The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning

by Melissa Collins

  “I… think that would be nice,” she replied quietly, edging toward the chair, unsure what to expect from this meeting. With any luck, he would have some ideas of how to get into the palace. Not wanting to feel on display in front of him, she quickly lowered herself into the cushioned seat positioned in front of the desk, posture straight, chin high, praying he wouldn’t notice her discomfort.

  Distracted, Therek moved around to the other side of the desk, situating himself in the high-backed chair which faced Kaori. He didn’t seem to take notice of her unease, leaning his elbows forward on the desk, eyes staring straight ahead, as if looking through her at the wall. “A plan of action cannot be formulated without first organizing a chain of command for those who will be involved.” His eyes closed briefly, giving his appearance a serene quality before he forced them open once again. “We need to start treating your rebels like soldiers. This is an army now, and an army must have officers to give orders. As you are the acting leader, it is time you start considering who you trust the most.”

  Shaking her head, Kaori clasped her hands in her lap, keeping her back straight to give the illusion of confidence despite the uncertainty she felt at the task Therek suggested. “I do not know the first thing about war, Therek. Names of those I trust can be given easily, though what that level of trust entails, I cannot be sure where to begin.”

  “That is simple,” Therek stated matter-of-factly. “Who would you trust to command your soldiers if you could not do so yourself.”

  “You.” Kaori drew in a long breath, nodding in satisfaction of her answer. If she had to choose one person whom she trusted to lead their people to victory in her stead, Therek was the first and only name which came to mind. There was no question.

  Astonished by her swift response Therek straightened somewhat in his chair, the corner of his mouth twitching upward into a partial smile. “While I am honored in the confidence you have in me, I must remind you that I am not an option. Your officers must be able to show their faces. I do not have that luxury.”

  Kaori’s mouth closed, lips pursed, angered by Therek’s rejection. He still refused to fight with them? His position within the Emperor’s circle no longer held the same benefit as it did before. There was no intelligence to be gathered at this point which would change their situation. It was coming down to war. She needed him by her side to plan strategies, not playing games with the enemy. “I cannot support that any longer,” she frowned, folding her arms defiantly across her chest. “You are more useful to our people in battle. Surely you saw that for yourself when you accompanied us to save the Rothdaran prisoners. We need your sword, not your tongue at court. Rumors amongst a bunch of cowardly nobles do us little good now.”

  “It is not that easy, Kaori. I wish it was.” The smile on Therek’s face disappeared instantly, replaced with the same blank expression he wore when Kaori entered the room. A slight flash in his eyes was the only indication of emotion, though what that emotion was, Kaori couldn’t be sure. “Perhaps one day you will understand, but for now you must accept that I cannot help in the way I desire.”

  “Then I say you are a coward,” Kaori spat, unable to conceal her anger. It wasn’t the first time she accused him of such. In the past it had convinced Therek to join her in battle. All she could do was pray it would have a similar effect now.

  A loud bang erupted through the room as Therek sat back, his fist slamming hard against the table, causing Kaori to flinch at the unexpected display of aggression. She had never seen him angry before. Frightened at the thought of what he might be capable of in such a state she uncrossed her arms, muscles tensed, prepared to strike or flee if Therek directed hostility toward her. “I am not a coward!” he shouted, rising swiftly from his chair in a single, fluid motion. Reflexively Kaori slid her chair backward, the legs scratching across the wood in her attempts to place distance between them. Therek didn’t seem to notice, his fist remaining clenched, white-knuckled against the surface of the desk. “I respect your loyalty to our people, Kaori, but you know nothing of the responsibilities I bear. My inability to assist in this fight goes deeper than what you consider cowardice. I am bound by promises I made years before you existed on Myatheira and they are not so easy to disregard. You may not care about honoring your word, but I do, and I cannot walk away simply because a beautiful woman bats her eyes at me.”

