Curse of the Fae Moon: Allied Kingdoms Academy Book 2

by J. M. Kearl

  Cheeks reddening, Leith stammered, “Well, I was just—”

  “You were just being disrespectful,” Zyacus finished. He stepped close enough to put his mouth near Leith’s ear.

  I couldn’t hear what he said but both guards stood straighter and they quickly found the door.

  The couple that had been watching us went back to their drinks but their eyes kept drifting our way. Who else could command the guards like that? They would, at the very least, know he was in a position of power, if not the prince. I wondered if his presence would cause as much of a disturbance as mine did in Delhoon.

  I tilted my head toward the bar, hoping nothing bad would come of this. “I was trying to get something to eat.”

  “Leave that to me.” He waved a hand at the man behind the bar.

  Without a pause the barkeep made his way over, wiping out a glass. “Zyacus,” the man mused and nodded toward the end of the bar, away from eavesdroppers. We followed him there. “What brings you into my establishment at this late hour?” His eyes flicked around the room. “And with no guards.”

  “I’m not wearing anything that would give away my identity. I came to visit someone.” Zyacus slid over a gold coin. “Visteal, this is Sedrik. Owner of the Pirate and family friend.”

  “Visteal,” he drew out my name as if trying to figure out a puzzle. “I’m guessing since rumor has it you’re courting the Delhoon Princess this is the very same. I don’t want to be implicated in anything or lose favor with your father so no trouble, eh?”

  “Certainly no trouble,” Zyacus said and slid over another coin. “Will you bring some food to our table?”

  “Of course.” He set his glass down and went through a back door.

  I led Zyacus over to the table with Taz, who’d somehow gotten another drink. He stood upon seeing us. “You know Zy,” he said with an audible slur, putting a hand on the Prince’s shoulder. “I’m very protective of Vis so you better treat her good, better than good. Splendiferous.” His glossy eyes slid to me and in what he likely thought was a whisper, but was far from it, asked, “Is that a word?”

  “It’s a word,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Though it does sound made up, doesn’t it?” Zyacus said, squeezing Taz’s shoulder. “I promise I will treat her splendiferously.”

  “Another round!” Taz shouted, then chortled like an idiot. Several patrons in the place raised their glasses with a cheer.

  I ground my teeth and sat at the table. Good pixie, the last thing he needs is another round.

  Zyacus sat beside me and leaned close. “How long have you two been drinking… ale? I can smell it on your breath.”

  I brushed stray hair behind my ear. “Honey mead,” I said, glaring at him. “Taz switched to ale. And we’ve been here—a while. As you may have noticed. It must be nearly midnight.”

  “It’s past midnight,” Zyacus murmured but his eyes glittered with amusement. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

  I scoffed but then giggled for some odd reason. “Certainly not. Dragon’s fire my father would die if he knew. You have no idea how protective he’s been of me lately.” If he knew he wouldn’t allow me to go back to the Allied Academy.

  “The King be training Visteal himself now.” Taz tipped his head back and drained his mug. “She’s got to have improved tenfold. Bet she could crush you like an itty bitty bug.” Taz stared at his thumb and forefinger pressed together as if he were indeed crushing an insect.

  Since when does Taz talk like that? The booze? Or… I smiled to myself. He must have been listening to Erwin and the other old man.

  Zyacus burst out laughing. “Is that so?”

  I smacked him on the chest with the back of my hand. “Don’t laugh like it isn’t possible. Perhaps I’ll see you in the tournament and we’ll find out.”

  The Pirate owner, Sedrik brought over a tray of food and a barmaid carried three mugs and set them on the table. “Enjoy your meals.” He looked pointedly at Taz. “Perhaps this is your last drink, eh?”

  “Probably a good idea.” Then he loud-whispered. “I gotta have my wits about me to protect my friend.”

  Sedrik smiled and walked away shaking his head.

  I took a bite of bread. “Zy, you will never guess what happened when I left your castle. But first what did your fath—” I dropped my piece of bread and clutched Zyacus’s shirt. “Your father.” I nodded toward the door. He wasn’t dressed in royal attire but King Enden had arrived.

  So much for my presence here being a secret.

