Without another sound, he dropped down from the window, making no more than a gentle, barely audible thud where his feet touched the grass. Leyna stared after him. She didn’t want to let him go. She wanted to leave with him. To go back to his house and forget about this stupid mission and the dangers they were facing. It didn’t seem fair that everything always had to be in constant turmoil. The gods had a funny way about them, teasing the world with a brief time of peace, only to toss them back into the bloody throes of war.
Gathering up her skirt in her hand, Maeri stepped over to the window. She peered down hesitantly. It wasn’t a long drop, but for a woman with the upbringing that Maeri had been given, it looked like a drop off the highest mountain in Velorum.
Thade remained just under the window, offering his hand out to help Maeri to the ground, beckoning her to come quickly. She started to move toward the opening. At the last second, she turned back to Leyna, whispering something only to be heard between the two of them. “You should tell him how you feel about him.”
“Goodness, Maeri,” Leyna breathed, blushing in spite of herself, though she knew Zander couldn’t have possibly heard what Maeri said. “No, I will not. Nor can I; and neither will you. Promise me that you will not say a word to him. Or Feolan. Confiding in him would only lead to it getting back to the Consul and his friendship means far too much to risk it over something so foolish.”
“It is not foolish. The only thing that is foolish is denying yourself happiness because it is easier to convince yourself that you don’t deserve it.” Dangling her legs over the window sill, she prepared to jump, squeezing Leyna’s hand tightly in her own. “Forget about what other people will think. If the opportunity presents itself, do not give it up. You may not get a second chance.”
“Maeri, go!” Leyna huffed. She didn’t want to hear more advice. No one could know what was going on inside her heart or head. It was frustrating the way everyone wanted to tell her how she should act, and how she should think. They all believed they knew what it required for her to find happiness in life. In her mind, there were too many other things which were more important than her own happiness. She would worry about regrets and missed opportunities after her people were safe.
Maeri disappeared over the edge with nothing more than a muffled cry from the bottom. They managed to escape the house before Gislan had returned. As long as they kept to the cover of the trees, they would be safe.
“I think I should try to get some sleep,” she said quietly, averting her eyes from Zander’s questioning gaze. “I will discuss this all in more detail later, but for now I need to rest. I need to be prepared to handle whatever might come of this tomorrow.”
Chapter Nineteen
Sleep evaded Leyna throughout the day, leaving her tossing and turning in bed. There was so much to think on. So many things she wanted to do. It frustrated her to know that she couldn’t possibly accomplish them all.
Her plans would have to change. It had been convenient, at first, to think that she could infiltrate the Ven’shal. Had those involved been any other men, she might have been successful. But her past haunted her, leaving no choice but to retreat, questions still floating in her mind which now might never be answered.
Giving up, Leyna climbed out of bed, staring absently toward the little window which was still standing open, grey light filtering in from the cloudy skies. In her chest she could feel an excited flutter from her heart. Deep down she hoped to find Thade there, staring up at her while climbing up to the window to be with her though she also knew it was too dangerous for him to risk coming back. It was foolish to think he would want to see her so desperately anyway. Why did her emotions have to make her think like a child lost in a fairy tale where the prince climbs up the tower to rescue his love? Reality never worked that way. She knew well enough about that.
With the dimming light of the sun fading away into night, she was surprised no one had yet sought her out. It was possible they were searching for her. No one other than Zander knew where she was. Everyone expected her to be at the inn with Kael. A tightness in her stomach accompanied the fear that Kael might have escaped and returned to Thade’s to confront him again.
Quickly she put on her clothes, opting for a more traditional dress with no need for the dreaded corset she had been pained to wear for the last week. Threading the laces through the heavy bodice before she slid it on, she struggled to pull them tight, fumbling with the ribbons behind her back. The fabric was a thick burgundy and gold damask. Another from Oksuva’s personal collection. The skirt was simple with folds of matching cloth flowing out and down to the floor, concealing her feet from view.
Slipping her feet into her shoes, she hurried over to the door. In her rush, she pulled on the latch, letting it fall down from the locking mechanism with a scrape of metal against wood, opening the door up to the hallway. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Kyros’s blackened eyes gazing at her from just outside.
“Eleni,” he smiled, stepping forward, pressing Leyna back into the room, almost forcefully, without need of laying a hand on her. She stumbled backward, her heel catching on the fabric of her dress, causing her balance to falter before she could regain her composure.
“Sir. I did not know you were here –”
In a fluid motion he closed the door, passing it between his hands behind his back, his eyes locked on her, burning into her with his abyssal gaze. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” he smirked. “I hear interesting things about you, Eleni. Things which I must admit pique my interest beyond the norm.”
“Depending on the source, it is difficult to say whether or not those things are true,” Leyna stammered. Clutching her skirt in her hand, she tried to step away from Kyros, his body moving with hers, preventing her from putting distance between them.
“I have taken a large risk on my part, under the assumption that these things I have heard are true. For many reasons, I am convinced they are accurate, but those reasons are not for you to know. Yet.”
