Rise of Legends (The Kin of Kings Book 2)

by Narro, B. T.

  Cheot didn’t bother sitting, so Sanya didn’t either. Tauwin glared at her, his beady eyes full of judgment. So he was the one who’d sent Bliss. Sanya’s pulse increased. This was a grave problem, especially with Lori now in Bliss’ body.

  Tauwin offered no greeting but simply began the interrogation Sanya expected. “When was the last time you saw your father?”

  Now she needed a blade more than ever. She tried not to let her nerves show as she made a point of relaxing her arms. “Yesterday, like I told Cheot.”

  “You’ll now tell us.” Tauwin gestured at Bliss.

  Sanya couldn’t read her mother. There was no smile, just an empty look. She reached out with psyche but only felt worry.

  “I spoke to my father through the door, so I never saw him,” Sanya explained. “He was sick. At least that’s what he told me.”

  “Did you ask anyone at my mansion about his whereabouts today?”

  “No, I just waited in his room expecting him to return. It’s unlike him to leave for long without a note, especially when he expected me today.”

  “Are you saying you have no idea where he is?”

  “That’s correct.” Sanya didn’t bother manipulating her BE to make her lie undetectable. Her mother had been there and knew the truth already. Tauwin gave a hard look to the psychic he trusted.

  “It’s true, sire,” Lori said, and Sanya felt a surge of relief. So her mother was sane enough to understand the situation. When she’d first come back, it was like she could barely think. Now at least she appeared composed, even if it did seem that the slightest turmoil could break her. There was still so much rage Sanya could feel within her mother. She didn’t know where it had come from; Lori was always gentle, often sinking into depression instead of screaming at Spiro.

  Tauwin scratched his head as if confused. “Are you certain?”

  “I am,” Lori said.

  “What?” Tauwin clearly was surprised by her answer. He folded his arms. “I want you to tell Sanya your theory.”

  Lori’s gaze met Sanya’s from across the table, and Sanya could finally feel the connection that she’d shared with her mother’s spirit. It had been missing since she’d brought her back, making her question everything she’d done until that moment. Love and unconditional support came with it. Sanya couldn’t help but smile at her.

  But did she have access to Bliss’ memories? Clearly Bliss and Tauwin had been plotting something during their nights together. Bliss had probably wanted to replace Sanya as the queen of Kyrro.

  “My theory, sire?” Lori looked back at him apologetically.

  “There’s no reason to be coy,” he said, his tone thick with annoyance. He glared at Sanya. “She thinks your sudden interest in marrying me within a week is because of some scheme you’ve come up with, and I think she’s right.” He tapped his finger on the table in a steady rhythm as he spoke, his face showing great anger as if it was taking all of his willpower to keep from throwing something at Sanya. “You knew your father would leave. Admit it.”

  “My king.” She spoke as if hurt he would assume such a thing. “I had no idea, and Bliss just confirmed for you that I’m telling the truth.” She had always figured Tauwin didn’t care about her father’s support like Tauwin’s father had. Why else would the young king leave Spiro in his family’s mansion instead of bringing him to the castle to take advantage of his expertise in potion making?

  “She’s lying, isn’t she?”

  “No, sire,” Lori answered. “She’s been nothing but honest with you.”

  Tauwin looked surprised, then confused. Now Sanya knew what had happened—his face revealed everything. Bliss must’ve whispered many things about Sanya in Tauwin’s ear last night. She must’ve convinced Tauwin to let her spy. But what she saw didn’t matter because she was going to lie to have me removed from the castle, or maybe it was to have me killed.

  Lori didn’t seem comfortable in Bliss’ body, looking like a bad actor in a play—not quite sure what to do with her hands. But no one could suspect the truth. Even if Sanya told them, they wouldn’t believe it.

  Tauwin whispered something to Bliss that looked like an annoyed question, given his disdainful expression. She shook her head, then whispered something back. He leaned away from her and scowled as if she’d said something utterly ridiculous.

  “Now you’re lying to me, too!” he yelled.

