Page 42

CHAPTER 41

L UX’S BACK FACED ME . He stood like a pompous peacock behind Papá’s lectern on the balcony that overlooked Giddel. A red-haired man in uniform amplified Lux’s voice by placing his hand, palm up, in front of Lux’s chest.

“Good soldiers of Pedroz and Himzo, I declare our victory over Giddel.”

Cheers erupted from the crowd below. I shuddered. Though I couldn’t see who gathered because of how far back I stood, I heard the echo of gruff voices—a multitude of soldiers.

Lux pointed out to sea. Ships floated to the port, flying the green and blue flag of Giddel. “When King Ezer of Giddel arrives, he will bow to my will because he cannot touch me. He will not force his will on me like he does everyone else.”

He spoke only of Papá like Cosme didn’t exist. A bolt of dread struck my heart, realizing that Cosme and the Dotados could be dead. But Cosme had disappeared on secret expeditions many times before. I hope he makes it back soon . His power could send a spear straight through Lux’s haughty heart.

Lux glanced over his shoulder and tilted his cocky chin high. He extended a hand out to the crowd below. “People of Giddel, remain under my rule, and you will see just how much this region will bloom, aligning ourselves with Himzo. Aldrin takes our side. Akkub takes our side. Uzen takes our side. All others will join us in their own time.”

The ropes chafed my ankles and wrists. When did all these kingdoms meet to betray us? Had we been so blind? Cosme and Lucas must have had a clue with all the wards disappearing.

Lux looked over his shoulder with a contemptuous smile. “Your father has arrived.”

I lifted to the balls of my feet, trying to see the shoreline. It didn’t help. What will Lux do next?

“Prince Lux of Pedroz, I know you are up there.” Papá’s voice thundered through the air—someone amplified his words with their gift. “You will regret breaking our alliance. Leave now, and you may live—unlike your father, the former King of Pedroz.”

Lux yanked the cord around my wrists. I started to fall, but he caught me. “Release her feet,” he snapped at a soldier.

As the soldier sliced the bindings around my legs, I felt Lux’s pain seep into my senses through our skin contact and grip my heart. With so many violent emotions sloshing through him, he had to have understood Papá’s meaning all too well.

He set me upright, and our faces were only a breath away from each other. He still had those turquoise eyes, but they had grown dull and worn. His thin lips, which I had dreamed of kissing, now pinched with disdain. His glare swept over me as though I were a cockroach.

I should practice my gift on him and try to flick his pain into an agony. Could I physically harm him with my gift like I had the soldier? How had I done that?

Lux twisted me around before I could do anything. His roughness made it hard to concentrate. He pressed a dagger to my neck. “What say you to losing your daughter?” He spoke to the crowd as much as to Papá. “As I recall, you haven’t had a chance to see her since her trip with the Himzos.”

The words shrouded over me like the trees had in the Chupalma Forest.

“Good people of Giddel, she betrays you more than I.” Lux flourished toward Zichri. “Did she not spend her time away with you, a prince of Himzo?”

I fixed my gaze on Zichri in disbelief thathe would betray me less than a day after professing his love. His placid brown eyes examined my face before turning to the people below with a hardened set to his jaw. Zichri said, “Yes.”

This dug at my heart just as much as Lux’s betrayal. Why should Zichri lie about us being together this week? He told the truth. We hadn’t known each other long. His main allegiance was to Himzo, not to me. Dreaded tears burned as I held them back. I couldn’t let anyone see how his complicity hurt me.

“Face me like a king,” Papá demanded.

Lux widened his malevolent grin, satisfied with himself. “You may enter. If you use your gift on even a servant, I will push your daughter off this ledge, and then I will do the same to the queen.”

A deep-seated fury burned in my stomach. How could I have considered him a friend? His presence repulsed me. We waited in silence, a salty breeze whipping stray hair into my eyes.

I tried to concentrate like I had before, envisioning the sea, tentacles, anything, but everything distracted me. Voices in the crowd heckled Papá. Gonzalo cleared his throat, and Lux blinked more than usual. Blas tapped his boot and hummed a song we had sung many times on our trip together. The cords rubbed the skin on my wrists all wrong. How was Mamá holding up?

