Tears began to fall unchecked from her eyes. I have no choice. I have to keep trying to hold this kingdom together, whatever the cost. But Esren is right. I cannot live forever.
The tears flowed freely down her cheeks now as she turned her gaze to the stained glass window above the alcove. It depicted an artist’s vision of the Gods showering their favor on Queen Ilia at the first Choosing. Gods, help me, Miraphina prayed silently. What am I supposed to do now?
Chapter 20
“So the attack was about here?” Kasrian pointed to a spot on the map. He frowned as Autumn nodded. “That doesn’t make any sense. All our intelligence has the main concentration of their mercenaries over here and their actual cultists in the mountains. Why would a few cultists be all the way over here? And why would they just attack you? You’re sure it was just a few of them, they weren’t part of a larger force?”
Autumn nodded again, leaning back in her chair in frustration. “It doesn’t make any sense to me, either,” she signed. “How could they have even known I was there? Maybe they were just passing by, scouting the area?”
“And they just decided to attack a random traveler while they were there? No, they may be insane, but these cultists aren’t stupid. They wouldn’t risk revealing their presence without a good reason. Are you sure you’ve told me everything?”
She hadn’t, of course, but she nodded anyway. Kasrian sighed and sat down in the chair next to hers. “Autumn, you are very good at many things, but lying isn’t one of them. It’s just you and me here, you can be honest. What were you doing out there?”
“She was with me.”
Autumn put her head in her hands as Lyall walked into the room, carefully closing the door behind him. Lyall, you idiot, what do you think you’re doing? She glared up at him, and he stepped over to rest a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s okay, Autumn,” he said. “He was going to figure it out sooner or later. Might as well get it over with. Uncle, Autumn was out there with me last night.”
Kasrian nodded. “I see. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to how you managed to escape, then. Autumn has been rather vague on that point.”
Lyall looked to Autumn for approval. Exasperated, she threw her hands into the air. Fine. Why not? Tell him everything.
The prince sighed. “I’m sorry, Autumn, but he should know. You’ve been dealing with this on your own for far too long. Uncle, Autumn has magic. She killed the leader, and the rest ran.”
“What? Really?” Kasrian’s frustration gave way to surprise. “Autumn, why wouldn’t you tell me about this?”
“Because I was afraid you would send me away,” she signed angrily. “And because I was ashamed. I should have been able to save Nilene, but I couldn’t.” Autumn was crying now, and Lyall reached out to hold her. She swatted his arms away and stood up. Walking over to the table, the young woman stared at the map marking known cultist activity in the realm. She forced back her tears as she glared down at the markings. There were far too many for anyone’s liking.
Kasrian spoke very gently. “Autumn, no one is going to send you anywhere you don’t want to go. On the contrary, I hope you’ll use this talent in the future when we’re dealing with the cult. As for Nilene . . .” he sighed. After five years, her death still hurt. “She was a soldier. She knew the risks she took every time she rode out. Her death wasn’t your fault. I would never blame you for it.”
Autumn turned back to him, wiping the tears from her eyes. She nodded. Kasrian gave a gentle smile. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more extraordinary, you surprise me again.”
He stood. “Well, that answers a few questions. We know the cultists have powerful mages in their ranks. They must have sensed Autumn and gone to investigate. Once they realized that the Crown Prince of Nor was there as well, then . . .” His voice trailed off, then he cleared his throat. A serious expression took over his face. “Which brings me to our other problem. You two do understand that this can’t continue, right?”
Autumn nodded unhappily, still wiping the tears from her eyes. Lyall shook his head. “No, Uncle. I don’t understand anything. I love Autumn. Why do I have to stop seeing her and marry some spoiled noble girl?”
Kasrian’s solemn mask broke as he burst into laughter. Autumn and Lyall looked at him in shock. “Uncle?” Lyall spoke cautiously. “What’s so funny?”
