Chapter 1
102 after the second Great War
Nuria—The Kingdom of Eternal Flames
Adara—The City of Fire
Princess Xian Rein Haddin stood atop the high balcony of the grand ballroom of castle Shelah staring down at the mass of people gliding around the room in a sensual and provocative dance—the itsu. Hundreds of lords and ladies danced below, men and women lounged idly on cushioned chaises, eating fruits, and drinking mulled wine, while others were locked in intimate embraces. Her brother, King Ajali Haddin, ruler of Nuria, and his Consort, Tehdra El Kyn of the realm of the shadow demons, commanded the attention of the royal court as they twirled to the beat of the drums, and the haunting melodies of the pipes. Every glide, every jerk of their hips, every passionate clasp of their shoulders, every way their bodies press together was an echo of the raw beat of carnality infused in each decadent step of the itsu.
Hundreds of high lords and ladies observed as their king, and his lover lost themselves in the haze of sensuality which pulsated on the air. It was not admiration for the striking couple why citizens of Nuria watched with such rabid fascination. Nor was it because of Ajali’s handsomeness, or his consort’s pale, mesmerizing black-haired beauty. The citizens of Nuria—kingdom of eternal fire—watched because of their king’s unchecked daring and perilous audacity. Only a few days ago he had been betrayed by two of his blades, men of the houses of Assia, and Wylliam.
Ajali’s blade were of the highest house of aristocracy in Nuria, and they had sworn allegiance to his ruling family by blood. If his bloodline right to rule were ever threatened, he had ten of the most powerful houses in his kingdom supporting him. They had been men he loved and would have died for, but they had plotted with betrayers of the realm to remove Ajali from rulership, or better, take his head. The house of Assia believe they had the right to the throne of Nuria, and the Emperor of Mevia had promised the Assias he would help them to overthrow the house of Haddin.
Yet here Ajali stood—arrogant, proud, an aura of menace vibrating in the very air around him, hosting a grand ball and defiantly flaunting her to the realm. Xian’s brother’s lover was a morbid fascination for their people, and a worrying threat to other kingdoms, for Tehdra was a Darkan. A creature from the shadow world, where all its citizens possessed the chakras of demons, for which they were reviled. Not only was Tehdra’s kind hated by all six other kingdoms of Amagarie, but Xian had also personally despised the dark ones with every emotion in her soul for many years.
Those vicious beasts had ruthlessly murdered her mother, splitting her open and ripping her babes from her belly without remorse. Xian had been one of those babes, and the memory still lurked in her nightmares, tormenting her with the pain and fear her mother had felt as she had fought the dark ones to save the lives of her children.
Darkans had taken so much from her and her two brothers, yet Ajali had announced before their kingdom, that this ruthless creature was his heart and soul. And there was nothing Xian could do about his declaration. Not that she wanted to interfere. Spies lingered still within their kingdom, and news of his boldness would travel to the other kingdoms with surety.
But her brother deserved to be happy. For so long he had lived with the burden of being the tyrant of Amagarie after unleashing his powers and slaughtering thousands to save Xian, her twin Uriah, and their people during the second Great War. For so long Ajali had been alone, with no true companionship or comfort of a trusting lover as he worked with cunning and secretiveness to protect his realm from those who wish to conquer Nuria’s greatness for themselves.
She owed him for his sacrifice, for never had he required her or Uriah to assume a similar level of burden, responsibility, and risk to their lives in the protection of their realm. Xian owed it to her kalija—big brother—to accept the woman he claimed. For she loved him, and she also believed in repaying her debts. Ajali would never dare think saving his sister's life was an obligation to be repaid, but Xian would not discredit his honor and sacrifice.
The drum beats echoed louder, and a wash of energy swirled in the room. The massive fireplaces roared, and the engraved crystals on the wall blazed, highlighting the sigil of the house—the Phoenyx, an enormous form with ten feet wing span where its only substance was a burning flame. Fire danced around Ajali as his energy leaked, and black chakra burst from his lover to twine around them. The king dragged in his consort even closer and claimed her lips in a raw, provocative kiss.
Xian trembled at the emotional intensity and connection between the pair as Tehdra sank into his embrace. Xian sensed the palpable need Ajali and Tehdra had for each other, and an inexplicable ache swelled in her heart.
“One day,” she whispered to the power inside of her. “One day I’ll conquer my fear of you…and maybe I’ll have a passion and love like my brother.”
The flames inside her stirred, dark, and sinuous as the Phoenyx purred a warning she did not understand. Her heart be
ating, she tried to close the door on it as how her brother, and the elders of the conclave, had tried to teach her while she’d learned about the power inside her. She bit back a groan of frustration for she was unable to understand why she could not perceive this door they often urged her to find in meditation.
All she sensed was the fire in her, lurking like a specter, waiting…and most frustratingly she had no notion of why it hovered. Why it did not bond with her as it did Ajali? How she resented the unstable Phoenyx force buried inside of her—a raw, unchecked presence with heat that rivaled the suns of Amagarie, a primordial force of nature little in her kingdom understood.
“The king shows off his pet,” Lady Shae, murmured, her tone tinged with venom and envy.
Lady Shae was a close friend of Xian and the wife of her twin Uriah. She had also been a very close ally to the countess Sascha, of the house of Assia, a woman who had plotted to kill their king and claim the throne for herself. Many in the royal court had considered Lady Shae with suspicion since, and even Ajali had been notably cooler.
“Be careful with your tongue, Lady Shae,” Xian said lightly. “Kalija will not take kindly to any insult dealt to his consort.” Xian leaned against the railing edge of the balcony; the golden bar cool against the flesh of her bare skin.
Lady Shae was influential with the other ladies of the high court, one of the great beauties of the realm with her golden blonde hair, willowy figure, and violet eyes.
“And is my brother Uriah not visiting your bed enough? I do not understand the jealousy I detect in your tone.”
Shae scoffed, a flush mounting on her cheek. Her eyes searched the crowded floor and settled on her husband. “Uriah only cares about protecting his king,” she said with surprising bitterness, resting her hand on her stomach. “I told him last evening I carry his heir…and he does not seem to care. I am tired of hearing he is busy planning the protection of his brother and his realm.”
Xian touched her shoulders softly. “You talk nonsense, Shae, you do matter, and I know my brother loves you dearly, and it is you and the little one that is in his mind why he works so hard.”
Shae’s lips curled in a sneer. “And does that explain why he has become so close with that?” she spat, lifting her chin toward Tehdra.
“You know Uriah respected Tehdra long before he knew her bloodline.”