Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
The lightning prince, Elias Storm, stared out the window of the carriage as it rattled along. He gazed towards the sandstone city walls of the White Monastery.
“Do you think Empress Emmaline will be displeased we are here earlier than we are supposed to be?” Colette, a very distant cousin, asked.
“I’m sure she will be,” Elias said, voice flat.
Colette sucked in a breath.
Two green dragons swooped and disappeared amongst the towers, spires, and turrets that pierced the early morning sky. Not long ago, those dragons would have meant doom for someone from Voltaria.
Not anymore.
He turned his gaze to Colette, who wrung her hands in her lap.
“But don’t you worry about the empress.” Elias patted her hand and smiled. “I can handle my stepmother.” He tossed his long white hair.
She gave a wavering smile.
Before his family had left for the peace assembly, his stepmother had informed Elias his attendance would be unnecessary. Not wanting to deal with the empress or boring meetings involving boring people, he’d acquiesced and stayed home.
After all, he wanted the peace treaty. But the terms and details seemed irrelevant to him. Or so he had thought.
Because then he had received a letter from his father, Emperor Hugo.
It stated that eight marriages between royals of Draconia and those with whom they had been at war would be required to seal the peace treaty.
And Elias would be one of those entering into an arranged marriage at the White Monastery.
Although the script was his father’s, the words were clearly his stepmother’s. Elias gritted his teeth.
In the letter, he’d been informed that once his betrothed had been negotiated by the council of Zephyrias and Voltaria, he would then be required to come to the White Monastery, where the marriage would take place.
The White Monastery was run by the Monks of the Way of the Dove.
They practiced an ancient form of binding magic, which meant that the contracts and treaties entered into here would be practically unbreakable.
Well, almost unbreakable. If someone did not fulfil their vows, they would end up sick, mad, or dead.
Elias had been told that all that would be required of him when he turned up was to enter into this practically unbreakable marriage contract with a total stranger.
Fuck that!
Immediately, Elias had ordered a carriage. He’d packed or, more specifically, his servants had packed under his supervision, and he’d informed his cousin, who’d only arrived a couple of weeks earlier, that they’d be travelling to the peace assembly that day.
It had been an arduous and long journey from Voltaria, but here they finally were. And although he felt like shit, he knew he looked glorious.
He imagined the pinched look on the empress’s narrow face when Elias strode into the room, dressed in his finest robes. He’d flirt and laugh and draw every eye in the room to him. No one would look twice at his half-siblings with him there.
His stepmother would smoulder, and her grey eyes would flash. But she could say nothing about her stepson’s behaviour. Elias smiled.
He just hoped he had arrived in time so he could still have some say in who he would marry and be bound to for the rest of his or his spouse’s life, whoever died first.
But if he’d left it up to the empress and the council, he’d no doubt be married to some elderly, repulsive, shit-for-brains dragon with damp hands and stagnant breath that smelled of raw meat.
He didn’t imagine he could get out of the marriage. It had already been decided, and going against the emperor, empress, and all the councillors would be difficult. But he could hopefully influence who he married.
The carriage paused as they reached the city gates. The warrior monks guarding the White Monastery approached and spoke to the driver. After a second, the metal portcullis creaked and slowly raised.
The carriage rattled along, and they entered the outer monastery, a city where non-monks lived.
“Will there be balls?” Colette pressed her face against the glass, gazing out at the city.
They passed the folk, carrying baskets and crates, wandering around as they went about their lives in the city that made up the outer part of the White Monastery.
“I’ve never been to a proper ball,” she said.
Elias had to hold back a sigh. Was I ever as young and innocent as Colette? If he had been, he’d lost that innocence at a much younger age than Colette’s eighteen years. But Colette had not grown up like he had. She’d grown up surrounded by a family who loved and adored her.
Only recently had she been sent from her family estate in the country to be educated by Elias, her distant relative, in the ways of court. That was the story that they told everyone, anyway.
“There will be many balls and functions and opportunities to wear your best outfits and dance with pretty boys and girls.” He paused. “Just be careful who you walk with alone at night along the city walls.”
She giggled. “Yes. I know.” A faint blush stained her cheeks. “I wouldn’t want to get my honour compromised.”
Flash and lighting! “I’d be more concerned about being pushed to your death.”
Her purple eyes, just like his own, widened. Any more giggles died on her lips as they formed a perfect O.
He hated being the one to burst her exuberant bubble. But she had to know what they were walking into. Getting your honour compromised really was not much of a concern right now.
And no one gave a shit about that sort of thing, did they? Perhaps they did in the countryside.
They continued in silence for several minutes. The carriage approached more city walls and another guarded portcullis gate.