  Chapter 7

  With only two guards in tow King Enden made his way to the bartop.

  “Oh horseshit,” Taz hissed nearly spilling his drink. “The king is here.”

  Zyacus didn’t appear worried; he was fuming. A long slow breath parted his lips and he stood from the table. “Well, one of those damn guards is a rat.”

  King Enden spun around when Sedrik pointed our direction and Enden quickly made his way over. “Outside, the three of you,” he ordered.

  I was pretty sure everyone inside the Pirate was too drunk to notice their king had entered. On the way out, my stomach turned and I wasn’t sure if it were the mead or the fact that we’d been caught.

  When we stood under the stars, Enden led us to a discreet alleyway. His dark eyes flicked from me to Taz ,then to his son. “I’m not angry,” he said, although he sounded like he might rip someone’s head off. “Visteal, if you’re going to be here I don’t want you at the Thirsty Pirate. As secure as I’d like my kingdom to be, it is not safe for you or my son to be out here unguarded. If anything happened to you, your parents would never forgive me.”

  “Father, we’re not in danger.”

  Neither of them has seen the Fae prince, I take it. There’s definitely danger.

  Enden pinned his son with a hard gaze. “Do you understand how much a group of ruffians could ransom the two of you for? Just think of what could happen if someone captured Visteal. Think of what happened to your mother.”

  Zyacus’s mother, a princess of Collweya was captured and sold into slavery as a prostitute. It was lucky for her the first bed she landed in was Enden’s and further still that he married her. “With all respect, King,” I said. “I am a well-trained warrior. Queen Saveena was not.”

  “I understand you are quite capable. I’ve met your mother and father, you know. But please come back to the castle.”

  “I—I need to get back home. My parents don’t know where I am.”

  Enden cursed under his breath. “Now you’re certainly coming back to the castle, where we will inform them of where you are.”

  “Must we?” I grumbled. “I’ll go to the library right now.”

  “It’s closed,” Enden said flatly.

  “You of all people can open it,” I said sweetly, batting my eyes.

  Zyacus was trying not to laugh but I didn’t see the humor. Taz swayed in place, eyes darting back and forth between the king and me.

  “To the castle,” Enden said and mounted his horse. The guards opened a carriage door.

  “Wait,” I called. “If you don’t inform my parents. I’ll tell you the reason behind the bird attack today.” Although I wasn’t entirely sure if they were correlated but I suspected the Fae prince had something to do with them.

  Enden’s lips formed a line. “Fine. We’ll discuss this at the castle.”

  I stepped inside the carriage and sat on a soft seat. Zyacus scooted in next to me, and Taz went to the other side. The horses pressed on and the carriage lurched forward.

  Gentle fingers slid down my arm. “What do you know?” Zyacus questioned.

  “Remember the man with the pointed ears and the portal?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “Taz and I were attacked and I’m pretty sure I know who controlled the birds. I think war is coming.”

  ∞∞∞

  I bounced my feet as I sat at the table across from King Enden. I’d recounted my encounter with the W
inter-Night Fae prince, and gave the king the details of what the birds might mean. Of course it was all speculation on the words of an old man in a pub who heard stories from his grandfather, but me getting ripped around by a powerful silvery-blue skinned man was very real and current.

  Enden stared at his glass of red wine. I stole a glance at Zyacus beside me; he gave me a barely perceptible nod. A reassurance to wait.

  Enden took a drink and finally met my eyes. “You were completely immobilized by this mysterious blue-skinned man? Who had evil winged creatures trying to steal your clothes and sword?” He sounded like he didn’t believe me.

  I narrowed my eyes at his tone. “Yes. Ask Taz if you need a second source.”

  “Your drunk friend? Perhaps both of you had a little too much.”

  “Excuse me but I’m not lying nor am I a drunk,” I said, trying but failing to sound calm.

  “Father, Visteal doesn’t lie. We must believe her.”

  Tapping his fingers on the table, Enden yelled, “Where’s Jershon?” His most trusted magic-born adviser. He’d been with the king since he was a boy and a slave. Though he was paid and a free man now.

  A nearby guard approached. “He’s asleep, Sire.”

  “Wake him. Tell him to bring my wisest historian immediately.”

