by K.N. Lee
Shrugging, Elise looked down at the grooves in the wooden table. “I do hope so.”
“The whole kingdom knows how he prefers her over the queen. Nothing to worry about,” Cora added. “You just put a smile on that pretty face of yours and get ready for your ball.”
She’d barely thought about the ball since her mother left. It wouldn’t be the same if she wasn’t there.
“Aye,” Becca said, begrudgingly. “We’ve got loads of work to do to prepare the castle.”
“And, not nearly enough coin to make it as grand as I’d like. But, we shall manage,” Cora said, patting her hand. She stood, and tied her apron around her waist. “Finish up your breakfast and find something fun to do.”
Elise ran the spoon along the smooth sides of the bowl, and shoved it into her mouth. A burst of flavor sparked across her tongue. She licked her spoon again and nodded. “I suppose Princess Polly and I can play in the snow.”
“Good idea, just make sure you bundle up, dear.”
Standing, she nodded. “I will,” she said, with a smile, and left the warmth of the kitchen to head back up to her room to put on stockings, boots, and an thicker overdress.
Once she was dress, she pulled on her mother’s old riding coat and ventured outdoors with Princess Polly in her arms, close to her chest.
They stepped out into the bright wintry day. The sun was high in the sky and cast a magical glow over the expansive grounds of Devynshire Castle.
The white snow covered nearly everything, and made icicles on the tops of the trees. Each footstep left a mark as she trudged through the garden and toward the grove in the forest.
She froze when she heard someone behind her. With a frown, she shot a glance over her shoulder.
There stood Destan, armed with a sword, and watching her.
Her eyes narrowed as she stared back at him.
Why did he have to look like a vision from a dream? The sun seemed to shine just for him, highlighting every silky strand of dark hair and the brightness of his icy, storm-colored eyes.
“What are you doing?”
He thumbed the hilt of his sword. “Guarding you.”
“You’re being ridiculous. I’m only going to the river. I can assure you there are no goblins or bandits along the way.”
With a shrug, he tilted his head. “And, I can assure you I’ll be at your side either way, my lady.”
Frustrated, she sighed and turned away. She quickened her step, knowing she wouldn’t be able to lose him, but determined to keep some distance between them.
The wind began to pick up and the sky grew darker as Elise moved through the trees and came to her favorite spot by the river. It hadn’t frozen over, and still ran through the property. She settled down on the rocks and listened to the trickling of water in the river.
She peered upward, and watched as gray clouds rolled across what was just a bright, blue sky.
Destan stood not too far off, his back pressed to the base of a tree.
She watched him as he stared off into the river, his arms crossed over his broad chest.
Even though she knew the castle grounds were safe, she couldn’t help feeling calm around him. He was tall, and well-built, and something about his mannerisms and demeanor told her he was skilled with his sword.
Just when she finally got the courage to speak to him, a shift in the wind caught her interest.
The air grew very still, and the forest went deafly silent.
“Something is coming,” she said, softly, and frowned as the sun was blocked and all light was sucked away.
Destan pushed himself upward to his full height, and scanned the trees. “What is it?”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
Quickly standing, she gathered Princess Polly and began her way back to the castle. As she walked back, a gust of wind blew through the trees. On the wind was a faint whisper.
She paused, freezing as a force of cold washed over her.
Her hair lifted from her shoulders, and her gown billowed out around her legs. She gasped as the air wrapped around her and tightened like an embrace.
For a moment, fear filled her eyes as she searched for the source of this oddity. However, a rush of calm seeped into her heart and her muscles relaxed. Euphoria replaced the fear, and the whisper returned.
She craned her head toward the sound, but still couldn’t make out what it said.
“Elise,” Inora called from afar. Her voice broke through the fog that clouded Elise’s mind, awakening her into moving once again.
The wind vanished, nearly pushing her down as it fled.
Elise frowned, confused by what had just happened.
She quickened her step, and racing the snow.
“Is everything okay?” Elise asked, holding her piglet close.
“No,” Inora said, her face drained of color as she stared down at her. Her hands shook as she lowered a letter to her side.
The hairs on her arms stood on end. Her throat went dry. “What is it?”
“Your mother is dead.”
Part II
Chapter Twelve
Mother was dead.
“It can’t be,” she said to Inora.
Her hand slapped over her mouth, stifling a scream. As she stared into Inora’s eyes, her fingers dug into her cheeks as the panic rose.
“It’s true, my dear,” she said. “But, do not despair. We will get through this.”
The message she’d deciphered on the wind, and her grandmother’s words hit her full force, and she nearly fell over and vomited onto the floor.
Princess Polly yelped, and she realized she’d been holding the piglet too tightly. Horrified, she released her, and watched as she scurried away.
For a moment, she went numb, and stared off as Princess Polly ran from her.
“How do you know?”
“The messenger just left,” Inora said.
