by Kim Stokely
Devnet frowned. “What was that about?”
“He’s playing some kind of game,” answered Kennis. “We just haven’t figured it out yet.”
My father wanted to introduce me to another suitor. The boy, Ammiel, appeared to be in his late teens, handsome but with a look that told me he knew it. None of the other Elders had that same cocky self-assurance. I’d hated it in high school and I hated it here. As Geran introduced us, Ammiel kissed my hand and led me aside from our parents.
“It is both an honor and a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Majesty.”
I slipped my hand out from his grip. “Thank you.”
“I regret I wasn’t able to meet with you when you were in the Elder Lands. I’m often called to the Council, even though I’m but eighteen.”
“Really?” I tried to maneuver myself back toward the group, but Ammiel cut me off. “Well, I wasn’t there long.”
He took a step closer, seriously invading my personal boundary bubble. “Such a shame.”
A servant opened the door and readied himself to announce the next guest. I pretended to be interested in who arrived.
“Honored guests, Josh McNeill.”
A smile automatically swept my face when Josh walked in, wearing the same brown pants and cream shirt as earlier. With a hunter green tunic over the ensemble My smile faded when I realized the rest of the room had turned to look at him, wondering who he was. I felt Geran’s cold eyes on me and I willed my face to shift to a neutral attitude.
“Who is he?” Ammiel wondered aloud. “He appears to be a Common–”
“He’s a traveler,” I interrupted. “A . . . counselor of mine from the Other World.” I let out a sigh of relief when I noticed Kennis making her way over to Josh. I searched the room and found Braedon watching me from a corner. His eyes narrowed. Kennis had been right, he was playing some game, and Josh was the bait.
Geran growled in my ear, “Did you invite him here?”
“Who? Josh?”
His fingers tightened around my elbow and he pulled me toward the wall. “Of course, the boy.”
“Why do you keep calling him that? He’s as old as any of these men you’ve decided are possible husband material.”
His blue eyes darkened. “He cannot be king.”
“I don’t want him as king,” I muttered. “I just want you to show him some respect.”
Geran’s chest heaved as he struggled to keep himself under control. “Why is he here?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I think Braedon wanted him here.”
“Why?”
“Probably to watch the little show we’re putting on right now.” I pretended to laugh as if my father just told me a joke about one of the men. I turned my head and caught the Lord Regent studying us, just as I’d thought. I put on a big smile. “He’s in the corner now enjoying our performance.”
Geran stiffened before forcing himself to chuckle. “The boy must leave.”
“You want me to ask him to go back to his room?”
My father put his arm around me. “He must go back to the Other World.”
“You have any suggestions as to how to do that, you let me know.” I wormed my way out from his arm. “I’ve been wracking my brain since I got here and I haven’t got a clue.”
A servant called us to dinner. Kennis caught up with me as I entered the dining hall. “Is everything all right?”
I put on a happy face and whispered, “This has been the most wonderful night of my life, Mother. Why do you ask?”
“Braedon’s using Josh to bait us.”
“Really? I had no idea.”
She frowned at my snarky comment but didn’t respond as several Elders came up behind us. We approached the table and servants instructed the guests where they should sit. Braedon sat at the head with his father and brother at the first seats along the sides. I was directed to sit next to Lord Donagh. Josh was seated next to me. Across from us sat Maris, Geran, Nitza and Noam. Kennis and Devnet sat far enough down that I could see their faces, but not hear their conversation.
“What’s going on?” Josh mumbled next to me. “Why am I here?”
I reached under the table and squeezed his knee. Braedon and I locked eyes. I shivered at his snake like grin, but tried not to let anything but apathy show in my face. I smiled as I stared at him. “What’s for dinner?”
