Miestryri

by Bethany Hoeflich

  “I’m afraid our little chat is over, prince.” Lucan stood and crossed his arms. “Davis, if you would be so kind to escort my visitor back to his rooms.”

  Silvano stormed across the room and glared down at the advisor. “It’s over when I say it’s over.”

  “Feel free to torture and starve me, but I’ve been more than generous with you,” Lucan said as though he were bestowing a great honor on Silvano just by allowing him in his presence. “You won’t get me to speak further. Remember, I’m not the only person who deals in secrets.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Silvano backed up a step. Must everyone speak in riddles?

  “It must have been difficult to return home, only to find your betrothed married to another man. Tell me, have you visited with Olielle’s father since your return?”

  “Lord Maynard?” His face scrunched up in confusion. “Why?”

  “You might find the conversation… enlightening. Farewell.”

  Silvano flew from the room before his anger got the best of him. Oh, he would go and pay Lord Maynard a visit immediately. Perhaps that conversation would prove more satisfying than this one had been. Now, more than ever, he needed to know the truth. Why did his father hate him so much, and what did Lord Maynard have to do with it?

  Once they were down the hall, he turned to Davis and said, “Withhold his rations for a week.”

  “Sir?”

  “There’s no point in wasting food on a dead man, and hunger might loosen his tongue.” He took the steps two at a time. “You will accompany me to Lord Maynard’s house.”

  Davis jerked his chin to acknowledge the order and hurried after him.

  An out-of-breath guard met them at the top of the stairs. “Miestryri. You must come at once.”

  Silvano opened his mouth to lecture the guard about giving orders to the Miestryri, but one look at his unnaturally pale face made him hold his tongue. “What is it?”

  “A package just arrived for you.” The guard nodded at Davis, and they both took positions on either side of him. “It’s in the throne room.”

  “A package from who?” Whispered conversations cut off abruptly as he approached. He noted more than a handful of tear-stained faces as he walked through the arched hallway and into the courtyard. He blinked, allowing his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight.

  “Arianna.”

  That one word was enough to send Silvano racing across the cobblestones. Jax peeled away from the wall and rushed to Silvano’s side. With a gut full of trepidation, Silvano pushed through the courtyard and into the eastern hall. “Is she here?”

  “I don’t know, Miestryri. I was following your sister’s men and only just returned myself. Wait while I clear the room.” Jax motioned for additional guards to surround Silvano before racing ahead into the throne room. Unsure what he should do, Silvano followed at a slower place, suddenly afraid of seeing what was causing this grief. His boots dragged on the polished floors. Whatever had happened, somehow, he knew it was his fault.

  The two guards at the doors to the throne room bowed, but they did so with deep scowls etched onto their faces. It was enough to give him pause.

  At Jax’s anguished cry, knew he couldn’t wait. Silvano burst through the doors. Jax collapsed to the floor and pounded a fist to the stone. At his left was a melon-sized black bag that was wet at the bottom, as though something had leaked through. His heart thudded in his chest. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from it.

  “What…”

  Jax shook his head. “Mateo.”

  Silvano didn’t want to look. He couldn’t look, but how could he not? He reached out a shaking hand and opened the bag, immediately wishing he hadn’t. He retched as the stench of rot hit his nose. It was the head of the guard he’d sent to follow Bas. Fresh guilt rushed through his mind. He hadn’t even known his name. He swallowed bile and asked, “What happened?”

  Jax held up a note. His voice cracked as he read, “Don’t follow me again. I’ll be seeing you soon, brother.”

  9

  Night had fallen over Crystalmoor, and a sliver of the waning moon glistened over the restless sea. Silvano stood in the throne room, staring at the throne he hadn’t dared claim. Carved from driftwood and encased in clear resin, it had stood for generations of Miestryris before him. And he wanted nothing more than to burn it to ashes. Without the respect of the people, it was nothing but an empty chair.

