Valiant (The Blood Trail Chronicles Book 3)

by AE Watson

And chances were, it wouldn’t be the last.

  Chapter 10

  “He’ll live,” Mani said, waking me from my slumber under the tree with Artan.

  “He will?” I got up quickly, straightening my shirt and stretching. “How is he?”

  “He’s scared and confused. He doesn’t understand why his grandfather would slaughter them all. He saw everything.”

  “Gods,” I whispered. “How old is he?”

  “Seven, almost eight. Quite bright, like his mother if I recall her well enough. Formal education has not been wasted on him thus far. He wants to meet you. He knows who you are, as his cousin and the assassin. He saw you in the arena.”

  “Gods,” I said again and followed her from where Artan and I slept.

  In the house, Katy turned to me and smiled. “Lucky you were there, my dear.”

  “Luck had no part of it,” I muttered and walked to where the boy lay. He was clean and clothed in something I’d certainly worn before while a patient in this house.

  I sat at his bedside and stared at his small face, though he was bigger than I thought. I hadn’t realized how large he was when I carried him. My adrenaline was pumping so hard.

  His eyes opened slowly, revealing a bright amber stare. “You saved me, Cousin,” he whispered.

  “I’m sorry this happened to you.”

  “Did you kill him?” he asked.

  “No. I didn’t get the chance. He jumped from the castle, right in front of me, falling quite a distance. You are the heir to the throne now. The rightful steward of Marana.”

  “I don’t want it. I hate him and I never want to go back there.” He closed his eyes so tightly a tear popped from one. “I just want to stay here with our aunts.”

  “And yet you will go back one day,” I said, taking his little hand in mine. “I know how it feels to go home after the worst thing in your world happens. I understand this exact pain.”

  He opened one eye, narrowing his gaze in doubt.

  The words fell from my lips, “It was my brother, not my grandfather. And he murdered both my parents and hundreds of others.” I lowered my gaze, unable to meet his as I spoke, “Unlike your grandfather my brother wasn’t a good enough person to end his own life.”

  “Did you kill him?” he asked too quickly.

  “I did,” I whispered.

  “Does it make you sad?” the question was one only a child would ask.

  “Every day. What’s your name?” I didn’t know the name of all of Errol’s grandsons. I hardly knew his kids who were my first cousins.

  “Thomas.”

  “I’m Millia.” I stood. “You are safe here with our aunts, Thomas. No one will hurt you.” I glanced back at the aunts. “I have to go back to the city. I’ll return in a few days. Do you need anything?”

  “Bring a little bread and cheese. He eats like your brother.” Katy winked.

  “All right.” I hurried outside to my swords and pulled them on. Artan stood, grumbling and groaning about going back. He knew where I was going and why. “I know. I’ll be careful.” I kissed his warm snout and reassured him. His lack of trust of Watergate City matched my own.

  He flew fast and dropped me in the forest again, our meeting place outside the city.

  “Go back to the aunts. Stay there. I’ll come home when I am done.” I hugged him, taking that warmth and safety he always offered. I wondered if I gave him anything in return or if this was a one-sided relationship. I hoped he found a measure of love and safety in me.

  Instead of going to the inn, although I wanted to know the gossip surrounding the king’s death, I walked to a place I hadn’t imagined I would walk to again. Even though weaving my way through the alleys was easy and familiar. When I reached the large doors, I expected to hear music and for there to be a guard the moment I opened one. But it was silent. No crowd. No smoke. No dancing or fighting. Just the low-beam ceiling in the massive room where the stench of sweat and partying had permanently stained the air.

  “Tom?” I called quietly, though the space was enormous. “I’m not here to kill you,” I added in case.

  “That’s a voice I didn’t imagine I would hear again,” he said from the back where his office was located. He walked into the dim light coming from the lanterns along the wall. “What in the gods are you doing back here?”

  “I came to ask you something.” I walked farther in, fighting the overwhelming memories of this place.

