Silent Kingdom (29 page)

“What do you want?” the man demanded gruffly.

“To see the prisoner.” Avrik’s voice was raspy.

The guard stared at him for a moment before turning to unlock the heavily barred door and shove it open. It creaked on its hinges and pushed inward to reveal a dim interior flickering with a single torch set in a wall bracket near the entrance. Snow drifted in with Avrik. There were two barred doors on the left and two on the right, but the footsteps echoing along the stones came from the first door on the left.

Avrik approached the door and peered in through the grate to see Kyrin’s eyes peering back at him.

“Son,” Kyrin said, his voice almost a whisper. His hair was as disheveled as his son’s and his countenance looked paler than I had ever seen it. A smile spread across his face as he studied his son.

Avrik’s expression remained solemn while his eyes bored into his father’s. “Tell me you didn’t do it.” His voice sounded low, bitter. “Tell me Elena is a liar.” My name had never been so rough on his tongue, as if it hurt to speak it. “Tell me how the people’s rumors about you are founded in falsehood, because they don’t like us.”

Kyrin dropped his smile to match Avrik’s stern face. “I didn’t do it.”

Avrik cringed like his father had struck him. “You lie. I can see it in your eyes.”

“I told you what you wanted me to say. You know I only want you to be happy, safe…” He reached toward the bars, but Avrik pulled back. “The king’s royal guard met with me, after we heard news of the war with Alrenor.”

Avrik’s hands clenched into fists at the reminder.

“He offered me a mission in the king’s name. For every beast I slew, for every set of fangs I brought to Misroth City for the king, I would receive a greater sum of money than I could make from anything else I’ve ever sold. But far more importantly, I could guarantee that you would never be called to war. Your life would never be in danger.”

“But I was in danger. You endangered countless lives,” Avrik whispered. If possible, his face looked even whiter. “The people of Evren could have been hunted and killed, and I was attacked. My
friends
were attacked.”

Kyrin shook his head. “I was there in the woods to find you and ensure you were safe. Everything I did was for you, to provide for you and build you a better life than a soldier’s life or a pathetic existence in this miserable town. I’ve earned the king’s favor, ensured you will never be sent to Argelon or Alrenor, and amassed a small fortune. We can leave Evren behind for a new life, a better one…”

Avrik clenched his jaw, but his voice quavered. “The people have sentenced you to death.”

Kyrin’s face was dark. “If only your friend Elena hadn’t kept so many secrets of her own.”

“She’s gone, and I’m glad to be rid of her,” Avrik snapped.

Kyrin didn’t seem surprised at the anger in Avrik’s tone. “We could send word to the capital to inform the king of my imprisonment. There is still hope for us.” He stared at his son and stepped even closer to the bars, trying to cross the distance between them. “And if not for me, then for you. There is more for you than this.”

Avrik’s eyes looked almost black in the dungeons. “I didn’t want more. I wanted a father.”

His face set as hard as stone, he walked out into the night.

~ ~ ~

Though the vision had left me exhausted and aching hours earlier, I was still wide awake. The sound of the waves crashing outside my window could no longer lull me to sleep as it had when I was a child. Curled in bed, I listened to the wind and imagined the stormy sea brewing beyond my drawn curtains. Once, my mother would have soothed my childhood fears with her soft singing voice; my cousin Gillen would have stayed up late into the night with me, telling me stories almost as good as his father’s or pretending we were on a quest together as we stole about the palace.

No one would come to comfort me tonight. Now only phantoms visited, memories of people and times that brought more pain than comfort. My mother was dead and my cousin was risking his life in a needless war. All of the servants I’d grown up with had been released from service or killed under my father’s reign, and my aunt was still frail and sick.

My head ached. I rolled over in bed and sought the sprigs of lavender lying on my nightstand. I held them under my nose and inhaled their comforting scent. If I closed my eyes and tried to shut out the sound of the sea, I could picture myself back home, with Rev snoring softly in the next room and Lyanna rising before dawn to start a fire and prepare breakfast. Sometimes she’d rouse me to help; other times she would let me sleep to recover from an evening of sword practice with Avrik, even if she thought our fun was frivolous.

