Castle Coeds 10, page 1
Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production? Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my audiobooks at a deep discount?
Of course you would! Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on Patreon.com).
You can also join my Facebook group right here. Then you’ll know when my books come out before anyone else.
Chapter 1
I stared at Owain with my eyes bulging out of their sockets and my lungs straining for air.
It was weird enough to find my friend looking panicked on my doorstep before he practically barged into Castle Woodhouse past me. The news about his sister that had him so distraught was an even bigger shock.
I’d planned to head off to bed after the long journey from Malgoza and Valuuz. Bruxa Biatris had carried out a hit on King Lavino and had turned him into a sheep. Or, at least, he had been gradually turning into a farm animal before I killed the ancient witch and broke the curse to free him.
Olivia, Nora, Akoni, Andamora, Tevai, and I had barely finished catching the other women up with our adventures when we’d heard a knock on the door.
Lord Owain stared at me with a frantic gaze. His hair was disheveled from riding his horse from Lydmark, his thick beard was unkempt, and he bit the inside of his cheek as if he was holding himself back from crying.
“My father has successfully found Lady Ellaria a husband…” Owain repeated and scoffed.
It came out in an angry puff of air like it was punctuating a dark joke.
“She is being shipped off at the end of next month to marry…” Owain’s nostrils flared in anger, and his jaw clenched. “Emperor Constantine.”
“He can’t do that!” Nora burst out in frustration. “Can’t your sister just say no?”
“It doesn’t work like that, unfortunately.” Gwen pursed her lips, and her eyebrows arched over her doe eyes with empathy.
“I’m afraid Lady Gwen is correct,” Owain said. “Matters like these… It’s my father’s decision, not hers.”
“That’s so wrong.” Asha shook her head in a mixture of disappointment and disdain.
My second-in-command took a step forward to stand next to me. Her arms were crossed over her chest, but it looked more like she was hugging herself.
“How is Lady Ellaria doing?” she asked in a gentle tone.
“She is…” Owain chewed his lower lip. “She has been better, but she is worried.”
“We won’t let them get away with this,” I said, and it was a promise.
“I knew you would say that.” Owain nodded, and a relieved expression fell on his features. “You are a brave and loyal man and friend, Isaac.”
The emperor had done enough damage to Tullia. I wasn’t going to sit around and watch him basically kidnap my friend’s sister. I’d never met Lady Ellaria, but if she didn’t want to be married to the tyrant, I would help her.
“Come in,” Gwen said to Owain as she ushered him to the dining table.
Owain gave her a grateful smile before following her through our group, and we all joined close behind. I sat at the head of the table between Owain and Asha while the others filled in the empty seats. Gwen excused herself to make some tea, and Kryze joined to help her carry the mugs, sugar, and milk.
Tevai stayed standing as usual. The dragon-woman had her arms crossed over her chest and was standing with her legs shoulder-width apart at the other end of the table. Her golden eye was burning with hatred, and her muscles seemed to have tensed. They pulsed under the tiny, faded scars that covered her exposed face and neck.
“When did you find this out?” Asha asked.
The dark-skinned woman folded her hands together on top of the table and leaned forward. Her business-like tone had taken a softer quality, and her dark eyes were filled with sympathy.
“I received Ellaria’s letter late this morning,” Owain said. “She had no idea our father was even speaking with the emperor’s advisors and was distraught at the news.”
Owain fixed me with a worried look.
“I came here right away.” He shook his head as if it was self-explanatory. “I can’t let her be sent away… especially to that man.”
“We’ve met some of Constantine’s men,” I said as the memory popped into my mind.
I’d somehow almost forgotten that whole debacle at Andamora’s estate. General Silas and the two guards had shown up in Valuuz to speak with Nuno Sans about a potential marriage contract for Andamora. If I hadn’t lied and said she was already engaged to me, she would have been the one being shipped off to the emperor’s island.
Silas had said that he was tasked to “shop around for a suitable alliance,” which still made my blood boil. They’d also mentioned something about another contender. That must have been poor Lady Ellaria.
“Where?” Owain’s eyes widened.
He looked around the room as if they might have been hiding behind the couches and waiting to jump out and yell, “Surprise!”
“It was in Valuuz,” Andamora explained. “They believe Nuno is still alive.”
“At least that means the emperor doesn’t know that you work for King Lavino,” Gwen said.
“He doesn’t seem to be in the loop,” I said.
“What did his men want?” Owain asked.
“Andamora,” I said, and I suppressed the anger that lay dormant in me.
Owain glanced at the Castilan advisor with knowing, brown eyes.
“I don’t know why he feels the sudden need to marry,” Owain said, “but they have paid my father a lot of gold.”
“It’s to ‘bridge the gap,’” I said with air quotes and irony oozing from each of my words.
“That is what they all say.” Owain rolled his eyes. “My father is despicable and only cares about the gold and title he believes he will obtain from this.”
“So,” Olivia said with a grimace, “this is basically a fucked-up transaction?”
Owain nodded soberly, and anger flared in his brown eyes before they dimmed with melancholy. He shook his head as if brushing the emotions away, and he blinked rapidly. I could practically see a thought pop into his brain.
