He shrugged. “Everything is different now.”
Corbina looked as if she were trying to hide a smile. “Justus, stop talking.”
Rapunzel wasn’t sure how to deal with the feelings of hurt and betrayal. On the one hand, she hardly knew Justus, but on the other, it was clear that he hadn’t been honest with her. This was something that she had never encountered before.
In her small realm of reality, Einar, Papa Otto, and Romy had always been truthful with her. What bothered Rapunzel the most was that she had so easily been taken in.
“I want the truth,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster.
Corbina nodded. “And you deserve to have it. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time to go over everything. But this I can tell you. Romy is indeed being held captive by the King of the Northern Sea.”
“Then, we must start for that kingdom.”
Justus snorted. “Our kingdom has been at war with theirs for as long as I have been alive. We won’t get within a mile of the place without being captured.”
Rapunzel frowned, wringing her hands she said, “Then tell us what we should do, Corbina.”
“You must get Branwen’s journal. The answers you need are inside it. I gave Romy the journal before you were born, Rapunzel. Do you know the small brown book that I am speaking of?”
Rapunzel nodded, excitement lighting her eyes. “Yes, she has told me about her mother’s journal. She keeps it in a trunk with a false bottom. It’s at the cottage.”
“The cottage should be crawling with soldiers,” Justus added warily. “I don’t think it’s the best idea to go waltzing back in there.”
“It’s the only lead we have,” Rapunzel retorted.
Corbina smiled, but it quickly began to fade when the sounds of horses were heard galloping through the woods.
“Quick! You must get away!”
Corbina’s form began to fade away.
“Wait!” Rapunzel cried out. “Where are Papa Otto and Einar?”
“You cannot help them until you have Romy,” Corbina replied. The last of her sentence was barely a whisper, and then she was gone.
Rapunzel fought the urge to cry or scream. Rounding on Justus as she spat, “This is all your fault!”
Justus pointed to himself. “My fault? Are you insane?”
The sounds of the soldiers were drawing nearer.
Justus grabbed Rapunzel by the hand, startling her once again.
“You have to stop doing that,” she said angrily.
“Run!” Justus yelled just as the first horse came into sight.
Rapunzel and Justus ran as fast and hard as their legs would carry them. One horse turned into two, then three, then a dozen were surrounding them. It didn’t matter how hard they tried to avoid the soldiers; there were just too many.
“Stop in the name of the king,” a deep voice commanded.
Justus shoved Rapunzel behind him. “Which king?”
The soldier’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What kind of game are you playing, boy?”
Justus immediately dropped his gaze. Looking contrite, he said, “I’m sorry. My sister has been vexing me all day. I didn’t mean to sound disrespectful.”
Rapunzel was trying to fight her way back in front of the Justus. “I don’t need you to protect me or speak for me,” she hissed loudly.
“She seems like trouble,” another soldier added.
“Maybe I am not protecting you,” he retorted. “Maybe I am protecting them.”
“Protecting us? From what?” the third soldier asked. “I hardly think we are in too much danger from a girl.”
Justus laughed. “You have no idea the temper my sister has. If I didn’t know better, I would think she had an attitude problem.”
Rapunzel kicked the back of Justus’ knee, nearly causing it to buckle.
The second soldier winced. “I can see that she’s a right hellcat.”
“You’ve no idea,” Justus commiserated.
“We don’t wish to be a part of your family squabbles,” the first soldier interrupted. “But we do have some questions for you.”
“What can we do for you, officer?” Justus asked.
“A girl was taken from her home a few miles back. There is a substantial reward for anyone who comes forward with knowledge of her whereabouts. Have either of you seen a girl traveling alone?”
Rapunzel shook her head. “We saw an old woman not too far back. But we haven’t seen a girl.”
In a deliberate move, she placed her hands on Justus’ arm so that she could peer over to see the soldiers.
Justus seemed to freeze when she grabbed him.
“Act natural,” she hissed softly.
Justus looked like he wanted to murder her.
A bubble of amusement came out of nowhere, and she laughed at his scowling expression. “You should see your face!”
The third soldier shook his head. “She is a handful. I don’t know how you do it.”
Justus replied through clenched teeth. “I have been asking myself the same thing. Do you have a description of the girl you are looking for? We could keep a look out. The substantial reward wouldn’t go amiss as well.”
The first soldier nodded. “She is just shy of nineteen years, golden hair that is several feet long. The most telling sign is that she can’t touch anyone.”
Justus frowned. “What?”
The man nodded. “They say that her touch brings death.”
Rapunzel felt her stomach flip flop. Besides the exaggeration of her hair, everything else they said was accurate.
“I’ve heard the tale of the king’s touch turning everything to gold. But I must admit, I haven’t heard this.”
The soldiers began to fall into line. “What brings you out into the woods, anyhow?”
Rapunzel pointed to the nearest tree. “We were just about to gather tree bark when you came upon us.”
The first soldier scoffed, “That’s why you ran from us? It’s more likely that you are poachers.”
Rapunzel was about to snap something back at them when Justus pinched the back of her hand. While she yelped, he said, “We aren’t. I promise you.”
