Maga's a Beast (The Beast Within Book 3), page 1
This edition published in 2018 by
Burning Willow Press, LLC
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The persons, places, and events of this novel are works of fiction. Any coincidence with individual’s past or present, is merely that, coincidence.
First Edition
© Burning Willow Press, 2018
© S.L. Perrine - Author, 2018
© Edd Sowder - Editor
© Mayhem Designs - Format
© Mayhem Designs - Cover
More from S.L. Perrine
The Crawford Witch Chronicles
Immortal Slumber
Power Surge
Collision of Fate
The Covenant
Blood Rites Trilogy
Blood Rites
Turning the Stone
The Fate’s Seal
The Beast Within
The Curse of Ormshire
Maga’s a Beast
The Passing of Pylira
Of Fire and Light
The Ravana Moon Series
The Darker Side of Me
Hide & Seek
Dirty Little Secret
Truth or Dare
And many more
H earthstone Palace. The last time I honestly saw it, I was sixteen. I’ve died several times since then, having to bear a curse that sent me and the rest of the women of the Ormshire realm, to another world entirely—the human world. While there, we all lived and died for a mortal hundred years, while in Pylira only one year passed. I hadn’t even begun to wonder what age that would make me as we take step after step toward the place I called home for most of my first lifetime, as Princess Renella Pyliro of Pylira, and the four realms. All of my thoughts were on the casket beside me. Intricate carvings fit for a queen. Dark oak with the heart and crown of our kingdom. My mother’s body preserved inside, as my friends and I make our way to the palace, and my father, the King.
I didn’t know how I was going to tell my father that the love of his life was killed at the hands of his best friend. The man who was cursed as a means to be defeated. The reason why all of the people in Ormshire were separated from their families. Women born with magia in their veins, men, and boys who had the healers touch. All were taken away without a word. Only Ty and I knew the truth of our separation.
When the Fae Queen, Renal gifted my father and Ourobus the magia of the fae to carry on the traditions of Pylira, a new world she sought to create for them to rule; she made my father the King, and four others became the lords of their realms. Ourobus had ruled for many years over Ormshire. He was given the betrothal of the eldest princess to his eldest son, who would one day be King.
Ourobus sought more. More power, more respect, more leadership. He wanted to be a king, and so he took the title. With dark magia. Magic so terrible it caused famine and death amongst the old lands. The man spent years collecting followers from their former lands. The lands that he, my father and their friends, had run from to stay alive and free. To keep with Luce.
Light and dark, Luce and Buio. I always thought those labels were synonymous with each other. Like Ying and Yang. One cannot exist without the other. More than anything I hope I am wrong. Because as soon as I am able, I am going to rid the realms and my people of that mad-man. My only hope is that Ty does not hate me for it afterward.
Ty. Tyson Cole. My fiancé since birth. A betrothal neither of us were happy about until we got to know one another. We fell in love, and what’s more—we’re destined for each other. Our magia is stronger the closer we are. At first, we thought we were sick with heat stroke, but after a while, an old woman my mother said was a seer, told us we were supposed to end up together. We share a magical link that makes us stronger than anything I’ve ever seen. A bond.
It also just so happens that Ourobus is Ty’s father. Not that Ty is happy about the way his father has conducted himself. As a matter of fact, I know Ty wanted the curse to be the end of his father’s tyranny. I’m just not sure in what aspect he expects that to happen.
The wagon wheel jumped again, and the old seer, Oma made a humph sound. My horse moved to accommodate the wagon, or because Oma spooked him, I’m not sure. Either way, I was pulled back to the here and now. The casket sliding between the sides of the wagon and the old woman’s hand. She doesn’t seem to mind, although that doesn’t stop Nolan from asking the same question he’d been asking for the last hour.
“Oma, are you sure you wouldn’t rather ride a horse.” Nolan tried once more.
“Nolan, I think she wants to stay close to the Queen,” Tabby commented in a whisper. Her back healed, but I was still worried about it. Once we all got over the initial shock of Tabby having magia, I noticed a small pink area along her scar that looked a bit raised. The healer assured me it was nothing to be concerned with and that sometimes magia doesn’t always do the trick.
What would he know? I thought to myself. He’s a man gifted with the ability to heal and nothing more.
I couldn’t agree with him. I had healed a cut on Chase’s head leaving behind no scar. No marks at all, as if it never happened. So why was my friend left with such a mark and a scar?
“Renee? Did you hear me?” Ty let his hand brush the top of my forearm. When I turned to look at him, he was pointing up the hill where the land flattened to signify the end of the Forest of the Fae. Their property ended a way back, but at the flat spot in the ground was the line between the fae territory and the Heart of Pylira; Hearthstone Palace. “I said, you’re finally home.”
