by NAK Baldron
"The castle gardens," Abaze said.
"But won't we get caught?" Mitaire asked.
Abaze glanced around the area and watched the top of the wall for a moment. He knew exactly how often the guards walked along its top and they'd come at the right time.
"I know this castle like the back of my hand," Abaze said. "Besides, there are no guards that patrol around the gardens, and after the party we had in the castle, everyone has to be in a heavy sleep by now."
Abaze brought her in through the same route he always used to escape the castle unseen. When they reached the gardens, Mitaire stopped to take in the sight. Even in the nighttime, the royal garden was a magnificent sight to behold. Abaze took her into an area covered by thick bushes that were loose enough for them to hide in.
They continued to kiss one another, which lead to them removing each other's clothing. Though they'd been close before, they started having sex for the first time. Abaze knew his thoughts were too focused on Mitaire for his sister to listen in on him and find where he was. He didn't care that he was breaking family law, all he cared about was Mitaire.
Now and again, they heard someone walking by the garden, so they'd quiet down, but they returned to their playful selves when the silence sunk back in. When they were done, they lied together underneath the bushes, looking out past the leaves and shrubbery to the black sky. They weren't sure how long they'd spent lying in the garden together, but eventually, Abaze stood to make sure there was no one watching, then helped Mitaire out of the bushes.
They snuck out of the garden and weaved through the castle like ghosts who were being hunted down. When they made it off the castle grounds, Abaze walked Mitaire back to her house then kissed her goodbye.
* * *
Abaze crept along the alleyways until he reached the castle walls, then he snuck in through his secret passage. Once in the walls, he hid behind a large pillar as a group of guards marched past him. His heart was racing as he feared he could be seen, but none of the guards stopped nor said anything. The sound of their iron boots faded away as they entered a different hall.
He found himself stopping to hide several times as the guard's presence was much higher than usual.
Was something happening? Abaze thought to himself.
When he reached his sister's and his common room, he let himself relax and slid into the room. It was silent and mostly dark, save for a candle on the table which neared the end of its life. Adaku must've lit it, so he'd have some light when he returned.
A flickering light was coming from the crack underneath his door, which stopped him in his tracks as he knew he hadn't lit any candles on his way out. Perhaps it was another candle lit by Adaku. He only hoped that one of the servants hadn't tried to come into his room and found it empty.
When he opened his door, it was much worse than he'd expected, for sitting on the edge of his bed was his father. The king stared him directly in the eyes with a horrid expression of anger and disgust that Abaze hadn't ever seen in his life. Abaze's heart pounded against his chest as he started to think of an excuse that would cover him and Mitaire.
"What were you doing?" Mobo asked. "I've been waiting for you for a while, and was about to have someone track you down."
"I went for a walk after the party," Abaze said. "Needed some alone time and fresh air after such a big day. I was mostly in the garden."
"Sneaking out of the castle and lying to me," Mobo said. "I'm very disappointed in you."
"I didn't sneak out," Abaze said, but he could feel that his cheeks were turning red.
"Stop the lying," Mobo said. "I had someone follow you."
Abaze couldn't fight it anymore and knew his entire face was as red as Mitaire's blood that he feared his father would shed. He lowered his head and hoped that he didn't know anything about her. His father just stared at him in silence, and Abaze thought about Adaku. She must've been the one that slipped something to their father.
"I've been suspicious of you for a while," Mobo said. "The way you've been acting just screamed defiance, unlike your sister who follows my word as law. You thought you were able to sneak out so often without a single person seeing you. There are guards, servants, and people everywhere around this castle, so many that you were seen on multiple occasions."
Mobo took in a deep breath as he held his anger from spewing forth. "At first, I let you get away with it as most children have a bit of resistance in them, but I've let it go on for too long and the information I received from the soldier I had follow you is quite disappointing indeed."
There was a sudden knock at Abaze's door which caused him to jump. His father gestured for him to open it. One of the queen's handmaidens stood in the doorway with her head hung low.
"Your majesty," the handmaiden said, barely fighting back the tears which were welling up in her eyes.
"What is it?" Mobo asked, his tone still angered.
"It's the queen," the handmaiden said.
Mobo rose to his feet and walked out of Abaze's room. "Get your sister, Abaze."
Abaze dashed to his sister's bedroom door, but she opened it before he could knock. She must've read his thoughts and probably woke from her father's angered tone while he was talking to Abaze. She threw a robe on and they chased down their father on his way to Rayowa's bedroom. There were several servants gathered around in the common room, all of them wore grim expressions and a few had streams of tears flowing down their faces like waterfalls.
Abaze and Adaku could sense their tension, as well as each other. A handmaiden opened the door for the king and the twins. Inside Rayowa's room were the castle physician and Kelechi, both looking grim as they looked down at the pale and cold body lying in the bed.
"We tried everything that we could, your highness," Kelechi said, "but it wasn't enough."
"Is she?" Mobo asked as he took slow steps toward the bed.
"I'm afraid so," Kelechi said, his mournful eyes focused on the twins.
