Royal & Ruin (Gifts of the Gods Book 1)

by Josie Gold

  “Has he—”

  “He hasn’t come near me,” Fennion’s eyes locked onto mine, “I never thanked you for that.”

  “It was my pleasure,” I said sincerely. This time, his smile was warmer.

  “You’re an excellent dancer,” Fennion remarked. Our chests were so close. His hand was hot on my waist.

  “Don’t sound so surprised,” I replied coyly.

  He laughed and dipped me. Fennion’s jacket was silvery and scaled. His cape was shaped like a pair of wings, the material as thin and glinting as spider-silk. His mask was also silvery, along with the gilt across his cheeks and on his lips. He was a dragon, I realized.

  “I must tell you,” his lips were inches from my neck, “how gorgeous you look.”

  “You’re just complimenting your good taste,” I laughed, voice strained.

  Fennion smirked, then twirled me. Once my vision straightened, I saw Kylarn standing behind Fennion. Kylarn bowed to him, but his scorching eyes were on me.

  “May I cut in?”

  FENNION

  I graciously stepped aside and let Kylarn twirl Harken away. Something prickly and poisonous spread in my stomach as I watched them dance. They looked handsome together. Harken, with her thorny beauty, and Kylarn with his golden allure. Harken’s expression was bored and aloof but Kylarn looked utterly charmed by her.

  I got myself a drink and drank it back in one long gulp.

  “Looks like your little guardian has moved on,” a voice on my right said. I prided myself for not flinching.

  Highlar reached around me to grab a drink. I smiled amiably at him. He was dressed in black velvet and wore a mask that resembled a bloodied skull. Death himself.

  “No longer pretending I don’t exist?”

  “Oh you exist,” Highlar said dismissively, “pity.”

  He turned to leave and I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing his arm. He whirled on me, expression murderous.

  “Why do you hate me?” I tried to sound strong, but it came out pleading. He looked me up and down derisively. He yanked his arm out of my grip.

  “I don’t explain myself to worthless worms.”

  And then he was swallowed by the menagerie of costumes. I took a deep breath and scanned the crowd, searching for Harken. I found her being led out of the ballroom by Kylarn. She looked over her shoulder and met my eyes.

  Game on.

  I followed stealthily behind them as they walked arm in arm. Kylarn’s head was tilted close to hers, whispering in Harken’s ear. Harken laughed low at whatever he said. Thorns crept from my stomach up my throat.

  Harken, that little minx, had clearly convinced him to take her to his forge. He would tell her all about his marvelous creations and when the opportunity was right, we would sneak in and steal one.

  Kylarn and Harken stopped outside an iron door. I could feel the heat of the forge several paces away. He opened the door, letting Harken walk in first. Then he paused and looked over his shoulder. Although there was no way he could have seen me from my hiding spot in the shadows, I could feel his dark honeyed eyes on me.

  “Oh little Prince,” Kylarn purred, “come out.”

  Shock shuddered through me. Harken appeared at the door again.

  “Fennion,” she said, “he knows.”

  Kylarn’s workshop was humid and smoky from the hot forge and cluttered with half-finished projects and tools. Kylarn sat on a copper chair, legs spread wide and eyes glinting.

  Harken wandered the room curiously while I faced Kylarn.

  “You told him?” I accused Harken. She glared at my tone.

  “He had already figured it out,” Harken countered. I looked at Kylarn, who shrugged.

  “I heard from a friend of Highlar’s that you were solving the Library murders,” Kylarn explained, then looked at Harken, “and I recognized that lovely thing from the Library.”

  “And you just put two and two together?” I scoffed.

  “I’m very smart,” Kylarn fiddled with his jacket as if bored, “so you thought you would steal from me, eh?”

  Guilt made my cheeks glow red. Kylarn grinned at me hungrily.

  “No matter,” he stood, stretching leisurely, “I’ll help you.”

  I blinked hard.

  “I think you broke him,” Harken said wryly, admiring a necklace.

  “Help us?” I echoed. Kylarn’s expression became fierce.

