Ties of Magic (Curse of the Crown Book 2)

by Caitlin Taylor

  "Let's say I supported your endeavours. I cannot always reprimand lords who challenge you. It will take time for century-old opinions to change. What do you expect me to do?"

  "Your Majesty, some of our laws explicitly exclude women from doing business. While I can hold a title in my own name, bankers and businessmen refuse to deal with me. The estate managers willing to work for me do so only because they think they can cheat me. As soon as they realise they can't, they disappear."

  "Even if I changed the laws, people take time to adapt. It may not become any easier for you."

  "It cannot become more difficult. At least I'd have the law on my side, which too often I don't right now."

  Akoni sipped from his tea. "You've chosen a difficult path for yourself."

  "Gaia will guide me. I will walk this path regardless, but it'd be considerably easier if you could provide some help, Your Majesty. You knew my father. He always spoke well of you."

  Akoni laughed. "No one spoke well of me, my lady. Your father used plenty of opportunities to tell me where I was going wrong. Grouchy old fella. I liked him."

  "I... He really did like you, Your Majesty." She frowned.

  "Would you tell me something?" Akoni leaned forward, bracing himself on his knees. "Everyone knows your family's story, the rumours at least. Would you tell me what really happened?"

  She sighed. "I hoped you would not ask."

  "If you want my help, I need to know."

  Her eyes told Akoni she wanted to challenge him. If he was anyone else, she'd have done so. For a long time, she remained quiet.

  In the end, she spoke haltingly. "Gaius was the oldest of us. There was an accident. It was difficult for my father especially, losing his heir. We all grieved in our own ways: Father threw himself into work, Mother spent most of her time at the temple. I was often with her. Corvin lost himself in his books or came to the temple with us. One day he did not leave."

  "My lady," Akoni interrupted. "I mean no disrespect, but this is the story you tell others. I want the truth."

  She opened her mouth, probably to protest, but closed it again and nodded. "Corvin...he blamed himself, even though there was nothing he could have done. One night he simply vanished. There was no note, no message, nothing. My father sent as many men as he could to search the town, the woods. He spent years searching."

  "And you've not heard from him since?"

  "No, Your Majesty."

  Akoni leaned back on the couch. "Then you don't know whether he is even alive."

  "I firmly believe he is and that he will return. But... I have no certainty of it."

  "You still want him to return?"

  "My father has fought tooth and nail to ensure my brother's claim remains intact, despite his absence. He has taught me what he could in the management of the estate so I could help him and serve as keeper. Some of my father's men are loyal to him even now and support me. It is the only reason I am managing. I will not let my family's estate go to a distant relative who'd not care for land or people."

  "Nor will you marry."

  She pursed her lips, likely in order to stop herself responding.

  Akoni smiled with some admiration. "I am not unsympathetic. Yet it seems a lot of effort to go through for your brother who has abandoned you."

  "He's not abandoned us. He will return." The conviction in her voice sounded genuine.

  "You're fierce in your beliefs. I admire that. You're loyal to your family, despite the circumstances. I admire that even more. Whatever help I am able to offer you, once your brother returns, if he does, his claim will be intact as you mentioned. He will take his place as head of the family."

  "Yes, I know, Your Majesty. I want him to."

  Akoni shook his head, his brow creasing in startlement. "That is something I cannot fathom. Why would you fight for your own rights only to hand them all back so willingly?"

  "He is my brother." She sighed.

  "You care for him, even after all these years," Akoni said, a statement, not a question.

  She nodded in reply.

  "Do you miss him?"

  With a wry smile, she said, "More than anything."

  "If he left because he thought himself responsible, he may not wish to return."

  "He will, once he finds out about Father's death. He never shied from his duties. He knows what it would mean for him not to return."

  "If you forgive my bluntness, your father has been dead for some time now."

  "Your empire is vast, Your Majesty. News do not always travel fast."

  "Your unwavering belief is admirable." Akoni looked towards Ignacio. He was no longer certain if what he wanted to do was the right thing. Would it give her false hope? Would it hurt her to know? Should he ask her anyway?

