Page 17 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

16 AELIA

“Are you nervous?” Amolie asked as she braided my hair, intertwining the strands with a diadem.

I blew out a long breath. “No, this is just another job.”

She fastened the braid with a pin, holding the others between her teeth while she wove the hair. “Well, that’s one way to look at it.”

I bit my lip.

“What?” Amolie asked.

“Baylis used to braid my hair before royal events.” I pushed down a sob.

A memory rose to the surface of my mind. Elyria—Baylis sat before me in our dressing room, which smelled like fresh flowers. Her round face smiled back at me from the mirror as I braided cherry blossoms into her hair. Her two black shepherd dogs lay at her feet.

“ My first ball. I’m so excited. ” Her sun-kissed cheeks seemed to radiate joy.

“ No one will be able to take their eyes off you, ” I said, placing a bloom.

“ There’s only one boy’s eyes I want to catch. ”

“ Oh? Whose? ”

“ Peter Avilard. ” Her eyes fluttered. “ He’s so handsome; his father is the Master of Coin. ”

“ Peter Avilard is a good match for you. ”

“ Do you think so? ” She turned to face me. Her gray eyes full of hope.

“ I do. He’s from a respectable family. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. ”

“ Could you plant a seed with our mother and father? ”

“ Of course, ” I said as I put the final blossom into place.

“Aelia?” Amolie said, waving a hand in front of my face.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” I shook the bitter sting of regret off. I hadn’t mentioned Peter to my parents. I knew what the answer would be.

“Oh, nothing. You need to be careful tonight—you know how Wild Courts are. There will be a lot of temptation for you to use.”

“I know. I’ll be fine. But thank you for worrying about me, Amolie. If you didn’t, no one else would.”

She clicked her tongue. “You’re not as hard to love as you think, Aelia.”

I applied a thick layer of kohl to my eyes and reddened my lips. The sylph loved to dress up.

“We need to go, ladies,” Lucius called from the parlor.

Amolie strapped my dagger to the outside of my leg so its carved stallion hilt did not dig into my thigh. I slipped into the spiderweb gown, letting the mesh and velvet hide the scars on my back, then helped Amolie into hers.

“Beautiful and deadly,” Amolie said as she stepped back, allowing me to glimpse myself in the mirror. I did not recognize the woman who stared back at me. A queen of darkness replaced the mercenary.

The three men stared at us, mouths agape, as we descended the elegant marble stairs.Even Lucius looked taken aback by my appearance.

Caiden wore a dark blue velvet vest embroidered with lightning, Roderick wore traditional Court of Storms armor, and Lucius dressed in all black.

“You all look nice as well, except for Lucius. You look like you are attending a human funeral.”

The others laughed while Lucius pulled his hood over his head. His face disappeared into nothing.

Caiden extended a hand to me. “Shall we?”

“Let me cleanse us before you leave.” Amolie lit a bundle of dried sage. “To get rid of any negative energy on you.” She waved the smoldering herb over us, filling the room with the sweet, earthy aroma.

I hugged her tight before heading into the snowy night, where a black carriage waited outside to take us to the Court of Sorrows’ embassy.

Caiden kept a reassuring gloved hand on mine as we traveled through the white city. It scared me how easily I accepted his support. I should not become accustomed to something that would not last.

The black stone embassy of the Court of Storms stood out like a sore thumb among the white-marbled houses of the city. Two wraiths stood guard outside, holding obsidian spears. Their long black robes hovered above the ground. Hoods covered their gaunt, hollow faces.

Wraiths were shadows of men who had been cursed. Their bodies died long ago, but the essence of their spirits lived on. They served the owner of the curse until the owner’s death. Notoriously hard to kill, the wealthier of the Wild Courts collected them as a symbol of their strength. How Lucius came to be part wraith, I did not know, but I had my suspicions.

Caiden flashed an invitation embellished with the Court of Sorrows sigil of a spider battling a serpent. The wraith motioned for us to enter, waving their hands to open a giant stone door featuring the sigil.

A lump grew in my throat at the sight of the spider. Every strand of fur visible as though a live creature had been cast into the door.

