War (Guardians of The Realm Book 3)

by Amanda Fleet

  War

  Guardians of The Realm book 3

  Amanda Fleet

  Manson and Westwood

  Copyright © 2020 Amanda Fleet

  The moral right of Amanda Fleet to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  For Mum and Dad

  And for the Sisterhood

  Also by Amanda Fleet

  The Wrong Kind of Clouds

  Lies That Poison

  The Guardians of The Realm

  Aegyir Rises

  Aeron Returns

  War

  1

  “If you pace any more, you’ll wear a path in the floor.”

  Faran scowled. It was now some minutes since he demanded to see his father, and there was no sign of Lord Eredan coming anywhere near the cell. Less than an hour ago, Faran had been Acting First Lord of The Realm – the most powerful man in The Realm. That had all fallen away to nothing when his father resumed his role as First Lord and accused both of us of treason and disobedience. Me? Well, yeah, I had gone against explicit orders and left The Realm. Oh, and ended up potentially corrupted by the demon Aegyir we’d been trying to defeat. Faran? He’d just followed me Outside – Earth – to help me. Through no fault of our own… well, maybe that’s not strictly true… but anyway, we’d ended up bringing the fight back to The Realm. I could kind of understand why Lord Eredan was less than happy about everything. The good news was that Aegyir had been captured – turned to mist and sealed in a vessel – but the bad news…? Faran didn’t think that vessel was still secure.

  “You’re sure it’s not the right jar?” I said.

  Faran glared. “Yes.”

  I sighed. “Seriously, Faran, sit down. If your father’s coming, he’ll come. If he’s not, he’s not. Quit stomping around the place – you’re pissing me off.”

  He stopped pacing, leaned his back on the wall opposite and folded his arms tightly across his chest. Strong dark brows knitted above leaf-green eyes. The small windowless cell was barely large enough to hold both of us, never mind Faran’s temper as well.

  “Disobedience, I accept,” he muttered. “Treason?”

  “Faran, cool it.”

  Of the two of us, I was in far more jeopardy, but being angry didn’t help anyone right now.

  Before he could retort, the cell door opened and his father – Lord Eredan – swirled in.

  “Yes?” Lord Eredan snapped. It would be a close call between them as to who was in the worse temper.

  “Aegyir is free,” I said before Faran could rail against being arrested.

  Lord Eredan rotated to face me. A few inches shorter than his son, but a few taller than me, he was an imposing figure. And one who was currently breathing fire. “What?”

  “Aegyir is free,” repeated Faran, stepping closer to me. Neither of us trusted his father not to hit me. “When I checked the safe, although there was a vessel there, it’s the wrong vessel. Someone has opened the safe and released Aegyir.”

  Not a flicker on Lord Eredan’s face at the news. “The Great Hall is being cleared. Your trials are imminent.”

  “Are you even listening?” roared Faran. “Aegyir is free. The vault may also be empty for all we know and your priority is to try me?”

  I noticed I wasn’t mentioned, but let it go. The vault held thirteen other trapped demons. Or it had. I hoped it still did.

  “Your trials are imminent,” said Lord Eredan, his posture ramrod straight, his eyes hard. “I need to know if my son and his slut are traitors, because if they are, I need to hang them quickly. I cannot have two of the three strongest Guardians under suspicion of treason and unable to make a triad to trap Aegyir. I also need to know, before I can accept any advice or information from you.”

  Faran took a step closer to his father, his face flushed and his fists twitching as if he was about to thump him. “So, you trust my word enough to fear that Aegyir is free and that you’ll need to make a triad, but you doubt me enough that you think me a traitor?”

  Lord Eredan turned and banged on the door to indicate he was ready to leave.

  “Father, The Realm is in danger.”

  Lord Eredan faced him, slowly. “The title is Lord Father.”

  With that, he swept out. Faran tipped his head back and bellowed, punching the rough stone wall.

  “Cool it!”

