Bound by Blood and Oath, page 1
Bound by
Blood
and
Oath
Written by Rachel Rodilosso
Bound by Blood and Oath
Copyright © 2024 Rachel Rodilosso
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Contact Info: http://AuthorRachelRodilosso.com
Cover Design by Asterielly
Author Photo by Amanda Anderson Photography
Map Art by Siren Songs Boutique
First Edition: August 2024
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Bound by Blood and Oath
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
This book is dedicated to those who have ever felt excluded or ostracized because of what made you different.
You are seen.
You are loved.
Let your magic shine.
Bound by
Blood
and
Oath
Chapter 1
When Vera agreed to accompany Kaleb and Nyx illegally across the border into the Kingdom of Adrilla, she had hoped they would go to the smaller town of Kailbury that lay just east of their settlement. Not Strathsdale. It wasn’t that she disliked the outpost in particular, but rather the rude merchants, the congested streets, and the countless brothels whose courtesans flaunted their services to anyone with an ear to listen. Other than that, Vera had nothing ill to say. Or at least nothing she would voice aloud.
Vera tightened her grip on the leather satchel that hung off her shoulder as she approached the looming log walls that surround Strathsdale. Her gaze lifted to the top of the wall, where at least two Oathsworn should have been stationed to monitor the Wilds.
She couldn’t spot one.
With the cooler winter months around the corner and the likelihood of an attack from the creatures within the Wilds dwindling, the Oathsworn were letting their guard down. It was a mistake the trio would take advantage of.
“Which one is it again?” Kaleb asked as he stepped up to the stripped birch logs that made up the outpost wall. An errant blond curl fell in his eyes, earning a grunt of annoyance as he swatted the strand of hair out of his line of sight. He ran a hand along the smooth wood, his fingers drifting from post to post in search of the odd one out.
Nyx came up behind him, nudging the shorter man over and joining him in the investigation. When neither of the two came close to the correct log, Vera sighed and pushed past the pair.
She stepped up to a post that practically vibrated with the magical energies surging around it. Wisps of blue and green spiraled around one another in a dance visible only to her, stitching together an illusion so powerful even Nyx couldn’t spot it.
“You went too far,” Vera muttered, gesturing to the post that thrummed with magic.
“I wish I had your innate connection to magic,” Nyx said with a sigh and a shake of his head before refocusing on the task at hand. “Remember, stay together. If anyone asks, you’re here for the prince,” he nodded to Vera, “and we are from Kailbury.” With one final look back toward the tree line in the distance, Nyx stepped through the post as though it wasn’t there. And in truth, it wasn’t. Magic merely masked the hole in the wall, giving it the appearance of being structurally sound. Kaleb followed through with Vera in tow behind him.
Vera emerged on the other side of the wall, stepping into an alleyway nestled between two shops. She stepped around Kaleb and Nyx, and led the way forward. Empty crates lay stacked against either side of the walls, providing little room for the three to wiggle between. Before she could peer out around the corner, her foot snagged an empty can, sending it tumbling out past the final boxes and onto the street.
Her hand shot up, her fingers curled into a tight fist as she froze and waited. Listening. When she didn’t hear the scuffle of feet or a shout demanding they step forward, she crept up to the corner and peeked around.
The street was vacant, save for a pair of Oathsworn making their way toward the market. Even in the shadowed street not yet illuminated by the early morning sun, their silver armor caught any glimpse of light cast its way and reflected it. It was different from how Vera remembered. They no longer wore the gaudy pauldrons that flared up over the shoulders or the garish gauntlets that had only ever made it difficult to withdraw their swords in a timely manner. They did, however, still wear the same royal purple, hoodless cowl that housed the crossed pickaxe and sword of the Illayne family crest.
No number of changes would make them any better in a fight, Vera thought with a shake of her head. Oathsworn were never meant to be the real protectors of the Kingdom. They were nothing more than citizens parading around in sheets of metal with little training and little pay. Citizens of Adrilla didn’t share Vera’s opinion. To most, it was one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a commoner. Vera knew better. Not that it mattered anymore. Her life serving the crown was far behind her.
“The coast is clear,” she said as the Oathsworn rounded the corner. “Let’s get what we need and get out.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Kaleb voiced as he joined her out on the open road. “It looks like everyone is at the market.” He gestured to one of the buildings beside the alleyway they had stepped out from. Vera followed his gaze to the sign that hung on the door of the business.
‘Bailey’s Bakery
Sorry we missed you!
Stop by stall 32 to find us!’
“Let’s use it to our advantage then. If we’re quick, no one will be here to notice us slip right back out the way we came.”
The peacefulness of the vacant street was all too quickly replaced with the boisterous commotion of the marketplace. Voices overlapped in a tidal wave that crashed over Vera and threatened to drag her down. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning into the market.
