“Amazing,” I called back.
“Like a fairytale palace, right?” she replied.
“Try telling that to Tejus,” I laughed.
Ruby shrugged. “Ash keeps complaining that there’s no outer wall, and no arsenal tower.”
“Is there a dungeon for the evil queen?” I asked, coming back down the stairs.
“They’ve put her in a grain shed around the back, she’s under heavy guard.”
“As long as I can get in when I’m hungry.” I smirked.
“I know you’re joking, but please don’t,” Ruby replied earnestly. “We don’t know how much power she has—I don’t think it would be a good idea.”
“But it’s guilt-free,” I whined, reluctantly realizing that she was right—it would be a mistake to go anywhere near the queen. Now that the entity had risen, we didn’t know what she was capable of.
I motioned that I would come down and join her. I made my way back down the stairs, passing more empty rooms till I came to the kitchen. It was large and basically equipped, but one wall had completely crumbled away, showing an uninterrupted view of the sprawling, unkempt garden. Ruby entered from behind one of the walls.
“Maybe they can put barriers up,” Ruby suggested, “keep out the cold? Can barriers even do that?”
“Maybe I can try,” I replied quietly.
“You should.”
Ruby’s reply surprised me—I still wasn’t sure how she felt about me developing into a sentry.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she retorted. “Of course you should try. It’s what you are now, there’s no use trying to ignore it. And, plus, a lot of the sentry powers are amazing. Think about when we’re back in The Shade. All that stuff, True Sight if you’re lucky enough to have those skills, barriers—it might all come in handy.”
“I guess so,” I replied slowly. I hadn’t really thought about any of the powers being a gift before—something that could help GASP in the future.
“Abelle still says that she can help you with one of her potions or whatever…you should take her up on it. It might make the transition easier for you? Hopefully it will stop being so difficult for you to be around us.”
“Thanks, Ruby.”
I was touched that she’d thought to discuss it with Abelle, and was being so positive about my transformation, especially considering it was probably hard for her to see…If she and Ash decided to go there, well—I wouldn’t be the only one with new superpowers…
“Have you and Ash—”
“No,” she replied quickly, “not exactly.” She looked out toward the garden, avoiding catching my eye. “It’s just…difficult right now, with everything going on. I can’t decide what I want…”
I nodded in understanding. It wasn’t like it was an easy decision—it was a life-changing one, and though I’d accepted my fate, I wasn’t sure that it was something I’d be happy to watch Ruby going through.
“Whatever you decide…” I trailed off, shrugging.
“You’ll be there for me. I know.” She smiled.
“What are you two talking about?” Benedict asked, sauntering into the kitchen with a frown.
“Nothing,” I replied quickly.
“This place is stupid,” he continued, ignoring me. “There’s no protection. I’m helping Ash assess the weak spots. This is obviously one!” He scoffed at the hole in the wall.
I glanced over at Ruby and she hid a smile. Were we the only ones that appreciated the palace?
“Right,” I agreed sarcastically. “This place is a dump.”
Ruby
“This isn’t exactly the most kingly duty,” I laughed, as Ash tried to air out a sheet with me. We’d found bedding, slightly damp and mildew-stained, in an old trunk, and in the absence of the kids—who had run off to explore the gardens—Ash and I were left to sort out the designated sleeping areas.
“Yeah, I didn’t exactly envision this being number one priority on my Hellswan leadership agenda. Not that I’m complaining. It’s certainly better than having to think about what we’re actually going do now that we’re all here.”
“Has Tejus got any ideas?” I asked.
“Only that I need to become emperor as soon as possible,” he replied with a sigh. “He believes it’s the only way to stop the entity.”
“Don’t you?”
“Not sure. You know what the ministers are like. Do you think there’s going to be anything helpful in that book?” Ash asked pointedly.
“I think it’s worth a try. What other option do we have?”
Ash plumped up a cushion with ferocity, sending dust flying off it in huge plumes.
