Paxton still couldn’t believe King Charles and the queen were dead. He thought of Aerity, Vixie, and the lad Donubhan. Aerity was now queen and she had no idea. They would all be holding out hope that their parents would return. He hated that he would have to be the one to tell her. But better him than Prince Vito.
Paxton leaned forward and urged his horse due northwest. The sun was lowering. For the first time that day he realized how cold it had become. His ears and face were freezing in the wind, but he felt no pain. All he felt was determination.
Chapter
36
Vixie hated waiting while ominous dangers loomed on the horizon. She’d taken to practicing archery with a vengeance, and patrolling the royal wall alongside Tiern, her trusted bow across her back. Without her parents to order her inside, the guards let her out whenever she wanted. She could see the disapproval on their faces, though. They probably thought she should stay inside the castle like a proper girl. And while she loathed the idea of being that girl and the annoyances that came along with it, she did truly miss the protectiveness of her parents.
They rode beside the stone wall in the dry, yellowed grasses. The walls had been fortified since late summer, built thicker and higher. Now there were platforms along the length for soldiers to climb and defend. Each scaffold also had a strong pulley system to raise small cannons or vats of hot tar and oil. The sight of war preparations made Vixie uneasy. Danger was on its way.
“Tiern,” Vixie said, “do you suppose my parents are still alive?” It’s all she could think about lately.
Tiern’s spine went rigid as he rode. “I don’t rightly know, Vixie. I wouldn’t put it past the Kalorians . . . but, then again, if they kept them alive, they could use them for bargaining.”
“What could they possibly want to bargain for?”
He shook his head gravely. Vixie exhaled, her stomach churning.
She’d spent the past year fighting against everything they wanted her to be, searching for who she really was, being angry at her father for the great hunt. And now the thought of them gone forever left a gaping pit of desolation in her heart. She’d never imagined a life without them. She’d taken them for granted and never shown her appreciation.
Vixie glanced at Tiern, his face so serious as he scanned the area. They’d never spoken about the kiss. In fact, Vixie had put it from her mind. It hadn’t been a proper kiss. She believed now that he’d only done it for the reason he said: to keep the lads at bay. With all that was happening, romance seemed ridiculous. Still, she enjoyed his company, and trusted him above all others.
“You should have seen Aerity and the coldlands king this morning,” Vixie chattered. She told him everything. Tiern seemed to enjoy her stories as they trotted in the cold sunshine, reacting with all the appropriate shock, awe, humor, and upset that she hoped to convey. In fact, now that she’d stopped pressuring him about his feelings, he was almost his same old good-natured self with her again.
Yet, as they neared the southern gate to royal lands, Vixie heard raised voices. Her head spun to Tiern.
“Something’s happening,” he said. He pushed his horse ahead and Vixie followed. There was a crowd of soldiers and guards at the gates and several horses. They were surrounding someone.
“He’s Lashed!” she heard a guard say, which was followed by more raised voices, shouted questions, gruff responses. She couldn’t make it all out.
Through the moving bodies she spotted a long-haired man with a short beard and dirty face. His tunic was bright blue, Kalorian style.
“Pax?” Tiern whispered. Vixie’s eyes shot to his and she saw Tiern staring, wide-eyed. And then he yelled, “That’s my brother!” He leaped down from his horse and ran, pushing through the people. Vixie’s heart went into her throat and she pressed a hand to it. This couldn’t be Pax . . . they’d called this man Lashed.
When Tiern reached the man, he threw his arms around him and the two of them embraced, holding tightly. The brothers pulled apart and she could see Paxton’s face.
“It’s really him,” Vixie breathed.
He’s Lashed.
She rode slowly forward, forcing the guards and soldiers to part further. Her eyes were set on Paxton. Surely they had been mistaken. Or perhaps they spoke of someone else. Her eyes roamed the crowd but there were no others. Tiern and Paxton both turned to her.
“Princess Vixie,” Paxton said, “I need to see your sister at once.”
