Text copyright © 2018 by Katerina Winters
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Cover Design by J. Herb
ISBN: 978-0-9981970-6-7
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The King’s Karma
By Katerina Winters
Table of Contents:
The King’s Karma
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
From the Author:
More to Read:
Chapter 1
Sword in hand Rodis walked heel to toe silently through the dense woods. In his peripheral he could see his fellow men with weapons drawn and battle ready, waiting submerged within the thick tree line. All eyes were fixed intently ahead.
About forty yards in front of them a tall wooden wall surrounded their destination. Perfectly still within the shadows of the trees, his men watched and listened to the horde of demons claw and scratch at the heavy wooden logs of the fortress. The discord of growls and sharp snarls echoed in their ears. A silent signal from another soldier told him there were fifty plus demons. Tightening his grip on his sword Rodis waited for the final signal.
Like a whispering breeze, the tall figure glided past him, walking unnaturally silent across the dry brush scattered across the forest floor. Taking his eyes from the demon horde at the gates Rodis looked at his King standing a few paces ahead of him. For a week now, they had been traveling at a grueling pace ever since their King received information from one of his demon vassals. They had only just dismounted from their horses when they heard the attack against the walls. Neither he nor any of his men knew what lay beyond the walls, or exactly what they were doing there, but whatever it was their King wanted it—urgently.
In all of his years serving under the tall emotionless creature, Rodis had never seen his King this impatient. Every soldier under the King’s command grew up hearing the same story. Years ago, during Rodis’s parents’ youth, their beloved kingdom of Tige was crumbling, the reign of humans was at a decline and very few kingdoms ruled by humans were left. A surge in the demon populace ate away and slowly destroyed humans’ very existence, the city of Tige faired no different. During their last possible stand during an invading horde, what was left of their people gathered and attempted to hold the castle. Their efforts were in vain. Just as their frontline of men fell, that day it was said that was when their King appeared. Effortlessly and single-handedly the demonic stranger defended them from the invading enemy.
A covenant was made that day, for his protection his reign over Tige was uncompromising and absolute.
The tall humanoid like demon was anything but human. As a young boy, he and others were told that their King was an arch demon of sorts, a much more high-ranking demon than commonly found, though this was never confirmed or denied by their Lord. The quiet, stoic creature merely issued commands and never offered explanations. The people of Tige were not fools, under the powerful demon’s command not only were they protected they were prosperous, the walls of their once great kingdom were rebuilt, and their city was thriving. If their King did not want to offer any information on his origins, then they would not ask.
A reverberating crack of the walls’ hold splintered under the horde’s attack, the resulting screams of women and men behind the walls echoed in the morning air. A small, deft wave of their King’s long-clawed fingers signaled to Rodis the arch demon’s command.
They attacked.
Pulling his blade from a fallen demon’s putrid flesh Rodis did a quick scan to make sure his fellow men were faring well in battle. As expected he notated there were no casualties at first glance. The place was some sort of temple, an old one by the look of it, but well-maintained despite the current chaos surrounding it. What looked like to be priest and nuns ran screaming from their attackers.
Stepping over the slain body of a nun, Rodis caught sight of his Lord. If Rodis weren't in the middle battle, he would have surely stopped stone-still and watched the rare sight. A few yards ahead, his King had pulled out one of his two swords sheathed on his back, a long thin double-sided blade with a long ornate hilt wrapped intricately and neatly with fine leather. Rodis watched with unhidden admiration as his King sliced through three monstrous demons with one clean stroke. Only once before had he seen his Lord pull one of his swords from his double black ivory sheath on his back and that was years ago. Watching from the castle wall’s bastion, as a boy, Rodis watched as the King effortlessly took down a large bearlike demon at the castle gates. It was a story that was told and heard countless times throughout the years.
Normally the King left any battles to his human army. To fight such lower-class demons as these was beneath him, making the sight before Rodis now all the more rare. So, what in the hell was in this place to make his King draw his weapon?
Dispatching another ghoulish demon Rodis easily caught up with his King who was standing still amongst the chaos. He was about to open his mouth and offer his help if his King would only tell him what he was looking for when his Lord jerked around to look behind him. In a blink, the arch-demon used his immortal speed and left Rodis standing alone in the temple’s courtyard. Barely seeing the brief flash of the King’s dark armor inside the temple, Rodis ran after him.
Running through the eerily deserted halls of the temple Rodis skidded to a halt at the sound of a delicate cry. Turning towards the sound, he saw large ogre-like demon standing over what Rodis presumed was a nun. Preparing to lunge with his sword Rodis faltered midstep when his King appeared before him in an instant. Grabbing the disgusting ogre by the neck, the arch demon easily lifted the thrashing demon who was twice his size off the ground caving in its throat with his grip. Without a second glance, the King tossed the ogre’s lifeless body across the room with a ground-shaking thud before turning to the nun huddled in the corner.
