The Complete Madion War Trilogy

by S. Usher Evans

  "I do hope you're ready to give this speech, 'neechai."

  I nodded and turned around. I retrieved the weathered paper with my speech on it and read through it several times, if only to appear like I was preparing so Wesson wouldn't tell Emilie otherwise. What I was going to do when I stood in front of the international community and couldn't speak was beyond me.

  Who knew, maybe I'd be dead by then?

  I snorted at my joke and glanced out the window again. Blue ocean lay beneath us—the Madion Sea. This water that had surrounded Galian and me on the island. The water that lay between his country and mine.

  Yet again, I wished to see him so badly it ached. It would be enough for me to hold him, to breathe him in for one moment. To watch him smile for me. I wondered if the Kylaens would replay my speech for him. Maybe I would add a line for him, to let him know I still waited for him. I still loved him.

  I glanced down at the paper again. It wouldn't do much good to add a line if I couldn't choke out the speech in the first place, so I attempted to focus.

  We landed in Jervan a few hours later, and I'd spent most of the flight looking at my speech but daydreaming about my amichai. Those seated in the front half of the plane disembarked first, crowding around Wesson as he told us which of the fine Jervan cars we would be riding in. I was assigned to cram into a leather-seated car with no less than six others from the security detail. Our car left first, as the detail needed to set up and sweep the hotel before Bayard's arrival.

  The car drove through fields of sunflowers and vineyards, and the guards talked about wanting to taste local Jervanian wine while we were there. But when we crested a rather large hill, everyone in the car grew silent.

  Even though I had to crane my head to see, the sight of Lakner took my breath away. White plaster houses with thatched roofs spread all the way to a turquoise bay. As we drove into the city, I drank in the new architecture, the blues and greens and browns that sprang up at me from every direction. We even passed by a building covered in lush green vines, and another with flower pots adorning the walls. I craned to look closer—there were actual flower pots built into the white-painted walls of the house.

  We entered a main road, and I turned my head to see more. A bubbling fountain, a marketplace filled with people and things, gardens and parks and everything I'd never known to be in a city, free for everyone to use.

  An ornate building lay in front of us, even more beautiful than Platcha. The car drove underneath a large stone awning and came to a stop.

  "Where are we?" I asked the man to my right.

  "Ginger Finn Hotel," he replied. "Nicest hotel in all the four nations."

  I nodded my agreement and clambered out when I was allowed. I stood in the doorway, looking at the murals painted onto the walls, the carving of the stone columns, absorbing the pure luxury and richness.

  And I was spending two nights there.

  I covered my mouth to suppress a giggle, and turned to the security detail, who were unpacking their gear from the back of the car.

  "I'm going to take a walk," I said.

  "We're under orders not to leave the hotel," the head security guard said, throwing down a bag. "Sorry, 'neechai."

  I frowned. I was in this beautiful city with so much to explore and I was trapped in the hotel? But then again, if the rest looked as beautiful as the lobby, perhaps this place wasn't the worst prison.

  Galian

  Jervan and everything about it could burn in a fiery hell.

  We'd arrived in the city that smelled like a dead fish after nearly nine hours of flying and traveling with the world's worst people. I was obviously the odd man out, being told to sit and shut up and not make any sudden moves more times than I'd ever been in my life. I'd caught a catnap, but we'd hit rough turbulence over the mountains between Herin and Jervan, and I spent nearly an hour praying to whatever God was up there that I wouldn't die in a plane crash.

  Then, after we'd landed in some barely-passable landing strip, we piled into a rickety car that stank of gasoline, and drove for another three hours before finally reaching Lakner. The only good thing about reaching the city was that Kader and Johar dropped Martin and me off in a raucous marketplace, telling us to stay within the square until they finished whatever they were actually there to do. I assumed they would be back for us, since I doubted they would let me come up with a plan to get to Theo on my own.

  The marketplace was full of people jostling and pushing us around as they filled wicker baskets with goods. I kept close to Martin, who seemed more at ease and struck up easy conversations with some of the patrons. He'd even figured out where we could grab some breakfast, though the coffee was weak as hell.

