by J. R. Castle
“Yes. That is my destination. Thank you, but I’ll not be in need of a fire. I’m not staying.”
Jael’s long ears flicked as he glanced around the darkening woods. Darnel was sure he still had a few hours left of daylight, but the sun had already sunk behind the mountains in the distance. Even if he reached the border of Rodonal, he still had another day's worth of travel ahead of him. And he’d need to circle around to take the secret passage into the city that Koloman had shown them.
He sat heavily on a fallen log, exhausted from traveling so fast and so far over the past week. Orelia had made him sleep in the barn, just as she had when he was a boy taking shelter from her. He should be used to people being wary of him.
The horse folded her legs and lay beneath the shelter of a tree. Darnel knew he’d not get her to go any farther without proper rest. If only Koloman hadn’t sold off his finer horses, he might have been able to pick a sturdier mount that could have handled the long journey. But he insisted Anwynn dress the part of a lady, and the dresses were costly.
“Very well, we will rest here. Thank you for your hospitality, Jael. But I’ll be fine here and will most likely leave before dawn.”
Jael gave a nod. “Of course, Sir. All are free to come and goes as they please. This is a safe place, so do not fret any baddies coming close. So long as you remain on this side of the stream, you can rest comfortably.”
Baddies, huh? Darnel bit back his grin and nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
The faun left him with the promise to check back later to see if he needed anything. What was Jael under penance for? Fauns were crafty creatures. Usually prone to drunkenness and merrymaking for the most part. If he was condemned to serve others, that must mean he’d been taking slaves or stealing goods.
Darnel wouldn’t ask, not wanting to bring more questions about himself he didn’t care to answer. A quick rest was all he needed then he’d be on his way.
He explored the area with the globe and found a herd of centaurs would be blocking his way if he continued on. Yes, he’d wait. They’d move on before morning. Tucking the globe into his pocket, he tucked his bag under his head. Soon he dozed off.
A soft glowing light woke him to find a person standing only a couple of feet away. Bolting up, he backed away until his boot hit the stream and he stopped. The woman stroked his mare’s face, whispering words he couldn’t hear. At her feet sat a lantern. Her hair, the color of a raven’s wings, flowed down her back in spiraling waves. Flowers and vines wove through the long tresses. She almost seemed as if she were part of the woods. Her silver gown shimmered in the glow of the lantern. Her flawless face took him in for a long moment.
“Good morn, traveler. I noticed your horse has been run to exhaustion so I came to help her. I do so hate seeing an innocent one suffer.”
Wherever she touched left a glimmering glow. She must be infusing the beast with energy. How kind of her. His mind raced to figure out what type of species had such abilities. She certainly wasn’t human.
Darnel moved out of the water before his boot became waterlogged. She was nothing to fear. Why she wasn’t any taller than Anwynn. Certainly, she wasn’t of elfin origin, either. Her ears were normal like his. She reminded him of … his breath caught. Impossible. “Who are you, milady?”
“I go by the name of Emmalyn, but Jael already told you all this.” With a hearty laugh, she turned to him, still keeping her hands on the horse’s neck. “I’ve been wondering the same question about you. Jael had little to tell, except that you were seeking a restful place to sleep. He said you were in a hurry, so I’ve brought you provisions for your trip.” The same bag the faun had brought hung from her shoulder. She let the strap slide down her arm to her hand where she held it out to him.
“I’m grateful for your kindness, Emmalyn.” A soft glow had begun to light up the eastern sky. Perfect time to be on his way.
The mare threw her head up and down and stomped her hooves on the soft ground. At least she seemed ready to continue on. He would still need to ride hard to make it back in time for the festival.
“I should be on my way.” He reached for the bag and when he did, his hand touched hers.
Emmalyn’s silver eyes widened. She grabbed his hand in both of hers and held on with a force he wasn’t able to break free from. “It’s you! Caellum’s son! He was my brother!” Her gaze remained locked on him, transfixed as if she were seeing something else entirely.
