all with leather covers, the pages made of thick parchment, and the words written by hand. She took care as she read them, certain there could be very few of them in existence if Tarok didn’t have printing presses.
The book she had just finished, the one in her arms, was the last book in the room on the history of Tarok. Awai actually had enjoyed her time reading. She’d learned about the centuries old Kingdom, including more recent times when the larger Kingdom of Tarok was divided into the lesser Kingdoms of Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs.
To her surprise, Awai had also discovered that the brothers had a younger sister named Mikaela. She had left Tarok to wed Balin, the King of Malachad, one of Tarok’s sworn enemies.
When Awai had read about the women of Tarok and their inability to conceive, she understood the Kings better and their need to find mates outside their world. They needed Queens who would be immune to the mindspells of the Kingdom of Malachad.
Apparently Mikaela, now the Queen of Malachad, was believed to be the force behind the mind attacks. King Balin was thought to be under the Queen’s mind-control. Unfortunately the history book Awai had just finished left off at the point where the Queen’s treachery had been discovered by the sorceress and her cards. Perhaps books on more recent times were kept elsewhere in the palace.
While she read the history, Awai couldn’t help but sense there was something missing. And that there was something far darker and far more dangerous at play. She didn’t understand the feelings, but they were there, perched on the edge of her consciousness, just out of reach. She had an image of herself, flicking her whip into that dark abyss, striking and pulling back what she needed to see and understand.
But her whip lay on her bedside table, unused for the last two days. Her bonds didn’t allow whip practice. If they had, she might have slept better, but even her dreams had been haunted. Awai hugged the book tighter to her chest as she recalled the most recent nightmare she’d had. She’d dreamed she was the white tiger trapped in darkness at the end of a very long and black tunnel. Awai had floundered and fought to break free, but the darkness was too strong, too great to overcome, and she could do nothing to get away from it. Desperately, she cast about for an ally, a means of saving herself—but she found only emptiness and the doubling of the evil that held her fast.
Awai had woken before dawn, her skin coated in sweat.
“It must be these books that are getting to me,” Awai murmured as she got up to put the book away. When she reached the bookcase, her bonds relaxed enough to allow her the movement necessary to place the history book back on the shelf. As soon as she finished, her bonds tightened again and she dropped them in front of her.
“Okay, I’ve learned my lesson,” she muttered. “Now come and get me, Majesty.”
The doors opened and Awai’s gaze shot to them, hoping it was Ty. She tried not to show her disappointment when she saw that it was the sorceress instead.
Kalina smiled and gave a flick of her fingers. Awai’s bonds fell away.
“You are free to roam the palace now,” the sorceress said with a small bow.
“Thank god.” Awai massaged her wrists. The ropes had never been tight enough to hurt her, but it felt good to know that she was free now. She grabbed a robe out of the wardrobe and slipped it on, tying it snugly at her waist. “Can I go anywhere?”
With a nod, Kalina said, “As long as you stay within the palace grounds.”
Awai smiled and didn’t wait. Maybe if she found Ty, he’d jump her now, she thought as she headed out the double doors. And then her smile turned into a small frown. No, likely he had a lot more teasing and torture in mind for her before he actually took her the way she desperately wanted him to.
Chapter Nine
Ty stood in the sorceress’s chambers, his hands behind his back, his gaze
The book she had just finished, the one in her arms, was the last book in the room on the history of Tarok. Awai actually had enjoyed her time reading. She’d learned about the centuries old Kingdom, including more recent times when the larger Kingdom of Tarok was divided into the lesser Kingdoms of Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs.
To her surprise, Awai had also discovered that the brothers had a younger sister named Mikaela. She had left Tarok to wed Balin, the King of Malachad, one of Tarok’s sworn enemies.
When Awai had read about the women of Tarok and their inability to conceive, she understood the Kings better and their need to find mates outside their world. They needed Queens who would be immune to the mindspells of the Kingdom of Malachad.
Apparently Mikaela, now the Queen of Malachad, was believed to be the force behind the mind attacks. King Balin was thought to be under the Queen’s mind-control. Unfortunately the history book Awai had just finished left off at the point where the Queen’s treachery had been discovered by the sorceress and her cards. Perhaps books on more recent times were kept elsewhere in the palace.
While she read the history, Awai couldn’t help but sense there was something missing. And that there was something far darker and far more dangerous at play. She didn’t understand the feelings, but they were there, perched on the edge of her consciousness, just out of reach. She had an image of herself, flicking her whip into that dark abyss, striking and pulling back what she needed to see and understand.
But her whip lay on her bedside table, unused for the last two days. Her bonds didn’t allow whip practice. If they had, she might have slept better, but even her dreams had been haunted. Awai hugged the book tighter to her chest as she recalled the most recent nightmare she’d had. She’d dreamed she was the white tiger trapped in darkness at the end of a very long and black tunnel. Awai had floundered and fought to break free, but the darkness was too strong, too great to overcome, and she could do nothing to get away from it. Desperately, she cast about for an ally, a means of saving herself—but she found only emptiness and the doubling of the evil that held her fast.
Awai had woken before dawn, her skin coated in sweat.
“It must be these books that are getting to me,” Awai murmured as she got up to put the book away. When she reached the bookcase, her bonds relaxed enough to allow her the movement necessary to place the history book back on the shelf. As soon as she finished, her bonds tightened again and she dropped them in front of her.
“Okay, I’ve learned my lesson,” she muttered. “Now come and get me, Majesty.”
The doors opened and Awai’s gaze shot to them, hoping it was Ty. She tried not to show her disappointment when she saw that it was the sorceress instead.
Kalina smiled and gave a flick of her fingers. Awai’s bonds fell away.
“You are free to roam the palace now,” the sorceress said with a small bow.
“Thank god.” Awai massaged her wrists. The ropes had never been tight enough to hurt her, but it felt good to know that she was free now. She grabbed a robe out of the wardrobe and slipped it on, tying it snugly at her waist. “Can I go anywhere?”
With a nod, Kalina said, “As long as you stay within the palace grounds.”
Awai smiled and didn’t wait. Maybe if she found Ty, he’d jump her now, she thought as she headed out the double doors. And then her smile turned into a small frown. No, likely he had a lot more teasing and torture in mind for her before he actually took her the way she desperately wanted him to.
Chapter Nine
Ty stood in the sorceress’s chambers, his hands behind his back, his gaze
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