Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
F allon stood still as his valet buttoned up his jacket and brushed a few bits of lint off the fabric. Nearby, Novi lounged in bed, surrounded by an array of colorful books and nibbling on a blueberry muffin. The door opened and Mauricio came in, followed by Callie and Annika. Fallon frowned at their tardiness, but said nothing.
“Where have you two been ?” Novi blurted through a muffled mouthful of muffin.
“They were detained…by Prince Tristan,” Mauricio answered in a solemn voice.
Anger and suspicion swirled around in Fallon’s chest, making him turn away from Cedric so fast that he almost knocked him down.
“They’ve been with him this entire time?”
“Yes, sire.”
Within a few short strides, Fallon was standing in front of Annika. Even if he ignored her tears, her fear was palpable. She stared at the medals on his chest, unable or unwilling to look him in the eye.
“Did you tell him why you’re here?” he asked, trying unsuccessfully to ignore Cedric as he pinned more medals to his chest. Finally he shooed him away, then turned his attention back onto the crying redhead. “Does he suspect anything at all?”
No answer. Only more tears. Fallon had seen that look too many times before on the women his brother preyed upon.
“He knows she has the blood of a samodiva. She didn’t reveal anything about our plan, sire,” Mauricio explained while he handed Annika a handkerchief. “But she’s paid a high price. Prince Tristan has it in his head that she’s destined to give him his firstborn. I intervened just before—before any action was undertaken to test that theory.”
Flames of fury rose up from the core of Fallon’s body. His hands formed into fists so tight that his nails cut into his palms. The growl that came out of him filled all of his senses until it filled the room.
“Isn’t there an expedition to the Norfrost we can send him on?” he roared. “Preferably on the Royal Navy’s least sea-worthy ship?”
“There’s not a ship like that within the Royal Navy, sire,” Mauricio dryly replied. “You’ve eliminated every weak link in the chain.”
“Not every weak link!” he snapped.
Memories of the last chimera hunt came flooding back into his brain, reminding him of how close Tristan had come to killing Novi. And even if it was just a flesh wound, Tristan had committed treason by shooting his own brother. He wasn’t just a Sacred Son of Sinaryos. He was the crown prince.
And Tristan simply did not care.
He was sick.
Damaged.
Perhaps beyond repair.
Everyone knew it, and no one did anything about it. Fallon shook his head, knowing he was partially to blame. “I should’ve put down that rabid dog when I had the chance!”
With Callie’s help, Novi got out of bed and walked up to them, taking Annika’s trembling hands into her own.
“Fallon, this can’t happen again,” she warned him. She of all people knew what Tristan was capable of. “What are you going to do to keep him away from Annika?”
“I could place her in Your Highness’s harem with the other concubines,” Mauricio offered. “She’d be completely inaccessible to all men, including your brother, if she were there.”
Fallon frowned as he thought it over.
“Too many of the girls in my harem are gossips. That’s why I made Annika one of Novi’s handmaids—to minimize her unchaperoned interactions with the court and the servants. Placing her in my harem would have the opposite effect.”
“She could sleep in here,” Novi said as she pulled Annika into a gentle, protective hug. “Nobody would question it if Fallon the Stallion took another lover. Not when I’m this far along. Some members of court already think you’re sleeping with your beautiful new bard anyway. They’re calling her Fallon’s Filly. I think it’s cute!”
Fallon bared his teeth in an irritated snarl.
“Who’s saying that?”
Novi gave him a gentle grin, but he already knew she’d never tell.
“That’s none of your business. If I tattled on everyone who confided in me, I’d never learn anything that actually goes on around here. If the court already thinks you’re sleeping with Annika, it makes perfect sense to have her sleep in here with us. That way she’s never alone.”
“That was my next suggestion, sire,” Mauricio said, clearly having run out of options. “If you can convince the court that Annika has captured your interest, it would give her a great deal of protection from any future advances.”
“You should probably flirt with each other tonight at dinner,” Novi advised. “It would be even better if you both left early and came up here together.” The snarl on Fallon’s face had faded, but he was still surly. Openly flirting with another woman was clearly the last thing he wanted to do.
“She’s right, sire,” Mauricio added with a nod. “It won’t take much to get the rumors going.”
