Kiss of the Royal

by Lindsey Duga

  Before I’d gotten close, he grabbed my shoulder. “No enhancement required, but thank you.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  Zach glanced at the sunrise. Dawn was now pouring over the land like spilled honey, slow, sweet, and shiny. In the distance, the Myrial bells began to chime. “I won’t be needing your Kiss, princess.”

  “Don’t be daft.” I leaned forward.

  He leaned backward. “Again, not to offend, but I can beat him without your magic.”

  “You’re really serious, aren’t you?”

  Zach just smiled at me.

  Anger blew up inside me like dwarven liquor tossed in a fire. Such arrogance! Did he truly think he was good enough to stand up to my magic? Without aid?

  Folding my arms, I stepped away. “You could easily die. You’ll be of no use to us then.”

  Zach chuckled. “Your concern is flattering, Your Highness, but I’ll be fine.”

  As I returned to the Council members, a murmur rippled through the crowd.

  “Ivy, what is the meaning of this?” my grandfather called from his chair.

  “He does not wish for a Kiss, Your Majesty,” I answered.

  “He does not—that’s ridiculous!”

  “He would not accept it.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Weldan lift his eyes skyward, as if he’d expected this.

  Amias, still pulsing blue with my magic, watched the Council, waiting their approval. Was this even allowed?

  “We cannot force it on him,” King Helios said, then gestured to the trumpeter. The boy blew his horn, signaling the start of the duel.

  Amias withdrew his sword and held it aloft in front of him. The blue haze of my magic engulfing him swallowed up the blade as well.

  I glanced at Zach. He had drawn his sword but held it casually at his side.

  Surely Amias wouldn’t kill him? No, Master Gelloren would stop him before that happened. But I did know this: there was no way he could win. Our partnership would be over before it had begun.

  Amias started for him, running across the grass, leaving a trail of blue mist. He was fast with my magic, inhumanly so. And strong, too—like a bull charging its enemy.

  Zach didn’t move. Even when Amias was only five feet away, Zach stood still. Seconds before Amias brought his sword down, Zach pivoted in a sharp turn and slammed the pommel of his sword into the back of Amias’s head. Amias went down, his face diving into the ground.

  The crowd gasped and many cried out. I clenched my fists, my lips parting in amazement.

  Any regular person sustaining a blow like that wouldn’t be able to get up, at least not right away, but Amias was protected by my magic. He picked himself up, spitting grass, and turned back to Zach. Even from this distance I could hear the growl rip through his throat like a wild animal. He went for Zach again, the aura around him glowing brighter.

  An upward cut. A dodge from Zach. A sideways turn and slash, then Zach finally let his blade meet Amias’s. The weight had to be intense. With the magical strength Amias possessed, it must’ve been like holding against the weight of a griffin. Shockingly, Zach held strong. Then he slammed his knee up into his opponent’s gut. Amias choked and doubled over. Zach hit the hilt of his sword into Amias’s head, and he again went down.

  Far from defeated, Amias lumbered to his feet, swinging at Zach’s shins. Zach, with one hand on Amias’s shoulder, jumped and flipped over his foe’s back and landed behind, kicking Amias back to the grass. Keeping his boot on Amias’s back and his sword pointed to Amias’s throat, he said, “Yield.”

  Amias let out a roar, and the glowing mist raged into blue flames. He pushed up from the ground, causing Zach to teeter off-balance. Amias slashed outward, and Zach only had time to throw his own sword up in defense. But the strength of my magic was too much—it sent Zach flying backward into the dirt.

  The crowd roared their approval. I tried to hide a smile. You aren’t fighting against normal magic, swordsman, you’re fighting against the great Myriana’s.

  Zach sprang to his feet, squaring his shoulders and bending his knees. Then Amias, using the full extent of my power, was at him again. Zach barely kept up with the strength and speed of the magically enhanced prince. Clashes of metal against metal rang through the arena. The young men fought like beasts with inhuman speed.

