Void Born

by R. J. Metcalf

  Andre pressed his lips together and nodded. “Feelings can change.” He reached out and tapped Weston’s sword. “Don’t neglect your training just because I’m in here. Mental, and physical. This is more important than ever before.”

  “I’ll make sure he doesn’t get rusty,” Niles stated from the doorway. He dipped his head in respect at Andre. “You have my word.”

  “And you have my thanks,” Andre replied. He straightened his shirt, rubbing at a dark splotch that looked suspiciously like soup or gruel that had been thrown at him. “Your father will be displeased to know you saw me. You should leave soon, Your Highness.”

  Weston toed at the stained brick floor with his polished boots. “I know.” He squeezed his eyes shut and braced a hand on the bars. “But you’re my only real friend. I can’t leave you here.”

  “Yes, you can. And you will.” Andre gripped Weston’s shoulders, turning Weston to face him. “You must. You need to find out what your father is planning against Jade. And you need to do whatever you can to stop him.”

  Weston shook his head. “What can I do?”

  “You’re smart.” Andre poked Weston in the chest. “You’ve been learning right from wrong. And you’re a prince. Use that.”

  Bolstered, Weston nodded, unable to speak beyond the lump in his throat. He hugged Andre, uncaring of the sweat, stains, and slight smell coming from his mentor. Andre had faith in him. And he wouldn’t let Andre down.

  ***

  Two days later, Weston flung himself on his bed, panicking.

  He rolled off a moment later, nerves too tightly wound to stay in one place. Doldran Governor Bentley had been by last night, and he’d left this morning if palace rumor was anything to go by. His father’s unusually cheerful mood sent Weston’s heart plummeting to the toes of his boots. What was his father planning? What was Bentley up to? A few questions, favors, and bribes had earned Weston precious, though little, knowledge: a Void Born had been in the Doldran citadel, and the keystone had nearly been taken down.

  More important to Weston, though, was that Bentley was returning to Doldra to deal with the Monomi—and Jade.

  What could Weston do? What was Bentley going to do to Jade? She was somewhere in Doldra, and he was stuck in Aerugo with no plan, no ideas, nothing.

  Someone knocked on his door. “Letter for you, Your Highness.”

  Weston accepted the letter with a muttered “Thanks,” then closed the door, leaned against it, and broke the scarlet seal on the letter. He scanned the note, then started over, reading it slower, catching every word before he crushed it in his pocket as he grabbed a coat and hat and rushed out the door. “Niles! We need to swing by the guard shack!”

  Weston moved through the eatery awkwardly, hoping no one would notice him, and at least thus far, it seemed that his wish was being granted. People on the streets had moved aside without really looking at him, just as the few patrons of the restaurant had. The non-descript coat Niles had lent him seemed to be doing the trick, hiding Weston’s brocade vest and royal Aerugan belt buckle and ornamentation. Niles followed a discreet distance behind, letting Weston conduct his business in privacy.

  Weston walked to the back of the quiet eatery, weaving past the empty tables to an alcove corner table, just as the letter specified. His heart sped up as Marchioness Francene Whelan lifted a hand in greeting, bangles on her wrist jingling with the movement. It had been a long time since he’d purposefully spent time with her. Months, at least. They’d spoken in passing at different political events in the meantime, but he’d made his stance clear after their last tryst. And for her to now summon him, and so vaguely and publicly? He hesitated for all of a second before sitting on the cushioned booth across from her, catching a glimpse in the mirror on the wall of Niles moving to the bar.

  Francene knit her fingers together and settled her chin on them, gazing at him through her eyelashes with a knowing look. “You’ve had quite a difficult time lately.”

  Weston fought the desire to squirm under her scrutiny. “What do you want?” He touched a hand against the letter crumpled in his pocket. “Why did you want to talk to me?”

  “To the point today, I see.” She leaned back on her cushioned seat and crossed her arms under her ample cleavage. Weston’s gaze traveled there briefly before he glanced up. She winked. He flushed as she smirked. “I’m concerned for this new queen-to-be.”

