

M.D. LAIRD
THE CROWN PROPHECY

Copyright © 2017 M.D. Laird.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of fiction, all names, characters, places, and events are the products of the author's imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published 2016. This edition 2017.

1530957761/978-1530957767
For my daddy, who is my number one fan.
I had a strange feeling Fate had in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows.

Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray,
Part the First

In Heaven, everything is good; in Hell, everything is bad.

In the world, since it lies between the two, you will find both.

Baltasar Gracián, The Art of Worldly Wisdom.

February 2003

"Where are we going?" asked Eve as she followed Will through the front door. The gravel on the driveway crunched under his heavy footfalls as Will made his way quickly to his father's car.

"It's hard to explain," he replied as he climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the key into the ignition. "Just get in."

Eve climbed into the passenger seat. She had barely closed the door before she was pinned in her seat as Will accelerated away from the house. She quickly pulled on her seatbelt. "Are we going after that thing? That man?" she asked.

Will sucked in breath impatiently. "We're going to ask for help from some people called the Procnatus."

"Who?"

"It's complicated. You won't understand."

"Why?" asked Eve, feeling thoroughly confused with the turn the morning had taken and Will, who was clearly under pressure, lacked the patience for explaining anything. She pushed him nonetheless. "Tell me."

"They're like another species. They're called thorian," replied Will in almost a growl, a surge of irritation had struck him as he narrowly escaped a head-on collision with a truck while overtaking another car. "They look like us, but they're not human. They're stronger and faster, and they're immortal."

"You're right, I don't understand." Eve felt her breath quicken, and she wished that she had brakes in her foot well as Will, who had passed his driving test only days before, almost hit another oncoming vehicle. "What are they?"

"I told you; they're another species."

"That makes no sense. How can there be another species of people?"

Will drove the car into a multi-storey carpark; he pulled the ticket from the machine to raise the barrier and sped up the levels to find an available space. After parking, they ran down four flights of foul-smelling stairs, entered the street and tore towards the train station. Will purchased two open returns for the next train to Milton Keynes, and they headed for the platform.

"It's delayed," he said, eying the departure board. "We have twenty minutes."

"Good," said Eve. "You can tell me about these magical beings."

"Hush," hissed Will, motioning for her to enter the empty waiting area. "Keep your voice down. Look, I will tell you, but you need to keep it to yourself."

"Sure, whatever. It doesn't sound like something anyone would believe anyway."

"No, you're probably right." He gave her a thin smile before continuing. "There is a world located above our world, and it is home to the thorian who I mentioned and some others. The world has continents like our world; the one we are going to is called Arkazatinia. It is split up into wards, each controlled by a different group of thorian who have a ruler. We're going to see the Procnatus thorian ruler."

"So why are we going to Milton Keynes?"

"We're going to use an entrance to their world in Milton Keynes, there are others, but that's the only one I know will take us right where we need to be on the other side. I haven't been many times, and I don't want to struggle to find my way around."

"Okay," Eve slowly replied as she tried to sift through the mass of questions filling up her consciousness. "So, they look human? And they can pass to our world? So, I could know one?"

"It's possible—they are really good-looking."

"Really?"

"I haven't met many, but they were stunning... This is our train."

The two left the waiting area and joined the small crowd gathering on the platform to board the train. The train was relatively quiet, and they managed to find an empty table. A couple and a small child, who was busily colouring a fairy princess, occupied the table next to them. Eve and Will sat opposite each other.

"What is the world like?" she asked.

Will glared at her to keep her voice down and looked at the family next to them who, amidst colouring and chatting amongst themselves, seemed not to have noticed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek pocket watch that appeared to be coated with some fluid-like substance. Will opened the reverse of the watch to reveal a small control panel, which housed a screen displaying the words 'NORMAL MODE', and pressed a red button on the touch screen panel and the screen now displayed 'SECURE MODE'.

"We can talk now," he announced. "I have cloaked us, so we'll look like we're not speaking."

"Okay," said Eve slowly. "I'm so confused, what is your part in all of this?"

"My family and I are guardians; we help to make sure Arkazatinia is kept secret—hence the speakeasy."

"Speakeasy?"

"Yeah." Will smiled. "My great grandad was American and was a young man during prohibition; he called the watch the speakeasy because it was easier to say than _vox dissimulatrix_."

"You mean to tell me that this space age cloaking device has been around since the twenties?" exclaimed Eve.

"Well, not this model but others like it. My grandad had an actual Victorian style pocket watch; it is quite cool—very steampunky—my dad still has it. There have been many devices modified to conceal speech; that's more or less what _vox dissimulatrix_ means... Oh, hang on." Will switched the watch back to normal mode as the conductor approached them to check their tickets before turning back to secure mode and continuing. "I was given a speakeasy when I turned sixteen. When every member of my family reaches sixteen, they become a guardian, and we're given the task of keeping the supernatural world a secret."

"How? Do you turn up when something strange happens and cover it up like some secret government agent?"

Will smirked. "More or less. At least, the adults do, I'm only seventeen, so I'm still in training."

"Why doesn't the supernatural world just be more careful and then you wouldn't have to cover stuff up?"

"Most want their world to be kept secret, but there are a few who cause trouble in Lycea—that's what they call our world. It is the role of the guardians to seek out the rogue Arkazatines and deal with them."

"Deal with them?" asked Eve. "You mean you kill them?"

"Or send them back and have them arrested under Arkazatine law," replied Will coolly. "Whatever it takes. To be honest, it sounds more exciting than it is; it is actually quite rare that we have to deal with anyone."

"Right." Eve shook her head in disbelief.

How had she known Will all her life and never known any of this until today?

"So, this supernatural world," she said. "What is it called again?"

"The world is called Anaxagoras, the continent we cover is Arkazatinia, well, we cover part of it anyway."

"Ok, Arkazatinia, why hasn't it been found by our world? How can a whole world exist on Earth and we don't know about it."

"It exists on Earth but on another level. It's invisible to humans. I don't really know how to explain it—I'm not sure if anyone does. Have you heard that sub-atomic particles behave differently at a quantum level and that some scientists have even suggested that it is evidence for an alternate dimension? That is perhaps the smallest hint of that world."

"Wow! So one day scientists could just stumble across it?"

"They might do. Some humans can detect the supernatural world; some people have _gifts_. Humans just write them off as being eccentric, but there have been some people who have managed to pass over. They are usually sent back home after their memory has been erased."

Eve pressed her hands to her head as she imagined plausible explanations for every UFO disappearance she had heard of—did she just think this was plausible?

"This is hurting my brain," she said. "I need coffee."

Will switched the watch to normal mode while they made their way to the buffet car to order coffee. On returning to their seats and with secure mode safely on, Eve took a sip of her coffee before continuing her interrogation. "These people we're going to see? What are they called again?"

"The Procnatus."

"Yes, why are we seeing them? Are they in charge?"

"No, their government, the Imperium, is in charge of Arkazatinia, but my dad always told me to speak to the Procnatus first in an emergency as they're the most rational."

Will had spoken calmly though Eve could see that his eyes were betraying a hint of anxiety and she stopped her questioning.

They continued the rest of the journey in silence. Will gazed out of the window, the anxiety, which had settled on him briefly, had left his eyes and his expression gave nothing away. Eve felt a surge of anger rising in her stomach as she imagined all the lies he had told her and all the secrets he had kept from her. She swallowed the feeling and thought instead of everything that he had told her and everything she had seen that day. The world was so different from yesterday. Yesterday supernatural beings were the subjects of fantasy: books, movies and TV dramas, but now they were real. She squeezed her temples to push a sharp pain that had formed behind her eyes into a dull ache.

Will shook Eve gently as the train arrived at Milton Keynes Central Station. She rubbed at her neck which was now sore from dozing off with her head on the window. Her headache, at least, had subsided.

"It's not far," Will said, leading Eve out of the train station and into the streets.

They walked for around ten minutes with Will using a map feature on his pocket watch to guide them.

"We're here," he announced as they approached a large glass fronted building.

"They live in a theatre?"

"Their guild occupies the same level as the theatre; they're not in it."

Will opened the reverse of the watch to reveal the control panel. He selected a new menu, and a lock replaced the speech display. Concealing the watch from view, he entered a password and instead of the theatre, they saw a beautiful neo-classical building fronted with massive stone columns.

"That's incredible!" exclaimed Eve. "It looks just like the British Museum and it doesn't... What? What is it made from?"

Eve stared at the material used to construct the building. It looked like stone, but it moved. Only slightly but it definitely moved!

"I was shocked the first time I saw it. All of the buildings in Anaxagoras are built from this. It's like an organic material, and it can move and change shape. It's because rocks and metals in this world are alive."

"Are you serious?" Eve spluttered. "So, the building could just decide to change shape if it feels like it?"

"It's alive in the same sense that a tree or a plant is alive," chuckled Will. "They don't just have rocks wandering around. They can manipulate the material to join with other materials to form and hold the shapes they want. It doesn't grow like a tree or a plant or erode like a rock, so it has zero maintenance."

"Your watch thingy...that fluid isn't just some weird case, it's actually the metal?"

"Yes."

"That's amazing! What is it called?"

"All the materials have different names, and I don't remember any of them. Apparently, the guild has a great library."

"With real books or are they alive too?"

Will laughed as he rang a bell at the door of the Guild of Procnatus. "No, the organic matter used to make books dies just as it does in our world."

An incredibly handsome man answered the door; Eve felt her mouth fall open at the sight of him.

Will straightened and said formally, "Good afternoon. I'm William Farley, I'm a Guardian of Arkazatinia, and I request an urgent audience with Lord Thalia."

The man glanced towards Eve who blushed heavily. He did not react and looked back towards Will. "Who is this? Another guardian?"

"No," replied Will, maintaining his cool. "I shall explain all to her lordship."

The man invited them into an elegant waiting area. Despite the grand exterior, the building did not have a vast entrance hall or high ceilings and instead showed a practical use of the great space. Both Eve and Will, expecting a breathtaking scene, found it a little disappointing. They were invited to sit in the waiting area chairs which had the same _living_ properties as the building. Feeling a little creeped out, Eve preferred to stand.

"Did you say _her_ lordship?" she asked.

"Yes," Will said, "they have male and female lords."

"Weird."

"Why don't you sit down? The chairs won't hurt you."

"You said it forms new shapes with other material," replied Eve, jumping away from the wall she had leant on without thinking. "I don't want to become part of a chair or a wall."

Will laughed. "They wouldn't use it if it was that easy. They need a skilled alchemist to change them."

"I'll stand all the same. It would be like sitting on a chair made from bugs." Her eyes ventured towards the organic floor, and she began to shuffle uncomfortably.

Will started to laugh but quickly silenced himself as the door opened and a young woman entered. She appeared to be around nineteen or twenty and was incredibly beautiful.

"This way," she said, indicating for them to follow her through the door.

She led them down a corridor rather grander than the entrance hall. The walls of the corridor were filled with portraits and news clippings of scientists and scientific feats through the ages. The walls were lined with display cabinets containing a trove of apparatus, gadgets and what looked like random junk. It should have looked cluttered, but its beautiful arrangement could easily pass for an exhibition.

The girl led them into a large office and motioned for them to sit on two chairs in front of a solid oak desk. The office was like a library/laboratory hybrid. The walls were lined with thousands of leather-bound volumes, and more cabinets displayed everything from crude tools to microscopes, and many planetarium and orrery models. Eve and Will sat. Eve was relieved to find that the wooden seats did not appear to move. They were surprised when the girl took a seat opposite them.

"You're Lord Thalia?" stuttered Will, blushing furiously.

The girl smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Guardian," she said.

Eve studied her face. She was as fresh-faced as a skincare model, but her eyes appeared to be as old and wise as an ancient scholar.

Will started to speak, but something about her gaze hushed him.

"I am not accustomed to visits from guardians, Mr Farley," she said gently. "Nor am I accustomed to visits from humans who should be unacquainted with our world. I assume you have a good reason for this interruption?"

Will stammered, "I did not know where else to turn, my father has been taken...by...by a demon."

Thalia raised an eyebrow and betrayed a mix of alarm and confusion before quickly regaining her composure. "I sympathise, Mr Farley, really I do, but we have a protocol and channels to follow. Surely you're aware that Arkazatinia is controlled by the Imperium?"

"Yes," said Will, lowering his eyes, "but my father always told me to go to the Procnatus in matters of urgency as you are the most rational."

She smiled, it was a warm smile. "It's kind of your father to say so. I may be able to be of some assistance in this matter. Have you eaten?"

Will relaxed a little. Eve had not noticed how tense he was until he did. "We had coffee on the train."

Thalia pressed a button on a panel on the desk.

"Yes, my lord?" came the crackled reply.

"Mark, could you arrange for some refreshments to be brought to my office, and ask Mikæl to attend?"

"Yes, my lord."

"So," said Thalia, leaning back into her seat, "tell me about this demon."

Will and Eve glanced at each other before Will regaled Thalia with the events of the day. "My father, Andrew Farley, had been working in the garden before I got up around ten this morning when Eve phoned and said she was on her way." His cheeks reddened, but Thalia listened patiently, and he continued. "Anyway, Eve and I went into the garden; I'd made my father a coffee and was taking it out to him when—"

Will ceased talking as the door opened and another handsome male entered with a tray of food and drinks.

Eve stared at the man who was even more beautiful than the man who had answered the door.

_Breathe._

The new arrival grinned and set the tray on the desk. He spoke in a jesting tone, "You called, my queen?"

Thalia smiled at him and said, "William Farley and I'm sorry, I didn't get your name...Miss?"

"Eve Franklin," said Eve, her cheeks burning.

"This is Mikæl. He is my head Consiliario or consul if you will."

"And head tea boy and bringer of scones," Mikæl said. He winked at Eve and she blushed furiously.

"Mr Farley was filling me in on a schedule twelve incident that occurred earlier today in Lycea. Please continue," said Thalia.

Mikæl appeared intrigued. He perched on the edge of Thalia's desk and folded his arms. Eve peeled her eyes from his bulging biceps when she realised that she was not breathing.

Will continued, "Eve and I had taken a coffee to my father in the garden, and we saw that he was speaking to someone, and it appeared to be a heated discussion. I asked Eve to wait inside, and I approached my father. I noticed that he was speaking with a demon—it was humanlike with eyes like green glass and its nails were like talons."

"That's an Asmodeus demon," observed Mikæl. Thalia showed no reaction.

"I called out to my father to ask if everything was okay," continued Will. "And the demon grabbed me and said, 'I could take him. I could take him somewhere you'll never find him.' My father shouted at him to let me go and said he would do what he asked. Eve heard the raised voices and came into the garden. The demon moved from me to her. He taunted me and said that he could easily kill her. I shouted at him to ask what he wanted. He laughed at me and squeezed Eve around the neck. I tried to fight him off, but he threw me across the garden.

"He said that he had a message for the Imperium. He said, 'You tell the Imperium that we want our seat and we will attack Lycea until we have it. We will start a war with the Imperium, with Lycea and with anyone who gets in our way. Here's some incentive for you, I'll kill your little girlfriend.' I picked up a garden fork and drove it into his back, and he let her go. He just laughed at me and said, 'You have spirit, little guardian, I like that. You pass on the message. Tell the Imperium if they want to keep Lycea safe and get their guardian back, then we want our seat.' Then he grabbed my father, leapt over the fence and left."

Eve pulled down the collar of her sweater to reveal the bruises the demon had left behind.

Thalia had stood and was pacing nervously as she listened. "This situation could have been avoided if the Imperium weren't so stubborn," she said. "I can only see things becoming worse."

"What do you mean?" asked Eve.

"Our government, the Imperium," replied Mikæl, "thought it wise to exclude the demonic officials from the court. Demons have always been part of the Crown Alliance—the Crown was like our monarchy. Now we have the Imperium, and the demons are not included, and they're not happy about it. It's a dangerous situation because the Imperium is unwilling to cave on giving a seat to the demons and the demons will up the ante."

"I'm sorry if I sound a bit dumb, but," said Eve, "demons have officials and want a say in parliament? That makes no sense to me. I mean, why do they care? They're evil; they can do what they want, right?"

"It's a common misconception," said Thalia. "Demons aren't inherently evil. Like everyone, they are both good and bad. They have a role to play in the world like everyone else and that role is to provide balance. They challenge people. Tempt them from righteousness to test who proves worthy to enter paradise. The demons were angels once, but they tired of the oppression they faced under Heaven's strict rules and started a rebellion which got very messy and saw them cast out. They formed Hell, their own system and lived by their own rules.

"They did eventually make a truce with Heaven, but they were never invited back—it seems they preferred Hell anyway. However, they did agree that they would work with Heaven to test for worthiness and have done so ever since. Demons now live and work between Hell, Anaxagoras and Lycea. The Imperator is of the opinion that the demons do not belong in our world, and he wants them cast out of Arkazatinia. He does not seem to realise the consequences of excluding them. The demons had been oppressed before and waged war on Heaven because of that. Even Heaven had to compromise with them eventually."

"So, what now?" asked Will. "How can I get my father back? Do I need to speak to the Imperium?"

"That is what protocol commands we do," replied Thalia. "I fear involving them will serve only to make matters worse. Mikæl, your thoughts?"

Mikæl was on his feet, he was fiddling with the instruments on the display cabinets. "Taking hostages and revealing themselves to humans is out of character for demons, it seems they have grown quite desperate in their rage against the Imperium. I agree involving the Imperium will only fuel their cause against the demons and we risk the life of your father. Mr Farley, whatever action they deem appropriate is unlikely to be a course which will prioritise the life of one man. The Imperium has already proposed war against the demonic forces, and if we involve them, it will not end well."

"What option is there?" asked Will anxiously.

"We have always had an accord with the demons," answered Thalia. "I shall visit Prince Calab, the head of the Asmodeus demons, and try to reason with him."

"Isn't that dangerous?" exclaimed Eve. "They could kill you!"

"He may not listen to reason, but I shall not be harmed," she replied calmly. "Mikæl, will you accompany me?"

"Of course, my queen."

"I want to go too," said Will.

"If you're going, Will, so am I."

"I will make the arrangements," said Thalia, pressing the call button on the control panel desk. "Mark, could you arrange for transport to convey four to the Guild of Asmodeus and call ahead to advise we seek an audience with the prince."

The transport Thalia had requested was a vector. It resembled a horse-drawn carriage, but required no horse and propelled along silently at great speed. Eve could not identify a power source but assumed it had some sort of battery as it had an electronic control panel programmed with the destination. The vector sped away from the guild so fast that Eve could only see the distant landscape of Arkazatinia, anything closer blurred. It was charming and very like the English countryside.

"Is your home based on the British Museum?" asked Eve.

"It is a similar classical style," she said. "The guild has changed many times; we usually model other buildings of interest to us. The last model was based on the Pantheon, though having a circular structure limited the available space considerably. When I was much younger, I had a thing for large empty spaces but, as I have gotten older, I have realised that we actually need to use indoor space for more than 'gazing in awe'. We kept the columned frontage and changed the rest of the building and the interior so that it was more practical."

"It's gorgeous." Eve smiled.

"Thank you." Thalia smiled back.

"Does everyone live at the guild? I'm sorry, I'm being nosey."

Thalia grinned. "Not at all. And no, many live out in Eurasia or in Lycea. The guild is mostly home to the younger generation and the troublemakers who can't be trusted outside and would otherwise end up on the wrong side of Mr Farley's sword."

Eve's curiosity was piqued, and she had a ton more questions; however, she worried that she was becoming an annoyance and bit her tongue.

Despite the speed, it still took almost an hour to reach the Guild of Asmodeus. The guild was also built in a classical style; it was smaller than the Guild of Procnatus but just as impressive. A demon met the group at the door. He had the same eye colour as the one who had attacked Eve and Will that morning. Eve guessed the species of demons shared characteristics, and that was how Mikæl was able to ascertain who had attacked them.

The demon led them through to an impressive library. Eve gasped—the library was so vast she thought it must house every book ever written. Sat in an armchair aside an open fire was the demon who had attacked them. His face made Eve pause, although he appeared much calmer than he had that morning, his appearance was quite terrifying.

He looked to be no more than twenty and had a lovely mop of black, curly hair, but his thickset features and a cruel twist to his mouth gave the impression of an ancient evil lurking within. He could have passed for human, albeit an unattractive one, had it not been for his eyes. They were like brilliant green emeralds or marbles, or, as Will had described, like glass. He also had long, deadly claws which protruded about two inches from the end of each finger.

"Calab." Thalia smiled at the demon, extending a warm greeting.

Calab looked somewhat puzzled when he noticed Eve and Will, but returned the greeting. "Thalia," he said, kissing her cheek. "A pleasure as always." He invited her and Mikæl to sit by the fire and motioned for Eve and Will to sit at a desk behind them. "Thalia, I must say I am somewhat concerned that you have arrived here with the two humans. Are you doing the Imperator's bidding now?"

"Not if I can help it," replied Thalia. "Mr Farley came to me as his father had instructed him to seek out the Procnatus rather than the Imperium in times of need. I have not contacted the Imperium, and I rather hope we can avoid doing so. It won't help your cause, Calab; it will only give them further ammunition against you."

"What choice do we have?" asked Calab angrily. "The other princes and I, we won't be without rights and without a voice. We have existed peacefully in Arkazatinia for thousands of years, Thalia, we don't deserve this."

"I am on your side, Calab. I have been very vocal in my opinions of your lack of presence in court. The Imperium has tried to have me voted out because of that. Fortunately, it wasn't supported."

"Yet our exclusion was supported?"

"It wasn't—isn't. The Imperium has not put it to a vote, I have implored them to do so, but they refuse. The other Arkazatines are supportive of your seat."

Calab bit his lip and relaxed into his chair. "Why are they so determined to run us out?"

"I don't know. But I do know that acts of war and attacks on Lycea will not help, and you risk alienating your allies."

"Including you?"

"Calab, you know we won't have a choice," she said sadly. "We have to protect Arkazatinia and protect Lycea from threats from Arkazatinia. We have been friends a long time; I'd hate to see us fall out. The Imperium is the problem, I've already moved for a vote of no confidence in the regime. Please, let's tackle this through the appropriate channels. Let us spare lives and the exposure of our world."

Calab took a deep breath. "Charon, release the prisoner," he instructed the demon who had let them in. Charon nodded and left the room. "You're right as always, Thalia." The demon gently took the thorian's hand in his taloned hand. "I have acted irrationally and out of desperation. I will listen to your counsel, but if your method does not amount to change, then we will take action."

Thalia nodded and said calmly, "I understand; however, I would urge you to speak with me before making any decisions."

The door opened, and Charon entered with a furious Andrew Farley.

"You're free to go, Guardian," said Calab before turning Will and Eve. "I assure you he is unharmed and I offer my apologies for this morning. I would not have killed you, human, I was merely trying to be heard."

Eve nodded and gave a thin smile. She thought she would be filled with hate for the demon who had left her bruised and fearing for her life; however, she was surprised to find she sympathised with his plight.

"That's all well and good," snapped Andrew, "but what happens the next time you don't get your way. It's only a matter of time before you kill someone!"

Calab snarled at Andrew. "There will be a war if the Imperium does not allow us the same rights as everyone else, and unfortunately, wars have casualties!"

"It isn't just you. Guardians haven't been given a seat either. We're supposed to risk our lives defending our worlds, and we have never had a say. It baffles me that you thought the Imperium would be concerned for my safe return. If my son had gone to them, he'd have done them a favour and given them a reason to take action against you."

Calab shuffled in his seat, his brow furrowed with irritation, "Well, it seems everyone has drawn that conclusion," he said dejectedly.

"You would too if you thought anything through!"

Mikæl stood and said sternly, "We should not be quarrelling amongst ourselves. The Imperator clearly has an agenda and fighting amongst ourselves or endangering the lives of the innocent will not help anyone."

Thalia looked thoughtfully at Mikæl and said, "Mikæl is right. The Imperator does have an agenda. I don't know what it is, but it involves more than just levying and wasting taxes."

"So, we rally our armies and start a rebellion!" stated Calab.

Thalia shook her head and replied, "We shouldn't be so quick to resort to acts of war, we first need to try and settle this by non-violent means."

"I will go along with you, for now, Thalia, but," said Calab, "there will be a war, I feel it, and you will need to decide which side you're fighting for when it happens."

Eve woke the next morning in a comfortable double bed with a wrought iron style frame made of the Anaxagorean living materials. The room was light and simply furnished with a wardrobe and dressing table; the furnishings were beautiful and clearly antique. Eve was pleased to find that wood, at least, still behaved, as it should once cut down. She had been apprehensive about sleeping in a bed made of live material and did not know if she felt better or worse when Mikæl told her it was no worse than sleeping in a bed riddled with bacteria and dead skin. She was somewhat relieved to find her mattress and bedclothes did not move, and the living properties seemed restricted to metals, rocks, and things that, as Will had said, did not need to be killed to be used in manufacturing.

Her room had a small en-suite, and Eve enjoyed a relaxing shower before dressing in the previous day's clothes. She was glad she had thought to handwash her underwear. After messing with, and finally giving up with her long, curly hair, she pulled it into a bun and left her room. She was not sure if she was allowed to wander the guild's corridors and was not sure where she should go. She knocked on Will's room next door, and he answered wearing only a towel slung low on his hips revealing his muscular chest. He smiled at her and let her into his room.

Eve had known Will all of her life after growing up with him through pre-school, then primary school, high school and they now attended the same college. They had seen each other grow through their awkward phases of puppy fat, acne and braces, but as handsome as he was, she had always regarded him as a brother, and he treated her like a sister.

"So, could you sleep or did your bed suffocate you in the night?" he teased.

"Ha ha!" she said sarcastically. "I did sleep, though, I didn't realise I was so tired. I texted Mum as I got in bed to say I was staying at your house and I must've gone straight to sleep because she replied five minutes later and I didn't hear it—isn't it amazing that you can get a signal here?" She sat on his bed, and Will entered the bathroom with his clothes and closed the door. "What will we do now?" she called through the door.

"We'll hopefully get some breakfast because I'm starving and then we'll get the train home." A now clothed Will emerged from the bathroom and sat next to Eve while he pulled on his high tops.

"You mean we won't help?"

"Help what?"

"Arkazatinia, there's going to be a war."

"It doesn't involve us. The guardians have no say in the running of the world. Like my dad said, we don't even have a seat in court."

"There must be something we can do to prevent it, our world is in danger."

"Like what, Eve? You don't go running to Downing Street every time our country comes under threat, what's the difference?"

"But you're a guardian, that must mean something."

"Eve, it sounds grander than it actually is. We take care of rogue Arkazatines, we're security guards—we have no real powers. To Arkazatines, we don't matter—not even enough for them to consider giving us a say in the Imperium. We will just go home and carry on as usual, and you can go back to your life."

"You mean, never come back here?"

"Yes, Eve, you should never have known about it in the first place—much less visited." Will smiled at Eve's disappointed expression and hugged her. "Trust me; you're better off out of it. I wouldn't be in it if I had another choice. Come on, let's go."

Andrew was leaving his room as Eve and Will entered the corridor.

"Good morning." He smiled. "Mikæl said we could have breakfast in the annexe kitchen before we leave. Hopefully, I can remember the directions."

He did and led them to a business style kitchen with the surfaces in the Anaxagorean equivalent of stainless steel. A Procnatus female was the only person in there, and she stood at a stove frying eggs.

"Good morning, I'm Calia." She smiled at them pleasantly. Eve was not surprised to see that she was stunning and wondered if this helped them co-exist as they could flash beautiful smiles at their enemies. "You've timed your arrival perfectly. The bacon and sausages are ready, and the eggs are almost done. Help yourself to tea, or would you prefer coffee?"

"Tea is fine, thank you, Calia," said Andrew, pulling up a stool and helping himself to the food she had placed on the breakfast bar.

"You're welcome. I need to go and help with breakfast in the main hall, you can dial zero if you require anything." She left them alone.

Will and Andrew had already plundered most of the breakfast, but there was still a generous portion left for Eve.

"Do all the female names rhyme?" asked Eve. "Thalia, Calia. Is it a Procnatus thing?"

"They're from another time to us," said Andrew. "In Ancient Greek and Roman times, females were named after their fathers, and the ending was usually changed to a feminine suffix. Lord Thalia's father was called Thales I believe."

"Was?" asked Eve. "Is he not alive, I thought they were immortal?"

"The thorian are, but their parents aren't. They aren't born as thorian, they are born into another species known as hominem, they are human but are native to this world, and when they reach their late teens or early twenties some become thorian. That's why they all look so young. I guess nature only picks the attractive ones too. One will become the ruler of each order when the other dies."

"Do they vote for the ruler?" asked Eve.

"Only one can be the ruler, they know they are the ruler, and everyone will recognise them as such. They have abilities that the others don't have."

"Like what?"

"They have some sorcery abilities."

"Seriously?" asked Eve. "That's amazing! So, Thalia can do magic?"

"Yes," said Andrew, "but don't address her as Thalia, only a lead should address another lead by their given name. It is extremely frowned upon—even Mikæl does not address her as Thalia."

"Oh, are they involved?"

Andrew nodded and said, "Yes, they are married."

Eve remembered the way Mikæl addressed Thalia as _my queen_ and assumed this was probably his way of avoiding calling her by her name without having to call her _my lord_ like everyone else.

"Will we see her before we go?" Eve asked before draining her cup.

"Who?" asked Andrew.

"Lord Thalia. I want to ask her something."

Andrew frowned, his brows knitting together to form a crease. He patiently said, "Eve, I know she is very friendly, but she is not your friend, you can't just nip in for a chat whenever you like."

"I know, but it's important," she pleaded.

"What's so important?" he asked. Eve did not answer as Calia arrived in the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything else?" she asked, flashing another brilliant smile.

Andrew was about to answer when Eve interrupted, "Do you know if Lord Thalia is free this morning?"

"I wouldn't know," Calia replied.

"Could I see her? I would like to speak to her about something important."

Calia glanced at Andrew who looked very annoyed. "I would need to ask her assistant," she replied and picked up the telephone.

"Eve, what are you doing?" hissed Will.

"It's probably my only chance to speak to her."

"About what?"

"I will tell you later."

Calia returned from the phone and said, "Her lordship has said that she can see you for five minutes before she leaves for a meeting if you go now. I'll show you the way."

Calia led Eve out of the annexe and through a series of corridors until they reached the corridor she remembered from the previous day. On the way, Eve had passed many beautiful faces who eyed her with a curiosity that made her feel self-conscious. __

_I must be the ugliest person here._

Calia showed Eve into Thalia's office. Thalia was seated behind her desk and making an entry into a thick, leather-bound ledger.

"Miss Franklin," she greeted. "How can I help?"

"Thank you for seeing me, my lord," said Eve, finding the use of titles unnatural and somewhat awkward. "I wondered if I could be a guardian. I'd like to help if I can."

Thalia gave Eve a curious smile and said, "That's a generous offer, Miss Franklin, and one I'm sure you are making impulsively without full consideration of what the role entails. However, it is not in my power to select guardians, it was the responsibility of the Crown and now the Imperium. The role has been passed down through human families for millennia, I am not aware of any guardians being selected outside of this process."

"Oh, I didn't realise," said Eve, trying to hide her disappointment.

"Might I enquire of the reason you wish to become a guardian?"

"I want to help keep my world safe."

"In an ideal world, the role of the guardian would be given to someone who chooses it. Instead, it is forced upon people, many of whom do not want it. The role can be dangerous and is rarely appreciated. I should consider it a blessing not to have been given such a 'cross to bear' as they say in Lycea."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" said Eve.

"Just live your life. The conflicts of Arkazatinia will no doubt span a hundred human lifetimes, I urge you not to spend yours worrying about it."

"I guess you're right," replied Eve quietly. "I shall leave you to your work. It has been a pleasure to meet you."

Thalia smiled. "The pleasure is mine."

Eve left the office and headed towards the waiting area. She could not help feeling a void inside her. Yesterday, despite fearing for her life, she felt she was on the brink of a great adventure, and now it was gone. Like reaching an exciting chapter of a book before losing it and never knowing how it ends.

Andrew and Will waited for her in the reception area on the same seats Eve had refused to sit on the previous day.

Andrew raised his eyebrows, "Well?"

"I asked if I could become a guardian," explained Eve dejectedly, "but she said she can't make guardians, and it's only passed through families anyway."

"Yes," said Andrew, "I could have told you that if you'd only asked. Come on, let's go home."

Then they returned home. Life progressed as normal and Eve and Will returned to their lives. Eve asked for frequent updates on the status of Arkazatinia, though Will would tell her nothing, and she eventually tired of asking.

After completing their A-Levels, they were both accepted into the universities they had chosen: Will had decided to study physics in Manchester and Eve studied biochemistry in Nottingham. After this, Eve rarely saw Will and their contact was limited to meeting for drinks during the holidays, but this, too, became rare. By the time Eve had completed her master's degree, she was living in Nottingham permanently and had not seen Will for two years.

 September 2008

Eve rarely thought about the supernatural world which now seemed like a surreal and distant dream. That is until she saw a familiar figure while she was walking through Nottingham Arboretum.

Eve hesitated. She was unsure whether or not to approach him. She wondered if his presence had anything to do with her. He did not seem to have noticed her. He had his attention focussed on a group of young men kicking a ball between them. It was odd that he should be here in the same park she was passing through.

_It must mean something._

Eve took a deep breath and walked towards him. "Hi...Calab isn't it?" She smiled nervously at him.

"Do I know you, human?" Calab snarled.

"We met five years ago. I came to your guild with Thalia," replied Eve.

"I thought your stench was familiar," he said, glaring furiously. "Tell me, human, have you become the queen of the humans?"

"No, why?"

"Then you will not address me by my name."

"I forgot the etiquette," she said. "What do I address you as?" He growled fiercely at her. "I'm sorry, I've only been to your world once—five years ago—I don't know your customs."

"Hmm," he said and was silent for a moment. After a time he replied, "It's Prince Calab." He turned his attention back to the men.

She gave a thin smile and asked, "So, did you get a seat in court?"

"What?" he said, snapping his head in her direction.

"Did you get the seat you wanted in the Imperium?"

"No, we did not."

"Did you go to war then?"

"Is there a reason why we are conversing as though we're old friends?" Calab exclaimed angrily.

"No, I was just making conversation."

"And how is it you can see me, human?" he grumbled.

"I don't know. I saw you in the garden."

"I revealed myself that day."

"Perhaps it's because I've seen you before."

"It doesn't work like that, or it shouldn't," he said coldly. "Have you seen any other evidence of Anaxagoras since coming back?"

"No."

"You're not gifted, so it isn't that. It's probably something the Imperium would be concerned about, and if I had a seat, I would tell them." He was clearly still bitter.

"Tell them what?"

"Never mind. I have work to do, so if there's nothing else, I'd like to get back to it."

"What work?" she asked. "Will they go to Hell for playing football in a _no ball games_ area?"

He turned to glare at her. "You dare to mock me, human?"

"Sorry, I was being friendly. I guess you don't like humans much."

He grinned wolfishly. "On the contrary, I adore you all. You make my work very easy."

"You mean it's easy to tempt us from the right path?"

"Very easy indeed," he replied with a cruel smile. "I observe the most depraved wretches of humanity, so forgive me if I'm not filled with much regard for your species."

"We're not all bad."

"Really? You're not going to Heaven."

"Why?" she asked, alarmed. "What have I done?"

"It's breaking the rules to tell you." He gave her a sly grin. "I shouldn't have even said that."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course."

"How do I know this isn't a trick to make me think I'm going to Hell anyway so there's no point being good?"

"You don't."

"Lord Thalia said that it was a common misconception that demons were evil," Eve snapped, "but you seem to be quite mean."

Calab laughed and gave her another wicked smile. "You're a feisty little thing aren't you?" he said, raising his hands and flashing his sharp talons. "And you're either very brave or very foolish speaking to me as you are. I could kill you before you knew what had happened."

"Well, if I won't know about it there's nothing to worry about," said Eve plainly.

He snarled. "I can also make it slow and incredibly painful."

"And why would you do that?" she snapped. "Your job is to tempt people from righteousness not murder them in cold blood."

Calab appeared startled. He lowered his hands and growled at her. "If you insist on speaking to me, then you should do so in a manner befitting my station."

"I'm afraid I don't know any princes. I do not know how to address them."

"With respect would be a good place to start," he grumbled.

Eve said nothing for a moment, and Calab continued to watch the men who were beginning to pack up their belongings. Feeling awkward standing in silence beside the demon she asked, "Is it your intention to go to war?"

Calab's emerald eyes seared into hers. "What _has_ that got to do with you?"

"Nothing. I'm just interested. I assume Lord Thalia is still against going to war?"

He gave her another angry stare. She thought he would tell her to beat it and was surprised when he answered her—even if his tone was not pleasant. "She disagrees with every decision the Imperium makes, but all she wants to do is talk about it. She is too concerned with the risks to lives any conflict will bring to prioritise tackling the Imperium's oppression."

"Surely you want to keep her on your side?" asked Eve. "She is a strong ally."

"And what would you know? You have been to Arkazatinia once that does not make you an authority on its dynamics. The Procnatus are loyal to no one; they only fight for causes they believe to be worthy or just and only then if it is no risk, at all, to anyone. She doesn't consider oppression a risk."

"You make that sound like a bad thing," stated Eve. "What is so wrong about protecting people?"

"Nothing," Calab said. "Except, it isn't always practical. The Imperium are oppressing us, turning Arkazatines against us and trying to drive us out of our home, but we can do nothing about that because of the risk to lives. Does that seem just to you?"

"No," admitted Eve, "but she did say she would help."

"She is pleading our case in court periodically," said the demon prince, sounding bored. "She has tried, unsuccessfully, to move for a vote of no confidence. She insists on continuing with this line in the hope that eventually they'll vote on whether to keep the current Imperator or replace them with some other greedy and corrupt supremacist with the same agenda."

"You're very patient. I would be driven mad if nothing happened after five years."

He gave her a curious glance before turning back to the men and said, "Protocol takes time."

"But five years? Surely you'd have another election by then?"

"In a world where most are immortal or live for thousands of years, five years is the blink of an eye," said Calab. "I don't know why I am telling you all this anyway, the politics of Arkazatinia are no concern of yours."

"I am interested, though. I find your world fascinating."

Calab's eyes flamed at her. "As thrilled as I am to be entertaining you with my people's sufferings, I have work to do," he said as the men began to leave the park. "Good day, human."

"Wait," Eve said. "Can you tell me why you think the Imperium would be interested that I can see you?"

Calab grinned and said slyly, "No, human, I will not." He started to fade away.

"Please, wait! Am I really going to Hell?" she asked anxiously. Calab laughed loudly and disappeared.

 February 2012

"Charon, I would like a vector immediately," said Calab through his desk panel.

"Yes, Prince," Charon replied.

Soon Calab was on board the automated carriage and on his way to the Guild of Calahad in Laurentia. It was almost twenty hours travel from the Guild of Asmodeus, even at the vector's high speeds. Calab—stocked up on food, wine and books—settled in for the journey. He examined the note he had received,

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order,

Your attendance is required at the Guild of Calahad tomorrow night at the hour of seven. Please come alone and inform no one. It is a matter of great importance.

Manu Propria

Lord Tharazan of Calahad

Calab felt intrigued but apprehensive. He had never been summoned to the thorian Guild of Calahad before, and rarely had cause to venture south into Laurentia. He had considered requesting to borrow an aerial vector from the Guild of Procnatus that would have flown him the distance in four hours, but he had decided against it after the note made it clear he should inform no one where he was going.

Calab eventually alighted the vector at his destination. A Calahad male greeted Calab and advised him that he would be moving the vector and urged the prince to enter the guild. Calab stepped through the front door and found that he was not the only Arkazatine to have been summoned. The hall was full of the rulers of Arkazatinia: his peers the Berith and Astaroth princes, the angel sons of Michæl, Raphæl and Uriel, the hominem patriarchs of Marya, Tamien and Exalon, and the other thorian lords of Elion and Procnatus.

Calab accepted a glass of red wine from a Calahad and moved towards the princes who were engaged in conversation.

"Avalon, Tarrin," he greeted and kissed each of their cheeks.

"Calab." Berith Prince Avalon smiled, his glassy amber eyes gleaming. "Have you had any word on why we are here?"

"Nothing," replied Calab, sipping his wine. "It's most unusual. Are the Imperium here?"

"We haven't sensed them. Perhaps they are on their way," said Tarrin, casting his amethyst eyes around the room. "Do you think they may relent and give us our seat?"

"They will most likely not be here," said Calab. "Why would the Imperium hold an engagement at the Guild of Calahad, and why would they keep it a secret? And why invite us? No, this must be about something that does not involve the Imperator."

Tharazan appeared in the doorway and announced, "Honoured guests, thank you for attending on such short notice. Please, join me in the library."

The rulers entered the library and took their seats around an oval table. Calab noticed there was an empty seat beside Tharazan who stood and said, "Please rise for the Lady Ariana of Impærielas."

The party stood, and the room was filled with hushed tones as a figure cloaked in a midnight blue entered through the door connecting the library to Tharazan's office. She took her seat next to Tharazan and motioned for all to be seated. She removed her hood and revealed a face that was both ancient and youthful. The room stared in awe—no one present had ever seen the Lady of the Impærielas.

She started to speak. "Dearest friends of Arkazatinia," she began, her voice croaked and withered as she spoke. "Thank you for joining me on this evening, and for making the long journey to Laurentia. I felt it was more sensible to have the gathering far from Eurasia. I have grown fatigued of late so forgive me if I get straight to the point.

"I know the Impærielas are something of a mystery to you all, we have always been a private people, some may say secretive. The affairs of the Impærielas have been kept very much within the community, and we have carried out our duty without much interference from the rest of the world. That is until the Imperium emerged. The Impærielas have always provided a Crown to oversee Arkazatinia, its protection and the protection of Lycea—it is our mandate as it is of us all. The Crown is appointed like all rulers; they become the Crown when one passes. However, when the last king faded there was none and a custodian was appointed until a crown emerged, but that did not happen. The custodian, who enjoyed his status as a leader, decided it was time to change the practices of old and said the Crown should be elected rather than chosen by Arkazatinia. However, he went on to form the Imperium and appointed himself Imperator; he threatened all who opposed him within the Impærielas.

"He then set out to change what he did not like, his first task is to have demons cast into Hell, then angels into Heaven as he believes they 'have no place in this world'. There is more to his plan that I cannot see, but I have foreseen this. If he succeeds, he will displace all of Arkazatinia's rulers, perhaps hoping that he will have more influence over the newer rulers Arkazatinia appoints, and then he will take full control for himself. He will have all the armies of thorian and will then make his move. His plans are unclear and somewhat erratic, but he has plans to move on Axandria, Vernasia and even Lycea."

The room was in shocked silence for a few moments after she had finished speaking.

An angel spoke first. "My Lady, I am Jacob, Son of Raphæl. Do you know why he wants the angels and demons banished?"

"He has not shared his plans," said Lady Ariana. "What I know I have gleaned from my vision. It seems that as the angels and demons are under the decree of Heaven, he does not see you as useful to his plan. He has tried to use the population of Arkazatinia to achieve his goals, starting with demons. He has fed misinformation to encourage the Arkazatines to drive out demons for him. The Impærielas have been powerless to stop him. We are defenceless. We have no army, and we do not fight. The Imperator is not of the character of the Impærielas. He has been marked or changed, I know not how. It is not in our nature to encourage acts of war, but we have a mandate to protect Arkazatinia and Lycea. To do nothing, I'm afraid, would be worse in this instance—he must be removed as Imperator and the Crown restored."

"My Lady, I am Ester, Patriarch of Exalon. How is the Crown to be restored? You said they were no more."

"It was the case," replied Lady Ariana, "but now one has emerged. It is most unusual; they are not from the Impærielas but an outlander."

"From Lycea?" exclaimed Ester.

"Yes," said Lady Ariana, "an outlander who does not know their path, but has pledged allegiance to Arkazatinia nonetheless." Calab glanced at Thalia. She met his gaze but said nothing.

"There is a prophecy," continued Lady Ariana, "a prophecy that says:

The one who shows loyalty with no thought of reward,

sees the truth but does not hide,

and seeks allegiance in the face of adversity

shall be deemed worthy to rule all.

"The Imperator is aware of the prophecy, and he knows that an outlander has been chosen. I'm afraid he will stop at nothing to keep his reign. The outlander is in grave danger. I implore you all to find and protect them, and then put an end to the Imperator's reign."

"How are we to find them?" asked Jacob. "Do you have any more details?"

"I'm afraid not," said Lady Ariana calmly. "Only that they can see our world and they have pledged allegiance. I am sorry I can be of no more help."

"Thank you, My Lady," said Tharazan. "My friends, in light of Lady Ariana's testament I must implore you all to pledge your allegiance to this cause and help us to rid our land of the Imperium and restore the Crown. Who is with me?"

A resounding agreement spread throughout the room, and each put their right hand on the table in a demonstration of allegiance—including the Lady Ariana. Thalia hesitated.

"Thalia!" said Calab. "You cannot be serious. Have you heard nothing of what was said?"

"I do not have an army to command," she replied. "My people are trained for battle, but I do not control them. I will need to ask them if they agree to join the alliance."

"We know how your order operates, Thalia," replied Avalon. "We are only asking you to pledge your own allegiance; I imagine many of your people will rally to the cause."

"In that case, I offer my commitment. On my life I will do what I can to save Arkazatinia and protect Lycea," she said, placing her hand on the table.

With business concluded, Lady Ariana exhausted and the wine finished, the alliance left the Guild of Calahad. Calab caught up with Thalia as she left.

"May I speak with you, Thalia?" he asked.

"Of course, Prince."

"You know of who the prophecy speaks?"

"Not for certain," she replied. "The human girl I brought to your guild the day you took the guardian asked me to make her a guardian, she said she wanted to help Arkazatinia and protect Lycea."

"I saw her in Lycea," said Calab, "and she saw me. She approached me and started idle chitchat. It was quite bizarre actually; she showed not the slightest hint of fear."

"Did you inform the Imperium?" asked Thalia, somewhat alarmed.

"Of course not," replied Calab. "They hadn't given us a seat, so I did not see it as my business to inform them."

"That's fortunate. I know her name, so she shouldn't be difficult to find. Where did you see her?"

"In a park in Nottingham, it was about four years ago, though."

Thalia removed her pocket watch, which the Farleys had termed the speakeasy, from her purse. She brought up a menu with a map and said, "Eve Franklin, Nottingham, England, Lycea." The map highlighted an address. "I've found a Genevieve Franklin in Nottingham, that's hopefully her. We should head there as soon as possible."

"We could have been there in an hour if this meeting had been held in Eurasia."

"We won't see her until tomorrow unless we pound on her door in the middle of the night," said Thalia. "Still, we should find her and ensure that she is safe. We'll fly to my guild and pick up an outrider."

They both climbed on board Thalia's aerial vector. Thalia pressed the _home_ button on the control panel, and the vector took to the air and sped towards the Guild of Procnatus.

"Do you have a special vox?" Calab asked. "Mine does not have voice control."

"It should; let me show you." Calab handed Thalia his watch. "Oh my," she said after a moment. "When did you last update the software?"

"Never," Calab said, puzzled.

She laughed. "You're running on version 2.0, we're on 8.2 now. I'm surprised it still works."

"Yes, well, excuse me for not joining you all in the twentieth century."

"It's the twenty-first century."

"Whatever," he grumbled. "It's always done what I need it to, and demons barely need any of the features anyway. I only use it for the phone."

"The latest update allows you to cloak yourself, so you appear human."

"Fabulous." He smirked. "I'll update right away and buy some overpriced coffee."

Upon arriving at her guild, Thalia requested the Procnatus male who greeted her to bring her an outrider. He took the vector to a garage and returned with the outrider moments later. The outrider was modelled on a regular car, and like the vector and aerial vector, it had been developed by the Procnatus and a team of light alchemists. Its purpose was to pass as a car in Lycea, and it had technology installed which allowed it to create its own entrances to Lycea. Thalia programmed the control panel with the girl's address, and they were soon speeding through Arkazatinia with the intention of creating an opening at the last moment. Travel through Arkazatinia was faster than through Lycea with its speed limits, traffic lights, roundabouts and assortment of other things that get in the way.

It was a little after three o'clock in the morning when Calab and Thalia arrived at the girl's address. It was a charming mock-Tudor style townhouse in a quiet cul-de-sac with only the sound of distant traffic disturbing the night.

"What now?" Calab asked.

"We should probably just wait," said Thalia. "You could go and make sure we have the right girl and check on her. Do you sense anything?"

"No," he said, "I'll go anyway."

Calab left the outrider and headed to the house. To get through a closed door, Calab had to generate an entrance to return to Arkazatinia and then enter the area in between called the _midspace_. He could see both Arkazatinia and Lycea from the midspace but was not bound by barriers, and he simply had to position himself where he wanted to be, such as the other side of a door, and re-enter. He made his way through the house in the midspace. Humans could not see him unless he purposely revealed himself, but he knew the girl could and did not think it wise to frighten her with the presence of a demon. They needed her to take the Crown and could not afford for her to die of fright. He located her bedroom and found her sleeping.

The room was in darkness, but his demon vision allowed him to see as clearly as if it was daylight. She looked just as he remembered. The same child he had held by the throat nine years ago and the same child who had approached him in the park.

How can this girl be the queen?

He watched her for a few moments more and was about to leave when she muttered something in her sleep. His head whipped towards her to listen for anything more, but she remained silent. He stayed, waiting for her to speak again, but she said nothing. He left, still feeling the shock that had jolted through him.

I'm sure she said my name. How could she know I was there?

"Where have you been?" asked Thalia when he returned to the outrider. "I was about to come looking for you."

"I needed the bathroom." He smirked. She frowned at him. "The area is secure. There is no scent of anyone from Arkazatinia, and the girl is sleeping soundly."

"That's good."

"Now what?"

"We wait for her to wake-up, I suppose."

"A male lives there," said Calab. "He wasn't there, though. I recognise his scent; he was on my _decretum_ five years ago."

"Odd," observed Thalia, but said nothing more.

Calab waited in the outrider with Thalia. Thalia had fallen asleep after an hour, though he remained awake. He watched the girl leaving her house and getting into her car around seven o'clock. Calab woke Thalia who suggested that they wait for her to return home before they approached her, and they followed her. They loitered close enough to the hospital laboratory where she worked to allow him to sense anything untoward, but not so close that she would see them. After a twelve-hour shift, the girl ventured home. They watched her leave her car and enter her house.

"Should we go now?" asked Calab, feeling impatient.

"No," Thalia said, "she has worked all day, let's wait an hour."

An hour later, Calab walked along the path towards the girl's front door with Thalia who pressed firmly on the bell. The girl answered the door dressed in checked pyjamas and a white fluffy dressing gown.

"Erm...er...hello," Eve stuttered upon seeing Lord Thalia and Prince Calab on her doorstep.

"Hello, Miss Franklin," said Thalia brightly. "May we come in?"

"I guess so," said Eve, opening the door to let them pass. They entered the lounge and took a seat on the sofa. Eve was lost for words. What do you say when you have a lord and a prince sat in your corner group? "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh, no thank you," said Calab. "Perhaps a glass of red?"

"Blood?" she asked as a weak attempt at a joke.

"If you've nothing else," the demon replied. "I would prefer wine."

Eve opened a bottle, poured three glasses and took them through to the lounge. She handed the demon and the thorian their drinks and asked, "So, how can I help you?"

"Well," started Thalia, swirling the wine in her glass, "it seems Arkazatinia wishes to take you up on your offer after all."

"What offer?" asked Eve.

"Your offer to help."

"That was ten years ago."

"Does the offer no longer stand?"

"I don't know, no...no. I don't have time to be a guardian anymore. I have a job, and I'm studying, and I'm engaged to be married." She held out her hand to show a diamond engagement ring.

"Congratulations," said Thalia. "Who is the lucky gentleman?"

"His name is Jason," said Eve. "He is a biochemist."

"Ah, and what has become of Mr Farley?"

"He's in Manchester. I haven't seen him for six years."

"Miss Franklin—"

"Please just call me Eve."

"Miss Franklin," continued Thalia as Eve frowned, "you may remember that our Crown was replaced by the Imperator. The Crown came from the Impærielas, and when one Crown passes away, another becomes the successor. After the last Crown had died, no new Crown emerged, and the custodian of the Crown decided he liked his new position so much he wanted to keep it. He developed the Imperium, and you know the rest. Well, we have learned that he has an agenda after all. It is one that involves casting the angels and demons out of Arkazatinia, removing the leaders of the remaining groups and taking over the armies to march on the other continents of Anaxagoras and Lycea."

"That's awful," gasped Eve. "Surely you must stop him, even if it means resorting to war."

"We intend to, but," said Thalia, "we need you."

"Me! What can I do?"

"We were summoned to a meeting with Lady Ariana of the Impærielas. She is an oracle; she has the gift of foresight and has seen that you have a part to play."

"I really don't see how I can help."

"Lady Ariana has foreseen a prophecy has come to pass, a new Crown has been chosen, one who has pledged their allegiance to Arkazatinia."

"That can't be me! I can't be the Crown just because of something I said ten years ago. Surely you have got this wrong."

"The prophecy stated that the person was an outlander who could see our world," said Calab. "You saw me when I was concealed."

Eve shook her head. "This can't be happening. When I said that, I meant it and wanted to help so badly, but I have gotten over that now. I have a life here."

"Have you noticed that you look the same age as when I first saw you? It was nine years ago I believe," asked Thalia.

"Everyone does say I look young, but what has that got to do with anything?"

"When you pledged your allegiance, Arkazatinia selected you and has halted your ageing. Have you really gotten over your interest in Arkazatinia?"

"Yes. I don't want this anymore."

"Take some time to consider your options," Calab said nonchalantly, sipping his wine. "We will wait here for you to decide."

"I will need more than a few minutes. You're talking about me leaving behind my life, my fiancé, my home, my work, and I've just started my PhD."

"Really?" said Thalia. "What are you reading?"

"Microbiology and genetics."

"How fascinating. We will have to—"

"Thalia," said Calab, "should we stay on point? We should have mentioned this earlier; you're in danger. The Imperator knows an outlander has been selected and they will come for you."

"What?" exclaimed Eve. Calab shrugged. She picked up her wine and took large gulps before setting down her glass and burying her head in her hands. "I need some time to think about this which probably means you have the wrong person as the chosen one who has pledged their allegiance would surely not be so hesitant."

"Perhaps things will be clearer once you have slept," said Thalia. "We'll stay here, we'll keep you safe."

"Jason is working a night shift; he'll be back in the morning."

"We can make sure we're not seen," said Calab. "Do you have more wine?"

"In the kitchen," Eve replied. "Make yourself at home." She headed for the stairs taking her wine glass with her.

Calab entered the kitchen and picked up the bottle the girl had left on the side just as she returned and took it from his hand.

"I need this," she said, heading back up the stairs. "Open another."

He perused the stocked wine rack for a few moments before selecting another bottle, opening it and returning to the lounge. He sat beside Thalia. "Do you think we have this wrong?"

"No," said Thalia, "she knows it too—she is afraid. When she offered her pledge, she was young and carefree, but now she has the commitments of a home, a career and a partner. I think she will make the right decision."

"What if she refuses? We still need to unseat the Imperator, but we'll need to make sure she is kept safe, even if she does not want the position the Imperator will still want her gone."

Thalia relaxed on the sofa and sipped the wine. "This is a comfortable sofa, I think I may get one like it."

"This is the first time I've sat on a human sofa."

"Really? You spend half your time in Lycea."

"Yes, working. I don't lounge around whilst I'm leading people into temptation."

The next morning the front door opened as the girl's fiancé let himself in.

He shouted up the stairs, "Eve, are you up?" No reply came.

Calab and Thalia loitered in the corner of the room, Calab concealed himself using his demonic powers, and Thalia concealed herself using her vox.

"Eve!" the boy shouted from the kitchen. "Get up!" The girl came down the stairs and looked like she had barely slept and had been crying. "What's wrong with you?" the boy asked moodily.

"I have a headache, I haven't slept well," she answered groggily.

"Well, I want breakfast."

She started to make him some breakfast and the boy flicked through the newspaper he had carried in with him.

"How was work?" she asked. He looked up at her and glared before continuing to read the paper.

"This is the love of her life?" whispered Thalia.

"This boy can be a nasty piece of work," Calab answered.

The girl heard him and glanced nervously in his direction. She placed a cup of coffee and plate of bacon and eggs in front of her fiancé.

The boy looked from the paper to the food and said, "You've overcooked my eggs. You know I have them runny."

"Sorry," she said, "I'll make you some more. I'm not feeling well."

She replaced the eggs and placed the plate in front of him once more.

"The bacon is cold now!" he snapped.

"Sorry."

"Quit saying you're sorry. Just get it right first time!" He noticed the wine rack. "There are two bottles of wine missing."

"I opened them last night. Hayley came over, and we watched a movie and had wine."

"Why didn't she bring her own wine?" he snapped. "I don't work to pay for your friends to drink my wine. That explains why you look like crap and why my breakfast is crap. I'm working hard, and you're drinking _my_ wine with your friend!"

"I work too; I paid for that wine as well."

"Don't talk back to me." He snarled and continued to eat his breakfast. The girl sat on the stool opposite him picked at her nails. Calab could sense annoyance emanating from her, but her anger was consumed by the rage emanating from the boy. The boy did not seem to have mellowed in the years since he had seen him last. Calab had never understood what motivated the boy's rage, but he had never needed to—it wasn't his job to know that.

The boy glared at the girl and snapped, "What are you doing? Why are you just sitting there? Go and get dressed or something. You're so lazy, I bet you're going to sit around all day and do nothing."

"It's my first day off for eight days," she replied.

"I can tell," he said. "This place is a disgrace."

She looked irritated as she glanced around the kitchen. Aside from a few dishes in the sink, it seemed perfectly clean. "It's my house," she snapped, "if I don't want to clean it, I won't."

"This again." He growled. "You're happy for me to pay the bills."

"You don't even pay half the bills."

"Why should I pay your mortgage?" he said. "I'm paying nothing until I have something in writing that states this is my house."

"You're living here!" she seethed.

The girl seemed to have forgotten the audience watching her. Thalia looked anxious, Calab could sense her willing the girl to stop arguing and leave with them. He stood silently and unmoved at her side, he was used to such displays as part of his work.

"You never let me forget it do you?" the boy barked. "Anyone would think you were doing me a favour by letting me live in your house, I'd rather pay ten times more to live somewhere else and not have to put up with you. I'm doing you a favour by marrying you; you think anyone else would have you?" The girl glared at him. "They wouldn't," he continued, "nobody wanted you before I met you. Who's still a virgin at twenty-four?" He laughed. The girl flushed red and appeared to cringe as she cast a glance towards Calab and Thalia. "You can't even produce a child," said the boy, sneering. "I don't even know why I'm wasting my time on you."

"So leave," she shouted.

"Why?" He growled. "So you can meet someone else? You've probably already got someone lined up. Don't think I haven't noticed that you're always flirting with my brother and that idiot next door and Tom at work."

"What are you talking about?" She stared at him incredulously. "I have met your brother twice, I've spoken to the _married_ guy next door—who is old enough to be my dad—once when he borrowed the hedge trimmer, and Tom is gay."

"You've an answer for everything, haven't you?" he snapped, slamming his mug on the table.

"This is ridiculous," said the girl who was starting to look embarrassed that Calab and Thalia were listening to their argument.

Thalia was still anxious for the hostility to end and whispered, "I wish she would just ignore him and not argue with everything he says."

Calab looked on, he knew the boy was a brute and knew the girl did too—he admired her having the courage to argue back.

"I'm going to get dressed," the girl snapped.

"Don't walk away from me." He snarled, grabbing her arm.

"Get your hands off me." She growled, shoving him away.

The boy lunged at her, and his fist hit her jaw and sent her falling towards the floor. Calab and Thalia leapt towards her, but she shook her head. The boy threw his plate at her, and it smashed beside her head. He approached her.

"I can stop this," exclaimed Calab suddenly feeling disturbed by the scene.

"No!" shouted the girl.

The brute laughed at her before raising his fist until she hid her face behind her hands. He gave another cruel laugh before pushing her towards the floor and heading up the stairs to sleep as though nothing had happened.

Thalia moved towards Eve and lifted her from the ground, her jaw had begun to swell, and tears spilt down her cheeks.

"Is this what you want to stay for? To stay with someone who has you living in fear?" Calab snapped. "I know this boy, I had to work with him five years ago. I did not work with him long as he chose the wrong path by himself and injured a woman so badly she needed hospital treatment."

Eve was surprised by the tenderness the demon showed her despite his tone. Even Thalia seemed astonished.

Eve wiped her tears and said, "It isn't just him, this is my house, and I love my job, and I want to do my PhD."

"You have an extended lifetime to do a hundred PhDs," said Thalia. "Many of the Procnatus have several degrees, master's and PhDs, you don't have to give up on everything, but whatever happens, I would urge you to give up on him."

"Yes," agreed Calab, his voice returning to its usual cool tone, "it's as Lovecraft says:

"If you'll keep cool, and accept the need for making radical readjustments in your life, you can keep right on enjoying the world, and the fruits of your scholarships."

Eve raised an eyebrow and said, "Really? You just plucked that out of the air?"

"He does it a lot." Thalia smiled. "You'll get used to it."

"Well, Oscar Wilde said quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit."

Calab grinned. It was the first genuine smile she had seen from him, and it made him appear much less frightening. "I'm going to get a shower," she said heading up the stairs.

Calab and Thalia entered the lounge and sat on the sofa in silence until Eve returned dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with hair her hair wrapped in a towel.

"Calab," she said.

"Prince Calab," he reminded her.

"Prince Calab."

"Yes?"

"The last time we met you said I was going to Hell, is that right?"

"Calab!" exclaimed Thalia.

Calab shrugged at Thalia, "What?" He turned to Eve. "No, that isn't true," he said nonchalantly. "Your fiancé will, though."

Eve nodded and rubbed her hair with the towel and said, "I will wait till he has left for work and then pack."

"Let's go out until then," said Thalia. "You can show us the sights of Nottingham."

"I can't go out with this," Eve said, pointing to her jaw which was beginning to swell.

"If I can go out with this you can," said Thalia, pointing to Calab before removing her pocket watch from her purse.

"You have a speakeasy?" asked Eve.

"A what?"

"That's what Will said his great grandfather called it in the twenties."

"Ah, well, we just call it a vox," said Thalia. "Anyway, shall we go? I know a demon who is keen to try overpriced coffee."

"The Imperator has been here," said Calab, as they returned to Eve's house at nightfall.

"What?" asked Eve. "How do you know?"

"I can smell him."

"What about Jason? He could hurt him."

"No blood has been spilt. Wait here."

He disappeared leaving Eve with Thalia. Eve looked nervously up and down the street as an uneasy feeling she was being watched crept over her. Calab reappeared a few moments later and stated, "The brute is unharmed. He appears to be readying himself for work."

"Someone is watching us," whispered Eve.

"Yes. I shall take care of them, we can't have them reporting us to the Imperator." He disappeared again and reappeared a moment later after a terrible shriek pierced the cold air. "We should go," he said. "It is not safe to wait any longer."

"What about my things?" Eve asked. "I have no clothes."

"You'll have to manage without them. Throw away your mobile phone, too. Let's go."

They piled into the outrider, and after Thalia had programmed the console, an Arkazatine entrance appeared and they were speeding through Arkazatinia.

"What happens now?" asked Eve nervously. "Will I stay with the Procnatus?"

"You would be safer with Calab," replied Thalia. "If the Imperator is using someone, an alchemist perhaps, to trace you, then they have less chance of finding you at a demon guild. Demon and angel souls are not fully anchored in this world and are difficult to locate magically. Your soul should be masked."

"Should?"

"We don't know for certain," said Calab, "but either way, I will protect you."

Eve did not relish the thought of staying in a house full of demons. She was suddenly filled with panic and cried, "This is a mess. When I don't turn up for work and my mother doesn't know where I am, they will think I'm missing. And what about my house and my things?"

"Don't worry," said Thalia. "You can still sort your affairs from Arkazatinia; send your resignation to your work and then a letter to your mother explaining you have gone travelling or something. You can sell your house."

"My mother will find it weird if I write to her and call the police, I will need to phone her."

"We can arrange that."

"How am I supposed to pay my mortgage? Do I get a salary as the Crown? My savings won't last more than a few months and if my house doesn't sell quickly... " She dropped her head into her hands once more as the drastic changes in her life seemed suddenly overwhelming. She couldn't even think about the danger to her life or that she was supposed to be the queen of another world.

"Relax," said Thalia. "Things will work out. We will take care of your house for you."

The outrider stopped allowing Eve and Calab to alight at the Guild of Asmodeus before it sped away with Thalia. Charon greeted the prince and Eve at the door, and upon receiving Calab's instructions, he left to arrange for a room to be prepared and a meal to be taken to the library. The library had not changed since Eve's last visit, and it was no less spectacular. She sat on the seat by the fire that Thalia had sat on nine years previously and Calab seated himself opposite.

"I will arrange for a guard to be posted outside your room," he assured her. Eve gave an uneasy smile. "We will protect you, you'll be safe here."

"What if the guard doesn't hear them come for me?"

"We have excellent senses."

"Can I not just stay with you?" she blurted and quickly regretted it as she felt her cheeks burn. Calab, too, looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I'm scared. I don't want to be alone." She also did not wish to trust her safety to a strange demon but thought that better left unsaid.

"I understand."

After they had eaten, Calab showed Eve to the room Charon had prepared for her. It was a luxurious suite with an enormous four-poster bed, a beautiful writing bureau, a small dining table and chairs, and a seating area with armchairs and a sofa. A large open fire was warming the room.

Calab stood awkwardly by the fireplace. He did not look how she would have expected a demon to look. Before she met Calab, if she believed in demons at all, she would have expected them to be of a slithery or scrawny appearance. However, Calab seemed to be quite an athletic build and dressed elegantly in his black tailoring.

"This is the nicest room we have," said Calab. "I don't know how long you'll be here for so I want you to be comfortable."

"It's beautiful, thank you."

"We have no female clothes I'm afraid. Thalia can bring you some in the morning. Charon has left a shirt on the bed for you to sleep in."

"That's very kind, thank you. Where will you sleep?"

"I'll be comfortable enough on the sofa."

"I should sleep on the sofa, I asked you to stay."

"Nonsense," he said coolly. "I may not be the most charming of gentlemen, but I do consider myself to have some chivalry. I shall do quite well on the sofa." She gave him a grateful smile and stood by the bed unsure of what to do next. Calab appeared equally uncomfortable but recovered himself quickly and said, "There is a bathroom through that door if you wish to freshen up and change."

He motioned towards a door in the corner of the room. Eve picked up the shirt and headed for the bathroom. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Calab seated by the fireside with a glass of wine in hand.

"It's a little big for you," he said, gesturing at the nightshirt that was drowning her small frame.

She smirked. "Yes. It's not very flattering."

Calab looked as though he was about to say something more, but appeared to change his mind as quickly and instead asked, "Wine?"

"Yes please," she said, taking a seat. Calab handed her a glass, and she swirled the wine around for a few moments as her mind ran over the events of the last twenty-four hours. "I suppose I should toast to my new life," said Eve, raising her glass.

Calab raised his glass to hers and said, " _Carpe coronam_."

Though she could not speak Latin, she guessed he had said something along the lines of 'seize the crown'. It was not her choice of toast. "What will happen now?" she asked.

"We will contact the rest of the alliance and Lady Ariana to let them know we have located you and that you are safe, then we have to remove the Imperator."

"Will you just force him to give up his rule?"

