20. Kasten
The rain lashed down on our backs as we studied Whitehill under the cover of darkness, crouched behind the rim of the hill. Lord Hans had claimed he was too old to be crawling in the mud, so I passed the spyglass between Sir Cley and Sir Egbert as we each studied the walls and counted the enemy soldiers we saw on patrol, their flaming torches bobbing weakly. Callum sat farther behind us below the ridge, not wanting to muddy his clothes unless he had to. He was eating something and seemed to be enjoying it.
“This is suicide,” Sir Egbert murmured.
“Then we take down as many of them as we can with us,” I replied. “Every one we kill here, means one less to come inland and kill Fenland innocents. Kasomere may have a high wall, but Lord Hans’s villages have next to nothing.”
I saw my words take root as their movements became more resolute.
“Any sign that they’re guarding the old latrine shoots?” I asked Sir Cley, who was still focusing through the spyglass.
He shook his head. “Either they haven’t thought about them, or they don’t think anyone would be crazy enough to try to climb up them.”
“It might be our only advantage,” I said. “They’ve only been occupying Whitehill for a few days. They won’t have discovered all its secrets yet. And we’ve got the original architect’s plans.”
Sir Egbert looked skeptical. “Are you sure about this? If we climb up those chutes and hit a thick brick wall, we’ll be taking all this risk for nothing. In fact, we could all get killed.”
Callum cleared his throat. He was barely visible behind us in the rain-drenched-darkness. “Whitehill only got plumbing twenty years ago. Not a kryalcomy system, of course, like I helped install in Kasomere. But I will bet anything, they just plastered over the old chutes when they installed the new latrines.”
Sir Egbert looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “Does that include betting your life? You want to go up there first?”
I slipped the spyglass into my pack and crawled back below the ridge. “I’ll go and inspect the possibility. You stay here.”
Sir Cley slid to his feet. “I don’t think…” But I was already melting away into the darkness. Nobody would risk their life in my stead tonight. It was my fault they’d all been dragged here, and I was sick of losing my soldiers.
Sophie
I plasteredon a smile and smoothed down my fresh dress. I’d asked Lucy to tighten my corset so I would appear in Adenburg’s style. Butterflies turned to dragons in my stomach, which was ridiculous. It was just George. I’d hosted guests many times before. I shouldn’t be nervous about seeing my own brother.
But I was.
I opened the door and strode into the room with a straight back. “George!” I beamed as he stood from the sofa and gave me a formal embrace.
At eighteen, he seemed taller than when I’d last seen him, and his well-cut suit made him appear older. He held a cane with a silver cap that reminded me of Father. I wished he hadn’t chosen to emulate that particular mannerism; I hated Father’s cane. His brown hair was immaculate—oiled to one side, and a new pocket watch looped a golden chain across his breast.
He smiled as he looked me up and down. “Sophie, it is good to see you. I was beginning to fear they’d lost you after you took so long to appear.”
I lowered my head to hide my blush. “I’m sorry. I was on the far side of the castle grounds. I wasn’t expecting you. Why didn’t you send a message ahead?” I sat down on the chair opposite the sofa, and he regained his seat.
He shrugged. “When Father told me of the position you were in, I decided to come straightaway. I would have beaten any letter.”
I frowned and locked my fingers together to stop their fidgeting. “My position? What did Father say?”
His brow furrowed in concern. “He said you were here, all alone, having to manage your household and the city while the general was suddenly called to war due to the terrible loss of Whitehill.” He lowered his voice. “Father said the chances of his survival are low.”
I looked away from him and swallowed. “My husband is an accomplished general and soldier. He has already survived many difficult battles. I believe he will survive again.”
George gave me a pitying look. “Of course you do.” He leaned forward on his seat, closing the distance between us. “This must be a hard time for you, sister. You must be so worried about him, and yet expected to manage such a huge estate. The pressure is unfair.”
I licked my lips. “Thank you for your concern, George, but so far, I am managing. The staff here have been very helpful.”
He frowned and leaned his hands on his cane in a manner that was so like Father, a shiver ran up my spine. “Are you managing, Sophie? Do you understand what is involved? He’s only been away for four days. You might be managing the castle servants, but are you on top of the finances? The city security? Most of your soldiers must be gone now, leaving a big gap to fill. Are you maintaining the barracks, monitoring the trade, making sure the granaries are stocked for winter? Are you conversing with political allies and improving international relations? You’re close enough to the border of Tyrazastan that you should befriend your foreign neighbors. Possibly some in Nibawae too.”
My heart rate picked up and there was the sensation of falling, falling. The familiar choking sense of inadequacy that laughed at the idea that I could have ever done this. How had I been fooling myself…
No.
Kasten had gone to great lengths to keep the estate in my hands alone, even if he died. I would not fail him in this.
I stopped the onslaught of unhelpful thoughts as my eyes met Meena’s. She stood discreetly in the corner of the room, her look full of confidence. If I could stand up to Kasten, the most feared man in Fenland, I could cope with George.
I licked my lips. “As I said, George, the staff have been very helpful and are extremely competent.”
He frowned. “You can’t just leave these jobs to them. People will take advantage. Cut corners. You will encourage dishonesty and embezzlement.”
I poured myself a cup of tea to calm my nerves and took a slow sip while I considered my response.
