Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
He is mine!
Rage and fear roared out from my well, and the air in the courtyard exploded with multicolored particles. The knife remained locked in place, a scant breath from piercing Eadric’s chest. One by one, I pried the guard’s fingers from his arm.
The queen’s gaze darted around the courtyard as people gasped and fell to their knees. Getaina and the other casters remained on their feet, along with several people too stunned to move.
“Where are you?” the queen yelled.
The green lines of energy connecting her to the girls flared. The children paled and staggered.
I sent my love and determination toward them along with my intent. You’ve given enough. Let what was taken return twofold.
The queen cried out as the lines of energy changed from green to a blinding white, seen by everyone present.
“No!” she howled.
I felt her reach for their energy and quickly added to my intent. Let no spell touch you without your consent. Her cast never touched them.
Eadric, seeing her distraction, barreled into her with his shoulder as if he were sparring with Edmund. The pair went down together, only Eadric was quick enough to roll to his feet again. Rather than dart away to make his escape, the fool grabbed the crown from her head and tossed it into the crowd.
One of the casters who’d vowed to help us caught it. “Your reign of terror and death is at an end!”
The queen laughed. The crazed sound echoed off the walls as she floated to her feet.
“An end, you say? I think not.”
The old woman rose into the air, her mouth opening and closing in shock. Her face began to turn red.
“You have something that does not belong to you,” the queen said.
I looked from the crown, laden with casting stones, to the queen. The remaining casting stones on her person pulsed with immense power. She’d wove spells of protection around them. Layers of energy preventing anything magic or otherwise from touching them.
But energy was energy. I connected with it easily, felt her intent, and whispered one word.
“No.”
The protection fell aside. With a thought, I removed the stones from the queen’s person. The chains holding them in place snapped as they floated away from her, shredding her gown and leaving her covered in rags that did little to conceal her body.
At the same time, I reshaped the ropes around Brandle and Edmund’s necks, creating grand clothing fit for royal heirs.
The queen screamed her rage and grabbed for the knives she’d strapped to herself.
Darian punched the woman straight in the face before she could reach them. She barely staggered. Her gaze swung to him, and she hissed.
“You cannot best me!”
Without her stones, she had very little power. Yet, she still had some, which was something I could not allow.
I touched my energy to her well and delved into her thoughts, regardless of the pain it caused her. The horrors she’d unleashed onto Adele filled my mind. The children she’d birthed and sacrificed along with the fathers. Her fear of losing the power she’d gained. Cursing the heirs instead of killing them—she’d planned to have their children all along. The deaths of the King and Queen. The people she’d corrupted and persuaded to gain trust in the court. The innocent lives she’d taken to gain the energy she’d needed to start her coup.
Further and further back I went, learning who the queen was as tears tracked down my face.
I saw her childhood, raised by a caster obsessed with power. The queen’s name was Spyra. She and four other girls—one named Maverene, also known as Meave—had been taken from their families and stolen in the middle of the night. They’d been trained, punished in the most brutal of ways, and pushed to claim the highest powers possible. They’d fought each other viciously for their foster mother’s approval.
She was still alive, communicating with Spyra through a mirror. And Spyra feared her as much as she loved her. Memories of Spyra's real parents were buried so deeply that she no longer recalled them. But I found them and brought them forward. I showed her what real love was.
She screamed within her mind, unable to stop me, just as the other casters had been unable to stop me.
“Remember, Spyra. Remember who you were, and see the crimes you’ve committed through the loving eyes of your true parents,” I said.
She fell to her knees, shaking and drooling as the memories took hold, and she saw her actions in a different light. She clawed at her face and screamed.
“Eadric, bind her hands,” Brandle said.
I dove further into her well, leaving nothing untouched by my presence, then withdrew with a final thought. You will never cast again. All magic is lost to you as if it had never been. You know nothing but the pain you brought.
A hand settled on my shoulder.
