Shattering Dreams

by Catherine M Walker

  Alex continued to walk toward the butchered bodies on the ground; while he did not doubt they were dead, he felt compelled to check on them before they left, a part of his mind noticing that Jess and Kyle were doing the same.

  Jess traded a worried glance with Kyle. Alex had withdrawn and barely said a word since the incident at the farm. He walked along a grey pathway of the veil on automatic, lost in his own world. She knew he was thinking of his mother—seeing the slaughtered family would have reminded him of the circumstances of her death, she was sure of it.

  Jess saw a flicker of anger on Kyle’s face as he turned his gaze from Alex to their mentors.

  So was there a point to all this? Trust me when I tell you we are all very aware that we could end up being overwhelmed by the Taint, our minds breaking under the onslaught and going mad.

  Kyle stopped, frowning. Then, grabbing Alex’s shoulder, he transitioned them both back to the real world. Jess felt her eyes widen then. She glanced at her uncle, Kat and Edward, then shrugged and followed Kyle. Following his path with her mind, she could see the faintly glowing trail they had taken, with Kyle’s signature all over it. She didn’t quite know how to explain it but they all left different patterns in the veil as they manipulated it to their will.

  Jess walked from the mist, making her way down a cobbled street a few paces behind Kyle and Alex. Glancing around, she didn’t recognise where they were. It was a small village, likely on one of the trade routes since the village, although small, still had a bar. Pulling up her hood in a move that mirrored Kyle’s, she watched Alex do the same, with a little prompting, as they walked into a bar, Trail’s Rest.

  Taking only a moment to assess the dim interior of the bar, she wasn’t surprised to see a few people inside—traders breaking their fast early before heading out onto the road to continue their journey. Places like this were open late, only to reopen early to cater to those who lived much of their lives on the road. After a brief pause, Jess followed Kyle to the back of the room, where he took a corner booth. Before long, two serving boys deposited standard morning fare on their table: steaming bowls of oats, mugs of coffee, bread, cheese and some mixed berries. She slid onto the bench, picked up her mug and sipped the steaming contents. She didn’t have to wait long. Edward, Kat and Cal walked into the establishment and took their place in the booth opposite them.

  “We didn’t show you that to upset you all.”

  Cal was the first to speak, looking troubled, and traded glances with both Kat and Edward. He sighed and, catching the eye of the serving boy, indicated that they wanted three more servings. The breakfast platters were delivered with such promptness that Jess gathered they were already set up in the kitchen.

  Cal paused and turned to look at her, his expression bland and unreadable. He waited until the serving boys left before he spoke, his voice calm, unconcerned, but with obvious censure.

  “Tell me what you know of the Sundered ones.”

  Jess’s eyes widened at the request, and she looked up from her coffee to glance at her uncle, who revealed nothing to her. His face was carefully guarded against giving away what he was thinking. It was unusual for anyone today to talk about the Sundered, although she knew that in her uncle’s day it had been a common topic. She had no doubt he knew much more than she did. How could he not? He had been one of the pivotal people involved in the Sundered War.

  Still, Jess considered his question, then spoke, her voice low. “They are spawned from those who have too much of the veil running through them—or the Taint, as people call it today.” Jess licked her lips nervously; this was not a topic she liked considering all that much.

  Kyle took over.

  “Healers say when a person controls too much of the Taint, it drives that person to madness. The madness consumes them, and they break, becoming the Sundered. They feel no common bonds with anyone around them. They kill—without thought or compassion—anyone or anything in their path.” Kyle’s voice was low so as not to carry to the surrounding tables. “You, Prince Edward and Lord Callum led the then-Kingsmen against the hordes of Sundered who had descended on the Realm, killing them all and saving the Realm.”

