Chapter 18
Cai
My headache was growing worse by the minute. I reached for the pitcher of water and filled a glass.
“Your Majesty, George confirmed that he’d employed the servant months ago.”
Jack stood on the other side of the table in the council room. He looked tired from lack of sleep and completely overridden by anxiety. “He’d needed more hands in the cellar.”
“Did he say where the kid came from?” The assassin had been only a few years younger than me.
“Some small village not too far but we have rechecked the references he’d given George and all of it was falsified.” Not a very good sign.
“Any chance he had an Argonian tattoo?” one of the council members asked, and Jack shook his head. “George said he’s seen him working in short sleeves or shirtless on multiple occasions. No tattoo, my lord.”
“He wouldn’t have had a tattoo, even if he was Argonian. Soldiers only get the tattoo when they’re eighteen. Some symbol of manhood while also claiming fealty to their king.”
“We have no proof that the boy was working for Aries,” Lord Burrow argued.
“But we do know that Aries has most likely been sending spies into the kingdom and now someone has tried to assassinate the King. We cannot ignore the possibility of a link,” someone else said.
“The point is, we have an assassin on our hands, with no idea where he’s come from or where he’s going. How do we plan on finding him?” Lord Burrow exclaimed.
“He couldn’t have gotten that far. We know what he looks like, and we have sent scouts to the nearest villages and cities, my lords,” Jack assured them.
“What about George?” Lord Burrow asked. “Will there be any repercussions because he hired the young man?”
“George had no way of knowing. The boy has been working in the cellars for months. Whatever this was, it was pre-planned. I’m not going to punish George for something that wasn’t his fault,” I stated, and then looked at Jack. “Let me know if the search is successful.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jack bowed before marching out the room.
“What about the young queen, Your Majesty?” Lord Stapleton changed the subject.
“What about her, Lord Stapleton?” I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this conversation.
“It’s no secret Her Majesty is here to make an alliance. The council has yet to discuss what a marriage to the Queen of Everness could mean.”
“On the one hand, it would be a great aid military-wise,” the Duke of Ryker spoke up. “Everness is known for having a large army.”
“We don’t know what King Aries’ plans are. If we ally with Everness, he could take it as a threat to his throne. It could give him the motivation he needs to launch an attack,” Lord Burrow replied.
“We also have to consider that Everness is currently in a weak state. The new queen has yet to properly establish her reign, and with all the opposition she is currently facing, it could lead the kingdom to a civil war,” Lord Stapleton said.
“Are you suggesting we launch an attack on Everness instead?” the Duke of Ryker asked in surprise. “How is that any less threatening to Aries?”
“Nobody is attacking Everness.” I silenced them. “I am still undecided on the subject, and until I come to a decision, we won’t discuss this further.”
* * *
“It’s a beautiful painting.”
I turned to face Elara as she approached me in the hallway. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her before looking back up at the portrait that hung on the wall.
“It’s always been one of my favourites,” I admitted.
“Are they your grandparents?” She stopped next to me, placing her hands behind her back.
“Yes. When they were young and newly married.”
“How long were they married for?” Elara tilted her head as she inspected the painting.
“I believe it was almost thirty years before my grandfather passed away.”
“I’m sorry I never got to meet him.”
“I think he would have liked you very much.” I gently bumped her shoulder with my own. The truth was I could hardly remember my grandfather. But it seemed like the right thing to say.
“Your grandmother is quite a treat, though.”
“Ahh.” I let out a chuckle. “I heard you got cornered by her the other day.”
“I did and I’ll admit I was quite intimidated. But she was actually very kind to me.”
“She’s been through a lot, having lost her husband and now her son.” I often had to remind myself that I was not the only one grieving my father.
“She must have been a great queen.” Elara looked back to the painting with a long sigh.
“You have something on your mind?” It was more of a statement than a question.
“There have been no arrangements for my meeting with the council to discuss the marital agreement.”