Fallon looked at his most trusted advisor and then at Novi before turning his attention to Annika. She was so small, so naive to the ruthlessness of the Blackwood court, to the cruelty of the demonborn aristocracy. It would be a shame if her husband turned on Fallon and forced him to carry out his threat of killing her while he watched.
It would be even worse if Talvi returned with Dillon, only for Fallon to reveal that Annika had come to harm under his watch. He’d already failed to keep her safe once.
It couldn’t happen again.
“Do you think you could manage it?” he asked her. “You won’t have to do much at all. Certainly nothing intimate. Just follow my lead.”
Annika surveyed the group before her. Novi, Callie, Mauricio, Fallon, and even Cedric's eyes were all trained on her, waiting intently for what she would say.
“I . . . I guess that’s okay, if you think it’s best.”
“It’s a simple and effective plan,” Fallon said matter-of-factly. He held out his hands, offering them to Cedric so he could fasten the cufflinks. “You can turn it down, although I wouldn’t advise it.”
“He is the most powerful man in Sinaryos,” chimed Novi. “There’s no safer place to be than by his side.”
“Okay,” Annika nodded and gave them all a faint smile. “Let’s give it a shot.”
“It’s decided, then. Effective immediately, you’re my new lover, in name only. You’ll sleep here in my chambers until further notice. I’ll flirt with you at dinner and bring you back up here one hour before Novi joins us for the night. And just to be clear...”
He paused and watched Annika, waiting for her to acknowledge him before he continued. “I have no intention of seducing you. I give you my word.”
Despite her bewildered expression, she nodded in agreement.
“Oh, I nearly forgot—you’ll be performing a concert for the city of Sinarya tomorrow afternoon. An orchestra and a choir have been arranged for you. Mauricio will go over the details with you later today.”
“Sure,” Annika sniffed as Fallon turned on his heel to leave.
The truth was that he couldn’t get out of the room fast enough. Even Mauricio was having a hard time keeping up with him.
“I’m going to kill Tristan,” Fallon snarled through his teeth as he stormed down the hall. “I’m going to fucking kill him!”
“Someone’s going to kill him someday, but it won’t be you,” Mauricio said, sounding level-headed as ever. It wasn’t the first time Fallon had said those words, and his secretary knew it wouldn’t be the last. “One of these days he’s going to cross the wrong person, and the price will be dear.”
“I wasn’t joking about sending him on an expedition to the Norfrost,” Fallon snapped as they approached the elevator and stepped inside.
“Even if you sent him there, his crew would mostly likely mutiny. Then you’d have to punish the lot of them rather than only His Highness,” Mauricio reasoned.
“He’s like a damned disease,” Fallon groaned under his breath, paying no mind to the footman who operated the elevator. “He can’t be content to keep his wickedness to himself. Instead, he spreads it far and wide, afflicting everyone who comes near him.”
Mauricio nodded, understanding the depth of Fallon's frustration. Tristan had been a thorn in their side for far too long, always causing trouble and stirring up mayhem. If he was a member of any other noble family, he would’ve been exiled or executed decades ago. He was only protected because of his status as the queen's youngest and favorite son.
“For now, let’s just focus on keeping Annika safe until her husband returns,” Mauricio said, sensing that Fallon needed a distraction. "We’ll deal with Tristan another day."
Fallon’s mind was already racing with plans on how to protect his new bard. How to protect Novi and their unborn child. How to find the murderer under his roof. How to purge the Kaos magic from every corner of his home.
He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. He couldn't let his anger towards Tristan consume him, not when he had so many responsibilities to attend to. He was a Sacred Son of Sinaryos, after all, and he had to act accordingly.
Still, it didn’t prevent a snarl from twisting his lips. “The day Tristan is dealt with cannot come soon enough.”
Sitting through yet another military budget meeting, all Fallon wanted was to dive into the books he’d borrowed from Loric. The moments he had to himself were being stripped away one by one, leaving so little time left to just breathe.
To merely exist .
He’d done as Novi had instructed, and flirted with Annika at dinner before leaving early and bringing her back to his room. While she read notes that Novi had made about the possible meaning of her prophecy, Fallon sat at his desk and worked until Novi arrived.
