“This place is filled with my father’s treasures. He spent an inordinate amount of time buying and collecting them. Inanimate objects that remain where he placed them years ago, collecting dust. Still here even though he is gone. Useless except they remind me that my father cared more for treasure than me.”
Surprised by his honesty, I glanced at him.
“A harsh thing to say,” he acknowledged. “And a harsh reality to admit, but once I admitted it to myself, it was quite liberating.”
“Why tell me?”
“I’m sure Kerrick has brainwashed you into thinking I’m a monster. I’m not. Not only do I seek your cooperation, but your loyalty, as well.”
In my mind, dead army equaled monster. Nothing would convince me otherwise. But I was smart enough to keep my opinion to myself.
Tohon led me into another room. Rich red curtains hung over stained-glass windows. Thick carpets covered the floor. And a huge throne sat on a dais.
“Come see this.” Tohon jumped up on the dais. “My father designed it. Look at the gemstones along the arms and headrest.”
The throne could easily fit Belen and the monkeys. I moved closer, inspecting the jewels. Emeralds, rubies and sapphires had been used in the decoration. The seat of the throne was covered with diamonds. I reached out to touch them, but stopped.
“Go ahead,” Tohon said. “They’re smooth. My father sat on them every day. Visiting dignitaries had no idea King Zavier’s ass rested on a fortune in diamonds. Probably made him feel powerful.”
“Was your father a mage?” I asked.
“No. Both my grandmothers had strong magic, but the gift skipped a generation. When my powers woke at a very young age, I was a constant reminder of his inability to wield magic. And therefore became the perpetual target of his jealousy and hatred.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tohon shrugged as if the events of the past hadn’t affected him at all. “Made it easier to kill him.”
And just when I thought he might not be pure evil, but closer to touched by evil, he proved me wrong.
“I never use this room,” Tohon said. “My father needed things to believe he was powerful.” He gestured to the throne. “I’ve no need of worldly possessions. I command life itself and I decide who lives and dies. I’ve more power in my pinky than my father ever had.”
Yet he kept the room intact.
“Come see where I spend most of my time,” he said.
I hesitated.
“You have a dirty mind, my dear. It’s not what you think.”
Ducking my head to hide the blush of heat spreading across my cheeks, I followed him from the throne room. Tohon navigated the complex maze of hallways with ease. He cut through ballrooms, sitting rooms and drawing rooms without a glance at the lavish furnishings, crystal chandeliers and priceless artwork.
Then we climbed the stairs. They spiraled around and around until I felt dizzy. Each turn, I glimpsed the surrounding countryside. A thick forest covered in light green fuzz spread across the lands to the south. In a few weeks, the southern landscape would resemble an emerald carpet. I wondered if Kerrick’s eye color would change as it had from autumn to winter. The gray color matched his coldness. Would a vibrant green help soften his face? Perhaps. Would it soften his personality? Probably not.
I pulled my thoughts from Kerrick to my situation. The huge castle would take weeks to search if I didn’t get lost or wasn’t locked in a cell. Both were possibilities.
“Here we are,” Tohon said.
We had finally reached the top of the stairs. Two of his guards took up positions next to the door, while the other two remained a few steps below me. The plain stone door reminded me of the prison back in Jaxton. Unease rippled. Was this where Tohon tortured his prisoners? Or where he animated the dead? Icy goose bumps coated my skin.
He opened the door. I braced for an assault of horrors. Instead, bright light and humid air rushed out. The heady mix of living green, moist earth and fresh flowers filled my nose. Tohon disappeared into the sunshine. I stepped into the… What to call it?
Stunned, I gaped at the greenery. Trees, bushes, flowers, hanging vines, pools of water and birds all contained in a rectangular glass room.
“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” Tohon asked. “This is my forever garden. The only nice thing my father did for me. Of course, I had to convince him of the benefits of having medicinal plants and herbs close by. It’s heated in the winter. And because it’s up here it gets sunlight all day. What do you think?”
“It’s…lovely. You spend most of your time here?”
“As much as I can. Wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, I would.” I walked around the garden. Containers full of soil held the plants and trees. Others held water. Moisture dripped from the clear glass walls. Even the ceiling had been constructed of glass. The view was unobstructed on three sides and as breathtaking as the garden.
“Did you plant this room?” I asked.
“Yes. Living things do well under my care.” He gave me a wry smile, acknowledging the irony. “As long as I care about them.” Then he sobered. “People, on the other hand, are not worth caring for.”
Sounded like something his father might have said.
“Even your loyal subjects?” I asked, glancing at the bodyguards standing by the single entrance.
“My subjects don’t lack for the basic necessities and are well protected. They are taken care of.”
“Including your magicians?”
“Are you worried, my dear?” Tohon moved to take my hand.
I stepped out of his reach. “Of course. I’d be stupid not to be.”
“You have nothing to fear as long as you don’t cause trouble.”
“And if I do?”
“Do you really want me to spell it out for you? Give you the details? There are cells below—”
“No.” I did another loop around the garden. Kerrick would love this. Touching the leaves, I half expected to feel the tingle of his magic. Nothing. Disappointment panged for a moment.
