The Krieger Warriors

CHAPTER 1

Evelin, the Soulless

“Oh, you want a story! I will tell you one, but you will hate the outcome. Why, you may ask? It is simply because the story is of a cursed woman,” said Evelin. Taking a drink from her glass, she looked at herself in the mirror across from the bar. Her long curls hung loosely around her face. The sun had lightened some strands of her dark brown hair. Her braids next to her right temple needed to be loosened.

“I have lived hundreds of lives in any place I have ever wanted and have fought many wars,” said Evelin. She took another gulp of her drink. Afterward, she placed the glass back on the bar with delicate fingers, not wanting to make a noise. Her head tilted a little to take another look at herself in the mirror. Evelin hated to look at herself in mirrors. It reminded her of her curse that she had never changed. She noticed her dirty face; she needed a bath. Her tan skin shined by sweat from many days of travel to Korkas.

Amber eyes looked back at her. She used a black tint around her eyes to make herself look savaged in battle and fierce at home. Her face showed skin as clear and flawless as a child’s. Her curly hair made her look childlike to the people of the Tavern, but she only saw the hate deep in her soul.

“So here goes my tale. Ninety-eight years ago, in the legendary Battle of the Seven Siethac Brothers, I plunged into the fray on the side of Barabbas, Anthon, and Slev’s Siethac. I commanded the Blue Mage’s Company, a force gifted with unparalleled magic. It’s a pity you were not with me, for it was a glorious day. Those young lads fought with such ease they seemed like they were dancing on the battlefield, almost like ribbons of ethereal, mighty power. They wielded their magic as experts. We were in the lowlands of Jarlen when the troops met across the Valley of Ding.

“We went head-on. Barabbas and Anthon’s companies clashed swords with their oldest brother, Forle’s, men. I could still hear the piercing battle cries that echoed through the Valley of Ding. When Slev ran into the artillery group, I moved my mages to higher ground so they could have a better vantage point over Forle’s men. It was a haunting sight for me since, from where I was standing, I saw as the armies collided. I am not squeamish of death or blood, it’s just that I can see when the spirits of the soldiers leave their bodies as they died. It’s part of my magic and a sight I will never get used to watching. I’m not too fond of that gift or that curse of my magic.

“Anthon’s men had an unyielding determination to move forward, so he led the charge on the foot soldiers, and with each swing of his blade, sparks of arcane energy erupted from his enchanted blade Larkan, illuminating the battlefield. It was an impressive sight to be seen. Oh, young one, I had rarely seen a more dazzling display of bravery.

“But while I took a few minutes to enjoy the carnage, I felt the pain of a blade in between my shoulders. I know well how it feels to be stabbed, but that was the first time I was stabbed in the back. A wretched soldier reached me. I don’t know from where the enemy managed to sneak into us. I turned to see the man’s eyes full of anger and hate. He was about to grab my neck when I used my water magic to push him away from me. I smiled as one of my mages engulfed my killer in a maelstrom of lightning.

“Don’t look at me so surprised. Lighting battlemages are ruthless in battle. My mages fried him all the way to hell. I will be honest. I enjoyed watching him die. I was so proud of my mages. As I fell to my knees with a sword stuck on my back, I saw my men fighting with a ferocity that only came from months of training. They knew they had to ignore me. They had to keep fighting. Even my young page fought with unparalleled prowess. Young Keokee was fearless, but then pain overtook me, and I could not breathe in or out.

“Falling on my left side, I remember the tall grass covering me. The smell of blood made my mouth taste like metal. As I lay coughing blood and gasping for air, my squire Luna came to my side. She pulled the sword from my back; then, she left running. All my mages were preoccupied in the throes of battle. As I lay watching them fight, I closed my eyes, my energy dwindled, and all went blank. But, within seconds, a surge of divine magic coursed through my veins, and I opened my eyes. I hate coming back from the dead. Gasping for air, I spat some blood and slowly stood up. My back hurt, but I could move. Taking my sword, I…”

“You are so lucky; I would trade places with you any day,” said the young man, interrupting her tale.

“Do you really?” asked Evelin. Turning to face him, she looked at the young man with a smirk.

“I do. You don’t know what you have.” The slim, blond man took a long swallow of his drink.

“You don’t know what you are talking about, young pup.” Evelin finished her drink in one gulp then gave a disgusted look at the young man sitting next to her at the bar of the Bear’s Den Tavern and Inn. She turned back to face the bartender, who was cleaning the bar top with a large rag on the opposite side from Evelin.

