Page 39 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

38 CAIDEN

“What was a Council Court doing at one of the Alder King’s revelries?” Daynaris, lord of the Court of Light and head of the High Sylph Council slammed his palm on the podium. The council sat around an elevated dais. The ten representatives whispered to each other as Caiden stood before them, feeling foolish, squinting as blinding sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“We were invited. After the attack on the Court of Sorrows, I saved the Alder King’s heir, Tharan, from a cave kraken. He invited the Court of Storms as a sign of gratitude.”

Lord Daynaris stroked his dark beard with his thick, ringed fingers, contemplating Caiden’s words. “Did you sanction this trip, Tonin?” He turned to Caiden’s father.

“Caiden does not need to seek my approval. I trust his judgment.” He nodded to his son.

Lord Daynaris let out a hearty laugh. “You always loved your children too much to see their foolish actions, Tonin.”

Caiden interrupted. “Now is not the time for parenting advice. The Highlands allied with the mountain goblins and attacked the Woodlands during a holy festival. That cannot go unpunished. I have brought an emissary from the Court of the Alder King with me to attest to what I am saying.”

A slim purple-haired sylph female stepped forward, wearing the crest of the Alder King. “It is true, my lord. The Highlands attacked without cause. We only survived because all the courts banded together.”

Members of the council grumbled to one another. Caiden had been in this situation before. When Baylis’s father, King Philip, died, he pleaded with the council to send aid to the Midlands. They refused, and the Midlands fell to Gideon. He shuddered, thinking about what the good people of the Midlands’ lives were like now.

“We need to band together with the Wild Courts and present a united front.” His words echoed throughout the gilded chamber. “Gideon will not stop until he has conquered the sylph lands.”

Laughter erupted from the dais. Lord Cindron of the Court of Ashes hung his wiry arm over the edge of the podium. “A human army has never beaten a sylph army, let alone conquered a kingdom in the history of Moriana. Many have tried and failed. This king will be no different. The Wild Courts wanted to be separate from us. I say, let them fight their own battles. This is nothing we need to be concerned with.”

“Maybe if they weren’t so concerned with their parties, they would have seen this coming,” a representative from the Court of Honey adorned in gold with honeycombs embroidered on her dress chimed in. Bees buzzed around her flower crown.

The council murmured in agreement.

Caiden swallowed his anger. He wanted to scream at all of them, but such an outburst would not do him any good. “Do you think the Highlands won’t come for the Council Courts next? You hide here, deep inside council territory, but what of the courts bordering the Highlands? The Court of Scales could be next.”

Lord Daynaris held up a gilded hand. “And should that time come, we will be ready. But for now, I propose we send troops to the bordering courts. That should be enough to ward off any unwanted advances.”

The council grumbled to themselves.

Hoping to call the court to order, Lord Daynaris slammed his gavel on the podium.

The members of the council quieted.

“Here is my ruling. Young Caiden will go on a fact-finding mission to the Highlands to infiltrate their court and see what he can learn. He will return when he has evidence we can use.”

Caiden’s heart sank. The Woodland’s emissary deflated into the chair next to him as the members of the council filed out of the room.

“What now?” she asked in an exasperated tone.

Caiden rubbed his temples, hoping to quell his aching head. “Now, I find my Master of Shadows, Lucius, and make a plan to infiltrate the one place we swore we’d never return.”

“I need to tell the Alder King about this,” she said, jotting down something in a notebook. “Maybe he can help.”

“Of course.”

The emissary headed back to the Woodlands. “Thank you for everything,” she yelled as she rode off.

Caiden made his way back to his parents’ townhome on the upper east side of the city. They made the move permanent when his older brother, Aryn, came of age. His father opted to keep the title of High Lord in name only to focus on his council duties, leaving Caiden and his brother to run the Court of Storms.

Roderick and Lucius were seated at the large kitchen table, chatting with his mother, Tempestia. Her black ringlet curls flowed like water over her tanned skin. Her hazel eyes sparked with love at the sight of her youngest son.

“How did it go?” Setting her teacup down, she embraced her son .

The familiar scent of rosewater filled Caiden with nostalgia.

He hugged his mother tightly. “They want me to go on a reconnaissance mission to the Highlands to bring back proof Gideon plans to attack more courts.”

Lucius laughed. “Us almost dying wasn’t enough for them?”

“Apparently not,” he said, taking the cup of hot marrow root tea his mother offered, and settled into one of the antique chairs at the dining table.

Lucius sighed. “I will draw up a plan and bring it to you tomorrow. We should leave as soon as possible.”

“Agreed.” Caiden sipped his tea.

Roderick fidgeted with his fingers. “I, uh, have something to ask you and your father.”

Caiden raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“With your permission, I’d like to marry Amolie in a hand-binding ceremony in the temple of Illya in the Stormlands.”

Tempestia’s face brightened. “Oh, how wonderful! A wedding. We need some cheer.”

A smile cut across Caiden’s chiseled face. “Of course. I am happy to sanction it. Although you know you will have to ask Aryn. He handles domestic matters.”

“I will go ask him now. I’d like to perform the ceremony as soon as possible. We’ve waited long enough.” Roderick left with a skip in his step.

Caiden called after him, “And tell Amolie hello for me as well!”

Roderick smiled, his bright white teeth blinding against his umber skin. “Thank you.”

Lucius came back, holding one of Caiden’s mother’s rose cakes. “I guess it’s just you and me on the mission to the Highlands.” Crumbs dotted his black attire after having enjoyed the treat. He brushed them away before heading out into the night .

Tempestia reached across the table, taking her son’s hands in hers. “Please be careful, Son. I don’t want to lose you again.”

Caiden rubbed his thumbs in circles on his mother’s tan skin. “It’ll be fine, Mother. It’s just an information-gathering mission. Nothing more.”

She gazed upon her son with soft concern. “I will pray to Illya for your safe return.”

The city sparkled for the Yuletide. Topiaries lined the cobblestone streets decorated with ribbons and small lanterns hung in bundles along the sidewalk.

Caiden’s thoughts drifted to his wife. His heart yearned for her touch.

As a child, he envisioned a life of service to his kingdom, to the sylph. He wanted to be a soldier since the day he could hold a sword, but life had other plans.

Cassandra gave him purpose. He loved being her husband. His thoughts drifted to the sunny days when she worked in the gardens while he whittled toys for their future children. Her golden hair blowing in the summer breeze, her hands covered in dirt. A tear trickled down his cheek as he walked the snowy streets of Vantris.

He chucked a stone into the nearby river. Gideon would pay for what he did to his wife. He would make sure of that, with or without the sanction of the council.

As he returned to his parents’ home, something gnawed at him. Something he couldn’t quite place, like an itch he couldn’t reach. Had he forgotten something?

A pain crept up his arm. He pulled back his sleeve, hoping to find the source, but he found nothing.