“And where are Constantine’s men now?” Owain asked.
“Dead.” My tone was flat. “They’d heard King Lavino bleat, and they’d been the ones who’d called the hit on him… so, they had to be dealt with.”
“Constantine must already know they are missing.” Owain seemed to be thinking out loud. “Or he will soon enough.”
“I know.” I nodded. “But, either way, now that Lady Ellaria is being sent away, we’ll have to expedite the plan to invade the emperor’s island.”
“Are you sure we’re ready for that?” Asha asked.
“We have a month or so to get our affairs in order,” I said with determination in my voice. “We already have alliances with the other provinces, so it’s just a matter of dotting our I’s and crossing our T’s.”
“It’s a bit more than that.” Asha pursed her lips, and her brows rose over the bridge of her nose with worry.
I placed my hand on hers and gently squeezed to reassure her.
“We got this,” I said in a gentle tone as I locked eyes with her.
Asha nodded and took a deep breath before she gave me a small smile. She still had a hint of concern etched on her features, but her shoulders relaxed.
I turned to face the others who stared back at me with expectant gazes.
“We’ve been working toward this for months,” I said, “and it’s time to take action. This means we’ll need to fine-tune the plan, confirm our numbers with Lydmark, Shanukstan, and the Outlands, and crash a wedding.”
“I will secure a meeting with Ellaria in the coming weeks,” Owain said. “She should be in the know. She has been working closely behind the scenes with King Brunard for a long time, but is quite anxious about the prospect of being sent to the emperor’s palace. I also believe it’s vital for her to be properly introduced to you.”
“If you can make that happen,” I said with a nod. “I think it’d be crucial to meet her. She probably has more intel on the matter if she’s close to the low king, and maybe the queen’s chambermaid…”
“Her lady of the bedchamber,” Gwen corrected.
“Yes.” I nodded and pointed to the willowy brunette. “Her. She might have shared more information with Maeve.”
Ellaria’s lady’s maid had been at the meeting with Lord Brixton senior about his daughter’s apparent marriage to me. Maeve had stopped me in the hallway to say she was on our side and that she had a connection to Lydmark’s royals.
“I’ll send you a note when it’s set up,” Owain said. “It will most likely be in Bencullen, near Loch Lynn. We have many contacts there and a secure location without prying eyes.”
“Do the locals have the skin of a killer?” Nora asked in a neutral voice, but her mouth quivered as if she was fighting a cackle.
Olivia shook her head from next to her with a discouraged eye roll, but she bit down on her lower lip to keep from smiling. I was personally a little amazed that I understood the Twilight reference as well, but I guessed that was bound to happen eventually.
“Not at all.” Owain shook his head. “It is a very kind community.”
I couldn’t explain the reference to Owain without derailing the conversation, and it wasn’t the time.
“We can meet you there,” I said
“Perfect.” Owain looked around the room with a smile of appreciation. “I should bid you goodnight.”
I eyed him for a split second. He stifled a yawn behind his fist and glanced toward the door.
“I hope you’re not intending on traveling home tonight,” I said in a suspicious tone.
Owain gave me a sheepish look, and he shrugged.
“You’ll stay here tonight,” I said, and I made sure he knew it wasn’t a request.
My friend nodded and smiled gratefully.
“It’s going to be a long month,” I sighed and rose to my feet. “We need the rest.”
Gwen and Akoni led Owain to one of the free dorm rooms, and we all went to bed. Sleep swept over my whole body in an instant, and I was glad for it. It had been a tough journey to Castilan, and I was feeling it in my bones.
I hadn’t been wrong, the next month was long and filled with last-minute admin and meetings. Andamora traveled to Castilan to visit King Lavino and spent two weeks with him. She came back with sun-kissed skin and the good news that the king had returned to his former self.
“He only bleats when he hiccups,” she’d said when she’d dropped her travel bag in our bedroom. “It is adorable, really.”
Andamora assured me that his hair had reverted back to his natural salt-and-pepper curls, and his eyes were back to their kind, hazel selves. I was relieved to hear that the curse had stayed broken. Andamora had also caught King Lavino up on the latest news before he had to travel back to his palace.
Meanwhile, Akoni stayed with her mother for a few weeks in the Outlands. Trinika Sanon was in the middle of restoring her land, but due to the corruption, could only offer about six hundred guards to our cause. It wasn’t much, but any kind of help counted.
“She sent Taj to find more magic-holders,” Akoni had said over dinner one night. “Witches, sorcerers, and anyone in between. She believes there are many who went into hiding during the purge, and they would potentially be able to aid our cause.”
“Do you think they could have survived the Outlands?” Arden had asked.
Akoni had shrugged, and the bone-carved trinkets in her locs tinkled like windchimes.
“I did,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone, “and there are some more powerful than me.”
I doubted there were stronger witches than Akoni, but I’d gotten her point. We couldn’t know who or what had hidden when Eramus’ dying dragon magic corrupted the land and made it hostile.
I was glad the days of fucked-up gators were behind us, and that the Outlands could prosper like Domum Shine had.
