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- Herausgeber: Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
The complete A Court of Passion series featuring all three ebooks!
A fae princess is sold by her uncle to the Dragon King, an ancient creature of immense power and influence. He resides in the dark halls of his large castle along with all the other brides he has purchased. She can accept the change in circumstance, but she swears she will never accept him as her husband.
That is, until she meets him.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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A COURT OF PASSION BOX SET
FAE FANTASY ROMANCE
MAC FLYNN
CONTENTS
Copyright
Author’s Note
Caged
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Bound
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Forged
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Sneak Peek: Enchanged Sea & Song
A Small Favor
When’s the Next Book?
Series by Mac Flynn
About Mac Flynn
COPYRIGHT
A Court of Passion Box Set: Fae Fantasy Romance. Copyright © 2025 by Mac Flynn.
Published by Crescent Moon Studios, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form or by any or for any use, including recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the author and/or artist. The only exceptions are excerpts or the cover image in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel or on the cover are either products of the author’s or artist’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or artist.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for joining me on a journey through my imagination. If you’re looking for romance and adventure with a guaranteed Happily Ever After, then you’ve come to the right place. My books contain paranormal plotting and fantastical action, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
* * *
You can keep in touch with me by joining my newsletter or checking out my website for the latest updates.
Check out my website
Sign up for my newsletter
Thank you for giving my book a chance, and Happy Reading!
- Mac Flynn
CHAPTER1
The future was dark, but it would be lit by a flame of passion I could never have imagined.
But that was yet to come. For now, I sat in my bedroom near one of the open windows, enjoying the fresh breeze from the pleasant green fields of my people. They worked the land with their green magic, bringing forth a bounty most kingdoms could never dream of. A smile worked its way across my lips.
There came a knock on the door. I turned my attention to my bedroom. Large, thick carpets covered the stone floors, and tapestries hung from the walls, some created by my hands. The four-post bed stood not far from where I sat, and a vanity of some age stood beyond that against the wall. It was simple luxury at its best.
A portrait hung above the mantel featuring the striking bearing of the regal man. He smiled down at me, and his eyes twinkled with that familiar look of mischief.
“Come in,” I replied.
The door opened and one of the maidservants stepped inside. She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head to me. “Good morning, Princess Elina. Your father has summoned you to dine with him for dinner.”
My eyes lit up and I jumped to my feet. “Is it that hour already?”
She stepped aside as I swished past, my dress flapping about my running legs. The halls of my father’s castle were long and wide, and crafted to make a simple square keep that surrounded a courtyard. Two flights of stairs on either end of the square allowed people to move up and down the five levels. I hurried toward one of them, as my bedroom lay on the third level and the dining hall was on the ground floor.
I turned the corner to the stairs and crashed into a heavy-framed elf man. Their hands shot out and grabbed my arms, preventing me from falling.
“I am so sorry!” I apologized as I whipped my head up.
The swarthy man smiled down at me. “Where are you going in such a hurry, my swift-footed niece?”
I looked past him at the stairs. “To dine with Father, Uncle Manala. Are you not coming?”
The corners of his lips twitched down and he opened his hands, releasing me. “Your father has not given me that pleasure today. I hope you enjoy your meal. If you will excuse me.” He bowed his head and hurried off.
I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself before hurrying off. My steps took me downstairs and into the personal dining room adjoining the grand reception hall. The large hall was empty. There would be no entertaining until the harvest had been brought in for the season.
I stopped at the door leading to the dining room and smoothed out the creases in my dress.
“I could hear your feet pounding down the stairs,” a deep voice called from inside.
I sighed, but a smile played on my lips as I stepped inside. The quaint room was only twenty feet square with windows looking out into the courtyard. The yard had long ago been transformed into a garden where flowers bloomed and trees provided shade. Stone paths wound their way through the beauty, enhanced by the singing of many birds.
A short table could seat ten people, but only one man sat at it. His regal bearing and gold-hemmed clothes showed his royal status, but it was his kind eyes that made him the beloved ruler he was.
“I was that loud, huh?” I asked him as I strolled up to the table.
“As loud as a stampede of horses,” he replied as he gestured to the empty plate set on his right. “You had better sit and eat before your food grows cold.”
I took a seat and sampled all the delicious foods from the covered platters. “I met Uncle Manala on my way here.”
My father paused in capturing his food on his fork, and a dark cloud settled on his brow. “Did you?”
“He mentioned he hadn’t been invited to dine with us,” I commented.
My father sighed and resumed eating. “Your uncle and I have had a disagreement about the taxes, that is all.”
“Would he not come to discuss the matter with you?” I wondered.
“He refused my offer to dine with us,” my father revealed.
I blinked at him. “But he told me he had not been invited.
“That is his way of saving face,” my father mused as he took a bite of his food. “I fear my brother believes he is in the right and will not suffer the presence of anyone who thinks otherwise.”
A suggestion struck me and I perked up. “Would you like me to speak with him?”
“I would like for you to eat your meal,” he scolded me as he used his fork to point at my hardly touched plate. “The cooks do a wonderful job, and it should not be wasted.” I bowed my head and dug into my food. My father watched me for a while before he sighed and dropped his gaze to his plate. “Why do we not go for a carriage ride through the fields? I have some inspections to make and would appreciate the company.”
My head shot up and a smile spread across my face. “Really?”
He chuckled. “Truly, but only if you are a good girl and eat your food, especially your vegetables.”
I dropped my gaze to the green stuff on my plate and wrinkled my nose. “But they are so tasteless.”
He plucked a singular spice dispenser from the table and held it out to me. “Why do you not try my special seasoning?”
