The Deceiver's Heart

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

  “Just take me there.” I sighed. “Anywhere I can get some sleep.”

  Inside one of the caves were cells meant to hold captured Ironhearts until whoever commanded this base passed sentence on them. On occasion, it was used to discipline Coracks who had overstepped their bounds.

  Me, I supposed.

  There were two cells side by side, with embedded rock and earth at the back and bars on the front and between the cells. I entered the first cell without objection, followed by Basil, who objected very much.

  “I must speak to your captain in private,” he said. “About our agreement.”

  “The captain will gladly speak with you … in the morning,” Gabe said, pushing him into the same cell as me.

  Kestra was given the neighboring cell, and wool blankets were tossed in after each of us, as well as a single clearstone for us to share for light. I grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders, then leaned against the cave wall. I hoped they wouldn’t warm the clearstone. I didn’t need to see any more of them.

  But Kestra immediately warmed it, lighting the cells enough for me to see Basil rush to the bars, pleading again for her forgiveness. “My love, please believe me. This wasn’t part of our agreement. They said nothing about locking us up.”

  She leaned against the opposite bars, far out of his reach. “And you said nothing at all to me.”

  Basil tossed a needy glance my way. I arched a brow, as if to say he was on his own for this one, and I hoped it all blew up in his face.

  “You promised to trust me if yesterday evening didn’t go as planned,” he said.

  “I thought you were worried about forgetting your vows or tripping on my gown. Not that you’d work with this filthy Corack to kidnap me!” She waved her hands angrily in my direction.

  “We’re not working together,” Basil and I said at almost the same time.

  “So you separately planned to kidnap me last night.” She sighed. “I’ve been kidnapped twice.”

  I leaned forward. “Technically, princess, last night marks your third and fourth kidnappings, which has got to be some sort of record. Though the second was really more of a temporary detention, not a kidnapping.”

  She paused, her eyes set in deep thought. She was trying to remember. But as soon as she caught me looking, she turned away.

  “Please don’t upset her,” Basil said.

  “Upset me?” Her cheeks reddened. “Do you really think anything he says could upset me more than your agreement already has?”

  “Which agreement?” I asked Basil. “The one with the Coracks, or your agreement with Lord Endrick?”

  Before he squirmed through that answer, I pulled my blanket higher, alone with my self-satisfaction to have stung Basil. Small compensation for the hurt he’d caused me, and not enough to overcome my exhaustion. I welcomed a decent night of sleep, even in a cell. At least here I wouldn’t have to worry about Kestra’s safety.

  When I awoke, Basil and Kestra were both leaning against their shared bars, his hand over hers as they slept. It seemed they had made up again. A perfect start to my day.

  Basil must have heard me stirring, because he looked up. He warmed the clearstone before standing, and despite my glare, he sat down at my side. My back was against the wall, with my knees up and hands resting upon them. It would have been easy to reach over and punch him; I’d gladly do it if the opportunity arose. But he quietly said, “I know how you feel about her, Simon, so I know how you feel about me too, but I’m not the villain here. I made this arrangement to protect Kestra—”

  “This wasn’t for her. You bargained with Tenger to protect your country.”

  “Yes, I have to protect my country! I won’t apologize for that. But I also had to get Kestra out of Highwyn.”

  “In what way is she any safer with you?”

  “She’s still alive because of me! Kestra tried to kill Endrick, but failed, and he took her captive. He did something to her afterward, twisting her memories or removing them entirely—I don’t know. For some reason, Endrick wants to keep her alive.”

  I clicked my tongue. If that was true, then it was because he knew who she was. If he could not take the Infidante out of the girl, he would take the girl out of the Infidante.

  Basil continued, “There are times when I think I see a flicker of recognition in her eyes, but it quickly disappears, and then a minute later, she’s professing loyalty to the Dominion and laughing with her attendants. It’s her, but it’s obvious this is not the same person she was several days ago. And she’s certainly no longer capable of killing Lord Endrick.”

