Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
The King’s Burden
Shadows of the Past
Dravic turned and crossed the room to Adira, stopping in front of her.
For a heartbeat his eyes met hers, and in the gentle green color he saw what he had seen last night.
Though stronger, if that was possible? How could she care even more for him?
But the proof was in her eyes, and it nearly undid him.
He wanted to admonish her for her foolishness and once again forbid her to feel for him at all. Instead, he grabbed her hand, his fingers closing firmly around it.
Though annoyance pinched the king’s brow, that he took her hand eased the worry that had lingered in Adira since waking to find him gone. She had feared he might push her away after the kiss they had shared.
She curled her fingers gently around his. A natural response whenever he took hold of her hand and one she had come to enjoy and cherish.
With a slight grumbling beneath his breath, he led her from the cottage.
The sharp morning air greeted them the moment they stepped outside.
Cadby moved at once to the king’s side, his watchful gaze sweeping over the growing crowd.
Not far away, Seger stood with his small band of Hunters. Catching sight of the king and his quick summons, he excused himself and strode toward him.
“My king,” Seger said with a bob of his head.
“Gather your Hunters,” Dravic ordered as he walked toward a large tree at the edge of the village away from the gathering crowd. “Search the surrounding forest. Any woman, young or old, is to be brought before me. Question anyone you encounter.”
Seger nodded, then glanced toward the ground. “A light snow fell during the night, my king. If the healer fled before dawn, her tracks will have vanished beneath it.”
Dravic looked briefly across the fresh blanket of snow covering the village and the forest beyond.
“I will accept no excuses,” he said. “Take your men and find her.”
“It will be done.” Seger hesitated only a moment. “My king, I would leave two Hunters here. Until we know who or what we face, your safety must come first.”
With reluctance, Dravic nodded. “Now be off and find me that woman.”
Seger hurried off to do as the king commanded.
“They won’t find her.”
Dravic shook his head. “And here I thought I was free of you.”
Fiora laughed as she flitted in front of him. “And miss annoying you… never.”
“Where have you been?” Dravic asked, every bit the king.
“Letting a few in the magic world know the king is here and he is not as much of an arsehole as he seems.”
Fiora’s wide grin had Adira smiling.
Dravic caught Adira smiling and shook his head at her, startling her.
“Do not dare smile at her. She is not funny,” he said, pointing to Fiora, then tapping Adira’s lips, her smile quickly fading.
“You just proved my point of why you’re an arsehole,” Fiora said. “Why rob her of a smile? She has enough to contend with being stuck with you.”
“One of these days, Fiora—”
“You will seat me on your council knowing how valuable I am to you,” Fiora said, her wide grin returning.
Dravic looked to Adira. Her lips were locked tightly and bloody hell if he didn’t feel guilty.
“That will never happen,” he assured her.
“Never say never,” Fiora warned, her grin remaining.
Having had enough of Fiora’s attitude, Dravic commanded, “Tell me why the Hunters, master trackers, will not find the healer.”
“You do not need me to tell you what you already know,” Fiora said to the king’s annoyance.
“Stop playing games with me, Fio—” Dravic shook his head. “Bloody hell.”
He recalled Elara and Dar telling him the healer who saved Elara was an ethereal being.
“You remember,” Fiora said with a smug grin.
“Just because she is ethereal does not mean she cannot take human form.”
“Hush!” Fiora warned. “That speaks of dark magic.”
Dravic lowered his voice. “Are you telling me this exceptional healer is of dark magic?”
“If she can take human form, then dark magic has a hand in it. And that just might be so since the tale says the healer has mixed blood, her mother a healer from Leighfeld and a father from Driochmor.”
“What power could she possess with only being half-Driochmorian?”
“What if she was not of mixed blood?” Fiora challenged.
While Fiora and the king continued their spirited exchange, Adira watched them both. She saw on the king’s face that he was annoyed. She tried to remain focused on them, but it was impossible.
The forest whispered to her. She was sure of it.
It wasn’t the trees or the rivers this time. It was something far more tangible. Something that reached for her as surely as she longed to reach for it. But the king held her hand so firmly she thought he might fear letting her go. Besides, he would never allow her to go into the forest alone.
She let herself get lost in the whispers, hoping to learn something.
“What are you suggesting?” Dravic asked, feeling a sudden unease from Adira and surprised by how strongly he felt it. Something disturbed her. Later he would ask her but for now he needed his attention here and present.
“The children your grandfather ordered placed throughout Scotara—”
“The healer’s mother could be one of them, making her offspring—”
“Extraordinary,” Fiora finished.
“If true,” Dravic said… He spotted Ernach talking with others by Vachel’s cottage.
He would know more and Dravic wanted to know more.
Dravic summoned Cadby with a wave of his hand, the guard standing a distance away, affording the king privacy.
“Bring Ernach to me,” Dravic ordered when Cadby reached him.
Fiora flitted close. “Listen to what is said but pay more attention to what isn’t said.”
“You offer fairy riddles rather than sound advice?”
Fiora grinned. “They make more sense.”
Cadby returned with Ernach.
The old man bowed respectfully. “You wished to speak with me, my king?”
“I do.”
