The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  He flinched to feel Cadell’s hand on his shoulder. Moving away he tried to put distance between them, feeling Cadell’s fingertips graze the fabric of his cloak before falling back to Cadell’s side. Edric didn’t want to be consoled. He wanted to be back in control the way he used to be. To feel as if his opinion was worth something. But Cadell had made up his mind. And how could Edric blame him? It was better for Callum if Edric returned to Tanispa. At least where their relations with the Ovatai stood. But in everything else… Callum needed him. If only Cadell knew! Without Edric there, Callum would have allowed himself to give up everything. While Callum was a brilliant Captain, he had his own troubles to worry about which he had managed to keep a secret from his own father. Edric’s presence in Ethrysta was more important to both of them than Cadell could ever know.

  “It is not like you to be this way, Edric,” Cadell murmured, stepping around to place himself in front of Edric. “You are a fine diplomat, and always have been. Your father would not allow you to be involved in business matters at the palace if he did not think the same.”

  “Involvement in trivial meetings doesn’t give me purpose. I am not in any position of power. I will never be King. With the way things look now, I will never be anything more than a burden to my parents, taking up space but never really earning my keep.”

  “Your parents would never consider you a waste of space –”

  “This is not about what my parents think!” Edric shouted, unable to contain his rising frustration. “Even when my father was nothing more than a Prince without expectation of ascending to the throne, he was active in Tanispan affairs. He was Captain of the Siscalian military during the Namiren war. The Consul for Queen Vorsila in Siscal. He had purpose! He had duties and responsibilities outside the palace walls.”

  “He had those duties because he could not stay within the palace walls, Edric. You are no stranger to the history of your family. How can you speak as if your father did those things because it was his choice?”

  “Because it was,” he shrugged. “If my father had not desired to participate in the military, he could have lived a quiet life in some cottage somewhere, safely away from public notice without any responsibility at all. You know he joined the military because it was his passion. I am not granted that same luxury.”

  “And you should be grateful that you have not had need to do so,” Cadell heaved a long breath, teeth gritted. “Your father had a passion for the military but he would never have joined had it not been for the fact that his siblings were slain by the Ven’shal. Your parents keep watch so that you never have to endure the tragedy they did.”

  “I know this. And I appreciate everything they have done, but you have to understand how frustrating it can be to realize that I will never be… anything. My very heritage limits me. I am not in line for the throne, I cannot join the military – my crown prevents me from finding a woman who might be capable of making me feel as if there is more to life than fancy parties and social gatherings amongst the backstabbing courtiers. All I’m asking for is something to focus on. Something I can do for myself as well as my people. Coming here has been an educating experience. I feel as if I am accomplishing something worthwhile. Please… let me continue to learn.”

  Folding his arms over his chest Cadell kept a steady eye on Edric. Watchful. Curious. “You place me in a difficult position, Your Highness,” he stated calmly, returning to the formal address he had begun the meeting with, abandoning the more personal nature of their conversation. “As a father, I want you to be here to help protect my son. As a General, I see you as a risk. Unless you can let go of whatever these feelings are you believe to hold for Neomi, I cannot in good conscience allow you to remain. Not only for the sake of the alliance, but for your safety. The Ovatai are not like the other government officials you have dealt with in the past. They have different customs. Different punishments for slights against them. And they have no need for the alliance. While their friendship is important to us, they gain nothing from it, and therefore stand to lose nothing by administering a severe punishment upon you if you are found to have touched the Chief ’s daughter.”

  “How can you say they gain nothing from the alliance? We came all this way to help them because of it.”

  “And the chances of them needing to call on us again are slim to none. Severing ties will not cause them to lose sleep at night. I have known their people longer than you have been alive.”

  “You may know their people but I know this battle, and I am convinced that I will do more good than harm. These men need me. Callum needs me. And although I don’t want to sound arrogant, you are in no position of power to order me to do anything against my will unless you carry the command directly from my parents. So tell me, General. Do you have the word of the Queen to force me from this war?”