Caradoc chuckled, but bit his cheek to still his laughter when he glimpsed Lord Donagh’s harsh look. The tension in the room lessened when my stomach growled. A servant sat a plate of food down in front of me. I bowed my head as Geran offered a blessing, but opened my eyes half-way through his prayer and caught Braedon still watching me. He raised his glass of wine as a toast toward me before draining the cup. A servant hurried to refill it. Geran finished his prayer and we began to eat.
“So, Joshmicneill,” Nitza began, saying his name as one long word. “who are your people?”
Josh struggled to swallow. “Excuse me, ma’am?”
“He’s a traveler,” I explained.
“I’m fascinated by the stories I’ve heard of your world.” I looked up to see Noam smiling at Josh. The Elder’s face held no animosity, just friendship. “Would you tell us about your family? Your home?”
Josh glanced at me and I gave him a quick nod.
“My sister Renee and I are twins, but we look nothing alike.” A murmur rose around the table.
“Twins?” Nitza seemed surprised. “And you both survived?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“And your sister?” Maris leaned forward. “Is she as healthy as you?”
Josh nodded. “Not so tall as me, but definitely as healthy. Headstrong, too. Like Ally here.”
I coughed as if I choked on a piece of meat. “Sorry.”
“And your people?” Noam quickly asked, as if he knew I didn’t want Josh to talk about me. “What do they do?”
“My people?”
“His father is a pastor.” I paused when I noticed their confused looks. “He leads a church.” I wished I had Kennis near to explain. “He’s a man of God.”
This idea resonated with the Elders. Lord Donagh peered around me. “Which god?”
Josh put down his fork. “Excuse me, sir?”
Lord Donagh enunciated each word as if Josh needed help understanding the language. “Which god does your father serve?”
Josh blinked. “The one true god. The creator of heaven and earth.”
I slipped my hand under the table again and placed it on his thigh. I thought he should probably talk to Devnet or Geran a bit more before he offered his opinions on Ayden religion. “His mother is a history teacher.”
“A teacher?” Nitza asked. “Whom does she teach?”
This gratefully shifted the topic of discussion from religion to the public school system, which took up most of our dinner conversation. I forced myself to eat. Between Geran’s furrowed eyebrows and Braedon’s amused glances, my nerves were shot. At least I didn’t have to worry about Josh anymore. His natural charm and easy banter won over most of the Elders. He seemed to have adapted quicker than I did to Ayden, but that may be due to the fact that he didn’t truly understand the danger. Besides, he had Kennis and me here, where I’d had no one. As much as I’d love to have him stay with me, I had to get him back to his own world. If Josh was still here after the coronation, Braedon would have too much power over me.
The proverbial light bulb blinked on in my head.
For Braedon to achieve any of his ambitions, I had to be queen and he had to marry me. Until the crown was on my head, he could lose it all. I laughed out loud.
The conversation around me stopped.
“Are you well, Alystrine?” Maris asked.
Not trusting my ability to keep a straight face, I nodded.
Josh nudged my shoulder. “What’s so funny?”
“Random series of associations in my head.”
Josh chuckled as he looked around the table. “Her
brain’s always clicking. My sister and I couldn’t keep up with her.”
The murmur of people talking rose again in the room. I picked up my wine goblet and glanced at Braedon. He had his head bent toward his brother as if discussing something important. Caradoc caught my gaze and went quiet. I tipped my cup toward Braedon when he looked my way, offering my own toast. Doubt spread across his face.
We finished dessert a short time later. Josh whispered, “How much longer do I have to stay?”
“Go ahead and leave.”
He cast a worried glance around the room. “Are you sure it’s okay? I don’t want to get in trouble.”
I nodded. “Don’t worry.”
As we’d been on the far side of the table, the rest of the guests were already filing out of the dining room and into the large hall next to it. We walked to the doorway together but then Josh turned toward the exit. Braedon stopped him with a quiet but sinister order, “You haven’t been dismissed, boy.”
I put a hand on my friend’s shoulder and gave him a gentle push. “Go ahead.” I whirled on Braedon before he could say another word. “I gave him permission to leave.”
