by Tara Brown
“Thank you. I would like to learn to fight,” Lenny said as she took the belt and put it on, wincing as she fixed the swords to her hips again. Scar and Ollie hung at her sides, Scar inspecting, dissatisfied with the events.
“Absolutely not.” Lord Ivor scoffed. “She can’t learn with the guards. Look at them.” He pointed at the groaning men struggling to help each other stand. “Banks was about to kick her while she was down, which we all know goes against the rules of the arena.” Ivor’s face was flushed and his eyes wide. “No weapons, no hitting in the back, and no kicking when someone is down. Banks wanted to hurt her. He has no respect for her, or any other woman. And he’s not even the worst one here.”
“Then I guess I will have to earn it,” Lenny said, scowling at him. “It won’t be the first time I’ve had to earn my place.”
“No! I forbid this.” Lord Ivor glared. “You will not come here again. Ever! Do you hear me?”
Ignoring his tirade and refusing to agree to anything he demanded, she patted her dogs and avoided his face. “If you’ll both excuse me, I have to get ready for this evening.” She turned and left, annoyed with Prince Landon for forcing her to fight, or rather take a beating. Annoyed that she hadn’t been able to defend herself until Lord Ivor was outnumbered. And particularly annoyed with Lord Ivor for—well—everything.
The only part of the entire encounter she enjoyed was that Banks remained unconscious.
It was a fate he deserved.
One good thing came from the pain in her body and the bruising to her ego—she was being invited to fight with the guard trainers, despite Ivor not wanting her to. She would just have to ensure Landon still agreed. From the moment she had received them, all she wanted was to learn to use her swords. She would earn the swords on her hips, just as she had earned the respect of her uncle and his crew.
She rolled her shoulders as she walked back to the castle, noting the pain settling back in.
“You will wait for me!” Lord Ivor bellowed after her, his boots crunching on the ground. “We will discuss this!”
She quickened her pace but her body was aching and throbbing. There was no way she would outrun him, so she turned when she got to the field between the lower section of the castle and the arena. She glared, her fingertips tapping on the hilt of her sword. “There is nothing to discuss!”
“The hell there isn’t. You are not coming back here. No matter what, this is not the place for you to learn to fight. I was wrong. I am willing to admit that.”
“How am I going to learn?” she asked, hating how childish her tone came across.
“I’ll teach you myself.” He was indignant and fiery. “Away from prying eyes.”
“That would require you being near me, milord,” she retorted rudely.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he snarled.
“You know very well,” she snapped, leaning forward a bit, almost daringly.
But he didn’t back down, he stepped closer, glaring on her. “I’m afraid I don’t, perhaps you’ll do me the courtesy of explaining it.” His words might as well have been daggers laced with poison.
“Lenny, I am so sorry,” Prince Landon interrupted as he hurried after them.
“Will you escort me back, Prince Landon?” she asked him but continued to glare at Ivor.
“I’d be delighted to. Hopefully, you’ll allow me to continue offering my deepest regrets and apologies.”
“I’ll walk her, Landon,” Lord Ivor growled.
“No, thank you, milord.” She took Prince Landon’s arm, sneering at Lord Ivor as she walked away with his cousin.
“That seemed rather heated,” Landon said, glancing back at Lord Ivor who was kicking the taller grass and cussing to himself.
“If it’s possible, I’d still like to train to fight. I would prefer he not know.”
“I don’t know Lenny, he and you have an understanding—”
“Please, Landon. You saw, I need to learn to fight. I can’t wait for my fear and rage to kick in. And if I do lose control in a fight, having skills would explain away anything abnormal for a girl. What will you tell Banks and the other guards? This is the only way. Lord Ivor will never be hard enough on me; he will never train me to fight for my life. With him, it will never be at risk. And I’m afraid someone will see me lose control, and I’ll have no excuse for my skill,” she pleaded softly, knowing she was taking advantage of the debt he owed her, particularly now that his afternoon fun had resulted in her being beaten.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he grumbled but made no real promises.
