Chapter 45 Callan
CHAPTER 45
CALLAN
“ I received con?rmation this afternoon from Lord Lairwood that Veda is still out of the city,” Tava said when she swept into the conservatory that evening. Her cheeks and nose were red from the last cold snap that had spread over the city that day. They always got one last cold spell right before spring truly arrived.
Callan was instantly striding for her, taking the gloves she had pulled from her hands. She pulled her hood back as he ushered her towards the small hearth in the corner where she immediately began warming her hands.
“And Lord Lairwood will be dining with my father tonight,” Callan said from her side.
“This is going to work,” Tava said as though she were trying to convince herself.
“Promise you will stay with one of us the entire time,” Callan said. She glanced up at him. “I promise, Callan,” she replied softly.
He nodded, resisting the urge to reach up and run his knuckles along her cheek.
It had been a week since the disaster that had happened in the slums, since she had agreed to consider trying to make this more than some act.
He had asked her to let him know when she’d made her decision, but as of this moment, she still hadn’t even hinted at it. She continued on with the ruse— meeting with his mother, making wedding preparations, making public appearances with him.
He shoved all those thoughts aside when Sloan and Finn entered the room, cloaks on and weapons in place. With all the Lairwoods out, they were going to the estate tonight. Drake would be getting them in, pretending he was stopping to get something for the Lord on his way to the castle, and then they would search. They were each taking a ?oor. Finn was taking the main, Sloan the basement, Drake the second ?oor, and he was taking the top ?oor. Tava would join one of them.
“Take any spirit amulet you happen to come across,” Tava said, taking the gloves back from Callan. “It does not matter what it looks like. If you ?nd one, pocket it. We will leave it up to Scarlett to determine what she needs.”
“Remind me why we are doing the work of thieves,” Sloan grumbled. “We need to start somewhere,” Tava said, unfazed by his sour attitude.
“Clear as many rooms as you can in the time frame.”
They had agreed to two hours. Even that would be pushing it. Finn had pushed for only an hour, but they had argued that was barely enough time to get started.
“If you get any feelings of unease, anything at all, you leave,” Finn cut in, looking pointedly at Callan.
“Understood,” Callan agreed, swinging his cloak over his shoulders as Tava pulled her hood up.
They exited out the side door of the conservatory, leaving tracks in the slushy snow that had fallen. He had weapons strapped to his waist, and even Tava had a dagger down her boot. She had surprised him when she’d said Scarlett had shown her some basic maneuvers with the weapon. Nothing fancy, but she knew how to hold it and how to angle it if needed.
They had decided to forego the carriage in case they needed to make a quick escape. He wasn’t too worried about that. He was the Crown Prince. It was unlikely he would be questioned, and if he was … Well, he was the Crown Prince. It wouldn’t much matter if Lord Lairwood himself discovered him snooping through his home.
He helped Tava onto his horse before swinging up behind her, pulling her back into the cradle of his hips. She relaxed back against his chest, his arm wrapping around her middle.
“I have a dress ?tting tomorrow,” she said softly, her hands holding onto the pommel of the saddle while the horses made their way down the streets.
“Oh?” he asked, keeping his own voice low.
“It is an odd feeling. To be selecting a wedding dress for a fake wedding.”
“That is an understandable way to feel about it,” he agreed.
The supposed wedding was still six months away, to be held in early fall. Even if she agreed to try to make something work between them, he still wouldn’t want a wedding that soon. He wanted time to get to know her, really get to know her. He wanted those secret meet-ups, the stolen moments, the peaceful afternoons of just being together.
She cleared her throat, shifting slightly against him. “I know you are likely anxious for an answer from me,” she said cautiously.
And that had him straightening behind her, listening intently, but he said nothing. Just waited.
“Nothing would really change,” she was saying. “At least not publicly. It would still need to be believed that we have really fallen in love. But the private moments would be …”
She trailed off, uncertainty sounding in her voice.
“They would be real,” he ?nished for her. “But even then, nothing needs to change, Tava. I do not want you to change. Be just as candid. Be just as compassionate. I want to see it all.”
“That is unnerving,” she murmured under her breath, but he heard it and huffed out a low chuckle.
He bent down so he could speak into her ear. “Is that an agreement, then? To end the ruse and make it real, little fox?”
He knew if he could see her face, her cheeks would be tinged pink with a blush.
“I suppose it is,” she agreed quietly.
Callan couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face as they continued to follow Finn’s horse in front of them. Sloan trailed behind, keeping them in the middle. And for just a moment, he let himself imagine it. Let himself imagine building something with someone who wouldn’t slip out before the sun rose. Someone who he wouldn’t have to meet in secret or with masks on. Someone who he wouldn’t have to hide in the shadows but who he could be seen with in the light.
Minutes later, they were passing the gates to the Lairwood Estate. The guards had been noti?ed by Drake they were coming. What lie he had told them, Callan had no idea, but they didn’t question anything when he helped Tava down from his horse. Sloan told them to keep the horses out, that this would not be a long visit.