  Jess saw Edward nod as he contemplated their words. He smiled. “In a way that is correct, although those with the veil running through their blood were not considered the Tainted in our day. All humans who can manipulate the veil, like us, go through a transition period.” Edward paused, trading a glance with Cal and Kat. “As they come into their power, some of those unfortunate souls’ minds break; they descend into madness and become what you know as the Sundered. Not all those with power were killed off in the Sundered War—many of them weren’t even Sundered. Some were bad, not mad. They still continue to exist. Not all Sundered are what you think them to be. You are not what you think you are.”

  Edward paused, but Jess could tell that he was not finished, there was more information he wanted to pass onto them. He was letting them process what he had already said.

  Jess took a deep breath and asked the next question she knew he was waiting for. “What do you mean? What are the Sundered? What are we?”

  “Tell me what you know of the Kin and the Elder.” She felt more than saw Kat’s smile.

  Jess almost laughed, both from surprise at the question and because it was standard for Cal, Kat and Edward to answer a question with a probing question to see what they already knew. Trading incredulous looks with Kyle, she answered as best she could, trying to take the question seriously.

  “Ancient beings of power, never to be crossed. Depending on which legends you follow, they are unpredictable—pranksters, powerful. They could just as easily take your life as save it.” Jess glanced at her uncle but could get nothing from his expression, so she continued, knowing she would not get any more information from him or the others until she had finished answering. “Some legends state that the Kin were the offspring of a liaison between the Elder and a human, so half-breeds. Some even say this is where the Taint has come from in family lines. Kin blood corrupting the human blood, which isn’t capable of handling the Taint, turning those with the power into the Sundered.”

  The silence stretched between them for such a long time that Jess became uncomfortable. She gathered her thoughts, about to say more, when Kat responded.

  “The Elder are real; they have been real for a long time—longer, perhaps, than any but the Elder know. They have great power in this world. Some humans who can access the Taint, as you call it, who survive transition, become the Kin. The Kin, if they survive long enough, are powerful enough to become the Elder. The Sundered, Kin, the Elder—they are the same people.”

  Jess felt her mind spinning in disbelief as she listened to everything their three mentors passed onto them. The Taint, Kin, Elder—all real, all linked—yet she struggled to believe in them. She’d known about the Taint; how could she not, since she bore it and the risk of becoming one of the Sundered? She’d heard stories about the Kin and the Elder when she was a little girl. Those folks out in the villages away from the Royal Court were a superstitious lot and held to the old beliefs.

  Her introspection was shattered by Alex’s harsh bark of laughter.

  “Seriously? That is the fable you are all spinning? We’re all going to become mad, kill everyone around us, but it’s okay because somehow we’ll turn into the fabled Elder?”

  Alex laughed again, shook his head and stood, heading toward the door without saying another word. Jess watched as Kyle stood to follow Alex, throwing money on the bar from his belt pouch for their unfinished breakfast before heading out.

  Jess shook her head and stood. “I’m not sure I believe you, although I don’t know why you’d make it up. I’ll speak with them when we are all a little calmer. Stuff like the slaughter of a family always unsettles Alex; you should know that by now.” Jess then turned and followed in the wake of her friends, knowing without having to think about it that they were heading back to their beds at the palace. All of them had
had enough for the night.

  Ed sighed, watching the three leave the bar, and shook his head as he felt the surge of them entering the veil. He didn’t have to follow their power trail long to know they were returning to the palace. Done for the night. He looked across the table at his lifelong friends and companions.

  “I’m not sure how we could have gotten our message to them better, yet I know we should have been able to.”

  “They have grown up in a different world to the one we knew, Ed.” Cal shook his head, looking troubled.

  “Until they come into their powers fully it will be hard for them to understand.”

  Ed looked at Kat and had to concede the point—both hers and Cal’s. In their day, those with power had been commonplace. However, where there was great power there was also corruption and betrayal. Ed stirred and shook his head.

  “We need to keep a closer eye on them. Alex commented that it had been months since he’d seen me.” Ed smiled depreciatingly. “I hadn’t realised that much time had passed.”

  Kat’s eyes widened as she looked at them. “No, surely it hasn’t been that long?”

