Staring down at the ring on her hand she longed to be with him again. He conceded to offering her marriage, but his proposal was far from a promise that he wouldn’t throw his life away for her people. For the man who stood here now, criticizing him, making him into the enemy, slandering his name… Her people didn’t deserve his bravery. She was beginning to see why the gods would choose to challenge them. They were unworthy of the gifts presented by Sarhik. And as far as she could see, they were unworthy of much more.
“To die?” Onuric sneered. “What purpose would that serve?”
“It would save our ungrateful people. He is willing to die so that you can live. Does that mean nothing to you?”
“Why would it mean anything? I have other plans for the sacrifice. There is no need for him to act so foolishly. Dramatics have no place in war.”
Other plans? So Onuric had thought about it. She’d been convinced that somehow everyone was overlooking that detail and now she was becoming painfully aware that it was well considered by everyone. The problem was that no one knew what anyone else was thinking. There was no communication between them. Because my brother is too stubborn to accept Edric’s help. “What is your plan, then?” she asked quietly. “Did you intend to sacrifice yourself ?”
“Of course not,” he scowled. “That would accomplish nothing. My intention was to curse Ewei’s pitiful soul into the weapon… if the damn thing even exists.”
“Ewei?” Her mouth fell, surprised by the admission. She couldn’t imagine Ewei willingly accepting such a task. He never would have agreed to come on this journey if he knew what was in store for him. “Does Ewei know? Did you tell him your intentions?”
“I told Ewei that I planned to offer myself. It was the only way to guarantee his cooperation. The man deserves worse than death for the things he has plotted against our family. I have no care for what happens to him.”
She wanted to be happy. The news was convenient, promising that Edric would have no need to die when they found the weapon. Instead, he would live long enough to die at the hands of her father. Nowhere did she see a means for them to escape and seek the marriage he offered. But she wasn’t going to give up. Callum would never allow anything to happen to his friend and he understood the delicateness of their situation. With his help they could have the entire Tanispan military on their side. She just needed to figure out how.
Slowly she rose to her feet, idly adjusting Edric’s ring around her finger. It was strange how such a tiny object could bring her so much hope. She had never taken the time to admire the trinket before, noticing for the first time the way the gemstones sparkled in the light. Polished to a perfect sheen. The design appeared a crest of some kind, each color represented by different gems, the blades of the crossed swords at the center formed of glittering diamonds. It was of an exquisite make, more intricate than any piece of jewelry she’d seen. The Ovatai preferred everything simple. Basic. They were a no nonsense race… though now she was beginning to think they might be one of the most ridiculous races to ever walk on Myatheira.
Noticing her distraction Onuric strode across the passage to stand in front of her, grabbing her hand harshly to look down at the ring she wore there. She didn’t think it was possible for the scowl on his face to become any worse than it already was, cringing to see the discontent rising in the depths of his eyes. “What is this?” he scolded, pulling her hand closer. “Does this belong to that scoundrel?”
“He is not a scoundrel… and yes, it is his. He presented it to me as a gift.”
“A gift? What kind of gift? You know very well what wearing the ring of another man symbolizes.”
“Yes, I do,” she nodded calmly. Gently she tried to pull her hand away, finding his hold solid and unbreakable. She was afraid of what he would do if given a chance to get the ring away from her. “The custom is the same among their people. He has requested my hand in marriage and I have accepted him.”
Onuric’s face brightened to a crimson shade. Releasing her hand he grabbed a hold of her shoulders, slamming her hard against the wall of the passage. She grimaced painfully, trying to keep from crying out. She was afraid of her brother. Never had he given her reason to fear what he would do to her, but in his current state, she no longer felt confident that she was immune to the strike of his hand. “You will not marry that man!” he shouted, sliding his right hand away from her shoulder up to her neck, catching the chain she wore there on his index finger to draw it taut, exposing the golden band. “Mevuk is the only man you will ever know as your husband. After your behavior with these foreigners, I will see to that. You will be kept under lock and key for the sake of our family’s reputation. You disgrace the memory of the greatest warrior our tribe has ever known. How could you possibly think that wretch of a prince is worthy of you? An It’aryn?”
“He is more worthy than Enapo will ever be…”
“Hold your tongue!”
“I will not hold my tongue!” She was tired of being ordered around by him. The natural protection owed to a sister by her brother could only justify his behavior so much before it became excessive. He was overbearing. Controlling. It was her life! The only person who had any right to tell her what to do was their father. “You will never understand. I do not have to explain myself to you.”
“You are starting to sound as foolish as their sorry excuses for women. Next thing you will be claiming to love the man like some misled child brought up on the fairy tales that warp the minds of the foreigners.”
“I do love him. And I pity you for the fact that you will never know what that means.”
His nose wrinkled at her words, staring at her with a mixture of shock and dismay. He was struggling with how to handle the situation. His usual control was absent, trembling from the rage which lingered, having no outlet for the excess aggression. “Love? What do you know of love? You know nothing! It doesn’t exist. Our tribe would not be here now if we chased after such emotions the way those pathetic Vor’shai do.”
