I drove out to the gateway by my home as fast as I could without getting a ticket and then crossed over to the anchor inside my castle. Once there, I hurried through the halls, oblivious to servants’ startled stares. I knew where Dorian would be. My people would have received him in the nicest chamber, the one befitting any visiting monarch.
Sure enough. Dorian sat inside the parlor, lounging in a central chair with Shaya, Rurik, and others sitting around him. He looked like he was holding court in his own castle. My anger doubled. Everyone except him jumped up at my sudden approach, giving hasty bows.
“Out,” I snapped. “All of you. And shut the door.”
My words left no question about who exactly I wanted out. Dorian didn’t move, but the rest scurried to obey my orders. I saw Shaya and Rurik exchange looks with each other, no doubt worried what was going to happen with the two monarchs they loved.
Once we were alone, I turned on Dorian. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He regarded me coolly, face perfectly at ease. “Visiting, as is my right. There’s nothing that says I can’t. Unless you’re revoking my hospitality?”
“I should,” I said, stepping forward with fists clenched. “I should have my guards throw you out on your ass.”
He snorted and absentmindedly smoothed a piece of his long hair. “Good luck with that. They’d throw you out first, if I gave the order.”
“So that’s why you’re here? To start a rebellion in my own kingdom?”
“No. I’m here to remind you of your responsibilities to your kingdom—since you’ve clearly forgotten.”
“Really?” I crossed my arms across my chest in an effort to stop myself from doing something stupid. “I think you’ve forgotten what I’ve done for my kingdom. Say, like, saving it from disaster. And risking my life for that fucking crown so that we could finally have peace.”
“If memory serves, you caused that disaster when you created an inhospitable desert.” His voice was still damnably calm. “And that crown is doing you no good.”
“Didn’t you hear me? We have peace. The fighting’s stopped.”
“The fighting’s temporarily stopped. Katrice is playing you, and you’re letting her. She’s dragging her feet, using this negotiation delay to figure out a way out of this. If you really want to end the war once and for all, you need to get involved and let her know you’re serious. Wave the crown around. Dare her to call your bluff. Show her you’re in control and stop all of this for real.”
I gave a harsh laugh. “That’s so typical of you. Attempting to pull the strings, as usual. You don’t even have the crown, but you’re telling me what to do with it.”
Dorian shot up from the chair, smooth features breaking into annoyance. “I am remembering what it means to be a king. I’m not running away and letting others deal with things that seem too hard.”
“Right,” I said, keeping an eye on the distance between us. “Getting the crown was easy. Which is why, of course, you were right out there with me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You know I would have if I could. So I did the only thing I could: I got you out there after it.”
“By lying!” I exclaimed. I tried to keep my voice strong, letting anger be the only emotion to slip, but grief cracked me a little. “By creating an elaborate set-up with Masthera in the hope I’d seize more land for us. Why do you not see how wrong that was?”
“Was it?” His volume was starting to match my own. I’d so rarely seen emotion seize him, and it was both terrible and beautiful. “Do you think our people think it’s wrong? The ones whose homes are no longer in danger? The ones who are alive because of this? The crown bought that, and you’re going to ruin it all if you don’t force her into talks! Not only that, by not acting, you’re letting what Leith did to you go unpunished.”
“Oh, he got punished,” I said.
“Yes,” agreed Dorian coldly. “By me. Something you seem to have forgotten, now that you’ve jumped back into bed with that animal.”
“Kiyo isn’t part of this. And what you did isn’t enough to obligate me to stay in a relationship with someone who constantly deceives me.”
Dorian turned away, putting his back to me. Somehow, this was more insulting than all the glares in the world. “I can only assume this is human logic. Achieving peace by bending the truth is deceitful. The greatest sin in the world. But infidelity is moral and just.”
“It’s not! And I wasn’t—I didn’t cheat on you. As far as I was concerned, we were through. I was free to do whatever I wanted.”
“Obviously.”