Ernach glanced at the gathering crowd, then to Adira. The cold had painted her cheeks a delicate rose and the wind tugged at the loose strands of her hair.
“If it pleases you, my king,” Ernach said, “perhaps we could continue this discussion inside my cottage. It is warmer there.”
Dravic followed the old man’s gaze. Only then did he notice the color in Adira’s cheeks. Without thinking, he reached up and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and tucked it snugly at her chin.
Ernach’s brows rose ever so slightly.
Cadby noticed as well, his expression remaining carefully blank though surprise flickered briefly in his eyes.
Fiora watched them all.
Oh, this was not good, she thought.
As they walked through the village, people stepped aside for their king, though their whispers did not fade completely.
“She was here…”
“…the healer…”
“I thought she was only a myth.”
“What if the stories are true?”
“A tall tale.”
“Then who healed the lass?”
Dravic listened with interest. Rumors rarely began without reason. Somewhere among them truth waited to be uncovered.
Ernach opened the door to his cottage and stood aside for the king and Adira.
Warmth welcomed them inside, and Ernach immediately went to prepare a hot brew.
Fiora flew to the mantel and settled herself upon it, stretching her tiny hands out in front of her to catch the heat that drifted off the fire.
Dravic walked Adira to a chair at the table to sit, but she remained standing. He pointed to her to sit but she pointed back at him, then the chair. She sent a quick glance to Ernach and the fairy before returning her attention to him.
He understood she was worried what the two would think if she seated herself before the king sat.
Dravic laid a heavy hand on her shoulder, forcing her to sit. He then tapped his chest, placed his hand above his head, the gesture for the king.
His gesture was clear. He was king and would do as he pleased.
The exchange was not missed between Ernach and Fiora, but their exchange of wrinkled brows was not caught by the king.
Dravic sat. “Tell me, Ernach, of my grandfather’s decision to resettle children from their Driochmorian parents to live with families outside of the forbidden Land.”
“He believed it would normalize them. Teach them to be strong advocates for Scotara. And with no one to guide them into developing their magic, it would fade away. Until it existed no more.” Ernach shook his head.
“It was a foolish plan, but with the death of your da and mum blamed on magic, there was no convincing him otherwise.”
Dravic listened wanting to hear all he had to say.
Ernach shook his head again. “It was a tragic loss. Your da would have made a good, caring king.”
Dravic was barely eight when his da and mum died. He had loving memories of them both, but they faded as the years went on, his mind occupied with learning what it took to be a king, and he barely recalled them now.
“I know my grandfather threatened the death of the Driochmorian children if they did not comply with his edict. But how real could that threat be against magic? Surely, Driochmor could have easily quelled my grandfather’s threats.
” Dravic’s brow narrowed. “Though being here in Driochmor, I have seen little signs of powerful magic.”
“To quell such a troubling edict would have been at a horrific expense of lives that Driochmor was not willing to lose on either side. And as for the lack of magic, you have seen here? This village sits just over the border of Caerith. Travel deeper in and you will find more than you ever expected or imagined.”
“Then again, if such powerful magic exists, why would they surrender their children?”
“You are not a foolish king. You know the answer,” Fiora challenged. “You just don’t want to accept it.”
Dravic stared at her for a few moments, then looked to Ernach. “Did you not warn my grandfather what Driochmor’s surrender truly meant?”
Ernach sighed heavily. “He refused to listen. He believed himself more powerful. I offered to negotiate a truce with Driochmor, but he had discovered that I had fallen in love with a woman from Driochmor and accused me of betraying him. I had no choice. If I wanted to live, I had to run. He could not accept that I escaped and so he fabricated a story about my death to make sure others would dare not disobey him.”
“So, because of my grandfather’s hubris, I now find myself with Driochmor having infiltrated all of Scotara by having spread their progeny throughout the kingdom. Now their abilities are awakening, like Elara’s did.”
“Aye,” Ernach said, “but unlike your grandfather, the Wise ones of Driochmor chose such a plan to not only protect their people but all of Scotara. By making sure their progeny was scattered throughout the kingdom they believed that one day Scotara could live as one once again.”
“But something went wrong, didn’t it?” Dravic asked.
Ernach nodded and looked to Fiora.
She flew off the mantel to land on the table and stood near Dravic’s arm that rested there.
“There are dark forces in Driochmor that did not agree with the council’s decision.
They believe the king has no right to rule here.
That it is a land of magic and always will be.
The council fears those are the ones Warlord Tharne is attempting to recruit, promising them complete rule over Scotara. ”
“Tharne will never allow that. He lies to them,” Dravic said, and shook his head. “The only reason for him to strike Scotara is to rule it.” He scowled. “Or maybe to harness its magic since Drogath possesses none.”
“He would keep us as slaves to do his bidding,” Fiora said, her cheeks glowing red with anger.
Dravic stood. “Tharne makes sure that I see his buildup of ships, his preparation for war so that I will do the same. I will see the shoreline protected, stop the attack, and keep him from coming ashore.”
Ernach paled. “When all along he will attack from within.”
Dravic’s scowl deepened. “And he wants the power of the exceptional healer to help him secure victory.”