by Jude Marquez
“You’re sure?”
“I have no doubts. I have gotten away from him twice, there will not be a third. He must die for this to end.”
They were silent for a long time.
“You must tell them as soon as you are able to. As soon as you can bear it. I will be there with you, but to prepare themselves, they will need as much time as you can give them,” Alyx said.
Evander smiled, though his eyes were still lost. “Spoken like a true king.”
Alyx leaned over and kissed Evander, barely more than his lips sweeping over Evander’s. “I have learned from the best, my love.”
Evander wanted to believe that more than anything in the world. He wanted to know that Alyx was better for knowing him, that they were all better for having him back, however short that time might be.
Because Evander knew, deep inside the darkest part of him, that Serlo would not let this go. Once he had his claws sunk into Evander, he would not let go.
Chapter 16
Josette was laying in her room, her hands folded over her stomach and stared up at the ceiling. She wondered if it was possible to go back to Nightfell. She wondered if she did, if it was possible for her to resume her position as a scout, keeping their woods free from intruders and spies. That world was simple. It was lovely, in its own way.
She knew it would preferable to what she just learned.
“Josette,” Issat said.
“Yes?”
“Say something.”
Josette only continued to stare up at the ceiling. Her right ankle was sprained and badly swollen, so she was confined to bed. Lissandra fussed over her but she wasn’t in the room right then. It was only Josette, Issat, Alik, and Margrave. The room was too small for all of them and she knew she needed others soon.
“You are sure? You are absolutely positive, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was Serlo?” Josette asked, possibly for the third or fourth time since Alik informed her of what he knew.
“I am. As a child he was terrifying. I hated visiting the Cerith kingdom because of him. I remember once Evander pretending it was a game and Gael and I having to hide from Serlo when he was drunk once. My own father thought it was funny,” Alik said.
“I need to speak to the Ataton family,” Josette said.
She felt a strange sort of calm, like she was floating. She wondered if Lissandra had slipped something in her food or if this, of all the things, made her lose her grip on her sanity.
“Whatever for? Do you think that we cannot handle this?” Margrave said and the pretty side of his face sneered.
“I believe that the four of us could conquer the world if we could remain calm but I do not think that calm is in the cards for us. In fact, I expect a great panic to swallow the castle whole and I’m not sure if I will bother to survive it. So, if you would like to excuse yourself before the family arrives, I would understand but I do need to speak to them,” Josette said, that strange calm keeping her voice even.
That is not calm. You know that this is only the beginning of a great downfall and you just need to hear the words.
Josette did not deny what the voice in her head said but she could not help but shudder too.
With a look at Margrave, Issat stood and left Josette’s small room.
It took her some time, but when she returned, Josette woke from a light doze to see the siblings from Ataton assembled on one side of her bed and Alik and his cousin and best friend on the other.
Josette felt like she was a wall, barely holding two enemies apart.
“I have information that I need to share with you that must be kept absolutely confidential. It must not leave this room for reasons you will understand. Do you swear it?” Josette asked.
Lissandra, Avelina, and Edmond all looked to Eamon and he looked from Josette to the others before nodding.
“You have our word,” Eamon said.
“Do you always speak for them?” Alik snapped.
Why it seemed like Alik was always itching to start a fight with Eamon was beyond Josette and she finally snapped. She picked up a cup and flung it at his face, hoping it would bloody him up and scar his handsome face.
Josette knew that Eamon or Edmond could have stopped her but they made no move.
“You speak of them as though they are the ill-mannered ones, you look down on them as though they have barely crawled out of caves to live in castles, and yet you are the only one here unable to keep your mouth shut. I suggest you leave, Prince Alik, or remember your life long lessons in manners. We have more important things to worry about than you!” Josette hissed.
“Yes, he does speak for us,” Avelina said airily, like she was looking down on Alik from on high and he was less than a pig rolled around in mud and shit.
“We trust our Prince and future King without hesitation, though I can see why your people don’t let you speak for them,” Edmond added.
“That’s enough,” Eamon murmured.
The siblings fell silent.
“What is it you need?” Eamon asked. He seemed to be striving for civility but was having a hard time maintaining it. He probably figured ignoring Alik and his baiting comments would be the best way to do that.
“It is not what I need. I have-” Josette let out a breath. “I have questions, concerning the titles here in Cerith and how they are passed.”
Eamon looked over to Avelina.
“I have been studying the laws in my spare time,” Avelina nodded.
“Start at the beginning,” Lissandra encouraged Josette.
Josette did. She explained how they found Evander, where he was, how they invaded the small village and how, as Josette, Issat, and Margrave held off the men trying to go after Paige and Evander as they fled, Alik ventured into the manor house.
Josette looked over to Alik, who was drinking from a goblet. She hoped it was wine. She knew he would need it as they relayed the story.
“When I entered the manor house, it was empty. I heard some voices towards the back and hoping it was indeed Thomas, I followed the sound. I found who I think to be Miss Vail speaking to a man in a purple cloak, of how they were going to escape. I was about to shoot him when I heard someone behind me,” Alik stood and raised his shirt. It had taken Josette seventeen stitches to close it. “Thomas.”
