by J. L. Weil
Wow. I had a lot on my chest. It all just came tumbling out of me.
A speckle of doubt flickered in their expressions for the first time, but I couldn’t say why. Was it my sob story, the conviction in my voice, or how pathetic I must look? Nothing about me looked queenly. Could I blame them for doubting me? They’d never seen me. I was the phantom, half-breed granddaughter. For all they knew, I could have been a myth that didn’t exist, and would never come to save them.
If my mother had shown up, they would have laid out the red carpet. Or perhaps not, since she’d been exiled.
It was clear that just telling the guards who I was wouldn’t be enough. I had to show them. Although I was weary to the bone, mentally at my capacity, and brimming with sorrow, I gathered what tendrils of strength and magic remained in my blood. “Maybe this will convince you.”
I removed the stone from underneath my shirt, letting the soul star beam brightly as I called upon my magic.
From the smallest infliction on their faces, I knew my eyes were glowing as I took a step to the side, giving myself space. Kai and Reilly both watched as well, a knowing light in their gazes. Once I had everyone’s attention, I shifted. Skin became fur. Bones and muscles reshaped swiftly. Animalistic instincts sharpened as the Kitsune within me was set free.
She purred in delight. Freedom. Home. Mine.
And she wanted to rule it.
My fox shook her body, ruffling the white fur as a gust of warm wind blew through the grounds. It seemed that even secluded inside the wards, the elements of nature remained. Fae magic crackled stronger in my veins, and in the four clawed paws that touched the ground. Throwing back my head, I fanned out the eight tails behind me, each sparking with their own unique energy.
Shift.
Storm.
Fire.
Time.
Void.
Spirit.
Tide.
Wind.
Shock and disbelief descended over their features, the spears clutched in their hands lowering.
Kai jerked his arms out of their binds, his lapis eyes flaring brighter. “I told you,” he stated priggishly.
There weren’t any other eight-tailed foxes in the Second Moon. The nine tails were a trait I inherited from my grandfather—a rare trait.
“Gods above! It can’t be…”
“The rumors... they’re true.”
Reilly brushed against my side. “Do you require more proof, or will you let us in?” he snapped, every bit the dragon heir.
They answered by dropping to their knees, bowing deeply.
My fox wasn’t ready to give up her freedom, but I promised her a run later and she reluctantly yielded, allowing me to shift back into my human form. “I am Karina, daughter of Sakura, granddaughter of King Ryo, and heir of Katsura. I’ve come home.”
They kept their heads down, weapons pressed to the ground.
I blinked. “Stand and tell me your names.” Not a request but an order.
Kai prowled closer, as if to let the guards know that they better not try anything, or he wouldn’t hold back as he had earlier. Whether the guards knew it or not, Kai could have destroyed them with a flick of his wrist. He had not done so for my sake.
“Mykel,” the beefier guard’s voice was slightly raspier as he spoke. “My spear and shield are yours.” He slammed the spear across his chest in salute.
“And I am Zaire, Your Highness,” the other warrior with ice chips for eyes offered, mimicking the same show of honor.
Finally, we were getting somewhere. “I’ve had a very long journey, Mykel and Zaire. Is there somewhere we can rest? I’m sure you have many questions, and I will answer them all after, and only after, we’ve had a moment to catch our breath. Then the real work begins.”
Mykel gave a slight tip of his head. “But of course, Your Highness. I know Niklaus will be eager to speak to you once you’ve rested. Follow me and I will show you to the royal chambers.”
Assuming Niklaus had been appointed to oversee Katsura until an heir claimed the throne, I made a mental note to ask Kai what he knew of Niklaus. “Um, those wouldn’t by chance be my grandfather’s, would they?”
Mykel blinked. “Yes, of course.”
“Right, of course,” I echoed. “I would love to see them, but can you tell me if my mother still has a room here in the castle?” With the way I was feeling, I needed a comfort from home. My mother was the closest connection I had to both worlds. It was my bridge.
