The Half-Light

by A D Lombardo

  Again, he lifted his hand to his mouth, and this time, he tossed in the flower petals. A quick chew later, he instantly knew why Lizzie said not to linger. “That is terrible,” he said as he crinkled his face.

  Lizzie handed him a glass of water and a piece of buttered bread. “Here, wash it down with this,” she smirked.

  He gulped down the water and tossed the bread into his mouth; it melted on his tongue, and he smiled. “Now, let me make you a proper breakfast. Plus, if you wait, I can send you on your way with some almond cakes once they are out of the oven.”

  “Lizzie, why don’t you trust Queen Nola?” he asked softly.

  Fear washed over Lizzie’s face, and she sat down beside him to whisper near his ear. “Observe for yourself—her words, actions, and overall demeanor. When she came, you needed a mother, but she was not much of a mother. You and Agatha spent more time here in the kitchen than with her. The queen is always whispering and hovering. The king barely has room to breathe. I hear she has secret meetings with Regent Maxwell, but you didn’t hear it from me. Besides, where did she come from? Your father loved your mother, and for him to take a new wife so soon… well, it’s wasn’t right. I feel it in my bones.” Without another word, she stood and resumed her duties.

  He ate, contemplating her words. It’s was true—she was controlling. The queen hovered any chance she could. And she was very vocal about Aaron growing up into a position of power. How could he separate the woman who seemed to be kind with the person Lizzie warned was in their midst, possibly pretending to be good?

  This had to be more than loyalty to his mother’s memory. Although he knew first hand, Nola had a way of charming people, getting them to listen. He wished he understood more.

  After breakfast, he made his way around to the courtyard with Smoke and over to the new bakehouse. Two men were going in and out carrying all sorts of metal brackets, long pieces of wood, and tools.

  At the front of the bakehouse were two large openings, clearly meant to be windows once the glass was added. Kai stepped inside and admired the newly hung doors. The floor was made of smooth dark stone blocks, interlocked to create a zigzag pattern. Three of the walls were cream colored, but one wall was made from burnt red brick with two large ovens fixed with large metal doors. Most of the space was empty except for several metal brackets that had been attached to the walls.

  Above him, he heard voices, so he called out. “Hello, Dean, are you in here?”

  A voice from above shouted. “Prince Kai, come on up.”

  Kai climbed the small stairwell leading to the mezzanine and found Dean on a ladder installing some hooks into a large beam running the length of the loft. “I just came to see how things were going. Everything looks great. I love the large wooden beams and the metalwork.”

  “Thanks, lad,” Dean said as he climbed down the ladder. “Please try to be careful. We’ve not added the railing on the edge of the loft or the stairs leading up here. Can’t have you falling.” He turned to a nearby carpenter, who was hoisting a ladder over his head. “Let’s get the railing up next, then the shelves can be dropped on all the brackets. We’ll have the loft finished by lunch.” The burly helper grunted and marched down the narrow staircase, easily toting the hefty ladder.

  “I hate to rush you off, but I’ve work to do and men to push about. Come back this evening, and I will have lots to show you.” Dean picked up his tools and followed Kai downstairs just as two men came in carrying four long pieces of wood and several twisted black iron rods.

  Kai stepped outside into the warm sunshine. Today would be the perfect day to go to Baden Lake; they could swim and watch the boats. At the first gatehouse, he noticed only a few people coming and going, but no carts. He would need to try something new. How about a direct approach? He walked straight up to the gatehouse, where he stood under the archway and opened the small pouch of cakes Lizzie had provided. “Hello, Wallis. Slow morning?”

  The gate guard looked down at him. “Not too bad, but I think today is going to be a hot day. Probably one of the last.” He spied Kai eating a small cake. “Is that an almond cake? One of Lizzie’s almond cakes? Please tell me you have more.”

  Silently Kai snickered to himself. “Sure, would you like one?” He stood facing the road leading into the city and saw a group of soldiers riding toward them. He’d need to time this right if he were to make this work. He waited for Wallis to respond.

  Wallis gasped. “Of course, I want one.” Still trying to maintain his post, he watched the approaching riders without turning to face Kai.

