Heirs of War, Crown of Flames

by Mara Valderran

  “She can do that?” Rhaya was impressed, but shook it off to get back to her point. “I have a better question: Why can't I see Isauria? Where's the harm in me popping by for a visit?”

  “Because Isauria needs to be focusing on finding Ariana, which you and Zelene keep adamantly reminding us needs to happen,” Meridel answered with exasperation and shook her head. “Honestly, you are getting just as bad as Zelene, constantly questioning everything we do.”

  “How can we not?” Rhaya returned defensively. “We don't know you. Not really. Trust takes time, and we didn't exactly get the best introduction to your world or your rules . . . or you even. I'm sorry, but that's the truth.”

  “I know,” Meridel said, her demeanor softening. She pulled Rhaya into a hug. “We only want what is best for you girls. We want to protect you. And please believe that we hope Ariana is returned safely to Anscombe as much as you do.”

  Rhaya returned the hug and nodded, trying to hold back her own anxiety until she was out of reach of her mother's empathic abilities. She made her excuses and left, pausing in the hallway to allow her heart to race and her disappointments and fears to set in. There was something in the way her mother had said that she hoped Ariana was returned that bothered her. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't reassuring either. In fact, it made her wonder if the Duillaine truly did feel like their hands were tied where Ariana was concerned.

  “Ours aren't,” Rhaya said to herself, her shoulders squared. She had expected her mother to say no, and lucky for her, she already had a plan B formulating in her mind. She cut her eyes to Raemann and signaled for him to follow her inside.

  She left Raemann in her antechamber but cracked the doors leading to her room so that they could talk without fear of being walked in on. He positioned himself in front of the doors, his back to her and his hands folded in front of him.

  “Are you okay?” he whispered.

  She hesitated, knowing she needed one thing and one thing alone from him right now but unable to resist the urge to pour her heart out. “No. Things are getting pretty far from okay right now, Dad.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Zelene thinks that the Duillaine Banair aren't doing everything they can to find Ariana.”

  “And?” he prompted. “You're concerned that her claims have more foundation than you originally thought?”

  She rested her head against the doorframe and breathed in deeply, comforted by how well he knew her. “Yes. I mean, originally I thought it was just Zelene being Zelene. Forever the rebel and needing some sort of authority to rail against, you know? But now there are guards posted outside of Izzy’s room and my mom won’t let me go visit her. I don’t know what to think.”

  “What is your heart telling you?”

  Rhaya hesitated, choosing her words carefully so as to not worry Raemann. “That Ariana deserves to have someone here on her side.”

  “Then go with that,” he advised her before quickly adding, “and just make sure you are using your head too.”

  “Do you really mean that?”

  “Yes,” he answered simply and without hesitance.

  “Then there's something I need from you right now,” she said slowly. “Do you remember how I'd have those rebellious teenage moments where I'd sneak out or do something you told me not to?” When he gave an amused nod, she continued. “Well, you always let me do them even though you had more than enough power to stop me. And knowing that now, I appreciate it more than ever. Which is why I need to ask you to do the same thing now.”

  His responding look told her how hesitant he was to agree to this. “What do you need me to do exactly?”

  “Not keep such a close eye on me. And I know that you have other ways of watching me and I don't know what those are yet,” she said in a way that promised she would soon, “but I know you can do it without being seen. So, I need you to do that but keep even more distance. I need some privacy and I need to know that you aren't going to be listening in on my conversations.”

  “Are you doing anything that might get you hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Are you planning to do something that might get you hurt?”

  “No,” she answered honestly. It wasn't a lie. There wasn't a plan in place to do anything about Ariana and she wasn't even sure there would be. She just wasn't ruling it out.

  “Rhaya, I already know that you and Zelene are looking for Ariana yourselves. If there’s more to it, I need you to tell me.”

  “There’s not. I’m just going to have to sneak around a lot more than before, and I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

  “Very well. I will keep my distance. I promise,” he reluctantly agreed.