  Then Amias made a fatal mistake—it was a stupid one, too. Zach ducked to escape an upward cut, and Amias threw his arms up to deliver a blow, leaving his chest wide open. Zach shot up, grabbed the front of Amias’s armor, and pressed the side of his blade against his opponent’s neck. “Yield!” This time it was a shout. A demand.

  Amias froze then dropped his sword. The arena was deadly silent. Zach kept his blade at Amias’s throat for just a few more moments before lowering it. Then he turned away.

  But Amias was not done. He kicked Zach square in the back, and with the battle magic still enhancing his strength, it sent Zach flying into a lit torch at the edge of the training area. The torch went down and rolled across the grass. Flames spread as Zach heaved himself up.

  Before I could stop myself, I was sprinting down the steps and onto the grounds.

  Zach was running as well, his sword pointed at Amias like a jousting stick.

  The flames climbed up the white bark of the jerr trees.

  Zach met Amias’s sword with the sound of a lightning strike. Amias staggered, and Zach reeled back, then slammed the pommel of his sword into the vulnerable part of Amias’s temple. Amias crumpled, the blue magic that encased him snuffed out like a candle.

  When I finally reached the two of them, breathing hard as the fire swarmed up into the red leaves of the trees, Amias was unconscious.

  Zach glanced over his shoulder at me. “I hate sore losers.”

  I could do nothing but stare at the swordsman.

  He had won.

  Not only had he won against Amias, but he had won against me. He had faced my magic absolutely powerless and won.

  Chapter

  Eight

  At the Wall

  “You…you just…”

  Zach looked at the rising flames. “Oh, no.” He scratched the back of his head. “Bloody idiot ruined the lovely trees.”

  “Not the fire!” He looked back at me in surprise, and I tried to calm myself. “How did you…?”

  Master Gelloren came up beside me, robes billowing. With a flick of his wrist, the fire extinguished and smoke filled the air.

  “Zach, your reputation precedes you,” he said, moving his hands back inside the sleeves of his robe. “That was quite impressive.”

  “Glad you enjoyed the show. I don’t suppose breakfast is ready?” Zach swung his sword onto his shoulder. “That really worked up an appetite.”

  “Of course. I’ll have a page show you the way.”

  “Actually, Master, I don’t mind taking him,” I said, forcing a pleasant smile to my lips.

  “Very well, then,” Gelloren said, fixing me with that questioning look he’d often give me over a hand of cards. No doubt he’d been under the impression that I’d be furious, since Zach had managed to defeat my Kiss so easily, and I certainly was, but seeing Zach’s skill… I’d have to put aside my pride. We needed him.

  Ignoring Gelloren’s look, I gestured for Zach to follow me.

  He paused before I led him away, turning to look back at the trees. “I am sorry about the trees, though.”

  Smoke rose from the burned leaves—once so red and full of life, they were now black and just a breeze away from ash.

  “They’ll grow back. That’s the beauty of trees.”

  Zach looked back at me. “Well said, princess.”

  …

  We made our way up the steps to the castle, passing Royals and gaping servants, through the giant double doors toward the dining hall, following the beautiful, sweet-smelling garlands of gardenia. Zach trailed his fingertips across the creamy white petals, as I had, and said, “That was a beautiful sunrise this morning.”r />
  “I heard the West has the most amazing sunsets. Is it true the kingdom of Saevall looks as if it’s engulfed in the sun’s flames?” I asked.

  Zach shrugged. “Like I said, rumors are always a bit exaggerated, but I guess it does, at just the right time.”

  “Rumors are not always exaggerated.” Though I wasn’t going so far as to say I believed that he’d defeated a troll’s lair by himself without a Kiss, I could believe that he’d been able to survive without a partner until now.

  There was a pause. “Ah, I assume you’re referring to the rumors surrounding me, then?”

  “After a fight like that, you can’t possibly deny your skill.”

  “Oh, I wasn’t going to.”

