Ilno

  Beyond the Veil 3

  Ilno

  Ilno, a prince of the Water Kingdom, has given up on finding his mate, becoming jaded and keeping his heart locked safely away where it cannot be touched. With his cousin Radisq long gone to live with his mate, he feels more lonely than ever, having so much love to give but no one of his own to give it to.

  Ciran, the fourth prince of the Earth Kingdom, is a born wanderer. Leaving home immediately after his hundredth year coming out celebration, Ciran embraced his nature and dream of exploring every nook and cranny of their realm. With the intrigue and draw of new cultures and ways of life, Ciran got sucked into it, unable to resist going back for more. This was why it came as a surprise to him when, for the first time, after being away from home for so long, he began to get homesick.

  As far as first meetings go, Ilno and Ciran's was a total and complete disaster, with both having wrong impressions of the other and leaving in a huff. As the misunderstandings keep piling up, will they ever be able to resolve the misconceptions they have of each other?

  Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal

  Length: 25,975 words

  ILNO

  Beyond the Veil 3

  Toby Aden

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  ILNO

  Copyright © 2017 by Toby Aden

  ISBN: 978-1-64010-332-0

  First Publication: May 2017

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2017 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  To all my fans out there and to my family.

  Much love.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Toby Aden has always had an overactive imagination. She is an avid reader who spends much of her time immersed in the world of romance novels. After discovering the world of M/M romance, she became irrevocably enthralled by it and decided to try her hand writing it.

  Website:

  www.tobyaden.wix.com/author

  Blog:

  www.tobyaden.blogspot.com

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  Twitter:

  @AdenToby

  E-mail:

  tobyaden@yahoo.com

  For all titles by Toby Aden, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/toby-aden

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Landmarks

  Cover

  ILNO

  Beyond the Veil 3

  TOBY ADEN

  Copyright © 2017

  Prologue

  In a world where only the Fae existed, hidden from all the other outside universes, the land was divided and ruled over by the four intertwined ruling bodies. The four ruling bodies were the Fire Kingdom with its closest neighbor, the Earth Kingdom, and the Water Kingdom, with its closest neighbor, the Wind Kingdom.

  All lived in harmony and peace, needing the others to survive yet separate and unique in their attributes, beliefs, and inherent powers. Regardless of the kingdom, the general law to tour the four kingdoms, ordained and adhered to by each royal family on the hundredth year soon after the coming-out celebration of the Fae, kept their universe in balance and in check.

  For all Fae, a fated pair was deemed in reverence, with the bond perceived on sight during the period of the mating call, which lasts for a few months, once every hundred years. Mating could not be done should a Fae find their mate before the mating call arrived, and thus a mated pair without the mating call could fall into disastrous issues arising from their bond. At worse, mating without the call could lead to death of the Fae. On a minimal basis, it could result in impotency as well as severe mental and body issues. For this reason, mating was only deemed legal and recognized after a ceremony was held to bind the two souls as one.

  Chapter One

  On his hundredth celebration, his coming-out party, Ilno had been the most joyous of Fae. His whole life, he had been anticipating that day when he would finally be of age and find his true mate. When he would be of the age to satisfy the itch of wanderlust and tour the four kingdoms to his heart’s content. When he could begin his adventures and see what else was out there for him.

  That day had come and gone, and although it hadn’t all been to his expectation, it had been worth the wait. He hadn’t met his mate, but he’d held out hope that he would find who he was destined to be with. The world outside his own home, though, had surpassed his expectations. Where others feared to journey out of their comfort zones and their safety nets, he’d been eager to take every risk and more chances.

  The only drawback to his adventures was that with every nation he departed without finding his true mate, his heart sank and the excitement faded a bit. By the time he’d made his round throughout the three other nations apart from his own kingdom in his first hundred years and didn’t find his mate, he’d begun to lose hope of ever finding his destined partner.

  After his two hundredth birthday and still no sign of his mate, Ilno resigned himself to not having one. His depression had been so great that he had cut his once gleaming, beautiful waist-length ebony hair. It had been his greatest pride and he had nurtured the silky strands, giving extra care and attention to it.

  It had been one of his cherished attributes. However, after a century and a half of keeping his hopes up only for them to be dashed away with each passing day, Ilno finally gave up. He closed his heart tightly against the sting of loneliness and soothed himself by finding other bedmates. To his joy, Radisq, his cousin, had come along and he’d adored the boy since his birth.

