Prisoner of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  She froze and stared at me. “It really is you. You shouldn’t be here.”

  “No, but I need answers. Why are you secluded out here? Some people think you’re dead.” I rested my bag on a large wooden table in the middle of the room.

  “I want them to think I’m dead. I went away so you’d be safe, Kimess. Or your mother would be.” She sat and shook her head at me.

  “Safe from what?” I asked.

  “It’s complicated. Sit down, if you really want the story.” She waved at the chairs.

  “You know what happened to my mother?” I asked.

  “I felt her loss. I’d tried so hard.” Simma wrung her hands.

  “Tried hard to what?” I asked.

  “Protect her. She and I were close. I was a spell caster at court. She was attending her great aunt after school. Your great aunt was the seer; she had two daughters. It seemed very tidy. There was pressure, though, for your mother to marry. Your father was handsome, and plenty of the women wanted him. But your grandmother pushed your mother.” She frowned. “I didn’t understand why, then.”

  “I found pictures she kept of the two of you. How close were you?” I asked.

  Simma grinned. “Your father is alive and talking to you about me?”

  “He mentioned something. So it didn’t end when my mother got married?” I glanced at Ballan, who kept his eye on the door and a hand on his sword. Good guard.

  “Well, you were born, and people were convinced. I never believed she loved him the same way. But the royals have their ways. I knew it. I rebelled against it. Your mother and I spent time together when we could. Then, your great aunt…” Simma sighed. “That changed everything.”

  “She went mad and had to be killed. What did that have to do with you?” I asked.

  Simma smiled and put her hand on my arm. “You are a very powerful seer. Like your mother and your great aunt.”

  “My mother didn’t kill herself. I need your help. Anything I can find to prove someone else out there killed her.” I needed help, not to hear how like or unlike my mother I was.

  “I don’t know that answer. I know that your great aunt did not go mad. She had a vision. A very disturbing vision of the future. A war with the Bachal that would devastate our lands. The worst part is we would lose. We’d be ruled by the shifters, and all magical beings would be enslaved. Your great aunt couldn’t live with this future. She went into visions over and over, looking for a variable to avoid war. Then, she started looking for the key to win the war. Finally, she had success.” Simma stood and went to the counter. She brought back a loaf of bread with plates.

  “What was the key to winning, please?” I asked.

  “Eat. You might not believe me.” She dished out bread.

  “I’ll believe you.” I pushed my way into her mind and found her so sad without my mother that I hurt for her. Yes, she was happy to see me, but I brought up a lot of conflicted emotions for her.

  “Of course, you’ve got many powerful gifts.” She shrugged.

  “You could cast a spell, and then I’d have to break it. I only want the truth.” I tapped my foot.

  “Yes, my lady. Your aunt saw in her vision that the Royal Seer when we won the war was not of her line. It belonged to her younger sister’s line. But your great aunt had two daughters. She’d seen in a vision that both of her daughters would have at least one daughter.”

  “So, how could the line have jumped if my great aunt had daughters and granddaughters?” I asked.

  “How did she do it?” Ballan joined us at the table. “Looks quiet out there. I don’t think anyone noticed.”

  “The vision didn’t make it clear to her, at first. Finally, she researched her own life. That was the key. The only variable that made Lazrel victorious in the war was that her line was declared insane and eliminated. So, she had to make it happen.” Simma fetched some tea.

  “I don’t understand. She killed herself?” I asked.

  “No. She faked her insanity, sort of.” Simma poured the tea. “She came to me because I loved your mother. She asked me to cast a spell on the realm so that people would believe she was mad. Only the queen, your great aunt, and I knew the truth. She was put in a chamber in the high tower. The queen refused to kill her. But your grandmother was installed as seer, and your mother and you fell in line.”

  “We haven’t had a war,” I said.

  “No, the vision gave no timetable. It was in the future, but there were so many variables that could happen. Your aunt convinced the queen and myself that this was the only way to ensure we won the war whenever it occurred.” Simma took a bit of her bread.