  “What is time to us?” Cal’s eyebrow disappeared in his hairline as he laughed at his shocked friends, who finally began to laugh with him.

  “You have a point. Should we come clean and tell them everything?”

  “Ed, we just tried that. They didn’t believe us.” Kat shook her head and looked at Cal for support.

  “They won’t believe us until they transition. They can barely sense the power right now, let alone control it. We wait. Wait until they transition, until they can wield their powers better and sense the world around them.” A frown creased Cal’s forehead.

  Ed groaned softly. “I don’t like this. So much could go wrong, like us thinking a couple of days has passed where in their world it’s been a year.”

  Kat’s mouth firmed, her eyes narrowing. “We’ll just have to be more conscientious. We used to understand how humans accounted time.”

  Ed couldn’t help himself; he laughed at her consternation.

  Alex collapsed onto his bed, one hand reaching for the sheets before he lapsed back down into an exhausted, restless slumber, plagued by nightmares. Seeing his mother’s death repeatedly, the harsh voice of her killer calling him a brother and letting him live. It was a nightmare he’d had since he was a child.

  Edward appeared in the room, less substantial than during the training sessions now that Alex was asleep. He looked down at Alex, a tear welling in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, my nephew. I wish I could spare you the pain. You must learn control or you will become what you fear.”

  Edward sighed and dissipated, his job for the night done.

  5

  A Plot Continues

  Lord Creswell Vannen stepped out of his carriage, looking around the courtyard of the palace before walking up the stairs and into the large sprawling complex, paying no attention to any of the surrounding servants. He could hear his own people rushing after him and smiled. They needed to learn to keep up and anticipate his movements. It wasn’t like this one should be a surprise.

  Lord Vannen spoke, knowing his manservant was at his shoulder.

  “You’ve arranged for the room as I requested? I don’t have time to mess around.”

  “Yes, My Lord, it’s your usual day room while you are here at the palace—it’s not far My Lord.” Mark scuttled up closer and took the lead. “This way, My Lord.” Mark swallowed, knowing having to use day rooms when he came to the palace always irritated the Lord.

  Lord Vannen sighed and followed the otherwise competent servant. He’d been pushing for permanent rooms here at the palace for years now, yet somehow the answer was always the same. There were none available. Still, he knew this meeting wouldn’t take long.

  He had time to settle in a chair in the dayroom before his guest arrived. Lord Vannen frowned as the man, Baine, stepped into his day room with a cursory glance around.

  “I wasn’t expecting you. I understood your master would come.” Lord Vannen was irritated and let it show in his tone. He couldn’t abide dealing with underlings, particularly those who believed they were better than they were.

  Baine sneered at him. “My master has better things to occupy him right now. It’s a risk, me even being here. What do you want, Lord Vannen?”

  Lord Vannen’s back stiffened at the tone Baine used, outraged. “Your master may outrank me but you don’t, Baine. You forget yourself.”

  Lord Vannen cringed back, his eyes widening as Baine stepped forward, his body language menacing.

  “Neither I nor My Lord care what you think. I repeat: what do you want, Vannen?”

  Lord Vannen swallowed. He noticed that Baine had dropped his title but thought better of mentioning it.

  “Your master didn’t make the last meeting of the Order. I wanted to advise him that everything is in place again. My girls and boys have been briefed; we worked out what went wrong, the poison was salvaged. We need the Prince and his friends to show up again.” Lord Vannen licked his lips and glanced around the room. “Perhaps your master can help with that?”

  Baine closed his eyes and muttered a curse. “We realise everything is set up Vannen—I helped set it up. I also know the plan has been reset. Just be ready; it won’t be long now, we can’t force it, otherwise it might draw attention to my master.”

  Lord Vannen swallowed once more and wished he had a glass of wine to dampen his dry throat.

  “You must appreciate that we can’t allow Sundered filth to live, even if they have parents with high birth. It’s our duty to remedy this.”

