Chapter 23 Ahnna
Ahnna
Ahnna had thought she’d known misery. Had thought she’d known evil.
Yet the hours she spent in the saddle with Carlo made her feel like she knew nothing at all.
The Beast of Amarid had a fondness for singing—and a remarkably good voice—but there was something about listening to him sing cheerful songs while gleefully tormenting her and James that made her skin crawl. That made fear pool in her belly.
Because Prince Carlo was not sane.
He rode behind the soldier holding the ropes attached to James, his voice rising in crescendo every time James tripped or fell, forcing Dippy so close that for all her horse’s efforts, he stepped on James more than once.
Between songs, he’d kiss Ahnna like Harendellian courtiers kissed their lapdogs, then would squeeze the break in her arm while whispering soothing words and stroking her hair.
It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep from screaming.
“I like you, Princess,” Carlo whispered, running his fingers down her cheek while he rode next to a stumbling James.
“I think I could love a woman like you. It’s a shame I can’t clean you up and dress you pretty.
We could have such a lovely time together.
But Mother has other plans for you.” He sighed and squeezed her broken arm.
Ahnna clenched her teeth, waiting for the excruciating pressure to ease, then she said, “What will your mother say if you accidentally kill James? Because if you keep this up, he will die.”
Carlo let out a breathy laugh. “Mother’s rage would be a thing to behold, my sweet beautiful Ahnna. But James will not die. Not like this. He won’t allow it.”
“You say that as though it were his decision.” From the corner of her eye, she watched James stumble and fall, the horse dragging him several paces before he regained his feet.
His face was pale with exhaustion and droplets of blood streamed from his wrists where the ropes dug into his skin, but she dared not look at him directly. “Everyone has a limit.”
“True.” Carlo kissed her cheek six times in rapid succession, his lips leaving damp marks on her skin.
“But I know James’s limits. We have been adversaries for a very long time, and there are moments when it feels like he is my soul’s mate.
My perfect adversary. My darling nemesis.
To lose him to exhaustion? Intolerable.” His voice turned vicious. “I would never allow it.”
He squeezed her arm again, and despite herself, Ahnna let out a soft whimper.
“Don’t disappoint me, my sweetling,” he crooned. “Don’t be less than I dreamed you to be. Mother only made me promise that I keep you alive, not whole. Not whole!” He sang the words, then reined Dippy sideways so that her horse knocked into James.
Ahnna bit the insides of her cheeks, digging deep into her reserves to keep from lashing out in a frenzy. To keep from doing every desperate thing she could to get free, because logic told her nothing would work.
Bide your time, she ordered herself. Wait for them to lower their guard.
But it killed her to do nothing while James was pushed to the brink, so despite herself, Ahnna turned her head—to find James watching Carlo, amber eyes filled not with defeat but with murder.
It seemed that the Beast knew what he was talking about after all.
“You should want him dead, no?” Carlo murmured.
“James’s list of transgressions against you is so very long, Princess.
I heard that the look on your face when dearest Eddie told all his court that Lestara and Cardiff were the chosen jewels, not Ahnna and Ithicana, was the expression of one stabbed in the heart.
Made all the worse because James, your only friend in all of Harendell, was instrumental in the conspiracy against you.
I wish I could have been there to witness it.
” He stroked her cheek. “Did you weep, Ahnna? Or did you rage? Or did you do nothing but hide in your room while Alexandra framed you for Eddie’s murder? ”
“I’ll tell you what I did if you tell me who stabbed him, because I know it wasn’t Alexandra,” she replied. “Edward was a strong man, and it wasn’t a quick death. It took strength, and whoever did it would have been covered with blood. Alexandra was pristine when she approached me.”
“Who indeed?”
“Mother didn’t tell you?” It was foolish to bait him, but Ahnna couldn’t help herself. “Or does Mother not know?”
Carlo gave a soft laugh. “Speaking of not knowing…I can’t help but wonder if you know the full depths of the schemes against Ithicana. James, do you wish to tell her what Eddie planned to do to poor Aren, or shall I?” He kissed Ahnna’s cheek. “It gets much worse, Princess. Much, much worse.”
Ahnna barely felt the kiss, because James had somehow grown paler.
“Halt,” Carlo called, and the line of soldiers all reined in their horses. The Beast’s breath tickled her ear as he whispered, “I wouldn’t want you to miss any of this confession.”
James’s jaw worked from side to side, his gaze on the snow.
“Reticent, are we? Let me help you along, because there are no secrets in the House of Alexandra. You see, Ahnna, it turns out our dear prince isn’t the bastard we all believed him to be.
Eddie, that sly fox, secretly wed Siobhan Crehan, and as she was yet living when he stood in the cathedral with Alexandra, the king of Harendell spoke lies rather than oaths.
