Chapter 13
IANN
Everyone in the palace lines up outside to offer their farewells and well wishes to Marcel and me as we set out on our journey to Haymel.
We take four carriages in total, one is for Marcel, his courtier, and Rolley; another is for me, Esha, and Benny; one is for my expedition crew; and then a final one is for luggage. Then there are a total of ten guards on horseback and four footmen who also join us.
At some point, I had to fess up and tell Deean he couldn’t join. He became fixated on finding the map and learning the functions of the anchor. The more I watched his passion grow, the more I knew I had to tell him before he became too emotionally invested.
To say he was pissed is an understatement, and had Benny not been present, I’m sure the fist he took to my arm would have been in the face.
He’s so angry he’s not even here this morning to send us off, and I haven’t seen or talked to him in a few days.
“Make sure he stays away from the bottle,” I whisper to Gran as we lean in for a hug.
“I’m worried he may have fallen into one. I haven’t seen him in over two days.” Pulling away, she squeezes my shoulder. “Don’t you worry, I’ll find him. You and your brother have more important things to fear than a grown man pouting because he can’t go on a trip.”
She makes sure our eyes lock when she states, “Now remember, Queen Cayleen is a callous, stone-hearted individual just like her mother was. Rumors have it that she has spies all over court, so be careful who you interact with. This may be a peace offering but be cautious of anything she offers you, especially in the form of a woman. The last thing you need is both your heads and heart tied to a Haymelian.”
“Lovely. Please, don’t spare any details on how much you hate her.” I laugh.
“I mean it, Iann. A Haymelian can’t be trusted. And you and your brother are walking targets once you cross into their territory.”
I nod. “I’m sure there has to be one who can be trusted.” She swats at my sarcasm. “But I understand.”
She lets me go so my mother can have a turn. My mother goes back and forth from kissing mine and Marcel’s heads. Her tears are uncontrollable.
“For goodness sake, Evie dear, they aren’t babes.” My grandmother rolls an eye at all the affection. “Stop with all the kissing and crying.”
“It’s a long journey.” She sucks in a breath and wipes a few tears. “I just want them to be careful is all.”
“They will be fine, my darling.” My father plants a kiss on her right temple. “They will go make peace and we’ll all be better off.” He claps his hands. “Now! There is a schedule, and the Queen expects you soon. It’s departure time, my sons.”
Marcel and I offer him a bow and head to our carriages.
“Nice to see our brother couldn’t bother to show up. Might be the last time he sees us for a few months and he’s nowhere to be found. Probably buried deep in a bottle, or a woman.” Marcel tosses me a dry smile and a wink.
“Nice to know the future king is so optimistic. Must give the people so much hope.” But my reply only brings out a laugh from him.
Before we part ways, Marcel holds out a hand, blocking me from heading to my carriage.
“What do you know about this man Father has instructed to join us?” Over his shoulder, I catch a glimpse of Rolley waiting.
“I know you will be going off on your next adventure once we’re done in Haymel, so I get the need for your crew, but he doesn’t seem like he’s with you. ”
Unlike Deean, Marcel is unaware of the flower and our father’s obsession with it. “He knows the area I’m meant to explore well. Father thinks he belongs.”
“And do you think he’s of use?”
“Potentially.” Giving Rolley another glance, I catch him looking back, offering me a slight grin. “He is either a man of his word or a leech that has made his way to our father. Either way, we will find out.”
“Very well.” I don’t know if that’s the answer he’s looking for, but he doesn’t ask anything further and offers my arm a squeeze. “This is gonna be fun, little brother.” We separate and prepare to leave.
My father granted permission for us to use the larger carriages, and they are proving much more spacious and with softer cushions, which I’m grateful for on this long journey.
I also made sure workers placed coats and blankets inside each carriage for when we approach the mountains.
It might be perfect weather now, but the temperature will begin to drop drastically once we reach the mountain range.
Cheers and shouting erupt as we depart and continue through the city streets. It isn’t until we are out of the castle’s territory, and beyond the gates, that the air around us falls silent and the real journey begins.
Benny’s storytelling is spellbinding and lasts hours without a single ounce of boredom.
Before opening his emporium, he too, traveled and studied the lands of Ladora.
He was once assistant to Hargo Vello, someone I met while in the kingdom of Ethmay, studying the land known as the Thistlebane.
Hargo is also accredited for his most recent discovery in Diamondhead, where he and his crew dug up scrolls said to be left by King Tuhan.
Esha wasn’t as enamored with Benny’s stories, not until he brought up his studies in the divinities. Particularly the divinity of Mathemous, the one who is said to have crafted Saden and is widely known for his elemental powers, especially that of nature.
Although Esha has been with me since my adolescence, there are only a handful of things I have been able to pry out of him. One being his piousness to the divinities, and I know he always carries the symbol of Mathemous with him around his neck.
Benny’s eyes dart to the side cart that carries the alcohol and back to Esha. It’s the tenth time since leaving Saden that he’s glanced at it.
