by Alex Shobe
There’s no order in the discarding. These men had a chance to support my rule and they chose wrong. My sympathy is lost on them. They’ll get no burial. No funeral rites. Their families will receive no condolences for their loss. If it wasn’t for Aiden, I’d have half a mind to rid my kingdom of them, as well. Insurgency stems from the home.
I’ve assigned Kaleo with the task of carting the dead guards away and setting fire to their bodies until all that remains is ash. He’s more than happy to see this through.
Thirty of my men lost their lives tonight. They lie on the blood-stained ground, shoulder to shoulder, in two rows. Veils cover their eyes. I silence my footsteps as I walk between them, so I don’t disturb their eternal slumber.
I can’t express how much their sacrifice has meant to me. The best I can do is send a severance to the surviving relatives. Though, it will never be enough. I think back to how little boys and girls hugged their fathers tightly right before we departed Maburh. Now, they’re left fatherless, their mothers left widows.
When the final casualty count was totaled, Colton reminded me that the men chose to fight for me and that I shouldn’t feel guilty. But still, the guilt is a needle that constantly pokes at my conscience. Even though I’ve had guards who were sworn to protect me, to die for me, ever since I was a child, it’s different now. These men chose to place their loyalty with me—and it won’t go unnoticed.
My eyes scan over each cloaked face and stop once I reach Rhyn’s. He’s the last one in the row, his thin frame standing out among his neighbors. I stoop down beside him. The rising sun casts an orange glow on his paling skin. He looks at peace, no longer weighed down by the burdens of this world. I reach out and cup my hand to his cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
He was a good ally and an even better friend. I hate that we didn’t get more time together. He seemed to know me better that I knew myself. Even with his canteen in his hand, he could read the emotions I tried in vain to suppress.
“You were right—about Colton, by the way.” I laugh softly to myself and gently pat his cheek. It isn’t until I withdraw my hand, I realize how cold his skin is.
He didn’t speak much about his own life, always busy analyzing everyone else’s, but he did mention that he has a daughter. Rowena, her name is. He said that after his wife died, he leaned on ale more than he should’ve while trying to raise Rowena. When she became of age, she left their home, breaking off any and all contact with Rhyn. More than twenty years have passed since he last saw her face, and now their relationship will never be mended. I owe it to him to track her down and inform her of her father’s passing. I think he’d want me to. It’d bring him some semblance of reconciliation.
Hours later, the jagged edge of chaos has been smoothed out. In the plaza, there’s a stillness to the air now as over a thousand spectators hold their breath in anticipation for what comes next. They watch as those deemed as traitors squirm in anxiety on the gallows. Sweat beads on their foreheads under the afternoon sun. Among those are the guards who refused to accept my rule even after I extended them a chance to repent. My former council stands at the gallows as well.
Davrit almost escaped his fate. My men found him near the docks trying to secure safe passage to Braer like the rat he is. No. He doesn’t get off that easily. I had him beaten and dragged back here so he could join us today. After all, he’s one of the many guests of honor for this gathering.
He looks paler than normal, even underneath the angry red bruises on his face and arms. It’s almost as though he’s already dead and what stands before us is the husk of a man who thought he’d get away with stealing power. No matter. He’ll hang with the others.
Since by the end of the day I’ll be out of a Council, I’ve decided to erupt a new system that will not only protect my reign but will also protect my citizens by giving them a voice. Each city and village is to select a representative who will meet monthly with me at the castle. We will discuss citizen welfare, kingdom funds, and work together to secure a successful future for all of us. Kaleo and Nicolai have been chosen by their respective neighbors. I have no doubt they’ll be a great addition to my new Council.
Messages have been sent to all the other countries. The words speak of what happened here, and to warn the monarchs of a possible invasion. They have my blessing to kill the infiltrators on sight and toss their bodies into the sea.
A gentle wind whips around all of us, bringing with it a promise of a new beginning. But first, we must let go of the past.
A priest stands in front of each traitor, presses two fingertips to their foreheads, and speaks a grave prayer. The undertaker follows behind and covers their heads with a black canvas bag. Once the bags are on, I can see the anxiety building as their hands shake, their wrists rubbing raw from being bound behind them.
After the last man receives his prayer and covering, all eyes are on me. I stand at the end of the gallows with fingers laced in front of me. I look across the crowd below at the faces I’ve come to know over the past few days.
Merethe leans her head against Aiden’s shoulder. Nicolai stands next to her with fervor drawn across his face. Colton, who watches patiently at the bottom of the gallows’ steps. And innumerable faces of other villagers who made this possible.
This is for them as much as it’s for me.
My eyes land back on the undertaker. I give a minute nod, and at once, he releases the trapdoor. The traitors fall through the false flooring, the ropes pulled taut as they tether to the overhead beam. The bodies thrash violently. Members of the audience gasp and cry out, horrified at the picture unfolding. There’s ice in my veins that embraces me in this moment. My eyes are glued, and I don’t look away.
A few more minutes pass until the last body relaxes into its hung state. My gaze shifts to the crowd, at the nobles that allowed injustice to go on for so long during the years. Their eyes are still stuck in shock.