Her eyes went to his fingernails and she felt as if she’d been blasted by the coldest of winds. She fought to breathe. She looked to Tiern and his eyes were pleading. Absolute confusion and fear became a hurricane between her ears. Lashed . . . Kalorian clothing . . . her parents’ kidnappers.
With a shout, Vixie forced her horse to rear, causing all the men to back away, and then she turned and charged toward the castle.
She could hear herself whimpering. What was going on? Paxton was Lashed? Could he be trusted? He’d been in Kalor all this time and now here he was. Vixie rode to the front of the castle and dismounted, smacking Ruspin on the rump and then sprinting to the stone steps.
“Princess!” the guards called when they saw her. She ran past them, shouting when she got into the hall.
“Aerity! Where is she?”
“What’s wrong?” the guards asked. She ignored them and ran to the king’s office. More guards were outside it, a sure sign Aerity was within.
Vixie burst in, making Aerity jump to her feet, the blood draining from her face.
“Paxton is here!”
Harrison, Lief, Wyneth, and all the officers present jumped to their feet.
Aerity’s mouth hung open. “Are they here? The Kalorians?”
“Nay.” Vixie’s voice shook. “It’s just him. But he’s—” She stopped and stared around at the faces watching her. “He’s . . .” Should she tell them all? What if they hurt him?
Aerity’s face smoothed. “I know what he is. Where is he, Vix?”
“You know?” Vixie stared at her sister, who seemed inexplicably calm. “But, Aer, he looks like one of them!”
Aerity faced the officers, speaking quickly. “The hunter Paxton Seabolt is Lashed. He is one of us but was able to infiltrate Rozaria’s army. He must have been able to escape. He’ll have information. Have him brought to me at once.”
The men rushed from the room, including Harrison and Lief.
Vixie stared at her sister. Aerity’s face paled.
“I’m sorry.” She tried to step forward and touch Vixie’s arms, but the younger princess yanked them away. “Seas, I don’t even know what day it is half the time anymore, Vix. I can’t remember who knows what—”
“You don’t tell me anything!” Vixie shouted. Anger rose in her like a demon of the deep sea, and she let it loose. All the times she’d been kept in the dark and left out, all the unfair treatment and secrets. Vixie screamed in frustration, squeezing her hands into fists. She was throwing a veritable tantrum and she could not stop herself.
“Vix!” Wyneth said in shock, but Vixie ignored her, staring down Aerity.
“Stop treating me like a child! Stop trying to protect me, and keeping me ignorant about every last thing! I’m sick of it!”
“All right,” Aerity said. And truly, she did appear remorseful. “I’m so sorry. I should have told you everything—you’re right.”
Vixie’s chin trembled as the fire went out of her, and her shoulders hunched. Aerity came around the desk and wrapped her arms around her.
“Please forgive me,” she murmured into her hair. “No more secrets, I promise.”
Vixie sniffed hard against her sister’s shoulder. “Aerity?”
“Aye?” she pulled back to look at her.
“Paxton looked . . . bad. What I mean is, he seemed . . . like one of them or something. He frightened me. And his eyes were a bit crazed.”
Aerity took her face in her hands. “I’m certain he did, but you needn’t be afraid of Paxton. I can prom
ise you, his loyalties are to us.”
“Is Tiern . . . ?”
“Nay. He is not Lashed.” Vixie breathed a sigh of relief . . . and then questioned herself. Would she really have cared if he had been Lashed? Nay, she did not believe so. But if he had been and he’d kept it from her, that would have upset her grievously.
Aerity went to the desk and grabbed her cloak that had been thrown over the chair. She slung it over her shoulders and rushed from the room. Wyneth gave Vixie’s shoulder a squeeze before following Aerity. Vixie stood there alone, recalling the look in Tiern’s eyes and how she had left them in fear. No wonder Tiern could not tell her. She’d reacted shamefully. Guilt clutched her. She wouldn’t blame him if he wanted nothing to do with her now.
