*Book One of The Accursed Chronicles*
August was a man from a normal world, living a mundane life until one night everything changed, and he was sent spiraling into a world stuck forever in winter, full of magic, creatures, and a curse that has grip...
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There had been no more time for me to speak to August when I had overheard the commotion inside. It left a temporary bandage on a bleeding wound that needed to be addressed with him before it began to fester. He was headed towards a road of hating who he was, and while that was better than being afraid of himself, it was backwards progress.
As I left August's side and strode into the castle corridor, I had to reel back when a sudden wave of guards stampeded by. I caught August by the back of his cloak and yanked him away in time, avoiding him being squashed by the warrior mages. We peeked our heads in, kept safe behind the balcony door as we watched the band rushing down the hallway.
"What the fuck," August breathed, then moved into the hallway when I had released him to go.
The guards were long gone within the blink of an eye, leaving chaos in their stead. The heated voices could be heard echoing out of the Great Hall, and I could make out at least two distinct voices. My thoughts that this night would not go smoothly at been proven true because humans and mages could never see eye to eye. I knew because I had a half human standing beside me and we fought more often than agreed.
Dread was what filled me as I led the way back into the hall with August hurrying alongside me. I knew that this endeavor hadn't been a good idea. Nothing good ever came from Misonte or from Miltos themselves. Everyone within Laelmos knew their evil deeds, of how they used their own people to craft human inventions to attempt to achieve the heights of mages. They stopped at nothing to get what they desired, even if they had to squash their own people to get there.
Magnus had been wrong in wanting to attempt to make amends with Miltos.
When we came through the doors into the hall, I stepped aside with August when nobles came streaming out, all muttering and sharing strained looks. The ball must've been over, but what had caused it? No doubt it was something the Miltos's had done.
"Gloom, Shadow."
At the call of our names, I strained my head above the shuffling crowd to see Leuthar waving us over. He stood in the center of the room that was now empty of mages, except for Magnus, Altair, and Arethusa. Klarissa and Endora had stayed behind, as well as Cassian and his son Atticus. Much to my surprise, it hadn't been Cassian causing the situation, but something between Magnus and Altair.
I didn't think to get in the middle of it as it was a dispute between them. The only one intervening was Arethusa as she attempted to wedge herself between the two as they glowered at one another. Endora waited on the side lines with Klarissa, who looked humiliated by the situation, keeping her gaze on her feet and posture small. Cassian and Atticus lingered to the right of everyone, nearer to the doors and seeming to be the only one's noticing me and August.
Not a single part of me wanted to approach either Miltos.
I moved across the room to Leuthar instead when there was space to do so. "What is wrong?"
