PROLOGUE
It was the early hours of morning on the fifteenth day of Tember. Though winter still shrouded the land, it had not snowed in Oyture in many years. Rising majestically on either side of the beautiful Laitan River were two castles. Despite the earliness of the hour the castle on the northern bank had candlelight streaming from many of its windows. The royal house of Oyture called the palace home, and its walls echoed with the sounds of life. On the southern bank was the heritage-listed castle of their ancestors. It was hundreds of years old, and saw life only when the young Princess Kalian and her older siblings Isabella and Artisan had played there. Isabella and Artisan had grown now, and were too busy to play as often as they used to, but they always made time for their baby sister.

A figure slipped silently into the Royal Chambers. They made their way confidently to the bedchamber of the Queen and her absent King. Queen Adrienne was asleep, not stirring as the door opened. The figure was Simone, a girl who worked as a maid in the royal household. She was not what she appeared though; she was no common maid. Simone was really Simonti, daughter of the King of Biant. They were a race of half human, half snake, who had been at war with Oyture for years. Simone tucked an errant strand or red hair behind her ear and focused her gaze on her target. Adrienne’s back was to the doors, and her long golden curls glowed in the dim candlelight. It had often been said that Adrienne’s daughter Isabella was a splitting image of her striking mother. In the soft light, it was even more difficult to tell. Simone saw those curls and believed it to be her rival. Isabella was beautiful and sweet, much to the maid’s disgust. Simone slid a dagger from its hidden sheathe. She grinned as the candlelight shimmered off the blade. She slid up to the edge of the bed. In a swift movement, showing her serpentine heritage, Simone took hold of the Queen’s hair, pulling back her head and slicing her throat. Blood sprayed in a soft mist across the embroidered eiderdown, Simone careful to avoid getting any on herself. Adrienne’s eyes opened wide as she woke to her worst nightmare. She gasped and found was impossible. Hands clutched at her throat in vain as her lifeblood soaked into her clothing and bedding. Simone simply grinned as Adrienne made a sick wet strangled noise. Her head sagged back onto the pillow, her eyes fluttering closed. Simone wiped the blade on the dead queen’s nightclothes, and sheathed it. She turned and walked to the door of the chamber. Before she left she turned and grinned once more. From a distance it looked as though the woman was still sleeping peacefully. Simone left the Royal Chambers feeling happier than she had in her life. Isabella was gone, dead, and would no longer be able to work her heinous charms on her Aleacandro. The handsome young Lord would be hers, she vowed. The blonde little whore would cause no more trouble for the Biantion Princess.

In the topmost chamber of the tower that was the private residence of the Royal family, Isabella woke with a scream of pure terror. Her vibrant blue eyes scanned the chamber but it was quiet and dark. She pressed a shaking hand to her head, and felt the cold sweat that bathed her body. Long blonde curls tumbled down to her waist as she climbed out of bed, sliding a gold robe around her shaking form. She looked around her chambers again. Her friend Byu, a young black panther who had been her constant companion since she had rescued him from a vicious hunter, was nowhere to be seen. She raised her hand. “Light.” She said softly. Isabella slumped back on the bed as the candles in the room lit up. “Byu?” She called. She gasped and shrank back as he leapt up onto her bed. She breathed a sigh of relief as he greeted her with a purr. “Byu, thou frightened the life out of me.” She said mock sternly. “It seemed like thou was already frightened. Did thou have another nightmare Bella?” Byu thought back to her. Isabella nodded, before she could speak the door flung open and someone strode in. Isabella cowered in fear, until she realised that it was her brother Artisan that had entered. His chamber encompassed a third of the top level of the tower. “Isabella, I heard thee scream, what is it?” He asked concerned. Isabella brushed the curls from her face; then hid her still shaking hands in the folds of her robe. She was relieved to see her brother. They were twins, born just ten minutes apart, but aside from their striking blue eyes, the similarities ended. Artisan had thick black hair, which fell in soft waves around his handsome face. Isabella nodded. “Artisan, forgive me for waking the. I had a terrible nightmare.” She said softly, the images from the dream still filling her head. Artisan moved beside her, trying to comfort his older sister. “There be nothing to forgive Bella.”
A gust of icy wind suddenly threw the window open, making them shiver. Isabella raised her hand. “Close.” She said, and the window swung shut. Artisan stood up, his robe opening to reveal his sculpted torso. “Try and sleep Bella,” he said. “I shall see thee at breakfast.” Isabella laughed.
“Of course Art, mother would have me for breakfast if I dared to miss it.” When Artisan left Byu moved close to Isabella. She lay down and he lay beside her. “Isabella, be something happening this morning?” He asked. Isabella ran a hand slowly down Byu’s velvety back. “We shall see my friend.”

