Ring of Cren [18+]

Chapter 1

Anastasia's POV

I was the last of the Ice Seers. I could see into the Ice.

This was predominantly a male ability in my family.

But my family was dead.

I was officially the only one who could open the vault. I had the Ring of Cren so the Court of Cren ordered I be protected at all costs.

A little unexpected for everyone, but my father intrusted it to me before he went off to die.

Anyone who had the Ring had a veto over everything.

I was a default Queen right now, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. I had the blood that allowed the spell to work to get the vault open. The vault itself contained the Cren. It was said to kill any one who stood against my blood.

I don't know what the spirit looks like or how it does what it does, but everyone has seen the effects of it before, so only those loyal exist – and those disloyal die.

Forced loyalty was still not an ideal, I knew that ruling in fear was short lived. For my family the Cren was the foundation, the bedrock to holding power, but I had to earn the love of the people to make it a rule worthy of my bloodline.

The only problem with being the ruler... is the system in place.

All the females were owned here.

All of them. At least, the ones who were taken by a man.

I was a free woman at 25 with no collar to signify my servitude to a husband.

And to say it was daunting being a free woman and the only ruling entity in place... was a bit of an understatement.

Not that I had time to be scared.

I take my daily walk down the cold runs, a declining cobble path, which led through Cren's city centre.

Each time I walk through the winter cold, I remember my father doing the same.

It was to show intimate connection with the people.

I'd stop and talk to a few if they asked – but my first walk is met with silence and fear.

Word hadn't spread that I was wearing the Ring.

My protection are four knights who flank me front and back.

The powerful men don't talk to me.

Having a top rank in the kingdom, they never talked to women.

Unless it was instructing them.

It was weird – being in control of them.

They were forced to follow my instruction – and they did, whatever I asked. I just noted their stoic silences and stares the past few hours. They'd stare and try to make me look away first. I never did. I always stared back until I'd instruct we were walking again.

They were... different. To say the least.

Damion was walking in front with Axe – not a weapon, it was his brother.

Behind me I'm flanked by Krystoph and Rurx. They were brothers too.

The only reason my best warriors didn't die on the battlefield is they were ordered to stay behind and defend me – much to their confusion.

Until the news came.

My father and three brothers died fighting the Boned people. While our kingdom believed in containing the four maleficent spirits of the earth – the Boned people wanted them free.