Page 27 of Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1)

The frigid air of the early morning burns my lungs as I sprint down the halls. I haven’t run just because I can in a long time. I’m not fast, and my old boots and the layers of my nightdress make it harder to really gain speed.

But already the tension in my muscles eases. I can’t catch my breath, but it doesn’t hinder my pace. Ever since my first encounter with Nera, I’ve struggled with the sensation of energy trapped under my skin.

Moving my body and pushing it to its limits helps me, if not to ease the discomfort, at least to get some sleep. I can see my bedroom door as I turn the corner. Admittedly, going for a run in the hallways isn’t my brightest idea, even if the beasts are slumbering.

I enter my room and shut the door, gripping the rose beside me as second nature and asking it to lock the wards back in place.

“I didn’t know you were one of those strange people who like to run,” a voice says from behind me.

I yelp and turn to find Nera walking out of the washroom. The morning sunlight spills past the gauzy curtains, casting white highlights over her marble skin.

“What are you doing here?” I press my back to the door and lift a hand to my chest, feeling my heart thundering under my palm. She doesn’t look feral, but I didn’t expect to find her in my room.

I left my door unlocked. What if instead of her, something else sneaked in? Something that wanted to kill me.

I follow her as she sits on the bed next to where Naheli peacefully sleeps, still taking up most of the space.

“One of the strangest things about losing my mind to the curse is that I can hear the lunargyres whisper...” She tilts her head up and meets my gaze. Her eyes are still that beautiful rose gold that shimmers like ground metal.

“They whisper to you?”

She nods, pressing her lips tightly together before she drags one hand gently over the wolf. Naheli’s ears perk up, and slowly, she blinks her four eyes open. Her tails pat the mattress as she sleepily greets Nera.

Safe. I feel safer now that Naheli seems at ease. And perhaps I’ve gone mad.

“Most of the beasts that roam outside the castle have been gone for a long time, but I still recognize their voices. Many of them worked in the castle since before I was born.” She shrugs a shoulder, but her expression is sad.

“Either way, they whispered about a human running the halls. I came to make sure you were okay.”

My stomach sinks like a stone, and I step forward, allowing myself to smile at the princess, who looks broken right now.

“Thank you, I’m—?” I don’t know if I should lie to her about the way I’ve been feeling. How it’s driving me mad. Or how little sleep I’ve been getting. How crazy her brother makes me. How angry I am with my situation.

“I haven’t been able to sleep much,” I admit at last. “I’ve struggled with my magic lately, without my amulet.”

“What do you feel?” Nera reaches for the glowing stone hanging around her neck. It almost looks like her heart is visible for everyone to see.

“It’s like a fire that starts in the pit of my stomach and burns through my veins. I can’t seem to find release.”

She lifts a brow and stands from the bed, her lips tilting into a side smile that looks too much like Ash’s. It takes all of me to not glower at her.

“Well, next time you want to go for a run, it’s safer if you do it when we’re all awake. And you should go with Naheli, Finley, or me—or even Ash.” She lifts a hand toward my shoulder, but seems to think better of it and drops it to her side.

I wonder how lonely she feels. Perhaps she needs a friend that’s not the two growly males that live here with her.

“I’ll do that. I know I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t sleep and felt like I was going to explode.”

The burning hasn’t eased off, even after the run. It’s even stronger now, ever since Ash took away his book and was the biggest asshole ever. My complicated new feelings for the fae king, which are mostly still hate, are not something I’m ready to share with anyone, much less Nera.

“Mia, people with fae blood like you don’t need an amulet to wield magic.

I’m sure there’s a part of you that’s keeping it locked away for a reason.

Maybe you don’t even know why. But this”—she taps the red stone with her deadly fingernail—“is just a token that made you feel powerful. Perhaps it made it easier. But you don’t truly need it. ”

Our relationship didn’t start easy, but the warmth spreading in my chest, and the smile that takes over my face, is real. Nera is being kind. Even though I’m just a human with fae blood, and I tried to kill her brother, and then her. Of course, I was only trying to defend myself, and then him.

