Fireblood (32 page)

“Sebastian.” I place my hand on his chest, halting his movements. “We need to speak. Now.”

He kisses my cheek. “After. We’ll still have time.” He takes my hand in his and leads me out of his room. “But this can’t wait.”

Shit
. I can’t speak with him in the corridor. I need us alone, away from the Eyes. I had assumed his chamber would be free of them. Maybe I can convince him to go to the secret room under the castle.

“Sebastian, please,” I plead. “Let me take you somewhere we can talk in private.”

“Soon.” He continues our brisk pace down the hallway. “Trust me.”

I stare at him sidelong, trying with all my heart to do just that. Trust that what I’m about to do is right and that Devlan will forgive me. I clamp my eyes shut and allow Sebastian to lead as I envision my father’s pale face, and I pray for his forgiveness.

My father’s smile—the smile he wore before he became Taken—breaks through the pain, chips away at my hatred for King Hart. His arms wrapped around me, cradling me to him when I was a girl. He read me stories. He tucked me in, whispering about freedom.

A smile takes over my face.

If I kill King Hart, I will be no freer than I am under his rule. I’ll be no freer than if I was sent to that damned compound and fed to the cannibals. I would become a slave to my anger, to hate. My vengeance on the man who took my father would not be sated by his death. It would destroy me in the end.

No. Madity is right. Even with all her skittish misgivings, she has always been wise, and she’s always seen what I could not while blinded by my hatred. Devlan didn’t try to postpone the mission because he feared I wasn’t ready, nor did he try to take my place because he felt I would fail.

He knew what I’m only just now seeing, that killing Hart would sever something inside me. Just as Hart tried to make Sebastian sever his compassion, I’d destroy the part of me that forgives and trusts and believes in people, the part of me that makes me strong.

That’s the strength Sebastian saw in me. The silent strength he spoke of at the meadow.

He asked me if I thought that part of us weakens us. I understand now that it doesn’t.

I can do what’s right for Sebastian. For Devlan. For all of Karm, and for myself. Make a choice. Go against Hart, the Force, the Rebels—

I can choose
.

I open my eyes with renewed determination. “Sebastian,” I say tersely, trying to gain his attention. I glance around, noticing that he’s taken me to the other side of the castle. And not just the wing, but the end of the wing. There’s nowhere to go.

A stained glass window shows the outside, darkening as the sun dips lower.
I’m running out of time
.

Sebastian reaches out and places his palm to the floorto-ceiling window. It ripples, and the waves of glass pull apart like a curtain—no, a screen. A metal door slides open, revealing a large lift.

He pulls me inside, then hits a blue button on the side of the metal casing. The door slides shut with a heavy, metallic
clang
. I jerk. “Where are you taking me?”

His eyes meet mine, shining gold in the bright light. “To meet the king.”

THIRTY-ONE

M
y heart slams to my feet as the lift shoots up. Sharp spears of panic stab my chest, and I yank my hand from Sebastian’s. “No, Sebastian. I can’t.”

A smile crooks his lips. “It’s all right, Zara. There’s nothing to fear. I know how you feel about marriage. How important it is to you.” He sighs. “I want you to know that you’re part of a family now. That my father’s blessing will—”

I smash my hands against the buttons—all of them—and the lift
bangs
to a stop. The doors stay closed, and we start to descend.

I relax against the cold wall and close my eyes.

“Zara?” Sebastian roars. My eyes snap open. “What are you doing? You’re acting mad.”

“I am, Sebastian.” I palm his cheeks, pull his face level to mine so our eyes meet. “And for once, you must trust me.”

His eyes search my face, and he presses his lips together. When the doors open, I tug him into the hallway and sweep the perimeter. “Where can we talk that isn’t monitored?” I whisper.

He groans. “Here.” He opens a door to our left.

Hesitantly, I follow him into the chamber. He opens a glass case and inserts a key into a keyhole along the wall. After he enters a code into the dial pad, he faces me. “The Eyes are down. Now what is this about?”

I take his hand and lead him to the bed.

“Zara, you don’t have to prove yourself right now.” His lips quirk into a side grin. “I can wait till tonight.” He pulls me closer and slides his hand into my hair.