"We will try, but it is likely that he will be executed if he poses a serious threat. He has people under him who could still do his bidding."

Eve bit her lip nervously and asked, "Does that happen a lot?"

"Not often."

"What will happen to me?"

"We will keep you safe until the Imperator has been dealt with and then you'll become the Queen of Impærielas and the Crown of Arkazatinia."

She shook her head and sipped at her wine. "None of this seems real. I keep thinking I will wake up to find it has been a dream and I am back at home."

Calab raised an eyebrow and said, "It is most likely none of my business, but may I enquire as to why you wished to marry _that_ person?"

Eve dropped her gaze to the fire and replied, "He isn't always like that. He is cranky when he's tired, but he can be very sweet."

"When passion rushes to flatter, time is slow to disillusion us," Calab muttered, sipping his wine. "Baltasar Gracián." He paused for a moment before adding, "I don't mean to patronise you, and I don't pretend to understand the emotions of humans, but I see the same patterns occur time and time again."

"You must think I'm stupid," she said, biting her lip.

"Naïve perhaps."

"I suppose I have known for a while it wouldn't work," she said, staring into her wine. "Things have been worse since we learned I cannot have children."

Calab met her gaze briefly then turned to stare into his glass and said plainly, "You are safe from him now."

She gave a curious smile and said, "You seem very different to when I first met you, and the second and third time I met you."

"Yes," he said with a slight grin, "I am prone to the occasional mood swing I'm afraid."

"Is that very different from Jason?"

"You make a fair point," he said, shrugging slightly. "I did hurt you when I first met you, but I was in control. It was for effect. A demonstration to achieve a goal. I had no intention of seriously hurting anyone."

"Am I still a pawn?"

"Far from it," he replied. "You will rule all Arkazatinia."

"Why should I be allowed to do that? I'm not from here, I know nothing about the world, and I don't know anything about ruling a country."

"You have been chosen. Arkazatinia has selected you. When the time comes, I imagine you will know what to do."

Eve did not leave her room the next day, she still felt nervous about staying at the demon guild and wanted to hide as much as possible. Calab remained with her much of the day excusing himself briefly to shower, change and make telephone calls to the alliance. Their time was an eclectic mix of awkward silences and talk of Arkazatinia. Calab had given her a brief history of the land and its people which she had found overwhelming.

He explained that the orders who were members of the alliance were not exhaustive and there were fae and witches as well. In addition, there were another element of light and dark alchemists who were not an order as such and sporadically appeared within other orders. They did not have a particular place within the alliance as they usually stayed within their own orders and used their talents to make a living. However, there had been an uprising a long time ago where some dark alchemists had allied with witches to try to take the Crown.

Calab had patiently answered all of her stupid questions, for example, Charon was not the _ferryman_ as there is more than one demon named Charon and it was a myth anyway and no, he would not tell her about all the famous people in Hell as that information was _privy_. He had already breached the rules by informing her that Jason was destined for Hell. He gave her a brief guidebook given to guardians to help her to understand and to stem the flow of questions.

That night Calab had requested a temporary bed in Eve's room to allow him to sleep more comfortably. After supper, they took their seats by the fire. Calab had again offered her wine, but not wanting to have wine three nights in a row, she instead asked for tea. Calab stuck to his wine citing that he never drank tea in the evening and had no intention of ever doing so.

"Your library is beautiful. It is my dream to own something like that," she said to him as an attempt to break another awkward silence, but mostly because she had been dying to ask him about it.

"Yes." He smiled. "It is my sanctuary. You like to read?"

"Very much."

"What do you like to read?"

"Lots of things. I'm a sucker for fantasy and supernatural fiction which actually seems more supernatural fact the more I learn of this world. I adore classics, mostly English classics; I'm probably a snob though I do love Edgar Allan Poe and Oscar Wilde. Mostly I like anything from the Georgian or Victorian era. I fancy I should have been born a hundred and fifty years ago and of noble birth then I could have spent my days in a corset doing the season and taking turns about the room."

Calab smiled and said, "You know that era wasn't much different from now."

"Don't tell me that, I love the romance of it."

"I spent as much time in dens of iniquity then as I do now."

"Opium dens and brothels?"

He laughed. "It is nice to meet someone so passionate about books. What is your favourite?"

" _The Picture of Dorian Gray_."

"Not an English author then?" He smirked. "I thought you were a snob."

"I hate consistency. What are you reading at the moment?"

"I am reading through some essays by Thomas de Quincey."

"I have read some of his writings."

"You have? Which have you read?"

" _The Confessions of an English Opium-Eater_ and recently I read his five essays on murder which I loved."

Calab smiled. "I find his style of prose enthralling. I forget who said it, but he has been described as a _master of digression_."

"I think he was preoccupied with the number twelve."

"Really?"

"Yes," replied Eve, "apparently he was preoccupied with the two murders outlined in the book for many years, and I have a theory, do you want to hear it? It's quite ridiculous."

"You had me at ridiculous."

Eve laughed and continued, "Well, he _very_ frequently mentions that the two murders are twelve days apart, both occur at a business which closes at twelve, and the crimes occur around the hour of midnight. The murderer commits suicide after his arrest, and it is presumed that he does so around midnight. I think he became preoccupied because of the recurrence of the number twelve. He writes another paper twelve years after the murders, and he misquoted the year of the killings as 1812 when they occurred in 1811. 1812 was the year William Wordsworth's daughter, who he adored, died."

Calab laughed. "You may have a point, but you are quite mad."

Eve smiled and quoted:

"I have mental joys and mental health,

Mental friends and mental wealth."

He eyed her with a curious expression.

Her smile wavered. "What?" she asked, "You don't like Blake?"

"It's late," he said. "We should sleep."

Eve nodded and made her way to the bathroom to prepare for bed. She stared at the bathroom mirror and thought about Calab's sudden change in mood.

_What did I say?_

Had the poem hit a nerve? He did not seem angry or upset; she could not begin to fathom how he seemed. She thought they were both enjoying the conversation. She sighed and brushed her teeth. When she returned to the room, Calab was already under his blankets with his back towards her. Frowning she got into bed. It took a while to get to sleep, as she could not shake his expression from her mind.

She and Calab spoke very little over the next few days. She had tried to strike up conversations with him, but he appeared reluctant to engage with her. When she asked him if he was feeling well, he was quite reticent. She could not understand the change that had come over him. He had brought her some books from his library and spent much of his time reading when he was not engaged in telephone conversations with the alliance. He had not continued to read de Quincey and instead read books in Latin, French and Italian which she took as a hint that he no longer wished to speak to her about books. She was torn between asking him what she had done and not wanting to pry. Deciding to wait for a time when he seemed less irritable, she kept quiet and instead read the guidebook he had given her.

The book was a little out of date and pre-dated the Imperium. Thanks to Calab, Eve was now familiar with much of the information contained in the guidebook and skimmed through out of interest.

A brief introductory guide to Arkazatinia and its people.

As the name suggests, this guide offers a brief overview of Arkazatinia and is aimed at those raised in Lycea. You may have already been educated in the ways of Arkazatinia before you were called upon to take on the important role of guardian or you may have no prior knowledge. Either way, this guide offers a useful introduction in addition to some recommended further reading. We extend our warmest welcome to you as a guardian of our wonderful home.

Our world, also known as Anaxagoras, exists on a dimension or plane between Heaven and the Kingdom of Man. As in the Kingdom of Man, the world is separated into geographical regions. We have three large continents called Arkazatinia, Axandria and Vernasia as well as many smaller islands. You have been selected for the honour of protecting Arkazatinia, and this guidebook covers only Arkazatinia. For further information, see _Erics World Atlas_ or _An Introduction to Anaxagorean Geography_.

Arkazatinia is separated into three main regions: Eurasia, Laurasia, and Laurentia. The geographical structure of Arkazatinia is similar to that of Lycea as there are large bodies of water, mountains and other features you may recognise. However, Arkazatinia has not changed in the way that Lycea has, as Anaxagoras is not subject to continental drift. Continental drift is a widely accepted theory in Lycea for the movement of lands. The dynamic properties of Anaxagorean rock mean that they do not erode in the same way as in Lycea (see _The Life of Rocks, Metals and Other Matter)_ and as a result, the landscape alters differently. For further reading on the effects of continental drift, please see _Lycea: A Geographical History_.

Briefly, the _dynamic_ properties of rocks and metals have meant that the land mass can maintain its shape unless manipulated by an alchemical architect. It is proposed that Arkazatinia's mountains were formed by an ancient alchemist who was so in awe of the beauty of Lycea's mountains, hills, valleys and lakes that he commissioned a team to replicate some of its features in Anaxagoras. Very little evidence exists to support this claim except for some artwork found inside a cave in the Parmenides mountain range. The cave is thought to be a portfolio of the alchemist and depicts the mountains emerging from the ground. For further reading, please see _The Hills of Anaxagoras:_ _An Alchemist's Genius or a Crazy Theory?_

You may already be aware of and have met some of the people who reside in Arkazatinia. The diversity of species differs considerably from that of Lycea. Arkazatinia has many orders who are capable of will, intelligent thought, logic and communication. This means that the way Arkazatinia functions may seem different from Lycea. This guide is intended to be a brief introduction and will in no way provide an in-depth history or political profile of each order. Instead, the guide aims to cover a few basic topics.

The Thorian

The thorian arise from a species called hominem who are a species of man native to Anaxagoras (see procreation). Selected members experience a physical change and become thorian. The thorian are considered immortal although the oldest known thorian _faded_ (see _Death of the Immortal_ ) after three thousand years. The thorian do not age very much in appearance after they have _changed_ although subtle signs of ageing can be observed once you are more familiar with the order. They possess high strength, natural athleticism and agility, enhanced reflexes, dexterity and senses. Many Lycean myths and legends, especially in classical mythology, can be attributed to the thorian see _Exploring Arkazatinia's influence in the Classical World of Lycea: The Birth of the Demi-God_.

In Arkazatinia, each ward is ruled by a different order of thorian: Eurasia by the Procnatus, Laurasia by the Elion, and Laurentia by the Calahad. The Crown hails from the Impærielas who reside in Eurasia and rules the whole of Arkazatinia. You may already be familiar with the Impærielas as the Masters of the Guardians.

The thorian live and work between Lycea and Arkazatinia. Although there are a small number who possess the natural ability, most thorian are unable to pass over to Lycea and require the use of the _vox dissimulatrix_ (see chapter).

Physical appearance

Thorian can blend in well with Man as they have a human-like appearance. They usually range in height from 5' 6" to 6' 4" and tend to be of a lean, muscular build. Thorian usually, with very few exceptions, have exceptional physical beauty and a youthful appearance.

Procreation

Thorian of Calahad, Elion and Procnatus are infertile. They are born into the hominem order and become thorian after _the changing_ and are unable to reproduce. The Impærielas are born into their order and are able to procreate.

Eve sucked in a breath. Was this why she could not have children? Because she was born human and had _changed_ to become thorian? Did she become infertile when she stopped ageing? Why had Thalia or Calab not told her? It changed nothing, of course, knowing, but it would have been nice if they had explained it rather than allow her to find out from a guidebook. If Calab were speaking to her, she would have it out with him. She sighed and ignoring the tears threatening to spring to her eyes, she continued to read.

Diet

Thorian take an omnivorous diet, although they have been known to survive on the blood of man.

Leadership

Like most rulers of Arkazatinia, a thorian ruler will be selected naturally following the death of the predecessor. The leaders are styled as Lord whether they are male or female in Calahad, Elion and Procnatus orders and as Lord or Lady in the Impærielas. The leader is always stronger than their charges and possesses some magical abilities which vary from ruler to ruler. In addition, the Impærielas also provide a _Crown_ who rules all Arkazatinia.

Hierarchies of rule

Each order of thorian are answerable to their own ruler, and the ruler resides in the Order Guild. The thorian and thorian rulers are all accountable to the Crown.

Notable conflicts and controversies

The Calahad and Elion have engaged in frequent conflicts with each other over their lands. The Elion has declared that they have a claim to the Crown though there is no evidence to support this. They have, in the past, moved against the Crown and members of the Crown Alliance to displace them from their lands. They have maintained a peaceful alliance with the Crown for over five hundred years.

Eve flicked through to the section on demons.

Demons

The demons have existed in some form for as long as Anaxagoras has and for much longer than the Kingdom of Man. They were once the Sons of Heaven or angels until they came into conflict with Heaven and were cast out in an event known as the Fall. They were cast from Heaven into the wasteland of Hell, which is located in a dimension below the Kingdom of Man, and became demons. As angels, they had no physical feelings though they were able to experience complex emotions. The opposite is true of demons, and whilst demons can experience the physical sensations of pleasure and pain, they are incapable of love. Their inability to love has proven useful in their role in Lycea as they test the worthiness of man by tempting them into acts of wickedness. Their cold and callous nature allow them to perform this role without bias or remorse.

Physical appearance

The appearance of demons varies according to which high prince commands them. Demons have the same bipedal appearance as Man, but have taloned nails and brightly coloured 'jewel-like' eyes. Their eye colour varies according to the high prince (see appendix for further details).

Diet

Demons take an omnivorous diet and have an insatiable appetite or 'eternal hunger'. They are known to be fond of fine foods, wines and liquors.

Procreation

There are no female demons as there are no female angels. Demons could potentially mate with the daughters of men to produce 'Nephilim', but they are prevented from doing so by the rule of Heaven. Any demon who fathers a child is subject to severe penalties.

Leadership

Seven high princes rule Hell and all of the demons in Anaxagoras and Lycea. Initially, like Heaven, each of the high princes or princes of the highest order was responsible for one sin (or virtue in Heaven). As the populations of Lycea and Anaxagoras have grown, some rearrangement of the task has been required. Currently, demons of three of the high princes, those of Asmodeus, Astaroth and Berith reside in Arkazatinia and are responsible for the management of all sins in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Africa and parts of Europe—for more information see _The Princes of Hell_.

Hierarchies of rule

A more detailed description of demons and the structure of Hell can be found in _The Princes of Hell_. Here we will focus on the demons involved with Arkazatinia. The princes of the highest order maintain permanent residences in Hell and have appointed deputies to carry out their duties in Anaxagoras and Lycea—these associates are known as the princes of the first order and reside in the Guilds of Asmodeus, Astaroth and Berith in Arkazatinia. The princes of the first order oversee the activities and work of the demons of the second and third order (only high and first order demons are given the title of prince). As part of their decree from Heaven, demons are required to pass over to Lycea from Anaxagoras and Hell. Demons and angels are the only orders where all have the ability to pass over or midspace (see chapter) without the use of a vox dissimulatrix (see the chapter).

Notable conflicts and controversies

The most notable conflict of demons has been the Fall. Demons existed in Heaven as angels for a long time before the Kingdom of Man. The Sons of Heaven are considered the purest and most virtuous of beings and the highest expectations and restrictions are placed upon them. It is written that some of the angels became disgruntled with Heaven when they saw that charges of the Kingdom of Man could enjoy the pleasures of the flesh, procreate and enjoy activities of recreation. Many of the angels were so enamoured by the daughters of men that they fell in love with them and had children. The resultant children, half angel and half man, termed Nephilim, angered Heaven and a great flood was cast to rid the earth of their presence. The angels became enraged at this act and started a fierce rebellion in Heaven which saw them cast into Hell. The fallen angels or demons formed their own community and structure in Hell, but they remained in conflict. A compromise was eventually reached, and Hell now works under Heaven's decree, and the demons and angels work together to test for worthiness.

Despite their nature and reputation, demons have existed in relative peace within Anaxagoras. Some have criticised the unfeeling nature with which they carry out their tasks. There have been some who have blamed the influence of demons for the atrocities committed by man and Anaxagorean. This claim is denied by the demonic officials who state, "Demons tempt people from the path of righteousness, but the deviation from the path and the acts they commit are of their own free will." Most agree that the demons play a necessary role in ensuring that the unworthy do not find themselves in Heaven.

Eve felt that same pang of sympathy she had felt for Calab the day she first saw him when she visited the Guild of Asmodeus. She could not help but feel that the demons and the angels, in fact, were treated harshly. She re-read the line,

" _Their cold and callous nature allow them to perform this role without bias or remorse_."

While Calab could be cold and abrupt, she could not describe him as having a cold nature and she certainly could not see him as callous. Her relationship with him was a little awkward, but he had been kind to her and taken care to ensure her comfort and safety. She thought of the times when she had seen him tenderly take Thalia's hand and when he apologised for taking Mr Farley and hurting her—his eyes had betrayed what appeared to be genuine remorse. Most significantly was the concern he showed when Jason had attacked her, he had been angry that she had not let him stop Jason. Surely, someone who was as unfeeling as this book claimed would not care? She flicked through the book until she found the chapter on the vox dissimulatrix or speakeasy as Will called it.

_Vox dissimulatrix_ or vox

The _vox dissimulatrix_ , or vox as it is commonly known, is a device which now has a range of features and facilitates many actions. The earliest form of vox was used around fifth century BC and concealed speech so that anyone eavesdropping would not overhear any secrets of our world. The early vox was not a device at all, but a potion and many would carry it in a vial around their neck, so it was handy should the need arise. Later an alchemist was able to infuse this potion into rocks and minerals which, when heated, would have the same effect. This was impractical in the open, but the rocks were often kept in the fireplaces of those living in Lycea to conceal the speech of the household from anyone listening outside. With the advent of clockwork, an alchemist was able to deduce that the clockwork could be used as a power source to power the spell. The first clockwork vox was an astrolabe, a device used by ancient Greek astronomers.

The first incidence of the additional features of the vox came around 20 AD with the creation of the 'tunnel network'. The tunnels are confusingly termed 'network' though they are not really a network at all and are simply artificially created entrances between worlds (see chapter). The tunnels allow those who do not have the ability to midspace, to enter Lycea. The astrolabe powered a potion within that would facilitate the entry of a person into the tunnel network midspace and another astrolabe would facilitate their transfer into Lycea. The astrolabe required vast quantities of potion to let very few people pass over, and it was rarely used.

As clockwork became more sophisticated, more energy could be generated to power the tunnel entrances and more people were able to enter Lycea more frequently. The 16th century saw the invention of the first handheld portable device which could be used to conceal speech and operate the tunnel entrances. They were expensive and very few had access to them, but by the 17th century, most Arkazatines had access to a portable vox.

Nowadays the vox, whilst maintaining the pocket watch design for the sake of posterity, has an ever-increasing range of features though it does not allow users to travel in the midspace like those who can spontaneously open entrances. IT specialists have worked closely with alchemists to design the software installed within the vox. At the time of print, the features of the vox include the operation of existing entrances and tunnels, securing speech, layered world maps of Lycea and Anaxagoras, and the ability to make and receive telephone calls. Regular software updates have allowed the vox to advance from a device with basic functions to the device it is today.

The same technology has been applied to create entrances spontaneously without the use of existing tunnels. This requires a great deal of energy, but after successful trials, the _outrider_ is due to be released for general sale. The outrider is closely modelled on the motor car from the Kingdom of Man allowing the user to blend in when it is in use. At the time of print, the outrider is not considered _fuel efficient_ and is only recommended for use between Anaxagoras and Lycea. Creators are currently working on ways of improving the technology so that it requires less energy in the hope that it can one day become part of the vox technology.

"Prince Calab," said Eve. It was the third day of him barely speaking to her. "Have I done something to upset you? I feel like I have. We were getting on well and now-"

"You haven't," he said. "I am quite preoccupied with the matters of the Imperium."

"I'm keeping you from that. I don't mind if you need to attend to them, I feel safe at the guild."

"That may be wise."

A week passed and Eve had seen nothing of Calab. He did not dine with her or stay with her in the evening. She presumed that he thought if she felt safe in the day, she must feel safe at night too. She did feel safe though she could not help but crave his company. She had only stayed with him a few days and most of those he had ignored her, but she missed him and hoped every knock at the door would be him. Perhaps it was because he had been a semi-friendly face and she was alone in this world. Even Thalia had not visited her. She had sent some clothes and toiletries along the day after she had arrived and she had heard nothing more from her.

Eve felt miserable. The beautiful room now felt like a prison. She was angry that Calab was supposed to be taking care of her and had not even called in to enquire of her wellbeing. Did he think taking care of her meant merely sending his servants to change the sheets and bring her food?

She left her room for the first time in almost two weeks and found a guard stood outside the door. He nodded to her.

"Hello," she said nervously, "can I go for a walk in the gardens?"

"Of course, Lady," he said. "Follow me." He walked quickly, and she had to jog to keep his pace. He led her to a dining hall where several demons were sat eating their lunch.

"Her Ladyship would like a walk in the gardens," announced her guard. All of the demons stood.

"It doesn't have to be now," said Eve. "Finish your lunch first."

"They have finished," said the guard bluntly.

Eve winced apologetically at the demons who barely acknowledged her as they followed her and her guard to the gardens. The gardens were beautiful. They were like a renaissance garden and had a fountain, a maze of hedgerows and various classical style statues. However, it was not a very relaxing walk as the guards walked too closely to her for comfort and their constant vigilance made her jumpy. They said nothing to her, they were all around five inches taller than Calab, and appeared more intimidating for it.

After ten minutes, she asked to return to the guild. The demons returned to their lunch and her guard remained with her. She considered asking him to give her a tour of the guild, but she had not been told to make herself at home and feeling a little uncomfortable. She requested to visit the library instead. The guard opened the door to let her in, and she found Calab in there. Her heart jolted when she saw him. She had not expected to see anyone there, presuming the guard would not show her in if it was occupied.

"I'm sorry, Prince," she spluttered. "I'll leave you."

"No, come in," he said. "Wait outside," he told the guard.

Eve stood awkwardly waiting for him to speak and when he said nothing she asked, "Are you well?"

"Yes," he replied, "are you?"

"Yes, thank you."

Another moment of silence passed, Eve surveyed her surroundings—the library _was_ breathtaking. "Is there any progress with unseating the Imperator?" she said after he had said nothing more.

"No."

Eve nodded. More silence. "I'll leave you to it," she said and hurried out of the door to return to her room. Eve then wrote the previous thirty minutes off as the most awkward of her life and vowed not to leave the room again until she was queen.

Another two days passed and Eve felt stir crazy. She was desperate to get out of the room and felt she would leap from the window if she had to stay there a moment longer. She had read all the books Calab had given her and wanted to get more, but more than anything, she wanted to speak to someone about more than her meal preferences. She broke her vow and left the room. It was a different guard, and he looked less severe.

"Do you need something, Lady?" he asked.

"I just want a walk," she said. "I'm going crazy in that room. Can you recommend anywhere?"

"There are the gardens, the library," he said, "or the music room."

"Do you play?" she asked.

"The piano," he said, "a little."

"Will you play for me?"

"I'm not sure the prince would like that."

Eve shrugged her shoulders and smirked. "Tell him I insisted as the future queen."

He gave her a weak smile and led her to the music room. The room was modest in size, smaller than her suite, and housed a piano and a range of string, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments. She settled in a seat by the door as the guard approached the piano.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Tamiel, Lady."

"I'm Eve."

Tamiel shook his head and said, "The prince would absolutely not like that, Lady."

He started to play. Eve did not know enough about classical music to know whether he played well, but to her, it sounded beautiful. She was impressed that, like Calab, his talons seemed to be no hindrance. She was lost in the music, and for a few precious moments, she forgot where she was and why she was there. That is until,

"What is this?" Calab asked, his tone irritated.

Eve jumped, and Tamiel had stood to attention. "I asked him to play for me," she replied.

"That is not appropriate."

"Why not?"

"Because he is supposed to be guarding you. He cannot ensure your safety if he is playing the piano." Calab growled, each word getting louder and directed more towards Tamiel.

Eve felt a rush of guilt. "Please don't blame Tamiel," she begged. "I insisted, I told him as the future queen I insist he should play."

"You are not the queen yet." Calab snarled. "You don't get to give my men orders."

"Calab, I'm sorry," she started.

"It's Prince Calab," he snapped.

"Prince Calab. I'm sorry. I'm just so bored, I am sick of having no one to talk to or nothing to do. I have been staring at the same four walls for two weeks, and it's driving me mad."

"We are here to keep you alive not keep you entertained." He glared angrily at her before turning his eyes on the guard. "Tamiel, take her back to her room, and the next time you ignore your orders, I will have you whipped." Tamiel nodded and Eve followed him not wishing to get him into any more trouble.

"I'm sorry," she said as they arrived at her room. "I should have listened to you when you said he wouldn't like it." Tamiel nodded but said nothing. "Would he really have you whipped?"

The demon shrugged. "If I disobey him again he might."

She gave an apologetic smile, "You play beautifully." He nodded his thanks and resumed his post.

Eve sat glumly on the bed. She should have just visited the library instead, now she was stuck in her room again with nothing to read, and Calab was mad at her and the guard. She huffed and snatched one of the books she had already read from the table and began to read it.

Several hours later, there was a knock at the door. Eve looked at the time.

_Supper already_.

Her stomach growled in response. She opened the door and found Calab there with her supper tray, a jug of wine and a serving of sticky toffee pudding with custard.

"A peace offering," he said. "I apologise if I seemed unfair earlier. I can arrange for you to hear the piano under proper supervision if you'd like?"

She smiled at him and nodded. "Will you be joining me for supper?"

"I have urgent matters to attend to," he said. "I will be sure to visit you soon."

Calab's perception of 'soon' differed somewhat from her own, and another two days had passed, and she had not seen him. She had ventured to the library and spent a good few hours choosing books, and had braved the garden again. She had found a quiet, beautiful spot by the water fountain to sit. Though the weather was cold, she enjoyed the fresh air and the pretence of freedom as she read her book and forgot about her demon guards who were keeping a close vigil. Nearby she saw two replica statues of Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine. There was the drunken one by Michelangelo, and the other was the rotund man astride the turtle. She smiled to herself.

Demons really are very fond of wine.

Calab finally visited her for supper the next day. He teetered between friendliness and irritability, but she craved the company of another hu— life form so badly that she would have been happy if he had said nothing.

"Is there any news on the Imperium?" she asked.

"We have called a meeting with the Imperator to advise him that the Crown has emerged and to request that he steps down," he said. "It could be dangerous. He will most likely not go quietly, and he will be heavily guarded. We expect there to be trouble. He has prevented all orders from entering the Imperium with arms though his own guards will be heavily armed."

"That sounds risky."

"It is," he replied, taking a mouthful of salmon. "But the thorian rulers have abilities, and we plan to have demons and angels waiting in the midspace. We haven't seen evidence of it, but we suspect that he is working with at least one dark alchemist who could cause us difficulties."

"I don't think I like that plan."

"It's not for you to worry about."

"I'll be queen soon; I'll have to worry about things then."

"The Crown does not deal with warfare; the Impærielas do not have an army. The only security you'll be responsible for are the guardians. The rest of Arkazatinia manages the defence."

"I don't like that plan either."

"It's the way it is."

"We'll see," she retorted. Calab glared at her. Eve took another mouthful of food and changed the subject. "What powers do alchemists have?"

"Their power varies, but essentially they manipulate matter. That can be anything: rock, metal, water, air, fire, magic... You're a scientist, you know everything is an arrangement of atoms. They rearrange them, slowly. They cannot use their powers in dramatic battles of the elements. Rarely do alchemists weaponise their talents, the alliance certainly does not utilise alchemists in battle. Very rarely—extremely rarely—they can manipulate the soul. We have only ever seen two in Arkazatinia, but we would not want another. They were dark alchemists and used their gifts to remove the souls from human bodies and they sold them to witches. The bodies remained animated and walked the earth until their heads were severed and their bodies burned—that's where your zombie stories come from."

Eve shivered. "Why would witches want souls?"

"Sacrifices, offerings...there are many reasons," said Calab. "Their power is from the _elements_. They call it the elements, but it is not something that can be explained by your table of elements. It is some force that we do not understand and whatever they use, they have to pay back to maintain balance. Buying souls meant they did not have to sacrifice their own. The alchemists' power, though usually not as powerful, is similar. They cannot gain anything without giving something in return; they call it an equivalent exchange."

"Like the conservation of energy?"

"Yes. When the light alchemists manipulate matter, for example, they are not changing any of its properties—they are merely altering its shape. When the dark alchemists or the witches engage in darker activities, they are usually gaining something whether it is the power to carry out a spell or perform a rite, so they have to pay the debt with something of equivalent value."

"What happened to those alchemists?"

"They were executed," he replied bluntly. "And good riddance too. A soul that is taken from its body before death can never find peace. It can find neither Heaven nor Hell, it can never know joy or pain, but seeks the light for all eternity."

Eve gulped, for some reason that terrified her. She sipped at her tea and asked, "What is the difference between light and dark alchemists? Are the light ones the good guys and the dark the bad?"

"It has fallen that way though there is no real difference in power. The alchemists can be born from any order—except demons and angels of course—and whilst most use their gifts to make a living, there are others who use them for darker purposes. At some point, around three thousand years ago, the high priest at the time was an alchemist and decided that he wanted them to form an order like Asmodeus, Procnatus, etc. He set up an academy under his family name Licinius, and they were known as the Licinius alchemists, over time they were referred to as the Lic alchemists.

"Another group emerged who were less interested in using their powers for the good of the people, and they called themselves something which translates roughly to the Night Brotherhood. Eventually, people started to refer to them as light and dark alchemists though that has only been in the last thousand years."

"I thought it was because they were on the light and dark sides of the force." Eve smirked. Calab looked puzzled. "Don't tell me you have never seen Star Wars? What have you been doing for the last thirty years? On a serious note, if alchemists don't really weaponise their talents, why would you be concerned about them working with the Imperator?"

"Because they occasionally present with abilities that cause us problems."

"What would they do to me if they found me?"

"They won't get close enough to you to do anything."

"What if they did?"

"You don't want to know the answer to that."

"Why?"

"You will not be able to sleep."

"Is knowing worse than not knowing?"

Calab shrugged. "I don't know, but you can't decide to not know something once it has been said."

She swallowed nervously and changed the subject, "Would you really have whipped Tamiel?"

"What?"

"You said if he disobeyed you again you'd have him whipped. Would you?"

"How I discipline my men is my affair."

"I won't tolerate people being whipped under my rule."

Calab's eyes flamed at her, and he snapped, "You need to stop interfering in matters that don't concern you."

"If I don't like something then I will say so," she said calmly.

"You're going to be a piece of work," he grumbled. "If you _must_ know, Tamiel has never been whipped, and I have only ever had a handful of my demons whipped, the last was a thousand years or so ago. They follow orders when they don't have someone corrupting them."

"Are they not allowed their own minds?" she asked defiantly.

"Are you going to question everything?" He growled.

"Only if I see injustice."

"What injustice?" He snarled. "What evidence have you seen that I mistreat my men? You have seen none. They are well-fed, well-clothed and well-paid, and as long as they carry out their decree, they are mostly free to do as they please in their own time. However, there are rules, and one of those rules is that they follow the orders of their prince. If you don't like that, then take it up with High Prince Asmodeus. No, take it up with Heaven."

"I've offended you," she said. "I'm sorry, Calab."

"IT'S PRINCE CALAB." He roared with such menace that she dropped her fork and shrank away from him.

I've angered him. I am a guest in his house—in his world—and I am judging him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"I should be sorry," she said, straightening in her seat. "I'm making judgements, and I shouldn't be."

He pushed his plate forward. "Are you going to finish your meal?" he asked.

"I'm done," she said. She had lost her appetite.

"Then I'll say goodnight." He stood and headed towards the door.

"Prince Calab," she said, and he stopped and turned around. "What will the alchemists do to me if they find me?"

"They won't find you," he said and then he turned and left.

That night her dreams were unsettling. She was being consumed by a black void. The Imperator and his unknown terror had come for her. Her room was filled with demons, and she was being shaken awake before she realised she was screaming. She sat up on the bed and panted, her sheets and nightdress were soaked from sweat. Calab entered the room.

"What is going on?" he asked his men sternly.

"I had a nightmare," said Eve, blushing furiously, at least, she would have been if her skin had not been deathly pale.

He looked at her and frowned before shaking his head. He addressed his men, "Return to your posts." His eyes settled on Eve, and he said impatiently, "You have disturbed the entire guild, anyone spying could have also heard you."

"I'm sorry. I can't help it."

"Yes you can," he snapped. "You can stop bothering yourself with thoughts of the Imperium. I have told you the alliance will deal with them, and we will keep you safe. That should be enough."

"It's not that simple. All of this uncertainty is unnerving."

"You're being histrionic." He snarled. "Just go to sleep."

He stalked out of her room and left her feeling irritated. She showered to remove the cold sweat that was clinging to her skin and put on fresh nightclothes. She laid on the opposite side of the bed where the sheets were still dry and tried to calm her mind for sleep. An easy sleep would not come. Each time she tried to drift off, she could see the void of the unknown coming towards her once more. She gave up and read until she was too exhausted to notice that sleep had taken her.

The same dream haunted her the following night. She was once again shaken awake by her demon guard to find herself in a cold sweat, and her room filled with demons. Calab was furious.

"We cannot have this every night. From tomorrow, you can sleep in the dungeon where you won't disturb anyone." He ordered his men to resume their posts and left.

The following evening Eve was sat on her bed reading when a knock came to her door. She opened it to find her night guard standing there.

"Apologies for the interruption, Lady," he said. "Let me know when you are ready for sleep, and I will escort you downstairs."

"What?" exclaimed Eve. "To the dungeon? He was serious?" The guard nodded, and she felt her skin prickle with rage. "I will not go," she snapped defiantly.

"It will be easier for you if you go willingly."

"Are you under orders to make me go if I refuse?" she demanded. The guard nodded, Eve wanted to scream out in anger. "Can you please take me to Prince Calab? I want to see him at once." She spoke as calmly as she could to force herself not to scream the demand in the guard's face.

"He is on decree, he's not at the guild."

"Fine," she snapped, marching past the guard and down the hallway. "If this is how he wants to treat me, I will make sure he regrets it when I am queen."

The guard led her to the dungeon. It was as dark and as scary as she imagined it would be. She passed a row of dingy, dirty cells with filthy rags instead of a bed and growled inwardly,

_He is going to pay for this_.

"Don't touch the walls," the guard warned her as he led her towards the end of the row to her cell, "they are made of adamantine, and they burn flesh. Your cell has been panelled, so the walls are safe to touch."

She had no idea what adamantine was and was in no mood to ask, but a glance at the walls told her that whatever adamantine was, it was not of Anaxagoras. The guard stopped at her cell. It had been spotlessly cleaned, and the wooden panelled walls had been freshly painted white. The cell also housed a comfortable looking bed, side table, lamp, rug, and was being warmed by an electric heater. A stack of books had been placed on the bedside table. They were beautiful editions of William Blake's works, and a note lay on top of them.

I dreamt a dream! What can it mean?

And that I was a maiden Queen

_Guarded by_ an Angel _a Demon mild:_

Witless woe was ne'er beguiled!

For you to keep. Don't be angry.

Prince Calab

Despite her irritation, she smiled.

_He's still put me in a dungeon, and I am still mad at him._

The guard closed the door, and she was relieved to find he did not lock it. She sighed, settled into the bed and began to read.

Calab had risen early and dressed in his usual black shirt, coat and trousers. He wondered how the girl had slept in the dungeon. He supposed she had been annoyed with him when she realised he had not been bluffing. He left his quarters and headed to the dungeon. The night guards were still on duty and Tausa, her personal guard, was at his post outside her door.

"My Prince," he said and bowed towards Calab.

"Is she asleep?"

"Yes, Highness. She has had another restless night."

Calab nodded. "Was she angry to be brought here?"

"Furious, Highness," replied Tausa. "She said she will make you regret it once she becomes queen."

Calab grinned. "I'm sure she will. Bring her to my quarters when she is ready for breakfast."

It was lunchtime when the girl entered his quarters. The look she gave him was a good indication that she was indeed still angry with him.

He smiled. "Good afternoon." He received a scowl in reply. "I was waiting to order breakfast but, as you're so late, I will order our lunch instead." He gave his request to Turel, her day guard, and invited her to sit on his sofa. "Did you manage any restful sleep?"

She shrugged. "I suppose so. I imagine you did while I was locked away in your dungeon where no one can hear me scream."

He laughed at her petulance and received another glare from her. "Oh, come on. You must see that it is more practical?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I might just need someone to talk to?" she snapped.

Calab frowned. _Not the 'T' word_.

She glowered at him and continued, "You hardly ever visit me, and no one else talks to me."

What is she talking about?

"I have visited you on many occasions," he replied.

"I've hardly seen anyone; I have practically been on my own since I got here."

Humans are so dramatic.

He sighed. "You have only been here for three weeks."

"It feels like an eternity," she simpered. "I hate it here. Can I not go somewhere else? An angel guild perhaps?"

That bothered him more than it should have. "Why do you hate it?" he asked. "Have we not given you every comfort?"

She pouted at him. "You have, but I'm lonely."

Calab felt annoyance ripple through him. Did she really expect him to keep her entertained? He had important matters of the future and security of the continent to attend to, and she was complaining because she has no one to talk to every second of every day. He looked at her face, it had lost the brightness it had had a few weeks ago. When she had spoken to him, her eyes had shined and the upwards turn of her mouth, when she spoke passionately about her books, had been delightful. He supposed he missed that. He could not talk to her like that again. He did not like what it stirred in him.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Talk to me," she answered. "I'm frightened, I don't know what is going on, and I have loads of time to worry about everything."

"So, don't then. Worry I mean."

"I can't help it. If I could talk to someone, it would be easier."

Calab frowned again. Her sulking was infuriating. He could not understand what her problem was. He had told her repeatedly that they would protect her and if she would just believe it, she could save herself the bother of worrying. Humans always found something to be unhappy about in every situation; he had spent half of his time in Lycea observing humans who were trying to find ways to deal with their self-imposed unhappiness. Usually, the ones he watched ate and drank to excess and took mind-altering substances to 'transcend self-conscious selfhood' as Huxley said—he did not think that would help the girl.

"I don't think I will be good to talk to," he said. "I don't know the responses that will make you feel better."

"You have before."

"I quote literature at appropriate times. It is not the same as understanding your feelings. I know the words, but not the music."

"It helps."

"I doubt that," he said. "I do have a list of phrases I dole out when I want to seem caring, 'One day we'll laugh about this' or 'I would feel the same in your position' or 'look at the bright side, at least, you're alive'. Pick whichever one you think will help."

She gazed at him with her eyes wide for a few moments before looking down at her hands and picking at her nails. He frowned as he watched her. He had upset her, and he wished he hadn't. He tried to think of something to say to make the feeling go away.

"Thank you for the books," she said, breaking the long silence, "they're beautiful."

"You're welcome."

Their lunch arrived, and they ate in relative silence. Calab did not think of anything to say to remedy what he had said. He did not know why he even wanted to. Having the girl in the guild was a terrible idea and the sooner she was gone the better.

Eve had been disappointed though not surprised that Calab had been unwilling to talk to her. She had been a little hurt that he had been so mean, though, if the guardian book were to be believed, she should not have been. Following this; however, Calab had begun to call on her each morning to ask of her wellbeing and dined with her in the evenings. She knew he was doing it out of duty rather than out of any genuine concern or interest, but she appreciated it nonetheless. He had also taken her to the music room one evening after supper and sat beside her on the sofa while Tamiel played the piano. She knew he had little regard for her and found her irritating, but she could not help that she had grown fond of him and even when he was snapping and snarling at her, she still wanted to be in his company. Of course, this was mostly because he was the only person in the guild who was willing to have any sort of conversation with her, however reluctantly, and she presumed he only did that because she would be the queen someday.

Eve had been at the guild for four weeks when Thalia finally called on her. Eve was relieved to see a friendly face and surprisingly relieved to see a female face after spending the last month surrounded by grumbling, growling male faces. Eve was also happy to see a human(ish) face, although she was becoming accustomed to the rough demonic features and did not find them as severe or as menacing as she did when she first met Calab or when she first arrived at the guild.

"Are you well?" asked Thalia, as they sat down in Eve's quarters.

"Yes," she replied, "I am being looked after. I was lonely at first, but Calab is trying to be around more."

"How are you getting on with Calab?" asked Thalia, sipping her tea.

"Okay, I suppose. He doesn't like me very much, but he tolerates me for the most part."

"Why do you think that? He is moody with everyone so I shouldn't be concerned about that."

"It isn't just that, I just get the feeling that he would rather I wasn't here. I think he only makes an effort because I'm going to be queen, I don't think he would want anything to do with me otherwise."

"I doubt that is true. Demons can be difficult to relate to, they don't have the same emotions that we have. If you are trying to talk to him about your feelings, then you will hit a wall, but that doesn't mean that he does not like you."

"Sometimes I feel that he can understand, though I don't think he likes it. He said that he 'knows the words, but not the music'. I'm not convinced it is entirely correct, there are flickers when he seems to understand."

"It can be difficult to comprehend them, but you should not push to find something that is not there. If you think of him as black and white with no grey areas, then you will get along with him much easier." Eve frowned, she was unconvinced by Thalia's assessment, the other demons perhaps, but she had seen more in Calab—nothing seemed black and white or straightforward with him. "Tell me about your nightmares. Calab tells me that you've been sleeping in the dungeon as you wake up screaming each night. I must say I was quite appalled when he did though I have since seen the room he made for you and it is quite cosy."

Eve smirked. "I was livid when I first found out I was going there, my first act as queen was going to be to have him executed. It's not so bad, and at least I'm not keeping everyone awake." Eve began to tell her about the dream. "I just keep seeing a void coming, I don't know what it is, and I don't know what to expect, but it's terrifying. It started after I had a conversation with Calab when I asked him what the Imperator would do to me if they captured me and he wouldn't tell me. He said I wouldn't want to know. I don't think I do want to know and even though I believe I'm safe here, I just can't get it out of my head. I don't think it is just the Imperator, though, I have no idea what to expect from the future—all the uncertainty terrifies me.

"I never know what progress is made unseating the Imperator, Calab doesn't really keep me up-to-date, or maybe he does, and there really is no progress. I don't know. I am scared of being queen... How can _I_ possibly be a queen?"

"I'm sorry," said Thalia. "I should have visited earlier. I forget that humans have different needs. In this world, it is not unusual to go months or years without seeing a friend. I should have realised that you would feel alone and need someone to talk to. I apologise for that."

"You're here now." Eve smiled. "It's not that I want answers as such, I don't think I would like the answers if I got them. I think I just need someone to moan at."

"I understand. It is not surprising that you should be afraid of the uncertainty the future holds. To go from your human world to a non-human world would be stressful enough, but you have the additional stress of having the threat against you and the task of ruling in that world once the threat is removed. There is not a great deal I can say to alleviate that stress other than assure you that you are safe here. We are observing the Imperator's movements, and we have plans in place to ensure your safety if he should act."

"When is the meeting with the Imperator?"

"It is in three weeks."

Three more weeks!

She would have been at the guild for nearly two months by then. __

Why does everything take so long?

She vowed to make things happen faster when she became queen. "Why does it take so long?" The whole meeting thing made her nervous. She just wanted it to be over.

"He is not in a rush to give up his position."

"If he's to be executed anyway, surely you could just gather your armies and take him out."

"You sound like Calab. Who said he is to be executed?"

"Calab said he most likely will be."

"What do you think?"

"I'm not sure. I can't help thinking I'd feel a lot safer if he was dead. Moreover, the longer he is left in his position, the more time he has to plan and maybe even attack the alliance. It might be better to attack him when he least expects it and unseat him sooner rather than later. You could try to spare his life if it's safe to do so."

"Has Calab been filling your head with this talk?" asked Thalia, frowning.

"Calab barely speaks to me," she replied. "I can think for myself."

"You shouldn't be so quick to resort to acts of violence because you are afraid."

"I think I'm more afraid of the consequences of not acting," said Eve, feeling herself bristle at Thalia's dismissal of her opinions. "If something doesn't happen before the meeting, then it will happen there. You said yourself that the oracle had foreseen that he wanted to take out all the rulers and you will be all in one room trying to take his leadership from him, it will be his final chance to strike."

"The thorian rulers have abilities, and we will have a high angel and demon presence. We can defend ourselves if necessary."

"He knows that, and you're giving him plenty of time to plan what he's going to do about it. It's up to you, as Calab is always reminding me I am not queen yet, but I think you'll be walking into a trap."

"Spoken like a true leader," said Calab, entering her quarters. Thalia frowned at him and continued her lunch. "Isn't this what I've been saying? Even the human sees it's a terrible idea."

"We agreed we would meet with them first and then make a decision."

"It's foolish."

"It's the right thing to do."

Eve interrupted as they glared at each other, "I thought my dream was because I didn't know what the Imperator would do if he caught me," she said, "but I don't believe it is. The day Calab—"

"Prince Calab," Calab interrupted.

"—Prince Calab told me about the alchemists and the Imperator, he also told me about the meeting. I can't feel safe because it's not me that's in danger—not yet anyway—it's everyone else."

"That's just anxiety, Miss Franklin," said Thalia, trying to keep her cool. "You don't have the gift of sight."

"How do you know?" said Eve, knowing she was crossing the line speaking to a ruler like that. "You didn't know there was a chosen one and that it was me until four weeks ago." Calab smirked at her and lifted his eyebrows arrogantly at Thalia. "I said to Prince Calab the meeting was a bad idea and I've been haunted by dreams since then. I didn't know what they meant until now, and I am now entirely convinced it's a bad idea."

" _I_ am not convinced," said Thalia. "I am not willing to potentially start a war because you have been having nightmares."

" _In somnis veritas."_ Calab smirked.

"Utter nonsense! We do not get anywhere by believing our dreams."

"She is echoing what everyone else is saying. We are only going to the meeting to compromise with you, and it could get us all killed, then he will come for the queen and get his plans right back on track."

"No," said Thalia, "I won't take this option. I won't attack anyone unprovoked."

"Just let everyone else do it then," said Eve. She was starting to understand why Calab found Thalia's approach so frustrating. Thalia glared at her furiously.

"Miss Franklin, you are not yet queen and have no right to speak to me like this. When you are queen, you will still have no say in matters of defence. This situation is not your concern, and I for one would be grateful if you would stay out of it."

Eve frowned but stood her ground. "I apologise if I've been rude, it is not my intention. However, I think it is my business. If Arkazatinia wanted a queen to rule just like all the others, it would have selected one just like all the others. It has chosen a human, someone not from Arkazatinia, who knows nothing of its ways. That must mean it wants things to be different. It doesn't want someone who will go along with the way things are done because that's what has always happened; it wants a fresh perspective and a new way of doing things." Calab said nothing though Eve could see a smile creeping across his lips.

"She is coming with me, Calab," said Thalia furiously. "You have been corrupting her with your nonsense."

"I have done no such thing," he said.

"He has not said a word," said Eve. "When I spoke to him about being unhappy with the role of the Crown, he said the same as you: defence is not my concern and that's the way it's done. I'm the one who thinks it should be different."

"I'm starting to believe that we are better off with the Imperator," said Thalia. "You sound like quite the tyrant. I shan't be happy to serve under a warmonger. And for your information, Miss Franklin, I am trying to do things differently and not do the 'attack first ask questions later' method we have always done." Thalia stood and picked up her jacket. "I am going to leave. I suggest you think long and hard about the type of queen you want to be."

"What about the plan for the Imperator?"

"There is no change to the plan," she snapped and stalked out of the room.

Eve turned to Calab and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't behave like that in your home and with your friend."

Calab grinned at her before sitting at her table and pouring himself some tea. "You have done a splendid job; she doesn't get angry very often." Eve flushed and felt her chest tighten from guilt as she replayed her words. "She's quite stubborn when it comes to acts of war, and she won't budge," he continued. "If we all die at the meeting, she'll die at peace with the knowledge that she didn't strike first. Lord Thalia will do anything to avoid confrontation."

"What if she is right?"

"She is right. Her plan is the most sensible and the most moral. Eliminating the risks is easy, managing them is harder, but more often than not, it is the right course. In this case; however, it could be suicidal,"

"I know I'm walking a line and it is not my place to say," she said carefully, "but if you think the plan is suicidal, why are you going along with it?"

He shrugged. "We agreed."

"Can you not change your mind? Tell the others that you find the plan more stupid than before."

Calab laughed, picked up a biscuit and dipped it into his tea. "I have a feeling things are going to get interesting with you as queen." Eve blushed again and sipped her tea. "The alliance is meeting tomorrow. I shall discuss it with them then."

That night Eve slept soundly and woke the following morning feeling refreshed.

Calab did not call on Eve the next morning, and she presumed it was because he was attending the meeting with the alliance. She hoped that they would come up with a new plan. She agreed Thalia's plan sounded fair and reasonable and hoped to be the kind of leader who would try to resolve things peacefully, but she could not help wanting them to get it over with so they could get rid of the Imperator quickly. Still, she felt sorry for the way she had spoken to Thalia. She had no friends in this world and did not want to drive Thalia away to be left stumbling around awkward conversations with Calab for the rest of eternity.

After breakfast, Eve ventured out into the garden. It was not as cold as it had been, the first signs of spring had entered the garden, and it made for a pleasant morning. She took up her usual spot by the fountain and read a book with her guards keeping watch close by.

Eve woke suddenly to find that Calab was crouched beside her shaking her shoulder and realised that she had dozed off in the garden.

"Hello," she said sleepily.

"You have grass in your hair." He grinned and reached to pull out a stalk of grass near her ear. Eve's pulse quickened at the sudden intimacy, and Calab jerked away. He stood quickly and composed himself. "Would you care to join me for lunch?" he asked formally. "I will bring you up to speed with the meeting with the alliance."

Lunch had already been laid out in Calab's quarters when they arrived and Eve sat opposite him at the table.

"I raised the topic of the plan to meet with the Imperator," he said, pouring himself and Eve tea, "and I asked for them to reconsider. I did mention that the future queen did not like the idea and that she had been haunted by it since hearing of it. That did not hold much weight I'm afraid, we don't tend to hold the opinions of humans in high regard in Arkazatinia—not unless they're committed to the arts and sciences anyway. However, as they were already nervous about the prospect of meeting the Imperator, it did not take much to convince them. Thalia is furious of course."

"She'll probably never speak to me again," sighed Eve.

"I wouldn't trouble yourself," he said. "She speaks to me."

Eve smiled. "What is the new plan?"

"It is still a compromise and not the outright assassination I would have preferred. We are going to call on the Imperator unannounced and heavily armed and have our meeting with him on our terms. We have been watching his movements for some time, and he is heavily guarded at home and at the Imperium. Our plan is to strike him in transit when he is less guarded. He visits the same restaurant on the same day every week, and we plan to intercept him on his way home."

Eve breathed a sigh of relief. "I prefer this idea," she said. "You can have as many people as you want on hand."

"There could still be complications that we haven't considered. I will have a team of my men take you away from here until the Imperator has been secured."

Eve nodded. "When will you strike?"

"In two nights."

"When will we need to leave?"

"When you have finished eating."

After lunch, Calab gave Eve a small duffel bag from his wardrobe and told her to pack essentials. She returned to her room and filled the bag with a couple of changes of clothes, underwear, some toiletries and a couple of books. Tamiel escorted her downstairs to the waiting vector. Eve had not seen a vector for nine years and had forgotten how strange they were. Tamiel and three other demons would be going with her, and they were waiting by two vectors. Calab opened the door for her.

"My men will take care of you," he said calmly. "I'll send for you as soon as it is safe."

Eve nodded and climbed into a vector. Tamiel and a demon named Turel sat opposite her and the other two guards, Nakhiel and Tausa, were to follow behind. Tamiel plotted the vector with their destination, and they sped away. The speed was dizzying and Eve looked forwards as the scenery whizzing past was making her feel nauseous. They sat in silence as the vector moved through Arkazatinia with Eve having no idea where she was going.

It was a long journey, and they travelled all afternoon and through the night stopping only for Eve to use the toilet or rather squat behind a bush. They ate cold sandwiches and drank bottled water which Tamiel had packed in a cooler. Eve occupied her time reading or dozing against the window. There was very little conversation with the demons who maintained their vigilance throughout the journey.

It was approaching lunchtime when the vector began to slow down as they approached a mountain road. After a further hour, it came to a stop.

"Are we there?" asked Eve.

"We're going to fly from here," replied Turel.

Eve stepped out of the vector and took in the surroundings. They were halfway up a mountainside and stood in front a large cave. "Where are we?"

"The Laurentian Mountains."

The demons pushed the vectors into the cave to conceal them from view and powered them down. Large grey wings unfurled from the demons' backs. Eve gasped.

Where did they come from? How do they get through their clothes?

"When you said fly you didn't mean the airport," she said nervously.

Turel gave a weak smile and held his hand out for her bag, she handed it to him, and he gave it to Tamiel who had retrieved another bag from one of the vectors. Nakhiel and Tausa also had bags.

"I'm going to have to carry you," said Turel.

"Okay."

With his arms under her legs and around her back, he picked her up with ease. She had not been this close to a demon before, and Turel was hot—she could feel the heat from his skin burn through their clothes. Uncomfortable with the close proximity to the demon she kept her hands in front of her and her eyes forward. She yelped when he took to the air, suddenly feeling vulnerable, and threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.

"Sorry," she muttered.

His expression showed no reaction and he said plainly, "I won't drop you."

After an hour's flight through the mountains, they arrived on the outskirts of a forest. The demons landed and began to make their way on foot. Turel did not set her down and Eve did not ask knowing that she would not be able to keep pace with the demons as they ran rapidly through the trees. Eventually, after a further two hours, they reached a small clearing by a stream. Turel set her down without a word and began to make camp with Tamiel while Nakhiel and Tausa midspaced and kept guard over the camp.

Eve was suddenly cold without Turel's warmth. They were in the southern hemisphere, and it should have been hot, but it was the beginning of autumn, the forest was high up in mountains and the wind icy. She shivered.

"Can I help?" Eve asked the demons. They shook their heads.

She frowned and prowled the campsite. It was a beautiful spot to camp out or come back for a picnic if she could ever find it again or be bothered to make the long trek. She headed back to the demons who had set up a canvass den with a makeshift bed inside for her. The den was more like a cave and did not seem to have a door. It did not seem like privacy was going to be an option. At least the heat from a fire would keep her warm. She pointed to the area in front of the den. "Is this a good spot for a fire?"

Tamiel shook his head, "We can't risk a fire."

"I will be cold."

"We can keep you warm."

Eve nodded though she did not relish the thought of cuddling up to a demon while she slept. The daylight was failing, and there was not enough light to read. She sat in front of the den with her blanket around her and shivered. Turel and Tamiel sat at either side of her, and she felt instantly warmer but unbelievably awkward. Her attempts at conversation earned her monosyllabic responses.

_What I wouldn't give for a lamp!_

She was desperate to do what she did whenever she encountered an uncomfortable situation and hide in a book. After a cold supper of bread, ham and cheese, Eve retired to her bed and fell asleep lying next to Turel with Tamiel guarding the entrance.

The alliance waited for the Imperator's vector to approach them. They had chosen a secluded stretch of road lined with trees and planned to ambush the vector as it made its way along. Calab waited with his team of guild demons. The Berith and Astaroth princes had also brought a large team, as had the Sons of Raphæl, Michæl and Uriel. The hominem had shown up in large numbers and heavily armed, as had the Calahad and Elion. Thalia had only attended with Mikæl, a few other Procnatus, and very few weapons which Calab presumed was a further demonstration of her displeasure at the strike upon the Imperator. Calab ignored her and kept his mind focussed.

Right on schedule, the Imperator's vector approached flanked by two other vectors containing his guards. Tharazan and Thanis, the Lord of Elion, fired fire bolts at the vectors to take out their power supplies, the spells bounced off surrounding shields. The teams had fired their crossbows at the power source and the bolts also rebounded. The demons launched at the vectors. Their last attempt was for the demons to pull them off the road. They landed on the shields and began to tear through them. The guards had opened the vectors' windows and were ready to fire their crossbows at the demons. The thorian and hominem were running after the vectors which had sped past them. The angels had taken to the air and flew after the vectors with their bows drawn ready to fire. The shield on the Imperator's vehicle failed first and the demons launched at the vector, tearing through the side panel, they ripped out the power supply and brought it to a stop. Pulling the door open they grabbed the Imperator and dragged him onto the road, more demons piled in to grab the guards and knocked unconscious the dark alchemist who was accompanying them. The shields on the escorts' vectors dropped, and before the guards could fire, the demons had stopped their vectors and pulled the passengers onto the road. The strike had taken less than thirty seconds, and the Imperator and his guards were secured by the demons. The alchemist had been relieved of his staff and was now powerless. The plan had been executed perfectly. The leads stepped forwards with Lord Tharazan taking charge.

"Good evening, Imperator," he said. "We decided to bring the meeting forward."

"So I see," said the Imperator slyly. "What do you want?"

"It is time you relinquished your role as custodian of the Crown," continued Tharazan, "it is time you let the new Crown take over."

"The Crown _is_ over," said the Imperator, sneering. "Arkazatinia has a new rule, and I am not giving it up."

"You're not exactly in a position to argue."

The Imperator laughed. "You don't think I expected this? You think I would let your little alliance continue without having someone on the inside?" The leads looked at each other.

"Regardless, we still have you outmatched."

"Perhaps, but if you take me out, then my men will take out your precious queen. You think I don't know where you're hiding her."

"Do it," said Calab, "take her out, another crown will emerge. We are not leaving you in power."

"If you think I'm bluffing you're quite mistaken," laughed the Imperator. "If I'm not home in fifteen minutes then a message will be sent to my men to pick up the Crown. I'm working with more than one alchemist, and your demons will not stand a chance against them. You have only caught me because I let you."

"I don't care if you're bluffing," said Calab. "I am not bluffing. Kill her. A new Crown will emerge. You are under arrest for interfering in the Crown and refusing to allow a chosen ruler to take their place—treason in other words. If you come quietly, you will make it easy for yourself, or we can execute you right now." The other leads glared at him, and Thalia hissed. He ignored them.

"Time is running out. Arrest me, it won't change anything. I will take my fair trial from the noble Crown Alliance."

Calab snarled and launched at the Imperator, his claws impaling his chest and tearing through to his stomach. The Imperator slumped to the floor and blood gurgled in his throat.

"Are you insane?" screamed Thalia. "What have you done? You cannot just assassinate people! You have just sentenced the queen to death."

"He has all this planned out," said Calab. "He said himself that one of the alliance is working with him; he would have no trouble continuing his plans from his cell. We need to go after the rest of his men and stop whoever he is working with."

"You cannot just execute people without a trial!" snapped Thalia. "And what about the Crown?"

"It doesn't matter," said Calab. "If she is killed another will emerge, we have to stop the Imperium whatever the cost, whatever the sacrifice."

Everyone was silent until Avalon spoke. "Calab is right," he said. "We couldn't risk leaving the Imperator in power to save one girl. Even with the Imperator dead we are still under threat, we have to move. We'll go after the girl, if we can save her we will, either way, it will give us a place to start."

"The Imperator was right to exclude demons." Thalia snarled. "You are heartless and do not belong in this world."

Calab growled. "We can discuss this later when we've saved the world."

"You've wanted this all along. I hope you're happy."

"Enough Thalia," said Tharazan. "What's done is done. The hominem and my Calahad will take these prisoners to Laurentia, the rest of the thorian, angels and demons should go after the alchemist. Let's move."

The demons and angels picked up the thorian and took to the skies. Calab had offered to carry Thalia but received a look loaded with a tirade of abuse, and instead carried Tharazan.

"Who do you think the traitor is?" Calab asked him.

"Besides you?" said Tharazan. "I'm not thrilled with what you just did either."

"I did what needed to be done."

"Perhaps," grumbled Tharazan. "I wouldn't have the stomach for it."

"That's the advantage of being a heartless demon."

"So I see," said Tharazan. "I have no idea who the traitor could be. I would be lying if I said I didn't suspect you. Perhaps the Imperator's exclusion of the demons was part of your plan?"

"Demons would have nothing to gain from that plan. We're under Heaven's decree, and we risk greater eternal consequences."

"Only once you die," snapped Tharazan. "It actually makes perfect sense. The high princes could rule Hell, and the first order princes could rule Arkazatinia. That's what you've always wanted, isn't it? To not be oppressed? Why you fought with Heaven?"

"I doubt Heaven would wait that long to execute its wrath."

"Is that what you want us to believe?"

Calab shook his head, "It sounds like a wonderful theory, but I have been hiding the queen for four weeks—I could have handed her over at any point."

"Who do you think it is then?"

"Is it you?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Tharazan snarled.

Calab chuckled. "Just keep your eyes open for anything suspicious."

Eve woke to the sound of voices outside the den; she sat up but could barely see in the moonlight. She no longer felt the heat of the demon beside her. She crept quietly out of the den and tried to listen in on the whispered voices. Firm hands gripped her shoulders. She could not see who had hold of her, but from the lack of claws, she knew it was not a demon. Eve struggled against them and called out to the demons. Cloth was held against her face and was forced to inhale a foul-smelling substance that burned her nose, and within seconds, the world turned black.

Eve's head felt heavy when she woke, she tried to open her eyes and could barely pull apart her eyelids. She did not know how long she had been unconscious and was struggling to maintain any consciousness. She was vaguely aware that she was on a soft bed and could hear the crackle of a wood fire close by. A loud whistle sounded, and she was aware of someone shuffling around her. She tried to move but couldn't. She tried again to open her eyes but could barely pull them apart into slits and what sight was allowed to her was blurry. The person approached her and wiped her forehead with a warm cloth.

"Relax," whispered a female voice she did not recognise. "We have given you something to sedate you whilst we brought you here. Unfortunately, it also paralyses, but it is starting to wear off."

Eve tried to speak, her lips would not move, and she could make no sound.

Where am I? Who are these people? Where are the demons? Have they been killed? Have they handed me over to these people? Are these people working for the Imperator?

She fell unconscious once more.

The alliance were intercepted by Asmodeus demon scouts who advised them that they had scouts following the alchemist. The party turned in the direction of the scout's instructions. Nakhiel was with them and nodded to Calab.

"Is the Crown with them?" asked Thalia.

"I don't know," said Nakhiel.

The alliance travelled south-west as fast as they could for the rest of the night and most of the following day. They flew high and used the cloud cover to conceal them from view. Eventually, they reached the destination on the borders of Eurasia and Laurentia. They met with the scouts who had tailed the alchemist to an abandoned keep on the Laurentian side of the border.

"Is the queen with them?" asked Thalia.

"I don't know," a scout named Baal replied.

Thalia snarled in frustration. "How can no one know what has happened to her? I thought you were supposed to be guarding her, Calab?"

Calab shrugged. "We were, but we had higher priorities." She glowered at him, and he turned away towards Tharazan who was addressing Caim, one of Calab's men.

"What abilities did the alchemist use?" Tharazan asked. "Has the keep been shielded?"

"It hasn't been shielded against entry or magic, but we can't midspace within a half a mile of it," Caim said. "It seems the most powerful shield of the two alchemists was travelling with the Imperator, and this one could only shield a small number of the party. We suspect he could only use it for short periods as he only used it in areas where they did not have a clear view of the surroundings—through towns and woodlands. He didn't use anything else I'm afraid, so we don't know what he can do."

"It's going to be difficult to get in," said Tharazan. "We should wait for the cover of darkness."

"He could be torturing her right now," seethed Thalia. "This is your fault, Calab."

"Thalia," snapped Calab, "just forget about the damn queen. We have bigger problems, like how we are going to take out the alchemist. The Imperator suggested that they had other plans. I don't think it will signal the end because he is dead. Tharazan—contact the Calahad and hominem and have them question the guards and the other alchemist."

"Yes," said Thalia, "perhaps we could torture them."

"Good idea."

"I was not serious."

"They are already on it," said Tharazan. "I asked them to let us know if they find out anything that can help us."

"The angels and demons may still have an advantage if we can get to them without being seen," said Azarel, the Son of Michæl. "As far as we know, alchemists cannot sense our souls. If we can get to the roof and take care of the guards there, we could work our way down. The thorian could approach on the ground and maybe create a diversion to lure them out."

"We're not going to lure them out of a secure keep," said Thanis, "but we may be able to get close if you take out the turrets."

"The alchemist will have time to react if they hear us coming," said Azarel.

"We're going to have to assassinate the guards," said Calab. "We risk making too much noise if we merely knock them unconscious." Thalia glared at him. The rest of the alliance appeared to ignore her.

"Perhaps we can take a thorian ruler?" asked Jacob.

"None of us can create shields," said Thalia. "If he fires at us, we will be useless."

"I will go," said Thanis. "I can deal with an alchemist."

"No," said Calab, "Tharazan has more training in combat." Thanis bristled but said nothing.

Tharazan nodded. "If we are going to get through without alliance casualties then stealth is crucial. We should get high and then drop directly above them. We should be able to avoid killing the guards; we can remove them away from the keep and take them prisoner. Once we have secured the turrets, the thorian should be ready. We'll scope the keep first and give the signal for you to move forward if necessary. Keep your wits about you and don't let them strike first." Calab saw Thalia sneer; she looked like she had assumed Tharazan's final remark was aimed at her.

When darkness fell, Calab lifted Tharazan once more, and half the demons and angels took to the sky. They had already moved away from the keep to gain height without being seen. They did not have to go far, their dark clothing, grey wings and the cover of darkness made them practically invisible. They began to fly back towards the keep and saw that the thorian had arranged themselves ready to approach with Thalia and Thanis at the front to fire spells. The remaining demons and angels flanked them.

The aerial team were over the turrets and saw that four guards, one posted at each corner, secured it. A team of four demons silently flew to the roof in synchronisation and placing a hand over the guards' mouths they lifted them swiftly from the turrets and flew them to the ground team without a sound. The rest of the aerial team moved and signalled for the ground team to stand by. A doorway on the turret led down into the keep. Jacob opened the door and peered inside. He closed it again to report his observations.

"I can see a corridor at the bottom of the stairs, and it's lit by flame torches. There look to be two rooms leading off it, there are two guards posted outside one of the rooms which could be where the queen is. There is a set of stairs going down, and I can see one guard at the end. We cannot make it down the stairs unseen."

"Perhaps we can lure one this way," said Barakel, one of Calab's men and his third in command after Nakhiel. "We could make a noise to get one of them to investigate, then assassinate the other or knock him out with one of Lord Tharazan's spells. It would need to be a clean shot and one of us would have to catch him before he hit the ground."

They agreed, and Barakel made a gentle thud on the door not wanting to create too loud a noise in case the guards sent for back up. Another demon hovered above the door and poised himself. After a moment, the door still had not opened. With bated breath, he tried again. This time, he heard soft footfalls approach and the door creaked open. The guard looked around and seeing no source of the noise, ventured out onto the turret. The demon swept him from the turret and Barakel crept towards the door and saw the lone guard outside the room and one guard at the bottom of the stairs.

"We need to be quick, or he'll get suspicious," said Tharazan. "Are you ready to catch him?"

Barakel nodded, and Tharazan opened the door a crack to make sure the guard was not looking directly at them. He then pushed it wider and fired a spell directly at his temple. In a blur Barakel had retrieved the guard and had brought him to the roof, another demon then took the guard to join the other prisoners.

"Good job," said Tharazan. "We need to take out the other guard and see who else is around before we go in that room. Perhaps a demon can do it."

The others nodded, and Barakel prepared himself. The guard was facing away from him, and he flew high clinging to the shadows of the ceiling out of the torchlight. When he was above the guard, he lowered himself slowly, peered around the doorway to ensure the guard was not in the view of anyone else, and silently took him back to the turrets. Another demon took the guard from him instantly. "I couldn't see anyone else at the bottom of the stairs. It looks as though there is another floor below that one, those stairs led onto another corridor which follows the building around. I imagine there is another room to the left of the stairs, but the door must be around the corner."

