by C. J. Archer
"We can't stop them. But we can speak with the king first and try to get answers. I wish Hammer were here. I need him for this." He rubbed his throat and winced. "The king could become violent if he's backed into a corner."
"Let's go to the garrison," Theodore said. "If Hammer hasn't returned, we'll have to speak to the king on our own."
"So your plan is ready?" I asked Balthazar.
He pushed himself up from the chair and grabbed his walking stick from where it leaned against his desk. "My plan has now come to fruition, such that it was."
I frowned. "I don't understand."
"My plan is hardly strong enough to be called such." He leaned heavily on the walking stick as he rounded the desk. "I wanted to diminish the number of friends the king could depend upon. I wanted to weaken him, and that meant undermining his trust in the Deerhorns—and by extension the other lords too. That was achieved." He stopped and folded both hands over the head of the walking stick. "I believe I owe you an apology, Josie."
"Why?"
"It was me who made sure the king heard about the poisoning of Lord Morgrave, and suggested the party most likely to benefit from it would be Lady Morgrave and her manipulative family. I knew it would trouble him and that he would distance himself from her. It worked better than I expected. He set her aside very quickly, and Lady Deerhorn panicked."
"By kidnapping me," I said on a rush of breath.
"I should have realized she'd get her revenge upon you," he bit off. "I should have anticipated her next move."
"Don't blame yourself, Balthazar. She's unpredictable and cruel. Be happy you don't think like her." I offered him a smile, but he merely grunted and continued toward the door.
Theodore and I followed him out.
"In Hammer's absence, I feel I should warn you to be careful, Josie," Theodore said gently. "You shouldn't have listened in to the sergeant's conversations. You could have been caught."
I took his hand and squeezed. "Thank you for your concern." I appreciated it more than I cared to admit. He reminded me of my father more than Dane. Of all the things I missed about my father, I hadn't expected his repeated warnings to be careful to be one of them.
Dane wasn't in the garrison, but two guards who'd just arrived assured us he was on his way, so we waited. Dane entered a short time later, not limping. It must have cost him considerable effort to not show his pain.
He paused inside the door upon seeing us. "This must be important."
Balthazar glanced toward the two guards helping themselves to the jug of ale, paying us no mind. "We came to warn you," he said. "The king is displeased."
Dane stilled. He gave a single nod of understanding.
Balthazar's fingers tightened around the head of his walking stick. "It's time."
"Yes," was all Dane said.
"The only question is, do we do it now or wait until after the king's meeting with Barborough?"
The internal door to the garrison suddenly burst open, and the king stormed in. His dark hair clung to his damp forehead and beads of sweat edged his top lip. His sharp gaze speared into Dane.
"You!" He pointed a finger at Dane. "Liar! Thief! Traitor!"
Theodore quickly stepped forward, hands clasped in front of him. "Sire, your meeting with—"
"Forget the fucking meeting!"
"Yen, Ray," Dane said to his two shocked men. "Leave us."
"No!" The king shoved one of the guards in the shoulder, pushing him in Dane's direction. "Arrest him! Arrest Hammer and throw him in the palace prison."
Neither guard moved. They stared at their king then at their captain. Dane gave them no instruction; he merely stood there, waiting.
The guard named Ray gulped. The other shifted his feet.
"Go on!" the king shouted. "The captain is a traitor, and I want him arrested. Do your duty or you will be punished."
Both guards looked to Dane again.
"Who will punish them?" Dane asked. "You? Ray, Yen, step outside and make sure the others don't enter. I'll be with you in a moment when I've sorted out the king's problem. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding!" the king spluttered. "You stole from me!" When Dane didn't try to defend himself, the king turned to the two guards as they collected their sword belts from the hooks by the external door. "Wait!" He stepped forward but stopped when Dane rested a hand on his sword hilt.
The two guards left quickly.
"Cowards," the king spat. "Your men are scared of you, Hammer."
"My men respect me, Leon."
A muscle pulsed in the king's neck. His spine stiffened. "You will use the proper title when speaking to me."
