Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

T erena had refused riding with Daris Antonius or any of his men, insisting on taking Nyx instead. She rode with Sonah sitting behind her, her thin arms wrapped tight around Terena’s waist. The commander rode at her side, his men flanking them.

He had tried several times to engage her in conversation but she’d ignored him. She could feel his frustration by the way he sat stiffly on his stallion, his jaw tight and his brow furrowed as he gazed straight ahead.

Long hours of drinking and then fighting that witch and her men with little sleep left Terena agitated and twitchy. A fierce headache throbbed behind her eyes. She cursed Daris Antonius as she cast death looks at his back.

Why hadn’t he approached her last night? Or even at the tavern when she and Rydon were having dinner?

It was as if he’d calculated the moment she was most vulnerable to come for her.

They wound their way up steep streets toward Arestia Castle, and Terena looked up, marveling again at the spires piercing the sky and blending seamlessly, matching the jagged stone of the mountain it was built into. A waterfall fell on the left, creating a veil of mist to hide all but the outline of the left side of the castle. On the far right, closer to the bottom, was a stunning glass and gold-framed structure that, at that time of morning, reflected light refracting in the mist from the falls.

It looked to Terena like a castle the gods themselves might live in.

If she hadn’t an asshole of a hangover, she’d have enjoyed the view more.

As they neared a large arched gate leading up to the castle, the commander called a halt and he and his men dismounted. Frowning, Terena watched them a moment before Daris Antonius held out his hand to her.

“What?”

“We walk from here,” he said, his face placid.

Terena balked, once more looking up at the castle. “You’re serious?”

He did not respond. With a grunt of frustration, Terena sprang down from her horse. She reached up to help Sonah, but the girl dismounted clumsily on her own, with only a hand at her back from Terena to steady her.

Terena eyed the commander warily as she once more took hold of Sonah’s hand, watching as one of his men came and took Nyx’s reins. Daris Antonius motioned for her to follow.

The gates opened to reveal wide steps branching off; one led away from the castle and into a cave where some of the Liodari led the horses.

“We’re walking?” Terena scoffed and lifted a hand. “All the way up there?”

The commander didn’t stop walking as he turned to glance at her over his shoulder. “Aye.”

Terena smothered a curse. Narrowing her eyes at the commander’s back, she fumed. “And this could not wait until later in the day?”

No response. Terena stopped walking and folded her arms. Sonah stopped by her side as well but looked over at her with apprehension.

“Terena, perhaps?—”

“You did this on purpose,” Terena spat at the commander’s back.

He stopped. A few seconds later he turned to face her, his back stiff.

“We are on the king’s schedule,” the commander said. “And that is why you are here now.”

“He is not my king,” Terena said quietly.

The other Liodari had stopped as well, regarding the two of them in this standoff. At her words, they put their hands on the hilts of their swords and waited.

Terena smiled.

The look the commander gave her was somewhere between exasperation and anger. She quite enjoyed it.

“You are in Sparta now,” the commander said as he walked toward her. “He is your king now as much as mine.”

“And you’d bet your life on that?”

The sounds of swords leaving their scabbards filled the air. A buzzing burn coursed through her skin and she welcomed it this time.

She was sick of being at the whim of men.

“Please!” Sonah shouted, lurching between Terena and the commander. Terena’s eyes widened in alarm. “Please, stay your swords! We will come!”

She turned beseeching eyes to Terena. Sonah stepped closer and whispered, “We need to see him either way. Why are you being like this?”

Terena shut her eyes and counted to five. When she opened them again, she shot a look at the commander over Sonah’s shoulder. “Because I had a horrible night, Sonah, and I’ve barely slept. I’m hungover and I’ve got a lot on my mind and the last thing I needed was to be dragged before the king by this overbearing?—”

“Terena,” Sonah begged, laying her hands on Terena’s shoulders. “The only way we get out of here with whatever he has that’s yours, is by seeing the king. We can leave directly after, if that is your wish. But you said it yourself. We need to see him. Come,” she added, grabbing hold of Terena’s hand. “We’ll walk together.”

Terena stood still a few seconds more, then walked. As she passed the commander, she shot him a venomous look .

She didn’t miss the grateful look he shot at Sonah.

Two Liodari preceded them up the other path winding around and up toward the main entrance: a large, curved entry surrounded by stone pillars.

Before they entered, Terena was disarmed, forced to remove her sword belt and daggers. She stared mutinously at Daris Antonius as she did so.

The doors opened as if by their proximity alone and Sonah’s other hand settled over their clasped hands. The commander strode forward, no longer worried about whether they’d follow. They had nowhere else to go.

The foyer was as grand as she’d expected, with gleaming marble floors and a high, domed glass ceiling. There were courtiers, nobles, merchants and servants all milling about or—in the case of the servants—remaining as unobtrusive as they could while going about their duties.

Terena turned back to the commander as he made his way to the left and down a series of wide hallways filled with more people, then right to a set of doors guarded by four men wearing uniforms different from the Liodari.

