Chapter 67 #2
Aeliana stood, eyes narrowed. “I’ll go share my news with Velden and Kendalyhn.
Don’t ever forget that you’re the one who asked me to maintain my brand with Durriken.
You instructed me to learn about Vendaran culture and history so I can step up and lead.
I’m doing my part, but if you won’t fully trust me, you’re setting me up to fail.
I don’t know what more you want from me.
” She turned to leave, but Sylmar grabbed her arm.
“I don’t know either. I don’t feel like I know anything anymore. Not after Holm.” He sighed and scrubbed his free palm over his face.
His vulnerability gave Aeliana pause, making her soften her tone.
“Iris is right. Holm wouldn’t want us losing trust in each other because he fell prey to Mayvus’ methods.
The strangeness of my magic has nothing to do with Mayvus.
Half of my blood is Lorvandan. I may never get all my magic back because of it.
And yes, I was raised around blood magic, but don’t ever assume that means I’d turn to it.
I’m only using the connections I have the way you’ve taught me.
” She shrugged off his hand, but before she left the room, his voice rose once more.
“What if I’m the one who’s branded?” His voice came out strained. “What if I don’t even know it? She had access to my blood for years. Who’s to say she hasn’t pulled out some old vial and made herself privy to all our plans?”
Instead of turning, Aeliana stared at the doorframe, contemplating the possibility while running her finger along the pattern of the wood. “We beat her once. We can do it again.” She glanced over her shoulder.
He nodded, then looked away. “I’ll speak with Larkos about turning around. He was never keen on sailing through the Northern Sea in the winter anyway. Gave me all sorts of warnings about how we’d be forced back to land by icebergs and sea monsters.”
“So what? We’ll travel inland? Or go back around the Southern Horn?”
Sylmar’s mouth pressed together in a grim line until it disappeared beneath his facial hair. “Perhaps. But if she’s formed an army that large with ships, it’s far worse than I imagined. It’s too late for us to go to Myndren. She’ll beat us there and tear it down.”
If they couldn’t return to Myndren, they were out of options. “So we do the reckless thing,” she mused. “We go back and join forces with the royal family.”
Sylmar’s eyes widened in surprise. He opened his mouth as if to argue, then closed it, nodding his acceptance. “And hope we’re not leaving the jaws of one enemy just to offer ourselves up to another.”
Sailing back to Elanesse took longer thanks to the winds, but it still felt too short for Aeliana.
Her plan to ask the royal family for help felt full of flaws.
Even if the Loyalists did team up with the Recreants to fight against Mayvus, the curse still hadn’t been broken.
They needed to find the rest of it in Dehvlon before they could truly go after Mayvus.
As long as the curse was intact, going after Mayvus was the same as going after her mother.
Her dread over the whole affair meant she was suddenly standing in the palace’s main hall waiting to be received by the king and queen while desperately hoping to be greeted by Gaeren instead.
She twisted her hands until Sylmar’s slight shake of the head made her stand straighter and smooth out her shirt before forcing her hands to relax against her sides.
In case things didn’t go well, most everyone else had stayed back on the ship, leaving Aeliana, Sylmar, and Velden to hopefully broker some sort of deal.
“You say you’re friends of Prince Gaeren?” The royal guard standing before them looked skeptical as he took in their appearance.
“We’ve spent some time sailing with him,” Aeliana said, and the guard relaxed a bit more, his eyes flashing with understanding.
“Prince Gaeren is currently indisposed and cannot take visitors.”
Aeliana tensed at the vagueness of his words. A million questions rose to her mind, but they weren’t likely to be answered.
“I can see about getting you on the schedule for when the king receives requests from the people.”
“How long will that take?” Sylmar asked.
The guard lifted his chin and looked down his nose as though offended by the question. “He’s generous enough to see people twice a moon. The last time was a few days ago.”
Sylmar’s grip tightened on his staff. “That’s too late,” he said. “We bring news of pending war from Mayvus in the east.”
At this, the guard raised an eyebrow. He said nothing for so long that Aeliana wondered if that had been their dismissal.
But then she noticed his starlock. Was he invading their minds?
She squirmed, sensing her mind shuffling through all the things she thought should be kept secret before being replaced by random memories that held no value, thanks to Sylmar’s training.
