Her father was dead. Dead! How could this have happened? Something wasn’t right.
Her legs weakened and just as she was about to let the blackness close over her, a pair of strong arms lifted her into the air, cradling her as if she were an infant.
A cloth was pressed to her face and a familiar fragrance washed over her, steadying her, lowering her heart rate until she was certain she was all right.
“Jasmine!” the Alchemist gasped. “I got to you just in time. What’s happened here? Are you okay?”
She rested her head on his chest, enjoying being closer to this man than she’d ever been before. Oh, how his wife must enjoy being held by these safe arms.
“Father is dead.” Her voice was impassive. Calm.
“He’s gone to a better place,” the Alchemist said, as he carried her from the room. “We must be happy for him.”
“We’re very lucky,” Jasmine said. “So lucky. Father is lucky, too.”
“That’s right.” The Alchemist set her down gently on the window seat and sat beside her, keeping her tucked under his arm for support. She nestled in closer, unsure as to how long this would last and determined to make the most of it. He’d surely withdraw his arm soon and this moment would shatter.
But he didn’t withdraw his arm, instead, he pulled her closer and used his other hand to tip up her face to look at him. His perfume filled her senses, the exotic fragrance winding its way through to her core and calming her nerves.
“You are lucky,” he said.
“Your wife is too,” she said, not so much reminding him of her existence, but herself. Her stomach pulled into a knot as she wondered if his wife would like to see her husband with his arm around another woman like this. It was hard to know what his strange wife would think, having never met her properly.
“You must protect yourself from the plague,” the Alchemist said, bringing the cloth to her face once more. “You’ve just been exposed to it, remember.”
She inhaled and wondered why she felt so strange. She’d been thinking about something just now, although she couldn’t remember what it was. Perhaps the Alchemist knew what they’d just been speaking of?
Before she had a chance to ask, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly at first and then when she responded, he deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth with his own.
Her hands flew to his neck and she pulled him closer. Having never kissed a man before, she wasn’t certain what to do, so she let him lead. And lead he did, taking her from a place of confusion to one of desperate passion in a matter of moments. She’d dreamed of this moment for so many years now, almost as if she knew it would happen one day. It felt so right.
Her eyes closed and the scent of him filled her completely, in a way it never had before when her eyes had been distracting her. This man was good. He was kind. He was here to save them all.
He broke away and she leaned forward, not wanting this moment to ever end.
“I need to ask something of you.” His voice was breathy and soft. But determined.
“Anything,” she said, meaning it.
“Now that your father has gone to a better place, the apothecary is yours. I need you to sign it over to me, so I can continue my work.”
“Of course,” she said. “You must continue your work.”
“I have the papers.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a pen and a contract. “Let’s waste no time. All the lives of Wintergreen are at stake.”
He handed her a pen and pointed to a line at the bottom of a page, his nose twitching as he waited. It was like his nose had a life of its own sometimes.
She hesitated, and he pulled her to him so that her face was buried in the curve of his neck. Oh, the delicious smell of him!
Pulling back, he pointed to the contract again and she signed it, safe in the knowledge that her actions had just protected the lives of all the women in the kingdom. Hopefully, the men soon enough too, before all of them turned blue and perished.
A noise in the doorway stole her attention and she turned to see Raph standing with his mouth agape.
“Jazz! What have you done?”
Poor Raph. He really needed to learn how to trust.
ARI
THE NOW
“His Royal Highness will see you now.”
Ari stood and smoothed the creases in his trousers, tailored especially to cater for his imposing height. He’d rehearsed the words he wanted to use in this meeting so many times they’d ceased sounding like actual words, more just a jumble of sounds.
He cleared his throat, checked his neatly-combed dark hair and nodded his thanks at the servant who held open the door for him.
A woman with long curls of blonde hair scurried from the room, winking at Ari as she straightened the neckline of her dress.
Ari looked away, not wanting to see evidence of the King’s notorious mistress. The very notion of her made him feel ill and he wished the King would be more discreet.
He stepped into the room and waited for the servant to close the door behind him.
The King smiled to see him and motioned toward a chair in front of his large oak desk. He was immaculately presented, apart from a smudge of lip rouge that he wiped from his bottom lip. Although he was seated, he was easily as tall as Ari, with the same caramel-colored skin and dark eyes, yet only one of them was the ruler of Wintergreen.
“Thank you.” Ari took a seat and returned the King’s smile as he pushed away thoughts of mistresses and focused on what he was here for.
“I’m told you have an urgent matter to discuss with me,” the King said. “One that couldn’t wait.”
“Yes.” Ari bowed his head. “I do.”
The King reached for a carafe and poured them both a glass of wine the color of blood. Ari had never developed much of a taste for wine, but took the offered glass and sipped deeply.
Acidic liquid rushed down his throat, burning the delicate skin of his esophagus. Perhaps this was just what he needed to calm his nerves and gather the strength to state his case clearly. If he chose his words carefully and kept his temper level, then surely he could be convincing.
