Raaf needed a backup plan. He’d barely escaped from Stella. What if he hadn’t made it? What would have happened to the Voice? The Voice was bigger than him. He had to protect it at all costs, even if it meant risking his own life, and he couldn’t leave it unattended. He needed to train someone to replace him.
The old chancellor was dead. Aside from himself and Wilma, no one else knew the nature of the Voice. If Raaf died, the Voice would eventually fade away. He wouldn’t let that happen. The Voice was life.
He let out a breath. The Voice was the reason for everything. Without it, life would be over, and chaos would reign. It was his task to protect the Voice no matter what. Which was why, although he loved her, Zwaantie had to die. At first he’d struggled with the guilt of having to kill his own sister, but now he was resigned to it.
The prophecy Wilma had given him so long ago said if Zwaantie ascended to the throne and became queen, she’d destroy the Voice. This was why he encouraged Phoenix to love her. He’d hoped to get away with not killing her. If she’d given up the throne for love instead, she’d still be alive. But fate had other ideas.
Maybe he was fighting a losing battle. Maybe the time of the Voice was over.
“No,” Raaf shouted. He had to do this. She had to die. A tear escaped. It’d been a long time since he’d cried. Two years at least, but he was about to lose his entire family.
His father was not long for this earth. As soon as he died, Zwaantie would be queen. It happened as soon as death happened. A coronation usually occurred a few days later, but her transition from Your Highness to Your Majesty would happen instantly. Raaf wondered briefly if he could trust his mother if she returned to Sol. She usually listened to the Voice, but she loved Zwaantie. If she’d seen him try to kill Zwaantie, she’d turn against him.
He gave a small smile. It was a shame really. If he wasn’t the one trying to kill Zwaantie, he’d be fighting for her life. She’d been his best friend. His only confidant. If only she understood what kind of threat she posed to him. Maybe she’d abscond. Maybe not. She’d taken on many of the Stellan ways. At this point death was his only option.
Though there had never really been another option.
Chapter 4
The Heir
The guards cleared everybody to return to their rooms just before midnight. Leo had to carry Zwaantie as she couldn’t walk out on her own. Partly because of the potion Sage gave her and partly because she felt so defeated. Zwaantie and Sage slept next to one another, clinging to each other as they cried themselves to sleep. Zwaantie wanted the pain to go away. She would never see Ari again. How long would she mourn his death? How long would the pain consume her? It felt so infinite.
The next morning Zwaantie took a long shower. Her tears had subsided, but the ache in her chest was raw. She scrubbed at her body, turning it red. She’d hoped the pain on the outside would drive away some of the internal pain, but it didn’t help.
She stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Sage handed her a floor-length, deep black dress.
“How long do I wear black?” Zwaantie asked, more out of a desire to fill the void of silence than really wanting to know.
Sage let out a sigh. Her face held none of the joy it normally did. Even the kittens were more subdued, napping along the couch. It was too quiet in the room.
“As his sister, I will wear black for a month. As his wife, you would wear it for six months. But no one knows you are his wife, so the people will expect you to dress normally after a few weeks. You weren’t even his sister yet.”
Zwaantie clenched her fists and squeezed her eyes shut. She would not let the Ticker dictate her life. “I want people to know. I will mourn him as his wife.”
“I’ll talk to Viggo. We’ll see how we can spin this.”
Zwaantie took a few deep breaths as she stared in the mirror. The events of yesterday played in her mind. From walking down the aisle, to watching Ari fall, to holding his body, to arguing with her mother. Her mother. Zwaantie was going to put an end to her nonsense right away.
“I want to see my mother.”
Sage cocked her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We need to give her some time to settle.”
“She’s my mother. I have to see her.” Zwaantie pressed her hand to her stomach. She had to know if her mother still thought Raaf was innocent. Which he was, but he killed Ari, and Zwaantie needed her mother to at least acknowledge that something wasn’t right. Mother didn’t need time to come to her senses. She needed to face reality like the rest of them. A few tears escaped. Reality was overrated.
