Chapter 1
It wasn’t always like this. There never used to be a wall of people between us. There was never a reason for us to look in opposite directions. This isn’t why I left my old life in my small town to follow him and his other wives to the big kingdom. I don’t want this love. This fleeting and fickle love.
Leland took his hand away from Mya’s arm and cleared his throat. The other three women in the room turned their attention to him. But now it was because of his authority and not because we wanted to give him the attention he was calling for.
“As you all know a king needs his queen,” Leland said from his spot on the red loveseat. The same one where he spouted that nonsense about a proper heir. Laughable was what it was dealing with him. I couldn’t believe a year had passed where I chose to follow him and now, I was disregarded as not a proper woman to bear his son. How dare he treat us like this.
“That’s true.” Mya, the eldest, said. She was a beautiful brunette whose smile was brighter than the sun, with fair skin, blue eyes, and shiny white teeth even against the odds of her upbringing. She was perfect, round in all the right places, flat in others, and held on to her youth with death’s clasp.
Leland nodded. He stroked pink locks of hair on his other side. Rita, the one before me and the third wife. She had the prettiest pink hair in the kingdom, a sign of her family's old station as nobles. Now, they were not such after the previous duke preceded her hometown, but she retained the wealth of beauty that was due to her. She was a bit taller than me and a lot more fierce and loving. But she was definitely not deserving of being treated like this. Even if she had prepared for it in a more, noble situation.
“So, I have come to a decision about what I will do,” Leland said. I should call him King Leland. But after how he ascended the throne, he owned no such title. I click my tongue a bad habit I picked up from my homeland. Leland’s brown eyes settled on me. I remain as still as a doll, and keep my face clear of the anger bubbling under my skin. Or at least I hope.
“Do you have something you want to add, wench?” He asks sharply.
See that’s the problem with Leland. The more power he attained the worse his attitude. I pull the ends of my lips upward in a way that crinkles the taught skin around my eyes.
“Of course not my king,” I say. I drag the words out, slow and soft how he likes it. Just like in bed, or when he was plagued with nightmares.
“Good. As I was saying, I made a decision. Now, it is not in your favor. But trust me I have thought long and hard about this. If I appease the nobles with a marriage to a distant princess they will be more inclined to side with my decisions.” I felt my stomach drop to my feet. I hadn’t seemed to be the only one.
“King,” Ava said. Leland’s eyes slid over to her. The haughty woman stood up and straightened out her bodice and skirts. “I am taking my leave.”
He raised his brows.
“Excuse me? I am talking.” He said rising from his seat. The moment his grasp has left Rita’s hair she stands and steps away from him.
“King. I am taking my leave.” She muttered as well.
He whips around to her and growls. It’s a feral noise he used to practice in the mirror at the inn we used to stay in before moving to the palace. A sign of his birth, a wanderer, a vagabond who did not deserve the healthy crown propped atop his perfectly kept blonde hair.
Mya and I followed suit taking our proper bows before the four of us headed for the door.
“How dare you walk away when your king is speaking!” He called after us. The thing about love, is it makes you stupid. I turn just briefly and show the heartbreak I felt on my face. I could feel the spring of burning tears behind my mask of anger.
Sometimes I notice just how alone you feel.
I turn away with my sisters and follow them out to our wing of the palace. The wing for the consorts, mistresses, and whores.
When the door is closed and bolted behind us Rita throws herself into the heap of pillows she created on the floor.
“How dare he spout that nonsense? What about the promises he made to us? What about the love that used to fall from those precious lips? How dare he-“ She hissed. Tears spilled past her long lashes sliding through her thin powered make-up.
I swallow back my own pain and fall into the heap beside her.
Rita was so full of love, and adoration. She cared for me and the women before her as if we were her own sister, her own flesh. She was like a mother and a daughter all at once. Fun and responsible.
I kiss her forehead and pull her into a side hug. She melts into it a ball of sniffles and tears.
“He says he wants the noble's favor,” Ava said. “He’s just trying to get on our good side. I know he just wants someone he thinks is worth their time.” Ava look disappointed.
I understood the way she felt. While I was still developing the love I had felt for him, she had already fallen deeply in love. She was touched by him as night fell and loved by him when the sun rose. He had promised her many sons and daughters, wealth she could only dream of. But all we wanted was him.
I close my eyes and breathe deeply through my nose. Rose fills the air as Mya falls into the heap beside me and pulls me into her embrace. The other side dips as Ava joins us.
Pangs of anger ran through my flesh. “I thought he loved us,” I whispered absently. I hadn’t noticed how much it pained them to hear those words. Or I wouldn’t have said them at all. The silent tears that filled the room were more heartbreaking than anything I had ever experienced before in my entire nineteen years of life.
The women who breathed love, health, and security were breaking beside me, and I was the cause.
