Page 19

19

The Treacherous Game

R owan stood in the back of the room, eyes on her, as stiff as a statue. The cold expression on his face, the hardness, and the seriousness didn’t suit Rowan. He looked like a stranger.

“This isn’t Rowan.” Astoria shook her head. “You are making an illusion. Drop it, Orion!” She spun around to the wizard, glaring at him. “This is why you wanted me here. To frame Rowan and make me fall for the ruse. At what cost? What do you get out of this?” Her eyes widened in sudden realization. “Oh, you want to bring back the former royal family, don’t you? Since Rowan is the only one who knows where they are, you want him.”

“But why should he frame me to get what he wants?”

Astoria’s head snapped around and found Rowan close behind her now. “Shut up, you are an illusion!”

“Don’t flatter Orion, Astoria. As powerful as he is, he cannot make illusions.” He tilted his head, his cold gaze penetrating hers. “Come on, ask me something only Rowan would know.”

Shock dropped onto her like a massive rock. For a moment, she could only gape at him.

“Go on, ask me.”

Astoria composed herself and asked the first thing that surged into her mind. “What was the first thing I ever said to you?” No sooner than she asked, Astoria realized she didn’t know it herself. But it seemed like Rowan did.

“How could I forget? You thought I was the Emperor.” He took a step forward, his handsome face twisting with malice. “And soon, I’m going to be one—well, a king.”

He was Rowan. Astoria staggered back in shock.

A smirk lifted the corner of his lips at her reaction. “Don’t be so shocked, Astoria. What is it that the old sayings say? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I did just that. I know you are utterly lost and baffled, recounting all our times together, wondering how you never suspected me. I admit I’ve been a great actor. And lucky for you, I’m here to give you the answers you seek—like I promised.”

He was a traitor. The traitor.

“Why would you do this?” she demanded through gritted teeth.

There was not a shred of warmth in his eyes that she was used to seeing. He stared at her coldly and said, “He took my throne.”

“ Your throne?” she parroted incredulously. “I’m sorry, are you telling me you’re the heir to the throne of Draken’s former royalty? What, the king’s illegitimate son or something?”

He gave her a deadpan look.

Astoria’s mock amusement dropped. “You are joking, right?”

“None of this is a joke, Astoria. Cyrus took what was mine, and I’m simply taking it back.”

“Oh, like you would’ve made it to the throne if Cyrus didn’t take it in the first place.” She scoffed and crossed her arms. “I would’ve given up my riches to see that. You were nothing but a helpless squire to—to your half-brother.”

Rowan’s eyes hardened, and he lifted his hand. Threads of magic, glowing and smoky-grey, burst from his fingertips.

Her eyes bulged in disbelief.

“Would you give up your riches to see me take back what’s mine now ?” He smirked again, mockery in his gaze. “I fooled you and Cyrus, and both of your magic-sensor pets. I have the means to conceal my magic, and it helped me play my part perfectly. And yes, I am the one who poisoned Cyrus, sent you the notes, and killed the healer.”

An ache so bad settled in her heart. Betrayal.

Astoria couldn’t believe it. All this time, he had been nothing but a deceitful snake? She had thought he was her friend! No man had ever won her over with friendship—except Jasper, but only because she had known him since childhood. But Rowan took barely any time to grow on her.

It sucked. It hurt .

Astoria willed back the tears threatening to fill her eyes. She wished this was only a nightmare, but the weight of the cuffs on her wrists confirmed the reality.

“It was I who spread rumors about Cyrus’ bloodshed and power-hungriness, painting him as a monster to everyone in the unconquered kingdoms, and earning him the name Angel of Destruction.” He raised an eyebrow. “Does that ring a bell? Angel of Destruction?”

Her breath hitched.

“Orion is a family friend. When Cyrus’ new title grew popular, he told me about the prophecy concerning you. He was the one your father turned to for advice when they found the note in your crib, after all, so he was aware of everything about you. When he told me about your powers, I sent him to marry you, with the ruse of a mythical magnification to convince both you and your father. If I wasn’t too busy keeping my enemy close, I would’ve come myself. We wanted a weapon. You were our weapon. But of course, you had to be stubborn and challenge him to a duel and beat him.

