“You’re free to leave without her, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t do that to Cam. I couldn’t bare the guilt if I had fun hunting or riding while she couldn’t.”
Rya glanced around the courtyard, searching for prying eyes. Satisfied they were alone, she whispered, “Have you heard any word about who might be working with Nix?”
He shook his head. “With my father in charge of the Ashen army I’ve taken to milling around the outer ward. Seeing me in the gatehouse or the armory isn’t unusual and I thought I could use it to my advantage, maybe pick up on some whispers or gossip, but I’ve heard nothing.”
“Cam said she was doing the same in the kitchens and while walking the inner ward; she’s trying to overhear anyone talking, but she’s come up empty-handed as well.”
“It’s not surprising,” Thane added. “If I was going to sell you out to an assassin I wouldn’t go spreading it around either. Especially knowing both Cam and King Mikkel are happy to have you here.”
“Excuse me for not believing it makes a difference. You can’t tell me there isn’t a single person in the Ashen Forest who would go against the king?”
“I mean—there’s obviously one.” Thane replied. “Otherwise we wouldn’t be looking for a spy, but the people love him.”
The two paused their conversation as Norell walked into the courtyard. She stopped when she saw them sitting together. Her cheeks flashed red, and her jaw clenched. Without saying a word, she balled her hands into fists and walked away.
“Mikkel might have a loyal following,” Rya sighed, “but we both know there’s no shortage of people who hate me.”
“I’ve never heard a truer statement,” a cruel voice said from next to her. She’d been so focused on watching Norell storm off she’d missed Guthry sneaking up behind her. “Anyone would be a fool to trust you.”
“I’m sorry,” Rya said, feigning shock, “did you just call the royal family fools? Because the last time I checked, I had Mikkel’s blessing, Cam’s friendship, and Eirik’s admiration. I think the only fool around here is you.”
“Your day will come,” he spat back. Thane jumped to his feet. In front of the hunched old man he looked twice as tall, and could easily take him down without much effort. Guthry didn’t budge but instead peered at him with a scowl. “I won’t let this witch be the downfall of our kingdom.”
Thane’s nostrils flared as he tried keeping his tongue civil. “You’ll do exactly what the king asks of you. But, if you insist on carrying on this conversation, we can do it in front of King Mikkel himself. I’d like to know his thoughts on your disobedience.”
“You can stand down soldier,” Guthry sneered. “I would never ignore the orders of my king, no matter how mislead they may be.” He looked once more at the queen and gave a twisted smile which made her sick. “You better watch yourself. I hear the gold on your head is rising each day. Soon that number is going to match someone’s price, and you’ll be out of luck.”
Thane stood like stone in front of Rya as they both watched Guthry slither away towards the inner ward. With the old man gone from their sight he could finally relax, and returned to his seat. Rya’s eyes, however, stayed fixed on the archway the adviser had disappeared through.
“He has to be involved,” Rya frowned.
“He’s not wrong,” Thane sighed. “The longer you stay here, the more danger you might be in.”
“What are you saying, that I should leave?”
“No,” he shook his head. “I would never want you to go before you’re healed. I have total faith in your abilities, but sending you home without your full power is too dangerous…That’s still your plan, isn’t it? To stay until you’re able to fight again?”
“Yes,” she answered. “It’s always been my plan. I have to take back my throne. I won’t allow Kasen to keep it from me.”
“That’s what I thought.” He leaned forward, cupping his hands and hanging his head. “What you said before, about us all growing fond of you, it’s true. The problem comes when it’s time to say goodbye.”
“I know it’ll be hard; I’ve grown to care for all of you in return.”
“It’s not just that—it’s whatever is happening between you and Cam. I know it’s more than just a regular friendship. I also know it’s growing each day, and it worries Norell; it worries me. When I agreed to be Cam’s Kinsman I promised to protect her with my life, and that doesn’t just mean in battle.”
“There’s nothing going on with me and Cam,” Rya argued. Her heart dropped into her stomach. No matter what she told Thane she couldn’t lie to herself.
“You can deny it all you want, but we both know what’s true. I like you Rya, I do, but I’ve seen this before. I don’t want to watch her go through that kind of pain again.”
The queen opened her mouth, wanting to ask a dozen questions, but stayed silent as they all froze in her throat.
“There was a girl before, named Hannah. Cam and her grew very close, very quickly, and it didn’t end well. Cam wasn’t the only one who felt the pain of it; Norell and I did also. We were the ones to pick her up when she fell apart. We had to hold her as she cried, and we had to slowly bring her back to who she was before it happened. In the time you’ve been here I’ve come to think of you as a friend, and if you truly want to return to the Obsidian Isles and take back your kingdom, then I support you. All I ask is you try and minimize the devastation it’s going to cause. It’ll be harder to put Cam back together a second time.”
Thane stood up, placing a hand on Rya’s shoulder. He hesitated for a moment, lingering long enough for her to see the pain in his eyes. He had always been kind to her, but he was Cam’s best friend, and her Kinsman. That would always come first. As he walked away, leaving her alone, his shoulders slumped under the weight of their conversation.
