Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

Shane

 

Relief floods through me when Laura says she forgives me, despite all impossibilities. I don’t deserve to be forgiven, but I am. It’s too much to comprehend. So many people think that this secret princess is to be feared, that she is incapable of love, but I have seen the real girl behind the myth. Despite the rumors, she cares more than most people. If Karkonia’s future rests with her, we will all be better for it.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Laura,” I say, completely overwhelmed by her decision to pardon me of my crime, which I thought was unforgivable. It should be unforgivable, but Laura defies all odds.

“Well, you could tell me inside information about the rebellion. That would be a good start. I’ll find a way to get your sister out of there, to bring her to the palace. I’m sure Eight would be willing to help,” she says, subconsciously picking at her fingernail polish as she smiles at me. She seems genuinely excited to help Lainey and me. I’ve never been so grateful to anyone in my life.

“Of course I will. Do you mean it? You’re going to help Lainey?” I say, grinning from ear to ear.

This is better than I could have ever imagined. When Laura saw me with Alicia tonight, I thought for sure that I’d be killed and Lainey would remain in the rebels’ chains forever. But now, she could be free sooner than I’ve ever dared to dream

My sister’s safety is all I’ve ever wanted. It’s not her fault her mother was a rebel. It’s not her fault I didn’t fight harder for her freedom. She’s never done anything to hurt anyone, but she’s been punished for other people’s mistakes her entire life.

Every time my mom left to help with an attack, she made me swear that I would protect Lainey if anything happened to her. I’ve done an awful job at keeping that promise, but this could change everything.

“Yeah, I’m certainly going to try. Then there won’t be any need for you to stay with the rebellion. You’ll have royal protection.” She smiles.

For a moment, I’m speechless. A lifetime serving in the palace sounds better than anything I could have imagined for myself. Before, if I had managed to escape with Lainey, I would have had to find some kind of factory job, get a little apartment and find a way to take care of my sister on my own. Here, we’ll both have more than we could ever dream of.

“Thank you. I just don’t deserve your kindness.” I smile, finally able to find words, even though they don’t do justice to what I’m feeling.

This is the moment that I realize I have fallen in love with Laura. Caring too deeply too quickly is what I do, and I know there is no turning back from here.

“Yeah, you do. You’ve shown me a lot of kindness, so now I can return the favor,” she says softly.

I don’t know what to say to that, so I just smile again, then focus the conversation on the rebellion. They’re a very secretive organization, so I can’t tell her much, but any information that I can give her will help bring them down. “What questions do you have for me about the rebels? I’ll tell you anything that I can.”

“Well, for starters, who’s the leader? I know my sister didn’t come up with this on her own. She was only sixteen when she left.”

“Actually, people of my status don’t have any idea who the head of the rebellion is. We just know about the leader of our states. In the rebellion, there’s one main leader who has a team of seven second level leaders, one for each state. Alicia is one of the seven, the state leader for Karkay. I answer directly to her. There are a few leaders beneath her that handle things in different areas of Karkay, then there are people like me sent out as spies.”

“So, do you know who the other rebels in the palace are?”

“Only one. Fernando. I haven’t stayed at the rebel base in quite a few years, so I’m not completely sure how many rebels are stationed here. There could be three or there could be fifteen.”

“Fernando is a rebel?”

“Well, sort of. I don’t trust the guy as far as I can throw him, and I’m really not sure why the rebels do either. I’ve known him for years and he’s always been a rat.”

“Makes sense, I guess. At least he doesn’t get any good inside information. Nobody likes him enough to keep him in the loop.”

“It’s actually the same way with the rebellion. Fernando’s sole purpose is to open the gate and cause a distraction when rebels need to get into the palace. That’s why he was stationed as a gate guard.”

“So you’re telling me that the rebellion handpicks where their spies are stationed? How on earth do they even manage that? Ryan is the one who stations people at the palace.”

“I don’t know. Ryan’s not a rebel, though, as far as I know, so I don’t think it’s him. Maybe someone takes care of placing people for him and he just gives his approval or disapproval?” I say, shrugging.

I’ve never really thought about how we get placed where we’re placed—never really cared.

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Laura says, eyebrows furrowed. “Who was that girl that was with you tonight? Was she your girlfriend?”

“Oh, heavens no. Her name is Taeler. She’s been my best friend for a really long time, but I certainly don’t date her. We tried that once. Thankfully it didn’t last more than a day or so. I mean, she’s a nice person and all, but it just didn’t work out—and it never will,” I add quickly.

I like Laura. The last thing that I want is her thinking I have feelings for Taeler, of all people. Taeler’s like my sister now. I wouldn’t dream of dating her again.

“Good. That is definitely good,” Laura says, pink coloring her fair cheeks.

What on earth does she mean by that?

“Uh…yeah. I agree,” I say awkwardly, blushing and hoping that Laura’s comment means that she has some sort of feelings for me, equal to the ones that I have for her. It’s a thought that I don’t often entertain, as it’s very unlikely to ever happen, but still, a guy can dream.

