by Donna Hatch
Jeniah could not help the smile or the warmth that traveled through her at his touch. Knowing he only kissed her cheek for the benefit of those watching did not diminish her pleasure. They linked arms and leisurely walked as if they had nothing better to do than enjoy one another’s company.
He took her to an obscure corner of the castle and up a winding stair inside a high tower. The walls of the tower had been carved and painted with vines and flowers, the workmanship exceeding anything Jeniah had ever seen. The ceiling bore mysterious carved runes. She and Kai climbed the stairs winding around the tower until they reached the top, where an archway bent over a curved door. The runes along the arch had been painted silver, making them appear to glow. The arched door shimmered and vanished, leaving an open entrance.
The moment she crossed the threshold, Jeniah knew she had stepped into the presence of a powerful being. A woman of indeterminate age stood in the center of the room, wearing multi-colored robes and adorned with several different lengths of decorative chains, like jewelry without any gems. Her long, dark hair hung loose like a cloak over her clothing.
“Thenisis, the high priestess,” Kai introduced in a hushed voice.
Thenisis smiled and outstretched her hand. “Jeniah, future queen of Arden, you are most welcome here. Sir Kai, please remain, as this affects you as well.”
The high priestess released Jeniah’s hand. Then, with both hands, she made sweeping motions over the door, which shimmered and then appeared as a solid door again. Thenisis began removing her jewelry.
“The metals block my powers. They protect me from the barrage of emotions that often overwhelm me when I’m not wearing them. But now that I’ve sealed the door, I can tap into the life forces without drowning in others’ emotions.”
Jeniah wondered if her natural reluctance to wear jewelry sprang from this dampening effect on her own magic.
After seeing them comfortably seated, Thenisis took Jeniah by the hand again and looked deeply into her eyes. At first touch, Jeniah felt infused with light. Then she recognized the presence of the priestess inside her mind, hearing her thoughts, feeling her emotions. It seemed invasive and Jeniah stiffened. While similar to the way her chayim communicated, the priestess’s mental contact seemed rougher than her chayim’s whisper touch. Suddenly desperate for Kai’s reassurance, she reached for him. His large hand enclosed hers. Emboldened by his touch, Jeniah resisted the urge to pull away from Thenisis.
The priestess waited until Jeniah’s natural protective inclinations hushed before probing deeper. This time, the mental contact no longer felt invasive as the priestess probed Jeniah’s mind, seeking her secret, latent powers.
“You are chayim-bonded,” the priestess murmured in wonder. Jeniah could hear her thoughts in her mind and knew that Thenisis articulated them for Kai’s benefit.
Thenisis continued speaking. “There is much your chayim can teach you. Let her guide you as you ascend your throne.” Jeniah saw brief images of her future coronation, a room filled with Ardeenes, herself crowned and sitting upon the throne.
“Is this what shall come to pass, or only a possibility?” Jeniah asked out loud for Kai’s sake.
“It is your destiny. It shall come to pass if you do not fail.”
Kai stirred. A dark emotion she could not quite identify rippled off him before he guarded it.
“And my magic?” Jeniah asked.
“You call it blurring, but it is a form of shape-shifting known as fading. Your fears blocked your power until you embraced your magic. One day soon, you will use your power to manipulate form, rather than create mere illusion. When you face your greatest enemy, you must reveal her illusions and the falsehood of her power. Your chayim must be with you when you face her, for she will strengthen you so that you can defeat your enemies. Alone, you will surely fail. Together, you may succeed.”
The prophetess paused, probing deeper, and Jeniah felt her despair. “Terrible travails await you, worse than you have yet faced. Great evil combines against you. Remember who you are. Remember that you serve your people. Only when you are willing to sacrifice all, can you hope to succeed. But you must face your worst fears alone.”
Stunned, Jeniah felt all the warmth leave her body. She’d already faced the destruction of her home, the loss of her family, and the difficult journey with its cold, fear, and hunger. What could possibly be worse?
