2. Timas
Chapter 2
Timas
One year prior
T he crowd parted as I walked into the small house in the lower city. It’s uncommon for the King to show up at a lower-class Fae home, but I needed to see this myself.
“Your Majesty, the deceased’s name is Balo Castor. He was bonded to Nilina. They have one child.”
The modest house is decorated with knick-knacks and trinkets with flowers lining the windows and ceilings. It’s small but feels like a home that has been lived in and loved. The Fae man lies on the ground, eyes closed with a slit across his neck. He wouldn’t have even been able to scream at how deep the cut was. Nothing is out of place. Nothing overturned to show signs of a struggle. Whoever did this was a professional, just like all the other times. The poor man was surprised by the attack.
“Does his bonded have any idea why he would be attacked?” The guard, ever professional, folds his hands in front of him .
“No, your Majesty. She says that he is a well-respected member of the community. He works for a farmer just outside of Sonas, tilling the fields and harvesting in the fall. He works long hours but always comes home happy to be with his family. The neighbours also say he is kind and compassionate, willing to help anyone who asks.”
My stomach turns, making me feel nauseous. Innocent Fae people are being slaughtered for no apparent reason. This has been going on for far too long. The first murder happened a couple of months ago. Everything was normal until a report came in that there was a murder in the lower city. At first, it was thought to have been an isolated incident. It was still strange, though, that the victim never fought back. Each death since has been similar. Stealth kills, never in the same place and not specific to class—some were in the lower class, some in the middle, and some in the upper. No one was safe. It doesn’t make sense. What is the point of all this, the goal, the purpose? It wasn’t until a week ago that we had a breakthrough, but it came at the cost of my father’s life when he was assassinated in his room. The difference was the note that was left on the bedside table:
‘Your time is coming; you will pay for the sins you have committed against us. Your time of ruling is coming to an end.’
The emblem at the bottom of the note helped give us context: a crescent moon surrounded by seven stars— the symbol of the Night Court.
At one point, the Fae people were ruled and governed by the joint monarchs of the Day and Night Court. Over five hundred years ago, the Night Court monarchs and their people were exiled to The Shrouded Forest on the continent for the civil war they started. No one had heard from them in five hundred years, but now it seems they’ve chosen to break their silence with this note left by my father’s dead body.
“Help the family with the burial and rites. Give them money to cover the expenses. If they need assistance, I will take care of it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guard bowed and turned to talk to someone else. Walking back into the street, my guards push the crowd back to give me room. I climb up into the carriage and head back to the Palace. The sun beats down on my face, warming me, but it doesn’t touch the cold I still feel inside. My magic crackles under my skin as I think about my citizens and the terror they must be feeling right now.
“Timas…if you’re not careful, you will blow this carriage up.” Milori, my second in command and only friend, sits across from me in the carriage. I flex my hands and try to take deep breaths.
“This is getting out of hand. There is no warning for these attacks and no commonality between the victims. It’s random and senseless. They are trying to destabilize the Court…and doing an excellent job of it.”
We pass by children playing in the street, laughing and happy. But behind them are their parents, whispering and staring at the royal carriage. The people’s confidence in the royal family and in me is deteriorating. It’s destabilizing the peace we’ve had for hundreds of years.
“We know who’s doing it. We just need to figure out how to stop it.” Milori says while attentively watching everything and everyone. “The advisors are waiting for you.”
I close my eyes because my advisors have been no help whatsoever in this situation.
“Fine. I will meet them when I return.” I’m already anticipating the control it will require to remain calm in their presence.
***
The only sound I can hear is my shoes hitting the floor as I walk towards the meeting chambers. It’s the same place where the King has been meeting with his advisors for thousands of years, though I’ve only been King for a decade. Living up to my Father’s example has been challenging, but my people deserve a good monarch who cares about them and their needs. Father was stepping back to spend the rest of his years together with Mother without the burden of the crown. My mother has always wanted a quieter life, so my father stepped back and let me rise to the throne. They thought they had many more years together, but that was not in their fates.