Sage pursed her lips. “I can have her brought back to the castle. It will be safest in the interrogation room. I’m still not sure about this, but I understand your desire. Are you positive? This could make things worse.”
Zwaantie squeezed Sage’s hand, glad Sage never asked too many questions. Zwaantie didn’t want to explain everything. She simply didn’t have the energy. “I’m certain. I need her to understand what Raaf did and what this means for the Voice. If she can acknowledge something is wrong with the Voice, then we could have a powerful ally on our hands. Mother is key to understanding the situation in Sol.”
Zwaantie and Sage walked into the small room. Mother was shackled in the same dress she wore to the wedding. Her head held high, she glowered as Zwaantie took a seat across from her.
“This is an outrage,” she growled and fought against her restraints. Zwaantie was certain her mother had never been treated this way before. She should feel bad, but she didn’t.
“We have to take precautions. Yesterday a prince of Sol killed the crown prince of Stella and tried to kill me.” Zwaantie’s voice cracked. She cleared her throat to hold back the tears. She didn’t want her mother knowing how much Ari meant to her. Not to mention that she needed to be strong like a queen. This would be her role soon in Sol, and she couldn’t show weakness. Not even to her own mother.
Mother strained against her bonds, her face hard. “That is ridiculous. He did no such thing.”
Zwaantie closed her eyes for a moment. This was not going as she had planned. She really thought her mother would see reason. “Mother, I watched him. He was aiming for me.”
“Raaf would never do that. He loves you.” Mother’s face softened a bit. Maybe there was hope. Zwaantie leaned forward.
“Raaf tried to kill me because he was under the influence of the Voice. It is the Voice who wants me dead. He’s wanted me dead for quite some time. Phoenix tried to kill me, and so did Luna. A handful of other Solites as well. All of them did so because of the Voice.”
Mother’s eyes flashed. “You speak blasphemous words.”
The anger rose in her chest. This had gone too far. Mother was being unreasonable. Even if Zwaantie had Raaf in front of her with a necklace on, he wouldn’t deny the truth. She knew this. “The Voice is not a god. He’s just a man who is using magic to control all of Sol. He must be stopped. He’s responsible for more than one death. Luna for one.”
Mother shook her head vigorously. “This is not true. How can you turn on us and accuse Sol of such horrible things?”
Zwaantie was about to lose it. She took a few deep breaths so she could control her words and tone.
“Not Sol, Mother. Just the Voice.”
“They are one and the same.”
“They are not.” Zwaantie’s voice rose a few octaves. “How can you be so unreasonable?”
Zwaantie stood and paced in front of her mother, who appeared completely unrepentant. She truly believed the Voice couldn’t be evil. She would watch her own daughter die and still deny it. She’d pay for this. Zwaantie would see to it. In her eyes, Mother was just as responsible as Raaf, if not more, because she refused to acknowledge the Voice was capable of murder even when she was not under its influence.
Sage touched her elbow, and Zwaantie jumped. She’d forgotten there was anyone else in the room. Slowly she brought her eyes away from Mother and looked into Sage’s
concerned face.
“Maybe we should go,” Sage said.
Mother rattled her chains. “What about me?”
Sage looked down her nose at Mother. “You’re going home.”
“Oh, thank Sol. When will you release me?”
“What? She can’t go home.” Rage coursed through Zwaantie’s veins. Why did they want to let her go?
“Yes, I need to. Your father is ill. I need to take care of him.” She spoke to Zwaantie but looked at Sage.
Sage crossed her arms. “She’s done nothing wrong. Plus, she’s in danger here. The people of Stella will call for her head since she’s queen of Sol, so unless you want to go to war with your own country, we need to send her back.”
Zwaantie stormed out of the room. They were going to let her mother go. How could they do that? Someone needed to pay for Ari’s death. Someone needed to feel the pain she felt. A knot formed in her throat.