When I looked at him, I couldn’t help but get a small flutter in my abdomen. Seeing the blue of his eyes in the moonlight made my heart skip a beat. It took me back to the very first moment our hands touched, and our powers linked together. Then my gaze moved from him to the wagon moving ahead of me with the dead body of my mother. The reminder of why she was stuck in Pylira and not with me in Cherry Valley came flooding back. My heart stalled, or at least that was what it felt like. My stomach; a hard knot of nerves as the palace became closer. Guards began marching toward us, which at least told me my father had received the note from Cantothos to announce our arrival.
“Yes,” I replied solemnly, “I’m home.” I let my heels tap the flanks of the horse and rode ahead of the group. I would need to break the news to my father before the casket came into view from his study window.
To my surprise, the king was not in his study awaiting me to find him. He was standing at the top of the palace steps with his arms held open wide for me. I ran to him, unbecoming of a princess, but I didn’t care. Once my body collided with his large frame, I melted into him. The smell of home enveloped me and made me finally let loose the tears that threatened to fall for days. I held onto him for only as long as I dared and then quickly turned him toward the open doors.
Once we were inside, I had to swallow the lump that formed in my throat, making it hard for me to say the words he needed to hear before the rest of my companions caught up.
“Father, I have to tell you something.”
“I already know. You don’t have to say it, Renella.”
I pulled away from him so I could look into his big eyes. The green swirled around in them with all the magia he possessed. “It’s about Mother,” I said allowing one final tear to fall before I squared my shoulders and became the princess I was raised to be. “She’s…”
“I felt it the moment it happened.” He pulled me back into him and smoothed my curls as my mother had always done. “I only hope it was quick, and she didn’t suffer.”
My shoulders dropped, and I let out a sigh of relief that I didn’t have to be the one to bring him the news; that I didn’t have to utter the words aloud. Then marveled at just how cemented their bond to one another was. I hoped to have that one day, and I still might be able to. I just had to get past feeling like everything that happened was all Ty’s fault because in hindsight I knew it wasn’t. It was Ourobus,’ and he would pay for everything he has done to my family.
“I want him dead. Is that wrong?” I said and my father placed one massive hand under my chin and raised my eyes to meet his.
“No, it’s not wrong. It’s simply how you feel. It might not be the right thing to wish, but you cannot help how his actions make you want it. I do too, believe me. I have since he took your sister from us. I just do not know how this will all end. I just hope he suffers a little for what he has done.” With a final squeeze, he pushed me from him and wiped at my stained cheeks. “Now, it is time to present the princess to the people. We must be strong for them. Things have worsened since you have been gone, and while today they will know they have lost their Queen, they will find hope in the return of their Princess.”
&nb
sp; The man towered over me in height and royal attentiveness. His larger than life figure always made him seem like a giant when I was younger. Looking at him in my state of emotions I felt much smaller than ever. How could he be so calm?
I stood on my own and tried to put on a brave face. Being away from the duties of a royal made me forget how my appearance was supposed to reflect my station. It was time to remedy that and look the part. Father was right. I had agreed to go along with the curse for the protection of the people of Pylira, and I would not show them a weak princess.
“My lord, the princess’ companions have approached. They have a casket with them, Sire.”
“Let them through and place my wife in front of the keep so the people may pay their respects to their Queen. My daughter needs to freshen up before she sees her people.”
“Yes, Sire.”
Farlow was the first to enter. He refused to leave my mother at first until four guards were posted around her casket. He bowed his head toward my father, but nothing more. It was a simple show of remorse and respect. As the Fae Prince, he was in a higher position than the King and Queen.
“King, Rowan. I am sorry our arrival has come with such dire news. However, our being here can only mean the peak of the curse is upon us.”
“Yes, Farlow. I am aware. However, my wife will receive a proper farewell before any talk of the curse is spoken. It will be done this evening as not to prolong the outcome of this horrible experience.”
Ty and Tabby were the next to enter the foyer. Tabby gave a short curtsy and stood just in front of the doors, while Tyson bowed and moved toward my father. “You’re Majesty,” he said in greeting before my father grasped his hand.
“Tyson, thank you for bringing my Renella home.”
“I’m just sorry it wasn’t sooner and with a better outcome.”
“Yes, well Karen would not want us to dwell on any of it. She would insist we move forward as planned. I know we’ve lost so much, I only hope a happy ending will be at the resolution of all of this.”
“As do I. I also want you to know that I am still very much planning on marrying the princess. If she’ll still have me.”
My father looked back at me. Tabby had moved next to me and was holding my hand, keeping me grounded.
“Yes, of course. You two shall be married as soon as possible. It is on the list of things to happen before we receive the power to end it all.” My father looked back at me; the matters of state look on his face.
