Palace of Moonlight

by Payton Taylor

  As she looked at the small picture of Marzanna's smiling face, bitterness surged through her. The night they met never should have ended. She wished it hadn't, that she'd never had to wake up the next day and learn who Marzanna really was. Why they could never be together.

  The next day Khione nursed a slight headache as she ran around the palace, barking orders at servants and getting everything ready.

  The emperor of Moriana was visiting, along with two of his daughters. Queen Asteria hadn't seen Emperor Timan in decades, and she wanted everything to be perfect. As her advisor and assistant, that duty fell to Khione.

  When everything was finally ready, Khione smoothed her red silk skirts and stood proudly next to her queen as the emperor and his daughters were announced.

  "Announcing Emperor Timan of Moriana and his daughters, Princess Hedda and Princess Marzanna."

  The blood slowly drained from Khione's face as the emperor entered, his daughters at his side. As her gaze zeroed in on the youngest daughter, her hair adorned with flowers, her body now draped in gauzy blue fabric.

  Marzanna's eyes found Khione, as if drawn to her, and lit with surprise and delight.

  Khione could only stare.

  The woman she had danced with the night before, the woman she had touched and kissed, was the princess of Moriana? Her Match was the princess of Moriana?

  Marzanna frowned and Khione knew she felt her shock and uncertainty. She smiled, reassurance singing through their newfounded Match bond, causing Khione’s shoulders to relax.

  Introductions were made and Khione tried and failed to divert her attention from Marzanna. Emperor Timan seemed to notice their looks, the smiles they couldn't quite hide.

  A frown crossed his face and his eyes narrowed.

  Later, after a delicious dinner of fruits and vegetables imported from Moriana, Khione had just finished talking to one of the servants when Timan cornered her in the hall.

  "You, girl. I would like to have a word with you."

  Khione turned to find the Emperor towering over her. Apprehension swept through her at the look on his sharp, handsome face.

  "Yes, Your Majesty?"

  "I do not enjoy games, so I will get right to the point. I noticed the looks you shared with my daughter. Marzanna is idealistic and I have no doubt she has encouraged you in some way, but she does not know what is best for her. As her father and her Emperor, however, I do, and what is best for her is not some servant of a foreign queen. Understood?" His emerald eyes bored into hers, harsh and commanding. They were Marzanna's eyes, but Marzanna had never looked at Khione the way Timan was looking at her.

  Khione swallowed as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I'm not a servant. I am the advisor to the queen of Vianna. I help her run this kingdom."

  The emperor arched a brow, "Whatever it is you believe yourself to be, it is not what my daughter deserves." He glanced at the Mark on Khione's upper arm, the ice blue snowflakes that seemed to glitter against her pale skin. "Look at you. Your Mark is the size of commoner's. I have no doubt that despite whatever position you hold here, you are not what you pretend to be, are you?"

  Khione refused to flinch at his words, even as her mother's voice echoed in her mind. "You are nothing. Look at you, all you do is get in the way. Get out of my sight, I can't stand to look at you."

  Khione lowered her gaze, "She's my Match, Your Majesty." The words were barely a whisper, but she knew by his sharp inhale that he heard them.

  His expression went carefully blank, but Khione could see his mind at work behind his eyes, reevaluating the woman in front of him. A look passed over him that could only be described as lost.

  And then his features hardened. "Lies. My daughter would never Match with something like you, some common thing with barely a spark of Gift. Stay away from Marzanna if you know what is good for you."

  He turned, his clothes sweeping over the mosaic floor, and left.

  Leaving Khione broken and teary-eyed behind him.

  Her contact buzzed again, signaling that her orders had been received.

  She hadn't known what to say to Marzanna, hadn't known how to explain. So, she had settled for pulling away. Freezing Marzanna out was the hardest thing Khione had ever done, made more difficult by the fact that it came almost naturally.