The warrior monks approached. Like other Monks of the Way of the Dove, the warrior monks shaved their heads. But unlike the other monks, they wore armour. A beige surcoat hung over the top, with a dove sewn on it. And they carried swords.
The warrior monk’s role was to keep order and protect the White Monastery and those within. They also guided and protected the healer and other non-warrior monks as they went about the numerous kingdoms, doing their good works.
The carriage continued through the gates. He’d never been to the White Monastery before, but he knew they were in the lower monastery, where the monks resided.
Elias turned his gaze back to his cousin. “There are enemies on all sides, Colette. Don’t forget that for a second.” Elias paused, letting his words sink in before he continued. “Queen Hildegard Drachen invaded our lands and started the war. The dragons have been our enemies for twenty years.”
“But we’ve made peace,” she said, voice small. “That’s why we are here. Right?”
Elias stared out the window. Her hopeful naivety hurt to witness. “That doesn’t mean we can trust them.”
The carriage passed a group of monks talking, each carrying a large tome.
Colette leaned towards him. “But we have many allies here. Those from Botanial, Necros, and the Grey Mountains. We can trust them!”
They passed more city gates and continued on. They now entered the middle monastery, where the Dove Healing Academy was located.
“We needed to work with them to face Draconia,” Elias said. “We couldn’t face the dragons alone. But that doesn’t mean we can trust them.” He paused. “And I wouldn’t even trust those from Zephyrias.”
“But—” Colette’s mouth moved as if she couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. “But our kingdoms are combined under Emperor Hugo Storm and Empress Emmeline Aella,” she said, referring to Elias’s father and stepmother.
Her voice grew louder and firmer. “We have a binding peace treaty, created here at the White Monastery. Zephyrias and Voltaria are strong and united! They have put behind centuries of discord and war to move into a bright and gleaming future together!”
Had she read that in a fucking pamphlet? Or was this what her family and tutors had taught her?
Colette’s family’s estate in Voltaria was far from the border of Zephyrias. Perhaps she had not interacted with many Zephyrians. And of course, she had not met his stepmother yet.
“That was a necessity.” Elias tried to keep his voice gentle. “We Voltarians had to put aside our differences with Zephyrias when Draconia invaded both our lands. Nothing brings two warring kingdoms together like a more powerful and hated enemy invading you.”
Zephyrias and Voltaria’s pasts were so intertwined. In fact, marriages between the kingdoms had been common. Most royals had both Voltarian and Zephyrian blood.
So joining the kingdoms and making them one was kind of like marrying a cousin you hated. Which was better than marrying some strange invading dragon whom you also hated. Which unfortunately it seemed Elias now needed to do.
Elias had been so young when the two kingdoms had combined. But even if he hadn’t been young, his mother had just recently died. Everything had been a blur. He’d cried for days and nights, his red face buried in his pillow.
He’d not have noticed if the Lightning Palace had crumbled down around him and been blown away by sorcerers from Zephyrias. He hadn’t given a damn who their enemies or allies were or whose kingdom was now combined with their own. His mother had been dead. What else mattered?
Then his father, so recently widowed, had married Empress Emmeline Aella of Zephyrias as part of the treaty that combined the two kingdoms. They had become joint rulers. Suddenly, he’d had a stepbrother. Not long after that, he had half-siblings.
The carriage passed through more city walls and another gate. They were in the upper section of the monastery now, where the dove monks hosted their guests from the different kingdoms.
He pulled out a white compact mirror, painted with golden lightning on the outside. He opened it and tilted his head from side to side, checking his make-up.
“Zephyrians might not be our enemies. But that doesn’t mean we can trust them.” He pulled out a pot of glittering silver eye shadow and dabbed that above his eyes. He put it away and then snapped the mirror shut, tucking them both into his pocket.
“We’re playing nice. Everyone is playing pretty.” He smiled and lightened his tone. He didn’t want to crush Colette into the dirt with all his dire warnings. He flicked one of his dangling sapphire-and-silver earrings. “Good thing I am excellent at playing pretty.”
She giggled.
“But we must be on our best behaviour.” He pointed at her.
Her smile dropped. She sat up straight and nodded. Like a soldier at attention.
“Watch others. But be aware that you are always being watched too. Never let your guard down. Keep your eyes open. Let everyone underestimate you. But never underestimate anyone else. For some, untruths flow like wine from their lips and fooling others is as easy as breathing.” Elias actually included himself amongst that group.
“We might be marrying dragons. But everyone is a treacherous snake waiting to strike.” Elias lifted a perfectly plucked eyebrow.
“Be pretty. Act foolish. Don’t let anyone too close or let them know what or who you truly are.
That is your best defence when amongst enemies. And remember, everyone is your enemy.”