by Erin Rhew
“You did this to my son.” The king shoved Layla backward with such force that she fell back onto the bed beside Wil.
“Father!” Wil roared. He struggled to sit up but slumped against the pillow with a cry of agony. When Layla reached out to help Wil, Jesper smacked her hand away. Her Vanguard instincts kicked in, but she willed herself to be calm. Striking the king, no matter how horrible his behavior, meant certain death by the hangman’s noose.
“You lured my sons and daughter to the West Wall to be slaughtered.” Jesper loomed over her, his hand raised to strike.
Nash, Vespa, and Volton Mars stumbled through the door, their mouths slack from shock. Vespa ran over and touched her father gently on the shoulder. He shook her off, throwing her into Nash’s waiting arms.
“Father, I took Layla to the West Wall.” Vespa cried, righting herself. “She had no idea we would go there.”
“Lies!” Jesper spun around to face his daughter. “Why are you lying for this traitor?”
He turned back to advance on Layla again. She stood her ground, knowing the king could not outmatch her with sheer strength. If he tried an Alteration, though…Layla pushed the thought from her mind, too afraid to imagine the implications.
Nash grabbed his father by the arm, impeding the older man’s progress. “It’s my fault. I crossed over to the Vanguard side, and I must have accidently attracted the attention of some soldiers. When Wil, Vespa, and Layla came in search of me, the Vanguards attacked.”
A vein in the king’s forehead bulged furiously. “You did this, Nash?”
Nash breathed heavily through his teeth. “Not intentionally.”
“Nash.” Wil called to his brother from the bed. “Don’t.”
“It’s true, Wil. I’m to blame, not Layla.”
Jesper marched up to his eldest until they stood face to face. “If I had my way, you’d be locked up in the dungeon for the rest of your days.”
“It would be a welcome relief to never see you again.”
“Don’t test me, boy.” With a parting glance that would have withered grass, Jesper stalked out of the room, slamming the door so hard the wall hangings rattled. Volton Mars hurried toward Wil’s bedside, anxious to attend to the prince.
Layla stepped around the Volton and up to Nash, careful not to touch him in front of the others. “You shouldn’t have taken responsibility. I could have handled your father.”
“And if he’d performed an Alteration on you? Then what?” Nash’s eyes burned with fury. “Besides, I think it’s true.”
Wil called to them from the bed, his face paltry. “Even so, we all know you didn’t purposefully endanger anyone, Nash. Next time, let me handle Father.”
Nash turned to the wall, away from everyone else. “You’re confined to the bed with your side cut open. I did what needed to be done. Father already hates me, so adding one more failure to my list won’t make a difference.”
Wil remained quiet for so long Layla wondered if he’d gone into shock. He let out a long, slow breath. “Thank you for taking his anger off of Layla, brother.”
“Maybe I believe in the Prophecy more than I let on.” Nash left his words suspended between them all as he walked out. Wil, Layla, Mars, and Vespa glanced at one another in stunned silence.
Layla recovered first. “What is the matter with your father?”
Wil’s pale face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry about all that, Layla. It’s just—”
“Not now,” Vespa interjected, placing a finger to her lips and pointing toward the door with her other. When she lowered her hand, the princess spoke loud and theatrical. “The Volton will fix that wound in no time. My brother would do well to remember that he’s our future king. We must protect him just as we must protect you, our future queen.” Vespa touched Layla’s arm gently.
“Don’t wish me dead already, child.” A regal cadence emanated from down the hall.
“Of course not, Mother.” Vespa laughed, with just a hint of nervousness. She gave the queen a quick kiss on the cheek.
“I’d like to have a moment alone with our ‘future queen,’ Vespa dear.” False sweetness dripped from Queen Sansolena’s voice. Glancing nervously at Wil, then Vespa and the Volton, Layla followed the queen out of the room.
Once they were far enough away from Wil’s room, Sansolena turned her full attention on Layla. The queen’s sharp stare dug into Layla, who shifted from one leg to the other under such an intense glare. Sansolena continued her silent vigil. Layla tried not to squirm.