"I am using your proper title." Dane pulled out a chair and turned it toward the king. "Sit down and let's discuss this civilly."
The king stamped a hand on his hip and barked a laugh. "This is absurd. Give me the gem, the real one, and I won't have you arrested."
"His men won't arrest him," Balthazar said, lowering himself onto a chair. "They respect him and trust him, whereas none of the staff trust you anymore. Including us. So sit down and answer our questions."
"I answer to no one!"
"Today you do," Dane said in that calmly threatening tone of his. He tapped the chair back. "Sit."
The king turned and walked away.
With a few giant strides, Dane reached him. He grabbed the back of the king's doublet and forced him to sit. The king's face paled but he did not try to get up.
"What happened to us?" Dane demanded. "Who are we? Where did we come from?"
"I—I don't know," the king said. "Like you, I have no memory."
"Don't," Dane growled, low in his chest. "We've had enough of your lies. We want the truth. Why can't we remember? Why can you?"
The king lifted his chin and crossed his arms over his chest. "I won't answer anything until I hold the gem in my hand."
"No," Balthazar said.
The king gave a high pitched maniacal laugh. "It's just a stone."
"We know what it is," Balthazar went on. "We know it's the sorcerer's gem, that you found it and had three wishes bestowed upon you. If you possess that gem again, you can wish this situation away, so forgive us for not obliging you."
The king blinked hard at him, then turned to Dane, to Theodore then finally to me. "Mistress Cully, you must get help! They've gone mad. As your king, I'm begging you to do the right thing. I have no idea what they're talking about…gems, magic… It makes no sense."
Balthazar hit his walking stick against the table, making the king, Theodore and me jump. "She can't help," Balthazar said. It was an ambiguous response; it could mean I refused to help or that I was also being held hostage and unable to.
Theodore took my hand and steered me toward the other end of the table. Both our hands shook as we sat.
"You too, Theo?" the king whined.
Theodore's grip tightened. "I—I'm sorry. You have to answer them, sire. We have to know. I can forgive you for stealing our lives for your own purposes. The temptation to make yourself king must have been strong, and it would take a unique man not to submit to that temptation. But I cannot forgive you for continuing with the lies anymore. It's cruel."
The king studied the faces of his three servants as they regarded him in turn. In the thick silence, every facet of this man's character passed over his face, from youthful insecurity to arrogant king.
"So," he said darkly. "You think I should not be king. You think I was given this position through sorcery."
"We know it," Dane said.
"Just saying so is treason."
Dane stared back at the king until the king shifted his weight on the chair and looked away.
"You have no proof," the king said with a sniff.
"We have the gem."
"A pretty stone, nothing more. Do you think anyone will believe otherwise?" He snorted. "The lords will laugh at you if you tell them the gem is magical."
"You misunderstand," Dane sa
id. "We have no intention of telling the world what we know. You can continue to be king. We don't care. In fact, Glancia will be a more peaceful kingdom if you remain on the throne. We only care about getting our memories back. We do not need proof of magic, and I don't intend on showing the gem to anyone. I intend to keep the gem hidden until you tell us what we want to know."
The king's gaze darted between his three servants then settled on me. "Where is it? Mistress Cully? Do you know?"
"No," I said.
"But you must! As his mistress, he must have told—"
Dane grabbed the front of the king's doublet and lifted him off the chair until their faces were level. "She is no man's mistress."
The king swallowed and nodded quickly. Dane released him, and the king fell back onto the chair so heavily it rocked.
"You'll address her respectfully," Balthazar added. "As you will address all of us, from now on. For all we know, you could be the servant and we the lords. Besides, Josie doesn't know where the gem is. It was given to someone for safekeeping. Someone you would least expect, who is not in this room."
Did Balthazar really know where the gem was hidden? Or did he say it to add another layer of secrecy out of caution?
Dane's gaze narrowed as he continued to stare at the king. "If you want the real gem back, you will tell us the truth."
