Kindred Souls Complete Series: Books 1-4

Chapter Fourteen

Princess Indigo andher kindred led me through the halls in silence until we were outside in a courtyard. “It’s safe to talk here.”

Only an orchard separated the courtyard from the guard training grounds. I could see purple uniforms through the trees. Apparently, the princess had the ability to make my shadows disappear. Probably not once we father got wind of it.

“It wasn’t in the palace?” I raised a brow.

She shook her head. “Not about what I want to discuss.”

“Which is?” Whatever she wanted was beginning to worry me.

I finally inspected the princess and her kindred. Things had been too crazy for me to pay attention to them before. She looked more like my sister than Aster’s. She had dark brown hair and hazel eyes more green than brown, and her skin was lighter than mine, but we looked quite similar. Her kindred was toned and pale and tall with blond hair and brown eyes. She was beautiful, and she looked at the princess like she was completely head over heels.

The princess shook her head. “First, let me introduce you to my kindred, Elora. She was a royal guard before we met and discovered we were bonded. I don’t know how much fighting skills you have, but she can help you train. You need to be able to protect yourself here, you’re going to have a lot of enemies just because you’re bonded to my brother. And even more once people realize the king hates you.”

Things kept getting better and better. “How lovely.”

A grin twitched on her lips and Elora’s.

“Sky was starting to work with me before we were caught. I’m decent with a dagger, but nothing too impressive. What exactly do you want from me?’ Was she here to convince me to accept the bond?

“I want your help. I think you can be a real tool in our plans to overthrow my father.” Her hazel eyes burned into mine.

She seemed sincere and friendly and my assassins trusted her.

“How? I have no power, I’m not a fighter. All I do is write songs.” Why did everyone think I was some rebel leader?

“Your songs are what will help me. Your music and words are powerful and have spread across Faligrey. A lot of people are unhappy with their bonds and your songs have both comforted them and stirred them up. It’s why my father wants you dead. He doesn’t like it when people question him or his laws.”

“If I perform anything else, he’ll kill me and the assassins.”

Indigo nodded. “For now, yes. But not after you bond with Aster. And you may not be able to perform, but you can still write music and we can use it to pass messages and others can perform them.”

I frowned. “Anyone who performs my songs will be in danger.”

“We have a system set in place. We’re good.” Elora smiled with utter confidence.

“I admit, I’m a little confused. What do you want me to write about?” I was more than willing to create more rebel music, but I didn’t see how it would help.

Indigo spread her hands. “Whatever you want.”

“Most of my work tends to be about the kindred laws. Do you disagree with those laws?”

She bit her lip. “I will be honest with you. I never gave it much thought until I heard your songs whispered around court. I found my kindreds and I love them. They’re perfect matches for me. My brother felt it more than I did because until now he hadn’t found his. He was beginning to believe he’d be alone forever. And if you choose not to bond with him, the current laws will mean he will have to spend his life alone and I can’t have that.”

“If until recently you didn’t really care one way or the other about kindred laws, what exactly are you fighting against?” I needed to know what she was fighting for. If it was something I could get behind.

She sighed. “My father isn’t evil, but he’s spoiled and insecure. He was the spare, never supposed to be king, never taught how to rule. And he idolized my grandfather, who wasn’t the best man himself, but my father refused to see that side of him. Since he wasn’t supposed to be king, he cannot bear for anyone to challenge him, he thinks they’re saying he shouldn’t be king.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re saying?” I asked with a raised brow.

Indigo laughed, hard, but an edge of sadness welled in her eyes. “I am. It’s become a self-fulfilling circle. He’s so terrified of being a shitty king, he became one. He’s paranoid and war-hungry. We can’t afford to go to war with Havisam and the dragon lands. But he wants to because of some perceived insult and now thinks they’re a threat. I’m doing everything I can to stop it, but the majority of the council is too afraid of the king to stand against him and speak up. He keeps abruptly changing laws on the slightest whim, our dungeons are overflowing with supposed criminals like you. We want peace and prosperity for our people and for our neighboring countries. We’ll never have that under my father’s rule. We have to force him to step down.”

