《You Cannot Bargain With The Night》


 My Name is Nyx

    I once tried to get a normal job.


    ¡°And what are your skills?¡± asked the dryad in front of me, her lovingly long green wings fluttering behind her.


    Nothing like mine, torn and grey.


    ¡°Um,¡± I said, ¡°wielding the dagger?¡±


    Turns out that wasn¡¯t the correct answer for the job of a forest keeper. So that¡¯s how I wound up here.


    I look around myself.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Under me, bodies of other fae are piled up. I stand above them all, victorious, my dark cape flutters behind me, hiding my frail moth-like wings, ripped and fragile. My gray skin shines in the sunlight, barely withstanding it. Short red hair is nested atop my head, covering my little horns.


    I am so much smaller than all of them, yet they are on the floor, and I stand victorious.


    A pixie. They were beaten by a pixie.


    Ten of competitors, one winner. Who will be the next personal guard of the Spring Lord?


    It¡¯s me.


    ¡°Show yourself,¡± the Lord commands me.


    I smile and pull my hood down, then look at him.


    There is a gasp between the gathered fey lord and ladies.


    ¡°A changeling!¡± someone screams.


    ¡°A member of the Unseelie Court!¡± Another shocked yell.


    I laugh.


    My name is Nyx.


    Do not forget me.


    Please.

 Dont Forget Who You Are

    I look at them with my bright eyes and a cocky smirk on my face. The looks on their faces are shocked, perplexed; there is disbelief among all of them.


    I watch for the Lord¡¯s reaction, yearning to see even slightest expression on his stoic face. He is a Leptira; leader of one of the eldest fae clans.


    More screams and flabbergasted gasps erupt.


    ¡°Your Fairness, please, you cannot be serious!¡±


    ¡°She must be executed! She is a changeling, it¡¯s obvious as a day!¡±


    And I wonder what makes it so obvious? Is it my wings, as thin as paper that was chewed on by moths, unsuitable for flight, dry from lack of the pixie dust? Is it my greyish skin? My eyes like two slits, my piercing teeth, the little horns on the top of my head? My red hair, red like flame? My small frame?


    I just grin at all of them, showing a set of sharp teeth, and they all take a step back. I almost growl at them, playfully so, but decide not to. I¡¯d love to provoke them, but maybe that¡¯s better left for another day. Right now, I need something from them¡­ and the Lord needs something from me.


    I put my hooked blades back and bow to the Lord as I stand atop a pile of the bodies. ¡°My Lord,¡± I sing, ¡°you told me to best them all, and so I did. I don¡¯t remember any rules against changelings competing.¡±


    He hasn¡¯t said a word so far. He is studying me, I can see it. Deciding whether to trust me or not.


    ¡°Your Fairness!¡± Someone else has decided to protest. Multiple voices mix and echo and I give them all an amused look.


    ¡°You can never know what she could do! Shift into your daughter, into you, kill you in your bed!¡±


    I almost laugh. Sounds very interesting. I almost shift in front of them, just to scare them.


    But no. I¡¯ve never stooped to such lowly tactics, I¡¯ve never cheated. If I am going to beat the fate, I plan to do it fair and square, and I plan to watch the fate cower in despair as I wipe the damn smirk off her face. Spinsters that spun the threads at my birth may be damned, all three of them. Who do they think I am, to follow their thread?


    ¡°I think you should let the Lord speak,¡± I tell them. Everyone goes silent, like I¡¯ve bitten them. It¡¯s laughable. And pathetic.


    ¡°Lord¡­¡± someone else tries.


    The Spring Lord stands tall - his black beard nicely cut, his long black hair cascading down his shoulders, tied up into a loose bun at the end. It¡¯s in contrast with his pink wings, resembling sakura blossoms. His eyes are so dark brown they appear almost black; staring at me, judging me. I hold my head high.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.Next to him stands Biela. I already know who she is. Word travels far. Bad word even faster than a good one. The Whip of the Court, as they call her.


    She is looking at me suspiciously, her gaze sharp, like she is the jury and the judge and the executioner. I keep my head high - I will not bow to the likes of her. She smartly keeps her mouth shut, lips pressed together, just one tight strait line on her face.


