Screams assaulted his ears, and he looked back once, just long enough to see that some of Ellaria’s thugs were busy slaying the crew and ransacking the ship. Bile rose in his throat at this new evidence of her viciousness. He had suspected she hadn’t trusted the crew, and here was his proof. They were nowhere near any known port, and the storm had provided the perfect cover. Anyone who stumbled on the wreck would think the crew had been attacked by pirates and run aground while trying to flee, though the wreckage might not last long enough in the turbulent waters for there to be any proof that it had ever existed at all.
A chill descended on Dev. This was but a taste of what was to come if Ellaria succeeded in her plan. Her hatred for Mallaric blazed like an inferno, and Dev didn’t want to imagine what sort of vengeance she would wreck on the nobles who had branded her father a traitor. What a fool Mallaric had been for thinking her cowed, and that he could use her as an example to deter any other nobles who might have insurrection on their minds.
The journey to shore took around an hour or so, and Dev didn’t open his eyes until his captors pulled him roughly from the boat. Catching sight of the vista, Dev gasped in surprise. He recognized this place. The craggy, wind-blasted hills rolled before him, stubborn blades of tough grass clinging to their surface and waving in the stiff breeze that came off the water, carrying the distant bleat of sheep down to the shore.
“Moritan,” Dev said, not realizing he spoke aloud.
Daryn leered at him. “Welcome to the Realm of Her Majesty, Queen Ellaria.”
“She’s no more a queen than your handsome friend over there.”
The response earned him a cuff on the side of his head, and his ears rang at the force of the blow.
“Why must you insist on giving Daryn reasons to abuse you?” Ellaria purred as she approached.
“You really think you can wrest the throne from Mallaric’s grasp?” Dev sneered. “You’re even more delusional than I suspected.”
Ellaria’s eyes went cold and she held up a hand, preventing Daryn from striking Dev again. “Do you know what your problem is, my dear prince? It is that you, like that fool Mallaric, underestimate me. I had only to weep pretty tears before Mallaric, to beg his forgiveness, for him to throw a few scraps my way. He expected me to be satisfied with that, making it easy for me to feign delight. Long have I dreamed of the day when I could rain retribution down upon him for the offenses his father committed against my family.”
“What do I have to do with your little family drama? If your dispute is with Mallaric, why take me captive?”
“Oh, because my dispute with Mallaric is just the beginning.” Her voice lowered, and he strained to hear her whisper above the whistling of the wind. “You are about to bear witness to the birth of a new and wondrous age, my dear Prince Devaran.”
Aghast, he stared into her blue-green eyes. They glittered with a combination of madness and something else, something it took Dev several breaths to realize was pain.
“My father was a great man, and I am about to prove to the Realms that I will follow his example,” Ellaria breathed.
Looking away, Dev said nothing more to her. Instead, he fought to control the erratic beating of his heart. He couldn’t allow himself to be swept up in the tide of his own emotion, not now. Ellaria saw him and Jess as nothing more than pawns in her push to overtake the Five Realms. Even if he died, it wouldn’t prevent Jess from coming to Moritan to exact revenge on Ellaria. He knew she would come with the same certainty that told him the sun would rise in the east, and it was obvious to him that Ellaria knew it as well. If he wanted to protect Jess, he would have to keep himself alive, would have to keep listening, observing, trying to find something that might help her. So far, everything was falling into place just as Ellaria had intended, but he was the variable and he had to use that to his advantage.
Jess, he thought. Jess, just please don’t come after me on your own.
If the Realms fell to Ellaria, one right after another, it wouldn’t cause him as much pain as losing Jess.
Chapter 14
Rillas was a small village, renowned for its beautiful vineyards and the fine wines they produced. Adar and Nishana had offered it as a location for the summit in the hopes that its proximity to Deshira and Corland would appease Queen Mahlia and King Toran and his uncle, Regent Beland. The Estorian royals had a handsome, three-story timber and stone manor there. It perched on the top of the tallest hill in the village, surrounded by vineyards and patches of pastureland, the thin, silvery strip of the Rill River winding its way through the vibrant greens. Off in the distance the snow-capped peaks of the Sylas Mountains scraped the sky, forming a natural border between Estoria and Corland.