Until that moment, the hardships she had suffered had been bearable because Kai had been with her. Yet, soon she must go on alone, without Kai. She nearly collapsed with dread.
Chapter Sixteen
Inside the king’s council room, Kai clenched his hands, wishing he could enclose them around the neck of the pompous lord addressing the council. Seething in frustration, he tugged at the collar of his shirt.
Finally, unable to contain his aggravation, Kai leaped to his feet. “You fool. That’s exactly what they’re counting on.”
At Kai’s uncharacteristically impassioned outburst, the council members stared.
“Sir Kai, I understand how you feel, but—”
“Lord Kavin, with all due respect, you could not possibly understand how I feel. You were not there. They ravaged and murdered every woman they found. They killed children. It wasn’t a war, it was a massacre! There was no declaration of war, no established battlefield. There was no time to assemble the knights or the army. The Hanorans simply swooped down on Arden City in the middle of the night and slaughtered hundreds of innocent people.”
“Sir Kai, I’ve heard the reports,” began the diplomat. He was so self-righteous and smug that Kai had to resist the urge to plant a fist into his face. “But diplomacy must be observed, and we must carefully weigh the consequences of our actions before we act. We cannot afford to be hasty.”
“If you were there, you would not be so certain, you pompous—”
“Sir Kai, sit down,” the king commanded. “We must resist arguing among ourselves. We must be united.”
Kai dragged in a breath. “Yes, sire, of course. My apologies.” He sent a withering glare at Lord Kavin.
Unruffled, Lord Kavin continued. “Your Majesty, I am not in any way condoning the Hanorans’ actions. I’m simply trying to protect Darbor from suffering the casualties of war. We must always have options to consider.”
“Thank you, Lord Kavin,” said the king. “I agree that we must keep an open mind to all possibilities. But now that we know the Ardeene prince still lives and is safely hidden away in a secure location, we can justify taking action to free Arden and restore the rightful heir to the throne.”
A chief advisor spoke. “Hanore would be foolish to consider threatening Darbor. Our army is much stronger and better trained than theirs.”
The king nodded. “King Rheged faces imminent civil war with his own son. And with his people so divided, Rheged cannot afford to wage another war. The Hanoran prince promises a return to their old values and has attracted loyalists.” The king’s words hung as the council members considered. “I believe a short recess is in order.”
There was a murmur of ascent as the council members rose from their seats and spoke among themselves. Kai jumped to his feet and began to pace.
“Kai, walk with me,” King Farai said.
Kai fell into step with the king as they left the council chambers. Their footsteps echoed hollowly in the hallway.
“You look terrible,” the monarch commented.
Kai gave him a rueful smile. His squire had carefully pressed Kai’s clothes and shone his boots, so he knew the king did not refer to his dress or grooming.
“Spend all night in the weapons room again last night?”
Kai glanced at the king. Little happened in the castle that escaped the king’s knowledge, even Kai’s personal life, apparently. He nodded glumly.
The king watched him shrewdly. “It’s about your ‘betrothed.’”
“Yes, sire.”
“She obviously returns your feelings.” The king studied his face.
“What will you do?”
Tight-lipped, Kai said, “Restore her to her throne.”
Jeniah paused at the threshold of the king’s private study, her hands clasped, hoping she showed more composure than she felt. King Farai added to a stack of papers that threatened to topple off the desk, then he stood and indicated a chair. “Come in, come in.”
After closing the door, Jeniah sat across from him by the fire and waited expectantly.
“We’ve received word from our allies, Tirai and Lariath, who have pledged their assistance. Even Govia has agreed to help. He fears Hanore won’t stop at Arden and will conquer every kingdom in the land. He has a valid point, although I don’t believe they will try to expand so soon with their armies divided between Hanore and Arden. However, our allies stand ready. They stand by you.”
“Has your ambassador of goodwill gone to pay his respects to the new king of Arden?” Jeniah could not keep the ire out of her voice at the idea of acting as if Darbor had accepted the new sovereign of Arden, King Rheged.