    I bow to the Lord. ¡°I can leave, if needed. Nothing out of my pocket.¡± Well let¡¯s see what other assassin- pardon, guard, he would find, if not me. He just taps his beard, thinking things over.


    ¡°I did say I¡¯d accept the one who bests them all,¡± at last he says. He gives me a look, as if he¡¯s trying to stare into the depths of my soul. Well, I won¡¯t let him do that. ¡°She¡¯s bested them all. So¡­ what is your name?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Nyx.¡± The night. ¡°If it pleases you.¡±


    ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then I get my things and fly off.¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t fly,¡± someone snorts.


    I want to bite them so hard that I leave a mark that gets passed through generations.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t underestimate me,¡± I just stick my tongue out at them.


    They flinch. They barely believe I can speak, let anything else.


    Biela leans over to whisper something to the Lord. I intently watch her every move. She is a danger, a problem - and from what I¡¯ve heard, a damn smart problem. The worst kind.


    He frowns a bit. ¡°No,¡± he tells her. ¡°I made a promise. Besides¡­¡±


    He looks at me. ¡°I trust her.¡±


    Bad decision.


    ¡°Why?¡± I blurt out. Why did I ask that? I might as well stick a huge ¡®UNTRUSTWORTHY¡¯ paper on my forehead.


    ¡°Because you are here for something.¡±


    He¡¯s right. He can see that I¡¯m uninterested in killing him or taking his position or being his doppelganger. He nods.


    ¡°Bring out the royal cloak,¡± he orders. A few fae begrudgingly leave to obey his bidding. When they return, they carry a pink cloak, made of silk, with emblem of the Leptirae court, the Court of Spring and Blossoms.


    I smirk.


    They approach me, a bit suspicious, like they¡¯re scared I will actually bite them. I resist the urge to playfully snap my teeth at them and instead get down on one knee. None of them want to cloak me.


    ¡°Now, Nyx¡­¡± the Lord speaks as the fae keep their distance and throw the cloak over me, ¡°By Celestia¡¯s grace, by grace of gods old and new, I welcome you to my Court, to serve as a protector of the royal name, the royal crown, and the royalty itself. You kneel as a bandit, but you rise as a member of my guard, equal to my other guards in all regards.¡±


    ¡°Not if you ask me,¡± Biela mumbles under her breath, but I hear her just fine. I rise, my head and chin held high, as I watch them all. They are disgusted.


    ¡°Whatever you put on yourself¡­ don¡¯t forget who and what you are,¡± one of the fae hisses into my ear.


    I chuckle.


    Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t.

 Cold Revenge? You Could Die While It Cools Off

    The Sun rolls behind the clouds, reflecting the pink colours of the sakura trees around the court. The petals have covered the ground. The trees are tended to with fae magic - they never go naked, they never lose their shine or beauty, even in the midst of the winter. It¡¯s autumn now, though. They shed their flowers, white and rose petals mixing together in the air as they fall. I see one of the fae performing his magic on the tree after tree.


    I cannot perform magic. Not on my own, at the very least. But I don¡¯t care; I wouldn¡¯t use it even if I could. There is only one thing I¡¯d actually use it for, but that thing¡­ it cannot be cured with magic alone.


    As I am led to the room assigned to me, I feel my feet become heavier and heavier, the roots of my disease taking toll. I hiss under my breath. It won¡¯t be long before I collapse, weighed down by my own fossilizing bones.


    ¡°Something matter?¡± Biela quirks her brow. I just shake my head. ¡°I heard hissing.¡±


    I follow her. I don¡¯t plan to reveal my weakness, not to the likes of her, or what I¡¯m actually doing here.


    I am aware of my sickness. It follows me wherever I go like a parasite I cannot get rid of. It gnaws at my bones, fossilizes them, weighs me down. It¡¯s a malicious disease which takes, its scythe not caring whether it slaughters guilty or the innocent. It¡¯s called Lapis.


    There is no cure for it.


    Well, not until I find it, and I for sure plan to.