  Baine shook his head. “My master well knows of this Vannen, his aims align with your precious Killiam Order, for now. Do not make the mistake of coming here again and trying to summon my master. It will mean your death and that of your Order—take word back to them. Now, get out of the palace before you draw more attention than you already have with this foolishness.”

  With that, Baine spun around and left the room without a backward glance at the now sweating Lord Vannen.

  6

  The Strafford’s Dance

  Kyle observed his opponent. James was good, excellent in fact, as he would expect from a member of the King’s Elite. Kyle grinned hearing his opponents breath starting to labour from the exertion of their bout, his response starting to lag as Kyle lunged forcing James to retreat, as he hastily blocked the blade. Kyle grinned as sweat trailed down the side of James’ face, the guard ignored it showing to take a deep breath before trading a flurry of blows back at Kyle. He blocked James’ efforts easily, yet slowed his own response enough to let James think he was gaining the advantage.

  Kyle retreated a few steps, drawing James forward. James fought with one blade while Kyle fought with two blades. It was his preference—one blade long, the other short, both crafted for him by the master bladesman when he was first declared a blade master. They bore his family crest and that of a master. Kyle had not only received training from the best blade masters his whole life, he had trained in the veiled world with Kat, learning the assassin’s skills. He had also traded blows with Edward and even hunted with Cal occasionally.

  None of them had disclosed to the King that they even trained in the veiled world, let alone that they trained with their long-dead ancestors; it was confusing, even to them. The legend surrounding the Fourth and his Companions was just that: a legend. They all knew it, yet somehow parts of it were true.

  Kyle parried his opponent’s blade before raising his short blade to the man’s throat, freezing as a quick halt was called by the weapons master. He felt the cool wash of the veil flow away as he stepped back.

  His opponent stepped back too, shaking his head. “This is a good, if somewhat humiliating, practice for me My Lord, but I’m uncertain how much good it’s doing you.” James shook his head; despite his words, he had an amused look on his face.

  Kyle laughed. “Oh, come on, James. You beat
His Highness from one end of the practice ring to the other.” He nodded toward Alex, who’d been watching from the sidelines. “I can’t let you win every bout today or let His Highness’s honour go unavenged now, can I?”

  “That’s not quite accurate Kyle,” Alex almost spluttered in indignation as Kyle laughed.

  Kyle thanked James and walked over to Alex, slumping on the bench next to him and slapping him on the back. He noted the dark circles under his friend’s eyes, which gave away how little actual sleep Alex had had the night before.

  “Bad night?” Kyle squeezed Alex’s shoulder.

  Alex never talked about his nightmares, yet both Kyle and Jess knew very well that he had them. Particularly at this time of year, as it drew closer to the anniversary of his mother’s death. The first time they had all ended up in that place where the Taint dwells, Alex hadn’t been sleeping well. Out of frustration, they had begun to re-enact what they’d done in the practice ring that day. This continued for a while. At first, it was just an escape from the palace and the pressure of always being watched because of the Taint. Then their trainers had made an appearance. They had all been astounded, but decided that their nightly excursions and contact with their new trainers was best kept to themselves. His eyes wandered across the practice yard to Jessalan, who sparred with a thin, wiry man. Although her style and sword were much different to his own or Kyle’s, she was no less deadly.

  “You did all right, Alex. In any other training arena you’d shine, I’m sure!” Kyle’s grin broadened as Alex threw him a filthy look and Marcus, lurking nearby, choked back a laugh at their banter. Alex was an expert swordsman and everyone here knew it, even if those within the palace doubted his ability.

  Kyle let his gaze slide around the training ring, watching the other practice bouts. Everyone training here excelled, as you’d expect from the King’s Guard; however, it wasn’t a fair example for his friend since he was only half joking. This private training ground was the inner training ring for the elite of the King’s Guard, the ones who guarded the life of the King and his family. Kyle grimaced as he noticed that the man training opposite Jessalan was holding back and the Lady in question had noticed. He could feel her anger building, even if no one else could.