“So, I had Orion push your father into finding another suitor for you and send a few of my own men among the suitors. But you were insistent on challenging all of them and bested them, blowing up my plans. I knew that even if I faced you myself, my fate would be the same. And that’s when I forged a new plan.”

“You convinced Cyrus to duel for my hand,” Astoria murmured in realization, remembering Cyrus’ words. Rowan suggested I should marry you… he told me it was the only way I could outsmart the rebels.

Cunning.

“Precisely,” Rowan said with a smile, not the friendly, mischievous one she was used to, but a strange one. “It was the only way, and he was the only one I was certain had a chance against you. And I had no doubt you’d aid me in taking him down. But when you arrived, I realized you weren’t an easy person to win over. So I stalled my plans and aimed to gain your trust first. It went perfectly until Cyrus caught the fever. And my plans were upgraded.

“Though poisoning him had always been on my list, it was a hopeless cause because he only drank and ate after the tester tasted them for him. But no one would taste the medicine for him. So I slipped into the kitchen and poisoned his medicine every single time.”

His casual way of explaining made her blood boil. “How many of you are here in the castle?”

“Oh no, I had none of my men here.” Rowan chuckled darkly. “I was all on my own. Speaking of which, I pinned my suspicions on Clara and the kitchen staff merely to fool you. When I realized that you no longer hated him or wished him harm, I knew you were no longer on our side. Besides, I no longer needed your aid, but I wanted to see what you would do when given the chance to fulfill the prophecy.

“Thus I sent you the notes, but you made no move for it; instead, you were fretting over him. I even doubted you got my messages, and that day I visited you in Cyrus’ room, I sent a note to the table. I confirmed you were no longer a rebel, and worse, when we went to the market square, that woman offered help to figure out the poison. I didn’t want anyone to find out since my poison was a slow killer, and once he died, people would assume he passed due to the illness—unless they held onto the rumors of you poisoning him.”

“I take it you’re the one who spread that rumor, too.” Astoria narrowed her eyes at him.

Rowan held up his hands in mock surrender. “I swear that wasn’t me; it was the staff who loved your husband so much that they weren’t blind to your obvious hatred of him. Anyway, I prevented the healer from exposing the poison; the medicine I brought in was poison-free. But it turns out the woman had brains.

“And since you trusted me, you told me she was making Cyrus’ cure. I had to get her out of the way because I couldn’t let anything interfere with my perfect plan. But darn it, you contacted Cyrus’ brother without my knowledge. Therefore, there has been a change of plans yet again.”

He tilted his head, and a dangerous glint entered his eyes. Astoria would be lying if she said she didn’t feel a little intimidated.

She took a step back. “What do you want with me?”

“My, my,” he tsked. “Are you afraid, Astoria? The Unyielding Princess of Daliston? The feisty wife of Cyrus the Great ?” He spat Cyrus’ name like a curse.

“What do you want , Rowan?” she demanded.

“Simple.” He shrugged. “You messed up my plans. Now you are the bait. You, my dear, are going to get me back my kingdom.”

“And what makes you think I will help you?” She sneered at him.

“And what makes you think I need your help?” He looked at her like she was being funny. “All I have to do is bring you in front of your dear husband once he wakes up. I know he would bargain for your life with whatever I ask—in this case, the throne. My throne.”

“You should know better than to challenge Cyrus. You will only fail.”

Rowan rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you hear me? You are the bait . He would do anything for you.”

“I can’t believe this is the real you, Rowan.” She glared at him, her eyes damp. “I can’t believe you were the monster all along. Mark my words, you will never be the ruler my husband is to his people. He loves them. He gave them a better life! And you are his exact opposite— you are the power-hungry monster.”

Rowan raised an eyebrow. “I think Cyrus failed to mention a particular detail there,” he said. “He didn’t give the people of the conquered kingdoms a better life because he loved them—it was all for his lost mother and sister whom he still believes are out there somewhere. Wherever they were, he wanted to ensure they didn’t live an oppressed life. And you make him sound like a saint or something.”