  Lori stepped away from him, startled by his sudden anger.

  “She wouldn’t,” Cheot argued. “We’re loyal to you completely.”

  “No.” Tauwin shook his head as he jabbed his finger at Bliss. “Something must’ve happened between her and Sanya. The three of them are probably plotting with Spiro Grayhart. Perhaps he offered your daughter money.”

  “That didn’t happen,” Sanya tried to say, but she could barely hear herself over Cheot’s loud voice.

  “Bliss, what did you just tell the king to give him such an idea?”

  Tauwin raised his voice to match Cheot’s. “She claimed Sanya is completely loyal to me.” The young king twisted his neck to give an icy look at Sanya. “Yet just last night, Bliss convinced me Sanya doesn’t have any feelings toward me and is using me for my power.”

  Bliss had been right, but even a powerful psychic couldn’t have determined that from Sanya’s bastial energy. She’d been careful to shape it accordingly. The psychic probably had used psyche and her beauty to change Tauwin’s mind about Sanya.

  “She must’ve been lying before,” Sanya said, trying to hint to her mother. “And now she’s not.”

  “That’s true,” Lori agreed. “I made up everything before because I was jealous of Sanya.”

  Cheot seemed stunned by his daughter’s words. “Bliss, you don’t have to fear Sanya or her father. If one of them has threatened to you, let us know.”

  “They haven’t.”

  Confused and angry, Tauwin shook his head and put up his hands. “Just speak the truth right now. Is Sanya loyal?”

  “Yes, completely.”

  Tauwin slammed down his fist. “Something happened today between the two of you, and I’m going to find out what it is. Cheot, go get my other psychics.”

  “They’re just going to confirm everything we’ve already said,” Sanya tried. “And I’m insulted you think I would go against you! I’ve been loyal from the start, risking my life in the Academy. It was all for you…for us. We’re going to be a family after all.”

  This stopped him for a moment. She used psyche to try to make him love her again, but it felt like trying to bend a steel rod. His face returned to the angry countenance he’d worn since she’d entered the room.

  “Go, Cheot. We’ll let the psychics determine the real truth.”

  Sanya panicked, though she didn’t let it show. She’d be able to lie to any psychic, but her mother wouldn’t. If they were interrogated, it would end with one or both of their heads cleaved off by Hector’s ax.

  Sanya considered her options. Running was the only one that made sense, but Lori was all the way on the other side of the table.

  “Come here,” Sanya called her.

  Hector stirred at the sight of Lori moving without Tauwin’s permission, as she quickly walked toward Sanya.

  “Sire?” he questioned.

  Tauwin rose from his seat and followed close but didn’t look worried. “Let them talk. I want to hear what they have to say to each other.”

  Sanya tried to use psyche to give her mother the urge to run. The features of Lori’s face toughened. She understood. Sanya took her hand and marched toward Hector.

  “Stop,” Tauwin said, “or I’ll have him kill you.” There was no joy in his tone. Perhaps he still did love Sanya, maybe even both of them after all the psyche had twisted his mind. But she had no doubt that he would still order their deaths in an instant. He’d loved his father, and that hadn’t stopped him.

  Sanya got as close as she could, then hit Hector with a spell of pain. The giant of a man lost c
ontrol of his legs and crashed to the ground. His ax slid across the floor. Sanya gave it one quick glance and considered picking it up. She could end Tauwin easily, but he’d already begun to shout for them to be stopped. It wasn’t worth the risk of becoming trapped.

  She ran with Lori and barely made it out the door before guards met them on the other side. They seemed confused by the sight of Sanya and Lori running, none yet wielding their blades. They tried to grab the two of them instead, but psyche quickly disabled them. If Lori had Bliss’ ability with psyche, she hadn’t used it yet.

  “Where are we going?” Lori asked as she and Sanya ran down the stairs.

  Sanya hadn’t figured that out yet.