“When the doors open, they won’t open to this house but to the Court of Sorrows,” Caiden said, reassuringly touching my small back. “It will be as though no time has passed, but we will have traveled hundreds of miles.”

The doors opened, and a damp fog crept from the mouth of a cave, covering our feet. Caiden grabbed my hand, escorting me into the darkness.Roderick and Amolie followed. The sound of his armor echoed through the empty cavern. I looked for Lucius but couldn’t find him.

I struggled to see in the pitch-black as we stood, unsure of our next move. The cave smelled of damp soil, and only the trickling of water could be heard.

A light flickered at the end of the tunnel, followed shortly by a sylph with pale white skin and hair as dark as ink. Vampires—a sylph who lived solely on blood. The pupils of his eyes turned red from a millennium of drinking the life force of others.

“Welcome, Lord of Lightning.” He bowed to Caiden then turned to escort us to the palace. “Please follow me.”

Damp air seeped into my bones. Shivering, I pulled my cloak tighter around me.

We reached a set of opulent stairs carved into the mountain. “My queen is waiting for you,” the vampire said, motioning for us to climb. Torches illuminated our way, making monsters out of our shadows as we ascended. Caiden did not let go of my hand.

Queen Nysemia waited with a myriad of other servants and courtiers at the top of the stairs in a rotunda of stone and stained glass.The little light trickling through cast a rainbow of colors across their macabre faces.

“Welcome, guests,” she said in a voice as rich as dark chocolate.

Nysemia’s captivating beauty held me spellbound. Her skin was a deep purple, her hair the hue of fresh snow. Amber eyes entranced me, refusing to release their grip. A sheer dress adorned with diamonds gripped her curves, leaving little to the imagination. Around her neck coiled a golden snake, not a mere necklace but a living serpent, its tongue tasting the air. A crown of jagged bone rested on her pale hair.

“It has been too long since the Court of Storms visited us.” She flashed a smile. Her sylph fangs sparkled in the firelight. “I thought you didn’t like me.”

Caiden kneeled, kissing Nysemia’s outstretched hand. “It is time our courts reconciled.”

Nysemia smiled, running her jeweled hand down Caiden’s jaw. “Rise and join the festivities. We have much to catch up on.”

Nysemia clapped her hands. Two large doors heaved open, revealing an enormous ballroom filled with sylphs and faeries from across Moriana. In the center of the room, a chandelier filled with thousands of candles hung from thick chains. Fire sprites danced between them, ensuring their continuous burning.

The queen’s carved throne of adamant sat on a dais in the center of the room. Behind it, a wall of live insects hummed with life. The smell of incense and wine filled the air, and creatures danced lasciviously to the music of a string band. Two massive fireplaces heated the stone ballroom, bathing everything in a warm glow.

I scanned the room for Tharan, but what my eyes befell made my blood run cold. Lounging in the center of the room sat Gideon, dressed in his signature red vest and black cloak with gold buttons. Ever the handsome king, his dark hair was neatly styled, framing his face and giving him an air of sophistication. Brown eyes stared intensely at the woman he was flirting with. A straight, well-proportioned nose with a slight curve at the bridge added to his distinguished appearance.

I squeezed Caiden’s hand as the world darkened around me. My throat thickened. I couldn’t get enough air in.

“Be strong, Aelia. I’m here,” Caiden whispered to me.

I didn’t feel strong. I felt like cracked glass waiting to shatter.

The ladies surrounding Gideon laughed flirtatiously, their faces blushing at whatever joke he told.

I remembered those feelings. The charm, the way he made you feel like you were the most important person in the world to him. A bitter taste filled my mouth. “I need a drink.”

“What’s he doing here?” Lucius said, loud enough for the room to hear.

“Keep your voice down.” I slapped his shoulder. “I don’t need his eyes on me.”

But it was too late. Gideon’s head jerked toward us.

Fuck .

A devious smile crossed his handsome face. He excused himself from the conversation and headed straight for us.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my wife. I thought I sensed you coming in.” He downed a goblet of wine. “Come to ask me to take you back?”

“I’d rather die,” I said through gritted teeth. Caiden gripped my hand tightly.

