Mark if Destiny

by KT Webb

  “I have often wondered if any of the things you saw were the same as my own visions. How old are you?”

  “I only recently turned sixteen. From what I know of you, I am guessing you to be around eighteen. Is that correct?”

  Legacy nodded. “It makes sense then that you are arriving now. According to Renata, our kings usually take the throne at sixteen, shortly after receiving their mark. Do you think it is better that I will be older than they were?”

  Honor recognized the tone in the other girl’s voice. She had heard it in her own, even more through recent events. Self-doubt was powerful. “I think everything has happened as the wild magic intended. Fate has a plan . . . for both of us.”

  Legacy nodded. “What is that in your hands?”

  In the excitement of meeting Legacy, Honor had forgotten she still held the canister. She looked down at it, wondering what she was supposed to tell the princess. The girl who sat next to her had been raised by the woman who saved her life. She had nothing to connect her to the mother she had lost. Would she understand the importance of what the capsule held, or would she think it strange that Honor clung to it so fiercely?

  “Renata says it holds a letter from my mother. She died when I was young. I know you are in a similar situation, but I cannot imagine not having my mother in my life at all. I am very sorry your father is such a monster.”

  Legacy shrugged. “I do sometimes wonder about the mother who grew me in her womb, but Renata is the only family I have ever known. Like you said, my father is not someone I want in my life. He is a terrible person with no regard for any life but his own. He murdered his pregnant mistress and meant to kill the unborn child, too. He wants nothing more than to gather power and strike down anyone who may take it from him.”

  “Well, he has no idea what is coming for him.” Honor gave her new friend a reassuring smile.

  “No, he does not.” Legacy looked back at the capsule. “I think it is wonderful that you will have something from your mother. Perhaps it will give you a little more closure.”

  Honor nodded and stared back at the capsule. She was confident there would be something important in there, but if she did not crack the code, she would never find out. As she looked away from the relic of her past, something caught her eye. It was a small detail that had escaped her as she had examined it. Etched along the outer edges was a tiny outline of a crown. She already knew Renata had a hand in making the capsule, why would she not have linked it to the girl they would help become Queen? A grin crept across her face. Sure enough, the key sequence was six letters long, and the letters were all there. With shaking hands, Honor turned each dial until it spelled out the name of the young woman she was destined to help. A series of clicks and the sound of turning gears sent chills through her and caused every hair on her body to stand on end.

  “How did you do that? I thought you did not know the code,” Legacy gasped.

  “I just needed a little inspiration. Legacy, it was you. Your name was the code.”

  Surprise shaded Legacy’s expression, but Honor had learned not to let anything take her by surprise. Renata had been deliberate in everything she did. Somehow, she knew from the very beginning that Honor would be the one to help Alderwood, and she had done everything she could to help make it happen.

  Inside the capsule a roll of crisp papers waited. When she straightened them, Honor discovered words written long ago by the woman she wished she had known better.

  Dearest Honor,

  As you read this letter, I hope you will be a grown woman with a destiny to fulfill. My intent is not for you to receive this letter until you are ready to enter the world as an adult. However, as I write, you are playing in the square with some other children from the village. You have no idea why you are so important. You have no idea why I have had to hide you so far away from Pallisaide. The Makt rarely come this far north, my only hope is that you will not be found until you are ready.

  My illness was never part of the plan. From the moment I found out about you, I knew you would need to be protected. Your father is a very powerful man, and he will stop at nothing to destroy anyone or anything that may prevent him from staying in power forever. Now that I know I will not be here to keep you safe, I must find a way to tell you who you are on paper.

  You have undoubtedly discovered the false documents that identify your father as Soren from Meadowbrook. This was a plan hatched by Renata to help keep you from being discovered. Somehow, she knew who you were despite my insistence that your father was a member of the Makt. Somehow, she knew you would play a crucial role in bringing the wild magic back to Alderwood.

  I have hidden your true identity and will never reveal it to anyone but you. I have kept this secret to protect you, and I implore you to do the same until the time is right. Your secret is the only thing that will allow you to live.

  When I left Milltown for Pallisaide, I was freshly marked, and my mind was swimming with visions of a tiny girl with deep auburn curls. I did not know where I would end up, but I knew I first had to go to Pallisaide. Upon my arrival, I met a woman who told me I would fit well at the castle as one of the maids. I needed work and a place to sleep, so I readily agreed. Where better to begin my future than inside the walls of the castle? A man had also been prominent in my visions. A man who I took to be part of my future. His eyes burned into mine with unmatched passion. Once I began my work within the castle walls, it did not take long for me to recognize the man from my visions as the man who sat upon the throne. I knew the prophecy. I knew he controlled the Makt, and I knew what people said of him. But I also knew he was the man I was supposed to find. He noticed me, too. Soon, I was receiving anonymous gifts in the form of lavish gowns, an upgrade to private quarters, and expertly prepared meals delivered to my room with notes. He was romancing me without ever speaking to me.