“She does,” he replied.
I swallowed hard, pushing aside my sorrow. Just a little bit longer. Then I could properly fall apart. “I would prefer to stay there, if you don’t mind. And I’ll need two rooms close by for my companions.” My voice didn’t quiver, but it wanted to crack.
Mykel nodded. “As you wish.”
If they thought it was an odd request, neither of them spoke their opinion out loud, a matter for which I was grateful. I didn’t have it in me to fight over every little request.
As I followed Zaire, Mykel staying behind to keep guard, I took in the details of the castle—my first real look. Threat after threat had kept me from seeing and appreciating the stunning beauty of Halcyon.
It was like walking into a fairy tale, so many details to appreciate. From opulent curtains, plush rugs, polished furnishings, and royal finery, every part of it was beautifully and thoughtfully crafted. The sculpted archways. The bricks on the walls. The shining tiles on the floor. The circular staircases leading to various towers. It was pristinely preserved from the evil that lurked outside these walls.
“Where is your Shaman?” Zaire asked as we strolled into a long corridor, our boots echoing through the high ceilings.
Reilly’s nostrils flared at the guard’s question.
Of course, I should be traveling with my Shaman. Nearly everyone in the Second Moon knew who Devyn was to me. I swallowed. “He will return to me when he can. That’s all I can say.”
Zaire nodded at my vague response, but I could see in the glint crossing his eyes, that he wasn’t satisfied. He didn’t pry, didn’t say anything else while he continued to lead us through the castle, occasionally acknowledging other guards as we walked. We received many curious glances from those meandering the spaces. I offered friendly smiles but nothing more. I didn’t have the energy in me to mingle with those who were granted safe passage inside these stone walls.
After what felt like endless hallways and dozens of stairs, Zaire stopped at a door three floors above the main level… I think. I’d lost track. He jiggled with the handle that looked older than God, and swung open the heavy door. The hinges squeaked. “I will have word sent to Niklaus of your arrival. A guard will be stationed at each entrance of this wing, for your protection, of course.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard that same excuse. Did he still not believe me? No. He didn’t trust me. And why should he? Just because I was the heir, didn’t automatically make me a good, honest, or faithful queen.
I had to earn their trust.
My smile was genuine, tired but real as I glanced up at the guard. “Thank you, Zaire. Your kindness is appreciated.”
“I imagine you haven’t seen much kindness since arriving in the Second Moon,” he replied, surprising me.
“You have no idea,” I muttered.
“The room across from yours and the one on the right is for…” his icy eyes slid cagily to Kai and Reilly, “companions,” he settled on, disapproval tugging at his lips. The guard lingered for another moment before spinning on his heels and stalking down the hall.
I loosed a tight breath once Zaire was out of sight, glancing at Kai and Reilly.
Kai lifted a hand, pressing it to the golden stones to the right of my head. “Well, wasn’t he charming?”
“Are you okay?” Reilly asked, Ignoring Kai.
I could only manage a nod but it wasn’t all right. It wouldn’t be until I found Devyn. It had taken everything inside me to mak
e it through the castle, and now all I wanted was five minutes alone to process what I was feeling. I didn’t know how else to help ease the pressure clamping down on my chest.
Kai slipped a finger under my chin, drawing my eyes upward. “Do you think it is wise for you to be alone?”
I hadn’t realized I spaced out until Kai touched me, his cool shadows brushing along my cheek. “Probably not, but I need this. You’ll both stay?” I wanted to be alone but not alone, if that made sense. Knowing the two of them would be in the next rooms would give me the sense of security I craved.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Reilly assured, reaching for my hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Not even the gods could drag me from you,” Kai vowed, and I heard the faint tremor in his voice.
I strode into my mother’s old room, swinging the door shut. Tears streaked down my cheeks before the heavy oak clanged closed.
