Reclamation: The Sacred Isle Series

by K. E. Miller

  “Don’t you want to tell everyone?” she asked, clearly confused.

  “I think we should focus on one thing at a time. When it feels right, we will make the announcement. There is so much danger here. There’s already going to be problems with us taking over for Nolen, I hesitate to add to that,” I explained.

  “You’re right. I can sense the fear and the danger. We should wait until some other things have been figured out,” she said. “But you should know…”

  “Yes?” I asked, encouraging her to finish her thought.

  “I don’t really want a big wedding. It should just be us and three or four other people. We already had a big wedding and the spotlight is on us enough as it is.”

  “A private ceremony it is,” I agreed with a smile.

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. Whatever you want. I just want to be with you. Nothing else matters,” I told her.

  We smiled at each other. After a few moments, a shadow passed across Shaylee’s face. Her smile faded and a small crease appeared on her brow.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “What if they react badly? What if they decide they don’t want us anymore?” There was genuine worry and concern in her voice.

  “Soph, there’s always going to be some opposition. There may even be more opposition than support. If we remain strong and you remain true to yourself the way you always have, they will follow us. Never forget that you are their queen. All you have to do is show them that.”

  Shaylee signed and rested her head against my chest.

  “What if I’m not strong enough?” her slightly muffled voice asked.

  “I know you are,” I replied. “I’ve seen your strength every day since we’ve been back together. I’ve seen it even when you didn’t see it yourself.”

  She pulled away and looked up at me.

  “Are you sure I can do it?” she asked.

  “There isn’t a doubt in my mind.” I smiled at her, reassuringly. “I did have an idea.”

  “I’m open to all suggestions,” she chuckled.

  “Do you remember General Arturo?”

  Shaylee frowned as she thought. “No, but I’m guessing I should.”

  “He was one of the greatest tacticians I’ve ever met. If we are going to take down the Council, I think we’ll need him.

  “How do we find him?” she asked.

  “I don’t think we can,” I replied. “He’s been hiding from the Council for a long time. He doesn’t trust many people. The best person I can think of to find him is Andrew.”

  “Why Andrew?”

  “They grew up in the same town. I think they were friends. The General is a Bard. He might be willing to trust another Bard that he used to know.”

  “I don’t like the idea of sending Andrew off on his own,” she said, worry in her eyes.

  “I don’t like it either, but I really believe the General can help us.”

  “I trust you,” she said. “and we could use all the help we can get.”

  ◆◆◆

  There was a small knock before the door to Nolen’s office opened and I stepped away from Shaylee to see who it was. To my surprise, it was Brianne who came through the door. She approached us and bowed her head.

  “Please excuse the interruption, your majesties,” she said.

  “Yes?” I replied.

  “Mage Darby has asked me to take her majesty to one of the workrooms. He believes it may be safer for her there. It’s out of the way. Most people don’t go through that area.”

  I glanced at Shaylee as I considered our situation. I didn’t like the idea of separating, but I knew there was an advantage to splitting up. As much as I didn’t want to be apart, her safety was the most important thing. There were clearly some Mages who believed that I was loyal to the Council, this made me a target and Shaylee may be safer away from me.

  Shaylee had had distant look in her eyes and I wondered if she was trying to see the future or remembering the past.

  “Were you a Lady in Waiting?” she asked.

  “No, your majesty. My mother was,” Brianne said.

  Shaylee’s face lit up in recognition.

  “You’re Finna’s daughter!” she exclaimed with excitement.

  “Yes, your majesty.” Brianne seemed both surprised and pleased that Shaylee remembered her mother.

  “Your parents were one of the first to be married after the Clans were dismantled.”

  “My father was a Sorcerer and my mother an Elemental.”

  “Yes. I remember them. Finna was a wonderful person, so kind. She always knew just what to say.”

  There were several moments of uncomfortable silence as Shaylee stared off into space, obviously lost in her memories. Brianne looked like she desperately wanted to say more, but was holding it in.

  “Your majesty?” Brianne finally asked.

  Shaylee visibly lurched out of her memories and returned her attention to Brianne.

  “I was wondering…” Brianne continued, bumbling over the words. “Mage Darby said if you allowed it…well I was wondering if you would ever consider…that I could…be your Lady in Waiting, like my mother.”

  “Of course,” Shaylee said, without hesitation.

  Brianne smiled for the first time. Their exchange pleased me. I knew the more Shaylee acted like Sophia the more she would remember and the closer she would be to returning to her full strength.

  “Now that that’s settled,” I said. “I think it’s time for you to go to the workroom.”

  Shaylee turned away from Brianne to look up at me and said, “Yes, you’re right.”

  I could see the sadness in her eyes at the idea of being separated. She tried hard to hide it, but I knew her too well.

  “Don’t worry, my love. All will be well. Everything is going to work out. We will see each other again soon,” I promised, attempting to comfort both of us.

  “I know,” she replied. “But I’ll still miss you.”

  I leaned down and gently kissed her, aware that we had an audience. When we parted, I stepped away from her, afraid that I would wrap my arms around her and be unable to let her go. It was very difficult to remain still as she walked away from me.