Something in his face told her she should be afraid of him. Of his intentions. Not because he had any desire to take advantage of her physically, but because he was capable of overpowering her in ways that she had no knowledge of. Military training in Siscal didn’t require any means of defense against magic because the enemy they faced used only tangible weapons. If Kyros wielded energy even half as well as Damir, she had no chance at getting away.
She had to stay calm. The trembling in her body made it too obvious that she feared him. She couldn’t allow him to be aware of her discomfort, or it would give him the upper hand, letting him know he could push her around by brute force. “Tell me, then,” she replied, her voice strained but steady. “What are these rumors you have heard, so that I might tell you if they hold any validity?”
A smile passed over Kyros’s lips. “Your husband tells me you have some kind of connection with the Tanispan Consul. One that might grant you some favor with him?”
“What?” She was appalled to think Kael had said anything to Kyros about the Consul. Especially anything regarding her personal friendship with him or Feolan. To think that he had even spoken of them with Kyros sent chills through her body. “I hold no favor with the Consul…”
“Don’t lie to me!” Kyros snapped, grabbing her right wrist painfully in his hand. She stared down at it, horrified, her eyes glancing back up to him in fear and confusion. “Kael told me he discovered you at the Consul’s home prior to leaving for Kaipoi. That alone was enough to pique my interest, but now – now he tells me he found you there again last night. What would a woman like you – a slave – have that the Tanispan Consul would have interest in? Your body?”
“I… I –” Leyna stammered. Her anger and frustration were growing, making it easier to hide her fear, while harder to maintain her composure from yelling back at him. “Why would Kael even be discussing these matters with you? None of this is even remotely your business. It is between me and my betrothed.”
“Then we will talk about it after I am freed from Mikel.”
“You are already free,” Kyros hissed. “I tried to talk to Mikel about it like businessmen, but he was unwilling to reach an agreement. It was simple enough to see the life choked from his body. Once he ceased to breathe, you were free. And you have been for at least a week, so I suggest you listen to what I have to say or you will join him in death, and your soul will serve as a slave for all eternity under my command.”
Leyna inhaled sharply, the stench of the tainted energy filling her nostrils. The Ven’shal were all the same. He was no better than that man who attacked her in Velorum when she’d first laid eyes on one of their kind. She was trapped. If what he said was true, then she was his. A toy to use however he wanted. He had granted her freedom only to use it against her for his own gain. “Does Kael know you are here?” She knew it to be impossible. By now Kael would be in Queen Nesperiti’s prison…
“Kael would never agree to what I am going to ask of you, which is why I had no choice but to make sure he wouldn’t get in my way,” he chuckled, releasing his hold on Leyna’s wrist. “You see – he told me he has had suspicions of the Consul having a spy amongst Oksuva’s people for years. The worthless fool didn’t know who it was, but he has reason to suspect that information has been leaked. Now, I am quite displeased to hear of this. I am inclined to believe that you are not involved in the dissemination of sensitive details regarding our business since Kael has told me all about his prior work for the Consul and that he is the one who introduced you to him. But I want to know who the other spy is. I want to know what the Consul knows.”
Her blood ran cold in her veins at his words. Kael had told him everything. Betrayed them. Even worse than she could have imagined. For the first time since she met Kael, she felt the guilt of having kept her secrets from him dissipate. How could she feel remorse when in the end it was the only thing which would offer protection to her and Zander? His lack of knowledge prevented him from destroying the entire mission.
“What do you expect me to do?”
Kyros leered at her, seemingly annoyed by her question. “What do you think I want you to do?” he sneered. “I want you to get closer to him. If you aren’t already in his bed, seduce him. Get him to talk. Find out who he associates with and what he knows of our plans. You are an attractive woman. I have no doubt that you could wrap him around your little finger with minimal effort. If not him, then his little man servant, but I prefer the bigger fish.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You have no choice in the matter.” Gritting his teeth, he pressed forward, forcing her to step back. “I did not bargain for your freedom because I wanted to help. You are in my debt and your options are to either do as I say, or die. Which would you prefer, Leyna?”
Leyna’s eyes opened wide at the sound of her name coming from his lips. Frantically she tried to hide her recognition, narrowing her eyes to stare back at him, confused. “You are the second person to call me by that name. It is not mine.”
“No, of course not,” Kyros looked her over carefully, scrutinizing every detail of her face to read her reaction. “You were young. It wouldn’t surprise me if you’d forgotten. Regardless, my order stands. You will find the information I want. I trust you’re more than capable of pulling it from the lips of those men.”
“How am I to do this? Oksuva would never allow –”
“Oksuva? What does she matter?” Kyros scoffed. “You’re mine now. What you do will be determined by me. If being around these imbeciles will hinder your work, then I will see you removed from his house. Away from your beloved Kael. He would only get in my way. That was made obvious when he came to me last night. Can you imagine? The man is livid over your involvement with the Tanispan Consul. If you are going to bed him, we can’t have your betrothed getting in the way.”
Leyna gasped, exasperated by what Kyros was suggesting. Her cheeks flushed with color, embarrassed. Bed the Consul? Had Kael polluted everyone’s head with his insane notions? “I am not going to bed anyone. You are out of line to even think it.”
