“No.”
She’d answered too quickly. “Why is that?” he asked.
“A conversation for another time.”
He shrugged. Well, at least Allyssa had Mayra. “Back to why your mother is going to throw an extravagant ball when not all the guests are here and the wedding hasn’t taken place yet?”
“Mother wants word to reach Telmena of our wealth. In addition, she wants Dromien to feel important and valued. Lastly, Mother is going to make sure Telmena knows our army is strong. If they think us weak—which they may since we sought Fren’s help with the Russek issue—they’ll be more likely to attack or do something stupid. If they think us rich, with many friends, as well as strong, they may think twice about pushing us into a corner.”
Growing up, Nathenek had always taught Savenek to have a plan, then a contingency plan, and then a backup plan if everything failed. Rema seemed to have so many plans he couldn’t keep track of them all. At least he knew when it was all said and done, Rema was okay with assassinating the Telmena royal family. Granted, she preferred it as a last resort, but at least she was willing to make the tough choices. Choices he could respect.
“And she’s not just my mother. She is our mother,” Allyssa said.
Nathenek stepped out from an alcove up ahead.
“I need to talk to Nathenek.” He’d almost said my father.
“I’ll see you this evening.” Allyssa nodded a hello to Nathenek before continuing on her way, her guard trailing her.
“Is there a problem?” Savenek asked.
“Follow me.” Which meant there was an issue. They exited the castle and went to the army barracks. Nathenek instructed Savenek’s guards to wait outside the building. He and his adopted father stepped inside an expansive room with several doors. “This way.” Nathenek waved him over to the first door on the left. He opened it, then descended a steep staircase, Savenek following close behind.
At the bottom, Nathenek grabbed a torch from the wall and continued along a narrow stone hallway, cells lining either side. This was the first time Savenek had stepped foot in this dungeon.
At the end of the hallway, they came to a closed door. Nathenek knocked three times and entered. Inside, a man sat on a chair, his arms and legs chained together. Neco leaned against the back wall, his arms crossed and his gaze intent on the prisoner.
“We apprehended him in the courtyard while you were on the balcony with Allyssa,” Nathenek said.
Savenek observed the prisoner, trying to discover what Neco and Nathenek had seen that warranted this man’s arrest. He wore plain brown pants, a brown shirt, and boots. His hair was cut close to his head. The man’s belly was large, his arms beefy. If Savenek had to guess, he’d say the man worked in a tavern. No facial hair. And that was when he saw it—the tips of the man’s fingers were red.
“Good catch,” he said to Nathenek.
Neco smiled, probably because Savenek had figured it out without having to be told.
“Do you think he’s the one who brought the poison to the castle?”
“Mayra confirmed it,” Nathenek said.
“Have you discovered where he’s staying?” Savenek asked. They still needed to find the second man.
“No,” Neco replied. “We were just about to have…a conversation with him to determine where that is and who his partner is.”
“Why am I here?” Savenek asked.
“A member of the royal family must give consent for a prisoner from another kingdom to be questioned or tortured,” Neco said.
Savenek knew Darmik had been tortured when he was younger. He suspected Darmik had put this rule in place as a result of what he’d endured. “I give you my permission to use whatever means necessary to extract the information we need.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Nathenek said.
Savenek and Neco left the dungeon.
“My daughter told me what she did for you to help slow the poison from spreading through your body,” Neco said.
Savenek shivered. He hated remembering what he went through, not being able to feel parts of his body. “I’m grateful for Mayra’s quick thinking.” Otherwise, he’d be dead.
“Rema wants to know if there’s an antidote.”
“If there is, I don’t know about it.” He would have to send a member of the Brotherhood to Apethaga to investigate.
“Rema wants us to come up with one of our own,” Neco clarified.
Savenek didn’t have enough knowledge on poisons and herbs to be able to take this job on. There had to be people better suited. “What about the healer who tended to me? What did she use?”
“I’ll speak with her. I’ll also have Mayra write down exactly what she did for you. Between the two of them, they should be able to find something that works. If a person is accidentally exposed to the poison, we need to have an antidote readily available.”
“I’m sure the healer will be able to come up with something,” Savenek said.
Neco patted him on the shoulder. “I hope so. In the meantime, stay safe.” He veered to the right, going into the castle from the servants’ entrance.
Stunned by the gesture, Savenek wondered if he’d finally made some headway with Neco.
Allyssa
Allyssa entered the Great Hall draped on Odar’s arm. She hated being presented with him. Not only because it was a lie, but also because it wasn’t fair to Kerdan. He shouldn’t have to stand there and watch her touch another man.
Odar led Allyssa to where Savenek and Mayra were standing at the front of the room, Kerdan and his men on one side of them, the royal family from Dromien on the other. Rema and Darmik were announced, and they glided into the room regally, like the empress and emperor that they were.
“My parents are coming,” Odar mumbled.
“For the wedding?” Allyssa asked.
He nodded.
