Chapter Fifteen

Tanitha glared at the ornate goblet of water on the desk. Doing so failed to have any effect, but then, so had anything else so far. She grabbed the copy of The Song of Rivers from where it was lying atop several other scrolls strewn across the bed, scanning it with her brows knit together once more. Fires below, maybe she should just accept that she wasn't capable of manipulating water as an element. But… if she did, she was as good as resigning herself to death. Alethia had told her as much.

She dropped the scroll in frustration. What was she supposed to do? If she wasn't capable, she wasn't capable. There was no way to force an ability that one simply didn't have to manifest. Even death surges required some tenuous connection to the element in question. Granted, she was a soul-speaker, which meant she probably did have a tenuous connection. But it certainly didn't feel like it.

A knock sounded at the door. Acting on reflex, Tanitha shoved the scrolls from the bed so that they wouldn't be visible immediately upon entering the room, though a heartbeat later she felt foolish for this; the damage these scrolls presented had already been dealt. With a sigh, she gathered them up again and deposited them beside the abalone-inlaid goblet on the desk.

"Come in," she said, feigning composure, though she couldn't quite stifle a rise of trepidation as she turned to the door.

The door opened, revealing Prince Kaion. Behind him, to her astonishment, was Lithra.

Lithra looked pale and drawn, and perhaps a little thinner than the last time Tanitha had seen her, but nonetheless, her gaze lit up when she looked at Tanitha.

Tanitha's breath caught, and she tried to take a step forward, but her legs felt suddenly weak with relief, and she sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. Lithra rushed forward, catching her in a tight embrace, which Tanitha returned. She held her sister tight as Kaion entered, shutting the door firmly behind himself.

"What are you doing here?" Tanitha asked, holding Lithra slightly away from herself.

"That's my doing, I'm afraid," Prince Kaion said, before Lithra could answer. "I had to take her into custody before you arrived here."

Tanitha's heart lurched. "Custody?" she asked, turning back to Lithra.

"Yes," Lithra said. "Gods, Tanitha, I thought— I've been so frightened. I thought they were going to kill you. And then…" She glanced apprehensively over her shoulder at Kaion, who had taken a seat by the door, the same one Alethia had occupied earlier.

Tanitha followed her gaze. "Did you hurt her?" she demanded, a sudden fury boiling in her chest.

"Why is that the first question everyone asks me on this subject?" Kaion asked, sounding put-upon. "I know I'm a demon prince, but I have a fairly low level of bloodlust most days, you know." He nodded to Lithra. "Besides, you could just ask her. She'll tell you I didn't do anything."

Tanitha turned back to her sister, a question in her gaze.

Lithra shook her head. "No, it's true, he didn't hurt me," she said. "He just… asked me some questions and then brought me here."

" Here meaning the palace?" Tanitha asked. "The palace dungeons ?" Lithra gave an apprehensive nod, and Tanitha turned a furious look on Kaion.

He shrugged, looking distinctly unimpressed. "If you're trying to make me feel any shade of guilt over that, I'm afraid it's not going to work," he said. "My actions kept her safe at a time when things could have gone very differently for her, even if that wasn't my primary motivation in doing it. Naratha could easily have decided to ignore the protection order Darius had her under to use her to draw you out."

"Protection order?" Lithra asked, blinking in surprise. Tanitha sat down on the bed and drew Lithra down to sit beside her, still gripping her hands tightly.

He nodded. "You've been under demonic observation for weeks," he said. "I'm not surprised you didn't notice— we can be very subtle when we want to be. But Darius felt that it might be wise to keep an eye on someone who might be suspicious of Tanitha's disappearance, and make sure that you weren't inclined to make any noise about it. Apparently Tanitha was very insistent on how important your safety was to her, and he acted accordingly." He turned back to Tanitha. "Originally, I wanted it not to be known that I had her here, but… well, even though I got her out of the Sanctuary unobserved, her disappearance didn't go unnoted. Naratha asked me if I knew where she'd gotten to this morning," he said. Tanitha's heart seized, and he raised a placating hand. "She's only making sure all variables are accounted for. She intends to respect Darius' protection order for the time being." With a grim twist to his mouth, he added, "She seems confident that she has you where she wants you." He cleared his throat. "In any case, it's a bit unusual for a woman of your status to not have an attendant. So I thought that Lithra could fill that role."

Tanitha closed her eyes for a moment. He might have only done this for appearances, but nonetheless, she was grateful. She turned back to Lithra.

"Are you really all right?" she said softly.

