Sebastian pushed the study door open, expecting tragedy. He was surprised to see only a few items knocked from shelves; no signs of the terrible battle he had imagined. It was a moment before he spotted a pair of feet sticking out from behind the divan. He crossed the room, rounding the furniture to see Meedo sprawled on the floor, drawn to the shade of ghostly pale.
Lady Mari, two steps behind Sebastian, gasped at the sight of him. “Is he...?”
Artemis ran up, snuffing at Meedo’s chest.
Sebastian held out his hand for Mari’s, and she placed her right hand in his. Fearing the worst, he knelt beside the man who had come here a second time to solve a second mystery. Still holding Mari’s hand, he reached out his left to check for breath from Meedo’s mouth.
The moment skin met skin, Sebastian felt a surge of energy leaving him, and the force of it unbalanced him. He sat back on his heels, leaning heavily on Lady Mari’s support. In that same instant, the wanderer’s hand twitched, then snatched at Sebastian’s wrist.
Meedo’s eyes flickered open—eyes lacking the usual shine and luster of the living—and his gaze met Sebastian’s. “What do you know,” he said in a strained whisper, “it worked.”
“Aslynn! Send for the physician. Adam, help me move him to the divan.” The two young men lifted Meedo to the divan, but then the older man waved off their helping hands.
“Who attacked you?” Sebastian asked.
“There’s very little time,” he said. “You must listen closely. She said it was a game of succession, not a mystery. She said you know in your heart who the players are. She will play as she is bidden.”
“Who?” Adam asked.
“The dark one. The demon. The soul eater. It was she who took Sebastian from his birth chamber at the witch Tawnia’s bidding. It was she who caused the shipwreck. She has been called again.”
“By Tawnia?” Sebastian asked.
The wanderer nodded. “Her presence has made itself known to me.” Meedo slumped in exhaustion.
Sebastian turned to Adam and Aslynn. “Have either of you seen Edward this morning?”
His sister and her husband exchanged looks, and Adam shrugged. “No. He wasn’t at breakfast.”
“I haven’t seen him since last night,” Sebastian said, looking at Lady Mari. “A game of succession, eh?”
The physician arrived and, after bowing, moved to Meedo’s side.
“Don’t let him die,” Sebastian said to him. “Come, let’s leave the good doctor to his work. We have some work of our own.”
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
All through the night, Katrona had grown aware of voices rising in prayer throughout the convent, joining her soul with theirs. The simple sound of them strengthened her, helped her push back the darkness inside, bolstering her defenses, surrounding her with love.
With the strength and cushion of love, Katrona became aware of her mother’s true intentions. Katrona’s seduction was secondary to Tawnia’s primary objective, and if the princess failed to join forces with her mother in all her dark glory, so be it: Katrona would die. There was to be nothing to thwart Tawnia at this stage of the game. It was her move and her pawns were closing in, converging on the field of battle.
Katrona struggled to her hands and knees, moving for the first time in days. The lack of food made her limbs weak and shaky, the lack of water made her voice break harshly.
“Edward!” she cried. “Oh God, protect him!”
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
Tawnia looked up from the bowl of blood burning on the broken altar, her eyes not seeing the stone walls of the chapel.
Her vision held the image of the young man on horseback, approaching the city. His blond hair glittered in the afternoon sun, his face intent as he turned to his riding companion to speak.
“You have a deal.”
Tawnia smiled.
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
“You agree to my terms, then?” Maudette asked.
“If your services are needed to defeat my half-brother, then my soul will be yours.”
The dark one smiled. “The bargain is sealed, boy. Look around you. Already you are using services provided by me.”
Edward looked around at all the mercenaries and Earl Hise’s household guard. He had to conclude she was right. His soul was lost to her already. He could have backed out when he heard the terms, yet he did not. There was no turning back now. The knowledge of it sickened him. How had he let this come to pass?
The sound of galloping hooves drew his attention forward. The scout was returning.
