Song of Storms (Song and Storm Trilogy Book 1)

by Kayla Maya

  “Well?” Hailey asked once Bryn tossed herself through the window. “How was it?”

  Bryn’s face flamed bright red as she straightened her top. “How was what?”

  “Don’t play coy with me.” Hailey smacked Bryn’s shoulders. “Spill! Was he a good kisser?”

  “Probably the best,” Bryn admitted. “But he’s the only one I’ve ever kissed before.”

  “Why? You’re gorgeous.”

  “Being poor doesn’t leave much time to find love,” she reminded the other girl. “Nor is it rewarding being a thief.”

  “I’m sorry. I forgot.” Hailey went to her dresser, holding out a cup of steaming tea to Bryn. “Drink this. It’ll help you sleep. I’m sure you probably will have a hard time sleeping tonight because of your escapade.”

  Bryn accepted the cup, drinking its contents greedily as she stripped into one of Hailey’s see-through dresses. Because, of course, that is what she had left in her trunk. However, she knew that the king would be asleep, and now would be ample time for her to steal the mask. Or…weariness swept through her as she settled into bed bedside Hailey, who was already passed out and snoring as loudly as she could. Bryn grinned before she turned her head to the side and blew out the candle.

  CHAPTER THIRTY – TWO

  Bryn awoke the next morning with a snoring Hailey wrapped around her waist, drool dripping from her open mouth. Laughing, Bryn pushed the other girl off her, getting an audible snort of disapproval before she headed off to take a bath. Sonora waved at Bryn before leaving a few fresh towels and making her departure. Stripped and hair plaited up in a messy bun, Bryn slid into the tub, allowing the steaming water to scald her weary bones. Her body still hummed from the excitement of her midnight escapade with North and their shared kisses throughout the night. She was far from eager to see him again tonight during the ball, well, after she stole the mask. Hailey was gone when Bryn came out of the bathroom, steam following in her wake as the beautiful red rose dress was laid on the bed.

  Bryn decided it would be best to wait until after she had the mask in hand before putting on the beautiful silk. She did not want it coming dirty while searching through the catacombs of the castle, nor did she want anyone to squander her arrival with Hailey later on in the evening. Speaking of Hailey…a note was folded beside the dress. Bryn reached out for it, unfolding it and reading the contents of it as it read, “a rose for a rose.” Rolling her eyes, she tossed the note and decided to dress into her magenta dress before setting off into the hallway. The hall was desolate, not even a guard in sight. Strange.

  It was well past dawn, almost the afternoon, so it was rather strange that she had not seen a single guard in sight. Perhaps it was because of the ball tonight and having to get everyone prepared before the night started. With that in mind, Bryn crept along the walls, hiding in the shadows as she made her way back into the library and straight towards the portrait of Queen Elora. Just like Prince Ryan, Bryn skillfully weaved her fingers into the crevice, releasing the latch for the secret passage to open up. She grabbed a torch, lighting it up before she wandered into the shallow cave, the portrait behind her closed with an audible click. The walls were slick, water trickling from the sides. Her feet slapped against the hard surface, feeling the cold seep into her bones from the cave.

  Bryn made it to the opposite end of the castle, opening the portrait that led into the king and queens’ chambers. There were dresses and scarves scattered around, shoes and tiaras flung on every corner. It appeared that the queen could not figure out what to wear for the ball tonight. Speak of the devil, Bryn thought to herself when she heard the queen’s tall tell screech of displeasure wafting from the powder room. Quickly, Bryn hid underneath their bed, ears, and neck craned in such a way to catch any sign of conversation.

  “I told you that I don’t care.” Queen Elora snapped. “This party needs to be perfect. Saint’s above who knows what would happen to me if my idiotic son decided not to show up. Or worse, try and marry someone we did not choose for him.”

  “I do not know, my queen.” Sonora’s voice wafted towards Bryn. “The king is in his bath. Shall we proceed to the tea room with the girls before we enjoy the festivities?”

  “Yes,” Elora’s quipped. “I think that is a rather excellent idea. Come. I need you in case Lady Harlot decides to speak to me.”

