CHAPTER 2

Vita

VERIAN'S brIGHT SMILE ALWAYS warmed Vita's heart, and today was no different. The familiar flutter of butterflies roiled in her stomach as she walked up to the city wall, greeting her longtime friend. She couldn't help but grin as he waved at her from the front gate of Shadowholde.

The city gate was immense, leaving Vita in awe every time she used it. A stone turret flanked each end of the arched entryway, smooth river stones mortared together to meet with the great wall that surrounded the city. A guard walked across the top of one tower, a longbow poised in his hands. The portcullis was raised, as was usual for this time of day, letting people pass freely in and out.

Verian was standing with a guard Vita recognized, though she couldn't recall his name. They worked together often; she had seen him here at the gate station a few times on duty with her friend. Verian's sage eyes glimmered as she walked up, a sly smile curling his lips. His pointed ears perked up ever so slightly, matching her expression.

Vita and Verian were half elves, as were many of the people of Shadowholde, the logical result of the centuries long peace between humans and elves.

"And here I was thinking I wouldn't get to see my sweet girl today." His deep voice rolled over her, causing a pleasant tingling throughout her body.

Despite the butterflies he gave her, she rolled her eyes, trying to resist a smile.

"Who's your handsome friend?" she asked, doing her best attempt at a sensual purr.

It was worth it for the way Verian's eyes widened and then narrowed with suspicion. His dark brown skin shone in the fading sunlight, and Vita could see a bead of sweat dotting his brow. A mess of black curls sat atop his head, a few strands coiled over his eyes.

The other guard laughed heartily and extended his hand to Vita. She gave him her best saccharine smile and took his gauntleted hand.

Instead of a simple shake, he brought her fingers to his lips, planting a chaste kiss without breaking eye contact. She tried to keep her expression neutral despite the flutter in her stomach and the glare that Verian directed at his friend.

"Drusus, at your service."

The guard gave her a slight bow. He kept his auburn hair pinned back neatly, barely cresting his chin. His tanned face showed off the azure eyes which pierced straight into Vita's chest. Heat flushed her cheeks, and she tried to get a handle on herself.

"Vita," she said with a returned curtsy.

They both wore the same attire, a sage green, high-necked tunic underneath a silver breastplate and spaulders protecting the chest and shoulders. Simple black pants and boots completed each guard's uniform, plus the silver longswords hanging at their backs. They both looked quite handsome, though she would never tell Verian that .

Drusus was human, just like her employer, his small, curved ears making that obvious. He also had a large scar slashed across his left eye. Vita was conscious of the red mark on her cheek, uncomfortable with how it marred her face. A scar on a man was rakish, but on a woman…

"Of course I know who you are. Verian never stops talking about you."

That earned Drusus a punch to the shoulder, and it was her turn to laugh.

"Does he? Well, I have been telling him that he needs to make some new friends." She chewed her lip as she turned her gaze towards Verian.

His mouth was a thin line, the scowl directed at her. "I could say the same about you."

Vita scoffed at his rudeness, though his frown slowly turned into a grin and she laughed again, shaking her head.

"Did you hear about the Aonalia Feast?" Verian asked, changing the subject.

Maybe he hoped she would forget that he apparently never stopped talking about her to his guard friends. The thought pleased her just a bit.

"I have. I'm hoping that Amulius will take me."

Vita noticed the way he clenched his jaw when she spoke her employer's name. Though she'd shared some of the challenges she faced at the villa, she hadn't divulged everything, knowing it would only make Verian worry more than he already did. Still, there were times she wished she could share it all.

"I've heard that the High Consul throws the most debauched parties," Drusus mused, a wistful look on his face.

Verian rolled his eyes.

"Too bad we didn't get on party duty," he said, turning his attention to Vita. "You should be careful if you end up going."

She wasn't sure who she was supposed to be careful around, her employer or the mysterious High Consul .

"Very true. I heard the man loves pretty girls like you." Drusus' icy gaze penetrated her once more.