  "Cheer up, Jem," Martin said, noting my scowl. "You're gonna see your girlfriend today. And," he leaned in close, "there ain't one of those Goddamned photographers around."

  I let my bad mood fall away. I was sure someone would've caught wind by now that I was out and about, but so far, my cap and sunglasses were working. Or, more likely, the Jervanese weren't as keyed into the Kylaen royal family as others were.

  Martin had stopped in front of a small booth where an old, wizened woman was selling wood carvings, taking his time to examine each of the figurines. I picked up a fish and marveled the artistry of it, and the talent that must've gone into it. It almost looked alive in my hand.

  "These are beautiful," I said to her, and she nodded her thanks with a wide, toothless smile. I turned to Martin and held up the small fish. "Do you think Theo would like this?"

  He crinkled his nose. "Nah, she's not into that kind of stuff."

  "Oh?" I chuckled at his familiarity. "You know her so well?"

  "Just from what you've told me," Martin said, glancing around the street. I wasn't sure if it was to check for assailants or because he was bored. "She doesn't strike me as someone who likes a whole bunch of trinkets. She'll just be glad to see you."

  A knife twisted in my heart. That was the other reason for my sour mood. After we'd left Kylae, I'd begun to worry that, perhaps, Theo wouldn't be happy to see me. After all, there was no reason she should still love me. I hadn't closed Mael or saved any of the prisoners there. As easily as this trip had come together (for whatever ulterior motives there were), my gut told me I didn't deserve to see her again—and I was worried she'd agree.

  The old woman was watching me carefully, so I turned to Martin. "Can you spot me some gold? Maybe I'll get this for my mom."

  Martin dug in his pocket and tossed the woman her price. I pocketed the small fish figurine and thanked her with a smile.

  We wandered around the marketplace until Kader and Johar found us again. They wore neutral expressions, so I supposed that whatever they'd gone to do had gone well. They said nothing, but motioned for us to follow them.

  We left the busy marketplace and found an even busier outdoor cafe where Kader and Johar ordered large plates of eggs, bacon, some Jervanian delicacy with pork fat and corn meal, and coffee. It was so loud I could barely hear myself think, but perhaps that was the point.

  "We found your girlfriend," Johar said, leaning over the table. "Staying at the Ginger Finn with the rest of the delegates. The place is crawling with security and media. It's gonna be difficult to get in there unnoticed."

  I furrowed my brow and stared out at the street. A wall of flower vases peppered with red buds stared back at me.

  "Why don't I just make my grand appearance?" I asked. "Pretend like I'm on vacation, oblivious to all this bullshit going on."

  "Do you really think your father will believe that?" Kader asked.

  "It's not him I need to convince, it's the media," I said. "I'll go to the pool, flirt with a bunch of girls. Play stupid. It wouldn't be too out of character."

  Kader didn't look too opposed to the idea, but glanced at Johar, who frowned. "Eli, a word."

  As they walked away from the table, Martin shrugged and leaned over to take a piece of bacon from Kader's plate.

  I
turned to watch the Jervanians eating and talking loudly. Many of them wore easy smiles and lacked the tension most Kylaens had. Their skin was brown from the ever-present sun, but not as dark as the Ravens'. The atmosphere from the hundred-year-old cafe was infectious, and my mood improved somewhat.

  Kader and Johar returned, the latter looking apprehensive. "How were you thinking of announcing your presence?" Kader asked.

  "Just walk in the front door?" I said with a shrug. "I'm pretty recognizable... I think? It might take a minute for the media to get wind of me, but—"

  "And you're willing to accept whatever punishment your father metes out because of this?" Kader replied. "I'll remind you that he left you on an island."

  "Do you really think he's going to be that pissed at me for sneaking into a country just to get laid?" I asked, adding hastily, "I mean, that's not really why I'm here. But that's what he'll think. I won't attend the summit. I won't even act like I know what it is. He already thinks I'm an idiot—"

  "Actually, he thinks you're quite smart," Kader interrupted.