  Even with the coerced support of the priests, it wasn’t enough. His hold on the country was too brittle. It would be so simple, to just walk over and sit down, but for some reason, his body wouldn’t obey. He ground his teeth in frustration and whirled away, clutching the cool stone of the windowsill as if it would steady him. It didn’t work. His mind continued to spin as he replayed the events of the past few days. There were so many things he wished he could have done differently.

  After Mateo’s head had been delivered to the palace, Jax had retreated into his rooms, refusing to eat. Silvano knew that Jax blamed himself for allowing the boy to go on a mission he was wholly unqualified for, but the fault was really his. He should have never sent such a young, inexperienced guard to trail Bas. Judging by the way the guards refused to speak to him outside of mandatory orders and reports, they all blamed him as well. But how was he supposed to know that Arianna would stoop to such measures?

  He caught sight of his reflection in a mirror. The skin around his sea glass had grown red and puckered. That shouldn’t happen. With every Miestryri before him, the glass had merged perfectly with the skin without scabbing. Had the priests done something to the glass when they crowned him? He dismissed the thought immediately. They wouldn’t dare offend the sea god like that.

  Or would they?

  He glanced back at the empty throne with a deep sense of foreboding and more than a little longing. It was his now, but he no longer believed he deserved it.

  “If you want it so badly, why don’t you just sit down?”

  Silvano jumped and looked toward the sound of the voice—a voice he’d know anywhere. Arianna crouched on the windowsill and scowled at him. The light, musical lilt of her voice did little to hide the animosity that radiated from her posture. She clutched the windowsill, her body coiled as if she were about to launch herself at him. She had a dagger strapped to her thigh, but other than that, she appeared unarmed. He tried to picture her as the child he knew, but all he could see was the blood on her hands.

  “No matter what you’ve done, we can work it out. We don’t have to be enemies,” he whispered to not alert the guards stationed outside the doors. He didn’t want to harm her, but the guards would want revenge.

  Her scowl deepened. “Too late for that. Any goodwill I felt toward you vanished the moment your sword pierced our father’s heart.”

  Taken aback by the venom in her voice, he asked, “Is that why you killed Mateo? Because you were upset with me?”

  “You were the one who sent him to spy on me.”

  “Only because I couldn’t find you. Why didn’t you come to me before?”

  “Why? So you could eliminate your competition the same way your eliminated our father? I never took you for the ambitious type.”

  Irritation burned in his gut. “It wasn’t like that. Please, come inside so we can talk about this. We could go down to the kitchens for some refreshments, just like we did as children. There might be some leftover fish pie—your favorite.”

  “How gullible do you think I am? The second I come inside, you’ll call for your guards and throw me in chains. No, there’s much to discuss with you, brother, and I’m quite comfortable here.” She swung her legs inside and leaned against the stone. Keeping her eyes on him, she drew her dagger and laid it across her thighs.

  “Suit yourself,” he said, keeping his voice even while he angled his body toward the door. If she attacked, he would run for the guards. Nothing could cause him to raise a blade against his sister. “What did you wish to discuss?”

  Her e
yes narrowed like she expected a trap. When he stayed silent and unmoving, she demanded, “Step down and renounce your claim immediately.”

  His eyebrows shot to his hairline. “Why would I do that? I am the rightful heir!”

  “Are you? It seems you haven’t been into father’s study since you came home.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Arianna shrugged. “It doesn’t matter anyway. The people clearly don’t want you. They showed you as much this morning.”

  “You were there? I didn’t see—”

  “You have betrayed them to their core by murdering their leader. You’re nothing more than a power-hungry usurper to them now.” She spat on the ground and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

  Silvano brushed off the insult, desperate for her to understand. “I’m not about to give up everything I’ve worked toward.” He took a step toward her with his hands held up to show that he wasn’t a threat. “I need your support. We’re on the cusp of greatness, Arianna. With you behind me, I could take Crystalmoor into the future. We could expand our trade with Aravell. Imagine having their technology here. We could improve the lives of our people exponentially. Why don’t you come to the small council meeting tomorrow? When you hear the changes I’m proposing, you’ll understand that all I want is to do the right thing by our people. And if we work together, we’d become the greatest country on the continent!”

