by James Tate
Still, whatever power Heruko could feel coming off my newly mended crown likely wasn't a sliver of what I could feel actually wearing it. The second I'd placed it on my head before leaving the palace, it was like I'd just touched my finger to an old electrical socket. My whole body buzzed with magic like I'd just stood out in a wild magic storm for hours, and I couldn't wrap my head around how Ophelia had managed to wear it so often for public appearances. I'd had it on barely half an hour, and I was all jittery and light-headed.
"Queen Zarina," Heruko said, reaching out to take my hand in his, "it's an honor to meet you."
"Kiss ass," Sagen sneered at him, and his formal, serene expression darkened as he turned to his sister.
He took two steps away from me, which brought him almost toe-to-toe with Sagen, but he towered over her by a good head and a half.
"Careful, little sister," he warned in a menacingly quiet voice, "you still have a lot to answer for at home. If I were so inclined, I could take you there right now to face up to what you did before fleeing Asintisch."
Sagen's tanned skin turned ashen, and she flinched away when Heruko brushed a lock of her long, dark hair away from her face. "Fuck you, Hero," she hissed back like a cornered wildcat. "You left me no choice. Both of you." She included Kaiten in her angry accusation, and I burned to ask what their history was. Whatever had happened, I’d bet it was juicy as all shit.
Time was short, though, and Zan cleared his throat in a pointed way. "Gentlemen, maybe you can save catching up on old times with Sage for a less dire moment in time?" He nodded to the chair Hero had been seated in moments before, and his implication was clear. Sit down and shut up.
"Prince Alexander is right," Kaiten agreed, moving to stand behind his desk. "Please tell us what we can do for you, Queen Zarina." He indicated to the vacant chairs in front of his desk, and I gratefully accepted. Along with the crown, Sagen had insisted I dress the part with a full-skirted green gown and matching velvet, high-heeled slippers. They hurt my feet like nothing else.
"I'll cut to the chase," I said bluntly. "We intend to remove Titus from the throne of Teich, but I need the backing of a strong military force to do so. Too many aristocrats enjoy his corrupt rule, and that includes the majority of the royal military command."
Kaiten sat down, linking his fingers together on the desk in front of him. "I see. And you think Asintisch can provide that backing?"
"Among others," I replied with a tight smile. I may have been new to my position—if I could call it that—but I wasn't stupid. Ty was working on contacts he held in both Isenmedin and the Schon Islands, but it just so happened that the general of the Asintischian army was right here in Lakehaven for me to meet personally. "Tell me, General Kaiten, why are you here in Teich?"
My thinly veiled accusation didn't go unnoticed, and Kaiten smiled. He was a really attractive man, which I noticed now that I was getting a better look at him, and I wondered briefly if his history with Sagen was less political and more romantic.
"We came for the Golden Ball, of course," he lied, and I snorted a laugh.
"With, what, fifty or so of your closest armed friends? This will be quite the party." I leveled a flat stare at him. "Prince Thibault is well aware of the soldiers you've been sneaking into the city over the past week, General Kaiten. He's allowed it because you can now be of use to us."
Prince Heruko made a sound from his seat, but when both Kaiten and I looked over, he shrugged like he had no intention of explaining himself.
Both Sagen and Zan were still standing, letting me handle this discussion with Kaiten. It was daunting as shit, but something I'd need to get used to. Fast.
The general didn't respond for a while, staring at me thoughtfully while drumming his fingertips on the wooden desktop. Without being too obvious, I tried to sneak a look at the papers in front of him but couldn't make out much more than the edge of a map.
"Our loyalty is to Asintisch," he finally announced. "It always will be. So ordinarily we would want nothing to do with the politics of Teich. But the destabilization of magic has started to impact Asintisch, and that's unacceptable to both the military and the crown." He nodded toward Heruko, who grunted his agreement. "So yes, we will back you, Zarina, true queen of Teich and leader of the Seven Kingdoms." I released the breath I hadn't even realized I was holding, but he wasn't done yet. "But our help doesn't come for free."
