by Amanda Fleet
Perhaps he had a point about the villagers realising they needed the Guardians, but at what cost? A cold lump formed in my stomach. I’d seen first-hand what happened when a demon attacked. It might not take many deaths to bring the villagers to heel, but there wouldn’t be any long-term respect between the parties as a result.
“Do we know who did release the demons?” I asked Lord Sondan. He, Mathas, Lord Gaedan and Lord Cerewen had been looking into it.
“It seems likely it was Orian,” he said. “Though we haven’t found any firm proof yet.”
“We have another matter to discuss,” cut in Lord Eredan. “As agreed, Lady Aeron left The Realm to try to find a source of the stones described in various books in the library. She returned this morning with several samples which the technicians have been investigating.”
Heads swivelled to me. Some on the Council expressed surprise to see me, others nodded approvingly. Hesta approached the Council, and Lord Eredan beckoned her forward.
She took her place, her light brown hair worn in a plait today, tied with a coffee-coloured ribbon that matched the rest of her outfit. She unsnapped the band around a notebook and lifted her chin up to address the Council.
“Thank you, Lord Eredan. I have a preliminary report on the stones brought from Outside by Lady Aeron. Our priority has been to find something that will destroy the demons, and see whether any of the stones will free anyone from corruption by a demon.” She glanced across at me for a moment. “Lady Aeron described the location of the stones as having labels on the walls of the cave, near to different veins of stone. The labels were: warning, death, slaves, and poison. So far, we’ve had time to test the dust from the stones labelled ‘death’ and ‘poison’ on the demons that have been trapped. Neither of the stones has had any effect. We believe that the demon needs to be in physical form for them to work.”
A cold pit formed in my stomach. That meant the demons would have to kill again. Was Hesta cold-blooded enough to ‘feed’ them to test her theory? Lord Eredan looked as if he’d happily volunteer up the rioting villagers as a meal.
Hesta hadn’t finished. “We also tested the stone dust from ‘poison’ and ‘death’ on the enslaved people from Barsdal, to see if they would free the person from the influence of the demon. Both stones led to death. We’ll test ‘slaves’ on some of the remaining enslaved people next.”
Nausea flooded my stomach and throat. Ben had died for me to bring these stones back and now Hesta was experimenting on people with them. Killing them.
“What of the stones labelled ‘warning’?” asked Lord Sondan, breaking my thoughts.
“We believe they’re the same kind of stone as the charm-bracelet Lady Aeron wore is made of, and would act as a warning system to alert the wearer of nearby demons.”
Wore? I looked down at my empty wrist and wondered when the charm-bracelet had been taken off me.
“We’d still like to be able to compare the stone of the talisman to the stones Lady Aeron retrieved,” said Hesta.
“There’s only one talisman, Hesta,” said Lord Eredan. “We know that it offers protection to the wearer against both death and corruption by a demon. It won’t be destroyed for you to use in experiments.”
Her lips made a thin line but she nodded.
“Do you have any other results for us?”
“No, Lord Eredan.”
He dismissed her and turned to the Council members. “Any other business?”
No one raised anything, and the Council meeting closed. As I was wondering how to call Faran to help me back to our rooms, Mathas came over. I smiled. “Mathas. How are you feeling about the fact you told me there were no stones to be found?”
He didn’t smile back. “How are you feeling about the torture, Aeron? How many innocent children will die in The Realm and Outside before you all finally submit to the inevitable? Have you regretted going yet?”
Ice ran through my veins. That wasn’t Mathas’s cadence.
“Aegyir,” I whispered, stepping back involuntarily, my heart missing several beats.
“Oh, my dearest Lady Aeron. No. I meant Hesta!” He clapped me on the shoulder and walked off.
I stared after him, scared. Had Aegyir got to Mathas? I swallowed. There was no way to test a non-Guardian, so if I said anything, I would be going on nothing other than he’d sounded a bit like Aegyir. And he’d sounded just like Mathas again straight afterwards, so maybe I was mistaken. I was still trippy from the painkillers.
Lord Sondan joined me. “You look pale, Lady Aeron. Is everything okay?” He steadied me as my legs wobbled.
Should I say something? I had no proof. “I’ll live. Apparently. I’m tired, that’s all.”
“Then return to your rooms and rest. Shall I call Faran?”
“Please. I don’t have a communications button.” I waited while he called Faran back before asking, “Lord Sondan, are Guardians being tested for their loyalty?”
“Yes.”
“How many have failed?”
He frowned. “Only Orian. Why?”
“I just wondered. How many demons have been captured?”
“Five. The two your team captured, two that were captured yesterday and another today.”
I nodded. Five more people to die before we could be rid of the demons permanently? “If the Guardians go to the provinces again, once the rebellion is quashed, they need to bring back demons with form, not in jars.”
Lord Sondan cocked his head.
“If the stone only works on demons with form, who are we going to feed to the wraiths?” I whispered, wide-eyed.
His face cleared. “I understand. I’ll discuss this with Lord Eredan.”
***
“Talk to me. What’s wrong?” Faran asked.
