Borrowed Magic

by Shari Lambert

  He just shook his head and pulled her close again. “I don’t know,” he whispered.

  “Well, we’d better think of something because that entire lunch was so that Daric could waive the year engagement requirement because of my health. The wedding is in a month.”

  “There’s not going to be a wedding.” She’d never heard Philip’s voice so rough. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

  “But you don’t,” she said. “Not unless we can stop Kern. And I’d rather die than be married to him. To have him own me and—”

  Philip’s lips claimed hers as if she’d be ripped from him at any second. With love, and longing, and a sense of commitment that left her kissing him back with a fierceness she didn’t even know she possessed.

  “I’ll find a way,” he finally whispered into her hair. “No matter what I have to do.”

  Which didn’t ease her mind. What could he do against his own father, who also happened to be the most powerful mage to ever live?

  * * *

  Maren paced back and forth in front of the castle gate. She shouldn’t have let Kira go back to Halef’s, but they hadn’t had any better ideas. Maybe he’d exaggerated his claim that he couldn’t make another potion. It was worth a try. Besides, she was worried. She could feel it deep inside her somewhere, like a sixth sense. Especially with what she continued to feel from Kern – a conclusion to his plans was near now that their marriage was official. He was setting her up for something. She was sure of it. She just didn’t know what.

  He was acting different, sometimes giving her relief, sometimes making her wait until she was desperate for him to take the pain – or to leave her alone so she could do it herself. He was letting her know he had complete control, that he could make her do exactly what he wanted.

  And he rarely left her alone. Today was the first time in a week he’d gone riding with Daric. But they’d be back soon. She glanced back down the road into the city. Still no sign of Kira.

  She sat on a nearby bench and waited. Either she’d be here to meet Kira, or she’d be here to meet Kern.

  “Maren!”

  Her head snapped up and she breathed a sigh of relief – until Kira came closer and she saw the tears in her eyes. “What happened?”

  “He’s dead,” she sobbed. “Halef’s dead.”

  Maren felt the world begin to spin and had to put her head in her hands before taking a deep breath. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I went there and asked for Halef,” Kira began in a shaky voice. “But instead of helping me, everyone ran away. They were scared. Terrified. I tried to go after them, but it was useless. Then an old man came towards me. He said Halef was dead, killed by magic over a week ago. Powerful magic. They were worried, Maren. Nothing like that has happened in a long time, even there.”

  Maren’s mind whirled. Kern must have discovered what Halef was trying to do. He killed him. Her stomach twisted. Did he know it was her that had begged for Halef’s help? Did Kern know she was trying to stop him? She clutched at her head and tried to think, only to find herself shaking so much it hurt.

  Kern was going to win. Daric was going to die. No! Maren pulled her hands away from her head and looked up at the castle. If Halef was dead, she’d just have to find another way.

  She turned to Kira. “This isn’t the end.”

  Twenty-seven

  Maren looked out over the crowd and tried to calm her nerves. It wasn’t just the wedding banquet and feeling like she was on display. She was going to kill Kern. Tonight. She clutched the small bag hanging at her wrist, felt the cold metal of the dagger through the fabric, and shuddered, imagining what it would feel like to plunge it into Kern’s chest?

  The problem was actually finding the opportunity. He was sure to have protective spells around him in addition to his own distrust of others that didn’t let people get close. Which was why she had to be the one to do it.

  They were frequently alone together. Even close, within arm’s reach. Tonight wouldn’t be any different. Which meant if he didn’t take her pain throughout the evening, which he most likely wouldn’t, wanting to make the evening as miserable for her as possible, she wouldn’t be able to do it herself. Which also meant that by the end of the night, she probably wouldn’t be thinking as clearly. And with only a few seconds to act, that wasn’t good. He was much stronger, bigger, and had magic on his side. She just had to hope Kern didn’t suspect, that he thought she would do anything to prolong her short existence.

