10. TEN
TEN
Mina
My heart crumbles like a cliffside breaking apart on the waves. I close my eyes for a moment and breathe until the riptide of emotions swirling inside me is manageable again.
Darius silently studies me as I walk him through our social and political structures—from advisers to our network of shadows. I manage to explain what little I know about Zala without my breakfast clawing up the back of my throat.
Every time the swell of grief threatens to pull me under, I take a harty sip of my drink. The overbearing sweetness is a welcome distraction from the pain. As my cup runs empty, Darius refills it without a word, picking up on my little trick immediately.
After every nightmarish detail, I sip. How I didn’t hesitate to kill the assassin, but by the time the body hit the ground, everyone else had been killed. Sip. Brijita’s diversion. How I used my power to navigate the Draconos Pass and make my way to the capital. Sip.
We sit in silence and watch one another.
I don’t know if he is dissecting my story or allowing me a moment to recover.
Cold and calculating or kind and compassionate?
I don’t know which side is genuine, but I am grateful for the time either way.
I mourn my precious family with several deep breaths before setting my cup down with a heavy clank.
“Your mother was brave.”
I expected platitudes. His sincerity chips at the wall holding my grief at bay. Tears fall in thick rivulets onto my dress as I sit a little taller. “Thank you. She was a warrior and the fiercest woman I have ever known.”
“You must take after her quite closely then.”
A laugh bubbles out as pain and pride fight for dominance. I wipe at my cheeks. “Furthest from her, to be honest. I am much more like my father.” Darius arches a brow. “Let’s just say we share a propensity for mischief.”
“Ah, now that’s the most believable thing you’ve said all day.”
“You say that as if any of my words are unbelievable,” I challenge.
He cocks his head to the side. “A single boat crossed the Draconos Pass? One barely the size of two men?”
His doubts are warranted. I passed a harbor on my journey here and the boats are useful, but much like his archery style, rudimentary. No wonder they break apart in the fierce battle of waves.
“Absima has its perks.”
“Absima,” he says, testing the word out with decent pronunciation. “That’s what you call your ability to control the elements?”
“Absima means to borrow the flow of water. Nasima means to borrow the flow of air. We do not command nature, but rather she allows us to temporarily alter her path.”
“What do you call it when you borrow fire or earth? Are you limited to basic elements?” His tone is that of a calm tactician, but there is a spark of curiosity as he leans forward, like an excited child with a new book.
I dip my chin toward the dying flames under the cooking station. “Some things in nature are not meant to be moved. The earth is fixed and steady, flames wild and hungry. Their wills are too strong for us to channel.”
Darius drums his fingers against his thigh as he watches the wood crack and pop under the flames. If anyone possesses a will stubborn enough to bend a mountain, it’s the emperor. I shiver at the thought of his power, grateful such a gift does not exist in this world.
“Why your family? Why can’t the rest of the world use the same power?”
I play with the edge of my cup, trying to figure out the best way to explain our history without giving the full extent of my people’s abilities away.
“Twin Goddesses watch over all of nature: the sun and moon. According to our historians, they blessed us with Absima and Nasima for our survival. People tried to settle our nation before, but the climate is combative at best. Little water, cold nights, blistering hot days. Without a way to live in balance with the land, we wouldn’t have been able to build Kalisham. ”
I close my eyes, trying to recall one of Astrella’s many books. If she were here she’d be able to recite the whole thing word for word.
“The power you view as a weapon is our agriculture, our waterways, our livelihood. It secures our rain cycles. We may be able to use our gifts for protection, but we never abuse them.”
Darius leans his hand against his chin again, observing and assessing me for any lies.
“So you worship the sun and the moon.”
I can’t help the small laugh that escapes. “In a way, we all do. Without both, there would be no tide to bring your boats in, no light for your plants to prosper. They’re life, and one day we will all rest with them as stars.”
He glances to the window as if he can see the tiny lights despite the bright midday sun. A small smile touches his lips, gone so fast I might have imagined it. He clears his throat, turning his attention back to me.
“I understand you have to share what happened to get our army prepared, but I would appreciate it if you kept the details to a bare minimum,” I say.
“With the exception of Staefan, I have no intention of letting anyone know about our arrangement.”
It’s my turn to assess him for lies. He remains relaxed, legs wide on his stool. “The marriage agreement or my bride price?” I ask.
“Both.”
I understand the desire for discretion, but how exactly will he justify a fleet of ships and soldiers without sharing what happened? Surely not even his reputation is tainted enough for people to believe that he would wage war on his own bride’s homeland.
“What do you plan to tell everyone then? That I proposed a political alliance?”
He sips his drink and nods. “The official story I intend to give is that Kalisham heard of Veloria and feared our power. The queen sent you to ensure peace and establish trade routes. When we set sail for Kalisham, it won’t be for war, but rather to meet my new in-laws.
“Once we arrive and discover that the queendom has been overthrown in your absence, our modest entourage of soldiers will save Kalisham and return you to the throne. At which time you’ll agree to join the Empire of Veloria out of gratitude.”
Each word twists a hot blade into my chest. I let the sweetness of another sip distract from the potent concoction of emotions brewing in my heart. Grief for my family and home is deafening, but one emotion grows louder.
I will not let this man dishonor their memory. Not when that is all I have left.
Mother’s legacy will not be cowardice.
“My mother would never fear Veloria. The only reason I’m here is that you happen to be the closest option for soldiers. You won’t even lay eyes on our shores without my help.”
