Sea of Sighs (Empath Book 2) (28 page)

“And in the meantime, you want Quinn to go
back to Everfell to subjugate her tyrannical father?”

“Not at all. I just need her to appease him.
Think of yourself as a peace offering, Quinn.”

“I thought you said I was free.” Quinn
couldn’t bite back her frustration. Eden reached for her. She
gripped his hand tight. They both felt helpless.

“And you are. You are free to choose, and
like any adult, you will face the consequences of incorrect
choices. If you do not choose to go back to Baron Sammah, then I
will execute Maertn. If you still refuse, Ross will be next. If you
deny me a third time, it will be Lord Eden’s head on my block.”

“You were right, Baron Pax,” Quinn said
stiffly through her tears.

“Oh?”

“I shouldn’t trust anyone.”

“
I
don
’t trust what he’s asking you to do, Quinn.”

“
I don
’t trust him
either, but I was reading him the whole time, Eden. He isn’t lying
about anything. He believes everything he’s said. That’s a
frightening prospect. He’s an intelligent man. He’s made me think,
and I’ve taken one thing in particular to heart.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“That I shouldn’t be scared to use my
ability more; I shouldn’t take for granted the way people feel, and
I shouldn’t be scared about being the person I am.”

“Even with me?”

“Even you. I thought for years that Maertn
was in love with me, and look how wrong I was about that.” Quinn
punched him playfully. “I need to make sure you haven’t fallen in
love with someone else.”

“I couldn’t fall in love with anyone else
right now if I tried, Quinn. You’re my life.”

It was the truth. “What are we going to do
Eden? I can’t go back to Sammah. He’s already tried to kill me
once; what’s going to stop him from hurting me again?”

“He can’t do anything to you, Quinn, the
baron wouldn’t let him.”

“You think that’s true? Pax is petrified of
Sammah.”

“You read that?”

“I can tell, even without the power. Pax
might be the head of his family, but Sammah is the apath and the
one everyone fears. Sammah has pushed Sha’sek to take Everfell and
he’s the one that’s hungering for war. Pax is incapable of stopping
him. All he can do is try to manipulate the situation.”

“Wasn’t it a mistake to send Sammah away in
the first place if he’
s so
unreliable?
”

“I guess it was preferable for Sammah to
cause chaos in Everfell than here.”

“I can’t disagree with that. If you were
Sammah’s brother, would you want him around?”

“Not for a second.” Eden dropped a quick
kiss on Quinn’s forehead.

“Why do we have to do any of this, Quinn?
He’s said you’re free. Let’s lie to him. We’ll get on a ship, and
we’ll just go somewhere else. We don’t have to go back to Sammah,
and I don’t have to go back to Rowan. I don’t want a part in any of
this. I just want to be with you.”

“That’s lunacy, Eden. You really think your
family wouldn’t try to find you, or that Sammah or Pax wouldn’t try
to hunt me down?”

Eden’s heart sank. Quinn had changed, even
in the short time they had been apart. She was more reserved, and
she’d grown a quiet confidence outside of the constraints of
Sammah’s patronage. He was sure he could love this Quinn more, but
Eden knew that this Quinn wouldn’t be his.

“So you’re going back to him, then?”

Quinn slid her hand out from under the
blankets and
strok
ed it down Eden’s
bruised face. He was starting to grow stubble from days without
shaving.

“You were in that room. Did Pax give me a
choice? About as much as Vance did. But at least this time, you’ll
be coming with me.”

“You mean that?”

“I never
wanted
to leave you Eden, I
said those things to try and protect you. Shiver wouldn’t have
forgiven you, and Vance wouldn’t have let you leave.”

He searched her eyes for any hint of a lie,
and lost himself. She moved a hand from his face to the back of his
head and pulled him down into a deep kiss. Eden didn’
t resist.

“Lord Eden, Sha’sek
attire seems to suit you.” Pax didn’t sound sarcastic, but Eden
still felt insulted. He didn’t care much for the flowing gowns
favoured in Sha’sek, however Quinn had declared him fetching, so he
hadn’t protested when he’d been dressed.

“Thank you,
baron,
I
’ve always thought it’s important to try and help our two
cultures meet.” He emphasised this point by squeezing Quinn’s hand.
Pax shifted his attention to her.

