Kingdom of Refuge (Gemstone Royals Book 1)

by Kelly A. Purcell

  All day the prince had kept her occupied with a fanciful dressmaker. Apparently, she was to be his guest of honour at the Festival tomorrow. She had grown to learn that the prince was always plotting, and she did not doubt that having her as his guest was all a part of a larger plot. Having come face to face with the prince’s coldness, she was beginning to believe that he may have just had a hand in his brother’s disappearance. She hardly paid attention to political discussions, but it did not take a scholar to know that providing the slightest hope of an alliance with her father’s kingdom would earn him the loyalty and throne he desired. It was why she worried so much for Serin, she did not trust the prince and now that he knew of her relationship with Serin, she knew he was not safe. So here she was disregarding propriety and risking her reputation, just to be sure that Serin was okay.

  She knocked lightly on the wooden door then pressed her ear to it. Deadening silence greeted her. She took a deep breath and tried the doorknob, and to her surprise, the heavy door opened. She tossed a cautious glance across her shoulder and slipped in, easing the door shut behind her.

  "Feisty and inquisitive," came the cunning croon she had grown to dislike.

  Ruby gasped, feeling her entire body tense with panic, she had been made and by the last person she wanted to see. She turned to face the prince. He sat on a wooden chair across the room, a black cat was lying contently on his lap, looking directly at her like they were old acquaintances, with devious blue-grey eyes.

  "I can explain," she started.

  He lifted his heavily ringed hand, "you hardly seem like the kind to seek after a late-night rendezvous with a lover, but you need not explain anything to me. People come to Dravia for many different reasons, as long as I offer those freedoms, that is fine by me."

  He rose from his seat, causing the cat to jump from his lap onto the window sill, from there it peered at Ruby with eyes so much like its master.

  "I... assure you..." Ruby stuttered, "I was only worried about Serin."

  The prince chuckled, "worried? what in the world do you think happened to him?"

  Ruby held his piercing gaze, "I do not know, I do not know exactly what you are capable of, but I have seen enough to know that it is nothing I am used to nor like."

  The prince cackled, the loud open-mouthed guffaw didn't suit his youthful face. But a lot of things did not, much like the creature she had seen wandering the halls close to the prince’s chamber. Even thinking about it now gave her chills, it was the most grotesque looking version of a human she had ever laid eyes on. But it had glided right by, as if ignorant of her presence. It led her to believe that perhaps her father was not delusional after all; darkness was real and it was very much alive in Dravia.

  "Having a guest from Aldor in my palace is proving to be quite a nuisance after all," the prince was saying, "you have not been here a good week and you are already passing judgment on the way I run my kingdom; so Aldorian of you, you people always think you are better than everyone else."

  He drew uncomfortably close to her, his blue eyes like steel, "tell me princess have you reconsidered my offer, or are your loyalties still with the just and powerful king of Aldor," he spat.

  Ruby took a step back, "I have never laid down my loyalties, especially if it means exchanging them for the kind of evil that you are. Now I understand why my father would never join forces with the likes of you," she hissed.

  The prince's eyes grew wide as his pale face flooded crimson, "your father?" he snapped, grinding his teeth. She could see him reigning in his anger.

  "You have been poking your head where it does not belong Ruby of Aldor," he sneered, "of all the things you are, smart is not one of them. You do not disrespect the one who has the power to end your very existence," he hissed.

  "You have no such power!" she snapped, “and I would know this, because I serve the only God who does.”

  The prince’s eyes grew dark with a dangerous fury, “you will not speak that name here,” he waved his hand and Ruby felt her lips grow numb.

  With wide eyes she tried to speak, but her lips felt as if they were glued together. With wide panicked eyes she pleaded to the prince, muffled groans of protest emanating from her sealed lips, frustrated fearful tears started to form her eyes. The prince watched her with satisfaction as he chuckled maniacally. He walked to the door and yanked it open.

  "You have no idea who I am, yet you test me," he said, "you are surprised at the power I wield are you not? I suspect you have never seen it before, not even from your precious God. But I assure you, you are yet to see the extent of my power.”

  He turned to the open door, “Lock her up," he commanded, with cold satisfaction in his eyes.

  “Pick one of our more presentable cells. Maybe that will give her some perspective.”

  Ruby glared at him, but then her gaze shifted to the soldier now standing in the doorway. It was Serin, and for a moment hope rose up within her, but as her eyes took in his attire, her countenance fell, and a feeling of impending doom rested upon her.

  Serin was clad in the dark uniform of a Dravian officer, he lifted apologetic eyes to her before he took a step forward. In this moment even if she could speak, she could find no words, but could only stare at his handsome face, the crest on his arm signifying not only betrayal of her love but a betrayal of her kingdom.

  "I am sorry Ruby, but there is no place for me in Aldor and it seems like there is no place for us here."

  As he closed the distance between them, Ruby did not miss the flash of pleasure in the cruel prince's eyes as the man she loved latched shackles onto her wrists. The prince waved his hand once more and she felt her lips relax.

  “You are evil!” she cried.

