A Question of Counsel

by Archer Kay Leah

  Table of Contents

  A Question of Counsel

  Book Details

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  A Question of Counsel

  Archer Kay Leah

  Life hasn't been easy for Aeley since she arrested her brother, and her role as a political leader leaves her feeling isolated and lonely. Days before her brother's trial, she meets Lira, a quiet and modest scribe who makes Aeley want more than just a professional relationship.

  When she attends the trial and leaves with a marriage contract, Aeley doesn't know what to do. She must choose one of two brothers, marrying into a family she doesn't know. Then she discovers that Lira is part of the same family–a sister to Aeley's suitors and the family's disgrace. And not at all opposed to an intimate relationship.

  Except random acts of violence against her people test Aeley's ability as a leader, and a web of lies and deceit threaten not only her chance at happiness, but her life...

  Book Details

  A Question of Counsel

  By Archer Kay Leah

  Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Tan-ni Fan

  Cover designed by Natasha Snow

  This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  First Edition May 2015

  Copyright © 2015 by Archer Kay Leah

  Printed in the United States of America

  Digital ISBN 9781620045442

  Print ISBN 9781620045459

  Dedication

  To my partner, Cris.

  There's more than just a little of us in this telling. Thank you for the encouragement, putting up with my ridiculous hours, and listening to me babble about imaginary people doing weird things. Most of all, thank you for understanding. You, my Stitch, are irreplaceable.

  Chapter One

  Dead father. Imprisoned brother. Could it possibly get any worse?

  "Of course it could," Aeley Dahe answered out loud and threw her knife. The blade spun before lodging in the wood target on the dark red wall of the study. She leaned back against the creaking desk and pulled her knees up under her dark green gown. I could be just as dead.

  She looked towards the window. Light spilled across the room in bright colours, shining through the large stained-glass pane. Her thoughts rejected it, straying to bitterness instead. Though some could say being the Tract Steward is almost like being a moving corpse. Our life isn't our own.

  Glancing at her father's proud, painted image above the door, Aeley let her head thunk against the desk once, then a second time, to punish herself for the first. Without looking away from the painting's empty gaze, she sought the decanter of gaffa nectar with one hand, her fingers snaking across the floor to the thick glass vessel. For the first time since her inauguration, she understood why her father appeared ragged and worn in his old years. She was only twenty-eight, but would the weight of responsibility age her faster?

  Aeley sipped the sweet liquid from the decanter, comforted by its cool familiarity. Ever since Allon had attacked the village of Oly Valley, she drank almost as much as she dreamed about chasing him through his damaged estate. The sound of exploding walls haunted her sleep, waking her and leaving her feeling caked in the stickiness of blood and dust. Sometimes, she would stop in an empty corridor and wait to feel the earth shake beneath her, expecting to hear Allon taunt her. It was far from how she expected to spend her first months as Tract Steward.

  And here I thought it might be easy, since I helped Father do everything towards the end. She snorted and took another drink. Winning the vote was the easiest part. No one in their right mind voted for Allon. Complete traitor. Not my problem now. He belongs to the High Council. I'm done.

  Images of her brother in a dark, rank cell raced through her mind. Rumour indicated his punishment would be a life of labour, slogging at rocks in one of the Republic's quarries. It was only fair, she mused, seeing as he intended to kill citizens of Kattal. He would spend the rest of his life serving them instead, his sweat and need for attention spent on providing for the homes and livelihoods of others.

  So why did she still feel like his resentment and unpredictable schemes were not finished?

  Reaching behind her back with her free hand, she pulled the knife from her belt and glanced at the wall. The beige wood planks covered the wall from floor to ceiling, crudely painted with different colours. Moments like this justified having it.

  She stood and placed the decanter on the floor before turning towards the target. With a breath in, Aeley steadied the blade and focused on a bright red circle midway down the target. Allon's face came to mind and with a breath out, she threw the knife. The blade hit the circle without spinning, stuck in the wood above her previous attempt. Throwing made her feel better. It was more helpful than admitting that fighting Allon's guards and arresting him had left her shaken. People would think her insane instead of the composed, stalwart leader they expected. Appearance and perception meant everything.

  Retrieving the decanter, she stood and stared at the target. The colours blurred as she drank.

  A sudden, loud knock on the door made her jump and sputter, spraying the nectar onto the floor.

  "Yes?" Aeley called and held one wrist to her mouth. She stopped before her wet lips brushed the fabric. Wiping her lips on the sleeve of one of her nicer gowns was not the best idea, especially with dinner so close. As host, she needed to remain clean and prim as much as she could. Hurriedly, she drew her fingers along her lips until they felt dry.

  "Cook says dinner will be served shortly," a muffled voice answered back.

  Naturally. With a sigh, Aeley placed the decanter on the cleared section of her desk and tugged her belt back into place. After smoothing her dark blonde hair and then her skirt, she retrieved one of her knives, sheathing it before opening the door.

  Haydin smiled, the wrinkles of his face pronounced around his eyes. "I thought I would escort you."

