Mariana's Secret

by A D Lombardo

  “I hate to repeat myself,” Kai leaned forward, “but Andrew died at sea. With his dying breath, your father said he saw Andrew fall overboard.”

  “True,” Cazier nodded, “but, then there were rumors of an asset who was capable of breaking our ciphers and privy to our spy list, among other secrets. We heard this asset was being sold by the slave traders in Bangloo. The only person who would have all the information they mentioned is Andrew. I must save my brother. I serve your father because our two kingdoms are intertwined. We live, work, and fight as one.”

  There was sincerity in his cousin’s eyes. Cazier was desperate to put his family back together. Kai knew what it meant to feel helpless to help those he cared for. Kai had only met Andrew a few times, but he remembered his kind eyes and sturdy handshake—simple but powerful memories of a great man. He continued to listen to Cazier.

  “The trail went cold over a year ago, until now.” Cazier waved his hand towards the fireplace. Kai presumed he motioned to a clue burned up in the flames, as was the Master General’s way to conceal information delivered to Diu. “We heard an interrogator—your brute—was coming here to meet the Mind Master, Riome’s scholar. We must root out the truth, if there is news about Andrew or this Mind Master, we’ll find it.”

  While Kai listened to Cazier, he watched Riome tap her lips. He could see her eyes searching her memory. Then her eyes widened. “I do know him. He has changed significantly over the years. This Mind Master was an interrogation expert in Bangloo. I knew there was something familiar about him.”

  Kai thought about the details in the brute’s book. The dates would certainly align with the attack at sea. Could Cazier’s long-lost brother still be alive, a prisoner? He watched the Master General, his cousin, and Riome, the spy and his mentor. It felt good to be on the inside of their plans.

  Chapter 3

  Reflection

  Stubble grazed across Prince Kai’s knuckles as he ran his hand around his jaw. He stared at his reflection. I should shave. Yet he left his bathroom avoiding the task. Heavy-hearted, he pushed open his balcony doors and searched the predawn sky for answers he knew were not there.

  At this early hour, only a few tiny lights dotted the waking city. He let his eyes scan the gardens below. Even from his corner of the palace, he still managed to see a portion of the great banyark tree. He was pleased that the tree no longer haunted him. Now it stood as a reminder; just as it reached for the sky, he would reach for his mother.

  Kai thought about his life and the people closest to him. In two years, he would marry Amelia and move to Milnos. The concept overwhelmed him. He rubbed his forehead and tried to stop his overactive mind.

  There were too many concerns to deal with. Duplicity loomed around his father’s household, making it difficult to know the true nature of those closest to him. His stepmother Nola’s motives concerned him the most. Her unnatural control over his father, not to mention his own experiences with her, made him wonder what she was planning. Was she involved with King Andrew’s disappearance? He’d caught her more than once whispering privately with Regent Maxwell from Milnos. Cazier insisted Kai needed physical proof before accusing someone of treason. So far, it was his word against hers—his burden to bear.

  Then there were his dreams. His Katori ancestry gave him many gifts, but unfortunately, not all were controllable. Visions either came in flashes—which often meant he had hours or maybe days to prepare for whatever they revealed—or slow, detailed clips, telling him he had months or longer to find a possible solution.

  While the death of his mother no longer haunted him, he still begged for the opportunity to strike out and find her himself. Only he had no idea where to start. The Katori nation spent years searching with no luck. She may have been important to them at one time, but they had long since given up any hope of her recovery. Had this Keegan person taken her? A heavy burden weighed on his heart. Had he let her down again?

  The wind tousled his hair and flipped the pages of his journal.

  Kai smoothed the page and stared at the sketch of a strange armament that would someday strike down his friend. A piece from his vision. The nightmare of Drew’s impending death now kept him awake. For more than a year, he had studied the scene around Drew’s demise, preparing for the day he would race to save his friend. He only hoped that knowing the possible outcome meant he had the opportunity to change it. The fate of Drew hung in the balance.

  Again, Kai’s burden to bear.