  “Thank you,” she said. She squeezed his fingers once more and released them. “Now I need you to go away so I can sneak out properly.”

  ***

  Rhaya snuck off to the best place she knew to get answers: back to the leigheas. She found Bianca fast enough and approached her under the pretenses of feeling ill and needing an examination.

  The paion believed Rhaya's complaints about her stomach, and led her into one of the private rooms. “What other symptoms do you have?”

  “Oh, I don't have any symptoms at all. You believed me? Really?” Rhaya beamed, proud of herself. “Dad always told me I was terrible at faking it. He said I oversold it.”

  Bianca pinched the bridge of her nose. “You are not unwell? Then why have you come to me?”

  “I'm worried about Isauria. She seemed . . . pale,” Rhaya ad-libbed and then quickly regretted it.

  Bianca smirked at her feigned concern. “She's always pale, but I assure you she's fine. Now if you'll excuse me.”

  Rhaya followed her into the next private room, where a young man with blond hair laid in bed unconscious. “Who's he?”

  “I don't know. He hasn't woken up yet and I don't expect him to for days, which means you can still speak candidly here as you appear to not be done with me yet.”

  Rhaya sat down on the edge of the bed. “You're the only person allowed to see Isauria.”

  “As the healer directly responsible for her health, yes, I am.”

  Rhaya stared at her hands. “I'm worried, about the whole situation. My mother said that Isauria’s gift can take a toll on her. Is that true?”

  Bianca nodded. “Yes. A few weeks ago, I thought we had lost her entirely. She revived, but I still don't understand it myself.”

  “So, the longer she uses her gift, harder it is on her, right?”

  Bianca narrowed her eyes. “What are you getting at? If you have concerns that Isauria is not receiving the proper care, I suggest you discuss it with the Duillaine.”

  “No,” Rhaya waved her hands in front of her anxiously. She hadn't meant to offend Bianca, especially when she needed the paion’s help. “Nothing like that at all. I just…I think we should all be doing more to find Ariana as fast as possible, to keep both her and Isauria safe. I think you can help with that, that's all.”

  “How?”

  Rhaya kicked her feet together to ease her nerves. “The Duillaine are a bit slow, and Zelene and I have been trying to find Ariana on our own using what Isauria told us. But now that we don't have access to Isauria anymore . . . ” she trailed off, hoping Bianca would catch on.

  Bianca did and looked incredulous over the matter. “You wish for me to report to you as well?”

  “Yes and no. If you report to us directly, then it will be obvious that we are up to something.”

  “You are up to something,” Bianca pointed out.

  “True, but we're just trying to find her at this point. Nothing bad about that, right?”

  Bianca sighed with defeat. “What exactly do you need me to do?”

  “Meet me and Zelene at midnight tomorrow night in the courtyard. I have a plan but I need to talk to Zelene first.”

  “And how much trouble will this plan get me into?”

  “None,” Rhaya answered with a perky confidence that irr
itated Bianca, then pulled open the door before the paion could respond and in a voice loud enough for others to hear, she said, “I think you're right. I think he was having a nightmare and that's why he was acting funny. I could sense that he was scared. Good thinking asking me to check it out.”

  Bianca shot Rhaya a puzzled look and walked over to the patient, touching her hand to his chest. She looked up at Rhaya with surprise. “His heart is racing.”

  “Of course it is,” Rhaya said. “He's scared. I'll leave you to it.” She winked and bounced out of the room.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Another formal family dinner. Zelene stared at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t find Ellowyn anywhere, which was odd, and also meant Zelene had to get dressed on her own. With the types of dresses she was expected to wear, this was quite a task. She turned at a light knock on her door, expecting her brother had come to escort her to dinner. She opened it to find Cedwen standing with flowers in hand, and her gaze automatically darkened.

  “What do you want?”