  It was the final card he had to play. He hated to use it against Cadell after everything he had done for Edric. Had it not been for Cadell, Edric never would have been allowed to come to Ethrysta at all. Cadell appeared unfazed by the question, never flinching. “I do not have a direct command, but I have your mother’s approval to exercise authority in military matters. If you can assure me that you will keep your hands off the Chief ’s daughter – or any other woman of Ovatai descent who may catch your eye – then I will consider allowing you to remain. The problem is that I’m not convinced you can make that promise.”

  “Such little faith in me,” Edric shook his head. “You’re willing to look past all the good I have accomplished while here simply because of a fondness I feel toward a woman.”

  “Not just any woman, Edric. She is the Chief ’s daughter…”

  “I know who she is! Do you think anyone has let me forget?” He couldn’t remember the last time he was this angry. If Cadell forced him to leave, it would only serve to solidify Edric’s feeling of inferiority. His lack of worth. If a man who possessed no Levadis blood in his veins could push around the firstborn son of the royal family, then what good was he? “I cannot promise that I will let my feelings toward her go. All I can do is ask that you trust my ability to handle myself. I’m not a little boy anymore, Cadell. I know what I’m doing and I know the repercussions of making a mistake. You don’t have to tell me.”

  “Then what are you doing?” Cadell sighed, a hint of frustration evident in his tone. “If you cared about the repercussions, you would take more caution in how you conducted yourself in her presence. I’m not telling you that you cannot care about her. I’m telling you that you have to keep it to yourself. Just since your return, there have already been whispers. Accusations. I didn’t need my son’s evasive responses to my questions to know that you both were hiding something which might give credibility to the allegations rumored throughout the Ovatai. You are already in danger and you don’t even know it.”

  “And leaving will only stand to justify the claims. They will assume you took me away to separate Neomi and me. After I’m gone, the whispers will continue, and Callum will be left to argue them without me here to explain myself, and the problem will only fester. I am the one who made the mistake of falling for that woman. Let me be the one to fix it instead of putting anything else on Callum’s shoulders that he doesn’t need right now.”

  Away from the warmth of the coals, Cadell rubbed his hands together, contemplating Edric’s words. He was thoughtful. The irritation which had begun to show itself was no longer visible, replaced by a mild expression of sympathy. “This really does mean a lot to you.” It was more of a statement than a question, requiring no response. “If I allow you to stay, you should know it is against my better judgment to do so. And I have not yet decided if I am willing to take that risk.”

  “Then perhaps you should consider my sister,” Edric frowned. “Do you have any idea what it would do to her if she knew I was not here with Callum? She is under enough stress without adding this to it. Our goal in my coming here was to lessen the strain on her so that her health wouldn’t suffer more than
it already has.”

  “Your sister is not the only one who has slept more soundly knowing you were here with my son. I trust you boys together. My wife took solace in the fact that you came to watch over him. Your parents allowed it for my sake and your sister’s, though they only did so because they knew you and Callum work well together. So don’t think for a minute that anyone will take pleasure in seeing you return to Tanispa prematurely.”

  “Then do not make me go! I will correct whatever I have done.” He was growing tired of repeating himself. Somehow he had been convinced that Cadell would cave to his request easier than he did. “This is not your war to begin with,” he sighed, thinking over the details which had brought him to Ethrysta. Cadell wasn’t supposed to be there. He had given up all rights to the way the situation was handled the minute he conceded in sending his son here. “When you agreed to send Callum here, to challenge his abilities as a leader, you placed the responsibility of the war – and everything that comes with it – onto him. And ultimately it should be his call whether or not I stay or leave. Maybe it would be best to ask his opinion.”

  “Callum has already made it clear that he desires you to stay.”

  “And as this is a test of his leadership, I think you should trust his decision.”

