Six of Ruin (Heirs of Irenwell #1)

The sound of flutes and drums and fiddles reverberated through my skull. Not uncomfortably, but definitely overwhelmingly. The tavern was full; people danced in the middle of the wooden room, their feet like another instrument in the already stocked orchestra. Smoked filled the entire space, blurring my vision and dizzying my mind.

The celebration was held in our honour, which meant numerous types of drinks lined up on the oak table in front of us. People thanked us for our service, for everything we were doing. Little did they know that our service currently consisted of getting blackout drunk.

Ace was in the middle of the tavern, absolutely dominating the dancefloor. He shook his grey head from side to side, his bare feet somehow managing to miss all the broken pieces of glass on the floor.

Nickeltinker sat on the opposite side of me, he leaned over the table, “I’m pretty sure he’s drunk again.”

“Again?” I laughed. “I thought he’s been drunk since noon.”

“He sobered up around dinner.” Nick grinned.

Danilo and Torvald weren’t here, which slightly saddened me. Nick said Danilo would live, but I still felt guilty for having fun.

On the other hand, I needed fun. I needed carefreeness.

Rixen slid on the bench next to me, “This is insane. I’ve shook more hands tonight than in the entirety of my life.”

My heart thudded in my throat and I washed it down with some ale, “I could get used to this.”

“You mean, there aren’t feasts like this in Irenwell?” Rixen asked, coming even closer to me. The side of his body bumped into mine.

My senses exploded. Quickly, I drank more ale, trying to shush my excitement. I had no idea what came over me. It felt like the drinks washed down all the restraint I usually possessed.

“People in Irenwell care more about how they look than how they feel.” I answered, finding it hard to roll the words off my tongue.

“Good thing you care more about how you feel.” Rixen said.

Our eyes locked briefly. I had no idea how to interpret his remark. Was it a compliment, an insult? Or was it something else entirely?

I looked at Nickeltinker, deciding to push the conversation in the different direction “Where’s the werewolf?”

Rixen chuckled humourlessly, “Do you even know his name?”

“His name is Daniel.” I shot him a mean look. “So, where is he?”

Nick shrugged, “He went to get his pack, they won’t be continuing the journey with us.”

“What?” I tried so damn hard to add some disappointment to my words, but I ended up sounding flustered. “That’s too bad.”

“We’ll definitely miss him.” Rixen mumbled.

His leg bumped into mine. A bolt of energy spread through our skin. Goddess, should I do it? My inhibitions were down and I didn’t trust my judgement anymore.

I was too excited. The possibility of sleeping with someone has never made me feel so... unhinged. It was always calculated, thought through. This was not a part of my plan.

Sleeping with the Bastard of Bastia came with consequences that were too great to handle. But his leg felt so good on mine. And the thought of his body on mine made me feel undone.

A young woman approached our table and interrupted my dilemma. She was flustered and beautiful. Her read hair fell carelessly over her shoulders.

She giggled and bowed, “Hello, my name is Brusilda. Thank you for your service.”

“You’re welcome.” Nickeltinker grinned and saluted. “We do what we can.”

I noticed in the corner of my eyes that Nickeltinker tried to take her bracelet off while she was staring at Rixen. When he noticed me, he lifted his hands up in defence.

“So, you’re the famous Bastard of Bastia.” Brusilda turned to Rixen, leaning against her palms, which made her boobs pop out.

“I’m sure glad that name caught on.” Rixen sighed.

“I was wondering...” She giggled and I rolled my eyes. “Would you like to dance with me?”

Liquor made me speak, “Do you even know his name?”

“Uh,” The poor girl chuckled, “Your name is Rixen, right? And you’re Princess Irina of Irenwell.” She bowed.

Rixen glanced at me, confusion colouring his yellow irises.

“What?” I mouthed.

“I’m-” The girl stuttered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise I was interrupting something. Please, excuse me-”

“No,” Rixen cut in, “You’re not interrupting anything. Irina had something bad to eat.”

Brusilda laughed out loud, “Gods, they said you were funny.”

I rolled my eyes so far back I could see my frustrated brain.

“So,” Brusilda asked again, her voice nervous this time, “Would you like to dance?”

Something inside me snapped like a branch. One moment, I was completely in control and another, I was done with this little sleaze.

“How about you tell us what you really want?” Anger coated my words, adding power to them.

