The Betrayal

  The Betrayal

  The Islands Series Book One

  The Betrayal

  The Islands Series: Book One

  © 2016 Janet Berry

  All Rights Reserved

  License Notes

  Thank you for downloading this eBook or purchasing it in print. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  This book was edited by Sue Soares. Cover art by Kennedy Kelly of K Creative Designs. Thank you ladies for making this book possible!

  ISBN-13:

  978-1541353121

  ISBN-10:

  1541353129

  This book is dedicated to my mother, who against all odds, has supported me and gotten me where I am today. Thank you for believing in me even when it didn’t seem like I would make it. I love you Mom!

  Prologue

  The smell of the sea assaulted her senses as Catriona Balfe, Queen of Ciomodors Garden, stepped out of her carriage and onto the pier. The boat she was about to board caught her eye, making her uneasy. She had never been on a boat before, and the thought alone made her feel sick.

  She walked down the short pathway to the dock and as she did, the silver brocade dress she wore swirled around her ankles. As she walked, she passed her father who gave her a nod, stepping aside so she could get to the vessel. Her cousin, Scarlett Kensington, curtsied to her uncle and then walked quickly over to Catriona, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly.

  “You can do this,” she whispered in Catriona’s ear. “It’s just a short boat ride.”

  The conviction in Scarlett’s voice gave Catriona courage.

  It’s just a short boat ride.

  With Scarlett’s hand clasped firmly in hers, they walked up the gangplank and onto the boat, Catriona turning to wave at the small group of people on the shore, watching as they sailed away.

  The boat sailed slowly and steadily across the ocean, Catriona marveling at the beauty of it. She was still not completely steady on her feet so to make sure she did not fall, she held tightly to the railing. The boat sliced through the water like a knife, the clear blue water almost comforting in its purity.

  Catriona giggled as a brightly colored school of fish swam by, stopping for a moment and then scattering as the boat rushed by. She felt a slight sadness when they disappeared from view.

  Scarlett, who was not but two feet from her heard her giggle, sidling closer to her and the railing.

  “I don’t ever stand that close to the railing. I am always frightened that I am going to fall in,” she whispered, making Catriona giggle again.

  Catriona smiled at her cousin, watching as she brushed a dark lock out of her face. Catriona had been very jealous of Scarlett when they were younger. Scarlett had black hair and amber eyes, lending an exotic look to her.

  Catriona had blue eyes and brown hair and considered herself to be very plain, unable to compete with Scarlett. Even though Catriona had been jealous, she had been able to put it aside when she had found out that Scarlett was a really wonderful person. She now had a very close relationship with her cousin.

  “Are you sure your father’s abdication comes at the right time?” Scarlett whispered to her, pulling Catriona’s attention back to the present.

  Catriona shrugged.

  “My father never does anything at the right time,” she replied, leaning her arms on the railing.

  “That is very true,” Scarlett said, a grim smile coming to her face.

  Catriona nodded.

  She had inherited the entire kingdom one night when Art had decided to abdicate his throne.

  He had come to her room very drunk and demanded for her to get out of bed, claiming that the swearing in had to be done right at that moment. Even her mother, Olivia Balfe, had been dragged out of bed to be there.

  In a matter of hours, Catriona had been named queen. The official coronation had taken place a week later. Catriona had asked him why she was becoming queen now, but he had told her not to question his decision.

  Catriona had almost told him that since she was queen now, she could demand that he tell her. But she hadn’t; she had known she would have had a fight on her hands and that was truly the last thing she wanted.

  The morning of her coronation she had asked him again and he told her that he felt the timing was right for Catriona to become queen. Catriona didn’t think so. She felt the suddenness of the change was very suspicious and Catriona had serious doubts about her safety.

  Thankfully, Scarlett shared her suspicions, leading her to accompany Catriona on her island tour.

  “Two groups of guards are better than one,” she told Catriona, winking at her.

  Catriona laughed, already feeling safer. Her thoughts turned back again to her visit.

  The five islands each had something that could be traded to the others, each one needing the others to survive. They had a currency called the Royal Litas, but few people actually used them. They were mostly used by the nobility, not the lower classes.

  Ciomodors Garden held the government and the military, protecting the entire kingdom from any threats. All the soldiers were trained there, no matter what island they came from.

  Malachite Expanse held many mines that they drilled for metals and gems. All of the metal work that was needed was done by the blacksmiths who worked on that island. Malachite Expanse would receive timber from Obsidian Ridge where all the trees were grown to assist.

  Elfyre Hollow held all of the medicines and hospitals that the kingdom had to keep the people healthy. A small force of doctors would travel to the other islands from Elfyre Hollow to help patients who were unable to get to the hospitals. The majority of the doctors lived in housing at the hospitals or nearby to ensure that they were available for emergencies.

  Obsidian Ridge provided all the food that the kingdom needed. The soil on the island was volcanic and fertile, and it was the only place that food could grow. Obsidian Ridge had all the livestock as well. The grass was sweetest and healthiest for the animals to eat.