Time passed and Eddie held his truths close to his chest, but with peace secured with Cardiff, he intended to announce James’s legitimacy and to wed him to you.
Isn’t that right, James? Eddie never intended William to sit on the Twisted Throne—the seat was for you. ”
He wanted to make you queen! James’s screamed accusation rose from Ahnna’s memory, giving proof to Carlo’s words.
“But there’s more!” Carlo slapped his thigh with delight. “They also planned—”
“My father didn’t respect Aren,” James interrupted. “He thought he was a bad king who’d caused unspeakable harm to his people for the sake of a pretty face. He aimed to back a coup to overthrow Aren and make you queen of Ithicana. But I—”
“Which would have made dearest James the Master of the Bridge!” Carlo crowed. “King of Ithicana, and then one day king of Harendell as well. The true lord of the north with a pretty wife at his side. That was their plan!”
Nausea swam in Ahnna’s stomach, and she swallowed hard to keep from vomiting.
“Do you know what happens during coups?” Carlo asked, and though Ahnna could not see his face, she sensed the smile on it. “Kings die. Queens die. Little baby princesses die.”
They planned to kill my family. Ahnna lost control of herself and vomited into the snow, because Carlo had been right. It was so much worse.
“Ahnna, I didn’t know that was his intention until that night.” James stepped toward her, but the soldier holding his leash yanked him back. “I didn’t want any of it. Told him I didn’t support it and that you wouldn’t either.”
“And so vehement was he in his rage toward Eddie’s plan that dear James took action and—” Carlo held up his hand in a dramatic pause. “—sat alone drinking in his father’s study while fireworks burst over Verwyrd. The true man of the hour! Huzzah!”
Ahnna’s mouth was sour with vomit, her chest hollow. Edward had planned to kill her family, and James had done nothing?
“It is said that Harendellians are spiders,” Carlo continued in a low voice.
“That the court in Verwyrd is like wading into a web. Yet I’ve always found the Ashfords to be more like wolves.
Did you not see how they separated you from your flock, Ahnna?
How they got you alone? How they made you weak to use you to achieve their own ends?
Amber eyes aside, James is very much an Ashford, because he ensured you were cut off from anyone who might aid you.
Princess Bronwyn was trussed like a pig and cast on a ship for Northwatch, and your dear cousin Taryn locked in irons and sent off to prison at Verwyrd. ”
“Please tell me this isn’t true.”
Please don’t let it be true that Taryn is a prisoner again.
“I arrested her at the conservatory.” James’s tone was clipped. “Taryn was to be brought back to Verwyrd to be kept as a political prisoner.” His throat moved as though he were swallowing hard. “And as possible bait for you.”
A shudder ran through her whole body, and Dippy snorted and sidled sideways as he sensed her distress.
“She’s a lady. She won’t be harmed, and she’ll be kept as befits her station.”
“Like Lestara was?” The words came out as a shriek, sudden and desperate panic filling her.
“Why would you do that to her? They were nowhere near Verwyrd when your father was murdered. I deliberately stayed away from them when I knew your dogs were on my trail. I didn’t even send them a fucking message, because I didn’t want to give any reason for you to think they were involved! ”
“I knew she wasn’t involved, but…I’m sorry, Ahnna.”
“You’re sorry?” She could barely breathe. She’d na?vely thought she’d been protecting them, but instead she’d left them to the wolves who’d already been planning to exterminate her entire family. “You’re fucking sorry? Is that all you have to say?”
“There isn’t much to say, is there?” James finally met her glare. “Alexandra fooled me. I should have heard you out. I should have done things differently. But regret doesn’t undo what has already been done.”
“Edward planned to destroy my family to give you Ithicana like a fucking gift.” Her whole body was taut with fury. “You can’t blame Alexandra for that.”
“I didn’t ask him for any of that!”
“But neither did you try to stop it!”
Carlo shifted behind her in the saddle, his arm tight around her waist, and though Ahnna knew he was relishing this moment, she didn’t care. “Fuck you, James. I should’ve timed that avalanche better. I should’ve let you stay beneath the ice. I should’ve let you freeze to death.”
He didn’t answer, only stared at the snow between them.
“You had best hope that your dear nemesis keeps my ropes tight,” she hissed, “because if I get loose, I’m not going to run. I’m going to slit your goddamned throat, because you seem as great a threat to Ithicana as the rest of your awful family.”
She thumped her heels as best she could against Dippy’s sides, and Carlo didn’t check the reins as her horse broke into a trot.
Instead, he wrapped his cloak more securely around her and pulled her close to him.
His breath was hot as he whispered, “I have more truths to share, little sheep. Let me know when you are ready to hear them.”