“Is your forever garden the only thing you care for?” I asked.
“Oh, no. I care for the fate of the Fifteen Realms. We’ve lost so many leaders and the actions of certain survivors have been horrific. I’m sure you’ve encountered some of them. But one single leader will be able to unite those who wish to return to civility and don’t wish to be forced to worship a nonexistent entity. The creator. Pah!” He waved a dismissive hand. “Has this divine being created an army from the dead? No.” He stepped closer. His fiery conviction smoldered in his gaze. “I care for you, my dear. I plan to cherish you.”
I stared at him. “Why?”
“You possess a number of qualities I admire. Intelligence, beauty and your powerful healing magic.” He sidled closer. “One of a kind.”
“Only because you killed all the other healers.” And Belen’s sister, and a whole long list of others. Logical Avry needed to remind Emotional Avry of this often.
“I wasn’t referring to your magic, my dear. I meant you’re the only one Kerrick has fallen in love with since Jael. And I tried to take Jael from him. Tried for years. I didn’t tempt her, but that bastard Stanslov did.”
Tohon stood inches from me. How did he manage that? He took my hands in his just like Kerrick had done before I left for this mission.
I knew I should pull away, yet I remained in place. “You’re mistaken about Kerrick. He only cared for Ryne. Once his prince was no longer savable, he had no problem parting ways with me.”
Cold calculation sharpened his gaze. “I’ve heard the rumors about Sepp. Is he truly dead?”
Could I lie to him while he held my hands? I focused on the image of the carnage in the cave. It had burne
d deep into my memory. Revulsion and horror flowed through me and I met his gaze. “Yes. No one survived the attack.”
His body relaxed a trifle. “Good to know. As for Kerrick letting you go, he would have to admit his feelings for you to stay, and that he won’t do.”
Maybe the Kerrick Tohon knew in school would fall for me, but the man I’d traveled with was not capable of any warmth, let alone affection. “What do you have against him?”
“Prince Kerrick is handsome, rich and a powerful mage.”
“Have you looked in a mirror recently? And I’d bet you could sell a few of those diamonds in your father’s throne as long as you don’t tell anyone where they came from.”
Tohon laughed. His good humor shot right through me. I bit my lip to keep from giggling along with him. “I don’t know,” Tohon said. “‘King Zavier’s ass diamonds’ has a certain ring to it. The moniker could make them more valuable.”
“Good luck with that. However, my point is you possess all those qualities, as well.”
“Thank you, my dear. But Kerrick had what I never did.”
“A puppy?”
This time Tohon didn’t crack a smile. “No. A father who loved him. For six years, I had to hear all about King Neil and how smart and funny and wonderful he was. No doubt Kerrick loved his father. King Neil visited the school often. They were almost as close as Kerrick and Belen.” His grip on my hands tightened. “When Kerrick and Jael fell in love, I couldn’t stand it anymore. It was unfair. Kerrick couldn’t have it all. No. Bad enough he had a doting father and a best friend. I couldn’t let him have a gorgeous, powerful wife, too. And I can’t let him have you.”
I yanked my hands from his. “No one has me.”
Tohon’s gaze went to his guards by the door. A silent reminder of my situation.
“I’m here, but I’m not yours.” I crossed my arms. “State your terms, Tohon.”
“Not here. This place is for…peace.” He led me back down the corkscrew staircase and into an office.
The furnishings had a simple elegance. The desk was midsize and organized. Tohon spoke with one of his guards before settling behind it. The paintings in the room were stark, capturing subjects like a single winter tree, a solitary horse and one chair in an otherwise empty kitchen.
A large map of the Fifteen Realms covered the right wall. Symbols and arrows had been drawn on it as well as troop information. I stood before it, examining it.
I pointed to Tohon’s occupied Realms—Lyady, Zainsk and half of Vyg, with Sogra in the center. “Are you invading the other Realms just to spite Kerrick?”
He laughed. “I’ll admit to being petty and jealous, my dear, but my invasion, as you so quaintly put it, is not due to him. We need a leader, and frankly, I already command life and death, so who better to rule?”
He gestured for me to sit in a soft, burgundy-colored armchair that had been pulled up to the side. Tohon shuffled a few papers on his desk, ignoring me until a knock sounded. The door opened without Tohon’s permission and a tall woman around Tohon’s age entered. With a sword hanging from her waist and her athletic build, she reminded me of Jael. She even had blond hair and blue eyes. The resemblance ended there. Her features were plain and her pudgy nose looked as if someone had sat on it.
“Cellina, this is Avry of Kazan,” Tohon said.
Her name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place her.
Instant dislike flashed in her gaze. “The healer?”
“Yes. We’re going to write up a contract and need you to bear witness to the terms and conditions.”
“You’ve never needed a contract before, Tohon.”
“Avry is different.”
“Really?” Cellina peered at me with a shrewd calculation.
“Stay away from her, Cellina.” Tohon’s tone held a clear warning.
Cellina failed to be intimidated. She flopped into another armchair. “Go on, write your contract. I’ve things to do.”