  That was my sense too. I asked, “How much of her memory did he take?”

  “I can’t be sure. Whenever the conversation shifts to her past, she closes up. The Kestra we used to know is gone.”

  “She’s not gone. We just have to restore the memories.”

  “I tried, Simon, but nothing worked. That’s when I decided to contact Tenger.”

  “Why him?” I asked. “Of all people, why would you go to the Coracks?”

  Basil lowered his eyes. “Because we each have something the other wants.”

  I was about to ask him to explain when Gabe reentered the room. He had changed clothes and brought some bread and cider for us, so I gathered it was morning.

  “Sir Basil,” he said, “Captain Tenger is ready to see you. He’ll share breakfast with you in his office.”

  Gabe’s entrance awoke Kestra, whose expression soured as it traveled from Basil to me. Gabe unlocked the door, giving me another sympathetic smile. With a farewell to Kestra, Basil disappeared, leaving the two of us alone.

  She sat on the floor and began eating her bread. I’d already forgotten mine.

  Instead, I said, “I think I know what happened to—”

  “You don’t know anything.”

  “And you do? Why did Basil bring you here? What do the Coracks want with you?”

  Her eyes flashed back at me. “What do you want?”

  I held her gaze until she finally looked away. Even if the truth was locked deep within her, surely she must know that she had become my only reason to do anything.

  An hour after Basil was taken away, Trina came to bring me to Captain Tenger.

  “Where’s Basil?” He hadn’t come back from his meeting with Tenger. Would I?

  “Let’s go,” Trina said, ignoring my question.

  I glanced back at Simon as I left the cell. He was watching me, as always, but this time gave a slight nod as if to suggest that everything was fine, as if he knew my thoughts. I wished I knew any of his.

  As she led me through the corridor, Trina’s frown became increasingly pronounced. “We’ve only just met,” I said. “What could I possibly have done in such a short time to deserve your anger?”

  For a moment, I believed her glare might actually collapse the narrow tunnel where we were walking. “I hate you more since last night, that’s true. But I’ve been working on these feelings for some time now.”

  My laugh was sharp, but it served the same purpose it had back at Woodcourt, to cover up my fears. “My father says it’s better to be hated as a Dallisor than loved as one of the pathetic masses.” I winked at her. “That’s you, one of the pathetic masses.”

  “You’ll feel differently when the Coracks take the Scarlet Throne and occupy the royal palace.”

  I shrugged her off. “A skunk may live among the flowers, but that doesn’t make it smell any better.”

  Trina stopped, closed her eyes, and I noticed her fists were clenched, but she gradually let them relax and, without a word, opened the nearby door to a room where Wynnow was waiting inside. In contrast to Trina’s near-constant scathing glares, Wynnow smiled at me. “My lady, I’ve been eager to meet you.”

  I appreciated Wynnow’s politeness but questioned the false humility. Like Imri Stout, my handmaiden back at Woodcourt, and like all Brillians, Wynnow probably was as superior as she believed herself to be. Brillians were highly
intelligent, and their hearing and eyesight exceeded that of most Antorans, and their other senses probably did as well. They were also exceptionally long lived, so although Wynnow appeared to be a year or two younger than me, she might have been two or three times as old as I was.

  Beyond that, it was well known that the Brillians greatly desired magic. Since Brillians could not obtain it, the Dominion believed that their scientists were attempting to imitate Endrick’s magic—his technologies, his weapons. Lord Endrick would not tolerate that for long. Maybe that was why Wynnow was fighting with the Coracks, hoping to defeat the Dominion before he turned an eye to Brill.

  When Trina saw my cool greeting, she added, “Wynnow isn’t just any Corack. She’s heir to the throne of Brill.”

  Wynnow said, “My mother, the queen, entrusted me to find a way to protect my country from any future invasion by the Dominion. That’s why I’m here.”