  Quietly Cadell turned away, moving slowly toward the heat once again, letting Edric’s words linger on the air between them. Edric had a point. He was impressed with himself for having the courage to argue it with the General. In a way the man had always intimidated him. He couldn’t imagine having him as a father, though it explained a great deal about how Callum had become the strong man he was. But even Callum feared him. It was rare to see Callum raise his voice to his father, and even rarer for anyone else to do so. Cadell wasn’t the type of man to accept being challenged when it came to his decisions involving the military.

  Edric watched Cadell carefully, afraid of how he would react. He didn’t feel it was disrespectful in any way. It was the harsh truth. Callum was being trained to take Cadell’s place. How was he supposed to do that if Cadell continued to step in and make decisions for him? To go over his head when Callum had already made his preference clear?

  “Alright.” It was a single word. One which Edric couldn’t be sure of its meaning without more elaboration. Cadell gave no indication of saying anything more, his eyes locked straight ahead, staring blankly into the distance briefly before continuing. “I will allow you to remain in Ethrysta, but Ehren will stay behind as well.”

  “General –”

  “Your Highness, please,” he raised his hand, cutting Edric off before he could say more. “He will be in charge of making sure a courier is sent to Tanispa periodically… in the event that business becomes too distracting and Callum does not have a chance to write. He is unaware of the current situation involving you and the Chief ’s daughter so he will be able to give an impartial report in regards to how you conduct yourself. If his letter so much as implies that you have overstepped your boundaries, I will make sure you are summoned home immediately. Without argument. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Then you promise to keep your focus on the duty you were sent here to do? For my peace of mind, I must know that you will continue to watch over Callum without distraction of the female persuasion. I know from experience that women can detract a man’s attention from anything. Do not let this girl be the reason my son dies.”

  He wasn’t about to argue. Although he disliked the idea of his younger brother staying in Ethrysta, it was a small price to pay for Cadell’s concession. Ehren would be easy enough to protect. He could be kept at the camp to watch over the wounded soldiers. There was no need for him to see the frontlines of battle if he was only there to spy on Edric. “Callum’s well-being is my utmost priority, as it always has been. I made a promise before I left Tanispa and I intend to honor it.”

  “Good,” Cadell nodded, walking swiftly to his cloak and gloves, quickly covering himself in preparation for the cold. “In that case, I will make sure my men are ready to leave by morning. Before I go, I will collect any letters you wish to see taken to your family. I imagine my son will write to no one other than his wife, so if you would be so kind as to make sure your parents are given guarantees of your safety. My assurances will not ease your mother’s mind the same as those from your hand.”

  “Of course.” There was little else to say. Cadell had proven himself reasonable after all. Now if only Edric could handle things in Ethrysta with the confidence he presented to the General. Relief flooded him to know that he had won. That was all that mattered at the moment. He could worry about Okivra later. “Oh, and General,” he added, causing Cadell to pause before stepping through the flap. Stiffly he turned to face Edric, inquisitive. “Thank you.”

  A faint smile formed over Cadell’s lips, barely noticeable, though Edric was familiar enough with his face to know it was there. Without a word Cadell gave a sharp nod of his head, shifting his weight slightly to resume his steps, disappearing into the cold to leave Edric staring after him in silence.

  Sitting in the foyer of Chief Okivra’s home Edric watched Callum pacing the floor, hands clasped behind his back, lost in thought. There had been little time for them to talk since Cadell departed the camp. Nearly a week had passed and Neomi remained unconscious, though the Ovatai controlled her sleep, maintaining an induced comatose state for the sake of healing. If she was to wake and move her body, the injuries were at risk of being exacerbated, undoing everything that had already begun to heal. While pain was a concern if she awoke, the wounds were what Okivra followed more closely, refusing anyone to go near her other than a few select people. Moinie and Callum were the only ones granted access to her room other than Onuric. Immediate family. It was torture for Edric to know that he was not permitted near her at a time like this. Thankfully he could count on Callum to check in periodically and bring reports of her improvement.