  Kai paused, waiting for the riders to get closer. “Well, I only have a few.” He paused, popping another into his mouth. “I don’t know. They are delicious,” he teased as he continued to wait for the riders to get even closer. Wallis licked his lips, and Kai knew he had him.

  Distracted by the delicious cake, he turned and looked down at Kai, who was still facing the road and the oncoming riders. “Come on, Your Highness, don’t offer and then refuse.”

  Still, Kai held his ground, waiting. Finally, he replied. “You’re right, here, have two.” Slowly he handed Wallis one cake at a time, all the while watching the approaching riders.

  Thrilled, Wallis popped one cake in his mouth and closed his eyes. Kai took the opportunity to step back against the stone archway just as the riders approached. Startled by the horses, Wallis popped the last cake in his mouth, looked up at the lead soldier, and mumbled, “Good morning, Amos. Your shift starts in about ten minutes, you’d best get a move on.”

  Blocked by the horses, Kai walked right out of the gatehouse and into the city with Smoke trotting behind. He made his way down the first side street, slowly zigzagging through the city, working his way to the next gatehouse. Fortunately for him, there was always a cart leaving the outer walls. Having found a reasonably large wagon with a covered tarp, he and Smoke hopped in. Right under Garrick’s nose, they rode out of site along the northern road.

  In the back of the cart, he finished the last of his almond cakes. Proud of yet another successful escape, he was thrilled to be free. Once the cart was out of view, he hopped out and ran through the woods toward Baden Lake.

  The second he reached the shoreline, Smoke ran in and out of the water, and Kai pulled off his boots and clothes to go for a swim. Together they splashed around in the fresh water. As Smoke bounded through the water retrieving sticks, Kai realized just how much his wolf had grown—although he was still not quite as large as Shiva, his mother.

  Ready to dry off, he stretched out on the warm rocks and enjoyed the apple still left in his pouch while Smoke rolled around in the grass. Across the lake, he watched fishing boats pull in their nets. Since the day was young, he dressed and walked through the woods before heading back to the palace.

  He had not really spent much time exploring the woods alone. To get his bearings, he climbed a small hill and looked around. There were so many trees it made it difficult to see far into the forest, or up Thade Mountain. Kai knew Eagle’s Peak loomed over Baden Lake to the east. In the distance, he could hear the trickle of a stream splashing against rocks.

  Each step he took, he laughed—I’ve stepped on every stick along my path. The crunch of leaves and the snap of twigs echoed through the trees. At the top of the next hill, he could see down to the stream and was pleased he’d been able to find it. “Look, Smoke, we found it. I know where we are.”

  Together they ran down the two small rolling hills toward the stream. At the bottom, they hopped down the small slope to the rocks, and Smoke easily hopped across and jumped to the other side. As Kai stepped up on the first rock, his boot slipped just a little. He regained his balance and stepped to the next rock. The next step was over the water and looked farther.

  He held his breath as he placed his right foot on the edge of the rock and leaned with his left foot reaching for the next. Halfway across, he pushed off with his right and landed safely on the other side. “Ha, ha. I did it!” he called to Smoke
, who was up ahead through the first set of trees. With his eyes on Smoke, he confidently hopped to the last rock. Then he jumped down on the other side and fell into the loose leaves on his hands and knees.

  Not shaken, Kai stood and brushed off his pants. Before he could take another step, a low growl startled him from behind. Fear rolled through his mind. He turned. A timber wolf stood atop the small slope on the opposite side of the stream. He had been utterly unaware of the wolf. It stared him down, bearing its teeth. It crept down the slope and onto the rocks and moved closer.

  Smoke dashed back through the trees to stand in front of Kai, growling.

  As he’d done with the palace guard dogs, Kai breathed slow and easy. He pushed a sense of calm at the wolf. The angry animal snarled. Its fangs looked sharp. The eyes were fierce and unyielding. It was not working. Kai’s mind raced, and he felt the panic well in his chest. He was unable to calm the wolf.

