“Thank you,” I whispered. I dropped my eyes to my hands, where they lay twisted on my lap. “I’m sorry to put all of this on you. And for hitting you.”
Camion slipped his hands to my face, cupping my jaw and tilting my head up to meet his gaze.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said gently. “Tyli, if you need me, I’m here. For anything.”
“Okay.” My voice was hoarse. I leveled my gaze on Camion as his hands fell and hesitated only a heartbeat before I hugged him again, inhaling the comforting scent of him. Camion’s arms tightened around me and, for a moment, I savored the embrace before I said quietly, “Thank you.”
He quirked a shy half smile when I leaned away. I rubbed my palms over my face. The need for sleep hit me like a wave. Camion took my hands and helped me to my feet.
“I’ll take care of the swords. I imagine Jyn is outside. I can go with you to find him if you need.”
“I can’t . . . I don’t . . . all I can say is thank you.”
“My duty for my queen,” he teased, bowing. The warmth in his voice tugged at my heartstrings, urged me to stay here. I looked away.
Jyn was outside the door. He’d paced enough to scuff a bit of the polish off a strip of the floor. The moment he was near enough, I threw my arms around his waist. I didn’t see the look he gave Camion over my shoulder but, when I stepped back, his eyes were wide.
“Are you okay, Princess?” he asked warily.
For the first time in days, I took the time to look at Jyn, really look. Heavy shadows weighed down his eyes and the loose bun he’d tied his hair into was disheveled. He had the same hollow look to his expression that I had, and I was overcome by a wave of shame when I realized he’d been putting my health and fears above his own self-care. I thought of Meryn, and how guilty I’d felt realizing I hadn’t told her about mother. That paled in comparison to this. The weight of the world was on my shoulders, it seemed. The word ‘selfish’ danced around the edges of my thoughts.
I met Jyn’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said, eyes narrowing.
“Still. I’m sorry.”
Jyn nodded, even though I could see on his face that he didn’t understand. Later. I didn’t have the words to explain myself now. I added softly, “I’m so tired.”
“Then sleep you shall have.” He grinned weakly and offered Camion a look of gratitude before he offered me his arm.
I paused. “Camion, yesterday, that man. Who was he?”
Camion hesitated and his face scrunched in discomfort. I tilted my head. He sighed. “My father.”
“That vile man—”
“Is my father, yes. And I agree with your assessment. He’s extremely vile.” Camion nodded at the swords in his hand. “I can take care of the swords. Get some rest, Tyli. I can explain more another time.”
I mouthed another thank you over Jyn’s shoulder as he steered me toward the stairs. My lips twitched at the corners when he winked before he turned away. As my foot landed on the first step, the palace doors flew open behind us. I turned—and recoiled.
Chapter 15
Jyn drew me behind him immediately. His blade slipped from the sheath at his side, and I heard the answering sound as Camion slid his free as well. The forms in the doorway were hooded, their thick black cloaks fluttering around their heavy boots. I could find nothing that identified them. I didn’t understand why the guards hadn’t stopped them, why even the ones around the room had frozen in fear. My heart skipped a beat. A musky scent assaulted my senses as the two glided closer, pausing barely more than an arm’s length from me.
“Your Majesty.” The lead figure’s voice was feminine, but the words were almost indistinct under her heavy accent. I noted that she made no move to bow, or even incline her head in a show of deference.
“What do you want,” Jyn growled. The rancor in his voice gave me pause. His eyes flashed.
“We have come to pay our respects to the deceased,” said the male. He was the slightly taller of the two.
“Remove your hoods,” I said.
The female snickered. “No. Do you not know who we are?”
I stared at her, and everything clicked into place. Dark cloaks, hidden identities, Jyn’s fury . . .
What I didn’t understand was why the Cloaked Shadows were in Thrais.
These two were notorious assassins, brutal creatures that managed dozens of jobs without leaving a single clue that they’d been there. To my knowledge, no one who had seen their faces lived to tell the tale. All anyone seemed sure of was that they absolutely weren’t human. Half the time the bodies were left in such a tattered mess that you might not be able to identify them—but for the fact that the Shadows never took anything from the bodies. The utter brutality and lack of evidence was what usually gave them away, but the Council couldn’t punish a crime they couldn’t prove.