  “I would like for us to talk,” he said quietly. “You've been avoiding me for a week now.”

  “You mean since I found out what you failed to tell me yourself?”

  He dropped the flowers on the table in the anteroom. “No, since I failed to find you in time to explain everything before someone else got the chance. You haven't exactly been easy to find, Zelene. You blend in as one of the Tainted quite well.”

  She shrugged, taking that as a compliment. “You taught me well. Besides, you've had plenty of opportunities to tell me that you're really some prince sent here to marry me.”

  “Or Ariana,” he corrected, which didn't help his case. “Not that I'm saying I'd prefer her to you, of course.” He groaned. “Why do I feel like there is absolutely nothing I can say that will make this better?” He picked up the flowers again and dropped down to his knees, offering the flowers up. “Please accept my deepest apologies for not being more forthcoming with my position in Anscombe. I know I should have told you from the start, especially when I realized that you didn't know. I'm sure you can understand the appeal of having someone appreciate you for who you are and not your status.”

  “Get up,” she said with a sigh, her temper cooled by his words. “Look, I understand wanting to get to know me without all the other crap. But you should have figured out pretty quick that I'm not like that. And then you should have told me. I've sort of had my fill of people keeping secrets from me.”

  He stood up and nodded. “You're right. And I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?” He held the flowers out to her.

  She playfully snatched them out of his hand. “Fine. But I don't care who they sent you here to marry, got it? We are just friends.”

  “Well, that is certainly a start, and I think you'll find that I am a very patient man,” he said with a wink and then offered her his arm. “May I escort you to dinner?”

  “Can't we just walk side by side?” she asked and eyed his offered arm wearily, thinking it made them seem like too much of a couple for her liking.

  “Only if you would like to raise the ire of the Duillaine. Which you do seem to enjoy…”

  She took his arm reluctantly. She didn't have any intention of starting anything with the Duillaine that night. Bringing their attentions down on her didn't help her plan with Rhaya to find Ariana. As much as she hated it, she needed to behave. “Let's go, your highness.”

  Zelene fidgeted with her dress along the way, constantly smoothing out the skirt. Cedwen claimed her free hand so that she would stop fussing.

  “You look lovely,” he assured her.

  “Thanks. Ellowyn usually helps me get ready for these things but I haven't seen her since yesterday.”

  “That's odd. You two are usually inseparable. Did you upset her?”

  Zelene stopped in her tracks and shook her head at the ceiling, wondering why everyone always assumed that she did something wrong. “No, I didn't upset her. I just haven't seen her.”

  “Perhaps she is simply busy helping to prepare for the arrival of Ainnir Terrena's betrothed.”

  “Maybe,” she agreed and let him guide her inside the ballroom and to the table. Then, once again, she found herself sitting next to Rhaya and surrounded by a group of strangers claiming to be her family.

  They were seated at the same long table as the first dinner, but this time they were at the head of it. Terrena sat on the other side of Rhaya, and Nolan took the other seat next to Zelene. Much to her chagrin, she found herself comforted by the familiar presence that they leant to the incredibly awkward situation. The opposite side of the table remained empty as each member of their family was paraded in front of them and presented to them in a formal manner. It was a tedious and annoying ritual that seemed to occur at every large meal the family ate together.

  Devland, Solanna's husband, was the first to present himself. He bowed; his shoulder-length hair fell in a curtain around his long face. “I am Devland, husband to Banair Solanna and member of the Council.” He held his hand out to the side, gesturing for his daughter to come join them. “May I present our daughter, Mira.”

  Mira approached gracefully, with her head held high and curtsied with ease. “Greetings of a bright day to my cousins, the Duillaine Ainnir,” she said smoothly before rising and clasping her hands in front of her as her father beamed proudly.

  “Are you guys serious?” At the disapproving glares aimed at Zelene from the Duillaine Banair, she pressed on with a huff. “What? We've already met. I can't be the only one here who thinks it's stupid to introduce yourselves every time we eat dinner together.”

