Mark of Fate

by K. T. Webb

  “How long has your wife been gone, Theon?” Legacy asked gently.

  “Nero is thirteen this year. He was five when she was taken. Calix was eleven, Rune had just turned nine, and Arkin, my missing son, was seven when he disappeared. They have been gone for about eight years. For a long time, I held out hope that we would see her again, but that hope disappeared completely when you took over as Queen.”

  Legacy furrowed her brow, “What do you mean?”

  “The Makt took them. We were never given any explanation because they did what they wanted and owed no one any answers. I often wondered if I had done something requiring punishment because my wife was rarely away from our home. She dedicated her life to raising our boys and keeping the household running. The idea that she had angered someone enough to be taken into Makt custody is just as preposterous today as it was then,” he released a heavy sigh. “I always hoped she was being held in the dungeon of the castle and would return to us should she be released.”

  The realization hit Legacy; she was not being held prisoner because all prisoners had been questioned and released the day after Junius was slain. Most were not criminals. In fact, many of the people held in the dungeons were only there for committing minor or imagined infractions. The women in the cells were old and had been held captive for most of their lives. Of the men, only a handful were young enough that they had something to return to in Pallisaide. There had been no way any of the women released belonged to that family.

  “I am so sorry. Is there no one who could tell you of her fate?” Legacy felt the pain in his words and wished there was some way to bring him peace.

  Theon shook his head, “If anyone knew anything, they did not tell me. I had a small glimmer of hope for many years, but deep down, I knew she would never come home to us. The older boys were like me, they still held a tiny bit of hope they would see their mother and brother again. When they did not return with the released prisoners, we accepted their death and mourned quietly. Nero is different.”

  Noble had come to sit with Legacy. He laid his head against her chest as she stroked his hair. It was a gesture of familiarity she had not expected him to display. Calix came in to tell Theon he was needed in the kitchen; it was the oldest son who explained why Nero was so upset.

  “Nero blames himself for the loss of our mother and brother. None of us think he is responsible because we know the Makt take what they want and kill anyone or anything that stands in their way,” he paused to glance at the ceiling as though he could see his brother through the wooden slats. “Nero is a good kid. He can do great things if he lets go of the guilt he does not need to carry.”

  Legacy wished there was something she could do to ease the pain of loss felt by so many families like this one. It did no good for her to think of all the terrible acts performed by her father and his militia. Nothing could change the past. The Makt were gone, and it seemed the only ones who wanted to keep it alive were sitting in a cell in the dungeon of her castle. At that moment, Legacy realized there would be no rehabilitation for Emrys. He believed too sincerely in the ideals of absolute power and thoughtless destruction. There would be no hope for him to lead a normal life. In her mind, she saw the future of every infraction he may commit should he be allowed to live amongst the citizens of Pallisaide. He would not hesitate to hurt, steal, or murder should the opportunity present itself. She sighed as she gave Evander’s hand a gentle squeeze.

  Dinner was served soon after Nero returned downstairs. They sat around the table and shared a delicious meal. After they cleaned up, Theon explained that the family had a tradition of sharing a recollection of their mother to keep her memory alive. He insisted they stay to share that moment with his family. Calix went first.

  “I remember her hair always smelled like the fresh lavender soap she made,” he inhaled deeply as though the memory of that scent would waft through the room.

  Rune nodded in appreciation, “I remember how our mother would sing us to sleep each night.”

  “I remember her laughter when we would play together. She had a beautiful laugh,” Nero closed his eyes and smiled at the thought of the hours of laughter they undoubtedly shared.

  Theon spoke through a throat tight with bridled emotion, “I will always remember that she was our greatest treasure.”

  Noble gasped. All eyes focused on the look of complete understanding and awe that washed across his face. It took Legacy a few moments before something about Theon’s words tickled a memory at the back of her mind. The day Theon and his sons came to the castle, Noble was confident he had seen Nero before. He felt he knew the boy even though he had never left the palace. It was impossible. Legacy thought back to the story Noble said his mother told him many times about a family with four sons who could not save their mother from shadow men. Now, Theon had called his wife their greatest treasure.

  “Theon, you said your wife and son have been missing for about eight years?”

  Theon nodded, “Yes, why?”

  Legacy looked at Nero, narrowing her eyes to examine every detail before looking again at her own brother. The first time she saw Nero, she had concluded that he took after his mother. The two older boys shared their father's red hair and freckled skin, but Nero was different. Black hair and porcelain skin framed his piercing blue eyes. From what she had been told about King Junius, Noble also looked like his mother. The similarities between Nero and Noble were so striking now that it seemed ridiculous she had not noticed them before.

  “At the risk of sounding insensitive on such an important day, I think I know what happened to your wife,” Legacy said sympathetically.

  Noble nodded with a face-splitting grin plastered on his features. The others looked at one another before returning their gaze to Legacy. She took that as her cue to continue.

  “Theon, when you left your family each morning, did you tell your sons a secret? Did you remind them that they were your dragons, and you were leaving them to guard their greatest treasure?”

  The four men paled slightly before each of them launched into questions. How had she known? Who told her that? What made her bring that up?