The rest of Alik’s body was bruised from nearly head to shins from the beating he received from Thomas.
Eamon looked from Alik to Josette, confusion evident on his face. “I apologize Josette, but I’m not sure what devastating news is to be delivered. That Alik was beaten is not a surprise, less so of one that it was Thomas to do it. No offense, Prince Alik, but you do not seem battle tested and it is evident that Thomas is a fighter.”
Alik looked furious and he opened his mouth to say so but Lissandra stopped him. “You saw him. The real Thomas.”
Alik looked away and deflated. “Perhaps if I weren’t so stunned I would have been able to better defend myself but I simply could not believe what I was seeing. I have thought of it over and over and questioned it from every angle, but there is no doubt.”
“No doubt of what?” Edmond asked.
“Thomas. He is King Serlo.”
Alik’s words fell flat and Edmond looked around the room, as though waiting for the rest of the joke. Avelina and Lissandra exchanged a look but Eamon remained so still he could have been a statue. He stared at Alik hard and Josette knew he was processing what Alik just told them all.
“I thought he was dead,” Edmond finally said.
“As did we. We all know the story of how Evander killed him when he was only twelve summers past,” Issat said. It was no great secret that Evander killed his father in defense of his family. It was a rare sight for Evander or Gael to be seen without bruises marking up their faces as children.
“And we all knew enough not to mourn his passing,” Margrave added.
“He was a cruel father, a terrible king, and an even worse person,” Eamon nodded, but his eyes were very distant and
his voice grave. “Even my own father was not so cruel to his children.”
“Probably out of fear of you. I hear you passed your father in size when you were only ten summers past,” Alik muttered.
“I fear I agree with the Prince,” Edmond said.
“King Therris is a problem for another time,” Eamon said, though he did not disagree with anyone.
“Do you see what I want to ask?” Josette whispered. Her lips felt numb and she was suddenly very cold. The small moment of levity they had was fleeing like it never was.
Eamon nodded and closed his eyes.
“Please, do share,” Margrave said.
“Gia only became sovereign when Serlo died. The crown was Serlo’s and bestowed to her upon his passing. It was then passed to Evander and through Evander, Alyx became King,” Eamon said.
“But if Serlo lives still, does that mean that Evander is king?” Lissandra asked.
“Evander is not king now, not at all. He will have to have another coronation to become king once more. In his last instructions, he said that he abdicated and that Alyx was King and his orders were to be followed as though they came from Evander himself,” Avelina said.
“Can Alyx still maintain his title of King then, if Serlo still lives?” Alik asked, now sounding more testy than before.
They all looked to Avelina and she bowed her head. Her fingers twitched and she pulled at her skirts and turned from them. Josette did not like the fact that she couldn’t see the Princess as she tried to work out the problem.
“Sister-” Eamon began.
“Let me think a moment, Eamon,” Avelina muttered.
They all fell silent and waited, their eyes glued on Avelina.
After a moment she turned and shook her head. “I do not think so. Serlo’s death is the catalyst of it all. Without that, both Gia and Evander’s ruling, and thereby Alyx’s, is false.”
“If he rides for the palace, if he tries to claim the throne-” Margrave said.
“It is his by right,” Eamon said.
“Is there no way?” Lissandra asked.
This was beyond helping the De Loughrey family, dear friends to all of them. If a civil war broke out, which seemed inevitable if Serlo came for the throne, it would drag both the Ataton and Ebiris kingdoms into the battle. Ataton was already on high alert with their own enemies constantly pushing inwards and though Eamon was a great warrior and an even better general, he could not fight a war on two fronts.
Alik and his kingdom relied on Eamon’s defenses to protect their own. Theirs was a rich country, fat on wealth and prosperity throughout the land. Their army was the biggest joke throughout the three kingdoms. Alik had no experience in battle, no real time to create the kind of camaraderie with his men that the Ataton family was famous for.
If the De Loughrey family fell, Eamon would fight for them, which would leave the way open for the Vresal army to invade both the Storm Isles and the Ebiris lands.
If one of them fell, they all would.
“If Evander were well, he could challenge Serlo for the throne. If Gael were a better fighter, he could do the same. If Cade had more experience-” Avelina shrugged.
“Could no one else challenge Serlo?” Edmond asked. There was something in his tone that made Josette look to him more closely but he only looked at his sister.
“Who do you propose? Auelina? Alyx? I know he is a good fighter, but this is King Serlo we are talking about here and frankly, Alyx does not have the power or experience to fight him,” Avelina said and shook her head.
“A challenge. That is your only suggestion to save all three of these kingdoms?” Alik asked. He was looking about the room as though everyone lost their minds.
“Do you have a better way to do it?” Aveilna asked and then pressed a hand to her neck, as though aghast. “I apologize, my Prince, I forget what court I speak to. The court of liars and tricksters. Is there some great lie that you would like to tell to keep the throne for Evander and Alyx?”
“Well, accept my own apology Princess, that I do not beat my problems into a bloody submission and call that a win,” Alik replied.
