by K. T. Webb
There was a level of intelligence within him that belied the sheltered innocence of the secret son the King kept locked away. Legacy wondered just how much her little brother truly knew and understood about their father. For a boy his age, he seemed to absorb and comprehend more than those around him gave him credit for. Legacy knew she would need to learn more about him and what their father had intended to use him for before she could truly understand him. Renata seemed to think she could sense the Shadow Mages influence on Noble, Legacy would have to find out just how much their influence had shaped the boy.
“Do you often watch people eat rather than eating the food yourself?”
She startled at the sound of the voice directly behind her before turning to find herself face to face with Evander. His stupid grin made her want to shove him. Instead, she returned a small smile of her own.
“Are you in the habit of sneaking up on people, or is it just me you like to startle?” Legacy narrowed her eyes at him.
Evander feigned shock, “Me, Your Majesty? I had not intended to upset you. I hope you can accept my apology.”
“Well, I would be willing to consider accepting such an apology should you actually issue one.”
Legacy turned on her heel and approached the large counter to begin crafting her own sandwich. She fought to keep the grin off her face as Evander took a place to her right. He was stubborn, and if he knew her as well as she suspected, he would refrain from offering a real apology just to spite her.
He immediately joined the conversation between Gray and Noble, offering stories of his own. Somehow, Legacy knew his stories would feel less fantastic to Noble; his experiences were limited to the actions taken by the Makt, and he had never traveled outside Pallisaide. Gray was well-traveled, he had seen much of Alderwood and lived to tell the tale. Noble had much to learn from both the men he had given his full attention.
Watching her younger brother made Legacy feel as though she could finally take a breath. On one hand, he was living proof their father could make the right choice, but on the other, she knew Junius would not have made that choice without an ulterior motive. He was anything but a righteous man, his reasons for allowing Noble to live would be made clear in time.
Legacy took a bite of her lunch, chewing slowly as she contemplated the changes she would have to make to help raise her brother in an Alderwood that few had experienced in their lifetime. She was far from prepared to be a parent, but she now found herself responsible for the upbringing of a pre-pubescent boy. Noble needed her; he needed Honor.
A movement next to her caught her eye. Noble was waving emphatically at the far corner of the room. Legacy narrowed her eyes to see who had caught his attention but saw no one there. “Who are you waving at, Noble?”
He looked around as though he had been caught doing something naughty, “Oh, no one. I thought I saw someone I know.”
“Who?” Renata asked as she hopped off her stool to get a closer look at the corner Noble was still staring at.
“The boy who used to bring me snacks,” Noble whispered. “He was my only friend. I lost him, just like I lost my mother. When stopped coming, I knew something bad happened. Father told him to always stay hidden or else.”
Legacy leaned forward in an effort to get Noble to change focus to her instead, “Or else what?”
Noble shrugged as though he did not know and took another bite of his sandwich.
Renata gestured for Legacy to follow her to the corner. With one last glance at Noble, she and Evander approached Renata. In the corner, in the storeroom beyond the kitchen where the cook kept ingredients for their meals, was a small door only accessible by crawling. Legacy knelt on the floor and peered inside. There was no one there. Whoever Noble had seen was gone, and they did not have time to track him down before meeting with the Guard.
“We need to find out if this goes down to the labyrinth we found,” Legacy proclaimed to Evander. “There is no time for me to look into it right now, and I need you with me. But, if a boy is running around this castle using secret passages, we need to find out who he is and why he is sneaking around.”
The others agreed. For now, there was nothing to be afraid of, Noble did not seem frightened of the boy, she saw no reason to be scared either. She idly wondered if the boy was yet another brother waiting in the wings. It was doubtful. There was a reason Noble had been allowed to live, and Legacy knew that. Fate may have demanded tremendous and terrible things from the sisters, but only time would tell what it expected from Noble. With a sigh, she pushed that problem aside and silently hoped there would be time to think about how Noble fit into her world after she tackled the other obstacles in her way.
Soon she would be standing in front of the former Makt and Resistance soldiers. Legacy would have to work with Maris and Gray to remove the men who did not share her vision of a united Alderwood. There was no sure way to know which should go and which should stay. She made her way back to the kitchen to have a word with them both, Evander and Renata close behind.
“Maris, I know you do not want to take this on, but I need you to do what I cannot. If anyone knows what it takes to build an army to fight for a cause, it is you. I am not interested in men who simply want to carry out orders or who may go rogue and harm others against my direction. I need soldiers who want to see Alderwood thrive. They must be able to think bigger than Pallisaide. Will you help me?”
Maris and Gray exchanged a tense look. “I will help you, but I believe you must be the one to explain what you are looking for. You must also accept that even after we oust the dead weight, you may still have men who stay for the wrong reasons.”
