“Did you take it?”
“Of course not. There was never any chance of that. It would take an army. But we achieved what we set out to achieve… chaos. The whole citadel is up in arms, the prisons are unusable, the political prisoners are free, and even Strebo’s little experiments have gone up in flames. It’s set them back years, by which time we’ll be ready for them.”
“What ‘little experiments’?”
The man’s grin slipped. “He’s a bad man. For years people have been disappearing for no other reason than that they fit the profile of what he needed for his experiments. He’s been developing poisons, bio weapons, and he’s had considerable success.
“He thinks his laboratories are safe, scattered through the South, but he’s going to have a pretty big headache when he realizes all of them have been hit today. We probably weren’t able to get near the weapons, but the computer systems have been destroyed, wiping out years of data and research.”
“But why?”
“Why has he been doing it or why have we attacked?”
“Both.”
“We’ve known for a long time that Strebo has been preparing for all-out war. His plans were coming to fruition, and in a matter of months he’d have launched an attack on both your Houses. Kidnapping King Hersten and Lord Charles was part of that plan. Strebo truly believed that without them at their heads, your Houses would become fractured and unstable and would not be able to mount a defense. He never thought that they would unite.”
“Are we that predictable?”
“You were. Prince Rowan never made any secret of the way he felt about you… at least the way he used to feel about you. It seems we were all mistaken in that.” He raised his eyebrow and winked. Astrin blushed and turned away, making more space between himself and Rowan.
“Besides which,” the man continued, “you were both considered weak in martial strategy and command.”
“He’d have had a shock there too.” Rowan grinned at Astrin, who gave him a thin smile in return.
“I think you’re right.” Again the boys jumped at Neive’s voice, having not heard her approach.
“You keep doing that,” Rowan snapped.
“Doing what?”
“Sneaking up on us.”
“I do not ‘sneak,’” she said with a toss of her head and a grin. “Can I help it that I am quiet?”
“Who are you?” Astrin asked softly, his eyes narrowed. Neive smiled at him.
“I am who I say I am. Although… I might have failed to mention I’m in the employ of House Gabriel as an undercover agent.”
Both Astrin and Rowan stared at her in openmouthed surprise.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Rowan asked.
“I knew your abilities were too strong for an ordinary person,” Astrin commented at the same time.
“As to why I didn’t tell you.” She frowned contemplatively. “No one else knew, and it wouldn’t have been a good time to tell them. I didn’t want anyone to feel they were being manipulated by me or, by extension, House Gabriel. They might have turned on us.”
“They know now.” Rowan glanced at the man, who grinned.
“Those who are here have always known. They are either agents or sympathizers. They are now your honor guard.”
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Dispersed. It would have been too dangerous to have a heavy presence here, now that Strebo Michael is on the warpath and intent on hunting us down. All of us here have been frequenting this place for years. Everyone knows our faces and that we are good Southern citizens. No one will bat an eyelid seeing us come and go. And they won’t see you at all until we’re ready to get you out of here. The plan was that we would fade into the background, and that’s precisely what we’re going to do.
“Don’t worry, there are already plans afoot to get you home, but we have to wait for the backlash to settle before we can do anything. This means, unfortunately, that you’re going to be cooped up here for at least the next couple of days until it is safe to move you.”
“Being cooped up in here sounds wonderful after what we’ve been through lately,” Rowan said sincerely. “Safety is something we’ve not felt, even thought about, for a while. And boredom…? Bring it on.”
Neive chuckled. “I’ll speak to you again in two or three days. It is going to be its own kind of hell. But you will have regular food, fresh clothes, and news of what’s going on out there. That’s more than you were hoping for this morning.”
“True. Thank you, Neive.”
“We wouldn’t be here now if not for you,” Astrin said quietly.
“I seriously doubt that. You’re brave and resourceful young men—you would have found a way.”
“Maybe.”
Astrin sighed and let his head fall back against the seat. Neive looked at him with concern.
“Your father said you were hurt. Are you all right?”
Astrin raised his head and smiled. “Yes. My father healed me. It’s nothing but an ache now. I’m very tired, though. It’s been a long day, and it’s been a long time since I was really well.”
