The Silent Pact

by Genevieve Dickinson

  The book she was reading now was about criminal investigations. She had considered focusing on magical theory, but she was still afraid to tell anyone about her own abilities. She continued to practice magic in private, but by day she concentrated on taking down the Cult of the Black Covenant. She swore that someday they would pay for what they had done to her and to the kingdom.

  Autumn barely managed to read a few sentences before another scantily-clad noblewoman came to fetch a glass of wine. Resigning herself to another sleepless night, she closed the book and poured the wine with a smile that went completely unnoticed by the noblewoman.

  As she poured, Autumn saw Lyall chatting away with another young woman. He really is very good at this. The prince seemed to be everyone’s best friend while never actually saying too much about what was on his mind. He danced and chatted with every young woman in turn, never showing one too much favor. Autumn smiled at his charming laugh, knowing that his princely demeanor was the result of many years of hard work and practice. It seemed so natural that no one else could ever see the difference. Autumn knew better.

  “Yes, that would be an excellent match, wouldn’t it?” King Aldwin’s voice snapped her out of her daydreaming, and she rushed to fetch glasses for the approaching group. “The eldest daughter of the ambassador from Bloodstone is quite a lovely lady. Still, I think we all might be better served if the prince chose one of the ladies from the outlying districts. They’re always worried that we don’t care about their needs. Having one of them in the palace might soothe a few nerves.”

  Autumn handed the King his wine as soon as he reached the table. He smiled as he took it. “Ah, Autumn. Lovely party, isn’t it? I do hope old Harriet doesn’t have you all working too hard looking after the likes of us!” Autumn bowed gracefully as the group of nobles around him laughed. They walked off without waiting to acknowledge any response from her. She was only a servant after all, even if she was one of the King’s favorites.

  The rest of the ball passed in a blur of bright colors and forced laughs. Autumn tried a few more times to steal a moment of study, but she had no luck. They certainly were thirsty tonight, she thought as she finally walked back to her room. Can’t say I blame them. Another party every week. I could use a drink myself.

  As tempting as it was to have a glass of wine and get to bed, there was still a lot of studying to be done. Autumn opened the door of her little room and tossed the book down on her bed. She started to walk to the mirror but looked back to the bed as a flash of color caught her attention.

  She smiled. A beautiful orange lily was sitting on her pillow, along with a note. She picked up the flower and inhaled the sweet scent, before opening the letter and reading. With a last glance at the book, she sighed. I guess it can wait until tomorrow.

  An hour later, Autumn had brushed out her hair, changed into clean clothes, and put on a warm cloak. Dressed and ready, she locked the door to her bedroom and quietly slipped out the window. She headed for the palace stables, where she saddled a horse. Satisfied that she hadn’t been followed, she rode out the back gate to a spot far outside the city walls. Lyall was already waiting for her with a loving smile.

  

  Autumn sighed contentedly as she lay back in Lyall’s arms. It was a beautiful night, the stars shimmering in the sky above. The warm breeze was pleasant against her bare skin. She smiled at the smells of summer that it brought. A firefly settled on her foot, and she let it stay for a moment before sitting up to brush it away.

  Lyall sat up behind her, brushing her hair aside to kiss the back of her neck. She shivered at the sensation, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of his warm breath on her skin. He ran his hands gently down her sides. They were rough and calloused from countless hours of training with the sword, but his touch was gentle. Goosebumps appeared on Autumn’s smooth skin.

  After a moment, he sighed and lay back down on the blanket. “Why do I have to keep dancing with those noblewomen every week? I wish father would just get the hint. I don’t want to marry someone just because it suits his needs.”

  Autumn looked back at him. She didn’t bother to sign what she was thinking. They’d had this conversation so many times that it was becoming routine.

  The pair had been lovers for years, meeting secretly both in and out of the castle. Autumn knew she shouldn’t continue the affair. Every time she went to meet him, she convinced herself that this was the last time. She’d convince herself that she had to break it off now or it would just be harder on both of them. Every time, she would steel her resolve, only to have it crumble as soon as she looked into his beautiful green eyes.

