CHAPTER 42 AN ALLEYWAY AFFIRMATION
Kat, I know you don’t like it, but you have to admit that if you are the key to the first witch’s plans, then you should go home!” Eric trailed after his wife as she stormed through the streets of Vessa.
Kat ignored him and continued her determined trajectory back to the carriage.
“This isn’t just your fate we are talking about anymore—” Eric was cut off as a snarling Troivackian man in a long coat stumbled by him while carrying three sacks of grain over his shoulder.
The prince didn’t bother trying to apologize as he was forced to continue chasing after Kat, hollering at her back.
“Will you just stop so that—” Two children bolted out of a nearby house into the street and looped in front of Eric, once again intercepting him on his mission. Though after they were gone, the prince took a moment to check to see if any of his belongings had been pickpocketed. Surprisingly, they were all accounted for.
Finally fed up with having to stumble after Kat and being unable to finish a sentence, he sprinted. He caught up to her near the end of the street. Just as Kat was getting close to the bend in the road that would take her back to the carriage that awaited them, Eric seized her wrist and pulled her into a nearby empty alley before she could stop him.
“Eric! Wha—”
Grasping her shoulders and herding her toward the wall of the abandoned building, Eric leaned close to Kat, his nose a mere inch from hers.
“No running. We’re talking about this. Right here. Right now. Because I know the second we get back into the castle, everyone is going to come at us for one problem or another, and we won’t get a chance to speak alone again until who knows when.”
Kat started opening her mouth to protest, but Eric silenced her by kissing her, pinning her to the wall.
It caught Kat so off guard that it succeeded in making her mind go blank.
Especially when his right hand moved to cup her face as he deepened the kiss …
Kat felt her aura warm to life, and her body eased into his.
She suddenly was feeling incredibly relaxed …
When Eric did break the kiss, he stared at her in such a way that made it obvious to Kat that she happened to be the only one he could see in that moment … but that didn’t change the fact that he had things he wanted to say to her.
“Kat, if the first witch gets your blood on the dagger as well as the devil’s, then she may have enough power to open a portal to herd the devil through. And given that she’s summoned the ancient beasts? It sounds like she’s going to be forceful about it, and that means there will be casualties.” He paused and watched as his wife’s momentary lapse into peace disappeared and was replaced by upset. “We don’t even know how this whole thing will go with the rebellion tied in … but if you leave, then—”
“Why does she want me to leave if she needs my blood?” Kat interrupted. “That doesn’t make sense! First she wants me out of Troivack, and now she wants my blood!’”
Eric didn’t answer immediately as his eyes searched her face and his hands drifted to her waist where he pulled her into an embrace. “She probably didn’t know she needed your power back then. You heard the blacksmith. She probably thought it’d be enough to open the door if she had the blood of a water, air, fire, and earth witch along with the devil’s. Your power is like her dagger’s, and if it means the blade can absorb more magic in a single dose, and you are a mutant witch with technically all four elements … it seems reasonable to assume she’d change her tune. Even if it isn’t just for opening a portal, if she could get your blood it’d amplify any other power.”
Kat’s hands fluttered into fists at her side, and her eyes trailed away from her husband’s face. He was looking so earnestly at her that it made it hard to think …
“He could be wrong though. I mean, first the blacksmith tried to tell us about a seer, and then he admitted the devil told him everything. How did the devil or blacksmith even know we would believe in seers when they had been little more than legends until we met Esther? How could they have known?”
Eric opened his mouth to offer a perfectly reasonable explanation but found that the question had in fact stumped him.
She was right.
He lowered his own gaze with a frown, though he didn’t relinquish his hold on his wife.
“Godsdamnit …” He proceeded to drop his head on Kat’s shoulder and let out a weary sigh. “He probably has spies of his own in the castle.”
“Or what if he is the one making this all up? What if it is just the devil who wants me out of Troivack? The blacksmith even said the devil was unwell!”
Eric pulled back, and after his tired eyes roved over her face lovingly, he reached up with his gloved hand and brushed one of the stray strands of fiery red hair that had escaped her cap away from her face. “You’re right.”
Kat stared back, stunned. “I-I’m sorry, what?”
Eric chuckled softly. “I said you’re right. I’m not saying it again. You heard me just fine. I’m starting to think that the entire castle is filled to the brim with spies. If not the devil’s, then his sister’s, and if neither of theirs, most likely the ones belonging to all the other nobles.”
“So who can we absolutely trust?” Kat mused while chewing on the inside of her lip.
“Well, you, me, Alina, your father, Kraken—as long as no one offers him a dinner roll in exchange for our lives—”
Kat laughed, and Eric grinned, but then continued his list, “Faucher, Brendan Devark, and … that’s it. Maybe Sir Cleophus Miller, given his devotion to your familiar.”
