Silent Kingdom

by Rachel L. Schade

  I glanced at Avrik, who smiled reassuringly at me and took my arm. My mouth opened with the thought: I don't need to be escorted! But when I tried to speak, no words came out. Frowning, I pried my arm from his grip. He shrugged and scuffed his foot in the dirt before dashing ahead to catch up with Bren, and I followed.

  Bren yanked open the heavy inn door and light spilled out from inside. The scents of the fire and hot food—especially baking bread—mingled together in the air and tempted our noses. My stomach growled.

  Avrik leaned in to whisper to me. “Like I said, they have some amazing food.” His warm breath tickled my ear.

  We sat at a small round table near the corner closest to the door and waited for Selna, the innkeeper, to take our orders. I glanced around at the warm, busy atmosphere of the inn. The main dining area in which we sat had a low ceiling of rough-hewn wood beams. A few support columns were spaced out across the creaking, mud-stained floor. To our right, in the center of the room, a roaring fire blazed in a huge fireplace. Nearly every wall was lined with shelves stocked with canned goods, dried herbs, sacks of flour, and other baking ingredients, as if Selna felt the best way to create a homey feel was to surround her patrons with components of the food they were about to eat.

  The room was flooded mostly with local farmers, dressed in faded shirts, patched trousers, and mud-crusted boots. One group was seated in armchairs near the hearth, smoking pipes and chatting about crops. Here and there, at the various round tables scattered across the floor, businessmen ate and talked both business and leisure. One or two families were seated in corners of the room, but for the most part, all of the inn’s customers were men at this time of day. The majority of Evren’s women were at home preparing dinner, and most children went home after school to eat. This place was radically different from the royal dining hall of my upbringing, or even Lyanna and Rev’s cozy kitchen table, and I loved it.

  I pulled my journal, pencil, and the little pouch of spending money Rev had given me from my cloak pocket and jiggled it, listening to the coins inside. The concept of paying for anything was foreign to me; the castle had provided me with everything I could have imagined, and servants had attended my every need or desire often before I even realized the needs and wants were there.

  Scrawling “tea” across one of my journal pages, I pushed it toward Avrik.

  “Not going to try the food?” he said.

  Lyanna will want me to eat dinner with them, I wrote. I gave him a pointed look.

  He nodded. When Selna bustled over to our table, he and Bren put in our orders. It only took her a few moments to return, plopping a large mug of steaming tea in front of me.

  As the chatter of the crowd enveloped us, Bren and Avrik pointed out various Evren men and women, telling me who they were and what they did. For the most part, I tried to listen, but my mind was restless. I tapped my boot softly on the floor and doodled on my slip of paper. It’s getting late, and Lyanna expects me home soon, I thought.

  Finally, Selna arrived with two heaping bowls of venison stew and a plate full of fresh bread coated in butter for the boys. For a few minutes, they were too consumed in their food to pay much attention to anyone else in the inn. I inhaled the aroma of mint tea rising from my mug and tried to relax.

  Then something caught Bren’s attention. He paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth and nudged Avrik. “Over there,” I heard Bren whisper. He nodded his sandy blond head toward the opposite end of the room, where a staircase led to the second floor and most of the inn’s guestrooms.

  Descending the steps were two men in travel-stained scarlet and blue cloaks: the colors of the King’s Royal Guard. One of the men was unfamiliar, but the other I recognized, though I did not know his name. He was one of the men from the dining hall, one who had helped drag me away from my parents when my father accused me of treason. I was sure he would know me immediately.

  My mouth ran dry. A jangling noise jolted me back to my table, where Bren and Avrik were studying me curiously. I glanced down and realized I’d dropped my coin pouch on the floor. With a trembling hand, I reached down and clutched it tightly.

  The guards must not have seen me yet. Do I leave now? What will Avrik and Bren think? How can I tell them I need to leave? They’ll ask questions, want answers…

  I swallowed and stared at the table, determined not to meet the boys’ gazes and give away my fear.

  Why would royal guards travel to Evren? Are they looking for me? Have they asked around—will they talk to Lyanna and Rev? Panic screamed in my head; the questions were coming so quickly they were tumbling over each other, swirling in a confused mass in my brain.