  Sighing in resignation, she laid down beside him on the blanket. She rested her head on his chest as his arms rose to hold her. “I know,” he said. “Father wants me to choose a bride after my twentieth birthday celebrations next month. I’m supposed to make little princes and princesses to ensure that the line of Nor keeps going strong.” He reached up a hand to run his fingers through Autumn’s silken hair. “Why did I have to go and meet the perfect woman when I was ten?”

  Autumn looked up at him reprovingly, and he laughed. “We are absolutely sure that you’re not a princess, right? Or maybe the long-lost cousin of some nobleman or other?” When she rolled her eyes and sat up, he grinned and pulled her back down. He climbed on top of her, pinning her to the blanket. “What’s the hurry, princess? Have to get back to your palace and lounge about, eating sweets and bossing servants around while you choose a gown for the next ball?”

  She grinned up at him playfully as she wrapped her legs around him and flipped him onto his back. He laughed. “Oh, have I offended you, Your Highness? Perhaps I should be punished for such a heinous crime.”

  Autumn smiled and leaned down to kiss him. Oh, well. I guess I’m not going break it off this time, either. Well, it’s been this long. What’s a little while longer?

  Hours passed for the lovers. Finally, they were forced to admit they had to go back. Autumn was sad as she carefully laced up her dress. She didn’t want to go back to the real world, where Lyall was a prince and she was a servant. Not for the first time, she daydreamed about running away with him. She dismissed the thought almost as soon as it appeared. Lyall is King Aldwin’s only son. He has to go back. He has to rule this kingdom someday, no matter where that will leave me.

  Autumn had plans of her own, of course. She already had offers from several organizations to join their ranks once her studies at the University were complete. After Lyall married, she would take a position as far from the city of Nor as possible. It was the smart thing to do. It was the right thing for her, for Lyall, and for Nor. It will also be harder for every day I put it off. Why can’t I just end this now and spare us both the heartbreak?

  “Autumn, do you hear that?”

  Lyall’s voice was calm, but it held an edge of fear. Autumn listened carefully to hear the sound that had startled the prince. Footsteps were approaching through the trees. “Autumn, get out of here. I’ll be right behind you.”

  She shook her head. Lyall didn’t have his sword, and she wasn’t about to leave him alone to face whatever was coming. She stepped up next to him and took his hand. Squeezing it tightly, she tried to pull him toward their horses. He nodded and took a step in that direction. Suddenly, five black-robed figures burst out of the trees. They advanced on the startled lovers menacingly.

  Lyall pushed Autumn in the direction of the horses. “Run!” She ran, hearing his footfalls just behind hers. They were quick, but their attackers were faster. The cultists knocked them to the ground from behind. Two men rushed forward to restrain Lyall. Another two grabbed Autumn’s arms. They were both forced up into a kneeling position, held fast by the surprisingly firm grip of the robed cultists.

  The fifth cultist produced a dagger that Autumn recognized. It, or one exactly like it, had carved the symbol of the Black Covenant into her chest. The cultist advanced on Autumn, dagger in hand.

  She glared up at him
defiantly as he drew near. Next to her, Lyall struggled in vain to escape the grip of the cultists. “No! Leave her alone! I am Crown Prince Lyall of Nor. I’m the one you want, let her go!”

  The cultist hesitated. An evil grin crossed his face as he turned the knife towards his new target. Autumn’s fear was instantly replaced with rage.

  No. You will not hurt him. You’ll never hurt anyone again.

  She focused her anger, hoping desperately that five long years of practice had been worthwhile. The white light began to grow at the edges of her vision, and she released her rage on the cultists holding her.

  The two robed men who held her suddenly released their grip. They both fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Free of her captors, Autumn reached out a hand and grabbed the knife-wielding cultist by the throat. She called up the energy from within but hesitated when she saw the fear on his face. Is this worth another death?

