The Kingdoms of Evernow Box Set

by Heidi Catherine

  Then lifting her sister’s hand to her lips, she kissed her fingertips. “Love you, Daph.”

  Before she could let her emotions take hold too fiercely, she stood and joined her mother and Tate outside the hut.

  Tate’s face lit up to see her, not with joy, but with something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Was it respect? Admiration? Having spent her life suppressing how she felt, it was going to take some time to unravel the knot of feelings inside her.

  This man had come into her life and changed it in so many ways. And in time, she may have the power to change many more lives.

  Tate reached out and placed a hand on her back in such a way that it made her feel like not only did she marry Prince Tate… she felt like he married her.

  PIP

  THE NOW

  Pip set down her favorite doll on her bed and stroked its faded dress, spreading it out like a fan.

  Ariel, the herbalist, had knitted her a set of woolen dolls as a gift when she was born. It seemed her talents stretched beyond the kitchen, as the dolls were exquisite. There was a King and Queen doll, a Prince and a Princess, and a male and female Guardian.

  Pip’s favorite, of course, was the Princess doll, who she’d somewhat unoriginally named Prin. The doll had long, blonde hair, just like her and two bright blue crosses carefully stitched on for eyes. Her pretty dress was pink, not the sort you could remove, but knitted in as part of the design. What Pip especially liked, was that Prin was beautiful. What a shame, she hadn’t grown up to match that part of her Princess doll.

  “It’s time for your sleep now, Prin,” she said, using the same tone her mother had used when she’d been a young girl.

  Prin looked back with her sewn on eyes, unblinking.

  Then, hearing a noise in the passageway, Pip leaped off the bed and ran to the door to look through her spy hole. But seeing it was only a maid passing by, she quickly returned to the bed, to check on Prin.

  “You’re still awake!” She put her hands on her hips and tutted. “All right then, I’ll tell you a story. That should help you sleep.”

  Pip drew up a chair next to the bed and imagined she was her mother telling her younger self a story. She knew it was childish to play such games at the age of sixteen, but with little else to do in her bedchamber, this was something she was reluctant to let go of. It reminded her of happier days. And it wasn’t like she had anything else to do, except stare out her window or watch people through her spy hole.

  “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Queen who was married to a handsome King. They had a daughter they loved very much. They named her Snow, for she had the fairest skin and blondest hair that anybody had ever seen.”

  Pip’s hands fluttered to her own hair that her mother had once combed into soft waves and she wondered if her mother had changed this part of the story to match her own appearance. Or perhaps she’d made up the entire story.

  “But sadly, the Queen died when Snow was still a young child…”

  A familiar lurch gripped Pip’s stomach. This was another part of the story that matched Pip’s own life. But thankfully the next part was different, so she pressed on.

  “The King remarried soon after and his new wife became stepmother to Snow. But she was a wicked stepmother who was jealous of Snow’s beauty. She’d look into a magic mirror every day and ask who the most beautiful woman in the kingdom was, happy to hear it was her. But when Snow grew from a girl into a woman, the mirror changed its answer and the evil Queen flew into a terrible rage to hear the mirror speak Snow’s name.”

  Prin looked up at Pip, not seeming to be growing any sleepier, so Pip lifted the corner of her blanket from her bed and tucked her in a little more. When her mother had told her this story, she’d never gotten sleepy either.

  “The Queen had a huntsman take Snow into the forest to be killed, but she begged for her life and the huntsman let her run away, as long as she promised never to return to the palace. Now, this plan might have worked if not for the magic mirror that continued to insist Snow was still the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.”

  Pip hesitated, remembering how her mother had told her many times that she was the most beautiful girl in The Bay of Laurel. Back then, she’d smiled at her mother and believed her. Why then, had she had such trouble believing Edison when these same words had come from his mouth? Was the difference in the person who spoke them, or the ears that heard them? But there was no time for such wonderings now. Prin was waiting for the rest of her story.

  “And the mirror was correct, as Snow was indeed still alive, having wandered deep into the forest where she found an abandoned cottage. She swept it out and made it her home where she lived happily until one day an old woman knocked on her door to give her a shiny red apple. Not realizing the old woman was the Queen in disguise, Snow took the apple and bit down into it. Of course, the apple had been poisoned and Snow fell immediately to the ground.”

  Pip cleared her throat, aware of the raspy tone to her voice, perhaps because she hadn’t used so many words at once for a long time.

  “Now, this might sound like a terrible way to end a story, but it isn’t. For, you see, Snow was only asleep, not dead. And soon after, a Prince from a faraway kingdom happened upon her cottage when he was riding through the forest. Falling in love with her at first sight, he bent to the ground and scooped her into his arms, placing a gentle kiss upon her lips. Snow opened her eyes and the Prince took her to his kingdom so they could live happily ever after.”

  Pip smiled, wondering what it would feel like to have Edison press his lips to hers, then realized she’d forgotten to tell Prin the ending to the story.

  “So, the next time the Queen talked to her mirror, she was pleased to hear that at last, she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. The mirror wasn’t lying, of course. It was only telling the Queen half the truth and Snow was able to live the rest of her life with her loving Prince by her side, free from the wicked Queen.”

