I stripped out of my arms and armor and sat them outside my room with a message to Gil to repair them at his convenience, before returning to the bathroom. I stepped into the steaming bath. The hot water soothed my anxiety and relaxed me.
It made the prospect of sleeping apart from Eris much more bearable to think about, and I let the weight of my exhaustion settle in. I quickly washed my hair and didn't even bother to comb it or dry it before stepping out of the bath and managing to stumble into a pair of pants and a shirt before leaving the bathroom.
I was dead tired from nearly five days straight of no sleep, but as I settled into the bed, the emptiness of the room got to me. It's too quiet and cold without Eris. I sighed and tossed and turned for half an hour before realizing sleep would be eluding me for some time yet. I grabbed the fresh bottle of whiskey from the nightstand and walked out to the balcony.
Hopefully, the booze with take the edge off and let me sleep. I grimaced as the bite of liquor seeped down my throat. It's new and strong. I like it. I savored the taste, and before I knew it, half the bottle was gone, and the night sky spun like it was dancing.
I set the bottle on the railing and watched the stars, while the night air chilled my burning face. A raven flew through the air, dipping and gliding in a circle. It was mesmerizing, and in my drunken stupor, I couldn't stop looking at it.
The raven swooped down to land on the railing, cocking its head at me to stare, unblinking with its large red eyes. As we gazed at each other, a shiver ran through me that had nothing to do with the night air—time to call it a night.
"Goodnight, bird," I slurred as I turned my back on it and went inside. A fluttering of feathers behind me startled me, and a soft voice spoke quickly, a woman's voice.
"I'm sorry."
What? I turned, only getting a glimpse of long dark hair and pale skin, before everything went black.
***
I awoke an indeterminate amount of time later. My head fuzzy, and in a fog, it pounded in time with my heartbeat, and I had the urge to vomit. Once my nausea settled, and the blood wasn't so loud in my ears, I sat up and took note of my surroundings.
The location was unfamiliar to me, though, it was incredibly reminiscent of Gloom-Harbor. Nearly the same dark stone made up the room. A dark rug lay across the floor, almost the entirety of the floor. It looked plush and incredibly expensive.
When I shifted, I sank into luxury. I was on a bed, but to call it a bed was wrong. It was enormous, easily twice the size of mine back home, which had been bordering on the excessive already. Fifteen people could sleep without touching each other. The bedspread matched the rug, and it was very low to the ground. I rolled off, and my bare feet hit the carpet.
Well, I'm not tied up, that's a good sign. Maybe I'm not a prisoner…or whoever kidnapped me is confident that I'm not going anywhere—not a pleasant thought.
Next to the bed was a nightstand, though it, like the bed, was twice the size of what it should be. Gods, it's like a giant lives here.
On top of the dark wood sat an unlit lantern, along with a match.
I lit the lantern and let the soft light fill the room. The room was mostly spartan, beyond the bed, nightstand, and a large wardrobe in the corner made of the same wood as the rest of the furniture. There were two doors in the room, one in front of me that likely led to a hallway, and the second was about six feet from the bed, leading somewhere. Maybe the bathroom?
I used the nightstand to steady myself as I rose out of bed, and something crinkled under my fingers as I did so. It was a piece of parchment. I picked it up and smoothed out the creases. There was just enough light in the room for me to read.
It read.
Dear Duran,
If you are reading this, please dress in the attire provided in the nightstand and exit the room. A servant is waiting to escort you to the throne room. You are a guest here, and no harm will befall you, though, I advise you to not stray off the grounds. My guardians are overzealous and are trained to kill on sight.
I read the paper and crumpled it in anger. Damn it, the note all but said I'm a prisoner here. I'd given Gil my armor to repair and stored most of my inventory in my room. I had nothing here.
They'd even taken my clothes. I was completely nude, except for my hairband. And I'm clean as well. I don't smell like my soap either, so someone bathed me while I was unconscious. That's creepy as fuck.
I quickly tied my hair back and opened the drawer of the nightstand. Nearly a dozen outfits were arrayed for me, each a different color, but keeping with a similar theme. Nothing flashy, but all of them elegant. Each of these would cost at least a hundred gold apiece.
I picked one at random and tried it on. It was made of black silk, with silver accents. It sported a sharp v neckline and fit me perfectly. The pants matched and were cut to my figure perfectly. So not only was I bathed, but fitted for clothes as well. Whoever is behind this spent a fortune on making an impression. They've got the money to burn and want to show off.
I had a good idea about who kidnapped me, and I was so screwed.
