The Jewel of Kamara (The Delthenon Chronicles) (25 page)

“And
then what happens? We attack the city? Kill our friends?”

“No,”
Dahlia said. “We hope that King Wimarc has enough sense to change things.”

She
wanted to believe Dahlia, but she knew there would be a battle. It would only
be a matter of when. She knew they were doing the right thing, but the thought
of fighting an army led by her father made her heart ache. They were not close
and were never going to be but still, she didn’t want to see him lose his life
in this war. And what about Nic? Would he fight? If Tempani won, what would
happen to him?

“So,
how long have you been in love with my brother?” Tempani asked, desperate to
clear her mind of her thoughts.

Dahlia
blushed. “Is it that obvious?”

“Just
a little.”

Dahlia
smiled, her face glowing with happiness. “He’s wonderful,” she breathed.

“So
why all the secrecy?” Tempani asked.

“It’s
difficult,” she said. “Chae has worked hard to prove himself at court and they
accept him but only to a certain extent. If we went public with our courtship…”

Tempani
nodded. “I understand. Believe me.”

“And
that’s why things need to change. Why should two people who love each other so
dearly have to skulk around? I want to shout my feelings from the highest
mountain,” she giggled.

Tempani
wrapped her arm around her shoulders and hugged her friend to her. “Then that
is what you must do. You will get your happily ever after with my brother.”

—

The
scream pierced the palace walls, startling everyone from their slumber. Nic
grappled for his sword, and in the short time it had taken him to dress
himself, Dagan had arrived. The man was sweating, panting heavily, as he’d
taken the stairs at record speed.

“What’s
going on?” Nic asked as they rushed out the door.

Dagan
shook his head and urged Nic to hurry as they broke into a run. The panic rose
in Nic’s chest. He knew something was wrong. That scream had not only pierced
the walls, it had sent a dagger through his heart. It was his mother.

He
pushed people out of his way as they ran down the flight of stairs that led to
his parents’ chambers. Members of the King’s Guard milled around, barking
orders. The Chief Healer appeared at the door, his face drawn. The man looked
at the prince, tears in his brown eyes.

Nic
took a deep breath and walked in. There was a small crowd gathered around the
bed, most of whom wept quietly. They parted when they noticed him, allowing him
to step closer. His father lay there, a deep gash in his neck, his eyes wide
and unmoving. But that wasn’t what tore a hole in his heart. It was his mother.
Her pale face streaked with tears, her blonde hair falling down her waist as
she cowered on the floor. Her deep wails carried through the room. She lay
there, not as a queen, but as a woman with a broken heart. Teddy was beside
her, trying to console her, but she didn’t appear to notice his presence.

Teddy
looked up at Nic, his eyes showing no signs of sadness or surprise. Nic thought
he noticed a look of relief pass his brother’s face, but it was gone as quickly
as it had appeared.

He
noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Hallam entering
the room from Wimarc’s study. He motioned for Nic to come.

“What
happened?” Nic asked
as
he
reached his uncle’s side. He had managed to sound calm and focused, but on the
inside he was anything but.

“An
assassin,” Hallam whispered. “We have him subdued in the study.”

Nic
nodded and swept past his uncle into the study. A Kalaowin man stood, his eyes
focused on the wall in front of him. The left side of his face was badly
scarred. Around him, members of the King’s Guard watched him, their swords
pointed at his heart.

Lord
Ricton stood in the corner, his eyes trained on the assassin. He didn’t bow or
even acknowledge Nic’s presence.

“Stand
down,” Nic ordered.

The
men hesitated, their eyes darting to Hallam.

“I
am your prince,” Nic said calmly. “Stand down.”

The
man didn’t move an inch as the Guard backed away from him. Not even a blink.
Nic had heard of this happening. Of Kalaowins showing no fear in the face of
death. Nic stood in his line of sight and met his blank, dark eyes.

“You
have committed the worst crime known to this kingdom,” Nic said slowly, unsure
if the man could even understand a word he was saying. “There is only one
punishment for regicide.”

The
man’s eyes remained on Nic’s as he spoke, but they showed no fear.

“You
will be taken before the Master Priest,” he said. “You will be sentenced to
death.” Nic turned to the Guard. “Take him to the dungeon. I will summon the
Master Priest.”

He
was at the door when he heard the man speak. His voice was soft as he spoke in
perfect Kamari. “In the name of Tempani our queen, you’re next.”

Nic
froze. And then he heard the sound of a blade swishing through the air before
it pierced the heart of the man, and he fell to the ground. Hallam pushed his
foot against the man and pulled his sword free from his body.

Nic
glared at Hallam. “What have you done?”

“What
needed to be done.” He handed his bloodied sword to one of the Guard. “Clean my
sword.” He pushed Nic towards the door. “Your kingdom awaits, King Nicolass.”

—

Tempani
gasped as she woke suddenly, her hair sticking to her sweaty face. Her hands
trembled as she pushed it out of her eyes. She’d had a nightmare again, but for
the first time it hadn’t been about her mother. She couldn’t remember the finer
details of it but there had been blood. Lots of it.

She
tried to close her eyes and drift back to sleep, but the moment her lids closed
she saw the blood again, gushing from a man’s neck. She shivered. It felt so
real. Like she was seeing a real wound. And it had been fatal.

She
threw on some breeches and thrust her feet into a pair of boots. If she
couldn’t sleep, she might as well make herself useful. She buttoned her shirt
as she trudged out into the warm night. She loved the mild summer nights. They
reminded her of happier times back on Amarill with her family, taking late
night swims in the lake when it was too hot to sleep.