The horse clattered to a stop in front of him and the rider saluted. “They know we’re coming, Highness,” the man said. “The tent village is empty. I rode as far as the edge of the village proper and it, too, is empty. From what I could see, the castle gates are closed.”
“So much for the element of surprise,” said Edward. “And we’ll never hold them with a siege.” Perhaps this was his out. “Not before reinforcements arrive.”
“He hasn’t had time to prepare for a siege,” Earl Hise said. “Half the kingdom’s population is behind those walls. They’ll run short on food within a matter of days, and water soon after that. I’ll deploy men to block all the exits. We may not be strong enough to launch an attack against the castle walls, but we’ll hold them at siege.”
“And if they attack us?” Edward asked. “Their numbers are greater.”
“Numbers will have very little effect on the forces I’ll bring to bear on them should they try to attack us,” Maudette said. “And there will be no reinforcements. I have seen to it that no messengers bearing requests for aide make it more than a bow’s length away from the castle walls. No ship will sail from Fair Haven Harbor. You will have your day, boy, face to face with the sea brat. You will prevail.”
Edward eyed the castle walls looming there in the distance, imagined riding triumphantly to the gates and shouting out his right to enter. But the gates would not fall at his word and the walls would not crumble at his will. He closed his eyes, knowing he would have to play his trump card. “I will face Sebastian. Tonight, before the sun falls. I will have my day.”
Edward turned to Hise, ignoring the demon-witch beside him. “Bring the column up. We’re riding to the front gate.”
“Shall I deploy men to cover the other gates?” Hise asked.
“Leave that to the witch. She knows her business.”
“I hope you know yours, Highness,” the earl said, not without some sarcasm. “Forward!” he cried, and the little column of mercenaries, guards, and usurpers lurched into motion.
Chapter Fourteen
Sebastian saw the hand signal from the sentry atop the tower in the same instant as Jared, and he knew even as his friend spoke. “They’ve entered the village.”
“They’ll be coming into view soon,” Sebastian agreed. True to his words, a small column of soldiers appeared on the broad avenue leading up to the castle.
From the ramparts above the gate, a small group watched them approach. Sebastian had hoped to keep this confrontation as quiet as possible, but he’d had little success. Below and behind him, the streets and courtyards of the castle were packed with coronation guests, villagers, and the folk from the port. Their voices rose in a murmur not unlike the constant sound of the sea. Whatever the outcome, he knew this conflict had to end quickly. There was no way to support so many people in such a small area.
Ranged beside him on the wall, Aslynn, Adam, Jared, and the Minister of Defense looked on with varying degrees of worry on their faces. Artemis sat obediently at his side, and Lady Mari, at his request, stood close on the opposite side.
Sebastian closed his eyes and let himself think about this remarkable young woman at his side. She had borne his suspicion, his friendly companionship, and his raving paranoia with a calm grace he could do naught but admire. He had not missed the expression on her sister’s face that morning. There would be trouble for her at home, yet she maintaine
d the courage to sit beside him at table. She was educated far better than most women—a credit to her grandmother and not her mother, he was sure—especially in the philosophies and astronomy.
Which brought him to the things she had taught him in the last few days: a wealth of new ideas. Words have no power if you don’t believe them; Truth is known within your heart, if you look; and enemies....
He opened his eyes to look at the little column of armed men riding up to the gate. Edward rode at the front, flanked by Earl Hise on his right, the woman on his left unmistakably the “dark one” Meedo spoke about. Some thirty mounted men made up the rest of the column, and a single passenger carriage brought up the rear.
Not a very impressive force, but Sebastian was certain measures had been taken to secure the other gates. Edward was too well trained to ignore the possibilities of a flank attack or escaping messengers. The true measure of his attack force was unknown. And the “soul-eater” was a definite unknown quantity.