Chapter Five
DEVYN
The back of my neck burned like the flesh was being branded. My hand reached for the spot between my shoulder blades, searching for the cause, but I knew I wouldn’t find a mark. At least not the kind left by a wound.
No.
This was magic. The kind that left a vile taste in my mouth, like tar and dirt.
Fuck.
It only took that single thought for understanding to dawn at the same time that I was ripped from Karina’s shadows—torn from the one person I fought so hard to protect, to stand beside her.
The blanket of her shadows was replaced by a darkness so cold that it froze my bones to the point I thought they might shatter. I only knew of one place that enticed such wintry bitterness.
A blizzard of magic whorled through the blackness that swept me deeper into the tundra. My teeth chattered as I grappled for a shadow, any piece of my mate to hold onto, but the thread tying us together grew taut. I was afraid it might snap, which would destroy me.
Gods, I couldn’t think about what it would do to her.
She had come so far, changed not just physically, but in her strength, her perseverance, and her sheer tenacity. Yet, Karina wasn’t the only one who had undergone an identity crisis. I wasn’t the same fae I was when I set out to the human realm. I’d gone against my commander; broken the oath I’d taken.
I’d found love.
And I would be damned if I lost it.
Nothing he did to me, nothing he said, nothing he forced me to do would break that love.
A speck of crisp white burst through the darkness like it was carved open with a dull blade—slowly and painfully. Then, as if the dagger had been doused with gasoline and a match had been lit, the light exploded, blinding me.
Through the temporary disorientation, a cruel laugh echoed.
Asshole.
I’d kill him first or die trying. My life was nothing when it came to the safety of Karina. I’d gladly cut out my own heart before I betrayed my mate. Bracing myself, I slipped on a mask I hadn’t worn in months…
I became nightmares and death.
Destruction and horror.
My gaze lifted from the cold stone floor, and I faced the fae who dared summon an oath I made years ago.
“Hello, Sin Eater. Welcome home. I’ve missed you.”
Chapter Six
KARINA
The tears felt endless.
I didn’t know how long I sat curled up in a corner, my back pressed to the wall with absolute darkness as my only friend. I didn’t bother to light the candles or the hearth. It wasn't the light or warmth I sought tonight.
No.
I wanted the night, the cold. It was there I had last seen Devyn and I clung to that memory, to the feel of his arms before he was ripped away from me.
Relief. Hope. Determination. Those were all the things I should have been feeling. I had finally made it to Katsura after a harrowing journey, that at times, felt like it would never end. True, the fight wasn’t over, not yet, but never had I thought that Devyn wouldn’t be at my side until every last drop of the blight was vanquished.
I had to carry on. I had to put on a brave face. Do what was expected of me, somehow. I wasn’t alone, despite of how very isolated I felt.
Still, behind closed doors, I took off the mask. I let my guard down and allowed myself to wallow in what I was feeling. Whatever that may be at the moment. And right now... my heart wept. I was broken inside, missing a vital part of my heart, a piece of my soul. So, I let the tears fall freely until there were none left to shed, not because I wasn’t still vitally sad, but because my body had none left to produce.
My head pressed to my knees, and I might have drifted in and out of sleep, because the next time consciousness came, I was no longer huddled in the corner, but curled up in a bed. A soft pillow under my face.
With a sigh, I snuggled deeper and went back to that place of dreams, where Devyn still existed, but this time, it wasn’t Devyn’s face I saw.
No.
It was Belle’s.
“Hello, Kitsune.” Her voice washed over me, bubbly and high-pitched.
Momentary happiness claimed me before I remembered. I blinked, taking in the crooked pink smile and her vibrant red hair shining under a beam of sunlight. “Belle? Is it really you?”
She twitched her dainty nose, aqua eyes dancing. “Yes and no. This is my spirit.”