  In his lap, he flipped through the pages. A new handheld weapon was coming into the kingdom of Diu. One Kai did not understand. Drawn and redrawn, the device had a wooden handle and a silver barrel with a fluted end. None of the Diu men carried such a device. Everyone he asked had never seen anything like it before. But he had seen this weapon in a single brief moment after the return of his father two years ago. Kai’s search of the armory had produced nothing.

  This vision revealed a weapon that spat smoke, sparks, and shot a small iron ball across the sky, followed by a loud bang. His nightmare told him that Drew would be struck twice before he dropped to the ground dead. Kai needed to find this weapon, understand how it worked, and how to stop it.

  Winter wind blew across his face, and the chill smelled of snow. Exhausted, he sighed at the thought of his coming day. Sleep had become a precious commodity. It was going to be another painfully long day with only a few hours of sleep.

  Time for his morning training with Kempery-man Dresnor. Kai left his room, trying to remember if he’d completed his Bangloo essay for Professor Graydon. His education demanded the pursuit of academic knowledge, foreign languages, and world politics. Come nightfall his espionage lessons lay in the hands of Riome Timica—spy. Each day mimicked the next.

  Kai took the spiraling staircase down the east spire to the old abandoned armory with Kempery-man Dresnor. The smell of musty dampness hung in the air. Spiders, rats, and bugs scurried away from the light. Dresnor carried a single lamp, lighting sconces on the wall along their way. Kai did his best to stifle a yawn. The air cooled as they descended. Their training room—an old, forgotten place—provided the anonymity they needed for his private lessons.

  Kai looked at the back of Dresnor. The sides of his head trimmed to stubble and his long, pitch-black hair slicked back and tied with a cord. His usual scruffy beard now trimmed and brushed neat. Marabella’s move from Town Hope to Diu two summers back had been a positive influence on Philip Dresnor. Kai was sure Dresnor would ask her to be his wife someday. She was the only good thing to come out of that terrible summer.

  Something about today made Kai feel nostalgic. Dresnor reached the landing and led them down a short hallway and pushed open two wooden wrought iron doors. As he had done numerous times, Dresnor lit the sconces around the large stone room.

  The white walls swept up into a high arched ceiling with exposed crisscrossed black wooden beams. The vast space was old, damp, and musty. Along the wall, Kai scanned the racks of weapons, various bits of beaten armor—padded and unpadded attack stands and targets.

  Dresnor placed his lamp on a small table and turned to the armor. “Here, put this on,” Dresnor handed Prince Kai a padded tunic and took one for himself. This tunic was considerably larger than the one he used in his first lessons. The latter now daggled unused on a hook.

  Kai felt the thick batting quilted into the tunic and slid it over his head. The cotton fabric felt dry against his skin, but the sour smell flooded his nostrils. A full week of training had it past ripe.

  Next, Dresnor handed him a silver shirt. The interlinking rings and overlapping miniature flat plates of the mail were surprisingly light considering it was metal. The combined weight, noticeable but not intolerable, distributed over his shoulders and biceps. Next Kai pulled a cuirass over his head and began to work the adjustable buckles; hard leather armor meant to protect his core. He synched the breastplate and backplate tight against his torso, adjusting until they felt snug, then he fine-tuned the spaulders at
tached to protect his shoulders.

  Lastly, Dresnor gave him a pair of arm bracers, designed to protect his wrists and forearms. Kai knew the more armor his Kempery-man provided, the harder the lesson would be. He ran his fingers over the leather embellishments and straps. They were well worn and beaten. Marks in the leather told the story of battles long ago. His fingers grazed the wolf head pressed into the worn brown leather on his chest.

  “Whose armor is this?” he asked, looking at the matching set his Kempery-man wore. “They are not what we usually wear.”

  “They once belonged to men under Adrian Cazier’s father. The Master General gave them to me since you have outgrown the other sets. Let the weight of them remind you of the responsibility of carrying a sword and the choices made wielding it.”

  After Hamrin, Kai struggled to find the balance between fighting, protecting, and taking a life. “I never knew you felt this way,” Kai said, studying his friend and teacher. “I have watched you in battle. Your movements and blows are fearless—and unrelenting.”