For his mother and sister?

Oh, Cyrus… Her heart melted.

“His empire is going to fall when I rise. I would give the vassal kings their kingship and their kingdom back. As the leader of the rebels, I made them a vow, and I would stand by it. You know, they all hate him, and they are going to love me.”

“Oh, and the people of these kingdoms?” she challenged him. “I’ll tell you; they are going to curse you and your throne just like they did your father.” She lifted her chin and took a step forward. “My husband will always be the greatest, just, and people-loving ruler this continent has ever seen and ever will. You will soon realize that.”

“Rowan. We are wasting time, don’t you think?” Wizard Orion asked from behind. Astoria had nearly forgotten he was there.

“I was thinking just that, my friend,” Rowan replied, not taking his eyes off her.

“If you ask me, the last half hour was a waste of breath.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Rowan smirked. “I’m a man of my word. I promised her answers after all, and I gave them. Now it’s time for her to vanish.”

“Vanish?” Astoria repeated, fear betraying her brave mask. “I’m warning you, Rowan…”

“Oh, you will do what?” he challenged, his eyes mocking her. “You are powerless with the cuffs on, Astoria. You can’t free yourself. Only a Mage can free you. Don’t worry, you won’t be harmed. You are merely the bait for Cyrus. Once he surrenders, I will let you go with him.”

Angry tears pricked her eyes. She hated this feeling. Defeat and helplessness.

“I hate you,” she gritted through her teeth.

“The feeling is mutual, dear Astoria.” He grinned, but it was clearly forced. “Though I must admit, you were a pleasant person to be around. Sometimes, I couldn’t tell whether I was being fake or real with you, but with Cyrus, it has always been a pretense. Six years. Six years since I was torn off my first chance at usurping my spineless father’s throne. When Cyrus invaded, I was ready to throw him off too, but then I realized he was too powerful for me. I’ve been training all these years. Now I’m unstoppable. Nothing is holding me back. Not this time.”

Astoria realized he was talking about dark magic. Would Cyrus truly not stand a chance against him?

No, her instincts said. Because magic wasn’t the matter here. Rowan needed her as his leverage. According to him, she was the key to Cyrus’ surrender.

But as cunning and intelligent as he was, Rowan was foolish to think Cyrus would give up his empire for her. She knew Cyrus cared for her. But would he think she was worth giving up his great empire for?

She knew she wasn’t worth it.

If they were taking her, Astoria had to let Cyrus know that his so-called best friend was the leader of the rebels. She called Skylar. He would tell everything to Spyrah, and Spyrah could inform Cyrus. But to her chilling horror, Astoria couldn’t feel the familiar connection.

It was blocked.

The cuffs.

Astoria swore absently. The Unyielding Princess of Daliston and the Dragon Empress of Draken had no fight left in her. When the morning came, everyone was going to be shocked by her absence.

Desperation claimed her soul and her heart cried. Oh, Creator . Please, have mercy on me.

He was the only one who could hear her now.

Rowan nodded at Wizard Orion, who stepped forward and grabbed her arm harshly. Astoria watched as Rowan pulled out a black object from his pocket and muttered something in a strange language. The object hovered in the air and began to glow.

The glow grew brighter and bigger, forming a large oval. The wizard stepped into it and dragged her along with him. A portal, she realized. Astoria shielded her eyes as the blinding light closed in on her. When she opened them, she found herself in an entirely different place.

She looked around. They were in a dimly lit, single-windowed, small room with only a chair, a table, and a poor excuse for a bed. Wizard Orion shoved her towards the bed.

“You new room, Empress ,” he spat. “If it were up to me, I would’ve locked you up in a pigsty.”

Astoria braced herself against the bed and straightened slowly. If she wasn’t in cuffs, she didn’t know what she would’ve done to him.

“Now, off I go. But I will return in the morning. Don’t even think of escaping. The cottage is spelled to thwart your attempts.”

When she didn’t respond, he laughed. “What? Where is your infamous mouth now? No insults to throw at me?”