  “What kind of workroom is this?” she asked Brianne, conversationally.

  “Mage Darby designed it himself. Your workroom at the Palace was his inspiration. He has been planning on giving it to you for decades. He cast a spell-“ Brianne’s voice was cut off as the door closed behind them and I was left alone.

  Chapter 7

  Jaden

  As I leaned back in my chair, I stared up at the ceiling in an attempt to stretch out my sore neck. The short angry Mage named Trevor Laird had been lecturing on Resistance security for what seemed like an eternity. I couldn’t figure out why a Mage and not a Warrior was going over security procedures. I decided that Mage Laird was a power-hungry man and got some sense of satisfaction while touting his superiority.

  I glanced over at Thorn who was seated next to me and wondered how he could sit and listen for hours to a lecture about security he had lived with for years. I was the only one in need of a briefing, yet Thorn sat there looking serene and content to listen to the Mage all day long.

  A tall thin teenage boy came into the room, causing Laird to pause midsentence and glare at the source of the interruption. The boy whispered something into his ear and Laird left the room without saying another word, Thorn and I apparently forgotten.

  “What’s going on?” Thorn asked, standing.

  “Mage Darby is about to make an announcement,” the boy said. “The other Mages are gathering in order to discuss what should be done about the situation.”

  “What situation?” I asked, also standing.

  The boy was about to answer when the PA system emitted a low tone that signaled an incoming message. I was beginning to get a very bad feeling when Nolen’s voice came through the speaker in the ceiling.

  “May I h
ave your attention, please?” he began. “Earlier today, Queen Sophia and King Aiden returned to us. They have asked me to make this announcement on their behalf.”

  I turned to Thorn and saw the same concern on his face that I knew must be on mine.

  “Effective immediately,” Nolen continued. “All laws that were in effect prior to the Exodus are to be reinstated. Any who do not accept the old laws are to leave the premises immediately. The Committee of Mages, which has governed us these many years, is to be dissolved. Every Clan is to elect a leader to the new Royal Committee and present the name of their chosen member to me by the end of the day. Advisors to their majesties will be selected at the discretion of the king and queen. Finally, we are now formally at war with the Council. Any person found to be aiding the Council will suffer from the harshest of punishment. Thank you for your attention.”

  The PA went silent. Thorn and I stared at each other, in shock. Thorn turned and burst out of the room with me close behind. We passed several people in the hallway, but no one tried to stop us. We rounded a corner and almost collided with a small young woman. I expected Thorn to dodge around her and continue, but to my surprised, he stopped and began talking to the girl.

  “Sorceress Grady,” he said with a small nod. “Where is the king and queen?”

  “King Aiden is in Mage Darby’s office. Queen Sophia is in one of the workrooms.”

  “I’ve got Shaylee, you go to Aaron,” I said, grateful that there were now two of us and we could split up to protect my friends.

  Thorn took off down the hall.

  I turned to the Sorceress and said, “Take me to the queen, please.”

  She nodded and set a brisk pace down several corridors. When she finally stopped, I thanked her and stepped into the room. I closed and locked the door behind me. I didn’t want to take any chances that someone would catch us off guard.

  I turned and surveyed the room. It was a giant indoor greenhouse. There were plants everywhere. The room was lined with shelves containing everything from books to mixing bowls. Shaylee stood at a long table, with her back to me, reading a book and mixing something.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, walking over to her.

  Shaylee looked up and smiled at me.

  “I’m making a healing tonic,” she said. “I’m a natural born healer, you know. I found some books in here and started remembering some things about healing. It’s nice to be doing something to help bring back all of that knowledge I used to have. Plus, it’s probably good that we start stocking up on healing brews.”

  “Yeah that’s probably something we are going to be needing since apparently we’re now at war, but that’s not what I meant.”

  Shaylee began looking confused.

  “Are you insane?” I asked. “You’re dissolving the Mages and creating a new governing body? You’re declaring war on the Council? All on your first day back?”

  “Yes,” she answered. She offered no explanation and returned her attention to her tonic.

  “Did it ever occur to you that all of that might not be the greatest idea?” I asked.

  Shaylee sighed before turning her gaze back to me.

  “Of course, it did,” she said. “but Aaron and I agreed on this as the best course of action. I understand your concern, Jaden, but I can take care of myself.”

  “I know you can, Shay. It’s just really dangerous around here. I thought we were all going to be safe here, but I’m not sure we made the right decision coming to the Resistance.”

  “Maybe we didn’t,” she admitted. “I don’t like it here very much either.”

  “We can always leave,” I suggested.

  “I’m not going to lie, a big part of me wants to leave. There’s so much pressure to be who I used to be. Plus, I feel trapped down here.”

  “So let’s grab Aaron and Thorn and get out of here.”

  Shaylee sighed and said, “We can’t do that, Jade. These are my people. I have to do the right thing. I have to fix things here and then I have to deal with the Council. As much as I wish I could run from it, I can’t.”

  “I still wish you hadn’t made that announcement. The Mages aren’t going to cooperate.”

  “The Mages won’t be happy,” she said, knowingly. “Some of them will want me dead. In fact, I’m counting on it. Could you hand me that bowl, over there?”

