Cursed

Come join the author at
www.knightsofink.weebly.com
!

R. B. Knight is dedicated to helping writers and authors create their Magnum Opus through insightful blog posts, honest video tutorials, and live events!

Sign up for a FREE copy of her eBook: “How To Write A Book”!

CURSED

By R. B. Knight

Copyright © 2016 by Regan Guerra

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2016

ISBN 0-9000000-0-0

R. B. Knight Books

1550 E Thunderbird Rd. Apt 1057

Phoenix, AZ 85022

www.RBKnightBooks.com

Adrienne
 gasped and
looked away, but knew it was already too late. Five years as queen, five years of dealing with Councilman Havard’s oiled countenance... she should have known better. She scanned for some way of escape in the throng of ballroom dancers, but everywhere she stepped, the surrounding crowd would allow her the proper two paces of space, giving away her position. Ironic that the law designed to keep her safe
 now betrayed her
. She could make out her husband’s form across the sea of glittering gowns and ro
bed gentlemen
. If she could just…

“Your majesty?”

Adrienne bit her lip and took in a breath, taking care not to make too much noise, and turned around with the smile she’d practiced since she was very small. “Yes, Councilman?
Are you e
njoying yourself?”

“I am trying, your majesty, but you are so very diverting from the rest of the young ladies in the room. Has his highness bought you a true silk gown?”

Adrienne blinked to hide the scowl that threatened to rise. Havard knew full well how both she and her husband had agreed to keep their own expenses minimal while focusing on bettering the kingdom. The line her father had drawn between bloodlines had cut deep. The Councilman’s comment, designed to jab at her beloved Markus’ ability to provide, no doubt, earned several scowls from the guests who resided in the lower village and she blushed.

“What can I do for you, Councilman?” She
took a deep breath
 to help her keep her smile in place.

Havard inched closer, to the point where Adrienne felt uncertain whether she could call the guards without treading on broken glass with her guests. “So, so many things, your majesty, but for now, a simple dance, perhaps?”

He’d practiced that influxion. In spite of the distance, only she had heard the first of what he
’d said.
The last was loud enough for the immediate audience to hear, but not so loud as to catch anyone else’s attention,
such as
 Markus or Gaius, the guard captain.

Backed into a corner.
She’d promised to refuse a dance with
no
one
 upon their first request. It had been intended as a peace offering, an attempt to unite the classes, and now it had grown fangs. The night was still young and none of the other guests had asked her, as of yet. If she refused a Councilman,
n
o one else would dare ask and the opportunity to heal past wounds would vanish.

She’d already waited too long to give an answer. The crowd’s movements had slowed to listen in, to see what she’d do.

“Of course, Councilman.”

Armed with her permission, Havard crossed the threshold and signaled the orchestra, who started to play a song that made the entire room groan.

Several couples moved to the drinks and hor d'oeuvres, while others sat in the chairs, fanning themselves. Instead of remaining on the dance floor, however, Havard steered Adrienne through the crowd and into the adjacent room. Her heart began to race. He’d planned this.

In a moment of panic, she tried to pull away, but he surprised her with his strength.

“Just hear me out, your majesty. You’re going to want to
listen to
 what I have to say.”

Adrienne blinked. Had she misjudged the Councilman? Was there a danger in the room she’d missed in trying to avoid a mere annoyance?

No. Markus would have seen it first. Her chest felt as if it wanted to implode as she realized some
one had sealed off
 the room they’d entered. All of the curtains
hung shut
.
No furniture or rugs decorated the bare stone floor
. The only light glowed from a few well-placed candelabras and a fireplace roaring to Adrienne’s left. For a moment, she wondered why the servants had lit it. None of the guests would come in here
.

“No more excuses, Adrienne. No more evasions. I’ve respected your decisions for years, no matter how eccentric. The poor excuse of a man you chose has failed to produce an heir. It’s time you placed your people above your fancies. This kingdom needs a successor and I will happily-”

“W-wait.” Adrienne took a step back. “What in the name of the Five are you doing? Calling us by our given name? Insulting us
and
 your King? Have you taken leave of all sense?”

Havard’s face darkened. “I am offering you redemption from becoming the most laughed-at ruler in our history, your majesty. I am the only eligible noble in the Council and the obvious choice for replacement as King. The Elders-”

Adrienne scowled, unable to hold up any more facades. “They put you up to this, didn’t they?”

“It was a unanimous agreement, Adrienne. You need an intervention. We were willing to allow your fancies for a while, but the inability to produce an heir…”

“Is business between our husband and ourselves. The Council has no right-”

“The Council has
every
 right, your majesty. An heir must have at least half-royal blood or they cannot rule, so adoption is out. What other choice is there?”

“Perhaps it’s time to reconsider such a law. Has the Council ever thought about that? Which is worse; having a ruler with an unknown lineage or having one who cannot keep oaths even to those for whom they
deeply care
?”

