Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Page Fourteen?—

The people of the Twilight Dynasty are doomed unless I help.

I 'm glad to be off the ship, and my stomach turns as I think about the choppy waves that threatened to pull us all into the watery depths. I pat the black stallion I'm riding, glad to be given such a good horse. He is fast and easy to lead, making the journey so much more comfortable. The queen's plan so far has worked out perfectly, and I know she must have been planning it for a long time.

My body aches everywhere as the princess slows down into a trot, and I see why she is. The magical barrier stretches up out of the trees of the forest, where the trees look like giants, the tips hovering in the clouds. The magical barrier is tightly wrapped around the Nightwell city lands, and this is where the dragons must be. It's where I belong , a voice whispers into my mind. Not a voice, the book. It can't harass me from its box coffin, but it whispers sometimes, and each time it does, I purposely ignore it.

The princess looks over at me with her pale blue eyes and empty expression. Her silver hair is as messy as mine, falling over her shoulders under a black cloak. Her horse is silver too, and I think they kind of look like each other. "I'm gathering that your answers are in there with the dragons, Avaluna."

She hasn't spoken to me much in our entire journey, and I might as well have been travelling alone. We've been travelling for over a month, by my count, and I couldn't tell anyone a thing about the princess. Other than the clipped directions and instructions of her mother's plan, she is silent. I don't mind, I'd take any silence from anyone to escape her father. I don't know anything about her, other than her title, but sometimes she looks at me with such horror that I find myself wondering what broke her. I want to hate her like every other member of her family, but she hasn't bitten me. She hasn't bitten anyone, and she drinks from flasks stored in her bag. I think it's the longest I've had without being bitten. Ever. "This is where we depart from each other."

"Where are you going?" I question immediately. Almost like some deep part of me actually cares. Her eyes tell me everything. She's not going to answer. Whatever plan her mother had given her will send her away, and it will keep her safe. "Why don't you feed off fae? That ship had fae blood slaves. I saw them under the deck." I wanted to free them, fight for them, anything, but I knew I couldn't. If I dared, I would end up dead, and I have to get this book to the dragon riders. "Your family?—"

"I am not my family," she quickly interrupts me with a snarl and a bare of her silver teeth. "I know you've seen the worst of my kind, but maybe you can remember me. I do not like to bite anyone for food, and I prefer animal blood to fae. There are thousands like me and thousands who do not want to serve my father." Maybe that's where she is going. "I had a lover, a powerborn fae who could beautifully make patterns in just about anything. He was a kind soul, and when my older sister found out, she murdered him for loving me. I told my mother what happened when she caught me trying to kill myself." I freeze at the truth in her voice, at the break. "She gave me a path that leads to freedom from my family. She gave you the same, and for her, I'm asking you to remember that not all vampyres are monsters."

Just most.

"At least you were given the chance to love anyone. I was never allowed that privilege."

We stare at each other until she nods her head to the barrier. "Maybe you will find love in there with your people." Her eyes drop to the book. "Finish your task, Avaluna." I follow her gaze to the box, hanging in a bag attached to my horse's saddle. The book can't do more than occasionally whisper through it; whatever that box is made of keeps it well and truly protected in there, but I still feel the weight of it like it's heavy, not in a physical sense but in another way. A weight on my soul. I'll be glad to get rid of it. "My father…he'll come for you. Do you know that? You've not fulfilled your life in the way that he wanted, and by running away… It's an insult he will not accept. I imagine he took flight the second he could, and those monsters are not far behind us."

I shiver and not from the cold. I don't think I'll ever be able to unsee those creatures. The thought of the king, my abuser, chasing me on one…deities no. "I'll make sure to keep a dagger next to me at all times because I'm ending my life before I let him take me back. He'll come for you too, princess."

She pats her thigh, where a dagger is clipped in. "I know, and I'd do the same. He'll never find me. No one will ever again. I want to fade from this world and not have a title anymore. My mother, she died to make sure I could have this. She won't be remembered as anything but some horrible queen of the vampyres who did evil acts, except in my memory. Because to me, she had two sides. One she was forced to be to survive, and the other was a mother."