An intense surge of energy filled Elise’s body, and nearly lifted her into the air. Instead, it fueled her legs, and she ran from the castle, and back outside.
“No,” she whimpered. “Please. No.”
How could she live without her? Her mother was everything to her, and the one person she knew she could trust to keep her safe.
No. She shook her head, and bit down on her bottom lip as more whimpers bubbled up from her throat. Such a thought was selfish. Her mother was more than her protector.
She was everything.
She’d ran and chased after Harry as he began down the road.
“Stop!” Elise shouted. The desperation in her voice made Harry turn around and stare down at her.
“My lady,” was all he could say.
“Tell me everything you know,” she demanded, mustering all of her strength to keep from breaking down.
He dismounted, and stood before her. Destan approached from behind, and she ignored his presence.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say,” Harry replied.
Unacceptable. She needed more.
Tears poured from her eyes as she wept and cried out into her hands.
Harry knelt beside her, and did something completely outside of decorum.
He held her.
“How did she die?” Destan asked, and Elise didn’t even utter a word against him.
Darkness filled her vision, and nausea churned within her stomach.
Harry smelled of sweat and the horse he rode through the village and towns. She didn’t care. All that swarmed her mind was a disbelief and horror at knowing what the letter Destan now read held.
“Seems Lady Seyena Devyn died in her sleep,” he said.
Elise shot up from the ground, her hands in fists at her side. She faced Destan, rage rising from the soles of her feet to the heat in her cheeks.
“Lies,” she said. “He killed her. I know it. You know it. Soon, the whole kingdom will know it.”
She raced away from Harry’s stunned expression, and Destan’s intense gaze.
As she ran, she made a vow.
Make him bleed.
May him pay.
Father or not. He’d taken the one person who loved her without limit. He’d destroyed her entire world.
Chapter Thirteen
As Elise stood on her mother’s balcony, she clutched the railing and stared at the night sky as tears poured down her cheeks.
It had been hours since the unfortunate news, and she hadn’t been able to stop the raging in her gut and turmoil in her broken heart.
The notion that she would never see her face again, or hear her laughter sent her spiraling into a darkness she wasn’t sure she’d ever emerge free from.
Her life was already uncertain, and now that her mother was gone, the future was a black cloud of doubt, despair, and fear.
Pulling her shawl closer to her body, she turned back toward the door, and caught the gaze of Destan.
He watched her, unwavering, and unabashed.
Quite bold.
Somehow, she couldn’t stop herself from staring back into his eyes that were a bright gray in the foggy night. He stood tall in the doorway, his dark hair fluttering around his pale face as a breeze blew in from the forest.
She turned away, her breath caught in her throat as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell with her breaths as she wept into the quiet darkness.
When she glanced over her shoulder, she gasped, and nearly stumbled backward. He now stood right before her.
She paled, unnerved by how close her was to her, and when he reached out and caught her by the shoulders to keep her from falling, she tensed.
“I didn’t say you could touch me,” she blurted, and he steadied her before withdrawing.
“My apologies, my lady,” he said. “You seemed to be in need. I couldn’t just stand by and watch you suffer.”
She wiped her eyes and balled her hands into fists that she brought to her sides. Tilting her head upward, she faked strength, despite the crushing weight on her soul.
“From what I know of her, your mother was a kind and loving person. She will be sorely missed,” he said. Then, he looked away. “But, I was tasked with protecting you. And, I will do so. I’ll protect your physical person, and your heart.”
Those words stunned her, but she would never let him know that. Something in his tone told her his words were pure.
Genuine.
Her heart begged to be soothed, and sewn back together like a ripped rag-doll.
“I don’t need you,” she said.
He lifted a brow, but didn’t leave. Instead, he tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced toward the moon.
“I know you’re hurting,” he said, and her brows furrowed. “You’ve lost your mother—the one person who you could trust. The one person who loved you above all else. Even though I never had a mother or father, I understand your pain. But, please know, it will go away, and one day you will be whole again.”
Appalled, she stared at him with her lips parted, but no words would come.
“The moon is a powerful force, and if you remember that though she is gone, you’re still under the same moon, perhaps peace will come to you.”
“How is she under the same moon?” Elise asked, despite her logical self.
He shrugged, and scratched the back of his neck. “The spirit realm exists alongside ours. Just know she’s always with you.”
Spirit realm? What was he on about?
With that, he gave her a final bow, and turned to retreat back into the castle.
She stood there in the dark—under the dim light of the moon—and cast a glance upward. Somehow, peace did come as she imagined her mother looking up at the bright globe in the sky, her hair free, a smile on her beautiful face.
For a moment, she wanted to call Destan back, but resisted. Somehow, he spoke with such confidence that she couldn’t believe he wasn’t more than just a soldier.
