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“Here you go my dear,” the seamstress entered Katrina’s new sleeping quarters with a bundle of resized dresses draped over her arm. She was a tall, slender woman, with sharp angles and quick movements.
Darnel had wanted all new dresses made, but Katrina refused. She’d been reluctant to take Alyra’s old room, but after watching how Brie suffered in the damp dungeons, she’d devised a plan to help them both out. She’d only move into the castle if Brie came with her. Darnel had been reluctant, at first, but once he saw Katrina was perfectly content to remain in the dungeon, he gave in.
Brie’s shackles had been removed with the condition that she remain with Katrina at all times. If she was caught wandering around without her mistress, she’d be sent to the lowest dungeons and left there to rot. Since Katrina was constantly under guard, no matter where she went, they were both watched carefully every moment of the day.
Katrina stood from the desk where she had finally finished transcribing Darnel’s biography. She reached for the frocks. “I’ll put them in the closet—”
“No!” The seamstress yanked the garments away from Katrina’s outstretched hand, her gaze darting toward the guard standing outside the door. They always looked bored and a little irritated over their duty. She couldn’t blame them.
“But—” Katrina protested. What was the problem? Katrina was capable of putting up her own clothes.
“I’ll take them.” Brie rushed over and took the bundle from the woman. “T’is my job Miss. I’ll get them hung before they wrinkle.”
The seamstress breathed out a loud sigh. “Very good. Master Darnel wishes her to wear the gold-trimmed one tomorrow night at the gala.”
“What... gala?” Heat seared up the back of Katrina’s neck. She had no interest in going to his parties. Or anything else. She only agreed to transcribe a couple of books for him. Nothing more.
“Why I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when you see him, dear. I only mentioned it so the servant can be sure to hang it separately, so it’ll not wrinkle. The king will expect you to look your best.”
Katrina didn’t care what he expected. This was too much. After the seamstress left, she turned to Brie, ready to tell her they needed to move back to the dungeon when she noticed her rubbing the raw skin around her ankle. She took a step closer, realizing the skin had started to heal. How long had she suffered those lesions?
“Cain’t tell you how much better I can get around now. This’ll heal up right soon, and I’ll be almost back to normal.” Brie smiled as she stood and returned to the wardrobe. “You’ll be meeting with him today. I know you don’t care for fancy dresses, but I think you should wear this green one. I love the brocade on the sleeves and front.”
Katrina wasn’t some doll to be dressed up. Yet Brie’s look of entreaty melted her resolve. “Very well, I’ll wear that one.”
She had made a secret vow to keep Tarek’s mother as close as possible. To keep her safe until Issah came. Tarek had done so much to help her those few months he’d lived with her and Granny Fila in the desolate Halls of Knowledge. She owed him this little favor.
“Very good, Miss. There’s no sense in them all going to waste while you’re here. We might as well enjoy our luck while it lasts.” Brie laid the garment across the foot of the large ornate bed.
Katrina had never slept on such a comfortable, and large mattress. How hard had it been for Alyra to walk away from this elegant room with its fine furnishings and beautiful dresses to live in her tiny cell in the dungeon?
Alyra insisted it had been the best move of her life.
Katrina kept waiting to see the cruel, furious side of Darnel that everyone talked about. She remembered the cold voice, the probing she’d undergone when their Imagi-scopes locked on each other. She’d been left drained and raw as if her skin had been peeled away by a blunt knife. That Dark One hadn’t surfaced yet.
Either Darnel was a very good actor and working hard to cover up the truth, or....
Or what? Katrina shook her head, dislodging the confusing thoughts swirling around in her mind. Nothing in the book had left her feeling that Darnel was an innately bad person.
She thought a moment while slipping on the white chemise and then the ornate dress. He’d been pleasant and accommodating to her so far. However, he had left her in the lower dungeon for a few weeks before finally agreeing to bring her to a more pleasant cell. What had been going on during all that time?
Of course, he was probably recuperating from losing the battle for Denovo. He never mentioned the loss to her except to let her know that he appreciated her volunteering to return with him, though he’d hoped to bring back Alyra.
She needed to find out why he wanted Alyra back so badly. Along with that, Katrina needed to know what he hoped to gain from her, as well. Besides having a couple of useless journals transcribed. The one about his life held no real damaging information. No reason behind his turn from Shaydon, or his striving to gain power and build a separate kingdom. So much about Darnel remained a mystery.
