CHAPTER 5 AN ATTEMPT AT AMENDS
Kat waited in front of the kitchen door where two armed guards stood.
“So … you’re saying Duke Ashowan is in there?”
“Correct,” the guard on the right answered.
“But I’m not allowed in there because someone tried to poison … me?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Well … how did my father get in there?”
“Our cook has wanted to meet Duke Ashowan and speak with him since he was a boy.”
“And you’re saying my father banned me from entering?”
“He banned everyone from entering, Lady Katarina.”
“This isn’t even his kingdom!” the redhead exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
Neither of the guards responded.
Kat let out a small huff of annoyance.
She eyed the men while placing her hands on her hips, an idea coming to her.
“Have either of you met my familiar?”
Kat stepped into the kitchen while a chorus of awes rang out behind her.
Before her was Fin and the Royal Cook for the Troivackian king. The two were deep in discussion, while on the table sat what looked like an herb-crusted pork loin.
Her mouth began to water involuntarily.
The two men, after hearing her entrance, turned.
At first Fin looked normal, his face calm, his blue eyes intent in a particular way that Kat only ever saw when he was talking about food … but then he registered he was staring at his daughter. Anger flashed in his gaze until he noted her change of clothes, and he wound up blinking in surprise.
“How did you get in here?” the cook at Fin’s side asked in surprise.
“My father isn’t the only one in our family with charm,” Kat responded with a small eyebrow lift. “Don’t you have an entire feast to prepare for the Winter Solstice celebrations?” she wondered next while noting the empty kitchen.
The cook blustered, and Fin’s hands found his hips as he stared at his daughter. She decided to get to the point of her visit sooner rather than later.
“Da, I’d like to talk with you. Could we go for a walk … please?” Kat’s voice softened, as she felt her anxiety reestablish itself.
When he didn’t answer instantly, Kat noticed that her heart was starting to race.
Fin slowly rounded the cooking table and walked over until he was in front of his daughter.
Looking over his shoulder, he addressed the cook again.
“I’ll be back again, Christos.”
The cook practically glowed.
As he and Kat left the kitchen, Fin was caught off guard by the sight of the two burly guards seated on the floor in front with one of them holding a kitten up to his shoulder like a baby while the other man scowled.
“She just prefers me over you!” the one guard announced to his comrade smugly.
Kat almost laughed, and without thinking, looked to her father to see his reaction.
Then she remembered that he hadn’t met her familiar.
“Pina,” Kat called out.
Hearing her witch, the small kitten squirmed in the guard’s hands, his triumphant grin falling to sadness. Even so, he gently released her, and the tiny feline trotted over to the redhead.
Bending down and scooping her up, Kat looked at her father with a shy smile. “This is my familiar. Pina Colada. Pina for short though … I tried that drink Captain Alphonse found in Insodam, and it was the best drink I’d ever had so … I named her after it.”
Fin raised an eyebrow at the kitten, whose nose and whiskers twitched, and her eyes grew large as she stared up at him.
His face softened as he reached his hand out and let her sniff his fingers.
She gave them a tentative lick.
Fin gave a closed-lipped smile.
Kat felt joy and relief surge through her.
Maybe everything really would be alright!
That is, until Fin’s attention drifted to her face, and she saw the grief in his eyes.
“H-Here, Pina you can … can play with these nice guards while my da and I go on a walk.”
The men on the floor brightened back up as she set the little beastie down, then carefully sidled by the men with her father following closely behind.
The pair gradually made their way outside the castle, and coincidentally, into the private space Kat had used to train for her spars …
Absently, she thought how she would’ve preferred to do another twenty years of the grueling training than be faced with her father’s disappointment, but she knew there was no other way.
Willing her feet to stop, her hand nervously found the hilt of her sword.
“Da, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about everything.”
Fin’s stare drifted over his daughter’s head, and her heart ripped itself to shreds when she saw the tears in his eyes.
“I … I … just … I know for normal people none of these situations were safe, but I’m different. I can handle a lot more than others, and I want … I’ve always wanted to use my abilities to protect and help people. I never really got to try before, and I didn’t want to lose this chance to actually see what I could do. And Da, I’ve learned so much. I can do incredible things, and even my magic … I’m not scared of it anymore! After killing Roscoe, I … was worried I was going to turn into a monster. That I would just one day snap and start killing people.”
Fin finally looked at his daughter’s face as fresh snowflakes drifted down around them.
“I now know that that isn’t how my magic works. It feeds off intentions around me. Similar to how your magic feeds off the number of people who feel they are at home,” she explained with a taut smile. “We’re still working on how to disperse my magic without me having to forgo proper sleep for a month or starve myself, but with Mr. Kraft’s and Faucher’s help, I know that we’ll—”
“You’re going home, Kat.”
She stopped, stomach twisting. “Da, I faced the devil, and I could’ve beat him! I’m not leaving an entire kingdom to—”
“You could be carrying the heir to Daxaria; you can’t face the devil again.” Fin’s voice was hoarse, and his eyes fell to the ground, making Kat’s heart sink with them.