The
infirmary was quiet. She nodded to the sister on duty and was met with a small
smile in return. When this girl had been a novice she had given Tempani nothing
but frowns and glares of contempt, but now with her commitment to the Greater
Gods complete, her prejudices had been surrendered.

Tempani
went to the first bed and checked on the little girl with the broken leg. She
placed her hand on her limb and closed her eyes, opening her mind to the broken
limb. The bone was almost completely healed. She pushed a sliver of her magic
into the fracture.

She
moved onto the man with the burning fever and fought off as much of the
infection as she could and then sent him into a deeper slumber. She moved from
bed to bed, applying her magic where possible. Her strength waned but she
pushed on, desperate to erase the image of her nightmare.

She
stumbled as she approached the next bed and was caught by a pair of soft hands.
She was helped to a spare bed and collapsed onto it, her breathing haggard.

“Drink
this,” Bhatia ordered and thrust a nasty smelling concoction into her hands.

Tempani
pushed it away, the bile rising in her throat at the stench.

“Trust
me,” Bhatia said and helped her pour it through her lips.

Tempani
instantly felt better as the liquid trickled down her throat. Her head cleared,
and she was able to sit upright. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“Mother
Chennai said I have a knack with medicines.”

“You
need to work on the taste.”

Bhatia
shrugged, clearly not amused. “It does the trick. That’s what counts.”

Tempani
gulped down some water and wiped her mouth. “What are you doing here so late
anyway?”

“I
could ask you the same thing.”

Tempani
shivered despite the heat. “I had a nightmare and couldn’t sleep.”

Bhatia
raised her eyebrows at the girl, and Tempani could only guess what she was
thinking. Did she think she was childish for being scared of a dream? Weak? She
wouldn’t blame her if she did.

“I
hate the night,” she said quietly. “Every time it comes I expect him to
arrive.”

Tempani
watched her closely. She wondered what it must be like for her. To feel like
she has no one to turn to. To think it’s
fine
for a man to do what he did because of what
she does for a living. She was in awe of Bhatia’s strength.

“So
what do you do?”

“I
come in here. It’s the only place I feel safe.”

“Who
is he?” Tempani asked. “I will make him pay.”

Bhatia
raised her head and stared into Tempani’s eyes. “I fight my own battles,” she
said. “And he will suffer at my hands only.”

Tempani
nodded and got to her feet. “I should go rest.”

Bhatia
watched her go and found herself calling out to her. “If you can’t sleep, come
see me. I have a potion that will help you.”

—

 “My
dear Tryphena, you must pull yourself together,” Hallam said as he stroked the
back of her head. “The court needs to see your face in this time of mourning.”

She
looked up at him through teary eyes. “I need to mourn with my family. Not the
court.”

He
knelt beside her. “They mourn for their beloved king. Seeing their precious
queen, even for a moment, will do the world of good. We need to show them that
we will get through this. That our family is strong.”

“My
mother wants to be left in peace,” Teddy snapped as he came through the door.
“Not paraded around in front of those ignorant nobles on your arm.”

Hallam
got to his feet and smiled at his nephew. “Now, now Teddy. You act like I plan
to take advantage of your mother.”

“I
wouldn’t put it past you.”

Hallam
sighed. “I don’t know what I’ve done to make you think so poorly of me. It
saddens me to no end.”

Teddy
opened his mouth to respond but was stopped by Nic’s arrival.

“Ah
Nic, there you are!” Hallam exclaimed. “I take it you’ve been busy rubbing
shoulders with your constituents? Wonderful idea. Show them that they’re wrong
to doubt you simply for being young.”

Nic
frowned as he bent down to kiss
Tryphena’s
cheek.

“For
being young?”

Hallam
shrugged as he took a seat. “That’s the excuse I’m giving them for your
reluctance to arrest that girl.”

Nic
closed his eyes and took a breath. “You’re talking to them about it?” He asked
through gritted teeth. “The issue should not be discussed outside the walls of
Parliament.”

“And
when they ask me why you won’t arrest the person responsible for his death what
would you like me to say? Look at your poor mother. She is distraught over this
business. If you won’t do what’s right for your kingdom at least do it for her.
It’s time to be a man.”

“I
am king, Hallam, and I know what is right for my kingdom.” He turned on his
heel and walked out, leaving Teddy to watch the look of contempt cross their
uncle’s face.

Teddy
had been suspicious before but now he was convinced. He just needed Nic to
believe him.

—

 “Teach
me how to fight with my magic,” Tempani said as she caught up to Mother
Chennai.

“Once
you understand the elements, you will be able to fight.”

“How?
What does starting a fire have to do with fighting? Yes, it is a handy thing to
know when we’re travelling and sleeping outdoors but beyond that?”

Mother
Chennai smiled at her. “Start a fire for me. Go on,” she insisted when Tempani
hesitated.

Tempani
rolled her eyes and stared at the log on the ground. Sparks appeared instantly
before turning into a flame.

“Make
it bigger.”

Tempani
did as she was told, and a small fire now burned before her.

“Separate
a small amount from that and throw it towards that tree,” she said pointing
towards a tree that stood a few feet away.

Tempani
concentrated on the fire and tried to pull out just a fraction of it. She
smiled when she did but in doing so lost her concentration, causing the
fireball she’d created to return to the log.

“Try
again but make it smaller. I don’t want to burn down the tree.”

She
bit her lip and tried again, taking care to just extract a tiny amount.

“Good,”
Mother Chennai murmured when she had it floating in front of her. “Throw it.”

Tempani
focused on the small ball and turned her mind towards the tree. It went
hurtling towards it but before reaching it, was doused with water.