by J. M. Kearl
“And not King Valefrost’s choice?” My mind couldn’t process that a father would kill the woman their son loved only because he had the audacity to love her. Only to cause pain.
“No one knows for sure. But no, she wasn’t the King’s favorite...” Aenea looked away. “I was. He made that quite clear.”
I whipped my head in Aenea’s direction. “You were one of the competitors to marry Astaroth?”
Bastian cut in. “Astaroth chooses five and the King chooses five. My daughter was the choice of the King.”
I gulped. “What if he tries to poison me?”
“You’re playing my niece,” Bastian said. “King Valefrost will not object.”
“Who was the woman Astaroth chose?”
“Her name was Drivenna,” Aenea answered. “She was a lesser faerie, a wolf shifter.”
My mind whirred at a realization. “Wolf shifters are faeries?”
“Of course,” Bastian said. “Why?”
That made Zyacus a faerie. My heartbeat quickened. “Do they live longer than humans?”
He eyed me, still wondering. “Like all faeries, they can live thousands of years.”
Holy unicorn. It wasn’t me who would long outlive Zyacus. He’d likely outlive me. I smiled imagining how he’d react when I told him. He was going to be so excited.
My heart sank when I thought about the last time I saw him. I hadn’t told him I loved him. Why couldn’t I just say it? I missed him so much right now that I felt sick wondering where he was. Wondering if he were alright. He came all this way for me, followed me into Faerie, risking everything, and I couldn’t even say I loved him back.
“Why are you interested in wolf shifters?” Bastian asked.
“A boy from my realm. He’s a wolf shifter.”
“A boy?” Bastian probed.
“His name is Prince Zyacus, and I love him.” And I would be sure to tell him when I got the chance.
12
Zyacus
When our journey started out it was blazing hot. Hotter than any climate I’d ever been in. For the first several days we had to stop in the shade or wait until evening because the sun was simply too harsh to keep going. Taz already looked like a tomato his skin had burned so badly the first day. I warned him to wear a hat. I’d taken a couple from the Hazelvale’s farm when we grabbed horses.
We found small towns and farms along the way for food and water. Most of we couldn’t stay too long at or people started asking questions.
The closer we got to Winter Court the milder the weather. We had the easiest time during these two days. The cool temperature made the horses happy. I was so used to the convenience of traveling by portal, taking weeks to get somewhere frustrated me. Especially when Visteal was on her own. We’d written back and forth, but I still missed her. Still wished I were there.
When we crossed into Winter Court, the only sign of chill was frost covering the grass and leaves of trees. But that soon changed. We trudged through snow and cold for days, and it made me long for Summer Court. When the wind would pick up I shielded us as much as I could with my magic but even my stone had its limits.
Then an unrelenting blizzard hit. With the wind tearing at my cloak threatening to rip it off, I hollered at Targus. “We need to find shelter!”
Aric was likely used to this weather, being from the permanent winter of Collweya but I certainly was not and neither was Taz. Our horses didn’t want to move forward anymore either.
Targus signaled to the left where through the blurred white, a cave was barely visible. I hopped down and pulled my horse through the knee-deep snow. Once inside, I took my hood down and brushed the snow off myself. The cave was large enough to fit all of us and the horses. The visibility was limited and I didn’t know how far back the cave went. It smelled like some sort of animal mixed with decay.
Aric flung his hands through his hair, shaking out the snow. “How long will this storm last, Targus?”
He peered into the darkness. “I don’t know. Could be an hour, could be days.” Turing, he faced the blizzard outside. “By the looks of things King Valefrost is angry or Astaroth is.”
“They control the weather?” Taz asked, rubbing his hands together as he shivered.
“Not always,” Targus answered and looked over his shoulder to the darkness of the cave. “But storms like this are usually connected with a mood.”
“You keep looking back there,” Aric said, gesturing further inside. “Do you see something?”
Targus’s mouth pursed. “No, but something lives here. I can smell it.”