This morning, Simone began to serve the royal table without her normal complaints. Her pretty face was all smiles as she watched the royal family make their way to the dais to eat. Her smiled faded as Isabella appeared, laughing and smiling at her brother Artisan. “How can this be, how can she be alive.” She whispered. As she went to serve Isabella, the Princess looked up, smiling at the maid. “Good morning Simone.” Isabella said. “Thou are up early.” Simone managed a weak smile. She was still reeling from the fact that her enemy still lived and breathed. “Not at all thy Highness, I am due to be in the kitchens just before dawn.” Isabella picked up the maid’s icy tone immediately, but put it down to simply disliking the early start. “Well Simone, what are thy plans for this fine day?’ Isabella asked. Simone frowned. She didn’t know why Isabella was being so nice to her; she simply assumed Isabella was planning something. ‘Planning another way to kill thee.’ Simone thought in answer to Isabella’s question, but did not voice it. She simply smiled another fake smile. “I do not have to serve again until the dinner meal, so several other maids and I will walk to the village markets.” Isabella grinned. “That sound like a marvellous idea.” Isabella said, looking at her brothers. “Perhaps later we may do the same.” Simone simply curtseyed and returned to the kitchens. Once out of view of the eating hall she swore. She hated that simpering blonde little bitch. She always pretended to be so sweet and pure. Simone would stop at nothing to win Aleacandro’s heart.
Isabella found herself still troubled by Simone’s strangeness towards her, but pushed it aside as a new concern came to her attention. Artisan looked up from his breakfast. “I wonder; where is mother?” He asked. Isabella looked up; sure enough her mother’s place was empty. She stood up, she had almost finished her breakfast, and knew well her siblings appetite. “Stay.” She said. “I will find her.” She left the table. Reico, her older brother, hastily finished the rest of his breakfast. “I’ll go with you.” He called, but his sister was gone.

Isabella hurried up to the Royal Chambers. As she entered the sumptuously decorated sitting room, she heard a scream from her mother’s chamber. Suddenly the horrors from her dream flooded back, Isabella staggered. Righting herself she raced into her mother’s room. Anthea, her mother’s maid, stood by the Queen’s bedside her hands over her mouth. She was shaking violently. Isabella barely noticed, her gaze fixed on the bed. Her mother lay there, seemingly asleep, but Isabella knew instinctively that something was wrong. Slowly she moved toward the bed. Anthea gripped her arm, trying to stop her. “My Lady no, please, there be no need.” She cried, but Isabella tore her arm free. Slowly Isabella came to a stop beside the bed. The rest of the room seemed to fall away from her, leaving her stranded with the horror before her. She tried to breathe but found she could not. Her mother, her beautiful, kind, loving mother was gone, slain in the night. A look of pure terror was etched on her mother’s cold features. A long gash, like a grisly smile, ran along her mother’s pale neck. Blood stained everything, her mother’s skin, clothes, hair and bed. Isabella had never seen so much blood. She staggered, her face white. “No.” She gasped. Ignoring the blood she collapsed on the bed beside her mother’s body. “Mother please, Gods grace no. NO.” she lifted her mother into her arms, shaking her, praying in vain that is was some mistake, some cruel prank, and her mother was alive. Reico raced through the door, having heard his sister’s cries. “Isabella, what is…By the Gods.” He cried, running to his sister’s side. He pulled her numb grip from her mother’s body. Isabella resisted him for a moment, before going limp in his arms. She wept brokenly into his broad chest. Reico’s massive golden wings curved around them protectively. He looked at the at the bed, and the blood-stained body of the only women he had ever known as a mother, tears burning behind his eyes. He was Adrienne’s son in everything but blood. His own mother, a Diablion by the name of Jassika, had been lovers with his father King Jacque, when they had both been young. Diablion’s were a peaceful race, half bird and half human. Reico had been fostered into the Royal court as a young child, and his father’s wife had quickly fallen in love with cherubic golden winged boy. “Who would do this Rei, who would murder mother?” Isabella sobbed. Reico shook his head. Grief and rage warred within him. Who could have done this? “I do not know Bella, but we will find out.” He said gently. “Anthea, go inform the castle guards. Quickly now.” The maid hurried to do his bidding. As she left a tall, well-built man entered. “Isabella? What is it my love?’ He stopped short as he took in the body on the bed. Reico smiled gratefully at Aleacandro. Gently Reico moved Isabella into the young man’s arms. Aleacandro held her close, rocking her gently. “Hush my love.” He said quickly. “Come; let me take thee away from here.” He began to lead her away from the chamber. “No.” Isabella cried out, reaching out towards her mother. Reico took hold of her outstretched hand. “Bella please, go with Aleacandro, I will not let anyone touch her. Please little one.” He said. He and Isabella locked equally anguished gazes. Both had their father’s startling blue eyes. She nodded slowly, squeezing her brother’s hand. “My thanks brother.” She said. Reluctantly she allowed Aleacandro to lead her form the bedchamber. Aleacandro didn’t know what to say, he knew there was nothing that could make Isabella feel better so he vowed to simply be there, to support her in whatever she needed. “Why do we not take a walk in the garden? The fresh air will help thee.” He said. Isabella merely answered. “My mother loved those gardens.” Suddenly she gave a gasp.
“Kalian. Oh Aleacandro, how will break this to my little sister?”