“Hey, Norge, give me another one,” said Evelin, raising her glass.

“The same?” asked one eye, portly, old Norge.

“Yes, hit me again,” said Evelin.

“I would live for the rest of eternity loving my Jove. We will be together for the rest of our lives and not care for anyone’s stupid rules. We could move away and just be,” said the young man, banging his stein on the bar.

“Yes, but he will eventually die if he is not immortal. Then, you will have to watch him get old and depart the land of the living. Then what? Or what if he is immortal? And what is he tires of you? He leaves you; what will you do?” Evelin drank her next drink in one quick shuck.

“This time, give me a stein of beer, huh Norge,” said Evelin in a loud voice. Lifting a tankard, the bartender nodded. He passed a large tankard of beer to Evelin, staring at the young man.

“Jove will never leave me. We love each other. You obviously don’t know true love, woman,” said the young man, banging his tankard on the bar top. Again, Evelin turned her head and looked at the young man.

“You obviously don’t know with whom you are talking to, huh, boy?” asked Evelin.

“Evelin, he is young, stupid, and drunk. Ignore him. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. Son, if you value your life, I suggest you go home now,” said Norge, still cleaning the bar top.

“You must be one of those dirty soldiers full of lice and flees that come and go through this citadel. One of those guards that likes to tell fib stories,” said the young man.

Evelin was looking down at her tankard when her hand went down to her side. The young man didn’t have a prayer. Her dagger was out and back in the sheath so fast the youngling of a man didn’t even notice what had happened. The man was taller and heavier than Evelin, but it didn’t matter. The movement came and went unseen. The young man turned to her with his eyes wide open. Blood gushed from his neck, all over Evelin’s face and body. He went to hold her armor. She took his hands and pushed him away from her. He landed on the floor, twitching and gagging with his own blood.

Loud gasps of surprise resounded in every corner; chairs scratched the floors as people moved back from their tables. Soldiers stood up while blood seeped out like a fountain in a summer evening from the throat of the fool that dared to anger Evelin Krieger.

“There, now you’ve got what has been denied to me for centuries, and I will never get. I hope Jove finds a better fool to love.” Soldiers took their weapons out, but when she stood up. Her pauldrons and shield had the symbol of the lotus flower with a crown of thorns around it. When the soldiers saw it, they all stood back.

“Sorry, Norge, I know you like to keep your bar top clean.” Evelin tossed a handful of gold coins to Norge, the bartender.

“Here you go, for the drinks and the mess. You, Captain of whatever, please let Lord Malachi know I killed a peasant. I’ll present myself for the flogging in the morning. If he wants to hang me, tell him to let me know early in the morning.”

“I don’t think you’re afraid of dying, huh, Evelin?” said the one-eyed bartender, Norge.

“Hah, nah, I hate to wake up to my pants full of shit. That always happens when I get hanged. I always avoid eating for an entire day before a hanging,” said Evelin with a chuckle.

Some knew Evelin only by name. She was the Earl of Nornel, Lord Malachi Krieger, and Earl of the Jerlens, Lord Makai Krieger’s sister. She was one of the Kingdom of Behui’s best warriors and battlemages. Evelin had risen through the ranks and found grace in several Behui Kings’ courts.

Some people in the Tavern had never seen anything like the manslaughter Evelin did. The wenches standing around were gagging, and others vomited in the spit basins. There was a rumor going around that the Countess of Fonely, Lady Evelin Krieger, was a ruthless killer, but it wasn’t until that moment that she had killed anyone at the Citadel. She had just arrived at the place after having been away for three years.

Evelin stepped out of the Tavern and looked for her assigned side of the Brindled Castle. She shared the castle with her brothers, Lord Malachi and Lord Makai. It was the same castle where Lord B’jorn and Lord Thory lived when she first came to the Citadel of Korkas 370 years ago. Except this time, she wasn’t a slave. This time, she was the Lady of the Citadel.

She walked up inside the castle grounds, passed the foyer, walked inside the great hall, up the stairs, and she took to the right side of the hallway. The place changed little in 370-plus years. Even the musty smell and the dreariness were still the same. The last time she was at the citadel, it was for the ascension of her brother to Master in Chief of the Citadel of Korkas.

On her way to her room, she walked past beautiful statues of birds and ancient gods of the people who lived through the lands. Statues of men and women loving each other. The tapestries on the walls and old rugs covering the wooden floors looked ancient. The castle had windows and many tables with bases collected from many different nobles who were no longer alive.