  He was wrong.

  Her plan was a long shot. She knew that. She just didn’t see any other option. Nor had she told Philip. He would have done anything in his power to stop her.

  Her gaze traveled along the head table, past Daric and Adare, and to the empty seat between the queen and Kira. Philip wasn’t here yet. And just that one little thing, something that wasn’t quite right, scared her. What if Kern had discovered her plan or guessed Philip knew the truth? She thrust the thought away and forced her attention back to the evening ahead of her.

  The only good thing to be said was that she wore one of the most beautiful dresses she’d ever seen – even if it wasn’t real. The top fabric was white and made of a filmy material that sparkled silver as the candlelight reflected off the fabric underneath. Her hair was unadorned except for a small silver rose clipped behind one ear. And at her throat lay a giant diamond, loaned to her by Adare. Even Kern’s eyes had gone wide when he’d seen her.

  She glanced to her left to see him talking with Lady Croy. He seemed more relaxed today, more like the Teige she’d first met. Confident, friendly – without an agenda. Too bad it wasn’t real.

  “You look beautiful, Maren.” Daric took her hands and planted a kiss on each. Then he took his own seat next to her. She’d never been seated next to Daric. It was the seat of honor, and she didn’t feel comfortable in it, but Daric had insisted, even when she’d tried to make Kern take it. “I don’t want to sit by Teige,” Daric had joked. “He’s not nearly as pretty.”

  Adare hugged her and then took her own seat. Philip should have been next to her, but he still wasn’t here.

  Daric looked over the room and smiled. “It’s perfect,” he said to her. “Are you ready to begin?”

  She glanced at the empty seat next to Adare. “What about Philip?” She said it quietly, hoping Kern wouldn’t hear.

  “Oh, he’ll be here, he’s just getting one last detail arranged for me.”

  She let out a small breath of relief, and Daric signaled the servants to bring out the first course.

  The meal itself wasn’t as difficult as she’d expected. Daric was the perfect host. Even Kern always made sure everything was perfect, that she had enough to drink, and that she was never neglected. He played the part of the doting fiancé. And halfway through the main course, Philip walked in, handed something to Daric, and then slipped into his seat beside Adare. Like most the other men, he was dressed in black. Unlike the rest of the men, seeing him took her breath away.

  As the meal came to an end, and the last of the dessert plates were cleared away, Maren prepared for the part of the night she was dreading the most: Daric’s speech. She’d have to sit while he toasted her and Kern and then listen to all the immaterial words about how happy they’d be and how excited everyone was.

  “If I could have everyone’s attention,” Daric called and then waited for the room to grow silent. “As you all know, this celebration is in honor of Lord Teige and Lady Maren, to celebrate their engagement.” Daric smiled at them. Then he raised his glass. “Before I do anything else, I’d like to propose a toast to their happiness, their love, and their…” He hesitated for the briefest of seconds. “…health.”

  Glasses were raised, accompanied by “to Teige and Maren” and far too many glances in her direction. They were truly happy for her. She was marrying the most fascinating, handsomest man in the kingdom. She was lucky. She should be happy.

  “Now,” Daric continued, “I have another
announcement to make tonight. Although it’s customary for engagements to last a year, due to,” Daric fought for the right word, “circumstances that are too personal to share, I have given the couple my blessing and chosen a date three weeks from now for the ceremony to occur.”

  Shock, followed by excited whispers, echoed through the room, and it took another minute before it was quiet enough for Daric to speak again.

  “Because they are my close friends, I have a gift for the couple.”

  Maren tensed. She hadn’t considered that Daric would give them something. She turned to Kern, who sat there smiling calmly, as if it was every day the king gave him a gift, and he expected it.

  She, on the other hand, wanted to crawl into a corner and hide. Any gift from Daric wouldn’t matter. She wasn’t going to live long enough to enjoy it.