The days since Owain’s late-night visit and bombshell news had blurred together, and I wasn’t sure if Altan had visited before or after Akoni left for the Outlands. The Shanukstani royal advisor had kept his promise from our meeting in Bukhoi and had spoken to the king and queen about us.
Paty Tarkhan and Che-Paty Naran were on board with our plan to take over the emperor’s palace, and they were able to offer one thousand, two hundred warriors from their personal army. This meant that all of Tullia’s provinces were officially united against Marcus Constantine.
Everyone had been told to either meet us in Domum Shine or in Armedus, where King Lavino’s ships would wait for us. It would be hard to be inconspicuous, but at least most of the journey was in Castilan, where we were sure the king wouldn’t mind our presence.
Shanukstan had sent about half of their army to Domum Shine already, and the land around Castle Woodhouse was full of yurts. The tribe’s growth had been steady, and seemingly in the blink of an eye, it had tripled in size.
They took up most of the side and front of the dorm, and stretched out a mile or two toward the edge of the Nepalam Mountain Range and the Lydmark border.
I met Bahdir at the original entrance to the settlement, under the tree that shaded one of their cold pits. My Shanukstani representative smiled at me, and it lit up his face. It smoothed his sharp features and made him look more youthful.
Bahdir was probably a couple of years younger than me, but his time as Khan’s warrior and the dark patch of goatee on his pointed chin made him look older.
“Aylongeh,” I greeted him in his native tongue.
“Good morning,” Bahdir replied in English.
His accent was thick, but he was getting the hang of the language quicker than I was with Shanukstani. I was looking forward to putting more energy into learning it so I could communicate freely with the tribe that had made my home theirs.
“How are things looking today?” I asked as we started our stroll through the encampment.
Patches of lush grass poked out from around some of the yurts, and the air only had the memory of the winter’s cold. Orange flowers dotted the fields, and the tribe had replaced their furs for lighter, suede vests over long-sleeved tunics.
Spring was blooming, and I took in a deep breath of the fresh air. I waved at a few running kids, and they giggled before disappearing behind a yurt. The wind tousled my hair with a burst of coolness, and I tugged down at the sleeve of my hoodie.
“More warriors arrived before dawn,” Bahdir said. “They have set up their homes on the eastern side.”
“How many are we in total?” I asked. “Approximately.”
“Uh…” Bahdir’s cheeks and hawkish nose turned a light shade of pink. “More than one, one…”
He formed an O with his index finger and thumb, and flicked his wrist twice.
“Zero, zero?” I offered. “We have one thousand, one hundred warriors in our settlement.”
“Yes.” Bahdir nodded. “And most traveling with family.”
It was hard to imagine that there once was no one and nothing living around our dorm. I’d lost track of the months since we’d magically found ourselves in Tullia. It felt like years had passed, but that might’ve been due to the number of changes and adventures we’d had.
I imagined we’d been in Tullia for maybe eight Earth months, but I couldn’t be sure. We’d seen three full seasons and were entering our fourth, and if I was honest, I really didn’t care how long we’d been away from Earth.
All that mattered was that we were here, and I was determined to continue making the best of it.
“There should be a few more arrivals in the next week from the Outlands, too,” I said.
Bahdir and I turned onto a path that hugged the makeshift arena the Shanukstani had used during their Festival of Sleepless Night. Horses grazed and stomped around the field, and I spotted one rolling on the ground. I imagined he was trying to scratch his own back. Arden would have squealed if she had seen the cute display.
“Make sure they feel at home,” I said. “I’ll ask Kryze to accompany you when they arrive in case they need translation.”
“I will do that.” Bahdir nodded. “Bayrah.”
“You’re welcome,” I said.
There was a fluttering sound from above, and I squinted up at the bright blue sky. A figure was silhouetted by the sun, and it flapped its wings as it lowered itself.
Ziggy landed on my shoulder without a sound. I was grateful for the thick hoodie because I could still feel the falcon’s talons through the cotton.
“Oh.” Bahdir eyed the messenger bird with curious eyes.
Ziggy blinked at my Shanukstani representative and then at me. I wasn’t sure what was going on behind his beady eyes, but I had a suspicion he wasn’t my biggest fan. I just didn’t have proof of it.
He preferred landing on Nora’s shoulder, but with the redhead somewhere inside the castle, I guessed I was the next best option.
I glanced down at his foot and spotted the tiny, metal container tied to him. I unscrewed the lid and shook the note out.
“Thanks, Zig,” I said.
The falcon fluttered his wings against the side of my face and shook his head.
“Sorry…” I said. “Ziggy.”
I assumed he wasn’t a fan of nicknames, and before I could say anything else, he pushed himself off my shoulder and into the air.
“What a strange bird,” Bahdir said in a pensive tone as he stared at the dot in the sky that was the falcon.
“Tell me about it,” I chuckled and shook my head.
I unrolled the scrap of parchment paper and instantly recognized the cursive writing.
“Meeting with Ellaria in Bencullen in one week,” the message read.
Owain didn’t need to sign off for me to know who it was from. I was glad to hear back from him, and especially with good news. I wanted to ease Lady Ellaria’s concerns, and I needed to form a plan with her if she was to be shipped off to the lion’s den.