  He leaned against the wall again, his knuckles skinned.

  I tossed a pot of salve over so he could heal his hands. “What are you so angry about? Is it the loss of status? The trial? Or is it because with Aegyir and potentially another thirteen demons free in The Realm, the population could be slaughtered? Because if it’s anything other than the last one, you need to take a good hard look at yourself!”

  Faran held my gaze, his lips thin. “All three,” he ground out.

  I’d hit a nerve.

  The trial worried me. The last time I’d been tried for treason, I’d been boxed into a corner by the questions and found guilty, even though I’d been acting in the interests of The Realm. Then, I’d been sentenced to hang, but Faran had persuaded his father to banish me Outside. Allegedly for all eternity, but I’d returned. Unintentionally.

  “Faran, I understand. But we need to worry about how we’re going to save The Realm.”

  Assuming we got past the trial. There was every chance it would end with me hanging. Lord Eredan wasn’t going to banish me a second time.

  “Hey,” I said, noting his bunched shoulders. “These could be our last minutes together. Are you going to spend them in a complete temper, or do I at least get a hug from you?”

  I slid off the narrow bed that was the only furniture in the cell and stood in front of him. He unpeeled his arms from across his chest and slipped them around my waist. “Sorry. Forgive me.”

  I stood on tiptoe and drew his head down to kiss him. “Forgiven. Remember the advice you once gave me, before I was in front of the Council? Be respectful and meek.”

  “I’ll be respectful.”

  I caressed the small of his back with my thumb. “Okay. Not sure I could hope for much more, given the mood you’re in.”

  He smiled… finally.

  The bolts slid back on the door, and I stepped away. Four guards filled the room and the small space outside the cell. I offered my wrists, ready to be cuffed. Stony-faced, Faran followed suit. The guards hustled us to the Great Hall, two marching ahead of us, two behind, through narrow hallways with none of the smart panelling and painted plasterwork of the less custodial areas of The Realm.

  “Sort your face out,” I murmured to Faran.

  Thankfully, he just about managed to arrange his features into something less homicidal by the time we reached the Great Hall.

  ***

  The Great Hall was laid out with the Council arranged on tiered seating with a bench opposite. Faran and I scoured the new faces on the Council, working out who had taken the places of those killed by Aegyir. The balance of power in the Council had shifted away from those who supported Faran and towards those who had supported Lord Balwen. Balwen had died in the battle, thereby promoting his son, Cerewen, now Lord Cerewen. I hadn’t known Lord Balwen well, but he’d been less hot-headed than Cerewen.

  I grimaced. I didn’t know whe
re Cerewen’s allegiances lay. Only a few days ago, he’d tried to kill me. But he’d also been one of the three Guardians scheduled to go Outside to trap Aegyir. I wished Lilja – my Seer friend – could speak directly to the Council. She’d warned me that all three men – Cerewen, Faran and Lord Sondan – would be slaughtered Outside unless I disobeyed Lord Eredan and went Outside first. To be honest, I hadn’t left without permission to save anyone other than Faran, but would Cerewen support me and Faran? My leaving The Realm had probably saved his life.

  I glanced across to Faran’s old seat – the one reserved for the Elected Successor. It was currently occupied by Lord Sondan, Faran’s closest friend. I nudged Faran.

  “Mm. I see,” Faran said, expressionless.

  Lord Eredan strode to the middle of the space and hush descended.

  “Council members. You’ve been called for two reasons. One is to determine whether the Chief Locksmith can open the vault and check the status of the vessels there. The second is for the trial of Faran and Lady Aeron, both of whom have been accused of treachery against The Realm and of disobedience. Faran has consequently been stripped of his position as Elected Successor, and Lord Sondan has stepped in to take his place. Lord Sondan will be Acting Successor until elections can be held to determine the position.”

  Faran shifted, making his cuffs clink. It wasn’t accidental. He was spitting tacks about everything. I kicked him gently, and he rearranged his expression.