Rya’s eyes started to well up, and she could taste the bile in the back of her throat. Her insides were knotted. Her blood boiled, and the rushing liquid burnt every inch of her heart as it pumped through. She reached out, plucking a single flower from the bushes behind her. She held it in her palm, watching the petals turn from pink to bright white. When the entire bulb had frozen, she clutched it between her fingers, and with a shout threw it at the cobblestone. The flower shattered into a hundred pieces, scattering across the ground in front of her, mirroring her heart.
The queen wiped her wet hand on her dress and stood up. She was completely alone in the courtyard, which meant no one to see her outburst. She took several slow breaths, forcing the emotions to recede back into her, hiding themselves away like she always did. Calm and collected, she walked from the courtyard, leaving the slivers of petal to melt in the autumn sun.
Fourteen
Thane’s arrow smacked into the wood an inch above Cam’s last shot causing the shaft to quake. He threw a teasing smirk at her as they switched places, but her face remained stern and focused. Standing at the line in the dirt she stretched her neck and, with a steady arm, raised her bow, pulling back the arrow across her cheek and narrowing her gaze. Rya stood to the side, eager to watch the release, but before she could follow the arrow across the ring it smacked into the target, burying itself dead center.
“Nice shot,” Rya cheered from outside the railing. Cam gave her a little nod before turning to Thane to mimic the smug look he had before. They’d been exchanging challenges all morning; it was a way of training they’d practiced for years. They promised Rya it was always a friendly competition but she knew one of them would end the day bragging while the other sat by biting their tongue and cursing themselves for not performing better.
“You’re out here again?” Norell appeared next to the queen, resting her arms on the top of the rail.
“It appears so,” Rya answered. “There isn’t much to do around here, why shouldn’t I watch them have some fun?”
“I didn’t peg you as an athletic type,” Norell shrugged. “It seems beneath someone of your standing to be
slumming it in the outer ward day after day. So, which of them is it? Which is the object of your affection this week, Thane or Cam?”
“Ah, I’ve missed your wit,” Rya replied with a sarcastic grin. “I’ve been so sad since you’ve stopped waking me each morning with your grumpy face and unpleasant attitude.”
“From what I hear, the girl sent in my place isn’t as tortured by you as I was. At least you’re pretending to be nice to someone.”
“I’m not pretending,” Rya scoffed. “I like Elin, she’s a sweet girl and takes great pride in her job. I honestly enjoy her company, unlike the servant I had before.”
“I’m not a servant,” Norell snapped. “You know that now. I expected you’d treat me a little better after learning I’m not some maid you can step on.”
“I treat you according to how you deserve to be treated,” Rya argued back. “What have you done to earn my respect? Until you show me a reason to give it to you, you don’t have it.”
The girls’ voices had risen enough to disrupt the target practice. Thane and Cam were coming towards them, each looking nervous at what they were walking into, and each prepared to wrangle one of the girls if needed. Thane stopped in front of Norell, but before he could speak his head jutted upwards, watching the sky. Rya had missed the first screech, but with the second they all turned their gaze upwards. A small black hawk circled over the buildings, the sight of it filling her with dread.
“That’s not one of ours,” Cam worried. “It’s too dark, and its head is square compared to the ones we keep.”
The bird swooped down, landing inside the roof of the aviary. Thane jumped over the railing and started jogging towards the building while the three girls stood near the ring, wondering what it could be.
“I know that bird,” Rya grumbled through the tension.
“Of course, you do,” Norell huffed. “You know everything.”
“Each of the kingdoms use different carrier birds, and I studied them after becoming queen. It’s good for a ruler to know who’s sending communication, in case someone tries to keep it from you. The birds the Obsidian Isles deploy are Volcano Hawks; black as the rock that cover the kingdom. There’s no mistaking that was one of them.”
Thane had reemerged, running at full speed with a small roll of parchment in his hand, and his face white as a ghost. He slid across the dirt, trying to stop but crashed into the wood rails.
“What’s happened?” Cam asked, helping to steady him.
“It’s from the Isles,” he puffed. Rya shot a glare at Norell, smug from her being right but still full of worry. Thane handed the paper to Cam. “It’s addressed to your father.”
Cam studied the others standing in the library as her father read the note. Thane had been sent ahead to deliver it, as he had always been the fastest runner. When the girls finally caught up Mikkel was already studying the parchment with his brow pinched together and his cheeks as red as his beard. His eyes scanned the lines one at a time, and it was clear he had read the writing more than once. With a growl he crumpled the letter in his massive hand before slamming the other on his large pine desk.
“You and Rya are to stay in this room,” he ordered, staring directly at Cam. “You’ll wait here until I return. Is that clear?”
“Yes Papa,” she mumbled. She wanted to yell and argue, but she’d never seen him so angry, and the last thing she wanted was to stir his rage any further.
“Thane,” Mikkel barked while storming towards the door, “find your father, Guthry, and whoever is running the aviary at this time. Have them all gather in the throne room immediately.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Thane replied. He was rarely so proper with the king, but the seriousness of Mikkel’s tone was enough to scare him into formality. Thane was once again off running, bursting ahead of Mikkel as he stomped towards the throne room.