It was after dinner and I was sitting next to him on the sofa in our rooms. Dinner had been with his parents, and I’d struggled to keep my mouth shut as Lord Eredan raged about the rioting. I hadn’t been able to tell from Faran’s expression where he sat on all of it. Did he agree with his father’s stance?
I rested my forehead against his neck, and his arms settled around my shoulders. “What’s wrong?” I said. “Apart from the fact I almost died today, the city has riots at its gates, there are nine demons on the loose, your father thinks letting the demons kill people will make them stop rioting, the technicians are experimenting on the enslaved people we brought back from Barsdal, and I feel responsible for the death of a child? What, apart from all that? Nothing.”
He breathed steadily, his thumb rubbing the edge of my shoulder. “You’re not responsible for the child. And having brought the stones back, we should be able to deal with the demons.” He smoothed a lock of hair back behind my ear. “I understand why you’re upset, but why are you angry?”
My breath whistled in my nose. “Because your father thinks it’s okay to let his people perish. And the technicians are experimenting on people.”
He paused, his thumb still caressing my shoulder. “What did you think the technicians would do with the stones? How did you think they would determine whether they worked?”
I rubbed my brow. What had I expected? What else could they do? “It just doesn’t feel right. And some of the people they’ve experimented on have died.”
That checked him.
“They have to test the stones,” he said at last.
“Do you think your father’s right to let the people die?”
He tensed. “Aeron, you’re close to speaking treason when you question his decisions.”
“I don’t care. Do you actually agree with your father’s position, or are you staying silent to avoid an accusation of treason? If you’d been First Lord, what would you have done? Negotiated? Or let them die?” I was pushing him, but I needed to know.
He shifted next to me. “I believe the people will only be prepared to negotiate once they realise their original plans won’t work,” he said, cautiously. “I don’t believe the people have realised the fut
ility of their position yet.”
“Are you saying you’d let them die?”
A long silence stretched between us before he answered.
“We’re not the enemy. We’re not killing the people in the provinces; the demons are killing them.” He sighed deeply, drawing one knee up. “My father is thinking of the long-term. If we send in Guardians to protect the people, we won’t end up capturing demons while the provinces are in uproar. We’ll spend all our time and energy on fighting the people. The demons will kill them anyway, and the Guardians will have had to enforce law and order.” He rubbed his brow, then rested his forearm on his knee. “Father will always put long-term security ahead of short-term pain, even if it meant killing one of his sons. Despite loving me and Orian, he would have hanged us if he thought we were a threat to The Realm.”
I twisted round to stare at him, my breath catching. “What about everyone in The Realm being equal? The people in the countryside feel as if they’re treated as second class. How do you not see that?”
“Because it isn’t true! They don’t value the fact the Guardians risk their lives for them when they take on the demons.” He paused, biting his lips. “Every person has their part to play in The Realm. Our part is to keep The Realm safe. Theirs is to supply what can’t be made in the city. Each part is equally important, but they choose to withhold theirs. Why should they be surprised if the Guardians withhold theirs in return?”
I tried to turn away but he caught my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Aeron, the rioters don’t care that Cenan is still in the infirmary after he did his job. They don’t understand what you risked in order to get the stones that could rid The Realm of this threat forever. You want to talk to them, but they wouldn’t listen right now. They have too much fire in their hearts. They’d kill you rather than listen at the moment, and I’ve already almost lost you today.”
I wrenched myself free. “Do you think that seeing the demons killing more of their numbers will quench that fire? They think the Guardians released them deliberately. Orian possibly did!”
His eyes were steady, his face infuriatingly calm. “They may think that, and it may be true that it was a Guardian who released them. But it doesn’t change the fact that they need the Guardians to help them.”
I could see his reasoning, but it still felt wrong. “Wouldn’t it be better to talk to them about this? Point this out to them, rather than just let them die. Invite just the village leaders in, not the whole rabble.”
He huffed out a breath. “You think the village leaders will listen any more than the rabble will? Tempers on both sides need to cool.” He caught my hands. “Please don’t mistake my knowing that the people won’t negotiate at the moment for being happy at the situation. I’m far from happy. I don’t want people to die any more than you do. I’m merely more resigned to the fact they’re too angry at the moment to discuss things.”
I chewed his words over. He had a point.
He tickled my neck, pulling my attention back to him. “Did you want to draw? You said it soothed you. And you need soothing!”
I did, but if I wasn’t careful, I was likely to end up drawing the little boy. “My head is full of horrible things. Can I draw you?”
“Of course.” A smile tweaked the corner of his mouth. “How do you want me to sit?”
I chewed my thumbnail. “Faran, you have an amazing body. Can I draw you with no top on?”
“Why not? It’s not as if you haven’t seen it all before. But I can’t sit out here half-dressed.”
“I can draw you in the bedroom. I wish you had some tattoos.”
Faran gave me a look. He would rather I didn’t have tattoos.
“Maybe I should draw some on you,” I said. “Show you how good they’d look.”
“No.”
We went through to the bedroom, and I shut the door firmly behind us. Faran peeled off his top and glanced at me over his shoulder. “How do you want me to sit?”
“Just lie on the bed?”
