Page 9 of Son of the Drowned Empire

Chapter Eight

“ Y our Grace, Lord Rhyan Hart, Heir Apparent to the Arkasva, High Lord of Glemaria, Imperator to the North,” Arkturion Aemon said graciously. He spoke lightly, but his face was stern and tired. His aura was sweeping out, probing, and full of dark shadows. I’d never seen anyone with the power to darken the night, but Aemon was one of the most powerful soturi in Lumeria.

“You’re quite some distance from the south of the Empire,” I said, trying to remain calm, to keep my aura close to my body. But I was overwhelmed with thoughts of seeing her, of talking to her, of—Gods—just her. He’d been in her country. He’d seen her, spoken to her, breathed in the same air she had, seen the same sky, and drank from the same source of water.

But before me now was just Aemon and some of the Soturi of Ka Batavia accompanying him.

Still, I looked, my eyes straining in the dark across the border, for any hints of noble companions. None of the ladies of Ka Batavia were with him—they wouldn’t have any reason to be here—but still, I stared beyond him, searching for more blue lights to appear in the sky. For a Bamarian seraphim to descend. For curvy legs wrapped in delicate golden sandals to emerge from a blue-jeweled carriage.

My heart sank though my mind had known the truth long before. She wasn’t here. Heirs who were third in line to the Seat of Power didn’t attend state visits. And that was for the best. She’d be in danger the moment her foot touched Glemarian soil.

Aemon laughed and took an exaggeratedly deep breath, inhaling the pine of our woods before tugging his red cloak closer across his shoulder. “I’m about as far north as I could go—at least if I want to avoid the Night Lands.” He winked and stepped forward, bowing before me again. “Thank you, Your Grace, Lord Rhyan, for welcoming me. I received word that this was quite an unusual request.”

I shrugged. “I believe Arkturion Kane was hoping to greet you personally. He is a great admirer of yours,” I said cordially.

“And I of him.”

Behind Aemon, several more soturi dismounted, wearing the golden armor of Ka Batavia, the shoulders sharpened into seraphim wings. Their cloaks were the traditional green all soturi wore, making them difficult to see until they came into the center of the torchlight. The cloaks were able to camouflage the wearer when out in nature, but they were still a big step from true invisibility if one was paying attention. Allegedly, only Ka Shavo in Bamaria had true invisibility magic, though our Spymaster’s glamour skills came close.

“I shall be very happy to speak to Arkturion Kane,” Aemon continued. “It’s been too long since our last meeting. But I must admit, I have come to Glemaria in order to speak with you.”

I narrowed my gaze in confusion but quickly recovered and offered a perfect Heir Apparent smile. “I am honored. How may I serve you, Arkturion”

His shadows stilled. “I heard word of the akadim attack here on Auriel’s Feast Day. We all have.” His voice lowered, growing more serious. “The reports we’ve been receiving these last several months have been, well, rather troubling, to say the least. Akadim numbers seem to be increasing rapidly. And perhaps of greatest concern to me and Bamaria, is that they are being reported more frequently down south. The North has held back the threat for far longer than my region, something I’ve always respected. But it has also suffered its losses, as has the South when the beasts make their way down in winter.”

I nodded, unsure how this explained Aemon’s interest in speaking to me. Akadim attacked all the time around here.

His eyebrow lifted in understanding as if he sensed my confusion. “I heard a rumor that you fought several of the akadim that night, and you not only lived to tell the tale but walked away almost completely unharmed.”

My throat tightened. I’d been harmed. Just not by akadim.

“That sounds far more heroic than what I remember.”

“More heroic than you might yet realize. Very few could escape an akadim that’s intent on attacking them, and yet you did. That’s why I requested to speak with you,” Aemon continued. “I need to learn all I can and bring this back to those training in my own Soturion Academy. If the threat continues to spread south and as quickly as the numbers are suggesting, I want my soturi prepared.”

