by John Goode
“They’re here,” Caerus announced.
A strange clicking sound preceded the arrival of Lord Charmant and his party, and I looked up to see a small group of people walking across the throne room. Even if I had no idea who we were expecting, I would have been able to tell the lord from the rest of them. He was devastatingly handsome, and that is a phrase I use so infrequently that you might think I am rather shallow when it comes to looks, which I am. In my world perfection is currency, and I had no time for paupers. But it wasn’t just his perfect face and smile. He had an aura about him that made him desirable to any who gazed upon him. The effect wasn’t magical; he simply had charisma to spare, and he obviously knew it.
His bodyguard consisted of four men, all obviously so taken with him that they had sworn themselves to die in his place, and two women, who had the same expression as slaves I had seen work the mines in the Dark. Their eyes were cast down, hands folded in front of them, not an ounce of spirit visible. The one with fair skin and dark hair held a wooden box close to her chest, and the other who had hair like gold wore a pair of glass shoes that encased her feet entirely. They were the source of the clicking. With every step the glass echoed off the marble floor.
I disliked the man instantly.
“All hail the conquering heroes,” he said, stepping forward and issuing a deep bow that was more mockery than respect. “I am Lord Charmant, rightful ruler of Grimmstat.”
I glanced over to Olim, who shrugged.
“That was the name of the castle before the Wolf King took it,” Caerus explained. “Lord Charmant’s grandfather was king then.”
He glanced at the gem. I could see the suspicion just beneath his smile. She knew far too much for his taste. “You are well versed in our history, while I am at a loss for yours. Just whom do I owe thanks to for the return of my kingdom?”
Before anyone could answer, I said, “No one said we were returning it.”
His gaze shifted to me, and I returned his fake smile with one of my own.
“And you are?” he asked, hiding his annoyance well.
“Hawk’keen Maragold, Prince of Arcadia, ruler of the throne, and currently in possession of the throne of Grimmstat, it seems.” Each title was a weapon and he knew it.
“You killed the Wolf King?” he asked, obviously not believing it.
“I did,” I answered as flippantly as possible. “He is currently adorning the walls of the lower level if you want to see for yourself. If you do, I hope you have a strong constitution.”
My words were as syrupy-sweet as could be, but we were both skilled in this kind of negotiation, and he knew he had been insulted. “The word of an Arcadian prince is more than enough for me. After all, your kind has never lied to the realms before.” Before I could answer his sarcasm, he turned to one of his men. “Go look below to see if what he claims is true.”
The man nodded and walked away. Two of the ambers followed him.
“You don’t trust my man?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Of course not. The word of a ruler who is so ineffective he allowed a stray dog to hold his kingdom for two generations is less than enough for me.”
His smiled wavered, and I could see the seething hatred beneath it for half a second.
The man came scrambling back into the throne room, the smell of fresh vomit following half a second behind him. “It’s true, the Wolf King is dead.”
“He heals,” Charmant reminded the man. “Are you sure?”
“There’s… there’s nothing left to heal. He’s gone.”
The other men cheered at the news while the women took a half step back from the celebration, alarmed at their emotional outburst. Charmant silenced them with a gesture and looked back at me. “So I see you have indeed killed the Wolf King, but you can’t think of keeping this castle.”
“Can’t I?” I wandered over to the throne and ran a finger along the armrest. “I’m here for one thing and finding it might take a while. This kingdom is an excellent staging area for my search.”
“What do you want?” he asked, his charm vanishing fast.
“What do you have?” I countered, my smile as fresh as ever.
Before Charmant could answer, Olim asked, “We are seeking the one known as Jack. Do you know where to find him?”
“You’re here for Jack as well? You’re either rather brave or incredibly stupid.”
“What I am is in control of this castle.”
“For how long?” he asked, taking a step toward me. “This is no occupation force. This is a collection of baubles, a witch, and an unarmed fop. Do you really think you can keep me from taking what is mine?”
I took a step toward him. “The last person who tried to take what was theirs from me is fresh paint below us. So yes, I can.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“Tell us where Jack is.”
We glared at each other for a few long, silent seconds.
“No. With the Wolf King gone, the last person to fear in this realm is Jack, and I have no intention of angering him as well. So now tell me again how you intend to keep my castle from me.”
Without missing a beat, I turned to the center of the room and touched the gem he had placed on my hand. “Woogie!”
There was an explosion of light as a portal opened in front of me. The face of the small dragon wizard looked at me from the other side. “You’re ready?”
“Are the troops ready?” I asked him.
Woogie stared at me silently for what seemed like an eternity. After a few seconds he answered with a cautious “Yes?” Seeing a small nod from me, he added, “I mean yes, Prince. They await your command.”
“Excellent. I want two regiments ready to march in ten minutes. Next time I call for this portal, have them ready to come through.”
“You’ll have it, sire,” he answered with a quick wink. With that, he closed the portal.
I turned back to Charmant. “You were saying?”
