Unchained Hearts

by Ash Night

  Talen smiled at me, his voice kind once again. "Thank you very much, miss..."

  "Serena," I replied automatically, thankfully stopping myself before I blurted my last name. Idiot! I was wanted! I couldn't just be giving my name out all willy-nilly! I held my breath, waiting for it to click that I was Serena Roseheart, wanted Fae.

  "Serena, it’s been a pleasure." His bright, charming smile threw me off for a second. Was he really an enemy? He seemed like a good guy to me, though Kat clearly didn't share my sentiments. She seemed to be out for his blood for whatever reason.

  "Silverblood." His tone was sharper around her name. He mounted his horse, a giant black beast with trimmed black fur around its hocks. "Good day, ladies. Men, let's ride!" he shouted, donning his hood once again. The horses seemed to fly out of sight.

  "That was close." I sighed, turning to Kat. "You know Talen? And why is a prince part of the Royal Guard?"

  Kat finally relaxed. "Talen is a skilled swordsman. I haven't ever seen anyone like him. His skills are legendary. Despite that, the only reason King Artimis lets him play commander is because he's the adopted son and there are three other younger sons, full-blooded sons, in line for the throne."

  "Adopted? Why would the king adopt? That makes no sense. Wouldn't he want—"

  "King Artimis cannot deny his wife anything." Kat scoffed in disgust. "She came to our estate to choose a few of Darkvern's prized dusklings for a race one day. Talen, a slave, was working in the stables, feeding the animals, when Queen Amestrika took one look at his beautiful eyes and declared he was too beautiful to waste as a slave. Didn't even glance at any of the other slaves she passed before she saw him. We were nothing but dirt under their rich boots. But not Talen. Talen was their prize, a golden child. Word had been kept hushed, of course. It was rumored they had adopted a royal from another land, faraway and too small to even have a name. Like everything else, this was eaten up and taken as truth by the gullible, starstruck citizens. But I know the truth."

  "Did you two always not get along?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around the fact the next in line to be king had been a slave at one point.

  She flipped her hair and sighed, sitting down. "No, not always. He had actually helped me try to escape once. He had been found out, struck thirty times by Darkvern's whip. His back still bears the scars of that terrible night. He bled through his shirt for weeks after. Darkvern, the bastard, never let even the worst beatings be an excuse to skip out on work. We were worked like dogs. The workload got worse once Talen left. I had to take on his duties.”

  Her clenched fists were trembling. I stepped forward to comfort her, but she held up her hand.

  “The bastard never once came back for us or did anything about that wretched place. He could have had Darkvern killed with a simple command! It was like he didn't even care about his old life and the people he left behind! The glitz and glamor of his new crown left him blind to everything else! I hate him!"

  "I'm sorry." I reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she flinched away. She was such a different person than the one I met on the streets. I barely recognized her right now.

  Swiping at her eyes, she forced a smile. "We should find Snowflake and rescue Cam before anyone else finds out the Kalden lookalike is in the city."

  "You're right. Liam is probably eating bark off a tree somewhere right now." I giggled at the image. Kat's real smile returned. I was grateful for that.

  "We brought everyone breakfast!" Liam announced, his mouth full of scrambled eggs. He and Cam were sitting at a huge table lined with every kind of food imaginable. Eea and Granny were seated across from them. Aidin was scooting down the bench seat, stopping to taste from every plate. His grin was nearly bigger than his face.

  "We can eat for weeks, Granny!" he shouted gleefully between bites.

  "I'm happy, child. This is truly a blessing from the Goddess herself." Granny had tears running down her sightless, foggy eyes. Eea was also crying as she ate.

  "Thank you both so much!" Kat exclaimed as she sat beside Granny and made herself a heaping plate.

  Cam chuckled. "Think of it as your welcome party, Kat."

  I blinked as if just realizing he was sitting there. "Are you feeling better? Are your burns—"

  "They're fine, Sunshine. We can talk about that later. Sit down and eat. I returned the magicart earlier so we'll be walking today. The next thing on our ever-growing to-do list will be to buy a few horses. You do know how to ride, don't you?"

  "Yeah," I responded, sitting next to him, more than a little disappointed I didn't get to try out the magicart.