I didn’t want to show any weakness in front of him, but the thing was, part of me still questioned if having sex with Kiyo back in the forest had been right or not. I’d even felt conflicted at the time. I’d let my impulses win out, using muddled logic to satisfy both my lust and need for revenge.
“Look,” I said, trying to calm myself down. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings—”
He spun around so sharply that my words dropped. I didn’t fear Dorian, not with my power and in my home, but something in his eyes made me step back. “Queen Eugenie,” he said formally. “Don’t trouble yourself over my ‘feelings.’ Replacing you in my bed isn’t that difficult. You have too high an opinion of yourself in that regard.”
Those words slapped me in the face, despite all the reasonable parts of my brain screaming at me that it didn’t matter. I had no reason to care what he did. No reason to care about him.
“So,” I said, matching his tone. “Ysabel has a place to sell her skills again.”
“Very good ones,” he agreed. “The question now is if you’re going to use yours. Put Katrice in her place. Get her to negotiate so that we can get the concessions we deserve. Stop acting like a human.”
“I am human. You keep forgetting that.”
He studied me up and down, giving me the opportunity to do the same to him. You don’t care, you don’t care, I told myself, trying to push aside how much I’d loved that gorgeous face.
“No,” he said at last, contempt in his voice. “It’s impossible to forget. You’re acting like one now, refusing to do the right thing just because I’ve asked you to. You’re being contrary out of spite.” He strode toward the door. “If you don’t act soon, you’ll regret it.”
I didn’t like him being the one to end this conversation. It was more of him always having the power. “Are you threatening me?”
Dorian put his hand on the door’s handle and glanced at me over his shoulder. “No. I’m not the threat. Katrice is. And while you keep going on and on about how much I’ve wronged you and lied to you, I can say with absolute certainty that what I’ve just told you is the truth.”
“Noted.” Hastily, I made an attempt at acting like the queen around here. “You can go now. And don’t come back.”
That earned me a half smile, though there wasn’t much humor in it. “Are you revoking my hospitality?”
I hesitated. “No. I’m above that. I’ll just assume you’ll do the right thing and stay the hell away from me.”
“Noted,” he replied, imitating my earlier tone. He opened the door and walked away without another look. I stared at the empty space where he’d been, wondering who’d come out on top of that argument.
By the time I emerged and found Shaya, Dorian had already left my castle for his own lands. She asked nothing about what had transpired with him, but worry was written all over her face.
“How close are we?” I demanded. “How close are we to sitting down with Katrice and writing up a treaty?”
Shaya paled, and I realized I had turned my anger at Dorian on her. “Not as close as I’d like. She agreed … she agreed she’d come in person, but only if the talks were held in the Willow Land. Queen Maiwenn has agreed, but Dor—King Dorian says that’s unacceptable. He suggests the Linden Land or the Maple Land. Katrice refuses.”
Linden and Maple. Kingdoms both staunchly neutral. Maiwenn theoretically was too
. She’d always put on the pretense of friendship, and I was certain Kiyo would endorse her hospitality. But something about it made me uneasy. I didn’t want to support Dorian … but then I realized that instinct came from exactly what he’d warned me of: wanting to oppose him just out of spite. Our personal mess aside, he was my ally. Neutral ground was best for us.
“Reiterate Dorian’s stance,” I said. “Linden or Maple. I’m going back to Tucson. Let me know what happens.”
Shaya opened her mouth, to protest or beg for help, I couldn’t say. Dorian’s words came back to me. Get actively involved. “Wave the crown” and make Katrice agree to our terms. No. On that, I wouldn’t agree with him. I wouldn’t use that crown like he wanted me too, even as a threat.
“That’ll be all,” I told Shaya. She nodded, obedient as always.