Even so, she hadn’t been trained enough to defend against that kind of magic and feared it would be their downfall.
Eventually the royal guard gave a short nod. “Very well, come with me.”
He took them to a waiting room with several chairs and a long table.
Trays of fruit and cheese were brought in as though they’d been expected.
Then they waited for what seemed like hours before the guard returned, beckoning them down a long hall.
Another set of guards flung open doors that led to a room ten times as wide as any stargazer and three times as high.
How had a room like this been hidden inside the palace?
Aeliana’s mouth swung open as she examined the opulent floors and detailed tapestries.
Images of past kings and queens lined the walls as she, Sylmar, and Velden stepped forward and walked along the length of a red and gold carpet, each portrait taking on more and more of Gaeren’s features the closer she got to the dais.
The guard’s introduction of their party was lost to her as she took it all in, and her distraction by the finery made her late to catch the three ornate ivory chairs, their occupants crowned.
A moment later than was likely respectful, she gave a low curtsy, eyeing Sylmar’s bow from the corner of her eye to determine when it was appropriate for her to rise.
Were those Gaeren’s parents and sister? They had to be.
Every bit of her longed to raise her eyes and study them, to see the sister he spoke so highly of, the sister he would give his life for.
Morbid curiosity made her also want to study the parents who’d either abused or ignored him for so many years in favor of dictating a country and raising the next queen.
“You may rise and state your case,” the king said.
Because she’d been a hair late with her curtsy, Aeliana remained lowered a bit longer than Velden and Sylmar.
But when her chin rose, her gaze shot to the younger woman she suspected was Enla.
Her golden hair was braided in the front and the rest curled under her chin.
Her blue eyes were as deep as Gaeren’s, making Aeliana smile at their familiarity.
But they held an uncertainty, like Enla wasn’t truly present in this room.
Aeliana inhaled sharply at the sight of a silver heart starlock pressed against Enla’s forehead. She’d seen it before, but she couldn’t quite recall where—either a dream or a memory. Perhaps one of the visions she’d received in her Awakening.
“Well?” The king’s irritation bled through that one word, and Aeliana snapped her gaze back to him.
“We’ve come to warn you of troops in the east,” Sylmar said. “Mayvus is gathering an army, and we suspect she will regain Myndren if she hasn’t already.”
“We are well aware of the possibility,” the king said, making Sylmar’s face grow slack. “If you have nothing else to tell us, then you can be on your way.”
“Will you let her regain it?” Sylmar asked.
The king’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. “I have no need to explain my war tactics to you.”
“And what if we come offering aid?” Aeliana asked.
Sylmar eyed her warily. They’d come asking for the king’s aid, which seemed far different from offering their own. But she refused to leave without trying everything.
The king sat back, his expression still distrustful. “Go on.”
“Perhaps you already know that it was a large faction of Recreants who eventually subdued her.”
“For a time,” the king corrected.
“For a time,” Aeliana agreed. “It came at a high cost for the Recreants, making them eager to ensure her demise. They are motivated to help. Their numbers aren’t as mighty as they once were, but they are still powerful.
Inviting them to help defeat Mayvus again would be like taking a baby chick under your wing.
Perhaps they can help you defend or retake the fortress at Myndren Mountains, but perhaps teaming up with them is simply a way to keep them content and confident you’re looking out for their best interests instead of your own, making them less eager to wage war on you next. ”
The king stroked his beard, considering her words. “Another delegation came here mere days ago, offering similar information, but with far less compelling arguments.”
Aeliana stilled. “Who?” She pressed her lips together, realizing she’d spoken out of turn, but it was as if the question awakened Enla, and the younger woman smiled benevolently.
“Your mother and father, along with two old friends.”
“They’re here?” Aeliana wrung her hands once more, no longer able to control her nerves.
Enla glanced pointedly at her father. “They were here.” She let the words hang in the air, her gaze never leaving her father’s face.
“Tell me,” the king commanded, “where is Mayvus getting her army?”
“From Ahmranas,” Aeliana admitted.
The king stiffened, and Aeliana waited for him to call her out for insanity. Instead, he gave a brisk nod. “Take them to the guest rooms and have their stories verified by the progenies. We’ll reconvene in the morning.”
Aeliana glanced at Sylmar, her nerves rising, but pride shone in his face as he gave her a nod.