This almost caused Heldon to pause again, but he clenched his gauntleted hand into a fist and shook his head. He had had enough dealings with Serhon to want nothing to do with them for a very long time. What had Therth gotten himself involved in now? And what did he expect Heldon to do about it?
Shaking his head, Heldon didn’t want to think about it. He marched through the corridors with narrowed eyes, dreading this meeting.
Along the way, Erita came down another corridor and joined him, matching his strides. “Therth—”
“I heard.” Heldon nodded.
“He brought—”
“Princess Gremina. Yes, I know.”
Erita furrowed her brows. Not much troubled her husband this deeply or this quickly. “What do you intend to do?”
Still walking, Heldon cast her a glance. “I intend to resolve this issue.” With that, he set his gaze ahead once more and nodded to the guards at the doors of the council hall, and they pulled them open, allowing the king and queen to enter the room without breaking stride.
Heldon slowed his step when he saw the figures of Therth and Gremina, who turned at the sound of their entrance. Heldon wanted to greet his cousin in a familiar manner, yet he was with Princess Gremina, so he knew this was a matter of business rather than a personal visit.
With this in mind, Heldon offered his visitors a tight smile as he walked around them to his throne and took a seat. “So, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?”
Gremina opened her mouth to reply, yet Therth lifted his hand and shook his head, signaling for her to allow him to take the lead. She almost looked ready to protest but thinned her lips and stepped back.
Therth set his gaze upon his cousin, the king. For a moment he frowned. “Honroth?” But he knew he had to be mistaken, yet Heldon looked so much like the late king, his twin Honroth. He had grown out some facial hair, and something about the weight of the crown aged him. Shaking his head, Therth bowed before the king. “My apologies, Your Majesty.” He straightened his posture and locked eyes with Heldon. “I come before you with a...request.”
When he was mistaken for his lost twin, Heldon narrowed his eyes and willed the hurt away from his heart. The loss of his brother had been painful, but now there was simply a void. That hurt just as much. He glimpsed at his wife, who had taken her seat upon her throne, and she offered him a small smile. This comforted him.
Dismissing his thoughts, Heldon fixed his gaze upon his cousin. “What is this request?” His eyes shifted to Gremina, and he was still uncertain what to think of her presence, but he looked back at Therth, waiting for a response.
Therth looked undecided on how to approach the subject, so Gremina stepped forward boldly. “I wish for my father to be freed and returned to Serhon.”
Hearing this, Heldon lifted his brows then laughed. “He is not imprisoned here. You must go to Athorim to request King Caleth release him. I have no say in the matter.” He shook his head, but deep down, the thought of Roskelem’s release disturbed him.
“Yet you are allied with King Caleth.” Gremina’s words caused Heldon to pause, and he shifted his gaze back to her. Realizing she had his attention, she nodded and took a step forward. “The two of you are in good-standing with one another. He will consider whatsoever request you present to him.”
“And why should I request the release of King Roskelem?” Heldon saw Gremina open her mouth to respond, but he shook his head—irked by the mere thought of this proposition. He leaned forward to make sure he had Gremina’s eye. “You dare come into my court and demand the release of your father? He is responsible for the death of Therth’s own brother, Loroth! He is responsible for Lorrek’s exile. He marred Lorrek’s reputation and caused him lots of grief. Your father is responsible for Princess Atheta’s exile—your own sister! He is responsible for separating my cousin,” he pointed to Therth, “and his son. He declared war against Cuskelom and fought against us. There are still people he turned into stone in that battlefield, and you dare to demand his release?” Heldon shook his head in disgust and sat back on his throne. “I owe you nothing.”
Gremina appeared uncertain how to respond, but she pressed her lips together in determination, and a fire lit her eyes. Therth placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back. “Give me a moment with my cousin.” Then he fastened his gaze on Heldon. “Sire...if I may speak with you for a moment as family.” He gestured to the side of the room.
