14. Kasten
The mid-morning sun was still cool, but that didn’t prevent me from being encrusted in dust and sweat from the road. I pulled off my sticky gloves as I entered the hall. I gestured to Sir Cley and Robert. “Go to your families.” I frowned at Robert. “And don’t show your face inside the castle for at least a month. From now on, you stay out of the Red Men’s affairs. I’m putting you directly under Sir Jon’s command, and mark my word, he will report back to me if you put a finger out of line.”
Robert bowed and scurried off with hunched shoulders but a relieved expression. He was already looking healthier after a day of rest before we’d set out in the early hours of the night.
I brushed some of the dirt from my face, frowning when my fingers caught stubble. Every limb ached. Whiskey. I needed whiskey. I looked toward the closest servant, an older man who was gathering our coats.
“Where’s my wife? Is she awake yet?”
He bowed. “As far as I know, Lady Batton is in the garden having breakfast, my lord. Shall I inform her of your return?”
I shook my head. “No. Get Callum. At this hour, he should be working in the east wing.”
The servant bowed and left. I pulled off my jacket and forced my aching legs up the steps to my office. I poured myself a whiskey before unbuttoning the collar of my shirt, and letting my thoughts turn to Sophie. Somehow, I always felt lighter when I thought of her. It was refreshing to have something to dwell on that wasn’t soaked in darkness and threats. Something that wasn’t an endless list of jobs. Everything else in my life seemed to revolve around death. She was uncorrupted by all of that.
I stood in the shadow to one side of the floor-to-ceiling window and watched her in the garden. She was smiling. For some reason, that made my chest ache, a sensation I wasn’t much used to. It was the way the smile reached her eyes and made her whole face shine. She had been through so much, yet her eyes hadn’t become dull and hard. I hadn’t thought it possible.
Their breakfast table was abandoned. Her maid passed her a basket and miniature shears, and she cut some roses, delphiniums, and chrysanthemums. I made note of every flower she touched or smelled. It had been the right decision to marry her and bring her here. She looked happy. Just the sight of her brought me a peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. And something else, something I could only identify as hope. Not for myself—I was too far gone—but for our war-ravished world. She proved there could still be joy after pain.
I heard the door open and close behind me. Only Callum wouldn’t knock.
“Any news?” I asked without turning.
I heard the clink of him pouring whiskey and then a thump as he collapsed into one of my armchairs.
“Not really. The people of Kasomere like Lady Sophie. She met with them for a few hours yesterday. She also took an interest in my workshop.”
I turned with an eyebrow raised. “She didn’t see anything she shouldn’t have?”
Callum shook his head. “No, of course not. But she is…inquisitive.”
I frowned, rubbing my forehead. “I want her left out of this completely, Callum. I mean it.”
Callum sighed, despite the threat in my voice. “Yes, yes, we all know.” I heard his feet hit the floor. “You look awful, by the way. Didn’t you stop to sleep?”
I sighed and walked back to the free armchair. “You know I struggle to sleep.”
He leaned forward. “Nightmares again? You could ask the physician. I’ve heard she can make draughts that send you into a deep dreamless sleep.”
I shook my head. I needed to be sharp and alert. Not drugged.
A servant brought in a breakfast tray. I ate the sliced meats and fruits without really tasting them. “I’m expecting retribution, Callum. I antagonized both Lord Charles and Duke James. I suspect Duke James will find some way to manipulate the king into enacting his revenge quickly. Or maybe Lord Lyrason will be the one who does it. I bet he’s annoyed I didn’t get caught in this trap too.”
“Well, Lord Lyrason has yet to make any move directly against you. But”—Callum shrugged—“retribution was always coming, whatever the source. I get bored of waiting, so I suppose it’s good that you sped things up. It’s been years since you came of age now, and you’re still not dead. Anything else?”
I shook my head. “No more artifacts or bodies. Just another letter from the Red Men asking for my help. I don’t know how to make myself any more clear.”
Callum grunted. His blank expression enough could have meant anything.
My appetite was gone. I stood and stretched. “I’ll bathe, then catch up on any communications.”
Callum leaned back and wrinkled his nose. “Please do. I can only tolerate so much odor from you. You might want to shave too.”
I gave him a flat look. “You’re only jealous that you still can’t grow a proper beard.”
He scoffed, then looked thoughtful. “Would you like me to tell Sophie…”
“No.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
A steward came in holding a scroll. “My lord, a rider just arrived. We have orders from the king. Our men are to head out on the last day of summer to join the current minor campaign.”
I took the rolled-up parchment and scanned the ridiculous cursive script and floral language that was little more than a death sentence. Only four weeks. I’d hoped I would have more time.
