The Soulstoy Inheritance

by Jane Washington

  “This is Ashen Soulstoy, he is our ambassador. His brother placed him on the Council personally. Post ascension, of course.”

  I could barely believe my ears, and did a double-take as the man removed his bent leather hat and tipped himself into a bow, his movements so familiar, so arrogant…

  “Nareon has a brother?”

  “Of course,” answered Ashen himself, spinning a chair around and propping his leg onto it instead of sitting in it. “There were three of us. Elias is the black duckling. Mostly because he’s dead. Now of course I’ve seen you before, Lady Queen, but we’ve yet the pleasure of a proper introduction; Nareon was annoyingly possessive, said we’d be a bad influence.”

  Now I really wanted to call on Nareon, but not only was I still holding off, but I couldn’t do it in front of so many people. Especially not the man’s brother, who didn’t seem to be in the least perturbed by Nareon’s recent death. I had thought that another man had entered after Ashen, but if he had, Grenlow hadn’t noticed him either, and before I could turn to search the room, another woman walked through the door. She had silver-golden hair, pale blue eyes, and the appearance of age, though there wasn’t a single wrinkle marring her beautiful complexion. The experience was in her eyes, like a film of pain and knowledge that stretched beyond the years reflected in her skin. I recognised it. Harbringer had it too.

  “Isolde is the oldest of our advisors,” Grenlow said as she sat down. “She oversees the day-to-day court proceedings and handles the general complaints. You’ll be working with her the most.” He looked around then, as Isolde closed the door behind her. “Is Leif already here?”

  “He’s in the corner,” answered Ashen.

  We all turned as one, and I noticed a man in a black cloak standing in the shadow of the corner, a hood pulled low over his face. Just the sight of him almost gave me a heart attack.

  “That’s Leif,” Grenlow said, apparently not as surprised as me. “He’s our Spymaster, works mostly with Ashen.”

  I turned away from the man, who offered no acknowledgement—though it made me uneasy to give him my back—and cleared my throat nervously.

  “I don’t see any reason why anything has to change…” I flicked a look to Grenlow, once again wishing I could make Nareon appear. “…I’m sure you all know by now that I didn’t want this, and that I’m not in the slightest bit equipped to rule a kingdom.”

  Ayleth snorted, and Dain shot her an amused look.

  “But until something else can be sorted out,” I said, ignoring them, “I’ll do the best that I can.”

  “You were in Flintwood and Red Ridge yesterday?” Isolde asked, raising her blue eyes to me.

  “Yes.”

  “The wells have water, and they think they can raise the crops again. You did them a great favour.”

  I was embarrassed at the praise, but pleased at the same time, because Ayleth was no longer laughing at me.

  “What I’m worried about,” Cereen spoke up, “Is how your actions in the Read Empire will effect us.”

  “I have no idea what arrangement Nareon had with Fenrel.”

  “Whatever it was, it’s nothing to the relationship you have with the new King, or so I’m told,” Ayleth said meaningfully.

  I froze. “Where did you hear that?”

  She shrugged, and I sighed, pushing back from my chair. They watched me, but I moved to the window, forgetting completely about the cloaked man that stood just beyond the curtain. I should call Nareon in, and let them all see that he remained in my mind, but would that make things harder for me, or easier? Would it garner Nareon power, and did I want Nareon to garner power?

  “My Lady,” Grenlow spoke to me softly, as if I were a child, and to them, I probably was. “Is it time to seek counsel, I wonder?”

  I could feel my fists clenching, my breath halting. What was Grenlow’s game?

  “Tell me, Grenlow,” I said, not turning from the window. “Has a synfee ever returned from the dead?”

  When he didn’t answer, I turned, and found everyone watching me with blank expressions, all except Grenlow. Grenlow appeared lost, just as confused as I was.

  “No,” he said, “never.”

  “Good.” I sighed, and then turned back to the window. “Nareon, show yourself.”