  “Is it about Grayse? How is he?”

  “No and good. He’s leading an army in the Southern Isles, taking back his homeland.”

  Tom leaned against the wall, he too was thinner and had aged from the last time I saw him. As everyone in Watergate seemed to be. “Then what could you possibly want to ask me?”

  Our friendship was tepid. My reputation proceeded me always.

  “My brother, the king, has sent me to take back the castle and—”

  “Ah yes. I did hear about your handiwork in the castle. I never saw you as a child murderer, I won’t lie. That was a surprise.” He wrinkled his nose, judging me. The disappointment dripped off him.

  “It shouldn’t be a surprise,” I managed, though it was difficult not to defend myself. “Anyway, I have to find someone who the city will listen to. Someone Marana will respect. The rightful steward in Marana is young still. He will need to be guided by a figurehead who has the best interest of the people at heart.”

  “But who will also listen to your brother as the king of all the lands?” he asked smugly.

  “That would be ideal,” I agreed, hating these negotiations.

  “Have you come to ask me to do it?” He scoffed.

  “Absolutely not. I’ve come to ask you to think of how the city was before. Gambling and shipping and whores. Who amongst the powerful leaders of the city opposed it the most? Who was against the political climate here in Watergate? A man who was respected and had higher standards than the other aristocrats?”

  Tom smiled wide. “That is a noble question. You haven’t lost your way completely then?”

  “Fine, if you’re going to be difficult, I’ll tell you the truth. It wasn’t me. I didn’t kill anyone in that castle. It was the king, my uncle Errol,” I confessed, aware now that he was disgusted by me and likely wouldn’t help. “He went mad and murdered his entire family apart from a single grandson. That is who will be the steward of this kingdom. The rightful blood to rule in my brother’s name. And he needs a protector and a mentor who will raise him to have honor.”

  He paused, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed with skepticism. “The king?”

  “I went to the castle to remove him and I found them. He had killed them all and lined their bodies against the wall with the King of Midland and his family amongst them.” I closed my eyes for a moment as the image hit me. “The smell—”

  “Gods, it wasn’t you?”

  “Regardless of what you have heard, I don’t kill children intentionally, Tom. And certainly not my own cousins,” I growled. “I managed to get Thomas, one of the grandsons, to safety before the king jumped from the turrets, killing himself. His bloody sword still in hand.” I winced at the image of him splayed out on the ground.

  “What a coward. I always knew he was pathetic, but I never imagined he was that spineless.” He walked closer, no longer disgusted with me in particular. “The man you seek is named Ullrich. Ullrich Enderby. He is a wealthy man, owns a large shipping fleet. He hated the king and, as you say, the climate here as far as politics goes. He opposed everything the king did. Vocal at every turn about his dislike of the values and morals the city seemed to lack.”

  “Where can I find him?”

  “His estate is to the west of the city. Quite large and surrounded by olive trees. Right on the sea with his own small shipyard.” Tom winked. “Expect him not to want to see you.”

  “I always do.” I laughed bitterly.

  “Tell Grayse I miss the money he made me.” He waved and walked back to his off
ice.

  “Thanks again, Tom.” I turned and left quickly, aware he was likely uncomfortable with me there. With me being seen there.

  People would talk.

  They always did. Especially in Watergate City.

  It was a decent walk back but when I neared the tree outside my aunts’ house, I called loudly, “I’m home!”

  When I got close to the trunk, Mani pulled me in again.

  “Have you heard of a man named Ullrich Enderby?” I asked them before greeting politely or stopping for a drink or a breath.

  Before either aunt could answer, Thomas spoke softly, “I have.” He lifted his head from his pillow. “Grandfather hated him but secretly my mother always thought him to be the voice of reason in the kingdom. Why?”

  “Your mother respected Lord Enderby?” My mother had liked Errol’s daughter. I remembered that much at least.