“I’m sorry,” Rowan said, ducking his head.
“I don’t blame you… anymore,” Astrin said, and Rowan gave him a tight little smile.
Neive laughed, but there was still a shadow in her eyes. “Why don’t you get something to eat and go to bed, both of you? It’s getting late, and you look exhausted.”
Astrin sighed again and nodded. “Bed sounds good.”
“Neive… what happened to Kal? Is he all right?”
“As far as I know, he’s fine. The last I saw of him he was running like a rabbit through the back streets, heading home. His parents think he’s been on a camping trip with his friends, who will swear he was with them the whole time.”
“And your nephew?”
Neive’s face darkened. “He wasn’t my nephew but a very brave young man, also in the employ of your House. Unfortunately he wasn’t so lucky, but before he died he infiltrated Strebo’s private laboratory and set an explosion that brought it to nothing more than rubble and smoking ash. I’ve heard he was cornered by guards before he could leave, and although he was holding his own he was not able to get away in time, so they were all caught in the explosion.”
“I’m sorry, Neive.”
“All things have their cost. Sometimes it’s worth it.” She got to her feet, going back to speak to Charles again.
“Are you hungry?” Rowan asked Astrin, realizing his nose was smelling glorious aromas. He followed it to laden trays on a table near the window, from which King Hersten was helping himself. Charles already had a full plate.
“No, but I suppose I should eat. I haven’t had anything all day.”
The food was simple but plentiful. Rowan and Astrin ate heartily and relaxed in conversation with Charles, Hersten, and Neive.
However, after only half an hour, both Rowan and Astrin were practically falling asleep on their feet. Hersten hugged his son, then shook Rowan’s hand warmly.
“I think both of you have had enough for today. Take him to bed, Rowan, before he falls over, and you on top of him.”
Rowan blushed scarlet, and Astrin refused to look at anyone as they disappeared out of the door.
R
OWAN
WOKE
in the middle of the night and stared into the darkness wondering what had woken him. There was an occasional rustle as someone stirred, but that wouldn’t have been it.
The whimper from the next bed took him by surprise, and he immediately slipped out of bed to kneel between them. It was very dark but he could just about see Astrin’s face, which was twisted as he tossed and turned, the occasional whimper escaping him.
“Astrin,” Rowan whispered, but there was no response. He reached out and touched Astrin’s face. It was cool but slick with sweat, his hair damp and sticking to him. Although Astrin turned his face toward the touch, it was quite clear he was asleep.
“Astrin, wake up. You’re having a bad dream. Wake up. It’s okay, it’s me, Rowan. Just wake up.”
For a few minutes Astrin continued to struggle, his whimpers and low moans tearing at Rowan’s heart, and then, shocking Rowan, his hand shot out and grabbed Rowan’s wrist just before his eyes flew open.
At first they were wide and terrified, unseeing, and then just as suddenly he threw his arms around Rowan, pulling him down against his racing heart as he sobbed.
“Hush. It’s okay, Astrin. It was only a dream. You’re awake now. You’re safe. Sh or you’ll wake everyone.”
“No. No….”
“Sh.” Rowan held Astrin gently, stroking his back and whispering into his hair. “It was just a dream, Astrin, just a dream.”
“No… no, it wasn’t,” Astrin sobbed, his chest heaving as he gulped air.
“Sh, calm down, and you can tell me.”
“Rowan… Rowan, it was… it was….” Astrin was sobbing and hiccupping, unable to gather himself sufficiently to make any sense at all.
“Calm down first. Just relax. You’re safe now. Relax and calm down, then we can talk, otherwise you are going to wake everyone.”
“Hold me. Please, Rowan… please just hold me. Make me feel safe.”
“You are safe, you idiot.”
Nevertheless, Rowan was not slow to take him up on the invitation. He lay down next to him on the narrow bed, cradling Astrin’s head on his shoulder and stroking his back, feeling Astrin’s heart gradually slow and his breathing calm.
Still with his face buried in Rowan’s shoulder, Astrin took a shuddering sigh.
“Feeling better now?”
“Yes.” It was a whisper.
“What got you so upset? It was only a dream.”
