“I just came to let you know that everything is ready. Nyx and I will meet you in the great hall, when you are.”
I nodded. “I shall be there soon.”
Laurel exited the room as I moved towards my armoire, and reached for my Dilrunarta Galothnae Kuru. The second my fingers touched it, the wings disappeared.
"What the fuck?" Ash said, as we stared at it in shock. I opened the drawer to reach for my daggers, and they disintegrated with a shimmery glow. The boots next to the door vanished next.
“A physical illusion,” I confirmed. I knew them well. My gaze found Ash’s. “My effects never returned to the castle, brother. The Dragon Lord only wanted us to think they did.”
“Which means they remained wherever you were during those two weeks.”
I nodded pensively. My daggers and Dragon Wings’ Cloak were a part of me, as important as my limbs. I would never leave them behind.
I walked into Princess Aura’s room and found her sitting on the four-poster bed as she cried with the maid by her side. The sight puzzled me.
"I would have thought that by now you'd be resigned to your new home. What could you possibly be sad about, Princess?" I smiled amused, as she wiped her cheeks turning away from me.
Marigold stood defiantly. I raised an eyebrow. “Have you something to say, maid?”
“I am not a maid, you savage. I am the Viscountess of Bosreoce, in the Summer Court. Daughter of Lirior Blueflowri the Viscount of Bosreoce, and lady in waiting to the Summer Princess.”
I feigned amazement. “My apologies, Viscountess.” I gave her an exaggerated hand curtsey and her eyes flamed in anger. I grinned. “What seems to be the matter?”
“You are a monster!” The Summer Princess shouted. “A brilliant one at that. You planned this to the last detail, to bring me as much pain as you could, didn’t you?”
I frowned. “I’d love to take credit for whatever ails you, aside from being captured by us, but I’m afraid I have no idea what you are referring to.”
"Of course you do, you savage!" Marigold shouted distressed. "Aura is in pain. I don't know how you found out she would be blooming this year because the queen kept it a secret. Still, you brought her here and trapped her so she couldn't find her fated. You might not care because, like your land, you are frozen and numb, but finding one’s mate is a sacred thing. I didn't think you were as vile as to stoop this low."
The smile faded from my lips. “Can you smell him?” I asked, stepping closer to them.
"Yes," Aura answered with a sob, and stood looking into my eyes while tears slid down her cheeks. "I can smell him as strongly as though he was standing in front of me, yet I can't go to him because I'm imprisoned here!" She stepped closer. "There's this pain inside of me, begging me to move, telling me I need to find him at once, and it only becomes more urgent every second I remain here. How could you do this, have you no heart?!"
I stared at her frozen, but would it have made a difference to me if I had known what I was putting her through? No. She only felt a fraction of the agony I lived with, and the opportunity to kidnap her had been too perfect to pass on—the fruit of weeks of preparation for our attack. “Too bad you are never leaving my kingdom, princess.”
"Aaah!" Aura screamed, sounding genuinely distraught. The pink energy fizzled in her hands like tiny lightning bolts.
“You are just as vile as the Dark King,” Marigold added, but my eyes remained on the princess.
My chest tightened unexpectedly with the agony I perceived from Aura. I forced my eyes away from her and smirked, looking at her maid. “Why, thank you.”
Marigold’s eyes darkened with hatred. “He deserves what our warlock did to his queen, and I hope the woman you love suffers the same fate!”
Before the last word left the maid’s lips, her body crashed against the far wall at my command. She crumbled to the floor.
"No!" Aura yelled, and my fingers lifted, throwing her back towards the bed. Her back hit one of the posts, and she cried as I held her there.
I strolled towards Marigold as pure fiery rage coursed through my veins. "How dare you talk about my queen?!" I roared. She tried to get up, and I pushed her down, her wrist snapped with her weight as it bent backwards. She screamed in pain. "You have no idea, do you? You have no notion of who started this wretched war. It was your precious Summer King! He started this cycle when he killed my grandparents twelve thousand years ago."
