Duke Carrington was playing a dangerous game, but he knew the king was weak, leaving the throne vulnerable. Valaria lacked a strong leader, and the commoners knew this as well. This created the perfect chance for the duke to dethrone the weak king and wear the royal crown.The only thing the duke wasn’t expecting was outside interference, and Ezra wanted to strike from the shadows and foil his plans before he could vie for the throne.As the discussion drew to a close, Ezra excused himself and ventured into the gloomy night, his destination known only to Marlin.“Care to explain what’s going on in your head?” the old Gunsmith asked, his voice rife with concern.“I need allies. This isn’t a fight I can win alone. Politics is beyond me,” Ezra replied as he flew across the city and landed right in front of the Tower of Justice. “Duke Carrington has the Bleeding Roses in his pockets, and the only ones who can foil their plans are the Black Nightshades.”“You do realize they have no allegi
Trusting the leader of the assassins was never an easy task, especially after the attempt on the king’s life. But despite all his flaws, Angelo was known to be a man of his word. And his promise was all Ezra had to go by in these desperate times.With Duke Carrington and his accomplices conspiring against the crown, only the Black Nightshades could tip the scales and keep the conspirators in check. However, Ezra knew Angelo would not let this favor slide cheaply. But for now, Ezra felt relieved knowing he had bought some time for the king and his allies. “Five days is not enough time to win Princess Aleena’s trust and convince the king to step down. Are you sure this was a good idea?” Marlin asked.Ezra took a deep breath, stepping perilously close to the ledge, and replied, “It was the best idea I could come up with. Besides, at least we will have one less enemy to worry about.”When Ezra returned to their mansion in Verdant Gardens, Tanya and Count Gressil beamed in with their ques
Esmeralda’s sudden arrival caused quite a bit of commotion since she brought news of Duke Carrington’s upcoming visit. Servius immediately instructed the Royal Guards to prepare a formal escort and ordered the attendants to prepare the banquet table.Though Esmeralda had been sent here with the express purpose of announcing the duke’s visit, her thoughts wandered off at the sight of the two hooded guests.“It’s Lord Nazarus and Lady Nixia, is it?” she asked in a tone feigning innocence, but Ezra knew she had already discovered who they were and was merely toying with them.Before Ezra could get ahead of himself and stir trouble, Tanya clasped his hand and shook her head, motioning him to stay calm. Instead of letting him engage the enchantress, she took it upon herself.“I believe we’ve met before, Esmeralda, wasn’t it?” she asked, turning around. Esmeralda smiled gleefully, her face with a peculiar excitement, and bowed. “I am honored by your remembrance. So, are you here to meet Hi
Ezra knew Aleena’s mistrust and fury were justified. After all, they had lied their way to get close to her and kept her in the dark about way too many things. But, despite her harsh words, deep down in her heart, she was secretly praying for their success.Queen Guinevere had spent almost half a decade confined in a room on top of the Celestial Tower, separated from the whole kingdom. It was a cruel way to deal with her illness, but the king’s advisors thought it was the only way to keep her safe.The royal physician had tried his best to cure the queen’s affliction, but her condition had worsened over the years, forcing the king to resort to desperate measures. Aleena still remembered her mother’s loving touch and her tender embrace, but the whole kingdom seemed to have forgotten the kindness of the queen. Rather, they now remembered her as the weeping witch of the tower.Though Aleena was safe from all the cruel rumors inside the palace walls, whenever she stepped outside to visit
Aleena’s eyes widened with horror as she felt the overbearing weight of Tanya’s words on her drooping shoulders. Her heartbeat quickened, and a cold shiver ran down her spine, making her fingers tremble. “What’s a blood curse? And who would curse my mother?” she asked in a quivering voice, her lips pale and dry.Tanya pointed her open right palm at the wailing queen and whispered in a mellow voice, “Let your troubled mind find peace in Ishani’s care as the stars find shelter in the lap of the darkling sky. Let your worries be eased by the grace of the comforting maiden.”As soon as she uttered those words the queen’s voice became muffled and her threats turned to mumbling noises. Her eyes became heavy with sleep and she slowly eased into her bed, her head laid onto the downy pillow.“What did you do to her?” Aleena asked in an anxious tone.Tanya looked away from the sleeping queen and replied, “I gave her the rest she needs. But don’t worry, she will wake up in a few hours.”Althoug
Facing a vampire was hard enough for even the most skilled Gunners, but doing it without any magic was a nearly impossible task. Ezra wanted to believe the old vampire sealed inside the catacombs had passed away peacefully after all these years, but he knew it was only wishful thinking.“Why can’t we ask Glenn about this curse? I’m sure he can do something about it,” Ezra whispered in Tanya’s ear.But she shook her head. “Blood Mages cannot lift curses. If anything, his interference will only make it worse. Besides, if we bring him here, it would expose his identity and quite possibly get him executed.”Hearing Tanya’s explanation, Ezra backed away and turned to Aleena. “Are you sure there aren’t any other entrances to this catacomb?”“All other entrances were sealed decades ago, and I don’t even know where they were. I only know the blackwater lake has a secret entrance through it,” she replied.Ezra nodded. “Alright, I will need some time to prepare. But I promise we will get your mo
Ezra and Tanya rushed to hide inside Aleena’s cupboard, and Aya hastily closed its oakwood doors and locked it from the outside.“The Princess is getting ready. She needs some time to get dressed,” Aya spoke aloud, notifying Duke Carrington and his companions.But instead of respecting Aleena’s privacy, the duke stepped closer to the door and knocked much harder this time. “Come on now. Our lovely Princess does not need a magnificent gown to make her look beautiful. She is perfect the way she is.”Aleena somehow swallowed her anger and answered as courteously as possible, “Please give me a few minutes to tidy my room, Your Grace. I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”Before Duke Carrington could press her again, Servius intervened, stepping to her aid. “I think we should give the Princess some privacy. She is not twelve anymore. I am sure Your Grace will understand.”“Of course, I understand. I have a wife at home,” Duke Carrington sniggered. “What do you take me for? A simpleton? I assure
The news of the wyvern sighting alerted Servius, and panic quickly spread throughout the room. Duke Carrington, however, looked more annoyed than scared.“Those wretched fools have grown bolder than I had expected. I think we must send them a fitting reply!” he grumbled.Servius knitted his eyebrows and uttered a fortifying incantation to strengthen the holy magic dome protecting the city. He then turned to Duke Carrington and his companions. “The city is shielded by holy magic. The wyverns are no threat to us.”“But those poor villagers outside require our assistance,” Duke Carrington replied. “The wyverns need to be dealt with before they can bury the surrounding villages under snow.”Esmeralda bowed at once. “Your Grace, I admire your courage and selflessness, but you must value your life as well. We need to get you to safety.”“I am not going to hide in my mansion while those monsters ravage the villages!” Duke Carrington protested. “I think now is the perfect time to show the necr