Boots scuffed within the room, followed by a soldier shouting, “The Lord of the Gifts!”

“All-powerful of Giddel, where is your sting?” Lux dragged me by the arm and entered the room to meet with Papá.

Every breath took effort. A force pushed on my spirit. Was this Lux’s gift or Papá’s? Stumbling to keep step with Lux, I remained docile so as not to incur wrath on myself in front of Papá.

“What do you want, Lux?” Papá marched up to Lux with hostility burning from his glare to the tips of his trimmed beard.

“You’ve come far enough, old man. Bow to me, and I will make your execution a quick one.”

I snapped my head toward Lux. It never occurred to me what he had planned for Papá. Footfalls gathered behind us. I snuck a look over my shoulder. Zichri and his men drew near like fawning subordinates ready to fight Lux’s battles. I twisted back toward Papá with my chin raised high. Those Himzos didn’t deserve even a glance.

“Oh son, you are weak,” Papá said. “Your reign will end poorly for you. All those in this room take note thatI said these words.” He lifted a brow, daring Lux to kill him on the spot.

Lux tightened his fingers around my bicep. He pointed the tip of his dagger at my neck. “Say it again, old man.”

Papá’s dark mustache twitched.

But Lux yelped in pain and released his grip. The dagger sliced into the flesh of my arm as it fell, and I screamed. Rivulets of blood trickled to my fingertips and splashed on the white marble. The sound of metal rang through the room. I whipped my head toward Lux, who arced his sword to strike Zichri, but Zichri parried the blow with his blade.

What just happened?

The air thinned, making it easier to breathe. I was certain Lux blocked our gifts from being used. Papá lifted his arms to each side of him, forcing the soldiers to stand against the walls like statues. Red anger raged out of his body. The clang of metal against metal filled the space. I stooped toward the forgotten dagger and sliced the cord wrapped around my wrists, hoping no one saw.

Lux glanced at his unblinking soldiers and lunged toward Papá. I shot to my feet when Blas and Gonzalo darted in front of Lux but froze mid-stride. Papá must have taken control. Lux wound his arm back for a killing blow to Blas, but Milo blocked it. Jaime appeared at my side, blade out and ready to defend.

Lux and Zichri continued to spar, moving toward the exit until they disappeared out the double doors.

“Why do you not help Zichri and end this fight now?” I turned to Jaime, but he was unmoving.

“Papá, these men are my friends. Let them help Zichri.”

But Papá kept his arms up while stepping toward me. “Dear Beatriz, you should not assume their friendship with you. This all may be a ploy to garner power for themselves.”

I hugged Papá tight, realizing that he could execute each man in this room without differentiating my Himzo friends from the enemy. “Please, Papá. You could do as you please with the rest of the men, but do not harm these four and Zichri, the one who fights Lux.” I placed a hand over Papá’s heart. My skin shone like a gold coin in the sunlight. Had it been happening this whole time? It wasn’t like when I made my oath or when I arrived in Giddel.

Papá’s loving eyes filled me with hope. “I will do as you say. Where is your mamá?”

“She fights in the bell tower. Soldiers lined up to attack her, but she makes all of them fall.”

Papá smiled with pride. “That’s my queen.”

“Should we get her?”

“I can’t move from this room unless you want all these soldiers after us.”

I considered for a moment. “Could you release these four Himzos? We can retrieve Mamá together.”

Father examined my Himzo friends under his dark brows, seeming unconvinced.

I tapped Papá’s heart, releasing the trust I felt for them.

Papá exhaled loudly. “Only because you ask.”

Jaime blinked, Blas shook his head, and Gonzalo grunted all at once.

“Thank you, Papá.” I flew to the doors. “Come now, good Himzos.”

Milo raced toward me without the slightest hesitation. All the other men followed close behind him. The corridor was empty, but clashing swords echoed through the corridor. No one had won yet.