  Panicked, Kai wanted to run. Before he could think, he heard a man’s voice. “Don’t run, boy.” Frozen in place, Kai stood stiff. “Step slowly backward and lean to your left… Call your wolf to follow.”

  Terrified, Kai heard his heart pound in his chest. He lifted his foot and took one slow step backward to the left, calling his wolf with his mind. “Smoke, come.” Smoke still growled, but he stepped back with Kai. The wolf wildly hopped across the stream to the next rock, growling all the while. Kai took a second step, and the wolf lunged.

  Kai turned his head away and raised his hands to cover his face. In his right ear, he heard an arrow whiz by his head, followed by a yelp and a loud thud. When he opened his eyes, he saw the wolf dead on the ground at his feet, an arrow piercing its chest. Smoke angrily barked and sniffed at the dead wolf.

  “Come with me, Your Highness. Let’s get you cleaned up before we take you back home.” The man grabbed the wolf by its hind legs, removed the arrow and raised it up over his shoulder. “I’m Hunter Micha Marduk, I work for your father. You really should not travel into the woods alone unprotected at your age. If you come up here again, either bring a guard or become more aware of your surroundings. That wolf had been tracking you for a while.”

  Still in shock, Kai looked at the tall, rugged man. His dark, blond hair framed his face.

  “You’re alright Kai, come with me.”

  Focused on the kind blue eyes, Kai blinked. He could hardly think. Marduk rubbed his short stubbly beard and motioned up the hill. The pair walked silently through the woods with Smoke keeping pace behind them.

  Hunter Marduk led him to a small clearing with a cabin, large fire pit, a barn, and a few small buildings. The first two buildings had taut lines connecting them—covered in animal skins. The third building had a large plume of smoke escaping from the top and smelled of meat. To the right of the cabin, there was a small barn with two white horses feeding on hay.

  “Shane, can you come out here? We have a guest.” The door to the cabin opened, and a young boy stepped out. He was the spitting image of his father, dressed in rugged mountain gear. There was a large hound dog with him. Paying no mind to Kai or Smoke, the dog picked a spot in the grass next to a large tree to lie down.

  “Son, Prince Kai had a run in with a timber wolf. Make us some lunch while I tend to this wolf. Then we will walk him back home to the palace.”

  Kai stood there, staring at nothing, realizing he’d never thanked the man for saving his life.

  Like his father, Shane had sandy brown hair and blue eyes. “Hello, my name is Shane. Nice to meet you, Kai. What’s it like living in the palace?” the boy asked.

  Brought back to reality, Kai stumbled through a response. “Oh, um, it’s alright, I guess. There are a lot of academics most days, but occasionally I get time to explore the palace grounds, the city, and from time to time I go to the lake for a swim. Today I guess I just wandered farther into the woods than usual. Lucky for me, your dad came along.” Still, in shock, he ran his hands over his arms and shoulders to calm his nerves.

  “Tell me what happened,” Shane asked intently.

  Kai watched Shane prepare lunch. “I don’t know, really. I was climbing over some rocks by this stream, as I jumped off the last rock I slipped and fell. When I stood to dust myself off the wolf growled at me. I just never noticed him, Smoke came in front of me. Smoke is my wolf’s name.

  “Anyway, out of nowhere, your dad shows up and tells me to step back, and the timber wolf jumped, and your dad shot the wolf with an arrow. It was amazing.”

  “Amazing, that’s what you’d call it?” Hunter Marduk stood, blocking the sun from the doorway. He had one hand on the door, the other on the hilt of a large blade strapped to his waist. “Lucky is what I’d call it. You’ve no business being out here on your own. You’ve no sense of your surroundings, and you have no means to protect yourself.” Hunter Marduk looked sternly at Kai.

  In total shock, Shane motioned toward Kai. “Dad, do you know what you’re saying and to whom?”

  “Yes, I know exactly. All the more reason. The boy is a prince, and he knows nothing of being in the woods. In fact, why were you at the lake alone? This is not the first time I’ve seen you out of the city alone. Usually, you have a guard with you. Where is your guard today?” Hunter Marduk’s eyes narrowed. “You think because you have that wolf, you’re invincible?” Marduk’s voice thundered louder and louder.

