The Underground Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) (8 page)

Tiergan
’s opinion of the King of Dolmerti diminished. He once believed him to be a great man, considering his army, but it was obvious the King did not instill enough fear among his people. The servants traipsed about with flowers while portions of the palace remained unguarded. Granted, the unprotected sections were sparse, but they still existed. Convinced Dolmerti would weaken under such careless rule, Tiergan decided to return in five to ten years. A weak ruler meant a weak army and Tiergan salivated at the chance to overtake the great Army of Dolmerti.

Tiergan moved his gaze from the courtyard to the quiet garden surrounding the palace grounds.
Two men stood talking underneath a tree, each wearing apparel that exuded wealth and prestige. The older man could have been the younger man’s father, but their body language suggested otherwise. While warmth and friendliness passed between them, it lacked the familiarity and comfort most often found between father and son. Not that Tiergan had shared any level of comfort with his deceased father. Rather, he had detested the man.

The younge
r of the two wore white with gold decorations and rich embellishments. His gaze often rose to the Incenaga in the window, his brows turned up in worry before falling back into a smile.

Suddenly, t
he pieces fell into place and the scene before him made sense. All the hustle, flowers, white linens, smiles, and gentlemen in white. The young man was the future King, the Crown Prince of Dolmerti. And today was his wedding day.

Tiergan suppressed a laugh.
Perfect, he thought.
He could not have planned a better day to come for the Incenaga. It was not uncommon for a girl to get nervous on her wedding day and run off. So pleased with the coincidence, Tiergan considered it an act of fate. It was his destiny to own the Incenaga, his destiny to rule the world.

Tiergan whispered to the man
behind him. The man sneered and uncoiled himself from the ground before creeping toward the garden, knife in hand.

“It is time
,” Tiergan said to the remaining two near him. The Dolmertian crouched to his left, and Demyan knelt to his right. As the deadliest weapon in his arsenal, Tiergan always kept Demyan on his right-hand side.

“Where should we enter?” Tiergan whispered to the Dolmertian.

The
Dolmertian pointed to the quiet entrance near the back of the palace. “There will be guards stationed inside. Give me ten minutes and I’ll find someone who will clear the area without suspicion.”

Tiergan
frowned, realizing the palace wasn’t as unguarded as he’d thought. With guards stationed on the inside of some of the entrances, they had created the illusion of weak areas, thus setting the perfect trap. He conceded that the Dolmertian King might know a thing or two about warfare.

“I’ll give you five,” Tiergan replied.

The
Dolmertian scowled, but did not argue. Exactly four minutes later he returned with a smirk. “It’s clear but we will need to leave a different way, especially if we are to draw out the prince.”

“That doesn’
t concern me.”

“You have not forgotten our agreement,” the Dolmertian said with a little more force than Tiergan cared for.

“Get me to the girl first,” Tiergan said, his voice almost a growl.

They
inched along a low wall and then took the stairs three at a time until they entered a long hall from which they could turn either right or left. The Dolmertian pointed to a closed door at the end of the hall.

“There is a stairwell behind that door,” he said. “It will lead us to where we need to go.”

Tiergan
brushed passed the Dolmertian and made his way to the end of the hall. The Dolmertian’s arrogance bothered him. The sooner he could get rid of him, the better.

He
tore up the stairs, his lungs filling with the breath of victory. She was within arm’s reach now. He could feel it. Another slave to serve him.

The
Dolmertian pushed forward as they reached the top of the stairs, his shoulder bumping into Tiergan’s. Tiergan resisted the urge to slam the man’s head into the wall. Instead, he followed him around countless corners and down long corridors until they came to a sudden halt. Peaking around the corner, the Dolmertian made a quick step back and pressed himself against the wall.

“
What is it?” Tiergan said.

“Guards.
Four of them.”

“Is that all?”
Tiergan turned to Demyan. “Dispose of the bodies somewhere unseen. Be certain to leave no trace.”

W
ith the ease of someone strolling through a garden, Demyan smirked and rounded the corner. Tiergan followed, eager to witness Demyan’s skill in action. It didn’t take long for the guards to notice them, but Demyan had already lifted his bow. An arrow shot through the air and struck the first guard in the eye, killing him on impact. The second guard’s hand flashed toward his sword, but another arrow caught it before he could grasp the hilt. His fingers strained white as he pulled against the shaft pinning his hand to his side. He glanced at his wound and then looked up just in time to receive another arrow between his brows.

The remaining two guards
drew their swords and crouched low, but Demyan stalked forward with the confidence of a panther. He carried only a small knife, and yet Tiergan knew the two guards didn’t stand a chance. Demyan advanced until the guards had no choice but to swing their weapons. He ducked and rolled to the side, sinking his knife into the back of one. As he pulled the knife upward he raised his leg and kicked the other guard in the head. Neither one made a sound as they fell to the ground. The entire confrontation took less than a minute and gave off no more than a muffle of sound.

Tiergan smiled at his favorite weapon.
Demyan had served him well. Without hesitation Demyan hefted one of the bodies and hauled him out of sight. Tiergan motioned for the Dolmertian to assist him. That left him alone to apprehend the girl.

Tiergan stepped forward and rea
ched out to grasp the handle. The door gave way under his weight and opened to a light, feminine room.

And there she was.
The Incenaga.