I feel we’ve come to an understanding. Perhaps it could build to a friendship? If I’m to remain here for the foreseeable future, I would like to have one of those.

Nera walks to the door with the same grace as always.

Silent.

Deadly.

As soon as she passes me, the gentle scent of blackberries and roses lingers behind, but then she pauses by the door, turning to meet my gaze. “I don’t suppose you want to go to Eponde with me?”

“Eponde?”

“It’s the largest fae town in our kingdom. It was the most prosperous too.”

“Are there still fae living there?” I immediately regret my words when her face darkens.

“I’m afraid not. The lunargyres that didn’t turn to stone abandoned their homes when they lost their minds and now live in the forest.”

I shouldn’t go but nod before I can talk myself out of it. “Will Ash stop us from going?”

“He doesn’t have to know, and we’ll be back before he notices we’re gone. I overheard him and Finley talking yesterday about a fissure in our wards. He’s going out to fix it this morning.”

I remember the afternoon Finley said he had to leave to get the crystal from Hedrum. He mentioned that fissure.

“How will we know when he leaves? Are the lunargyres going to tell you?”

Nera narrows her eyes at me, tapping her foot on the floor. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I’m actually curious. I don’t know enough about the curse or how your connection to everything works.” I’ve barely accepted that somehow I can speak to the roses, the grimoires, and the necklace that’s now, admittedly, permanently around Nera’s neck.

Nera points with her chin at the wolf resting on my bed and smiles like a cat. “When Naheli leaves, then we know he’s gone. He never goes to the edges of our land without her.”

Naheli poofs out of my room mid-morning. One second, she’s by my side, grooming her dark fur like a cat instead of a dog, and the next, she’s gone.

I follow Nera through the halls, feeling almost naked without Naheli by my side. The excitement of getting to know the fae kingdom has me forgetting about the power that’s been driving me crazy all morning.

That is, until Finley finds us on our way out of the castle. Apparently, Nera is not one to lie, and she tells him about our plans, even though she clearly doesn’t intend to change them.

“Do you think that’s a good idea, Nera? What happens if a beast wakes up and eats Mia for breakfast?”

Nera laughs dryly. “They’ve faded fully into stone, Finley. If only they could start moving again, then I wouldn’t have to worry about what’s happening to me, would I?”

“You know not all the stone lunargyres are completely asleep. Will, Carren, and Hane, they all turned, like you, and are still moving right outside.” Finley points to the courtyard.

And now I know the names of the beasts that roam this place. The ones that don’t look like bald moles but like garden decorations.

“I beg you to not go, much less take Mia with you. What would Ash say?” Finley’s expression has morphed into panic. And perhaps he knows our minds are made up.

His eyes shift from the princess to me, as if he’s looking for a more reasonable person. Has he met me? I wasn’t so sure I wanted to see the devastation this kingdom suffered, but now I feel I should. Perhaps it will make me work harder.

I don’t know what he expects me to do either way; I can’t stop Nera from doing anything, and I’d rather go with her than let her meander through a ghost town on her own.

“This kingdom is not only Ash’s. I’m their princess, and I’ve never been back to Eponde, not since the curse ran its course. I should have mourned with them, fought for them, not hidden here while I was also taken hostage.”

I’m nodding along with her, and my eyes prickle with unshed tears. Nera was raised to rule, much like her brother. I can see it now.

“I beg you to reconsider.”

“And I have decided. I’m going with or without my brother’s permission,” she says. “I don’t know how much longer I have left. The next blood moon is just over two months away. I want to live a little, Finn, don’t you?”

“Is this because of your birthday?” Finley asks. He sounds resigned.

Birthday?

“Of course it’s because of my birthday,” she groans, lifting her arms to the sky.

“I’ve told Ash multiple times that I need to leave this castle.

It’s been a decade. I haven’t left the grounds, not even before I showed traces of the curse, and I no longer care.

I can’t see my friends, my distant family.

My people. They are all gone. The only thing I have is this castle and the two of you.

