by A D Lombardo
There it was. Robert had not asked him to leave, but he did not intend on harboring him. “Why are you helping me?” He looked to Robert for answers. “You were my father’s best friend, years ago, when he had friends. You should hate me, like so many others. Do you believe I murdered my father?”
Robert gulped, confirming that coming here was a mistake. He should not have involved the Henleys in his tragedy. Robert would be the last person to help him. He needed to leave. Before Kai could go, Robert touched his shoulder. “Why did you come here? What did you expect? I have only the news from Diu to believe, in addition to months of you lying to my son. Drew told me he was there when they sentenced you. You did not deny the charges. He said you were a broken man. Do you have anything to say?”
Images of his father and the blade flashed in Kai’s mind. Guilt twisted his insides. There were chances to avoid this fate, yet at every turn, Kai all but ran to his father’s bedside, blade in hand. Lucca, Sabastian, even Riome had warned him—but on some level, he thought he knew better. He thought that Alenga’s vision meant he could stop what was coming. A lump clogged Kai’s throat. “I am innocent,” he insisted. “I am not sure how to prove it, but I must try. If only I could find Iver’s body.”
Robert’s face contorted. “How will returning Iver support your case?”
“Whoever has Iver must know something. As they said, I was not alone in the King’s chamber. I only saw Nola and my father, but I did hear another person tell me to run. I believe Keegan was there, too. He broke me out of prison. The only explanation I have is he was there and knows the truth. Or one of his people know. Either way, I need to find Iver’s body and the person who was in that room.”
“Keegan? The man who attacked Diu and possibly Port Anahita?” Robert looked confused. “Why would he care about rescuing you from prison?”
The truth was a closely guarded secret, but he had to be honest. “Only a few know the truth,” Kai explained. “Keegan is my real father. My father—Iver, admitted it to me and the Master General years ago. When Iver married my mother, he knew she was pregnant. Iver promised to raise me as his own to hide me from Keegan.”
The room fell silent, and both contemplated the implications. Robert’s softened expression gave Kai hope he had made a dent. Maybe he stood a chance of convincing the others. There was more to Iver’s death than anyone knew.
Then something occurred to him. He thought back to his trial and tried to recall the faces in the crowd. “You mentioned Drew was in Diu during my sentencing. I do not remember seeing him.”
“Well, you were severely beaten, according to Drew. Your eyes were swollen shut, little more than a slit. Not sure you saw much of anything.” Robert studied Kai’s face and body. “Come to think of it, considering this was two days ago, you look unscathed for a man beaten half to death.”
There was no real explanation, at least not one Robert would believe. “Keegan has healers,” Kai was all he said. The lie tasted bitter in his mouth; one he could not bring himself to finish. He began to feel like a caged animal. “Can we get some air?”
Robert searched the hallway while Kai waited alone. Thoughts of betrayal made him hold his breath. When the door swung open, Robert motioned for him to follow. They moved down the corridor to the spiral wooden staircase. Robert paused only a moment before descending, ensuring they continued without detection. Kai took the coat Robert offered. Out a small door, Robert led him into a simple garden.
The crisp air kissed Kai’s face. His footprints were the first to leave their mark in the undisturbed snow. “Thank you, Robert.” His breath floated away on the breeze. “Where is Drew, if I may ask? I was hoping to speak with him.”
The request seemed harmless, but Robert’s expression held more concern than Kai thought possible. Drew was his oldest friend; they were nearly brothers. Robert whipped his head to the stables. Kai followed the uneasiness and watched for movement.
“My son went to Diu to deliver the city taxes. I am expecting him and his men home later this evening.”
The worried expression on his friend sent a sense of dread down Kai’s spine. “Forgive me for saying, but every time I mention Drew, you react like there is something I should fear. What should I know?”
A flurry of snow blew between them. Robert remained silent. Kai did not want to be the cause of tension. “I should leave. I came here to tell Drew that I did not murder Iver. I wanted his help proving my case, but I will not set you at odds with your son.”