“My mum,” Kat supplied idly, not at all anticipating that her husband would stiffen in response.
At first, she simply assumed he was trying to be funny again, but then she remembered the talk they had had before their wedding.
Eric had said her mother was feared in several circles and was wildly powerful … She hadn’t had a chance to ask the duchess anything about that …
“I know you have your doubts about my mother, but … I do think she is going to be on our side against the Troivackians, the devil, the first witch, and anyone else,” she told her husband slowly.
Begrudgingly, Eric let out a long breath. “I know. It isn’t my place to request this, but, Kat, do you think we could talk with her today?”
Nodding, Kat twisted her mouth in understanding.
Eric mirrored her nod, then closed his eyes and leaned his forehead to hers. “By the way, in case I haven’t mentioned it, I’m in support of running off, forgetting all about this sodding nonsense, and us having a yearlong honeymoon instead.”
Kat smiled. “That sounds lovely, but I feel like I’d get bored after a year.”
“There would be no paperwork.”
“Let’s go. Right now. I don’t need to pack.”
Eric laughed while pulling his wife into a full hug and kissing the side of her head as he did so.
“Are those really all the people we can trust?” Kat asked quietly after taking a moment to enjoy the hug and breathe in Eric’s comforting smell.
The prince grimaced, and while Kat couldn’t see it, resignation was present in his voice when he replied with, “Afraid so. It could be one or all the handmaidens, it could be Prince Henry, it could be any of the nobles, Rebecca Devark, even Lady Nathalie Faucher.”
“It’s not Kezia.”
“Kat …” Eric pulled away again though kept his arms around his wife so he could fix her with an apologetic yet serious look. “She hid the fact that she was a mage for years. She traveled nomadically. No one other than His Majesty or His Highness has met her family. There is no way to be absolutely sure she is who she says.”
Unable to hide the woundedness in her eyes, Kat gripped the prince’s cloak. “Well, what about Ladies Sarah and Wynonna?”
“Lady Sarah has been well-known from birth in this court. Everyone has seen her grow up, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a hand in anything. As for Lady Wynonna, she was thoroughly vetted by Lady Rebecca Devark and other noblewomen in the court. They interviewed her family back in Xava where she grew up in Daxaria, and again, there were reports and several eyewitnesses who saw her since childhood and have attested to her character. If what the blacksmith says is true, that means she couldn’t be the first witch.”
Kat blinked. “I … I won’t lie … I’m a bit surprised by that.”
“That Lady Wynonna, the infamous drunk in the court, isn’t the first witch?” Eric asked dryly.
“No, that her character was vetted and approved. Also that she isn’t suspicious at all. She is Daxarian … And she also had mentioned once a long time ago that she was looking for her brother here in Troivack.”
Eric raised an eyebrow and cast his mind back. “Ah. We found her brother, actually. He’s a merchant who does quite well for himself here in Vessa. He purchased a great deal of the abandoned buildings here in the city, intending to use them to craft his wares. I heard they had a falling out because Lady Wynonna’s now-deceased husband wouldn’t loan him money to purchase a ship. A poor call on her former husband’s side, given what the man is now worth. Her brother is actually one of the few successful merchants who didn’t have ties to Duke Icarus.”
Kat’s jaw dropped. “Then … Then that leaves … Kezia,” she uttered with a croak.
Eric kissed his wife’s forehead again, saddened to see her in pain at the thought of her friend being a traitor.
“How did you … know all this … ?”
“After the devil approached me and said the woman was close to Alina, I’ve been digging up as much information as possible. I had honestly thought it’d be Rebecca Devark, otherwise I wouldn’t have let Lady Kezia remain close to Alina. But hearing that the first witch can only be in one of three forms also rules out the former queen, as she would’ve also been closely watched while growing up and most likely has hundreds of eyewitnesses still alive to attest to her character—your mother being one who we can trust completely.”
“Gods.” Kats hands came up to cover her face as she felt sick to her stomach. “Kezia … But … I just can’t … can’t believe it. I love the handmaidens … Lady Wynonna is bloody funny, and … and I even love Lady Sarah, but Kezia is the one I suspected the least.”
“I know. It makes it even worse that she’s Prince Henry’s wife … This could drive a deep wedge between the prince and His Majesty.”
“This is awful …” Kat trailed off while succumbing to her horrible heartbreak. “What do we do now?”
Eric stepped back from his wife reluctantly and slumped against the wall of the other building that was perhaps only four feet from the one Kat still rested against. When they’d past it, it wasn’t clear whether it was still used for any kind of business …
“First, we speak to your father. Then I want the most recent update on the rebellion’s movements. That should tell us when they are supposed to attack and what time frame the first witch is considering. Next, I want to lay out a plan with a bit of bait to see if we can lure out either the devil or the first witch.”
