Of Darkness and Crowns (6 page)

Glancing at the black sky through the council room window, I say, “It’s almost over. For now.” This last part I whisper, hoping she doesn’t respond. I’m not ready to face the questions she has for me about Caben.

He allowed me to escape. I’m not so vain to believe that I bested him. Hell, I wasn’t even fighting. Not really. This is a game. A sadistic one. And I don’t know the rules. I don’t know this dark, evil Caben, so how can I?

A shuffling of feet, chairs scraping the floor, and my mind is jogged from its deep refuge. Crossing my wrists behind my back, I turn to see Empress Iana enter the large room, followed by the Nactue. I lift my chin to them in greeting, and then as if the goddesses haven’t punished me enough, Julian Paynebridge breezes in right past the three stuffy council members already seated at the table.

I recognize the searing in my chest instantly. Annoyance.

Julian Paynebridge, eldest cousin to Prince Caben and sole heir to the Perinyian kingdom—in the event of Prince Caben’s demise—is the epitome of everything wrong with this kingdom. With any kingdom, really. It’s true I’ve learned a lot about the differences between men and women, and the roles they lead and share. My time down in the belly of the earth taught me things about life that I wouldn’t be able to learn in my own queendom, at least. But there are still times when I can’t fathom what the hell is wrong with some men.

Like Julian Paynebridge.

I wish Caben would have warned me when he was handing over the reigns to his country. But I suppose, during a life and death situation, the little details don’t seem so important. Like, oh yes, my cousin is a power-monger who despises women and will make your stay in my country most heinous. Who will fight to turn my whole country against you, even though I believed you worthy of making crucial decisions in my place.

Julian is a power-hungry pain in my ass, bent on making himself king. Despite his so called affections for his cousin, the prince.

As Julian’s gray eyes meet mine, he smiles. His full, smug smile that almost reminds me of Caben’s when we first met—but there is nothing in his cold eyes to contrast it. The way Caben’s were so steel blue and yet so friendly, you couldn’t help staring a moment too long into them, needing to know his secrets.

“Members of the Council, Empress,” Julian begins, ticking his head to each person around the room. “Please, be seated and we’ll begin.” He flaps his cape back and seats himself at the large oblong table.

There are still Otherworlders on Perinyian soil, and he’s calling a meeting. He’s impatient to point the finger at me, and try again to claim his right to the throne.

Lilly nudges me with her shoulder as we walk toward the table, her way of saying, “Calm down, Kal.” Or, “This isn’t Cavan—you can’t just run him through…”

Despite the happenings of late, a slow smile crawls onto my face. Just the image of Julian’s face, all horror, as I prod him with my sword makes things seem less dire. But he does have a right to Caben’s throne, and if the Council decides the late King Marcus’ pact with Empress Iana is no longer relevant, then things could become much more dismal.

If only I could’ve kept my feelings for Caben in check—could have captured him and then found a way to expel Bale…

I void my mind of the consuming thoughts. There’s plenty of time later to scold and punish myself, to think and reason and pretend that what happened between Caben and I was just my being caught off-guard.

Right now, as I’m seated across from Councilor Herna and the three members of the Perinyian Council, my empress beside me, my Nactue lined up against the wall—I can’t allow any emotions to show on my face.

For one more meeting, I have to keep strong. For Caben.

Even if the true king of Perinya has vowed to kill me.

♦
7
♦

Caben

W
EAKLING!

“Shut up!”

Lake cocks his chin. “My Liege…?”

Gripping my head, both hands tearing at my hair, I bang the back of my head against the Crusher’s metal hull. Nothing will end her nagging. If I thought grinding my brains out with the Crusher would rid me of Bale’s endless rant, I’d order Lake to run me over right now.

The dark goddess is furious.

My detour with Kal wasn’t how she planned our invasion of the palace to go…obviously. But I’m my own man, still. At least that’s what I’m determined to prove.

She’s your ruin, Prince.

And with that last statement, I bound from my seat and hover over Lake in the driver’s compartment. “To the den.”

Lake only hesitates for a fraction of a second before shifting into a lower gear; the Crusher picks up speed. Any one of my generals in Perinya would have advised differently. Would have—calmly and respectfully—warned not to unwittingly lead our enemies right to our hideaway. But again, the Otherworlders do as told.

And I’m not a fool. I suspect we’re being trailed. My people and army would be the
fools
not to—and I still have the highest regard for my people.

However, my desire for revenge overrules logic.

I want Kal to pursue me. I want her in
my
court. Playing by my rules. I can almost see her there, so close to the ocean, the breeze blowing her dark hair around her face as she wields her sword. Beautiful.

Dangerous
. Bale’s voice echoes in my head like a warning.

I scoff at the moon goddess. Of course my lovely Nactue is dangerous. She wouldn’t be nearly as fun if she didn’t pose a threat. But I’m getting off track. I had a precise plan. A near month of planning now for nothing all because I let my excitement over seeing Kal get out of control.

Now I’m stuck that much longer with Bale.

But oh, how it was almost worth it—the taste of her lips. The feel of her body…becoming hot under my touch. It wasn’t damn near enough. My blood boils with the overwhelming need to have her now more than ever.