Could it be possible things weren’t as awful as she’d thought they were? A small part of her hoped this was the case. That maybe, just maybe, she had a chance to help him turn around and return to King Shaydon.
Darnel eagerly read each chapter she’d transcribed. He’d even been thoughtful the last few times they’d met, telling her over and over again how much he appreciated her doing this for him. How he was finally seeing things so much more clearly.
What he was seeing, he never elaborated on.
Still, hoping that maybe she was making a difference, Katrina agreed with his request to move into the castle. He had more books he hoped she’d help him with. His thirst for the truth inspired her to give him a chance to prove he wasn’t the evil dictator Alyra and everyone else said he was.
“Miss?” Brie asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Are you ready for me to button the back? They’ll be calling you to his study shortly. We don’t want to keep the king waiting.”
Not my king. Never will he take Shaydon’s place.
Katrina turned so the woman could help her finish dressing. It was strange being waited on after a life of working on menial tasks and taking care of herself. All those months of living alone. Her delicate hand rested on her chest where she kept the medallion tucked under her dress. If Darnel noticed it, he’d not said anything. Not yet, anyway.
All this was nice, but she needed to tread carefully, Katrina reminded herself with determined resolution. How long before Issah finally made his move? She hoped it wouldn’t be too long because deep down, she knew she was playing a dangerous game.
* * * *
“My daughter’s dresses are becoming on you, Katerina.” Darnel reclined on one of the couches in the sitting area of his study. A tray of sweet cakes and a steamy pot of tea sat on the low table in the center of the surrounding seats. “I’m pleased to see them put to use once again.”
Katrina set the finished transcribed book on the table, then took one of the chairs opposite Darnel. The ruffle on the sleeves scratched at her wrist, and the waistline had been pulled so tight she had trouble breathing. Sweat pooled in her palms and began seeping into the neckline of her dress.
He took the book and flipped through the pages covered in her neat writing. “I cannot tell you how enlightening this book has been, my dear. I’d forgotten even more than I first realized.”
“I’m glad it helps.” Her hands rested in her lap. “Did you have another book you wished to have transcribed?” She’d hoped to be able to see the other books he’d stolen from her people.
“Perhaps. First, I’d like your opinion on something.” He leaned forward and lifted the lid on the teapot. “Would you like a cup?” When she declined, he poured one for himself. “I’ve been thinking over a few of my past choices.”
“Such as destroying our people?” Katrina cut in.
If her remark annoyed him, he covered it with an amused smile. “You’re people, my dear. Remember they turned me away. And no, I have no regrets as I told you before. This land is better off not being influenced by that cult.”
She opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it closed, thinking better of it. Maybe hoping to change his ways was nothing more than a silly dream.
“Smart girl. I’ll not be moved on that topic. However....” He stirred his tea and took a sip. “Perfect. Are you sure you do not wish for some refreshments? Dinner will not be served for some time.”
The spread laid out on the low table reminded her of something. She shook her head with a gentle decline. “What, then, did you wish to hear my opinion on?”
She was tired of all this back-and-forth second-guessing. He was so adamant about how he viewed the Curians. How could she defend them when she’d never been given a chance to get to know them? The few who’d come to the Halls of Knowledge had barely arrived before Darnel struck.
He blew on the tea before taking another sip. After setting it on the arm of the sofa, his brow furrowed as he stared down at the steamy mug.
“I’ve been thinking. About Aloblase. I hardly remember it at all.” He blinked a few times as if trying to recall some distant memory. “So much time has passed. I know I attended the Academy for a while. Wasn’t it something like my castle here? Built into a mountain? I seem to keep seeing glass windows. Lots of green there. Of course, the climate was warmer, I suppose. The land more fertile than it is here.”
His gaze returned to her, pressing in on her like a block of cut stone used to build his fortress.
“Yes,” she gave a quick nod. “The land is very green and growing with every kind of plant and tree imaginable.” She breathed out a long sigh as longing tugged at her heart like a thick cord attached to that beautiful land. “I could eat from any tree I passed. Apples that tasted sweeter than honey.”