One of Azarel's men who Calab did not know suggested a plan to move forward. This left some of them on the turrets to communicate with the ground, a large team on the corridor guarding the door and the rest would begin to move slowly through to secure the building. If they were seen and the alarm raised the team would enter the door, and the roof team was to signal the ground team and then give support where needed. The team moved forwards surrounding Tharazan, as he was the only one who had any magical abilities he could use against the alchemist. The second floor from the top did not have any more guards and the floor below that was the ground floor. Four guards were sat playing cards at a table, and one was cleaning his boots in front of the fire. Five demons were poised to attack. Tharazan put out the torches that lit the room, and the demons swooped in. The guards were all unconscious within seconds.

Only whatever was behind the door was left. Calab opened the door of the keep as a few of his men did one last sweep of the ground floor. Five of the demons took the guards through the door to join the other prisoners, and Calab beckoned the thorian rulers to come forward. He explained that they had taken care of the guards and would now investigate the room on the top floor. He followed Thanis up the stairs with Thalia trailing behind him. On the count of three, they burst into the room and found the alchemist at a desk mixing a potion. Tharazan had charged ahead of the other thorian and fired a spell to burn his staff and then the demons grabbed him.

"What is the meaning of this?" The alchemist growled.

"Where is the Crown?" said Thalia. "We know you have taken her."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Our alliance followed you here," said Thalia. "We know you are working with the Imperator, and we know you were after the queen on his orders—he told us so himself. Now where is she?"

"Where is the Imperator?"

"Dead," replied Thalia with uncharacteristic venom, "and if you don't want to end up like him, I suggest you start talking." The alchemist glared at her and said nothing. Calab knew that he did not know where the girl was, but let Thalia continue enjoying the aggression he so rarely saw from her.

"We don't have her," said the alchemist when Thalia began to saunter towards him glaring viciously. "We couldn't find her. Our plan was to bring her back here and wait for the Imperator, and when we couldn't find a trace of her, we left."

Thalia turned to the demon scouts. "They didn't break up? They all came back here?" The scouts nodded in response. Thalia growled ferociously, "So where is she?"

"I have no idea," stammered the alchemist. "I can't trace her."

"You might be able to now," said Thalia, "if she is not with the demons anymore."

"No," said Calab, "we cannot trust this man. Who knows what he will do if he finds her. If she is to be found, we will find her ourselves. Arrest him."

The alchemist was taken to join the guards to be searched and relieved of any weapons and magical paraphernalia before some of the demons and angels would take them to the hominem prison.

"We could have used him to find her." Thalia snarled towards Calab.

"How do you know he wouldn't add something extra to the spell?" he said. "Besides, Tharazan burnt his staff." Thalia stalked away from him, and Calab breathed an inward sigh of relief.

Eve was conscious once more, some of the heaviness had lifted from her head, and she was able to peel her eyes open. She tried to move her head to look around the room. Pain travelled through her body and allowed her only a limited range of movement. She was in what looked like a small stone house; it was living stone, so she knew she was at least in Anaxagoras. She was laid on a bed with a thin mattress and was covered with a soft blanket. Close by there was a dining table surrounded by four chairs, and a rocking chair was placed near the wood burning stove that was warming the room. An Anaxagorean equivalent of a copper kettle sat on the hot plate and Eve presumed it was responsible for the whistling she had heard. When had she heard that? She had no idea how long she had been unconscious though it felt like days.

She moved her head to the window—it was dark. She turned her head towards the ceiling and saw it sloped down to the foot of her bed and angling her head, she confirmed she was underneath a staircase. There was no one else in the room. If she could just stand, she may be able to escape. She tried to pull herself to sit and toppled off the bed onto the floor. She struggled in vain to control her limbs to get her body out of the crumpled heap she now found herself in. A door behind her bed opened, and she heard someone cross the room towards her.

"You must rest," said the same voice that had spoken to her the last time she woke. "The poison has not yet worn off." The woman lifted her onto the bed once more and Eve looked at her as she tucked her in. She was very unusual with delicate, pixie-like features. Her canine teeth were slightly pointed and looked sharp; she had long pointed ears that poked out of her long, poker straight hair.

"Where am I?" Eve managed to croak.

"You are in the Realm of the Fae. We are in a hidden realm in the Forest of Laurentia."

"Why?" said Eve, coughing loudly. "Why am I here?"

"You really must rest," said the woman. "They have given you far too much of the poison, the hominem body cannot cope as well with it."

Who poisoned me? And why? Where were the demons?

"Why?" asked Eve.

"They had to drug you so that you would not know how you got here."

"Who?"

"My fae brethren, on the orders of the queene."

"How did they find me?" Eve's throat was burning with every word, but she was desperate for answers.

"Prince Calab told them where to find you."

What? He betrayed me! Why would he do that?

"Calab! Why?" Eve exclaimed initiating another fit of coughing.

"You should rest."

"No!"

"The queene will speak to you when you have recovered."

The fae woman gave her a look that told her she would answer no more questions. Eve stared at the ceiling and was asleep within minutes.

After travelling throughout the next day, Calab and his demons finally returned to the guild at nightfall. The alliance planned to stay close by and they had arranged to meet in the morning to plan their next move. The alchemist and his guards had made a mess of the guild looking for the girl. Calab was relieved to see they had done little damage to his library, but they had destroyed the girl's quarters and even her room in the dungeon. He winced as he picked up the volumes of Blake he had given her and saw that two of them were now unreadable. He replaced them on the table and took the two volumes that were still intact back to his quarters. His quarters had also been tossed.

_What is there to gain from hacking through my shirts?_

He grumbled at the thought of having to visit the tailor. Charon knocked at his door carrying a tray of supper and a jug of wine and offered to straighten his room. Calab accepted and invited him in. He had known they would attack his guild and was glad he had ordered everyone to stay out and just have a team follow them in the midspace as they left. The Imperator and the two alchemists were down, but there was still more to do before it was finished.

Charon had long since left, and Calab had, despite not having slept in days, spent several hours sat at his desk sipping at the wine. He looked at the time—it was four o' clock in the morning. He tapped his claws on his desk as he thought through the events of the last few days, well, the last month actually since the girl had arrived. He pictured her face sat opposite him in his quarters before she left. She was a pretty little thing, and she had been so relieved that her face lit up when he told her of the new plan. He smiled softly to himself and took another sip of his wine. His vox rang, and he answered it immediately.

"She's on the move, Your Highness," said Nakhiel.

"I'm on my way," replied Calab, hanging up.

He did not bother with the door and midspaced through the wall. He flew at speed and quickly caught up with Nakhiel who was tailing the vector travelling south towards Laurentia. Calab eyed the sky; it was still dark though dawn would break soon. They stayed in the midspace to avoid being seen. The vector entered the Forest of Cambria, stopped in a clearing, and waited. The two demons remained hidden in the midspace in the trees until another vector pulled into the clearing and an alchemist stepped out. The alchemist's presence forced Calab and Nakhiel out of the midspace though they remained concealed by the trees.

_Another alchemist? How many are involved?_

The woman left her vector and stood beside it facing the alchemist.

"The strike did not go according to plan," said the alchemist. "You told me you would see to it the other alchemists were assassinated, but I hear they are alive and well and detained in prison."

"The alliance ignored the plans I suggested. It won't be a problem; I can urge the alliance to execute them quickly for treason. If they will not, I will do it myself."

"And where is the queen?"

"She seems to be missing, that wretched Asmodeus prince no longer has her."

"She must still be with the demons, I cannot trace her."

Calab breathed an inward sigh _._

"He said that she isn't," the woman replied. "He told the Imperator to kill her, but they could not find her when they raided the Asmodeus guild."

"So he must be hiding her."

"The alliance is meeting tomorrow; I will have him followed afterwards and find out where she is."

"We need her alive," said the alchemist. "We cannot secure your rule unless we remove the bind of the Crown from her. More crowns will just keep emerging. We need you to bind with the Crown."

"The Imperator is dead, that will be awkward. The alliance will displace his allies from their positions, and they think they have destroyed the Imperium."

"The Imperator was a pawn; he was never going to survive after we had the queen anyway. It is unexpected that she would be hidden from the alliance. The prince must have suspected a traitor amongst you. I hope that he does not know who. If we can find the queen quickly, then all is not lost."

"We must find her. We haven't come this far to fail. I shall send word when I have more news."

The pair started to separate. Calab motioned to Nakhiel, and within seconds, he had assassinated the alchemist and Nakhiel had hold of the woman with his claws poised at her throat.

Calab gave the woman a wide grin. "Lord Thanis, what a pleasant surprise."

She glared at him as he cuffed her in adamantine shackles. The metal of Hell was enough to restrain the strongest of demons and leash the most powerful of magic. The metal burnt to the touch and she grimaced at the pain as she glared at Calab with hate-filled eyes.

"Demon scum." Thanis snarled, spitting the words. "How did you know?"

"I have suspected for some time," he said, loading her into her own vector and setting the destination for the guild.

"Where have you hidden the queen?"

Calab laughed. "I have hidden her where no traitors will find her. Now you are under arrest for treason which carries the penalty of death as I'm sure you are aware, you may make things easier for yourself if you can offer a few teeny weeny details."

"I won't tell you a thing." She growled.

"I did not imagine you would. I'm sure the rest of the alliance will be interested in talking to you so perhaps you'll confide in one of them. It is rather early so you can wait in my dungeon. I don't mean the nice room I had made for our queen when she kept everyone awake screaming from the nightmares she had that traitors were coming for her, I mean a particularly horrible and uncomfortable one."

"You don't scare me."

"I don't need to scare you, Lord Thanis." Calab chuckled. "As demon scum, I already know what will be in store for you after you're executed, and you'll have plenty of time to be scared in Hell." Thanis swallowed, and her arrogance faltered. She did not speak again.

The room was bathed in sunlight when Eve opened her eyes. She could already feel her limbs were more responsive though her body ached as though every inch of her had been beaten. She pulled herself to sit and saw the fae woman seated in the rocking chair by the stove embroidering a piece of fabric.

"Good morning," the woman said. "You look much better. You have colour in your cheeks."

"I feel dreadful," said Eve. "What did they give me?"

"It was a vapour made from a species of hemlock that only grows in these parts," she said. "It's not lethal though it can leave you feeling like you have had too many glasses of mead the night before. Would you like tea?"

"What's in it?"

"Nothing poisonous," she said. "We do not wish to harm you."

Eve nodded. "Why would Calab hand me over to you? Are you working with the Imperator? Is Calab working with the Imperator?"

"Goddesses no." The woman laughed. "He sent you here to protect you."

"The demons were protecting me."

"Yes," she said, "but he wanted to make extra sure you would be safe. He suspected the Imperator's alchemists may be able to find you if they knew you were with demons."

"I've been hiding at the guild this whole time."

"Prince Calab believes they knew where you were. He believes there has been a traitor amongst the alliance."

"Who?"

"I do not know. Prince Calab wishes you to stay here until he finds them."

The fae woman handed her a cup of tea. It smelt funny but tasted delicious. She downed it, and the woman fetched her another cup which she sipped more slowly.

"What is your name?" Eve asked.

"I am Queene Orrla of the Fae."

Eve spluttered and tried to straighten herself. "You're the queene?"

Orrla smiled. "Did my palace not give it away?"

"Well, it was more that you spoke of the queene as though she was someone other than yourself."

The queene laughed. "That was someone else. I have a twin, her name is Sofia, and this is her house. It was my family's house when we were girls, and Sofia wished to stay here after I became queene and moved into the guild. My brethren brought you here as Sofia is a skilled nurse and you were affected more than expected by the poison. I came to relieve her a few hours ago to wait for you to wake. Sofia is asleep upstairs."

Eve looked more closely at Orrla, but her memory was far too hazy to make a comparison. Their voices seemed identical. "How is it that I can understand you? Does everyone in Anaxagoras speak English?"

"We don't speak English," replied Orrla. "You speak the common tongue of Anaxagoras. The Procnatus introduced it to England, and the English introduced it to the rest of the Lycea. It was a feat of the Procnatus and English arrogance."

"I'm starting to think everything I know about history is wrong."

"All history is an abridged version of events. The Procnatus have been...careful to allow their preferred version to take its place in Lycean history. Any facts that have made their way into Lycean texts have been dispelled to the realm of myth and legend. It allows them to integrate themselves in Lycean affairs and keep our world a secret."

Eve frowned; she did not like what she heard. She thought it was a discussion for another time and changed the subject. "How do you know Calab?"

"I have known Prince Calab for a very long time. Before Lord Thalia ruled the Procnatus; they were governed by a tyrant named Malia. She was the most despicable being and encouraged the Procnatus to engage in all manner of atrocities: they captured and tortured hominem and human slaves, and they survived on the blood of humans which made them vicious. Malia was convinced that the fae had some treasure hidden within our realm and wanted to have it for herself. It was before we Cloaked our realm, she found us and attacked us frequently until our numbers were depleted and our defences were weak. We are able to shield and use magic to fight, but it does not last long, and she was happy to sacrifice as many Procnatus as it took to achieve her aim. She was relentless.

"Calab arrived with his men one evening, and they fought off the Procnatus and drove them from our realm, then he contacted the Crown and requested that Malia was removed from her rule. Malia was assassinated the next day. We waited for an attack to come from the new ruler fearing they would have the same agenda. They did come, but instead of attacking us, they gave a peace offering of salted meats and spiced wines. Every year after, this day was celebrated as the Festival of Peace to mark another year's peace in our lands. You may be interested in learning that your Lycean Roman Emperor Constantine adopted the Festival of Peace as Christmas when he changed the Empire to Christianity."

"So you invented Christmas?"

"Well, Lord Thalia did if you would like to give anyone credit."

"And you have been friends with Calab since?"

"Yes, although I rarely see him. I hadn't heard from him in over a century until he telephoned a few nights ago."

Eve smirked at the thought of a faery realm having a telephone. "Why did Calab come to your aid?"

"We had pleaded for an alliance against the Procnatus amongst all of the orders. The Calahad and Elion were at war with each other and the witches and dark alchemists were rising, so our pleas were ignored. Prince Calab was the only one to respond."

"Is that not uncharacteristic for a demon?" Eve asked. "What was in it for him?"

"I never knew. Prince Calab has never been like the other demons, there has always been something more...well, I suppose you'd say there was something more human about him."

Eve smiled. "I thought so too. Does anyone in the alliance know he was moving me here?"

"He said he planned to move you in secret and let everyone think you were still in the guild."

"Why haven't you seen him for a century? Do you not have a seat in court?"

"The Crown has never welcomed the fae."

"Why not?"

"They view us as a form of witch and exclude us. The thorian leaders have powers, but the rest of their brethren do not. In witch and fae people, all have magic and the Crown do not allow powers amongst their subjects to be greater than their own. They only tolerate light alchemists because they need their ability to manipulate material and control the entrances. It is the way it has always been."

"That is quite ridiculous," said Eve. "Why exclude people for having magic when it surely makes more sense to ally with the magic and have it on your own side?"

"Prince Calab said you were quite opinionated." Orrla laughed.

Eve smirked. "He is always reminding me of my place. Would you like a seat in the alliance? I am the Crown now, or I will be soon, and I don't agree with your exclusion."

"As much as I would love to accept that offer I am not sure it is one you are entitled to make. The Crown has never given us a place, and I'm not confident that we'd be accepted now."

"I think Arkazatinia has chosen an outlander queen to change the way things have always been done."

"Your alliance may be furious."

"They'll get over it."

"You don't know us; how can you be certain this is a good idea?"

"Calab trusts you and I trust him, and that is good enough."

"You barely know Prince Calab."

"I know him enough to know that I can trust him with my life."

"You thought he'd betrayed you only moments ago."

"I didn't believe it; I just could not come up with a rational explanation. I can't blame myself, though; I was coming down from drugs."

Queene Orrla laughed. "Are you quite sure?"

"Positively so."

"In that case, I gratefully accept," said Orrla smiling.

Eve returned the smile. Yes, they may be furious.

_Let them be._

She knew it was the right thing to do.

The alliance met as planned although Calab had contacted them to request they meet at his guild instead of the Guild of Procnatus. Thalia was still angry with him and barely acknowledged him when he had invited everyone into his library.

"I shall get straight to the point," he said.

"We are not ready," said Jacob. "Thanis is yet to arrive."

"I followed her last night, and she met with an alchemist," said Calab. "I overheard her discuss their plans to take the queen, unbind her from the Crown and bind herself with it. She had betrayed our plans to intercept the Imperator, and they had intended to use the opportunity to capture the queen and eliminate the other alchemists. It seems the Imperator was a pawn and it was Thanis and the alchemist she met last night who were behind everything."

Tharazan shook his head. "I might have known. This is Thanis' _modus operandi_. I did not want to suspect her when the Imperator suggested there was a traitor, but I am not surprised that it is her."

"If they don't have the queen, then where is she?" asked Jacob.

"She is safe," said Calab. "I have suspected there was a traitor amongst us for some time, I couldn't be sure, but I felt Thanis was the traitor. She first suggested that the Imperator was working with an alchemist and filled us with fear that they may be a power greater than we have ever known. I suspected that was so the meeting would distract us. I believe they wanted us to meet with the Imperator heavily manned and leave the queen under little protection so they could take her easily. I took the liberty of sending the queen away where no one would know where she was. I intended to do that at the time of the meeting in a few weeks, but she was becoming so distressed that I encouraged the new plan. I was more convinced that we had been lied to when we took out the alchemist on the road with ease.

"I suspected Thanis, but I wasn't entirely sure, so I tried to exclude her from our plans at the keep just to be safe. I became convinced when I watched her make her way through the keep as though she was familiar with the layout. I had one of my men follow her and contact me if she made a move. She did, and we followed her to the third alchemist. I took out the alchemist and Thanis is in my dungeon ready to be questioned. I do not know if there are others involved, but we cannot bring the queen back until we do."

"So you let us think you had sacrificed her?" asked Thalia.

"I had to. It was the only way to keep her safe and weed out the enemy."

"And where is she now?"

"She is safe."

"You can't trust us enough to tell us?"

"You don't need to know."

The alliance made their way to the dungeon and found Thanis laid on filthy rags in the dark cell. Vicious red welts were still visible on her wrists from the adamantine shackles.

"Good morning, Lord Thanis," said Lord Tharazan, "or should I say Thanis as traitors to the Crown do not usually have titles bestowed upon them."

"I am not the traitor." Thanis snarled. "Prince Calab is the traitor. I followed him last night, and he met with a dark alchemist, I overheard Calab say he has handed the queen over to him. They took her when we were all meeting the Imperator."

"And why should he go to such lengths when he could have handed her over during one of the many days she has stayed at his house under his own guard?"

"He is trying to frame me? You must believe me, how long have we known each other?"

"We have known each other since we stopped being enemies," said Tharazan. "Since you stopped trying to remove me from my guild and take Laurentia for your own. Is that why you were so familiar with the keep on my border—is it yours?"

"He has filled your mind with nonsense. Are you going to believe that demon filth over one of your own?" She instantly regretted her outburst when she looked around at the alliance who had not missed the Imperator's sentiments.

"I'm disappointed, Thanis," said Tharazan. "Though I cannot say I am surprised; you have a history of this sort of thing."

"Yes, I hate demons," said Thanis, "but that does not mean I am not loyal to the Crown. _He_ has the queen. _He_ is the traitor."

"The queen is upstairs," said Tharazan. "We have just finished meeting with her."

Thanis looked defeated. "You think you're all so smart don't you?" She sneered. "Playing at being friends and all getting along so nicely."

"Why?" Tharazan asked calmly.

"Because the Elion should have ruled Arkazatinia, not the Impærielas. It was our birthright. The first crown had an alchemist bind the right with them, and I wanted it back. Now because of this corruption you are all going to be ruled by human scum—I hope you're happy!"

"If the choice is between human scum and traitorous scum then it is not a difficult one to make. Who else have you been working with?"

"I will tell you nothing. Be aware that my people want the Crown. After I am executed a new ruler will rise up, and my people will make sure they know that the Crown is our right."

"As you correctly infer," said Tharazan, "the penalty for treason is death. How quick and painless you find that will depend on you giving us more than bloated speeches."

"Torture me all you like," said Thanis. "You will get nothing more from me."

The alliance headed back to the library and gathered around the table.

"Now what?" Ester asked.

"We should have scouts watch the Guild of Elion," said Avalon, "or maybe we should threaten them. Let them know we're onto them and if they make a move, we'll take them out."

"Did they allude to anyone else during the meeting you observed, Calab?" asked Tharazan.

"No," said Calab, "but he did say Thanis was supposed to kill 'the other alchemists' which may mean that was all of them. I was only with one of my men, and I didn't know how powerful the alchemist was, we couldn't risk leaving him alive to question him. Have the guards and the other alchemists said anything?"

"Nothing," said Ester. "We'll continue our interrogation. We'll tell the alchemists that the third alchemist had ordered Thanis to have them killed and see if they reveal anything."

"What about the queen?" Thalia asked. "Can we risk bringing her back? If we reinstate the Crown, it will send a message."

"Perhaps, but it may be unwise to rush bringing her back until we know what we're up against," said Tharazan. "We'll need to keep her under close guard until we're sure the threat has passed. Calab?"

"She is safe where she is, for now," said Calab. "When she is back the Impærielas are likely to be reluctant to allow any outsiders to guard her at the Guild of Impærielas. If they are, then she will need to stay here. We can re-establish the Guild of the Crown and meet there. The Imperium building is more defensible, but the guild sends a greater message."

"So we learn what we can from the guards, the alchemist and the Elion," said Tharazan. "Everyone should remain local to allow us to congregate with ease. Calab, do you have rooms here or shall we stay with Thalia again?"

"Yes, I will have them made up," he said. "We should ensure that Thanis' sentence is carried out quickly and publicly. The Elion should know that we do not treat traitors with mercy."

Queene Orrla had arranged for Eve to have a room made up in the Guild of the Fae. The room was small compared to her quarters at the Guild of Asmodeus, but it was very light and airy and had a balcony with a view over the forest. Eve had not brought many changes of clothes with her when she left the Guild of Asmodeus two weeks earlier, and Orrla had provided her with clothing—mostly white and bright colours. She was enjoying her stay within the fae realm, the fae were very friendly, and it was nice to walk around unguarded. Queene Orrla had taken her on many walks through the forest both on foot and on horseback which, as an avid rider, Eve had enjoyed immensely. She had also joined a hunting party and hit a deer on her first attempt with a bow that had fed the guild. Following the beautifully prepared meal of venison, Eve had retired to her room to relax on the balcony and read in the last of the natural light.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" said a familiar voice. Eve jumped and looked in the direction of the sound.

"Calab," she beamed at the demon who had appeared before her on the balcony.

"Prince Calab," he corrected.

"Prince Calab," she said her smile faltering when he showed no joy at seeing her. "You had me drugged and kidnapped. I thought I had been captured. Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged. "I arranged for you to stay here, the queene wanted to ensure that her realm was secure—it was her call."

"You could have told me I was coming here."

"I said my men would take you to safety, you're safe. You can't possibly be angry with me."

"I'm not," she said. "Thank you." He nodded formally. Eve was disappointed, she was happy to see him, but he was entirely unmoved. "Queene Orrla said that you suspected a traitor, was that the case?"

"Yes," he said, taking a seat opposite her, "it was Lord Thanis of Elion. She believed the Crown was taken from her people and she wanted it back. She had allied with some dark alchemists to create the Imperium when the Imperator had been appointed as custodian, we believe. She saw the lack of emergence of the Crown as an opportunity to seize control. She knew she would have a fight on her hands to destroy the alliance and set about trying to remove groups from Arkazatinia through the Imperium. The Imperator was under the control of the dark alchemists—our light alchemists do not know how. However they achieved it, it seems his heart darkened under their influence, and he too began to have warped desires of his own. He was not satisfied with the plans to rule Arkazatinia and had designs on the rest of the world and Lycea as well. We believe this triggered Lady Ariana's vision as the Impærielas are responsible for threats to Lycea.

"I was right to move you. You were in danger. When Thanis and the alchemists learned of your emergence, they wanted to secure their grip on Arkazatinia and plotted to kidnap you so they could unbind you from the Crown and bind it with Thanis. We have learned that the Elion has held a grudge against the Crown for millennia, and although Thanis has gone, they may try to rise up again one day. That is all we have managed to learn from the captives."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"No one from the alliance. The strike went according to plan, but they were aware of our plans and had a team ready to move on my guild to kidnap you whilst the alliance were busy with the Imperator. I suspected a traitor, so I had ordered everyone out of the guild and had a team follow them when they left."

"You left your library unguarded?"

Calab frowned. "You think I would choose to protect my books rather than protect my men?"

Eve shrugged. "It doesn't convince me that you're the heartless demon you claim to be."

He appeared irritated. "Placing guards at my library would have drawn them to it."

Eve smiled a little and changed the subject. "Does the Elion have a claim to the Crown?"

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe. The Crown has been under the Impærielas for as long as demons and angels have been on Earth under our current decree, no one is alive who was around before that and it is well before anything was documented. It has been handed down through stories I suppose."

"But what if the Crown really is theirs," she asked. "Would it be wrong of me to keep it? Would that be an act of treason? Was it an act of treason that it was taken from the Elion?"

"No." Calab smirked. "It's only treason if you lose. If you win, it's called a revolution." She returned his grin. "Besides, it doesn't matter who thinks they have a claim on the Crown, Arkazatinia has chosen you to be the Crown. If it wanted the Elion, it would have chosen them.

"It is both a huge benefit and a huge drawback that we do not choose our own rule in this world. We do not have a say, and sometimes that does not go so well, but the advantage is that we know who should be in charge and if people challenge that then we know we need to deal with them."

"As long as it suits you," Eve said. "Which is why Malia was assassinated was it not? Because she caused problems? And the Imperator too?"

He shrugged. "We are not mindless minions. If someone goes against the accepted morals of the day, then we will deal with them. Both Malia and the Imperator threatened the exposure of our world, which is against our mandate, so they had to be dealt with."

"You threatened the exposure of the world when you revealed yourself and kidnapped Andrew nine years ago," Eve reminded him.

"I'm sure I'll pay for that in Hell," he said nonchalantly.

Eve shook her head. "It is a bizarre system. You only honour and respect rule as long as you're happy with it, why not just rule yourselves if that's the case."

"You think someone like Malia should be left in a position of power?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying it's not consistent. Why fight to have the Crown or me in place if you will execute me if you don't like what I do?"

"Malia wasn't the Crown," he said. "And no one fought for the Imperator to be in power—he elected himself."

"You haven't answered my question."

"What do you want me to say?" he said. "Do you want me to assure you that you won't be executed? I don't have the gift of sight. Your fate is in your own hands."

She sighed. "You said when the time comes I will know what to do. What if what I know what to do is wrong in everyone else's eyes? How am I supposed to work with this system?"

"Welcome to Arkazatinia." He grinned.

Eve rolled her eyes. "What has happened to the captives? To Thanis and the Imperator?"

"I took out the Imperator on the night of the strike and one of the alchemists when I followed Thanis and learned of her treachery. Another two alchemists and Thanis were publicly executed four days ago. The guards we arrested are imprisoned."

"Does the Elion have a new ruler?"

"Yes, one has emerged. We have made sure that they know there will be consequences if they make another move against the Crown."

"Has the new ruler been invited to have a seat in court?"

"We didn't think that was wise."

"We should try and work with them."

"I don't think the alliance will like that."

"No, they probably won't like that I've offered a seat to the fae either, but they'll get over it...or perhaps they'll just execute me."

"You have?" exclaimed Calab.

"Yes."

"The fae have never had a seat in the Crown."

"Then it's time they did."

"It's not your place to make these decisions."

"Do you think I was wrong?"

"No, but you're skirting outside your role. You cannot just do whatever you like."

"What exactly am I allowed to do as the Crown?" she asked exasperated. "I am doing what I think is right."

"It isn't up to you."

"How can it not be?"

"In the everyday running of things, you're in charge—you have absolute power and everyone will do as you say. But matters of defence—including who we ally ourselves with—are not up to you."

"This is the most ridiculous system I have ever heard of," said Eve. "Why on earth would Thanis want the Crown so badly? It sounds like one long headache. I don't want absolute power over spending or whatever, and if I can't use my station to make a difference, I don't want to be queen."

"That's just how it is."

"Who makes the rules?"

"The Crown," said Calab reluctantly.

"Well, there is no need for us to discuss it further. I will just change the rules. It was no doubt made by an Impærielas Crown who didn't like to get their hands dirty anyway. I won't be a queen who will leave the defence of my people to someone else while I hide away, ignore everyone and expect them to keep me safe."

Calab groaned. "I hope you have a thick skin; this is not going to go down well. I'll probably have to protect you from assassination attempts."

Eve laughed. "I thought you liked the fae."

"I do," he replied. "I think they should have a place in court."

"So what is the problem?"

"I know how everyone else will react."

"You said I would know what to do when the time comes. I think this is what needs to be done."

"I can see we are going to have our work cut out for us with you."

"You did say things would get interesting."

He grinned at her. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Now?" she asked, unable to hide her disappointment. "I guess I'm ready. I will miss the realm, though."

Calab frowned a little. "Do you hate it at my guild that much?"

"I don't hate it at your guild at all. Though, I'm not looking forward to moving into the Impærielas guild and getting used to another group of people. Do I have to go there straight away?"

He gave a small smile and said, "They were not happy for you to have outsiders guard you at their guild, and as none of them are trained in combat, we think you should stay at my guild a while longer. At least, until the Crown is re-established."

"I can cope with that. I missed you."

Calab eyed her curiously and muttered, "Your absence has been noticed."

Calab agreed that they could stay in the fae realm for the night and return to Eurasia in the morning. They joined the fae queene in a nearby forest clearing for a concert she had arranged to celebrate Eve's first victory on the hunt. The clearing was surrounded by white blossom trees and lit by hundreds of tea lights. The wind orchestra was assembled beneath a pavilion made from vines and decorated with ivy. The ground was a carpet of white blossom petals and Eve sat upon them besides Calab. Surrounded by the fae, they drank faery wine from wooden goblets and enjoyed the most enchanting music Eve had ever heard. It was magical, the colour of the petals changed with the music which ensnared every sense and enthralled every nerve.

Calab walked Eve back to her room after the concert.

"Wasn't that beautiful?" she said. "You should bring me back here sometime."

"Why?" muttered Calab.

"Because I love it here, and as my friend you should bring me back."

He shook his head. "We're not friends," he said firmly. "You will be my queen, and I will be your subject—nothing more."

Her stomach clenched, and her heart jolted from his words. They pained her, and she could not disguise the hurt she knew was written over her face. "I'm sorry," she said. "I got carried away. Goodnight, Prince Calab." She opened the door to her room and quickly moved inside.

"Goodnight," he said, turning away from her and walking down the corridor.

Calab walked to his own room. He winced a little when he pictured the girl's expression. He had hurt her feelings, but she needed to be told. He did not like the way she looked at him. The smile she had given him when he arrived at her room made him uncomfortable, and then she had told him she missed him and wanted to have trips out with him.

No, we are not friends.

He began to wish that he had just risked her safety with the Impærielas after all.

Eve breakfasted with Queene Orrla in her quarters the next morning after she received a card under her door inviting her.

"Are you looking forward to the next stage of your journey, Queen Genevieve?" Orrla smiled, pouring them both the delicious fae tea that Eve now adored and would miss terribly.

"I am," said Eve. "I'm nervous, though."

"You will do wonderfully, and if the stress of the throne becomes too much, then you must visit me. Perhaps a less dramatic entrance is in order next time." Orrla smiled and handed Eve a small golden bow. It looked like a charm from a bracelet. "If you're wearing this when you visit the Laurentian forest you will be able to find the entrance to the realm. You may visit whenever you like."

Eve smiled. "Thank you. I would love to."

Orrla escorted Eve to the steps of the guild after breakfast where Calab and three of his demons were waiting to escort her back to the Guild of Asmodeus.

"I shall miss you," said the queene, pulling her into a hug. "Be sure to visit soon, you're an honorary fae now."

"I will miss you too and the realm," said Eve, hugging her back. "And I will visit very soon."

Orrla kissed her cheek. "I have had the remainder of your venison packed for you to take with you and enough tea to last until you visit again."

"That's very kind of you, thank you."

Orrla smiled and turned to her waiting escorts. "It's been wonderful seeing you again, Prince Calab. Take care of our queen."

Calab bowed. "I will, Queene Orrla. See you in court."

Calab had Turel carry Eve as they flew out of the fae realm. He had only acknowledged her presence with a formal nod which had stung Eve though she did not know why. Why did it bother her so? She _was_ to be his queen, and he was her subject. Everything he had done was to maintain the safety and comfort of his queen. She should not expect more from him. She should not expect there to be something there that was not.

The demons flew to the edge of the forest where two vectors were waiting. Turel and Tamiel loaded their bags. Eve had asked to retrieve a book from her bag to read on the journey—she did not wish to endure further awkward silences. Calab opened the door, motioned for her to enter, and then sat beside her with Tamiel sat opposite them. Turel and Nakhiel were to travel behind in the second vector. Eve gasped when the vectors took to the air but tried to keep her surprise to a minimum even as she was pinned to her seat when they accelerated to a ridiculous speed. Once the vector was travelling at a constant speed, she relaxed and opened her book. They did indeed travel in silence and Eve was grateful to escape into another world for the five-hour journey to the demon guild.

Eve and Calab alighted the vector at the Guild of Asmodeus and entered the building.

"The alliance has been staying here for the last two weeks," Calab said. "If you would like to freshen up in your quarters, I will let them know that you've arrived and we will meet in the library in an hour."

Eve nodded. "Thank you."

"I've had some new clothes purchased for you, yours were destroyed when they sacked the guild."

"That's kind of you, thank you."

Calab nodded and left her to walk to her room alone. It felt a little strange not to be flanked by guards as she moved through the guild. She was anxious not to meet anyone from the alliance and made her way swiftly to her room. Even though she knew she was doing the right thing by allying with the fae, she could not help feeling worried about their reaction.

Eve began to explore her wardrobe—she was suddenly more fearful about what she would find in there than she was about meeting the alliance. There was not a single pair of jeans, and there were many skirts.

_Is he trying to tell me something?_

Feeling a little too like a secretary in a skirt she picked out a pair of surprisingly nice fitted pants and a fitted shirt. Both were in black as they had not bought her another colour, it seemed that only the fae wore bright colours in Arkazatinia. Eve laid the clothes on the bed and entered the bathroom to draw herself a bath. She planned to enjoy a long soak to help her relax before she met the alliance.

Eve dressed and pinned her hair in a clip. She thought she looked okay though she did not feel very regal.

What are queens supposed to wear?

If Thalia were anything to go by then, her usual jeans and Converse would suffice. She looked through the bottom of her wardrobe and found a new pair of black leather boots with buckles, which she loved instantly, and she wished she had a pair of skinny jeans to wear with them. A knock sounded on her door. She pulled the boots on quickly, answered the door and found Calab standing there.

"Good, you're ready," he said. "I shall escort you to the library, everyone is waiting." Eve took a deep breath and followed him into the corridor. He led her down the stairs and to the door of his library. "Now the Imperator has been unseated they will call you Your Highness or Lady until you are crowned," he said formally. "You should not encourage anyone to call you by your name. You are their queen, not their friend. You will have task enough getting them on board with your changes without undermining your position."

"Am I to have no friends for the whole of eternity?" she asked sadly.

"Are you ready?" asked Calab, ignoring her question.

"Yes...no," she said. "They are going to hate me."

"Let's go," he said. He opened the door, motioned for her to wait and announced, "Please rise for the future Queen of Impærielas and Crown of Arkazatinia, Her Highness the Lady Genevieve."

Eve blushed furiously. Each member of the alliance stood as she entered the library, she tried to smooth her face to disguise her nerves and embarrassment before pausing to look at Calab. He showed her to her seat at the head of the table, and she sat. The alliance remained standing. Eve shifted anxiously.

What are they doing?

"Please, be seated," she said. There were murmurs as they took their seats.

Calab introduced each of them, and they all greeted her pleasantly as _Highness_. Calab did not sit on the vacant seat next to her and instead chose a seat beside Thalia which she took as a hint that she was on her own. They all looked at her expectantly.

_Am I supposed to deliver an eloquent and inspirational speech?_

She took a breath and composed herself.

Here we go.

"Thank you all for your attendance," she began. "Prince Calab has informed me of your conduct in recent events, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve Arkazatinia with a strong and loyal alliance. There will no doubt be a period of adjustment on both sides—you are aware that I am new to Arkazatinia and there is much for me to learn about your world. I am also mindful of the fact that you have never before been ruled by an outlander—it may seem a bewildering choice of a queen, but I will serve Arkazatinia to the best of my ability."

So far so good, no one is asleep—now for the scary bit.

"As I said, there will be some adjustments, and there will be some changes in the way things are currently done within the Crown. It is my belief that Arkazatinia has selected an outlander to rule its lands because there are things that need to be done differently. I have taken the last few weeks to familiarise myself with my new role, and it has come to my attention that much of my role is the way it is simply because it always has been. __ I have learned that the previous crowns have played no part in the defence of Arkazatinia and the Impærielas do not help to defend the lands. I have also heard that potential allies are left out of the alliance because they possess power.

"This seems to me to be irrational and illogical. The alliance of the fae, for example, would have made engaging the dark alchemists less risky as there would have been a significant number of people with magical abilities rather than three...or two as it turned out." Many of the alliance began to shuffle in their seats and frown. Calab made no expression and nor did the other demon princes. Lord Tharazan of Calahad listened intently. "I have, therefore, taken the liberty of inviting the fae to join the court."

Gasps filled the room. Thalia's eyes opened wider, and she stared in disbelief. Tharazan grinned and leant forward to prop his chin on his hand. Ester, a hominem patriarch, raised her hand.

"Your Highness, with all due respect, we cannot have the fae in court," she said.

"If anyone can give me a good reason why not, beyond 'that's how things are', then I will gladly rescind my invitation to the fae queene." Ester sat back in her seat and said nothing. A small smile momentarily crept to Calab's lips. "I will also be involved in planning the defence of the lands. I understand this is _against the rules_ , but this can be easily rectified by just changing the rules. For too long the Crown has been unwilling to get their hands dirty and has left the defence of the world to others. I cannot in good conscience reign in such a way. It is no surprise that a group was able to infiltrate the Crown. The only surprise is that it did not happen sooner.

"There will be other changes as the Crown is reintegrated I'm sure. I assure you that I will not make any more radical decisions independently and I will listen to your counsel, but with immediate effect, the Crown will shoulder some of the responsibility for defence."

Eve took in the room: Calab's expression was blank, Thalia looked unimpressed, Tharazan was positively beaming, the princes looked perturbed, and the sons gave no indication of their thoughts. Only two of the hominem patriarchs looked genuinely angry. Jacob, the Son of Raphæl, raised his hand.

"Your Highness," he said, "I do not mean to speak out of turn, but what experience do you have in defensive planning?"

"None whatsoever," replied Eve coolly, "but I am willing to take on the burden and listen to the counsel of the rest of the alliance." The alliance stayed silent, glances were shared amongst them, and there were many bitten lips. "I also wanted your thoughts on approaching the Elion. It is risky to include them as we have seen, but excluding them may also carry risks."

Tharazan's smile faded a touch. "Your Highness," he said, "I'm sure you are by now aware of my own history with the Elion, and this is not the first time they have tried to _divide et impera_. I agree that excluding them is dangerous though I would not feel comfortable including them in discussions on defence and security."

"Perhaps, Your Highness," said Calab, addressing her for the first time as anything beyond 'human'. "We can approach them with such a compromise. There may be things that they want which will allow them to keep an easier peace."

The Berith and Astaroth princes gave Calab a look of disbelief as though he had just leapt on the table and performed a jig. Apparently compromising was an uncharacteristic move for a demon.

"That seems reasonable," said Eve, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief at Calab's support particularly since her only apparent ally in the room was wavering. "Does anyone else have any other thoughts?"

The concerns were of a similar nature. Eve took a vote, and they agreed they would invite the new Elion ruler to the Guild of the Crown to discuss a compromise. The alliance appeared startled when she suggested they vote on the matter and Eve recalled that the Crown generally told them what to do unless it was a matter of defence when they could do as they pleased.

Yes, things are going to be very different from now on, I just hope it doesn't get me killed.

"Does anyone have anything else urgent they would like to discuss?" Eve asked, and everyone shook their heads. "In that case, I will have a schedule of Crown reintegration meetings drawn up where we can discuss reinstatement and the usual business. I thank you all for your time." They all stood when she did. She nodded and left the room without waiting for Calab to show her out.

Eve returned to her room and allowed herself to breathe. She felt she had held her own and said what she wanted to. She hoped she had not come across as an incompetent idiot. No one had argued with her about the changes though she had no idea what they were saying now she had left the room as only Lord Tharazan had seemed to agree with her. __

I want to be sick.

She swallowed a wave of nausea as a knock came to her door. She did not want to answer. She did not want to know what they had said. Did they hate her? Did they want to get rid of her? She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hello, Your Highness," said Calab.

She smirked. "Not _human_ anymore? Or simply nothing?"

"It is not really appropriate," he said unsmilingly.

She invited him in and closed the door. "Tell me. Tell me how awful it was and how much they all hate me."

"It wasn't awful," he said. "They weren't all thrilled with the changes, but they seemed to have accepted them without too much complaint which I find rather extraordinary. Lord Tharazan is very impressed; he feels it is high time we had a Crown who has the courage to make such changes."

She breathed and nodded. "The hard work is to come I expect."

"Undoubtedly," he said. " _Graviora manent,_ heavier things remain, but you have made a good start."

"What about you? What do you think?"

He shrugged. "I agree that allying with the fae is long overdue, but I'd be lying if I said I was not concerned about your involvement in defence."

"Why?"

"Because, Your Highness, as much as you say that you will seek counsel, you are quite demanding and impulsive, even before you took the Crown, and you like to have things your own way. That attitude can be dangerous. Believe me, I should know, I am that person too."

"So, I need to work on that. I've never been a queen before; I'm not going to be good at it straight away. I will listen, you can help me."

"I will point out to you when you are a brat." He smirked. Eve smiled weakly. "Look," he said gently, "being a queen is a game, and you have to learn to play your part. There are ways to get people to agree with you and to get them to do what you want if you know how. The alliance were protective of you as it served their interests to have you in power instead of the Imperator, but they will not remain so if you do not serve them in the way they expect."

"Are you saying I should just do what they want or what has always been done just to keep everyone happy?"

"No," he said, "I am encouraging you to be aware that if you storm in and change everything quickly, they will become anxious about the new rule. You need to take things more slowly, introduce your ideas gradually—sweeten the propositions they won't like with propositions they will."

"Do you mean I should manipulate everyone?"

"Precisely so," replied Calab. "Everyone manipulates others; it is how we survive and how we get things done."

"I disagree."

"Because you view it as a negative trait."

"Explain then."

"If everyone behaved according to their mood," he started, "If I, for example, did not control myself and said whatever I felt and acted however I wanted then I would not be given the time of day. I have to modify my behaviour and my interactions to appear pleasant to others, so they will work with me and listen to what I have to say.

"People expect to be manipulated; they like it and are unhappy when it doesn't happen. If you went to a shop in Lycea and the cashier—who was in a terrible mood that day—behaved exactly how she felt, then you would likely not return to that shop. Instead, you are happy that she smiles and pretends to care whether you have found everything you need and wishes you a pleasant day. Her employer encourages her to manipulate the customers, so they will come back. It is not enough for her to just scan your items and take your money, she must act as though she cares deeply about the service you're provided with, though after eight hours every day she likely stopped caring a long time ago. It is expected that you will act a certain way to achieve what you want, whether that is to get a job or to have your rulers agree with you without turning against you."

"Do you mean that I should lie to everyone?"

"Not really," he replied. "You shouldn't tell them lies or be dishonest in what you say. You need to be careful with the truth and consider the consequences before you speak it."

"It sounds like a lot of work. I'm not sure I could keep up an act forever or if I'd even want to."

"Of course, I am exaggerating to make my point, but you need to be aware of how you appear. You are going to have to learn fast how to rule as a queen and how to interact with your subjects. You're not going to get anywhere by trying to be nice to everyone."

"I haven't been, I've already upset everyone."

"You have, but you yearn for their approval, and not for their support of your policies, but their approval of you as a person. The Impærielas have never associated with the rest of Arkazatinia outside of official engagements. They were aloof, secretive and although they had no army, they appeared formidable because they were impersonal—no one challenged their authority in court until the Imperium. When the Crown gave an order, we obeyed without question. Lady Ariana is no more important than any other ruler, but when she summoned us to discuss the prophecy we treated her as if she was the queen because she has the presence of a queen. You will try to be everyone's friend; you are already trying to be friends with me, Lord Thalia and Queene Orrla."

"You're friends with everyone."

"It is a little different as they are my peers. You are the queen. You need to detach yourself. That said, if I had my time again I would likely make different choices and would separate myself. There are terrible consequences to being friends with everyone. I murdered the Imperator and one of the alchemists on the night of the strike, and I have not been arrested or even severely reprimanded for my behaviour. Selfishly I am pleased of course, but is that right? Is it fair that I should get away with that just because I am friends with everyone? You are in the marvellous position of being at the beginning of your reign, and your mistakes are not ingrained. You can detach yourself and remain so."

"I'm not going to let people get away with murder because they're my friends."

"Then have me arrested."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous."

"You're just being difficult. I can't do what you're saying. I can't be detached from everyone. That might be easy for a demon, but it isn't for me. I need people in my life. I need friends."

Calab rolled his eyes. "You need to be smart. _Mens agitat molem,_ the mind moves the mass," he said. "I am very fond of the writings of Baltasar Gracián; one quote in particular is:

things don't pass for what they are, but how they appear.

"If you want to convince your subjects that you are the queen, then you need to behave like one. I will lend you his book and a few others that may help." Eve nodded and tried to ignore the fact that he had confirmed once more that he did not wish to be friends with her. She also attempted to ignore whether or not he had just told her that he had only ever pretended to be nice to her. She did not really think too much about anything else he had said. Calab looked frustrated. "Imagine that you are not the queen," he went on. "Imagine it is someone else, and they are friends with all of the rulers. Can you imagine how awful it would be for a continent to be ruled by a group of cronies who make decisions about the fate of everyone else? The queen may make decisions because she doesn't want to upset her friends and they could have disastrous consequences for the rest of the people. There are more people in Arkazatinia than its rulers—you must remember that."

"I shall not become some tyrant ruler who does what is best for my friends," she said. "You are overthinking this, and you obviously have a poor opinion of me if you think I won't care about the Arkazatine people."

"I'm not saying that you won't care, I am merely pointing out that you are going to make your role difficult for yourself if you are too friendly."

Eve nodded. "I'll think about it. Is Lord Thalia still around? I need to speak to her about the fight we had."

"I believe she retired to her room." Calab sighed and gave her the exasperated look of someone who wished he had just banged his head against a brick wall rather than speak to her. "I will show you the way."

"Your Highness." Thalia greeted her with a smile and invited her into her room. Calab closed the door and left.

"Lord Thalia," Eve said, "I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for my conduct the last time we met."

"There is no need, I know you were under a lot of stress."

"I wasn't happy with the plan, but that did not give me the right to speak to you as I did and I am sorry."

Thalia smiled. "Apology accepted. The Imperator was not removed as cleanly as I would have preferred, but there were no alliance casualties so we should be grateful for that."

"I'm sorry I interfered. I was anxious. I wanted it to be over with, and I rushed you all into it."

"The Imperator was plotting against us, it would have been a more difficult meeting than the one we had, I imagine. They were planning to go after you the whole time."

"I hope we can be friends despite my role as the Crown."

"Of course."

Eve smiled feeling a little relieved.

_I'm glad someone wants to be friends with me_.

"You conducted yourself rather well," said Thalia. "I was most impressed. As you know, I am not in favour of adding defensive planning to the role of the Crown. I think it should be left to those of us who are experienced and not a newcomer. However, your argument that the Crown has been hiding from the responsibility has given me pause."

Eve gave a small smile for a little victory though she clearly had work to do convincing Thalia. "I won't be a tyrant or a warmonger. I will learn from my mistakes, and I'm going to listen to everyone. I will do my best to be a good queen."

"That's all we can ask of you, though you may wish to slow down and not make so many drastic changes so quickly."

"That is what Calab has just said. I thought they would want to see me swing for swanning in and changing everything. Calab had convinced me they would be furious at my plans to ally the fae."

"It came as a shock to me. I admit it will take some adjustment. The fae are more powerful than we are, it puts us at a disadvantage."

"Surely that's a reason to have them on our side."

"It is a drastic change to our court. Losing the Imperium and our Elion allies and then gaining fae allies in such a short space of time. We are not accustomed to such rapid alterations."

"The Imperium and the Elion were not my doing."

"No, but you have not helped with your changes to defence and your alliance with the fae."

"I am not willing to renege on my offer unless I receive a more convincing argument."

Thalia's eyes widened. "I think we have underestimated your determination."

Eve smiled. "Calab hasn't, he has realised the extent of my stubbornness."

Thalia chuckled. "Well, it is done now, so we shall have to adjust. The hominem are furious, I expect they will form an argument and present it at the next meeting. There will be members of the public who will be unhappy; this may make you unpopular for some time. However, you can always introduce something that they'll like, and they will soon forget about your unsavoury alliance." Eve smiled weakly.

Do all the alliance manipulate people?

"What is it, Your Highness?" Thalia asked, regarding Eve's expression curiously.

Eve frowned. "Calab thinks that I should not be friends with any of the rulers, including you or himself. He believes it undermines my rule." She felt it best to leave out the part where he told her to manipulate everyone.

Am I manipulating Thalia by only telling her what I want her to know? Damn that demon and his mind games!

"What do you think?"

"I don't know." Eve sighed. "I can see what he means I suppose, but I hate the thought of not having any friends for the rest of eternity—is that selfish? I can't put my own happiness over my role as queen."

"If you're too familiar then it will make ruling difficult I agree. You're less likely to make decisions that we won't like. On the other hand, Arkazatinia has chosen an outlander queen, and as you said, perhaps that was so things would be different. You must decide what you feel is best."

Eve groaned inwardly. She missed her old job.

Science, how I miss science—clear, rational, logical sense. Not this wishy-washy 'test which way the wind is blowing' nonsense.

"Should I trust Calab's advice?" she asked timidly. "He was quite happy with the plan to strike the Imperator and he did execute him."

"Calab is arrogant, obnoxious, impulsive and pig-headed a lot of the time," said Thalia. "He also tends to be a little too pragmatic; however, he can also speak a great deal of sense. Nevertheless, you should never take advice from just one person, and you should consider it from all sources. You should also be mindful of your own instincts and always be aware of what is motivating you. If you are acting from fear or from anger, it is likely not the most sensible time to make decisions."

"I will listen."

"I hope so."

Over the next two weeks, the alliance moved back to their respective guilds, but Eve remained at the demon guild and had yet to meet any of the Impærielas. The Guild of the Crown had been reopened, and their next meeting was scheduled to take place there. They had agreed to meet on a two weekly basis initially with the meetings becoming monthly when the Crown was fully re-established. They had invited the Elion ruler and the fae queene to the next session. While Orrla had gladly accepted the invitation, the Elion had been reluctant citing that they were unwilling to compromise with the alliance who had executed their ruler.

With the aid of Tharazan, Eve had compiled a dossier to send to the Elion which detailed their expected contributions to public spending. As part of the reintegration of the Crown, Arkazatinia had returned to its former financial system instead of the tax regime the Imperator had installed. They operated a donation system with each ruler offering a contribution to the amount that was required which would be decreased or increased as necessary. There was no Crown treasury and money was collected as needed. Rulers who did not attend had their donations made by proxy and often made up for any shortfall. The rulers had mixed views on this system as they never knew what they would spend though they knew their attendance at court would cost them something and their lack of presence might cost them more.

It was detailed in the dossier to the Elion that, despite their unwillingness to ally with the Crown, they would still be expected to make a financial contribution and this could not be negotiated unless they were present. Following this, Eve received a note from the Elion ruler to advise that they would attend the meeting though they would only be willing to discuss financial matters.

Lord Caius of Elion had attended as planned. Eve had asked if there was anything that could aid their alliance and was advised that they would not accept anything less than the Crown itself. A regular payment towards public spending was agreed based on an average of a year's contributions, and their attendance was deemed no longer necessary. Queene Orrla's first meeting had gone well, and despite the initial complaints about the inclusion of the fae in the alliance, the hominem had not offered much more of an argument beyond it being a drastic change that should have been considered with more care and greater respect for their traditions.

Eve's official ascension ceremony was arranged to crown her as the Queen of Impærielas and Crown of Arkazatinia. Eve felt terrified. She had carried out the role of the Crown for several weeks, but having it made official was frightening.

The Impærielas had sent a trunk with her proper Crown attire to the Asmodeus guild. Everything was midnight blue.

_Almost black._

There were several gowns and robes which she was expected to wear daily much to her disgust. Thankfully, the dresses were not huge and were simply made except for one formal dress that she was to wear for her ascension. Still, they were full length and far too formal for her tastes—much more formal than the other rulers. While the male rulers tended to dress in tailored suits, they usually forfeited a tie and an overcoat, and the female leaders seemed to wear whatever took their fancy that day.

Why do I have to wear this?

Eve wished she had thought to invite Thalia over to help her with her dress as she struggled with the corset. She huffed and wondered if she would have a lady's maid at the Impærielas guild to help her get dressed. Eve was still struggling when a knock came to her door. She pulled her bathrobe over her dress, opened the door and found Calab standing there.

"You're not ready?" he said. "We need to leave soon."

"I can't put on this stupid dress," she exclaimed.

"Well, I'll give you a little longer," he said and started to turn.

"Can you help?" she asked. He looked horrified. "I'm perfectly decent, I just can't tighten the corset as the strings are at the back. _Please_."

"I assure you this is entirely inappropriate," he said, entering her room.

She turned her back on him and smiled as he tackled the corset. "Did the last queen wear this stuff every day?"

"I didn't really notice. It was a while ago. I suppose they did. The King always wore regalia of some description and always this colour. I'm sure this is for formal occasions, and you'll have simpler outfits for each day."

"Why do they go through so many rulers if they're immortal?"

"They are not truly immortal in the sense that they will live forever, they do live a very long time—several thousand years," he said. "Although, this can be too much for many and a lot of people give up and fade out well before."

"What does that mean? Do they die?"

"Yes," replied Calab, "it means that the soul leaves the body and either ascends or descends. Usually, this happens in old age, but if they have tired of their existence, then it can happen much sooner."

"Why would they tire of life?"

"Ask yourself that question in a thousand years," he said, "when you have experienced ten human lifetimes, and it is the same routine year after year."

Eve frowned. "You have lived much longer than that, how do you cope?"

"My lack of emotional depth helps, I suppose," he said, "and I find joy in my books. Many immortals have experienced everything and have nothing left that they desire, nothing they are passionate for and too much life left. In the words of Poe 'for passion must, with youth, expire.'"

"That is a profound statement for someone who lacks emotional depth."

"I'm repeating things I've heard," he answered plainly.

"Why do you like quoting things so much?"

"Why do you?"

"I only do it because you do."

He sighed. "I suppose it is because I don't understand...feelings or...well, most things really. Quotes help me make sense of things. They're always out of context and never what the author meant when they wrote them, but they help me understand people a little better."

"Help you to manipulate them?"

"I suppose so. They help me to get along with people, especially impossible people like moody and demanding queens."

She laughed. "I don't want to be the queen."

"Why? Because you don't want to wear gowns? I thought you fancied yourself wearing corsets and taking turns about the room."

"It sounds better in fiction," she said dryly. "I don't think I will stick to the dress code."

"You should," said Calab, "it will give you more esteem, and you cannot afford to throw away the respect that comes with your attire."

"You are probably right. But that's not why I don't want to be queen. Everyone hates me already, and I'm going to be awful."

He turned her around slowly, her shoulders warming to the heat of his hands. "You may have made yourself unpopular, but you have also made your position clear. As you say, they will accept it eventually, more so if you respect their counsel. Just try to be more cautious about your decisions in the future. And remember what I said: you do not need them to like you as a person, you need them to understand and respect your rule."

"Do you hate me, Calab?"

"It's Prince Calab," he sighed, turning her around, "and what makes you think that?" She shrugged and said nothing. "There," he said cheerfully as he finished her corset, "how is that?"

She smiled. "Good, thank you."

She expected him to leave while she finished readying herself and was surprised when he moved a pile of clothes from her bed and sat down. She slipped on the suede leather shoes also in midnight blue and began to pull the midnight blue brocade around her before finishing with her official Impærielas Crown sash. The sash contained the only other colour in her outfit and had the official Impærielas Lynx seal stitch on it in gold thread. She studied her reflection. She looked like she was ready for a ball or for fancy dress. She did not look like she was ready to take on a crown and rule a land. She sighed and tidied a few stray strands of hair before declaring herself ready.

Calab stood. He was wearing a full suit today complete with waistcoat, tailcoat and a wine coloured cravat. He looked as though he was attending a Victorian wedding and looked very elegant—she liked it. He opened the door to her room, and she stepped through into the corridor. She stopped to take a breath. Calab offered her his arm, which she accepted, and he led her to the waiting vector.

He sat beside her in the vector, and her demon guards sat opposite. Calab had suggested that Eve should be provided with an official guard for whenever she should venture outside of the guild. They would accompany her wherever she went, and although the Impærielas would not accept them within their guild, they would stay close by. Each of the angel and demon guilds provided four guards who would take shifts in pairs in addition to their decree. Calab and Jacob had made the role an official one and had the interested angels and demons apply for a salaried position as one of her guards. They had then organised the chosen guards into ranks with a captain in charge, ordered them midnight blue uniforms with the lynx stitched on the breast pocket and the back of their cloaks, and had styled them as the Queen's Guard.

Eve was relieved to have her own guards. She was concerned about threats to her life once she moved to live with the Impærielas. However, she did find the uniforms and the titles a little unnecessary.

Eve cringed at the sight of the crowd that had turned out for the ceremony and felt a wave of nausea. She hoped the layer of foundation would disguise the fact that she had suddenly paled. The vector stopped on the front steps of the Guild of the Crown. Calab and the guards stepped out of the vector and were joined by the rest of her guard. The angels were armed with their heavenly blades and the demons with their claws. Calab motioned for her to leave the vector and she stepped out. She had turned to smile and wave to the cheering crowd before she followed Calab up the steps and into the Hall of the Crown.

She had not been in the hall yet as it was used for official purposes and found it was not as grand as she expected though it was large and beautifully decorated with fresh flowers. The hall was full of the rulers of Arkazatinia and many other faces who she did not know. A small group of people sat far from everyone else and Eve wondered if they were the Impærielas.

The ceremony began and Eve approached the dais and the thorian high priest who was waiting to ascent her. She could not recall much of what was said at the ceremony as she struggled to contain her nausea, but she pledged her allegiance to Arkazatinia and promised to pledge her life to the protection of Arkazatinia and its people and to protect Lycea from Arkazatinia. She was handed a sceptre, a cloak was placed upon her shoulders, a crown was placed upon her head, and then Eve was officially Her Majesty Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia.

_There is no escape now_.

Following the ceremony, there was a feast held in another hall of the guild. Eve was to sit with the other rulers at the head table. Their places were already marked with placeholders, and she was disappointed to find she was not sitting beside Calab. However, she was pleased to sit next to Lord Tharazan, the only ruler happy with her decisions so far. Members of the public filled the rest of the tables.

Before entering the hall, Eve was approached by the group of people who had sat out of the way, and they introduced themselves to her as her Impærielas brethren. They welcomed her to Arkazatinia and to the order but advised that they would not attend the feast. They gave her a gift of a handcrafted personal seal for her correspondence which would allow her to emboss the Impærielas Lynx and her initials into the wax seal of her letters. She could not wait to try it.

During the feast, each of the rulers gave a speech to pledge the fealty of their orders to the Crown and each order offered her gifts to welcome her to rule. Her gifts mostly consisted of jewellery though she did receive a heavenly bladed dagger from the Guild of Uriel and a black stallion who was already stabled with the Impærielas, from the Guild of the Fae. Calab had instructed her before the ceremony that she was to nod her thanks, accept each ruler as her vassal, and give the promise to rule justly and honourably. Though they had not attended, gifts had been sent with a messenger from the king of Axandria, the king of Vernasia and the lords of some of the islands to welcome her to rule. After the speeches, a quartet serenaded them with music for the remainder of the feast.

Eve was surprised to have enjoyed the day though she was exhausted and relieved to return to the Guild of Asmodeus. Calab escorted her to her room and carried her gifts for her. He opened the door and allowed her to pass by him before entering and placing the gifts on the table.

"Would you like me to get you undressed, Your Majesty?" he asked. Eve giggled, and Calab looked stern. "That did not come out as intended, Your Majesty."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, that is very kind," she said, turning her back to him. "You know I preferred it when you didn't address me as anything or just called me human."

"As did I. It is not appropriate now."

"Can you not call me Eve?"

"No, it is not acceptable to address someone of a higher status by their given name—you should not encourage this."

"I can't really think of myself as being of higher status," she said, "I was raised in a working-class family in Manchester."

"From humble beginnings to the queen of the land—it could be a fairy story." He smiled. He had finished unfastening her dress and had turned his back and waited while she slipped off the dress and pulled on her bathrobe before sitting beside her on the bed. Eve was again surprised that he did not leave immediately.

"Except I am financially worse off. I was rescued by a brave prince, though." Eve grinned though Calab said nothing and gave her a thin smile. "Will you dine with me tonight?" she asked. Calab pursed his lips. "It's okay if you don't want to. I'm not trying to force my friendship upon you. It's just that this day has been overwhelming and I always feel calmer around you."

_Well, mostly I feel confused and conflicted, but I definitely feel safer_.

He nodded. "I shall return at supper, Your Majesty." He stood and gave her a bow before smirking and leaving her room.

April arrived and Eve was beginning to settle into Arkazatinia a little more, and without the constant threat of danger over her head, she had some time to arrange for her house and her car in Nottingham to be placed on the market. Jason had moved out, and she had her things placed in the storage unit Thalia had ordered for her. She had barely thought about Jason since arriving in Arkazatinia and of all the things she missed in her old life, she was relieved to find he had not been one of them. Thalia had a few of her Procnatus visit him to issue him notice that their relationship was over and he had one month to find somewhere else to live. Being Jason he had taken almost double that, but he was finally out and gone from her life. She _had_ wished she had been a fly on the wall when he was given the notice and had witnessed his reaction to her sudden departure, but she had quickly gotten over that. She was happy to be free of him, though she wished it hadn't taken her to become the queen of a supernatural land to realise that.

The Queen's Guard used their powers to stay hidden from view but followed Eve closely while they escorted her to Lycea. While in Lycea, Eve took the opportunity to go shopping to purchase herself some new clothes that she could, at least, wear in Lycea, and some new nightwear—as far as she knew there was no requirement for midnight blue pyjamas.

She spent a whole day in used books stores hunting down precious volumes for the library like Calab's she intended to have one day. She purchased so many books that one of her guards had to help her to carry them. Eve had also made a few trips to the towns in Eurasia, especially the capital city of Tethys which was home to the Guild of the Crown.

Having spent time at the Guild of Asmodeus, which did not have a single TV and the only computer seemed to be in Calab's office, Eve had presumed that Arkazatinia was not as technologically advanced as Lycea. This appeared to be inaccurate and amongst the usual grocers, butchers and clothing shops there were some tech stores selling PCs, laptops and the latest vox models. She had learned that the Procnatus especially, were major shareholders of many Lycean companies and thorian—especially Procnatus—working under assumed names were involved in many major science and technology advancements in Lycea.

There were also a lot of alchemical shops and work premises including alchemical architects, alchemical blacksmiths and alchemical IT specialists.

Eve enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the ordinary people of Arkazatinia though it overwhelmed her every time she went as an entourage of Queen's Guard surrounded her. More of her guards accompanied her than when she visited Lycea, as she was something of a celebrity. It felt strange though she was pleased that their reaction to her was, on the whole, positive though she had overheard the occasional slur about her allegiance with the fae.

The towns were pretty and well-kept as she would expect from buildings made of materials that did not require maintenance and she could see no visible signs of poverty. She made a note to look into the affairs of the people to ensure that it was representative. Having spoken to a few people, she learned that there were no public libraries in the whole of Arkazatinia and education varied wildly as people were educated within their own orders—she did not think this was essentially a problem but made a note for future reference.

The weeks passed, and the alliance agreed that the threat to Eve's life had decreased enough for her to move to the Impærielas guild with the measures of her guard remaining close by and escorting her wherever she went. Though she knew that she had to go she was somewhat apprehensive. She had seen very little of Calab since her supper after her ascension which had been an enjoyable evening though she got the familiar feeling that he felt awkward. However, he escorted her to her vector to see her off. Her guards loaded her belongings into the vector and Eve turned to Calab.

"Thank you," she said, "for everything, for keeping me safe and making me welcome in your home."

"You're very welcome," he replied.

She wanted to hug him but knowing that he would hate that, she refrained. She climbed aboard the vector, programmed it with her new address and set off for her new home. Her stomach churned with anxiety at the thought of moving to the Guild of Impærielas, and she felt a pang of regret at leaving the Guild of Asmodeus. She was unable to stop the tears forming in her eyes.

So, whene'er I turn my eye

Back upon the days gone by,

Saddening thoughts of friends come o'er me,-

Friends, who closed their course before me.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Hyperion
Part the second

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be a profound secret and mystery to every other.

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.

August had arrived and Eve had been with the Impærielas for three months. They had been three arduous months. The demons were jolly and effervescent when compared with the Impærielas. They had little, if any, tolerance for Eve's approach to allying them with the rest of the Crown Alliance and did not wish to associate with other Arkazatines outside of official state matters. They disapproved heavily of Eve's personal relationships with the other rulers and frequently reminded her that her conduct was inappropriate.

To keep the peace, Eve initially followed their lead and Calab's advice and kept her relationships professional. However, after two months of only formal and task-oriented interactions she could not bear it any longer. She missed talking and laughing, and ignoring their instructions, she began to socialise, albeit infrequently, with other Arkazatines. The Impærielas were unimpressed. Many were vocal about their disdain and those who were reticent eyed her with contempt.

Eve could not bear the thought of spending her immortal life without having another friendly conversation and once again adopted her 'they'll get over it' mantra.

To escape her strained relationship with her new people, Eve had spent a few days in the fae realm with Queene Orrla who she adored. They had spent time riding, and she had joined them for another beautiful concert in the forest. The trip was over too soon.

Why couldn't I have been the fae queene?

Orrla had spent a day with Eve after a visit to Tethys for the Crown Reintegration Meeting or CRM, as it was now known—even business in Arkazatinia had silly acronyms. Calab had suggested they called it the CARPE, which stood for the Crown Alliance Revenue and Protocol Exchange, but the other leaders thought CRM sounded more _professional_.

Eve used Orrla's visit as an opportunity to ride out with her on the black stallion the fae had given her. Calab had arranged for the horse to be collected from the fae and taken to the Impærielas stables. He had given the horse the temporary name of Aethon, after the horses belonging to Hector in Homer's _Illiad_ and Pallas in Virgil's _Aeneid_. Eve had read neither of the books, but she thought it seemed a worthy name for her noble steed.

Aethon was perhaps a little too wild to be a lady's horse but, as an experienced rider, she did not mind and loved the liberating feeling thundering across the planes brought her, even if she was followed closely by her guard.