As the Crusher gains ground over the open terrain, I ease back into my seat, confident that soon this will all end. One way or another, I’ll be freed of Bale’s insistent, pressing voice in my head. Because I can’t take it much longer. Either the goddess will get her damned relic, or I’ll slit my own throat.

Careful, Prince. Those are hazardous thoughts.

I laugh. “What’s wrong?” I tease. “Scared of losing your whipping boy?”

Lake’s hiked, corkscrew eyebrow is his only acknowledgement to my outburst.

What will happen once their goddess is no longer cocooned inside me? I wonder how far their respect goes for the man who brought forth their goddess. Just how far their loyalties stretch. From what I’ve seen of the Otherworlders, I suspect not too far.

Hell.

Rubbing the back of my neck, feeling the constant headache that torments my brain, I ponder just how to get what I need while ensuring what I
want.

Kal simply bringing me the relic and shard would remedy everything. I almost laugh, the thought of the Nactue leader just handing it over—no fuss.

I raise my eyebrows as Bale’s voice turns alluring.

Force her…set a trap. You know where her heart lies
.

Yes, I do. Sinking my hand into my pocket, I palm my token.

I love my country.

The sound of waves crashing against the limestone washes over me, and I feel at home. The tangy scent of salt in the air settles on my tongue, its moisture slicks my skin, wrapping me in a balmy blanket of comfort.

There was nothing more intolerable than my time in the Otherworld…other than possibly my short stay in the goddess forsaken, sweltering land of Cavan. The first moment I stepped back into Perinya, I swore never to leave it again.

And I won’t have to, as long as I can keep my wits and finish what I started.

As I peer out over the rocky shoreline, my Otherworlder detail makes quick work of covering our tracks and hiding the Crushers, securing our hideaway. The rest of the army—what’s left of our numbers—is stationed near the tree line of the Great Woods, just miles away. I only bring my select unit to the den. Although now I’m wondering if that was a wise decision, trusting any of them with the knowledge of my secret home.

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Once this task is complete, I’ll kill them. Simple enough.

With my thoughts resigned, I kick a jagged limestone rock from my path and head toward my fortress—my home away from home in the trees.

From a distance you’d never know a treehouse soars among the giant sequoia trees. I smile to myself; treehouse is such a poor word. Each sequoia, with its massive trunk, supports a room, and the branches connect in the middle to form the foundation for which holds three glass-encased levels. In simple, it’s brilliant.

I never brought either parent here. This was my place. Tonight would’ve been the first. Anger lodges in my throat with a hollow ache. I’m again furious with Kal, myself, the dark goddess—because I faltered, and my mother is still with them instead of here, where she
should
be.

Kal had to have known that was, initially, why I tried to sack the palace. Other than to steal her empress’s relic, of course. After my father’s untimely death, there was nobody to tell me what I could and couldn’t do about my sanity-challenged mother. Once I know she’s safe, my mind will be free to plot more nefariously for Bale’s rebirth and Kal’s demise.

Human weakness
…

Bale’s taunt rings in my ears. I’m completely aware that my feelings for my mother—just like the lingering affections I have for Kal—ultimately weaken me. It’s
why
I need my mother safe, and Kal eliminated.

I stop at the ladder of my fortress and shake my head, then knead my temples. My brain is so full of endless thoughts and plans and
women
it feels as if it’s bursting through my skull.

Grabbing a wooden rung, I hike myself up and begin the climb. As I clear the first level, the wind sends my hair sideways across my forehead, prickling my skin with tiny grains of sand. I love the sensation of being so close to the ocean. If I only allow my thoughts to center on that, for now at least, I might be able to sleep.

I haven’t had a good night since I slept beside Kal in our Otherworlder cell.

“Curses,” I mutter as I move through the entryway and past the open windows overlooking the shore. My mind will never stop. Never. Not until…

Kill her. Then you’ll have your peace
.

I halt at the narrow stairway leading to my loft.

And why does the moon goddess desire Kal’s death so badly? Of course I thought I had the answer—that it was obvious. Kal could ruin things for Bale. But how? Truly, other than killing me and Bale having to find a new vessel, why else would the Nactue leader be such a threat?

After tonight, the goddess should see for herself that Kal has no intention of ending me. Kal’s too love sick, too tormented over her lost prince. Although, Kal’s good nature didn’t spare any opponent she came up against in the Cage. She tried, but the liquid fire burning in her veins demanded destruction.

I stop. And notice the goddess is curiously quiet for once.

A slow smile curls my lips as the answer dawns, and I’m surprised at my own idiocy. I lean against the bark of the sequoia running through the middle of my den and chuckle. Though I should be doing anything else, the knowledge of what I’ve just stumbled upon lightens my mood.

“You have much to fear from the sly Nactue leader, don’t you?” I chide the dark goddess. “It’s not my death you worry over, is it? Well, you do worry about finding another vessel, but that would hardly burden you, would it?” I shake my head. “No. Kal has something of yours…something you must, yourself, destroy. To know the threat is vanquished.”

When she doesn’t respond, I have my answer. I know the truth.

I pondered this angle while trapped in the Otherworld. It’s something Kal feared…and would barely admit that fear to me. I don’t understand all the details, but it’s the only thing now that makes sense.

Kal’s “accident” at her father’s hands all those years ago was anything but. No, the goddesses, their realm, their world, their rules…it’s all prearranged. Calculated. Designed.