My shoulders tensed. We'd suspected it wouldn't be so easy.
"What do you want?" I asked. "Name your price, but bear in mind the fate of all the kingdoms, Asintisch included, is on the line."
Kaiten gave me a small smile, acknowledging the stakes. "Nothing so mundane as money or lands."
"So, what will secure your support?" I was getting impatient.
Prince Heruko was the one who responded, his cold eyes locked on Sagen. "You'll ensure that Princess Sagen returns to her home the second these trials are finished. Unharmed."
Sagen squeaked a sound of protest, but I beat her to it.
"Absolutely not."
"Then you're on your own, and we wish you the best of luck in your coup, Queen Zarina." The jet-haired prince was aiming for casual disinterest, but his frustration and anger couldn't be concealed.
I watched him for a moment, taking in the tension in his body, the way he couldn't seem to stop himself from glaring at his sister in a way that smacked of hurt feelings and... something else. She was seriously going to have to fill me in on what she'd done before coming to Teich.
Regardless, there was no way in hell either Prince Heruko or General Kaiten intended to just let us walk out the door and take Sagen with us.
"Okay, well, it was nice to meet you both," I bluffed, standing up and pretending to brush dust from my skirts. "Sorry we couldn't come to an agreement; hopefully we will see you at the ball." I held out a hand for General Kaiten to shake, but he just glared at me, all traces of formality gone.
"You can't keep her here indefinitely," he said with a glower. "Whether she likes it or not, she's still a princess of Asintisch, and it's my duty to see her safely returned home at the end of these trials."
I hummed an interested sound. "Ah, so that explains all the dance partners you've smuggled into the city. Do you really think it'll take fifty soldiers to retrieve one princess?" I arched a brow at the general in a mocking way, but he wasn't playing.
"Yes."
Clearly he was familiar with just how badass my new friend was. I swallowed a laugh, imagining she'd probably kicked his ass herself in order to earn that reaction.
"Well," I replied, shrugging apologetically, "as the Seeker of Teich, Princess Sagen is free to remain here in my lands as long as she chooses. Should anyone try to remove her against her will, I would feel obligated to take action. Personally."
It was pure coincidence, but as I delivered my threat, a shudder of magic from the crown on my head rolled through me, and thunder boomed outside the room.
No one spoke as the steady sound of rain started pattering on the roof, echoing through the space, which had filled with so much tension. I crossed my fingers behind my skirts, hoping this meeting wouldn't drag out any longer. I needed to take the crown off as soon as I possibly could because if I could start a storm with a shiver... what would happen if I got pissed off?
"Sage," Kaiten said, speaking directly to the princess in question and ignoring my statement. "You can't just keep running away."
"Watch me," she snarled back, her jaw hard. "If you try to force me to return, I swear I'll make you regret it." Her promise included both men, but while Kaiten looked hurt, Heruko looked like she'd just issued a challenge.
Thankfully, it was Kaiten who controlled the Asintischian military. "You'll have our support, Queen Zarina," he decided, "and we will ask nothing in return except your extended hospitality."
I hesitated a moment, but a tiny nod from Zan gave me confidence.
"Then it’s a deal," I replied, feeling like diva promising things that weren
't mine to give. Not yet.
General Kaiten held out his hand, and we shook to seal the agreement.
"We should go," Sagen snapped, sounding furious. "We have other alliances to secure and a trial to prepare for."
We made our goodbyes to both Asintischian men, and Zan opened the door for me. I carefully tucked my heavy hood back over my hair—and crown—making sure I was fully covered before I stepped out of the room with Zan tight enough behind me he could have been my shadow.
We only made it halfway down the corridor before I noticed Sagen hadn't followed, and we paused to wait for her.
Low voices sounded through the open door, the words muffled but the aggressive tone clear as day. Even more clear was the sound of a fist hitting flesh.
Alarmed, I started to rush back and save my new ally, only to see Sagen stalking out of the office rubbing her knuckles.
"What are you waiting for?" she snarled at us. "Let's go."
Stunned, Zan and I followed her from the house, nodding to Takami on the way out the door and hurrying into the dark street.
