by T. K. Perry
Lexi Monarch
Book Two of The Winged
T.K. PERRY
Copyright ©2018 T.K. Perry
No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Scarlet Note Publishing, LLC
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Cover art by: Angela Bruggeman
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To the hardworking people who helped make this book possible: Kara, Melody, James, Mom, Laura, Sandy H., Heather, Susie, Sandy B., and Dave. Thank you so much!
Contents
Preface
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Preface
Dr. Mason King set down the fairy figurine with a sigh and straightened the pink bedspread. She wasn't coming back, but he couldn't bear to change anything she had touched. The best he could do was spend a little less time in her room every day. Yesterday it was only twenty-eight minutes; today it would be... he glanced at his wristwatch and frowned: thirty-one minutes. Pushing his thick glasses back up his short nose, he stood, and the wicker chair creaked its relief. He padded down to his lab, his slippered feet making a quiet shush shush in his empty house. It had been six months, but he still ached with her loss. He replayed their tea parties in his head, both of them wearing fancy feathered hats and gloves—hers white polyester, his blue latex. His ginger mustache twitched at one end with a hint of a smile as he remembered.
“Okay, one more cup of tea, then Daddy has to work.”
“Okay, Daddy, here you go.” She handed him an empty pink plastic tea cup, then giggled with delight when he made slurping noises.
“Delicious! Now go help Maria make dinner while Daddy makes things in his lab.”
“I don't want to help Maria with dinner,” she pouted. “I want to help you.”
He thought of the delicate embryonic gene editing experiments he was monitoring. “Not today, sweetheart,” he said, removing her feathered hat to kiss her golden curls.
Her pout deepened as her brown eyes filled with tears.
“But someday you will, and we will make marvelous things together,” he promised.
“Can we make a fairy?”
He couldn't help but laugh until he saw her disappointment. “Sure,” he said quelling his amusement. “We'll make a fairy.”
She clapped her hands together in perfect delight, her fancy gloves muffling the sound.
He flipped a switch, and the memory faded under the bright lights of his lab. He took a deep breath of disinfectant-scented air. Maybe that was a promise he could keep.
For the next twenty years, he chased that goal. By the time he succeeded, the world around him was in turmoil. Natural disasters steadily increased in frequency and severity, taking a heavy toll on the world's population just as he was building a new one. He made his human/butterfly hybrids resistant to the diseases plaguing humanity. When the ice caps melted and record-setting storms flooded the Earth, most of the surviving humans eventually starved or died from illness, including Dr. King. But his hybrids lived on to reproduce with the remaining humans. Centuries later, this is their world.
Chapter One
The door from the servants' quarters creaked open, and wary turquoise eyes with thick black lashes peered around it. Spying an empty courtyard, a tall girl darted toward the stables. She was dressed in men’s clothing, her long dark hair knotted up into a rough cap. Several horses whinnied at her approach, but she headed straight for the sturdy midnight mare with the glossy coat.
“Raven,” she whispered, drawing an apple from her borrowed coat with a perfectly manicured hand. Raven gathered up the apple in her dry lips while the girl ran her fingers through the animal’s coarse mane. When the horse swallowed, the girl led her out of the stall and leaped onto her back.
“What do you think you are doing?!” Someone yelled from behind her. “Get off that horse now, boy!”
The girl wrapped her legs tightly around the dark mare and clutched her mane as Raven accelerated to a gallop without being told. The giddy laughter of the girl only spurred the horse onward and they disappeared into the trees. As Raven leapt over a brook, an ecstatic shriek escaped the girl and she clung tighter.
“Stop!” the voice called from alarmingly close behind her as the trail opened into a meadow. The girl took one hand off Raven’s mane to tug her cap lower and hold it there.
“You will stop now or I will pull you off that horse!”
The girl peered around her hand at the furious young man flying beside her with large brown and orange wings. His blue eyes flashed while his mouth tightened into an angry line. He was dressed in the elegant clothing of a noble, and his haughty expression left no doubt as to his class. She turned abruptly into the trees to escape him, but he caught her arm and wrenched her off Raven’s back. He struggled for a moment to hold her aloft, then tossed her to the muddy ground.
“How dare you ride one of the King’s horses!” he raged, landing in front of her with his fists clenched. “What are you, peasant? A stable boy? I will see you lose your apprenticeship for this!” Impatiently he watched her reposition her cap, then struggle to stand. With an angry huff, he again grabbed her arm, this time to drag her to her feet.
The girl kept her chin tucked to her chest, letting the brim of her cap hide her face.
“I am Lord Admiral’s son and you will answer me,” he growled, knocking the cap from her head. For a moment he stared in confusion at the knot of long hair now visible, then he reached forward and lifted her chin. His tanned skin paled beneath his light dusting of freckles and a quiet oath escaped his shocked mouth. He immediately dropped to his knees with a muddy splash. “I am profoundly sorry, Your Highness. I did not recognize you,” he managed in a tremulous voice, his light brown hair falling over his eyes as he bowed his head. “Have I injured you, Princess?” he asked, daring to look no higher than her small, dimpled chin.