Though I hoped I was wrong, I took hold of the lantern and opened the door. The dark wood was smooth, and the brass handle opened without a sound. As I stepped out, I found myself staring at a maid.
A literal maid. In a maid outfit.
Now that's just too much.
She was young, but not indecently so. I'd place her in her late teens or so. Short, russet hair cut just below her small, square chin. When she shifted in the candlelight, her hair seemed to change from red to brown and back again. Her eyes were golden-brown, like pools of honey. She was gorgeous, but the lifeless, almost robotic expression on her face made her seem inhuman.
She looked to me, inclined her head, and spoke in a curt tone. "Follow me."
She turned on her heels and walked without looking back, expecting me to obey. My knee-jerk reaction is to start trashing the place, but that's the wrong play here. I need to stay on Magnus's good side. For who else would have abducted me?
The maid led me down hallway after hallway, each of them so identical that I wasn't sure we weren't going in circles. The same rugs along the floors and the same number of doors, windows, and torch scones on the walls as we walked. The castle itself is a trap. If I don't know my way around, I’ll get turned around and picked off with ease.
I tried to memorize the route but lost it after a confusing series of turns, but after almost five minutes of walking, we made it to our destination.
The maid pushed open the heavy door and walked me inside the throne room.
It was huge and resembled a cathedral rather than a throne room. Huge stained-glass windows lined the sides, showcasing wild scenes—things I'd never seen before and couldn't accurately describe. Lands and architecture not native to Nexus and a slew of strange creatures and monsters. All like nothing I could've imagined in my wildest dreams.
I was so focused on the windows that I didn't realize that I'd arrived at the throne. It was a tall black throne that looked to be made of obsidian, and it shimmered in the moonlight that poured through the windows.
Sitting on the throne was a rather unremarkable man.
I was expecting a towering giant; instead, he seemed somewhat ordinary-looking. Shaggy golden hair fell in his face, nearly covering his bright green eyes that sparkled even in the darkness. He sported a neatly trimmed beard and seemed to be in his late twenties or so—no more than thirty years of age.
Laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth gave him a much kinder appearance than I was expecting. He was dressed simply, but his outfit was at least as expensive as the one I wore. A simple emerald green tunic with a black cloak that draped around his slight but muscular frame. He wore no crown, nor did he have an air of the monarchy, but I was, without a doubt, looking at a king.
He smiled as I took him in, showing off his polished teeth, and spoke to the maid. "Thank you, Jasmine, you may leave us."
She curtsied and left, sp
aring me a curious glance before she shut the door behind her. I turned back to the man on the throne and kept my guard up.
"Welcome, Durandahl," he said. His voice was smooth, not soft, or light. It held the right amount of gruffness in his tone, but it was a warm voice.
I inclined my head to him respectfully. Let's act nice, shall we?
"Magnus, I presume."
His eyes lit up with a fraction of surprise. Which only made him smile even wider. "I'm impressed. I'm partial to my privacy, so I'm keen to know how you came across my name?"
I thought about lying to him but disregarded it. I have a feeling he's far more dangerous than he lets on. He dismissed the maid and left me alone with him. It’s better if I’m upfront with him. "A man named Phineas told me after I tortured it out of him."
Magnus frowned. "I see…I'm unfamiliar with that name, which disturbs me. It means someone's been talking that shouldn't."
"Let me solve the mystery for you. He learned it from one of your henchmen. A man named Darren."
Magnus sat back in his throne, propping his chin under his hand in thought. "Thank you for your honesty. That's a rare trait these days. Hmm. I'll need to have a talk with him about the need for secrecy."
I stifled a chuckle, which Magnus didn't notice. "Might be a bit of a one-sided conversation."
"Oh?"
"I killed him."
Magnus stared at me for half a second before letting out a hearty laugh. It was a good laugh. Full of mirth. He nearly doubled over from it. It took a lot of the tension out of the room, and I relaxed a bit.
"Any particular reason why you killed him?"
"He made himself my enemy."
That earned me another laugh. "It seems you are as stubborn as I am when you want something. I think I like you."
Well, there it goes. I'd had enough of the jovial tune Magnus was playing and dropped the humor from my face. "Yeah, you like me, liked me so much you kidnapped me, not to mention the fucking army you sent after my family."
Magnus stopped laughing and looked at me strangely, almost admonishing. He smiled a dopey grin and spoke. "Ah, yes, I do hope I can convince you to forgive me on that front. I'll admit I didn't handle that the best, but I can't exactly take all the blame for that."
"The fuck you can't!"