Vita may have heard that rumor as well, but there was all sorts of gossip about the High Consul: that he never left his palace because he was allergic to the sun, that he had wings and could fly, that he kept a bevy of servants to assuage his carnal lust.

Rumors that brought a flush to her cheeks if she thought too long on them. She took in a breath, shaking her head at the two guards.

"There is nothing to worry about. I doubt the Domina will let me come along, anyway. I'm sure she'll choose one of the other maidservants." She shifted her stance and looked at the ground, ready to get to the market. "I should be on my way."

"Be safe, Vita." Verian's voice was soft.

He looked as if he wanted to say more, but simply bowed.

"And if you ever wish to join us for an evening of revelry, I drag Verian to the tavern at least once a week," Drusus added with a wink.

Vita smiled and nodded at the two men, walking past them and heading through the archway into Shadowholde. She pondered Drusus' invitation and blushed.

It had been many years since she'd been in the city after dark, not since Mariana had passed and she took the job with Praetor Amulius. Though she didn't partake in ales often, there'd been many fun adventures exploring the city's underbelly with Verian as a young girl.

The idea of an evening at the tavern with two handsome men was certainly tempting.

With each step along the main thoroughfare, she could feel the energy of Shadowholde pulsating through the pavement beneath her feet. Though evening approached, the city was still bustling with activity, workers preparing the central forum for the Aonalia celebrations. The street narrowed, winding Vita through colorful market stalls and vendors hawking their wares. The scent of sizzling meats and aromatic herbs filled the air as horses and carts clattered across the cobblestones. All around her hummed the chatter of merchants and the lively tunes of musicians .

As Vita looked on, the dark palace looming overhead caught her eye. A mad imperator had built it on the rocky crag many centuries ago, on the very edge of the city overlooking the mountains beyond. The palace had passed through many families, though it now acted as the primary residence for the High Consul.

An imposing setting for the Feast of Aonalia.

Little was known about the High Consul, though of course, there were rumors. He was very private, and it was rare to see him roaming Shadowholde, even rarer to be invited to his palace. This was part of the reason the feast was the talk of the city as of late. She hoped the Domina would allow her to accompany them, even if it was just to rub it in Verian's face.

Vita turned suddenly, sensing an intense gaze heating the back of her neck. Her eyes locked with a woman standing at the far end of the street, an elf with golden irises that pierced right through her. She had dark brown skin and plum red hair braided in intricate plaits that stretched down to her lower back. As she examined Vita, her scowl curled into a smirk.

The woman was beautiful, statuesque and dressed in finery one wouldn't expect from someone wandering the streets of Shadowholde. Her dress skimmed the ground, dark blue and sleeveless, a well-placed cutout emphasizing her ample breasts. Fine jewels hung from her pointed ears and clung to her neck, a single golden rose tucked into her hair.

Vita held the woman's gaze, unable to tear her eyes away. A presence infiltrated deep into her bones, probing and prodding, and she couldn't move, her control over her body completely lost.

The world around her grew quiet, a ringing in her ears the sole sound, even as people babbled around her. Just as suddenly, the woman broke the spell and was gone, a flash of dark blue darting down a narrow alley.

Vita gasped in a breath, the air finally returning to her lungs. There were a few odd glances directed her way, but she tried to ignore them .

Whoever that woman was, she had powerful magic; Vita was certain of it. She had never experienced a force rushing through her like that, her entire body frozen with electric energy.

Magic that authoritative would be a death sentence for anyone caught using it. She'd never met another person cursed like she was, at least as far as she'd known. Had the woman somehow sensed that she and Vita were alike? Was that the reason for the strange probing?

A shiver ran down her spine as she continued on into Shadowholde, eager to finish her business and get home.

Mariana would have to wait until next time.

With her errand complete—eggs secured in the basket—Vita hurried back to the front gate, nodding to the two new guards standing watch as they let her pass. Her mind returned to the woman on the street. What had she wanted? What type of magic could render a person motionless, breathless?

