“Easily.” Shujaa whipped off his helm. He had a golden hair, green eyes, and a jaw so square it could have been a block of granite. There was no denying the family resemblance. More cries erupted from the Caster audience.
“It’s Storm at last!”
“We knew you’d come back to us.”
“Save your people.”
Shujaa raised his hands in a movement that asked for silence. The crowd grew quiet. “But I am more than merely your Shujaa returned.” His gauntlets flared with purple light and hybrid magic. A heartbeat later, a swirl of violet smoke appeared beside Shujaa. When the haze cleared, a golden warrior stood in its place. The crowd instantly began to “ooh” and “ahh.” I rubbed my forehead as if the motion would make this turn of events sink into my brain.
Shujaa was actually Storm, Rowan’s older brother.
But whatever the name was, the people clearly loved Shujaa and thought he was the bringer of the prophesized golden army. Huh. I wondered if they’d feel that way if they knew what their Shujaa was really doing these days. I remembered the story Wren told about the young Storm loving tapestries and then later being a great warrior. He must have been a very different person at one time.
Shujaa stared at me, and a small grin curled the corners of his perfect mouth.
That made my restraint snap. I rounded on the audience and raised my voice. “You all love Shujaa, but how do you feel about Viktor and his Changed Ones?”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly. Evidently, everyone hated Viktor. Excellent.
“The Changed Ones are raiding your villages. People are dying and disappearing, am I right?” The tension in the air turned even heavier. I was making headway with the crowd. “Well, Shujaa is wielding totems that Viktor created. You can all see how his gauntlets glow purple. The magick he uses to create this golden army is entirely evil.”
Shujaa’s small grin became a white-toothed smile. “Yes, I stole a totem from Viktor, but only to help my people.” He gestured to his golden warriors. “Don’t you think this is beautiful? The ancient prophecy is coming to life. The golden warriors are coming! How can we question the will of the gods?”
A sick feeling settled in my stomach. The golden warriors were actually made with Rowan’s magick. I glanced over to him, but Rowan kept his face devoid of emotion as he stared forward. I wanted to scream that this was all mixed up, but I didn’t know enough about Rowan’s people to know if I’d only make things worse. And until I spoke to Rowan, I didn’t feel right addressing his people again.
A few elderly Casters came up to examine the golden warrior, but Shujaa waved them off. “You may make your acquaintance with this warrior—and many more—in a very short time. Today, I am here for a different purpose. I hereby claim the engagement that is due any elder Prince. I challenge Genesis Rex for his throne.”
The old Hadithi lifted his grizzled chin. “We’d need some time to validate that you are truly Storm.”
“I’m Rowan’s brother.” Shujaa pointed to the gold throne. “Which means that chair is mine. That’s all the validation you need.”
The Hadithi ran his veined hand over his balding head. “But that means—”
“We all know what it means, my friend,” said Rowan slowly. “If Shujaa wants this throne, he must fight me for it.”
“To the death,” said Shujaa. He seemed to particularly relish those words, and I hated him even more for that.
Rowan’s face was stone. “Yes.”
“I am stronger now, you know.” Shujaa lifted his right hand, and the gauntlet there glowed with hybrid light.
“There is no need for dramatics, brother. I already accepted your challenge.” Rowan’s eyes narrowed. “But remember, there are no trinkets or totems allowed on the field of battle.”
I didn’t bother to hide my smile. Well done, Rowan! Without Viktor’s armor, Shujaa would have to fight Rowan cleanly.
Jicho whimpered and buried his head in Rowan’s thigh. My protective instincts took over any scrap of logic in my mind. I’d seen Shujaa in battle. There was no way I wanted Rowan anywhere near him, even without his magick armor.
I stepped forward. It didn’t seem right to share that Shujaa was stealing magick from Rowan, but there were other ways I could derail this battle. “I am the Tsarina of the Necromancers. I thought you desired my throne, Shujaa. Why not fight me first?”
