The Silent Pact

by Genevieve Dickinson

  “The soldiers of Nor were well matched against the battlemages of Katrell. After many years of war, Queen Ilia asked to meet with King Nor to discuss terms of peace. At his insistence, his own children and those of his sister Katrell were present at the meeting.

  “Queen Ilia surprised everyone when she agreed that the royal children deserved a chance to prove their worthiness to rule. She challenged them to a contest of King Nor’s choosing, with the winner to be declared the unquestioned monarch of Katrell. King Nor was impressed, and suggested a round of Mage’s Hoard, a simple game of strategy which he and his sister had played in their youth.”

  Esren and Catrine both grinned at the mention of their favorite game. They were cousins and had learned and played together all their lives. The old tutor smacked the table, stirring them both from their momentary distraction. Catrine blushed and quickly continued reading.

  “During the game, Katrell’s sons and daughters focused on sabotaging each other’s progress, not realizing their mistake. With her rivals distracted, Queen Ilia easily surpassed them. King Nor declared her the winner. He looked to his nieces and nephews and told them that he understood his sister’s decision now. None of her children were fit to rule a kingdom. Ashamed, they went into exile. They were not seen in Katrell again.

  “As a compromise to ensure that the Choosing would never again be questioned, Queen Ilia decreed that the most worthy child of the current ruler would always be a candidate. The War of Blood Right was over. Nor and Katrell have gone to war since then, but never again has a Choosing’s validity been questioned by either kingdom.”

  “Excellent, Catrine.” The stern old tutor looked pleased with her charges. “Now then, your homework. Esren, you will study the omens which indicate the proper time for a Choosing. Catrine, you will study how the Council, the body which advises the ruler of Katrell, is elected. I will see you both tomorrow.”

  “Unfortunately, they’ll have to miss their classes for a few days.” The soft voice from the doorway startled the children. The tutor gave a low bow as Queen Miraphina of Katrell entered the room. “I’m afraid I must insist that my son and my niece accompany me on an outing with the ambassador from Nor. We’re going on a hunt in the mountains.

  Esren jumped up excitedly. “Really, Mother? We get to go with you this time?”

  Miraphina smiled. “Of course! I promised, didn’t I? Now you two should go get ready. Remember to lay out warm clothes for the mountains.” She glanced apologetically at the tutor. “And don’t forget to bring your homework!”

  Miraphina watched proudly as Esren and Catrine rushed off, chattering excitedly. I wish Esren had gotten a chance to meet his father. Braeden would be so proud of our boy.

  Esren was the Queen’s only son, and it was likely to remain that way. Miraphina had no desire to take another consort after Braeden’s death. Her council persistently asked her to reconsider her decision. Miraphina couldn’t understand why. True, Esren was by no means capable of being Chosen right now. But the omens all indicated that the next Choosing was many years away. There was plenty of time for him to learn to control his power and grow into his strength.

  Miraphina thought of the ancient tale that Esren and Catrine had been reading. Whether or not I have more children doesn’t make a bit of difference. If it is time for our family’s rule to end, then it will end. That’s what the Choosing is for, after all. And if they really want another option from our family, there is always Catrine. Her sister’s daughter was already more skilled at twelve years old than most mages were at twenty.

  She frowned as she climbed the stairs of the Royal Tower. I wonder if Aldwin has this problem with his advisers. King Aldwin of Nor had lost his wife Amelia six years ago in childbirth, leaving their son as his only heir. Queen Amelia had been an extraordinary woman, she recalled, and the King loved her dearly. Miraphina couldn’t imagine him ever taking another wife, no matter how much his advisers might want him to.

  As she climbed the stairs, she let her mind wander. She thought of Braeden and the man she hoped Esren would become. By the time she reached her rooms at the top, she felt hopeful again about the future of her kingdom and her family.

  

  “Esren, we really should be packing.” Catrine knew before she said anything that her protest would be pointless. She knew that look in his eyes. Esren had found something interesting. There would be no talking him out of whatever he wanted to do.