“I will make you pay.” She turned to him with a withering, dark glare. “You, Rowan, and everyone conspiring against my husband. I won’t let you get away with this.”

Wizard Orion’s amusement didn’t falter. “You know what? I will leave you to your vengeful thoughts. Though, foretelling’s whisper: we are untouchable.” He flashed another nasty smile and walked to the door. “Goodnight, Empress. I pray the Emperor will wake up in the morning.”

The door closed behind him.

Astoria sank into the bed, feeling as though the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She couldn’t just sit there and wait until Cyrus woke up, unaware of Rowan’s betrayal. She glanced down at her hands and the bronze cuffs connecting them with a chain.

She must look like a prisoner now.

Alas, she was one.

She tried to summon her powers despite Rowan’s words. Void. She felt nothing. She pushed harder and harder until sweat broke out on her brow. Yet, there was nothing. Not even a tiny spark.

Astoria stared at her hands, clenching and unclenching them as angry tears stung her eyes. Then, her gaze fell on Cyrus’ ring glinting on her index finger.

Could she still use it, even with her magic suppressed?

The orange stone set atop the ring held potent power of its own—it was how Cyrus had sent letters beyond the palace shield that blocked all forms of magic. Maybe, just maybe, the ring’s magic would be enough on its own.

It was worth a try.

Astoria went to the table and opened its drawers, looking for something she could use to send Cyrus a warning message. Nothing. She looked around the room. Nothing other than the furniture met her eyes.

Suppressing a groan, she was about to sit back when she felt the urge to look under the bed. There was not enough light in the room, so Astoria put her chained hands out and felt.

Her fingers brushed a cool, solid object.

She crawled inward, swatting at the cobwebs that touched her face, and reached for the object. It was a box. She pulled it towards her but paused as it made a not-so-subtle screech against the wooden floor. What if the wizard or anyone guarding her was below? From the viewpoint of the window, Astoria figured she was upstairs. She didn’t want to push her only luck.

After a few minutes of trying that gnawed at her patience, Astoria finally got the box out. It was surprisingly unlocked, and it better have something useful after the effort she put in.

She opened the box. A watercolor palette greeted her, sitting on top of what seemed like a stack of papers. She nearly sagged in relief. If she couldn’t find an enchanted quill, she would write with the paint instead.

Astoria set the palette aside and grabbed the first sheet. To her surprise, it had a drawing on the other side; a beautiful landscape. She set it aside and reached for the next. It was another drawing. She reached for the next and the next, but they all turned out to be the possessions of a passionate, talented artist.

Astoria wondered who they belonged to. Probably not Orion; he didn’t fit the vision of an artist of something so pure and beautiful.

But Astoria had no time to mull over it. Feeling slightly guilty for using one of the drawings, she chose a less-grand one—the landscape, but it was still beautiful—and picked up the pencil from the bottom of the box to write her message on its back.

My dearest Cyrus,

I have been taken. I don’t know where I’m being kept, but I found this pencil and a stack of drawings I could use to write to you. They are using me as bait. Rowan is a traitor. He has dark magic. The rebels look up to him. Draken needs you, Cyrus. I want you to fight. Don’t abandon your efforts on my behalf. They won’t hurt me. Remember, no matter how dark the night is, dawn always comes. And with it, I will return to you.

—Love, Astoria

Astoria read over her words. This would have to do. There was more she wanted to write, but she would deliver it in person. For now, she wanted him to fight for Draken. For the lost mother and sister he was trying to protect.

She folded the paper and closed her eyes. She focused on Cyrus; if possible, she wanted to send the letter beneath his head on the pillow so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands.

If she succeeded in sending, that was.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Before she could even move, the door flung open.

Wizard Orion stood in the doorway, his narrowed eyes on her.

Astoria gulped. Not breaking eye contact with him, she tried to push the letter from her hand behind the box when she realized her hands were empty.

She glanced down in disbelief. The letter was nowhere in sight. It worked. She refrained from sighing in relief and snapped her eyes back to the wizard.

Schooling her features, Astoria narrowed her eyes right back. “Mind explaining whose possessions I just happened to find?”