The relief of the guards was palpable as they reached the manor at last. Night was beginning to fall, but the manor was brightly lit, a welcome sight to a group that had spent several hard days on the road. The smell of roasting meats wafted through the night air, and the guards chattered in quiet anticipation of the good meal they would soon receive.
Jess was so exhausted she could hardly keep her eyes open, and the dark circles under Tanvir’s eyes told her he hadn’t slept all that well during their voyage either. Food didn’t pique her appetite in the least, nor did she truly want to sleep, but she knew she would need both food and rest if she was to have the strength to face the political machinations of the other monarchs. She wished she could simply force their compliance, seize their troops, and set sail immediately for Moritan.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Tanvir said as they reached the stables. His voice was rough with fatigue and strain. Jess managed to muster a nod in response before she trudged off into the manor. Her parents waited for her inside, their relief plain as they embraced her.
“Did you get Medhan’s message?” Jess asked.
“We did,” Farah said, her eyes full of worry for her daughter.
“Did you share the news with Mahlia and Beland?”
Her parents exchanged a look and Jess knew she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear. Each parent took one of her arms and led Jess toward her quarters, their voices hushed whispers as they spoke.
“We did,” her father said. “But we’ve accomplished little since we arrived.”
“Nishana and Adar have been working hard to soothe Mahlia’s and Beland’s fears, but they’ve both been blustering in an attempt to gain an advantage over us. I think they’ve been dithering, waiting for you and Tanvir to arrive.”
Noticing the look on his daughter’s face, Omar said, “Leave it until morning, Jess. You need some rest. You’re in no condition to face either of them right now.” She hated to admit it but she knew her father was right.
Her parents said goodbye to her at her door and returned to the great hall to continue trying to placate Mahlia, Toran, and Beland. The servants had brought up some food for Jess, and she ate a few things without paying much attention to what she was putting in her mouth. Then she fell back on the feather bed and drifted into a troubled sleep, waking some time later with a jolt.
Pressing her hand to her pounding heart, Jess breathed in strangled gasps as her nightmare faded. She got up and poured herself some wine with shaky hands, taking a large gulp and welcoming the burn as it seared a path down her throat. It was dark, and she moved a tapestry away from her window, looking out at the moonlight. Though the manor was spacious, she felt like the walls were closing in around her, and she had to get outside, had to try to escape the terrible things she’d seen in her sleep.
Soft night breezes blew over the vineyards, carrying with them the heady scent of wildflowers and the tang of alcohol from the previous year’s wine making. Nishana had designed an exquisite knot garden at the back of the manor, and Jess wandered the gravel paths for some time, letting the breeze dry the tears that slipped past her defenses. The soothing scent of lavender filled Jess’s senses, helping to ease the ache in her head. As she wandered farther the lavender mingled with the sharp counte
rpoint of rosemary, and Jess’s head gradually cleared. She found a stone bench in the center of the garden and sat, staring out at the dark vineyards.
“I couldn’t sleep either,” a quiet voice said, just to her left.
Turning to Tanvir, Jess gave him a pained smile. “Being here now is… Dev meant to bring me here as part of our honeymoon tour.” Impatiently, she wiped away the tears that sprang to her eyes.
“It’s one of Dev’s favorite parts of Estoria,” Tanvir said, tactfully looking away so that Jess could dry her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to intrude on your peace.”
“You’re not intruding,” Jess said. “Thank you for being so supportive. I’ve been having such a difficult time, and you’ve really helped me.”
“You’ve helped me as well.”
“By being rude and short with you?” She laughed humorlessly.
“By being a fierce advocate for my brother. It’s good to know that he has you looking out for him.”
“He would do the same for me,” she whispered, looking down at her hands. “Please, sit.”
