World Devoted

by Emily Albert

  “Why are you following me? I don’t need you here! I’m going to see my father.”

  “You told me before that you needed me, and I’m going to help you. You can’t just push me away. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

  Lenna stepped closer so she could lower her voice. “I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but I have a feeling you’re not going to be okay with it. I need you, and for you to stay, you need to be in the dark.”

  “I told you, I’ll do whatever you need. I’ll protect you.”

  “Yes, you’ll keep my secret because you love me, but you might not want to marry me. This involves Darrian. I don’t know what he’s capable of, but the thing is, I’m hoping it’s bad. Really bad. I need to kill him, Devon. I’m going to do whatever it takes.”

  “I am too. I can take it. I’m not going to run away.”

  “You can’t just say that. You don’t know.”

  Devon took her hand, and she jerked it away.

  He got closer but didn’t touch her. “I know it well enough. If you’re safe, then I won’t run. All right?”

  Lenna searched his face and whispered, “Promise you won’t run. Promise you’ll marry me.”

  He smiled. “I won’t run. I will marry you. All I want is for you to be safe. Go ahead, talk to your father.”

  Ollivan was writing a letter when Lenna walked in. “Always writing letters, just like my husband… I wonder whose ear you’re whispering into.”

  Hearing her for the first time, he picked his head up and smiled. “I’m writing to the people that housed me when I was away. Awfully kind people. I’m not sure if they’ll even get this, considering where they live, but…”

  “I have to ask you something.”

  He put his pen in the ink bottle. “Anything.”

  “You told me about a secret room that Darrian went in for long periods of time. The one he came out of crazy. I need to know where it is.”

  Ollivan let out a swift laugh. “Why? So you can go crazy, too? Look, Lenna—”

  “Are you going to tell me or not? I’m going to find it either way. There are lots of people here that lived with him. Someone should know.”

  “Things are tense enough, and I have no idea what’s in there. I’ve never dared to look. I’m afraid of going near it, to be honest. I don’t want you near it, either. You don’t need him in your life.”

  Lenna narrowed her eyes. “I am your queen, if you’ve forgotten. You’re not in charge of anything anymore. Are you going to defy your queen?”

  Ollivan lifted his eyebrows and said carefully, “I am your father, if you’ve forgotten. It’s my job to protect you.”

  Lenna slinked forward and said, “Except I have the power of the dungeon, torture, execution. I have the power to do what I will with whomever I want.”

  “Does your husband know about this? He has that power too,” Ollivan said evenly.

  Fire flared up in Lenna’s chest. “Who was here first! Who grew up here! Who knows everyone in the castle, knows her way around! He doesn’t belong here!”

  “But he is here, Lenna.”

  “I know he’s here! I know they like him more than me! I know that’s what you’re thinking, and I don’t want to hear it. This is my kingdom!”

  “Remember that you have to give if you want to stay sane. If you don’t want to end up like Darrian.”

  “I heard you! I hear you every time you lecture me about being kind and soft, and I don’t care what you have to say! That’s just weakness, what you’re talking about. And if it worked for you, you would be King, wouldn’t you? That’s not how this works. You can’t just be nice and expect everything to fall into your lap.”

  “Have you tried?”

  “Of course I have. It doesn’t work. I need to get into this room! I need to be the head of my country again. There’s something in it that can help me, I know it. I need it to protect myself. But if you’re not going to help me…”

  Ollivan blinked at her. “Okay.”

  “Okay? As in you’ll take me?”

  “Sure.”

  “What just happened?”

  He stood and stretched. “I want you to be happy. I don’t know what you plan to do in this room, but if you think exploring it will make you a happier queen, I’ll show you.” He paused, searching her face. “I trust you, just be careful. Do you hear me? I’m trusting you to be careful.”

  If he knew what she planned to do, he would not trust her at all. He had no idea what he was buying into.

  “Okay,” she whispered, and moved aside for her father to lead her through the door.

