Chapter One

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"It worked." I cried, relief almost oozing from my pores. King Antonius pulled me into his arms, overwhelmed.

"Yes my dear girl, it worked. I knew it would work, it had to work. You're family now." He whispered, kissing my hair.

"I get it, you're both happy." Felix croaked from the bed and made to sit up. He was weak, I felt weak too and Antonius said we'd both be that way for a while. Until we cured his ailment and then our gifts had the opportunity to balance out things would be haywire between us.

To get that to happen we'd have to find Felix's grandmother, and I had a hunch she was in the Eastern Isles. Gonzaku was known to maroon traitors on the easternmost tip, where the most vicious tribes resided and the best herbs on the planet were harvested for medicines. It all made sense, it was a clear, cohesive plan. So why did I feel so uneasy, so frightened?

Felix was finally sitting up in the bed and I could feel my heartbeat accelerating. He really was handsome, a great match for my kingdom and the kind of man my mother would have approved of. The kind my grandfather (now pseudo brother) Trent would befriend. A piece of me still longed for Artuzo. A piece which held a terrifying sway over my mind and body, but I could never again pursue it. That piece would never see the light, because the bond I engaged in with Felix was a life bond.

Life bonds link your soul, and when betrayed result in death. That death is why most kingdoms no longer engage in its use, but I knew this when I agreed to help him. I knew I would hate myself if I didn't. I couldn't let him die.

"Sit with me?" Felix asked me gently, at a whisper. He was so pale and frail compared to his normal self. Thinking back to his father's speech, his confession of Felix's knowledge of my life since he was a child, was a weight on my shoulders I hadn't expected. It was also in many ways endearing, he knew this would happen but he still tried to save me despite that.

"Of course. I'm sorry for marrying you without your consent by the way." I joked lightly.

"I appreciate that, but I know what you gave up to help me and.. thank you Cee." Felix answered me quietly, placing his hand over mine.

"Don't do that, don't thank me." I whispered quietly, thinking about what I gave up.

Felix looked at me guiltily and I cringed, that wasn't what I'd wanted.

"I didn't mean it like that, I just.." I trailed off and he sighed.

"I know, don't worry." Felix answered quickly. We both didn't say anything for a few minutes, it was a long pause by any standards.

Until Felix's hand squeezed mine, "Well I look forward to getting to know you more as each day passes and I promise to do my best to be everything you need in a partner."

"Aha.. About that, I may have cheated a little and snooped through your room while you were out."

"Did you now? Find anything interesting?" He asked with a laugh, and a smile I'd longed to see for what seemed like a lifetime.

"No, I've determined that you're an absolute bore." I answered back with as much sass as I could manage while maintaining the playful tone of our conversation.

"Aren't you just a little stuck up princess. I actually think my room is very interesting, I especially like my sketchbooks. Did you find those?"

"Yes, but, well, brutal truth... your model was a bit underwhelming.."

"Yes, you really could use a haircut.." He shot back coyly, tugging at one of my locks.

I jabbed Felix in the rib playfully and we both laughed. His father coughed awkwardly in the background stopping our banter. It was nice to finally be able to talk to him, I forgot how easy he was to get along with.

"As happy as I am to see you both like this, we have much to discuss and very little time to do it before the ships are ready to sail." Antonius lightly scolded, sitting at the other edge of Felix's bed.

With a sigh, Felix's face took on a look of seriousness I found I didn't like.

"Yes father."

"Now your grandmother is said to be located on i'Lrac island in the eastern isles, do you know much about the island? Either of you?" Antonius asked us earnestly.

"Not much, just that there are excellent herbs there and the most savage ruling tribe resides there." I answered shaking my head.

"I can't really contribute much either father, I know that they rule by combat and that the current ruler has been in power for several summers. He's introduced the idea of trade and it's made the exchange of medicines far easier." Felix answered.

"Okay good, that's a good start. Before you leave we need to find you an excellent escort and you need to know more. More about what he wants and what he needs, than any other person to ever set foot on the island before. I had a vision of your grandmother running into some trouble when she tried to leave the island, apparently he thinks she's too valuable to part with." Antonius stated and Felix paled further, if that was possible in his state.

"So how do we get her back?" Felix asked with hesitation.

"The way I see it, we have three options; one we offer him something he wants more, two we fight our way off the island or three we trick him into letting us leave with her." King Antonius stated with a smile.

"How do we do that?" I asked him.

"Simple, with the three m's. Money, magic & mystery." Antonius stated with a laugh. He was a little light hearted for the way I felt.

"What do you mean mystery?" I asked him feeling significantly confused.

"Well my dear daughter, we'll mislead him into thinking he has something even more valuable in his grasp so that while his attention is focussed on his new prize, my mother will slip away onto the ship." Antonius answered confidently.

"What prize is that father?" Felix asked hesitantly, looking uneasy at the plan.

Antonius smiled and pointed at me, "Selece of course, what else would a new king of a tiny nation want more than a queen to put real power to back his claim?"