The slamming of the door terrified Cam. Her legs wobbled, and she sank into one of the chairs in front of her father’s desk. Mikkel had always loved books, and the walls were stacked from floor to ceiling with whatever he could find. The dense air smelled of old pages and leather, reminding Cam of when she’d spent so much time between these walls as a child. Her father would spread out the maps of Kelda over his desk, teaching her all the various kingdoms, and the ways they differed from her own. He would take heavy volumes of ancient stories off the shelves, telling her how the Ashen first came to the forest, matching the Whitebark trees they made their home, and how as the generations protected more outsiders, their features merged together into the tapestry that exists today. Each tale had a lesson buried within, and each of them were to make her a better ruler, but here she was locked away and unable to help. She was sitting in the chair like she was a child again, waiting as her father and the others decided Rya’s fate.
“What do you think is going to happen?” Rya’s face was stoic but her words hinted at the fear she was trying so desperately to hide.
“I don’t know,” Cam replied, shaking her head. “Kasen’s letter was clear; if we don’t hand you over to Nix, he’ll station the Obsidian army outside our border.”
Norell shook her head in disbelief. “You don’t think he’d really attack the Ashen, do you?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Rya sighed. She sat in the empty chair next to Cam, moving her wrapped wrist as much as she could, testing its flexibility. “How much time did he give Mikkel to reply?”
“A week,” Cam answered. “After that, the army will attack from the east.”
“Then the men are already on their way,” Rya added. “It takes longer than a week to move an army that size across that distance. They had to already be outside the Isles before he ever sent the letter.”
“Maybe you can stop them,” Norell suggested. “You’re technically still the queen; can’t you command them to turn back once they arrive?”
“I doubt it. His accusations have poisoned them against me. Even the few who were genuinely loyal prior to this have been corrupted by his lies. If I’m going to turn an army against Kasen, I need my powers. While I’m healing quickly, my magic isn’t close to full strength, and without it I’m nothing.”
The three of them sat silent, each lost within their own thoughts. The worry on Rya’s face tugged at Cam, and the princess found herself kneeling in front of the queen. Her hands grabbed the arms of the chair while her eyes locked onto Rya’s. She wanted to make sure she understood the words Cam was about to say.
“I promise, I won’t let them take you anywhere.” The fear and doubt Cam had before had disappeared and had been replaced by determination. The need to keep Rya safe was stronger than any other feeling. “No one, not even my father, is going to remove you from the Ashen Forest. I promised from the beginning I would protect you, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“If Mikkel choses to hand me over,” Rya replied, “there will be no way to change his mind. I won’t watch you fight your father over something like this. If it’s time for me to leave then that’s what will happen.”
“I know what’s waiting for you out there, and I’m not letting you walk out of this castle.”
“You can’t stop me.”
“Oh yeah?” Cam scoffed, returning to her own chair. “Watch me.”
Almost an hour had passed when the door to the library burst open, nearly slamming into Norell who had been standing along the wall behind it. Both Cam and Rya shot to their feet, startled by the commotion. Mikkel stood in the archway, staring down the length of the room at his daughter and the queen. His eyebrows raised as he glanced down at their hands, seeing the girls’ fingers were laced together. Each was keeping the other steady, waiting to hear the verdict.
“I’ve talked to the head of my army and my adviser,” he said, “and I’ve made a decision. We will not be complying with Father Kasen’s demands. Rya will be staying here with us.”
Relief washed over Cam like a waterfall. She squeezed Rya’s hand in celebration before let
ting go, aware that everyone was suddenly watching them.
Mikkel ran his hand through his hair, looking exhausted and angry. “For centuries the Ashen Forest has been a safe haven in Kelda and I will not allow some arrogant ass to change that. Who does he think he is? Does he seriously believe I would turn my back on my history, and my vows as king that easy? The Ashen don’t fold when it comes to a fight, and Kasen is going to learn that the hard way.”
Rya walked towards him, stopping as his shadow enveloped her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping it would release a flood of gratitude, but nothing came. She swayed on the balls of her feet, unsure of what to do. Mikkel smiled down at her, understanding the unspoken thanks she was trying to put into words.
“I need your help,” Mikkel added, placing a hand on Rya’s shoulder. “You know your army, and I need you to work with my general so we know what we’re walking into. I want to be as prepared as we can be for what’s coming.”
“Of course,” she nodded. “I’ll start right away.”
“You can wait until tomorrow,” Mikkel answered. “This has been a taxing day, and I think we could all use a moment to breath. We’ll start fresh in the morning.”
“Thank you,” Rya said, her voice catching. “I can never repay you for everything you’ve done. I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“I do,” Mikkel smiled. “You can start by taking down Father Kasen.”
Fifteen
As a child Cam would often sneak out of bed long after everyone else had fallen asleep, fumbling through darkened hallways, and tiptoeing down staircases. Some nights she’d make her way to the second floor, shaking Norell from her dreams to join the adventure. Other nights she chose to go alone, investigating rooms she seldom saw, and exploring the far corners of the castle. The years of late-night excursions made it easy for the princess to navigate the black corridors, and she was soon pushing through the door that opened to the fresh air outside.
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