“You must understand that my son loved being in service to Diu. He dedicated his entire life to the Galloway family, to you, and now that is over. I do not know what I believe. I know what I hope, but the truth has yet to come to light. If there is a way to prove your story, you must find it. Please do not ask my son to follow you on this path.”
“Who are you speaking to, father?” Drew stepped into the garden and caught sight of Kai standing in the shadow of a large tree. Anger flared Drew’s nostrils and narrowed his focus.
The depths of his friend’s rage pulled Kai back a step. “Before you overreact . . .”
Drew’s reaction was swift and unyielding as his unsheathed sword flew into action without warning. Kai ducked away from the strike and slid behind the tree. He had no weapon to defend himself, only his speed. “Please, Drew! Let me explain.” He could see the layers of anger and disbelief resting on his friend’s shoulders; he would not yield.
“I am a Diu Captain, or at least I was before you took that from me!” Drew swung his sword again this time nearly catching Kai in the chin.
Darting around the snow-covered garden to avoid his friend’s sword, Kai begged. “Listen to me, please. I need your help.”
“How dare you come here after what you did,” Drew spat. “Why would I help you? You lied to me, to everyone. You are a traitor and a murderer. Do you deny it?”
Drew stepped through the snow closer to Kai.
Robert followed and grabbed his son’s arm. “Please, Drew, before you make a mistake, hear Prince Kai out. Then we can call the guards.”
“Do not call him a prince!” Anger boiled behind Drew’s eyes. “He does not deserve the title. How could you kill Iver? That man loved you. I loved you like a brother.”
The anguish on his friend’s face bore a hole through Kai’s heart. As painful as it was, he explained everything that happen, sparing no detail, starting with the night Riome hypnotized him and learned Nola had brainwashed him into killing Iver. He explained how he slipped into his father’s room through a secret passage accessible from the music room on the floor below. Explained how Nola slid the blade into his hand and guided it into Iver’s chest. He told everything he could remember.
Drew stopped Kai before he could continue. “Lies. I do not believe you.”
Kai wanted to explain further but Drew pulled away from Robert. “I was there two days ago.” Drew narrowed his gaze. “You were barely recognizable. There was a deep gash in your cheek. I saw when Seth hit your ribs, and you doubled in pain, I am guessing from a broken rib maybe two. None of those wounds would heal in two days.”
“Healers,” Kai confessed. “Keegan has special herbs…”
Anger swept over Drew’s face. “Are you making fun of me? Do you think I am foolish? Father, call the guards. I will watch Kai, make sure he does not escape.” Drew pointed to the door as he unsheathed his sword once more.
Kai stepped closer, frantic to convince his friend. “Were you willing to believe any of what I said?”
“I do not believe the Queen tried to kill the King,” Drew said bluntly. “I cannot believe she cast a spell on you; there is no such thing. Her dedication to him over the time while you were away showed real strength and loyalty. She weeps for her lost husband. Father, go, do not stop until you reach the stables. My men should be finishing up. Bring them here.”
Robert left as his son instructed. Drew stared at Kai. Clumps of snowflakes began to fall, and Kai drew on the magic around him. Ther
e was little time to concern himself with any Katori who might notice a power shift. He needed strength now more than ever. Although Drew deserved the truth, Kai held up his hands. “I am not making you out to be a fool, Drew. I only need time to prove my innocence.”
Given the small space they shared in the garden, there was little room to avoid Drew’s blade. They circled as if sizing each other up for battle, only Kai had no weapon, and Drew’s massive shoulders left little doubt who was the bigger man.
Drew cocked his head as if ready to strike. “Why did you do it? Why should I believe anything you say? You are no prince; you said so yourself.”
The truth was a lot to process, and Kai could tell his friend was stalling. If Robert was coming with the guards, he needed to flee. “Do what? Kill Iver? I told you, I did not do this. You must believe me, please. I am still the man you knew. We were friends once. Queen Nola is behind all of this.”
