Page 122 of Bound By Darkness

Beingon call was every bit as miserable as it sounded, and Iyanna called at the most random times, sometimes in the middle of the night when I needed precious sleep.

From first light to midday, I trained with Ivan. My mouth was slowly growing accustomed to the taste of dirt as I had yet to beat him. Then from midday to afternoon, I earned my keep. Iyanna supplemented me with a wage, but I still had to pull my weight around camp. Anything from gardening, to cooking with Gia, or cleaning the pastures.

From afternoon to night, I attended history lessons which required me to read and write. As Iyanna came to find out, I struggled with both, and in her words, it did not suit someone of prophetic nature. These were the lessons I despised the most, because Iyanna taught them.

While skilled in knowledge, she was a terrible teacher and expected memorization from me after one encounter with new information. If I answered incorrectly, I had to share one private memory. If I answered correct, she would state one fact about Cethales’ history.

It was a cat and mouse game where the only person who benefited was her. If I didn’t speak, she’d command it. It was an elaborate plan because if I ever left, she knew every detail of my life, even the parts I hid from those closest to me.

“Are you listening?”

I twirled a piece of hair between my fingers, forgetting I sat in front of the Queen now.

Iyanna clicked her nails against the desk, a loud sigh leaving her lips. “Did you hear anything I said?”

I lifted my shoulders in a slight shrug. “No.”

Iyanna rubbed her temples slowly, the lines etching further into her forehead. “Repeat the last lines from the book again.”

My lips pursed into a thin line as I grabbed the book, my eyes straining to read the historical records. “The Four Houses were created after the gods vanished to protect the four people who managed to kill a Fae god. Their children were blessed with the same casting when born, furthering the curse—” I paused, my eyes flicking to hers before slamming the book down.

“This is ridiculous. This is common Fae history and not how I should be spending my time.”

“Oh? How should you be spending your time?”

“Looking for the Book of Spells. Hell, looking for Asa or the rebels. When I agreed to the blood oath, you promised to uphold your end of the bargain. So far, I’ve seen no mention or move toward letting us look for them.”

Iyanna sat up, her shoulders squaring as her sea-foam eyes narrowed. “Do not threaten me. My bargain will be upheld as yours was to me. There are many things outside of this camp you are unfamiliar with.”

“Then tell me,” I spat, my hands digging into oak. “I’m not a meek woman who can’t handle the stains of blood. Keeping me in the dark does not help your cause or mine.”

Iyanna pursed her lips, a war wagingin the whites of her eyes as a breath funneled from her parted lips. “Very well,” she muttered. Clearing her throat, she spoke. “The Four Houses have crumbled beneath Hywell’s control.”

“Yes, I’m aware,” I snapped, my eyes glued to hers.

A slight rumble left her chest as she flicked her eyes to me. “I don’t appreciate your arrogance.”

“Just a taste of your own vices.”

She scoffed, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. “Then I assume you know how strong the rebels have become?”

My lips pursed together. I knew they were strong based on what Ivan had told me, but to be continuing to increase in size?

A rough chuckle left her lips at my silence. “They stole Asa, the King and Queen of Laias’ daughter to tip the levels to the rebels, and slowly steal power from King Hywell.” Iyanna rubbed her temples.

“Why?” I blurted. “Why would they want to accomplish such a thing?”

“To eliminate competition and destroy King Hywell’s plan.”

“His plan?”

Iyanna’s lips pursed together. She was silent, the only sound of her nails clicking in the tent before her lips parted. “He wants to eradicate all casting except for psychic casting—the casting of House Armas.Hiscasting. It’s why he destroyed Krones, my homeland, and why he subdued Laias for so long with the tax.”

“But if he wants to eradicate all other forms of casting, why wouldn’t he kill the King and Queen of Laias earlier? What about House Raha? Why does he let them live?”

She shrugged. “Who’s to say he won’t eliminate Raha once he lifts the curse? Laias is decimated thanks to the rebels. Whatever plan he had for them I can only assume was destroyed.”

My mouth dried. “He’s looking to lift the curse?”

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