The Count of Wolf Blood Castle

by Laurelle Lewis

  Magali went to the centre of the room and began to mix some coloured sand in a large bowl that stood on a large stand. She then waved her hands above the bowl and two flames shot from her palms and into the centre. A fire immediately rose up, and Magali smiled contentedly.

  ‘Look into the fire!’ Magali cooed. ‘See what great destiny belies you!’

  It was a magic fire, that would show visions to those seeking answers, but only a few images were revealed at a time.

  Briette looked closer to see herself dressed in royal robes, standing on a balcony, all the townspeople worshipping her, a crown upon her head. ‘I look so regal,’ she muttered. ‘And, they love me.’ A single tear fell from her eye.

  ‘Yes, this is your path if you follow my instructions—if you are willing to do whatever it takes to be the next Queen of Thraxia, and rule with your prince…but if...if you do not…if you falter...I see terrible things for you, Briette Baumgartner…’

  Briette gulped. ‘If I follow your instruction? I will have what my heart desires? True love and a crown, but—will Bastien, will he, will he treat me better? Will he…change?’

  Magali threw some more sand into the fire. The vision quickly disappeared.

  ‘Come, child,’ she motioned towards the table. ‘I do not reveal all, that is a lesson you must learn for yourself. Now, sit at my table and let’s begin.’

  Briette sighed, she had no power to argue or press with the witch more, she knew she had to accept whatever little information Magali chose to reveal to her.

  ‘Come, sit.’ She motioned towards the tablet, where she had laid out several potions, herbs and objects.

  Briette let a few small tears trickle down her checks. ‘I’m so scared,’ she whispered, ‘Bastien tried to kill me recently—I need protection—that’s why I’m here…’

  Magali nodded. ‘I cannot tell you exactly what you need, you will feel it in your bones, you will feel it in your beating heart, when it is the right time and device, your soul will speak to you, the magic will guide you.’ Briette knew how this worked, she was to close her eyes, and hold her hands above each object, and the one that the magic felt was right for her would come to her.

  Briette took a deep breath and begun, as her hands hovered above each object, she felt nothing, then suddenly her hands began to quicker, and she felt compelled to pick up the objects beneath her. Opening he eyes, she saw that she was holding a bunch of herbs and a spell, written on old parchment.

  ‘This will protect me?’ she asked hopefully.

  Magali let out a giggle. ‘Dear child—it is not protection you want, but power. This spell—it will give you what you want.’

  Briette didn’t understand, she began to read the spell—‘No!’ she screamed, ‘I want to stop the brutality, I want to protect myself and…’

  ‘And what? You will leave Bastien? You will walk away from his Kingdom and everything it offers you?’

  Briette could feel her face becoming hot, she was shaking her head, feeling strange and confused.

  ‘The magic never lies, dear child,’ Magali said, her tone now becoming cold, her eyes narrowed. ‘Your true self has been revealed. Now, payment?’

  Briette throw the herbs and the spell on the floor. ‘No! It doesn’t have to be this way!’

  Suddenly, Magalia’s face changed, and an effervescent light began to bubble around her, hues of greens and pinks exploded from the old woman as she transformed into a beautiful enchantress.

  Her voice deep, she cried, ‘Now hear me, child! When you bargain with a witch you owe her! Take your spell—and do with it what you will—but leave me my payment and leave my house!’

  ‘This was a mistake!’ Briette sobbed. ‘I’ll never come here again…’

  Magali’s eye’s narrowed, as a wicked smile grew upon her face—‘The day will come when you will return your debt to me…now, go!’

  ‘But…the jewels…I just gave you thousands of oopas worth the jewels and gems…’

  ‘And they are very nice, but when you deal with a witch—you owe her soul currency! Now go!’ Magali screamed, her form turning a strange array of hues and doubling in size.

  Briette was shaking by this point—she hadn’t known Magali’s powers to be so strong—She throw the bag of emeralds and rubies down upon the table, picking up the spell and the herbs, she quickly raced out the door. As she ran from the house, the lights could be seen shining through the windows. She thought that the old witch-and her house—might explode at any second.

  Wiping the tears from her eyes as she ran through the forest, she threw the spell and herbs down upon the ground, determined that she would see no more death for the sake of her future.

