by J. L. Weil
The bed sat in the middle of the room, allowing me to see from corner to corner with a twist of my head. Above me, a sheer cream canopy hung from the center of the ceiling, dropping to the four corners of the bed. Ivy trailed and intertwined with the fabric, securing it to the pitched ceiling. Beautiful blush and cream flowers were scattered throughout the trailing ivy, and the same garland framed the large windows that lined two walls.
Ornate, carved details of whimsical woodland creatures adorned the wood, scenes that could have come straight out of the fairy tale books she read to me before bed.
It turned out, she was that girl in those stories.
Flowers and honey scented the air, giving it a fresh and lovely smell. As my gaze panned the room, I half expected to see fairies hidden behind the foliage or under the flower petals.
The room was cheery and well kept after all these years. If only the view out the windows offered that same cheerfulness. I tried to imagine what my mother saw when she woke in the mornings, what the view would have looked like instead of the swelling darkness. Had there been glorious sunrises and colorful sunsets that painted the skies? Were the grounds beyond the castle lusciously green and full of life?
Stiffening my chin, I forced my legs to carry me into the adjoining bathroom. I quickly undressed and scrubbed myself clean. The soap somehow smelled just like my mother, jasmine and hints of lemon.
When I came out of the bath, wrapped in a towel, a tray of food sat on the freshly made bed, along with a change of clothes beside it. I sighed. This place is magical.
Climbing carefully onto the bed, I surveyed the tray of food. A hot pot of tea, still warm sugar-coated pastries, a platter of meat, and a small bowl of something like oatmeal. It all smelled delicious, and my stomach rumbled, eager to try it. My body was starved, and yet, the action of actually feeding myself seemed difficult. Still, I forced myself to pick at the food, putting each bite into my mouth and consciously chewing, then swallowing. I refused to allow myself to become weak.
Never again. I’d come too far to fail.
I went through those same robotic movements to put on the clothes left for me. Black leather pants and a thin white cover that fitted snugly at the top, emphasizing my breasts. A band of gold detail cinched underneath them, that flowed to the ground in slitted strips of fabric.
A knock rapped on the door as I tightened the sash around my waist. “Come in,” I called, turning to face the door.
Kai leaned against the frame, his eyes leisurely raking over me inch by inch. When he was done, he cocked his head to the side and smirked. “Now you look like a queen. Just one thing missing.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Dare I ask what that is?”
“A crown.”
I rolled my eyes, moving toward him. “I had a vision.”
“Of course, you did. Devyn?” he guessed, shifting to the side so I could walk through the door and into the hall.
I shook my head, the slits of fabric winding around my legs as I moved. “Belle.”
Kai strode alongside me, his fingers stroking over his smooth chin. “Hmm. Interesting. As much as I would love to hear what the pixie had to say, Niklaus is waiting.”
Right. My grandfather’s temporary replacement. “What do you know about him?” This was a question I’d normally pose to Devyn, but he wasn’t here.
“As far back as I know, he was your grandfather’s advisor. For decades he served the fae of Katsura, and there was no one your grandfather trusted more, other than his Shaman,” he added.
Who was dead. Shaman and Kitsune left this world in the same way they came into it. We were born together, and we died together. “Okay, let’s get this over with,” I offered reluctantly, halting in the middle of the hallway. “Where is Reilly?” I asked, my gaze shifting back from where we came, noticing that the dragon shifter was nowhere nearby.
Kai shrugged, looking uninterested or worried. “Doing dumb dragon shit, I presume.”
“Kai,” I huffed, shooting him an impatient look.
Sighing, he conceded. “He went to check on the wards with a few of the guards, and then meet up with Fyson, who leads Katsura’s militia—the Fae of Arms.”
Good. It saved me the time of having to seek them out myself. The castle needed to prepare for war like a week ago. I lifted a brow at the Unseelie’s bored expression. “Was that so hard?”
