Will fell back onto the bed.
“I don’t think I need to remind you how important it is to keep up appearances,” Riley said. “We’ve got one shot at this. Screw it up, and it’s over and we’re all dead.”
“Fine,” he said. “What am I supposed to do?”
28
The maid dressed Will in his dinner suit. He stood like a stone statue as she pulled on his sleeves and brushed off any lint. The number of firsts he’d experienced since becoming Luka kept on growing.
He tugged at the collar of his shirt. Will couldn’t understand how anyone would choose to wear these things. After he was ready, Riley and Ocken escorted him down to the second floor for dinner.
They walked into the dining hall and Will surveyed the scene. To the right sat a few younger lords and ladies Will didn’t know. Drygo sat at the head of the table on the left end, talking to a man in his late thirties. The king spoke with ease, not as he would with a dignitary, but somebody more familiar.
“Who’s that the king is talking to?” Will whispered to Riley.
“His name’s Khal,” she said. “The king’s brother-in-law.”
Brother-in-law? Could this be the Raven? Will wondered.
He didn’t have time to think on it as he was ushered into the dining hall. Ocken and Riley took up their posts along the wall.
The only empty seat was beside Robert and across from Maya. The chair slid along the floor as he pulled it out and sat down.
Neither of them greeted him, instead casting him glares. That was all right with Will. He didn’t feel like talking to them either.
The footmen entered and served their meal. Will sat in silence, picking at his food. Glancing down at the king and Khal on occasion. The flame from the lamp on the table made the shadows dance on the blue tablecloth, mesmerizing Will. He watched the shadows, ignoring the continued stares from Maya and Robert.
After a few uncomfortable moments, Maya said, “Are you going to apologize or not?”
Will ignored her.
Robert nudged him. “She asked you a question.”
“Apologize for what?” Will said, meeting her gaze. He didn’t have anything to apologize for. She was the one that betrayed him. “You’re the one who should apologize.”
“Me?” she said, placing her hand on her chest. “Me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You left me. You…” Will’s words dawned on him and he looked away. Oh, gods. I screwed up, he thought. I’m Luka, not Will… I’m Luka. I’m Luka.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Maya asked. “You didn’t get a concussion or something?”
“No,” Will said. “I mean, yes… concussion. I hit my head.”
He turned his head back to find her staring at him, red eyes narrowed. They both gasped as their eyes met. She dropped her fork. He glanced down at it and back to Maya. The red was gone. Did he just see what he thought he saw?
He looked at the amulet around her neck, but the power of the goddess still glowed and moved with life within the stone. She grabbed the amulet and stuffed it inside her shirt.
Will returned his attention to Maya’s eyes and the red returned and disappeared again. Then it happened again… in time with the flickering of the flame on the table.
“Stop staring at me,” she said. “You’re making me uncomfortable.” She stood, tossed her napkin on the table, and ran from the room.
“Good going,” Robert said, sliding his chair back and following after her.
Will debated leaving, too, but thought against it. He couldn’t risk acting out of character. Why would Luka care about Maya?
Because they were cousins and cousins forgive each other, even annoying ones. Will sighed and left the table, his food barely touched.
As he exited the dining room he looked up and down the hall. The tail of Robert’s coat disappeared into a room and the door slammed shut. Will walked to the opposite end of the hall and looked around for signs of anyone, but there were none. Then he checked the stairwells. No one was coming.
Satisfied he wouldn’t be discovered, Will started to head back to the room to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“What?” Will heard Robert yell.
Will flinched. If he’d heard that, chances are someone else did. He froze in place, listening for footsteps. Each agonizing second caused his skin to tingle and his heart to race, but no one came.
As he crept closer he could hear muffled voices on the other side. He placed his ear against the door.
“…protect him at all costs,” Maya was telling Robert.
Will cursed. Did she know? She was smart. She knew what he could do. She heard the reports. Add in Luka’s odd behavior and perhaps she deduced for herself what happened. She knew Will was there to kill the king and they were making plans to thwart Will’s attempts.
But then why not just tell the king? It might be a delicate situation, Luka being Callum’s son and all. If they had no proof, they couldn’t just accuse people of not being themselves anymore. Instead, they opted to keep an eye on him.
“But you can’t tell Luka that we know,” Maya pleaded.
“Okay, fine,” Robert said. “I’ll keep my eye on him then.”
He knew it. They were on to him. His job just got a lot harder.
Their conversation had ended and Will heard footsteps. He panicked. If they found him here, they might just kill him on the spot. He turned and ran as fast as he could.
When the door opened, he spun around and pretended he was walking toward their door.
“There you are,” Will said in fake surprise as they emerged. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I’m just a little on edge. You would be too if someone almost took off your head. I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from that horrifying experience I—”
“All right,” Maya said, rolling her eyes. “We get it, you’re sorry. Trauma and all that. Look, I’m sorry, too. I can overreact sometimes.”
“Glad you two got that settled,” Robert said. “Now how about we all sneak down to the kitchens and raid the leftovers from dinner.”