Chapter
37
Aerity didn’t dare leave the safety of the castle. She waited inside the entrance hall with Wyneth by her side, her heart dancing with anticipation, which parried with worry. If Paxton was here, she knew they must be one step closer to something happening. From one of the tower entrances she saw Mrs. Rathbrook peek out, her guard behind her. Aerity waved her over.
“Please, join us.” The Lashed woman and her guard came to her side.
“What is happening?” Mrs. Rathbrook asked.
“I’m not certain, but you can remain with me. I want you kept safe.”
A rush of sound filtered down the hall as the doors opened and bodies poured in. The doors were tightly closed again and barred. Through the group of men she saw Paxton’s unruly brown waves and she couldn’t contain herself. She ran to him and grasped his hands tightly, locking her eyes onto his brown ones.
“You’re okay,” she whispered. He looked frightfully weary. “How much time do we have?”
“They’ll be here in the early morning hours,” he said. “Possibly before sunup.”
She looked at Harrison and motioned with her head back down the hall toward where the office was. They lived in that room these days. She caught Lief’s eyes over her shoulder. The man had seemed to go into warrior mode with the impending battle.
Vixie ran up alongside them with a worried expression and asked, “Where is Tiern?”
Paxton answered. “He went out with a few soldiers to warn as many villages as possible.”
Vixie’s entire being seemed to droop. “Paxton, I’m sorry for my reaction—”
“Nay, Princess, you needn’t be,” he said in a low voice. “You were taken by surprise.”
She nodded before slowing and becoming lost in the crowd. Aerity peered back and saw her in the back of the group walking with Mrs. Rathbrook.
“I should have told her,” Aerity said to Paxton. “She was so hurt.”
“What’s done is done,” he told her. “She’s a fighter. Tiern’s worried that she’s angry with him, so I urged him to go with the others to clear his mind.”
Oh, dear. They didn’t need this on top of everything else.
They hurried into the office. Vixie was the last one in, holding Mrs. Rathbrook’s hand. She closed the door and maneuvered to Aerity’s side, and then all eyes went to Paxton. Nobody bothered to sit. He didn’t wait for an invitation to speak.
“I’m going to start with the worst news first so that you can understand what we’re dealing with.” He took a deep breath and peered at Aerity. The sadness in his eyes nearly made her collapse because she knew. She knew what he was going to say. Every muscle in her body braced.
“The king and queen are dead,” he said softly to her and Vixie. “I’m very sorry.”
Even with every muscle tensed, Aerity still felt as if she’d been kicked in the chest.
She was queen of Lochlanach.
She swallowed and tried to wet her lips. At her side she heard Vixie’s deep inhale of breath. She grasped her sister’s hand, and Vixie pressed her face into Aerity’s shoulder. Aerity knew her sister was doing her best to be strong. She stroked Vixie’s hair. There were no words. She could not believe this was their reality. Her parents murdered. How had it come to this? They were dealing with the worst kind of people.
Next to Vixie, Wyneth had covered her mouth, her eyes wet. Harrison placed a hand on her back, his face grave.
Paxton hurried on. He gave approximate numbers of horses, carriages, and men, both Lashed and Unlashed, on land and sea.
“And by far the most dangerous are Prince Vito and Rozaria Rocato. Both are Lashed and ruthless. And cousins.”
“The prince is Lashed?” Lord Alvi exclaimed at the same time Aerity said, “Cousins?”
Fear whipped through Aerity when Paxton nodded. She shouldn’t be surprised by anything at this point.
“What are his weaknesses?” Lief asked.
“Beauty. Vanity.” Paxton’s jaw clenched. “His plan is to unite Lochlanach and Kalor by marrying you, Princess.”
Aerity felt a spasm of disgust.
Lord Alvi laughed without an ounce of humor. “Seems you’re a hot commodity to neighboring kingdoms, Aerity. He’ll need to queue up.”
“Lucky me,” she gritted.
“How did you escape them?” Harrison asked Paxton.
“I didn’t. They sent me ahead to make a way into the castle for them. I’m to kill the guards at the east entrance so the prince and his elite can enter the castle through the gardens in the morning hours.”
