by Rachel Angel
I looked around me and saw I was in my room at Kingsbury Castle. It was the ancient room Ricky had shown me, hidden behind a wall with a secret door down in the underground. The room was almost the same as it had been when Ricky brought me there…the wooden table, the walls covered in tapestry, the stone fireplace. Only now everything in this room was new, the colors of the tapestry more vibrant, the painting on the wall of me surrounded by young noblemen on horses with a knight…freshly painted.
I was dressed in an old-fashioned white sleeping robe. My hair braided into a long braid, threaded with silver.
“Father,” I said. “What is it?”
“Hurry, child,” he said. “We must go. No time for talk. Get dressed warmly and follow Lucinda down the corridor. Bring your sword and the Kingsbury dagger. Prepare to fight if you have to.”
“Why? Who must I defend myself against, Father?”
My father pulled out my riding garment, a cloak, and boots. “A crown prince who lost his kingdom just now because I delivered the message that the next King of his kingdom would not be him, but his brother. As an act of revenge, he swore to destroy Kingsbury Castle, me, and even you.”
“No, Father, it can’t be,” I said. “Crown Prince Avery would not hurt us. He swore he loved me.”
“It’s not Avery, but the other,” Father said. “I gave the crown to Avery at the last minute, changing my mind and going against what the other had believed to be the expected choice. Now Kingsbury will be attacked by his army. We must retreat elsewhere for now.”
“No, it can’t be. The Other brother…he led me to believe he loved me, too. That he wanted me as his queen.”
“He may love you, Daughter, but now he feels betrayal from us. I can’t blame him for it would seem what I had done was a betrayal.”
“You did it for a good reason, Father,” I said patting his hand. “You must have seen the truth of it.”
“Yes, Daughter, I did.”
“So now instead of love for me, he has hate,” I said.
“Love and hate are strong feelings, Daughter. When one loves someone but feels that he has been wronged by them, that betrayal can turn to hate quickly. This is how the other brother feels towards you. That’s why you must leave now. He will be looking for you. He will want to seek his revenge on our family through you.”
I quickly changed and went to Lucinda who was holding a lamp and dressed in a riding cloak. In disguise as my maid-in-waiting, she was highly trained in martial arts from the Orient and in swordplay as a knight. Lucinda was also my fighting instructor, who taught me how to fight, better than any man.
“Where will you be, Father?” I asked, leaving with Lucinda down a secret passage.
“I will be trying to keep the castle. Kingsbury must not fall. If it does, there will be chaos amongst the kingdoms. More wars fought as one prince battle over another for their kingdoms. The Kingmaker and the legacy of the Kingmaker must last so there will be peace. As a Kingmaker yourself, you will have the power to discern. You will have power over princes and princesses to determine who will rule. For centuries, to appease the people and to appease their own families without trying to divide them by their own decisions; kings have relied on the wisdom and vision of Kingmakers to choose the next Kings. I must not let this tradition die out because of some insubordinate rebellious prince. I will defend Kingsbury to the death.”
“Father, no!” I said. “I will stay then. You go with Lucinda. Or Lucinda will stay with me. I will not leave you here to defend the castle.”
“I have my own army out in the wilderness, ready to fight,” Father said. “There is a band of knights within the castle, led by Honeywell and his son. There are a few at the landing below to attack as soon as they step on ground. Then we have our ships out at sea, ready to fire arrows and cannons at them if they dare enter these waters. We are well prepared. There is no need for you to stay and fight.”
“I beg to differ, Father,” I said. “There is a greater need for me to stay and fight. I will be safer here than anywhere else. I know Kingsbury Castle so well, I can help lead an attack or a defense anywhere. My leadership and training as a kingsmaker and the future heir of Kingsbury Castle and the Kingsmaker legacy is needed here. I will not run like a coward. I will stand my ground. No one will dare question my authority as Kingmaker, even as a woman, by doing so, Father. I will stay to fight.”
Father smiled proudly and patted my head. “Spoken like a true Kingmaker. I thought you would run like others before you, but you have the heart of a strong kingmaker…one that would inspire and lead kingdoms. I am proud to have you as my daughter.”
I hugged my father, knowing how he had wanted a son at first but was blessed with his only child, a daughter. I will prove to everyone who thought only a son could be a kingmaker, that a girl could be one too. There would be no question about the gender…only who would be the best to lead. Me.
As to the man who would dare attack my castle and harm all within…I would deal with him on my own. After all, as I suspected yet needed to confirm, he was attacking due to feelings for me.
“Father, I will seek an audience with him,” I said, rushing out the door towards the courtyard filled with knights and my father’s army.
The young knight, Henry Honeywell rushed towards me. “Where are you going, My Lady?”
“To talk to him, Sir Henry, it is all because he feels not only the loss of a kingdom but of his lady that he is attacking Kingsbury Castle. I will put a stop before it begins. Let me through!”
