Chapter 30
30
When they were back in the Jeep and approached the Mist, not only was it soft, but it parted for them to drive through.
“Like the Red Sea,” Kaley said.
“Is that one of your fairy tales?”
“Not quite. It’s—” She broke off because ahead of them was an extravaganza. In the background was The Museum of Earth, but they could hardly see it for the strings of glowing lanterns and the pots of colored fire that blazed up and down. There were a lot of people, all of them wearing robes of dazzling colors with sparkling jewels.
When they got through the Mist in the Jeep, the people stepped aside. On a big, shiny throne sat little King Aramus. Behind him was the tall, thin man with the bejeweled headdress. He held a long staff topped with a jewel the size of a doorknob.
Nessa leaned forward. “It’s my father. He’s come here to kill the lot of you.” He said it with no emotion, but as fact. The prince sat back in the seat, a satisfied smile on his face.
“Do you think he’s right?” Kaley asked Tanek.
“No idea,” Tanek said.
“I don’t like this,” Sojee said. “Drive past them.”
Tanek looked tempted to do that, but the Jeep sputtered. They were out of gas.
“Zeon did this!” Kaley said. “He calculated every ounce versus every mile!”
The car rolled to a stop and people came forward to open the doors. There was a delay as they didn’t know how to operate the handles.
Tanek took Kaley’s hand and held it until they got out of the car. The king’s guards closely surrounded them, and Tanek and Sojee began to remove their weapons.
While they were busy, Kaley looked around, and she saw Garen. He was to the right of the king and wearing a long, dark green robe. When Kaley saw him, he opened it. His left arm was in a sling. He smiled at her in a way that let her know that he didn’t blame her for what happened.
She couldn’t help feeling glad to see someone she knew. She looked away, but she clearly remembered what he’d offered her.
Nessa, with his head high, arrogantly walked through the crowd to his father. He bent to kiss him, but the king brushed his son away and told him to go to the side.
The three men and Kaley were escorted to stand before the king.
“You are dressed as before,” King Aramus said, meaning their dirty, worn clothing. He seemed to think he’d made a great joke, but when no one laughed, the man behind him waved his hand. Everyone gave a polite chuckle.
Satisfied at his humor, the king looked at Tanek. “You were successful.”
Tanek gave a nod, but said nothing.
The king looked excited, and his eyes didn’t leave Tanek. “Since you’ve been away, things have changed. I have very good news for you.” He waited for Tanek to speak but when he didn’t, the king gave a slight frown.
He motioned to the tall man. “Fahir has been meeting with Queen Olina and finalizing the marriage for Princess Aradella.”
Nessa leaned forward. “That princess is so ugly and I don’t want—”
King Aramus put his hand up for silence, then he spoke loudly. “It has been revealed that Tanek Beyhan is the son of one of the Seven.”
The crowd gasped.
“How do you know that?” Tanek spat out in anger.
Three guards drew swords.
The king was unperturbed. “It doesn’t matter. Queen Olina has decided she’d rather have that attachment.” He looked at Tanek, his eyes showing his great happiness. “You, Tanek, are to marry Princess Aradella. Someday, you will be the King of Pithan.”
With a gasp of shock, Kaley turned to Tanek.
“No,” Tanek said. “I will not do that.”
The king looked confused. “You’ll be king ! Did you not understand me?”
“No,” Tanek repeated.
“ I am to marry that ugly girl,” Nessa said. “ I am to be the king.”
Aramus sneered. “You would bankrupt the place.”
When Tanek turned away, as though he was going to leave, things happened quickly. Three guards grabbed him. Fahir left the king’s side. He stood before Tanek and locked eyes with him. In seconds, Tanek quit moving. He stood still while his arms were pulled behind him and a rope tied just above his elbows. Tanek looked as though he was in a trance.
“What are you doing?” Kaley yelled. She made a lunge but Mekos caught her. He pulled her away while Sojee stayed beside Tanek.
“Let me go!” Kaley said to Mekos, and struggled against him. He led them to a covered pavilion at the side.
“Let Sojee talk to them.”
“I can talk, too. I can—” She cut off as she looked at Mekos. There were tears in his eyes. He was as upset as she was. Kaley calmed down. “What does this mean?”
“My father will be king.” He said it as though he was speaking of an execution.
