Page 1

TAINTED | PROLOGUE

A prince's death

His smile was so innocent and sweet that it shone brighter than the moonlight peeking through the thick clouds.

I could not bear to think of the prince's death, let alone be his ruin. His mother would be shattered if she knew what the King intended for me, and I’d mourn a realm that would never flourish if I allowed this tragedy to unfold. Even as I toyed with the idea of mercy, I thought: what would become of me if I didn’t?

King Victor’s position on the matter was understandable and final, vile as it was, but no one could kill a destiny so potent. It was foretold long ago that a vampire would be born from the blood of the King’s brother and would lead us out of the dark ages. Their reign would transform us from a feared, untrusted kingdom into something the others might see as not just tolerable, but merciful. Tales this old always carried the weight of the Gods and gripped the fear of the people. And yet the child was here, the strongest of them all; he lay weakly in my arms, gazing at me with silent, trusting eyes.

Who would've thought our sweet, loving queen would be the one to set this destiny in motion? Eliza was the kindest of them all, but even the kindest have love affairs with mistakes. Recognizable mistakes always hold a large debt, even for the Queen. But the King truly loved her, his Velsera, or else she’d be with me here. Even I didn’t know how much strain a fated love could be. She was lucky; only a few in court knew of the scandal about her and the King's adopted brother, such a shame.

The baby bore his father’s features with unsettling precision, his full round cheeks, flushed by a delicate crimson against his warm skin. The fragrance enveloped my nose, like burning myrrh swirling around a podium of an inflamed chapel. Spiced, but pure. He smelt of royalty.

His lips were tiny, but full, and settled into the softest pout, as if he knew he’d been in trouble and wanted me to show him mercy. It was hard to look into his eyes when they were wide enough to give him an air of quiet wonder and shamed me all at once.

For the first time tonight, the wind raged behind me in protest, whipping around my face, sending locks of my ponytail flying behind me. The once-clear air thickened and swirled with a hazy fog around us.

I adjusted the child in my arms, as my fingers dug into my cloak to pull out the dagger meant for him. Slowly, I lifted the blade to his face and gently ran the cool flat edge against his cheek, testing if I could follow through with what was asked of me. I wonder if he felt my uncertainty because not even a twitch betrayed him. His tiny hand wrapped around my fingers that held the knife steady, almost as if pleading with me to wait. There was no whine, or yelp that escaped him; he just stared into my eyes, and completely into my soul.

His tiny frame shifted in my arms, seeking out a warmth that shouldn’t have been there, and yet something had festered. That small reach reminded me of how close in age he was to my own child. Her face reared its way in my own mind for a moment, tearing through like a storm, giving me unveiled clarity. I returned the dagger to my cloak unstained with his blood with some fading instinct and cradled him into my chest. He stirred there, his limbs bashing against me, with a terrible whimper, until he settled back into a calm silence. I thought him asleep—until he cooed softly like bells, the sound floating up to my ear.

"I could never hurt you, you are my king," I whispered to him. When the words were spoken, they felt truer than anything else, as if the Gods had whispered them into my ear. I couldn’t disobey them, not when they had blessed me with my own lineage I had prayed so hard for.

I needed to hide him.

He wouldn't survive here, not in this realm.

Not even as himself.

He couldn't be known as Starvos Belento Eari.

Starvos’ hand waved in the air, delighted, and a rich giggle escaped the creases of his lips. In the same breath, as the thought of my declaration settled, the roaring wind softened into a subtle breeze, still present but more settled as the laugh pierced the night, but the air around us remained thickened.

Denying him his right to his world would prove to be impossible. He had won me over with each grin. "You deserve a name, a strong name,” I said, my thumb tracing the round of his cheek. “Alexander, that is what we will call you.”

A resolve within me switched, as a sudden devotion aligned between me and the child, it was absolute, and a command that felt restless. Even if I had wanted to reject it I couldn’t. I felt responsible for his safety like my own blood child.

Without haste I tucked him protectively under my arm and I sprinted into the forest. The trees were alive with color, this spring, but tonight had been an unexpectedly icy night. The chilled air split, as I tore through them, and its pressure felt like dense water, willing me to slow down with every step. I had to fight my way through the tree line barely missing their branches as they passed by me.

While running, my thoughts drifted through realms. Perhaps another royal could hide him. But I abandoned the idea just as quickly; such trust would end in death for us both, but as I ran, my plans turned, not to another kingdom, but to another world. That would surely be the better option. If he were to stay here, I wouldn’t be the last blade the king would send, and that couldn’t transpire. So, my feet led me to the outskirts of our kingdom to a remote lake once heavily guarded by royal sentries.

I had been the only one to know of the King’s orders, he had orchestrated it so I could execute it with ease. It was to be our only secret, and yet here I was going to betray him. If someone had caught me, there wouldn’t be a choice in what I’d have to do next. There would only be a consequence of my actions, but who was to pay it? It certainly wouldn’t be me.

Once there, beneath the lake lay a portal: the Veil of Veils. It would take us exactly where we needed to go—far from here.

When my plan was clear, I headed north—toward the clear blue water and the black sand bay. My steps devoured the fog-draped ground, driven by a single command: protect the future King—at all costs. When we arrived, only two guards stood watch over the Veil. That was unusual. There should have been more. It was a gift I would not question.

Most Knights possessed special abilities. Among the royals, status came first by blood, and second by the strength of one’s gift and to protect, a guard must have abilities to match their crown. I wasn't of the royals, but I did have something worth retaining. Over my last two hundred odd years, I had mastered my gift of rendering a person comatose to almost perfection.

I glided across the sand towards them with purpose. I had no fear. They were no match. Both looked fresh in their armor—new to the weight of command. It was likely why they were alone, an initiation, a trial to prove their worth to the crown. I smiled politely at the two lads. Both were adorned in heavy armor etched with the royal family crest.

“What are you doing so late at the Veil, Draco? Dawn will be upon us soon,” one of them asked, stepping closer.

“Child, leave me be,” I dismissed coldly, waving a hand in front of his face. His body crumbled forward under my force, smashing his chin forward into the sand, unconscious. The second did not hesitate he had his blade drawn and charged at me like a fool trying to die with honor. I let out a dry, humorless laugh for the effort. Without hesitation, I waved a hand toward him as he was nearing. Just before falling, he froze mid-stride. I could almost feel the fear pulsing off him before he tumbled forward.

If they spoke of seeing me tonight, I would have no explanation to offer.

Drawing the dagger once more, I placed the prince gently on the dry sand, it was hard to turn away even for just a moment, but I did and faced the two.