The man was already turning his horse and motioning for the other soldiers to follow him. When they were finally out of sight, Rapunzel shoved away from him.
Justus rounded on her. “You nearly got us caught!”
“You nearly got us caught,” she countered. “I can take care of myself.”
Justus rolled his eyes. “Hardly. If it hadn’t been for me, you would have fallen to your death trying to sneak out of the cottage.”
“And why did you help me?” Rapunzel asked, latching onto his words. “I can’t possibly believe it had anything to do with the kindness of your heart.”
Justus flushed. “You don’t understand.”
Rapunzel scowled. Did he think she wasn’t clever enough to understand?
“Because I am too stupid? Or too naive? Why won’t I understand?”
“You aren’t stupid,” he grumbled.
She latched onto what he didn’t say. “But I am naive?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. The gesture had her blood boiling.
“I don’t need your help,” she repeated. “Go away.”
Stomping off into the woods, Rapunzel ignored when Justus called her back. She ignored her hurt feelings over the way he assumed that she was naive. What really stung for Rapunzel was the knowledge that he wasn’t so very wrong in his estimation. She was naive, sheltered, and clearly out of her depths.
Justus raced after her and grabbed her by the arm.
“That’s another thing,” she added hotly as she looked angrily at where his hand was still grasping her arm. “Stop grabbing me all the time.”
“I wouldn’t have grabbed you if you would have listened to me. You are going the wrong way.”
Rapunzel looked up. Sadly, she had no idea if he was wrong or right.
“I have the visi
on of the raven. I have also flown over every inch of these lands. Choose to believe me or don’t. But I am telling you, that isn’t the right way.”
She bit her lip, wanting to stay mad but also needing his help.
“How do you get back to the cottage?”
A faint smile played around her lips. “Follow me.”
Then in what seemed little more than seconds, he transitioned into a raven. Soaring high in the sky, his black feathers became harder and harder to see. Rapunzel felt a pang of doubt. After everything they had been through in the last day, surely, he wouldn’t disappear on her.
Thankfully, his raven flew back into sight, and then moments later, he morphed back into his human form. “We need to go this way,” he advised and began to go down a different path. Rapunzel followed along, knowing that she still wanted many other questions answered before the night was through.
Chapter 6
“Well, I think that was rather successful,” Corbina said, appearing once the soldiers were out of sight.
“Please don’t disappear again until you tell me the whole story,” Rapunzel begged.
Corbina sighed. “Let’s talk while you walk. We need to start at the beginning. My kingdom has never been a wealthy one.”
Justus grunted in agreement.
“Are you one of the Raven people as well?” Rapunzel asked.
Corbina nodded. “Yes, my father was the king of the Raven people.”
Rapunzel lit up with excitement. “Romy always said she was born of the ravens. Papa Otto used to tell me about the day when a murder of crows sailed in carrying a wriggling blanket in their claws. When he approached, he found a baby in that blanket. Do you know how she got there?”
Corbina suddenly looked very sad. “Indeed, I do.”
When it became clear that she wasn’t going to expand, Rapunzel opened her mouth to ask another question. She stopped when she saw Corbina wipe a translucent tear from her cheek.
Clearing her throat, Corbina continued, “My youngest brother, Ivan was Romy’s father. He had always been a rather impetuous boy, but he grew into a fine young man. Like I said before, my people weren’t wealthy. In fact, when my father sent Ivan on his quest, it was to try and find a way to help our failing nation.”
“The king sent him?” Rapunzel asked.
“Yes,” Corbina answered. “My father wanted to open up trade lines between the other kingdoms. It seemed to be going well until my brother returned without a signed contract from the king of the Northern Sea. Instead, he had eloped with the king’s ward. Everyone knew how much the king of the Northern Sea cherished his ward. It had nothing to do with actual affection, mind you. He loved the power of her magic.”
Rapunzel didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“In exchange for her hand in marriage, the king demanded an exorbitant bride price, just as if she were his own daughter.”
It all began to click together for Rapunzel. “But your kingdom didn’t have the money.”
Corbina looked pained. “I have no wish to speak ill of the dead, especially because I am one. But Ivan and Branwen hoped to trick the king.”
“How?” Rapunzel asked.
“The king had heard that the Raven people could change shape. He was intrigued by the idea of shapeshifting. He asked that Branwen give him the power to shapeshift.”
Rapunzel shook her head. “That is impossible. Magic doesn’t change one into something else. If he wasn’t born a shifter, he will never be one.”
Corbina smiled sadly. “You know that, and I know that. But the king did not. Branwen told the king that it would take a very long time to create the spell. She told him that she didn’t have enough magic on her own. But that she would find another, and they would give him what he asked.”
“It was a foolhardy plan,” Justus added. “Even if she wasn’t to know that her baby would be born with magic. And to be sure, I doubt she even considered it a possibility.”
“When the baby was born, the entire kingdom rejoiced. My father was so happy. Indeed, we all were. It was shortly after this time that Branwen received word from the King of the Northern Sea that he wished to meet his ward’s child and give it a gift.”
