Chapter 15
Bressen
I fought back a yawn as Lord Marcus continued his long-winded history of the ruling houses in Polaris.
Thank the gods the council had no appetite to appoint him to a Triumvirate seat, because I really would’ve considered melting his brain – or maybe my own – if I had to listen to him drone on regularly.
The man could take a question that needed only a yes-or-no answer and give an hour-long speech on the topic without ever answering the question.
My eyes actually started to flutter when Cyra’s voice filled my head.
Bressen, wake up.
I fought down the smile that threatened. Eavesdropping again, my love? Will you never learn?
We may have a problem, she said, and I couldn’t help the twitch of my brow at hearing the concern in her voice.
What is it?
Jasper is here with me and Raina. He wanted to talk, so I portaled him over. I can give you the details later, but the crux is that he doesn’t think the man with you now is actually Aidan.
I was ready for bad news, but I still just barely managed to keep my features neutral at this information.
What do you mean he doesn’t think this is Aidan? I asked.
It’s a long story, but Jasper said Aidan has been acting very strange, very unlike himself. He hurt Jasper in bed the other day, for one.
Once again I only barely managed to keep myself from reacting. I glanced briefly at Aidan, who looked like he was seconds away from getting up and physically silencing Lord Marcus.
I agree Aidan’s been acting strangely, I said. Are you thinking it’s another masque?
I don’t know, but we need to find out. A pause. I know you’re worried about crossing boundaries and setting political fires, but I think you need to read Aidan’s mind.
I considered this a long moment. Alright, I said. Let me get back to you. I need to make sure he’s distracted before I try.
I could easily break into Aidan’s mind, but doing it so he didn’t notice was somewhat trickier. I was practiced and powerful enough that it shouldn’t be a problem, but I wanted to take every precaution I could to ensure Aidan didn’t sense anything.
I turned my attention back to Marcus. He seemed to be winding down his lecture. We’d started out discussing Sandrian and Magdalene, but the imminent threat from them had naturally segued into the topic I really wanted to address, which was making the Triumvirate whole again.
We needed the government at full strength in order to handle the coming war, so I’d told the council it was time for them to step aside in favor of a new ruler. I’d even thrown caution to the wind and put my support behind Raina.
It was the discussion of a new ruler that had prompted Marcus’s lecture on the history of Polaris’s nobility.
He favored letting someone from one of the prominent houses ascend, but the problem was that if a person from one house was chosen, all the other houses would object.
There was no fair way to choose a successor without planning something like the lord trials in Derridan, and it was far too late to do that now.
The council had delayed too long. Half-mortal and illegitimate though she was, Raina had the strongest claim to the seat as Ursan’s daughter.
To my surprise, Aidan hadn’t backed me. In fact, he’d balked at the idea of letting a half-mortal ascend to the Triumvirate, which I’d thought strange given that he was married to a mortal, but that made more sense now in light of Cyra’s news that this might not be Aidan.
An imposter would welcome a chance to sow discord.
Suddenly Aidan’s refusal to assemble his army also now made sense.
Nemesis take me.
I realized too late that everyone was looking at me, apparently waiting for me to speak. Marcus had finally stopped talking, and they were waiting for my response.
Fine. If they wanted a response, I’d give them one. It was time to stop playing it safe and put on a show.
“Thank you for that history lesson, Lord Marcus,” I drawled. “But it’s all irrelevant. Raina has the best claim to the Triumvirate seat. It’s time to put her in it.”
The council members all exchanged glances. They knew I favored Raina, but this was the first time I’d been so bold as to actually tell them – not ask them – to ascend her.
Lord Varun huffed a laugh. “Yes, ascending Raina would be convenient for you, Lord Bressen, wouldn’t it,” he said. “She’s your wife’s best friend, so that would give you control over both her and Polaris.”
I scoffed loudly. “First of all,” I said, “you’ve interacted with Lady Raina enough to know she doesn’t take kindly to control of any kind, which – for the record – is one more reason she’s an excellent candidate.
For that matter, you’ve seen firsthand how little deference she pays me.
I would’ve thought that might put her at the top of your list.”
Varun opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off.
“Moreover, had I wanted control of Polaris, and even Thasia,” I went on, “make no mistake. Neither you nor Aidan would be here to argue with me about it.”
I sat back in my chair, fingers tented in front of me, and I let my eyes glow red. Not just a flare, but a sustained burn that reminded everyone in the room I was in fact a threat they had no answer to.
The truth was that I did have the power to take all of Thasia, especially with Cyra by my side, and they all knew it.
They’d always counted on my own restraint, my own indifference to ruling the whole country, but it was time to remind them that I could and would take matters into my own hands if necessary.
Three long seconds of silence balanced on the edge of my threat before everyone began talking at once.
I paid no attention to any of it. Instead, I took advantage of the chaos to reach my mind out toward Aidan.