“Something? What kind of something?” Taz asked, bringing fire to his hand. It gave off little light to see further.
“I’m hoping not...” Targus stepped closer to the cave wall. “Dragons have a distinct acrid urine and I’m fairly certain that’s what I’m smelling.”
“A dragon?” we all blurted out.
“We should take our risk in the snowstorm,” Aric said and grabbed the reins to his steed. His horse neighed nervously, pawing at the ground. “A wild dragon will kill us all.”
Taz pulled his cloak tighter. “I didn’t come here to be dragon food.”
Although my grandfather and uncle had tamed dragons, most were vicious and territorial. If this were its home, we’d be slaughtered for trespassing. Aric’s father told us the dragon chooses the man, the man does not choose it.
I pulled my hood up and took hold of my horse. “How far is the castle from here?”
Targus rubbed his bearded chin. “We can be there by midnight if the storm lets up. Since your girl said they changed the dates, tonight will be the bouquet dinner with the contestants, tomorrow is the pageant where the women will be presented to the Court, and the third day, the contest truly starts.”
As if a prayer had been answered, the wind slowed bringing the snow to a light sprinkle. Perhaps the gods were watching out for us. “Let’s move.”
I was the first to step out of the cave. I put my foot in the saddle’s stirrup and then stilled. The beating of massive wings caught my ear. I didn’t even have to look up to know. “Dragon!” I shouted and dragged my horse away from the cave. Huge white paws slammed into the show in front of me, dawning black claws as long as my body.
I skid to a halt, nearly falling backward. My hold on the horse was the only thing that kept me on my feet.
“Zyacus, run!” Aric screamed from somewhere behind me.
My stare ran up the frosty scales from chest to neck and finally to the piercing blue eyes staring down at me with murderous intent. Two blue horns sprouted from either side of its head. With puffs of smoke billowing from its nose, it roared, shaking the ground beneath me and nearly knocking me down with the force.
My horse bolted into the nearby woods. I stood frozen in place. I knew if I ran the beast would catch me and likely swallow me whole. If I spelled away it would go for the others. Aric and Taz could use their magic to hide but Targus didn’t have the ability. We’d be leaving him to die.
The creature sucked in a deep breath and that meant—I dropped to one knee, shielded myself with magic and braced myself for the inferno. A blast hit me with the force of a tidal wave, slamming me back several yards. I clenched my teeth as the force grew stronger. To my surprise it wasn’t fire, but ice encased me in a frozen tomb.
I couldn’t see through to outside but I heard Taz and Aric shouting my name, and Targus telling them to hide.
I rubbed my hands together working up an energy blast. I slammed my fist into the ice orb that trapped me and it shattered into shards. The dragon stalked toward the trees where I assumed the others hid.
“Our fight is not over, beast!” I shouted at its back. I truly was a fool but I liked the rush of danger. And I wouldn’t let the dragon kill my friends. Aric might be able to withstand it but I wasn’t sure about Taz.
Its spiked tail lashed out at me, I dove. It barely missed, slamming into the snow sending a wave of the white stuff cascading all a
round me.
Turing its great body with surprising dexterity, the dragon prowled toward me. “You should be dead.” A husky feminine voice came from her. “Frozen forever.” White smoke seeped from her nostrils.
I held my arms out. “I didn’t fancy being an ice statue.” My heart crashed against my ribs as she moved closer, rumbling the ground with each step.
“You are arrogant for one so small.”
I took in a deep breath hoping to cover my nervousness. “I would say size doesn’t matter but I’m sure as a dragon, you pride yourself on being one of the largest.” Much of the dragon hierarchy was based on size and strength and she was the biggest I’d ever seen. Even larger than my uncle’s dragon Magnus.
She raised up slightly. “I am the largest in Winter Court.”
“I bet you are,” I said with a smile. “You’re huge. Colossal is a better word in fact.” Perhaps I could flatter her into leaving us alone. Dragons loved compliments.
“You do not run from me.” She seemed confused, lowering her head down to my level. Then she sniffed deeply. “I smell magic on you. You are powerful.”