The look on her face as I left made me feel a little guilty. Maybe I could make things easier for her. Maybe I could expedite all this. But for now, there was literally no harm being done. What could Katrice’s stalling achieve? If she began hostilities again, she ran the risk of facing the crown she obviously feared. My people were safe. The waiting was frustrating, but it had to end soon. I’d told Dorian I was human, and that’s what I intended to be. I would go home, start following up on jobs, and let the gentry deal with this red tape until I was absolutely needed.
And that was exactly what I did.
I returned to my old life. Kiyo and I continued dating, and being with him, reestablishing our old connection and sex life, went a long way toward blocking out images of beautiful, voluptuous Ysabel in Dorian’s bed. My workload increased—as did my income—though my jobs tired me out more than I was used to. That scared me. It made me think about what it meant to be human and gentry. I’d fought to keep my human side dominant. Was the gentry part taking over? Stunting my shamanic abilities? No, I firmly decided. This was stress, pure and simple.
In the two weeks that followed, though, I had to concede to my gentry side occasionally. The Thorn Land called to me, so I continued my quick visits, keeping the land strong and—no matter how much I hated to admit it—strengthening myself. Unfortunately, I took little joy from that because no good news ever came from the Otherworld. Katrice kept switching back and forth. Yes, she’d agree to the Maple Land—no, she’d changed her mind. Linden. But only if ambassadors went first, then the monarchs. No—she’d go. But it was back to the Willow Land. Or maybe some place altogether different? What about the Palm Land?
Dorian made no attempts at direct contact with me, but there was no need. When I went to bed each night, I could see his face. Wave the crown, wave the crown. Fortunately, my aggressive workload tired me out enough to fall asleep quickly.
Good news of sorts finally came one day when Kiyo and I were out hiking. The temperature had shot up, heralding spring, and I’d welcomed the break from work. Traipsing through the wilderness was something Dorian would certainly never do—especially in the desert. But like me, Kiyo appreciated the rugged beauty and heat of the land. I’d missed these excursions with him.
His eyebrows rose when my cell phone rang. “You can get a signal out here?”
“Apparently.”
I was as surprised as him. Looking at the ID, I saw Enrique’s name pop up. His recent reports, after that brief surge of promising news, had been clipped and vague: simple reminders that he was still working on things.
I answered eagerly. “Please tell me you’ve found something.”
“I have,” he said. Enrique had that smug tone from when we’d met. It had been annoying then, but now, I found it encouraging. “I finally tracked down the gun dealer and—”
I didn’t hear the rest because a sudden drop in the temperature and tingling in the air heralded Volusian’s arrival. Apparently, I could get an Otherworldly signal out here too. My minion’s orders to report all urgent news trumped whatever Enrique had to say.
“Hey,” I interrupted. “I’ll call you back.”
“What the—”
I disconnected, not giving him a chance to finish his outrage. He probably wasn’t used to being hung up on. I turned to Volusian, who waited patiently and silently for me. He was a spot of darkness on the sunny day; he seemed to suck away the light of the world.
“Please,” I begged. “Please tell me Katrice has finally given in, so that we can talk.”
Volusian stayed silent a few moments. I swear, it was for drama’s sake, and I felt like choking him. “No,” he said. “The Rowan Queen has not agreed to negotiations yet, although … she has acted.”
Kiyo and I exchanged looks. There was no way this could be good. I was also pretty sure Volusian liked delivering this news.
“She’s kidnapped your sister,” he said. “And has a list of demands to be met, if you want to see Jasmine alive again.”
Chapter 16
Kiyo asked no questions when I called Enrique back and told him I’d be out of town and out of contact for a while—but that I trusted him to carry on. Really, Kiyo said little at all as we hurried back to my house. Within minutes, I had a small satchel packed, and then we were off to the Otherworldly crossing. No matter what ups and downs had occurred in our relationship, he knew me well. He knew I had to act on this immediately.
The questions began once I reached my castle.
“How the hell,” I began, “did this happen?”
