by Nick Martell
“Michael Kingman! In the flesh!” a copper-skinned man said as he approached. He had the coloring of the lucky chosen in Goldono to the west. His blond hair and beard were immaculately groomed, his body was tall and thin, and his clothes were loose and flashy as was normal in his home country. Nothing in Domet’s book had suggested citizens from Goldono would be in attendance, nor did it warn me of the olive-skinned Azilian man or the Skeleton Coast slave at his side. The Skeleton’s bone tattoo covered half his face, far more prominent than Sirash’s.
The Goldani gripped the sides of my shoulders and kissed both my cheeks. “I thought you and your family were extinct! I could barely contain my excitement when you appeared out of nowhere like a Waylayer! I had to come over and share my pleasure with you.”
“Thank you, but I’m sorry. It’s been a few years since I was in the political landscape and I’m not quite as familiar with you as you are with me.”
“Michael! My deepest apologies: sometimes my excitement gets the better of me. I am Zain Antoun, ambassador for the Goldono Gold Vein Casino,” he said. His hands moved with every word. “This is Lucca Azil.”
The Azilian man bowed rather than shake my hand.
“Don’t be concerned if neither of them talk,” Zain stated. “Lucca needs more practice communicating outside of his family. You know how Azilians are. Great at the arts and agriculture but all the social skills of a toddler. Wait till you see him try to interact with a woman. And this is my Skeleton.”
The Skeleton shook my hand but didn’t say anything.
“Does he not speak Common? If it helps, I know a few words of—”
“Oh, no, no,” Zain interrupted. “He knows Common, but he doesn’t have a tongue.” He laughed. “I got rid of it years ago. He had such a terrible rural accent. Couldn’t stand it, so I gave him a choice: either get rid of the accent or I will. But whatever he did to fix it didn’t work, so I was forced to take action myself.”
“Well,” I said through gritted teeth, “it’s been a pleasure to meet you and your friends, Ambassador Zain. But I hope you are aware of Hollow law while you’re here and are respectful of your Skeleton. There haven’t been slaves in Hollow for generations.”
Zain slapped me on the shoulder as he laughed. “Oh, Michael, I love your sense of humor. We both know what everyone in here thinks of those who have been deemed Sacrifices. Sadly, as much as it would please me, I shouldn’t take up too much of your time. You’re a living legend, and I’m sure others long to speak with you, although I do have one question for you before I depart: Of all your ancestors, which are you proudest of?”
I’d never been asked that before. “Probably the First Kingman. They set the standard we all followed for generations. For one person to have that much of an impact on the world speaks volumes to what kind of person they were. If I could be half as heroic, I’d be happy.”
Zain turned to the Azilian and said, “I told you it wouldn’t be the Explorer! Biased fool! Remarkable choice, Michael. A quite remarkable choice.”
Zain left, and it was as if he’d been a barrier between me and the rest of the nobility. Others began to approach and make conversation.
First was High Noble Claire Castlen, her family famous for its size. The High Noble Castlen family’s primary exports were their children, who were wed away to various powerful families throughout the continent. A Kingman, I suspected, might make a nice addition to their collection. Then Dara Hyann, a High Noble a few years older than me who wanted to bemoan the rebellion for hampering trade. Mercenaries were too expensive, Eham was trying to undercut us, and New Dracon City was taking longer to respond to inquiries than they had in the past. It was so interesting, I only had to stifle a yawn twice.
Dara was followed by a flurry of people from every noble family, High and Low, wanting to be reacquainted, including the Solarin, Morales, Braven, Cottonwood, and Bodkin families. High Noble Cyrus Solarin wanted the two copper pennies he lent me as a child back—which I remembered but refused to admit—while Low Noble Primrose Bodkin wanted to show me her new tattoos. All seventeen of them. Both were shocked when I turned them down.
Ambassador Zain always stayed close to my side, chiming into conversation whenever he saw fit. And as conversation after conversation was filled with laughter and charm, I slowly began to see that not everyone hated the Kingman family following my father’s betrayal.
