“We need to speak with him,” Rya answered. “It’s a matter of urgency.”
“I’m sure it is,” he snorted. “Thing is, I don’t know if he’s goin’ to want to listen. Tell you what, tomorrow I’ll meet you down here and either I’ll have Gavin with me or I won’t. His choice.”
Rya’s head pounded, and her hands grew warm. It wasn’t the way she wanted it, but they had no other choice and Clint knew it.
“Fine,” she agreed. “Tomorrow morning.”
Thirty
The two rooms would have been unremarkable to anyone else, but given that the five of them had spent the past nights outside in the cold, the single bed in the middle of the plain space was a dream come true. Vents on the floor allowed the warm air from the bar below to flow upwards. It made the blankets smell like stale cigars with a hint of firewood and ale, it kept the place cozy without the need of a chimney of its own.
The group knew they’d need to share the rooms, but it had been Norell’s bright idea to put the boys in one and the girls in the other. Her intention had been to keep an eye on Rya and Cam, but the result was her sandwiched between them on the narrow bed.
“I can’t believe this,” Rya grumbled, clutching the edge of the mattress.
“Move over,” Norell huffed, follow by a shout of pain. “Something just burned me!”
“Sorry,” Rya smirked to herself, pulling her hand back from behind her.
That’s how it went the whole night. Each of them growling as they yanked back the blanket to fight the chill, then kicking it away again when the combined body heat made them sweat. Shins were kicked, knees dug into another’s back, and on at least three occasions Rya gained an extra inch of space by accidently using her magic. By the time the morning came, it was clear that none of them had a decent night sleep.
Thane stood in the open doorway, watching them put on their boots, and tuck in their shirts, his face rested and bright. It made Rya bitter to see him so shiny and renewed.
“Come on,” he smiled. “We promised to meet Clint after breakfast.”
“What if we skip it,” Rya frowned. “We could just search the Cape ourselves.”
“We need his help,” Cam argued. “I know you don’t trust him, but he’s all we’ve got. If he wanted to harm us he could have done it last night. It would have been easier to attack you when you were exhausted.”
“I’m still exhausted,” Rya replied, “only now I’m also agitated.”
Cam shook her head, and led Rya up by the hand, holding it as they descended the staircase to the main level. The chairs were still scattered around the large room, but the amount of people occupying them was far fewer than the previous night.
The smell of food wafted over the tabletops, and the gnawing hunger in Rya’s stomach grew louder. She took a seat at one of the center tables while Thane spoke to the woman behind the bar. It wasn’t long after his return that a younger man came rushing through the side door with platefuls of food, placing them in front of the group and then disappearing as quickly as he had appeared. No one spoke as they shoveled the food into their mouths, forgetting the years of table manners and proper dining etiquette they’d learned. They had almost finished when the door swung open.
“I see you lot are off to a good start.”
Rya hadn’t noticed Clint’s limp the night before, or perhaps he hadn’t had one when they’d met, but he did now. He pulled up a chair, and swung it around, leaning over the back of it as he smiled at them all.
“I hope ya slept well.” He said, polite enough.
“Did you talk to Gavin?” Rya asked, ignoring the attempt at small talk. “Is he coming here to meet with us?”
“That I did,” Clint replied with a nod. “He agreed to talk to ya, but I warn ya he ain’t happy about it. Also, he doesn’t want all y’all gangin’ up on him. I promised him it’d be you and the princess. No one else.”
Thane shook his head, trying to speak through the mouthful of food he was choking on. “Cam stays with me.”
“I understand the concern,” Clint frowned, “but that’s the way Gavin wants it. There’s a meetin’ room under the stairs we can use. You’ll be right out here, only an arm’s length away.”
Thane tried to protest again but Cam held up her hand.
“It’s fine,” she said, shutting Thane down. “Rya and me can handle ourselves.”