Lithra nodded. "It hasn't been that bad, really," she answered. "I was frightened at first, but they haven't been cruel. The worst part was the wondering. The not knowing if you were all right." Her hand tightened on Tanitha's. "He said... he said you're completing Trials?" she asked, a tremble in her voice. Tanitha kept all emotion from her face as she nodded. Lithra swallowed. "Tanitha…"

"I know," Tanitha said quietly. "I know it's a trap. I know they won't let me win if there is any possible way to stop me." She kept her shoulders in a firm line. "But I am still going to do it."

Kai looked at Lithra in what was quite obviously expectation. Tanitha glanced at him, brow furrowed, then back at Lithra in confusion before comprehension hit, and she returned her gaze to Kai.

"Did you ask her to talk me out of it?" she asked slowly.

"Yes," he said with a shrug. "What, do you blame me?"

Tanitha turned back to Lithra. "Did he tell you what happens if I recuse myself from further Trials?" she asked.

Lithra swallowed visibly. "No," she said. "But… well, I can guess."

Her skin was so pale, and the sickened anxiety was so clear on her face that Tanitha pulled her in for a tight embrace that lasted for several seconds before releasing her once more. "It's going to be all right," she said, with a confidence she didn't remotely feel.

"Tanitha, isn't there… isn't there something you can do?" Lithra asked, a tremble in her voice. "Anything?" She turned to Kaion. "She's already been taken from me once," she said. "Can't you do something to help her?"

"Why do the two of you seem to think I might be sympathetic?" he asked, exasperated. "Gods above, I hadn't the slightest inkling how much chaos a pair of Sanctuary-raised foundlings could raise! You've both caused no end of trouble!" He let out a short exhalation, then turned back to Tanitha. "As a matter of fact, I do have one idea," he said, sounding faintly grudging. "Hear me out before you answer. I know you're not inclined to drag any of this out, and I understand why, but I think you should do it, nonetheless. You can't refuse the Trials altogether without putting your life back in danger, but you can force a delay. Tell Naratha after the last Trial, you're frightened for the child's safety, and that you want to wait until after the birth to continue."

Tanitha eyed him. "Alethia advised the same thing," she said. "Just an hour or so ago."

He blinked, his surprise clear enough to ease some of the suspicion she was feeling. She supposed it was unlikely that he was truly on Alethia's side; he wouldn't be inclined to cooperate with someone actively seeking revenge on his brother.

"I think Alethia wants to absolve herself of guilt for targeting me," Tanitha said. "She may hate me , but I think she doesn't want to be responsible for the child's death."

He considered this for several seconds. "You're probably right," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean it's a bad idea. And no one will think the delay strange. Trials can easily have months between them. Darius' were spread over nearly a year and a half, before he was formally named Naratha's heir. It took the Sabrians that long to provide us with a situation that was worthy of a princely show of strength," he added with another shrug. "They knew his Trials were ongoing and thought it might be a good opportunity to kill a prominent demon. Unfortunately, they rather underestimated him," he said dryly.

Tanitha barely refrained from making a face. She knew how important the demons considered the Trials to be as an opportunity to demonstrate strength, but the thought of Darius throwing himself into danger alone to singlehandedly address something that could be neatly handled by a conjoined effort was upsetting. Though upon reflection, perhaps she ought to be more concerned with her own fate than the danger of something that he'd already survived.

"So, no one would find a delay unusual or suspicious," she said.

He nodded. "Exactly. I can make it happen."

"But then what?" Tanitha asked. "I request the delay, and…?"

"And then, you'll conveniently die in childbirth," he said. Tanitha started to speak, startled, but he held up a hand. "The influence of a soul-binding weakens with distance. For the ruse to be convincing, I would have to take you far, far beyond the range of these lands— probably to the far edges of the Northern Steppes— but sufficient distance would make Darius no longer susceptible to your influence. You and Lithra can start a new life elsewhere." He eyed her. "More specifically, you can go fulfill your prophecy of greatness elsewhere."

Tanitha folded her arms. "What happens to Darius in this scenario?" she asked.

"If you're believed dead and are too distant for anyone close to him to be able to read that his soul is entangled with someone else's, he'll be released," he said with a shrug. "I'll tell him where I took you. He can make his own decisions from there."

Tanitha found herself strongly doubting his word on that point, but she wasn't confident enough of where she stood with him to risk saying so. Besides, she hadn't missed that he'd completely glossed over another very important issue.

"And the child?" she asked.

He glanced away. "Sending you away with an infant who could one day lay a valid claim to the Ivory Throne seems a poor way for me to ensure that you don't suddenly become a problem again," he said quietly. Every muscle in Tanitha's body went rigid, and Lithra's grip on her hand tightened. "I'm sorry."

