Chapter 82

CHARLES

I flew swiftly into the night, leaving the hidden encampment below me.

So Isabella had not been successful. Pity. She was a nice girl, desperate for a place to belong. I knew exactly which strings of her to pull to get her on my side, and it had all worked out splendidly. She needed to feel valuable and appreciated–two things my brother had never made her feel.

She was fully domesticated to my cause, and the fact that she had been willing to poison Felix only proved that her hatred of him ran deep.

It helped her standing in my eyes that she had been surprisingly wild and bold during our tryst the other night. I had never been with a woman as eager as Isabella, and that memory of her writhing against me had kept me up the last few nights.

There was no time to imagine another round with her right now, although a part of me wished I had not rushed out of my tent so quickly. Instead, I directed Hades towards the Mystic Mountains, and off we flew.

The Mystic Mountains were an ancient mountain range that some claimed were older than the oceans. They were the birthplace of magic, their forests rumored to hold all the secrets to the magical world. It was dangerous to enter these mountains–there were many stories of explorers getting lost in the hills, never to be seen again.

The only person I knew who had been to the Mystic Mountains was Esmeralda, and even she refused to speak of her time there.

Still, I was desperate. I hoped that the mountains would provide some kind of idea or answer to taking over the throne. Perhaps those infamous trees would sense my need for a miracle.

Hades glided to a small clearing near the peak of the tallest mountains. As we landed, I sent out a small pulse of magic, just to see if there was any danger nearby.

All I could feel was the deep, old magic of this mountain, like a chill that went all the way down to my bones.

I allowed Hades to take a moment to rest and set out exploring on foot.

There was not much that made these woods different from others I had been in, but the air was thicker, somehow. There was not a breeze, and yet it did not feel still. I had the increasing sensation that I was being watched, but I also somehow knew that I would be left alone as long as I did not cause any trouble.

I had no idea for how long I had been wandering when I came upon a larger clearing, this time, sloped into the side of the mountain.

Across the clearing from me was a small stone door, barely my height, that led deeper into the mountain.

As soon as I saw it, I stopped in my tracks. There was something about it that drew me in, as if this was the exact thing I had been searching for all along.

I stared at the stone door for a moment, feeling it pulsate with magic. Whatever was behind that door, it was a power unlike anything I had ever felt.

I approached the stone. Etched above the handle were a few old runes. I said a quiet prayer of thanks that Esmeralda had always insisted that Felix and I study ancient texts, because it was easy for me to read the three words, spelled out like a welcome–or a warning.

LIBRARY OF MAGIC.

There was no use in debating whether it was safe to enter. So I did.

The door easily opened for me, revealing a dimly lit space. Next to the door was a lantern and a set of matches. I sighed and lit the lantern, desperate for a chance to examine what exactly it was I was looking at.

As soon as I raised the lantern, the library came to life. Lanterns that were scattered around the ceiling lit by themselves, and it felt like the room was somehow holding its breath in anticipation.

The magic in here felt older than the woods, somehow, as if I was in the birthplace of magic itself.

There was a scroll on the wall next to the lantern, and I peered at it.

Welcome to the Library of Magic, home to all of the knowledge of the magical world. Only those beings that have been blessed with a magical bloodline will be able to enter through its doors.

So my Dragon Knight blood was the only thing protecting me. Interesting.

The Library was created by the very first magical being, a witch from ancient times. It is designed to help the seeker of knowledge find what it is they are looking for. Simply speak aloud what subject you wish to research and the library will find books for you.

Good. I didn’t have any time to waste going through shelves.

Once one has entered the Library of Magic, they cannot speak of its existence to another living soul, lest they be cursed for eternity.

That was fine. I had zero intentions of revealing this place to anyone I knew, even the men I was trusting to lead my army. This was my secret to keep.

I looked around the library. Although it seemed silly to speak the words out loud, it might be the only way I could find what I was looking for.

“Dragon Knights,” I declared, and then quickly followed up with, “Curse.”

A ripple went through the room. Then, from the farthest corner, a small book flew off its shelf and drifted over to me. I plucked it out of the air and looked at the cover in amazement.

THE DRAGON KNIGHT AND THE DESTINED BRIDE

It was exactly what I was looking for. I sat down at the small tables and started to read.

The first chapter was a brief history of Dragon Knights, mainly focusing on the Fresonian bloodline. It was nothing new to me, as this was information that had been drilled into me since I was a child.

It was when I flipped to the second chapter that things got interesting.

When Prince Felix II was born to King Ivan and Queen Rowena, there was immediate confusion and worry. He was born with an odd purple stone around his neck, signifying a curse that was in his very bloodstream. Should he fail to find his Destined Bride before his 30th birthday, he shall die.

I frowned. No one outside our immediate family knew of the curse, with the exception of Isabella and Esmeralda. Even our staff was kept unaware. How was it possible that someone knew enough about it to write a book?

Evidence suggests that the curse was placed on Prince Felix centuries prior, by a great and powerful enchantress. Her magic withstood the test of time to manifest with his birth.

An enchantress? That was new. Esmeralda thought it was somehow related to the throne, or the gift of being a dragon rider, but we had never uncovered who exactly placed the spell. Frantically, I kept reading.

The marriage between the Dragon Knight and his Destined Bride is not enough to break the curse. It is only when he–

My jaw dropped as I continued reading.

The marriage would not be enough. Felix was still going to die.