“Minute’s over,” he informed her.
“Oh, how I adore my brother-in-law and his kind ways,” Sionna muttered sarcastically, but she obediently pulled herself together. “First of all, let me admit that I’ve been slipping fertility drugs into her food for about a year.”
“Fuck,” Vachlan said, returning his hands to his hair, “fuck!”
“I know.”
Vachlan looked like he wanted to rip out the black strands woven between his fingers as his breathing became heavy and erratic. “A few days ago I would have taken this news quite differently. I would have been elated.”
“I’m not completely sure,” Sionna admitted. “I’m just informing you of the possibility for future decision making.”
“Why didn’t you tell either of us?” Vachlan demanded angrily. “We had given up on trying.”
Sionna snorted. “Yeah, sure. You two ‘try’ loud enough to wake up the whole palace.”
“Fuck,” he said again. “I have to get her the hell out of Adlivun. Now.”
“I’m really sorry, Vachlan. I wanted to see you both surprised by the good news someday. I know how badly she wanted it, and the bridge was close to completion. I thought things were stable, and I just wanted to make my sister happy. To top it all off, for some strange reason, I had just begun to trust you again.”
Vachlan’s head hung forward, his chin resting flat against his chest. His fingers still dug into his hair miserably. “That implies that you trusted me before,” he muttered.
“Oh, I never meant to imply that,” Sionna corrected quickly, gesturing at her injury. “Excuse my imprecise vocabulary due to the recent brain damage. Now, speaking of the bump on my head, I have conclusive evidence about whether our mystery woman is actually Aazuria Vellamo. Do you want to know? I collected a sample of her DNA—”
“Stop,” Vachlan said softly. “It doesn’t matter what you’re about to say. I still have to take Visola out of Adlivun. It’s better I do so while innocent of the truth, so that she doesn’t kill me for withholding information from her.”
Sionna nodded, sighing gratefully. “That’s exactly what I hoped you’d say. We all need to get to safety. There’s no room for error here. Trevain’s health has taken a serious turn for the worse…”
“I don’t think I can handle hearing about that either,” Vachlan said quietly.
“That’s funny,” Sionna responded, “because you’re the only one clear-headed and emotionless enough for me to even consider telling. It’s bad, Vachlan. I need you to convince everyone to evacuate Adlivun before the situation gets dangerous.”
“Not an impossible task, sister-in-law. Only just over a million people—if you include the new population on the Diomede Islands.” He crossed his massive arms, tapping his fingers against his biceps. “I intended to make them run anyway; at least the ones closest to us. My biggest challenge will be convincing my wife to forgo her ancient, stalwart loyalties. Any suggestions?”
“You’re asking me?” Sionna scoffed. “I have never been able to convince Viso to do anything. You’re the only one who can manage that. I am positive that she wrestled my first drops of milk away from my infant mouth, and hogged all the space inside the womb; she probably spent a great deal of time kicking me in the face before either of us were born.”
Vachlan chuckled at this rather accurate portrayal. He could plainly see that under Sionna’s aloofness, she loved her sister as much as he did. He had always admired the friendship and devotion between Adluvian women; he had never come across it anywhere else in the world. That is why he did feel a small pinch of loss for abandoning the proud nation to save his own skin. “The last time I wanted to force Visola to do what I wanted, I just threatened your life. It was easy. But I don’t think that will work again; she will call my bluff this time.”
“You weren’t bluffing last time,” she reminded him dryly. “That was unpleasant.”
“Really? I thought that I was a rather hospitable captor. I usually don’t receive complaints.” The ponytailed man began to pace. “I am in dire need of ideas. Visola is not an easy person to manipulate.”
“You can manipulate anyone, Vachlan.”
“I have never been able to manipulate you into a threesome,” Vachlan remarked.
“That’s because I despise you.”
Vachlan lifted an imposing black eyebrow. “I’m beginning to think you despise all men, Sio.”
“Mainly the ones who chain me up and hold me for ransom.”