I sucked in a breath. “Yes, the council has been focused on the current situation with Argon.” I didn’t want to tell her about the uncertainty among the council about the alliance. Much less did I want to tell her that I was behind most of it. That I knew I felt affection towards Elara, but at the same time, I was afraid of what an alliance could do to the both of us. And like Lord Burrow said, it might just give Aries the push he needed not only to come after my kingdom, but after Elara too. I could never forgive myself if something happened to her.
She hesitated for a moment before placing her hands on her hips. “Look, Cai, if you don’t want to marry me, then why don’t you simply tell me so I can leave?”
“I didn’t say that I don’t want to marry you, Elara.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t say that you do.”
“It’s not that simple.” I shook my head. There were so many things she didn’t know. So many secrets I was keeping from her.
“It used to be.” Her jaw clenched as she tried to keep her voice from cracking, and a pain grew inside me. “There was a time, not too long ago, when we were just two kids in a forest. When you told me that my past didn’t matter. And I came back for you. I came back for you that day despite my cowardice, my fears, despite all my better judgements. I came back because you begged me to give you a chance. And now I’m asking you to do the same. And I’m sorry if that’s too much—”
“Elara.” I gently took her hands, willing her eyes to meet mine. “That time has since passed. We are no longer two kids in the woods who get to run away from responsibility. And believe me, some days I want nothing more than to go back to that time. But the things we do affect everyone around us.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“A lot has happened in the past few months. Things have changed.”
“Well, how am I supposed to trust you, or help you or confide in you, when you don’t share things with me? You don’t tell me anything, Cai. I don’t understand what you’re so afraid of,” she confessed, and it broke my heart.
“What do you want to know?”
She pressed her lips together. She’d been thinking about this. Her questions were formed long before I asked.
“The Myrgonite stone.” She hesitated. “Is it real?”
“What?” I asked in surprise.
“The jewel stone in your grandmother’s necklace, it’s the same as the one in the dagger you gave me.”
“Is it?”
“I held the dagger between our hands when you were dying,” she let out a breath. “I told you to come back.”
In the darkness of my mind that night, I had heard her calling out to me. It was as if she’d pulled me out of a deep sleep.
“I was trying to remind you,” she said. “By reminiscing about the stories we shared with the dagger. I was trying to remind you what you had to fight for.”
I clenched my jaw. “Elara, I’m grateful that you stayed with me that night, but I don’t see where you are going with this.”
“Lance believed . . .”
“You’re going on what Lance said? Lance, who cannot stay sober for more than twenty-four hours. Lance, who hurt you and used you against me.”
“Because he knew it was real.” The realisation set in on her face. “That’s why he was willing to go to all those lengths. The stone is real, isn’t it? And it’s hidden somewhere here in Norrandale. Lance told me that King Evrin’s wife, Queen Riona, stole some of the stones and had them forged into magical objects.”
“Elara.”
“Don’t lie to me, Cai.” She pointed a finger at my face. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”
“I’m not trying to lie to you. I’m trying to protect you.”
“I’ll decide when I need protection.” She pulled the dagger from the pocket in her dress. “How does it work?”
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “I don’t even know if that is one of the three objects or if the necklace is or what kind of magic we’re talking about. All I know is what my grandmother told me after I was crowned.”
“Well, what did she say?”
I looked around, afraid someone might hear us. I pulled her into the nearest parlour and shut the door behind us.
“Most of it didn’t even make sense, to be honest. She sat me down one evening with such a serious expression I was worried she would tell me she was dying of some kind of illness.” I could vividly picture the two of us in my study, the flames from the fireplace casting a shadow across her face.
“Your father should have been the one to tell you this when the time was right,” she’d said. “It is unfortunate he never got the chance.”
I could never have expected what she was about to say.