He stood there, still in the dining room, with his father and brother on either side of him. “I thought we had a bargain.”
Our voices remained quiet so no one paid us undo attention. I gave Braedon a gracious smile, hoping that anyone watching from a distance would think he’d just given me a complement. “We did, but then I realized you’d already changed it, so I don’t have to keep up my end either.”
Lord Donagh’s face turned an unusual shade of red as he fought to keep his temper. Braedon, for his part, seemed to grow colder. He motioned me to take a step back into the dining room with a quick tilt of his head. “Whatever can you mean, my dear?”
“I mean, I initially promised not to say a word about the betrothal as long as you let Tegan out of jail. Josh was never part of our agreement.” My voice grew stronger as my confidence grew. “You put Josh into this equation, so here’s my counter offer. You send him home or I’ll tell Geran about the contract.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.” A sense of power filled me as I looked up into Braedon’s face. “You need me crowned before we can make this marriage official. The Elders will never let it happen if they know what I’ve agreed to.”
Caradoc drifted back to the dining table and grabbed a goblet of wine. He took a sip then passed it to Braedon. “Here Brother, I think you need this more than I.”
The Lord Regent pushed his brother’s hand away. “I’ll kill the boy.”
“Then you lose it all.” I hoped if I bluffed apathy, Braedon would question my devotion to Josh. I spun on my heel. Braedon’s voice stopped me from walking out into the main hall.
“I’ll kill them all.”
I turned back.
“Every one of them. Your father, Devnet.” His dark eyes burned with hatred. “Kennis.”
“But . . .” I tried to find a way to salvage my grand plan, but visions of Kennis’ tortured body filled my mind.
“If the nation erupts into war before you are crowned, who do you think the people will follow?” Braedon sneered. “A naïve child who sacrifices her family, Elders of renown, for the sake of a stranger to our world? Or the man that has kept the peace for these last eight years?”
I wanted to tear his eyes out. “A peace bought with the terror of your Black Guards. With the murder of innocent people.”
“Peace nonetheless.” He stepped toward me. “The boy stays because I want him to. You will say nothing of our betrothal to anyone until after the ceremony.” His face softened. “Go and enjoy your party, little girl. Leave the political games until you are ready to give up everyone you love for the love of power.”
He gave me a curt bow then swept past me, with Lord Donagh at his side.
Caradoc watched me.
I didn’t speak while I concentrated on regaining my composure.
“It was a good plan.” Caradoc poured a fresh cup of wine. “But you have something my brother lacks.” He passed the drink to me. “A heart.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
A New Friend
It didn’t matter that I’d spent another sleepless night worrying about Josh and my upcoming coronation. The following morning had me primped, polished and sitting in the council room, waiting to be introduced to the next round of suitors. These men had been chosen from the leading families of the Commoners. I paid more attention during these introductions on the off chance that Quinn could actually stop my marriage to Braedon. I’d need a second choice as soon as possible, the vision I’d had in Ginessa’s Glade indicated a Commoner would better fill Ruahk’s purpose than an Elder.
Geran sat by my side while Devnet and Simon stood by the door to introduce each prospective husband and his family. The suitor then sat on the opposite side of the table while his parents would tell me what their son could give me if I made him my king. Anything from land, to gold, to soldiers was put on the table.
I had been through three “interviews” when a Lord Cedric was announced. He entered alone.
“Where’s his son?” I whispered to Geran.
My father answered through gritted teeth. “Lord Cedric seeks your hand on his own behalf.”
My gaze darted back to the man who now stood before me. Tall, broad, with a full beard and a mustache peppered with gray. It took me a moment to swallow. The man had to be fifty if he was a day.
Fifty.
I couldn’t help myself. My mind immediately set about picturing this guy naked. He was built like a bull with a round chest and thin legs. With all that hair on his face and head I knew it probably covered his back and chest as well. I tried to shake the image from my brain like a mental Etch-a-sketch, but it didn’t work.