Instead of calling out to him, she stood at the edge of the balcony and stared at the moon until exhaustion took over and she curled into a ball and fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Trapped in his thoughts, Prince Tolwin was silent as he and his brother rode their horses back to the lodging they shared on the outskirts of the Tidelands. The battle with the savage tribes had come to an uneasy end, but tension still hung heavy in the air, and no one was prepared to let their guard down.
As they trotted into the stone gates of Midland Manor, he inhaled the air and scent of rain to come. Their horses trudged through the muddy path, and stopped at the stables.
The house was a dark structure, with tall windows barred with iron, and slate stone walls. He glanced at the statues of gargoyles and resisted a shudder at their black eyes and how they always seemed to stare directly at him.
Prince Edward looked to him as they dismounted and the stablehand took the reigns to hitch their horses. He ran a hand through the shade of golden hair they shared with their mother, and gave a lopsided grin.
“What did you think of Lady Devyn and her daughter?”
“How did I know you would ask me such a thing?” Tolwin asked.
Edward shrugged. “Because, I can tell you’ve been thinking about her since we left Hempstead.”
He rubbed his temple and closed his eyes. He knew what notions Elise had in her head, and though she was a pretty girl, such an arrangement was impossible.
That is—unless King Caden declared her as legitimate.
That would surely change things.
The dark forest stretched on both sides as they drove down the empty road.
Soft rain began to fall, and Tolwin was grateful for it. The scent and melodic trickles calmed. Something about storms strengthened him. The amount of death and carnage he had seen kept replaying in his mind. He’d slaughtered scores of rebels, and each individual set of eyes continued to stare at him as he drifted off to sleep each night.
He was a monster, but one his kingdom needed. Perhaps there would be true peace in the future, and he would never be forced to raise his sword against a living soul again.
“She’s a lovely girl,” he answered, finally.
Edward chuckled. “I disagree with you,” he said. “She’s quite spectacular, and if you don’t plan on giving her an offer for marriage, I will be glad to do so in your stead.”
Tolwin glanced at him. By the look in his blue eyes, he was serious.
“Unlike you, duty as an heir doesn’t weigh as heavily upon my shoulders. I can afford to choose.”
“That may be so,” Tolwin said, too tired to spar with words with his brother on that rainy evening.
“Good night,” Edward said, and Tolwin watched him walk up the stone steps to the front entrance of the manor.
Thunder crackled across the black sky, and he couldn’t help put remember the sheer innocence in Elise’s eyes, and the adoration that shone from them once he arrived at dinner during the solstice. For a moment, he wished to shield her from the truth brutality and unfairness of the world.
As he left the comfort of the storm, he knew the truth.
There was no saving her from what was to come.
Chapter Fifteen
His doubts and fears followed him to the heavy door that led inside the keep.
Darkness welcomed them. The main staircase wrapped upward around a single pillar to the two other floors. On either side below the stairs were two corridors that led to different parts of the keep; the kitchen, meeting quarters, and dining hall.
Ms. Croft, their manager of the house—a slender woman in her late fifties with long black hair and dark eyes—waited in the shadows.
“How was your trip to Hemptead, your highness?”
Tolwin handed her his cloak, and sword. “As expected,” he said and headed to the winding staircase that began in the front entryway. Sleep called to him, and he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and surrender.
“Your highness?” Ms. Croft called.
He paused.
“What is it?”
“The Ocurus is here,” she said. “Ocurus Deter.”
His jaw tightened. He would have been completely content with never seeing that fiend again. His father sent him along for missions, worried that if his sons encountered a mage, they’d be defenseless. But, Deter was a religious fanatic, and had tried to indoctrinate Tolwin and Edward into his faith from an early age.
He lifted a brow as he peered down at her. “I told you not to let anyone into the keep while I was away.”
Ms. Croft wrung her hands. Whatever scant color had been in her cheeks instantly vanished.
“He just said you’d be expecting him.”
“Are you completely daft?” Tolwin asked in a whisper that hadn’t reached her ears, for she simply stared at him in frightened silence. Tolwin closed his eyes for a moment.
He should have known that Deter would come here after he’d sent him away.
A cough was faintly heard from the study.
“My apologies, your highness,” she said, bowing her head.
Tolwin rubbed his brow. “Just don’t let it happen again, Ms. Croft,” he said, and she eagerly nodded.
“Never again, your highness.”
“Bring wine to the library, along with some cheese,” he said.
“Certainly, your highness,” she said, and quickly scurried away toward the kitchen.
He stretched his neck muscles and changed direction to head to the study at the back of the manor.
“Good evening,” Tolwin said, in an effort to remain polite. He may have disliked the Ocurus, but he would never show disrespect.
Deter stood from his seat on the plush, red sofa pushed against the far wall, just beneath a large window that looked out to the back garden.
“Prince Tolwin,” Deter said, a smile resting on his lips. He clasped his hands before his purple robe. His long, white beard nearly reached his abdomen.
Tolwin nodded. “Ocurus Deter. What brings you to Midland Manor? I was certain you said you’d be heading back to your temple.”