I grinned. “You know you are the only one who appreciates food in such a spicy manner.”
“Right you are,” he agreed as he sprinkled the spice over his food. He set the dispenser down and took in a great mouthful of food. “The cooks are excellent, but few can compete with the natural world with its delicate-”
“Delicate flavors?” I suggested as I gathered up some food on my fork.
A strangled sound made me look up. My father’s face was a ghastly red and his eyes were bulging out of his head. He grabbed his throat and violent choking came out of him.
My eyes widened and I leaped to my feet. “Father? Father! Someone, please! Help!”
Servants rushed out of the adjoining kitchen and hurried over to one. My father’s body sank into spasms and froth filled his mouth. The servants laid him on the floor and pressed him to the floor to prevent him from hurting himself. I rushed over and stood over them, fear gripping my heart.
“What has he eaten?” one of them asked me.
I shook my head. “Just his usual spice. It is over-” I pointed at the table, but the dispenser had disappeared.
“We must move His Highness to his bedroom!” someone shouted.
The men organized themselves on either side of my father and picked him up. I hurried along behind them, but one of the maidservants stopped me. She grasped my arms and met my eyes. “You should stay here.”
“But-”
“There is nothing you can do for him but pray to the gods that he will be granted a speedy recovery.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I nodded. She drew me into a hug, and a sob escaped me. “There, there, little one. Whatever happens, you will be alright.”
How I wish she had been right.
CHAPTER2
I sat in my bedroom near one of the open windows, enjoying the fresh breeze from the pleasant green fields of my people. They still worked the land with their green magic, bringing forth a bounty most kingdoms could never dream of.
I couldn’t bring myself to work up a smile as I had in past times. The air was somber. A heavy sorrow lay over everyone, especially me. I turned my head and my eyes fell on the portrait above the mantel.
“Oh Father. . .” I whispered. The tears came again.
There came a knock on the door. I hurriedly wiped away my sorrow with the back of my hands. “Come in.”
The door opened and one of the guards presented himself. He grasped his halberd tightly in his hand and a dark shadow lay on his brow. “Sorry for disturbing you, Princess Elina, but King Manala has summoned you.”
I furrowed my brow. “My uncle? But why?”
“I do not know. I only know I was to bring you to him.”
“Very well. I will go with you.” I pursed my lips but stood and brushed the creases from my dress. “Is there any word on locating the herb dispenser?”
“It has not been found, Princess, and I believe your uncle has called off the search.”
My face fell. “But why?”
“He believes you are mistaken, and in that terrible moment, you conjured up the dispenser being on the table.”
My mouth dropped open. “But I saw him use it!”
The guard bowed his head to me. “I’m sorry, Princess Elina. I can’t tell you any more than what I’ve been told. Perhaps you might speak with His Highness about the matter.”
I clasped my hands in front of myself and lifted my chin. “Yes, I shall.”
The guard led me through the quiet, shadowed halls. Servants stepped aside to let them pass, and their eyes were filled with pity. I clasped my hands in front of me and managed a few small smiles for them.
We reached the throne room, and the guard opened the door and stepped aside.
I cocked my head to him. “Are you not coming?”
“King Manala has requested a private audience with you.”
My hands tightened their grip on one another, but I held my chin high and nodded. “Thank you.”
I strode into the large throne room with more confidence than I felt. Black curtains hung from the windows, and the green carpet that led up to the throne had been replaced by a black one. Two thrones, one larger than the other, stood at the far end of the room. The smaller one had been unoccupied since my mother’s death some ten years earlier.
The taller one was not occupied by my Uncle Manala. He lounged in its cushioned seat as though he had always sat there. Part of me was riled by the sight, but another, more prudent half told me not to act out on such emotions. He was the king now, and I was merely an orphaned princess.
I stopped in front of the throne and bowed my head. “You wished to see me, Your Highness?”
“I did,” Manala mused as he toyed with the gold necklace that draped over his chest. “I wish to speak of your future.”
I straightened and furrowed my brow. “My future, Your Highness?”
He looked me over with an alarming glint in his eyes. “You are young and healthy. Have you never had a suitor?”
My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open. “Pardon?”
My uncle frowned and waved a hand at me. “You needn’t look at me like that, Princess Elina. I am well aware it has been only a fortnight since my brother’s unfortunate passing, but an opportunity has come up that cannot be overlooked.”
I swallowed the rising ire within me. “What opportunity?”
“That you be wed.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest. I pressed a hand over it to try to soothe my frustration. “I. . .I am grateful for your suggestion, Your Highness, but my mind and heart are too heavy to think about marriage at this time.”
Manala sat up and his eyes took on a dark hue. “This is not a suggestion, Princess Elina. This is a command, especially as I have taken the trouble of finding you a husband.”
My lips ran dry, and I found I could barely speak. “I. . .I don’t understand.”
“Then you may understand this,” Manala mused as he gestured to a bag I hadn’t noticed on my mother’s chair. He reached over and lifted the leather purse before dropping it back down. The contents loudly clinked. “A king’s ransom sits in this purse. Or rather, a princess’ dowry.” He grasped the tied top and stood. “And this only constitutes half the payment. The other half is being carried here as we speak and will be paid in full when the king’s emissary makes his final evaluation of you.”
Terror and confusion gripped my heart. “Which king?”
He lifted his chin and sneered down his nose at me. “The Dragon King, of course. Who else would pay so much for a cast-off princess?”
My eyes widened. “The ruler of the southern lands? But that is nearly half a month’s journey from here, even in the best of conditions! How will I return home?”
Manala narrowed his eyes at me, and the dark look in them made me shrink back. “Return? You will not be returning, Princess Elina. You will remain in the Dragon King’s palace and live out your days there.”