The Council had little control over the Shadows—enough that they generally didn’t threaten the political heads of each kingdom. Doing so would lead to a full scale hunt that even they couldn’t escape without leaving the continent. But that didn’t remove them from my suspicion in relation to Mother’s murder, especially if they’d received a high enough payout.
“What do you want?” Jyn repeated. Camion had moved to stand beside him, sword loose in his hand, but the two of them had effectively shielded me from the assassins in front of us.
“I believe my brother has told you why we’re here,” the female said quietly. She shifted just slightly and appeared behind me. I spun to face her. “Allow me to properly introduce myself,” she purred, opening her arms. “I am Valeria. My companion is my brother, Cyrus. I believe you know us by our titles, however.”
I nodded. In the brief second I’d taken to acknowledge her comment, Cyrus slid into place beside his sister. Camion and Jyn stepped into place at my sides.
Valeria’s hood shifted in Jyn’s direction, and she sniffed. “Have we met? You smell familiar.”
Jyn’s chest expanded, shoulders lifting as fury washed over him. His nostrils flared, hands shaking as he tightened his grip on the daggers he still held. He didn’t speak, even as I watched the words and emotions explode behind his eyes. Valeria threw her head back and laughed, the sound a wicked cackle. I was disappointed when her hood didn’t budge. When she finished she leaned closer to Jyn and crooned, “There was no mention of a child in their contract. Guess you got lucky.”
Jyn stilled. Even the steady rise and fall of his chest paused for a moment. I reached out a hand, gripping his forearm. Camion shifted closer to my right, and Valeria’s attention snapped to him.
“Interesting,” she said quietly, stalking a long circle around us. Her hood was still tilted in Camion’s direction. “Very interesting.”
“If you wish to pay your respects, Mother is at the Temple of Nahara nearby,” I said. An attempt to draw her attention.
Valeria paused next to Cyrus. She looped her long, gloved fingers together and let them fall before her. Cyrus didn’t speak, merely crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yes, and we’ve been already. But what are consolations to the dead?” I could hear the grin in the lilt of her voice. “So here we are. And what a fascinating day this has been.”
Her hood again shifted in Jyn’s direction, but she kept her taunts to herself this time. Jyn’s arm still shook under my fingers, the rage still pouring off him. Valeria had to be enjoying his anger, the way she toyed with him.
“You’re right, though,” she said coyly, stepping closer to me. Camion moved to step between us, and Valeria laughed at him. “You’re insignificant. I would crush you. Why do you think the Elf hasn’t moved? He knows his place.”
She took another step. I could see the war on Camion and Jyn’s faces, the urge to protect and the knowledge that they were vastly outmatched. Valeria moved again. I tried to peer under the hood, to make out the features beneath, but her face was completely hidden in dark shadows.
> “Right about what?” I asked quietly. I knew I was playing into whatever game this was for her, but I wanted them to leave. Soon, before Jyn erupted and got himself killed.
Valeria leaned closer, the cloth of her cloak brushing against my shoulder as she whispered into my ear, “The scepters are calling for aid. And soon, Eurybia will rise. And each thereafter until our lord Thanatos is reawakened.”
“Eurybia?” I asked. “Who is Eurybia?”
“She didn’t know,” Cyrus said, uncrossing his arms.
“Her friend does. The witch. I imagine she’ll tell you soon.” Valeria began to casually stroll the foyer. “Eurybia will destroy you and all you hold dear. And if she doesn’t, Boreas, Cybele, and Thanatos will certainly finish the job. The age of humans will soon end, cleansing the earth of the plague of your existence.”
Valeria began to cackle again. The sound broke Jyn from his daze. He slid his daggers into his boots before he snarled, “I’m going to ask you to leave. Once.”
“Or?” Cyrus took a step toward him.