Armored in bronze and leather, with red and gold capes and helmets bearing red plumes, Terena eyed the guards warily as Daris Antonius strode forward.

They did not bother to glance at Terena and Sonah. Without a word, the men on either side of the doorway reached out, opening the heavy gilt doors. The commander marched through. Terena hesitated a moment before following him inside.

The room was large and windowless. Two walls on either side looked to be whitewashed stone adorned with tapestries and paintings. The back of the room was rounded, and it was there the king’s throne sat at the center of a large marble dais. Two guards flanked King Altos with two more at the foot of the dais.

King Altos sat forward, one arm resting on the side with his chin propped on his hand as he watched their progress through the room.

Terena had a moment’s surprise as they neared. The king was younger than she’d expected, around the commander’s age, with a short beard complementing his full lips and firm jaw. He wore his brown hair short like the Liodari and had bright brown eyes, watching her with curiosity.

The commander motioned for Terena to stop while he continued on, pausing before the king to bow, then turned and clasped his hands behind him, his back stiff as he looked at the space behind Terena and Sonah.

Terena did not bow.

The silence gathered while Terena stared back at the king, her face hard. She hoped he saw her displeasure. She also wondered what he’d heard about her. Terena assumed he’d heard the rumors of her being a god. His enemy had, after all, arrested her and had been about to execute her, not only for the Crown Prince’s murder, but for being a god.

“I thought you’d be taller,” the king said at last, his voice unnaturally loud in the cavernous chamber.

Terena cocked her head and narrowed her eyes.

“And older,” he mused, seeming unbothered by her silence.

He rose abruptly, taking the two steps off the dais and sauntering over to stop a foot away from her and Sonah. Terena saw the commander shift and look at her. She slid her gaze back to the king.

King Altos pursed his lips, his eyes searching her face before turning to Sonah.

“You must be Prince Lerek’s Royal Taster,” he said, and Terena stiffened. She saw Sonah’s lips part and Terena squeezed her hand, hoping she’d keep quiet. She did, a tremor passing through her at the king’s regard.

“Do neither of you speak?” The king asked in a light tone with a slight lift of his lips.

“You have something of mine,” Terena replied. Her voice was harsher than she’d intended and she cursed herself for showing any emotion.

Intelligent brown eyes turned to her in triumph. “Do I? ”

Terena gave herself a few seconds before she lifted her lips in a mock smile. “I’d like it back.”

King Altos regarded her for a long moment, his handsome face pensive, before he tipped his head and clicked his tongue. “I’ll be honest,” he said, pacing away from her, “I expected… more. When word reached us of your treason, how you’d attacked the princes, killing one and almost killing the other, I thought, ‘this must be the most cunning of assassins’.” He clicked his tongue again, moving back to his throne.

He sighed when he sat. “I admit to being disappointed.” He motioned to the guards closest to Terena, and they strode forward. She moved, intent on shielding Sonah, and failed.

Two guards held her while another grabbed Sonah’s arm. Terena struggled against the guards, her blood roaring in her ears as she cast a desperate look at Daris Antonius.

Sonah screamed and thrashed, calling out Terena’s name.

“You’re making a big mistake,” she said, jerking again at the hold the guards had on her.

The king lifted his hand and the guards moved away from her. Terena shot a look first at the commander, then silently to the king at his back. Her eyes filled with rage.

“Insurance, if you will,” the king said, almost bored. Sonah stood shaking at his side.

“For what?” Terena ground out.

“Compliance.”

Terena waited.

“You came here looking for something,” the king said a moment later, his shrewd eyes narrowed as he waved a hand to her. “But I need something as well. I can, of course, simply use the… what you came for, as assurance, but I’m inclined to think you might find a way around that, so… here we are.”

“Speak plain.”

He laughed, and she saw the guards shift. Terena knew speaking like that to the king—any king—would likely earn her a physical rebuke but she was beyond caring at that point. The man had her sister as a hostage.

He clearly had no idea who he was dealing with.

“All right,” he said with a heavy sigh, resting his chin in his hand once more. “I’ll speak plain. Do you know the story of Bethana and Melanos?”

Terena blinked in confusion. After a few seconds of silence, she nodded. “The myth of the demigod and his lover. Poseidon killed him and turned the woman into a serpent. Aye. I know it.”

“Good. I don’t need to explain then.” He shifted, lacing his fingers together while his arms rested on the sides of his throne and shrugged.

“I need you to find Bethana and bring me her fangs.”

Sonah watched Terena. Her face slackened at the king’s words.

“What?”

The king turned out his laced fingers and looked at her expectantly. “Too much?”

Terena scoffed. She glanced at the commander, then back at the king as if he were mad. “You asking me to bring back fangs from a mythical sea serpent? Aye. I’d say that’s a bit much.”

King Altos grinned. “You know, I am starting to like you,” he said offhandedly. “I’m still going to need you to get me those fangs, though. If you want me to give you what you came for. Oh, and the Royal Taster, of course.”