“Perhaps you should try it someday. Honesty might look good on you.”
“The same could be said about you and clothes.”
Edmond did leap across the bed at that and for Josette there was a questionable moment if Eamon would stop him.
The look on Eamon’s face made it clear that he was questioning if he should stop his brother too.
The decision was made for them as Eamon was making his way around Josette’s bed when Ely came in and cleared his throat.
They all turned to him and although the young man did not know what was happening, it was clear that he was not at all surprised the two families were ready to kill each other.
“The royal family requests everyone in the east sitting room, directly after dinner,” Ely said quietly. He shut the door and was gone as quietly as he entered.
Eamon took the momentary distraction to elbow his way between Alik and Edmond, being far more gentle with his brother and purposely shoving Alik back with a hand on his chest.
Eamon missed the way Alik went pale with pain when he hit the wall behind them.
Eamon ushered his family out of the door but paused and looked back at Josette. “We will consider all our options. I can only assume that Evander wishes to speak to us about-” Eamon cut himself off.
Josette nodded. “He would be the one to know. Please, remember your promise.”
“An oath I will not break. We will see you there,” Eamon said and looked around the room. For a moment Josette was able to see how tired he was, how hard he had been fighting to keep the two families from tearing into each other, and keeping his own kingdom safe.
Then the door closed and Josette was left with the others.
“Is there nothing?” Margrave asked and for the first time since she had met the man, he sounded hopeless.
“I do not suppose there is,” Josette whispered.
Chapter 17
Evander and Alyx were not at dinner but the others were and they promised to give Evander the regards of the court. For the first time in a very long time, it felt like the people were at ease once again. Their king had returned to them, would protect them, and there were no more worries in the world.
Their lives could go on as they had.
After dinner, Alyx and Evander were joined by Prince Alik and Lord Margrave and Lady Issat in the east sitting room. There was an assemblage of chairs, all situated in a circle in the room. There was not one bit of room to spare and Alyx was worried about the amount of people they would have in there to hear what Evander had to say.
But Evander would not repeat it, could barely bring himself to do it again after telling Alyx, and was worried about how the others would react.
Slowly, the others began to trickle in; Gael and Cordelia, then Auelina and Aldous. The Ataton family followed, then Gia, Edward, and Cade. Finally Josette limped in on Geoffrey’s shoulder and then every single seat was taken.
As soon as everyone was seated, Evander cleared his throat. He did not stand, as he normally would, because his strength wasn’t returned completely and the trip down to the sitting room took more out of him than he wished to say.
“I just want to say that I am so grateful to be back. I know that the time when I was gone was hard, harder on some than others. But now that I am back, I wish for the things to go back to the state that they were, as much as possible,” Evander said and then reached for some water. With his other hand, he gripped Alyx’s hand fiercely.
“I cannot thank my friends enough. Prince Eamon, first of all, for keeping my family and kingdom safe. And Prince Alik for coming to my aid. My friends, there is not enough gold or thanks in this world to express my gratitude but just know, so long as I am alive, or any De Loughrey sits on the throne, you will have our allegiance,” Evander went on.
Alyx hated how he sounded. Unlike before, he was no long
er as boisterous and proud as he was. Alyx wanted to kill Serlo more than he wanted anything in his life.
“Unfortunately, with my return, I have news that-” Evander paused and looked down at where Alyx and he were joined. Their rings were identical and he held Alyx’s left hand in his own, afraid to let go for even a moment.
“That none of us could have predicted,” Alyx finished, picking up where Evander left off when it was clear that Evander could not continue. “Our King won’t be answering questions of his time gone, as I’m sure that all of you understand.”
Everyone in the circle murmured their assent, their words soft and agreeable.
Alyx risked a look over at Evander, to see if he was able to pick up the story but Evander seemed lost in their hands and Alyx squeezed him and Evander looked up. Alyx raised his eyebrows but Evander only shook his head. Alyx gave him a tight smile and nodded.
“Evander spent a great deal of time with Thomas. The real one, not a decoy sent to fool us once more. I-” Alyx cut himself off, unable to continue with the mask civility in his tone and on his face. Not when he looked to Gael, Cade, and Auelina.
Alyx cleared his throat and shook his head. “I am so sorry.”
“For what?” Edward asked, looking around.
“Thomas. He has been under our noses all this time. Thomas is Serlo. Evander’s father,” Alyx said. His voice was barely above a whisper but his words fell like a boulder in the middle of the room.
“That’s not possible. Evander, you must be mistaken-” Gia said and stood.
“He is not,” Prince Alik said.
The room fell silent once more. “I knew Serlo from my visits here as a child. When I was there, at the place where they held Evander, I saw him. He was the one who did all this to me,” Alik said and gestured to his face and side.
Auelina shook her head. “No. You said you killed him. You said he was gone.”
“I thought he was. There was no reason to believe he should have survived. Mother and Edward were there. They saw him drown same as I. But it appears that he was nursed back by a fisherman and his daughter. Miss Vail,” Evander said, for those that did not know.