  The cultist took advantage of her momentary distraction to lash out with the dagger. His aim was poor, and he barely managed to slash her arm. The brief moment of pain was enough to make up Autumn’s mind. Her grip on his throat tightened, and the cultist screamed as the fire within him began to burn through his skin. Within moments, his charred corpse crumbled to a smoking pile of ash. Autumn nodded in grim satisfaction.

  The other cultists were stunned. The two who had been restraining Autumn had recovered from her initial attack and looked to the other two for direction. Autumn turned her gaze to them, her eyes still filled with pure hatred. All four cultists ran into the woods, tripping over their robes in their haste to flee the unexpected danger. She watched them run. When she was sure they would not return, she relaxed her stance.

  “What in the name of the Gods was that?”

  Autumn flinched at the sound of Lyall’s voice. He sounded angry and confused. She turned slowly, trying to think of how to respond. When she looked up to him, he was looking at the spot where the cultists had disappeared into the trees. “I don’t understand. Why would they just attack us like that? They’ve been so quiet lately. There’s been almost no activity for a year. What are they even doing this close to the city?”

  He turned to Autumn. His eyes caught the gash on her arm, and a concerned frown appeared on his face. “That looks pretty deep. I think I have some bandages. Come on, let’s get back to the horses so we can take care of it.” He reached out for her hand, looking into her eyes.

  Autumn was very confused. Slowly, she signed “Aren’t you going to ask about what I just did here?”

  Lyall blinked at her as though he didn’t understand the question. “What you just did here was save my life. Again. You’re really making a habit of that.” He looked at the pile of ashes that used to be a cultist. “As for how you did it, that was magic, right?” Autumn nodded, and Lyall shrugged. “Why didn’t you tell me you could do that?”

  “I wanted to,” she signed. “But I was afraid of how you would react.”

  Lyall put his hands on her waist and pulled her close, kissing her gently. Autumn smiled when he pulled away, and he smiled back. “There, now you know how I’ll react. I love you, Autumn. Nothing can change that.” He looked again at her arm. “Now come on. I really need to get that arm taken care of, and then we have to get back to the castle. Kasrian needs to know about this.”

  Still smiling, she followed him back to the horses. After he bandaged her arm, they rode back to the castle as fast as the horses could carry them.

  Chapter 19

  “Your Majesty?”

  Miraphina looked up from her book. The messenger stood nervously at the door to her chambers. “Yes? What is it?”

  The young man shuffled back and forth in obvious discomfort. “Your Majesty, there’s been another incident.”

  The Queen sighed. “Where?”

  “In the Chosen’s chambers. You asked me to inform you first, but his bodyguards were already-”

  “Thank you. That will be all.” Miraphina stood. “Not a word to anyone, you understand?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.” The young messenger hurried off. Miraphina waited until she couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore before she walked out the door. Struggling to remain calm, she descended the stairs of the Royal Tower to her son’s chambers.

  Esren’s behavior grew more disturbing every day. It was becoming harder to cover up his perversions, but Miraphina did everything she could. He is the Chosen, and I must respect the law of my kingdom. No matter how much it hurts, the Choosing is the will of the Gods.

  As she reached Esren’s chambers, she stepped aside to allow her son’s bodyguards to exit. One of them carried a body wrapped in a blood-soaked sheet. Miraphina caught a glimpse of the unfortunate girl’s red hair before she looked away. She supposed she should be angry or disgusted, but this was the third girl this month. After five years, she was simply numb.

  Esren was lounging on the sofa in his room as she entered, flipping through the pages of a book. Miraphina walked up to him. “So, who was she?”

  “I think she said she was a butcher’s daughter. I wasn’t really paying attention.” He didn’t look up as he spoke, his eyes focused entirely on the book he was reading.

  “I see. Well, at least you managed to keep the room clean this time.” She sat down on the sofa next to him. “Esren, how much longer is this going to go on?”

  He looked up at her. “Until you die. Then I can finally do what I want without you interfering all the time.” He stood up, setting the book aside as he walked to his table. “Would you care for a glass of wine?”

  Miraphina gave a sarcastic smile. “And have you try to poison me again? No thank you.”