  In the corridor, Devon brightened when he saw her. “Come on,” she called to him.

  He jogged to catch up. “Is he taking us?” he whispered.

  She nodded.

  “Is Lord Devon coming with us, then?”

  “Yes, it appears so.”

  “Hm.”

  Ollivan led Lenna and Devon through the castle, always a few paces ahead. He stopped at intersections several times, examining each hallway before picking a direction. Once he paused, turned completely around, and started the other way. All the while, there was an eager drumbeat in Lenna’s head.

  After passing through a majority of the hallways in the castle, they arrived in a huge, empty, windowless room. It was the only room in the entire wing.

  “Is this it?” Lenna asked, deflated.

  “This? Oh, no, no. Not at all. I think he cleared this room out so no one would come down this hallway. A little bit excessive, but it made him feel safer, I suppose.”

  “I’ve always wondered what this wing used to be,” Devon said.

  “It was a music room. The orchestra would practice in here, but they were moved to a room near the servants’ quarters. They don’t get much peace now, I imagine, but it was the farthest away from his room.”

  Devon laughed. “I almost wish I had known him.”

  Mostly aimed at Lenna, Ollivan said, “No, you don’t. It might sound funny, but if you had been in Parliament, if you had been alive when he ruled, you wouldn’t think so.”

  Devon cleared his throat and Lenna said, “Where is it, then?”

  “I think I saw him go in… Yes, over here.”

  The room was almost totally dark with no candles, so Lenna barely saw the door when Ollivan tapped on it. It was wood, but it was painted to look like the stone around it. The only definable feature was an empty sconce that acted as a doorknob. Ollivan pulled it open with some difficulty, dust rising up from the creaking door. “Here it is. Why don’t I get you some flint and steel, hm?”

  While Ollivan was gone, Lenna and Devon stood on the threshold. They didn’t dare go any farther, as they couldn’t see anything past where they were. There was a sharp chill, even in the middle of summer. It must have led down into a basement.

  “What do you think an insane person would hide in a secret room?” Devon’s voice echoed.

  “It has to be something destructive.”

  “Yes, probably.” Devon looked straight into the blackness beyond them.

  “Are you afraid?” Lenna asked.

  “A little. It only makes sense to be afraid of going into a dark pit, don’t you think? Are you afraid?”

  Fear is weakness, she told herself. She would go into the basement for her, for her guardian, and she would not hesitate.

  “I’m more excited. I want to see what’s down there.”

  There was thick silence until Ollivan returned.

  “Okay, here you go,” he said, handing Lenna the flint and steel. “I’m going to go. I’ll be in the garden if you need me.”

  The two stood leaning against the doorway, composing themselves until Lenna lit the first candle. Stairs were revealed, and Lenna took the first step down. She lit every candle as they descended, and it was a very long time before they reached the bottom.

  They were faced with an unfathomable darkness. The striking coldness of the room left Lenna frozen in h
er spot at the base of the stairs; Devon did not move either. Slowly she sidled along the wall, feeling it as she went. There were large spaces between each candle, and she breathed a sigh of relief after lighting each one. Did Darrian have to replace and light them all every time he came down here?

  After some time the perimeter of the room was lit, and Lenna could see more candles farther into the room. She continued moving in until the middle of the room was lit. She let herself relax and look around, and when she did her eyes met Devon’s.

  It was enormous, vaster than any other room in the castle. The most striking quality was its height—she could not even see the ceiling through the darkness, but what was visible stretched up so high it almost looked like the night sky. It explained the endless winding stairs.

  While the room was large, it was fairly unimpressive otherwise. There were many spacious tables around the room. Loose papers and journals were scattered on top of them, and they were covered in scratches and drops of wax and ink. Everything was thrown around, and shredded papers littered the floors. The wood was not the shining, finished material found inside the castle, but raw and crude. Chests sat at the side of each table, made of the same worn wood. Some were open, and they were stuffed, or even overflowing, with papers and wooden figures. Some pieces of wood seemed to be carved with intention, others stabbed and mangled. The stone walls and floor were rough and covered in rubble and dust.