My desperation rallied my courage. “But why should I not visit?”
“Because I do not wish it, and as ruler of these lands, whatever I wish, that is law,” he growled as his hand that was wrapped around the bag shook a little. “You are a dead-end, princess. Your father’s line will end with you, one way or another.”
Fear froze my heart. “What. . .what do you mean?”
My uncle strode down the platform upon which sat the thrones and stopped by my side. He lowered his voice to such a whisper that I struggled to hear his bone-chilling words. “You will become this king’s wife, or you will be ‘removed.’ Do you understand?”
Everything froze. Fear overwhelmed my mind as I tried to make sense of this madness. My uncle. Had he just threatened my end?
Manala’s sharp voice cut through the halted time. “Do you understand?”
I couldn’t find my voice, so I just stiffly nodded. I stood dumbfounded, tears streaming down my face. Father was dead, and now I was to be exiled from my home. Or worse.
He relaxed his stance and grinned. “Good. I expect the representative of the Dragon King to be very pleased with you, so wear your best dress and smile for him when he comes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some taxes to reorder.”
He strode past me and toward the doors. A flash of defiance slipped into my numb mind. “Your Highness?”
Manala paused halfway to the door and half-turned to me. “What is it?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned to face him. “Why have you called off the search for my father’s herb dispenser?”
A little color drained from his face, but he lifted his chin. “Of course. There is nothing to this nonsense about it being on the table. None of the servants recall serving it.”
“Has the dispenser been found?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I would advise you not to ask too many questions, Princess Elina. I would refrain from doing so until you were well away from the kingdom.”
My uncle turned and strode from the room, the coin purse chinking in his hand.
My shock was disturbed by one of the doors opening behind me. A guard stepped inside. “Princess Elina? Are you well?”
I remembered my uncle’s words of warning about smiling, and I quickly wiped away the tears. “Yes, I am quite fine.”
“His Highness may not be pleased to find you still standing here, should he return.”
I lifted my chin, forced a smile on my face, and turned to him. “You’re quite right. I’ll leave at once.”
I hurried past him and back to my room. The view from the black curtained windows enticed me, and I eased myself into my seat. The birds sang and the people worked away at their fields.
And I wept. I wept for them under my uncle’s pitiless rule, and I wept for myself at my coming exile.
And then, slowly, I rallied my spirits. I lifted my head from my tear-soaked hands and stiffened my jaw. I was my father’s daughter, and even if I was to be taken from my ancestral home, I wouldn’t lose my pride.
And I wouldn’t be beaten down by anyone, even the Dragon King himself. Speaking of the devil, my eyes wandered over to a large bookshelf situated on the opposite side of the room. I hurried over and searched the shelves before I found an old tome. The cover and spine were worn by my many readings, but a thin layer of dust on the top showed I hadn’t touched it in some years.
I plopped myself down on the foot of my bed and studied the embossed cover. A History of the Lands. I flipped it open and froze on the interior page. My heart sank as I beheld my father’s neat handwriting.
To my little reader. Love, Father
I brushed my hand over the words, and my tears welled up again. Handle yourself, Elina! I scolded myself. Father wouldn’t want you to shed a tear on these beautiful pages!
I was right. The book had been engraved with wonderful pictures and maps. I flipped through the pages until I found the map I wanted. The chart unfolded to show my wonderful world, a huge landmass surrounded by many islands. Green forests and fields stretched across the center, and to the north were the frosty tundras of my mother’s people.
But it was the south that my gaze invariably traveled. Sunny beaches and countless coves abutted the ocean of the great world. The jagged coastline with its ship-wrecking rocks and endless deeps frightened me a little. I couldn’t swim.
I folded the map shut and flipped through the pages to one particular chapter: The Sunny Southern Shores. I scanned the contents and my eyes lit upon one particular passage.
The kingdom of Calida occupies ten times the area of our smaller but greener kingdom. It has had only one ruler, King Marcus Tullia. He is an ageless dragon and, as far as anyone can tell, the only one of his kind.
“King Tullia,” I whispered as I lifted the book and studied the name. I wrinkled my nose. “An ageless dragon. I wonder what he looks like.” I flipped through the pages, but the chapter soon ended.
A sigh escaped me and I closed the book. Perhaps it was best I didn’t know what he looked like. Somebody that old was bound to have a few more wrinkles than what I was accustomed to seeing among my elven people.
I would have to wait and see about my groom-to-be.
CHAPTER3
But first, I had to pass the test. To say I was nervous would have been quite the understatement. From the first moment I awoke, I couldn’t stop fidgeting with my hands. Green threads of my fae magic flowed out and knitted together a picture of my worry.
I heard a knock on my door and nearly jumped out of my skin. “Come in!” I squeaked out.
The door opened and one of the porters stepped into the room. “Sorry to disturb you, Princess Elina, but His Highness has ordered me to change your curtains.”
I blinked at him. “Change them?”
“Back to their green color,” he explained as he nodded at the black ones. “His Highness wishes the castle to be its most colorful for the coming guest.”
My blood boiled at the thought of color so soon after my father’s passing, but there was nothing the porter could do. “Very well. The curtains are hanging in the wardrobe.”
I stood to the side watching his deft work, and the window afforded me a view of the main road down which the carriage would need to travel. My keen elven ears soon picked up the rumble of a large carriage, and an elegant four-horse vehicle soon rolled down the road, pulled by four magnificent white stallions. Their white manes blew in the breeze and their hair glistened in the late morning sun.