  “I love the Library. I want it to be protected.”

  Could the Library really mean something to this man? He must have seen the disbelief on my face because Kylarn chuckled.

  “A man cannot survive on pleasure alone. Knowledge is important too, Prince.”

  Then he paused, and something like pain spasmed across his face.

  “And, I want to avenge Telsey,” he said, his eyes far away. As if lost in a memory.

  Kylarn knew Telsey. From the look on his face, he more than knew her. He mourned her deeply.

  “He has something the swamplings will want,” Harken joined us, standing beside me. She briefly touched my shoulder and when I looked at her, she gave me a nod.

  I trusted her. And she believed Kylarn. So I would too.

  HARKEN

  Kylarn the Smith gave us a jewelry box. It was a simple-looking, black wooden box with a few jewels on the top.

  “It can capture emotions,” Kylarn explained, “if you want to store some joy for another day, you can put it in this box.”

  “Can it store any emotion? Even misery?” I asked, holding the box gingerly.

  “Any emotion,” Kylarn assured us. Fennion looked at the box with some trepidation.

  “What do you want for it?” he asked. I wondered if Kylarn would ask for even more money than I did. But Kylarn waved a hand casually.

  “No sum. Just save the Library,” his eyes gleamed. A wave of shame came over me. Kylarn would give away a priceless artifact to help the Library and I needed to be paid off.

  “Thank you,” Fennion said sincerely, “I won’t forget this.”

  “Not to worry,” Kylarn’s smile was all teeth, “I won’t let you.”

  Fennion brought the jewelry box to his room and although he asked me to come, the idea of seeing Fennion’s room made me shivery. So I said I wanted to return to the ball when all I wanted was to go to bed.

  I was oddly relieved when Kylarn called me out while dancing. Keeping up the charade of the coy seductress made my stomach feel slippery. I thanked the Old Gods that beneath the suggestive smiles Kylarn was a good man.

  He did, of course, invite me to his bed. I politely declined, but Kylarn wasn’t insulted. Instead, he glanced over at Fennion, then back at me with a meaningful look.

  Now, I was sucking back sparkling wine and waiting for Fennion to come back and dance with me. I spotted my parents speaking with Ivelle across the room. When they looked over at me, I turned away pointedly.

  Finally, Fennion entered the ballroom. He made his way toward me with an exhilarated smile on his face.

  “We did it,” he laughed. He grabbed me around the waist. He lifted me in the air. I swatted at him, swallowing my laughter. He put me down, but kept me close.

  “We’re going to save them,” he whispered. I nodded and my eyes flicked to his silvery lips. I leaned forward, ignoring the part of me that knew I would regret it—

  Suddenly, the music screeched to a stop and the doors banged open. Several guards and War Makers marched in, a prisoner was in chains behind them. Highlar immediately strode toward them, pushing people out of the way.

  “We found this Vestian scum scuttling along the shore,” one of the War Makers said. Highlar’s grin promised violence.

  Fennion and I made eye contact.

  The book said that Vestians knew about Destruction’s Gloves.

  FENNION

  Long after the ball was over, Harken, Kylarn, and I snuck through the dark, dripping dungeons. Kylarn readily volunteered to help us get to the Vestian prisoner, endowing us with wo
ndrous magical trinkets to help us along the way. He gave us pendants to make us invisible and a helmet that would make the wearer sleep deeply.

  Kylarn snuck up behind the guard on duty outside the prisoner's cell and carefully placed the helmet on his head. Instantly, the guard was fast asleep. Kylarn caught him before he could fall on his face.

  “Quickly,” Kylarn hissed, “ask your questions before the guards change over.”

  Harken and I approached the cell, holding a mage-light to the bars. The Vestian sat in the corner, making himself as small as possible. He bared his teeth at us. He was… normal looking. He had pale golden skin and startling blue eyes. But he didn’t look like an aggressive savage.

  “What do you know about Nergal’s Gloves?” I asked, getting right to business. The Vestians crystal eyes widened and he started spitting at us in a language I couldn’t understand.