  ***

  Briette tiptoed up the stairs, and into her bedroom, she looked a fright, and she didn’t want anyone to know where she’d been. Damn that old witch, she thought to herself, perhaps seeking her help had not been the wisest of ideas, but Briette was desperate, beside what could that old hag want from her that could be so bad anyway?

  Briette had been back only a few minutes when Bastien walked through the door. She was wet and soggy, and her hair was a mess.

  ‘Where the hell have you been?’ He laughed, throwing a towel at her.

  ‘Never you mind!’ she grunted. ‘What are you doing here anyway? It’s the middle of the night!’

  Bastien threw himself down on Briette’s bed.

  ‘I miss my lover,’ he winked. Briette still hadn’t quite forgiven him for the other night, she looked at the floor in dismay.

  ‘I’m actually really exhausted. I was just about to go to bed.’

  ‘Quite clearly, you’ve been getting some exercise. Where have you been?’ he eyed her suspiciously.

  ‘I heard a noise outside—I thought it was a lost animal.’

  Bastien raised his eyebrows. ‘Since when does Briette Baumgartner give a damn about stray animals?’

  ‘Since I‘m no longer at school, I didn’t get Sacred Sister of the Year and I’m walled up in this prison all day! You’re never around anymore! I am lonely!’

  The words flew out of her mouth and what had begun as a lie, revealed how she had really been feeling.

  Bastien held out his hand. ‘Come here, baby. I’m sorry—I have had a lot of work to do, you know—a kingdom doesn’t run itself—and Father has been so ill…’

  Briette sat down, relieved, Bastien wasn’t asking more questions.

  She looked into his crystal blue eyes, and realised she still loved him so very much, she wanted to believe that there was some good in him, and she knew she could never walk away from him.

  ‘I’ve missed you,’ she mumbled weakly.

  ‘You know I can’t stay away from you!’ he smirked. Leaning over to her, to her he planted a kiss upon her soft lips, suddenly pulling away.

  ‘Fancy Florina stealing that necklace?’ he mused. ‘I never would have thought she had it in her, and high as a soaring dragon on fairy pops!’ Laughing he tried to kiss Briette again. She suddenly felt a tinge of guilt, or perhaps it was fear, that Bastien would find out what she had done. She pushed him away.

  ‘I can’t kiss you when you’re talking about other women!’ she pouted, hoping this would bring the attention back to her. ‘Bastien, she moaned. ‘I still feel like you don’t care about me anymore.’

  Bastien rolled his eyes. He knew she was whining again to manipulate him and to get whatever she wanted from him. As much as it annoyed him, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Her constant demand for attention wore a bit thin at times, but he was able to disappear when he needed to. She was a force to be reckoned with, but beneath her beauty, beneath her lame attempts to control him, lurked a cunning and devious mind that he found only equalled by himself. With her, it was a game of wills, a constant struggle for power and he loved it. He loved her. She was everything he had ever wanted in a woman, even if she was still a girl.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Bastien moaned. ‘You know I care about you…�
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  ‘Yes, my love, I know. But how about we take a couple of hours to relax tomorrow? Go out somewhere nice?’ With Briette ‘a couple of hours’ could mean anything. ‘Why don’t we just take the whole day—I do miss you, you know.’

  Briette smiled, as Bastien leant over and started to run soft, sweet kisses along her neck. ‘Oh Briette, I ‘ve missed you darling...’

  Briette closed he eyes, how she wanted so badly to forget about what had happened at the party, as his hands traced the curves of her body, and pulled her hair gently, as he found his way to her mouth and began to lavish intense kisses upon her lips.

  Briette closed her eyes and let herself sink into his embrace. Tomorrow would bring a new day, for now, everything could wait.

  Chapter Twenty: Plans

  When Briette awoke, she rubbed her eyes, trying to remember where she was, and for a sweet second, her mind was blank—and she felt fresh and new. Then, all the events of the last couple of months came rushing back into her mind.

  She looked for Bastien, but he wasn’t in bed.