Realizing Therth wished to have a private conversation with him, Heldon hesitated, unwilling to lay down his authority on this matter. However, Therth was family, and he deserved a moment if he so desired.
With a sigh, Heldon rose to his feet and stepped away from his throne to the side of the room. Once they were alone, he gave his cousin an expectant stare. “Why would you agree to this, Therth? After everything he’s done to our family—to you!” He motioned to Therth, almost jabbing him in the chest.
Therth caught Heldon’s hand and locked eyes with him. Heldon could tell this decision had been one Therth had contemplated for some time before making up his mind. Now there was nothing to deter him from his path. “I am responsible for everything that happened. I could have refrained from revealing my true identity to Princess Atheta, and I could have withheld my feelings from her. If I had done this, Lorrek would never have confronted her, and Roskelem would never have had a reason to lash out. I broke this family apart—both of our families—and I should try to mend what I can. Princess Gremina requested this, and who am I to refuse? Her father has suffered enough by having his magic stripped from him. The least we can do is to allow him to spend the rest of his days in his home in Serhon.”
“He has no right to be king,” Heldon told him, and Therth nodded.
“And he will not be king. Haskel will retain that title. He will not surrender it to his father.”
None of this sounded like a good idea to Heldon, so he shook his head, still trying to grasp the fact that his cousin felt responsible for everything and thought this would fix matters. He had to chuckle a little, but it was a dry, humorless sound, and he looked back at Therth. “Do you truly think he will not seize power as soon as he is able?”
“He has no magic. What power could he have?” Therth looked confused, and again this made Heldon laugh—an unamused sound.
“The power of a king!” Heldon said loudly as he spread his hands out, frustrated that his cousin didn’t fully understand the ramifications of releasing Roskelem. Heldon sighed, knowing Gremina and Erita were listening now. He decided not to keep the conversation quiet but spoke in his normal voice. “Kings have the command of entire lands and thousands of men. Wars are waged by kings, so do not ask me what power Roskelem could possibly have!” He spun back around to Therth with fury in his eyes. “It is intoxicating power, frightening power. It is the closest thing to magic a mere mortal could have. If Roskelem cannot have actual magic, he will fight for the only other power he has had—the power and authority of a king. What makes you so confident that he will not do whatever it takes to assume that power?”
“Because we will not give it to him,” Gremina spoke up, earning the attention of both Heldon and Therth. When she saw both of them staring at her, she nodded and pulled back her shoulders, feeling a bit more confident. “He is my father. He was king of Serhon, and he should be treated with respect. Instead he is treated as a criminal—”
“He is a criminal!” Heldon argued, and Gremina glared at him.
Seeing this conversation was merely going in circles, Erita rose to her feet and gestured for her husband to stand down for a moment as she turned her attention to the visiting princess. “We understand your concern. As you said, he is your father, and you want what is best for him. However, he is a man with a vile temper, and there is no telling what being stripped of his magic has done to him. He may not be the same man you knew. Athorim is the safest place for him.”
Gremina curled her hands into fists and scowled at Erita. “I don’t care. I want
my father back, and they will release him.”
Erita narrowed her eyes. She heard the absolute certainty in Gremina’s voice, and this made her wonder. “Why are you so certain?” She began to walk around the princess.
“I have something the Athorians will want.” Gremina turned her head to keep track of Erita around and behind her, but she didn’t move. “And all I ask in return is my father.”
Heldon crossed his arms. He could tell the princess was trying to avoid saying something, and this caused him to narrow his eyes even further. He didn’t care what strange alliance Therth had with Serhon. Heldon had no interest in endangering Cuskelom, and Roskelem was a threat. “They will not release him, and I certainly will not speak on his behalf. You’ve wasted your time in coming here. If you want him released, you should have gone straight to King Caleth.” Heldon dismissed them with a gesture as he headed back to his throne.