  I didn’t turn around. I didn’t need to. Someone screamed—presumably Ayleth—and one of the men swore. There was a crashing sound, as if a chair had tipped over, and then Nareon’s silky-soft voice. Declaring himself.

  “Ladies, gentlemen. Ashen. Spitfire.”

  I waved a hand over my shoulder, already beginning to regret my decision.

  “It’s true,” whispered someone, Rohan I thought.

  “What’s true?” Nareon sounded genuinely puzzled, though I knew he wasn’t.

  “The human girl killed you.” Ayleth’s voice rose to a fever pitch, and I thought about how convenient it was, that I could be human in this world, and synfee in the other.

  “Yeah,” I muttered, “I killed him.”

  Nareon moved behind me. I knew because I suddenly grew cold, and needed to wrap my arms about myself.

  “Your darkness is growing, sweetheart. It’s time to visit the feeders.”

  “Or I could just find a new king. You know, add him to my collection.” My voice was cold, mocking myself and punishing him, but his laugh rang about the room.

  “You’re delightful when you’re dark, Spitfire. Maybe you shouldn’t feed after all.”

  My jaw clenched, and I slowly turned from the window, waving my arm at the table.

  “I brought you out to show your people that they have nothing to worry about. I can’t destroy them, or bring war upon them, or whatever else they might be suspicious of.” My gaze met Nareon’s. “I can’t, because you have a plan, don’t you, Nareon?”

  He frowned. “I’m dead, Beatrice,” he said, as if this solved everything—like it should have, for any normal person—and then he turned from me to address the room. “Beatrice was chosen to rule by me, for reasons that she doesn’t quite understand yet, though that doesn’t mean that all of you shouldn’t.”

  I stared at his back, surprised, as I hadn’t called him in here to lecture them.

  “She has an extraordinary amount of empathy, and her connections to the Read Empire are strong. Fenrel and I were in the middle of peace negotiations at the time of my death, and there is nothing more important to us right now than that treaty. Beatrice’s connection to the new boy-King will serve you well in the coming months.”

  He paused, opened his mouth to say something else, and then almost flickered out of existence. I stepped forward, alarmed, but he solidified once again.

  “Ask Leif and Ashen,” he said, and then promptly disappeared.

  I swore and kicked the nearest chair.

  “Goddam it, Nareon!” I yelled into thin air.

  Chapter Seven

  Lies, Spies and Allies

  Now that Cereen and Rohan had been assimilated into the High Council, Grenlow informed me that he had to pick another guard, but I instead begged him to allow me this one task. He was surprised, but I assured him that I would bring him back three men before the day was over. I returned to the back garden and climbed upon the wall, conscious of the eyes that followed my movements. Everything was different in the light of day; the foreboding beauty of lights blinking in the night was replaced by the bustle of the dull but necessary actions of living. The empty roads now housed the tread of booted feet and wheeled carts, the windowsills now boasted the shifting of adults about the tasks of cooking and cleaning, with children running amok beyond. The river no longer crept with glittering slowness, but trickled with unmasked normalcy, the surface broken by the occasional jumping fish.

  The wall housed a sparse contingent of guards now too. They were stationed so that every inch of the grounds below would have a keen eye upon them, except that the keen eyes were either sleeping over barrels, or else chatting idly with each other.

/>   I figured the best way to find Teddy, Sweet and Quick was to start from where I had left them, and so I walked along the wall to the square tower, keeping my head down. There was only one man in the room, a crossbow slung over his shoulder, leaning up beside one of the murder holes, which was placed beneath a window that I hadn’t noticed the night before. I supposed they must board it up overnight.

  He glanced over at me casually, and then almost dropped his crossbow.

  “Your High—My Lady, what can I do for you?”

  “I’m looking for three men, their names are Teddy, Sweet and—“

  “Quick. Aye, I know them. Last I saw, they were in the training yard, does My Lady desire my accompaniment to them?”

  “Err, she would—I mean I would. Thanks.”

