While they melted, he chopped the vegetables and added them to the pot. A cup of beans joined the mix before he brought the pot to the fireplace, added the water, and hung it over the fire to cook. Once it began simmering, he moved to Meaghan's side to check on her. A hand to the forehead told him she had not developed a fever. He hoped that meant he had cleaned her wound well enough, and the alcohol had disinfected his makeshift medical tools properly, but it was too soon to tell. Infection in these situations posed as much danger as the wound.
He frowned at the rough tear the sword had made in her sweater, and at the blood crusted over a section of blue yarn, turning it brown. Next time she woke, he would need to change her. He replaced her bandage with a fresh one, pleased to see the sutures still held, and then searched the cabin for something to occupy his time.
The evidence of their activities over the past few months overwhelmed him. Weapons hung from the walls. Supplies filled the shelves. The backpack that had travelled with them from Earth remained packed in one corner of the room, ready for another journey. Fishing poles and traps took up another corner. Their lives focused on training and survival, not entertainment. For the first time since he had returned to Ærenden, Nick wished for a television set.
He picked up the backpack and opened it to see what they had left. A small amount of jicab remained in the outside pocket. The last time he could recall using it had been to speed up Dell's death. It still hurt to think of the man. That day had not been the first time Nick had met the Mayor. Two years before, he had accompanied his mother to Dell's small village at the end of the ravine. Dell had been so grateful for a Healer's help in dealing with an outbreak of Green Spot Fever that he had insisted May and Nick stay in his house instead of the village's guest cottage. Over the course of the week, Nick came to understand why Dell had earned the title of Mayor, a position only granted to those who performed extraordinary duties.
Dell's power to transfer perspectives from one person to another helped him bring peace to warring villages by forcing the villagers to acknowledge each other's emotions and experiences. Dell's last village had been one of the worst in the kingdom, but within a year of his arrival, the villagers had grown from openly fighting in the streets to working alongside each other to rebuild the damage they had caused. The Town Hall, half-burned to the ground when Nick visited, had been one of the final reminders of the village's old troubles. Fortunately, Dell's legacy had continued after his death. The villagers had survived, defeating Garon's soldiers a day after Nick and Meaghan had passed through.
Nick put the jicab away, and then opened the main compartment of the backpack to see what else he could find. An emergency kit seemed mostly spent. The velvet pouch that had once held Adelina's amulet lay next to the plastic kit. He picked it up and rubbed the soft material between his fingers. Meaghan wore her mother's amulet around her neck now, as her mother once had. It seemed the safest place for the necklace now that it contained the Reaper Stone.
He frowned. They still knew too little about the stone. The Elders had warned Nick through a recent commcrystal communication that the stone would grow heavy with use and drain energy from its bearer until a spell relieved the stone of the powers it harvested. The spell had long ago been lost, and they all feared using the stone would put Meaghan in danger.
Nick tucked the pouch away, ran his finger over the red wool blanket he had taken from the barn their last night on Earth, then bumped his hand against something hard. He dug below the blanket to find the book his mother had given to Meaghan. No more than a small journal of fifty or so parchment pages secured by a dark brown leather cover, it did not look like much, but it contained some of the strongest magic in the kingdom. It bore the words of a Writer and as such, it held the power to transport a reader to the place and time it described.
He brought it with him to Meaghan's cot, and then sat on the floor in front of her to read the story. Although he had heard tales of Meaghan's parents before, he had never experienced them in the same way the Writer's book allowed. He smelled the dank earth floors and felt the rough stone walls in the dungeon where they had met and fought for the first time under the watchful guard of Nick's mother. He saw their surprise and horror when a prophesied wedding united them in the same way it had him and Meaghan. And he understood their hope in what the wedding might bring. Once the story ended, he flipped through the remaining pages. Each one had turned yellow with age and each stared blankly back at him. He set the book aside before standing to check on the soup.