While everyone was distracted with an Ehamian merchant’s wares, I found myself beside the girl in red and a wine fountain. Her date was nowhere to be seen, and I asked what happened to him.
“He left when it became clear that even though our parents had been interested in an arranged marriage, I wasn’t, and nothing he could say would change that.” She ran her finger over the rim of her wineglass. “My father wants me married within the year, and I’ve been sabotaging all his attempts at matching me with someone. My date tonight was, sadly, another casualty.”
“Marriages usually take years to arrange,” I said. “How many aspects of the courtship would you have to skip to be married within a year?”
“All of them. Save for the memory tattoos,” she said. “But he worries if I don’t get married soon, it will… Wait, Michael, do you know my name?”
I could feel the heat creeping up my face as she laughed.
“I promise I’m not going to hit you again. To be honest, I’m rather sick of who I have to be right now and would rather be anyone else. So, until you remember my name or who I am, could I pretend to be someone else with you? Someone who doesn’t worry about arranged marriages or noble politics? And if you never remember, that’s fine. I know I’ll have someone at my side who will never judge me on my title alone.”
“Only if you don’t judge me for what my father did.”
“I never did,” she said as she raised her glass. “To beginning anew.”
I clinked glasses with her. “To beginning anew.”
We drank together with smiles on our faces.
“So, if I don’t know your name, what am I supposed to call you?”
“How did you refer to me up to this point?” she asked.
“The girl in red.”
“But I’m not wearing… oh, I was in Margaux Keep.” A pause. “What a mouthful. Can’t you think of anything—”
The Corrupt Prince arrived.
I heard him before I saw him, which was remarkable in its own way.
“Where’s the Kingman?” he bellowed as he strode in, one heavy footstep after another, silencing every conversation. The crowd parted for him, as it had for me, and he ignored the fact that none of his nobles bowed to him. Respect and fear were not the same in Hollow.
The Corrupt Prince was a giant of a man, well over six feet tall, all muscle and bone. He wore his family’s colors, blue and gold, a golden crown adorned with every gem imaginable on his head, hidden in the tangles of his red hair, a distinguishing trait of the Royal Family. The Corrupt Prince stopped in front of me, and his Throne Seekers arrayed themselves behind him.
His Throne Seekers were the nickname everyone had given to the company he kept. None of them hid their desire for power within the country and wished for the Corrupt Prince to take the throne from his sister when the king passed. Everyone knew his intentions, even me, before I had decided to return. No matter what, I would always be at odds with them, considering my oath to protect the princess. It made me wonder what she thought about him and his friends.
I recognized a few of the Throne Seekers with the help of Domet’s notes. There was High Noble Gael Andel, a leech upon society, and High Noble Sebastian Margaux, the black sheep of his family and half brother to Danielle Margaux—whom I had expected to see here tonight but hadn’t so far. To my disappointment, Naomi and Trey were with him as well, both looking out of place: Trey because of his ragged clothes and permanent scowl, and Naomi as she was the only woman. My father’s ring was on her finger.
Seeing Trey made my chest hurt. He had sworn to destroy my fa
mily and I had hoped he had spoken in anger, but keeping company with the Corrupt Prince suggested otherwise. I could only hope his grief didn’t cloud his judgment and make him do something he’d regret. He gave me a look I couldn’t interpret. With the Corrupt Prince in front of me, I couldn’t spare the time to puzzle it out.
“Kingman,” the monster said, showing me his teeth.
“Adreann,” I said, looking up at the Royal whom Gwen was bound to protect.
“I am surprised to see you here.”
“As a High Noble participating in the Endless Waltz, I can’t say the same.”
“Since when have traitors been allowed to participate?” He tapped the sword at his side.
“I may have the brand, but I’m still a Kingman. And Kingman are allowed everywhere.”
He laughed, and his Throne Seekers joined in awkwardly. When he stopped, so did they. “How is your sister? You should have brought her with you. I’ve heard she has become quite beautiful, and I would love the chance to admire her in person. It is my right, after all. She is still bound to serve me.”