Emmeline turned her head toward the open door and her eyebrows rose at the sight of an unfamiliar man entering her quarters. She wondered why her guards hadn’t stopped him. Her heart quickened, but she resisted the urge to scream. Not only had Commander Benshi assured them no army was within a fortnight’s march of Dolmerti, but dozens of foreign dignitaries had arrived for the wedding and she had yet to meet all of them. There was no reason to panic. He had probably taken a wrong turn on the way to his quarters.

“
Hello,” she said. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I am Princess Emmeline Durandi of Pamizak.”

T
he man stepped forward and smiled. “I know who you are,” he said.

“Oh?
” Emmeline rose from her seated position at the window and walked toward the man. “May I help you?” Her eyes flicked to the corridor behind him, curious again where her guards were.

“Yes, you can.
My name is Tiergan and I have come a great distance for you.” His smile spread until it left a wicked glint in his eyes.

Emmeline took a step back, her chest tightening. She
glanced at the fireplace. Why had she insisted it remain unlit? All feelings of joy and calm vanished, abandoning her to the cold terror of truth. She was alone and she was powerless. Her chest constricted further, leaving no room for air.

Tiergan smirked. “The
Dolmertian thought you might not have a fire in your room.”

“What
Dolmertian?” Her eyes narrowed. Who, beside Erick, would know of her aversion to the flames, of her fear of being controlled again?

“The same one who
said I’d find the last Incenaga witch here.”

Emmeline stopped breathing. Erick didn’t allow anyone to refer to her as an Incenaga, nor did he permit anyone to speak of it. Not many knew
what she was, but those who did, kept quiet.

“
There is no Incenaga here,” she said, but her voice failed and she choked on the last word.

“Don’t fool me, girl,” Tiergan snapped as he
closed the door behind him. “I know who you are.”

Emmeline
took another step back. The man standing before her looked like the sort of man who would use her for death and destruction. If she let him take her she would follow the same fate as the Incenagas before her. She would be drained of her power until she withered and died.

His
bloodshot eyes bore into hers, challenging her. She wanted to run, but he blocked the only exit. She glanced at the window and considered jumping, but the opening was too small and he would be able to stop her before she could open it any further. Seeing her options disappear before ever becoming tangible, she knew she would have to face him.

“How did you get past
Dolmerti’s army?” she asked.

“
Simple.” Tiergan laughed. “They weren’t looking for a small band of men, were they?”

Emm
eline’s eyes grew wide. “It was you. You sent the letter.” She balled her hands into fists, remembering all the sleepless nights she had spent because of his letter.

“That’s right.
I sent the letter. I needed your commander distracted by the search of large masses of soldiers, not a handful of travelers.”

“Well, congratulations,” she said with an iciness that
would have chilled any fire within her. “You are here. What do you want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?
”

Emmeline said nothing.

“You,” he said. “
I want you to come with me.”

“Never.”

“Never? You speak with such conviction for someone who knows so little.”

Emmeline bristled.
“Volarcus is not far from here. Dolmerti’s army will overtake you in a matter of days.”

Tiergan roared with laughter
. “We won’t be going anywhere near Volarcus. Have you heard of Griet?”

“But the letter said someone would
come from Volarcus to claim me.”

“And it also said I would be followed by a great army
. You are wasting my time with ignorant questions. It does not matter where I am from or how I got here. What matters is that I am here and you will come with me. Now. I am the King of Griet and you are my newest slave. You will serve me from this day forward.”

“I will do no such thi
ng!” Emmeline spun around and tore open her desk drawer. The time had come. She had to find the dagger. If she couldn’t use it to stop him, then she’d have to use it to stop herself. Never mind that the room was different than the one in her dream. She wouldn’t be used for murder.

A
sharp pain shot through her shoulder as Tiergan yanked her from the desk.

“
This is preposterous!” she cried. “Guar-!”

Tiergan slapped
a sunburned hand over her mouth, cutting her off. “I would not be so hasty to call your precious guards. As we speak, the life of your betrothed hangs in my control.”

Emmeline whirled around, breaking free from his filthy hands.
She pressed her hands against the window to search the gardens. Her stomach clenched into a tight knot until she spotted Erick still talking to her father. They were sitting now, relaxed in easy conversation under the shade of a magnificent tree.

“He’s safe,”
Emmeline breathed. She glanced around him and noticed several guards at the ready. She turned back to Tiergan and jutted her chin out in defiance.

“You can
’t hurt him here,” she said. “He is protected.”

Tiergan’s smile widened until a golden tooth shone at the corner of his mouth
. “I see he means much more to you than a mere betrothal agreement. I believe that bit of information will allow us to finish this without further delay.”

“What are you implying?”

Tiergan stepped closer to the window, but remained in the shadow of the curtain. “I want you to turn your pretty face to the window again. Look into those trees. What do you see?”

“I don’
t see anything.”

“Of course not.
They are well-trained.”

“Who?”

Tiergan placed a hand on the small of her back and she flinched.
Evil oozed off his entire being, scratching at her for entrance. Her skin crawled to get away from him.

“My mo
st skilled archers,” he whispered into her ear.

Emmeline trembled as she searched the trees. She saw no one. Was he lying? A sliver of
hope broke through her nausea.

“Now, my dear
Incenaga,” he continued with a sickening calm. “I can call you Incenaga, I presume, or do you prefer Crown Princess?” His mocking laughter pierced her ears.