Clint gave a nod then rose from his seat. The two girls followed him to a door that sat under the staircase, almost a half-foot shorter than they were, forcing them to duck to enter. Inside was completely bare, having no windows and only the one exit, which was now blocked by the King of the Cape standing in their way. Cobwebs gathered in the corners, and the ceiling creaked as someone walked down the steps above. A thin table was squeezed between four weathered chairs, and Rya eyed Clint with caution as they all took a seat.
It wasn’t long before the tap on the door broke the tension in the air. The wood groaned as it opened and then shut, guided by the hand of the young man that had entered. He stood for a moment, contemplating if he should sit before pulling out the chair next to Clint and plopping himself down.
If Rya had been searching the faces of the crowd she still wouldn’t have recognized him. He’d grown taller and thinner, leaving his high cheekbones protruding from his face. His once brown hair had grown a few shades darker and was longer than he’d kept it in his youth, the lush curls hanging over his forehead and ears. He was dressed in a common fisherman’s coat, nothing like the lavish outfits his father made him wear. The soft emerald green of his eyes was the same though, as was the vertical scar that ran over the right side of his plump lips.
“Gavin,” she said, smiling at him. “You look well.”
“I look well?” He winced. “That’s all you have to say to me?”
“Well no—”
“What are you doing here?” His voice was calm but she could hear the rough edges of his words. The years had obviously turned him against her. “Have you come to try and kill me again?”
“What?” Rya had guessed that Kasen would make up some lie to tell Gavin, and it wasn’t a shock that he blamed her for the prince’s exile, but she was surprised that Gavin would believe it. “I never tried to have you killed. Whatever you’ve been told is a lie.”
“And I’m supposed to just believe you? How do I know you’re not lying to me now? You can’t think I’m that stupid.”
“I would never think that of you,” she sighed. “I remember the brief time we spent together before you disappeared, and I’m hoping you do also. I never did anything to hurt you Gavin. Why would I orchestrate such an elaborate plot to have you killed, when I could have done it myself years ago?”
Her choice of words didn’t sit well with him, and he hung his head, fuming and refusing to look at her.
“Gavin—" Clint’s voice caught and he had to clear his throat before the next words could be spoken. “I’ve kept ya here as I promised Father Kasen, but I haven’t been truthful with ya over these years. I’ve found out things about that man, things that lead me to believe he isn’t who we thought before. I think ya should hear her out. I think she might be able to offer some answers that both of us need.”
Gavin nodded, keeping his eyes on the table.
“Kasen lied to a lot of people,” Rya sighed. “If you ask anyone in the Isles where Prince Gavin is, they’ll tell you that he was kidnapped and murdered years ago. Only Kasen and I knew that wasn’t the truth.”
“My father?” the young man asked, finally looking her in the eye. “He doesn’t know I’m alive? You haven’t told him?”
Cam glanced at Rya, a pained expression on her face.
“King Gerrod,” Rya continued, “passed away three years ago, not long after you disappeared.”
“He’s dead?” Gavin’s voice held no sadness. No hint of sorrow or loss, just surprise. “Three years, and I’ve heard nothing about his passing.”
“That’s my fault,”
Clint admitted. “Father Kasen told me to keep it from ya. He said there was still great danger for ya out there. I was trying to protect ya.”
Gavin stood up, kicking back his chair. The soft spoken, shy boy she’d known those years ago, the one he pretended to be when he’d walked into that small room, had been replaced by the young man he was now. He was raging, angered by the lies and betrayal, fueled by the hatred of his father and his exile. He was feeling it all now, and he was too close to Rya for her to be comfortable with it.
“How did it happen?” He asked. “How long after I left did you wait before marrying my father? How many nights did you spend with him before his death, hiding my whereabouts and plotting your next move?”
“It wasn’t like that,” Rya shot back. “I married him as he lay dying, and only because Kasen made me. He said it was the only way to save the kingdom. He said others were waiting for Gerrod’s death to make their move on the throne, and I had to become queen to keep the Isles safe. You know I never wanted that.”