She remembered how the juices would dribble down her chin. She would be so embarrassed when Alyra laughed at her while wiping her sleeve across her own wet chin. Such good times. Such a simpler life. “What I miss most is the singing and music that always flowed from Sha—”
“NO! Don’t!” Darnel barreled from his seat, slamming the teacup on the table so hard, that it tilted and splashed tea into the saucer. “Do not say that name, I simply can’t stand it.”
He pressed his hands to his head. Moving to an open window, he stared out at the gray sky. “Can you tell me about the Academy without mentioning... him?” He finally turned back to face her, his skin an ashen color as if he’d been drained of all his blood.
Katrina’s hands played nervously with one of the tassels hanging from her belt. If she erred again, would she finally see his full fury that she’d often heard about?
Swallowing down the hot lump in her throat, she tried again. “Well, the Academy was amazing, indeed, yes. I remember the first time I stood at the entrance and looked up. My, it was so high. And yes, many parts of it were made of glass. It was the oddest building I’ve ever seen. Some parts were flat-roofed and had trees and other plants growing in lush gardens high along the upper levels. I’m sure that’s where the Healers were trained. I spent most of my time in history class or at the grand library, doing research. Lot— uh, I mean, I had friends who enjoyed helping me. And Al— I mean, the instructors, most were Logorians. My instructor was an Elderad named—”
Again, Darnel looked as if he was in pain. “No, I care not for names. Do not mention any of... them, to me. They are as bad as.... Well?” His arms fell to his sides with a loud smack. “Never mind, this is impossible. It’s like asking you to describe a tree to me without allowing you to use the standard terms, isn’t it? He is Aloblase and Aloblase is him. I was foolish to ask about something I never have and never will belong to.”
He slowly sank onto a cushioned seat beside the window.
Jumping from her chair, Katrina wondered what game he was playing with her. Was he honestly curious about Aloblase? Maybe deep down longing for the beautiful city as she often did? Once a person had been there, the memories never quite left them. She’d often dreamed of the glowing buildings, the sparkling white streets lined with the same rocks they’d followed across Alburnium, but even brighter and whiter.
Hadn’t Aloblase haunted Alyra while she was held captive here? She’d often said she would dream of the gates and the tall beings who guarded the entrance. She’d even remembered Issah, after all that time.
Katrina closed her eyes. Issah. Oh, how she missed him. Just thinking of him caused her rapid heartbeat to slow and calmness to flow through her like warm milk. Issah. Would he still sense her even in this desolate land? Her hand absently went to her chest where the medallion hung.
“What is that?” Darnel asked, leaving his seat and moving toward her.
Katrina stepped back a few paces, jerking her hand away. “Nothing.”
Darnel’s brows furrowed. Color rushed to his cheeks. His hands fisted at his side and for a moment Katrina feared he’d try to take it from her. Well, over her dead body!
She stopped cowering, determined to not show any fear.
“What... is it?” His gaze searched her face, then her neck. He reached for her collar until a small cry of fear escaped her lips. Darnel’s hand froze. “My apologies, dear. I... I was simply curious.” He quickly put a bit of distance between them.
Katrina couldn’t help but think an inner battle was going on behind Darnel’s stern facade. His fists continued to clench and unclench until he seemed to realize she was watching him and pressed his palms together in front of himself.
The muscles in his neck jerked as he swallowed down whatever anger he might be feeling and eventually, his voice came out calm and controlled. “I’d hoped we could talk about this. Again, I must apologize for my outburst. Perhaps this is all pointless anyway. What hope...?” He stopped and shook his head. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her with, “Go, and we will speak another time.”
Katrina hesitated. He seemed so sincere. This couldn’t possibly be an act, could it? “Sir—”
His anger returned. “That is not my name! Now go. I’ve tired of this discussion. I want to be left alone to finish reading my book. Good day.”
He turned from her and stormed out to the balcony, leaving her gaping after him, stunned and unsure of what to do next.
There was only one thing to do. Leave, as he asked. And she did, rushing out the doors and past the guards who hurried to follow her down the winding staircase. One of them called out to her, but she ignored him and didn’t stop until she reached her room and slammed the door behind her.
Brie sat at the writing-table, mending one of the dresses she’d been given to wear when they went out into the garden. That was the only place she could roam freely. He’d not given her leave to explore the castle, not that she wished to see the desolate place.
Brie looked up from her work. She stood and came to Katrina’s side. Resting a hand on her shoulder, she asked, “Are you all right, Miss? What happened?”