I wanted that, too. I wanted Bamaria’s soturi and the South to be ready; I wanted Lyr protected. “I would be honored to assist you. But I must admit, I didn’t face the beasts for long. Arkturion Kane killed two that night, and he may be of greater assistance.”

Aemon nodded dismissively. “An anointed soturion is expected to do so. And I know something of the strength your arkturion possesses. But he also has years of experience to inform him. If my Academy students were to be caught unawares as you were, if our borders, Gods forbid, were breached, I want to make sure my soturi, especially my novices and apprentices, are best able to survive. I, of course, can teach them all I know, but I believe there’s a difference between hearing about survival from someone in your boat rather than someone who has sailed farther and maybe forgotten what it’s like to be at the journey’s start.”

“That’s wise of you,” I said.

“You don’t have to compliment me. It’s logical. You did something great that night, whether you’re aware of it or not, and I have questions.”

I nodded.

“Now, I hear I’ve pulled you from a habibellum,” he said.

“We were well finished by the time I was informed of your visit,” I said carefully. “Either way, it is an honor to greet you.”

His dark eyes flicked up and down, assessing me, something almost suspicious in his eyes. “A habibellum, after a full day of training, all before you came to the border by gryphon, and still, you aren’t showing an ounce of fatigue.”

I smiled. “Thank you. But it is all an act, I can assure you.”

Aemon tilted his head to the side, his look casual, but his energy had darkened. “If you say so, but I knew when I last saw you in Bamaria you’d become a powerful soturion. You may be full of energy still, but I think I will have my soturi find their rooms at Seathorne before we speak further. It’s been a long journey for them. And then, I would like to hear every detail of the attack when I’m fully awake.”

Every detail. Including how I’d escaped and why I hadn’t spoken a word about that night since.

“My friend, Soturion Garrett Aravain,” I said quickly, “he should be there, too. He’s another novice in my year, and he killed one of the five. Were it not for him, well…” I looked away.

“Ka Aravain?” he asked.

I detected a note of interest in his aura, but then it seemed to vanish. “Yes. His father is Turion Efraim.”

Aemon’s eyes flashed. “The son of Kane’s Second? Bring him then. Tomorrow?”

“Yes. I will arrange that. He’d be honored to speak with you. He has long admired you.”

“Well, I thank you for that. Are you also bound for Seathorne?” he asked.

“No.” I lied. “Back to the Academy tonight.”

“Good. Thank you again for the greeting.”

“It was my pleasure,” I said, glancing once more behind him, some part of me refusing to accept reality and stop looking for her.

Aemon bowed. “I nearly forgot. How long has it been, Your Grace, since your last stay in Bamaria?”

I stiffened, drawing my gaze back to Aemon’s. “Two years, Arkturion.”

“Too long.” Aemon gestured to his soturi, patting the back of his ashvan. “Aditi, tovayah, tovayah ,” he said, before grabbing the reins and swinging himself back up onto her saddle.

Gods. I wanted to ask about Lyriana. If she was all right. If she was… happy. Her scent, her taste, the calm way she’d spoken as she’d drowned in my nightmares, it was all still haunting me a month later. But I couldn’t think of what to reasonably say or ask, not without giving everything away. Forcing myself to let it go, I waved Aemon off, leaving him to his Glemarian escort. It had to be enough to know she was alive and safe. We’d have received word if it were otherwise.

The wind picked up, a cold rush blasting against my hair as I retreated to my gryphon, stroking his head and ordering him back to the Academy as the ashvans’ blue lights lit up the sky. I had to find Garrett.

An hour after Aemon’s arrival, I was pounding on his and Dario’s apartment door.

“Garrett!” I yelled. “It’s me.”

The door swung open, and I found Kenna standing on the threshold, Dario’s arm around her. His black curls thrown into a haphazard bun on top of his head.

“Kenna?” I asked.

Dario lifted a dark eyebrow. “Why don’t you come in, Your Grace ?”

