The King's Questioner

by Nikki Katz

  Reign alone, without family, without friends.

  Reign out of control, her fingers folding into fists and waves of emotion rolling away from her.

  He extracted himself from her mind.

  The pain hit him so fast and hard that he fell forward. She caught his shoulder with one hand and reached for his hand with her other. He was immediately swept into her mind again.

  Her most recent thoughts were vivid in front of him.

  Vivid of him.

  Of his hand gripping hers and his eyes closed in concentration. His forehead furrowed and his eyelids twitching.

  He felt Reign’s concern, and she whispered aloud.

  “The slower you can come out of these episodes, the less pain you will feel.”

  She was talking to him, through her memories of talking to herself.

  “Relax. Close your eyes. Try to acclimate yourself to your surroundings out here. Imagine the log you’re sitting on, cold and hard beneath your legs. Picture the sun and the cool breeze. Place yourself here, and then release my hand when you’re ready.”

  His eyes closed, but his fingers gripped hers tighter. He didn’t want to let go; he didn’t want her to let go. The pain had disappeared, and he didn’t want it to return. He pictured the clearing, using all his senses, and severed the connection.

  She waited, expectantly, her gaze traveling over his face to look for signs of pain.

  “Thank you,” he said as he put on his glove. “I’ve never … I’ve never had someone do that for me.”

  “You’re doing the same, trying to help.”

  He nodded and told her what he’d seen in her memories and how her fists clenched before her emotions erupted. “It’s not a trigger, necessarily, but it’s a sign we can look for. If you could find another way to release that tension, instead of sending out a wave of emotion, you might be able to better control the magick.”

  Cirrus shouted in their direction. “Come on, you two. We need to get on the road.”

  Reign frowned but Kalen stood and held out a hand to assist her up. “Best be listening to your brother. He’ll be king someday.”

  “My brother.” The words were a whisper that bled into silence. “I assumed I was an orphan all these years. Now I have this person in my life, this whole other history of who I am, and I don’t know what to do with it.” She paused. “I don’t know if I want it.”

  “Come to Mureau, help us destroy the crystals, and then you can decide. Learn about the town, meet the people. You have an entire continent to explore if you find you don’t want to stay.”

  Her gaze focused on the grass at their feet. “A continent to destroy.”

  “No. You’ll get control of this. I promise.”

  * * *

  BY MIDDAY, WITH only berries in their stomachs, they were ravenous. Cirrus attempted to distract them.

  “Maybe some more Hakunan training?” he asked Luna.

  She rolled her eyes. “On horseback?”

  “It’s not all physical, Little Pebble. And don’t knock it. Are you feeling prepared for that sea travel home?”

  “Little Pebble?”

  “Yeah. The moon is only a rock that orbits our planet. A small rock comparatively.”

  “That’s the only nickname you could come up with? How about Oh Stunning Beauty of the World?” Luna attempted a bow from her horse.

  Cirrus shook his head. “No. No way.”

  “What are they talking about?” Reign asked Kalen.

  “Hakunan,” Cirrus said, while at the same time Luna replied, “Exhaustion disguised as meditation.”

  “Did it help you on the ship or not?” Cirrus asked.

  She sighed. “It helped.”

  Kalen agreed. “I do it often after a draining questioning to clear my mind of all the negativity I’ve seen.”

  “It must be hard, seeing what all these people have done in their lives.” Reign looked over her shoulder at him.

  “It is. It’s why I have to unlock the secrets. They aren’t locking them from me; they are locking them from themselves. Their deepest darkest secrets are hidden away so they don’t have to remember, don’t have to reflect on or examine the consequences of their actions on others. I see their flaws and lies in full, vibrant reality.”

  A loose tendril of Reign’s hair brushed against his cheek as the wind picked up. They neared another switchback that would cut across the mountain face.

  “Try it. Close your eyes,” Cirrus instructed Reign. “Not you,” he said in Luna’s direction. “You can try it later, when you’re not guiding an animal ten times your size.”

