Chapter 1
The Duke of Genese entered my room wearing the same black and gold outfit that he wore at dinner. The Knights of the Royal Brotherhood medallion hung from his neck, identifying him as a man that was opposed to women sitting on thrones. Women like me. He clutched his sword in his right hand.
"I've been expecting you," I said, once he was inside the room.
As I spoke, Bokham, my personal guard, closed the door and took up a position in front of it, sword in hand. The duke heard the door slam shut and spun around.
I raised my cutlass in front of me. "Don't worry about him. He's not here to kill you. He's just here to make sure you don't run away."
The duke glanced at Bokham, then at me, then at Bokham, then at me. The look on his face said it all. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that things weren't going the way he planned.
"I'm going to kill you myself," I said. "When you're dead, I'm going to take that medallion you're wearing as a trophy. Perhaps, I'll wear it the next time I meet Maximillian Bedard."
The duke glared at me, then raised his sword and charged forward. The fight didn't start the way it did in my vision. In my vision, I was the aggressor. In reality, the duke was the aggressor. I parried his charges with the cutlass in my right hand. After a couple of minutes, I switched the cutlass to my left hand, and let my right arm rest. A couple of minutes later, I switched back.
We danced around the drawing room, iron clanging against iron. We danced into my bedroom, over my bed, and back into the drawing room. I continued to switch hands. The duke continued to swing his heavy broadsword with both hands.
Eventually, a sheen of sweat broke out across his brow. He probably wanted to take his heavy velvet waistcoat off, but I didn't give him that luxury. A short while later, he began breathing through his mouth. A short while after that, he paused to catch his breath.
That's when I went on the offensive, giving him no chance to rest. We danced around the drawing room again, into the bedroom again, across the bed again, and back into the drawing room. Iron clanging against iron. This time he was backing up. This time, I was pressing the action, taking the fight to him.
"You don't fight like any woman I know," the duke said.
"That's because I'm not like any woman you know."
"How did you know I was coming for you?"
"What do you care? You'll be dead soon."
The duke didn't argue with me. Probably because he knew the truth. Even if he managed to defeat me, which must've seemed doubtful at that point, he wouldn't have enough strength left to defeat Bokham. He knew that he would die tonight, either by my hand, or Bokham's.
Eventually, the duke became too weary to keep up with me. My attacks began to draw blood. At first the blows were just glancing, no more than nicks. As the fight wore on, the cuts became deeper and blood began to seep through the duke's expensive clothing. That sapped more of his strength and slowed him down even more.
The end came suddenly. We were in the drawing room when the duke dropped his sword. I lunged forward, plunged my cutlass deep into his gut, and left it there.
He looked at his skewered stomach and dropped to his knees. He wrapped his hands around the blade, tried to pull it out, but lacked the strength. All he succeeded in doing was cutting his hands.
While he knelt there, dying, I walked up to him and removed the medallion from around his neck. "This is mine."
The duke didn't argue. He didn't do anything except gasp a couple of times, collapse onto his side, and die.
"I better tell Edgerton and Romeus what happened," Bokham said, sheathing his sword. He headed out of my room, then stopped and looked back at me. "If your sister is better than you, then you're right. I wouldn't want to face her."
By the time Edgerton and Romeus arrived, I had pulled my cutlass out of the duke's lifeless body, wiped the blood on his velvet waistcoat, and sheathed it.
"What happened here?" Edgerton said.
"What did Bokham tell you?"
"Just that there was something we needed to see."
"The duke came here to kill me." I held up the medallion. "Do either of you know what this is?"
The looks on their faces told me that they both knew what it was.
"Where did you get that?" Romeus said.
"The duke was wearing it around his neck."
"It's a medallion," Romeus said. "It's worn by . . . . "
His voice trailed off. Either he didn't want to tell me what it was, or he was too embarrassed to tell me.
"She knows what it is," Edgerton said, studying my face. "She's a seer. That's how she knew he was coming here to kill her. And if she knew he was coming here to kill her, then she knows why."
He looked to me for conformation. I nodded. "It's worn by men of royal blood. They belong to a secret society called the Knights of the Royal Brotherhood. They're opposed to any woman sitting on any throne. This is why Queen Catlett sent you to Adah. She didn't want just anyone as her heir. She wanted a princess that wouldn't be afraid of a group of men that had dedicated their lives to killing her. There's only one place in the world where you can find a princess like that."
