The Return of Absent Souls (After The Rift Book 6)

by C. J. Archer

  I blew out a held breath and met his gaze. I nodded. He nodded back, but did not look as satisfied as I thought he would.

  “We’ll adjourn to the council chamber now, shall we, Your Majesty?” the duke of Buxton asked.

  Dane shook his head. “I haven’t yet begun.”

  “Pardon?”

  “The reason I brought you all here this morning is not about evidence of my claim.”

  “Is it about your queen?”

  Some heads turned to me. Their frosty regard left me in no doubt what they thought of me marrying their new king.

  “No,” Dane said. “This is about Glancia’s future. A future without a king or queen. A future as a republic rather than a monarchy.”

  Chapter 15

  The silence stretched and deepened. Nobles glanced at one another, frowning. Then the outbursts erupted.

  “Why?” asked one.

  “What’s wrong with a monarchy?” asked another.

  “This is Glancia, not some barbaric backwater.”

  The voices became louder, the questions more rapid. Dane looked to Balthazar and Balthazar merely lifted his shoulder, as if telling Dane he’d expected this response.

  Dane let the nobles continue until the noise level became deafening. Then he whistled for silence. The room instantly quietened, although the chatter didn’t stop altogether.

  “I don’t understand,” said one noblewoman near me. “Are we now at war with ourselves?”

  “What will happen to us?” her friend said with gravity. “To the nobility?”

  “Let me explain,” Dane said. “Ever since learning I am heir to the Glancian throne, I have been considering the situation. I had a lot of time to think in prison, and since, and I came to realize that Freedland has a good political system in place.”

  “It’s corrupt!” the duke of Gladstow declared. “Taxes are too high.”

  “And the nobles were all stripped of their property and titles,” Lord Deerhorn shouted over the other voices. “Is that what you want here? Are we to be turned out of our own homes?”

  Dane called for calm again, but it took longer before he could be heard over the dissent. “I said the Freedland system was good. It’s certainly not perfect. But we can learn from their mistakes. To address your immediate concerns, I am not proposing any nobles be stripped of anything. You can keep your property and titles, and any rights that were fairly and legally come by will remain.”

  That produced a few sighs of relief.

  “As for corruption, Freedland experiences some, it’s true, but so do we. Governors and officials are often appointed based on personal ties, or even bribery, rather than merit.”

  Uncomfortable murmurs and shuffling of feet ensued.

  “What I propose is for the people to vote for a high minister to oversee the governing of Glancia,” Dane said.

  “What? All of the people?” asked a lady in a shrill voice.

  “If they wish.”

  Somebody snorted. “That’ll be an administrative nightmare.”

  “It’ll provide employment,” Dane shot back. “A republic means Glancia will not be reliant on a single person of nobody’s choosing to govern—and govern well—for decades. If the king is a tyrant, the kingdom suffers. A republic will ensure that never happens.”

  “But you’ll make a good king,” the duke of Buxton protested.

  “Perhaps,” Dane said. “But I have a temper. I have no taste for diplomacy and little patience to learn it. I’m stubborn and arrogant, so I’ve been told.”

  I pressed my lips together to suppress my smile. Dane didn’t look my way, but I knew that was directed squarely at me.

  “I will hate every moment of being king, and that’s not what Glancia deserves. Further,” he said, raising his voice over the protests, “What if my firstborn son lacks the qualities a king needs? Or his firstborn son? What if my heirs are more like Leon? Or worse, like my grandfather, King Diamedes of Averlea?”

  A hush fell over the gathering.

  “We are in a unique position here,” Dane went on confidently. “We have this opportunity to change the course of history, to shape a better future for Glancia.”

  “But we have a king, and you seem nothing like Diamedes,” the duke of Gladstow said. “Why change things now? Why not worry about overthrowing a bad king when the time comes?”