Sage caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
“I know this isn’t ideal, but we don’t really have any other choice. She’ll be guarded to the border, and we’ll have spies keep an eye on her once she crosses.”
Zwaantie shook off Sage. Her nostrils flared as she took deep breaths. She wanted to blame her mother for Ari’s death, but she shouldn’t. It wasn’t any more her fault than it was Raaf’s. But Mother was so sure that the Voice was innocent. Zwaantie couldn’t look past that.
A servant rushed down the hall. “The king wishes an audience with High Princess Zwaantie. Alone.”
Zwaantie gave Sage a look and then followed him, a bit bewildered. She was curious about what he wanted. She worried he might send her home. But she couldn’t go. Not with the Voice and the assassination attempts and everything.
Was Father really ill, or was it a story? Perhaps Mother knew he was the Voice and was trying to protect him. If that was the case, then sending her home would be a horrible idea. Though Sage had a point. Zwaantie didn’t want to go to war with her own country. When Stella won, the people of Sol would hate her. There was so much to consider when kingdoms were at hand. She didn’t want to think about these things. She just wanted revenge for Ari’s death.
The king sat with a blank expression at the big table. Poor man. He’d lost his wife a few weeks before and now his firstborn. He glanced up when Zwaantie entered and waved her over to the chair across from him. She sat cautiously, still unsure what the meeting was about.
His dark eyes held so much sorrow. He was normally jovial—to see him without a smile was disconcerting. He grasped her hand and stared deep into her eyes.
“How are you?” He said it with such sincerity, like a father should. Her affection for this man swelled.
Zwaantie let out a breath, trying to ignore the pain in her chest. “As good as can be expected. I miss him.”
A few tears leaked out of the king’s eyes. “Me too.”
“I would like to stay here in Stella for a while if that is okay.” She was afraid he’d send her home. Her life was on the line, and she was terrified. She was fairly certain Lyra, Leo, and Sage would help her stay in Stella, but she’d feel better with the king’s support.
The king gave a slow nod, leaned back, and took a sip of his drink. “Yes. That is what I brought you here to discuss. Ari was my favorite son. I’d never tell the others, but he was. I always felt guilty for the curse his mother laid on him and so I encouraged his playboy ways. He changed when you showed up. I’ve never seen him happier. I suspected you two were involved long before Ari informed me. I knew this would hurt Leo, but I was so happy for Ari, and I rationalized Leo would be okay. But I see the way Leo looks at you. He’s absolutely smitten. What would you say to marrying him anyway?” He said the last few words in a rush and raised his sleek eyebrows.
Zwaantie wrung her hands. The thought of marrying Leo never occurred to her. It made no sense. “Your Majesty, I don't see what purpose that would serve. The vipers have already stopped. I don’t love Leo.”
He sighed and nodded, scooting closer to her. “You noticed the lack of the vipers, did you? I suspect they’re gone because you are with child. A true union of the kingdoms.”
Zwaantie gasped. Instinctively, she put her hand to her belly. She was carrying Ari’s baby. He lived on even in death. A lump formed in her throat. This poor baby would never know his incredible father. She wouldn’t be going home for a very long time, even if the Voice was eliminated. Ari’s child would be born in Stella, probably raised here. Ari would never see his baby, but his baby would know him.
“I see. I still don’t understand why I need to marry Leo. The kingdoms have been joined.” Apparently more than she’d been aware.
The king tapped his chin and studied her. “Perhaps I should tell you a few things about the magic here. It runs deep. It’s in the very soil this castle is built upon. Magicians have been imbuing the earth with spells for hundreds, if not thousands of years. We can’t just change the spells with the snap of our fingers. Though it would make things easier.
