“No.” She didn’t hesitate to give the answer. It didn’t matter whether or not Liurn and Davian trusted Therek. In her heart, she knew Therek would keep his word. He may be mysterious and his behavior not always predictable, but his assistance in the matter of her parents had proven him honorable. She couldn’t let an unconfirmed rumor unravel everything she’d witnessed with her own eyes. “The Duke is in a difficult position with the Emperor, but he will not expose us. In fact, he has offered further information to assist with our next target as a way of providing proof that he shares a similar interest to our own.”
A heavy sigh from the table caught everyone’s attention, reminding Kaori that her brother was still there, listening to every word she spoke. In the excitement of the confrontation between Therek and Liurn, she had forgotten Sivar chose to remain in Tialore in hopes of changing her mind about the rebellion. “You’re not going to stop, are you?” he asked, slumping further into his seat with despair. Kaori couldn’t remember ever having seen her brother look so miserable. Not even at the time of their parents’ death had there been such strain visible on every line of his face.
No one wanted to answer. They knew the truth wasn’t what Sivar wanted to hear, but they couldn’t lie to him. And Kaori had no intentions of trying. “We have come too far to stop now,” she replied calmly, soothing, hoping to ease the worry so evident in Sivar’s grey eyes. Slowly, she made her way to her brother’s side, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder in a gesture of sympathy. She hated to see Sivar suffer. At the same time, she knew their mission was too important to walk away.
“It is not too late to stop,” he argued, staring up at her, his misery unmasked. “If the Duke has agreed to protect your secret, there is no reason you can’t take a step back and let the others handle this matter. This is not the kind of business a young woman of standing should involve herself in.”
Turning her gaze to Liurn, Kaori tried to think of the right words to say. No matter what she told her brother, she was going to hurt him. She just had to find the gentlest way to break his heart. “It is business I have already become entangled in and I intend to remain so.” In her mind it sounded less abrasive than her voice relayed. For a girl who trained so diligently in the art of eloquent speech, she was failing to capture the essence of her lessons in this moment. “My standing in society means nothing if the Emperor refuses to show us the same respect he does the humans. He murdered our parents. Forbade us to worship our gods. Denied us the right to follow the ancient customs of our people. Now he slaughters our friends by the masses and you think I should stand down simply because I am of noble birth?”
Shaking his head, Sivar lowered his gaze to stare down at the table. Quiet. Thoughtful. Kaori watched him, waiting for the response she knew her brother wanted to give. He wanted to fight with her. To tell her all the reasons why it was unbecoming of a lady to meddle in violence. But he couldn’t. Everything Kaori stated was irrefutable fact. Even he couldn’t deny the atrocities the Emperor committed against their people. “What would our parents say if they were alive?” he whispered, dispirited. “They would never approve of your actions.”
A twinge of grief squeezed at Kaori’s heart to think of her parents. They were the one card Sivar had to play against her. “Mother would disapprove, yes,” she agreed, fighting the sting of tears already starting to form in her eyes. She couldn’t let Sivar see her cry. It would do nothing to help her image of strength and confidence which she relied on to help convince her brother of her resolve. “What you have to consider is what Father would say,” she pressed onward, hoping to turn Sivar’s reasoning against him. “He would not be pleased to find his son so willing to be taken advantage of simply for the sake of his own reputation.”
“This has nothing to do with my reputation –”
“It has everything to do with your reputation,” Kaori cut Sivar off, unwilling to let him finish. He was delusional as to why he fought against Kaori’s actions. It was time she made him see exactly what selfish thoughts were holding him back. “You have thought of nothing but our family name since this began. You fear I will not attach myself to a suitable mate to help bolster the status of the Levadis name amongst society. You want me to step back so our family line can remain secure. Admit it, Sivar. You fear my involvement will cost us everything and you aren’t willing to make that sacrifice.”