Venom seeped from every word as I lifted my fingers, dragging her body upwards until her toes barely touched the floor. "But what would you know? You stand there, eyes filled with judgment as though you know who I am. Pretending you understand what my mother suffers every day." I let her go, and she fell to the floor again.
“Leave her alone!!” Aura yelled, and my head snapped towards her. She was still struggling against the bedpost.
“You wanted to know what my other ability was, didn’t you? Perhaps I should show you both.”
Aura’s eyes widened with fear a second before I let her go. Her body crumbled to the floor as my eyes began to glow. Their screams filled the room while the illusion formed around them, instantly replacing their reality. “Since you wish the same ailment your Warlock cursed my queen with, to the woman I love, maybe you should feel it for yourselves!” My voice thundered as I projected the pain from my mind to theirs.
I watched them as they fought to breathe, their bodies writhing in agony while the mimicked curse ran through their veins, or at least they thought it did. Mind manipulation had been the third and final ability to manifest itself in me. I had used it to project fields of endless twilight flowers, and crystalline cerulean ponds with periwinkle butterflies into Avrielle's mind—blue was her favorite color, in any shade. The same woman they wished this curse upon, the one I loved.
"I was there when your Warlock cursed my mother. I saw it with my own eyes. I heard her screams as the venom traveled through her veins, and she fought to survive the same way you do right now!" I bellowed. Tears stung my eyes at the memory. "It was only because of her ability that she lived, and even that was a curse because you can barely stand the pain right now, but she has lived it for four thousand years!"
I walked away from them and towards the door, allowing the illusion to disappear. Their gasps reverberated through the room, mixing with cries as the air returned to their lungs. They sat up, and Aura tried to aid her friend.
"You shall never mention my mother, or the woman I love ever again!" I ordered. They nodded sobbing. "I will not be around for a while, so I would advise you not to do anything stupid. The Dark King will not be as lenient as I am with you."
I stormed out of the room and looked at the guards over my shoulder. "Call for the healer to tend to them."
“As you wish, my prince.”
The light gallop of our horses over the thick snow was the only sound while my brothers and I approached the White Haunted Mountain.
I moved forwards, determined not to look back. I left without seeing Avrielle one last time or saying goodbye, because truth be told, I couldn't bear it. I knew that when I returned, Avrielle would be gone to her fated… it was better this way. Ash suddenly stopped, and my gaze found his. "What is it, brother?"
“She’s crying out your name.” His eyes were pained as he answered. He turned around on the horse and faced the castle we had left behind. His eyes began to glow. “She just found out we left.”
I took a deep breath as I forced myself not to look. Although I wouldn't be able to see her even if I tried, we were too far away. It was only because of Ash's enhanced senses that he could. Still, I was helpless to stop myself. My hand gripped his, and as the light in my eyes ignited—connecting to his mind—I saw exactly what he saw. Avrielle stood in front of the window of her room. The strands of her wet lashes clustered together resembling stars as the tears fell from them. Even in tears, she was gorgeous. One hand rested over her heart while the other splayed on the window. She sobbed my name.
I wrenched my hand from Ash’s, and my heels connected with the sides of my horse. “Sayosarae, Brock!” The next second, we took off.
The snow crystals flew behind our horses’ hooves as my brothers and I raced through the frozen lands towards the mountain, and away from the castle.
* * *
“Aren’t we going to visit the Dragon Lord, brother?”
“I already don’t like this.”
Both Nyx and Ash said as I dismounted my horse at the edge of the Death Trolls’ Forest. Nyx followed while Ash stared at the woods before us with a skeptical look.
"No pursuit worth making is ever easy or safe, brother." Ash snorted and got down from his horse. I walked towards the land’s threshold and looked at the trees. "I am Prince Kyr of the Winter Court." My voice echoed through the forest. "And these are my brothers, Ash and Nyx. We request safe passage into your woodlands."
"Why must we start here?" Nyx asked, and I turned to face him.