Sebastian returned his attention to Edward, who appeared to be watching him as the riders neared the gate. He was very conscious of the weight of his sword hanging in its carriage, a familiar yet uncomfortable weight—like a man trying on a belt favored in his youth, only to find it doesn’t fit him in his age. It had been five years since he had worn a blade. Five years, broken by the appearance of this relative enemy.
“Love your enemies,” Lady Mari had told him. Looking down, Sebastian did not see an enemy. He saw his brother.
When they were within a few hundred feet of the gate, Edward raised his hand in an almost lazy fashion, and the column halted.
Sebastian noted his men were not particularly cautious in their loose ranks, with their weapons sheathed and their shields lowered. Some of them had muskets—hard weapons to acquire and stock ammunition for on these islands—tucked in belts and boots. Sebastian began to wonder if they had indeed come as an attack force.
“Good afternoon, brother,” he called pleasantly. “Have you come for the coronation?”
Edward chuckled, the sound carrying easily up to the ramparts. “You could say that, brother.” Sebastian did not miss the slurred emphasis on the last word. “But I rather expect it will be mine, not yours.”
“I see,” he replied. “That presents something of a problem. You see I have closed the gates against such an attempt.”
“I think you’ll open them.”
“What is my incentive? Your little army is pathetic. Ill prepared for siege, outnumbered, and sloppy.” That caused a stir in their ranks. “And I have the tactical advantage of being inside.”
“You’ve too many people to support to withstand a siege, brother. And there will be no reinforcements. Yes, we captured your messengers. You are on your own.”
Sebastian knew he had to assume that was true. If he asked after them, he might give away the existence of the couriers, if they hadn’t been caught already. It was proving to be both an advantage and disadvantage to know they had the same strategy teacher.
“However,” Edward went on, “I prefer to handle this in a tidy fashion, with as little blood spilled as possible. So why don’t you just come down here and we’ll handle this, man to man.”
“Again, what’s my incentive?”
Edward shifted his gaze to Sebastian’s right. “Good afternoon, Lady Mari,” he said. “I apologize, but I’m afraid this is going to be unpleasant.”
He lifted his hand again and one of the riders brought the carriage forward. Lady Mari gasped, and Sebastian turned to her in concern.
“What is it?”
“That carriage...it belongs to my family.”
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
Mari knew what to expect even as the soldier rode back to the door of the carriage and threw it open. She steeled herself as he reached inside and pulled, bringing a mass of limbs and jumbled clothing tumbling to the ground.
The carriage was drawn off to the side, revealing the man lying just as he’d fallen, blinking in the sunlight. Though she promised herself she would not, she gasped, and felt tears rising to her eyes. She could do more no more than whisper, “Father.”
“Bravely done, Edward,” Sebastian said, his tone cold with disgust. She felt his hand cover hers where they clutched at the rampart.
“He has not been harmed while in my care,” Prince Edward said. Mari wondered at his lazy manner, as if he hoped to goad the crown prince into anger.
If that was his goal, it was working.
“And yet he lies in the dirt at your feet, unable to rise.” Mari could hear the anger in the prince’s voice. “Did you think you would gain honor by humiliating an old, crippled soldier?”
Prince Edward chuckled again. “Well, pride is a difficult thing to protect. But this honored veteran is the one hostage I knew could bring you down to face me.”
Mari felt Prince Sebastian’s grip tighten over hers before he stood up straight, gripping the hilt of his sword.
Reading his stance, Prince Edward smiled. “Come alone.”
“Jared will come to assist Baron Tidwell inside. Then you and I will finish this.”
Mari and Princess Aslynn exchanged a look as Jared and Prince Sebastian headed for the stairs, the great hound at her master’s heels.
“This is insane,” the princess said. “They are brothers! They can’t kill each other over a crown!”
“They can, and probably will,” said Lord Wingfield, who had been looking down at Edward, but now looked up at Mari. “Unless someone talks some sense into them.”
Mari realized he meant for her to go speak to Prince Sebastian. “I couldn’t—”
“Please,” Princess Aslynn said. “The kingdom will suffer if Edward takes the crown by force, by life-blood. And Sebastian would never forgive himself if he took another life, especially his brother’s. He’s not been himself lately, except when you are with him. Please....”