The porter stepped back, his work finished, and I hurriedly took his place while he exited the room. I set my hands on the sill and leaned out to inspect the carriage itself. It was an elegant machine with four large wheels and a large body. An insignia stood out from the door, but even my keen eyes couldn’t make out the shapes and lettering.
The carriage rolled into the front courtyard and stopped at the front door. Servants hurried out, but one of the men from the box, a small, swarthy man of about forty, hopped down as spry as a squirrel. He wore a long traveling overcoat and underneath was a dark vest and black pants. His short hair was hidden beneath a broad-brimmed hat that partially hid his eyes. The man’s heavy boots hit the ground, and in one swift motion, he stepped forward and opened the door before any of my people could perform the favor.
The man held out his hand and a slim, wrinkled hand stretched out from the inside of the carriage and settled on his palm. He guided the representative down from the body, and I was surprised to find it was a woman. She was no doubt of the mortal variety, as she appeared to be about eighty or so. The woman wore a simple white dress with gold lace on the cuffs, hem, and around her neck. Her shocking white hair was done up in a tight bun behind her head. A gray traveling cloak was clasped to her shoulders.
She stepped down and paused, lifting her eyes. They fell on me and I felt those bright blue eyes delve into my mind as nothing had before. The effect was both startling and frightening. I stumbled back and the connection was broken. A crooked smile slipped onto the woman’s lips and she sauntered into the palace.
I set my shaking hand over my heart and felt it pound against my chest. I’d seen much magic in the court of my father, but I had never experienced such an intense focus, especially not on me. My dread worsened after that first strange encounter, and the knock on the door sounded like a death knell.
If I failed to win this strange woman’s favor, that would very well mean that result.
“C-come in,” I answered.
The door opened and one of the guards stepped inside. “I am to take you to His Highness for an interview with his visitor.”
I lifted my chin and stiffened my jaw. “Of course. Lead the way.”
The guard led me back to the throne room, where I again found my uncle the only person in attendance, with the addition of the woman from the carriage and the man who had opened the door for her. She sat upon a plump, high-backed chair while he stood beside a small, weathered chest with a heavy, old lock. The man clasped his hands in front of himself and had his head bowed.
My uncle caught the woman’s eye and gestured to me. “Here is my niece for your viewing pleasure, Lady Verstand.”
She examined me with those strange light blue eyes of hers. “She is certainly a pleasure to behold, but My King demands more than that from his bride.”
Manala bobbed his head. “Of course, of course. She has an excellent mind and-”
“I am sure she has,” Lady Verstand interrupted him as she lifted her nose to my uncle. “I wish to have this interview with her alone.”
My uncle’s face drooped. “Alone, Lady Verstand?”
“Yes. You must leave.”
Manala narrowed his eyes slightly. “This is most unusual, Lady Verstand. I thought to better assist this transaction-”
“And you can, from a distance that requires you to leave this room,” Verstand insisted.
My uncle’s rage was expressed in the ruddy hue of his cheeks. He gripped the fronts of the chair arms before easing himself to his feet. Manala mastered the rage burning in his eyes and inclined his head to his visitor. “If you wish.”
“I do.”
“Then I will take my leave.” He stepped off the platform and down the walk, but his eyes pointedly looked at me. I didn’t miss the deadly warning in them.
The doors slammed shut behind him and I was left alone with the strange pair. Lady Verstand hopped up and down, bouncing the chair until she completely faced me. She leaned back and set her hands in her lap as she looked me over. “Now, then, why do you wish to become a bride of King Marcus Tullia? And no lies, mind you.” She tapped her temple with one finger and a faint smile danced across her lips. “I can tell if you’re lying.”
I clasped my hands in front of me and pressed my lips shut.
Verstand frowned after a long moment of silence. “Well? Speak up. Why do you not answer me?”
“You told me not to lie, but I can’t answer your question without doing so,” I countered.
Verstand stared bewildered at me for a moment before a cackle erupted from her. She slapped the arm of the chair with one hand. “Bravo! An excellent answer!”
I blinked at her. “Pardon?”
She stood and stalked around me. “His Highness prefers an honest bride, even when that honesty does her no service.” She stopped in front of me and folded one arm over her chest while the other cupped her chin. “Now then, why do you not wish to marry him?”
“I know nothing of him other than what I have read.”
“And I would wager that is very little, other than those scandalous biographies people are always bringing out,” she mused as her sharp blue eyes studied me. “But there is something in your demeanor, girl, that you have not spoken about. You’re afraid, aren’t you?” She waved her hand that had held her chin. “Don’t bother answering. I can see it in your eyes.” Her own flickered to the door. “It’s that brute of an uncle, isn’t it? He seems eager enough for the deal to force his own niece to accept such a proposal against her desires.”
I bowed my head. “That is just the situation.”
She was quiet for a moment as she examined me. “I think you would prefer to stay, but that option isn’t open to you, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Would you make a fuss by coming with us?”
“No.”
She cocked her head to one side. “You are a very obliging creature. I wonder what you’re like when you’re riled up.” She stepped forward and slapped me across the face.
Red rage blinded me and my green magic shot out of my body. The wave struck Lady Verstand and sent her flying off her feet. Her companion darted behind her and caught her against his chest, scooping his arms under hers to keep her from sliding to the floor.
I clapped my hands over my mouth to stifle the scream of terror. I’d just attacked the representative of King Tullia. Horror made me stumble back as my stomach churned.
And a laugh escaped her.
I gaped at Lady Verstand as she climbed to her feet and waved off her friend. “A good catch, Bystry. This floor is waxed enough that I would have skidded into the wall had you not caught me.”