  Avrik’s voice pierced through my thoughts. “Are you all right?” His dark eyes glinted in the firelight.

  If Avrik and Bren realized the reason why I was upset…well, I didn’t want to think about the trouble it could cause.

  Grabbing my pencil, I scribbled frantically. I don’t feel well.

  Avrik’s brow knotted. “Bren, we have to take Elena home.”

  Bren’s face fell, but he forced a smile and nodded. He dropped a few coins on the table to pay for his meal, and Avrik did the same.

  Without a word, the boys stood and yanked on their cloaks. I fumbled with mine, realizing my fingers were quivering too violently to fasten it under my chin properly. The world seemed to be pulling away from me and swaying like a ship’s deck all at once. Inwardly hating myself for my fear, I grasped for the table to catch my balance, but my hand landed clumsily in my mug of tea instead. Recoiling, I knocked the mug over, splashing its contents across the table. The mug rolled over the edge of the table and shattered on the floor, its broken shards mixing with the widening puddle of tea.

  I was sure every eye on the inn was on me.

  Wide-eyed, Avrik was at my side in an instant, trying to steady my trembling body with a reassuring hand on my back. I thanked the Life-Giver that the guards were behind me and could not see my face.

  “What is this?” Selna strode to our table and studied our faces. “Is something wrong?”

  “She’s ill,” Bren said, nodding to me.

  “Oh, Elena, your face is as pale as the snow outside,” Selna gasped. “Boys, go fetch Lyanna and Rev and I’ll set her up in a cozy room where she can relax.”

  No, don’t leave me here! I wanted to cry out, to beg them not to leave me, but Avrik and Bren bolted out the door instantly and Selna tugged gently on my arm.

  “Come, I’ll make you comfortable and send for the Healer.”

  Shaking my head, I tried to fight against her grip, tried to pull away and chase after the boys before the guards saw me, tried to—

  It was too late.

  The guard’s boots thudded dully on the floorboards as he approached. I recognized the shock of brown, curly hair and the deep blue eyes: it was the guard from the palace. “What seems to be the problem?” he inquired. He glanced at Selna before dropping his gaze to my face. I refused to meet his look, staring hard at the fireplace on the far wall, as if I could find sanctuary somewhere amidst the flames.

  I tensed, waiting for the inevitable. Would he reveal my identity to Selna and pretend the king and queen missed my presence, or would he accuse me like a wanted criminal and drag me away?

  “The girl is ill, sir,” Selna said, bowing her head in respect. “I appreciate your concern, but there is no danger in my humble inn.”

  She pulled me away, leading me past the second guard, who gave me an uninterested glance. There was no glint of recognition in his expression, but that wasn’t comforting to me, not when I knew his companion remembered me.

  At the top of the stairs was a hallway lined with flickering candles set in sconces and several closed doors leading to guest rooms. Selna opened one of the doors on the right and ushered me into a small bedroom. There was a small window set in the far wall, its pale green curtains tightly drawn against the night. On the left was a small bed and nightstand, and on the right was a fireplace.<
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  Selna removed my boots and cloak and ensured I was settled in the bed before she turned to start a fire in the hearth. “We’ll find the Healer for you, as soon as possible,” she murmured as she exited the room. She closed the door softly behind her.

  I sat up in bed, throwing the covers off and springing onto the floor. The floorboards were cold under my bare feet as I fumbled for my stockings and boots. Pulling them on, I snatched my cloak from where Selna had tossed it over the foot of the bed and wrapped it around my shoulders. My fingers still trembled slightly as I tied it around my neck, but this time determination fired through my veins and helped keep my hands steady.

  Stumbling toward the window, I tore open the curtains. The view from the second story offered a glimpse of a dark alleyway behind the inn. Moonlight glistened off the dusting of snow coating the earth while more snowflakes drifted down from the fluffy grey clouds concealing the stars. I shoved open the window and leaned out, watching my breath being carried away on the cold breeze.