  Ignacio gave a near imperceptible nod.

  Turning back towards Kendra, Akoni asked, "Do you think you would still recognise your brother?"

  "I won't know for certain until I see him, but yes, I believe so."

  "My lady, the reason I agreed to see you was somewhat selfish. There is something I wished to discuss with you. Or maybe rather ask you. I met a man of exceptional talent recently. I like to know the men I work with and have had some work done to uncover his past. There wasn't much to discover, however. He's a man of great mystery. Which makes me want to know all the more, who it is I'm working with."

  "Your Majesty..."

  Akoni held up a hand. "Let me be blunt. I'm not trying to give you hope. I don't know where this man is now, whether he is still alive or will ever return from his current assignment. Still, there is a path of investigation I must take. If you'd care to, I'd like you to take a look at a picture and tell me if the man in it seems at all familiar."

  Kendra did not speak but nodded. Ignacio had already risen to retrieve the black-and-white picture from Akoni's desk and held it out to her, facedown. Her hand trembled as she reached out. Slowly, she turned the paper over, her face a mask of stone, not even the faintest involuntary twitch betraying any reaction.

  "My brother has green eyes. Like my own." She glanced at Akoni.

  He nodded.

  "The man in the picture is older, of course. It's hard to say, Your Majesty. There is a similarity here, but a picture is not enough to tell for sure."

  "When... If he returns, would you be willing to meet with him?"

  She took a deep breath, her gaze still on the picture. "I don't know, Your Majesty. But if it's important to you, I'm sure we can arrange something."

  "A favour for a favour. I will do what I can for you, if you help me with this man's identity."

  "I suspect I'm getting the better end of the bargain then, Your Majesty."

  "Don't be certain. This path you have chosen will not be easy. You should take any opportunity to lighten the load where you can."

  "The rumours are true then. You are kinder than your reputation suggests." She smiled at him, her whole face lighting up with it.

  Akoni started at the realisation of how rarely he'd seen Jeffrey smile, and even when he had, there had always been a part he'd held back. "Rumours always hold some truth; they are also usually vastly exaggerated." Akoni smiled at her and winked. Rising, he held out a hand to her.

  When she stood and took it, he leaned down to kiss her knuckles.

  "It's been a pleasure making your acquaintance, Lady Trevino. I'd be pleased if you stayed at court for a time."

  "Your Majesty, I'll be delighted to stay as long as I'm welcome." She curtsied and left.

  "What do you think?" Akoni asked, once they were alone, sitting across from Ignacio.

  "She seems genuine in her concern for her brother, her wish for him to return. But there's something she's hiding. Her reaction to the picture was...odd."

  "I think she was trying to hide that she thinks it's him. Maybe in an attempt to stifle her own hope."

  "Or is your own hope so great, you see what you wish to?"

  "I'm falling apart, Nace. Hope is all I have left."
He hung his head, his shoulders slumped, no energy left in him.

  "What if he doesn't return? Wherever he is, he's likely fighting rebels. He may not survive, Ako. He may never return. What then?"

  "Then Sycania will have another mad king. Unless someone takes pity and assassinates me."

  Chapter 5

  "I was thirteen years old the first time my father summoned me here." Akoni spoke slowly and with deliberation. Entering the Rose Room had brought back a flood of memories.

  Toby's gaze was on him, filled with expectation.

  "Since he'd become king four years earlier, I'd hardly seen him. On my way to him, I thought of all the things that had happened that I wanted to share with him. I tried to work out which were most important so I wouldn't waste his time." Akoni laughed humourlessly. Leaning against the windowsill, he had his arms crossed in front, an unintentionally defensive stance.

  He swept his gaze across the room, seeing it the way Toby would as his first time in it; the wallpaper had a white background which contrasted with the black roses and their golden stems and leaves. The chairs, like all the furniture, were of a dark wood, decorated with gold carvings, the upholstering black satin, a handful of white cushions on the couches. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

  "It is, your Majesty," Toby replied as he looked around. "But there's more than superficial beauty here. Almost like a threatening kind of atmosphere which lurks in the shadows."

