by K.N. Lee
“What happened when you were captured by dwarves?” Risa asked, completely enraptured by his story. She leaned forward, resting her head in her hands as she crossed her legs.
“Well,” he said, lowering his voice. “I did what any Shadow Elf teen would do.”
Nani giggled. “What was that?”
He lifted a brow. “I worked a love charm on the female dwarf who brought me supper…and convinced her to lead me to freedom.”
“Rubbish,” Rowe said, with a snort.
Grand Master Neru titled his head. “I’ll have you know, the love charm was just a precaution. I could have done it without magic.” He stroked his white beard. “I was quite a handsome lad in my prime.”
Lilae and Nani shared a laugh, and Risa clapped.
“Tell us more,” she said. “Jaiza and I met a dwarf once. He was a funny little fellow.”
Setting her bowl down, Lilae left the warmth of the fire to take over watch.
“I’ll take over from here,” she said to Kenichi, who had been sitting at the edge of their clearing, his legs crossed beneath him, a sword across his lap.
He stood, tall and slim, and gave her a nod and kind smile.
“Get some food,” she said. “It’s quite good.”
“I shall,” he said. “Thank you, Princess.”
Her face flushed. “Please,” she said. “No one calls me princess. I wouldn’t even call myself one. Lilae is perfectly fine.”
He shrugged, and then gave her a slight bow, silky black hair falling into his eyes. “As you wish. It’s simply that hearing that this is your kingdom urged me to show you the respect you deserve.”
She chuckled. “I’d rather you didn’t. You can respect me by not letting me or my friends die when we enter that tower. We fight as equals.”
He returned the chuckle, but regarded her with measured surprise and adoration for her response. “Very well,” he said, and left her to her solitude.
As he walked away, her mind wandered back to the place it seemed to visit more and more each day; to Kavien’s palace, and their kiss in his bed.
11
In the dark, fear became real, the whispers inside his head were deafening, and Kavien knew there was nothing he could do about it.
A father who was obsessed with control, and would do anything to exert his son’s utter loyalty was not a father at all.
Kavien stepped into a pool of hot water. Steam rose from the bright, blue liquid, the smell of lavender and lemongrass mingling to soothe his nerves and muscles.
In the silence of the bath house, he closed his eyes and exhaled as the heat of the water absorbed into his dry skin. The oils clung to his skin and relieved the dull ache within his muscles.
After being trapped inside his head for months on end, he was ready to do whatever it took to cleanse himself of what Lilae had done to him—what she’d made him feel.
Real love wasn’t something he’d experienced. Outside of the love he’d had for his mother, the coldness of his heart had sustained him his entire life. Now, he needed to return to his former glory—to shove aside any trace of softness. He hadn’t endured years of abuse and training to shirk his destiny.
The entire world of Ellowen was meant to be his, and he and Lilae were born to be enemies. The gods had pitted them against once another, never anticipating that she might awaken a sleeping emotion within him.
Love.
Hate fought to replace that rogue emotion, and the battle raging within was the most epic he’d ever faced.
Shrouded in a thin hooded cloak, Kavien weaved his way through the narrow, stone streets of the center city of Avia’Torena.
With the sun starting to set, the dim golden light spilled onto the orange brick buildings and through colorful fabric pinned to string that hung above from open windows where many of his people lived.
The smell of salted fish and charcoal clung to the air as he breathed in the scent of his city. The wailing of a baby drew his attention. He turned to it to see its mother nursing it from a tattered blanket on the ground. Her sunken eyes lifted to his, and he quickly looked away.
Better to do this in disguise, without anyone knowing that their emperor walked amongst them. Despite his attempts, he stood taller than most of the people he passed, and kept his head down to not draw attention to himself.
The thick air clung to him as he walked through cords of smoke and dust that led to the tall building that stood more than six stories high. He stood in the main archway, ducking under silk curtains of red and blue. He stepped through and beheld several young women standing in the main corridor, dressed in richly colored sarongs and heavy makeup that highlighted their large amber eyes and high cheekbones.
Is this what had become of his beloved harem?
Sun-kissed skin was the norm in Avia’Torena, but he found himself overlooking them, as if a pale, freckled red-head would emerge from the horde of swarthy women.
Instead, he was met with a familiar face that nearly brought tears to his eyes.
Faira.
She raced to him, her arms outstretched, a look of absolute joy and pain within her gray eyes. When she reached him, she crashed into his body, flinging her arms around his neck. In a heap of tears and laughter, she reached for his face, shaking.
“My master,” she said, in between sobs.
He beheld her with silence, though his heart felt the same blend of sorrow, joy, and hope. Time had began to show by the lines in her face. Was it sorrow, or simply the passage of many months since he’d last saw her?
Still, she was beyond beautiful. A true Avia’Torenan, with dark hair, swarthy skin, and bright gray eyes that revealed an age of wisdom.
She smoothed his cheeks with her soft hands. “You’ve returned to us,” she breathed. “Do you know how we’ve dreamed of this day. We are yours. Forever, and always.”