As expected, the trodden-down dirt road ahead of them all but burst at the seams with countless people weaving between one another to get their last minute shopping done before everything was closed for the winter solstice. Carts and booths lined either side of the road that stretched from one end of the outpost to the other.
“Do we really need anything badly enough to warrant being here?” Vera stalled as her grip tightened on the leather strap of the satchel.
“Do you want to be the one to tell Yeza why she won’t be able to make her wintercrisp pies for the solstice? Because I won’t.”
“I’d rather not,” Vera grunted, her shoulders slouching in defeat. She would rather deal with every Oathsworn in the whole outpost discovering what she was over confronting Yeza about her pies. The old woman could be as sweet as her famous pies, but when it came to something interfering with what she wanted, she turned as dark as the winter nights in less time than it took to blink.
THE SILVER OF OATHSWORN armor dotted the otherwise dominant sea of blues and purples that cloaked the residents of Strathsdale like silver plated lily pads atop a pond. While the winter solstice was still a few days away, the muddled browns and oranges that came with fall had already been replaced with the more docile winter hues.
Clothing, and more importantly the changing of its colors, was important to those who called the towns surrounding the castle home. The tradition came from the nobles, who switched their wardrobe each season as a sign of their wealth. They could flaunt their power to the commoners through being the first to alter their wardrobes while watching everyone around them scramble to mimic their behavior.
It was a tradition Vera had never been fond of. Clothes were meant to be practical, to serve a purpose. They were not meant to be a display of one’s status. Even her most steadfast argument against it, however, couldn’t convince Serena to let her join Nyx and Kaleb without altering her normally bland wardrobe.
Blacks and browns were traded out for an obnoxious cyan dress that hung off either shoulder and fanned out around her waist. A brown corset hugged her torso, drawing attention up to the mounds of skin on display instead of down toward the faint outline of the dagger she had strapped to her thigh.
Nestled against her collar bone was an emerald encased in silver wire shaped to mimic the Illayne family crest. It was the only piece of her outfit that Vera was truly uncomfortable wearing. It made her skin crawl and left her feeling dirty, but Serena had insisted that she wear it to feign her support of the crown.
Nyx stood as Vera’s opposite. He needed little persuasion to dress up. He wore a vibrant violet button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Glistening silver buttons lined the shirt. It fit snugly against his frame, doing nothing to hide the outline of his muscular arms.
While Kaleb had already donned the necessary colors to go into town, he never spent long on his wardrobe. An icy blue shirt hung loosely from his broad shoulders; a deep v cut into the front. He wore simple leather pants and boots to match. Neither he nor Nyx carried weapons with them, but they didn’t need to. The two wielded magic better than any Oathsworn could handle a sword. While Vera hadn’t wanted to dress the part, she did have to admit that it helped them blend seamlessly into the crowd.
Velvet red ropes hung from two hitching posts on either side of the road, sectioning off the entirety of Galeman’s Way for the winter market. Vera ducked under the rope and glanced around at the countless barrows that housed merchants selling everything from produce to paintings.
The heavy smell of incense mixed with the freshly baked goods, leaving an unpleasant odor clinging to Vera’s nostrils. Some things shouldn’t be sold next to one another, she thought as she wrinkled her nose and quickly moved past. She wasn’t the only one who thought so, considering how fast the people around her fled past the medley of smells to where they finally separated.
Vera paused in the middle of the road. The nearest booths were a mix of handcrafted goods and meads. Further down the way, she spotted who they were after. Arthur. He was one of three farmers who dedicated a whole portion of their fields to growing wintercrisp berries, and the only one who showed up to Strathsdale’s last minute market. Standing between them and what they needed, however, was a group of Oathsworn. Two had their helmets off and tucked underneath their arms while the third had kept theirs on. Vera’s lips twisted in annoyance. Oathsworn were not supposed to have their helmets off while on duty. They were to remain anonymous. Not that she ever met an Oathsworn who cared for the rules.
The three were surrounding a single booth, sneering at an older woman who was in the middle of an argument with the Oathsworn whose golden hair was neatly pulled back to keep it out of his eyes.
Every survival instinct told Vera to just walk on past while they were distracted and let the woman figure it out for herself. She was magicless. She wasn’t Forsaken. She might face a fine for arguing, but she wouldn’t face the wrath of the crown for having trespassed onto Adrillan land after being exiled.
“Go on without me,” Vera said to her friends, waving her hand dismissively. “I’ll catch up with you in just a second. There’s something I need to do.” Kaleb shot her a sideways glance but didn’t have time to question her before she was halfway toward the jewelers stand.
The woman’s eyes were clouded with unease as she met Vera’s gaze. She gave the smallest shake of her head to send Vera off, but Vera wasn’t one to listen.