When he lifted the lid on the pot, a rush of steam escaped, carrying with it the tantalizing scent of herbs. He leaned into the steam, inhaled deeply, and then stuck the vegetables with a fork. They still felt too firm, so he reseated the lid and returned to the floor.
Picking up the book again, he cascaded the pages under his thumb so the words blurred beneath his eyes as he thought. Ed had been a lot different than Nick had expected. Nick's mother had shared stories of the King's card games or the times he had disappeared into the woods, but Nick had never known much about Ed's life before he had become King. He had been devoted to his former tribe. Nick wondered if they had survived.
Ed's people had faded into the past for most of the kingdom, but for Meaghan, they represented another level of grief, the last of her family lost to Garon's rebellion. All lost except for Angus. Adelina's undeserving cousin had survived the raid on the castle only because he had been visiting a village on the other side of the kingdom at the time.
Nick chased the unpleasant thought away by rereading his mother's experience with her first charge. She had never told him this story. He had no doubt she preferred to think of Adelina as the close friend she had become over the years, instead of the woman who had loathed her new Guardian. And Adelina had been more stubborn and headstrong than his mother had admitted. Much like Meaghan. Nick turned to look at her.
Meaghan resembled Adelina in many ways. Her dark brown hair flowed like silk to her shoulders, appearing almost black in certain lights, the same as her mother's. Their copper eyes appeared identical. Even the height and shape of Meaghan's lean body mimicked Adelina's. Her skin differed, of course. Meaghan's olive tone blended the heritage of both parents, and parts of her looked distinctly like her father. The proud set of her jaw, the prominence of her high cheekbones, and her endearing smile reflected the former King.
Nick turned to the first blank page in the book and ran his fingers over it. Nothing about these pages made sense to him, but the reason for including them had been lost to history, along with the identity of the Writer. It did him no good to dwell on it. He started to close the book, and then paused when gray splashed across the page. At first, he dismissed it as a trick of light, but when he opened the book wide again, the gray darkened into black. Letters formed into lines and at the top of the page, a single title appeared, Chapter Two.
As soon as his eyes fell on the words, they transported him out of the cabin and into a forest. He caught his breath when Ed's horse brushed his arm as the King rode past.
CHAPTER SIX
ED KICKED his heels into his horse's sides, forcing the animal to go faster. They fled through the forest, spraying dirt and moss from the soft floor in a trail of anger and aggression, the perfect match for Ed's mood. He forced out a breath. His horse did the same. They both sailed over the hollow remains of an oak tree in the middle of the path. Then, after landing with a heavy thud on the other side, they continued their flight. Since he had discovered the news early this afternoon, he had ridden, chasing escape deep into the forest, blind to tree limbs, bushes, and obstacles. He did not care where he went, only that he continued to move. Fast. He needed speed. His heart catapulted in response. His blood rushed in exhilaration. But his head refused to clear, despite the miles separating him from the castle.
Why should it? In the months since they had wed, Adelina had riled his anger more days than not. She had pushed his frustration to the edge of explosion. She tested even the wi
ll of his control—a feat few others had accomplished.
Of course, few had made him feel so useless. While she insisted he live the role of King, she refused to allow him to do anything of importance. She refused to share updates. She made decisions without consulting him, even when he had insightful knowledge or input on the matter, and she discarded any attempts he made at trying to perform his full duties. She only seemed to want him for two things. She wanted him to attend dinners and parties, to mingle with the people and entertain their curiosity about the barbaric man from the north. And despite how little she seemed to think of him, she wanted him to give her an heir.
It infuriated him. He could offer so much more than a face to please the masses and a body to fill her bed. It had taken some time for him to adjust to the thought of being King, but now he wanted the chance to prove his worth. He had ideas to better the kingdom—architecture for the villages and spells for protection he thought might work better than their current practices. And he had solutions for problems she had yet to encounter, tactics for dealing with people she had yet to master. But she never gave him the chance.