“Quinn? Have you thought about my
offer?”

Offer,
Quinn thought resentfully. “I
believe it would serve us all well if I return. Whether Sammah or
Vance has the throne, they will both be expecting me. I shouldn’t
disappoint them.”

“Are you scared of your father still,
Quinn?”

“My father, is he? You say it as if it’s
true. No one can tell me who my real father is, baron, and everyone
seems quite
rehearsed
at dodging the question.”

“You’ve asked the question too many times
Quinn, but the truth is none of us can actually tell you who your
father is. If we base it on heredity, then it is most likely that,
somehow, Nerren is you father. But you were found in a northern
province, in an anonymous little village. Nerren never travelled
that far. You could be an empath through a grandparent on either
side. There may, somehow, be an empath who has escaped our
attention, though that is the least likely answer. If it hurts you
less, I will rephrase my question: are you scared of Sammah?”

“I am wary of him. I’m not scared of
him.”

“Stay wary. Perhaps, you should be scared.
If I need you to go today, will you consent?”

“You’re that keen to get rid of me?”

“I’m eager to make sure my brother doesn’t
cause any more disruption than strictly necessary.” Pax picked at
his nails. “That’s why I’ll be sending you over the Sighs.”

The colour bled from Quinn’s face.
“
No. You can
’t send me back that
way!”

“Alternative crossings take far longer. I’ve
already arranged a ship to take you over to Kahnel.”

“I can’t go that way again, baron. It’ll
destroy me.”

Eden turned to her, concern creasing his
brow. “I crossed the Sighs. They were harmless. I heard a rumour
that someone was killed, but you’re all alive here in Farn. What
happened to you?”

Quinn shuddered as she remembered the
mercenary’s mouth, frozen in open surprise as he fell backwards
over the bow of the ship. She hadn’t just felt his pain and panic,
she had caused it, and she knew that image would haunt her for the
rest of her life. She couldn’t let Eden see her like that. She
didn’t want him to know what she was capable of when the haunting
spirit of Nerren took hold. “Please Eden, believe me, you can’t
understand the stress that crossing put me through… what it does my
abilities…”

“Tell me, Quinn. I need to understand.”

Not for the first time in her life, Quinn
decided to lie to Eden. “I can’t control myself in the crossing
Eden. When the fogs came, I couldn’t control myself. It was like
being a child again. I could feel
everything
and I couldn’t
block it out. It was so painful. I thought I was going to die.”

“You can beg him all you want; I choose,
Quinn. You will sail the Sighs.”

Eden’s mouth was set in a line, and from the
look in his eyes and the set of his jaw, Quinn knew that he didn’t
believe her. Would he risk her well-being on a hunch? No, Eden
wasn’t that kind of man, and he would do what Quinn wanted. Instead
of arguing or disputing her claim, Eden simply pecked her on the
cheek. Even through that benign gesture, Quinn knew a little part
of the trust between them had broken. How much things could change
in such a little space of time.

“Come on. Let’s get this done.”

Feeling ashamed, Quinn nodded. She would not
miss Pax when she left Farn. She was sick of his beautiful face and
smooth ways. He was worse than his brother, she had decided. Sammah
had the decency to be creepy, whereas his brother seemed to be
perfect. Quinn knew there was no such thing. Pax followed them as
they wandered towards the entrance to the Council Hall. He was in
full dress, his formal gold tunic trimmed neatly with gold belt,
his necklace of onyx and gold hanging long around his neck,
nestling on his chest. They reached the exit, and the couple turned
to him. Eden bowed, but Quinn merely nodded to him. He had told
her, time and time again, that they were equals, so it was time to
start taking him at his word. The baron didn't miss this.

“Lord Eden, it has been good to meet you.
Quinn, good speed.”

Quinn merely nodded again, and the baron’s
face twisted. It was an ugly gesture. “Quick to learn our ways, and
quick to leave us.”

Eden looked at Quinn, a quizzical look on
his face.

“That is the way politics works, isn’t it,
baron? I shall remind you that I'm going because you need me to,
not because I want to. I would rather stay and trade swords with
Tarik.”

“
Indeed? You
weren
’t an enthusiastic student?”

“He was an engaging teacher. He was growing
on me.” Quinn glanced around the empty corridor. “Where’s
Maertn?”

