Chapter 57
Rosomon
The moment we’re both on the ground, Saxon pulls me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, ma chérie.”
The dragons have moved away to shift, and Saxon’s warm embrace provides some comfort.
But everything else I’ve been feeling bubbles to the surface.
In the distance, a horse drawn cart comes into view.
Likely a farmer bringing provisions to the castle.
We can’t risk that farmer reporting that he’s seen us.
“Quickly,” I tell Saxon. “Let’s take shelter in the woods.” The dragons have now shifted, and I hope they did it, before the cart’s driver caught a glimpse of them.
Saxon carries me a few dozen spans into the woods, then he sits against the trunk of a large owk, settling me between his outstretched legs.
He turns my chin to face him and looks deeply into my eyes with so much compassion my heart splits open. “I am so sorry for your loss.”
Tears spark the backs of my eyes, but anger floods my grief.
At this moment it’s hard to separate one emotion from another.
Or even to understand what I’m grieving.
Even though I’d accepted that Tynan chose to remain in Khotor with his family, what we just learned proves that Tynan is truly a traitor.
He’s worse than a traitor. He killed my family.
“I thought Tynan loved me.” I search Saxon’s eyes, as if they might hold an explanation.
Saxon turns me to sit across his legs so we can look at each other more easily. “I thought so, too.” He shakes his head. “None of this makes sense.”
Tears threaten my eyes and pinch the back of my throat. Tynan betrayed me. Deeply. He did something truly irredeemable this time. I can never forgive him, but I need to focus on the possibility that my brothers are still alive.
Tynan must be taking my brothers to Khotor, or possibly Catha, to face execution. He’s probably doing it to gain favor with the King. Flying, we can reach either place before him.
“Power changes people,” Saxon says. “That marshal called Tynan the Crown Prince, which leads me to believe that Tynan’s father is on the throne.” Saxon shakes his head. “It was my understanding that Tynan had five older brothers.”
“Seven,” I tell him.
Saxon nods. “That means, either all of Tynan’s older brothers are dead, or Tynan made a deal with his father to unseat their positions in the order of succession.” He rakes back his curls, and the golden strands catch dapples of light coming down from the trees.
I’m not sure which of these possible explanations is worse.
“Unhand the boys and prepare to face death!” Zogar’s voice booms through the forest, and a charm of finches flies out of the tree above us.
Saxon leaps to his feet, lifting me with him, and we race back toward the edge of the forest.
My brothers are alive! Alfryd and Olifer are sitting in a cart nearby.
“Rosomon!” Olifer leaps out of the cart, and Alfryd stands defiantly, arms folded over his chest.
Olifer crashes into me. He’s now close to a head taller than I am, but very thin. I pull back to inspect him. “Are you well?”
He nods, and so I turn my attention to the great betrayer—Tynan.
His hands are lifted in surrender. Zogar, Surath and Xendus, all in human form, have surrounded him in a circle formed by sword tips.
“Quiet!” Zogar shouts. “I don’t want your excuses. The evidence of your betrayal is clear.”
I stomp toward them, leaving Saxon and Olifer behind me.
Tynan’s face fills with joy. “My Rose, my love!”
“Don’t you dare call me that!” I glare at him. “What you have done can never be forgiven.”
He looks genuinely confused. “But I saved—”
“Silence.” Zogar presses the tip of his sword into the hollow at the base of Tynan’s throat, and Tynan appeals to me with his eyes.
“Sister,” Alfryd draws my attention. “Prince Tynan did play a small part in our escape from the Keep.”
“I played more than a part,” Tynan says.
Zogar growls, pressing the sword so tight against Tynan I’m shocked he has not yet drawn blood.
I turn to Alfryd. “How could you even speak to this man, after he killed our father!”
“What are you talking about?” asks Tynan.
“Prince Tynan killed Father?” Alfryd seems surprised to hear this. Clearly that news didn’t reach my brothers in the Keep.
“Tynan gave the orders to execute Father,” I tell Alfryd. “Marshal told me.”
“That’s not true,” Tynan says. He shakes his head and the tip of Zogar’s sword sends a trickle of blood trailing between his collar bones.
“How can you deny it?” Zogar says. “We saw the king’s head on a pike.”
Realization enters Tynan’s expression, and he raises his hands again. “May I speak?” He glares at Zogar.
“Yes,” I say. “I’d love to hear how you justify killing my father.”
Zogar backs his sword a finger width away from Tynan’s throat.
“When I arrived in Achotia.” Tynan looks directly at me. “I wanted everyone at the castle to believe I was on my father’s side. I came here, hoping to free not only your brothers, but also your father.”
My eyes narrow. This story doesn’t match what we’ve heard.
“Your marshal seemed suspicious of me. He was surprised when I inquired about the king. He told me that my father ordered your father’s execution.
To cover my mistake, I told Marshal that I was testing his loyalties, because I’d expected to see the King’s head on a pike when I arrived.
” He appeals to me with his eyes. “Your father was already dead. I didn’t think they’d actually put his head on a pike. ”
“Tynan is telling the truth,” Olifer says from beside me. I didn’t even hear him approach. “I witnessed Father’s execution, twenty-three days ago. I counted off the days, marking scratches in the floor of the Keep.”
“You knew Father was dead?” Alfryd says, incredulous. “You knew I was King?”
I drag in a shuddering breath. No wonder Father’s severed head was decayed.
“Someone is coming,” Saxon says sharply. “Let’s take cover in the woods.”
I turn. Another cart, this one drawn by a pony, is cutting across the field along the edge of the woods toward us. I squint. “It’s Nurse.” At least I think it is.
“Rosomon is correct,” Zogar says.
“We should move into the woods, regardless,” Saxon says.
“We’ll disguise this,” Xendus sheathes his sword and starts to separate the horse from the cart, and Surath moves to help him.
Zogar keeps his sword directed toward Tynan, and the three of us, along with my brothers, move into the woods while Surath and Xendus use magic to shield the cart—although I suspect Nurse already saw it.
Saxon follows behind us all, leading the horse through the trees and securing his reins to a branch.
“I remain unconvinced,” Zogar says to Tynan, his voice a near growl as he tries to keep his volume low. “You caused my wife great pain. For that you must die.”
I slide my hand onto Zogar’s sword wielding arm. “Let’s hear him out. And if I don’t like what I hear, I’ll be the one to kill him.”