Will sucked in air. They were trying to get him alone so they could kill him or interrogate him or take him prisoner. He wouldn’t let them. He wouldn’t go anywhere with them without his guards. Speaking of his guards.
“I’m afraid I can’t,” Will said. “I’ve got an early morning. I think I’m going to turn in.”
Robert furrowed his brow then shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said.
Will turned and left in a hurry. He took the stairs back up to the third floor and headed for his room. Looking over his shoulder to see if Robert had followed him, he didn’t watch where he was going. He ran into someone and let out a yell.
It was Ocken.
“Where did you go?” he asked.
“I followed Maya and Robert. We have a problem,” Will told him.
“Not here,” Ocken said. “Come on, back to your room.
Riley was already posted at the door. She opened it and ushered them inside, closing it behind her.
“What’s wrong?” Ocken asked.
“Maya and Robert are suspicious,” Will said. “I think she knows.”
“How?” Riley asked.
“I don’t know,” Will said, shrugging. “We spent almost a week together. Maybe she picked up my mannerisms.”
“All the more reason you need to work harder at being Luka,” Riley replied.
“No, all the more reason to find this stone and complete our mission,” Will said. “I can’t wait, I’m going out this evening.”
“Are you mad?” Riley asked. “They’ll catch you. There’s no one allowed in the halls after eleven but the king’s guard.”
“They can’t catch what they can’t see,” Will said. “I can do a lot more than I could when we last saw each other. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Riley stared at him reluctantly and chewed on her lip. “Fine,” she said. “But be careful.”
“Yes, Captain!” Wil
l said in an official voice, snapping to attention and giving a mock salute.
After midnight, when Will was certain everyone was asleep, he laid down on the bed as if he would join them. Then he separated his soul from his body. To anyone who came to check on him, it would look as if Luka was fast asleep in bed. If they tried to wake him, they’d discover he was a really heavy sleeper.
He stepped through the door as if it weren’t there and turned down the hallway to the king’s private chambers at the very end, far removed from the primary residences of the palace. The king liked his privacy.
Will heard shouting. Everyone was supposed to be asleep. He froze. What should he do? Wait another hour? He’d be exhausted by morning. Who’s to say the king would even go to sleep tonight? He wouldn’t wait another night, not when each day that passed meant a greater risk of discovery.
He was invisible anyway. No one could see him. He would be fine. He stepped past two guards and into the chamber and many things became apparent all at once.
The first was that Drygo’s room was larger than his whole house growing up. It even had a personal library that would make the priests in Celesti salivate with desire.
The king sat at his desk listening to Maya ramble on about being treated like a little girl.
“Well I wouldn’t have to if you acted your age,” Drygo said. “Running off in the middle of dinner… what are you, six? Show some restraint. You left a terrible impression with the newest dignitary from Penrythe who was visiting the palace at my invitation.”
That set her off. “You care more about your politics than you do your own daughter. At least Robert—”
“Don’t get me started with your boyfriend,” the king said. “I don’t know where you dragged that mutt in from but he is not nobleborn.”
“Neither was Uncle Callum and yet you don’t complain about him,” Maya retorted.
“Callum is different,” the king said, somewhat unprepared for this.
Will ignored them. It became clear enough they weren’t arguing about anything important.
He glanced around the room. Where would the king be most likely to put the stone? His bedside table was empty, the top of his desk clean.
Will checked the small library, looking for anything on the shelves out of the ordinary. Nothing. He wanted to check the king’s dresser, but without a physical form, there’s no way he could open the drawers.
He double and triple checked every visible surface in the whole room and came up empty every time.
“Why did you come in here in the first place?” Drygo said, cutting off another of Maya’s tirades.
“Robert and are I going out tomorrow. I wanted to wear one of mom’s necklaces,” she declared.
“You know where they are,” Drygo said with a wave and turned back to the letter he was writing at his desk.
Maya crossed the room and approached the dresser. Will drew in closer, hoping to sneak a look at whatever she did. She opened a drawer and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box. Its black body sat up on four curved legs.
Maya placed it on the top of the dresser and flipped the lid. All manner of jewels and necklaces lay inside.
There, in the center of the box, lay a dark blue gemstone with the rising sun etched on the front. He had found it.
He reached out his hand to grab it, but couldn’t in his soul form. Maya reached in to grab her necklace and her hand brushed up against Will’s.
She flinched and let out a yelp. Will recoiled, pulling his hand in close. Maya lifted her head. Will could have sworn she looked right into his eyes, but then she turned, scanning the room for what must have caused her unease.
“Is something wrong?” the king asked, mildly alarmed.
“No,” she said. “Nothing I…”
Will had had enough. He found his prize, but he couldn’t get to it now. He couldn’t risk getting caught by hanging around. He turned and walked through the door as fast as he could and back out into the hallway.
Maya exited a moment later. Will didn’t slow until he was safely in his room and back in his body.
He heard Maya ask Riley, “Is Luka in there?”
