Chapter 42 Valenna
Chapter forty-two
Valenna
Valenna’s bedroom door burst open, and Cadmus swept in, his velvet cloak billowing. He was breathless from the climb up the steep, winding stairs, and so he paused in the doorway, panting. Valenna, bathing her face in the washbasin, didn’t bother to raise her head.
The room was foggy with rotten magic, a veritable thicket of brambles and bindweed. Vines laced over the walls, seeping toxic sap that puddled on the floor like blood.
Valenna was sinking again into her old darkness. Her arms and legs were torn by thorns, her knuckles pink with nettle burns. When she heard Cadmus’s voice, her hatred overwhelmed her. She gripped the scar on her wrist.
You are the wife of a good man, not the daughter of an evil one.
But a voice in her mind bit back, A good man wouldn’t take you back.
“I want you to come to the war council,” Cadmus announced.
“Why?” Valenna asked languidly, dabbing her face with a towel.
Cadmus clasped his arms behind his back. “You were a child when you left. Now you’re a woman. I don’t want to drag you into battle; I want to go with you hand-in-hand.”
Valenna’s anger flared like oil thrown on a smoldering hearth.
How dare he? How could he stand there, after years of locking her in her room, berating her until she’d lost her grasp on grief, and ask her to be his ally? The man was delusional.
Her body tremored. She felt like ivy was climbing her ribs like a ladder. How much more of this could she endure? If she didn’t hear news of Evander soon, she feared some horrid tree was going to burst up her throat, and she would be absorbed by her own magic.
She set the towel down and faced her father. Her feet ached with cold. She’d grown pale, her cheeks sunken.
Cadmus crinkled his nose. “You were meant to be our salvation, and you became our shame. Thousands have died while you pretended to be something you’re not. It is time for you to accept who you were born to be.”
“The Botania?” she asked.
Her father’s icy eyes blazed like blue flame. “What did you say?”
Valenna bit back a smile. “Didn’t my mother pass that on to me?”
Cadmus sputtered, his face livid. “How dare you claim your mother’s title. She was magnificent, perfection, and you are a blighted little witch.”
Valenna couldn’t be hurt by this man anymore. His opinion of her didn’t matter. At least, that’s what she told herself to ease the sting. “The people of Talwaith exist. They say if someone with spring magic revived it …”
Cadmus smiled condescendingly. “Yes, well, you don’t have spring magic. You’ve got whatever this wretched mess is.” He swept his hand across the room. “Be grateful you can at least be useful.”
With that, he spun in a dramatic swish of cloak and golden hair, and left.
Scowling, Valenna dressed in a simple black satin dress that flowed around her like smoke. It was flattering, low cut in the front like all the dresses her father had made for her, but dismal. She hated the color black, and she disliked showing cleavage, but Cadmus thought it enhanced her persona.
Glancing in the mirror, she made a gagging sound.
Then she tied her hair into a tight bun, dabbed purple mica powder on her eyelids, and frowned at her gaunt reflection.
At least Evander wouldn’t have to see her like this.
Drawing a deep breath and shaking off a crawling arm of bindweed, Valenna held her head high and walked down the stairs.
Her father kept every room in the manor house bright, the windows always thrown open to the sea air—except the war council room.
This room was windowless, with cornflower-colored walls and two dozen candles mounted in front of mirrors directing the light toward a round table adorned with a large, hand-painted map.
Cadmus stood at the table, deep in conversation with the Dread Seven captain, a young man named Ryland Everette. He was Ashkendoric by birth; she could tell from his accent, which reminded her painfully of Evander’s.
The rest of the captains, colonels, and generals entered one after the other and bowed in silent deference, but they seemed discomfited by her presence, darting looks at her as they talked amongst themselves.
Cadmus waved for everyone to approach the table and said, “We are awaiting Dread Five.”
“I've heard the captain is a mercenary,” Everette said. “Is that true?”
“What of it?” Cadmus replied with a shrug. “He has talent, and that is where my interest lies.”
The doors opened, and Valenna craned her neck and stood on her tiptoes to see over the taller men around her, curious who the new Dread Five commander was. When he entered, she bit down on a cry.
It was Haldir. He smirked at her and she stared back, her lips slightly parted. He belonged in Silvanlight; he was a fixture there. How was he here?
Still reeling, she turned her attention to the captain entering behind Haldir.
And her heart leaped.
It was Evander.
What was he doing here? All the times he’d run and now, after the terrible sin she’d committed to save him, he decided to be a contrary little skat and walk right into her father’s inner circle?
He strode into the room in his tailored Sennalaith uniform, his boots clicking on the tile floor. The outfit flattered his broad shoulders and long lines. He moved with effortless grace, all confidence and power, like he was born in a military uniform.
For the first time since she’d met him, she recognized the Ashkendoric prince in him. She prayed her father didn't see it, too.
Evander’s attention snagged on her, and the briefest flash of recognition lit his face. The muscle at the hinge of his jaw tensed as he took in her low neckline and thin dress.
He was alive. Thank the Only, he was alive and whole. Valenna’s knees trembled, and the weight of her body was too much to support. She staggered, steadying herself on the table.
