Ruined

by Rebecca Grey

  “You’re so...happy,” I stuttered, unsure of what to do with myself.

  Hattie sobered. “I was lucky. Blessed by the Mother. I’ve been with Windre all this time here in the Acture Court.”

  “And they didn’t break you?” Joining her at my bed, my bed, I thumbed the blanket not wanting to make eye contact.

  “No, it’s all an act. Windre is training an army of nymphs to help us gain back our freedom. He is gentle and kind.”

  The mattress dipped underneath me, blankets wrinkling, as I crawled onto the bed with her and laid back on the pillows pulling my arms behind my head. I stared heavily up at the ceiling.

  “Well...where do we start?” I asked.

  She turned onto her side, her hand propped up against her head. “At the beginning?”

  I nodded, chewing at my thumbnail that had grown out far longer than I’ve ever allowed my nails to. “They dropped me at the steps of the Heathern Court castle, with the other nymphs they were assigning to that court after days of keeping us crammed in wagons with little food or even a place to use the bathroom. They assigned us jobs. Mine was stables in the morning and kitchens by night. We slept in a room we shared with twenty other nymphs. It was miserable. They hardly fed us. They didn’t bathe us. Then one day, I heard a boy bickering with a guard about shoveling shit in the stables,” I smile only briefly. “Daethian and I became fast friends. He made the misery of it a little better.”

  “Oh, that doesn’t sound easy.” Her eyes searched my face for something. Maybe it was the person I was before the Day of Ruin. If only she knew how much I was keeping from her. My one protection for my sister was to spare her the details of the times we had been whipped or how I knew I had a strong jaw from every punch I had taken for the most miniscule of crimes.

  “Your turn.”

  “Alright,” Hattie cleared her throat. “I was lucky to have been given to the Acture Court when it all began. I was scared at first but Windre dropped his act when the other courts left. He brought us all here. This isn’t where he resides, of course, but he does come often enough. His formal home is across the land. He hides this place with a bit of his power to keep us safe.” Jealousy rose up in me like bitter vomit. Why hadn’t my life been just as easy?

  Hattie continued, “Also, you will just die when you hear this. He didn’t tell us immediately, but I could sense it somehow... I just knew. He is a hybrid. Half fae, half nymph. Isn’t that crazy?”

  My eyes widened in surprise as I sat up. “What? How?”

  “Well, the queen couldn’t conceive and his father had an affair with a nymph that was just traveling through his land. He said that his father fell in love with her but in the formalities of being noble fae and all, he was bound to the queen. The queen was ashamed and didn’t want it to become public knowledge so she took in Windre as her own after he was born. Faking the entire pregnancy! They allowed his real mother to remain on the land as a nurse to help take care of him.”

  “That’s...wow,” I said in awe, laying my head back down against the pillows.

  “A little over two years ago Windre and I hatched a plan, to disguise himself as a breaker of our people to go into each court to take out any rebellion and break them. Returning them a year later. But what we actually do once they are brought here is train them. We release their power, train them to master it, let them become warriors. We are uniting our people, at least the few who want to fight. We want to take back our freedom.”

  She sat up folding her legs under her. “I sent Windre on a task to find you. Together, we could be, we are, a force of nature. You and I together, we can be a turning point in this war… you just need some training,” she admitted.

  A knock rapped at the door, a fae holding a tray of breads, cheeses, and meats stepped forward. He offered the tray to Hattie with a polite bow. I couldn’t help how my eyes lingered on the servant, fae and not nymph.

  “Windre pays his servants handsomely to work here and keep his secret.” She popped a bit of a butter glazed bun in her mouth.

  “It’s just shocking to see.” I shook off the feeling, grabbing some meat.

  “I thought I was the only one who wanted to fight back. It’s going to take a lot to get the rest of the nymphs motivated. No one wanted to step out of line in the Heathern Court. It’s scary there, Ganglin rules over them with fear. Just to get our people out of Ganglin’s court is a win. He is sick,” I said in a hushed tone.