"I… I will tell you all I can," the king said. "I remember pieces of my past and what happened. The greater part of my memory is lost, however, just like yours."
"Liar," Dane said.
The king scrutinized him just as closely as Dane studied him in return. Perhaps he was trying to decide if Dane would draw his weapon or whether he could be trusted to give up the gem if the king told them everything.
Balthazar smacked his walking stick against the table again, and the king fidgeted in the chair. "You have no one to turn to," Balthazar said. "The servants no longer trust you, the guards certainly don't, the nobles have turned their backs on you too. The dukes want to overthrow you, and the lords can't be trusted. The Deerhorns proved that, didn't they? They even killed Lord Morgrave so his widow could trap you into marriage. People who can kill a lord and get away with it are very dangerous, wouldn't you agree?"
The king nodded quickly.
"Almost everyone under this roof wants you either dead or deposed," Balthazar went on. "We only want answers. That makes us your closest allies."
"Allies?" the king blurted out. "You're forcing me!"
"We are your best chance of keeping the throne. We are your closest confidants, and the only ones with an interest in helping you remain as king. If you give us our memories back, we will see that you do."
The king sucked in his lower lip and chewed on it. His gaze connected with Balthazar's before shifting to Dane's. He made a non-committal grunt in the back of his throat and opened his mouth to speak. A commotion outside cut him off.
The external door opened and the Duke of Gladstow marched in, followed by the Duke of Buxton, Lady Deerhorn, Lord Xavier and finally Brant. Yen and Ray protested, but Brant shut the door in their faces and bolted it.
Dane stood in front of the king, his hand on his sword hilt. "No further," he warned.
"It has come to our attention that you may not be the rightful king," the Duke of Gladstow declared.
The king shot to his feet. "This is outrageous! You dare accuse me of being an imposter?"
Gladstow grunted. "I haven't accused you. I have merely stated a fact, that it has come to our attention that you may not be the rightful king."
"Hammer, arrest him for treason."
Dane didn't move. His gaze shifted to Brant, and Brant stared back, defiant.
"Stand back, Your Grace," Dane said. "Or I will be forced to follow my orders."
Gladstow looked uncertain. The Duke of Buxton and Lord Xavier both glanced at Brant, as if waiting for him to offer up the gem as proof. It seemed they were all still uncertain of Brant's claim, and not willing to accuse the king directly. In the presence of witnesses of their own station, it could be a fatal move. The claim had to be proved first, and they weren't sure how to do so.
Only Lady Deerhorn had an air of confidence about her. Her calculating gaze and small smile settled on me. I gripped Theodore's hand tighter.
"Some evidence has come to light," Gladstow declared. "It would suggest you obtained the throne through…" He licked his lips. "Through trickery."
The king spluttered but no words came out.
"What evidence?" Dane asked levelly.
"I don't answer to you," Gladstow sneered.
Balthazar tapped his walking stick on the floor for attention. "If real evidence had been presented, you wouldn't be here, Your Grace. You would be presenting that evidence to the ministers and other noblemen. Sergeant Brant, is this your doing? What tales have you been telling these gentlemen?"
"It ain't a tale, Bal, and you know it." Brant dug his hand into his doublet pocket and pulled out the gem. It nestled on his palm, the deep red facets drawing in the light. It didn't pulse.
If Brant realized the gem in his hand wasn't real, because it didn't respond to him, he didn't show it. Nor did the king.
The king's eyes lit up. "You have it." He wiped the sweat from his top lip with his sleeve. "Someone I least expect, eh? Clever, Hammer."
Had Balthazar said that deliberately, knowing Brant would come, and he wanted the king to believe Brant held the real gem? What else had Balthazar anticipated? The deep wrinkles and watchful eyes gave nothing away.
The king stepped around Dane and reached for the gem.
Brant snatched his hand back. "Not until you answer my questions."
The king stiffened. "Get it, Hammer."
Dane didn't move. "Brant, leave this discussion for a later time."