  “You may never know the heart of another man. Consider your own soul. If we fight for another, I pray in the end l will be forgiven. Many argue the rights behind taking a life. It is an old argument and a timeless struggle. One you will have to answer for yourself.” Dresnor picked up a sword and tested its balance.

  “We won’t bother with leg protection today. Although I promise you, a strike to the shins will put you on the ground quicker than you think.” He held up a sheathed longsword to Kai. “Here. You can use this sword today.”

  Kai affixed the scabbard to his hip and unsheathed the sword. He held the black leather grip with both hands and held the sword up to inspect the fuller, or groove, that ran from the guard to the point of the blade. The edge was sharp and smooth.

  While he warmed up his muscles with practice swings, Kai thought of his first morning learning to be aware of his surroundings—friend or foe. And the promise he made to Dresnor to never show off his skills or boast. Each swing was smooth yet deliberate. Side by side, they repeated choreographed cuts and thrusts—a series of overhand strikes down and across. Kai stepped into thrusts and jabs and retreated with blocks and dodges. Kai felt the weight of the blade with each methodical movement. His sword cut through the air, slicing imaginary foes.

  Long swipes and short cuts, they were silent in their practice, quickening with each round. The sword’s weight, once heavy and unnatural, was now smooth and fluid. Kai easily kept pace with his teacher. He felt the restraints of the armor, the weight of his sword—technique balanced by knowledge. “Remember,” Dresnor instructed, “don’t just use your hands, arms, and shoulders. Use your entire body.”

  Countless thoughts built up in Kai’s mind. Going through the motions, his mind wandered. He was no longer focused on his lesson. His heart was not in his practice. Responsibility trumped his own desires to search for his mother. He cycled mechanically from one movement to the next. Memories slowed Kai’s movements, and he fell behind.

  Dresnor cleared his throat. “Are you training or daydreaming today?”

  Kai snapped to attention. “I’m ready old man,” he jested, thumping his fist against his chest.

  “Now face me and attack.” Dresnor motioned to Kai.

  Swords and shields ready, the two men circle one another. Kai was no longer a boy. His height was now equal to Dresnor, and after years of training, so too was his build.

  Dresnor made the first move. Kai parried and pushed back. Give and take, they crossed swords. One yielding ground, the other taking and then back again. Dresnor disarmed Kai. “Again,” Dresnor insisted.

  Kai shuffled his shoulders under the layers of protection and made the first move; swords rang out in the space once more. He kept his footwork close together, his elbows tight. With the next strike and block, Kai swept Dresnor’s feet with a move Riome had taught him. Dresnor landed with a thud. Kai pressed a foot on Dresnor’s wrist, which held his sword. With his sword at Dresnor’s throat, he smiled.

  “Again.” Kai bowed and helped his teacher to his feet.

  The pair continued for hours, one outmaneuvering the other and back again. Each now teaching, respectively. Selecting new moves, they challenged the mind of the other man to defend. Their styles became a mix of old and new techniques.

  The shuffle of their feet was the only other sound. Over and over, Kai attacked, then blocked. Faster and faster they battled. Mid-motion, Dresnor egged him on. “Come on Kai, swing like you mean to cut me down. Is this how you fought Bevon? The monster of Hamrin.”

  The venom in Dresnor’s words stung Kai, and he glared through their crossed swords. Dresnor pushed off and quickly sliced his sword at Kai, followed by more harsh remark. “You cannot defeat me, boy. I will cut you down,” he said with a bit of a snarl.

  The name Bevon fueled a rage within Kai. The man who’d tried to kill him during the battle for Hamrin. Heat welled in his chest. His mind twisted with anger, and Kai went harder, strike after strike he continued. Dresnor blocked and retreated, allowing Kai to push him back. Goading him more with each blow.

  Bevon’s face burned in Kai’s mind—Dresnor became Bevon. Kai raged after his bitter memory. Improvising, he changed his attack, and Dresnor deflected each blow. Their pace was swift, each pounding strike elevated their breathing. Sweat rolled down their faces. Kai’s jaw clamped tight, and his eyes glared.

