Gordain didn't rush forward to hug her as the younger boys had, but held himself apart. He'd been the one stuck at the castle while everything had happened far away from him.
"I wanted to see for myself that you were all right," Gordain said formally.
"I'm well," she said tentatively, trying to determine the best way to reassure her brother. Though he wasn't showing it, she knew he'd been worried for her. "What about you?"
Gordain shrugged. Maconahay jerked his chin toward the castle and Cassia got the message.
"Walk with me?" She fell into step beside Gordain and pulled her thoughts away from Luki, but she couldn't help glancing once more behind her before they walked out of sight. He winked at her in encouragement.
"You weren't kidnapped?" Gordain blurted out.
"No, I wasn't. I'm sorry for the deception and for any worry I caused you."
He kicked at a rock just before they stepped through the castle door. "No one will tell me anything."
Cassia's lips twitched. She'd often felt the same way when she'd been his age, but then when they had told her something, she hadn't wanted to be bothered with it. Her father's study loomed ahead. "How about if I promise to answer any questions you might have?"
Gordain crossed his arms, but nodded. "What happened?"
"You don't ask easy questions." Cassia stopped at the door. "Short answer. The treaty King Erich brought us was a forgery. I couldn't go through with the wedding, but didn't have enough evidence to confront King Erich. I left to seek guidance from father's advisors. Things got a little complicated. Some of those complications are waiting for me in there."
Gordain listened to her explanation with narrowed eyes. He looked at the door and turned back to her. "You'll tell me later."
"I promise."
Gordain nodded stiffly and started to turn away. With a quick reverse, he lunged forward for a hug, catching Cassia by surprise. Her arms held him tight until he pulled away with a jerk and ran down the hall. She watched him in concern until he was out of sight. Taking several steadying breaths, she pulled her thoughts away from her brothers to what awaited her in her father's study.
You are not alone.
Kali's voice washed over her and Cassia smiled. No, she wasn't. Maconahay opened the door and gave her a grin of support before closing it behind her. Trying to stay composed, she nodded to her mother and the advisors who all wore identical frowns.
"We've been waiting for you," Eb said.
"It couldn't be helped." Cassia didn't stop, but moved around the desk and took her father's chair. Her chair. "Now, what are we to do about Vespera?"
"I think the more important question is what are we to do with you?" Sarahann asked, her anger cascading over Cassia. "You just accused the King of Vespera of murdering our king based on a dream."
"No, I accused the King of Vespera of murdering our king based on Rae's testimony." She stared straight at her mother not allowing the obvious anger to deter her. "You married your husband's murderer."
Donaly cleared his throat. "The issue is the validity of your accusations. According to the queen, your father's ghost told you he didn't sign the treaty and his horse is the witness to the murder. You have to understand," he shrugged, "you've put us in a difficult position of supporting you with these flimsy explanations."
"Prince Torr verified the treaty wasn't signed in the meeting." Her chest constricted. She had accepted her new role and she would not let them take it away from her. "You all witnessed his testimony."
Eb nodded reluctantly. "But he didn't witness his father killing Robet. We can't --"
"I'm not asking you to authorize a war, Eb." Cassia held up a hand. "My proclamation to Erich was ill-advised, I will consent to that, but that doesn't make what Erich did any less true."
"Vespera will crush us," Sarahann said.
She shook her head. "You've underestimated what we bring to the table, but I don't want to see a single Karahan citizen die in a war that could be prevented. I believe," she thought of the pleading expression in Torr's eyes, "Prince Torr was serious in his promise. We need to give him time."
"And what if Vespera launches an attack on us before the month's grace period you set?" Advisor Abiga broke her silence. "King Erich will not take your accusations lying down."
"We'll have to prepare." Cassia turned to Donaly, the advisor in charge of Karah's defenses. "Donaly?"
He rocked back on his heels. "We have more cavalry than Vespera which gives us an advantage, but they have more men. We'll have to increase the patrols on the borders. Perhaps," he glanced at Sarahann, "we could convince some of the islanders to stand with us if it comes to a fight. Any prolonged fighting will disrupt the trading they do through our ports."
Sarahann shook her head. "It has always been my people's policy to stay out of the politics of the mainlanders."
"We could still speak with them," Cassia said. "Convince them it would be in their best interest to join us."
"Being prepared for a war doesn't negate how we got there," Abiga said. "Erich will be able to go to all of our allies and they'll believe him over us. Who will believe you speak with horses?"
"I am a Horse Charmer. I can speak with any horse. I can command any horse to do my bidding. You all saw the result of my talent."
Abiga looked at Eb for help and he stepped forward. "What we saw isn't the issue. What the people, the other kingdoms, will believe is what we're concerned about."
Cassia hissed through her teeth. "Do you want Julyan to come down and certify on the battlement that I'm a Horse Charmer Talent?"
"The people won't understand what a Horse Charmer can do," Eb said. "I don't understand what one can do."
"Which isn't the point," Abiga added. "We don't even know if it's advisable for you to admit publicly to what you can do."
"What do you mean?" Cassia asked.
The three advisors shared an anxious look before Eb took point again. "As far as we know, no ruler of a kingdom or member of a royal family has ever been a Talent. We worry about the reaction to such an announcement. Talents are accepted in our lands, but not without some fear. Julyan's Guild has helped them integrate as the people believe the Talents answer to someone. But a Queen who is also a Talent – who will she have to answer to?"
