. As far as being ugly, I couldn’t see her face; she was too far away.”
“I bet if she is beautiful, it’s because she bathes in the blood of virgins,” Zackary said, with an impish grin.
The other boys laughed.
“Where do you get these things?” Griffin said, shaking his head with a smile.
He shrugged. “I heard someone mention it I guess.”
“What do you think Gaylen will do to Angelique?” Aiden asked, looking up from the chess board.
“If she was banished and has returned, he’ll probably kill her,” Griffin replied.
“Yes and if he doesn’t, Father will probably hang her or chop her head off,” Mathias added.
Anger burned in Angelique’s stomach as the young princes went on about the different ways the king might end her life.
Suddenly, Queen Lizbeth entered the room. “Time to get ready for bed, boys,” she said, walking over to the table.
“Let me beat Aiden first,” Griffin said with a smirk. “It won’t be long.”
“Fine. Finish the game and then it’s off to bed for you two. Zackary and Mathias, let’s go. It’s getting late.”
The younger boys groaned and protested.
“No pouting,” she warned. “Or you’ll turn in even earlier tomorrow.”
Zackary stood up. “Can’t we wait for Father to return?”
“Yeah,” said Mathias. “We want to know what’s going to happen to the witch.”
Lizbeth’s lips tightened. “He won’t be home until late, I’m sure,” she said, wearily, a troubled look on her face. “You can find out in the morning.”
“Did you ever meet her?” Aiden asked.
Looking at him, she shook her head. “Remember, I didn’t grow up in Syracuse. I grew up in Darylsyle.”
Darylsyle was across the Red Sea and ruled by King Stephen the Third. Angelique had learned that he was Lizbeth’s great uncle.
“How did you and Father meet again?” Mathias asked.
“We met at your father’s inauguration. When he was crowned king of Syracuse,” she replied with a wistful look on her face.
“And it was love at first sight?” Mathias asked.
Her cheeks turned rosy. Lizbeth absently touched the large emerald pendant hanging from her neck and smiled. “For me it was.”
“I bet he fell madly in love with you too, Mother,” Zackary said. “You’re the most beautiful woman in all of Syracuse.”
Chuckling, Lizbeth ruffled his hair and then leaned down and kissed his head. “You’re going to make a fine husband someday, my handsome boy.” She looked at her other sons. “You all are.”
“I’m never getting married,” Zackary replied with a disgusted look on his face.
“Sure you are. You’re going to marry Mariselle,” Griffin teased.
“No, I am,” said Mathias, wagging his thumb at his chest. “Plus, she won’t expect me to kiss her. Yuck.”
Griffin laughed. “One day you’re going to feel a lot differently about kissing girls.”
“And what do you know about that?” Queen Lizbeth asked, her eyes twinkling.
Griffin’s face turned serious. “Nothing… much. I just know that if it was so disgusting, you and Father wouldn’t still be doing it.”
Jealousy burned in
Angelique’s stomach at the very idea of Edward kissing Lizbeth. Just thinking about it made her nauseous. Damn Lizbeth for being so beautiful, with her pale blue eyes, light blonde hair, and perfect cheekbones. Unlike Angelique, everything about her screamed aristocrat, from the top of her perfectly coiffed hair to the expensive slippers peeking out of her jeweled plum-colored velvet dress. Not to mention the opulent crown resting on her head and the numerous rings on her fingers. Queen Lizbeth obviously enjoyed the riches her husband lavished upon her, whereas Angelique would have given up all of the gold and jewels in the world for his simply his love alone.
Lizbeth smiled. “That’s because your father is very good at it.”
All of the boys groaned.
Lizbeth chuckled. “If you don’t want to hear any more about our love-life, then I suggest you get ready for bed.
“Fine,” Griffin said, staring down at the board with a victorious smile. “The game is over anyway. Checkmate, little brother.”
Aiden sighed. “I don’t know why I even bother playing this stupid game. You always beat me,” he muttered, pushing away from the table.
“Don’t be a poor-sport,” Lizbeth chided. “Someday you’ll win. You just need to focus and practice more.”
“It’s boring,” Aiden grumbled. “I didn’t even want to play in the first place. That’s really why I lost. If I thought it was worth my time, I would have done much better.”
Lizbeth put her hand on his shoulder. “Son, it is worth your time. Learn as much as you can about the world around you, because you just never know… even something like this might just save your life one day.”
“How could playing chess do that?” he asked scornfully.
“It’s not always about the game itself, but the strategies involved,” she replied and looked at each of the boys “This world is unpredictable. I can almost guarantee that each of you will be backed into corner at least once in your lifetime. Know how to get out of it.”
A maid rushed into the room. “The king is back, Your Majesty. He’s in the Great Hall.”
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