It's on the tip of my tongue to say something, anything, but I don't find the words. She finds them for me. "Isn't it funny? Every woman I know in this world is a victim, not a warrior, not a fighter. Then I met you, and you fought all the way here. You ran with me for a different future. Maybe there'd be a world where women aren't just victims. Fae or vampyre."

"Wouldn't that be a dream?" I respond. The princess leaves unceremoniously, her horse as fast as a shooting star. I watch as she goes, disappearing into the thick forest in the opposite direction of the glittering barrier of magic. The howling wind is cold tonight, and I swear there's a taste of snow drifting in the breeze. I shiver, even with the thick black coat wrapped around my shoulders. The weather is such a stark contrast to the sandy deserts of the south, where I have spent most of my life. I remember when I visited these lands last, and it was cold then.

Time to get through the barrier and find my freedom. I lift my chin and lead my horse straight towards the barrier that looks brighter, pouring light through the dark trees so I don't even need a fire to see. The forest path is jagged and hard to ride through, and it takes me longer than I'd like to navigate through it. I can't even see through the bushes and trees, but I know I'm getting close. The box starts shaking from side to side, vibrating almost all the time. My horse neighs and riles up, nearly throwing me off, but I hold on as he settles. The box doesn't stop vibrating. I pat his black mane. "It's okay. Calm."

Something more startles him. He stops, digging his hooves in, neighing loudly. I have to pull the reins tight to push him forward with more gentle encouragement, and I force him to go close to the barrier. He doesn't want to, but he does, thankfully. When I'm a footstep away from the barrier, I reach out to touch it, but my hand just slips straight through like it doesn't exist. The queen was right. I turn my horse and lead him into the barrier, and he manages to walk straight through with me. When I come out on the other side, there's silence, followed by the sound of wings. Giant wings.

My eyes widen as I turn my head up, a shadow covering me like a thick cloud of rain, and I see a dragon. A real, alive dragon. The huge dragon flies straight across the sky. A magnificent, sparkling creature that looks like the purest grey tined diamonds. I watch in awe as it swiftly flies through the sky above, and I spot a person on its back. A fae. Gods, it's all true.

I look in awe, in absolute awe of the magnificent creature before more fill the sky, all of them flying around. These dragons are bright yellow or gold, and much smaller than the grey one. They fly like they are in a formation, like it's an army. An army getting ready for war. They definitely need this. I wonder if the sickness will be able to get through this barrier behind me. I need to tell whoever's in charge of all this. They need to know what is coming behind me.

I follow the dragons through the forest. It's easy to track them with the way they rustle the trees. Soon I start coming across tents, rows of tents and fae who have made their homes here, cooking and cleaning clothes to hang on lines between trees. Some cautiously watch me, and I notice right away that I'm attracting a lot of attention. I tug my cloak hood up and push my horse on down a cleared road. The box isn't shaking anymore, and I don't know if that's worse than it shaking, but I feel like it's happy, like it wants me to go this way.

Deities above, I hope I'm doing the right thing by bringing it here. I didn't have anywhere else to go, unless I found my sister and her family. But going to them is a risk, and I know they will be safe with the rebellion. They are masters at making fae disappear—the odd vampyre too.

I don't get much further before a huge man steps into my path, and I freeze. He's stunning, absolutely breathtakingly every inch of what a male should be. Heat floods my body from my cheeks to my toes. I don't know what to make of it as he stares right back at me with a cold unflinching gaze, with brown eyes so deep in colour that they don't seem real. He's tall, coming up on my horse's neck, but it's the way he holds himself that tells me he is well trained.

He has perfected himself. His dark hair is tied at the back of his neck, but some locks curl around his forehead. My mouth goes dry as he walks right over, smelling of smoke and wood. The smelling of all things forbidden and burning a desire in my stomach I haven't felt in a long time. "I haven't seen you around here before. Where exactly are you from in the city? And why are you coming close to the mansion? This path is to be kept clear. You must have heard the rules."

