Tethered Thrones (Tethered Souls #3)

Prologue

SYAORAN

I crept to the door, trying my damndest to move silently, just like I had always imagined the former spider noc king would move. Like a shadow.

Everyone knew that there was now a giant centipede on the monstrous throne that had overtaken our land, but the thought of that creature sent a shiver down my spine even more than King Hadi had.

I shook those thoughts away and concentrated on my slippers moving over the marble palace floors, sure they weren't making a sound until I reached the small gap in the door that advisor and strategist An had carelessly left open.

Once upon a time, Father had been open about his plans. He had practically boasted about the war. Even when things weren't going well, he would rage in public, screaming and shouting. Lately though... lately something had changed, and I wanted to know what.

Things in general were changing. There was something in the air.

Holding my breath, I peeked through the small gap in the heavy wooden doors, witnessing a sombre scene.

My father, Emperor Gaulu, was bent over a large, detailed map of Naran. I could see his worried face, the lines deep between his brows. In this lighting, he looked older, and he looked scared.

His strategist, Advisor An stood with his back to me. I could only see the gilded edges of the robes hanging over his shoulders and the salt-and-pepper hair tied in a knot atop his head, but I could tell by his stooped shoulders that he was just as concerned.

“According to our sources, they are heading east, here.”

He indicated the spot on the map with the tip of his pointing stick and looked at the emperor.

“Do you know if Sun has contacts in Jade Moon Village? It is barely even a village.”

“ The Batu Sun has contacts everywhere. He became a living legend in this war. He is favoured by the people,” Emperor Gaulu said. “He was favored by me too.”

His voice sounded so heavy.

Whatever had happened, it was serious, and it seemed that it had something to do with the famed noc killer, Batu Sun. I had seen the warrior many times, but he stayed close to my father when he visited, and he never seemed to smile. I had always felt that he was hard and serious with little room for anything else in life but killing monsters.

“Well apparently, he is favored by nocs now too,” An sneered. “It seems that he must be irresistible to all.”

I had to hold back a snort at that assessment. There had always been rumors about Batu Sun being easy, but I couldn't really imagine it of the older man. Then I realized the implication of what he said. Batu Sun mingling with nocs? I had no great feelings for the man either way, but it couldn't be true. He was too unwavering. Too loyal. A strange uneasy feeling squirmed in my gut.

“What do you propose that we do?” my father demanded.

An straightened his shoulders, looking down at the map briefly before pointing to arrangements of soldier figurines on the map that represented our various armies.

“We send word to the generals in the west first, then the others. We tell them that Sun has defected, that he is a traitor–”

“No. No one will believe it.”

“Surely, if the news is from the emperor himself–”

“We must find him and destroy him!”

Emperor Gaulu's voice echoing through the room with such sudden volume nearly made me gasp, but I held a hand over my mouth to stop any noise.

“Surely executing your top soldier without warning or explanation will cause unrest amongst the people of Naran.”

“I don't care about the people of Naran!” Emperor Gaulu spat, seething. “This world was meant to be mine! I made sure of it twenty years ago! Yet the nocs took our capitol and they took Yin Valley. They have taken my top soldier from me and now he has both godstones!”

This time, it was impossible to keep the shocked noise I made from escaping.

My father's gaze flew to the door and our eyes met through the gap. Red hot fury filled his eyes.

I stumbled back, but it was too late.

The door flew open, nearly catching me.

“You insufferable child!” he bellowed. “How much did you hear?!”

“Nothing father!” I insisted automatically. “I just–I–I was–”

“I–I, what , you bumbling fool?!” he mocked harshly.

The beaded bracelet slid off my wrist automatically without even trying. I was used to lying on my feet, especially to spy.

“Goodness, father,” I managed, lifting my hand to show him. “I was only looking for my bracelet. I thought it might have fallen off somewhere around here. Then I heard yelling and looked up.”

Somehow, I managed to keep my voice level and light, even surprising myself.

My father's face froze. Behind him, An approached, sneering at me down his long, straight nose.

“Come highness, we have important business to finish.”

My father hesitated and then sighed and shut the door firmly in my face.

“I'm sure your son couldn't even follow what he heard,” An remarked laughingly from behind the door.

I heard my father chuckle in return.

“No, I suppose not...”

My heart was beating hard, and my hands were trembling a little bit, but I turned on my heel and walked briskly through the palace, ignoring everyone I passed until I reached my bed chambers.

The moment the doors closed behind me, I collapsed against them, breathing hard.

Batu Sun had both stones? But that could end the war. He could wipe out all the nocs at once. Unless my father was right and he was with the nocs now, but then surely, he would have taken out us humans...

And what had my father meant that he had ensured he would keep the throne over twenty years ago?

Immediately, I thought of the nocs. They had arrived on our land twenty-five years ago now. But how could he have anything to do with their arrival?

None of it was making sense to me but a deep, bone chilling cold filled my body and I felt suddenly ill.

Distrust of my father was not a new thing. He had never loved or cared for me as far as I could remember, but he was still my father. Surely that meant I should stand with him.

But what if he had done something so bad that there was no excusing it? What if this war and bloodshed and darkness that had stretched on for so many years was directly from his hands?

Perhaps Batu Sun knew something that no one else knew. Perhaps that was why my father was so afraid...