  "Sorry, Serena. Cam made me go back and get it so he could return it after we brought back breakfast," Liam apologized.

  "I didn't want to wake you up. Otherwise you could have tried it on our way to return it. We'll rent another," Cam assured me.

  My mood brightened and I sat down to eat. Kat ate nearly as much as Liam.

  "I'm stuffed!" Kat declared a while later. "I've never eaten so much in my life!"

  "It was so good!" I agreed, almost done with my second plate. Aidin was dozing off under a tree. I smiled. This was probably one of the only times he'd been full in his short life. The sight of all that food had made him so happy.

  Liam let out a belch. I blushed and cuffed him in the back of the head. "Sorry, ladies."

  Granny smiled. "It was a grand feast, my child. Thank you both so very much."

  "Well, we should be going." Cam said, standing up.

  "It's been great!" Liam started to help me put away the leftovers into cold containers for Granny and Eea. I was impressed at the forethought that the boys had to pay for cold containers so the food wouldn’t spoil.

  Kat was hugging Eea. "Good luck with the baby! I'll be sure to come back and see the little one when I can."

  "Be careful, dear. Please be safe."

  Granny dabbed at her eyes with the end of her ragged red headscarf and then hugged Kat with all the strength she had. "You'll get our magic back. That's something to be proud of."

  "You can count on it, Gran! I promise! Everyone will feel their magic again!" Kat replied. She shook Aidin awake to say goodbye, but he was asleep by the time she stood back up.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Cam reach into his pocket and take out a handful of gold coins, the light of the sun reflecting off them. “This outta get you by for a few weeks at a decent inn, at least." He took Eea’s hand and pressed the coins into his palm.

  She gasped, staring at the money and then back at Cam. "I can't accept this..."

  "It's a gift, then. Don't worry, I have more money than I know what to do with. Congratulations on your addition to the family."

  Eea placed the coins into a pocket of her patched skirt and then took both of Cam's hands carefully in hers. "Thank you. Truly. I'll never be able to repay your kindness, sir."

  He smiled. "It's all right. I just don't think it's fair for a pregnant woman to have to work. I noticed the dryness of your hands. You're a wash maid, I presume?"

  She hid her hands in embarrassment. "Yes. I got a job washing a rich lady's clothes. She has ten boys, all under five. There's lots for me to do between washings. She pays me a bit extra for doing the dishes and cleanin' up after the boys. They can be terribly messy."

  "But barely enough to live off?" Liam asked incredulously.

  She nodded. "Every bit goes to food for the week. Nothin' left over for shelter. Not since the war made the price of safe housing so high. Only places left are seedy slums and unsafe back alleys. My weekly pay is barely enough to stay at an inn for a night."

  "She's rich enough to afford ten kids!" Liam scoffed. "Should be rich enough to pay you a bit more."

  "Sadly, I just started a few months ago. I can't ask for a raise after having worked there only a handful of weeks."

  "It'll work out eventually, child. Don't you worry," Granny piped in. Just have a little faith. At least we have our health."

  I noticed Ka
t had looked away. Her expression puzzled me. "I love you both," Kat walked backwards, waving until they were out of sight. We began the long trek to the next stop, a small village called Hollowsville. Even though it was small, the name was familiar. I'd heard a few travelers that stopped in the bakery say they were from Hollowsville, as well as Kaldar. I was excited to see the village with my own eyes. Kat was chattering away excitedly about how she had never been outside the city aside from the Darkvern estate while Cam and Liam were walking ahead in their customary silence.

  "Cam, did Adell heal you?" I asked once Kat had stopped talking and started humming quietly.

  Cam kept walking a bit until he finally answered. "Sunshine, don't worry. If you want me to take my shirt off, all you need to do is ask."

  I grinned, playfully swatting his shoulder. "Dammit, fine, smart ass. Take off your shirt."

  "As you wish, milady." He took off her jacket and shirt to reveal perfectly smooth tanned skin, sculpted muscle rippling underneath. I felt my face get hot as I stared at his well-defined six pack, my eyes lingering for longer than was appropriate.