“It is too dangerous,” Sir Henry said. “Please, don’t go out to certain death. We need you alive. You are the heir to Kingsbury. We need you. I need you…” Sir Henry pleaded with his eyes, displaying his full love and devotion to me, having declared his love for me since childhood. “Since I know how headstrong you are when you want to be, remember when we were children,” he said, “there is a creek that runs through the castle to the ocean. You are a strong swimmer. If your meeting with him turns for the worse, find the creek. There will be a boat there with reinforcement. I should be there waiting for you.” He bowed. “I will protect you with my life.”
“Henry…” I began. I knew he wanted to accompany me to my meeting with my prince lover, but I had to go alone. Otherwise, Henry would seem like a threat to him and be killed instantly on the spot. “I must see him alone.”
“But he is out of his mind with hate and hurt. How would you be able to talk to him?” Henry asked. “He would kill you on the spot.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take, Henry. No one should die. No one has to die. Farewell.”
“My Lady!” Henry cried out as I quickly kissed his cheeks and ran towards the gate, beckoning for the guards to open it. When they refused, I jumped up on the top of the gate, having learned the power of Qi Gong from the Far East, and jumped down to the ground below, landing softly on the grass near the beautiful rose bushes planted at the entrance of Kingsbury Castle. I plucked a red rose from one of the bushes and fasten it to the neck of my cloak, visible for all to see.
A red rose. The symbol of romantic love.
His soldiers were lined up along the outer perimeter of Kingsbury Castle. Below on the landing were ships anchored to the beach in the bay. There were enough to storm and overtake Kingsbury Castle. He had come prepared.
And as he sat on top of his magnificent black steed, dressed in black and silver, with his dark blue-black hair flowing behind him, a hint of silver shining from one of his ears; Prince Axel stared back at me with his steel blue eyes, eyes that once looked upon me with hate, then with such love and admiration. I could feel his eyes on me as I made my way to him, taking me in from head to toe, the heat of his stare unwavering.
“Prince Axel,” I shouted, walking towards him. “Give me a moment to speak with you in private. Please.”
“Violet,” he sighed. “What are you doing out here?”
“I want to see you, to talk to you, Axel…be alone with you.”
I lowered my eyes to look at him before looking down. He knew what that meant. He had acted upon my look to him several times before in many places…places where we would meet in secret, places where we could not restrain ourselves. Prince Axel and I had always had an intense connection, which we could not ignore when I became of age, and he finally took me.
An amused smile lit his face slightly. “Even now, you drive me crazy, woman.”
“Axel…I know who I want now…who I will choose to be my husband. But I want to know if he still feels the same about me.”
Prince Axel’s eyes widened with surprise. His stern unyielding expression softened and he held up his hand to let me come closer pass his barricade of men.
My eyes were on his, full of love. Full of promises for a happy future.
“Violet,” his voice came to me as a caress from the wind. “My love.”
In my eyes, I only saw him. My bad boy prince who had always made my heart flutter. He brought out the strongest passions and desire in me. Love, hate, pain, and happiness.
I didn’t see the arrow that came towards me, until I fell to the ground. I felt the sharp pain pierced into me, numbing me instantly so I couldn’t move.
“Violet!” Prince Axel’s voice cried out in agony. “Violet! No! No!”
Then all went black.
Chapter 3
Tempest
“Get up!” a strong male voice said, nudging me gently.
“No! No! No! Axel…” I cried out.
“Open your eyes,” the gentle nudging became a firmer shaking.
I opened my eyes to look into beautiful turquoise eyes. Jordan. He was lying in bed next to me, his thick eyebrows furrowed in a look of concern. “Jordan?”
“Yes, Tempest, Baby,” he kissed my forehead. “You were screaming in your sleep. A bad dream.”
“It seemed so real, Jordan. I swear I was there…back at Kingsbury Castle with the first Kingmaker.”
Jordan lifted me to hold me in his lap, holding me tight. “That’s because you are a kingmaker, Tempest. You are a direct descendant of Kingsbury. And that makes you very very special.” He smiled. “The kingmakers have the gift of sight. Visions of the future, especially when it concerns kingdoms.”
“But wasn’t that just something from ancient days…medieval times when there were knights and ladies?” I asked.
“Believe it or not, Tempest, many of the royal families still believe in the visions of kingmakers. My father is a believer. And many of the families attending Kingsbury Prep are believers, which is one reason why their families attend the Kingsbury.”
He leaned in and nuzzled my ear. “So what did you dream about that had you screaming bloody Mary?”
“Kingsbury Castle was about to be attacked, and I was trying to stop it before it began. I knew the attacking prince. I loved him. But he felt betrayed by me, by my father. I was trying to stop his attack on the castle but when I went out to meet him, I was killed.”
I shuddered, and Jordan hugged me tighter. “What an awful dream, my poor Tempest.” He kissed the top of my head and said, “Although dreams are significant for kingmakers, don’t take too much heed in this one. If it upsets you, it’s just a dream.” He rocked me in his arms and said, “Only a dream.”