“I wish I knew, Brie. I wish I knew.”
* * * *
Later that evening, after having dined in her room with Brie, a knock came at the door. Katrina stood on the balcony, watching the eastern sky turn from blue to cobalt with a scattering of faint stars. She came to stand under the arched doorway while Brie checked to see who it was this late in the evening.
Maybe Darnel had finally decided that keeping her here was pointless and she was going to be thrown back into the dungeons. She glanced around the room while Brie spoke to the person standing in the hall, and told herself that she would only miss this room a little. She’d been foolish in allowing herself to enjoy the comforts of this place.
Brie closed the door and then crossed the room to hand her an envelope. The Racan king’s mark sealed the flap. She broke the wax and removed the note.
“What’s he got to say? I’m surprised he didn’t come personally like he normally does.” Brie wrung her rough hands together. “I sure hope it ain’t bad news.”
Katrina steadied herself and taking a deep breath, flipped the note open to read his neat handwriting.
Dearest Katerina,
My sincere apologies for my behavior this afternoon. I could see the fear growing in your eyes. I hope I didn’t bring you too much discomfort. I was frustrated more with myself than you, my dear. Part of me is eager to speak with you about so many matters, but another part simply can’t tolerate speaking about those matters. Perhaps we can put our heads together next time we meet and figure out a safe way I can get my questions answered without causing us both pointless turmoil.
Now, to the point of this letter, I wish to invite you to a little gathering I’m holding tomorrow night. There will be fine food and music. And do not worry about meeting anyone who will recognize what you are. These are a few dignitaries from local cities who support my worthy cause. I’ve invited them to my humble abode as a thank you for their dedicated service.
If I know you as well as I think I do, you are probably balking at the idea of attending this party. But I beg you from the bottom of my heart to attend. I swear none will know who you are. And none will care to ask. Please say you’ll come and bring your maidservant, too. She used to make the most delightful treats for my guests. I know you will feel more comfortable having someone you trust at your side.
Please say you’ll come. My servant will be waiting at your door for your answer.
And one more thing, he has a little gift for you. I know you’ve wanted to see some of the other books by your people that I was able to salvage. Here is one of them. I would also like for you to transcribe it, but know you will want to read through it first. I’m willing to accept any information you feel I’m worthy to know. Thank you so much, my dear, for all the help you’ve already given me. This book about my history has truly been enlightening.
Your humble friend,
D.
Katrina stared at the letter for a long time until she finally handed it over to Brie to read. He genuinely seemed interested in hearing more about Aloblase. At least parts of it. Maybe she’d been too harsh about his reluctance to hear Shaydon’s name. King Shaydon, despite his kindness, was a force to be reckoned with, she had no doubt.
Hadn’t Carah often called out to him in her battle songs, sending the enemy scrambling? Wasn’t it Shaydon that Granny Fila called on when Katrina was locked in a trance when her scope connected with Darnel’s? And hadn’t Issah called on Shaydon for help when Lotari was near death?
Of course, Darnel would quake at the mention of the true King’s name. But maybe, if he truly was willing to learn more about where he came from, maybe he’d change his ways and accept who the one and only true king of this land was.
“Miss? What should I tell the guard waiting outside?” Brie held the letter to her chest. Her lips trembled as if she fought hard to not smile. She had probably served at many of these parties but had never once been invited to attend one.
“Be honest with me, Brie. Will it be safe for me to go? I don’t wish anyone to recognize me.”
“Of course, Miss. I understand that. But your marks have nearly faded completely away.”
That bit of news sent Katrina’s insides crumbling.
“An’ iffen we keep your hair down, your ears won’t give yourself away, neither. We’ll use some of the make-up those fancy women wear, and I bet you’ll be completely unrecognizable.” She leaned closer. “I’d love to attend one of these galas. I bet one can learn all kinds of interesting stuff. Maybe there will be word about my Tarek, or iffen you honestly mean that...” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “if he really is coming, maybe somebody will be talking about it. You know?”
Katrina hadn’t thought of having a chance to get a bit of news from the attendees. Oh, what she’d do for any little bit of news that Issah was on the move. “Tell the guard that we will go. And make sure you get the package he is holding for me.”
Things were finally looking up. She would soon be holding another stolen book that belonged to her people, and she might have a chance to learn what was going on outside this wretched mountain fortress.