The King’s back was turned towards Rodis, he could not see the arch-demon’s face.
No one said anything.
Curiosity eating away at him Rodis stepped further into the room carefully edging closer to his King until he could peer up at him. Rodis’s eyes widened, the normally deep dark red eyes of his King were now burning bright in the dimly lit room. Following his gaze, to the huddled woman, Rodis examined the woman closely.
She wasn’t a woman at all. Well, that was incorrect, he thought as he tore his gaze from her figure, she was very much indeed a woman she just was not a human one.
Confused and scared the young woman stared back at them with large forest green eyes. Unable to stop staring Rodis noticed her skin. Her skin wasn’t really skin at all, like the skin of a peach she was covered in a pale gold sprinkling of fur that made a man want to reach out and touch. It was her ears however that really transfixed him, Rodis had never seen anything like it. Huddled on the ground in front of him was the most beautiful creature with long floppy white ears hanging from the top of her head resting on her dark golden-brown hair.
Rodis co
uldn’t believe it, he was looking at a palomino bunny—woman.
In a deep voice next to him his King finally spoke. “This is what we came for.”
Chapter 2
“What is your name?” The tall red-eyed demon spoke, extending his hand towards her. The second man that was standing at his side quietly stepped out of the room, leaving her alone with the tall demon.
Anything to take her eyes away from the glowing red embers of his eyes she looked at the clawed hand reluctantly. Every instinct told her to not go anywhere near the demon, but she didn’t want to offend the one that just saved her life. The demon before her was unlike anything she had ever seen, the tall, imposing figure was nothing like the demons that came crashing through the temple’s gates. Their flesh looked putrid and tough while their rancid odor made her eyes water. This one, however, was different, like the stories she heard about from the traveling monks that visited the temple. Stories of powerful arch demons conquering cities and waging wars. Was he one of those demons? The power she witnessed moments ago as he threw the ogre twice his size with just one hand told her he was incredibly strong.
Taking his offered hand, she was easily pulled to her feet. Taking a step back she quickly pulled her hand from his, avoiding his now closer gaze.
“My name…” Doing her best to take a deep breath to keep her voice from trembling, she swallowed and steeled herself to meet his chilling gaze. “My name is Ishtar, my Lord.”
Narrow black pupils constricted as she spoke her name.
Ensnared by his deep red gaze every instinct told her to run, to get away from this predator. There was something deeply jarring about his unnerving stillness. No rustle of his clothes, not even a slight shift in his step, she couldn’t even tell if his chest rose and fell with his breathing. Not one movement, just utterly still. Secretly Ishtar’s eyes traveled down his tall figure taking note of his long, silvery-white, bone straight hair that flowed down his back undisturbed and completely in place. The sharp lines of his face gave him a serious countenance that paired well with his overall lack of expression to provide a look of pure enigmatic superiority.
Starting to feel uneasy she hesitantly meet his inhuman gaze and gave him a timid smile. “Thank you for saving me my Lord,” she thanked him with every intention of excusing herself out of the room.
Crimson eyes narrowed as if in thought or maybe he read her mind about wanting to escape his presence? A tiny muscle twitched in his jaw as if he was about to speak but a noise at the doorway stopped him. Turning his head only a fraction, his primal gaze looked over his shoulder. The man that stepped out of the room earlier was back, standing respectfully at the doorway keeping his eyes downcast is spoke.
“The temple is clear my Lord and guards have been posted around the perimeter.”
With only a nod of acknowledgment, the soldier was wordlessly dismissed. Alone again, the demon turned to face her again staring down at her intently.
“Are we safe now?” She asked, not sure if he was going to speak.
With an unwavering gaze, he answered. “For now.”
Worry knotted her stomach. “Will we get attacked again?”
“Yes,” the deep reply was flat and emotionless.
Scared she remembered the screams of the slain nuns when the temple doors were breached. Terror so tangible and thick surrounded her, Ishtar could still feel her heart racing from the attack. Looking to the corner of the room she shuddered at the sight of the lifeless ogre. They would not survive another attack.
Desperate she stepped closer to the silent demon, she wanted him to say more than just one word, she wanted him to help them. “What can we do?”
Looking away from her for the first time, he turned around and began walking towards the door. “I will speak to the head priest.”
Hope flared to life inside of her, fighting back against the gnawing feeling of worry. Hesitantly she followed him to the door. “I still don’t know your name.”
Looking over his shoulder, he paused, one red eye connected with hers.
“My name is Suros.”
