Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Thalia

The next week goes by quickly. I meet with Bastien and the Conclave in the great hall every day. Most days, it seems like futile brainstorming, but some things are churning. Bastien sent Kieran to all the royal families still pledged to us, inviting their Conclaves to Clairmont for a large summit. We hope that by putting all these magical minds together, with their deep knowledge of history, we’ll figure out a way to defeat Ferelith’s blood magic.

In addition to orders to bring the Conclaves together for a long summit, Kieran was also instructed to talk to the heads of the royal families to gauge the temperature, so to speak, on the idea of coalescing our respective forces to retake Kestevayne. As it stands right now, each family is entrenched behind their city walls, merely praying Ferelith doesn’t come for them. It’s not a good existence, but it’s a safe one, for now.

Kieran was due back late last night, and I expect he’ll have a report for us at this morning’s meeting.

I leave the cottage with my breakfast in hand, a delicious blackberry muffin that Sam’s adoptive mother brought over last night, along with some other baked goods. She’s married to one of the town’s farriers, and they took Sam in after his mother was killed. His father died a few years prior in the war.

I went over the day after I’d arrived in Clairmont to introduce myself. Hanna and Frederick were a sweet couple who had always wanted children of their own but were never able to conceive. They took in little Sam without hesitation and have provided a nurturing environment for him. But he’s withdrawn, and I’m having a hard time breaking through to him.

I’m disappointed he’s not sitting on his stoop reading as he sometimes is when I leave in the morning. I’m playing it cool right now with him, usually offering a wave and a smile.

With Bastien staying in the dorms, guards are always posted at the house. They escort me about town, although they walk a good twenty paces back. It’s not thought that I’m in any danger under the spelled cloak covering Clairmont, but Bastien’s orders are not to be trifled with, so the guards are here to stay.

Over the past week, when not in meetings at Conclave Hall, I’ve been making my rounds to visit shop owners, citizens, and soldiers.

I’m trying my best to meet every family. I walk up and down the streets, knocking on doors with my four guards always at a respectable distance. Some folks I know, while it’s my first time meeting others. But at the end of every visit, I give each family member a warm hug and a promise that I’ll fight for their freedom. These meetings fuel my desire to defeat Ferelith while concurrently combating some of my frustrations.

Laina told me one day that these visits are greatly improving the spirits of the people, and I don’t know if that’s true. I only know that I’m their leader, and I need to do my very best to give them hope.

In all, my welcome back to Vyronas has been mostly heartwarming. Everyone is tremendously grateful I’ve returned, and there seems to be a boost in morale, even if it is only a small glimmer.

I had one unpleasant encounter while shopping for clothes in one of a handful of little boutiques along the town’s main thoroughfare. The guards stayed outside, and I suppose it’s why none other than Ralina Batton felt confident to approach me.

Throughout my childhood, she was never more than a bully. While Bastien had effectively put Barney and all the other boys who thought they could push me around in their place, Ralina always liked to take her jabs. The worst was that she noticed when I had a crush on Bastien, and she teased me relentlessly about it. This went on for years, and she was always quick to point out how he would never look at me as anything more than a child.

Even worse, as Ralina got older, Bastien and all the men looked her way because she was beautiful, well-endowed, and a shameless flirt. She had the reputation of being eager to spread her legs for just about anyone who could help her climb social ladders, but I’m confident Bastien never went there. She may be beautiful, but she isn’t his type.

I’d avoided her over the years as much as I could, but sometimes it wasn’t possible.

While I was happy she hadn’t been killed in the war, I was dismayed when she approached as I held up a dress to study. She’d come fully prepared with her venom-tipped claws, but she was very subtle.

She put on a good act of respect and happiness that I’d returned, but then immediately alluded to Bastien in a way that led to the conclusion that they’d been intimate after I left.

I wanted to vomit, and it took every bit of grace in me to wish her a good day as I left the shop. Bastien told me he had someone, but in a million years, I never thought it would be Ralina. The woman who used to bully me was now in his bed, and I was so shaken by it, I could barely concentrate.

The effect of her words stuck with me all day, and I sulked during meetings with Bastien and the Conclave.

At one point, he even asked, “Are you okay? You seem out of it today.”

Given that he’d barely spoken to me since the night he left the cottage and moved into the dorms, I couldn’t help but snap back at him. “I’m fine. Mind your own business.”

And so he did, and we haven’t spoken since, other than to acknowledge business matters while with the Conclave.

The morning is warm and the breeze carries the scent of pressian flowers. Every day I spend here, I feel further and further detached from Wyoming. I know I said I was going back when this was done, but I’m not sure I can do that now. I’ve made real connections with the people here, and I don’t think I can abandon them, especially once I regain my throne.

Several folks bid me good morning as I walk by.

A nice lady who owns a bakery is sweeping off the sidewalk in front of her store. “Princess Thalia… aren’t you a vision?”

I beam and thank her as I move past, glancing down at my dress. While I’d been pretty much a jeans-and-work-shirt kind of girl in Wyoming, I’ve been enjoying wearing feminine summer dresses. My current one is sleeveless, fairly low-cut with an empire waist, the flowing skirt the color of raspberries hanging just at my ankles with a long slit up the side that give a peek of leg when I walk. It’s not formal by any means—more like the casual maxi-dress style of the First Dimension—but it makes me feel every bit a woman. I sometimes think I might have forgotten that in the isolation of my ranch.