  “I have never batted my eyes at you, Therek. You speak as if I am attempting to steal your soul through seduction and sell it to Sytlea. Whatever promises you made, it seems foolish to keep them if it is the Emperor you wish to honor. He has long since proven himself unworthy of the friendship you fight so valiantly to maintain and I am beginning to question if you even know where your loyalty lies. So tell me, Your Grace. Are you with Sulel or are you with me?”

  Before Therek could reply, a loud crash could be heard from somewhere in the house, drawing their attention away from each other to stare at the closed door of the study. Kaori was on her feet instantly, reminded of the night Deliao burst into her home and forced her into hiding. Judging by the expression on Therek’s face, he shared a similar fear, his eyes shifting to stare at her, the azure glow of his eyes burning into Kaori’s. “This cannot be…” he whispered, cutting himself off as he managed to move his legs, long determined strides carrying him to the other side of the room, further from the door. Kaori followed his movements, unsure of what she should do. If Deliao was there, it wouldn’t be as easy to conceal her presence from him as it had been to hide from Liurn.

  Kneeling on the floor Therek pulled back a corner of the large rug spread out over the wood, beckoning Kaori to come closer. Intrigued, she did as he asked, moving quickly to stand behind his shoulders, waiting for him to provide further directives. She watched in awe as he placed his fingers into a blackened knot in one of the boards, grasping it firmly in his hand to pry it upward, the wood lifting to reveal a hidden door cleverly concealed amidst the natural lines of the floor.

  “Until we know what is going on, I must ask that you hide in here. I did not rescue you in Rothdara just to have you taken from me now.”

  She didn’t have time to question Therek’s request, already stepping down into the darkness below. The opening was wide enough for her to slip through, Therek’s hand grasping hers to help her inside. She wasn’t expecting there to be such depth, finding the drop to the bottom unusually far. It wasn’t until she was already immersed in the inky shadows that she looked up at Therek from the dark, afraid to let him shut her in. “What is this place?” she asked, her voice low, quiet, afraid that someone might overhear. There was no telling who was in the house or where they were at that moment.

  “My ancestors preferred to keep our most precious belongings protected in the event of thieves finding their way into our home. It is where I keep everything that is of great importance to me.” Therek’s head snapped up to glance at the door as another crash erupted through the room, Kaori’s hand moving quickly to cover her mouth to muffle a cry of surprise at the sudden noise. Whatever was there, it was getting closer. They didn’t have much time.

  Without another word Therek lowered the door back into place, the sound of something moving lightly across the surface indicating his work in repositioning the rug over the wood to ensure Kaori’s hiding spot wouldn’t be located. His footsteps echoed through the darkened room, moving toward the door to unhook the latch, a soft creak from the hinges followed by a loud voice bellowing through the study. “Losuva. We need to talk.”

  General Deliao. Kaori’s blood ran cold, cowering further into the shadows as if he might somehow smell her there. He was an observant man. Eagle-eyed. The keenest senses of anyone she’d ever known. She should have known he would catch wise to Therek’s tricks.

  “General, there had better be a reason for your intrusion of my home. I am not some common peasant whose property is yours to enter upon at will.”

  “Oh, I have reason. My orders come from the Emperor himself.”

 
“Do not try to fool me, Rilas. Sulel would not give his approval to break down my door.”

  “On the contrary, he gave his approval for me to do much more than that.” A dull thud rang through Kaori’s ears at the sound of Deliao moving into the room, his pace casual, confident. “As we speak, my men are conducting a search of this house. The Emperor has reason to suspect you may be harboring a criminal.”

  She hated that she couldn’t see the men. If Deliao thought to assault Therek, she couldn’t give him warning or do anything to prevent it. From where she was trapped, she could do nothing but listen and prepare for the worst.

  An amused laugh filled the study, muffled slightly by the thick floorboards, making Kaori wonder what Therek could possibly find humorous at a time like this. “What grounds does Sulel have in making an accusation of that nature? I have been in his company for the past few weeks. When exactly does he think I had time to involve myself with any criminals?”