  If they hoped to impress me, they’d be disappointed. I could hardly cheer for Wynnow’s dedication to a cause that threatened my family, my king. I said, “If you hope to kill Lord Endrick, you’d more easily catch sunlight in a jar. It’s impossible.”

  Trina pushed between us. “For you, it obviously was.”

  Before I could ask what she meant, Wynnow shot Trina a disapproving glare, then motioned for me to follow her deeper into what appeared to be a weapons supply room. Lever blades, swords, and disk bows filled various crates along the wall, in addition to a few other scattered Dominion weapons that must have been collected in post-battle scavenges.

  Hanging from a hook embedded into the wall was a woman’s tunic with riding breeches, similar to what Trina wore. “It’s mine,” Trina explained. “We’re about the same size, and if we need to do any more riding, this will mean you don’t have to go sidesaddle.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve never ridden a horse on my own. Riding breeches won’t do me any good.”

  “But they’re better here than skirts.” Wynnow pointed to a small wooden room that looked hastily built in one corner. “You can change in there.”

  “You’re joking.” And to prove it, I laughed extra loud. “It’s dark and there’s barely enough room for a single person.”

  “Does that bother you?” Flecks of suspicion were in Trina’s voice. “To be in such a small space?”

  I groaned. “It doesn’t bother me. It’s just inconvenient.”

  Trina snorted, but Wynnow added in a gentler tone, “Do you know how to change your own clothes, my lady?”

  I shook my head to her question, and she undid the buttons down my back before assuring me I could figure out the rest of it. I entered the room, which was almost too small for me to turn around. A little light filtered in from above, which helped, but it was taking a long time to change and Trina was making it clear through her numerous huffs that she was growing impatient.

  Then she said, “I would’ve offered to help, if you didn’t treat everyone around you like they’re servants.”

  “Most people around me are servants,” I said. “Why should I treat them otherwise?”

  Trina muttered something that might’ve been an insult, had I heard it. Instead, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I was hit with a sudden rush of fear. That the walls would cave in on me, that I wouldn’t get enough air, that I’d be trapped in this tiny space forever. What was this?

  I closed my eyes, attempting to stay calm, which only worsened the feeling that I was not safe if I remained in here. I knew it was only my imagination, but that didn’t matter. I was terrified. I tried to dress blind, but then it was taking even longer to finish and every time I opened my eyes, this tiny room felt smaller than before. Surely the air was thinner.

  Even before I had finished changing, I darted from the room, out of breath and with my heart threatening to pound out of my chest.

  “My lady?” Wynnow’s brows were pressed together in concern. That was the expression I expected. Not Trina’s gaze of suspicion, which I couldn’t at all explain.

  Trina leaned in to me. “You were nervous in there.”

  “Nervous? No.” That simple word failed to describe the wave of horror that had shot through me. But how could I explain that, with no logical reason to justify what I’d felt?

  “I saw it on your face as you exited, heard it in your voice. I’ve seen you panic in small spaces before, and I recognized it now.”

  I was feeling calmer now, and I needed to take back control. “We’ve never met, Trina.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she continued staring at me, as if I were the one who was lying or making up stories. She was worse than unkind and possibly insane, as Coracks often were, according to my father.

  Wynnow broke the rising tension by saying, “You’ll need help with your hair, I think.”

  I sat in a nearby chair facing away from Trina, and as Wynnow began working at what had become a mop overnight, I repeated Simon’s question from this morning. “What do the Coracks want with me?”

  Trina said, “Captain Tenger will explain that.”

  I was sure he would and that it probably would all be a lie. Because all Coracks lied.

  I asked, “Is Simon a Corack?”

  Trina answered, “He was, until recently. Now … we’ll have to see.”

  “Why did he leave?”

  She sighed. “The truth is that Simon has become … a problem.”

  “How?”

  Trina walked around until she was facing me. “Honestly, Kestra, the problem is you. If you haven’t already noticed, Simon has a rather intense interest in you.”

  I frowned. “Yes, I might have noticed that.”