“She briefly told me about the history of the Myrgonite stones and how it was Norrandale’s duty to guard them since they became part of the kingdom. As king, I am responsible for protecting them and making sure no one ever finds out where they are or what our ancestors might have done with them.”
“And what about the objects?”
“She doesn’t know what they are. It doesn’t seem like anyone does. The objects have vanished from history.”
She looked down at the dagger and then back up at me. “But what if they didn’t disappear?” Between assassins, peace treaties and marital alliances, I did not need another thing to worry about. But if there was a chance that these objects were more than myth and they were possibly here in Mistwood Palace, I could not ignore it.
“Where are the Myrgonite stones?”
“My grandmother gave me a map and then forced me to burn it so that no one would be able to use it. The secret is only to be known by the kings of Norrandale.”
I took her hand and led her to the door. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
Elara remained quiet as I asked the groom to saddle up two horses for us and then ordered him not to tell anyone of our visit to the stables. I couldn’t decide who was more confused, the young stable boy or Elara. She appeared hesitant and unsure of herself and yet there was curiosity in her eyes. The guards would be in a state by the time we got back but this wasn’t exactly the type of outing where you could invite everyone along. Not even those that I trusted with my life — the more they knew, the more dangerous it was for them.
We rode for a few hours, further away from the palace. The grassy fields became hills and the hills became mountains. Elara kept her horse closely behind mine. Cold air swept across the stones and into the deep valley that lay nestled between the mountains. I didn’t make a habit of coming here often, for more reasons than one. While most of the kingdom of Norrandale felt warm and inviting, these mountain ranges seemed to whisper a warning. The place was ancient and there was a haunting atmosphere. I ignored the shiver that ran down my spine. Elara looked like she sensed it too. She continued to follow me as we dismounted, and I led her inside one of the nearby caves.
“The Myrgonite stones were discovered by King Evrin’s men, who built the mine. They closed it just as quick, however, to keep anyone from finding it. The only way to get there now is through these caves.”
It was pitch black. I lit one of the torches with a knife and some flint, and held out my hand for her to take. She didn’t hesitate, grabbing it as I led her through the narrow tunnels. I’d half expected Elara to make some kind of joke by now, at the very least, but she was stunned into silence, perhaps from nerves, I wasn’t sure.
I eventually stopped and placed the torch in the nearest holder on the wall. The world around us lit up, the light reflecting off a thousand Myrgonite jewels embedded into the walls and the ceiling, completely undisturbed, as if they’d been resting for a thousand years, sleeping... waiting.
I watched Elara’s jaw slowly drop when she took in Norrandale’s greatest secret.
“That’s a lot more than I was expecting.”
I shrugged almost sheepishly.
“And the entire mountain range is filled with these caves?”
She looked up once more, to where the stones stuck out from the cave ceiling like a canopy of stars. “If these things are worth what everyone says they are, then you could feed a whole kingdom.”
I saw the wheels turning in her head. “Except the moment it’s revealed that Norrandale is in possession of these stones, you are going to have every kingdom on the continent trying to conquer us. And that’s not even to mention the complication of the magical objects.”
“Do you think anyone could use the stones to make more objects?”
“I don’t know. We don’t even know what kind of magic was used and if it still exists. Unless the smith who did it documented it somewhere. But it’s probably not impossible.”
“This is a lot to take in.”
“I don’t know how to protect you and my people and, well... this.”
“Protect me? Cai, if what you say is true, we have to do everything in our power to make sure no one ever finds out about this. If it gets into the wrong hands...”
“I was naive enough to believe that the peace treaty with Argon meant the end of it, an end to the fighting and the violence. But now King Aries has been sending spies into Norrandale and after the whole ordeal with Lance...” I trailed off, leaning back against one of the cave walls.
“This is why you were so upset that I’d left Lance in charge after everything that happened? You’re afraid he’s going to try and come after it again if he finds out the truth?”
I nodded slowly.
“I can’t believe I’ve been so ignorant.”