“Out of line?” Kyros asked derisively, jerking her roughly in his grasp. The blackened holes of his eyes were settled on her, sending waves of shivers through Leyna’s spine at the anger she felt radiating from him. “You belong to me, girl. You’ve been a slave long enough to know that when your master tells you to do something, it isn’t optional. Kael has let you get away with too much. It’s as if you think you’re in a position to make your own decisions. Well, you listen to me, now. I will be back here tomorrow morning. When I arrive, you will be packed and ready to leave.”
“Leave? Why do I have to leave?”
“Because I can’t trust you to do your job if you stay here. The others will be nothing but a distraction for you. I will arrange a room for you at one of the inns in town. Your location isn’t to be disclosed to anyone, do you understand? These people in this house are nothing to you anymore. Forget about them. I am the only one you are to speak with, under any circumstances. You have one night to say your goodbyes and gather your things. There will be no more discussion on the matter.” Raising his hand, a plume of black energy erupted from Kyros’s palm, hurtling into Leyna’s chest with incredible force. Unable to maintain her balance, she stumbled backward. Screaming, she felt as her legs bumped against the window sill, the pressure of the darkness sending her toppling through the opening.
It all passed in a blur. She felt her body flip over the ledge, connecting hard with the ground, branches and rocks cutting into her skin. She lay there, trying to catch her breath, her face buried in the soil.
Overhead, she could hear Kyros’s voice from the window. Shakily she lifted herself with her arms, gazing up at him pathetically from the ground. “You are insignificant to me,” he stated plainly. “Your death would be nothing more than a mild amusement to pass my time. I suggest you keep that in mind.”
As Kyros’s face disappeared, she let her body flop back down to the ground. This was an absolute mess. Things had finally started to go in a direction which made some semblance of sense and this only added complications to it all. Kael had betrayed them in more ways than she could have known before.
Kyros’s words floated through her mind, sending shivers down her spine. He knew who she was. There was no doubt anymore. He didn’t need to say it in so many words for her to understand his implications. You were young. It wouldn’t surprise me if you’d forgotten. So what was stopping him from killing her? After all these years he had her in his grasp and he’d let her go. He was using her. Convinced that she was unaware of who he was and what he intended to do. She would be useful in gathering the information he needed from the Consul. Once her task was completed, he would kill her.
Something else tugged at the corner of her mind, adding to her discomfort. Kyros mentioned Kael having told him about the events of the previous night. But how was that possible? Kael was taken to Queen Nesperiti by Feolan. There wouldn’t have been any chance for Kael to speak with Kyros unless…
“Leyna.”
The hushed sound of Thade’s voice came from somewhere beside her, pulling her from the thoughts racing through her head. She had to be imagining things. There had been no sound of his footsteps approaching. It was as if he’d already been there, watching. “Great. Now I am hearing things,” she grumbled, turning her head toward the noise. Gasping in surprise, she found Thade kneeling at her side, his hand reaching gently toward her shoulder.
“You are not hearing things.” He was calm. Serene. A hint of sadness could be heard when he spoke, his hands helping Leyna to a seated position.
“I came to speak with you and heard voices coming from your window. You sounded frightened. I feared it was Kael with you.”
“If only I were so lucky,” she muttered, rising to her feet, dusting the dirt from her dress. Registering his words, she blinked at him in surprise, reminded of her thoughts prior to Thade making his presence known. The aches in her body from the fall were quickly forgotten to the panic she felt. “Kael?” she gasped. “I thought he was in Nesperiti’s prison.”
Casually observing the area, Thade clasped Leyna’s hand, leading her through the trees away from the house. His horse wasn’t far away. He was dressed for riding, his black leather boots coming up to his knees. She was surprised to see he was not wearing a cloak, his face fully visible. The elegantly designed frock coat he wore buttoned stylishly up the front with golden buttons, the black fabric of the long sleeves accented by the ruffle of the white undershirt he wore beneath it. “Come,” he stated, motioning toward the horse. “We shouldn’t linger here to discuss this. The risk of unwanted ears overhearing is too great.”
He looked perfect. So perfect that she couldn’t convince herself she wasn’t dreaming. Knocked unconscious from the fall, imagining him into existence. The only thing that told her it wasn’t a dream was how real he felt. Gentle pressure on her hand, guiding her up onto the horse’s back behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist to keep from falling off. It was a completely different feeling to be a passenger on a horse, having no control over where it went or how fast. Thade maneuvered it through the trees at an alarming speed, forcing her to tighten her hold on him.
Leyna couldn’t shake her confusion at Thade’s unexpected presence outside Zander’s house. It didn’t make any sense that Feolan would have allowed him to come there alone. Not after the way he reacted to Thade’s insistence at accompanying her home that morning. He never would have willingly let him go there. Unless he wasn’t aware Thade had left – or was unable to accompany him for some reason.
The Myatheira Chronicles: The Vor'shai: From the Ashes (Volume 1) Page 60
