Chapter 22

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The days that followed the attack were nothing shy of exhausting for everyone. The military wanted an immediate response to what they viewed as a Murian act of war. King Alakar, Muri’s beleaguered ruler, insisted that the ships were stolen by rebels intent on causing a war and bringing down his reign. He had no wish for a conflict with Cobalt. To demonstrate his good will, he divulged the coordinates of the suspected remains of the four Murian ships that had made it back across the boundary. Of the twelve midrange ships that had crossed, those four were the only ones to survive the initial incursion. The X2 was able to scan the coordinates and found a sizeable debris field. Alakar claimed ignorance about the attack fighters, except to say they were part of the same rebel force as well. It turned out that the people whose job it was to watch everything the Murians did, reported several months ago the loss of twenty attack fighters.

Cobalt’s military leaders and most Regional Governors didn’t want to believe Alakar. It was a different kind of meeting being in a room full of men, several of whom may have been responsible for the attack, listening to them yell at Kamien and at Xavier. Accusations of ineptitude flew from crowded corners, fists pounding the tabletop while Xavier, with his usual calm detachment, detailed the facts over unsubstantiated rumor.

Dynan had never been in a meeting with this kind of blatant disregard toward the Lord Chancellor. Not with his father present. It was difficult to stand by and say nothing. Roth stood just behind Dain and Brendin was next to Dynan, leaning in with a quiet reminder when the yelling got loud or especially offensive. In the end, it took the extreme measure of bringing in the barely distinguishable remains of one of the attackers to persuade them the men weren’t Murian.

“The purpose of this attack,” Xavier said in the ensuing silence, “is unknown. We can only guess. A full investigation is underway. When we have more information you’ll be informed.”

“That’s unacceptable.” “Completely.” “What are you trying to hide?” “This never would have happened under Dionin.” “Ambrose presided over a vast reduction of our capabilities.” “—incompetent—” “—and nothing will change under the current rulers.” “If you can call them that.”

“Gentlemen.” Xavier cut them off. “You’ll be informed when there is new information. Admiral Westiben, the First Minister will see you in his office momentarily.”

“You think you can just summon me?” the Admiral demanded. He was the loudest of the complainers.

Roth slid in front of Dain, who stood with his hands balled into fists. “There are personnel matters we need to discuss, Admiral.”

That was not exactly the case. Dynan wondered what might happen to Westiben, though he knew it wouldn’t be anything more than a demotion, or more likely a private reprimand. They didn’t have proof of his involvement and unsubstantiated accusations would do more harm. He would be watched and a few months from now, quietly replaced.

Xavier rose and with a nod, left the room. Dynan, Dain, and Kamien followed the Lord Chancellor back to his office. It would be up to Brendin and Melgan to get the Governors and the rest of the military officers out of the Palace. Not long later, they could hear Westiben bellowing at Roth through the closed door between the offices, but that soon subsided.

“Is he the one behind this?” Dain asked.

“Unknown,” Xavier said. Kamien shook his head and left for the King’s office. Dynan hesitated a moment and followed him.

Kamien waited when Dynan didn’t immediately speak, but only briefly. “What?”

“I should have said this days ago, but, thank you for getting in front of us during the attack. You probably shouldn’t again if it comes to it.”

“Why’s that?” Kamien asked, but he was stifling a smile.

“Who ever is responsible for this has to get to you too, if the goal is to kill us all, or make our hold on the throne more unstable than it already is. You die and we’re back to me being too young to take your place. Next time, we get in front of you.”

Kamien chuckled at that, glancing to the doorway and at Dain, who stood in it, trying to fathom how he could ever be in a position to risk his life for Kamien. It no longer seemed so out of the ordinary. “Next time, I’m crawling under a desk.”

Dain agreed with the sentiment, but shook his head. “There isn’t going to be a next time. Allie found the system breach. We still don’t know who, but now we know how they got the information about the tunnels. The files were definitely breached. They knew what would force us into the secured control room. They knew our procedures.”