  “If a republic is created now, with the approval of the ruler, it will be done in a bloodless, peaceful manner. I’ll manage the transition for two years. At the end of those two years, we’ll hold an election and the people can vote for the candidate they deem best to become high minister.”

  “Who will choose the candidates?” Lord Claypool asked.

  “Anyone can be a candidate. They will have to register and then—”

  “Do you mean my stable hand can be a candidate?” Lord Deerhorn sneered. “Ridiculous. Is that the sort of person you want running the country?”

  “Your stable hand might know what’s best for the people,” Dane said.

  Lord Xavier snorted. “Ridiculous,” he muttered in echo of his father.

  “Can women be elected?” asked Lady Claypool.

  “Yes,” Dane said.

  That produced another round of surprised mutters. I smiled. This was going to take some getting used to, for all of us.

  “The details still need to be worked out, but that’s why I suggest a two-year transition,” Dane said. “We can look to Freedland for advice and use the parts of their system that work and discard those that do not. We will put in place a better system, and make Glancia a beacon for fairness, the envy of every nation on the Fist Peninsula.”

  “You would deny your heirs the opportunity to rule?” the duke of Gladstow asked, incredulous.

  “My heirs can stand for election as high minister, just like anyone else. If the people think they’ll make a good leader, then they’ll rule until the people no longer think that and vote them out.”

  “You’re doing this so you can marry whomever you want, aren’t you?” Lord Claypool asked, not unsympathetically. “You know King Phillip won’t want his daughter married to a man who will be leader for only two years with no guarantee beyond that.”

  Dane’s smile was hard. “You seemed not to have heard me the other times I told you, so I will say it again. I will marry Miss Cully whether I am king or not.”

  Lady Claypool glared at her husband and said something under her breath to him.

  “It’s irrelevant now anyway,” he muttered. “If this proposal goes ahead, he won’t be king.”

  Satisfied, Dane surveyed the room again. He let his gaze settle on the Deerhorns. “Let this be a warning. Corruption will be exposed and punished. Not just corruption in the process of choosing a high minister, but past corruption in the assigning of governors, sheriffs and other local officials. Perpetrators will be dealt with according to the law.”

  The crowd parted and Lady Deerhorn marched through it, her skirts billowing behind her as she strode from the chamber. Her husband and son followed in her wake. Either they didn’t see me, or they deliberately avoided looking my way.

  I released another breath. It was over. They held no more power. The gem and final wish were in our possession, the duke of Gladstow was no longer married to Violette, and Dane was now in charge. In a matter of days, they’d lost everything they’d clawed back after rioters destroyed their castle. It was an immeasurable relief. I couldn’t help smiling.

  I caught Dane looking at me. He smiled back, even though the nobles were not yet won over. Some seemed to be, but most were worried about losing their own power or having a commoner in charge of the country. Dane had some way to go before convincing them.

  Balthazar pushed to his feet. “Is this what you want, Dane?” he asked.

  Dane nodded. “It is. A republic is the best system for Glancia. For her people. It seems the high priest worked against me for nothing.”

  The high priest collapsed against the wall, as
if he needed the support to hold him up.

  The room heaved a collective sigh. Some nobles began to leave. Others stayed to talk. The duke of Buxton shook Dane’s hand and assured him he would see that everyone was brought around to the notion of a republic.

  Then, in a complete surprise, the duke of Gladstow also shook Dane’s hand. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it looked favorable. If both dukes agreed to Dane’s proposal of a republic then surely the rest of the nobles would follow.

  “What a sensation!” Kitty said as she joined me. “I didn’t know he was going to declare Glancia a republic, did you?”

  “No.”

  She clicked her tongue. “Tell him he must share his ideas with you before going ahead with them next time. It’s what couples do.”

  “Gladstow doesn’t share his ideas with you.”

  “Loving couples.” She leaned closer. “Anyway, Gladstow did tell me he wants to get on Dane’s good side. He thinks I’m one of Dane’s closest friends now, through you, so considers himself fortunate that we are still married. He’ll ask me to use that relationship with Dane to some advantage or other, of course.”