“Understandable. How I wish you would let bygones be bygones! Anyway, let me rephrase what I previously said; it weighs heavily on my soul to manipulate Visola.”
“You have a soul?” Sionna asked.
“Huh, good question. Let me check.” Vachlan paused and looked around thoughtfully for a moment as if searching for a set of misplaced keys. He shoved both of his hands into his pockets and fished around with mild irritation. “I don’t think so,” he concluded. “It was probably just a figure of speech.”
“Visola said that if the woman on the bridge proved to be Queen Aazuria, she would lead this country into war. Believe me when I say that my sister does not joke around about things like that. Please, Vachlan. Find a way to stop her. Use any trick you have.”
“Sure thing,” he responded, suddenly serious. “Aazuria or not, one woman can’t prevent the inevitable. Not at this point.”
“I know,” Sionna said, turning to leave the room. “Don’t fuck this up, Vachlan.”
Chapter 13: What Matters Beneath
Returning to the refuge of Gypsum Cavern with her stolen weapons, Aazuria politely declined offers from the Sisters of Sedna to pamper her with massages. If her mind had not been reeling, and if her heart had not been threatening to throb clean out of her chest, she might have gratefully accepted a foot rub. It might have also been soothing to take off the infernal wig and have her hair brushed, but these were all luxuries she had learned to live without. More than anything, she needed to see her daughter. Swimming through the eclectic crystalline structure to the chamber that Melusina had given to them, she saw that her daughter was fast asleep, floating on her back a few inches above the bed.
Aazuria knelt beside the bed, putting her elbows on the corner of the soft mattress. She let her face fall forward into her hands. She inhaled slowly and deeply through her nose, letting the warm water swirl around in her sinuses in a manner that was usually comforting. This time, it was not.
Varia stirred awake from the movement in the water near her, and turned to sleepily observe her mother. She was immediately startled and worried when she saw Aazuria’s posture. She feared that something worse than the death of Bain had happened; but how could anything be worse than that? Varia reached out to put her small arms around her mother’s neck in an attempt to console her. She was startled when she felt the older woman hugging back desperately, her chest shaking with sobs. Aazuria cradled her daughter against her as if she was about to say goodbye forever.
Of all the possible horrible things that Varia could imagine, this was easily the most frightening. The young girl pulled away from her distraught mother, studying her face carefully to seek understanding. Aazuria’s black hair and black eyes were foreign to Varia, but she could peer beneath the disguise to see the woman she had loved and trusted for her entire existence. She had never seen the poised ex-queen break down like this; not since she had nearly died when she was five years old. She hoped that someone else had not died. She could not bear to hear more such news. Lifting her hands tensely, she considered asking why her mother was upset, but she was too afraid to know.
“I am sorry, Varia,” Aazuria signed erratically. “I am so sorry.”
“What is wrong, Mother?”
“Melusina is right. The real reasons behind my actions were selfish. I wanted to keep you to myself, my own special, secret treasure. We were alone together for so long—I was terrified that the world would find a way to tear us apart. It has a way of doing th
at.”
“I’m scared too, Mama. I don’t like it here.”
“That’s my fault, darling.”
“No,” Varia signed. “There are too many people and too many bad things happening. I can’t stop thinking about poor Glais. He was so sad, Mama. I hope they take care of him and love him at the palace.”
“They will. Things will be better for him there. And for you too.”
Varia pulled away with a frantic look in her eyes, shaking her head forcefully in the water. “No! I don’t want to leave you.”
“Something happened today, darling. I remembered truths I had pushed far from my thoughts. I love your father. I was unsure of the extent to which I loved him until I saw him lying there, unwell. I wanted to help him, and make him feel better somehow. And I knew that the most precious thing I could possibly give him was you.”
“I don’t want to be given,” Varia responded in terror. “I do not even know him.”