George took my hesitation as an opportunity and leaned forward, speaking just above a whisper. “It’s all right to need help, Sophie. Father is worried you might be struggling with your priorities. Maybe getting a little distracted under the stress. It’s understandable with your new station and a whole new home.”
I forced a smile. “I thank you for your concern, George, truly, but I have plenty of help.”
He sat back and pursed his lips. “And what were you doing in the gardens just now, so far from the main house?”
My treacherous heart pounded against my rib cage. “I was… The general had arranged for a new garden area for me. The work has just finished. I was inspecting it.”
George sighed. “I know you like gardens, Sophie, but you’re the lady of a grand estate. An entire city. You simply don’t have time for frivolities right now. People are relying on you.” He rubbed his forehead. “Maybe I should stay for a few months. I’ve had a lot of lessons on large scale management. I could help with the finances and investments in particular.”
I sipped my tea, barely noticing when it burned my lips. It would be nice to have somebody here who could help me manage such a huge task and make me feel less alone, but I was scared about where it would lead. This was my household. My estate. The general had foreseen the possibility of my father claiming it and had chosen to keep it in my name and free me from my father. This place was my freedom. I was more grateful for that than anything. He had known and cared about my deepest fears, even those too inappropriate to share, and that made me feel closer to him that I had realized.
The general trusted me, and I in turn trusted the staff he had chosen to help me. If I gave my brother a foothold, there was no telling when he would give it up. The general also had secrets. I might not understand what they were, but it was my duty to protect them.
I would be strong enough to protect his lands, no matter what I faced.
I tightened my grip on the teacup. “Thank you, George, for your offer, but you must be very busy, and I do actually have experience running an estate, even if this one is larger than Frederick’s. I’ve also been well taught.”
George lurched forward slightly in surprise. His lips parted as if he were seeing me for the first time. I supposed I’d never spoken like that to him before. An emotion flicked through his eyes that I couldn’t decipher. Something strong that he was keeping under control.
“Are you sure, Sophie? It wouldn’t be too much bother for me to stay for a few weeks. I wouldn’t step on your toes.”
I smiled, my confidence building. “Quite sure, thank you. This isn’t my first marriage, George, and I do have a few more years of experience than you.”
George’s face grew cold. He stirred his tea, the silver spoon making a loud sound against the porcelain. He no longer met my eyes. “I never thought you would grow proud, Sophie. But it appears you have merely by marrying a bastard.”
My throat constricted at his words. Even across the room I could feel Meena’s energy shift, as if she were preparing for a fight. I took three measured breaths. “The general does not deserve your disrespect, George. He is your brother-in-law and has greatly elevated our family’s status.”
The cold vanished from his face in an instant, and he smiled once more. “Of course, sweet sister. I apologize.” He set down his tea and stood with calm, deliberate motions. “If things become too much for you, write me a letter, and I will come back at once. I am at your service.” He bowed and walked out before I could offer him a room for the night.
I let out a breath and sagged as much as my rigid corset would allow. It had only been George, but I felt like I’d been to battle and almost lost these precious lands. If Kasten returned and found my brother taking charge, I knew he would be deeply disappointed in me. These lands meant everything to him.
Meena cleared her throat from across the room. “I will order an escort for him—back to Adenburg—so he doesn’t have the opportunity to snoop.”
I nodded, glad my worries were shared and not based purely on paranoia.
I wasn’t used to the tightness of the corset anymore and hated how it made me lightheaded whenever my heart rate increased. I tidied up the tea tray, then rose and headed back to my rooms to change. Meena was already back and following at my heels.
My thoughts spun. It felt good to stand up to George, but had he come on Father’s orders? Probably. What else might he try to gain a foothold here while I was alone? I might be able to stand up to George, but if Father himself came…I couldn’t imagine standing up to him in my wildest dreams.
And what if they planned to deliberately make things hard for me, so I was forced to send for George? It wouldn’t take much to tip me over the edge. I wasn’t strong like Kasten or any of the other residents of Kasomere castle.
I paused on the staircase and closed my eyes to concentrate on calming my breathing. If Kasten could stay calm in bloody battles against monsters, I could stay calm here too. I was his wife and mistress of Kasomere.
I walked with a straighter back to my room. I could ask Meena to increase security, though she’d probably already had this line of thought. I glanced over my shoulder. Her face was as serious as if a battle had taken place. Maybe Kasten had asked her to look out for this. If he had known enough to legally ensure the estate would stay with me, he had to know what sort of man my father was.
I stopped halfway down the corridor. The door to my room was ajar. That wasn’t like Lucy or Beatrice. Meena came to my side and followed my eyeline. She frowned. “Stay here, my lady. We’ve had no report of a break in, but I should go in first.”
I took a step back as Meena pushed the door open with one hand on her sword hilt and disappeared out of sight. Memories of the Red Man’s attack flashed vividly across my mind, and my hand rose unbidden to my throat.
“What are you doing here?” Meena’s voice was cold and hard.
My mouth dried.
There was a rustle and a familiar face appeared around the door frame. Miss Claris stood there holding a box of my fertility tonics. My very full and mostly unopened tonics that had sat in my room for weeks.
“What has got into your head, Lady Sophie?” Her cheeks were pink, and her lips were pale. She was furious.
My chest constricted as I automatically looked down to the carpet to avoid her gaze. The battle was only just beginning.