“But you took it, didn’t you? And what’s become of my father’s kingdom—my kingdom? If the rumors I hear are true, you’ve done horrible things while playing queen.”
“I did my best,” she replied, attempting to keep her tone calm against his rage. “I tried to rule, but I chose to use fear and pain to keep the people in place. I see now that I was wrong to go that route, and in doing so I’ve handed Kasen the means to take the kingdom from me. He has attacked me in my own home and driven me out. He has named himself the ruler of the Obsidian Isles and plans on having my head to solidify the title.”
“And now you’re here? Let me guess, you want me to help you keep your crown, which is my birthright, and which you’ve stolen from me. You knew I was here, you’ve admitted that, but you never told anyone. You never sent anyone to find me. You never intended on returning me to my home—my home, not yours— and instead kept quiet the same as Kasen in order to serve your own agenda. You’re no better than he is, so what makes you believe I would help you?”
“You’re right,” Rya shot back. “I didn’t want you found. I didn’t want anyone to challenge my place on the throne, and I was scared of what your return would mean. I made my choices, and whether or not I believe they were right, they have led us here. You have a choice to make, and I can’t tell you what to decide. All I can say is that if you think staying here will keep you safe from Kasen, you’re wrong. He’ll come after you next. He’ll do everything he can to make the rumors of your death true.”
“I’m not afraid of Kasen, and I’m not afraid of you. I won’t aid you in taking back something that was never yours to begin with.”
“You’re right,” Rya nodded. “I should have never been on that throne, so I have a deal to make. You help me defeat Kasen, and take the kingdom away from him, and I’ll step down and hand you the crown. The Obsidian Isles will be yours and yours alone.
Cam’s mouth hung open in shock, and Clint’s eyes grew twice as wide. Gavin, however, kept his face stony, weighing the offer in his mind.
“I’ll accept your offer,” he answered, “under one condition.”
“What is that?” Rya braced herself.
“After I’m crowned king, I will hold court to decide your punishment for the actions you’ve taken.”
Her mouth went dry. Cam’s hand reached for hers under that table, but Rya kept hers folded in her lap where her magic could do no damage.
“I told you I’m not an idiot,” Gavin explained. “I know what you’ve done, and I know the way the people feel about you. If I’m to be a great king to those people I need them on my side and holding you accountable for your actions is the perfect way to accomplish that. You’ll answer for it all—torture, theft, treason, murder, and whatever else I learn about along the way.”
“You can’t be serious,” Cam scoffed. “You expect her to hand you the crown and then stand in front of you while you sentence her. Any one of those charges could result in death, why would she ever agree—”
“You have a deal,” Rya answered, cutting Cam off.
Gavin held out his hand, and without hesitation Rya took it, shaking their agreement into permanence.
Thirty-One
The silence that followed Rya’s deal with Gavin was harder to bear than the deal itself. Cam sat quietly in her chair as Clint and Gavin left the small room under the stairs. She held her tongue while Rya gathered the others from the tavern, and led them up the steps to their rented room. Even as they argued over what to do next the princess didn’t say a word, but instead sat on the edge of the mattress with her head in her hands, completely still.
“You have a plan, don’t you?” Thane asked. He was leaning against the far wall, stroking the edge of his chin with the back of his fingers. The worry in his eyes had pushed away the constant spark of optimism he’d always held. He was afraid.
The queen glanced down where Sora was sitting against the foot board of the bed, with his legs crossed under him. His hands were fidgeting with the straps of his boot, trying to mask the dread he was feeling as well.
“I do have a plan,” Rya replied. “I wouldn’t agree to something like that without one.”
“Well, what is it?” Norell replied. She was standing next to Thane, their arms brushing together. The closeness made Rya jealous. “There’s no telling how many years he’ll keep you imprisoned,” Norell continued. “Or he could decide to kill you. Have you thought of that?”