I bat it away and glare at him. “Honestly, Sebastian. Is that the only thing your mind thinks of?” Shaking my head, I lower him into a sitting position so that my eyes meet his straight on. “I have much to confess to you.”

His brow furrows and his lips part, but I press on. “I know of your father’s project. All of it. I know about Outside, and the Taken. About the Virus…and about the Rebels.”

I pause. Let my words sink in, and wait for a flash of realization in his eyes. I have to know for sure that he’s unaware. If he’s not—if he knows everything and I’ve just blown my cover—then I will end him here and now and take his severed hand back to the lift if I must. I’m prepared to do what it takes. I’m risking it all on the chance that he’s ignorant, and that he will see my reasoning.

Eyes wide, his features harden into rigid lines. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I clear my throat. My nerves are making it feel closed, like a vise is tightening around my neck. It’s hard to breathe. “I know that you know who the Rebels are.” I narrow my eyes.

“Yes,
I
do.” He levels a strained look at me. “But how do you?”

“Because…I am one.”

He springs up, and I flinch as his hand pulls back. I cover my face, ready to block, but the blow never comes. I peek around my crossed arms. He knocks his crown off as he grabs fistfuls of his hair and begins to pace.

“Shit, Zara!”

I reach out, and then tentatively place my hand on his shoulder. “Please listen to me.” He looks down at me, and his eyes are lost, the anger a fraction less. I go on. “I didn’t start out as one. I was recruited after I was brought here. But it’s not what you think. Your father has lied to you, Sebastian.” I release a heavy breath, then suck in another. “Outside is horrible, yes. But the Virus was designed by your father so he could have slaves to power Karm. They don’t die. They are out there.” I point toward the wall. “And they’re being given as sacrifices to mutated humans in order to keep them from destroying his project.”

I expect him to react in confusion, shame, shock—but not the way he does.

He laughs, a hollow, humorous boom. “Oh, my God. You
have
gone mad.” He drives his hand through his already disheveled hair, then turns and heads toward the door. “I’ll get the physician. Maybe we can postpone the wedding an hour more until he’s looked—”

“Sebastian.” I step in front of him. “You know what I say is the truth.” I stare into his eyes. “Look around you. How do you think this all works? What has your father already told you? What has he been teaching you?”

Realization lights his eyes with a sudden clarity as he stares into mine. He turns his back to me. “I was to learn some great secret before my crowning on the morrow.” He sits back down on the bed. His jaw tenses, and he grinds out, “But this madness is not it.”

“What I tell you is the truth.” My hands shake at my sides and I ball them into fists. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve seen my father out there, his eyes lost to the Virus. And I’ve seen the compound, where the Taken labor, harvesting power so that your father’s realm can thrive.”

He stares at the ground, silent. I kneel before him. “Sebastian,” I plead his name. “You once asked me what it takes to rule.”

His eyes snap to mine.

“I now know the answer to your question.” I take his hands in mine. “It’s yes. Our emotions and feelings for others make us stronger. That’s what’s needed to be a great leader.”

He tilts his head, studying my face before blinking away the memory stirring within him. He straightens his back. “Why you?”

“Everyone thought it was me who had to stop Hart. But it’s not.” I seek his eyes imploringly and assert, “It’s you.”

His eyes blaze liquid gold. “I would never—”

“I believe in you,” I say quickly, desperately. He bites down on his lip, and red beads against his teeth. His shoulders shake. Taking a steadying breath, I keep on, knowing he’s either close to seeing the truth, or I’m dangerously close to having to defend myself. “I believe in the compassion you have inside you—the kindness, the goodness, the love for your people. I believe you can find a new way for Karm, and protect its citizens.”

His eyes glaze over and he shakes his head. “You don’t understand what you ask of me. My father is everything to me. He’s given me
everything
. I can no more go against him than I can my own nature.”

“I know you. You’ve told me of all the boundless things you want for this realm.” I grip his hands. “See them through. Remove Hart from power. On the morrow, once you’re crowned, order him locked away.” I huff. “Hell, he’s already locked away. But take away his power, his fear over the people, his command. Take down the barrier, end the torment, and everyone will follow you.”

