Sneak Peek

A man walked through the castle, and the shadows watched.

The long corridor that led to the queen's chambers was filled with nothing but unlit torches. Ribbons of sunlight filtered through the bars on the windows. Between each pane of glass, dusk stretched across the bare stone floor, leaving plenty of space for the creatures of stillness to gather. They lurked throughout the castle, but here they were super-charged like the gathering of a thunderstorm in the desert. They crawled along the walls and whispered eagerly, waiting, like that first bolt of lightning before the sky opens.

A man rounded the corner and headed towards the heavy wood doors. His boot falls echoed ahead and behind him, making it sound as if he were flanked by guards, though he walked alone. The shadow-creatures parted around him, then filled in the empty space in his wake.

He was dressed in a quilted tunic. At his hip was a sword in a worn scabbard. The blade is what the walls watched closely. It was made especially for his order, magically wrought to hold its edge better than most. It was the wink of black steel that gave it away. As if his all-black clothing wasn't enough, or the Black Knight sigil that was stitched into his left breast.

It's not by chance one wears that seal. The kingdom's sea dragon that twined around a halberd and Phyrias, the North Star, stitched over his heart, meant far less.

His face was aged and weathered, with gray beginning to pepper the brunette of his beard. Every fiber of his body spoke confidence and wisdom. Yet, the part of him that betrayed his hesitance was his hazel eyes.

Standing at the end of the corridor was a single guard. The setting sun made his standard steel armor appear gilded. Delicate details etched into the breastplate marked him as a castle guard. The half helm concealed most of his face. Only his nose and mouth, set in a firm line, were visible through the shadows it cast. A double-hand sword was held loosely in his hands, with the point resting on the stone floor. As our man in black approached, he cringed. Although he knew the sword was imbued similarly to his, it was poor practice and a crude display of the Aspera's power. His path ended with them standing face-to-face.

Ordinarily, the guard would raise his sword and bar the path of anyone approaching. Instead, neither moved as the stillness reclaimed the space. Long seconds crept by. The longer this went on, the more the face of the black knight began to age, his weariness breaking through. Finally, just before the sound of the silence became stifling, the guard's rigidity caved.

Armor joints creaked as his body shifted like a plant leaning towards the sun. His gaze fell to the black sword with sadness. "Why are you here, Sir?"

For another long moment, the man remained silent. He finally spoke with a heavy breath, "She said it was about my brother." Despite his visual exhaustion, he still carried himself with resolution.

The guard looked up with admiration, but then a deep concern darkened his face. He spoke quietly but firmly, "You should leave."

Our man's jaw set, the muscles clenching and releasing. Given the current political climate, it would be impossible to flee the capital without help. The lines of who to trust were rapidly deteriorating.

"I should not have come, Tristian, but I must know what happened to Lucrid. Despite what he has done, he is my brother," he said, finally meeting the guard's gaze.

Anxiety wrenched Tristian's face. "Please, Sir. You can still leave the city and find a safe haven. My father has always been friends with yours."

Our man smiled, but his eyes remained tired and unchanged. For every family willing to help him, there were many times the number of people who would be quick to report him for the queen's favor. He laid a heavy hand on the young man's shoulder. "I have to know." His hand fell away, and his face hardened again. "Compose yourself. You're a soldier in the royal guard; you should act like it. Be glad these doors permit no sound."

The young guard pulled himself upright. He turned towards the door and lifted a heavy knocker with militant crispness. Three times he let it fall with a rhythmic boom. A small rap responded. Tristian turned to stand at attention, and his eyes met the older man's once more.

Another brief, reassuring hand fell on the boy's shoulder. Boy to him. He took one more second to settle his nerves before pushing the heavy doors open. They swung smoothly on well-maintained hinges. Then, with confident strides, he entered the room and passed the two guards flanking the doors on the inside. Unlike Tristian, these two were unwavering. They stood like stone and radiated the same unforgiving chill.

Heavy curtains were drawn halfway over the windows. The result was a blinding brightness from the corridor behind and a hazy dimness ahead. His eyes refused to adjust, so he saw only a short distance past the foyer into the bed-chamber. A subtle honey sweetness hung in the air and mingled with the smell of musky woods. He could make out the gentle swish of silk in the hush. Here the sensation of his skin crawling was heightened. The conversation with Tristian had chafed him, but he clasped his hands in front of him and waited.