  “I received a letter from the Emperor stating that you left Eykanua with some haste after hearing of my intentions to arrest the Lady Levadis. At this time it is I who will ask the questions and you who must answer. Where did you go upon leaving court?”

  “That seems an asinine question. You found me here, is that not answer enough?”

  “There are plenty of places you could have stopped along the way. In the length of time it took my men to find our way to your door, you could have easily traversed the roads between here and Rothdara to collect yourself a prize.”

  “A prize?” Therek laughed. “So the girl got away from you and now you are desperately trying to find her in order to conceal your failure from the Emperor? I did not think you would stoop so low as to resort to this. Kaori Levadis has other men she is known to be far better acquainted with. Have you thought to start with her known associates before intruding upon my home?”

  The room was quiet for a moment before Deliao spoke, the tone of his voice revealing his disdain at Therek’s laughter. “Liurn Torust will be investigated as well. But this is a delicate matter, Losuva. We must consider the most likely places the girl may be and right now I think that place is right here.” Deliao tapped his foot on the floor, the sound nearly causing Kaori to faint. Did he know? Was it possible he was aware of the room under the floor, or was the gesture nothing more than an implication that he suspected her to merely be inside the house?

  Her heart was racing, breath coming in short, sporadic bursts until she thought she would hyperventilate. Unsteady on her feet she stumbled backward, mouth open wide in a soundless cry of pain as she felt her leg connect with something hard and sharp, listening in horrified silence to the object scraping across the floor with a loud scratch of metal against wood. The men above her ceased speaking, listening intently to try and pinpoint where the noise may have come from, Therek’s voice quickly coming to her rescue to deter Deliao’s notice of the disturbance. “What are your men doing to my home, Rilas? If anything is damaged, I will hold you accountable.”

  “We are to leave no stone unturned. I will not be responsible for damage incurred during a search which has been sanctioned by the Emperor.”

  “Then I will have to make sure your men exercise a bit more care. My family heirlooms cannot be replaced and I will be very unhappy if anything happens to them.”

  Kaori held her breath as she heard footsteps leaving the room, grateful to count two sets moving further from her hiding place. Therek had done it. Somehow he’d distracted Deliao from her fumble. Praise Sarid; she gazed upward, wishing there was more she could say to thank the gods for their assistance. But it was too soon to offer much praise. The soldiers were still in the house. One more misstep like that and she might as well scream for Deliao to come take her away.

  The pain in her leg dulled to a minor ache, reminding her of the object which nearly cost her everything. Therek mentioned that his family used this area to hide their most valuable possessions. So what exactly did a family of such wealth consider important enough to merit being kept in this dark, dusty hole? There wasn’t enough light for her to make out anything, hesitant to move in fear of stumbling over something else.

  Kneeling in the darkness she let her fingers reach blindly toward the object which had been at her feet, feeling her hand brush over something hard. Cold. Some kind of durable metal shaped into a box, the corners sharp and unforgiving. Grasping it with both hands she lifted upward, prepared to meet more resistance than it gave, the lid moving easily from its resting place, unhindered by any latch. She wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it. They placed this box in a hidden room to protect it from thieves but they didn’t think it important enough to secure the lock? They would have been devastated if anyone stumbled across this place. All of their most prized possessions would have no protection against thieves once they bypassed the hidden door.

  Squinting hard she tried to make out the shapes of everything inside. She was familiar enough with Carpaen currency to recognize the size and weight of several coins just under the lid. Of course. She should have known that a family of wealth like that of the Losuva line would consider their money more important than anything. This must be a secret stash they could make love to whenever they needed to remind themselves of their fortune. The thought disgusted her. How was it possible that someone could be so obsessed with their status and wealth that they would create a place like this just to keep it to themselves?

