The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning

by Melissa Collins

  On the final page Kaori moved her hand closer to the parchment, finding it difficult to read the words with the same clarity as she had the previous ones. It was badly damaged. Wrinkled. Torn. As if someone had crushed it in an attempt to destroy the document. Removing it from the pile she laid it out on the floor, smoothing the surface with her free hand, the light from her palm wavering somewhat from the distraction of her focus. Peering hard through the smudges and lines she was able to make out some of the writing, not believing what she saw before her eyes. In the event of death, all property and titles belonging to the family of Emperor Daryn Omris shall be passed to Therek Losuva as the direct line of succession.

  Looking up from the papers she stared into the distance, thinking over what she had just read. Omris. She knew the name. It was the familial name of the Imperial line, though it was rarely spoken. There was never a need to address an Emperor by anything other than his title. But… that didn’t make sense. If the property and titles belonging to the Omris family were left to Therek, then that meant… Sulel was never supposed to hold the crown.

  It had to be incorrect. An old version of the will. Long discarded in place of a more recent copy which altered the previous Emperor’s decision. What other explanation could there be? If Therek was truly the one named as the successor, then why was Sulel seated on the throne? Bewildered by the discovery, Kaori stared down at the document again, reading over the words carefully in case she had missed something. She must have read it wrong. But there was no doubt in her mind that her reading was accurate. Noted under the line of succession, there was only one name… and that name was not Sulel.

  Commotion from above pulled her from the reverie she was lost in, the light on her palm flickering out in fear of who was coming. Footsteps returned to the study, voices loud, angry. She recognized Therek, followed not far behind by Deliao’s commanding tone. “Where is she, Losuva? The Emperor will be lenient on you if you cooperate.”

  “How many times must I tell you? I have not seen her. I was in Eykanua. My horse came straight to Siundel when I departed. You will not find her in this house.”

  “I know you better than that, Therek,” Deliao laughed, speaking the name as if it was an insult. “Not everyone has forgotten your history with women. When I first saw the two of you together at court, I knew you had your sights on her.”

  “You are mistaken –”

  “Not likely. A girl like her puts up more of a fight than the women you are used to. I think you are still trying to get her into your bed. What better way to seduce a woman of her kind than to play the hero. Sweep in on a white horse and protect her from the evil general.” Deliao gave a derisive snort, another thud on the floor moving him closer to where Therek stood. “You cannot fool me. I know your loyalty lies with your wretched people. I just don’t understand why the Emperor continues to tolerate you. He disregards my counsel to strip you of your titles the way he has done every other damnable Vor’shai and you repay his generosity by betraying him for that girl.”

  “That girl was the daughter of my dear friends whom the Emperor slaughtered for crimes they never committed. I admit that I disagree with his decision but that does not mean I have betrayed him.”

  “But you want to!”

  “Do not put words in my mouth, Rilas. You may be the General, but that does not give you the same power as the Emperor to condemn someone without evidence.”

  “I will find the evidence I need.”

  “You will find nothing.”

  “Do not be so sure about that.” Kaori listened as Deliao took another step, backward this time, placing distance between himself and Therek. Her breath came a little easier to know the men weren’t within range to strike each other. She wasn’t sure she could remain silent if a fight were to ensue between them. “The Emperor commands that you return to Eykanua,” Deliao continued, his confidence unbroken. Arrogant in his task of bringing orders to a man of Therek’s standing. “It is time you answered for the things your people have done. I refuse to believe you are not a part of it. You ask too many questions. Defend the very woman whose perfidious acts sparked this uprising. Even the Emperor is beginning to see the tell-tale signs of a traitor in you and when he forces the truth from your lips, I will enjoy the pleasure of seeing you locked in the darkest cell of the prison to watch you rot.”

  Deliao’s words hung heavy on the air, his footsteps moving swiftly out of the room to leave Therek in silence. Stunned by the accusations laid against Therek, Kaori sank further onto the floor, grateful for the darkness and solitude which prevented anyone from seeing her grief-stricken face. The Emperor suspected Therek? If Deliao spoke the truth, she could only assume this was somehow her fault. Everything Therek had done was for her. Gathering information. Listening for details of the Emperor’s plans. You ask too many questions… She should have known his safety would be in jeopardy if he appeared too interested. And in Rothdara – how could she have forgotten? Therek came to her rescue when she chose to speak out against Deliao and the Emperor in front of the entire city. He had come there to warn her and in doing so, his very presence at the time of an assault on the soldiers added to the suspicions of which she tried so hard to keep Therek free.

  Discouraged, she lowered her eyes to where her hands were folded in her lap, still grasping the tattered parchment in her fingers. There had to be something she could do. If this document was accurate, it wouldn’t take much to overthrow Sulel. The royal seal was affixed to the front of the parchment, signifying the authenticity of the will. They could present the document to the people and the council, leaving Sulel with no option other than to step down and relinquish his crown to Therek. Then this could all be over. Sivar would be set free and their people could return to their lives without fear of persecution.

