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  Crown of Chaos

  ~A Court of Mystery Novel~

  Sarah E. Burr

  This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 by Sarah Burr

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  First Printing, 2019

  www.saraheburr.com

  Other books by Sarah E. Burr

  The Court of Mystery series

  Paradise Plagued

  Burdened Bloodline

  Sovereign Sieged

  Crown of Chaos

  The Ducal Detective Mysteries

  The Ducal Detective

  A Feast Most Foul

  A Voyage of Vengeance

  A Summit in Shadow

  Throne of Threats

  Realm of Virtues Short Stories

  Mark of Mettle

  Centuries ago, priests of the Ancient Faith lorded over the continent, building their empires on fear and greed. Poverty and sickness ravaged the world, forcing a faction of rebels to rise and overthrow these tyrants preaching in the name of silent gods. The leaders of this movement, known in the annals of history as the Rebirth, proclaimed the realm would no longer answer to nameless demons and gods, but to the virtues of bravery, humility, kindness, and intelligence. Sealing their pact, these newly anointed leaders drank the dew of the fabled kingsleaf flower, marking them and their offspring forever as destined rulers of the realm with their royal eyes. Under their care and guidance, the dukedoms flourished for over five hundred years. Now, greed and oppression have seeped back into the Realm of Virtues, as the ruling dukes and duchesses of each region lust for more and more power. Fearing the duchies are going the way of the all-but-extinct Ancient Faith, Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier, the self-appointed protector of the realm and ruler of Saphire, has put a plan into motion to secure the freedom and prosperity of the world, despite growing opposition to her cause.

  Contents

  Principal Characters

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Note from the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Principal Characters

  Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier – our heroine, “Jax”

  Duke Percival “Perry” Pettraud – Jax’s husband

  George Solomon – Captain of the Saphire Ducal Guard

  Ivan Pettraud – Captain of the Pettraud Ducal Guard

  Horatio Pendleton – Duke of Mensina and Jax’s grandfather

  Darian Fangard – Duke of Cetachi

  Henrik – Duke of Crepsta

  Katalina – Duchess of Zaltor

  Amyra – Duchess of Kwatalar

  Florian – Duke of Hestes

  Qylvard – Duke of Savant

  Waylon – Duke of Beautraud

  Delphinia – Duchess of Tandora

  Landon – Duke of Lysandeir

  Brath Egarhaven – Prelate of the Knights of Grace

  Ziri Axesinger – an Acolyte of the Knights of Grace

  Chapter One

  The snap echoed all around, reverberating off the trunks of frost-covered trees. Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier tightened her grip on the leather reins, her anxious gaze darting to the Captain of the Ducal Guard. “What was that?” Her voice was a harsh whisper.

  In the blinding starlight, George Solomon’s profile cut a handsome figure, his features etched with alert concern. As his chocolate eyes surveyed the dark forest, his shoulders relaxed. “It’s just a stag.”

  Jax followed the trail of his outstretched finger, spying a twelve-point buck grazing peacefully in the shadows of a large oak. Sagging into her saddle, she managed a small chuckle. “Well, I’m sure he’d give us a run for our gold if we disturbed his evening meal.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw George stroke the crossbow slung over his back. “Then let’s be on our way.” Clicking his tongue, he urged his mount to pick up the pace.

  Jax followed suit, her heels digging gently into Mortimer’s sleek black coat. Hoofbeats muted by light snowfall floated into her ears, lulling her racing heart back to normal. She’d ridden through these woods hundreds of times as a young girl, never giving the possible dangers lurking in the shadows a second thought. Inwardly, she chastised her unhinged imagination. She hated how paranoid she had become in recent months. She suspected trouble around every corner since uncovering Duke Savant’s latest attempt to end her life. But it will all soon be over, one way or another. Yet, she took little comfort from her grim thoughts.

  From atop his mare trotting beside her, George cleared his throat. “If we set a quick pace, we can reach the Pettraudian border by dawn.”

  Jax didn’t require any further urging, digging her heels into Mortimer’s side once more to up the speed of his gait. The thought of arriving in Pettraud soothed her myriad of fears. Her husband’s carefree grin filled her uneasy mind, a calming warmth washing over her. It had been too long since Perry had last held her in his arms, whispering reassuring words that everything would be fine. How she yearned for the caress of his skilled hands, for his resolute belief that everything would indeed turn out all right.

  George’s voice cut through her daydream. “Try to think of this as a simple nighttime ride, Jax. Let me do the worrying.”

  Jax glanced at her friend, suppressing the urge to reach across the gap between their horses and seek his hand for comfort. Instead, she continued to bury her confusing desires deep in her heart and offered him a small smile. “Simple? When has anything ever involving me been simple?”

  His soft laughter stroked her worried soul. “You do have a point. You have been trouble since I met you.”