  I paused, considering the many layers of deception. "But does he think I'm involved in whatever you two are here to accomplish?"

  Kader and Johar shared a glance.

  "I doubt that either of you would've agreed to ferry me across the Madion Sea just to see Theo," I said dryly. "I won't ask what it is, or why you're doing it. But whatever it is, my father doesn't know that I'm involved, correct?"

  "That is...correct," Kader said after a long pause.

  "Therefore, me being here does nothing to put your mission in jeopardy. In fact, it might actually help you two provide a cover if you're found out. As far as what my father will do to me, as long as I act like an idiot, he'll have no reason to punish me. He's more concerned with what people think than the truth anyway."

  Johar actually looked impressed. "I underestimated you, Galian."

  I tried not to look too smug.

  NINE

  Theo

  The weather was pleasant, not too hot, but not too cold that the water was uncomfortable. I dipped my feet in one of the three outdoor pools, watching the tourists from Herin, Jervan, and Kylae enjoy themselves. To my eyes, I was the only Raven there, but I felt just as welcome as back in Veres. I supposed no one was eager to perpetuate a war while on vacation.

  My time was cut short when Emilie spotted me and beckoned me inside. The rest of the Raven delegation had arrived, but when I joined the crowd sitting in the hotel bar, Bayard and the ministers weren't there. They'd taken a meeting at the Jervanian palace with the president, or so I gleaned from conversations.

  Emilie seemed a bit on edge as she gathered the attention of the ten people sitting on antique chairs in the bar. She told us she'd demanded a meeting space in the hotel, but there was none to be had at the moment. Something in her tone of voice told me that she'd ordered the hotel staff to make space.

  "Bayard won't be back for at least two hours," Emilie said, glancing at her watch. "We will probably need to tweak his talking points based on his discussions with the Jervan president. Wesson, take the lead on that."

  He nodded and scribbled in his book.

  "Aruna," Emilie said, nodding at a younger girl I'd seen in a few meetings. She paled at being called on, but held her pen ready. "Find Cannon and tail him. Make sure he stays on message and doesn't dally in anything...embarrassing." She paused, a disgusted look crossing her face. "And if he does, make sure nobody knows. Talk to Wesson for crowns if you need it."

  She nodded with a small smile. She might take that mission a little too seriously.

  "And 'neechai," Emilie said, grabbing my attention. "You and I will spend the afternoon working on your speech. I trust that you've resolved whatever...issues you were having."

  I dipped my head, even as dread coiled in my stomach. Emilie moved on to someone else, so I pulled the speech out from the calf-pocket of my jumpsuit. I'd practiced it once or twice while sitting in the pool, reading quietly to myself and envisioning what it would be like to speak in front of the Madion nation leadership.

  But even in my head, I still stumbled through the parts about Mael. Stumbling wouldn't cut it for Emilie, so I prayed for a miracle.

  "What's going on out there?" Emilie said, squinting to her left. I followed her gaze and saw a crowd of people standing at the hotel's entrance, craning over each other to get a look at whatever was outside.

  I stood with the rest of the Ravens and walked into the lobby. The crowd grew more frenzied and then the front doors of the hotel opened.

  The crowd pushed in then parted, and in strolled the last person I'd ever expected to see again.

  "Amichai."

  He was beautiful, a wide smile on his face and his gait confident. His brown hair was clipped shorter and he no longer wore the beard I'd grown accustomed to seeing on our island. He paused in the middle of the lobby to talk to two journalists who'd approached him, then threw his head back and laughed.

  Then his eyes locked with mine.

  It was as if everything and everyone disappeared. The corners of his mouth turned up and I suddenly forgot how to breathe. Electricity crackled in the hundred steps that lay between us, and I could've sworn I knew exactly what he was thinking. If I'd had any doubt about his reason for arriving in this city, in this hotel, on this day, it vanished in that moment.

