King of the North

Chapter 1

Henry

"Your Majesty," a soft voice called from the library entrance. "Your guests have started arriving."

I looked up from the book I was reading about the Northern War and smiled. "Oh, George, how many times have I told you to just call me Henry."

George grinned. "And how many times have I told you I don't want to make it too obvious."

I sighed and closed the book, tossing it on the chair I was sitting on as I stood up. I followed George out of the library and into the dining room where my guests had already arrived. All but one.

"I present to thee, His Majesty, King Henry II of the Eastern Kingdom." George had his best posh accent on. He wasn't raised with the royal family so I had to teach him the accent when he became my personal servant. Well, I didn't have to, he just insisted.

I pulled out the chair at the head of the table and glanced at all the scowling faces. "The assassin isn't here yet." George murmured at my side.

"He might be busy, I'll just have to start."

Blase

"C'mon, Blase, you should go!" Aleia said from behind the counter, fixing up a Manhattan for another customer. Her long, black hair always styled in something up and out of her face. "It's better than you downing Old Fashioneds while you blather to me about all your problems."

I play with the ice cube at the bottom of my glass. Aleia takes the glass from me, her aqua green eyes, which popped against brown skin, bore into mine. "Go."

"Fine, but if I get arrested it's your fault."

"It's not my fault your fucking crazy and kill people for fun, Blase."

I shrugged. "It is what it is."

"Just go see the king."

Henry

"I know you all must be confused as to why I have invited you to eat dinner with me, but I am happy you all trusted me enough to come. I promise I have no intentions to arrest any of you, although you all deserve it."

That seemed to piss everyone off.

I ignored the scoffs and grumbles and turned to the faerie seated closest to my left and the elf with blood red eyes sat beside him. "Zeklar Buze, a faerie with the ability of pyrokinesis, and your partner in crime, Agis Hornton, a clever thief. Together you two steal from the wealthy and burn the evidence along with the people you've stolen from."

The two men said nothing so I moved on to the women next to Agis. "Nixie Silvarax, your ability is truth inducement. Looking into your eyes, you can get anyone to tell you the truth with just one question."

Nixie smiled cruelly and her pink eyes flickered with amusement. "And where did you hear this information from?"

"I'm the king, I hear a lot of things about a lot of people. Is there a reason you've been squatting in the Eastern Kingdom?"

"No."

I waited for more but that was all the answer she gave me. I moved on. "Vincent Cirdan, another faerie, but you're a peculiar case. Raised by humans, yes?"

Vincent only nodded, a secret anger hidden in his lilac eyes.

"Your ability is invisibility, but that's not the only thing you're good at. I heard you're a sharpshooter, you never miss a shot. I also heard you killed your own adoptive parents, is that true?"

Vincent looked away, a muscle twitched in his jaw. That was all I needed, I moved to the next person. "Nicholas Larson, a popular human doctor. Very good at your job, they say. You've been working on healing potions as well, which is illegal, might I add. Don't," I put up my hand when he opened his mouth to say something. "Try to deny it. My men raided your house and we found the potions. I've made it clear I'm not going to arrest you."