“Wait here. I’ll find out.”
After he left my room, I slid off the bed and went over to my door, opening it a couple of inches. Morlet stood about fifteen feet away, facing Norill in the middle of the hallway.
“You can’t keep her from me!” the evil witch screeched. “If Damaris saw her, I can too.”
“She’s ill,” Morlet replied, blocking the hallway with his body.
“I don’t care.” She tried to get around him, but he wouldn’t let her.
I leaned against the wall next to my door, eavesdropping on their conversation. The soldats who stood guard outside of my room didn’t acknowledge me nor did they shut my door.
“I’m tired of waiting. I want my magic back, and I want out of this forsaken kingdom.”
“Don’t we all,” he replied.
“You promised me we’d work together to end this.”
“And we will. But that doesn’t change the fact that once this is over, you will still be bound to Nelebek and not to Sonvel.”
She snarled and said something I couldn’t comprehend. An intense desire to flee the castle filled me. I wanted to run into the forest and return to the treehouse, see my friends, obtain my father’s book, and hold my bo staff. Yet, I still had to conceive Morlet’s child. There was no point leaving until I’d accomplished that. The fact that I was married and queen meant nothing to me. I would not be tied to this castle or to the king. The only good to come of this mess was the fact that Norill couldn’t harm me since I was queen.
“Your Highness,” a soldat said, running into the hallway. “There’s a disturbance in the west sector.”
Morlet turned and strode away, the soldat trailing behind him.
“We’re not done!” Norill shrieked.
“This needs my immediate attention.” He left without a backward glance.
Norill screamed and stomped away.
I waited a couple of minutes to make sure she was gone. Not hearing anything in the hallway, I closed the door. Something in my room felt…different. I called on my power and let it flow from me. Someone was here. “Come out,” I demanded.
The curtains fluttered and Anders stepped out from behind them.
I gasped. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to see you.”
9
I ran and threw my arms around Anders’s neck. I was fairly certain that if Morlet found Anders in my room, he’d kill him instead of throwing him back in the dungeon.
Anders held me tightly against him. “Damaris told us you fainted. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Leaning back, I glanced up into his warm, brown eyes. “I thought you’d be on your way to the treehouse by now.”
“There are a few things we need to do here in the capital before we leave.”
“Be careful.” Morlet had his soldats on the lookout for the two of them. I was sure he’d issued an order to kill on sight.
Anders nodded and stepped away from me. “Have you located the third sapphire yet?”
“No.”
“The second Morlet dies, the borders reopen. If others know that the sapphires have been found and Morlet has unearthed Heks magic, everyone—and I mean everyone—will be fighting for use of the mines.”
Could the magic even be controlled? Contained? I wasn’t so sure.
“I should go before someone finds me here. The disturbance in the capital was simply a diversion Vidar created so I could sneak in to see you.”
Before I could say another word, he went to the window, climbed outside, and descended out of sight.
“What are you doing?” Morlet asked, startling me.
“Knock before you barge into my room unannounced,” I said. I was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. I pulled the blanket around my shoulders, trying to warm up. Rain pounded against the dark window.
Morlet shut the door and came into my room. “I thought you’d be in bed,” he said. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Exactly. So why are you here?”
Instead of answering, he sat next to me, crossing his legs. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were red.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“Bad dream,” he mumbled. “Wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Truth be told, I was afraid to sleep for that very reason. I picked at the edge of the blanket, pulling on a stray piece of yarn. “What will happen if the magic in the world gets me?”
“You’re not a Heks. It will destroy you.”
“Then why is it calling to me? Why is Damaris encouraging me to use it?”
“I think Damaris is trying to teach you to control it so it doesn’t consume you.” He sat staring into the fire for several minutes before continuing. “I believe Damaris and Norill were sent here on a mission. I don’t think they were pulled into our kingdom by magic to restore balance.”
“What is their mission?” Were they working together?
Morlet rested his elbows on his thighs, his chin on his hands. “I think King Ferdin wants control of the mines. He sent Damaris and Norill here to ensure that happens.”
“I thought you sealed the borders? How could they have gotten in if it wasn’t to restore balance?” I still remembered killing Skog Heks, her blue blood pooling around Anders.
“When I closed the borders, I was furious. I remember casting a spell preventing anyone from entering or leaving. The fact that not one, but two Heks managed to come into Nelebek means that a tremendous amount of magic had to be used.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Morlet sighed. “For centuries, Heks have been trying to find the ruins from their holy site which was destroyed during the Heks and human wars. It was not only the place where they performed ceremonies but also where they kept the sapphire that acted as a conduit for Heks, allowing them to reproduce.”
He extended his legs out before him and leaned back on his hands. “One day, my parents stumbled upon something. When my father investigated, he discovered the ruins buried within our land. He knew what he’d found. He believed that if the Heks replenished their numbers, they would turn around and destroy humankind. He also knew the only reason we won the war was because the sapphire had been broken and lost.”