His eyes glisten, and a single tear shimmers at the corner of his lid.

“
I
will follow you.”

He’s so close. I can see it in his eyes—he’s wavering. Having been raised by Hart, the fear is present in him. I can feel it rolling off him in waves, but I’m close to breaking down the barrier around his heart. I need to tread lightly. But he’s so close…

ER-ER-ER
.

ER-ER-ER
.

I flinch at the ear-shattering siren, and Sebastian springs up. “What the hell—?” He looks down at me, his eyes carving a fiery trail along my face. “What have you done?”

I shake my head. Panic thunders through my body. “Nothing. I don’t know what’s happening.” And I don’t. I glance around the room, at the blinking lights as they flash on and off above our heads. The room vibrates with the alarm. The sound is deafening, and my head pounds in sync with it.

Sebastian races from the room, and before I can think, I follow after him.

He halts suddenly, and I jerk to a stop once I see what he’s staring at.

Two knights of the Force lie bleeding in the corridor.

Dead.

Sebastian marches to the end of the hallway and there he stops, staring at the open door to the lift. I come up behind him, then, without acknowledging each other, we both step inside. He presses the button to take us to Hart’s secret chamber.

A sharp pang seizes my chest when the doors part. I cover my mouth.

King Hart sits on his throne. One arm draped over the side, a dagger protruding from his chest.

The Rebel crest on the hilt stares back at me.

THIRTY-TWO

I
grip the bodice of my wedding dress as I pant sharp, aching breaths. Everything around me happens as if in slow motion, but too quickly at the same time.

Sebastian runs to Hart. He extracts the Rebel dagger. Wires emanate from the open wound, sparking as wisps of smoke coil up from Hart’s chest. Sebastian kneels before his father and cradles his thin, limp body, blood soaking his tunic.

A giant metallic and glass machine beside the throne blares out a loud, steady beep. Sebastian rocks forward and backward, and yet, Hart is still dead—murdered—and not by my hand.

I hear the lift behind me, but I don’t recognize what’s happening until three knights of the Force enter. They run past me toward the other end of the huge, open room. This whole time, my eyes have been trained on Sebastian curling his father to him. As my eyes trail after the knights, I finally look around and gasp.

There are no walls.

I’m standing on top of the castle—in the sky. I glance down at the lake, the court, royal village, the town. I can see all of Karm. Electric-blue grid lines streak the dark sky all around me. Then I look down as fear spikes my blood. There
is
a floor beneath me. I sink to it, trying to get my bearings.

How long have the Rebels speculated Hart’s secret chamber to be far from the castle? How much time have they wasted searching? All this time it’s been right here. I’ve spent these past weeks with Hart in my very presence, right above me, in his secret chamber in the sky.

I become brave and stand, then walk to the edge of the room. I keep my hands out, fanning the air, and when I reach the edge, my hands hit something solid. A wall. The walls are made of something so clear, so pure it’s as if nothing surrounds us at all.

My mind blanks at the impossibility. My head jerks toward the court grounds. How is it that no one can see this room? Then I think of the birds, lying around the castle, no one able to explain why they simply drop out of the sky. I imagine them smashing into an invisible room.

I take in Hart’s dead body again, registering that part of it is machine. Before I’m able to catalog my own ponderings, a knight approaches Sebastian.

“Your Highness,” the knight says in a low but forceful voice. “Excalibur has been attacked.”

Sebastian’s head whips up, and he stares vacantly at the knight.

The mainframe
.

It’s here also. I try to spy the control room as the knight continues. “A disk has been lodged in the computer, and it’s decoding the system.” When Sebastian still looks at him as if he’s speaking a foreign language, the knight points outward. “The barrier is coming down.”

I stare out past our glass encasement, but I don’t see… The air shimmers. Panicked, I look above my head. The sky starts to open up. A splinter of black at first, then the bright blue lines mix with the darkness and begin to melt, peeling down all around me. I spin in slow circles as blackness replaces the once-illuminated sky.

I look to Sebastian, a solid lump fixed in my throat like a stone. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. I was meant to have time. He was meant to have a grieving period before the barrier was taken down. And the antidote?