Much to Aethon's disappointment, Eve had him stick to a light hack during Orrla's visit allowing her to converse with Orrla who was mounted upon a chestnut mare from the Impærielas stables. Eve was wearing the new riding outfit the Impærielas had made for her after she declared that she would be risking her life riding the stallion side-saddle and could not possibly wear a dress. They had agreed and had made her a shirt, a very lovely fitted jacket and fitted pants all in midnight blue and finished with a hat and a cloak with the lynx stitched upon it. Eve loved her outfit, and it looked great with the boots Calab had given her. It was the first time she had felt regal.

"He seems to have taken to you, Your Majesty," said Orrla.

"Yes," replied Eve, stroking the stallion's neck, "he certainly makes sure I know my place."

Orrla smiled. "He is moody, demanding, and headstrong, he is also beautiful, courageous and loyal—I could not find a more perfect horse for our outlander queen."

Eve laughed. "How are you finding court? Are your peers treating you well?"

"They are accepting me slowly. There are a few who would rather I was not there though they keep their opinions to themselves. I haven't received any invitations to supper yet."

"They will adjust," said Eve, "if it makes you feel any better they dislike me also, there is only Lord Thalia and Lord Tharazan who are pleasant towards me. I have an amicable and somewhat confusing relationship with Prince Calab. Otherwise, I think the rest of the alliance would happily see me burn and have me replaced with someone more amiable. That goes for my own people too. I haven't even dared to invite anyone for supper to my guild as they are so intolerant of outsiders."

"Oh dear. What a pair we are. We must stick together; perhaps we can form our own order of abhorrent outsiders."

Eve laughed. "I think we already have."

Eve had remained behind in the office of the Guild of the Crown following the CRM and was completing her ledgers when a knock sounded at the door. Calab entered.

"Your Majesty," he said and bowed towards her. She invited him to sit.

"Prince Calab," she said. "How may I help?"

"I merely wished to enquire of your wellbeing," he said. "We have not spoken at length for many months."

It was true; she had not spoken to him outside of Crown matters since she had left his guild. She had attempted to be friendly towards him, even when she was maintaining her professionalism with everyone else. As her rescuer and advisor, Eve felt she shared a bond with him though he did not reciprocate her feelings. She had become frustrated that he remained insistent on making their relationship purely professional and had given up trying to talk to him. She was surprised to find him in her office.

"I am well; thank you," she said, "and you?"

"Yes, I am well," he said. "Have you settled into the Guild of Impærielas?"

Eve groaned inwardly at the mention of the Impærielas. "It is a work in progress."

He smiled. "That well."

"Without wanting to sound harsh, I find them a...challenge to get along with," she said sadly. "They make their distaste for me abundantly clear."

"You will warm to them in time I'm sure," he said quickly before changing the subject. "How are you finding the role as Crown?"

"Good for the most part," she said, "but it's also confusing, overwhelming and I feel out of my depth much of the time."

Calab nodded and seeming to be stuck for a response said, "You appear to be handling it well."

She changed the subject as he was clearly uncomfortable talking about her feelings. "Is the guild quiet without a moody and demanding queen screaming the place down each night?"

His expression eased into a slight grin. "My dungeon has been restored to its former conditions of filth."

She laughed. "My first act as queen was going to be to have you executed for putting me in there."

He returned her smile; it was careful but warmer than usual. "What changed your mind?"

She blushed. "The books and your note. I couldn't possibly be angry with you after that."

"You were angry with me the next morning."

"That was a sample of my terrific acting talents."

"You were very convincing." He laughed. She loved talking to him when he was like this when he let his guard down and conversed easily. She spoke cautiously afraid the slightest thing may unnerve him. "I... You..." he started, but then stood. "I should go."

Eve nodded and smiled weakly to hide her disappointment. "Take care, Prince Calab."

He left her office. Eve felt the same familiar ache she felt after every conversation with Calab. They all ended too soon and usually left her wondering what she had said wrong. A knock sounded on her door, and she was delighted to find that he had returned.

"Your Majesty," he said, "I'm sorry to interrupt again. I would be honoured if you would join me for supper this night."

"I'm afraid I'm dining with Lord Tharazan tonight."

Calab did not try to hide the disappointment that looked to have gripped him unexpectedly. "Oh," he said. He looked lost for words and quite overwhelmed. He composed himself, nodded and left. Eve leapt from her seat and rushed to the door—he was already heading out the exit of the guild.

"Prince Calab," she called and felt relieved when he returned. "I am free tomorrow."

He gave a gentle, boyish smile she had never seen before. "You are?"

"Yes." She smiled. "But I will come only if we can have cake as it's my birthday."

"As Her Majesty wishes." He smiled, gave her a bow and then left.

Eve returned to her office and sat at the desk. She felt the thrill of excitement that she would be dining with him the following night, but what had she just witnessed? He was quite crestfallen by her proclamation that she was dining with Tharazan. She might even say saddened. Was that normal for a demon? Deciding that her thoughts were better left unsaid and convinced that Calab would not appreciate her bringing it up; she left it alone and returned to her ledgers.

Calab looked at the clock, it was six forty-five—she was due at seven. What was he thinking inviting her here? He picked at his talons. He hated the way she made him feel. He hated his reaction to her dining with Lord Tharazan. It pained him. His chest felt tight, and he wanted to tear Tharazan to ribbons. Then he was filled with relief that she said she would join him this night, on her birthday. He was excited. He had been unable to concentrate on anything else all day. He was annoyed with himself for that. He had spent time in Lycea working, working with another violent young man with another beautiful girlfriend. All he could see was the brute laughing as his fists rained on the girl, on Genevieve. He had almost intervened. Almost stopped the man. Almost broken the gravest rule of their decree. He left after an hour in Lycea.

He had never wanted to interfere before, no matter what despicable things humans did. He had never cared. But recently he had been bothered more and more by what he saw in Lycea. He had become more distressed by events from his past—events from so long ago they should not feature in his mind at all.

_What is happening to me?_

He did not know, and he did not like it. He was about to call Charon to ask him to send the queen away when he entered the library to announce her arrival.

"Hi, Calab," she said. It irritated him that she had dropped his title again, but the smile she gave him brushed the irritation away. He considered greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. The thought made him feel uncomfortable, so he refrained and simply returned her smile.

"Many happy returns," he said, inviting her to sit before the fireplace. The fire was unlit due to the warm summer weather. Calab found the fire comforting and was unaffected by the heat, even in summer, but he did not think his guest would appreciate a roaring fire in the middle of August.

"Thank you," she said, taking a seat. She looked pretty. He had no idea what she had done with her hair and her make-up, but it suited her, and the way she looked at him through her long lashes made him pause.

"Have you had an enjoyable birthday?" he asked, recovering himself.

"Yes, thank you," she said. "I've spent the day in Lycea with my mother. She took me shopping, and we had lunch—with my guard of course—well, they didn't have lunch, I'm not sure my mother would cope with that."

He smiled as her eyes lit as she spoke of her day. His men saw more of her than he did, they would have seen her carefree and laughing with her mother—being human again for a day.

_Why do I care?_

"I've got you a present," he said, removing a carefully wrapped parcel from under his seat. The girl opened the gift to find the 1927 reprint of _A Diary of Thomas de Quincey_ containing copies of his handwritten entries and letters. "I found it on the internet. It's number two hundred and seven of the fifteen hundred that were printed."

"Thank you," she said, beaming. "I love it. I hope it wasn't expensive. How did you get it so quickly?"

"It wasn't. I bought it some time ago, I knew it was your birthday," he said, feeling his cheeks burn. He wished he had not said that. No one in Arkazatinia celebrated birthdays except the hominem with their short, mortal lives, but it occurred to him that she would still wish to celebrate hers and had taken the trouble to find the date. He had then invited her to dine with him the day before presuming she would have other plans for her birthday—he would not tell her that.

"Thank you." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

He stiffened as her lips brushed his skin, as he smelt her. Smelt her hair, the scent still lingering after she had moved away stirring his senses, stirring his memories. He pulled himself back into the moment. "I'm glad you like it."

"So, demons shop online?" She smirked.

"It is one of the greatest inventions of the modern age." She giggled—it was girlish, charming and utterly adorable. He caught his breath.

_I shouldn't have invited her here, I should make an excuse and ask her to leave_.

He could not bring himself to ask her. He had avoided speaking to her for months, and that did nothing to help him control his thoughts. Now she was here, in front of him laughing and smiling in that way that made him falter just as he had wanted her to be. Except he did not want her here. He did not want her making him uncomfortable, making his pulse race and his breathing rapid.

A welcome relief came when Charon announced supper. He invited the girl to sit at the library table where the alliance had met on the girl's first meeting with them. As it was not an official engagement, he took his seat at the end of the table and the queen was placed to his left. Charon poured their wine and then left him alone with her once more.

"My supper with Lord Tharazan," she said as she began to cut through her scallops, "it was an official engagement. He has been helping me with the Crown admin since my ascension."

Calab felt relieved though he did not know why or why she felt the need to tell him that. It is not as if he was jealous of Tharazan. Why would he be? He pictured Tharazan: like him, he had a strong, athletic physique and curly black hair, but where Tharazan had his thorian good looks and his dazzling smile, Calab was shrouded with his beastly demonic features. He had been a demon for thousands of years, why did this bother him now? "Tharazan is a strong member of the alliance," he said diplomatically, "he has a sound mind."

"Yes," she said, "if there were any sense in this world he would be the Crown and not me. He is also the only one who likes me, besides Thalia and Orrla."

Her words stabbed at him. _We're not friends_ , he heard himself say those months ago in the fae realm and again on her return to his guild. On the day of her ascension, she had asked him if he hated her and he had not answered. He recalled a conversation with Thalia: _the queen thinks you don't like her; she thinks you tolerate her because you have to_. He winced at the memories. Why did they bother him? "I like you," he said quietly and immediately regretted it when she gave him that smile again where she looked at him through her lashes. He looked away from her and gulped at his wine.

"I read one of the books you gave me, the art of something," she said when he had stared quietly at his plate for a few moments trying to compose his thoughts.

_Good, books,_ _I can talk about books._

"Baltasar Gracián," he said. "What did you think?"

"I actually loved it for its wit and cynicism. I'm not sure whether it is a code to live by, though—it's conflicting. Some parts made me understand what you said about remaining detached and using yourself as a tool to get people to do what you want, but it reads like a psychopath's handbook if I'm honest. Other parts contradict what you said; he said you should have friends and earn their affections."

"To have people in your favour, to depend on you. Not for pleasure."

"Perhaps, it is the same thing, is it not?"

"If you think so then you may have learnt something after all."

"Why?" she asked. "You think I should have friends to use them?"

"Not exactly. You shouldn't be friends with the rulers in the same way that you would have friends in Lycea to share secrets and buy shoes or whatever it is girls do. Rather you should have cautious relationships—instrumental friendships if you will—where you earn the esteem of those under you. Gracián also said that you should understand those around you, learn their weaknesses and what drives them so you can influence them. But, you should keep your composure, don't share anything that isn't necessary and don't expose your own weaknesses."

"You don't follow this code."

"No, you're right," he said.

_I used to be able to._

"But," he continued, "I have the advantage of being an intimidating demon who has run a guild for thousands of years. People will listen to me, and they know that I will take steps to make sure of it if they don't. You are a human, and without meaning any offence, you are a novelty and no one really cares what you have to say. As much as you are the queen if you start becoming a problem, they will end you—just like the Imperator. You need to use anything at your disposal to get them to respect you. You are not without advantages, the fact that they have low expectations is itself an advantage, and it would not take a great act to impress them. You should not do that by being friends with them. Being friends with everyone will make you seem weak as a ruler."

"Why invite me tonight then?" she asked.

_Because I'm an idiot and a hypocrite and I can't control myself._

He was saved from answering by Charon entering the library to clear the plates and bring the main course.

"Surely," she continued once Charon left the room, "if I have friends I will have allies, and they may listen to what I say and be less likely to 'end me' as you say."

"On one hand yes," he replied, "but you then have the issue that you are also more likely to be controlled by them. There is more of the alliance than there are of you and they respect each other more than they do you. They have a history that you just don't share."

"What should I do then?"

"You need to be cautious at all times," he said. "Always choose your words carefully, and as Gracián says, 'act as though always on view'. And have a good manner, this 'they'll get over it' attitude will not help. A good manner will help convey unwanted news better."

She looked thoughtful and stared at her plate for a few moments; then asked, "Why help me, Calab? What is in it for you?"

He was silent for a few moments before he murmured, "I don't know. I just feel...compelled to help you." He hadn't wanted to answer the question, he hadn't wanted her to know what he was thinking, and he wanted it less when she gave him another heart-stopping smile. He wished she would not do that.

Calab made it through the evening with several more glasses of wine that he would usually take at supper. The queen had been thrilled that they had chocolate cake—hers had a single candle, and she blew it out after making a wish. He walked her to her vector at the end of the evening.

"I have had a wonderful evening, Calab, thank you," she said. "And thank you for the present."

"You're welcome," he replied, willing her to get into the vector and leave quickly.

She started to move towards him to kiss his cheek, but his displeasure must have been written on his face as she stopped herself and simply smiled at him, stepped into the vector and was soon speeding off towards the Guild of Impærielas with her guard following her. Calab breathed a sigh of relief and vowed never to invite her for supper again.

December arrived and Eve was slowly approaching her first Christmas in Arkazatinia. The thought saddened her more than she thought it would, but she ignored it and continued with the Crown business during the CRM.

After concluding the matters of public spending, Avalon reported some of the scouts who had been watching the Guild of Elion and the Elion ruler, had seen the lord and a few members of the Elion making a trip north over the Laurasian border. They had spent a few nights there before returning and had appeared to do nothing suspicious.

"What is north?" asked Eve, eying the map on the wall of the court.

"Baltica," answered Tharazan. "It used to be the witch lands before the uprising. The witches were exiled to Gondwana—the area to the east of Eurasia—after they were defeated. The north is barren nowadays, and hardly anything grows there. It is freezing all year round and in constant darkness during the winter months. No orders live there now, and it is home only to a variety of beasts which you will surely be unfamiliar with—there are several texts if you are interested in learning more."

"What reason could the Elion have for going there?"

"I can think of none, Your Majesty," said Tharazan. "It is not the place for a holiday. Their Trip Advisor rating is atrocious, they have no broadband and the weather is terrible." Eve grinned, and he continued. "It concerns me when potential enemies behave bizarrely, we should keep a closer eye on them."

Eve nodded. "I apologise that this is repetition for everyone else, but why were the witches exiled to the east?"

"It was because it is on the borders of Eurasia. At that time, Gondwana was occupied by the Guilds of Berith and Uriel who remained there until they relocated to Laurasia, and it was thought that the Crown Alliance could keep a better eye on the witches. Their old lands were north of Laurasia, and after the uprising, the Elion were not allied with the Crown. They had devoted their efforts to occupying areas surrounding Eurasia which was why they were at war with Calahad to secure Laurentia and have a strong position to move on the Crown. It was thought that having an enemy north of our enemy was dangerous and monitoring of them was impractical. It was long before telecommunications, and none of the alliance were located in Laurasia. The Guilds of Berith and Uriel relocated after the Elion allied with the Crown so each area would have an equal representation of the Crown Alliance. As there were not many witches left after the uprising, they were moved to a more observable location. The routine monitoring of witches tailed off a long time ago, and we have maintained an uneasy peace with them."

"Thank you, Lord Tharazan," said Eve. "Can we arrange for them to be watched more closely? The witches too, just in case." It was agreed a scout team of angels and demons would be dispatched to investigate Baltica, and they would have more eyes on the Elion and a closer watch on the witches.

At Eve's request, Thalia remained behind after the meeting.

"Are you well, Your Majesty?" Thalia asked.

"I am, thank you," said Eve. "I was wondering if I could use your library, I would like to look through some history texts and become more familiar with the geography of Arkazatinia. The only book I have read so far has been the guardian guidebook which doesn't even mention Gondwana and Baltica."

"It is not the most informative of texts," she said. "It gives a rough overview. Why don't you accompany me to the Guild of Procnatus now? You may use the library and take supper with Mikæl and me."

"I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble," said Eve.

"It would be my pleasure."

Soon Eve was aboard Thalia's vector as it made its way to the Guild of Procnatus with her guards following behind in her vector.

"Lord Thalia," Eve said, "that guardian guidebook describes demons as cold, callous and remorseless—is that true? I don't really see Calab in that way."

"They certainly can be cold, callous and remorseless, Calab included, but, like any person, there is more to their character. I have a more intimate acquaintance with Calab than any other demon and as much as I find him impulsive, narcissistic, histrionic and ill-tempered; he can also be kind, gentle and generous."

Eve felt a pang of jealousy when Thalia described Calab as her 'intimate acquaintance'. "Yet, they're incapable of love or empathy?"

"They cannot feel the love most people feel," said Thalia. "The longing one feels when they are away from their partner, the delight one feels when they share their lives with another, the grief of their passing, the jealousy of the threat of a rival mate. Of all the pain and delight of love, they feel nothing. However, things are never so straightforward, and despite this, they still manage to show some compassion and concern for others although admittedly it is subtle, a learned rather than a natural gesture one might say."

Eve frowned at the description. "I think Calab can feel those things," she said, recalling his reaction to her supper with Lord Tharazan.

"It can be difficult to grasp, but he is not capable of the emotions that you feel."

Eve remained unconvinced, but let it go. "I think I would view not being able to love as a blessing. I would prefer to have my life dictated by a logical and rational mind than by an illogical and irrational heart."

"Such cynicism from one so young," exclaimed Thalia. "You should not let the actions of one man taint your view of love. When it is true, it gives great rewards. Surely one who is so fond of literature should have a more romantic heart."

"Perhaps that's why I am so unromantic, or at least, I'd like to be. The real thing has been quite disappointing."

"Perhaps you have yet to find the _real thing."_

"How can demons be compassionate if they are unable to feel emotions?"

"They aren't incapable of all emotion. They are very capable of anger for example. However, their emotional range is very basic, almost primal except they're incapable of even simple love. This affects their ability to empathise with others which in turn allows them to be good at their work. When they get to know someone, someone who they like, then they are warmer, almost caring. Calab was quite affected when he witnessed the assault on you—he was visibly distressed. I believe he is fond of you."

Eve felt her cheeks burn. "He is?"

Thalia laughed. "I think he is more than a little fascinated with you. He's never known a human well before." Eve smiled to herself. "If I am not too bold I'd say that you are rather fond of him too."

Eve felt her cheeks flush red and her breathing quicken. "Why do you say that?"

"Your countenance betrays you when you speak of him or hear his name, you blush and smile to yourself. When his name is mentioned it commands your attention and you often bring up the topic of demons—perhaps on the chance that Calab is mentioned?"

Eve blushed furiously. "It's probably not allowed anyway."

"Why?"

"Because I'm human and he's a demon, aren't there rules?"

"You're not a human anymore—you're an Impærielas queen."

"So he wouldn't be subject to a 'severe penalty'?"

"I don't think so. Demons have relationships with thorian."

"Really?"

"Yes, I guess it's our inability to procreate that make us low-risk options." Thalia laughed.

"What is the attraction for the thorian?"

"I suppose it's the simplicity. A relationship with a demon lacks the emotional baggage that comes with a relationship with someone who has full access to their feelings. They tend to be quite impulsive and reckless which for a time makes them fun to be with. They also— How can I put this without seeming crude? They make...enjoyable companions."

"They're good in bed?" offered Eve.

Thalia blushed. "I wouldn't put it quite like that, but yes. It is rather like Odysseus binding himself to his ship's mast to hear the sirens sing, he can enjoy the pleasure without the accompanying destruction of life."

"And you say I'm cynical!"

"Of course, there comes a time when that is not enough, and one needs the emotional depth to be fulfilled." Eve wanted to ask Thalia if she had ever been involved with a demon, specifically Calab, but thought she would be prying too much. "It was a very long time ago," said Thalia, appearing to read her thoughts. "We are simply friends now."

"I wasn't going to ask," said Eve, wishing her cheeks would stop flushing red.

Thalia grinned. "I know."

The vector arrived at the Guild of Procnatus and Eve soon found herself in the library.

"I'm never any less stunned when I enter your library," she said. "It is breathtaking every time."

On her first visit to the guild, Eve had assumed that Thalia's office was the library; however, that was merely her personal collection and the guild library was of staggering proportions. It extended the full height of the guild and even had spiral staircases to reach higher levels.

Thalia laughed and showed her to the Arkazatine history texts. She helped her to pick out some books and allowed her to borrow a few Lycean volumes for pleasure including a beautiful first edition of her favourite book _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ by Oscar Wilde.

"I hope to have my own library one day," said Eve. "I need more books to fill it, though. There is a beautiful room in the Impærielas guild, it is enormous and used for nothing. It has a semi-circle window with a lovely view of the Impærielas farmlands, and it would make an excellent library if I can ever persuade the Impærielas to let me have one."

"You have many a year to work on them and build your own collection."

Eve had not found it easy to adjust to the thought of immortality. To never growing up with her family or friends. She was even finding _her people_ particularly difficult to get along with. Her own sanctuary, her own place of solitude was just what she needed. Eve felt Thalia's gaze upon her as she tried to shake the melancholia that had gripped her suddenly.

"You may have this to help you on your way," said Thalia, indicating to the Wilde volume.

"I can't take this," exclaimed Eve. "It's a first edition; it must be worth a fortune—that's too generous."

"It is valuable though I have one of the two hundred and fifty that he signed in my office, so I am consoled. It is yours."

Eve busied herself researching the geography, flora and fauna of Arkazatinia with a particular focus, as Tharazan suggested, on Baltica. She read that the land had not always been barren, and according to the text when the witches occupied it, they had formed an eco-system. The witches took energy from the elements and replenished it with sacrifices. They usually used animal sacrifices; however, as Calab had once told her, they offered their own souls for more complex magic. After the witches left, the lands, no longer replenished with the witches' sacrifices, became desolate wastes with hardly any vegetation.

The land was home to some odd creatures whose population had increased when the witches no longer sacrificed them to the earth. The beasts included balverines, giant serpents and deadly insects. Tharazan was right when he said it was not the place for a holiday and Eve had read nothing that helped her to understand why the Elion might want to go there.

After several hours spent in the library, Thalia invited Eve to her quarters. Her quarters consisted of a large open plan room with doors which, Eve assumed, led to the bedroom and bathroom though she had never had a tour. The room was separated with the ingenious use of rugs and furnishings. There was an office space with a desk and more books, a dining area with a large table, and a plush seating area with sofas and armchairs in front of an open fire. The furnishings were a combination of antique pieces from the Elizabethan to the Victorian period and a modern corner sofa which was a recent addition and had not been there on Eve's last visit. The room was heavy with browns, blacks and deep reds—it was dark, but beautiful.

Thalia had ordered their supper, and it was delivered with wine as Mikæl arrived.

"My apologies for my tardiness, my queen," he said, greeting Thalia with a mischievous grin which she warmly returned. He turned to Eve and kissed her hand. "Your Majesty," he said and greeted her with the wink that used to make her blush.

Eve had a pleasant evening with Thalia and Mikæl. They enjoyed a hearty meal and more wine than was wise. She observed the interaction between them; they gazed at each other with an intense adoration that she had never witnessed. Eve thought it odd that Mikæl never faltered from called Thalia _my queen_ and it seemed as natural to them as a person ordinarily calling another person by their name. She thought she would find it odd if her partner always addressed her as _Your Majesty_.

Eve listened to her hosts speak of forthcoming events and allowed her mind to drift to thoughts of Calab. Though she had known she had had feelings for him for some time, it had weighed heavy on her mind since the earlier conversation with Thalia. Rather than the negative response that she expected to receive from revealing her feelings for a demon, she was instead met with understanding and encouragement. She did not expect the approval to be universal, however, and groaned internally at the thought of mentioning anything of the sort to the Impærielas.

It was not that she hated her residence at the Guild of Impærielas, she just could not imagine herself living with their ways forever. They spent much of their day working and in contemplative meditation. They were skilled artisans: they were carpenters, tailors and jewellers and produced impressive wares which they sold to provide for their modest lifestyles. They were generally self-sufficient and reared animals and produced enough crops to feed the entire community which Eve found admirable. Unlike the other orders of Arkazatinia, they did not depend upon Lycea for anything.

However, she did find them difficult to talk to. They appeared to lack any sort of humour or willingness to engage in idle chitchat or, at least, they lacked the desire to share it with her. Conversation with them seemed reserved and was used solely to pass on messages. Nor did they read a great deal—their collection of books was limited to books printed by the Impærielas and included texts about farming, crafts, some children's stories and some of the history texts cited in the guide to Arkazatinia. They had no books from Lycea and nor were there any novels.

After inquiring about the whereabouts of a novel or two, Eve was told that there were none in the community. It was implied, with some distaste at Eve's request, that stories were for children for the purpose of learning to read, and adults should not indulge in them. As a result, Eve isolated herself and spent extended periods in her quarters and her office. Her office was the only room in the community that had electricity and had access to a computer. She was supposed to use the computer purely for Crown purposes though she did spend long periods streaming movies. She intended to ask for electricity to be made available in her room one day though she felt it would be a while before she felt comfortable enough to ask. For the time being, she had invested in a rechargeable DVD player that she secretly charged in her office and hid from view when not in use.

Eve's unwillingness to engage in meditation was met with some discord by the newly appointed advisor to the Crown. Ezra's role was to help the outlander queen become accustomed to the life of an Impærielas queen. At first, she followed his instructions, but after spending hours of the days staring into space and achieving nothing close to inner peace and calm, she refused. She was beginning to find her increased longevity alarming and the thought of spending her days following the same routine was unbearable.

"Would you like to?" asked Thalia, ending Eve's ruminations.

"Sorry," said Eve. "I was miles away, what did you say?"

"I asked if you would like to attend our Christmas party. It will be mostly the Procnatus and a few close friends." Thalia winked at Eve who found herself blushing once more.

"I'd love to," she replied. "I had actually been trying not to think of Christmas. I would like to visit my family on Christmas Day, but I imagine that, and my attendance at your party will be met with the same dissent by the Impærielas as every thought I have."

"It will get easier," said Thalia. "They will accept your ways, and you'll accept theirs. Don't imagine that things will be so inharmonious for all eternity."

The Christmas party at the Guild of Procnatus was a grand affair. Despite the alterations to the guild, they had maintained a magnificent ballroom complete with gilded plasterwork, cherubs and exquisite frescoes.

Eve had arrived at the guild accompanied only by her guards. She had extended her welcome to her advisor who had politely refused but had not withheld his disapproval of her acceptance of the invitation. She felt awkward at first as a swarm of unfamiliar faces surrounded her. She wandered the hall flanked by her guards until she caught the eye of Mikæl; he approached her wearing his usual mischievous countenance.

"Your Majesty," he said, kissing her hand. "Welcome to the Procnatus Christmas Ball, please allow me to escort you to your table." He linked her arm through his and led her to a long table that seated most of the rulers except Queene Orrla. Orrla had informed Eve that she had several celebrations to attend with her own people to mark the Festival of Peace and felt too uncomfortable with the alliance to forgo them but would consider arranging them around the Procnatus party for the following year. Eve could not help but feel disappointed that her abhorrent outsider friend was not by her side.

The alliance all greeted her formally except Tharazan, who was very friendly but was engaged in a heavy debate about the merits of short swords over long swords with a hominem male Eve did not recognise.

"Some champagne for Her Majesty," Mikæl asked a Procnatus waiter who was circling the guests with a tray.

"Certainly, sir," the waiter replied, handing a glass to Eve and bowing his head.

The guests at the table had stiffened with Eve's arrival, and their conversation seemed less relaxed although they still engaged informally with each other. Eve tried to ignore the feeling that was telling her it was because they hated her and searched the faces of the guests. She eventually spotted Calab engaged in conversation with Thalia who noticed her and motioned for Calab to look in her direction. He nodded his head towards her and gave a half smile, before returning to his conversation with Thalia. Eve felt somewhat foolish and disappointed. She did not know why she should expect a demonstration of affection simply because of her recent conversation with Thalia, but she had hoped to see some of the fondness Thalia had mentioned.

Eve sipped at her champagne. She began to regret attending the party. Even there surrounded by people, she felt alone. She thought she would stay a short while to be polite and then return to the Guild of Impærielas. She gazed around the room at the guests who were mostly thorian although a few demons had joined them. Many she recognised from the Guild of Asmodeus and some were her off-duty guards. Many of the guests seemed well-lubricated with the flowing champagne and danced with each other, in some cases amorously. Eve blushed and looked away when she spotted Barakel nibbling the ear of a thorian female. She recognised her as the girl who had served her and the Farleys breakfast many years ago though she could not recall her name. Nakhiel was also on the dance floor and passionately kissing a thorian male.

Eve felt the familiar pang of jealousy. She felt she would never be part of the Arkazatine community and would always be an outlander. Perhaps that was made worse by the Impærielas' habit of referring to her as the outlander queen. Even if they accepted her after five hundred years, if Calab were to be believed, she should never have friends below her station as queen. As she ruled all Arkazatinia, that left no one—unless she wanted to venture overseas to befriend the king of Axandria.

A quartet had set up on stage and started to play. Most of the guests took up a partner and engaged in an elegant, slow waltz. She gave a small smile as she watched her guards waltz with their partners. They danced beautifully, and she almost considered asking her on-duty guards to dance with her. She decided against it knowing Calab, and probably Jacob, would find it inappropriate.

"May I have this dance, Your Majesty?" asked Mikæl, holding out his hand.

Calab would no doubt find her dancing with Mikæl inappropriate too, but she was not about to offend the thorian by refusing. "Of course." She smiled, placing her hand in his and allowing herself to be led onto the dance floor and into a waltz.

"Are things any easier with the Impærielas?" he asked.

"No," Eve groaned, "I feel awful saying so, but I just can't live as they do. Every thought I have is met with dissent and assertions that it is inappropriate for the Crown or the people of the Impærielas. Even the simplest things like reading a work of fiction are considered improper."

"It is the 'obloquy of newness' as Sarah Williams said—they will adjust."

"I hope it is sooner rather than later, it is suffocating. I have been told I should also marry one of the Impærielas."

"And have you accepted?" He smirked.

"Hell no!" said Eve. "Sorry. I mean, I want to get along with them, but I'm not going to marry one of them—especially if they never have a conversation with me for the rest of eternity."

Mikæl laughed. "Honestly, I have never known very much about them until now. I have lived in Arkazatinia for over two thousand years, and I have barely seen anything of them."

"They do not like anyone outside of the Impærielas. They don't like me either. It's quite frustrating." Mikæl squeezed her hand and smiled. She returned his smile and asked curiously, "If you have lived for over two thousand years, were you around in Malia's reign?"

His smile faded. "We're not proud of our behaviour during Malia's rule, Your Majesty,"

"I'm sorry," she said, feeling sick with guilt as she eyed the shame in Mikæl's expression. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"It's okay," he said. "It was a long time ago, and we are very different people now."

She smiled at him. "I know."

"What news of your library?" he asked cheerfully.

"Well," she started, "I have approached my advisor again about it, and he was, of course, disapproving. He said, 'the Impærielas do not require a library or books which should merely be a record of how to complete a task or of an event rather than some silly, whimsical tale'. At best I may, if I must, develop a personal collection.

"So I was thinking, probably in a few years when I have a few more books, of relocating my office to the room I want to be my library. However, that plan is also flawed as I have a minuscule income as the Crown. I think it was set a hundred years ago and has never changed, and I earn nothing as the queen which will make it hard to furnish the room with shelves and purchase books. The carpenters of the Impærielas will not make them for me as their wares are to be sold. I am given my meals, my clothes will be made for me, and 'there is nothing more I should need'. I've sold my car, and I'm selling my house in Lycea, but there will not be much left after the mortgage is settled and that will not last an eternity. I'm sorry; I don't mean to burden you with my complaints."

Mikæl listened and appeared sympathetic. "Your Majesty," he said tenderly, "it will not always be so difficult. There will be an adjustment on both sides."

Eve smiled at him. She hoped he was right. She had considered using her station to order the Impærielas to build the library for her but had decided against it. She had recently gotten around to reading another of the books Calab had loaned her about ruling others; it was _The Prince_ by Niccolo Machiavelli. She could not help but notice again that there was a ton of things that she did that she probably should not—showing her vulnerability to Mikæl amongst them. However, one chapter struck her and suggested three ways of taking rule over a society who had previously lived by its own laws. The first was to utterly ruin them, the second to live amongst them and the third to permit them to enjoy their old privileges and laws, but erect a council of state to keep obedience and address the interests of the ruler. She did not have the stomach for the first method but considered a combination of the second and third. She had plans in mind, but had no idea how she would execute any of them without directly ordering people—the thought overwhelmed her once more.

"Have you decided your plans for Christmas Day?" Mikæl asked.

"Yes," she replied, "much to the dismay of my advisor I am visiting my family for Christmas lunch. When I asked what they had planned for Christmas Day, they told me they did not observe it, and they do not involve themselves in many matters of Arkazatinia or Lycea the Festival of Peace included. I hate the thought of not seeing my family on Christmas Day."

"You must do what you believe is right," said Mikæl. "They will 'get over it' as you are fond of saying."

Eve blushed furiously. "You must find me so obnoxious," she said, embarrassed that her words spoken to Calab about the alliance's opinions had gotten to Thalia and then to Mikæl.

He gave another of his dazzling smiles. "You make a refreshing change, Your Majesty,"

Despite Mikæl's mesmerising good looks, Eve found her thoughts turn to Calab, and she surveyed the room to find him. Thalia was now speaking with Tharazan and Calab was nowhere to be seen. She felt a surge of disappointment.

The music slowed, and Mikæl excused himself to take Thalia to the dance floor. They looked so perfectly in tune with one another and so perfectly in love. Eve felt another pang of jealousy for the simple and uncomplicated nature of their romance. She willed to hear the voice of Calab asking her to dance, but no such offer came. Eve presumed he had left and wondered if it was because he had learned of her feelings for him. She brushed off the thought as paranoia.

Eve woke the next morning surrounded by another cold wash of melancholy as she relived the events of the previous night. She had spoken to Thalia at the end of the evening who, somewhat reluctantly, admitted that Calab had left the party on 'urgent guild business' shortly after learning that Eve had feelings for him of a romantic nature. Eve felt embarrassed and hurt. Was he so repulsed by her that he could not even face her?

Eve heard nothing from Calab over the next few days and decided to write to him to ask to see him. The last thing she wanted was to appear desperate but felt she if she could just speak to him and clear the air then perhaps they could, at least, return to their pseudo-friendship/acquaintance status. She composed a simple note and sent it to the Guild of Asmodeus.

Dear Calab,

I have something important that I should like to speak to you about face to face. May I call on you at your earliest convenience?

Regards

Eve

A reply came the next day.

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia,

I believe I may have given you a false impression of our relationship. I must reiterate that our relationship is merely one of queen and subject and a less formal address is not appropriate. I respect your leadership and honour your rule, and therefore feel it is important to observe the boundaries of our roles and interactions.

Ex Animo

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order

_What is his problem?_

Eve frowned as she scrawled her reply, wishing her hand were as elegant as Calab's cold, but beautifully constructed script.

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order,

I apologise if I have caused offence by straying beyond the boundaries of our professional relationship. It is, however, still my wish to speak to you—may I arrange a convenient time to call at the Guild of Asmodeus?

Regards

Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia.

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia

Any matters of importance can be discussed at the next CRM. If you feel your concerns are more urgent, it may be wise to bring the meeting forward.

Ex Animo

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order.

In sheer frustration and against her better judgement, Eve took a vector to the Guild of Asmodeus to consult with Calab in person.

"I'm afraid the prince is otherwise engaged, Your Majesty," said Charon upon receiving Eve's request.

"Please advise Prince Calab that the Crown of Arkazatinia commands an audience with him," she said in her sternest manner.

Charon appeared somewhat perplexed. "Right away, Your Majesty."

"I shall walk with you to his office," said Eve, following him into the guild.

"Your Highness," Eve heard Charon say to Calab, "Her Majesty commands that you receive her."

"Right," said Calab, his tone furious. "I guess you'll have to show her in then." Charon left the office and indicated for Eve to enter as he did. Calab stood, bowed slightly towards her and glared fiercely. "Do you intend to pull rank whenever you fail to get your way?" he said sarcastically. "That's a fine way for a queen to behave."

The comment cut through Eve, but she ignored it. "I have asked on several occasions to meet with you with no success," she said. "I know you spoke to Thalia at the party."

"Lord Thalia should not encourage you," he said sternly. "She should not indulge your _ridiculous notions_."

Now she was hurt and felt her face burn as blood rushed to her cheeks. "Ridiculous notions?" She was not sure why she wanted clarity when he was making his distaste so abundantly clear.

"About you and me and some kind of relationship." He laughed. "I cannot imagine what either of you were thinking. I have nothing to offer you, and you certainly have nothing to offer me. I am a demon, I have walked the earth for millennia, and you are just a human child who knows nothing of the world. It would hardly make for a stimulating courtship."

"Well, I'm glad you've made that clear," she replied, suppressing a feeling of rage burning inside her as she forced away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"I may have been pleasant to you during your arrival in Arkazatinia," continued Calab, "and I admit that I did not like that blockhead's attack on you; however, that is no reason to conclude that I want any sort of relationship with you. I have no feelings for you, and if you have any for me, I suggest you rid yourself of them as nothing will come of them. You are my queen, and you mean nothing more to me than that."

"That will be all," said Eve, rising from her seat. "Thank you for your time, Prince Calab."

"Your Majesty," he rose from his seat as she did and sketched a bow. "Oh, and I would appreciate it if your commands of me are related only to matters of the Crown."

"Consider it done," she said plainly, as she left his office. Upon turning her back on Calab, her tears escaped, and she furiously wiped them away to conceal her bleary eyes from Charon as he led her from the guild.

Eve heard nothing more from Calab and did not see him again until the CRM the following week. He ignored her as they entered the boardroom at the Guild of the Crown and took their seats. He conversed cheerfully with Avalon and Tarrin which enraged her and she vowed that she would not speak to or even look at him unless she absolutely had to.

She took hold of the gavel and announced the start of the last meeting of the year. "Thank you all for your attendance. Today we discuss further aspects of the reintegration of the Crown into Arkazatinia. Shanna, please can you read the minutes of the last meeting to refresh our memories and verify they are an accurate account?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the newly appointed Impærielas secretary who began to read the last meeting's minutes. The minutes included making the CRMs monthly instead of two weekly, setting a levy to raise money for the landscaping and regeneration of public parks, improved sanitation for villages in southern Laurentia, and allowing Arkazatine leads to make suggestions about what is included on the agenda.

Until the integration of the Imperium, only the Crown set the agenda, and it was formed by members of the public raising a bill and collecting signatures before presenting it for consideration. This was a lot of work and could take a long time. The leads suggested it was far more efficient for their people to raise their concerns with them and they could add them to the agenda in addition to the usual method.

"Thank you, Shanna," said Eve. "The item involving lead suggestions may yet be obsolete. You may notice that I have prepared an agenda and if I can first turn your attention to item number three and the accompanying document. As part of my integration as the Crown and the reintegration of the Crown, I have had to learn its role within Arkazatinia which seems to me that, as the queen, I summon you here to discuss issues that arise and tell you what I want to be done about them. This does not sit well with me. I have taken the time to focus on the Imperium and feel that some of those aspects should be incorporated into the Crown. Before you panic, I do not want to exile anyone from Arkazatinia, but some of the changes proposed by the Imperium seemed logical, fair and sensible, at least on paper.

"I would like to suggest that instead of me making the decision on the items we discuss, each member should have an equal vote and I would make the casting vote if a decision could not be reached. I think all business should be conducted as we now conduct security and defensive planning. I would also propose that we have an electronic agenda which each person can update with whatever matter they deem necessary to be discussed.

"I know everyone is very attached to paper letters, but you have internet access, and in this case, it may be useful for you to see what everyone else adds. We don't have to go mad and start emailing each other." She smiled and then groaned inwardly when no one smiled back. "I should also like to see a guardian representative, an Impærielas representative that is not the Crown and a council of Arkazatine people from all areas to represent the needs of the ordinary citizen." She paused to assess the mood of the court, she felt relieved that they appeared interested. "I don't want to make any decision today. Read through the proposal, then we can discuss your thoughts and concerns at the next meeting."

"Should we change the name of the meeting to Crown Reformation Meeting and we can keep the same acronym?" asked Shanna.

"If you like." Eve smiled. A low hum filled the room as the leads discussed amongst themselves what they thought of the proposal.

Eve had been preparing the plan since the discussion with Calab on her birthday and thought it may be a useful way to let everyone know that she would listen to them and give them something that they wanted—the aspects of the Imperium that they actually liked. She had also been considering how to make her rule amongst the Impærielas more like Machiavelli's third method and thought electing one of them as an official might help. Whether they would like it was not really the issue, Eve wanted to give them a choice imagining that it would send a strong message.

As much as she had disagreed with many of Calab's suggestions to her about how she should act, she could not help but feel that he had made some sense. She ignored her thoughts of him, and requesting silence, she returned the alliance to the rest of the meeting.

The meeting drew to a close, and the rulers left. Eve had not noticed whether Calab had looked in her direction or not during the meeting as she had done a splendid job of avoiding looking at him though she did catch his glare at her when Tharazan asked to speak to her as they were leaving. She was glad that it bothered him.

She felt foolish and childish, but stubbornly maintained her vow at the following month's meeting and even avoided looking at Calab as he cast his vote in favour of the proposed changes to the Crown. Eve was pleased that all of the leads seemed enthusiastic about the changes and were happy to be part of the _quorum_. The quorum was the new title given to the court, as it was more fitting to the new and more inclusive approach. There were only a few concerns regarding acts of war, vote rigging and treason and it was agreed they would form part of a separate policy. Her proposals also appeared to win her some favour amongst the leads, some of who attempted small talk rather than just a polite 'Your Majesty'.

Eve saw Calab leave the room followed closely by Thalia while she was engaged in conversation with the Son of Raphæl.

_I hate him,_ _and I am never going to speak to him again_.

"What is going on with you and Her Majesty?" asked Thalia, catching up with Calab as he approached his vector.

"What are you talking about?" asked Calab nonchalantly.

"I can see through your façade, my friend. You each act like the other does not exist."

"You can attribute that to your actions." Calab growled. "Your attempt to marriage broker has been unsuccessful."

"I thought you liked her?"

"That's beside the point," said Calab angrily. "Simply _liking_ someone does not make them an ideal companion; you should never have encouraged her."

"She didn't need any encouragement, she has feelings for you."

"She _had_ feelings for me. I have ensured that's no longer the case."

"What have you done?"

"I have made sure that she probably won't even speak to me again, let alone have feelings for me," said Calab coldly to hide the pain of regret that stabbed at him.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I don't want to be with some ridiculous human child! I can't abide her whining about everything she hates about her new life and everything she misses about her old life. Who could put up with that?"

"That may have fooled the queen, but it won't fool me. You wouldn't deliberately hurt her unless you thought you had a good reason."

"Always the know-it-all, Thalia!" snapped Calab. "Why don't you stay out of my affairs?"

"I'm not trying to pry, Calab, I'm trying to help."

"You've done enough," he spat at her before stalking away. He slammed the door of his vector as he threw himself into the seat. On the ride back to the guild, his anger was replaced with regret for the way he had spoken to his closest friend.

Upon his return to his office, Calab picked up his pen and began a note.

Thalia, my cherished friend,

Forgive me! As you correctly infer, there is a good reason for my estrangement from Her Majesty. It is a decision that pains me; however, please do not pry any further—I beg of you.

Ever yours

Calab

My dearest Calab,

I do not offer any forgiveness as there is no wrong to forgive. It is my duty as your loyal friend to share your joy, sorrow, excitement and anger. Whilst it pains me that you cannot share your heart, I understand and respect your wishes. Know only that I will always lend a confiding ear and consoling words should you need this of me. I will end with this sentiment. I view you as my oldest and most treasured friend and I value your happiness as much as my own. The queen has a warm and kind character; she will forgive you your cruelties. I shall say no more, but only wish that whatever conclusion you arrive at will bring you peace and happiness.

Forever yours

Thalia

Thalia,

I am most relieved that you have forgiven my outburst. My cruelties to the queen far exceed those that I gave to you. However, I fear that you are right and she would forgive me. This I cannot allow. Selfishly, I find it easier to have her hate me, but this hatred will also serve to fuel her own happiness. That seems like a contradiction as I have made her unhappy with my actions. It was a necessary cruelty, as she will now be free from her attachment and able to move on with her life without regret.

Always

Calab

My dearest Calab,

It has occurred to me that never in the time I have known you, have you ever begged my forgiveness for your cruelties, nor have you sacrificed your desires for the sake of another. The queen had told me of her suspicion that you have the capacity for emotion. I dismissed it initially as impossible, but now I am not so sure, and I sense that you have indeed been stricken with some capacity for emotion. It is clear that you have feelings for the queen that are deeper than the base desires I initially imagined. If this is the case, then it is truly a gift and not one that should be wasted. I am reminded of the powerful words of William Wordsworth:

"And from the blessed power that rolls

About, below, above

We'll frame the measure of our souls

They shall be tuned to love."

Your noble sacrifice warms my heart, but it also causes me great pain. Whilst it contains the 'black and white' and 'impulsiveness' I have come to both love and loathe about you, it also denies you a chance at happiness. Choose your path carefully, old friend.

Always and forever

Thalia

Thalia,

Your words have startled me in both their frankness and their insight. I wonder if any attempt could ever be made to conceal myself from you as you have a window to my very core and see all that I feel. Perhaps it is a hopeless effort with one who I have shared the most intimate of friendships. Your love for me, whilst with my limited depth of emotion was unrequited, has always been appreciated and returned with as much kindness and friendship as my soul could afford.

Having considered all that you have said I still cannot bring myself to approach the queen. I fear I would bring her misery. Her attachment to a demon would not be treated favourably, especially amongst her own people who regard my kind with disdain. I fear I would make her life as the Crown unbearable and she would resent me. I am touched by Wordsworth's words, but I am reminded of the words of Thomas de Quincey who, upon assessment of the marriage of an acquaintance, said:

"Oh! blindness of the human heart! how deeply did she come to rue the day when she first turned her thoughts to him."

Perhaps the 'feelings' I have been given are a gift, but that is no reason to use it unwisely and selfishly for the sake of my own happiness at the expense of the queen's. It is better that she turns her thoughts from me and seeks a more worthy suitor, one who is not shrouded with the beastly embodiment of a demon.

Forever

Calab

Dearest Calab,

It was the queen's rather than my own insight that has observed this capacity. I am afraid that if she had not mentioned it to me, I might not have noticed. I hope I have not failed you in that respect, old friend. Perhaps I am too close to you to see the change and her newness offers fresh insight.

I am disinclined to agree with your assessment, I feel any feelings of resentment would be towards the Impærielas rather than yourself though I will accept defeat in convincing you of your worthiness and allow you to follow what you feel in your heart is the right path. I would urge you to offer your friendship to Her Majesty. If your words were as cruel as you say, she would have been wounded and she will not know why. I fear this, amidst her hardships in adapting to her new station, will bring her much sadness.

Yours always

Thalia

P.S. I would be honoured if you would join Mikæl and me for supper this night around the hour of seven.

The next day, Eve was in her office engaged in some correspondence when Ezra entered. He wore his usual superficially polite air to mask his usual furiousness that caused Eve to wonder what error she had committed this time.

"This letter has arrived, Your Majesty," he said sternly, handing over a thick sheet of cream paper embellished with a familiar hand and the Asmodeus seal.

To the Advisor of HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia.

I have recently learned that Her Majesty wishes to build a library in the Guild of Impærielas. I respect and understand that this is an ostentatious use of resources and not in keeping with your prudent traditions. However, as a regular observer of the people of Lycea, I have come to understand that they are comforted by material possessions, and I feel the addition of the library to your guild may help the new queen to settle. I offer a donation of whatever it will cost for your carpenters to furnish the library. I have also included a gift of duplicate volumes from my own library to start the collection. I hope this meets with your approval.

Ex Animo

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order

Eve's stomach churned with a mix of emotions. She was delighted that she would finally get her library and that Calab, who she had convinced herself without any great success that she now loathed, had made contact. She also felt a mass of confusion of Calab's intentions. Why had he sent the letter after saying what he said?

_Does he regret what he said? Did he mean what he said, but thinks he went too far?_ She smothered her internal chaos with an external air of indifference in Ezra's presence.

"Is the library really necessary, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"Yes," said Eve, "I have had to abandon everything I know and love from my old life, including my love of learning. I do not regret that I have been made Crown, and I will do my best to serve you well. All I ask in return is a little piece of happiness for myself." Ezra blinked. This was the most she had ever spoken to him and Eve felt her indifference fail her. She blinked away the tears that threatened her yet again.

_Why can I not speak without crying?_

"I apologise if I have seemed unkind, Your Majesty," said Ezra, shifting uncomfortably at the sight of Eve's emotional outburst. "I shall ask the carpenters to start work on the library as a matter of priority." He bowed to her and turned to leave then paused. "It is not our way to accept donations," he said, "especially from demons, though perhaps on this occasion, the Treasurer may prefer that to investing Impærielas funds. The prince has, after all, done a great deal to ensure your safety."

Eve smiled at him with a mixture of joy that she would get her library after all and relief that she had finally won some degree of empathy from the steely advisor.

Calab had sent a lot of books. Eve guessed around five hundred volumes, and most were leather-bound antique works of classic literature although there were many contemporary titles. There were many poetical works. Eve wondered why demons, who were generally unfeeling, had such regard for poetry.

Asmodeus Prince Calab of the First Order,

Thank you for your generous offer and your generous donation of books. I am beyond grateful for your kindness. Work has already begun on my library, and I hope to be able to enjoy it very soon. Thank you again.

Warmest regards

Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia,

You are, of course, very welcome. I must confess that it is not an unselfish gesture. It brings me happiness to offer you kindness, and I make the gesture in an attempt to remedy the hurt caused by my cruelty. I should never have treated you as I did. I did not mean what I said and only said what I did to deter you from having such thoughts of me. I am afraid I am not able to offer you more than my friendship. I do offer you my friendship, and I hope you will accept.

Ex Animo

Calab

Eve smiled to herself, after almost a year they were finally friends. She could not imagine why he had suddenly changed his mind but felt as though she would never truly understand Asmodeus Prince Calab.

Dear Calab,

I will not pretend that I understand your motives though I will accept your friendship. I have forgiven you for what you said. Despite my anger with you, I knew in my heart that the words were not spoken from yours. I can accept that my feelings are unrequited, and I respect your feelings as they are. There is no need to go to such lengths to prevent my advances.

Warmest regards

Queen Genevieve

 March 2013

The scouts had scoured Baltica and had found nothing of interest. They had seen no further evidence of any order visiting there, and the Elion had not returned. The alliance suspected this may be due to the adverse winter weather in Baltica and agreed they would continue to keep a close watch. They had kept eyes on Laurasia, and the Elion had not seemed to behave in a way that would cause suspicion. Monitoring of the witches had revealed nothing. The Berith prince had men keeping a watch on known dark alchemists in Laurasia. Otherwise, everything appeared to be peaceful.

Eve focussed her efforts on her reformation of the Crown and with the help of Lord Tharazan, she had drafted her reforms and was planning for the papers to be looked over by the alliance before they could be finalised. Eve felt that the process of involving everybody meant that changing the simplest rule took much longer than it had when she changed the role of the Crown in the defence. The alliance would drop everything at a moment's notice to attend to matters of security, but for everything else, they dragged their heels and wanted lots of time to read over everything and think everything through. Eve thought she should probably take note of that method as she generally made decisions on the hoof without considering anything.

Regardless of how long it took, Eve was happy with the changes and was looking forward to presenting the plans for representatives to the guardians and Arkazatine citizens. She was less excited about giving her intentions for an Impærielas representative to the Impærielas. Eve had briefly discussed the role with Shanna, her secretary, who said that she was not sure how it would be received. She thought there would be many who would not like the change, but she thought there would be others who may like the opportunity. It was not an outright 'they'll hate it', still, the thought of suggesting it to the Impærielas made her nervous. She was yet to work up the nerve to ask for electricity in her room and expected to be still using her rechargeable DVD player for many years to come.

"We should have everything finalised in the next month or so, Your Majesty," said Tharazan. "Then you can start presenting the proposals in the summer and hopefully have a full quorum by autumn."

Eve smiled. "Is there anyone else who has been missed out?"

"The dark alchemists and the witches," he said, "and perhaps the beasts of Baltica, otherwise I think we're covered."

"Do you think we should approach the witches, Lord Tharazan?" asked Eve curiously.

"One day perhaps," he said. "We should probably take things one step at a time, or we'll give everyone a heart attack."

Eve laughed. "Maybe you're right." She enjoyed working with Tharazan, he was easy to talk to, smart, funny and devastatingly handsome, and he was single. She wished that she could feel something for him or someone like him the way she felt about Calab.

It would be so easy and so uncomplicated, but she could not bring herself to think about anyone else. Every cell and every neuron were tuned to Calab. He occupied her every thought, her every desire and it was all for nothing because he did not want her. At least, that was what he said. Sometimes she felt as though he wanted her, most of the time she felt he hated her. Everything about him confused her.

Despite his offer of friendship, they had spent no time together or spoken to each other outside of Crown matters since she received the letter from him in January. It was not out of the ordinary for Calab to go weeks or months without speaking to her though she still craved his attention and every time she saw him, she willed him to invite her to supper. She could have asked him, of course, but the awkwardness she imagined would follow asking him convinced her that it was not a good idea. Tharazan looked up from his papers and gave her a dazzling smile.

Why can I not just like him instead?

April arrived and with it, springtime. Eve took advantage of the warmer weather and took Aethon out onto the planes. She allowed him his head as he lengthened his stride and increased his speed. She clung to the reins, her breath escaping her and her cloak billowing behind her.

_Damn, he is fast!_

Aethon brought himself to a trot and then to a walk a few miles from the guild. She walked him slowly to a stream to allow him to recover, his coat was steaming with sweat and his muscles heaved. The horse was a powerhouse, and despite the intensity and distance he had run, he still had more to give.

She removed his saddle and bridle and gave him a rub down while he drank from the stream. When he had drunk his fill, she tethered him close by using a length of rope and a stake she carried in her saddlebag. The horse began to graze while Eve propped herself against some rocks and ate the picnic she had packed. She had started to doze and was woken with a start by one of her guards shaking her.

"Wake up, Your Majesty," he said urgently. "We must leave here immediately. Something is not right."

"What is it, Raum?" Eve asked the Berith demon.

"There's something not right, Cassiell and I both sense it," said Raum, indicating to the angel guard. "We need to go now. We'll fly you back."

"What about Aethon?" exclaimed Eve.

"You're going to have to leave him," said Cassiell. "Turn him loose. Hopefully, he will find his way home."

"I'm not leaving him," said Eve. "I'll ride him back."

"No, Your Majesty," said Raum sternly. "I will take you by force if I have to, we are leaving now."

She looked up at the demon's face and saw it bristled with concern. "Okay," she said, holding up her hands in defeat. Cassiell quickly untethered Aethon and turned him towards the guild. "Go home, Aethon," she told the horse without hope that he would or that she would see him again. Raum snatched her into his arms, and they flew blindingly fast. Eve started to feel anxious about what had spooked the guards. She could see or feel nothing. They flew past the Guild of Impærielas. "Where are we going?"

"The Guild of Asmodeus," replied Raum. "We cannot protect you well from your guild."

"What did you sense, Raum?"

"I'm not sure, Your Majesty," he said. "We have our suspicions, but we can't be certain. It is not our place to say, only to keep you safe."

"Thank you," she said. She felt relieved they were taking her to safety though she could not help feeling worried for Aethon. She hoped he would make it back to the stables and whatever had spooked the guards did not catch him first.

Raum and Cassiell landed in the courtyard of the Guild of Asmodeus and ran towards the entrance. They were met by Nakhiel, and Raum said, "A team of guards for the queen, immediately. We need to meet the prince at once."

They entered the guild and Eve was suddenly surrounded by demons. She felt terrified and nauseous.

What is going on?

"The prince is on decree," said Nakhiel.

"Summon him and the alliance," said Raum.

"I will do it at once," Nakhiel replied, retrieving his vox from his pocket.

Eve was soon seated in the kitchen with Raum and Cassiell and surrounded by Asmodeus demons. Charon had placed a tea tray in front of her which she accepted gratefully. Calab arrived twenty minutes later.

"What's happened?" he asked, striding into the kitchen. Raum and Cassiell both left and motioned for Calab to follow them, leaving Eve behind feeling utterly confused. Calab returned within a few minutes. "Your Majesty," he said, "please follow me to my office—bring your tea. I want four guards—everyone else stay alert. Is anyone monitoring the perimeter?"

"Yes, Your Highness," said Nakhiel, "I have four out there now. It is clear so far."

"Good," said Calab. "Let me know immediately if anything changes." Nakhiel nodded.

Calab escorted Eve to his office followed by Raum and Cassiell and by Turel and Barakel who, not on duty today, were without their midnight blue uniforms. Eve sat opposite Calab in his office, and the guards took their positions by the wall. Eve was nervous now, the guards always kept their posts in the corridor.

"What is happening?" she asked.

"Your guards sensed the presence of vexed souls."

"What are vexed souls?"

"Do you remember I told you that there were once powerful dark alchemists who could manipulate the souls of others and they sold them to the witches?"

"Yes," said Eve, "you said they could not go to Heaven or Hell and spent an eternity feeling nothing, but trying to find the light."

"It should be an eternity," said Calab, "I have never known any to be released, but your guards have sensed them."

"What does that mean?" asked Eve. "Are they dangerous?"

"It is difficult to say," said Calab. "I have never known them to be released before, without knowing why they have been released, and if they are being controlled by someone, we can't know. I don't know what they're capable of."

"This must be the work of the dark alchemists, right? Who else could know how to release them?"

"Most likely," he said. "Whoever it is, you are likely to be the target."

"Could they hurt my horse?"

"I don't know. Though I am surprised you agreed to leave him behind."

"I didn't have much choice." Eve smirked towards Raum and Cassiell. "I was told I would be taken by force if I did not leave."

Calab grinned. "It sounds like your guards have earned a pay rise; ensuring the queen's safety and unlocking the secret to getting her to do as she is told in the same day."

Eve laughed. "I hope Aethon is okay, though. I've grown very fond of him."

"Animals have good senses, and they usually know when to flee from danger. He will most likely run onto someone's land. They may keep him or sell him as he is a valuable stallion, but at least, he would be safe."

She could not think any more about Aethon. "Will any of the alliance know anything more about the vexed souls?"

"I really cannot tell you anything more," he said. "The others should start arriving soon, we will just sit tight for now and decide when they get here."

Thalia was the first to arrive accompanied by Mikæl. Tharazan was in Eurasia on business and arrived shortly after.

"Causing problems again, Your Majesty? I've not known a moment's peace since you arrived here."

"I like to make my presence felt, Lord Tharazan." Eve smiled.

Over the next few hours, the alliance began to arrive with the Laurasian and Laurentian rulers using their aerial vectors to travel quickly. They all assembled in Calab's library with Charon keeping them supplied with tea and coffee. So far, only Jacob had any information.

"I have never known them to be released, but I have heard that it is possible," he said. "There are some old tales of wraiths roaming the earth trying to bargain to find peace."

"Bargain what?" asked Calab.

"It may just be a story," continued Jacob, "but they can bargain with the one who took their souls, the dark alchemists, for example, they may offer them a deal in exchange for their services."

"What sort of deal?"

"They need to die a true death to find either Heaven or Hell?"

"You mean they could offer to kill them?" asked Calab, looking puzzled.

"Or offer to release them from the limbo as long as they agreed to fight for them, and they would be killed in action and their souls released to Heaven or Hell."

"Those alchemists were killed."

"Perhaps the same power in another alchemist can release them."

"What are they capable of?" asked Calab. "And how would we kill them?"

"I don't know." Jacob sighed. "I don't even know if we are even talking of the same wretches." Jacob glanced around the library. "Do you have anything here?"

"I don't think so. It's mostly literature from Lycea; there are some more ancient texts there." He pointed to a block of shelves at the far side of the library. "If there is anything it will likely be there."

Calab walked with Jacob to show him the section he meant.

"How long have you had feelings for Her Majesty?" Jacob whispered.

Calab glared at him and glanced around the room to check no one had heard. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"Calab," Jacob said gently, "we are brothers. You cannot speak with me?"

Calab groaned. "Nothing can come of it. I am trying to ignore it."

"Why? You had your feelings removed. If you have them back, then it is a gift."

"It doesn't feel like a gift," grumbled Calab. "It torments me."

"She has feelings for you also. I have suspected that she has for a while, you have been more careful I think."

"I know she has. I have told her that I want only her friendship. She does not know I have feelings for her."

"Calab, don't you understand how special this is?" Jacob whispered. "You have learned to love and have earned love in return. That's wonderful for anyone, but for a demon even more so."

"You don't understand how painful it is, Jacob." Jacob frowned at him, and Calab looked at the floor.

_Of course he knew, we had all known_.

"I do, brother," Jacob said, "but you can act on your feelings now, you don't have to deny them anymore. It is a gift, Calab—cherish it." Calab stood silently and bit his lip. "Think about it. And don't worry; I will keep your confidence." Calab brought a hand to Jacob's shoulder and gave him a weak smile before looking through the books.

Eve watched Calab and Jacob talk in the corner of the library. The fierce demon and the beautiful angel. Every book she had read and every film she had watched that featured angels and demons pictured them as enemies waging an eternal war against each other. Yet, they were at peace. They were confidants, allies, friends and brothers. She could see Calab looked uncomfortable with whatever they were talking about, deeper than that, however, she could see they shared a bond. She had seen it before in her guard. A demon was always paired with an angel; they joined in a common shared goal. They were a symbol of perfect unity, of perfect polarity. A true allegiance of dark and light, of Heaven and Hell. What was their allegiance for? What was their common goal? What made them work so well together? She had puzzled over this many times since she realised that angels and demons did actually get along with each other. Calab might have had an answer, but it felt like prying to ask him.

Queene Orrla was the last to arrive, and she came with an entourage of twenty-four fae. They had made good time in the fleet of aerial vectors they had purchased from the Procnatus after they were offered allegiance. Eve was nervous about telling Orrla that she had lost her horse, but Orrla hugged her and told her that Aethon would find her.

"I have heard of rare occasions when lost souls can rise again," said Orrla, "but they can only meet the actual death if they are reunited with their bodies which, if these are the souls taken by the dark alchemist, were burned a long time ago. The only other option would be to return them to their limbo, which does seem rather cruel, but I can see no other alternative. It is a very ancient magic and not one I'm familiar with. My brethren and I have been reading through some texts on the way here. We should be able to banish them though it will take time and we don't know how many there are. We will also need to know where the spell or magic that was used to awaken them was cast and perform our rite there."

"You certainly don't mess about," said Tharazan. "Is there any magical way to locate them?"

"I have my brethren searching for pockets of magical activity which may give us a place to start. We have made a start researching how to defend against them. It will be quite tricky; they will not have a physical form to fight with weapons though it is likely that demon claws and angel blades will have an effect on them to slow them down. They are trapped between Heaven and Hell so they can be marked by Heaven and Hell, but as they are not anchored in either plane or this one, it cannot be permanent. They have limited powers against anyone though the one they have is frightening—they can dislodge a soul from its body." The alliance sucked in their breath.

"This must be the work of the dark alchemists," said Ester. "They must want to retrieve the queen's soul so they can take the Crown. We have to hide the queen."

"I took the liberty of concealing a rescue cabin in the Empedocles Mountains in the Cambrian forest with fae magic on the way here," said Orrla. "It isn't much, but it will be safe as it is not anchored in this plane and will be untraceable to alchemists." The alliance seemed impressed. Even Ester who was firmly against their inclusion in the Crown Alliance, could not hide her admiration.

"Thank you, Queene Orrla," said Eve, "but if it is me that they are after, then I will not hide, you must use me as bait."

"Your Majesty," said Tharazan. "We cannot use our Crown as bait, it is too dangerous."

"It is practical," she said, looking around the room. The princes seemed to agree except for Calab who looked anxious. The hominem patriarchs also agreed, but the sons, Thalia and Tharazan looked torn.

"Is there any protection you could offer Her Majesty if we were to use her as bait?" asked Tharazan.

"We can try to shield her," said Orrla, "but shields are tricky. They are draining and difficult to maintain for very long, and we would need to focus our shields on the one performing the magic. Cloaking would be ideal though it cannot be done instantly. It may be best for her to be taken to the safe place as soon as the wraiths arrive."

"Just to be clear then," said Tharazan. "Once you have located the epicentre, the queen is to be taken there to lure them in and once they arrive the queen is taken to safety whilst the angels and demons slow them down and you work your magic to banish them."

"Yes," said Orrla, "obviously it is unlikely to be as straightforward as that."

"Of course," said Tharazan. "What do the rest of us do? Do we just sit on the sidelines?" Orrla shrugged apologetically, and Tharazan smiled. "I'm not precious about joining in the war effort—I just don't like to feel I'm doing nothing. But I suppose it is more important to use the right skills in the right places."

The alliance decided to remain at the guild and Charon found rooms for them. Most of the fae had to camp in a training room, as there were not enough rooms. Eve offered to share a room with Thalia or Orrla though Calab informed her that she would be sleeping on a temporary bed in his quarters with him and four of her guards keeping watch. Eve had telephoned the Impærielas to update them on the situation. Ezra did not seem overly concerned and said that he was sure whatever the danger was, the alliance could handle it. Eve did not know whether she was more disappointed with that remark or with the fact that Aethon had not turned up. Both were equally painful blows. She wished the Impærielas would take some responsibility for their own safety.

Eve ate supper with Calab in his quarters that night. She had felt tired after a full day surrounded by the alliance and was relieved when Calab asked her to dine with him instead of everyone else. Mostly, she thought it was part of his ongoing plan to keep her detached from the alliance though she also got the impression that he was not quite as distant as he usually was. He had asked the guards to wait outside until they were ready to sleep. They dined and spent the evening chatting over a few glasses of wine.

"I re-read the de Quincey murder essays," he said. "I'm inclined to agree with your theory regarding the number twelve. I don't know how I didn't notice it the first time as I kept seeing references everywhere."

Eve laughed. "In the diary you gave me, he makes a list of his twelve favourite poets," she said, "though he does cross one out so I'm not sure if that's significant, and he only really timestamps his entries at twelve o'clock."

"I think it is maybe you that is preoccupied." He laughed. "You seem to have a mind for odd details." His expression was curious and Eve could tell he meant something more than de Quincey though she did not know what. She wished she had a mind for figuring out Asmodeus Prince Calab details.

"I don't have a mind for anything useful."

"Just one for making reckless and impulsive decisions."

She gave a slow smile. "If I can help, then I should."

"It could be dangerous."

"It could be more hazardous to a lot of people if the wraiths are left to roam Arkazatinia snatching souls while they are looking for me."

"I agree with your plan," he said. "I just wish someone else was the bait."

He seemed to regret his last comment and sipped his wine quickly. Eve got the feeling she was verging on awkward conversation territory again and rather than show him how flattered she was, she continued as though he had not said it. "If it works, it should earn me some respect from the alliance. Though I'd probably earn more respect if I were to die."

He shook his head and smiled weakly. "They were all impressed with Queene Orrla, with her planning, knowledge and abilities. If they can pull it off and banish the souls, your alliance with the fae could be the greatest alliance in the history of the Crown Alliance."

"No pressure then," she said. He gave her a lazy smile that made her flutter. She wanted to kiss him and had to sip at her wine and think of the horrors of the vexed souls to disguise the blush in her cheeks.

It took two days for the fae to locate the magical epicentre and during that time, Queene Orrla advised that they were confident that they had magic that would banish the souls back to the limbo from which they came. Of course, that would still leave the issue of the one who had released them in the first place, but they planned to deal with the souls first.