Speak, Avaluna. Use your words. "I came from outside the barrier."

His lips twitch. "Are you joking? You may be pretty, but not everyone's going to believe your stories." I grit my teeth, and his humour disappears when he realises I'm not joking with him. "You need proof or you need to leave the path. Go somewhere else."

"I have a magical book in my bag, here." I pat the bag. "Hidden in a box. If you take it out, it'll start talking to you and make you go mad. I know what the vampyre king is doing right now because I was his blood slave and have been for years. The vampyre queen got me out and paid with her life. She sent me here to try to help. She sent me messages with warnings. The longer you and I stand here talking to each other, the longer the vampyre king out there has to amass an army, which we should all be very fucking fearful of. Please trust me and take me to whomever I need to see. I've travelled for a month straight to get here."

I don't know why he believes me. I wouldn't if I was in his shoes, but he does. "I'm Calix. You?"

"Avaluna Lurion. I like to be called Luna." I don't want anyone to call me Ava again. That was his nickname for me, and I'm done hearing it. Luna was what my mother called me and what my family does too.

"Well then, Luna , I'll lead your horse through. You can talk to my king. I don't think you're lying, but if he thinks you are, you're dead." A shiver goes down my spine, and I gulp, even when I have nothing to be scared of, because I'm not lying. I stay silent on the ride, sneaking looks at the handsome fae with spiked ears and a perfect jawline. Calix's eyes drift back to me a few times, and I feel this draw to him, a strange draw to him.

I don't usually like men, not in that sense. I am very much attracted to the male kind, but after all the years of abuse from the king, I've never dared look at another male, never dared let my eyes stray to anything that I could want for myself. But this male, this huge man, has my heart racing. Maybe he thinks it's in fear, but I can't seem to pull my eyes off him. The way he looks back at me, I feel like he's having the same problem. Two strangers, staring at each other for no good reason at all. As he leads me through a forest full of tents, of fae who stare at him with nothing but respect in their eyes, I wonder what happened here. Children's laughter echoes along with dragon roars, and no one so much as blinks at the dragons flying high above. There's a quietness, a stillness, even with dragons, that I've never seen before. Maybe it's because there are no vampyres here.

Calix leads me up to stone gates, which are broken, smashed in, along with a stone wall used to mark the property outskirts, but now it's nothing but dirty stone and ivy. There's scorched markings on the ground that we walk over, nothing but black lines in the grass. He takes me through, down a cleared path, and I stare up at the giant old mansion that seems to appear out of nowhere. It's got towers, tall structures, and hundreds of windows. Fae are walking in and out of the front door with ease.

I slide off my horse, only to see a familiar face. I recognize the woman handing out blankets. I don't know the handsome man at her side, but he immediately steps in front of her, protecting her. "Who the fuck is this, Calix?"

Story Dehana turns to face me. Her eyes widen when she sees me. "Avaluna? Is that really you?"

I'm as shocked as she is, but words escape me. I can only nod. Calix frowns. "You know her?"

Story rushes over to me and pulls me into a tight hug. I didn't know how much I needed that hug until I let myself sink into her embrace. "Hi."

She grins at me as she pulls away, searching my face like I might have the answers to the questions written there. There are strange dragons drawn all over her arms in black ink, but her hair is braided in the same way she usually does, as she had it when we met. There's a light to her eyes that I've never seen there before. She looks healthy, less pale, less downtrodden. Her skin is glowing, her bones are no longer sticking out of her cheeks, and she seems to have filled out. Freedom suits her. She doesn't look like someone who's drained every day of blood and fucked until they feel like they can't walk anymore from the pain.

I smile softly at her until I dare to move my eyes to the intimidating fae man who is standing close. I gulp. There is a black moon on his face, black soft locks sweeping into his face, but there is a scary feeling to him that makes my stomach drop. "This is King Ziven of the Moon Dynasty. The dynasties were what split our lands years ago and ruled us in peace. The vampyres hid our history and took our power along with it. It's all here, in the books and the people." She steps back into King Ziven's arm, which possessively curls around her waist. "What are you doing here? How are you here?"