Rain was still falling softly, but to our amazement, it wasn't the potent, saturated magic of the wild magic storms.
"Holy shit," Zan marveled when the three of us paused in the middle of the street. His hand was out flat, catching water in his palm. "You did this?" He looked at me, his eyes wide with awe.
"Um." I peered up at the sky, fascinated at the way the bright moon shone through the storm clouds. The sun had gone down while we'd been inside, so hopefully we could make it back to the palace unseen. "I think so."
Sagen snorted a laugh. "When was the last time the city of Lakehaven saw normal rain, Zan?"
He shook his head. "I don't even remember. Before the end of the plague anyway." He beamed at me, even while the water plastered his hair to his forehead. "You're incredible, Zarina."
"Told you," Sagen added, but she looked equally pleased, "You're going to save us all. The only one who still has doubts, is you."
Chapter 15
"Alright, spill it," I ordered when the three of us got back to our sanctuary. We were soaked to the skin but all in high spirits from a successful meeting and the natural rain.
"I don't want to," Sagen replied, folding her arms in a sulk.
Zan tossed her one of the towels that he'd swiped from the laundry on our way back into the palace. "Don't be a coward, Sage," he teased. "Zarina isn't going to judge your shitty love life choices, are you babe?" He wrapped another towel around my shoulders, and I bit back a smartass reply.
"I knew I was smelling sexual tension," I remarked, giving Sagen a smug grin. "So what happened? He seemed pretty mad."
"They both did," Zan commented, giving Sagen his own smug smile.
Except that confused me. "Wait, what? Isn't Heruko her brother?" I aimed my question at Zan, seeing as Sagen didn't look all that chatty and Zan knew more than he was letting on.
"Step-brother," Sagen corrected with a snarl. "Arrogant prick never missed an opportunity to remind me of it too."
I blinked at her a couple of times. "I'm lost. He called you little sister."
She rolled her eyes. "He was mocking me. It's not a widely publicized fact but also not a secret that my mother was already pregnant with me when she married King Akio, which means I'm not a blood royal."
Little pieces clicked together in my head. "That's why you don't have magic even though you're a princess?" She nodded. "So... you have history with Kaiten and Heruko?"
"No!" she exclaimed, looking horrified. "Ugh, Hero would be more likely to leave me out in a lightning storm than show any kindness. Let alone..." She grimaced and shook her head. "No. Just, no. Hero's always hated me because despite the fact that I'm not Akio's blood daughter, he's always treated me like a favorite."
"And the rest," Zan prompted when she seemed like she wasn't saying any more.
She rolled her eyes. "Kai and I... had a thing. It ended badly, and Hero is pretending his cruelty is justified because I damaged his best friend's reputation." She pursed her lips. "It's a long story, and for the record, his golden-boy best friend deserved it."
I was more confused than ever but mostly just loving the insight into Sagen's real life. She was such a damn mystery, always holding her cards so close to her chest; it was fascinating every time I got a glimpse of the real her.
More and more, I was glad she was on my side.
"Alright, I wont pry," I assured her. "You'll tell me one day." My mark tingled with certainty about that statement, and I grinned.
She snorted a derisive laugh. "What makes you so sure?"
"Oh, you didn't know? I'm magic." I winked at her and turned away to hide my crown again while she groaned at my dumb reply.
Zan flopped down on one of the couches and ruffled a hand through his wet hair. "We missed dinner, but from what I hear, no one will have noticed. That party is still going on in the great hall from yesterday."
"Haven't they run out of wild magic rain yet?" I asked, clicking closed the cabinet I'd placed my crown in. It was a crappy hiding place, but considering we were the only ones who used the sanctuary at all, I figured it was safe enough.
"I guess not," Zan replied.
Sagen sighed and stood up, handing her towel back to Zan. "Okay, I'm going to bed. Seeing those two assholes today reminded me that I need to plot more ways to escape this palace unseen when the week is over."