  She knew how to get him riled, though she rarely did. It took his brain a moment to transition from the beguiling marchioness and her subtly implied delights to process what she’d said. Resolve washed out distraction, and he turned his attention from the wall and back to Francene. “Jade?”

  A small smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Most of the world knows her by her birth name, Adeline, but yes, Jade.” Her smile flattened. “You do realize that your father just sent Bentley to take care of her, right?” She lifted an elegant eyebrow. “And not ‘care’ in the manner of which we typically speak.”

  Weston pressed his lips together and fought to keep the grimace off his face. The only reason he didn’t hesitate to meet Francene in public was because everyone knew that he and Francene knew each other—she owned all the brothels in Lucrum, and he had been a regular customer to some of her higher class businesses. Still was, truthfully, though it had been weeks since he’d been by.

  Somehow, he didn’t think Jade would approve. Strangely, that bothered him.

  Weston closed his eyes. “I know. But I don’t know how to save her.” He frowned as a thought occurred to him. “And how did you know? I only just found out.”

  Francene leaned on an elbow and tapped her finger to her lips. “A proper woman doesn’t kiss and tell, Weston. You know this.” She dropped her hand in favor of her tea cup. “As for how to help your lady friend, bring her here. Count Alexander Mendez will shelter her at his estate.”

  Hope braced itself in Weston’s heart, waiting, wondering if it had traction to run. “Why would you help me? Why would he?”

  Francene smirked, and she settled back against her seat, posing. “He owes me a favor from our last business ...venture.”

  Weston stilled, considering. “But why help Jade?”

  “Truthfully?” The light humor in Francene’s eyes hardened. “Because I have my suspicions about your father, and if they’re true, he’s not fit to rule. I need my options open. Jade will have sway over Doldra, and I want her as an ally, not a political rival.” Francene tilted her head, spilling brown curls over her shoulder. “And if she’s here, maybe I can help her find a way to release Andre.” She clicked open a bag at her side and pulled out an envelope that she slid across the table.

  “What’s this?” Weston rested his fingers on the parchment, but didn’t open it.

  “A schedule.” One side of Francene’s mouth curled. “For airships leaving for Doldra within the next twenty-four hours.”

  Chapter Four

  Ben

  A quick jaunt down the palace hall, and Ben found both Jade and Briar with Krista in the converted physical therapy room. Krista and Briar were both leaning forward, encouraging Jade as she struggled to curl a weight up to her chin. Sweat shone on Jade’s forehead. Zaborah stood watch in the hallway, a black smudge against the bright hall. She nodded at Ben, her lips curling at the edges as Jade muttered a few choice words under her breath.

  “Steamboy,” Briar called when he saw Ben lingering by the door. “Come join us!” He gestured to the weight rack they’d moved in from the training area and flashed Ben a challenging grin. “Show us what you can do.”

  Ben loped in and sat on the bench that Briar balanced on, nodding at Briar’s bandaged stub of a leg. “Did Finn clear you to be out of your chair already, Cupcake?”

  Briar reached out, took a weight off the rack, and twisted to hand it to Ben. “I haven’t exactly been cleared,” he hedged with a slight shrug. “But I need to start working on my balance. And Finn will be here soon to yell at me, I’m sure.”

&nbs
p; Jade dropped the weight she’d been working on and wiped her face with a towel. “Unlike Briar, who was in the kitchens earlier, I’m being the good patient. I even went to my room and tried to rest for a while. I want to get out of here.” She tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ear and raised her eyebrows at Ben, a wry not-quite-hope gleaming in her eyes. “What are the odds of me being able to leave with you guys tomorrow?”

  “Slim to none.” Krista interjected. She shot Jade an exasperated look. “You heard the queen; we need to get this worked out first.”

  Ben cocked his head. “The queen? What queen?” He glanced around the room. “Did someone visit while I was gone?”

  Jade glared at Krista. “It’s not important.”

  Krista glared back. “It is important.”

  Briar rubbed at his forehead and rolled his eyes. “Queen Violet is here. I’ll fill you in later.”

  “How was it out there?” Jade asked, turning away from Krista. “Zak came by before heading out to visit his family. He said his group didn’t find anything.”

