Page 12 of The Curse of a Kingdom
“A Crow.” The fae swatting at her bees spat near their feet. “We don’t fear you.”
“I’m sure the king wants to prevent bloodshed, according to the accords he signed last year.”
The one with the gravelly voice grunted a curse, and the one with the spotted wings took a step closer. “Then call off your magic if you care about the accords.”
Devon’s pointed look was not lost on her. She dropped her hands to her sides, calling her bees off. The bees flew away up into the clearing sky, leaving Nava naked among the enemy.
A hand clasped her arm, and she winced when he drew her closer to him, her body crashing against the metal of his armor. He brought both her arms behind her back and soon she had shackles around her wrists, the coolness of the metal a contrast to her skin.
* * *
They spoke in a language she didn’t understand, but it sounded like a mix of elegant romantic-sounding words and beautiful unique tones. She walked with her head held high, her eyes prickling as her anger burned hotter. They were all men, taller than average and about the same height as Devon.
Muscular and built for battle, with wings as large and majestic as any painting of fae ever depicted. The rumors of faeries being fallen angels could be true—or demons that had escaped from the shadow lands.
They didn’t hide their wings, unlike Arkimedes. Their armor was made to accommodate their shapes. A wispy dark mist radiated from their bodies in different shades of black, present at all times. The fae and the mist that constantly surrounded them gave her the creeps.
The castle wasn’t far, and soon they were walking down well-kept stone pathways that led them to its back door. The entrance stood hundreds of steps away from them. Doors made of heavy metal and vaulted frames rose alongside majestic walls.
Now that she was this close, the variation between each brick of marble told a different story. Age had softened the sharp angles of the building as a whole. It was beautiful.
The fae who held her pushed her forward, and her foot caught on one of the uneven steps. Nava stumbled to the ground; every jagged edge of stone dug into her legs and stomach. A pained sound came out of her lips, and then she was hoisted up by her arms, sharp fingers digging into her skin.
She turned her face to the soldier and leveled him with a glare, trying to move out of his grasp. “Let go of me. I’m walking where you’re taking me.”
The Dark One pushed her forward with more strength than needed, and she almost tripped to the ground again. “Let’s gag the witch,” he said instead.
The one with the greenish armor and lighter spotted wings turned his head and studied her. “Calm down, Herous. She is restrained, and the cuffs have taken the magic away. The king will tell us what to do.”
A year ago, she’d had her first encounter with magic-canceling ropes and the horrible sensation that came from them draining her magic. These shackles had a similar burning feeling against her skin; however, this time it was different.
While her body wanted them off, her magic was alive and still running through her veins, even though she wore the cuffs. She wasn’t sure why the shackles weren’t working properly, not that she was complaining. Maybe it had to do with the fact that her magic as a Beekeeper didn’t work the same as a warlock or sorceress.
She wasn’t powerless here, not like they wanted her to be. Perhaps the fae had a reason to be dubious of her, after all.
The inside of the castle was bright. Tall, ribbed vaulted ceilings loomed over them, all a mixture of warm marble and copper. The tapestries hanging from the walls depicted moments in history she had no time to study, but what called her attention were the large stained glass windows that framed the aisles. Showing battles of beautiful winged figures, the bright colors kissed the floors in mosaic patterns that made her heart skip a beat.
Herous pushed her shoulder forward. She had fallen behind while staring at the surrounding beauty.
They walked for ages, down corridors and through rooms she supposed no one of importance frequented, if the subdued furnishings were anything to go by. She didn’t encounter any other Dark Ones, beyond the ones escorting them. Was the king of the Copper Kingdom fae or human?
She had never heard of the kingdoms’ royals being fae, but it was possible, considering all the Dark Ones around. Arkimedes had told her very little of his time here in searching for his kin. He’d said he found them in a village here, so she’d assumed the faes weren’t everywhere.
She hoped their luck would improve after seeing the king and that maybe they would make it out of the castle alive.
CHAPTERFIVE
NAVA
The doors in front of Nava were majestic, made of wood stained in ebony shades. Settings and images were carved into four panels. One was of a winged man standing over hills with both arms raised in the air; under his feet, roots grew deep into the ground. The second one was a beautiful blooming tree. The third was a queen who wore an intricately carved dress, and in her arms, she carried a child. The fourth was flowers, much like the creepy geometric ones that had spied on them in the garden.
Nava’s eyes lingered on that fourth panel. Out of the four, this last one was odd, newer than the rest, lacking the details of aged gold leaf, and shinier in finish.
Nava forced her gaze away from the image, taking a deep, calming breath. She had never met a royal before. How was she supposed to address a king? She didn’t even know his name. The king who apparently hated Roman. Maybe she needed to bow? Curtsy? If that was the case, how low?
Was she meant to go onto her knees and beg forgiveness so she and Devon could make their way into a forest village and find her soulmate?
Out of all she’d learned from Laurie, who had been Cameron and her caregiver since she could remember, how to address a king had never been a part of her studies. Much less if this king was a fae. One would think a book would have said as much.