Cadmus glared at her. “Valeria, what is the matter with you?”
“Nothing,” Valenna replied. “I haven’t eaten yet today.”
“Captain Trevelyan, you are late,” Cadmus said, turning his attention to Evander.
“My apologies, Your Majesty,” Evander said with a practiced bow. “The dragons were restless this morning.”
“We prize punctuality in this realm,” Cadmus said.
“Again, my apologies,” Evander repeated, “but dragons are known to breathe fire, and the buildings here are built of wood. Wood is, regrettably, flammable.”
Valenna covered her mouth to smother a gasp. Her eyes darted to her father. Was he furious? Was he insulted? Would he lash out and have Evander flogged?
But Cadmus only chuckled. “Very well, Trevelyan. We’ll excuse it this once. Don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Evander flicked a look toward Valenna.
Valenna’s heart hammered so hard, she feared it might burst out and flutter away. She watched her father, trying to read his expression. How was it he hadn’t recognized Evander? Perhaps, after so much bad luck, they’d gained one victory.
“We’re behind schedule,” Cadmus said, and Evander stepped up to the table, his expression placid. Most men cowered at her father’s displeasure; Evander hadn’t even paled.
“As you know,” Cadmus said, “this war has dragged on for two decades. We are running out of funds and soldiers, dragons and shotfires. It is time for it to end. The key to it all is the Scathmore Barrens. The gateway to Ashkendor.”
“Scathmore may be a no man’s land,” Everette said. “But it is easily defensible by Ashkendor.”
Cadmus continued, “Any day now, a land force will reach Ashkendor’s eastern border, where they will attack the capital city.
When that begins, the Ashkendoric army will divert all its resources to protect its capital, and we will move this army across the strait of Hethria and seize Scathmore. They will not expect it.”
“But the army to the east will be obliterated,” Valenna said.
“Once we make landfall on the beach,” Cadmus went on, ignoring her objection, “we will send in three dreadnoughts flying in line. The first will face heavy casualties, the second will come in and provide support, and the third will finish the job.”
Valenna held her breath. Whoever flew at the front was almost guaranteed to be either shot down or lose half their men, and captains were prime targets in battle.
“Everette, you will fly Dread Seven in first,” her father said.
Ryland Everette paled, but he nodded stoically.
“Manwester second. Bournemuth, you will come in third. Assuming your crew is ready.”
Haldir swallowed. “Yes, of course.”
Valenna let out her breath slowly, trying to hide her relief.
“And that brings me to the reason I brought Bournemuth and Trevelyan here today,” Cadmus said. “I need a small party to travel to Scathmore Barrens and scout its defenses.”
Haldir’s face washed a violent shade of puce. “Sir, with respect, the conscripts don’t …” He turned toward Evander, who was fixing him with a cutting look. “They don’t respect me.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard,” Cadmus said blandly. “I want you to take Dread Five and scout Scathmore. Via Barrimore Heights.”
Evander started, opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. Apparently, he had remembered that he wasn’t supposed to know what lay in Barrimore Heights.
“I don’t doubt you’ll lose a soldier or two,” Cadmus said, turning to Evander.
“And I know the conscripts would like to see you both with shotfire pellets in your hearts. So, return with Colonel Bournemuth alive, and you remain in the rear. If he does not survive this mission, you will trade places with Everette and take the front. Do you understand, Captain Trevelyan?”
“My crew won’t be ready to lead an invasion,” Evander objected.
“Then keep Bournemuth alive,” Cadmus said, smiling.
Evander nodded curtly, his jaw tensing.
The cruelty of it struck Valenna breathless, and she glanced at Evander in terror. He refused to return her gaze. But he was worried. She could tell from the set of his shoulders and the way he kept running his hand through his hair.
“Your Majesty,” Haldir said, his voice too high. “I’d like a detachment of soldiers for my protection …”
“No need. I’m sure Trevelyan will be motivated to keep you safe. He doesn’t want to die any more than you do.”
Curse Cadmus and his games, Valenna thought. She wasn’t letting Evander out of her sight again.
“I would like to go as well,” Valenna volunteered.
Evander let out a sharp breath and fixed his eyes on the ceiling.
“And why would you want to do that?” Cadmus asked.
“Father,” she said, “you want me to ride into a pivotal battle, and I haven’t been in combat in years. To put it lightly, I’m rusty. ”
Cadmus glanced around the room, reading the reactions of the other captains. “Trevelyan, what do you think?”
Haldir broke in, trying to exert authority. “I don’t think it’s wise.”
“I didn’t ask your opinion, Colonel.”
“The princess is an asset on any mission, I have no doubt,” Evander said coolly. “Even so, I don’t think it’s wise to risk her on the eve of battle.”
“Respectfully,” Valenna cut in, “this captain’s opinion is irrelevant. I want to go and test my powers. If he can’t manage with me there, then perhaps we should return him to Silvanlight.”
Evander’s mouth tightened, and he cast a look of vexation at Valenna. She smiled back, all innocence.
“Alright, then,” Cadmus said. “But if you don’t return, I will have Trevelyan’s head in exchange. You depart at the end of the week.”
Cadmus dismissed the captains, and Evander left without so much as a parting nod.