Pawn of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  “Admirable goals,” my father said.

  “Go away or you’ll be caught,” he said in my mind.

  My mother and I had talked in our minds all the time. It’d been years since my father and I had done it. But his walls were down.

  “I can be here,” I replied.

  “Your friends will die if the king thinks I’m really here for you,” he said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “The king knows you’re my daughter.”

  “You’re a traitor. Conspiring with another monarch. Helping them plan a war!” I hated him.

  “I am a survivor. I will side with whoever gives me the best deal. Lazrel doesn’t want to let me live. Even with you so close to the throne. I can’t stay there.”

  “You’re a user. I won’t let you win.” I pulled at him from the hallway.

  “Stop it. You drag me off now, and the king will lock down this castle. You’ll be detained. You don’t want to be stuck here, trust me. If you’re on my side, you’ll be treated well,” he warned.

  “If I’m on your side, I’ll be interrogated. Tortured if they don’t like what they hear, and forced to help in the war on Lazrel. Once I’m of no use, they’ll kill me. They’re using you.”

  “Of course, they are. They use me. I use them. You can share some info and build up trust. Seduce Faldar and they’ll love you forever. Mothers matter here, you have one son, and you’re set. Future queen and all the perks. Let the men rule. No work.”

  “The perks for being the Royal Seer of Lazrel are better than queen of this country,” I replied.

  “You’re such a child. Power means something. Status without stress is better.”

  “Here, women don’t have power. The queen is protected and pampered, but her power comes from the king. From her princes. That’s not real power. That’s men respecting other men’s power and humoring their women.” I couldn’t believe he was actually serious.

  “Short-sighted. You can change it all once you’re on the throne. This king will die one day, but you’re young. You’re impatient. You like that young prince with no future.” He tried to push me out of his mind.

  I balled my fists and held my ground. “I won’t betray my queen. Not for a society like this or any other reason. You’re crazy if you think these people will change, or if you believe they’ll treat you well once it’s over. Once you’ve helped them all you can, they’ll kill you or toss you over the border.”

  “I’ll take my chances. I’m smarter than most people give me credit for. You know that. But then again, you let Remmy come here. That very un-warrior prince followed his boyfriend here? The queen didn’t see a potential problem?” he mocked.

  “The queen let him come. No one consulted me on the matter. This is a poor choice on Remmy’s part. And Faldar’s. But a woman isn’t the solution to this,” I replied.

  “The truth isn’t either.”

  “What mission do you have? What are they making you do?” I asked.

  “Making me? No one makes me do anything. It’s a good deal. I promise I’ll never hurt you.” His tone changed.

  I mentally grabbed him and started to drag him along. It took discipline to pin all his limbs, and he was solid muscle.

  “Stop. You’re wasting your time. If I don’t go back in, the king will lock it all down. You won’t win this one.” He struggled to get free.

  I released him, but felt his momentary fear that I could hold him and be in his mind at the same time. My powers had advanced more than even I thought. “I will win on my terms, not yours. And if you hurt anyone I care about, I’ll kill you myself.”

  “You couldn’t kill me. But don’t worry, I won’t hurt Nemal.”

  I stalked off. Part of me wanted to kill him now, but I didn’t know enough. And the king would overreact. Getting my father meant taking him back to Lazrel, not all of us being under investigation and stuck in Bachal.

  How could I throw him off enough to access his mind and keep him from regaining control long enough to get what I needed? Short bursts were fine, but he knew the second I was in his mind, and he tried to get rid of me. Since he was forcing me to deal with him, I’d probe around to find out who his allies were. I needed to get creative.

  Chapter 19

  Pain sliced through me and woke me from a sound sleep. I threw back the covers and hit the light, but nothing was there. Pelvic cramps? It felt like I’d been stabbed! My father had touched me. Was this the work of his poison? He swore he’d never hurt me, and in a twisted way, I’d actually believed him.