Mari did not know what to say in response to their confidence in her, but she found her feet moving to follow Prince Sebastian. She clattered down the stairway, skirts lifted high so she wouldn’t trip, and arrived breathless at the bottom. The prince was just lifting the latch of the small guard door within the giant gate. Artemis sat, anxious but obediently waiting.
“Wait!” she said, causing both Jared and Prince Sebastian to turn. The cry echoed in the enclosed space. The gate blocked one side of the bailey from an outward attack, and the portcullis kept the populace safe within the castle walls on the other side. A few citizens inside turned to look into the shadows.
“We will retrieve your father safely, Lady,” Prince Sebastian said.
“I know. I’m sure Prince Edward does not intend to harm him. My concern was for you.” She groaned aloud when she realized how that must sound, and indeed, the prince bristled at the remark.
“I can handle him in a fight.”
“What I mean to say is, are you prepared to kill him?” she said bluntly. “Are you ready for what that will mean? Give yourself a moment to think.” She saw him pause and inhale deeply, and she moved closer to him. “Everything in his approach—his men, his manner, his words, his actions—was designed to exacerbate the anger you have been fighting these last few days. It worked. If you go out there with your mind clouded, one of two things will happen. You will kill your brother, or he will kill you.”
The prince took another deep breath, and Mari knew he was listening to her. “We cannot last out a siege,” he reasoned. “And I will not set my army against his, to die in my stead. What other option have I?”
“Choose not to be angry. Face him calmly, focus on love and let his words roll through you, speaking to you but not infecting you. The best course of action will show itself to you. Be open to it.”
He was still breathing deeply, but she could sense his focus returning. Then, without warning, he took her hand and pulled her close against his chest, without trapping her there. “You give me the strength to choose this path,” he said. “I owe so much to
you.”
Then, with his eyes wide open, he leaned down and kissed her lips—soft, gentle, brief. It wasn’t until he was at the door and pulling it open that she realized her small fantasy had come true.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “Protect him.”
⇜⊂⊃⊂⊃⊂⊃⇝
Edward watched as the guard’s door opened to allow his half-brother to exit, followed by Jared, the royal bodyguard.
When it had taken so long for him to arrive, the mercenaries had deployed themselves in a more aggressive semicircle, with weapons readied and shields set. They expected an armed force to come riding out against them, but Edward knew Sebastian would not do anything to risk the old man who still lay on the ground at the center of their arc.
Edward watched in silence, slouched indolently in the saddle as the pair moved forward and stopped before the old Baron. Without a word, Jared stooped, gathered the man into his arms, lifted, and carried him back into the castle, where Edward could see Lady Mari waiting in the shadows of the door.
“I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” Edward said, fighting to keep his voice light, even though excitement surged through his body.
“No,” Sebastian said, his voice betraying none of the anger Edward was expecting. “You are right about one thing. This ends here, now.”
Edward smiled. “Fall back, men. Give us some room.”
He dismounted and tossed his reins to Hise. The entire company of mercenaries backed up to give the brothers a field of battle. He turned around, drawing his sword, to find Sebastian hadn’t moved at all. “Well?” he demanded.
“I did not say I would fight you, Edward.”
Edward blinked. “I’m not sure I heard you. Did you say you’re not going to fight? Because I don’t think you have any other option.”
“There is always another option. I can fight to defend my birthright, or I can stand here and command you to surrender. I will pardon you if you lay down your arms now and swear to fight no more.”
“A third option. I could kill you where you stand.”
“You could,” Sebastian agreed calmly.
Edward frowned, wondering what trick Sebastian had up his sleeve. He looked up, but could see no bowmen on the wall, though that was no guarantee there was no bow drawn against him. Behind him, he heard a horse stir, then the demon-witch’s voice in his head, “Do it. Kill him and the crown is yours.”
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