  “The key to the vault is missing and the door-to-door search did not find it,” Lord Eredan continued. “The Chief Locksmith needs the Council’s permission to remove the current lock and replace it. For the benefit of new members of the Council, the vault is where thirteen Guides who rebelled and became demons are held. It would be judicious for the Council to know if these demons are indeed still contained within the vault. Does anyone need further discussion on the matter or can we move to a vote?”

  I doubted anyone would volunteer to ask for more discussion, given the atmosphere radiating from Lord Eredan. The Council moved swiftly to a vote, carried unanimously in favour of the Chief Locksmith opening the vault and replacing the lock. Lord Eredan signed a piece of paper and dispatched a messenger to the Chief Locksmith with it.

  Time to decide if Faran and I were guilty. There was little doubt over the charge of disobedience. I wasn’t sure what the punishment for that crime would be, but other than the holding cells, The Realm had no prisons. The penalty for serious charges ranged from hard labour to hanging. I suspected flogging featured heavily for minor offences.

  Faran caught my eye and smiled reassuringly. I wished I had his confidence. Lord Eredan hated me. Most of the Council hated me. We were both sworn in. I was to be tried first.

  “Lady Aeron, did you leave The Realm this morning?”

  Was it only this morning? “Yes, Lord Eredan.”

  “And were you aware that I had expressly forbidden you to leave?”

  “Yes, Lord Eredan.”

  Charge one proved. By my own words. Just as had happened last time. My hands shook, and I tried to steady my breathing. No one would ask why I’d left, so I was just going to tell them. “I’d had information from some of the junior Seers that unless I left The Realm to find out Aegyir’s location, the three Guardians scheduled to go and deal with him would be killed.” I eyeballed Lords Sondan and Cerewen.

  Lord Eredan swivelled to face me. I kept my chin up and stared back.

  “Had you had any contrary advice from other Seers?” he asked.

  I swallowed. A rope was looking ever more likely. “The Senior Seer, Mathas, said that if I left The Realm, Aegyir would make me one of his vassals. I was wearing the talisman when I left. I was protected against Aegyir.”

  Lord Eredan rubbed his chin, his dark green eyes glittering. “Did you encounter Aegyir while Outside?”

  “Yes.”

  He cocked a brow. “Yes? What happened?”

  How to answer honestly and still avoid being found guilty? I marshalled my thoughts. “He attacked me and poisoned me.”

  “Did you take his blood?” Lord Eredan’s lip curled as he spoke.

  A low murmur spread through the Council. Taking Aegyir’s blood would have made me his slave had I not been wearing a talisman.

  My heart rate picked up. “I was forced to. But I was wearing the talisman, so was protected.” Lord Eredan’s eyes narrowed, and I hurried on. “Once Aegyir was turned to mist, any influence he had over me was lost.”

  Lord Eredan drummed his fingers against his thigh. “Yet you still wear the talisman.”

  Was he just hoping I’d incriminate myself further? I didn’t think he really cared why I wore it. Though, technically, it was his.

  “Faran can take it off me if you prefer. But he’s removed it and tested that my leathers still hold. They do, proving that I’m still a true Guardian, loyal to The Realm.”

  It had to be Faran who took it off me as he’d put the talisman on me, and the fastening wouldn’t open for anyone else.

  Lord Sondan cleared his throat and stood. A shade shorter than Faran, he was still a mighty warrior – the fourth most senior Guardian according to birth and ability. “Perhaps Lady Aeron or Faran could describe Outside to the Council? In their opinion, how successful would the planned mission have been?”

  I turned to Faran. “You want to answer that? You’re the one who’s never been Outside before.”

  Lord Sondan nodded, encouragingly. He’d always been a supporter of Faran, but that support barely stretched to me. Would he still support Faran now he had his job and its associated status?