“Come back, Kellen. Please.”
I withdrew and found myself on my knees. My face hurt, and I realized I’d mirrored all of Spyra’s actions.
Garron’s tormented gaze swept over my face.
“I’ll be fine,” I said. “A bit of tea will fix me.”
He nodded, looking unconvinced.
“I will be well. I promise.”
“Can you stand?” Nodding, I accepted his help to my feet and turned to look at the dwindled crowd. Very few nobles remained.
“Most fled when Eadric knocked the queen?—”
“Spyra,” I said. “She was never a queen. Only a cruel tyrant.”
“Right. When Eadric knocked her down, they ran.”
“Is this a dream?” a woman asked, her hand reaching out to touch the dust still in the air. Nothing happened to her when she made contact.
“No,” I said. “It’s not.”
“The queen? What happens to her now?” the woman asked. “Will she hang?”
“Look at her,” I said, also turning to watch the woman. Though her hands were bound, she still pulled at her hair and wept in her madness. “Death would release her from the horror of her crimes. Does she deserve that mercy?”
The woman slowly shook her head. “She took my son. He was two. I never saw him again.”
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, feeling her grief.
Arms wrapped around me from behind. “Trouble, you damn near gave me a heart attack.”
I turned in Edmund’s arms and hugged him. “I felt you. I felt what she was trying to do. Are you all right?”
“I’m well. We both are. I’m curious why I have five sisters now, though.”
Garron giggled then clapped a hand over his mouth.
“Please tell me this spell will wear off soon,” he said from behind his hands.
“Before nightfall,” I said.
Daemon made a sad sound and fondled his breasts.
“I thought it would have been Eadric in love with his breasts,” Liam said.
“Nope,” Eadric said, dusting off his backside. “Only Kellen’s breasts mesmerize me.”
Philip cleared his throat, reminding us of his presence.
“Perhaps that is a conversation best left for the privacy of your bed chamber?”
“Apologies,” Brandle said.
“Think nothing of it, Your Highness.”
“Your Highness?” the Cryer said with a hint of derision. “What gives you the right to the throne?”
“Their character and determination,” I said before any of them could speak.
Then I touched my energy to his to search his intent. He’d needed very little persuading to follow the queen. He had craved the power and hurt people of his own free will. The maids in the palace hadn’t been safe from his unwanted attention.
With a thought, I conjured chains and bound his hands.
“What right do you have?” he yelled.
“We will listen to the stories the maids have to tell about you and let your peers decide if you should be banished to the Dark Forest.”
He paled and stuttered.
“Philip, assemble the nobles, please,” Brandle said, offering me his arm. “Brothers, it’s time we decide if we should return home.”
* * *
I stood beside the other casters from the noble families and struggled with impatience as I listened to yet another nobleman expound on what he’d done for the kingdom during the Foul Queen’s reign. Another scoffed and discounted several of the gentleman’s self-claimed merits.
The desire to rule permeated the throne room, and many gazes drifted to the vacant throne with a lust for power. Thankfully, it was not an emotion shared by the casters around me, nor by the princes.
Another nobleman and noblewoman quietly entered the throne room unnoticed by most. I glanced at Philip, who was paying close attention to the attendees.
He met my gaze and nodded then intoned, “Each of the noble families is present.”
“Finally,” Liam said loud enough to be heard.
The speaking nobleman stopped abruptly and looked at Liam with distaste.
“Boarish ass,” I whispered.
Getaina snorted beside me. “Each and every one of them.”
Another caster nodded.
“You speak of what you’ve done to the kingdom as if the kingdom owes you compensation for your efforts,” Brandle said, his voice ringing in the room. “That is what the Foul Queen thought too—that she was owed. The kingdom does not need another such ruler.”
“And you think you’re more suited to rule due to birthright?” a nobleman demanded. “You’ve been absent for almost two decades. You know nothing of Adele.”
“You hid away in safety while the rest of us suffered,” another called.