He plumped up the pillows and lay down on top of the quilt, leaning his back against the headboard. I arranged him, making him look as if he was sprawled out, his left arm bent behind his head, his right leg bent to the side, the sole of his foot against his knee.
“Comfy?” I asked when I’d finished.
“Comfy enough.”
I sat at the foot of the bed and made a rapid sketch of him, before starting on a more complete drawing. He sat perfectly still, his gaze locked on me. I’d drawn him before, but it still surprised me how confidently he sat for me. Maybe it wasn’t confidence. Maybe he was just perfectly relaxed around me.
“I wish I could draw,” he said after a while.
“Yeah? I can teach you if you want?”
“Perhaps.”
I stopped sketching, scrutinising him. “Why do you want to draw?”
“Because I want to make you a gift, but I don’t know what to do. I’m good at fighting and following orders. Neither of those will make a gift for you.”
I smiled. “If we were Outside, you could be paid for fighting and following orders and then you could buy me a gift with the money.”
“Do you still want to return?”
I couldn’t answer for a minute and focused on my drawing. Before today, my answer would have been “no”. Now? The Realm felt even less like home than ever before.
“Aeron?”
“Moot point. Change the topic.”
He breathed steadily for a moment, silent. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Who decides what everyone needs here?”
“What do you mean?”
I started on the shading around his jaw. “Well, for example, who decides how many sets of combat leathers are acceptable? I mean, I couldn’t just keep ordering more and more and more. Who decides what people should have? The Realm provided everything in our rooms. Someone must have agreed there should be a chair, and a desk, and a sofa, and four beakers in the bathroom and so on. You have a razor, but you could be a Guardian just as easily with a beard, so who decides it’s okay for you to be clean-shaven? Someone has to make your razors. They could be making something else instead. What happens if someone puts in an unreasonable request?”
Faran shrugged. “People ask for what they need. They don’t ask for more.”
“Never? Well what happens if there’s a major population rise? What extra would be made to ensure people were employed? Everyone has a role, right? If there were more people, what would they do?”
“If there were more people, there’d be more need for food and clothes, so there’d be more farmers and tailors, more need for housing and so more builders.” He smiled. “More men needing to shave so more razor-makers.”
I shifted the conversation to where I’d really wanted it to go.
“Okay. At risk of riling you, what happens if there’s a drop in the number of people in the provinces, but not a drop in the number of Guardians? Hypothetical question, if you want.”
He stared silently at me for a moment. “I don’t have an answer for you.”
“Fine. I’ll ask it at the Council, tomorrow.”
He closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Aeron, please don’t.”
“Why? Because if it’ll take the provinces losing a significant number of people before they’ll be prepared to listen or negotiate, it’s something the Council will need to think about… You know, you’re much prettier when you stop scowling.”
He glared at me, his lips making a thin line. “Aeron, today you won my father’s respect with your determination, bravery and skill. Do you want to throw it all away?”
I ignored him. “I have another question for you. Say the stones work and we can rid The Realm of demons forever. What role will the people think the Guardians have then? The builders build, the farmers ensure people are fed, the tailors make clothes… what are the Guardians doing? Making rules and enforcing them? You think the people will put up with that?”
He eyed me carefully. “What would you suggest?”
“I don’t know. But if our primary role of protecting the people goes, what will we do?”
He shook his head again. “Our primary role will always be there. There will always be threats.”
“Well, there may always be threats of threats – the Guardians saying ‘You need us, in case there’s a problem.’ Which isn’t the same thing as an actual threat.”
Faran broke his pose, looking away and scrubbing his hand through his hair. “Aeron, I understand why you’re saying all this, but can I beg you not to say anything at the Council? Let me talk to Sondan? At least he’ll be tactful if he raises it with my father. And know when to back off.”
“Okay.” Begrudgingly, I recognised I had very few diplomatic bones in my body.
Faran scooted down the bed to where I was sitting. “Can I see your drawing, please?”
I passed my book to him, and a slow smile crept across his face. “It’s very good.”
“Thanks. I’ll teach you sometime.”
“Thank you.”
I stretched my back, the last four days weighing heavily on me. “I know it’s still early, but I’m exhausted. I need to go to bed.”
“Do you want to be alone for a while?”
“No. You’ll just wake me when you come in. And anyway, I still need you. Even if you don’t agree with me on everything.”
He laughed. “That’s good. Because we’ve never agreed on everything!”
We turned in. As I climbed into bed, Faran offered me his arms, and I cuddled against him.
“How do you feel?” He nuzzled his head against me.
“Like I got beaten half to death and then put back together again.”
“You’ll feel better tomorrow.”
“Will I?” Bitterness laced my voice.
He fluffed his fingers through my hair. “Your body will. Try to sleep.”
As he reached across to switch the light off, I stayed his hand, my heart starting to flutter and my chest constricting. “I need the light on. I can’t sleep in the dark. Not after the cave.”
His hand dropped back to the bed, and he peered at me, brow furrowed. “Sh. You’re okay. You’re safe here. If you wake up, wake me. I’m here for you.” He kissed me tenderly. “I love you.”
