Pawn of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  “It might. But it’s too late now. I should get some sleep, and it’ll all look better in the morning.”

  The women headed to their respective rooms as Anela tidied up. I’d felt my father coming and going, but he was always gone by the time I could even get to Johey or try to find him myself. My father wasn’t stupid. If I went for my tablet, he’d have taken off immediately. He always picked times when I was weaker or off balance so he couldn’t be pinned down. Sleep made everyone vulnerable, and he seemed to prefer that time for his visits to catch me off guard.

  Lately, he’d avoided me, and I wasn’t really sorry about that. His plan was insane, and I didn’t want the pressure or any part of it. I absolutely didn’t want anyone to think I was in on it. I just wanted him in the dungeon where he belonged.

  As I slid into bed, I knew he wouldn’t ultimately end up in the dungeon. Not now. Not after what he’d been planning and what I knew. No, he’d be sentenced to death.

  Two hours of fitful sleep later, my eyes popped open. He was in the castle. I dressed hastily and grabbed my tablet. First, I had to figure out where he was. It wasn’t close, but he was deep in the castle. There were dozens of entrances and exits, so even alerting Johey to Father’s presence wouldn’t help him be caught. They could try and hope they got lucky, as Johey had tried before. I’d track him better.

  I headed down like I was going to the area with ships and weapons, but my gift pulled me the opposite way. Instead of toward the ship exit, I went deeper into the caverns of the castle. Lower still, it felt like a dungeon.

  Moans and whimpers echoed as I descended the steps. A whip cracked, and I shuddered. My father was down here? I reached out. Pushing into his brain alerted him I was searching for him, but I needed to know. He wasn’t in pain. Sticking to the shadows, I opened my mind to keep me safe. Slowly, I walked along the wall in the direction I sensed my father.

  I wasn’t quiet enough. One hulking man turned. He had a gash through one eye and a cleaver in his hand. We locked eyes, but I couldn’t let him make a sound. In a blink, I knocked him unconscious with my mind.

  Crossing the room, I got a better look at men shackled to the wall. They were filthy. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized they were slick with blood and sweat. Some looked at me hopefully. Others stared in fear.

  My heart wanted to stop, but my feet were smarter. I found a tiny alcove and hid there until I regained my bearings. My father wasn’t a prisoner here. Proceeding down a corridor, I saw many cells packed full of men. Our cells only held one person, and they were never all full. This place looked like it had more prisoners than servants. What could that many men have possibly done?

  I skimmed their minds as I stared straight ahead. The answers that kept coming back varied by cell. Each cell, it seemed, held the men for a specific crime. Theft, rape, desertion, and homosexuality.

  I kept walking.

  Finally, I found a few dank offices. My father was in one of them talking with two men. I knew he could sense me, but he didn’t react. Listening in, I wondered if he’d lie and cut things short.

  “It is very dangerous. You’re sure you want that much?” a man asked.

  “I need to have enough if the first attempt fails,” my father said.

  “That much won’t be cheap,” the man replied.

  “I’ve got it covered. There’re a lot of people in my way, and I want to be sure I have what I need.” Father sent me a warning to leave.

  I refused and waited.

  “We don’t have that much right now, but we can get more. You only need a tiny amount for a slow painful death on one person. It doesn’t take much to do the job fast, but it depends how many people you’re eliminating.” The man sounded happy.

  “We have other drugs,” said another man. “Good stuff we use to confuse and keep the prisoners cooperative and scared.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Right now, just the one thing we discussed. As soon as possible,” Father said.

  “You got it. Come back in a few days.” That man stood, his chair scraping the floor loudly.

  “Get out!” my father projected in my mind.

  If I were found there, they’d probably think it was a setup. What was he buying that was so lethal? How many people did he need to kill so quickly? If they killed my father, I’d have no proof he was plotting with the king and obtaining some dangerous poison that could be used in a lot of bad ways. The queen wanted him back dead or alive…but she wanted him.

  I’d find out what he was up to later. I took off before I was found. There was no way to take him. It was a failure of a trip to trap my father, but he wasn’t just making friends to get on the throne. He was out to kill people.

  Late to breakfast the next day, I’d been up late researching Bachal poisons on my tablet. There weren’t many, or we didn’t know about many. I didn’t have access to any of their libraries. Now, I had to go on with my day.

  Spetor sat next to me. “Your guard dogs are away,” he said.

  “Nemal and Johey? They went on some sort of hunt with the king and his son. I do have my droids.” I pointed to them standing by the wall.

  “You must be very precious to your queen.”

  “Or Nemal,” I joked. “Or just very rich and can afford my own droids. Those two are my personal property.”

  “I see. So, you don’t like hunting?”

  “I don’t need to see my food die.” I shook my head. “You’re not out on the hunt?”

  “I’ve been out on patrol for days. I wanted something prettier to look at than the backend of a horse.”

  I laughed. “They’re hunting on horseback?”

  “Not normal for Lazrel?”

  I smiled. “No. Not at all. The men will be sore when they get back.”

  “So, you prefer a ship?”