  There was something wrong with her, Khione was sure of it. There had to be for her to reject her Match, the one person meant for her and her alone, with, if not ease then detachment. Marzanna had been nothing but kind to her and Khione had rejected her, turned her back on the woman who wanted to be with her, was destined to be with her.

  She downed another glass of liquor.

  As she reached once more for the crystal decanter, Marzanna passed by her before heading below deck, most likely going to her room.

  Khione hesitated only a moment before getting up to follow her.

  Chapter 12

  Marzanna

  Writhia, 5220

  The Lussan Sea

  Marzanna was almost to her room when she heard footsteps behind her. She immediately knew who it was, her presence prickling against Marzanna's consciousness. Even without their bond, Marzanna would have recognized her.

  Only one person would wear heels on a pirate ship.

  "Marzanna," Khione's voice called, and against her better instincts, Marzanna turned to face her.

  She forced a bright smile onto her face. "Need something?"

  Khione stopped a short distance away and her eyes widened, though she remained quiet.

  "Well?" Marzanna asked. Khione wasn't usually so. . . tongue-tied.

  "I didn't think I'd get this far," she muttered, more to herself than to Marzanna.

  Marzanna furrowed her brow, "What?"

  Khione continued to stare in silence, scraps of uncertainty radiating from her like small bursts of electricity.

  Marzanna waited a moment before turning to the door. "Well, if you don't need anything," she said softly. Mentally, she was cursing herself. She had so much she wanted to say, but instead here she was, pulling away again.

  "Do you ever think about it?" Khione blurted.

  Marzanna slowly turned back to face her.

  Khione tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear nervously and cleared her throat. "That night? The night we met?"

  Marzanna felt the air leave her lungs in a rush.

  "Sometimes," she whispered.

  And by sometimes, I mean all the time, she thought.

  "What about it?"

  Khione looked down, picking at her clothes. Her voice was barely audible when she spoke. "Do you ever regret the way it turned out?"

  Heat rose to Marzanna's face as irritation flared in her chest. "It only ended the way it did because you left, Khione. For the life of me, I still can't figure out why."

  Khione's head jerked up, her warm brown eyes meeting hers. "I didn't mean-I wasn't trying-" She took a deep breath. "I'm not. . . good enough."

  Marzanna shook her head angrily. This again.

  "Stop putting me up on a pedestal!" She took a step toward Khione, her voice rising, "I've told you time and time again! Stop taking away my choice! I'm the one who gets to choose who's good enough for me." Her voice cracked, "I never thought you weren't good enough."

  Khione's throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. "I never wanted to take away your choice," she said quietly.

  Marzanna took another step closer and took Khione's hands in her own, her thumbs rubbing soothingly over her knuckles. She met her gaze and felt herself lean in a little closer.

  "Why are you denying us so much happiness?

  You're my Match, Khione." Marzanna leaned in closer. "You're my Match. . ."

  Marzanna leaned in, brushing her lips softly against

  Khione's in question.

  And then Khione was pulling Marzanna to her, her fingers tangled in the fabric of her dress. Urgently, desperately. Like she couldn't get enough.

  Wanting and desire flared through their bond like
a tidal wave, suddenly, as if there had been a door blocking it all and it finally burst open under the pressure.

  It was always like that with them. Never enough, always wanting more.

  Marzanna made a soft noise in the back of her throat and gently but firmly pushed Khione back against the wall.

  It had been years since they'd kissed. Months since they'd even touched.

  Their Match bond crackled to life, almost burning where their skin touched. As Khione's hand grazed her breast, Marzanna couldn't help but clench her thighs together as her back arched in response.

  She wanted Khione. All of her. She wanted her lips on hers, her body pressing against her. She wanted her eyes, so dark with lust they were almost black, burning into her, into her soul. She wanted her hands, those beautiful, slender hands to hold onto her as if they were never going to let go, shaping her, molding her into something new.