“Bound to protect. She’s not a slave, Adreann.”
“Protect. Serve. Is there really any difference?” Before I could reply, the Corrupt Prince leaned in close to me and whispered into my ear, “Your father murdered my brother. You are not welcome here, traitor.”
The Corrupt Prince stepped back, red in the face, and began to pace. We’d drawn an audience, including Kai and the girl in red, to see an encounter between a Kingman and a Hollow. The last time this happened, a Hollow had died. Many in the audience likely hoped for a similar outcome tonight. It was no secret what people thought of him.
The Corrupt Prince raised his hand. “Everyone,” he said, his voice loud enough to carry throughout the ballroom, “I decree, here and now, that anyone who consorts with Michael Kingman will be barred from Hollow Court when I am king.”
“But you’ll never be king,” I said. “Your sister will inherit the throne, and as a High Noble I have the right to participate in the Endless Waltz, regardless of your opinion. You can’t force me to leave.”
“I am the Prince of Hollow and can do whatever I want. I am in charge here, Kingman.”
“You are not, Prince Adreann,” Kai said, emerging from the crowd. His steps were careful, calculated, but lacked the hesitation that others who were blind had. “This is my house and you are both guests here. Do not incur my family’s wrath. And, Prince Adreann, as my father has just agreed to found a new hospital in Braven, as a favor to the king, I suggest not making an enemy of the Ryders tonight.”
The prince spat at Kai’s feet and the crowd went silent. If anyone but the prince had done that, a dozen Low Nobles under the Ryder family would’ve stepped forward to defend their liege’s honor. But since it was the prince, none dared. “Fucking Kingman sympathizer.”
Kai put his hand over his heart. “We of the Old Blood do not forget as easily as you, it seems. There must always be a Kingman in Hollow.”
The Corrupt Prince roared and threw back his fist. Before I could move, a flash of gold dashed in front of me, and the Corrupt Prince’s fist slammed into the girl in red’s open palm, right before Kai’s cheek, with a loud clang.
“Prince Adreann,” she said, “please don’t allow us to monopolize your time.”
“Do you stand against me, cripple?”
“Never, my prince.”
A warning bell sounded throughout the ballroom.
The Corrupt Prince and the girl in red backed away from each other, and people began to move toward the large windows all around the ballroom to get a look at the sky. As a second bell began to sound, guests started to express their concerns.
“This is the second one in a week.”
“Can anyone see its tail? What color is it?”
“Has one of the main pieces finally fallen?”
“We need to find sanctuary!”
“Can Ryder Keep protect us from a piece of Celona?”
Kai climbed a few steps of the grand staircase, fingertips on the banister, and turned toward the crowd. “Honored guests! Do not fear, Ryder Keep is one of the most heavily defended keeps in Hollow. A red-tail piece of Celona is no match for its walls.”
“What about a white-tail one?” a Low Noble shouted.
“We have an underground bunker for those who wish to use it. Any who do, please follow me.”
Almost all the nobles participating in the Endless Waltz followed Kai out of the ballroom and to the bunker he had spoken of. The Corrupt Prince and his Throne Seekers remained, along with Zain, his Skeleton, and the Azilian. The girl in red stayed with me, and with fewer people crowding around the window I was able to make out the red tail of the piece of Celona that was falling. Hollow wouldn’t be destroyed completely if it hit, but it could still do a lot of damage.
The Corrupt Prince began to laugh as he stared out the window. But before he could say anything, a third bell began to ring. It was official: a piece of Celona would be hitting Hollow tonight. There would be chaos in the streets soon, perhaps even looting in the markets or the Commerce District. My brother would be out there protecting the guilds with Scales. Gwen would be with my mother. I had no idea where Angelo would be; probably with his soldiers on the battlements, laughing at the sky.
“Would you like to make a wager, Kingman?”
Everyone turned toward the Corrupt Prince.
“What kind of wager?”