Evelin arrived at her door, tired to the bone. When she opened her door, she found her room nice and cold, just the way she liked it. A servant had lit a fire in the fireplace to cut the chill of the icy temperatures inside, but in her room, she was in her element, cold. Her room was decorated in shades of blue, and her furniture was a light pine wood. The massive windows overlooking the Parta mountains were closed, but the curtains were opened. A purplish-blue door opened to one bedroom on the left side of the room, and a yellow door on the opposite side led to another bedroom.

When Evelin entered her room, she went to the side table and then poured herself a glass of rum. Her favorite drink. It did not matter what she drank or how much; she would never get drunk. She took her bloodied armor off a piece at a time, walking around the room, leaving pieces all over the floor. Why did she bother wearing armor, anyway? It wasn’t like she needed it. She would not stay dead. However, it slowed down the process of warriors killing her in a fight.

Once she had her greaves, pauldrons, and chest plate off, a pair of servants knocked. She bid them enter. They took the armor out, brought her food, and left the room as quietly as they had arrived. Evelin finished undressing and ate all the servants brought. Staying as naked as the truth, she seldom said, she stretched on her chair. When she finished eating, she opened the windows to the room and lay on her sofa. In a few minutes, she fell asleep.

The following day, Evelin woke with the first rays of light that entered through the opened windows. The freezing room made her shiver. Even the fire from the fireplace had snuffed through the night. She had tried, once more time, to freeze to death, but it didn’t work. Here she was alive. Her arms, legs, and body were freezing cold, but she was alive. Maybe she had died in the middle of the night while she slept, but she will never know. Dying for her was like falling asleep, soon waking into a healed body. Immortality was her curse.

Evelin got up, stretched her every muscle and joint, and looked for her bags. A maid had unpacked her things. When did they have to do that? Maybe after she fell asleep. She walked naked to her bathing room with the idea of getting rid of the stains of the killing she had done the night before. She let the water run in her tub. She filled the tub with warm water, got in, and cleaned her body, scrubbing all traces of blood from the peasant she had taken out of his pathetic excuse of a life. She had washed her hair. She stepped out of her tub and looked for her lotions.

How could the peasant assume she did not know love? A woman who had loved not one, two, but many throughout the almost four decades of her life, and she had to see most of them die.

“It is not worth living forever alone,” said Evelin, looking at herself in the mirror.

“Evelin, I know you are here. Why didn’t you come find me last night?” said Lord Malachi. Evelin had stepped out of the bathroom naked, still wet but drying her hair. The tall, burly man looked like he had not brushed his dark brown hair that morning. His muscles showed a man who trained every day. Malachi had walked into Evelin’s room without knocking. The man was all dressed in his riding clothing. He wasn’t a brute, but he wasn’t a soft man, either.

“I got here late, and I wanted a drink. I figured you were having fun with one of your exotics. I didn’t want to bother you.” Evelin turned and went inside her bathroom, took a towel, wrapped herself in it, and then stepped out of her bathroom, still drying her curly hair.

“You walked into the Citadel, and not a few hours passed; you killed a peasant. You know I will have to order you flogged—again and maybe even hung—again,” said Lord Malachi.

“Do what you must. I don’t care, my dear brother, but could you hang me tomorrow? I’ll not eat today,” said Evelin, getting a pair of pants from her dresser.

“Evelin, you little witch, you killed a peasant and didn’t invite me,” said Lord Makai as he walked into Evelin’s room. “Oh, you are here already,” said Makai when he saw his brother in Evelin’s room. Makai was a quarter foot shorter than his brother.

“Stop encouraging her,” said Malachi.

“You leave her alone. These stupid peasants need to know who we are. I bet he was disrespectful,” said Makai.

“No, we must rule wisely. I can’t have the two of you killing anyone that angers you,” said Malachi.

“I’ll be more careful; I promise. I’ll be down for the public flogging in a few minutes. Now, could the two of you leave so I can get dressed in peace, or are you going to keep chit-chatting me to death? That will be a new way for me to die, but know this: if you want to keep chastising me, that will make me late for the flogging.” Evelin crossed her arms.

“You are a disgrace to our family. Get dressed, Evelin,” said Lord Malachi, turning and leaving the room without another word.