  He walked me to the training yards and then whistled, calling Teddy, Sweet and Quick over, just as I spotted them amid a tangle of limbs and swords. Quick seemed to be the one fighting, though the only way I could tell was from the flashing of golden rings in the sun as he swung his blade. Teddy and Sweet were standing off to the side, and heard the whistle, glancing over. I had no idea how they knew that they were the ones being summoned, but they shouted something to Quick, who faltered in his steps. His opponent knocked him off-balance, causing him to fall backwards into the dirt. He looked up and saw me, allowed Teddy to pull him up, and then shook the dirt off his clothing and out of his hair.

  My guard disappeared as they reached me, and I found myself relaxing somewhat at their presence, though I was worried that their attitude to me would change, now that they weren’t drunk.

  “I’m in need of a new personal guard,” I said, without preemption. “Apparently there is a war coming.”

  “I’m not surprised,” said Quick easily, flicking a caterpillar from his shoulder. “Leif has been fluttering around rather much, for spring.”

  “We’re nowhere near qualified for the royal guard,” Sweet admitted. “We can barely afford armour, Lady Queen, and our weapons are subpar at best, you’d be better off with some of Grenlow’s men.”

  “You’re not Grenlow’s men?”

  “We’re Leif’s men.”

  I blinked. Silent, spymaster Leif has men?

  “Well, can you fight?”

  “We’re better with poison,” Teddy said, “but we can kill a person, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “I suppose the question is can you protect a person? I’m fairly self-sufficient, but—”

  “But you have an unholy death wish? Yeah,” Teddy tried to hold in a laugh, “we’ve heard. It won’t be a problem, Lady Queen. We will protect you.”

  “Then whatever you need, you’ll have. I’m fairly sure I can give that order.”

  Teddy grimaced. “I’m sure you can, Lady Queen.”

  I walked the three back to Grenlow, who raised his brows.

  “These?” He gestured to them as if they were clumsy children I’d just kidnapped. “You want these three?”

  “Yes, must I ask Leif for permission?”

  “You’re the Queen, Lady Beatrice.”

  “I mean out of common decency.”

  “Common decency?”

  I sighed, rubbing the base of my palm against my forehead. “No wonder Nareon thought my empathy was a good quality.”

  “Either way, Leif probably already knows,” Quick said.

  I glanced at him, wondering if he was joking, but he looked serious enough.

  “Leif is everywhere. He’s the Spymaster,” Grenlow said by way of explanation, seeing the look on my face.

  “I didn’t see him anywhere.”

  “That’s the point.” Grenlow sighed, clearly my insolence was beginning to wear him down, and I actually started to feel guilty.

  “Right, well okay then. These three need new weapons.”

  “Oh, you’re not trying to kill yourself after all? Come with me, I had the smith make something for you too, Lady Beatrice.”

  We walked together past the castle gates and down the slight incline that stretched from the castle itself to Castle Nest. This city was gated too, though the gates hung wide open, and there were no soldiers guarding them. The city was a flurry of busy activity, and Grenlow strode through it with ease, though I found myself bustled on more than a few occasions so that I was forced to pay closer attention to where I walked. Once I got the hang of jumping out of the way, my progress was much smoother, and soon we turned off the main road and down a much quieter street. People began to notice me then, so I kept my head down, until Grenlow ducked into a shop front. It was a blacksmith’s shop, and the man at the anvil stopped what he was doing immediately and strode over to us.

  “My Lady Queen. General.” He ignored the other three men completely. “The holster is ready.”

  “Good. Lady Beatrice, this is Jad, our best Blacksmith.”

  Jad hurried off, and reappeared a moment later, holding a leather sheath out to me, along with a handful of different lengths of belt. I took it, confused, and then Jad produced a knife, and the realisation sank in. The knife hadn’t been cleaned, it was still stained with my father’s blood.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I borrowed it,” Grenlow said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. “I thought you should be able to have it on you at all times.”