“What does that make me? If my grandmother hadn’t told me, I never would have found out about all of this. I would have only believed them to be stories like everyone else.”
“I guess that’s kind of the point.”
I sent a small smile her way and Elara surprised me by taking my hand again as we emerged from the mouth of the mountain. The forest and hills beyond were ready to greet us with an autumn breeze and insects buzzing, while our horses grazed in the distance.
“Cai, tell me I’m not the only one who thinks the stones look astoundingly similar to the ones in the necklace and the dagger?”
The first time I’d been to the cave, I was so overwhelmed by what I’d discovered that I did not bother to think beyond it. The stones used in those two objects were small and delicate with a rosy hue, evident especially when in direct sunlight.
“It could be possible. But I don’t know.” I didn’t want to believe it. The only thing worse than having to protect a mine full of jewels from the world was having the magical objects those jewels were forged into identified by the wrong people.
“There is something else,” I added.
“Why do I have a feeling that I’m not going to like what you’re about to say?” She picked up her horse’s reins. I took hold of her hips to aid in lifting her on to the horse’s back. She grinned, as we both knew she did not need my help.
“I think there’s a good reason the objects have remained undiscovered for so long. Though my grandmother isn’t certain about what or where the objects are, she gave me a serious warning. The danger of the objects lies in the fact that they possess an ancient magic which no one knows how to control. While it may give you protection and great power, especially for one who has possession of all three objects at the same time, in order to balance the scales, it will take away from you too.”
I mounted my horse and we proceeded at a brisk walk until we reached the trail that led back into the woods.
“In what sense will it take away from you?”
“I’m not sure. But I have a feeling that the more power you use, the higher the price will be. Like I said, we have no understanding of the magic. It can be very unpredictable.”
Elara swallowed hard. “If the dagger is one of the objects, and I’m not saying it is, but if it’s one of the objects...” I watched her mentally wrestle with everything she’d learned.
“Cai, I wished for your life when I was holding the dagger that night.”
“I know.” And as much as I wanted to say I wished she hadn’t, it would have been a lie. I wasn’t ready to die. “But as you said, we have no proof the dagger is one of the objects.”
We continued walking the horses, with no rush to get back to the palace. Once we’d left the mountain ranges behind us, I felt the eerie feeling depart, and something more like comfort replaced it. Something I only felt when I was with Elara. The moment I stepped back through those doors, not only would I have to deal with my guards, who probably thought I’d gone missing, but I’d be bombarded with my royal duties and responsibilities when the only thing I really wanted to do was sleep. It felt as though I hadn’t slept in a week.
“I’m worried about you, Cai,” Elara said suddenly, as if she’d been reading my mind.
“I’m fine. There have just been so many things that require my attention.”
“Which is why I’m worried,” she continued. “You’re not sleeping, you’re hardly eating. You’re carrying too much on your shoulders.”
“I hadn’t realised you’d been paying such close attention to me.”
“Cai, I’m serious.” She put her horse in front of me, forcing me to halt. “I may not be the best queen, but I know more than you think. Which is why I don’t understand you not confiding in me with all this tension between Norrandale and Argon.”
My horse had taken the stop as an opportunity to eat grass and I lightly tugged on its reins, guiding us past Elara.
“You have enough to worry about in your own kingdom as it is. My complaining won’t help.”
“This isn’t about complaining,” she replied gently. “You have so many around you that would literally give their lives for your comfort.”
I shook my head. “I should be a better king than that. I should be able to handle my responsibilities.”
“I know you think the best thing is doing all of this on your own. Trust me, I know that better than anyone.” She hesitated for a moment and shifted her gaze away from me and to the forest around us. “But knowing what I know now, I don’t believe a person is made to rule alone. You don’t have to do all this alone.”
“This is so much bigger than all of us.” Not even I knew what exactly I was referring to.
She met my gaze with a worried look in her eyes.
“I know.”