Chapter 27

 

 

When the sound of footsteps clomping through the grass woke me at dawn, I tilted my face up to find King Zaeden staring down his nose at me with a pleased smile. His heavily jeweled hands were placed on his hips. He’d lost weight since my wedding. I barely recognized the man I’d once thought of as family. His face was gaunt and his eyes were hard. “What a surprise it is to see you here,” he mused.

I squinted up at him. My ribs were burning where the ropes were tied, and I imagined I had an imprint of bark on my skin where my back was pressed against the tree. “Pardon me, Your Majesty. I’d bow, but I’m a little tied up at the moment.”

“Ha!” he laughed. “You always did have a good sense of humour, Chelela.”

I forced a grin.

“Untie her. She’s a friend of the crown,” he commanded the soldier who stood close by.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The man hurried to untie my bonds.

I got up, with difficulty, when he was finished and rubbed the places where the rope had chaffed my skin. I gave King Zaeden a deep curtsy.

“It has been brought to our attention that you wish to have a word with us,” he said, referring to himself in third person as usual.

“Indeed,” I pointedly looked at the man who’d untied me. “May we speak in private?”

“Of course. Come inside the tent.” He led the way.

The inside of the tent was quite luxurious. Blue velvet lined the inner walls. On the far side a straw filled mattress laid, covered in black wool blankets and cushions. A small wood table and a couple of chairs sat near the entrance.

Of course, the king must be able to live in comfort, even when traveling. The fact irritated me. He should be sleeping outside like the rest of his army. That was the problem with royalty; they lived above the rest of the world.

“You disappeared after Lanbert was murdered. We must admit, that does look suspicious,” King Zaeden said as he took a seat and beckoned for me to do the same.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could he even think such a thing? I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Don’t worry, we are not judging you. Tell us why you are here.” He made a steeple with his long, pale fingers. Right to the point.

I sat back in my chair and crossed my legs. “The reason for my disappearance was because Lanbert sold me to Gwon. I know nothing of his murder. I’m grateful I was able to escape the island.” So far, that was the truth. I decided to leave out the fact Percifal and Phyra had helped me escape.

“Go on,” he urged.

I cleared my throat before continuing. “I returned home to find Aquila had already set out for war. I want to avenge my father’s honour by joining your army. Gwon took him away from me, and then I almost died there. I daresay I feel as betrayed as Your Majesty by the other kingdoms’ unwillingness to aid us.” I knew I had to be convincing. If he figured out I was lying… who knew what he’d do with me?

He pursed his lips and made sucking noises whilst tapping his jeweled fingers on the table.

The longer he went without speaking, the more nervous I became.

He rose and poured two goblets of red wine and offered one to me. I was shocked by the fact that he’d actually poured himself and me the wine. Usually, he didn’t lift a finger unless he had to. I supposed it was only due to our privacy. Still, he very easily could have ordered me to pour the drinks.

I considered using the wine to drown him the same way I’d drowned Nibu, but I knew there was no way I’d get away alive if I did. Not with a whole army outside the tent. Letting go of the thought, I inclined my forehead and accepted the glass. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Perhaps it was poisoned…

My body relaxed when he took a long sip of his own wine then licked his lips. “We are glad you share our wish for vengeance. However, you are no soldier. The battlefield is no place for a lady of your status. That being said,” he clapped his hands together. “You are here now, and you may watch from the rear with us, where we’ll be giving the orders.”

“But, Your Majesty, I’m a good fighter. My husband taught me well, before he fell ill,” I lied.

“No. You are the only honourable Lacrima child of our poor deceased friend. We will not lose you.” He adjusted the gold bejeweled crown on top of his head of dark, oiled curls.

I curtsied. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Make yourself useful around camp, and try to stay out of the way. We cannot be held responsible for the soldiers. They’re not themselves, you see.”

I lifted my chin as I dared to ask, “Who are they then?”

He let out a small laugh and downed the rest of his wine. “Don’t worry your pretty head with that. You are excused.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I finished my wine and curtsied again before leaving. I’d almost forgotten how much I hated formalities… especially when it came to licking King Zaeden’s boots.

I found a woman soldier cleaning her armour. She had messy black hair that came to her jaw. She was tall for a woman and built broadly. Her body reminded me more of a man’s than a woman’s. I wouldn’t want to be on her bad side.

I gave her a slight nod. “Do you need any help with that?”

She cast me a stern look while still polishing her vambrace. “Do I look like I need help?”

“No, but I’m supposed to make myself useful. Hey, are you happy to be—you know? Going to war?” I took a chance and asked. Perhaps she wasn’t under King Zaeden’s spell.

“Why wouldn’t I be? King Zaeden is going to bring us glory. We deserve it.”

“But what about the rest of the people of Sarantoa?”

“Screw the rest of Sarantoa.” She spit on the ground by her feet. “They deserted us when we needed them. They’ll get what they deserve.”

So, she wasn’t any different than the other soldiers. I didn’t know why I thought she might be immune to the dark power. What if I’m susceptible too? I worried. I hoped my power would save me from going under a spell.

“Right, just checking,” I answered.

“You could go help clean the horses’ tack, if you need something to do.”

“Okay.”

She was finished with me, so I went and found the soldier who was rubbing down pieces of leather.

“May I?” I asked, picking up a bridle.

He just grunted. I took that as my answer and found a cloth to mimic what he was doing.

I worked the day away. My hands blistered and my wrists grew sore from all the rubbing. I didn’t complain. I sat quietly, listening to others as I tried to make myself invisible to them. It must have worked because no one paid any attention to me. I learned we would ride on the morrow.

When it was time for supper, I stood in line to receive my ration of dried meat and hard bread. I wondered which villages they’d pillaged to obtain this food and tried not to feel guilty about eating it.

A couple of the men nudged each other and pointed at me while licking their lips. I shot them a dirty look and turned away.

Once I’d gotten my ration, I began to walk away when one of the men bumped into me on purpose.

“It’s been centuries since we’ve had a pretty lady.” He looked me up and down, undressing me with his eyes.

I frowned, “Centuries?”

“Mmhmm,” he answered, reaching out to touch my thigh.

I felt his hand over the fabric of my light blue skirt. I grabbed his wrist, pulled it away from my leg and took a step closer to him. “Touch me again and I’ll kill you.”

His grin showed off his yellow teeth. There was a gap where one tooth was missing. “You could try. That might be fun.”

“Ugh!” I threw his wrist away from me and stalked off, my food clutched in my other hand.

I found a space, close to where the horses were roped off, to sit and eat my supper alone.

I’d always known soldiers could be crude when joking around with one another, but the men in our army had always been honourable when it came to the ladies. I found this new behaviour strange and appalling. I guess I had been warned, but what was I supposed to do? Wait ’til everyone else had been given their rations and risk there being none left? I think not. I could probably kill this whole army and be done with it, I thought, but I knew at least some of these men were actually innocent… and there was the whole King Zaeden and Vesirus thing. I wasn’t sure I could defeat them on my own. I just had to figure out how to break the damned spell.

I felt another presence slide up beside me.

“Go away,” I said without checking to see who it was. I wasn’t in the mood for company.

“I figured you’d want your bag.” Thaimis dropped it beside me and left.

I scowled at it before opening it up and digging through its contents for my water skin.

I gulped back the now warm liquid and placed it back inside the bag.

“Well, better get some sleep if we’re to be travelling again tomorrow,” I said to myself, laying down and resting my head on my bag.