Reico waited there by his mother’s body until Anthea and the guards arrived. He left them, with orders not to disturb the body until he returned. With his father away at war, and his mother slain, Reico was the eldest member of the Royal family. He was determined that until his father returned he would do whatever he needed to do to protect his family. He just wished he knew how he was going to tell his younger brother what had happened

Artisan was where Reico knew he would be. Down near the barracks Artisan practiced his axe throwing. He had a rare talent, any kind of bladed weapon he could throw with deadly accuracy, but hatchets were his personal favourite. Reico stood by, watching his brother heft the weapon, take aim, and throw. He turned and grinned at his older brother. He didn’t see the grief that filled Reico. Artisan held the axe out to his brother. “Care to take a throw brother?” He asked. Reico shook his head.
“Nay, I have need to speak with thee. I wish I did not have to tell thee this. Art…” He broke off, trying to hold back tears. Artisan was shocked. He had never seen Reico so close to breaking down. “What is it? Rei, do not hold out on me, tell me what has happened?” Reico took a deep breath.
“Artisan, it is mother. Last night, she was, she was murdered.” He said. Artisan stood motionless. He shook his head slowly, the colour draining from his face. “No.” He whispered. He said it again louder. “NO!” He screamed turning and throwing the axe at the target. The force of his strike split the target completely in half. He stood, his chest heaving, staring at the shattered target. Reico said nothing; he just stood behind his younger brother, his hand on his shoulder. “Does Isabella know?” He said finally. Reico nodded slowly. “Isabella and a maid discovered her.” Artisan shook his head silently.
“We must send word to father.” Artisan continued. Reico nodded.
“We will send a messenger, come brother, our sisters will need us.”

The two young men found their sisters alone in their mother’s garden. Isabella held Kalian on her lap, the little girl inconsolable. As they neared Isabella looked up from between the tangled strands of her hair. The youngest daughter of Queen Adrienne and King Jacque, Kalian, did not understand that her mother was gone and was never coming back. She saw Reico and Artisan and ran over to them. Artisan gathered the little girl into his arms. “Bella said Mama was gone Art, why can she not come back?” She asked. Artisan was still in shock and so said nothing. Reico smoothed back the little girl’s blonde curls. “Kali, thou know what happens when people die. Mama has gone to the gods.” He said softly. Kalian’s lower lip quivered, tears spilling from her green eyes. “Why would the Gods take our Mama?” She asked her handsome brother. Reico shook his head, the sight of his precious baby sister crying tearing at his heart. “I do not know sweetling, but the Gods always have a plan.” Isabella stood, walking towards her siblings. Reico took Kalian in his arms, Artisan holding his twin tightly. “I do not want her with the Gods, Rei I want my Mama.” She cried. Reico rocked her gently. “We all want her back sweetling, but thou still have us.” He said. Byu ran out into the garden, followed by a pale ginger kitten and a pregnant tortoiseshell cat. Kalian wriggled and Reico put her down. She picked up the ginger kitten. “Kovu kitty, we must be very brave.” She whispered. The kitten simply purred and licked her nose. Byu rubbed his head against Isabella’s thigh. ‘How are thou Bella?’ He asked. She looked down at him, her long blonde hair mussed out of its neat braid. “I do not know if I shall ever feel well.” She said. Isabella knelt down and spoke to the tortoiseshell. “Megsy-may, do thou know what happened? Who killed my mother?” The cat meowed pitifully.
‘Someone locked her in the pantry; she was not let out until dawn.’ Byu said. ‘She had no idea her mistress was dying.’ Isabella stood up, looking at her brothers. “Who ever killed our mother planned it well. They made certain of no witnesses. Human or otherwise.”