“She takes after her mother in that regard,” Savenek said. “After all, isn’t that how you gave me up so easily? You care more for your kingdom than for me?” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, even if he’d been thinking it.
“Sometimes being a mother and an empress forces me to make difficult choices. Yes, I put my kingdom first. One day, you’ll understand what that’s like. There is tremendous pressure and responsibility being the ruler of Emperion.”
Darmik joined them. “Everything all right?” He looked from Rema to Savenek, his brow pinched with worry.
“Fine,” Rema and Savenek snapped in unison.
The town of Lakeside came into view. The last time Savenek was there, he’d been poisoned and fighting for his life. Since he’d been holed up in the infirmary, he hadn’t had a chance to see the castle or visit the town. He’d wanted to return so he could properly enjoy the place. However, he’d never imagined it would be as the prince.
The unit of soldiers escorting them broke into two groups. One went with the carriage containing the decoys to the front of the castle, while the second went around the side, entering through the military entrance. After traveling for a week, Savenek was glad to finally be there.
He dismounted and stretched.
A woman came running out of the castle, heading straight to Neco. He wrapped his arms around her. The woman had brown hair and wore a gown befitting of a lady. She turned her head, resting her cheek against Neco’s chest. She had the same nose and cheekbones as Mayra. This had to be her mother, Ellie.
Savenek glanced at the side entrance of the castle, wondering if Mayra would come running out to see her father. He tugged the tunic away from his neck, suddenly hot and uncomfortable. A stable boy came over and took Savenek’s horse. Darmik moved off to the side, speaking quietly with Rema.
“Your Highness,” Neco said, suddenly at his side. “May I have a moment of your time?”
Savenek had never heard Neco refer to him as Your Highness, and the formality unnerved him. “Yes.”
Neco’s wife went over to Rema and Darmik. Rema hugged Ellie, and Darmik left the women alone. He joined Neco and Savenek, motioning them farther away from the soldiers so no one could overhear their conversation.
“Neco and I are leaving,” Darmik said.
“Right now?” They’d only just arrived.
“Yes. Kerdan has agreed to meet us at Duke Womek’s estate in Russek. From there, we will formulate a solid plan to assassinate Jana.”
“What about assassinating Kerdan while you’re at it?” There was no sense in leaving one of the crazy royal Russeks alive.
“Right now, the threat is from Jana, not Kerdan,” Darmik replied.
“Kerdan wants an alliance with us,” Neco reminded him.
“Who wouldn’t want an alliance with Emperion?” Given that Russek had just tried to conquer Emperion and Kerdan was one of the commanders of the army, Savenek didn’t trust him. Kerdan probably only wanted to marry Allyssa in order to gain control of Emperion without having to go through the trouble of war.
“I understand,” Darmik said, adjusting his riding gloves. “However, right now, Kerdan is willing to work with us. I will go to Russek and meet with him. After assessing the situation, I will decide whether I trust him or not.”
“And if you don’t trust him?”
Darmik put a hand on Savenek’s shoulder. “Then I’ll kill him myself.”
Good. That was what he wanted to know. “What do you need me to do while you’re gone?”
Darmik removed his hand from Savenek’s shoulder. “Have your mother show you where your office is. Since you’re intimately connected with the Brotherhood, we want you to continue running the organization. You should also familiarize yourself with the castle, the people working in it, the town, and the soldiers stationed here.”
“Yes, sir.” Those were all things he would enjoy doing. And none of which required him to attend a ball, a fancy supper, or a formal event.
Rema and Ellie headed into the castle, at least six soldiers following them.
A soldier approached. “Commander, fresh mounts have been prepared.”
“Thank you. We’ll be there in two minutes.” Darmik turned to Neco. “Ready?”
Neco held up a finger, addressing Savenek. “My son, Marek, is the head of Allyssa’s personal guard. You may utilize him until she returns.”