The epicentre was located in the Parmenides Mountains, and the plan was for Eve to travel there with the fae, angels and demons and lure the souls to her. The fae would then work on banishing the souls while Calab and her guards took her to the cabin in the Empedocles Mountains. It was quite a distance between the two mountain ranges, but Calab assured her he could fly the distance in a few hours and they would lose any pursuing souls well before they got to the cabin.

The team set off before dawn and flew to the mountains under cover of darkness with Calab carrying Eve and the fae transported by the angels and demons. One of the fae identified the location, and they all descended. The air was deathly quiet—not even a whisper of the breeze or the rustle of the trees. The alliance made the only sounds. Eve felt nausea rise in her throat, she could see nothing but she knew they were there. She stayed close to Calab whose every sense was on high alert, he held her close to him and ordered her guard to surround her—they crouched ready to pounce with their claws and blades bared ready to fight.

"They're coming." She heard one of the angels say. The fae started their spell as the sun was beginning to rise. Eve heard a hissing and then multiple hisses as the souls approached.

The fae took turns in powering shields around Queene Orrla and the sorcerers performing the spell, and they appeared not to notice or not to focus on the hissing that was becoming so loud it vibrated painfully through Eve's ears. She saw the angels and demons begin to fight—she could see nothing of the enemy other than the glow of blade and claw when they made contact. Eve hated not knowing where the enemy was, she found the veiled threat terrifying.

The angels and demons closer to them were beginning to fight, and Calab lifted Eve in preparation to leave. The souls had started to reach some of the fae sorcerers, and she saw the ripple of the shields as they hit them and was relieved to see that they held. Her surrounding guards began to fight, and Calab took to the air with extraordinary speed. The world whizzed past her and made her dizzy; she had to turn her head into his chest to catch her breath.

"You know it said nothing in that guardian book about demons having wings," said Eve when Calab slowed a little to check they were not followed and allow Eve time to collect her breath.

He laughed. "Well, after all the misinformation they probably had no room for any real facts."

They soared higher as they approached the mountains in the Forest of Cambria. She held herself closer to Calab, partly for security as the height increased and partly to feel the warmth of his body as the air grew colder. She could not deny that, despite the circumstances, it felt good to be near him. She could not help but notice how wonderful it felt to have his large arms around her or how amazing his muscular back and shoulders felt under her hands. She looked up at his face, and he gave her a tender smile. Upon her first meeting, Eve had found that Calab's countenance did not offer a great aesthetic appeal—his features were heavy and his thickset jaw combined with glassy eyes made a frightening impression. Once arranged into a smile his features softened, his black hair fell in soft curls around his face, and his eyes glistened—she felt her heart flutter again.

All too soon, the flight was over, and they arrived at a small wooden cabin on the mountainside. Calab and her guards surveyed the skies and sniffed the air for signs of any enemies having followed them. When they were happy, Calab descended towards the cabin and the guards took positions surrounding the cabin. He set her down on the floor and opened the door.

"It's not much," he said, "but you should be safe in here. Queene Orrla has had it Cloaked in fae magic. Whilst you are here you are hidden."

"Are you going back?" she asked.

"No," he said, "but I need to sweep the perimeter and ensure the area is clear—I'll come back as soon as I can." She nodded, and he took to the sky once more.

Eve let out a sigh. Her guards could have surveyed the perimeter. She guessed that he had noticed that she liked the closeness between them on the way to the cabin and wanted to reduce the time they spent alone. She cursed at herself for her foolishness and took in her surroundings.

The cabin was small, about the size of a one-car garage, and had only one main room. There was a tiny room that looked as though it intended to hold a toilet but didn't. Eve presumed she'd have to hide behind a bush and hoped she could avoid doing so. The only furniture was a camp bed with a thin mattress and a thin, coarse wool blanket, a small log stove, and a small table holding a few basic essentials including some food ration packs, a kit to collect rainwater, and some steel and flint. As Eve did not know how long she would be in the cabin, she set up the rain collection set through the window. Though she felt, hungry she avoided touching the rations believing it was wiser to conserve them.

The air was cold and the stove, with a selection of logs at its side, looked tempting, but she dared not risk lighting it for fear of attracting attention. Calab had said she was hidden, but she did not know if the rising smoke would be. She wrapped herself in the blanket and lay on the bed. The blanket was so thin that it did nothing to warm her.

Calab had been gone for the whole day, and Eve had started to panic that something had happened to him. The room had become bitterly cold as night fell and she slept fitfully—her thoughts were preoccupied with the cold and with the battle. She dreamt of Calab arriving to tell her different friends had died. She dreamt that Calab had died and no one came for her. She shivered and her teeth chattered so much she did not hear the door open, or the footsteps make their way across the room. The figure was close when she heard it, and she leapt up in panic.

"It's me, Your Majesty," said Calab gently. "I'm sorry, I thought you were sleeping."

"Calab," she said, relieved to see it was really him. "I can't sleep, I'm too cold."

"Lie down."

She lay down, and he climbed onto the bed beside her putting his strong, muscular arms around her and pulling her close. He unfurled one wing and covered her body. The heat radiating from his body warmed her quickly and brought the feeling back to her hands and feet. The heat was wonderful and lying there, curled up under his wing, Eve had forgotten the freezing temperature of a few moments before. "Have you spoken to anyone? Is the battle over? Is everyone ok?" she asked, trying to keep herself from sleeping as her eyes were forcing themselves to close.

"For now," he said. "They managed to banish most of the souls before some escaped. Don't worry about that now, go to sleep." She could not keep her eyes open any longer and fell into a deep sleep.

Eve woke in the morning and had almost forgotten where she was. She felt warm and comfortable and could have been in a cosy bed instead of a rickety camp bed. During the night, she had turned over and had put her arms around Calab, and her head rested on his chest. His arms were no longer around her. She closed her eyes in an attempt to savour the closeness, but Calab had already realised she was awake.

"Good morning," he said, she raised her eyes to meet his, and his emerald eyes sparkled at her.

"Morning." She smiled at him.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Eve returned her head to lie on his chest. "Can we not just stay here?"

He chuckled. "I'm hungry, and not for ration packs. I need real food." Calab was airing his more amiable personality, but she could see that he felt uncomfortable with their proximity and seemed in a rush to leave. She groaned and sat up.

"That guardian book said that you have an eternal hunger—is that right?"

He smirked. "No, we felt hunger for the first time when we fell and probably overindulged at first, but having grown accustomed to it now after many a year we don't require vast amounts as that book infers."

"Why did you give me that book if it's so inaccurate?"

"It's fine as a brief introduction," he said. "There is no other guide to Arkazatinia."

"It's out of date anyway," she said. "Perhaps we should re-write it."

"One day," he said, "perhaps when our lives are not in danger."

"Will that day be anytime soon?"

Eve found herself in Calab's arms once more as he carried her through the air towards the Guild of Asmodeus. The other leaders had assembled in the library when Calab and Eve arrived. They sat down to join them and were each handed a cup of steaming coffee by Orrla.

"Welcome, Your Majesty," she said. Eve nodded and felt embarrassed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just don't like hiding while everyone else risks their lives."

"Don't feel bad," she said. "You should be proud. You did lure them, and we got most of them because of that."

With the fae sorcerers' energy regenerated, they set out the next morning towards the mountains to try to lure the rest of the wraiths. Eve soon found herself surrounded by Calab and her guards. It was a while before the hissing came and the sun was already up. She squinted into the distance and tried to sense every change in the atmosphere. The angels and demons noticed the change well before she did and the wraiths were upon them before she heard the hissing. It was louder than the last time and Eve could see the angels and demons beginning to fall.

"They are stronger today," said Barakel. "I think it's a trap."

Calab growled, grabbed the queen and began to fly. The thing moved at him with blinding speed and knocked him. He dropped the queen—she was falling! He stared in horror as a soul moved towards her. The demons and angels slashed at it, but their claws and weapons had no effect. Before she could hit the ground, he saw a soul rush through her and then it was running, and her soul was running with it. Her guards pursued, but it was too fast. Calab caught the queen's body before she hit the ground and lay her in his arms. A fae sorcerer ran over to him and cast a spell to create a small shield around them.

"What's happened?" he asked quickly.

"They've taken her," screamed Calab. "She's gone." The fae placed his hands over her heart and closed his eyes.

Eve was travelling fast through the mountains. Rocks and trees hit her face, but she felt nothing. An ordinary looking man, a good-looking man who could have been thorian, was pulling her along.

"What's happened?" she asked. He ignored her. "Where are you taking me?" she shouted. "Let me go." The man said nothing. "I know what you are. Has an alchemist made a deal with you? Eternal rest in exchange for capturing my soul. He is deceiving you, you know. He can't save you." The man still said nothing. "You can only have a true death if you are returned to your body and your body has been dead for more than two thousand years." Something flickered on the man's face but still, he said nothing.

Eve could hear crashes behind them and felt the angels and demons pursuing them. How could she feel that? She had never felt them. Eve guessed that was because she had never been just her soul before. The man stopped when they arrived at a clearing. More people stood around, but one seemed to have more colour, more substance than the others. He looked ancient and carried a staff made from white ash. The staff had some kind of blue Anaxagorean crystal on the top of it, it moved fluidly and pulsed gently. He was an alchemist.

"Well done," said the alchemist, grinning. "You are one step closer to peace."

"He's lying to you all," Eve said. "You can't find peace. Your bodies are dead—he is using you."

"Quiet!" shouted the alchemist, his voice booming around her. A shield formed around her, and she was trapped.

"Her life force is too weak. She's too far away, and something is blocking her," the fae sorcerer said. "I can't reach her."

"Channel someone," said Calab, "another sorcerer, me, anyone!"

"I can't channel another's magic. Nature won't allow us such an increase of power."

"So channel me," Calab yelled. "Use my energy."

"That could kill you."

"Just do it," he shouted. "Save her!" The sorcerer placed a hand over Calab's heart. The fae's hand felt hot against his skin as the heat left his body and passed to the sorcerer, Calab felt his body grow icy cold. His consciousness faltered, his eyes closed and he dropped towards the ground.

Eve felt pain ripple through her as something tore at her, pulling her towards the walls of the shield. She bit her lip to save from screaming—she would not show them she was afraid. The alchemist stood in front of her.

"I have waited so long for this moment," said the alchemist, "but as much as the thought of you suffering for all eternity brings me happiness, I am not a cruel man. I will make you a deal, surrender the Crown to me and I will let you go back to your body. You can live your life, and when you die, you can go to Heaven. Refuse, and you will be banished to limbo—my friends here can tell you what that is like."

"What did you promise them?" she asked, grimacing through the pain that was tearing through her head. "Did you promise them eternal rest? You know you can't give them that. It's the year 2013, their bodies died. They were burned or rotted a long time ago. You're deceiving them."

"Don't listen to her," the alchemist told the men who were beginning to shuffle restlessly. "She has no idea what I am capable of."

Eve began to freeze. An icy cold—colder than she had ever known—tore through her body. The temperature of the cabin was a day on the beach in comparison. She smoothed her face as best she could and held her head. She would not let him know she was suffering. "I know you're capable of deception." She snarled through her chattering teeth. "You will stop at nothing to get the Crown. You used the custodian of the Crown and intended to kill him when he was of no further use. You wanted the other alchemists executed so you could have the Crown for yourself. You used the Elion to help you, and you promised you would give them the Crown, but that was another lie."

"Ignore her," said the alchemist. "These are lies."

"Look at my clothes," she said, indicating to the jeans and hooded top she had been given by Thalia that morning—she was glad that her soul appeared clothed. "Do they look like they belong in your time? Your bodies have been long dead. He cannot return you to them, and he cannot give you peace. He intends to banish you once he has the Crown."

The men began to circle the alchemist who laughed maniacally. The crystal on the top of the alchemist's staff began to glow a brighter blue—the men disappeared.

"Foolish girl," said the alchemist, laughing. "They have already served their purpose."

The pain was becoming excruciating and Eve felt herself being ripped apart against the shield. "You'll never have the Crown," she screamed.

"I will," he said. "I can make you suffer unimaginable horrors. You'll be begging me to take it from you. Give me the Crown."

"Never!"

The alchemist's staff began to glow once more. Eve felt like every nerve was on fire. She dropped to the ground as the fire burned through her and slammed her against the shield with such force that she felt everything was broken.

_I am just my soul. I'm not in my body—he can't break me._

That did nothing to make the pain any less real. Her mind filled with panic and she tried to imagine how long she could hold out.

"Had enough?" said the alchemist. "I'm only tickling you. I haven't even started yet. Give me the Crown."

"No!" Eve felt her soul warp and contort as the pain of a hundred shattered bones splintered through her. She could not hold back her scream that time.

"She should be right here," said Captain Leliel of the Queen's Guard. "I can sense her."

The captain's angel and demon brothers searched high and low, but could not find the queen's soul. Terror filled him when he heard her scream.

"Where is she?" he shouted.

A black shape appeared from the trees and charged towards him and then through him, as though he was not even there.

"You can stop this, Your Majesty," said the alchemist. "It's just two little words: I surrender. It's not hard. You don't have to worry about your people; I will take good care of them."

"Have three words: GO TO HELL," Eve screamed. She begged Heaven or Hell to take her. She could not take any more. She wanted death. She wanted it to be over. Even the joyless, painless, lightless limbo sounded appealing. All she had to do was give him the Crown, and it would be over.

_No! I cannot let this monster rule. I have to hold on. He will give up eventually. He has to sleep sometime._

She took a breath, at least, she tried to take a breath and found she did not need to breathe.

_He does not have my body—the alliance has it_. _They will keep me safe. They will find me peace_.

She curled into a ball and braced herself for another wave of pain when she saw a black shape pound the alchemist. The shield dropped.

"You found me," she said as her consciousness faltered and everything went dark.

Calab opened his eyes to find himself lying on a hot marble floor. The familiar scent of sulphur filled his nostrils. He raised his head, and his eyes met those of Prince Asmodeus of the Highest Order. He quickly raised himself to a kneeling position.

"Master, my Prince," he said with his head bent low.

"This is most unusual," said Asmodeus, his deep voice rumbled through Calab and filled him with terror.

"Am I dead, my Prince?" asked Calab, trying to keep his voice calm.

"There is no precedent for what you are," came the reply. Calab said nothing and maintained his position. He had only encountered the high prince on two occasions. The first was during the rebellion and the second when he was assigned his position as prince of the first order. He had never come to conflict with Hell, but their power was legendary. Calab presumed he would now be chained in Hell for all eternity and if that was to be his fate, then he did not want to make his punishment worse by angering Asmodeus. The high prince snarled. "Have you nothing to say?"

"Master, I gave my life to save the queen's. If that is wrong, I will accept the consequences."

"Why would a demon make such a sacrifice?"

"I felt it was my duty to save her," said Calab.

"Do you think me foolish, boy?" Asmodeus growled.

"No, my Prince."

"Then why do you not speak the truth? Do you think that I hear nothing about the world above, that I am ignorant to all that occurs?"

"No, my Prince"

"THEN SPEAK, BOY!"

"I wanted to save her because I love her, my Prince. I love her, but I have not acted on my feelings. I have tried to turn her feelings away from me."

"How is this possible?" snapped the high prince.

"I do not know, my Prince. I know that my feelings are true. I feel the pain that they bring and it is like venom to my heart and poisons my soul."

"And you gave your life to save hers?"

"Yes, my Prince. I know it is wrong for a demon to love a human, but I will not be sorry for my actions. I will accept whatever punishment is due. I shall take the chains and the fire if that is my fate."

"Have you learned nothing, boy?"

"I don't know what you mean, my Prince."

"Have you learned nothing of Hell?" Asmodeus growled. "Do you think Hell is filled with those who fell in love and sacrificed their lives for the ones they love?"

"No, Master, but I am a demon, surely the rules are different."

"You are no demon of mine," said Asmodeus slyly. "As demons, we were relieved of the ability to ever feel love and yet here you are—not only falling in love but having that love returned. You no longer belong with us, and you do not belong within my Hell."

"Master, forgive me, but I don't understand what you're saying."

"I'm saying that we have no place for you—not in Hell nor in our ranks."

"Are you saying I have to leave the guild?"

"And the penny drops."

"Master, if I may speak freely?"

"I am no longer your master."

"High Prince," said Calab, his voice panicked. "The guild is my home. It has been my life for thousands of years. Please, I will let you take away my feelings. I can't leave the guild."

"I do not have the power to rid you of your feelings. We have our good friends in Heaven to thank for that mercy."

"Please, let me stay in the guild." Calab pleaded. "I have commanded your guild for a long time, I can't do anything else."

"That is not my concern."

" _Please_ , Master. I have served you faithfully for an eternity. That must mean something."

"You are trying to appeal to my better nature, and I have none. I see before me someone who no longer fits the bill for the head of my guild, and he has to go. Do you think I have not noticed that you have barely completed a day's work in the last year? You have grown weak, boy. You are too much at war with your... _feelings_ to have the strength to run my guild."

"Where will I live?"

"Again, that is not my concern."

"Will I be an angel again?"

"No, you have been cast out permanently. You will be a demon in body and soul, but you will no longer have affiliations with Hell."

"Could I have children?"

"Only if you wish me to drag you chained to the infernal pit. The rule still applies."

"Could I ask Heaven to take away my feelings?"

"Do what you like." Asmodeus snarled. "But my decision is final."

"I'm begging you to reconsider."

"Not another word. Now leave!"

Calab opened his eyes and found himself once again bitterly cold and lying beside the queen. He leapt up and ignored the dizzying sensation that hit him.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Yes, she's unconscious but stable," said the fae. Some of his brethren had joined the sorcerer, and all appeared drained. "We're exhausted. We can't hold a shield much longer. Do you have the strength to take her?"

"Yes, thank you," said Calab, sitting up. He was relieved to find he still had functioning wings. He lifted the girl from the ground and still weak from the spell, he slowly took to the sky.

Calab arrived at the cabin. The journey had taken twice as long as the last time as he felt exhausted from the sorcerer's spell. He lay the girl down on the bed and covered her with the woollen blanket. She slept for hours, and he stayed by her side keeping her warm.

He drifted in and out of consciousness as he recovered his own strength. His heart was heavy with concern for the girl and for his future which had just spiralled away from him.

What happened?

How could he possibly exist in this world without the guild? What was he supposed to do? Where was he supposed to live? It was true that he had not found his role easy of late, but he could make himself do it. He would make himself do it to stay in the guild. The guild was his home, and he did not want to be anywhere else. He wanted to stay there surrounded by his books and his men and follow his decree. How had it all gone so wrong so quickly? He could not let himself think about it.

Some of the Queen's Guard arrived at the cabin and told him that they had found the alchemist in the mountains. He had appeared right before them having been knocked down by the queen's horse. There were no wraiths with the alchemist, but the fae were still struggling to take down the ones that they had been fighting. The wraiths had had their defences enhanced somehow, and the fae were weak from shielding the queen. The demons and angels could not touch the wraiths—it was all down to the fae. More fae were on their way from the realm to take over, and Calab was to keep the queen hidden until the wraiths were gone. The Queen's Guard monitored the cabin whilst Calab tried to sleep.

Calab looked down at the sleeping girl. Her hair was tangled and in need of washing. The curls fell upon her cheek, and he reached to brush them aside and tuck them gently behind her ear. He gave a small smile. She was a lovely thing, even with her messy hair and her pallor pale from her ordeal. Calab was torn between wanting to kiss her and wanting to get as far away from her as he could.

The first day he had carried her to the cabin, he had held her close to him and breathed in the scent of her. It had taken all of his might not to embrace her. He had left to get away from her, to get her out of his head for a few hours. His plan had backfired on his return. He had not considered the temperature and finding her freezing, he had taken her in his arms once more. He had not slept that night as he had tried to prise his thoughts away from the fact that he was laid in bed with the girl and now he was with her once more.

She opened her eyes. They were glazed and unfocused, but they met his. His breath faltered a little. He had never noticed the colour before. They were the deepest, darkest bluest eyes he had ever seen. They were beautiful. "I'm thirsty," she croaked. He retrieved water from the rainwater collection set she had set up a few days ago. There was not much, but she managed a couple of mouthfuls. "What happened? How did I get here? Where is the alchemist?"

"The wraiths took you from your body. A fae sorcerer channelled me to bring you back."

"They took me to an alchemist, he held me inside a shield. He tortured me to get me to surrender the Crown, but I wouldn't give in, and then Aethon saved me." The thought of her being tortured sickened him. He wanted to hold her but refrained.

"Your Majesty, you should rest."

"I'm all right," she said. "He was there—Queene Orrla was right—he found me. He knocked the alchemist down, and the shield dropped."

Calab smiled. "That probably allowed the fae to bring you back. He said something was blocking you—he channelled me to pull you through it."

"Everything went black when the shield dropped and then you went somewhere," the queen said. "I was with you." Calab felt himself stiffen.

_That's impossible; she could not have been there! Please, don't let her have heard what I said_.

"It was probably a dream," he said calmly, smoothing his voice to remove the tremble of fear he felt.

"It was like a dream. It was like I was connected to you, but I know it was real."

"Try to sleep."

"I know it was real, I heard everything."

Please, just let it be a dream.

And what did you hear?" He tried to sound nonchalant,

"Everything you said to the high prince—was he Asmodeus? I heard you say that you gave your life for mine, is that true?"

_Oh no! She does know everything._

"The sorcerer needed to channel me to bring you back, and it took my life," he said plainly, keeping his voice calm, relaxed and devoid of panic.

"You gave your life to save me?" she asked, He shrugged but did not answer. There seemed little point in trying to hide his intentions when she had heard everything. "Thank you for saving me." She smiled at him. He shrugged again and looked away from her piercing eyes. "I heard Asmodeus say you weren't a demon and you have been relieved of your position. What will you do?"

_"_ I don't know. Maybe I'll retire to a cottage somewhere."

"You'll think of something."

My life will be miserable now, I can't stand the thought of it.

"I wish I'd been made mortal," he said. "I can't bear an eternity like this."

"You need to find a new purpose."

Humans! Everything is so easy when it is another person's problem. They are always trying to make people feel better by muttering some cliché.

"Like what?" he asked. "I have lost my title, my home, my employment, my position in Arkazatinia, my position in the quorum. I am nobody now."

"You'll always be a prince to me," she said and kissed his cheek. He stiffened again.

Why does she do this? Can she not see I hate it!

The girl pulled away from him and looked irritated.

"Why do you do this, Calab?" she snapped. "Why is it so important that I shouldn't know how you feel?"

"It's complicated," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Complicated how?"

"It just is. I don't know."

"It's easy. I love you, and you love me. What's complicated about that?"

"I can't be with you. I can't expose you to the ridicule you'd receive. You'd resent me." Calab gave her the same excuses he had given to Thalia. They had sounded plausible enough when he had told Thalia, and she had believed he was being noble.

"These are obstacles we can overcome. People may talk, but they'll come round."

She does not give up!

"They won't," he said, brushing aside the hand she had placed on his shoulder and standing to pace the room. "I won't put you through that."

"I love you Calab. I will face any ridicule for you if you let me."

What can I say to get her to shut up?

"I don't want to."

"Why not?"

"It's complicated."

"Why is it?" she said. "You're going to have to explain it to me because I don't get it. Those barriers aren't real. You've created them yourself." He glared at her.

_Leave me alone!_

"You had a relationship with Thalia." The girl snarled. "Is it because I'm not as tall or as slim or as beautiful as she is? Do you only date thorian?"

"Don't be absurd," he snapped. "I didn't love Thalia. I used her. Is that what you want?"

"No," she said, "but if we love each other, it will be better."

"Have you thought that I might not want to love you?" He snarled. "That I might _hate_ the feelings I have for you? Since I've had these feelings, I've had no control over my own thoughts. I can't focus on anything, and I'm plagued with jealousy and confusion. Joy one moment and sadness the next—I despise it!"

"It's new that's all. It can be something special too if you'll allow it."

"I don't want to allow it!" he spat. "I want to be rid of it. I wish I had never met you. You have ruined my life! I should have let you die."

"You don't mean that."

I do!

"Yes. I. do." He growled. "It is taking every ounce of will not to throw you off the mountain right now."

"So do it then," she shouted. "Or leave and let me freeze to death."

He stood by the door. He thought about leaving her there and getting away from her. He did not care if she died. He would be glad if she did. Instead, he sat on the floor and held his head in his hands. He heard the girl sit on the bed and could feel her glare burrowing into him.

Darkness descended, and they had not uttered a word to each other. The temperature had rapidly dropped. Eve pulled the blanket around her and did her best to suppress the audible shiver. She heard Calab stand, but he did not approach her. Instead, she heard him light a fire in the stove and then sit on the floor in front of it. It took some time before the cabin warmed enough for her to sleep.

Eve woke as the light was beginning to break. She looked around the cabin and found Calab asleep on the floor. He looked young as he slept with his curly hair falling gently around his face. His expression was relaxed and showed none of the menace or anger of the previous day. She raged at herself as she felt tears form in her eyes.

_Toughen up!_

She crept quietly across the room and collected the ration packs from the table. She picked up the blanket and the water before quietly leaving the cabin to prepare her descent down the mountain. After using the facilities that the mountain offered in the form of a curtain of bushes, she set off for home. She did not know which direction was home and just headed down with the hope that she would make it off the mountain before nightfall. It was a high-risk strategy and one born out of a stubborn desire to avoid speaking to Calab and have him carry her home. She did not get far. She was not even sure she had been walking for five minutes.

A snarl came from above her. "What are you doing?"

She did not look up. "I'm going home," she snapped, trying not to sound like a petulant child.

"Could you be any more stupid? If you don't fall to your death, those things could still be hunting you."

"Don't speak to me like that! I am your queen! The Alchemist sent those things back. What do you care anyway? I thought you wanted me to die."

"Not all of them," he barked, "the fae are dealing with them. It does not matter anyway because I'm not arguing with you. You are not going anywhere. I'm not going back to tell the others you died on my watch."

"You can't stop me!"

"My greater strength says otherwise," he said, picking her up as though she weighed nothing and carrying her back to the cabin. Eve spotted her guards on the mountain and realised she had probably just relieved herself in full view of them. She cringed and then forgot them and continued her rage at Calab.

"Put me down!" She kicked and hit at him. "I order you to put me down."

He ignored her protests as he set her down inside the cabin and shut the door. "Don't make me tie you up."

"You can't do this. You can't keep me prisoner."

"I'm keeping you safe you stupid b—" he yelled and broke off before finishing the sentence. His intense eyes met her angry glare—he softened. "I'm sorry, but you just need to stay here for now."

They did not speak for the rest of the day. Eve fell in and out of sleep, but sat up for short periods and avoided making any eye contact with Calab. She ate the last ration pack without offering him any. He said nothing and remained sat at his post with his back to the door.

Eve woke the next morning to find her body aching from the uncomfortable bed and the constant shivering to keep warm. Her stomach growled loudly. She turned to look at Calab. He was still asleep and sitting with his back to the door. She stood up and pulled the blanket around her before putting the last of the wood into the dying embers of the fire and laying on the floor in front of the stove to capture any warmth. She started to drift when she heard the familiar growl of irritation from Calab as he spotted her on the floor. He whispered something she could not understand before approaching her.

"Do you want me to help warm you?" he asked.

"I'm okay."

"Suit yourself."

"How long do we have to stay here for?" she asked, sitting up to face him.

"Until it's safe."

"How do you know it's not safe now? Have you phoned someone?"

"The others know we're here, they will let us know."

"I'm hungry. We need food and water."

"Well, you should have made the rations last. At least you ate yesterday."

"Can you not hunt something?"

"You want me to hunt an animal?" he said, looking a little disgusted.

"Why not?" she said sarcastically. "You can fly and have claws, oh and let's not forget about your great strength."

"What am I supposed to hunt?"

"I don't know, Calab, anything—just go and see what's out there."

"Fine," he said, rising from the floor, "but you must stay here."

After escorting her outside to use the en-suite, Calab left the cabin. Eve curled up on the floor in front of the stove. The wood was starting to burn, and she began to feel some warmth from the fire. She began to doze but forced herself to stay awake. She felt vulnerable without Calab, and as much as she was not enjoying his company, she felt a lot safer with him there.

Eve was relieved when Calab returned within an hour and was somewhat surprised to observe that he was laden with plastic bags.

"I was expecting a rabbit or something," she said. "I didn't expect the mountain to produce such a yield or provide bags."

"Well." Calab grinned. "I was going to hunt, but I went to a supermarket in Lycea instead." He started unpacking the bags and handed Eve a fleece jacket which she gratefully pulled around her. He pulled apart several cooked chickens and warmed bread rolls on the stove to make sandwiches. He handed one to her and then took some to the door, summoned the guards and gave them the sandwiches and some bottled water. When he returned, he pulled out a bottle of wine, glasses and a corkscrew. Eve forced herself to conceal the smirk that was trying to reveal itself. "I bought red though we have chicken—we're camping anyway so I doubt it matters." He handed her a glass and gave her a weak smile as his gaze met hers.

"It's still morning," she said, returning his smile.

"Like I said, we're camping."

They sat beside each other on the camp bed and ate their sandwiches in silence. Eve took a sip of wine and relaxed against the wall. It felt good to have food inside her.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he replied. They sat in silence for a few more moments before Calab spoke again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did."

"If you meant it then, of course, you should say it," said Eve.

"I didn't mean all of it," he said, his eyes met hers and a desperate sadness pooled in them. She felt at a loss to understand his feelings. "I don't regret saving you and I would never throw you off the mountain."

"I know you wouldn't," said Eve softly. "You meant everything else?"

Shame washed over his face as he pulled his gaze towards the floor and shrugged. "I don't know how I feel. Sometimes I feel like that, and other times I enjoy the feelings—it just overwhelms me."

"You're just not accustomed to having feelings," she said. "I can try to be more patient. I just need something from you; some hint that you want me."

"I can't be what you want."

"I just want you to love me."

"I wish you didn't love me. It would be easier if you hated me."

"I can't hate you."

"You should. You should try and rid yourself of your feelings and meet someone else, someone more worthy of you."

"You are perfectly worthy."

"I'm a hideous demon, and you're... Well, you're beautiful. Look at me and then look at you—we're not a good match."

"I don't care about any of that," she said. "I love you. I don't care what you look like."

"Or how I act?" he snapped. "Because I act like a demon and you won't accept that."

"Because I know that you're not being honest with yourself."

"You're just not accepting what I say," he said, giving her an exasperated look. "I don't know how else to say it for you to understand."

"I just don't believe you," she said. "I know that you want me."

"I _don't_ want you."

"That makes no sense. How can you love someone and not want them?"

"I don't know."

"I can wait for you," said Eve. "I can give you all the time you need to adjust."

"Just give up," he snapped. "You're like Helena trying to force her love on Bertram."

"I'm not trying to force you to love me, Calab. You already do love me."

He growled and lunged towards her, pinning her hands beside her head and holding her onto the bed.

"You don't even know what it is to be with a demon," he said, his voice feral. "You think I'm a kind, gentle and sensitive lover?" She breathed a heady mix of terror and excitement as his mouth moved towards her ear, his lips a hairsbreadth from touching her. "I'm not," he whispered. "And you wouldn't like it."

Eve moaned as his lips brushed her ear. He growled again, and the vibrations rippled through her making her head spin. She gasped and strained her wrists against his hands. She turned her head towards him, her lips impossibly close to his and raised her legs around him so her knees were level with his hips. He glared into her eyes before releasing her hands, standing up and stepping away from the bed.

Eve raised herself from the bed, her breath coming in pants. She stood, her legs felt weak, and she commanded them to hold her steady as she stepped towards him. His glare continued as she approached him, it was animalistic, and he gave a low growl which became louder as she got closer—warning her, inviting her.

She was close enough to touch him and reached her hands to place them on his chest. His hands flashed and snatched her wrists. He lowered his lips to her ear once more. Eve moaned, frustrated and wanting more, wanting him to stop toying with her and take her. His breath blazed against her neck, and she tipped back her head to expose her throat and invite him in. He held his lips close to her neck. She felt him inhale her scent and then trembled as his lips brushed her skin. Her knees felt weak, and she let out another moan as his teeth grazed her neck.

He released her wrists, grabbed her body, pulled her tightly to him and kissed her. His lips were hot against hers. His touch maddening. She ran her fingers through his hair as they kissed, pulling him closer. He ran a hand along her back and traced her throat with his deadly sharp claws, and she felt a thrill of terror.

_He could slip and kill me right now_.

He let her go and stepped away.

"Don't stop," she groaned, stepping towards him.

"You're afraid of me," he muttered. He allowed her to embrace him but did not touch her as she smoothed her hands over his shoulders.

"No," she said.

"I can smell your fear."

"I'm not afraid of you," she said. "It's just that your claws are sharp." He had stopped and let her go. That was all the assurance she needed that she was safe with him. She moved her mouth quickly to his and caught his lip in her teeth. She felt his snarl as she bit him. His resolve faltered when she gasped into his mouth, and he slammed her onto the bed.

It was mid-afternoon when Eve woke and found herself alone on the bed. Her eyes searched the room and met Calab's as he sat on the floor by the fire.

"Hi." She smiled at him. He pressed his lips into a thin smile. She felt her heart drop as she read his expression. "You regret what we did," she said sadly.

He dropped his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry."

She pulled the blanket around her to cover the shame she felt. Her eyes stung as tears threatened. She blinked them away and tried to swallow the rage that was building inside. __ She could not. "What is it with you?" she snapped. "Am I not good enough for you? Was I not good enough for you?"

"Of course you are," he said. "It's not you that's the problem, it's me."

"It's not you, it's me? Seriously, Calab," she said, "all the literature you read, and that's what you're going with?"

"I'm no good at this shit," he snapped. "I don't know how to talk about these things."

"It's not that hard, Calab, it's very simple. If you love somebody and they love you, then you have a relationship with them and live happily ever after."

"I don't _want_ to love you," he shouted. "I don't _want_ to have a relationship with you. I don't know how many times I have to tell you."

Frustrated and angry, Eve lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Your Majesty—"

"Stop calling me that," she spat. "You have taken me to bed you can, at least, have the decency to call me by my name."

"I can't call you by your name, you're a queen, and I am... Well, I'm no one now."

"I don't care about your damn etiquette and your stupid titles."

"I'm sorr—"

"I'm bored of this crap now... Go and get me a book to read." She snarled.

"What?" he asked, startled by her sudden menace.

"That's an order, Calab!"

He opened his mouth to speak before biting his lip anxiously. "Right away, Your Majesty," he replied sullenly and left the cabin.

Eve turned her face into the bed and cried. If nothing else, she could understand Calab's hatred of his own feelings. She hated her feelings at that moment. She despised the desperation she felt. Her gut was a sea of whirling pain. She felt an endless longing to have what she could not have, and her heart was filled with rage because she could not have it. She would have given anything to have her feelings taken from her, to lose the pain, the confusion and the chaos that swarmed around her. She had always hated being ruled by her heart and preferred the clarity and reason of the mind to the stormy and unpredictable heart. Why could she not stop this feeling? Why could he not just want her? Why could he not just love her?

Calab returned an hour later with a selection of books having visited a used bookstore in Lycea. His expression was pained as he handed them to her. Eve bit her lip as her stomach knotted.

"Calab, I'm sorry," she said, taking the books gently from him. "My behaviour towards you has been appalling."

"It's my fault," he said. "It was wrong of me to be intimate with you."

She pressed her lips into a tight smile if only to prevent another stream of tears. "I shouldn't be pushing you. I shouldn't be angry with you because I can't have my way."

"It's okay."

"No. It's not," she said. "You don't deserve it. All you have ever done is keep me safe—you've risked everything to keep me safe. I am truly grateful to you for saving me." He gave her a weak smile and nodded but said nothing. "Thank you for the books."

"You're welcome," he replied, awkwardly taking a seat beside her on the bed.

They spent the rest of the day in an uneasy peace and maintained generally needs-led interactions pertaining to food and toilet breaks. They both spent their time reading and Eve noticed with some surprise that her vision seemed to have improved. Her vision was not bad before, she had never needed glasses though it had never been as clear and as sharp as it was now. She had not noticed until she opened her page to read, but after glancing around the cabin, she found she could see details she could not have possibly seen before. Once she had become aware of her improved vision, she also noticed that her hearing and sense of smell seemed improved. Eve kept the revelation to herself and continued to read.

With the last of the wood gone, Calab lay beside her that night to keep her warm with as much distance between them as the small bed would allow and they kept their hands to themselves.

Son Jacob arrived the next morning to inform them that the wraiths had all been banished and the alchemist had been detained in the hominem prison.

"Has he said anything?" asked Eve. "Is he working with anyone else? The Elion or another alchemist?"

"He is refusing to speak," said Jacob.

"Do we know how he released the wraiths?" asked Calab.

"No," said Jacob, "he seemed to have access to some magic that enhanced his gifts, and we believe that's what made the wraiths invulnerable to the angel blades and demon claws. He was also able to conceal the clearing where he was hiding Her Majesty from those who pursued him. Once the horse knocked him down, the shield dropped, and they were able to disarm him."

"Why could Aethon find me?" asked Eve.

"Animals have odd senses," said Jacob.

"Is he okay?"

"Yes, Captain Leliel had one of your guards return him to your stables."

Eve breathed a relieved sigh. "Were any of the alliance hurt?"

"No, a few angels and demons were knocked down, but our souls are not anchored in this world so they could not dislodge them, and they had no presence to cause any serious harm to our physical form. The fae managed to keep up their shields by taking shifts. They are all thoroughly drained now. I do not know how we would have defeated the wraiths without them."

"They were a fortunate alliance," said Calab. Eve beamed inwardly but kept her expression neutral.

"Exceedingly so."

Calab had one of the guards carry Eve to the guild. She was not surprised to have him distance himself from her once more, and she felt she deserved it. She wished she could be more relaxed around him and less...well...needy and desperate were the only descriptions that came to mind.

_I need to get him out of my head_.

Calab allowed Eve to use the bathroom in his quarters and brought her the riding outfit and underwear that the demons had laundered for her. She would have preferred to stay in jeans but accepted the subtle hint that she needed to resume her regal role and regal colours as soon as possible.

After entering the bathroom, Eve caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. It was not her filthy and dishevelled appearance which caused her to gasp—it was her eyes. She had always had brown eyes, and now they were black—no, they were dark blue, like the colour of benitoite. Midnight blue. Impærielas blue. Crown blue. What did that mean? She recalled noticing the change the previous day. Did she have thorian senses now? Why?

The alliance were soon seated at the table in Calab's library. Eve could not help but feel smug that the fae had saved them and forced away the voice that wanted to tell them that she told them so. Instead, she remained professional and thanked the angel and demon guilds and the fae for their brave and loyal service to the Crown Alliance. The rulers were much friendlier to Queene Orrla, and even Ester chatted to her over lunch. Calab had avoided her for much of the day and had avoided saying very much to anyone. However, he approached her when everyone had left the library to prepare to return to their respective guilds.

"Your Majesty," he said cautiously, "I don't want you to be offended, but can we pretend that it never happened?"

She kept her face neutral and nodded. "I was going to suggest the same thing," she lied calmly.

"That's good," he said, giving her an uneasy smile. "Though we probably won't see each other much now I won't be in the quorum."

"No," she said, trying to sound unmoved, "probably not. What will you do now?"

"I don't know," he said. "Finding a house will be my first task I suppose, after that, I don't know."

Eve felt a pang in her chest. She wanted to hold him, to comfort him. "You will find something."

"I hope so. I just wanted to wish you all the best—you have made a fine queen."

"Thank you, Calab, and thank you for everything you have done for me. I'm alive because of you."

"You're welcome. Goodbye, Queen Genevieve."

"Goodbye, Calab, and good luck." He nodded, and she left to return to the Guild of Impærielas.

Calab had begun to pack his library. He had found a house he liked and had work underway to remodel it to his needs. The house would not be ready for another month, but he had so many books that it was an immense task to pack them and one that he would entrust to no other. The room housed many full boxes, and he had yet to empty a single wall.

He paused to read the occasional passage or verse. Everything he looked at churned his thoughts and brought memories flooding back to him:

"In what torne ship soever I embarke,

That ship shall be my emblem of thy arke;

What sea soever swallow mee, that flood

Shall be to mee an emblem of thy blood."

He shuddered as he added the Donne volume to the box. After packing a few more rows he picked up another:

"The moonshine, stealing o'er the scene

Had blended with the lights of eve;

And she was there, my hope, my joy,

My own dear Genevieve!"

_It is her fault_!

Calab felt rage as he slammed the _Poetical Works of Coleridge_ into the box with a malice he would never have imagined towards his books. His precious books that he could no longer enjoy without feeling pain from every stanza. It was her fault. Her fault he was leaving, her fault that he was no longer a prince, and her fault that he was debilitated more and more each day by his feelings.

He _hated_ her. He wanted to tear her throat with his claws and watch the life leave her eyes so he would never again have to see her. Never have to speak to her. Never hear her laugh. Never have her taunt him and tempt him, and smile at him in that way that had him catch his breath. He would never have to catch the scent of her skin... _her skin_.

Calab had tortured himself with the memory of the cabin. Her skin against his skin, her mouth against his mouth. She had been his, and he had been hers. She had made him want her. He had tried to intimidate her and frighten her from having thoughts of him, but she would not be intimidated. She had trembled at his touch and moaned at his warning. He thought she would scream at him to get off her, but instead, she had enticed him. She had lured him and poisoned him, and he had not resisted—he had not wanted to.

He despised the girl who had ruined his life. She had crippled him and left him weak and he wanted her dead. He shivered at the thought. The thought of the world without the girl filled him with horror.

Why could he just not think one thing and stick with it? Why did he change his mind so often? Why was he so confused? He felt his eyes begin to sting—a feeling he had not felt for a very long time. He wanted to scream.

_Why is this happening?_

He was relieved to have his thoughts interrupted by Charon entering the library with a tray.

"I thought you might like some tea, sir," he said—no longer _Prince_. He missed his title.

"Thank you, Charon," he said. He could not remember the last time he had thanked his men—if he had ever thanked them. Charon had served him loyally for as long as he was a prince, but had he ever shown him any gratitude? It had never bothered him before. It probably did not bother Charon at all. He was lucky enough to have his lack of feelings intact.

"Do you require assistance in here, sir?"

"I can manage, thank you," he said. Charon nodded and turned to leave.

"Charon."

"Yes, sir?"

"Thank you...thank you for your service to me."

Charon looked a little awkward—he recovered himself and nodded. "You are welcome, sir," he said and left the library.

Calab sat at his desk— _the_ desk, it was not _his_ anymore—and poured the tea. He eyed the chair by the fireside. It had always been his favourite place to sit here in the sanctuary of his library. His eyes began to sting again.

Eve sat in her library. The shelves were starting to fill up with books now, and it was starting to look more like the library she had dreamt of and feel more like the sanctuary she wanted. So why could she not feel happy? Wherever she looked, she saw the books Calab had given her and the shelves he had bought for her. She continued to read the Byron volume in front of her:

"They name thee before me,

A knell to mine ear;

A shudder comes o'er me -

Why wert thou so dear?

They know not I knew thee,

Who knew thee too well:-

Long, long shall I rue thee,

Too deeply to tell."

Why does every word I read remind me of him?

She snapped the book closed. She hated him and loved him in equal measures. He infuriated her. She could not stand his mood swings or the conflicting messages. He was hot one moment and cold the next. He was friendly one moment and hostile the next. He would speak to her one moment and ignore her the next. She had never known anyone like him. She had never known anyone make her happy and sad, make her laugh and cry, fill her with joy and rage. He was toxic, and she needed him out of her life. She picked up the poems of Percy Shelley:

"Gentle and good and mild thou art,

Nor can I live if thou appear

Aught but thyself, or turn thine heart

Away from me, or stoop to wear

The mask of scorn, although it to be

To hide the love thou feel'st for me."

Why did she taunt herself in this way?

_Why do I sit here reading things I know will make me think of him?_

She needed him out of her head. She needed to forget about him. She vowed she would do everything she could to avoid Calab. He was no longer in the quorum, and she had no cause to see him ever again. She would get over it. Would she, though?

Her thoughts turned to the cabin, and it made every hair stand on end. She imagined the moment he had thrown her to the bed. When he had pinned her with his body and kissed her so hard she could not breathe. He had not held back. He had given himself to her entirely, and she had given herself to him. They had been one. They had been whole. They had been happy. They had held each other and then it was over. Her chest tightened at the memory. She would give anything to have that moment back. Anything to feel his hands on her bare skin once more. Anything to have him in her life and anything to have him want her. Eve tried to blink away the sting as tears formed in her eyes.

Confounded, though immortal. But his doom

Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought

Both of lost happiness and lasting pain

Torments him: round he throws his baleful eyes,

That witnessed huge affliction and dismay,

Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate.

John Milton, Paradise Lost
Part the third

Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes.

Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

 August 2013

The reforms of the Crown were taking up much of Eve's time. She was pleased with the progress they were making and many of her changes either had been implemented or were underway. Though Lady Ariana was the ruler of the Impærielas, she had declined the invitation to represent them in the quorum and steps were taken to elect another representative. And despite some initial grumbles from some of the Impærielas about how 'this is not the way things are done', the idea was generally well accepted.

Eve also had the task of electing a guardian representative. She had summoned all the Guardians of Arkazatinia to a meeting at the Guild of the Crown. She was a little nervous about seeing William Farley, who had introduced her to Arkazatinia ten years earlier, as it had been over seven years since she had last seen him. She did not know whether he had learned of her rise to the Crown. She had meant to call or write, but either put it off or did not find the time.

In reality, they were excuses and the truth was she had felt uncomfortable about contacting him. Their friendship had begun to break down after their return from Arkazatinia when Calab had kidnapped Will's father. He had become tired of her obsession and constant questions about Arkazatinia and even when Eve made an effort not to bring it up and eventually tired of bringing it up, their friendship no longer felt natural, and they grew apart.

On the night of the meeting, the guardians assembled in the hall. Eve peered around the curtain to see if she could see Will or Mr Farley—she could not. She smoothed her simple gown of midnight blue and adjusted her hair as Ezra approached the lectern at the appointed hour.

"Please rise for Her Majesty Queen Genevieve of the Impærielas and Crown of Arkazatinia," he announced.

Eve approached the lectern. "Guardians of Arkazatinia," she started. It was at that moment that she noticed Will. He was stood in the centre of the room with his father. He had not noticed it was Eve at first, but his jaw fell open when he heard her voice. She smiled towards him and continued her address. She told the guardians of the plans to elect a representative and that there would be nominations and a vote for regional and head guardians. The proposal was met with delight, and she received a loud applause at the end of her speech.

Following the address, Eve asked Shanna to invite Will and Mr Farley to the backstage area.

"Oh my god, Eve!" exclaimed Will, giving her a hug. "What the hell!" Eve became conscious of the glares he received from the Arkazatines backstage and she led them to her office. "Wow, Eve," he continued, "or do I have to call you Your Majesty now? Those guys looked like they wanted to burn me just now."

Eve laughed. "Definitely not. I haven't been called by my name for over a year, and I've missed it, maybe just not in front of them though otherwise, they may well burn you."

"Wow! You know you look no different. You haven't changed at all, except your eyes. Are you wearing contacts? How did this happen?" he asked. She relayed the events of her rise to them as they stared in dismay. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I meant to," said Eve. "I guess I felt awkward. We'd grown apart."

"Yeah, I know. That was my fault. I tried to visit you last year, though. I was at a conference in Nottingham and called at your work, but they said you weren't there anymore. I didn't have your number, and I couldn't find you on Facebook. I spoke to your mum, and she said that they didn't know where you lived and that you just checked in now and then. At least now I know why."

"I've had to separate myself from my family a little," she said sadly. "I have to lie to them about where I am, what I'm doing and why they can't visit. It's awkward."

"Oh, Eve," he said, pulling her towards him and hugging her tightly. "I've really missed you, you know." He had aged a little since she had last seen him. He was still too young to have formed any lines but had developed a more mature countenance, and she was delighted to see he still had the same devastating smile.

Eve had invited them both back to the Guild of Impærielas for supper. Mr Farley declined as he had an early meeting though Will readily accepted. They dined in her quarters; Will's presence received a raised eyebrow but nothing more from the kitchen staff who delivered the food and a jug of wine.

Over supper, Will filled her in on the events of the last seven years. He had graduated from the University of Manchester, completed his master's and had recently gained a position teaching at Manchester with the intention of gaining experience until he could secure a position to complete his PhD. He had not married and had been in a relationship with a girl they had both attended school with until the previous year. He still took his role as a guardian seriously although he found it took up hardly any of his time and suggested that it was because the Arkazatines liked their new queen. Eve, although flattered, did not really believe that.

After supper, Eve took Will on a brief tour of the guild on the way to her library which, though beginning to fill up nicely, still had room for many, many more books.

"It's awesome, Eve," he said. "It will look amazing when it's full." He shuffled through the volumes piled on the desk. "You still read poetry?" he asked and then laughed. "Remember when you were in poetry club at school?"

"There was nothing wrong with poetry club!" she exclaimed. "It was cool!"

He laughed. "I used to give you so much grief about that. What was that poem you wrote about school?"

"I don't remember." She grinned.

"Yes, you do." He chuckled. " _Tell me_."

She blushed. "Fine." She giggled. "It went:

French is so boring, English is too,

Along with maths,

They should be flushed down the loo!

Why are lessons so boring?

It just isn't fair,

But we'll get our revenge,

So teachers beware!"

Will laughed. "You were so proud of that."

"I was thirteen. I think it's quite good."

"It's not bad," he said. "It's better than my attempts at Valentine's poetry anyway."

"Don't remind me." Eve sniggered. "How you ever had a girlfriend with your awful 'Roses are red' atrocities is beyond me."

"What was the one you wrote about me?"

"Which one?" she asked, then blushed. "I don't mean which one because there were loads; I mean I don't remember writing one."

Will grinned. "It had swearing in it."

Eve thought for a moment then smiled. "I can't remember it all, but it went something like:

He is articulate and well-educated,

_Yet common as muck and thick as—_ "

"That was it." Will grinned. "I had forgotten what a dweeb you were."

"Oi." She laughed and threw a notepad at him which he ducked to avoid.

They returned to her quarters and sat beside each other on the sofa. They chatted about everything—like they had never been apart. They laughed as they used to do before Eve knew anything of Arkazatinia. Before knowing of its existence had placed a strain on their relationship. Before she had ever even heard of Asmodeus Prince Calab or whatever he was known by these days. It felt so good and so natural to speak to another human being and to have him talk to her as an equal rather than as a queen. Perhaps it was that or perhaps it was because she was lonely or perhaps it was the wine, but when Will kissed her, she kissed him back. She felt her heart thump in her chest as he hungrily found her mouth. She ran her fingers through his hair pulling him closer. He responded by pushing her back onto the sofa and lowering himself over her kissing her urgently, passionately and she returned his kiss eagerly. That night she felt the troubles of Arkazatinia melt away.

"Hey." Will smiled at Eve the next morning and leant in to kiss her.

Her head thumped from the wine, and she could not decide if she was happy or regretful about the night she had spent with him. Calab still occupied her heart and her mind, but he had made his thoughts on a relationship with her perfectly clear—well, clear-ish anyway. She returned the kiss and was happy to find that, even without the wine, it felt natural and easy to be with Will.

She laid in his arms after they made love. Will had maintained his toned and muscular physique, and it felt good to cuddle up to him. He eyed his watch. "It's seven-thirty," he said, "I'm going to have to go soon, I have work."

"How will you get to Manchester so quickly? Do you have a vector?"

"No, but I can call a hansom and then use the tunnels," he said. "I've gotten used to finding my way around now, and the speakeasy software lets you find the entrances."

"I should get one of those," said Eve. "When I've visited home I've always used my guard's. I should get my own."

"They work better if they're your own," he said. "They tune themselves to your energy and the stuff they do now is pretty cool." They lay for a few more moments and Eve, with her head rested on Will's chest, started to dose as she listened to the rhythm of his heart. "I really should go. I can't go to work in yesterday's clothes." He kissed her once more before rising. "I know it's probably awkward," he said as he pulled on his boots. "We haven't seen each other in years and last night happened, but I would like to see you again. I'd like to get to know you again."

Her heart melted when he smiled. It was the same smile that had always gotten him his way. The one that had earned him the last cookie, the last piece of cake, the last slice of pizza; the same smile that had persuaded her to complete his biology and English homework for him and the one that she still could not resist. "I'd love to." She smiled back and embraced him once more.

"I've heard the queen is spending a lot of time with that guardian boy these days," said Calab to Thalia as he sat across from her in her office some weeks later.

"What guardian boy?"

"The one whose father I took," he replied. "Apparently they were reunited at the guardian meeting and have been practically inseparable ever since."

"They were just friends, weren't they? They weren't romantically involved."

"They are now." He scowled.

Thalia raised one eyebrow as she studied him. "You don't seem pleased. I thought it was your wish for her to meet someone and find happiness."

"It is," said Calab bitterly, "though I thought she might have waited more than five minutes."

"Really, Calab!" Thalia exclaimed.

"They're not a good match, it can't last long. She is immortal, and he is not."

"Calab, you sound quite spoilt," said Thalia sternly. "You insisted that you wanted her to find love elsewhere."

"We don't know that she loves him. She could still love me."

"Have you heard the things you are saying?" she snapped. "You don't want her, and you have no intention of returning her affections, so why should you then be concerned with who she is involved with? You are entirely selfish and quite undignified."

He snorted and sat silently. Thalia observed him sat with folded arms and brows furrowed and was reminded of a teenage boy. He was stubborn, moody and obnoxious. She quoted:

"True dignity abides with him alone,

Who, in the silent hour of inward thought,

Can still suspect, and still revere himself

In the lowliness of heart!"

Calab gave her the look of a petulant child. "Don't you know any other poets?" he snapped. "Every time you quote poetry you quote Wordsworth."

Thalia grinned and recited Blake:

"How sweet I roamed from field to field

And take all the summer's pride,

Till I the Prince of love beheld

Who in the sunny beams did glide."

"Now you're just being ridiculous," he grumbled though he inwardly smiled when he recalled discovering the queen shared his passion for Blake when she too had quoted him.

"Oh Calab," Thalia teased. "We would not be having this conversation if you hadn't denied you both of your feelings. You made the decision not to allow a relationship to develop and you must suffer the consequences."

"And I shall," he replied, "but as my friend you shall suffer a good deal of my complaining before I accept those consequences."

Thalia gave him a tender smile. Despite his angry and childish outbursts, she was very fond of him. She no longer loved him as she had once. Love, when unreciprocated for a long time, fades, but the bond of their friendship had only strengthened. "And as your friend, I shall bear your suffering with no further complaint, but a great deal of this." She pulled a bottle of red wine from a rack in the corner of her office.

"You are indeed a good friend." Thalia opened the wine, poured two glasses and handed one to him. " _Carpe vinum_ ," he toasted.

 September 2013

It was around five months since Eve had spent days at the cabin with Calab and she had not seen or heard from him. His position as a prince of the first order was now filled by his successor Nakhiel who attended the quorum in his place. Eve had heard that Nakhiel, who had been Calab's second in command, had been promoted on Calab's recommendation and he was certainly proving he was up to the task. Calab had retained his position as Co-General of the Queen's Guard alongside Jacob though the role required little input from him and she had had no occasion to see him.

Eve had heard from Thalia that Calab had been living in his new house for three months. She occasionally asked about him when she saw Thalia though she usually tried to bite her lip and not mention him. Eve had learned that anything said to Thalia would be repeated to Calab and she did not want him to think that she was always asking about him. It worked both ways and Eve had learnt that Calab was aware of her involvement with Will.

Despite her vow that she would avoid speaking to Calab forever, she had made a plan to call on him to take him a housewarming gift. Now that she was involved with Will, Eve felt more confident about seeing Calab and convinced herself it would be easy as there would be no need for any awkwardness.

She had sent a note to announce her intention to visit and arrived by vector one evening an hour before supper.

"It's nice to see you." Calab greeted her somewhat uncomfortably.

As he made no move to kiss her cheek, Eve kissed his instead and felt him stiffen at her touch. She checked her irritation and smiled brightly at him. "I've brought you a housewarming gift," she said, handing him a present bag.

"Thank you," he said, removing the gift from the bag. "What is it?"

"It's a garden gnome." She smirked. "It's a Lycean thing, old people like them."

"Thank you, I am both flattered and insulted," he said with a slight grin. "Do they usually look so grumpy?" His eyes settled on the gnome's furrowed brow and grimacing mouth.

"No," said Eve, "they are usually jolly, but I thought this one was more...well...you."

"Well, thank you. I shall find a place for him in the garden." He returned the gnome to the gift bag and put it on the hallway table. He looked awkward again and said nothing. Eve felt the usual air of tension.

"Well," she said, "I should go." She smiled thinly at Calab and left through the still open door, which she assumed was a further sign that she was not welcome, and headed towards her vector. She was not surprised though she was a little disappointed, that he had not invited her in or that he had not called her back when she had left. She forced the feeling into the pit where she kept all of her Calab related feelings and ignored it.

A week passed and Eve continued to attend dutifully to her role as the Crown. An election was scheduled for the following week for the guardians to vote for their regional representatives and their head representatives who would have a seat in the quorum. An Impærielas official had already been selected. Despite his initial reservations about the changes, Ezra had warmed to the idea. He nominated himself and was voted into the position by a large majority.

He also seemed to be warming to the idea that mixing with others may not be as _inappropriate_ as he had believed. He found himself getting along rather splendidly with his peers and even found himself invited to luncheon in Tethys with Queene Orrla who appeared to be quite taken with him. He was initially reluctant to attend; however, after some encouragement from Eve, Lord Ezra of Impærielas had a date and then a second and then a third. Eve was pleased and secretly hoped this was the start of a new trend for the Impærielas although she also felt guilty that she was making such drastic changes to their traditional ways.

She was planning to make another change, but was yet to venture her thoughts and did not expect them to be well received. Eve had become disgruntled with the Impærielas after arriving in Arkazatinia, more so after recent battles, as they had no defence of their own, and despite their reluctance to associate with anyone outside of their community, they still expected to be protected. Eve had planned for a while to ask volunteers to train to fight so they could defend themselves in the future and was keen to learn herself. She had been putting off speaking to the Impærielas as she had never been on great terms with them and there had never seemed to be a right time. After Lord Ezra's appointment to the Crown Alliance, Eve felt more confident in approaching them.

On Lord Tharazan's advice, Eve had discussed her plans at length with the hominem patriarchs who, not having the increased physical strength and the complacency that comes with the immortality of the other Arkazatines, had become more adept in combat. The hominem had agreed that they would lend some men and weapons to assist the training as soon as Eve was ready. Nervously, she decided to approach the subject with Ezra first and invited him to her office.

"You summoned me, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, Lord Ezra. Please take a seat." She informed him of the plan to ask for volunteers within their community to train in close combat and weaponry, and to her surprise, he was on board.

"I have actually thought for many a year, especially after we were so defenceless against the Imperator, that we should have our own army, but it has never been my place to say so. I imagine that there are others who will share my views."

It was decided that Ezra would take charge of informing the community and recruiting volunteers. The response overwhelmed Eve. Most of the younger men and a considerable number of older men as well as many young and older women volunteered. There was a consensus that they should have been taught to defend themselves a long time ago. Eve was pleased, but also saddened. What sort of leadership had they been subject to where it was no one's place to voice an opinion?

 October 2013

Because so many of the Impærielas had volunteered, they had been split into several still rather large groups. Eve had joined the group with Ezra, and after donning a pair of plain pants, a t-shirt and boots, she was ready for the first session. The first session and the first month's sessions were brutal. They did not even begin to start to learn any combat and spent most of the time improving fitness. This meant many a gruelling hour of press-ups, pull-ups and running—so much running, often with heavy loads. The Impærielas, who were used to manual labour, fared better than Eve who, having attended the gym now and again in Lycea, had done no exercise since arriving in Arkazatinia and was very unfit. Still, she had improved dramatically by the end of the first month, and although she could not claim to have enjoyed any of the training, she was enjoying her new found fitness.

The fitness sessions did not let up even when the combat training began. They started with hand-to-hand combat and learned defensive and offensive techniques and this, for the most part, consisted of sparring with a partner. Eve was yet to win, and most of the time she ended up on her ass and sporting a new bruise.

"I ache in places I didn't know I had," she grumbled to Will as she eased herself onto the sofa beside him.

Will laughed. "I must say I'm impressed. I have never known you to like exercise before."

"Who told you I like it? It's torture, I dread every session."

"Aw," he teased. "It can't be that bad."

"No, not really," she said. "I am getting better. It's just that everyone else is picking it up faster than me."

"They are thorian so they are stronger than you, and they have been around a lot longer and are used to physical work. Maybe this is one situation where not spending time reading is an advantage."

"You're right," she sighed. "Though I think I would much rather be reading about training than actually doing it myself."

"You're doing great," he said, "and you're doing a great job as the Crown too. I have heard nothing but good things about you and the guardians are happy to finally have a seat."

She smiled, it all felt worth it when she heard comments like that. "Zuri and Thierry are certainly holding their own in the quorum." Zuri Azikiwe and Thierry Moreau were the two newly elected guardian representatives and had arrived in the quorum with the intention of taking no prisoners. They had little to say on matters of Arkazatinia but in matters of Lycea they were very vocal and ensured that all the leads knew, for the first time in history, the opinions of the guardians.

In addition to the guardians and Lord Ezra, civilian representatives from each of the orders in Eurasia, Laurasia (with the exception of the Elion who had declined) and Laurentia had also joined the quorum. The leads were generally positive about the move although they grumbled a little as issues were raised more often that cost them more money.

Each order tended to take care of most of their own community issues, financially at least, to the standards set by the Crown surrounding education, welfare and healthcare. Some matters extended outside of just the order's community and required the support of other orders. A major issue that had arisen had been one of sanitation. Sewers and treatment plants were commonplace in cities but were rare in small towns and villages and the introduction of them throughout Arkazatinia was becoming costly. The worst affected areas had been in Laurentia—home to vast deserts and forests—and they now benefited from running water and a vastly improved sanitation system. The work continued slowly throughout Arkazatinia to help spread the cost.

The wealth of the Arkazatines varied considerably. The Procnatus had the most wealth due to their science and technology expertise though much of it was invested in Lycea and they were followed by the demon guilds. The angel guilds and the Calahad were moderately wealthy and the fae, hominem and Impærielas had the least wealth. Eve's suggestion that the richer orders paid a greater contribution had not been well received and was the cause of debate amongst all the rulers. Some felt it was unfair that they should pay more because they had more and the least wealthy orders felt it was unfair that they should pay the same when they had less. In the interest of their new democratic approach, Eve put the matter to a vote and was not surprised when the leads opted to do what they had always done.

Only the sons and the Exalon voted with her. Orrla went along with the popular opinion as, enjoying her new level of acceptance amongst the alliance, she did not wish to upset her new peers, and Tharazan, feeling neither method would make a great deal of difference to the Calahad's wealth, also toed the popular line. Eve had believed the hominem stood to gain from her suggestion, but the Tamien and Marya patriarchs were convinced by Thalia and the princes' arguments that paying a percentage of the funds required would cost them more than their donations and they voted against her.

When she saw some of the orders use the quorum for their personal gain, Eve began to regret championing democracy. She was also starting to suspect that the alliance's issues with the Imperium had been primarily financial. Eve was trying to reinstate the tax system that was installed by the Imperator and it was met with hostility from the wealthier orders. Despite the Imperator's obvious flaws, Eve thought many of his economic changes had made Arkazatinia a fairer continent and was disappointed that her alliance would not consider them. She had argued that they could provide more public services and improve the standard of living for everyone. However, her opinions were dismissed when she was once again outvoted. With the intention of bringing it up again in the future, she let the matter drop and focussed on the task of improving sanitation.

The distribution of wealth had to be considered when planning the projects, especially as the Impærielas Treasurer sprouted a grey hair and a mouthful of colourful language with every penny Eve spent. This had meant the project had progressed much slower than she had hoped. Despite the extra expense and the complaints from the leads, the improvements received positive comments from the populace and Eve felt that made the grumbles more than worthwhile.

November had arrived, and the weather in Arkazatinia had turned icy cold. Eve was aware that her second Christmas as the Crown was fast approaching. With her Crown duties and training, Eve had found very little time to visit her family. If she were honest, she could have visited more as she managed to find time to spend with Will, but she tended to avoid her family as she despised that every conversation she had with them was another layer of lies on top of an already brimming pile.

The hominem had given the Impærielas a few days break from training as they were celebrating an annual festival. The hominem were the only people to observe the Festival of Hiems—the winter festival—where they spent several days making offerings to higher powers in exchange for a mild winter that would spare their animals.

Eve took advantage of the break and made plans to visit home for a few days with the intention of spending quality time with her family and spending some of the funds from her house sale which had finally completed two months earlier and were sitting in her Lycean bank account. Thalia had paid Eve's mortgage for her until her house was sold and she had declined Eve's offer of repayment.

Eve loaned an outrider from the Procnatus and left for home in the company of the Queen's Guard. Her guards for her trip were angels provided by the Guild of Michæl and demons from the Guild of Astaroth. Her guards subtly took shifts in keeping their eye on her and dutifully sat in the corner of the restaurant during her family meal, followed her around shop after shop, and stood guard outside her parent's house. Though her guards were not bothered by the cold, she did invite them inside for a hot chocolate once her parents had retired to bed.

Eve had enjoyed her time at home more than she expected and was feeling quite sad about her return to Arkazatinia. She was relieved not to have to lie to everyone who asked her what she was doing and to make excuses every time someone suggested that they would make the trip to Nottingham and visit for a few days.

Her last day was a Sunday and Eve had taken her family for a meal at a local pub where Will had joined them. Her mother was thrilled that they were together and was very vocal about how she had always believed they would make a great couple and he was much better than that awful Jason character who she had never liked. She hoped they would marry and have children. Eve smiled widely and did her best to hide the sadness that crept over her. Will gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. The gesture made tears form in her eyes and she quickly brushed them aside.

Later Will helped Eve to load her things, including the ton of books she had bought, into the outrider. He turned after he had finished closing the boot to find her face etched with sadness and a wetness forming under her eyes.

"Hey," he said, taking her in his arms as she sobbed into his chest.

"I wish it could be different," she said. "I wish I could be normal, live here again and not be immortal."

"I know," he murmured.

"I want everything Mum wants to be true. I want to get married and have children, and grow old and have a full life as an ordinary person."

"We can get married and have kids," he said.

"I can't have children."

"We can adopt," he said. "We can have a family."

"That wouldn't be fair to you or any children," she said. "You deserve to have someone to grow old with."

"Are you afraid you won't want me when I'm an old man?" He smiled. "I'm not against having a young, hot chick for the rest of my life. I fancy myself as an old man in a smoking jacket with an attractive young woman on my arm." She laughed and batted his arm before wiping her tears on her sleeve. "Look," he said gently, "we can't control the hand we've been dealt, but we can enjoy what we've got for as long as we can."

"Just promise me something," she said. "When you meet someone else, someone who you know you can love and have a real life with—please leave me. It will hurt, but it will hurt more if you miss out on your life for me."

"Eve—"

"Just promise."

"Okay," he said, "but I can't imagine that I will love anyone else more than you."

She gazed into his eyes and smiled. "I love you too," she said. She meant it. That warm, tender softness that covered her heart—that was love. It was not violent and frightening like Jason, and it was not conflicting and frustrating like Calab. It was easy and natural, and she felt pained that it would not last forever.

After dropping her luggage and shopping at the Guild of Impærielas, Eve returned the outrider to the Guild of Procnatus and called in to see Thalia before she left.