Tohon drew a clean sheet of parchment from a pile. He wrote a few lines. Anxiety swelled and I clutched my hands together. This was probably an exercise in futility. I couldn’t trust him. His moods swung from perfect gentleman to perfect maniac.
He sensed my apprehension. “Basic introductory language.” Setting the stylus down, he leaned back. “Time for the terms. I need you to heal my subjects as needed—not that it matters to me if they die, but they’re easier to train while alive—to assist with an experiment I’m working on and to promise not to run away. In exchange, you will be well cared for and you won’t be confined. Except for a few areas, you can roam the castle complex when you’re not needed.”
Other than the experiment, his terms matched what I had been expecting. I addressed them in order. “I’ll heal the sick and injured, but I decide who is healed and who can be treated by herbs or time. I want to be in charge of the infirmary. You can’t force me to heal anyone.”
“Agreed.” Tohon wrote down the conditions.
Too easy? I continued. “What type of experiment? I won’t work with your dead soldiers.”
“It’s with Death Lilys.”
Intrigued despite myself, I asked, “What are you trying to do with them?”
“I’ll explain later.”
“Not if you want me to agree. I won’t hurt anyone.”
“How about you’ll help me with my research as long as your tasks don’t harm anyone?”
I found a loophole. “But what about you? What if the research results in something you can use to harm another?”
“I can’t agree to that. I’m going to be at war with Estrid.” Tohon waited.
Realizing Tohon would negotiate only on my actions, I conceded the point.
“And I’ll add that you will not sabotage any parts of the experiments, the research and the results.” Ink flowed over the paper.
Last issue. “What do you consider running away?”
“Leaving the castle complex without my permission. I don’t wish to lock you up every night or chain you to a chair in the lab. It would become tiresome. You kept your word with Kerrick, and he didn’t deserve it. All I ask is the same thing.”
Interesting and scary. “How did you know I gave Kerrick my word?”
“Please, Avry, don’t insult my intelligence. I’d be a poor leader if I didn’t know what’s going on in the enemy’s camp.”
He had spies in Estrid’s army.
Tohon smiled at my expression. “One robed acolyte looks much like another, don’t you think?”
“What if Estrid storms the castle?”
Cellina huffed in amusement.
Tohon shot her a sour look. “In the highly unlikely event that I’m defeated or dead, you’re free to go. How’s that?”
“How long do I have to stay here?”
“As long as I say. I will be king of all the Realms soon, which will make me your king. Then I don’t need a contract.”
More incentive to find a way to stop him.
“You already have the clause in case my plans do not pan out. And you will be well cared for in exchange. That I promise.”
Giving my word not to leave the complex, I would have a difficult time contacting Sepp, but it wouldn’t be impossible. I hoped. Besides, I really didn’t relish the idea of being confined. “Agreed.”
He had the decency not to smile or gloat. “I’d like to add one more…request.”
Uh-oh. I glanced at Cellina. Her amusement was gone. She stared at Tohon as if daring him to continue.
“What is it?” I asked.
“On occasion, I have formal events, parties and meals that I have to attend. I’d like you to accompany me to them.”
“And in exchange?”
His grip on the stylus tightened, but he kept his ire from his expression. I guess I was supposed to be grateful for the opportunity to spend an evening with him.
“For each event you attend, you can make a small request like a trip into town or new clothes or a day off.”
Those small favors might give me some wiggle room. “Agreed.”
Tohon finished the document. He signed his name with a flourish, then passed it to me. I read every single word twice, seeking loopholes and wording issues. He had stated the terms and conditions in plain language. Nothing jumped out at me.
When I’d arrived here, I’d expected to be locked in a cell. At least this had the illusion of being a better situation. Although I’d had no delusions that he would keep his word.
Tohon handed me the stylus. Signing this, I would once again surrender my freedom. Last time it had saved Melina and two others from a horrible life. This time it would save so many more. I had to believe that as I wrote my name. The alternative was too horrible to contemplate.
Cellina signed the contract last. She shoved the paper and stylus over to Tohon. “Can I go now?”
“You’re dismissed.”
She glared at us both and stormed from the room.
“Don’t worry about her, my dear.”
Hard not to. Although compared to what I just agreed to, Cellina’s…anger or jealousy was a minor concern.
“You must be exhausted, my dear. Bashin, has Winter arrived?”
The guard poked his head out the door, then widened it to let a servant in. The young lady curtsied.
“Winter, this is Miss Avry. You will be her lady’s maid for the duration of her stay. Show her to her rooms, and assist her with anything she needs.”
“Yes, my lord.” Winter curtsied. “Miss, please follow me.”
“Go on,” Tohon said to me. “Get settled and I’ll stop by later to make sure you’re comfortable.”
My heart did flips in my chest as I followed Winter through the castle. The day had not gone as expected. Not at all.
My rooms consisted of a receiving area with a couch, armchairs, tables and a rug all arranged in a semicircle in front of a stone hearth built into the back wall. Lanterns lit the room, revealing the deep purple, blue and green colors of the fabrics and tapestries. The colors blended well together. A small wooden table with a few chairs occupied the left corner, and a desk, chair and bookcase had been placed in the right corner.