Despite his need to be strong and stoic, he held her against him, tight and unyielding. She pressed her face to his chest and weeped.
“Kavien,” she whispered. “Welcome back. We’ve been awaiting your return, Master.”
“Good,” he said. He smoothed her thick, wavy, black hair and blinked away a tear. “We have work to do, my love.”
12
Rahki handed Kavien a cup of water that he drunk down without pause.
The dust-filled air was thick with the heat of the blazing sun, and sweat made his shirt cling to his broad chest.
Kavien lowered his hood, and beheld his busy kingdom. Scores of buildings were tightly-knit, and stretched far into the horizon, with only green jungles shielding it from the rest of the world. However, to the right was a desolate desert, waiting dormant, waiting to claim countless lives along its endless miles.
But, below, there were people who went about their lives, selling goods, serving street food, and watching their children run and play in the streets with balls and sticks.
Nothing had changed in Avia’Torena—nothing except him. Something had been awakened that would not go back to sleep.
He stood on the balcony of the flat, drinking wine as the setting of the sun changed the sky from a bright blue to deep orange and purple. With Rahki and Faira by his side, it at least felt like old times.
Memories of the day they were brought to the palace by their father returned to him. They’d been little more than teenaged girls, shy, and quiet, their eyes looking up to him with fear. He hadn’t been much older than they had been at that time. A young man given a crown and an empire.
He’d known instantly that they would do just fine, and took them under his stewardship to become the best at their craft.
The boarding house was abuzz with news of the emperor’s arrival, and the madam of the house did her best to keep the other girls busy with their chores.
“We were worried about you, Master,” Faira said, taking Kavien's hand into her own.
He gave it a squeeze. It was divine to have them back. After spending weeks locked away in his head, a simple to
uch warmed him in ways he couldn't explain. He pulled her into his chest, and embraced her.
While Rahki tucked a fallen lock of hair behind her ear, she turned away and pressed her middle against the stone railing.
“Any word from Lilae, Master?” she asked, and every muscle in his body tensed. “We were worried about her as well.”
It was clear that Rahki didn’t approve of the affection he showed to Faira, but it was not what she thought. Not even close
He held onto Faira, breathing her in. The scent of her hair was a familiar spice that brought him back to his childhood. Her arms wrapped around his waist reminded him of his mother’s loving touch—the last that he remembered before the arrival of Lilae.
His love for Faira was not that of sexual attraction. She was a striking resemblance to his mother, and for that, he would always cherish her.
“She’s alive,” he said in a whisper, as he let Faira go. “That’s all I know.”
That changed the mood, and Rahki smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s better than nothing.”
He nodded, and stepped away. “Gather your things,” he said, heading back inside. “Let’s head back to the palace.”
Despite being betrayed by Lilae, the mention of her name brought back those deep emotions that made his heart skip a beat.
Though he hated to admit it, he missed her, and worried about her safety. It was surreal to know that one day they'd come face-to-face and he'd have to end her life, but still love her with every breath he took.
A pain filled his chest as he peered at the fading sun in the horizon.
How could he kill someone who he couldn't live without?
13
The sun set on their camp as Lilae combed through her hair with her fingers, working out the incessant tangles that always seemed to bunch together at her nape.
Alert, with her sword set across her lap and her eyes fixed on the darkening forest ahead, she listened for any signs of danger.
In just a few days, she and the others would enter the Shadow Tower, and face unimaginable terrors.
Best to not think about it too much, she resolved.
Just when the silence began to calm her, the crunching of leaves from behind caught her attention.
The twins emerged from the darkness.
“I’m too excited to sleep,” Risa said as she sat beside Lilae on the ground, her back pressed against a tree. “Soon we will be home.”
“Me too.” Jaiza joined, and rested her head on Risa’s shoulder. “I can’t say that I’ve missed the cold of Auroria. But, I do remember the food being nice.”
Risa scrunched up her small, button nose. “I prefer this over the sweltering heat of Avia’Torena. You can’t step outside without drowning in your own sweat.”
Yawning, Jaiza nodded. “I guess you’re right.” She pulled her cloak tight across her arms and looked to Lilae. “What was it like for you in the palace with the emperor? Was it as awful as our time with the Duke?”
The mention of Emperor Kavien sent a wave of sadness throughout Lilae’s body. She’d allowed herself to fall for him, before she knew what real love was or felt like. A glance back at Liam as he slept near the fire only increased her sadness.
“It wasn’t so terrible,” she said under her breath. “Dragnor caused me more pain than the emperor ever could.”
She didn’t say more. How could she tell her sisters the truth about Kavien? Would they understand?
“What was the emperor like?” Risa asked.
“Complicated,” Lilae said, remembering the times he would lash out, only to be tender with her the next day.
She now knew why. Some dark force haunted his thoughts. She shuddered at the thought of him being tormented by his own mind.
“He can be quite tender when you get to know him,” Lilae whispered.
Risa and Jaiza exchanged glances.
“I see,” Jaiza said.