"I ain't waiting no more," Brant snapped. To the king, he said, "What happened to our memories?"
The king's high laugh wasn't convincing. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Who are we?" Brant growled. "What happened to us? Why are we here?"
The king glanced at each of the dukes. "He's mad. Hammer, arrest him for insolence. I won't stand for this kind of behavior."
The dukes frowned at one another. Lord Xavier looked as if he wanted to burst out laughing but wasn't quite sure if he dared. Lady Deerhorn had gone very still, only her eyes moving as her gaze shifted between the king and Brant.
Brant bared his teeth. "Answer me!"
The king put out his hand. "Give me the gem, and I'll spare your life."
Brant's lips stretched into either a grimace or a grin, I couldn't tell. "You want it, don't you? You want it desperately."
The king stiffened.
The sergeant held up the gem between his thumb and forefinger. "Come and get it."
"Brant!" Dane barked. "Trust us. Don't do this here."
Brant held the gem within the king's reach. The king only had to be faster than Brant and he'd have it in his possession. But not a single person in that room would expect him to be faster than Brant, including the king himself.
"Give it to me," the king growled.
Brant sneered. "You need this to keep your throne, to wish all your problems away." He indicated the dukes with a jerk of his head.
Gladstow and Buxton looked nervous, a look that didn't sit well on either man.
"Abdicate then disappear," Gladstow said quickly, as if he wanted to say his piece before he changed his mind. I wasn't sure if he was brave or foolish. Perhaps his greed for power drove him to speak such a rash statement. "Or we will be forced to tell the world that you used magic to gain the throne. Do I need to tell you what the consequences will be?"
The king blinked rapidly, although he didn't take his focus off Brant.
"The sentence for the crime of impersonating a monarch is death," Buxton told him. "Come now…Leon. Do as Gladstow says and abdicate. Your life will be spared."
The king swallowed heavily. "The gem, Sergeant."
&n
bsp; Brant's smile thinned. "Answers first."
A drop of sweat dripped down the side of the king's face. "Hammer!" he screeched. "Arrest this man for theft!"
Dane's hands curled into fists at his sides. "This can be resolved if we talk privately. Sergeant, come to Balthazar's office."
The king moved forward until he was within reach of Brant's palm and the gem. Brant remained still, his hand outstretched, the gem like a beacon, beckoning the king, or taunting him.
"Answer me!" Brant shouted.
"Hammer!" the king shouted back. "Get me the gem!"
"Answer the fucking questions!"
The king's chest rose and fell with his deep, ragged breaths. "You always were the rebel. I should have known you'd be the one to cause problems."
Brant's breath hitched. A ripple of shock washed over his face before it settled into the hard, unforgiving planes again. "Who am I? Where am I from?"
The king snatched at the gem.
Brant simultaneously pulled back the gem, drew the knife from the belt at his hip with his other hand, and stabbed the king in the stomach.
Chapter 16
The king fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. His eyes bulged, full of tears of fear and pain as he silently appealed to Brant. A hush fell over the small party in the garrison, as if no one could quite believe what had happened. We all froze, unable to move, to speak, to breathe.
All except Dane. He caught the king and lowered him to the floor. Stirring into action, I crouched beside him and applied pressure to the wound.
Dane pulled my hands away and shook his head. A flick of his gaze toward Lady Deerhorn was all I needed to know why.
"Fetch Doctor Clegg," Balthazar ordered.
Theodore ran from the garrison and Dane took over from me, pressing against the wound. I cradled the king's head in my lap. There was little else I could do anyway, even if I'd been allowed to use my medical knowledge. The bleeding had to be stopped before a doctor could inspect the injury. Dane seemed to understand and didn't ease back, despite the king's cries.
"Merdu," one of the dukes muttered. None of the nobles came closer, but nor did they leave.
Brant stood over the king. "This is the only way I can insure you will answer my questions. I know about the wishes. Barborough told me." He held the gem in front of the king's face. "If you want to live, you need to use a wish while holding this, and I won't give it to you until you give me answers. Understand?"