“Thank you, Shane, for this information. It’ll really help. Do you happen to know where the rebels’ base in Karkay is?”

“Yeah, it’s just past—” I begin, but am cut off by a harsh knocking on Laura’s door.

“Hang on. We’ll keep talking about this in a minute. It’s probably just my brother worrying about me,” Laura says, quickly walking across the room and opening the door.

When I look up, I find Emperor Peter standing in the doorway rather than Laura’s brother. My heart nearly stops and my jaw drops. I can see rage in his piercing glare. His fists are clenched and his mouth is a thin line, anger exuding from every part of him. Behind him stands Fernando, trembling with fear, with a large gash across his forehead, caked with drying blood. What’s Fernando doing here?

“Dad? What are you doing—” Laura begins, but her father shoves her out of the way.

She stumbles but regains her balance quickly and I see her clench her fists to avoid hitting him in anger. I do the same, protective, even when it isn’t safe to be. Laura shouldn’t be thrown around, not by her father or anyone else.

“Move, Laura. We have a traitor in our midst,” the Emperor says, approaching me. Laura runs in front of me and stands in his way, protectively. Her whole body trembles as she guards me, but her feet are planted firmly on the ground.

“No, Dad. Shane’s not a traitor, not like you think he is,” Laura says. Emperor Peter all but ignores her comment, looking around her into my eyes. His anger is etched into his stone face, but I won’t let him intimidate me.

“I have a witness, also a traitor, who informed me that Shane was the rebel who carried Alicia from the dungeon to her freedom. The information saved Fernando his life, but it will cost Shane his,” the Emperor says.

I think I’m in shock. The Emperor knows what I’ve done. I’m going to die. They’re going to kill me. And of all things, it was a rebel who betrayed me. I’ve always disliked Fernando, never really trusted him. I never knew that I had such a good reason. I never imagined that he was capable of something like this.

“No. He did help Alicia, but he’s not betraying us—” Laura begins, but is cut off when Peter slaps her in the face, swiftly and suddenly. The noise echoes across the otherwise silent room, and I gasp. She falls back, nearly landing on me, but I put my hands out to stop her and she regains her balance.

I can’t believe he hit her. I know the Emperor is cruel, but I’ve rarely seen him be anything but loving to Laura. It takes everything in me not to hit him.

“Do not defy me, Laura. You forget your place,” he commands, shoving her to the side. Laura hits her head on the corner of her nightstand, and it makes a gash on her forehead. Emperor Peter grabs hold of my arm and yanks me into a standing position. His grip is tight on my arm, but I’m not concerned for myself.

“Laura? Are you okay?” I ask, jerking away from him and extending a hand to help her up. She accepts it and stands again to face her father, strong and brave, despite his cruelty.

“I’m fine, Shane. Don’t worry about me,” she says, wiping some of the blood gushing from her cut away with the bottom of her shirt. “Father, I will not allow you to do this to Shane without hearing him out.”

“Your bodyguard is hereby accused of assisting in the escape of a Karkonian prisoner of war and preventing said prisoner’s execution by doing so. As punishment, he will face execution himself. He took a life from us, and now we will take his,” the Emperor says, his voice cold. He grabs hold of my arm again and pushes me toward the doorway, where Fernando is standing.

“No, Father, please. You can’t kill Shane. Just hear him out,” Laura pleads, grabbing her father’s arm. He shakes her off easily, an unsettling anger still burning in his eyes.

“Don’t worry about me, Laura. It’s okay,” I say, urging her to stop defending me. She’s going to get herself hurt more, or even killed, if she keeps it up.

“No. I’m not letting him kill you or anyone else,” Laura says, her resolve clear.

“Fernando, take Shane to the dungeon. Don’t try anything funny, either. Guards are right outside in the hallway to deal with you, should you try to escape. I’d escort the traitor myself, but now I have to deal with my insolent daughter,” Peter demands, handing the frightened rebel a pair of handcuffs.

Fernando immediately grabs my arms and locks them behind my back before I even have a chance to retaliate. Quickly and quietly, Fernando shoves me out of Laura’s room as Peter begins screaming at her. Laura, stubborn as ever, doesn’t take her father’s anger in silence. She stands up for me even though she shouldn’t.

“Sorry, Shane. I guess this is goodbye for good,” Fernando smirks in that irritating, condescending voice of his.

“Bite me,” I say, kicking him in the shin. He winces, and for a moment I think about pushing Fernando to the ground and running. It would be of no use. Six bulky guards armed with guns surround us, ensuring that we don’t try to escape.

As they shove me down the hallway, I strain to hear Laura and her father argue as long as I can. I’m worried about her, worried that my association with the rebellion will bring harm to another person that I love.

I wish she wouldn’t fight for me. It’s no use. The Emperor has made up his mind, and his cold heart won’t allow him to change it.

Soon I am going to be executed. The weight of my grim destiny settles over me quietly. No matter how hard Laura tries to fight it, I am going to die.