“I don’t know,” he muttered. “That’s the problem. I don’t know anything.”
“Hmm…I think you need to start knowing,” I replied, my gaze fixed on the doorway where I could see a group of villagers fast approaching along the corridor.
“What?” Ash turned around. “Oh, damn.”
“I think they’ll want some answers.”
Ash put down the pillow, and I backed away from the door, allowing the villagers to have unrestricted access to their king.
“Don’t go anywhere,” Ash hissed at me as they arrived.
Six of them stood in the doorway. Abelle wasn’t among them, which was a shame—she could have been a bit of a buffer—but I reminded myself that these were Ash’s people. He didn’t alienate them the way Tejus and his father had. Most of them looked like farmers, with ruddy faces and gnarled hands that were fisted at their sides, and a few bonneted women looking woebegone, one clutching the hand of a grumpy-looking toddler.
“King Ashbik? Can we have a moment of your time?” one of the farmers asked politely.
“Of course,” Ash replied, adjusting his robes.
“We want to know what’s going on,” the farmer started. “It’s madness, all this—the blood rain, ice fires, and now our entire village destroyed, half of it down a great crack in the ground…no one giving us any answers!” As the farmer talked, he got madder and madder, the rest of the villagers nodding furiously as he spat out each event. “The last emperor never listened to us, but at least we had a bit of peace. Now we’ve got nothing, no land, all our animals dead or scattered—how are we going to grow crops, make a living?”
“Families torn apart!” piped up one of the women. “I’ve lost everyone, and I just know that Tejus Hellswan is at least partly responsible for all this. Ever since he got the crown there’s been nothing but trouble! We hoped you’d put an end to it all, but nothing’s changed, and then whenever we see you, that devil king isn’t far away!”
“Stop!” Ash raised his hands.
I clutched the sheet tightly; the villagers were getting themselves agitated, and I realized this could escalate out of control if Ash didn’t say the right thing.
“Listen to me.” He spoke calmly, but I could see the slight shake of his hands that betrayed his nerves. “Tejus has nothing to do with this, I swear to you. All of this is out of our hands; there’s something rising in Nevertide that’s beyond our control. We’re doing everything we can to stop it—”
“Lies!” roared the farmer. “We’ve heard the rumors! Do you take us for fools?”
“No!” Ash said quickly. “It’s not lies, it’s just unbelievable—but I wouldn’t lie to you. A great evil has been locked up in Hellswan castle for centuries; the emperor unleashed it, and Tejus and I, and the rest of us, are trying to contain it again. If you want to blame anyone, it’s Queen Trina!”
“Tejus’s lover!” one of the women spat. “We know their history—they’re like a pair of snakes!”
Mentioning Queen Trina had been a mistake. I could see the villagers rousing themselves into a fury. In a quick flurry of movement, one of the farmers produced a thick-bladed hunting knife, holding it out toward Ash’s face. I froze in horror.
“I don’t want to do this,” the farmer hissed, “but you’re making desperate men, King Ashbik.”
Ash stared at the tip of the blade.
“Take this as a warning. Neither you, nor any king, hold claim over us. We’ll protect what’s ours, and if there’s any more of this funny business, we’ll hold you to account. Got it?”
Ash rested his fingers on the blade, lowering it and then moving it away from his body. The farmer watched him with curiosity, not daring to actually follow through with his threat.
“You can turn your back on us if you wish.” Ash spoke, his voice surprisingly level. “You’re more than welcome to. But understand that you will be in danger wherever you go. At least here you have guards and ministers to protect you.” The farmer opened his mouth to speak, but Ash silenced him with a look. “I know they haven’t been of help in the past. That is about to change. We need each other, more than ever before. Or we will all die.”
The farmer lowered the knife completely, re-sheathing it.
“I want your word—as a man, not a king,” he muttered, defeated.
“You have it,” Ash replied.
