Unleashing the Shadows (Nine Kingdoms Book 1)

by Ann Bakshis

  “It still doesn’t explain how she discovered us,” I say, seizing my mother’s wrist and shoving her away.

  “There must be a Dewin in their castle,” she says. “Find it, as well as their journal, and burn them both. We can’t have any more of our secrets revealed to her. She needs to remain oblivious as to what she is until we get that gate open. If she finds out before, there’s no telling what kind of torment she’ll inflict on us.”

  “Wouldn’t she be cut off from her powers like we are? Doesn’t she draw them from Toorkuns?” I ask, puzzled.

  “No, Lycus, she doesn’t, which is what makes her dangerous to us… to everyone.”

  “She won’t hurt me,” I say, knowing it’s true. “Because, as you said before, she needs me in order to survive.”

  “But she doesn’t need me,” Moyra says, sounding bitter. “Now that you’re here I’m dispensable. She’ll try to kill me the first chance she gets.”

  “But you can’t die,” I say, showing her the bloody dagger.

  “Yes, I can. There’s a special weapon the Dewins have that is capable of slaughtering us both,” she says, tears filling her eyes. “You need to find it and destroy it.”

  “How do I know what you’re telling me is the truth? Succubae are known to lie, and I know that’s one of your better traits.”

  “I’m telling you the truth, Lycus,” she says, then her pathetic demeanor changes. She stands and drops the blanket covering her. “I need you, son.” She places a hand on my face and leans forward to kiss me, but I shove her back onto the bed.

  “That’s over with,” I say, furious. “I’m not yours anymore, only Honora’s.”

  “Even though she’s fucking another?” my mother asks with contempt.

  “My wife knows what she’s doing,” I reply. “Besides, it won’t last but for only a few more days, then Evander will be dead, his kingdom laid to ruins, and Honora will be back in my arms.”

  “And where does that leave me? Locked up here for eternity?” she grouses.

  “No,” I say, then walk over to one of her trunks and toss her an item that rests on its lid. “You’re coming with me. I’m done protecting the world from you. It’s time they realize we live among them and will do anything to maintain our rightful power over their pitiful lives. Now, get dressed and meet me down in the foyer.”

  She smiles as she scrambles to gather more clothing while I hurry down the stairs and return to my room where I dress in black trousers, a formal shirt of white, and my crimson cape with the fur lining and chain of crests. I slip on my heavy boots, go towards my closet where I keep my longsword, and strap it around my waist. Moyra is standing in the foyer, wearing an elegant dark blue blouse that hangs loosely around her frame along with black pants and heavy boots. Her red hair is secured into a braid that cascades down her back. I know I said I was done with her, but at the moment I want nothing more than to fuck her. I ache for Honora and Moyra has been the most appealing substitute I’ve found when my love is absent. My mother smiles longingly at me, sensing my desire for her.

  “Where to, Your Grace?” she asks, wrapping her arm around mine.

  “To the Vagter quarters to get our men prepared,” I reply.

  We head down to the kitchen where the servants are just beginning to work even though the sun hasn’t yet risen. My mother beams as we make our way across the room.

  “The devil is alive,” one of the older servants says, dropping a handful of plates onto the floor, shattering them when she eyes Moyra.

  My mother laughs at the woman’s reaction.

  “Calm down,” I tell the older woman. “She won’t harm you, and neither will I if you simply go about your day as normally as possible.”

  “Yes, milord,” she stammers, then hastily bends down to clean up the mess.

  We exit the kitchen and continue down the hall, which bends in several different directions before we come to the heavy wooden door that’ll open onto the Vagter quarters. Several of the men are awake when we enter, and all conversation stops when their eyes fall on my mother.

  “Saints preserve us,” one utters, his hand flying up to his mouth in disbelief.

  “Hello, boys,” Moyra says, smiling and letting go of my arm as she slowly traverses the room, sizing up those she sees. “My, how some of you have aged, and not well at all.” She chuckles as she pokes a few in their puffed-out bellies. “I’m surprised my son tolerates your slovenly appearance. I know I can’t, so I suggest you get into shape if you’re to stay with the Vagter. Your queen demands it.”

  “You’re not our queen,” Welland says as he joins us, a scowl on his face. “I knew Kerron couldn’t kill you properly. I would’ve rent your head from your body just to make sure the job was done.”

  “That’s why you’ve always been my favorite, Welland,” Moyra says, standing before him. “And why my son entrusted you with stealing his precious Honora for him. Tell me, did you aid in her escape from Longemere, or was it one of the servants?”

  “No one in the castle helped her,” he says defiantly. “She was allowed to flee when the others came for her.”

  “Oh, but they didn’t,” my mother says, placing her hands behind her back as she steps closer to him while the other Vagter step back to give her room. “None of them set foot on the castle proper. Honora already knew where to travel, since she took the same tunnel she used when Kerron tried to free her.”