I'm sorry for your loss, Kelechi transmitted to the twins. Come to me if there is anything you need.
"Everyone gets out," Mobo said, then turned to the twins. "Not you two."
Mobo and the twins stepped up to Rayowa's bedside. They all reached out to touch her and felt her stiff skin. Mobo held his dead wife's hand in his own and Adaku burst out into tears as she noticed the painful expression frozen on her face even though her eyes were closed.
"You said she was alright!" Adaku screamed at her father.
"I thought she was," Mobo said, dropping all pretense of being king. "I didn't want this either."
For the first time in their lives, the twins saw the sadness in their father's face. They thought he was on the verge of tears, but he took a deep breath, stood, and recomposed himself. He glanced around her room, then turned back to the twins.
"You two spend as much time with her as you need," Mobo said. "I'm going to get one of the priests so that we can respectfully take care of her body."
He didn't move for another minute, he just stared down at Rayowa with sorrowful eyes. When he left the room, the twins watched, then turned to one another.
She's gone, Adaku transmitted.
We didn't even get to say goodbye, Abaze transmitted.
All we have is each other, Adaku transmitted.
We still have a father, Abaze transmitted. But he's not happy with me at the moment. You didn't tell him anything about Mitaire, have you?
Of course not, Adaku transmitted. What happened?
He knows I've been sneaking out of the castle, Abaze transmitted. Are you sure that you didn't slip and say something that might have given him the notion of it?
No! Adaku transmitted. I would never. Do you think that he is going to have us start our training early? Now that mom isn't here, he might think it's a good idea to get us taking over the power sooner rather than later.
He might, Abaze transmitted. There are a lot of things to do around here and mom helped dad with some of them.
&nbs
p; I guess you're right, Adaku transmitted. He is going to need our help now.
He's already caught me, so that might be more of a push on our training, Abaze transmitted.
What did he say about Mitaire? Adaku transmitted.
He didn't say anything, Abaze transmitted.
Abaze leaned down and kissed his mother's forehead. Adaku mimicked him, and the two of them walked out of her room with tears in their eyes. Both walked silently toward their common room with their thoughts confused and hurt. They didn't just feel their pain, they could feel each other's pain.
Even though Abaze's mind was racing, he fell asleep from all the exhaustion of the naming day, spending the evening with Mitaire and being caught, but Adaku laid in her bed and wept. Heaving cries that shook her entire body, and with each tear, a piece of her died.
* * *
Source-light shone into the twin's rooms, but they just laid in bed. Neither wanted to face the day, they both contemplated what their father would do if they weren't to leave their room for the day. Would he be angry, or would he let them take the day to mourn their mother? They received their answer quickly as servants knocked on their doors.
They both let out a long sigh and pulled themselves out of bed, like a slug climbing to the top of the castle walls. They dressed even slower and went into the common room where the servants awaited them. Who all carried an expression of sorrow, but tried to muster a smile for the twins upon their entrance.
"Your father has asked to see you in his study," one of them said.
"Did he say what he wanted?" Abaze asked.
"No, your highness," the servant answered.
Abaze and Adaku glanced at one another, then slowly walked together out of their common room. They walked at a lethargic pace, stopping to take in the kind words about their mother from every servant they passed in the hall. They passed Kelechi and stopped him in the hall.
"Kelechi, can we train later?" Abaze asked.
"Don't you need some time to grieve your mother?" Kelechi asked. "We can always pick it up once you two feel ready."
"I think we could both use something to put our mind on," Abaze said.
"We can try," Kelechi said. "This might be a challenging situation to work around, but it will help with your mental resilience. However, I don't want you to push too hard, or it will work against you."
"Thank you, Kelechi," Adaku said.
The sorcerer bowed, then walked past them even though Abaze still wished to talk with him. Abaze wanted nothing more than to have a distraction that kept them away from their father's study, but nothing else came up as they meandered to him. The king's door was closed when they arrived. They didn't knock. They entered and found their father sitting at a desk writing.
Mobo looked up at them and stared for a moment, before gesturing for them to sit in the velvet seats beside his desk. His eyes weren't sad, they were filled with an anger they knew so well. They sat with their heads hung low. Mobo finished filling out his paper before he looked back up at them.
"I need answers out of you two," Mobo said. The fire in his eyes didn't cease. "Abaze, you need to tell me everything about last night. Who was the girl that you were seen with?"
Abaze straightened up. "I don't know what girl you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb," Mobo said. "I told you I had someone following you, and I have several reports of people spotting you. Who was she?"
Abaze turned away and looked out the window in the study. He could feel his father's eyes boring into him, but he refused to break.
"Adaku, you know your brother more than anyone," Mobo said. "What do you know?"
Don't tell him anything, Abaze transmitted. He knows nothing about Mitaire.
"I don't know," Adaku said. "He never told me where he was going."
"You two are together all the time," Mobo said. "Just because I have had no reports about you sneaking outside the castle walls, doesn't mean you couldn't have joined him before. How can I be sure that you haven't snuck out to do your own thing?"