Lexi, she corrected silently. She hated it when he called her Princess; no one else did.
Raven trotted back to stand next to her, nuzzling her with a quiet whinny. Lexi patted Raven’s nose reassuringly, her eyes never leaving the young man’s repentant face.
“Get up, Talan,” she answered finally, watching the mud seep into the rich fabric of his pants. “Have you just arrived?”
Talan flew to his feet. “Yes, Princess. My wing birth was yesterday.”
“Has your father arranged your marriage yet?” she asked, retrieving her cap from the ground and brushing it off before she replaced it on her head.
“No. What are my choices?”
“Just two. Delpha and Juno,” she announced, her eyes suddenly alight in anticipation of his reaction.
He groaned and covered his eyes.
Lexi turned into Raven’s mane to hide her grin. “There’s always the Mating Mountain.”
Talan looked up irritably. “I will not marry a commoner.”
She frowned. �
�Yes. Everyone knows how you feel about peasants. Clearly they all need a good thrashing,” she chided, rubbing the bruised flesh above her elbow.
Talan grimaced and rubbed the lower half of his face. “Could we keep that between us?”
A mischievous smile slid over the Princess’ lips. “You don’t think my father would be pleased to hear how you defend his horses from presumptuous stable boys?”
Talan swallowed, his adam’s apple bobbing. “You could ruin me.”
Lexi's amusement faded at his panic and she shook her head. "I would rather no one else knew about my rides.” She turned to leap up onto Raven’s back, but her body ached and protested as she moved. With a slight frown, she turned back to face him. “Will you help me mount?”
“I hurt you,” he moaned, his blue eyes haunted as he moved to help her.
“Wasn’t that your intent?” she asked, turning her back to him as his hands encircled her waist, lifting her high enough to swing a leg over Raven’s back.
He frowned unhappily. “I wouldn’t have done that to a noble.”
“And yet you did,” the Princess replied, a slight laugh in her voice as she cantered away.
Chapter Two
“Lexi, what are these bruises on your arm?” the Queen demanded, her dark eyes flashing as she pushed aside the lacy sleeve of her daughter’s gown.
The Princess fought the little wave of panic that sloshed in her stomach with a studied air. She moved to the mirror to examine her injury while she fabricated a plausible lie. “I did trip on my dress this morning and nearly fell down the steps. A servant caught my arm just there. I suppose that’s how it happened.”
The Queen’s eyes narrowed shrewdly and her mouth assumed a grim pucker. “Which servant?”
“I hardly keep track, mother; there are so many.” Lexi shrugged.
The Queen’s penetrating gaze remained on her daughter’s face while she impatiently clicked her fingernails together. “You cannot wear that gown now. You will have to change.”
The girl suppressed a sigh.
The Queen pointed to a red, off-shoulder, elbow-sleeve gown lying over a chair. “You will wear that instead.”
“It’s not finished yet. It’s only here for my fitting.”
Sweeping across the room in a dark gown that offset the scarlet of her wings, the Queen flipped the dress over to expose the unfinished back. “Have Cercy sew you into it, then.”
“Mother,” Lexi complained.
The Queen whirled around without a single strand of her dark hair falling out of place. “Lexi,” she began, enunciating each word succinctly, “a lady does not complain.” She stared sternly into her daughter’s face until Lexi swallowed uncomfortably. Pivoting on an elegant high-heeled slipper, the Queen issued commands over her shoulder as she exited the room. “You will be in the reception room in twenty minutes. You have guests to greet.”
Lexi sighed as her lady’s maid sullenly helped her remove her dress. After several moments of silent dressing, Lexi let out a noise of exasperation.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Cercy?”
“‘I hardly keep track, mother; there are so many,’” she imitated.
“You know I didn’t mean it. I know all the servants’ names,” Lexi said, pulling on the sleeves of the red gown.
“You shouldn’t lie to your mother,” Cercy chided.
“Fine. Next time I’ll tell her you gave me your son’s old pupa clothes so I could sneak out and ride my horse whenever I want,” Lexi declared with a smirk.
Cercy yanked the dress closed in the back and pinned it, pricking Lexi’s skin.
“Ow!”
“‘Lexi, a lady does not complain,’” Cercy imitated, and Lexi grinned. “But you may want to; you’ve grown again and this isn’t going to fit. When I sew you in, you’ll hardly be able to breathe.”
Lexi groaned. “Just do it. It’s one night. I can bear it.”
The dress was suffocating.
Lexi gracefully slid a hand over the tight bodice that clenched her rib cage like a vise and smiled graciously.
“Lord Admiral,” she greeted in a lilting trill as he pressed her hand.