  “What of it?” I ask. “Honora knew what needed to happen since I’d discussed it with her.”

  “But how did she know when the appropriate time to leave was?” Moyra asks, turning towards me. “You’re not very observant, son. A terrible flaw you inherited from your father. Do you ever look beyond your own nose?”

  “Out with it,” I grumble, my patience growing thin.

  “The clothes on the line outside the mudroom, how long have they been drying there?” she asks. “A day? Two days? Perhaps even three? Why has no one gotten them yet? They can’t possibly still be wet as it’s been nothing but sunny weather for almost a week now.”

  “The washer woman,” a Vagter to my right blurts out. “I haven’t seen her in a few days and she’s never missed a day of work in all the years she’s been here.”

  “The person Caster and the others visited,” Welland says. “It had to have been her.”

  “But how would he know her?” I ask. “Was she working here when Caster was baronet?”

  “No,” another guard answers. “She started shortly after David and Moyra wed. Kerron is the one who obtained the position for her.”

  “Welland, get the men ready to ride out in a couple of hours,” I order. “Have them prepare for battle as we’ll be invading Latrest. Now, which one of you followed Caster and his group when they came to town?”

  “I did, Your Majesty,” a guard on my left answers.

  “Then you come with me,” I say, gesturing for him to get dressed.

  “I’ll just stay here and help the men get ready,” my mother says, winking at a few of the guards.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” I say, grabbing her wrist. “You’re coming with me.”

  I shove her back into the hallway and down to the rear door that opens near the stables. I have her mount my horse while the guard comes running to join us. I let him lead the way out of the gate behind the castle and we turn left onto the road that runs north of the village. When we reach the cabins the castle employees live in, we take our time surveying them. Candles illuminate many windows as people begin to rise from their slumber, but we find one house in complete darkness. The flowers that line the path up to the door look in need of watering, unlike the other gardens.

  I dismount and tell the Vagter to stay with Moyra as I take a look around. When I reach the door, the knob turns easily in my hands, swinging open into a hallway that leads towards the back of the cabin where I find a small kitchen. I scour the tiny house, discovering it’s empty. I return to the kitchen and just as the sun rises, I catch somethi
ng notched into the kitchen table.

  Pelheim is deeply carved into the dry wood while a hunting knife is rammed into a piece of parchment beside the word. I remove the knife and pick up the note.

  Your enemy was here, milord. Desperate to retrieve what he believes is rightfully his. Heir to the Geron throne. Royal by birth, but kin to me only in passing. Honora is the true ruler of Geron as she’s the eldest of David’s children. Her mother was unnatural, evil to the core as a child I helped raise. The throne must remain pure, untouched by the devil. Do what you must to preserve its integrity. Kill my adopted sister’s child before hell rains down on us all.

  I carefully fold the note and stick it in my pocket before retreating outside where I mount my horse and order us back to the castle. The note the washer woman left didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know, except that she and Elizabeth grew up together. That would explain why Caster went to see her, but what he didn’t know is how loyal most of my servants are to me. When I locate this woman, I’ll be sure to reward her for her service and make her an example of the kindness I’m capable of providing.

  When we enter through the back gate, Welland has a few hundred men at the ready, a dozen or so of them putting supplies into several large wagons, each with two horses secured to it and two riders on the upper seat of the cart.

  “We should be ready to leave in an hour,” Welland says as I ride up to him.

  “Good,” I reply. “Hopefully this will be a quick assault and we can be back home in a few days.”

  “King Evander won’t give up Honora easily.”

  “I know and I’m counting on it. It’ll make his death much more satisfying.”

  “I think you’re too confident, son,” my mother says as she sits behind me. “Don’t count out Caster. He’s fought in a war before, whereas neither you and Evander have. He’s very smart and outwitted his enemy before they even knew he was among them.”

  “And what war was that?” I ask. “I haven’t heard of there being any conflicts in Reynes for centuries.”

  “The war with the man I called my father,” she replies. “Gregor had his army attack our kingdom known as Murias to reclaim it since it had once been a part of Geron a long time ago. Your father and Caster infiltrated our military and slaughtered half of them before sunrise one morning. Then they withdrew and waited as they knew we couldn’t recover from such a heavy loss. It didn’t take long for my father to surrender, especially since I was poisoning him to hasten his death. And the rest you know.”

  “Also, the dwarf giant with Evander should be well trained on tactical maneuvers since that’s what they specialize in down in Axis,” Welland adds.

  “Then make sure we’re prepared for every possible scenario,” I comment. “Solicit more men if you have to.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Welland says.

  “This time tomorrow, we should be storming Latrest,” I say to my mother. “It’ll be amazing.”

  “I sure hope so, son. For your sake,” she utters.

  End of Book One