Shrouded Kingdom Read online

  “I…”

  Mr Kingsman stepped forward, his cheeks red. “Sir, Layanna would never encourage that kind of behaviour from anyone and you know it!”

  The tall man was huffing and puffing as he tried to get his words out. His hands shook where they rested by his side. “They ran off into the woods, shouting that you’d know where to find them!”

  Those vile people! Why would they do such a thing? Ruining my reputation was unkind and hurtful. I would see to it that they knew how unfair their actions were.

  “I don’t agree with what they’ve done to you. I promise to find them and make sure they give the books back.” My words were matched by my indignant tone.

  Taking up the hem of my dress, I glanced at Mr Kingsman who gestured, allowing me to leave my lesson early. Marching past the bookshop keeper, I wasted no time in wrapping my crimson cloak around me, and ran across the square. A couple of people looked my way as I rushed past, barely acknowledging them with a nod.

  Glancing over my shoulder as I headed into the woods, I caught my teacher, and the man who had so hastily accused me of being involved in the robbery, staring after me. They quickly disappeared from sight as the trees swallowed me up.

  If the odd threesome were luring me into the woods to murder me, at least I would go with dignity knowing that I-

  “Halt!”

  Chapter Four

  Jordeek

  My men scowled at me as we waited behind the undergrowth. The opportunity was too good to miss. I couldn’t allow the witch to tell Layanna anything. Slaying the witch and her band of friends would be the kindest thing for all involved, including the pretty Layanna.

  “Halt!”

  The shout of Jin, my second in command, made me lunge from my hiding place. Ah, he had them surrounded, good man. Making my way forward, I moved to stand in front of the motley crew.

  “Sarsia,” I greeted as I ran a hand through my hair. “I thought I’d banished you to the Northern Lands.”

  When she had conspired against me, I’d been kind in letting her live. It had obviously been a mistake on my part. The people of Althea had called for mercy for the witch. She had been important to them for a long time. Not that I cared, she had still betrayed me, the ruler of her kingdom.

  “I decided to come back.” Flicking her braid over her shoulder, she hugged her cloak tighter.

  “Seize her before she performs magic,” I ordered, snapping my fingers.

  Edging forward, my men took their time getting close. Fools. They were afraid of a woman? Although, her magic was feared across Althea. A seer witch was powerful and dangerous. She was the last of her kind.

  “Fine, I’ll do it!” Wrenching my sword out its sheath, I slowly circled the group.

  “Sire,” the male fae said, his hands held up in surrender. “We don’t want any conflict.”

  My snort was met with raised eyebrows by all three. The good thing about being in the human realm was the weakness that always beset the fairy-folk. Which meant that the great and powerful Sarsia would have to resort to hand to hand combat. Something I was an expert in.

  “Oh, so you remember that I’m your king? What are you doing here then?”

  The two males looked at the ground, their defiance short-lived. However, the witch stared, her glare almost intimidating me. Almost.

  “She’s the rightful heir.”

  Her words sent fury spiralling through me. Jumping forward, I thrust my sword in her direction. She dodged out of the way, her hand grabbing her weapon out of its hiding place. A sword fight with a woman wasn’t something I wanted to partake in, but if they didn’t listen, what could I do?

  “Sire,” Jin called, “is that a good idea?”

  Stepping back, I kept my arm out, my sword ready to defend myself. If the witch used her magic here, she would be weaker. Maybe enticing her to cast a spell would be beneficial.

  “I’m the rightful heir. The Fairlings are no longer rulers of the Seelie Court.”

  Running forward three steps, I swiped my blade towards the witch’s head. Better to get rid of her here, in the human realm, so no one would know what happened to her.

  She countered with the raise of her sword, the clang of metal scraping on metal echoing in the woods. A growl came from her throat as she came at me, her attack fierce. Spinning away, I blocked her swipe to the right, my hand jarring from the impact.

  “You won’t get away with this!” Her words were followed by a shout of frustration as I knocked her sword out of her hand with a hard downwards hit.