“They’ll probably be relieved when they learn the truth,” she said. When she’d met them, they clearly didn’t care for her. Not only had they treated her poorly, barely speaking to her, but they’d also made it known they didn’t want their son to marry her.
“As long as they get what they want at the end of the day, they won’t much care what does and does not happen to me.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “Let’s get our dance over with so you can be with Kerdan.”
The music started. Those with the rank of prince, princess, or higher were invited to dance for the first song. Odar swung Allyssa into his arms. So much had changed from the first time they’d danced together. Back then, he’d been hostile toward her, angry even. Now he seemed almost deflated. As if none of this mattered anymore.
“If your parents just want to be left alone and for Fren to remain isolated, why did they allow your brother to marry Jestina of Telmena? Why link your two kingdoms together?” After all, that was what had dragged them into this mess in the first place.
Odar sighed. “Telmena threatened to overthrow us unless I married Jestina. I refused, knowing it would be detrimental to Fren since I’m the crown prince. My brother offered to marry her to avoid war. I think he may have been a little besotted with her.”
Allyssa wondered if Telmena had the physical strength to pull off an invasion like that.
“At the time, we didn’t have a standing army,” Odar explained. “We do now. That has been my mission since this all began.” He spun her around and pulled her back to him.
“What will you do when you’re done here?” Would he go home? Continue to train his army? Marry someone else?
“I’ll do what I’ve been doing. Although I suspect I’ll need to keep a close eye on my brother.”
“We’ve been through so much. I hope we can be friends.” She didn’t have many friends.
“I think it’s in both our best interest to maintain a good working relationship with one another. But know that Fren will stay to itself. Even once my father steps down from the throne and I take his place. It is wha
t our people want and expect.” He kept his focus on her forehead—not on her eyes.
“You’ve done so much for my kingdom,” Allyssa said. “I hope to be able to repay you. If you ever need my help, just ask and it will be freely given.”
He finally looked into her eyes. “I haven’t been helping you out of the goodness of my heart,” he admitted. “I’ve been doing this for purely selfish reasons.”
“I don’t understand.” She stopped dancing and stood there, waiting for him to explain.
His eyes remained penetrating and intense. “I’ve been trying to make amends for all the wrongs I’ve done, for the injury I’ve caused you. I’m doing all of this for you.”
Not knowing how to respond, Allyssa glanced over Odar’s shoulder and spotted Kerdan watching her. Looking to her left, she noticed Savenek and Mayra dancing close by, Savenek also staring at her. The song ended. When she turned to go, she noticed her parents observing her, too.
Her skin crawled. Why did everyone feel they had to watch her every move? It was infuriating.
Savenek came over and requested the next dance. Kerdan remained standing near the front of the room. No one had dared to approach him.
The music started up, and Allyssa and Savenek began dancing.
“Why are you in such a foul mood?” he asked.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know.”
“Then why is everyone watching me?”
He chuckled. “I can’t answer for everyone else, but I was looking out for Odar, not you. I was afraid you’d punch him and start a major incident between our kingdoms.”
Her eyes narrowed. Was he telling her the truth or trying to appease her?
“You two have a history,” Savenek said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel protective of you even though you don’t need protecting. I don’t want him saying things that cause you pain or hurt you.”
Allyssa could understand that. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Being my brother. I’ve never had one before, and I sort of like it.”
The song ended. Savenek hugged her, then turned to find another partner. Allyssa moved toward Kerdan. Only, Mayra got to him first. If he was surprised, he didn’t show it. That was nice of Mayra to dance with him since no one else was.
“My turn,” Darmik said, taking Allyssa’s hand. “How’s my daughter doing?”
“Fine.” She placed her free hand on her father’s back. He led her in a dance.
“This may cheer you up,” he said. “Kerdan spoke to your mother and me earlier today.” Amusement flickered in his eyes.
She groaned. What taboo had he inflicted upon Rema?
“He said that while he understood us not wanting him to be alone with you, he wanted to respectfully request us to reconsider.”
She raised her eyebrows. Her father knew that when she was in Russek, she’d stayed in Kerdan’s room. Alone. Granted, nothing had happened. Back then, they hadn’t cared for one another that way. “And?” Had her mother lectured Kerdan? Was he having second thoughts about marrying her now that he’d met Rema?
“He stated his case as to why we should allow you to spend some time with him.”
“How did Mother take it?” Kerdan was not the most eloquent speaker.
“Kerdan spoke from his heart. Your mother listened to his request, and she granted it.”
Was her father serious? Allyssa was going to spend some time with Kerdan? “Thank you.”
“But,” Darmik said.
There was always a but.
“I ask that you not dance with him tonight.”
“Why not?” As the princess, she was expected to dance with each visiting royal. It wouldn’t make sense to skip Kerdan. People might view it as a slight.
“Several reasons,” he said. “The main one being that whenever you and Kerdan are together, it is clear to anyone watching that you’re in love with him, and he with you.”
The real reason for Mayra asking Kerdan to dance suddenly became clear. It wasn’t out of the goodness of her heart—it was because Darmik had told her to. Allyssa sighed.