I was in one of the receiving rooms, Kiyo by my side as I stared down Shaya and some of the soldiers who manned the grounds. Rurik was with them, which gave me mixed feelings. I was glad he was back from Dorian’s. I trusted him more than any other military guy around here. That being said, there was a petty part of me that held him responsible. How could someone as capable as him have let this happen?
He grimaced, as though guessing my thoughts. “A small group sneaked onto our grounds, overpowered her guards … and took her.” He hesitated. “She only had two with her, Your Majesty. As you’ll recall, her escort was lightened. Still. There is no excuse.”
I hadn’t witnessed this kind of diplomacy and respect from Rurik since … well, actually, I’d never really witnessed it. With Dorian? Yes. Not with me. Jasmine’s abduction had really gotten to Rurik, no question. I was pretty sure he was taking it personally. But I’d also caught the slight meaning in his carefully worded comment about her lightened guard. That had been my call. I had done it in response to her good behavior and had let her outside more. I’d known it was a potential security risk—but not one that involved her leaving against her will.
“We’re at war,” I said. “Regardless of her guard, this whole place should have been under lock-down.”
He nodded, face growing grimmer. “As I said, there’s no excuse. I take full responsibility.”
I waved a hand dismissively. “It’s too late now. I know you’re doing your job. Don’t lay yourself out for the slaughter. Volusian said there was a note?”
Shaya handed me a piece of rolled parchment. Kiyo leaned over my shoulder as I read it silently to myself:
To Eugenie, Usurper Queen of the Thorn Land, Daughter of Tirigan Stormi, King:
As you no doubt know by now, I have your sister within my custody. If you wish her returned to you alive, you and the Oak King will surrender unconditionally to me. You will cease hostilities immediately, withdraw your armies, and cede your lands. Additionally, you will turn over the alleged Iron Crown to me.
If you do not comply with these terms, your sister will be executed at noon, three days from the receipt of this letter. For now, she is alive, and I have given her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius.
I await your response.
Sincerely,
Katrice, Queen of the Rowan Land,
Beloved of the Gods
I looked up at the many watching eyes. “‘Given her into the keeping of my nephew Cassius.’ Does that mean what I think it does?”
Shaya grimaced. “That is the nephew she wanted you to marry.”
“Why execute Jasm
ine then?” I demanded. “Why not marry her off to Cassius? Isn’t that a waste of one of Storm King’s daughters?”
“Katrice hates you,” said Kiyo softly. “At this point, she probably doesn’t even care about the prophecy. She wants to get back at you, hurt you, and if that means killing Jasmine, then it’s probably an acceptable loss—especially if she tries to then give you to Cassius after this ‘surrender.’”
“So I’d get to live?”
Kiyo shrugged. “Longer suffering.”
“Why choose her as a hostage though?” I didn’t know why I was arguing the logic here. None of it mattered. Only the outcome did. “Everyone knows we don’t get along.”
“Everyone also probably knows that’s been changing a little,” said Kiyo. “You brought her to Dorian’s.”
“And,” added Shaya, “a royal family member usually makes the best hostage in these situations.”
These situations. For a moment, I nearly swayed on my feet, wanting to close my eyes and pass out. It had nothing to do with the heat. It was this. All of this. This situation always repeating itself. Me and Jasmine, cursed by our blood, always to be used and captured as possessions in a greater game. I’d hated Aeson, but at least he’d lured Jasmine into some pretense of love before taking advantage of her. But what about this Cassius? He’d make no attempts at kindness. This was all about punishment and revenge, after all. Had he already raped Jasmine? Was he doing it now? A sickening memory of Leith came to mind, one sharp and clear in spite of the drugged state I’d been in during my ordeal with him. Moments later, it was replaced by an image of this faceless Cassius lowering himself over a cowering Jasmine….
I pushed my weakness aside, steadying myself and bringing the world back into focus. I turned to Rurik. “How far are our armies spread out? How soon could we get them together and march on her? I want to raze that bitch’s lands and burn her castle to the ground! I want to have the fucking wrath of heaven rain down on her and—”
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