With a group of unlikely allies, Alethia must become an unstoppable force to let go of her haunting past and save the Four Kingdoms.
Two years have passed since Queen Liliana broke the Peace Treaty with the Gera Kingdom and began a deadly war. Howev...
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60 days after Queen Liliana's conquest of the Gera Kingdom
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"Cease this madness, Your Excellency!"
The fluttering remnants of sleep disappeared as Samir rolled over, promptly collapsing into a pile of crumpled papers and discarded books. His blood shot through his veins. A cascade of thundering symphonies rang in his ears while piercing stings radiated up the side of his body as a hardcover book dug in deeper. Black spots clouded his vision, causing a jolting realization of the possibility he'd gone blind overnight. He blinked away the crust locking his eyelashes shut and his vision cleared.
"Your Excellency!"
"At such an early hour, you surely have some strong pipes, Caius," Samir called through the door. His attendant's voice was booming in the small confinements of the bedchamber. The unveiled window let in flares of sunlight, casting an unapproving light on the clustered floor. Samir stood, papers sticking to the wool of his nightwear like fleas to an ungroomed wild animal.
"This is no time for your—" Caius's voice cut off as a resounding cacophony of caws erupted from his antechamber. In a quick succession, sounds of clattering and thuds mixed in the chaotic noise, all the while, the birds outside his window chirped in soft notes.
Samir stepped over scrolls, balled-up clothing, bottles of ink, pens, and papers as he made his way to the chestnut brown, cedar door. He yanked it open with a harsh tug.
His golden eyes widened at the sight before him.
Jet black crows flew in circles near the low, pyramid-shaped, brick ceiling. The bricks varied in intricate shades of brown, arranged in such a way that Samir spent hours laying on the floor deciding if they depicted a masterfully crafted, asymmetric display of a woman's face or a rather dull ill-shaped bouquet.
He fancied the former.
Some of the birds had taken to shuffling in front of the lit fireplace, ignoring the flickering embers that swept their way. Metal cages housing their companions had tumbled from their stands. The caged birds knocked their beaks against the rails, adding to the caws of those flying above, as if begging to join the posse.
Samir's eyes finally found Caius amongst the oddly adjusted furniture—he preferred his seating arranged in such a way that he could hop from each to the door without touching the floor—crouched under a wooden table whose surface could no longer be seen with the pile of junk on top.
Only Caius called it a "pile of junk." In actuality, it was an assortment of beakers, plates of metal, nails, and tools that Samir used for the various ideas that popped into his mind. Everything served a purpose, and nothing was worth discarding. At least, not in Samir's perspective.
Caius's wrinkled face twisted into a knotted pinch. His dark gold eyes glinted with enough fury even the Witan's goddess would be astonished.
"Madness, indeed," Samir agreed with his attendant's earlier words. He ducked in a smooth motion as a raven soared over his head and out the open window behind him.