I narrowed my eyes. “What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?” he sneered. “What’s going on is Kenna’s father asked you and you alone to stay after training, then decided after said meeting to take his anger out, and then you vanished for hours without word, and now you’re here demanding entry into our home after midnight. Why don’t you come in and tell us what’s going on?”

I stepped inside and slammed the door behind me. “Nothing is going on.”

Kenna’s eyes darkened, her nostrils flaring in anger, and only then did I see the slight purple bruising in the shape of a hand around her neck.

I pushed Dario off her, wrapping my arms around her waist. “What happened? Did he touch you?” I asked, my voice low. I knew exactly what kind of man Kane was. I’d always suspected, but never seen the proof right in front of me. I’d deluded myself into thinking she was safe, that she wasn’t suffering like the others he came across.

Kenna blinked several times, her shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths before she pursed her lips together and held my gaze. Fury burned behind her eyes.

It was all the confirmation I needed. I tightened my hold on her. “Ken, I’m sorry.”

“For the rest of the class!” Dario said. He gave me a pointed look and held up an icepack, one that was already half-warmed. Shaking his head in disgust, Dario pointed to the spot where it had been on Kenna.

I could almost read Dario’s mind. It’s not always about you. I’m taking care of her, too.

“Well?” he asked. “What business did you and our illustrious arkturion get into that left him in such a foul fucking mood?” He glared at Kenna’s neck as if it were my fault she’d been hurt.

Maybe it was… My stomach sank.

Taking a deep breath, I said, “I was asked to greet Arkturion Aemon from Bamaria.” I rubbed my hand up and down her back, gently pressing the icepack over her skin. She hissed at the sudden cold, her shoulder flinching before she relaxed in my arms.

“The Ready?” asked Dario.

I nodded.

“Why you?” Kenna asked. “Not that,” she shook her head, “not that you don’t deserve to be asked. But why wouldn’t my father go to the border?” Her hands clenched at her sides. “Or Garrett’s?”

I looked beyond her and found Garrett watching me carefully. He was sitting on the couch, his legs propped up on Aiden’s lap, a mug of beer in his hand. There was an underlying tension brewing between the two of them, like they were trying to give Kenna some privacy, but I knew better. They were both incredibly invested in what was happening. And Garrett, in particular, was trying to keep his emotions under control. His free hand grasped Aiden’s. He looked like he was holding on for dear life. Only I knew the truth. He was. With his emotions heightened like this, he was close to traveling. Aiden was literally keeping him in place.

“Because,” I said pointedly, “he came to learn more about the akadim attack last month. Specifically wanted to speak to me and Garrett about what it was like fighting and surviving as novices.”

Garrett stiffened at this and sat up, swinging his legs to the floor. “He came to speak to us?”

“Yes,” I said. “I wanted to let you know right away. He’s planning to interview us tomorrow.”

There was a flush to Garrett’s aura, a nervous burst of energy and fear. I felt my back flare with heat, the mark of our blood oath suddenly alive and full of warning. For a month I’d kept his secret. For a month he’d kept mine.

Aiden took Garrett’s hand into his lap. “Don’t be nervous, it’s an honor he wants to speak with you.”

Garrett nodded slowly, still pale.

“No one cares about the origin of your Ka,” Aiden said, taking his nerves to be about his status as a noble. “Your father’s Second. And you’re a hero.”

“Some of us were saving lives in other ways,” Dario said.

“Some of us were too drunk to do otherwise,” Aiden quipped.

“And you could have done better, mage-boy!”

“Hey!” I released Kenna to step before Dario. “Relax! You did your part, too. And it was incredibly important. What’s gotten into you tonight?”

“Nothing. Nothing I’m allowed to be let in on, at least.” His aura flared, dark and shadowy. “Fuck this. I’m going to bed. And I’m sleeping in my room tonight.” Dario glared at Aiden and Garrett over his shoulder before turning his ire on me and Kenna. “She was fine,” he hissed. “She came to me, and I had it under control while you weren’t here, while you were out pissing off arkturi.”