  Staring at her, I wasn’t sure if I believed it or not. A spell. A conspiracy. Over a vision.

  “My great aunt probably isn’t still alive,” I said.

  “She is. If Gurol had died, I’d have felt the change in my magic. It drains me to keep the spell going, so I came here to rest. I don’t have to keep up appearances. It takes energy to hold a spell like that for years. Even if no one but droids and the queen see her.” Simma sipped her tea.

  My food and beverage remained untouched.

  “So Aunt Gurol is alive, locked in a tower for nearly a decade?” I asked.

  Simma nodded. “I never thought she’d live this long. I’d go crazy stuck in a room with no friends and only droids for company.”

  I eyed Ballan.

  “The tower is for the dead. Only droids tend it. There are chambers above, but I’ve never been there,” he said.

  “I have no right to my position. Maybe someone found out and is trying to kill us off?” I wondered aloud.

  “Doubtful. My spell is effective. But after I’d cast the spell and your mother was in line, I had to go. The queen was afraid of exposure or rumors. She made me leave,” Simma said softly.

  “What about you and my mother?” I asked.

  Simma nodded. “That was the worst part. I thought she’d leave him. With her new status, at least future status—why stay? She had a daughter. No one would doubt your right to be seer. But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t move away with me until her mother died. Or let me stay at her estate.”

  “That would be awkward,” Ballan said.

  I shot him a look that demanded silence.

  “It certainly would. But I loved her. I’d have dealt with almost anything. Finally, she told me. She married him because of his rebellious affiliations.”

  “What?” I leaned in.

  “She wasn’t in line to be seer when she married him. The family and crown had pressured her to use her powers to get the details of the rebels’ plans. To spy on him. At first, he was very low level. He had to keep it secret so he could marry her. Be brought into the bosom of the royals.” Simma shrugged.

  “He was spying on her and the crown.” I buried my face in my hands.

  “Very good. They used each other. Your mother had more success, obviously. But your father never suspected she was on to him. She adored you. Once she was in line to be seer, she worked hard to prepare for that job. It brought him closer to power and secrets. But they never really loved each other.”

  My entire history had been rewritten. “No wonder she never questioned where he was going. What he was doing. They blocked my attempts to read their thoughts. It’s so insane.”

  “You look so much like your mother when she was young. But you’ve been through so much worse,” Simma said.

  “I want to know who killed her. I need to prove she didn’t go mad. And the queen knows my great aunt never had mental issues. Yet I’m still in this probation mode. This is so mixed up.” I stared into my cup of tea and tried to unravel an even bigger mystery now.

  “It could be dangerous out there. I’m surprised the queen doesn’t have you under guard. Why did you move out this far?” Ballan asked.

  Simma smiled. “Peace and quiet. My family wasn’t thrilled with me, either. I refused to marry a man. I refused to p
lay the role they wanted from me. I visited until my parents died, but I have an older sister. Others will rule my family. The queen knew I’d keep my word because of your mother and you. I am happy here without judgment or court drama.”

  “I don’t blame you.” I rubbed my temples. “Do you have any idea who’d kill my mother?”

  “Your father was part of a rebellious group. They claimed to want to let men rule. Take off the restrictions, but really, they want a full rebellion. Elections. To take over. Destroy the monarchy and grab power. I couldn’t believe it when I received word that your mother and father had split.” Simma’s eyes watered a bit.

  “Did you keep in touch?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “Off and on. That would’ve been too hard. I’m an all-or-nothing type of woman. She did visit a couple of times while you were young. Showed me your pictures. Talked about random things, but we could never be together, no matter what she wanted. She was a compromise-and-never-give-up sort. Once she had you, I’d never come first, anyway. I doubt your father is stupid enough to have harmed her. His family might be or his rebel friends. Was it murder?”

  “I thought it was an accident. She drowned in the tub. I was taken to the castle. I’ve been put in place as seer, but there hasn’t been a ruling on her death. I might still be killed. They think she could’ve killed herself. Depressed over my father’s leaving her.”

