by K. T. Webb
“I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same. I just wish you would be a bit less reckless.”
“I am not reckless! I am trying to be the Queen of a land that has been torn down to bare bones by the man who was meant to lead it. I have no choice but to put myself in the middle of tough situations if I am going to revive our world. All of Alderwood is relying on me to restore the three kingdoms and destroy the Shadow Mages. If I cannot even keep people from conflict in the streets outside my window, how can I be expected to tackle the things that are draining the wild magic from our kingdom?”
Evander stepped closer to her and took her hands in his, “How will you accomplish those things if you do something unwise and get yourself killed before you can begin? You were too busy focusing on the civilians; you missed the murderous glares our own soldiers were throwing your way!”
“Tell me,” Legacy pulled her hands from his grasp, “other than the assurance you have given me that your world changed upon encountering me, what reason have I to believe you are not one of the soldiers who wish me harm? You came out of nowhere. You led me right to the ‘secret room’ that holds my father’s journals. Perhaps it is you I should fear. . .”
Her voice trailed off, and they were left in uncomfortable silence. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she knew they were wrong. Evander was little more than a stranger, but in her gut, she knew she could trust him. Legacy felt as though there were things that needed to be said, but she failed to find the words to express them. Evander watched her for a few moments before leaving her alone in the throne room. As she stood staring at the empty seat that had once been occupied by a cruel man, a tightness spread through her chest.
She had spent many years focusing on an enemy who was no longer a threat. Now, the danger she knew still existed had yet to reappear, and she had failed to recognize the possibility of her own people working against her. Was she too naïve to be Queen? Renata had prepared her for the role as much as she could, but nothing would have prepared her for the challenges she found herself facing. She stared at the throne. It was hers now, along with all the responsibility and duty that accompanied the role of Queen. She must learn to deal with whatever came her way.
Legacy walked to the throne; it was nothing more than a fancy chair. Sitting upon it did not make her unique, it did not give her any special privileges. It was Alderwood and the people who lived in her world that made her Queen; the wild magic made her who she was and gave her the rights of royalty. If she was going to lead the people, she needed their support.
Her stomach clenched as she sank onto the seat she was supposed to rule from. Her heart was heavy with the words she spewed at Evander. It was not his fault his brother was part of a group who seemed to have no regard for human decency. She wanted to find him and tell him she was sorry, but he knew the castle better than Legacy, she had no idea where he would have gone. She knew she would not be able to face the soldiers at all if she did not first face Evander.
Her decision made, Legacy rose from the throne and strode confidently to the door separating the great hall from the throne room. She simply needed to find him. The door opened of its own accord before she reached it. Legacy stood dumbfounded at the strange incident. Just as she found herself wondering if the wild magic had allowed her to open the door without touching it, Evander stepped through from the other side.
“Your Majesty. . .” Evander regarded her with the same surprise she knew was written on her own face.
“Evander, I was. . .” Legacy stopped short when she noticed the bundle of clothes in his arms, “Are you going somewhere?”
“Oh,” Evander glanced down at the neatly folded garments. “No. I am bringing this to you, actually.”
He handed her the clothes that she realized were the pieces of his uniform from the Makt and the makeshift set they wore as her guards. “If you are not leaving, why would you give me these?”
“These uniforms mean nothing to me. I wore the Makt uniform because my father insisted. I wore this temporary uniform because it would allow me to continue to be close to the new Queen and help rid Alderwood of the Makt once and for all. Today, you questioned my loyalty to you—not to Alderwood or to the throne, but to you.”
“Yes, about tha—” Legacy was cut short when Evander held his hand up to silence her.
“I am giving these to you to show you that my loyalty does not lie with any uniform that may represent a larger force. My loyalties shifted the moment I met you. It seems ridiculous to say, and probably impossible for you to believe, but I cannot explain it any other way. No matter what happens, I am going to be here to help you along the way.”
Legacy offered him a firm nod. She appreciated his words and understood the gravity of his actions. This connection between them allowed him to enter her dreams—to alter the visions she had been plagued with since receiving her mark. Clearly, he was meant to be part of her path as she pursued her fate.
“Thank you, Evander. I am truly lucky to have found a friend like you.” Legacy smiled at him as she pushed the clothes back into his arms, “You are going to need this uniform, I need your help with something.”
A plan had started forming in her mind, something that had the potential to bring about significant changes. First and foremost, they needed to find Theon. Her encounter with him had given her an idea, and she was itching to see if she could enact it. Alderwood needed men like him. Men who were not trained to be soldiers but raised to be decent humans. Evander was one of those men too. She knew with absolute certainty that he would help her in any way he could.
“We need to meet with Maris and Gray. Then we need to find Theon, the man from the square.”
Evander arched an eyebrow, “You mean the man who spat at you?”
Legacy nodded. “Yes! He is exactly who I need to speak with. I have an offer for him that I hope he will accept.”
“I have no idea what is going on in your mind, but I am intrigued. I know where to find Maris and Gray, I will bring them to you shortly. Where should we plan to meet?”