I must've paled because Felix gripped my hand and gave me a look as to say 'you don't have to agree to this'. I had to admit that it really was our best plan, our only plan and the plan we'd likely have to go along with. I took a deep breath and swallowed.

"So what's my ruse?" I asked suddenly noticing how dry my mouth was.

"You're new to power, you're touring the kingdoms to see all the different countries and to extend gifts to ensure trade as well as peaceful relations in the future. He'll see that as an opportunity to try to impress you, to ensnare you and when you rebuff him he might try to capture you. This is what we're hoping for, and as long as we anticipate when that'll be.. you should be able to avoid the outcome." Antonius answered calmly.

"So before we leave we should assemble a team, right now we have you, myself and Elaine?" I stated quickly.

"We also have my whole army at your disposal." Stated Antonius.

"Wouldn't that be suspicious, if I show up with a crew of all your men at my backs?"

"She has a point father." Felix answered.

"What other choice do we have, Trent is still rebuilding the army and rooting out those loyal to... the last king. We don't have any other resources." Antonius answered.

"We sort of do, I know someone, well two someones who might help. I met them a few years ago in the mines and back then I thought they were crazy, but with everything that's happened in the last few months.. Well I think they knew, or had some inkling of the future." I stated hesitantly.

"Who?" Antonius asked.

"There was a pair of lovers, strange mottorri lovers, with these terrifyingly strange eyes."

Antonius looked at me sharply, "What do you mean by strange?"

I shrugged, "Well it wasn't so much the eyes as their colour. They were a brilliant orange, almost to the point that they glowed in the dark and they were always saying these cryptic things to me. I think they knew who I was, it was because of them that I got away from the pirates I was with."

"Orange mottorri eyes?" Felix snickered, "Not possible." He continued, before Antonius shot him a look that could freeze fire.

"Do you know the tale of the flawed? The grandchildren of the Ilia and Brabant?" Antonius began with hesitation. I'd never heard of them.

"Can't say I have, no. What are they?" I answered him my curiosity piqued.

"Well, the motorri were the children of Ilia and Brabant, saved by Darn. In the same way, the lower godlings have tried to create their own people but their powers were too diluted to have a true child. Instead they have the flawed. Something is never quite right and it says that when their ilk come to their gifts their eyes shine a brilliant orange. They're known to be consummed by fits of rage or passion, to have some critical flaw because of their imbalances." Antonius stated.

It wouldn't be implausable to believe they were something special, the way they carried themselves was with some kind of higher knowledge. They were certainly strange, their relationship moreso.

"So say I believe you, that would make them unstable, correct?" I asked him feeling a little less certain of my recommendation.

"Yes, most definetly. It also makes them more valuable than any other person or mottorri available. You just need to be certain you can judge them accurately for what you need. Do you know how to find them?" Antonius answered.

"They told me to seek them out here if I ever needed them, that they'd be on the beaches of the capital running their own inn because they'd tired of living by the sword." I stated with a shudder, maybe they knew I'd need them? That's not possible... right?

Antonius barked a laugh, "I've heard rumours of such a place! They've barely been here a month now and they've already started to make a name for themselves."

"Then let's not waste anymore time and make our way there." Felix interjected after his long silence.

"You need to rest." I answered looking at him sternly.

Felix placed a hand on my shoulder, his thumb tracing circles on my exposed skin.

"All I've done is rest, you know that. If anyone needs to rest, it is you my dear." Felix stated with a half smile. I wanted to argue but I felt drained, and I guess it was more apparent than I thought.

"It doesn't matter, I need to be there to meet with them and I don't have the time. Not yet."

"So I'm coming with you then, it's less draining on us if we're together as much as possible the first few weeks because the bond is still fragile."

I shrugged, you've got to pick your battles.

"Alright, then it's settled, we'll all go see your friends this evening. I'll send a courrier to alert them of our intentions." Antonius interjected, before continuing on with a smile, "until then, let's brunch."

I extended a hand towards Felix and helped tug him up into a standing position. He smiled at me gently, a silent thank you and I felt the brunt of his weight fall on my shoulder. How did he expect to come with us this evening? He could barely walk. I made a mental note to bring that up later.

"How's Mik doing by the way?" Felix whispered, looking at me seriously. I nearly dropped him, Mik had been missing for a long time and I had no leads whatsoever. Had Felix seen him? Did he know what happened to him?

"What? Did you see him? He's been missing since before the ball." I questionned cautiously, not wanting to seem too forceful but thoughts of another ally lying dead in the ballroom flashed behind my eyelids with every blink.

"He, I..." Felix began, trailing off and visibly struggling with what he was going to say. I stopped walking and he leaned away from me on to the nearby wall. After a moment he turned to face me.

"He was there, that night after I left you with Trent to be healed." Felix began, a medley of emotions flickering across his face.

"Where?" I prompted, almost afraid to ask.