"Why?" I asked. "You're free to stay in Teich. You have your own lands and shit."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you also told Kaiten he can stay as long as he likes. Trust me on this, that man is more stubborn than you can imagine. As long as I'm here, he won’t be leaving." She headed for the door as she spoke. "I have zero intentions of being dragged back to Asintisch to face Akio after what I did and don't particularly want Kaiten shadowing me all over Lakehaven until he drives me crazy."
"Oh, I see." I bit the edge of my lip as I considered her situation. Then again, not knowing what she'd done made it hard.
"Don't stress it, Sage," Zan spoke up from his couch. "We've got your back. Just like always."
The look on the foreign princess’s face before she left our sanctuary was relief, and I knew we'd just peeled back another of her many layers. She was scared and hurting. No way was I going to let her ex-boyfriend intimidate her here, regardless of the agreement we'd just made.
Zan and I stayed in the sanctuary after Sagen left. Once the old-fashioned electrical heaters were turned on and we'd dragged warm blankets over ourselves, there was no need to hurry back to our rooms.
"It's peaceful in here," I commented after a while snuggled up with Zan on the couch. "I can see why Ophelia loved it."
"Not just that," Lee said, coming into the room clearly having heard my comment. "I did some digging into old records and found some interesting stuff." He flopped down into the sapphire velvet armchair looking bright-eyed, like he'd just woken up.
"Did you sleep?" Zan prodded his little brother, who nodded distractedly.
"Yeah, after I got back from the city and you guys had left for your meeting with General Kaiten, I took a solid nap. How was that, by the way? Do we have some allies?" His excited gaze shot between Zan and I, and we grinned.
"Thanks to Sagen, yes," I replied.
Zan snorted. "More like despite Sagen. Did you know Kaiten and Hero were part of the reason she jumped on our request for help?" This was aimed at Lee, who gave a small shrug in response.
"Vaguely. I knew she'd landed herself in shit and probably would have gone to Schon if we hadn't offered another option." Lee gave a small frown. "Wait, Hero is here in Lakehaven, too?"
Zan nodded. "Yep."
"Huh," Lee murmured. "That was ballsy of them, sneaking the crown prince into the city along with fifty soldiers. Any idea what they were plotting before we approached them?"
"Pretty sure they were planning on removing Sagen from the Trials by force," I replied, wrinkling my nose. "Hopefully we have put
a pin in that idea. So what did you find in your research?"
Lee's frown faded, and his face lit up with excitement once more. "Right! So you mentioned that Ophelia had something hidden underneath this building, but I spent pretty much all of last night searching for ways to get down there and came up totally blank."
"You didn't give up and leave it there, though, did you?" I prompted, knowing him well enough to assume he'd have only seen it as a problem to solve.
Lee shook his head. "No. But it got me thinking down another path. If there is some kind of infrastructure involved, then someone had to have done the job. Which means they were paid. So I went hunting in the treasury receipts archive." He cringed, and I got the impression that was a big job.
"Smart," Zan commented, shifting his arm around me to stroke my back. I was still curled up on the couch with my head resting on his chest, and I was far too comfy to move any time soon. Besides, his body warmth was drying my hair out.
Lee nodded. "It wasn't the easiest job, but I found a payment that didn't balance with a corresponding docket. It had been recorded under the name of a tradesman here in Lakehaven, but not one on the list of approved royal contractors."
"Seems promising," I murmured. "What then?"
This time, Lee beamed. "I tracked down the contractor. Or his daughter, anyway. Turns out the man himself died in the plague, but he was a meticulous record keeper." He paused again.
Zan groaned. "Spit it out, you're killing us with all the suspense."
Lee shot his brother a glare, then returned his attention to me. "He had a letter from Ophelia, detailing the work she wanted done and the staggering amount of money she was paying for him to work in secret and not tell anyone what he'd created. I'm guessing that she closed off this section of the gardens during that time and explained it away with gardening maintenance or something."
"So... what work did he do?" Even I was getting impatient now, though Lee was enjoying his moment.
Lee stood up, looking around the room as he tapped the heel of his boot on the floor. "He built a secret basement."
