Caelix Serpienne's Arc

Chapter 1 of 10

Caelix Serpienne meant to rule every snake kin in Obsidianvillia, and he could not find one woman. He sat on the marble steps of his blue palace, tail coiled tight, and read the same page for the tenth time. The book bore no name and no address. Yet he wanted the author who wrote it as his mate. He wanted her to bear his heir. He did not even know which street held her door. His pet fish drifted in its bowl beside him. The little thing had a mermaid's tail and eyes too knowing for a fish. Caelix touched the glass. "You grant wishes," he muttered. "So grant me this one. Show me where she lives." The fish only blinked and swam a slow circle. Boots scraped the marble. Slit Here came up the steps two at a time, red tail flicking, red hair damp with rain. He was Caelix's oldest friend and his royal advisor, and he never learned to knock. He dropped a folded paper in Caelix's lap and grinned. "You've been sulking three days over a book," Slit said. "So I did your work for you." He tapped the paper. "The binder who stitched that cover. I found his shop. He keeps records of every writer he serves." Caelix stared at him. "You went yourself." "I went while you glared at a fish." Slit's grin faded a little. His red eyes held something soft he tried to hide. "I'd cross the whole city for you. You know that." Caelix did know it, and he chose not to say so. He unfolded the paper. Inside, in cramped ink, was a name and a location. The author lived in the old grove district, past the market, in a house grown into a living tree. Caelix read it twice. His pulse struck hard against his ribs. "She's real," he said. "She has an address." "She's real," Slit agreed. He watched Caelix's face. "Now what? You march over and command her to love you?" Caelix stood. His tail uncoiled across the steps. For the first time in three days he smiled, and it was not a kind smile. "I court her. Properly. She writes stories. I'll give her one she can't refuse." He called for his cloak. He tucked the paper into his coat, against his chest. The fish watched him from its bowl, and Caelix felt almost grateful to it, though the fish had done nothing. Slit followed him to the door, then stopped. "Caelix." His voice had lost its joke. "When you find her. Be gentle. Not everyone bends the way your subjects do." Caelix did not answer. He stepped into the rain and turned toward the grove district. The blocker was gone. He knew where she lived. But knowing a door and getting through it were two different things, and he understood only the first.