Page 11 of A Book of Royals and Deities

“We are forever grateful for you, father.” I nearly roll my eyes, but I remember that doing that would be stupid.

“When my first wife betrayed me, she took both the books. One she hid, and I searched endlessly for it. The other she took with her and disappeared with the dragons. I’m no fool. I knew that, one day, those dragons would reappear, most likely with royal riders. One day…I had to be ready. Dragons are not the only large creatures that ever roamed this world.” A roar echoes from deep within the mountain, and I whirl towards the entrance where we are heading. That roar…it sounded horrid. “The dragon’s magic may come from the sun and moon, but there is more powerful magic left in this world. In the darkness. The books dwell in the magic of the dark, and I read about creatures that once roamed this world. I found them as hatching eggs and made sure they would grow strong.”

A weird noise echoes again, something like a roar, but it’s too high pitched. The darkness of the cave entrance swoops over us, and a cold chill settles down my spine. The darkness seems like it lasts forever, and only the noise of the creaky cart is left until blue fire lanterns illuminate the long corridor and tunnels. The screeching grows and I dare to meet the king’s eyes. He is looking right at me, and he touches my hair, like he often does. “You are safe, Ava. I need you. Do not be frightened.”

I nod, my hands still shaking as I grip the wooden seat of the cart, not believing a word the king has to say. He is a liar, and he might say he needs me, but we both know I’m easily replaced.We go deep into the mountain in silence, and Prince Emyr watches the path ahead, his silver flashing in the blue light.

The king never lets go of my thigh the whole way. I hate when he touches me. His touch always makes me feel cold and empty inside, even he is talented at making my body react in the way he wants. But right now, when I’m terrified of wherever we’re going, I quite happily forget he is there. The cart goes past hundreds of workers in grey cloaks, digging into the mountain, walking around carrying bags of rocks, and once again I realise how lucky I am to be a blood slave to the king when I could have been this. The deities put me here at the king’s side for a reason, and I hope I can do some good before I die.

The cart loops to the side and goes down a long tunnel that goes further and further into the ground. I feel like I can’t breathe, like the air gets tighter the deeper we go until the cave branches out into a gigantic, wide cavern. In cages that must stretch for miles are creatures like I’ve never seen. They’re huge, made completely of bone and rotting skin…with long wings that stretch out, crackling against the earth as they dig them in. Their mouths almost remind me of dogs, with a massive jaw of teeth that glitter blue, and their spike ears are long and stretched up. They don’t have eyeballs, just black pits of nothing, with an eerily blue glow right in the centre.

The bones of these disgusting smelling creatures rattle as they move, and the one nearest makes a screeching noise that hurts my ears. I clamp my hands over them, but the king and the prince don’t flinch. I glance at the prince as I cover my ears, and the awe on his face makes my stomach sink. The creatures seem to glow in their chests like dark blue stars.

The king pats his son’s knee. “We have four thousand of them, including trained vampyre riders. I kept the biggest and thesecond largest dragon for you. My heir, my son, to ride next to mine.” The nearest creature to us roars, and blue flames spit out of its mouth, pouring into the floor in the cage before it snarls and curls around. They are alive, whatever these beasts are. “We call them the Silkvir, and they are loyal to the vampyres. They will take out what is left of the dragons with ease.”

“What about the magical barrier?” Prince Emyr leans back, a smugness in his voice that sends shivers down my spine. There is an emptiness to the prince and a cruelty that I’ve only ever seen in his father, but perhaps Emyr is worse. I’ve watched him drain women here, only feeding from red-haired fae and making them scream in pain for hours. It’s a sport, death, for princes like him.

“The book will tell us.” My head shoots to him. “I found it only a month ago. Almost like the lost dark deities I pray to have sent a blessing.”

Dark deities? I don’t get more than a second to wonder who he is talking about. There are two deities known to all fae, and as far as I’ve known, the vampyres do not have gods to worship. The prince smirks. “I’m glad to hear they answered your call. They rarely show they listen to mine.”

“The dark deities have blessed us with immortal life and much more, son. We cannot be too greedy.” I only remember last minute to lower my head when the king looks right at me before turning back to his son. “The book is here. I keep it buried deep down in this mountain with my greatest weapons. I want you to see it and speak to the dark deities with me. The book is a connection to them.”

