12 Days of Christmas: A Christmas Collection by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pronoun
Published: 2017-11-25T18:30:00+00:00

5

“For hundreds of years, the five clans of Ever Vale lived peacefully beside each other. Your people, Clan Lux, the people of light; Clan Terra, the people of the land; Clan Vitae, the people of birth; Clan Spiritus, the people of peace and harmony; and Clan Aequalis, the people of equality,” Nostra begins.

“And now we, the people of Clan Lux, can no longer live in the light. We survive on the blood of others and hide in the shadows. Our old friends, Clan Terra, are trapped in the dark forest, now a part of the earth and trees that grow there. Clan Vitae are angels of death, taking life instead of bringing it forth. Clan Spiritus are the brutal wolves that hunt and maim, all gentleness stripped from them since the curse and, now, our mortal enemy. Finally, Clan Aequalis have been given powers that made them turn on each other, they are self-centred and cruel, that’s if there are any left,” Rhain says, swiping a hand through his hair.

Nostra looks at Rhain grimly. “For all our sakes, I hope so, brother,” he says. “Each clan had a leader, and each leader had a wife, every one of them was with child. One evening during their yearly Moontide ball a beautiful young woman arrived and bewitched the five leaders.”

“Let me guess, Queen Adrielle?” I say.

“Indeed,” Nostra nods. “She stole their husbands, moved them into the castle with her and began taking charge of the clans all within a matter of months. All the wives had left were their wedding bands, five gold rings, and five daughters who would never know their fathers. Two moon cycles later Adrielle was pregnant with a child of her own.”

“What? Queen Adrielle had a baby?” I look from Nostra to the three men. “You jest with me.”

“Nostra is deadly serious, Lissandra,” Ezra says.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. I have worked for Queen Adrielle for ten years and she has never mentioned a child.”

“Regardless, it is the truth. She was once with child.”

“Once?”

“The baby did not last full-term. She lost the baby before six moon cycles had passed. It was the only time I ever saw Adrielle cry. As sad as it was, I hoped that it would change her for the better. She seemed to love that unborn child. Alas, the loss had the opposite effect. Her cruelty began in earnest then. The curse that befell all the clans, it was cast the night she lost her unborn baby.”

“Why would she curse the clans? It was not their fault,” I say.

“Revenge,” Rhain says, sighing. “This was not Mother Nature’s work. Adrielle was poisoned by the five wives of the clan leaders she stole. The poison didn’t work the way they intended.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“The five wives wanted Adrielle dead. She took their husbands with no regards to their feelings. The poison killed alright, it just took the life of the soul with least resistance.” Nostra’s eyes mist up. I can see he too is hurt by the death of an innocent child and I have the sudden need to hold him close.

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