  "Okay, okay, you're healed. That's great. Now put your shirt on, Fabio. Before I barf." Liam chuckled, running away before Cam could punch him. Picking up his clothes, he looked at me.

  "Satisfied?"

  I nodded. "I'm glad the burns are gone. But—"

  "—how long until they come back?" He sighed and took my hand. "I'll be fine, I promise. Like I told the old lady—"

  "Adell," I interrupted with a smirk.

  "Like I told the old lady, Adell, I won't stop using magic, and I know I'll wind up with bad burns again, but I'll be okay. Nothing can stop me."

  "But the burns poison you, or at least are a side effect of it!"

  He cupped my cheek, looking into my eyes. "I'll be fine. I found a potion that reverses the poisoning so if it happens again, I'll be able to drink it and be fine. It'll be like it never happened."

  "Are you sure? Adell said there wasn’t an antidote."

  “It’s not an antidote, not exactly, but

  "Cam, we need you. Without you, we'll..." My breath caught in my throat and I was surprised when I felt Cam wiping away a tear carefully with his thumb.

  "I know, Sunshine. This plan that I have, the one you're helping me build, it all depends on me being there to lead. I understand that. You're scared. But it'll be okay. I promise you that. Please trust me."

  "Okay," I whispered. My heart was pounding in my ears, my skin electrified, acutely aware of every little sensation brought on by Cam's touch.

  A loud splash broke the trance-like bubble we'd entered.

  "Serena, we found you a training spot! Let's break for lunch!" Liam yelled.

  "You need to be careful." I put my hand on Cam’s arm for a brief moment. "We'll help you so you don't have to use so much magic."

  He grinned. "Maybe I want to."

  "Then I'll just have to learn a kickass spell to put you in line when that happens," I teased.

  "Lookin' forward to it, Sunshine."

  Kat was basking in the sun. I had to admit I was a bit jealous of her nice tan complexion. Try as I might, my porcelain skin never darkened even the slightest. It was the curse of having two fair-skinned parents. Though it wasn't all bad. I never once went through that horrible break-out stage most kids went through during their growth years. My skin had always been flawless.

  She smiled at me. "We couldn't ask for a better day."

  I nodded, sitting beside her. "So, do you regret leaving home?"

  "Of course not! While Liam and Cam aren't exactly talkative types on the road, at least I have you to indulge me. It's so nice to have someone to talk to."

  I chuckled. "Yes, they aren't much on talking while walking, that's for sure. Which is unusual for Liam, normally he's a chatterbox, but I think he picked up on the fact Cam isn't and just saves his words for breaks. Cam's a wonderful guy, though. He's just in his head a lot, ya know?"

  "Those big, world-shattering plans have'ta come from somewhere, I suppose," Kat agreed. "He's pretty nice, considering he's doing this for everyone, not just himself. He could be selfish and not care, but he's a really caring person. I got that feeling the moment I saw him lying on Adell's table."

  I glanced at Kat. "Ya know, I first met Cam in a meadow. He was asleep and a doe was trying to eat his hair. Probably thought it was dead grass or something."

  Kat giggled. "Really? He must've been fast asleep to not sense her."

  "He did look like he'd been traveling a while. Now that I think of it, I don't think I ever asked where he was from."

  "Hey, Cuff Boy!"

  Cam looked up from his notes that he'd had splayed out in front of him on a big, flat rock, pencil hovering in the air. "Only Snowflake calls me that. Now what is it, Red?" I was surprised at his stern tone. He actually sounded serious about the stupid nickname.

  "Where you from? And what did you expect me to call you?"

  He stifled a yawn. "I'm from Misthaven. Think of something to call me if Cam doesn't suit you."

  Thinking intensely for a few moments, Kat's brow furrowed. Apparently, the nicknaming thing was really important to her. "All right, Cammy Boy."

  Cam didn't even glance up from his notes as he muttered, "Anything but that." There was an edge to his voice that I didn’t fully understand.

  "Dammit, fine. I'll think of something!" she declared.

  He waved her off dismissively. "Have fun."

  Taking my hand, Kat half-dragged me into the forest. "Where are we going?" I asked, figuring this wasn't much different from when she’d set off to find Cam in the city without knowing even what he looked like.

  "I can't have him hear our ideas, can I?"