“You never change, dear sister, but now get to the flogging. I would not have had you flogged, but I am not the Master Chief Commander of Korkas. You know the rules, Eve!” Makai left the room laughing hard.

eee

After the 30 lashes minus one Evelin received for killing the peasant, a pair of soldiers carried her bloodied, almost dead body to her bedroom. When the soldiers opened the door, a seven-year-old boy waited for Evelin. His blue eyes contrasted with his dark skin. The soldiers helped Evelin walk inside the room, and once inside, Evelin collapsed on the floor of her living room.

“Momma, why do you let this happen to you? You know the law, and yet you keep breaking it.” The boy looked for a pair of scissors, and he knelt beside Evelin and cut her clothing off. Evelin could not lift her arms to take off her blouse. Parts of her pants were stuck to her skin with caked blood. Evelin looked at the young little boy with pained eyes.

“Momma, your back looks like raw meat; I see no skin left,” said Amaro.

“Yes, I know, Little Man, but go get me my dagger. It’s in my traveling bag. Go, do it now,” said Evelin. The little boy stood up and went and found his mother’s dagger for her. The boy returned to his mother and gave the dagger to his mother. Evelin, with no preamble, took the dagger from its sheath she, placed it over her heart, and stabbed herself. She pushed the dagger all the way to the scales. She twisted the blade and took it out. Amaro’s blue eyes opened wide, and she hit Evelin on her arm. The little boy’s dark brown hair looked almost identical to his mother as he bent down to shake her.

Amaro said nothing. This was something he had seen before. Evelin slid to the ground, and in minutes, her eyes closed, and she stopped breathing. A few seconds later, Evelin woke with a shout and a deep breath.

“Amaro, please get cold water running in my bathroom and open the windows. I need to let the cold air in the room,” said Evelin in one breath sitting on the floor.

“Momma!”

“You know what to do! I’ll be totally fine in a day,” said Evelin, stretching her back.

“Momma, I hate it when you do that. I am always afraid that one day you will not wake up,” said Amaro. Although he was strong, he was just a little skinny boy of seven. Evelin trained him to be a warrior from a young age, but ever since he was born, his mother loved him more than her life. Amaro had become his uncle’s shadow when he could walk, and Malachi and Makai trusted their Little Man of a nephew blindly.

“You know I can’t stay dead. I’ll come back in seconds with an almost healed body.”

Evelin stood. She walked through the purplish-blue door that led to her bedroom, then to her bathing room. Little Amaro’s dark skin shined with sweat while dealing with his mother. Dark circles around the child’s eyes made him look older than his tender age. He rolled his sleeves and went to help his mother. Evelin moved inside the tub and let water pour all over her back. Amaro ran to the bedroom windows, opening them and letting the cold air enter the rooms just as his mother had asked. Evelin felt like a million needles were being punched on her back, but she knew her back was healing fast. The more water fell over her back, the more blood was cleansed. Blood covered the tub; however, Evelin felt better by the second. Evelin sat in the tub, watching Amaro as he returned with a towel.

“Help me get out of this tub. I am feeling better,” said Evelin.

“Momma, you are a terrible liar. Your back was in slices a minute ago when you arrived,” said Amaro.

“Don’t call me a liar, young man. I’m your mother; I’m fine. Take another look at my back,” said Evelin. Amaro looked, and he took a step back.

“Momma, your back is healing fast, but you don’t look fine,” said the child.

“Amaro Malachi Makai Krieger, you listen to me. I agree I may not look 100 percent fine, but I’ll be up and running in no time. You have seen me die and come back to life many times. So, stop your belly-aching and get a grip. I don’t want to hear any more of your worrying. You know, I will not even have a scar on another day. I’ll sit by the window so you can bandage my back,” said Evelin, snapping at the little boy. Amaro looked down. Evelin got out of the tub, and the little boy followed his mother to the room. Evelin sat on a chair near the large window in her bedroom. Amaro placed a salve on his mother’s back and bandaged it the best he could.

Amaro was about to walk away when Evelin took him by the arm, pulling the boy into a tight embrace.

“My dear Amaro, I am sorry I was so harsh. I love you, child. You know I love you more than my life, Little Man of my life. You are my reason for living. Please, don’t make a fuss over little things. I’ve been alive for over 390 years. I know I’m not going anywhere,” said Evelin, kissing her son’s head. She smiled at her son and felt sad for having been rough with the child. Evelin let him go.

“You need to eat and then rest,” said Amaro, looking at his mother.

“No food, I need rest,” said Evelin

“But Momma,” said Amaro, then Evelin gave the child a look that made Amaro quiet down.

