Gathering Darkness (24 page)

Today's lessons included more magic stealing. Alexius had insisted on it, despite her protests.

“We're wasting time,” she said. “We need to find an excuse to leave the palace and claim the other crystals. We can't wait any longer. Why don't you seem more concerned? Someone might steal them as well!”

He regarded her with patience. “I
was
concerned, princess. But then, last night, Melenia visited my dreams. I told her of our progress, about what happened at the temple. I suggested that she send hawk scouts to watch over the other locations.”

“And what did she say?”

“She said that she already had.” At Lucia's gasp, he smiled.

“So hawks have been watching them.”

“It's what we Watchers do.”

Lucia worked this possibility over in her mind before she spoke again. “Does this mean she knows who has the earth crystal?”

He nodded.

“Who?” she prompted when he didn't readily tell her.

“Jonas Agallon.”

Her eyes widened, immediately recognizing the name. “The rebel leader.”

Alexius watched her evenly. “You are a sorceress, princess, with vast magic at your fingertips. What has been stolen can and will be stolen back. This is why I'm not overly concerned. And you shouldn't be, either.”

“But Jonas could use the crystal—”

“First he'd have to figure out how,” he cut her off. “And trust me, princess. It's not that simple.”

Trust me.

She did trust him, she had to admit. Despite his horribly annoying tendency to hold back information he thought would upset her, she'd come to trust Alexius with of all her heart and soul.

“But who could have told Jonas where to go and what to do?” she said, half to herself, half to Alexius.

“Is the answer to that question really that difficult?” he replied. “Only three of us were there for the awakening spell, princess.”

Before she could reply to this stomach-churning statement, Cronus came to the door to escort Alexius to his daily meeting with the king. He was earlier than usual, but no wonder the king needed him so urgently; the palace was a swarm of activity today as it readied itself for the wedding of a Limerian girl from a noble family. Her father, Lord Gareth—one of the king's most trusted advisors and friends—had requested the honor of King Gaius's presence at the ceremony. Though not normally one to consent to such frivolous requests, the king had decided the wedding would be an excellent excuse to hold a large feast and had issued orders to organize it swiftly.

Ever since moving to Auranos and taking his seat upon his new golden throne, her father seemed to jump at any chance to hold celebrations. She wasn't sure if it was all for show, a way to further intoxicate his new subjects, or if he actually enjoyed such events.

Alexius bid her farewell, leaving Lucia to pace her chambers, her head spinning with everything he'd just told her. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and she opened it to reveal Cleo.

“Am I interrupting?” Cleo asked.

For a moment, Lucia couldn't find her voice. Cleo now visited her daily, ready to draw her into talks about boys, about life in general. She was only interested in frivolous discussions and long walks in the courtyard and through the palace corridors. For days after Cleo had given her the generous gift of the ring, Lucia had been fully open to this. She was happy and deeply relieved to finally have a close friend she could trust with her secrets.

Now she wasn't sure what to think.

She opened the door wider to invite the princess inside. “Not interrupting. Alexius isn't here.”

Cleo entered and walked right past her, sweeping her gaze over the lit candles and hundreds of flowers arranged around the room. “It looks to me as if more romance than
elementia
lessons has been going on in here.”

“Trust me, the candles and flowers are for the lessons only.”

Cleo raised an eyebrow. “How disappointing.”

Lucia watched the other princess carefully. “I'm glad you're here. I've been wanting to talk to you.”

“Then I'm also glad I came. What's on your mind?”

“I did the spell again, on my own. I awakened the water Kindred.”

Cleo gasped and her gaze snapped to Lucia's. “Where is it?”

Such a fast reply. So eager, so greedy.

Had Lucia been foolish to trust her even for a moment? To think Cleo could be a true friend in a kingdom of enemies?

Alexius's words echoed in her mind.
“You are a sorceress, princess, with vast magic at your fingertips. What has been stolen can and will be stolen back.”

He was right.

“In Limeros,” she said. “At the Temple of Valoria.”