  Bryn heard their footsteps, and then a door clang shut as the two departed. Scrambling out from underneath the bed, she wormed her way towards the jewel door. The handle was already back to normal, a new jewel in place of the old one. Perhaps that is why the room was a mess, and Queen Elora was no doubt looking for that lost gem. Too bad, it was safely tucked away in her trunk back in her rooms. She grabbed the handle and pushed open the door, careful not to make a sound as she went inside, keeping the door ajar in case she heard anyone coming.

  Bryn’s thief instincts kicked in as she went straight for the glass case, the king’s dragon mask resting on the hook. Much to Bryn’s dismay, a second mask that resembled the kings rested beside a mask that resembled a cat. If her memory served, which it seldom did, then the second mask was probably to be given out to the lord or lady that had the best dress out of the entire ball. Bryn grinned evilly as she grabbed both the fake mask and the real one, leaving the glass pedestal bare of anything magical. Quietly, like no one was around, Bryn made her escape back into the catacombs of the castle.

  Bryn was dressed in as much finery as she could only imagine being in. With Hailey’s help, Bryn was able to be dressed in that rose-red dress, the necklace half scarf spilling behind her. She wore long, red gloves to cover up the many rings she had stolen from the queen’s treasury. And the mask was safely tucked away in the pocket of her dress, making it seem as if she held nothing underneath her skirts. Her hair was curled to perfection, her makeup even more so thanks to Hailey’s expert hands. Hailey had gone off to the party before Bryn, allowing the thief ample time to put all her findings in storage and then shipped off to Hailey’ s manor back in Boreal.

  Bryn had always wanted to be fashionable late, but she never intended to be nearly two hours late to the Masked Ball. The ballroom was completely packed with everyone filtering about with their array of colorful ballgowns and even more beautiful masks that covered their faces. She was surprised to see Queen Elora settled on her throne, her cat mask in place with a glare as she sized up Bryn from across the room. She realized that she hadn’t a mask on her like the rest of the royals. Luckily, she was saved by Hailey when she held out a beautiful crow mask, complete with silky black feathers and an equally black angled beak with a sharp point to it. Placing the mask over her head and in place, Bryn waltzed into the crowd, trying her best to spot North.

  After several minutes of searching, Bryn found another person wearing the same crow mask. She tapped the man on the shoulder, relief flooding her veins as North engulfed her with a large hug, his sandalwood scent wafting over her, calming her down as she snuggled deeper into his chest. Fingers laced together, North led her away from the swishing, sweaty bodies and towards Hailey as she flirted with a lord from Alkali.

  “Hello, Lord Anderson,” Hailey’s smile was a bit forced, her eyes narrowed as she eyed Bryn. “May I steal her for a second?”

  “You may. I have something to go take care of really quick,” North walked off, being engulfed by the dancing crowd.

  Hailey’s grip on Bryn’s elbows was equal to that of a vice grip. “Why are you with Lord Anderson? I thought you were in love with North?”

  “That is North, Hail’s. He’s using some sort of magic to glamour his appearance.”

  “Oh, I forgot about that. Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. Where are the king and queen? I saw Elora, but I didn’t see Frederick. Do you think they know about the mask I stole?”

  “I’d hope not. Come on, let’s go and party!”

  Bryn giggled as the two girls went back into the fray, dancing and laughing as they twirled. Bryn hated to admit how much
fun it was to have a friend, and by also having fun at a party, something she had never gone to before. Luckily, after a good thirty minutes of dancing, Bryn decided to call it quits, watching as Hailey decided to sneak around with some lord she had been trying to seduce before Bryn had arrived. Sweaty, and nursing a slight headache, Bryn decided a glass of water would be best before getting another alcohol headache. As she took her seat by the bar, she heard a clicking noise from in front of the room. She turned her head as Queen Elora stood from her seat, face red from anger, her mask discarded to the floor. The black stone shook along her chest, grey smoke curling and dancing from within. Elora absent-mindedly rubbed the stone, face contorted in rage as she clanked the glass once more.

  “See that stone right there?” Hailey asked Bryn as she took a seat beside the thief. “The one that looks like it has smoke inside it?”