The farmer nodded, slowly backing away from the room. He didn’t remove his glare from Ash until he’d left the doorway, and then he and the rest of the villagers turned and left.
I exhaled, hardly aware that I’d been holding my breath throughout the entire exchange.
“Wow,” I whispered. “Are you okay?”
Ash remained staring at the door, and I hovered where I was, not knowing what to say or do.
After a few moments, Ash’s shoulders relaxed and he turned to face me, his face practically gray and his expression deeply concerned.
“I’m worried there’s going to be an uprising…if it remains contained to the Hellswan villagers we should be able to manage it, but if it becomes wider spread than that…”
His voice trailed off.
We’re in trouble.
He didn’t need to say it out loud. If the villagers’ opinion was shared throughout Nevertide, then there would be a lot of ruler-less sentries with no one to guide them—and one convenient target they could lash out at.
“I need to call a meeting,” Ash muttered. He walked out of the room, and I followed him, not sure where I’d be most helpful, but not wanting Ash to feel like he was alone in all of this. Where is Tejus?
Ash looked over the banister of the mezzanine to the floor below, and called to two guards waiting by the door.
“Where’s Lieutenant Ragnhild?” he asked.
“We don’t know, your highness—he told us to guard the front doors,” one of them replied. “Do you wish to meet with him?”
“With all of you. Find Ragnhild and gather everyone else in the ballroom.”
Ash turned back to face me.
“I need the lieutenant’s support,” he muttered. “He’s not as liked as Varga was, but he’s respected.”
“Ash…” I hesitated, not sure whether I was overreacting, but wanting to be honest with him regardless. “Ragnhild lied to me, on the night that we went to the Viking graveyard. He said that you sent him, but you hadn’t. I know it’s a small thing, but it means that he wanted to be there—enough that he would lie about it. Don’t you think that’s strange?”
Ash looked uncomfortable, then shook his head. “I don’t have much of a choice. I can’t afford not to trust him, Ruby.”
“Can you afford to trust him?”
“There’s hardly anyone left. I need all the support I can get—and so far, he hasn’t proved that he can’t be trusted. Maybe he just wanted to make sure that you were protected—it’s not that unreasonable. Varga certainly went to extensive lengths to ensure your safety.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I retorted, noting his snarky tone.
“Nothing.”
I crossed my arms. “No, go on, you meant something by that. Was it the letter, or the fact that he saved my life that you’re more pissed about?” I asked.
“This isn’t really the time,” he bit out.
“Ash, he was just a good guy. I didn’t have feelings for him beyond that. I don’t even know why this is an issue. He’s dead!” I was getting really mad now, angry that Ash would be so childish about this.
“I’m not the one making it an issue—you are,” he replied. “I need to speak to the guards. Maybe we can talk about this when you’ve calmed down a bit.”
“Calmed down?” I repeated.
“Yes, calmed down!”
“Whatever. I’ll see you later.”
I turned on my heel, leaving him standing by the banisters. I was furious with Ash…and with myself. How had that escalated into an argument so quickly? Maybe we were all a little tense and overtired. I was also worried that Ash was making another pig-headed mistake. He hadn’t listened to me about Queen Trina—despite me telling him over and over again that she wasn’t to be trusted—and now I was worried that the same thing was happening with the lieutenant.
I walked through into one of the smaller rooms of the palace, one I assumed had once been someone’s bedroom. It had a small set of glass-paneled doors leading out onto a balcony that overlooked the glass greenhouses. I opened them up, showering myself in a cloud of dust and splintered paint. Stepping out onto the ledge, I inhaled the fresh air. It felt good.
From here I could see the grain shed where Queen Trina was being kept. Five guards were stationed outside. I hoped they’d be excused from Ash’s meeting. I didn’t want her left alone for a single second, especially not when the kids were playing nearby. I sighed. Hazel had been making jokes about syphoning off her earlier today, and Ash was far too pleased with himself having her kept under lock and key. They were all treating her like she was some petty criminal. Didn’t they realize how dangerous she was? I didn’t believe for a second that we were safe from her while she was still alive. She was a monster—and we had no idea what she was capable of.
