by Lisa Cassidy
“And how could you know that?” Alyx scoffed. “I haven’t seen you in months, and that was only for a few days. Before that it was three months between visits.”
Ladan scowled as he entered the room. “Adahn is a sheep’s brain.”
“Thank you, brother dearest.” Alyx smirked at Dawn and dropped into a chair with her coffee. She was suddenly overwhelmingly grateful for her brother’s arrival.
“He’s not a sheep’s brain, Ladan. He’s a powerful warrior mage,” Dawn said, serious in the face of their frivolity. “He’s a good man, Alyx. I think he could make you happy if you’d let him.”
Silently urging her brother to jump in again, Alyx tried to brush her off. “He’s my subordinate. It’s not appropriate.”
“Rubbish. He’s one of your senior mages. How is that inappropriate?”
“Did Tarrick come with you yesterday?” Ladan asked, neatly changing the subject. Alyx leaped on his assistance with alacrity.
“You think he’d let me travel here alone?” She snorted. “Yes, he came with me. He was still sleeping when I left this morning, but I’m sure he’ll be here the moment he wakes up and realises I’m not there. Adahn and the Bluecoats came too, though I’ve given them some well-deserved time off.”
Laughter rang out from the hallway, heralding the arrival of Tarrick, Cario, and Jayn. Jayn had become somewhat of a personal assistant to Cario, who held Alyx’s authority when she was gone and ran things on her behalf.
“Alyx.” Jayn beamed. “Welcome back.”
“Thank you.” Alyx gave them quick hugs. “Are you both well?”
“Busy but good.” Cario gave his characteristic shrug. “Glad to have you back, Magor-lier.”
“Magor-lier, Lord-Taliath, it’s good to have you both back.” General Sparkish appeared at the door. “The king asked me to pass on his apologies. He promises he’ll be back in the city by this evening.”
“Good.” Tarrick clapped his hands together. “Now, should we get down to business?”
Alyx nodded and they gathered around the table in the centre of the room. The surface was covered with a map of Rionn, Tregaya, Zandia, and Shivasa. Small red pins outlined the ever-shrinking borders of Rionn, and blue pins did the same in Tregaya.
“He still hasn’t moved against Zandia?” Tarrick asked.
“No,” Sparky replied. “Not even close.”
“If he’s smart, he’ll wait until he has Rionn and Tregaya firmly under his control before he tries for Zandia,” Ladan said.
“Which doesn’t help in trying to get the Zandians to join us,” Alyx said, relaying her lack of success with the emperor.
“I’m sure Shakar is as aware of that as we are,” Adahn pointed out.
“You’d think that would make the emperor more willing to help us,” Sparky grumbled, not for the first time.
“Look who I found wondering the halls.” Garan’s voice addressed them from the doorway.
“Finn!” Dawn squealed in excitement before rushing over to the wiry mage and throwing her arms around him.
“It’s good to see you too, sis.” Finn grinned. “I wouldn’t have missed your wedding for the world.”
“Join the party.” Tarrick waved Finn and Garan over.
A few boisterous moments passed as everyone greeted each other and quickly caught up. Even Ladan smiled as he slapped Finn on the back. Alyx hugged the healer mage tightly, beyond glad that all her friends were together for the first time in so long.
“How are things going in Tregaya?” Ladan eventually brought them back on topic. “The last I heard before leaving ShadowFall was that the Shiven had breached the border and were marching on Carhall.”
Sparky looked up from the map. “The latest scouting reports came in yesterday. The Shiven are moving slowly, and being careful to shore up their rear. We estimate they’re still some weeks away from reaching the capital.”
Alyx sighed. “I can’t believe things changed so rapidly while I was in Sandira.”
Cario’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not as much progress as I would have suspected from the last scouting report.”
“The militia defences are proving tougher the closer the Shiven get to Carhall,” Sparky said.