  “I will not work with the man who killed my father.”

  Silvano’s patience was a brittle strand, seconds from breaking. “He attacked me! What was I supposed to do? Let him take off my head? All I wanted was for him to welcome me home.”

  She snorted and crossed her arms. “Likely story.”

  “It’s true! There are so many things you don’t know.”

  “Like what?” She quirked a brow like she was humoring him but didn’t believe a word he would say.

  His stomach plummeted. Even though he knew she would argue with anything he said, he had to try. “When I was exiled, Father hired Mikkal to assassinate me.”

  “Then why are you still alive?”

  “Mikkal had a change of heart.”

  “That’s a convenient story.”

  “Talk to Lucan if you don’t believe me. He confessed to everything.”

  “I would love to speak with Lucan, but you have him locked in the dungeons.”

  “It’s the truth!”

  “Truth is as fluid as the sea, and just as salty.” She shook her head slowly. “I can’t believe a word you say. I can only see the pile of evidence laid before me. Everything you’ve done has been for yourself. You mentioned wanting to improve the conditions for everyone, but why? Is it because you truly want what’s best for the people, or is it nothing more than a political move to benefit yourself?”

  Silvano wanted to rip his hair out. He threw his arms to the side in exasperation. “What do you want from me, Arianna? How can I prove myself to you?”

  “Abdicate. Leave the palace immediately with nothing but the clothes on your back. Prove to me that you are innocent by giving up the one thing you’ve ever wanted. This is your final warning.” And with that, she slipped out the window and into the night, letting the darkness swallow her whole. “If you think things are bad now, just wait and see what happens if you don’t comply.”

  Silvano raced over to the window, his knuckles turning white where they clutched the stone, and leaned out over the edge. Where had she gone? Was she still in the castle somewhere? Even if she had truly left, she couldn’t have gone far. He opened his mouth to call for his guards, then closed it slowly. Sending armed guards to hunt her down and drag her back in chains would only confirm her beliefs about him. No, he would let her go. But he would also fortify the castle to prevent any more late-night visitors. If Arianna wished to see him, she could come through the front gate and request an audience like anyone else.

  10

  There was one room in the castle that Silvano hadn’t dared enter since his homecoming—his father’s office.

  Arianna’s visit had left him feeling more than a little unsettled. He’d tried going to bed, but he’d done nothing but toss and turn as her words tormented him.

  You haven’t been into father’s study since you came home.

  What did she mean by that? Was there something inside he needed to see? A secret message? Or was she simply throwing their childhood in his face?

  As children, they were forbidden from going inside. Only once had he broken the rule, and he hadn’t been able to sit down for a week. Even now, it felt as though there were an invisible fence blocking the door. Positively ridiculous, considering the Miestryri was dead. It didn’t stop him from feeling like he was about to be punished as he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  He lifted his lantern to illuminate the room.

  Sconces holding candles melted into stubs lined the stone walls. Portraits of Miestryris hung at regular intervals, their sharp features staring down at him in judgment. A small wooden desk was pushed up against the wall between two arched windows that overlooked the sea. Plans for building new ships for the navy lay scattered across the surface of the desk. Silvano picked one up and set it back down after a moment. Other than basic terminology, he knew next to nothing about ships.

  Silvano frowned. What was he even looking for?

  He crouched by the desk and pried open the drawers. A telescope. A roll of parchment. Maps. He was about to slam the last drawer shut when a scroll caught his eye, fastened with the Miestryri’s seal. He gently lifted it, broke the seal, and unrolled it. He read it. Then read it again.

  His world tilted.

  “Shh… father will hear you,” I hissed at Arianna.