“Thank you,” Lenny smiled.
All she could do was hope the guilt he suffered was enough to convince him.
After all, he would be king by dusk.
If he couldn’t make it happen, who could?
Chapter 11
The evening air was crisp as if summer was slipping away.
The coronation had been beautiful, even Lenny had to admit. Hilde beamed with pride watching her betrothed take his staff, his orb, and his crown.
The queen, Aunt Mildred, and Lenny’s mother were equally impressed with the entire night. They gushed nonstop.
But it was King Landon who stole all the praise. His miraculous recovery was the talk of the night.
Lord Ivor was stoic as always. Head held high, face blank, eyes filled with emotion he refused to reveal, and his chest out. He was still incredibly angry with Lenny. She gleaned that much from him and his stance. Fortunately for Lenny, he wasn’t able to leave his cousin’s side. King Landon’s eyes drifted to his cousin constantly as if seeking approval. Lord Ivor would offer the slightest of nods, more of a twitch than anything. But no one else seemed to notice.
And now that it was over, the music and delights had begun.
But Lenny didn’t feel like being delighted. Her body ached. Her heart was worn out. And her spirit was beaten nearly as much as her back. She contemplated healing herself a few times but the cost ate at her. She could not put her life above a single other.
She made her way outside and stood alone on the terrace, staring at the sea and wondering where Amaya was. Could she be in the harbor, watching the lights and listening for the sounds of applause? This was exactly the sort of night she wouldn’t dare miss.
“Do you think she’s there, watching us?” Hilde asked as she walked out of the ballroom, no doubt reading her sister’s mind. They had done it all their lives, thought something similar at the same time. Or recognized a look on each other’s faces.
“I do,” Lenny whispered.
“I miss her.” Hilde’s words softened as she leaned on her younger sister.
“Me too,” Lenny said. She allowed the embrace.
“We have lost too much this summer. Speaking of which, I haven’t thanked you properly for saving Landon. In truth, I don’t know how to.” Hilde gave her a side-glance, her eyes glistening in the torchlight. “How to express my gratitude.”
“It’s fine, really.” Lenny shook her head, not wanting to discuss it. She’d managed to push most of the experience to the back of her mind. As if it were a dream, she’d recalled a little too clearly. “Though, can you recall the dream you had about me healing the prince? The one that motivated me to do it? It’s been bothering me that you thought it at all. It seemed to come out of nowhere.”
“Not well.” Hilde squinted as if she were thinking hard. “In the dream I was in my room, lying on my bed and the prince was there. He stood in the window, whispering to me that you had healed him. We were to be married sooner because you had healed him. He said it over and over and then I woke. It was light out and the birds were chirping as they had in the dream.” Hilde shrugged. “That’s all I recall.”
“Odd.” Lenny was disappointed. She had hoped some clues might come from Hilde’s dream. “Perhaps it was Wilfred trying to reach you,” Lenny teased. “At least it worked.”
“And as much as I want to be the most grateful, I can’t compete with the
queen or Lord Ivor. They’re both beyond excited.” She smiled.
“Lord Ivor isn’t grateful. He’s upset. He’s pleased for his cousin’s health and the fact he no longer has to take the crown. But he’s devastated at the cost of the magic.” Lenny dreaded the conversation and yet couldn’t fight talking about it. “He has barely spoken to me since it happened. I caught him avoiding me in the hall yesterday. He saw me and turned quickly, taking the servants’ stairs instead of facing me.” The admission made her heart ache, but she needed to share it with someone. “I was stunned he came to my aid when Prince—King Landon made me fight in the yard today.”
“Fight in the yard?” Hilde asked, her eyes lowering to the wounds on Lenny’s hands. “Is that how this happened?” She turned and stared back at the open doors to the massive ballroom and the glowing light coming from inside.