Dragons had a weakness for magic. At least they did in my world. “I am—”
I slammed my mouth shut when to my horror, a second dragon landed nearby. Its mate perhaps? I started backing away. One dragon, I stood a chance against, could even schmooze but two? Nah. I searched for cover. It was either the cave or the woods.
“You found a snack,” the smaller, light gray male dragon said. He had no horns or spikes but his claws were just as terrifying.
I prepared myself to spell away when the female lashed out at him with her tail. “Stay back. He is mine.”
Perhaps my compliments did some good. Or she wanted me as a snack herself. One couldn’t be sure with dragons.
“Give him to me!” the male roared.
The female catapulted herself at him, claws striking hard against scales. I vanished and reappeared in the woods. The two dragons slashed, and bit and crashed into each other taking down scattered trees in their wake. “Aric!” I shouted searching amongst the array of tree trunks. I didn’t see them or the horses anywhere. “Taz! Where are you?”
I started jogging as best I could through the snow. There must have been layers of ice beneath the new fluffy layer because I never sunk past my shin. “Aric!” I shouted again.
In wolf form, Targus ran from within the forest. “Aric went in to help you,” he said in a snarly voice. He stared back in the direction of the dragons.
“And Taz?”
“He’s holding the horses.”
I vanished and landed behind a boulder to watch the dragons, still tearing each other apart. I peeked over wondering where the hell Aric was. He wouldn’t get in the middle of them? Footprints led toward the pair, and there he was inspecting where I’d once been encased in ice. I climbed to the top of the boulder and shouted. “I’m alive! Over here!”
Aric turned and the dragons took a tumble right toward him.
“MOVE!” I roared. As a vampire I didn’t know what he could withstand but I wasn’t confident it was the weight of a dragon.
The male slammed into the spot Aric vanished from moments prior and then from the ground below me he said, “You stupid bastard. Why did you goad that dragon?”
I hopped down and gave him a shove. “To save your sorry ass. She would have eaten you. She fancies me.”
Aric chuckled. “Was that why she tried to freeze you?”
I smiled, then realized how quiet it had suddenly become. The growling, snapping, and crashing stopped. “The dragons.” I climbed back to the top of the boulder and the white dragon, the female had a paw on the unmoving male.
“Did she kill him?” Aric murmured. “They don’t usually do that. One asserts dominance and the other concedes.”
With streaks of crimson, glaringly bright against the white scales of her neck and shoulder, the dragon turned our way. A sun glare caught her frosty exhaling breath. Slowly she moved toward us. One of her wings dragged on the ground appearing broken. “Stay here,” I said to Aric as I slid down the rockface.
“Zyacus, no,” he said slamming his fist on the rock. “She might kill you.”
She’d fought and killed that dragon for me. I hoped she didn’t do it just to eat me. We met in the clearing. She lowered herself down resting her massive head on her paws. Her lungs rattled with each inhale.
“I can heal you.” I stood far enough away from her that she couldn’t reach me and get me with her claws. I also had my shield ready to go at a moment’s notice. “Unless you only fought so you could have me as a snack over him. Then I might just take my leave.”
“If you are brave enough, come closer and see.”
I gulped. Was this a test? I’d planned to get a dragon companion one day but I hadn’t thought it would be here. I hadn’t prepared myself for this yet. But my uncle said not to let them see fear. I took a step closer. Then another and soon I stood mere feet from her. If she could hear my racing heart she would know how apprehensive I was.
Her huge blue eyes stared at me unblinking. I then slowly moved to the gaping wound on her neck and brought healing magic to my palms. When that closed, I went to the next. I climbed up her arm and healed her shoulder. When I jumped down she shifted and I stood tall. A low growl made me back up several steps. And those big blue eyes watched me with predatory hunger.