At the mention of his father’s name, Darnel froze, his heart threatening to burst from his chest. Nobody had ever mentioned his father by name since his mother had passed from this land. Questions swelled, but Darnel stomped them back down. He didn’t want to know. Refused to care about any part of his past.
Emmalyn was a Logorian. But what was she doing living alone in these woods?
She pulled him closer until their faces were inches apart. “I know what you plan, Darsiderous. I will not allow you to succeed.” Her eyes seem to swirl like melting silver. “I will not!”
Chapter Twenty
The messenger bird landed on Hilda’s kitchen window, startling her. She let out a loud yelp, tossing the pan of biscuits into the air. They landed around her and Nellie with a series of thumps, one hitting Nellie’s shoulder on the way down.
Kardia was busy trying to dish out oats to each of the siblings. The task required her to hold the serving spoon between both of her palms. The children were good about holding their bowls close to the kettle so she didn’t spill too much onto the table.
She loved sharing breakfast with the loud, boisterous family. As an only child, she had no idea how entertaining a large family could be.
Kellie hopped off her spot on the bench and ran to the bird while her mother and sister were trying to save the biscuits. Snatching the parchment from the messenger bird’s pouch, Kellie held it up with a wicked grin. “It has Kardia’s name on it. And the regent’s seal. I told you all, he’s in love with her.”
Hilda grabbed the note from her daughter, smacking her with her hand towel. “Nosy child, go sit down and mind your own.” Shaking her head, she held the note out to Kardia. “Don’t listen to her. Kellie’s words spill out like kernels through a hole in a grain sack.”
Kardia’s heart stopped. Why had Regent Leon sent her a message? He usually stopped by daily to check on her as the Elderad Riyah asked. Usually, he’d meet her at the pond. She enjoyed his visits but knew he was only there because his guardian requested him to do so.
“Um,” Kardia stammered, unsure how she was supposed to break the seal. “Can you—?”
Nellie, always ready to help when Kardia needed something, opened the letter. With a quick jerk of her head, the children moved away from the table to give them some privacy. Nellie spread the crinkly parchment open on the counter. Kardia was able to take over from there. “Thank you, Nell.”
Nellie didn’t even try to read along with her. She took over serving the oats.
Regent Leon had the finest handwriting Kardia had ever seen. His words were easy to read, unlike some of the books she’d had to work through deciphering the scrawling letters and fanciful handwriting.
“He wishes for me to meet him today at the Hall. I’m to come as soon as…but what about the geese?” She couldn’t abandon her duty.
Hilda waved off her concerns. “I’ll send the twins out to tend them today. You never turn down a summons from the regent, my dear.”
Kellie bounced in her seat. “See I told—”
“You hush, Imp!” Hilda swatted her towel at Kellie again. Turning to Kardia, she said, “You’ll want to change into something more appropriate, dear. One of your meeting day dresses will do.”
“But…” Kardia stammered, growing nervous. Which was silly. Regent Leon had been kind to her. He’d made the quill pens so she could write again. Of course, he’d given her the gift in private before. Why was he summoning her so formally this time? Had she inadvertently done something wrong?
�
��Won’t know till you show up, silly.” Nellie was saying as she glanced down at the note. “Ah, he wishes you to come around midday and stay for lunch.” Biting her bottom lip, merriment danced in her friend’s gaze. “This is something. You best heed Mama’s directions. I’ll come along and help you get ready. I can fix your hair pretty.”
“But…” That’s all Kardia could manage to say. This made no sense, despite Kellie whispering her, “I told you so, I told you so…”
Why would he invite a servant like her to dine with him? Kardia didn’t understand it. And she didn’t fit into that place. Matter-of-fact, she’d started attending the weekly meetings in the smaller Hall in town where folks were more like her. Simple workers with simple clothing and simple manners. Not the wealthy group that dressed in such finery as those who attended the regent’s weekly meetings. Sometimes she wished she could have sneaked into the back, just to hear Leon speak to his people, but she’d always been too intimidated after her first try at attending. The scornful looks as the upper-class residents passed by her caused her to return home and spend the morning reading the King’s Book of Letters on her own.