“Convenient that you appear just as the queen fell,” a noblewoman added.
My impatience began to boil. While they argued, my sister waited. In what state? Was she safe?
“Squabbling children,” I said lowly as I watched Eadric hold back Edmund from responding to the noblewoman’s barb.
Getaina took my hand and patted it. “At times. At other times, they’ve protected those who couldn’t protect themselves because they’ve suffered losses too. Children. Grandchildren. Husbands and wives.”
“Generally, they aren’t bad people,” another caster whispered as Brandle faced the noblewoman who’d accused him of being an opportunist.
“Yes,” another added. “They aren’t opposed to one of the princes claiming the crown. Not truly. They’re simply tired of living in subjugation.”
“We all are,” another said.
Yet, this meeting to determine who should rule Turre proved otherwise. With their level of desire for the throne, I doubted any of them would rule fairly for long.
“If the point of this debate is to convince the other houses whom they should support,” Brandle said. “Then shouldn’t we only speak truths?”
“Is it a lie that you only appeared at the end?” the noblewoman asked with an arched brow.
“Enough of this,” I said under my breath. I touched every person in the room with my energy and my intent.
“Let those presenting themselves as the next king or queen step forward and speak truthfully about how they will rule if given the chance,” I called out to the room.
A nobleman scowled at me. “You have no right to speak here, caster.”
Getaina’s disbelief rippled out from her. “No right? She is the one who brought the Foul Queen low. She is the one who locked away the Foul Queen’s powers so she can never rise again. Kellen has every right.”
“And with her power, she is also the most likely to take the Foul Queen’s place,” the man said. “I have no wish to grovel before another power-hungry mistress. When I am king, that will be my first ruling—all casters will be banished from Turre, just as they were wisely banished from Drisdall.”
Gasps rang out in the room, along with a swell of indignation. Not all of it was from the casters standing with me.
“And what else would you do when you are king?” I asked.
His gaze swept over me. “Even with seven sons, the previous king wasn’t able to hold his kingdom. I wouldn’t stop until I’d sired twenty.”
His wife, who’d stood supportively behind him, paled. I could feel her dawning understanding and anger since she’d passed her child-bearing years.
“Those in favor of banishing all casters from Turre and watching this man make mistresses out of any young miss who catches his fancy, say aye,” I called.
Silence met my words, and the nobleman’s face flushed scarlet.
“I dearly hope that we settle the matter of the crown today so I can sever my marriage to this unfaithful man,” the woman said quietly. Her expression changed to shock, and I immediately soothed her as the man’s face heated.
“You’ve spoken your intent truthfully, and your peers have rejected your proposal,” Brandle said. “Let the next person step forward.”
Five men spoke before they realized what had happened.
“You cursed us,” one of them fumed.
“What you see as a curse, the people of Turre would see as a gift after being ruled over so harshly by a monarch with hidden intent. Who here wishes the spell to be lifted? Who here would rather not know the true intent of the next ruler?”
Again, silence answered Brandle’s call.
“Then let us hear your truth,” the nobleman demanded angrily. “How would you rule?”
“Preferably, not at all,” Brandle said. “My brothers and I made a vow to return to Adele, remove the queen from the throne, and take her place. But since making the vow, we’ve gained something we want more than our birthright.” He looked at me, and I felt his surge of love and adoration. “Kellen, the one who freed Adele, is looking for help to free her sister. Help I no longer believe she needs.”
I realized he was right. With the knowledge I’d gained, I was certain I could face Maeve and lock away her powers as I’d done to her foster sister, Spyra.
“By Kellen’s leave, we will return to her family and never return to Turre again.”
Disbelief surged from the nobles as each of the princes moved to stand behind Brandle.
“You’d give up your birthright for a woman?” the first noble asked in disbelief.
“We would give up our lives for the woman we love,” Eadric said.
“Without hesitation,” Liam added.
