The Shadow Throne (23 page)

I
turned to look back at Vargan, who had paled to the shade of new-fallen snow, but in the absence of Humfrey declaring any orders, Vargan said, “I have a treaty here signed by Jaron not one hour ago.” He focused on me. “This was a clever trick, hiding the king in these walls. But none of it matters. If you had bothered to read the treaty, you’d know that it gives sole control of Carthya to Avenia. Mendenwal gets nothing. Jaron signed away everything to me.”

I smiled back at him. “You require spectacles for reading, but don’t want people to see you using them. Some might consider that vanity. I consider it foolish.
You
should have read my signature.”

Vargan grabbed the treaty and squinted to read it. While he worked at it, I sat on the desk, crushing a corner of the papers beneath me and said, “I wouldn’t sign so much as my toenail clippings over to you.”

Kippenger pushed his way forward and scanned the treaty.

“What did he write?” Vargan asked.

Kippenger suppressed a grin — I could’ve sworn he did. Without looking at anyone, he said, “Jaron wrote, ‘You’ll get nothing from me, ever, you dog-breath, rotted corpse of a king.’ ”

Vargan glowered at me. In return, I smiled and looked around the room, rather proud of myself for that.

King Humfrey addressed his soldiers in the room. “Send out word that Mendenwal has reunited with our longtime friends in the kingdom of Carthya. Any Avenian who continues to fight will now face Mendenwal’s blades.” Then he turned to Vargan. “Unless you wish to surrender.”

“Never!”

“Your Majesty, it’s over,” Kippenger said. “Let’s make our peace and save what lives we can.”

Vargan shook his head. “I will lose every last man in my army if it means Jaron falls. Kill him!” Kippenger locked eyes with me but neither of us moved. He only studied me with a newfound respect.

Vargan noticed the exchange. With a snarl, he muttered, “I’ll do it myself, then!”

He raised his dagger again and advanced on me, but Kippenger moved faster. His sword pierced the king from behind. Vargan fell to his knees, turned up his head with a face etched in pain, and then crumpled to the ground, dead by his own commander’s hand.

It had happened so fast, none of us who remained in the room were sure of what to do next. Humfrey was looking at me, but my attention was locked on the commander.

Kippenger stared at his fallen king and slowly nodded his head, as if convincing himself that he had done the right thing. Then he knelt before me and placed his sword at my feet. “Avenia surrenders. Enough blood has been spilled.”

“On all sides,” I agreed. “So who rules Avenia now?”

Kippenger shrugged. “I do, I suppose.”

“That won’t work. You hate me.”

“Less than I used to.”

That was good enough. And I felt even better about him when he reached into his pocket and withdrew my father’s ring — the king’s ring — and held it out to me. He said, “I had thought by taking this that I would remove any traces of your nobility. But I could not take the royalty in your heart.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “For the record, I’m very glad you didn’t try to take my heart.” I took the ring from him and replaced it on my finger, grateful for the return of the now-familiar weight.

Then I looked back to Commander Kippenger — though, I supposed he was king now. “Your men will leave their weapons here. But I will allow you to collect your wounded men, and Tobias will provide you with any help we can offer in their care. Other than that, I want you and your soldiers out of my country immediately. Do not return again
ever
to make war against us.”

Kippenger stood again, but his sword remained on the floor. “Yes, King Jaron. I’ll see to it at once.”

I tilted my head to excuse him, and he left the room. Next, the remaining soldiers deposited their swords at my feet, then heeded Kerwyn’s order to remove Vargan’s and Conner’s bodies from the room.

Once they were gone, King Humfrey walked forward. “Lord Kerwyn convinced me to come here on the promise that I would have to see what became of the incorrigible boy who once challenged me to a duel. I believe that you are every bit as difficult now as you were then.”

“You’re wrong,” I said. “I’m far worse now than I ever was.”

He chuckled, and then with more seriousness said, “I was wrong about you. Forgive me.”

Forgiveness would come in time. For now, it was enough to hear Humfrey’s men in the great hall, shouting Mendenwal’s new orders. Swords clanged to the floor and the grunts and cries of men at war were very quickly turning to silence, to peace.

I said to Kerwyn, “I’ll return soon, but please watch over the retreat and help our wounded.”

Kerwyn started to ask me where I was going, but as I opened the door to the passages, he only smiled and said, “Your lady is inside these walls, waiting for you.”

I
mogen and I were married a little over a year later, in the great hall of my castle, as I had promised her. She wore my mother’s wedding gown, carefully saved away all these years, and a wreath of miniature roses in her hair. The hall was filled to its capacity, and the courtyard outside was just as thickly packed, awaiting our first appearance as king and queen, husband and wife.