  “Quiet or I’ll shut you up indefinitely.”

  Despite her rage, Ruby withdrew.

  “You will spend the night in the dungeon’s, you will find them quite different to the accommodations you are used to… princess.”

  CHAPTER 19

  T

  he king tossed and turned in his sleep, he could no longer feel the warm sun on his face, instead a strange presence seemed to be hovering over him. He groaned, frowning at the dark images flashing before his eyes, the taunting whispers in his ear, the crawling sensation upon his skin.

  “She’s alone, she’s afraid, you failed…” a cruel voice chanted, amidst the sound of his daughter’s sobs.

  The king roared, summoning all of his will to push past the dark fog, trying to keep him subdued in fitful slumber. He shot upright from his day bed, and as he opened his eyes beheld a flock of Black Awks fluttering around him. His eyes widened as the realization struck him, it was not a dream born out of the sorrow of a mourning father, but an attack from a dark fiend.

  He waved his hand above him, “Disperse!” he commanded, “return to the darkness from whence you came!”

  The Black Awks’ cawing grew more agonizing but they continued to assault him, “In El’s name,” he shouted authoritatively, “by El’s light, die!”

  With a screeching roar the dark cloud of Black Awks drew back and fell around him, surrounding the day bed upon which he lay. He swung his feet to the floor and stood upright, Ruby's cries still echoing in his head as he looked down at the lifeless bodies of the creatures surrounding him.

  “Your Majesty!” He turned toward the worried voice of his chamberlain, just as the man’s eyes grew wide at the sight before him.

  “Go quickly to the temple. Tell the Chief priest he must come here immediately.”

  “Yes… yes your majesty” the man stuttered, his eyes still glued to the carcasses around his king.

  “Go!”

  When the chief priest arrived, the king was standing next to his day bed, at the top the roof where he often took his rest, surrounded by the dead Black Awks and looking livid.

  “Impossible,” he said, eyes wide with disbelief.

  The king turned to him with a grim expression, “Black Awks are nothing new to me,” he s
tarted, “I have encountered them many times as a young soldier in the dark forests of Saharia, but what I do not understand, is how they were able to find me here within the walls of Aldor.”

  The chief priest frowned, the deep furrows between his brows growing even deeper, “we have a breach,” he said, matter-of-factly.

  “But how?” the king asked.

  “It may be that the prince now wields a powerful dark magic. I have only seen a magic powerful enough to penetrate the defenses of Aldor…”

  “Since the queen, my father's half-sister,” the king finished, remembering his personal encounters with the dark sorceress in his youth; a bitter taste was suddenly upon his tongue.

  “He is getting stronger, possibly on par with his mother,” the priest said grimly.

  Just then Jasper came running, Geoff not far on his heels. His eyes were frantic.

  “Father are you alright?” he asked as he approached him, reaching out to grab hold of his shoulders, “I heard you were attacked.”

  The king grabbed hold of his arms reassuringly, “nothing El could not handle my son.”

  "What is going on?" he asked, his dark brows drawn together. They were all on edge since Ruby's disappearance, waiting for the slightest sliver of good news or bad.

  "Your sister is in trouble,” the king replied.

  Jasper nodded, "yes and that is why we sent men to get her," he replied, frowning at his father's gloomy expression.

  "No, she is in real trouble now."

  Jasper looked down at his feet, for the first time noticing the strange creatures.

  “Dark magic,” he said.

  The king nodded, “they wanted to send us a message, Ruby is in trouble I can feel it. If she isn’t yet, she will soon be in way over her head.”

  “But it is a trap,” the priest added, “the prince is powerful. Not only is he showing off his power to the king, but he is also calling him out.”

  Jasper released his father and stepped back to look at the birds.

  “I will go,” Jasper said, “I have to. We have to get her out of there and warn the others. They do not know what they are up against. They are young, spent all their lives within the safety of these walls. They know nothing of this dark magic.”

  The king sighed, “at this point I cannot ask you to do otherwise, all I can ask is you be careful. You know what can happen…”

  “I know the consequences of being found there,” Jasper interrupted.

  “Then you know what is at stake.”

  “Yes, I do. Other than my sister’s life, everything we have fought to build. When our ancestors were led into this land, it was a place of war and strive, hate and darkness. It was a land of kingdoms constantly waging war against each other. El had a purpose for us, a purpose that under your reign we have only now began to see the fruits of. I believe in that purpose father, I am the one who goes into these places and make these treaties and alliances happen. For the first time in centuries there has been peace in Saharia. The darkness is receding but men like Haddin will never stand to see it happen. A lot is at stake father, I know it,” Jasper said, his grey eyes bright with the passion welling up in his heart, “but I will not leave my sister in the hands of that demon.”

  The king sighed, “I will not ask you to,” he said as he looked at the chief priest, “there is a lot at stake here than you can even imagine.”

  Jasper relaxed, “I’ll ready a small band and we will leave before the end of day.”

  The king nodded, “go into my chambers, there is a stone box on my mantle, it has Ruby’s ring. She may need it. If the prince is anything like his mother, he has more in his sights than upsetting our political agenda.”