A ghost of a smile played on Kai’s lips. “Extraordinarily.”
* * *
Niklaus’s office was on the south end of the castle, allowing me to see more of Halcyon. The gardens were majestic. A few people we passed offered me tentative smiles. Others stared and whispered.
As we moved from tower to tower, the pathways covered by stone overpasses, I grew curious about those who resided not just inside the castle, but in Katsura. “Where did all the fae who lived outside these walls go?” I asked. “Did the blight destroy them?”
Kai slid a sidelong glance at me. “Some, perhaps. The stubborn ones who stayed to fight a winless battle lost themselves to the darkness, but most sought sanctuary in the surrounding kingdoms. Willowland, Ashland, and Orangeoland. Few would brave the bitter cold of Thornland, but if it meant surviving, they would have ventured into the harsh land too.”
“I wish I knew where Devyn was,” I harped, knowing I would sound like a broken record soon, but I couldn’t stop thinking of him.
Kai casually nudged my shoulder, careful not to send me stumbling into a wall. “He will show up when you need him the most. He always does.”
Around the next corner, we came to a set of double doors. The guard escorting us stopped and twisted his hand in the air, summoning the doors to open. His magic trembled in the air, perking up the Kitsune within me. “Through here,” he ordered.
Kai put a hand to the small of my back, guiding me inside the dimly lit room. It reminded me too much of the blight and I longed to light the lanterns or send a burst of flames into the hearth. From what little I could see of the room, it was decorated in deep, rich blues and dark woods.
“You must be Karina,” a profound voice greeted, drawing my attention to the man standing in front of an ancient wooden desk. White waves of hair hung down to broad shoulders. The male didn’t look a day over thirty, and yet, I knew him to be more than a hundred years old.
“Niklaus,” I replied, taking the hand he offered. Instead of shaking mine as was accustomed in the human world, he sent a flicker of magic that caused a tiny jolt against my palm, a little hello to the magic in my veins. In turn, my power fluttered, sending a zap of energy to him. My eyes widened at the exchange.
Gold eyes danced as he noticed my expression. “You look so much like your mother. I, of course, have heard the rumors of your beauty, but seeing you in person, it’s like the hands on the clock have been turned back.”
Funny, considering I could do just that.
So, this man used flattery. Kai and he should get along fabulously., and they seemed to already.
Niklaus turned those gold eyes to Kai, who stood close beside me, fiercely so. “Kai.” The advisor nodded in the Unseelie’s direction, his gaze noticing and acknowledging with a lifted brow the stance Kai had assumed.
“Hello, Niklaus,” Kai replied with a twist of his lips. “Is that a grey hair I see? I told you that your age would finally catch up to you if you kept yourself shut in this dingy office.”
Niklaus clasped Kai’s forearm. “And you still shroud yourself in shadows.”
“I like the dark.”
The elder fae pursed his lips. “Then you should feel right at home in these bleak times. Sorry for the mishap yesterday. You understand that extra precautions must be taken.”
Kai adjusted the neckline on his cloak. “I’d be disappointed if I hadn’t been stopped at the door.”
Turning his focus back to me, Niklaus gave a slight bow of his silver head. “I’d like to formally welcome you home. I only wish it could be under happier circumstances.”
I released a breath, feeling more comfortable in Niklaus’s presence than I anticipated. My instinct was to trust him. My grandfather had, and I believed that Kai did as well. Without Devyn, I had to rely on my instincts to see who was good or bad. “As do I.”
Niklaus leaned back against his desk. “Katsura is the most beautiful kingdom in the Second Moon. I’m sorry that your first impression is so grim.” His concern for the city and for me seemed genuine.
I twiddled with the sash at my hips, needing to do something with my hands. “Not your fault. I’m only here to help if I can.”