  “It’s just a little further,” Esren said. “How long does it take you to pack, anyway?”

  “Not as long as you.” Catrine grinned as she sped up to match his pace. She and Esren had grown up like siblings. There had been many such impromptu adventures when they were supposed to be doing other things. Only last week they had found a secret entrance into the Royal Tower through the city sewers that they were sure that the guards knew nothing about. Hours of exploring had ended, as they always did, with the cousins dashing quickly back to their rooms before they were caught.

  This seems different, Catrine thought. He’s even more excited than usual. What has he found?

  Esren led the way down the path through the park, his pace quickening with each passing moment until Catrine was almost running to catch up to him. Finally, he stopped. “Here. Through these trees.” Without waiting for her, he darted from the path and disappeared into the dense foliage.

  Catrine glanced down at her velvet shoes. Getting the mud out of them was going to be a hassle. She gave a heavy sigh. There goes my relaxing evening. Resigned to her fate, she followed Esren through the trees, hoping that whatever he found was worth it.

  It didn’t take long to catch up to him. He was standing in front of a large bush, looking back to Catrine with excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Well? What do you think?”

  Catrine was confused. “I think it’s a bush. What’s so special about it?”

  Esren grinned. “That’s what I thought, too. Look closer.”

  Catrine frowned at him, then looked back at the bush. She stared at it for a moment, then stepped forward to look closer. “I don’t see-” she stopped dead in her tracks as she finally noticed it. “Wait. Is this . . . a wall?”

  Esren was practically dancing with joy as he leaned forward to grab his cousin’s hand. “It’s more than that. It’s a building. A hidden building in the middle of the park. Fascinating, isn’t it?”

  Catrine nodded slowly, reaching out a hand to touch what she now saw was painted stone. Whoever painted this was a genius. Even the shadows on the leaves seem to shift with the light. “What is this place?”

  Esren shrugged and released Catrine’s hand. “I don’t know. I haven’t found the door yet. I will, though. We will.” He looked back to her. “Worth the trip?”

  Catrine nodded, still running her hand over the cold stone. “Definitely. Do you suppose your mother knows about this place?”

  “I don’t know. It looks old, older than her. Maybe even older than our family” Esren furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “I mean, she is the Queen, but that doesn’t mean she knows everything, right?”

  “I guess.” Catrine was thoughtful. “We should get back before someone misses us. Want to come back after the trip?”

  Esren’s smile faded. His shoulders drooped as he sighed in resignation. “I guess we don’t really have a choice. Come on, let’s go.”

  Catrine nodded, leading the way back to the path. She tried to talk to Esren on the way back to the tower, but he was too preoccupied. When they reached the courtyard, he headed back to his chambers more quickly than usual. Catrine sighed, frustrated. I guess he got a little overexcited. I wish we had more time, but duty calls. If he ever wants to be King, he better learn that.

  Dismissing the thought of the hidden building, Catrine hurried up to her own rooms to pack for the hunting trip ahead.

  

  In the dead of night, a robed figure slipped past the guards stationed at the Royal Tower and stole away into the darkness.

/>   The man moved with a silent grace that would have been impossible for an ordinary person. His soft footsteps were easily covered by the gentle spring breeze rustling through the trees of the park. The dark robe fluttered aside only once, revealing a pale hand that seemed to glow in the light of the full moon above. The hand quickly receded back into the robe as the figure glanced around hurriedly. Finally, confident that he had not been spotted, he stepped gently off the path and into the trees.

  Once he was safely hidden in the leaves, Esren threw back the hood of his robe. Sorry, Catrine, but I just can’t wait. I have to know now.