“Your Highness,” he greeted with a charming bow. His gorgeous underwings were a kaleidoscope of browns and blues with a heavy streak of red smeared across each forewing at the height of his head. His unfortunately matching hair color created the impression that long strands of hair were exploding out horizontally from his ears. It had taken Lexi years to school herself to look at him without giggling. Instead, she focused on his bright blue eyes and bulbous red nose.
“My son tells me you have become quite the accomplished rider,” the Admiral announced, his bushy red eyebrows rising in his forehead to punctuate his compliment.
Lexi swallowed her alarm while forcing her face to relax into a gentle smile. “I thank him for his praise,” she answered with a small nod.
“I will be certain to tell him.” The Admiral smiled, then drifted away while Lexi glanced surreptitiously at her mother to ensure she had missed the exchange. Her mother stood at her father’s side, tenaciously assuring the treasury minister that the King felt very strongly on some particular point. Her father yawned and caught Lexi's gaze with a patient smile.
Lexi returned his smile with a warm grin until her mother’s disapproving glare checked her. The Queen stood taller, and pulled back her shoulders while elongating her neck. Lexi sighed, then imitated her, pasting a decorous half-smile on her face. Her mother nodded approvingly and returned her attention to the recalcitrant minister.
Lexi surveyed her guests and then moved to calm an escalating argument between two newly-winged females who had joined the court the day before.
“He’s not interested in you! If your father manages to arrange a marriage, it will only be because Lord Admiral needs money,” hissed a willowy girl with long blonde hair.
The face of her portly victim reddened, her mouth pulling down into a sulky frown. “Well, he can’t want you; you’re just too mean!” she retorted, fanning her white-striped brown wings in agitation and twisting her orange gown in her chubby fists.
Lexi laid a comforting hand on the plump girl’s arm. “Delpha, you look lovely in orange. Your dressmaker has matched your wing tips exactly.”
Delpha cast a triumphant look at the blonde, who twitched irritably. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she beamed, bobbing a curtsy.
“And Juno,” Lexi said fluidly, “your hair looks beautiful.”
Juno pulled her thin lips into a tight smile. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she replied and bowed gracefully.
Delpha let out a loud gasp. “He’s here!” she chortled, bouncing up on her toes. “Oh, he looks so handsome!”
Lexi followed Delpha's gaze to where Lord Admiral’s son, Talan, stood. Lexi's anger blazed up at the sight of him, but a slight flaring of her nostrils was all that betrayed it. He approached them with a rapid gait and bowed.
“Princess, ladies,” he greeted.
“Hullo, Talan!” Delpha giggled a trifle hysterically, followed by a little snort and profuse blushing.
“Have our fathers come to an agreement yet?” Juno asked him, a malicious smile marring her beauty.
Delpha made a choking noise and abruptly excused herself.
Talan let out a startled laugh. “I don’t believe so, no. Perhaps you should go negotiate with them directly. They’re arguing in the corner.”
Juno’s golden cheeks colored briefly as she turned to observe her father gesturing irritably to the Admiral. “Perhaps I will,” she said evenly as she moved away.
“You told your father you saw me riding this morning,” Lexi said, her tone frigid while her expression stayed soft and pleasant.
Talan’s mouth slipped into an arrogant grin. “I didn’t tell him the circumstances, Princess, if that is what concerns you.”
Lexi’s eyes flashed with anger, but a rigid smile held her face. “It has been a while since you last visit
ed court, Talan. Perhaps you don’t know that my mother only lets me ride once a week, and then only around the courtyard, led by a groom.”
Talan’s arrogant grin disappeared. “Oh. When did that change?”
“Two months ago when my sisters both failed to produce a male heir to the throne.”
“And you became the last hope.”
Lexi gave him a grim nod.
“Was today at least your riding day?”
“No, it was not.”
“It seems I owe you another apology,” Talan said, biting his lip.
Lexi waited a moment for his apology, watching his teeth work his bottom lip. It was strangely distracting watching his mouth, and she suddenly drew back in alarm when she realized she had leaned closer to him.
He inhaled with a bemused expression on his face. “You smell like apple blossoms.”
“There’s an apple tree in the courtyard.”
Talan inhaled again. “No, it’s coming from you.”
Lexi turned her head and sniffed her sleeve. “I can’t smell it.”
Talan glanced around them and then spoke in an undertone. “Come to the garden with me.”
“It’s nearly time to go into dinner,” Lexi protested, eyeing a clock and then her mother.
“It will only take a moment,” he replied, walking away without her.
Lexi hesitated a moment and then followed him. When she caught up, he was standing among the blooming azaleas with a hopeful expression. The delicious scent of the blossoms interlaced with hickory and cloves reached her nose. Lexi inhaled deeply, a soft smile on her face.
“You like the scent,” Talan said, an imperious grin lighting his face.
