All Chapters of The Mad King's Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Evelyn’s POVA gasp escapes my lips as a wave of hot, damp breath brushes against my face. I stumble back, heart pounding, eyes wide as the massive creatures emerge from the forest.Two enormous lizards step into view, scales glinting bronze under the fading light. They’re nearly twice the height of the horses, with thick tails sweeping the ground and eyes that glow a deep amber. Each breath they take sends a puff of steam curling into the cool air.“By the Moon…” one of our servants whispers.Yeah…..I can't look away. Their bodies ripple with power as they shift their weight around, tails wiping behind them.Behind me, th“They’re drakar,” someone mutters behind me. “The mountain lizards of the West.”I swivel around to face Commander Roan, who looks up at the beasts almost reverentially.“Do not fear. The drakar means no harm,” he says, his accent becoming pronounced. “They are our companions in travel. Horses cannot handle the mountain paths like they can.”Astria gives a little

Evelyn’s POV The gates loom larger as we draw closer.Two guards step forward, clad in blackened steel that catches the sunlight in ways that make it look like burning coal. Their helms bear the same sigil I saw on the commander's cloak, the bloodied werewolf head. One of the guards raises a hand and the massive gates open with a loud creak, vibrating in the air as though the mountain were waking.The air smells faintly of smoke and spice. The drakars lumber forward, their claws clinking against the stone path as we pass through the gates.The streets are alive with motion; merchants shouting from their stalls, children running barefoot along the edges, and women with sun-browned skin carrying baskets filled with herbs, ore, and strange fruits I can’t name. It is loud and exciting . It's beautiful.The people wear bright colors, not like the dull colors we wore in the East that I sometimes thought were a bit monotonous. No, loose tunics of red, ochre, and bronze shimmer faintly un

Evelyn’s POV “Pip?” She’s lying there on the bed, small and motionless, her tiny limbs sprawled like a broken doll. The soft light that always shimmers beneath Pip’s skin is fading, leaving her looking ashy. Tiny veins of silver ran beneath her pale skin, spreading like frost on glass. Her wings…. gods above, her once vibrant blue wings, lay limp by her side, graying with dark and silvery veins weaving through its membranes. They look like fallen petals, wilting under the sun “Oh gods, Pip…” I whisper in horror. “What’s happening to you?” The air around her smells different. It no longer smelt of wildflower that I associated with her, but sharp, like burnt metal and rain on rust. It stings the back of my throat. Pip gives a weak laugh, but it comes out broken. “You sound… like Laudia when she burnt that pie.” Despite everything, a tearful smile escapes me. “Don’t joke now, Pip.” “Iron,” she breathes, her tiny hand trembling as she touches my cheek. “Too much of it here… it

Evelyn's POV I smooth my dress. I am a lot more conscious of what I'm wearing than normal. I guessbeing mistaken for a servant can tank someone's confidence.Nika walks beside me as we move through the corridor. The Western Palace is quite busy at this hour, even though the sun has barely risen from its slumber. Servants rush past carrying platters of fruits and wine, silken fabrics draped over their arms, or bundles of candles taller than I am. It becomes even more chaotic when we leave the servant quarters and enter the main part of the palace and into the servant corridor. “I swear,” Nika mutters beside me, brushing a lock of red hair from her face, “I’ve never seen so many people moving at once. It’s like a beehive.”“Bees are kinder,” I mumble under my breath, narrowly avoiding getting knocked down by a male servant rushing by with scrolls piled high. He glares at me before speeding past.I let out as a huff. Dodging servants hurrying through is a lot of work as they run arou

Evelyn's POV. I hate this.Gods save me.I really don't want to dance. Can't he just get it?!I give the noble before me what I think is a polite smile, bowing and then booking it out of his presence. I have been here for less than an hour and I have seriously been contemplating escaping through the balcony at one corner of the room.Don't get me wrong, the Western nobles cleaned up real good. The women are the first to catch my eye, dazzling, every one of them. Their gowns, made from fabrics I can’t name, look sheer, layered, and soft enough to catch even the faintest light. Some wear gold-threaded corsets that gleam with every breath, while others favor dresses dyed in deep jewel tones: ruby, sapphire, and emerald.It's bold, something that you can't find in the East. We tend to favour a softer ethereal look. Here, they are daring, sultry in every way.The men are no less striking. They wear dark tunics lined with gold stitching and heavy belts that gleam with crests of their nobl