“You know my husband desires an end to this whole Fulfillment situation,” Sansolena said finally.
“I know.” To Layla’s surprise, she sounded steady, despite the loud, irritating thump of her heart.
The queen’s brown eyes narrowed. “Just so you are prepared, I do not believe Jesper will be successful. The Elder is scheming to ensure he gets his way. It seems you may very well become my daughter-in-law whether you wish it or not.”
When Layla did not reply, the queen continued, “What do you think of my son?”
“Wil is a wonderful person.” She smiled in a fruitless attempt to break the tension. The queen did not smile back.
“My son is unique, Layla. He’s truly the best of us all in this family, possibly in this whole kingdom. You will not break his heart, do you understand?”
Layla nodded. The queen didn’t know about Nash, did she? How could she? Though the walls didn’t move, Layla imagined them lumbering toward her, squeezing her into a corner from which she couldn’t escape.
“I could make you love him and only him for the rest of your days. You know that don’t you, girl?”
The air rushed out of Layla’s lungs. She started to grab her chest but stopped, refusing to show any signs of weakness. Was the queen threatening an Alteration? Wil said there were rules for that…but he had also mentioned special situations in which a parent or a ruler could override traditional Alteration policy. Did that apply to the queen as well as the king? Or was the queen now considered to be a parental figure since Layla was bound to Wil? Either way, Layla hoped she didn’t have to find out.
“We’re already bound, my queen.” Layla remained stoic, giving away none of her internal angst.
Sansolena’s eyes narrowed farther until they resembled a cat’s. “I’m not sure that’s enough.”
“Mother!” Nash called out, the rich sound reverberating against the walls. “Give Layla a rest.”
“Nash.” The queen’s whole demeanor changed as her eldest son approached. Her brown eyes, which had just been narrowed at Layla with such hostility, warmed, opening wide with innocence. “I was simply having a chat with our newest family member.”
The hard lines around Nash’s mouth conveyed his displeasure. Layla could see he didn’t believe his mother’s words. Regardless of his scowl, the queen continued to smile up at her son sweetly.
“Come along with me now, Mother.” Nash took the queen’s hand and looped it through his arm.
About halfway down the hall, he turned to look back at Layla. She mouthed the words “thank you.” When he winked, her face flamed so bright she thought she might actually combust.
Chapter Twelve
Nash
Nash leaned against the castle wall, enjoying the cool midnight air. Again, he found himself unable to sleep. He knew the reason: Layla. This unaccustomed feeling, of being so profoundly affected by someone, bothered him. Since childhood, he worked very hard to keep everyone, even his family, at a distance, but for the first time, he didn’t want to do that. In one of the First One’s great ironies, he would have to push her away—no matter how much it hurt, how much he wanted nothing more than to hold onto her and never let go—because she was bound to Wil. According to the Prophecy, their marriage would serve a greater purpose for the kingdom, for the world. He couldn’t be the fool who ruined the First One’s plan for peace, no matter what his heart desired.
Maybe when the prophesied peace finally d
id arrive, he should just disappear. War would no longer impede him from leaving Etherea, escaping his father, and embarking on a new life. And seeing Layla married to Wil? Well, that would be all the more reason to go…
A small figure sneaking across the courtyard caught his attention, distracting him from his morose thoughts. Who was that? In the darkness, he couldn’t make out any details, but based on the size and shape, he concluded the person must be female. Nash crept stealthily behind mystery woman. She entered Clovis’ maze, navigating the twists and turns with ease. He moved in behind her, careful to stay hidden, and decided he must be following his sister. What other girl knew her way through this labyrinth?
On the shoreline sat a lantern, which cast just enough light for the woman to see but not enough to be spotted by a sentry patrolling the area. Nash started to dash forward to confront her but shrank back when he saw a man wading across the river. A Vanguard. Nash reached for his sword.