  Esren reached the hidden building in minutes. His steps softened by one of the few spells he had mastered, the young prince silently walked the perimeter of the building. It was small, square, utilitarian. No distinguishing features or unusual architecture marked it as anything other than a windowless box. Still, Esren knew that there was something hidden in this place. Something special. Something powerful, he thought, running his hand over the stone and feeling the vibration emanating from within,

  Esren had found the building weeks ago on a walk through the park. It was almost as though he was pulled from the path to this spot by an unseen force, one that was beckoning him to find this building’s secrets. Even on that first sunlit day, he could feel the power radiating from the stone. There’s something inside. Something that will make me powerful.

  Esren knew all too well that his own magical talent fell far short of what was expected for a future ruler of Katrell. If the Choosing were held tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t even survive. I have to find a way to get stronger. I know there’s something here. But how do I get to it?

  Frustrated, Esren began knocking gently on the walls. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, perhaps a hollow sound where a door should be. Nearly an hour later, there was still nothing. His patience gone, he angrily kicked the wall. “All I want is power. I know it’s in there. Just let me in!”

  He dropped to his knees. Angry tears welled up in his eyes. “Gods, if you’re listening, please. I’ll do anything. Anything at all, I swear. I don’t want to be weak anymore. Just give me power.”

  A loud click caught his attention. He looked up to the disguised building in shock. There was the door. It was standing ajar not five feet from him. He couldn’t understand how he had ever missed it. He stood up and pulled off the heavy robe, letting it fall to the ground. His hands trembling, he stepped forward and pushed the door open.

  Inside, the building was pitch black. The bright light of the full moon cast a shadow on a floor covered with a thick layer of dust. Still quivering slightly, Esren reached out. He whispered the words of a spell, and an orb of dim light appeared in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the weak conjuration. Catrine could make a better one, but this will have to do. Besides, she couldn’t feel the power. It called me, not her. Whatever is in here is only meant for me.

  In the dim glow of his magical light, Esren looked around the inside of the building. The walls were lined with shelves, all covered in the same thick dust as the floor. Jars on each shelf reflected the light. Each was filled with ingredients both magical and mundane that Esren recognized from his own studies. An old storage room, maybe? But why would someone want to hide it?

  Esren was suddenly aware of the hum echoing through the room. It was the same vibration that he had felt from the outside. He could hear it now, a low tone almost like the beginning of a chant. The sound seemed to slip under his skin. He could feel the vibration in his bones, feel the ripples in the blood coursing through his veins. It was an odd sensation, but not an unpleasant one. In fact, it makes me feel invigorated. I bet I could run all the way back to the Tower without losing my breath. A thought occurred to him. He stared into the dim orb of light in his hand willing it to grow brighter. To his shock, it worked. He nearly dropped the orb in surprise, then quickly refocused his attention on looking around the room. In the brighter light, Esren finally spotted the desk at the back of the room.

  The desk was made of a black wood that Esren did not recognize. Something about it struck him as strange, even stranger than the rest of the room. It took a moment for him to realize that while the shelves and jars were covered in dust, the desk was perfectly clean. It almost looked like it had recently been polished, though the undisturbed dust on the floor told Esren that no one had been in this room for many years. He stepped forward. His attention was suddenly drawn to the object on the desk: a single leather-bound book.

  The book was also free of dust. It had no title or labels to indicate what it was. Esren reached out to open it. As soon as he touched the cover, the hum stopped. He paused, startled by the sudden silence. The vibration was gone, but the feeling of vigor remained. Excited, he opened the cover to read what was inside.

  The pages were blank.

  Esren flipped through the book rapidly. At the very least, he’d expected an index of the room’s contents. But there was nothing. Not one spot of ink marred the bone-white pages of the book. Somehow, the empty pages made Esren feel far more uneasy than finding a tome of forbidden lore. This was something completely unexpected, something new.

  I can feel that it has power. I know it. I don’t know how, but I do. This is important. This is what I came here for.

  Esren closed the book and picked it up from the desk. He heard a sound, almost like a gentle sigh. He looked around but saw no one. There were only the shelves filled with dusty jars. The door, open and inviting, was waiting to let him back out into the world.

