24. At War
At War
Kaiden
The clapping began slowly, hesitatingly, as if the people hadn’t decided to trust his words. He didn’t blame them. The speech was rocky at best. In Arkan, his father or the council did most of the speeches. Only for special occasions did he take control and handle everything himself.
He didn’t like being in the spotlight and as he stepped down from the platform, he blew out a sigh of relief. The people began to bow and clap and pat his shoulders around him. Fintan and Cahira were nowhere to be found. His gaze wandered, and he looked around for Rhydar and Jasper.
A blur of shadows caught his attention. Jasper was near.
“Well, as fer as speeches go, that's got to be the worst one I ever heard,” a booming voice said from the crowd.
Kaiden turned. A smile spread across his face at the familiar accent. “I’d like to see you do better.”
Rhydar clasped hands with Kaiden and drew him into an embrace. “Not in a thousand years.”
Kaiden hadn’t realized how much he missed the other half of his inner circle.
Jasper’s presence was felt before he arrived.
People slid out of the way of his blades and shadows, creating a clear path as he walked.
His pale skin was a light of its own against the sun-tanned hue of those around him.
His hair was dark as midnight and his onyx-colored eyes were like looking into a night sky void of stars.
To anyone who didn’t know him, it appeared as if had dipped his fingers into black paint.
For the inner circle, the shadows dancing around his hands were as lively and deadly as the blades he wielded.
“Hello.” He stood an arm distance away.
Kaiden nodded to him. “How are you?”
Jasper shrugged but remained quiet.
The conversation was done.
“Where’s those two lovebirds at?” Rhydar looked around for Fintan and Cahira.
Kaiden rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry too much about them. We’ve got bigger problems. Follow me.”
He moved through the crowd, giving tight-lipped smiles and pleasant hellos.
It would take hours to fill them both in.
He had told the people they would leave behind soldiers, healers, and magi to help rebuild their city.
The action alone was open anarchy against his father.
Kaiden had to be ready when the backlash of the news reached Arkan.
“We need to gather as many of our troops as we can.” Kaiden reached the entrance of the castle.
“Why is that?” Jasper asked quietly.
Kaiden turned to the two of them with a sad smile. “Because we are now at war with the King of Arkan.”
A noise Kaiden assumed was a muttered curse and a scoff at the same time escaped Jasper’s lips.
“Eh, well we sorta figured as much with yer speech.” Rhydar coughed. “You couldn’t have sent us a raven?”
Kaiden gripped Rhydar’s shoulder. His muscles bulged beneath his hand. “I’m sorry you had to hear it this way. But news like this, I couldn’t risk sending on a bird. Not until the opportune time.”
“And this,” Jasper looked around at the destruction. “Was your opportune moment.”
Kaiden chuckled. “It’s too late to go back now.”
He moved through the crowd, searching for Cahira and Fintan. They had left the square before his speech was even over. A new wave of anxiousness spread through him and his heart beat in his chest as his thoughts turned. He would get to meet Aradia for the first time.
“Kaiden!” Cahira’s voice lifted through the crowd and he turned at the sound.
He grimaced at his breathless sister shoving through a cluster of people. Her cheeks flushed with irritation written deep in the planes of her face. The high arch of her cheekbones made her eyes shut as she threw a tight-lipped smile of apology behind her.
“I lost her.” Cahira skidded to a stop in front of him.
“Come again?’
“Aradia,” Cahira looked around suspiciously before hissing, “the priestess.”
Kaiden stilled. You’ve got to be kidding me.
“How?” He gritted out.
“Is that the lass you came with?” Rhydar scratched his head.
Cahira’s eyes grew wide. “Yes! Have you seen her?”
Rhydar tossed his head back and forth. “Nay, not since the wall.”
“I have to go after her.” Cahira wiped the sweat from her temple. Her teeth squeaked as she ground them. “I —”
“No.” Kaiden rubbed the back of his neck. “You’re needed here. I promised these people our aid and we can’t build alliances if I can’t even keep my word on such a simple task as this.”
“But …” Cahira began.
“No. Not until the council is established here.”
“That will take days.”
“What do you expect me to do, Cahira. You lost the girl. That was your mission. I’m fulfilling mine. Yes, we’ll have to wait a few days.” Kaiden felt his jaw lock with the pressure of flexing his frustrations out.
Cahira hardly held in a growl as she stepped closer. A conversation between siblings, even if Rhydar and Jasper were just as much brothers to her as he.
“Then send someone after her. She’s the only thing our father wants. If we don’t get to her first, he will.”
“I know.” Kaiden pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t just send anyone.”