As for fulfilling his duties as her husband, the matter proved to be more confusing. Despite her aggravating treatment of him, he had fallen in love with her. Her skill as Queen mesmerized him. Her strength, courage, and wisdom far surpassed any story he had heard of her. And her kindness toward her people, the passion she felt for them, overwhelmed him.
At least, the passion she felt for all of her people but those in Ed's tribe.
His feelings for her had waned with the news he had received today, but until he received confirmation from her lips, he refused to abolish them entirely.
The same love tying him to his doubts kept him from bedding her—that, and the prophecy by which they had wed. He wanted her, but their wedding bothered him. Ed had spent many hours and days analyzing the purpose for it. In the end, he could only see one possibility for why a man of no stature would be bound to a woman of the royal line. He needed to create a child with the Queen. Another man could easily be King, but Ed's lineage, combined with the Queen's, would create a unique blend that could not exist if natural attraction had been allowed to take its course. As a nomad, the thought of tying his heart to a woman with roots would never have crossed his mind. But now that magic had altered the course of his life, the thought consumed him.
Given the speed at which their wedding had taken place, he doubted it would be long before they fulfilled the prophecy's purpose. As much as he wanted Adelina, he needed to ensure they created a child out of love. It mattered to him, so he waited. He rebuked her advances in the hope she would someday love him in the way he loved her.
He sighed and reined his horse to a stop as a light materialized on the path in front of him. The light solidified into a figure. Ed's muscles tightened in dread, and then relaxed when a different face than he had expected frowned at him. He grinned in response.
“You were supposed to be at dinner with the Elders half an hour ago,” the man said.
“I'll go if you want,” Ed responded. “But more likely than not I'll strangle Adelina before dinner's through. I'd rather not end up back in the dungeon.”
“Like you wouldn't escape the moment the guards turned their backs,” the man said, and Ed heard the hint of laughter in his statement. “But you and I both know you wouldn't kill her with witnesses around.”
Ed chuckled. “You know me too well, my friend. Why did they send you instead of Malven?”
This time the man outright laughed. “Because he'd kill you as fast as you'd kill Adelina. That's three times this week you've slipped his guard. You make him look like an idiot.”
Ed shrugged. “He doesn't need my help with that. Besides, he can come with me any time he wants. He only has to keep up.”
“You know no one can ride a horse as fast as you.”
“That's not my problem,” Ed responded before he dismounted. He stretched a hand out and the man clasped it, his smile welcoming Ed from a week's worth of beard growth. “It's good to see you again, Cal. The beard's new.”
“It is.” Cal ran a hand over his chin, disturbing the rough bristles. “We were ambushed and I'm afraid the battle didn't leave much time to shave. I may keep it. Even if my wife isn't so sure of it yet.”
“I'm beginning to think it's best to ignore women. They're about as useful as a dranx on a bird watching trip.”
“Do I really want to know what happened between you and Adelina?”
“Not really,” Ed answered. “This way when they call you to testify, you don't have to fake innocence.”
Cal raised an eyebrow, and reached out to stroke the horse's mane. “Alisen wasn't so easy on me in the beginning either. I lost my heart to her the first moment I saw her, but she made me work to earn her love. She was worth it.” Moving his hand to the horse's muzzle, he patted it twice before turning back to Ed. “Adelina will be too. She's just a little guarded.”
“Guarded isn't the word I'd use to describe her,” Ed muttered. Tightening his hand on the horse's reins, he started walking. Cal flanked him. “Shall I assume your homecoming means the band of outsiders has been defeated?”
Cal shook his head. “Not yet. I brought Adelina the update, but I'm scheduled to return to the border tomorrow night.”
“What update did you bring?”
Cal clasped his hands behind his back and remained silent. Ed understood the action and his anger grew deeper. “She told you not to tell me,” he guessed.