  The sharp pain was gone, but the ache, the draining sensation persisted. Someone was cut and bleeding out. This was a serious wound. I pushed back the pain and connection so I could control my own body. I wasn’t hurt, so I walked the lonely halls. Maybe I should’ve woken Nemal or Johey, but I had a feeling who was hurt, and too many witnesses would spark added questions.

  I made my way down a familiar path. My powers brought me to Tantil’s door, and the pain on the other side was excruciating. A guard stood in my way.

  “Go for help. He’s sick,” I said.

  “You’re here because he’s sick?” The guard smirked.

  “I’m a seer. I felt his gut-wrenching pain so badly it woke me up. If you don’t want your prince to die, get a medical team here immediately!” I ordered.

  “We’ll see.” He tried the door. It was locked.

  “Move,” I said.

  “You can’t break in.”

  “We’re wasting time! Do you have a key?” I asked.

  The guard stepped aside. Mentally shoving the door so hard it snapped the hinges, I felt better. The door fell, and there were smears of blood all over the floor.

  “I’ll get medical.” The guard ran off.

  “Finally.” I ran into the room and found Tantil trying to put pressure on a wound where my pains had been. He hadn’t! He couldn’t! I tried not to the look at the piece of himself he’d cut off.

  “What were you thinking?” I grabbed a blanket from the bed and covered him. The blood loss would put him into shock in no time.

  “I’m sorry. I couldn’t take it anymore. He’s so happy, and I can’t fix things. I can make them fix things, but hide it.”

  “I’m not sure your doctors will go along with whatever that plan is.” I tucked a pillow under his head. He already had his shirt wadded up over his crotch.

  The sound of stomping boots helped me to breathe better. Help was coming.

  “Don’t tell them anything, please. You know nothing other than I was in pain,” he whispered in my ear.

  “Get in here. He’s bleeding to death while you men wait around.”

  The team dressed in dark blue loaded Tantil onto a stretcher. At least our medical stretchers hovered and had controls. This reminded me of the ancient war footage of the wounded. “I thought your medical was advanced.”

  A man in a blue outfit turned to me. “We have what we need in the medical labs. We don’t flash it around. You look unwell.”

  “I’m fine. Just scared for Tantil. The pain. The blood loss.” I had blood all over my hands and gown just from trying to help.

  “Come with us. You can see for yourself how advanced we are. Watch over Tantil. His parents will be grateful. Then, I can give you something to help you sleep.” He smiled kindly.

  He didn’t trust me. The patronizing attitude irritated me, but there was something more. I wanted to say no and go back to my room. Maybe return with a droid.

  “Thank you. I should really change first. I’ll only scare the queen with this much blood on me. I’ll meet you there.” I headed for the door. A quick change and I’d bring Nemal, as well as my droids.

  “Not at all. We can clean you up.” The man pressed something to my neck from behind.

  I shoved him away, but it was too late. The world went black.

  The second I had any strength or consciousness, I was struggling.


  “Please, calm yourself,” the queen said.

  I shoved her back as I sat up on the table. Yes, I’d shoved a queen!

  “It’s a reaction to the sedation,” the queen said. “It’s fine. Everything is fine.”

  “What did you do to me?” I demanded.

  “Only what you wanted,” she said.

  I looked around the room. Pale blue walls and no windows. The doors had locks on them. My gown had been traded for another, but it wasn’t a medical type outfit.

  “I didn’t want anything. Where am I?” I demanded.

  The man in blue walked in. “Medical. I didn’t want you to say anything to anyone about what happened. Guards and medics talk, and it could embarrass the royal family. You’d covered up the wound.”

  “How dare you sedate me against my will.” I mentally grabbed him and threw him to the floor.

  “Kimess, that is not nice,” the queen said.

  “Neither is what he did to me. I’d never betray or expose Tantil’s slip of a knife.”