She wanted to see Cleo's reaction to the truth, to see if she could sense any deception. Was it possible her suspicions were wrong? After all, when could the princess have had contact with a wanted criminal such as Jonas Agallon?

But the fact remained—and Lucia had been raised to value facts and truths above all else—that only two people other than herself had known the location of the earth Kindred before they'd discovered it stolen.

Only two. And one now stood before her—a girl whose kingdom, whose very freedom, had been stolen by Lucia's family.

CLEO

AURANOS

C
leo's plan had worked like a charm.

Her future was looking brighter than ever and, if she could manage it, that future would include Lucia. She'd tried not to—had only planned to put on a show—but she liked her. Genuinely
liked
her and valued her friendship.

Lucia's veins didn't flow with the ice water that was Damora blood, so this surprising outcome was perfectly acceptable to Cleo.

A small part of her cringed when she had to lie to Lucia, but it was a necessary evil.

The Temple of Valoria. The home of the water crystal—the fourth and final Kindred.

Lucia had awakened it, and soon it would belong to Cleo.

She would wait until after she'd heard from Jonas to give Nerissa a message about this news. A thought kept nagging at her. Why hadn't he sent word to her yet about his success at the Temple of Cleiona?

It will take time
, she reminded herself. She'd revealed all three locations in her last message to the rebel, and Nic had looked at her with shock when she'd confided to him what she'd done.

“You really trust him,” he'd said.

“I do.” Trusting Jonas with something as important as this was a risk she was willing to take. It was a leap off a high cliff, and she was hoping very much for a soft landing.

“It's amazing,” Cleo now said to Lucia, shaking her head. “Your
elementia
 . . . it leaves me in awe.”

“Your ring does wonders for my control.” Lucia looked down and studied the amethyst, and Cleo felt a deep pang of envy. It wasn't only a force of magic with ties to the Kindred. The ring had belonged to her mother, and her father had given it to her in his last living moments.

Her heart ached for it, but she knew it was now just another loss for her to grieve.

“I'm glad,” she said, forcing a smile.

A frown creased Lucia's brow. “You knew what this ring was before Alexius told you.”

A heavy moment of silence passed between the two princesses as Cleo struggled to understand exactly what Lucia was suggesting. Her words weren't posed as a question. They were presented as a statement. “Of course I didn't.”

“Don't lie, Cleo. It's too much of a coincidence for me to believe.”

A swift sensation of alarm whipped through her. “I'm not lying.”

“You had this ring for, what? Months? This ring's secret is why you first approached me with offers of friendship. This is how you knew, before you even saw it for yourself, that your presence would give me peace. And you used that knowledge to manipulate me.”

While Cleo's stomach tied itself up in knots, her mind worked furiously to find a way out of this, to ease Lucia's worries. The princess was only being paranoid, which was nothing new.

It wasn't time to panic yet.

“Lucia.” Cleo offered her a bright smile. “How could I know I possessed a magic ring? It didn't provide
me
with any magic. And, in case you aren't aware, I'm only sixteen. I didn't know Eva personally like your boyfriend did. And, need I remind you that I gave that ring to you freely the moment I knew it could help you? Now stop being silly.”

“Silly?” Lucia's expression grew dark. “I assure you, silly is the very last thing I'm being right now.”

Perhaps it was nearing the time to panic.

“I should leave you to your studies. It's clear you're in a foul mood today and I don't want to add to it, especially with the wedding to attend this evening.” She turned and opened the door.

But it slammed shut before she could leave.

Slowly, she turned to face the sorceress, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it.

“I told you about the water Kindred because I wanted to see your reaction,” Lucia said softly. “I thought I might be wrong, but there it is in your eyes. I see how much you want the Kindred for yourself.”

“I don't know what you mean. Now let me leave.”

“Why? So you can alert Jonas Agallon and direct him to Limeros? I suggest he wear furs. It's very cold there, even in midsummer.”

Cleo suddenly forgot how to breathe. She grappled to find her voice or an excuse that would satisfy the girl standing before her with her fists clenched at her sides.