He listened to her excited chatter about the rumors already flying around court. When it came to influencing his court, gossip was rarely a method he employed. However, Novi’s plan to have him claim Annika as a lover had been the most believable strategy. Courtiers were already placing bets on how long it would be until the new bard was also carrying a Blackwood bastard.
Fallon lay in the dark for what felt like an eternity as he waited for Annika to fall asleep. All he could think about was finding a way to tap into her powers. He was convinced there were answers in the Grimoire of Damnation, yet the last thing he wanted was for her or Novi to catch him reading an old book of forbidden Kaos magic. He was so tempted to get out of bed and take it from the place he’d hidden it, but not until he was absolutely certain neither of the women would see where that was.
He glanced over at the small samodiva curled on the edge of the mattress. Even though she lay completely still under the covers, he could tell by her breathing that she was far from sleep.
“Annika,” he whispered. She didn’t move a muscle, yet he wasn’t falling for her act. “I know you’re awake.”
He waited for a reply.
Nothing.
He rolled his eyes, determined not to waste any more time staring at his ceiling. Even if the grimoire had to wait, there was always work to be done.
“If you’re not going to sleep, would you mind turning on the light?”
Still no response, although her breathing sped up as her body stiffened.
He sighed at her pitiful attempt at pretending to be asleep. Maybe she didn’t want to be there. Maybe she missed her husband. Maybe she feared Talvi’s response once he found out where she was now sleeping. Trying his best not to jostle Novi awake, Fallon crept over to Annika’s side of the bed and turned on the lamp made of fairy lights. He looked down at her, only a little surprised to find her blue eyes staring up at him in either terror, or wonder.
Perhaps she could sense he wanted something from her.
“Is that too bright?”
She didn’t say a word, merely shook her head. At least she wasn’t going to pester him with any more questions while he reviewed proposals for budget cuts and signed official documents.
It took Annika an hour to finally fall asleep. The moment her body relaxed and her breathing grew deeper, Fallon pushed aside his stack of paperwork and coaxed open the secret drawer beneath his desk. Then he summoned the Grimoire of Damnation into his trembling hands.
He held the sacred book for a few moments, studying the weight of it. The cover was made of tanned leather that was so old, it had started to crack and fade. The unicorn on the spine had lost most of its shine and looked a bit like a dried-out leaf. Fallon traced his fingers over the lock that had kept the contents of this book hidden away from the world for so many years.
A twinge of excitement filled his blood as he lifted the cover and breathed in the scent of old leather and parchment. The ink was faded in some places, and the pages were so yellowed and brittle that he had to turn them delicately, lest they crumble in his hands.
As he turned to the first chapter, he saw a warning written in bold letters at the top of the page: ‘ The Price of Power. ’ Fallon's eyes widened as he read on. The Grimoire warned that any Kaos magic performed would come with a cost, and the more powerful the magic, the higher the price.
His pulse quickened as he read about the consequences of using such powerful magic. Madness, physical deformities, and even death were all possible outcomes. Despite the warnings, Fallon was determined to find something useful in these pages. Whether it was the creation of portals or the crystix, he’d always been fascinated by magic. But the idea of harnessing Annika’s untapped, raw power was too tempting to resist. If he had her power, the Royal Council would have a much harder time saying no to him.
As he read through the contents, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. One section of the book was nothing but a glossary of arcane symbols. Another was a collection of basic incantations that made his head spin. He lightly skimmed over the chapter dedicated to necromancy, simultaneously feeling a sense of dread and a complete thrill as he learned it didn’t take very much to raise the dead and bend them to your will.
All one needed was a willingness to damn their soul to the underworld for all of eternity.
Fallon flipped through the pages until he came across a section that caught his eye. It detailed a spell for summoning various demons, from the lowly demigods of the underworld to the high lords who ruled the realm of Desmondia. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he read the different incantations, feeling the power emanating from the pages.
Summoning a mid-ranking demon might be useful in a pinch. He traced his finger over the words as he silently read them, trying to commit as much information to memory as possible.
Finally he found the blood magic section of the Grimoire of Damnation. It was not for the faint of heart. There was a spell for binding a person’s soul to an object using their blood. That wouldn’t be any help to him. Nor would it be helpful to summon a demon with a blood ritual. He also had no interest in creating an undead minion or resurrecting someone from the dead using the life-giving power of blood.