Kasrian kept laughing for a moment, then finally managed to suppress it. “I’m sorry,” he said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes as he kept chuckling. “I couldn’t help myself. You know your father said the exact same thing to your grandmother at your age? Gods, he had a thing for this horrible barmaid. I don’t even remember her name, but he thought he was madly in love with her.” He was still shaking with laughter at the memory. “Fortunately, he was wrong. After Mother talked some sense into him, he broke it off with the barmaid. Then he met your mother, Amelia. She was a very extraordinary woman. It all worked out perfectly, really. My brother was a fortunate man.”
Lyall still looked confused. “That still doesn’t answer my question.”
“You’re right.” Kasrian’s smile started to fade. “Autumn is the closest thing I have to a daughter. She is brilliant, beautiful, talented, and now we know she has even more talents than we thought. She is everything that I could ever hope for you to find in a wife. But you cannot marry her.”
The smile was gone now, replaced with a look of regret. “Lyall, you are the Crown Prince of Nor. With that title comes the responsibility of maintaining peace in our kingdom. As unfortunate and unfair as it is, you have to pick a bride from a noble family. That strengthens the bond between the royalty of Nor and its vassals and allows us to maintain peace for future generations. It is the way it’s been done since the beginning of this kingdom. We must continue to do things this way, even if it comes at the cost of your own personal happiness. Do you understand, Lyall?”
The prince sighed. “I guess. I don’t agree, but I understand.” He looked up to Autumn with a sorrow that pierced her heart. “My lady.” He gave a perfect, courtly bow, then left the room.
Autumn watched him go. Heartbroken, she turned to Kasrian. “Will that be all for tonight, sir?” Her fingers trembled as she signed the words.
Kasrian took her hands in his own. “Autumn, I wasn’t lying before. You have been like a daughter to me. I couldn’t be prouder of you. I’ll understand if you want to leave the castle, perhaps attend the University full time.”
Autumn brushed away fresh tears as she shook her head. “Not yet,” she signed. “Harriet isn’t getting any younger, and she refuses to retire until we find a replacement. Until then, I’m needed here. After that . . .” she shrugged, dropping her hands.
Kasrian nodded. “It’s very kind of you to look after her the way you do. I hope she appreciates it as much as I do.”
Autumn nodded. With a quick bow, she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.
As her footsteps faded into the distance, Kasrian sighed. He walked over to the sideboard, where a bottle of wine sat near several glasses. He uncorked the bottle and began pouring. “Aldwin, would you like a glass?”
When there was no answer, he shook his head and poured a second glass. “I’m too tired for games right now, Brother. Just come out.”
A panel in the wall of the room slid open, revealing a stone hallway. King Aldwin stepped out, shaking the dust from his clothes as he closed the door to the hidden passage behind him. Kasrian handed him a glass of wine, which he took with a smile. The brothers had enjoyed playing in the passageways as children. As they grew older, Aldwin particularly enjoyed using them to listen to the nobles chatting among themselves. He claimed it made him a better negotiator. Kasrian suspected that the King just liked feeling like a spy in his own court.
Tonight, of course, Kasrian had insisted on meeting with Autumn alone. He and Aldwin had suspected her relationship with Lyall for some time. Kasrian wanted to be sure she would feel comfortable telling th
e whole story. He had expected his brother to lurk in the secret passage, but he hadn’t planned on Lyall’s appearance. Still, it was for the best.
Kasrian watched Aldwin sip the wine. “You heard all that, I presume?”
“I did.” Aldwin sighed as he sat down. “I must say, my son has excellent taste in women. Little Autumn really has turned out to be quite a marvel, hasn’t she? I do wish things could be different for them.”
“As do I. That was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do.”
Aldwin smiled and patted his brother on the shoulder as he sat down. “Well, you did it extremely well. I’m proud of you.”
Kasrian shook his head. “I suppose one of us has to be the voice of reason in this family. What was that barmaid’s name, anyway?”
Aldwin laughed. “Lara. Gods, she was bad, wasn’t she? I have no idea what I ever saw in the woman.” He drained his glass in a single gulp. “At least I know Lyall has far better judgment than I did at his age. He’ll be a fine king when the time comes.”