    I walk on, refusing to let it slow me down, though my feet feel like I am dying. It¡¯s easier during the night, but I had to wake up early for the past few days because of the competition.


    ¡°Do you want to pair up?¡± Ashee asks me.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    We did not pair up. I work alone, and I like it that way. I used to have a crew but¡­ well, just like Lapis, they weigh you down.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Biela says and stops in front the doors. They seem nice, thick wood. I almost salivate. I haven¡¯t slept on a proper bed in months, as many months as I have been adventuring. Oh how I miss the soft caress of a lovely proper bed.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nod like I sleep in palaces every day. I open the doors; they don¡¯t even creak. Oh now that¡¯s fancy.


    I am immediately greeted by the sight of a beautiful bed with white sheets, silk covering it. I yearn to just jump on it and wrap myself in the sheets and neeever leave it.


    There¡¯s a fae making the bed, stretching the silky sheets over the frame. I blink.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Allure. Your maid. Though I don¡¯t think you need one.¡±


    Oh she for sure would think I don¡¯t. What, am I worse than all those posh lords and ladies?


    Allure immediately runs out before I even get a good look at her.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I am a royal guard now. Treat me with more respect.¡± I put hands on my hips and look at Biela from high above¡­ though it¡¯s not really high above, considering she is at least half a meter taller than me. Bitch. Tall fae always annoyed me. They have this way of looking at us pixies like we are less worthy than them. Well, I don¡¯t see myself as such, and I don¡¯t plan to let some ¡®royal adviser¡¯ on schooling me either.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll go sleep now.¡± I step forward, when she suddenly yanks my hand back.


    ¡°The Lord may trust you,¡± she hisses, ¡°but I do not. You are here for a reason and I plan to figure out which. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°You are a very suspicious fae,¡± I snort and rise my head higher. ¡°What exactly do you find suspicious about me? An adventurer who got tired of sleeping and eating in dirty inns and is looking for a more permanent employment?¡±


    ¡°You know well what you are.¡±


    With that, she lets my hand go and takes a step back. I glare at her.


    Finally she backs away and heads down the hall and I slam the door behind me. Annoying.


    I leap on the bed like a pounce cat and inhale in pleasure as the cold pillow hits my face. Oh that¡¯s good.


    I roll on my back, spread my wings, flutter them a bit. They are painful and dry. They don¡¯t produce enough pixie dust.


    Finally I remember: I am starving. To upkeep even this bit of dust that I have, I must eat.


    A lot.


    Unbelievably lot for a pixie.


    ¡°What are you, a garbage can?¡± Flay asks me as he watches me stuff entire shroomboar into my mouth.


    ¡°Ya, what you gonna do about it?¡±


    I get up and open the door to find Allure briskly walking as far away from the doors as she possibly can.


    ¡°Hey, maid?¡±


    She immediately turns and bows, a bit frightened. I can imagine that she was not pleased with news of being assigned to a changeling bandit/assassin who apparently bites and steals your teeth or whatever they say about us. Fae can be creative folks when they want to be.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s there to eat?¡±


    ***


    My belly full, I fall asleep amidst plates of food. All fae food is covered in fairy dust. Most fae can synthesize it in their bodies. I cannot.


    I am a changeling. I was swapped as a child. Born sickly, my parents didn¡¯t want me - instead, they cursed me, and swapped me with a human babe. A healthy and beautiful one. Not like my ragged face with a long scar stretching over my eye and cheek, or eyes that sometimes twitch.


    I have no idea who my parents were.


    But boy, do I want to know.


    There¡¯s always a reason for revenge. And I believe mine is a good one.


    Who leaves a child behind? Do they think I am just some thing they can leave and pick up as needed? No, they left me to face that horrible life on Earth on my own. I started out as a normal toddler.


    It was only later when I started seeing my reflection in the mirror change.


    My little horns grew. Wings developed. I asked my parents: do you see these things? No, they didn¡¯t. They ascribed it to childish imagination, like I was insane for even thinking it. But I could see all those changes.