Hopefully that would be the case.
They went around to a side entrance where Drake was waiting. Tava was ushered through ?rst, and he immediately reached up to push back his sister’s hood. “You all right?” he asked her tightly.
“I am ?ne, Drake,” she said, patting his cheek lovingly. “I do not like that you are a part of this.”
“Need I remind you that you made me a part of this the night Cassius brought a Wraith of Death through our servant’s entrance?” she asked, a brow arching as she pulled her gloves off and stuffed them in her cloak pockets.
“No, you do not need to remind me of that,” Drake scowled, his focus turning to Callan and the others. “Most of the staff have retired for the evening. But even still, be discreet.”
“We all know what to do,” Sloan said. “Let’s get on with it.”
No one said anything as they all made their way into the house. Drake and Callan turned to the stairs, Tava following. When they reached the second ?oor, Drake turned to his sister.
“Come, Tava,” he said, motioning for her to follow him down the hall. “I will go with Callan,” she said, turning to continue climbing the stairs.
“Tava—”
“I have her,” Callan said, cutting him off. “Do not worry. She will not leave my sight.”
Drake pressed his lips together, clearly unhappy with how this was going.
“We do not have time to debate this, Drake,” Tava said, moving up the steps. “Go.”
Drake watched her for another few seconds before turning and heading to the ?rst room. Callan could swear he heard him muttering under his breath something about “get rid of the assassin and still have a mouthy woman bossing me around.”
Callan quickly caught up to Tava, and as he fell into step beside her, he reached for her hand. He felt her stiffen slightly before allowing her ?ngers to intertwine with his.
After inspecting the ?rst three rooms, it quickly became apparent this portion of the ?oor was guest rooms.
“I cannot imagine it would have gotten shoved into a guest room,” Tava said when they moved to the room across the hall from one they had just searched.
“What if they did not keep it at all?” Callan said.
“That is a possibility,” Tava conceded. “But again, we need to start somewhere. Scarlett was adamant about ?nding it.”
She moved to the nightstand beside the bed, pulling open drawers and quickly ri?ing through sparse contents. Callan did the same in the small armoire. There really were not any other places to look through, so they made their way back out to the hall.
“There was another set of stairs,” Tava mused in a hushed tone when they came upon a bathing room.
“What?” Callan asked, opening the cabinet doors above the sink.
“Off to the side of the main stairs,” Tava said, crouching down to look through drawers. “There was a small staircase. I think we should go back and see where it leads. Honestly, searching a guest wing is likely pointless.”
“All right.” He had to agree with her logic on this. If the Lairwoods thought the amulet was worth something, it wouldn’t be hidden here. It would be kept somewhere safe. And if they’d thought it was just a piece of junk, they would have tossed it, and this entire escapade was a waste of time.
He led Tava back to the main staircase, and she pointed to a small stone archway off to the side. There was indeed a narrow staircase that seemed to spiral upwards.
He went first, her hand once again clasped in his. The staircase wound up, and Callan began to wonder how much longer it would go on when they finally reached the top landing. There was a single door at the top that was slightly ajar. But as they drew closer, Callan saw it was ajar because it could no longer latch. The handle appeared to be … melted.
“Oh my gods,” Tava whispered, sucking in a breath. A hand came to her mouth, her eyes widening.
“What is it?” he asked, his body tensing in alarm.
“This is where he kept her,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Scarlett,” Tava said, taking a tentative step forward. “This is where Mikale kept her before Sorin … He did that.” She pointed to the melted door handle.
Call it curiosity, but he found himself moving forward. He carefully pushed the door open, the hinges creaking slightly, and they both stilled.
The room was small and sparse. An uncomfortable-looking bed took up much of the space. There was a small bath off to the side. A dresser and armoire stood on one wall. A nightstand was on either side of the bed. There was one small window to the right, but there was nowhere to go this high up.
Tava stepped farther into the room. “We …” She trailed off, seemingly to collect herself before trying again. “We may as well check the room since we are up here,” she whispered, as if speaking would alert spirits they were here.
Callan couldn’t blame her. This room felt haunted. Like the shadows that followed Scarlett were born here.
Tava moved to the nightstands while Callan made his way to the dresser.
Gods, even the air in here was sti?ing. It wasn’t warm by any means. There weren’t even ashes in the darkened hearth. The room was drafty and cold, but the air was … heavy with whatever had happened in here.
“Callan,” Tava called softly. Her tone had him shoving the empty drawer he was looking through shut and moving to her side. But before he’d reached her, a cold voice had them both spinning towards the bathing room.
“Somehow I am not surprised that it is you two that have found this room.”
Veda Lairwood stood in the doorway. She was in a black dress, her hair unbound and loose around her shoulders. But the two long knives she held in her hands had Callan shoving Tava behind him and drawing his short sword.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded, not knowing what else to say because what was she doing here? She was supposed to be gone, out of the city.
“What am I doing here?” Veda asked, a sharp laugh escaping her. “I live here, your Highness. Your turn.”