He looked toward where the portal had been and then back to me. “Let’s talk alone,” he said, striding purposefully out of the room. Interesting, I thought. He knows the floor plan. I wonder how many spies he had in the Wolf King’s court.
Caerus asked me, “Do you want an escort?”
“No,” I replied curtly. Part of my tone was the result of the pain I still had to deal with. The rest was necessary if I was to maintain my pose as the aggressor in Charmant’s and my discussion.
Olim took me aside. “What are you doing? You’re purposely angering the only person who can lead us to your mother.”
“I’m not angering, I’m negotiating.”
“How do you know he won’t take offense?”
I gave her a small smile. “Because before I met Kane, I was well on my way to becoming him.”
Without another word I went to find Charmant.
He had stopped in a small room across from the throne room. The chamber looked like it might have been a smoking room for nobles, but whatever it may have been, now it was destroyed. The furniture had been crushed to kindling, books torn apart, and the back half of the carpet looked burned.
“This was done before you arrived,” he said, kicking some debris with his boot. “The people that animal had with him were savages, no respect for the finer things. I mean, look at this place. Why would anyone do something like this?”
“Because people who do not have despise those who do. You wanted to talk.” It was not a question.
“We have started on the wrong foot, and that is my fault. I act like this every time I am around someone who is truly attractive. It’s a defense mechanism, and I apologize.”
That took me aback, for half a second. “You’re talking about me?”
“My god, man, look at you! You’re perfect. Those cheekbones and that body… you are everything someone like me dreams of finding in the flesh.” He took a few steps toward me, and his voice deepened with emotion. “I will admit to the casual dalliance with the same s
ex. But you? You make me want to be a better person just by standing next to you. Can you forgive me?”
He was next to me now. His voice was coy and his eyes looked up with longing.
“Of course,” I replied, ignoring his proximity. “These things happen.”
“Oh, thank you, young lord. You are as kind as you are alluring.” He pressed his hand to my chest, and I refused to flinch. “Oh, not just looks I can feel. A warrior as well, you will have to let me see you in action soon.”
The double entendre stood there between us, just daring for one of us to acknowledge it.
“We were going to discuss Jack,” I reminded him.
“We were,” he said with a brilliant smile. “You have to understand, he will kill me if he finds out I sent you to him.” He pressed a half step closer. “Please, sire, you must protect me from his vengeance.”
I nodded, saying nothing.
“So you’ll protect me?” he said, leaning in closer.
“I can,” I answered in just above a whisper.
“I would be so grateful….” He leaned in, his lips about to touch mine.
“Does this work?” I asked abruptly. He almost fell forward when he realized I had stepped back from him. “Your act. Does it work on people?”
Gone in a flash was the flirting, fair-faced noble who had been begging me for my protection. Back was the bitter and cruel man I had seen before. “It works on everyone.”
“Everyone minus me, it seems,” I said, shaking my head. “You really thought to seduce me?”
“There are many tales of the carnal appetites of Arcadians. I assumed you were the same.”
“I enjoy sex as much as the next being, but I am taken by another.”
His eyes got wide. “True love’s kiss?” he asked. I nodded, and he laughed gleefully. “Then that doesn’t count. Both of my wives out there are my true love as well, but it wouldn’t stop me from riding you like a naughty pony.”
There was so much wrong with that sentence.
“You are married to both?”
He nodded. “I couldn’t decide between blonde hair and dark hair, so I took one of each.”
His laugh made my skin crawl.
“Let me ask you a question. How does the one take those shoes off? They look painful to walk in.”
“She doesn’t,” he said casually.
“Why?”
“Because I like them! I want her to wear them and damned if she is going to lose one again, is she? Let me give you some advice, young prince. Love is not a blessing, it is a curse in its own way. It can make you as beholden to someone as you want them to be to you. The only way to conquer it is to take control of the situation, make it to your own liking. Once the emotion is out of the way, you’ll find amazing new horizons opening up to you.”
“Where is Jack?” I asked, ignoring his tirade completely.
“Oh, this again. I am not going to tell you. If he finds out, he is going to kill me, and we both know you don’t have regiments waiting to come through that portal in ten minutes.”
“I am not leaving here without my mother,” I said, purposely prowling toward him. “If I have to go to each and every citizen of this realm to find Jack, I will. And since that will take time, I am going to need a place to sleep and this seems as good a place as any. Now you can think I am bluffing, but I assure you I am not. There is simply no way I am leaving my mother behind, and if you want to go to war for this castle, so be it. But you better hope to win, because if I do, you’re going to be forced to wear much worse than glass slippers.”
He stared at me for several seconds before bursting out in laughter. “Oh, you are too much. I could spend years breaking you, making you my own. Tell me, young prince, don’t you want to be broken a little? Don’t you want someone else to take charge, tell you what to do? Wouldn’t you like to just exist for pleasure and nothing more?”
“You’re looking at this the wrong way,” I said, still ignoring his words.
“Well, I am looking at it clothed, and that’s wrong in so many ways.”