Aerity looked to Harrison. “Can we spare soldiers to stop the Kalorians at Bay Bridge?”
He grimaced. “Not enough to make it an even match while still protecting the castle. They’d be better used here on royal lands.”
“This will be a war of defense, not offense,” Lief muttered. From his voice it was clear he preferred to be on the offensive.
They stared around the room in disquiet, all minds calculating possible courses of action.
“Of course we’ll keep them locked out, right?” Vixie asked.
“There are the underground tunnels,” Wyneth pointed out. “If they manage to get in, we can have soldiers waiting below until Prince Vito and his men believe they have overtaken the castle. Then when they get good and comfy, we come out to attack.”
Lief rubbed his jaw. “I like that.”
“I do as well,” Harrison said.
“The royal lasses should be taken to safety away from the castle,” Paxton said, looking from Aerity to Vixie to Wyneth.
Oh, no. Aerity pressed her lips together. A definite sense of conviction kept her rooted to the castle.
“I don’t want to leave,” Vixie said.
“You’re next in line for the throne after Aerity,” Paxton explained. “It’s important to keep you safe.” Vixie dropped her eyes.
“I will stay,” Aerity said. All eyes went to her, and she wondered if she was being foolish and impulsive again. She couldn’t explain the sense of wrongness that filled her at the thought of leaving, as if the seas were against it.
Paxton shut his eyes. “What do you think you can do here? The kingdom needs you to be safe. You are the queen now, Aerity.”
Her heart jumped and Vixie squeezed her hand. Aerity looked around the room at the fierce but neutral faces. She knew they would support her to their deaths, but none of them would decide this for her.
“Your Majesty,” Harrison said, “if your father were here, we would advise him to leave as well. Royals are usually taken to safety and not meant to be at the front line.”
“I need a moment to myself,” she said.
One by one, people filtered from the room. Vixie’s soft hand disappeared from her grasp. Aerity leaned back against the desk, her hands covering her face. What would she do? The idea of leaving the castle and that madman getting in . . . it was the worst feeling of violation. Even if she left temporarily, she felt as if being gone meant giving up, handing it over to the enemy. She had to be there.
Aerity sensed warmth in front of her. Breath on her hands. She lowered them from her face. Paxton’s hands were on his hips.
“Don’t keep me out, Aer. Tell me what y
ou’re thinking.”
She paused, knowing he would not like her line of thought. “You said he wants to marry me. . . .”
She could sense Paxton’s pulse rapid firing by the intensity of his set jaw. “Which is exactly why you should be kept away from him. The man is lethal and narcissistic.”
“Perhaps you’re not the only one who can play both sides.”
“Aerity.” He stepped closer. “This is not like when you faced the beast and I stood by and allowed it. I had hope in that moment. When it comes to Prince Vito, there is no hope. He is the worst kind of monster. He. Cannot. Be. Charmed.”
Aerity sucked in a shaking breath as Paxton released her and began to pace. She gripped the edge of the desk behind her. What was she to do? Flee and hope for the best?
“I need to think,” she said softly.
He came to her and lifted her chin. Their eyes met and heat filled her.
“Promise you’ll consider what I’ve said.”
“I will.”
He kissed her forehead and left her with her jumbled thoughts. Aerity went around the desk and sat down in her father’s grand chair. She placed her elbows on the desk and her face in her hands.
Her father. He would never sit on this cushion again. He would never decide the fate of the lands. He would never again look to his loyal wife for her support. And her mother would never be there, filling the room with her calming strength.
Aerity wanted to cry, but the tears did not come. She knew if she broke down now she might not recover. There was no room in her life for weakness. She breathed deeply, trying to clear her mind and think straight.
Everything within her fought to stay in her rightful home, but the people she trusted were telling her to go. To protect herself. To let them clear the enemy from their midst so she might return and rule. And she knew that if she stayed, Vixie and Wyneth would stay as well. Their lives were her responsibility.