"Your Majesty. How was the trip?" asked Thalia, putting down the book she was reading. She rose from the sofa and greeted Eve with a slight bow as she entered her quarters.

"Good, thank you. It was nice to see my family."

"Something is bothering you," Thalia observed.

"I'm fine," she replied. "It's just adjusting to being immortal while still having a mortal family."

Thalia nodded. "It gets easier with time," she said. Eve gave a weak smile though she did not say anything more and Thalia did not pry any further. "I have your invitation here for the Christmas party; I have one for Lord Ezra though I imagine he will decline."

"He may surprise you," said Eve. "He appears to be getting along very well with Queene Orrla. Well...I don't think they've gotten as far holding hands yet, but for the steely Lord Ezra, that's practically marriage."

Thalia laughed. "It would certainly be nice to have the Impærielas join the party, feel free to invite any others you like. We should all ally ourselves. I was going to mention this at the CRM, but I've heard unsettling rumours from the east that the dark alchemists are allying themselves with the witches. They have been estranged for millennia."

"Is there ever a moment's peace in Arkazatinia or is it always at war?"

"You have joined us at an unfortunate time. The dark alchemists have caused us no trouble since the last uprising until the recent events. I fear that they have not finished and it's hard to predict what they will do. We need all of the allies we can get... Speaking of which, how is the training?"

"It's going well. I am slower to pick things up than the Impærielas, but I'm getting there...slowly."

"It will come," said Thalia. "The patriarchs have heard only positive reports from their men."

"About the others, I'm sure. I largely fumble my way through training."

"I have not heard that, granted they would not speak ill of their queen, but they have given a positive assessment all the same."

Eve grinned. "I do give myself an A for effort though actual ability and skills seem to be currently lacking. The Impærielas are a lot stronger than me, but I'm determined to succeed."

"Your determination and the way you have taken to the Crown impresses me. Although I was anxious at first, I feel the changes you have made to the Crown are admirable. No other Crown has ever willingly relinquished control and allowed others to have rights. The alliance appreciates it, and even if you are never able to fight in battle, you will still be a respected leader."

"Thank you," said Eve beaming. "That is nice to hear."

After catching up on recent gossip over a cup of tea, Eve left just before supper. As she walked along the corridor leading away from Thalia's quarters, she spotted Calab heading her way. She forced away the jolt that rose in her stomach and tried to appear unmoved. Calab stopped as she approached and gave a slight bow.

"Your Majesty," he said.

"Hi Calab," she responded and kept walking, never slowing her pace and not turning to look back.

The next morning, Eve received a note in Calab's familiar, elegant hand.

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia,

Would you do me the honour of joining me for supper this night at the hour of seven?

Ex Animo

Calab

Eve felt the familiar irk.

That was all I needed to do to get his attention, just ignore him. Well, if he thinks I am just going to come running then he can think again.

She replied to the note stating that she had other engagements but would join him in three nights' time.

Eve arrived at Calab's house by vector a little after seven with the deliberate intention of annoying him with her tardiness. She knew she should not play games with him, but she found him so frustrating that she could not help it. As she approached the front door, she spotted the gnome she had given him a few months earlier glaring at her from the garden. She wondered whether she should get a spiteful looking one for herself to keep it company.

"Your Majesty," Calab greeted her pleasantly with a slight bow and invited her inside. His house was enormous, not guild enormous but far too large for one person. It was also exquisitely decorated in the similar style to Thalia's quarters and Eve wondered if Thalia had had a hand in helping him.

"Hello, Calab," she said, giving him her coat that he held out his hand for. She made no move to kiss his cheek this time, and he approached her as though he would kiss her, but changed his mind and instead hung her coat on the stand beside the door.

"Your home is beautiful," she said.

"Thank you," he replied, showing her through to the lounge. "I had a considerable salary as a prince, and I had saved much of it. I should be able to live comfortably for a few years though I shall need to find a job one day."

"What sort of job?" she asked curiously. "I can't imagine you with a job, perhaps you can serve people overpriced coffee."

He smirked. "It may come to that. A lifetime of tempting people from righteousness does not provide very many transferable skills."

Eve smiled; then said, "Are you going to show me around?"

"Where?"

"Your house."

"Why?"

"I guess it's a Lycean thing. When you visit a friend's new home they give you a guided tour."

"Is that for me to show off or for you to be nosey?"

"Both, I suppose." She grinned.

"Well, come on then." He smiled and took her on a tour.

The house was ostentatious and had far more space than he needed. He would have been able to have a few years off grinding coffee if he had bought something smaller. She understood why he had chosen it when she saw the enormous room he had fashioned into a library. It was as vast as the library at the guild and was the size of a small ballroom.

"The house used to be a small theatre," Calab informed her. "I had it remodelled—this was the theatre which is why it's so large."

"It's incredible," she gasped. "It's more beautiful than your guild library."

"It was expensive, but I couldn't resist."

"So, none of the books at the guild library belonged to the other demons? They were all yours?"

"Yes, most demons—and angels for that matter—don't like to read. I only started to read literature myself in the eighteenth century."

"Really?" asked Eve, stunned. "Who inspired you?"

"Poets. I was working, and I followed my reckonee to the house of William Blake. They were arguing about something that Blake wanted to publish but was fearful of the consequences. It was called, _The Marriage of Heaven and Hell_. The title intrigued me.

"It always amazes me how, when it is forbidden to speak of such things in Lycea, humans know anything at all about them. Usually, humans speak of discourse between Heaven and Hell and this title suggested otherwise which was unusual. I returned later and read the manuscript. It was not an accurate portrayal of Heaven or Hell, of course, but that wasn't what interested me. It was the criticisms of accepted morality. Humans make up what is moral and what is not, and it generally does not match the morality of Heaven. Morals are arbitrary."

"You mean they're not important?"

"They're important for humans to manage each other. Not all people are capable of self-rule and need to be ruled by others. This is often abused of course, and those who rule are not necessarily any more capable or any more moral. Human morals are not all covered by the decree, and many laws are _contra bonos mores_ , against good morals. The decree does not evolve like human morals and laws do—it just is. I can't say too much—it is against the rules to share the decree."

"Would things you have done in the past breach the decree?"

Calab shifted uncomfortably. "Most certainly," he said sadly. "I am not proud of that. Demons reckon against behaviour in others, but not ourselves. We are supposed to burn in Hell when we die whatever we do, I'm surprised we are not worse people." He paused and smiled softly. "Heaven compromised with us, but it did not forgive us. I suppose I should be grateful; this change in me means I don't have a place in Hell—unless I earn one of course."

"I don't think you will," Eve said. "You're a good man, Calab. You and my guards risk your lives for me knowing Hell awaits you anyway. That makes you all good men."

Calab avoided her gaze. "We're used to the idea," he replied, dismissing her compliment as he always did. "And we're obliged to protect you as part of our place within the Arkazatine community."

She smiled at him, but his eyes did not meet hers. "You said that it is against the rules to share much information about Heaven and Hell," she continued, "but what about the guardian book? It has information in there about seven sins and virtues and refers to another book called, _The Princes of Hell."_

"The guardian book is full of inaccuracies, but it is against our decree to correct them too much. Correcting information in Lycea would be a more immense task and somewhat fruitless. Humans believe what they want to believe. Their ideas of morality have always waxed and waned, especially surrounding lovemaking. They pass through periods of hedonism followed by denial. The line from Blake that intrigued me the most said:

Prisons are built with stones of Law,

_Brothels with bricks of Religion_."

"I remember the line, but I don't know what it means."

"I understand it to mean that the consequences are a result of the restrictions authorities impose. Humans decide what is right and wrong and prohibit accordingly. The prisons and brothels rose because of the prohibitions. It was a refreshing perspective, and I'd like to say that I was immediately enthralled, but it took some time. I gradually began to become interested in literature. I would pick up the odd book whilst on decree and read the occasional passage. Then I would borrow books from other Arkazatines. Eventually, I started to build my own collection."

Eve recalled the day she had quoted Blake at his guild, and he had acted strangely afterwards—why was that? Like all her interactions with Calab, it had left her puzzled. "This must be why you have the emotions that your peers don't have."

"Perhaps."

"Thalia believes that you were somehow 'gifted' with the capacity for emotion, is it not more likely that you have tapped into them somehow with your reading?"

"It is possible, but the capacity for love was removed from us. If it was easy to open up through reading, then seeing the trials and tribulations and love and joy of people would have had the same effect."

"Perhaps," she said. "Or maybe you're just more sensitive. Orrla tells me you have always been different. Either way, I am stunned to learn that that, despite your years, we were both inspired to love literature by the same poets."

His gaze met hers and he smiled. It was a heartbreaking smile. The warmest she had ever received from him, and it made the hairs rise on her neck and her pulse quicken.

What am I doing?

She cursed at herself. She broke his gaze and caught his flicker of disappointment in her periphery. She moved away from him towards some prints that hung over the fireplace. "I presumed demons did not like art," she said. "This is the first I have seen, aside from the sculptures of the god of wine that is."

"I only have those because they are by Blake. I don't really get art."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," he murmured. "Perhaps you have to have a capacity for emotion to appreciate it. I have emotions now, but it still escapes me. Maybe I have seen them too often."

"'Familiarity breeds indifference' as Huxley says."

Calab gave her a doleful smile. "Something like that," he said sadly. "I have been looking at the world through a haze, and it has been less wonderful than it should have been. I wish I could look at it again with a new appreciation, but I feel that the opportunity is lost." He seemed to feel her studying him and looked away before he led her from the library to the dining room.

"I thought you might have been cooking now that you have your own place," said Eve as she eyed the food the cook had placed on the table.

His sad expression remained, but he forced a smile. "I did initially," he replied, "until I realised how terrible I was at cooking and that you seem to have to spend your life doing that and other chores. So I hired a cook, a housekeeper and a gardener. It's a little extravagant, but I have become rather spoilt."

Eve grinned. "You'll have to pull a lot of shots of espresso to pay for this."

"I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts," he said, sipping his wine. He sat silently for a few moments and appeared distracted. Eve was about to speak to break the silence when he suddenly spoke up. "How have you been?"

"Good, thank you," she replied, helping herself to the mouth-watering rack of lamb. "You?"

He shrugged and spooned potatoes onto his plate. Eve felt deflated. They had enjoyed a pleasant conversation in the library, and she did not know if it was something she had said, but they were back to the awkward silences. More than that, she was concerned for him. He did seem morose. "Are you enjoying your training?" he eventually asked.

"Yes and no," she replied. "It is hard work, and I'm pretty awful, but I do feel more confident, and I'm fitter than I was a few months ago." He nodded and sipped at his wine, Eve frowned. "What's wrong, Calab?"

"Nothing," he replied.

"Tell me."

He gazed at her for a moment before he said, "I can't even describe it...I'm just..."

"Lost?" she offered.

"Yes," he said, "I miss my old life."

"I know how that feels."

"I know you do."

"You need a new focus," she replied. "It will still be hard to adjust. I'm still struggling to adjust after nearly two years, but it is easier when there is a purpose."

"I don't know anything else. I don't know any other way of life. I don't know what I can do."

Feeling compelled to help in some way she asked him to help her with her training. "I could use the extra tuition. You've seen many a battle, I'm sure you could teach me a great deal."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Why not?"

"What would your guardian say?"

"He will be okay with it," she said. "But if you don't want to, that's fine."

"I'm much stronger than you," he said bitterly. "You'd be better with someone more...evenly matched."

Eve said nothing and they finished their meal in silence. She felt her brow furrowing. She never knew how to take him and rarely understood what he meant by anything. Every word he spoke seemed to imply some hidden meaning that she could not grasp. Once they had finished eating, the cook cleared their plates, and they took their wine to the library and sat beside the fire. The awkward silence continued and Eve tried to hurry her wine so she could excuse herself. Calab appeared to notice and frowned.

"How are things between you and the guardian?" he asked.

She suspected he was asking for a reason to fill the silence rather than out of genuine interest or perhaps from some masochistic curiosity. "Good," she said, "I enjoy his company." A flicker of irritation betrayed him—masochistic curiosity it was then.

"His mortality will be a problem for you."

"Yes, but all my family are mortal—I will lose everyone soon."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to seem harsh. It might be tempting for you to stay with him, though. He knows about you and is a connection to your old life. You might be tempted to stay with him for longer than is fair."

"I won't."

"Are you sure?"

"Why do you care?" she asked, and his gaze met her frown.

"I do care that you might be making a mistake."

"What mistake?"

"He is mortal, he needs to be with someone who he can grow old with and have a family with."

"I can give him a family—we've spoken about adoption."

He winced and glared at her. "You can't grow old with him. You won't even be able to be a part of his life in Lycea. He'll be growing old with everyone around him thinking he is all alone, and he'll be attending every wedding and every funeral alone because you'll never be able to be there."

"I can be there for him," she spat. "I can use a vox to disguise my age."

"Your life with him will be a lie."

"Why are you doing this, Calab?"

"Someone needs to make you see the consequences of your choices."

"And again, why do you care?" she snapped. "We have spoken about the future. I have made him promise that he will leave me if he meets someone he can have a life with."

"If he loves you he won't leave you," continued Calab. "Especially if you tell him that you love him... You have, haven't you?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"It isn't, but you're going to ruin his life, and for what? Your own happiness? Are you even in love with him? By my count, this is the third time you've been in love in two years."

"Stop it, Calab." She snarled. "Did you invite me here so you can taunt me? Are you missing meddling with people's lives so much that you have to start on me?"

"It's the truth; I can't help it if you don't like it."

"So, out of the goodness of your heart, you are trying to save an innocent man from a terrible fate? You have no other motive?"

"Not exactly, but I know you will regret it when he is old, and you don't want him anymore, and he will have wasted his life on you."

Her temper flared. "I take back what I said about you being a good man. You are a monster, Calab." She growled. "Are you jealous? Is that what it is? You don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either. Because you won't love anyone and you can't have a family you want to—"

She did not finish before he leapt from his seat and slapped her so hard across the face that she flew from her seat and banged her head on the fireplace narrowly missing the flames. Shocked and dizzy she stared up at his face, and it was horrifying. His expression contorted into the most frightening sight she had ever witnessed. His eyes blazed with all the fires of Hell and he looked...he looked evil. She gulped hard as terror rose. Bile burned her throat and her vision blurred. He stalked slowly towards her, and she froze. He knelt in front of her, gently took hold of her chin and turned her to face him.

"Get out of my house," he said as quietly and as calmly as he would in ordinary conversation. "If I ever see you again, I will kill you."

Eve stumbled through his house as fast as she could and was in the bitter cold before she realised she had forgotten her coat. Not daring to go back, she ran towards the vector. One of her guards landed beside her and made her jump.

"Apologies, Your Majesty," he said. "Are you well?"

"Fine, I just want to go home," she said. She climbed into the vector, slammed the 'home' button and was soon speeding through the streets. Her breathing became rapid when she realised she had barely taken a breath. Her vision blurred from the tears and the blow to her head.

_What the hell happened?_ _I know that what I said was harsh, but it was no meaner than what he said to me_.

The vector arrived at the Guild of Impærielas. Fortunately, there was no one around, and she was able to creep into the kitchen unseen. She helped herself to a large jug of ice from the alchemical freezer and a bottle of whisky before heading quickly to her quarters. She opened the door to her room and saw Calab standing by her bed. Panic soared through her. She dropped the jug and the bottle and lost control of her bladder. She turned to run, but he was faster, and he was in front of her. He spoke, but she could barely register his words. Nor could she register that she had held her breath again as she struggled against him and everything turned black.

Eve woke to find herself lying on her bed. Her wet clothes had been removed, and she was wearing her nightdress. Calab had retrieved the ice from the carpet and was pressing ice—wrapped in a towel—against her cheek.

"I am so sorry," he pleaded. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am begging you to know that I mean it when I tell you how sorry I am." She did not dare to speak but studied his face; every trace of menace had vanished. It was not the violence that had terrified her, although his strength did not make her want to experience another blow from him anytime soon, it was his face. She had felt as though she was looking directly into the deepest, darkest bowels of Hell. It seemed surreal now, and she could not even picture what she had seen, but the memory caused her to wretch. "I know I frightened you," he continued. "I know what I must have looked like, I have only looked at someone like that once before, and they had a heart attack, so you've handled it rather well."

_Am I supposed to laugh?_ She did not.

He continued gently, "You saw my true demon essence, and I really am sorry you did. That is the side of me that is pure evil." Eve said nothing, she was still shaken and afraid she may say something else to unleash that monster once more—was that it? She had called him a monster, was that why he flipped? "The opposite is true for angels. When I was an angel, I had a side that was pure goodness and you would have felt as though you were looking into Heaven. Our normal personalities are fed from that essence.

"We have still retained some of the characteristics of our angelic selves, so we're not complete bastards all the time, but when we truly lose our temper, then the demon essence emerges." She met his gaze, she felt confused and bewildered. Was he threatening her or just explaining himself? Was it even safe for her to speak? "Please say something," he pleaded. "I know you're scared, but I promise I won't hurt you."

She moved to sit up, and he backed away, she picked up the whisky bottle that was thankfully undamaged and had been placed on the bedside table. After taking several long gulps, she turned to him to see him waiting anxiously. "I don't even know what I said," she started. "I know I was mean but no more than you were."

"It's not your fault," he said, lowering his gaze from hers and replacing the ice in the towel that had already melted under his hot skin.

"I must have said something."

He closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. "You touched a nerve, a raw nerve that is becoming rawer with each passing day," he said softly, "but you couldn't have known so don't blame yourself. All of this was my doing."

She wanted to hate him for what he had done. In the vector, she was determined that she would never forgive him or speak to him again as long as she lived. Now she was not looking at a terrifying demon, she was looking at the young boy of no more than twenty and he was pitiful. She reached her hand to touch his cheek. He did not stiffen or shrink away from her touch as he usually did and instead seemed to welcome it. "Tell me," she pressed. He met her gaze and seemed to weigh up the pros and cons of telling her. He swallowed realising that he, at least, owed her an explanation, but he did not want to say the words. She offered him the whisky bottle and he took it with a small smile before taking a long gulp. "You don't have to tell me," she said. "If it's too painful you don't have to explain."

He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He placed a kiss on her hand before holding it to his chest. "No one but my brothers know this," he said, "not even Thalia. She may suspect, but she knows no details. She does not know what pains me."

"I won't say anything," she assured him.

"What do you know about the Fall?" he asked gently.

"That's the event which saw you cast from Heaven, you were part of a rebellion, and you were cast into Hell."

He nodded. "Do you know why?

"I read something in the guardian book about Nephilim and the flood and... Oh."

Oh god! Why had I not realised? It was right there in black and white!

He had even asked Asmodeus if he could have children.

Why didn't that strike a chord?

And right before he hit her she had told him... She did not even want to think about it and cringed at the words. "You had children." He nodded sadly. "I should have guessed, Calab, I'm so sorry."

He shook his head. "It's not your fault." He kissed her hand again and held it for a few moments. He took a deep breath before he spoke. "Before humans occupied the earth there was no Hell, only Heaven. Angels of varying ranks filled Heaven. I was of the same rank as the sons. Heaven was strict, you could not move without breaching some rule, and we had to spend most of our time praying and chanting. However, we did not know any different—we had nothing to do with Anaxagoras then.

"Then humans were introduced to Lycea and many angels, myself included, were tasked with the role of _watchers_ which, as the name suggests, meant we had to watch over the humans. I became quite fascinated with them. They had a free rein and seemed to do as they pleased. They could experience pleasure and pain and enjoy the flesh in ways we could not even imagine. They became intoxicated, fought and even killed each other without consequences. I was jealous. The rules imposed by Heaven were strict, and there was no physical pleasure or desire to be felt. We could enjoy only food and wine but did not experience the hunger or the thirst required to appreciate it.

"We dutifully carried out our roles initially, but some of us became besotted with the daughters of men. We had never laid eyes on the female form before, and their beauty enthralled us. Forgetting the rules and forgetting our purpose, many of us became involved with females. As angels, we were able to feel the deepest love but had to resist it for eternity. I couldn't and I fell in love with Kayin. I could not _enjoy_ a physical relationship though I enjoyed loving her and having that love returned. I did have a physical relationship with her out of a desire to make her happy and pleasure her. We had two beautiful daughters, Ayo and Esi." Calab wiped away the tears that were forming in his eyes and continued. "They were Nephilim—half angel and half human. They were the most precious creatures, and I loved them more than I loved anything. For the most part, my time as an angel was miserable. It was an endless servitude of self-sacrifice and denial. I only knew happiness when I fell in love with Kayin and had my children.

"I wasn't the only one; many of the angels had many children. They grew up and had their own children and soon the world was well occupied by Nephilim. Heaven was furious and flooded Lycea to rid it of the Nephilim and of all the humans who had been _tainted_ by angels. Kayin and my daughters perished in the flood along with everyone else. We were furious, and we revolted. The battle was extremely violent and saw brother against brother. Heaven was mightier in the end and cast us to the wastelands that we fashioned as Hell.

"After the waters had subsided, humans were reintroduced to Lycea, and as an act of vengeance, we tormented them with plagues, famines and many other cruelties. Heaven conceded to compromise with us eventually and offered us a deal. Without the watchers, humans had become considerably more violent and often sadistic, and Heaven wanted to give consequences for their actions. We began working with the angels to test for worthiness; those who were unworthy joined us in Hell.

"As a sweetener, we were given a chance to live in Anaxagoras or discreetly in Lycea, if we agreed to keep the peace and never have children again. It was a choice between Infinite wrath and infinite despair and we chose despair.

"We had changed, we had become the opposite of what we were. The essence of good was replaced by an essence of evil, and the angelic beauty was replaced with demonic ugliness. Instead of feeling no pleasure and pain, we felt everything and instead of feeling love, we felt nothing. I don't know which the cruellest act was, whether it was killing our children or killing our ability to know the love we had for them and feel the grief of their passing.

"The years of servitude passed and although I could not feel love, I felt no pain of loss. I could enjoy the pleasures of the flesh, and though I could not love, it did not matter very much to me—until recently. Over the last hundred years or so, I began to feel things that I had not felt for a very, very long time. I hid it away, denied my feelings, and continued my work as though nothing was different. Then I met you. I have seen many a human girl in my years, but I have never actually known one since I became a demon, not even the hominem. I saw the patriarchs in court but did not have much to do with them otherwise.

"I saw the look of sympathy for us in your eyes even after I had kidnapped your guardian's father, and you were unfazed and unafraid when you approached me in the park—it stirred something. The turning point was the moment that piece of filth hurt you. Something flickered inside me. A switch was flipped that I haven't been able to turn off despite all my efforts to do so. Slowly, more and more each day, my feelings have been seeping back. My capacity to love has been restored, but it is severely damaged. The pain that I now experience has broken it. The pain of losing my wife and my girls consumes me. For thousands of years, I have not been able to feel anything for them other than anger and wish for vengeance. I have never grieved for them and never remembered our love with any fondness, and now it has come to me at once. It suffocates me.

"I can remember all the joy I felt when I was falling in love with Kayin and the happiness I felt when I became a father. I cherish those feelings, I really do. However, the pain...the pain is excruciating. It is as though all of the time it has been denied me it has amplified. I cried the days my daughters were born, and I have never been able to cry since. Now all I can do is cry.

"I have been angry and hateful towards you, and I have denied your love because I blamed you for my agony. I know that is unfair of me and I don't believe that, but sometimes the evil part of me takes over. That probably makes no sense. It probably makes less sense when I tell you that I _do_ love you, I love you very much, and the thought of you with anyone else cuts me to the core. Despite that, I can't give myself to you. So much of me is dealing with getting through every day without losing myself in my grief that I just have nothing more to give."

Eve wiped the tears that had streamed down her cheeks before she threw her arms around his neck. He put his arms around her and held her. "Oh Calab," she said. "I am so sorry. I'm sorry for everything that has happened to you and for everything that I've done. I've been pushing you and sniping at you, you told me it was complicated, and I should've accepted that. Instead, I was awful to you."

He wiped the tears from her eyes. "Hey," he said softly. "I'm not innocent. I have used you and treated you appallingly, I almost knocked you unconscious and frightened you half to death so don't feel too sorry for me."

She smiled at him. "I forgive you."

"I don't deserve it."

"Yes, you do." He nuzzled into her shoulder.

They curled up on her bed, and he told her about his wife and his girls. He shared his memories of his girl's first words, the funny things they did, their stroppy teenage years, and told her about when they grew up and found love of their own. Sometimes he laughed, sometimes he cried and sometimes he said nothing and enjoyed a private memory. When he finished, he pulled Eve tightly to into his arms and kissed her head.

"Those are beautiful memories," she said. "I'm honoured that you shared them with me."

"They are more precious to me than any book. As much as I struggle with my feelings, I never want to lose them again. I never want to lose my love for my family again."

She kissed his cheek before holding him once more. "For the record, I don't think you're ugly."

"Of course, you don't."

"I don't, you have a beautiful smile."

He pulled away from her and gazed into her eyes, perhaps looking for a flicker of insincerity. Finding none, he pulled her back into his embrace. "Love to faults is always blind," he said, quoting Blake.

"Always is to joy inclin'd," she replied. He chuckled and kissed her hair. She lay her head on his chest and allowed the rhythmic thrumming of his heart to soothe her to sleep.

Eve awoke in Calab's arms. She winced at the pain in her head, but for the first time in a long time, her heart felt lighter. He stirred.

"Good morning." He smiled at her, but his smile turned into a frown when he looked at her face.

"I'm sure it looks worse than it feels, it's not too bad."

"I don't deserve to be made to feel better," he said. "You should make me suffer."

"Perhaps I shall take you to Lycea on my next shopping trip and drag you around all the shops and make you carry my purchases."

"You're a cruel mistress, Your Majesty."

"It does seem rather harsh. Perhaps I could just insist on you calling me by my name instead."

"It's not the way things are done here, I'll be strung up."

"Maybe when no one else is around."

He smiled shyly. "I'll compromise and call you Genevieve; mostly because it's a very pretty name and I rarely have the occasion to say it."

She smirked at him. "Deal," she said, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart thrum for a few more minutes. "You were right about Will."

"Don't listen to me. I was jealous and cruel."

"It is unfair of me, though."

"He is capable of his own thoughts and making his own decisions. He makes you happy and maybe one day I can be the one that makes you happy, but for now—enjoy your love."

After Calab had left, Eve moved to study her reflection. She had a hand print shaped bruise across her cheek, a small puncture wound below her ear where a claw had caught her and a lump in her hair from the fireplace. It was not a pretty sight, and though she managed to cover most of it with make-up, she knew the thorian would not be easily fooled. She hoped they would fade in time for the CRM the following week. In the meantime, she planned to feign illness and stay in bed. She told her staff she did not wish to be disturbed and asked for meals to be brought to her room.

She thought of what Calab had told her about his essence. His essence was pure evil, but he still strived to be good—even in the face of torment. She felt he was worthy of a chance of redemption.

The Christmas ball fast approached, and to Eve's mind, it was a merrier affair than the awkwardness and loneliness she had felt the previous year. She attended with Will and the seven Impærielas who had accepted the invitation including Lord Ezra who flanked Queene Orrla. The Impærielas initially kept to themselves and appeared shy. However, after several drinks, they warmed to the other guests, and they actually laughed and joked with the hominem instructors who had been delivering their combat training.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day," said Mikæl over Eve's shoulder, "the Impærielas attending our party and making moves on the fae queene. You're an influence, Your Majesty."

She grinned at him. "A good or a bad influence?"

"I'll decide which at the end of the evening." He gave her a mischievous wink and continued his mingling amongst the other guests. Will smiled at her before inviting her to dance. They danced closely until the same quartet from the previous year assembled on stage.

"May I borrow our queen, Guardian?" asked Calab. Will eyed him curiously. It was the first time he had seen the demon who had kidnapped his father since that day many years ago. He had learned that Calab had taken care of Eve and saved her life on more than one occasion and although he professed no love, he no longer held a grudge.

"Of course," said Will, handing Eve's hand to Calab who bowed towards him.

"May I have this dance, Your Majesty?" Calab asked, bowing towards her.

"You may," she curtsied.

"You look beautiful, Genevieve," he said, leading her into the dance.

"And you look very handsome."

He smirked at her. "You never said when we were going shopping."

"You _want_ to come shopping?"

"Why not," he said. "I could do with familiarising myself with the overpriced coffee industry for when the time comes."

She smiled. "Next week then, I shall send you a note. While we're speaking of employment, how would you like to be a librarian?"

"A librarian?"

"Yes, we've commissioned three public libraries, one each for Eurasia, Laurentia and Laurasia. They are scheduled to be open by the middle of February, and I wondered if you would like to be in charge of running them? You'd have staff of course, and we can negotiate your salary at the next CRM."

A slow smile spread across his face. "Would I have a say in what books are held?"

"You'll have a budget; you can order what you like."

"The Demon Librarian," he mused. "It sounds like a book title. I may write that tale and shelve it under YA fiction."

Eve laughed, more at the thought of him knowing what YA fiction was. "So you'll take it?"

"Of course. I'd love to, thank you. I should hand you back to your guardian now. Send word of our _road trip_."

Eve rolled her eyes. "What on earth have you been reading during your retirement?" He gave her his heartbreaking smile and handed her over to Will.

"Thank you, Prince," said Will, bowing slightly.

"It is Librarian now, Guardian." Calab smirked and gave an exaggerated bow before walking away.

Will gave her a weak smile. "You're in love with him," he murmured, "and he is in love with you."

Her smile faltered, and she broke his gaze. "There is nothing between us," she said, "only friendship. I did want something more, before us, but nothing came of it, and now I am happy with you."

He nodded slowly and continued to waltz her around the floor. "You'll be around long after I am gone," he said. "I should be happy that there may be someone waiting to make you happy—even if he is a demon."

"Don't think like that," said Eve gently. He shook his head and said nothing more.

The training continued despite the cold weather and Eve had bundled up with multiple layers in an attempt to keep out the cold. They were moving on from hand-to-hand combat and were starting with the first of their weapons. Some targets had been set up in the training ground of various sizes and distances, and they had to hit them with a bow and a crossbow. Eve had felt more confident trying the bow after she had taken down a deer on her first attempt during a hunt in the fae realm. Nevertheless, she was shocked to find that she managed to get the hang of it immediately and hit far more targets than anyone else with both the bow and the crossbow, including a good number of bullseyes. Eve beamed when the instructors made a point of telling her that she was a natural at the end of the session.

The training session was followed by the final CRM of the year. Eve arrived at the Guild of the Crown which was situated beside the building commissioned to be the public library. She spent a few minutes in awe of the alchemical architects manipulating the metal and rock to form the walls of the Eurasian library. She had been surprised to learn that the exterior would take the team of architects only a few days to complete, and much of the time spent completing the works, would be on the interior, and now she could see why. She could see how alchemists could have easily formed the mountain ranges and hills of Anaxagoras.

The meeting commenced with its usual routine of ratifying minutes and following the agenda regarding spending. Calab's salary was negotiated, and she gave a small smile when the leads were quite generous with their offers when they realised it would be Calab who would be running the libraries. This also alarmed Eve and she was suddenly struck with the consequences that Calab had warned her about. The rulers argued and complained about the spending to provide sanitation for the Arkazatine people, they had even grumbled about the cost of the libraries. Yet when it came to Calab's salary—their friend's salary—they were very generous with Thalia making the greatest contribution despite her unwillingness to make a more significant contribution to public spending.

The thought sickened her. Thalia had also been more than happy to pay Eve's mortgage—the queen's mortgage—and had given her an expensive book but remained vehemently opposed to contributing more than any other order despite the Procnatus' great wealth. Eve was more alarmed when she realised that she had thought of Calab for the role of the head librarian, and it had not occurred to her to advertise and interview for the position. She had just offered it to her friend. Yes, he needed a break and was perfect for the post, but who else in Arkazatinia was perfect for the job? Who else needed employment? Who else needed the opportunity for a new start? The realisation made Eve nauseous, and she had to push her feelings aside to continue with the rest of the agenda.

In addition to spending, the alliance also discussed the issues regarding the dark alchemists and the witches. There had been only rumours so far and no confirmed sightings, even by the scouts who still kept watch over the witches. It was agreed that the scout team would be increased. Avalon had very little information on known dark alchemists; the last alchemist they detained had refused to tell them anything before he was executed for treason and they had no other leads.

The rulers agreed they should start stocking up on weaponry in the event of an attack and Eve placed an order for swords and daggers with the alchemical blacksmiths and for bows, crossbows, weapon and ammunition sheaths, leather and metal armour, jackets, pants and boots with the hominem.

Following the CRM, Eve and Lord Ezra met with the hominem patriarchs who advised her that the instructors would be moving onto swordplay in the New Year and that would conclude their basic training. The Impærielas would be expected to train on their own to maintain skills and fitness although the hominem would still provide instructors on a less regular basis to teach advanced skills. The instructors agreed to help Eve and Ezra to form the Impærielas into an army. Having worked so closely with them, they could identify who would be best suited to particular styles of combat and identify teams and leaders.

"The Impærielas have never spent so much money," said Ezra to Eve after the meeting concluded. Eve gave him an apologetic smile. "It's a good thing, It is long overdue. We can still be a peaceful people and defend ourselves if necessary."

"Calab would say, _Si vis pacem, para bellum._ "

"If you want peace, prepare for war." Ezra chuckled. "It is a little extreme for the Impærielas, but I respect the sentiment."

Eve smiled. "Perhaps," she said. "But it is better we are prepared. We have enough money. I spoke to the Treasurer this morning, and he reluctantly agreed that the Treasury was robust enough to accommodate some additional spending."

Ezra smiled at her. "We?" he said, "I think that's the first time you have said that, Your Majesty."

She winced. It was true that she had never felt a part of their community and never thought of herself as Impærielas—it was always them and her. She was human, and they were Impærielas. "I think I was quite difficult when I first joined your order, I think I still am. I know I don't have enough respect for your traditions, but I am trying."

"Yes, you were certainly difficult, and you still are." He grinned. "But, as you have said, Arkazatinia wouldn't have sent us an outlander queen if it did not want changes to be made. I never thought I would see the day when I would associate with other Arkazatines and never imagined I would enjoy their company nor did I think I would be glad."

"I appreciate you saying so, I'm sure not everyone agrees with your assessment, though."

"No, Mother is furious at me for my friendship with Queene Orrla and at you for encouraging our attendance at the Procnatus party as we have never observed the Festival of Peace. She spoke to Lady Ariana about displacing you as the queen and the Crown."

"Really?" said Eve. "Was Lady Ariana displeased? She has not voiced any concerns to me."

"She was reticent as always and simply stated that it was Arkazatinia's will that you should be the queen and the Crown," he said. "You're not angry with my mother, are you? I probably should not have said anything."

"No, of course not," said Eve. "I do seem to be going against popular opinion on everything, though, except the army. Perhaps I should try harder to respect the traditions."

"We have been accustomed to our way of life for so long, and your ways seem alien to us," he said. He paused for a moment and avoided her gaze. "I know it is not my place to say, but... No, I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"What is it, Lord Ezra?"

Ezra scratched his face while he chose his words; then said, "I don't mean any offence."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"Many people feel that your personal relationships are a little...inappropriate."

"Inappropriate how?"

"Well...Mr Farley is mortal, and a relationship with him is somewhat...well, it cannot go anywhere," he said. "However, people are more concerned about your relationship with the former Asmodeus prince. We are learning to adjust and to be more inclusive, but to have our queen romantically involved with a demon is just...well, many people won't understand.

"I'm not criticising. I can see why you have affection for him and really it is no different from Queene Orrla and me, except that...you're the queen." Eve turned her gaze to the floor. She knew that the Impærielas thought this. She had seen the glances and glares and heard the whispers and rumours. It did not make listening to Ezra any easier. "Your Majesty," he continued, "I know this is not what you want to hear, but the community feels it needs to be said. As a queen, you need to be seen in a certain light and your relationships expose you—and the Impærielas—to ridicule. You have refused before, but I ask you to consider my offer to find you a suitable match within the Impærielas community."

"Lord Ezra, I cannot marry someone I do not love."

"Perhaps you'll learn to love them," he said. "The Impærielas are good people and Impærielas men make good husbands."

"I am like the other thorian, Lord Ezra; I can give no one an heir."

"Perhaps that situation will rectify itself once you have a good marriage."

"I do understand what you are saying, Lord Ezra," she said. "It's just that I cannot rid myself of my feelings for either Will or Calab and I cannot marry someone I do not love. Perhaps my relationships and your relationship with Queene Orrla won't invite ridicule; perhaps they demonstrate tolerance and equality."

He gave a small smile. "I promised the community council I would speak to you about this," he said. "Please don't think this is personal. I actually agree with you. I think things need to change a little for our race to survive. We have been stuck in our ways for too long. It is time we allied with the other Arkazatines.

"You were right, we have always expected the rest of Arkazatinia to protect us and gave no thought for our own defence. If we had taken more responsibility, perhaps the dark alchemists would not have been able to infiltrate our order and perhaps we could have taken a stand against the Imperator. They targeted us because we were a weak link and they had easy access to the Crown once that link was broken. That cannot be allowed to happen again, and we must accept changes. Those changes take different forms. I did not see it at first as I was stubborn, but I do see it now... Though a demon and the queen...that will take a lot of getting used to." She smiled at him as they climbed into the vector and made their way to the guild with her angel and demon guards in tow.

The next day Eve was walking through the streets of Manchester with Calab. Her guards were loitering nearby, remaining close enough to sense danger, but more relaxed in their duties with Calab present. She preferred shopping in Lycea to Arkazatinia. She liked the anonymity—no one knew or cared that she was a queen. She still ventured into the towns to shop in Arkazatinia to support the community, but as a treat, she took herself to Lycea.

The streets were busy with people grabbing last minute Christmas gifts and despite the icy chill in the air; Eve could not help feeling happy about being there with Calab. He had been much easier to get along with since the disastrous supper that had left her with bruises that she had spent weeks trying to conceal and had to explain away as injuries from training to those who noticed. It was far from ideal, but she was glad that it had led him to open up to her and had cleared the air between them.

"So, do you visit all the shops even if you have no intention of making a purchase?" Calab asked.

"It's called browsing."

"Is browsing looking at lots of things you don't want in the hope of spotting something that you didn't know you wanted?"

"Yes," she said, smirking at him and taking his arm. "Where would you like to go?"

"This is your trip, Your Majesty. I am merely your humble servant."

"If you require any of the latest fashion essentials then now is your chance."

Calab snorted. "Didn't Wilde say that 'fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable we have to alter it every six months'?"

"He did, but that won't stop me indulging now and again."

"You can learn a thing or two from the fashion industry," he said. "Gracián and Machiavelli themselves could have learned a thing or two from the fashion industry—they are the masters of manipulation."

"This should be good." She sniggered. "Do tell."

"Ah," he said, "ever the cynic. Who, other than a master of manipulation, could convince millions of people that they love something one year and loathe it the next, have them _want_ to pay a premium for it and have them convinced that the more they pay, the better they feel? And all is achieved without killing anyone or threatening anyone with imprisonment or death or Hell."

She giggled. "I just bought that dress because it was amazing, not because anyone convinced me."

"Keep telling yourself that." He smirked. "As I said, people like to be manipulated. I would wager that you've even looked for fashion tips so you can learn what you are supposed to like and what you are not. What do they call them? 'What's hot and what's not'?"

"You're just mean." She laughed.

"Well, I am a demon. That's kind of the point."

She smirked; then said, "I just have to buy one more gift, and then we can have lunch if you like. There is a great used and antique book shop nearby that we could visit after lunch."

"Genevieve?" he said softly.

"Yes."

"Did you commission those libraries for me?"

"You have a library, Calab."

He narrowed his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"You think I invested large sums of public money in a project to provide you with satisfying employment?"

He sighed. "I guess it sounds ridiculous when you put it like that."

"I wish I could say that was completely untrue," she said, casting her eyes forward to avoid looking him in the eye and revealing her shame. "I have thought there should be libraries since my first visit to the cities of Arkazatinia, but it was requested by the civilian representatives at the CRM. However, once it was agreed, I immediately thought you were perfect for the position as head librarian. I thought it would be good for you and I wanted you to have it," she paused momentarily before continuing. "I pushed the alliance to have the project started quickly because I wanted you to have the job and I didn't even think about offering it to anyone else. I still want you to have it, but I feel bad about it. It was a selfish decision."

He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "This is what happens when you are friends with your subjects," he said.

"I know," she said, "I will be more careful from now on."

He nodded. "Thank you for the offer," he said tenderly. "Unfortunately, I am too selfish to refuse it on principle—I'm not entirely un-demonic." He grinned sheepishly. "But I will do my very best to run them well, and I will find my staff by a fair method." She gave him a tight smile.

"What on earth is that thing?" Calab asked her over lunch.

"It's a Lego Millennium Falcon," replied Eve, eying the large box she had purchased for Will on the floor beside them. "If you'd watch Star Wars then you would know."

He grinned. "It says age nine to fourteen, isn't the guardian a little older?"

"He will love it," she said, sipping her wine. Her smile faded as she continued, "He knows there is something more than friendship between us, he guessed as much at the Christmas party."

"That's my fault, I shouldn't have asked you to dance," said Calab apologetically.

"It's okay. He didn't say much, though. I don't know what he thinks."

"What did you tell him?" She eyed him awkwardly, wishing that she had not brought the subject up.

"I told him that I had wanted something to happen between us before I was with him, but I was happy with him."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing," she lied.

Eve spent Christmas Day at her parent's house. She had enjoyed a visit from Will who did indeed love the Millennium Falcon and had the perfect place for it next to his Lego Death Star. He had bought her a beautiful early edition of Peter Pan and Wendy. Though he did not say so, she wondered if he bought it because she was the girl who would never grow up and he was the boy who would be left in the human world to get old.

_I'm reading too much into it_.

Will was as warm as always, though she could not help feeling a little awkwardness between them since the Christmas party. She felt she should say something to him. But what? She just could not find the words. The visit to her family was filled with the same mix of joy and awkward lies and was over all too soon.

Calab was in her room when Eve returned to the guild, she grinned at him as she laid her presents on the table.

"What are you doing here?" She chuckled.

He flashed her mischievous smile. "I've brought you a Christmas gift."

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Long enough to watch Episode IV on your disc player thing."

Her grin widened. "Really?" she asked. "What did you think?"

"I was a bit confused," he said. "I suppose I can see why you like it. I've never watched a moving picture in its entirety, so I struggled to keep up."

She beamed at him.

Who would have guessed watching a movie could make a fierce demon seem so vulnerable?

"You need more practice. I have a gift for you too."

"You do?" He gave her the smile that she loved. "It's my turn first." He handed her a gift bag, and she pulled out a female garden gnome that had her hair and eye colour and was reading a book. "I painted her myself." He grinned.

"Thank you, I love her," Eve laughed. "Now my turn." She handed him an envelope. He opened it, removed the thick parchment, and read the calligraphy upon it.

"Did you write this?" he asked.

"It's not Blake, I know—"

"It's beautiful." He smiled, blinking away a thin silver line from his eyes. Eve bit her lip to prevent it from trembling. She thought he might like it if she wrote a poem for him, but she hadn't expected him to be moved.

Training continued in the New Year with swordplay. Even though Eve found offensive moves easier than hand-to-hand combat, she also found it easier to get hit and far more deadly. Still, she enjoyed the training, though she kept her fingers crossed she would not have to use it for real. She felt anxious when she realised this was unlikely to be a possibility.

Over the weeks, she did improve and managed to get a reasonable grasp of the basics and was ecstatic to knock her opponent out of the ring during a sparring match. The end of February saw the end of their intensive training with the instructors although there was no decrease in the intensity as the Impærielas still had to train on their own and still met the instructors weekly for more advanced training. The hominem organised the Impærielas into companies of melee combat, ranged combat and a mixture of both although all members would be equipped with each weapon. The companies were named Sabre Company, Ballista Company and Partizan Company respectively as these were standard names throughout the alliance. Eve was not surprised to be allocated to the ranged weapons company. The hominem gave her the rank of general which, she presumed, had more to do with her being the queen and less to do with her military prowess. Below her, and a slightly more sensible choice, the rank of captain was given to a young male named Acsan Lexas. Each company was led by a lieutenant and broken into smaller teams led by corporals.

Their equipment had also arrived and Eve could not wait to try everything on. She was not fond of the colour, in fact, she was sick of the sight of it, but out of respect for the Impærielas, she had ordered their clothing in midnight blue. However, she had asked for their leather to be black as a subtle sign of allegiance to the rest of Arkazatinia and because she did not wish to wear any more blue shoes. She donned the thick pants and shirt, high leather boots with knee guards, and a long, armoured-panelled jacket with the official Crown seal of the lynx stitched upon it. She fastened the leather chest plates with a sturdy metal over-plate in place and added the leather and metal shoulder guards. She then buckled the vambraces to her wrists and added the ammo and weapon sheaths. She sheathed her longsword, twin short swords and several daggers at her sides, strapped the crossbow and the bow to her back, and raised the armoured hood of her jacket.

"Woah," Will remarked. "You look like you're in Assassin's Creed."

"I love it," gasped Eve. "I hope I don't get desynchronised. I don't think I can carry all these weapons, I can barely move, and they weigh a ton."

"You need to start lifting weights," Will laughed. "I do hope you never have to use these. The thought of you in battle terrifies me."

"Me too," she said. "It seems real now I have my gear. I'll have to train in it and get used to the weight I suppose. If I am to go to battle, I don't want to go with fewer weapons."

Will approached her and slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. She slipped her arms through his and rested her head on his chest.

He sighed. "I wish this wasn't our life."

"I know," she said sadly. "Perhaps you can train with me. I could use the help now the hominem have reduced our sessions."

"Anything to help keep you alive." He chuckled, though Eve could sense an undercurrent of anxiety.

Eve had never seen Will in combat before. She knew he had trained from being a small child but did not expect him to be so proficient. He handled a sword as though it was an extension of his body and parried all of her advances with ease. She could barely block his attacks. Her forearms burned as she defended each blow. Will did not let up and rained the blows against her. He lunged for her and feigned an attack on her left side. She anticipated his motion and blocked as he struck her right side. Sweat ran down her forehead as she tried to prevent each of his advances until he span one hundred and eighty degrees and walloped her on her right side sending her backwards into the dirt with his sword pointing at her heart.

He removed the blade and helped her up. She panted to catch her breath and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"You did pretty well," he said. "I didn't go easy on you, and you blocked really well."

Eve frowned. "If that had been a real fight I would be dead," she said miserably. "I didn't even get a single hit in."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said, offering her a bottle of water. "I've been doing this a lot longer, and I didn't take you out straight away. You're actually pretty good. If you can increase your strength and your speed, you will find it a lot more natural. Come on. Let's take a break from melee and work on ranged."

They headed across the training ground towards the targets. The targets had been set up at a range of distances including a few tricky ones in the woods that were far away and difficult to see.

"Shit," exclaimed Will, looking at the three bolts Eve had pierced through the bullseye of the targets in the woods. "They weren't exaggerating when they said you were a natural. I was nowhere near." She grinned and used a pair of vice grips to pull the bolts free before they headed back to the training field to practice with the bow. "You have definitely nailed range," he said, pulling the arrows from their marks. "You must be the best shot in Ballista Company."

Eve's cheeks flushed red, and she smiled. Sometimes she felt she dealt with criticism better than compliments. "I just need to get better at melee."

Eve and Will continued to train together every other day. She had never worked so hard and was exhausted after every session as he stopped the training at regular intervals for _conditioning_ and made her complete rounds of push-ups, pull-ups, deadlifts and sprints.

"You are brutal," she gasped as she dropped to her knees at the end of the first week.

Will laughed and pulled her to her feet. "It will be worth it. You're stronger already."

She had to admit that he was right and she was already noticing a difference after just four sessions. She just hoped that Will did not kill her off before she had a chance to improve her melee skills.

Eve was glad of the break from training even if it was only to attend the CRM. She arrived at the Guild of the Crown early with the hope of visiting Calab in the library first. The library had been open for three weeks and Eve was thrilled to find the foyer busy with many people from different orders using the facility.

Calab could not remove the beam from his face at the opening ceremony of the Library of Eurasia. Eve had been there to cut the ribbon and officially handed the keys to a very giddy demon who could not contain his excitement despite having worked in the libraries cataloguing and shelving books for the six weeks previous. He was no less excited at the ceremony for the Library of Laurentia the following day and maintained the same heightened level of giddiness for the Library of Laurasia.

There had been some debate whether to open a library in Laurasia due to their recent grievances with the Elion, but Eve was keen not to treat them differently and had written to Lord Caius to inform him and ask his opinion on the plans. She had received a sharp reply stating that he still had no interest in matters of state, and as long as his payments did not increase, she could do what she liked. None of the Elion had attended the opening ceremony though Calab had reported that many had used the library since it had opened.

Eve found Calab shelving returns in sci-fi and fantasy.

"Good Morning, Mr Librarian," she announced.

"Your Majesty," he said with a grin and gave her an exaggerated bow. "What a pleasant surprise."

She laughed and cursed herself as it came out as a girlish giggle. "I wondered if you have the time for a cup of tea?" she asked, trying to regain her composure.

"Of course." He grinned. "Let me finish up here."

A short while later, they were seated in Calab's office. He removed some his heavy ledgers from his desk and set a tea tray in the space he had created.

"How are you Calab?" Eve asked, sipping her tea before reaching for a biscuit.

"Better," he replied, lifting his own cup. "The libraries are the best thing you could have done for me, Genevieve. They are keeping me very busy."

She gave him a gentle smile. "I'm glad, Calab. Although it is a shame if you never have time to read anything."

"I always make time to read. I've just finished this." He pointed to _The Picture of Dorian Gray_ atop a pile of books on his desk. "I've never asked you why you like this so much."

She blushed. "It's embarrassing."

"You have to tell me now, I'm intrigued," he said, giving her the smile she loved. How could she resist?

"Well," she started, suppressing her blush, "when I was younger—in my teens—I imagined that I would never fall in love and I would never allow my heart to rule me. I insisted I would always let my head make the decisions. I always saw love and relationships as being all compromising, sacrificing, and making yourself miserable to keep someone else happy. I loved this book because Oscar Wilde is a genius of wit and because I loved Lord Henry's cynicism. I likened myself to him and shared many of his views on relationships, on marriage and on life.

"Obviously, I failed miserably though sometimes I still wish I could think that way. I would like not to be ruled by my heart. You probably think I'm a hypocrite as that is what you told me, and I wouldn't accept it."

"I don't think you're a hypocrite," he said. "Listening to your heart is what makes you human."

"It made me irrational and angry. I would rather not be that way."

"Well, we can all be irrational and angry sometimes," he said sadly and sipped his tea. " _Nemo mortalium omnibus horis sapit,_ no mortal is wise at all times. Besides, Lord Henry didn't follow his own advice. Didn't Basil Hallward tell him 'you never say a moral thing, and you never do a wrong thing'? He encourages Dorian to commit sins though he never commits them himself."

Eve nodded. "Perhaps we're all hypocrites."

"Friedrich Nietzsche said that if we are consistent in hypocrisy, we cease to become hypocrites," he said. Eve laughed, and Calab gave her a tender smile. "I think I was Dorian for many years," he said. "I used people over and over. I was cruel and deceitful, and then at times I would find in myself the younger and innocent Dorian who wanted to love and be loved more than anything or the older Dorian who wanted to change and be good. When I realised this, I tried to be Lord Henry. I attempted to pretend that I did not care and ignore my feelings and minimise those of other people. I would manage it much of the time, and then I would become Dorian again without warning." He paused and took another sip of his tea before stirring in a spoonful of sugar slowly. "I don't want to be Dorian, and I don't want to be Lord Henry. I hope that one day I can be Basil Hallward.

"When I first read this book, I thought Hallward was the boring and annoying one whose company his companions tolerated because he was a gifted painter. Now I see that he is the strongest one. He had his morals and his values, and he was not influenced by anything that Lord Henry said. He stuck to his values even though he knew that the friend he cherished would have preferred him if he was influenced by Lord Henry. Hallward had the highest regard and unwavering loyalty for love, for friendship, and for what he thought was right. He didn't enjoy the pleasures Dorian did, and he wasn't as entertaining as Lord Henry, but he was strong—mentally, he was strong.

"I want to be Hallward. I want to be that person. I don't want to be the demon prince who uses others for his own pleasure, who crushes the hearts of those who love him and pretends that he does not care. I don't want to be the demon who wishes his feelings gone rather than deal with them and more than anything I don't want to hurt the ones I love because of my refusal to deal with them. For now, I am both Dorian Gray and Lord Henry, but one day, Genevieve, one day I will wake up, and I will be Basil Hallward—I promise."

She gazed at him for a few moments before she took his hand in hers. He raised her hand to his lips a placed a soft kiss on her skin. "You know I love you whether you are Dorian Gray, Lord Henry or Basil Hallward," she murmured.

He lowered his gaze and smiled. "I know," he whispered.

She returned his smile. "You are better than Dorian," she said, squeezing his hand. "Dorian always views himself as the victim rather than the perpetrator. Whatever cruelty he had done, he always remarked how he had suffered. I think his greatest sin was not his cruelty or his debauchery but his refusal to admit that he was at fault. He blamed Lord Henry and the yellow book for corrupting him and blamed Basil for making him vain. Every act he committed he pinned the blame elsewhere; he even blamed Basil for making him murder him. He blamed the men he corrupted for being corrupted though he blamed Lord Henry for his own corruption. He does not see the similarities.

"At the end of the book, he sees hypocrisy in the painting, and he cannot understand why as he honestly believes he wants to change. But he cannot atone for his sins unless he accepts that he is responsible, and he doesn't. I don't think you are like Dorian. You have been cruel to me, yet you have held yourself accountable and taken responsibility for everything. You are a better man than Dorian."

Calab considered her for a moment and gave her a coy smile. "I haven't always done that," he said. "It's you that makes me want to be better."

It was May, and the rising temperature was making training in full gear a challenge. Beads of sweat rolled down Eve's face as she fought off Ezra's relentless melee assault. She brought her sword up to meet his heavy blow before shoving him backwards. As he steadied himself, she pivoted and clashed her sword against his sending it clattering to the floor. Lunging at her advantage, she thrust her foot into his chest sending him on his ass before she held her sword to his throat. She grinned at him before lowering her blade and holding out her hand to help up the disgruntled thorian.

"Splendid, Your Majesty," remarked Alin, the hominem instructor. "That extra training is paying off."

Eve beamed as she sheathed her sword at her side and headed to the edge of the field where Will was leaning against a fence observing the training. He raised his fist, and she bumped it with hers though his expression was tense. She watched the rest of the training duels and felt the same tension. All the Impærielas, including her, were now much more competent with melee and ranged weapons. None of that did anything to smooth the anxiety that had constantly rippled at the edges of her consciousness over that last two weeks.

The most recent CRM had updates from the angel and demon scouts who had been observing the activity of the dark alchemists and the witches. They had observed them meet in a secure location. Their meeting was Cloaked, and the content of their discussions was not overheard. However, shortly afterwards, bands of witches and dark alchemists began to form a training camp on the eastern planes. The scouts observed them performing devastating spells that imploded, exploded and incinerated their animal victims with horrifying ease.

When the news was announced, a chilling silence crept through the room, and everyone present was at a loss how to begin fighting them should they attack. The hominem had suggested launching an attack on them first as their recent alliance with the fae had given the Crown Alliance access to fae sorcerers. Even the fae were not confident that they could stand against them. They could only raise limited shields, and not all of the fae had the ability to shield. The thorian leaders felt their sorcery abilities were mere parlour tricks when compared to the powers described by the scouts.

Any thoughts of having the fae Cloak them as they did their realm were soon quashed when the witches located and launched an attack on the fae realm. Thankfully, it was not a large-scale slaughter, but the lives of two fae were lost when two witches entered the realm and incinerated the fae women in full view of over a hundred witnesses before they disappeared from view. The rulers felt that it had been a message to them rather than an attempt to obliterate the fae. It was a message that they received loud and clear—they could not hide.

Eve had written to the foreign rulers to request their help in defeating the enemy should they launch an attack on the Crown. She received, as the alliance predicted, a concerted refusal. They did not involve themselves in the affairs of other nations and would not take a course of action that would create enemies or attract them to their lands. Eve could not blame them, even if the response were not the one she was hoping to receive. She had attempted and failed at peace negotiations with the Elion. Lord Caius did not admit to any immediate plans to move on the Crown but maintained the stance that he would have nothing to do with the alliance. She had attempted to make contact with the witches to offer to meet with them to discuss their issues and received no reply.

The alliance now met weekly to plan their defence against the Alchitch as they were now fondly known. Planning was a loose term, 'winging it' was closer to the mark and involved increased training, stockpiling food and weapons, and hoping that someone thought of a plan before it was too late.

They had begun to identify sites in Lycea with the help of the guardians to evacuate hominem, fae, and Impærielas mothers, children and anyone unable or unwilling to fight when the scouts informed them that the forces were starting to move in the hope of saving future generations if it ended badly.

"You don't have to stay here," said Will quietly. "You could leave. You could be safe."

Eve frowned at him. "I do have to stay Will," she said. "I can't leave my people to die while I run and hide."

"They're not your people, not really," he said. "How long have you been here? Just over two years. You're not one of them. you're still human. We could both leave all this behind, we could have a life together—have a family."

"Will," she exclaimed. "How can you say that? You're a guardian; you can't just walk away from that. I can't just walk away. I am a part of this world. I'm an Impærielas, I'm an Arkazatine, and even if there is nothing I can do to save my people, I will be here to die with them."

"You're being ridiculous," he sniped. "You're foolish. You think you should be brave and noble and die with them, why? There is nothing anyone can do. All the magic is on the Alchitch side and what there is in the alliance will do nothing against them. You think you're going to be able to stand against them with your sword and your bow? You don't stand a chance, and I don't want to see you die on the battlefield. The war is already over. They have already won. Why risk your own life?"

"I can't believe I am hearing this," she snapped. "Can you really just walk away and do nothing? Do you really expect me to do that?"

"Yes, I can." He snarled. "And you should too. I never wanted to be a guardian anyway. I won't risk my life for this world. I have my own world, and you belong in that world. You don't belong here. You should never have been here. If I hadn't brought you here you wouldn't be the queen, you'd be mortal."

"Everything happens for a reason," Eve said. "I was _meant_ to come here. I was supposed to be queen. I don't know why and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do, but whatever it is it definitely doesn't involve running away, hiding and pretending that everything is normal while my people are annihilated. If you want to leave Arkazatinia behind then do it, I can relieve you of your guardianship."

"I want you to leave," he pleaded. "You have no idea what you're up against."

"And you do, do you?"

"You're going to be a target. You're going to be the first person they go after. You can't protect yourself from them. No one can keep you safe."

"And you think I'll be safe back home?" she said, snarling. "They can find me anywhere and if they are going to find me it will be right here with my people."

"You're an idiot," he snapped. "You're just playing at being a hero. They are going to _kill_ you. You are going to _die_. The wonderful immortal life you have planned is going to be over before you can blink. You have the might of Heaven and Hell on your side, and you will still lose."

She looked at him and shook her head. "You can go if you like, but I am staying. I won't abandon my people like a coward."

"I'm not a coward. I'm just not reckless. It's not cowardly not to throw your life away on a lost cause. You can't survive this. No one can. To run is to be smart. I won't watch you throw your life away, and I won't throw mine away. I want nothing to do with this world, I never have. I want you to relieve me of my guardianship."

The hominem and Impærielas had stopped training and had heard much of their argument. Eve had suddenly become aware that they were all staring. She looked around the training field at her people. Each donned their armour and were beaten with sweat from hard work in the heat. Each of them courageous and ready to lay down their lives knowing they had little hope of surviving because they believed no price was too high to protect the innocent.

She turned back to Will. Turned back to the man who wanted her to hide while her brave men and women died. Her stomach twisted. "You are relieved of your position as a Guardian of Arkazatinia," she said slowly, avoiding meeting his eyes. "You will no longer serve to protect Lycea from threats from Arkazatinia. You will no longer be expected to protect the lives of the innocent and will no longer be permitted to visit Arkazatinia. My people will escort you to Lycea and relieve you of your vox and your weapons. I want to thank you for your loyal service and on behalf of Arkazatinia, I wish you well for the rest of your life."

Tears formed in Will's eyes as she spoke. "I'm sorry," he said, taking her hands, "I'm sorry it has come to this. I just can't fight for causes I don't believe in."

Eve nodded. "I understand," she said. "I can't run from causes I believe in, even if they are lost." He threw his arms around her, and she returned his embrace. "Be safe," she whispered, kissing his cheek. Two Impærielas approached. Will let go of her and left with them to return to Lycea.

"We'll call it a day," said Alin. She nodded towards him and gave a weak smile before leaving the training field. She managed to keep herself together until she closed the door of her quarters before she dropped to her knees and sobbed.

Eve did not know how long she had been curled up on her bed when she heard a knock on the door of her quarters. She wiped the tears but could do nothing to hide her puffy, bloodshot eyes. She opened the door to find Lord Ezra and Lady Ariana standing there. She swallowed and tried to regain her composure. Although Eve outranked Lady Ariana, there was something about her demeanour that intimidated her, and she always found herself submitting in her presence.

"May we come in?" asked Lord Ezra.

"Of course," Eve replied. "I shall send for some tea."

"I'm ahead of you," said Ezra as a member of the kitchen staff entered Eve's quarters with a tea tray. They sat at the dining table, and Ezra poured the tea.

"I know this is about my disagreement with William Farley," Eve started. "I'm sorry. I should never have argued with him in front of everyone. I have let everyone think that I have no hope in our efforts and—"

"Your Majesty," interrupted Lady Ariana. "Whilst it is inappropriate for a queen to have a domestic dispute in the presence of her subjects, they, at least, know their queen is with them."

Eve stared at the table and picked at the grain in the wood. The table was beautiful, made of solid oak and handcrafted by the talented Impærielas carpenters. She blinked back another wave of tears threatening to storm her face and looked at Lady Ariana. "Is there anything that can be done?" she asked. "Have you foreseen anything?"

The oracle met her gaze and shook her head slowly. "I have foreseen nothing, but," she said, "there is always hope. Arkazatinia selected an outlander queen for a reason. It chose you for a reason. You must realise what that reason is."

"How?" Eve asked. "There's nothing special about me. What can I possibly do against the Alchitch? I was only selected because I offered my help and I met the conditions of the prophecy."

"Arkazatinia has never selected an outlander to rule. It means something, and you must learn the meaning."

"Genevieve, what _is_ all this?" asked Calab, looking around the walls of Eve's library.

Clawing her hands through her hair, she surveyed the chaos that had taken over her sanctuary. "There's a connection here somewhere," she said. "I just have to find it. There is something about our relationship. It's the common denominator." She stared wide-eyed at a frowning Calab.

"When did you last sleep?" he asked. "Or eat? You look exhausted."

"I know I sound crazy," she pleaded, "but please just listen." Eve had become preoccupied with finding her purpose in the last few weeks since her meeting with Lady Ariana. It was a combination of her desperation to find something to save her people and to help her cope with Will's swift exit from her life. She had heard nothing from him and had resisted the urge to contact him. Although she desperately wanted to speak with him, she knew that it was better if she did not. Severing his contact with her and Arkazatinia had hurt her, and she imagined it had hurt Will too, but it had left him free to move on and have the normal life he wanted. She could not bear the thought of dragging him back into the chaos just to ease her pain.

Instead, she had spent every hour outside of her training looking for her purpose. Every wall that did not house bookshelves and every window shutter and door were covered with notes on everything she could think of that linked her to Arkazatinia and everything she had done since her arrival.

"Genevieve, there's nothing here," Calab said, trying to coax her onto the sofa. "Please, just try and rest."

"No, Calab. You need to listen. You need to help me. You have to help me figure this out." She stalked slowly around the scrawled handwritten notes. "If we can figure it out, we can save everyone."

"Genevieve—"

"Lady Ariana said I was chosen for a reason, I need to figure out what it is."

"Lady Ariana doesn't know for sure," he said, "she is just hypothesising. You're under a lot of pressure, and you haven't slept, things will seem clearer—"

"Please, just listen," she begged. "You need to understand. You need to help _me_ understand."

"Understand what?"

"The connection," she said. "The reason I was chosen."

"How can our relationship be the connection?"

"I don't know," she said, clawing through her hair once more.

"Please, just try and sleep. I can get you something to help you relax. I can send for your Conservator of Health."

"I can't figure this out if I'm asleep," she snapped. "We don't have time to sleep. You just need to help me. You need to _listen_ — _please_."

"Okay, okay," he said, holding up his hands in defeat. "Tell me. I will listen."

"The night you brought me to Arkazatinia with Thalia I asked if I was a pawn and you said that I wasn't. That's not true. We are all pawns. We are all being moved strategically around a board to lead to this point. Now we are left to figure out the final moves. Only one side can win, and we need to find out how to check the king—or the queen." Calab rubbed his temple as he listened to her ravings, but let her speak in the hope she would tire and fall asleep. "Look, it's all here." She pointed to the scribbled notes that were linked erratically by arrows drawn in red marker. "My first connection with Arkazatinia was through you. Will brought me here and then I came to _your_ guild. I offered my services to Thalia and left.

"My next connection was again through you when I saw you in the park and then again when you came to my house, and then you brought me back, and I stayed with you. You saved me from the Imperator by hiding me with the fae, who I allied with, and then they defeated the wraiths. You saved me when you sacrificed yourself for me. You regained your feelings because of me. You lost your position as a demon prince because of me. You suffered your grief because of me, and you knew it because you blamed me—" She halted Calab as he opened his mouth to speak. "Just listen. You began to heal because I gave you a new purpose in the libraries, you couldn't have recovered as a prince because your emotions would make your work too painful.

"You are always there for me and me for you, no matter what you do to me. I always want you there, and I always sympathise with you—eventually—and try to understand you. Something is pushing us together, and something is keeping us apart. It is keeping us at just the right distance for whatever it has planned. Our feelings for each other have brought us together, but your grief has kept us apart. Our friendship keeps us together, and Will has kept us apart. You opened up to me while I was with Will. You confessed the deepest parts of your soul that made us closer, but we were still being kept apart because of your grief and because of Will.

"And speaking of Will—he was a pawn too. Look. He came back into my life after more than seven years. He arrived in between the time we spent in the cabin and the incident at your house. He helped to hold us apart, and he helped me with my training. He gave me lots of intense support so that I could rival the stronger and faster Impærielas and as soon as I knocked Lord Ezra on his ass and got a compliment from the instructor for my skills he was gone. He started an argument with me, and I exiled him from Arkazatinia. He was gone from my life. His exit was all nice and neatly boxed off as if it was all planned. Like he'd served his purpose.

"And my purpose, I have thought of nothing else but this. I offered my services to Thalia, and despite there being no Crown, it took nine years for Lady Ariana to have her vision. That time means something. I have learned something in that time, and I just don't know what. I studied biochemistry, I completed a master's—yet so have the Procnatus. What could my outlander career bring to Arkazatinia that Procnatus scientists could not? Which brings me back to you. You stirred my sympathy when you explained your plight to Thalia, that was one of the reasons why I offered my help. Then I saw you in the park, and I don't know what that meant. I don't know why it all took so long. I just don't know what it means.

"Then you came to my house. You said that you flipped a switch when Jason attacked me, it must be significant, right? There are just too many coincidences, too many links for it not to mean something." Calab swallowed and rubbed his temple once more and gazed at her shaking his head. "Please tell me that you see that it must be connected?" This is the only thing I have come up with in the weeks that I have been trying to figure this out. Don't say I am crazy."

