I don’t belong here with these people any more. I made my choice, and as wrong as it was, I can’t turn back. It’s like Millard’s inside my head, bewitching and ensnaring me. I think about him all the time. I wonder what he would say to me, how he would answer me, how he’d look at me, whether he’d kiss me. I cannot concentrate on anything else.
He is gone and so is my heart and my sound mind.
I will not look for him, I will not aid him any further, but I cannot pretend that my future is at this castle, serving a Queen.
It cannot be, when my heart beats only for a King.
I bow to Everleigh and smile at the others, before ducking out.
The relief is enormous; I can breathe again. I am smiling as I head to my rooms. I pour ale from the flagon and sink into a comfortable seat. I close my eyes and relax for the first time since I saw Everleigh again.
11
CERYN PROTESTS SLIGHTLY, but Everleigh insists that her hair is washed, her nails are cut, her clothes are changed. “I don’t care if you want to dress like a boy, but you must dress like a clean boy.”
“I don’t want to dress like a boy.”
Everleigh, Addyson and Della raise sceptical eyebrows at her. “Fine – I do, but only because it’s more practical. I’m sorry, but in my normal life, when I’m not trying to steal your mad brother’s crown, I ride, I hunt, I fight. I can’t do any of those things easily in a big frouffy dress.”
“Frouffy?”
“Yes. Petticoats and corsets, and layers and layers of frill, silk, velvet. You must be so hot all the time.”
“Maybe, but all I do is sit and sew, so it doesn’t matter.”
They all smile, but at least now Ceryn’s boyish clothes are clean and don’t smell.
They are ready to head to the great hall.
Ceryn keeps a hand on her sword as they make their way through the hallways. With many of Millard’s men dead and most of the others having run away, the castle is still quiet.
“We really need Weaver to hurry back with an army for you.”
“It’s so quiet.”
“Too quiet. If there are any of Millard’s men left and they’re planning something, we’re down to two men now. Not sure how much use Archer and me will be on our own. He’s still not back on top form.”
He fought pretty well yesterday, but Everleigh knows it pained him.
They pass the teacher on the way to breakfast. “Good morning. How was your fresh air?”
“Fresh. But I am ready to eat. I’d like to know your intentions for me then, Everleigh. Do you need me; would you like me to stay?”
“Yes, please. I’d love you to stay. I am lacking in experienced advisors. I don’t want to mess this up. Will you stay and help? Not forever but for a while?”
“I’d be delighted to. But I would appreciate more comfortable quarters than I enjoyed last night. I am old, you know.”
“Absolutely. I feel like the castle is a safer place today than it was yesterday. But I won’t put you at risk. I’ll put you, Will, Archer and Finn in together and us girls will stay together.
“Where’s Ginata? I wanted to ask her about some of the berries I found growing in the garden. How she uses them.”
“She’s gone to her rooms. She doesn’t seem herself.”
“I’ll find her later. For now, let’s eat.” The teacher bows low to Everleigh and follows her into the great hall. They all take their seats at the dais, even Archer and Ceryn. They want to stand guard but Everleigh convinces them to eat first.
She calls a little maid over. “Where’s Molly? I want to talk to her.”
Molly had risked her life to help Everleigh on two occasions; once when she drugged Millard’s guards and tried to kill him and again when they tried to rescue Lanorie from the tower. Everleigh wants to thank her.
“Missing. We’ve not seen her for a few days.”
Everleigh thanks the little maid and sends her off to the kitchen. “Did you hear that?”
Archer shakes his head. “Sorry, what was it?”
“The little maid that helped us, Molly, is missing. No one’s seen her for a few days. I bet Millard’s done something. Oh, Archer, will this ever end?”
“Yes, I promise.” He touches her cheek with his fingertips. “You will be Queen and the next time any one of us sees your brother, he will die.”
“Is it worth it all? The death, the pain?”
“Absolutely. You were born to rule, born to be Queen. You have to believe it. You will be a good Queen, a kind Queen, a fair Queen.”
“And you will be by my side?”
“For as long as you let me.”
Once they have all eaten Will tells Everleigh that he wants to visit his father, check up on him. Della and Addyson decide to go to Everleigh’s room and sew bunting for the coronation. Finn says he’s going to see his friends in the village, and seems even grumpier than he was the day before. Della shrugs when Everleigh gives her a questioning look and Everleigh puts him out of her mind. Archer and Ceryn head off together to take stock of the castle’s weaponry, suss out what guards are left and familiarise themselves with the castle layout, to better plan against attacks.
Everleigh falls into step beside the teacher. “I’d like some help, please?”
“Of course.”
“I know I have this magic in me, but I don’t understand it or know what to do with it. Do I control it or does it control me? What’s it good for?”
“Ah, magic. Magic is a funny old thing. Let’s go inside, where we know we’ll be safe.”
They head to Everleigh’s room, lock the door, and take seats away from Addyson and Della, who are deep in conversation.
