Once

by Alyson Serena Stone

  Amberfall felt her eyes shift over to one of the fancy swords on the wall. She could probably summon it without any trouble and kill the king. It would be the perfect chance. "You may find that you don't know everything about my kind," she said, her words hard. "Men are not as clever as they make themselves out to be."

  The king smiled. "That may very well be true. You certainly do have a way with words, Queen Amberfall."

  Amberfall just stared at the map. Whoever had drew it up certainly had been familiar with Trelia. It was an almost exact map of the land. She could almost follow the very same path she and her sisters had taken to Jessimond's birthday celebration-that very fateful day where everything had gone wrong.

  The king moved even closer to her, if that was even possible. "I think you will find we are very good at what we do and if you will just help us, we can bring Trelia back to her former greatness."

  Her eyes shifted up into his dark pools. "Only a kiss of true love can break the curse. You surely must have someone in mind who could possibly be the princess's true love."

  "I do. I think the princess and my son would be a fine match."

  Amberfall tried to keep the vile down in her throat. She was going have to do everything in her power to keep the king's vision from coming true. Vicar was not Jessimond's true love. Sending him there would only grantee a certain death. Teodric could not possibly be that mental.

  Teodric smiled sweetly at her, his face a mask of concern. "Are you not feeling well?"

  Amberfall gulped. "I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed. I've never came across anyone who has planned this out. I thought people were just going to let Trelia die."

  "We cannot let it die." Teodric's smile widened. "Most people are willing to forget about the curse, but we must do something to free those poor innocent souls. I really do believe you have the magic we need."

  Amberfall eyed him. "And what makes you think that?"

  "You are, after all, the fairy who changed the curse and only a very powerful fairy could do that."

  Amberfall stumbled. "I think I need to get some air."

  The king looked her over, sending goosebumps over her skin. "Yes, my Queen, you are not looking well at all."

  "Excuse me," she muttered as she turned and quickly walked out of the room.

  She had not cried since before the curse, but she barely made it to a small broom closet just outside the study before the sobs escaped her.

  "Do you really think it is Nightstone?" Frostfire asked, as he stared down at the picture of Trelia's palace.

  Amberfall stared straight ahead, watching as the mixture of rain and snow beat against the library's back window.

  Frostfire slowly closed the book. "Are you even with me today?"

  "He wants to break the curse," she said, rather off hand. "He really thinks he can do it."

  Frostfire smiled. "Well, that's not so bad. I thought that's what you wanted."

  "Oh, it is, but he thinks Vicar can do it."

  "I see, but isn't that what we've thought all along?" Frostfire stared down at the ancient book in his lap. "Do you really think Vicar could be her true love, though?"

  Amberfall ran her hands through her red hair. "I don't know! I really don't know! Jessimond never really got to be around boys that much, so who knows what she likes!"

  "It could not be him." Frostfire looked back up at her. "Maybe he intends to use Captain Morninghelm."

  Amberfall snorted. "Teodric doesn't even acknowledge him, so why would he risk letting him be a princess's one true love?"

  "I guess." Frostfire closed his eyes. "Can you really just step aside and not get involved? It would be nice to have Trelia back."

  "They do deserve to be woken up. We just have to make sure that if Vicar is Jessimond's true love that we do everything in our power to keep her safe."

  Frostfire opened his book. "The first step is finding out for sure if this is Nightstone."

  Amberfall's eyes flickered over the picture. There were a ton of dragons with similar markings and even more who pretended to be the Iron Fairy. It was purple and black like Nightstone and it did seem to be staring the camera down. Dragons normally did not stare into the lens of a camera. Whenever they came in contact with something that was so strange and foreign, they tended to try and get away from it.

  She was just about to open her mouth to say so, whenever she heard what she thought was someone rustling around in the stack next to him. "Put that away," she hissed as she pulled out an innocent looking book on the history of Xandria.

  Frostfire closed the book, before turning and facing Amberfall.

  The book itself was rather dull, but it was better to be caught looking at this over one of Trelia and on the Exhausting Plague.

  "Maybe it's Captain Morninghelm," Frostfire whispered. Even though he was whispering, his voice echoed. She shot him a dark look, which seemed to silence him.

  Amberfall slowly leaned forward. She really didn't know why there was something so nerve wracking about being caught in the library. They had just as much right to be here as anyone. The rustling was still coming from the other side of the stack.

  She felt a tug on the back of her dress. "Frostfire," she hissed. "Let go."

  "I don't think so," Frostfire whispered. "You don't know who is there."

  "And the last time I checked, my magic was stronger than yours." The very mention of that point seemed to be enough. She felt her back grow slack.

  "Just be careful," Frostfire muttered.

  Amberfall crept slowly out into the open. This part of the library was a lot darker than other parts and the darkness outside really did not help matters. Still, she didn't dare cast a light. It really could just be a Scholar going about his duties, but she highly doubted it.

  Her heels clicked against the quietness. She could feel her heart racing as she pulled out a dagger from her folds. She had nicked it from her chambers not too long after her encounter with Teodric.