“Good morning!” she chimed, ignoring the three Oathsworn as she stepped up to the stall. “Do you have any new wares?”
“In case you didn’t notice, we were in the middle of something.” The closest of the Oathsworn, the blond whose helmet remained loosely at his side, scowled.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” It was only then that Vera lifted her gaze to meet his. Her blood red eyes dared him to continue as she allowed a smirk to curve the corner of her lips.
The man blanched, nearly dropping his helmet as he stumbled a few steps back and bowed. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. I wasn’t aware any Bloodbound were visiting.”
Vera looked him up and down, letting her most unamused expression take over. “Aren’t you supposed to be serving and protecting? Not harassing?” she pointed out before shrugging and turning her attention back to the older woman to continue her business.
“I do have a few new pieces that you might be interested in, dear.” The woman reached under the display to pull out a small wooden box. It was an ornate thing, with silver plating hammered against each corner. She undid the clasp that kept it shut and propped it open.
Vera hadn’t expected to actually find anything that would catch her eye, yet when she caught a glimpse of what lay in the box, she couldn’t help but gasp.
Nestled between two pieces of jewelry far too simple to accompany the one her eyes were glued to, was a pendant that housed a specific and rare gemstone. It was a translucent white with specks of silver running along a vein of gold. The sun didn’t need to hit it for Vera to know that when it did, it turned a deep purple hue. It adorned the crowns of the Illayne family and was gifted only to those who held the crown's favor.
The Oathsworn nearest, who looked like he might try to explain himself, quickly snapped his mouth shut. It was rare for common folk to be in possession of one.
Vera had to admit, it was a smart move on the woman’s part to pull out the box. It was enough of a sign to show the Oathsworn that they should cease their harassment if they didn’t want to evoke the wrath of the royal family.
The blond cleared his throat and tugged his helmet back on. “Enjoy the market, ma’am,” he said hastily before motioning for the other two to follow him further down the road.
“Thank you, miss,” the woman said as soon as the Oathsworn were out of earshot. “I am not on the friendliest of terms with Jaxton, as I am sure you could tell. He will do anything to find an excuse to shut down my business.” She offered a small smile and held out her hand. “My name is Mae, is there anything I can help you with?”
Vera hesitated for a moment too long before accepting the offered hand. “My name is Vera. I don’t actually need anything, but I do have to ask. Where did you get that Kingstone?”
The woman gingerly closed the box. “It was given to me by King Braedon for crafting the late Queen’s crown. I keep it with me now as a precautionary measure.”
“You must know the royal family well then,” Vera said quietly, trying to mask the unease growing in the pit of her stomach. If she was close to the royal family, she might remember Vera’s lack of presence at the castle.
“No, no. I can’t say that I do. I happened to be the lucky jeweler who was chosen to craft Her Majesty’s coronation crown. If His Majesty had not liked it, I doubt I would still be in business today.” She reverently tucked the box back under the display. “Is there a reason one of the King’s Bloodbound is here?
“No.” Vera shook her head. “I’m only in town to collect some wintercrisp berries for the prince as a surprise.”
“Oh, yes. It is Prince Leonidas’s birthday soon, isn’t it?” she asked as her gaze shifted down to Vera’s wrist that was thankfully still covered by the billowing sleeves of the dress.
“I better hurry and grab some before I miss out. They always go too quickly.” Vera offered an incline of her head and turned to leave.
“Vera? Thank you for stepping in. I do hope we meet again.”
Vera glanced back, but no smile was offered. “Happy solstice.”
She left the stall, hoping that they in fact did not meet again. She reached up under the opening of her sleeve to grab her wrist. Her thumb ran over the raised skin of the eight-pointed star ensnared in thorns that had been branded into her skin. For some reason, Mae had suspected her. There was no other reason for her to have glanced there otherwise, and that was enough for her to want to hurry through their already rushed trip. She could not risk them being discovered.
EVEN IN A CROWD, NYX was hard to miss. The violet tones of his tunic complimented the soft bronze of his skin. He wore an alluring smile as he spoke with a woman who had her arm looped through his. Had Vera not known him as well as she did, she might have assumed he was in the middle of a pleasant conversation. The occasional glance toward Kaleb, who was busy at Arthur’s stall, revealed his true discomfort.
Chuckling under her breath, Vera slipped up to Nyx’s other side and looped her arm through his free one.
“Afraid this one is taken.”
The friendly smile the courtesan wore twisted into a scowl. “You expect me to believe he would want some Bloodbound over me?” she asked as she raked her eyes over Vera. Even with her thinner frame and plainer features, Vera didn’t doubt for a second that Nyx would pick her over the woman if he had to choose.