She leaned casually against the bathing room doorway, appearing to wait for his answer. When he didn’t say anything, she shrugged, apparently unconcerned.
“We knew, you know,” she said. “We knew you were searching for something. We just didn’t know what. It was clever though. Getting Mikale sent on that tour to Toreall. Getting two of us out of the way in one shot.” A chilling smile curled up on her lips. “Of course, it also paved the way for this perfect little trap.”
“What do you want?” Callan demanded, trying to slowly move himself and Tava towards the door.
Her head cocked to the side. “What I have always wanted, Callan. To be your queen.”
“Why?”
Her brows ?ew up. “Why does any noble lady wish to be a queen?”
“You are not a noble lady,” he countered.
“Rude,” Veda pouted, taking a step into the room. “I am more of a noble lady than that one you are hiding behind you. Where I am from, I may as well be a princess.”
“Then go back,” Callan bit out.
Veda scoffed. “We do not wish to go back. We were promised this world once our task is completed.”
“Then why is it so important to be my queen?” Callan pressed, trying to keep her talking as they inched closer to the door.
Veda sighed heavily. “It is simply easier with one of us on the throne, but you two certainly managed to ruin that, didn’t you? He was very unhappy with this little development.”
“He? Mikale?”
“Mikale,” Veda scoffed. “My brother is not who we answer to.”
“The Assassin Lord then?”
The ?icker of surprise that passed over her face was gone as quickly as it appeared. “You learned much in your time away.”
“I learned enough,” he answered.
They were halfway to the door when Veda moved in a blur of motion. She suddenly stood in front of the only exit, tsking softly under breath. “One of you is not leaving this room alive, Crown Prince. We both know who that is.”
“You will not touch her,” he snarled, raising his short sword.
“It is almost as if you truly love her,” Veda mocked.
He could feel Tava beginning to tremble behind him. She was pressed into his back, the movement of her chest telling him just how quickly she was breathing.
“It is funny,” Veda said thoughtfully. “All of this, our entire reason for being here, is because of love. The fact she is even able to stand behind you is because of love. I tried to warn you not to succumb to such weakness. Look what it has led to.”
Callan had no idea what she was referencing, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“What is even more ironic is that we tried so many ways to get our hands on her, and you have delivered her to us yourself,” Veda continued. She shrugged indifferently. “Saved me some coin, I suppose.”
“You pretended to leave so that Tava would go back to the slums?” Callan asked.
“It seemed the easiest place to secure her,” Veda replied. Then her face hardened. “It wasn’t as if Balam would harm her, and it is not as if we could do anything here. You have her under constant watch, but I knew she slipped from that manor. I knew she crept to the slums most nights. The Wraith taught her many things, but she is still mortal. She does not have the grace of magic-wielders.”
“Mortal?” Tava asked, peeking out from around Callan. “My father is not mortal.”
“Half-mortal then,” Veda said dismissively. “Either way, you are more mortal than not.” She took a step towards them, herding them back against a wall.
And Callan had no idea what to do. No idea how to save her, how to get Tava out. He had one ace in his pocket, but it was quickly becoming his only shot.
“Do you know how we become of age in my world?” Veda asked. When neither Callan nor Tava spoke, she continued. “We secure our power. By taking it from another.”
“You … steal someone’s gifts?” Tava asked. Her trembling had seemed to lessen, and she moved a little more to Callan’s side.
Veda appeared to mull this over before she said, “Can you really steal something from someone who is dead?”
“Oh my gods,” Tava whispered.
“It is quite the ordeal,” Veda went on. “The more powerful the magic we come to possess, the greater honor we receive. Naturally, we seek to overpower the strongest being we can.”
“That is where the Maraans get their magic?” Tava asked.
“I had, of course, wanted to take a Conjurer or a Summoner, but that is a nearly impossible task. They are closely guarded in my world, so I had to settle. I would not have been allowed to accompany Mikale if I did not complete my rite.”
“What … What gifts did you steal?” Tava asked, her voice a mere whisper.
Veda’s chilling smile grew. “I am so glad you asked, Lady Tyndell. We do not use our gifts much here. We have been ordered to keep them a secret so that they do not learn of our abilities. However, seeing as you are not going to walk out of this room, I do not see the harm. And I have grown quite tiresome of this cat-and-mouse game.”
With a ?ick of her wrist, Tava was pulled from Callan’s side by … nothing. There were no vines like he’d seen earth-wielders use. There was no gust of wind to suggest wind magic. No ?re. No shadows like Scarlett used. There was nothing.
Tava’s scream as she ?ew across the room, and into Veda’s hold, had Callan reaching into his pocket without thinking.
“For choosing her over me, I think I shall let you watch her die, Prince,” Veda crooned softly, one of her knives pressing against Tava’s throat.
Before she had ?nished speaking, Callan had thrown that vial Scarlett had given him the last time he’d spoken to her in Solembra. He was crushing it beneath his boot, watching the black smoke— no, the black shadows— swirl up from the vial.
And then he was holding his breath, praying to any god that would listen that she would get here in time.