It wasn’t long ago that we were lost in a whirlwind of love and promises. I closed my eyes and tried to remember.
It wasn’t always this way.
Seven months ago
Before ascending the throne
“Leland!” I called to him. He was the brightest spot of light in all the people here. I could see him clear as day with that shiny hair that glimmered like gold.
He turned away from the fish seller and smiled. His wave was cast my way and his brown eyes darkened the air around him. Electricity vibrated under my hands. Around him, I felt magic surging through me. It was addicting to find something to protect, to want, and to have.
I sprint across the marketplace over to him and throw my arms around his shoulders. He wraps his arms around my waist and places me down.
He was chuckling, “You’ll make the children curious if you hold me like this at the market.”
I nuzzled his neck and let go. “I will apologize to no mother for embracing my man,” I say defiantly and turn to the stallkeeper.
He laughed awkwardly and rubbed his big, rough hands together.
I paused for a moment to admire his callouses. I was only eighteen and the two months of travel away from my hometown to the kingdom of Azarath was tedious for me. I was still getting used to the strange amount of sun, and this crowded land, and all the new types of people I saw.
“You must like catfish.” The seller said. He gave me a toothless grin.
I almost backed away. I had seen many kinds of smiles, but never had I seen a man with no teeth. I glance at Leland who tried to hold back his smile. He knew that I was new to meeting others, and that toothless grins were not on my list of new things to experience.
“Do we like catfish?” I asked sheepishly rubbing a hand over my neck. It stung lightly.
Leland reached behind me quick enough to change the direction of the wind. I looked at his hand as he pulled back. Mosquito. “Thank you, sweetie.”
“You welcome and we love catfish. Please wrap it up with some of the big shrimps.” Leland said.
The man ambled to pull together the order and I gazed around us. The men and women dressed scantily around here, but it was because of the weather. As well as the fact no one seemed to care what others looked like. Women bore their shoulders and men showed off their feet and hands. I was not used to such sights and minded my staring.
My eyes caught with a flash of violet before it vanished. The heck. Was it a person?
“Seraphim?” Leland called. I turned back to him and smiled. He smiled back and ruffled my hair.
“Hold the fish, it’s a bit drippy so be mindful.” I held the heavy package of fish and ambled along the market. I looked around more often and even wandered. I hadn’t realized I lost sight of Leland until I found myself in the alleyway. Alleyways were not very safe for young, unwed women. I swallowed down my discomfort and looked around.
The alleyway was dusty and dark. I didn’t see any figures but what did I know about seeing in the dark? I had barely gone outside enough as it was.
“Maiden.” A soft voice called.
I hadn’t heard feet behind me. I turned to the man. He appeared from a door. I balked. There was a door?
“Uh, yes?” I asked. He chuckled and pulled the hood from his head. Deep blue hair caught on the light whisps of sunlight streaming in from the ally. It was hair the same color as Ava's.
“You’re blocking the door.” He said. His sweet voice vibrated over the words.
“Oh,” I said too late and stepped back. He stepped forward into my personal space, his dark hair fell around my face.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His voice was getting deeper and rougher. I had heard something like this with Leland before he asked me if…I wanted children. I swallowed and looked away. The scent of fish wafted between us and I remembered where I was.
“Uh, sorry I’m married,” I said before darting out of the alley. I clutched the fish to my rapidly beating heart and started walking in whatever direction my feet took me.
A hand clutched my arm and I jumped.
“Hey, Sera it’s okay. It’s just me.” Leland said. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my temple. I relaxed into his embrace.
“Sorry, I was looking around and must have wandered off,” I said. My voice sounded smaller than normal. Thicker and lighter. I had never heard it like this before. The man from the alleyway stepped out. His blue hair danced beyond the covering of his hood. My breath caught in my throat and I buried my face in Leland's chest.
“Hey, it's okay. Let’s get you home.” He pulled me along. I’m not sure if he knew what was wrong but I was glad to be with a familiar face.
At the house, I tried to think of a reason. One reason why I wasn’t scared in that alleyway. No, no, it couldn’t be that. I had barely looked at his face. But his voice, the scent of wood on his clothes, that gorgeous blue hair. I squeezed my eyes together and prayed it was not that.
Every mage had a certain type of ability. It was well suited with an ability opposite of it. I’m an energy mage, I can heal and poison the energy of people around me. Dark mages were like walking death itself. With unchartable amounts of energy.
I hushed my stupidity and tried to join the conversation. But that voice haunted my sleep.
Later in the evening, I lay awake on the couch. Usually sleep in the bed with everyone else but when I can't sleep I often lay on the couch. I sighed.
I hope he isn’t a dark mage. It will be hard for me to forget his energy signature if he is.
“Sera?” Leland called sleepily from above me. I sat up and smiled at him.