Morlet rubbed his hands over his face. “When my father found the ruins, my parents encouraged Grei Heks and Skog Heks to live outside of the castle. Grei Heks and Skog Heks did, and for the first couple of years, my parents managed to hide what they’d found from them. Then, one day, everything changed. Skog Heks was visiting the castle to decide on some matter or other since she was required to rule with my parents. She found something in my father’s possession—something that could only be at the Heks temple. My father begged her not to tell anyone. At the time, I was spending every moment with Linnea, not with my father or at court, so I’m not certain what happened after that. I think she notified the other kingdoms and told the Heks what she’d learned. It never amounted to anything since Anders arrived shortly thereafter, striking a deal with Skog Heks and murdering my parents. Since I sealed the borders, Heks from other kingdoms couldn’t come here to resurrect their holy site.”
“Do you have one of the three pieces?”
“How do you know that there are three sapphires? Does my dear brother have one? Or did Damaris tell you?”
I hesitated. Should I tell him the truth? Things were changing. We were running out of time. Even with Heks magic coursing through him, he hated Heks. I held onto that hope as I answered, “Vidar has one.”
“I thought so.” He tapped his finger against his knee. “I’ve spent so many years trying to end the curse. Now that we’re close, I’m afraid.”
I looked at him as he stared into the fire. “About that,” I muttered. “How do you think we should go about it?” I couldn’t bring myself to say copulate. It sounded too cold, too harsh.
“Well,” he drawled. “We are married. We could go about it the old-fashioned way.”
Embarrassed, I glanced away. “Right now?” I could not believe I’d just asked that. I wasn’t ready, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever be. And the Krigers couldn’t kill him until I was pregnant. I needed to just do it and get it over with.
He reached out and took hold of my chin, turning my head toward him. “I won’t force you to do it, Kaia.” The fire reflected in his blue eyes. “I’m in no hurry to kill you. I’ve already waited a hundred years. What’s a few more?” His lips pulled into a smile, and he released my chin. I averted my eyes, unable to acknowledge the emotions on Morlet’s face.
He scooted behind me, placing his legs on either side of my body and wrapping his arms around my torso. I tensed. He was too close.
“I’ve been alone for so many years,” he said, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Now that you’re here, now that I have you, I don’t want this to end. But it must. We have to break the curse. And one of us will die by the hand of the other. Life is cruel and unfair. I wish humans had never come to this continent. I wish we’d never tried to conquer Heks.”
I didn’t respond. This was the first time I truly felt like I was with Espen. And my heart broke for him. For this man who’d been turned into an evil instrument because he’d gotten wrapped up in a game of power. Because he loved a young woman. My hand slid on top of his, holding onto him. Wishing there was a way to save him. I relaxed against his body, feeling the warmth of him against me.
Life was cruel.
10
Staring outside my window, I remembered the first time I saw Morlet in the Town Square. He’d been standing on the executioner’s platform with his cape draped over his body. At the time, I’d only heard rumors about how ruthless and terrible he was. When he looked at me, our eyes locked and the power inside of me had risen. That was when Anders found me. He’d realized I was a Kriger. He saved me. And that night was the first time Morlet had spoken to me. We communicated in a dream. So much had happened since then.
The sun was setting, the rays illuminating my room in a soft red glow. I’d been here for over a week and couldn’t stay here much longer. Being so close to Morlet was proving to be more difficult than I’d anticipated. Plus, I missed my friends. But I couldn’t leave here until I’d spent a night with Morlet. I planned for tonight to be that night. Should I go to his room? Would we stay with one another for the entire night? Or would we part ways once it was done? I had no idea, and my stomach twisted with nerves.
I went over to the mirror, looking at my reflection. My hair now reached just below my shoulders, the color matching my eyes. When Damaris and I had once talked about me trying to seduce Morlet, she laughed and told me not to try. She’d said I was too naive and couldn’t pull off a seductive look. Rather than try to lure him to bed, she’d suggested I just be myself. Even then she’d known he had feelings for me. That he liked me for who I was. Just me.
Still, it seemed like I should do something special for our time together. Tonight would mean something to me—and I knew it would mean something to him, too. I ran my hand through my hair, sighing. I didn’t want to put a dress on because then I wouldn’t feel like me. But I wanted to put something pretty on to entice him.
Going over to the armoire, I opened it. Maybe there was something in here that would work. After going through the elaborate dresses, I noticed two drawers at the bottom. Opening the one on top, I found several items that looked like nightclothes. I pulled them out. One caught my eye. The white fabric felt like water. I held it up—it was feminine and unlike anything I had ever worn before. It was beautiful and since it was a nightgown, it didn’t count as a dress.
Removing my clothes, I slipped the nightgown on. It looked as if it was made for me. The fabric hung slightly off my shoulders, was form fitting around my waist, and then softly fell to my knees. There was an outer layer of sheer material that went to the ground with a slit up the front, a delicate stitching edging it. The arms were loose and I didn’t feel restricted in the gown—I felt beautiful.