  The center table was the most elaborate. It was a huge rectangle with an expansive map spread across it, spotted with small figures. She felt the pieces, shaped with care into dark lion heads and light sea dragons. Though scattered wildly around the map, she could tell there was intention to it. She did not dare move any of them.

  The feeling of insanity in the room was palpable.

  While she explored the main table, she heard Devon come up behind her. “What do you think it is?” he whispered; his voice still echoed.

  “War,” she said, a crazy energy entering her body.

  She could feel a similar energy possessing her guardian. Still, it said, Tread lightly, child.

  “I’m better than he was…” she murmured to her guardian. “I have my sanity… There’s no other way. It will work…”

  Her confidence only served to excite her guardian further. It did not argue.

  “What?” Devon said.

  “I have to do it. I have to take his country. I’ll make them back down. I’ll make them grant me a divorce, or more.”

  “You think that’s a good idea?”

  “Yes, I do. I think it’s brilliant. I can take him down by taking all his supports down. Once I tell everyone in Haeden who he really is, I can execute him. And because I’ll have control of Elawar, they won’t be able to do anything about it. They’ll try and try to punish me, but I’ll have the power to manipulate them. I don’t even have to hide! I can do anything I want!” She laughed at how simple she made it sound. “It will work, Devon. Everything will be even better than before Marco came. I’ve finally figured it out.”

  “Lenna, it’s big. You’re not thinking about your people. They’re going to—”

  She swung around to face him. “Exactly. It’s big, and it will work. We’ll kill him and my people will understand when I tell them what kind of person he is.”

  “You’ll be the queen who executed her husband… And war is expensive. It’s a lot of money to spend when you could help the people who are suffering. I… I’m not going to tell you what to do, but think about it.”

  Lenna raised her eyebrows. “You think I’m not suffering? You think I deserve to be abused because I’m too expensive to be saved? You think Marco should be in charge?”

  “No, I don’t. I think there are other ways. And there’s a reason even Darrian didn’t succeed. It’s hard. It’s dangerous.”

  “I’m smarter than him.”

  “Maybe it’s too much for anyone to handle.”

  “I get it! I get it. It’s huge. I hear you. But it’s perfect. It will work. And if you don’t see that, you can go. So I’ll ask you again, are you going or help me or not?”

  “Lenna, I promised I wouldn’t run.”

  “But you don’t want to be involved. You’re scared.”

  Devon’s eyes became glossy with tears. “Lenna…”

  “Just say it. Say I was right to tell you to stay out of it.”

  “No. I promised I wouldn’t run. I promised.”

  “But you’re only going to drag me down. So you’re not running, I’m pushing you away. When this works and Marco is the only guilty one, I will find another husband easily.”

  When you save your people, free of Marco, you will be the hero of Haeden. You will collect countries as some collect jewels, and as you take the world, and you will find a worthy husband. Devon is titleless, useless, and if he objects to your actions, he is worse than that. Soon, important men from around the world will want to give you heirs.

  “I want to help you find another way. A safer way.” Devon’s eyes clung to her face.

  “If you’re not going to join me, go. I don’t need your doubts.”

  Devon looked at her for a long time before leaving.

  After this you will take the world. You will be the true leader of everyone and everything, and you will make your ancestors proud.

  ○○○

  Days passed as Lenna sifted through papers and tried to make sense of Darrian’s plans. She did not eat or drink and relieved herself in the corner. There were more candles stashed in chests to replace the ones that melted down. She was barely surviving, but the thrill made up for it. It was the same rush her grandfather must have felt.

  Darrian had planned to take over Euris—a huge, wealthy country. Then, deeper into his brainstorming, there were plans to take down another country, Ormania. She thought back to Joran telling her about Darrian getting killed in battle. She would not be so foolish as to put herself anywhere near weapons. There were soldiers for that.