Pax furrowed his brow. “Maertn? Why would
you need him?”

“He's coming with us, isn't he?”

The baron laughed. “Oh spirits, no. I
wouldn’t let all of you leave. He only just got here. A talented
boy like him needs to be amongst his own. Even if he
wanted
to go, I wouldn’t allow it.”

“You mean he doesn’t want to go?”

“You saw him at the ball last night; how
concerned he was for your lover’s welfare. Maertn loves it here,
and he’s blossoming. Ask yourself what you would want, if you were
in his place. He is finally getting out from under his father's
shadow, and yours. Maertn is realising what life is going to be
like, and I think he is seeing for the firs time that he you don't
need to be a part of that.”

Eden had to grab Quinn by the shoulder as
she surged forward at the baron. “It's not true! You’ve done
something to him! What is your power? You never told me.”

“No one knows what my abilities are. We keep
our strongest hands hidden in this family. People only know about
Sammah because it's blatantly obvious. No, you’re not going to find
out that, Quinn, and unfortunately for you, I have nothing to do
with Maertn's desire to stay here. The boy was simply happy.”

“Get him. I need to hear it from his own
lips. I need to know this isn’t a lie.”

The baron spread his arms in a congenial
gesture. “I thought you might ask that.”

Pax clapped his hands in those three
measured slaps that Quinn was beginning to hate. Maertn walked
through the door then, and he wasn’t alone. Rall stood alongside
him.

Somehow, Maertn looked worse. Quinn tried to
tell herself it was from the wine he had drunk yesterday, but she
knew that wouldn’t be true. He was over-stretching himself with the
healing, and Quinn couldn’t help but think that master Rall’s plea
to the baron, as well as Pax’s demand for Maertn to calm himself
down, were all for show. But, Quinn had heard the truth in the
baron
’
s words
.
Quinn began to doubt even herself.

“Maertn? Did you hear what he said? Is it
true? You really don’t want to come with me?”

Quinn was devastated to see the Maertn
looked to Rall first, before turning to speak to her. Who was this
man in front of her now? Where had her friend gone?

“Maertn? Please, it’s me?”

“I know Quinn. Believe me, I know how much
you want me to come with you. But I can’t. My life is here now.
Remember how we felt on the way here, and everything we went
through? I can’t leave so soon. My learning only just started. I’m
already doing more with my power than I ever did in Everfell, and
I’m actually helping people who
deserve it. You
can
’t take me away from this now.”

Quinn gulped, trying to defeat the lump that
was forming in her throat. “
I don
’t want
to take you where you don’t want to go. I’m not your
master
, and I never was. I
’m your friend,
and your sister. I’m asking you as the girl you grew up with.”

Maertn looked down. Quinn was infuriated
that he could meet her eye when he spoke, and she opened the
channel to him. She could see him rock as it hit, and she cursed
herself. She was letting her own emotions get away with her.
Maertn’s eyes rose, hot and angry. She had accidentally given him
just enough fury. “I need this Quinn, I really do. Please,
don’
t make me choose, don
’
t even ask me.
”

“It’s too late for that; you know what I
want. But I’ll leave, you won’t have to hear another word from me.”
Quinn paused, “It’s not be the same going back without you.”

“Quinn, please.”

Quinn sneered at the pleading tone in his
voice. “Please what? You’re abandoning me Maertn, for these people
you’ve only known for a few days. We were together for years. We
only survived Sammah because we were together. Did you know he’s
free? That Pax is sending me back there on my own, because you
won’
t come?
”

“Alone? Then who’s that by your side? You
won’t be alone, we both know it, so don’t try and
make
me
feel guilty just because you can’t stand it that I have a life now
that doesn’t involve you.”

Quinn was horrified, both with his words and
the fact that the truth might come out, that she had been able to
control emotion.

“Enough!” Pax’s shout barrelled through
their argument. “Quinn, you are going to leave before you incite a
riot in my halls. Empaths, whether they know it or not, always
cause trouble. You are not going alone, even if your boy stays
behind. You’ve got your fancy lord, and you’ll be protected. I
trust the people of Everfell about as much as you, and you are far
too valuable to me to let you go there on your own. Haven’t I
already told you this much?”