  “He’s right.” Ben sighed. “I’m beginning to think we already missed Victor, and he’s already off to some new place to terrorize. I just wish we knew what and where.” He knuckled the leather bench. “If we’re lucky, we’ll be going the same direction as him.”

  Briar snorted. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, man, but our luck of late hasn’t been the best. And the odds of going the same direction aren’t in your favor.”

  “Finn’s coming,” Zaborah called into the room. “So if anyone is doing anything they shouldn’t, they have thirty seconds to pretend innocence.” She smirked at Briar as he looked between the bench where he sat and his wheeled chair, a hint of panic in his eyes.

  Briar motioned and Krista kicked his chair to him. It rolled up next to him, and he braced his hands against the arm rests before standing on his one leg and pivoting to crash into the seat just as Finn and Raine walked through the doorway.

  Ben and Jade broke into laughter as Krista buried her face in her hands. “Subtlety. I don’t think he has it,” she said into her palm, her voice muffled.

  Raine positioned herself by a case of gems, her hands clasped in front of her.

  Finn set his bag next to Jade’s chair and looked down at Briar with his hands on his hips. “Since you have so much energy, I may as well start with you.”

  “Joy.” Briar grimaced and rolled up his pant leg, revealing just how far up his leg the bandages wrapped.

  “We’ll check how you’re healing later,” Finn told Jade, tilting his head toward Briar and Ben. “Without an audience.”

  Jade’s grin was small. “Thanks.”

  Ben stood to allow Finn the closest seat. Finn sat with a quiet “thank you” that rang similar in Ben’s memory to Raine’s voice while at the Tipsy Paladin, so many months ago. Ben glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then moved around behind where Jade and Krista sat so he could lean against the wall, out of the way.

  Finn deftly unwrapped Briar’s leg, revealing the magically healed skin of Briar’s knee and stump. Briar rubbed above the pink flesh that contrasted with his darker skin tone. “My phantom pain has lessened since yesterday.”

  “Excellent.” Finn laid a fingertip on the top of Briar’s leg. “Tell me how much you feel as I go. And Raine”—he turned to look at his granddaughter—“please get the ointment and bandages ready.”

  Raine nodded and knelt on the floor, pulling out the requested items.

  While they were distracted, Ben leaned over Jade’s chair, hovering his chin just above her head. A few stray hairs tickled at his neck, and he shifted to be out of their reach. “What did the queen have to say?”

  Jade groaned and flailed her hand at him, smacking his jaw. “No,” she protested, exasperation coloring her words while she slouched in her chair. “I don’t want to think about all that. She’s wonderful, and I respect her, but not in this, and I’m not thinking about or talking about—”

  “Excuse me?” A woman’s voice interrupted. Ben glanced over, then straightened. Speak of the woman, and she’d appear, it seemed.

  “Haven’t I heard enough from her today?” Jade muttered.

  Krista snickered.

  Violet walked in the room, her eyes briefly touching on the other occupants as all but Briar stood, but she focused again on Ben. Something in her narrowed eyes looked almost predatory as she neared. “You’re Ben, yes?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ben replied. Raine coughed and he fumbled. “Uh, Your Majesty.” He bowed hastily.

  Violet waved a hand at the others. “You may sit.” She lifted her chin. “I heard you witnessed Andre’s arrest.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Your Majesty.” Ben caught Raine’s subtle head shake in his peripheral. Hopefully the queen would forgive his lack of etiquette more than Raine was. Interacting with royals was not his strong suit.

  “I want you to tell me everything.” Her brown eyes burned. “Don’t leave out any detail.”

  Ben hesitated. Where to start? Did she know why he had been at the palace in the first place? He quickly recounted the discussion in Ellie’s dining room about the bloodstone, their need for Ben to talk to Violet in Aerugo, and Weston leading Ben to Andre because the queen was out of town. He faltered when describing Everett’s tone to Andre, but Violet didn’t bat an eye, her expression completely unsurprised at her husband’s vitriol toward her son’s bodyguard and tutor. Ben shook his head. “Weston got me out of the palace without being caught.”