“Your Majesty.” Lord Cedric bowed. “I am honored to meet you.”
I tried to focus on everything he said, but all I could see was the image of us in bed together. I seriously wanted to be sick. The more he spoke, the more I fidgeted in my seat, wanting to be anywhere else in the world but in this room, across from this old man, discussing our possible marriage.
I waited until the door closed behind him before I stood up and ran my hands down my arms as if I could wipe away the creepy feeling crawling through my body.
Geran rose. “What is the matter with you, Alystrine? You were incredibly rude to Lord Cedric.”
I whirled around to face him. “There is no way.” I sliced at the air with my arms. “None. That I will marry a man that old. It’s disgusting!”
Simon blocked the door from the next entrant while Devnet hurried across the room. “We discussed this before. Marriages here are not based on emotions but on practicality.”
“That’s easy enough for you to say,” I directed my anger toward my uncle. “You don’t have to sleep with the man.”
Both Devnet and Geran gasped. “Alystrine!”
“It’s true!” I took a step backward. “I’m okay with marrying a man I don’t necessarily love if it will help the people, but I won’t marry a man old enough to be my grandfather.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Take his name off the list right now.”
Devnet stepped between me and my father. “Please, Alystrine. Be reasonable. Lord Cedric is the wealthiest of the suitors and the most influential.”
“I don’t care if he’s the only man on your list. I’m not marrying him.” I stood my ground. Geran’s hand came within inches of my face, but this time I grabbed his wrist before he hit me. “Not again.” I could feel his anger trembling through his arm. “In my world, parents aren’t allowed to hit their kids.”
Geran yanked his arm away. “Perhaps if you’d been disciplined more, you would listen to sound guidance.”
“Forcing me to marry a pedophile? That’s good advice?”
His eyebrows furrowed. “What is that?”
“A pedophile?”
My father nodded.
; “It’s a person who likes to sleep with children.”
Devnet placed a restraining hand on Geran’s shoulder. “Brother, keep your temper.”
My father clenched his jaw so tightly, his mouth barely moved when he spoke. “How could you think I would allow you to marry a man such as that?”
I shrugged. Some of my anger drained away as I watch Geran struggle.
“Lord Cedric is not only the wealthiest of the Commoners, but the bravest and the kindest. He fought in two wars against the Mystics.” Geran shook off Devnet’s hand. “In the last war, the Mystics took his pregnant wife prisoner. She’d sent her other children to safety, but was too close to delivering to travel herself.” Geran leaned against the table, as if seeking support from the wood. “The Mystics tortured her until the babe was born, then forced her to watch as they cast it into the fire. A sacrifice to one of their demon gods.”
A small gasp escaped my throat.
My father’s gaze locked onto mine. “While Lord Cedric searched the Mystic lands for her, they defiled her repeatedly, using her in rituals in ways I can’t even begin to imagine. When Cedric finally found her, and led a small band of soldiers to aid her escape, his wife was gone.”
“They’d killed her?”
“No, but there was nothing left of her mind. Still, Cedric took her home and cared for her. For years, until Ruahk allowed her to pass, Cedric saw to her well-being.” A look of contempt crossed my father’s face. “And you dare to suggest he wants only to bed you as some kind of prize?”
His disappointment, and my own embarrassment, forced me to look away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No, you didn’t.” His voice was hard. “Perhaps next time you will wait to judge a person’s motives, including mine, until you know all the facts.”
“Maybe next time you can let me know about a man before I’m supposed to agree to marry him.” My stomach tightened into a hard knot. A combination of regret and anger boiling inside it. “You keep forgetting I’m not from here. I don’t know anything about your history.”
My father grumbled incoherently as he strode back to his seat. Devnet returned to his post by the door while Geran and I sat down at the table. The room, which before had been a comfortable temperature, now seemed ice cold. I shifted my chair so I sat farther from my father as Simon introduced the next prospect.