“But you should have the chance to know him, while you still can. Our lives are brief, and we must make the best of them. I understand now what matters beneath our petty, personal conflicts. Blood matters, and I can’t conceal you anymore. I need to stop being selfish.”
“You are never selfish, Mother!” Varia said angrily. “You care about Adlivun more than anything, and you always act with the nation’s best interests in mind.”
“That is not true, dear,” Aazuria said, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s white hair. “On my list of priorities, I hold you far above this nation. So, if I listen to Mother Melusina, and trust you to your father’s care, perhaps I can truly devote myself to making Adlivun a better place for everyone. Do you understand this, Varia?”
The young girl nodded nervously.
“You are Princess Clavaria Vellamo of Adlivun. Your father chose to name you after the violet coral. He wanted you more than anything. He loved you long before you were born; we used to talk about you and imagine you. And perhaps being abducted was out of my control, but these last few months were in my control, and I have done wrong. I have been very mistaken to keep you away from him, and I hope it is not too late to rectify my errors.” Aazuria closed her eyes, lowering her hands. Saying all of these words had exhausted her. “Sedna, please let him be well,” she whispered out loud into the water.
“I won’t go!” Varia said suddenly, with hand motions so swift and firm that Aazuria could feel the waves stirring against her face. “I don’t know how you plan to get me into the palace without revealing your identity, but that’s not the place for me. I belong with you, and even if I am a princess, especially if I am a princess, I should be helping my mother to make our country better. I can learn more from being with you than I can in Upper Adlivun.”
Aazuria had been anticipating the young girl’s refusal, and she smiled lightly. “But you will be helping me, Varia. You have a duty too—I was entrusted to care for Glais, and I swore you to be his blood sister. You promised you would help take of him, and while I cannot, that will be your job. Glais just lost his dad, and he could use a loyal friend. That will be your job, okay?”
Varia slowly nodded, feeling the weight of duty and guilt for the first time. She did want to make sure that Glais was doing well.
“While you are there, you must learn everything you can. I have heard that Glais is a skilled fighter, but I imagine you might be better. You should test your mettle against him.”
“Mother, it will not be forever, right?” Varia asked uneasily. “You won’t leave me at the palace with the royals forever; you’ll come get me soon, once you are finished what you need to do?”
“I will,” Aazuria said, kissing her daughter’s forehead. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her engagement ring, along with the handful of jewelry she had stolen from her own bedroom. Varia’s eyes went wide at the sight of the riches, having never beheld such finery. Aazuria untangled a golden necklace from the other trinkets, slipping the Ramaris ring onto the chain. She reached out and fastened the chain around Varia’s neck, before gently removing the girl’s white hair from where it had been caught beneath the necklace. “This was the ring your father gave me. It belonged to his mother. The chain belonged to my mother. Wear this under your clothes and always remember that you come from a family of brave, kind souls who would have loved you unconditionally if they had been able. Adluvians believe that the souls of those we have lost surround us in the sea, and we inhale their wisdom with every breath. You will always carry the strength of your ancestors in your body, protecting you and guiding you on your path.”
Varia reached up to touch the ring gingerly, admiring the diamond in the darkness. It was surrounded by intricate golden tridents. She was grateful that the submerged room was concealing her tears. “I just want to stay with you, Mama,” she said softly, too crushed to use sign language.
Reading her lips, Aazuria reached out to gather the girl up in her arms, hugging her tightly. It was unfair, she knew, that Varia should need to be an adult and deal with such loss and responsibility at the tender age of eight. But she knew that her daughter was strong and brave enough to persevere.
“General Ramaris, this sounds like a suicide mission,” Major Mardöll said plainly.
Visola sighed, stretching her neck to the side slowly. “Isn’t it always?”
“There should be an easier way,” Lieutenant Namaka said, crossing her tanned arms over her chest. “We just need to sleep on it. Such drastic action can’t be taken lightly.”
“Says the woman who betrayed my every move to my enemy for dozens of years?” Visola shot back. “I will decide just what the fuck is considered drastic around here! Excuse my language, Glais.”
