Pledged

by Gwynneth White

  “Meaning?”

  “Tomorrow when Jared leaves for Ammarod he will take Caleb and Alfred with him. Once there, Jared will ensure they don’t live long enough to ever bother us again. We can blame their deaths on the Ammarods. Tragic casualties of war. How our hearts bleed. That way there’ll be no connection to the Predictor. And, better still, no adult Shadow Lord to overthrow me. And by the time Daniel’s child is old enough to cause trouble, I’ll be dead. I would have dodged Gideon’s Prophecy. And out-smarted Namar’s Predictor.” Marlthas grinned. “I can’t tell you how satisfying that is.”

  Rustus’s gloved hand lashed out, knocking Marlthas’s weapon away from his throat. “You expect my son to murder his cousin and uncle! You plan to make him complicit with you – so you can blackmail and control him all his life?”

  “That will teach him to go chasing whores.” Marlthas’s grin broadened.

  “Never! I will not permit it.”

  “Jared isn’t a child, Rustus. He’s a man with an appetite for power and beautiful women. He can have both, if he does what I command him. If he fails me, then, as valuable as he is on the battlefield, I’ll know that he cannot be trusted. And he will die too.”

  Rustus’s pale face coloured. “And you expect me to support this . . . this abomination?”

  Marlthas slammed his dagger into Rustus’s dangling sleeve, trapping his hand to the table. “Yes, I do. If you wish to live. Because, as you yourself said, I’m in the mood for purges. Now go and break the good news to your son.” He pulled the knife free.

  Rustus sat motionless. “He’ll never agree to this. You know how stubborn he is. Even for a Pledged.”

  “Oh, I think he will. When you tell him to clear a space in his bed for the Norin whore. She can be his first prize. And when he’s tired of her, he can have any woman he wants – without the humiliation of an Emblem Picking.” Marlthas pushed his face right into Rustus’s. “Think, brother, back to your day at the Emblem Picking. Remember your fear. How you trembled, terrified of what the girl would think when she chose you – the crippled Rustus, too rotten with phlegm to be of real use in Shenaya.” Marlthas settled back in his chair, watching the fury mount in Rustus’s eyes. “What you wouldn’t have given to avoid that humiliation! Now Jared will be spared it all – if he does as I command.” Marlthas raised his dagger and flung it at a portrait of himself and his two brothers hanging on the wall opposite his desk. The knife sliced a perfect gash in Rustus’s throat. “Now go, before I slit your miserable throat and break the news to him myself.”

  Rustus pulled himself to his feet, wiped his wispy hair from his face, and hobbled to the door. There he stopped. “Jared will need the Lightning Bird’s help to achieve what you’re asking. So I intend offering a sacrifice to Reuel tomorrow morning, before Jared, Caleb, and Alfred leave for Ammarod.”

  “Whatever gets the job done.” Marlthas gulped a mouthful of shenna and wiped his mouth with his hand.

  “A human sacrifice,” Rustus continued, as if Marlthas hadn’t spoken. “I will expect all the Defenders to attend – and that includes you.”

  “Me? Why?” Marlthas grimaced. “You know I don’t have time for, or belief in, your nasty little blood practices.”

  “Because you will lead us all in prayer, asking Reuel to bless our endeavors in Ammarod. It’s time our subjects heard your voice. It will steady things.”

  Marlthas grunted. “I suppose you’re right. Set it up. But not too early. At least give us time to recover from the wedding feast.”

  * * *

  It was to the wedding feast that the Seer-Stone took Seth and Erin after they left Marlthas’s office. They had expected to follow Rustus on his mission to speak to Jared, but instead they found themselves walking behind Sophia as she hurried towards a raucous chorus of merry-making in the Lord’s Hall.

  “Sounds like the party’s started,” Seth said.

  “So why wasn’t Sophia invited?”

  “Wasn’t she?”

  “No. So she’s decided to gatecrash her own party.”

  Seth smiled at Sophia. “Now her, I wouldn’t mind in my bloodline.”

  “Getting picky now, are we?” Erin grinned, slapping Seth on the shoulder.

  “You betcha.”