  “This is going to be good, Ryker. I know it! I just do. Eat first, then,” she stood up promptly, “let’s get ready for tonight. You have so many people to get to know.”

  “We were barely twenty when it all started,” I mumbled mostly to myself, confused on how the Acture Court were really able to keep themselves a secret all this time. “We are twenty-five now and everything is so different.”

  “It’s a good difference.” Hattie pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I promise you. Here, get changed.” From the dresser across from us she plucked out a simple gown. A beautiful forest green dress hung from her fingertips, for me I guessed.

  “Hattie, I’m not so sure I’m in the mood for a party. I mean, I’ve been awake for approximately three seconds. I don’t know anyone and it’s so much to take in. I’m not sure I trust it all yet.”

  She shook her head at me walking over and taking my hands. “Get up. Forget about everything tonight. Tomorrow you can worry, today we celebrate our reunion.” She tugged me up to standing. “Please, I've been waiting so long to have you back. Let me have you tonight and we can pretend we are fifteen again and nothing has ever separated us. You’ll feel better just acting in nymph tradition.”

  But something had separated us. There was so much going on around us, how could I live in this safe little bubble as if there wasn’t.

  “I will do this for you.” I sighed.

  FOURTEEN

  Dace

  The only thing keeping me awake was the noise of my fingertips drumming against the table and my thoughts that continually replayed, practically shouting inside my head. The table, a dark mahogany, was the meeting point for the most trusted of the Twinity Court. In each chair a different person of respect and power, both politically and physically, sat intently listening to the updates my father rattled off. If only I could make it stop.

  My dad’s hand was casually draped over the arm of the chair, grasping my mother's fingers. Her face reflected much the same as mine, pure boredom, but the difference was she kept her chin held high, while mine rested lazily against my fist. Today she had chosen to wear her hair in a long ponytail that pulled her features higher and tighter. Perhaps it was meant to intimidate. I always pretended that she didn’t scare me. I was the prince, I was afraid of nothing, nothing except my mother.

  It was hard to keep focused on the menial things they said here when my mind kept replaying my time in the Heathern Court. She had asked me if I had seen our meeting before and in truth, I had not. But something had ignited the memories of my dreams, something had turned every cell in my body to fire when she had leaned over to pour wine in my glass. It wasn’t the scent of her, at least not the scent of the dirt and her unwashed body, but something deeper that had snagged my attention. She was a pleasant surprise.

  Sitting up, I picked at my nails wondering how I had kept my cool and how I was going to break the news to Shavarra that I’d actually found her. After years of dreaming of her I knew where she was. That’s where I would go after this dreadful thing was done. But my thoughts were interrupted by my mother clearing her throat.

  "Dace."

  I brought my eyes up slowly to meet her pointed gaze. "Yes?"

  "Widyger asked you a question." Her words were tense and short. Obviously, I was already on her last nerve, most likely just from being in her presence.

  Widyger looked toward me, the apology in his eyes. He was young and new to our court, taking his father's place. He sat with his violet hair cropped short and his eyes so icy white that his irises almost comp
letely blended together with the rest of his eye. On the edge of his seat he leaned forward for my response. One I didn't have since I didn't care to listen in the first place.

  I lowered my hands and scooted back further in my seat before speaking, "Widyger, I'm sorry. What was it you were asking?" I could feel my mother’s second hand embarrassment coming off her in angry waves.

  His voice quivered as he began to speak, "Well, you see, my, um, the members of my household have heard a rumor from many of the nymph that we keep. I was curious if perhaps you would be interested in investigating with me and leading a few men to sort out the commotion."

  Fighting the urge to roll my eyes at the request I stretched out my neck, leaning my head from side to side as I thought, or pretended to think. Widyger was new and trying to get in my parents good graces. If he thought dragging me out to do some meaningless task, that any fae working in our guard would be able to do, was going to do the trick, he was wrong.

