Cage of Darkness (Reign of Secrets, Book 2) Page 18

  “My father?” He had the gall to look shocked.

  She nodded, wiping the blood from her knuckles on her tunic.

  “I told you, he’s besotted with Jana. Once she’s gone, he’ll be himself again.”

  An awful lot rode on the hope King Drenton would return to normal and stop the war. But what if Kerdan was wrong?

  He sighed. “I don’t trust Odar, and you don’t trust my father.”

  “I’ve already vouched for Odar,” she snapped.

  “And I for my father.”

  “Then we have nothing to discuss.”

  He leaned back, staring up at the ceiling, mumbling something unintelligible.

  “I don’t understand you,” she admitted. He eyed her, but didn’t say anything. “For all your grumbling about not trusting Odar because he pretended to be someone he wasn’t, you do the same thing. Only, I don’t know your reasoning.” Her hand was still bleeding. She’d hit the wall harder than intended.

  He tossed her a handkerchief. “I don’t pretend to be another person.”

  “No. But you show one face to your kingdom, another one to your family, one to your soldiers, and one to me. Sometimes, I wonder how you keep it straight.” And often, she wondered if he was a genius or a madman, but she kept that bit to herself.

  He sat there, observing her, no emotion on his face. She refused to speak again until he explained himself. He abruptly stood. “No one has ever accused me of that before.”

  She snorted. Of course no one would notice—he never allowed anyone to see more than one side of him. Not even his own father. So why had he allowed her to? Maybe he didn’t think she would make it out of this alive after all.

  “Why do you think I do it?” he asked, standing before her.

  She had many theories. “You show people what they expect to see.” Was that what he did with her? She leaned back in the chair, waiting for him to continue.

  He crouched before her so they were eye level. “I have been born into great privilege,” he said, his voice low, his eyes intense. “The kingdom expects a fierce ruler. My father has a mighty army under his command. He wants a strong son, and captain, to help him. An evil woman has wormed her way into Russek, infecting this place with her very presence. Someone must destroy her.” He placed his hands on the arms of the chair, leaning closer to her. “I am this way because that is who my kingdom needs me to be.”

  “What about a kind and just king?” She did not believe Russek needed someone with an iron fist ruling.

  “There will be a time and place for that, but not now. A soft ruler will be trampled on once Jana is gone. I have to be strong so one of the rival families doesn’t attempt to overthrow my father using the death of the queen as an excuse.”

  Allyssa hadn’t considered the possibility of a coup. “Why would they do that?” Especially since the line was entailed from Drenton to Kerdan.

  “One reason—power. Think about what Russek is doing to Emperion. It is the same thing.”

  “A noble family would use the king’s mourning to their advantage and overthrow him?” Were all noble families so ambitious?

  “Yes. And most noble families control a portion of the army.”

  No wonder Darmik chose his own captains and officers, not tying anything to the noble families. Although, they did have various regions within Emperion and dukes controlled each one. Had Emperion ever faced any sort of uprising in the past?

  Kerdan stood. “Now, I have a question for you.”

  Her hand had stopped bleeding, so she set the handkerchief aside, curious to hear what he had to say.

  “You planned to marry who you thought was Prince Odar, even though you did not love him?”

  She nodded, not sure where he was going with this. People of royal blood had arranged marriages all the time.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Because it was best for Emperion. We needed Fren’s army to stop Russek.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t have entertained the idea. She was young and in no rush to marry.

  “What do you plan to do now that the marriage treaty is no longer good?” He started pacing.

  “Now who’s wearing a hole in the floor?” she teased him.

  “Just answer the question.”

  “Odar and I are still officially engaged.” She pulled her legs up on the chair, wrapping her arms around her knees. She then proceeded to explain how Odar had signed the contract as himself, and they were still under contractual obligation to marry once his parents consented.

  He smiled. “The prince is smarter than I realized.” His pacing slowed. “Do you want to marry him? Now that you know his true identity?”

  “Yes.” She couldn’t envision being married to anyone else.