  Hiding, however, wasn’t an option, so she sat and listened as Daric gave them money, lands just beyond the city, and their own private rooms within the castle itself. With each gift, she felt a little more color leave her face and had to fight the urge to stand and tell him to stop.

  When he seemed to be nearing an end she breathed a sigh of relief, only to suck it back in when Daric didn’t wrap everything up and sit down. Instead, he just stood there, hands on the table in front of him, as if he still had more to say, and it was going to be hard to say it.

  “I have one last gift for Lady Maren,” Daric said, in a much quieter voice than before. “But before I give it to her, I need to share some things with you. I need you to understand my friendship with Lady Maren more fully.”

  Her eyes jumped to Daric, catching his sidelong glance. She shook her head, trying to get him to stop. She didn’t want to hear it. She’d lived it once already. But Daric set his jaw and kept going.

  “Maren doesn’t want me to do this, but I hope enough time has passed…and I believe it’s something everyone should know.”

  Every eye in the room was now on Daric. There was no more whispering, no more bored gazes directed his way. If anything, people leaned forward in their seats, waiting.

  “Four years ago, Adare and I were married.” He looked over at the queen and smiled. “When I first presented her to you as your future queen, most of you weren’t impressed.”

  Many in the crowd shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

  “She didn’t have the desired political connections. Her dowry wasn’t impressive.” His jaw tightened slightly. “She wasn’t beautiful in your eyes. Because of this, Adare’s first few months in the castle were lonely ones. She knew how you felt and was determined to win your approval, but it took time. Although she eventually succeeded even better than I’d hoped, those first few months were hard. There was one person, however, who saw past the objections of so many and extended the hand of friendship. Maybe because she knew what it was like to be on the outside, to be lonely and not accepted.”

  Maren blinked repeatedly. She was not going to cry in front of everyone.

  “As you might have guessed, that person was Lady Maren. For those actions alone, I owe Maren more than words can express.” Daric paused, and Maren had the distinct impression he was getting his own emotions under control. “But Maren did much more than that.

  “As you all know,” Daric went on, “a little over three years ago, Adare and I had a baby, a son.”

  His voice caught at the end, and she focused on her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Why was he doing this? It was just going to be painful for everyone.

  “He died shortly afterwards. The official cause of his death was illness. In reality,” again Daric paused and took a deep breath, “he was murdered by Kern.”

  The entire room gasped with one voice. The men’s faces hardened. The women dabbed at their eyes. Only Kern seemed unmoved, calmly observing the speech as if he were remembering every minute, just waiting for the day he’d get his revenge.

  “Looking back,” Daric continued, “perhaps I should have told you the truth then. I don’t know. Part of me wanted to hide my own grief. Part of me was afraid if you knew the truth, panic would override the kingdom. Part of me just didn’t want to deal with the repercussions. And a great deal of me wanted Adare to be left alone to heal in whatever way she could.” He reached over and took Adare’s hand. “Whatever my reasons, Kern is dead now, and they don’t apply. So it’s time you know the truth of what happened that night and the role Lady Maren played. A role for which I can never repay her.”

  She felt everyone’s eyes shift to her and clenched her hands even tighter.

  “We knew Kern was in the castle that night,” Daric began, and then went on to explain the events of a night she’d rather forget. He didn’t leave anything out, and as he shared his heartache with the entire room, Maren couldn’t stop the hot tears from rolling down her cheeks. But she didn’t brush them away, hoping no one else would notice. Kern did. He reached out and took her hand. It was almost too much for her. Kern had caused everything. How dare he act as if he cared? As if he felt any sympathy or could offer any comfort? She tried to pull away, as angry as she’d felt in a long time, but he held tight, squeezing her hand in a warning she couldn’t ignore.