  He shrugged. “Suit yourself. You know that the magic of the Choosing prevents me from killing you. Besides, I’m hurt that you would think me so unoriginal as to try the same trick twice.” He poured a glass for himself and sipped at it thoughtfully. “Would you care to hear about the spells I learned by draining that girl’s life? Oh, right, of course. That’s forbidden magic. You wouldn’t be interested in anything like that.”

  Esren chuckled at his mother’s glare. “You know, Mother, the solution to your problem is so painfully obvious. Just kill me. Toss me right out that window, right now. We both know you have the power to do it.” He smirked at her as he took another sip of his wine. “Of course, there’s the pesky matter of the Choosing to consider. You see, according to everything we’ve been taught, the Choosing is a measure of the Gods’ favor. So, by that logic, the Gods want me to rule this kingdom. Which means you can’t kill me.” He sipped his wine again. “And since we both know that, you have no real way of stopping me from doing exactly as I please.”

  Miraphina looked away. “At least I know your disgraceful behavior won’t jeopardize our relationship with Nor.”

  Esren scowled. “Yes, your precious binding spell is terribly effective. You must be so proud.” He sat down in a comfortable chair and drained the rest of his glass. “Still, you can’t live forever. Once you’re dead, I can go to Nor and take what’s rightfully mine.” The scowl vanished, replaced again with a mocking smile. “Until then, I’ll just have to make do with what I can find within the city. Now then, Mother, I must ask you to leave. I fear the day’s exertions have left me quite exhausted.”

  Without another word, Miraphina swept out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Instead of going back up to her own chambers, she continued down the stairs. I need to go to the temple. The Gods owe me some answers. Or if not me, they owe them to that poor butcher’s daughter.

  The moon was full that night, illuminating the white streets so brightly that there was no need for lamplight. Miraphina walked purposefully through the city, not stopping to admire its beauty as she might have in years past. The beauty of Katrell no longer held any allure for her. There was only blood and death in her life, brought on by the sick and twisted acts of her own son.

  How could I have let it go so far? Was I so blind, or did he really hide it that
well? She sighed, forcing back the tears gathering behind her eyes. No. Keep calm. You are still the Queen of Katrell.

  At least her binding spell still held. It had been a difficult decision, but Zara’s murder had forced her hand. While she lived, Esren could not leave the walls of the city. She knew that without that magical safeguard, he would go to Nor and work his depraved magic there. All to feed his obsession for the red-haired servant girl he claimed was his by right.

  That poor girl. She was such a kind creature. If Autumn knew how many people have died here . . . Miraphina reached the doors of the temple and paused for a moment at the threshold to gather herself. I know King Aldwin has a soft spot for her, and I know she’s done so much to fight that damned cult. She’s probably saved dozens of lives, and she’ll save hundreds more if she can help bring the cult to an end. Still, is it worth the lives of so many of my people just to protect her?

  She pushed open the heavy doors and breathed in the scent of dried flowers and incense. To her relief, the sanctuary was nearly empty. Only a few priests walked about completing their nightly rituals. There was no music, no whispers or chants. Only beautiful, blessed silence.

  The familiar scent and the silent room were soothing. Bright moonlight flowed through the stained glass windows, adding a soft glow to the candles which were lit throughout the room. Miraphina walked silently to an alcove filled with small candles. A nearby basket held more candles. The Queen knelt down and chose one, dropping a coin as payment. With the whispered word of a spell, it was lit. She placed it in the alcove with the others. Zara, I am so sorry. I should have listened to you. You only ever tried to help me, to help Katrell, and I turned my back on you. My stubbornness got you killed. I will never forgive myself for that.

  She closed her eyes as she knelt in the alcove, her thoughts drifting back to the girl, Autumn. It’s not really her I’m protecting. If Esren were to go to Nor and hurt any one of Aldwin’s subjects, there would be an outcry. His people would rightly demand justice, but how could we give it to them when all our laws say that Esren holds the Gods’ favor? There would be war, and countless lives would be lost. All because our Chosen is a psychopath.