The seconds crept. It gave Raolin time to remind himself of every precaution he had been taught to take with the queen-- to remind him how woefully inadequate he felt.

Finally, the soft padding of bare feet advanced towards him. A slender shadow materialized from the murky darkness, and a broad smile reflected the light spilling into the room.

"Ah, Raolin, thank you for joining me."

Raolin bowed deeply. "Your Highness. I hope I did not keep you waiting."

Her fingers were nimbly tying off a thick braid. The musky-sweet smell of the room grew stronger as she approached. "Oh, not at all. You have perfect timing. I've just finished my bath." Her eyes sparkled amiably as she came to a stop in the column of light from the doors. Her eyes flickered to the guards, and her face and voice grew stern. "Leave us."

Their armor rattled with life. They came to attention and bowed wordlessly. With discipline, they strode out of the room, dragging the doors closed behind them. Raolin thought he heard a gasp from Tristian slip through, but he couldn't be sure it wasn't a play of the layers of sounds.

His eyes finally adjusted with only the filtered light from the half-drawn windows. To his dismay, he saw she wore only a floor-length robe with lace paneling that revealed a creamy hint of bare skin.

The queen opened an arm. "Please, come in."

She turned, and he hesitated just long enough to take a steadying breath before following her through the foyer doors.

A seating area with an overstuffed couch and chairs arranged around a small table with wine greeted him. But the space was dominated by a large bed. Four posts reached towards the high ceiling. Silk curtains were tied back, revealing a mattress half-covered in bolsters and pillows. A heavy wall hanging embroidered with the dragon crest surrounded by flowing embellishment and winking beads hung above the head. Every piece of art and furniture spoke of her wealth.

Raolin stood and waited to be offered a seat. As the queen casually floated about the room to tug open the window drapes, he found a fixed point on the wall, avoiding any glimpse into her personal life. Sweat was beginning to moisten his armpits. He knew she was using a deliberate slowness to get into his head, and he was silently cursing how easily she was able to do it.

Once the last lamp was lit, she puffed the lighting stick out. She smiled pleasantly. "There, that's much better." She turned to face him. "Please, make yourself comfortable," she said, reclining on the edge of the bed.

The only piece of furniture that would allow him to sit facing her was the couch. However, he felt too restless to sit. "Thank you, Your Grace. However, I would prefer to continue standing if it pleases you?"

"Oh, come now, Sir Raolin, drop the formality. We aren't in court, so there is no need for it. Please. Sit." It wasn't a request.

Reluctantly he obeyed. As the soft couch engulfed him it registered that this was not somewhere he belonged.

Her smile returned. "Would you like some wine?" she asked.

He dipped his chin. "Thank you, My Lady, but I will decline. With the current situation, and my father ill, I find it best to keep a clear head to stand in on his behalf as your advisor."

"What a shame," she said, her warm smile faltering. Her eyes remained cold as she moved to pour herself a glass. "By all accounts, you were the entertaining brother. Equally as competent as Lucrid, to be sure." The sound of the pouring wine seemed too loud. "But, the brother everyone wanted to be with when off duty." Glass clinked together. "I suppose that's because you were the youngest. No duties were immediately yours, so you could afford to have some fun." She brought the wine to her lips then paused, an eyebrow arching prettily. "I had hoped to get the fun one." Tossing her head back, she downed the wine all at once. She placed the back of her hand against her lips as she was forced to swallow in increments. Her gaze followed her thoughts. "I certainly know what being the second-born is like."

Raolin felt his body flush as he watched her. Until then, he had done his best to look past her attire. But as the tops of her breasts peeked out of the deep-cut neckline, he couldn't help acknowledge her beauty. The way her loose hairs tumbled around her face or how she brushed her lips didn't help. He kicked himself, and the muscles around her lips tugged up once more because she knew it. It was one thing to have Lucrid tell him how to navigate the queen's erratic behavior, or have a lesson on how to avoid being manipulated by the very magic practiced and sanctioned by her laws. But if the rumors about her were half true, then she was a better second-born than him, and he was a fool to think he could come here.