  “I heard her and Father discussing it once last summer after Lord Enderby had a fight with grandfather in the courtyard of the castle. Everyone heard them shouting at one another.” Thomas tilted his head in confusion. “Why do you want to know this?” He was a smart little thing.

  “I don’t want to lie to you, Thomas. Or tell you something that doesn’t come to fruition. So can you give me the afternoon before I answer that question?”

  “Of course,” he agreed, sounding so much older than he was.

  I winked at him. “Gracious of you, young sir. I’ll be back.” I walked out, not saying a word to the aunts. My feet were sore. My back had a slight ache to it. And there was a deep need in me to go home and sleep for a week. I’d been traveling for months on end, and it had started to feel like years. Fighting and sleeping under trees with Artan, even in cold places where my dragon was the only thing that kept me alive. Well, apart from my dragon blood. No matter how far we came, it never seemed to be enough and Katy was right; I was weary. I’d burned the candle at both ends the way my grandmother always said my father did, and now there was nothing left but some puddled wax for me to draw on.

  But it would have to be enough.

  I was so close.

  Artan stood up from the tree where he was eating something resembling a lamb. It was difficult to tell through the char and bite marks. He had clearly done his own cooking today.

  “If you want to keep eating, I can ask Mani for a doorway,” I said as I crossed the meadow to him.

  He grumbled and stood up straight, indicating that wouldn’t be necessary. He was worried and wanted to be there for the meeting with Ullrich Enderby.

  I didn’t blame him.

  Showing up at a stranger’s house didn’t seem to be a good idea to either of us but there were few options. It wasn’t as if Marana was having celebrations and balls where we could be introduced. It was nearly lawlessness and anarchy in the streets at this point.

  The flight from the grove where the witches lived was warm and smooth, but a storm was on the horizon, still at sea. It would likely hit in the next day or so.

  Artan curved to the right, flying to the coastline west of Watergate City. There were few chimneys burning and hardly anyone on the roads. Marana was crippled.

  We flew for some time before I saw it, the small shipping harbor Tom had spoken of. It was bigger than I expected, but nothing compared to the harbor in Watergate.

  Artan lowered, circling the massive estate several times.

  “Land there,” I shouted and pointed at a large grassy knoll on the eastern side of the property, at the edge of a huge orchard. I imagined Lord Enderby was self-sufficient here with the fruit and wild game to hunt and what appeared to be a sizeable farm all on his property. Plus the fishing was likely quite good.

  Artan landed with a thud and immediately his nostrils flared. I glanced at the locket on my wrist. No faces flashed. “It’s all right,” I said soothingly, though I had no idea what to expect.

  Chapter 11

  I walked away from Artan, turning back to check on him as I headed to the viewpoint between us and the main mansion overlooking the water.

  Artan looked like he might follow but I pointed my hand into the air.

  He flared his nostrils before taking off, flying up higher than anyone could reach with a weapon and circled.

  When I crested the hill, I saw them. A small party of men coming to meet me. In the front was an older gentleman, perhaps close to my grandmother’s age. He had white hair and a weathered dark face. My eyes continually darted to the locket as I waited to decide on whether my swords should be out or not. But when he got near, I sensed there was no threat here. Something the locket agreed on.

  When he was close enough to speak without shouting, he asked, “Why would the only daughter, or child of King Henry Morgentstein be showing up unannounced?”

  “I need your help, Lord Enderby,” I stated, curious that he knew me to see me and that he was aware of my being my father’s only child.

  He paused when he was no more than ten steps from me and tilted his head, narrowing his gaze. “I can’t imagine what I could possibly help you with, Princess. You might be the most accomplished assassin I have heard of. Your showing up in the daylight with a massive dragon circling overhead is the only reason I have to believe you’re not here to murder me.” He chuckled but there was a lack of humor in it.

  “I mean you no harm, your lordship.”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve come on behalf of your brother to force me into being the steward of Marana?” He folded his arms. The men behind him relaxed, just a bit.

  “Not quite,” I said, not sure where to start.