  Wynnow added, “Now that we’re in camp, the captain should be able to put an end to that.” She finished my braid. “There!”

  Trina opened the door for us. “Let’s take her to Tenger.”

  We returned to the cave corridor, where we almost immediately bumped into Basil, being escorted by the boy who had tended to Simon’s horse last night. After meeting with Tenger, Basil seemed no worse than before, a great relief, but his eyes widened as he looked me over. “Trousers?”

  “Riding breeches,” Trina said. “Far more practical out here.”

  “I agree.” Basil forced a smile to his face, as if his approval was even remotely on my mind. “I’ve taken care of everything, my love. Very soon, I can explain all of this.”

  I gave him a polite nod. I had only made up with Basil last night to keep Simon at a distance. As with nearly everything else in my life, what I said and what I felt had little in common.

  While Wynnow left with Basil, Trina led me onward to the far end of the corridor, opening the door to the same room from which Basil had just come.

  The room’s layout was far more established than I’d expected, given the primitive cells and rough carved walls of this cave system. A large table stood between us, with a map of Antora and the surrounding countries, carved into the wood. The rough-hewn walls were lined with dried skins painted with estimates of military strengths in various areas, weapon designs, and lists of names. I deliberately ignored them. The less I knew, the safer I was.

  Except Captain Tenger surely wanted information from me. He’d be disappointed though. I knew little of the affairs of my kingdom and probably held fewer secrets than the lowliest servant at Woodcourt.

  But if I had nothing of value to offer him, would he conclude that I was of no worth as a prisoner? Maybe he already had, which was why he felt secure about bringing me into this room.

  My heart began pounding. I glanced over at Trina. “I won’t go in there.”

  “We’re friends here.” I hardly believed that, but Trina ducked her head in and said to Tenger, “She didn’t like the closet. Everything else seems sincere.”

  I turned back to her, sensing that she had somehow revealed something of great importance. I took note of that and swore I would never let those feelings of panic be observed by anyone here again.

  Tenger smiled and rose to his feet to
greet me. “Before we begin, let me introduce you to our physician, Loelle.” An aging woman approached me from the corner. Over a simple calf-length skirt, she wore a longcoat lined with pockets and a coif over her hair. The gentle lines on her face seemed kind, even compassionate, but I hardly considered that a reason to trust her.

  Loelle set down a mug of steaming tea, placing it near another full mug that smelled enticing. Then she stepped forward. “Lady Dallisor, I heard you were recently in an accident.”

  “I fell from a window. If Lord Endrick had not been there to heal me, I wouldn’t have survived.”

  “How very … lucky for you.” She’d chosen her words as carefully as I’d chosen mine, but in fact, I had been exceptionally lucky. It must have been draining for Lord Endrick to heal me. Perhaps that was why he needed to rest at the Blue Caves.

  Loelle picked up the second mug of tea and held it out to me. “The cells where they held you last night are drafty. This will help warm you.”

  I took the mug but stared into its dark liquid. “What’s in it?”

  She picked up her tea again. “If there were anything harmful, I wouldn’t be drinking it too.”

  She sipped from hers and I smelled mine, as if that would give me any clue to its ingredients. But I was terribly cold and thirsty, and so I took a small taste, as a test. It was sweeter than I’d expected, but delicious. I survived the sip, so I took more. And then more again.

  Loelle continued, “After you were healed, did you lose any memories?”

  How would she know that? I tried to smile that away, as if it was a minor thing. “My father has assured me there’s nothing forgotten of any consequence.”

  “Your mind is not like the ordinary Antoran’s. There is a chance for you to recover some of these memories, especially now.” Her gaze fell to my mug.

  It was almost empty. My eyes narrowed. “What was in that tea?”

  “A combination of herbs that absorb some effects of magic. I hope they will help to restore your memories, though there are no guarantees. I promise it will cause you no harm.” Loelle stepped closer to me, but I backed away. She added, “I’m also told that something unusual happened to you in All Spirits Forest.”