Kingdom's Vice Series: Journey to Alleria ( #1 2014) #Wattys2015

Chapter Two

He sleeps like a baby. The moment he hit the deck, he was out like a light. And yet, I lie here with a blanket of stars as I watch the shadows of the sky dance overhead, eyes wide open and dreaming.

In the moment I have to myself, I realize that I never actually knew his name, or anything else about him for that matter. All I do know is that he’s a stubborn, witty, sharp-tongued Kennah-born with a face worthy of a statue. That being said, his true nature doesn’t seem to be unveiled yet.

‘My name,’ he says, dragging a piece of broken wood across his knee lazily, ‘is Alec Valdorien. My father was Fremore Taryenne Valdorien, Master of the Mines, or at least he was the late Master...’ he breaks off with a laugh, as if tears are going to stream down his satin cheeks if he speaks of his father again.

‘Well, I’m—’ I begin, trying not to display his cocky, arrogant side, which has quickly seeped through my Ivorian disguise.

He stops me with a wave of the wood he holds in his hand. ‘I know perfectly well who you are, Skaya Dunedine.’ He tells me.

I’m silenced.

‘Your brother, he’s a member of the King’s Guard is he not?’ he asks. ‘A servant of the Knighthood.’

I nod shamefully. It did not come without consequences. The King’s Guard, also known as the Knighthood, only accept one child from each eligible family, one blood representative to join the armed forces. That blood, was my brother, Redermarke The Brave, they call him now. Redermarke The Loyal, Redermarke The Strong. The name go on and on.

‘Yes,’ I reply, ‘He is...I suppose I should be proud of such noble ties.’ I laugh, trying to hide the shame that is creeping onto my face. I cannot cry in front of him, and reveal my weakness.

He shrugs and nudges my shoulder with his. ‘Nah,’ he jokes, ‘Pride’s my thing, remember? It isn’t the Ivorian thing to do. You lot just steal things and barricade yourselves in your ivory towers filled with treasure.’

Though I appreciate the joke, what he says about us is true, since we do hide in our towers, bathing in gold every night. It’s the only way we know, the only way we’ve ever known. But maybe there’s a greater treasure in store for us in Alleria, where the purest gems are stored and adored by the King and his company.

~.~.~.~

A storm strike during the night, when both of us in the comfort of effortless slumber. Though, we are easily woken.

‘Skaya,’ he rouses me from my sleep, shoving my shoulder from side to side. ‘Get up, quickly. A storm is upon is!’

I blink. I can’t recall where I am just yet, and it takes me a good moment to let it all come rushing back to me. It’s a boat, a small one, only large enough to hold the two of us. Alleria, the mythical utopia, that’s where I’m headed.

‘What do you want me to do?’ I ask, springing to my feet and rushing to his side. I grab his arm as a reflex action as the wave sends the boat hurling backward.

He looks down at my arm, which is still clinging onto his for dear life. I’m fond of the sword, the sea, not so much. He doesn’t brush my arm away like I thought he would, instead, he allows me to hold onto him until the waves calm to a slow and steady sway.

‘Do nothing,’ he tells me in a calm voice as he walks out towards the ladder that leads towards the deck. ‘Stay here. Should anything happen, take the sapphires and sail for Alleria yourself.’

Then he’s gone. The howling of the wind scares me, I’ll admit. It sounds like a whimpering wolf in the distance, calling out it’s kin to attack the lands of Meyn and destroy what is left of our flesh. Death by wolf is not so graceful. Allerians are lucky in that sense...death is the least of their worries, because Immortality is a gift they can afford.