“I am just tired, Little Man,” said Evelin.

“Momma, you are just like my uncles. I don’t know why I worry about you three so much,” said Amaro, standing with his little arms crossed.

“Ha, ha, ha, because I’m your mother, and they are your uncles. I love you, my strong and mighty son. Wait, you look like you didn’t sleep last night,” said Evelin.

“I arrived this morning, and we traveled all night. I didn’t sleep much in the caravan,” said Amaro.

“I want you to take a nap after your mid-day meal and be in bed early tonight. You will start weapons training with Master Kumo tomorrow morning, and your new teacher is not a man you want to cross. Tomorrow, after your training, I want you to return to your room, take a bath, and work on your reading. Do you hear me, Amaro?”

“Yes, Momma,” said Amaro.

“Fine, now walk with me,” said Evelin. Amaro took Evelin by her hand and walked with his mother to her bed. Evelin lay in bed, then Amaro tucked his mother over with a light blanket as if she was a child, then gave his mother a kiss.

“Thank you, Amaro,” said Evelin, closing her eyes. The little boy took all the bloody towels and left the room. Evelin lay tired and thinking that of all her children, Amaro reminded her the most of her father. Not because of his looks, for the child, looked just like his father, but because of his actions.

eee

Later that evening, Evelin woke in a cold room.

“It is good that Amaro left the windows open through the middle of the afternoon. I feel much better,” mumbled Evelin. Her back still ached a little, but it wasn’t anything she hadn’t felt before. She flinched as she sat on her bed and looked around her bedroom. The fire in the fireplace lit the room and the little light entering through her bedroom window. She stood up with a sheet wrapped around her body. She almost fell with her shoes that lay haphazardly on the floor, but she found her footing. Her damp, dark hair covered her face.

Evelin walked to her window and looked to see the castle grounds and the mountains on the horizon. Soon, she would have to fight another war. Why did she bother fighting wars for others? Winning land for men that did not deserve to be kings was not a good reason. In the end, she did it for the fun of it, for having a different way to die, but this time, for King Petro to leave her and Amaro alone.

“I better try to have some fun and drink with the old soldiers. They will never out-drink me, but it will be real jolly to see them try,” said Evelin out loud.

“No, you will not be going out. You need to stay here and rest,” said Lord Malachi. He was standing by her bedroom door, all dressed in black with a white shirt and a black short coat, ready for a formal meal.

“And who is going to stop me from leaving? Huh Malachi, YOU? Your pathetic soldiers? You know I can beat all of you in battle, and my magic can create a world of havoc for you—my dear brother.” A ball of ice appeared in Evelin’s left hand, and she circled the sprinkles of snow through the fingers of her right hand.

Lord Malachi lifted his right hand with fire, moving from one hand to another.

“Evelin, we both have magic, and I cannot die either, remember? We start a fight, and we will be at it for eternity,” said Lord Malachi.

“Yeah, whatever. Why are you so dressed up? And why can’t I go to this party?” said Evelin, letting go of her magic and walking barefoot to a chair.

“I am entertaining some dignitaries from Palermo, and the Duke of Lakerly is here to do an inspection. It would be best if you rested tonight,” said Malachi.

“Then why are you here?” asked Evelin.

“I need to ask you if you could take time to train a new battlemage. She is special, and I think she holds great potential,” said Lord Malachi, sitting on a tall chair in Evelin’s room.

“Is she a Water mage? You always say that when you find a young Water-mage.” Evelin let the sheet drop on her back a little. Her skin healed. The scabs that had formed were falling, but it was still very sensitive.

“She is a Water mage. I think she has telekinesis as well. You need to see her. Maybe you can figure out what it is about her. However, you know the rules, though; don’t break any of her bones or kill her,” said Malachi.

“I know—fine, I’ll look at her and see what she can do. Send me food and Amaro. If I am going to be locked in this room, I want to make sure my son does his reading for the day and for him to go to bed early.” Evelin went back to stand by her window.

“Will do. You need to find a way to control that little boy. He is running around wild with so much energy it is like Makai struck him with lightning,” said Malachi.

“He is quite the character, that one. I love that child more than life,” said Evelin.

“We all do. By the way, you need to find Amaro, a mages’ Academy. He must learn to use his magic,” said Malachi.

“I know, I know. As soon as we leave Korkas, I will send him to an academy in Palermo. He will be safer away from us.”