“Well?” Nellie grabbed her arm and gave a gentle shake, bringing Kardia out of her thoughts. “Let’s enjoy our breakfast. Then we’ll go to your room and get you ready.”
Nodding, Kardia sat at the table and tried to eat, but she was such a bundle of nerves, she’d lost her appetite. The family conversation turned to the upcoming festival and what they all wished to see and do.
She tried to participate, but only half listened as she struggled to keep the spoon handle tucked between her stumpy thumb and her palm. If only he’d told her why he wished to see her… well, she’d have to wait and see, wouldn’t she?
* * * *
Darnel tried to duck the first blast of light Emmalyn threw at him, but it hit him in the back, knocking the breath from his lungs before throwing him several feet. He tumbled into the stream and managed to get a shield around himself before she hit him with a second blast.
“Do not do this, Darsiderous! Return to the King. Return on your own and he will pardon you—”
“Don’t… call me… that!” Darnel gasped and pushed himself onto his feet.
“You still have time to change your course, nephew.”
That drew Darnel to a stop. This was his father’s sister? Truly his kin and she, like so many others, wanted to push him down. Away. He shook his head, wiping the water dripping from his face. The stream rushed past, and he had to fight to stay on his feet. “Nephew?” He spat, moving back to the shore toward his horse and bag. He was ready for her this time if she tried to attack him again. “Nephew, indeed! I’m nothing to any of you!”
Grabbing his bag, he slung it over his shoulder.
Emmalyn stood between him and the horse. “That’s not true. Don’t leave, Darsid—” His hate-filled glare stopped her from finishing that last word. Instead, she used his common name. “Don’t do this, Darnel. Stay here with me. I’ll protect you. I’ll—”
“Stay here? And you’ll protect me like my father protected my mother and me? Oh, no, that’s not possible. He ran away in his shame. Far away, from what I’ve heard. Or perhaps you’ll have me doing penance work like that nag of a faun you have under your command? No thank you. I don’t need you or anyone else. Now get out of my way…auntie.” He spat the last word out like a bitter root.
Emmalyn shook her head. “I’ll not allow you to continue on the path you’ve set yourself on. I will do everything in my power to stop you if you do not relent and stay here with me. Stay with me. Stay and let me help you, dear one.”
A trembling started in Darnel’s core, moving outward to his legs and arms. Dear one?
Logorians didn’t lie. Most often, they were brutally honest. Yet, he knew what her offer would cost him. Everything he’d worked so hard for. He’d never get what he truly wanted if he stayed. The knife resting against his wrist seemed to burn his skin, but he couldn’t kill her. No matter how much he wished he could.
Slowly, he shook his head. “No.”
Before she could react, he sent a wave of intense pain at her. She screamed and crumpled onto the ground. Fire burned up the back of his throat. He ignored the warring emotions ripping his heart to shreds over what he was doing. Instead, he grabbed the mare’s bridle and leaped onto her back. The sound of pounding hooves and buzzing wings neared. He glanced once over his shoulder before releasing Emmalyn from his spell. Her subjects were racing to her aid.
He turned the horse and urged her across the stream. Once they reached the other side, he kicked his sodden boots against her ribs until she ran at full speed. The trees became a blur in his passing.
Yet, he still heard Emmalyn’s last words to him inside his mind, “I’ll not allow you to succeed, Darsiderous. I’ll do everything in my power to stop you! You’ll never find peace as long as you continue this course. Never!”
* * * *
With the note tucked into the pocket of her best dress, Kardia quietly made her way into the imposing Meeting Hall. She’d been here many times before, mainly keeping her visits to the library, or when she’d worked in the kitchen, but today…
The note directed her to follow the large staircase up to the second floor. Once she reached the landing, there would be the main room where the regent met with the people from the city to help them work out disputes. He scheduled three days a week to offer council over disputes and people had to have an appointment.
