Chapter 1

Ari: We need to talk. 

Kase: Strange. You never wish to talk. 

Ari: Only to you, my shadowy friend. I know how you admire my words and yearn for my wisdom. In fact, I plan to visit you soon, simply to pass the days speaking of all the ways my kingdom is superior. You might learn a thing or two.

Kase: When did I give you the idea I took interest in the etiquette of a royal court? 

Saga: I think it might be the fact that you’ve been a king for, oh, I don’t know, twenty turns or so, Kase.

Kase: Perhaps it was all part of some grand scheme. 

Elise: By taking the crown, Kase can thieve as much as he wants without repercussions.

Kase: Glad to know we understand each other, queen. 

Elise: Mal, he does know my name, right? I’m beginning to get a complex with the amount of times he only calls me “queen”. Niklas still calls me queenie! 

Junie: Elise, you know if you earn a name in the East, you’ve been brought into the guilds. Stieg still calls me Foreign Lovely. 

Saga: Calista calls you a name too. 

Calista: Because she remains my Kind Heart. 

Valen: I will call you whatever you want me to call you, Wife. 

Elise: You know what I like, my love.

Kase: Gods.

Silas: Am I needed here?

Saga: You’re always needed, Silas. Step into the light for a toll a day, remember. 

Silas: There is nothing wrong with enjoying the quiet. 

Calista: We’re not so quiet anymore, Whisper. 

Silas: True. Vera just knocked over another table in the corridor. 

Calista: The girl needs more littles nearby. Cursed King, send my little trickster prince for a week.

Valen: Rorik is in the Ever, but would gladly come corrupt Vera after he returns, Cal. 

Malin: So, are we intentionally ignoring Ari’s first missive to irritate him, or have we merely lost track of the thread? I’m fine either way, someone just fill me in. 

Saga: He’s getting red in the face. 

Silas: Don’t ruffle, Ari. 

Ari: I never ruffle. 

Ari: But I bleeding expect my words to be devoured by all. They are such lovely words, and they are IMPORTANT today. 

Kase: So you admit sometimes you speak nonsense with little importance?

Ari: That’s it!

Ari: The Fae Isles declare war on the Black Palace. 

Kase: Finally.

Elise: Ari, dearest, most wise Ari. Please put battle on hold and tell us what you planned before you were so rudely ignored by the Nightrender. 

Ari: Many thanks, My Queen. 

Ari: As I was saying there are rumors aplenty in the Court of Serpents, and it would seem new tales of fate are being twisted in distant lands, distant worlds. 

Malin: All gods, did Mira finally fall in love?

Calista: Careful what you ask, Shadow Queen.

Ari: Good gods, Mal, why would you say such a horrid thing? Someone thinking they were suited enough for my girl? Never. 

Elise: I have a feeling we queens know something more than Ari. 

Saga: Remember we weren’t going to say anything. Not yet.

Ari: What is this? Sweet Menace, is our girl cavorting about with some worthless sod? 

Saga: Of course not, my love. Of course not. Don’t fret. She will never leave the palace or your side. Ever. 

Ari: As it should be. Anyway, the twists are not in our realms. Seems there is a new . . . I don’t know what to call him, second Kase by the sounds of him. Terribly surly and ill-tempered. 

Valen: Wait, where? 

Ari: Does anyone listen to me?

Kase: Rarely. 

Ari: *middle finger emoji*

Ari: As I said, he is from a new realm. He is a new—what do they call it—male lover, male character? Tale king? Tome lover? One of us.

Ari: Hello?

Valen: Is he a threat to us?

Kase: The Kryv can be ready. 

Calista: He is not a threat. 

Ari: And how would you know? 

Calista: Fate worker, Golden King. Frankly, you sods, it seems the new name has his own twists of fate which are causing enough trouble for him and this new realm. Shall I summon him? I can do that if Silas helps me. 

Silas: Sing with me?

Roark Ashwood was added to the chat

Roark: What in the frosted hell is going on?

Ari: I beg your pardon, the correct term is three hells. 

Roark: Who are you? 

Ari: The grandest king there ever was of all the fae. 

Roark: Fae? You’re mad. Those are nothing but creatures of fables and lore. 

Ari: I want him dead. 

Valen: Agreed.

Kase: I like him. 

Roark: I do not know who you are, nor why I am speaking to you, but I have little time for any of you. 

Silas: He’s not so bad. 

Ari: We are merely fellow kings

Roark: I’m no king. But I kill for one. Still care to meet?

Junie: Ah. A blade for a royal house. Takes some cunning and cleverness for such a task. I respect that. 

Valen: Look, we merely wish to know who you are, what you’re doing here, and what sort of . . . magic you might have. 

Ari: Is he still here? He’s not speaking. 

Saga: You hardly gave him a moment to respond, Husband. 

Roark: Fine. If answers will free me from this trap of a conversation, I will tell you briefly. I do not have time to chatter with “fae” that don’t exist for I am occupied by keeping the damn bone melder from corrupting an entire royal house with her repulsive magical craft.

Kase: What the hells is a bone melder? You call your magic craft?

Elise: I’m intrigued. 

Roark: All I will tell you is this melder is a damn thorn in my side and has no business breathing. 

Malin: Good hells, tell us you hate someone without telling us. 

Ari: Ah, such good memories. Don’t you think, Sweet Menace. 

Saga: Take care with who you hate. It may not go as you plan.

Roark: Melders are abominations of the Norns. That is all you need know. 

Elise: And this melder you despise, she is already digging under your skin it seems? 

Ari: Tell me, do you find yourself thinking of all the ways you could dispose of her, while also obsessing of all the ways you might need to step a little closer? Breathe her in a bit? Maybe accidentally touch her?

Roark: I don’t know what that has to do with anything. 

Ari: Understood.

Roark: This is a thread of nonsense.

Calista: Ah, my surly soul worker, you have no idea what’s coming your way. But I think some of us do. Enjoy your disdain. For as long as you can before it, uh, shifts. 

Valen: What do you mean, soul worker?

Calista: Oh, I sense his magic has a great deal to do with souls, Cursed King. I suppose we’ll need to watch to find out more. 

Roark: Gods. I’m leaving. The melder is on the damn sparring field. 

Elise: I suggest joining. Perhaps bare-chested.

Roark: ???

Malin: Trust us on this. 

Saga: Make certain you growl a few times. 

Ari: I think he’s gone, Sweet Menace, but now I have a few ideas for you. 

Kase: Think it’s a worry to have a new realm rising?

Valen: Not yet. We’ll watch closely. But from what it sounds like, I’d say this Roark’s story is only beginning.