Chapter 37 #2
I dare to turn my head as a young man with skin a shade darker than mine and red robes walks into the room. A stack of books and a couple scrolls are balanced in his arms.
Is this his enforcer?
“I need you to draft an agreement for me,” says the sovereign.
“No problem, Your Excellency.” The man hurries to the desk, preparing a quill and inkwell and laying out a fresh parchment, pinned down at the top and bottom with paperweights.
“I, Sovereign Rheon Odhran hereby declare that Gwyneth … Pendry, is it?” He looks at me.
“Yes, Excellency.”
“—be exempt from penalty provided that she joins the Zenith in its quest to restore balance to the realm and provide safety for Magekind.”
My eyes bulge. Am I hearing correctly?
His gaze focuses on me again. “What are your conditions should I allow you to join our cause, Lady Gwyneth?”
Taking a breath and straightening my posture at the expense of more pain at my wrists, I say, “Safety for my friend. She was only trying to protect me from a threat in my own home. She is brave, clever, and has excellent baking and cooking skills. She can do anything asked of her with impeccable proficiency.” I hate to paint her as a servant, but I’m desperate.
“She also is a quick learner. She would make a fine scholar.” She’ll kill me.
Realms, I hope she’s alive. Anxiety wraps its hateful fingers around my throat and squeezes.
At the same time, the sovereign grips my chin lightly, and my blood runs cold. My heart thuds wildly in my chest. He tips my face up to his, and I hold my breath. “Is this what she was protecting you from?” Rheon asks.
My brows pinch. With everything that occurred after catching Arionna and Gruffud, I’d long forgotten about Gruffud’s impassioned blow. The sovereign’s touch suddenly feels less daunting. “Yes, Your Excellency. My husband struck me, and Reneris stepped in to defend me.”
“For what reason did your husband strike you?”
I try not to gape at him openly. There should be no reason that would justify anyone striking their partner, but alas. “I caught him bedding another woman.”
Silence fills the space as the sovereign releases me. He steps back and addresses the man with the red robe. “Provided that Lady Gwyneth joins the Zenith—” His brow lifts. “What is your friend’s full name?”
I lick my lips, feeling it split again. My mouth is horribly dry. “Reneris Carlile.” The scratch of the assistant’s pen follows.
“—Reneris Carlile is exempt from penalty,” Rheon finishes. “You and Reneris will remain here at Paramount Castle until we can ensure your safety outside of these walls.”
My legs go weak with relief. With a few more scratches of Jac’s quill, he finishes drafting the agreement.
The masked woman tugs me over to the desk by my manacle chains.
Awkwardly, I take the quill the man offers me, chains clanging and shackles digging into the metal around my wrists.
The quill hovers above the space where my signature will seal our fates.
I’m not the naive girl I used to be. I’ve already signed my soul away once before—for the chance at a cure, for normalcy—but in this instance, I’m hoping to buy myself some time to figure things out.
Perhaps I can find Father. Then I can get both him and Neris out of the castle. Hells, perhaps he could get us out of the castle. The quill feels heavy between my fingers. All I need to do is sign—an action that seems so harmless but holds so much power.
I look to the sovereign. “What exactly is expected of me if I join the Zenith?”
An odd smile stretches across his face. “We have a special mission for you. To find and bring more Wielders to safety.”
I don’t want to believe him. Not when I’ve seen the Erleya he’s already created. I’ve seen the Peacekeepers at work, but could it be that he isn’t aware of their doings? The Forayers have been known to go rogue.
Someone clears their throat—Jac—and I apologize quickly before taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling. Then, with my heart in my throat, I sign my soul away for the second time in my life.
Except this time, it’s with the intention to get away.
Huddled in a corner, I wrap my arms around myself and rock back and forth as the memories infiltrate again and again. I’ve already joined a fanatic group out of desperation before; what makes the Zenith different?
Pulling myself together proves to be impossible as I sob into my knees until the muscles in my stomach are sore. This time, there’s no Neris to comfort me. This time, I’m in the most luxurious place in all of Erleya, with two people who I love within the walls. Neris and Father.
My father is here.
With that sobering thought, I pluck my watch from my pocket and slide my thumb over the smooth surface.
I will find you, I think as I give the watch a little squeeze for luck and tuck it back into my pocket.
I pick myself up from the floor and take a few calming breaths.
There’s plush carpet beneath my bare feet, sandstone-colored wall, and the floor is tiled with copper and blue.
The bed is enormous, with delicate fabric draping across the posts.
I head to the bathing chamber to splash tepid water on my face and hopefully stop myself from descending further into despair. I need to see Neris.
And I have to find Father.