“Belle.” My voice caught, getting hung up on all the regret and sadness I harbored over her death. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Those fragile iridescent wings fluttered. “Stop. Do not mourn my passing. We will see each other again, my friend. Until then... I have something for you.” She sat on a stool-size mushroom and crossed her little legs, the slippers covering her feet pointed.
I angled my head to the side, sitting down on a patch of moss. “What do you mean?”
The purple hue of her skin glimmered, no traces of the cuts and bruises her little body had sustained. “I had hoped I would be able to give it to you myself when we arrived in Katsura, but even with my gifts, I couldn’t be sure of my future. That is the problem with infinite possibilities. You never know which one will be yours until the last second.”
My mouth opened to apologize again, but Belle held up her hand, stopping me. It was my fault, my decisions that cost my pixie friend her life.
“I don’t regret what happened. And neither should you. Our paths were always meant to cross. I waited decades for you, and being your friend is one of my most treasured memories. I will never forget you.”
“Belle,” I whispered. There was so much I wanted to say, but I couldn’t find the words.
The pixie flew off the mushroom stool and perched on my shoulder. She caught a tear as it rolled down my cheek. “You’re sad.”
I nodded. “Yes, very much so. I miss you terribly. I don’t know how I am going to get through this without you.”
A smile illuminated her face. “You have the Shaman, and as much as I hate to say it, Kai. The Unseelie, in his own way, cares for you.”
“I don’t though,” I replied softly.
“Don’t what?” she asked, red brows drawing together in confusion.
“Have Devyn.”
“Tell me, what has happened?” she prompted.
“I don’t know. He just vanished in the darkness during a void. I-I lost him, Belle,” I stammered, much like the stuttering of my own heart when I thought back to the void.
She lay a consoling hand on my neck, her wings tucked into her back. “You haven’t. The Shaman is not lost. He is where he is supposed to be, helping you in ways that you can’t yet see, but soon it will all be unveiled. Until then, know that he hasn’t abandoned you, he would never leave you by choice. Even though you are apart, he is never far. Trust him.”
“I do. Thank you, Belle. I didn’t know how much I needed to see you.”
“I also have not abandoned you. Friends and love are magic that transcends worlds, even the afterlife. Find the vial. It’s important—a key to many un
answered questions.”
“A vial? Is that what you left for me?” I didn’t have to ask how she knew to leave something behind before we’d ever met. Belle’s visions allowed her to see me before I was even born. Freaky when I thought about it like that.
The edges along Belle’s body rippled, blurring some of her features. “Yes. And within the vial is the truth. You must find it.”
The magic holding her here trembled, and I sensed that our time was coming to an end. “Where is it?” I quickly asked.
Belle paused, her gaze lowering to her hands. A sad smile crossed her lips. “Inside the castle. Find it.”
“Belle!” Before the cry left my lips, the pixie was gone.
I blinked, clearing the last fragments of Belle’s vision. My first thought was of Devyn, and only after I absorbed the pain his absence created, could I think past the hurt.
A vial. Find it. The words echoed in my head as if Belle gave me a last nudge.
Staring at the pitched ceilings, I replayed the vision, wondering if I missed any clues. Belle wanted me to find a vial. There were so many things I had to do, and searching for a virtual needle in a haystack sounded like an impossible task. A waste of my time, but this was Belle. I owed her. How would I find it? Did she have any idea how huge this castle was? I had no clue where to begin. Perhaps Kai and Reilly would have a suggestion.
In the sunless morning, I stared at the soul star hanging around my neck. Before I could think about attempting a scavenger hunt, I had to meet with Niklaus. However, first I needed a bath.
Last night I’d been too distraught to take in the details of my mother’s childhood bedroom. Tossing the sheets aside, I sat up, vaguely remembering that someone had put me to bed, trying not to think about who had been in my room. At first, I thought it had been Kai, but I couldn’t be sure now, my memories were hazy—except for the tears and the grief. Those were far too clear and lingered inside me.