“An excellent suggestion,” Darmik said. “So long as you two don’t get into any trouble.”
“What about Mayra?” Savenek asked.
“What about her?” Neco said.
Savenek made sure to carefully word his request. “I could use someone with her skillset. She would be a valuable asset to the Brotherhood.”
Darmik chuckled. “You’re not fooling anyone.”
Savenek forced his face to remain blank as if he had no idea what Darmik meant.
Neco’s eyes darkened, making him appear menacing. “I will consider the request while I’m gone. When I return, I will give my answer regarding your professional relationship with my daughter.” He glanced at Darmik. “I can’t be worried about my baby girl when I’m off in a foreign kingdom trying to assassinate its ruler.”
Mayra was neither a baby nor a girl. She was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions. However, Savenek kept that tidbit to himself.
“We need to be on our way,” Darmik said. “I promised Rema I’d return in time to celebrate your seventeenth birthday. If anything happens and I’m not back in time, take care of your mother.”
“I will. And I’ll do everything you’ve requested.” Not because Darmik was his father and asking him to, but because Darmik was his emperor and commander. Savenek wanted to do his part to ensure Emperion’s success. As far as Mayra was concerned, there would be plenty of time for them to work together—professionally, of course.
Savenek entered the castle to find Rema waiting for him, Ellie nowhere in sight.
“I’ll show you to the Royal Chambers.” She took hold of Savenek’s arm and led him along the corridors, pointing out various rooms and saying the names of the people they passed but not doing any formal introductions.
Savenek only listened with half an ear to what she said because he was too busy keeping an eye out for Mayra. A smile spread across his face just thinking about her. She was somewhere in this castle, and it was only a matter of time before he saw her.
“Here we are,” Rema said.
They entered a quaint sitting room. The walls were gray stone, the windows framed with burgundy drapes, and the few pictures were informal paintings of the royal family. Two sofas and a couple of chairs were situated in the middle of the room on a thick, worn rug. A fire roared in the hearth. Where the palace had seemed opulent, the castle was welcoming and lived in. Savenek immediately felt at home.
He went over to one of the windows and peered outside. Most of the structures in the town were only a few stories tall, each a different shade of white, tan, or brown. Trees stood in the distance, hinting at a forest not far away. Smoke rose from many buildings. In Emperor’s City, all the structures were the same color. The landscape was barren, the place sandy, and the weather hot.
“I can see why you live here.” Even though the castle was significantly smaller than the palace.
“Your room is this way.” Rema led him down a hallway with three doors. “The first door is for my room, the second is for Allyssa’s room, and the last belongs to you.”
Savenek went to his door, standing before it.
“I’ve always kept a room for you.” She came up behind him. “Just in case.” Reaching around him, she pushed the door open.
He stepped inside. The room was massive—easily ten times the size of the room he’d had at Nathenek’s house. There was an empty fireplace, several armoires, a four-poster bed, and a row of windows along one wall. The sun shone through, lighting the space in a soft glow. Near the fireplace was a sofa and two chairs along with a low table
.
He exited his room, not wanting to think about what life would have been like if he’d grown up at Lakeside. Instead, he decided to focus on the sister he would soon meet. “Can I see my sister’s room?” While he didn’t feel comfortable calling Rema his mother and Darmik his father, he had no qualms whatsoever about calling Allyssa his sister.
“Of course.” Rema opened Allyssa’s door.
Savenek stepped inside her room. Like his, it was huge and the furniture was similarly situated. The only differences were the two archways on one of the walls. One appeared to lead to a bathing room and the other a dressing closet.
“Huh.” He turned in a slow circle.
Rema stood just inside the door, watching him.
“Her room seems sort of sterile.” He didn’t get a feel for his sister by being in here.
“How so?”
“What distinguishes this as Allyssa’s room and not some other woman’s?”
Rema smiled ruefully as she came farther into the room, pointing toward the dressing closet. “Go peek in there.”