Tanvir nodded and took a seat next to her on the bench. They sat for a moment, lost in their own thoughts, before Tanvir finally spoke. “What I was trying to tell you on the road was that Dev wouldn’t want to see you unhappy. The worst thing for him would be the thought that you’d suffer—worse even than anything he himself could suffer.”
“I know.” Jess twisted the ring on her finger, sliding her thumb over the large ruby and thinking of the unfulfilled promises it held.
“People think Dev doesn’t take things seriously enough, but they don’t realize that he jokes, that he pretends to be unaffected, precisely because he cares so much. You do understand that.”
“It’s why I love him,” she said, her voice soft. She met Tanvir’s gaze. “He feels things so deeply, cares so passionately.”
“As do you,” he pointed out.
She gave him a rueful smile. “The difference between me and Dev is that I wear my passions on my sleeve for all to see.”
“And I know that has a lot to do with why Dev loves you.”
“He reminds me of what’s important. Without him I lose sight of things, get caught up in the heat of my own passion.”
“You’re good for him too. You keep him grounded.”
“Maybe, but Dev rises to the occasion. Other people tend to underestimate him. They don’t see how much strength he has. They don’t understand that his reluctance has nothing to do with his wanting to abdicate responsibility and everything to do with his fearing he won’t carry out that responsibility well. But I know he will. He just lacks faith in himself.”
“People don’t appreciate the value of a prince who is a little afraid of his own power. Dev doesn’t take it lightly. He knows just how much potential he has to wreck havoc on the lives of others.”
“Exactly,” Jess agreed, surprised. “But you and Dev…well, you’ve seemed at odds so often. I know he cares about you and you care about him, but I thought you two were rivals.”
Shaking his head, Tanvir said, “We aren’t rivals and never have been. We’re both headstrong and we don’t often see eye to eye. I know there are those who think I envy him, who suspect that I would be a better king, but they’re wrong. I’ve never envied Dev for being heir to the throne. He’ll become king because of a quirk of fate, and everyone should consider themselves lucky because of that quirk. I wouldn’t be half the king Dev will be.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“Trust me, Jess, I know my limitations.” He smiled. “I’m happier with my books, always have been.”
“I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“Dev and I may drive one another mad, but we’re brothers. Dev looks out for me, and now I want to look out for him—and I’m talking about more than rescuing him.”
“You want to look out for me because you know it’s what he’d want you to do.”
“Yes. And no matter what happens, that will never change. You’re my sister.”
“Thank you.” She took his hand and squeezed it. “I suppose that’s why we fight then, isn’t it?”
He gave her a broad smile. “Siblings always do.”
“Do you remember when I was twelve and my family came to stay in Fostan for a fortnight?”
“How could I forget? I so enjoyed watching you put Dev in his place.”
Jess groaned. “Dev was so proud of that sword. I still can’t believe I shattered it. It was cruel.”
“No,” Tanvir said, shaking his head emphatically. “He deserved to be taken down a peg or two.”
“Yes, but I also wanted to show off,” Jess confessed, her cheeks going red with shame as she thought back. She could still picture the look on Dev’s face, a mixture of astonishment and devastation. As she’d stared at him, something inside of her had shifted, and she felt like she saw him in a new light.
“He was the one who challenged you to spar,” Tanvir reminded her.
“Yes, well, I suppose he learned to regret that impulsive challenge.”
Tanvir laughed. “He did, but he also admired you. So did I. For that matter, so did every knight in that bailey. I think it was the first time others realized the potential you held.”
Jess shrugged, uncomfortable with his praise. Even eight years later the memory still made her feel like wincing. “My mother taught me martial skills, but it took that episode with Dev to teach me humility.”
She closed her eyes, remembering how she’d taunted Dev, how humiliated he had looked when she had bested him. It was perhaps the first time she’d really understood that she had the power to wound someone’s pride. She hadn’t handled the situation gracefully, regardless of what Tanvir said. It had been obvious to her from the first that Dev wasn’t a match for her, but instead of being content with winning she’d felt she had to prove a point, and she had done so at the expense of Dev’s dignity.