    When fae decide to swap us, they seek help from the Unseelie Court to place a curse on us which would allow us to change shape, so that we wouldn¡¯t appear suspicious to humans. Most changelings die quite young anyway. It¡¯s impossible to survive without fairy dust which is found in fae food and naturally in their bodies. Kinda like iron.


    But oh boy, they underestimated me. Rage keeps me alive and going, and from the moment I figured out what was going on, I made it my mission to get to the fae land. And I succeeded.


    Revenge is best served cold? You might as well die while it cools off. Rage powered me.


    A changeling is a rare sight in Vilaria, the fae land. For obvious reasons, of course.


    License to kill is always in order. We are dangerous, we cannot be trusted¡­ those are all things they say about us, but it¡¯s not that far away from the truth. Who wouldn¡¯t be like that after being practically abandoned to die or to live in misery?


    However, where there is will, there is way - and I found mine.

 Not The Only Cursed One

    I wake up refreshed. The sun brightly shines into my eyes and I groan. Oh right, this is my new life. Life of daylight. I am not quite pleased with it, but I think I might flip it around eventually. Just gotta give the Lord a few days to get used to my presence and then I can start trading in favors.


    I stretch and do some exercises - mostly wings related. I can¡¯t let them get too stiff - it¡¯d be painful. I might not be able to fly because of a combination of my nature and Lapis, but they¡¯d still bother me when running. I groan and growl and hiss as I shake and stretch them.


    Allure knocks on my doors.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I yell.


    She enters, a bit frightened.


    ¡°Snap!¡± I snap my teeth at her and she squeaks and moves back.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± I laugh. ¡°I won¡¯t eat you. Do you seriously believe that?¡±


    She just bites her lip, worried. I take a better look at her. She is another Leptira, her wings white and long. I know that Sylphs have caste system based on wings, but I never found out if Leptirae have the same thing, concerning colors and tones. Who knows. I noticed the Lord and his daughter both have colorful wings, pink and decorated with yellows and greens.


    Mine are void of color.


    She¡¯s wearing a simple outfit, a silk-made dress. As fitting for a maid. Well I could stand to be nicer to a working comrade, but seriously? Screw that. I am at the Court now, and I plan to make it count.


    ¡°So?¡± I burp a bit from the heavy dinner last night. I am immediately hungry too. ¡°¡­I hope there¡¯s breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, yes¡­¡± She nods. ¡°Yes, indeed. I have brought you some temporary clothes too.¡± She places a bundle of fabric on the bed and immediately steps back, as if scared.


    ¡°I told you already, I won¡¯t bite you!¡±


    She doesn¡¯t look convinced.


    ¡°Mistress Biela has instructed me to take you to the seamstress later.¡± She bows a bit and flutters her wing.


    Oh I forgot about that. I do the same. She looks scandalized.


    ¡°You are- aren¡¯t supposed to do that to me, a maid!¡± She quickly shushes me. ¡°You are a guard now¡­ there is a different type of etiquette for you.¡± She¡¯s flustered. I can immediately see that this matters to her a great deal.


    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well, you have to bow this way¡­¡± she shows me and then salutes with her hand and claps her wing back.


    I can see she¡¯s having fun.


    ¡°Oh, well versed in the guard etiquette?¡±


    She blushes and looks away. ¡°I have to be. It¡¯s my duty.¡±


    When I take a better look at her, I can see muscle under her silk gown sleeves. Ah, so, she has been training.


    ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± is all I say. I don¡¯t have time to go around helping maids become knights.


    There is a bit of awkward silence between us.


    ¡°So. Breakfast?¡±


    Biela is somewhere out there having a heart attack seeing how much food their new guard can eat.


    ¡°Oh, and,¡± Allure sheepishly says, ¡°Master Aspen requires your presence at the training grounds.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah.¡±


    ***


    The training grounds are located outside. I never got a proper education in athletics or sword fighting - I just kinda picked up my skills from all the different fae I¡¯ve seen battle in my bandit- I mean adventurer days. Lots of useful things. The guards who are trained in chivalry just cannot compete with the quick and dirty fight styles of common fae.