There was no one to trust outside of the inner circle. Retrieving Aradia would require stealth and secrecy. Cahira had yet to fill him in on her trip and he had no idea if Aradia would fight back against whoever was sent.
He made his way through the crowd, walking deep into the heart of the city. Cahira trailed his heels, Rhydar and Jasper flanked her.
“Kaiden.” Cahira pressured.
“I heard you the first time.” He spun around, stopping Cahira before she slammed into his chest. “Why did she leave? What did you say?”
Cahira opened her mouth, then closed it.
“How could you have lost her?” Frustration made the back of his head throb. He curled his hands into a fist as if it could have stopped Aradia from slipping through his fingers.
“Oh, I don’t know.” Cahira’s voice practically dripped with venom. “I might have lost her during the time I was picking soldiers out of skaraks’ teeth, fighting for my own life, and ensuring Vidrena’s walls didn’t burn down. Or maybe when —”
“We get it.” Jasper sighed, raising a single brow. His only tell when he was annoyed.
“None of it matters now,” she said coolly, “if we don’t send someone after her.”
“Who?” Kaiden grit out.
Gods, she had one job!
Cahira spun on her heels, hands balled in a fist.
“Cahira,” he called.
“Follow me you idiot.”
Kaiden rubbed his temples, muttering to whichever god would listen for the strength not to strangle his sister.
“Stay here,” he said to Rhydar and Jasper.
He strode behind her, offering tight-lipped smiles to the few folk brave enough to make eye contact with him. Cahira had led him toward the healing tent before she glanced behind her.
“I’ll do the talking.”
Kaiden threw his hands up. “Fine.”
He entered the tent, instantly trying to make himself appear smaller than his six feet.
Cahira had stopped near the bed of a boy who scowled up at her.
Kaiden stepped closer, drawing his attention.
The kid’s eyes widened with shock, then lips pursed with disgust, and finally his brows pulled down in a rage Kaiden was most familiar with.
No outstanding memory came to mind as he looked upon his face, but Kaiden had orphaned thousands, struck down too many loved ones to count.
Whoever he had taken from the kid, the anger shone plainly on his face.
“Do I know you?” He finally asked when the silence became uncomfortable.
“No. Thank the gods.” The boy’s voice cracked. He likely hadn’t been offered anything to drink, tucked away in this remote corner. Not when there were hundreds of others who were in worse shape.
“Kaiden, meet Quinn Fairchild.” Cahira smiled and nodded down at this Quinn like his name made a difference. “Little Q, meet the Prince of Arkan.”
“I told you to stop calling me that.” Quinn practically bared his teeth.
It only broadened her smile.
“Why are we here Cahira?” Kaiden shifted his weight and crossed his arms, forcing patience to even his voice.
“Quinn here is hopelessly in love with our priestess.” Cahira chuckled at a secret Kaiden was sure the kid had wanted to keep. “And, he’s her best friend.”
Kaiden blinked quickly, connecting the dots. If Aradia was on the run, Quinn would be the only person who knew where she might have gone. He shared Cahira’s smile as Quinn sank into his cot. His brown skin waned and beads of sweat settled on his temple.
Kaiden crouched beside the bedside, becoming eye-level to Quinn.
In full health Quinn might portray an older age.
But here, defenseless, nervous, and fluttering around like a caged bird it was harder to believe he could be best friends with the priestess.
Still, Quinn had to be at least the same age — two and twenty — probably younger.
He knew nothing of the company Aradia kept, but he would soon find out.
“We want the same things Quinn,” Kaiden said.
Quinn scoffed. “I doubt that very much.”
Kaiden couldn’t hide his smirk. “It’s true. You see,” he leaned closer so only Quinn could hear. “I want Aradia just as much as you do.”
“You bastard.” Quinn made to throw a punch but twisted his body too far. A yelp of pain ripped from his lips and he grabbed at his knee.
Kaiden followed the movement, tsking slowly. “Arkan thanks you for your services. I’ll be sure to let Aradia know you’re healing wonderfully,” he stood with a smile, “when I find her.”
“Don’t you touch her!” Quinn’s shouts grew fainter as Kaiden walked toward the entrance.
He opened the flap of the tent and inhaled fresh air. Cahira’s presence slinked behind him, waiting with arms crossed.
“I know who can find her,” he turned, nodding to his sister. “Find out what you can from him.”
Cahira nodded once. Her hands brushed against the dagger at her thigh.
“Sister.” Kaiden caught her wrist. He glanced at her daggers, knowing she read the warning. “Time is of the essence, but do it right.”
Cahira threw him a mocking smile before disappearing within the folds of the tent. “Name a time when I haven’t.”