"He was on my decretum," he reminded her reluctantly. Genevieve's eyes widened, and she gave him a broad smile.

"You see it," she breathed a relieved sigh. "I'm not mad, there's something here."

"Look, don't get too excited," he said, taking her hands. "I see that some force is at work pushing us together or pulling us apart or whatever, but I don't see how knowing what any of this means can possibly help us defeat the Alchitch."

"No," she said, her shoulders sagging as her smile left her face. "Nor do I." She took a seat on the sofa and Calab sat beside her.

"If there is an answer to be found I will be right here helping you to find it," he said, putting his arms around her shoulders and pulling her towards him. She rested her head against his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered and then she was asleep.

Calab rested his cheek on her head as she slept in his arms.

_Could she be right? Are we all just pawns in some elaborate game?_

He stared at her timeline, map, or chaotic mess—whatever it was that covered the walls of her library. He could add more to it. He remembered the thoughts he had of her after she visited his guild. He thought of her frequently in the days and months that followed. He had hurt her and threatened her life yet the look that came from her young eyes. She was a mere child, he was a demon—he had terrified her, yet she understood him. He had never known such a reaction from anyone, save his close acquaintances.

After he had seen her in the park, she fascinated him. He was mean to her, yet she spoke to him as an equal. She was not afraid of him. His aggression or his demonic features had not intimidated her. He often thought of her and longed to meet her again. It took all of his will not to look for her. He got his wish when Lady Ariana revealed the prophecy. He had never revealed to Thalia that he was keen to see the girl; he used to be good at concealing his thoughts. He felt as though he had been struck when she had said his name in her sleep.

_"_ And like the murmur of a dream,

I heard her breathe my name _."_

Coleridge's words from Love played over in his head. He had become obsessed with this poem since the day he was packing his library and realised it contained Genevieve's name. He thought about the moment that filth attacked her. He could still remember that feeling when his emotions were released. It was as though they had been locked away deep inside his gut and the attack on her, on this girl he had been fascinated by for nine years, had loosened the lid. Then very slowly at first, they started to creep out. They seeped into his blood until they poisoned him. They filled him with joy, rage, love and hatred for the girl.

Was that what was intended? Could she be right?

He had to admit he felt drawn towards her and repelled from her. Yet, no matter what he felt he always wanted her and always loved her. Even when he could not want her, he did still want her more than his own life. He looked at the map once more. He saw the question mark she had drawn over the nine years it had taken for her to be chosen. She did not understand the reason for the delay. He did not understand any of it, but if he had to guess, he would say that Arkazatinia was saving her for him. When he first met her she was too young for him, she was seventeen and just a child. Five years later, she was a woman. Arkazatinia then gave him four years to become fascinated with her before it struck him. Nine years—nine. Nine circles of Hell and nine spheres of Heaven. The whole experience had been both hellish and heavenly much like his entire life.

Was she with that monster just so I could witness her being attacked?

He hoped not.

S _till, I don't know how this will help us. We're still doomed._

If they were to be doomed then he wanted no regrets, he turned to the sleeping girl and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Genevieve," he whispered.

"Could we use adamantine in some way to defend ourselves against the Alchitch?" Eve asked Calab over breakfast the next morning.

"No," he replied, "we don't have a stock of adamantine, we only have chains and shackles, and it can only be crafted in Hell."

"The walls of the Asmodeus guild dungeon are made of adamantine, are they not?"

"They were crafted by the High Prince when the guild was built. The guild façade and interior has changed many times, but the dungeon is the original dungeon built by High Prince Asmodeus."

"Would Asmodeus let you craft anything in Hell?"

"He is unlikely to let me do anything," Calab reminded her, "but even if I were still a prince, I wouldn't dare ask him. Firstly, it would be the last thing I ever did, and secondly, the high princes do not involve themselves in the affairs of Anaxagoras or Lycea outside of managing sins. We are lucky to be involved with Anaxagoras at all—we are not allowed any involvement in Lycea."

"Hmm, I'm not sure what would help anyway besides perhaps a massive dome," said Eve. "Is it likely that the fae shields could defend against the Alchitch spells?"

"They might, but we would never know for sure unless the fae engaged the Alchitch," he replied, pouring his tea. "They can't hold the shields for long, though, and there aren't enough fae with shielding abilities to take on all of the Alchitch. The alchemists can shield as well. The fae would be drained quickly, and we would struggle to fight them. I think it will probably come to that, but I don't anticipate a successful outcome."

Eve furrowed her brows and asked, "Who designs the vox software?"

"It's a joint effort between the Procnatus IT specialists and the light alchemists."

"What if the developers could include a shield in the vox software? They would have no option but to engage us in combat and that would even the playing field."

Calab's eyes widened. "It might not be possible," he said. "If it were we could defeat them. They have magic, but we have greater numbers."

Eve leapt up and strode to her desk. She picked up the telephone and dialled. "Thalia," she said hurriedly as soon as the phone was answered. "I'm arranging an emergency defence meeting today, and I need you to invite the IT people and alchemists who design the vox software."

"I'll do that straight away, Your Majesty," replied Thalia. "May I ask why?"

"It's a long shot, but I wondered if they could include a shield against magic in the vox software. Even if they can't do that, they may be able to do something—we need to meet with them."

"Let's hope so," replied Thalia. "I shall call them now. When is the meeting?"

"Four o'clock at the Guild of the Crown. That should allow enough time for everyone to get here." Eve then contacted Shanna to ask her to summon the rest of the alliance before replacing the handset and returning to her seat opposite to Calab. "I should have said an earlier time," she said, smiling weakly. "I'm going to be anxious all day. Do you have to go to work?"

"I was planning a day of admin in Laurasia—it can wait."

"Thank you," she said, sipping her tea. "Will you train with me? That will help pass the time."

"I'll try," he chuckled. "I'm a lot stronger than you, so it won't be a fair fight." She smirked at him and threw the croissant she was about to eat—he caught it with ease and bit into it.

"You are an excellent marksman," remarked Calab as Eve hit every one of the targets in the woodlands with deadly precision. "I'd wager that there a very few people who could make those marks."

"No one can, not even the hominem instructors," said Captain Lexas, entering the training field armed with his bow. "Those targets are only there to challenge Her Majesty, and she still finds them too easy."

Eve blushed furiously and stepped away from the mound to allow the captain to take his aim. "You're embarrassing me, Captain," she said. He chuckled, armed his bow and prepared to take aim at the targets as Eve strolled towards the melee field with Calab. "This is where I get my ass kicked."

Calab grinned at her. "You know, you put yourself down a lot. You find it a lot easier to accept criticism than compliments."

"I know," she said. "Compliments just feel odd. I think I'd rather tolerate someone taking the piss out of me constantly than have to awkwardly thank people for their compliments."

"Well," he said, raising a wooden training sword and entering the ring, "let's find out which it will be next."

Calab's speed and strength vastly outweighed her own. He put her on her ass over and over. Determined not to give up and to get in at least one clean hit, she came back fighting every time. Eve was sweating furiously and breathing heavily, but she parried his blows when she could see them and even though her forearms burned, she tried to resist him shoving her backwards. She lunged at him, and he blocked her with ease, thrusting his arms forwards. He attempted to force her back, but she was ready—she pivoted and whirling her sword around to his momentarily undefended right side and struck his chest. He grinned at her and held up his arms in surrender. She grinned back still holding the wooden blade to his chest.

"You're like a dog with a bone," he said. "You just don't give up."

She laughed at him as she lowered the blade. "A backhanded compliment," she said. "I can cope with that." He chuckled, took her sword from her and returned it to the rack in the equipment shelter. Eve picked up and sheathed her real swords and daggers. Like most Arkazatines, she had now taken to donning armour and weapons wherever she went and kept them close by when in her quarters. If nothing else, it had allowed her to become accustomed to their presence. Unlike when she had first worn them, she was now able to move freely and hardly noticed the weight of the swords and daggers at her side or the bow and crossbow strapped to her back.

It was only lunchtime and Eve still had four hours before the meeting. She ordered lunch for her and Calab to be sent to her quarters, and after showering and changing into clean clothes, she sat opposite him.

"Have you had any more thoughts to my purpose here?" she asked him as she buttered a slice of bread before dunking it into her vegetable broth.

Calab sighed. "I probably shouldn't tell you this because you're already obsessive and it won't help." He told her his theory regarding the nine years that Arkazatinia had waited before Lady Ariana had her vision. She furrowed her brows before taking a spoonful of broth. They sat in silence for a few moments as Eve mulled over what he had said.

"I guess that makes sense," she said finally, "but it doesn't really help me to know why I am even here in the first place." They finished their meal in silence. Eve poured them both a cup of tea, and they moved to sit on the sofa. "Tell me about when you worked with Jason, maybe there is something there."

"I don't think there is. He was on my decretum; it was about seven years ago now... You must keep this to yourself; I'm not actually supposed to divulge this information." Eve nodded, and Calab continued. "I hadn't got beyond my initial reckoning before he attacked his partner. When we work with someone, we follow them for some time and observe their behaviour, their temperament, strengths and weaknesses before we decide what we will use to tempt them. For someone to make it onto a demon decretum _,_ they have to have been identified as potentially unworthy by the angels. The angels had found that he was ill-tempered and unkind to others and they decided that he needed to be tested to see if he could control his temper and show kindness to others. He was relatively young then at twenty-one, and many humans show unkindly behaviour during their adolescence, but they are tested by their actions in adulthood. He had been violent and cruel throughout his adolescence towards his siblings and his peers at his school, and the angels had identified him for reckoning at the age of fourteen—he would fall onto a demon decretum when he came of age at twenty-one.

"I only had him on my decretum for a few weeks, and during that time, he displayed appalling behaviour. He was smart and had completed his studies and gained employment. At his work, he was well behaved, friendly and popular. Outside of work he was estranged from his family—he was barely on civil terms with his mother and did not speak to his father or his siblings. He would spend a lot of time drinking and would regularly get into fights—always with someone, he could beat easily, and he beat them brutally. Even then, he could have turned a corner and changed his behaviour. He was only young, and that would not necessarily condemn him to Hell. However, the attack on his girlfriend would.

"He had only been living with her for a month—they had moved in together when he had started his new job after finishing his studies. I won't share the details, but the sadistic nature of the attack condemned him. He beat her so terribly that she was unconscious, bloody and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance—he enjoyed _every_ moment of it. It was not even he who called the ambulance but a neighbour who had heard the commotion. If they had not, then it is very likely he would have left her to die.

"Afterwards, he showed no remorse for what he had done. He lied when the police interviewed him. He said that he found an attacker in their home and chased them out. The girl refused to speak to the police or allow them to take any samples leaving them no option but to believe his story. Shortly afterwards he was arrested for fighting, and he told the police that he had a problem with alcohol and would get help. They released him without charge, but he was asked to complete an alcohol and anger management programme. I did not finish my reckoning of him before I condemned him after two weeks.

"I revisited him after a few months to check that I was confident in my assessment. I found him boasting to his friends that he was fooling the facilitators of the programme into thinking he had learned from his mistakes and he had continued his regular routine of drinking and brawling. I decided then that I was confident in my reckoning and needed to do nothing further. I did not see him again until he entered your house."

Eve shook her head. "I met him at work," she said, smiling faintly. "I thought he was lovely. He was always charming and sweet and very funny. He was nothing like that at home. I guess I should feel lucky that I didn't come off worse."

Calab lowered his gaze from hers. "I think you're right that it's all connected somehow," he said. "That the events of the past have led us to this point. I think your relationship with that brute and my knowledge of his history was used to manipulate me. Even your willingness to try to see the good in people despite the terrible things they do is likely to be what allows you to tolerate me."

"Calab," Eve said, taking his clawed hand in hers. "Don't talk like that. You're nothing like Jason."

"I try not to be."

"Well, Jason doesn't even do that. You're a good man, Calab."

He snorted and raised his hand to caress her cheek. "I don't believe that," he said, "but I love that you do." She smiled and covered his hand with her own.

Despite Calab no longer having a position within the quorum, Eve still wanted him to attend the defence meeting. All of the leads attended to meet the team of IT specialists and light alchemists. There were eight of them altogether; a Procnatus named Michael led the team with an alchemist named Altrin.

"Lord Thalia has informed us of your request, Your Majesty," began Altrin, "and it is something we have looked at before and have spent some time working on. However, given our current technology, it is not something that we can add to a handheld device. The energy that is required is immense, even the alchemists and sorcerers who use shields are drained of energy very quickly, and they are using it as nature intended. To produce that artificially will be difficult, I imagine it will be possible to have it as part of the vox one day—we can certainly prioritise our work to that effect but, I'm afraid for the foreseeable future, it is not possible."

"What about using something larger to power a shield, something similar to the outrider?" Eve asked.

"Maybe," continued Altrin. "It might be possible—if we had a few devices. I can't say how large the shield generated will be or even how effective."

"There would be an issue with mobility," said Michael. "Even if it was part of an outrider and could move around it will be difficult to move around to make sure everyone is shielded."

"We'd have to lure them to where we want them," said Tharazan, "and ensure we stay within the perimeter."

"How long will it take you to develop a prototype?" said Eve.

"It's difficult to say, Your Majesty," said Michael. "We're not yet sure how it will work exactly. We will have to try to adapt existing features. Most of the vox features manipulate the consciousness of humans, perhaps it could manipulate magic. Without knowing exactly what we're doing and what hurdles we will face, we cannot say. We don't even know how long we have so we can offer no guarantee that we will have something ready in time. I would strongly suggest that you proceed as though this is not an option and try to find another way."

Eve nodded and tried to hide her disappointment. "Thank you," she said calmly, "if you can try your best to develop something, we will all be very grateful. We will do as you suggest and try to find another way. Can you think of anything that may help and other technology we have not thought of?"

The team looked at each other and shook their heads. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty," said Altrin. "Weapons grade technology is not our speciality, perhaps there is something in Lycea? Mortars or something you can use to wipe them out from a safe distance."

Eve looked around the table. "I'm no expert in military technology, is that a viable option?" she asked.

Calab interrupted the muttering amongst the alliance. "I don't think we should do that, Your Majesty," he said. "The success would depend on us attacking first, catching them unaware and killing all of them. If they realise that the mortars are coming, they can deal with them or shield against them. If any survive, an attack on us would be imminent, and we would still have no defence against them."

"We should not attack them first," added Thalia. "We should try and prevent war as far as possible rather than start it. Mortar fire would also risk the lives of innocent people, that would make us no better than the Alchitch." Eve gulped, and the room remained silent. They were back at square one, and they were still doomed.

The meeting concluded and Eve took a vector back to her guild with Calab. She slumped in the seat beside him. "What are we going to do, Calab?" she said miserably. He put his muscular arms around her, and she fell into his embrace.

Hidden from view, two witches observed the queen and the demon embrace in the vector. One grinned wickedly at her companion who returned a vicious smile as they tailed the vector.

Eve spent the remainder of the evening prowling her library desperately trying to find a link to her purpose in Arkazatinia in the sea of scribbles and arrows.

She curled up with Calab in her bed when she had become exhausted from thinking too much. Her hands lay on his tight abs, and her head rested on his bare, muscular chest. She listened to his heartbeat and felt his hot breath on the nape of her neck. She wanted him. She wanted to kiss his bare chest and creep up to kiss his mouth. She wanted to feel his lips against hers, to feel his clawed hands run along her naked flesh. Instead, she remained still and resisted and hoped that he could not sense the desire emanating from her. She could not bear it if he rejected her again. Keeping her breathing steady and her thoughts on anything but Calab's hot skin burning against hers, she eventually fell asleep.

"I should go to Laurasia today," said Calab the next morning as they lay in bed.

"I don't want you to go," said Eve, snuggling closer to him. "Stay here with me."

He chuckled. "And risk getting fired? I don't want to get on the wrong side of my boss, she's a real dragon."

Eve poked his ribs, and he winced playfully. "I could fire you, so you don't have to go." She grinned.

He sat up and gave her a dazzling smile before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back before you know it."

After a gruelling morning of training and a hearty lunch, Eve was back in her library. She had pulled down the scribbled notes and hung large sheets of paper in any space that was not covered with bookshelves. She added the notes and arrows hoping that it would make more sense if it was neat—it did not. She was just as baffled. She did not even feel like she was close. Nothing that made her think she was onto something other than the coincidence that there were too many coincidences. Ezra entered the library carrying a letter and broke her frustration.

"This has just arrived, Your Majesty, it is marked urgent."

"Thank you, Lord Ezra," she replied, putting down her red marker and taking the letter. Ezra left, and she looked at the envelope. It was addressed to her in neat, but eerie-looking script—she did not recognise the hand. She tore open the envelope and revealed thick, expensive paper. She sank to her knees as she read:

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia,

As you no doubt are aware, the dark alchemists and witches have allied, and it is our intention to claim the Crown for our own. Your not so inconspicuous scouts will have also informed you of our new magical abilities, and after our demonstration upon the fae, you will have realised that they far exceed any powers that your alliance has. We are sure that it will not have escaped your notice that the situation is dire and you will be foolish to stand against us.

However, we are not without mercy, and we will give you an opportunity to save your people. Surrender the Crown to us, and your people will be unharmed. We will rule Arkazatinia with or without your surrender, but your surrender will save countless innocent lives. If that is not enough of an incentive for you, we have also taken the liberty of picking up a friend of yours who we will be happy to free once you surrender the Crown. If you would like to save your librarian from a terrible fate and save your people from certain death, then we strongly suggest that you meet us at dawn tomorrow. We have enclosed the coordinates for your vector to allow you to arrive with ease. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Warmest wishes

Your enemies

Ps. Calab says hi.

She could not catch her breath, and her heart beat out of her chest.

_They have Calab. They've taken Calab!_ _What can I do? I have to save him. I have to save my people. I can't let them be ruled by the Alchitch._

She stared at her scrawled map.

_Think. Think! What is the link?_

Nothing. She could see nothing. She descended once more into a panic. She looked at the time—it was three in the afternoon. She was to meet them at dawn. __

_What the hell do they mean by dawn? Why couldn't they just give me a time? How am I supposed to know when the light will appear? Am I supposed to be late and let him die because I don't know what time they mean or be too early and have less time to plan? Take a breath. Focus. Concentrate._

Her thoughts cycled through every interaction she had had with Calab.

_I have to be missing something._

She stood and ran to Lady Ariana's apartment.

"I apologise for my intrusion, Lady Ariana," said Eve, handing her the letter. "I have received this." Lady Ariana said nothing and studied Eve. "Lady, I have not stopped thinking, but I cannot find my purpose here. I believe that it has something to do with Calab and me, but I may be clutching at straws." She quickly reeled off the content of her wall map and still Lady Ariana said nothing. "I just don't know what it all means. I'm running out of time. If I haven't figured this out by dawn tomorrow, I will have to surrender to them."

"They will not let you live," said Lady Ariana quietly.

"I know. But if I don't surrender, they will kill everyone. Please, do you know anything more? Anything about the magic they're using? Have you seen anything?"

"The magic they are using is ancient, so old that nothing is written."

"How are they accessing it?"

"I do not know."

"Can it be stopped?"

"I do not know."

Eve's hands came to her face in frustration. "Can you tell me the prophecy again?"

"The prophecy said the one who shows loyalty with no thought of reward, sees the truth but does not hide, and seeks allegiance in the face of adversity shall be deemed worthy to rule all."

That doesn't help.

__ "Was there anything more?"

Lady Ariana shook her head. __ "That is all of it."

"Do you know if my relationship with Calab means anything? If it's significant in all this?"

"I have seen nothing more."

Eve wanted to scream but swallowed her rage. "What was the Crown like before the Imperium? Who were they?"

"The Crown was King Reglas. He was an Impærielas."

"What was he like?"

"He was fair, just, and hard-working—he was like all Impærielas."

"What happened to him?"

"He died. He died in his sleep. At the time we thought he had chosen to fade though it is not impossible that he was poisoned by the dark alchemist who was controlling the Imperator." __

They never told me that before I ate anything.

"The Crowns before him," said Eve, "is there anything significant about them, about me? Are there any differences or similarities that stand out?"

"The other Crowns had sorcery abilities," she replied. "All thorian leaders have some magical ability—I have my sight."

"But I don't," remarked Eve. "Why is that?"

"You are an outlander, you are human. Beyond that, I do not know."

"Do they have the abilities before or do they get them when they become a ruler?"

"They gain them when they become a ruler."

"Automatically or is there something to be done first—some ceremony?"

"They receive them as a matter of course."

Eve sighed. "Have you ever known an outlander to have any magical abilities?"

"I am afraid not, Your Majesty."

Eve bit hard on her lip and tasted blood in her mouth. "What am I to do? I'm lost."

"You need to learn your purpose."

"How?"

"It is your path. Only you can take it," said Lady Ariana plainly. "Though it may be worth considering that it is Arkazatinia's will that the demon, as the human, has been taken from you. You have become rather too close. I have heard that he has spent many a night in your room. It is not appropriate."

Eve was a little disconcerted. She had never heard Lady Ariana express an actual opinion, but this turned to anger. "I love Calab, Lady Ariana," she said as pleasantly as her temper would allow. "I know it is considered inappropriate, but I love him very much, and I will not let him go without a fight."

Eve left Lady Ariana's apartment feeling more frustrated. Frustrated enough to do something risky and incredibly reckless. She exited the front door of the guild and summoned her demon guard.

"Your Majesty," he said, landing in front of her, folding his wings and bowing slightly.

"I need you to take me to see Asmodeus."

"Asmodeus Prince Nakhiel?"

"No, High Prince Asmodeus."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. That's not possible."

"It is urgent that I speak with him," she said calmly. "You must be able to take me to Hell or can I use a vox?"

"I can't, Your Majesty, and if I could, I couldn't bring you back."

"If you can't take me," she said. "Can you tell me how one would get there, hypothetically?" He frowned at her and shook his head. " _Please_ , it's important," she pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you that."

"The lives of all Arkazatinia depend on this."

He looked anxious, and she could see the battle with his reason displayed in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty," he said finally. "It is against our orders to knowingly take any action which places you in danger."

"As the queen, I order you to tell me."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but there are some orders we cannot take from the queen." He returned to his post.

Eve wanted to scream in frustration.

Why will no one help me? Who do I have to pray to— Pray! Should I pray to Asmodeus?

She returned to her library and sat on the floor in front of the map. Pray. Pray. That shouldn't be too hard. Except she had not said a prayer since she was a child and it was not to a demon high prince. She was not sure how that worked or if it would work at all.

She closed her eyes and focussed hard on the room where Calab met Asmodeus. She concentrated on the demon's face, his voice, his name, and begged him to hear her plea. She repeated her prayer again and again until she drifted off still sat on the floor with her legs folded and her hands clasped.

Eve did not know what was more awful: the sulphur that choked her and burnt her nostrils or the searing temperature that burnt her skin. She looked up into the face of Asmodeus and gasped. He was even more terrifying than she remembered and she suddenly regretted whatever stupidity had made her think this was a good idea.

She composed herself and tried to breathe. She pulled herself up to a kneeling position and bowed in front of him as Calab had done. "High Prince," she said, choking as she tried to clear her throat. "Forgive my intrusion, I am—"

"I know who you are, little queen," he said, his voice booming around her. She waited for him to say something more—he did not.

"May I have leave to rise?" she asked. He glared at her with his shining green glass eyes—his face contorted with feral rage. She gulped, but he waved his hand and bid her to rise. She stood and took a few breaths before speaking again. "I have come to you with a request for help," she said slowly.

Asmodeus laughed a cruel laugh which crawled under her skin and stung every nerve. "You think _I_ will help _you_?"

"I hope you will," she replied calmly.

"No wonder the boy likes you," he said, his tone was vicious and acidic. "You are quite intriguing. You have my attention, little queen."

"The dark alchemists and the witches have allied. They are planning to attack the Crown Alliance and want to take the Crown for themselves. They are using an ancient magic, and we will be powerless against it. They have taken Calab and have sent me a letter to say they will release him and leave everyone unharmed if I surrender the Crown to them."

"And?"

"And I need to know how to stop them."

"How to save yourself?"

"No. How to save my people and save Calab."

"They have already told you how to save them, you need to simply surrender."

"That is not saving them. They may be alive if I surrender, but they will be ruled by them and who knows what they will be subject to."

"And what do you expect me to do, little queen?" Asmodeus snarled. "Do you expect me to save all your friends and kill all your enemies for you?"

"I need some answers. There are things I don't understand, and I'm running out of time. Lady Ariana told me that I was selected to become queen because of a prophecy. She said I have to learn my purpose. I have been going over every detail of my life. I think my purpose has something to do with Calab. There are too many coincidences.

"I learned of Arkazatinia because of him and then I saw him in a park and he brought me back. He regained his emotions because of me and sacrificed himself for me. The day he did that I was linked to him as the sorcerer was channelling his energy and I came here with him." Asmodeus raised his eyebrows. "The sorcerer was a fae sorcerer," she continued, "who I allied with because Calab hid me with the fae from the Imperator. That's why I'm here, in case it was intended that I should have followed him here, in case there is something I am supposed to learn from you."

"If you had been listening on the day he came here, you would know that I do not know why he regained his... _feelings_." He growled.

"I know that," she said, "but is there anything more that you may know? Anything about the prophecy?" She tried to control her tone and remind herself who she was speaking to.

"Prophecies are ridiculous riddles that those who believe they are superior to others make up for their own amusement," said Asmodeus his mouth twisting cruelly as he spoke. "Anyone could fit that prophecy."

"So why was I chosen then," she pleaded, "and what does everything with Calab mean?"

"It means nothing, little queen," said Asmodeus, examining his claws. They flashed in the dim light—they looked impossibly sharp and deadly and made her gulp. "You were chosen because you fit the prophecy because the Procnatus lord and my prince did not know of anyone else. Your issues with the boy are nothing more than romantic dramas."

"There has to be something," she begged. "I'm lost, and I'm running out of time. Please, I'll do anything. I'll come here when I die, and you can chain me in eternal fire."

"Oh dear." Asmodeus laughed, and she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "Aren't we a dramatic little thing? All this courage and self-sacrifice turns my stomach. We are not accustomed to such displays here in Hell."

"Is there anything you can tell me?" she said. He looked at her thoughtfully and gave her a wicked grin.

"The prophecy has not come to pass."

"What do you mean? I thought you said it was nonsense."

He chuckled loudly. "It is."

"Nonsense? Does it mean something? Is it about someone else? Do I need to find someone else? Someone more worthy?" He shrugged. " _Please_ ," she shouted. "Just help me. I know I'm not asking the right questions, but you know something—just tell me what it is."

"I have _never_ been spoken to like that," said Asmodeus icily.

"I'm sorry," she said, reining in her anger. "I am running out of time, and everyone I ask for help is speaking in riddles. I just need answers—ones that make _sense_. I want someone to tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do—no offence."

Asmodeus rested his chin on the hand that was leaning on his giant marble throne. "If any of my demons spoke to me like that, they would be dragged screaming into my pit of penal fire," he said calmly, but rage rippled through him. His expression contorted and mirrored the look Calab had given her on that fateful evening at his house—the expression that had filled her with terror and caused her to lose control of her bladder and her consciousness. She swallowed again but held her ground.

"I'm not a demon," she said, holding her chin. "It is not my intention to disrespect you, but I need to save my people. I need to save Calab. I need to save them from death or from my enemy's rule. If there is something I'm supposed to do, I need to know before it's too late."

He gave her an evil smile. "How brave you are, little queen," he said slyly, looking at her curiously before continuing, "Prophecies are indeed written by self-absorbed braggarts, but if the conditions are right they can come to pass. You have fulfilled the prophecy enough to take the Crown, but the prophecy was not originally written for just the Crown—it was adapted from a much older prophecy, one that pre-dates any of your books."

"Do you know what it is?"

"No," he said, "only that you will know it if you are worthy."

"That makes no sense. How could they adapt a prophecy that no one knows?"

"Perhaps the person who adapted it was worthy."

"You mean they were the Crown?" He shrugged his shoulders. Eve sighed rubbing her face to stop her eyes and nose running from the sulphur. "Can you tell me anything about the magic they are using?" she asked. "Lady Ariana said it is ancient."

"It isn't theirs," he said. "It belongs to someone else."

"Who?"

"So many questions, little queen." He chuckled menacingly. "How does the boy cope with you?"

" _Please_ , High Prince. Who does it belong to?"

"That's enough now."

"I still don't know what I'm supposed to do," she pleaded.

"You need to go."

"Please," she begged. "If I visit the archangels could they help me?"

"I would urge you not to. They would not be nearly as welcoming as me, and they have a penchant for smiting people. Darkness may consume the shadows, but it is the light that creates them. Go now, little queen."

Eve's shoulders sagged. "Are you going to hold me to my word after I die?" she said sadly, knowing that she would be back in Hell in a matter of hours if he did.

He chuckled. "We have no claim on you, but if you'd like to come back and reign beside me, then you're more than welcome. You grow accustomed to the smell."

She smirked despite herself. "That depends on whether anything you have said helps me. Thank you, for not dragging me to your pits."

"You must go now," he said sternly. "Wake up."

Eve woke with a jolt to find herself still sat on the floor of her library. Her neck ached as though she had been sat there for hours. Then she noticed how dark it was.

_How can it be dark? It can only be four o'clock._

She looked at her watch and found it was two in the morning. She was stricken with panic.

_Calab was in Hell for minutes. How have I been gone so long?_

As she never got around to finding out what time dawn would be, she grabbed her armour, weapons, the letter from the Alchitch, and rushed to a vector.

Eve had plotted the coordinates and was speeding through the Arkazatinia before she dressed in her armour and sheathed her weapons. She tried to process what Asmodeus had said.

_Has he told me anything useful?_

There was another prophecy, and it was similar to the Crown prophecy. However, without knowing what it was, that information was not of much use to her. He had told her the magic was not theirs.

_How does that help me?_

Was he deliberately trying not to help her or was he helping her and she just did not see it? He had made sure she had left on time. There was nothing more she could do.

_I'll just have to wing it_.

She begged whoever was listening, the games master who was moving their pieces or a fairy godmother to let her know what to do.

She caught a glimpse of her guards in the mirror of the vector and realised they would follow her right to the Alchitch. She cursed herself, stopped the vector, and summoned them to her. Her guards, an angel Kyriel and a demon Araziel were in front of her in seconds.

"You need to go," she told them.

"We are tasked with protecting you, Your Majesty," said Kyriel.

She shook her head. "You can't protect me. No one can. The Alchitch have taken Calab, they have offered me a way to save him, and everyone else and I have to take it. They will kill you if you follow me. Please just go."

"To face them is dangerous, Your Majesty," said Kyriel. "We cannot allow you to do that."

"No, you must," she pleaded. "It is desperately important that you do not intervene—all Arkazatine lives depend on me going."

"I'm afraid that it is against our orders to risk the life of the queen," said Araziel. "You must speak with the alliance first."

"There's no _time_ ," explained Eve. "Please just let me go."

"No, Your Majesty," said Kyriel. "You must go back."

"Fine," she snapped, stepping back into the vector. Kyriel and Araziel took to the air. Eve locked the door, pressed the _continue_ button, and the vector began speeding in the direction of the mountains. The crash on the door startled her as Araziel tore it from its frame—the vector came to a stop as Kyriel tore out the power source.

"What are you doing?" she screamed. "Just let me go."

"No, Your Majesty," said Araziel. "You need to come back."

"I order you to let me go," she shouted at him. "I swear I will have you executed if you disobey me." Araziel picked her up and pulled her from the vector. She began kicking at his legs and pounded her fists against his chest. "Put me down," she screamed. "They are going to kill Calab. You have to let me go." She pulled out a dagger and plunged it into his stomach.

He grunted and buckled slightly. Kyriel took her from Araziel's arms and wrapped his arm around her chest restraining her so she could barely move—her weapons were digging into her where Kyriel's body pressed against hers. Araziel winced as he pulled the dagger from his stomach. He wiped the blood on his sleeve and let it fall into his pocket.

"We are taking you back, Your Majesty," said Kyriel. "We can do this easily, or you can fight us all the way—it will not change the outcome."

"Please just let me go," she pleaded. "They are going to kill Calab and then kill everyone in Arkazatinia."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," said Kyriel, lifting her into the air. He and Araziel flew at speed back to the guild.

Calab sat chained at the foot of the Parmenides Mountains.

_Where did they get adamantine chains?_

He struggled futilely against them—the heat seared through his clothes burning only his skin.

_They must have stolen them when they sacked the guild_.

The witches and three alchemists surrounding him were waiting for Genevieve. The selfish part of him wanted her to save him, but he also hoped she would not come and would not risk her life. He had risked his life for her before, and he could do it again.

Dawn broke, and Genevieve was nowhere to be seen. The Alchitch continued to wait. Ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of her or the alliance. He breathed a sigh—he never imagined Genevieve would sacrifice him, but he was glad she had.

"It looks like your queen isn't coming," said a witch named Cadan who seemed to be in charge. "Perhaps she overslept. It's a pity, but we did give our word that we would kill you if she didn't come—I always keep my word." Calab ignored her. They all whipped their heads towards the vector that was speeding towards them.

"It's just Rayan," said Coryn, her second in command. The vector stopped in front of them, and Rayan disembarked.

"She was coming," she said, flipping her hair from her face as she left the vector, "but her guards dragged her kicking and screaming back to the guild. She's feisty. She even stabbed one of them to get away."

"Hear that, Calab?" Cadan sneered. "The queen does love you after all. I hope that gives you comfort in your final moments."

Calab said nothing. He was relieved that the guards had stopped her, but could not help feeling warmed that she had tried to come to him and not at all surprised that she had stabbed someone to get her own way. He hoped the alliance would come up with a plan. He hoped they would take out all of these sneering witches. He glared menacingly into the eyes of Cadan and let her see into the deepest bowels of Hell—she laughed loudly in his face.

Eve felt herself burn with rage as Kyriel set her down in the courtyard of the Guild of Impærielas.

"You have killed Calab!" she screamed at her guards. "You are both fired. I don't want you or any of the guards anywhere near me. There is no longer a Queen's Guard so just go home."

"Your Majesty, you need to calm down," said Kyriel. "Meet with the alliance. Come up with a plan."

"Don't tell me to calm down," she shouted, removing the crossbow from her back and aiming it at them.

"You can't take us both out," said Araziel.

"Your Majesty, please—think about this," said Kyriel. "You don't want to hurt us. I know you are angry, but you'll regret this. Meet with the alliance."

"I'm going to get another vector, and you are _not_ going to stop me," she said menacingly. Kyriel gave a signal to someone behind her and before she knew what was happening she was disarmed by Barakel. She whipped a blade from her belt—the angel blade the Guild of Uriel had given her at her ascension.

"Your Majesty, stop," said Kyriel sternly. "You wound any of us with that, and we will die. You will be a murderer. If you kill an angel, you are guaranteed a place in Hell."

"I don't care," she screamed, blinking away the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

"Maybe not now," continued Kyriel gently, "but you will. We're not your enemy, Your Majesty. Work with us. We'll get the alliance and come up with a plan."

Eve dropped to her knees and could not stop the tears. She brought her hands to her face still holding the blade. Kyriel knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"It's okay Your Majesty," he said. "Barakel, can you contact the alliance?" Eve looked towards Barakel who smiled gently at her. She stood to face him, and he handed her the crossbow before removing a vox from his pocket. She turned to face Araziel.

"I'm sorry," she said. She dropped the crossbow and the angel blade and threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry I stabbed you."

"It's fine, Your Majesty," he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly. "It's healed already."

The alliance rulers all managed to arrive in Eurasia within five hours. They also arranged for their forces to begin heading to Eurasia and they would all arrive over the next few days.

"The scouts watching the Elion have reported that they had appeared to be gathering their armies in readiness to move on the Eurasian border. The witches seem to be Cloaked, the scouts have not been able to track their movements," said Avalon.

Eve hid the bitterness she felt. If the scouts had informed them earlier that the witches were Cloaked, then they could have taken precautions, and Calab would not have been taken. She tried to ignore the feeling but found it impossible not to blame them, especially when a note arrived from the Alchitch.

HM Queen Genevieve of Impærielas, Crown of Arkazatinia,

We are disappointed that you failed to attend the meeting as we hoped to resolve the issue with the Crown peacefully. We regretfully assume from your failure to attend that this is not an option you wish to pursue. We are sure that we do not need to remind you of the consequences for your people of not surrendering, as we are confident that you and the noble Crown Alliance will have given this careful consideration before deciding to do nothing.

It is, of course, a great pity that your people will suffer because of your pride and stubbornness. We assume from the cold manner with which you have sacrificed the demon that you are willing to sacrifice anyone to stay on top. Calab seemed remarkably sensitive for a demon—they usually die with much more dignity. Anyway, we digress. We would like to inform you that we have formally declared war upon the Crown Alliance.

Warmest wishes

Your enemies

Eve suppressed her rage, ignored the grief and the tears and focussed her mind to one goal.

_I am going to_ destroy _the Alchitch_!

The orders began to have the mothers, children and anyone vulnerable, unable or unwilling to fight evacuated to the sites in Lycea with the support of the Guardians of Arkazatinia who had rallied together to defend the sites. The sites were Cloaked with fae magic which they hoped would be enough to keep them safe though they knew the Alchitch could breach it.

They planned to move their forces towards the Eurasian borders as soon as the Laurentians arrived. They hoped to meet the Elion and the Alchitch on both sides as the angels, demons and hominem would move down through Laurasia and meet them. The alliance forces vastly outnumbered the Alchitch and the Elion who would not stand a chance against them if not for their magic.

"You must be regretting accepting the offer of allegiance now," said Eve to Orrla as they headed with Lord Ezra towards the Impærielas guild where they would wait until the Laurentian armies arrived.

"They would have targeted us sooner or later I'm sure," said Orrla quietly. Eve was not convinced and felt they would be destroyed for no good reason.

Eve left Orrla and Ezra, who wanted to dine together that night, and paid a visit to Captain Lexas. He assured her that everyone was ready to move on a moment's notice. The mothers and children had also been evacuated from the Impærielas community though the Lady Ariana remained at the guild. Eve was unhappy with her decision, as she was unwilling to fight and if Eve and Ezra died, there was no one to lead the order if another Crown should not emerge. Despite Eve's protests, Lady Ariana remained against leaving. Exasperated, but lacking the patience to argue, Eve had left her and returned to her own room.

She could not bear to think about Calab. She hoped his end had been quick and painless, though, remembering what the alchemist had done to her when he captured her soul, she doubted it. They had said he had died without dignity and she hoped they had said that to taunt her and it did not mean that they had tortured him.

He died thinking that I did not even try to save him.

The thought sickened her. She could not wait. She wanted to attack the Alchitch there and then. She wanted to end them all.

Eve showered, changed, rearmed herself and ate automatically. She had not given any thought to the prophecy or to what Asmodeus had told her since her guard had brought her back, but she still had to figure out her purpose. Her head hurt and her eyes burned from the lack of sleep, but she headed towards the library and stood once more in front of her map.

She went over and over every detail and could see nothing. Frustrated and enraged she screamed and ripped the notes from the wall and scattered them across the library. Her guards entered her room when they heard her screams and found her weeping on the floor. Turel stood silently, out of his depth with displays of emotion, but the angel approached her.

"Your Majesty," he said softly.

"I'm fine, Malachi," she said. "Please, just leave me alone."

"Your Majesty, I know this is hard, but Master Calab would not have wanted you to be in danger," he said. "He would not have wanted your guards to let you go."

"We are all in danger," she snapped. "Whether Calab wanted it or not we are all doomed. I could have done something. I might have saved everyone."

"It was a trap, Your Majesty," said Malachi. "Master Calab was the bait."

"I know that," she spat. "You think I don't know that? I was prepared to give my life, I still am."

"Your life is sacred, Queen. It is important. You should not be so quick to throw it away."

"Aren't the lives of everyone in Arkazatinia worth more than mine?"

"You don't have to make dramatic decisions to prove that you're a worthy queen."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Isn't it?"

She could hear Calab's words echoing in her mind: _The fact that they have low expectations is itself an advantage, and it would not take a great act to impress them._ She could also hear Will's words: _They're not your people, not really_. She pushed the thoughts aside. "No, I want to save everyone."

"Your role as queen is to keep your people safe," said Malachi. "You also have a responsibility to keep the Crown safe and to stay alive for your people so that you can serve them. You cannot throw away your life and your Crown to save one man—no matter how much you love him."

"I was trying to save everyone," she argued, but she knew he was right. Deep down Eve was mostly thinking of Calab which was why she had not confided in the alliance when she received the note and had told only Lady Ariana who would do nothing. But, it was all for nothing anyway—Calab was dead.

"You can still save everyone."

"How?"

"You need to have hope," he said.

Eve sighed. She was hoping for something more tangible—perhaps a message from Heaven that told her of her purpose and what she needed to do. Instead, he told her to have hope.

How very cliché.

She snarled inwardly. "Do you have any more practical suggestions?"

Malachi smiled and raised his hand to her cheek to wipe the tears that were starting to dry. Her skin felt warm under his touch—not hot, as it was when Calab touched her—it was just warm. There was something more to his touch. She raised her eyes to meet his and her breathing ceased. She could not recall the colour of his eyes before, and she could not speak the colour now, it was just...good. She was looking into Heaven—into a pure and wholesome light. It filled her with joy, happiness and...hope.

Eve did not know how long she had stared into Malachi's eyes, or how long she sat with him beside her with his hand to her cheek. It was long enough for her to have fallen asleep and she woke the next morning having been placed in her bed. Her weapons had been removed and were on the floor beside her. She felt rested, but whatever hope she had felt from looking into Malachi's eyes was fading, and she was once again filled with panic, regret, heartbreak, and rage all swarming around her and making her nauseous.

_What is the use of him showing me hope if it is only there while I'm looking at it?_

She, at least, had slept.

Eve could not bear the thought of standing once more in her library trying to make sense of her map, especially when she remembered it was now scattered across the floor. Instead, she armed herself and made her way to the training fields and joined some of the Impærielas who were out early—perhaps working off some nervous energy and anxious about the first and potentially last battle of their lives. Lieutenant Aryn-Lexas of Sabre Company was also out training.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he bowed towards her. "The companies are fully stocked with ammo, and we have supplies ready to go as soon as we are."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said, nodding towards him. "I think we're as prepared as we can be." He nodded in agreement though she sensed from his expression that he was not confident in their preparation. "I'm going to the melee field if you'd like to join me."

She sparred with the lieutenant and several members of Sabre Company who reminded her just how much more superior they were with a sword than she was. Still, she fought well and was able to fight offensively at times. Her body was still much slower and weaker than the thorian despite the extra work to increase her strength.

Sweating and exhausted she returned to her room to shower and felt no more relieved of the agony than she had been the previous day. Her grief for Calab was hanging over her like the Sword of Damocles just waiting to fall, pierce through her and shatter her into a million pieces. She could not afford to break down. She had to stay in one piece. Panic threatened her every time she thought about Calab. Where would he have gone? Asmodeus had made it clear he had no place in Hell, but would that mean he had a place in Heaven? Would he be in the dreadful limbo of the vexed souls forever pining for light? Perhaps that was preferable to the bowels of Hell. Nothing was preferable to having him by her side. She shoved her thoughts deep inside her. She could not let herself think about Calab. She had to get through this, had to survive and had to make sure her people survived.

The thorian, hominem, angel, demon and fae armies of Laurentia finally arrived after two days. They had used every available vector and aerial vector to transport them all, and the Laurentians were now camped on the edge of the planes. The Laurasian armies had gathered and were ready to move towards the Elion. The scouts still had not located the Alchitch but were keeping a close eye on any witches who were not Cloaked in Gondwana. The alliance focussed their watch on the Elion, and the scouts gave regular updates on their movements.

"Is there no way to trace the Alchitch?" Eve asked Orrla during a meeting of alliance leaders and captains of each of the armies. "They managed to find the fae realm when it was Cloaked, could you not find them like you did the epicentre?"

"We are already working on that," said Orrla. "We have yet to find any trace of them. Their Cloaks have become stronger and more proficient. They are mastering the magic it seems." Orrla's answer gave Eve less assurance that they would survive.

"Try and concentrate on the planes at the foot of the Parmenides," said Eve. "That is where they wanted to meet me, and they cast the last spell in the mountains."

"Yes, we have done just that," said Orrla, "we can find no trace of them."

The meeting continued with battle tactics on which Tharazan and the hominem patriarchs took the lead. Eve sat back and listened to what was said—she supported their suggestions, as she had no battle experience herself.

The feeling of impending doom crept further upon her, and she shielded against it with a cold wash of numbness. Her resolve was faltering with each passing hour as her consciousness reminded her that Calab was dead and she had done nothing to save him. Rage was bubbling inside her. Rage at the Alchitch for taking Calab and threatening her people, at Araziel and Kyriel for stopping her from meeting the Alchitch, at Lady Ariana for being vague and unhelpful, at Asmodeus for his cryptic messages, and at herself and the alliance for not having a clue how to save everyone.

Eve left the meeting to return to her guild flanked by her guard which had now been increased to eight. Thalia approached her. Her eyes were puffy, and she looked like she had not slept.

"How are you, Your Majesty?" she asked. Eve felt her lip wobble and forced back the tears that began to emerge.

"I just need to hold it together," she said. "I can't think about Calab." Thalia nodded and reached to hug her. Eve stopped her. "Don't," she said. "I won't be able to stop myself from crying if you hug me." Thalia nodded again. Eve was about to turn and was suddenly filled with guilt. Calab was Thalia's dearest friend. Maybe she needed comfort. "I'm sorry Thalia," she said. "I know he is...was your friend. I just can't deal with grief at the moment."

"I understand," she said. "I'm here when you need a shoulder to cry on."

Eve gave a grim smile. "They are going to pay for this. I know you won't want to hear that, but we are going after them anyway, and in my heart, it is for vengeance." Thalia gave Eve an anxious stare but said nothing.

Eve left the guild escorted by her guards. Amongst them were Araziel and Kyriel who she ignored fearing that she would slit both their throats with the Uriel blade.

A week had passed, and no further progress had been made in tracing the Alchitch, and they had received no further warnings from them. The Elion remained assembled several days' march from the Eurasian border and scouts watched and waited for them to make a move.

Eve had isolated herself more and more each day and could not bear the company of anyone. The daily alliance meetings were strained, and she was becoming more and more irritable. She tried to remember Calab's advice and warned herself constantly to keep up the appearance of being a calm and thoughtful queen, but she was beginning to show cracks and had felt herself becoming snappier each day. She did not know how much longer she could hold onto the façade or how much longer she could shut out the grief that was threatening to envelop her or how much longer she could maintain her rage at a simmer.

She remained in her room for the most part and left only for the alliance meetings and for early morning training. Much of her functioning was automatic, and she was aware of very little of what she did. When she got on the training field, it was a different matter. She had not practised ranged weapons since Calab's death, preferring the melee weapons as an outlet for her aggression. Her practice was too aggressive and lacked focus. Her own captain had reprimanded her after she had drawn Lieutenant Aryn-Lexas' blood during a sparring match the previous day. Captain Lexas was in the field early again as Eve approached.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said, grinning sheepishly. "I will spar with you today if you promise not to gut me."

She forced a weak smile. "I'll try not to," she replied, unsheathing her sword and taking up her position. "Is the Lieutenant okay?"

"He will recover quickly, Your Majesty." The captain smiled. "Though you would not think it if you saw him, he is having me wait on him hand and foot."

Eve smiled guiltily. "Tell him I am sorry."

"I shall, Your Majesty."

Captain Lexas' blood remained securely inside his body though her fighting style continued in the fashion of crashing her sword as hard as possible against anything that moved and lacked any finesse or accuracy. The captain made his excuses and left the field shortly after beginning to spar with her, probably fearing that one wrong move could cost him a limb. She was inclined to agree and not wanting to maim anyone else, she asked her guards to spar with her instead, feeling their lightning speed and strength would keep them safe however she fought.

Her guards obliged her, and they fought defensively blocking every vicious blow she gave them and allowing her to vent her rage upon them. Her resolve cracked more with every crash of steel and every feeling she had locked away thundered through her veins. When she could not lift her blade anymore, she sank to her knees and sobbed. Malachi lifted her effortlessly into his arms before transferring her to her quarters away from onlookers. He asked Turel to send for some tea and sat beside her on her sofa.

"I can't hold things together much longer," she said. "I feel like I'm teetering on the edge of an abyss. Sometimes I feel I am going to fall in, and the rest of the time I want to jump in." Malachi held her hand gently, his skin soft showing no signs of wear unlike hers which were calloused from training. "I have a purpose in Arkazatinia," she said. "I'm supposed to figure out what it is, but I don't have a clue. I think it has something to do with Calab. I had a mind map in my library detailing everything I thought might be significant. I tore it down the day Calab died, and I haven't been able to face it since then. Calab's death belongs on that map somewhere, but I can't face adding it."

"This burden is not yours alone to bear, Your Majesty," said Malachi.

"But it is down to me to figure out my purpose," she said. "Fate has intervened at every step of the way. It has brought Calab into my life for a reason and has taken him away from me for a reason. I just don't know why. I need to figure it out, but I can't stand to think about it."

"Perhaps you are overthinking things," he said. "Perhaps you need to clear your mind. Angels use meditation to accomplish this—as do the Impærielas—it may help, if only to help you to relax."

Eve sipped at the tea the demon had given her. "I suppose it beats trying to maim everyone," she said weakly.

Her guards had left her to rest, and she had been lying on her bed when Ezra entered with a letter for her from Lycea.

Hi Eve,

I know I am probably the last person you want to hear from right now, but my dad told me about Calab, and I just wanted to say that I am sorry. I know he meant a lot to you. This is probably the worst time to bring this up, but I have wanted to write to you since I left. I wish things hadn't ended between us the way they did and I regret the things I said to you. I was angry with myself and with Arkazatinia, and I hated that you were caught up in it all because of me. I never wanted to be a guardian, but I shouldn't have gotten mad at you because you have accepted your role.

I want to thank you for releasing me from the role. My dad was furious with me, but as you say, 'he'll get over it'. I think not having the burden on me, and my future generations will make me happy. My dad thinks you have set a precedent now, so I apologise if you're swamped with requests from guardians to leave.

I hope you can find happiness, Eve. I know what you are going through right now is hard, but I hope that everything turns out OK for you. You will always mean a lot to me, and I will always love you though I know our lives are too different and it is better this way. I will never forget you, our friendship or our time together.

Your BFF

Will

xx

Tears stung her face as she read Will's letter. It hurt to hear from him, to hear that he was moving on though she felt a little warm for him. She was glad that he had no regrets.

Hi Will,

Thank you. Calab was a great friend, and I miss him a lot. I miss you as well, but as you say, things are better this way. I still love you very much, but as much as I miss you, I want you to move on with your life. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. You have always been my best friend, I will always remember the time we had together, and no matter what happens, I will never forget you.

You should not blame yourself for bringing me to Arkazatinia. I have a feeling I was always meant to come here. I am still trying to figure out why, but everything happens for a reason. Take care, Will, and be happy.

Love always

Your BFFAE

Eve

xx

Cadan strode through the camp with Coryn at her side.

"Is everything prepared for our next move?" she asked.

"It would seem so though I am unclear of the plan when we meet the queen," said Coryn.

"The plan is the same as before. We need her to surrender the Crown."

"How? Is there even a plan? You have told us nothing."

"You know enough," said Cadan, grinning wickedly. "She'll hand over the Crown when she sees her people dying around her."

Coryn gave an exasperated sigh. "Then we are ready to move as soon as you give the order."

"We move at dawn," said Cadan. "We will take the Crown and mount the queen's head on the gates of the Imperium."

Eve was woken at dawn when the message arrived that the Elion were making a move towards the Eurasian border. She was dressed and armed within minutes and making her way to the training fields where the Ballista, Partizan and Sabre companies were gathering. Eve waited for them all to arrive before asking one of her guards to lift her onto the equipment shelter so she could address them.

"Thorian of the Impærielas," she announced. "We know that we face a great threat. We know that our losses may also be high and we may not make it back. I will not command anyone to put their life at risk. I will not implore anyone to fight for a cause they do not believe in or do not wish to risk the sacrifice for. Anyone who does not want to fight is free to leave now—to return home or to go to the safe sites." She paused and looked around at her people. No one left. "We will take on the enemy. We may lose, but we will lose fighting.

"It has been an honour to be your queen, and whatever happens, I wish you all to know that I am proud to be an Impærielas and an Arkazatine. I am deeply proud of everything we have accomplished together. You have all become skilled soldiers, and we will not make things easy for our enemy. For our future generations, for peace in Arkazatinia and for our freedom—we will meet the Alchitch. We will meet them with courage. We will meet them with honour, and we will meet them together." The Impærielas cheered nervous but brave cheers. She watched the sea of midnight blue and black form up—the gold stitching of the lynx on the back of their coats shimmered in the light of the rising sun.

The lynx was a symbol of elusiveness, mysteriousness, spiritual healing and second sight. It was the symbol of the Impærielas. Yet, she had not known what it meant until the previous day when she had taken Malachi's advice and had entered the temple to meditate. Calab had always tried to encourage her to be aloof though she never could or never would. Ezra had tried to help her to be more spiritual, and she had refused because it was boring, and the prophecy called for her to understand a higher purpose and she could find nothing.

She was angry with herself. She had spent her time with the Impærielas judging their way of life and wanting nothing to do with it. She had refused to respect the way they did things, dismissed their traditions and did all she could to be an outsider and then complained that they would not accept her. She spent the time she should have spent with them holed up in her room or in her office watching movies or with the people who she preferred to them. Yes, she had allied them and aided them to defend themselves, but she had not done so in a respectful or dignified way. She had criticised them to other Arkazatines and thought their way of life was wrong because she did not like it.

_It was never the Impærielas who were the problem, it was me_.

She felt a failure as an Impærielas, as the queen and as the Crown.

_I do not deserve to wear these colours or this seal._

She would die in the battle—many would die with her, and she was going to fail everyone.

The Impærielas army began to move on the planes towards the Laurentian camp. Some were on horseback, but most were on foot with many horses being used to carry supplies. Eve rode Aethon. She had wanted to leave him behind, but Raum had advised her that it would help give the impression of authority if she was to ride the stallion. Hearing Calab's words in his, she agreed. Word had been received that the rest of the Eurasian and the Laurasian alliance were on the move. There was still no word on the location of the Alchitch though they expected they would turn up wherever Eve was. She was surrounded by her overbearing Queen's Guard; all twenty-four of them were with her—four from each angel and demon guild. Captain Leliel marched to her right, and the other guards surrounded them.

It was late afternoon before they arrived at the Laurentian camp. The soldiers ate and drank before preparing to move towards the border. The Eurasian and Laurentian armies were a mass of black uniforms. Their guild seals stitched on their cloaks and coats were the only hint of their order—even the fae wore black. The midnight blue of the Impærielas and the Queen's Guard and the gold stitching were the only hints of colour.

Soon all of the armies were on the move. They looked an intimidating force and Eve prayed to anyone listening that they would be enough to take on the Alchitch. Even the Procnatus numbers were high, and they were renowned for their reluctance to engage in war. Even Thalia could not avoid this conflict.

Progress towards the border was slow, only the Procnatus had vehicles large enough to transport large numbers, and even with the angel and demons' ability to fly at speed and carry another person, it would still require them to split up and make many trips to move everyone. As they did not know the location of the Alchitch, it was agreed they would stay together and make the journey on foot and horseback. If their enemy met them on the planes, then they would be ready for them.

They camped overnight and set out again at dawn the next day. The thorian could cover forty miles on foot in a day and the slower hominem and fae matched their pace on horseback. The angels and demons were of course much faster but remained with the groups with small numbers scouting the landscape for signs of the enemy. Eve was worn out and sore from one full day in the saddle but knowing she could not keep pace with the rest of the armies on foot, she had mounted for the second day.

The foot of the Parmenides was over two hundred miles from the Guild of Impærielas, but it felt like thousands of miles. It had not seemed so far when she had been escorted by the angels and demons to meet the vexed souls, and knowing that they had the technology to cover the distance in less than an hour made the journey frustrating and irksome. Eve had listened to the arguments over the previous week about the method of travel and had agreed to the arrangement that meant they did not break up and stuck together though now she was beginning to wish they had just taken the fastest way after all.

The end of the second day saw them once again camped on the planes. Word from the scouts advised that the Elion were eighty miles away from them and would likely meet them at the end of the next day. There was still no sign of the Alchitch. Eve felt sick to her stomach at the thought that this may be their last night on Earth.

The camp seemed to be feeling the same way, and the mood was sombre. Most of the Impærielas had retired to bed early after their evening meal and only a few of them, Eve and her guards sat at the fireside. Calia of the Procnatus had joined Barakel, she was sat with her back against his chest, and he had his arms around her. He planted a kiss on her cheek and neck every so often.

The more Eve knew about the demons, the more confusing she found them. They had seemed severe at first and seemed incapable of any gentleness—she had presumed Calab only showed any because he had regained his feelings. She had come to realise that the whole _lacking feelings_ thing was more complicated than she had initially imagined. Many demons were merely polite and showed superficial pleasantness; however, some demonstrated affection for their partners and seemed to enjoy their company.

Others, however, did indeed display a marked indifference for their companions. Thalia had once divulged that she had had a relationship with Calab that had spanned around five hundred years, but because he was so indifferent, she barely saw him. Once she developed feelings for him, _she_ too had tried to remain indifferent and would never initiate contact, but Calab's level of indifference meant that years would pass before she saw him outside of court. Eve had become all too familiar with that side of his character, and she was glad they had managed to get over that and had enjoyed their last moments together.

She listened to her guards chatting amongst themselves in a way that she had never heard them before. When she had stayed at the Guild of Asmodeus, the conversation between the demons had seemed minimal while she was around and she had never heard them make a joke, now sat with the angels, they shared stories and even laughed with each other. She smiled to herself as she listened to them. She had always wondered why they worked so well together and why they got along. It seemed they did indeed provide balance. The angels provided a little joy to the demons' severity, and the demons provided a little rebelliousness to the angels' purity. Some light to complement the dark and some dark to complement the light. She remembered another quote of Gracián that stated:

"In Heaven, everything is good; in Hell, everything is bad.

In the world, since it lies between the two, you will find both."

She continued to study her guards as they laughed at something Barakel had said. Their personalities were very different. Some were severe, some less so and some had a sense of humour. She was surprised at how fond she was becoming of them, and though she was crappy towards them a lot of the time, especially after the stress of Calab's death, she did feel a lot for them. She often forgot that they were once brothers in Heaven and that they had known each other for an unimaginably long time. She had never pried enough to ask Calab about the relationships between the brothers during and after the Fall. She had known they were at war and presumed that they made their peace with each other at some point over the many thousand years and now they seemed like the best of friends. It was as Blake said,

"Opposition is True Friendship."

Calab had once told her that he did not believe neither he nor the other demons who fell were ever true angels and said that they would never have had the inclination to betray Heaven if they were. She had often wondered why the angels remained faithful to Heaven when being a demon seemed to be so much more fun. He had explained that for those who were truly angels, the spiritual enlightenment meant more to them than any earthly pleasure and while they enjoyed the company of Anaxagoreans, they loved their angelism more. She wondered whether this was intended. Whether the watcher role was given to them to separate them. To provide balance and create opposites.

Eve turned her attention to the Impærielas sat at the fireside. There were four males and two females, all with young, fresh-faced thorian good looks. The two females seemed to be involved with two of the males, and they leant against their partner's shoulders and held hands as they spoke amongst themselves. She had gotten to know the Impærielas much better since they had developed the army and though she had thought them evasive, unfriendly and unapproachable—amongst their own group, they were like any other community. It had taken Eve a long time to respect them, understand them, and realise that they were her people and they meant everything to her. She had already lost Calab to the enemy—she could not bear the thought of her people being lost too. She stood to go to her tent when she felt the tears rise. Two angels and two demons rose to follow her.

"It's fine," she said. "Stay here, have fun." She gave them a gentle smile.

"We do not take orders from the queen, Your Majesty." Kyriel smiled shyly.

Eve grinned. "If we survive this, I'm going to have Son Jacob change that rule," she said, entering her tent.

She smiled to herself. It was Calab and Jacob who had formed the Queen's Guard, and it was most likely Calab who gave them orders that they should not listen to the queen. Her heart ached knowing she could never take it up with him. She could not hold back the tears that night.

The armies were ready to move again at first light. Eve grimaced at the pain when she took to her saddle once more and shuffled in her seat to try to find the least painful position. She had stretched her stiff limbs the previous evening upon dismounting though it had not helped a great deal. Attempting to ignore the pain, she dug her heels into Aethon and commanded he walked while she kept her back straight and her chin up. Malachi approached on her right behind Captain Leliel and handed her a small bottle filled with a brown syrup.

"What is this?" she asked.

"It is analgesia."

"I did not even think to ask my Conservator of Health for pain relief. Thank you, Malachi."

"Your Majesty." He nodded.

The analgesia worked fast and eased her pain quickly. It also made her feel woozy, and she was starting to wonder whether it was opium in the bottle.

"Was I supposed to take it all?" she asked Malachi.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "The light-headedness is temporary. It will soon pass."

The light-headedness lasted for several hours, and she enjoyed the distraction of feeling just a little intoxicated for a few hours. It worked wonders for her pain, and she rode in comfort for the rest of the day.

Daylight was failing, and the scouts informed them that the Elion had made camp just ten miles from their position and the rest of the Laurasian alliance were around seven miles behind them. It was agreed they would also make camp and face them in the morning. Eve was relieved to have one more day of life but was also panicked at the thought. She had accepted that she may die that day, and though she did not wish to die at all, she wanted to prolong the inevitable even less. She retired to her tent early having taken another bottle of Malachi's analgesia despite her pain being manageable. No one had brought wine, and it was the next best thing.

Eve felt like she had barely closed her eyes before it was time to move again. This was it—they would meet the Elion in the next hour or so. She swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat and listened as Captain Lexas ran through the battle plan once more. The Ballista Company would start to fire as soon as they were in range, the Partizans would stand by and conserve their ammo, and the Sabres would be on the front line to engage them when they broke through. The Partizans would support them with the Ballistas only engaging in melee if it became critical. The Impærielas would take the centre; Raphæl would be to their left followed by Calahad, Tamien and Astaroth. To the right were Asmodeus, Procnatus, Exalon and Michæl. The fae were dispersed evenly throughout the orders as only they had magic besides Thalia and Tharazan. Eve was keen to take up her position amongst her Ballista comrades, but her guards prevented her and said she was to keep back and remain surrounded.

"You can't be serious," she snapped at Captain Leliel.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow you to take unnecessary risks," said the captain. "We would prefer you not to be here at all, and you wouldn't be if we knew where the Alchitch were."

"We are at war! Of course, there will be risks! It might be the Lycean way for rulers to hide in a bunker while they send people to their death, but I will not do that. I am joining my company."

"We cannot allow you to do that, Your Majesty."

"I'm not going to argue, Captain," she snapped. "I want Son Jacob here immediately." The captain nodded to a Raphæl angel who left to summon Jacob. He arrived within a few moments.

"You summoned me, Your Majesty," he said, bowing slightly.

"Yes, Son Jacob," she said. "I need your men to stand down; they will not allow me to join my company."

"Your Majesty, they are sworn to protect you."

"I know that," she said. "I am grateful to them, and they have done an excellent job, but I need to join my company now and fight with my people. We are at war. I can't have them responsible for my life right now."

"Your Majesty, this is a very unwise decision. You are a target. If they capture you, they will stop at nothing to retrieve the Crown from you."

"I know that too. That's why I must fight with my company. I'm a good marksman."

"You put Arkazatinia at risk by refusing your guard," he countered. "You cannot allow your pride to control you."

"It's not my pride. I want to help."

"I apologise if I am speaking out of turn, Your Majesty. You seem to be trying to prove yourself worthy of the Crown by accomplishing great feats. Perhaps you are feeling the need for vengeance for Calab?" She winced, but he continued. "Keeping the enemy from the Crown will be a great feat, you need to do nothing more. I will accept the consequences of disobeying your orders, but I will not remove your guard."

Eve scowled at him, but he held his ground. "Fine," she said. "I will fire on the enemy from my position amongst my guard."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," he said before bowing and returning to his order.

The Elion appeared on the landscape. Their numbers were great, but they seemed so small when compared to the alliance numbers, and that did not include the Laurasians behind them.

What on earth are they thinking?

Eve's vengeful heart was suddenly struck with terror.

This is wrong. We can't fight them.

"I need to speak to Lord Caius," Eve said to Captain Leliel. "I need to try and talk them out of this. It's going to be a bloodbath."

Within a few minutes, Eve was heading across the plane towards the Elion army accompanied by six of her guards, Lord Tharazan and Lord Thalia. A team of fae sorcerers rode beside them and shielded them all.

"Lord Caius," called Eve. "Come and speak to me, I give my word you will not be harmed."

"Return to your army, human scum," called Lord Caius from within the crowd. "I have told you we will not negotiate."

"This is suicide," said Tharazan. "We have you outnumbered. Where are your witch and alchemist allies? They are nowhere to be seen."

"They'll be here," shouted Caius, "and then you'll see who is outnumbered."

"Lord Caius, this is ridiculous," said Eve. "Please call off your army. Don't sacrifice the lives of your people or ours. Arkazatinia chose me for the Crown. You have no claim on it anymore."

"You think you can plead with us to give in." He laughed menacingly. "You are a weak leader, human. Any leader worth their salt would fight instead of begging for peace."

"Why would they? Enough lives have been lost. Losing more to this cause is senseless. The Alchitch won't let you have the Crown, they are using you."

"You have five seconds to return to your army before we start the battle," shouted Caius. "The negotiations are over."

Eve ignored the bile that burned her throat as the contents of her stomach threatened to emerge.

_This is actually happening_.

"Anyone who wishes to surrender will be spared," she called to the Elion.

"Anyone who surrenders will have their throat slit," yelled Caius.

Eve looked at her companions and shook her head in dismay before they headed back towards the rest of the alliance. "Take anyone who wishes to surrender prisoner and let them make the first move," shouted Eve and her orders were sent down the line.

The alliance held their position and the Elion held theirs. They waited for what seemed like forever. The archers amongst all orders had drawn their bows, Eve followed suit and drew hers. Her guards remained steady and surrounded her and Aethon—their only goal was to keep her safe.

The Elion began to fire on the alliance, and the alliance let their arrows fly. She saw some of the thorian fall as the arrows struck them in the neck and chest. Eve took aim finding the most lethal and accurate archers and taking them out with ease. She swallowed another wave of nausea and ignored the thought that she had just taken a life. She fired more arrows and aimed for debilitating, but not immediately fatal wounds instead and her marks fell to the ground writhing in pain. She ignored that guilt too and continued to her assault.

The Elion started to break their line and charge for the alliance with their swords drawn. The Sabre companies of the thorian and hominem orders responded—they drew their swords ready to engage them, and the angels and demons prepared themselves. The archers continued to fire from both sides. The Elion advanced closer, and the crash of steel was deafening as they met the alliance. Eve continued to fire and took out fighters who seemed to be bettering the alliance fighters. She tried to make non-lethal wounds each time though she observed the alliance finish off the fallen Elion on several occasions.

Despite the greater alliance numbers, the Elion were holding their own. They were skilled fighters and showed no sign of surrendering anytime soon. The alliance were falling under their swords and their arrows. Eve could do nothing but fire on them. Even if she approached them with her sword, she knew she would be killed instantly. She ignored the pain of seeing her less experienced Impærielas fall under the Elion swords—even when an Elion soldier ran his sword through Captain Lexas' stomach, and he slumped to the floor. She took out the soldier as he was about to strike one of the males who had been at the fireside two nights previous. The Elion soldier dropped—killed instantly with Eve's lethal mark. Lieutenant Aryn-Lexas saw his husband fall and the distraction cost him his life when an Elion soldier sliced his sword across his throat. Eve wanted to scream at the horror of the scene playing out before her eyes.