Savenek went over to the archway, sticking his head inside. It was a bloody mess. Clothes were strewn all over the place. Several pairs of shoes had been carelessly tossed on the floor. Going over to one of the dressers, he pulled opened the top drawer. Fabric popped out. He lifted it, revealing a brown cloak with dirt caked on the bottom hem.
He raised his eyebrows. “I assumed a princess would have someone cleaning up after her.” He thrust the cloak back in the drawer, then tried to shove it closed.
“She does.”
“The closet would indicate otherwise.”
“You should have seen this place before the servants cleaned it.”
Allyssa would never have survived growing up with Nathenek. He chuckled, imagining them together. Nathenek wouldn’t put up with her lazy, unorganized, chaotic messes.
Standing on the dais next to Rema, Savenek gazed out at the crowd before him. There had to be over one hundred people crammed in the Throne Room, all vying for a chance to see him. The women were bedazzled in lavish dresses and extravagant jewelry, while the men wore tunics sporting their family’s crest. The way several of the younger women were watching Savenek made him feel like a piece of meat dangling before a pack of hungry wolves.
“Thank you for coming,” Rema said, addressing the people. “In case you haven’t heard, my son Savenek is alive. He has been officially crowned prince. I asked you here today to declare your loyalty to him.” She gracefully turned and sat on the middle Throne Chair, gesturing for Savenek to sit in the chair on her left.
Knowing he had a part to play, Savenek smiled at the crowd as he took his seat. He wanted them to love him. He scanned the room, making eye contact with as many people as he could, trying to keep a pleasant—yet seductive—grin on his lips. Most people smiled back, a hint of curiosity on their faces.
Savenek wondered if he resembled Allyssa. While he hoped there was a familiarity between them—they were twins after all—he didn’t want to actually look like her since she was a woman. He’d never considered his features delicate. Shaking his head, he tried to banish those unwanted thoughts.
A few women batted their eyelashes, smiling coyly at him. In Emperor’s City, the palace had mostly consisted of military personnel and servants. Here, in Lakeside, this was another beast entirely. How had Allyssa managed this on a daily basis? He didn’t have the time or the energy to deal with courtesans pursuing him because of his position.
Movement caught Savenek’s attention, and he scanned the area to his left. Mayra entered the Throne Room from a side entrance, a young man dressed as a soldier accompanying her. Savenek hoped the man was her brother. They sat in the front row next to Ellie. Now that they were next to one another, the resemblance between them was unmistakable.
Savenek’s focus drifted to Mayra. She was just as beautiful as he remembered with her brown hair and eyes. The navy-blue dress she wore covered her from the neck down—a far cry from the brightly clad, skin-showing outfits she’d worn in Apethaga. He longed to talk to her, to find out what she’d been doing since the last time he saw her. Mayra’s attention was on Rema, listening to every word the empress said.
Savenek realized he should probably pay attention, too.
“Since there are so many people here today, I ask that you simply state your name, swear your fealty to Prince Savenek, and exit through the side door. If you wish to speak to the prince, you will need to do so at another time. A ball will be held in Prince Savenek’s honor, celebrating his seventeenth birthday as well as his coronation.” Rema motioned to the first row.
One by one, the people came forward, kneeling before Savenek and pledging their allegiance. He made sure to keep an agreeable smile, nodding his head at the appropriate times. It was hard not to assess each person who came before him. Hard not to focus on each person’s body language, eyes, how he or she spoke, and what words were emphasized. Years of training couldn’t be turned off. He filed the information away, making sure his facial expression revealed nothing but a pleasant prince sitting on a throne as the most powerful and wealthy families in Emperion came before him to vow their allegiance. It was difficult to grasp the reality of his situation. It still felt like he was playing a role and none of this was real.