  “Stop them! Kill them!” Tauwin yelled from the top of the stairs. However, only servants shared the long stairway that zigzagged down to the second floor. All of them moved to get out of Sanya and Lori’s way except for one, who dropped a tray of food and extended his arms.

  “Jump,” Sanya instructed Lori, then flattened the servant with pain. Sanya was careful not to make any motion that would show she was the psychic doing this. It probably didn’t matter anymore, but she felt safer keeping her secret hidden. They leapt over the servant’s body and landed on the second floor.

  As they made a sharp turn and crossed beneath the stairway, Sanya could hear boots stomping down in pursuit. The same sound came from below, these boots coming up toward them. There was no other way out besides through the great hall.

  “We’re trapped,” Lori said, yet there was no fear in her voice. “It’s over, isn’t it? I had so little time back.”

  “Don’t give up! I’ll stop anyone from getting to us, as I have already. Just pretend it’s you casting the psyche.”

  They hurried toward the last stairway, passing by startled servants who looked torn between jumping out of the way and tackling Sanya. She’d been kind to every inhabitant of the castle that she’d met, and she could see the hesitance in their familiar faces as she passed by.

  But then Tauwin’s mother ran into the hall to see who was escaping. She stared with a shocked expression.

  “He thinks we’re lying!” Sanya yelled. “Now he’s trying to kill us.”

  There was no time to use psyche to support her words, but she soon found it wasn’t needed.

  “Tauwin! Call off this order immediately!”

  “Mother, you don’t understand!” he yelled from the floor above. “Stop them,” he told his guards. “Kill them if you must.”

  “Tauwin, this is madness!” Kithala screamed. “Guards! Do not kill them.”

  Her order confused the men crowding the last stairway, causing them to lower their weapons and glance at each other. Sanya pained the lead man who was covered in armor. As he fell, she kicked him so that he toppled backward onto his comrades. They too, fell backward until all were tumbling down the stairs. A few got back up before Sanya and Lori passed by, but Sanya pained them before they could get their hands up.

  “Bliss, what are you doing?” screamed Cheot from somewhere above them. “Stop!”

  “Sanya, stop!” Kithala added. “We can talk through this! Tauwin, tell her!”

  There was no chance Sanya would stop no matter what Tauwin promised, but he said nothing. Guards crowded the doorway that led out of the castle. Sanya took them down with ease. Not a single man seemed trained to resist psyche. I should’ve taken the time to kill Tauwin. She’d planned to wait until after she was queen of Kyrro, when she could use her psyche and charm to rule after her husband’s death, but now that could never happen.

  She turned and pained all of the men trying to chase them, focusing on whoever was closest as she let Lori take the lead. Soon Lori had brought them into an alley. They crossed through and then came out onto another street. Sanya faintly heard Tauwin shouting, but the sound of his shrill and desperate voice became softer and softer as they ran down another alley.

  Their escape route took them north, but Sanya wasn’t sure she wanted to go that way. Lori must’ve sensed her hesitation, worry crossing her face. “Where should we go?”

  They had no water or food, but at least Sanya had a bit of money in a coin purse in her pocket. The akorell bracelet was in the other, though she figured whatever substance her father had poured on it had rendered it useless. If it wouldn’t glow with energy, she could never sell it.

  Her thoughts were getting ahead of her. She still needed somewhere to hide.

  “Tenred?” Lori asked. Of course she would, as it was her home when she was last alive.

  But they would have to pass the Academy and then go through the Fjallejon Mountains to get there. Sanya doubted that was possible.

  “I need time to think.”

  They continued to run north. Sanya shot looks behind her, but they’d crossed through so many streets that she would’ve been surprised to see anyone still behind them. As they neared the edge of the capital, her mother began to slow and huff loudly.

  “This girl can’t run for very long,” Lori complained. “Who was she?”

  “I’ll explain everything later.” But there was something Sanya had wanted to know for years and couldn’t wait any longer. “All those times I came to see you in the spiritual world, could you see me?”

  “I didn’t even know I was dead.”

  “What? How can that be?”

  But Lori shook her head, too fatigued to speak while running.