  “Yeah?” Bryn asked.

  “That’s a Witches Stone, an ancient artifact that holds dark magic or something like that. It was something my father told me about before coming here. Said that it was dangerous or something. Anyway, let’s hear what she has to say.”

  “My subjects.” Queen Elora’s voice was laced with poison. “It has come to my attention that my husband’s mask has been stolen.” The whole room burst into gasps as everyone chatted about who would have done that to the King and Queen of Serena. The queen held up her hand for quiet before she continued. “I know who the culprit is. Lady Illyea of Boreal. Step forward.”

  The entire room gasped as Bryn stayed rooted to the spot. Queen Elora knew? Bryn’s mind swam with possibilities as to how on earth she figured out without the Raven Thief’s own knowledge. Unless…No. North would have never betrayed her; he told her that he cared for her deeply. Yet, how else could Elora know who stole her husband's mask? Quickly, she ran a hand down her side, feeling the bump from where the mask was underneath her dress. Before Bryn knew what happened, Hailey was ushered away, calling after her friend as Bryn was thrown to the floor in front of Queen Elora’s angry gaze. This was not going to be good.

  “You have committed a crime against your king and queen. You have committed treason against the country of Serena. How do you plead?” Elora’s voice was ice-cold, her face beet red.

  “You have nothing on me,” Bryn lifted her chin. “I don’t have the mask.”

  “Oh? Well, I have someone who told me that you do indeed hold Frederick’s mask. Enter!”

  Lord Anderson strode into the room, an evil smirk on his average face as he took his place beside Queen Elora. He shifted, his cloak billowing around him as he held his hand out. Soon after, North followed suit, head bent with red-rimmed eyes and a look of guilt as he took his place beside Lord Anderson. Bryn’s heart stopped in her chest, white spots floating around her eyes as she realized what had just happened. It was a trap. This whole heist, this whole ordeal, was a large rouse. She had jumped straight into a trap, whether from Sister Grace or Queen Elora, Bryn had no idea. Yet, a seed of revenge sprouted, rising up with an iron fist. They would pay.

  “North…why?” Bryn’s voice choked.

  “Bryn I—” North started.

  “Enough.” Queen Elora turned her head to the side, a smile spreading as she said to Lord Anderson, “take her away and out of my sight. To the dungeons with her.”

  Bryn tried to resist, letting her anger control her as thunder clapped outside, rain pelting the windows, and hail crashed into the castle. Everyone in the room screamed as a bolt of lightning seared the dance floor, a large chunk of the castle missing, and rain flooded the floor. Guards stormed into the ball, grabbing Bryn by her hair and arms, pushing her to the ground, face smashed into the polished stone. She tried in vain to struggle, tried to use her magic, but it was all in vain as a guard crushed his boot straight into Bryn’s face

  CHAPTER THIRTY – THREE

  Bryn groaned as her head throbbed, and her heart hammered in her ribcage. She tried to move her arms to no avail. They, like her feet, were chained to the wall but gave her a small enough range to move if she so needed. Her wrists were rubbed raw by the rusted old chains, dried blood caked the iron, and the tang of her blood was coated in her mouth. The room was dark, save for the light that came from the other end of her cell. There was a basin off to the side within her arms reach, water dripped from the ceiling into the basin, refilling what little was left. Bryn scuttled to the basin, her fingers gripping the edge to gently bring it closer to her. She glanced in the water, cringing in horror as she reached up to touch her face. The right side of her face was swollen and caked in blood. Her right eye was nearly swollen shut, and her entire body felt as if she had fallen from a building, or better yet, hit by a truck.

  The rain had all but stopped outside, the night sky covered with twinkling stars as they blinked into existence. Bryn stood up, unsteady on her feet as she walked over to the cell’s bars, fingers gripping the iron until her fingers turned bone white. The beautiful red dress that Hailey had given Bryn was now torn to shreds, only pieces remaining but enough for her to keep some semblance of modesty. Her heart seized in her chest for a moment when she thought of North and how he had betrayed her. How had he not seen this coming? Why did she fall for a guy like him? She shook her head and retreated to the back end of the cell when she heard footsteps coming from the opposite direction to her cell. A guard appeared, throwing a tray of moldy food onto the wet floor. The tray skidded to a halt beside her foot, and she kicked it away. She held no appetite. A moment later and the guard was replaced with Lord Anderson and Queen Elora, both wearing the same smug looks.