Shujaa’s eyes glittered with excitement. I had the sinking feeling that whatever I had said just played into his bigger plan. “I think the Tsarina makes a generous offer.” Shujaa gestured to Rowan. “Are you certain you can fight me? I hear you’ve been ill as of late. Perhaps if I fought the Tsarina first, it would give you time to recover.”
A murmur rose up from the crowd. They seemed to think this was a good idea as well.
Fine. I’d rather fight this bully.
Rowan’s mother stepped into the chamber. She looked timeless in her beauty and made a great show of pausing, staring, and gasping at Shujaa. She then rushed over and threw her arms around his neck. “My sweet boy has returned!”
The crowd cheered with joy as their embrace went on. I couldn’t help but think that for someone who seemed so dark and evil before, Rowan’s mother now appeared to be the picture of motherly love. “My people, do you remember the Battle of Jangwa? The Siege of Mlima? All the times my eldest son had fought for you? He battled in your name against the tribe of Eusi, the very savages who killed my uncle, the man who led our troops for decades. It was the mighty Shujaa carried our great general’s body back from the field of battle. And no one suffered more than Shujaa when his father, our dear Aaden, died at the hands of Rowan. Only after the crown went to the current Genesis Rex” —there was no missing the sneer in her voice as she said the words Genesis Rex— “did Shujaa leave us on a pilgrimage to cleanse his soul of the foul deeds from his own blood relations.” She didn’t come out and say that Rowan was evil for killing his father, but everyone knew what she meant. I had no doubt if she was confronted, she’d say she referred to another Genesis Rex who did foul deeds, not Rowan.
I really and truly loathed her.
The back door slammed open. Kade marched into the room with Veronique, Philippe, and Amelia close behind. Even across the chamber, I could see the gleam of the metal key that was still tightly gripped in Amelia’s hand. So that’s where she had gone off to. Amelia must have left in order to release Kade and the others. A little of the tightness left my chest. At least, my friend wasn’t totally insane.
Kade stood before Shujaa, and I got the feeling he was definitely not in the “welcome home” camp. “Leave here,” growled Kade. “Now.”
“But you’re too late, my sweet brother. Rowan has already agreed to fight me. We meet on the field of battle in one week. It is my right as eldest brother, after all.” He raised his arm. A curl of purple smoke appeared around his right gauntlet. The violet cloud grew larger. Within seconds, the purple mist was gone and with it, so was Shujaa and his golden warrior.
A few seconds passed in stunned silence.
Then Rowan addressed the audience. “My people. Shujaa is not the man you remembered.”
They didn’t seem to agree. Angry cries rose up from the people.
“He cast a spell, just like the old days,” said one.
“He can help us,” shouted another.
Kade stepped forward and raised his arms. The crowd quieted again. “I, too, have fond memories of my brother. But when he was taken by Viktor, he was changed. He’s not the man you think him.”
In response, a low murmur sounded from audience. The people weren’t paying attention to anything but blissful chatter about Shujaa. A large group of them had surrounded the Queen, congratulating her with happy tears.
“The ceremony is adjourned.” Rowan turned to me and lowered his voice. I was the only one who could hear him speak. “Don’t get involved, Elea. I brought you here to show you the truth about engagements. The rest is family trouble,
and it’s nothing I can’t handle.” Taking Jicho’s hand, he walked off the stage.
There was no way he was leaving now. I followed right after him.
This whole time, Rowan had been telling me the truth. His engagement to Amelia didn’t mean they were going to get married. He didn’t love her. Even so, there were still so many blanks. Why didn’t Rowan tell me about Shujaa and the fact that his own brother was draining his life force?
More then ever, I needed to understand the big picture.
And now? I was getting answers. No matter what.
Chapter Fifteen
Rowan pulled open a door on the far right of the stage. I rushed to follow him, but someone grabbed my wrist from behind, stopping me.