  Simma laughed. “No. That was not it.”

  “She was ashamed of the divorce. That doesn’t happen much in our family.” I defended my mother, then heard how silly it sounded.

  “Maybe it should happen more,” Simma said.

  “I don’t know where I belong. I just want to live freely and be allowed to go home.” I shook my head.

  “You’re the wild card, my dear. The one born of two spies with very different agendas. The queen needs you to prove yourself to her. You have to pick one of your parents. The rebel or the royal.” Simma refilled her tea.

  “I can’t think about it like picking a parent’s side in the divorce. I have to choose what’s right for me. I’m my mother’s daughter. I will serve the queen as long as my mother’s name is cleared.” I sighed.

  “I agree your mother was not crazy. You’re not either. But this is about loyalty, not sanity. Trust me.” Simma cut more bread. “Show the queen you’re on her side. You’re part of her world. Please, eat something. You’re a rail.”

  I started to eat while my brain rolled through the new information. “What happened to my cousins?”

  “Your what?” Simma asked.

  “If Aunt Gurol wasn’t killed. What happened to her two daughters?” I asked.

  Simma smiled. “It was reported they were killed, as well. They were sent away from this country to live with the fairies.”

  “Fairies.” I’d heard talk of the land of fairies all my life. “Everyone says that’s a myth.”

  “But unicorn and dragon shifters are real. Our magic is real.” She laughed. “Fairies are real. An island nation that is enchanted and protected. You’d never find it if you tried. They only reveal themselves to people who need to be lost.” Simma warmed up my tea.

  “So they weren’t killed, either. Just sent away.” I was relieved. My neck felt a bit safer, and my family wasn’t as prone to insanity as I’d been told.

  “No. They weren’t crazy. They were furious about losing their place in line and not inheriting. The queen gave them plenty of gold and jewels to live on. It was their mother’s decision to make the change. No one forced her.”

  I shook my head. “And no war has broken out yet.”

  “We’re getting close,” Ballan said.

  I frowned, but he wasn’t wrong.

  “The negotiations are that bad?” Simma asked.

  “I can’t share that information, but the Bachal aren’t offering anything. Just making demands.” I believed what Simma had told me because I could read her mind. It also lined up with the pieces I had from my family.

  “Well, do what you can. No one wants war, but when it comes, know you could do nothing to prevent it. Your job is to make sure we win it.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to your mother. I’m shocked you believe me so easily. Most young women wouldn’t like the idea that their high-ranking mother was a lesbian.”

  “I thought I knew her, but both of my parents had secrets.” I opened my bag and slid the picture of them to Simma. “She kept a few pictures of you two together. I wish she’d reached out to you once Father left. She was very depressed.”

  “That your father was gone? I don’t believe it.” Simma stared intently at the picture.

  “Maybe they were tinkering with her sleeping herbs for a while? Upping the dose so she seemed tired all the time. People would assume she’s not sleeping and sad,” Ballan suggested.

  “I don’t know. A one-time tamper with her herbs might be possible, but those were given to her by a healer at the castle. One of them must be corrupt. A rebel.” I remembered the man who’d worked on my arm and liked that I was concerned for my father.

  “Are you okay? You just went white,” Ballan said.

  I nodded. “I have a man in mind. Rebels in the castle.”

  “Don’t tip your hand. Be sure,” Ballan advised.

  “Castle life. Too insane for me. Your mother was right not to keep me around or call me back when your father left. I couldn’t handle the rumors and backstabbing,” Simma said.

  “Maybe she’d still be alive if you were around,” I replied.

  She smiled. “I’d have tried to do anything for her.”

  “You don’t support the rebels? It doesn’t sound like you support the monarchy and traditions,” Ballan said.