The tension between them could be felt by everyone in the courtyard. Kaori barely noticed Liurn’s figure appear at her side, his hand upon her shoulder to offer support. Davian’s eyes shifted uncomfortably from Kaori to Sivar, anxiously awaiting what would happen next. Kaori had laid everything out in the open. It was up to Sivar to prove her wrong; and she didn’t believe he was capable of the feat. “That isn’t true,” he mumbled, his voice low, trembling, as if trying to convince himself more than anyone else. The strain in his eyes intensified until he forced the lids closed, shielding their uncertain gaze from the others. Kaori had him. He was questioning his argument. If Kaori could hold her ground, she held onto the hope that Sivar might yet become an asset to their team.
“It is true,” she stepped forward, refusing to give Sivar even a moment to think of a rebuttal. She had to keep on him. Make him see that she was right. “Your reasons for wanting me to stop are rooted in your selfish desire to retain the wealth and power our family name provides. Well, let me tell you this, Sivar; there is no guarantee in any of it. The Emperor holds the power to take it all away, and if things continue as they are, unchallenged, he will do it. He seems intent on making Carpaen a human nation. It is not inconceivable to think he would strip all Vor’shai of rank and title on a whim.”
Jaw clenched, Sivar lifted his chin, eyes slowly opening to meet Kaori’s stern expression, the previous hesitance he exhibited suddenly no longer visible in the depths of his gaze. He looked hurt. Angered by something Kaori said. “You have no idea how I feel about this, Kaori,” he said quietly, his breathing ragged. There was something in his eyes that made Kaori hesitate to argue, swallowing hard as Sivar continued to speak. “This isn’t about wealth or rank. It is about life and death. Our parents were taken from us. Murdered. Executed on a misplaced charge of treason. And now, here you are, committing that very crime with no regard for how the outcome might affect those around you if you are caught. They would torture you for what you have done. Attempt to pull the names of your accomplices from your lips through pain and suffering. The gods only know the extent of what they would do to you before finally bringing your life to an end. I cannot bear to see that happen.”
“Then help me, Sivar,” Kaori moved to sit in the chair next to her brother, slipping away from Liurn to take Sivar’s hand in hers. This was her chance. If she couldn’t convince Sivar to join them now, she never would. “I am not going to stop. Your best chance of protecting me is to fight with us.”
“My best chance to protect you is to make sure you don’t fight at all…”
“You know that isn’t true,” Kaori shook her head vehemently. “The Emperor’s soldiers have already tried to defile me once without consequence. Our parents were murdered because I defended myself. You cannot expect me to honor their sacrifice by sitting back and letting the Emperor walk all over us.”
Sivar looked wretched. Torn. Struggling with the internal battle he waged against himself. “What if I take your place?” he asked, the hopefulness in his voice only adding to the guilt Kaori already felt.
Shaking her head, Kaori squeezed Sivar’s hand, the light in her eyes brightening with renewed determination. “You cannot talk me out of this,” she stated with absolute certainty. The best way to win this argument was to make her brother see that it was pointless to try and sway her otherwise. “I will continue to fight for our people whether you support me or not. All I can say is that I stand a better chance at victory if we work together. But I cannot make the decision for you.”
Discouraged, Sivar pulled his hand from Kaori’s grasp, rising gracefully to his f
eet. The long breath he exhaled made his displeasure obvious, finding no reason to conceal it from the others. “I need to think about this, Kaori. You may have your mind made up, but it’s not that simple for me.”
“It should be…”
“No, it shouldn’t!” Sivar slammed his fist down on the table, droplets of tea splashing over the edges of the cups under the force. Kaori flinched, startled by the outburst. It wasn’t like her brother to lash out. He could have a short fuse at times, but she’d never seen him so angry with her before. Hesitant, Kaori reached for her brother, tugging at his sleeve to try and urge him back into the chair. He was resolute, holding his ground as he stared down at Kaori. “How can you not see something so obvious? You are my sister, Kaori. All my life I have felt it my responsibility to look after you. I want to see our people free of the Emperor’s tyranny but I also want to make sure you are safe. If anything happens to you, I will hold myself accountable, and I would never forgive it.”