  “Have you been killing the Librarians to get it?” Harken raised her voice. The Vestian’s face was contorted with rage.

  “Killing you?” he seethed, his accent melodious and smooth, “Kartheya is a land of pillagers and thieves.”

  He spat at us, the glob of bloody spit landed near Harken’s feet. I saw red and was prepared to open the door and show him what Kartheyans were capable of. But a soft hand touched my arm.

  “He won’t talk to us,” Harken said gently. I took out one of my daggers, but Harken pushed my hand down.

  “You’re not your brother,” she looked deeply into my eyes, her gaze understanding but pleading.

  I looked back at the Vestian. He watched us warily. I realized his anger was pure bravado. He was frightened. A stab of pity hit my heart. I didn’t let myself look over my shoulder as we left the dungeons. Behind me, I could hear him muttering in his language.

  10

  FENNION

  I was nearly finished strapping my bag to Fluffy’s back when I felt Harken come up behind me.

  “He’s beautiful,” she breathed, reaching out a hand toward Fluffy. Before I could warn her that Fluffy was ornery and prone to biting, Fluffy pressed his snout against her hand.

  And purred.

  The damned beast is never this sweet for me!

  “What’s his name?” Harken asked. My jealousy faded at the small, enchanting smile on her face as she stroked Fluffy’s neck.

  “Fluffy.”

  Harken’s eyes veered to mine, surprised and then disdainful.

  “He’s covered in scales,” she sounded utterly unimpressed. Fluffy snorted in agreement. I just laughed and took her bag from her.

  “Everything sorted at the Library?” I asked. Harken pulled up the sleeve of her thick, fur-lined teal coat. The circular tattoo on her forearm was gone.

  “Torra removed it so I could come with you,” she said. Unspoken questions swirled around us. Would she ever take the oath again? Would she leave the Library for good once we got the Gloves?

  I finished packing up our bags in silence. We only packed essentials such as warm clothes, a tent, sleeping rolls, and cooking tools. And the jewelry box. I turned and put out my hand to Harken.

  “Ready to save the world?”

  “We’re hardly saving the world,” she replied archly, but she reached out her hand for mine.

  And that’s exactly when Kylarn decided to come sprinting into the stable, sweaty and breathless.

  “Wait!” he cried, then stopped to marvel at Fluffy.

  He tried to touch Fluffy, but my dragon veered back, baring his teeth. Kylarn jumped back, more insulted than frightened. Harken pat Fluffy’s side reassuringly and the dumb beast preened for her.

  “I couldn’t let you go without gifts,” Kylarn said, pulling a sword from behind his back.

  It was simple but elegant, with a white opal pommel. He handed the sword to me. I took it and discovered that while it weighed very little, it felt perfectly balanced in my hands. I took a few practice swipes.

  “What does it do?” I wondered.

  “It gives the bearer courage,” Kylarn said proudly. I stopped swinging the sword to glower at Kylarn.

  “Are you implying something?” I accused. Kylarn chuckled.

  “I’ll let you name it. Make it worthy of my craftsmanship.”

  Kylarn then pulled out a topaz choker and gave it to Harken. I realized it was the same necklace she had admired when we were in Kylarn’s forge.

  “What does it do?” she asked as she put it on.

  “It brings out your eyes,” Kylarn purred, taking Harken’s hand and kissing it. Harken let him, smiling demurely.

  “That’s it?” I scoffed, attaching my new sword to Fluffy.

  “Unlike you, she doesn’t need weapons. She’s formidable all on her own,” Kylarn said without a hint of mockery. Harken looked startled by the compliment, but inclined her head in thanks at Kylarn.

  “But,” Kylarn added cryptically, “the necklace will know when it’s needed.”

  I rolled my eyes as Harken twisted the necklace in her fingers thoughtfully.

  Kylarn stayed while I helped Harken mount Fluffy. Then I swung up behind her. Already, I could smell the scent of her hair, and feel her warmth seeping into me. She sat straight, trying not to lean back on me.