  Don’t hesitate out of fear now, I prodded myself. There’s no time to waste. The palace guard recognized you. This room is your prison cell; he will find you here.

  Memories of climbing down the palace’s stone walls flitted through my mind as I swung my leg over the windowsill, and I prayed this venture would not end as badly as my last. I peered down to search the bricks for hand and footholds. The air nipped at my fingers and made them numb, but I didn’t dare fish the mittens from my pockets and try to climb in those. I grasped at a chipped brick with my left hand and shoved my boot into a gap in the wall before drawing a deep breath and swinging out the window. My arms shook and I nearly slipped as I struggled to grasp the wall with my right hand and plant my right foot. Once I was safely out, I scrambled wildly down the wall, sliding on patches of ice and missing most of my intended holds until I fell the last several feet and landed on my back in the snow.

  My breath knocked from my lungs, I lay staring up at the sky for several moments while my heart throbbed in my ears. The world spun and flecks of snow pelted my face and melted in my eyes, blurring my vision. Get up, get up. Run. With a shuddering gasp, I finally inhaled some air and leapt to my feet.

  “So it is you, Princess Halia.” The grating voice slammed into my ears and made me spin on my heel. The king’s guard, the one who had recognized me, was standing behind me in the alleyway, his cloak rustling around his heavy boots. Snowflakes melted on the scarlet and blue hood pulled so low that only his dark beard and sneering lips were visible. “At first I thought you must be a ghost, to be alive after my captain executed you. And yet…here you are, trapped again. Did you truly think you could evade His Majesty this easily?” Silver light glinted off the sword hilt at his side.

  I turned and bolted, my boots slipping on ice and my heart feeling like it was ten feet ahead of the rest of my body. But I was no match for the speed and strength of a seasoned guard. In a few swift strides he was upon me, grasping my arm and wrenching me back. He slammed me down to the earth, pinning me with his arms and knees as I flailed and pulled against him.

  When I stared up at him, his piercing blue eyes met mine. “Who have you told about the king?” he snarled.

  Gasping, I shook my head, my hair tumbling about my face. Cold snow bit into my back and melted against my neck until it slithered beneath my cloak.

  He slammed me back down into the snow and dug his knee into my chest. “Who?”

  I ground my teeth together and struggled for air. Moving my lips, I mouthed the words “no one.”

  In one smooth motion, the guard pressed a dagger against my throat. “I’ll give you a final chance to speak, you vile traitor,” he hissed. “Child or not, you are old enough to face the consequences of your treasonous actions.”

  The dagger’s edge nicked my skin and warm blood trickled from the wound, but I couldn’t fight back, couldn’t flee, and couldn’t speak.

  No one, no one, no one! I cannot speak! I wanted to scream, but I knew the words wouldn’t change my fate. He would kill me anyway, regardless of what I said. He might kill me faster if I had a confession for him, rather than drawing out the kill in a painful interrogation process.

  From somewhere in the night came more running footsteps. Probably the other guard, realizing his companion had exited the inn and joining to help. But as the guard turned away from me, glaring over his shoulder, I heard a cry of rage, and the voice was familiar. Avrik.

  The guard sprang to his feet to face Avrik and gave me a clear view of my friend, his bow and quiver still strapped to his back. His hands moved so fast they were a blur in the darkness. One second he was shouting, the next his bow was notched and pointed at the guard. Before the man could speak or reach for his sword, Avrik fired.

  Sprawled out on the ground, I did not even have time to sit up. With a dull thud and a sickening spray of crimson blood in the snow, Avrik’s arrow sliced through the guard’s throat and dropped him to the ground, where he lay motionless, a corpse in a cramped, dim alley.

  Avrik threw down his bow and dashed toward me. His whole body shook and his face was pale as he kneeled beside me, taking in my rumpled clothes and bloody neck. “Are you all right?”

  I nodded, still blinking at the prostrate form behind my friend. Avrik had slain a guard. A member of the King’s Royal Guard.

  His voice quavered. “I didn’t…I wasn’t trying to k-kill him. I saw the man was hurting you and…” He turned and gaped at the body, then glanced back up at the inn, its lit windows casting small pools of light down on us. “We have to find my father. He’ll know what to do, before someone sees…” He stood, grasping my hand and yanking me up with him.