Avrik
. His name pierced me like an arrow. I could still see his pale face in my mind’s eye, and my heart filled with pain and fury all at once. Perhaps I could hurt for him and even forgive him, understanding what it was like to lose parents to deceit, but that did not remove the sting of his betrayal. It didn’t change the fact that he had chosen to be angry with me, to leave me because I had shared the truth.

With a sigh, I slipped out of bed. I fumbled for the candlestick and matches on my nightstand, lit my lantern, and slipped into a robe. Leaving my bedchamber, I tiptoed through the halls and past dozens of silent, empty rooms until I stood before the dungeon entrance at last. Drawing a deep breath, I yanked open the door and descended the stone steps, letting the darkness swallow me whole.

When I opened the second door, my lantern sent shadows skittering along the corridors. Most of the cells were quiet, but as I passed others, I could hear their occupants moving about and occasionally muttering words I did not hear. At last I halted before a cell and peered through the grate at the top of the door.

Inside, Narek slouched against the far wall, his hood pulled low over his face. When my light flickered within his cell, he stirred and stared at me.

“I need to know why you killed my father, and I need information about Gillen,” I demanded.

Slowly, Narek stood to his full height and approached the door. He eyed my robe. “Princess Halia cannot sleep? What sorts of nightmares haunt the new ruler of Misroth?”

I clenched my jaw. “Gillen is the rightful king.”

“But Gillen isn’t here.” Though I couldn’t see all of Narek’s face, I could see the curve of his lips as he smiled. “Have you come to interrogate me personally, my lady? I am honored.” He saluted.

Anger bit at my heart. “Enough nonsense!” I slammed my palm against the door, rattling it in its frame and ignoring the pain that shot through my hand. “I am not here to play at my father’s games. Or yours.”

Narek pushed back his hood and cocked an eyebrow at me. The light reflected in his black eyes like stars on a moonless night. “How brave the little girl has grown.” There was no gentleness in his expression. I wanted to snap back, to remind him he was still a youth himself, but I held my tongue. “Ask me your questions, but know I was not privy to all of your beloved father’s secrets.”

“Then why did you kill him? Why change your allegiance now, after trying to kill me?”

Narek crossed his arms and studied me thoughtfully. “Your father and I had an agreement. He chose not to honor it.”

I leaned forward until my cheeks brushed against the steel bars. “What agreement?”

“I told you to ask your questions; I didn’t tell you I would answer them all.”

Stepping back, I sucked in a deep breath and forced my impatience to melt away. “Then I won’t ask questions anymore. Tell me where in Alrenor Gillen’s regiment is located.”

To my surprise, Narek threw back his head and chuckled. “So you do have your father’s strength! Admirable. But you speak as if you know the forbidden lands beyond Misroth, my lady.”

I frowned. “I studied their geography for years. I know—”

“That is not what I meant. There are dangers that lurk there—things that even your nightmares cannot conjure up.” Narek ran a hand along his chin, where stubble had sprouted. “But that is for another time, I suppose. You want to know where Gillen is? You ask all the wrong questions.”

Biting my lip, I swallowed back my anger and frustration. “Then what are the right ones?” I asked through gritted teeth.

Narek’s face grew solemn. “Halia, I confess you have proven yourself. You’re not the cowering, obedient girl your father made you out to be, not anymore. You escaped your first execution, evaded my forces, survived your second execution, and overthrew a throne in a day. In my world, that means you are worthy of respect, and I reward those I respect with honesty.”

I drew a deep breath, trying to maintain my patience. “Then tell me about Gillen and the war.”

Narek smiled slowly. “There is no war.”

“What? If you’re lying to me—”

“The war was contrived. Your father sought any reason to dissolve the King’s Council and exert more power over the people, to encourage them to depend on him. Then your cousin prepared to come of age and your father did not want to yield the throne, yet didn’t want to risk arousing suspicion by killing another member of the royal family. He told Gillen that Alrenor was hostile and sent him away to Toryn on a diplomatic mission to build an alliance. Zarev then announced we were at war, using fabricated evidence to convince the council and the people, and explained that Gillen had already led a regiment into Alrenor. He knew the boy would never return from the dangers awaiting him outside our kingdom. It’s doubtful he is still alive. Your cousin was sent to his execution months ago.”

My head pounded. “No,” I said. “He would survive.”