  As desperately as I wanted to run to him, for some reason, my legs wouldn't move. Something was keeping me from going to him, but for the life of me I couldn't remember what it was...

  "What in the world is the princeling doing here?" Cannon's voice pierced my bubble, and I wrenched my eyes away from Galian's. Where I was, who I was with, and my purpose rushed back to me like waking from the best dream into a nightmare.

  I found my voice. "I have no idea."

  "I doubt he's meddling in the summit. He'd be stupid to disobey his father." Cannon shrugged mightily. "Then again, the princeling's never been too smart."

  "Right, he's an idiot," I said.

  Stupid, stupid princeling. How could he be so irresponsible as to come to Jervan? Especially after his father had forbidden anyone from Kylae to attend, or so Emilie had told us in a meeting earlier that week. And he just walked through the front door, announcing to the entire world that he was there.

  I realized I was still watching him when Cannon's voice again interrupted my thoughts. "Come now, kallistrate, don't be star struck. He's just a prince."

  I nodded hastily and turned away from him so I wouldn't be tempted to stare. "Just a prince, right."

  And my amichai.

  Galian

  She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

  I drank in the sight of her: the way her velvet lips parted, how her big brown eyes widened slightly. Her hair pulled back into a bun, her Raven uniform immaculate. The shape of her body. How her dark skin had grown pale.

  "If you're trying to pretend you don't know her, perhaps you shouldn't stare," Martin snickered beside me. "I'll stare at her for you. She's a lot cuter than I remembered."

  "Right," I said, turning away. "So do you think it worked?"

  I had just finished talking to a reporter, feigning ignorance about any sort of summit or why the leaders from three of the four Madion nations were in this city. I'd made sure to talk about my plans to drink heavily and meet some hot Jervanian girls, just to play the part.

  I attempted to keep the giddy smile off of my face as I checked into the hotel. When I snuck another glance at her, she'd turned away from me, but the rest of the Ravens kept staring at me, pointing and discussing amongst themselves. I wondered what they were saying.

  "I apologize, Your Highness," the clerk said with all the sincerity of a wet mop. "All of our suites have been reserved by delegations to the summit. The only rooms I have are the basic rooms."

  "I doubt I'll be sleeping in my own room anyway," I said with an overly confident grin.

  The clerk, predictably, rolled his eyes in disgust
.

  I caught Martin's eye, and he snorted.

  "Your keys, Your Highness," he said, sliding over two access cards. "Please be advised that there is a two hundred crown cleaning fee for any...destruction."

  I winked at him then motioned for Martin to grab our bags. I would've carried my own, but it would've been contrary to the part I was playing.

  "You sure faked that well," Martin said, tossing my bag to me once we were safely in the elevator.

  "I wish I could say I've never been that much of an asshole before," I said with a small grimace.

  We got to our room and Martin went out on the balcony to alert Johar and Kader of our room location. I sat on the edge of the bed, tapping my foot nervously. It was very hard to know Theo was so close and I couldn't hold her yet. But all my worry that she'd be upset to see me had disappeared when I locked eyes with her. For whatever reason, my girl still loved me as much as I loved her. And that, more than anything, was a huge weight off my shoulders.

  Kader and Johar arrived in our room a few minutes later, and we crowded around one of the two beds to make our plan of action.

  "The Ravens have a block of rooms on the fifth floor," Kader said. "I'm not sure which one belongs to your girlfriend, so you'll have to wait until she goes back to her room to find out. I wouldn't recommend knocking on the door, so you might have to go in through the balconies. The sun should be setting soon, so you'll have cover of darkness."

  I stared at Kader, a little worried that he would let me crawl across balconies five stories in the air just like that. "You really think I can do that?"

  "I'm going with you," Johar replied. "But you're going to do your own climbing."

  "What if we get caught?" I asked. Or fall?

  "Then we'll just chalk it up to the dumb princeling looking to get laid," Kader said, shooting me a knowing look. "Speaking of which, you'll need to go back downstairs and do some more convincing."