  For a moment, the room was quiet. Then, a girl with brown hair that fell in waves down her back stepped forward from her place in line. Zelene recognized her as Sylvanna’s daughter, but couldn’t remember her name.

  “No, you aren't.” The girl turned to face Sylvanna when she chided her for speaking out of turn. “No, Mother. This is ridiculous. We haven't been allowed to talk to them at all since we met them and now when we can it's all rehearsed.”

  Zelene approved of her cousin's line of thinking. “See? Now it's starting to feel like family.” She paused and squinted at the girl in contemplation. “I kinda suck at the whole remembering names thing though. What's yours again?”

  “Kara,” the girl answered, her heart shaped face brightening at the casual conversation. She jerked her head in the direction of the young guy near her. “That's my twin Brendan. And that's my father, Morissey.”

  “Cool! Well, have a seat cousin-mine,” Zelene said with mock formality and gestured to the chair across from her. “Come, let us dine together in merriment!”

  Kara took the offered seat. “See, I always thought you would have been much more fun to hang out with than Mira or Brendan.”

  The atmosphere became more relaxed after that, even though Sylvanna and Meridel clearly did not approve of how the events transpired. Zelene didn't care. She had promised herself she would behave, but dealing with Sylvanna's dirty looks all night was a price she was willing to pay if it meant they all got to take the night off from etiquette.

  Zelene leaned back to allow the Donnfay more room to place her food before her. “Thank you,” she made a point of saying to the one serving her. She even smiled when it patted her genially on the cheek like she was the most adorable thing in the world.

  “You get used to it, I promise,” Kara assured her in a light tone, finding humor in Zelene’s reaction. “So, you weren't at the fittings yesterday. I was hoping to see you there.”

  Brendan snorted from his position beside her and brushed his dark brown hair out of his face. “Please! She hasn't shut up about it for a week.”

  Kara glared at her twin brother. “Well, I've been looking forward to having someone else to help pass the time than the likes of you.”

  Zelene fell into conversation with her cousin, enjoying the easy banter Kara shared with her twin brother. She wondered if she'd share the same camar
aderie with Ariana, and a sadness washed over her as she worried that she might never get the chance to know.

  Rhaya bumped her shoulder against her. “Perk up. We’ll find her.”

  Zelene momentarily wondered if she had spoken out loud. “You know, what you can do is almost as creepy as Isauria. Get out of my head.”

  “I’m not actually in your head,” Rhaya corrected and lowered her voice. “And we’ve got bigger problems than my ability to be your personal mood ring.” She hesitated and glanced at her mother. “I’m going to tell you something, but I need you to keep really quiet and keep your emotions in check. Can you do that?”

  “Probably not,” Zelene answered honestly. She wasn’t in denial about her temper, and this place had a way of setting her off quick. “Is this about Ellowyn?”

  “What? No. It’s about Isauria. Look, just meet me outside your room right before midnight. I’ll explain everything then.”

  “Alright, but when you are the one sneaking around, I get worried.” The look Rhaya gave her told her that she should be. Midnight couldn’t come soon enough.

  ***

  Zelene met Rhaya just before midnight, still unsure of this plan. They crept through the darkened corridors, hoping to avoid being seen. The hairs on the back of Zelene's neck stood on end, certain they were going to get caught. She wanted to wear her Tainted outfit, but Rhaya hadn't felt the need for a disguise. Swearing she heard a voice, Zelene yanked Rhaya into the shadows of the stairwell.

  “Calm down, already,” Rhaya said dismissively when Zelene continued to glance behind them.

  “I feel like we're being watched. It's creepy.” Zelene rubbed her arms, hoping to get the goose bumps to go away.

  “It's our Cynewards,” Rhaya said, her tone conveying the 'duh' she refrained from saying. “They've been following us pretty much the entire time. Probably because you're so freaked out.”