“We are going to find Jack, with or without you. Now we both know he will not release my mother without a fight, so one of two things is going to happen. One, we will kill him and you are free of one more monster in the realm, or two, we are killed, but he is weakened at least. You know once word gets to him of the Wolf King’s demise he is going to grab as much power as he can. So you can hope we kill him, or you can ready yourself to fight a weakened foe. That’s a win-win situation for you, but only if you help us. Refuse and after we rescue my mother, I am coming back here to show you what I look like in action. Trust me when I say it is not a sight you are going to survive. Deny us help, and when I do find Jack, I will tell him you handed him over to us. If we die, you still die. So you see, Charmant, you are looking at this the wrong way. You’re already dead. What you need to do now is find a way to live. I am that way. Tell me where Jack is.”
“Has anyone told you how magnificent you are?”
“Yes. Where is Jack?”
He sighed and threw his hands up. “Fine! A farm borders the northbound road leading out of here. In its yard grows a giant beanstalk. It’s magical. If you climb the beanstalk, you end up on the castle’s cloud no matter where in the realm it is. But it’s guarded, and your little jewelry show out there won’t be enough.”
“I have faith,” I said, starting to walk out.
“Please, promise me once you realize this true-love thing is a sham, you will find your way back here so I can corrupt you just a little?”
It took a great deal of control not to kill him where he stood.
Instead of answering I walked out, needing a shower more than I had ever needed one in my entire life.
“I have a direction,” I said to the others. “Inform Woogie we won’t be occupying the castle. We’re turning it over to Charmant.” I ignored the shocked looks from his wives, who, no doubt, thought one of us was not coming back from that meeting. “Olim, a moment of your time?”
While Adamas gave orders for his troops to evacuate the castle, I asked the ice queen in a whisper, “Do you have a weapon? Something small and magical?”
She nodded and a dagger appeared in her hand. “I don’t know if it will be an effective weapon for you. Its last user was a little girl—”
“It’s not for me,” I said, slipping it up my sleeve.
Charmant was busy giving his men orders to gather the rest of his troops and have them join him, so I walked over to the wives. “Ladies,” I said quietly.
“Please,” the dark-haired one begged. “You must help us. I will give you my heart.”
I thought she was offering me her affection until I noticed she was pushing the box at me. I became queasy. “Do either of you know how to fight?”
The blonde one nodded. “I can kill,” she said savagely.
I grabbed her hand and moved it up to my lips. “There is nothing more alluring than a dangerous woman.” I slid the dagger into her palm under my kiss. “You will only get one shot at it. Make it count.”
“He will betray you to Jack. He’s sending word now that you’re coming.”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about us, get yourself free first chance you can get. I can handle Jack.”
“He’s a giant-killer,” she stressed.
“I’ve killed giants before,” I lied. “It’s not that hard.”
“Warming up to my girls?” Charmant asked, coming over and putting a hand around my shoulder. “You know if you fancy one or both, we can arrange something.”
“I’ve heard that pitch before. You are not the first man to offer me his woman just to have sex.” I took three steps away from him, forcing him to drop his arms back to his side. “I’m willing to bet you won’t be the last either.”
I glanced over to the women. “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure.”
The blonde winked at me, hiding her hands in the folds of her dress.
“Are we ready
?” I asked the rest.
Caerus answered for the gems. “We are; what direction are we heading?”
“North, we’re looking for a farm with a beanstalk. It will be guarded.”
“Of course it will,” Caerus said to herself. “Because nothing in this accursed realm happens without a fight.”
“Why did you give that girl the weapon?” Olim asked me.
“Because,” I answered as we exited the castle, “as Kane would put it, I cannot abide to let asshats like that continue to draw breath.”
“What’s an asshat?” she asked, confused.
“I have no idea, but I assume the rear ends in his world are very well styled.”
We passed Charmant’s troops as we walked out of the city; I was struck by the difficulty I had when I tried to tell them apart from the Wolf King’s men. I think that was the best statement that could be made on this realm. As we made our way out of the town, you could see the word spread that the Wolf King was dead. I would have assumed this would have sparked celebration or at the very least thankful prayer, but all it did was create more strife.
Old feuds and hatreds that had been kept in check by the Wolf King’s rule were revisited, and the results were bloody. People who had nothing more than the clothes on their back attacked each other while their families fought each other as a show of support. It was the kind of scene Oberon had always painted about The Dark if we were to fall as a ruling family. But where his stories were born from arrogant presumption, these people were literally killing themselves in the street.
“We can’t help them,” Olim said quietly to me as we walked by yet another altercation. “They were born and raised knowing they have to fight to survive; if we jumped in we’d only be met with more violence.”
I knew she was right, but I hated not doing anything.
Half an hour outside of town, Girasol the opal faded into visibility. “Found the farm, but it’s guarded by Tveirs.”
I glanced at Olim, who shrugged.
“It means two-headed giants,” Caerus explained.
I had never heard of that before. “How does that work?”
“Badly for us. It means that while one head sleeps, the other is standing guard,” she answered, sounding more annoyed than I had ever heard her. “I don’t think there is an option where we slip past them.”