“Yes, Landon heard from his mother that I fight with an unnatural skill.” Lenny frowned recalling it. “But it doesn’t work the way he thought it would. I tried to tell him only he wouldn’t—”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Lenny said with a sigh, not wanting to start problems with the king and his queen. “Let’s change the subject. You will be married in two weeks. Are you excited?”
“No,” Hilde admitted with a whisper. “I’m scared, Lenny. Mother said some of the riders have been coming back from their investigations today, confirming to the queen that magic is appearing in the kingdom. I don’t know what that means. And you are—changing.” Her words made Lenny lift her gaze to her sister’s. Hilde’s eyes shone with worry.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know that,” Hilde said. “But what if something were to happen to you? I would die inside.” She slipped her fingers into Lenny’s. “You are all that is left of my heart. Wilf and Amaya—” Her focus drifted to the sea that was illuminated by the moonlight. “And I don’t understand why you’re wrapped up in this. Why you?”
“I’m not sure. But since Wilfred and the storm, I can’t seem to stop the changes as they’re coming. I almost feel as though I’m welcoming them. Inadvertently.”
“I think you should hide your talents and stay here and let the guards protect you. Stay with me,” she pleaded.
“Nothing will happen to me, Hilde. I swear it. And I won’t let anything happen to you either.”
“Lenny, you don’t understand, I wanted this life. This royal life. Fancy carriages and stunning castles and a rich husband who would bathe me in jewels and finery. This is all my fault.” Her face pinched in disgust. “My selfishness has cost us everything. Had I not been engaged to Landon, we wouldn’t have traveled the King’s Road. We wouldn’t have lured the lupine to Blockley. Amaya would be fine. Wen’s mother wouldn’t have cared about us, she wouldn’t have made the storm. Wilf would be alive. This is all my fault.” She closed her eyes, releasing a single tear down her pale cheek. It sparkled in the light of the torches and moon. “I reached too high without knowing the cost was everything I hold dear.”
“Yes,” Lenny whispered. “You did. And as much as I wish we could place the blame somewhere simple like yours and Mother’s grasping at crowns”—Lenny closed her eyes too, reliving it all—“I fear the blame is not so easily placed.”
“Either way, I am truly sorry if I caused this.” Hilde leaned into her sister but the embrace didn’t last.
“Girls!” Aunt Mildred’s shrill voice interrupted their sadness and regrets. “Why are you two out here looking so morose? Hilde, get inside and make your husband-to-be smile. It’s his night, not yours. Selfish girl!”
“Yes, Aunty.” Hilde curtseyed and scurried inside, saying nothing more.
“And you,” her aunt growled. “Stop trying to make this all about you. Your ridiculous need to be special is beyond what I’ve encountered in my lifetime.”
But Lenny wasn’t like Hilde. She didn’t flinch when she leaned into her aunt, speaking softly in a tone that wouldn’t be mistaken, “Speak to me or Hilde like that again, and I’ll accidentally grab for your hand next time I need to take a life to spare one.”
Mildred straightened, her jaw dropping.
Lenny pushed past her, headed to the gardens below.
Her gown was enormous and yet left her feeling every bit of the crisp evening air that warned of an early autumn. Her entire chest was nearly bare, as were her shoulders and forearms. The gown cinched at the waist but pouffed out at her hips and was shaped like a bell, swishing along the ground when she walked. It hid the fact she was barefoot. The shoes had tried to take her life, so she’d removed them before they left the suites.
The gown was pale, a creamy white color with random bunches of fabric made to resemble roses along the skirt. It was pretty, beyond what Lenny had worn before, but not her type of clothing.
She wandered the maze in the garden, gently trailing her fingers against the silky blossoms that were clinging to the last of summer.
In the moon and torchlight it was stunning, perfection. A view of the sparkling sea, the bright moon, and the garden maze with a gorgeous castle as its backdrop.
Even from her view so far removed, the party in the ballroom was lovely.