“My spies tell me the ambassador was well received, and that Captain Tarvok is keeping the rebellion going enough to ward off any suspicion of a major attack from outside.”
Jeniah breathed a sigh of relief that the loyal captain of the guard was still alive and well. “What’s our next step?”
“We wait for the allies to get into position.”
She wished her studies had included battle tactics, or that she at least had been included in matters of state. In Arden, she had always been excluded from “affairs of men.” After years of forced ignorance, it felt strange to be included in these discussions. If King Farai had been any less approachable, Jeniah might never have found the courage to open her mouth. He’d made it clear that as queen and the only living member of the monarchy, she was now instrumental in restoring Arden’s freedom from Rheged’s brutal military rule.
“Could we come up with some type of diversion to help Captain Tarvok’s forces?”
Mild surprise crossed the king’s face. “Actually, yes. We discussed that in council today. Rheged will probably be expecting retaliation from Tirai. If the Tiraians staged a sea strike, it would provide a diversion for our counterattack. Give the king a reason to watch the sea rather than the land.”
Jeniah nodded thoughtfully. “You mentioned that King Rheged is facing civil war.”
“According to our spies, his son has opposed him with continued boldness this past year. He’s gaining supporters, promising them a return to their old values and to banish the dark magic wielded by his father. Some of the Hanorans have rallied to him. Others are either seduced by the king’s dark magic, or are too terrified to resist it.”
“Then the rumors about the king are true.”
“They are. The prince is cautious about whom he approaches for the insurrection, so it may be some time before he’s able to present any sort of threat to Rheged.”
Jeniah stood and began to pace. “Would making an ally out of this son be foolhardy?”
King Farai stared. “Join forces with the Hanorans?”
“Not with Rheged. With his son—Aragaëth, isn’t it?”
“Correct.”
“If we could help Aragaëth overthrow his father, he might become an ally. It was Rheged who led the invasion against Arden. And it’s Rheged who wields dark magic, the same magic his son professes to hate, correct?”
King Farai looked thoughtful. “With so few numbers, he’s doomed to fail if he attempts his rebellion any time soon, but he will surely be a good distraction to his father.” He paused. “We must proceed with extreme caution. I will send word to our spies and see what they can tell us further.”
“How quickly can we coordinate this?” she asked.
“It will take at least another three weeks.”
“That long?”
“There is much to do yet, and it takes time for messengers to travel.”
Jeniah let out her breath in frustration. “Everything takes too long.”
Reports of the destruction and pillaging Rheged caused in Arden continued to arrive. And worse, every morning, King Rheged sacrificed an Ardeene child to his pagan god.
Jeniah’s people needed her. She would not fail them. If only she could strike back at the Hanorans now instead of just waiting!
After her meeting with the king, Jeniah sat in the empty atrium staring at a book while her thoughts skittered in impotent circles. She felt torn between rushing to help her people and staying here with Kai. If all their plans succeeded, she would go back to Arden and become queen, a stark reminder that she and Kai were of incompatible social classes. Accepting her duty could mean losing Kai completely. She wished royalty could make the customs, rather than be slaves of them.
Snow glittered outside the glass windows, an odd contrast to the lush foliage inside the warm room. Jeniah looked up at approaching footsteps. Garhren Ravenwing loped up to her, his golden hair tousled, his lopsided grin wide and inviting.
“Lieutenant.”
“Lady Illané. I won’t bow, if you won’t salute.”
She laughed softly. “Very well, Garhren.” She lowered her book and motioned for him to sit next to her.
With a gleam in his eyes, he plopped down easily beside her and made himself comfortable. “As Kai’s friend, I have a duty to find out what your intentions are toward him.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, that’s very good. I’ve never seen a woman do that with her eyebrow.”
She smiled. “My intentions?”
“Yes, you know, what are your plans with him?”