The way this king holds her, the way she sinks into his touch without an inch of fear…I want that. I want to have someone I can trust like that. I clear my throat, the pressure of them all staring at me making me want to shrink. "The queen of the vampyres." I notice how Story tenses. How badly did the queen torture her? I carry on. "She turned against the king for her youngest daughter's freedom, and she freed me too. I didn't expect it, we had no relationship or friendship prior. She decided that she was done being his queen. I don't know why, but she packed up everything and made a plan. A foolproof plan for me and the princess to get here."

King Ziven looks at Story, and something crosses between them. He finally looks at me with a coldness that outright scares me. "Where's the princess now?"

Story nods, gently encouraging me to go on. "I don't know what the rest of her plan was, but she left me a while ago. She didn't come in through the border."

"How did you get through the border?" Calix asks, his thick arms crossed.

"The queen claimed that anyone from the Twilight Dynasty bloodline could easily walk between the borders of magic, that the books don't have control over children of the Twilight Dynasty. She said I was clearly from there. So I just came in. She told her daughter all of this to repeat to me on the journey." I rub my arm. "But I have to tell you something. The king's been breeding creatures for years. They're…they're monsters. Skeleton monsters with wings that he flies on, with teeth and claws." I go back to my horse and pull out a drawing I did of them. I hand it to Story, and they all look at it.

Story's mouth parts. "These are real? How many does he have?"

"Thousands," I breathe out. "And vampyre riders too. He's bringing the army of them here. Maybe the barrier will stop him, but I'm not sure. I'm here to warn you that an army is coming, and dragons will not be enough to stop them. Maybe they will, I don't know, but I've seen these creatures, and they are horrid, powerful beasts with riders who will kill any fae in their way. Any dragon too. The king and crown prince have the biggest Silkvir."

Story goes pale at the reminder of her former owner. The one who is still obsessed with her. I go back to the horse to give her a second, and tug the box out. I hate holding it, the awful feeling it gives me. "The queen stole this," I explain and walk back over. They all stare at the box, like they can sense what's in there. "I'm not going to open it, but there's a magical book in it. It's how the king made those beasts. How he made vampyres, I think. It talks to you, and it is yours to do with as you want. Please, just take it away."

King Ziven walks up and takes the box from me. Story's mouth parts before she looks at King Ziven. "We can bring the barrier down now."

"With those things flying here, we can't. We need to plan an evacuation of all the fae and ready the dragons," King Ziven replies. A king, sharing his plans with a woman? I'm not sure what to make of it. He turns to me after placing the box into Story's hands. She stares at it like I do, like she can feel it. "What do you suggest we do with her? Can she be trusted, Story?"

Story looks right into my eyes. "She knew about my mother and never told a soul. She can."

My heart leaps with her trust. I would never have told anyone her secrets, even if she was a stranger to me. We blood slaves have a shared understanding that no one else could understand. I turn to King Ziven. "You're a king, a fae king, and I didn't know those even existed. If Story Dehana is standing there at your side, then I believe in my soul, that you must be a good person. Because she's been through what I've been through for years. What so many blood slaves have survived, but the royals are a particular brand of cruelty. I don't know if there's a way to pledge myself to you, to follow your lead, to fight for you in any way that I can, but I want to." I wince. "I'm not a great fighter, as I've never been allowed to fight, but I'll try. Either way, I offer my service to you, whatever is left of me, and hope that I can stay here. If I go out there, he's definitely going to kill me."

King Ziven looks at Story and she nods once. He lets her go to walk in front of me, and he is even more intimidating up close. "Avaluna, I offer you my thanks for the information you have brought to us." I nearly shake from head to toe from the full force of this fae man being anywhere near me at all. He is definitely a king. There is something old and yet terrifying about him, even when he is beautiful to look at too. He reaches out, his hand glowing silver like the actual moon. I take his hand. The silver light seems to spread straight into my arm, into my veins, and something burns on my neck. When I touch my neck with my other hand, I feel nothing though. "Welcome to the Moon Dynasty, Avaluna. There is a mark on your neck of the moon. It marks you as one of my people, and you have my protection. I will train you to fight, and I expect you to use the skills we teach you to defend my queen."