  Akoni smiled. Toby's perceptiveness impressed him. "This room has seen a great many things. I would not be surprised to find residual magic."

  "Your father's magic?"

  Akoni shook his head. His gaze went to the floor in the centre. The place where he had woken up so many times, dazed, confused, drained of all strength. "It'd be a mix of both mine and my father's."

  "But you said you couldn't use your magic." Toby's voice held both a questioning tone as well as confusion.

  "That doesn't mean it cannot be coerced." Akoni closed his eyes. The faint scratching of a quill on paper reached his ears. "After getting my father's summons, I came here as quickly as I could. He sat in the chair, casual but dominating. It wasn't how I knew him. He beckoned, and I stood in front of him. He took hold of my arm, pulled the sleeve up, and wrapped his hand around it. I remember thinking my arm looked like a twig in his big hand. He had me wrap my hand around his arm. Then he was quiet for a long time.

  "Something in his manner made me stay still. He was so different to what I remembered. He told me my magic was strong and it was time to activate it. I didn't have the faintest idea what he meant. That there was magic in our family I knew, but we never spoke of it. What it could do, how it worked. Nothing. I couldn't have protested if I had wanted to.

  "He changed his grip so he was holding my wrist and drew a dagger. I still remember it clearly. A richly decorated hilt, gold etchings, gemstones in different shapes and colours, a short, thick blade, shaped like a leaf, covered in a blue shimmer. He pressed it against my palm. I tried to pull away, but his grasp on me was too strong. I think I started pleading with him then, but he ignored it. In fact, though, the blade did not cut me." Akoni paused and took a deep breath.

  "I read something before," Toby spoke, a little hesitant. "As a boy, one of your ancestors had an accident, but he was unhurt. There was a description of a blue shimmer surrounding him like a shield. It was your magic which stopped the dagger, right?"

  "Yes, the first time at least." Akoni shrugged. "My father seemed unsurprised that the dagger didn't hurt me. But my own relief was short-lived. He put the dagger away and used magic instead. A flame grew in his hand, and he brought it underneath my arm. His hold on me became stronger the more I tried to get away. But once again I felt nothing. The fire didn't touch me; even my clothes remained intact.

  "Once more, my father did not seem surprised--as far as I could tell, distracted as I was. He was patient. Trying out a multitude of different ways to break through my magical shield. I'm certain I started screaming eventually. But nobody came. It was a long afternoon." The ghost of the memory had Akoni shivering, like the effects lingered even now.

  "Did he break through in the end? Did he hurt you?"

  "He was not going to stop until he succeeded. I don't know how long it took. Hours, days. I remember flames, a wall of them all around. They never touched me, but I could feel their heat, and it was terrifying. I expected them to eat me alive at any moment. It wasn't the flames that broke through my shield, though. It was the dagger. On my palm, like his first try. The second time it cut through me like butter. I definitely screamed that time." Akoni closed his eyes and pressed two fingers against them. It didn't make the vision go away.

  "It's not a normal dagger. I've been injured since, and nothing hurt like that shimmering blue blade. Whether it has magic of its own, or if it was my father's, I know not. But it was excruciating. Afterwards, I had no defence when he tried to draw my strength. And he took much. Until I passed out."

  Toby blew out a breath, his quill lowered. "Your Majesty, I--"

  Akoni shook his head and waved a hand. "I want it to be recorded. For future generations. For your research. Though I'd prefer you to keep the records in your coded language so access remains restricted."

  "Of course, Your Majesty. I'll transcribe it and burn the originals."

  "Other than the shield, does any of it seem familiar from the old records?"

  "No, Your Majesty. Drawing from family members seems common, but I believe you know that already. Otherwise, there's nothing else off the top of my head. But I'll check again and use what you told me as reference. If I find anything at all, I'll tell you right away."

  "Thank you, Toby. I appreciate your help."