“We’ve waited a long time to see you, and we’re glad you came. I’m sure none of this has been easy on you, and I hate to get straight to the point, but the sands in the hourglass have almost run out.” He tapped his finger on the glass globe on the desk—purple sand slowly dripping from the top into the bottom, where most of it mounted. “I gather that your arrival means you’ve somehow managed to obtain all nine of your Kitsune powers?”
Shit! I bit the inside of my lip. “Uh, about that.”
“She has accomplished a great deal. More than any Kitsune before her in history,” Kai jumped in, giving me a moment since I appeared to be struggling. “The powers she’s earned are extraordinary and in less than a year.”
Niklaus crossed muscular arms over a broad chest. He was no weak fae, who sat behind a desk all day. Like Devyn, the advisor had an edge about him that was only obtained by harsh training. Niklaus knew how to soften that side of him, make himself approachable, but I didn’t doubt that when the time arrived, he would morph into a formidable warrior.
“Last I heard you had eight tails. Have you not yet earned the final?”
The last Kitsune tail would grant me the ability to commune with the fae lands, allowing me, in theory, to destroy or banish the blight. Theory being the key word. Even if I did figure out how to get my final tail, I still had to learn to master the power, and Niklaus was right. We were running out of time.
I couldn’t lie. There was no point. I’d already shown his guards my Kitsune form, and I didn’t want to start this relationship with deceit. That was not how I wanted to begin my reign. I wanted to be someone the people of Katsura could trust and be proud to call their queen. Honest. Compassionate. Loyal.
“No. Not yet,” I admitted, keeping my head high. “I had no choice but to come here immediately,” I confessed regrettably, my expression forlorn and apologetic. I didn’t want him to feel as if there was no hope, that I had failed. Time might be short, but I refused to give up until the very end, and yet, my presence brought upon a war.
“Talin’s army marches to your borders,” Kai explained. “The dragon heir is speaking with Fyson to come up with a defense plan, in case Talin gets here before Karina can heal this kingdom.”
Niklaus nodded, a flash of that warrior lingering under the surface surfacing through his eyes. “Our wards will only last another few nights, at most.”
Son of a bitch.
That was barely enough time to rest and gather my strength, because I didn’t doubt that I would need every last drop of my magic to dispel the darkness. I had Kai and Reilly, and I was sure both would lend me strength when the time came. Yet, for now, my biggest problem was obtaining my ninth tail.
Without blinking, I stared into Niklaus’s golden eyes. “I will do all I can. I give you my word.”
He studied me for a hard moment. “And after, do you plan to take your throne?”
Was he worried that I would or that I wouldn't? I couldn’t read his face. No emotions graced his features, nothing to give me any indication. “How about we deal with that after we take care of the blight and my uncle,” I suggested. “He means to take this kingdom, by any means necessary.”
“We are no strangers to war. Fyson will see that our castle is protected. It is all that is left to defend. Until then, this is your home. Whatever you need, please do not hesitate to ask. The people here are on your side. They, more than the other kingdoms, understand that you are our last hope and will support you in any way they can. We do not wish to be governed under Talin’s iron rule.”
I loosed a breath. “Thank you. It is an enormous relief to be somewhere safe, even if it is for a few days before we see war.”
Niklaus nodded. “I only ask that you keep me informed, updated reports on your progress.”
“Of course. I do have a question. You used the ward to keep the castle from being consumed by the blight. How did you manage to do that?” Katsura had been ground zero. The blight was unleashed here. But how?
Niklaus’s gaze flickered to the window. “I made the decision after your grandfather was discovered.” He seemed transported back to that horrible moment. Shaking his head, he continued. “I never thought I would see the day when Katsura would have to use the ward, but a snap decision had to be made. Those first hours were crucial, the kingdom was vulnerable and in mourning. The perfect time to strike, and strike the blight did.”
“Do you have any idea where it came from?” I asked, the origin of the darkness was still a mystery.
“No, only that it was triggered by King Ryo’s death.”
“Any chance you know how I can achieve my final power?” I inquired. Seeing as Niklaus was so close to my grandfather, perhaps he of all fae might have an inkling of how the mysterious Kitsune tails were granted.