I knew going into the curse that the great power needed to remove Ourobus from his seat of power to end the curse would be the reconnection of Ty and I. Then our marriage would mark the beginning of the growth of that power. So, a funeral and a wedding would most definitely take place within a few days of each other. It wasn’t unheard of, but because of my feelings about the events and how they unfolded, I didn’t know if I wanted to rush into a marriage. I wanted to sort out my feelings for Ty first and his involvement with leaving my mother behind in Pylira. I just overlooked the fact that once I returned to Pylira, I would be expected to follow through with the betrothal. I could act nothing like I had in Cherry Valley. In my kingdom, I was supposed to act and react in a way becoming of royalty. So, as my father and King stood looking at me for a reaction to his words, I gave a curt nod in agreement. As it seemed, I would have the rest of my life with Ty to situate my feelings for him.
“Are we going to stand around and mope all day, or are we going to get this shindig going?” Oma walked through the door with a slight limp in her step. The robust woman let her hair flow down as grey as the stone walls, past her waist. The moonlight made the silver strands shine. “We are losing the moonlight of the night, and I would see my lady celebrated under the moon. Her daughter should be wed with the sun.” She spun around then landed on a velvet covered chair next to the foyer doors leading into the main hall.
“Yes, Oma is right. Come we must get to work. Renella you should go to your room with your friends and freshen up. Gentlemen, I do believe we have some attire from this kingdom that will be more appropriate than what you're wearing.”
Father’s skeptical gaze at Nolan and Ty told me he didn’t approve of white-washed jeans with rips and fraying hems.
M
y room was just as I left it. Nothing was out of place. The purple coverlet was still on the bed. My books were cared for in my absence, and my pictures were all clean and free of dust. Life went on while I was gone. Not just when I was in Ormshire, but after I left Pylira altogether. It was as if not being there was just an afterthought to my mother being gone. It’s become apparent whenever my mother left home for work, she was actually in Pylira with my father.
I could be upset by the realization of it, but I was just happy they had all that time together. Seeing the look on my father’s face when he told me he felt her leave this world, just about tore what was left of my heart from my chest. The lump in my throat moved to the pit of my stomach as I walked into my room. It started to eat away at the lining as I stood there looking at my childhood all around me.
The clothes I left behind were still hung in the closet. My shoes lined up by the height of the heels sat inside a drawer in the armoire. China dolls stood, lined up along the wall on the uppermost shelf. The chandelier lit up when I hit the switch on the wall making the tiaras on my vanity sparkle. The curtains hung closed, signifying I was gone, but since I returned, they would be drawn open, and a candle would be lit in each of the five windows.
I grew up in a tower, like all the fairytales I admired in my other life in Cherry Valley. I enjoyed them because of their happy endings. I just hoped mine would have one as well.
“Highness, would you like me to draw you a bath?”
I turned to find Clara, our housekeeper, standing in my room just behind me with a gown in hand. It was the most beautiful color cobalt, with rhinestones along the hem of the skirt and the bodice. She set it down on my bed and in contrast to the light lavender of the spread the dress looked like a black hole.
“Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you, Clara.”
“It’s good to see you again, miss. It’s been far too quiet in these halls the last few years. What, with your sister and all… I am so sorry, Highness. I didn’t…” Clara stopped talking and covered her mouth with her hands.
“It’s okay. I understand. I’ve been removed from it for so long, I don’t feel the loss like I did all those years ago.” That was the sad truth of it. I was numb to any pain of losing my sister. She was my best friend and my only sibling, and yet the loss I felt for Xander was more pronounced. Even knowing he wasn’t really my brother.
“But it was just last year.” Clara moved into the bathroom to start the water.
“I know it was for you, but for me, it was much longer. I’ve lived seventeen years of this life. Who knows how many times I’ve lived and died, or even how many years I lived before I died. There are so many unknown facts and being back here I really have no need to find any of those things out.” I sat down on the edge of my bed as she stepped back into the room. “That makes me seem cold and uncaring, doesn’t it?”
“Miss, you don’t sound cold nor uncaring, but reasonable. There is nothing to be gained from knowing that information. You only need to know that your absence was hard on everyone. Also, now that you’ve returned you must know you have really hard choices to make. Not at all like the ones your father has been living with, and nothing like your mortal life had given to you.”
I sat and instead of contemplating her words, I focused on the fact that her accent was of British descent. Something that I would have never focused on in the past, but found myself thinking how that was possible, and if I ever had the same accent growing up in Pylira.
“Your highness? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I said shaking my head, then turned to undress. “I was just thinking, that’s all. Everything I wouldn’t have focused on in the past, I’m finding hard not to notice now. There are so many differences between Pylira and where I was. I hardly remember how to act here.”
“It will all come back in due time. Maybe a nice hot bath will help.”