  Flicking my eyebrows at her, I spun the handle in my palm, so the blade swung round and back into its original position. “Oh, but I have. For three years I’ve been getting away with it, as you call it.”

  The two men with the witch flanked her when I advanced. Ah, the pair finally showed some steel. I had been underwhelmed by their lack of enthusiasm, especially considering they’d betrayed me. Surely, they should be fighting for their lives?

  “King Jordeek, you know very well why we’re here,” the small man muttered.

  The growl that formed low in my throat was unbidden. How dare they go against their king?

  “Seize them!” I screamed, my arms shaking as I clenched my fists tightly by my side.

  Treading backwards, the witch threw up her arms. A gust of wind blew my men off their feet, their armour clanging as they crashed to the ground. I managed to stay upright, the force of my will the only thing that kept me standing.

  “You’re not going to triumph!” Sarsia shouted.

  Her friends grabbed her, ready to run. Thrusting them away, she ran for me, her hands outstretched. Standing my ground, I waited as I stared. Numbness spread throughout me as time distorted and Sarsia moved in slow motion. My ability to hinder her movements gave me enough time to dart to the side, my sword ready to swing. My men jumped to their feet as time sped up again, their stance ready for battle.

  Reaching into a pocket on her dress, Sarsia drew out a cutting star. Skidding to a halt, she changed tactics as she turned towards me. My heart thundered in my chest as I gestured for the nearest of my men to go for her.

  Spinning, Sarsia released her weapon. The star was made from iron, the spikes of it cutthroat sharp. It spun out of her hand, heading straight for me.

  “Get down!” I shouted, instantly dropping to the ground on my stomach.

  The grunt of one of my men made me look up from where I covered my head. The fae warrior fell to his knees, blood surging from his neck. The star had already moved on. Luckily, the rest of my men were clever enough to copy me.

  “She will reign again!” Sarsia declared, her hand raised high as the star flew back into her palm without cutting her.

  Scrambling to my feet, I charged towards my enemy, my head low, just in case she threw the star again. Her eyes widened, her braid flicking out as she looked for her friends. They ran to join her, their weapons raised and ready to fight. My arm was extended, my sword ready to plunge straight into her heart. My breath heavy as heat surged through me, igniting my strength.

  No one would take my throne from me, especially not an upstart witch.

  My men circled around the group, slowly advancing towards them. I would take them down.

  “Stop!” a feminine shout echoed throughout the woods.

  As the single word faded away, my men froze. My momentum paused as I spun to see who had spoken. No, it couldn’t be. We were right out in the woods, she shouldn’t have been able to find us.

  “What are you doing?” Layanna spoke to me, a frown on her face. “Why are you threatening these people?”

  Her hands trembled as she clasped them in front of her. A sharp intake of breath rose her chest as our gaze met. Was she afraid of me? Was I afraid of her? No, I would never give up my throne, even if the woman in front of me made my palms perspire.

  “Seize them all,” I demanded quietly to my men, who had laid down their weapons.

  What were they doing? Why where they
staring at me as if they couldn’t move?

  “You shall leave them alone!” Layanna’s demand sent a chill through my bones.

  If she was commanding my men, that meant only one thing. I had to leave. Now. Seizing up my sword, I thrust it into its home before turning on my heel. Clicking my fingers, I indicated that my men should follow me.

  “It’s time to go,” I muttered, not daring to look towards the witch.

  “Yes, go!” Layanna stood her ground, even though her whole figure trembled. Her dark brown eyes watched closely as we gathered and made our way to the horses. The witch could easily-

  “Demand them to stay.” Sarsia glanced at Layanna as she jabbed her finger in my direction.

  Without looking at the human, I swung up onto my saddle and readied myself for departure. My men did the same, not bothering to look back either. They also knew exactly why they’d been unable to ignore her command.

  “What do you mean?” I heard Layanna say. “I don’t want them to stay, they can go!” she shouted the last part of her sentence, her voice waving as I kicked my horse.