His expression dropped. “I’m sorry, Karina. I do not. That information has been highly guarded throughout our history. When I was brought on as advisor, King Ryo already had his full powers.”
Disappointment crashed into me, but I shoved it aside and straightened my shoulders. “It was worth a shot, and it would have simplified things.”
Niklaus offered me a smile. “If there is anything you need or anything I can do to help, do not hesitate to ask. We all want the same thing here.”
I nodded.
Kai and I left Niklaus’s office without any more information than what we had when we arrived. “What now, little queen?” Kai murmured when we were alone in the hallway.
My muscles stiffened, almost imperceptibly. “What I came to do. I’m going to light up the darkness, banish it, and the blight along with it. I just don’t know how yet. But first, we have to find that vial.”
Kai lifted a brow. “Right, the vision.”
I quickly gave him a rundown of what Belle had shown me.
“And let me guess, you have no idea where to start?” he mused solemnly, running his fingers through his sandy hair.
I smiled. A sad, pathetic smile. “Am I becoming that predictable?”
The prick only smirked.
Chapter Seven
KARINA
Kai led us into a section of the castle that reminded me of the farmer’s market back home. Vendors lined either side of the cobblestone pathway to sell various goods. Unlike some of the other markets I’d seen in the Second Moon, this one lacked buyers. Only a few people strolled through the outdoor shops, picking through fresh produce for meals or a new cloak to keep them warm at night.
“Should we split up?” I asked as we walked by a fae sharpening a dagger. He sat on a stool while an array of weapons was laid out on the table in front of him. His gaze met mine and he gave a slight tip of his head in greeting.
Kai tugged me by the side of my sash, pulling me closer to him. “Bad idea, little queen. If there is one thing I have learned since being in your company, it is that you can never be left alone. Trouble always has a way of finding you. And here, in an unfamiliar city, I can’t take the chance someone won’t hurt you.”
I blinked. “But Niklaus said—”
“I know what Niklaus said,” he interrupted, guiding me along as my eyes wandered from vendor to vendor. “I was there, remember? You are far too trusting.”
“Are you implying that I’m not safe here, that Niklaus lied?” I asked, gazing at a skewer of meat roasting over a spit.
Kai strode to the fae behind the table as she turned the skewer. A g
narly scar ran from her temple to her jaw, yet somehow it didn’t take away from her beauty. “I’m saying that I trust no one. Niklaus is not known to be a liar. I don’t have any reason to be suspicious of him until he gives me one. It is everyone else I’m worried about. He might believe that the people in this city welcome you unabashedly, but there is always at least one asshole who goes against the hordes. It is that one I’m concerned about.” Kai held up two fingers, indicating to the fae how many he would like to purchase.
“Isn’t that usually you?” I pointed out frankly.
He dropped a few coins onto the table as he grinned at me. “Precisely.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then by that theory, I shouldn’t trust you, which is ridiculous, because I do. With my life.”
Kai took the two skewers of meat from the lady, offering her a wink before extending one to me. “You flatter me, little queen. The difference is, I’ve spent time in your company. You have a way of changing even the darkest of hearts.”
Grateful, I took the food, not questioning how he knew I was hungry. The measly breakfast I forced myself to eat hadn’t been enough, not when I’d been living on whatever food we’d managed to scrape up along the way. “I don’t believe your heart was ever really that dark.”
Kai flashed me another wicked grin. “There is still much you don’t know about me.”
Sinking my teeth into a hunk of savory meat, I ripped it off the skewer and nearly moaned at the delicious flavors. “I still think it would be more productive if we split up,” I countered after swallowing my first bite. “It would be faster, especially with Reilly’s help. Niklaus so dutifully reminded us that time is ticking.” I went back for another nibble.
“And you’re sure this vial is important? That it can’t wait until after you’ve saved the world?” he asked.