"I need more arrows," she called to her guards who filled her quiver within seconds. Her guard maintained their position. They were ready to tear at anyone who came close and poised to swipe away at any arrows aimed her way. She briefly focussed on the events around her. The angels slashed at the enemy with their blades, the demons with their claws, the thorian and hominem with their swords, and the fae fired their spells. The alliance were outmatching the Elion. They were losing numbers, but the Elion could not win. To her left Eve saw some of the thorian and hominem fall to one particularly brutal Elion—she fired an arrow through his heart. She was about to reach for another arrow when she heard her guards yell something from behind her. Captain Leliel whipped his head and stared right at her but right through her.

"What happened?" he screamed. "Where did she go?"

"What are you talking about?" Eve asked puzzled and looking around at her guards' panicked faces.

A cruel laugh came from in front of her and a woman—a witch—strode through her guards as though they were not there. She wore a confident, arrogant expression and tossed her hair over her shoulder to reveal a face that might have been pretty if not for the cruel smile spreading across it.

"A neat trick isn't it?" she said. "I believe the alchemists tried something similar on you before, but we have perfected it. Your guards don't even know we are here."

The witch laughed again, and the battle scene, her people and her guards faded, and she was facing an empty plane—empty except for an army of witches and three alchemists. She was facing the Alchitch, and she was alone.

"What do you want?" asked Eve, dismounting Aethon and sending him towards the planes. She had heard how easily the Alchitch had killed animals and could not bear them killing her horse.

"Come now," said the witch. "Let's not plead ignorance. You know what we want."

"What did you do to Calab?"

"We did to him what we told you we would do if you didn't turn up," she said, smiling sweetly. "We didn't let him live."

Eve swallowed hard. She had known from their note that they had killed him, but it still hurt to hear it confirmed. Rage boiled through her as she stared at the face of the evil witch. The witch who had murdered the man she loved. She forced back the tears. They would do her no good. "Where is his body?" she asked calmly.

"We don't have it," the witch replied coolly. "He is a pile of dust now. We could have kept the sweepings, but they had blown away before any of us considered it—scattered to the winds—sorry." She did not look sorry at all, and she glared menacingly at Eve. "Are you going to surrender your Crown?"

"Why would I do that?" Eve asked.

"Because we will torture you until you do," said the witch simply.

"I won't give in. I will slit my own throat before I do," Eve responded, emulating the witch's calm tone.

"Then we will go for the next Crown who will hopefully not be as stubborn as you. We have all the advantages. We can't lose. You and your people do not stand a chance against our magic."

"Your magic?" Eve mocked to play for time. "It's not _your_ magic, it doesn't belong to you."

"And what do you know of _our_ magic?"

"Plenty. It isn't yours."

"And whose is it?"

Eve smiled. "You know who it belongs to and you know they want it." Something flickered in the witch, some nervous twitch. Eve had no idea if what she was saying was right, but she continued anyway and tried to sound convincing. "Using this magic comes at a price. There will be...consequences."

"What consequences?" the witch said. Eve gave the evilest smile she could muster and chuckled loudly. The witch snarled. "You risk the lives of all of the alliance by not releasing the Crown."

"Really?" Eve sneered. "Is that why you're hiding under this Cloak? Because you're so fearsome, you can face the whole of the Crown Alliance. And what of the Elion? Are they just sacrifices? Were they getting in the way? Have you used the alliance to clean up your mess for you? To remove the order with a claim on the Crown so you can put your false one on it?"

"Aren't you clever?" The witch smirked. "Yes, we are using your filthy alliance to rid us of the thorian scum, but we are here and Cloaked because we are merciful. We will annihilate your people if we have to, but we'd rather you just give us the Crown and save some of their lives. If you do it quickly, we can call off the Elion and save some of their lives as well."

"Their lives would not be saved in your hands."

"Well," said the witch slyly, "if you won't give up the Crown to save your people. How about to save Calab?"

Eve felt her breath had been knocked from her at the witch's words.

_Calab is alive._

She wanted to scream, but she smothered her reaction with everything she had. "You will never have the Crown," she said calmly.

"Release the demon," said the witch. Another witch gave a signal to the mountainside and Eve saw a figure swing out onto the mountain and struggle. It was Calab, and he was hanging! Eve raised the bow she was still holding and had strung an arrow within a second. The witch laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. No one can make that shot."

"I am _not_ 'no one'." Eve snarled. It _was_ a ridiculous distance and even with her thorian vision, she could barely even see the rope. She let the arrow fly. It was a clean shot, and Calab fell—his wings bound somehow. She hoped he would be okay and turned her attention to the witch.

"Well." The witch giggled. "You're not quite the pushover we imagined, but no matter. You are still powerless against us."

Eve stared into the eyes of the witch. They kidnapped Calab, let her believe he was dead and then they hanged him, he may well be dead, that fall may have killed him. They went after Calab—after the man she loved—and they want to kill her people. Anger filled her, she wanted to leap onto the witch and tear her arrogant smirk from her face. "What do you want?"

"We want the Crown."

"Why?"

"Because we want to rule."

"Why do you want to rule? What do you want to rule?"

"Arkazatinia and all the scum within it."

"To what end? Have you even thought this through? Do you even know what you want?"

"Of course, we do."

"What is it?"

"Why do _you_ want to rule?" asked the witch.

"I was chosen," replied Eve. "Chosen by Arkazatinia to serve its people."

"You will give it up," said the witch. "When we torture you, when we torture Calab you'll gladly rid yourself of the Crown." She knew what would come. She had faced their torture before. She could not give in. She could not abandon the Arkazatines and leave them to these people. People who sacrificed an entire order because they were in the way and murdered innocent fae to make a point.... _Keeping the enemy from the Crown will be a great feat, you need to do nothing more_ , Jacob had said.

"No," said Eve, "I'm not giving up the Crown. I offer you a compromise. Tell me what you want. Is it land, money, a voice in the quorum? Tell me what it is, and we can work something out."

The witch laughed. "We don't need to compromise. We can take whatever we want."

That was the only card Eve had to play, and they had laughed in her face, but it did not matter because suddenly she knew. She had offered them allegiance in the face of adversity, and she knew. She knew what the prophecy was and she knew what she had to do. Her head whipped towards the mountain as she heard a shout and saw Calab running towards her. He was severely injured, appeared to be wrapped in chains and could barely stand, but he still came.

The witch laughed. "You want this demon, Queen?" she said. "Turn over the Crown."

"Never!"

The witch turned to Calab, and he fell to the ground writhing in agony, he tried to pull himself to his feet. His body contorted and Eve heard his bones snap.

"Stop it," screamed Eve, the cry boomed throughout the mountain and the witch, startled by Eve, ceased to torture Calab. She had not only been disturbed by the noise of her scream but by something more, something that resonated around them.

Captain Leliel and his brothers had looked frantically through the armies in a desperate bid to find the queen, but she was gone. Just like the day on the mountain, she had disappeared though this time he could not even sense her. Only the Queen's Guard were aware of the queen's disappearance, and the alliance had continued to fight the Elion.

The Elion numbers were depleting rapidly as the alliance advanced on them. Many had seen the dead at their feet and had surrendered. They were held in chains as the queen had commanded. The battle was ending. With the Eurasian and Laurasian armies attacking them from both sides the Elion knew they were defeated and had been abandoned by the Alchitch who had done nothing to aid them. A few fought stubbornly preferring death to relinquishing the claim to the Crown, but most dropped to their knees and surrendered.

The alliance were beginning to chain up the rest of the prisoners when a tremendous scream blasted through the mountain and caused everyone to freeze in terror. The captain knew it was the queen. He had heard her scream through the Cloak the last time, but it was nothing like this, and this time, the Cloak was more powerful, and the scream was so intense the ground trembled. He pleaded desperately.

_What are they doing to her? Where is she?_

"That magic is not yours," Eve said slowly. "You have no right to use it."

"You can't stop us." The witch snarled.

"Yes I can," continued Eve, stalking slowly towards the witch.

"How?" asked the witch, stepping backwards but keeping her voice confident.

Eve glared into her eyes and widened her grin in an attempt to look frightening. "Because it's mine." She snarled. "And I am taking it."

The witch stepped back again, and her confidence faltered momentarily. Regaining her composure, she turned to fire a spell at Calab. Eve raised her hands, and the spell bounced off a shield that had formed around Calab's crumpled body. The Alchitch gasped, and the witch stumbled and tried to use the magic on Eve.

Eve laughed when nothing happened. "You don't have it anymore," she said. "It's mine, and I have it."

The witch screamed, pulled a sword from her belt and lunged. Eve had dropped her bow, unsheathed her blade, and focussing her magic on keeping the shield around Calab, she parried the witch's blow. The witch was fast. The magic coursed through Eve's veins and fired every neuron, but the shield drained her. It was human adrenaline that seared through her, and she met every blow. The witch was skilled with her sword and forced Eve to fight defensively as she rained blows down upon her. Eve tried to counter her blows, but the witch was too fast, too strong. Eve could not get inside her defences. Her forearms burned as the witch's sword crashed heavily on her own.

The witch grinned at her. "You're not good enough sweetie," she said slyly. "Give up now."

Panic soared through Eve. She did not know how much longer she could hold the shield. They were going to die. She was going to fail. The witch slashed her sword across Eve's stomach and caught the under edge of her armour. She felt the sting and the warmth as her blood began to gush from the wound and soaked her shirt. She wanted to vomit from the pain.

_NO!_ She screamed inwardly. She had not come this far to die and fail everyone. Trying to ignore the pain and the blood, she lunged and struck. The witch parried her blow with ease and sent Eve stumbling backwards. She was out of her depth. She was just not good enough.

Anger surged through her, and she charged for the witch striking her hard. The witch countered her blow and Eve met it. The witch tried to force her backwards. Remembering her training with Calab, Eve feigned a stumble, pivoted to catch her off guard, and whipped her sword around inside the witch's defences.

Eve pressed the point of her sword to the witch's throat. Delight coursed through her though she remained composed. "Go home. Leave and don't bother us again."

"You think we'll run that easily?" The witch giggled. Eve felt the point of a blade press against her own throat. Another witch had approached her as she was lost in the duel. "You'll bleed out in minutes."

It was true. If she did not die by the sword trained on her throat, she would bleed to death from the wound to her stomach. There was nothing she could do. No one could help her. Keeping her sword poised at the witch's throat and the shield tightly around Calab, she willed her magic to stop the bleeding. Nothing happened at first, but slowly she felt some of the power trickle towards the wound to slow the bleeding until she felt the skin knit together. The magic had exhausted her. How much longer could she hold the shield?

"So, you stopped the bleeding. You're still no better off. You have a choice. You can kill me, but my comrade will kill you. You can use magic against us, but you are new to the practice and cannot even hope to control it. Use magic against us and your shield will drop, then your precious demon will die. It's your choice: save yourself and your people and watch your love die, or you can save your demon, and all of your people will perish. Or you can still surrender."

How can I make that choice? I can't let Calab or my people die.

Eve held the sword firmly to the witch's throat and maintained her hold on the shield. As the vox team had said, it was draining. __ "You can't kill me. You need me alive to take the Crown, or another will rise up in my place. You can't take it with force either, you need me to surrender it willingly so you can bind with it."

"And surrender you will when we have finished torturing you and those you love," said the witch, a wicked smile spreading across her lips.

"You do realise you are being manipulated don't you?" asked Eve. "The alchemists have curiously allied themselves with three different orders in recent years. All have designs on the Crown."

"We are far more powerful than the alchemists," said the witch. "You shouldn't believe the hype."

"I don't. I have seen for myself what fear a rumour can create. However, they are excellent at manipulating people without them even realising it. They do not intend to allow you to have the Crown. They are using you to get it for them. When the time comes for the Crown to be bound, it will be bound to the alchemists."

"Do you expect us to believe this? That we can be easily controlled by some old men with a few potions and a magic stick."

"Yes." Eve smiled. "You were pervious to their influence because you make the mistake of underestimating them. There have been incredibly powerful alchemists through time, but most have only limited powers to manipulate matter. But they can also manipulate consciousness. It occurred to me a few weeks ago when we met with the light alchemists to discuss adding shields to the vox software.

"The light alchemists use the manipulation of the consciousness to have Lycean people see and hear what the vox user wants them to. The dark alchemists also have this ability though they should still only affect people of Lycea." The witch looked unmoved, but Eve continued loudly so all could hear. "We knew that the alchemist who controlled the Imperator had him under some influence, but we did not know how.

"The key is the magic. The alchemists have found the magic, and though they cannot use it, they can enhance their own powers, and they manipulated the Impærielas custodian into forming the Imperium. Then they had the Elion ruler aid him using their rage against the Crown as a catalyst. They also released vexed souls from their limbo to get them to retrieve my soul for them. Their plans ultimately failed. I had messed up the alchemists' plans by allying with the fae. The alchemists needed a new tool, one that can take on the fae and wield the magic and who better than their old friends the witches.

"You see, we are all just pawns. The alchemists have been using you to get the Crown. They gave you an ancient magic, but they did not tell you that you couldn't keep it. They will remove it from you after they remove the Crown from me, despite the huge sacrifice you have made." The witch's eyes flared with hatred towards Eve at her last line and Eve risked a glance at the alchemists who were flanking the witches. They had not faltered though the witches now eyed them with suspicion. "Ally with the Crown instead."

The witch laughed. "Why would we do that?"

"What do you want? I offer you a compromise."

The witch laughed again. "We will never compromise with you, we would rather die."

"I will not let you kill my people."

"You talk a good game, human, but you're still outnumbered. Your people will never find you in here. The magic won't last long. Your shield will fail. We'll kill your demon and then you'll have nothing left to fight for."

"I have my entire kingdom to fight for." Eve breathed deeply and hoped she could find the strength in her weakening body to throw up two shields. She could not lose Calab again. She looked deep inside her and willed for the strength, and drawing every inch of magic from her veins, she threw it out into another shield. The second covering her completely except for her sword which was still aimed at the witch. It worked, but it was sapping her strength fast. She had to finish this.

She smoothed her face to remove any sign of weariness and focussed on the witch. The witch at Eve's back had staggered backwards with the force of the shield. "There." Eve smiled wickedly. "I can make two shields after all. The magic has more power for the one who is destined to wield it. I can drop this Cloak whenever I like. Now it may be wise to surrender. Tell me what you want."

"I won't compromise. I won't submit to thorian filth, I will die first."

The witch behind Eve lowered her sword in surrender. "Cadan," she said to the witch Eve had at sword point. "Just give it up." Cadan stubbornly refused, but the second witch continued. "We want our lands back. We were exiled to the east, but our lands are in the north. We want the right to bury our dead from the uprising, their remains were dumped in a mass grave, and we want to bury them properly. We will have a seat in the quorum. Grant us these terms, and we will surrender."

Eve nodded. "Consider it done," she said. "I am your queen and your Crown, and you will never again threaten me or the security of this land." The witches nodded and dropped to their knees. Eve hid her sigh of relief as she dropped the second shield. Cadan glared fiercely. "Cadan, if you do not surrender, you will be arrested for treason."

"You can't arrest me for treason; I have never been loyal to the Crown so I cannot commit treason." She raised her chin defiantly. "I will not be ruled by thorian any longer. There are more than you in this world. Who says you get to be in charge?" She rolled out from the point and lunged towards Eve. Eve anticipated the move and instantly had the sword to Cadan's throat once more.

"Arkazatinia did. Surrender."

"Never!" Cadan screamed. "We will not surrender. We do not agree to those terms. Ignore that dumb bitch." She waved at the second witch.

"Cadan," said the witch. "We have lost the power. We cannot win, but we can still get what we want. Just agree to the terms before you get us all killed."

"There is only one of her," countered Cadan. "She is alone with nothing more than a broken demon to watch her die."

"I can drop this Cloak and have my armies on you in seconds," said Eve. "Or," she gave Cadan her nastiest smile, "perhaps I can blast you all into oblivion like you did the fae." The second witch grew nervous.

"We will surrender with or without Cadan," she said. "We never wanted this."

"No!" Cadan screamed. "I won't give up. Arkazatinia has long been ruled by thorian, and I won't bow to them or to you any longer."

"Why do you hate us?"

"I know you're new here, but you must have noticed," Cadan said, sneering. "The thorian think they're better than everyone. They believe that they were specially picked from the hominem. They think their physical beauty and their selection for some higher purpose than the life of a mere mortal makes them superior to all."

"I don't think that."

"In time, you will. They all do." Cadan lunged for Eve and before she realised what had happened the witch had crumpled to the floor. Eve saw a dagger embedded in her back and a witch, who had lunged forward from the crowd, was holding another and was poised ready to throw.

The second witch, unperturbed by the death of her comrade, stood, bowed to Eve and picked up the body of Cadan. "We'll look forward to hearing from you about our conditions," she said calmly. "For now, we will return to the east."

Eve's vision blurred. She was exhausted from the magic and had taken barely a breath. She quietly released the shield surrounding Calab, and ignoring the feeling of nausea, held her composure. Taking a leaf not only from the alchemists but also from every book and word of advice Calab had given her on ruling others, she had convinced them she was more powerful than she was— _it was just an illusion!_ As Shakespeare said:

"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."

The witches turned towards the alchemists. The alchemists stood fast but looked concerned. Eve had taken the magic from them, and the witches were once again more powerful than they were.

"Alchemists," said Eve. "You have committed treason. You have infiltrated the Crown and manipulated Lord Thanis of Elion, Lord Caius of Elion, released lost souls, taken me hostage, taken Calab hostage and manipulated the witches into aiding your treachery. The sentence for treason is death. Do you have anything to say?"

A grey-bearded man stepped forwards. She could not identify the order he was from, if he was human, one might have guessed him to be around seventy years old, but in this world, it was impossible to know his real age. "You may be worthy to wield the magic," he said. "But you still sit upon a throne that does not belong to you. The Impærielas are not worthy to rule, a human even less so."

"I have been chosen," said Eve. "You are not required to agree with that choice. Your actions amount to treason."

"Then we are as guilty as charged."

Three of the witches stood and took the staffs from the alchemists and removed any potions and trinkets from their pockets leaving them powerless. The moment they were relieved of their staffs, Eve felt a pressure that she had not been aware of, release. The Cloak dropped revealing them to be in the centre of the alliance. The eyes of the alliance turned to the witches, most of who were still on their knees, and to the alchemists who suddenly looked fearful. Eve raised her hand to stop any attack from the alliance.

"Are there any others?" Eve asked calmly of the witch who had given the terms.

"There were seven brothers, Your Majesty. Four of them were executed by the Crown Alliance."

Eve indicated for the alliance to secure the alchemists in shackles and told them that the witches had surrendered and allied with the Crown. The alliance stared in disbelief but did as she requested and said nothing. "You will hear from us very soon," Eve said to the witch whose name was Coryn. "I will keep my side of the bargain if you keep yours. You know what you face if you come for the Crown again."

Coryn nodded and handed Eve the key to Calab's chains. "We understand, Your Majesty," she bowed slightly. "Most of us did not want this fight. We were following the will of our leader. I assure you we will be no further threat to the Crown." The witches headed towards a long line of vectors that had been parked and Cloaked at the mountainside. They all began to climb aboard and leave taking the body of their fallen leader with them.

The alliance stood around her still in shock and waiting for her to speak, but she could not explain—not yet. Her guard now surrounded her and looked relieved that she was back and concerned about the blood that covered her shirt. She waved them off stating she was fine before running to Calab who had managed to pull himself to his knees. "Calab," she cried.

"I'll heal," he said weakly. "Demons heal quickly." She kissed his head and helped him stand before releasing the lock holding the chains around him. The chain burnt her fingers as she turned the key. She ignored the pain and focussed on Calab as the chains dropped.

"I thought you were dead," she sobbed, throwing her arms around him and pulling him close. He wobbled slightly under her embrace.

"I missed you," he said, putting his arms around her.

"Your absence has been noticed," she replied, squeezing him tightly. He chuckled and kissed her hair.

The rulers arranged for vectors and aerial vectors to arrive on the planes as quickly as possible to transfer the armies back to their guilds and to take the dead home. There had been a significant number of lives lost, and many people were injured. The less battle experienced Impærielas had taken the greatest loss. The other thorian orders and the hominem had also lost many including the patriarch Ester. There had been deaths of several fae. The only angel and demon deaths were two of the Queen's Guard—one was Malachi, her Conservator of Health and shoulder to cry on of late, and the other was Araziel who she had stabbed for trying to save her. They had not been concentrating on the threat while they were frantically looking for her and had each taken an arrow to the heart. Eve could not think about the losses and tried to push any thoughts aside. She summoned an urgent meeting of the leaders and regaled them with the events under the Cloak.

"So it's over, Your Majesty?" asked Tharazan in disbelief. "They no longer have the magic? You have saved everyone?"

Eve looked sadly at the dead. "We have still lost many lives."

"They knew the risks they took, Your Majesty," said Jacob. "They died with honour."

Eve swallowed. They had died with honour, but that thought would not take away the guilt she felt.

"How did they get the magic?" asked Thalia.

"I don't know," replied Eve. "It must have been stored somewhere, I would hazard a guess that it was stored in Baltica and the Elion had something to do with retrieving it, though unless they give up their secrets, we might never know. They claim they held the legitimate right to the Crown, but could not use the magic. That is why the alchemist allied with the witches who could wield it. My predecessors could not access the magic because they had not tried to ally the whole of Arkazatinia.

"However they accessed it I think they had to pay a high price for it, Cadan flinched when I mentioned that and the consequences. I believe they have paid for it with their own souls as an equivalent exchange. Still, it was not theirs, and once I had offered allegiance to the witches, it betrayed them. They did not even need to accept, offering allegiance in the face of adversity made me worthy of it. The prophecy of the Crown was adapted from a much older prophecy that only the worthy would know. At the moment I offered the witches a compromise and a seat in the quorum, I knew what the prophecy was and that I was worthy to wield the magic."

"What was the prophecy, Your Majesty?" asked Calab.

Eve shook her head and said, "It can't be told, you just have to know."

"What shall we do with the alchemists?" Tharazan asked.

"They are to be tried for treason."

"Are there more?"

"We can never be sure I suppose," said Eve, "but the witches said there were seven brothers. One was killed the night Thanis was caught, three were executed, and the other three are here. I want them tried quickly to send out the message that we won't tolerate anyone attacking the alliance."

"You have allied with the witches, Your Majesty," said Nakhiel. "That was tolerance."

"That was mercy," said Eve. "They were under the influence of the alchemists."

"They held a grudge against the Crown."

"Cadan perhaps, the others turned against their leader and surrendered. I have agreed to their terms. They have what they want. They also know we have more magic now than ever before and they know what they risk if they come for the Crown."

"What will become of the Elion we have taken prisoner?" asked Jacob.

"What do you think we should do with them?" she asked. "We can't very well hold an entire order prisoner." She glanced around at the alliance and then at the prisoners who were sat in chains and looking pitiful. Their efforts were for nothing. They had stood no chance against the alliance, and the alchemists were prepared to let them all die.

After their deliberations, Eve addressed the prisoners. "Thorian of Elion," she said. "Any claim you may or may not have had to the Crown in the past is irrelevant. Arkazatinia has selected me to rule the Crown and any bid to have me removed from my position is an act of treason. You have all committed treason and the penalty for treason is death." There were some murmurs amongst them though most seemed resigned. "However," she continued, silencing them. "You have surrendered today, and if you relinquish your claim to the Crown and ally with the Crown Alliance, we will let you live. We will release you, and you can return to Laurasia and return to your families. Be warned that your cards are marked. Any further acts of treason will not be treated with mercy. Decide your fate now."

The alliance moved amongst the Elion to ask them what they had decided and release those who agreed to the terms. Eve stood with Calab and her guard while Aethon—who her guards had retrieved from the planes once the Cloak had dropped—nuzzled at her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said to her guards. "I'm sorry I tried to remove you, and I'm sorry about Araziel and Malachi. From now on we stick together, and I promise to stop being such a brat."

The guards smiled and nodded at her. Calab took her hand in his and gave her a slight smile, but said nothing. He was probably thinking she should not show how vulnerable she was, but she had been a brat towards her guards, and now two of them were gone. The loss pained her. They had lost their lives looking for her. They had sacrificed themselves for her.

The Elion agreed and were set free. They began to prepare to take their dead and injured comrades and make their way back to Laurasia. Lord Caius had been killed, and they were now without a ruler until a new one emerged. Lord Tharazan reminded them that they still had their payments to make, and the new leader should ensure these were made on time.

It took several hours for the transport to arrive to begin to move everyone back to their homes. The rulers would remain in Eurasia and stay with Thalia until the proper functioning of the continent had been resumed. Thalia had approached Eve to advise her of the plan. Thalia vowed that she would have her IT team add a feature to the vox software to allow a vector to be summoned, and commission her engineers to build an aerial vector large enough to transport hundreds of people and perhaps open her own airline. For now, they would have to manage with smaller transport and wait for her people to retrieve them.

Eve bit her lip to hide the irritation she felt at Thalia happily proclaiming she would invest in a profitable venture when she remained so reluctant to increase her public spending—she would talk about it at a more appropriate time.

The injured were taken home first followed by the dead. Everyone else waited in the temporary camps that had been set up on the planes. Eventually, a vector arrived to transport Eve and Calab. Eve left Aethon with the Impærielas to be carried in the larger vectors with the other horses.

Finally alone with Calab, and on the way to the Guild of the Impærielas, Eve could breathe and relax a little.

"I can't believe you're alive," she said, brushing away at her tears. "I thought I'd lost you. How did they capture you? Did they hurt you?"

"They caught me unaware as I was entering the library in Laurasia," he replied. "They were Cloaked, and I could not sense their presence as they chained me in adamantine. I was powerless against them though they could still use their powers on me. That Cadan witch was vicious and seemed to delight in torturing me. The others were more amiable, and apart from making me break my vow not to drink tea in the evenings, I was fairly well treated." He gave a slight grin. "Until they decided to hang me, at least. That was an excellent shot by the way."

She brushed away more tears. "I can't bear to think what would have happened to you if I'd have missed."

"You didn't," he said tenderly, taking her hand. "But it wouldn't have killed me. Only a strike to my heart can do that."

"They told me they had killed you when I didn't show up for the meeting," she said. "I tried to go. My guards stopped me I—"

"I know you did, Genevieve. They were watching you. They saw your guard stop you and they decided that I would be useful."

"I couldn't bear you thinking that I'd just abandoned you."

"I was glad they stopped you. I was happy that you were safe."

"Why did they take you? Why didn't they just come for me?"

"Who knows? Perhaps this was all part of their game," he said, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry. I didn't do a very good job of helping you. I didn't help you to make sense of your notes as I promised I would."

"Malachi said I was overthinking everything and I think he was right," said Eve sadly. "My notes didn't really help me, but you did help me. You showed me what I needed to know and my anger at them for hurting you let me take the magic. I don't think I could have done it otherwise."

"How did you know to do that?"

"I didn't really," she said. "When I got their letter I went to see Lady Ariana for answers about my purpose and to ask what I could do to save you and save everyone. She gave me nothing. In desperation, I went to see Asmodeus."

Calab recoiled in horror. "The High Prince? You went to Hell?" he exclaimed.

She nodded. "I thought it must mean something that I was with you that day, so I prayed for him to see me and he answered."

"What did he say?" said Calab, dumbfounded.

"Well, there was a lot of the grumbling and growling that I have come to expect from demons," she said, grinning mischievously. "But he told me that the magic was not theirs and that there was another prophecy that only the worthy can know. He said the Crown prophecy was adapted from it. At the time, it was all riddles, and it didn't seem as though he had told me anything useful, but knowing the magic wasn't theirs allowed me to play for time. I think it was my offer of allegiance that was the defining moment. I hoped that the _allegiance_ bit was in the original prophecy and I offered it and just prayed that it would be enough. So I guess he did help."

Calab squeezed her hand. "You are lucky he was in a good mood. You could have been chained down there."

"It was a risk I was willing to take, although I might have agreed to reign at his side when I die. Hopefully, he'll realise that was a joke."

"You made a joke with one of the seven high princes of Hell?" Calab stared at her in disbelief.

She smiled. "I think he likes me. He said he had never been spoken to in such a way before, and he said he didn't know how you cope with my relentless questions."

"I can imagine," Calab replied, shaking his head.

"The alchemists were controlling things all along and manipulating everyone else to do their bidding. I didn't really know how the alchemists were controlling people. I just guessed and hoped that even if I were wrong, I could still convince the witches."

"You were right about your terrific acting skills." He smiled. "I was convinced. Should I be worried that you're able to deceive me so easily?"

"It will keep you on your toes. I have you to thank for that. The books you loaned me when I first came to rule helped me. I was going over every interaction and every conversation, and I kept thinking of your insistence that I maintained an impression of power. The power is not nearly as great as we imagined, it's just like the alchemists—it's an illusion. It keeps people afraid."

"The scouts reported they could obliterate people and they turned the fae to dust," remarked Calab.

"Yes, they did," said Eve sadly, "but only Cadan and the alchemists had the magic, the alchemists could only use it to enhance their existing powers and Cadan wasn't capable of much more. She depleted much of her power torturing you. I felt her weakness when I took it from her. They said that they knew the scouts were there. I think they staged what they would see to make them look invincible so we would believe that we couldn't stand against them."

"Of course," exclaimed Calab. "I should have guessed. The alchemist at the keep and the one in the forest had some sort of shield to prevent us from midspacing. If they had not wanted us to see them, they would've done the same. It seems obvious now."

"Or they could have Cloaked themselves. The wonders of hindsight. They were clever about what we saw. I think they attacked the fae to let us believe that we weren't safe anywhere. They did not have enough power to kill more than two after they had located and breached the realm's Cloaking magic. When I took the magic, I tried to do the same. I tried to appear more powerful and convince them that the magic was stronger with me because it was mine. I was drained, though. If they had not taken out Cadan, then I would've lost.

"She wasn't convinced of my power as she had experienced it for herself and was trying to persuade the others. They, however, were convinced and became afraid for their lives. They must have also been led to believe that the power was more than what it was so they executed Cadan to save themselves."

"You should keep up that illusion," Calab said. "Let everyone think that you're the most powerful force on Earth. It will help to protect you, Arkazatinia and Lycea."

Eve's head had been busy with more Gracián aphorisms: 'without lying, don't reveal every truth' and have 'unfathomable abilities'. When she had first read the books Calab had given her, she did not like what she read. She thought he was trying to persuade her to be dishonest, to pretend to be something she was not, and allude to being something more than she was. She was right—he was. It had taken her a long time to understand why he should do that. Eve considered that the power of the ruler does not come from the ruler, but from the minds of the ruled. The alchemists were found to be powerful because they convinced the populace to think that they were and once the illusion was shattered, they had no power.

Eve would have to maintain the illusion, keep up the pretence, and ensure her people remained convinced that they were ruled by the most powerful ruler ever known. She had to keep the mirage intact so her people would believe it, and more importantly, so her enemies would believe it. Her position was no less fragile than it had ever been, but in the minds of everyone else, she had to be unstoppable.

"I have already thought that," she said, smiling. "I think I'm finally on your wavelength. I have quite literally been to Hell and back to save my people. It is worth a little _exaggeration_ to keep you all safe."

"That was your purpose? To take the magic and save everyone."

"Part of it, and you were there to prod me and pull me in the right direction and show me the things I needed to know."

"So, the force is strong with you now?"

Eve laughed loudly. "I guess it is," she said. "Mostly I think it was about allegiances. I think I was chosen because I sympathised with you after you kidnapped Andrew and I would try to ally everyone: the demons, the fae and the Impærielas, everything else has been all the pieces sliding into place to make all this happen. I think fate has been throwing up hurdles to see how we respond and adjusting the heights and moving the goal posts as it sees fit.

"Everything has been a test or preparation for this. Even that night at your house was preparation." Calab winced. "I could never have faced Asmodeus unless I had seen that look he gave me before," she said softly.

He lowered his gaze and shame filled his eyes. "I hate what I did to you. Even if fate had intervened, I will never forgive myself for that night."

"You should," she said gently. "I have. It could all be random I guess, but I do believe our relationship was significant."

"Me too. I always knew you were special," Calab said, stroking her face. "And now that you have learned your purpose I hope that fate quits meddling and lets me keep you."

She smiled at him, and he returned her favourite smile. "I am never letting you go," she said, covering his clawed hand against her face with her own. She held his hand for a moment, enjoying the closeness before speaking again. "Something Cadan said bothers me. She said the thorian think they're superior to the rest of the Arkazatines because they were selected from the hominem for their thorian life. Is that right?"

"What do you think?"

"I didn't agree at first. But I think she may have had a point. They...we, I should say, _do_ rule all the continents and Thalia, I think the world of her, but she insists on paying no more towards public spending—she won't help any people who are not her own. I know Tharazan was okay with me allying with the fae, but Thalia wasn't and many members of the public had a problem with it."

"I think you have already made a good start at unpicking some of these attitudes," Calab said, "but there is a long way to go. The thorian are good people, and they are always there to defend the land when it is needed, the Impærielas too to some extent, but they are selfish. They think they are the best choice to be in charge and they dismiss other orders as options. They believe that the demons are too pragmatic and the angels are not pragmatic enough to provide balance and that the hominem are too mortal for it to be worth them ruling at all.

"You can be difficult. You can be selfish and obnoxious just like the thorian, but despite being taken from your human life and becoming a queen, you don't see yourself as being more important than anyone else. At the core of your being is a desire to do the right thing for everyone and that is probably why Arkazatinia chose you. It is precisely that attitude that has allied the people of Arkazatinia."

"Not all of them," Eve reminded him. "I couldn't get through to Cadan or Lord Caius."

"No, but you tried, and their people noticed. They saw you as a fair leader and pledged themselves to you."

"Isn't it more likely that they just wanted to save their own skins?"

"Of course, but the witches have power, even without the magic you took. They could have taken you on, but they didn't even try. They gave in because it wasn't a fight they wanted. They preferred the compromise you offered them."

"I hope you're right. I hope we can have peace now."

Eve returned to the guild alone as Calab wanted to go home to shower and change his clothes. After a long soak in the bath, she donned her nightdress and bathrobe and took a seat on her bed with her legs crossed. There was something she needed to do. It was risky the first time, but she needed to make sure that Araziel would be taken care of. She concentrated and willed Asmodeus to hear her. He answered her much faster than he had the first time and she soon found herself lying on his marble floor with the smell of sulphur burning her nostrils. She wished she had thought not to wear her bathrobe as the heat was debilitating.

"Little queen, you are alive and well it seems," said Asmodeus, giving her a sly smile. "Are you going to make a habit of popping down here whenever you fancy a chat?"

"Don't worry, I won't, High Prince," said Eve. "I just wanted to ask for Araziel to be looked after. He lost his life while he was looking for me."

"You have quite the habit of getting demons to sacrifice themselves for you, it is most unsettling," he said, snarling softly. "I'm almost reconsidering my offer to let you reign here."

"I was joking when I agreed to that," she said.

"Pity," he said icily. "I assure you that you would prefer reigning down here to serving up there."

"I think my emotions would get in the way."

"Assuredly," he said. "And the benevolent martyr **** idée fixe **** would bore me after a while. Still, you seem to be quite significant for an insignificant human. What do you plan to do with the magic?"

"I have no idea really," she said. "I know it's not as powerful as we thought, but it is still powerful, and I don't know what I'm capable of. I am afraid to use it. I should train it in case I need it, but it scares me."

"At least something does," said Asmodeus, his tone cold. "Demons and the infernal pits of Hell do not have their intended effect upon you." She blushed, and he continued. "I would suggest you get hold of your temper, especially now you have such a destructive power within your grasp. It will be your undoing if you do not."

She swallowed. She knew he was right and it terrified her. She had always been quick to anger, but before she had only been armed with her sharp tongue and could cause no physical damage. Now when she lost her temper she was armed with an array of weapons and now with magic. She had already stabbed Araziel and threatened to kill him and Kyriel, and injured Lieutenant Aryn-Lexas during training because of her anger, not to mention her thoughts of revenge against the Alchitch. Now she had magic the consequences of her losing her temper could be devastating.

"I know. You're right," she said. "Can you take care of Araziel?"

"He is not mine," said Asmodeus. "He belongs to Astaroth."

"Can you not...have a word with him?"

Asmodeus laughed so loudly that she felt it rumble through every fibre. "We are not all chums down here," he said. "This is Hell, everyone is evil."

Eve laughed, and he glared at her furiously. "I'm sorry," she said, straightening her expression and trying to ignore the smirk that was teasing at her lips.

Asmodeus surveyed her expression with curiosity. "I will see what I can do," he said finally.

"Thank you." She smiled. "And thank you for your help."

He nodded towards her. "Go now, little queen," he said sternly though Eve was sure a smile was creeping to his lips.

Eve woke to find she was back on her bed and was relieved that she had only been gone for half an hour.

_He must have kept me waiting for hours before seeing me the first time._

She stood and approached the window of her quarters. She saw her guards stationed on the rooftops opposite her room. She felt another pang for Malachi and Araziel and hoped that Asmodeus would take care of Araziel. She could not bear the thought of him burning in the fires of Hell for eternity.

Her thoughts turned to all the lives that had been lost. The Impærielas lives that would not have been lost if she had not encouraged them to fight. Her stomach was filled with the pain of guilt. They would still be alive if it hadn't been for her.

_If they hadn't been there, then the Elion would have taken more lives from the rest of the alliance._ _People were going to die and the only ones to blame for this senseless slaughter are the alchemists for initiating it in the first place_.

Rationalising it did little to ease her guilt. She just hoped that she could maintain peace now and use her power to keep Arkazatinia from war.

Her door opened quietly, and she turned to find Calab standing there. She beamed at him as he approached her. He surveyed her attire.

"Are you going to sleep?" he asked.

Eve shook her head. "I think I'm too wired to sleep."

He took another step towards her and circled his arms around her waist. She trembled at his touch and felt her pulse and breath quicken. "Perhaps I can help you to relax." He smiled coyly at her.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked, peering at him through her lashes.

He grinned at her before reaching a hand to her neck, her skin tingled as his talons traced across her skin. She gasped as she felt her skin flush with the heat of his hand. He pulled her towards him and his lips met hers. They were soon tangled, kissing furiously, making up for every kiss and touch they had denied. Calab growled and lifted her onto her bed and pushing her back not too gently. She gazed up at him as he removed his shirt and began to unbuckle his belt. He was solid muscle—strong, intimidating and incredibly sexy. She no longer saw the demon she met for the first time eleven years ago. Instead, she saw the man she loved. He was gorgeous, and he was hers. She pulled the robe from her shoulders and cast it aside. Calab was on top of her pressing her onto the bed, pinning her with his strength and his kisses. Eve ran her hands over his muscular back and pulled him closer. He paused and looked into her eyes.

"I promise it won't be like last time," he said. "I want you, always."

She smiled at him and bit his lip hard commanding him to stop talking and continue. He gave a playful snarl and slashed her nightdress with his claws revealing her nakedness before he claimed her.

Afterwards, safe in Calab's arms, Eve felt perfectly happy. After nearly two years of awkward conversations, cold silences, snapping and snarling with just snatches of warmth in between she had finally known him, known why he was so conflicted and known what pained him. Since then he had become her greatest friend. She wanted him in her life forever, and she would have forever to enjoy him. She lifted her head to gaze into his eyes.

"I love you, Calab," she said.

"I love you, Genevieve," he whispered, leaning to kiss her. He made love to her with more gentleness and more tenderness and then they held each other all night.

Eve woke the next morning in Calab's arms. Her heart felt lighter than it ever had and felt fuller than it had ever been. The weight of the deaths of the Arkazatines was momentarily lifted, and she felt blissfully happy. She hoped it was a glimpse of the joy to come—of her happiness with Calab. She quoted:

"Are not the joys of morning sweeter

Than the joys of night?"

"Blake would not be able to choose if he had experienced the joys of your night," he chuckled. She smiled at him and kissed him before laying her head on his chest for a few moments. There was much to do, and she had to prise herself away from him. "You could take the day off. We could go anywhere you like: Paris, Rome, Antarctica."

"There are tunnels in Antarctica?"

"I could fly you there from the nearest entrance," he said winking.

She laughed. "As much as I would love to I'm afraid the ice caps are already too fragile to tolerate your hot body."

He laughed loudly. "Somewhere less frozen then?"

She grinned at him. "I shall hold you to a _road trip,"_ she said. "But _we_ have much to do first."

"We?"

"Yes, we." She smirked. "Doesn't Baltasar Gracián say that it shows greatness to make use of wise people?"

"He does. He also says you shouldn't love forever, but I won't be taking that advice."

Eve approached him and put her arms around his neck. He gave a coy smile and slipped his arms around her waist. She moved her head to his and ran her lips along his jawline until a moan escaped his lips.

"He says you should leave people hungry," she purred, moving her lips to his. "That nectar should only brush the lips." He moved his mouth towards hers, and she pulled away. He groaned, and she grinned at him. "Come on my guardian fallen angel. You don't want to be late for your first day as Advisor to the Crown Alliance, Lord Calab." He stared at her open-mouthed. "I will suggest it to the alliance. I can't imagine they will refuse—you have earned an honorary place in the quorum and a title."

He smiled warmly and shook his head. "You can't just give me a title because we are together," he said. "Many people fought bravely, and I am not any more deserving."

"How do you manage to play both parts of my conscience?"

"We born-again benevolents are just the worst," he said with a mischievous grin. "I would be honoured to have an advisory role, though—unpaid of course."

A short time later Eve and Calab were on board a vector and speeding towards the Guild of the Crown.

"I have been thinking," said Eve.

"Oh dear," he replied. "I can't handle much more of your thinking."

"Get used to it." She giggled, poking his ribs. "I have been thinking about the prophecy. Each time I did something to fulfil the prophecy I became more thorian and more of a thorian ruler, but I have never gained the thorian strength. I gained immortality when I offered my allegiance to Arkazatinia, and I gained the magic when I offered allegiance to Arkazatines. The other parts of the prophecy are 'sees the truth, but does not hide' and 'shows loyalty without thought of reward'. I think my eyes changed colour to the Crown blue, and I gained the thorian senses after I faced the alchemist when he took my soul."

Calab frowned. "I hate that he tortured you."

"It doesn't matter," she replied. "He didn't get what he wanted."

"Oh Genevieve," he said, pulling her into his arms. "You really are the most remarkable girl I have ever met."

"Girl," she said, smirking. "I like that, it sounds so normal."

He chuckled. "You're far from normal."

She grinned. " _Anyway,_ " she said. "Back to my wonderful thoughts. It was probably me encouraging the alliance to use me as bait that fulfilled the prophecy anyway, not my withstanding his torture. I think the strength must be linked to showing loyalty with no thought of reward."

"You have shown loyalty with no thought of reward."

"I haven't," she said, "and I don't think I ever will. That part of the prophecy will be impossible to fulfil. I have always thought of rewards, not necessarily my own life, but the lives of you and the rest of my people, and the safety of the Crown. There is a German philosopher whose name I can't pronounce—you quoted him once actually."

"Friedrich Nietzsche?"

"Yes," she continued, "the prophecy would require me to commit a selfless act, but according to him, there are no selfless acts. I was prepared to sacrifice my life, something I value, for another part of me that I value, the man I love and my people. There was a point with the Alchitch when they tried to get me to choose between you and all of the Arkazatine people. I couldn't face the pain of that. I found the will to produce the two shields and hoped that would be enough, but I couldn't choose. Even if I had, it still would not have been a selfless act."

"Perhaps it's impossible," said Calab. "Though I think if you had sacrificed me to save your people that would have been enough."

"I did not have the strength to make that decision. Instead, I searched for the will inside me to try and save everyone and then tricked them into thinking that I was more powerful than I was—if that is a weakness then so be it."

"I think you have done enough to be forgiven for not making that sacrifice," he said. "No one is perfect after all, and I for one am relieved you couldn't make it. Moreover, _non omnia possumus omnest,_ everyone cannot do everything."

"True." She smiled at him. "Though I think I should be awarded the strength for never asking for a pay rise."

Calab laughed. "Yes, the position is poorly paid for the amount of mortal peril involved."

Six weeks later and all the Arkazatines were back in their homes including all those who had been evacuated to Lycea. The dead had all been buried or cremated according to their order's traditions. A memorial service had been held in Tethys in the Guild of the Crown public square to honour those who had lost their lives and the families who had lost loved ones. Eve had struggled to maintain her composure as she read out each name lost in the pointless war. A war because some greedy, power-hungry dark alchemists wanted the Crown for themselves.

The Crown Alliance had commissioned a memorial sculpture for the square of the Roman demi-god Hercules. Hercules was important to the Arkazatines as he represented strength, courage, wisdom and a great soul. He is often considered multifaceted, and this was felt to represent the different orders of Arkazatinia. The base of the sculpture included all of the seals of the Crown Alliance including the guardian seal. The sculpture did not include the seals of the witches or the Elion—only the seals of those who fought bravely to maintain the Crown. Eve hoped that one day they could commission a sculpture to represent everyone, but today was not that day.

Tharazan had helped Eve to draw up papers to specify the terms of the alliance with the witches, and it was similar to the agreement initially written for the Elion. It stated that they would be given a seat, but for the foreseeable future, they would not be involved in defence and security. The papers outlined the contributions they were to make to the Crown. As their territory was small and isolated from the rest of Arkazatinia, their fee was low and covered the use of facilities such as the libraries, public parks and a few other areas Coryn had asked to access as part of their new alliance. The papers also specified the terms Eve had agreed to and gave them back their territory in Baltica and the right to exhume and re-bury their dead from the uprising. Coryn and her second had been invited to the CRM to meet the alliance and finalise the papers.

A new Elion ruler had emerged. The Elion had sent notice to the Crown to inform of the emergence and reiterated that they would keep to the terms of their alliance and would make no further attempts on the Crown. They also requested to be considered for a seat in the Crown Alliance and were invited to the CRM to discuss the terms.

The alchemists had been tried, found guilty and executed in the public square. They had revealed no further details on their plans or if they had been working with anyone else. The alliance just had to hope that there had only been seven brothers. Mikæl recognised a seal found in the alchemists' belongings to be that of the ancient Night Brotherhood and said they had placed a profound significance on the number seven and specifically seven metals relating to seven planets and seven deities, and they had had seven members.

Mikæl knew that the original members of the brotherhood were long dead, also executed for various atrocities, but advised that if the new order was emulating them, then it was likely they also had seven members. It seemed a reasonable conclusion and the alliance hoped he was right though they were relatively unconcerned now they had the all-powerful Eve in their corner. She hoped the deception would not bite her in the ass.

The new Exalon ruler had emerged to replace Ester as patriarch, and the Impærielas had promoted a new captain and lieutenant in place of Captain Lexas and Lieutenant Aryn-Lexas. Eve initially could not bring herself to think about replacing her two guards although Calab stressed the importance of having twelve demons and twelve angels as her guard as twelve was a perfect number. They had both shared a grin immediately as they thought of their conversations about Thomas de Quincey and the number twelve. Eve eventually agreed for Calab and Jacob to recruit two more guards though she could not shake the feeling their deaths had brought.

The deaths of all of the Arkazatines had bothered her, but the deaths of her two guards played upon her the most. Not just because she had been awful to them at times and had even stabbed Araziel, more that she had always seen them as her perfect symbol of alliance, and lately of balance. They were dark and light, good and evil, Heaven and Hell, and despite their immortality and their might, they could fall in battle like any human. The thought unsettled her. It unsettled her that it was not just one guard that was lost and nor was it two demons or two angels but one from each side—the balance was maintained. She did not know what it meant or if it meant anything at all. She was also perplexed why the balance was even necessary—why have anything that is either good or evil in the first place if you are simply going to balance it.

Everything in the world straddles the line between what is perceived as good and what is perceived as evil just as belief in what is good and what is evil straddles the line between knowledge and ignorance. If she could make sense of anything at all, it was that everything was dissimulation and her part in Arkazatinia and the prophecy was just a small part of a greater illusion. She felt that if she lived for a million years, she would never know why.

Still, the loss of the guards and her guilt at the way she had treated them compelled her to offer some token to make amends and show her appreciation for them. She commissioned a Queen's Guard seal for their uniforms that had a winged lynx surrounded by a circle to represent unity and wholeness. The seal was her toast to their honour and sacrifice, and her promise that she would never again ask them to stand down from their oaths.

Later in the evening on the day of the unveiling of the Hercules sculpture, Eve took a vector to Calab's house after he had requested her attendance for supper. He greeted her with an embrace before leading her to his library where he had relocated his dining table. Calab had dined in his library at the Asmodeus guild for over a hundred years and was struggling to kick the habit. Finding solace in the simple comfort, he had decided that he no longer wanted to.

Calab invited Eve to sit beside the fire which was unlit due to the warm weather. She smiled as she watched him relax into his favourite chair. She had made a request to Prince Nakhiel for the guild's library armchairs to be gifted to Calab. Nakhiel had been happy to hand them over and reported that no one had used the library room since Calab had left and it now stood empty. She sipped her wine and sat in the comfortable silence for a few moments before she spoke, "How are you, Calab?"

His eyes met hers and he said, "I have more good days than bad days, but I'm still...overwhelmed I suppose."

Calab had wanted to try to have a relationship with her. He had thought that he had gained perspective from everything that had happened with the Alchitch. He thought he knew what he wanted and that he wanted to be with her for the rest of her life. However, without the stress of the Alchitch, his struggles were free to take centre stage once more. They had managed a week before he started to crumble. A week before Eve would wake in the night to find him in tears. He had told her that he needed space and she had barely seen him outside of Crown and Queen's Guard matters for five weeks.

"We don't have to do this, Calab," she said. "You don't have to force yourself to cope for me. You don't owe me anything."

"I love you, Genevieve," he said as his eyes began to moisten.

"I know that you do. I know that you're trying really hard, but you need to focus on yourself and not me. I will still be here for you. We can be friends as we were before."

"I don't know why I can't let myself be with you. It is all I want."

"I know," she said, blinking away her own tears. "And I'm sure one day you will, and I will be waiting for you."

"Would you marry me, Genevieve?" he asked. "When I'm ready, will you marry me?"

She smiled at him, wiped her tears furiously. "Yes, Calab, I will marry you. Whenever you are ready, I will be your wife."

He smiled and held out his hand, she took it. "I've failed you," he said. "I promised you it would be different and it isn't."

"You have failed no one. I understand."

"Are you sure you want to marry me?" he asked anxiously. "I don't know when that will be. I don't want you to spend your life waiting for me."

"We will be friends. That is enough. I will wait for you for as long as you need."

Calab gazed into his glass and said sadly, "I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do," she replied, squeezing his hand. "You're stuck with me so you may as well get used to it."

He grinned and quoted Coleridge:

"And so I won my Genevieve,

My bright and beauteous Bride."

Eve looked into his eyes, and in the pools of despair, she could see a glimmer of joy. She desperately wished she could heal him. She had magic capable of healing, but it would do nothing for his pain. He meant everything to her, and there was nothing that she could say that would help him. No proclamations of love would heal him. She would be there for him. She would be there when he wanted her and go away when he didn't. She would hold him when he cried and she would love him unconditionally, and when he was ready, she would be his wife.

"We should toast," he said. "I don't know what to. _Carpe amorem_ seems hypocritical."

"It's perfect."

Calab smiled and clinked his glass with hers. "Carpe amorem."

"Carpe amorem," she replied. She sipped her wine, and they sat in silence for a few moments more before she spoke again. "What is your last name?" she asked, suddenly realising that she had never thought to ask in the two and a half years she had known him.

He smiled softly. "I don't have one. Lesser demons sometimes choose one, but princes don't. I could choose one now if you like."

"I like the thought of taking your name."

"Any requests?"

She smiled slowly. "How about Mr and Mrs Calab Hallward?"

He smiled her favourite heartbreaking smile. Eve had convinced herself she would not see that smile again for a long time and it warmed her heart to see it now. "I love you the future Mrs Calab Hallward," he said, raising her hand to his lips.

"I love you Mr Calab Hallward."

"I have a strange feeling Fate has in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows," he said and blinked as tears formed in his eyes.

There are minds that can see clearly like the eyes of the lynx,

And that reason best when things are obscure.

Baltasar Gracián, The Art of Worldly Wisdom.
A sneak preview into the sequel to The Crown Prophecy

The Adamantists

M.D. Laird

Coming summer 2017
Chapter I

"To what do I owe this honour?" Sonneillon Prince Thomas of the First Order addressed the king of Axandria slyly as he approached his throne. The king glared at Prince Thomas and did not speak. "If you're waiting for me to kneel and kiss your ring, you'll be waiting a long time." The prince grinned, his sapphire eyes meeting the king's angry demeanour.

The king bristled as he glowered at the demon stood before him. He had nothing to do with demons unless he had to. They were arrogant, obnoxious and not particularly pleasant to look at, but like everyone, they have their uses.

"I am troubled by the news from overseas," said the king. "The new Arkazatine queen has come into some rather powerful magic."

"So I hear," said Prince Thomas. "What of it?"

"I don't like it. I refused to ally with her in her war, and she may seek revenge against me."

"I have heard she is weak," said the demon, looking away from the king to examine his claws. "She wields a mighty power, but her heart is weak. She does not have the constitution for vengeance."

"All the same, I would prefer the magic on my side. I need an alliance with her."

"Why are you coming to me? Offer one of your sons."

"I have offered my heir, and she has refused him. She is betrothed to the former Asmodeus prince."

The demon prince laughed. "From what I have heard of that queen it does not surprise me that she would marry that _disgrace_ of a demon."

"Be that as it may, it does not help my situation. She has offered allegiance with Axandria, but I want a pledge that has more weight than mere words. I want you to help me...persuade her to marry the Crown Prince."

"Why should I do that?"

"Your assistance will not go unrewarded; I will give you the southern duchy."

"I have no need for territory."

"I will also offer you my youngest daughter."

"I have no need for a daughter."

"You may take her as your wife."

"I have no need for a wife."

The king frowned. "Name your terms."

"I cannot help you even if I wanted to," said the demon plainly. "Demons are allowed to live in Anaxagoras under our decree, we are allowed to defend our nation, but we cannot conquer others."

"I don't want you to conquer Arkazatinia. I want you to visit, stir things up a little between the queen and the demon and have her break off her engagement."

The prince laughed. "This plan is desperate. Just visit yourself and have your allegiance made official with a treaty. The girl is Lycean; Lycea is no longer won and lost on marriages. She can divorce your son as easily as she can marry him."

"In this world, as you know, Prince Thomas, lands _are_ won and lost on marriage as are allegiances. I won't accept anything less. The queen is incapable of producing an heir so that allegiance needs to be secured by marriage with her herself."

"Just have the aetheling charm her, get her to fall in love with him. He has a pretty face, I'm sure she'll adore him."

The king bristled again. He did not like being mocked by the demon. "She is marrying a hideous demon rather than a beautiful thorian," he snapped. "I think she'll be rather more difficult to convince."

"I am offended," gloated Prince Thomas.

"I'm sure," said the king sarcastically before continuing. "We can play this ridiculous exchange for the rest of the day if you like, but I am getting tired of it. You may be a demon prince, but you still reside in my lands, and you are still my vassal. You owe me your obedience."

"I am living here because Heaven lets me not because of you."

"You still have a duty to protect this continent. I am ordering you to help make sure that this continent is securely allied with Arkazatinia. I am more than generous with my payment."

"Fine," said the demon, giving the king a mocking yawn. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to remind former prince that he is still a demon."

"I doubt he has forgotten."

"I mean remind him of his demonic personality. Have him rid himself of these ridiculous ideas of love and remind the queen what a demon is and why she shouldn't marry one."

"Did you not just offer your daughter for marriage to a demon?"

"Yes, but a queen with a great power has more value for Axandria than a princess—it is a necessary sacrifice."

"Very well. When is the queen's wedding?"

"There is no date set as yet, but I want the alliance secured quickly. You have until February."

"That only gives me four months."

"I'm sure you're quite capable."

Prince Thomas gave a wicked smile. "I'll claim the duchy on my return, but I want your daughter now."

"I'm not giving her to you until the quest has been a success. If it fails, I may still need her."

"You'll have to take that risk."

"This arrangement will cost me two children as it is." The king snarled. "I will only pay that price for success."

"Then find yourself another demon."

"Fine," the king barked. "Arrange a wedding ceremony, and you can take her afterwards."

"I mean I'm taking her with me now."

"You cannot take her virginity without marriage."

Prince Thomas shrugged. "Summon someone to perform the ceremony. I will wait," he replied, then added, "Her fertility is going to be a problem for me."

The king grinned. "I will deal with it."

Several hours later, Prince Thomas travelled back to the Guild of Sonneillon with his new bride. She sat opposite him in the carriage the king had provided to transport them and her belongings. Thomas had not travelled in a carriage since his decree in Lycea many years ago and had forgotten how infuriatingly slow they were. The horses were no faster with one of Thomas' demons frightening them along their course either.

Thomas smiled broadly at his wife whose eyes were still bloodshot from her tears. She had been a little disappointed to learn she was marrying him and it took a firm hand and several threats to her life from her father to convince her to say her vows. It also took the hands of several of the king's attendants to hold her down whilst an alchemist inserted a contraceptive opal stone beneath her skin.

"Tell me." He grinned. "Have you been with a man before?" The girl swallowed nervously and shook her head. He chuckled. "You're in for a treat; you're going to love it."

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.

"Well," he replied, smiling, "first I'm going to tear off that dress and then—"

"I meant with my life," she snapped. "What on earth does a demon want with a wife? I expect my father to bargain with my life like I'm cattle, but what do you want from this?"

"He is forcing me into his ridiculous plans for Arkazatinia. I had to get something out of him."

"That's it?" she exclaimed. "You force me into marriage because you want to get one over on the king. What have I done to deserve this?" She started to cry again.

"Oh relax." The prince sneered. "You always knew your father would marry you off. Don't pretend you're surprised." He batted his eyelashes at her. "Am I not handsome enough for you?" She said nothing and turned to stare out of the window. He sprawled on the seat opposite her and his foot caught her leg, she turned to face him. He grinned at her again. "Are you going to let me take your virginity?" he asked lazily.

"I'll have to," she said, looking back through the window. "It's not as though I'm going to be able to fight you off, is it?"

Thomas laughed. "I won't force you."

She turned her head towards him. "You won't?"

"I'm not a complete monster." He grinned. "My decree prevents me anyway. Though if you want me to, I will happily oblige."

"I will never want to."

He shrugged. "It's no matter. I have plenty of other women willing to please me."

"You don't intend to be a faithful husband then?"

"I hadn't given it any thought, but no, I will never settle just for you whether you want me or not."

"At least you're honest, most men are just lying scoundrels. What about me? Can I see other people?"

"Why?" He chuckled. "You have some stable boy you secretly love or have you some goat herd you have been having an affair with?"

The princess glowered at him. "He was my educator's son actually," she said defiantly. "We planned to elope."

"And I have come along and ruined everything. I have probably saved his life; your father would have had him killed."

"We planned to leave the continent and start a new life in Arkazatinia."

"I have probably just saved our nations from war. If your father found out you were in Arkazatinia, he would have gone after you. That new queen is too soft to let him take you; she doesn't know what's good for her. She would have gone to war to protect you."

"You think she is soft because she isn't a beast like my father?"

"Your father is pragmatic." Thomas smiled. "He does what needs to be done. It's an admirable quality."

"Only if you're a demon," she snapped. "Not if you're anyone with an ounce of decency."

Thomas laughed again. "We have not been married an hour, and you're already assassinating my character. I thought that did not start until after the honeymoon."

Her eyes bore into his. "Enough games. What can I expect from my life now?"

Thomas shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't thought this through."

"Why not just let me go? I could leave with James, and you never have to bother about me."

"Is James the goat herd or the stable boy?" He mocked.

"Please," she pleaded, "you don't need a wife; you're just going to make my life miserable."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Princess. If you leave with the goat herd and people find out, it reflects poorly on me. Then I will have to find you, bring you back and punish you by killing him."

"So I have to be unhappy for the rest of my life?"

"Cheer up." Thomas chuckled. "We have our honeymoon to look forward to."

"Honeymoon?"

"Yes, we leave for Arkazatinia soon."

"Why do you want me to go? Aren't you afraid I will betray my father's plans to the queen?"

"What a traitorous thing to say?" he remarked, giving her a wicked smile.

"I owe him no loyalty."

"What about your brother? Surely he would prefer to be the consort king of the lovely Queen Genevieve rather than the husband of some mid-level lord?" He grinned at her. "Unless you want him to be saddled with an awful marriage as well."

"My father destroys enough lives." She snarled. "He does not have to destroy the queen's happiness too."

"If I leave you at home, what is to stop you running off to your stable boy?"

"Are you going to hold me prisoner and prevent me from seeing him?"

He shrugged. "I'm not the jealous type, but I don't want another man messing with my property."

"I am not your property."

Thomas smiled. "According to your father you are. I own you now. Your life is mine. That includes your virginity."

"I'm not a virgin," she snapped. "James took my virginity years ago. I knew my father would have me married and I wanted to choose for myself and lose it with the man I loved."

"I feel cheated." Thomas laughed. "You are lucky you have married me, that little stunt could have cost you your life."

"I have no life anyway."

"Just out of curiosity," he asked. "I thought you said you planning to elope?"

"We were."

"And how long have you been planning?"

"It's not that easy, we need money to begin a new life."

"Was he putting it off?" he chided.

"It wasn't like that," she stammered.

"It sounds like he was using you, Princess." Thomas teased.

"You don't know him. He has been saving what he could."

"It doesn't take that long to make a plan to elope. You could have gotten jobs when you arrived at your _new life_. Unless working is beneath you?"

"You don't know anything." She snarled. "He loves me."

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about him running away with you."

"Just let me go," she pleaded again. "You can pretend I'm in your guild. I can come back to keep up appearances if my father ever asks to see me."

"No. That plan makes me look foolish."

"Does it matter? It will make me happy."

"Why should I be concerned with your happiness?"

"Because I'm your wife."

"You're my wife, and you're asking me to let you leave with another man on our wedding day."

"Do you delight in tormenting me?"

"I'm a demon, I delight in tormenting everyone."

"I could hide from you. You won't find me."

"If it were so easy you would surely have hidden from your father."

"I thought I would have some notice," she said bitterly. "But I had a plan."

"Let me guess. You were going to save up all of your pennies and pay a dark alchemist to hide you?" She glowered at him, and he laughed. "It won't work, Princess. No alchemist would risk the wrath of the king, or a demon now, for coin. He would want nothing less than your soul to make that bargain. Your freedom won't belong to you if you no longer have your soul. _And_ I would find you." She began to cry again. Thomas rolled his eyes. "Does this happen a lot?"

"Yes it does," she snapped. "I hate my life, and I hate it even more now."

Thomas gave her a slow smile. "You're a dramatic thing, aren't you?" She glared at him through her tears. He laughed. "Oh, hush now," he said. "You never know, you may actually like being married to me. You may find yourself wanting to take me to your bed. I am _very_ entertaining in the bedroom you know."

"I shall take your word for it," she said icily. "If I am to remain in your guild then I have some demands."

"Is that so?" Thomas chuckled. "You are hardly in a position to make demands."

She glared menacingly at him. "You'd deny me a few comforts? You didn't have the sense to negotiate a dowry for me, but I know you can well afford to keep me and I shan't go without."

What have I gotten myself into? She seemed so timid.

__ "Are you always this haughty?"

"It has been a source of pride for my father and no doubt the reason he has struggled to marry me to a lord."

"You mean I'm the only person stupid enough to marry you?"

"It certainly seems that way," she replied coldly, though she appeared a little offended. "Are you going to hear my requests?"

"Ah...they are requests now. By all means, request away, Princess."

"I want my own room," she began and paused waiting for him to respond.

"You think I would throw you in my dungeon?"

"I don't want to share with you."

"Well, I don't want you to share with me either, Princess. Especially if you do not intend to please me."

"I want a joining bathroom if you have one, or at least, a bathroom of my own."

Thomas shrugged. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Where do you take meals?"

"There is a communal dining room."

"I want to dine in my room. I wish you to provide me with an attendant to bring me my meals and refreshments. I want an allowance—I don't want to have to ask you for money every time I wish to buy myself something. It should be generous and not subject to conditions—I won't earn pocket money like a child. I want to be able to leave your guild to visit the town."

"That is quite a list. I should perhaps have thought more carefully before marrying a spoilt princess."

This time she was offended. "I'm not spoilt," she replied. "My father did not treat me well."

"I see. This is just your _no-nonsense attitude_ , is it? Are you starting as you mean to go on?"

"Just forget it," she said dejectedly before turning away from him to gaze out of the window.

He smiled slyly. "Why should I give you a life of luxury? What do I get in return? Now perhaps if you were a little more...accommodating, I might be as well."

"I said forget it, Prince," she said without turning to look at him.

"I'm just toying with you, Princess." He chuckled. "I will agree to your demands."

She turned to face him. "Thank you," she murmured.

"I too shall start as I mean to go on," he said sternly. "I am a prince of the first order and the master of my guild. I have tolerated these little lapses in respect so far as you're a little upset, but _do not_ make the mistake of thinking you can continue to speak to me like this. I _demand_ respect, and I will not tolerate anything less. You may be a princess, but I outrank you—do not forget that. I hope that's clear, Princess."

She swallowed and nodded slowly.

To be continued...

What do I write here? I feel as though I am giving a speech! I started writing this book at Christmas 2014 after I had what turned out to be the first chapter buzzing around my head. I could get no peace until I had committed it to my hard drive and then it started again. Eventually, I thought, 'Hang on, this is about as long as a book', and I decided to write a book. After giving a very rough (cringe-worthily rough) draft to my sister to read and have her affirm she would buy it, I decided to publish it.

It has been a rollercoaster and a minefield, and I could not have done it without the help of many people along the way. Firstly, I want to thank my fellow writer friend LK Watts for her advice and tips and for helping me realise that it is possible for a dream to become a reality. I want to thank my amazing graphic designer and formatter JC Clarke at The Graphics Shed for my beautiful cover and formatting. JC has been incredible with her help and advice and has truly gone the extra mile to help me. I feel I have imposed on her/stalked her since our first conversation and she has always been awesome. Thanks also to Tami Adams at Magic of Books Promotions—again another thank you for tolerating my constant emails.

I have received a ton of support and encouraging messages from friends and family. Thank you, Eric, for being the first person, who is not a blood relative, to read my book. Thank you for your help and advice but mostly for your encouragement. I was terrified at the thought of having someone read my work, but your support really helped. If you hated the ending, then please feel free to blame Eric as he suggested I change it. Thank you to Hannah for your enthusiasm and your inspiration, I shall see you soon for a turn about the room.

I must also say thank you to my sister Carrie. Carrie read the book very early in its development, but her question will always be my favourite question ever: 'Is it incest if you want to marry a figment of your sister's imagination?' We never decided.

Thank you to the rest of my family for your support. Thank you to my mum and dad, my Auntie Wendy and also to Dave. Thank you to my son for tolerating the moments when I have just had to write things down.

There are many friends who I want to thank for their supportive comments and messages, I can't mention everyone, but you know who you are. Thanks also to my social media friends for putting up with my shameless self-promotion and for helping to promote me as well.

If you are reading this, then that may mean that you have bought my book and I also owe special thanks to you. Thank you very much. If you liked The Crown Prophecy, please leave me a review somewhere... anywhere. If not, well...who reads reviews anyway?

Love you all and thank you again

Carpe Somnium

MD

xxx
