Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
And as such, and what it might mean, a soldier had been sent to the Sky Citadel with haste to share the news with the Prince Regent.
They did not get very far into the city, what with the crowds that gathered, and how very hostile the female was.
Although at first some tried to get close, eventually her aggression was such they had no choice but to give them a wide berth and wait for word from the Regent as to what to do with things so fantastical wandering into the Bay.
They had to have something to do with the Nadirii being amongst them.
Nothing that magical ever touched the soil of Airen before the Nadirii came.
It was with great surprise that anyone along the route to Highgate watched the Regent himself riding his steed Caelus like an angry troll dogged his heels, the prince’s black mantle billowing at his back.
His intended, the golden-haired Princess of Nadirii chased behind him, her cloak of purple floating out behind her, its brilliant color stark against the drab colors all around her.
Seeing it, some decided to paint the doors to their homes purple.
And others decided to buy their wives purple cloaks much like that.
Still others desired to rip it from the Nadirii’s neck and burn it.
And behind the Nadirii princess, Cassius’s lieutenants, and hers, and a cadre of others, all went clattering over the cobbles at breakneck speed.
The crowd that had gathered around the volatile female and the timid male was great.
But it parted instantly when the Regent, his intended and their band approached
But all of them reined in abruptly at what they saw in the opening of the center of the crowd.
The female unicorn brayed her warning at their approach and went up on her hind legs, flashing out with her front hooves threateningly.
The male sniggered and dipped its once proud head, sidestepping away from the wheeling horses.
It was then, it happened.
It was then, the entirety of the realm of Airen changed.
It was then, perhaps, the entirety of the continent of Triton changed.
Maybe even the whole of the earth.
For at one look at those two unicorns, Prince Cassius swung off his horse, walked two steps into the clearing, and stood immobile.
And those close enough to him saw with some shock fierce thunderstorms erupting in his gaze.
Elena of the Nadirii quickly followed him.
Those close heard the faltering, “Cass,” as murmured by the woman who would be their queen, but all who had a sightline saw her touch his arm.
But they would all soon learn there would be no pacifying the Prince Regent of Airen as his gaze stayed locked on the male unicorn with his shorn horn.
And then it happened.
Their prince threw back his head and roared to the sky, the raw fury in the sound moving up and out, blanketing the entire city.
Fearful murmurings and panicked shifting happened amongst the crowd.
For as he did, the sun disappeared.
Day turned to night.
And darkness descended all around.
Queen Ophelia
At the Foot of the Night Heights Mountain Range, Two Hundred Miles East of Sky Bay
AIREN
Ophelia reined to a stop as she felt it, then wheeled Midsummer around and threw up her hand.
The Nadirii behind her halted.
“Good goddess, Ophelia, what could possibly be causing—?”
Agnes did not finish.
The sun left the sky and night fell all around.
“Ophelia!” Lucinda snapped with some alarm.
Ophelia said nothing at first.
This because she did not know whether to laugh or change their direction from tracking Fern to going directly to Sky Bay.
She looked to her lieutenant.
“Someone has made Cassius Laird very angry.”
Lucinda’s head twitched.
Ophelia made her decision and circled her horse back around.
And even if she did not have the energy for it, for hers left her earlier and earlier in the day as each one passed, she called up what she had, and shouted, “We ride!”
The Nadirii rode, through day turned to night, tracking Fern in the Heights.
The People of Airen
Highgate (Eastern Gate into Sky Bay)
AIREN
“Cassius!” the Nadirii princess called urgently.
The crowd watched through the stars twinkling all around, hanging low in the very air, as their Prince Regent strode boldly into the clearing, directly to the female.
“Cass!” Princess Elena hissed, looking as if she would follow him.
She did not.
She stopped when the mare butted Prince Cassius’s outstretched hand and whinnied.
She then moved her beautiful head with clear intent to invite the prince to stroke her nose.
This, Cassius did.
Those of the crowd were stunned.
What was this marvel?
A male of the royal house of Airen at one with a unicorn?
Was all of this indication that magic would be back in their bleak realm?
“Bring him to me,” Cassius demanded, to who, the people didn’t know.
Until the mare lifted and shook her head, braying.
“Bring him to me,” Cassius repeated.
Another shake of her noble head before she blew out of her nostrils, jerked from him and trotted, rounding and herding the reluctant stallion toward the prince.