  She clutched my hand tightly. “We shouldn’t be here. Papa will catch us.”

  I grumbled and pulled away, wiping my hand on my trousers. The feel of my now-empty pocket stopped my heart. I clearly remembered shoving a frog inside just ten minutes ago, intent on slipping it inside the cook’s bread bowl before dinner. She was terrified of frogs, and imagining what her face would look like when she saw it nearly sent me into a fit of giggles. I pressed a palm to my mouth.

  But if the frog was missing…

  They peered through the crack in the door of their father’s office as the shouting started again.

  “I’ll not have it!” Father’s voice rang out followed by a loud crash as something shattered against the far wall.

  I craned my neck to peek around the corner, hoping to catch a glimpse of green. If the frog had gone inside, I would be blamed. And punished. It hardly seemed fair. The fact that I had smuggled it into the castle in the first place escaped my logic.

  Someone whimpered. “Miestryri, please listen to reason. The people will turn against you if you follow through with this.”

  “Accidents happen all the time, Lucan. I shouldn’t think you’d be squeamish.”

  “It just seems unnecessary, that’s all.”

  “Are you turning traitor?” his father growled. My ears perked up. I’d hoped for some juicy gossip when I’d convinced Arianna to eavesdrop with me and hearing Father call his advisor a traitor was as juicy as I could imagine. I held my breath and waited to hear something else break, but the room was deathly quiet. I pouted. It would have been exciting to watch the guards drag Lucan away. The man always gave me the shivers.

  “Look, a letter arrived from the Rei this afternoon.”

  I heard a rustle of paper, followed by creaking as his father sat in his chair. A minute of pure boredom passed, and I scanned the hallway, quickly losing interest in eavesdropping. Where had that frog gone? It was nearly suppertime, and we would need to get down to the kitchens to pull off the greatest prank ever.

  “Do you think this will work?”

  “Yes, and if not, there are other… alternatives we can discuss. Let’s not jump to the worst-case scenario immediately.”

  “Very well. I’ll write to the Rei. Please assemble the necessar
y supplies for the journey.”

  “Sire…”

  “What now?”

  I flinched. I hated that tone. When Father spoke in that voice, it usually meant that pain would follow. I wanted to warn Lucan that he was in danger, but self-preservation kept me quiet.

  “He’ll need a Shield.”

  “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”

  “He’s noble-born. It will look odd if he’s sent away with no protection.”

  “Fine. Fine! Just do it and may the sea god take you. But mark my words, Lucan. He will never be Miestryri.”

  Arianna looked sharply up at me, but I had stopped paying attention to whatever Father was saying. Just there, a foot away from the desk, was that pesky frog. I sucked in a breath, hoping that Father wouldn’t notice, or worse, step on it.

  The chair creaked. Heavy bootsteps heading toward the door sent us racing around the corner. We waited until the footsteps retreated, then I grabbed Arianna’s hand and pulled her toward the office.

  She froze in the doorway. “We can’t go in there!”

  “We have to! My frog is in here, and father will skin me alive if I don’t fetch it.” When she didn’t budge, I rolled my eyes and said, “Fine, go hurry back to your nanny. I should never have asked you to come with me.”

  She began to cry, and I almost felt bad. Not enough to apologize, of course. Now, to find that frog…

  I hurried over to the desk, crawling on my hands and knees. Where did it go? I knew I saw it here a minute ago. I stood and searched the top of the desk, growing panicked. In my desperation, I knocked a thick, black book to the floor. If the loud thwack as it landed on the stone floor hadn’t made me wet my pants, the arrival of my father surely would.

  “Looking for this?”

  I turned around slowly. Father stood in the doorway, holding the frog by the foot, pinched between his fingers.

  “Miestryri? Sil?”

  Jax’s voice made him jump, and the scroll crumpled in his hand. Silvano blinked up at the doorway, half expecting to see his father glaring down at him. He shook off the memory. “Jax? What are you doing here?”