  Cobalt Lagoon purified the kingdom’s water since it was all salt water. The kingdom had once been a large group of mountain kingdoms, and that had all been changed when the Great Tide had happened, surrounding the islands with water.

  A group of explorers had led an expedition to find out why the water had not receded a couple of years ago, finding that a large rock wall held the water in.

  Her father had made the decision to leave the wall alone, as it created easier trade routes for the islands. The water was easier to navigate than the mountain paths they had to traverse. They built bridges between Ciomodors Garden and the other four islands to be used for land travel for those who could not do so on the water.

  A long time ago, long before Catriona or even her father, the islands had been at war, divided by the leaders of the islands, not just the canyons that separated the mountain cities. Catriona’s great-great-grandfather had been chosen to lead, all five nations coming to the agreement that they would rule each island separately but be governed overall by one person.

  To show the even but uneven status of the islands, the ruler of Ciomodors Garden was named as king and queen, while the other rulers were named princes and princesses. This gave the other rulers power, but not the power to abuse it. This was a great source of tension among the islands now, unlike it had been in the past.

  Prince Cyrus Gray of Obsidian Ridge had constantly petitioned for the rulers to be named king and queen, but he had been repeatedly rebuffed as he was the only one who was adamant about the status change. Princes Alastair
Brannigan and Owyn Breams and Princess Brigid Baslen of Cobalt Lagoon had no issue with their titles. Cyrus had been after King Art to change the law for years, and now he was after Catriona.

  Catriona sighed, not looking forward to that conversation again. She watched as the shores of Elfyre Hollow approached, readying herself for her visit.

  She steadied herself when the boat arrived at the dock of Elfyre Hollow, the captain shouting orders to the crew.

  The guards readied themselves to escort Scarlett and Catriona off the boat to their awaiting carriage. Scarlett grabbed Catriona’s hand and they walked down the gangplank, holding tightly to each other as they headed down the narrow path.

  Two guards preceded them and helped them step down, holding onto the ladies’ hand as they stepped down. They walked slowly to the carriage, Scarlett’s arm in hers as they walked. They arrived at the carriage and stopped as they waited for the guards to open the door for them.

  Scarlett smiled and thanked the guard that helped her into the carriage first, making him blush. He turned to help Catriona into the carriage and mumbled an apology, making Catriona giggle.

  Settling into the carriage, they headed off, with the guards following on horseback, a small battalion surrounding the carriage. Catriona felt a sudden chill course down her spine, causing her to shiver. The hair on the back of her neck raised and she almost told the driver to turn around. When the closest guard to them sneezed, Catriona jumped, squeezing Scarlett’s hand, causing Scarlett’s head to snap towards her.

  “Catriona, are you all right?” Scarlett whispered, leaning towards her.

  She shook her head and motioned for Scarlett to lean even closer to her.

  “I think something is going to happen.”

  Scarlett looked around with her eyes, the amber orbs widening in fear.

  Catriona pulled her closer to her again.

  “If something happens, I want you to get down in the carriage and don’t get up. Do you understand? They don’t need you. They would only need me to accomplish anything.”

  “Should we go back then?” Scarlett asked, looking around at the company of guards surrounding them.

  “I think we should—” Catriona was interrupted by the shouts of men as they broke the silence of the ride.

  The carriage jolted to a stop and they were surrounded by the entire company of guards. Catriona dragged Scarlett down to the floor of the carriage, taking in her bright dress.

  “Why did you have to wear the very scarlet dress today?” she asked with a smile.

  Scarlett smiled. “You know I don’t like dark colors.”

  Catriona squeezed her hand and scanned the area beyond the carriage, seeing a large group of men heading towards them. They all wore black hoods and their clothes were black as well, hiding their identities well.

  “My Queen, get down! We will take care of them!” She turned at the sound of the voice of her chief guard.

  Catriona looked down at Scarlett once more and made her decision.

  “Stay here!” she said, Scarlett nodding at her as the queen jumped from the carriage and onto the nearest horse.

  “Ride!” she yelled, the shocked guard doing as commanded.

  “Get Scarlett to safety!” she called, the captain nodding and shouting at the group to go.

  Catriona watched as the carriage took off in the opposite direction towards castle Ashaven and the group of men followed her and her guard.

  The thundering of the horse’s hooves matched the tattoo of Catriona’s racing heart, racing so fast she wasn’t sure she was going to make it.

  On they rode, their pursuers not far behind them.

  “My Lady, where do you want me to go?” the guard shouted over the thundering of the horse.

  Catriona looked around, noticing the group behind them gaining on them.

  “Just keep riding and no matter what happens, don’t stop!” she replied, holding tightly to him as he urged the horse on.

  “Turn! We will lose them in that field of rocks.”