"Adah," Edgerton said.
I slipped the medallion around my neck and tucked it inside my shirt. I turned to Romeus, and said, "Is the king a member of this society?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he has a daughter."
I don't know why that surprised me, but it did. "The King of Holt has a daughter?"
"Yes."
"Does he have a son?"
"No."
"How old is his daughter?"
"Ten," Romeus said. "I think she's one of the reasons the duke joined the KRB. He resented the fact that she would ascend to the throne instead of him."
"Does the king know his brother was a member of the KRB?"
“He suspected, but I don't think he knew for sure."
"Who will take the duke's place here in Genese?"
"I don't know."
"How will the king react to the fact that I killed his brother?"
"I don't know."
"Will it have an adverse effect on his relationship with Queen Catlett?"
"I don't know."
"Why should it?" Edgerton said. "He attacked you. You didn't attack him. The fact that he came to your room with sword in hand is proof enough. The fact that you took that medallion from around his neck is proof enough."
"Since we don't know how the king will react," Romeus said. "It might be best if you're out of the country when I tell him of his brother's death."
"What about Captain Hubbard and his men?" I said. "And the men you sent out to aid them?"
"Until the king declares otherwise, our two countries still have an alliance. If Captain Hubbard and his men are able to reach our border, they'll be given safe passage."
"We'll leave at first light," Edgerton said.
"No," I said.
Edgerton looked at me. "I think it best if we get you to Vassa as quickly as possible. Before we run into more trouble."
"I killed the king's brother. The least I can do is explain how and why it happened."
"Not to dwell on the obvious. But if you do that, the king might throw you in the dungeon, maybe even execute you."
"Executing me would embolden the KRB."
"So?" Edgerton and Romeus said together.
"Once I was out of the way, who would their next target be? Aside from Queen Catlett."
"The king's daughter," Romeus said.
"Like it or not, Counselor, the king needs me alive." Romeus didn't argue, although it looked like he wanted to. "When Captain Hubbard and his men arrive, when the gowns and boots I ordered are finished, we'll ride to the king together. I'll explain to him what happened and why he needs me. There'll be no rift in his alliance with Queen Catlett. I won't allow it. In the meantime, Counselor, you should give the duke whatever s
ort of burial you think he deserves."
Romeus rounded up some servants to remove the duke's body from the floor, ordering them to wash it and prepare it for burial. Shu found another suite for me to sleep in, one which didn't smell of blood. Much to my surprise, I had no trouble sleeping that night.
They buried the duke the next morning, in a cemetery behind his castle. The same cemetery where the all the other dukes were buried. Romeus, Shu, and the duke's four suitors attended his funeral. The Lady Tabitha didn't. Neither did I. It didn't seem right to kill a man and then attend his funeral.
Captain Hubbard and his men arrived that evening, tired but alive. Maximillian Bedard's pirates gave up the chase when they encountered the duke's horsemen. Luckily, the duke never told his men that he had a secret alliance with the King of Dunre. If he had, Captain Hubbard and his men might be dead.
The next morning, the gowns and boots I ordered arrived at the palace for a final fitting. I told the tailor and the cobbler that I needed them by tomorrow morning. Both assured me that they would be ready.
Horses were procured, and the next morning, we set off for the King of Holt's palace. We took the road that bordered the Istansada River's southern bank, heading for the city of Hensel, Holt's capital. Hensel was located in the middle of Holt. Like Genese, it bordered both sides of the river. Like Genese, most of the buildings were made from logs, with a few of the larger ones being made from stone. Like Genese, there were no bridges crossing the river. Rowboats ferried people between the cities's northern and southern halves.
A castle sat on the highest hill that overlooked the river. It was built in the same style as the duke's castle, a gray granite box with red roofed towers of various heights placed randomly around the castle. The only difference I could see between Hensel and Genese, was that the king's castle was on the southern side of the river.
"Are you nervous?" Shu asked me as we rode through town.
"About what?"
"Having to tell the king that you killed his brother."
"I defended myself against a man that invited me into his home then tried to assassinate me. I have nothing to be nervous about." No matter how much the King of Holt loved his brother, I suspected he loved his daughter more. I was counting on that love to help him see my side.
