Chapter 1
Abraxas
9 months ago
ThemistIconjured had worked beautifully, not that we really needed the advantage againstNiata.Theyhad been caught completely unaware.TheLongPeacemade them compliant—Fools.Butperhaps it was a blessing.Itwould allow us to hit their primary defenses with minimal casualties.
Ishouted atCommanderAvlyn, but it was unnecessary.Avlynhad been running the army for decades whileIsat on the throne and strategized.Itrusted them implicitly.
Thelast of the troops departed the boat, andIfollowed.Istepped off the gangplank to the rocky shore, and it was as if the world had tilted on its axis, the sky becoming the sea.ThemomentItouched the land of thePearlKingdom, a substantial force wrapped itself around my heart, around my very soul.Icould feel it sinking through me, like a golden tidal wave that removed everything thatIwas and replaced it with something else.Someoneelse.Her.
Isaw her in flashes.Ahand gripping the cliffs around the beach, pulling herself up.Ascroll full of scribbles and doodles, a tutor looking on in disappointment.Apair of swords dancingagainst an opponent who was quickly disarmed.Humanchildren ran around her skirts as a soft laugh echoed from her lips.
Iclutched my chest and fell to my knees.Mybreath caught, andIcoughed, trying to force air into my lungs. “Abraxas, what’s wrong?”Avlynran to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.Ilet them help me up before pushing them off.
“Nothing.Ineed you to lead the army today.”
Theirface still held concern, but they rolled their eyes. “Wasn’tthat already the plan?”
“Yes, butIwill rejoin you later.”Theirface showed confusion, but they nodded and returned to the front of the ranks.
Ididn’t know whereIwas going, but my body did.Itwas as if she were a siren luring me in.Iran to her.Mymind kept showing me more images.Younglingsrunning through the rainforest, chasing after each other with sticks.Shesneaked through the kitchens at night, gathering up sweet rolls.Abook opened before her, illuminated by the moon through a window.
Ipassed through the main gates of the castle complex, which weren’t even closed before my troops blew through them.Iturned my back to a secluded alcove to get my bearings, but my mind had caught up with me.Thiscan’t be happening.
Centuriesago,Ihad given up the hope thatIcould have a mate.Therewere no dragons left;Iwould have felt them.Noclutches of eggs were hidden anywhere, and even if there had been, no one was left to care for them.Anythat would have been hidden away would have perished by now.Andcertainly, my mind wasn’t showing me images of a dragon but of what appeared to be a fae female.
Fromthe sea, a great volley ofEmperorHadeon’slightning projectiles fired at the castle.Witha crash that shook the very earth, one of the castle’s main towers was struck.Anotherimage came to me, but this one felt more vivid.Shewas being pulledaway from a window that overlooked the collapsed tower thatIwas now viewing from outside.Thereyou are.
Imoved.Butthe images were coming faster now, uncontrolled.Itwas as if the magic that connected us had been pent up for too long.Somewere indecipherable, while others were manageable.Dancingfeet swept across a floor.Shehugged her knees and cried in a dark room.Ahandsome half-fae male was laughing.Amoment later, that same man was grinning as he gripped her breast, and she rode him into oblivion.
Myfeet stopped as rage burned me from the inside out.Centurieshad passed sinceIhad allowed the beast inside me to awaken, but now he threatened to overpower me completely.Igripped the wall, trying to regain control, my fingers piercing the stone.Anunsuspecting group ofNiatansoldiers appeared before me.Howunfortunate for them.
EvenIcould barely keep up with my movements.Inunder a breath, half of them were already dead on the floor.Therest struggled to draw their swords and fall into defensive positions, but they were already far too late.Twomore breaths and they were all dead.
Bloodran down the edge of my sword, dripping like the ticking of a clock.Thebeast inside me was satiated, at least for the moment.Ihad to keep moving.Anothervision came.Aroom overturned, and a voice whispering, “Thetunnel in the kitchens.”
Avlynsurprised me by placing their hand on my shoulder again. “YourHighness, there has been little resistance.Wehave favored capture over bloodshed.”Theylooked over my shoulder at the very dead cohort at my feet but kept a stony face. “Wehave located the prince.I’msure the king and queen won’t be far behind.Wehaven’t yet found the princess.Whatare our next steps?”
“Thekitchens.Bringyour cohort and meetme there.”Theconfusion showed on their face, but again, they did not question me.Theyraised their hand and waved the cohort forward.
Itwas simple to find the kitchens.Thefloorplan of the building had seared itself into my mind.Halfof the entryway had already collapsed, and we filed in.Thebuilding was quiet, as if holding its breath, waiting for the next move.Wemade our way to the back when a unit of soldiers clad in silver mail charged us from a side hall.
Ididn’t have time for this.Ineeded to find her.Now.Icut through the men in front of me, clearing a path whenIfelt her.Thatgolden thread pulled taut, and my head snapped up.Shewas the most beautiful creatureIhad ever seen.Hermagenta robes were incredibly fine, embroidered with the white peacock of the royal family.Theywere covered in dust and disheveled, revealing the warm skin of her shoulder.Ifollowed the perfect line of her long neck to slate eyes that blazed with rage.Fora moment, she held my gaze, andIswear the entire world stood still.Butthen she ran away, and the beast inside me yearned to give chase.
Iwas lost to him, my sword cleaving through every man in my way; my feet moved of their own accord.Icould feel it, her fear; it would be delicious on her skin.Howsatisfying would it feel to sink my talons and fangs into her, claiming her over and over again until the only sound from her lips was my own name.Shewas mine.
Iwhipped around a corner and saw her duck behind a hidden wall panel.Iapproached, ready to rip it straight off the wall, when that golden thread around my heart pulsed.Itwasn’t gentle either.Itgripped so hardIfell to my knees again; my body froze.
Itried to catch my breath and get my heart beating again whenIheard a voice through the panel. “PrincessTori, what are you—”
Mysuspicions were confirmed, and it wasn’t good news.Shewas the very princessIhad been sent here to capture.Mymate, whomIhad waited centuries for and given up hope for, was the very person my greatest adversary wished to sink his claws into.
Avlynand the cohort rounded the corner. “YourMajesty, why have you come back this way?”
“Commander, take the troops and find the king and queen.I’llfinish up here.”
Avlyncouldn’t hold themselves back anymore. “Abraxas, what’s going on?Thiserratic behavior isn’t like you.Whatabout the princess?”