  “I know you’ve been to see the king.” He was indifferent to it. “Though I will say, I wish you had come sooner but perhaps spared the children.” He disliked me and the reason was obvious.

  “That’s what I’m here about,” my voice softened. “Can we speak in private?” I asked, staring past him to his men.

  “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say to them. I have no secrets from—”

  “I didn’t kill a single person in that castle,” I blurted. “And the news that there were no survivors isn’t true either.”

  His eyes widened and he waved away his men. He didn’t speak but they turned and walked away quickly, leaving us to the warm breeze and waves below.

  “Thomas, the grandson, is alive and in my care as one of his only living relatives left.”

  His lips twisted but I didn’t give him a moment to speak.

  “Eventually, you will learn from him how it all went but I will warn you in advance. The details are horrific.” I took a breath and uttered words I wished weren’t true, “My uncle, the king, went mad and murdered the royal family from Midland and then turned the sword on his own family. He killed everyone and then himself. I showed up at the castle moments before he flung himself from the turret.”

  His shoulders sank and his brow knit with troubles, as if he’d foreseen this. He didn’t doubt a single thing I’d said.

  “Thomas is recuperating from his wounds. He will make a full recovery. And as he is the rightful heir to the steward’s throne of Marana, I believe he should have it. He seems intelligent as far as I have been able to tell.” It was strange not knowing one’s family. But Mother had distanced herself from Marana the moment she married my father.

  “He is. And kind like his mother and your mother were. A sweet boy.” His voice broke with emotion. He closed his eyes, pinching them shut. “How could you Errol?” he asked my dead uncle.

  “He was crazed, Lord Enderby. I saw him in that last second, there was nothing but madness.”

  “That poor boy. He deserved so much better.” He opened his eyes and stared at me, revealing tears. “This is your fault, Princess. You should have come for him sooner. You could have prevented this.”

  “I’m sorry and will be for the rest of my life,” I whispered, taking blame I wasn’t entirely sure I deserved, but at this point did it matter? “And that’s why I’m here. I want you to be his regent.”

&
nbsp; “What?” He gasped as if I were mad for asking it.

  “Michael, my brother, can’t trust Marana to just anyone. Surely, you see that.” I pointed out flatly.

  He bit his lip and sighed deeply as if preventing himself from saying something.

  “Please,” I pleaded. “I know you wished for Marana and Watergate to be something different. Something better. You fought with King Errol over the gambling and whoring. Please do this for the people here. My brother is sending an army from Ettelbruck, and my dragon and I will stand with you and Thomas. We will help clean up this mess.”

  “Fine. I will be the regent.” He relented for a moment before finally nodding. “For the boy and the people.” He pointed at me. “But not for you or your bastard brother.”

  “Watch your tongue, my lord.” I stepped closer.

  “I knew your father well, Princess. And your mother more so. I’m aware of what your brother is. You come to me and ask on his behalf and guilt me with the people of this land. But the truth is, you’re a coward, Your Grace.” He bowed deeply. “You won’t take your rightful place on the throne as queen, but you have the impudence to ask me to do this?” He scowled and turned away. “I will meet you at the castle tomorrow and we will begin,” he shouted as he walked away.

  His words stung. How many people knew the truth?

  “That man hates me,” I whispered then whistled for my ride.

  Artan landed a moment later, letting me climb onto his back and jumping off again. He complained as we flew over Watergate, heading back to the aunts’ house. He didn’t like me taking risks like that.

  He flew me to the forest and landed as gently as he was capable of. He walked, thumping us both until he reached the tree where he intended to finish his meal. I slid off him and hugged. “Thanks,” I muttered.

  He grunted and waddled loudly over to the carcass he’d left behind.

  In the house, I found my aunts and Thomas, just as I expected them. Katy was cleaning herbs and Mani was sorting through a box of crystals. The collar Clarabelle gave me was on the table in front of her. Both aunts eyed me but didn’t speak.