“And our tribe might not be here much longer if we do not learn how to work with them.”
“We are perfectly capable of working with them, Neomi. That does not mean we have to sleep with them!” Stepping back he threw his hands up, suddenly disgusted to realize that he had been touching her. “You make me sick. I cannot believe this. And to think I helped to save that man. I give you my word, next time death comes for him because of his inability to handle the cold; I intend to let him freeze.”
“Then you can explain that to the Vor’shai Queen when she asks why we let her son die. I am sure she will understand.” Neomi rolled her eyes, unable to hold back the sarcasm in her tone. Onuric was impossible. She was running out of patience in dealing with him. They wasted time with this nonsense when they should be moving deeper into the cave in search of the weapon. It had to be close. She wouldn’t let herself believe that they had come there for nothing.
Turning away from Neomi, Onuric hung his head, shaking it slowly. “Go to sleep, Neomi,” he said quietly, inhaling a deep breath to try and calm his tensed muscles. “We will continue our search in the morning when I have had time to clear my head. But do not think I will let this go. You and that wretch are not to be near one another. If I see him so much as look at you, I will remove his head from his shoulders. Do you understand?”
“I understand perfectly. But know this. If you lay a finger on him, I will not hesitate to make sure you share the same fate that you bestow upon him.”
Onuric stiffened, his chin lifted proudly. It stung her to speak such things to her brother. She didn’t want to fight with him. They worked better when they were not at odds, but these days it seemed they never quite saw eye-to-eye. The war had him on edge. Though she wanted to blame him for the things he did, she couldn’t find it in her heart to do so. He was under a great deal of pressure and her escapades were doing nothing to help. Ignoring the threat, he moved down the passage, the light from around him flickering out as he lowered himself
to the ground. “Go to sleep,” he stated coolly, the faint outline of his figure slowly lying down in the darkness. Neomi let her energy linger a moment longer before allowing it to dissipate, unsure of what to say. It seemed best to remain quiet. She had already said and done enough for one night. The damage to her relationship with her brother was possibly irreparable, but for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to care. He threatened Edric… nearly snapping his neck without a second thought as to what the repercussions of his actions would be. At the same time Edric had spared his life. He showed mercy upon the same man who would have killed him without blinking an eye only minutes before.
No question remained over whether or not she had made the right decision in coming after Edric. Even if they never made it beyond the border of Ethrysta together, she could die in peace knowing she had no regrets. She had done the right thing. It was the only thing she knew with any certainty anymore. Maybe this was why her people had chosen to forsake the thought of love. It seemed so small yet it could bring an entire world crashing down within an instant. And somehow, she couldn’t help feeling it was worth it.
The darkness was oppressive. Edric hated the inability to chase it away. He was capable of it, but the harsh landscape made it too dangerous to try. Regardless of whether the Ovatai could revive him if he fell, he knew their decision would be to let him die. Onuric would never allow anyone to help him. They were his prisoners now. It meant little to Edric, knowing that his time in Onuric’s company would be short, but his concern lay with Ehren. Would Onuric treat him as a criminal after Edric was gone? Ehren had done nothing wrong.
He could hear Ehren moving in the dark though it was impossible to make out his shape. The sound was nearby. Growing closer with every second. Stiffening where he sat, Edric felt a moment of panic at the thought of it being someone other than his brother. Reflexively his hand moved to the hilt of his sword, prepared to draw if the person identified themselves as a threat.
“Edric?”
Relief eased his muscles, releasing his hold on the sword at the sound of Ehren’s voice. He chuckled quietly to himself. He was being paranoid. And with good reason. They were surrounded by two men who wanted to see him dead and would think nothing of taking Ehren down with him. It was better to err on the side of caution. “You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that. I thought you were one of the Ovatai.”
“I wasn’t intending to sneak. The darkness is just… well… here.” The rustle of fabric stopped, coming to rest beside Edric. “Why did you not tell me about you and Neomi? I heard the rumors but I assumed you would have said something if there was truth to them.”
“It wasn’t exactly something I could speak openly about.”
“Did no one know?”
“Callum knew… though I am sure he would have preferred not to,” Edric frowned. “The only other person who knew with any certainty was Onuric’s wife. But she kept it a secret because she knew how her husband would react. And she was right. It is unfortunate that she is not here now to try and talk some sense into him.”
Silence filled the passageway where the two sat, deep in thought. Fumbling in the darkness Edric reached out, tentatively running his hand blindly along the figure of his brother at his side until it came to rest on his shoulder, hoping to offer him some comfort. He wished there was more he could do. The truth was that he couldn’t promise Ehren everything would be alright. Nothing was going to be fine once they found the weapon.
Ehren’s hand slid up to pat Edric’s gently. “You could have told me. I would never blame you for it.”
“I wasn’t concerned about blame. My worry has been in what our parents would think of the match. The Ovatai – as you can see – are adamantly against it. They will try to have me killed for my actions. Although our parents would disapprove of a marriage outside our own people, I can’t help but think they would be more understanding. They might not allow it, but they would never condemn me like this.”