"This is where I awoke, which leads me to believe that there is something here I must discover." No answer came from the woods, and I hoped we wouldn't be forced to fight any Trolls today. I proceeded to take my shoes off.
“What are you doing?” Nyx asked, seeing my bare feet hit the sandy snow ground beneath us as the frozen lands and the dead forest mixed.
“No shoes, no cloak, no daggers. That is how I awoke.”
He nodded pensively. "You must only take with you one thing. That which does not weigh you down, but lifts you and lights the way."
“What?” Ash asked, his eyes finally leaving the trees in search for Trolls.
"Those were the Dragon Lords' instructions." Nyx's gaze went to our horses. They were prepared for the journey with provisions ranging from food to camping gear. "We should probably rethink our choices." He fixed his glasses, his eyes returning to mine.
Ash glared at him. “You are kidding. The horses contain everything we need to survive in there.” He pointed behind him with his thumb. “I’m not leaving anything.”
“Perhaps you should consider disposing of at least one thing.” Nyx offered.
“And what is that, little brother?” Ash inquired, annoyed.
“Your laziness.”
I laughed but turned it into a cough as Ash's flaming eyes focused on me. "Okay, we need to decide what to do," I announced and turned towards Nyx as he eyed his horse.
He stepped closer, caressing his mare's neck and kissed her forehead. His hands reached for the reins and walked her around, when his palm connected with her behind she began to gallop back to the castle. Nyx grinned, facing me. "I'm taking my knowledge with me."
“Oh, come on!” Ash complained, and we both smiled at him. He groaned resigned, and turned his stallion around, sending him home. Ash squared his shoulders and faced me. “I’m taking my courage with me.”
I nodded once, pleased by his words and sent Brock home. My gaze dropped to my hand, and my fingers slightly lifted my sleeve. I focused on the silk hair band I had stolen this morning, and wrapped around my wrist. Bringing it up to my nose, I inhaled deeply, the fresh scent of snow with a hint of flowers filtered through my nose. I lowered my sleeve and stared at my brothers. They stepped closer.
“I’m taking my memories with me.”
Standing shoulder to shoulder and without answer from beyond, my brothers and I stepped into the Death Trolls’ Forest.
* * *
We walked in silence through the foggy woodland. It was permanently submerged in shadows, as though the clouds were obstructing the light, devoid of life except for the Trolls who had made it their home. The fog gathered at our feet, like a blanket to the giant parched tree trunks and brittle branches that surrounded us, blinding us from what lay below.
My eyes were alert while they roamed the woods for hostile Trolls. It had been over three hours since we entered their land, but they had yet to appear. I looked at my brothers who walked beside me. Every step was measured, every breath reduced to our needed oxygen intake to preserve ourselves the best we could. My feet sunk into the mudded patches on the ground and I silently cursed, trying to remember why I had thought it a good idea to remove my shoes. Nyx smirked at me, guessing my thoughts, as the silver coated sole of my brothers’ boots protected their skin from the assault of the acid that dwelled on this land.
Lucky for me, my invulnerability stopped it from consuming my skin without mercy, but the slight burning from the first contact with the acid remained. The feeling made me anxious, which meant we needed to get out of here as promptly as possible. I looked up to the sky; the beams of light from the two moons of winter lit our path, guiding us as they filtered through the massive tree limbs, which interlaced like a canopy above our heads. Only a hundred more feet and we would be out of Troll territory and into the Weeping Willow Lands.
My body relaxed as we approached the boundary, pleased we would make it out of here without confrontation. The next second I cursed as two giant Trolls appeared out of the blue and stood in front of us, blocking our exit from these wretched woods. The two males carried axes and maces, which meant this wasn’t exactly the farewell committee.
"We are the Princes of the Winter Court, and we requested safe passage before we entered," I informed them taking a step forwards and looking straight into their eyes—it was a hard feat seeing as between the two of them, six red orbs were staring back at me.
“We heard you. We were deliberating until now, and we deny you passage.”