I felt it sliding off me in waves, hugging me and caressing me, telling me I was right. It made me slightly dizzy, slightly high, but also in charge.

And I found absolutely nothing wrong with it until Brusilda answered.

“I want to sleep with him tonight and brag about it to my friends once he saves the world. I want to be able to tell them he chose me and not them.”

In retrospect, I should have realised what had occurred. But I didn’t. Instead, her words fuelled the anger that I didn’t fully understand. Why was I feeling this? Why did I mind so much?

“Oh?” I swallowed my raging heartbeat. “Well, you can back off, sugarplum.”

The girl gulped down the fear that emerged in her eyes, turned around and walked away.

Rixen and Nickeltinker both looked at me with shock. The realisation hit me like a brick. Oh, fuck.

“What the fuck?” Rixen literally growled, which I found wildly inappropriate.

“You used magic!” Nickeltinker pointed at me. “You just... magicked her! How?”

“I did not.” I crossed my hands on my chest.

Nickeltnker nodded quickly, “Uh, yes, you did. Rixen, tell her!”

But Rixen already moved away from me, “How dare you?”

“I’m sorry.” I bit my lower lip. “I do not know what just happened.”

“What are you doing, Irina?” Rixen asked, spitting anger with each word. “First, you ask me to keep your secrets from Danilo because you want to marry him, tell me you’re going to fuck a werewolf and then you literally spell a girl away because she wants to dance with me.”

“Uh, she wanted to sleep with you.” I mumbled, not helping my situation at all.

“So?” Rixen asked. “You can sleep around, but I cannot? You know what I think, Irina? I think you’re so spoiled you can’t even imagine a situation where you don’t get what you want.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but he was already walking through the crowd away from me. So, I grabbed the cup of ale again, because what other way was there to deal with confusing emotions?

“I screwed that right up.” I murmured.

Nickeltinker was still staring at me, “Are we not going to talk about the fact you casually used magic? And with eerie precision.”

“I did not.” I frowned.

“What’s the deal with that, anyway?” The green-skinned boy leaned over the table. “Why can’t Danilo know you have magic?”

“It’s Irenwell and Bastia and their deep-rooted hatred towards mages.” I sighed. “My brother would lose his shit if he knew I had magic. Danilo, too. And I just want to get rid of it so that I can live my life in peace.”

“Is that even possible?” Nick asked.

I shrugged, “I don’t even know at this point. But I’m hoping the Vanishing Well can help me. That’s why I came with you in the first place.”

“Hmm,” Nick hummed, “Isn’t it funny how none of us are here because we want to save the world?”

“Why are you here?” I leaned against my elbows.

“Money.” Nick laughed. “My family, my parents and brothers and sisters, they’re still back on Shira. I came here, to this... continent, because stories promised wealth. A couple of years later, I found myself stealing for a living. And I’m good at it. But living as a pickpocket is tough, it’s even harder to send the money to my family.”

“And King Bernard promised to pay you well if you came with us.” I nodded.

“Exactly.” Nick said. “Let’s hope he actually pays.”

“If he doesn’t, I’ll pay you when I’m Queen of Bastia.” I smiled.

“Is that what you want to be?” Nick asked. “Queen of Bastia? Married to Danilo?”

I swallowed the sudden pain, “Danilo is the best option I have. When you’re a princess, you don’t get to choose.”

“But you don’t even like Danilo.” Nick said. “

His words felt like a stab through the heart.

“They wanted me to marry King Bernard, you know?” I said, finding it difficult to even talk about it.

Nickeltinker’s eyes widened, “Really?”

I nodded, “Four years ago, when King Bernard’s first wife died. I was fifteen. It turned out Bernard was so busy trying to sire an heir that he wanted a woman that had already had a child, just to be sure. Ever since, I knew I had to play this game right, because otherwise, I might end up married to someone I don’t even slightly want.”

“It sucks to be a princess.” Nick mumbled. “I may be a thief, but at least I’m free.”

Sudden sadness took over me, “Love is taught, you know? My parents didn’t marry out of love, but they loved each other in the end.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Nick smiled.

I looked through the crowd, hoping to see a certain shadowman either in front of me or in the back of my mind.

“Where’s Rixen?” I asked, not entirely sure whom.

“Oh, your Grace.” Nick offered a gentle smile. “I think he went after that girl.”