“Did his mother arrange this?”
“I don’t know,” Mekos said. “I don’t know her. Grandpapá told me of her. She is very powerful. She...” He couldn’t speak.
Kaley put her arms around him as he tried to hold back tears. “How can we stop this?”
“We can’t. The wedding will be tomorrow. Papá is under a spell. He can’t see or hear us. He won’t even know he’s being married.” Mekos took a breath. “This is very bad. He is the Order of Swans. Once he is mated, it can never be broken. He won’t—” Mekos looked at her with sympathy. “He will not love this woman but he will never betray her.”
Kaley knew what he was saying. Tanek would not be allowed to marry a woman he loved, not even if the marriage ended by death. “In fairy tales, arranged marriages always end in true love.”
Behind them came shouts and a clash of swords. “Sojee!” Kaley said. “What’s happening?”
Mekos lifted his head and she could see his pointed ears twitch. “The king is saying that Nessa is to marry two of Sojee’s beautiful daughters. It’s compensation for losing Princess Aradella and not becoming king.”
Kaley didn’t react to the news of daughters. “Sojee will kill Nessa and maybe the king.”
Mekos listened. “No. Sojee has been subdued. He is tied up.” Mekos drew in his breath. “Fahir is coming for us.”
Kaley felt panic. Mekos was the grandson of a Seven. Was something planned for him? “Go!” she ordered. “Find your relatives in the forest and stay with them. Out of sight.”
Mekos barely gave a nod before silently slipping away.
Kaley turned and braced herself to face a man who could cast spells on people. The guards parted to let him through.
He was much taller than Kaley and close-up, he was older than he appeared. His eyes were small and very dark, and he homed in on her like a lighthouse beam.
Kaley looked back at him, but she felt nothing.
He stopped glaring and looked surprised, then he gave what passed for a smile. “Earthling,” he said in his deep voice.
“I am. Tanek doesn’t want to be king. He’d be very bad at it. He just wants to be with his birds.”
This idea seemed to amuse him. “If he is put in power, he’ll be able to reunite the islands. It’s what he wants to do, is it not?”
She wasn’t going to answer that. She’d always been concerned that people would find out what Tanek was trying to do.
Suddenly, hundreds, maybe thousands, of birds started screeching. It was obvious that they were protesting Tanek’s capture.
With a frown, Fahir hit his staff on the ground. The jewel on the top sent out a bright ray of light, but the birds continued their deafening noise. Kaley blinked at the light, but she didn’t look away from the man. He raised an eyebrow at her, as though considering how to overcome her.
Softly, Kaley said, “Be quiet.” Instantly, the birds stopped squawking, which created an eerie silence.
For a brief second, Fahir showed shock, then he genuinely smiled. He gave a slight bow to her, as though in tribute. “Who has trained you?”
She wasn’t going to give him any information. “I want you to release Tanek.”
“No,” he said. “I cannot. The order comes from higher than me, higher than Aramus.” He cocked his head at her. “You want him for yourself, don’t you? Do you choose your own pleasure over the peace and prosperity of thousands? Queen Olina is an evil woman. She rules by torture and cruelty. I think you’ve seen that young Tanek has goodness in his heart. He has been willing to risk his life with his attempts to reunite the islands. He will be a good king and he will benefit everyone.”
Fahir paused, his face softening. “If Tanek continues what he’s doing in secret, with no royal backing, he’ll be charged and executed. But if he marries the princess, he can continue his work in safety—and he will succeed. He’ll bring peace to many people. Which do you choose for him?”
Kaley stepped back from the man, feeling like her blood was draining from her body. “This isn’t how fairy tales are supposed to end.”
“I don’t know your meaning. King Aramus will send you back to your planet, if that’s what you want. Or...” He hesitated. “I believe you’ve been offered something else. An apprenticeship? That vision is not clear to me. If that does not appeal to you, I can offer you employment as a maid to Princess Aradella. You will see Tanek every day. Perhaps that will be enough for you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Tell me what your choice is and I will make it happen. You have until the sun sets.” With another nod, he turned and walked away.
Garen was standing there. “You controlled the birds.” His eyes were wide in awe. “You have greater power than I thought. Let me teach you how to use it.” He held out his hand to her.
After a moment’s hesitation, she took it.