Chapter 1
The town was filthy and crowded. A thousand smells assaulted him as he followed his father down the street toward the main square. Even with the racket and general griminess of the place, he loved it. It was everything his home was not, and it intrigued him.
He studied every face he could. Some were hardened and wrinkled as though they had lived their whole life in the sun and wind. Others were still young and hopeful, young men still practically boys with bright eyes and smooth faces, pretty girls with lovely blushes on their cheeks as they smiled at him. He couldn’t help but return their smiles. Even though the women of his realm were above what anyone would call beautiful, he couldn’t help but be fascinated with the human women around him. They had something genuine and vivacious that was lacking from those in his court.
“Careful, Ky,” said his father as he reached out and grabbed his arm before he stumbled into the street. “Mind the horses.”
He looked up just as a horse carrying a cart so full of men it was bowing in the center passed. The men were in an iron cage, many of their hands bound. He watched it make its way down the street, a stream of women and girls following it, some wailing.
“Father, what…”
“Not now, son,” said his father in a harsh whisper. He pulled him to the left. “This way.”
Ky followed his father, the crowd becoming thicker and thicker as they made their way down the street. There was shouting and shoving. Someone’s shoulder bounced off his, making Ky slightly shove the man to get by and keep up with his father. Finally, they emerged at the front of the crowd in the main square, where several men were rounded up, surrounded by soldiers with swords and spears.
An older man was going around with a list and quill, a boy following him with an ink pot. The older man asked each man his name as he made a note on his list. Once the old man had spoken to them all, he turned to a guard near another wagon with a cage.
“To Parworth, I think. They’ve been wanting some new men to man the ships there, and this appears a hardy lot. They live close to the sea, so they should have some familiarity with sea travel.”
There was a commotion on the other side of the circle. “No,” said a voice. “You can’t take them.” The crowd moved and finally parted as a girl who was almost a woman made it through. She burst into the square and ran towards two men in the circle. Three guards closed around her, one nicking her arm with his sword, though she didn’t seem to notice. “Let them go. This is a mistake.”
Ky looked at the girl, his feet shuffling forward at the sight of her. She had to be the loveliest thing he’d ever seen. Her hair was thick, wavy, and light brown, unbound and coming down to her waist. Her deep brown eyes were large and framed by exquisite long eyelashes. They were bright with anger, her cheeks red with it too. Along her nose, she had a smattering of freckles that only added to her beauty. He took another step, wanting to see her better. She was dressed simply in a deep blue dress that hugged her curvy hips. The top tie had come done, revealing just a hint of cleavage. She was in a barely controlled rage, which caused her to almost glow. Ky leaned back and looked at his father. She didn’t just almost glow. She was glowing; it was faint, but it was there.
His father leaned close to him and whispered. “Magic. It’s magic. You can taste it. She’s a witch.”
The guard who had nicked the girl pushed her back. “Get home, miss. There’s no mistake here. Leave before you find yourself in trouble.”
“Listen to him, Eva,” said the older of the men she had run towards. “Go home and take care of Nia.”
“But there’s no one left if you go, father. Without you and Aeron, how will we live?”
“You’re smart, Eva, and more than capable of taking care of things. Aeron and I will find our way back, but until then, you will have to do it. Keep Nia well.”
“No,” said Eva, tears falling down her lovely face. “We were told they were safe, that they wouldn’t go. My father has a bad foot, and my brother is too young.” She grabbed the guard, her anger melting into desperation. “Please, please have mercy. There’s no one else. Our mother is dead. My sister is sick. You are condemning us all to death.”
The guard chuckled. “Fewer mouths for the kingdom to feed then.” He grabbed Eva and pulled her closer. “But you have your uses. You’ll come with us.”
“No!” said Eva’s father. “Leave her be. She didn’t mean to interrupt. Let her go.” He moved forward, the guards stopping him. “Eva, run. Eva!”
The guard held her tighter as Eva tried to push away. She clawed at the guard, finally biting his arm. He cried out and raised it before striking her across her cheek hard. She went down as her father and what must have been her brother screamed her name.
Something ignited inside of Ky, seeing the young woman on the ground, a bit of blood around her lips. He clenched his fist, wanting to pummel the man who had dared strike her. She wiped her mouth and looked up at the guard with such hatred the man took a half step back. She stood slowly, blood running down her lips, her eyes wide and wild.
As she raised her hands, her hair started floating around her as the wind picked up. The air was full of the scent of magic, making Ky’s own rise within him. If she performed her craft here, there would be no going back for her. She would be taken immediately, maybe even killed. The idea that she would be caged or die made bile rise in Ky’s throat. He had to do something; he had to save her.
He raised his hand, keeping his eyes on the exquisite wild woman in front of him, his heart pounding in his chest. However, before he could do anything, his father snapped his fingers, and time stood still. The cries and shouts of the crowd went silent as everything froze around him. Eva was still there, her hands half raised, her hair in an almost golden stream around her, her eyes wide and filled with light.
“What are you doing, Ky,” said his father. “You can’t interfere.”
“But if she shows what she is…” started Ky.
“Then her life is as good as over,” finished his father. “It’s a shame. She’s powerful. I can feel it.”
“She lovely,” said Ky without thinking. “Lovely, wild, and terrifying. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let her throw away her life.”
“You don’t know her, Ky. She’s …she’s nothing, nobody,” said his father, but there was something wavering in his voice. Ky could almost taste the lie on his father’s lips.
“Father, she’s not nothing.” He turned to look at her again. “Who is she?”
His father glanced at him. “She’s from an old family, one with a history as old as ours. Before this chaos of perpetual war, they were allies to many, even those in our realm. There might be some faerie blood mixed with the lineage somewhere. It wouldn’t surprise me. I thought their magic had dimmed over the centuries, breeding with ordinary humans, but this girl, she’s….” His father shook his head. “She was made for another time, another place. If she’s not caught today, she will be eventually.”
“No,” said Ky. He couldn’t help it. He walked forward, careful not to touch any of the frozen humans around him. He moved so close to her that he could brush her cheek if he wished. “We can’t let them do this. None of this is right.”
“I know,” said his father in a gentler voice than usual. “But we can’t interfere. The old treaties make it so. Human affairs are their own.”
“Then why did we come here today?”
“I…I wanted to see how bad it had gotten. We hear only rumors from our land. I needed to know what was happening in this place, a place I once had friends myself.”
“Please,” said Ky, turning towards his father. “Please, just this once. Let me save her.” His father rested his hands on his hips as he stared at Ky. “Please.”
His father moved closer and circled Eva as though studying her, his nostril flaring. He reached out, hovering his hand just over her back. He gave a quick glance at Ky, his eyes bright and searching. “I can’t save her father and brother. I can’t save any of these men from their fate, which will probably be gruesome.” There was regret and pain in his voice.
“I know, but just this once. Just her. I…I can’t…” He swallowed, keeping back tears that threatened to fall. It was strange. He rarely cried. “Please.”
“Very well,” said his father as he moved to the guard in front of Eva and whispered lies that would become truth in his ear.
Ky moved even closer to Eva and whispered. “Don’t lose who you are. Don’t let them make you forget. Don’t give up.”
He leaned back as a bright light flashed around him, making him shut his eyes. When he opened them, the crowd again yelled and shouted, but Eva was gone. Ky blended back into the crowd with his father, moving away from the square. Before they turned to escape into the forest, he watched as Eva’s brother and father were loaded into the wagon.f