  "Your Majesty, it's my pleasure." For a moment Toby hesitated. "May I ask, what does it feel like? Your magic."

  "It depends on many factors. On the good days it feels like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day. On the bad days it feels like molten steel is coursing through my veins."

  "And right now?" Toby's voice was gentle, with a note that hinted he was scared to ask.

  Akoni closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He'd crossed his arms again, and his nails were digging into his skin. "Have you ever seen a broken power line? The way sparks seem to fly out. That's what it feels like now, charged and dangerous." Akoni regarded Toby and wondered if the younger man could tell. Could he somehow sense the magic? The way it was straining inside Akoni, wanting to break free and take revenge.

  Toby nodded. "Should I...go make a start on my research now?"

  "Do." Akoni forced a smile and watched Toby leave. The moment the door closed, two steps had Akoni sinking into a chair, elbows on his knees. Lowering his head, he folded his hands behind his neck and breathed. It was getting harder to stay in control, and reliving painful memories was not helping. He stayed still for a time, breathing deeply, hoping it'd calm him and his magic.

  His father had used magic so effortlessly. At least that was how it had appeared, conjuring flames out of nothing. Staring at his hand, Akoni tried to influence his magic, willing a fire into being. Nothing happened.

  He stood in anger and kicked a table. The vase on it tumbled to the floor, shattering into dozens of pieces, the red roses scattering between.

  Chapter 6

  Akoni swung his blade in a wide arc. His opponent moved to evade, and the edge scraped off the side of the armour. He lifted his shield to block his opponent's counter strike. The force reverberated through his arm and jarred him. He thrust the tip of his blade and had it knocked away, almost losing his grip. His opponent's shield thrust forward. He didn't see it fast enough; his own shield came up too slowly. He stumbled backwards. Another shove, and he lost his balance, his back impacting on the hard dirt.

  The wind knocked out of him, he closed his eyes. His skin burned as if on fire, his magic straining to get free. It didn't only pain him, it robbed his focus.

  "Get up, Akoni!" the marshal thundered.

  He sat
up, heavy movements bringing him back to his feet. The marshal circled him, wooden sword in hand, drawing lazy patterns in the air. Akoni took a deep breath and faced him again.

  The marshal dashed forward, blade raised. Akoni met the strike with his own sword. The wood clanged on impact. Locked together now, they tested their physical strength as much as their willpower. Akoni's arms trembled, the force of the contact only a part of it. Flames lapped at his mind, reaching ever farther. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder. He could not give in to it.

  The marshal twisted sideways and pushed back. Akoni lost his balance and stumbled once more. Another push, and he landed back on the ground.

  "Focus, Akoni. You can do better than this."

  On his knees this time, he bent over, his breathing coming in great big gulps, his vision blurring at the edges. He could not let it win. He lifted one leg, placing his foot down. His arm on his knee, he heaved himself upwards. He swayed and tripped before he managed to right himself.

  The marshal didn't wait, he advanced and struck. Akoni met the strike but could only manage to defend against the blows raining down on him. There was nothing left to counter with. He lost ground now, each charge pushing him backwards. He shook his head to clear it. Focus. The flames lapped higher, consuming him. He had to focus.

  Pain as the wooden blade smacked his arm. The shield thrust at him. Blackness. The briefest moment but long enough that he found himself on the ground yet again.

  "You have five seconds to get up before I attack again. One."

  The fire surrounded him now. He shook his head again and forced a deep breath into his lungs. Then another.

  "Two. Your lover is irrelevant now. Your dying father and your mother are not important. Even your empire is meaningless. You, here, right now, is all that matters. Your life. Three."

  He'd welcome oblivion. Blackness to relieve the madness growing inside him. He had only a single regret if he died now.

  "Four."

  Akoni screamed and jumped to his feet once more, raising his sword. This time the fire didn't hinder him but guided, lending its power. Akoni swung, and as the sword smashed into the marshal's shield, both burst into flames. He recoiled, dropping the sword to the ground where the flame consumed it. The marshal pulled his shield off and dropped it beside the sword, both slowly turning to ash.