  So it was true. His ready agreement to Dane’s proposal was indeed thanks to Kitty. She had swayed him, indirectly and unwittingly. “We’ll be sure to let him continue to believe you have influence with Dane,” I told her. “It will keep you protected.”

  “Most assuredly. Before his eagerness to please me wanes, I’m going to ask him to buy me a cottage near here so I can visit you whenever I like. I’ll get him to put ownership in my name.”

  “Cottage?”

  “Very well, a mansion. Just a small one, no more than six or eight bedchambers. With any luck, the Deerhorns will need to sell off an asset or two to pay fines for their corruption.”

  I laughed, feeling giddy with relief and happiness. Not only was Dane getting what he wanted, and he would not have to be king, but with both dukes on his side, gaining the support of the other nobles should be smooth.

  And we could be together.

  “The look on Lady Deerhorn’s face when she stormed out of here was priceless,” Kitty said, grinning. “I shall never forget it. She was furious—but anxious, too.”

  “A dangerous combination in a Deerhorn.” I looked to Balthazar, now getting up from the chair. Four guards surrounded him. It might not be enough. The Deerhorns would be more determined than ever to get their hands on the final wish, and the only way they could get it would be to kill Balthazar.

  “Oh dear,” Kitty said.

  I followed her gaze to see Yelena striding into the room. Going by the thunderous look on her face, Dane had not informed her of his intentions for Glancia, and she had just learned it from someone else.

  She stood in the middle of the room, both feet planted on the entwined LL emblem tiled in gold on the floor. She wore a simple but elegant cream and blue gown of lustrous silk that must have been hastily made from the clothes in Leon’s wardrobe. With her hair neatly arranged, and jeweled rings on her fingers, she looked every bit the princess.

  Her color worried me, however. If it weren’t for the two pink spots on her cheeks, her face would have been too pale.

  She waited for Dane as he finished speaking to a group of noblemen and Balthazar, her lips pinched. The men finally bowed to Dane and left. As they passed through the doorway, a movement in the shadows caught my eye. Martha stood there, waiting meekly for her mistress.

  “How dare you,” Yelena snapped at Dane when the noblemen were gone.

  Balthazar signaled for me to leave with him, but Dane asked me to stay. He dismissed my guards, however, and asked them to wait outside.

  Once the door was closed, Dane invited his mother to sit. He indicated the throne. “You might as well sit there. It’s as good a place as any.”

  “Don’t be glib,” she spat. “You should be sitting on it. You and only you.”

  “So you’ve heard about the republic. I’m sorry you had to find out—"

  “Why didn’t you consult me before making the announcement?” she asked.

  “Because it doesn’t affect you.”

  “Doesn’t affect me! Of course it does. You are my son!”

  “I’m the one losing the throne, not you.”

  “I learned of it through gossip as the ladies left here. Do you know how that feels, Dane? To learn of something so significant from strangers?”

  “Yes.”

  She flinched then began to cough. She recovered quickly, but I suspected that was only because she fought it.

  “I’ll fetch water,” Dane said, striding past her.

  “Get back here. I haven’t finished.” She squared up to him. He was much taller than her, but even ill, she was a formidable force.

  Dane settled his gaze on her. It held no anger, but there was no sympathy either, and certainly no love. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way, Mother. But I didn’t inform you because I didn’t want this lecture before I spoke with the nobles. I needed a clear head. I planned to speak to you immediately afterwards, but it seems gossip is faster than me.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “Did you do this because of Josie?”

  Dane indicated me, standing behind her. “She’s right there, Mother. And no, I did not. I did it because it’s the best thing for Glancia.”

  She closed her eyes, and I worried she’d faint. Dane caught her elbow, but she shook him off with a violent jerk. She pierced him with a sharp glare, all signs of illness gone. “Everything I have striven for—everything we have striven for—gone.” She clicked her fingers. “Like that. In an instant of selfish folly.”