The hard lines in Havard’s face divided his furious expression like an ill-pieced puzzle. “I warn you, Adrienne. If you refuse me, the Council has given me permission to remove you from power.”

She raised a brow. “While the people are already in unrest?
Does the Council truly believe denouncing the only advocates for the welfare of their so-called peasants will allow them to rule without question?”

Havard laughed. “You forget how fickle the minds of the masses can be. You’ve only ruled for five years, Majesty
. H
ardly enough time to ear
n
 true love from your subjects. But no. I never said anything about denouncing you. We cannot have a leader the people can rally around to fight our attempts in restoring order.”

Adrienne felt her insides freeze over as a silver blade in Havard’s hand caught the light of the fire. She opened her mouth to scream, but Havard grasped her throat, trapping her breath and holding her against the wall so high her feet dangled in the air. In a wild attempt to break free,
she jammed her heel just below his ribcage
, knocking the breath out of him and making him drop her. She collapsed, sucking in air of her own and forcing her legs to move forward.

The sound of tearing fabric followed her and she cursed, pulling at her skirt to free it from the embedded dagger. Havard coughed, hoisting himself up. “I wish you hadn’t done that, your majesty. I was going to ensure your passing was as painless and honorable as possible. Now I think you owe me a little entertainment first.”

He picked up the dagger with an ease that made Adrienne’s heart s
top
. The momentum sent her to the floor, but now she could think a little better. She kicked out at the door and screamed with every ounce of breath she had stored in her lungs.

Havard glared at her, backing into the shadows and sheathing his dagger as he hissed. “Blood and kin of Iron Fang. I say unto you: Rise.”

Adrienne gasped in pain as the feeling of a thousand blades easing their way into her skin crawled across her body, her
lungs
 
raging as if being consumed in fire
. She saw Markus and several guards burst into the room, swords drawn, but even as her husband held her, examining her for injury, she couldn’t shake the haze of her vision. As she forced herself to breathe, the feeling passed and she retched on the
floor.

Markus glanced up at the window above, candlelight flickering in the chambers he shared with his wife, and tried to remain focused on the hunt. The image of Adrienne sprawled out on the floor, her dress torn, unable to speak, had left
his vision veiled in crimson
. He’d scoured every possible hiding place, interrogated every guest. None had seen Adrienne slip out of the throng. The only suspect was her last
 and only
 known dance partner, Councilman Havard, who’d disappeared.

 It was obvious they wouldn’t find anything tonight. Perhaps he would be able to at least get a description from his wife, now that she’d rested for a while.

“Captain Gaius, recall your troops. Rest up. We’ll search again tomorrow.”

The soldier saluted and retreated into the night to signal his men. In a way, Markus missed military life. Though he still managed movements and training, leading from the palace differed from leading on the field and he knew which he preferred. Marrying Adrienne hadn’t come without sacrifice, he knew they both craved t
he respite a less public life would provide,
 but as he
crossed the ballroom floor toward the grand staircase
, remembering even the short time he and his wife had shared, he smiled. He wouldn’t have traded his decision for anything.

A few remaining guests stood next to the punch bowl, giggling in a co
a
rse manner. Markus frowned
 at the ladies’ drunken behavior
. They should have gone home hours ago.

“I hear one of the nobles had at her.” One of the ladies hiccupped. “She couldn’t produce an heir with her peasant husband so they staged an attack. Maybe someone else can get the job done, poor girl.”

Markus walked away, not wishing to hear more. No matter how hard they tried to keep their lives private it seemed everyone and their horse knew every disagreement, every illness, every intimate detail within minutes. Of course, it was difficult to track down goss
ip with so many servants and guards about.

A terrified scream permeated the walls, jarring Markus out of his thoughts and sending
the ladies below
 into a panic. It would have made him laugh had he not recognized his wife’s voice for the second time that night. He picked up the pace through the corridors, skipping three steps at a time and cursing the winding hallways of the palace. Had he ensured that she was guarded? He’d been so keen on catching that son of a-

Fire billowed from their chambers and the body of one of the guards flew into the hallway, landing in a crumpled heap and leaving a large smear of red behind him. Another scream, this one coming from a man, echoed in the room and ended in a gargle that made Markus grimace.

He drew his sword and eased himself next to the door opening, careful not to touch the hot, blackened stone and lowering himself to avoid the smoke and see into the room. Everything flammable burned within and blood had spattered everywhere. One of the walls no longer existed and arrows flew into the opening, trying to land a hit on the creator of the chaos.

Markus scanned for any sign of Adrienne, but found none. It was difficult to miss the dragon, however, roaring into the night, arrows bouncing off its pitch scales like mosquitos trying to drink from a rock. Allowing the beast to be distracted by the attack from outside, Markus inched into the room, turning over blanket, drape, and clothing remnants in search of his wife. A crimson mass caught his eye and his stomach clenched. It didn’t look like a body, but he recognized the fabric. Adrienne’s already torn gown lay in shreds, drenched in blood and strewn across the room as if… as if someone had been trying to escape it.