  Kai sat there, afraid to answer. He was supposed to tell someone if he wanted to leave the palace, but having found a way around taking a guard, he’d gotten overconfident. He had not really thought about what could go wrong alone in the woods.

  “Dad, please, he’s upset. I am sure he didn’t mean…” Shane said defensively.

  “Ahh right, he didn’t mean to get killed in the woods,” Marduk shouted, pounding his fist into the table.

  Kai jumped at the sound, and Marduk clenched his jaw.

  Hesitant, Kai looked at the only man willing to stand up to a prince. “It’s alright, Shane. Thank you, Hunter Marduk. I meant to say it earlier, but to be honest, I was at a loss for words. Thank you for saving my life. You’re right. I was careless. I have been ditching my guards.”

  “You are lucky I happened along at the right time. I saw you come over the hill with your wolf. From a distance, you remind me of my boy, so I watched you for a few moments. It was then that I saw the wolf crest the hill not far behind you. I had to move quickly to get down the hill. I wanted to beat you to the stream. I figured that would be where the wolf would choose to attack you. I think your wolf was the only thing that delayed its approach.”

  For a few moments, they all sat around the table eating until Kai broke the silence. “How long have you lived up here? You seem well established… This is not a new cabin.”

  Marduk leaned back in his chair. “You’re right, this cabin has been here for years. We’ve been here now going on five years this past spring. I rebuilt the barn and the smoker. The old man before us caught the smoker and the barn on fire one summer.”

  Looking out the window, Marduk realized the time. “We need to get going. I need to get you back to the palace and still have time to get us back home before sundown. Grab your gear, Shane. I’ll close the barn and check on the smoker.”

  “Yes, sir.” Shane attached his knife to his belt and picked up his bow and a quiver full of arrows, slinging them both over his shoulder. Outside they met Marduk as he let out a whistle for their hound dog, who trotted over to join them with Smoke following behind.

  All in line, they set out for the palace. The first thing Kai noticed was that they were taking a different direction back to the palace. They were not walking down toward the lake and the northern road. They continued to crossing hill after hill and stream after stream. As they crested the next hill, the trees began to thin, and he soon noticed the northern road coming around on their left and gatehouse up ahead.

  When they reached the gatehouse, Marduk called to the guard. “Good afternoon, Garrick, just bringing Prince Kai back from a trip t
o the lake.”

  Garrick looked at Kai, cocked his head to one side. Kai knew he was surprised to see him outside the gates, especially once he noticed the prince had no guard. “Your Highness,” Garrick said with a smirk.

  Chapter 13

  Real Proof

  The first rule in accusing a person of a crime is to make sure you have proof to support your accusation. If that person is royalty, you better have solid facts, not subjective belief. Kai knew this as he wrapped his knuckles on the Master General’s door and waited for a reply.

  Riome answered. “It’s Kai,” she muttered, her eyes locked on the prince.

  His cousin’s voice echoed from inside. “We’re all finished, let him in.” The door swung wide, and Riome, Milton, Brannon, and Jarrod spilled out of the room. All dressed in black, all spies for Cazier. They glared at him as they departed.

  Alone, Kai addressed Cazier. “I need to ask a question, in confidence. If I am out of place, I hope you can forget I even asked.” He stood at attention like a soldier.

  Cazier leaned back in his chair and gestured to the chair next to him. “I must stay I am intrigued, continue.”

  Nervous, Kai chose to stand. His observations of Nola worried him. Was Lizzie right, or did he see only what he wanted to see? His encounter with her in the nursery did not seem real. Her grip on his hand, the words she spoke, and the mind fog he experienced.

  “I wanted to get your opinion about someone.” He chose his words carefully, not wanting to give the impression that his worries were not based on facts only the ramblings of a cook and a strange moment he could not explain.

  “If I suspect someone of wrongdoing, how do I know if my concern is real?” There was something off about Nola, he knew it, as much as Lizzie felt it in her bones. “Someone told me… and I tried watching this person myself…” He’d said that all wrong.