“You accuse me of this, but you don't know anything with certainty,” Cleo said, her tone sharp enough to cut glass. “What about your boyfriend? Has no doubt been cast in his direction? Only mine? Perhaps when it comes to him, you're blind. He's ancient, isn't he? Why would he bother with a teenaged girl if not to manipulate her powers to find the Kindred for himself?”

The air around them crackled and shimmered, and the ring on Lucia's finger began to glow with bright violet light.

Cleo had said too much.

“Lucia,” she began, holding up her hands. “Don't—”

Lucia thrust her hand out, sending Cleo hurtling backward into the wall. The force knocked the breath from her lungs, and she gasped but couldn't find enough air to breathe. It
was
air itself, pure air magic, that Lucia now used to pin her against the wall, to wrap an invisible hand around her throat to choke her.

Cleo's feet left the ground as the magic pressed her upward.

“I hate liars,” Lucia said simply. “And that's all you do. Lie.”

The ring was now blazing. It was supposed to help Lucia control her magic, but perhaps this magic
was
under control. The controlled chaos of a sorceress.

“Don't, please!” Cleo managed. “We're friends! I care about you, Lucia. I do!”

Wind swirled violently through the room, sending everything in its path crashing to the floor. Lucia stood before her, her long dark hair flowing.

She was a nightmare come to life—a demon risen from the darklands to destroy everything in its path.

“Magnus was my only true friend in this world,” Lucia said. “And now he lies to me too, just like my father. Just like everyone.”

“I haven't lied to you! I've done nothing wrong. Nothing!”

Cleo would deny it until her very last breath. Even if Lucia
did
know that it was Jonas who'd claimed the earth crystal, there was no way she could possibly know with any certainty that Cleo had been the one to tell him. This was only a guessing game, and Cleo refused to play along.

But she would play a game of her own, as well.

Whatever was going through Lucia's head right now, whatever idea had sparked this act of violence, it didn't matter. They'd had moments of true friendship, and Cleo knew Lucia's heart was not cold and black like her father's. There was kindness inside of her.

“Your father destroyed my life and tore apart my family, but I offered you my friendship anyway. I gave you my mother's ring and expected nothing in return. You're wrong about me—I was loyal to you and I swear to the goddess I didn't tell anyone what I learned here. But if you want to kill me anyway, then do it and be done with it.”

Suddenly the wind vanished and Cleo dropped from the wall like a stone, bruising her knees on the marble floor. She stayed there, crouched in a protective ball, looking up at the sorceress with fear.

There was no pity or understanding on Lucia's face now. Only hatred.

“Get out of here, you lying bitch,” Lucia said. Her fists began to blaze with fire. “I never want to see you again.”

Cleo ran from the room as fast as she could, stumbling down the hallway in her hurry to flee. She had to find Nic and tell him that they needed to make other plans. She needed to contact Jonas as soon as possible to get the other crystals from him. And in the meantime, she had to hope the Kraeshians were still interested in an alliance.

Cleo wiped away her tears as fast as they fell.

“Is everything all right, princess?” a guard asked. He and another guard had left their stations near Lucia's chambers to flank her as she moved down the long hallway.

“Everything is fine. Just fine.” She eyed them warily. “As you were. I don't need any assistance.”

“I'm afraid you're wrong about that.” The guard took her arm. “You're coming with us.”

“What?” She tried to pull away. “Unhand me this instant!”

“It's over, princess.” He looked at her coldly. “We won't be taking any orders from you anymore. Not that we ever did.”

“Let go of me!” she shrieked. She kicked and pulled, fighting to break away from them. She scanned the corridor for help, but found no one else in sight. “You brute! I'll tell the king about this!”

“The king is the one who sent us.”

She stared back in horror, then dove at him, sinking her teeth into his arm until she tasted blood and he let her go with a grunt of pain. She turned and ran, but the other guard grabbed her before she got very far.

“We gave you a chance to come with us without resistance,” he said. “Don't say we didn't.”

Placing his mitt of a hand over Cleo's face, he slammed her backward against the stone wall and darkness fell over her immediately.