“That might have something to do with the new commander Parja mentioned,” Alyx said. “He seemed confident this person would hold the city against the Shiven. It might even be a warrior mage, with the success he seems to be having.”
“Should we send aid?” Tarrick asked.
Adahn opened his mouth, but Alyx spoke before he could, shaking her head. “I rejected the council’s request at the meeting. I’m not willing to trust them until they’re honest with us. They were hiding more than the fact that Carhall is under direct threat.”
“Like what?” Dawn asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, frowning. “But there was something…”
“There is little we could do to help even if we wanted to,” Sparky said. “We don’t have enough soldiers to spare more than a token force to assist.”
“I could send them a couple of Taliath?” Ladan offered. “That might help them hold out a little longer.”
Alyx looked at her brother. “I don’t trust having Taliath anywhere near the council. The Tregayans have always been allies, and I hate to abandon them to defeat, but it’s too risky.”
“Magor-lier, I know you’re already aware of my views on this, but there’s something else you need to consider,” Adahn spoke up firmly. “The mages that follow you have friends and family who still work for the council. It’s not only me that thinks we should help them. Leave them to their fate, and you risk losing your mages.”
She considered that, sharing a look with Tarrick. Adahn was popular amongst her mages, his easy charm and pureblood family making many ex-council mages inherently comfortable with him, and by extension, more comfortable following her. If he said this was how they felt, he was likely right.
“Adahn, even if I wanted to, there’s not much I can do. Our warrior mages are on ShadowFall or the north of Rionn. I can’t afford to recall enough of them to make any difference to the situation in Tregaya. Those in the mine in Tregaya are teachers or too young or old—I won’t send them out to fight.”
“You could recall the mages from ShadowFall. The Taliath are back in the world, you’ve done what you set out to do. If they are true allies of ours, they should be able to look after themselves.”
“He has a point,” Ladan spoke, clearly reading the look on her face and trying to forestall her temper.
“You forget that I’m trying to build a new mage order, not just survive this war with Shakar,” she told Adahn coldly, ignoring her brother. “The Taliath potentials deserve our protection, and they will have it.”
“At the expense of the lives of mages?” he pushed.
“Yes,” she said clearly. “Because mages are no more important than anybody else that lives in this world, Adahn. If I haven’t made that clear to you by now, then I don’t know why you still follow me.”
“You’ve made it clear, Magor-lier,” he said steadily, blue eyes meeting hers. “But it’s going to take more than a handful of years to change thinking that is generations old.”
Finn unexpectedly came to her defence. “I agree with you, Adahn, but change has to start somewhere. As the leaders of the new way of doing things, we have to set an example with our behaviour and actions. We have to think beyond just winning this war.”
“All right.” Adahn smiled, the intensity vanishing from him in a flash. “My piece is said, and I accept your words.”
“On that cheerful note.” Alyx matched his smile, hoping he truly meant it. “Unless there is anything further that we urgently need to discuss, I suggest we break until after the wedding. I think all of us could do with some time to rest and not think about war and Shakar.”
Her suggestion was taken up with alacrity. While the others rose to their feet and milled around, making plans for catching up befor
e the wedding, Alyx caught Finn’s eye. He gave her a little nod.
“Will you come home with me, Alyx?” Dawn asked, eyes shining. “I can’t wait to show you my dress.”
“I have a couple of things to do, but I’ll be over soon,” Alyx promised, excited by the thought. She wondered what wonderful creation Sorin had come up with.
Eventually all but Finn had gone. He stood, stretching, before walking over to stand by the window that looked out over the garden. Alyx went to join him.
“Your shield’s up?” she murmured.
“Always,” he replied, then gave her a little smile. “He’s moving on Carhall—just like we hoped.”
“A lot earlier than expected,” she pointed out.
“This was never an exact science. There are going to be other miscalculations.”
She nodded, unable to help the little smile on her face. “You know what this means?”