She looked at him. "We had business, didn't we?"

Raolin sat up straighter. "Yes, M'lady. I received—"

"Please, Raolin, stop with the formalities. You're boring me. My name is Aspera, and our families are no strangers." The lines from her smile were too deep.

"Lady Aspera, then." He steadied himself. "I received the message from your carrier. The letter said there was news from my brother's garrison. Have they found those responsible for your family's deaths?" he asked.

She swirled the remnants in her glass with a satisfied hum. "Yes. The news is good."

He waited for her to continue until the silence became uncomfortable. "M'lady, the news?"

Her face twisted, melting the façade of a sweet young woman. She set her glass down sharply and stood up. "You are terribly trying, Raolin. The news was good!"

Naturally, he showed his palms to placate her. "Lady Aspera, forgive me. I'm just eager to hear news of him, so I can send a pigeon to his wife and our father."

Aspera breathed heavily as she rubbed her forehead. Slowly her face began to settle back into her charm, though anger seemed to waver behind her olive skin. Her honey-brown eyes fixed on him after a final ragged breath. The ferocity of her mood felt suddenly intimate.

The change in her appearance caused his adrenaline to spike. A sharp pain seared through his chest. In response, he sucked in a small breath. The silence betrayed him, making it sound as though he'd been stabbed. Like a cat toying with an injured bird, she uncoiled towards him.

"I understand," she said softly. "My family's death has made me ill at ease. I would normally be more sympathetic to your fears about your family. How narrow-minded of me." She sighed, "The last several months have been trying, haven't they? I want answers just as badly as you. Can you forgive me?" She walked towards him with slow, lilting grace, her hips swaying with the same hypnotic draw of a dancing flame, her eyes bright with mischief.

"No, My Lady. It was discourteous of me to press the matter. We are all threadbare from this. Forgive my insolence," he said, feeling his body pull away from her, but his eyes were unable to. She was beautiful, and there was a way about her that forced the eye.

"We're both at our wit's end, it seems." Her face softened with concern. She swept her robe aside and sat next to him, the warmth from her body embracing his.

The edges of the room lightened as if he had just come out of a tunnel. Quicksand seemed to surround his thoughts. "Ah, forgive me. Yes, it has been hard, m-managing all of this," he said too honestly. It was a physical struggle to drag his mind back. "Was the news good? Has Lucrid found them?" Listening to his voice, he felt akin to a drunk that finds himself asleep on the streets come morning. Then, without realizing he had done it, his body was turned towards her.

Aspera tenderly reached up and brushed a strand of his brown hair back. Her mouth turned up at the edges. "It has been so lonely since I took the throne. Not knowing who I can trust. Constantly having to listen to the prattle of old men telling me how I should use my army and resources to hunt my enemies." She rolled her eyes as her fingertips idly traced his chest. "How is your marriage, Sir Raolin?"

Raolin's body grew rigid at her touch. "My Lady, I mourn their loss, and your plight. But, as your loyal subject, I feel obliged to tell you this feels inappropriate." She was not only his sovereign but half his age, merely twenty years old.

She pouted. "Why are you so tense, Raolin?"

His temper began to ignite in that instant, and his hands clenched. Her treachery ran deep, and he felt himself fighting to climb out of the spell she had begun to weave. "Aspera, please. Your letter had said that we had business to attend to. We need to stay focused on this so we—"

Her cool finger touched his lips, her face darkening. "You're starting to sound like prattling old men."

The couch protested, and the smell of her warm body and breath engulfed him. Long fingers cradled his neck, and the softness of her lips on his felt like slipping into a warm spring. In the smallest corner of his mind, he cried out, cursing her cunning, but it was a thread torn to shreds in her clutches.

The weight that pressed him down was soothing, and a downy embrace held him up. A deep weariness gripped his mind and limbs. The intoxicating smell of clean sweat filled his lungs. His vision swam. Heightened sensitivity crawled across his skin, and something was blaring for his attention.

A second exhale overlapped his own. A high note over his gravelly chest tone.

For the second time, his chest constricted agonizingly, the knife twist of adrenaline through his veins. The whole room snapped to focus, and bedposts loomed over him. A haunting giggle drew his attention to the queen beside him. Her eyes were heavy with the sultry look of release, and her hair was mussed. Repulsion pushed him away. Silky linen brushed his bare skin, and his stomach knotted.