  But once they reached the hall, Sophia’s confidence faltered. Standing in the shadows, she craned her head around the doorframe, watching the Shenayans tuck into huge platters of roasted venison and jars brimming with shenna. Her eye caught a hard-faced Defender, lapping up gravy drizzling down her wrist from a charred knuckle of impala.

  Nauseated by the sight of her, the reek of over-seasoned food, sweating bodies and candle-wax, Sophia wanted to escape. But the need to protect her parents and her Family steeled her resolve. She had to find Caleb.

  And I make my own oath. From the moment my son is born, I’ll teach him everything I can so he grows up to destroy all this. She stepped through the doorway and scanned the tables. But there was no Caleb. With a frustrated click of her tongue, she searched for Kezeah. She was sitting at the main table with Marlthas, her eyes downcast, picking at the food in her bowl. So, Daniel’s as good as his word. He really did dump her. I like him more and more.

  Not wanting to catch Marlthas’s eye, Sophia darted away. Once safely out of sight, she slumped against the wall. I have to get out. Maybe a walk to the lake, to dream about home.

  “She’s so homesick,” Erin translated for Seth.

  “I know. Strange, but I’m suddenly getting her thoughts.”

  “Maybe it’s because you’re coming to like her – the way you love Caleb and Jared.”

  Seth didn’t argue.

  Still unsure of the geography of the Fortress, Sophia picked a path along the warren of passages, finally arriving at the entrance hall. As she slipped into the room, a sentry thrust a spear across her path. She tried to push it aside, but the huge, cleft-jawed Pledged refused to lower it.

  “Remove your spear. I wish to pass,” Sophia said, summoning all the imperious authority she could command.

  “That will not be possible, my lady,” the sentry responded, eyes wandering hungrily over her silken undulations.

  “How dare you look at me – the Shadow Lady – in that disrespectful way?” Sophia demanded. “I’ll see to it that you are punished.”

  “It’s orders, my lady, from Lord Rustus.”

  A second Pledged stepped forward. Half closing his eyelids, he flicked his tongue across his lips. “Like Bastion here says, my lady, we have our orders and there’s nothing to be done about it.”

  “Orders to stop me leaving the Fortress? But that’s impossible. I’m not a prisoner here. This is my home. So – as Shadow Lady of Shenaya – I order you to remove your weapon and let me pass.”

  The leering giant thrust his face forward until it was within toxic breathing distance of hers. “Like Eli here says: we take our orders from Lord Rustus, not from some Norin girl who, if rumour has it, is no closer to being a Shadow Lady than I am.”

  Sophia gasped. Rumour? Does every common soldier in this Fortress know that my betrothal has not been consummated! She was about to retort when a firm hand grabbed her arm.

  “Come, Sophia. Let Jared deal with this. As Warlord, Eli and Bastion here are his problem now.” It was Daniel. Before Sophia could speak he started walking, half-dragging her along with him. Jared had also arrived on the scene. Looking back, she saw him berating the two guards.

  Erin and Seth shadowed Sophia and Daniel down the passage.

  “Where are you taking me?” Sophia pulled her arm out of Daniel’s grip. “I thought you were my friend.”

  “Somewhere safe,” he whispered, looking out for Rustus’s spies cruising the corridor. “That’s what friends do when people they like are in danger. Now, don’t speak until I give you permission.”

  More orders!

  Sophia was about to object, when Stephanie interjected with a sharp, “Shut up, Sophia.”

  Sophia gnawed the
inside of her mouth to stop herself from speaking, while Daniel took them to an apartment on the second floor. He opened the door and ushered her into the room, leaving Seth and Erin to hurry in behind them.

  “I know this all seems strange, Sophia,” Daniel said, closing the door. “But it’s for your safety.”

  “My safety?” Sophia looked about the spartan room, trying to get her bearings. “I know your father’s threatened to kill me. Who else wants my blood?”

  “Rustus is planning a human sacrifice to Reuel tomorrow, and everyone has been commanded to attend. As you haven’t been invited, we rather fear that you might be the one on the altar.”

  “What?” Sophia stumbled back against a wooden trunk stationed near the door; she sank down on it. It took her a few moments to gather her thoughts. “You can’t be serious. And – and who are ‘we’? You and Caleb?”

  “Caleb is . . . well, to be honest, I don’t know what’s going on with Caleb. We used to be so close but he’s avoiding me now. Avoiding everyone, I think. He has been ever since you arrived here.”