    The Lord may not even know he got more than he bargained for. After all, all those competitors for the position were from good families. Oops. It was not exactly supposed to be a battle to death, but I didn¡¯t want to risk anyone taking my spot for being ¡®of the right birth¡¯. These lords and ladies may feel safe in their fortresses, but what about us?


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.Luckily, or perhaps unluckily for the other commoner fae, I don¡¯t plan on raising revolutions or anything. I am more occupied with my own issues.


    I step on the training grounds and squint my eyes at the sun. It¡¯s risen high - too high for my tastes, and it¡¯s only 10 am. It¡¯s the end of summer, almost autumn - and dammit, I am glad that it is. I can¡¯t stand the sun.


    I stand the heat better than the cold though. Another perks of traveling at night during summer days - you get the lovely embrace of the heat without any sun radiation. My skin is not made for it. It¡¯s paper-thin, suspectable to cuts. I had to learn to dodge well and dodge quickly to protect myself. Cuts can take days to heal, and I¡¯d rather not deal with that.


    ¡°There,¡± Zaria, a Dryad, smiles at me as she bandages my hand. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine now, Nyx.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡±


    I wish I could thank her properly. But I can¡¯t.


    I can feel him before I see him. Suddenly there is a presence behind me, a sharp shadow. Two blades immediately manifest in my hands and I turn around and parry the spear aiming for my neck. I block the attack and the spear gets caught in the hook of my weapons - I spin and try to wrestle it out of the attacker¡¯s grasp.


    The fae flies forward. He is fast. I prepare for another attack and sure it comes - he charges at me with his spear, his black wings just a shadow as he flies at high speed towards me. I keep my blades down, before I rise them when everyone thinks it¡¯s too late.


    I try to cut the spear in half, but it doesn¡¯t budge - it¡¯s made of metal. I thought it was gold from the way it shined, but it¡¯s not. Dammit, must be fake gold from Kobolds.


    Their motto is, after all, ¡®gold in peace, steel in war¡¯. Seems it¡¯s also gold in war as well.


    But the fae attacking me isn¡¯t a Kobold. I can¡¯t pinpoint him either - he is just a flying smudge. I can sense his attack from behind - and instead of turning, I throw my blade down and then kick it with my leg behind - together with sand.


    He flies up. Laughter erupts from him.


    There are claps. The danger has passed. The fae lands before me, spinning his spear. I brace myself for another battle and frown.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry. What¡¯s done is done,¡± he chuckles.


    He¡¯s young. Older than me for sure, though. Maybe somewhere in his twenties. Middle twenties, if I had to guess. His dark, black, curly hair encompasses his face. It¡¯s kept short.


    Good choice for a guard. That¡¯s part of a reason why I keep mine like that as well. It doesn¡¯t get in the eyes. Nobody can pull it either.


    His wings are black and meaty, accompanied with a lower part.


    I quirk my brow.


    ¡°Good job, rookie.¡± He leans on his spear and smiles. ¡°Just wanted to see what you were like.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t watch the tournament? How irresponsible for the leader of Lord¡¯s guards.¡±


    He winks. ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see ya.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    I frown. Why didn¡¯t I see him?


    Finally, I notice the rattles on his lower wings. ¡°You¡¯re a Zmia. A form of Dryad. You were probably slithering around somewhere in your snake form.¡±


    Seems like I wasn¡¯t the only cursed one here.


    He laughs. ¡°Sharp eye. The name is Aspen.¡± Fae don¡¯t handshake. Instead he flutters his wings in a cheery and friendly manner. I don¡¯t flutter mine - partially because it hurts, partially because his open demeanor annoys me. Right from the start.


    ¡°This is the rest of the lot. Eh?¡± He smirks at the rest of the guards. Most of them are Leptirae though I see some other types as well. I wonder how they got here. It¡¯s unusual for fae to mix. The Courts are quite strictly separated. Some more than the others.