Unable to bear the sight of her brother’s misery any longer, Kaori averted her eyes, staring down at the puddles of tea on the table in front of her. She wouldn’t be able to convince Sivar of anything if he felt so strongly about his decision. Stubbornness ran in their family. A useful trait in many instances, but right now she wished there was a way to get through her brother’s walls. “I am just asking you to think about it,” she said softly. Calm was better for right now. If she pushed too hard, she would lose all hope of earning Sivar’s acceptance.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Liurn stepped forward, his body positioned between Kaori and Sivar. He meant well, but at the moment Kaori wished he would stay out of the conversation. For the first time since this all began, she felt as though she was making progress. One wrong word from Liurn and Sivar would wash his hands of them all. Gently, Kaori placed her hand on Liurn’s midsection, applying a light pressure to make it known that she desired him to step back. He looked down at her, confused at first, before gradually understanding her silent request, exhaling loudly as he turned away to give them more privacy.
Sivar gave a slow shake of his head, eyes closed, deep in thought. The strain remained visible on his face, making it impossible for Kaori to tell if he was warming to the idea of their mission at all. “I need more time,” he breathed, hasty in his motions as he stepped past Kaori, eyes locked on the door to the house. She made no move to stop him, her hand instead reaching up to grab onto the back of Liurn’s doublet to prevent him from taking chase. Sivar would come around. They just had to let him do it on his own terms.
All eyes were on Sivar as he disappeared into the house, leaving the others in silence. It was easier for Kaori to read the faces of her friends. She could see Liurn biting his tongue, holding back his argument for why they shouldn’t have let Sivar go. It was Davian who seemed to understand, nodding to Kaori in unspoken approval. They may not have acquired Sivar’s assistance yet, but they were closer now than they had ever been. He argued less about the reasons they shouldn’t fight against the Emperor and focused more on his fear for her safety. And while safety wasn’t something she could guarantee in the end, Sivar was smart enough to realize that she couldn’t promise it even if she chose to back down.
It took most of the afternoon for Kaori to get her thoughts in order. Therek provided so many suggestions which would help in their endeavors. Her uncertainty was in whether any of them would actually work. Tactically, they made sense. He had an eye for detail that surpassed her own, only adding to her frustration that he chose to assist from afar. If he had stayed in Tialore for even a few more hours, they might have been able to work out a sufficient plan to help build their numbers and prepare for the next rescue. They only had three days. That wasn’t much time when at the moment there were still only five of them planning to take on the Emperor’s soldiers.
Liurn sat at a long table positioned at the center of the dining hall, fingertips drumming idly against the hard wooden surface. Kaori glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Liurn and Davian looked to her as their leader. At one time it had felt like an honor but now it seemed more like a curse. No one wanted to provide an opinion of what their next move should be, waiting for Kaori to speak first. Anxious to hear what great strategy she would reveal. They put a great deal of faith in her abilities. She only hoped she wouldn’t let them down.
“We need more people,” she stated simply, grateful for the break in silence, even if it was her own voice that spoke. Anything was better than the dreadful quiet which had hung over them all since Sivar’s departure from the courtyard that afternoon.
Davian looked up from where his eyes had been entranced by the motion of Liurn’s fingers, taking a moment to register what Kaori said. “That is easier said than done,” he mused, reaching out to place his hand over Liurn’s knuckles to stop the hypnotic sound of his nails against the wood. “We need more support, but after what happened in Whitelyn, we can’t trust anyone. If we recruit openly, we might as well knock on the palace doors and offer our heads to the Emperor.”