“I am gifting him one of my titles. That will give him some status in Palermo. I have a feeling Makai will want to go to Palermo to ensure he gets there safely. You need to prepare him for the change,” said Malachi. When he left the room, Evelin went to her window to look out and reminisce about her life. The day was weaning, one more day gone, a million more to come.

CHAPTER 2

The Party

That night, boredom overtook Evelin, so she made sure Amaro had all his equipment ready for his warrior training for the next day, and she tucked him down to sleep early. Evelin got dressed and decided she wanted to crash her brother’s party. She went down to the main party hall, entering by the side door. The music and dancing went smoothly as the Lords and Ladies danced, drank, and laughed. Makai had a woman in his arms dancing sexy and soft. Malachi looked in his usual stern manner.

Evelin extended her magic to the room. She wanted to feel the magic of the woman Makai was dancing with so salaciously. She could tell the young woman was a water mage. However, she seemed to be a mage without control of her magic. The young woman had a round face. She was of average height, stockily built, with mousy brown hair and dark blue eyes. There was nothing special about her. She wasn’t beautiful by Evelin’s standards. Evelin looked at her with disdain, but Makai was salivating over the young woman. She knew her brother. He liked his women with wide hips, and the wench had birthing ones. Makai always said he loved how women with big bottoms walked with the side-to-side movement. He had told her that when they were young, making Evelin laugh. Now that she noticed the girl’s big bottom, she had to shake her head. The young woman’s pale face and curly hair contrasted with Makai’s darker skin and dark brown hair.

“Hey Dante, come over,” called Evelin to the manservant.

“Yes, my Lady,” said the man

“Who is that woman with my brother, Makai? They are dancing over by the orchestra,” said Evelin.

“That is the new water mage, Astrid,” said Dante.

Evelin could not believe her brother Malachi. Evelin didn’t know why her brother made her waste her time training the young woman. The young Astrid’s magic felt to Evelin as if she was inept.

Astrid danced, and Makai kept his hands on her ample rear. Evelin’s mind wondered why Makai bothered finessing women. In the end, he was going to use them and leave them. The young woman smiled, but she looked like a cockroach in a chicken dance. He did a twirled, and finally, her brother seemed like he noticed Evelin standing by the side of the door. Evelin had donned one of her most extravagant dresses. She knew men loved to see her in dark purple. It complemented her amber eyes. Makai looked at her. However, it was her brother Malachi who came to greet her.

“What are you doing here?” Malachi was standing with a menacing stare. Makai left the dancing floor and came with Astrid to receive Evelin.

“My darling Astrid, go get something to drink. We’ll dance some more later,” said Makai, and Astrid walked away.

“Dearest, you look beautiful in your dress,” said Makai, taking his sister’s hand and kissing it.

“I was bored in my room and wanted to dance. I waited until after I tucked Amaro to sleep to come down. Now that I’m here, I want a drink. Oh, hello, Lady Marjory, you look stunning,” said Evelin to a woman who was near, and she left her brothers. She went to talk to the woman, Marjory, who was but a few steps away from her brothers.

“Of all the nights and all the parties to appear. Why tonight?” said Malachi.

“I’ll have Dante keep an eye on her,” said Makai.

“She can’t ruin this gathering for us. We have much at stake on this one. We need to ensure the Ambassador leaves with a good impression of us,” said Malachi.

“Don’t worry so much. You have your harmonizer here. I am sure she can calm even our sister if she is as powerful as you make her be. As a matter of fact, I’ve never had an elf in bed,” said Makai, passing his long finger through his short hair.

“Don’t even think about it. You better stay away from my elf-woman. That one is mine,” said Malachi, with some flames on his fingers.

“Woe, brother, calm down. I am not going to tap on your girl.” Makai left his brother where he stood.

Evelin came back to Malachi and said.

“You know, I could hear what you two said. I am not going to “ruin” your little shindig, my dear brother. Or haven’t you forgotten I am a countess?”

“You and Makai have a bad habit of starting fights in the most inopportune times and places. We have a mandate from the King.”

“You are a lap dog of Petro. I hate that man. You know he is not fit to be king. Boleń was better suited for the throne,” said Evelin.

“That is true, but you know Petro paid Makai handsomely to kill his brother Bolén,” said Malachi.

“Yes, that is the only thing for which I will never forgive Makai. Boleń was a good man. I have Petro for it. I ow him no fealty. Besides, he can’t do anything to us, and you know it. The only thing he can do is banish us from his lands, which will not hurt us,” said Evelin.