  Lenna was fortunate that Darrian had made much grander plans than she would need. She could simplify it. She immersed herself in the plans until she pulled out what she needed among the incomprehensible insanity.

  Elawar had the ocean on three of its borders, while Haeden was surrounded by land. Euris was also a peninsula, so Lenna intended to follow Darrian’s sea plans. She searched for defensive tactics on land and offensive tactics on water, but most of his ideas were senseless.

  One of his ideas was to build ships whose fronts and backs looked identical so that when they were approaching, it looked as if they were moving away. This was supported by countless sketches and the names of ship architects.

  A large note, circled many times, said, “Kill them all quickly and they won’t have time to fight back!”

  Several crumpled papers lay strewn across a seemingly neglected table in the corner. She almost overlooked it, but her goal was to comb through every last idea. She opened one of them to see a ship with wheels rolling onto a peninsula. An identical boat shot cannons from the middle of the land while others shot from the water. Scribbled on it was, “Keep soldiers protected even on land,” and in small writing beneath it, “Not sure how to build these or how they would work, but I have faith in the architects.” It was a stretch, but more informative than most other notes.

  There were many other drawings of ideas for invading the country, some even realistic. Wheels and new weapons were involved. She started to believe in some of these ideas, but she didn’t have time to build new contraptions. She needed to fight now.

  One paper near the center of the table was particularly frayed and yellowed. “Reminder: my people are loyal. They’ll follow me anywhere. Motivate them and they can do anything.”

  This was the most terrifying part of his insanity. He had been overflowing with misleading confidence. His people didn’t love him; in fact, they hated him. He had been nothing but cruel.

  Lenna strived for the people to love her, but they didn’t. Not yet. She coul
dn’t copy Darrian’s false hope and tell herself they would obey her every order. It would take time and getting rid of Marco for them to trust her.

  Lenna began to shake. She wanted to tear up all the papers and scream. No one would hear her from down here, anyway. It was all useless. A candle by the wall blew out, and she lit it mechanically.

  When light filled the area, she noticed something on the wall. It was a phrase carved clumsily into the stone: “GUARDIAN, I WILL TAKE THE WORLD.”

  Lenna’s heart raced. The mention of his guardian made their connection real. Did the same entity speak to both of them? She believed it did. She bore the same responsibility that drove Darrian mad. The same one that had driven had father mad. They both failed, and it was her turn to try different methods of gaining power. She knew Darrian’s cold, relentless heart would help her, but now was the time to be smarter.

  Their lives were different. He had had no triggers, only unfounded rage. Lenna would not wage the same baseless war dreamt up in a manic fit. When Marco initiated this fight, he handed her the hidden power of being the victim. He gave her the right to strike back without looking like the monster Darrian had been. How had she not seen that beautiful simplicity?

  She would finish her fight with Marco, then she would move on. Her shadow would fall on every country, her crown growing brighter and brighter. She had always wanted Haeden, but there was so much more than that.

  Be smarter. Finish what your ancestors started. Make us proud.

  Lenna would never know these people she aimed to honor, yet she fought for them anyway. She wanted the power, but her guardian and ancestors had instilled that desire in her. They had led her through her whole life telling her everything could be hers. She owed them the world.

  In the shadow of a table near the wall carving was a dagger. Lenna took hours to scratch her reply: “I WILL FINISH IT.”

  Her guardian laughed—a proud, alarming thing.

  You can have it all, and you will. You must.

  When she reached the first floor of the castle, Lenna’s eyes squinted against the light. Her legs were stiff as she ran to her bedroom. The harsh sun streaming in made it warmer than the basement. Without catching her breath, she sat at her desk and pulled out paper, a pen, and ink. She scribbled her declaration to Elawar in minutes, then stopped to breathe and examine it. It was perfect. Her head spun pleasantly and the whole room glowed.