Song of Storms (Song and Storm Trilogy Book 1)

by Kayla Maya

  “Shall we get some tea? Maybe a crumpet would be nice. I’m half starved!” Hailey stood, pulling Bryn up beside her. “You can stay with me in my room. I’ll have Sonora draw us a bath, and we can warm us up that way as well.”

  And for once, Bryn couldn’t agree more.

  After a hot bath and some warm stew in her belly, Bryn had been able to take a couple hours’ worth of a nap before she was able to fully function again. Hailey had slept also but was already awake and on her couch, holding a piece of paper that Bryn could only assume was the lullaby she had sung to her last night to get her to return and to soothe Bryn’s nerves. She was so grateful for Hailey’s companionship; she could not help but think of a life without her best friend by her side. When this was over, which was soon, Bryn would try and convince Hailey to allow her new best friend to travel with her back to her manor in Boreal. While she knew that Lord Anderson resided there, she still wanted to be around her friend and learn what else she has to offer.

  “What is that smell?” Bryn’s nose wrinkled when she caught wind of an awful smell that wafted up to her nose.

  “Oh, this?” Hailey held out a long, narrow cigarette. “This is a cigarette. Sent from the Isle’s and given to me. I smoke them occasionally, but more often now since this whole bloody escapade.”

  “I don’t like the smell.” Bryn waved her hand in front of her face to stave off the stench of burnt toxins. “Do you have to do that in here?”

  “My room my rules,” Hailey told her simply with a smile.

  Bryn rolled her eyes. “Alright, fine. I’ll deal with it.”

  “Thank you.” Hailey patted the couch beside her. “Why don’t you pop a seat by momma? Tell her all your troubles?”

  Bryn snorted but complied, picking up the discarded paper from the table and inspected it. It was a letter from Hailey’s father, telling her that she was greatly missed and that the guards at the manor nearly cried when they found out it would still be a week or more before she returned. It also spoke about how her father hated Queen Elora and that Hailey is careful at the castle in Skeg, mostly because the queen could not be trusted with anything. Bryn thought it odd that Hailey’s father put something like that in a letter, but knowing just how weird her friend was made what her father said minuscule at best.

  “My father used to work for the Order of the Crow a long time ago.” Hailey took a long drag of her cigarette. “And I meant a long time ago. So, he taught me all their tips and tricks.”

  “Like?” Bryn inquired.

  “Like the fact that you’re a disciple. No man up and marries a woman straight off the street and make it seem real. While everyone else buys that, I don’t, I was raised to know all their tricks in case they would ever try and recruit me as they did him so long ago.”

  “I’m not a full disciple, you know.”

  “I know. I’m not dumb.”

  “So…” Bryn dragged out the word. “I think I may have royally screwed up my chances with Prince Ryan. I was supposed to meet him last night.”

  “I’ll arrange something else,” Hailey waved her away. “How about this afternoon? I can send Sonora and have her tell him that you felt ill last night and wanted to redo whatever it was you two were supposed to do.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  Hailey nodded and left the room for a few moments before she returned with a tray of crumpets varying from strawberry to peach. Bryn could not help herself and took nearly the whole tray before she realized that she needed to share, much to Hailey’s laughter and poking at Bryn’s foolishness. After several hours of laughter and jabs, the two best friends decided it was time for Bryn to get ready to meet Prince Ryan before the Masked Ball and find the location of his father’s mask before it was too late.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Bryn gripped the ends of her dress as she waited in the gazebo for Prince Ryan, who was late. It was unusual for the prince to be late when it came to Bryn, he was nine times out of time either early or right on time. Today, however, she had waited over fifteen minutes and began to suspect that something was wrong. Of course, she decided he was not smart enough for him to know that she worked for the Order of the Crow, yet, she still had some seed of doubt spreading. What if he knew and lured her to a trap?

  “Sorry!” Prince Ryan roared as he took the gazebo steps two at a time. “I’m sorry, I’m late. I got held up by my father.”