  Thank you, Gods. Thank you for answering me. Esren smiled as he clasped the book to his chest. He stepped back out into the moonlit night. The door swung gently shut behind him. When he turned around, Esren could no longer see where the door had been. He gave a determined nod and hugged the book closer. It doesn’t matter. I have what I came for.

  Picking up his robe from where he dropped it, Esren started the long walk back to the Royal Tower.

  Chapter 5

  “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Captain Nilene Drannell!” A cheer rose up from the crowd as Kasrian raised Nilene’s hand in a triumphant gesture. She smiled and waved at the citizens assembled for her promotion ceremony, but Kasrian caught the angry glance she gave him from the side. His face flushed. She hated these formalities almost as much as he did, but Aldwin had insisted.

  When the cheering died down, Kasrian continued. “Thanks to the efforts of Captain Drannell and her soldiers, the vile man known as the Slaver is finally in the castle dungeons where he belongs. All of the victims found in his camp have been safely returned to their families, and we have no doubt that soon we will finally drive the shadow of slavery from Nor!”

  The crowd cheered again. Nilene looked at Kasrian, her expression clearly asking permission to speak. He nodded. When the cheering died down, he motioned for her to step forward.

  Unlike Kasrian, Nilene had not been trained from childhood in public speaking and other courtly graces. Her voice was a soldier’s, far more accustomed to giving orders than speeches. Her tone was straightforward and blunt. “I want to thank all of you for your confidence in us during these trying times. Many of you have had friends or family members go missing. The trouble is worse in the outlying villages, where children often go to the fields to play and simply disappear. Many have now been returned, but many are still missing. I swear to you that my soldiers and I will not rest until we find the missing and bring everyone involved in this foul business to justice once and for all!”

  The crowd cheered even louder than before. Kasrian beamed, his eyes gleaming with pride. Nilene was a natural. There was no trace of arrogance in her words. It was a simple statement, a real promise. The commander felt his heart soar knowing she meant every word.

  “My friends,” Kasrian said over the cheers, “Captain Drannell and our new elite unit, the Stone Shields, are being officially placed in charge of this matter immediately. All evidence, any leads, even just rumors of where the missing peop
le may be should be brought to her. With her skill and determination, we hope to have every missing person brought home soon.”

  The crowd cheered again, and Kasrian took the opportunity to quietly slip away. After a final wave, Nilene left as well. The Stone Shields were waiting for her with congratulatory handshakes and salutes. Kasrian watched from the shadows of the nearby stable, admiring the way she laughed at their friendly jokes and playful banter.

  The fluttering in his stomach brought a smile to his face. He ran his hand through his hair, allowing himself to daydream for a moment. Nilene really is something special. I’m a lucky man.

  He shook away the thought. There would be time enough for that later. Right now, he had to meet with Aldwin. The King said he had received new information about the disappearances in the rural villages. Kasrian didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t likely to be good.

  His smile faded as he walked from the stables back into the castle. Kasrian knew this was why Aldwin had insisted on a public promotion ceremony for Nilene. The people were likely to panic if they knew how widespread the disappearances were. Better to focus their attention on the success of the day rather than let them worry about the years of work ahead.

  The inside of the castle was warm, a sharp contrast to the fresh spring air outside. Instead of flowers, the familiar scent of candles, old books, and perfume hit Kasrian’s nose. He slowed his pace, enjoying the feeling. Most days, he preferred being out in the field to being in the castle. With the dark news likely waiting for him in the King’s study, Kasrian craved the comfort of home.

  Quick footsteps on the floor behind him caught his attention. His heart leaped as Nilene’s smiling face came into view. “Hello, Commander. Heading to His Majesty’s study?”

  Kasrian nodded, cautiously watching the guards and courtiers nearby. He forced his expression to remain neutral. “I am, Captain. Would you care to walk with me?”