  A little bit of cool air managed to find its way through the small gaps that separated the windows from the walls. She could feel the chill making its way to her core. The wind caused a few limbs from the nearby trees to bump into the window, making it sound as if someone was knocking.

  Gripping the dagger, she rounded the stack, only to find it empty. "What?" she gasped as she ran down the empty row. Someone or something should be here. She could have sworn she had something. "What is going on?"

  She crept back down the stack again, looking back over her shoulder just in case whoever was back there decided to come back. The yellowing books stood with little pride on the shelves, most of their titles remained concealed in darkness. A few of them had a weird, liquid glow to them, as if they were books of magic; most were dark.

  She passed the books, listening hard for any movements..for any signs that she was not alone. Someone had been down here...She had felt it...She had heard the signs. They were probably just hiding right now...Hiding pretty good.

  A sudden banging made her jump. She struck the darkness with her knife, looking more like a newborn foal than a fully grown fairy.

  "Amberfall."

  She turned, thrusting her dagger forward, before quickly lowering it. "Frostfire, I could have killed you!"

  Frostfire stared back her with wide eyes. "I called for you, but you didn't answer."

  Amberfall looked back down the stack. "They were here, I just know it, but now they're not." She shook her head. "I don't see how they could have escaped without me noticing."

  Frostfire's gaze flickered over her shoulder. "I'm starting to think the castle has secrets it doesn't want us to find out."

  Amberfall just nodded as she stared back into the darkness. She was certain someone had been there. She gently took Frostfire's arm, leading him back toward their quiet area. She bent down and picked up their book. "I don't feel like staying here anymore."

  Frostfire just started pulling off a few more titles from the shelves. "I really can't say I blame yo
u."

  Amberfall walked a few steps ahead of him as she lead the way out of the library. She had no idea why he wasn't walking along side her; something told her it was because of what had just happened. It was nice to have someone who actually believed what she said instead of questioning everything.

  They rounded the corner.

  Amberfall felt something take her breath away. It was like the darkness was forcing its way down her throat and blocking her lungs. Gasping, she clung onto the wall....Breathe...Just breathe....

  She could feel Frostfire touching her, probably saying something to her, but none of it reached her. She turned back to him, trying to tell him what was wrong, but she could not make the words leave mouth.

  A foul smell filled her lungs. It was decay-there was no getting past it. How could Frostfire not smell it? Death was here and he was acting like she was the one losing it.

  Frostfire appeared in her gaze, his face panicked. "AMBERFALL!" he roared in her ear.

  For some reason, that jerked her out of the state. Shaking her head, she looked around the hall. On both ends of it, darkness greeted them. A cool wind managed to find its way in, providing clean and fresh air to her lungs, removing any taste of the death that had just filled them.

  Frostfire moved closer to her, his face pale. "Are you okay?" The words shook as they left his mouth. "Are you sure your okay? Do I need to call for someone?"

  Amberfall steadied herself against the cool wall. "Didn't you feel it?"

  Frostfire shook his head. "Feel what?"

  Amberfall gathered up her skirts. "Death!" She took off running down the hall.

  "AMBERFALL!"

  She rounded a corner, not even looking back to see if Frostfire was coming. She didn't know how to explain it, but she just knew that someone was going to die, unless she got there to stop it. The heaviness of death hung throughout the castle. She had no idea where she was going, but her feet seemed to know which way to take her.

  "Amberfall!" Frostfire gasped as he caught up with her. "What are you doing?"

  Amberfall paused in the centre of a wide hall, her skirts whipping around her. "I just thought-"

  A high pitched scream echoed through the hall before she could even finish her thought.

  Taking out her dagger, she rushed down the hall. She was not about to miss this chance...People died all the time...It was just as common as going to sleep.

  Frostfire ran beside her with his sword out and fingers alight with magic. He looked like every bit of the warrior she had fallen in love with.

  They rounded the corner. There at the end of the hall was a shape. It was big enough to be human.

  Amberfall rushed down the hall, gasping the moment she reached the shape. It was human and by the looks of it, a wealthy young noble woman.

  Amberfall knelt down beside her, trying to find a way to save her, but even her magic could not fix this. "She's dead," she whispered, her hands shaking as she looked closer at the body. "We're too late."

  Frostfire knelt down beside her as the sobs erupted.

  The worst part was not being too late. From the looks of it, it had been a rather painful and horrific death.

  Most of her face and part of her side had been eaten away.

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Daybreak

  Dak woke in a strange room. The sheets felt so cool against his bare, burning chest. It also felt as if someone had applied some kind of a slave to his back. He looked around, trying to get a feel for his surroundings. It took him several minutes to realize he was still at the guild.

  He looked over to the other side. Ryanon laid next to him. Her brown hair flung around, making it look like an angel's halo. He watched to reach out and touch her. It was his fault that she had even been whipped. She would have never been involved in this mess had it not been for his crazy idea to go back to Craskbrand's.

  And for what?

  They still didn't know which one of the noblemen had spilled, but they were certain more people were involved.