  Kylarn grinned knowingly at us before sobering. He put a hand over his heart and bowed his head.

  “I vow to protect the Library while you are gone.”

  After we thanked him, I steered Fluffy out of the stables. Fluffy’s wings boomed as he launched us into the sky.

  It would take us approximately three days to reach the Sinking Swamps. We would fly over the Forest of Fell and the mountains during the day and then camp in the forest at night.

  During the first hours of our flight, Harken remained stiff in the saddle. She looked around in wonder and laughed whenever Fluffy dove or spun to show off. But she refused to lean against me. But, as the day wore on, she slowly began to lean back. I was hyper-aware of her. Her head was under my chin, her back against my chest. She was practically in my lap, a soft, distracting weight against me.

  I concentrated on the howl of the wind, the changing leaves of the forest, and not the simmering heat inside me.

  Harken remained composed, of course.

  At first, we spoke little. I pointed out animals and landmarks now and again and she hummed in interest. But the silence was strained between us.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Harken said. I dipped my head closer to hers to hear her better.

  “But I wasn’t sure it was appropriate…” her voice trailed off.

  “You can ask me anything,” I assured her. She hesitated.

  “Did your mother know?”

  What she didn’t need to say was: about Highlar.

  A lump formed in my throat.

  “I’m not sure,” I said.

  Up ahead was the Mountain of Sighs. We would need to go above it. Fluffy started arching his body up. I put Harken’s hood up as the air became colder.

  “Sometimes,” I continued, “I would catch her looking at me. Like she knew. But if she did, she never let on.”

  “And you never told her?” she asked, turning her face a bit to peer at me. I shook my head.

  “Cheyla does a good job at pretending that being Queen is easy. But I’ve seen her droop under the weight of the crown. I didn’t want to be another burden.”

  Harken’s brow furrowed and her lips pressed into a hard line.

  “So you played the merry fool to make it easier on everyone else?”

  “What other use did I have?” I countered bitterly. “They would not let me become involved with politics or royal business.”

  “Why?” Harken demanded.

  “Every time I tried to step out of my role as the charming youngest prince, my mother would gently push me away. Karsea never let me help her with dignitary duties, and Highlar never let me near any real war strategies.”

  “But why?”

  “I don’t know, Harken!” I exclaimed, suddenly
frustrated, “I just stood out of their way. That’s how I could serve my country.”

  “Why did your siblings get a path, but you didn’t? Your family made your existence utterly redundant!”

  I fell silent. All my life I’ve felt like an afterthought. Like my mother never knew what to do with me. Karsea was the same. Loving, but distant. And Highlar. Well, we all knew how he felt about me.

  “The Queen is a mother too,” Harken said, “and protecting and nurturing her child shouldn’t be a burden.”

  Defensiveness rose up inside me.

  “Because you’re an expert on having a good mother?”

  I regretted the words the moment they slipped out of my mouth. Harken recoiled. She turned away to face the blue stones of the mountain.

  “Harken—”

  “No, you’re right,” Harken said stiffly, “besides, how can I judge anyone? I was just as awful to you.”

  She said the words like they didn’t bother her, but I could see her lip was quivering.

  “Harken—”

  “I don’t want to talk anymore.”

  We fell back into the tight silence as we flew above the white-capped mountain.

  HARKEN

  I shouldn’t have brought it up.

  The thought looped in my head over and over for the rest of the day. I barely registered the beauty of the forest, or how the way the wind whirling through me felt so natural.

  Fennion gently gripped my thighs with his own to keep me balanced on the saddle. His chest rose and fell at my back. I tried not to lean on him, but his weight behind me was solid and warm and so tempting.

  The sun started to set, burnishing the world gold.

  “We should land soon,” Fennion said. I nodded, holding onto the saddle as Fluffy began to descend.

  We landed in a gully covered in soft grass and little yellow flowers. Nearby there was a stream where Fluffy drank deeply. I set up the tent while Fennion gathered firewood. We didn’t speak. By the time night fell, our tent was up and Fennion was roasting a rabbit that Fluffy had caught for us.