  “Or relocators. Hunting is done on foot, and it’s rare. Most of our livestock is raised on land set aside for it. They can roam and breed in peace, but are monitored for illness and injury. Numbers are maintained and reduced for optimal living conditions and available food sources and needs.” I sat back. “I’m sorry. You didn’t ask.”

  He grinned at me. “No, I like hearing you talk. You love your country. Different isn’t always bad. I heard you made the prince take you to the slums of the west side.”

  “I didn’t know they were slums. I wanted to meet some average people and help if I could. Sitting around a castle all day gets dull. At home, I have plenty to do between education, advising the queen and the princesses. Plus, I have my family, my farms, and so on. I can visit the people anytime I want, anywhere I like, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. Here, I’m a bit bored,” I said quietly.

  He shrugged. “Women without a husband or children usually are.”

  “You and your rulers have made it clear men are of value, and women aren’t, but that’s not true for me. You say those were slums. Can you show me an average town? Normal people and maybe a medical facility?” I asked.

  “Are you feeling ill?” he asked.

  “No, nothing like that. I understand some women who aren’t married with children work in the medical industry. Lazrel people think all Bachal men are warriors and all women only allowed to be wives and mothers. I’d like to see for myself and be able to tell them there are exceptions to that rule. Other opportunities.” I spun the outing like it’d make Bachal look better. I hoped, Spetor could sell it that way if we were found out.

  “I have the day off. If you want to go, I’d be happy to escort you. I grew up in a normal sort of town. Not a slum. Not a rich area, either. Big hospital and lab. They have them every few towns because most people don’t even have a horse.” He stood. “Let’s go.”

  “My droids are coming, too. We’re not going to ride a horse there, are we?”

  He strutted. “I’ll requisition a small ship. Perks of being higher ranked in the military.”

  “How do you tell rank
s apart when there is no real uniform?”

  “You just know. This is where I live. And I’m the queen’s nephew. They don’t tell me no,” he said.

  Half an hour later, he stopped the hover ship on the edge of a town. There were vast deserted areas of nothing between population centers. The slums seemed centered around the castle, as though proximity would demand assistance for the poor from their rulers. Clearly, it didn’t work.

  The smaller cities seemed to do better. He’d pointed out what each town was known for along the way.

  He helped me out of the ship. “This one is known for cloth. They weave a lot. Some machines in use. A lot of knitting, too, for the cold weather layers.”

  “You use all natural material?”

  “Absolutely. That’s all we have.” He walked around the area with confidence. “This isn’t the tanners or furriers. Those are further north where it’s cooler all year. People meet, and trading happens a few times a year at certain locations. This sewing operation is for normal stuff. A lot of women’s and children’s clothing. Women can work here around caring for their children, so that’s a plus.”

  People waved and nodded to him. I slipped into his mind briefly to confirm this was his home town.

  “Is there a medical facility?” I asked.

  He pointed to the big red rectangular building in the distance. “It’s hard to miss.”

  The walk was quicker than I thought it would be, and we were greeted by a woman who obviously expected we needed medical assistance.

  “I just wanted a bit of a tour, if I may,” I said.

  She bowed. “You’re from Lazrel.”

  I smiled and felt like an honored guest. Somehow, this seemed more important than being a guest at the castle. They had to be nice to me.

  The emergency unit was fairly dull.

  “Do you have a lot of poisons?” I asked.

  “Poison?” The nurse shook her head.

  “I meant poisonous creatures here in town. You have a lot of fields nearby. We have a few snakes that are deadly. We have to have antidotes for their venom. Something about the landscape made me think of those snakes. Sorry, I didn’t sleep well last night,” I covered.

  “There are a few bugs that can be deadly. Stinging insects mostly, but it’s rare. It would take a swarm to kill a person.” She seemed relieved I meant creatures.

  We moved up to maternity, and happy mothers showed off the children. Some of the fathers looked more disappointed than pleased. Dipping into their thoughts, it was exactly what I expected.

  “They want boys,” I said.

  “Don’t you want girls in your culture?” Spetor asked.

  I sighed. “It only matters if you’re the ruler of one of the five families. Most families don’t care. And your people can have all the children they want. We’ve got more limitations there.”

  “They can have all they want, but smart families don’t. They can’t afford them. The king encourages it, but they don’t subsidize larger families. Birth control is illegal, but there is a black market,” Spetor whispered in my ear.

  “What’s upstairs?” I asked our guide.

  “The lab. It’s very dull. Very restricted,” she said.

  “If it’s restricted, it can’t be dull,” I said.

  “It has to be kept clean, temperatures controlled, and meticulous records kept. They don’t like distractions or visitors.” She smiled. “I hope you understand.”

  “I suppose,” I said.

  We headed back down. Nemal paced on the first floor. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

  “I went on a tour. They do allow women to work in some industries. I thought that was an interesting exception. I wanted to see it for myself. What’s wrong? Why are you following me?”

  “You couldn’t wait for me or Johey? You didn’t even bring Marel.” He gestured. “I checked with your droids when I got back to the castle.”

  “I brought my droids for safety, and I don’t answer to you. Neither should they. I’ll have to reprogram them.” My back straightened.