  “Because you love him?” he asked. “Or because that’s what your kingdom needs?” He emphasized the word needs as he did before when talking about his own kingdom.

  “Both.”

  “Which comes first? You or your kingdom?” He kept walking back and forth across the room. He was making her dizzy. Did he always do this when he was working through something?

  She examined her now-bruising knuckles, unsure of how to respond to his question. He knew she’d been interrogated. That she would always put Emperion first. “I think you already know the answer.” She didn’t understand why he was even asking.

  “And what about Odar? Does he love you?” She nodded. “And does he put his kingdom before you?” Kerdan went over to the hearth, bending down and throwing another log into the dying fire.

  “Odar’s first loyalty is to his kingdom.” At least, she was fairly certain it was. Although…he wouldn’t marry Princess Jestina of Telmena. To prevent their kingdoms from going to war, he sent his brother to marry her. He hadn’t planned to marry Allyssa until he actually got to know her and changed his mind. That deception still hurt. Odar had also promised to get her out of here no matter the cost. So, did he plan to put Fren first or not? She honestly couldn’t say.

  Kerdan remained crouched before the hearth, his back to her. “So, if the plan works, and the two of you make it out of here alive, you’ll marry and unite your kingdoms?”

  “Yes. Is that what this is about?” she asked. “Are you worried we’ll have too much power?” That they could stand against Russek?

  “No.” He stood, his back still to her. “It’s just…the two of you are in a unique position to marry for love.”

  She had studied enough about the kingdoms on the mainland to know this. “What about you?” she asked. He was a few years older than her and should be betrothed by now.

  “My mother’s death taught me to hide my emotions and to keep my heart closed to others.” He came and sat on the couch across from her. “I will not marry for love, but for political alliance. There are many powerful families in Russek. I will do what is best for my kingdom.”

  “Keeping your heart closed off from love doesn’t make you strong.” What did Kerdan live and fight for? Even when she planned to marry a man she didn’t love, she intended to open her heart to him with the hope they would eventually find love.

  “It makes me stronger,” he replied. “Everything I do is for Russek. It is my kingdom that I love. We have to stop this war and save our people from unnecessary slaughter.”

  “Agreed.” If he loved Russek as much as he claimed, then they should be able to ensure this war ended, regardless of the king. When she looked over at the prince, there was a sadness she either hadn’t seen or hadn’t noticed before. The life he led was hard and bleak. Her heart ached for him, his loneliness, and the difficult positon he was in.

  “What would you do if another alliance presented itself? A stronger and more advantageous one? Would you still marry Odar now that you no longer need to join your two kingdoms together?”

  She stood and stretched, considering what he said. “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. Until the threat of war is gone and I’m safely back in my kingdom, Fren and Emperion need one another.” />
  He waved his hand, dismissing what she said. “I was speaking hypothetically.”

  “I don’t know.” She hadn’t considered the possibility. It didn’t matter—hypothetically or not. She had signed the marriage treaty. The only way it could be broken was if they agreed to destroy the contract. Had that ever been done before? Regardless, she loved Odar and was happy to marry him. “What I do know is that we shouldn’t be wasting our time discussing hypothetical scenarios. We need to practice so when I face your assassin stepbrother, I survive.”

  “You’re right. However, I need to go speak with my father and arrange a meeting for tomorrow evening that will last long into the night. I must have several people there who will be able to attest to me being present while you’re killing the rest of the royal family and saving Russek for me.” He tossed his fur cape over his shoulders and latched the clasp around his neck. “Bolt the door shut after I leave so Soma can’t pick the lock. I’ll knock three times when I return and say my horse’s name, Jomk.”

  His horse’s name was Jomk? “What kind of name is that?”

  “It’s an ancient word for mighty one. A perfectly suitable name for a warhorse.” She laughed, and he shook his head. “I suggest you try and stay up as late as possible so you can sleep during the day. Once you’ve assassinated everyone tomorrow night, you and Odar will leave immediately for Fren. I’ll have supplies stashed for the two of you, but the journey will be long and treacherous on foot.”