13
Visteal
When I entered the Winter Hall of Kings beside Bastian and Aenea. It was hauntingly massive. The ceilings went so high the light couldn’t reach. The dark gray massive stone pillars with torches hanging from them were the only warmth in this place. Aside from one twenty-foot painting of the king behind his throne there was no decor. Only dark stone, and ice frosted around the open windows. There were too many tables to count. Many of the seats at them were already filled with hundreds of Fae.
Bastian leaned close to me. “Remember to introduce yourself as Saffire Snofury. I won’t be able to do it for you.”
I nodded, perspiring despite how cold it was inside this castle. I was only supposed to lie about things I knew for certain. Everything about me was a lie here. But Bastian said the other Fae didn’t know the truth and so it wouldn’t stop anyone else from saying I was her. It was the knowledge of untruth that would stop them from speaking a lie. “How were you or Astaroth able to inform them your niece was Chosen?”
“We have our ways around such things. In this case I simply had one of my human servants deliver a letter written by him informing the king and queen. No one questioned it and no one will since you have the tattoos.”
Aenea sat at a table near the throne with the name “Snofury” written on a centered card. Astaroth had said to avoid his father and I’d be sitting a mere fifteen feet from him. I took my seat between Bastian and Aenea.
An ice sculpture of a rearing horse was centered on the table. Its long flowing mane and tail were incredibly detailed. At the base, a ring of small white flowers gave off a sweet aroma.
Coming from out of the shadows behind the throne, several Fae in white uniforms with gray armor emerged and surrounded the royal seats. Then a male Fae I assumed to be King stepped out. He wore a silver robe trimmed with white fur that pooled at his feet. A crown that looked to be made of ice adorned his head. His skin was several shades darker blue than Astaroth’s, almost a royal blue and his hair was tied in three silver braids. The woman holding his hand had a dark, smoky gray complexion with pale moon-colored hair curled in waves down to her hips. She reminded me of the night sky. Her black eyes, I noted, were on me. Her deep purple glittery dress was quite risqué. The neckline plunged down to her naval and the slits went straight to her hips. I wondered if this were the normal fashion for a Queen here in Winter or if it were that of Night Court since that was where she came from. Either way the cold clearly wasn’t an issue for her.
Everyone in the room stood, bowed, and sat down, including me. The King and Quee
n took their thrones where a feast lay before them on a white table. I guess Bastian wasn’t over exaggerating at the number of guards the King surrounded himself with. I’d never get through them.
It wasn’t long before everything smelled like a roast and we were being served our meals. My plate had a hunk of meat with a side of what I would call potatoes, smothered in a sparkling dark blue sauce that smelled like winter berries. My stomach grumbled.
Before I took a bite, I watched everyone around me carefully, but avoided looking at the King’s face. I didn’t want to catch his eye.
What surprised me was that Astaroth hadn’t arrived. “Where is the Winter Prince? Isn’t this entire thing about him?”
Bastian took a bite of his meat. “I have no idea. He should be here.”
As soon as the last word left Bastian’s mouth, the main doors burst open and loudly crashed into the wall, silencing most of the room. A cloud of darkness I knew too well, filled the space. Astaroth stepped through. Every eye in the place had to be on him. He looked around and stumbled forward, caught himself on a table’s edge then swayed through the throng of guests. I was almost embarrassed for him. Almost.
“He’s drunk,” Bastian stated.
Aenea set her fork down. “The only person he ever loved died the last time we held this event. Not to mention there’s a lot on the line.” Her eyes cascaded past me to Bastian. “Are you surprised, father?”
“Nothing surprises me.” Bastian went back to eating.
I watched Astaroth plop down in the chair next to his mother. He stared at me. I quickly looked away. Ugh, he wasn’t supposed to be drawing attention to me, yet he was drunk and staring.
I ate in silence, mostly keeping my eyes on my plate. When Bastian and Aenea stood, I lifted my chin. I swallowed hard when the Queen stood beside us. My heart raced and I quickly rose.
“You must be Bastian’s niece Saffire.” She looked me over. “You are the only contestant I hadn’t seen before. Where did the Prince meet you?”