Legacy nodded. “I understand. It is precisely why I ask that you take charge, Gray. Those men firmly rooted in the ideology instilled in them from the Makt will not take direction from a woman. They have been trained to believe that only men are strong, only men can be powerful. They will fall on their own swords if they try to hide their distaste for a female leader.”
Evander grunted in reluctant agreement. “Believe it or not, that exact ideal was pounded into us. Almost as though the King knew we would have a woman take charge one day.”
“Raise a King to kill the Queen.” Legacy half-whispered.
“Kill the Queen to end it all,” Noble replied automatically.
“What?” Multiple voices questioned the siblings at once.
Legacy had only repeated what she read in her father’s journal. It had been written over and over in more erratic writing as though the man who penned it had become increasingly unstable. Noble had responded without hesitation, as though the answer to the mantra had been programmed into him. Legacy looked at him now, noting the clouded expression that cleared almost immediately following his response. He looked just as confused as every other person around the kitchen counter.
“What is everyone looking at?” Noble questioned before taking another bite of his sandwich.
“Oh, nothing. You must have been so absorbed in your lunch that you missed our conversation. It was nothing important.” Legacy quickly replied, sweeping her eyes over each person in the room.
They registered her meaning immediately. This was not something they wanted to talk about in front of Noble. Of course, everyone had heard what she said and his subsequent response. It was yet another mystery they would need to investigate in the journals. Obviously, Noble had listened to his father say the words he had scrawled in his diaries. Chills ran up her spine as she thought of who may have taught him the other half. Legacy was pulled from her thoughts by a firm hand placed on the small of her back.
Evander stood beside her, a grim expression on his face as he silently examined the young prince. Legacy felt reassurance in his touch. He did not have to say a word for her to know he was telling her nothing would happen to her as long as he was there. Yet, the fear had begun to seep into every fiber of her being. Had their father intended for his son to murder his daughter? Or worse, had the
Shadow Mages planned this from the beginning? With a shake of her head, Legacy pushed the line of thinking to the back of her mind. She had to focus on the soldiers. She had to weed out the evil left behind by the Makt before she could hope to move forward.
After the odd exchange in the kitchen, it was difficult for Legacy to bring her focus back to the current mission. Maris and Gray had taken on the task Legacy had offered to Theon. She only had to make it through a speech directed at the men she did not want to keep, then Legacy would be free to allow herself to contemplate everything she had learned regarding her brother.
Legacy stood before the gathering of men to explain why they had been summoned. It was immediately evident which soldiers had come from the Resistance and which had switched sides from the Makt. The body language of the latter screamed hostility or fear. The others simply stood ready to hear from their Queen.
With a deep breath, Legacy prepared to address her concerns. “Thank you for meeting here today. After wearing this crown for only a few days, I am tasked with finding a solution to a concerning issue. It appears as though the Royal Guard may not fully stand for the same values as the throne they now serve.”
Murmurs rippled across their ranks. Legacy felt negative energy drawing her in from a specific area of the group. When she searched for the source, she found Emrys staring at her in a cluster of other men who stood with their arms crossed. He was going to be a more significant challenge than she had anticipated.
Evander was sure his brother could change but knew he had been raised to think like the Makt and follow their fathers’ orders. Legacy was not so confident. She had to find a way to keep an eye on him without breaching Evander’s trust or relying solely on him.
“This morning, there was a disagreement involving both civilians and members of the Guard. I have since discovered it stemmed from unacceptable behavior exhibited by some of our soldiers. As a result, I have come to realize some among you may not be suited to the positions you currently hold. To build a stronger Guard, one in line with the beliefs of Alderwood, I am tasking Gray and Maris with conducting interviews with each of you in order to determine if you belong within these walls or if your employment would be better suited elsewhere.”
Again, murmurs rose from the men. This time, they were louder and tinged with indignance. Animosity rolled off them in ill-contained waves. This was what she had hoped for. Some of the Guard members would understand why she was questioning their motives, and those were the ones she wanted to stay. Others would be unable to grasp her concerns and may lash out angrily—those were the soldiers she wanted to see walk away. By surveying the crowd, she could tell there would be a large number weeded out before Maris was done with them.
“Before I leave you in the capable hands of Gray and Maris, I urge you to take a moment to think about why you are here. If you are here out of duty or obligation to a position you have always known, consider yourself free from the ways of the Makt. You are no longer held here by any power but your own. If you are here because you believe in the future of Alderwood, I look forward to fighting beside you for many years to come.”
Legacy surveyed the expressions once more before continuing. “Beyond your personal motivation for being here, I urge you to think about what lies beyond the walls of Pallisaide. The stone walls that encircle this city are a lie. They give you, and everyone who lives here, the false sense that this is all that matters in the world. They serve as blinders for our people. Blinders to the fact that outside of the relative safety of Alderwood there are people, creatures, and natural elements struggling to live. It is up to us to restore this place to what it was meant to be. Up there, in the throne room, there were once three thrones. One for each Kingdom, a triumvirate of strength. It is my destiny to restore the rightful rulers to their places on either side of me. Each of you must decide for yourselves if this is a mission you can believe in. A mission you can support. I will not prevent you from leaving should you choose to, but I may be forced to remove you from your post if you remain and your motives are less than pure.”