  At this, I whirled around. He nearly ran into me, my face almost colliding with his collarbone. I took a step back. “I want you as my partner.”

  I hadn’t expected to say it in quite this way, or even so soon, but it had been the reason I’d offered to take him to breakfast—to ask him with my own words, not Gelloren’s or the Council’s. With his raw skills and my power, we could take down the Sable Dragon. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind now. Though I was still angry that he’d defeated my Kiss almost effortlessly, my excitement at the prospect of what we could do surpassed everything else.

  Zach’s eyebrows flew up into his dark brown hair. Then he recovered, smirking slightly. “I thought that had already been decided.”

  “Your fight with Amias was a test orchestrated by the Council—you passed. But besides that, you must consent to the partnership.”

  “That so?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Yes, obviously. Partnering with someone means linking your magic reservoir to theirs. It requires a great commitment and, once made, cannot easily be broken. It’s not something to be taken lightly. We can’t force anyone into it, nor should we.”

  Zach tilted his head, as if considering the idea. “It rather sounds like marriage.”

  I drew back, appalled at his comparison to the archaic Romantica tradition. But his Romantica mother had raised him…maybe he didn’t know better. “It’s nothing like marriage,” I said flatly.

  “Either way, no thanks.” Zach slipped around me and continued walking.

  For a moment, I remained there, frozen in disbelief. Then I spun around and hurried after him. “Excuse me?” I grabbed his arm, stopping him.

  Zach covered my hand with his, right where Kellian’s mark would’ve been. I felt the urge to suddenly rip it away but didn’t.

  Zach’s fingers were callused but still gentle somehow. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m better on my own.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t even considered he might say no.

  He plucked my hand off his arm and started walking again. I darted in front of him, forcing him to a halt once more. “No one is better on their own,” I snapped. “Think of how powerful you could be with my magic—how many more dark creatures you could kill.”

  He looked down at me. “I can kill plenty now, thanks.” He tried again to move around, but I placed my hand on his chest, applying enough pressure to keep him back.

  “What did you even come here for, then?”

  “Contrary to your belief, the world does not revolve around you, princess. I came to Myria to help with the war, not to be your partner. We were already two days away before Gelloren’s bird arrived with the message that he wanted to pair us up. I’d be here even if your partner was still conscious.”

  “Do you really not understand what partnering with me means?” I poked him hard in the chest. “If we were partners, you’d be granted more than just simple battle Kisses. The combination of our magic could unlock complicated, powerful spells. You’d save thousands with my help.”

  Zach sighed. “Please move aside so I can get my breakfast, princess. I’ve already dealt with one hardheaded Myrian today.”

  “Don’t act all high and mighty just because you defeated Amias. You’re arrogant if you think you can survive in the northern lands without the Kiss. We have dark creatures such as you’ve never seen before. It’s you who’s the stubborn one. That will get you killed up here.”

  Zach stared at me as I breathed in and out heavily, my hands curled into fists. Then he moved in close, his hand under my chin, pulling my face near his—I had no time to react. “Seems like you’re awfully eager to kiss me, Ivy. Why don’t we just cut to the chase?”

  Before I could stop myself, I raised my fist. Zach caught it just like he did everything else—effortlessly.

  His hand closed around my fist. “Have to admit, I’m impressed.”

  I glared at him, his fingers pressing into the part where Kellian’s crest had been. It was one thing to deal with Amias’s insinuations, but it was quite another to attempt a powerless kiss on a princess. It was an action of Lust, and it was insulting.

  It was common for princes and princesses to appease their appetites driven by Lust, but I had never partaken in any partnership that wasn’t completely professional.

  I had no patience for anything but training. Let others succumb to the power of Lust. To me, it was a distraction that led to vulnerable emotions. Depending on how greatly it affected a person, it was often just as evil as the monsters we battled.

  Finally he let go of my fist, and I jerked away. He seemed completely unfazed. “Was that truly necessary? Come now, my breath has to be better than Amias’s.”