  Charging forward, the horse dodged between two trees. Glancing over my shoulder as white hot rage made my blood boil, I sneered at Layanna as she watched me leave, my men following close behind.

  The last emotion that crossed her face before she was blocked by the head of Jin, made me clench my teeth hard. Confusion. Longing. All mixed into one. And the absurd same emotions were flitting in my chest as I rode hard for the Althea border.

  There was only one option left. To save my kingdom, I would have to kill Layanna Fairling. And soon.

  Chapter Five

  “What was that trouble?” My voice was still shaky. In fact, my whole body shivered as the sound of retreating hooves faded away.

  The sight of several men in tunics and breeches, their jaws sharp, their eyes dark, had made me hide at first. Each one had had a sword in their hands, ready to fight for Jorhain. Why? What did they have against the three people standing in front of me?

  As soon as Jorhain had charged for the witch and her friends, something had made me burst out from my hiding place. They had spoken about things I didn’t understand, but they didn’t deserve to be killed.

  “That was Jordeek Glyneria. He’s the current King of Althea.” Larnika checked that Sarsia was unharmed before striding over to me. “He’s a usurper. An evil one. We need to get to safety.”

  Before I could protest, he took hold of my arm roughly and propelled me to a nearby horse. The witch and little man followed, not bothering to help when I pleaded for him to let me go.

  “Calm yourself, Princess,” Larnika muttered as he bent down and rested his cupped hand on his knee.

  As if I would go riding off with strangers who spoke about strange things. Although, my mind did keep coming back to the moment when wind had come out of nowhere when Sarsia threatened Jorhain… no wait, they had called him Jordeek. Of course, the man had seemed as if he was lying when he had spoken to me at the inn. It wouldn’t be, in the least, a surprise if he had given me a false name.

  Questions spun in my head as Larnika waited. He looked up at me, his expression clear as he gave me space to make up my own mind. Which was unusual for men. They were often the first to order people around.

  The image of Jordeek and his band of men made me place my foot on Larnika’s offered palm. The threadbare leather of my slippers made me cringe as he hoisted me up into the saddle. It had been a while since my father had allowed me to have new shoes. We were one of the wealthier families in the village, but my father’s attempts at marrying me off were draining his funds. My dress might look neat, but every other part of my wardrobe was a little worn.

  “I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” Sarsia said as she drew her horse next to mine. “We’ll go to our camp, a secure spot in the woods. There, we’ll tell you everything.”

  Kicking her mount into gear, she guided us away from the village. Larnika led the horse I was on, not troubling to look behind as we made our way through the woods. The tall oaks and birch trees were silent as we traipsed through the undergrowth.

  At first, I was numb, unable to get a clear thought, but as we got further from the village, I looked behind us. The path wasn’t obvious, which would make it hard for me to get back home. Why had I agreed to talk to these people away from safety?

  “Here we are,” Larnika said as the shrubbery opened up and revealed a clearing hidden well from the rest of the woods.

  Offering his hand, he helped me down from the horse. Letting me go as soon as my feet were firmly on the ground, he gestured for me to join the others. They had secured their horses to a branch and were now lowering themselves onto a fallen log in front of a fire pit.

  Gingerly treading towards them, I paused when Sarsia waved her arm over the logs in the pit. Flames burst upwards, almost catching the sleeve of her dress. I sucked in a breath, the sound audible in the quiet surroundings. My insides quaked as she waved me over.

  “Come and sit down. The sooner we talk, the sooner you can decide what you want to do.”

  She was right, of course. Although my brain was fuzzy from too much information, too fast, I still understood that something had changed.

  Life had changed.

  Straightening my back, I took confident steps over to the fire and sat on a small log opposite them. The flames between us instantly warmed my chilled skin.

  “There’s no smoke,” I muttered, looking up to the clear blue sky high above the trees.

  Throwing another log onto the fire before he sat, Larnika chuckled to himself.