  Still clutching my hand in his, he raced down the alleyway and through the side streets and alleys of Evren until we were back out on the rolling hills of the countryside. The wind whipped around us, snapping our cloaks behind us and stealing away my breath as I followed Avrik’s footprints in the snow. It only took us a few minutes to reach Avrik’s home.

  “Father!” Avrik cried, bursting through the door in a swirl of snowflakes and wind.

  Kyrin, lounging before his fireplace on his settee and sharpening a hunting dagger by the flickering light, glanced up sharply. His brow crinkled and concern flared in his eyes at his son’s frantic tone.

  “A man was trying to—to hurt Elena,” Avrik panted, “but I…I shot him. He’s dead. In the alley behind the inn…I don’t want people to… What if they accuse me? Or you?”

  Kyrin threw his cloak on and was out the door before Avrik had finished speaking. “Lead the way.”

  We dashed through the night, Avrik holding my hand like it was his lifeline in the blackness. As soon as we reached the alley, Kyrin surveyed the scene and turned back to his son. “Go inside. Leave this to me.”

  Without a word, Avrik nodded. He sprinted toward the street and dragged me after him. Once we arrived at the inn’s front door, he finally released me and breathed deeply. “Why would you leave the inn?” he demanded. “Was that man going to…?” He bit his lip, his face going red.

  I blinked back at him. Was he going to rape me? No, he was going to slaughter me, when it should have been his mission to protect me!

  Avrik shook his head, pressing a hand to his face like he was warding off a dizzy spell. “Never mind. Does your cut hurt?”

  When I shook my head, he lifted his hand to wipe away the blood.

  “The blood has clotted now. It’s so slight I doubt anyone will notice. Just a small cut we could explain away.” His hands still trembled.

  I threw him a curious frown, wishing I understood his fear.

  “Most of Evren all but hates my father, now that he keeps to himself,” he sighed. “I would rather no one has to know that I…that I…”

  With a soft smile I hoped was comforting, I laid my fingers on his arm and squeezed. You did nothing wrong, Avrik. You saved my life.

  Avrik massaged his left temple. “Let’s go inside. Bren went to Lyan
na and Rev to bring them to you, but I turned back, realizing someone should stay with you. I was worried about you…I guess it was good that I did…” He let his voice trail off.

  I squeezed my hand tighter on his arm when he moved toward the door. There was still another guard. Though I hadn’t recognized him, that did not mean he hadn’t discovered who I was, especially when his comrade could have told him before going in search of me.

  “It’s fine, Elena. I’m sure Lyanna and Rev are here by now,” Avrik said, not looking at me and therefore not seeing the panic on my face. With a deep breath, he threw open the door and we stepped back into Wanderer’s Rest.

  The air felt trapped in my lungs as I scanned the main room for any sign of the second guard, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead, Bren, Lyanna, and Rev stood near the door, calling to Selna to ask where I was.

  “She’s here,” Avrik said.

  The three turned startled faces toward us. Avrik tugged me further into the inn and shut the door behind us.

  “Why did you leave the inn?” Lyanna cried, racing toward me to yank me into a fierce embrace. Rev was directly behind her.

  Selna marched toward us, her hands on her hips. “I’ve sent for the Healer. Why did you leave your room?” she cried when she saw me.

  “She needed fresh air,” Avrik cut in. “I found her going for a walk and brought her back inside. She’ll be fine; she only wants to go home.”

  Selna threw a suspicious glance at both of us, but Avrik offered her one of his charming smiles and she relented. “I can tell the Healer to visit your house,” she suggested.

  I shook my head. All I needed was to have a healer studying the cut on my neck and asking questions.

  Lyanna searched my face before she turned back to Selna. “If she doesn’t want the Healer to visit, I will care for her. We will send for him if she shows any more signs of illness.” She smiled proudly. “I nursed her back to health when she first came to us, and I’m sure I can help her now.”

  “Well then, get out of here before you upset my customers with your carryings-on!” Selna shooed us back toward the door.