    There is an eternal fight for the power. The Seelie Court, the one that oversees everything, where the fae King and Queen reside, is separated from the realm. It¡¯s possible to access it via a portal in the Court of Stars and Moons, where the lunarie live. They are a type of celestial fae and very annoying know-it-alls with their telescopes and books and the knowledge they hoard. I wish to tell them that the Earthlings have surpassed them by light years, but there is no much use - the stars on Earth and Vilaria are completely different. Two separate realms.


    And the Seelie realm beyond both of the reaches.


    I just cross my arms and look at them. None of them impress me.


    ¡°So, how about we see some of those skills of yours?¡± Aspen leans on his spear. I know he thinks he is so cool with that chest cut where his bronze skin shows. Well, those charms don¡¯t work on me.


    ¡°Oro! Kora! Your turn!¡± He spins his spear and immediately flies into the sky.


    I don¡¯t even get to react before two guards launch at me.

 Speculations Ive Heard

    The Sylph, Oro, flies up - Kora, the Dryad, dives down. I wonder what the hell are they even doing here.


    I grab both of my blades. Suddenly, the Dryad dives out the ground and grabs my legs, trying to knock me down - but I¡¯m ready, I parry her with my blade. At the same time my other hand lifts into the air to block the upcoming attack from the above, that damned Sylph being a fast flier. Sylphs usually are.


    If you ask me, one of the most annoying species there are.


    ¡­I mean, if you ask me, all of them are annoying.


    Our blades clash and I manage to fight them both off. However, the sun blinds me for a second - and Oro uses that to attack me from the side, as Kora grabs my feet once again. I topple down but not before launching my blade at that damned sky-bird. It misses.


    ¡°You missed!¡± He laughs as he dodges.


    ¡°Oh did I?¡±


    I tug the thin, almost invisible string that ties the blade to my hand - it immediately returns, wrapping around Oro¡¯s wings in process. He shrieks and tries to struggle free.


    ¡°What is-?!¡±


    Magician never reveals his tricks.


    In fact, it¡¯s enchanted spider web. It¡¯s unbreakable. A little thing I stole from the Dryads on my travel through the Shum forest.


    Kora flinches - it seems I¡¯ve shaken her up. Her hold on me relents and I use the chance to kick her with my foot. Oro starts falling down in a spiral - and I yank my string, sending him to the side. He rotates. He¡¯s trying to free himself but my blade¡¯s weight keeps the string securely locked around him.


    The Dryad yelps as I kick her. Oro lands on the tree and manages to free himself; throwing the blade back at me. With a swift movement of my wrist, I wrap it around the branch he stands on. Kora seems to have regained composure. She utters a few words and rises her hands.


    Vines start wrapping around my legs. Damned Dryads and their magic. Gods gave them this crap in exchange for their wings.


    In the last moment I pull myself up by the string - and immediately I start falling as Oro cuts the branch with his sword and flies up, breathing hard.


    Nevermind, I cannot fly, but I can get by just fine. I throw my second blade and wrap it around another branch and use it as a vine to propel myself around the tree stump and jump on one of the other branches. Kora freezes.


    She hasn¡¯t noticed that my other blade is aiming at her with the branch in the tow, ready to cut her lovely face.


    ¡°!!!¡± Oro tries to change his direction, to fly towards her and save her.


    Foolish. Protecting others doesn¡¯t get you far in this line of work. I laugh at his naivety and while he is turned to me with his back, dislodge the blade from where it¡¯s stuck and throw it right at him, it heading straight for his neck¡­


    CLASH, the blade is thrown away mid-air. I catch both of the blades as they return to my hands. I look at the culprit. Aspen is fluttering between me and his two students.


    What a fast flier. I almost whistle, impressed, but instead I jump off the tree and land softly on the ground.


    A cute nickname they once gave me was ¡®The Cat Burglar¡¯. I liked that one.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Oro helps Kora get up. She nods, but looks shaken. I roll my eyes. She really should grow thicker skin.


    Nobody asks me if I¡¯m okay.


    Aspen makes sure they¡¯re alright and then approaches me.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.¡°Not bad, not bad¡­¡± he sings. ¡°Oro, do you know what mistake you¡¯ve made?¡±


    ¡°He went to save his friend,¡± I reply instead. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been here, he¡¯d be dead.¡±


    ¡°But I was, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Aspen smiles.