  “Mother sang to me, too. She sang beautiful songs and silly songs. We played together too, but we had to be quiet, so father did not catch us. She told me stories, lots of them. But my favorite was the story of the four dragons.” Noble said so softly they almost did not hear him over the raucous of their questions.

  “Mother?” Theon asked with tears in his eyes. He looked at Legacy for confirmation, and when she nodded back at him, he buried his face in his hands.

  “Could someone explain what is happening here?” Calix demanded.

  “I am sorry I do not know all the details. But I believe your mother was taken by King Junius. He was on a desperate mission to sire a son. He may have had his soldiers take your mother because she already had four sons, and he believed that would guarantee him one as well,” Legacy tried to explain as delicately as possible.

  “You mean to tell us our mother was taken and forced to have a child with that monster?” Rune’s face was so red it reminded Legacy of a sunburn. “What would he have done with our brother?”

  Legacy was immediately reminded of the conversation they had with Noble when he waved at someone in the kitchen. It was entirely possible that the young boy Noble told them about was the missing brother. There were too many unknowns for her to make any guesses and raise their hopes.

  “I cannot say for certain what may have happened to your brother. As for your mother, it is awful to think about, and as I said, I do not have all the details. There are enough similarities between what you have told me and what Noble has told me to make me believe you share a mother.”

  Evander processed in stunned silence through the entire exchange. When his mouth caught up to his mind, he muttered, “Noble will be turning eight in the coming year. The timeline fits.”

  “My poor wife. The things she must have endured in t
hat castle. She would have done anything to save her sons. When our son followed her, one of the villagers saw the Makt soldiers pick him up and toss him into the wagon. By taking one of my boys, the king practically guaranteed her cooperation. If he forced her to carry another child, it would not matter to her where the baby came from. Noble would have been as much a part of her heart as my own sons,” Theon looked at the little boy then again at his own children. “I think what you are suggesting is very possible.”

  “There is one thing I kept to myself about my mother, Legacy,” Noble admitted. “I know you wanted to know everything, but this seemed safer in my own mind than anywhere else. It might be able to tell us all the truth,” Noble gave his sister an apologetic smile. “My mother told me that names have meanings deeper than we can imagine. She whispered her name to me every night and had me whisper it back. I have kept her name to myself because it felt special. I think now I should say it out loud.”

  Legacy leaned over and gently kissed the crown of Noble’s head. He was wise beyond his years, but he was still only a child. Renata had told her this was likely a result of his connection to the Shadow Mages. The only way to explain how he knew and understood such complex concepts is that the knowledge and experience of the Shadow Mages had affected him.

  He was the product of a father who would never love him and a mother who had left her heart with the family who would never see her again. Noble had not known love in the way a child should, he had not been nurtured in the way a child should. His time with his mother had been limited, but now he was learning the truth about the incredible woman who accepted her fate to protect her sons.

  “My mother’s name was Daenera.”

  Legacy could not have predicted the reactions she witnessed around the table. This family had been through so much heartache in the wake of their mother’s abduction. Every day they hoped they would see her again, and every day they were let down. Now, their reactions showed they were presented with a horrible truth—their mother had been forced to be with a terrible man to produce the child he thought would be King.

  They could have reacted in anger or disgust. Theon would undoubtedly have the right to hate the child who came from his wife’s relations with another man. Instead of expressing their rage, they embraced Noble with open arms. He was a link to the treasure they had lost. Noble was all that was left of a woman who lived and died for her family.

  The sound of urgent pounding on her bedroom door jolted Legacy from a much-needed peaceful dream. She hastened to answer, wondering what could be so crucial at that hour. Her mind instantly jumped to Honor; what if something had happened to her while she traveled Alderwood? No. Legacy felt confident she would know if her sister was injured or dead. Something else must have brought someone to her door in the middle of the night. She opened the door with her robe wrapped around her shoulders. A guard stood at the door with a panicked expression.

  “I am so sorry to wake you, Your Majesty, but I felt it could not wait. Emrys has escaped.”

  Legacy felt the blood drain from her face. After they returned to the castle from sharing dinner with Theon and his family, she and Evander had spoken at length about what they would have to do with Emrys. Both agreed that releasing him to live a normal life would not be feasible. Emrys had accepted his role in the Makt too completely. He would never be able to change his way of thinking. In the end, they agreed it would be best to sentence him to a life of servitude within the castle walls. He would be closely monitored and expected to work to earn his keep. Legacy insisted they repurpose one of the rooms in the servant’s quarters to function as a secure cell. If Junius had kept Noble locked away for so long, they could certainly manage to keep Emrys in the same manner.

  She replayed their conversation, wondering if anyone had overheard them. The only other person who had been near them was Noble, and he had been sound asleep on Evander’s shoulder as he placed him in his bed for the night. Could someone be working against them in the castle? Someone who had been previously overlooked. It was possible, but she pushed the thought away for the time being. She needed to focus on locating Emrys.

  “Were you there to witness the escape?” Legacy questioned the young man who had roused her from her sleep.