  “Thanks for pointing out the obvious,” she said.

  He continued. “Locate your center of gravity and then focus on each of the directions. This will bring you to the present and allow for more control of your emotions. Concentrate on your body’s movement and reactions to each of your senses.”

  “It’s similar to what you said to try to help me exit people’s minds,” Kalen whispered in Reign’s ear.

  Single file, the horses wound their way down the trail, and Kalen waited in silence for Reign to work through the meditation. Her breathing fell into a rhythm of deep inhalation and exhalation that he could feel against his chest.

  “It tastes like a storm.” Her voice was hoarse when she finally spoke.

  Kalen nodded, his chin grazing the top of her hair. He’d been watching the gathering of clouds and darkening of the sky in the distance. “I’m hoping it moves slow enough that we’re under the cover of the trees when it hits.”

  The last thing they needed was to be caught on the open trail and unable to see.

  CHAPTER

  23

  Cirrus, at the head of the line, increased their speed as much as was safe for the horses’ footing on the path. The wind picked up and the clouds swelled as they hurried along the switchbacks in hopes of finding a road that would lead away from the cliff’s edge. Sleet began to slice from the sky, hitting their faces and slipping into the gaps of their clothing.

  “Hurry,” Cirrus shouted, the word ripped from him to scatter in all directions.

  They reached another bend as the storm continued to worsen. Snow flurried, and the horses grouped together in the whiteout. Cirrus slowed their pace. One misstep and any of the horses could tumble off the edge. Kalen refused to imagine the journey ending here and now, on the cliff of a mountain they were so close to reaching the base of.

  Kalen noticed Reign’s hands begin to fist in her lap. Panic built, palpable, around her, begging for release. He resisted the urge to tighten his hold on the reins and instead leaned in so his mouth was next to her ear. “Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Inhale as you count to five. Exhale as you count from five. I’ve got you.”

  He began to count as she forced a shaky inhale. He stopped at five. “Hold it for a second—now exhale.” And he counted backward.

  A gust of wind tore at his cloak, and his horse sidestepped toward the steep rock wall on their right-hand side. Kalen’s elbow grazed the rough stone. Reign’s breath hitched, and he quickly resumed the meditation.

  “There’s a sharp turn up here. Go slow.” Cirrus’s voice carried over the screeching of the storm. The flurry had lifted enough to give Kalen a glimpse of Luna in front of him. He wondered if they should have climbed off the horses to lead them along the path but had to trust Cirrus in this. The prince had traveled with the Mureaun military far more frequently than Kalen had ever left the town’s walls.

  Reign’s hand fisted against his thigh, and he quickly started counting again.

  The horse slowed, hesitant as it twisted around the sharp bend. The wind battered them now from the other side, buffeting them toward the chasm below.

  “It opens up from here,” Cirrus called over his shoulder.

  Kalen nudged the horse to go a little faster.

  It was a mistake.

  The animal sped up, only slightly, but enough so that when its hooves hit the patch of ice
, it slid. Its head swung toward the wall and its back toward the cliff. Kalen yanked on the reins, desperately trying to keep the animal, along with him and Reign, from tumbling into the abyss.

  “Five,” he said as her fist balled again. “Four.”

  The horse scrambled, obtained its balance, and took a shaky step forward.

  “Three.”

  He felt her curve against his chest as she continued her exhalation.

  “Two.”

  The trail started to widen ahead of them, and the wind softened its assault. Kalen found his breaths came easier with each step away from the cliff’s edge.

  “One.”

  They entered the darkness of the tree line and could finally see. Cirrus urged the horses onward, toward a cluster of trees with branches reaching high, knotting together to form a canopy that kept the ground dry below. Kalen focused on Reign’s fingers, watching as—bit by bit—they uncurled.

  She had done it. The meditation had helped her control her emotions. He only hoped it would work when they encountered other people and a situation that escalated quickly.