  "Perhaps, Ukrinsovo would be of more help to you, than I." I stretched my hand out, gesturing at Ukrinsovo, the head of the guard who sat across from me.

  Blushing, Widyger continued, "Your Majesty, um, we discussed that Ukrinsovo would be working to monitor the movements of Ottack. I don't think he would have the time to assist us."

  Oh gods, I missed out on more of the conversation than I had thought. Ryker had my mind tied in knots. Playing along, I shook my head. "Oh, so sorry, what was I thinking? You're right. Yes, I suppose I could assist you." I hate my life.

  My mother looked toward me with her gaze set on my face, as she spoke, "Glad that could be settled. Moving on, we have received word that a young female nymph and a member of the Heathern Court's guard have fled their territory. Ganglin has asked that they be returned alive and has put up a handsome reward for their lives. I do not care to assist that buffoon, Ganglin, however, I also don't wish our lands to be their refuge. If you see either of these two members please escort them out of our lands." She pushed forward two pictures.

  My eyebrows shot up at the mention of the Heathern Court. Thudding loudly, the beat of my heart echoed in my ears as two hand drawn images stopped before me. Unbrushed and untamed curls sat on the shoulders of her unsmiling face. The likeness of Ryker was uncanny.

  It could be her sister. I had seen their life long ago, her exact image in her sister without Ryker’s angry wild side. But I hadn’t seen her sister at the Heathern Court.

  “Isn’t that Ganglin’s head guard?” I pointed out, certain it was.

  “Maybe some sort of love scandal,” Widyger mumbled, his attention still on Ryker’s image.

  I caught myself narrowing my eyes and stopped. My heart tightened with the annoying pangs of jealousy. It’s all in my head. She wasn’t mine despite what I saw in my dreams. The future could always change, even if my parents didn’t believe that it could, like I did.

  “This does bring up a point that I’ve heard whispered around the streets, pubs, and all.” Titan raised his hand,Torrance’s father, advisor to the king and queen and one of the richest men in the Twinity Court. Soon Torrance would be in these meetings, bored as I was, learning the ways of his father and training to be an advisor. My parents hated that thought.

  “That is?” Mother drawled.

  “Rebellions. Lots of them. People who sympathize with the nymphs in enslavement. Nymphs themselves who refuse to work even after swift punishments.”

  “And what do you think we should do about this?” My father leaned forward watching Titan carefully before his gaze drifted to me.

  I would not sweat about my dealings in these rebellions with these ignorant people. Though there was always the chance that my father, who often saw my own future, knew about the refuge. If he did know, he hadn’t said a word to my mother.

  “Increase punishment. Decrease food. They can’t have the energy to fight back if they’re starving and sore.” Titan smiled like it was an easy answer.

  I laughed. “This is all to what end?”

  “Excuse me?” Mother tisked.

  “Why can’t we just free them? This was all Ganglin’s idea anyway. They were never of harm to us. We could hire them as staff. I’m sure some would stay for the money.”

  The room was silent. Titan’s eyebrows drew in so tight they nearly turned into one. My mother’s cheeks flushed red. Uh, oh.

  “Prince Dace, they are our lessers,” Urkinsovo stuttered.

  “Are they? Was the soul purpose for their enslavement not because they were such a threat to our kind? That sounds to me more like they are our equal, perhaps even our better.”

  “Dace Augustus. You rid yourself of those thoughts!” If I said anything further my mother’s head might spin off her shoulders.

  “Nevertheless,” my dad said with a shrug. “This is the last point we should discuss. So, we will send out posters that you can pass out in your areas of business and discuss the rebellions at a later date. Be thinking of solutions. You are all dismissed.”

  Chairs raked against the wood floor, documents and pens being shuffled about. I didn’t waste time pushing myself away from the table. My plans weren’t to dilly dally about with these stuffy people. Shavarra was waiting for me at the refuge and I could hardly wait to tell her of my news. Though my head was anxious with thoughts of all the people who were looking for Ryker. I knew in theory where she may be headed.