    ¡°The mistake is turning back on your enemy,¡± Aspen continues as he walks over to the two fae. ¡°Because this way you put both of you in danger. Both of her blades were heading your way.¡±


    I cross my arms. Why am I not being sung praises? I was the one who bested them both!


    I feel like a petulant child as I take my seat on a tree stump.


    ¡°Now, Nyx, not bad. Though someone should take you down a peg.¡± Aspen finally approaches me with a laugh.


    ¡°Oh, want a go?¡± I immediately stand up.


    He points his spear at me.


    I grab my blades.


    ¡°Maybe another time,¡± at last he laughs and flies up, ¡°everyone, training is done for today!¡±


    ***


    I drag my feet to the common lunching room. This was annoying in so many ways. Besides, why do I have to train? I¡¯ve already shown more prowess than anyone there.


    Whatever. I don¡¯t care about being popular. It¡¯s not high on my list of priorities. I load up my plate and then grab a few more to add food on them. The maid handing out the stew frowns at me as I stuff my mouth with bread.


    ¡°What! I¡¯m going to eat it all!¡± I grab another loaf and sit down with all my treasure. And get to eating.


    ¡°You think you are sooo tough,¡± a voice comes to my left side. I give its owner an unimpressed look.


    She¡¯s a Salamander. I can recognize it by her fire-like red hair. Her wings are safely tucked away. They are made of pure, burning fire - and it¡¯s a safety hazard to have them out in the open.


    She is tall. One of those ones who love to look down upon us, pixies.


    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s it to you?¡± I stuff my face. Nobody told me that annoying coworkers were a part of the job, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t even bother accepting it. I¡¯d rather die of fossilized bones. ¡°This is a Leptirae court. What are you even doing here? Or your friends?¡± I point at Oro and Kora chatting and talking about something sooo funny.


    ¡°My master sent me here to train,¡± the fae says and sits down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t remember inviting you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like this room belongs to you. The name is Vatra.¡± She grabs a loaf of bread off my plate.


    I growl and grab it back. ¡°Your master?¡±


    ¡°Prince Plamen,¡± she says and tugs the loaf back. ¡°There is trouble brewing. He wants me to improve my flight techniques.¡±


    Ah yes. Salamanders, living in the desert, usually kept to the ground. Their wings were made of fire, and while their skin was pretty sun resistant, it was exhausting to fly around the desert. Not much room to practice. Especially with sandstorms. They were better with swords and other types of weapons.


    ¡°What trouble?¡± I ask. I haven¡¯t heard anything.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Kobolds are planning a rebellion.¡±


    ¡°Oh are they now? Good luck to them. I don¡¯t care.¡± Geopolitics are not my strong suit nor do they interest me.


    She shrugs. ¡°There might be trouble everywhere soon, especially for the royalty and the ones¡­ employed by them.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it to me? I¡¯m just a sellsword.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are on the court. They¡¯ll consider you a class traitor. Or do you just plan to let them take the royal family?¡±


    There is a glint in her eye and I can see she is setting up a trap.


    I snort. ¡°No, I don¡¯t actually. I am a staunch monarchist.¡± In fact I don¡¯t give a shit. If the people want to knock them down, sure, whatever. I¡¯m more worried about royal fundings for alchemists and wizards than I am for their heads. I need those damn scholars.


    ¡°Well, just figured I¡¯d let you know.¡± Vatra gets up and looks at me. She knows that I want something.


    She can know all she wants, I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with the Sylphs? They are adept fliers, much better than Leptirae,¡± I say.


    ¡°The court is not¡­ in the best state right now. That¡¯s what my master told me. Besides, that¡¯s why Oro is here.¡± She points her finger at him. He doesn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°The best state?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t say anything, just winks at me.


    ¡°What do you mean? Nobody knows what¡¯s going on in the Court of Swords and Winds.¡± I grab her wrist.


    ¡°It¡¯s just speculations. I¡¯d start preparing a money stash if I was you,¡± she says and flies away.


    I frown as I stare at her back.