Dain looked at the comboard he held and then handed it over to Kamien. Over the last few days since the crowning, a grudging and unspoken agreement had grown between the two of them, a somewhat tenuous decision to work together for the good of the System. Kamien still irritated them both, but Dynan realized that perception wasn’t completely accurate anymore. He only seemed annoying, when in fact, it was possible he really wasn’t. After so many years of not getting along with him, it was an unexpected discovery to make.

Dain rolled his eyes and cast Dynan a look of utter disbelief, following with a list of silent rebukes. “Sure, whatever you think. If you want to call this getting along. Of course he’s still annoying. He was born that way. The only reason he’s being halfway normal is because he has to. It won’t last.”

“I think you need to reconsider going to the Cadet Ball,” Kamien was saying, while Dynan silently told Dain he was wrong.

“I’m not wrong.”

“Dain!”

“What!”

Kamien glared at him. “The Cadet Ball?”

“What about it?”

“It would be better if you didn’t go.”

“Why?”

“Other than the obvious?” Kamien closed his eyes wearily. “Never mind. Go. Have a great time. If you do anything to embarrass us with that poor girl who barely survived that inside jump—”

“She survived just fine.”

“Have you seen her?”

Dain wasn’t going to let it go and smirked. “As a matter of fact, I have. How else do you think I asked her to the damn Ball? I mean, for real this time. Yes, she’s a little bruised from it. Beats the alternative.”

Kamien wasn’t letting it go either. “Did you ever stop and think she might not want to be seen in public like that? With half her body black and blue? You think she’d say no to you? To you?”

Dain finally paused a moment to consider that last and even answered in a reasonable tone. “I talked to her mother to make sure she was certain and if she didn’t want to go I would have her up here to the Palace for dinner. I might have her up here anyway. She’s nice. And she’s pretty, aside from the fact that her face is a little swollen right now. Kamien, I’m taking Jaiel to the Ball. She’s already told everyone she knows. I’m not going to cancel on her at the last minute. Nothing is going to happen. We can’t hide here. We can’t lock ourselves behind the castle wall and pretend we’re safe and sound. We have to be seen. We have to go out in public. We haven’t been since the funeral and your crowning, which I don’t exactly count as being any kind of fun. I’m going to the Ball.”

“You’re taking six guards with you. Non-negotiable.” Kamien mashed the controls on the desk to bring up the com system, ready for a challenge to that edict.

But Dain didn’t bother to respond, turned without another word, and walked out.

“Next time,” Dynan paused in the doorway, following his brother, but glanced back at Kamien, “put him out front.”

As he turned, Dynan heard Kamien laugh under his breath, but came up on Dain glaring at him. “Don’t believe him.”

“He put himself between you and a full line of men intent on killing us all. That has to count.” Dynan thought it did, but Dain was unconvinced.

“He’s a real hero. Don’t believe him. What are you doing tonight? You should come to the Ball. You should. Yes, you should. You have to get out some time.”

“I don’t want to. No, Dain. Stop! All right? Just ... stop.”

Of course, Dain refused. “You have not done anything for fun in months.”

“And I’m happy to not be involved with your idea of it any time soon. I’m going to read.”

Dain rolled his eyes at how utterly boring those plans were, but the next lecture was interrupted when Xavier called them into a meeting. Where they ended up for the rest of the day until Dain was given leave to go get ready for the night’s festivities. The Cadet Ball was held at the Governor’s Hall in Rianamar. Looking out the window of the King’s office, Dynan could see the glow of lights concentrated at the Hall and regretted for a moment that he wasn’t going.

It was only a moment though and fleeting at that. Next year, he’d have to attend, since he’d be a cadet himself. By next year there would be enough distance between everything that was happening now. There wouldn’t be so many questions, so many looks of pity, comments about the death of his father that he wasn’t yet capable of responding to, or the endless whispers about Liselle that still followed him around for too many days now. It wasn’t possible yet to process the fact of the attack, or the idea that there were apparently a lot of people who detested Telaerins and didn’t want them – any of them – on the throne. Above it all, in the back of his mind, he kept thinking this was all a terrible nightmare. He’d wake up and find his father sitting behind his desk just like always.

