Golden Chains

Prologue Freedom was a dream from a far-off place that no longer existed. It was a concept that made no sense to Matteo Basile. What was choice? He’d never had any. His life was a series of orders, unspoken but wholly felt. His queen stared down at him with unforgiving eyes. What were they doing past the border? It was his first time setting foot in the kingdom that once belonged to his family, in Bela, but he couldn’t fight the warmth that spread through him. He was home. “Madame.” He bowed low as he’d been doing his entire life. For he served La Dame of Dracon and would no doubt serve her until the end of his days. “Matty, my boy.” Warmth filled her voice and when he finally rose to stare into her dazzling emerald eyes, he was transfixed. Was it her magic? Or simply her beauty? “How does it feel to be home?” she asked. What was she expecting from him? His eyes flicked to his father who stood at her side. He gave his son a pleading look. Warren Basile had been in La Dame’s household since Matteo was a child. He served as an advisor, consort, even a lover. He was known to sit calmly on his seat by the throne as his son was beaten before his eyes. Not with fists. No, nothing in Dracon was ever done without magic. Matteo inclined his head. “Bela is not my home, your Majesty.” A smirk spread across her face and she nodded. “It is now.” Raising a hand at her side, she snapped her fingers and her horse was brought forward. They’d camped on the border spanning Dracon and Bela for the night and now stood overlooking a grassy plane. La Dame leaped into her saddle with a grace that gave no indication of her age. No one in Dracon knew how old their mistress was, but Bela was destroyed centuries ago and the stories claimed she was the one who finally bested the Basiles. His ancestors. He climbed into his saddle slowly, his bruised ribs screaming in protest. He’d tried to fight her, escape her magic as it pounded into him the previous night and it only ended in bruises. As he rode down into his ancestral homeland, he didn’t feel like a Basile. He never had. They were said to be powerful, but his magic sputtered and died every time he tried to call it forth. La Dame pushed her long, shining black hair over her shoulder and regarded him once again. Her kindness was a lie. “Soon, Matty, all will be explained.” “Why are we in Bela?” he asked. She raised a brow at his audacity in speaking without permission. Her magic whipped over him, slamming him forward against his horse. “How would you like to meet your family?” “My…” He didn’t have any family other than his father. They were the last of the Basiles. It was why La Dame kept them close. The legends spoke of power he should have as the first in his generation of the Basiles. Where was that power? Each night, he lay awake praying for it to come. To set him free. “Your family, yes. You see, there is something your father never told you.” She scrutinized him. His expression must have satisfied her for she nodded. “Your father had an older brother.” Matteo pulled up on the reins and his horse jolted to a stop. “I have an uncle?” The familiar pull of her power forced his horse to begin moving again. “Had. Your uncle is dead.” The hope that’d risen up in Matteo shattered in his chest. For a moment, he’d thought maybe there was someone to save him from this life. La Dame continued. “Viktor evaded me his entire life, but his daughter won’t be able to stay away.” His daughter? La Dame laughed, all kindness gone, replaced by the wickedness he knew too well. “Yes, my boy. You are not the oldest of your generation. Persinette was born two weeks before you. But, don’t you worry. You will reunite with her soon. I am going to bring Persinette Basile home.” Home? If the girl had any sense, she’d stay away. Why didn’t La Dame send someone to force her to come? As if sensing his question, La Dame sighed. “I don’t know what Phillip did, Matteo. When I first issued the curse, he managed to twist it somehow. I cannot bring the cursed one to me against their will. She must choose to come.” La Dame kicked her horse to speed up, throwing a few final words over her shoulder. “I’m counting on you to show her how to grovel. You’re good at that.” Matteo raised his face to the bright morning sky. This Persinette must have the power he’d never had. He didn’t know where she was or how La Dame would get her to come, but he hoped more than anything she was stronger than he’d ever been.