“But after what happened in Whitelyn, we have likely caught the attention of many people who can be trusted. It is a double-edged sword,” Kaori shrugged. Leaning back in her chair she shifted her gaze between the two men, considering her words carefully. Therek’s suggestions sounded near flawless when he spoke with her. Unfortunately, she lacked the ability to express them in quite the same fashion. “I have an idea,” she added, her heart beating uncomfortably hard against her chest. The men were listening. Intent. Hopeful in the way they stared back at her in wait of what she would say. “Men with less rank than Liurn and myself must be utilized to the furthest extent for recruitment. Too many people know us. If he and I begin scouting the country for followers, word will reach the Emperor quicker than I am willing to chance.”
“Especially you,” Liurn looked at her, fearful at the thought. Kaori couldn’t argue with him, having come to the realization in the past few days just how well-known she’d become throughout Carpaen.
Davian shifted his attention between Liurn and Kaori, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table as his gaze settled on Kaori once again. “What do you suggest? I am not much good to your cause either, given my wanted status with the Carpaen law.”
“Not you,” Kaori shook her head, struggling to find the right words. It sounded so easy when Therek said it! Why couldn’t she describe it with the same confidence? “We need Arcell and Mathious. They should start in Whitelyn and move to Tarnai. We can try to arrange a test of sorts for new recruits in order to prove they can be trusted.”
“Why Tarnai?” Davian peered at her, curious. She stared back at him for a moment, until it slowly dawned on her that Davian and Liurn knew nothing about the execution. She wouldn’t have known about it herself if Therek hadn’t mentioned it.
Saddened by the memory of their failure to save the prisoners in Tarnai, Kaori nibbled her lower lip. She hated being the bearer of bad news. Liurn was sure to take it the worst. Since the beginning he demonstrated an unmatched passion for their cause. Inhaling a deep breath she gathered her nerve, looking at him with a steady gaze. “The Duke and my brother travelled here from Tarnai this morning. An execution took place there at dawn and several of our kin were murdered.”
The color in Liurn’s face drained away. “I beg your pardon?” he stated quietly, his shock evident.
Closing her eyes, Kaori blocked the sight of Liurn’s heartbroken expression, unable to continue speaking while faced with his obvious despair. “Since we cannot dwell on the negative, we must try to look at this failure in a positive light. Without an attempt at rescuing the prisoners in Tarnai, the soldiers may believe the incident in Whitelyn was a single occurrence. An outcry from the people there, given that it was the first mass execution to which Carpaen has ever been witness. If they believe this, then their numbers should remain in our favor for a rescue in Voiene.”
“I think you are getting ahead of yourself, Milady,” Davian chuckled.
“Is there need for a rescue in Voiene?”
“Sweet Sarid, my mind is not clear. I apologize.” Kaori felt the blood rush to her cheeks, flushing them with warmth. A wonderful leader she was turning out to be. They wouldn’t be very successful if she failed to share the intelligence she gathered with those who worked closest to her. “The Duke told me the locations for the next three executions. The Emperor is spreading them across the country to make sure there is no mistaking his message. In four days the soldiers will be in Voiene. After that they will travel to Rothdara and from there to Amalo. We may be able to achieve victory in Voiene if the soldiers are not prepared for another attack, but we should expect more of a challenge in Rothdara. General Deliao is no fool. He will not make this easy on us.”
“How do we know the Duke isn’t just setting us up?” Liurn challenged, his dejection transforming instantly into apprehension. “I am not comfortable with him knowing what we are planning. He cannot be trusted.”
Kaori had to take a breath to keep her temper in check. She didn’t know what created the sudden rift between Liurn and Therek but it added unnecessary tension to the situation that she didn’t have the patience to deal with. They were taking on a mission which required absolute focus and dedication. There was no time for juvenile grudges. “Whatever your issue is with the Duke, you need to let it go,” she said, jaw clenched, her aggravation clear without having to raise her voice. They were adults. She shouldn’t have to yell to make her point.
Liurn’s expression fell, staring at her in utter disbelief. “Let it go?” he asked, dumbfounded. “He is the Emperor’s closest confidant and just happens to know that you were involved in an attack against the Imperial Army. Now you expect me to believe he is divulging information to aid you in your acts of treason?”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 33