  She wanted to look over the map once again to make sure she knew her way out of this blasted castle. She rubbed her temple.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  “I’m trying not to think about killing Jana and her family.”

  “Killing is never easy.” He set his hand upon her shoulder. “I wouldn’t ignore what you’re feeling. Mentally prepare for what you’re about to do by facing the demons now so when you’re killing the royal family, you don’t hesitate.”

  “I keep reminding myself that, by doing this, I will save thousands of lives.”

  “That’s right. Russek will be indebted to you.” He squeezed her shoulder and left.

  She closed the door and slid the bolts into place, locking it. Kerdan wore so many masks, each one revealing a piece of who he was, but not a single one encompassed all of him.

  She sighed. All alone. Again. At least this would be over soon. Closing her eyes, she pictured her parents receiving the news that she was dead. They must be devastated. Hopefully, they didn’t do something rash in retaliation. As soon as she entered Fren, she would send word telling them she was alive. If she was still alive.

  A blast rocked the room. The door exploded, wood pieces flying like daggers. A sliver impaled itself into Allyssa’s arm, and she screamed from the excruciating pain. The room filled with thick black smoke, making it impossible to see. Her head rang from the noise.

  What the bloody hell is going on?

  Several men rushed in, roughly seizing her arms and dragging her out into the hallway, which was clear of smoke and debris.

  “Just as I suspected,” an articulate female voice said from underneath a hooded cape. “Take her to my room.”

  The ringing in Allyssa’s ears subsided, and she tried to get her bearings. Two sentries held her upright. “Release me,” she demanded.

  One of the sentries laughed. “You’re not a princess here. You don’t give orders.” He shoved the wooden splinter deeper into her arm. Her vision swam, and she lashed out, trying to hit him.

  Someone from behind reached forward, covering her mouth and nose with a cloth. She inhaled something pungent, and her world went black.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It tasted as if Allyssa had swallowed a handful of sand. Peeling her eyelids open, she found herself lying facedown on a cold, stone floor. When she went to push herself up, she discovered her wrists were tied behind her back. Her ankles were also secured together. Her arm hurt like hell.

  She remembered the door to Kerdan’s room exploding open, smoke everywhere, and sentries grabbing her. Turning her head, she tried to get a better look at her surroundings.

  “She’s awake,” a man said.

  “Good,” a woman’s steely voice replied. It lacked the heavy accent of most Russeks. “Sit her up.”

  Black boots stepped in front of Allyssa’s face. A man squatted down, leering at her.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, her throat scratchy.

  The man grabbed her hair, yanking her upright to a sitting position and leaning her against the wall. Tears sprang in her eyes. A wood shard protruded from her arm, blood soaking through her sleeve.

  “Leave us,” the woman ordered.

  A few candles had been lit, and a dying fire flickered in the hearth. Allyssa squinted in the dim gray light, trying to see better. In the center of the room there was a lavish bed, plush rugs throughout, and elaborate paintings on the walls. Where was she? She must have been unconscious for hours if the day was almost gone.

  A woman neared, stopping about six feet away, her black dress swirling around her legs. Allyssa craned her head back and looked up to see Eliza—the queen’s mother.

  “It’s time we formally meet,” Eliza said. “Do you know who I am?”

  “Yes.” Even though Jana was Darmik’s half sister, making her Allyssa’s aunt, Allyssa had no relation to Eliza. “Why did you bring me here?”

  The woman tilted her head to the side, observing Allyssa as if she were an unusual animal. “You are here so I can end you,” she finally answered.

  “Then why am I still alive?” She needed to keep Eliza talking so she could work on the knots around her wrists, praying they came loose before the woman realized what she was doing. It was her only chance of escaping.

  “You have your father’s quick mind.” Eliza strolled over to the hearth, warming her hands before the fire. “You are alive because I want to talk to you. Look into your eyes and see you suffer the way I have. Once I’m done, I’ll gladly kill you.”