It was Amelia. Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks. I wasn’t sure whether to jump for joy or scream with frustration.
“I’m so sorry, Elea. I’ve made such a mess of things. Can we talk?”
I watched the door shut and Rowan disappear. Part of me wanted to tell Amelia it was her turn to be patient, but I couldn’t forget Philippe’s warnings about how unstable she’d become. This was my dear friend, in tears, and asking for my help.
Getting the truth from Rowan could wait.
“Sure. My chambers aren’t far, if you’d like to go there.”
“That would be perfect.”
I walked back through the crowd to the main exit archway, scanning the room for familiar faces. “Where are Kade, Veronique, and Philippe?”
“I asked them to give us some time alone.”
As we started back toward my room, I couldn’t help but notice that a certain someone was following along behind us. “You said you asked Kade to leave you?”
“I did. I don’t want to fight with him anymore.”
“He seems to still be following us.”
Amelia glanced over her shoulder, and her entire body shook with rage. “Ignore him. That’s what I do.”
“But Philippe says you and Kade fight.”
Amelia sniffed. “I didn’t say it was what I always did. Ignoring him is a new strategy for me.”
“How is it working out?”
“I just came up with the plan two seconds ago. Give it some time.”
We were within a few steps of the door when Kade slipped in front of us, blocking access to the room. He looked so much like a younger version of Rowan, I had the urge to run off and find the real thing. However, I couldn’t pass up this chance to talk to Amelia.
“What’s wrong?” The way Amelia asked the question, I got the feeling she knew exactly what the problem might be.
“I can’t allow the two of you to talk.”
“That’s fascinating, Kade. Get out of my way.”
“If you’re talking to Elea, I’m joining you. Rowan gave orders.”
“He can’t order me around.” Amelia lifted her chin. “I’m breaking off the engagement.”
“Why don’t we all three go inside and discuss this?” I gestured to the door. “You first, Kade.”
Kade glowered at Amelia. “Any more tricks?”
“I won’t lock you up again, I swear.” Amelia smiled innocently.
“Fine.” The way Kade spoke the word, it came out as more of a grunt.
The three of us had no sooner entered the room than Amelia gripped my hand. “I need your help. I must have a protector.”
I sighed. This must be what happens when you spend too much time with Veronique as your friend. “You can take care of yourself pretty well.” I looked over to Kade. Based on the way his jaw was clenching, he seemed to agree with me. “That trick you mentioned before. How did you lock Kade up?”
Amelia lifted her chin. “It was a simple unfolding mechanism made from some glass parts I created in the window. That’s not what’s important, though. Veronique says—”
I raised my hand, palm forward. “Let me guess. Veronique says you’re powerless without a protector.”
“Yes. And Rowan’s ill. You heard his own brother say it. And that Shujaa—” she shivered. “I know everyone around here likes him, but I don’t.”
I broke my wrist free from her grip. “This isn’t you. You’re the one who built your own laboratory. The only girl who helped me find all the hidden Necromancers, even though it risked her life. I don’t know who this blubbering fool is that’s standing before me, but I want my friend Amelia back.”
“No, you don’t. Veronique explained everything to me. You want Genesis Rex for yourself. Well, that plan failed. He can’t protect either of us.”
I’d heard this kind of talk before, but never from Amelia. “You know what I think?” I asked.
“Enlighten me.”
“I think that if you really believed Veronique, you wouldn’t be here. On some level, you suspect that Veronique is using you.”
Amelia rounded on Kade. “You told her to say that.”
Kade folded his arms over his chest, a movement that made his leathers creak. “I haven’t been out of your sight since you arrived, except for when you locked me up, of course.” The way he said that last bit, it was clear that he wasn’t too angry. Interesting. “When would I have had time to plot with her?”
“I don’t know.” Amelia’s eye twitched again. It wasn’t an encouraging sign. “You’re sneaky, Kade.”