A shrill voice interrupted her whirling mind as she entered the villa.

"Took you long enough, girl!"

Vita cringed at the words, hustling into the kitchen and ready to face the Domina's wrath.

"I am so sorry. The normal vendor was out, so I had to locate another."

The lie slipped easily from her lips as she handed the eggs to the cook, a small girl named Rhea who squeaked an assent and hurried back to the dough she had been kneading a moment ago.

Domina Amulius scoffed, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"You're dismissed for the evening," she said with a hiss, already focused back on Rhea .

Vita bowed, then made her way to her room, hoping to avoid a certain someone.

Luck was not on her side today.

As she walked down the hallway, Praetor Amulius stepped around the corner as if he had been lying in wait, like a dog hunting a rabbit. She gave him a deep curtsy, every muscle clenched with panic.

"Lovely Vita," he whispered with a sneer.

Clearly, he didn't want his wife to hear what he had to say. She took a cautious step forward, having no other options with him blocking her door.

"Hello Praetor Amulius," she said politely, her voice cracking.

She plodded towards him, holding her arms at her sides and wishing she were anywhere but here.

Dark eyes glared at her with the same hunger she had seen earlier today. "I'm sure you have heard about the Aonalia Feast."

"Yes, sir." She nodded, keeping her eyes on the ground. "I've helped Domina Amulius with her dress fittings."

Vita held her breath and reached for the knob of her door, hoping he would let her go. Her employer's hand shot out, roughly taking hers and pulling her back to him.

"I'm not done with you, girl," he hissed, drawing her close.

She wanted to scream, but knew it would do little good. The power was welling in her once more, and she only hoped whatever happened would be over quickly.

"You will accompany us to the palace for Aonalia."

It wasn't a question, but an order. He reached out a hand, brushing a stray lock out of Vita's eyes. Her heart raced as he cupped her cheek, his thumb running along the scar he had inflicted upon her.

"You'll look even more lovely in one of my wife's old dresses."

Amulius closed in suddenly, and she thought he was going to kiss her. She slammed her eyes shut, the flame of power threatening to envelop her body, when she heard a shout from the kitchen.

"Marcus!"

Thank the Gods .

Vita opened her eyes, her employer's face mere inches from hers. He grumbled under his breath before releasing her from his grasp, trudging towards his wife's voice as she scrambled to open her door. The temptation to slam it shut was strong, but she settled on clicking the latch into place.

Power coursed through her veins as she wrapped her arms around herself, swaying back and forth and trying to ignore the pain of the surge. Each time was different, and this one was agonizing as her hands grew warm, then hot, then scalding. She stifled her cries, desperate not to draw the attention of the entire household.

When she couldn't bear it any longer, Vita grabbed a book from her desk, urged on by the throb in her hands. The book immediately burst into flames and she let out a small scream before dropping it on the floor and stomping it out with her sandal. A blissful chill returned to her hands as she opened her window to let the smoke dissipate.

Flaming hands. That was a new one.

Vita picked up the book, ruined by the blaze she had created. The surges were coming more often now, and they were difficult to control when her emotions were high. The escalation of her employer's advances didn't help the matter… if she unleashed an outpouring of magic on him, he'd send her straight to the city jail. That is, if she didn't mortally wound him first.

She rifled through the wooden trunk at the end of her bed, finding the correct journal. With a feather quill, she wrote the date and a description of the surge that had just happened, then took out a different book and read through the last scene she had written.

Another one of her fairy stories. Something to calm her mind.

Vita tried to focus on writing the next scene, though her thoughts kept turning to Amulius and the fact that she would be going to the Aonalia Feast. This was what she had wished for, to attend the solstice celebration, though she'd assumed it would be the Domina asking her along, and not her vile husband.

Her vile husband, who was certainly up to something.

With a tap of her quill against the desk, she tried to clear her head, to decide where to take her story next.