He wagged his finger at me. "As a matter of fact, my men had orders not to engage unless they were attacked. You were the one who jumped the gun and attacked first. By the time my messengers got there, your guild had killed all of my men."
"Your messengers were a guild of vindictive assholes with a grudge against us."
Magnus held up his hands and shook his head. "Which was a blunder on my part. I should have vetted them more thoroughly before sending them out. One of my lieutenants vouched for them, and I took their word for it. A mistake, I admit."
"What were you even doing there? Why send an entire army after us?"
"I sent those men to reclaim something I lost many years ago. It was supposed to be a simple meeting, not a bloodbath."
I threw up my hands and resisted the urge to strangle him. "What were you even after in the first place?"
"Something personal that I'm not inclined to share with you."
"Then what am I doing here? Why did you bring me here?”
At my words, his eyes lit up with humor again. He leaned back in his throne and smiled at me. It was a knowing smile that said he knew something I didn't. "Oh, I'm not the one who had you brought here, I'm afraid."
I did a double-take at his words. What? "Then who did?"
"I did."
I turned at the new sound. It was a woman's voice. Dark and rich with just a hint of bitterness. I'd never heard the voice before, which confused me, until she walked out.
She was beautiful, that much was clear, but it was the sharp edge of a blade. Beauty meant to cause harm to any who stepped too close. She had long, golden hair that flowed down her back like a river, and a dagger point chin. High cheekbones complimented her long ears that poked out from under her hair.
I knew her, even though we'd never met.
She looked the spitting image of Eris, though older and so much crueler, as her bumblebee eyes regarded me with curiosity.
"So, this is the human who's stolen my daughter's heart?"
Oh, Hell.
###
End of Book One
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading my novel!
It means the world to me that you’ve made it this far and are reading this. I hope you enjoyed the novel and are excited about the sequel. On that note, if I could beg a favor? If you’re reading this and you enjoyed the book, then please leave a review. Reviews decide whether an author lives or dies, and taking a minute or two to write a single sentence review makes our day. If you loved the book, please tell me your favorite parts, or if you hated it, go right ahead and troll me into oblivion, I probably deserve it. But whichever you do, please leave a review. And this isn’t a purely selfish request. The more reviews this book gets, the faster I can get the sequel in your hands. The sequel will be published regardless, but if my publisher picks up the sequel, it will happen much faster than not. So please, by the nine kings of Hell, please review my book. I’m on my virtual hands and knees here, guys. It’s a little embarrassing. Can you quit looking at me like that? :D
Thank you. -Grayson Sinclair
About the Author
Grayson Sinclair loves books, has loved them since he was a child. Reading has always been a passion of his, even when he really should have been focused on other things, like school. The worlds in books were always more magical and exciting than anything real life could offer, and he hopes a few of you will get lost in his worlds for a short time.
His website is Graysinclair.com, or you can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit.
While you wait for the next book in the Trinity of the Hive series, why don’t you check out the short story by Grayson set in the same universe? Swords of Legend: In Remembrance.
About the Publisher
Starlit Publishing is wholly owned and operated by Tao Wong. It is a science fiction and fantasy publisher focused on the LitRPG & cultivation genres. Their focus is on promoting new, upcoming authors in the genre whose writing challenges the existing stereotypes while giving a rip-roaring good read.
For more information on Starlit Publishing, visit their website!
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My Recommended Reading
TJ Reynolds - My best friend and fellow author. He’s been a truly wonderful friend, and an excellent rival (I’ll match your writing speed one of these days). And to top it off, he’s a phenomenal writer. You’re missing out if you don’t give his books a chance.
https://www.amazon.com/TJ-Reynolds/e/B07XXJF5QL
Emilie Knight - A very close friend as well and an excellent dark fantasy writer. It’s hard to make it in pure fantasy, but she has the chops for it. She was the second person to read the very first draft of Hive Knight (I’m really sorry for making you suffer through that), and I returned the favor by reading her first draft. Her writing blew me away, and when she makes it big in the next few years. I’ll be saying I told you so.
https://www.amazon.com/Emilie-Knight/e/B07BMCHMFB
Jaeger Mitchells - Literally one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and a great friend to me. He helped me when he didn’t have to and when it didn’t earn him anything in return. I will always be grateful for his support and I hope this is can be my way of supporting him in turn.
https://www.amazon.com/Jaeger-Mitchells/e/B07JNB9Z1Y
To learn more about LitRPG, talk to authors including myself, and just have an awesome time, please join the LitR
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Hive Knight: A Dark Fantasy LitRPG (Trinity of the Hive Book 1) Page 43