“You can help yourself,” I interrupt, and lift up the lid, revealing the selection of liquors. “I’m certain Deean stocked it himself when he still had intentions of coming.”
Benny doesn’t go for it immediately, but within a few minutes, the lid to the bottle of whiskey is off and a glass is in his hand.
“Can I get you two something?” He stops from serving himself.
“I don’t drink, but thank you,” Esha responds, before leaning back.
“Thank you, but my goal is to finish this book before we hit the mountains and that will make me see double,” I say.
“I shall have the double for you, Your Highness. There was once—” Benny is cut off when he goes flying into the air. Whiskey and the glass going with him.
The seat beneath him rises and I draw a knife at the sight of a hand coming at me.
“Don’t you dare touch my Hennessy.” My eyes hit the back of my head when I recognize the voice.
Deean flies out of the storage space beneath the seat. Once he’s fully out, I grab him by the collar and place the knife to his throat.
The carriage goes silent, and Benny settles back in his seat after practically being thrown in the air.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Even with the metal at his neck, Deean offers up nothing but smiles. “I told you that you were to stay back in Saden.”
Deean shoves me off, knowing I don’t have the guts to do something.
“We had a deal. I followed through and I’m going.
Father can come fetch me if he wants me back.
” He pours himself a drink. “Though he doesn’t.
Probably won’t even notice I’m gone, and if he does, he’ll think I’m off drinking in some unspeakable place with unimportant people.
” A tinge of guilt comes over me. It’s a thought most of us had when he didn’t show up for the send-off.
The knife gets placed back in the sheath. “Technically, your end of the deal hasn’t been fulfilled. You still owe me a map.”
He nods and then wraps an arm around Benny. “And we are working on it. Aren’t we?”
“Only if you don’t scare me like that again,” Benny says, eyeing Deean’s glass. “And only if you pour me one.”
Deean wastes no time and gets Benny the drink he’s been longing for.
Esha clears his throat. “May I give my opinion on something?”
“No one really asked, but why not?” Deean settles back in his seat, placing a blanket over his legs. The heat quickly dropping, just as I said it would, the more we move through the mountains.
“It was already dangerous traveling with two Saden princes,” Esha begins. “You now want us to carry on and take the entire line of succession into enemy territory?” Deean raises an eyebrow.
“He’s right,” I confirm.
“People won’t know. Only those traveling with us know what I look like.
I’ll simply be another servant to you. A second Esha if you will.
” He stretches, and I wonder how long he was stuck in that storage compartment.
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll throw on some kind of disguise.
Just to make sure people can’t see a resemblance. ” It does little to comfort me.
“You would pretend to be the help just so you could get away from a palace that has everything one could need and people to wait on you night and day?” Esha makes the clarification for his own good.
People would kill to live the lives we have, and to give it up for a taste of exploration is unfathomable to some.
“This must be your first time away from court.” Benny chuckles before taking a swig and grimacing at the burn.
“There is nothing better than discovering something new. No matter how glorious or treacherous it turns out, the high getting there is all the same. Feeds your soul, much like praying to Mathemous probably does for yours.”
“Yes, only one has better outcomes, and it ain’t a dead divinity,” Deean chimes in.
There is a thud when my boot collides with Deean’s foot. “And what about Marcel?” I pull everyone’s attention back to the issue at hand. “You think he’ll let you carry on once he finds out?”
“Stop worrying,” Deean says with agitation.
“Worrying is boresome. For someone who has experienced so much of life and the unexpectedness that comes with it, you care far too much about getting caught. Father will not blame you. Mother will not blame you. Marcel will not blame you. So why are you so worried?”
Done with arguing, I flip open my book and read the same sentence ten times before trying to get the last word. “Do what you want. And I’m not boring.”
Deean smiles. “Never said you were. I’m certain I said worrying was boring.”
Suddenly, the alcohol glasses jingle violently and our bodies sway uneasily, bobbing back and forth. We each cling to the seatbacks or whatever we can grab for stability, while the carriage driver tries to garner back control.
The carriage tips over, balancing on the wheels on the right side, and just when I think gravity is about to win and take us down sideways, the weight shifts and we are pulled back down on the left and become balanced again.
The driver stops and curses as he tries taming the horses.
Esha stops me from opening the door. “I’ll go see what the issue is, Your Highness. Everyone stay here.”
As he opens the door it slams back, sounding like it rips off the hinges. A strong flurry invades the carriage. Esha struggles to close the door behind him, but manages to do so with the aid of Benny and me.
A few minutes later, the door swings open again and Esha jumps back in, covered in snow.
“We traveled right into a snowstorm, and it covered a bed of rocks that nearly took us out. Originally, we were heading to a town called Alphen where we have accommodations for the night, but it’s another few hours away.
The driver says there is a place about ten minutes away where we can potentially stay and put the horses up for the evening.
It’s either that or stay here and freeze to death.
Prince Marcel has already ordered us to keep moving and go to this not-so-far-off inn. ”
“Thank you, Esha.” I turn my attention to Deean. “I advise you to work on a story as to why you’re here. There’s no hiding out here all night unless you wish to be ice by morning.”