Lilae tried to ignore the look of worry in her eyes, and ran her fingers through another clump of tangles.
“Let me braid your hair for you. It’s beginning to look like a bird’s nest,” Jaiza said, standing to walk over to her.
“You two should get some rest. We should make it to Leedun tomorrow,” Lilae said, frowning as Jaiza sat behind her and started working on her hair.
Despite her protest, the feel of Jaiza’s warm fingers grasping her locks for braids was almost as delightful as the familiar warmth of the campfire. Growing up, Lhana used to braid their hair, and they’d learned to do so for each other as a result. A smile came to her face at those pleasant memories. Somehow the good ones always seemed to outweigh the bad.
“No, ma’am. We are here to watch over you,” Risa said. “You’re not getting away that easily again.”
A smile came to Lilae’s lips. “Father would be proud to hear you say those words.”
“Indeed, he would,” Jaiza said, leaning over Lilae’s shoulder to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Risa’s smile was a thing of beauty. It seemed to take over her entire face, and entered her eyes as they filled with tears.
Lilae would give anything to see them happy—truly happy—again. There were tough times in their life, but nothing would ever compare to what they’d suffered in Avia’Torena, or to the death of their father and her surrogate mother.
She breathed in and looked down at the fire. She had to put those dark times behind her if she would have any chance of moving on and being the warrior the Ancients expected her to be.
Jaiza braided her hair into two thick braids that trailed down her back, and joined Risa at Lilae’s side to sleep.
As the night went on, weariness took over Lilae, and Liam awakened to take her spot.
“Care for some company?” Liam asked, yawning into his fist. He took a swig of the elixir in a flask that they each carried. It was all they had to give them vitality and keep them warm when the fire’s heat didn’t do the job.
She smiled, wearily, and he sat beside her. “Of course. I was starting to nod off just now. Your timing is perfect.”
Once he settled down on the ground, she snuggled into his side, and shared his warmth. She rested her head on his inner shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her.
“Did you manage to get any sleep?”
He shrugged. “Not really. But, I haven’t had a true night’s sleep since I left Oren. The stark shift in weather here is quite taxing on our bodies. I am sure Ayoki and the other Shadow Elves feel the same. But, we’ll get used to it.”
He looked down at her with a small smile on his lips. “Eura is a stunning realm. I feel lucky to be of the first Tryans to see it.”
“One day,” Lilae said, gazing at the stars. “I’d like to see Oren.”
He smiled at her. “You will. I’ll take you there, make you my queen.”
She fell silent, tensing at the words she’d just heard. Such a thing hadn’t crossed her mind. Kavien had said the same thing once, and she had almost considered it.
Now, he remained her enemy, and probably hated her for betraying his affection. It wasn’t her intention, and she hadn’t expect to fall for him in return. But, with Liam, it just felt right.
She closed her eyes, unable to resist a small smile that came to her lips.
“That would be nice,” she managed to say. But, how could she reveal how truly terrifying the thought of being anyone’s queen made her? She was a warrior. A fighter to the core.
How could she ever be anything more?
She fell asleep then, dreaming of such a future free of struggle, pain, and fear.
It was then that she knew, the neither Wexcyn nor the world would not let them have happiness.
They’d have to fight for it, and she would fight with her last breath.
14
Kavien walked the long hall from his private quarters, through the main entryway.
Dressed in a blue, satin tunic and dark leather pants, he now wore his crown upon his head. It was t
ime to resume his duties as emperor, mobilize the armies, and strategize with a god so ancient, he’d been mostly forgotten.
Wexcyn, the creator of the Mithrani.
Servants bowed as he passed by, and backed away to continue with their chores and duties.
Rahki and Faira joined him as he headed to the throne room where his father would be waiting. Dressed in their satin sarongs, and laden with jewels, they were both fit to be queen, but Kavien couldn’t imagine any woman standing by his side but the one who haunted his dreams.
The one with the red hair, and green eyes.
Lilae.
If he couldn’t’ have her, he’d have no one.
Sunlight brightened the entire trek, shining in through the open archways that lined the stone corridor that connected his quarters to the rest of the palace.
“What do we do when we arrive?” Faira asked, quietly.
He cool feel her anxiety, the air thick with her nervous energy.
“I swear the thought of him gives me chills,” Rahki added, and cast a worried glance up at him.
“Stay silent, keep your eyes down, and pay attention,” Kavien said, taking her hand into his for a moment, and giving it a comforting squeeze. “No harm to come to you.”
“I hope you’re right, Master,” Rahki said.
They walked behind him as he entered the open-air hallway that connected the throne room to the stone courtyard. It was a gift to find them after they’d fled the palace. Dragnor had apparently sent them away lest they face execution. Now, they were by his side, ready to follow his every order.
Once he saw her, he paused under the white archway that opened into his throne room.
Sona.
The Tryan spy.
A knowing smile came to her lips as she watched him approach.
“Emperor,” Sona said, bowing. “It is nice to see you in person.”
“Sadly,” Kavien said as he sat on the plush seat of his golden throne. “I cannot say the same about you.”