  “Not you.” My mother pointed her finger down in a command to sit.

  Damn it.

  With a loud dramatic sigh, I sat back down. The urge to roll my eyes so strong I had to turn my head away to prevent her from seeing the flutter of my eyelashes. I turned back, plastering a smile to my face like I was happy to see her.

  “Mother, you know I have a busy day ahead of me. Widgyer can’t sort out this commotion by himself.”

  Widger frowned as he was the last to leave and swiftly closed the door behind him. My mother appeared most unamused. In the silence of the empty room, she stood. The beads of her long gown chimed as they slid from the chair and fell to the floor.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” She hissed. “First you make a show of taking a nymph to bed in the Heathern Court and now you're defending them?”

  “Oh, Mother. I didn’t sleep with her, you needn’t worry. I’m not like Ganglin.”

  “If I didn’t know better I would think you were taking a liking to them.”

  A liking? Oh, I had to fight to keep my head from turning three hundred and sixty degrees. I didn’t have a liking for these people, I had respect for them. Enough respect to know they were living, breathing, beings that felt and loved and hurt. They weren’t power hungry like us. They just wanted to live.

  I chuckled to mask my anger. “Mother, they’re just nymphs.”

  I had to tread carefully or this was going to go way farther south than it already was. My father leaned back in his chair, his chin tilting up in disbelief. He would need to be the one I truly fooled. Somehow he was always the one catching me.

  Even as a child, Mother only cared about how I acted within the court and within my duties as a prince. But my father would whip me when I spoke ill of someone, or tugged on the end of a pretty girl’s ponytail, or even the time I put a dead rat in the backpack of a boy I thought was mean who attended my tutoring sessions. Father almost always found out or saw it in his dreams before it happened. He wouldn’t stop me from the mistake. What's foretold is meant to be, according to my court.

  “You are this close,” my mother held her fingers a pinch apart. “From serious repercussions. You think this court is going to follow you? I hear the whispers. I see you come and go at odd hours. Do you think your actions go unnoticed?”

  I’d been in this position before. She’d threaten me, just like every other time, but here I was with my crown still in place and my ridiculous responsibilities before me.

  “She’s serious, Dace,” my father said, looking down his nose.

  “What do you want me to do?” I shrugged, m
y tongue running over my upper lip.

  “Stop sleeping with the commoners. Find a bride or accept a marriage with Princess Maggie. And for the sake of all that is holy, do not show kindness to the nymphs.” My mother sat on the edge of her seat. Her gaze narrowly pinned on me. She examined me, waiting for a reaction.

  “I’m not ready to marry.”

  Painfully my gut churned. I knew who I wanted to marry even if she didn’t hardly know me yet. I knew a relationship with her would wait for me, one day. She could try but I wouldn’t marry any of the girls she wished me to court.

  “Oh, you are ready to marry when I say you are.”

  “And when is that?” I crossed my arms over my chest, mocking my father’s pose as I leaned back and cocked my chin up.

  The room became silent for a moment. Tension corded through my jaw as I clenched my teeth while my mother offered me a wolfish grin.

  “Very soon.”

  I stood all too abruptly, my chair scraping noisily against the floor. “I have places to be.” The growl hovered on my lips as I passed my parents. One day they would see what was meant for me. And it wouldn’t be some passive air-head of a bride.

  My feet smacked against the stone as I stormed through the long castle halls. Pictures of royals, most of which I could name thanks to the rigorous history they forced me to learn, become blurs in my peripheral. Images of royal families, we were born from, went all the way back to the creation of the Twinity Court.

  Outside the air was mild and snow wasn’t falling, for now. Gardeners worked to trim the evergreen brush, shaping them into perfect spheres. Guards walked the tall walls that surrounded the castle looking down from their perches to watch. The gate doors swung open as I neared, the guards stood at attention at either side bowing as I stomped by.

  Some days leaving this castle was best for me. My parents thought they knew what was best for me, but they didn't.