My legs couldn’t stand the strain and buckled. I dropped to my knees on the hard floor and sat there trembling, caught between the dueling desires to scream or cry. Footsteps sounded on the stone floor, and Lady Verstand’s feet came into my view.
She nudged my knee with the tip of one shoe. “That’s enough of that now. I’m not throwing you back to your uncle because you fought back when I hit you.”
I lifted my bleary eyes to her, and she leaned down and offered me a handkerchief. “There, there. None of those tears now. I want that spirited girl who has quite a way with her magic.”
I reached up a shaking hand and took the handkerchief. “B-but why?”
“Why irritate you beyond your limits?” she mused as she smiled down at me. “Because I must test your limits. Being a bride to the king of Calida is no simple matter. Your patience will be tested quite often, and I must see what you will tolerate.”
My heart sank. “Then I failed?”
She folded her arms over her chest and sighed. “I would say that, but I believe you’re a special case.”
I blinked at her. “Is. . .is that good?”
She offered me her hand. “You are most cordially invited to be the bride of the king of Calida.”
My hand still shook as I set my palm in hers. Lady Verstand helped me to my feet and looked me over. “Now then, I believe your uncle called you Princess Elina.”
“That is my name.”
“A pretty one, but I’m afraid you’ll have to drop the title once you reach the palace. There are so many princesses in the capital that nobody bothers with that formality.”
My heart fell. “I. . .I see.”
Verstand leaned back and clucked her tongue. “What a long face! We should tell your uncle the good news! Will he not be pleased?”
My eyes flickered to the chest. “Very pleased.”
CHAPTER4
Verstand leaned to one side and her voice rang out over the room. “King Manala! You may come back inside!”
The doors opened and my uncle strode into the throne room. He had a smile plastered on his face, but his eyes showed his concern as he stopped in front of us. “I trust my beloved niece has met with your approval?”
“Quite,” Verstand assured him as she looked me over. “She will do nicely for His Majesty.”
Manala rubbed his hands together. “Then I trust we need only do the, um, unsavory task of exchanging what was promised.”
Verstand turned her head and one eye caught Bystry’s attention. The man bowed and slipped over to the trunk. He grasped the entire lock in his hand and twitched his fingers. The lock popped open and he quickly removed it. Manala scooted closer, his greedy eyes on the container.
Bystry lifted the lid and revealed a king’s ransom’s worth of coin bags. They were all the same size as the one my uncle had shown me the other day. Manala’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. Bystry removed only one of the bags before he shut the lid and returned the lock to its position.
Verstand took the bag from him and held it out to my uncle. “There. As agreed.”
He eagerly accepted the bag, but his eyes lay on the chest. “Are. . .are those other bags for other purchases?”
“Of course not,” Verstand mused as she smiled sweetly at him. “They were meant for you.”
Manala’s face drooped. “Were? Why will I not be receiving them?”
Verstand looped an arm through mine. “They are meant to compensate families who are understandably distraught at their loved one leaving them.”
His eyes lit up and he practically jumped at me, grabbing my hand in both of his in such a grip that it made me wince. “But I am distraught, Lady Verstand! Very distraught!”
Verstand narrowed her eyes at him and her lips curled down into a scowl. Manala’s eyes widened and he stumbled back, losing his grip on me. The lady’s smile returned, but there was a touch of coldness in the corners. “I am sure you are, King Manala, and you have been paid according to that distress. Now, if you would-” She reached into her traveling cloak and drew out a folded piece of paper. “You must sign this document for the marriage to be considered official.”
Manala tightened his grip on my hand. “I’m not so sure anymore, Lady Verstand. I am loath to separate myself from my dear, dear niece, especially for such a small sum-”
Verstand shrugged. “Then all the money will be revoked and the offer will be rescinded. Bystry.” The man moved to grab the bag of gold from Manala’s hand.
My uncle scooted back, losing his grip on me as he clutched the bag to his chest. “T-that is quite alright, Lady Verstand. I am an elf of my word and will not go back on the agreement.”
She unfolded the document and held it out to him. “Then sign.”
Manala swallowed hard and held out his hand. His green magic flowed from his fingers and drifted across the bottom of the document. The light etched his name into the parchment
Verstand snapped the document shut and tucked it back into her cloak. “That will do. We will now bid you a good day, and may the dowry bring you some little comfort for the loss of your beloved niece.” She looped an arm around mine and bowed her head to him. “Come, Elina. Let us see to your packing.”
Bystry picked up the trunk with ease and Verstand led us out of the throne room. I looked over my shoulder as we reached the threshold and beheld my fuming uncle, hands balled at his sides and his cheeks as red as a rose. The dangerous look in his eyes told me that I was glad to be leaving. He spelled ill for everyone around him.
It made my heart heavy as we passed through those familiar halls. Servants stepped aside and smiled at me, people I had known all my life. There was trouble brewing on the horizon. I regretted leaving them.
Then again, how could I help them if I were dead?
“You are very quiet, Elina,” Verstand mused as she studied me. “Is your heart touched by your leaving so much that you would remain?”
A bittersweet smile slipped onto my lips. “I would not remain here for long, Lady Verstand.”
She pursed her lips and lifted her chin slightly. “Yes, I suspect the same. We shall whisk you away and leave a little something behind.” I cocked my head to one side and blinked at her, but she only smiled and tapped the side of her nose with one hand. “There is no need to trouble yourself on that account. You must focus on the future and your packing. I believe your room should be this way if you were looking out your window earlier.”
I nodded at the stairs. “That’s right, just down there.”
Verstand paused and half-turned to her companion. “Meet us there as quick as you can.”
Bystry bowed his head and turned away, where he disappeared down the hall. I watched him go with more than a touch of curiosity.
