We walked through the empty throne room. Our footsteps echoed around the white columns. The crystal tree blew in some unknown wind I couldn’t feel. The rainbows once again danced across the ground and walls from the sunlight reflected through the facets.
There were two heavily armored guards standing by a solid, arched wooden door with no carvings on it. They nodded as soon as they saw the man leading me in their direction and stepped aside, opening the door as they did.
The man walked into the room and abruptly turned on his heel to face me, his face menacing and angry. He radiated hatred, which I hadn’t earned. Moments ago, I had thought he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen, even with the three scars running down his face, marring his skin. But this attitude made him ugly.
“I’m gonna tell you this now, and then there will be no more need for talking beyond you doing as I say, when I say it. My name is Rune, and I’m going to be training you. I don’t give two damns about you, where you come from, or what great love you have for my brother. Celestine is a hag who likes to meddle. The only reason I am doing this is for her.” His long, callused finger pointed toward an onyx tomb.
Theonyx tomb. The real-life scene from Tor’s stories. I remembered all those nights that I dreamt of a princess asleep in the dark crystal, waiting to be released.
“Celestine says that you are the one to free her. Make no mistake. We will not be friends. You will hate me as time goes on, but you will become stronger and you will save her.”
Princess Nyx lay lovingly in jagged onyx, sharp points sparkling from the skylight above her, shining down, just like Tor had described. The onyx was massive, probably as big as one of the larger SUVs I’d seen decaying on the roads. Both the onyx and the purple-haired goddess were beautiful.
I looked at the man who had brought me, his eyes staring at the princess. I understood his gaze on her, his longing. I knew the emotion deep in my chest . . . the ache to touch someone you loved but couldn’t.
Tor was promised to marry Princess Nyx, and Rune, his apparent brother loved her, while I loved Tor.
Fuck.
Chapter Twelve
My first day in Crysia, the Fae realm of the West, was exhausting.
Rune quickly moved us from where his sleeping princess lay to the kitchen where he tossed me a few pieces of jerky, then we walked to a field by the base of a waterfall just outside the palace. There were no shops or homes, just an open space where the sounds of my panting and screams couldn’t be heard over the water falling off the edge and colliding with the river below.
I showed Rune what I knew, things Tor had taught me. He rolled his eyes more than a few times. I tried to hit Rune, I really did. Every punch I threw, he dodged quickly. Every kick or tackle I tried to make he took a step to the side, knowing where I was going to attack. With every miss, his aggravation grew. It was like every chance I failed was a step farther away from being reunited with the woman he loved.
I grumbled once that I hoped she truly was the savior of this world and that this was worth it.
I should have known better than to have spoken my thoughts aloud. Rune punished me for the action by giving me an impossible task. I had to climb the stone wall beside the waterfall. Slick rocks and moss were not the only obstacle in my way. I had no strength in my upper body to do that, let alone the fear that coated my insides at the thought of falling.
“Do it!” he barked, his body posture rigid, and his big arms crossed over his chest expectantly.
I tried. I only made it about five feet off the ground before he yelled, his voice as powerful as the falls itself.
“Do it again!”
And again. And again. Every time I fell, I got back up and tried over and over. We paused for a moment to eat, then I was back to trying to hit him. My body stung like it was going to splinter apart at the seams. I needed more rest; I needed more food. l lacked muscle and nutrients. My body needed the time to adjust from one survival mode to another.
After Rune finished trying to kill me with training, I was sentenced to cleaning the palace as needed to earn my keep. The other servants were quiet as Rune passed his babysitting duties onto them before he stormed off to probably make some other person’s day miserable. Shortly after the awkward introductions, I was put on floor duty.
None of the other servants talked to me much beyond showing me where I was to work, what tools I’d use, and where to put everything once I was done. The Fae who passed me ignored me, as their steps brought more dirt onto my freshly cleaned floors.
Thankfully, Celestine kept her promise of not telling many people the purpose of my presence. However, the pressure of my task built inside me like a stone in a river weighing me down more with every step.
At least the people in my community where I’d grown up were kind. Tor was kind, and the fact that he was half-Fae and part of this realm spoke much more for the Fae than they realized. If he was so good, then there were more just like him. I was sure of it.
Servants were supposed to be quiet. They received a small salary to do their jobs and go home. Since I was living here, my salary was my rent. It would have been nice to earn a wage, but I had a safe place to live. Hopefully one day I’d get to explore Crysia further and see the shops and land I’d glanced at through my window.
When the day was done, I’d settled in my new room with a plate of roast beef and potatoes. “Tomorrow is a new day, Sapphira,” I muttered to myself, exhausted, missing the companionship of Tor in the quiet moments. I anticipated another day of aching muscles, pain, and most likely a grumpy Rune. I’d seen him a few times after our training had ended, but he ignored me, like I wasn’t even there.
As I ate, I thought of Tor and his brother. There was so many things I didn’t know. What was their relationship like? Was Rune the older brother? Where did he get his scars from? Why didn’t Tor mention his brother in the stories?
Both were tall and had blue eyes but the similarities ended there. Tor was kind, and he made me laugh. His smile brightened my day and oozed warmth. He was comfortable and safe. I never tired of his voice and had loved those moments when he told me stories to help me sleep. His blue gaze surrounded me like a blanket warmed by the sun. Rune’s glacial look was like having a bucket of arctic water thrown on your head. Rune had been forged as a warrior. One brother was born and bred for war. The other maybe a diplomat? Tor would marry the princess as a way to grow the two kingdoms together harmoniously. Tor would be king, loved by everyone who had the pleasure of being in his presence. Tor was likeable, unlike Rune.
I set my empty plate on the small table next to the little bed and sighed. Celestine said I would be learning their history as well as physical training. That was something I was elated to do. There was so much to see and experience here.
But I knew my purpose. I couldn’t laze around. I had a job to do: learn the skills necessary to save Tor and free Princess Nyx while taking care of the palace I was housed in.