Tobias and Amarinda had married several months earlier and were happier than ever. They lived well here in the castle, and my friendship with them both had only strengthened since the war’s end. He had become apprenticed to the castle physician, a profession that ensured he would continue finding ways to frustrate me, at least as often as I found ways to injure myself.

I would always be grateful to them for saving Mott’s life. He moved slower than he used to, and I knew the wound he’d suffered still gave him pain. Although he would never fight again, I hoped to lead a kingdom where it would never again be necessary. He spent our entire first conversation after his recovery lecturing me for my usual failings of recklessness, but ended it by promising to serve me with even greater loyalty. I wasn’t sure that was possible.

Fink held the ring for Imogen and gave it to me when the priest called for it. He winked at me, hoping for congratulations that he had managed not to lose it. That actually was a significant accomplishment and I gave him a wink back. Fink had become a younger brother to me. Every bit as annoying. Every bit as valuable.

Roden and Harlowe had spent most of the past year learning to know each other as father and son. Roden had been the one to tell him of their connection, though he’d waited several days after the war’s end to find the right moment. I’d had little to do with their reunion, but Harlowe’s gratitude to me was as warm as the day I’d saved Nila’s life. Roden spent the bulk of his free time with his father, immersed in the education he should have had throughout his life. But he remained the captain of my guard and was growing continually more confident in his role. Under his command, Carthya would eventually rebuild an army strong enough to always keep us free.

My fears that Harlowe might abandon his attentions to me had turned out to be unfounded. Over the past several months I have come to understand that love can only expand and allow any number into its circle. Harlowe might have come to love me as a son, and yet I felt I had come to an understanding with my own father too. For the first time in my life, I was settled in my ways of thinking about him.

Immediately after the battle’s end at Farthenwood, I had relinquished my title as king of the pirates and given the rule entirely to Erick. As far as I knew, he continued to lead them. Even still, their brand remained on my forearm, and a part of me would always belong to them. If ever they called for me in a time of need, I was bound by oath to answer.

It had been a difficult year in rebuilding Carthya. We had lost far too many men, and full recovery was at least a generation away. But each day was better, and nothing remained to threaten us.

Certainly not Avenia. Commander Kippenger had taken the throne and presided over a much diminished country. I had urged him to build schools, not weapons, and so far he seemed to have taken my advice. After tough negotiations, Gelyn and Carthya gradually reopened trading routes, though I kept a standing army on our northern border now. And the relationship was warming with Mendenwal. In fact, anticipating an eventual child for Imogen and me, King Humfrey had offered a treaty of betrothal with one of his grandchildren. Although his intentions were well meant, we kindly rejected his offer.

And on the night of my wedding, I held Imogen close in my arms with no thought of ever releasing her. Better still was that Imogen held me too. She was my family, my life, and the center of my world.

All that I knew was at peace.

With every released book of this series, my appreciation to others spreads wider and flows deeper. The Scholastic family has shown unwavering support and expertise in the various ways in which they have influenced this book. Thank you a thousand times over. Once each book has released into the world, I cannot adequately express my thanks to the bookstore geniuses, teachers, and librarians who have put a copy in a young person’s hands, to bloggers who have spread the word, and to readers and fans from all over the world who have continued to read and share your enthusiasm with me and with others. You do make a difference, and if it were possible, I would thank you each by name.

There are a few who must be specifically listed here. First of all, my husband, Jeff, who is and always will be the love of my life. Without him, and the support of my three children, I would not be where I am today. Thanks as well to my fabulous agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, infinitely amazing, and among the best in this business. And final thanks to my editor, Lisa Sandell. Working with you is proof that the stars do align and still remain in their place today. As we turn the pages for the next chapter, I would want nobody else at my side, as editor, willing accomplice, and friend.

Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” And so I did. Thank you all for reading.

J
ENNIFER
A. N
IELSEN
is the author of the
New York Times
bestselling
The False Prince
and
The Runaway King
, the first two books in The Ascendance Trilogy. She collects old books, loves good theater, and thinks that a quiet afternoon in the mountains is a nearly perfect moment.

A major influence in Jaron’s story came from the music of Eddie Vedder and one of his greatest songs, “Guaranteed.” From his line “I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me,” Jaron was born. Jaron’s personality is his own, but Jennifer did borrow two of his traits from a couple of students she once taught in a high school debate class. One of them was popular, brilliant, and relentlessly mischievous. He could steal the watch off a person’s wrist without their knowing and would return it to them later, usually to their embarrassment. The other student had a broad spectrum of impressive talents, not the least of which was his ability to roll a coin over his knuckles. If he had wanted to, he’d have made a fine pickpocket. As it was, he went on to become a lawyer. Go figure.

Jennifer lives in northern Utah with her husband, their three children, and a perpetually muddy dog.