  “I’m sorry it came to this,” Queen Elora’s voice was anything but sympathetic. “However, I do so crave a good beheading, don’t you agree, Jonas?”

  “I do indeed my queen,” Lord Anderson, Jonas, replied.

  “But we have questions we must ask first,” Elora turned to Jonas. “Will you do the honors?”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” Bryn spat; she was not going down without a fight.

  “Where. Is. The. Mask.” Jonas’ voice was gruff, almost hesitant as he asked the question the queen, no doubt wanted to know.

  “What mask?” She feigned ignorance. “I’ve not the slightest idea as to what it is you are asking about.”

  Jonas glanced over at Queen Elora, who nodded her head. With a quick swipe, Bryn was dragged by her chains to the bars where Jonas gripped her throat tightly, her windpipe being crushed by the force. Bryn struggled to breathe as she kicked and clawed her way to freedom, gasping as she held her throat. She managed to lift her head a fraction to glare at them both before a low, almost feral growl rumbled from her. Neither did the queen nor Jonas seemed all that affected by Bryn’s attitude. Either that or they just did not truly care.

  “Where is the mask?” Queen Elora brought out the fake mask that Bryn had hidden inside her dress. “This is a fake. Where is the real mask?”

  Bryn decided that the rouse needn’t continue, so she said, “gone. Far gone. You’ll never catch it.”

  “Where is it!” Elora threw herself against the bars, teeth bared, and arm extended so her clawed nails would rip out the Raven Thief’s throat. “Don’t toy with my girl.”

  “Do you know what you’ve done?” Jonas’ voice was low, almost inaudible for Bryn to understand. “What you did to everyone?”

  Bryn held her head high, and shoulders pulled back. She was not going to back down from this fight. Not now, not ever. “I did what I had to. As for the mask, I’ve no doubt it has reached its destination. In a place, you have no idea where it would reside.”

  “Come.” Queen Elora whirled around to grip Jonas’ arm. She faced Bryn one last time before she sped away, Jonas following behind with a grunt. “We’ve got something to do first before we continue to deal with her.”

  They left, leaving Bryn alone in the dark once more. She began to pace back and forth, back and forth, a smile forming as she rehashed her plan in her mind. It all started when she had taken both
masks, the real and the fake. She had given the real mask to Hailey and her many clothes and had it sent over to her manor back in Boreal. Which meant that she had the fake mask tucked away for safekeeping. Bryn knew that if anything happened, they would most defiantly want the mask, which is why she kept the fake one under her dress. She hoped that Hailey was back home and safe, keeping the mask hidden as well.

  Several hours went by before Queen Elora, and Jonas showed back up, once again pestering Bryn with questions about the mask. Each time she told them both, she did not know what mask they spoke off. Once again, she had annoyed them beyond repair, and they left, seething as they did. It warmed Bryn’s heart, knowing that she could get underneath their skin so easily. Slowly, but surely, Queen Elora and Jonas’ company became very distant, if not stopped altogether. Bryn settled into the corner, watching and shivering from the cold as she watched guard after guard walk away, trays in each hand. She began to worry that she had pestered them too much that she would not eat. She did not have to wait long before her question was answered.

  A full week stuck in prison, and Bryn could already feel her magic wain from lack of nutrition. The food was scared, only a small piece of bread delivered once a day, if at all. At first, she ate her first piece greedily, but on the second day when her portion was smaller, she decided to eat less and save what she had for later in case she were to go hungry again. On day three, she received only a small crumb and no longer was she given water. The only thing that saved her from dehydration was the constant small water droplets that trickled from the ceiling every now and again. Day four was more miserable. She had not seen Queen Elora and Jonas yet since those few encounters the first day she was thrown in prison. There was a guard that continued to pester Bryn, tried every form of punishment she could from tugging her chains, to throwing rocks at her from a distance.