He set down his glass and began just as he’d planned. “Word has reached the palace with an update about the terrible news of the blue plague. It’s getting worse, not better. The death toll is in the thousands now.”
“The blue plague?” The King raised his eyebrows. “I hadn’t heard it given a name before.”
“It turns its victims pale blue before they die,” said Ari. “It’s only men who are contracting it. I’m told that one village has almost no men left at all.”
“It’s a terrible business.” The King shook his head and drummed his fingertips on his wineglass. “Which village is it that you speak of?”
“Cypress.”
The King nodded and took a sip of wine. “I’ve not been to Cypress before.”
Ari wondered how it was possible the King had never been to Cypress. It wasn’t all that far from the palace. Surely as the ruler of the kingdom, he should visit his people to keep in touch with their needs, rather than keep himself locked behind palace walls.
“What can you tell me about this village?” the King asked.
“It has…” Ari paused, wondering what the King would make of what he had to say. “It has an emporium, run by a man who claims to have found a way to keep the women safe using oils he makes in the apothecary.”
The King’s eyes widened and he set down his glass. “Who told you this?”
“I overheard one of the cooks talking to the other servants. She visited there recently to see her dying father. She brought all kinds of oils back with her.”
“What if she brought back the plague as well? Have her removed from the kitchen immediately.” The King’s nostrils flared as a deep flush crept up his cheeks.
“Women are immune,” said Ari, trying to calm the King. If he got too worked up, he’d never agree to what Ari was about to propose
and that would just make everything so much more difficult. “They don’t seem to carry it either. There’s no need to have her removed. She’s been quite useful with her information…”
“What information? What else did she tell you?” The King sat forward in his seat. “Tell me everything you know about this man she spoke of.”
“He came to Cypress three years ago as an apprentice to the perfumer, although it’s widely believed that he was far more skilled than his master. I’m told the perfumer died recently and the apprentice took over. He calls himself the Alchemist.”
“Does he now! Is there a woman with him?” The King scratched his chin. “A wife perhaps?”
“I believe he’s married, yes.”
“And what do you know of his wife?”
“Nothing more than that she exists.”
“Do you think…” There was no need for the King to finish his sentence. Ari knew what he wanted to ask but found too hard.
“It’s very possible,” said Ari. “I’m going to go to Cypress and see for myself. It’s the only way to know for sure.” He held his breath, waiting for the King’s response.
“Absolutely not.” The King set down his wineglass to show that he meant it.
Ari let out his breath as disappointment punched him in the gut. He should have known it wouldn’t be this easy to convince him. “May I ask why not?”
“Going to the epicenter of this blue plague would put you in grave danger.”
“With respect, this is exactly why I need to go.” Ari kept his voice level and firm, resisting the urge to thump his fist on the desk. “Soon Wintergreen will have no males left at all. What will happen to us then?”
“I won’t risk the life of someone as important to the palace as you. We can send one of our soldiers. We can tell him what to look for.”
“Nobody can be trusted with something this big. We’ve kept it secret for so long now.” He searched for the right words that would hit home with the King. “If word gets out, we’ll be ruined. The reputation of the palace relies on our discretion.”
“We can find someone trustworthy.” The King sat back in his chair as if the matter had been decided. “Wintergreen has many loyal soldiers.”
“The only way we can be certain is if I go myself.” Ari felt for the gold pendant he wore under his shirt, to remind himself why this was so important. “I’m young, fit and healthy and I’ll take precautions to protect myself from disease. I’ve arranged to leave at sunrise.”
“I said no.” The King looked him in the eye, not seeming to understand that Ari wasn’t asking for his permission. “It’s too dangerous. How do we even know this Alchemist is still alive, if all the males have died?”
“I’m told he seems to be immune.”
“Curious.” The King raised his eyebrows.
“Indeed.” Ari took another sip of his wine, as he let the King ponder this, still hoping for a change of heart.
“And he appears to have found a cure for the women?” the King asked.
“It’s more of a vaccine than a cure. He’s working on an elixir for the men, although claims not to have succeeded so far.”
“Unless he has succeeded and is taking it himself.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering,” said Ari, pleased he still held the King’s interest. “It does seem the likely explanation. I’m thinking that once I’m there, I might be able to get my hands on the elixir. We could reproduce it and save the men of Wintergreen. He’s not the only person in the kingdom who knows how to make oils.”
“We can send one of our diplomats instead. They’re highly trained in the human condition. Or we could send Doctor Abner. He knows who to look for.”
“Doctor Abner is old and frail. It wouldn’t be fair to put him at risk like that. It must be me.” Ari couldn’t let this matter drop. “I understand the dangers, but it doesn’t matter if I go to the plague or if it comes to me. The way it’s spreading, it will find us all eventually. I’ve a better chance of figuring out what’s happening by facing it front on. Perhaps I can save our men before it reaches them. And see if the Alchemist is really who we think it is. I’ve thought about this a lot. It has to be me.”