  A glimmer of a smile lightened Violet’s eyes for all of a heartbeat before her countenance darkened. “I’m concerned,” she announced. Jade scoffed, and Violet ignored her. “Everett wouldn’t just arrest Andre.” Violet crossed her arms tightly against her body. “Andre knows sensitive matters of state.” Her brows drew together. “I fear that Everett will execute Andre, if he hasn’t already.”

  Jade jerked back, and the chair bounced under Ben’s hands as she turned to stare at Violet. “What?” Jade exclaimed. “He’d just execute him? No trial, no nothing?”

  Violet pressed her lips together. “Everett is not a man known for his patience. And if he had the confidence to arrest Andre like this, he either has a plan in action, or he’s just reacting to the threat. Both aspects of him are dangerous.”

  “So, what are you going to do about it?” Jade demanded. She gripped the edge of her chair with white knuckles.

  The queen tapped her fist against her chin as she thought. “I’ll stay in Doldra for another day and wrap up some business here that needed my attention before all this started.” She smiled sweetly at Jade. “Unless you’d like to take that role, and I can leave right away?”

  Jade shrank back, her voice small. “I—No, you can take care of business first.”

  Ben squeezed her good shoulder. Whatever had happened between the two women, it definitely left things more strained than he’d seen back when they’d visited in Aerugo. He glanced over at Finn, who continued to work as if deaf to their conversation.

  “Finn, is there anything that Her Majesty can help us with, in regards to the keystones?” Ben asked.

  That got the healer’s attention. Finn tucked the edge of the bandage he had wound around Briar’s stump and turned to face them all. He inclined his head at Violet. “Have you been apprised of the situation we face, Your Majesty?”

  Violet clasped her hands behind her, shoulders square and chin lifted. “Yes. And I’m aware that no one has seen the traitor that’s running loose with the bloodstone.”

  “Indeed.” Finn spread his palms over his knees and bent over them in a seated bow. “Please, do everything within your power to convince the other rulers to increase protection at all the keystones. We know he has at least one Void Born with him. We don’t know what he has planned.”

  Violet nodded, solemn. “You have my word. This affects all of us, and I will do everything within my power to aid you in that mission.”

  “Thank you.�
� Finn exchanged looks with Raine. “We’ll need all the help we can get.”

  Zaborah’s sword clanked, and she stepped away from the doorway. Ben heard the sound of booted feet in the hall. Zaborah reappeared a moment later with an out-of-breath Geist. His gaze focused solely on Ben.

  “We may have found a lead,” Geist announced. “You in?”

  Ben scrambled around Jade’s chair and offered a clumsy bow to Violet. “Sorry, but—”

  The queen flicked her hand, her rings flashing in the evening light. “Go. Report back whatever you find, whenever you return.”

  ***

  “I didn’t realize we’d be taking him with us for this,” Geist grumbled to Ben as they rode their borrowed horses down the street.

  Ben resisted the urge to look past Ash, knowing that Brandon would be on his left, and his two Monomi shadows alongside him. Just as they were gearing up to leave, Brandon had showed up, flanked by his guards, stating that Queen Violet had sent them to go along and help. Thus far, Ben hadn’t been around the former prince very much, but he’d heard of Brandon’s unstable episodes. And he wasn’t sure who he trusted less—Brandon, or Violet, for sending Brandon with them.

  “Neither did I. But I guess he has a bone to pick with Victor, too.” Ben shrugged. “And he brought two more men, so, yay?”

  Geist grimaced and rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck from side to side. “I guess.” He hunched his shoulders and shot a cross look over in Brandon’s direction. “It’d have been better if Zak was back from his family visit. We could’ve used him here.”

  “True.” Ben shaded his eyes from the glare of the setting sun. “He’s supposed to be back in the morning, before we go.”

  “That’s also assuming William and Kerlee have finished their repairs on the Sapphire sufficiently for Kerlee to leave with us. If William will even be willing to let Kerlee leave,” Geist reminded. “Five lut says—” he broke off and shook his head. “They’ll be ready.”