  He’d been teasing me. He’d had no intention of actually kissing me.

  His demeanor now was cool, confident, even…suave.

  What happened to the awkward, easygoing fellow? The prince who complimented my freckles? How could that same person try to kiss me off the battlefield? Who was this man who could be two people at once—the blundering fool then the smooth and graceful warrior?

  Perhaps it was exactly as he wanted it. People would underestimate him, thus making it easier for him to strike. Like a baby basilisk viper. Small and innocuous, but its venom deadly.

  Or maybe he wanted to drive me away with his teasing. I hated how well it had worked.

  “I think I can find my own way to breakfast,” Zach said.

  He brushed past me, and I let him go, afraid that if I stayed with him any longer I’d want to stab him with his own stupid sword.

  For the better part of the day, I sulked in my room. First, Zachariah had defeated my power in one simple duel. It made my stomach churn with anger and embarrassment. Next, he had turned down my proposal of partnership. Finally, he had teased me with suggesting a kiss off the battlefield and implied I was the one who wanted it.

  Perhaps that was the most insulting thing of all.

  I threw my pillow against the tapestry, sending ripples through the fabric, then flung myself back on the bed and winced. My hair was still in a bun, and it hurt my neck. Irritated, I tugged my curls out of their nest and let them fall around my shoulders.

  Amias had once surrendered to Lust and kissed me on the edge of the castle grounds, at night with the torches lit around us. I could still remember the smell of his wine-soaked breath. He had tilted my head back and seized my mouth roughly with his lips—so similar to his battle Kisses, I almost couldn’t tell the difference. But there was a difference. A slight hum in his throat, a change in his breathing, a change in mine. The magic that usually rose in my chest after meeting another Royal’s lips lay dormant. But another feeling traveled down my spine, into my limbs, my hips and legs, locking me in place.

  Then he had opened his mouth and demanded more.

  Greedy. He was always so greedy. I couldn’t stand the feel of his tongue on mine. I hated the emptiness I felt inside, the absence of magic within that sort of kiss.

  I had pushed him away. Told him that if he ever tried that again, I’d stab an arrow into his eye.

  I’d almost punched Zach, and he hadn’t even kissed me—only entertained the thought.

  There were many things the Legion did that I wished I could change. For one, I wishe
d princesses were treated less like arsenals and more like the soldiers we were trained to be. And another, I wished we had more say in when we’d be shipped off to Freida to produce heirs. But I could make my peace with both those things because it was for the good of the Legion, the kingdoms, and the people.

  But I refused to be used as a plaything to satisfy a prince’s Lust.

  Clenching my fists, I got up from my bed and headed for the door. Now was as good a time as any to research the Sable Dragon. With Zach or without, I was going after that egg.

  …

  Myria’s library smelled of wood and leather. Even though every book was ancient, the librarians would recopy the fifty oldest books into new leather-bound books each year. The texts themselves might have been old, but the cavernous room never smelled that way.

  “North back wall, behind the colonnade,” I muttered to myself as I walked through the stacks. I was fairly certain that was the section I was looking for. The library was vast, and I spent most of my free time on the training grounds. I didn’t have the patience for studying the ancient texts more than necessary.

  Thinking I’d found the correct book, I leafed through the pages. It wasn’t until I noticed a large diagramed picture of the three enchantments surrounding a curse on an amulet that I realized I was in the wrong section.

  “Cursed amulets. Useless.” I tucked the book back in its spot and tried the next stack. Finally I remembered that the section on dark creatures was to the left of the colonnade, and I was able to find the book in moments.

  As I slid the book from the shelf, I found Zach’s face staring at me from the other side.

  I gave a yelp and dropped the heavy book, the spine hitting my foot. I let out a string of curses under my breath.

  “You curse like a bartender at a sleazy tavern,” Zach said, struggling not to laugh.

  “That was your fault. Who hides behind a bookshelf? What are you, a child?”

  Zach just grinned, hands in his pockets.