“Enough lies!” Drew shouted. “I cannot let our past cloud my loyalty. You once saved my life, but I will not help you break the law. Friends or not, I must do the right thing. You must accept Diu’s judgment. You have lied too many times, Kai.”
More snow fell, soaking Kai’s head and collecting on his shoulders. “Even if I am innocent?” he implored his friend. “If I go back with you, they will hang me without searching for Iver’s body, or the person who was in the room that night with me and Nola. Please, I need time! Give me at least two days,” he pleaded, hearing voices clamoring around the front of the house.
They both knew it was now or never. Kai wanted to believe his friend would help him, give him the benefit of the doubt, but the trust was no longer there. Even as the words escaped his friend’s mouth, Kai knew he had wasted too much time.
“Do not run, Kai—you must not run,” Drew begged, looking back for the oncoming guards and then back at Kai. “Running proves you are guilty.”
Robert and Drew were his last hope in Diu. Sadness sank into Kai’s chest as he stepped backward, pressing his back into the tall cypress hedge. “I am not running. I am searching for the truth, and right now, I am the only one who cares about the truth.” Power seeped into Kai’s core, and renewed strength permeated his body. “Have faith in me, Drew. I did not kill Iver, and I will of my own free will return to Diu. Two days from now, meet me on the bridge over Stone River, the long bridge below the rock dam around Baden Lake’s south rim. I promised Dresnor I would turn myself in. Roark is sailing with his soldiers to Diu. Bring your men, and I will be there, with or without Iver. Remember, in two days.”
Then he threw himself backward and crashed through the hedge into another part of the garden. Drew gave chase. But as they both knew, Kai was quicker. Kai slipped through the estate gate and dashed into an open field. The change in the weather covered the countryside in fresh snow. Lost in the blizzard, he would be impossible to track without help.
With exceptional speed, Kai put distance between himself and the town of Henley. When he reached the forest, he gleaned the manor. Drew had returned to the estate. Hunters were gathering—men in Robert’s employ, men who once saw him as their Prince, trackers capable of finding him in any weather.
The air filled with the sounds of dogs barking. The estate’s hounds surely already had Kai’s scent. Drew would be relentless. If Kai hoped to confuse the hunters, he would need to make for rockier ground. When the time was right, he could become his dragon and take to the skies beyond Drew’s reach.
Chapter 16
Redemption
Kai’s dragon’s shadow soared over a blanket of white storm clouds. Up above the world, he was free. A small part of him wanted to fly away and never stop flying. Yet he was tethered to this world and the people he loved; he could not abandon them.
The tree-covered apex of Thade Mountain came into view. He circled toward Eagle’s Peak and sank beneath the clouds. His feet landed with barely a sound as he transformed moments before his claws scrapped the stony ground. Here the snow fluttered like tiny specs unwilling to land.
Sabastian’s abandoned tree stood as a testament that he was all alone. There was no one left to help him; no one left to believe in him. He did not heed Sabastian’s warning, and now he would pay the price. Would Rayna even stand with him now? He wallowed in his solitude, feeling hopeless.
The sounds of eagles lifted Kai’s eyes to the clouds. Two larger-than-average birds soared out of the storm. Even without the golden tips, Kai knew who they were. His heart skipped a beat. Were they friends or foes? Would Sabastian be any different than Dresnor or Drew? While Sabastian held no love for Diu, he was an honest man.
Sabastian landed first. Next came a white-bellied eagle with dark wings—Kendra transformed in midflight and dropped a few feet in front of Kai. Her eyes welled with tears as she pulled Kai into her arms. Kai felt her pounding heart against his and he melted into the mother’s love he always felt from her. No words passed between them, but the truth of her faith in him poured through her arms, giving him the hope he desperately needed.
When he finally stepped back, he saw her wet cheeks. “You’re alive!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly once more.
He held her and nodded. Tears of his own rolled down his face. She did not accuse or question him, only offered support. “Thank you.”
“How did you escape the dungeons?”