My power was a shadow slipping under the crack of the door in his mind.
His mental shield was strong, heavy and solid like the gates of a fortress, but ultimately not impenetrable.
I stole inside as a thief would, using the commotion for cover before disappearing into the crowd of Aidan’s thoughts.
I sensed immediately something was wrong.
To start, the thoughts and memories that swirled around me couldn’t have belonged to Aidan.
I hadn’t known him long, but I knew enough about him to know this wasn’t him.
In particular, the intense hatred of mortals I sensed was wholly incompatible with a man who’d taken a mortal as his partner, a man who, only a week or so ago, had gotten onto his knees in front of Cyra and begged her to help him save that partner. No, this couldn’t be Aidan.
But then…I sensed the second consciousness.
There was another presence, another mind pushed so far back into the darkest recesses that I thought at first it was merely an echo I was hearing. But no, that was a separate voice, a separate set of thoughts.
Aidan.
Yes, it was Aidan, but he was merely a passenger now, a stowaway in his own body, and the consciousness in charge belonged to…
Morland.
The realization was so jarring I nearly gave myself away.
As it was, I felt Morland’s mind pause for a moment, like he’d just hiccupped and was waiting to see if there would be another.
I remained perfectly still, not daring to do anything that might alert him to my presence, but then his attention turned back to the flurry of comments and questions that the council was still throwing my way.
I casually ignored them all as I slipped back out of Aidan’s…
no, Morland’s mind. I should’ve stayed inside and tried to figure out his plan, but I was too shaken to try.
It was inconceivable that Morland had, for a second time, eluded death by jumping into the body of another.
I sat frozen for several long minutes as I tried to let my mind wrap itself around the situation. Morland had been with us when we’d returned from the temple because he’d been in Aidan’s body. He knew about the three warriors Cyra had freed, and he knew Praya was probably alive.
And now he was sitting here in the middle of a meeting between a Triumvirate lord and the High Council of Polaris as they discussed what to do about the threat Sandrian and Magdalene posed. He’d undoubtedly been in contact with Sandrian already, and likely would be again later.
I stood up suddenly. We couldn’t have this conversation. Morland couldn’t be privy to our plans.
“Lord Bressen?” Wendel asked, alarmed by my abrupt movement.
“Gentlemen and ladies,” I said, forcing myself to re-adopt an air of arrogant indifference, “Cyra informs me something important has come up in Hiraeth I need to attend to. I have to cut this meeting short.”
I’m breaking up the meeting, I told Cyra. Get Jasper back home now.
What’s wrong? What is it? she asked.
“But, Lord Bressen,” Wendel said, confused. “You’re the one who called this meeting. There’s still much to-”
“And now I’m canceling it,” I practically snarled at him. “Something’s come up that needs my attention, and I must return to Hiraeth. I’m sure you understand.”
Morland, I said. Morland has taken over Aidan’s body. Aidan is still inside, still alive, but he’s not in control.
A pause on the other end before a dread not my own filled my mind.
Sweet gods, came Cyra’s disbelieving voice.
“Besides,” I went on to the people in front of me, “I think we all need a moment to come to terms with what needs to happen, what will happen. It’s time to ascend Raina.”
I was met with silence on all sides. Aidan…Morland scowled at me, as did Lord Varun, but the rest of the council members looked only shellshocked. I’d told Cyra recently I didn’t have the power to tell Polaris who they could appoint as a ruler, but – gods damn it – I’d do it now.
“I’ll be in touch to schedule another meeting,” I said.
“In the meantime, decide what questions and concerns you have, and we’ll work to address them.
But make no mistake, our discussions moving forward will be with an eye toward finalizing Raina’s ascent.
I’ve been very patient with this council.
I’ve given you ample time to solve this issue on your own, but the Triumvirate can no longer await your leisure.
War is coming, and the Triumvirate must be whole. ”
Under other circumstances, I might’ve let the council have a little more time to come around to my way of thinking, but the news that Morland was alive and in possession of Aidan had changed all that. Their time was up.
Cyra, come get me. We need to return to Solandis.
I’m outside the door, she answered back. The guards won’t let me in.
They will now, I said as I took over their minds.
A moment later the door to the meeting room opened, and Cyra hurried inside with Raina on her heels. Cyra immediately drew a portal as I came up next to her.
“Keep me posted,” Raina told Cyra as they hugged.
Cyra nodded. “I will.”
My eyes met Raina’s as Cyra stepped through the portal, and I gave her the barest nod. Raina’s chin dipped in the hint of a nod back.
I doubted the council would tell her anything of what I’d told them just now. They were likely still in denial, but Raina would learn soon enough that I’d just made her the new ruler of Polaris and a Lady of the Triumvirate.
Whether she’d accept the terms and conditions that would come with that appointment remained to be seen.