  One night, I was summoned to his chambers to build a fire. It was long past the time when the servants had retired, so I quickly put on a robe and rushed to fulfill his request. As you may guess, this was to be our first romantic encounter. The way he kissed me stirred feelings I never knew were possible. Before I go any further, I feel I must tell you, he does not look to be his true age. If I had not known Junius had been King for more than one-hundred years, I would not have believed it myself.

  I am getting ahead of myself. The most difficult thing I am trying to say right now is that you are the daughter of King Junius. Our affair carried on for months before I realized I was with child. As soon as I knew, I realized why I had not seen a father in the visions I saw of my little girl. King Junius would not let a child live. A child would mean there could be an heir to his throne. A child could mean the end of his rule.

  With the help of one of the other maids, I left the castle under the cloak of darkness. I did not return to Milltown immediately. First, I went to a few other towns, met some other people—including the innkeeper who is credited as your father—and made sure to throw the Makt off the trail. I had hope that you would survive, hope that was given me by Renata. She told me of another young woman who had been poisoned. Her daughter barely surviving as Renata herself kept the mother alive long enough to deliver. At her request, I stayed with Soren. I knew the man loved me, and I was quite fond of him. But my heart was still healing, and I had to think of my child and keeping you safe.

  In addition to facing the idea of raising a child who would be a constant target, I was grieving the loss of the man I was stupid enough to believe wanted me for more than just the pleasure my body could bring him. He was not looking for me. Losing another maid was nothing to him. He had not seen me as I’d seen him, he had thought less of me than he did the woman who changes his chamber pot each day.

  In the end, I left Meadowbrook for the familiar village of Milltown. I knew it was only a matter of time before the King realized a child had been born. He would begin noticing the years taking a toll on him. His firstborn child was two years old by the time you were born. Not long ago
, the raids began. The Makt have become a constant presence in nearly every village in Alderwood. Many have been murdered senselessly as his ruthless guard dogs searched for his offspring.

  To keep you safe, Renata set up as the practitioner for Milltown soon after the two of us settled into my parents’ old home. If it had not been for Renata’s kindness, we would not have made it ourselves. She seemed to sense my panic at the first arrival of the soldiers and insisted that the two of us take refuge under the false floor of her shop. Luckily, the troops that made it this far north had given up their quest, and many just wanted to get drunk. They did not do any damage to our village, and they took no notice of any children here.

  I am sure the information in this letter is more than you care to know. It probably is not the answer you had hoped for as a little girl. It certainly is not the beautiful upbringing I wanted to give my daughter. But I know in my heart that you are destined for more. I believe in my core that you will bring an end to the torment our land has endured for so long. I will not be here to see what happens, but I know my daughter, my Honor, will do great things.

  All my love,

  Mother

  Honor fought the tears threatening to fall. The life her mother had led was nothing like what Honor had imagined. The story Laurel had told Soren was despicable. For her to tell a story so disgusting in order to conceal the true identity of her baby’s father must have been difficult for her to swallow. But the more Honor knew about her mother’s time in the castle at Pallisaide, the more she understood her mother had made the right choice. If she had not fled, it could have cost both their lives. If she had told anyone the truth about her baby, it could have meant death for both of them. Instead of Laurel being murdered by the Makt, her mother succumbed to an illness for which there was no cure. After everything she did to protect Honor, she was left with a rotting body that would slowly deteriorate until there was little left but skin and bones.

  “Honor? Your face is white. What does the letter say?” Legacy was kneeling in front of her with concern etched in her features.

  She turned to face Legacy. Now that she knew who her father truly was, she understood why her mother warned against her going to Pallisaide. Not that the Makt would have known to look for her. There was no need to take unnecessary risks. In the course of one letter, Honor learned the truth about the father she never knew, the real reason her mother returned to Milltown without a father for her baby, Honor was born a princess, but most importantly, Legacy was her sister.

  Chapter 17

  “We are sisters.” The words came out slowly through her shock.

  Legacy furrowed her brow. “But, how?”

  Honor offered her the letter and waited in silence for her to read while a million things raced through her mind. Honor had gone from being an orphan with no family to the daughter of a tyrant in only moments.

  It felt like an eternity waiting for Legacy to read the letter. The idea that she was a princess seemed impossible, but the more she considered it, the more it made sense. Renata would not have gone to such great lengths to help protect the daughter of a high-ranking Makt official. She would not have lived part-time in the tiny village of Milltown just to keep an eye on a girl who may have something to do with the future of Alderwood.

  “I cannot believe this. It is incredible.” Legacy nearly whispered, seeming just as shell-shocked as Honor. “Renata knew. She knew, but she told neither of us. Why did she not bring you to live with us when your mother died?”

  “Honor had to be a warrior.” Renata’s voice caused both girls to jump. “She had to be strong enough to fight and survive. If I brought her here, she would have been raised as you have been. I have taught you magic, history, battle strategy, fighting techniques. But I cannot teach someone to lead a revolution.”

  “But why did she need to be those things? She is my sister.” Legacy’s voice rose in indignation.