  The queen held her hands as though gently patting my shoulders from afar. “Your gown had blood on it. You can’t go running around the castle like that. Too many questions. And you’re our guest. Besides, the doctor knew I wanted to help you. He took the opportunity, but he was rather impulsive.”

  “You wouldn’t get another chance,” the doctor said to the queen. He tried to get up, but I kept him there.

  I glared at the queen. “You didn’t need to sedate me to bring me a clean gown and wash my hands. What did you do?”

  “Do you even care about Tantil?” she demanded.

  I hopped off the table and added force to my hold on the doctor. His screams and pleas upset the queen.

  “Fine. We took out that contraceptive thing. It wasn’t your choice, and I thought you would want it removed. You’d never go against your queen so I told medical if they had a chance to do it, they could call it a foreign body or something. Say it failed. You might’ve gotten a stomach bug or fell and scraped your knee. I never expected this.” The queen turned and went to Tantil.

  “Neither did I.” I inspected my arm, and the little red mark was right where the little implant had been injected. Otherwise, I felt fine. Weak and fuzzy-brained, but fine. When I was clearer and stronger, I’d probe the doctor’s mind, but whatever medication he’d given me had sapped my energy. If the choice was physical control over the doc or mind probing, I’d take physical right now.

  “Please, I never meant to hurt you. You saved Tantil’s life. We owe you everything!” The queen stroked her son’s forehead.

  “I know what he cut, and I know why,” I said.

  The queen shook her head. “He was drunk. Young men do foolish things when they’re drunk. He was probably trying shave down there. No doubt to impress some woman. Men can be careless, but they’d never injure that part of themselves on purpose.”

  “It’s been repaired. Everything is fine,” the doctor said.

  The king, Faldar, and Evangel all flooded into the room plus more guards.

  After checking on Tantil, the king approached me. “This doctor has offended you?”

  “He performed a medical procedure on me against my will. Sedated me without permission.”

  “I gave permission. Her own queen forced a contraceptive device on her. I authorized its removal,” the queen said.

  “The Lazrel queen doing it doesn’t make it right for you.”

  The king grinned. “You’re saying your queen was wrong?”

  I frowned. “I’m saying, every citizen has a right to consent to medical treatment or not. A simple discussion about safety and the pros and cons would’ve been enough. I’d never have consented to its removal.”

  “I can put it back in,” the doctor said.

  The king looked down at the doctor still pinned to the floor. “Birth control isn’t allowed here. My queen was overzealous. You are a very strong young woman. I wouldn’t mind you for a daughter-in-law. Since you’re so close to Tantil, perhaps it’s the perfect plan. Or, maybe you prefer Faldar, and that’s why you’re been talking about him and LeFawn not being a good match long-term?”

  “No, Your Majesty. I’m not interested in either of your sons,” I said flatly.

  “What woman wouldn’t want to be queen?” Evangel asked.

  “Now, calm down everyone. She’s had a hard night,” Faldar said.

  I smiled at him. “I’m glad Tantil will be fine.”

  “Faldar is right. She found Tantil bleeding. She got him medical help. Just like stopping the fire for me.” Evangel held Tantil’s hand. “Poor Kimess should be forgiven anything tonight because of what she went through.”

  Forgiven? What had I done exactly that was so bad?

  “True. I’ll forget you said you don’t want to marry either of my sons. You’re still weak from sedation. You saw too much and went through a procedure. Damn doctor without the sense to space things out. Upsetting our guests.” The king grabbed a spear from one of his guards.

  “Forgive me, my king!” the doctor pleaded.

  “No.” The king stabbed the man through the eye.

  I shuddered and released my hold on the doctor as the life left his body.

  Two men dragged the body away. Another blood streak on the floor. I looked away. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t think that was necessary.”

  “I decide what is necessary. If you were my daughter-in-law, no one would ever question you or order you around.”

  My father had planted seeds. Damn! He was too smart, and he fit right into this men-rule-the-world nonsense.