“Eve, you must stop. Makai and I made an agreement with Petro to keep Amaro safe. However, if we break our end of the bargain, the man can send assassins for Amaro,” said Malachi.

“What did you say? Why didn’t you tell me you traded with that bastard?”

“For the same reason, I didn’t want you at this party,”

“You both should not have made any deals. Now he knows Amaro is our weakness,” said Evelin.

“He already knew. He came to us with the deal, and we took it. In any case, you need to play the role and accept your payment.”

“This life bothers me. Aren’t you tired of killing for hire?” said Evelin.

“All I care is to keep Amaro alive. I want to finish this party and continue with my life,” said Malachi. Makai came back to her brother and sister’s side.

“So, what is it with you and that she-elf?” Makai mentioned. “

“What is that of any importance to you?” said Malachi.

“I want to know.” Makai had a wicked smile.

“You know we are to stay away from them, elves,” said Evelin. A servant passed her with a tray of drinks; she took a flute of bubbly. Taking sips of her drink, Evelin looked at the elf and shuddered.

“Sister, if you excuse me, I must mingle.” Malachi left Evelin alone, and he went to dance with his Harmonizer Elf. She knew Malachi wasn’t a man who bothered too much with women. He used to love them and leave them, just like Makai, but Malachi wasn’t a womanizer like Makai. Evelin felt there was something different about this one elf woman. She knew her brother was falling for the girl’s charms. Malachi had combed his long, dark, wavy hair into a ponytail. The man took excellent care of his image.

Evelin noticed that when Makai found Astrid drinking and talking with a young man in a corner, he went to his woman like the snake he was. Sliding his hand around her waist, he collected his wench for the night, pulling her away from the other man. He let his wolf come to the surface. His face changed, his ears and teeth turned, and Makai gave the man a growl and a snarl. The man left in a hurry.

Like her, her brothers were shifters. They had lived many decades and had many lovers. In all those years, she had never heard of Makai talk of ever having any families. Malachi had two wives, but he rarely talked about them. He had had about twenty-three children; of that, she was sure.

eee

The party continued. It was a celebratory banquet. Malachi walked over and mingled among his guests. He talked with his commanders, mages, and other visitors. The guest of honor was the ambassador from Palermo to Behui, the Barron of Bizzarri. That night Malachi ensured to have his favorite harmonizer mage in attendance, and she didn’t have a collar. She had a necklace made of gold and rubies that bonded her to her master, Malachi. In case she had any other gift besides being a harmonizer, she could not use it unless Malachi allowed it.

She looked stunning standing in the middle of the room, talking to Dante, Malachi’s steward. He was to keep her accompanied and near the center of everything so she could keep the room in a relaxed and peaceful environment.

“Brother, cheer up. You look like you are going to the gallows,” said Makai.

“I hate to deal with dignitaries.” Malachi drank deep from his flute, keeping an eye on the ambassador.

“It is tedious, but it’s part of our job as the highest-ranking military men in the citadel. Just be happy Evelin is behaving like a lady tonight,” said Makai.

“Do not mention Evelin. She brings more problems than she’s worth,” said Malachi.

“Ha, don’t say that. You know she is the best warrior you have and your best assassin. She’s better than me, and that is a lot to say. She, Amaro, and I are all the family you have left. Although Evelin may be a free spirit, you know why she is the way she is.”

“I know, I know. She is my sister too. I hate to think what my life would have been if she had not been involved with B’jorn,” said Malachi.

“You know, it wasn’t Evelin’s fault. B’jorn used her. B’Jorn is the reason we are all cursed, not Evelin, anyway. Change the subject. As for tonight, King Petro instructed us to keep good relations with Palermo. So, cheer up and enjoy the party we prepared for the ambassador. Be thankful Evelin is keeping the women occupied in conversation. I must go. I am planning to bed little Astrid tonight,” said Makai, moving away and along the hall, taking the hand of one of the Ladies in attendance and going to the dance floor.

Malachi took several deep breaths, but Naila kept attracting his attention. The young Elf Woman made him want to go to her side and take her to bed. Could it be her magic? Maybe she was manipulating him? That could not be. The necklace around her neck would not allow it, but again, she was an Elf, and they were different. Her pale skin and purple eyes made her stand out in the sea of humanity at the party. Her blond hair was arranged in a cascade of ribbons, and her long fingers were pure grace. He was going to have her in bed later that night, but it didn’t matter how many times he bedded her; he wanted more of her. She was an itch that didn’t matter how many times he scratched; the itch didn’t go away.