  While we waited for these men to arrive, King Enden seemed to be surveying his son and me. “If there’s ever been such a thing as a blood moon or... Fae walking amongst us, they’ll know.”

  I clenched my hands. “What do you mean if? Didn’t you see the birds? Doesn’t my word have any meaning to you?”

  Enden grabbed a piece of cheese from a silver tray. “A flock of birds acting strangely means nothing. I have never heard of the type of being you’re describing. Forgive me if the tale seems a little too tall.”

  How could he think I’d make something like this up? I clamped my mouth shut, folded my arms and stared at the table, doing my best not to offend the King of Hesstia with my usually sharp tongue.

  “While we wait I need to clarify something. As you may see, I am not a young man anymore.” I lifted my eyes to see him gesture to the graying hair at his temples. “Hopefully I won’t die for many years but in case that should happen I need to know my kingdom is secure with my successor.”

  His eyes skirted between us both but more so on me. I was sure Zyacus had heard this all before. I had no idea where he was going with this but I didn’t like it.

  “A betrothal of my son to Jennika Viscoff would make sure of that. Her father, Entari Freyloc commands my best and strongest warriors aside from my own force. He has requested this since they were children. For his loyalty it is a just reward to have his daughter become royalty. This has nothing to do with you, Visteal. I have no hard feelings toward you or your family. I wanted to make that clear.”

  Zyacus slammed his hand on the table. “If we must discuss this now then I’ll have my say. Promise her to Drakonus. He’s only a year younger than I and—”

  “Drakonus will not be King, Zyacus. Therefore she will not be queen.”

  I rubbed my clammy palms on my pants. Ugh, I hated the ways of the court, and in this moment I was grateful that my parents hadn’t tried to betroth me to anyone. Though I suspect it had more to do with how much further off my rule was.

  “Jennika does not deserve to be Queen of Hesstia,” Zyacus snapped, leaning forward with elbows on the table. Lowering his voice he mumbled, “She can’t even handle herself at the academy.”

  Before they started screaming, which by the expression on the King’s face I suspected was coming, I stood. Their eyes, one pair the bluest of blues and the other a cinnamon brown, so different held the same stubbornness. I personally didn’t want to be involved in this conversation. “I think this should be a discussion for another time.” Although my name wasn’t mentioned in Zyacus’s reasons why he didn’t want to marry Jennika, we all knew. Discussing a possible union between us and our kingdoms shouldn’t happen without my parents’ agreement and certainly not without Zyacus asking me first. And most certainly not without us saying those three words every couple falling for each other longs to hear. “I love you.”

  “I only brought it up so your parents didn’t think I was against them. We are allies and will remain so.”

  “Good. And I hope Hesstia will stand with Delhoon against the possible upcoming war.”

  Enden all but rolled his eyes. “Princess, a war? With an enemy we’ve never heard of?”

  “Maybe you haven’t heard of them but I have. Perhaps you need a Delhoon historian.”

  King Enden’s scowl turned soft and he started laughing. I looked at Zyacus who appeared as perplexed as I.

  Enden stood and Zyacus followed. I didn’t know if it were on ceremony or if a natural reaction. Enden raked his fingers through his dark hair. “You sound like your mother.” Shaking his head he picked up his glass. “She would speak to me that way and not many people do.” He stared off for a moment as if lost in a memory. “I honestly can’t fathom a war with an enemy from across the great oceans but if it should, we will certainly stand with Delhoon against any common enemy.”

  Finally! He’s at least coming around to the possibility of this.

  The doors opened and in walked an older gentleman in black robes as well as the king’s advisor, Jershon. Both looked tired around the eyes but no complaints came from waking them in the middle of the night. They bowed and waited quietly.

  Enden took his seat. “Have either of you heard of a blood moon occurring within the last five hundred years?”

  The two men exchanged glances and Jershon gave a slight shake of his head. “I’ll leave this to the historian.”

  The man in the robes, the historian I presumed, stepped forward. “Sire, this is something I have come across previously but since it was such a long time ago the scrolls were tattered and difficult to read. A red moon held in the sky for a month. Sickness and famine were mentioned but the ink was smudged and not much else could be made out.”