"There is nothing more soothing than the release from sex. I feel like I can finally discuss the matters of the war with you." Her head rested in her hand as she watched him.

"What did you do to me?" He choked on the words, fighting to not be sick.

Her face wavered between hurt and laughter. "Was I not satisfying?"

"What did you do to me!" he raged, hating how small he felt.

"No need to feel ashamed, Raolin. Have you never been hypnotized by a woman's beauty?" she taunted. She had glamoured him, and they both knew it.

"You snake." All formality had been thrown into the storm.

Her teeth shone white. "And I love it." She crossed her legs, with no regard for the fact she was fully naked. "Now, let's discuss your brother and the wonderful news I've had, shall we?"

Raolin's stomach continued to twist as he glowered at her, hiding his nakedness with the sheets. He saw where his sword had been cast aside along with his clothes. Despite his silence, she continued cheerily, thoroughly relishing her control of the situation.

"The letter came in yesterday from Lucrid's second-in-command. They made it to their destination. Your brother was stabbed in the back while they marched, which caused brief fighting. Any men loyal to Lucrid were detained and killed. A few of my men were injured, but they had the element of surprise, so none were lost." The fingers idly twirling her braid stilled. "Any man who obstructs my will is being dealt with."

Listening to her, Raolin slipped into a pit of black rage. The bite of his nails into his palms kept him from falling completely. Muscles along his jaw clenched so hard his throat constricted, making his breaths ragged. Hot tears distorted his vision. "You are as evil as they say."

"Come now. Despite all the promises your pathetic father feeds me, or your brother's gallantry chasing my family's murderers, you know as well as I there are too many people who look to you Ulands as their beacon of morality. All your father, or rotting brother, or even you, despite your flippant reputation, would have to do is denounce me, and half the kingdom would rally behind your banner. Killing you all off is me putting an end to something before it even starts."

Raolin just stared at her.

She smiled almost tenderly. "I take it you underestimated me?" she asked. "All those years of training feeling empty because none of you knew how powerful I really am?"

His voice felt like glass, "You will never be able to extinguish my family's legacy. Killing us won't stop the people from turning against you."

The sound grated against his ears as the walls echoed with her laughter. All the composure he had walked in with was an open window. Aspera was gasping and wiping tears from her eyes. It felt like his heart was a stone falling into a lake that somehow contained no bottom.

"It brings me such joy that you truly have no idea how boundless my desire is to be rid of your filthy legacy. A garrison should be sitting down at your family's castle right about now. The preface of their visit is to check in on your father, buried to his nose in furs and illness. No doubt your family welcomed them and broke bread. Your wife, your children, your mother, father, cousins, and servants are all going to burn as thanks." Her face darkened. "There will be no home left to escape to, and no army to raise."

"No." His heart finally found its bottom.

"Oh yes. Men are positioned to stifle any uprisings. Spiders have already started spreading the word that your brother was the one who killed my family. Any books with your mention will be burned. Your family name just became the cause of this war. Because of your legacy, villages will be wiped out, families destroyed, and crops burned and poisoned. The black armor you wear will become a symbol of fear."

"You're insane," he breathed, "You will never succeed." It was a living nightmare. In one sweeping motion, Aspera had stolen everything.

"Before you jump to that conclusion, you haven't heard the best part. Your brother had a son, am I right?" His face bled all color, and she feigned shock. "Oh, you thought I didn't know? There are no secrets kept from me. Especially such wonderful news as one of my most loyal knights having a boy."

Raolin saw his little girl's face leaning over her new cousin's and could hear her laughing. Both their wives had fawned over the boy because their husbands were too busy being royal servants to give them all the children they wanted. It had been years since he had seen Lucrid truly smile. He could finally recognize his big brother as he radiated with joy. It had given Raolin hope that his brother would untangle himself from the queen. All of his anger became hyper-focused on his nephew, "What are you going to do to him?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll not harm a hair on his head. He's going to be my ward and knighted. Your family has been the kingdom's peace-makers for far too long, keeping a dying system alive. Your nephew will help usher in a new era of humanity and finish the work Lucrid started."