“Where do you think the sedwa of Evren came from? They exist nowhere in Misroth, save for in a town bordered by the mountains that cross into Toryn. And the sedwa are not the worst nightmare that stalks the lands outside of Misroth.” Something dark lurked in his eyes, like the shadow of a memory passing through his mind. “Toryn is overrun with enemies that thrive on carnage and death and exist only to torment and destroy.”

I saw Gillen in my vision again, sprawled in the grass as he attempted to hide in the shadows from an unseen enemy. Except this time, the vision was different: blood soaked the ground around him and pooled in the swamp, and he was alone.

The dark look hadn’t quite faded from his eyes, but Narek smiled anyway, his expression patronizing as he saluted. “You are the last surviving blood member of the royal family, my dear. Perhaps not yet of age, not yet crowned, but such trifles of the law hardly matter now. You are Queen of Misroth.”

“No! Gillen is alive, and I’ll save him.” I backed away, desperate to leave this prison and find fresh air.

Narek laughed. “I’d like to see you try.”

The shadows danced tauntingly around us; my pulse pounded everywhere, like war drums closing in.

I turned to the captain sharply. “Then that is what you will do. If you know so much about Toryn and where Gillen is, then you will lead me to him.”

Spinning on my heel, I stormed from the prison, but its shadows followed me all the way back to my chambers.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Continued in Book Two

Acknowledgments

How does one go about writing acknowledgments for a novel? The list of people I could thank is endless, and I fear I’ll leave someone out. However, I’ll try my best!

Two of the people I want to thank the most will never read these words, but I like to think they know of and share in my accomplishments in other ways. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for always being two of my biggest cheerleaders, encouraging me to follow my dreams, and believing in me. You introduced me to some of my favorite literature and to the power of the written word, and I fell in love forever. Your love, light, strength, and inspiration continue to keep the path before me lit, and I can only pray everything good in you will somehow live on in my brothers and me. May I be worthy of the torch you passed on to me.

Thank you to Sheree Hough, my amazing bookworm/English major friend across the continent, who has been by my side—figuratively, at least—throughout this long, occasionally grueling, and most definitely tedious process. Good thing we are both defiant, obstinate, and a tad obnoxious. ;) You’ve made this book so much better with your feedback, helped me believe in myself when I encountered self-doubt, and put together beautiful designs for this book. Thank you for helping make my dream a reality.

A huge shoutout and thank you also goes to YA author David Estes (Web:
www.davidestesbooks.com
, Facebook: David Estes, Twitter and Instagram: @davidestesbooks), who offered invaluable help, suggestions, advice, encouragement, etc., by essentially mentoring and coaching me throughout the editing and revising process. Just because he wanted to! Thank you SO much for being there and believing in me.

Thanks to my friends Julienne Calhoun, Gretchen Fogle, and Chelsea Foos for their feedback and support. Lara Ferari also deserves a shoutout for all of her encouragement and her extremely helpful insight; I am incredibly grateful for your help and for reminding so many to reach for their dreams with courage and strength each day.

A huge round of applause goes to my beta reading team: Jenny Dickerson, Kimberly Fisher, Kayli Hinckley, Seliah Jimenez, Mary Parianos, Asma Qaiyum, Vanessa Stock, and Annie Vaughan. You offered loads of helpful feedback, which contributed significantly to the final version of this book, and for that I am immeasurably grateful.

Anna Lehman, thank you for taking time out of your busy life to try your hand at something new. Your talent shines through in the lovely cover art you painted for
Silent Kingdom!

Thank You to the One who gave me my ability to write and my passion for all things books, the Author of new beginnings. Thank You for opportunities to rebuild and restore, to share our voices and be heard, to experience life and renewal even in a world full of death and difficulty.

Finally, thank you to anyone who has picked up this book. If you’ve enjoyed it, please take a moment to review it on Amazon and Goodreads. I can’t thank you enough for that!

About the Author

Rachel L. Schade was born on the first day of summer in a small town in Michigan, only to end up in another small town in Ohio. She attended The Ohio State University to learn how to write obnoxiously long papers, cite people who use big words, and discuss her passion: books. She has a great love for the color blue, sunshine, chocolate, and not folding her laundry. Currently she lives near her brothers and unofficial sister and surrounds herself with books and furry creatures on a regular basis.

You can find Rachel on Facebook and Goodreads: Rachel L. Schade, and on Instragram: @rachel_l_schade.

www.rachelschade.com