I step forward. “This is just one of the many outcomes for those who threaten my right to rule.” My voice carries in the plaza. The hushed murmurs silence altogether. “I want Erenen to succeed and I won’t stand by while its stability is shaken. I encourage all of you to lean onto me for strength, and in return, I will do the same.”
Eyes drift from me to the dangling men, then back to me. I suppress a grin at the sickened faces of the nobles. I wonder if this is how I appeared to Colton when we first met. I walk down the steps of the gallows to where he waits. Once I’m at the bottom, a low buzz rolls across the crowd as the murmurs start again.
I brush against Colton and nod for him to follow me. Two guards flank behind us as we walk toward the castle.
“Are you okay?” he asks. Our pace is in sync and there’s a shift in electrical current as our arms skim against one another.
I nod. “Yes. Why?” I glance up at him.
A crease forms in his forehead from where his eyebrows pull together. “Just meant the hanging—I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy to watch.”
The guards posted at the castle doors open them and bow their heads as they wait for us to pass. Inside the foyer, the air is cooler, somehow freer. A rainbow streak of light reflects on the floor as the sunlight catches the crystal chandelier above.
“I’m fine.” I smile and glance at the guards who escorted us. “I’ll be all right from here. Thank you.”
The guards also drop their heads in a bow and leave back out the door. Such a strange feeling to have the Crownsguard back under my direction. It’s even stranger to me that they give me the respect I deserve without any underlying resentment in their eyes.
It truly is a new day.
When the guards have left and the doors are closed behind them, Colton and I remain in the entryway. I take a step toward him, closing the distance between us. His lips twist up in a mischievous grin. My arms slide around his waist, my fingers interlocking at the small of his back.
He reaches up to smooth stray hairs from my face and chews
on his bottom lip. I can tell there are words on his mind he hasn’t yet figured out how to say.
“What is it?” I whisper.
He doesn’t respond immediately. His hands cradle my face as his eyes search mine. Finally, the hardness of his face melts into a smile.
“Nothing,” he says, and he kisses me.
His touch is enough to unravel me, to make me forget about the last couple of days. In his arms, I feel both stronger and more vulnerable than I’ve ever been. Here in this moment, I have more to lose than just a shiny crown. I’m putting my heart on the line, and by association, my sanity.
The hooves of my horse stomp against the ground, stirring awake the sleeping woodland animals. They squeak and dash under us. Crickets chirp and owls hoot in a chorus of nighttime song. The moon is bloated and hangs heavily in the sky.
I ride up north to the woods outside of Demesne. My guards have been given strict orders not to follow me. They obey with no resistance.
Colton has left for Maburh. By his choice, he stayed with me in the castle for several days until the dust of my revival settled. I insisted that he return home. His parents have missed him, and he, them.
The sound of waves crashing against the rocks gets louder. The northern woods lead to the cliffs, which lead to the docks. The scent of salt water fills my nose.
I slow my horse when I reach the abandoned cabin. I found the home by accident on one of my explorations as a child. I’m surprised it’s still in stable condition after all this time. I slide off my horse, and he neighs as I tie him to a nearby tree.
The cabin’s step creaks under my weight as I open the door. Inside, the air is stale, the result of poor circulation. It’s dark and I feel my way to the table. With a flick of my wrist, I turn on a lantern. The single room illuminates in a golden glow. Muted moaning drawls behind me.
“I’m sorry it took so long.” I pull a pouch from my cloak and set it on the table. My fingers undo the thin cord that keeps it tied shut and the pouch rolls open. “I had to wait until it was safe for me to come alone.”
More mumbling.
“Ever since Gracen died, my punctuality has left something to be desired.” I run my fingers over the metal tools. Each one lays perfectly straight, perfectly sharp. I asked Aiden to craft them for me, no questions asked. He’s really good about minding his own business.
“Time is just something we never have enough of. Gracen sure didn’t.” I select a triangular blade from the pouch. With tool and lantern in hand, I walk toward the moaning in the far corner of the room.
I put the lantern on the floor beside us. His arms are raised above his head, drawn up by ropes attached to the beam. His legs must have grown tired—he slumps forward, placing his weight on his shoulders. Our shadows merge on the wall behind him.
I reach up to pull the canvas bag from over his thick head. His sweat-drenched hair is plastered to his face. His eyes shift from mine to the blade in my hand. With whatever energy he has reserved, he flails and tries to yell, but his mouth is still gagged.
I smile. “Hello, Regineau. Shall we get started?”
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Leona
I’ve killed seventeen people so far.
Each time, a burst of adrenaline courses through my body and my nerve endings sizzle with an electric heat that gets my heart pumping. I savor each minute—every second—until what lies before me is a crumpled mess of flesh and bones. Each is a life that has been snuffed out for the good of humanity.
No one will miss them or mourn them. No one will say sentimental words at their funerals or lay flowers at their graves. I take great pleasure in reminding them of these facts as they stare into the face of the last person they’ll ever see.
Mine.