“Considering you are in our kingdom and subject to our ruling, I would say we did you a courtesy by announcing our presence. We do not require your permission to walk among our lands, to the contrary, you should be kneeling before us now, and be appreciative of our presence,” Nyx answered, fixing his glasses. His words were void of arrogance, or superiority, they were merely facts he was indebted to relay; yet the Trolls didn’t see it as such.
The two males in front of us growled, and I sighed. The last thing we needed was to battle the Trolls now. As war tactics went, we were at a disadvantage. This was their home, which meant they had higher ground in this fight. I was raised in my king's image, yet my brothers had been raised in mine. Although we had powers, we didn't use them to fight; instead, we used our abilities as warriors. Except at this moment we had no daggers, swords or chained whips in our hands. I wasn't even wearing shoes.
Ten more Trolls appeared around us, closing us in.
"Take one more step, and we will consider this a direct attack against the crown," Ash declared, sounding much like me. "You will die, and your heads will rest atop spikes at the edges of this forest. Do not force us to make an example out of you."
My gaze roamed their faces as they all took a step towards us, closing the circle. I frowned. The Trolls had nasty tempers, but they weren't fools. They would never willingly go against the crown in this way. There was no doubt in their eyes we were the princes, yet they were advancing on us nonetheless.
There had to be magic at play, here—strong magic.
My brother's and I exchanged a glance. They had come to the same conclusion.
I ducked when a mace swung at my head, and the mayhem began. I rolled on the floor and kicked the Troll's tibia with all my strength, bringing him down. In one fluid motion, I stood, ripping the mace from his hands and whirled around. The ball at the end of the chain flew widely, connecting with the jaw of the next Troll coming at me, and knocking him unconscious. He fell to the ground as I rocked on my heels and hit the chest of the first Troll I brought down. Jumping, I stepped on a tree trunk and kicked another one's chin, sending him back.
From my peripheral vision, I saw my brothers equally engaged in battle. Nyx twirled in the air—above a Troll—hooking his arms around the male’s neck, and flipped him around, slamming him to the ground. Nyx landed in front of him, fixed his glasses as he stood, then turned to three other Trolls coming for him. Ash jumped back avoiding a sword aimed at his stomach, and just like I had he stepped on the tree behi
nd him. His body twirled gaining momentum, and he slammed his boots into the Troll's chest. The Troll collapsed to the ground on his back with Ash crouched over him.
We could hold our own without weapons, but more Trolls kept pouring out of the woods armed and ready for death. I had never seen them so vicious. There were only two ways we were ever getting out of here, and one of them was in pieces.
“Use your given power!”
Avra’s voice thundered in my mind. He sounded exasperated by our “foolish” behavior. To his race of Dragons, a gifted ability had been like a badge of honor. They used it proudly as though it was the highest privilege. Their powers defined who they were, and their eminence among their kind. The more abilities they possessed, the bigger the dragon, and the greater their authority.
Nyx gasped, and Ash's head whipped towards me, our eyes connected. They had heard him too.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Ash answered the Dragon Lord and his eyes glowed. Instantly his body began to transform—As an Ethereal Faery his second ability was Omni Shifting. Within seconds he stood twenty feet tall, towering over the Trolls. His body mimicked theirs, with hefty extremities and tough skin. He landed blows left and right sending the Trolls flying. The sound of steel pounding flesh reverberated around us, as his harsh fists connected with the Trolls' bodies.
Nyx lifted his hands, and as the light encircled his irises, the gusts of wind swept through the forest. He possessed the gift of Ecokinesis—nature manipulation. He lifted the Trolls as though they weighed nothing, slamming them against the massive trees, and dragging them over the misty lands.
I turned and faced the others. One thought, and they fell to their knees, screaming as the illusion took form. The serpents wrapped around their necks, strangling them, and slithering inside their mouths, invaded their bodies and cut their access to air. Hands flew around them, frantically attempting to grasp the invisible serpents to rip them out of them.
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