Legacy had already decided to utilize the war room for something more positive, it seemed her best opportunity to do so had unexpectedly presented itself. A smile spread across her face as she told him where to meet her. Evander returned her grin, though she was confident he had no idea why she was smiling. Legacy finally felt like she was doing something good for Alderwood.
As she considered how to approach the others with her idea, she left the throne room, navigating the wide hallways as though she had lived in the castle her entire life. Her new home was nothing like her childhood home in the caverns at Kilgore. There, she and Renata lived off the tunnels that had already been created by nature, adding furniture and decoration to make it feel more like home. If Renata had not told her how a home should feel, she would have grown up with just the smooth walls of the caverns to look at. But Renata had insisted on raising her to become the Queen, so the Oracle insisted on making their home seem as much like a castle as possible. Now that she walked the halls of a real castle, it all paled in comparison to the familiarity of the caverns.
As she walked, her heart ached for her sister. Honor had not even been gone half a day, and her presence was sorely missed. The girls had only known each other for a few months, yet it felt as though they had known one another forever. Selfishly, Legacy wanted her sister to stay with her, but she knew it was impossible. They belonged to Alderwood more than they belonged to each other. A pang of guilt twisted her stomach as she recalled her last conversation with Honor. Legacy had promised to spend time getting to know their brother, yet she had not even taken the time to seek him out. Renata had taken him somewhere in the castle to work on removing any negative effects that may have been left on him by the Shadow Mages magic. Legacy promised herself she would invite him to join her for dinner that evening. She may not be mourning the loss of their wicked father, but Noble had been raised by the man. There were undoubtedly some
unresolved feelings swirling around inside the young prince.
The war room held a long, heavy wooden table surrounded by matching chairs. Large maps of each county hung on the otherwise plain gray walls. It was not hard to imagine the death sentences her father ordered from that very room, the villages he ordered to be slaughtered. Everything he had done was in the name of prolonging his time on the throne. Legacy was sure he had never made a single decision without thinking of how it would affect his ultimate goal. The sole redeeming feature of the war room was the oversized window that flowed onto a balcony. Legacy could see herself enjoying the space once they had defeated the Shadow Mages. If she lived to see that day.
“Legacy?” Maris’ voice sounded from the door as it opened.
“Yes? I am here, I just wandered onto the balcony,” Legacy replied. “Is Gray here too?” she asked as she returned to the room to find the three people she needed most. “Oh good, I have a lot to tell you and not a lot of time to do so.”
“Evander said you had an idea that involves a man who spat at you this morning?” Gray asked, his voice wavering between disgust and amusement.
Legacy pointed a glare at the man in question, “Have we resorted to tattling now, Evander?”
The other three laughed at her response and took their seats around the spot that was clearly meant for the monarch. Legacy eyed the chair with a mixture of disdain and defiance. On one hand, the thought of sitting in yet another seat that had once been occupied by King Junius made her stomach turn; on the other hand, there was something poetic about sitting in his chair as she proposed a plan that would overturn everything he had built. In the end, her rebelliousness won out over the initial revulsion she felt, and she sat at the head of the table.
“I want to make Theon the general of our guard.”
Evander scoffed, Gray remained stoic, but Maris smiled brightly and nodded. Legacy had expected their reactions and predicted how the following conversation would go. She waited for Evander to launch into a string of objections that she was prepared to refute. With both eyebrows raised, Legacy looked directly at her new friend as if giving him permission to begin the onslaught. Surprisingly, Evander took a deep breath and closed his mouth. When she realized she was not going to have to battle Evander yet, Legacy decided to offer her explanation.
“Right now, many of our soldiers were men who abandoned the Makt. Some took the opportunity early on, others seemed to make the decision when they realized their side was not going to win. After my interaction with the soldiers this morning, I believe some of them are still holding onto their roots. We need to sift those men out. In my opinion, the best way to reshape and raise a reliable royal guard is to put someone at the helm who has strong morals and an ability to distinguish between right and wrong.”
“How do you propose we get a man who respected you so little to protect you instead? And do you think any of our men will follow him?” Evander asked calmly.
Legacy grinned. “That is precisely the point. The respect you earn is the sincerest of all. I do not think I acted or reacted in the manner he expected after what he had done. I believe I have begun to earn his trust, and I aim to earn his respect.”
“That is the strangest plan I have ever heard,” Evander chuckled.
“I think it is the best way to deal with the concerns we have about our men. If we had been able to keep more of the Resistance here, I do not think we would be facing this situation so soon. The Resistance fighters were regular people trying to bring a change to Alderwood; other civilians were able to relate to them because they shared common fears and struggles,” Maris verbalized her support with a smile.
“What do you need from us?” Gray questioned.
Legacy had not gone much further in her plan than the idea she presented regarding Theon. If she had learned anything about being a leader, it was to admit when you needed help, and this was a perfect example.