Tanitha set her jaw. "No."

"Is your situation still unclear to you?" he demanded. "Naratha is going to kill you. It won't be today, or tomorrow, but she will see you dead! And do you know what happens to Darius then? If he sees your blood as being on his mother's hands? I saw it in his eyes when we brought you to him last night! What do you think he'll do to Naratha? What do you think she'll do to him ?"

"And what will she do to him if I do delay, and he escapes in that time?" Tanitha shot back.

He stopped short. Then, rallying, he said, "He can't get out of there without help, and I will not be providing that, no matter what he says."

"Can you guarantee that he won't try without your help? That he won't manage it?" she asked, heart beating hard. The shard of basalt felt heavy in her pocket. Kai hesitated a second too long, and Tanitha pushed her advantage. "And can you guarantee," she asked softly, "that if he were somehow successful, that Naratha wouldn't kill him?"

He didn't answer. Lithra was tense beside Tanitha. Tanitha shook her head once. She could see well enough where this path led. If Darius escaped, he and Tanitha would have to run. Darius loved her with an almost frightening intensity, and she knew what that meant. He wouldn't allow one moment of pain to come to her. He'd throw himself in front of her. And if Naratha couldn't get to Tanitha, if she couldn't be certain that Tanitha wasn't controlling him, she would kill him.

"Your Highness," she said, "if you go to Her Majesty and advocate for a delay, it will not end well for him. Time is not on our side when it comes to his safety." She swallowed against the pain of her heart throbbing in her throat, then forced herself to continue. "I think that path leads to his death."

He regarded her for a moment, a look of apprehension in his gaze. Though she didn't know him well, she could almost see what he was thinking. He knew what Darius would do if Tanitha were killed. But if it were the other way around? If Tanitha watched the man she loved die defending her?

What would a woman driven by that sort of grief, a woman under a prophecy of a frightening destiny, do?

Tanitha didn't speak, just letting him consider her earlier words. She had decided that trying to avoid or manipulate fate was foolish, and that acknowledging it at all instead of following her own heart and mind was only going to lead her to pain. But Kaion hadn't made the same determination, and she wasn't above using that fact to her own advantage.

Finally, he let out a frustrated breath. "Just… consider the offer I made," he said. "You did well in your first Trial, but even so, it almost killed you. And it's not going to get better from here. Naratha knows your limits now." Tanitha didn't answer, watching him stonily. He rubbed his forehead. "All right. There's not likely to be any further opportunity for a Trial this close to the Awakening, so you have a little time to consider. And I have other issues I need to see to."

Tanitha frowned. "Such as?" she asked, finally breaking her silence. She couldn't imagine what might be a higher priority for him, not with Darius' life on the line.

He made a face. "Such as addressing the fact that Darius is expected to fulfill his usual role in the Awakening in less than a week, and that if he doesn't, all manner of interesting rumors are going to start swirling about why Naratha might not want him out in public." He turned to Lithra. "Try to talk some sense into her, would you?" His voice took a grim turn. "Her life depends on it."

With that, he turned away.

As the heavy cedar door shut firmly behind him, Tanitha looked at Lithra. To her alarm, tears were starting to form in the corners of Lithra's eyes. Tanitha pulled her close, her arms tight around her.

"It's all right," she said. "I promise, it's going to be all right. You'll be safe."

Lithra shoved her away, the motion harsh. "I'll be safe?" she demanded. " I'll be safe? What is it about this that makes you think I'm worried about myself ?" Tanitha started to reply, startled, but Lithra overrode her. "They are going to kill you, Tanitha!" Tears were streaming down her face unchecked, clearly driven by fear and anger both. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked away, the sudden surge of energy spent.

"Can't you just do as he says?" she asked, her voice somehow both frustrated and pleading.

Tanitha forced back tears of her own. "Lithra… I can't."

"Yes, you can, " Lithra insisted. "You can get out of this alive. You can run. We both can."

"I can't, Lithra!" Tanitha said, frustrated. "Listen. You… you're going to be all right. If something happens to me, you'll be taken care of." That, at least, wasn't a concern. Lithra was Tanitha's only living relative. If Kaion had been telling the truth about Tanitha's sudden elevation to landholding nobility, Lithra would inherit the estate she'd been granted. If only for the sake of appearances, she doubted Naratha or Alethia would interfere with that. Lithra would be of no interest to them if Tanitha weren't a concern.

"I don't want to be taken care of !" Lithra said, the anger returning to her voice. "I want my sister to stay alive!"