  Questions lingered in her mind about the will which prevented her hopes from rising. If this document was in the Losuva home, then Therek was well aware of its contents. So why did he allow Sulel to falsely use the title of Emperor? In answer to her question, she could hear Therek’s voice clearly in her mind, thinking over their conversation that first day in Siundel. This is my fault. I have brought these horrors upon my own people. Could it be? Did Therek allow Sulel to do these things? She hated to think he may in some way be responsible. She trusted him. Placed her faith in him, completely and utterly. Shared her secrets. Plans for the rebellion. Maybe this was all a game. Oh gods… what if he was working with the Emperor? Setting her up? Deliao’s accusations could be nothing more than a ruse to make her trust Therek more only to then have him turn her over to the Emperor in the end after obtaining a full confession of her misdeeds.

  Her hands trembled. She didn’t want to believe it. But it was so fitting! Everything was too perfect. It explained his disinclination to participate in the fighting. Separating himself from her plans of organizing an army with him at her side. He accused her of not understanding the responsibilities he bore. The promises he had made. His relationship with the Imperial family made him a threat. Just as Liurn and Davian feared.

  She couldn’t be sure how much time passed before she heard the rug slide away from the door of the hidden room, Therek’s hands pulling it open to let the light from above shine down on top of Kaori where she remained seated on the floor, tears sparkling in her eyes, clutching the parchment to her chest, staring up at him in horrified realization that he may be the enemy. At the sight of her holding the document Therek’s expression fell, eyes open wide to reveal a similar discomfort to her own. “Kaori…”

  “What is this, Therek?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. It was harder to form the words than she expected. Fear gripped her to think what he might say. Her heart had grown so fond of him. She dared to consider the possibility that she may even be in love with him. But that was where she made her first mistake. Love was known to blind people from the truth. Deny the downfalls of those they desire. In her case, it had led her to this moment… and she deserved whatever happ
ened to her for having allowed herself to be so careless.

  “That… is complicated.” He cast a hesitant glance toward the door, his breathing ragged. They sat in silence for a long moment, listening for any indication that Deliao might still be in the house. After a long pause Therek tore his eyes away to focus them back on Kaori, satisfied that they were alone. “I cannot talk about it right now. We do not have time.”

  Shaking her head, Kaori tightened her grip on the parchment, frustrated by Therek’s unwillingness to explain himself. “No,” she exhaled, sliding backward, further away from Therek’s outstretched hand. “I am not going anywhere until you explain this. How do I know I can trust you?”

  “Trust me?” Therek gawked at her, clearly offended by the remark. “What do I have to do to prove myself to you, Kaori? Is saving your life not enough?”

  “Not when I hold a document which names you Emperor of Carpaen yet you stand idly by while Sulel destroys the country you are supposed to rule. How can I know you are not part of his plan? That Deliao’s arrival here wasn’t part of some ruse to try and gain my trust so you can ruin me?”

  “If I wanted to ruin you, I could have done it far more easily than this.”

  “Maybe there was something more you wanted first before you turned me over to Deliao.”

  Therek’s eyes flashed angrily in the dim light, his face disappearing from the opening as he leaned back. Realizing the precariousness of her situation, Kaori quickly rose to her feet, afraid Therek might leave her there with no means of escape. The door was too high. She wouldn’t be able to make it out without his help.

  The last thing she wanted was to call for him. To let him know she needed him. Their current position wasn’t favorable for requesting assistance and she couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t injure her once she was within his grasp. Her head was swimming. She wanted so badly to trust him! There was just so much which pulled her heart in the other direction. Fearful of what he hoped to achieve in helping her. Though she loathed to admit, Deliao made a good point. What better way to seduce a woman than by making yourself look like her knight in shining armor? History did nothing to argue in his favor. He admitted himself that he had enjoyed the company of women without thought or care to what his actions might do to their reputation. She just didn’t see it. Never had he given the impression that his friendship was formed with ill-intent. But she was young. Inexperienced. It was possible she simply… missed it.

  She couldn’t hide her relief when Therek’s face returned overhead. His lips were pursed, an aggravated glare frozen on his features as he held his arm out toward her, saying nothing. It must have hurt his pride to force himself to come to her aid. He was aware that she couldn’t get out on her own and as much as he might like to leave her there, he couldn’t take the risk. Begrudgingly, she allowed her legs to move forward, never loosening her hold on the parchment as she offered her right hand to clasp Therek’s slender fingers, feeling their strong grip wrap around her tiny palm. A soft cry escaped her at the force with which he pulled her upward, less gentle than she expected. He was angry. She couldn’t blame him for not caring if she sustained injury in the process. It was a miracle he decided to help her at all.

  Amazed by his strength, Kaori landed on the wood floor with an awkward thud, her stomach aching from where the edge of the makeshift doorframe scratched along her midsection while Therek pulled her out of the hole. She laid there for a moment, struggling to catch her breath. She could feel him there, watching her, the tension so thick that she thought she might suffocate. He had every right to be angry with her, but she felt justified in her suspicions. After everything they had been through, she deserved an explanation. Orders or not, his departure for Eykanua could wait.

  “You must think rather highly of yourself.” Therek’s tone was cool, the words hitting Kaori like a slap in the face.