My love for them welled out of me. Their desire flooded me in return.
“And if she did not wish to abandon Adele, how would you rule?” I asked, touching Brandle with the need to tell the truth, though I knew he would regardless.
“Equally,” he said. “Eight thrones with an equal say in every decision. And we will not curry favor with the nobles but rather with all people. Anyone, regardless of birth, will be able to stand before the crown and be heard. Casters will not be turned away from our kingdom but welcomed and educated so they understand the responsibility of their gifts from the moment they emerge.”
My heart ached for the picture he was painting. And I was not the only one. Getaina’s pride in the princes swelled.
“Those in favor of the princes?—”
“And Kellen,” Garron said.
“—speak your favor now,” Getaina called out.
Philip lifted his hand and said, “Aye.” Lord Hamill followed. One by one, those who’d met with the princes agreed. So did many of the nobles who hadn’t fled when Spyra had been knocked down.
“I witnessed the truth of the Foul Queen’s fall,” a noblewoman said when the room had gone quiet. “Kellen locked away the vile woman’s power, and when I asked if she would hang for all the lives she’d taken—including my precious son’s—Kellen asked if the queen deserved to be released from the horror of her crimes. The queen was dragged away screaming.
“I asked the Guard as we arrived, and one assured me she still weeps in her cell. She received a just judgment for her crimes from the just caster who freed us.”
She knelt on the floor and bowed her head to me. “I pledge my loyalty to Kellen and the princes in an equal monarchy.”
The rest of the room slowly followed suit. I met Brandle’s remorseful gaze and shared the reluctance he and the other princes felt. Accepting the rule was a heavy burden—one we would not be able to walk away from until we assured the people that the kingdom was once again at peace.
Wait for me, Eloise, I thought.
* * *
I inhaled deeply and patted the horse I’d ridden to the edge of the Dark Forest a farewell. How many days had passed since removing the Foul Queen? Seven? Twelve? I could no longer remember.
One of the guards led the horse away, and as I faced the forest, fear and regret consumed me.
The small bursts of multicolored particles that floated in the air gave away my inner turmoil. Arms wrapped around me from behind, and I leaned into Brandle’s comforting embrace. He didn’t speak or ask what troubled me. He already knew. They all did.
Over the last few days, our lives had fallen into a routine. I was never alone. One of the brothers remained with me at all times. And we shared everything—all our thoughts and fears. There were no secrets between us. We were one.
Garron had spent hours with me, poring over all the Foul Queen’s gruesome spells, learning what she’d done to ensure anything that lingered could be undone. While we read, the others led with their presence. Edmund and Eadric had worked with the Guard, ensuring their loyalty and skill. Liam and Brandle had taken turns in the throne room, maintaining a presence throughout the day to hear any issues brought to the attention of the crown by nobles and the common people alike. Darian and Daemon had toured the city, speaking to merchants and tradesmen to learn what we needed and what we could offer other kingdoms. They purchased surplus from merchants using the gems from the caves and distributed what supplies they could to those in need.
The time we’d spent hadn’t been in vain. We’d helped Adele and its people settle into a peaceful existence and had announced our intent to reestablish the trade route to Drisdall. It wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t our main reason for standing at the edge of the Dark Forest.
“Are you ready?” Liam asked, joining us and taking my hand.
“Very.”
Brandle kissed the top of my head and released me.
“Then clear our path, Love,” Liam said.
I opened myself to the forest. Each tree and bramble pulsed with energy. With little effort, I consumed the energy of all plant life within the width of three wagons.
“Incredible,” one of the guards breathed as I walked forward onto the sunlit bare earth.
Taking the energy I’d gained, I reformed the dirt into white cobbled stones. Embedded in the stones, I left my intent. No beast made of magic could walk this road.
My kings walked by my side on the path wide enough to accommodate us all. Step by step, we left the guards and Turre behind.