  But it was more than that. Marzanna wanted Khione's cool smiles and intelligent conversation. She wanted to tell her about her problems and listen to Khione's in return. She wanted to know about her childhood, about what had brought her to Vianna. She wanted to take walks through her gardens back home, hand in hand as they laughed together. She wanted them to meet each other's families.

  She wanted it all.

  She wanted it so badly she ached.

  Khione's head tilted to the side, her lips trailing soft kisses down the side of her neck until they reached the place her hand still rested.

  Marzanna gasped and reached for Khione's shirt, fumbling with the clasps. As she unveiled the edges of her lacey, black bra, Marzanna leaned back a little, allowing her gaze to roam hungrily over Khione's body.

  Khione jerked back, the lust clearing out of her eyes as if coming out of a trance. Marzanna felt her desire begin to retreat, a trained beast recalled by its master.

  "I shouldn't have-We can't-" Khione placed her hands on Marzanna's shoulders and pushed her gently away.

  Hot tears sprang to Marzanna's eyes. "Don't do this," she whispered. "Khione, please don't do this."

  Khione opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by an echoing roar. The entire ship lurched to the side as a siren began wailing and red lights flashed up and down the hall.

  Marzanna and Khione shared a brief glance before they both ran for the stairs.

  When they emerged on the top deck, they found the crew with weapons drawn. The deck was drenched with ankle-deep water, sailors slipping and sliding around them. The ship rocked again as a massive tentacle slapped down on the deck right in front of them, wood splintering.

  The ship was being attacked by a gigantic creature that looked to Marzanna as if two octopi had merged into one, with two separate terrifying heads and so many tentacles flying around that she couldn't count them all.

  The crew was launching cannonballs at it and stabbing at its tentacles when they grabbed at the ship, but nothing seemed to be having any effect.

  Ayven Eris and Noelani stood at the helm, directing geysers of water at the creature, pounding into it, knocking it back bit by bit. They weren't having much of an effect on it, however. Though the water pummeled at it, it seemed to only irritate the creature.

  "Its skin is too thick for our weapons to have any effect," Marzanna turned to find Seren standing next to her. "And Ayven's water Gift is only making it angry. It can only be killed from the inside, so we need to subdue it."

  Marzanna looked at him, puzzled. "You need to tell Ayven that. Why are you telling me?"

  Seren just looked at her, his fingers drumming against his bow, and said, "The seaweed."

  The moment he said the words, she understood. When they were out in open water, she couldn't feel any plant life, but now they were nearing the coast of one of the many small islands that existed between Vianna and the

  Wastes. She could feel the plant life growing and reached out to it with her Gift.

  Sweat dripped down her temples as she mentally tugged on it, causing it to grow. And grow. And grow.

  Though she was trying her hardest, it was still taking some time and she saw the sea creature spit ink over the deck of the ship. One of the crew members screamed in agony as the ink landed on his arm and began sizzling, smoke rising from his clothes.

  "Khione!" she gritted through her clenched teeth. "What? What do you need?" Khione asked.

  "In my pouch. There's a healing powder in my pouch. Take it and give it to the man."

  Khione nodded, only hesitating a fraction of a second before reaching down and removing her heels, letting them drop to the deck. Coming closer, she reached into Marzanna's pouch and grabbed the small jar and headed for the man.

  Before she could reach him, a tentacle slapped down on the deck right in front of her, causing Khione to skid to a halt.

  Leo hurled a dagger at the tentacle, but it bounced off harmlessly. The tentacle lifted again, before slapping down further down the deck. Khione stepped gingerly, avoiding the ink that was working its way through the water flooding the deck.

  Marzanna refocused on the seaweed beneath the surface, regaining her focus after she was sure Khione was all right.

  The sea monster reared back, exposing its two beaks which snapped hungrily.

  "It has to be soon, Marzanna," Seren told her, his voice soft and steady even though panic showed clearly in his eyes. He pulled restlessly at the string of his bow, obviously wanting to fire at something even though he couldn't.

  With a final mental tug that she felt deep in her gut, Marzanna screamed as seaweed burst out of the water.