I was wearing one of my new outfits. A red velvet riding skirt and a black velvet top with long sleeves, a scoop neckline, and a built-in corset. My boots were like the ones the Lady Tabitha wore, except they had a much lower heel, kind of a cross between the dress boots she wore and the riding boots the men wore. A black velvet cloak with a red silk lining completed the outfit.
As usual, my hair was pulled back into a ponytail and tied with the choking device. The cutlass remained strapped around my waist. I was also wearing the Ruby Crown. Much to my surprise, Edgerton secured it from my things after he drugged me.
"I was saving this as a surprise, thinking you might want to wear it when you meet Queen Catlett," Edgerton said, when he brought me the crown. "But I'm thinking it might not hurt to wear it today, to remind the King of Holt that he's dealing with high royalty, and that his actions will carry repercussions."
Shu wore an outfit identical to mine, except it was made out of black velvet. The Lady Tabitha wore her usual form fitting gown and high heeled boots. The gown was silk and bright yellow in color. Because the outfit restricted her mobility, she had to ride sidesaddle and be helped on and off the horse. Bokham wore his red and white uniform. Edgerton wore his usual black. Romeus wore the same thing as Edgerton, perhaps it was the standard uniform for royal advisers, perhaps he was still mourning the duke's death. Captain Hubbard and his men wore their freshly washed red and white uniforms.
There was no wall surrounding the king's castle. Like the duke's castle, a pair of guards with pikes manned the front doors. Where the duke's men wore black and gold livery, the king's men wore silver and blue, blue knee breeches, blue tunics, and silver breastplates with a gold crown inlaid on the chest.
Romeus informed the guards that we had news concerning the Duke of Genese. All of us, save for Captain Hubbard's men, were admitted into the king's throne room. It was empty when we entered, but the king arrived minutes after we did.
He was a taller, older version of the duke, same jaw, same cheekbones, same eyes, same brown hair. The same classic good looks that drew women to his brother. The only differences were the gray hair around his temples and a clean shaven face. He dressed much more casually than his brother. Black riding boots, worn brown leather breeches, and a white cotton shirt that tied in the front. Only a blue velvet waistcoat that looked like it had been hurriedly tossed on, gave you any indication that he wasn't a common laborer.
A girl of about ten accompanied him. She wore her long brown hair in a ponytail and dressed in an outfit identical to her father. She was a pretty girl, and when she reached adulthood, would be a striking beauty.
As her father plopped down on his throne and stretched out his long legs, she moved to his right hand and stood quietly, studying the people standing at the foot of the dais. It wasn't long before her brown eyes lighted on me and the red and gold crown atop my head. I smiled at her and she returned my smile, although I wondered what she'd think of me when she learned that I killed her uncle.
The king addressed Romeus. "I'm told you have news about my brother. Since you made the trip yourself, I'm assuming it's bad news."
Romeus bowed. "There's no easy way to put this, Your Highness, other than to come right out and say it. Your brother, the Duke of Genese, is dead."
"When?"
"Two nights ago."
"How did it happen?"
"A sword fight."
The king sighed. "So, the blade master finally challenged someone who was better than him. I thought he picked his opponents more carefully."
"It wasn't a duel, Your Highness."
"What was it?"
"An attempted assassination."
"Sounds like it was a successful assassination."
"The assassination attempt wasn't on the duke, Your Highness. In point of fact, the duke was the assassin."
The king turned his attention to the rest of us. He noticed Edgerton, then me, then the Ruby Crown. I could see him putting the facts together. Edgerton making a trip to the far side of the world to find a princess, then showing up here with a young woman wearing a strange crown.
When he grabbed his daughter's hand, I knew that his brother had been a concern for him. He had been troubled by torn loyalties, loyalty for his brother vs. loyalty for his daughter. He wouldn't come out and admit it, couldn't come out and admit it, but I had solved one of the biggest problems in his life. He no longer had to worry about what his little brother would do when his daughter assumed his throne. Would his brother try to assassinate her? No longer a problem. Would he rebel against her and start a civil war? No longer an issue.
If the girl was upset over the news of her uncle's death, she didn't show it. Maybe she didn't know him that well. Maybe she knew him too well. Kids are pretty perceptive when it comes to how people feel about them.
"Did anybody see it happen?" the king said.
Bokham stepped forward. "I saw it all, Your Highness."