As I turn the corner and Conclave Hall comes into view, I see Bastien and Kieran standing on the steps that lead in. I’m hoping Kieran has good news to report.

“Cousin o’ mine,” I hear from behind me and turn to see Archer jogging to catch up. He’s been living at the military dorms during his stay in Clairmont.

I accept a kiss on the cheek from him as he falls in beside me.

“Listen,” Archer says as he reaches over and grabs the muffin out of my hand. He breaks it in half and gives me a portion back. “You’ve been working so hard since you’ve been home, I think you should take tomorrow off and go fishing with me.”

He stuffs the muffin in his mouth while I consider his offer. “I don’t know… I mean, there’s so much to do—”

Archer loops an arm over my shoulders, shaking his head as he chews and swallows his bite. “I won’t take no for an answer. You need some fun, Thalia. Just for a couple hours, and the stream is no more than a few miles from here. Well within the cloak.”

“King would love to go for a ride,” I muse out loud. I’ve completely ignored him since we arrived, although Bastien assures me he’s been exercising him. A few hours surely wouldn’t hurt. “Okay… I’m in. Tomorrow morning?”

“I’ll meet you at the stables at dawn,” he says, beaming brightly. “Early bird gets the worm.”

“You mean fish,” I correct him.

“I mean worm,” he says, hand flashing out to steal the rest of my muffin. “We’ll then use the worm to catch the fish.”

I laugh, and he winks at me before jogging off toward the training fields. He’s not a member of the army, but he loves to train with them, and he’s quite good with a sword.

Bastien offers a curt nod as I approach and turns to walk up the steps to the hall in a clear effort to avoid me.

“Bastien… wait a minute,” I call out.

He faces me, that mask of indifference in place. Which is fine. I’ve learned to school mine the same way.

Throwing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction I just came from, I say, “I was talking to Archer, and he invited me to go fishing tomorrow morning. I wanted to let you know as I won’t be here.”

Bastien shakes his head. “Not a good idea.”

He starts to turn away from me again, and without thought, I grab his arm. Grunting with annoyance, he looks down at where I’m holding him before bringing his eyes back to my face.

I don’t let go. “I’m sorry, but it seems you might have thought I was asking your permission. I wasn’t. I’m telling you, I’m going fishing with Archer tomorrow morning. Post whatever guards you want… hell, come yourself if you’re worried about it, but I’m going.”

“It’s unsafe for you to be away from town,” he replies, pulling his arm away.

“I’ll still be well within the boundary of the cloak,” I say firmly, noting that Kieran is watching us with interest. “And again, I’m not asking permission.”

Bastien’s eyes glitter as he steps toward me. Dipping his head, his voice rumbles low. “I could lock you up.”

My smile is saccharine. “I could have you executed for treason for sending me to the First Dimension. But I won’t. I’m merely telling you I’m going fishing. Deal with it.”

Kieran snorts, glancing away as he shakes with pent-up laughter.

Locking his jaw, Bastien gives me a mocking bow. “As you wish, Your Highness.”

“Thank you,” I say, my tone cool and dismissive. Bastien pivots full on his heel, marches up the steps to Conclave Hall, and disappears inside.

“Well, you’ve ensured he’ll be in a grumpy mood the rest of the day,” Kieran says gloomily. “And we’re sparring later, which means he’ll draw blood.”

I pat him on the cheek. “My apologies. Maybe you could knock some sense into him.”

Chuckling, Kieran walks up the steps with me. “So, how have things been this past week I’ve been gone? You and Bastien getting along?”

I glance at him as if he’s crazy. “Did that look like we’re getting along?”

Kieran shrugs. “One can hope.”

“Truth be told, I haven’t seen him much.” We enter through the large double doors. And because it still bothers me, I grumble, “I’m sure he’s been off with his woman.”

Kieran laughs again, stopping to face me. “That’s right. I forgot Bastien told you he was involved with someone.”

“He told you that?” I ask, incredulous.

Kieran nods. “He was drinking that first night you arrived. He told me he said that just so you’d drop any silly notions about rekindling something with him.”

“So, there’s no woman?”

“There was a woman,” Kieran says, and jealously flares hot within me.

“Ralina, right?” I grit out.

Kieran blinks in surprise. “Gods, no. That woman is a harridan. But he was seeing a woman who lives on the outskirts of town. He broke it off with her the day you returned.”

My emotions do a harsh zigzag, more jealousy to know he really was seeing someone, but then a flush of happiness that he broke it off. Relief that it wasn’t Ralina, and then a strong urge to find that awful woman and slap her.

I push down all those feelings. “Oh, well… I don’t even know what to say to that.”

Kieran rests his hands on my shoulders and peers at me seriously. “My advice is you don’t let him put you off. You push at him because as much as he wants to deny it, he still has feelings for you.”

I tip my head to the side. “How do you know?”

Kieran leans in, brushes a chaste kiss on my cheek, and chuckles again. “Trust me, Thalia. I just know.”

I watch as Kieran moves into the main hall. He’s given me a lot to think about where Bastien’s concerned, but for now, I put it all aside. It’s time to hear what Kieran learned and launch back into strategy planning.