Don't break to his pressure, Abaze transmitted. You aren't the one in trouble, you did nothing.
"I swear, father," Adaku said. "I haven't snuck out and I know nothing."
"If neither of you tells me," Mobo said while fiercely glancing between the two, "then I'll be forced to punish you both."
Abaze, help, Adaku transmitted. I don't want to be in trouble, not right after mom's death.
Mobo just stared and waited while tapping his fingers on the tabletop. "Alright, then you'll both . . ."
"Wait, father," Abaze said. "Her name is Mitaire."
"Mitaire?" Mobo asked. "And who is she?"
"She's the woman I love," Abaze said.
"You've been running around with a commoner?" Mobo asked. "And you've fallen in love with her?"
"Yes, father," Abaze said. "Her father is a cobbler and her mother is a baker."
"You fool," Mobo said. "Do you not understand who you are? What you are? You can't fall in love with a commoner. There are appropriate marriages that can be arranged for you."
"But I'm in love with her," Abaze said. "I don't want to be married to anyone else. One day I will be king, shouldn't it be my choice on who I marry?"
"You can't muddle up the royal bloodline with the blood of a commoner," Mobo said. "That's a horrid thing to do to your children."
"Father, I love her," Abaze said. "I can't change that, I won't."
"If your grandfather were the one dealing with this sort of insolence, then he'd publicly beheaded her and have her entire family hung and bled. You should be thankful I'm not my father."
Both Abaze and Adaku let out a sigh of relief as they'd imagined Mitaire being placed on the block and her head removed in front of a crowd of hundreds.
"I'll just have her throat silently slit in the middle of the night," Mobo said.
"Father, no," Abaze said. "You can't kill her. Please, I beg you."
"If you don't take your responsibilities seriously and end this childish affair, then I'll have her killed tonight," Mobo said.
Abaze stared at him while trying to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes, failed, and used his shirt sleeve to dry his eyes.
"I'll end it," Abaze said. "I promise. I'll end it and I'll never speak to her or see her again."
"You better," their father said. "If I ever find you near her again, then I won't be so nice, and I'll hang her and her family in the royal courtyard."
Abaze nodded, and the twins waited for more scolding from their father, but he returned his gaze to the paperwork scattered about his desk. When he finally glanced back up at them, he waved for them to leave his study. Adaku wanted to ask questions about their mother, but she knew it wasn't the right time and followed Abaze out of the room with their heads hung low.
CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO
Amethyst Nation, Fencura
The four of them sat at the largest table they'd found in the library, which could comfortably seat ten. None of them could be sure they'd explored the entire library, though Ren had likely spent the most time in it. He was grateful they'd each begun to master the library's secrets. It made finding multiple copies of a book easier.
"I'm telling you, they have enchanted this place," Goban said hastily. "I've tried to map it out. Something I learned back home. It doesn't make sense."
"Meaning?" Adaku asked.
"When you count your steps from the door to the far back wall, it's nearly twice as deep as the dining hall."
None of them said anything.
"That means it has to be enchanted," Goban said. "We're directly above the dining hall, and the hallway outside is the same width as the one downstairs. There's no way this room should be larger."
"Except for magic," Adaku said.
"Exactly," Goban said.
"Maybe you counted wrong?" Shaya suggested.
Ren had to agree with her sentiment. It seemed highly improbable that an entire floor could be enchanted to allow
a larger space than was physically possible. If it were true, the ramifications would be extraordinary. He could instantly see a way to turn that into a profitable venture in the Pearl Nation, and pay off his debts to the Belfry family.
Freedom.
That's what Ren could buy himself if they proved it possible to expand a physical space with magic.
"No." Goban shook his head. "I counted right. I counted it twice to be sure."
"This is easy enough to test," Adaku said. "We each can count our steps downstairs and then count them in here."
Goban stood as if to leave at that very moment.
"We should do our reading first," Shaya said.
Goban sat back down, and the four of them opened their copies of Team Dynamics: Multiparticipant Channeling. Ren's eyes began to glaze over the moment he read the first page. He wouldn't have thought it possible, but this book proved even less interesting than the one before it.
"Chapter three is informative," Goban said. "I think it's explaining how the chronicler could talk to us."
They all flipped ahead.
"Oh, yes," Adaku said. "Our court sorcerer taught my brother and I how to use these very principles."
"You mean you're telepathic?" Shaya asked.
"Yes."
"I think all the sorcerers here are," Goban said.
"When I was in the Pearl Nation the Amethyst diplomats spoke to me through thought," Ren said.
Goban pointed to the book. "It says here that a team of sorcerers can express thoughts with one another so quickly, that they can plan out a defense together, after the magical attack against them has already been cast."
They all looked at Adaku waiting to see if she would confirm this.
"We've never been attacked by magic, but yes we're able to share thoughts faster than those around us can speak." Adaku laughed to herself. "It proves helpful any time we were in trouble with our father."
She let out a heavy sigh and looked down at the book.
"This must be the lesson then," Goban said. "They want us to learn telepathy so we can work together as one unit."