Chapter 3
Their eyes met again for what had to be the fourth time within the hour, quickly turning away Ishtar forced herself to stare at anything else but that silver-haired demon. Even now she could feel his piercing stare on her back as he watched her tidy up the destroyed herb rack. All around her people were moving back and forth across the courtyard and in and out of the temple’s monastery cleaning the wreckage from the attack. Soldiers cleared the dead while the nuns and the monks worked to reestablish order to their once peaceful temple.
Finishing with straitening up the herb drying rack, Ishtar wanted to turn around and look to see what else could be done, but she didn’t trust herself not to seek out the silent ever watchful demon again. Nervously she wiped her hands on her apron and hurried inside. The old stone hallways of the monastery were crowded today with the addition of the soldiers. Various sounds and voices bounced off the walls causing her to wince, normally the halls were so quiet it didn’t affect her sensitive hearing. Rushing past two soldiers Ishtar didn’t miss their wide-eyed stares. It wasn’t something new, every time she met new people she caused the same reaction. Ducking into a nearby store room, she took the ladder to the roof and found her secret alcove cut into the parapet of the roof.
For years she had been coming here to escape to her thoughts. With her knees drawn up to her chin, she had a perfect angle of the damaged front gates and the treetops of the forest beyond. How long has it been when she first stepped through those gates? She could still feel the soft hand of her mother’s letting go of her as she turned and walked away for the last time. Years later the head priest told her that her mom left her there seeking safety due to a raid on the village she came from.
Her mother never came back. The temple became her home while the small collection of aging nuns and monks became her family.
Ishtar knew she was very fortunate to grow up in the monastery, especially considering she was not human. Over the years of watching people come and go she quickly deduced her kind was rather rare. Nomadic monks came to the temple’s monastery and shared stories of their travels and described the different people and demons they encountered and each time they would falter at the sight of her. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop the stab of pain she felt when she caught their stares. Was she that much of a pariah?
Ishtar didn’t have the many qualities she heard other demons had, she could not perform magic nor transform, though she was a really fast runner compared to most humans and she was great at jumping. And while most demons possessed incredible strength hers was…not so incredible. It was nothing like the power she witnessed from the pale red-eyed demon. Ishtar could clearly remember his eyes glowing bright in the dark room as he effortlessly killed the ogre reaching for her.
Frowning she began to toy with some of the loose stones by her side, why did her thoughts keep turning to him? He was a predatory demon for that much was evident, but there was something vastly intriguing about his silent, powerful presence. Maybe it was because she had never seen anyone like him before.
Carefully shifting forward, she peeked over the edge of the parapet and found the pale figure talking to the head priest. Standing taller than all the men around him the silver-haired demon stared at the rambling priest with unveiled disinterest. Using her vantage spot above him, she studied the tall demon all the soldiers referred to as King. It was unusual for a demon to have human subjects, slaves yes but not loyal subjects at least that was what she had been told in the past by the monks. From what she could see the soldiers under his command looked strong and healthy and very loyal to their King. There was no clear indication of indentured servitude or mistreatment. The fine scrollwork on his dark cobalt leather armor hinted at the demon’s wealth as well as the armor of all his men. Just where did this demon King come from?
Examining the sharp regal profile of the demon, she hardly noticed as his face
turned away from the priest, Ishtar was too focused on his narrow lips that seemed permanently set in a line of indifference. He was very tall compared to the rest of the men in his presence, his shoulders meet only the head of the tallest soldier. The pale demon looked strong and lean giving him an air of dangerous male virility, something she was entirely unaccustomed to compared with the older scholarly monks that resided in the temple. Traveling up his face she locked eyes with his deep ruby-red eyes in a gasp. He was looking right at her! Pitching backward she fell back against the wall away from the ledge. How did he know she was up there? It was as if he knew exactly where to look as if he knew she was watching.
Hurrying back down the ladder, she made her way to the kitchen to help with dinner preparations. Staying in the kitchens Ishtar secretly watched through the door’s crack as the soldiers filled up the tables in their temple’s small refectory. It was more than a relief to know that the demon King could not see her in this position. Another nun told her he was sitting at the head priest’s table which was against the wall of the kitchen. The soldiers were lively and loud, talking and laughing amongst each other with smiles. They seemed so jovial, a secret part of her yearned to be able to join them in their spirited laughter. Lately, she was constantly reminded that she was surrounded by people who took vows of piety and who did not share her longing for adventure. Growing up she could always convince a nun or young monk to take time and play with her but those times were over. Such behavior was frowned upon, and she was regularly encouraged to devote her life to prayer of the goddess and the seemingly never-ending list of chores. Wistfully she watched the soldiers laugh and joke, she wanted more to her life than just chores and prayer.
The King's Karma: A Short Fantasy Romance Page 1