“No… no it wasn’t.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No. It was the vision again, the same one. I was….” He swallowed hard, and Rowan could feel him tremble. “I was surrounded by darkness, standing on the edge of an abyss. I couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there, and I knew I was going to fall. There was a hand, and I knew… I knew if I could only reach it, if I could only take it, I’d be safe; but no matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t get near it—only nearer the abyss.
“Rowan, I know it means death… I know it, and I’m scared. I’m really scared. I don’t want to die. I thought… I thought it would happen yesterday, that’s what the vision made me believe, but… but when it didn’t, I thought I was safe… but I’m not safe… I’m not. I’m going to die and I’m scared.”
Rowan shivered, remembering the warnings he’d received, first from his aunt, then Neive. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was the darkness they had been talking about that he had to save Astrin from.
“Listen. It’s over… done. We’re safe. Your father’s here. My uncle’s here. We’re safe. Your fear is just a reaction from everything we’ve been through. But it’s over now, and that was just a dream.”
Astrin raised his head to look at Rowan. He seemed doubtful but calmer. Feeling brave, Rowan brushed the damp hair from his face. Astrin shivered and blinked but didn’t pull away.
“Listen. I’m here for you, Astrin. I promised I’d take care of you, and I will. I won’t let anything happen to you. And if it does, if you fall into darkness, I’ll be there. If you dream that dream again, know the hand is mine and you don’t have to run toward it because it will be right there, in yours. You won’t have to find me because I’ll find you, and I
will
save you from the abyss. I swear.”
Astrin’s eyes widened, but not with fear. “You can’t…. You can’t save me.”
“I swear to you, Astrin, I will never let you fall—never. I
will
save you.”
Astrin’s lips trembled when he opened them to speak, so he closed them again, swallowing. The expression in his eyes changed and slowly, tentatively he raised his hand and touched Rowan’s face, almost as if to reassure himself he was really there. Rowan held his breath.
“Rowan,” Astrin whispered. “Rowan, I… I….” Lying perfectly still and trying his hardest to project into his eyes everything he felt, Rowan said nothing, terrified he’d scare Astrin off. “Please, just hold me. Just… hold me.”
Although disappointed, Rowan smiled and wriggled down to make himself comfortable. He tucked the blankets around them, molding his body to Astrin’s. He murmured, “Always.” Cradling Astrin in his arms, he held him until he fell asleep, then drifted away himself with the scent of berries in his nose.
R
OWAN
WOKE
late the next morning. The room was flooded with light as the shutters were thrown back to let the morning stream in through the lacy curtains. It was a dusty light, but it was glorious because it lit up Astrin’s face, so close to his on the pillow, peaceful now and relaxed in sleep. Rowan lost himself in it until another need that could not be ignored made itself irresistible and forced him to slide his arm out from under Astrin’s head, trying not to wake him.
“Rowan?” Astrin’s cry was desperate.
“I need the toilet, Astrin. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Don’t leave me.”
“I’ll never leave you, but if you don’t let me go to the toilet, I might pee on you.”
Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Astrin smiled. “Some people pay good money for that.”
“Ew… freak.”
The smile faded. “Seriously, Rowan, I feel… weird. Don’t leave me for too long.”
“You can come with me if you like—but you’re not holding it.”
The smile flickered again. “I think I’ll pass.”
When Rowan emerged from the toilet, Astrin was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands between his knees and his head bowed.
“Are you okay?”
Astrin looked up and gave Rowan a somewhat shaky smile. “Sorry about that. I was still half-asleep. I made a fool of myself, didn’t I?”
“No, of course not. Nightmares can be so real sometimes. No one knows that better than I do.”
“That’s the thing, Rowan. It wasn’t a dream…. It
was
real. It was real yesterday, and it was real last night. I don’t know what it means… maybe not what I think, but it
is
real.”
“But there’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re safe. You have to believe that. We’re safe here and everything’s going to be all right.”
Astrin shook his head. “I know that, Rowan. I know it here.” He put his fingers to the side of his head. “But here….” He laid his hand over his heart. “Here is where the fear is. I just feel… I don’t feel…
right
.”