  Eventually, Sanya felt they’d gone far enough and earned a rest. She brought her mother into a nearby tavern, sat her down, then walked up to the owner and used psyche to convince him she was an old friend and needed water. He gave her a glass without asking for money, and she brought it to her mother.

  “We’ll start again as soon as I know where we’re going. Can you answer my question now?”

  After a gulp, Lori nodded and said, “I think I used to know I was dead and then I forgot, because I remember having some sort of understanding.” She drank her water, then stared at the empty mug. “I know it sounds confusing. But to answer your question, no, I don’t remember ever seeing you.”

  Sanya felt her heart drop. It didn’t sound like her mother had missed her. Sanya didn’t let herself think about it further. There were more pressing matters to worry about. “We’ll talk more once we’re safe.”

  Her mother nodded firmly, showing she was ready to run again, so Sanya stood and headed toward the door.

  “There isn’t much more I could say about death,” Lori said as she hurried to keep up. “I don’t remember much.”

  Sanya put her arm on Lori’s shoulder. It was still strange to look into Bliss’ eyes and find her mother looking back, but Sanya forced herself to smile. “I’m just happy you’re here.”

  “Me too,” Lori said after a moment. Sanya felt ill with dread—it wasn’t fully the truth.

  They’d already gone this far north, so Sanya figured they might as well leave the city in the same direction. The Fjallejon Mountains would block them from going more than a few miles, and there was nothing but ocean to the west. That meant they could veer eastward and head to the Academy, which was suicidal, or they could turn east and find sanctuary in the northern end of Raywhite Forest.

  It’s not where we’re going to live, but at least we can stay there until I figure out a better place.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  It had been two days since they’d left the old Kreppen encampment, heading toward the new home to the Krepps, a village in Merejic. Or perhaps the village belonged to Elves only. Basen would have to wait to find out.

  With little to eat, no one spoke much during the trek. He, Cleve, and Alabell could walk for twenty miles a day, but Annah wasn’t quite as fit. Her little legs struggled to keep up.

  Fortunately, psychics made for incredible hunters, so no one thought of her as a burden. She could sense animals and lure them over to give Cleve an easy shot with his bow. But she had to be in range to sense an animal, and creatures seemed to keep too much distance from th
eir group for them to ever catch as much as they wanted to eat.

  By the third day since Jackrie’s departure, they came to the end of the river they’d been following. Now they would have to ration water as well as food. They ventured into a small forest, possibly the last one in Kilmar. Earlier, they’d seen the land from atop a hill and knew they were approaching miles of desert.

  To make matters worse, night was coming quickly. When Basen pointed this out to Cleve, he asked Basen and Alabell to gather sticks and make a campfire while he and Annah hunted.

  Alone with Alabell, Basen made himself more vigilant. With Cleve and Annah away, it was solely Basen’s responsibility to protect her. He drew out his wand.

  Alabell seemed startled by it. “Do you see something?”

  “No, I’m just preparing myself.”

  “There’s nothing in Kilmar that could hurt us except for snakes and Krepps.”

  If she wanted him to put away his wand, it would spark a disagreement. “That sounds like enough of a threat to me.”

  “Most Krepps can’t be killed with a single fireball.”

  He glanced at her. She paused while picking up a stick, then smiled at him. “I’m just trying to prepare you to shoot twice if we do see a Krepp.”

  “You think one would attack us?”

  “One, no. A group of them, though…are you going to help me collect sticks and brush or just wait until I’m finished so you can light the fire and feel like you’ve done something?”

  “You’ve figured out my plan,” he joked, then began helping her.

  The grass grew in square patches with dirt trails around it as if the area had once been a garden. But none of the trees seemed young, and there weren’t any stumps around, so if humans or Krepps had tended to the land, they’d never cleared the trees.

  “Do Krepps garden?” he asked Alabell.

  “They never did before, but they might now.” She took a long look at the small fields of grass around them. “I doubt it was Krepps that were here before us. This looks too neat. Maybe Slugari came here years ago.”