His words caused Gremina to clench her fists tighter, and she shot Therth a look. She saw the subtle shake of the head he gave her, but she was beyond caring now. She reached into her satchel and pulled something out. Neither Heldon nor Erita could see what was in Gremina’s hand, though they peered at it curiously until Gremina turned her palm up and opened her hand, revealing a black stone with sharp, jagged edges and very distinct geometry.
Heldon straightened. “Is that...?”
Gremina nodded and closed her fingers over the stone. “A Black Stone, yes.”
“How did you get that?” Erita measured her tone when she asked this. The Black Stone was sacred to Athorim. It was no wonder why Gremina thought she had leverage on this topic, but it begged Erita to wonder how she had gotten her hands on that stone in the first place.
The question brought a smile to Gremina’s face. “Serhon is renowned for its thieves, is it not?” And that was the only explanation she gave.
Heldon pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Again, what does this have to do with Cuskelom? You have your leverage. Take it to Athorim.” He motioned to the doors as if gesturing to Athorim.
“If we go to him now, he will dismiss us immediately. But you are his friend. He may reconsider the dismissal. You owe me this much, Heldon, and this is all I ask,” Therth told his cousin.
Erita observed the exchange then turned to their visitors. “Please give the king and myself a moment. We must discuss this between ourselves.” She nodded to the side of the room for them to go, and Therth touched Gremina’s arm, encouraging her to step away from the rulers of Cuskelom.
Grateful to have a moment to breathe, Erita took a deep breath then turned back to her husband and approached him. She spoke to him in a softened voice and said, “I could go. You could stay here, and I could oversee negotiations. Cuskelom may not stand by their request, but at least we will be well-informed whether or not Roskelem is released. If he is, we can prepare for whatever the outcome may be.”
However, as she spoke, Heldon shook his head. When she finished, he kept shaking his head, chuckled, then looked at her. He had no idea what to do but knew he had to do something. “You must stay here.” When she furrowed her brows, confused, Heldon sighed and glimpsed over to where Gremina and Therth stood. He didn’t want them to know of their delicate situation, so he kept his voice low as he shifted his gaze back to his wife. “The thymords—they may return at any moment, and they may demand the World Orbs. I have no way of preventing them from teleporting into that chamber and taking all the World Orbs. However, you do. You can cast a spell over the chamber, preventing anyone from entering.”
“I can cast that spell now and still go to Athorim,” Erita counted, but Heldon shook his head as he reached out to touch her arm.
“No. I prefer to have some access to it if required. And besides, if the thymords were to return, your magic could keep them busy for much longer than any fair-speech of mine. Also, you can keep an eye on Uncle Torroth. Perhaps he will still find an answer in the Archives regarding our claim to the World Orbs.” He looked her in the eye. “I will go to Athorim—not to vouch for Roskelem’s release but to be a witness when all is said and done. I need you here.”
Erita sighed. She could see his point, but it seemed no matter which way they chose, it was not the right choice. She nodded. “Very well. I will remain here as you requested, but if you ever need me, reach out through our bond, and I will magick there immediately.”
Heldon squeezed her hand, thankful she had the ability to magick, so they weren’t entirely reliant on horses or walking. He let go of Erita’s hand and turned back to Therth and Gremina. “It is decided. I will accompany you to Athorim. However, do not expect me to support the release of King Roskelem.” He shook his head. “For now, the servants will show you to your chambers. Rest and refresh yourselves. We leave in the morning.”
With a small smile, Gremina slipped the stone back into the bag then bowed her head to the king before turning and leaving.
Therth hesitated a moment and fixed his gaze on his cousin. “You have my eternal thanks, my lord.”
“I merely pray you know what you are doing,” Heldon told him, feeling someway defeated.
His cousin smiled at him, but there was something sad about that smile—lacking joy but full of knowing. Therth turned and followed after Gremina.
Heldon watched them go and waited until the guards closed the doors of the council hall once more before he slouched his shoulders and shook his head. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a horrible idea, but what else could he do?
He shifted his gaze to his wife. “Inform Lorrek of these developments. He should be made aware in case Roskelem seeks to harm him further.”