The boy nodded quietly, staring at the army officials with wide eyes. He was startled by a noise, and turned his head to see the doors of the armory shoot open. As if on cue, Vachlan marched into the room briskly. A woman followed behind him with white hair and blue eyes, and a stern look on her face. Visola sharply examined her husband and the guest, her eyes darting from one to the other in a predatory fashion. Her face displayed shock for a moment as her eyes settled on the white-haired stranger.
“At your request, Visola,” Vachlan said quietly, “I have sought out the woman calling herself ‘The Sapphire.’”
Visola inhaled sharply as she stared at the familiar features. She blinked a few times before squinting. “You are the woman who stirred up all that trouble on the bridge?”
“Yes, Visola.” The woman took a few steps forward, smiling. “I am Queen Aazuria Vellamo, rightful ruler of Adlivun. I have come home to claim my throne.”
Staring blankly for several seconds, Visola shook her head. “Wow. Just wow.”
“Will you not embrace me, my good friend?” the white-haired woman spoke.
Visola reached to her side and pulled a short sword from her sheath instead. “I’m sorry. You can’t just dump a bottle of peroxide on your head and call yourself Queen Aazuria, bitch.”
“So she’s an imposter?” Vachlan asked, reaching forward to grab the woman by the hair.
“Damn straight she is,” Visola said. “I guess she could be a pretty convincing lookalike to anyone who didn’t spend every minute of the day beside Aazuria for over five hundred years.” Tightening her grip on the sword in her hand, Visola suddenly felt tears pricking the back of her eyes at the realization that it had all been a lie.
“Do you really not recognize me?” the white-haired woman said with a frown, pushing Vachlan’s rough hands away from her hair. “I have been gone for a very long time, so maybe you don’t remember…”
Visola glanced at her army officials, rolling her eyes and pushing her emotions away. “Ladies, will you excuse me for a moment while I kill that charlatan? No one disgraces the memory of my best friend like this and lives to talk about it.”
“Sure,” Namaka said with a careless shrug.
“Are you sure you want to do that in front of the boy, General?” Major Mardöll asked uncomf
ortably. “I’m not sure what kind of message it will send to your newly-adopted 12-year-old if he sees you kill someone in cold blood a few days after being in your custody.”
“I think it would send the message that we don’t tolerate disrespect in Adlivun. Also, it will demonstrate that I do not make false promises. I am just honoring my words. I promised to kill anyone who pretended falsely to be Aazuria, and so I will.” Visola began walking towards the woman hungrily, rotating her sword in her fist.
Glais hesitated. “Miss Visola, wait. That woman…”
“Yes?”
“Nothing. Never mind,” Glais muttered. He was slightly confused by what was happening.
“Wait, is she serious?” the white-haired woman said in surprise, turning to Vachlan. “She isn’t actually going to—”
“Shut up,” Vachlan said angrily, before addressing his wife. “Visola, dear. I think Mardöll may have a point. Let me take care of this con-artist elsewhere. Glais doesn’t have to see it.”
Visola paused. She turned to Glais and observed his wide, innocent amber eyes. “Fine. You can do it, V. Just promise me that she’ll suffer.”
“Of course she will, V. Just don’t forget the promise you made to me.” Vachlan stared forward unblinkingly as he yanked on the woman’s white hair. “Since this fraud is not actually Aazuria, you’re calling off your battle plans? We’re retreating like mortal creatures with brains should in this situation?”
“Yes,” Visola said reluctantly. “We’re retreating.”
“Excellent,” Vachlan said as he began dragging the imposter out of the room by her hair. The woman screamed and protested desperately.
“Thank you, Uncle Vachlan!” Namaka called out after her mentor. She sighed gratefully. “Thank Sedna for that man’s logic.”
“Are you implying that I’m illogical?” Visola demanded.
“No, I’m saying it directly,” Namaka said with a grin.
Sacred Breath Series (Books 1-4) Page 97
