Chapter 13 #3
My heart thundered. ‘But why? Why waste so much time searching for a myth when she could just take the whole continent? What’s she really up to?’
Mother shrugged. ‘She’s scouring old texts. Raided the temples of Ronin, Ades. Crushed the bones of Saint Myrddin. Her and the abbot are searching for something, something else. Perhaps the key to possessing Vyrium or channelling the power of the God through his heart.’
I blew out a breath, peering through the waves of my hair as the flame-haired rebel sat next to Mother.
They ran a pale hand through their short hair, fixing their icy gaze on me.
There was a curve to their freckled nose, as though it had been broken at some point.
We took the measure of each other for a moment before they held out a strong hand for me to shake.
I glared at them, memories begging me to look closer. I crossed my arms.
‘You’re right,’ they signed to her. ‘He is an idiot.’
Mother laughed, nodding, while I clenched my fists.
‘He is,’ she signed back. ‘But he’s fluent in sign language. Insisted on it.’
Their eyes widened as I clenched my jaw. ‘Should have realised,’ they signed. ‘My apologies.’ I wondered if Mother would clip me across the head if I gave them a signal universally known to be rude. ‘We’ve got riders ready. They’ll take you to the boat.’
‘Boat,’ I signed, panic rippling through me. ‘What boat?’
The rebel raised a pale brow as they looked at my mother.
‘I was getting to it. There’s a lot to cover.’ Her smile wavered. ‘This is… Raine.’
Raine. The blood surged from my face. That was where I’d seen them.
The rebel leader who’d destroyed Father in order to keep their grip on the Midnight Insurgence.
They’d been part of the group that had spent countless hours at the Palace of Solace.
Their words encouraged Father to stand up and speak for them.
Then they’d fled to The Void, leaving Father to face the ire of The Alliance alone, when Romero and his fawning supporters called for his head.
My mother read the rage flowing through me and placed her hand on my arm.
‘They’re helping, Matthias. They have a plan.’
I turned to my mother. ‘Helping?’
Raine tapped my knee, and my fists shook as I glared at them. ‘You’re a liability.’ They signed, the corner of their mouth twitching at my obvious anger.
‘I am not being rude, Matthias,’ they continued. ‘We need to get you away from the empress. She can use you. While you’re away from her, with Isbeth, you’re safe.’ My lip curled as they spelled out my mother’s name. ‘Your mother said you can be… reckless. We’ll send you to—’
‘No.’ Flames coursed through my blood, my hands jerking as I signed.
‘You think I’m leaving my land? Leaving my wife when I know…
I…’ The words died on my lips. I shivered.
Even this close to another ruby the poisoned oath controlled each declaration.
I could still be the one to bring about Sorrow’s demise.
‘Matthias,’ Mother talked to me with the same tone she’d used the day I’d clung to her dress, the day they sent us away and Francis had to wrench each tiny finger from her silks. ‘This is for your own good.’
‘No,’ I signed the words as I spoke, my aching chest heaving.
‘I’m not a whimpering child you can banish again.
I’m the king. Your king. I refuse to sit on a beach wherever you want to send me.
I’ve made some stupid mistakes, but I refuse to leave you to clean up my mess. I have a wife now, Mother, a wife.’
She crossed her arms, ‘Of course. Sorrow.’
My blood boiled at her tone.
‘Who, I remind you, is your queen.’ I was splitting the thin ice of her temper, but damn it.
She’d always believed Sorrow was too wild, too untamed for me.
‘A woman who had no choice but to marry me. A woman who came to a strange land. Has done more to protect Asmar in our marriage than most councillors in a lifetime. I’ve watched her bleed, almost die, to save me.
Give Asmar a chance. If you think for one moment, I’m going to abandon the woman I love yet again, you truly don’t understand me, Mother. ’
My breath hitched as Mother finally met my gaze. She stood, her fingers clasping the ruby ring.
‘I could make you.’
A chill stole down my spine.
‘And does that poisonous shard allow you to force forgiveness?’
Her shoulders slumped, the merest fraction.
‘Because if you take this choice from me. If you force me to leave the woman I love, the country and the people I’m sworn to Evella to protect, you will no longer have a son.’
Her grip on the ring loosened. She glanced across to Raine, who shrugged their shoulders. Tears swam in her dark eyes.
‘I’m your mother, Matthias,’ she signed. ‘I need you to be safe.’
‘And I need to fix this. I need my wife, my best friend, my sister and my mother, and, by Evella, I have to fix this.’
She blew out a breath, turning to Raine, a bemused grin on their lips.
‘Cancel the boat,’ she signed. ‘We need to update our plans.’