  I reached for the hilt, my hands shaking, completely unable to speak as I stared at it. Grenlow, synfee, monster… whatever else he was, he understood.

  “Thank you,” I croaked.

  “Shall I show you how to secure it, Lady Queen?” Jad asked, apparently uncomfortable with the sudden emotion in my voice.

  “Yes, please.”

  He lifted my arms and deftly secured the first belt around my ribcage. The second was attached to the first, and crossed along my chest, over one shoulder to buckle up beneath my opposite shoulder. The holster lay diagonally across my upper back; the hilt was within easy reaching distance of my right hand. When I slid it home, the carved words faced the outside.

  You should have killed me.

  “Next time,” I said aloud. “Next time, I will kill them.”

  Grenlow smiled, and I wondered how he understood this situation so well. Who had he lost, and did he ever end up getting his revenge? If he did… did it help?

  I thanked Jad profusely, and then he moved off—embarrassed—to begin fitting Teddy, Sweet and Quick with new armour. Grenlow cited something that needed doing and left also, so that I remained to wander around the front of the blacksmith’s shop alone. I had just picked up a half-finished sword when a voice sounded behind me.

  “That’s much too big for you, Lady Queen.”

  I let the sword tip fall, and then propped it carefully back where I had found it, turning to face Ashen.

  “You look like a pirate,” I remarked, eyeing his own swords, and the shocking violet of his hair swept over each of his shoulders in two, thick braids. “And you have no synfee gold in your appearance whatsoever.”

  “You’re wearing a knife holster and a court dress all at once, I’m impressed.”

  “You’re the King’s brother,” I said, feeling absurd. “Why the hell aren’t you King?”

  “The Hereditary Scroll chose you, and I much prefer the job I have now.”

  “Pirating?”

  He laughed. “I’m no pirate, girl. Now Dain, that’s a whole new story. If you’ve ever wondered how he amasses so much gold for the treasury, just stop. It never does any good.”

  “What about Leif? What’s his deal?”

  Instead of answering, Ashen’s violet eyes shifted to look over my shoulder. I glanced that way and almost jumped out of my skin. Leif was leaning against the wall right behind me, where I had placed the sword only moments before. His face wasn’t fully covered by his hood, but he wore a thin leather mask which otherwise hid his features. His eyes glittered out at me darkly, I couldn’t even tell what colour they were.

  “I have no deal, Lady Queen.” His voice was rough, like sandpaper
brushing across my skin.

  I took several hurried steps away from him, my hand pressed to my throat.

  “Whoa,” I muttered, trying to force down my unreasonable fear. “You scared the hell out of me.”

  “He’s been known to do that.” Ashen said with a grin. “I’m actually surprised he spoke to you at all. Nareon used to try and get him to talk all the time.” He tilted his head at Leif. “Is it because she’s prettier?”

  Leif didn’t reply. He didn’t even give any sign that he had heard the question, but Ashen only chuckled delightedly.

  “You are like your brother,” I decided, narrowing my eyes at Ashen.

  “You’d know, girl. You fed from him.”

  “I didn’t know anything at the time.”

  “Do you know better now?”

  “I suspect I will never know enough. I am a child in this world, and a weak one at that.”

  “You’re neither of those things, and the sooner you understand that, the less lost you’ll feel.”

  “Lost again!” I couldn’t help throwing my hands up. “Now I’m lost again!”

  If he was surprised at my outburst, he didn’t let on.

  “What about Ayleth? Isolde?” I pressed.

  “Ayleth was Nareon’s main plaything, in addition to being one of his advisors. She doesn’t like you for obvious reasons. Isolde is the wisest of us all. You’d do well to keep an eye on her.”

  “Were you and Nareon close?”

  His smile lost some of its humour. “I am saddened by his death, and not as startled as I suppose I should be at his re-appearance.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  My new personal guard came clattering back to the front of the shop then, and Jad took one look at Ashen, went white, and turned straight back the way he had come.

  “Thank you!” I called out to his back.