“When?” she asked her father.
“Later tonight. You may ask Marek to escort you back to the Royal Chambers in an hour or so. Kerdan will intercept you along the way. I expect you to return to your bedchamber by midnight. Understood?”
She was going to spend time with Kerdan. Alone.
“Wipe the smile off your face,” Darmik said.
“I’m not allowed to smile?”
“Not like that you’re not.”
She studied her father’s stern face, trying to determine if he was teasing her.
“I’m glad you and Kerdan are happy together,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face. “I never saw that with you and Odar.”
She couldn’t stop grinning. Even though her kingdom was on the brink of war and Telmena was trying to dethrone her family, she was happy. Somehow, she knew that no matter what obstacles she faced in her life, she could survive them with Kerdan at her side.
Allyssa walked with Marek toward the Royal Chambers, eagerly anticipating her time alone with Kerdan.
Brookfel stepped out of the shadows, blocking the way. “Princess,” he said, bowing. “The king wants me to escort you to the rooftop.”
Allyssa loved hearing Kerdan referred to as king. She went to take Brookfel’s arm when he abruptly turned and stalked down the corridor. Allyssa and Marek hurried after him.
“Russeks have very different manners from us,” Marek said under his breath.
She didn’t respond because there was nothing to say to that. They climbed the stairwell leading to the rooftop. When they reached the top, Marek asked her to remain there while he did a quick sweep of the area.
“The rooftop is secure,” Marek said when he returned. “I’ll wait in the stairwell with Brookfel so you can have some privacy. If you need anything, a simple shout will suffice.”
“Thank you.” Allyssa squeezed Marek’s hand before stepping onto the rooftop. She often came out here because no one from court even knew about this hidden gem. This section of the castle had been designed for star gazing. It was flat, surrounded by a half wall, and allowed unobstructed views of the sky and town.
Kerdan stood in the middle of the rooftop waiting for her. “You look beautiful.”
“And you are very handsome in that tunic.” It had the royal crest of Russek embroidered on the front. “It’s very kingly.”
“I know.” His shoulders slumped. “And all I want to do is to put my army uniform on and join my men. But that is no longer my destiny.”
Allyssa took Kerdan’s hand, pulling him to the edge of the rooftop where the half wall was. She leaned against it, observing the flickering lights from the town in the distance. “My brother is also having a tough time coming to terms with his newfound position.” She didn’t know if Kerdan and Savenek had talked about that when they’d gone off spying together. “I think it’s hard when you expect your life to travel down one path, but you end up taking another.”
Kerdan stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. “I knew I’d be king one day. I had mistakenly assumed it would be when I was older. Much older. I thought I’d control the army, roam the land, be free.”
Allyssa was fortunate to have grown up knowing what was expected of her. As she came closer to becoming the empress, she felt ready for the position. Kerdan, on the other hand, would never be happy sitting in a castle all day. “We will need to discuss how we’re going to manage two kingdoms, especially since both are large.”
“We are going to be busy.” Kerdan kissed her cheek, then released her. He moved to stand beside her, gazing out at the town.
She sensed there was something else bothering him. “What is it?”
“I know you only think of my father as an evil man, but I miss him.”
King Drenton was an evil person. H
e’d murdered, butchered, and harmed thousands of people. She was glad he was dead. “Regardless of how I feel about him, he was your father. I can understand you’d miss him. It’s only natural.”
Kerdan moved toward her, leaning his forehead against hers. “A part of me hates him. I don’t know the extent to which he was involved in my mother’s death, but he was involved in it. He was cruel, vicious, and mean. He brought Jana into our lives. Allowed her to run Russek into poverty.”
“But he was still your father.”
“Yes.” His eyes bore into hers. “And this is one of the reasons I love you. Not only can I speak openly with you, but you also understand. I have greatly missed our conversations.”
“I thought I drove you nuts with my incessant talking.”
Kerdan grinned. “At first you did. But I grew to like it.” He reached forward and took a strand of Allyssa’s hair, twirling it between his fingers. “I grew to like a great many things about you. Including these lips.” He leaned forward and kissed her.
Allyssa trailed her hands up his arms to the back of his neck. He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding into her mouth. Her arms tightened around him, pulling him into her. She twined her fingers into his thick hair.
He pulled away, breathing heavily. “We should stop.”
“We should. But I don’t want to.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and throaty. “Neither do I. But I fear your father. And I’m confident that if he were to walk out here and see us like this, he’d throw me off the rooftop.”
Allyssa knew her father would do more than toss Kerdan off the roof. “Fine.” Since they couldn’t kiss, they might as well talk. She figured she had about an hour until she had to be back in her bedchamber. Her father would probably be waiting to make sure she returned on time. “Tell me what happened after I left the duke’s house in Russek.”
He leaned on the half wall. “I returned to Clovek with a good number of soldiers. I feared I’d have to fight my own army when I got there. However, once everyone learned Jana was dead, they put down their weapons. I was crowned king shortly thereafter.”
Oath of Destruction Page 22