“I don’t need to report a direct threat to the Council, do I?” I asked. Valeria paused her pacing.
“No. We’re not here to threaten you. Merely to pay our respects, remember?” But she motioned Cyrus to the door.
“Wait,” I said as she grabbed the handle. Valeria paused. “Who are these four that you mention? I’ve never heard those names before.”
“The children of the Titans,” she purred. “Eurybia, mistress of water. Boreas, master of the skies. Cybele, mistress of the earth. And Thanatos. Lord of death itself. More powerful than any of the other three, son of the revered Valdis.”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“You will . . .” Valeria chuckled softly. She stepped outside, Cyrus at her heel.
Jyn sprang to life, throwing open the door behind them.
“They’re gone. Not leaving.” His face scrunched in confusion. “They vanished.”
Camion looked to where I stood measuring their words in my mind. His face was a match to Jyn’s when he asked, “Tyli, what was she talking about? Scepters? Titans?”
I held up a finger. That name sounded familiar, lingered at the edge of my mind. Where had I heard of Thanatos before? I met Camion’s eyes when the name clicked into place.
“Spirits,” I whispered.
“Tyli?” Camion asked.
He stepped closer, but I bolted into the ballroom, running to the far wall where the thrones sat. Footsteps moved closer, Jyn and Camion following me. When they paused at my sides, Jyn looked up.
“Oh,” he said quietly.
Camion nudged me. “What am I missing?”
“The painting.” I swallowed and looked up at Camion. “Titans are still alive in Araenna.” I pointed at the mural. “Those Titans.”
My eyes scanned the familiar image, trying to decide which Titan was which. Boreas seemed apparent, a tan and muscled male who bore large, feathered wings. Cybele had to be the olive-skinned female with flowers woven into her hair—the woman next to her had iridescent scales tracing the curves of her face, bright against her midnight complexion. This had to be Eurybia. Which meant the cloaked figure, the one who had always made me cower from inside, had to be Thanatos. Terror coursed through my veins. I shivered.
“Princess, you have to ignore her taunts. Valeria was trying to get under your skin.” Jyn pulled at my arm gently. “You need sleep.”
Thanatos’ dark eyes burned into me. I turned my attention to Jyn. “What did she mean, there was no child on the contract?”
He shook his head and looked away. “Taunts, mere taunts. I shouldn’t have let her bother me like that. As you shouldn’t.”
“Jyn—”
“Later, Princess.”
Camion looked between the two of us. “One of you will have to explain. I’m lost.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, and reached to grip his wrist. “Can I explain next time I see you? Jyn’s right. I feel . . . overwhelmed.”
His eyes softened. “Sure.”
I tightened my hold on his wrist before I released him. “Thank you.”
My eyes fell back to the mural on the wall. To the haunting face of the “Lord of Death” as Valeria had called him. They’d come simply to taunt me, but why did Valeria think I should know about the Titans? Did they want me to feel this sense of impending doom and dread? Jyn tugged on my arm again. Whatever the reason for their visit, they’d succeeded in one regard.
I was afraid.
Chapter 16
I barely remembered getting into my bed. When I woke, no sunlight crept through my window. Jyn had fallen asleep in my chair again, his neck twisted at an angle that made me cringe in discomfort. I didn’t wake him though—I knew he needed the sleep as badly as I had. Instead, I went to see if any of the maidservants were still awake and was delighted to find that Raye was almost finished with her nightly rounds. She helped me strip the sheets off my bed—I’d fallen asleep on them without thought, sweat-and-tear drenched after practice, and the idea of sleeping on them again made me wince.
“I’ll run these for laundry, was there anything else, Your Majesty?”
I shook my head and when she’d vanished I went into the bathing chambers and started to draw a bath. Raye returned with fresh linen not minutes later and adamantly refused to let me finish filling the bath alone.
Water drawn and candles lit, I sank into the water. The heat soothed my body, and I submerged my head before resting against the edge of the bath. My mind was eerily quiet. The lack of thoughts only enhanced the silence around me. The bathing chamber seemed larger tonight, emptier.