His tears finally blurred his vision, and his voice dripped venom. "How dare you steal his family from him? Lucrid was more than your pet, and to make him believe that's all his father was is asinine."

"The future he will be building will be much greater than the one I took away. All that knowledge your wretched family has kept locked away and tried to stifle is going to be mine."

His entire body thrummed with potential energy. "The deep-rooted respect for my family won't allow you to do that. No matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who will protect our legacy."

"Do you mean the small villages scattered throughout the countryside? I can address that. If, by chance, you're thinking about the men who plague my guard and army, that's a fix that will be a nuisance. However, I'm a firm believer in using an example to keep people in line. I have eyes and ears everywhere, and I've got nothing but time."

Just then, there was a muffled cry and the sound of armor striking stone outside. Even distorted by the thick wood, there was no mistaking the sound of a sword being kicked away. Raolin looked at the doors, confused. In his mind, he couldn't understand what he was hearing. It was a split-second mistake to look away, but it took just as long for him to realize what it meant and to look back at her.

"The doors are only soundproof when I want them to be. Tristian will be dealt with accordingly for his treason."

His blood pounded in his ears. "You used him as a plant."

"I did. Unfortunately, I must call our meeting to an end and see you and Tristian end up in the appropriate places. I'm so glad that even though you knew better, you still came. It cleaned out one more infected pox wound from my guard and got you taken care of without a massive manhunt. Your family has always been good to the crown, even though I hate you all." Her eyes swept the suggestion of his body one more time, "Plus, it's refreshing to have sex with someone who isn't constantly vying for me."

The coils in his muscles finally released as he scrambled across the bed towards his sword. Aspera pulled the sheets against her body and let out a piercing scream. Despite the adrenaline coursing through his body Raolin still fumbled with the twisting sheets. Finally, his feet hit the ground solidly. He crossed the room to his sword in two strides, dropped down, and wrapped his hand around the hilt. Drawing it, he stood and turned, only to have a metal fist slam into his jaw. Every muscle turned to jelly, and he crumpled to the ground like a sack of flour. His ears rang. A flurry of activity around his head, but all that mattered was the cold stone against his cheek. The sound of a woman sobbing tried for his attention. His eyes bounced back and forth as he tried to understand where it was coming from, but he didn't have the energy to hold them still.

Heavy metal boots cut off his vision. Sharp gauntlets cut into his scalp, and he was dragged to his feet by his hair. A knight's snarling face, obscured by a half helm, dominated his attention.

"What should I do with this filth, Queen Aspera? I could kill him here if you wish?"

"Hush, dear." A maid cooed while she smoothed Aspera's hair. Then, an intense, protective fury lit her eyes. "No, don't kill him here. It would be a terrible mess. The kingdom should see it. Let them celebrate the end of these treasonous devils."

Aspera sniffled, rubbing tears on the maid's dress before peering out to look at the knight. She resembled a frightened child. The sheet she clutched to her chest didn't hide her nakedness. "Lidia is right. Now that we know the truth, let the people see justice be served." Her lip trembled, and quiet tears spilled from her eyes anew.

The knight bowed his head. "Your will, M'lady."

Their conversation was punctuated by the sound of Raolin's grunt of pain as his legs scrambled to relieve the pulling on his scalp. The knight grabbed his already swollen face harshly. A metal thumb ground into the broken bones, and Raolin's throat went raw from the agonized cry that tore out of him.

Elio pulled Raolin's face closer to his, his teeth bared. "You're going to rot, and I'm going to make sure you suffer. You self-righteous filth." The knight watched Raolin's eyes roll back. Soon the yelling became choked, and his body grew heavy. Once Raolin lost conscientiousness, Elio dropped him.

Lidia spat with disgust. "Get him out of here, Elio."

"With pleasure." Elio bent down and began to haul Raolin by the arm. Once he reached the open doors, he barked at another knight in the corridor for help.

A pool of blood was smeared and tracked down the corridor as they left. By morning there would be no evidence of the mess. The sound of metal-boot falls, and this hiss of Raolin's limp body faded, and the silence began to refill the space. The shadows appeared to grow, and their whispers started back up with a renewed vigor.