“Then it was a lesson you both learned that day,” Tanvir said.
“Dev and I have taught one another a lot.”
“And you’ll teach one another yet. Don’t lose heart.”
“I’ll try.”
“Do what you’ve always done when you’ve been faced with what seems like a hopeless situation: focus on the task at hand.”
“You make it sound so easy, but it’s not that simple for me. I’ve been in high stakes situations before, but this…the stakes keep getting higher with each day that passes, and I’m afraid I’m not equal to the challenge.” It shocked her to hear the words coming out of her own mouth. She hadn’t meant to share her self-doubt.
“You are equal to it, of that I’m certain.” Tanvir looked her in the eye, gripping her hand.
“Thank you, Tanvir. You and Dev, sometimes you’re more alike than either of you realizes.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Honestly, neither am I.” She grinned at him and he laughed.
“We should get back now. We both need rest.” He stood, offering her his arm, and she rose from the bench, taking it. As they walked back to the manor together, she had to admit she felt better.
Chapter 15
Dev had heard many legends about Skyhold, but he had never before seen it himself. The lore concerning it had always struck Dev as overblown and sometimes downright absurd, but as the fortress loomed before them, he discovered that some of the details hadn’t been at all exaggerated.
Skyhold had earned its name. The tallest tower in all of the Realms, it stood on the highest land in all of Moritan, its crenellated top looking as if it were poised to take a bite of the gray clouds that shrouded it, drizzling rain. It could hardly have been a more forlorn spot—or a more defensible one. The land was rocky, covered in a thin layer of scrubby grass, and any trees that may have once stood had been cleared, leaving a wide, open circle around the tower. Primeval forest stood off in the distance, too dense for an army to ride through. A single roa
d cleaved a path through the forest, leading up to the tower. The lookouts would be able to see riders from miles away, and the arrow slits carved into the face of the gray stone told Dev that anyone stupid enough to try to charge the tower would need a lot of disposable men. Small wonder that Ellaria’s grandfather had been able to hold off the barbarian hordes for months, though his troops had teetered on the brink of starvation until the Moritanian king had ridden to his aid.
“Welcome to Skyhold,” Ellaria said, her voice caressing the last word. She clearly relished being home and, though Dev could understand her pride, he failed to see the appeal offered by the austere gray tower.
No wonder she’s crazy. This sort of isolation would be enough to drive anyone mad, no matter how sound their mind—though I doubt hers was ever all that sound.
Dev held back a vicious snicker. Multiple rumors abounded about the circumstances of Ellaria’s birth, most of which were less than flattering to her, and he had to acknowledge that they were probably less than truthful. Prior to Ellaria’s father’s disgraceful fall, the Reykstends had been a powerful force in Moritan, trusted advisers to the king. Many of Ellaria’s ancestors had earned fame and adulation for having served their Realm, helping to beat back not only barbarians but greedy Deshirans who would have liked nothing better than to claim Moritan’s iron ore as their own. Reykstend after Reykstend had risked life and limb for their sovereign and country, until they ended up one of the most ignoble names not just in Moritan, but in all the Five Realms. It was no wonder Ellaria was so bitter.
Like father like daughter…
Her father had wielded the blade that had just missed the heart of a king, and he had lost his head for it. Dev wondered if Ellaria would suffer the same fate, or would she succeed where her father had failed? Impressive as Skyhold was, unless it somehow had the ability to walk and fight, possessing it wouldn’t win a war for the throne. The tower was large, but its remote location and the harsh weather necessitated the import of all goods, which meant it couldn’t support a very large population. Dev wasn’t sure if he should find this reassuring or worrisome. Even Ellaria couldn’t be crazy enough to attempt to take the throne with the small force she commanded here, which must mean she had troops in other parts of Moritan. And the only way she could have those troops was if she had somehow won the loyalty of their lords.
[Fairytale 02] - Asleep (2013) Page 8