“Oh the nightmare is only just starting, Dynan.”

He whirled around from the window as a cold breath stung the back of his neck. The office was empty until Kamien walked in, who, seeing him wide-eyed, stopped in the doorway. “You all right?”

For no reason, it was hard to breathe, making him gasp for an answer. The tightness in his chest left him as abruptly as it came, along with the cold chill crawling down his back.

“Dynan?”

He nodded this time, turning back to the window so he wouldn’t have to explain what he didn’t understand.

“Have you eaten yet?” Kamien gestured to the cart floating in behind him with Meg Wrinn there to set everything out.

She was the family’s personal attendant when it came to setting out a private meal. She was also in charge of running the Palace kitchen. Of all the attendants and others sent to watch over them through the years, Meg had always been there as far back as Dynan could remember. She was plump and motherly, with black hair and sparkling eyes.

“I hear you haven’t been eating,” she chided as she came in and started laying the food on. There was a big table halfway down the office normally used for meetings. Kamien had stopped the nightly formal dinners, thankfully. “Come here and let me see you.”

Dynan cast a glare at Kamien, who only bit back a smile as he sat down to the food. The list of admonishments went on for a while until Dynan promised Meg he would have the entire meal. He sat down in front of a full plate to prove it. He got a kiss on the top of his head for that and then she left them in peace.

“Sorry,” Kamien said around a forkful. “I tried to stop Eldelar from sending out the report on your eating habits, but I was too late. It’s genuinely amazing the amount of crap I have to read every day. I’d like less of it to be about you and really none of it to be about Dain, but I suppose that’s just wishful thinking.”

“I’d like none of it to be about me, too, Kamien.” Dain came in and threw himself into a chair opposite Dynan. He was dressed in a formal white uniform, with the rank of Lt. Commander pinned to the collar. That somewhat ceremonial bestowment had happened the day they turned seventeen, the rank approved by Boral Sloyl and Roth Perquin, and accorded by their father. It seemed a lifetime ago.

Dain reached over and pulled Dynan’s plate, heaping with food, across the table and then went back for the fork. Within moments, half the contents vanished. Dain guzzled down a full glass of wine next and stood.

“Sure you don’t want to go?”

Dynan waved him off. “Positive.”

Shalis came to visit right after Dain left. At twelve, she was a full kem taller than last year, standing at slightly less than head height, and looked even more like their mother. Her blue eyes were flashing. She pulled Dynan’s plate over too, stabbing the food with unnecessary vigor.

“Gaden Ahreld is afraid to talk to me anymore.” She tossed the blonde curls out of the way as she bit off a piece of food. The way she was chewing made Dynan wonder if she weren’t thinking about chopping off a few of his fingers.

Kamien feigned surprise and Dynan didn’t answer.

“Maybe it’s just a phase,” Kamien said after she stabbed a few more vegetables. “Boys that age, you never know what they’re thinking. Maybe girls make him nervous – sorry – I mean young ladies.”

“You made him that way!” Shalis finished the few bites she wanted. The plate would have sailed right off the table had Dynan not stopped it.

Kamien considered the accusation while Dynan went back to picking at what was left of his meal. “I haven’t spoken to Gaden Ahreld at all, Shalis.”

Shalis glared back and forth between them and then slammed to her feet. “I hate you both!”

“At least something went right today,” Kamien said after she’d gone and Dynan laughed.

“How long do you think she’ll stay mad about it?”

Kamien wagged his head. “Not more than a day or two. She’ll set her sights on some other boy. Apparently, she has the same appetites as Dain.”

“Don’t say that. Don’t even think it. What the hell, Kamien!”

He paused mid-sip and gave Dynan a look. “After the attack, they were caught in the Medic Center, kissing.”

“No way.”