I didn’t know whether it was the liquor, or the magic that inevitably began to resurface, but I tugged at the connection Rixen and I shared, just to see where he was, what he was doing.

“I’m missing something, aren’t I?” Nick asked. “There’s something going on between you and the shadowman.”

The room suddenly became too warm. I felt Rixen in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t see him. I felt his emotions, though. My heart picked up the pace. Or was it his?

“There’s some sort of a curse on us.” I sighed. “Rixen thinks it’s a residue from the spell Ace threw five hundred years ago back in Orathia. The curse binds us together, because Rixen and I have what it takes to unlock the tome in Orathia.”

“Ha!” Nick leaned against the backrest. “Magic sounds sneaky.”

“And it’s complicating my life in more than one way.” I murmured right before my vision blurred, this time to pull me into Rixen’s head. “Pretend you’re talking to me.” I said to Nick as everything turned black.

And then I was in Rixen’s body, my heart pounding loudly against my ribcage, or his ribcage. Emotions rippled through him, none of them clear. There was excitement, and anger, and jealousy, all tightly bound together in something of massive power.

Something that made him kiss the redheaded Brusilda fiercely, shushing her moans. I felt her skin under his fingers and how her soft lips melted. But he was focused inwardly, his mind was elsewhere.

I felt like an intruder, like I’ve entered another forbidden area of his mind, where I could see his hopes and dreams and deepest desires.

And there, I saw myself.

With each stroke against Brusilda’s skin, Rixen saw me.

Me, when I first showed up in Bastia, anger shining in my eyes when I looked at him. Me, with my scheming eyes in the forest. Me, when I took my robe off in front of him and leaned into his touch.

His feelings washed over me, entrancing me, capturing me. He was angry and jealous. And nostalgic. Almost like he wished for something out of his reach, something that could never be.

But he was still kissing her instead of me.

And it filled me with such indescribable rage. Something primal and possessive, as if something utterly and completely mine was being taken away from me.

No, something that should have been mine, but it would – could – never be.

The sheer power of my own emotions pushed me out of his head. I blinked a couple of times, finding myself back inside the tavern, with confused Nickeltinker on the opposite side.

My heart thudded in my throat and my fingers shook as I gulped a few mouthfuls of ale greedily.

“Uh...” Nick chuckled nervously. “You just magicked something.”

“I think I just entered Rixen’s mind in a whole different way.” I squeezed my fingers anxiously.

Underneath the panic, I sensed the change, like I crossed an invisible line that I should have never even come close to. And there was no going back now.

“He’s not going to like that.” Nick mumbled. “I better get out of here.”

“Thanks, floran.” I squinted as the green-skinned boy stood up, took his ale and slowly, but surely walked away from me.

I couldn’t stay here, either.

So, I walked to the exit, my two feet unsteady, blood pumping through my swollen ankle. I passed the staircase that quite possibly led to where Rixen was with his new lover and stumbled outside, into the cold night and chilly air. I felt trouble stirring in my mind and my heart.

With so much liquor in my veins and the slight pang of premonition that bit my insides, I didn’t trust myself not to react, not to do something reckless.

“You!” Rixen’s voice rang through my skull. “Get out of my head!”

I turned around, catching him completely off-guard, his hair rustled and his tunic unbuttoned and the white scars on his chest visible under the pale light of the moon. A sort of mania seeped off him.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“You don’t get to do this!” He shouted. “You have Danilo and you have your werewolf. Go and trick them into wanting you. I’m not your toy!”

“I was nothing but honest with you.” I said in return, not sure whether to feel guilty, angry or ashamed. “You know everything about me!”

“You know what’s your problem, Irina?” Rixen asked, his tone rapidly changing into serious, defeated. “You think everyone should be in love with you. And if they’re not, you’re going to do whatever is in your power to change that. Because you’re selfish, and entitled, and quite frankly, you don’t care whom you hurt along the way.”

Tears burned in the corners of my eyes. His words felt like acid poured over my soul. And yet-

“You knew that.” I said. “You know who I am. You know I want to marry Danilo and have some fun before I do that. You have no reason to be surprised. I told you the truth.”

Rixen’s eyes turned cold, “I guess I concocted my own lies.”

And then the connection between us went quiet. He pulled up his walls, cutting me off. Where there used to be his presence, now was nothing but silence and emptiness.