  * * *

  THE STORM SET them back several hours, but it had probably kept the bounty hunter at bay, too. After another cold night with nothing to eat other than the berries, they finally reached the foothills and left the last patch of snow behind.

  Kalen urged his horse to a stop, figuring it was as good a time as any to stretch his legs. Reign slid awkwardly off Luna’s horse, which she had ridden that morning. She shifted from side to side, testing her legs to see if they would buckle. “I don’t care if I never see a horse again for the rest of my life,” she said.

  “Oh come now, they’re not all that bad,” Kalen said, patting his horse’s forehead.

  “Tell that to my bruised tailbone and aching groin muscles.” She tried to take a step and pitched forward. Before Kalen reached her, she had steadied herself again. She muttered obscenities as she paced along the edge of the road, finally sitting, with her legs outstretched and ankles crossed, on a large flat rock.

  Cirrus began to sing a bawdry tune and threw an arm around Luna’s neck. He pulled her close, her silver hair a stark contrast to his reddish mop. She settled for a minute and then pushed away with a roll of her eyes. Kalen had a feeling he’d be giving up his flickerfly ring sometime in the near future, much to his continued surprise.

  Reign lay flat on the rock, her eyes closed against the harsh sunlight that broke through the clouds. Kalen wanted to shake off the stiffness in his body, so he took a quick walk toward the stream they’d been riding next to for the last hour. He bent over to dip in his hands. He cupped his fingers, splashed cold water on his face, and scrubbed at his hair.

  “How do you think she’ll fare in Mureau?” Cirrus startled him as he burst through the bushes.

  “I was able to walk her through some meditation during the storm and when our horse lost its footing. We’ll have to continue working on it, but I think she’s strong enough to manage it.”

  Cirrus sighed.

  Kalen shook the water from his hair. “We started this quest to find your sister and stop the prophecy. If we make it back in time, it looks like we will. Her abilities were being used to create weapons for Ryndel. That right there was enough to destroy the kingdom. Had she never been sent away, he couldn’t have had her magick siphoned.”

  “She still has the power to destroy us, though.” Cirrus toed the ground with his boot.

  “Everyone has the power to destroy something,” Kalen responded. “I could pick up a sword today and run you through with it.”

  Cirrus nodded. “I guess time will tell. I only hope that we’re preventing the destruction the prophet saw, not causing it.”

  Kalen hoped the same.

  * * *

  THEY FINALLY APPROACHED the outskirts of Antioege, and Cirrus led them down side streets to a long, low building. The bounty hunter had known about the inn, so they needed a new place to rest. A brick wall extended the length of the yard, and they passed through a narrow gate into an enclosed courtyard. A path, lined with flat stepping stones, wound up to the front door, which was brightly lit in preparation for evening.

  Luna sighed as they stared at the entranceway to the brothel. “Why am I not surprised this is the place you chose?”

  “I know it’s not ideal.” Cirrus had the decency to look chagrined at having brought them there. “But it is safe. They know me, and they’re discreet. Plus, it’s a roof over our heads for a night if Belrose needs time to prepare for our departure.”

  Reign’s eyes flitted everywhere as they entered the lobby. Two girls lounged against a bar top in the corner while another draped herself across the lap of the only patron. A tall brunette wearing a silk robe tied at her waist—and little else—approached Cirrus.

  He leaned in close to her. “We need two rooms. No company necessary.”

  She hooked a finger and led them through a door at the far end of the room. They climbed a flight of stairs and walked down a hall until she pointed at two rooms on opposite sides. “Yours for the rest of the night. You’ll have to double up or sleep on the floor. We don’t exactly cater to guests who need multiple beds.”

  Cirrus thanked her, handed her several coins, and then watched the sway of her hips as she walked away. Luna smacked him on the chest. “Let’s get word to Belrose and eat.”

  “Can we switch that order?” He held his hands together and begged.

  “How about Luna and I do the former, and you two do the latter?” Kalen glanced at the siblings. Reign’s hand clenched a little, but then she nodded. She slowly reached out to grip Kalen’s biceps and pull him close.