She moistened her lips. “Propriety in Darbor is certainly different than it is in Arden.” Alarm shot through her as she realized what she’d said. “Or Tirai,” she added, hoping he wouldn’t catch her blunder. “If we were in my homeland, you would not be so brazen as to ask such a personal question, and if you were, I would tell you it is of no concern of yours.”
“I’m glad we’re in Darbor, then, for a number of reasons.” Garhren’s chin lifted slightly in challenge.
Jeniah returned his gaze with equal directness. “Very well, I confess. I plan to marry him, give him a dozen children, and spend the rest of my life making him blissfully happy.”
“Very well, I suppose you do have good intentions.” With a wicked glint in his eye, the knight leaned in with lowered voice and said, “In that case, I should warn you that Kai isn’t as perfect as he may seem.”
Her lips twitched in amusement. “Oh?”
Garhren nodded in mock sadness. “Yes. I’m afraid it is true. On the outside, he’s so perfect you almost want to hate him, except he’s too likeable.” Then he said with great relish, “But I could tell you stories about him that would make you blush.” He furrowed his brow. “Although, if I did, then I would be revealing too much of myself. Most of the time, I’m usually the one who gets us into trouble. You see, deep inside, he wants to be wicked. That’s why he likes me. I help bring out the scoundrel buried deep within him.” He kept a straight face for a moment before breaking into his irresistible grin.
“He’s not nearly the scoundrel you are, I suspect.”
“No, I’m much worse. His strong sense of honor keeps getting in the way of him being truly bad. It gets rather bothersome, at times.”
“And the rumors that he had a new lover every week?” She kept her voice light, as if she cared little for the answer. She held her breath, fearing the truth.
“That was when he was younger.” Her face must have revealed more than she intended, for he hastened to add, “See, in Darbor, manly men are expected to—”
“Please.” She held up her hand. “I don’t want to know. I suspect you’re just as bad as he was.”
“Well . . . maybe not quite as much. I haven’t left quite as long a trail of broken hearts as he has, but I’ve made a valiant effort.” He looked over at her appreciatively. “I’ll reform my wicked ways and settle down when I met the right woman. Someone l
ike you. In fact, if I liked Kai any less, I might try to steal you away from him.”
Jeniah had never been flirted with this brazenly before. She liked it. She leaned in closer and in a provocative voice said, “If I liked Kai any less . . .” —she paused for dramatic effect and focused on his mouth as if tempted to kiss him— “I still wouldn’t go anywhere near you.”
“Ah!” He threw a hand over his heart and fell against the pillows of the couch. “You, my lady, don’t need a sword to rip out a man’s heart.”
Seeing a potential opportunity to unravel part of the mystery around Kai, Jeniah chose her next words carefully. “How long have you known Kai?”
“Hmm, I guess about twelve years. The first time I saw him was when he was taking the King’s Test to become a member of the Home Guard. He was only fourteen at the time, the youngest man to ever attempt it, although it is nothing compared to what he had to do to earn Sauraii a few moon cycles earlier. I wasn’t even in the king’s service then, but I loved to watch the tournaments and the King’s Test.”
The knight’s voice took on a tone of awe. “I’ve never seen anyone move the way he does. He’s amazing. The way he fights . . . it’s like the weapons sort of grow out of his body like another arm. I immediately started following him around and begging him to teach me. A friendship grew out of that. He was too serious and overly good, but I did my best to corrupt him.” Garhren grinned at the memories.
Jeniah smiled with him, engrossed in his tale.
Then he sobered. “I’m not nearly the warrior Kai is, though. If he hadn’t spent so much time working with me, I wouldn’t be serving on the Home Guard.”
“What else can you tell me about him?”
Garhren looked at her through narrowed eyes, all trace of humor fleeing. “He hasn’t told you, has he?”
Jeniah’s heart quickened. Garhren knew Kai’s secret hurt. She knew she trod on dangerous ground, but couldn’t resist the urge to press him to tell her something that might help her understand Kai.