She looked to Evander first. “I need you to help me sort out which men we can trust and who should be relieved of their duties to the crown. I do not anticipate this to be an easy task, so I need someone I can trust to take it on. Can you do that?”
Evander nodded. “I will do my best. I need to find this Theon guy if we are going to present your proposition to him before we meet with the soldiers.”
“Thank you, Evander. I need to speak with Gray and Maris for a few more minutes, we will fill you in on the rest of the plan later,” Legacy tried desperately to tame her erratic heart as it beat wildly against her chest.
Once Evander stood to leave, Legacy faced Gray, “I need your help to train any new soldiers we bring on. I need them to learn hand to hand combat as well as archery. I can think of no better man to train them.”
“Of course, it would be my pleasure.” Gray seemed relieved.
Legacy laughed at his exaggerated response, “Were you afraid I was going to ask you to be the general should he refuse?”
Gray gulped, “I cannot lie, the fear had crept into my mind. You know I am willing to do whatever I can to help, but I daresay, leading the castle guard is not high on my wish list.”
Maris nudged her husband from her spot next to him at the table. He was not a man of many words; Legacy had come to learn the importance of the words he did say, and this was no exception. Had she asked him to lead her soldiers, she knew he would do it without hesitation. Legacy had already known he was far better suited to train. The Resistance fighters respected him and followed him because of that respect, but many of them had known him as a man before they followed him as their leader.
“Maris, I need you to help Theon. He has leadership skills, but he has probably never used them in this type of setting. He will need your guidance.”
“Absolutely. I am eager to meet him and eager to have another mission to focus on. The Shadow Mage’s silence has me on high alert. Rowan and Honor are gone for who knows how long; I need something to occupy my mind.”
“I know how you feel, more than I care to admit,” Legacy confessed.
She was not keen on the reappearance of the Shadow Mages, but she knew the longer they were in hiding, the stronger they would become. Legacy feared they would grow more potent than she could handle.
Her visions had been vague and horrific; as far as she could tell, there would be no happy ending for her. It seemed easy for Honor to stay positive; her visions had ended in the completion of the one thing she was destined to do. Legacy’s visions ended in a fiery blaze as she desperately searched for their younger brother. She was convinced her only hope was to destroy the Shadow Mages before any of those visions transferred into reality. In the few days their enemies had been gone, every second felt like an eternity. If they were gathering their strength, there was no way of knowing how long they would remain in hiding. That very thought was the reason she could not become complacent; she must focus on learning everything she could about the Shadow Mages and the deal they made with her father.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. The double-doors opened slowly, allowing Evander to peek inside seeking approval to enter the room. Legacy nodded, hoping beyond hope he had managed to convince Theon to join them. To her surprise, more than one man followed him into the room. Theon was accompanied by the younger boy she had met in the street, as well as two others who appeared to be in their mid-twenties.
“Welcome, Theon! I see you have officially met, Evander, my. . .” Legacy paused as she searched for the right word to describe Evander’s position.
“I am her majesty’s personal bodyguard,” Evander interjected.
Legacy was unable to control the expression that betrayed her surprise at his boldness. Though she could find no reason why he should not be appointed to such an intimate position, it seemed slightly forward of him to make that decision without her input. They would speak more on the matter when they were alone.
“Yes, a rather recent appointment. This gentleman to my left is Gray, our resid
ent military trainer and expert archer. And to my right is Maris, the leader of the Resistance that worked with Oracle to bring down King Junius. May I be introduced to your friends?” Legacy asked, rising to her feet.
He looked around awkwardly as though he may find himself chained again at any moment. When no one made a move toward him, he gestured to the men who accompanied him to the war room. “These are my sons. The eldest is Calix, then Rune, and my third is Nero. You would recognize him from the square this morning.”
Legacy nodded at each of the men in greeting. There was something in the way he said “third” that made Legacy wonder why he did not say youngest. Calix and Rune resembled their father in many ways; they were tall, muscular, and broad. Theon was bald on his head, but the whiskers on his face were speckled with orange and silver. The older boys had thick, curly locks of the same orange color sprouting from their father’s cheeks.
Nero’s black hair was cropped close to his head but appeared straight. Legacy assumed he had taken after his mother. His older brothers stood tall exuding confidence with their shoulders back. Nero seemed withdrawn, shy, and clearly unsure of himself. Theon appeared to be both confident and reserved. His pride was evident in his stature, his sons meant everything to him.
“I am sure you are wondering why I requested this audience with you,” Legacy paused for a moment. “I want to offer you an essential and important position within the new Royal Guard of Pallisaide.”
Theon blinked in response, his jaw slack with surprise. He cleared his throat, fighting to regain his composure enough to speak. “What does that mean?”
Legacy smiled kindly, “It means I want to name you General of the Royal Guard. I need someone who will stand up for what is right and keep the soldiers from becoming what they were before. I believe you are the man for that job.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but you do not even know me. You know nothing of my history, my life, my character. Your only interaction with me was not a proud moment on my part. Why would you choose me for something such as this?”