“Full on lip-lock. And from what Eldelar says, Gaden wasn’t the initiator. No wonder he was so worried about her. I mean Pop.”

Dynan glanced up at that, but Kamien was staring at the tabletop with unseeing eyes. “There’s still us to keep the boys off.”

Kamien snorted. “They’ve been trying to get me to make a marriage contract for her.”

“They?”

“The Governors. For you too.” He held up a hand when Dynan stared. “I’m not. In either case. All that will have to wait until later.”

“Tell Dain you’ve got someone in mind for him. Think of the snootiest Lady you can. Just to see the look on his face.”

Kamien laughed, but it was short lived. “He hates me, you know, and he’s never going to look at me any other way.”

Dynan hesitated before answering. “He doesn’t know what to think right now.”

“Well he’s not alone in that.” Kamien retrieved a comboard he’d set down during the meal. He handed it over.

“What is it?”

“Coronation plans,” he said and made Dynan stare again. “Along with the declaration of my formal abdication of the Regency that I’m signing as soon as I can. I don’t want this. I’m not meant for it. I talked to Xavier and everyone else, and they all agree, once you’re eighteen, there isn’t any legal standing to deny you the throne. The Magistrate is positive on that point and there’s also a growing backlash against Alse now for pushing the issue. Some of the Governors are a bit worried about reprisals.”

“Reprisals? What are you talking about? From me?”

“Yes, from you.” Kamien held up a hand when Dynan thought to object. “Not that you would, but yes.”

“You’ve been telling them—”

“Not me. Xavier. He’s quietly reminding them, and rightly so, that once you’re King, you’re going to rule for a very-long-time.”

“Kamien, I can’t—”

“You have four months, plus a few weeks to wrap your head around it, brother.” Kamien stood, nodding to the list detailing every aspect of how to bring off a Royal crowning. Dynan felt nothing but dread at the prospect. “I know you’re not so eager for it, but it’s normal to feel that way. No one in their right mind truly wants this job. You were meant for it though, you’ve trained all your life for it, and you’ll do fine actually wearing the Crown. Look, you were the one who figured out the Murian attack wasn’t really a Murian attack. No one else saw it and because of that, we were able to save the Palace. A few minutes more and we’d be buried in rubble. You’re going to be fine.”

“It doesn’t feel right.” His throat clamped down hard enough to make speaking difficult. Just then, he was glad he hadn’t eaten much.

“Because of Father? It’s what he wanted. I mean, obviously, no one ever expected he would die so young, but he wanted you to be King after him.”

Dynan shook his head at that. No one ever talked about what had really happened. “He only wanted me because the Governors and Dionin agreed to take away your rights, through no fault of your own. He didn’t have a choice, Kamien, so don’t talk to me about what he wanted.”

“It wasn’t his fault either. Blame Dionin.”

Dynan stood. In a fit of anger, he took the empty glass of wine and threw it across the room where it shattered against the stones of the fireplace. He started pacing across the room and back, and caught Kamien smiling. “You think this is funny?”

“No! All right, maybe a little. You’re scared. You have a right to be.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not letting you leave.” That came out on impulse.

“I’m really sure Dain—”

“I don’t care what Dain says. Maybe I’ll make you Lord Chancellor instead of him. I’m serious. It’s not like he wants that job either. If I have to do this in four months, you’re not getting out of here that easy.” He stopped pacing for a second, trying to think what he was doing. “Dain will likely lose his mind if he knows I’ve said this to you, but, I want you to stay. I need you to. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“But you will. You’re young. You trust the intentions of others too easily, but you’ll learn quick enough. You’re smarter than every one of us, including Dain. But I can stay, for as long as you like, regardless of Dain’s mental stability.” He smiled then. “I just want to be in the room when you tell him.”

He joined Dynan by the fireplace, looking at the cold hearth and the broken glass pieces before glancing to the desk that no one had yet chosen to sit behind. “I miss him. I wish he was still here. I come into this room every morning and think this can’t be happening. But it is and there’s nothing for it but to go forward. You’re going to do fine. Even if you’re not certain of it, I am.”