“Earl of Nornel, Lord Malachi, there are rumors that King Petro is moving his Dullahans to his borders with Yakuta. Are these rumors or facts?” asked the Duke of Bizzarri.

“Hello, Ambassador Duke of Bizzarri. King Petro has declared war on Alhambra. On the other hand, he has no quarrel with Yakuta. We are a sovereign kingdom with borders with many other countries, but as long as they stay on their side of the borders, all is well with us,” said Malachi, drinking from his flute and ogling at his Naila.

“So, why then have this Mage academy so far away from the Capital?” asked the Ambassador from Palermo.

“We trained our mages in different environments, not only in our safe academies in the Capital and major cities. Battlemages are not to be cuddled,” said Malachi, giving a smile to the man when a servant came announcing that dinner was ready to be served.

“Excuse me, Your Grace; I must escort a dear friend for dinner.” Malachi went to Naila’s side.

“Naila, are you enjoying the party?” asked Malachi.

“Hello, my Lord, most of your guests are angry people,” said Naila with a frown, rubbing her forehead a little.

“So, I guess that means you are not enjoying the party.”

“It is hard to enjoy a party when I have to use my magic to keep everyone calm,” Naila whispered, looking down.

“You are right about that. Tonight, we are going to bed soon after the party is over. I promised you will not be working or training tomorrow,” said Malachi.

“Thank you, my lord,” said Naila, smiling at him. Malachi touched the side of her face. He then held her hand and escorted her to the dining room. They went to dinner, and the party went on through the night. All the dealings continued with an air of harmony and peace.

However, Malachi’s worries about Evelin didn’t go away. He knew something seemed wrong with his sister. She was different. She had never spoken ill of Petro before. She had no love for the Royal family, but she had never been so outspoken about her feelings. The problem was he could not figure out why she had changed.

eee

Late after the party, Evelin went to walk at the ramparts over the outer wall of Korkas. She had so many memories of the miserable place. She had no love for Korkas; this time, she had to stay and help her brothers train the mages for the war against Alhambra. She walked in silence and looked over at the mountains below. They had not changed in 360-plus years. The mountains and forest were the same.

Evelin remembered the elves and the Ellen King. She would never forget their curse. The elf woman her brother had at the party brought unwanted memories. Evelin stood reclining against the wall when she heard a noise. Her hearing was as good as her brothers.

“Hey, Eve, come help me,” said Makai. She ran to Makai’s side. He carried a man over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” asked Evelin.

“Oh, never mind, just get out of my way,” said Makai.

Makai carried a man with no entrails. He approached the side of the rampart, and he threw the body over the wall of the fort, down the abyss of the mountain. Evelin knew her brother was ruthless.

“Who did you kill? And more importantly, did you eat him or just gutted him?” asked Evelin.

“That mother fucker was flirting with my bitch. Everyone knows in this fort I don’t share my wenches,” said Makai.

“Yes, but why was he without entrails?” asked Evelin.

“My wolf was hungry. Paco likes to eat livers and kidneys, so I let him have some fun.” Makai smiled, and then he howled.

“You need to control your wolf. Did anyone see you? You know Malachi is going to have you castrated and then hung,” said Evelin.

“No one saw me. I lured him to an alley, and, fine—I broke his neck. But no one saw me,” said Makai.

“What did you do with your woman? I hope she didn’t witness your little feast,” said Evelin.

“Nah, I had her sent to her cell after I had her ample ass,” said Makai, liking his fingers.

“You are disgusting.”

“I am what I am,” said Makai.

“Aren’t you tired of killing?” asked Evelin.

“I don’t care for life, not mine, and you can bet I don’t care for anyone else’s, with the exemption of Amaro. I only care for that little boy,” said Makai.

“Thank you for that, but you are one heartless fiend?”

“When you see the two people you love being ripped into literal human pieces, all love gets torn from your heart.”

“I am sorry, brother.”

“I wish I could die and never wake up again; that way, I don’t have to relieve that memory every time I see a redhead woman and little girl. Anyway, I am going to get a wench at the Tavern. There is a small redhead that waits tables in The Dusty Log, and I want to fuck her.”

“But didn’t you just have the woman from the party?”

“So what? I want more. See you tomorrow, and don’t tell on me,” said Makai with a smile.

“You know I won’t.”

Makai left, giving another howl.