  “Oh?” Bryn feigned ignorance.

  “Yeah,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Said something about that at the Masked Ball tomorrow night he’d pick me out a suitor and arrange our marriage. The thing is, I don’t know who he’ll pick, and I’m not sure I want to know either.”

  “She may be beautiful,” she told him. “Wouldn’t want to miss out on that, would you?”

  “You, Lady Illyea, are the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. I’d rather marry you than what bloody girl he’s chosen for me to marry.”

  “I’m married.” Bryn blushed. Even saying those words sent a chill down her spine. Lord Anderson was gone, off on some business. She’d hoped that North’s new persona would hold for one extra day before they departed. “I cannot wed another.”

  “Unless you decided to remarry,” Prince Ryan’s eyes were wide. Pleading. “I’m in love with you, Illyea.”

  Bryn’s heart flip-flopped. She’d always wanted to be told that by someone. It was not someone she loved, nor remotely cared about. She did, however, care for Ryan, but not in the way of a husband and wife. No, she cared for him like a good friend that needed her help. Still, she could not help the blush that rose along her cheeks.

  “I promise to be good to you,” he continued. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do to secure your hand.”

  An idea popped in her head—the mask. Trying to be flirty, Bryn smiled wide as she said, “where does your mother keep her precious jewels? I’d love to have one to call my own.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Mhm.”

  Prince Ryan yelped in victory as he scooped Bryn up in his arms and planted his lips on hers. It was a light graze, and she waited for the butterflies, waited for the fireworks to explode from kissing. She was disappointed that all it did was give her a rock in her throat and made her stomach churn. Was it because she held no love for the prince? Or was it because she denied her love for North? Either way, she accepted another kiss from the prince and allowed him to steer her to the castle. Luckily, the king was off hunting again, and Queen Elora was with Hailey, giving Bryn ample time to scour the room and find the place where the mask should be. Then, return later that night and retrieve it before she would never be seen again.

  Ryan led Bryn through the servant’s quarters, letting her know that no one, other than the king and queen themselves, was allowed in the “King’s Hall.” Which was the hall that led to their room. Once again, Bryn decided that being royalty was too strange for her liking and that she hoped after this she’d never half to do it ever again for as long as she lived. Soon, they reached the library where Bryn’s eyebrows rose in dismay.

  “Follow me.” Prince Ryan urged. “I know the secret passage.”

  Bryn followed Ryan through the many shelves that lined the library, zigzagging when they noticed servant upon servant. Finally, they reached a large portrait of Queen Elora, eyes half-lidded with a scepter in her hand, an orb in the other. Ryan used his skilled fingers to find the latch, hearing a clicking noise as the portrait flung open, the hinges creaking as it did. He tugged her into the dark crevice, holding a torch he grabbed with his free hand from the wall. He lit it quickly before reaching back to take Bryn’s hand. Together, they walked down the dark cave-like walls until they reached a dead end.

  “Hold this.” Ryan held out the torch for Bryn, who took it and held it high for him to see. Bryn’s stomach fluttered in anticipation, her palms beginning to sweat as she tried her best not to smile. The thief in her wanted out, wanted to jump Ryan, and then bound into the room and steal a
nything she could get her hands on and then sell it later to get enough coin to hide and live a better life. Somewhere away from this place. She hoped at least. Ryan quickly unlatched the other portrait; his parent’s room swung into view. The room was large but neat and tidy as could be. The layout resembled much like the rest of the rooms Bryn had been in. A large shelf was on the other wall, littered with books ranging from young to old. The bed was king-sized, with the bedsheets pulled up and then ironed to make it appear as if not a single wrinkled marred it.