  All the love and attention he’d had stored up, he’d showered on Radisq when the young prince had been born, up until he’d left with his true mate no sooner after his coming-out party. Still, he’d only traveled once with Radisq’s parents for the birth of Radisq’s and his mate, Aaeren’s, firstborn son, Kelric.

  And now, as he sat at his and Radisq’s former favorite spot by the waterfall, Ilno could feel his skin itching with wanderlust. He felt stuck and as though his life had become stagnant over the years. The desire to move, to set out from all that he knew, burned underneath his skin, and he’d been resisting the soft humming of it for days now. Even putting it off by sleeping around had begun to dull, and he knew that it would not be too long before he left the Water Kingdom.

  The Water Kingdom woul
d always be home for him, but sometimes, he just needed to get out for a while.

  * * * *

  Sitting at a pub and sipping a tankard of ale with friends was just the right way to end his evening. For the first time that Ciran could remember, he was actually homesick. It was a foreign feeling, one he’d not felt since his coming-out party when he knew he wanted to wander the realm, feeling free to be himself and go anywhere.

  Now that he thought about it, it had been almost two years since he’d gone back home. He normally returned every year, but he’d been unable to do so the previous year. He was sure his family would be terribly worried about him, wanting to confirm for themselves that he was hale and hearty.

  He missed home and he missed his family. Staring around at the loud and rowdy pub, along with the few friends he’d made, did not in any way make up for the feeling bubbling up in him. Ciran forced himself to laugh and smile in all the appropriate places, but his heart was not there any longer. Before he suffered much longer from this malady, he knew what he ought to do next.

  Getting to his feet, his mind made up and decision set, Ciran wished his friends a merry night and set off on his way. Home was a long way away from here and almost a month away. The earlier he set off, the faster he could arrive and see his family and sleep in his own bed once more. So lost in thoughts was Ciran that he didn’t notice a few people following him until he was along a darkened part of the road and an unsavory part of the town.

  His first impression that he was being followed was the heavy sound of boots on the uneven pavement. Luckily for him, he turned and ducked at the last minute, narrowly missing a fist to his face. Several men came to surrounding him, cornering him against the wall behind him. From the dim light filtering through the street, he could tell that they were up to no good by their ragged appearances and the look on their faces.

  Ciran stood, staring down his opponents. It was just as well that no one knew his real identity, for it was the first thing he shed whenever he set out of his homeland. His shoes, which had the thinnest material for the sole and the front thinning and pointed upward, specifically designed for him, would make kicking his opponents more painful. A kick with the sharp, pointed edge would distract them long enough for him to decide how fast the situation was escalating, thus giving him enough time to manipulate the earth under him to his advantage.

  Ciran didn’t suffer fools easily. He had no qualms defending himself and especially from bullies who saw him as an easy target. What his opponents didn’t know was that he was no ordinary target and the odds were firmly against them.

  “Let me pass. I want no trouble and just want to get home if you gentlemen would cooperate,” Ciran said, giving them a chance.

  One of the men with blackened teeth laughed. “Listen to those posh words, boys, calling us gentlemen and throwing around big words.” The other men burst into laughter, mocking Ciran but not putting their blades down as they watched him sharply. “Enough play. Give us yer purse or we take yer life.”

  “How about you leave and we all forget this ever happened,” Ciran suggested. His words were met by more laughter before the men began attacking him.

  Ciran kicked out straight between one of the men’s legs. A blow landed on his face while he was distracted by the man in front of him, and soon, the men were rushing him at once. Unable to do much else, Ciran began manipulating the earth, even as he fought wildly, punching out at whoever was unfortunate enough to be closest to him. Ciran slipped his foot against the ground, manipulating the earth until it melted into quicksand all around his attackers.

  “What in the bloody hell!” the men yelled, letting out loud expletives as they began sinking into the earth, losing their footing on solid ground.

  Ciran ignored those caught in the quicksand and faced off with the remaining attackers, taking advantage of the fear evident in their gazes to pin them to where they stood. They had injured him several times over, but his survival instincts were in overdrive. Before they could do more damage to him, the earth closed around their feet, making them stuck in it and unable to move.

  “If you would not like to join your other companions where they are, I suggest you stay away from me and let me pass,” Ciran said coldly.

  “Fine, fine, yer lordship. We made a mistake now if you’ll be kind to let us go,” the man who appeared to be their leader said from where he stood his feet also buried into the earth.

  The fear on the men’s faces did nothing for his mood, and neither did the injuries he’d sustained from their attacks. He wiped the back of his hand against his bloody lips, hissing in pain before turning to glare at his attackers once more. He had no idea the look on his face just then but apparently, it was enough to scare them once more as they all proceeded to nod their consent vigorously, accepting their leader’s words.