“Magic is elusive. We don’t know where it comes from or why it manifests itself in some people and not others. You have magic because you’re born to rule, but you also had the magic of the Kingmaker in your blood, just because of who you were born to. I have some magic and yet I am not royal. Halfreda was the same. And Ginata. I cultivate my magic and sharpen my skills. I can use spells. You won’t need spells; you are the magic. I can train the magic in the air, rein it in and use it, but it comes from outside of me. It’s as though the magic knows I can understand it and comes to me willingly. Magic likes to be used, wants to be useful. You have magic that you never knew existed until now. What can you do?”
“I can talk to the animals, without words. I can steer a stone or an arrow off course. I can make it rain, or make lightning.”
“So, you can control the entire Realm. If you can speak to animals without words, you have the power of the mind. If you make objects move you have the power of all things. If you can control the weather as well, you have more magic than I have ever seen. How do you feel when you use it?”
“Powerful but concerned. I don’t feel like I’m in control. Like what if the rain brings the lightning and the lightning makes a fire, like it did yesterday when I made the hanging tower go up in flames, what if the flames grow and attack a person?”
“Can you make a flame without lightning?”
“Yes. I forgot, yes. I made a fire to burn Lanorie and Brett’s bodies, so the animals wouldn’t eat them.”
“Show me.”
They walk to the grate and Everleigh stares at the kindling. In seconds a flame sparks and grows.
“How do you do it? Do you think about fire or silently ask for a fire to start?”
“I just think about fire. I imagine the flame in my mind and then it appears.”
“Can you put it out?”
She tries and the flame splutters to a stop and then goes out, a thin wisp of smoke all that remains.
“Again?”
Everleigh starts the fire again.
“Now can you grow it and shrink it back down? Ask it to spread and then control it?”
“I’ll try.” Everleigh stares at the flames and they grow, and then she shrinks them back down to a small spark. “What’s the point though?”
“Ther
e’s no point, really. Magic is just a part of you, something to cultivate or ignore if you’d rather. I imagine it could be helpful to you. If you were attacked, for example, you could send a chair flying at someone or shoot a ball of flames at them. You don’t have to use your magic at all, Everleigh. It’s just something you have, like dark hair or blue eyes. You mustn’t fear it, or feel guilty if you don’t remember to use it. It’s a skill, so the more you use it the more manageable it will be, the more refined. If you choose to do nothing more than make it cold when you’re feeling too hot, that’s your prerogative, but the magic you have could be helpful to you, useful. Not just to attack people but to help people.”
“I feel like I have a strange disease or something.”
“It’s not a disease, certainly. It’s a blessing. But it’s yours. You do not have to use it, like it or understand it. It can be something you put aside. You will be Queen, Everleigh. You will do as you please and no one can stop you.”
“That sounds nice.”
“What do you please?”
“I would like a happy, healthy Realm, where people are good and kind and have all that they need.”
“That sounds nice. What about bad people? How will you punish them?”
“I have no idea. I have so much to think about, don’t I?”
“So much. But you have a good team in place and I, as well as they, will do anything I can to make it easier for you.”
“Thank you.”
He takes Everleigh’s hand and kisses it. They sit in front of the flames, until they gutter out completely.
Ceryn
THE CASTLE IS HUGE and well stocked with weapons. It should be easy to protect once we have an army in place. I watch Archer rooting through a trunk of swords. He’s like an excited kid and I still can’t believe he’s alive.
“Having fun?”
“There’s so much stuff here. Have you seen this armour?” He moves over to the armour, clunking a metal arm up and down.
“Do you think we’re up to the job?”
He pauses, probably wondering why I’m questioning myself. I’m usually so full of bravado.
“The Realm is a pretty big place to protect.”
“We can do it.” And his voice is resolute, strong. “Ceryn, I told you and Weaver about my dream, that I would serve a Queen. I know you thought I was mad, but I just knew. It’ll be great. We can do what we do in the villages on a larger scale. Serve and protect a Queen, serve and protect all of her subjects. How great will that be?”
I try to feel his enthusiasm but I’m worried. None of us have had proper training in how to fight, to be disciplined, to battle. Not properly. If there was a planned attack, a war, we would be useless.
“Come on, Ceryn. This isn’t like you. This is like Weaver, worrying like an old woman. You are braver and stronger than both of us. You’ve had to be. We’ll learn as we go, and get better, no doubt, but we can do it. Definitely.”
I shrug.
“Besides we need to. What hope would Everleigh have without us?”
“None.”
“Exactly. She needs us. And I need you and Weaver.”
“Really? Even though you’re in love?”
“I am. But I love you two, too. You’ve been my best friends for years. I couldn’t do it without you.”
“I suppose.”
“You don’t mind me...you don’t mind me being in love with Everleigh-”
I interrupt him with a clip around the ear. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
He grins and we set about making an inventory of the weapons store.
It’s a good sign that I can joke with him about it. It’s a good sign that I’m in his company without watching his every move, my mind wandering to places where good girl’s minds don’t wander. It’s good. I watched him in the great hall with Everleigh this morning and the sight of them together felt familiar rather than upsetting. It didn’t jar me. They go together. They belong. I can see it.
Instead of feeling jealous and upset when I see them together, I’m just glad that Archer is alive and I’m part of his life again.