If this book is a connection to the dark deities, does the other twin book to it have a connection to our deities? My heart races as the cart goes past the creatures, past thousands of them thatlook at me, and I see nothing in the black, empty pits of their blue glowing eyes. I find it easier to focus on the light in their chests than their eyes. The prince looks pleased as we go past, but I look in horror, knowing these creatures will kill hundreds of thousands of fae and will just make the vampyres more powerful than they already are. Are the dragons even a threat to this many Silkvir?

When the cart takes a swift right, I hear it. Something whispers in the back of my mind…like a song.

“My previous wife was smart to hide them from me. Once I find the other book and hold them both once again, I will be able to rid the world of any dragons and fae who stand against us. I will use the dark magic to bend this world to my will, and you, my son, will live in the riches. I admire you.”

“You do?” Prince Emyr looks as shocked as I feel.

“Yes. You claimed your love for that fae and did not break your word. You are a prince of honour and everything I dreamed you would become.” He leans forward. “I am trusting you, my heir, to put the fate of the vampyres first. Our army is all that matters for now. When there is peace again, we will find that blood slave of yours, and you can turn her as you planned.”

“I am yours to command, my king.” Prince Emyr bows, but I get the impression he would do anything to get Story back. I hope she has run for the hills. My heart races as the song gets louder and louder until it feels like a drumming in my head. The cart stops by two doors that launch high into the thick mountain wall, and in front of them is a row of vampyre royal guards in black armour. They open the doors as the king grabs my chin and turns me to him. He leans in, pressing his cold lips against mine. “Stay here, Ava. We will be back.”

I nod once, watching him as he climbs off with the prince and walks through the door, past the row of guards.

“Save me.”

I spin around, looking for the childlike male voice but not seeing anyone close to the cart. The fae driver is a few feet away from the guards, and they are all silent. My eyes tug towards the door. “You must save me. Take me. I am your book to command. Take me to my twin, who has found the other child of Twilight in the trap. Take me, take me, take me.”

The book. It’s speaking to me somehow. The voice dies away when the doors slam shut behind the king and prince. I shiver in the mountain, looking back at the Silkvir. I feel the dark magic wash over me from the voice, like a nasty echo. Dark, horrid magic is all I felt from it. I thought the dragons coming back was hope, but I should have known better. In this world, hope can be as easily crushed as a fire can be extinguished.

Chapter Seven

Page Seven?—

In Twilight, any descendant can find their true flame…

Ziven, wearing a crown, should be considered more dangerous than a dragon. He’s stunning, absolutely taking my breath away. Ziven is dressed fully in tailored black clothes, with beautiful red and gold moons stitched down the side of a thick cloak that falls from his shoulders. His crown is beautiful moons and dragons wrapped around like they’re continuously fighting in a braid to make the crown, and it is nestled in his dark hair. His silver earrings glitter in the firelight, matching the deep silver colour of his eyes. The dark moon marking on his cheek seems to glow almost, as he stands before me like a rightful king of the fae. The only king that is standing up to face the fae.

He is standing right by the doors that lead to a metal balcony that overlooks the front yard of the mansion. Another door that’s appeared now that the magic is broken. I clear mythroat, glancing down at my clothes. I feel overdressed, but I have to admit, I like the top. I have a similar cloak to Ziven’s attached to my shoulders, but it’s not heavy. Mine has silver moons decorated around the collar before falling down my back. There’s a cross pattern on my black top that’s very tight and tucked into tighter leggings and black boots. Somehow, Ruelle had all this ready when I got to my room.

Kyrell is with Calix, who’s keeping an eye on him. The rest of the Moon Dynasty is still hunting vampyres in the city and rounding up the vampyres who have bowed and given up into a controlled section of the city for Ziven to deal with later on. Most of the vampyres are dead; not many of them, except children and women, wanted to bow to the dragons and fae because they are too used to being in control.

Ziven shuts the door behind me, his eyes drifting over my outfit, and he smirks. “If only you didn’t volunteer us for a speech. We could be alone in my room.”

Shivers spread down my spine. “Who said I would go into your room? You’re my enemy, remember?”

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