Rya shrugged. “Then we’ll simply have to convince him not to. He’ll be traveling with us all the way to the Isles, we can use that time to change his mind about me.”
“What makes you think you can do that?” Norell huffed.
“I won you over didn’t I?” Rya answered. Norell started to argue, but Thane interrupted.
“She’s right,” he nodded, finally regaining the light that had briefly gone out. “Gavin must remember Rya from before he came to the Cape, we just need to remind him of that. If we can keep his mind off all the reasons he hates you, he might go easy on you later.”
“And what if that doesn’t work?” Cam asked, finally breaking her silence. She lifted her head, her red puffy eyes staring directly at Rya. “What if he decides to punish you? What if he chooses to kill you to make himself more popular?”
“Then I run,” Rya replied. They were all staring at her now. She knew what they were thinking. She knew the shock they were feeling at her words, but it was the only way to make them feel better. “If we can’t convince him to spare my life, then I’ll leave Kelda altogether. I’ll take Sora, and whatever gold we can manage, and we’ll sail to another land. We’ll start over, living free like we were always meant to.”
“You can’t be serious,” Cam scoffed. “If you’re going to run you need to return to the Ashen Forest. We can protect you.”
“No,” Rya said, shaking her head. “That’s the first place Gavin will look for me, and I won’t put you or your father through another war on my behalf. Father Kasen wasn’t shy about hiring the Kael to come after me, and I can’t promise that Gavin won’t to the same. It’s too risky.”
“This is insane,” Norell added. “But it’s the best plan we’ve got.”
“That’s the spirit,” Rya mocked.
Cam stood up. “Alright,” she sighed. “If convincing Gavin to like you is our only way, then that’s what we’ll do. I just want you to know, I don’t like any of this.”
“I know,” Rya frowned. “Me either.”
The princess came forward, drawing her into a hug. Her arms tightened around the queen until was no space was left between them. In a shaky voice, she whispered into Rya’s ear.
“I won’t let him hurt you.”
Cam let go and gave one last squeeze of Rya’s hand, then left the room. Thane and Norell followed closely behind, and with their footsteps fading down the hall Sora stood up and took the spot on the bed.
“You lied to them,” he frowned. “You lied to Cam. You told me
you were going to be honest with her from now on.”
“I know what I said.”
“Then what happened?”
“I can’t,” she sighed. She dropped down next to him on the mattress, staring at the ground. “I don’t want her to look at me the same way everyone else does. I want to keep pretending for a little longer that I could be the person she thinks I am. If I tell her the truth, if I tell her I have to kill Gavin, then her mind will change in an instant. I’ll become nothing more than the Black Queen, and her hatred of me will be the same as everyone else’s.”
“Then don’t do it,” Sora replied. “You told her you’d run, and you still can. We can leave just like you said, and start again somewhere new—somewhere warm and beautiful.”
“That isn’t an option. It’s not who I am to run. I only fled the Isles the first time because I knew I couldn’t win without my magic. I’m tired of my life being guided by someone else’s decisions. If Gavin insists on holding court to decide my fate, then I will have to end his life. There’s no other way.”
Sora dropped to the ground, kneeling before her with her hands in his.
“I’ll do it,” he said in a stern voice. “If he needs to die, then let it be by my hand. You don’t have to be the one to kill him, and then when it’s over, Cam will never need to look at you with anything but love. You’ll be innocent and you can have all you ever wanted.”
“Absolutely not.” Her hand moved to his face, cupping his soft cheek in her palm. “I can’t put that weight on your shoulders. You’ve never killed a man, you don’t know what it does to your soul, and I won’t be the reason you learn. I want to hope that Gavin will change his mind, but if it doesn’t, I’ll have to take his life.”
“I’m sorry,” he cried. He rested his forehead on her knees, the tears dropping onto the tops of her boots. “I’m sorry it has the end this way.”
The Poison Within Page 19