  The Ioslullumary still glowed a little bit on Ryanon's arm-not like it had earlier, but it was still plenty clear. Only someone very wealthy could have gotten that and how they got it on her was beyond him. As far as he knew, she really didn't have any contact with anyone outside the guild. There was that courtesan...Aliss....Yeah, that was her name. He was pretty sure Aliss did not have the kind of funds necessary to buy Ioslullumary.

  Still, it was worth possibly looking into.

  He tried to climb out of bed, but the pull from his wounds forced him to rethink the idea. He couldn't spend forever here. The castle was bound to notice that the captain of the guard was missing.

  It too several tries, but he did finally manage to get himself in a fully upright, sitting position. A wave of nausea almost sent him right back to the safety of the covers.

  "What are you doing?"

  Dak turned, only to find Ryanon staring at him with hard eyes. "I'm-"

  "And why are you in my bed?" Her voice only grew harder the more she spoke.

  "I don't know! I just woke up here! Someone must have a pretty sick sense of humour." He tried to move again, almost normally, but the groan escaped him before he could cover it up.

  Ryanon smirked. "You really shouldn't be moving."

  Dak just gave her a dark look. "I have to get back to the castle."

  He felt her warm arm on his. The gesture was almost kind. It was about the first time he could ever remember her touching him like this without digging her nails in. "You can't go like this," her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

  "They are bound to know I'm missing."

  Ryanon shook her head. "Your mother is feeding them a lie about you being at an outpost."

  Dak snorted. "My father is not going to believe that one."

  "He's too wrapped in his own mind." Ryanon smiled.

  Dak looked away from her, the pain pulsing through his back. She probably was right and it was very much like his mother to cover for him. Besides, maybe now they would be able to show the others the ledger they had found.

  He slump back against the pillows, wincing as the mattress came in contact with his back. It wasn't like he was sleeping with her anyway...He just didn't have his own chambers here at the guild. He looked over at her with half opened eyes. Why hadn't he been placed into one of the spare rooms?

  Unless....He looked over at Ryanon's sleeping form. It was just completely mental to even think such a thing.

  The next time, he woke up, it was probably about lunchtime. Ryanon was sitting in the corner of the room, reading a book and hugging a bear. Smiling, Dak just laid there watching her as her eyes whipped across the page-she probably didn't even know he was watching her.

  "Such a shame to have a mind like yours wasted in a place like this."

  She quickly slammed her book shut. If he hadn't know any better, he would had thought she was blushing. "Glad to see you've come back to the world."

  Dak slowly sat up. Though his back still burned, it was not nearly as bad as it had felt earlier in the day. "Why do you do it?"

  Ryanon came closer to the bed, offering him a lose tunic. "Do what?"

  "Why do you pretend like you don't have a clue in the world? Why do you hide how smart you are?" He took the tunic, grateful that it was about two sizes too big.

  "You just caught me reading, it doesn't mean anything."

  "The fact that you spend your money on things that may actually teach you something tells me otherwise."

  Ryanon just shook her head. "It makes it easier for me to get closer to my kills. Men don't like it when their women are cleverer than they are."

  Dak carefully put his feet on the floor. "Well, men are stupid."

  "You said it, not me." She started toward the door. "Now, are you going to spend the rest of the day loafing around or are we actually going to get something done?"

  "Whenever I think of spending a day in bed with a woman, you are not what comes to mind." Dak slid his feet into hi
s boots.

  "What do you find women who read threatening?"

  "No, I find them oddly terrifying." He barely had time to duck before the book came flying at his head. He supposed he should consider himself lucky; at least, it wasn't a knife.

  Downstairs, the table was full of both assassins and food. Everyone looked as if they were one big, happy family sitting down for a nice dinner-the exact opposite of what had just happened. The chatting did not stop as Ryanon and Dak entered the room nor did anyone pause to look at them.

  Dak slowly lowered himself into the empty chair next to Ryanon, who had already started to fill her plate. He watched as she laughed with Azur and Kitt and stuffed her face at the same time. Manners really did not matter here; it was like he was back at the castle enjoying a meal with his men. The way everyone seemed to come together just brought home the fact that he really didn't have a family.

  Even here at the guild, he didn't fully belong.

  A sense of belonging...He had never really given it much thought until now. Sure, he had thought about his duty and loyalty, but never about having a place where he could say he actually belonged.

  "Dak!" Ryanon snapped. "You need to get something on your plate or there will be nothing left!"

  Dak surveyed the table. She was indeed very right about that one; the food had gone down considerably in the past few minutes. He begin shoveling whatever was closest to him onto his plate.

  Karlen watched them eat with a cold stare. "Why were you two out anyway?" Even though others were talking, it was her voice that carried above them all. "I know about your little meeting, but it doesn't explain how you ended up back at Craskbrand's."

  The other assassins grew quiet as they stared down at Dak and Ryanon.

  He heard Ryanon suck in a breath and shift in her chair, just like she had done last night.

  "Well?" Karlen folded her hands together, stating them down in a way that would have Dak's father proud. "It must have been very important to risk such a punishment."

  Dak swallowed the little bit of food that had managed to stay in his mouth. "Well, I thought we would able to find something of use for Ryanon's job."