Kasrian nodded, staring into his glass. Aldwin stood up. “For the record, you would have made a good king, too. Do try to get some sleep.” Aldwin left, leaving his brother alone to stare into his wine with a look of bitter regret on his face.
He sighed. “If this is what being king feels like, then thank the Gods for making me the younger son.” He drained his glass, then went to his own chambers to try to sleep.
Far away in Katrell, Esren rose from his bed. He stretched his arms as he stood. The girl stirred gently in her sleep but did not wake. Esren looked at her and smiled. Her fair skin shone brightly in the pale moonlight, and her bright red hair was like a flame on the black sheets. He briefly wondered what her name was. She was a good find, a prostitute from one of the more unsavory brothels in the city. No one would miss her.
He walked over to his window, looking out over the city in the direction of Nor. Ah, my sweet lady. Where are you tonight? Do you ever think of me as I think of you?
Autumn occupied Esren’s thoughts most of the time these days. Every red-haired girl he found to sate his lust fell far short of his expectations. At least they made useful practice for his art. What’s more, it bothered his Mother. Perhaps I can send her to an early grave with stress. I can only hope.
Quietly, he closed the door to the bedroom and walked into his study. He smiled as he opened the cabinet to reveal the tools of torture that he used to extract the most power possible from his subjects. Soul Magic relied on draining the life force of the victim. A quick death and a few drops of blood would do for most things. For a truly powerful spell, slow death by painful torture was the best option.
I must find a way to reach my Autumn, to show her that I still think of her. But how? Mother’s binding spell keeps me trapped in the city. Every message I try to send is intercepted by her spies.
Esren growled in frustration. His mother’s meddling was becoming tiresome. She hadn’t given him a moment’s peace since the night he tossed Aunt Zara from the window. He could amuse himself by arguing with the council or stealing away red-haired girls, but he couldn’t get to the object of his affection while his mother lived. And despite my best efforts, it looks like she’ll live a good deal longer.
He sighed, perusing his bookshelf for what seemed like the millionth time. It was the most extensive collection of works on the Soul Magic in Katrell. Still, it hadn’t provided him with a way to break his mother’s binding spell. After five years, he was beginning to get discouraged.
Five years. Has it really been so long, sweet lady? It seems like only yesterday that I first tasted your lips. He smiled, lost in the memory. She must have grown since then. He wondered what she looked like now. Even more beautiful, I’d wager. Hair like fire and skin like ivory. Your honey-brown eyes gazing up at me through golden lashes. Your hips and breasts will be round and firm now . . .
He felt his blood surging at the thought of her. Perhaps I’ll go and wake the prostitute for another round. As he walked back toward the bedroom door, he paused, glancing at a letter on his desk. It was an invitation to Prince Lyall’s birthday celebrations next month. He had been preparing to send his regrets when the prostitute had arrived. He picked up the envelope, reading over the invitation again. An idea came to him, and he smiled.
A few minutes later, the prostitute awoke to feel Esren gently kissing her neck. She smiled and tried to turn to him, only to realize she was firmly tied down to the bed. She giggled. “Oh, is this a new game, my lord?”
“Yes, my dear, a new game.” Esren groaned pleasurably as he climbed up on top of her. He dragged the dagger in his hand down her chest gently. “I do hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.”
Her moans of pleasure turned to screams of agony as the night went on until dawn came, and she screamed no more.
As the weeks passed before Prince Lyall’s birthday celebrations, Esren’s plan began to take shape. There would be a tournament in the prince’s honor, held in a field outside the city. Outside the walls, there would be less to defend the people from an attack. Most of the guards would be at the tournament, leaving the castle only lightly garrisoned. Esren couldn’t have asked for a better situation.
If I cannot go to her, perhaps I can still bring her to me. Mother can stop my messengers, but can she stop the shadows?
He had found the answer in one of his books after all. With enough life energy, he could summon shadow beasts. These creatures could take on any form that the summoner wished, and they were as solid and dangerous as any living creature. They could also be controlled from a great distance, so long as the summoner had enough power.