Story sighs. "You really have to stop calling me that when I'm not?—"

"Yet," King Ziven smoothly cuts her off. She glares at his back, and my lips twitch at them.

"I will protect her with my life." King Ziven sees the determination in my face and nods once. He drops my hand and returns to Story, who immediately begins arguing with him as he tugs her into his arms. He kisses her instead, and I blush as I turn away.

Calix laughs. "If you just signed up to protect Story, get used to seeing that all day and night. If they're not arguing, they're fucking or kissing like teenagers." I look up at him and blush. "Welcome to the Moon Dynasty, Luna. I'm the second-in-command to the Moon Dynasty and his best friend." He points his thumb over his shoulder at King Ziven. "You're one of our people now, and we look after our own. I'd love to train you."

"Thank you," I respond, looking into his brown eyes.

We stare at each other for a few seconds too long. He tugs his gaze away first, and for some reason, my stomach drops. "You look like you could do with some rest and food. We don't have much food because there are shortages with the amount of fae here, but I'll find you something."

"Oh, I can live without eating today. I ate last night," I offer. "I wouldn't want to take from someone else."

He frowns at me. "You're not. But I demand you eat more than once a day, Luna." He almost sounds like he cares. "I mean, training will tire you, so I want you to have strength."

Of course, he doesn't want me passing out. He waves to the open front door to the huge mansion, and we walk together towards it, another fae coming to take my horse. I glance at it and remember. I rush away from Calix to the horse and pull out the book my nephew gave me about the Twilight Dynasty. Story and King Ziven stop as I go to them. "This was given to me by my family. There is a rebellion growing, and they wanted me to get this book out. I can't read, so I don't know what it says, but the title I worked out. The Twilight Dynasty ."

I hand it to Story, and she runs her palm over the cover. I smile at her and go back to Calix, who waits for me a few feet away. "You can't read?"

My cheeks go red. "It's not because I'm stupid before you suggest it. I was not given the chance to learn. I was the king's blood slave, and reading was not something he taught me."

He opens and closes his mouth. "I'm sorry. For the record, I never thought you were stupid. You're standing here and not dead. A stupid person would be dead."

We walk in, and there's a slender woman watching by the door in tight brown clothes that show off her slim body, the opposite to the curvy one I have. She has long bright blonde hair, and she is exquisite in a way I could never be. She looks between Calix and me, but mostly him. I wonder if it's his girlfriend, and I wonder more why that fact seems to bother me. King Ziven calls. "Calix."

Story replaces Calix as we wait in the entrance hall with a small dragon stone statue by two doors. Story sighs. "He is sending Calix with the box to the library, and a friend there can keep it safe for now. Until we decide what to do. The other book is with the Sun king and…it's complicated." She touches my arm. "Are you okay? This must be overwhelming. I'll explain everything to you and tell you everything over food."

"I honestly thought I'd never see you again." I can't find the words to explain that I am okay. Yes, I'm extremely overwhelmed, but I'm safe. That feeling of safety overwhelms me more than anything else does.

"Is your sister safe?"

I nod. "Yes, and her husband and her son, too. I wanted to tell you about all of them, but I couldn't. I hope your mother is safe too…" I have to correct something. "When I told you I loved the king, that was a lie. I need to tell you that."

She takes my hand. "I know. I knew back then, too. I told myself a hundred lies to survive too. I told myself them so much that I thought they were real. But I know it wasn't."

"It's funny that, isn't it? What we tell ourselves so that we can survive."

We look at each other and just smile. We don't have to lie anymore. We are two royal blood slaves who are free, standing on the edge of war, but even if we die in it, we are not theirs. Maybe it'll be us that finally stops them.