Lady Verstand noticed where my eyes lay and smiled. “You’re curious about my friend. I don’t believe you’ve seen much of the world, have you, Elina?”
“Just my father’s-” My heart sank. “That is just my uncle’s kingdom.”
“Well, you shall see much of the world in the capital,” she mused as she guided me onward. “Many people come to live and trade in Ortusia, and some become quite wealthy.”
“Even as wealthy as the king?” I wondered.
She laughed and slapped her leg. “As wealthy as the king? My dear, King Tullia is an ancient man. He has had countless lifetimes to collect priceless treasures. None can hold a candle to the wealthy in his treasury. Now let us hurry along and pack your things.”
We reached my room and began the packing process. I pulled out many small bags to stuff my belongings, but Verstand caught my attention and nodded at a trunk at the foot of my bed. “Why should we not use that? It appears sturdy enough.”
I set my eyes on the trunk and sighed. “I would like to take that as my mother brought it with her when she married my father, but I thought it too heavy.”
“Nonsense,” Verstand lightly scolded me as she opened the lid. “This will do nicely.”
We filled the trunk to bursting and I struggled to lock the clasp.
“Hop onto the lid,” Verstand commanded me. I did as she asked and the lid clicked shut. She hurriedly locked the clasp and stepped back. “There.”
From my vantage point, I had a good view of the room. Many of my personal items were tucked into the trunk, but there were a few odds and ends that remained. The full-length mirror that had followed my growth as much as I had. The rugs couldn’t be taken, those wonderful carpets I had tread on all my life. The sweet scent of the wooden walls would remain.
My gaze invariably fell on the portrait above the mantel. “I. . .I don’t suppose I might take that.”
Verstand half-turned and studied the portrait. “Your father, I presume.”
My stomach twisted and I clasped a balled hand against my chest. “Yes.”
“An admirable job, but I’m afraid it’s far too large to fit into even His Highness’ carriage,” she told me as she returned her focus to me. “We might send it along at a later date.”
I thought back to my uncle and his feud with my father, and it brought to mind the quick removal of the black curtains. I managed a faint smile. “Yes. We might do that.”
“What of that?” Verstand wondered as she nodded at the bed.
The history book lay on the covers, the one that contained my father’s inscription. I slid off the trunk and snatched it up. “I’ll be taking this.”
The bedroom door opened and Bystry stepped inside. “Perfect timing, as always,” Verstand complimented him as she used a hand to gesture to the trunk. “You may take that to the carriage.”
Bystry bowed his head and moved over to the trunk. I watched his motions and couldn’t help but be reminded of the lithe motions of a curtain blowing in a gentle breeze. However, there was nothing dainty about the way he hefted the trunk over one shoulder. I gaped at him as he impassively marched out of the room.
Verstand looped an arm around mine and smiled. “Let us go.”
CHAPTER5
The carriage bounced up and down along the rough dirt road. I clutched my book against my chest and watched the scenery fly past. We had been on the road for several days already and I had seen much of my former homeland.
A sigh escaped me. Former.
“You have quite the habit of sighing when you look out the window,” Lady Verstand commented.
I sheepishly smiled at her. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to stop.”
“You should try to tell me what’s on your mind,” Verstand countered as she leaned back and folded her arms over her chest. “It’s healthier for the soul.”
I cocked my head to one side. “Soul?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what that is.”
I stared ahead and furrowed my brow. “I. . .I believe I heard a traveler mention that once. He was a human, I think, and had a funny piece of jewelry around his neck. The man was trying to convince my father to allow him to establish a school of some sort to better our souls, or so he said.”
“Probably a believer in the Devotia,” she mused as she bobbed her head. “They have often sent out their missionaries to the outer realms to set up schools of learning.”
“Outer realms?” I repeated.
She nodded at the window. “Those that surround Calida. They are often called that by those in the capital, often in a less-than-kind tone.”
I dropped my gaze to my lap and frowned. “I see.”
Verstand studied me with her bright eyes. “You have a temper, Elina. That isn’t a bad quality, per se, as you will stand up for what you believe is right, but it will undoubtedly lead you into issues with the others in the castle.”
I lifted my chin and let out a deep breath. “I will try my best.”
We rolled along and neared the border between Nemusia and the neighboring kingdom of Silvania. I leaned against the wall of the carriage and admired the green forests as they sped past. The hues on their leaves began to take on a more golden aspect the closer we came to the border. The air, too, thickened with the scent of a faraway ocean. An ocean I was soon to see.
We approached the border and the coach slowed. I leaned out and beheld a dozen men who stood in the road. They wore the colors of my father’s kingdom: green with a stripe of yellow across the front. However, they bore weapons that were unfamiliar to me. Their staffs resembled halberds, but the tops were not metal points but crystals. The stones glowed softly with all manner of colors, but the most prominent was a deep hue of red.
Verstand frowned. “It appears King Manala didn’t waste any time in acquiring some rather dangerous weapons for his new guards.”
“New weapons?” I asked her.
“I hope you shall not see.”
There was a finality in her voice that stifled any more questions I had to ask. My mind was filled with them, but the one that jumped to the forefront was: why? Why had my uncle purchased weapons when my father’s kingdom had plenty to go around, and then some? And what would a peaceful kingdom need with new weapons?
The carriage rolled to a stop twenty feet shy of the men. The men surrounded the vehicle and the light from their crystals grew brighter. I felt a strange weight fall on me, as if someone was dropping a heavy blanket all over my body.
I started when Lady Verstand wrapped her hand around one of mine. A look at the tense lines in her face told me the severity of the situation. She managed a small smile before she pressed her finger against her lips.