But he left early this morning to strengthen the wards, and I can go to the city before he realizes I’ve gone. ”

“Wait, is today your birthday?” I don’t know why and when I began to care about these people. I guess it happened slowly over the last few weeks. It would be much simpler if I were just trying to go back home, then worrying about them would be the very least of my problems.

“Not today, but in a week.”

“What would you do on your birthday if there were no curse?” I ask, my smile tentative as I follow her down the hall.

Finley stays behind, glaring after us disapprovingly.

“I would love to go to Hedrum for a night. It’s so beautiful in the winter. Have you ever been?”

I shake my head. I could never leave the confines of the veil, even though Irene did often, to gather supplies for the scientists.

Now I know they were hunting for beasts to feed their machine.

No wonder Ash calls me a monster. If I were the king and my people were being murdered that way, I would consider those behind it monsters too.

“They hold winter dances, and the food is delicious.” She continues, not noticing the way my mood has soured.

“It was one of my favorite places to go, and even though Hedrum used to be somewhere all races were welcomed, I would disguise myself as a human to not call unwanted attention when I wanted to have a little fun. Human men are eager in bed, but the fae have bigger cocks.”

“Nera!” My cheeks burn, and I almost stumble to the ground.

Nera’s laughter travels down the hall, her eyes shimmering with mischief.

I clear my throat and drag my sweaty hands over the skirt of my dress. Again and again, until I’ve calmed my racing heart. Not because of her comment, but because I almost kissed the ground. I’m not even wondering how big Ash’s— Never mind.

It’s hard not to remember the way he spoke to me the night I stitched him up. When he teased me about being a maiden and drunkenly called me beautiful. “I’m not used to talking about these kinds of things...”

“But I heard you have a sister.”

“I do, but we aren’t that close anymore.” I look away, biting my bottom lip. “Actually, Irene and I have never been that close.”

Is she also part fae? Does she know what I am, and is that why she kept her distance?

My heart squeezes at the possibility of being lied to like that. In the end, it doesn’t matter; I don’t love her any less.

“I always wanted a sister, but after my mother had me, she swore off being pregnant and never stopped taking the fertility-controlling brew.” Nera pouts, then turns slightly at the sound of Finley’s steps as he rushes to catch up to us.

She leans closer to me, her expression turning conspiratorial.

“Perhaps if this escapade goes well, and you master your trapped magic enough to help me with a glamour, we can leave for Hedrum next.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” I say with a laugh. “Which is my favorite kind of plan. So, sign me up.”

“Really, Hedrum?” Finley asks, keeping his strides long and fast to remain by Nera’s side. “Of all the places, that’s where you want to go?”

“You know what happened the night I found out I couldn’t call off my wedding after my father died?” Nera asks, staring at her long, clawlike nails with disinterest.

Finley pales, but I’m shaking my head, enthralled by the conversation.

“I went on a tirade, carried on all the way to Hedrum full of hate for my late father and with revenge in my heart. I wanted to reclaim what’s mine.

The old king promised my body to Sylas, and Ash couldn’t break the deal as it was sealed with a blood vow.

So, I did what any rebellious princess would do when faced with such a crossroad.

I fucked strangers. All night long. It was wonderful, but I’m sure you understand, Finley, since you used to party there. ”

Finley’s cheeks turn a deep shade of burgundy, and he looks away from us, muttering under his breath. “I told Ash having his little sister hovering around us all the time would come back to bite us, eventually.”

It’s almost cute how embarrassed he is, and I’m happy I’m not the only one acting like a bashful, innocent girl when speaking with Nera.

We make our way to the stables, crossing the courtyard toward the big black buildings that remain covered by fog. The lunargyres don’t look our way.

“It has less to do with how you two behaved around me and more to do with how little time I have left to care about decorum.”

“Nera . . .”

“Save it, Finley, I don’t need your pity. What I need is to experience things, even if they are sad. I want to live while I still can.”

His eyes soften before he nods. “Well, I guess if we’re going to risk our lives, we might as well go in style and take the carriage.”