He almost dropped it in shock when the Vanguard drew the woman into his arms, holding her in a passionate embrace. Nash’s mouth fell slack as he absorbed what he saw. He edged closer. The moment before he revealed himself to the two lovers, a hand fell upon his arm. Startled, Nash swallowed down the cry of alarm threatening to escape his lips.
“Shhh,” the person whispered, tugging him back toward the maze’s entrance.
Intrigued, he followed, though every instinct told him to move toward the couple.
“Nash.” He relaxed at the sound of her voice, the same one that stalked his sleeping and waking moments. “It’s me, Layla.”
“What are you doing out here?”
His tone sounded harsher than he intended. The idea of her this close to a Vanguard soldier and to the River Lars terrified him more than he wanted to admit. He still couldn’t shake the image of her hanging by her hair. It haunted him.
“I followed Vespa.”
He jerked back in surprise. “Through the maze?”
“No, I slipped through that gate you showed me, Holden’s gate, and snuck along the wall out of the soldier’s sight until I got here.”
Nash smiled, appreciating her resourcefulness. “Clever.”
“Well, it helps that your soldiers are more focused on keeping people out of the castle instead of in it. And honestly, if I hadn’t found you and Vespa, I would be stuck out here.”
He closed his eyes and took in a heavy breath. “So that really is Vespa down there?”
Layla’s eyes darted around. Nash’s jaw tightened. Her hesitation told him she knew more than she said, but what?
“Maybe I should go in and talk to her. Woman to woman.”
“There is a Vanguard soldier in there with her, Layla. If anyone goes in, I will.” He started forward.
She grabbed his arm and whisper-squeaked, “You can’t.”
Nash narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. Layla swallowed so hard he heard it. Ignoring the energy that snapped between them, he forced himself to focus.
“You know something you aren’t telling me. What is it, Layla?”
She glanced toward the bushes and then returned her gaze to Nash. Sighing, she said, “That Vanguard soldier is my brother, Grant, and he’s in love with your sister.”
Nash staggered forward as the impact of her words crashed into him. Vespa with a Vanguard soldier and Layla’s brother no less.
“How long have you known?” He growled at her, angry to have been kept in the dark.
She scrunched up her face and set her jaw. “I owe you no explanation.” Her flashing purple eyes both enraged and excited him.
“Vespa!” Nash screamed his sister’s name, charging out of his hiding spot.
Without another glance in Layla’s direction, Nash pulled out his sword, startling the lovers. His sister squealed and turned around, using her body to block the soldier behind her. Even in the dim lantern light, Nash saw the terror in her eyes.
Behind him, Layla burst through the bushes, a sword in her hand. Where had she gotten a sword? If it came to a fight, Nash calculated he would be outnumbered—two Vanguards with superior strength and one Ethereal with advanced Alteration powers. Nash sheathed his sword with an angry grunt. After a moment, Layla did the same. Only then did he notice she wore Vanguard pants instead of an Ethereal dress. In that outfit, Nash could better see her cinched waist and the gentle curvature of her hips. His mouth went dry. They stared at one another with a strange mixture of hostility and desire, the air between them practically crackling.
“Nash. Layla.” Vespa stamped her foot.
“Layla?” The Vanguard soldier stepped forward.
“Grant!”
He witnessed her genuine joy. For the first time since he’d met Layla, her body relaxed. A broad smile, with no trace of strain, spread across her face. She ran toward the soldier, jumping into his outstretched arms.
“What are you doing out here, Layla?” Grant enveloped her in his arms.
Layla stepped back, her face sheepish. “I may have tried to kill Vespa when I first arrived, and she had to tell me about you to save her own life.”
“Layla...” Grant admonished with a brotherly rebuke.
Nash stalked forward. “What? You’ve known the whole time you’ve been here? Why didn’t you tell me, especially after the Vanguard attack?”
Layla clamped her jaw together, her teeth clicking from the force. She knit her brows. “I promised Vespa that I wouldn’t tell anyone, and I would never put my brother’s life in jeopardy like that.”
Offended, Nash snarled his response. “Do you really think I would harm your family?”