“Ordered me,” Cal corrected. “Told me has some leeway to it. Ordered means I'll be stationed in Zeiihbu for six month stints if I disobey. I like you, but I like seeing my wife more.”
“Traitor.”
Cal's smile held no remorse. “Are we going to keep walking or shall I teleport you back? You're a good twenty miles from the castle at the moment. As much as I'd like to give you the time to calm down, I suspect it won't help.”
“You're right. It won't,” Ed said and halted the horse with a slight tug. “I don't want you to get in trouble, but please tell me if they're okay. She can't object to that.”
“Who?”
“My people,” Ed responded. He turned his focus from Cal to the north, and to the mountains of home. “The Famine Curse killed nearly half our population. I know she called on them to fight. She'll wipe us out if she's not careful.”
“How did you—?”
“Please,” Ed interrupted, bringing his gaze back to Cal. “Tell me.”
“They're,” Cal hesitated, then gave in. “Fine. They've suffered no casualties.”
Relief lifted a weight from Ed's chest he had not known existed. He inhaled a deep breath and held it, savoring the fresh air before letting it go. It only took a moment for determination to displace his relief. “They shouldn't be fighting,” he said. “I'll put a stop to it before their fate changes.”
“You need to have this conversation with Adelina,” Cal said. His words carried no hint of reprimand, but rather, a warning, and Ed understood Cal would not follow the conversation any further. Cal turned to the horse and laid a hand on its neck. “We should head back to the castle before it gets too late. I suspect the Elders are already gone.”
“My first good news of the day.”
A grin returned to Cal's face. “I don't think they're your fans, either. They asked the Spellmaster to work on a spell to block your power in case they have to throw you back in the dungeon.”
“I'll keep that in mind. Although I had a contingency plan in place the first time I wound up in the dungeon, just in case they already had such a spell.”
“That doesn't surprise me. What was it?”
Ed narrowed his eyes at the Guardian. “Do you think I'd tell you? You work for the Elders.”
Cal roared with laughter. The horse spooked and started to rear before Ed regained control of the reins.
“I live to upset them,” Cal told him. “So what was it? Do you know a secret passagew
ay or something?”
“I wish. That would have been much simpler than fighting my way out, but a lot less fun.” He mounted his horse again, and then looked down at Cal. “You do know that I intend to ride the horse back, don't you?”
“Of course,” Cal said. “What were you planning on fighting with? Or better yet, how were you planning on getting out of the cell without your power?”
“With a key. I stole one, and a knife, when I took my instrument back. I hid them inside the wall of my cell. They would've been easier to retrieve with my power, but I made sure I could still get them without it.”
“Clever,” Cal said. “I'll tell the Queen you'll be back in an hour. Don't make me hunt you down or I won't be happy.”
“You won't have to,” Ed promised. “If you ever wind up in the cell, the spot on the wall is marked with my initials.”
“I won't discount the possibility.” Cal chuckled, then teleported away.
Ed pointed his mare toward the castle and spurred her into a run, soon disappearing into the dark forest.
§
ED FOUND it hard to hold on to his anger while he watched Adelina. A fire glowed warm in the fireplace, turning her cheeks a pale shade of pink. Flames reflected in her eyes, bringing the copper in them to life so that it danced in response to the flickering light. She sat on the couch in front of the fireplace, her feet curled up beneath her, a cup of tea clutched between her hands. Yet the beauty of the scene had not muted his emotions as much as the weariness that lined her face and weighed down her shoulders. He rarely saw her vulnerable and it stalled the verbal attack he had intended to launch.
He entered their living quarters through the open patio doors. She had not heard his approach, and had not realized he stood in the room with her. For a moment, he watched her. For a moment, he wondered why he needed to battle with her tonight. Then she turned her head, noticed him, and the anger in her eyes refueled his own. She set her cup down on the coffee table. Her shoulders squared, and she made the first attack.
Aerenden: The Gildonae Alliance (Ærenden Book 2) Page 4