  “Me?” she gasped, painfully rolling over onto her back to try and look him in the eye. Irritated by the implication she sat up, meeting his resentful gaze with her own. “You have some nerve to accuse me of narcissism.”

  “Nerve has nothing to do with it,” Therek scoffed. “You honestly believe yourself so desirable that I would go through all this trouble just to lure you into my bed? No woman is worth this much trouble for a night of… gratification. If that was all I wanted, I would have given up a long time ago and left you to Deliao.”

  “Then what is it? Why do you bother with me? Because I can think of nothing.”

  Throwing his hands in the air Therek gazed up at the ceiling in exasperation. “I care about you, Kaori. You are the first person I have let close to me since Malita’s death and I’m not about to let you suffer a similar fate to hers. Especially if your assumptions are correct in that her demise was at the hand of Sulel. Is it too much for you to accept that I merely want to help?”

  The rhythm of her heart accelerated oddly at Therek’s outburst, speechless. He cared about her? Was it possible he shared the same emotions she harbored for him? Stop it! She was letting her heart get in the way of her head. A few affectionate sentiments weren’t enough to prove Therek wasn’t working with the Emperor. She needed more. Something irrefutable. “I need answers, Therek,” she sighed, unable to keep up the fight. It pained her too much when all she wanted was to believe Therek truly cared the way he claimed. But she had his hands tied when it came to displays of ardor. If he did anything which indicated physical attraction it would only serve to prove her accusations of lust.

  “About that?” he lowered his gaze to face her, the tip of his index finger motioning absently toward the parchment in Kaori’s hands. The anger was no longer visible in his eyes, replaced by a deep pain that lashed out at Kaori without the use of weapons. “That is nothing more than tinder for a fire.”

  “Tinder? I am not a simpleton. I read the document and it is undeniably the will of Sulel’s father.” For emphasis she held the parchment out away from her body, keeping it out of Therek’s reach while displaying it enough to make her point. “This page… this…” she shook it again, the words failing to form the way she wanted. Get it together. She wasn’t going to get anywhere if she couldn’t produce coherent sentences. “It names you as the successor, Therek. Sulel’s name is not mentioned at all.”

  A pathetic laugh escaped Therek, the misery in his eyes heightened as if she had dealt a powerful blow to his stomach. “Yes,” he gazed down at the floor, despondent, pitiful. Kaori had to hold herself back from running to him, her heart breaking to see him look so crestfallen. “It holds no weight now, Kaori. There is no changing the way of things.”

  “I do not understand. How can it hold no weight? Is this not the final will?”

  “It was the last document the Emperor ever signed.”

  “Then it is fully valid! Take this to the council and have Sulel removed from the throne he was never supposed to sit upon in the first place.”

  “It doesn’t work like that, Kaori. Maybe in the first few years I could have changed my mind and taken what was rightfully mine, but too much time has passed. The human council that was present at the time this will was signed is no longer alive. Sulel and I are the only ones aware of its existence. If I bring it forward now, he will denounce it as a forgery and have me arrested for treason in challenging his right to the crown.”

  “But this is the Emperor’s signature. Surely there are other documents he signed before his death which could verify it is not counterfeit.”

  “Of course there are, but it is his word against mine and the humans will side with Sulel. He is the only Emperor they have known for over thirty years. I am Vor’shai, and in case you haven’t noticed, we are not viewed very highly at court. Proven or not, they will deny its validity and have my head removed to avoid a complete restructuring of the government.”

  The thought of what Therek presented baffled her. Therek was the rightful successor yet he willingly handed the crown to Sulel. It didn’t seem right. Like he was leaving out details to intent
ionally mislead her. But she refused to be fooled. It was time Therek came clean. Explained the secrets he still fought to hide. She wouldn’t be able to fight this war if she didn’t fully understand who she was fighting against. “No one simply walks away from a crown,” she stated plainly. There was no reason to tiptoe around the topic. Direct was the best approach. Especially when time was limited.

  Arms folded across his chest Therek held her gaze. He looked thoughtful. Considering his words carefully before speaking. “Your inexperience with politics makes it harder for you to see why I had little choice,” he frowned. “The Omris family sat on the Imperial Throne for seven generations. Before them was the Irelan line, all of which were pureblood human. Carpaen has never been ruled by a Vor’shai.”

  “Sulel’s father obviously thought you capable of being the first.”

  “The council felt differently.” Therek unfolded his arms, lightly rubbing at his temples while beginning a slow pace across the room. “The will was read behind closed doors. No one was supposed to know it was my name.”

  “Someone had to know. There are other signatures on this document.”

  “The members of the council couldn’t sway his decision. They had no power. No authority to alter anything. All they could do was hope Sulel matured enough to win his father’s approval before that decree had need to be acted upon. To their dissatisfaction, the Emperor did not survive another week.”

  His story did nothing to quell Kaori’s frustration. Regardless of the council’s opinion, Therek was still the named successor. At the time of the Emperor’s death, he assumed the power to put them in their place if they tried to overstep their boundaries. “You still have not explained how a council that you admit held no authority was able to place Sulel on the throne.”