“I don’t know what you would do, Nash. You did barge in here with your sword drawn.” She crossed her arms, giving a haughty harrumph.
He almost lost the tentative hold on his anger. Layla looked so cute standing there with her arms crossed and her face bunched up in annoyance. He smirked. “Entering an unknown situation with your sword drawn is prudent. A Vanguard should know that.”
They faced off, breathing heavily, both exasperated, yet also enjoying the verbal spar. Vespa and Grant’s gazes bounced back and forth between Nash and Layla.
“Oh First Ones,” Vespa whispered the names more like a curse than a blessing.
“What?” Nash’s head whipped to face her. Something about the way she spoke vanquished all his other thoughts. His stomach dropped straight down to his feet.
“You and Layla...” His sister placed her hand over her mouth. “I should have seen it sooner.”
Before he could stop himself, Nash turned to Layla. The horror-struck look on her face rooted him in place. No matter what Vespa assumed, there could be nothing between him and the Fulfillment. He moved away from Layla, toward his sister.
“Don’t try to make up stories and divert the attention away from yourself, Vespa. I demand to know what’s going on here.”
Grant raised his hand, pressing it into Nash’s chest to stop his advance. Nash smacked it away. Sensing the escalation, Layla leapt between the two men and separated them with her own body. He noticed how careful she was not to actually touch him.
“Everyone just calm down.” Despite her small stature, Layla commanded their undivided attention. “Nash, this is my older brother, Grant. Grant, this is Nash, Vespa’s brother. Now, both of you shake hands.”
He and Grant sized up one another for a moment before extending their hands. Vespa let out a squeal. Beside them, Layla crossed her arms with a satisfied smile.
With a friendly grin on his face, Grant said, “My sister sure can be persuasive.”
“Maybe she really can bring peace to Vanguard and Etherea then,” Nash replied dryly.
“Nash—” Vespa started, but he silenced her with a glare.
Layla shifted from one foot to the other, clearly agitated, while Nash moved a few steps to his left to give her more space. The farther away he got, the more the buzzing between them slowed. The more time they spent together, the stronger it grew. They didn’t even have
to touch to spark the flow of energy between them.
He let out a frustrated breath. While Layla made it clear earlier she owed him no explanation, Nash decided he owed it to himself, Vespa, and Layla to hear Grant out, at least for now.
Before Nash could speak, Layla burst out, “How are Mother and Father? What about Samson? Tell me everything.”
Grant shook his head sadly. “It’s better if I don’t tell you anything, Layla. I’m not sure what Elder Werrick is capable of doing, but we can’t risk it. All I can say is that Mother and Father are safe, and Mother is recovering well from her injury. As for our wayward brother, he’s on a mission.”
“A mission?” Layla’s head jerked in surprise.
“He thinks he can free you from the Elder’s proclamation.”
Layla gritted her teeth, pausing a moment before she spoke. Nash caught the faint glimmer of hope on her face before she squelched it with a frown. “From what I understand, that’s impossible.”
“Samson believes it isn’t.”
Nash’s mind raced. If Samson could prove that Layla was not the Fulfillment, what would that mean for her…for them? Nash shook his head in frustration. For now, he had to respect Wil and the binding by putting thoughts of Layla out of his mind.
He took control of the conversation, hoping to distract himself. “How often do you meet my sister here?”
Grant considered him for a moment before answering, “As often as I can.”
“In this same spot, every time?” Nash pressed on, ignoring Layla’s warning glares.
“Ye-esss,” Grant drew out the word, suspicion evident in his voice.
Vespa rounded on her brother. “What are you suggesting, Nash?”
He considered the information while Vespa stamped her foot impatiently. To his right, Layla’s stare bore into him. He knew neither girl would like his conclusions.
“I think you caused our security breach today, Grant.” Nash spoke to the Vanguard, man to man.
“What? How dare you accuse him of orchestrating an attack on his own sister.” Vespa balled up her fist in rage.
Grant reached out and touched Layla’s arm. After giving Nash a hard look, his gaze searched his sister with care. “What attack? Are you okay?”