“I didn’t ask to be…” I exhaled sharply, not wanting to fight anymore. “Thank you,” I said. “For taking care of her.”

Dario sneered. “I didn’t fucking do it for you.”

“Dario. Rhy,” Kenna said, moving between us. “Please. Don’t.”

“It’s okay.” I squeezed her hand before eyeing Dario. He got like this when he was drunk—belligerent, mean. But he seemed completely sober. We’d been fine earlier before I’d left to meet Aemon. I knew it wasn’t jealousy. But something had pissed him off since I’d last seen him. “If you’re mad at me, Dario, just spit it out.”

“Maybe if you’d fucking let me in and help you, I would.”

My throat went dry. “Help me with what?”

His eyes fell down my torso and rose back to my face. “You know Godsdamned well what.”

My skin went cold. “Do I?” My voice shook. Was he finally going to say something, admit he knew what my father—his Arkasva, his Imperator—was doing to me? To my mother? I’d waited so fucking long for him to speak up. For him to push past my lies, to ask me what was wrong, to fight me for the truth—just one more fucking time. Gods, it had been years that I’d been his best friend, and still I was alone, waiting. Always waiting.

I glared at him when he didn’t respond.

C ome on, just ask. Just do it! Fucking do it! Tell me you know the truth. You see it. Feel it! Tell me our friendship is real. Tell me what exists between us is stronger than my father’s rule.

But Dario remained silent.

And I knew then, I’d continue waiting. I wasn’t just some man, and neither was Dario. I was the Heir Apparent, and Dario’s father was Master of Peace, our best friend the son of the Glemarian Turion, and my…lover…daughter of the arkturion. We were all destined to rule on the Glemarian Council in some capacity one day, and the idea of saying that the Arkasva and Imperator was a monster was treasonous and dangerous. Especially for every person in this room.

Garrett came between us, his hand on Dario’s shoulder, a small shake of his head. Then, his eyes met mine, and my stomach dropped. I felt laid bare, and somehow completely invisible.

Dario’s face fell, whatever courage he’d pooled together fading. “Just… keep icing her neck. And she’ll need an icepack for her arm, too,” he said with a cough and stepped back.

My eyes watered, but I blinked back the tears, looking past him to Garrett. “Meet me at sunrise. We’ll go meet the arkturion together.”

He nodded seriously, his eyes drooping before he sat back on the couch with an angry-looking Aiden.

Dario reached for his own mug of beer back on the coffee table. “Rhyan,” he said quietly, almost apologetically, but then he shook his head, taking a long sip.

He only tipped back his drink, chugging the beer, his throat working until he slammed his mug on the coffee table, pulled the tie from his hair, and retreated to his room.

Garrett’s gaze found mine again, and my hands trembled at my side, then I nodded, swallowing everything back.

I threaded my fingers through Kenna’s, my thumb rubbing over her knuckles. “We’ll go to my apartment. I’ll take care of you.”

Bowen and one of Kenna’s escorts walked behind us to my front door. I’d spent so few nights here lately that the room was freezing. It had been ages since it had been heated, and that had been before the temperature drop. Kenna shivered.

“I’ll start a fire,” I said.

“No need.” She’d already withdrawn her stave from her belt. Blue light flared at the tip seconds before my fireplace burst to life, and heat, gloriously warm and soothing, moved in waves across the room to reach us.

“Thanks.” I unbuckled my armor, pulling the leathers from my chest and shoulders. “Can I see where you’re hurt?”

Kenna looked away, replacing her stave in its scabbard and hugging her arms to her chest.

“It’s okay.” I coughed, imagining the roles were reversed, imagining that for once I’d been found bruised, for once, I was being cared for. That Dario had continued, that Garrett hadn’t stopped him. What did I want to hear? What did I need to hear?

I stepped closer, and gently took her chin, turning her face toward me. “You didn’t do anything wrong. He shouldn’t have hurt you.”