The King shifted in his seat, seeming to know Ari was right, even if he wasn’t prepared to accept it just yet. If Ari just pushed a little harder, without pushing too hard, then he would get his way here. It would be easier to leave with the King’s permission than to have to sneak away in the dark of night. Either way, he’d already made up his mind that he was going.
“We’ll have our soldiers bring this man to us,” the King said, smiling at his solution.
“That’s too risky,” said Ari, having anticipated this response. “If it’s him, then he’ll run at the sight of our army. And his wife… she may get away before we get a chance to see her. Besides, what if our army returns infected with the plague? This must be contained to one man to limit the risk. I’ll go in disguise. It’s been years since he’s seen me. I was a mere boy the last time. With a beard and some old clothes, he won’t recognize me.”
“We can lure him here.” The King was on the tipping point, but not prepared to agree just yet.
“Think about our strategy in battle,” said Ari, seeing the need to be more direct. “Do we wait for our enemies to cross our borders, or do we cross into theirs instead?”
“I take your point,” said the King. “Except the last time we attempted to cross into Forte Cadence, a flood washed half our army away.”
This was a fact Ari couldn’t deny. They’d long ago had to give up any attempts to enter Forte Cadence. It was like their neighboring kingdom’s new Queen had cast a magic spell of protection across her land.
“I’m not talking about the result of the attempts we’ve made,” said Ari, trying a new tack. “I’m talking about the tradition behind it. Wintergreen takes the first step. We’re leaders, not followers.”
The King’s chest puffed out ever so slightly, just enough to tell Ari that his words had hit home.
“And this isn’t just about personal matters,” Ari continued. “If we wait until the plague reaches the palace, it’ll be too late. We’ll be left with a kingdom of women, wiping out the entire next generation before they get a chance to be born. Our women will grow old and die, and Wintergreen will die with them.”
“I knew the plague was bad, but I hadn’t realized it was quite this serious.”
“It is. We’ve read about it with our eyes and heard about it with our ears. Now we must listen. We can’t afford to waste any more time. I may be endangering myself by going to Cypress, but I fear we’re all far more endangered if I stay here. I’ll leave in the morning as planned.”
“I cannot let you go.” The King’s eyes filled with tears. Not many people ever saw this sensitive side of him and Ari wished he wasn’t seeing this weakness now.
Ari leaned forward in his chair and softened his voice. “Because you think I will catch the plague and die?”
The King reached across the desk for Ari’s hands. “Because you are my son.”
Ari’s shoulders slumped. This was exactly what he was afraid of. Being born a Prince gave him so many privileges in life, but at the same time it trapped him, leaving him feeling like he had stone boulders tied to his feet.
It was Ari’s destiny to find out the truth. He knew it every time he felt his half of the pendant rub against his chest. Where was the girl who wore the other half? Was she living now as the Alchemist’s wife? It was time. He needed to go to his destiny, instead of waiting for it to come to him and pull him under with its weight.
He’d have to go to Cypress without his father’s permission. Because staying here wasn’t an option. Nor was sending Doctor Abner or any of their soldiers. It had to be him, even if there was a good chance that making this journey would be the last thing he did.
Wintergreen needed a future King with a backbone. One who wasn’t afraid to face danger for the good of his people. Thi
s was the sort of thing he’d been training for his whole life. And as much as he loved his father, when Ari wore the crown one day, he was determined he’d be a far better King.
RAPHAEL
THE NOW
There was nothing Raphael hated more than being twelve. Except being nine. Being nine was even worse than being twelve because that was when his mother had died. And as much as he’d loved his father, having his mother taken from him had been far worse. He sometimes felt like instead of being made up of half his father and half his mother, that in his case he was totally made up from his mother. He even had her fair hair and eyes, whereas Jazz had their father’s dark features and green eyes.
He stooped to pick up a rock and threw it as far as he could into a clump of cassia trees. He did this sometimes and imagined the rock held all his angry feelings. It felt good to throw them away. But it wasn’t working today. The angry was staying stuck inside him. He picked up another rock and threw it at the trees again, harder this time. The cassias weren’t in bloom, so nobody would be working in there. He didn’t want to hit anyone on the head.
Actually, yes he did. He wanted to hit everyone on the head. Because maybe that would wake them up out of this sleep they all seemed to be in. Especially Jazz. He’d lost his mother, his father and now he was losing his sister too. And his home, after she’d signed it over to the Murderer. He refused to think of him as the Alchemist. Although alchemy was all about mixing up potions to create magic and not all magic was good. He might only be twelve, but he knew about things like that. It was like he was the grownup watching all the actual grownups play a stupid and dangerous game.
Leaving the path, he slipped under the canopy of trees. He didn’t normally like to be alone, but today was different. He needed some time to figure out what to do next.
Jazz had been such a good sister to him. She was kind and loving and smart. She’d held him to her side after their mother died, soothing him and keeping him safe. She’d loved their mother too, although understood that her closeness was different to what Raphael had with her. It didn’t seem fair that Jazz got to have a full sixteen years with her when he only had nine.
The Kingdoms of Evernow Box Set Page 24