  “You’ll pardon me if I don’t readily trust you,” Ciran said before summoning stones from the earth and using his energy to aim at all of them, hitting and knocking them unconscious.

  Once he was sure his attackers couldn’t come after him anymore, Ciran released them from the earth and began hurrying along to his rental villa, eager to get a hot bath then treat his minor wounds. He dashed through the streets, taking several shortcuts until he reached the building which served as his temporary home. Pulling out a key from his pocket, he opened the door, walked in, then shut and locked it up.

  He pulled the string that would turn the lights on, brightening up the room instantly, then he began pulling off his clothes, leaving a trail of them on his way into the bathroom through his bedroom. The house was a modest one-bedroom apartment with attached kitchenette and sitting room. A real find for the price he paid for it.

  He turned on the water that would fill up the tub and pressed a dial to begin heating up the water, then padded back to the kitchenette. He withdrew a block of ice from the freezing component and wrapped it in a cloth and placed it against his sore knuckle. That done, he walked back into the spacious bathroom and settled against the sink as he waited for the water to fill and heat properly.

  In the meantime, he treated his knuckles and face with the ice so that it would not swell come morning. The fight had taken a lot out of him, but he alone was to blame for not remaining vigilant of his surroundings. His twin brother, Xiran, would have reprimanded him if he knew about the night’s event. That brought a smile to his face which quickly turned into a wince as his split lips protested the motion.

  Heaving a sigh, Ciran placed the ice-covered cloth down and walked up to the tub, crouching beside it. He tested the water, nodding when it was at the exact temperature he preferred before turning the water off. He pulled his long white hair out of the string holding it away from his face, letting the heavy mass fall down to mid-back before climbing into the tub. A hiss escaped his lips when he settled into the water, followed by a sigh as he relaxed and let it do its job on his sore body.

  Ciran allowed the heat of the water to soak into his pores, closing his eyes and letting his mind wander once more, but this time, in the secured confines of his house. Thinking about his plans just stressed him out. He needed to pack up this house if he was going to proceed as he wanted to and leave the next morning.

  He also needed to say his good-byes, but he had no reason to personally pack up. He could have one of his friends do so for him and leave his belongings in storage, taking along with him the most important things.

  His mind settling down, he remained so relaxed in the water that he soon drifted off to sleep. He’d had no idea when he fell asleep or for how long he was out, but sinking down into the water so he was underneath it and unable to breathe had woken him up immediately. He rose out, spluttering and coughing wildly, holding on to the rim of the tub to keep him upright and wiping the water away from his face with his other hand.

  Reaching into the tub, he pulled on the plug, draining the water, and climbed out of the tub. “By the fates, I cannot believe I fell asleep in there,” Ciran mumbled under his
breath, wiping his feet on the bath mat so as not to leave water marks all over the floor.

  He pulled a towel and began drying himself off with it, and too exhausted to do anything else, he dragged his lethargic body into the bedroom and collapsed face first into the bed. It didn’t take long before he was snoring slightly, completely gone.

  True to his words, the next morning, after calling on his friends to alert them that he was moving on, Ciran set out for home, highly prepared for the month-long journey ahead of him and looking forward to seeing his family once more.

  Chapter Two

  Ilno traveled alone, preferring not to take along with him anyone else. With his horse saddled and a few provisions to tide him over, he was unrecognizable as a royal, just the way he wanted it. With the exception of letting the ruling family of the other kingdoms know of his presence on their territory, he was free to live wherever he wanted and do whatever he wanted.

  He just hoped that this trip would help him find what he wanted. Scratching the itch he had and satisfying his wanderlust. It had been a long time he’d seen his cousin Radisq, and he would try to make it a point to stop by.

  The several days’ ride grew closer to an end for him when he finally arrived, late at night at the Wind Kingdom, and went to present himself to the king directly. He took a minute to examine the familiar yet impressive tree that held the royal castle. The tree was no ordinary tree in both appearance and importance for it looked different from any other found in their realm. Ilno had traveled wide and far and had never seen a tree of this type before. Not even in the Wind Kingdom for it was truly unique, the widest and tallest as well as the flowers which grew on it. Stairs made from the tree’s branches with greeneries growing all over and around it protruded from the magnificent tree and led to the entrance of the impressive castle. The branches that made up the stairs were no ordinary ones, for they were just wide and elongated enough for a person to climb on. The base of the tree was surrounded by finely grown flowers and greenery and the castle never failed to take away the breath of anyone who saw it.