  Length after length came out of the water, wrapping around the creature's head and tentacles, anywhere Marzanna could reach, dragging the monster back away from the ship. It was difficult, directing so many vines at once in so many different directions. Even harder was doing it in a way that allowed the seaweed to find purchase against the creature's water-slick skin.

  Somehow, she managed.

  "Now what, Seren?" she shouted over the creature's roars.

  Around them, Ayven and his crew had slowed their fighting, focusing their attention on Seren and Marzanna. Like Marzanna, they all looked to Seren for guidance, as if he was now in charge of this battle.

  "Expose its mouth," he told her. "See if you can get it to open up."

  Marzanna channeled the seaweed around the beast's heads, vines of it wrapping tightly around each half of one of the beaked mouths and forcing them apart, exposing its soft pink gullet. It was more precise than she'd had to be with her Gift in a while. Spots danced in her vision and her knees shook, struggling to support her weight.

  Taking up his bow, Seren released an arrow that flew down its throat, immediately knocking another arrow afterward and letting it fly as well. The creature screamed and thrashed against her hold and Marzanna's nails dug into her palms as she fought to maintain control.

  Following Seren's example, the crew began launching cannonballs and arrows into the beast's mouth.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Marzanna saw Khione hurl long, wickedly sharp icicles down its throat as well.

  Blood gushed forth, mixing with the dark green water of the Lussan Sea.

  Khione made an upward motion with her arms and the ocean water rose over the creature's body, forcing its way down the creature's throat before freezing solid.

  The beast seemed to gag as the ice spread, its body going into convulsions. Marzanna turned to Khione with wide eyes as the ice forced its way deeper, expanding the more it froze. Finally, the creature spasmed and went limp. It was dead.

  Marzanna released the binds of seaweed holding it up and it fell back into the water.

  Someone shouted for everyone to take cover as its body splashed into the ocean, a huge wave of water breaking over the deck and drenching them all even more.

  Several people sputtered and coughed, and Marzanna heard boots pounding, running towards her.

  "Marzanna! Are you okay?" Noelani asked.

  "You did it! You actually defeated that t
hing!" Jo added with a wondrous smile on her face.

  Marzanna felt her hair and dress clinging to her, and her shoulders sagged. With everything she'd been through tonight, she just wanted to shower and go to bed. She wanted to be alone, to sleep and hope for a better day when she awoke.

  She felt the blood leaking from her nose and knew that she'd used too much of her Gift. She didn't even know if she had the energy to answer Jo and Noelani. Her vision dimmed.

  "Marzanna. . ." She heard the voice she longed for, but also the voice she feared. Feared because mostly when she heard it, it was only saying things that broke her heart.

  Khione stepped forward, holding out a hand. "Marzanna," she said again as if she couldn't think of anything else to say.

  Marzanna ignored Khione and turned her back to her.

  "Thanks, girls," she said to Jo and Noelani, trying to muster a smile, "I'll be fine. Excuse me."

  She turned and quickly made her way back to her room before they could see her cry.

  Chapter 13

  Sunny

  Writhia 5220

  The Wastes

  After weeks of travel, they were finally approaching the Wastes. The trip would have been much shorter if they could have taken a more direct route, but since they were on the run, they'd had to take the long way, doing their best to evade detection. Ayven had told them they'd be arriving today, just as soon as he found the best place to drop anchor without the guards seeing.

  Sunny stood at the bow of the ship, the sunlight warming her skin as the strong wind tangled her hair and spit salt water in her face every time they crested a wave.

  The closer they got to the Wastes, the more Westin took up the space in her mind. His presence was a consistent throb. Like a second heartbeat reverberating through her chest. But where she used to feel warmth and happiness in that bond, there was now a ferocity. There was fear through their Match bond, turning into a fiery inferno. A rage and unfairness in which Westin now lived full-time. When the fire burned out, leaving ashes in its wake, would the pieces of Westin's former self remain? Could she help him glue the pieces back together?