  She pulled the blanket up so it covered Prin’s face. “Good girl, you’re asleep now.”

  She knew she hadn’t told the story properly and decided to ask Tate about it later. Had their mother told him the same story when he was young? Or being a boy, had she told him stories of dragons and soldiers instead of princesses and queens? It was getting harder and harder to remember all the details. She was certain she’d accidentally changed it over the years. She had a faint memory that in the version her mother had told her, there’d been a group of strange little men in the cottage when Snow had arrived, but perhaps she’d just imagined that. Her mother had a book with the story of Snow written down in it, but that had disappeared not long after she’d died. Or had it been before? If only Pip had looked after it! How could she have been so careless to have lost it? She should have taken it from her mother’s room and kept it safe always. Then she wouldn’t have to try to remember all the details of the story. She spent so much time alone, thinking, that sometimes it became difficult to tell the difference between what she remembered and what she imagined.

  Maybe Edison’s tonic would change all of that. He’d said it would make her strong and wash away her fears. But what was she scared of exactly? Nothing really, which of course meant she was scared of everything.

  She went to her bureau and combed her hair, noticing it was thinner than it used to be. Just another thing that made her feel ugly.

  But Edison didn’t seem to think so. He’d come to her bedchamber every morning for six days straight now, armed with his tonic and his compliments. And he was right, she was feeling stronger. But she still wasn’t certain if it was the tonic, or his words? Maybe it was both.

  It felt good to have forgiven Edison. If indeed there was anything to forgive. He insisted he’d done nothing wrong and despite her memory screaming at her that this wasn’t true, she knew she couldn’t trust her memories. The story of Princess Snow was proof of that. Tate had been over-reacting when he’d told her to stay away from Edison aft
er their mother’s death. This was yet another thing she needed to talk to him about. If only he weren’t so preoccupied lately with his wife. He didn’t have nearly as much time for her since he’d gotten married. Some days he’d practically thrown her breakfast at her and run away.

  Edison didn’t do that, though. He lingered in a way that made her feel like he never wanted to leave. And she didn’t want him to, either. It was far more interesting talking to him than it was to Prin, mainly because he talked back. And unlike Tate, when Edison talked to her, he had excitement in his eyes instead of sadness.

  She was certain she could trust him. He wouldn’t be spending so much time with her if his feelings weren’t genuine.

  Whatever the case, for the first time in such a long time, Pip felt like she had a future, instead of only having had a past. And that felt so good.

  EDISON

  THE NOW

  “His Majesty will see you now.”

  The Guardian stood back and held the door for Edison, who marched through as if it were his own father he was here to see.

  He bowed in front of the King’s throne, knowing he must wait to be addressed before rising to his full height.

  “Edison, my boy.” The King put down the bowl of string beans he was eating and smiled, a green strand hanging between his front teeth. “How are you? It’s been a long time since you came to see me.”

  Edison let out a slow breath as he stood, having been unsure as to what kind of reception he’d get. But whatever grudge Tate seemed to be holding against him, thankfully it didn’t seem to be shared by his father.

  The King stuck a finger in his mouth and fished out the vegetable matter from between his teeth, flicking it and watching it fly across the room with a satisfied smile.

  Edison cleared his throat. “I was giving you time to grieve the loss of your Queen.” He hoped this sounded reasonable. How could he tell the King the reason he hadn’t been seen around the palace was because the Prince had shut him out? If the King wasn’t aware of this, then it was best to keep it that way.

  “She’s been gone for many years now, Edison.” The King seemed almost confused. Perhaps his feelings for the Queen hadn’t run particularly deep. His own memory of the Queen was that she was pretty enough, but not especially interesting. Whatever the case, her husband certainly didn’t seem to be mourning her loss too greatly.

  “The years have passed quickly, Your Majesty,” said Edison.

  “Indeed they have.” The King smiled at him, although it did little to set Edison at ease in his presence. If he were to become King one day, would people treat him with the same level of fear? He hoped so.

  “Y-yes.” Edison scolded himself for losing his voice. He had to get to the point, but timing was everything. He didn’t feel quite ready yet.

  “I always did like you, you know,” said the King.

  Edison couldn’t have stopped the grin that spread across his face, even if he’d wanted to. A compliment like this from the highest ruler in the land was rare. He hadn’t come here to receive such praise, but was certainly happy to accept it.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty. And I’ve always had great respect for you.” He bowed his head to show his sincerity.

  “And what brings you to see me today?” The King reached over for another bean and poked it into his mouth, chewing loudly.

  Edison averted his eyes, disgust burning the back of his throat. The King had doubled in size since Edison was a boy. He wasn’t sure what he’d been eating, but it had to be a lot more than bowls of beans. Perhaps eating vegetables made him feel like he was being healthy.

  “I’m here to speak to you about a delicate matter, I’m afraid.” Edison steeled himself to deliver the speech he’d been practicing all night. “But one I fear I cannot hold from you for a moment longer.”

  “Speak freely, my boy.” The King reached for his cup of wine to wash down his beans.