Dynan looked at him standing close and wondered where this man had been all his life, this brother who he didn’t really know, but thought he wanted to now. Kamien was family, in one that was shrinking in size. Here was someone he could count on and Dynan wondered how they could have gotten here after all the years of hating one another.

“I’m sorry.”

Kamien frowned at that. “For what?”

“For thinking what I’ve been thinking. You don’t deserve it.”

“Maybe sometimes I did.”

Kamien seemed on the verge of saying something else, but didn’t and shook his head. Dynan almost asked, but decided it would be better if they didn’t press their luck with this new sense of understanding.

Kamien seemed to think the same. “I’m beat. I’ve had enough of it for the day. I’m going to head up. You should too.”

Dynan nodded, but knew he wouldn’t be able to take the advice. His stomach would not let him sleep. “I think I’ll sit with Xavier a bit.”

Kamien hummed at that. “I don’t think I would have made it through that meeting this morning without him in there with us. You were right about that too, when I didn’t think we should have him stay on, or the others.”

“He seems impervious to stress.” Dynan followed Kamien down the short hall to the Lord Chancellor’s office.

“Unlike you or I. You know, if you want to take a break from this place, now is the time to do it. You aren’t going to get the chance later on. Where’s Carryn anyway? I haven’t seen her around the last few days.” Kamien glanced back at him as they entered Xavier’s office.

“She had something to take care of.” That’s what she told Dynan anyway, though he didn’t know what the ‘something’ was.

Kamien seemed concerned. “Have you heard from her?”

“No.”

“You might consider sending a message to her and tell her to get back here. This isn’t really a good time for her to be away.” Kamien winced like something hurt and he put his hand to his head, but pulled it away abruptly. “Tell her to come see me when she gets in. She needs a copy of that schedule too. Oh and listen, there’s one other thing I wanted to let you know about. The Palace guard has been changed out. With the attack, the uncertainty of where it came from, we thought it was a good idea, just in case. So you’ll notice a lot of new faces around.”

Kamien rubbed his eyes again and he was blinking more than normal. “I’m just tired,” he said, before Dynan could ask him what was wrong. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

He nodded to Xavier, mumbling under his breath, but he was already turning for the door. He stopped in the hallway, looking down it briefly before he started shaking his head over something. Dynan wondered again what was bothering him and decided to ask. He didn’t get the chance. Kamien walked off down the hall.

Dynan sat down with Xavier, who was in one of the tall chairs beside a low burning fire that he’d undoubtedly ordered up because he was old and got cold easily. It was still summer in Rianamar, though the nights were starting to cool. The fire put off just the right amount of heat to combat the chill.

Xavier glanced at him and then after Kamien. “That was ... different.”

“I know. Hard to believe isn’t it?”

“That you’re getting along? No, not really. I’ve always suspected it was only a matter of time and maturity. And maybe necessity, in this case. It’s good to see regardless. I know it would make your father happy.”

“Are you all right?” Dynan could see that he wasn’t. “About Pop? You knew him forever.”

“Yes, I did. He was very much like the son I never had. Your grandfather was a hard man, as you know. I tried to lessen the harshness of that treatment whenever I could. I’ve seen a lot of death in my life, Dynan, but I never expected this. I never thought I’d out-live him.” Xavier’s eyes grew distant for a moment, but he reached over and patted his leg. “But yes, I’m all right.”

Dynan leaned on his knees, holding a hand out to the fire. “Eldelar hasn’t found anything.”

“And he won’t. Some questions don’t have the answers we want, no matter how many times we ask. Some mysteries have no solution. I don’t trust the unknown though. All we can do now is remain vigilant.” Xavier nodded to the comboard Dynan carried. “Did Kamien talk to you about the coronation and stepping aside for you?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. If you don’t mind.”

Xavier smiled. “Not at all. It might be of some comfort to you that your father went through the same throes before his crowning, even though he was much older. You’ll be fine.”