Nysemia floated up to us, stroking the snake around her neck. “Oh, you two know each other? How sweet.”

Gideon launched into my mind. Play nice, and I won’t have to hurt your sister.

Clenching my jaw, I plastered a smile onto my face. “You could say that.”

Very nice , Gideon purred in my mind .

Nysemia hooked a finger under Gideon’s cleft chin. “Isn’t he delicious?”

Words stuck in my throat. I knew what she saw in him. I saw it too, once. He was hard to resist. Charming, handsome, rich, and a fierce soldier, who wouldn’t fall head over heels for him?

“Absolutely.” The words pained me to say.

“He’s come all this way to attend my party. Isn’t that sweet of him?” Their eyes were locked.

“He’s the sweetest,” Caiden said, trying his best to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

“Come, my dear, let us go someplace more private.” She grabbed Gideon’s hand, leading him away from the crowd.

I let out a sigh of relief.

Lucius jerked Caiden to the side, whispering something in his ear. Caiden’s gaze shot to Nysemia and then to me.

“Change of plans.” Caiden ushered us to a secluded study. He tapped his temples, and I opened the door to his mind.

What is it?

‘ Gideon is up to something. ’

No shit.

‘ Something big, Aelia. All that mattered was the invite. ’

I huffed in annoyance. So, what’s the plan?

Caiden looked around for prying eyes. “We need to split up. Aelia—go find Tharan. Amolie and Roderick will stay at the party and watch out for Nysemia and Gideon, while Lucius and I try to find the scepter before Gideon does.”

“Do you know where it is?” I asked.

“Likely in her study or her bed chambers,” Lucius said definitively.

“And what if she’s in either one with Gideon?”

“I’m part wraith, stealth is my specialty.” He snapped his fingers and transformed into a ghostly figure.

I bit my lip. “Fine. ”

We each headed in a different direction.

I grabbed a goblet of wine and headed toward the balcony, hoping to calm my nerves with a cigarette.

The moon shown over the acrid bog, the stench of sulfur wafted up on a chilly breeze. I lit a cigarette, letting the smoke burn away the tension in my chest.

Palms flat against the cold stone railing, I craned my neck, hoping to glimpse a famed creature of the swamp.

“Don’t jump,” a voice as smooth as velvet said.

I whirled around to see a tall man with hair the color of mulled wine standing behind me, lighting a cigarette. Tharan Greenblade had come to me.

“Do you mind if I join you? These revelries can be painfully dull.” He took a drag.

“Be my guest.” I motioned to a place next to me on the balcony.

“I haven’t seen you at one of these before. Who are you here with?” He leaned his body against the railing, looking up at the stars. He wore a fine green satin vest with golden embroidery, a white tunic underneath, and leather pants. His side bore a curved sword.

“I’m here with Lord Stormweaver,” I said, examining the stranger.

Smoke billowed into the night air, forming a haze around us.

“Oh, since when does a Council Court deign to dine with the likes of the Wild Courts?”

I tapped the ash of my cigarette on the railing. “I guess times are changing.”

“Perhaps.” He took another drag. “But you still didn’t tell me who you are.”

My mind fizzled and popped. His presence unnerved me in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. I wanted to touch him—to feel his lips on mine. “Aelia,” I blurted out .

A smile tugged at the corners of his lush lips, revealing two sharp fangs. “Pleasure to meet you, Aelia. I’m Tharan.”

My cheeks flushed, and attraction tingled in my chest.

“It’s nice to meet you.” I extended my hand as was customary.

Tharan leaned down, laying his lips gently upon my soft skin. My breath hitched in my throat at his touch. “The pleasure is all mine.”

We stared awkwardly at each other for a moment. My eyes followed the jagged scar across his face. I envied his confidence.

“So, are you with Lord Stormweaver?”

“With him as in his lover?” I asked, arching a brow.

Tharan nodded.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I hesitated. “Oh, um, not like that. We’re old childhood friends.”

Tharan’s face brightened. “Then I guess he won’t mind if I dance with you tonight.”

“I thought you said these parties were dull?”

Tharan tongued his sharp incisor. “Well, now that I have someone to dance with, the night just got much more interesting.”