He could sacrifice Annika and eat either her brain, her liver, or her heart, depending on the reason for the blood sacrifice. It had to be carried out during a certain phase of the moons, and with a consecrated blade.
Fallon shook his head and turned the page.
He could burn one of Annika’s organs or body parts, then grind up the ashes with a specific combination of herbs before mixing it with her blood and drinking it.
Again, Fallon frowned, feeling like he was quickly approaching a dead end. He needed to find a way to access Annika's unicorn magic without significantly hurting her. He couldn't risk her life or well-being for his own gain. She was too valuable. And besides…he liked her.
More importantly, Novi liked her even more.
No, eating her heart was out of the question.
He’d already made several notes about the different methods of accessing and channeling magical energies, but he knew that the real key lay in understanding more about unicorn magic. He could only find one paragraph on one page that mentioned there were a few ways how unicorn magic could be harnessed, but the information was disappointingly vague. Not only that, but every method involved killing or maiming the creature.
He let out a frustrated sigh and closed the book, tossing it below his lap beside the stack of paperwork he’d completed earlier.
He lay back on his pillows and stared up at the ceiling, swimming in his thoughts as he fought to keep his heavy eyelids open. The sky was beginning to shift from inky black to a shade of deep blue, and it reflected on the chandelier hanging above him. Dawn wasn’t far off, and the window of time for him to read in secret was growing smaller by the second. He’d already scoured every useful section of the grimoire. It had plenty to say about how to use Kaos magic, yet almost nothing about unicorns. Where else would he even begin to look?
His eyes fluttered in realization and he sat up in bed so fast that Novi stirred. Fallon waited until she drifted back to sleep, then summoned the other book hiding in his secret desk drawer—the encyclopedia that went into more detail about the history and origins of Kaos magic. The copper and gold cover gleamed in the lamplight, and Fallon flipped the pages with a renewed sense of determination.
According to the most ancient of texts, the world was born amidst Kaos and its counterpart, Harmony. Like two sides of the same coin, like darkness and light, one couldn’t exist without the other. Kaos ruled over the elements of earth and fire, pushing up mountains of stone and building new lands from volcanic explosions.
Harmony ruled over the air and water, breathing life into those lands, covering them with prairies and forests and animals of all kinds.
Harmony and Kaos were forever at battle with one another, two conjoined twins unable to escape the other, so they channeled their energy into creating creatures who could do their bidding for them. Kaos made demons and chimeras to deal with the world of the dead, while Harmony made fae and unicorns to maintain the world of the living.
“The world of the living…” Fallon whispered out loud as he read the words a second time.
That was the exact wording used in Annika’s prophecy.
He glanced at where she lay beside him, feeling her warmth, sensing the light and life brimming inside of her body. Then he looked at Novi, who had a new life growing inside of her, yet that demonborn child was tied to the world of the dead. Their association with death was probably why the N?kki were dwindling in numbers to begin with.
A soft, cool breeze moved through the room, carrying the teasing scent of impending spring. The gentle caress flipped a handful of pages in the book, then disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived.
When Fallon turned back to the book in his lap, his heart quickened as he realized what he was reading.
It was exactly the type of spell he’d been searching for.
He reached for his papers from his earlier work and began furiously scribbling notes onto the back of the latest military budget proposal.
His eyes flicked from one page to another as he read through the instructions, taking note of every detail. He knew that blood magic was dangerous, but the reward was too great to pass up a chance at wielding it.
If he could harness Annika's power, he would be one step closer to defeating whoever was using Kaos magic.
By the time Fallon finally put the books away and turned off the lamp, the sky was a vivid shade of orange and pink. Cedric would be coming to wake him up in less than an hour, yet it would be impossible for him to sleep now. He lay in the light of the breaking dawn, his mind racing with possibilities. He was fully aware that he was treading on dangerous ground, but the lure of such power was too strong to resist.
As the first rays of morning streamed through his windows, Fallon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. Something big. He didn’t know what it was, but he could feel it in his bones. And he knew that whatever it was, it would change everything.