  Of course, there was the powder room, the bathroom, but then there was a large door with a jewel-encrusted handle. Bryn’s inner thief nearly squirmed out of her by seeing that finery on just a handle. Without waiting for Prince Ryan’s approval, she sped to the door and, without Ryan’s detection, slipped the jewel from the handle and straight into one of her unseen pockets in her dark, teal dress that Hailey loaned her before she opened the door and stepped into the most jewel-ridden room Bryn had ever laid eyes on. The room shined brightly from all the finery, the windows covered with large black and heavy curtains. There were several desks littered with jewelry ranging from earrings to toe rings. Bryn decided to nab a sapphire toe ring for later use before she saw a glass-covered pedestal with a hook, a cover for the glass thrown to the side. Here, here would be the mask.

  “Pretty nice, huh?” Prince Ryan whistled. “What did you want specifically?”

  “Uh…to find something worth wearing for your proposal.”

  “How I love your sweetheart, Illyea.” Ryan gushed. “By the way, how many kids do you want? I was thinking maybe four or five.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m sorry. I should have waited to ask. You see, Sister Grace said”

  “You know about the Order of the Crow?!” Bryn whirled on him. “How?”

  “Well, if you recall, my old instructor, that disciple that was killed, was my friend, and he was showing me the Order’s ways of life. I like only serving one god; it helps with mass you could say. I’m training to be a disciple and then take my father’s throne. I was told someone was coming to help, but I don’t know who it is. But that doesn’t matter.”

  “Right…” Bryn slipped some more jewelry into her makeshift pockets before she deemed herself ready to go. She was very perturbed by the fact that so many people knew of the Order of the Crow, yet not a single person told her until recently that they physically knew of them to the point it made Bryn sick. She sighed. She just had one more day, one more, and then this whole ordeal would be over soon, and she hoped sooner than expected.

  CHAPTER THIRTY – ONE

  Bryn refused to go back to her room, where she knew North would be. Well, if he were to be acting like Lord Anderson, then he would probably be with King Frederick right about now on one of his many hunting escapades. So, she decided to stay holed up in Hailey’s room, gossiping of a simpler time of what it would be if everyone were treated equally. Bryn got to know a little bit more about Hailey. For starters, Hailey had always wanted to become an artist, but her father threw the idea out the window when he heard her voice and decided that to become a singer would be more beneficial to Cronwell’s Manor in Boreal. Hailey, like Bryn, knew nothing about her magical ability until she had nearly hypnotized one of her father’s friends. Only then did the girl know of her magic.

  Slowly, the day started to form into the night. The sky was clear, not a single cloud in the sky, so the full moon illuminated the area, casting an eerie glow as the stars twinkled into existence. Bryn wondered what else the world had to offer her. She had only been to both Skeg and Baltimore, anything more than that was up in the air. She hoped that she could one day visit any other country in the Five Kingdoms, but unfortunately, it did not seem like it would happen anytime soon what with her on this mission and what would happen after that. Now that she thought of it, she would rather stay with Hailey in Boreal than to come back to Skeg. She knew her family was safe with Sister Agatha and the Order of the Crow. Still, something niggled at the back of her mind, warning her of an unseen danger.

  “Ready for your big heist?” Hailey asked, lighting a cigarette.

  Bryn waved away the smoke. “I guess you could say that. I just want this done and over with. Don’t you agree?”

  “I do.” Hailey agreed. “I can’t wait to show you my home!”

  “Me, either.”

  For the rest of the night, the girls stayed up late to gossip some more. When Hailey went into the conversation of what Boreal was like, Bryn was rapt to attention—hearing about her best friend’s homemade the Raven Thief all the more eager to go and see it for herself. As they talked, Bryn thought she could hear something hitting the window. She stood up to investigate the noise when another small pebble hit the window with a clang! Startled, Bryn decided to open up the window and peer into the darkness. There, covered in dirt and leaves, was North, holding a handful of small pebbles, arm raised and ready to throw another. Bryn cocked her head to the side, brow raised in question.

  “North? Is that you?” She whispered.

  “Bryn! Come down here, please! I want to talk to you!” North’s voice was low, but loud enough for her to hear him and Hailey for that matter.

  “Well, go.” Hailey shooed Bryn from the window. “There’s a trellis you can use to climb up when you two are done. I’ll leave the window open for you.” With Bryn’s dubious look, Hailey rolled her eyes and added, “don’t let someone as handsome as him go. For saint’s sake, give me some good details later.”