His green eyes flashed. “It means we can start implementing our plan. Now we just need…” His voice trailed off, there was no need to say it aloud. They both knew. He frowned a little. “We need to be careful of what Adahn was saying—our mages will be crucial to success. Even if our crazy plan works, if we lost them, it would all be for nothing. With his mages, Shakar can rebuild.”
“They’ve made a choice to join me, knowing everything I stand for. And if the council doesn’t do something to help themselves, well, all their mages might soon be mine anyway. There will be no alternative for them.”
Finn nodded agreement. Sometimes it seemed as if the destruction of Shakar was such a mammoth task it could never be done. Sometimes she wondered if the road she was on would ever end. But sometimes, just once in a while, she thought about the little steps they were taking, and she had hope.
Chapter 23
Being both lord of Widow Falls and now-acknowledged heir to Garan Egalion, there was no avoiding a sumptuous court wedding for Ladan when he’d announced his betrothal. Still, he and Dawn had managed to limit the guest list for the actual ceremony to those that could fit in the smaller of the two palace halls.
Alyx admitted that Nario wasn’t wrong—the thing did drag on—but she was so happy for her brother that she barely noticed. He looked so tall and handsome in his finery, so much like their father, and Dawn was more beautiful than any bride Alyx had ever seen.
The celebration following the wedding was a much more exciting affair. The great ballroom of the palace in addition to all four lesser ball rooms were opened wide for everyone in the nobility to attend.
“I remember a time when you couldn’t wait to be standing up there yourself,” Cayr said later, as they sat watching the dancing together. Her gaze had been on Ladan and Dawn dancing—Ladan tilted his head close to his new wife to hear something she was saying, before smiling and whispering something in reply. Whatever it was, Dawn’s face lit up—but Alyx shifted her attention away from them to give Cayr a sheepish smile.
“I think I was more excited about the dress I would wear and the perfect shoes and the fact everyone would be watching me,” she admitted. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had those fantasies.”
“They look happy, don’t they?” he said, a touch of wistfulness in his voice.
“They do.” Alyx smiled. “We haven’t had a chance to talk since I got back. I missed you.”
His blue eyes brightened a little at her words. “I missed you too. Sorry I couldn’t make it to the meeting yesterday morning. Sparky tells me the emperor wouldn’t agree to your latest request for alliance?”
“No, and I don’t think he’s going to change his mind anytime soon,” she said. “However, this is a wedding, and we should leave talk of Rionn’s impending doom until tomorrow.”
“Impending doom?” Cayr raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps we could put that off until next week?”
Alyx chuckled. “I do as my king commands.”
A comfortable silence fell between them as they idly watched the dancers. Even Alyx’s father was up dancing with Sparky’s wife. She took a sip of her wine, an amused grin spreading over her face when she spotted Nario, standing at attention with another Bluecoat at the main entrance. He looked horribly bored.
“I’ve been thinking of marrying recently,” Cayr mused.
Startled, Alyx almost spat out her mouthful of wine. She hadn’t even known he was courting anyone, let alone thinking of marriage. “Really?”
“Really.” He nodded, the look on his face telling her how serious he was.
She cleared her throat, putting down the glass and giving him her full attention. “Do you have a particular candidate in mind, or is this just a general desire that has come upon you?”
Cayr’s gaze was back to the dancing, his hands toying with the edge of the silk tablecloth. Eventually he took a breath and turned to meet her eyes.
“I’m going to marry Jenna, Alyx.”
It took her a full moment to register that her mouth was hanging open as she stared at him in slack-jawed astonishment. “Excuse me?”
“Which part didn’t you hear properly?” he asked dryly.
She flashed him a scowl. “To be clear then, you’re talking about Jenna Aridlen? Adopted daughter of one Lord-Mage Casovar?”
“Jenna has changed a lot, you know that,” he said patiently. “She’s done her best to make up for her father’s mistakes, even though she’s not to blame. All these years she’s protected me, never once asking for recognition.”