This was their retribution. And it had only taken them a day to achieve.
They moved. I moved. Always in the shadows. Always indirect.
They’d been swift. But then, I always needed more time, however long I got. And who knew, maybe I’d survive this too. Or maybe Callum was right, and it was better to get it over and done with.
“Tell the rider his orders have been received. Don’t let him linger.”
I raised a hand to Callum before he could remark on the news and went to run myself a bath.
Sophie
The morning was still young,but I loved the smell of dew on the earth and the way it dazzled on the grass. I’d taken my typical hour break outside in the cooler weather before breakfast today, as I’d done yesterday. My worries seemed less intrusive at this time of day. Kasten had arrived home yesterday morning, and I hadn’t even been told until lunchtime. He hadn’t called on me or contacted me. He had to be very busy doing far more important things than seeing me. That made sense when we were at war. I wouldn’t want to distract him from the life and death matters he must be dealing with.
I tried not to let the ache of rejection grow or encourage the weightless, ungrounded sensation to return. The gardens were the perfect distraction.
The lands behind the castle weren’t extravagant, but they were well-maintained and large. There were enough nooks and crannies for me to still be discovering new plants or benches or small ponds. I got the impression that the general had pretty much given the gardeners free rein, which would account for all the differing styles: immaculate rose beds, dry rockeries full of trailing flowering plants including a beautiful carpet of lisalthis, and the wildflower meadows surrounded by hazel trees that grew in a shady valley. Then there was the sandy area with some fan palms and cacti and some short plump plants I didn’t recognize and guessed were native to Tyrazastan. I’d already taken up quite a lot of one young gardener’s time this week, asking him what everything was called.
I was still trying to decide where my own garden patch would be the least intrusive. I didn’t want to be in anyone’s way or risk needing to move it at a later date.
Along the furthest reaches of the land, near the external wall that separated us from the city, the ground was rougher and the grass longer. A pretty avenue of overgrown lilacs lined an old track that looked like it might once have been a back entrance to the estate. Between the bushes, some granite boulders sparkled dully. I suspected nobody would care what I did down here. It was by far the most neglected area.
I turned to Meena. I’d woken early and decided not to disturb my maids; they deserved some time off, and Meena’s company was quite adequate. My simple linen gown and cotton bodice hadn’t needed any extra hands to fasten, and I guiltily admitted to myself, it was nice to have some peace and quiet. Lucy was wonderful, but she talked a lot.
Meena raised her eyebrows in question, and I pointed to some dead branches on the ground in a half-shaded area that showed promise. “Would you mind assisting me since you’re so much stronger than me? If you could move those branches, I’d like to see the soil quality.”
Meena’s lips twisted with amusement, but she started dragging the branches away with little effort. I bent to look at the soil. It was thin and rocky. I moved closer to the lilacs. They seemed healthy, which could mean a trench had been dug around them and filled with better soil. I ducked under the closest leaves, becoming drenched in the smell of the purple cascades, then stepped onto the packed-dirt road.
A rustle beside me made me startle.
I turned to see a man stumbling from the bushes. I frowned at his vaguely familiar face. It was the fugitive from the carriage I had bumped into in the corridor dressed as a servant. His coat was dirty and scuffed as if he’d been hiding in the undergrowth. Had he broken into the estate or was he working here now? I was so shocked to see him, my breath caught, and my mouth worked of its own accord. “Good morning.”
He blinked at me with an expression I couldn’t read. “Forgive me, my lady. I need your help.” His intense gaze and the suppressed energy in his posture made my mouth dry. Something wasn’t right.
I looked behind me, but we were alone, separated from Meena’s sight by the bushes. Why had I given her a job in the other direction? I had always felt so safe here, I had never understood why I needed a guard. But now, I would have preferred her by my side, even if this turned out to be nothing. I straightened my back and folded my hands in front of my skirts. “You should present yourself at the castle. I’m sure my husband will speak to you if you ask for an audience.” I gave him a small nod and started to turn away.
The man’s hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. I gasped as my pulse started to race. His hand was rough and calloused, and his grip was tight. “I’m sorry, but I need your help.”
My throat tightened, and I could only manage to gasp, “What?”
He brought his face close, and I could smell his breath. “The general must help us. He must. We have the same goals, the same enemies. If we allied our resources and could use him to access the king, we would be unstoppable. Surely you can see this?”
I tried to pull my hand free, but his grip was iron. “I have no part in my husband’s business,” I gasped. A familiar sensation of helplessness settled over me. I tugged against his grip again. Should I scream?