  He turned the horse and took off through the field. Catriona turned and watched as the men chasing them followed suit, turning the group to chase them. The guard turned as the field of boulders grew, the horse now having to jump the small piles.

  The guard was clearly an accomplished equestrian and was able to maneuver the horse with ease, making Catriona less worried about the hectic ride she now found herself on. She watched as the men behind them spread out, unable to stay together with the terrain.

  Many rocky jumps later, Catriona could no longer see the group behind them.

  “Slow down!” she called, the guard slowing the horse down, the beast breathing heavily, a thick lather on his coat.

  She looked around and saw no sign of the men chasing them.

  “Drop me off here,” she said, waiting for the horse to come to a complete stop.

  She went to slide off the horse and the guard’s hand on her arm stalled her.

  “My Queen, I cannot do that. I cannot just leave you here. I will be disciplined severely for leaving you here.”

  Catriona sighed.

  “You will be fine. Go to Ashaven and let them know what is going on so that they can find out who is behind this. I would rather have them stopped and unable to get to my family than you stay here with me. You will be captured, or hurt, and I would rather that not happen. They will just continue to follow us and we cannot go much farther on this horse. The animal is tired and having trouble carrying both of us. You are young and slight. Take the horse and go and let them know that trouble is brewing.”

  He looked unsure still so Catriona slid off the horse and said, “That is an order. You are to go to Ashaven and make sure Princess Scarlett gets to Alistair. He will be able to keep her safe. Now, go!”

  She smacked her hand against the rump of the horse and it reared, the guard having to grab the reins to stay on the horse as the animal took off.

  “Good luck, my friend,” she whispered, looking around.

  Now what?

  She stood still for a moment and listened as hoof beats got closer. They faded from her ears and the quiet unnerved to her. She knew her pursuers were not far behind, but she had to find a place to hide. Looking around, her eyes widened when they fell upon a pile of rocks that looked like a ruin.

  If I could just get there, I would be safe.

  She had to try.

  Starting slowly at first, she headed towards the ruin. She took off at a run when she heard the hoof beats getting closer.

  Twenty feet, fifteen feet, ten feet, five—

  She had almost reached the ruin; she was able to reach out and touch a wall when she was grabbed by the collar and pulled onto a horse. Catriona looked up at the face of her captor and saw a black hood covering it, her last sight before she felt a sharp pain and everything went black.

  Chapter One

  Owyn Breams, Prince of Malachite Expanse, sat on his throne looking over papers he had. He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face in frustration.

  Ever since the queen had disappeared and the whole kingdom had started looking for her, Owyn had become much more stressed. They had not had any leads until last week when a man had come to Greenlyre and had given him a note with a riddle in it.

  Owyn had asked the man what it was about, but he hadn’t known. The delivery man had been paid by someone else to give it to Owyn. He had been told that it was in regard to the queen's disappearance.

  Owyn had opened the note to read it, but found it was written in Foyeile, a foreign language few could read. Owyn had sent word to King Ethan Dormhnall of Dewberdeen immediately, knowing his son Everett specialized in ancient languages such as Foyeile.

  His thoughts were interrupted when a soldier came in, calling for him.

  “Prince Owyn!” he called, striding quickly to him. “There has been another note found.”

  Owyn’s head snapped up and he quickly stood.

  “Where?” he asked.

&nbs
p; “In the mines on the west side of the mountain. A man was injured and when they found him, there was a note in his hand.”

  Owyn called for his stallion Blizzard to be saddled so he could leave right away. A few minutes later, Owyn and the solider departed right away for the mines. They arrived almost a half hour later, Owyn thanking the gods that the west mines were less treacherous than the east. The east mines were up farther in the mountains in much worse territories, but the supply of iron-ore was much better. Not as many people had ventured up there to get it. Owyn and his crew had been the first to go up there and had had to start the mining process. He had hated it but now that those mines were flourishing, he couldn’t help but feel proud of the work he had done as part of the mining company.

  Owyn lamented over ever having to go up there, but as Prince of Malachite Expanse, he was required to do so. He overlooked the running of the mines and all the blacksmithing that went with it. The mining helped the blacksmiths make their wares and then they would be traded to the other islands for the things that the island needed.

  Owyn was in charge of everything that had to do with the island and as much as it wore him out, he loved the challenge of keeping his island running smoothly. Since he had become prince after the Great Tide five years ago, he had changed the way the mines were run and the workers were now being taken care of much better than they had before.

  He had the knowledge and experience to run this island since he himself had worked down in the mines. He listened to the complaints the workers had and actively tried to fix them. Owyn took care of his people and they knew it. They were grateful and so was he that he was prince.

  When they arrived at the mines, they were directed by the superintendent as to where they needed to go. It only took them a few minutes to find the injured young man.

  Owyn inwardly cringed when he looked at the boy. He couldn’t have been more than nineteen years old, covered in dirt and blood from the mine and the wound on his head. The men around him parted for Owyn to get through. He knelt down next to the boy and asked him his name.