  “Caleb avoiding things,” she replied bitterly. “That’s definitely part of my problem. I just don’t know what to do about him.”

  “Sophia, you have to believe that the Caleb you’ve seen these past few days isn’t the brother I know.” Guessing that what he had to say next would in no way remove her doubts, he added, “Anyway, I tried to talk to him earlier tonight about our fears for your safety, but he wouldn’t listen. He just pushed me away, saying he had a meeting with Rustus.”

  Sophia looked around the room again, trying to take in everything Daniel was saying. “So why bring me here? Whose room is this? Yours? And what makes it so safe?”

  Daniel grinned. “A room maintained with this level of military precision, mine? No, definitely not. It’s Jared’s. And he’s all packed up. Supposedly to head back to Ammarod tomorrow. You’re sitting on his trunk.”

  “Jared!” Sophia leapt off the trunk. Like a started impala poised to flee, her body tensed and her eyes darted to the door. “Daniel, I trusted you! Why have you brought me to Jared’s room when he’s one of them?”

  Daniel grabbed her hand. When she struggled he dragged her across the room, away from the door. “This is Shenaya, Sophia. Nothing is ever as it seems on the surface. Please, trust me. And my friend Jared–”

  “Who freely admits that he used you to persuade his father to send him back to Ammarod.” Jared had entered the room. He bolted the door and walked to Sophia. “But that was before I fell in love with you.” He was about to take her hand, but her icy face stopped him. “Please believe me, Sophia, by the time I left your room last night nothing on this planet could have induced me to hurt you. And you know that to be true, regardless of the lies you’ve been told since then.”

  “But then I don’t understand. Marlthas said that you said–”

  “Sophia,” Daniel interrupted. “You can’t believe a word my father says. I stopped believing his lies when I went to Pledging Camp.” He laughed. “Admittedly, my father and I haven’t really spoken since then . . . so I don’t know if it counts.”

  Sophia’s eyes betrayed her confusion; she couldn’t understand how Daniel could be so lighthearted about something so serious.

  Jared slapped Daniel on the back. “You’re not helping.”

  “Guess not.” Daniel grinned. “Listen, I’ve got things to organize for Sophia while you two find each other.” He pointed a finger at Sophia. “And I mean that. You have got to trust Jared, because he’s the best bet you’ve got around here. Other than me, of course.” To Jared he said, “I’ll be back before the end of the watch. Then we’ve got to move because I can’t be away from the feast for too much longer. And by now Eli and Bastion will have told Rustus that Sophia tried to leave the Fortress.”

  “Eli and Bastion won’t be talking to anyone tonight. Unless it’s the Pledged responsible for strapping them to the pillory.”

  “About time they got a beating.” Daniel unbolted the door.

  Before he could leave, Sophia grabbed his arm. “My sister. What about her? Is she in danger too?”

  Daniel laughed, but there was no humour in it. “Sophia, your sister has blended into Shenaya so well that no one even knows she’s here.” But seeing Sophia’s concern, he added, “I won’t let anything happen to her, I promise you that.”

  He slipped out of the room.

  Jared bolted the door and turned to Sophia, facing her distrustful gaze. “Sophia, have you ever wanted something so badly, but when you finally got it, it turned to dust in your hands?”

  She gave no answer.

  “Well, that’s what has happened to me. I wanted so desperately to get away from this place – to go back to the freedom of Ammarod – that I made some bad choices. I used you, I admit it, and now I live with the consequences.” He took a step towards her, but she backed away. “Sophia, please don’t let those consequences include us parting as enemies. It’s terrible enough having to leave you as it is.”

  “Did you tell your uncle you slept with me?”

  “Is that what Marlthas said?” He cringed under the icy blast of her blue eyes. “No, Sophia, I didn’t.”

  She said nothing.

  “Sophia, how would it have served me to tell him that? Surely you can see that me secretly marrying the Shadow Lord’s betrothed isn’t going to win me influence with the Overlord. Not when his only concern is that the succession sticks to his side of the family.”

  Sophia studied his face, not sure what to believe. Then the raw instinct that told her she could trust Jared resurfaced, flushing away all the evidence that seemed to prove otherwise. She nodded her head. “It didn’t make sense to me, Jared. But then, nothing makes sense to me any more.”