Mayra came forward, kneeling on the dais. She spoke in a clear, articulate voice. “I, Mayra, pledge my loyalty to Prince Savenek, heir to the Emperion throne.” She stood and moved to the side, barely looking at him. Her brother made a similar declaration. When Ellie finished, they headed to the adjacent room. Mayra didn’t glance back at him. Not once. She acted as if she’d never met Savenek before. As if she didn’t care for him at all. Maybe she no longer did. The mere thought deflated his mood.
Once the last person had spoken, Rema took Savenek’s arm and led him from the Throne Room. After sitting on that chair for so long, his legs were stiff and his back sore. He ached to do something physical.
Strolling along the corridors, he tried to memorize each turn, room, and courtyard. It would take him another day or two until he knew the place inside and out. They passed a group of courtiers who’d been present in the Throne Room. Three women and two men. They’d been sitting in the fifth row, left side, toward the middle. They bowed as the empress passed by. Well, he supposed they bowed for him, too. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to that.
“Do all these people live here?” he asked.
“No. They have homes they maintain on their land. However, each family who owns land over a certain size is required to attend court for a couple of weeks each year. It allows me to discuss with them how their land is doing, make sure they’re paying taxes, and ensure the family is loyal.”
“How do you know everyone comes? What if someone stays behind?”
“I have people who oversee that.” Her eyes gleamed.
It was moments like this that solidified why she was such a formidable empress. It both pleased and scared him to know she was his mother.
They stopped before a closed door, one sentry standing guard. “This room is only for the royal family’s use,” Rema said. She opened the door, revealing a training room. “If you’re anything like your sister, I’m sure you’re eager to do something after being stationary for so long.”
“I am.” Savenek went into the room. The wall directly ahead had several windows revealing open land on the other side and a forest in the distance. Another wall held various weapons such as wooden practice swords, spears, and knives. There were also a couple of straw dummies set up for punching. After everything he’d experienced lately, this room was the first familiar setting he’d encountered in weeks. “The soldiers stationed at the castle don’t train here?”
“They have their own quarters and facilities on the castle grounds, but not inside the castle.”
“How often do you come here?”
Rema remained standing near the door. “Only once or twice a week when your father drags me he
re.” She smiled before turning to someone behind her. “Ah, Marek is here.” She stepped aside to let a soldier enter.
It was the man who’d been standing beside Mayra during the fealty ceremony, the one who Savenek had assumed was her brother.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness.” The man bowed.
“This is Marek, the head of Allyssa’s personal guard. I asked him to come here to meet you.”
Relief flooded Savenek. Marek was Mayra’s brother. Savenek stuck his hand out to shake the other man’s. Marek glanced at Rema.
“Royalty never shakes hands,” she informed him.
Savenek should have known that. Dropping his hand, he said, “Your father told me to put you to work.”
Before Marek could respond, Rema said, “I understand there is a lot to do. However, I hope you will be friends, not simply work acquaintances.”
Savenek scratched his head. Friends? He didn’t have many of those. Marek eyed him briefly, and Savenek noticed the same confusion mirrored on his face.
To Marek, Rema said, “I expect a full guard assembled by supper. I am placing the prince in your care.”
“Understood.” Marek bowed, and Rema left the room.
Savenek wasn’t sure how they were supposed to be friends when Marek was responsible for his care. He tried not to let it irk him, he really did. But honestly, he could take care of himself. He did not need a friend or a babysitter.
“So you’re Allyssa’s brother, the infamous Savenek.”
He nodded, trying to discern what sort of fellow Marek was.
“I understand you were raised by a member of the Brotherhood?”
Savenek tried not to laugh as Marek questioned him. He reminded him so much of Neco right now. There was no doubt they were father and son. “Yes.” He wondered if Mayra had told Marek anything about him. “Nathenek raised me.”
“Nathenek?” Marek strolled over to the wall, picking out two wooden practice swords. “That’s impressive. I guess I don’t have to worry about you being able to defend yourself.”
Oath of Destruction Page 6