“Wasn’t the devil supposed to be in contact with you again for information?” Kat recalled.
“He was … He had also said he was going to send me something the last time we spoke, but that didn’t happen either … Believe it or not, the devil doesn’t seem all that reliable.” The prince scoffed humorlessly.
“What about Likon?”
Eric winced and found himself unable to meet his wife’s eyes. “The best I can say is he’s hidden somewhere in Vessa. It’s odd how we haven’t heard anything about ransom or any other demands by now. Last I heard, Kraken was starting his own investigation. It sounds lazy on our end, but he has the best chance of finding him, knowing his success rate.”
Kat was all too aware how capable her father’s familiar was, and so the news was actually comforting. “Do you know what my father found out about the sirins?”
Eric shook his head. “They are still interrogating the rediscovered coven and Lady Elena, though I know Fin was trying to find out more. I don’t know if Kraken had a chance to visit the tunnels before he started hunting down Likon.”
Kat stood up from the wall, though her shoulders still sagged. “For everything going on, we don’t have nearly enough people we can count on … I wish we were back in Daxaria.”
Despite smiling at his wife’s wistful thought, Eric’s eyes were filled with defeated agreement.
“It’s hard being a hero,” he said instead.
“Not to mention I now need to talk to my da and Mr. Kraft about unknowingly using my magic to bolster other people … I have no idea what that could even mean. Do you feel any different being around me?” Kat asked while folding her arms over her middle.
Eric considered the question carefully as he cast his mind back.
He had started to feel differently … But when had it started? He’d felt something small stirring after the night they had first met … However, when had it really started to—
The prince’s eyes widened. “Oh. Gods. That’s what he meant.”
Kat looked in confusion at her husband’s stricken expression. “What?”
Before answering, Eric rubbed his face. “Godsdamnit.”
Kat continued waiting with increasing impatience.
“You kissed me after the devil broke down your walls. After that, I started feeling different. I had more energy. I felt motivated. More clearheaded and awake … The devil had said you were a boon to me, but I think … you might be feeding power to me and possibly others as well. Maybe after he broke free your power, it started leaking out. Then when we had our first night in the closet, you kept sending me power without realizing it. I’ve been able to work tirelessly this whole time, and I’ve barely craved my vices since we got married.”
“And because I was already pretty drained after my month of training …” Kat joined in quietly.
“We need to talk to Mr. Kraft about this. Now.” Eric turned toward the mouth of the alleyway, intense purpose burning in his eyes.
Kat reached out and grabbed his hand before he could leave, though he flinched when she did so.
She could already see what he was terrified of …
“You. Aren’t. Hurting. Me. I’m happier and feel better than I have in years. I probably just need to … to feed on other people’s magic, and I’ll be fine again! Or maybe it’s just that the devil messed up how I manage my power!”
Eric’s face had turned stony. He didn’t look at all swayed by his wife’s words as he was faced with his worst fear.
Seeing this, Kat wasted no time.
She grabbed Eric by the front of his tunic and brutally slammed him against the other wall, her eyes flashing.
“Don’t you dare run or start avoiding me,” she raged at him despite not raising her voice. “We fight at each other’s backs no matter what. Eric, I need you. I need you like I’ve never needed anyone in my life. I don’t care if my energy levels go down to what a normal person feels. We’ll find a way to manage it so it doesn’t get any worse. But you are worth …” She trailed off, tears rising in her eyes, startling both herself and Eric, whose impassable expression broke into worry and heart-wrenching love as his wife spoke. “You are worth more to me than my magic. I love you, you Godsdamn idiot! Don’t you even think of—”
“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, Kat.” Eric’s hands came up again, this time to hold Kat’s face. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Again. I never want you to feel …” he trailed off, unable to find the words as tears fell from his wife’s golden eyes. He wiped them away, then kissed her softly. “I won’t run from you. You have me. Completely. I promise. I am scared of hurting you in any way, but I am always yours. No matter my state.”
“You better be! You swore that I’d see you love me more than was reasonable, and I need that!” she spluttered, hating that she was reduced to tears. Sometimes it snuck up on her just how important Eric had become to her …
Her husband smiled, still staring at Kat with a look that burned through to her soul and made her feel whole, leaving no room for doubt that that was exactly what he felt from her as well. He kissed her again. “I love you. More than anything, alright?” He held her close again.
Kat sunk into the embrace gratefully.
They hadn’t had much time together as of late on top of the extraordinary stress surrounding them. The distance their schedules had caused made it all feel like everything was too much, and so despite it seeming as though the world were ending just outside the alleyway they stood in, and knowing that they needed to rush back into the fray, both Kat and Eric allowed themselves a moment of solace with each other. Both were well aware that such moments may be even harder to come by in the near future. And so they took as much effortless relief, understanding, and strength from each other as they could.