Rapunzel gasped. “Say they didn’t go.”
“I only wish I could,” Corbina replied. “At first the king was rather disappointed in the baby. Ivan and Branwen were about to leave when Romy transitioned into a baby bird. The king was thrilled. Now there were two wielders of magic. He demanded that Branwen perform the spell. She told him that there wasn’t a spell that could change someone into something else.”
“Was he terribly angry?” Rapunzel couldn’t help but ask.
“He demanded that his guards take Romy from them. He said the child would have to be the payment since they had twice lied to him. Romy, frightened by the soldiers, once again turned into a raven. It was when they were attempting to catch her that her wing was injured.”
“And that is what happened to her arm?” Rapunzel’s heart nearly broke. The thought that those horrible soldiers had harmed Romy as a baby was nearly more than she could take.
Corbina nodded. “The guards attacked. There was mass pandemonium, and, in the thick of it all, Branwen was trying to catch her baby. She didn’t see the guard’s sword until it was too late.”
Rapunzel choked back a cry. “No!”
“Ivan managed to escape with Romy, but he was badly injured as well. When he finally made it back to our kingdom, the Northern Sea King’s troops had been there. My father and siblings were all slaughtered in their beds. My brother Ivan was at death’s door, and I knew the soldiers would keep coming until they found her.”
“It was you,” Rapunzel said in a low voice, her eyes brimming with emotion.
Corbina’s head dipped. “I called in our bravest warriors. Along with them, I transitioned into my raven form, and we took the baby as far from the raven kingdom as we could go. We searched until we found someone that would never know or care about the politics of this world. We searched until we found a caregiver that would be able to love and protect my niece.”
“Papa Otto,” Rapunzel finished. “You gave her to Papa Otto.”
“It was the hardest thing I have ever done,” Corbina added. “We were shot out of the sky on our return. I truly believe that Romy’s life was spared because we took her away. But the king of the Northern Sea, he never stopped looking for her. Even though he isn’t the young man he once was, he is still very powerful.”
Rapunzel felt sick inside knowing that this king, a monster, had her Romy. “You said that Romy was with the king of the Northern Sea. Where are Papa Otto and Einar?”
Justus cleared his throat. “I would imagine that your parents have them.”
For a moment, Rapunzel was confused. “My parents? Oh, Frieda and Thomas? Can’t we just go to them and tell them to release Einar and Papa Otto?”
Corbina looked horrified. “And run the risk of someone touching you? What do you think your father would do if he learned about the curse?”
Rapunzel wanted to say that he would love and accept her anyway. But she had a sinking suspicion that wouldn’t be the case. “So, what would you have us do?”
“You need to get the journal and figure out the King of the Northern Sea’s weakness.”
Justus nodded and added on where Corbina left off. “Then we need to rescue Romy and bring her home.”
Rapunzel looked at him in confusion. “Home?”
He looked a little annoyed. “While she has been off taking care of you, our kingdom has been without its rightful heir.”
It felt like another blow to Rapunzel’s fragile house of cards. How could she not have realized that her precious Romy had an entirely different life before her? How had she not thought to learn more about all of them? The only thing that comforted her was the fact that Romy didn’t know many of these details either.
“Rather than squabble like children, put your minds together and find a way
to save Romy. I will speak with you both very soon.”
Before Rapunzel could ask another question, Corbina had disappeared.
“I hate how she does that,” Rapunzel grumbled.
Justus barked out a laugh. “You and me both.”
Chapter 7
“This place is crawling with soldiers!”
Rapunzel followed Justus’ gaze to see; indeed, there were several guards surrounding her cottage.
“Can you fly through the open window?” she asked hopefully.
Justus scowled. “Did you see their muskets and bows? I am not flying anywhere near that place.”
Rapunzel turned to look at the cottage once again. Justus was right; the guards were heavily armed. “If we can’t sneak in, we will need create a diversion.”
“Okay, what were you thinking?”
“I could get them to chase me,” she began.
“No,” Justus said emphatically.
“Wait. Why?”
“And what happens if they catch you?” Justus waited for it to sink in.
“Right, they fall dead. Okay, well, it looks like it’s up to you. What kind of magic are you good at?”
Justus flushed to the tips of his ears. “I don’t see why we will need magic.”
Sensing a story, Rapunzel prodded him. “Why not? Is it something embarrassing?”
Justus scowled. “No.”
“Then tell me.”
“Look, not everyone is good at magic.”
Rapunzel raised a brow. “So, you are telling me you are bad at magic?”
“I am telling you that I haven’t had anyone to train me,” he said hotly. “I try not to use it very often because crazy things happen when I do.”
Rapunzel’s eyes widened, and she clapped her hands together. “That’s perfect! We need something crazy. But perhaps you can do it over there, just to be safe.”
Justus’ lips flattened into a straight line. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Her eyes danced. “I never said you would, but a girl needs to be careful. It’s a dangerous world out here.”
He shook his head. “Says the girl who lets a witch climb her hair.”
Kingdom of Crowns and Glory Page 19