  Letting his lighthearted chuckle settle on her cloaked shoulders like a blanket, Jax tried to ignore the twinge in her chest. Ever since she’d discovered that George still harbored feelings for her after all these years, she’d struggled with managing her own. He was her oldest and most trusted friend. She’d known the strapping soldier since she was nine years old. Not long after laying eyes on him during a routine review of the Ducal Guard, Jax had developed a little crush on the then sixteen-year-old soldier, which had flourished into love as she grew older. At nineteen, she’d even begged him to run away with her and leave her destiny to rule Saphire behind. He’d let her down easy, of course, stating he could never let her throw away her future for a lowly guardsman. But despite his protests that they could not be together, George had continued to love her all these years, suffering in silence as she courted and eventually wed the newly crowned Duke of Pettraud.

  Before she knew he still loved her, Jax would have reached across from atop her mount and taken his hand without a moment’s hesitation, asking for the silent reassurance he always seemed willing to give. Now, Jax held back any and all affection, fearful it would cause George even more undeserved pain. She didn’t have the strength to send him away from her side, to allow him a life free of his sworn duty to protect her, so s
he tried to keep her distance in the hopes his feelings might eventually subside and he would find someone else worthy of his love. What surprised her the most was how much she missed being near him. She thought her feelings for the Captain had settled into friendship, as she deeply loved and cared for Perry, but over these past few months, Jax feared the torch she’d carried for George all those years ago had never been fully extinguished.

  As she wrestled with her conflicted feelings, George must have mistaken her silence for offense, for he leaned over in his saddle and slowed her own mount to a more leisurely pace. “I hope you know you’re still worth the trouble, Jax. You always have been and always will be.”

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded. George had been so wonderful to her, trying to act as if nothing had changed between them, that their friendship remained the same. She prayed daily to the Virtues for the strength he had, but found she still could not simply forget the deep love he had professed for her against his will. If only she had kept her nose out of other people’s business, none of this awkwardness would have happened.

  “I hope tensions among the nobles have settled since Perry’s last visit.” George’s expression was unreadable as a cloud passed over the bright, pearly moon. “Ivan sent a map of our route by raven, although he stated it might be subject to change depending on the unrest.”

  Grateful to talk matters of state to assuage her mind, Jax nodded thoughtfully. “I wasn’t surprised to learn a respected Pettraudian noble family defected to Beautraud. I’m relieved it was only one.”

  “It is encouraging to see your ideals implemented beyond your own borders,” George replied. “Let’s hope your grandfather will soon follow suit?” His tone raised in question.

  Jax loosed a heavy breath. “I think Grand-Père is waiting to see how events unfold.”

  The returning moonlight illuminated a frown growing on George’s lips. “It sounds as though you question his support.”

  She selected her words carefully. “I know he plans to stand by my side during these negotiations, but if discussions go poorly and war breaks out, I have to consider the possibility that we may lose.”

  George grunted. “Your armies are ten thousand strong, Jax. The entire realm would need to rally against you to be outmanned.”

  “We have the numbers, but sheer body count won’t guarantee a win.” Jax sighed. “After all, when the Children of Virtues fought against the Ancient Faith, they were outnumbered and still emerged victorious.”

  “I see you’ve been reading up on your history of late.” A sly smirk stretched across George’s face.

  She chuckled. “I have. You may remember it wasn’t my fondest subject at the Academy, but I’ve been studying old war communications written between my ancestor Allonius Xavier and his generals. There are ways our enemies can defeat us.”

  George tossed her a pointed look. “I, of all people, know you are correct. But we have more than numbers to aid us. Our soldiers are strong, intelligent, and devoted to Saphire. They will not let her fall.”

  Jax’s stomach flipped at his use of “our soldiers.” While she knew he referred to his position of Commander General of the Saphirian forces and hers as Duchess, there was an intimacy to it that left her a bit breathless.

  “Wartime training has doubled at every barrack and garrison throughout the duchy,” George continued to reassure her. “I’ve even issued a few Saphirian companies to Isla DeLacqua to oversee the DeLacquan soldiers and prepare for a water approach.”

  Jax remembered signing off on the measure. “What news do you have from your officers stationed there?”

  “They are pleased with progress being made.” George paused. “Although the new Governor Royale is somewhat of a distraction.”

  Jax wrinkled her nose. She’d yet to meet the Governor Royale in person, as he’d only been elected to the post a week prior to Yuletide, but George’s tone elicited grave concern that her new governing experiment had already gone awry.

  “He states he is merely voicing the concerns of his constituents,” George began, looking grim, “but he does not support sending DeLacquan forces to the mainland for a war they have no interest in.”