  Trenton rubbed his nose as he watched me, his eyes studying my face intently. The intensity of his gaze made me draw my cloak tighter around me.

  “It’s magic,” Sarsia said, “I’m a witch.”

  Shooting to a stand, I backtracked away from the fire. No, witchcraft wasn’t real. Although, if I truly believed that, my heart wouldn’t be rushing like a galloping horse. Nor would I be retreating.

  “You must have seen me perform magic when you watched our little battle with Jordeek.” Sarsia glanced at the other two.

  So, she had known that I was there, hiding in the shrubbery. Was it all an act? Some sort of trick?

  “Princess-” Trenton started.

  “Don’t call me that.” When the chill of the air almost froze my cheeks, I went back to the fire and sat.

  They might be rogues or thieves. Wait, they were thieves. “You stole from the bookshop.”

  My accusation was dismissed as they shrugged.

  Trenton sat forward, rubbing his hands in front of the flames. “We don’t have much time, we had to get your attention.”

  “So, if you’re a witch…” I looked pointedly at Sarsia. “…What are you?” My gaze went to the others.

  Trenton ducked his head, but Larnika looked me right in the eye. “I’m fae. Part of the Seelie Court.”

  Seelie Court? What was that? And a fae? They’d mentioned that I was a fae, but I had no idea what that was.

  “I’m a fairy,” Trenton muttered, his eyes cast to the leaf covered ground.

  “A fairy? You can’t be, you’re too big.” The lore of fairies had been well known across the land, but usually they were depicted as tiny creatures. Not that I’d ever believed that the lore was true. They were just stories told to amuse children.

  “Only in your realm. I have the power to change my size at will, although it takes a lot of magic, so I need to get home.” He finally looked into my face. Was he ashamed of being a fairy? No, he couldn’t be a fairy.

  “Why are you telling me these stories? Everyone knows there’s no such thing as fairies and witches. I don’t even know what a fae person is.” Holding my hands out to the fire, I avoided eye contact with them.

  For some reason, these strange people had decided to trick me to join them out in the woods. What did they want from me? Maybe other thieves would jump out from the shrubbery soon and do something unthi
nkable.

  Without saying anything, Trenton stood up and stepped around the fire. Going further into the clearing, he held his arms out to the side and then promptly disappeared.

  “What…!?” Frozen still, I stared at the now empty space.

  A tiny bright light suddenly surged up from the ground. Coming closer, it flew near to my face. My breath was rapid now, my chest constricted as I stared at the tiny man that hovered in front of me. Surely, that… it couldn’t be.

  “That’s Trenton’s true size, although he has grown fond of being bigger, so even in Althea, you’ll often see him as a man rather than a fairy.”

  The light buzz of his wings were audible to my ears. His clothes had shrunk with him. Ah, that had been why he didn’t wear breeches. His legs were able to move freely in just his hose.

  “I…” I had no words.

  “It’s a shock, we understand. You’ve seen my magic and now Trenton’s.”

  Fairy Trenton disappeared from in front of my face, reappearing as a full sized man in the clearing again. I couldn’t get my brain to form words in my mouth. What had I just seen?

  Larnika stared at Sarsia as Trenton came back to his seat. The fairy’s smile was broad as he wiggled his eyebrows at me.

  “See, you thought I was small in this form, but I’m not.” It was almost as if he was proud of being a short human looking man. What a peculiar bunch of people.

  Sarsia cleared her throat. “Larnika cannot show you his abilities. He was stripped of them.”

  Her blunt explanation that wasn’t really an explanation made me swallow. The information was too much, I wasn’t sure if I could cope with anymore.

  “When I went against Jordeek, the current Seelie Court king, he took my magic away, forcing me to leave my family.”

  The flash of pain that crossed his face caused my chest to squeeze even tighter. If I had to leave my parents, my village, I would probably die. Maybe not die, but it would seriously affect me.

  “Well,” I breathed, blinking slowly. “Say that this is all true, why do you keep saying that I’m a changeling?”