“The succession of kings works as follows. Ari, as my firstborn, was heir to the throne. The next three claimed kingdoms, thereby negating their right to the throne. Which meant that if Ari died, then the natural heir would be Leo. However, marriage holds a great deal of weight in our magic. Ari became king when he married you even if the people didn’t know it. Very few people know this. Leo doesn’t even know. No one would recognize Ari as king until he was crowned, but I could tell instantly. Since the people knew no differently, I continued to rule, figuring eventually the traditions could be upheld, and then we could go through with the ceremony of transferring the kingship. That’s just for show. The land and the magic recognized Ari as king. I wouldn’t have been able to rule for long before things would start going wrong.”
Comprehension dawned. “Then that would mean the heir to the throne would be Ari’s child.”
“That is correct. Leo cannot rule. The magic would behave erratically.”
“How so?”
“Things would simply cease to work the way they should. People would cast a green spell and get yellow. Lights would darken, carriages would carry you to the wrong place, and discs would malfunction.”
“But then who holds the right to rule Stella now? An unborn baby cannot rule.”
“In Sol, spouses do not inherit the throne, am I correct?”
“Yes, if my father dies before I ascend, I would become queen, even if my mother were still alive. By the way, as soon as that happens, the people will call me queen. Even without a ceremony. But my father can choose to give me the kingdom anytime he wants.”
Ajax nodded;his lips pursed. “Things are different in Stella. If Ari were still alive and I died, my wife would be queen until Ari married or she died.”
Zwaantie stopped breathing. This couldn’t be possible. She couldn’t do this. “That would mean…”
“You are queen.” He paused and watched her. She wasn’t sure how to react, so she forced a smile, but inside she was horrified. Queen of Stella. She was the Solite princess. The king let out a breath and continued. “Very few know about the secret marriage. The people will revolt if they find out. They are already angry Raaf killed Ari. They will think Sol has taken over, and they won’t understand. That scandal alone would leave the Ticker talking for weeks, but since the Solite prince killed him—well, that’s the stuff wars are made of. Plus, my own children don’t understand that Ari became king when he married.”
Zwaantie sat back, taking in what he said. She should be in bed, grieving Ari, not worrying about a possible war. “I’m sorry,” she finally said because she didn’t know what else to say.
“Don’t you see? The only option you have is to marry Leo. Make love to him and let him think the child is his. No one needs to understand any of this but you, me, and handful of others who have been sworn to secrecy. I’ve already had them bound by death to not tell a soul. I know you don’t love him, and I know this causes you pain, but as rulers and royalty
we have an obligation to choose honor over love. The honorable thing to do is marry Leo.”
Zwaantie nodded. For the past several weeks she’d been chasing her own happiness without any thought of honor. When she lived in Sol, her honor meant nearly everything to her. She’d lost that here.
She didn’t want to marry Leo. Loving him would be painful, especially since she was supposed to pretend for the public she was happy and completely in love with him. Not only that, she’d have to convince Leo she loved him in private as well. That would not be easy, but necessary. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to convince him that the baby was his. Her stomach rolled. She wasn’t sure if she was strong enough for this. The logical part of her brain told her to, but her heart hurt, so she hesitated and stalled.
“If I agree, how do you know he will marry me?”
Ajax gave a sad smile. “Because he’s still in love with you.”
Zwaantie let out a breath, thoughts of Ari filling her head. She couldn’t marry Leo. But the entire kingdom of Stella depended on her decision. Ari would want her to. It was the only way to protect his kingdom and his child. “Okay.”
The king let out a huge sigh. “Thank you.” The relief on his face was obvious. Zwaantie wondered what he would have done if she’d refused.
The king pulled out his disc. “Leo, please see me in my rooms.” He wasn’t wasting any time. Zwaantie needed a few moments to prepare herself.
She met his eyes. “I’m sorry he’s dead. I really loved him.”
The king put his hand over hers, his eyes kind. “I know. You have no idea how much pain I’m in. I miss both him and Astrid so very much. Part of me wishes it had been me instead of him.”
Stella and Sol Box Set Page 52