  If Allyssa didn’t undo her bindings in the next minute or so, her best option would be to draw Eliza closer and then knock her out. Sentries were probably posted outside the door, so she’d have to keep the noise to a minimum.

  “Being the empress of Emperion was a great honor.” Eliza faced Allyssa and clasped her hands together. “However, it was also a curse.” Lowering her voice, she continued, “I had to watch my husband, a man I loved dearly, seduce any woman or girl he chose. And there was nothing I could do except witness him making a fool of himself, humiliating me in the process. I should have been ruling the kingdom and making the decisions, not some womanizing sorry excuse of a man.” Her chest rose and fell, her hands shaking. “I ended up detesting Hamen.”

  She came before Allyssa and squatted so they were eye level. “I’m sure you know that Emperor Hamen slept with my brother’s wife, and that is how your father was conceived. Darmik is a bastard, yet he rules over Emperion.”

  Her father sat on the throne because he married Rema, the rightful heir, not because he stole it. Instead of responding, she kept working on the knots, praying they came loose.

  Eliza gracefully stood. “Darmik doesn’t deserve to rule Emperion. My daughter does. It is her right by birth. I didn’t suffer all those years to be tossed out like a piece of trash, sent into exile.”

  “Jana is reigning over Russek,” Allyssa pointed out. Wasn’t that enough? The queen seemed to have built a life here. Why couldn’t she leave Emperion alone?

  Eliza glided to the hearth, picking up the metal rod resting against it. Then, in one swift motion, she swung the rod, striking Allyssa’s leg.

  Allyssa cried out in agony, falling to her side, unable to remain upright. Hopefully, her leg wasn’t broken. Before Allyssa realized what was happening, Eliza swung the rod again, this time whacking her side. A sickening crack reverberated in her torso. Her vision blurred from the awful blow. If she could free her hands, she could fight back. But the knot w
ouldn’t come loose and her leg…her torso…blackness hovered at the edges of her vision, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “Don’t insult my daughter,” Eliza sneered. “Being queen of Russek is pathetic. We want, and will get, Emperion. I will be at Jana’s side to help her, and, together, we will control everything.”

  Allyssa sucked in a deep breath, and a fierce pain rippled through her ribs. Lying on the floor, helpless, she realized this might be it. All this time she had feared dying at Soma’s hands—not Eliza’s. If she died here, Jana would win. Emperion would fall, her parents would be slaughtered like pigs, and her people would suffer. She couldn’t die. Not here, not now, not like this. Grinding her teeth, she forced herself to say, “You mean King Drenton will rule, just like Hamen. Jana is merely King Drenton’s wife. She has no real power of her own.”

  Fury lit up Eliza’s face, and she lifted the rod, about to swing it when someone knocked on the door to the bedchamber. She rushed over to answer it. “Excellent,” she said as she closed the door and faced Allyssa again. “My guard has just informed me that Kerdan returned to his room and saw the mess. He assumes you’ve escaped and has sent out a search party to retrieve you.” She smiled, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I suspect things are going to get interesting around here. Too bad you won’t be alive to see it.” She swung the metal rod, hitting Allyssa’s outer thigh.

  Allyssa screamed, curling into a ball. Blood seeped out of the wound in her arm, soaking her shirt and pooling on the floor. She needed to stop the bleeding, but every time she moved, she aggravated it further.

  Eliza smiled. “You have no idea how long I’ve been planning this.” She took a step closer.

  “I’m sure it was long before your daughter assassinated the queen. The two of you probably came here with the intention of using Russek to conquer Emperion.” If she could distract her, perhaps the evil woman wouldn’t hit her again.

  “Is that what Kerdan told you?” Eliza shook her head, disgust written all over her face. “Men are always meddling in my plans. Well, the prince can meddle all he wants, but it won’t make a difference this time.” Raising the rod, she inspected it. “I can’t believe my life has resorted to this,” she mumbled, tossing the rod in the corner of the room. It landed with a loud clank, startling Allyssa.