  ‘I’m over here!’ He smirked as Briette looked to see him strutting around naked, a cup of Junip Bean Brew in hand. ‘It is an amazing day, today!’ Bastien continued, ‘I get to spend it with my favourite woman in the whole of Talir Faye—and,’ he chuckled, ‘things are working out very well for me indeed…’

  ‘What are you talking about Bas? And for the Love of St. Lavena, can you put some clothes on…I’ve seen it a million times… it’s a bit early in the morning for that.’

  Bastien screwed up his face, he was proud of his body, but Briette always got funny with sex and naked bodies, he was surprised she even let him touch her—and that took long enough.

  ‘Sorry, your future majesty of Thraxia…should I bow down to you now—or later…’ as he bent down to kiss her on the knee. ‘while I’m down here…’

  ‘Bastien!’ Briette snapped. ‘Shut up and bring me some Junip Bean Brew, will you? I have the most thunderous headache…’

  Bastien handed her his cup. ‘Here have mine…’ He kissed her on the cheek.

  ‘Thanks Bas,’ she cooed. He could be sweet sometimes.

  ‘Where are we going, today?’ Briette asked.

  ‘We are going to dine at the Gnome and Home Café. They do the best Mushroom Burgers there.’

  ‘Are we slumming it today, dear?’ she moaned.

  ‘Look Briette,’ he snarled. I might be a prince, but I shouldn’t have to sit down for a gourmet meal every time I need to eat, I’m a busy man!’

  Briette looked down, typical Bastien, he could change moods in a split second, and she knew better than to stir his emotional pot. Briette rolled her eyes. ‘Alright Bas.’

  Bastien kissed her again on the forehead, he leapt up to go get dressed. Briette finished her drink and stood up, stretching and yawning, she felt completely depleted after the night she’d had, and she and Bastien had not gotten much sleep.

  Briette was just about to find something to wear, when she looked down and almost fell back onto her bed. On her nightstand, were the herbs and spell she had gotten from Magali. She started to gasp, feeling as though her breathe was caught in her chest. Magali had told her the magic had decided, and decided it had. Was she doomed? Was this her destiny? She picked up the spell and started to read it. Her stomach churned. It was bad enough that Florina was dead, and this spell would give her the power to kill those she felt jealous of. Briette heard Bastien coming back, quickly she shoved the items away in her top dresser drawer.

  ‘Ready?’ he asked.

  ‘Sure.’ Briette smiled.

  ***

  Bastien didn’t like sitting amongst all the university students at the Gnome and Home, but the mushroom burgers were good. It was rumoured for an extra fee, the Gnomes would fix you up with something a little stronger from the mushroom family, but only to select customers. Bastien didn’t have time for games today. He had arranged for Renaud to make a drop off to him. A book he taken from the Baertschi library. Bit by bit, Bastien was gaining access to their private books as Renaud snuck out a book here, a manuscript there.

  Bastien looked in the agreed hiding place. He felt the book.

  Bastien could not believe his luck! A genuine book with the Baertschi family seal! And inside, a clump of that blonde girl’s hair, hand plucked by the dark fairies. He nestled into his chair and flipped through the pages. He came to the last page; it was torn out!

  Dashiell must have taken it! What could be on that page that was so important, that he didn’t want anyone else to see it?

  He wondered if Dashiell knew his secret plans, perhaps what had been done to his brother was a motivating factor here he wondered? Bastien smirked to himself, Dashiell Baertschi was no match for the great Kingdom and army of the Von Croys. Whatever Dashiell thought he was doing, Bastien knew he could defeat him.

  Briette looked up, rolling her eyes. ‘What are you looking so smug about?’ she snapped. Bastien just nodded, and reclined back in his chair, closing his eyes and waiting for his order.

  ***

  Bastien had enjoyed his time with Briette, but now he had serious business to attend to. After dropping her home, he asked his guards to saddle up his dragon. He was traveling to Mount Abraisias, to the bank of Nobleton and Son, to visit an old family friend. Stefan, a man he had known his whole life. He had been his father’s lawyer and now he was in charge of the Von Croy family vault.

  Bastien made his way to the Castle’s rooftop. Here, Trojan, his dragon, had been armoured up. It was an old species of attack dragons that had been brought to Thraxia a couple of hundred years earlier. They traditionally had dwelled in the dark, volcanic caves of Nothangria but slowly had migrated around Talir Faye, thanks to travelling soldiers and hunters. It had been customary to bring back a baby dragon for princesses or fair maidens back in the days of the crusades.