  The open space between them was closing. Dresnor parried later and later; Kai got closer with each challenge. Still, Kai launched attack after attack. Fury consumed his focus and blinded his thoughts. Dresnor rolled his sword on the next blow and disarmed Kai, his sword now pointed at Kai’s chest.

  “Be careful, my friend,” Dresnor warned. “Never let someone goad you into a fight. Your emotions took over, and you missed my change in step, the angle of my sword. My shift in defense gave me the advantage you did not see coming. I allowed your blade to be caught further down my sword and closer to the tip of yours.”

  Kai stood there, speechless. His hand empty, his sword on the ground. “I’m sorry, Dresnor. I don’t know what to say.” He bent down and retrieved his sword.

  “Don’t apologize. That was all part of your lesson. Your opponent has more than his sword. He will try to get in your head. The better he knows you, the more he can use against you. In a real swordfight, the goal is to win. Half the battle gets fought here,” he pointed to his temple, “in your mind.” Dresnor clamped his hand on Kai’s shoulder and gave him a nod. “Stir fear or plant doubt, and you may have the advantage.”

  The words of his teacher resonated truth. Kai needed to get a handle on his anger.

  Exhausted, they placed their weapons back on the rack and removed their leather armor and mail. It felt good to be free of the confinement and weight. The padded tunic was now drenched in sweat and clung to Kai’s body. His skin sticky and hot, he removed the tunic.

  Dresnor changed into his shirt and looked at Kai. “If only we could take off the burdens of war like your tunic. Wash away the invisible scars.” He took the tunic from Kai’s hands.

  Both tunics in hand, Dresnor snuffed the lights around the room. “I will see these laundered. Your father and Cazier are sending me on a mission. We must take a few days off. I have work to do with Kempery-man Farwick.”

  Kai nodded in agreement. He grabbed the lamp, and they climbed the stairwell of the east spire. The smell of fresh air greeted him at the top. He opened the door, and bright light spilled onto the landing. Squinting, he turned his head away from the brightness.

  “You did well today. Enjoy the break and the upcoming Winter Festival.” Dresnor waved and walked away.

  ◆◆◆

  Smoke sat waiting by the door. Together they made their way outside and down to the apple orchard. The bare trees bent and twisted in the wind, providing little shade in the midmorning sun. The day was surprisingly pleasant, given the nip in the air the night before. Kai found a dry spot in the center of the orchard an
d leaned against a tree.

  While he waited, he let his mind wander around the palace grounds. He gleaned the bakery. Levi and Dori Kendrick, Rayna’s parents, and their new assistant diligently worked the dough. He shifted his focus to their cottage—it was empty.

  His mind wandered to the vegetable gardens, and there he finally found Rayna. Her hands in the dirt, tending plants. Around her, other gardeners turned the soil, removing dead plants and weeds, preparing the bed for spring planting. He marveled at her ability with plants, healthy and green, still producing fruit late into the winter season.

  To see her with his own eyes, he moved near the edge of the orchard. In the gardens below, Rayna stood and dusted off her dirt-covered hands. She admired her handiwork and gathered the weeds she’d removed. He watched her drop the unwanted plants into the bin and walk in his direction.

  A small smile bloomed in the corner of his mouth as he backed into the orchard. Caught in Rayna’s honey-brown eyes, she smiled at him. Her long dark brown hair was woven into a tight braid behind her head. The front of her dress was a mix of flour and dirt. The two parts of her day.

  His heart fluttered at the sight of her, and he ran his hand through his sandy brown hair. “Rayna,” he said in a soft voice. He held his breath at the sight of her.

  She batted her eyes in his direction. “Kai.” Her smile was warm and subtle, her stride slow and graceful.

  He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Rayna’s face was inches from his. Her creamy tan skin showed the slightest pink hue from the winter sun. He let his hand run down the side of her arm to touch the palm of her hand.

  Rayna looked into his eyes and gasped. “Your eyes. I like it when you turn them green.”