  Talk around the camp was growing more rampant. The whispers had moved beyond the simple rumor of an affair. Now came the questions about what happened to Neomi; why she had been separated from the group in Isavo. Edric knew what Ewei had told them when sending her away. His curiosity was piqued at hearing what story the man would pose to Chief Okivra. They would find out soon enough. Onuric and the Chief had called for a meeting. It was only a matter of time before all of the rumors came to a head.

  “Callum, you’re going to wear a hole in the ice if you keep that up,” he frowned, shifting uncomfortably in his stiff, wooden chair. The furniture in Ethrysta was far from agreeable. They had no need for the material comforts which Edric had taken for granted in the Tanispan palace. A few layers of fur over the ground was all they needed to sleep at night and in the colder areas of the home they found it easier to fashion chairs and tables out of the snow. Edric wasn’t sure it was a method he could ever become accustomed to. It came as a relief that an actual chair had been brought in while awaiting Okivra’s arrival.

  At the remark Callum paused briefly, glancing at Edric before resuming his pace. “I don’t know how you can sit there so calmly. Do you have any idea what this meeting might involve?”

  “A good number of things which I would rather not be faced with; but I argued with your father to be allowed to remain and deal with it, so I am going to try and stand proud while accepting what comes my way. Besides, we won’t be the only ones questioned today.”

  “Yes, but the offense against us is equally troublesome as that against Ewei.”

  “The offense is against me. You had nothing to do with it.”

  “How about you talk a little louder so everyone can hear you admit your guilt before we even get in front of the Chief.”

  Clearing his throat Edric leaned back in his seat. Nervous, he let his eyes scan the room, relieved to discover they were still the only ones there. “I’m not admitting anything. I was referring to the rumors, which said nothing of you.”

  Distracted by his own thou
ghts Callum waved dismissively at Edric, shaking his head. “I’m trying to stay focused on what we need to do. That would be easier to accomplish if we ignored the rumors and kept our heads on the task at hand. We need to keep the conversation on Ewei and what happened in Isavo. If he backs himself into a corner, any allegation he makes against us will sound less convincing to everyone else in the room.”

  Footsteps along one of the icy halls caught Edric’s attention, his head lifting to watch where the sound came from, recognizing Moinie’s somber face as she appeared in the doorway. Her cloak was removed, the wardrobe she’d chosen for the meeting resembling what almost looked to be formal business attire. A pair of white leather boots came up to her knee, adorned with fur along the edges. The shirt she wore draped lower around her waist, tied over her hips with an ivory colored cord which hung elegantly down the front, giving the illusion of a dress though a pair of leather pants could be seen from under the hem of the fabric.

  Immediately upon her arrival Edric was on his feet, heels together, at attention in preparation for whatever orders she might give. With a slight nod she acknowledged him, turning her eyes to Callum. “Chief Okivra is ready. If you both will follow me.”

  They did as instructed, without hesitation, Edric’s nerves calmed only somewhat at knowing Moinie would be present for the meeting. She had been witness to Ewei’s behavior during his time in Isavo. As an Ovatai, any argument she could provide would support Edric and Callum, and she was their only link to give credibility to anything they said. It was to their benefit that she was also Onuric’s wife. A respected member of their tribe.

  It was an impressive transformation to see Callum’s concern disappear from his expression, returned to his usual stern, controlled demeanor. Shoulders back, chin high, he moved along the hallway behind Moinie, eyes locked straight ahead. Edric hoped he gave the same air of confidence though he wasn’t convinced it was possible. His head was spinning. What was I thinking? He knew next to nothing about these people. How did he think that he was capable of defending himself against such harsh accusations when there was no guarantee he would be given a chance to explain. Maybe Cadell was right. Maybe he should have let them take him away.