  “No,” he hung his head in shame, “I am sorry to say, I must have fallen asleep at my post. I have no idea how it could have happened; I was not even tired!”

  Legacy could read the regret and confusion in his face. The guard was not lying to her. A tingling feeling of suspicion had woken inside her; someone had either drugged the guard or used magic to ensure his sleep. It was not his fault he had been used.

  “I believe you, please wake Maris and Gray, tell them I need the guard activated. We have to begin searching for him immediately.”

  Legacy rushed back to her room and dressed quickly. More and more often, she had been opting to wear pants rather than a dress. Dresses limited her ability to move freely, this was not the time for her to be restricted. As she finished dressing, another knock sounded at her door, but before she could reply, the door opened, and Evander entered. He came up to her and pulled her close.

  “I hope you know I had nothing to do with this. I would not betray you,” his eyes searched Legacy’s face for any indication that she suspected he was responsible.

  “Evander, I never for one second thought of you as a possible suspect. I replayed our conversation in my mind, trying to determine if anyone could have overheard our plans. But I do not recall seeing anyone,” Legacy hugged him close, burying her face in his chest for a moment. “We will find him, Evander.”

  A deep sigh rumbled through his body. “You need to be protected at all costs during this. If he blames anyone for these perceived wrongs, it would be you. He thinks you took me away from him.”

  Legacy pulled away to look him in the eye. “You can protect me while we search for him.”

  He shook his head once, “No, Maris and Gray agree. You are not going out to look for him. We need to stay here and keep both you and Noble out of harm’s way.”

  “Not a chance! I am not going to sit back while everyone else risks their lives.”

  “Oh, yes, you are. This is why we have the Guard. This is the whole reason you had Maris and Gray train them. They will search for him. In the morning, the people of Pallisaide will know he is out there and that he is to be apprehended. You and Noble are too important to risk.”

  Legacy scowled at him. She was not pleased with what he said, but it made sense. If she took off to help every time something happened, who would remain behind to keep Pallisaide running smoothly? Nikita would be there, but they were still not in the position for the Kingdom of Man to accept the guidance of a creature.

  “Wait, have we alerted the woldigos? Nikita will undoubtedly insist they help us. Their keen instincts will be perfect for hunting him down in the dark!”

  Evander sighed and rolled his eyes, “What would I do without you? Come on, at the very least, you can do this. We would not be leaving the castle.”

  “Wait, has anyone checked on Noble?” Panic rose in her throat as Legacy thought about Noble wandering in the labyrinth deep beneath the castle. He seemed to be stuck in a dream when she found him.

  “Renata was on her way to his room when I came to find you,” Evander explained.

  Relief flooded her as they walked the last few steps to the courtyard. Nikita was already awake, staring at the sky. She turned to see them and trotted over with purpose. The other woldigo’s were wide awake and staring in their direction. The eerie brightness of their eyes sent a shiver down Legacy’s spine.

  “Something is happening. What can we do to help?” Nikita asked.

  “Emrys has escaped. We need your pack to help find him. We all know woldigo’s are known for your keen eyesight in the darkness, as well as your impeccable hunting abilities. Both will be essential in our search,” Legacy explained.

  Nikita nodded, then looked at the
members of her pack, “You heard the Queen, please join the Guard as they begin their search.” She turned her attention back to Legacy before adding, “I feel there is something more. Something out there is dark and foreboding as though it waits to swallow the light.”

  Legacy had no idea what she could be referring to, but she was certain Emrys’ escape had something to do with it. Nikita joined her pack as they fell in line with the guard members who began rushing through the courtyard. Legacy was confident the search would be successful with the woldigos on their side. She and Evander returned to the stairwell that led to the bridge and throne room. There was nothing left for them to do but wait for word from the Guard. As she rounded the final spiral in the stairs, a cold hand gripped at her heart. Something was wrong. All she could sense in the wild magic was a darkness that threatened to destroy everything in its path.

  “Noble,” the word came as barely more than a whisper, she rushed across the bridge with Evander close behind.

  Legacy ran at full speed down the hall, past her bedroom, and around yet another corner. Someone else had been running in her direction and collided with her. She was momentarily dazed and struggling for breath until she recognized who she collided with. Renata. Just after recognition dawned, Legacy read the expression of sheer panic on the Oracles face.

  “Renata, where is he?” Legacy demanded.

  “Gone. The blankets were on the floor, his door was wide open. No sign of a struggle.”

  Her heart sank to the floor, “We need to check the tunnels. I found Noble there before, what if he wandered down there again?”

  They rushed to the entrance and found it open. Legacy tried to remind herself that it was an encouraging sign, he may have been sleepwalking again. But, one of the four torches that now remained posted by the entrance at all times had been taken from its place. Noble would not have stopped to grab a torch. Evander and Legacy took a torch each and rushed down the steps. Legacy immediately turned down the tunnel she had found Noble in weeks before. Footsteps pounded behind her as Evander and Renata fell into step. It seemed less terrifying with other adults to run alongside her. Legacy found it was not as challenging to navigate the corridors as she recalled. As they approached the cavernous room she remembered, something was markedly different.