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Chapter 32: War Room
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The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 33: The Favor Of Kings
Ipsit's palace, The Bastion, rose like a spearhead out of the valley the capital city was nestled within. Four wide bridges—fixed on the cardinal directions—sloped down to the city, each laden with green gardens.Violet saw all this from the balcony of Curzon's war room. The gardens had no blooms, only a kaleidoscope of sage, emerald, and olive, freshly manicured. Sunlight pierced through the trees but brought little warmth, even to her high spot in the palace. Ipsit was a cold kingdom, drained of color.The lock clicked open on the door and Violet turned to see two maids enter, dressed in the crimson and silver livery of Ipsit, a tiny wolf head embroidered on both of their left shoulders. One was a redhead with warm brown eyes carrying a pile of dresses over her arms. The other had bronze skin and tightly coiled curls down to her waist. She carried an intricate key on a ring. Violet could see they were both wary of her, just as she was of them. "Come this way. Your suite is ready," s
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 34: Gilded And Magnificent
Two days passed. Curzon hadn't brought up the subject of joining him since their encounter in the west garden. He simply accompanied her throughout The Bastion's halls, telling her about the history of the palace or recounting stories of him and his younger brother."We stole two trays of meat pies from the kitchens and brought them up here. We ate so fast Atlas had to dart outside to throw it all up again in the north garden's bushes." Curzon laughed at the memory, a wistfulness stealing into his body. "That was the first season in years we had such bounty in the palace. Two little boys hardly knew what to do with it all.""Where is Atlas now?" Violet had asked."He died a year later when the crops failed. Many across Ipsit starved."Violet hadn't been brave enough to ask any more questions about Atlas after that.She didn't want to return to the west garden either. The unseen division between blood and high elf was crumbling around her and venturing back to the place it began didn't
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 35: A Little Darkness
"Do you want to see what she can do?" Curzon cried.The great hall resounded with cheers. Queen Dalyla and King Caiphas looked uneasy but clapped along with the rest of the guests. Violet wondered where the two of them fit into Curzon's grand plans for just him and Violet to rule the elven kingdoms. He didn't seem the kind to share.Curzon pulled off a glove. "Let us see what The Eye is capable of."More cheering, but Violet hesitated to touch him. Curzon noticed and snatched her hand. Magic poured into Violet. She gasped, Curzon resting her palm against his chest. Violet became a vessel. The magic of death swirled within her, darkening her vision.She stared into Curzon. His soul was bleeding out."What have you become?" she murmured, her free hand passing through the mist invisible to the rest of the hall.It was a breach in the magic she should've found there; a sickened vortex of all the Monarchs' magic he'd consumed. In those charred cracks death seeped in, sending its worst back
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 36: The Blood-letting
For the first time that night, Violet managed to fade into the background, despite still being in front of the entire great hall. The nobles were getting eager for the night's next event—something Curzon hadn't mentioned to Violet—and no longer required her.The Blood King addressed the room, his voice booming. "Monarchs and nobles, let the Blood-letting begin! The moment you've been waiting all month for! Here are my gifts for your devoted service."The doors to the great hall opened again and two rows of elves walked in single file, each one bearing a different noble family's crest on the right side of their necks. Several more had the wolf of Ipsit stamped on their flesh. All marched to Curzon's red quartz throne.He looked them over, threading through the ranks with an exacting eye. Curzon tipped up the chin of one elf then pushed up the sleeve of another. Violet realized he was checking their veins. Dread filled her."My reserves supply the best as always!" Curzon declared. "Let u
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 37: These Desperate Moments
The moon disappeared behind walls of thunderclouds. Wind tore through the capital, clawing at The Bastion's stone walls. But it couldn't reach beyond. Ipsit was still the seat of Curzon's power and the Storm King had no jurisdiction there. "I have to go to him," Violet whispered, hanging out her window.Eden was somewhere inside that storm. They'd shared magic enough times now that his presence cried out for hers. She needed to be near him."Hurry!" Hestia called from the servant's door. "They're going to notice you're missing soon."Her voice barely registered—Violet was awash with relief. If Eden was here that meant everything would be fine. He would know what to do to stop Curzon.Hestia left the shadows and took Violet by the arm. "Mistress, are you alright?"Violet's focus finally left the sky. "Go back to the great hall, Hestia, keep Olivia safe. We're all going to get out of this nightmare tonight."Hestia glanced out the window. "A storm?" she muttered. "What's going on? How a
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 38: Heart Of The Maze
Violet ran to him. He scooped her up, twirling Violet before setting her down. He nestled his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply."I missed you," he said.She pulled away just enough to meet his gaze, hungering for the safety he always gave. "I can't believe you're really here. I've been so worried about you. I saw you fall at Toreva, then the dead carried me off and I—"He pressed a finger against my lips. "I'm fine, Violet. I wanted to come after you right away but Curzon has been keeping us busy, swarming every border passage with the dead. This is the first time I've been able to make it across.""It's the Blood-letting," Violet replied. "He's called all his nobles here to feed.""I don't care why," he said, lifting her off the ground again, letting her fur robe drop on the path, "I just needed to get you back."She laughed as he planted tickling kisses along her jaw and ear. When he returned her to the earth, she noticed the structure behind him."What is this?" she
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 39: Little For The Imagination
The Bastion received Violet once more. As the gate closed and the chill air took hold of her, she stepped onto the white carpet—now speckled with blood—trying to clear her head.She needed to think.But Eden's hands felt like they were still on her, his mouth still tasting every inch of her skin, his body overtaking hers. Her cheeks burned. She craved him all over. Violet turned up the collar of her fur robe, trying to hide away in its softness, but he was there too, stroking her cheek, telling her how beautiful she was. Without thinking, her fingers went to the love-bites on her chest now covered by silk instead of the Storm King's tongue.She had always thought of need as a great cavity in a person's soul—it had scared her to need someone, especially when her parents cast her off. But this kind of need filled Violet to overflowing, sending thrills of delight through her when she thought of how Eden shared her desires.The guards brought her to the great hall. The doors opened. Madnes
The Elf King and His Bodyguard Chapter 40: A Better Offer
Violet and Curzon stared each other down. Blades crossed, arrows pierced flesh, an entire battle took place in the valleys of their silence. Violet realized the Blood King had been right about one thing: he taught her new things about her powers. But in his desire to chain her to himself, he had set her free.Violet reached for the ring, but pushed past, gripping Curzon's forearm instead. Her warm touch embraced his chilled skin. Death bubbled to the surface; spirits gnawed at their back of both their minds. He might have more than enough power to defeat the Monarchs but she saw the pinnacles her powers could take Curzon to.So did he.His blue eyes rounded, drinking in the potential."Admit it," Violet whispered, "you're nothing without me.""I'm going to give you one more chance to reconsider," Curzon replied, rage clawing at his features, retracting from her clutch. "I'd prefer a beautiful wife, but I'll settle for whatever you are after my dead are through with you.""I'm not one o
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