  Shaylee pointed to a small bowl of dried leaves that I didn’t recognize. I reached over and handed it to her. I knew arguing with her was pointless. She’d already made up her mind. Ever since she’d gotten off of that elevator, she’d been different compared to how she was when we got separated. She was becoming more and more like a queen. I sighed, knowing this new Shaylee would stick by her decision.

  “This is quite a room,” I said, trying to change the subject.

  “Yes, it is,” she agreed with a smile. “Nolen designed it after a workroom I had in the Palace. He’s been keeping it for me. He says as long as we’re here this will be my personal workroom.”

  “How do the plants grow?” I asked with genuine curiosity. “We’re underground and there aren’t any windows.”

  “Do you see the haze hovering above the plants?” she asked, gesturing to a shimmering light that seemed to be suspended just above the plants. “It’s a spell. It provides them with artificial sunlight and allows them to grow down here.”

  “Did your workroom in the Palace have that?”

  “I think so.”

  “You Mages,” I said with a laugh as I shook my head. “always cutting corners.”

  Shaylee joined my laughter. When she declared that her tonic was finished, I helped her bottle it. Locked away in the workroom, I could almost forget all my worries about what was happening elsewhere at the Resistance. The nagging in the back of my mind, however, was relentless.

  We finished cleaning up. My anxiety was beginning to overwhelm me and I desperately wanted to get Shaylee back to her room. She seemed content to spend the rest of the day locked in the workroom and I knew if she didn’t want to leave, nothing I said was going to make her.

  “Unless there’s another important tonic you just can’t wait to brew, I think we should get you back to your room. I’m not crazy about walking through the halls, but I would rather have you safe in your room,” I told her.

  “Do you really think I’m not safe in here?” she asked. “Brianne said I would be safer here since it was so far out of the way. I guess a lot of people don’t come down here.”

  I wasn’t sure who Brianne was, but just because the workroom was out of the way didn’t mean Mages or Warriors wouldn’t come looking here.

  “I don’t know if you’re safe here or not,” I admitted. “but there’s a phone in your room. Even if I still had my cell, it wouldn’t work this far underground. There’s no phone in here, but there’s one in your room and I would feel better if I could call for backup.”

  “Alright,” she agreed. “If you think I’ll be safer there.”

  She followed me to the door. I unlocked the door and opened it slowly. I peeked out into the hallway and checked both directions to make sure there were no threats. When I was certain there wasn’t any immediate danger, I motioned to Shaylee to follow me.

  We walked quickly, side by side. My whole body was tense and alert as we neared the main hall. There were very few people moving through the main hall compared to the last few times I’d seen it. I was prepared for a fight from each person we passed, but they all simply nodded to Shaylee in deferential respect. Shaylee walked with her head high, acknowledging each person as we walked by them. She’d come a long way from staring at the floors between classes at Ardara.

  Shaylee turned down a corridor I hadn’t been down before, I followed her, still alert and ready for trouble. She stopped and opened a door to the right. We walked into a lavish room that was nothing like the large closet I’d been given. I reminded myself that Shaylee was a queen and locked the door behind me. I walked over to the
phone and began feeling better about our situation.

  A movement in the corner of my eye caused me to turn and adopt a defensive stance. I prepared to strike our attacker when Shaylee’s commanding voice stopped me.

  “Enough, Jaden. Stand down,” she said.

  I paused long enough to see that the unexpected person in the room was Sorceress Grady. Once I recognized her, I relaxed and bowed my head.

  “I’m so sorry, Sorceress Grady. I didn’t see you,” I said.

  “Forgive me, Eternal Anders,” she replied. “I should have announced my presence.”

  “You should get used to Brianne’s presence, Jade. She’s my Lady in Waiting.”

  “Really?” I asked in surprise.

  A Lady in Waiting was the last thing I would have expected Shaylee to agree to. She’d never liked to be fussed over and she enjoyed her privacy. Those things didn’t seem to line up with having a Lady in Waiting.

  “Her majesty was kind enough to grant my request. My mother was a Lady to her majesty before the Exodus and I have always wanted to follow in her footsteps,” Brianne said.

  I glanced at Shaylee, expecting to see my best friend blushing at Brianne’s formal gratitude, but instead I saw that Shaylee was sitting in a chair with her shoes in her hand and her eyes closed, not even paying attention to us.

  “Is there any news on the situation around here since the announcement?” I asked, turning back to Brianne.

  She glanced at Shaylee before walking over to the other side of the room and sitting down on a sofa. I followed and sat in a chair across from her. Even though we’d just met, I could tell from the expression on her face that something serious was going on.

  “The Mages have barricaded themselves in their chamber,” she began. “Their Warriors are standing guard with orders to prevent anyone from entering. As far as I know, no one has attempted to go in yet. They’re saying that they won’t give in to the demands of a child who has no proof of being the queen. They’re claiming she is a Council spy sent to destroy us from the inside. They are also saying that the king should be arrested for his part in the Council’s crimes for the last seven hundred years. The other Clans have all gathered to elect a member to the new Committee.”