  “That she is. Think about the life you have lived. While this is not Pallisaide and you are not in your castle, this is the life of a woman who will become Queen. You have learned everything you need to be a ruler. Honor was raised by people who taught her how to fight for what is right and make sacrifices for love. She has become the leader we need to rally the Gildi.”

  Legacy glared at Renata with her hands on her hips. “You can give me all the reasons you want, but it will take some time to fully understand what you are saying. What if the Makt had found her before she was old enough to get away? What would have happened to the plan then?”

  Honor felt every bit as upset as Legacy, but she also thought about the life she had led that brought her to this place. She would have traded none of her childhood with Gray and Maris for anything. If Renata had taken her in, she would not have met Rowan. She may not have found Harcos. Eirny would never have saved her.

  “No,” Honor interjected. “Legacy, I understand why you are upset. We missed out on a lifetime of knowing one another. But I would never want to trade the life I have lived. I have often wondered what life would have been like with my mother, but I always came to the same conclusion. Without her death, I would not be where I am. I would never have met Rowan or learned to hunt. I would not be as strong as I am today.”

  Her statement was met by silence from her sister. Legacy could not argue with the positive things Honor had to say about how her life had unfolded. She wished she could have known Legacy as a child. It hurt to know she had a family who would have accepted her without question and had never known she even existed. But the most important thing was, Honor now knew who she was and why she was tangled into the intricate web of events that would lead to killing her own father. Honor realized she had not thought of it in that way. Now that she knew who he was to her, she was not sure how she should feel about being the person destined to take his life.

  “When the time comes, you will know,” Harcos rumbled next to her. He gave her an apologetic nudge. “I could feel you needed my strength. I know now why you and I are here, your majesty.”

  Honor laughed aloud. “Do not call me that.”

  “What did he call you?” Rowan asked as he arrived with Eirny on his shoulder. The impaiso either had not heard the exchange or had enough sense to allow Honor to enlighten her husband.

  “Rowan, I think you should read this. It will get you up to speed,” Honor said as she took the letter from Legacy and passed it to him.

  Again, the time ticked by slowly as he read through the letter as quickly as he could. She knew when he reached the portion of the letter that revealed her true father because he stopped and looked directly at her. “I knew it.”

  “What do you mean you knew it?” Honor demanded.

  “From the moment I saw Legacy, I knew. I cannot explain it, but there is something about the way she holds herself, the look of quiet confidence in her eyes. When I looked at her, I could see you there.”

  Realization hit Honor as she recalled the expression on his face when she had introduced him to her sister. “I wondered why you looked so surprised to meet her.”

  The moment released an unspoken tension in the room. Laughter erupted all around until Honor found herself crying and clinging to Legacy. She had a sister. Together, they were going to put an end to their father and bring Legacy to the throne. The girls embraced and cried long after the others had left them alone to give them privacy.

  “Do you think our father knows about us both?” Legacy asked.

  “No. I believe he thinks he killed you. He probably thinks I am the one who will take the throne. He has no idea who we are, but I am certain he does not know you lived. If he did, he would not have been stupid enough to sleep with my mother.”

  “Interesting. So, if he does not know there are two of us, he will not be expecting us to rally an army.”

  “An army? You mean the canthions?” Honor asked.

  “No, I mean the resistance. We will build an army. We will bring the Gildi back and fight alongside members of all three kingdoms
to take back Alderwood,” Legacy smiled.

  “I like the way you think.”

  After spending some time with Legacy, Honor finally had a chance to change from her muddy clothes and clean up in Legacy’s chambers before dinner. By the time Honor and Legacy made their way to the dining hall, the others had all begun to eat. The scraping of heavy chairs against the stone floor filled the air as everyone rose to their feet. Honor automatically stepped away from Legacy, bowing her head to show respect to the future Queen. Legacy cleared her throat and took the hand of her younger sister. She put a finger under her chin and lifted Honor’s head.

  “They are showing respect for you too, sister,” Legacy whispered.

  Honor felt a familiar knot form in her stomach. She never wanted any of the things that came along with being royalty. The idea that she too could sit upon the throne at Pallisaide was not one she wanted to entertain. Instead of following her instincts and telling everyone to sit down, Honor nodded and offered a gracious smile. If they continued with this behavior, she would be sure to insist they only react this way for Legacy.

  Honor took the open seat next to Legacy. Her sister took the head of the table, the rightful place for a ruler to sit. Rowan slipped his hand around hers under the table and squeezed reassuringly as he had so many times in recent days. They ate together in what felt like a celebration of all the things they had overcome.

  ***

  Renata escorted her guests to their rooms when they were ready to retire. Honor felt the nerves beginning to bubble up inside her when she realized this would be her first night with Rowan as husband and wife. The room was not large but held the essentials. There was no bathing room, but a natural hot spring bubbled in one corner. As soon as they were alone, Rowan exploded with questions for her.

  “How are you feeling? Do you think this means they will also expect you to rule Alderwood? Are you angry with Renata? How did Legacy take the news? Is she threatened by your existence?”