  She smiled. “I don’t dabble in the government. No, I’m not a rebel. I know how hard the magical families worked to create this country after the horrible wars. The powers are in us when we’re born, but how we use them is up to us. We use them for good in our society, but it could easily flip to abusing those powers and positions. We have kept humans safe from others. The monarchy trains the next ruler, and she has time to learn to lead and is never off the hook. The term only ends when her life does. It’s been long enough that men have forgotten the pain and death of endless war. They want the power.”

  “The Bachal king coming and showing off his ships and armies doesn’t help,” I agreed.

  “And if the queen gives in too much, the male rebels will think they’re close. If they push, they could open the door. The queen will stand up to the Bachal. Any way you slice it, the rebels are stirred up.” Ballan sat back.

  “When do you need to be back?” Simma asked.

  “Midnight we’ll be taken back to my estate. But I need you to come with us,” I said.

  She shook her head. “Me? No.”

  “Please, you’re the only one who knows the truth. If I go there and say my great aunt lives, they’ll label me crazy and kill me. The queen knows the truth, but she won’t want me to expose those facts. I’m worried she’ll try to lock me up or silence me. I want to see my aunt,” I said.

  “The queen knows it’s true. If she locks you up, you’ll bring down the castle. Don’t let her kill you. The power of court life isn’t always worth it.” Simma shrugged.

  “You know my mother better than I did. You can help me figure out what happened to her. You can speak to the queen…tell her my mother would never kill herself. Something.” I didn’t want to go through this alone.

  She smiled and patted my hand. “All right. I’ll go. Your father is still in the dungeon?”

  “You have good sources,” Ballan said.

  “I still have friends out there, and they keep me advised. I won’t lie. I won’t do anything to save him,” she warned.

  “I don’t want lies. He must defend himself for any crimes. I want my mother’s name cleared and my life safe. Enough women in my family have sacrificed so we can win a
war in the future. I won’t let them down.” I hoped my father hadn’t done anything too bad. Rebel or not, I didn’t want to see him dead or sentenced to hard labor.

  “All right.” She stood. “It’s awfully early. I think you two must’ve been up late. I’ll show you where you can grab a nap, and we’ll talk more about your mother at lunch. I need to get cooking.”

  I followed her. “Really, you don’t need to go to any trouble.”

  “No trouble. It’s nice to have people to cook for.” She pinched my cheek. “So pretty but not a show-off about it. Just like your mother.”

  “I’m glad I have a chance to know you.” I hugged her impulsively but backed away. “They haven’t had her funeral, yet. Perhaps you can stay to say goodbye?”

  Chapter 25

  My freedom was short-lived, but I’d accomplished my goal. Zoma managed to hide us from security. Since we went to school in the castle, it was much easier to know the ins and outs.

  The biggest risk came from bringing an extra person. Simma was freaked out by the people. She’d gone to bed in her room in my chambers. Luckily, the Royal Seer had a large suite of rooms. Marel hugged Ballan the second he walked in the door, and they’d been locked in her room all night.

  After showering, I sat at the vanity and lit a candle. I stared into it. If my great aunt had such intense visions, I must be able to, as well. I hadn’t tried much lately. The few I’d had were brief and triggered by danger.

  This time, I focused on the candle and cleared my mind of everything else. I started with the negotiations. The war. I couldn’t see it. The room dropped away, and I was in a high tower. The treaty was signed, but why I was in that tower? Visions always scrambled my brain for time. I tried to put structure and logic to them.

  My mother had told me to relax and watch, but I’d always resisted. This time, I let the tension go. Danger lurked, and I tried to look around. Forcing the vision sent it spiraling into flashes. Arguing. Being attacked. I mentally attacked someone. He was bruised and bleeding. He tried to shove me. And my fury took over. I wanted this man dead. I couldn’t even see his face.

  Another man was in the room, and I had no idea who that was, either. I lashed out to defend myself and, somehow, found myself standing on the edge of the open section of the tower. In front of me was a sheer drop so far I couldn’t see the ground. Backing up, I hit a wall. There was no wall there, but I couldn’t get away. Something shoved me to the edge again, and I had nowhere to go.