Her eyes reddened, flicking to me and away again. “I know.” There was a bitter edge to her aura.

“Doesn’t make it any easier knowing though,” I said quietly.

“No.”

“You’re safe tonight. You’re safe with me. Is it okay… I mean, can I take care of you?”

“Dario would have,” she said, her voice defiant.

“You blame me?” I asked.

She was still for a long moment, the only sound in my apartment the fire crackling. Another sharp gust of wind blew against the windowpanes, rattling the curtains. It seemed enough to pull her out of her spell, and she turned. “I don’t. I know who did this.”

Her father. Arkturion Kane. Because I’d been asked to greet Aemon and not him. Fucking petty bastard. The backs of my eyes burned. Even when I did nothing, the people I most cared about were still hurt on my behalf.

I bit the inner corner of my cheek, trying to remain calm.

She was still holding herself, closed in.

“Kenna,” I said, moving my palm down her arm. “I want to take care of you. But if you’d feel safer or better with Dario, it’s okay. We can go back. I won’t be upset. I swear. I just want you to feel better. Whatever it takes.”

Biting her lip, she stepped toward me. “I know. I did want to go with you. Despite…” She waved her hand between us. “Well, I know our situation is,” she laughed uneasily, “a situation. But you always make me feel safe. That’s why I came to you. After the attack.”

My eyes searched hers. “I screwed everything up that night. I’m sorry.”

“No. You didn’t. You just…confused me.” She looked away.

“I got scared. I… I care about you. So much. I wasn’t expecting to. And I can’t tell you how important that is to me, or how scary it feels.”

She shook her head, her eyebrows furrowed. “We don’t need to discuss that now.”

“Okay.” I pushed her hair off her shoulder, taking a closer look at her neck. Clear outlines of thick fingermarks painted her otherwise pale skin. Kane had choked her. And Dario had mentioned her arm.

She followed my gaze down her elbow, which she was holding funny. “He’s not touched me in a long while. Not since me and you. But he lost it tonight.” She sniffled. “He looked possessed by Moriel.”

“Can I take this off?” I asked, my finger slipping inside the collar of her dress. “So we can ice your arm?”

“I’ll do it,” she said, pulling her sleeve down her shoulder, rolling her gown to her waist. I tried to hide my gasp. The bruise was far worse than I’d thought. The fucker had to have squeezed her with a death grip. Soturi had the strength of five mages. Kenna hadn’t stood a chance.

“Is there anywhere else he hurt you?” I tried to keep my voice even. To remain calm. But a fury was building inside me. I wanted to track down Kane and strangle him with my own two hands. And I wanted to smack Dario. He fucking knew there was more. And he knew about me. And still, he was saying nothing. Acting like a gryphon-shit asshole and leaving me to clean up all of our messes.

Kenna’s eyes fell to her feet. “No.”

“Ken, you can tell me.”

“I know I can.” Her voice rose. “But I don’t want to.”

I closed my eyes, understanding. I hadn’t let her in that morning after my nightmare, or even that night with what had truly happened. A twisting in my gut reminded me that this was as close as we were ever going to be—as I was ever going to be with anyone for the rest of my life.

That didn’t matter now. I just needed to make her feel better. To get her through this.

“Would a warm bath help?” I asked.

She nodded.

“I’ll make it happen.”

I had Bowen arrange transport for us to the Katurium where my escort team stood guard outside the bathing room as Kenna soaked. She let me climb into the pool with her, massage her shoulders, and wash her hair. We sat there a long while in the heat until she announced she was done and let me wrap her in a towel. I didn’t say a word when I spotted the bruises on her backside, the ones she was unwilling to discuss. And then when she was warm and dry and her eyes finally drooping with sleep, we returned to my apartment to go to bed. This time, we didn’t touch.

Instead, I lay awake, watching her breathe, unsure what to do. I’d found a way to protect Lyr. I knew what the cost would be to continue protecting my mother.

But I was lost with Kenna.