A shiver of joy runs down my spine just thinking about it. I tighten my grip on the balcony’s rail, pressing my fingertips against the metal.
“Can’t sleep?”
Colton’s arms come from behind and wrap around my waist. A surge of warmth comes with them, a warmth that fights the chill of the nighttime air. He drops his chin to my shoulder and lets his head nuzzle against mine. The scent of his skin has become familiar over the past few months. I lean back against him and layer my hands over his.
“I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I’m supposed to be the one having nightmares, remember?” Colton plants a kiss on my neck and turns me in his arms. His hair sticks up in wild directions. I stifle a laugh and run my fingers though the strands in an attempt to tame them. I fail.
“I’m fine.” I push up on my toes and press my lips to his. “Really. I’m fine.” His eyebrow arches the way it does when he doesn’t believe me. I offer a weak smile to reinforce the words. Again, I fail.
He takes my head in his hands. His thumbs stroke my cheeks. “You know you can talk to me, yeah? You’ve been so good about listening to me while I vent about my problems.” He kisses my forehead. “Let me be here for you, too.”
I wish I could tell him the extent of my issues. I wish I could share with him the delight I feel each time I claim a life. He wouldn’t understand, though. While he’s learning to run away from death, I’m learning to run toward it. Each experience builds on the last, and my efficiency and tactics are something he’d be proud of.
If he could understand.
But he won’t.
So, for now, I’ll keep my problems to myself.
“You are here for me.” I smile and glance over my shoulder. The sky is a swirl of blues and purples, the colors bleeding seamlessly into one another. “There’s maybe another hour of night left. Do you want to go be here for me in bed?” I bite my lip and tug at his pants, another tactic I’ve learned when I need to redirect his thoughts.
The corner of his mouth turns up in a grin. I like this grin. This grin lets me know trouble is on its way—the kind of trouble I wouldn’t mind getting into every night.
He leaves a trail of kisses from my temple to my neck, letting his hands glide down my back. They rest at my hips with just the right balance of delicacy and firmness. I also like these hands. They know what they’re doing.
He kisses me with a longing that could never be put into words. Luckily for him, though, I’m now fluent in his language of desire. My fingers tangle into his messy hair. I pull him closer, deepening the kiss, claiming his tongue as my own.
My feet leave the ground as he lifts me to his body. Without missing a beat, my arms and legs wrap around him and he guides us to the bed.
His pants are off, so is my gown, and I reach for him.
I reach for him because his touch distracts me from the other urges that tend to consume my thoughts—the ones he wouldn’t understand.
The summer sun struggles to break through the overcast sky. I don’t mind, otherwise I’d be more drenched in sweat than I am. My feet dig into the courtyard’s grasses and leave dents in the soil. I’m breathing hard. Colton’s arms are wrapped around my neck, and he applies pressure as my chin sits on top of his elbow.
Breathe. Focus.
I pull my arms up and lace my fingers behind his neck. My palms are clammy, but I secure a good grip. With as much strength as I can muster from my legs, I drive through my heels and flip him over me. He lands with a thud on the ground.
Colton blows out a sharp breath and pulls himself to his feet. “Good. Next time, though, don’t hesitate. It doesn’t take much to cut off air circulation at the neck.” He flexes the arm he landed on.
“Are you all right?” I nod toward his arm.
He smiles and wipes the sweat from his eyes with his discarded shirt. “Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go again.”
Since that first night on the beach, we’ve continued with our training sessions. It has proved to be mutually beneficial. I learn the skills needed to protect myself, and he learns to tone down the rage he feels when he fights.
I break out of his choke holds three more times, and each time he lands on the same a
rm. I’m certain it’s sore by now, but he refuses to let the pain be known until he’s sure I’ve mastered the technique. We’re just about to try again when a handmaiden crosses the courtyard grounds in our direction. I catch her eyes lingering on Colton before she stops in front of us and drops her head into a bow.
“Hello, Merys,” I say with a grin.
She lifts her head and her eyes involuntarily shift back to Colton. While he’s been staying here, he’s captured the interest of the women around the castle. And now that sweat glistens off his bare chest, Merys can’t stop herself from looking. I don’t blame her.
“Merys.” I break her from her trance.
Her face flushes with color and she struggles to swallow. “Sorry, Your Majesty. I, um—there’s a message for you.” She extends the parchment to me. I take it out of the girl’s quivering fingers.
“Thank you.”
She nods a few too many times. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Your Majesty?” She clasps her hands tightly in front of her.
“No, that’d be all.”
She bows her head and steals one more glance at Colton before turning to scamper back toward the castle. When she’s out of earshot, I turn to Colton and laugh. “Looks like I have some competition, yeah?”
He closes the distance between us and rests a hand on my waist. “You might have to start auditioning for time with me.” He leans down and kisses me. When he tries to pull away, I draw him back for more. We both taste of salt, but that’s easily ignored when I’m in his arms.
He releases me with a wink and turns to pick up his shirt from the ground. I bring my attention back to the message and flip it over in my hand. The golden foil seal reflects the sun as the clouds part. I look closer and gasp.
“What’s wrong?” Colton asks, now fully clothed.