"I answer to my people," Cassia said. "Debating my Talent won't make it go away. It isn't something you can wish away."
"No, but you could be less obvious," Sarahann said. "You're riding your horse with no tack whatsoever. And you spent every waking moment with that horse wrangler."
Cassia narrowed her eyes at the derisive note she heard in her mother's voice, but she bit back the retort on the edge of her tongue. She would not allow her mother to bait her into an argument.
"Yes, the wrangler," Eb said his voice gentling. "I know he helped you. But that doesn't change that he's a wrangler and you are the Queen of Karah."
She refused to lower her gaze at the reminder of the impossibility of a personal relationship between herself and Luki, and their blatant disapproval. What she and Luki shared was none of their business and she had no intention of discussing it with them.
"She isn't queen yet," Abiga pointed out. "Despite what we told King Erich she hasn't been coronated."
"What?" Sarahann burst out in disbelief.
Eb barely raised his eyebrow at Sarahann. "The deception was necessary."
"Then why are we here debating all of this with her?" Sarahann asked. "You and I will decide what will be done."
Cassia surged out of her seat. "You will not be making any decision for Karah." She came around the desk to confront her mother. "You married him and refused to listen to a single word of warning I confided to you."
"I did what you ran away from." Sarahann's cheeks flushed red. "I was following the spirit of the treaty."
"His signature was forged," she said between gritted teeth.
"We didn't know it was. Something had to be done. Your disappearance made a bad sit
uation worse."
"I'm not married to Erich." Cassia shot a look at Eb. "What are we going to do about that?"
"We'll have to get the marriage annulled," Abiga interrupted.
"Go to your room." Sarahann dismissed Cassia with a wave of her hand.
"No." She stood her ground.
"You haven't read our history close enough, Queen Sarahann." Eb walked up to stand next to Cassia. "A coronation isn't necessary. It is just a symbol, a ceremony to the people. She became queen as soon as Robet was murdered."
Sarahann jolted and glanced questioningly at Abiga who shook her head as she didn't know either.
"You're welcome to read the scrolls. I believe there's a copy in the library should you wish to verify." Eb turned and bowed to Cassia. "Cassia is the Queen of Karah."
She waited for his head to rise. "You didn't tell me."
Eb got down on one knee. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't realize…"
Cassia turned purposefully away from her mother. So many mistakes made. None of which could be undone. "We need to focus on tomorrow not yesterday." Eb stayed down and she touched his shoulder. "I am in need of your council. Donaly will see to preparing our forces should Vespera choose to attack. I need you to prepare me."
Eb rose and took her hand in both of his. "I will, Your Highness."
Sarahann made a sputtering noise. "She's only sixteen."
"First, my mother," she said, not looking at her. "What do we do about her?"
"She will negotiate a new treaty with the islanders to help us should Vespera choose to go to war," Eb said.
"I already told you my people don't get involved in the politics of mainlanders," she protested.
Eb released Cassia's hand to stride up to Sarahann. "Will you help save Karah or not?"
Drawing herself up to her full height, her mother glanced over his shoulder to Cassia before focusing back on him. "I have always done my best for Karah."
"We aren't questioning your loyalty," Eb said.
Cassia reluctantly agreed with him. Sarahann loved her adopted kingdom. She loved it more than she loved her children.
Abiga stepped forward and rested her hand on Sarahann's shoulder. "You're the only person whom your father will listen to."
Some of the pinched expression left her mother's face. "I can try."
"Good." Eb turned back to Cassia. "I need a private audience with her majesty."
Sarahann and the advisors left the room slowly, clearly wondering what Eb had to say to Cassia and not wanting to be left out.
"Are you ready for this? Really and truly ready? There's no going back from here, Princess. Your father was forced into ruling young just as you were, but he didn't have a choice."
"I don't have a choice," she protested.
He shrugged. "I allowed the illusion of your mother maintaining the throne. You could step aside."
Cassia shook her head in confusion. "You just said--"
"Ignore what I said before. We could go on with your mother in charge until Gordain comes of age. Who would bother to look up how the heir comes to be in one of those old scrolls to contradict us?"
Cassia turned away from him and chewed on her lip. He was offering her an out. Why he was, she wasn't sure. She trailed her fingertips over the smooth wood of her father's desk and looked at his favorite tapestry hanging behind it. Her father had only been a little older than her when he'd taken the throne. Yet, he'd never once complained, at least not to her, of his responsibility or lack of choice. He'd simply been the king. Couldn't she do the same?
Cassia turned back and smiled. "No, I am the Queen of Karah." She embraced the title and everything that went along with it. "It's time I started acting like one."
You already do. Kali's voice whispered in her mind.
THE END
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About the Author…
Angelia Almos' love affair with horses began when she was five years old and talked her parents into her first riding lesson. Horses have always been a huge part of her life. The initial idea behind Horse Charmer came to her when she was fourteen. The image of a teenage girl riding her horse through a meadow appeared. Who was this girl? Where was she going? What was she running from? Those questions led to the creation of Horse Charmer.
Angelia writes young adult fantasy, space opera and horsey nonfiction. Connect with her at:
Website: www.angeliaalmos.com
Twitter: twitter.com/angeliaalmos
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngeliaAlmosAuthor
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