  “Be safe and come back quickly.” Her voice was low and hoarse.

  He could only imagine the discomfort of being in a strange city and feeling a fear of abandonment yet again. The majority of her memories were filled with people leaving her for one reason or another. Why wouldn’t she fear Kalen’s leaving, too?

  “We’ll return shortly.”

  It was all he could offer her before he and Luna headed out of the building and down the slope toward the city. The entire landscape was a display of lit-up glass, backed by twilight. They walked in a meandering route to the harbor, weaving their way through the outer edge of the web of piers.

  “Do you think it’s okay that we left the royals to fend for themselves?” Luna asked as they ducked behind a pillar and looked to see if anyone was ahead.

  “It seemed the best option,” Kalen whispered. A pause, and then: “You seem to be developing a fondness for the prince, though.”

  Luna snorted and led them forward. “Please.”

  “You’re a much better liar than that,” Kalen said as he made his way through a row of barrels smelling of salt water and rotting fish.

  “I’m not lying. What good could come of it? The crown prince and the bastard daughter of the town madam. Sounds like a lovely tale to be sung by bards across the kingdom.”

  “Is that self-pity I hear? Because that’s not the Luna I know. The Luna I know doesn’t let anything get in her way. If something blocks her path, she climbs the nearest building and jumps over it. Since when do you care about titles and social status? Next thing you’re going to say is that you don’t feel comfortable borrowing coins from the upper class.”

  “True.”

  “And hey, you would have access to the royal treasury if you married the prince.”

  Luna smacked his shoulder. “Enough. He hates me.”

  “He far from hates you.”

  Luna finally nodded at a building, the glass walls frosted so they were opaque, lending it a sense of age and secrecy. Pale light glowed from within, making it its own light source.

  Kalen stepped forward and knocked on the door.

  It swung open, and Jasper stood there, clean and clean- shaven. Kalen almost didn’t recognize him.

  “Oh, it’s you two.” He spit a stream of tobacco out into the street, and Luna jumped to
the side, narrowly avoiding having the juice splatter her boots. “How may I be of service?”

  “Is your captain around?” Kalen asked.

  “He’s out on the ship with the rest of the crew.” He chewed quietly for a moment. “It’s almost as if he knew you’d be coming here.”

  Kalen wondered if the tracker, Milo, had been following their journey.

  “How soon could we set sail?” Kalen asked.

  “I don’t know that he intends to take you at all. I can’t see how the captain would be eager to sail to enemy territory.” Jasper spit again.

  And yet Belrose had tracked them and was at that moment preparing his ship to sail. Kalen sighed, knowing this was most likely about coin. He reached into his pockets and began to pull out what remaining funds they had. Jasper stared blankly at the growing pile, like it meant nothing.

  Kalen was down to the few remaining coins he needed to procure supplies, but Jasper only stared at him. “Really? That’s all you got?”

  “There’s more in Mureau if needed,” Kalen said. “Take it to the captain, and remind him that he owes me his life. Now our lives are at risk. We have a bounty hunter on our trail. Belrose can consider all debts repaid.”

  “Fine. Let me row out there. Assuming he’s ready to sail by morning, where can we find you?”

  Kalen told him where they were staying, and Jasper’s eyebrow lifted. “Interesting choice.”

  “Yet not somewhere you would think of, correct?” Kalen asked.

  “This is true.” He glanced around. “It’s best you’re not spotted.”

  He went to shut the door, and Kalen stuck his foot in the opening. “Let the captain know there’s an additional passenger.”

  “Fabulous,” Jasper muttered, and slammed the door shut.

  They turned away toward the glass buildings of the inner city, sparkling with the backlight of the sun. Kalen began a path that led right through the heart of the piers. There weren’t many stands left open, but they needed to procure a change of clothes, and he had a gift to purchase. His promise to Luna’s sister was that he would return with a book.