  I stepped away from the table, too antsy to sit and fold my arms. That proved old man Erwin knew something of what he talked about.

  Zyacus began to slowly walk the room.

  Enden took a sip from his glass. “We’ve been through famine and sickness before. Was there mention of magical, pointed eared, perhaps even blue-skinned beings from across the sea. Visteal called them Fae.”

  The Historian looked a little confused. “Uh, no sire. Nothing like that.”

  Great, now he won’t believe me. I remembered Zyacus had seen them before too. “It must have been the Fae who ordered the attack on the academy. Zyacus and I both saw a Fae man at the academy retrieve the scepter they used to infiltrate our magical defenses.”

  With a surprised expression, Enden looked to his son. “You never mentioned this before.”

  Zyacus stopped pacing. “It’s true. A man with pointed ears took the scepter and left through a portal. He didn’t have blue skin but there was something different about him. The magic he used was different. The vampires said they were paid to attack us. Who would have paid them? The Nordians to the south are not unified and don’t have the resources. The rest of us on this continent are allies.”

  King Enden picked up a string of grapes and plucked one. “Let’s say that both of you did see people a little different than us. We have no proof they are many or that they mean us harm. And after Hesstia enslaved magic born people for such a long time I would think you, Visteal would be the last person to jump to conclusions about those who are magic. This is all speculation and I’ll not hear any more about it. I’m tired.”

  Before I could think of a remark, a note fluttered out of the closest candle. Everyone in the room watched it float and fall into my hand. I swallowed hard when I saw the royal seal of Delhoon lightly inked into the paper. Oh no. Tugging on a corner I unfolded it and my stomach dropped when I read: If you are not home within the hour I will come to get you and that would be embarrassing f
or all of us. Signed ~ Your Mother.

  I stuffed the note in my pant pocket. “I need to go.”

  “I’ll escort Visteal to the library.” Zyacus bowed to his father and took my hand.

  “You and ten guards.” Enden moved toward an exit.

  We stepped out of that room and into the hall where Taz shot to his feet, rubbing his eyes. He fell into step beside us. “What did I miss?”

  I shrugged. “Not much other than the historian and the king think the Fae don’t exist. We’re going home.”

  Taz looked confused. “You told them about the ultra-powerful guy with silvery blueish skin who attacked us?”

  “I did. And they still weren’t convinced.”

  ∞∞∞

  When we stood in front of the portal, I kissed Zyacus softly. “See you in a week.”

  When I turned to leave, Zyacus still held my hand. “I want you to know that I’m with you. I believe you.”

  I smiled. I knew he would be on my side. “I hope your father will come around. And I hope that this blood moon thing doesn’t even happen and we can have a fun, safe year at academy.”

  Zyacus chuckled as if that were an impossible dream. “If last year were any indication of the future, I’m sure it will be eventful. Aric may need our help now that he’s, you know. He is coming back to our academy, and making sure he stays out of trouble will be a task. He’s only written to me once to say he’ll be returning and not to worry about him, but I imagine he will struggle.”

  “Alright,” Taz cut in. “The sun is going to rise soon. We need to go.” I hadn’t yet told him that we’d been caught.

  With one more quick kiss, Zyacus said, “See you soon.”

  And with that Taz and I stepped into Delhoon. The guards on the other side glared as we came through but it wasn’t them who held my attention. My mother stood, arms folded and seething with rage. Beside her, Legacy gave me a pitiful half smile.

  Chapter 8

  Without a word, my mother opened a portal to her throne room. Once there she sent Taz and Legacy away. I’d never seen her so angry in all my life. Smack. She cracked me across the face with an open hand and snarled, “I cannot believe you’d deceive me like this.” She grabbed me by the arm, her fingers digging in hard and jerked me closer to her. “And to go to Hesstia to see Zyacus when you’ll be at academy with him in a week.” She pulled away, throwing her arms around wildly. “Obviously you’ve been drinking some sort of alcohol. I can smell it on you. You could have been taken. You could have been killed. One of the first rules you learned in your training is not to drink alcohol when you’re on a mission or in a situation that could be dangerous. It slows your reflexes and interferes with your judgment. How could you be so reckless?”