  “We were terrified the baby and Maren were dead,” Daric continued, “but when we got there we found what resembled a battleground. The heavy iron door was blown off its hinges and the walls were crumbling all around. Maren lay in one corner, surrounded by debris, with her body wrapped around…” He wiped at his eyes. “She had protected him until the end. We ran to them, Adare pulling our son into her own arms while I pulled Maren from the rubble, only to find she was still alive – barely.”

  She couldn’t hold back silent sobs any longer. Neither could she let Kern sit there and pretend to care. She yanked her hand away and reached for her napkin.

  “It took all the mages we could find as well as the healers to save her life. Even then,” he choked on his words again, “we couldn’t do everything. She still lives with the effects of that night. She was willing to do anything to save our child, even give her own life, and for that I will be eternally grateful.”

  He reached down to pick up a long slender box from the table. “Maren, you have taken a place in my heart that is second only to Adare. I can never repay you for what you have done or for what you’ve given up.” His hand came to rest on her shoulder. “But what little I can give, I do so willingly.” He turned back to the crowd. “As my personal gift to Lady Maren, I have taken the steps to officially adopt her as a member of my family. She has lost her own, and Adare and I can never increase ours.”

  No. No. No. The room blurred in front of her. Daric shouldn’t do this. It would only make Kern’s claims to the throne more legitimate. But she couldn’t refuse such a gift. She couldn’t hurt Daric like that. Instead she faced her king, her friend, a man almost like a brother.

  She took his outstretched hand and let him pull her to her feet. He held the box in front of her and lifted the lid. Her hand went to her mouth. Inside lay two items: a ring bearing the royal seal and a pendent decorated with Daric’s own crest. He wasn’t just making her a member of his family. He was giving her all the privileges and rights of a sister or daughter.

  Her knees trembled, and she leaned against the table just as Kern slid an arm around her for support. She stiffened and drew away, more willing to appear overwhelmed in front of the entire crowd than feel Kern’s arm around her. No matter what the pain. No matter what the consequences.

  Daric motioned to Adare who took the pendant out of the case and fastened it around Maren’s neck. When she was done, Maren embraced her, feeling her own tears mixing with Adare’s. Then Daric took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger before pulling her into his arms.

  “If I had a sister or a daughter,” he whispered. “I’d want it to be you.”

  She reached her hands around his neck, not caring what anyone thought or how inappropriate it was to hug the king in public. Only then did her eyes momentarily meet Philip’s. He gave her a sm
all smile that shook her emotional balance and reminded her why she was planning to commit murder.

  “Thank you,” she whispered to Daric and then let him hold her while she cried.

  * * *

  After all the congratulations were over, she was exhausted – physically and emotionally. More than anything else, she wanted to be alone. Instead, she let Kern escort her to her room. She even stumbled a few times, letting him believe she was weaker than she was.

  It wasn’t a long walk, but tonight it felt like it. Her heart hammered in her chest, she had to focus on taking deep breaths, and it felt as if her voice was lodged in her throat.

  Kern held the door open and she walked through. Then she paused and turned back. “Can we talk?”

  His brows rose a fraction of an inch but he showed no other sign of surprise as he stepped into her room and closed the door behind him.

  For a moment, he just stood there, his eyes traveling the length of her body. “I must compliment you again, Maren. I’ve never seen you look more beautiful.”

  When she didn’t respond, he took a step towards her. Every instinct she had told her to back away, to keep as much distance between them as possible. Instead, she forced her feet to remain firm and put her hands behind her back as she slid the dagger from her bag.

  Kern was now only a few feet away. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  Her palms were sweating against the leather grip of the dagger. And still she held her ground, waiting for the right moment, focusing on the exact spot under his ribcage where she would strike.

  “I want your word.” Now Kern was close enough she could reach out and touch him. “I want you to promise you won’t hurt Philip or Adare – even after this is all over.”

  He laughed. “You can have all the promises you want. I have everything right where I want it.”

  She didn’t know whether she was more angry at his arrogance, or relieved that perhaps the threat against Adare and Philip wasn’t as great.