She neither had an appointment nor was she expected to meet Regent Leon there. Instead, he’d told her to turn left and follow the passageway until she came to a set of double doors with a lion’s crest upon them.
With each step, her heart pounded so loud, she wondered if it dulled the soft scuffling of her slippers as she walked. She’d never seen marble floors before in her life. Downstairs the walkways were all polished stone. But up here…
She gaped at the white plastered walls. The golden frames around paintings of dignified people in royal attire. Past Regents, she was sure. She stopped at one very large picture depicting a garden scene surrounding tall pillars. From between the pillars, a brilliant light shown from within. Where was this beautiful place?
“It’s a fine piece of art,” said a male voice behind her, “but I fear it does not do the real place justice.”
She turned to find the regent’s friend, Brockley standing behind her. “Where is this?”
His merry blue eyes twinkled as he smiled. “The entrance to Shaydon’s throne room.”
A chill coursed down Kardia’s arms. “Truly? And the light?”
Brockley chuckled. “You’ll find out. There are no words, my dear Kardia, to explain the experience. I suppose you are looking for our friend, Leon?”
She turned away from the mesmerizing painting, wishing she had more time to examine every detail. The scene made her nervous, yet excited at the same time. Nobody who’d actually met the king ever seemed willing to describe their experience. Regent Leon had said that everyone’s experience was different and personal. She would understand once she made the trip.
“You’ll see,” was the standard answer people gave her.
“Yes, he sent a note for me too—”
“Well, let’s go then,” Brockley offered her his arm, excitement seeping through his tone. “I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve done.”
Before she could question, he pounded on the door twice and was already entering when Leon invited them in. Instead of annoyance, Regent Leon’s enthusiasm seemed to match that of his friend’s. What was going on? What had they done?
“Thank you, Kardia, for coming on such short notice.” Leon came around his large wooden desk of dark polished wood and gilding around the edges. “Did you have any trouble finding someone else to tend to your geese today?”
She shook her head, unable to speak as she took in all the finery surrounding her. What was someone like her, from a nothing town, doing in a place such
as this? She tucked her hands under her arms, wishing she could disappear. What had she been thinking of coming here?
But the regent had summoned her. Hilda had said she couldn’t ignore a summons. Very well, then. Sucking in a deep breath, she squared her shoulder and met Regent Leon’s gaze. He reminded her of an excited boy. “Why did you call for me?”
“Let’s just show her, Leon!” Brockley hurried to a table near one of the windows. A cloth covered the top. Brockley yanked the cloth aside and draped it over the nearest chair. “Because of this, my dear. We needed you to try them on so we can see if they work properly.”
Kardia stepped closer to the table, her mind trying to work out what she was seeing. They looked like metal gloves, of all things. Gears and wires ran down the length of the top side.
“Watch,” Brockley said, lifting one in his hands. He poked it with a tool that looked like a flat stick and the fingers moved. “We need to try them on, and I’ll need to make some adjustments before we connect them to you. If my calculations are correct, you’ll be able to move the fingers at will.”
Her breath hitched in her throat, clogging her words and leaving her speechless. She could only shake her head, not sure if she believed what she was seeing.
Regent Leon seemed to think she needed a simpler explanation. “They are mechanical hands, Kardia. They will not be like your old ones, but you will be able to pick up and hold objects now. They should work like real hands, except, well they’re metal, of course.”
The first few words managed to dislodge themselves from Kardia’s throat. “But…why?”
* * * *
“Oh bless, Shaydon,” Brock said as they sat around the hearth in Mother’s study later that evening. “That was worth everything I went through. Her face when she realized what the gloves would do was priceless.” He chuckled and took a sip of the tea Mother had prepared for them. “And your face when she hugged you.”