I do not hide the venom in my voice as I stand to level our glares, placing myself between Darius’s legs. I could strike any number of vulnerable spots from this position. “Pick. A. Better. Story,” I command.
His royal mask slips into place, unreadable and cold. The face of the man who forged an empire in blood and tempered its borders with conflict until he alone remained. I never should have mistaken his kindness for anything more than calculated words.
We stare each other down, our heavy silence punctured only by the crackling fire. He stands to his full height, forcing me to crane my neck to hold his glare. Our chests touch with the rise and fall of each breath, but neither of us backs down. Anger charges the air around us like a storm.
“Fine,” he relents. “The queen was intrigued by what a powerful empire we’ve become. Not feared. The rest of the story remains the same.”
“Better.” He narrows his eyes at my victorious smile. I ask, “How modest an entourage? The extent of Zala’s loyalties has yet to be surmised, and my people won’t take kindly to strangers on their shores.”
“Kalisham’s southern border is the easiest to access, but we risk encountering the lawless ones who run the seas farther south. We’ll have at least ten ships under the guise of protection.”
That bit of information is annoyingly accurate.
I thought each landing party died in past attempts, but some must have stayed behind on extra ships to report back.
Or perhaps the lawless captains and crews that roam the Medici Seas shared their observations when running from a storm.
Either way, the south will be the easiest breach point, which is exactly why we can’t use it.
“I cannot take ten ships through the pass, but we cannot land at the most obvious point either. My people will join our efforts once we make it to the first town, so account for those warriors as well.”
His chin dips in agreement, bringing our faces mere inches apart. His exhale is warm on my lips, and I freeze. I didn’t realize how close we still are. Anger drives people apart, yet our irritation seems to draw us closer.
A throat clears behind us. I jump back, putting a safe distance between Darius and me, for his own good.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I’ve finished looking into this morning’s incident,” Staefan says. He glances between the two of us slowly until Darius’s patience wears out.
“Which one?”
“Pascal. He arranged for Princess Mina’s maid to get reassigned and didn’t bother replacing her. He also facilitated a change of guards that got mixed up. He claims it was an honest mistake and a simple miscommunication that won’t happen again. He sends his deepest apologies to you both.”
Does this Lord Pascal take me for a fool? The forgetful requests are a calculated move to drive me home. “I’m a little disappointed. I was expecting something far worse in opposition. Dismissing an attendant seems so petty and small-minded.”
“I’ll make sure he understands any future miscommunication won’t be tolerated.
Petty and small-minded can quickly grow to deadly if left unchecked.
” I swear the air grows a bit colder as Darius crosses his arms. I can see why so many find him menacing, but instead of fear, warmth flickers low in my stomach.
He glances at me. “You’ll no doubt face more opposition from your ladies-in-waiting.”
“My what?”
Staefan hands Darius a large file. “Normally a bride would bring her own people to the castle to help care for her and handle day-to-day tasks. Perhaps secretary or head maid would be a more familiar terms?” he explains.
A lady-in-waiting. An ironic term considering the number of women at the party who wanted to be queen in my place. I wonder if any of them were recommended for the position.
“Are those the women who were selected?” I nod to the file.
“Yes. I’ll have a maid bring these to you in a bit. I need to approve them and sign their residency paperwork for the palace,” Darius says.
“Please have Jaime bring them to me. She was working in the training arena’s dining hall earlier this morning if that helps narrow it down.” Adaptability will serve me well with all the changes I plan to implement soon. I need someone who can ride the waves.
Darius studies me over the file. “Staefan will make the arrangements. Would you like me to reassign her to you permanently?”
Ever the perceptive one. I smile slowly. “Please.”
His brown eyes thaw from our earlier battle. I would pay a small fortune to know what is going through his head.
“If you’re finished eating, I’ll have someone escort you to your new room. A dressmaker is waiting to discuss your wardrobe,” Staefan explains.
A new wardrobe sounds wonderful. Otherwise, the palace will run out of drapery soon. I shrug off Darius’s jacket and set it on the seat.
“We’re quite finished…for now.” I head for the door with a little extra sway to my hips, not waiting to be dismissed.
Staefan hands me off to an attendant. I follow her through the maze of halls to a new wing of the palace, marking the path as my mental map grows.
I managed to avoid one conflict with Darius, but Veloria’s limitations on women are going to be a problem. If he wants Kalisham to join Veloria, then I need to make sure my home won’t regress to such an alarming state of inequality.
I need Darius’s army to take back Kalisham, but maybe I don’t need help to keep it…
Once Zala dies and I reclaim the throne, nothing will stand in the way of pushing out the emperor and his soldiers. Even if I help them improve their skills, they can’t hold a candle to the warriors of Kalisham in full force.
Besides, I have something he doesn’t. I reach out with my senses, and a strong breeze batters the nearby windows.
The woman escorting me jumps, placing a hand on her chest. “The mountain winds sometimes pick up without warning,” she explains.
I fight a smile as I continue to follow her around another turn. I can do this. Darius will help me win back Kalisham, but my people and I will make sure she isn’t taken by another undeserving ruler again.
Guards stand by at the mouth of the next turn we take, armed with short swords. The halls are wide enough for them to swing the blade, but not before I can get my dagger out. I flash a friendly smile as we pass, and they respond with a bow.
The hall dead-ends at two sets of ornate double doors. Rich brown wood carved with a mountainscape sits on one side, a lake and forest carved into the other. Beautiful.
My escort keeps her gaze glued to the floor and wordlessly pushes open the mountain doors, revealing a scene of absolute horror.