One of the men stepped up close to the box. He sported a wide, crooked grin and a sharp, dark look in his eyes. I had never seen him before, but he had the sharp ears of my kind. “Good evening, good gentlemen. King Manala has required us to search all carriages passing through here.”
Bystry reached into his coat and drew out a folded paper. He held out the slip to the elf, and he spoke in a low, baritone voice that reminded me of an echo in a cave. There was something impossibly deep about his tone that made even the elf man lift an eyebrow. “We have a letter from King Tullia to pass through the Kingdom of Silvania to reach Calida.”
The elf man snatched the document and unfolded it. He read the contents and sneered before tossing the paper to the ground. The elf stomped his foot on the paper and rubbed it into the dirt for good measure.
“That is all the authority your king has here,” the elf man snapped. He jerked his head over his shoulder in the direction of the border. “You can have all the authority you want over there, but over here we’ll be searching your carriage.”
A faint smile slipped onto Bystry’s lips. He beckoned with his hand. The paper beneath the elf man’s foot flapped and fluttered, struggling beneath his weight. The elf dropped his gaze and glared at the flailing parchment. “What are you trying-”
The paper jerked out from under him, sending the man flying onto his ass. The staff clattered to the road at his side and the glow of the stone faded to nothing. The elf shot up, his cheeks red and his eyes blazing. A faint greenish hue surrounded him.
“You insolent human!” he snapped as he snatched the staff off the ground and climbed to his feet. The crystal glowed brightly and pulsed with a cold power that made me shudder. “You’ll pay for that! Get him!”
The half dozen elves at the front thrust their staffs into the air and light erupted from the crystals. Hot beams of fire shot out of half the crystals, and shafts of ice-cold water blasted from the others. Bystry leaped back and the magics struck the ground, simultaneously melting and freezing the dirt and grass.
Our companion flung his arms out on either side of him and a flurry of scrap paper erupted from beneath his long coat. The parchments were torn and tattered, but long enough that they could wrap themselves around the attackers’ arms. The papers wrenched them around and flung them off the road. Many landed on their stomachs and had the air knocked from them. The others at the rear of the carriage scurried to the front, where they were similarly dealt with. In a few moments, we were surrounded by the wheezing remains of our attackers.
The papers that had done such damage flew back into Bystry’s coat. He climbed back onto the box, and the carriage rolled ahead. I leaned out and the leader of the gang managed to sit up and glare at me. The furious look in his eyes made me duck back into the vehicle.
I dropped onto my seat and turned to Verstand. A smile played across her lips. “Bystry is as thorough as ever, isn’t he?”
“What sort of magic was that?” I asked her.
“Something similar to your green magic, I would suspect,” she mused as she looked me up and down. “Though where you might grow a flower or a stalk of wheat, Bystry beckons the papers he hides in his coat to do his bidding.”
I fell back against the seat and gaped at the wall ahead of us. “I. . .I see.”
“You will see a great deal more ere long,” Verstand mused as she clasped her hands in her lap and looked out her window. “But first, we shall have two days to travel across the lovely land of Silvania. I believe the people of this land are distantly related to elves, are they not?”
“Very distantly,” I confirmed as I studied the woods with their lighter-colored leaves. “My father once told me they had chosen the moon’s path and we elves the sun, and because of that, they weren’t gifted with our keen hearing but were instead given night sight.”
A crooked smile slipped onto Verstand’s lips. “That is a rather appropriate way of phrasing the differences. Your father must have been quite an intelligent man.”
My good humor faltered and I dropped my gaze to my lap. “He was that, and so much else.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet him personally, though the court and he did exchange letters,” she mused.
My head shot up and I blinked at her. “Exchange letters? Why?”
“Mostly in matters of harvesting your timber, but there was some talk of a matrimonial union, as well,” she admitted as she adjusted her seat. “Your father, however, was against the idea of your leaving, at least for a few more years.”
“Then the king of Calida desired that I become his bride long before now?” I wondered.
“It is a subject that is always broached by representatives of His Highness when discussing treaty matters with an unaligned kingdom,” she told me. She leaned to one side and furrowed her brow. “What a nuisance. That delay means we won’t reach the inn before nightfall and all the best rooms will be taken.”
Her complaint piqued my attention. “What inn?”
“The Rough Stallion,” Verstand replied as she sighed. “An old establishment along the crossroads that is the halfway point between the borders. It sees a lot of business so we’re bound to be placed together. I hope you won’t mind sharing a room with me.”
I shook my head. “I would mind it more if I were left alone in a strange place.”
My reply perked up her mood. “Then it’s settled. We shall have be roommates, and the men will no doubt be placed in the barn loft.”
CHAPTER6
King Manala stood in the doorway surveying the empty remains of his niece’s former bedroom. Servants scoured the room, peeking under rugs and pulling out drawers.
“Have you found nothing?” the king snapped at the two dozen elves who worked furiously through the furniture.
One of them hurried up and bowed low at the waist. “Nothing as yet, Your Highness. Princess Elina was most thorough in what she took.”
Manala narrowed his eyes at the servant. “You were instructed never to mention that name again.”
The servant blanched and his body quivered. “M-my apologies, Your Highness. It will not happen again.”
“You can apologize better by finding some of the jewels that belonged to my brother’s wife,” Manala snapped.
The elf’s hands fidgeted in front of him. “I. . .I don’t believe we’ll find them, Your Highness. The trunk the man carried out was quite large and Pri-they could have taken a great deal of the most treasured items.”