Legacy nodded to Maris and Gray as she stepped back from the front of the raised structure from which she delivered her message. It had not escaped her thoughts that the platform had once been used as gallows from which bodies were left to swing. Shivers ran down her spine at the idea of how many had been executed at her father’s command. She descended the steps with the aid of Evander as he gripped her hand gently, sending warmth and comfort through her. Legacy graciously accepted his arm as he began to lead her back toward the castle. An odd feeling overcame her, and she whirled around to face the threat she knew was there.
Emrys stood clenching and unclenching his fists in the narrow walkway created by the parting crowd. Legacy felt his emotions in a way she never knew was possible. She would never be able to describe the way each feeling crashed into her like tumultuous waves colliding with the soft shore. Deep down, she knew it had to be a result of the wild magic. It was showing her what he was capable of in the same way it had warned her of his presence. Legacy stood tall, allowing the negative energy to wash over her while she stood unaffected. There was more than anger; he vibrated with rage, jealousy, and betrayal. His eyes narrowed in disgust when he registered his brother’s hand resting on Legacy’s.
“Where do you think you are going, Evander? Do you believe yourself to be exempt from this ridiculous show of power?” he questioned through gritted teeth.
Evander stiffened at the animosity in his brother’s voice. Legacy braced herself for the exchange she was sure would come, but Evander surprised her once again. He cleared his throat and gently turned to steer her back toward the castle. He would not engage his brother or add to the anger-fueled situation.
“How dare you walk away from me? What would father say if he could see you now?”
The mention of their father, the former General of the Makt, ignited a fire inside Evander that was too hot to ignore. Legacy felt the heat and yelped quietly, pulling her arm from him. He glanced at her apologetically when she hissed at the pain that should not have been real. Evander stepped toward his brother, protectively creating a barrier between the other man and the Queen.
“I believe our father would detest everything about the man I am becoming. I can tell you I will not lose any sleep over what he would have thought.”
From her place behind him, Legacy could not help but consider the difference between their relationship and her own with Honor. The sisters never knew their father, but neither had ever felt the desire to make him proud. They knew what he stood for, and they were determined to stand against him at all costs. Emrys thrived on the idea that his late father would have been pleased with his actions.
Legacy had only met Emrys that morning and only knew him from what Evander told her, but she knew he was dangerous. Evander was different in many ways—he was caring, smart, and honest. His involvement with the Makt had been out of obligation to his father rather than the urge to carry out the bidding of King Junius. He had become her first real friend outside of those she had made through Honor and the Resistance. He saved her from her own nightmares.
“How quickly you have forgotten your place, little brother. All because some woman with an illegitimate claim to the throne has thrown herself all over you. I thought you to be better than that.”
The blaze of rage swelled in Evander quicker than he could quell its power. Legacy reached for him a moment too late. He had drawn his sword in a flash, pressing the tip of the blade against the delicate skin on Emrys’ throat. The dark-haired young man dared not move more than necessary, the sharpened metal would do more than nick him if he tried. With nostrils flared, Emrys tried desperately to keep his breathing shallow even as he stared defiantly at his younger brother.
“You will do well to remember that our places have shifted. King Junius is dead and gone. Our father was defeated. I have made my decision about where my allegiance lies, now you must do the same. Think for
yourself for once, brother. Who do you want to be? What kind of man do you want to see when you look in the mirror?” Evander paused to glance at the crowd who had given their undivided attention to the brothers. “Should any of you bear ill-will for our Queen or wish to sully her character as my brother has, it would be wise for you to reconsider. Queen Legacy is going to bring an end to the Shadow Mages. She will restore the wild magic. You must decide which side of that war you wish to stand on.”
Without another word, Evander released his brother from the pressing blade. He turned to meet Legacy’s gaze with only a hint of the anger he had allowed to boil over. She took his arm again without hesitation and followed him back to the castle as Maris began to address the ranks. Legacy did not need to turn around to know Emrys was glaring at their retreating forms until long after they were out of sight.
Legacy waited among the flames of the same dream she had repeated since her sixteenth birthday. She stood at the part where she had, for years, expected to die. Now, she waited for strong arms to take her from the flames to safety.
She was waiting for Evander.
Because she no longer expected her death, Legacy took the opportunity to look at the burning forest around her. The trees were unfamiliar. They looked nothing like those that grew in the northern reaches of Alderwood or even those that spread graciously across the bulk of the Ternion Forest. This forest was thick with moss, it crept up the trunk of every tree and was accented here and there with exotic mushrooms.