I leave him happily rummaging, to get some ale from the kitchen, me and Cook are old friends now, and I run into Will in the courtyard.
“Alright?” I ask him as he passes.
He shrugs and I turn around to walk with him. “What’s up? Lost all your joy now you’re not a fool anymore?”
He laughs. “Maybe.”
“Seriously. I’m a good listener as well as a good fighter.”
“I’m just being stupid. Feeling guilty about Everleigh, missing Lanorie.”
“Will, don’t build Lanorie up to be something she wasn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“Did she know you were in love with her?”
“I don’t think so.”
“And did she love you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well then, you mustn’t build up this big love story in your head. And you mustn’t feel bad. Let her go. And Everleigh’s fine and dandy, so you can let your guilt go too. Everleigh loves you and you have a place in her court. Life’s good, my friend. And getting better.”
Funny how I was feeling like I needed to be reassured when I was talking to Archer but now I’m trying to console Will.
He launches himself at me, wraps me in a bear hug and squeezes me, causing me to shriek. He kisses my cheek and as his lips hit my skin, my eyes close – involuntarily – and I breathe in the smell of him. I open my eyes, feeling disorientated and he’s looking at me, a funny look on his face. We head off in opposite directions, but when I look back to watch him go, he’s looking at me.
12
THE GROUP MEET UP FOR their next meal, though Finn’s not back from seeing his friends and Ginata is still absent. While they eat and drink, Ceryn and Archer are alert, but relaxed. The hall is full of people wanting to see the Kingmaker, and Everleigh is sure that the castle and the villages around it and beyond – the whole of the Realm – are wondering what’s going on and where their King is. The unrest isn’t good.
“Only a few more days.” It’s as though Archer’s read her mind. He leans towards her. “We’ll keep you safe.”
Everleigh believes him. But it’s a massive task that she has ahead of her and it’s daunting. “I’m scared.”
“I know. I think we all are.”
“I’m a child. I’m too young to be Queen; too inexperienced. I don’t know what to do.”
“You are young. And you’ve never been Queen before, so yes, you’re inexperienced, but you are powerful – remember when you made the river rise, and you made the deer run away, and you started the fire. You can do all of those things with your mind. And you’re a good, kind, fair person. I think you’ll be a brilliant Queen. And the Realm will be at peace.”
“I feel sick.”
“Don’t. You don’t have to do anything but take it one day at a time. Deal with issues, take advice, help your people. It’ll be easy once you start.”
“You really think?”
“I’ve got faith in you.”
“Thank you. Let’s hope you’re right.”
“I usually am.”
The door slams open, causing them to jump apart and the people near the door start screaming as someone with a hood over his head, runs through the room screaming: “In the name of the King.”
He throws something on the table in front of Everleigh and then runs out as quickly as he ran in.
Everleigh screams and pushes her chair back, moving away from the table. Addyson is crying. Archer and Ceryn have gone after the man, swords aloft.
“It’s a head, a severed head!” Everleigh screams, turning to Will. Will takes her in his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder, shock and disgust evident on his face. He motions for a little maid. “Fetch a stable boy to take it away.”
“Carry on, everybody. No harm done,” the teacher calls out to the crowd, who have settled back on their sto
ols; just another story to tell of the Realm gone mad.
One of the pages comes with a sack and takes the head away.
“I can’t stay here now,” Everleigh says.
“Wait for Ceryn and Archer; it might not be safe.”
“It’s not safe, is it Will? Nowhere will be safe until my brother is dead. In the name of the King? A severed head in the name of the King. What does that even mean? Where did they get it?”
“Probably the Ashes. They’re just trying to scare you, that’s all.”
“Who? Millard’s men, men from the castle? Men from the village? These men will be my men, but they want to bring me a head?”
“It’s just some crazy person. Just someone thinking it’s funny to upset you.”
“It’s not funny.”
“I know.”
They are silent while they wait for Ceryn and Archer to come back, and in minutes they arrive, empty handed.
“Gone. It could have been anyone.”
“Cowardly and evil.”
“Let’s go.”
They troop to Everleigh’s room, feeling miserable.
“Should we be looking for my brother? If that really was in his name, is he out there somewhere, telling people what to do? Causing trouble?”
“I’d love to kill him,” Ceryn says, sitting by Everleigh, “but we’re already one man short with Weaver gone, if Archer or me go looking for Millard, we’re just leaving you vulnerable. I say we just get through the next three days. It’s probably just some random idiot, or a kid playing a prank-”
“A prank? Throwing a head at me is a prank?”
“Not to you or me...but to some dumb kids with nothing better to do? Maybe. I don’t know, but I think splitting up now would be wrong.”
“I agree with Ceryn. If Weaver was here maybe one of us could go looking for Millard. But we have the upper hand here. We’re at the castle, we have his crown. There might be a few of his loyal supporters wanting to spoil things for you, but what can they do really?”
“Wolf is locked up, Millard is missing. Most of his men were killed yesterday and if they want to come and fight properly we’ll kill the rest of them. Running around with severed heads isn’t anything we should worry about. Horrible. But not a concern for us.”
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