“Yes,” Riley said, “But he’s asleep. Has been for some time. He’s got a busy day tomorrow. Do you want me to leave a message?”
There was a brief silence followed by, “No, that won’t be necessary.”
Footsteps sounded and decreased in volume as Maya walked away, returning to her own chambers.
Will caught a lucky break in finding his stone, but he’d have to return in his physical body sometime during the day when he knew the king wouldn’t be there. There was still the matter of the king’s stone. He couldn’t kill him without it. Even so, his goal was within reach. Just a few more days.
29
Will awoke the next morning to sunlight in his eyes as the maid flung open the curtains. Will rolled over and groaned, pulling a pillow over his head. Imitating Luka or not, Will was not a morning person. At least not when he slept in a bed as comfortable as he had last night.
He thought about laying there all morning. That thought disintegrated a moment later when Ocken burst into the room.
“Come on. Up,” Ocken said, pulling the sheets off the bed. “You’ll be late for morning warm-ups and Callum’s in a bad mood today. You do not want to push him.”
Will groaned again and rubbed his eyes then sat up and yawned. He had slept in his clothes as he was accustomed to doing. Bleary eyed, he stood and walked to the door.
“Where are you going?” Ocken asked.
“Down to the yard,” Will said, as if that should have been obvious.
“Not like that you aren’t,” he said, indicating Will’s clothes.
Will looked down. He was dressed in blue pants with a yellow tunic tucked inside and a brown vest on top.
“Here,” Ocken said.
Will looked up as a wad of clothing flew at him. He flinched away to avoid getting hit, and caught them. Stepping into the dressing room, Will changed into a simple gray shirt and pants.
As he exited, Ocken said, “Much better. Let’s go.”
They walked through the front doors and out into the palace grounds. A crowd of trainees had already gathered at the bottom of the steps.
“You’re late!” Callum shouted from somewhere in the crowd.
“Almost late, sir,” Ocken said.
“On time is late. Don’t give the boy a pass,” Callum said with a snort. “He needs to toughen up.”
“Told you he was in a mood,” Ocken said through the corner of his mouth.
“File in and get going,” Callum said, heading for the palace. “And don’t give Sergeant Morley any grief or there’ll be trouble.”
“All right recruits, you heard the man, file in and… go!” shouted Sergeant Morley.
The trainees took off. The ones at the front immediately distanced themselves from those in the rear, while a few stragglers struggled to get going. Will stood and watched.
“Ugh, running? Seriously?” Will whined.
“What are you waiting for?” Ocken said. “Go! Don’t mess this up.”
Will groaned again then started off after the trainees. Will loathed running. His mother had made him do it every day since he turned twelve. He thought by now that he’d be used to it, but no. Will marveled at how he could be good at something yet still hate every minute of it.
Will passed the runner at the rear with ease.
While his body ran, his mind was elsewhere. Thinking about the stones. As soon as he had a free moment, he was going in to reclaim what was his. More people fell behind him as he ran.
Then all he would have to do is find Drygo’s stone and destroy it. Evindal had recommended seeking out the Raven. He had said it was someone close to the king. That Khal was pretty close, yet Will had never heard of him. Who else could it be? Callum? Shaw? Will scoffed at the idea.
If it was Shaw, then the Revenant was already doomed to failure.
> Will looked around him as he ran but didn’t see anyone.
Where’d they go? he thought.
Turning around, he found them all behind him. Even the ones he’d seen take off at the beginning. He was in the lead. Finishing first, he came to rest in front of Sergeant Morley.
The sergeant’s jaw was slack and his eyes wide. “Where has that Luka been these last few months?” he asked. “Wow. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
A sharp pain pierced his side and Will winced.
Luka still didn’t have it in him, Will thought. He still had trouble remembering he was in a different body. He couldn’t do the things he normally would and Luka wasn’t in the best of shape. His mind was distracted and ran like it normally did. Exercise was all in the head anyway.
Will grabbed his side and heaved a deep breath.
Well, not all in the head, he thought.
It was only as the trainees came around him and clapped him on the shoulders, congratulating him on a good run, that Will realized he wasn’t doing a very good job of blending in.
“What’s your secret?” one boy asked. “A special food, drink… drug?”
Will just shrugged him off and tried to avoid interacting with anyone he didn’t need to. If he even opened his mouth and said the wrong thing, the whole plan would be ruined. He couldn’t afford to be discovered. Not now. Not when he was so close.
Ocken waited off to the side during the whole routine. Morley ran them through stretches, jumping jacks, push-ups, lunges… pretty much everything that Will hated, they did it. Will realized a long time ago that he could enjoy the results without liking the process of getting them.
After they were done, Ocken took Will back to his room to get changed out of his sweaty clothes back into Luka’s casual attire. Riley was waiting for them when they arrived. Will put on some clean clothes, left his room, and turned to head for the king’s chambers. Now was as good a time as any.
“Where are you going?” Ocken said.
Will looked around, stepped in close to Ocken, and whispered, “I found it.”
Soul Render (Soul Stones Book 1) Page 26