“Damn it all. . .” Manala muttered as he turned away in disgust. He stomped down the hall, his cheeks red and his eyebrows knitted together. “And damn that woman! How dare she mock me by dangling those bags of gold under my nose! I should have had her thrown into the dungeon!”
“Your Highness!”
Manala spun around and saw one of the guards from the gate hurry toward him. “What are you doing here?” he snapped, and his sharp voice made the guard skid to a stop a few feet away. Manala stabbed a finger in the direction of the gate. “Get back to your duties or I’ll throw you in the dungeon!”
The guard stood at attention and lifted his chin. “But I’ve come to tell you that visitors have arrived at the gate and insist on seeing you.”
“I won’t see anyone right now!” Manala shrieked as he waved his hands above his head. “Tell them to leave or they’ll be tossed in a cell beside you!”
And with that, he turned on marched off toward the throne room. The guard’s shoulders sank, and he stifled a sigh. He turned and trudged back outside to the fence that surrounded the palace. His four compatriots stood at the pair of wrought-iron gates. They were huddled together and whispered to one another.
They were also alone. No one else stood on either side of the gate.
The elf lifted his chin and quickened his step. “Where are they?” The elves jumped to attention and stood in a line. Their leader stopped in front of them and scanned their faces. All of them had unease etched into their lines. “Well? Where have they gone?”
The guards shifted from foot to foot before one of them cleared his throat. “T-they vanished, sir.”
His eyebrows crashed down. “Vanished? How?”
The elves stared at one another before one of them shook his head. “We don’t know, sir. One moment we were standing at the gate with them on the other side, and the next they had vanished.”
Their leader pursed his lips. “Search the perimeter and the grounds. They must be caught.”
“Shouldn’t we alert His Highness as well?” one of them suggested.
A dark cloud settled on his brow as he half-turned toward the palace. “That’s the last thing we want to do. Perform the search discretely and don’t mention this to anyone until you’ve reported back to me with your findings, or with the strangers. Do you understand?”
The men stood at attention. “Yes, sir!” The four hurried off to the far corners of the perimeter to begin their inspection.
Their leader surveyed the area where the strangers had stood and knit his eyebrows. The ground was covered in a thick layer of gravel for the wheeled vehicles. The area on his side of the gate revealed the tracks of his comrades.
The other side was devoid of footprints.
While the guards made their covert search, their king stomped through the halls and reached the doors to the throne room. He paused on the threshold and glared at either side of the door. The guards were nowhere to be found.
“I am surrounded by incompetents. . .” he muttered before he grabbed the handles of both doors and pushed them open. He stepped inside and froze.
A dark figure stood in front of his throne. Manala’s yellow blood ran cold in his veins, but his greed wouldn’t allow him to turn tail. At least, not yet.
“Who are you?” he snapped as he stalked down the carpet toward the thrones. “And what are you doing here?”
The figure half-turned to him, and Manala froze. The man, if he could be called that, was horribly thin with a gaunt, ashen face and yellow, sunken eyes. The man’s ears were slightly pointed like those of an elf, but there were tufts of hair at the ends. He wore a long black coat with a high collar that reached nearly to the floor, and covered most of his heavy boots. The coat was completely buttoned up, hiding his body. Black gloves covered his long, slender fingers, and a large-brimmed hat atop his head kept his face in perpetual shadow.
The man spoke in a low, almost hissing voice. “How long ago did Verstand leave?”
Manala curled his lips back in a sneer. “You have no authority to ask questions of me, intruder! Now I command you to leave or I’ll-”
The doors slammed shut behind him. Manala jumped and whipped his head around. Two more tall, gaunt figures stood behind the doors. The unconscious bodies of his guards were leaning up against the wall behind the portals. The color drained from Manala’s face.
“I will ask again,” the hissing man spoke up as he stalked toward the king. His yellow eyes stared unblinking at the elf. “When did Verstand leave?”
Manala took a step back. “Who are you?”
The stranger paced around him. “You will find your life very unpleasant if you do not answer our question.”
The king bristled at the man’s commanding tone. “Who do you think you-”
Manala didn’t have time to blink before the man stood only a few inches in front of him. The king’s gasp was cut off by the man’s hand as it shot out and wrapped around his throat. Manala grabbed the man’s hand, but couldn’t pry the cold fingers from his neck. The elf’s eyes bulged as he was lifted a foot off the floor. His feet kicked the air, and the rest of his body squirmed in the man’s impossibly powerful grip.
“Please!” Manala squeaked as his face twisted in terror. “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you! Name your price!”
“I want to know when Verstand left here,” the man insisted.
“A-about half a day ago!”
“She left with the elf maiden?”
“Yes!”
“And which way did they go?”
“By the main road!”
The man drew Manala close to his face so the elf was forced to stare into the black, unfathomable depths of those yellow eyes. “Are you speaking the truth?”
Manala bobbed his head as well as he could manage. “Absolutely! I swear it! My men tried to stop them from leaving the realm, but they were beaten back!”
The stranger studied him for a moment longer before he opened his hand. Manala dropped to the ground like a heavy sack. He massaged his throat as the man loomed over him. Some of the king’s swagger returned to him as he looked up at the intruder. “Why are you desperate enough to break into my palace to learn about a fallen princess and an old hag?”
“That is our business, King Manala,” the man answered as he reached into his coat. He drew out a small bag that jingled and held it over the king’s head. “This is our thanks to you, and a guarantee of your silence.”
Manala’s eyes widened as the man opened his hand. The bag dropped onto the floor between Manala’s legs, and the king eagerly snatched it up. He clutched the leather against his chest and bobbed his head. “Of course! You have my word.”
A strange, crooked smile slipped onto the man’s lips. “I know we do. Good day, King Manala.”