  Jax scoffed. “No interest in? Doesn’t Governor Vorsetti realize we are fighting to maintain the very way of life the isles live by?” Virtues, if she failed to subdue her enemies and their threats against the democratic freedoms she had bestowed to her people, Governor Vorsetti would be forced back to his life as a cobbler, should he even be granted clemency to remain alive.

  “Again, he says he only speaks for the people who voted for him. From the correspondence we’ve received from both him and Jaquobie, it seems like Vorsetti is a smart man.” George reached for the back of his neck and began to rub his strong fingers into the base of his scalp. “He no doubt realizes the magnitude of what we are fighting for. He’s tried to engage the village premiers in promoting education on the matter, but the DeLacquan people still don’t see the big picture.” He sighed. “To them, they are sending their loved ones off to fight a war practically on the other side of the world.”

  “I suppose this is a risk one takes when giving the masses the power to decide their own futures for themselves.” Jax stewed over the problem. “I wish I had time to visit the isles myself and speak with them. To help them understand all that is at stake.”

  “Jaquobie and Lysette are doing their best in your stead.” George’s chocolate eyes brimmed with conviction.

  Jax nodded agreement. “It’s heartening to hear that the DeLacquans respect them so greatly.”

  “It’s all due to the changes they’ve brought about to the islands. The changes you made possible.” George gazed at her reverently as they rode. “In time, the people will come to understand what you are fighting for.”

  Breaking his intense stare, Jax focused on the trail ahead. “I pray you are right. Otherwise, I fear we have already lost.”

  ‡

  Mortimer’s rhythmic gait became a lullaby, coaxing Jax’s eyelids to droop as the hours wore on. Without an envoy of soldiers to encumber them, she and George made good time as they raced toward the duchy’s northern border. While every step brought her closer to Perry, the looming War Council overshadowed their reunion. In two days’ time, the twelve ruling sovereigns would gather to decide the fate of the world. Originally intended to broker peace during times of opposition, the War Council served as a neutral meeting ground to allow for discussion without resorting to violence. Yet, a dark premonition lurked in Jax’s mind that her chances of completely averting bloodshed grew slimmer by the day. Duke Savant seemed intent on bringing the Realm of Virtues to war, a concept Jax found to reveal his true, warmongering nature.

  And I gave him the perfect cause to champion against. Her frown deepened as she mulled over the previous year’s events. Duke Savant’s vendetta against her stemmed from the new governing structure she’d been implementing across her holdings since last winter. For centuries, the realm had functioned under a three-class system: the common-born, the nobles, and the ducal bloodlines. After bearing witness to the corruption of the nobility and the oppression of the common-born, Jax sought to change how her territories were managed. Village elections now took place, and the elected premiers were charged with cultivating prosperity within their communities. The noble class no longer lorded over the common-born. She’d abolished any and all special privileges the elite had within her borders. The common-born no longer paid taxes to the nobles, forcing many esteemed houses to rely on their own holdings for income. The first few months after enacting the measure had been contentious. Despite many noble houses supporting Jax’s move for equality, their loss of income had been a hard blow. Yet, it forced the nobles to put more effort into managing their lands and businesses than ever before. As a result, worker wages had increased to secure the best help, crops and exports were on the rise now that the nobles depended on the income from their goods, and the Saphirian economy thrived like never befor
e.

  Of course, not everyone had risen to the challenge. Two houses had initially refused the new policies put in place and suffered the consequences. Their demands went unanswered, and they soon found themselves in dire financial straits. One family eventually agreed to the new laws of the land and accepted a small loan from the Crown to get back on their feet. The other house abandoned their holdings and defected to the Duchy of Beautraud, where their elite status was still revered and worshipped. As a result, the Saphirian estate had been purchased by a common-born merchant who had amassed great wealth over the years, but had never been able to buy more capital because of his station. He now employed hundreds, offering comparable wages to the other noble estates. When Jax heard news of this development, her heart soared. Creating a system where anyone, regardless of bloodline, could forge their own path and succeed had been her sole purpose when launching this initiative. She was heartened to see such results beginning to take shape already.

  As the leader of the largest and most economically prosperous nation in the Realm of Virtues, Jax fostered a great deal of influence in the political arena and hoped the other sovereigns might see the value in this new, more democratic method of governing. However, her ideas of equality and freedom had been met with disdain by some of the other ducal leaders. Duke Qylvard Savant had been a particularly vocal opponent from the start, propagating that Jax meant to use this system as a façade to gain more power for herself. In retaliation, he’d formed a coalition against her and even attempted to assassinate her in recent months. Savant’s moves against her forced Jax to summon a War Council, a gathering of the realm’s sovereigns to discuss the future of their duchies in a civilized manner. It was a measure the founders of the realm had developed to prevent all-out war in the days of old. While Jax prayed to the Virtues that they’d be able to resolve all their issues peacefully, she feared Savant’s bloodlust would not be satisfied until both she and her ideals were dead.