Getting enough power had proved difficult, especially given Esren’s peculiar tastes. However, he had a stroke of luck – a farmer who had come into town to sell his wares had brought his twin daughters along. After dispatching the farmer and disposing of the body, Esren’s bodyguards had brought the red-haired girls to the tower. They were locked securely in a guest room and kept well-fed and drunk enough not to question their situation. Esren was looking forward to several enjoyable days with the girls before he started extracting their energy.
At last, the final piece of the plan fell into place. Esren’s spy in Nor had finally returned with the knowledge that Autumn was still a servant in the castle. So, either she’ll accompany the tournament out to the field, or she’ll stay in the lightly defended castle. Either way, the shadow beasts will be able to find her and bring her back to me where she belongs.
Esren smiled and rang the bell to summon his bodyguards. At his request, the spy had included a current description of Autumn. Just reading it excited him like none of the women he had been with in five years had ever been able to.
A few moments later, his bodyguards arrived. He smiled, congratulating himself again for having the brilliant idea to cut out their tongues. “Bring the girls up, will you? Oh, and I’ll be staying in my chambers for the next few days. Bring up some food, and then make sure we’re not disturbed.”
The guards bowed and left to follow their master’s orders. Esren licked his lips in anticipation as he read over the spy’s description again. Soon, sweet lady. Soon, you’ll be mine.
Chapter 21
The sound of clashing swords was always comforting to Autumn. She looked up from her book to glance at the tournament. Kasrian was winning this round of the melee. The poor young man he was fighting didn’t stand a chance. She looked back down to her book, forcing her attention away from the competition. It had been a month since Kasrian had insisted that her relationship with Lyall come to an end, and she still found it difficult to look at him.
The tournament was being held in honor of Lyall’s twentieth birthday. The prince himself would be competing in several of the events. Albrecht had offered Autumn a place near the royal pavilion with him, but she declined. She wouldn’t have come to the tournament at all, but she knew that Harriet would overwork herself if no one stop
ped her.
Rather than trying to find space within the city for the massive event, the tournament and the surrounding festival had been set up in a field outside the city walls. People had arrived from all over the kingdom to attend. Colorful tents stretched for nearly half a mile in every direction, with the tournament grounds in the center. Autumn would usually have loved to wander the market stalls and enjoy the crowd, but lately, she found that solitude suited her better.
Autumn sighed. For once, it looked like Harriet had enough help without her. Looks like I worried about nothing. I should just tell her I’m heading back to the castle. I’m not getting any studying done here. She closed her book to do just that when a deafening cheer rose up from the crowd.
Her heart caught in her throat. She swallowed hard and forced back a tear, knowing what she would see even before she raised her eyes to the field. Prince Lyall was riding out onto the field, clad in shining armor and mounted on a magnificent black stallion. He waved to the crowd, smiling graciously. In his other hand, he held a beautiful red rose. Ah, yes. Every noble girl’s favorite tournament tradition. The prince would present the rose to a lady, who would give him her favor to wear for the tournament in return.
Autumn rolled her eyes as she watched the noble ladies in the crowd. They primped and fussed with their hair, quickly trying to look their absolute best. Those nearest the field batted their eyes and looked seductively up at the prince. Lyall made a show of looking at all the ladies, seemingly overwhelmed by the selection of beauty before him. Finally, he smiled and rode close to the stands near the royal pavilion.
Despite herself, Autumn craned her neck to see who he had chosen. He leaned in towards the stands and held out the rose to Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of the Katrellan ambassador, Selathiel. The seven-year-old girl blushed adorably as she took the rose. Lyall held out his hand expectantly, smiling at her with a hopeful expression. Still blushing, Elizabeth removed a ribbon from her hair and tied it around the prince’s wrist. He beamed and bowed to her from his horse, then rode around the tournament field, proudly showing her favor to the crowd. The crowd applauded, and the ladies swooned at his charming gesture. Autumn smiled. He certainly does play the part well.
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