  “Does it make sense that I’m in love with you? Can you at least believe that?”

  “Does it matter what I believe?”

  “Much, much more than you can imagine.” His green eyes, usually so hard and mocking, pleaded for forgiveness, asking her to acknowledge his love for her – and, perhaps, even to admit her own love for him.

  A smile, tentative at first, moved like brightening dawn across her face. “I do believe you, Jared, and I think you know that I love you too – or I would not have been so heartbroken at your betrayal.”

  “My supposed betrayal,” he corrected as he enfolded her in his arms.

  As Jared and Sophia kissed, Erin nudged Seth. “See, soul mates – they find each other in the end.”

  “It’s not over yet, Erin. And you shouldn’t discount Rustus. Or Caleb. He could be plotting Sophia’s murder right now as we speak.”

  As if he could hear Seth speaking, Jared gave Sophia a final kiss. “We have lots to talk about, and very little time.” He led her to the bed, where they sat holding hands. “Today my father made me two very different offers. I’ve already turned down one, and by so doing have put your life in danger. Hence Daniel and my plans for your protection tonight.”

  “So this is all your fault.”

  “Guilty. And I’m sorry it took so long for the rescue plan to swing into action. My father has posted his most loyal Defenders to guard your room. So it wouldn’t have worked if we’d tried to come and get to you. We had to wait for you to leave.” His eyes were tender as he stroked her face. “It was hell, waiting for my fireball Sophia to finally lose her temper and crash the wedding party. I’m just so relieved you didn’t go into the hall.”

  “I’m glad I played along – however unwittingly. So, what are these offers?”

  His hand dropped from her face and his voice become business-like. “My father is very tired of being the backroom-boy in Shenaya, but he knows that if he tries to seize the throne from Marlthas there would be instant insurrection. It’s really my father who controls who lives or dies around here . . . and he’s hated for it.”

  “That’s not my experience of Marlthas,” Sophia said. “He’s very quick with his threats to kill everyone.”
>
  Jared gave a half smile. “They’re empty threats, Sophia.”

  “They sounded very real to me when he had a dagger against my throat.” She pulled down her scarf, revealing purple bruising and a hairline scar on her neck, reminders of Marlthas’s threat.

  Jared’s eyes flashed angrily, but his fingers brushing her neck were gentle. “It’s why I hate them all so much. But I also have to keep perspective.”

  “Perspective?”

  “Marlthas can’t stand people. Apparently that happened after Cassandra died. She was his wife.”

  “I know. How does this affect me?”

  “I’m trying to explain so you’ll believe me when I say that Marlthas won’t kill you. Or your Family.” Jared became thoughtful. “He’s an interesting guy, really. He far prefers animals to people, and he’s actually very gentle with them. It was no easy task getting a wild cheetah to eat out of his hands.”

  “Spoken like a true Pledged! You’re defending him, Jared.”

  “No, I’m not.” Sophia gave him a questioning look. “Okay. So maybe my pledge does make it harder for me to–”

  “Keep perspective.”

  Jared leaned in and kissed her. “How can I deny you anything? So if you want to believe that, I’ll never stop you. But – and this is true – Marlthas often makes threats he has no intention of carrying out. Shenayans know that; and that’s why he’s more tolerated than my father.” Sophia looked so sceptical that he added, “I know a dagger to the throat seems convincing, but you don’t know the inside story. The war in Ammarod is a disaster, so there is no chance that Marlthas could invade Norin now.”

  “Are the Predictor’s findings well-known here?”

  “My father and his brothers have tried to keep it a secret, but that just spread the news. Everyone is anticipating change, but that doesn’t include my father on the throne. So he has to find another way of ruling without being seen to be Overlord. And for that, he always counted on my ambition.”

  Sophia gave him a disapproving look, which he laughed away. “Listen without judgment, and you’ll find that I’m not quite so heinous. Although in my father’s mind he has this glorious vision of me on the throne, with him pulling the strings. I think that’s why he’s so terrified of sending me back to Ammarod. In case I get myself killed out of sheer bloody-mindedness, thus purposefully thwarting his grand scheme.” He chuckled. “Sadly for him, though, I’ve recently met someone who means a great deal more to me than power in Shenaya.”