The sun had set and darkness descended over the land. I lit my candles, trying to gather enough nerve to seek Morlet out. It was around supper time. Maybe I should have waited to put the nightgown on. I was just about to change back into my clothes when someone lightly knocked on my door.
I opened it.
“Oh.” Morlet’s eyes widened. He glanced over his shoulder at the guards in the corridor, then stepped into my room, hastily closing the door. “You look absolutely stunning.” A light blush spread over his cheeks.
I clasped my hands together, trying not to fidget though I suddenly felt very awkward.
“I came to ask you to join me for supper,” he said, his voice oddly formal.
“I’m not really dressed for supper. I should change.”
“No.” He took my hand and squeezed it. “You’re perfect. I have something special arranged for us.”
It was my turn to blush. “Your cape isn’t on,” I said. He never walked around the castle without it. People rarely saw his face.
“I guess I forgot to put it on. How strange.” He went over to my armoire and removed a blue velvet cloak. He draped it over my shoulders, clasping it around my neck. “You, on the other hand, should wear this until we arrive at our destination.”
He led me out of my room and down the corridor. We went up a flight of stairs to the top floor. At the end of the hallway he pushed open a door, revealing a narrow stairwell. After ordering the guards to wait there, Morlet motioned for me to go first. I climbed the stairs and came to a large circular room alight with hundreds of candles. This had to be one of the castle’s towers. Windows lined the room, the candles reflected in the glass making it appear as if the room was filled with thousands of twinkling lights.
A table adorned with food was situated in the middle of the room. Morlet stood beside me. “I thought we’d have a private meal—just the two of us.” He pulled out one of the chairs and I took a seat.
“This is…” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Romantic, beautiful, thoughtful. My heart fluttered.
He sat across from me and smiled. “Just so you know,” he said, “I’m trying to control my emotions. However, it’s very difficult for me.”
“You mean you’re trying to stifle Morlet?”
“Yes.”
“Just so you know,” I said, repeating his words, “I’m trying to control my emotions, too.”
“You mean you’re pretending that you want to be here?”
“No.” I reached across the table and took his hand in mine. “I’m telling myself that it’s okay that I want to be here.” I squeezed his hand and let go. “We should eat before the food gets cold.” I needed to break our gaze because his blue eyes were too alluring. They gave me a glimpse into his soul. As much as I wanted to be here with him tonight, I didn’t want to lose my head.
I picked up my spoon and started to eat the stew. This was what Morlet had fed me that night in his bedchamber when we’d communicated through my dream. I hadn’t realized he was so sentimental.
“So,” he said, taking a bite.
“So.”
“Tell me about your life growing up.”
I blinked.
“I want to know everything about you,” he explained.
There wasn’t much to tell, but I started with my earliest memory of my father leaving me alone in the apartment while he went to work. I told him how Papa taught me to fight, about learning to read, working as a laundress, and finally how I came to be in the Town Square the day I discovered I was a Kriger.
In return, he told me about his childhood. He explained what it was like to grow up with Vidar, what his tutors taught him, how loving his parents were, the endless parties he attended, his various friends, what the kingdom used to be like, and how he’d met Linnea. Considering these events happened over a hundred years ago, he remembered them in vivid detail. He didn’t tell me anything that happened after he gained dark magic.
When I asked him about
Norill, he replied, “I don’t want to talk about any of that right now. Tonight is about you and me. Nothing else.” He stood and came over to me. “Come. I want to show you something.”
He led me over to one of the windows and pushed it open. The night air caressed my face. I still had the cloak on so I wasn’t cold. We looked out over the city.
“It used to glow at night,” he said. “Now, it’s dark and dismal.”
I almost told him that he’d made it that way by enslaving his people, enforcing curfew, and taxing everyone into poverty.
“One day, I hope it returns to its former glory,” he said.
“Why is that?”
“Because I want life to prevail.”
“And what if you come out on top when this is over?” I asked. The realization that I could be dead at the end of this made me shudder.
“Neither of us is coming out on top. But if I should survive, and you don’t, then I don’t know. At first, I planned to leave Nelebek.”
I remembered him telling me that. He moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my body, resting his chin on my shoulder as we gazed at the city. “And now?” I prompted.
“Now, I’m not so sure. Once the dark magic leaves me, I’m hoping that I will return to my senses. That I will be like I am now, at this moment. If that’s the case, then I’d like to find peace and make my parents proud.”
“How are you suppressing the dark magic?” And why didn’t he do it more often?
“I’m fighting it with my magic. Ironic, isn’t it? It’s starting to drain me. I’ve considered putting a spell on myself, but I’m not sure if it will work.”
“Like a truth spell?” He’d cast one on me before; however, it ended up working on him as well.
“Something like that.”
I leaned back, reveling being there with him, basking in his warmth and the feel of his body. Whatever the future held, at least we would have this memory, this time together.
“I have one other surprise for you,” he mumbled in my ear. “Well, two actually.”
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