“That’s because it was safer for her that nobody know she’s a Taliath.”
“No.” There was a note of finality in Cayr’s voice. “She’s become a close friend. I trust her, and I’m asking you to trust me.”
She frowned. “That hardly sounds like a declaration of undying love.”
Cayr’s face clouded over. “Well, undying love seems to me to cause much more pain than it’s worth.”
Alyx flinched, heart sinking. She’d never stopped feeling guilty for what she’d done to him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“No, I wasn’t aiming that at you.” He sat forward earnestly. “I told you years ago that I accepted what happened between us, and I meant it.”
She studied him, trying to tell if he was being honest. “But Jenna of all people? You’ll face mutiny from your court—and not just because she’s the adopted daughter of a traitor. She has no noble blood, no standing. You’re the king of Rionn, you need to think about marrying for strategic advantage. Doesn’t Mastaran have a niece our age?”
“Says the young noblewoman who would have married an illegitimate, half-Shiven Bluecoat captain!” Cayr countered.
She gasped as if hit, and remorse flooded his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“He’s been gone three years.” She waved off his concern, quickly and neatly shoving her emotions back into their box. “And while you are correct, I am not the king of Rionn. The court would have been scandalized and probably ostracized me, but that’s the worst that would have happened. You could face unrest amongst your nobles.”
“So? We might not even survive the next year. I’ll fight tooth and nail to protect Rionn, but the odds are against us. We’ve already lost people we love. Marrying Mastaran’s niece won’t help us defeat Shakar or Shivasa, and while I would give anything for my country, I want my own little piece of happiness.”
Alyx stared at him. “You love her.”
“There is a reason I chose her to marry.” He huffed in irritation.
“Have you asked her yet?”
“No.” A troubled look crossed his face. “We are close, but I don’t think she’s aware that I…and I’m not even sure that she—”
“She does.” Alyx didn’t even hesitate. Whatever her personal feelings on Jenna, Cayr’s happiness was all that mattered.
His head shot up. “How do you know that?”
“Women’s intuition.” She grinned at his scowl, but then sobered. “She burns to avenge her parents, Cayr, and she places the blam
e for their deaths squarely at Shakar’s feet. And she’s a Taliath, a powerful warrior.”
“I know all that. So what?”
“So she chose to stay here, with you, for the past three years. Doing nothing but ensuring your safety. She could have been out fighting with me, taking her revenge. But she stayed.” She smiled a little. “You don’t do something like that for a friend, or even a king.”
A wondering smile spread across his face as he processed her words, joy lighting up his eyes. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course I did. You’re my dearest friend and I want you to be happy.”
Cayr leaned closer. “I want you to be happy too.”
“I’m happy enough, thank you.”
“Oh, Alyx,” he said, and his voice ached with sadness. “I know you. You still grieve his death. Deep down, you haven’t moved on, you haven’t stopped loving him, not for one second.”
She stared at him, utterly torn open by his words. Too much. “Why would you say that?” she whispered.
“Because it’s the same for me.” His voice broke, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “He was a part of me, just like you are. We belonged to each other in a way that nobody else ever can or will.”
She swallowed, pushing aside his words and what they made her feel. Unable to sit any longer, she rose from her seat. “I think I’d like to dance. I’ll see you later.”
He didn’t try to stop her.
Adahn looked up as Alyx approached, one eyebrow raised in query. He looked handsome and debonair in his court finery—as at ease amongst the nobility as he was amongst the mages.
“Dance with me?” She held her hand out to him.
His lips quirked in a smile and he took it. “I wasn’t afraid to ask you.”
“Is that right?” she asked, allowing herself to be led onto the dance floor.
“I was, however, a little afraid to approach the king of Rionn and ask his best friend to dance.” Adahn’s smile widened. “I thought there was a definite chance of being imprisoned in the palace dungeons.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t worth risking the palace dungeons?”