I shook my head. What was the dream telling me? Would one of my princes eventually kill me? Or was it someone else?
I looked at Jordan, and he kissed me again, unraveling himself from me. “I promised you an unforgettable weekend in San Francisco as a way to get to know each other better, and I’m failing miserably, aren’t I?”
I laughed. “No, it’s my fault, Jordan. I was the one not feeling well when we were about to have lunch with Helen. Then now here I am waking you up while screaming in my sleep.”
“No matter what we do, Tempest, I’m just happy being with you,” Jordan said. “But I’m sorry about this…I have an emergency I have to take care of at the Underground Fighting Network. I’m not in town often so I need to go into the office.” He got out of bed and walked over to his closet, changing, while talking to me. “I don’t know when I will be back tonight. You may have to have dinner with Helen alone.”
“No worries,” I said. “San Francisco is home for me. I can easily find something else to occupy my time here.”
I walked into the closet as Jordan was pulling on a black Armani blazer. He looked so handsome as he came over to corner me against the wall, putting his arm up while he kissed me. “I want to spend all my time with you, Tempest, but I have to go. Sorry I can’t divulge too much now. I’ll make it up to you I promise.”
“Alright, Prince Jordan, I bet you will. Bye!” I waved.
He rushed out, looking at me with regret. A buzz came through on his phone, which was on the nightstand, and I took a look at it before rushing out to catch him.
“You forgot your phone,” I said, handing it to him at the elevator as he got in.
“Thank you, Tempest,” he said, looking a bit flustered. “I don’t know where my head is right now, but I think I left it with you along with my heart. I love you, Tempest. I’ll get back as soon as I can.” He kissed me and left.
I let out a deep breath as I grabbed my bag from his suite and waited for the elevator going down.
I had to get back to Kingsbury Prep and Arcadia as soon as I could.
I still couldn’t believe my eyes at the message that came across Jordan’s phone.
TEXT TO PRINCE JORDAN:
KINGSBURY CASTLE was Attacked. See to it that Kaz is alright.
Why didn’t Jordan tell me this? And why was he ignoring it and heading to his Underground Fighting Network offices instead?
Chapter 4
Hunter
Kingsbury Prep Academy
2 Hours Earlier
“I have one more day here at Kingsbury before I have to pack up and leave for however long until I can come back,” I said to Kaz sitting on his favorite side of his leather sectional sofa in the living room of his large house at Kingsbury Prep, known as Kaz’s Place.
“That’s just unbelievable, bro,” Ori said from across the room where he was on the floor doing pushups. “That you can be expelled just like that.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I find it unbelievable that you used a forbidden substance in order to win all your underground fights. Making your wins null.”
Ori stopped after pushing up and letting both arms bend before crashing down to the floor. “It isn’t true, you know,” he said. “I never used any substances before a fight.”
“We know that,” I said. “We know how healthy you keep yourself. You don’t even eat junk food. So why would you use a prohibited substance, especially before a fight?”
“Exactly,” Ori said. “I never have.”
“And I’ve never done anything at Kingsbury to get me expelled,” I said.
Ori and I looked over at Kaz. He was still in the same position as he’d been since two days ago, after he had returned from some Student Council meeting held at the Arcadia Inn. Since returning, he had sprawled out on the sectional, looking almost comatose, just staring up at the ceiling.
“Kaz?” I made an effort to snap him out of it. “What do you think?”
“Yeah, Kaz,” Ori said. “What do you think?”
No response.
When he returned from the Council meeting, trying to reinstate me back into Kingsbury Prep, he didn’t say anything. He just had a blank expression, like he had seen a ghost.
“I take it the meeting with the Student Council didn’t go well,” I said.
“That’s an understatement,” Ori said. “It not only didn’t go well, it made him like that. Frozen.”
“I have one more day before I have to clear out of Kingsbury as a student,” I repeated, mainly to Kaz. “After that, I can’t be on campus. I can’t help you out, Kaz.”
“Why did all of this happen?” Ori asked.
“Tempest!” a loud roar filled the room. “It was all because of Tempest.”
Ori and I turned our heads toward the roar.
Kaz.
He was up and looking as mad as hell. “Tempest!” he was now pacing. “And Jordan!”
“You think Tempest is behind all this?” I asked Kaz. “I know she has her reasons. We were so awful to her.”
“Jordan, too,” Kaz said. “I saw them with my own eyes at the Inn, going at it. They got me to go to the Inn, thinking the meeting to clear Hunter from being expelled was there. I went there only to catch them in bed together fucking. And that blonde surfer-looking dude who has the hots for Tempest. He was there too, fucking our Tempest. She,” Kaz gulped, “never looked so hot. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.” His eyes were glistening with unshed tears, “She was breaking my heart, but I couldn’t stop watching. Even though she was with two guys whose guts I hate more than anything.”