  “No one but you and my husband, right?” I asked sharply.

  The king stifled his rage. He had a spear in his hand, and I was ready to defend myself, but he held back. I skimmed his mind. He wanted me safe. I had what he needed. Wanted.

  It all came back to my powers and a potential grandson. I had to leave!

  “She needs more rest,” said another doctor.

  “Then give her a sleeping pill and send her to her room. She won’t betray Tantil or any of us,” the king commanded.

  “I don’t need anything to help me sleep.”

  “All that adrenaline in your system from the stress, you will.” The doctor handed me a bottle of pills. “One before bed, and you’ll sleep soundly.”

  I took the pills to avoid a fight. A guard opened the door for me. No, I wasn’t trusted to leave alone. I looked the queen in the eye and saw her silent plea not to say anything.

  Opening the door to my rooms, Marel and Zoma were sitting up with Anela.

  “What happened?” Zoma asked.

  “It’s a long story.” I almost took a pill, but my head felt fuzzy enough for now. I went to my room and set the bottle on the bedside table.

  “Are you okay?” Marel asked.

  “Tantil cut himself. I felt it. I found him. They took out my contraceptive implant.” I shook my head. “It’s insane. How did you know something happened?”

  Marel smiled. “You were gone. Faldar messaged Remmy something was wrong. You need to go see Nemal before his uncle can’t keep him in check.”

  I rubbed my arm. “Thanks.”

  “They really took it out. Just cut you open?” Zoma asked.

  “I was unconscious.” I felt queasy. “I’m going to go see Nemal and have some tea. I’ll probably sleep there.” I couldn’t take more questions, but I’d feel safer with him next to me.

  Chapter 20

  I wanted a private breakfast the next morning, but found Nemal’s quarters had been invaded. Faldar and Remmy sat at the table with a cake.

  “No Johey?” I asked before we went to talk to our guests.

  Nemal yawned. “I messaged him that you saw your father. Johey’s on one of his tracking maneuvers.”

  “Call him off. My father was meeting with the king. This is way more dangerous than we thought.” I shook my head. “I should
’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t want to spook him. I was hoping he’d have another meeting, and I’d pick up on it and grab him quickly. I only know of the one meeting. I don’t know how he became so well connected so fast.”

  “We need to get him back. If dead is the only way, Johey can handle that.” Nemal hugged me.

  We headed to the table.

  “Morning,” I said.

  “Morning! We brought fresh tea and cake,” Remmy said.

  “I’m so sorry about yesterday, Kimess,” Faldar said.

  “Which part? Your mother’s having surgery performed on me or your father trying to marry me off to you?” I wasn’t in the mood for secrets.

  “What?” Remmy asked.

  Nemal cut himself a chunk of cake and shrugged under his brother’s stare. “She told me. Mom wanted her to lay the groundwork for ending LeFawn’s engagement. The king thinks Kimess is a good replacement. Her powers make her an attractive addition to a shifter family.”

  “You told Nemal about the crazy ideas my father has?” Faldar asked.

  “Why lie about it? I won’t do it. I’ve pledged my life to the Lazrel throne. My father probably put me into his bargain for safety, but I’ll leave first. I just need to get a hold of my father when the king and his guards aren’t around to stop me.”

  Remmy stared into his teacup. “I’m fine with that. Faldar, what is your father trying to do to you?”

  “And to Lazrel?” I asked.

  Nemal put a piece of cake in front of me, and I pushed it away. “I’m still queasy from the sedation.”

  “I’m sorry he’s playing games. This is what he does. If he feels at all threatened, he throws people off balance. Uses them for what he can get, makes them nervous so they slip up, and he’ll kill anyone for whom has no use or betrays him.”.

  “Maybe we can get him to kill your father?” Nemal asked me.

  “Fine with me. I’ve tried so many times. Johey has been working on it every night. I wish we could bring him home alive, but we at least need his body to prove it to the queen.”