“We don’t know that! We can at least wait and find out! And why do you get to make that choice? Da, this is why I didn’t want to tell you about everything! You keep setting my limits for me!”
Fin’s hand rose and pressed against his eyes. “Kat … do you know why I accepted the dukedom?”
Startled by the sudden shift in topic, Kat frowned and shook her head as her father’s hand dropped from his face and he looked back to the sky, his jaw flexing.
“I did it … because you said you wanted to live unmarried for the rest of your days. I was going to give you the viscount house and your brother the dukedom.”
Kat’s face drained of color, and her eyes grew wide.
“I never wanted to stop you from doing what you wanted, but you don’t take care of yourself.” Fin looked back at his daughter, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Do you understand what you’re signing up for? You are saying fighting against the son of the Gods, using your magic, and marrying an addict is now what you want.”
“Eric is more than just an addict,” Kat countered roughly, though it was a battle to get the words out.
“You are choosing a life of struggle. He might disappear someday, just like he did to Alina and their father. And what about if there are children? Are you really alright knowing that one day he might choose the drug or drink over helping you or them?”
“Of course I don’t want that, but we’ll take it a day at a time! He’s already improved a lot since coming here!”
“You’ve only known him for four months, Kat.”
“And how long did you know Mum before you bedded and wedded her?” Kat snapped angrily.
Fin’s shock at his daughter’s words sparked his fury back to life.
“Your mother and—” the words abruptly died in his throat as he stared at Kat.
Kat watched in mild concern as realization washed over her father’s face.
“You’re exactly like your mother.”
Whatever Kat had been expecting, it wasn’t that.
Fin looked back to the sky as though he expected to see the Gods appear and confirm his conclusion.
He gave a small laugh of disbelief.
“Holy … Gods … how did I … not see it? You are … exactly like her.”
Absolutely baffled as to what was happening, Kat started to wonder if her father’s mind had frothed over.
“Er … how … ?”
Kat didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence as Fin stumbled past her, muttering to himself.
“Thinks getting stabbed isn’t a big deal … Wants to fight … Recklessly makes a terrible choice of husbands …”
Kat would’ve been insulted if it weren’t for the strangeness of it all.
After her father had disappeared into the castle, the redhead reached one very important conclusion.
I don’t think anyone other than Kraken can fix this …
Tilting her head with a frown, Kat struggled with the knot for the second time.
“We aren’t announcing our marriage?”
“Not until your father stops threatening war. Which could still be tonight, but it’s doubtful,” Eric responded as Kat made another valiant attempt to tie the silk cravat at his throat.
“Then why are we allowed to still share a room? People are going to find out really quickly.”
“That’s what my sister is hoping will help push your father to settle down. It’s better to stay in control of the situation than letting it spiral, and your father knows that. Therefore, Fin will either have to whisk you away or be forced to accept us.”
Kat let out a low whistle as she worked on the silk. “Damn, Alina can be scary.”
“She’s like our mom,” Eric agreed.
“You and your sister are still okay after everything … ?”
The prince gave a halfhearted shrug with a sigh. “We aren’t exactly on the best of terms right now. She’s furious with me for keeping it a secret, but also appreciates the efforts I’ve made to sober up.” Eric winced at the memory of his conversation with Alina earlier that day and decided he’d rather change the topic. “Do you think your father will attend the ball tonight?”
Kat grimaced and shook her head. “Doubtful. I’m a little worried he might be having a mental breakdown if I’m honest … Son of a bitch, do you really have to wear this stupid thing?”
Eric chuckled. “I told you I can do it myself.”
“I used to watch my mum doing this for my da and always thought it was a nice thing to do.” She sighed while stepping back and putting her hands on her hips. She glared at the infernal bit of cloth that lay inconspicuously against Eric’s tunic.
“I can show you how to do it again later,” he consoled with a grin.
“Stop laughing at me.”
Eric chuckled. “I’m not laughing at you.”
“You just laughed!” Kat pointed at her husband accusatorily.
He did laugh then as he moved closer to her, his gaze drifting from her irritated expression down to the golden gown she had donned for the evening.
“W-Why are you looking at me like that?” Kat asked while trying to sound angry but instead felt her pulse quicken and her cheeks burn red. In the short time they had been together, she had come to learn what that look in his eyes meant …
Eric leaned closer, his hand slipping into his pocket, his warm breath tickling her right ear …
He smelled of the bath and its oils of sandalwood and … and …
“I think you know why I’m looking at you.”
Goosebumps swept across Kat’s arms and legs. “H-How can you be thinking of that?! After the day we’ve had? You talking with your sister and then the whole thing with my—”
Kat didn’t finish her train of thought as Eric’s warm mouth brushed against the side of her neck, and her knees went weak.
“Y-You know w-we’ll be late if we—”
Eric pulled Kat to him, and that was about the time all other feeble attempts to stop her husband’s advances were ended.