“I’m sorry, my lady. I really am. But this is life and death for us.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he twisted my arm behind my back and lifted it until I cried out. Cold metal pressed to my throat. I whimpered in shock. I didn’t understand. What could he possibly want from me?
“Release her.” The words were so cold and efficient, I didn’t recognize them as Meena’s until the man slowly turned us to face her, the dagger still at my throat.
I hadn’t heard her approach or draw her sword. The long length of metal gleamed in the leaf-speckled sunlight. Her stance was ready, and if I’d thought her tall before, she loomed even taller now.
The man dragged me back a step, the sharp metal pressing harder with the movement. “Tell the general I will release her if he promises to share his resources. We need your kryalcomy. If he won’t help us directly, he could supply us. It’s the only way to stop Lord Lyrason.”
Meena’s cold expression didn’t waver. “This is your last chance to release her, Jacob.”
I felt a tremble in the man’s chest against my back. “Tell the general…”
Meena moved in a blur. One minute she was before me, the next I was falling, my arm no longer held. I hit the dirt awkwardly on my shoulder and rolled away, my legs tangling in my skirts. I scrambled to sit up, raising my arms in case the man was still after me. But everything was still. Meena stood over the man who lay unconscious on the ground.
The guard sheathed her sword—she wasn’t even breathing hard—and her eyes flashed to mine. “My lady, are you all right? I’m so sorry, he should have never gotten so close…”
Her words were cut short by the sound of running feet. I turned to see the general sprinting down the neglected track toward us with wide eyes. His expression made him look younger, almost vulnerable. I stared at him in shock.
Callum ran at his side, and two armed men were close behind. How had Meena alerted them? None of this made any sense. The four ran incredibly fast, their arms pumping hard, and their backs straight; I could barely collect myself before they were upon me. My hands were still shaking.
Kasten stopped a few steps away, his eyes combing me as he caught his breath. I must have looked an unsightly, dirty mess. He cleared his throat before he spoke, but his words were gruff. “Are you hurt, Sophie?” I noticed his hair was still wet and disheveled from being washed, and he was newly shaven. His hair and alarmed expression made him seem more human somehow.
I looked down and shook my head. My heart was still racing. Why wouldn’t it slow? Why was it still hard to breathe? My eyes turned back to the man, who lay unmoving on the ground. One of the guards was tying his hands behind his back. I licked my lips and tried to slow down my breathing. In. Out. In. Out.
“Did he touch you?” My husband’s voice was firmer and more insistent now.
My eyes flickered up to Kasten. I half nodded.
His eyes darkened, and he whirled to Meena. “What happened?”
Her own eyes were on the ground, but I saw her flinch ever so slightly at Kasten’s sudden attention. “He grabbed her and held a knife to her throat, General. I disarmed him as quickly as I could.” She held out two objects: a small knife and the strange pyramidal device he’d had in the castle.
Kasten took them without looking at them, his focus still on my guard. “How did this happen? This shouldn’t have happened! He was using kryalcomy, Meena!” He sounded furious. I stepped back. I always struggled to stay calm when people were angry. Now, my heart rate was only increasing, and dots appeared around the edges of my vision.
I would not faint. I would not. Why did I always feel so weak compared to everyone around me?
Kasten whirled on Callum, his dark eyes burning. “Go and check the wall defenses. Now!”
Callum held up his hands and looked more insulted than intimidated by the general’s temper. “All right, all right, but there’s nothing wrong with them.”
“Then how in the three kingdoms, did that man get in?”
Callum opened his mouth, looked at me and closed it again. He took the pyramidal device from Kasten’s hands. “I will look into it. Maybe you should escort Sophie back to her room and make sure she’s all right?” He raised an eyebrow.
I licked my lips and took a step forward, careful to keep space between me and my husband’s anger. My throat felt hoarse and constricted as I spoke, my words tumbling out quickly. “I’m quite well, thank you. I just need a rest. Meena can take me. Lucy and Beatrice will make sure I have everything I need.” I reached out and rested my hand on Meena’s arm.
Kasten hesitated, pushing his hand back through his hair while clenching his jaw. “I will walk you to your room.” He held out a hand to me.
I flinched from it. I hadn’t intended to. My body just reacted.
Kasten’s hand froze.
My insides went cold.
I looked down and hugged my treacherous body close. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I meant no offense. It’s just…that man…I…”
Kasten stepped back, disgust on his face. My heart sank. My hands trembled.
He turned to Meena. “Take her back and make sure she has everything she needs.”
“Yes, General.” Meena seemed quieter than normal. Less…looming.
I didn’t dare meet my husband’s eyes as I let Meena’s hand gently guide me back to my rooms. My heart rate finally started to slow.