Dynan didn’t have anything to say to that, especially since he didn’t agree. Xavier only smiled benignly and went back to his reading. Dynan tried to do the same, to read the contents of a very large file, but it felt like a rolling wave of impending doom whenever his eyes focused on the words. He couldn’t believe it was going to happen now instead of the four years he’d been promised. It wasn’t something he could talk about, even if he wanted to. All the planning would proceed internally only. The rest of the System would find out only after Dynan turned eighteen. He wanted to tell Dain about it, but then didn’t, knowing it would be hard for him to keep this to himself without reacting. Secrecy was critical for the moment.

Dain came back earlier than expected, but he wasn’t alone, having brought Jaiel and her family to the Palace with him. Introductions were made. It turned out she brought her grandparents instead, leaving her mother and father at home to take care of three younger siblings. They seemed a nice family and completely enamored of Dain, who had them all at their ease. Jaiel, despite the prominent bruises, was happy and overwhelmed to be at the Palace and with Dain. He was giving them a tour no one usually got.

“I’m going to show them the Throne Room and the rest, and then I’m going to do something the Lord Chancellor isn’t going to approve of.”

“That’s never happened,” Xavier said dryly and everyone laughed.

“I’m taking them up in the XR-30. Just a slow flight over town is all. Sir Adurion is an old freighter pilot, Xavier. He hasn’t been on board a new midrange ever.”

“What freighter, sir? The X24?” Xavier asked.

“Going back a bit further than that, my Lord. The X14. And before that, the Criton 4.”

“That is going back.” Xavier smiled and nodded. Suddenly he shed twenty years. “I flew the Critons. Terrible ships.”

“They were, but not nearly as terrible as the Fenton 12. Now that was a death trap. The Critons weren’t much better, but back during the war they got the job done, so I don’t suppose we have cause to complain.”

Xavier agreed and the two fell to discussing the various attributes, good and bad of both ships, and their use in the war and beyond. Dain pulled Jaiel and her grandmother into the King’s office to go on with the tour. Dynan followed. They were impressed by the giant seal on the back wall and surprised that the throne lacked even a cushion. It was made of stone and uncomfortable to sit on at a stretch, or so their father had complained.

They went back through Xavier’s office and then on with the Palace tour. Dain glanced back in question and asked silently, “Coming?”

“I’m going to say goodnight to Xavier. I’ll be out in a minute.”

“What’s going on anyway?”

“I’ll explain later.”

“That was nice. It isn’t every day I run into people who’ve even heard of a Criton ship. Brings back memories,” Xavier said after the office was empty again, but then he sank down into the chair by the fire and the joy left his face. “A lot of memories.”

Dynan sat down on the footstool in front of him. “Why don’t you tell me some of them? I’m sure I ought to know more about a Criton ship.”

Xavier shook his head though. “You don’t have to stay up with me. I know you’d rather go fly the XR-30 with your brother. I have work. Go on. Besides, I want you there to keep him from flying subsonic over the Palace. We may never repair all the broken glass from the last time.”

“You should come with us. That’ll make for a better chance he’ll listen. It’s been a long day, Xavier. If you stay, I stay.” Dynan repeated the same thing he’d heard his father tell the Lord Chancellor on more than a few occasions.

Xavier gave in with a slight smile and a nod. Dynan waited for him by the door while he shut the office down, leaning against the frame.

Off in the distance, the sound of metal against metal reached him. Dynan thought at first, recognizing the sound, that Dain must be showing off his swordsmanship skills for Jaiel and her family, probably against some poor, unsuspecting guard.

A scream came from the long hall, piercing and clear, but then muffled, as though a door opened and closed. Dynan thought he heard Roth and Brendin shouting. Heavy, thudding steps echoed toward him and doors slammed further down the hall.

“Step back from the door,” Xavier said in a low voice, pulling on Dynan’s arm at the same time.

Dain’s thought reached him and he felt his brother’s panic washing through him, causing his own. “We’re under attack!”