  The prince nodded and turned to leave, his friend following him, “I’m going with him,” he said.

  “Geoff!” his father called, but both of their sons were already descending the steps from the roof.

  The king turned to his wide-eyed chamberlain, “Go to Captain Mathis tell him to send to me his fastest runner, we need to get a message to Deswald and the others.”

  Once the chamberlain was gone, both men exchanged glances.

  “Do you think they know who she is?” the king asked.

  “If they do not, they will if we do not get her in time. And if they do, it will be the end of her kind and the beginning of the damnation of Saharia.”

  “We will need to be prepared then,” the king said, “I will ready the troops for an offensive attack in case Jasper fails. In the meantime, can you get someone clean up this filth and find out how they got in here. I will be at the temple making a head start on asking El’s guidance.”

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Jasper found his father kneeling before the altar of intercession. A strong aroma of spices and herbs filled the room along with his father’s agonized mumbling.

  “Father,” Jasper said tentatively, he had never interrupted anyone in the midst of prayer, especially his father, but this was urgent.

  His father lifted his head, “I thought you would be gone by now,” came the grave baritone.

  “Yes, we are ready but… there is a problem that I know you will want to know about.”

  The king stood up and turned to his son, directing tired, reddened eyes at him.

  “The ring?”

  Jasper shook his head, “it is gone,” he replied, his father’s insight never ceased to amaze him.

  The king nodded slowly, “things are worse than we thought. My eyes were so trained on Ruby, on alliances and treaties that I missed traitors walking the very halls of our castle.”

  “Father…”

  The king lifted a hand, “there was a time I thought I knew better than my father and I was right,” he said as he walked across the room to a stained window that provided the well-lit prayer room with a colourful hint, similar to the hues that bounced off the castle and streets of Aldor when the sun hit it just right, a constant reminder of his Nerubian friends. Aldor had always been known for its beautiful stones, that some said had magical qualities, but their way was to never emphasize the power of anything else but El’s. The stones were mined by the Nerubians, they were the only ones with the eyes for it and chose to share that with Aldor in exchange for their protection. And Aldor failed them, and for as long as he lived he would carry that burden.

  “I thought I could do better as king, I thought my father was too hard, I believed people could be trusted, people could be saved and that El’s gift of freedom and salvation was free for all who would have it. And I was right,” he shrugged, “but I was weak, and a man is only as strong as his greatest weakness.”

  “Father what are you talking about?” Jasper asked, feeling a sense of impatience at his father’s pointless rambling.

  “You love your sister Jasper and you love your people and that will make you a wonderful king one day, but whatever you do,” he stepped toward him and took both his hands, “promise me that you will keep your heart and your hands pure…”

  “Always father.” The king nodded, “promise me that you will never shed innocent blood, that you will guard your eyes from lust and your heart from pride. This is important. Dravia has a way of corrupting the best of us, even if for a time.”

  Jasper nodded, even as he frowned at his father’s odd behaviour, “I will be careful father and I will get Ruby home safely, with or without that ring,” he lifted his right hand, “I have my own,” he said.

  The king nodded and tapped his son’s cheek affectionately, “El’s favour be upon you my boy.”

  The prince nodded and turned on his heels, the echo of his boots on the marble floors filling the solemn silence. As he opened the door to leave, he took another look at his father and wondered what were the secrets that weighed so heavy upon him.

  CHAPTER 20

  Ruby was staring up at the ceiling listening to the rhythmic chant of the crowd outside. She was thankful for it, for she was afraid that if she was left in this darkness with only the sound of squeaking r
ats and her own breathing she would be mad before sunrise. She heard shuffling feet and then a light lit up the dark hallway. She quickly sat up, straightened her back and jutted out her stubborn chin. When the figure appeared before the gated door of her cell, she turned slowly, partly expecting to see the cruel prince, but instead it was Serin.

  She released a ragged breath and clenched her fists, resisting the urge to run to him and demand an explanation and demand his embrace. She so wanted to hear him say he was forced, that his life was threatened, but she knew it was nothing of the sort and she didn't want to set herself up for further disappointment.

  "Ruby," he said softly, the sympathy in his voice gnawed against her calm façade.

  She turned cold eyes on him but said nothing. Chances were that he could only see her rigid figure from where he stood with his dim lantern.

  "I am sorry," he started, "but I did not have a choice."

  She got up and went to him, "you always have a choice," she said through gritted teeth.

  "Maybe in Aldor but..."

  "Oh stop it!" She interrupted, "do not bring my kingdom into this. It is always about my father forcing your hand, my father being a hard man," she drew herself close to the bars, so he could see the fire in her eyes, "but I have met a cruel dictator and you are now working for him. You are nothing but an opportunist, a traitor!"

  Serin lowered his gaze, "you are right," he said, "and there is no coming back from that, not for me. But you can get out of here."

  Ruby's glare softened, was it so easy for him to let her go?

  "How Serin? Have you not noticed that I am locked up in a dungeon, in a city I have never really seen?"

  "I know, but the prince has agreed to let you go if you can provide him with a certain item."