At the time, this also meant he could be an advisor. The Day Court values the thoughts and opinions of the advisors. Father said that, without them, we would fall into the ways of the Night Court. The most significant difference between the Day Court and the Night Court was how our monarchy was run. The Night Court believed in an absolute monarchy. The King had the final say on everything, which included going against the people and his advisors if he wished.
The Day Court, on the other hand, has always believed in a consultative monarchy. We depend on our advisors and people to make good policies that will both represent and aid the Fae people as a whole. In some circumstances, the advisors can supersede the King, but it has never been needed before, and I don’t plan on requiring it during my reign. The Day Court Kings have always heeded their advice and looked out for the people.
The guards open the double doors leading to the meeting chambers. In the center of the room sits a large round table with the five advisors. Milori stands off in the corner, watching everyone. I walk to the front of the room where the King’s chair is—my chair—and sit down. Zilor is the first to speak.
“Your Majesty, what is the news?”
“Another murder in the lower city. A bonded male with a child, nothing left behind, no disruption to the room—a quick kill. The streets are tense.” Estola speaks next.
“What does the Night Court want? Nothing has come from them for hundreds of years, and now this! They took our late King to make their statement, but killing the citizens just shows how mad they truly are.”
I sit straighter in my chair and address the five. “The people may be random, but these acts have a purpose: destabilizing the monarchy and the people’s trust in the royal family. They are, unfortunately, doing a decent job of it. We need to consider the words of the seer.” A chorus of disapproving noises comes from my advisors. Of course, they don’t want to consider what the seer had to say. I don’t want to consider what she says either, but she has seen the future, and we can’t simply ignore that.
Raza’l has always been the most outspoken about this: “There is no need to include humans in Fae business. They have no value and will only cause trouble for the Fae people.”
“We already have troubles, Raza’l. We have yet to catch the murderer or murderers, and they strike with such efficiency that they are in and out quickly. We need to go straight to the source. If the Night Court wants my attention, they have it. We need to go to the Shrouded Forest and flush them out. The last scout we sent into the woods has not returned, so we must assemble a lethal group of fighters and go to them.” My anger is rising with every word I speak. I feel like I’m failing my people. I am failing my people.
“Your Majesty, I think it is wise to gather intelligence about where the Night Court has set up in the Shrouded Forest. Storming the forest with an entire army seems unwise, seeing as we have no direction or information on the area.” Estola is a wise woman and has always maintained a level head in these meetings. I may have advisors, but I am the one to make the final decision.
“Estola is right. I will send in a few more scouts and perhaps an assassin or two to see what information we can find. If we can’t glean any information, I will invite the human nobles to the spring festival. Let’s hope we find out what we need to do before then.”
I didn’t give them any time to share their opinion—standing and walking out was for the best. I’m already on edge, and I cannot balance the ‘help’ they will try to give me. Milori walks quietly beside me, which is unusual, so he has something to say.
“Out with it, Milori.”
He snorts. “What gave it away I had anything to say?”
“Your lips not moving means you have something to say.” He gives a half smile and looks straight ahead.
“What exactly did the seer say?” Turning down another long corridor, I look to see who is around. Unfortunately, the walls have ears, so I walk to my chambers without answering. At least there, I have privacy with the magical barrier surrounding it. Walking into the grand room, I head for the balcony that overlooks the channel, separating us from the rest of the continent.
“The seer said that I would find the support I needed within the Human Kingdom, that without it, I would not survive the upcoming trials. But she would not say what trials, and she would not say what kind of support either. All she alluded to was that I should invite them to the spring festival.“ Leaning over the balcony railing, I rake my hands through my hair. Milori comes and leans beside me.
“That all seems very vague.”
“When have you ever known her to speak with clarity? The woman is living in the stars half the time. I can’t believe the first major event the Day Court has faced since my coronation needs help from the humans, and I have to face it without my father’s council.” Emotion catches in my throat, causing a lump to form. It’s been a week since his assassination. I thought I had a hundred more years with him, but he’s gone.
“I’m sorry, Timas,” Milori says. Pulling myself together, I stand and watch the sunset in the sky. Looking out at the horizon helps me to feel calm, especially when life never seems to be that way.
“The Night court will pay for what they have done. And if I need to invite the humans, I will.”