  “You were in a very dangerous area last time. I didn’t say anything because it was with the prince, and you probably trusted him. But this guy—”

  “Kept her even safer,” Spetor said.

  “He’s not a member of the royal family. He shouldn’t be escorting you on official tours,” Nemal said.

  I crossed my arms. “Says you? He’s the queen’s nephew. Either way, I don’t need your permission for an official or an unofficial tour. All this time in Bachal might be making you forget where you come from.”

  I brushed past him and climbed into the ship we’d arrived in. Spetor sped us out of there without regard for Nemal or his horse.

  “Your boyfriend is possessive and jealous.” Spetor chuckled.

  “Jealous of what? He knows I’d never get involved with any man here, no offense. I’m not looking for a husband,” I said.

  “Maybe just some fun?” Spetor asked.

  I checked his thoughts, and they were completely inappropriate. Shoving him back mentally, I glared at him. “No. What annoys me most is that Nemal knows I can defend myself against any man who had questionable intentions.”

  “I saw you that first night. I don’t have a death wish,” he said.

  “Good. I appreciate you being my guide on the tour, but that is all it was and will ever be. Understood?”

  “Yes, Your Highness,” he said with a bow.

  “I’m not royalty. Women don’t need a tiara or a title to have self-respect. At least, not Lazrel women.” I watched the landscape change as we headed back to the dark castle.

  “You’d never find a husband here,” he said.

  I smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  Chapter 16

  I stalked into my rooms, and Anela tried to help me with my things. All I could do was pace. When Nemal barged in, Anela dashed out, followed quickly by Marel and Zoma.

  “You have some nerve,” I said.

  “You’re spending time with every man here instead of me, and I have nerve?” he asked.

  “I’m not spending time with them like that. The prince isn’t interested in me.” I couldn’t tell him the whole truth.

  “Spetor is.” Nemal planted his hands on the small table.

  “Spetor is entertaining, and you were off hunting. I wanted to see women working. I wanted the Bachal to see that we’re not looking for only the bad. We’re not just trying to see the flaws. I may have appeared to be doing that on my first trip into the city. I wanted to balance it. Spending time alone with you is impossible. Things are so crowded here. Servants and people piled on top of each other all the time. I want to walk my gardens and fields. My space. I miss my home. Our castle.”

  “I do, too. Maybe you should be hunting for your father instead of flirting,” he said.

  “Don’t you dare act jealous and possessive! I’m not yours to claim. Don’t act like I can’t defend myself.” I calmed myself. His thoughts were so possessive and protective that I was almost flattered, but I wouldn’t hide behind a man here or anywhere.

  “Faldar warned you. He said it’d be easier if we let people know we’re together. Then, you had to show off your powers,” he said.

  “People knew about my powers. The king and queen and twins certainly did. Maybe Faldar thought it’d be easier on you if people thought we were together. Then, the men wouldn’t bother me, but you’d still sort of be in charge. More power for the men?” I asked.

  “It’s not our culture. I’m trying not to offend them, and you’re throwing your superiority in their faces.” He rounded the table and closed some of the distance between us.

  “Superiority is relative. I can’t shift into a dragon. I have some powers.”

  “And rank,” he said.

  “So? If you think I’m going to pamper your ego or theirs while they grope Marel or treat me like a pretty ornament
for men to drool over, you’re wrong. If you think I’m going to be on your arm adoring you to make you look powerful and strong, you’re wrong. I’ve been up at night roaming the castle if I even feel a twinge that my father might be there. I went on two excursions, yes, to get to know the country which is part of why we’re here, but also to get farther out so my powers cover a wider range. To see if I can figure out where he’s hiding out there. I didn’t get mad at you for going hunting and leaving me alone.” I pointed at the tiny window I had.

  “Touring is fine, but going alone with a strange man and only droids…The Bachal have weapons. They could destroy your droids. You can protect yourself, but was it worth it? Your father is your excuse, but is he out during the day very often?”

  “Maybe not, but excuse? You make it sound like I’m using him to throw parties or just enjoy myself. He’s part of the reason I was sent here. No one needs me on a diplomatic mission except to read minds and bait my father. I wish I weren’t here, but I have to be. Your ego isn’t my problem.” I poked him in his hard chest. “My traitorous father is.”

  “Don’t you think I want to catch him so you can relax? The hunting trip? The other manly crap I’ve done is to see if he’s hiding there.”

  “Good. Great. We’re both looking. I’m not the one throwing a tantrum about it.” I shoved a chair and resisted the urge to throw something.

  “I wanted time alone with you. That’s all. I have no foolish ideas of being your boss,” he said.

  I realized how much I’d missed him, too. We were so used to being together that when life pulled us apart, we acted badly. “Good. It’s bad enough your mother is my boss, and one day, your sister will be. If this is ever going to work out, we need to be on the same side. Talk more.”

  “The Bachal seem to divide the genders more during the day. Lots of military work and women doing other stuff. It’s not what we’re used to.” He took my hand and kissed it.

  “True. We’re better working together than apart.” I hugged him, and the tension melted from me.