He stepped closer to Amelia. Evidently, not respecting personal space was something that ran in the family. “Sneaky? Give me one example.” His voice lowered. “One.”
Amelia began breathing quickly. “I can’t think of any at the moment, but I will.”
Kade leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Can’t wait.”
I set my hands on their respective shoulders and guided the two of them apart. “Now that you two are settled, I’d like some questions answered.”
Kade stepped between Amelia and me. “You can ask me first.”
Amelia tried to wiggle out from behind him, but he kept blocking her with his massive arms.
Clearly, Amelia wasn’t getting any closer to me with Kade there. Rowan had obviously wanted to keep certain things from me, and Kade was here to act as gatekeeper. Fine. Sometimes, the questions you couldn’t answer told you as much as the ones you could.
I glared right at Kade. “I want to know about the engagement between Amelia and Rowan.”
“Go on,” said Kade.
“Did she know that there was a difference between and engagement and a betrothal?”
Kade stepped aside. “That she can answer.”
At last.
Amelia stared at the floor. “Veronique said that the only way a woman can be safe in our world is to be married to power.”
Despite the heat, my skin chilled over. “So Rowan did make it clear to you? He said it was an agreement, not a betrothal?”
Amelia pulled out the key from her pocket and stared at it. “That’s what he said when it was only the two of us. But later, the Havillands said it was a true engagement, and he didn’t correct her. Veronique says—”
“I do not want to hear about Veronique. What about this sword? Can you get it?”
“My grandfather is a nutter. He placed it in some cave. Veronique says that going after it is a waste of time.”
“Ugh. She’s been filling your head with nonsense.”
Kade nodded. “Listen to your friend. Your true friend.”
Amelia twisted the key over in her fingers some more. “Vee has been through a lot. She’s only trying to protect us both.”
I nodded toward her hands. “You’ve been experimenting again, haven’t you?”
“A little.”
“You want my advice? If someone’s going to take care of you, it needs to be you. I’ve never met a more brilliant inventor.”
“The Vicomte wasn’t so sure.”
“He was a horse’s ass.”
Amelia pursed her lips. “But what about Vee? She went through so much, and now she’s back to normal. She knows what she’s talking about.”
“I ag
ree that Veronique’s appears normal now, but how did that happen, eh? You want my analysis?” I went right on without giving her a chance to answer, since I figured she probably didn’t want to hear this anyway. Too bad. “Veronique appears normal because she’s been sharpening her claws on you for two months. By cutting you down and making you the one who’s terrified, she doesn’t have to own her own fear and pain. Waiting for a protector isn’t you, Amelia. You’re better than this.”
“This is exactly what I’ve been telling Amelia for weeks,” said Kade. “Only, she wouldn’t listen. She said I was a…” He tapped his square chin. “What did you call me again?”
“Warthog thug wrapped in a leather boulder holder.”
I stifled a laugh. “You called him what?”
“He was being very rude.”
“Although I did appreciate the reference to boulders. I’m quite the well proportioned man.”
Amelia tried to look angry, but she only managed a half-smile. The two of them were clearly falling for each other.
Kade took a tentative step closer to Amelia. “And now Elea says that you’re a mechanical genius? How did I miss this? Other than Veronique distracting you from sharing anything of interest about you, of course.”
Amelia blushed and gripped the key behind her back. “It hasn’t necessarily been something that’s brought me joy.”
Kade slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small device that looked like a series of layered discs. “I dabble in engineering a bit myself.”
“That’s an astrolabe.”
“Yes.” Kade grinned. “I have more back at my laboratory. Would you like to see them?”
“You have a laboratory?”
He offered her his hand. “The best in Nyumbani. Shall we?”
As charming as their interactions were, I had bigger things to worry about. “Hold on there. Where is Rowan right now?”
“Nowhere,” snapped Kade. “You’re trouble for him.”
I huffed out an angry breath. “That’s what your mother said as well.”
“She did?” Kade’s features softened. “What did she say exactly?”
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