Stars shone through the glass-lined upper walls but the paintings drew my eye away. Mother had carefully picked every piece. Each represented something special to her. One of the largest was a woodland scene with a large buck, doe, and their offspring—the painting Mother had fondly referred to as our family portrait. Several of the paintings were simply flowers, a reflection of the love of gardening and botany she’d passed to Annalea.
I ducked my face under the water again to rinse away my tears. Mother wouldn’t have wanted me to turn into this sad mess. She didn’t—hadn’t—understood this kind of emotion. For her, if for no other reason, I would try to pull myself back together. I knew that I could find strength in facing my emotions, in allowing them free reign, but I knew that holding them in took another kind of strength. The kind of strength I would need to retain my sanity.
Besides, there was still the matter of her murder itself. I had replayed her conversation with Kathryn a dozen times, but nothing stood out to me. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the only one who had overheard their words, but if that were the case, would Kathryn be in danger? I couldn’t piece anything together. If clues hid in their words, I was missing the signs. Maybe Lucian knew some tidbit of information that could point me the right way, but we hadn’t even heard from him.
“Your Majesty, would you like your robe?” Raye asked, cutting into my thoughts.
“Yes, thank you, Raye.” She dropped the folded shift beside me and turned to go. I added, “And Natylia is fine in private company, if it’s all the same.”
I curled into the blankets in my bed minutes later, after pulling a book off my shelf. I doubted I would get more sleep tonight, but at least I’d managed a few hours. My mind flicked back to life, pushed at me to focus on the more important matters. The crisp pages crackled under my fingers, and I let my thoughts drift to those, to the age of this book. To the black streaks of lettering that danced in my vision.
“How are you feeling?”
I jumped. The break in the silence caught me off guard and I glanced to where Jyn had, moments ago, been out cold.
“Spirits . . . ” I took a moment to catch my breath, and consider my reply. “I feel hollow. But better. Thank you.”
He nodded. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and there was a slowness to the way he stretched.
“You should g
et some sleep,” I said softly. “And you need to eat.”
“I’ll eat when you do.” Jyn stood and rolled his neck. I winced at the violent crack from between his shoulders. “How long have you been awake?”
“An hour? Maybe? I bathed and Raye changed my sheets. Do you want me to have a bath drawn for you?”
“I slept through all of that?” He winced. “But yeah. Okay.”
Sending Jyn to the communal bath hardly seemed fair. After all, he’d lost so much sleep for me. Besides, he would wake far more people than the trouble was worth and Jyn could probably benefit from the herbal additives Meryn had given me for my bathwater. Lavender maybe, or Meadowsweet.
I slid from the bed when he went for clean clothing and quietly drew the water myself. No need to disturb Raye again. Drawing a bath was the least I could do.
***
When Jyn returned to my room a bit later he looked significantly more relaxed. “Thanks, Princess.”
He was almost to his door before I dared to ask, “Jyn? How did you know, earlier?”
“Know what?”
“What would happen in my lesson?”
Jyn hesitated. His eyes left my face. “Camion asked about you yesterday. Asked how you were fairing. When I said you weren’t grieving, he asked if you’d canceled your lesson. Honestly, I think he knew you weren’t going to break down in front of people that were mourning with you. I had a hunch he knew something I didn’t, and I let him try. I’m glad his idea worked. Camion helped, didn’t he?”
“You wanted me to cry?” I frowned.
“Yes. No. I wanted emotions—rage, anything.” Jyn moved back into the room and sat down at the end of my bed. “When your father died, you cried for a week. You didn’t leave your room, you didn’t eat. I don’t think I’ve ever been more panicked or stressed in my life. But you were reacting. You were feeling so many things and in such a big way. The last couple of days?” He paused, pursing his lips. “You acted like nothing had happened. But at the same time, something shut down in your eyes. I’ve never seen them so blank, cold. Meticulous. You brushed me off . . .” His throat bobbed. “Annalea is young and trapped in her own grief. You girls found your mother murdered. I’m still not sure what to do or how to help you.”
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