“Is it not obvious? A piece of Celona will hit our beautiful city soon. If you can bring it back to me, I will refrain from speaking out against you during the Endless Waltz.”
Pieces of Celona were incredibly valuable. The metal created powerful blades, decorative hilts, and astonishing jewelry. And, if children’s stories were to be believed, they also whispered the lost history of the world to those who held them. Or, if you believed the churches, they carried messages from God.
I’d be fighting against the city if I agreed to the wager.
“If I can’t bring it back?”
“Then you resign from the Endless Waltz.”
The girl in red stepped forward and said, “Why would he agree to that? He already has the right to participate.”
“The odds are heavily against him,” Zain agreed. “I wouldn’t bet on it, and I bet on everything.”
“He has nothing to gain from the wager,” she continued.
“Let me put it this way,” the prince said. “If you choose not to accept my proposal, my father will hear that you threatened me tonight.”
I felt ill. It was an obvious lie, but I doubted the king would believe me no matter how many witnesses I had. A connection to the rebels be damned, the king would call for my execution before first light.
“Well, what do you say, Kingman? Do we have a wager? Or are you willing to risk what my father will do if I whisper half-truths to him?”
The top of a building in the distance was pulverized, the piece of Celona crashing straight through it as stone rained onto the streets. There was a blinding flash of light through the windows, followed by a thunderous roar that made the entire keep shake. A piece of Celona had hit Hollow.
“Do you have an answer for me, Kingman?” the Corrupt Prince asked when the shaking ended.
He was smarter than I gave him credit for. He may have been a brash bull who thought only of blood and sex, but making this wager was smart. If I succeeded, I brought him a piece of Celona for almost nothing. A small improvement in my reputation within the Hollow Court at most. If I failed, I had to drop out of the Endless Waltz and he could claim whatever he wished about me. And if I refused his wager… well, even I didn’t want to test my luck with the king aiming at me.
“I’ll get the piece of Celona. Ambassador, can you facilitate the wager?”
Zain rubbed his hands together. “This is what I live for. The wager is thus: If Michael Kingman can bring Prince Adreann the piece of Celona that just fell, the prince agrees not to speak out again
st Michael for the duration of the Endless Waltz. If Michael fails, he withdraws from the Endless Waltz. Do you both agree to the terms of the wager?”
“Yes,” we said in unison.
“Then let Lady Luck pick a winner and Master Fortune benefit us all. The wager is live.”
The Corrupt Prince threw his arm over Zain’s shoulders. “Ambassador, let us get a drink and share stories while we wait. I would love to hear more about the Vakacha in your country.”
Zain’s face lit up and the two of them walked away, the Throne Seekers close behind. Naomi winked at me over her shoulder and then showed off that she still had my father’s ring. I felt naked without it, like I was an impostor attempting to be a Kingman—though, as I was busy making deals with High Nobles and wagers with princes, I was behaving more like my ancestors. But one of these days my luck was bound to run out.
Trey didn’t even glance at me.
I didn’t want to put someone else in danger tonight, so I left Ryder Keep quickly, before the girl in red could volunteer to come with me, and scanned the sky to confirm where the piece of Celona had fallen. Smoke was rising upward from the Isle, so I headed toward it in search of the only thing that could appease a prince.
THE RECLAIMER
I had initially feared that the piece of Celona had struck Kingman Keep and I would be forced to return to my former home once again.
It hadn’t.
It was worse.
It had hit the Church of the Wanderer, the impact blowing out one of the massive stained glass windows that detailed their prophet’s journey to the stars. It had stood right above the main entrance, and hundreds, if not thousands, of small stained pieces of glass littered the stone steps.
Looters had already descended on the place, fighting to collect as much glass as possible before the monks could stop them. I had passed more on the way here, carrying torches and weapons; I tried to sidestep and ignore them, but there were too many. People pressed in from all sides, jostling and screaming for the piece of the moon within the church. Fights broke out in the horde, and the street was spattered with more blood with every moment that passed. I was only a little closer to the church when I stepped over the first body, facedown on the stone.