“Of course they wouldn’t,” Ehren sighed. Edric wished he could see his brother’s face. The darkness was making him more difficult to read. “I cannot say whether or not they would allow it, but they certainly wouldn’t hold it against you. Grandmother Vorsila might… she is rather strict when it comes to her descendants.”
“Vorsila is from a different time entirely. She spent decades in fear that her entire family line would die out at the hands of the Ven’shal. I understand the bitterness she feels, but she needs to stop involving herself in the affairs of our parents. She is the reason Callum was sent here in the first place when he should have been allowed to stay with Aiva.”
“You cannot blame her entirely for that…”
“No, you’re right. I can’t blame her entirely. I can, however, scorn the fact that our parents let her words sway their opinion. Mother was disinclined to send Callum before our grandmother got to her.”
Ehren’s head shook slowly in the darkness, the glow of his eyes lifting to meet Edric’s gaze. “Grandmother Vorsila did nothing more than make the suggestion. The General, despite his personal reasons for not wanting to send his son here, was left with no choice other than to agree with what she said. The progression of Callum through the ranks has been a matter of deep scrutiny from the moment he joined the military. His acceptance was granted before he even turned twenty-five, which is unusual for anyone. The man has lived and breathed the military at his father’s side since the second he could call himself an adult. Speculation of his inevitable rise to his father’s rank has been around from the very beginning.”
“But he made his own name for himself through his deeds. Cadell wasn’t with him in Siscal when he fought the pirates. His recommendation to become Captain came from sources other than his father. Why would they question him now?”
“Because that is our parents’ job. The General cannot be chosen simply because he is a good person. His duty is the protection of the royal family. If there was any inkling that Callum’s rise was because of the family name he carried, people would doubt him. Look down upon him. They couldn’t take that chance… especially not when he is to be King. His reputation must be one of respect among our people. You should know our mother wept when she gave the order that Callum was to go. She knew the delicate condition our sister was in and the risk they took in her possibly losing the child she carried. No one wanted this. They just couldn’t take the chance.”
Edric lowered his eyes to the floor. He knew Ehren was right. Until now it had been easier to place blame for the unfortunate circumstances but the truth was that there was no other way. He understood. In many ways he always had. It just seemed cruel. Unfair to Callum that being a descendant of the General, something he had no control over, was what worked against him now. Made people whisper and claim him to receive special treatment. He could have taken down all the pirates single-handedly and people would still think him nothing more than the spoiled son of the great General Cadell. It would take a war to make them see that Callum deserved their respect. Without it, there would always be questions.
“It changes nothing,” he said quietly, rising to his feet. “I have brought this all upon myself and I owe you an apology for dragging you down with me. I tried to keep you from coming with me on this journey but Callum is too stubborn. This is my fault and I’m afraid my actions will be the downfall of Callum’s mission as well. It will look bad for him if the Prince is executed while abroad in his company.”
“You are not going to be executed. Chief Okivra wouldn’t be foolish enough to do something so extreme without making contact with our parents.”
“No?” Edric peered in Ehren’s direction, seeing nothing but the faint outline of his body rising in the shadows. “The Ovatai have no reason to be concerned about the alliance between our people. They have never before had need of our assistance and once the Avaern is destroyed, the chance of them having to call upon us again is unlikely. Even if our parents declared war upon them for the slight, they have the advantage here. We a
re no threat to them.”
Rolling his eyes heavenward he exhaled in frustration. This was not the way he’d envisioned things going when he argued with Cadell to let him come here. He doubted anyone could have foreseen what they were walking into by offering their assistance. They were accustomed to other countries coming to them for help with simple problems. Not god-like dragons capable of destroying them all in a single swipe. It was all a bit more mystical than he was comfortable with. Shamans and magic swords. If he hadn’t seen the beast for himself, he would have passed it off as insanity.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak again something caught his eye from above. There was a light at the top of the wall, dim, faint, barely wider than a pinprick. At first he thought he was imagining it. They were deep inside a cave. The wall blocked their passage through the tunnel, leading him to believe there was nothing more beyond it. Curious, he shuffled forward, careful of his steps over the icy ground. It was there. The closer he came to it, the more certain he was. “Ehren,” he called out distractedly, resting his hands against the wall. It was cold to the touch, reminding him that he’d removed his gloves during his conversation with Neomi. It felt solid. But something wasn’t right about it.
The ceiling wasn’t very tall. He could almost touch the hole, the tips of his fingers barely falling short. There was an indentation in the wall around the light, a piece of it broken that he hadn’t noticed before. Vaguely he recalled the ice tumbling down around them when Onuric collided with the surface. At the time he’d thought nothing of it, but now… it was starting to feel like a blessing that they had come to blows. Was this it? Some secret passageway blocked off by the Ythes those years ago in attempts to conceal the weapon? It would explain a lot. The perfect smoothness of the surface had seemed odd the moment he saw it. As if it had been placed rather than formed by natural means.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 87