  Oh, Haydin, always the perfect gentleman.

  "And I can't help but accept. What girl could resist your charm?" Aeley slipped her arm into his, feeling the slight tremble in his frail body as they walked towards the dining room. His offer was outside his responsibilities as steward of the estate, speaking more to his love for the family than his position. To her, he was family, an uncle who had helped her father for most of his life. "What would I do without you?" she murmured, leaning her head on his shoulder.

  He patted her hand and chuckled, the sound low and soothing. For a moment, she felt like she walked with her father again.

  The moment died when they passed through the threshold of the dining room.

  Bodies filled the room, standing in small groups engaged in quiet discussion around the prepared table. A few guests stared at her quizzically. Only one gaze accused her of hiding: the seasoned glare of Mayr, Head of the Guard for the estate.

  The worst part was that he was right.

  Aeley looked away. Mayr had things to say, but they would wait. When she raised her hand, he fell into a chair and threw one arm over the curved back, his head tilted. With his long, dark hair over his shoulder, the black tattoos around his neck were obvious, making him stand out among the others.

  "Please sit," she commanded, and gestured to the chairs. Gra
teful the others sat with only a few words of greeting before continuing their chatter, Aeley fell into her chair at the head of the table. Haydin lowered himself into the chair to her left, while Luinn, the staunch patriarch of one of the Grand Families of Kattal, occupied the chair to her right. Both men were dependable, making the transition into her role smoother. Luinn's relationships to the other Grand Families were not easy to overlook or take for granted.

  When she observed the other guests, she recognized magistrates from the four closest villages, two tradesmen, and Priestess Kee from the region's Temple of the Four. She had met them before, discussing the land's needs at length. Continuing onwards, she smiled at Vant, a stout man with a short, grey beard and thinning hair sitting beside Haydin. To her relief, Vant chose to remain as her family's solicitor after serving her father. The fewer people she needed to replace, the better.

  Reaching for the metal goblet in front of her, Aeley flicked her gaze to the young woman beside Vant.

  Her hand stopped, fingertips brushing the side of the goblet. For a moment, she could only stare at the soft curves of the woman's face, framed by loose, brown curls. She appeared to be Aeley's age, if not younger, and her unpainted skin was flawless.

  When the woman's glance met hers, Aeley blinked and picked up her goblet. While familiar, no name came to mind. Surprising, since she's beautiful.

  Clearing her throat, she drank and flicked her attention to the magistrate at the other end of the table, straining to hear his discussion with the tradesmen. When she felt her attention pull towards the woman, she forced herself to stare at one of the men.

  The chatter across the table grew louder as the servants served the meal, making it harder to hear conversations at the other end. She was tempted to ask Vant about his guest, but decided against it. Other than sounding strange and getting me into trouble, he's busy chatting up the rest of the table, anyway. Instead, she focused on Haydin and Luinn as they spoke about business in the weeks to come.

  Over the din, she heard her name. The guests hushed and faced her.

  Aeley felt her cheeks warm. "Sorry?" She ignored Mayr's subdued laughter.

  Kee's smile was kind and comforting. "It appears I caught you in an in-between moment. I apologize for pulling you from your thoughts." She swept strands of her black hair across her forehead, then brushed back the edge of her glimmering red veil. "Even we Priestesses are not blessed with perfect timing. Well, the rare few are. I was blessed with the gift of catching everyone by surprise," she added with a light laugh, winking at the magistrates as she reached for her goblet.

  Aeley shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. I'm just sorry I didn't hear you the first time."

  "No matter. Everything in our own time. It keeps our patience at the ready." Kee waved the apology away. "I was merely wondering: how you are these days? The last we spoke, you were optimistic, though I understand things have been… unsettled. The Temple sends you nothing but good wishes at this challenging time."

  "Yes, well…" Aeley pushed the food around on her plate with her spoon. Allon was not worth dinner talk. "I'm fine," she said and straightened, forcing a smile. "But thank you for your concern, Priestess, and please convey my gratitude to the Temple. I'm sorry I haven't visited recently, though I will soon. I know this dinner doesn't fix that, but I wanted to let you know how things are, so you can pass the word along to the others. I'm hoping they will be pleased to know that the people are being taken care of, despite what's happened. I've been visiting the villages, making sure they have everything and helping with some of the harvesting and building—"

  "Well-appreciated," one magistrate, Dreca, interrupted. He grinned and raised his goblet towards her. "The people thank you for your fine hospitality. Just like your father."

  "That is what I keep telling her," Vant added.

  With a brief look at Vant, Aeley's gaze slid to the woman next to him. Had she even spoken one word since they sat at the table? By now, she could have dominated the conversation, like most of the women Aeley knew, keeping every eye on her. Instead, she watched the others, offering nothing of herself in words. Though her face and the way she fidgeted betrayed her.

  Has things to say, but doesn’t say them. Unable? Too scared? Or is she a servant stuck in the habit of being quiet? She can’t possibly be from one of the Families. If she were, she’d have made certain I knew her name from the moment I stepped in. She’d be looking for favours. Playing on Vant’s status. Something.

