The New King
The frantic knocking on his door woke him well before the voice carried into the room.
“Prince— I mean, your Majesty,” a sentinel spluttered, bursting into his bedchamber.
He arched a brow at the lack of propriety. Or he tried to. Judging by the way the male paled, he must have been scowling at him.
“My apologies, Prin— King Cethin,” the male said, stumbling over the words again. Cethin couldn’t blame him. He’d been the king for only a handful of weeks. He’d been the prince for centuries.
Swiping a hand down his face, he sighed. “What is it?”
“There’s a ship on the horizon!” the male blurted, eyes wide.
Cethin blinked in response before he said, “Are you saying you woke me to tell me a ship is arriving? Ships arrive every godsdamn day, Nevin.”
“This ship is coming from the east, Prince. Er— your Majesty,” the sentinel replied, fidgeting where he stood. Whether from excitement or nerves, Cethin wasn’t sure.
But the words had him flying out of his bed, any lingering drowsiness immediately vanishing.
Within moments, he’d pulled on a tunic and pants, shoved his feet into boots, and Traveled through a rip in the air to the docks of the main port.
Among those waiting on the docks was Razik Greybane, a member of the Avonleya Cadre. The male sneered, only deigning to look at him at all because there were others around. He had to show some sort of acknowledgment to the presence of the king. He was shirtless, his dark wings out and arms crossed over his broad chest. But Cethin was far more focused on the black dragon approaching quickly from the east than he was on the male he’d had a rivalry with since the time they could walk.
The beast dove straight for them, shifting midair so his boots hit the wood of the docks several feet away, the pier shuddering under the force. He closed the distance quickly, offering a small bow when he reached them.
“King Cethin,” the male greeted.
“Please don’t, Tybalt,” Cethin muttered, gaze still fixed on the incoming ship that shouldn’t be there. Couldn’t be there.
It should be impossible.
There hadn’t been ships from across the Edria Sea in over half a millennium.
But as the sun broke over the horizon, a ship sailed closer. It wasn’t a large vessel by any means, but it was a ship nonetheless. A ship that had managed to make it past the islands and through the black fog that marked the boundaries of their curse.
“How many passengers does it carry?” Razik asked gruffly.
“Not many from what I can tell. A couple dozen. Maybe a few more below deck,” Tybalt answered. Then he paused before adding, “There are a few Fae and some mortals among the passengers. Saylah must have found a way to allow them through.”
Cethin kept his features impassive.
The goddess of night and shadows had nothing to do with people entering the Wards, despite having everything to do with being the reason their people were confined behind those Wards to begin with.
No,hewas the reason that ship was making its way to their docks. After years of failing over and over, it appeared he’d finally been successful. Of course, if anyone knew what he’d been doing these last decades to make this happen, they’d all feel very differently about the new arrivals.
But no one needed to know. It was the king’s business.
And as of a month ago, he was the king.
Part One
Of Queens and Bargains
Chapter 1
Razik
Three Seasons Later