"I'd rather stay alive as well, actually!" Tanitha exclaimed. "But I can't just… I can't run. You heard Prince Kaion. I'd have to surrender the child, and… and he won't tell Darius where he took me, whatever he said." She wrapped her arms around herself tightly. Prince Kaion had been very clear on one point; he would always do what he saw as best for Darius and for Karazhen. And in these circumstances, that would mean making sure that Tanitha never saw Darius again.

"He'd tell Darius the same lie he'd tell everyone else," Tanitha said, her voice low. "That I'd died in childbirth." She swallowed. "I… I can't do that, Lithra. I can't just go start a new life with that kind of grief hanging over me. And I can't do that to you, either. I can't just ask you to say goodbye to everything you've ever known just because someone wants to hurt me ."

"You're not doing anything to me," Lithra said flatly. "Queen Naratha is, by threatening you. Her, and this… this Lady Alethia. And I'm not fool enough to try to stand against demons."

"Lithra, that's the point ," Tanitha exclaimed. "That's… that's exactly it. You and I, we've lived our whole lives at their mercy. And if we do this, if we run, we lose everything because of that fact. Because we didn't think we were strong enough to stand against the smallest of their whims." She shivered. "I'm frightened too," she managed after a moment. "But I can't… I can't stand the thought of losing everything like that because I didn't dare try to fight back. Because I didn't dare to think that perhaps I could challenge the strength of someone so much greater than me." She swiped a hand over her eyes, wiping away the first signs of tears. "I'd live every day knowing that Darius thought me dead. That my child was being raised motherless." She pressed a trembling hand to her temple. "I can't do it, Lithra," she said softly. "I'm sorry."

Lithra stared at her for a second. Then, abruptly, she crossed to the window, looking out. For a moment, she just stood there, her back to Tanitha. Then, just as suddenly, she turned back. Her entire posture was rigid, and Tanitha braced herself.

"Did you really relocate the city's entire food stores?" Lithra asked, her expression still close to a glare.

Tanitha blinked. She wasn't sure what exactly she'd expected, but it wasn't that. She gave an uncertain nod.

Lithra let out a sharp exhalation. "Just by soul-speaking? And what about your other abilities? The ones you always claimed had faded." There was a faint note of accusation in her voice there, and Tanitha swallowed back a slight rise of guilt.

"I did think they had faded," she said. "I wasn't lying about that, all those years. But… no, I didn't use those at all."

Lithra considered. "So Naratha knows you're a strong soul-speaker, but there isn't much else she could have deduced from your last Trial. She still doesn't have a full understanding of what you can do."

Tanitha closed her eyes for a few heartbeats. "That's not precisely true," she said. She stood, crossing to the desk. She laid one hand lightly atop the pile of scrolls. "Lady Alethia visited me earlier," she said. "She found all of the scrolls I'd been studying while I was staying with Darius." She swallowed, not quite able to meet Lithra's gaze. She took a steadying breath, refusing to allow her fear to show on her face as well, no matter how deep it had settled in her core.

"She knows what I was working on," she managed at last. "And she accurately guessed most of my strengths and weaknesses. She as good as told me that Naratha is planning to use those weaknesses against me in the Trials."

There was a silence. Then, Lithra abruptly straightened.

"Well, good," she said.

Tanitha blinked. "What?"

"Good, I said," Lithra repeated. "If she's been kind enough to warn you of exactly what she's planning, and you're too stubborn to run from it, that means you can prepare." She crossed to the desk. "And since I'm apparently some sort of lady's companion now, I suppose that means it's my duty to help you." She picked up a stylus and a slip of blank parchment from the desk, glancing at the flummoxed Tanitha. "Well?" she asked. "What did she say? Tell me everything you remember."

Still a bit perplexed, Tanitha began recounting the conversation she'd had with Alethia in as much detail as she could. Lithra wrote feverishly as she spoke.

When Tanitha had finished, Lithra sprinkled sand from the provided tray onto the ink to dry it quicker, then tilted the sheet over the sandtray and blew over the ink. The moment the damp shine was completely gone, she rolled the paper into a neat scroll, then took a deep breath, pushing her shoulders back in a false display of confidence.

"If we're all pretending that you're anything other than a prisoner here, I think we might as well seek out the associated benefits," she said briskly. She crossed the room to the main door, pulling it open. The two guards stationed outside looked at her in surprise. Before either could speak, Lithra handed the scroll to the first, keeping the motion precise and confident. His brow furrowed slightly, but he accepted it.

"I'd like to request some scrolls from the palace library on Lady Tanitha's behalf, please," she said.