Terena’s face reddened, her lips pursed in a way Sonah knew did not bode well for the king. Sonah tried to take a step, but the guard on her left tightened his grip until it hurt. As if sensing her pain, Terena’s eyes shot to her.

“Stay your men,” she seethed, “or this will not end well for them. Or you.”

The guards all unsheathed their swords; even the commander had his hand on the hilt of his as he watched Terena .

Sonah swallowed.

The king lost his smile that quickly. He shot up from his throne. “How dare you? I’ve indulged your rudeness because I need your cooperation, but I can force your compliance, with or without Sonah Yahn. And if you persist, I will make sure you never see the Twins.”

Sonah started. The twins?

“You don’t want to do this,” Terena said, her tone almost pleading. She looked between Sonah and the king and raised her left hand, as if to placate him. “I don’t want to hurt you. Just give me what I want. Let go of my… friend, and I’ll leave your city today.”

The king’s mouth dropped open, staring at Terena in disbelief. He turned his head and shared a look with the guard holding Sonah. She gaped, her eyes wild, and locked on Terena as the guard put a blade to her throat.

Clearly, this man had a death wish.

Terena’s eyes and face went blank as she stared at King Altos.

Sonah chanced a look at the king and swallowed when he smirked in triumph.

Then his face flattened. He grabbed for his neck, his hands clawing at the skin there. Sonah’s mouth dropped open and her eyes flew to Terena. She stood with her left hand up, fingers arced as if she were gripping something, her face so cold, it chilled Sonah deep in her bones.

Daris Antonius swore.

Steel rang out as he unsheathed his sword. The guards all yelled at Terena, threatening and cursing. Daris looked at the king and yelled for Terena to stop. Sonah almost felt bad for him.

“I warned you,” Terena said, her voice sharp and without emotion. She ignored Daris as he took another step toward her.

“I dare you,” she whispered to Daris when he stepped in front of her. Sonah saw the way her lips trembled as she stared down the commander. The king’s face was turning purple and his eyes bulged. He flailed his left arm, turning his head enough to look at the guard holding Sonah, and the man lowered his dagger and stepped away.

Sonah stepped off the dais .

Daris raised his sword at Terena. “Don’t do this, Terena,” he said, his voice pleading. The scars on his left cheek and ear were stark white against his tanned skin. “Please.”

Sonah thought she might ignore him. Then Terena dropped her arm and the king fell to the dais. Guards moved within two feet of Terena, swords lifted. Terena continued to stare at the king, who had gotten to one knee as he took deep gulps of air.

Daris turned back to Terena and, though he was still angry, there was something else in his expression Sonah thought looked much like how Lady Tollis had stared at Prince Lerek when she thought no one was watching.

With longing.

“The rumors were true,” King Altos whispered, staring at Terena in awe.

Rising to his full height, the king’s face still showed traces of red as he rubbed the sore flesh of his neck. It was so awkwardly quiet in the room, the pressure moved Sonah to break it.

“Your Majesty,” Sonah said in a voice she thought was soft but, in that room and with the quiet so loud you could hear a mouse scurry, she winced at how loud—and meek—she sounded.

All eyes turned to her. She blushed and cleared her throat to try again. “Your Majesty,” she said in a stronger tone, “Please, if I may suggest a… solution, to this stalemate?”

The king turned his head to her. After a long moment, he nodded.

“I will stay with you?—”

“Sonah!”

Sonah held up her hand to Terena, pleading with her eyes before she turned back to the king. “I will stay with you while Terena goes to look for this… Bethana?”

“Sonah,” Terena begged.

King Altos did not reply. Instead, he continued to regard her silently. She took that as permission to say more.

She clutched her hands together and took a step toward him, only to freeze when she heard movement behind her. Sonah’s chin trembled. Hated the show of weakness in front of everyone .

“In the meantime,” Sonah went on with a lift of her chin as she straightened, “You give Terena what she came for.”

The king looked as if he might protest, but Sonah hurried to forestall him. “I’ll still be here, as a guarantee Terena will return. She’ll come back with your… teeth. Or whatever. She’ll come back for me.”

King Altos stared at her as the color returned to normal in his complexion, the olive skin only slightly red in the cheeks. Sonah waited, holding her breath, not daring to look at Terena.

“No,” Terena groaned, defeated. She ducked her head and Sonah winced against the stab of guilt.

But she had no choice. She would do this to save her sister.

At last, the king shifted his eyes to Terena, then back to Sonah. “And why should she do so if she has what she’s come to Sparta to retrieve? I understand from Commander Antonius you are friends, but even friendship has limitations.”

Sonah saw Terena take a step forward, as if she knew what Sonah was about to do.

“You’re right to be cautious,” Sonah said, her voice strong. “You don’t know her, and you’ve only my word for it, but she will come back for me. As she would come back for any of her friends.”

“I cannot?—”

“But she would definitely come back for her sister.”