  “Thanks.” Bryn smiled as she used the trellis to climb down. North held out his hand for her, and she took it, feeling as he lightly squeezed her fingers before he dragged her out into the gardens. The gardens were a lot more beautiful to Bryn in the nighttime, some flowers blooming with the moon’s glow rather than the sun’s rays. She could not help but reach out and touch a dark blue iris that fluttered closed at her touch. She did the same for a violet one that also closed when her finger touched it. North pulled her towards the shimmering pond, the moon’s glow illuminated the area around them. The water lapped against the edge; two swans cuddled together as they swam idly by.

  “I’m sorry about yesterday,” North’s voice was earnest. Almost heartbroken as he added, “I didn’t know the full extent of this mission either. I was told very little.”

  “I don’t blame you,” she told him. “Not fully anyway.”

  “I understand if you don’t trust me. I don’t trust myself.”

  “I would always trust. Both with my life and my heart.” She paused. “You asked me what type of guy’s I always rooted for in romance novels. Well, the guys I root for are the ones who are like you, North.”

  “I’m nothing special, not in the slightest.” North hung his head. “I…I care about you Bryn, so much it hurts me sometimes. I feel like I can’t breathe if I’m not with you, and even when I’m with you, I still can’t breathe from how breathtaking you are.”

  “I am like you; I’m nothing special.”

  North turned her to face him, arms on her shoulders, fingers making small circles along her shoulder blade, making her shiver underneath his touch. “You are so special to me. You have no idea. I’ve…I’ve always admired you.”

  Bryn’s heart hammered in her chest, threatening to explode the moment he said those words. She could not deny the fact that she was in love with North; however, she felt like it was too soon for her to harbor such feelings for him, but she could not help it. He had saved her far more times than she could remember. She wanted so desperately to tell him how she felt for him, tell him that she loved him, but withdrew those urges. If anything were to happen to her, she would feel awful having him get pulled into the mix, something she did not want to see happen to him. So, with that in mind, all she did was smile as North poured his heart out to her.

  “I wish things were different,” he continued. “Because then I could tell you how I really feel. About you. About me. Us. I wish we had more time.”


  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  North dropped his head, grazing his lips along Bryn’s. She froze, everything around her froze as a thousand feelings swept through her. She felt like she had grown wings and was soaring through the clouds. She felt like her entire being hummed with life as she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips up to meet a second time. She felt like she was in an electrical current as she kissed North. Bryn had always wanted to kiss someone, especially one she was in love with. She could not deny her love for North any longer. She had to tell him, no, she needed to tell him how she felt otherwise she would never be able to ever again.

  Bryn broke away from the kiss, eyes fluttering open as she took a deep breath. After a pause, she kissed him again, trying as hard as she could to savor his taste on her tongue, anything to make sure she would never forget this moment in her entire life. Slowly, North broke the kiss, angling her head, so it rested on his shoulder, arms wrapped around each other as they panted, trying to catch their breath.

  “North—” She started.

  “Shhh,” he soothed. “I want to live in this moment.”

  And so, they did, wrapped in each other’s arms, stealing kisses whenever they thought suitable. Bryn could not help the smile that formed along her face as they sat by the lake's edge, savoring each other’s company and holding hands, something she never thought possible before in all her life. She did her best to stay by North’s side, sticking to him like glue as they talked about each other and how they felt for each other. And at this moment, Bryn never thought she would be so happy.

  As quickly as their escapade started, it ended even faster. Too soon, they called it quits, making ample time for them both to rest before tomorrow’s festivities. Bryn should have told North to be together another time so she could steal the mask in the king’s sleep; however, she did not think tonight would have gone like this. So, as she climbed the trellis after a final kiss, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind as to what will happen to them next. Especially Bryn, because once she was done with this mission, what would become of her? Would the Order of the Crow allow her to leave, or would she have to become a disciple forever?