Tejus
Hazel was off somewhere with her brother, and Ash was having a meeting with the guards. Now was my chance to have a meeting with Queen Trina alone. I knew that if I could get her talking, she’d be more forthcoming with me than with the others present. I also knew that we wouldn’t be able to keep the queen hostage for very long. The Acolytes would come – or someone else that wanted her free to rise to power and raise the entity… The sooner I could speak to her, the better. We needed to know more about what was coming, and I suspected that she would at least have some of the answers; deranged answers, perhaps, but even that was something. I crossed the grounds, heading toward the grain shed. Guards stood outside the door and around the perimeter of the wooden shack, all heavily armed. If she tried to escape, no number of swords and daggers would make a blind bit of difference, but I supposed Ash still held out hope that he could contain and control her.
Fool.
I approached the guards, staring them down.
“Ki—Tejus.” One of them recovered himself, stopping mid-bow. “How can we help you?”
“I wish to speak with Queen Trina, alone,” I replied evenly.
“The king’s orders are not to let anyone in or out of the shed.”
“The king’s orders don’t apply to me.” I smiled, wondering how much of a fight the guards would put up.
“I’m sorry, Tejus—”
“Stand aside,” I barked, already bored of the game. They looked at one another, and then with their eyes lowered they started to shift sideways, allowing me access to the door.
“The key?” I prompted, observing the heavy chains that had been wrapped around the shack.
One of the guards fumbled with the keys on his belt and clumsily handed it over to me. I thanked him with a nod, and released the padlock. The chains fell down to the floor. I yanked the door open, revealing Queen Trina’s crumpled figure lying amidst the dust and grime of the floor. She was out cold.
Turning on my heel, I walked back to the palace.
“Tejus!” the guards called out after me in confusion.
Ignoring them, I strode to the wall-less kitchen, picking up an
old swine-feed bucket as I went. I filled it up with ice-cold water from the sink and marched back. I wasn’t in the mood to wait for her to come around.
The guards visibly relaxed as they saw me returning, but I ignored their stares as I sauntered back up to the door. Reopening it, I threw the icy contents of the bucket over the sleeping figure of Queen Trina.
“Arghhhh!” she screeched, sitting bolt upright and glaring at me with fiery rage. I threw the bucket on the floor, where it rolled into the corner of the shed.
“You’re awake.” I smirked. “Welcome back.”
“Animal,” she hissed.
It was perversely pleasing to see her in such disarray for once; her hair stood on end, and the heavy kohl coated around her eyes ran down either cheek. I wouldn’t let her appearance catch me off guard though—behind the exterior of powerlessness, Trina’s mind was always whirring and plotting.
“Do you know where you are?” I asked.
“Your new abode?” she replied cattily, looking around. “Did Ashbik downgrade you?”
I laughed, determined that she wouldn’t get under my skin. Not this time.
“Hellswan has relocated—the castle has been destroyed, along with most of Nevertide…but then you knew that would happen, didn’t you?”
She smiled up at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tejus.”
“I think you do.”
She started to run her hands through her hair, trying to get it under control, and then moved down to her robe, brushing off the dust that covered its royal blue velvet. She reminded me of a cat preening. I thought of my lost feline Lucifer, and I wanted to smack her.
“Do you mourn it that much?” she asked coyly. “Were you ever happy at Hellswan, Tejus? Did you ever believe it to be truly your home—did you ever even consider Nevertide to be your home?”
“That is irrelevant,” I replied, keeping my smile in place.
“Is it?”
“Trina, enough. Tell me what you know.”
She burst into peals of laughter.
“Tejus, really, don’t you know how to get information out of me yet? Let me tell you how I prefer to divulge my secrets…I like to operate on information exchange. You tell me something, and I shall repay the favor.”