As much as I would love to see the king removed from his position, it wasn’t going to be easy. “He doesn’t seem like the type to ever give up power without a massive fight.”

She shook her head. “I will not use violence, it would make me a poor leader. If we get most of the council behind us, he’ll have no choice. It’s the law. And if the leaders of Havisam and the dragon lands push for it, the council will cave. They don’t want to go to war either, they’re just scared.”

“And how are you going to get the other countries on your side?”

“My brother has already reached out to the Havisam royals and we’re hopeful. The dragons have finally agreed to meet with me in a few weeks. We’re playing a long game, Rhapsody. A very dangerous one. It takes time and very careful effort. I would understand if you would prefer to run with your assassins. Aster told me you aren’t interested in accepting the bond.” Her gaze was understanding, but sad and regretful.

I grimaced. “No, I’m not interested in that. I... I can’t. My family died because of the laws in place. They were outcast and couldn’t afford to feed us properly and we were never able to live in one place very long before we were run out of the villages.”

“What was their crime?” Elora asked.

I sucked in a sharp breath, but decided if they could trust me, I’d at least try to do the same for them. “They weren’t kindreds.”

“What?” Indigo and Elora almost shouted the word together.

I clutched my hands together behind my back. “They never found their kindreds, and they fell in love with each other. But they couldn’t marry and then they had me and we were always ostracized whenever people found out.”

Indigo closed her eyes for a moment. “I see. I am so sorry. That’s awful.”

I sighed. “Look, I know it’s not your fault or the prince’s. And I want to help you in any way I can. I just don’t know if I can accept the bond with him, but I already told him I would pretend as long as we could before your father pushed the ceremony on us.”

Indigo bobbed her head in a businesslike nod. “Good. We can keep him preoccupied for a while. He isn’t thrilled about it and since you already have three other kindreds, Aster won’t have another one, so you should be safe enough for now. But my father ultimately cares more about his rule than he does Aster, so you still need to be on your guard. Don’t go anywhere alone, learn how to defend yourself, things like that.”

“What do you need from me?” I wasn’t at all clear on what she was asking me to do.

“For now, keep up the premise of you learning how to be a royal, getting to know your new kindred, and I would love if you could write a few new songs for me to send out. And I have one important one I need you to slip messages into for the coming ball. Aster has the messages, so he can help you.”

I still didn’t understand what sort of messages she meant, but I shrugged and nodded. “Easy enough.”

“I do hope you’ll change your mind about Aster. You could help us change things for the better and usher in a new world of peace. I know all kindreds aren’t good matches, but so far yours appear to be working out well.”

I didn’t want to alienate one of the few people in this palace who seemed to want to keep me alive and I couldn’t deny the draw I felt towards the prince, but it felt like a betrayal to my parents.

“I’ll think on your words.”

She snorted. “You don’t fully mean that and I understand, but I do hope you’ll consider it. Aster is nothing like our father.”

“So I keep hearing.”

“Did someone say my name?”

I spun around with a rapidly beating heart to see the prince sauntering towards us, his eyes trained on me.

“Brother, I was just getting to know your kindred. She is utterly delightful and a perfect choice for you. You need someone to keep you humble.”

He grinned. “She is most certainly excellent at that, dear sister.” He turned to me. “Your kindreds are growing concerned, so I told them I would fetch you.”

“Are they okay?” I asked, worried they’d do something foolish out of concern for me.

“They’re fine. A bit stir-crazy, but fine. Your bond is new enough, it makes them anxious to be away from you. I must admit, I suffer from the same anxiety.”

I shrugged. “I don’t.” A complete and utter lie, but no one called me on it. Based on their expressions, no one believed it either.

“Meet here tomorrow instead of with that old crone and we’ll work on your training.” Elora had been quiet while the princess and I spoke, not adding much to the conversation, so I wasn’t sure how she felt about all this, but perhaps when we were alone I could get further answers. Though since she’d been a royal guard before she became a future queen, her loyalty was always to the crown.

I nodded. “Thank you. See you tomorrow, then.”

Aster led me away, leaving me alone with my whirling thoughts.