The trees disappeared before us, and cobbles appeared in our wake. Though we moved quietly, our presence attracted the beasts. They gathered in the shadows, watching…waiting. The soft sounds of their passage were broken with an occasional growl in the otherwise silent forest.
We paused midday to rest on the newly created road. Daemon held me in his lap while Eadric fed me.
“I like this,” Liam said, watching me relax into Daemon’s hold. “It’s been so long since we could breathe easily.”
“Do you regret it?” I asked. “Agreeing to rule?”
“Not yet.”
I understood what he meant. He would regret it if accepting the crown cost me my father or my sister.
“Regardless of what we face in the future, I believe we made the right choice for the people of Turre,” I said. “If there had been one decent noble interested in ruling, I would have supported them. Why didn’t Philip offer?”
“Loyalty,” Brandle said. “He cared for my parents and believed in how they ruled. He deeply believes the throne is ours by birthright.”
“And you proved it was ours through your actions,” Eadric said, giving me a quick kiss.
Daemon nudged him back with his foot. “Feed her or surrender her food to Darian.”
Eadric made a face at Daemon and fed me my next bite.
“Are your feet weary, Princess?” Darian asked.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Deviant. Stay away from my feet.”
“That’s not what you were saying to him last night,” Eadric said.
My core clenched at the memory of how the pair had put me to bed and how Brandle and Garron had woken me. Desire exploded from each of them in response to my need.
“Ah, Trouble,” Edmund said, watching me. “Say the word, and I will bare myself on this road.”
“Don’t you dare.” My gaze flicked to the trees even as I opened myself to search for the beasts. None of them pulsed with the energy of my father.
“We’ve made better time than I’d anticipated. Another hour and we’ll be close to the cottage,” Brandle said. “Or we can push through and reach Towdown by nightfall.”
I thought about it and shook my head. “It would be wiser to arrive in daylight.”
Once we finished our meal, I continued with the road until I felt my father to the North.
“He’s still there,” I breathed. “He’s waiting.”
“Then let us not keep him waiting any longer,” Daemon said, taking my hand.
I opened myself wide, letting all that I was free into the world along with my intent of peaceful passage. The beasts snarled and snapped at the multicolored dust in the air but otherwise ignored the eight of us as we left the road I’d made.
My pace quickened the nearer we drew to the glade until I was jogging lightly to reach my father.
He waited at the edge of the trees where darkness met the lighter shadows. His tattered clothing was gone. Yet, when he turned his head at my approach, I saw the humanity still reflected in his gaze.
“Are you with me, Father?” I asked, not slowly.
In answer, he opened his arms.
Edmund cursed, and I felt his intent to stop me. The ability to manipulate the energy in everything, however, gave me the advantage, and I was wrapped in my father’s embrace before Edmund could reach me.
My father’s grief and regret weighed on him as his claws raked through my hair and settled at the back of my head.
“You’re not alone,” I whispered against his fur. “You will never be alone again. Now bear the pain, Father. For me and Eloise, you must bear it.”
I touched my energy to his well, delving deep past his memories and into the spell that bound him. It was layered in hate and revenge—cast by a scorned lover who refused to let go. The spell demanded that the infected walk his remaining days alone, cursed to have a visage that reflected the beastly behavior shown to the original caster and cursed to destroy all that it might come to love.
Thanks to my spell, Father’s hadn’t yet settled into his very being. His lingering humanity protected him like a thin blanket of mist.
I set my hand on his cheek along with my intent. “This burden is not yours to bear. Shed it now and become what you truly believe you are. Between Father and Beast, the choice is yours.”
Heat exploded between us and threw me backward. If not for Edmund’s presence, I would have likely hurt myself. As it was, I simply used his body as a cushion, and he took the brunt of the impact with the ground.
“Kellen!”
Hands grabbed at me, helping me to my feet and blocking my view.
“Is he all right?”
“I’m fine,” Edmund groaned.
“Not you. My father. Is he all right?”