Kai noticed Kendra could not help the stray tear that slipped through her regained composure. “Keegan,” Kai admitted.
“I knew Seth did not help you, no more than he helped me. Nola put Seth in prison for the thought he betrayed her.”
Her words struck Kai; another person was paying for his choices. “Poor Seth,” he mumbled under his breath. “Please do not lecture me.” Kai felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. “I know I made mistakes, but I only did what I thought was best. Right now, I need to find Rayna, explain what happened, why I left her with Benmar. Then I will find Iver’s body and return to answer for my crimes. Kendra, I am innocent. I did not kill Iver, but without his body or the person who took him, I cannot prove anything.”
“I know everyone else has abandoned you, Kai.” Kendra glanced at Sabastian, then back to him. “But I am not sure how we can help. You do not have time to find Iver’s body and save Rayna. She is no longer with your grandfather.”
Sabastian interrupted. “She is as stubborn as you. In her attempt to follow you, she traveled to Chenowith; however, by the time she arrived, news of Iver’s murder had already reached them, followed by the news of your escape.”
Kai’s confused expression must have been evident because Sabastian explained further. “After your skirmish at Davi’s camp, I went to Katori to tell the Elders you were now traveling to Diu with your men. The Elders thought it best to begin bringing home the Katori outsiders.”
The phrase “your men” struck Kai. Could his friend really believe he supported Diu over Katori? Had he made a choice yet? No, he did not know to which life he belonged. “So that is how Lucca learned I was in Diu. He asked me to stay, but I was too angry to listen. I was sure my mission was to save Iver and change fate. So, how do you know Lord Chenowith has Rayna?”
“After you ran off to Diu, I begged Lucca to help you,” Sabastian continued. “I had hoped we would venture to Diu and bring you home before something went wrong. He said no, you were free to make your own decisions. So, I traveled to Chenowith to ponder my options.”
“Drink is more like it,” Kendra chided.
Sabastian folded his arms over his chest. “While I was there, I learned about what you had done and that Kendra was also in prison. By the time I was able to travel, another day had passed.”
Kendra put her hand on Kai’s shoulder. “Dante ordered every cell emptied, hoping to find you. Prisoners were herded into the prison courtyard as they searched. In the chaos, I escaped through the tunnels; I know the palace better than anyone. I wanted to find you myself, so I combed the streets, and that’s when I overheard a
guard.” Her hand touched her heart, and Kai saw real fear in her eyes. “Lord Chenowith sent word to Diu that he had Rayna. I am guessing Rayna is to serve as bait to lure you out.”
Sabastian acknowledged the story. “We saw the Dragaron set sail this afternoon. They will be swift to Chenowith and back. You can be sure that by dawn tomorrow, Rayna will be thrown into the palace prison. Alenga helps us . . .”
The words crushed Kai’s spirit; another mistake that would be his fault. He broke his promise by leaving her behind. Guilt was a powerful force, and it began to eat away at him.
You are too late. You will lose everyone you love . . .
With less than two full days left before he promised to return to Diu, Kai stood on Eagle’s Peak. So much had transpired in this spot. His life changed forever when he saw his first two Beastmaster transformations and learned that Haygan was his uncle. Now tonight, he would make another life-altering decision—save Rayna instead of himself.
He would make amends with Rayna, even if it meant he would not have time to search for his father’s body. He could not go to his death knowing in his last moment that he had broken Rayna’s heart. He needed her forgiveness. But first, he needed to save her from his mistakes.
“I will save Rayna,” he declared, “but I need to find her first.” Kai knew memories, like nature itself, held great power. Baden Lake was nearly three hundred miles wide, and he would need immense range if he hoped to pinpoint her location. The love he felt for his mother helped him find her an ocean away, but his love for Rayna was even more powerful. The view of Baden Lake below with the city of Diu in the distance reminded him of all the memories he had with Rayna.
He looked to his friends. “Please lend me your strength to ease the burden of gleaning. I cannot risk being drained right before saving Rayna.”
They gave him a nod.
