Reckless

"The truth is, you don't want this peace." The King sounded edgy, and Hentzau bowed his head like an old wolf to the leader of his pack. "You'd rather slaughter them all. Every single one of them. Men, women, children."



"Yes, that's right," Hentzau replied hoarsely. "Because as long as even one of them is alive, they'll want to do the same to us. Postpone the wedding for one day. Until the reinforcements get here."



The King pulled his gloves over his claws. They were made from the leather of the snakes that dwelled deep under the earth, where the heat melted even the skin of the Goyl hunters. The Fairy had told Will about the snakes. She had described it all to him — the avenues of the dead, the sandstone waterfalls, the underground lakes and amethyst meadows. He couldn't wait to see all those wonders with his own eyes.



The King reached for his helmet and brushed the saurian spikes that adorned it. Feathers for the humans, spikes for the Goyl. "You know exactly what they will say. ‘The Goyl fear us, now that he can no longer hide behind his lover's skirt. We always knew he only won the war because of her.’"



Hentzau said nothing.



"You see? You know I'm right." The King turned his back on Hentzau. Will quickly lowered his head as the King stepped toward him.



"I was with her when she dreamed of you," he said. "I saw your face in her eyes. How can one dream of something that has not yet happened?" Of a man one has never met? Or did she dream you into existence for me? Did she sow all that petrified flesh only to reap you?"



Will's grip tightened around the hilt of his saber. "I thing something in us knows the answers, Majesty," he said, "but there are no words for them. I will not disappoint you; that is all I know. And I swear to it."



The King looked at Hentzau.



"Will you listen to that? My jade shadow isn't mute, after all. So you taught him not only to fight?" He smiled at Will. "What did she tell you? That you must stay by my side, even during the vows?"



Will felt Hentzau's milky gaze like hoarfrost on his skin.



"Is that what she told you?" the King repeated.



Will nodded.



"Then that's how it shall be," Kami’en said, turning back to Hentzau. "Have the horses readied. The King of the Goyl is taking a human wife."



50



Beauty And The Beast



A wedding. A daughter in payment, and a white dress to hide all the bloody battlefields. The morning sun made the cathedral windows glow blue, green, red, and golden. Jacob was standing behind one of the garlanded columns, watching as the pews filled with guests. He was wearing the uniform of an imperial guardsman. The soldier he had taken it from was lying trussed up in an alley behind the cathedral. Nobody noticed the new face; there were so many of them posted all over the massive church, flecks of white in the sea of color that was filling the cathedral. The Goyl, however, looked as though the stones of the cathedral had taken human form. The cool air was probably not to their liking, but the dim light, which not even the thousands of dripping candles could brighten, was ideal for them. Will wouldn't have to hide his eyes behind onyx glasses as he carried out his new duties. The Jade Goyl Your brother, Jacob.



He felt for the golden ball in his pocket. "Not before the wedding is over." It would be hard to wait that long. Jacob had hardly slept the past three nights, and his arm hurt from the bit with which the Fox had driven the waneslime poison from his veins.



Waiting...



He saw Valiant and Clara come with Fox down the center aisle. The Dwarf had shaved himself again, and not even any of the imperial ministers sitting in the front row were better dressed than he was. Fox looked around. Her face lit up when she spotted Jacob between the columns, but the very next moment the anxiety was back. Fox didn't like his plan, of course. He didn't think much of it himself, but this was his only chance. Once Will followed the King and his bride back into the underground fortress, the Dark Fairy would never get to prove that she could break her own spell.



There was a roar from outside the cathedral, as if the huge crowd on the square had been stirred by the wind.



Finally. They were here.



Goyl, Dwarfs, and humans all turned around to stare at the garlanded portal.



The groom. He took off his black glasses and stood on the threshold. A murmur rose as Will appeared next to him. Carnelian and jade. They seemed made for each other, so much so that Jacob had to remind himself that his brother's face hadn't always been made of stone. Including Will, there were six bodyguards who flanked the King. And Hentzau.



The organ on the balcony struck up a wedding march, and the Goyl began to walk toward the altar. Even through their stone skins, they must have felt the wave of hatred surging around them, but the groom looked as relaxed as if he were in his hanging palace and not in the heart of his enemies' capital.



Will passed close enough to Clara and Fox that they could've touched him. Clara's face became rigid with pain, and Fox put an arm around her shoulder.



The groom had just reached the steps in front of the altar when the Empress arrived. Her ivory dress would have done credit even to the bride. The four Dwarfs carrying her train pointedly ignored the groom, but the Empress gave him a benevolent smile before proceeding up the steps and disappearing behind the screen of carved roses that surrounded the royal enclosure to the left of the altar. Therese of Austry had always been a magnificent actress.



The bride would be next.



Once upon a time, there was an Empress who had lost a war. But the Empress had a daughter...



Not even the organ could drown out the roar outside announcing Amalie's arrival. Whatever the crowds on the street thought about the groom, a royal wedding was still a good occasion to cheer and dream of better times.



The princess wore her Fairy-lily beauty like a mask, but nonetheless Jacob thought he could detect something akin to happiness on those all-too-perfect features. Her eyes fixed upon her stony groom as if it had been she, not her mother, who had selected him.



Kami’en awaited her with a smile. "The Jade Goyl must remain by his side until the wedding is over."



Walk faster, Jacob wanted to shout at the princess. Get it over with. Her mother's highest-ranking general, who was leading the bride to the altar, was obviously in no rush.



Jacob looked at the Empress. Four of her guards stood in front of the enclosure and the Dwarfs. And there was also her adjutant. Donnersmarck. He was whispering something into the Empress's ear. They both looked up at the balcony, but Jacob still didn't realize what was going on. Blind and dumb, Jacob.



The first shot rang out after the princess had barely walked a dozen steps down the aisle. It came from a sniper hidden next to the organ on the balcony, and it was obviously aimed at the King, but Will pushed him aside in time. The second shot missed Will by less than an inch. The third shot hit Hentzau. And the Dark Fairy was caged in a skin of willow bark in the imperial gardens. Well done, Jacob. They used you like a trained dog.



The Empress had obviously kept her assassination plans not only from her daughter. Her ministers were desperately ducking behind the thin wood paneling of their pews. The princess had stopped, and she was looking straight up at her mother. The general leading her tried to pull her away, but both of them were swept along by the screaming guests as they crowded out of the pews. But where could they go? The great doors had been locked. The Empress was obviously hoping to rid herself of a few unwanted subjects as well as the King of the Goyl.