  Trojan’s slender body and angular lines cut a striking and terrifying figure in the early morning light. Bastien ran his hand along Trojan’s nose, and he snorted with impatience as his giant paws hit the rooftop with anticipation of flight. Trojan was old, but he had been a loyal and faithful friend to Bastien.

  Trojan moaned as Bastien jumped on his back, ‘Where to, master?’ he asked.

  Bastien patted him on the head. ‘To the bank of Talir Faye, my old friend,’ he said, and Trojan began to flap his wings and within moments he had leapt from the roof top of the castle and was soaring through the air.

  When they arrived at the bank, Bastien was let into a private section by two security guards. Inside, Bastien was greeted by a man in a black robe, glasses and thinning hair.

  ‘Bastien! How are you?’ the man asked. ‘It has been a long time!’

  ‘Yes, too long!’ Bastien smiled, embracing the elderly gentleman.

  ‘Come this way,’ Stefan said, leading Bastien down a long corridor. ‘How have you been prince Bastien?’

  Bastien smiled. ‘Oh Stefan, you don’t have to address me in such a manor, just call me Bastien!’

  ‘Of course.’ Stefan nodded.

  ‘I’ve been alright,’ Bastien continued. ‘You know, considering…’

  ‘Yes, I am sorry to hear of your father’s ill health.’ Stefan nodded again.

  ‘Oh, it’s alright—don’t you worry—you’ll still have a job.’ Bastien laughed, ‘Just with a younger and more powerful version of the King.’

  Stefan nodded. ‘Your father, he did try…you know.’

  Bastien shook his head. ‘Father was a tyrant in his younger years, a merciless brute who killed and pillaged anyone and anything that stood in his way-but time caught up with him. The truth of the curse has remained buried for centauries-and even Eduard Baertschi could not solve it…but time is in my favour—I am young, and I am three quarters of the way there…’

  ‘I have brought this.’ He held up the book, changing the subject. ‘From the Baertschi family library—there is something I need help with.’


  Stefan nodded, he was well-versed in the history of the Von Croys and Baertschi’s rivalry.

  Stefan examined the book. ‘It’s a history on Lycanthropy.’

  ‘Yes,’ Bastien explained. ‘But there is a page missing…and if you look in the middle where it was torn, there is a small part of the page left, see that symbol? That means this page contained a message, written in code. Dashiell Baertschi has ripped this page out, so that he can try and solve the coded message. What I need your help with, because I will get that page from Dashiell, are the types of codes and cyphers that would have been written in this time frame. Mark my words, there will be other riddles to solve. This is only be the beginning, and if I can beat him to the other clues and solve them before he can…’

  ‘Does he know the full power of the pendant?’ Stefan cut in.

  ‘I doubt it, I don’t think he knows much at all, from what Renaud has told me, they are trying to solves the curse…apparently the poor boy hates being a werewolf, so either way, he is still on the right trail. Solving the curse may very well lead me to my ultimate power source.

  Stefan nodded. ‘The third part of the pendant.’

  ‘Exactly. Those Baertschi’s don’t even realise there is a second part.’ Bastien laughed. ‘They have all been squabbling over this idiotic piece of rock for years, trying to be all noble and sharing it amongst themselves, and yet I have the second piece locked away right here—and somewhere out there, it the third and final piece…and once all three pieces are put together, There will be no limits to my power!’

  Stefan nodded. ‘Would you like to see the other piece of the pendant, while you are here?’

  Bastien groaned, ‘Theodore Baertschi stole back my piece. I decided to let Dashiell keep it, I’ll get it back eventually anyway….so I guess I’ll just have to just make do with that piece that is here for now.’

  Stefan went to a vault and reached in and took out a long, golden cylinder. Bring it over to Bastien, he tipped it upside down and an uneven shaped gem feel into his hand. It was the same strange rainbowesque colour of the first piece of pendant, and Bastien smiled as he held it up to the light. He marvelled at the craftsmanship of it, as it shone and sparkled like no jewel he had ever seen, except, of course, the one he had had in his possession.