  I laughed. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

  "Yup. Names are a powerful thing. A long time ago, an urban legend was started that Fae used given names to bind you to their spells and enchantments. Can't do that if you use a nickname, right?"

  "That's smart."

  "Now days, nicknames are just a common sign of friendship, but some creatures still hold the tradition sacred."

  The look on Kat's face had me determined to help her come up with the perfect nickname for Cam. Nicknames were also a good idea because people were going to know Cam's name soon enough, possibly along with ours, so it would be useful to have something to call him when we were out in public.

  "What about Blaze?" I asked. "He's adept at fire magic. That's why Cam calls Liam Snowflake. Because he uses winter magic."

  "Too obvious, but good try! Carrots might... No, that's too veggie-like."

  Nicknames were harder than I thought. Cammy was cute, but it was clear Cam didn't like it. I hadn't missed the way his jaw ticked when Kat had suggested it. That was unusual. It wasn't like Cam to get upset, especially over something so small.

  "Hero?"

  I tilted my head. "I don't know. That one could possibly tip off the guards if any are smart. Not to mention, inflate his ego."

  She groaned. "You're right."

  "Campfire?" I giggled at how silly my suggestion sounded. "He likes Calderdash coffee so maybe we could work in that somehow?"

  "Maybe..." Kat grinned. She snapped her fingers. "I got it. His hair is sorta orange-ish red, right?"

  "Yup."

  "Spitfire!"

  "Perfect!" I replied, happy the mental exercise was over fairly quickly. Nicknames were not my strong suit. A rustling in the bushes startled me. Liam laughed as he walked toward us.

  "Sorry, Roseheart. Didn't mean to scare you. Why so jumpy?"

  Once my heart slowed to a semi-normal rate, it occurred to me I still hadn't told Liam or Cam about the Talen incident earlier this morning. "Someone was following us earlier. Or I don't really know if he was actually following us, but this morning, a group of Kaldar's Royal Guards saw us and asked questions about a Kalden Crossfire lookalike. Of course, we told Prince Talen we hadn't seen anything."

  "Prince who?" L
iam asked, scratching the back of his head. "Why would a prince be in the Royal Guard?"

  "Long story," Kat chimed in. "All you need to know is that he's a jerk and we can't trust him as far as you can throw him, which isn't very far considering how much food he probably—"

  "Getting off track," I said, interrupting Kat before she could continue her rant. Liam shot her a look of utter confusion, like she had just sprouted a mushroom on her forehead. I shrugged, pretending like I had no idea what she was talking about. She could explain her feud with Prince Talen and how she knew him later. It wasn't important right now.

  Liam raised an eyebrow. "I'm a bit concerned that this didn't come up sooner."

  I shrugged sheepishly. "I…didn't want to ruin breakfast." Nope, I totally dropped the ball on this one. I forgot. Thank the Goddess Liam couldn't read my mind.

  Liam laughed it off. "Good enough excuse for me."

  I cheered internally. Thank you for being so damn predictable, Liam! It really comes in handy sometimes. Other times it's a complete pain in the ass, but thank you!

  "Did you end up coming up with a nickname so we can start training already?" he asked. "I overheard Cuff Boy get mad you called him Cuff Boy. Weird."

  I nodded. "Exactly what I thought! One nickname per customer, I guess."

  Kat smiled. "Well, I thought of a nickname a thousand times better than Cuff Boy anyway, so whatever." She stuck her tongue out at Liam. "Spitfire. Matches his sparkly personality."

  "Gingersnap would have also worked."

  "Not really. He's not a ginger. He has tan skin."

  "Fuck, you're right," Liam said, placing a hand on his chin. "Shit. You're good at this, Red."

  She smiled again, genuinely happy for the compliment. "Thanks, Snowflake. Now let's go train. I need to teach Serena a few things before you idiots get her killed."

  "Um, already almost did. Twice. Both times were completely my fault."

  “And there was the wolf…”

  “A wolf? Damn, looks like I got my work cut out for me, don't I?" she laughed, ruffling my hair. "Don't worry, you're safe with me."

  “That one was my fault.” Liam winked at me. “Speaking of, how’s it healing?”