  Pulling her thoughts together, Aeley smiled at Dreca. "And I appreciate your appreciation. I've tried to maintain the standards. There's no reason to undo what my father set forward for this tract."

  "Though you're adding your own to it," Luinn said, leaning forward and tapping the table. "You've sent the soldiers in, something your father never did."

  "And they actually haven't destroyed anything," Dreca added. He looked pointedly at Mayr before taking a drink.

  Before Mayr could respond with a verbal attack to accompany his glare, Aeley cleared her throat. "Yes, I've been trying to get everyone to work together. Common goals for the good of the Republic. Keeps us strong, I figure."

  She glanced at the woman again. Why could she not stop looking? Aeley shivered. Was it her or was the room getting warmer?

  A young man entered the room, his knock on the threshold drawing all attention to him.

  "Merek," Aeley greeted, relieved at the interruption.

  He jutted his thumb towards the corridor behind him. "Someone's come for you."

  When a tall man slipped into the room beside Merek, Aeley grew rigid. He was a messenger from the High Council, apparent by his unkempt traveling clothes, and the brown cloak with the green shield and golden bearcats embroidered along its hem. In his hand was a scroll, fastened with yellow cord. Yellow meant a serious request from the Council that must be met quickly.

  The messenger crossed the room in the silence and held out the scroll, letting go when only Aeley accepted. "You are to read it and respond accordingly," he said, his voice rough.

  Before she could say a word, he left the room. Merek rushed after him.

  "Wonder what that's all about," Haydin muttered.

  Aeley resisted the urge to answer "I don't know". It would have been a lie. She pulled the cord away and read the scroll. They wanted her to attend Allon's hearing in three days, putting her in the same room as him. The thought of being near him made her sick.

  She said nothing as she rolled up the scroll and tied it shut. Slipping it into her lap, Aeley continued eating. Everyone wanted to know. No one could. They would want to discuss it, but she could barely say her brother's name.

  When she glanced at Mayr, she paused. His narrowed eyes watched her, his fist pressed to his mouth. When she forced a hint of a smile, he shook his head. He had always read her emotions better than she could talk about them. She was good at hiding the truth from the others, but he would extract the information from her later, no matter how much she wanted to lie.

  "So?" Luinn pressed.

  Aeley waved her hand. "It's nothing worth sharing. They just need some papers. We correspond so much that I'm considering asking them to move in. We've certainly got the space." She turned to Vant. "It seems I'll need your help again. Tomorrow, if you can. The Council wants the response sooner, not later, and it could use your fine touch."

  Without waiting for Vant's acknowledgement or looking at his companion, she focused on her meal. The food tasted sour, even the gaffa nectar from her goblet. The pleasant dinner was ruined, and the mindless chatter occupying the remainder of the evening did not lift her spirits. Not even stealing glances at the beautiful stranger helped.

  Allon destroys everything. I probably won't sleep for days, thanks to the Council.

  Her patience spent, Aeley stood. "If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I'll have to depart now. You're welcome to stay and continue. Tonight was meant for you, so please don't feel you have to leave. Haydin will see to anything else you requi
re. I just need to… attend to something."

  Before anyone could question her, she clutched the scroll and her skirt before moving around the table. As she passed Vant, she glanced down to the woman next to him.

  In one clumsy step, she fell to the floor.

  Haydin was the first to offer his hand. Fumbling to stand and cursing under her breath, Aeley pulled up from the ground and brushed off her skirt without assistance. The summons, she realized, when she saw no scroll on the rug.

  "Here," a quiet voice said.

  Aeley looked down to find the scroll in the pale hand of the stranger. "Thanks," she murmured, accepting the parchment. Their fingers touched, one quick moment of skin sliding along skin.

  Almost instantly, she drew away to disguise the tremble in her arm. For the first time, she saw the woman's eyes were grey: dark like the sky during a storm.

  Before she could make another foolish mistake, Aeley rushed from the room. The night was nothing like she had planned and not what she needed.

  "Ae!"

  Aeley did not stop. The sound of heavy boots pounded the stone floor behind her.

  The steps slowed as Mayr caught up. "Seriously, that's it?" he asked. "That's how you thought you'd get out of that?"

  "I have something to do."

  Mayr snorted. "Right, just as much as I believe it, I'm sure." He poked her hand. "Just as much as I know this thing isn't nothing. You went almost white when you read it. What's it say?"

  "It says you need to mind your own."

  "Aren't you just the joy of the Four Goddesses?"

  "Mayr—"

  "No. Unless you're going to tell me what this is, you don't get to use my first name. It's Head Guard if you're going to just lie to me."

  Aeley stopped in the middle of the corridor and sighed.

  "I'm not giving this up so you can stop with the sighing and the huffing, and don't even begin stamping your foot." Wrapping one hand around her elbow, Mayr's tender grip helped keep her steady. "I've known you since we were kids. Don't make me steal that thing. I know something's wrong and you're being stubborn. Again."