  Faran straightened. “Although Lady Aeron had given us lessons in English and described what it’s like Outside, we would never have had enough time to prepare fully. If only the three who were scheduled to go had been present, our mission wouldn’t have been successful. I suspect we’d all have been slain, as predicted by some of the Seers. Lady Aeron saved my life Outside.”

  “A place you shouldn’t have been before your mission was scheduled,” said his father, unsmiling. “We’ll come to your disobedience in a moment.”

  Faran bristled, and I kicked him again.

  “Do you think that you, Lord Cerewen, and I would have been able to locate Aegyir?” asked Lord Sondan, pushing his dark hair back and revealing the lock of pure white that grew at the front.

  “No, Lord Sondan,” said Faran. “Aegyir was shape-shifting. There would be no way to judge his appearance. We wouldn’t have known where to find shelter, and Aegyir had recruited several Outsiders as slaves. They would have attacked us in the open, probably at night.”

  “And yet you and Lady Aeron were able to survive,” said Lord Sondan.

  Was he leading us into a trap or trying to be helpful? I eyeballed him, but his expression remained neutral.

  A sheet of rain lashed the glass ceiling, and I glanced up at dark skies. Thank God the city was always warm – it looked as if The Realm could give Cumbria a run for its money over the weather today.

  Faran shifted his weight. “Yes. Lady Aeron speaks English. She knew of a place we could take shelter overnight. If she’d been part of the original mission plan, I think it could have been successful.”

  Honestly, when was kicking him going to work? He’d just questioned his father’s strategy over the mission, and Lord Eredan had noticed. From Faran’s face, he knew this damn fine and didn’t give a shit.

  “Thank you,” said Lord Sondan, a smile lifting the edge of his lips. He could see me kicking Faran, however subtle I tried to be. “Lady Aeron, perhaps we might turn to the battle with Aegyir Outside. You say he poisoned you and forced you to take his blood.”

  My heart sank. No, Lord Sondan was not one of my fans. “Yes.”

  “What was the poison?”

  “I don’t know, but it paralysed me. My heart was beating but nothing else worked.”

  Several in the Council straightened. Lady Morgan – Faran’s ex and no ally of mine – smiled.
Lord Sondan sucked his teeth. “How did you survive?”

  “Faran breathed for me until I recovered.”

  Lady Morgan’s smile dissolved.

  “So, my son spent time ensuring you were alive, instead of going after Aegyir?” spat Lord Eredan. He’d have left me to die.

  My patience thinned. “What could he have done against Aegyir? He was one Guardian, he wasn’t on Realm soil, and he didn’t have a vessel.” And therefore, wouldn’t have been able to trap Aegyir.

  “He could have weakened him,” said Lord Eredan. “Which would have meant that the following morning, Aegyir would not have been strong enough to attack him.”

  Before I could reply, Faran spoke. “Aegyir wouldn’t have been, no. But his slaves had enough strength to kill me. It took both of us to prevail. If I’d left Aeron, The Realm would have lost two Guardians, Aegyir would still have attacked The Realm, and more may have died as a consequence.”

  Lord Eredan stared his son down, then turned to me. “Lady Aeron, shall we discuss what happened when Aegyir attacked The Realm? You drew a sword against me. And ran your husband through.”

  My breath whistled in my nose. “That wasn’t Faran. That was Aegyir, choosing to look like Faran. I can recognise him, even if you can’t.”

  Faran’s turn to kick me.

  Lord Sondan smirked. “I don’t think that anyone would be able to fault Lady Aeron on her bravery and skills during the battle. She saved your life, Lord Eredan, as well as the lives of others.”

  Well, that was true. I tried not to look smug. It wouldn’t help my cause.

  “Lord Eredan, could you summarise the case against Lady Aeron on the count of disobedience?” said Lord Sondan. He winked at me and Faran, out of Lord Eredan’s view, making Faran straighten.

  “She deliberately left The Realm against my orders.” Lord Eredan ground to a halt.

  Lord Sondan pushed his bottom lip out. “And the count of treason against The Realm?”