Chapter 17
MATTHIAS
…and I know you’ll be pleased to hear how hard I’ve been working in lessons.
The tutor said I have a real gift for arithmetic.
It’s the one lesson where I always best Sorrow.
She tries to hide it, but she hates losing to me.
Anyway, I miss you, Father. I miss you all so much.
I hope you’ll visit with Mother next month.
I can’t wait to show you how well I can fight now.
— UNOPENED LETTER FROM CROWN PRINCE MATTHIAS TO HIS FATHER, RAUL OF ASMAR
I was beginning to see the value in cladding your troops in nothing but black as the rebels, my mother and I hid shivering within the damp crevices of the cliffs.
It wouldn’t be a silver button or a gleaming insignia that would give us away as we watched the empress’s cavalry parade towards Motresh.
But even as it looked as though she was finally launching an advance on our western neighbours, concern wriggled within my chest. It was a single troop of horse-backed guards.
Seventy… eighty at the most. Hardly a great invading force.
So, I asked myself as I blew the hair from my sodden eyes, what was their purpose? A diversion? A sacrifice?
And here I stood, rain running in rivulets down my spine, while I witnessed the infection of Carush spreading through my lands. Lands and people I was sworn to protect.
Raine shuffled next to me and I pulled away as their arm brushed mine.
‘Once we reach our headquarters,’ they signed as I spat out another mouthful of rainwater, ‘we’ll formulate a plan.’
I clenched my jaw as I signed. ‘I keep telling you. We should head to Drufaera.’
They let out a silent laugh.
‘Drufaera?’ I had to squint to follow their hand movements in the soft glow of the hidden moon. ‘They hate us more than you.’
‘I doubt that’s possible.’
‘I’m not risking my forces on a whim.’
I turned to face them, their pale eyes peeking out from the bandages they’d wrapped across their face.
I hated to admit it, as much as I loathed being forced into this position, where the rebels carried me further away from my wife, I admired their methods and a flickering of guilt burned as I thought of the Vyrium we hoarded.
What these people could achieve if they had access to the valuable rocks?
‘Are you calling my wife a whim?’
‘Not at all.’ Their movements jerked, as though they were as tired of this same row as I was.
We’d had this same argument several times a day as we’d travelled north to The Void.
‘But there’s more at risk than your marriage, Your Highness.
I’ve got my forces to care for, the people no one sees.
The life of every single person, every beat of their hearts, comes down to the decisions we make.
I’m afraid your current marital issues with your wife will have to wait. ’
They turned away as the chomping, whickering train of horses continued.
‘I’m sure your wife is grateful for the break.’
I forced my fists into my sodden pockets. I don’t think Mother would forgive me if I threw Raine over the cliff. Instead, I sniffed, raindrops falling from the end of my frozen nose.
I was determined to get the last word in, though. I tapped them on the shoulder.
‘You know my wife would have each one of those horses throwing their riders. Trampling them to death.’ I side-eyed them. Raine shook their head.
‘No Anomaly is that strong.’
‘Sorrow’s not just an Anomaly, though.’
Raine appeared to share a knowing glance with my mother, sending anger spiralling through me.
‘It’s lovely you think highly of your wife, but—’
I laughed, probably too loudly, judging by the way Mother shushed me. I leaned in before signing, ensuring I saw their reaction.
‘Sorrow is a Villente.’
‘Who lost her gift. We all heard.’
I shook my head, smirking as their eyes widened. Sorrow was not just my wife, a talented Anomaly, but the daughter of one of the blessed lines.
‘She’s a Deviant.’
I struggled to keep my face straight as Raine side-eyed me. ‘Sorrow is a Deviant?’
I inclined my head.
‘That’s why the empress…’ They stopped signing. ‘Is that why you married her? A guarantee of little Anomaly heirs?’
By Evella, this rebel was testing my patience.
‘I’m no Romero. Mercy was sold to the Thornes when just a child. I grew up with Sorrow. Shared everything with her. I had no choice in buying her hand in marriage when Romero made her his Tribute.’
‘Still.’ Raine relaxed as the final lines of cavalry, hauling creaking carts, faded into the night. ‘Worked out well for you.’
‘Yeah, look at me.’ I sniffed as another large raindrop fell from my nose. ‘Luckiest son of a Vyrus on the planet.’
‘Matthias,’ Mother chided. ‘Don’t be dramatic. It could be worse.’
I barked out a loud laugh. ‘Worse? Worse? There’s a deranged monster sitting on my throne – that’s if she hasn’t burnt it yet – who I’m obliged to follow because my traitorous brother put this damned tattoo on me and—’
‘Take a breath, Matthias.’
Halting, I took a moment, all the various horrors of my newfound situation flitting through my mind.
‘Tattoos that leak poison are etched on my back. My mother is entangled with the leader of the rebellion. The rebellion we were told to have no communication with in any form or otherwise, I’ll lose the throne I’ve now already lost and my wife, the one I fought Vyrus to win back, hates me and can’t… ’
My chest constricted, the words still unwilling to leave my mouth as the rebels shuffled along the side of the cliff, finally free to leave the shadows.
‘And my clothes are soaked.’
‘Oh, Matthias.’ Mother grabbed me and pulled me in.
I breathed in the petrichor clinging to her otherwise familiar scent and wrapped my arms around her.
‘No matter how dark the night, you can always depend on dawn.’ She pulled back, reaching up to wipe the rain from my face. ‘You breathe still. That… your wife—’
‘Sorrow.’
Her face twisted before she smiled weakly.
‘Yes, Sorrow breathes too. You’ll see her again, but—’
The sudden cry of panicked horses cut her off. We stared down the cliff, the rain abating as the horses we’d just witnessed raged, tearing in different directions.
A smile tugged the corner of my mouth. Horses tore back the way they’d come, riders clinging on where they could, others dragging carts, spilling their goods everywhere. The organised lines were a memory as the beasts raced away.
‘What?’ Mother said, gripping my arm as the rebels halted their ascent.
I laughed, relief flooding through me.
‘What’s going on down there?’
Crossing my arms, I smiled, watching the panic course through the empress’s cavalry, through her horses.
There was only one person I could think of who had the power to create this chaos.
A person I was both cursed and blessed to see again.
I could feel the darkness waiting in my veins. I couldn’t wait to—
‘Fog!’
Mother swore as a cloud, swirling, tainted, deadly, swept over the horizon, heading straight towards where we clung to a sheer rock face.