  Irritated by the thought, she let her hand start to move away, stopped mid-motion at the feeling of something else inside the box, the texture resembling that of old parchment. Curious, she slid her fingers along the edge, counting more than one piece lying together in a stack. Documents? Maybe there were some redeeming qualities to the Losuva family after all. It was possible the coins were nothing more than a means to cover whatever else was concealed within the container. But how could she examine the contents? Therek would never allow her to meddle with his things. If she was going to look at anything, she would have to do so before he came back to get her or she would lose her chance.

  There was something she could do. It excited her to consider, reminded of the basic lessons of energy manipulation her parents had taught her as a child. With proper concentration and focus she could create a light. Nothing too bright, but enough to illuminate the contents of the chest. Her only concern was whether Deliao might return to Therek’s study. The floor of the room was sturdy but if the light shone through the floorboards, it would give her away. Do it quick. Deliao had just left. She had to have a few minutes at least before they returned. Therek would no doubt attempt to keep the General away from that room as long as possible.

  Making up her mind, she rotated her hand, palm up, staring down at it expectantly. If she thought about it too hard, it wouldn’t work. There was a skill to it. A finesse. Determined, she closed her eyes, willing the energy in her body to find its way to her hand. Deep, even breaths. Inhale. Exhale. She could feel something shifting, causing her limbs to tingle with an unnatural warmth, a soft, silver glow wavering into existence over her palm. Her heart swelled with pride to discover her efforts were a success, surprised by how easily the ability worked despite how long it had been since she utilized it last. But there would be time to think on that later. Right now she needed to find that parchment and see what was on it.

  Her fascination with Therek was unhealthy, she knew. He was an enigma, much the same as his strange inability to give up his place at the Emperor’s side. One minute he willingly took arms against Sulel’s soldiers under cover of the shadows and the next he adamantly refused to participate in battle. What was his connection to that damnable wretch of a ruler that made him ignore his own people when they needed him most? Unfortunately, she knew he would never tell her. He was of the opinion that she was incapable of understanding and that would keep him from divulging any further secrets about himself than she had already coaxed from his lips upon first arriving in Avishul.

  Filled with nervous excitement she bent over
the edge of the metal chest, her eyes opening wide at what she saw there. From under the scattered pieces of gold she could see the flowing calligraphic writing upon the well-kept pieces of parchment, recognizing it to be a legal document of some kind. A will. She had never seen such a record before, but this resembled what she believed one would look like. Names listed on the pages, bequeathing items and property to various people in the event of the owner’s death. It looked more official than that of a man bearing a low status. Therek’s mother, perhaps? She certainly would have had need of a document to this degree, laying out the framework which secured Therek’s fortune. But something about it didn’t seem fitting of a duchess. There were too many things addressed which wouldn’t have been the responsibility of Therek’s mother to put in order. No, this was something far more important. Deserving of its place in this secret chamber. Based on the names listed on the parchment, this could only have belonged to one person. Sulel’s father. The late Emperor of Carpaen.

  Overcome with curiosity she let her eyes peruse the document, amazed to find it in such good condition. After a moment her search brought her to a name on the page which was all too familiar, Kaori’s heart beating faster. Let’s see what the Emperor left you, Therek…

  Gold. Land. Additional titles to that which he already possessed in his dukedom. The Marquis of Aelston. Count of Turgeon. She didn’t even know where these places were. It looked as though Therek had amassed a great deal of wealth and power beyond that which was left to him by his mother.

  Shuffling through the papers she found her interest building over one detail which had plagued her mind since first hearing of Therek’s close relationship with the Imperial family. So much talk existed about his possible ascension to the throne. The hesitation Sulel’s father held in granting the succession to his son. Something must have been written in this document. A possible explanation for why he decided to pass the crown on to such an undeserving whelp. Had the previous Emperor known how things would end, she imagined Therek may have found himself with an even greater title than a duke or marquis.