Music wafted out on the soft breeze, bringing the air to life.
People smiled and danced and touched each other in friendly ways. Hands rested on arms and the small of backs. Fingers entwined in one another.
Laughter joined the music, making the air twinkle with life and animation.
Mildred for all her faults had been correct; the kingdom needed its king. The world was peaceful now, pleasant. Lenny had also noticed in the city that the streets and gates weren’t flooded with mourners or whispers of revolt.
It was calm, rejoicing at the beginning of a new era.
And by miracle with which the prince was healed, all believed him to be saved by the gods as the chosen one. A rumor no one in the castle tried to argue.
“There you are! I’ve been searching everywhere for you.” Queen Saleen came down the vast staircase to the left, from a terrace over top the ballroom where a small portion of the party had decided to sit. “Why are you alone out here?”
“I enjoy watching everyone having fun.” Lenny smiled. “I suppose that sounds strange, but it’s nice to see it from a distance instead of being lost in the mix of it.” Lenny didn’t mention she only felt this way with the wealthy families in the castle. In the mix of the paupers in the city, she was quite at home.
“And as strange as this sounds, I completely understand.” Queen Saleen laughed. “Has Brother Estevan come to see you?”
“Not since the morning I woke on Pappelwhick?” Lenny questioned with her tone as to why he would. “I know he wanted to speak to me about something, a scroll he found I believe, but he hasn’t had the time yet. I’ve tried reaching out to him, but he always says later. He wants to have some answers before we speak.” Lenny shrugged.
“I see.” She lowered her voice, “Well, I’d like to speak to you about something else. Word has started to come back.” The humor left the queen’s stare. “The sabotage our kingdom has faced—” She paused, wrestling with the words. “It’s real,” she whispered. “It’s all real. The brothers have assured me magic is alive in our kingdom once more. It has started as a whisper, half there and half not. But it’s building. Something is strengthening it and soon it will be at its full power.” She knit her brow. “Lenny—” Again, she paused.
“Yes?” Lenny’s entire body was prickling with pins and needles though Hilde had already told her their mother had said it was all true. Somehow the seriousness in the queen’s voice and expression gave her chills.
“I have a confession.” The queen lost all her confidence and authority. She shrunk back, scared of the words she was about to speak. She’d never shared them with a single soul. “I’ve seen magic before. I know the terrible price of it.”
Lenny felt the truth in the sentence.
“I was in t
he northeastern kingdoms where magic has always been,” she whispered, licking her lips nervously. “I saw the witches there, the dark and the light and the in-between. They’re dangerous. Necromancers who can raise the dead. Spellcasters who can create love. Covens of witches who could curse you so deeply your family would feel it for generations. No good can come of it.”
“And Lorna Knightly saw it too?”
“She did,” Queen Saleen admitted but said nothing more about Lorna. “It terrifies me, though Brother Estevan assures me that for every bit of darkness awoken, there is something light.”
“What does it mean for Dahleigh?”
“It means there is something coming which we cannot fight ourselves and we need to find the light.” She lifted her hands, gripping Lenny’s arms. “We will need people like you.”
“Who will train them?” Lenny asked. “The brothers have not yet offered me training, and I have asked. I do not believe they understand magic well enough.”
“The brothers who will remain on the island are working that out for us now. They believe they will be fit to train you when you return. You must go with the brothers when they begin this campaign to find other magical creatures, the light. They’re out there, hiding and scared. Their magic is waking up and they don’t know what to do. Before they’re turned to the darkness, the lustful and complicated side of the unjust, you must find them. Bring them to Pappelwhick where they will be trained in the light, with you.”
“You want me to go too?” Lenny was lost.
“The caravan leaves in a fortnight, the day after the wedding. Landon told me you wish to train with the guards. I think this is best. It will be easier to explain your odd magical fighting capabilities if you have some fighting skills.”
Her words lit Lenny’s heart a little. “I agree.”