"Tell me what happened Captain Bokham." Apparently everybody knew everybody in the Finger States, but then why wouldn't they. The countries weren't that big. Bokham bowed and gave the king an extremely detailed account of my sword fight with the duke. When he finished, the king spoke again. "Do any of you have proof that my brother was a member of the KRB?"
I took the gold medallion from around my neck and tossed it to the king. He caught it out of the air, suppressing a smile over the insolent way I handed it to him.
"Your brother was wearing it when he slipped into my room."
"You speak the Common Tongue," the king said, sounding surprised. "I wasn't aware they spoke the Common Tongue in the barbarian lands."
"We don't. Edgerton taught it to me during
our trip across the Great Desert. What we barbarians call the Desert of Shifting Sands."
"And now you wear this medallion as a trophy?" The king tossed it back to me.
I slipped the medallion around my neck, then let it disappear into my cleavage. "I thought about hanging one of your brother's ears around my neck, but this seemed more convenient."
I got a few gasps for that comment. Not from the king, mind you, but from Edgerton, Romeus, and the Lady Tabitha.
For his part, the king remained calm. "Do you always take trophies from the people you kill?"
I looked at the king's daughter. "Only from those that belong to secret societies that believe princesses shouldn't be allowed to sit on thrones."
"I know Captain Bokham and I consider him to be an honest man," the king said. "I believe he spoke the truth when he said the duke entered the princess's room uninvited and threatened her. As such, she had a right to defend herself. Relations between Holt and Vassa will not be affected by this incident. Neither will relations between Holt and . . . ."
He looked at me and waited for me to tell him the name of my country. "Adah."
"Neither will relations between Holt and Adah, such as they are."
Edgerton breathed a sigh of relief. Until then, he hadn't been sure of what the king would say. For a smart man, and an adviser to a queen, he wasn't very good at reading people. Either that, or I was better at it than I realized.
"I do have one small problem," the king said. "The duke's throne is now empty."
"If I may offer a suggestion." I paused to see if the king wanted to hear what I had to say. He waited for me to continue, so I did. "Have you ever thought of putting a woman in charge of Genese."
"Why would I do that?"
"To prepare your subjects for the ascension of your daughter to your throne. It might be an easier transition if they're used to seeing a woman rule in Holt."
"An interesting theory," the king said. "Problem is my brother wasn't married and I have no sisters or female cousins. And my daughter is too young to serve as the Duchess of Genese."
"How about a woman serving as the Steward of Genese?"
"Who do you have in mind?"
I put a hand in the small of Shu's back and pushed her forward. "Shumaredena Kestan. Daughter of Romeus. She's from Genese. She's lived in the castle. She understands the political workings of Genese. And she's served Genese loyally, working as a spy in the high sage's palace."
"First you kill my brother, now you tell me who should sit on his throne. That's a bit presumptuous."
"I'm thinking of what's best for your daughter. Making the Lady Shumaredena the Steward of Genese would benefit the princess. The question is: are you prepared to do what's best for your daughter, or are you too worried about what others might think?"
There were a few gasps from the people standing next to me. Apparently, they weren't used to hearing people challenge royalty. When you grow up with a mother who's queen, royalty loses its aura.
The king looked at his daughter, then turned to Romeus. "What say you, Counselor? Do you think your daughter is qualified to serve as the Steward of Genese?"
Romeus bowed. "She would have an experienced adviser at her right hand."
"Perhaps it's time a woman was in charge of something in this country." The king looked at his daughter a second time. "I shall have a commission drawn up appointing the Lady Shumaredena the Steward of Genese. She will hold that position until my daughter reaches her eighteenth birthday, at which point, she'll become the Duchess of Genese. The Lady Shumaredena will then serve as her chief counselor."
Shu curtsied. "As you wish, Your Highness."
The king turned back to me. "How did you know my brother was going to attack you?"
"I'm a seer."
"As well as a blade master. Impressive."
"I'm hardly a blade master. Where I come from, I'm merely adequate."
"Catlett told me that she was going to turn our world upside down. I asked her how she intended to do that. She told me about a country that has so many princesses, they kill each other just for the right to sit on their mother's throne. She said that she had made arrangements to bring one of those princesses here, to become her heir. I told her it was a fool's dream and that she was throwing her gold away. Now, I'm thinking that even fool's dreams come true."