At his command, Erita reached through the magic realm to touch Lorrek’s mind, but she furrowed her brows at what she found, and she frowned, withdrawing.
Heldon saw the expression on her face, and he gave her a quizzical look. “What’s wrong?”
Erita tried to reach out to Lorrek once more but shook her head. “It’s odd—like a shroud is surrounding Lorrek’s mind. I can’t penetrate it.”
“A mental shield?” Heldon lifted his brows. His brother had mentioned such a thing to him, but it made little sense to Heldon. Perhaps that was what Erita meant, although she still looked bewildered.
“Perhaps, but...” She tried to scope out what was blocking her way to Lorrek. Only one thing came to mind, and she withdrew from the magic realm entirely and locked eyes with Heldon. “It’s almost as if he’s unconscious.”
“Asleep?” Heldon’s heart skipped a beat. He hoped Lorrek was only sleeping, but the tone of Erita’s voice told him otherwise.
Erita shook her head. “No, if he was merely asleep, I could slip into his dreams. This is a different kind of sleep. A forced sleep—as if he’s under a spell or...something else.” She noticed the growing concern on her husband’s face, and she offered him a comforting smile, touching his arm. “Not to worry. I will investigate this further. I’m sure he is well. However, if he requires aid of any kind, I will magick to him. You needn’t worry.”
Heldon nodded, trying to take his wife’s words to heart, but it was difficult. What if the thymords he had sent to Lorrek actually managed to overpower him? These thoughts did not help Heldon’s growing anxiety, so he shook his head and looked at Erita. “I go to bathe. My ride still clings to me.” He gestured to himself as if indicating to his sweat. “I leave tomorrow with Therth and Gremina. Be sure to have the servants put together provisions.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” Erita bowed to him and stepped aside as he headed for the door. She watched him go, and once he stepped out of the council hall, Erita let out a breath and turned her attention back to the magic realm. “Lorrek, what have you gotten yourself into?”
20
Theran marched through the woods at a determined pace. He led the way, pushing aside any branches in his path. They snapped under his touch, but he ignored that and pressed on.
Mordora followed behind with Kinnard who trailed h
er. She hesitated as she saw Theran’s curt attitude. The Cuskelian prince had not spoken to her since they departed from the others. He took the lead and expected them to fall into step. He didn’t care if they fell behind. They had someplace to be and not much time to get there, so he would not slow for anything. Mordora wasn’t sure what to think of this. She felt as though she had no say in anything now.
She glanced at Kinnard and asked with a quiet, timid voice, “What has happened to Theran?”
Kinnard shifted his attention from watching where he was going to looking at the prince of Cuskelom, and he shook his head. “I’m not quite certain.” He looked at Mordora. “As you know, Talhon isn’t known for its socialization with the surrounding lands, but I do know Theran spent the last several years searching for Lorrek before finally finding him. As for that armor, it’s from Jechorm. I don’t know much more than that.”
Mordora shook her head. “No, I mean...he’s so harsh now—and much darker. The Theran I recall from all those years ago was reckless and a loud—”
“I was reckless once,” Theran interjected as he came to a halt in front of them, forcing them to stop behind him before running into them. At first he continued to stare down the path ahead of them before turning his head to look at Mordora. “I had been reckless, and my father had had enough. He banished me from this world to Endleath. I never realized that would be the last time I would see him alive.” Theran paused as if realizing this truth for the first time. He shook his head and went on his way. “Lorrek found me there. At the time I didn’t know why he had been there, but his companionship was welcome. Then Honroth teleported to Endleath and retrieved both of us. That was the day I lost my father. It was also the day I lost my little brother for a decade. That was the day I finally began to mature.” He glimpsed over his shoulder at Mordora and smiled a small, sad smile, but she couldn’t see it due to his helmet covering his face. “Isn’t that what you always wanted for me, Princess? Now you are the one who is reckless—unlocking the bracelet of Rykeldan.”
The Chronicles of Lorrek Box Set Page 93