  Edison swallowed, then as he lifted his head, he brought forward the life-changing words. “I’m afraid I don’t wish to take over as the herbalist from my mother when the time comes. I feel there are better ways I can serve the kingdom.”

  Almost choking on his wine, the smile fell from the King’s face and he set down his cup. He wasn’t taking this news as well as Edison had hoped.

  “And what better ways might these be?” asked the King.

  “It’s the Guardians,” said Edison. “There’s growing unrest amongst them.”

  “I’ve heard a few have perished recently. But wouldn’t you be best placed to aid them by following your path as our future herbalist? A few adjustments to the tonics should set them right.” He raised his eyebrows and waited.

  “I’d like to suggest a different approach,” said Edison. “I fear the tonics need more than just a few adjustments. The way they are right now, they’re doing more harm than good.”

  The King’s eyes opened wide and he sat forward. “That’s quite a statement. Do you realize how many palace resources have gone into those tonics over the years? Are you telling me that’s been a waste?”

  “I’m aware, Your Majesty. Which is why I’m bringing this to your attention. The tonics were an important key in developing the Guardians’ strength in previous generations, but the problem is that it’s started to give them too much courage.”

  “But courage in a soldier is a good thing, is it not?” The King reached for the last few beans, looking at his empty bowl like it’d offended him.

  “It is,” said Edison. “Usually.”

  “Go on,” the King urged, biting into the beans as they slid between his teeth.

  Edison may not have the King on his side just yet, but he certainly had him interested, which was a good starting point.

  “The Guardians are becoming unruly,” said Edison. “I live beside them, so trust me that I know. Just the other day a female Guardian ruthlessly insulted me for no reason whatsoever when I handed her a tonic.” He decided to omit that it was the King’s new daughter-by-law he was talking about, not feeling this would aid his case. If the King were to verify the story with River, he may receive an exaggerated and inaccurate version of events that didn’t paint him well.

  “They’re growing far too confident,” Edison continued. “I believe the tonics are to blame. The courage it gives them is being misused. I understand why you chose to marry one to your son, however, the message this has sent to the Guardians is that they’re now equal to us. Equal even to you. Putting that together with the recent unfortunate deaths, we now have rumors of a rebellion on our hands.”

  “A rebellion against me?” The King’s face went just as pale as Edison had hoped it would.

  “I’m afraid so, Your Highness. You know just how strong the Guardians are. If they were to turn against us, I’m afraid there’s nothing that could be done to stop them. How would we defend ourselves against an army so strong? You only have to look at what happened in Forte Cadence not all that long ago. Their King had no chance when his army turned.”

  Now the King’s face went from white to green and Edison was concerned he hadn’t seen the last of those beans. Had he really never thought about this possibility before? Was he so certain of his army’s loyalty that he’d never considered what might happen if they rebelled? Of course, there had been no such talk of any rebellion in The Bay of Laurel, but Edison could see it in the Guardians’ eyes. And if they were thinking it, then surely it wasn’t so different to them saying it. He wasn’t lying to the King, merely keeping him one step ahead.

  “What do you suggest we do?” asked the King.

  His use of the word we warmed Edison from the inside.

  “It’s time to show the Guardians some discipline. Put them back in their place. They’re servants and soldiers, not equals. If you don’t act quickly, I’m afraid the rebellion may become more than just talk. It will become a serious and imminent threat.”

  The King shook his head, clearly shaken. “And you have a plan?”

  “I
practically grew up inside the walls of this palace, despite living amongst the Guardians. I understand how this kingdom works—not as well as you do, of course…” He hesitated, hoping his words hadn’t tripped him up, but when the King didn’t seem perturbed, he continued. “If you make me Master of the Guardians, I’ll oversee the tonics to ensure they’re corrected to maintain the Guardians’ strength but reduce their confidence to make them more submissive. And I’ll ensure we have no further premature deaths. That’s something I believe I can fix immediately. I’ll also overhaul the Guardians’ living conditions. No more residing in family groups, we’ll divide the village into two. One half for the males and the other for the females. I’ll personally select who breeds with who. No more marriages, no more relationships, no more alliances. It’s time to treat them as the army your ancestors dreamed they’d be. One that’s not just strong and courageous, but loyal and compliant.”

  The King glanced at his empty bowl and nodded slowly. “Interesting. And you believe these changes will be enough to stamp out any signs of a rebellion?”

  “I do.” Edison nodded, keeping his expression suitably grave. “Their loyalty to you will be restored and they’ll be ready to protect you against any threat of invasion in the coming years. As you’re aware, our enemies are getting stronger. They’ve aligned in a way that’s most dangerous to our kingdom.”

  “This is true. It’s been of growing concern to me, but my advisors have been unable to provide me with as much reassurance in all our meetings as you’ve been able to in just this short conversation. Your approach may be just the solution I’ve been searching for.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” Edison straightened his back and tipped up his chin. This was going even better than he’d imagined. “It’s time to get tough.”

  “And who would you be overseeing to make the new tonics?” asked the King. “Your mother?”

  “She’s still useful, Your Majesty. She may have lost her touch, but nobody knows their way around the kitchen like she does. Under my guidance, I feel that things can be improved.”