  Dane huffed out a humorless laugh. “And here I thought it was the least selfish thing to do.”

  “Don’t treat this as a joke!”

  “I’m not. I’m sorry you feel aggrieved—”

  “Aggrieved! I feel betrayed, Dane. Betrayed by my own son.” She thrust out her chin. “You should at least have consulted me before making the announcement. You don’t want to make hasty decisions about something so important.”

  Dane sighed. “Do we have to go through this again? Ever since I renounced my claim to the Freedland crown—"

  “Averlea,” she ground out through a clenched jaw. “It’s Averlea!”

  “Ever since I renounced my claim, and learned that I was king of Glancia, I have been thinking about this. It’s not a recent idea. I’ve thought long and hard. I’ve consulted wiser heads than my own.”

  “The master of the palace?” she sneered. “If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” She suddenly turned on me, eyes bright amid her pale face. “Or her. You may argue that you didn’t renounce the throne so you can marry her, but I will never believe it.” She picked up her skirts and marched out of the room.

  Dane followed, but he let her go once he reached Martha. He caught Martha’s elbow and asked her to stay a moment. She smiled sweetly up at him, brows raised in expectation.

  He suddenly bent and hugged her. “Thank you, Martha,” he said quietly.

  When he pulled away, she had tears in her eyes. Her smile softened and she patted his cheek. Then she raced after Yelena.

  Dane watched her go, his chest rising and falling with his deep sigh.

  I touched his arm and he turned to me, a lopsided smile in place. “All right?” I asked.

  “I am, but I’m not sure if Yelena will ever forgive me.”

  “Then that’s her burden.”

  He circled his arms around me and kissed my forehead. “Finally we can be alone,” he murmured.

  I warded him off with a hand to his chest, earning me a frown. “I’m worried about Balthazar. The Deerhorns will remain a threat until the third wish is used. We should decide what to do with it, sooner rather than later.”

  “Agreed, but that’s a discussion that requires all of us present. We’ll meet tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, Josie, I’ve given Erik orders to double Balthazar’s escort and for the D
eerhorns to be watched at all times.”

  It was a relief to hear, but I wouldn’t relax until that third wish was used and the Deerhorns informed.

  Dane rubbed my arms. “I know you worry about him. You care for him like a father, and he thinks of you as a daughter.” He gave a wry twist of his lips. “Yelena could learn much about parenting from him.”

  “She hasn’t had an easy life,” I said. “She was passed from family to family from the age of ten after witnessing her parents’ murder. It’s difficult to give love when you’ve never been the recipient of it yourself.”

  “She could have been the recipient. When I was a boy, I craved her love. She gave me her attention only when I did well at my studies or training, but she never once praised me. If it weren’t for Martha, I would have been starved of love.”

  I touched his face to force him to look at me. “Thank goodness for Martha. You seem to have quite a good grasp of it.”

  He settled his hands on my hips and dipped his head. “More recent friends have helped too. The most important of whom is standing before me, looking at me with adoring eyes.”

  “Adoring?” I mocked. “You’re mistaking that look for admonishment.”

  He pulled back. “Admonishment?”

  “I wished you’d talked to me about your plan to form a republic before you announced it to the nobles.” I winced. “Sorry. I sound like Yelena.”

  “I admit I should have told you. I should have told both of you. I didn’t discuss it with Yelena beforehand because I was a coward and wanted to delay a confrontation with her.”

  “And in my case?”

  “I wanted to surprise you.”

  I laughed. “It was certainly a surprise. But a good one.”

  He tugged me closer and circled me in his arms before kissing me deeply.

  When we finally broke apart, he said, “We have a lot to discuss, but let’s start with the most important. What is the minimum length of time before a couple can wed after making an official application? In Freedland, it’s three weeks.”