War of the Princes 03: Monarch (24 page)

Chapter 40: Anything for a Friend

Kyle stood before me as unassuming and accidentally charming as he'd been the moment we had first met. I remembered him then, just a boy of six, or so I'd thought. How could anyone be so smart? How could a person make life look so easy? He never cared about being popular, but people liked him. He rarely studied, but soared through school. My breath was stolen away from me as
the revelation struck and I saw him for who he really was. Even then, that boy was proud, stubborn– unwavering in his values, unyielding in his opinions.

Looking at him now, all of my memories melted and overlapped atop him. The Pull was never wrong, but this time it had to be. Kyle couldn't be Varion. I clung to denial, knowing that I held enough evidence to elevate him and condemn him in the very same moment.

Good gravity, Kyle. I can't do this.

My heart slammed in my chest. I rested a hand on Kyle's shoulder and turned to face Deasun.
“It's not– it's not him.”

Rune didn't believe me. His expression gave nothing away, but when he looked at me, I knew.

Deasun didn't seem to care what I said. “You are mistaken, girl, but I do not fault you. Such news cannot come easily.”

Dylan
let out a dry chuckle and tipped his head to Kyle mockingly. “Prince Varion. Do I laugh, kneel, or run?”

“
You wouldn't get far,” Hussar Prie said under her breath with a subtle smile and twinkling eyes.

“Any show of
violence Lord-Commander, Dragoon, Lodestone,” Deasun pointed to each of us in turn. “And you'll have this entire city at your throats. Despite our differences, Headly would be more than willing to facilitate in hanging your heads over the Seagate, make no mistake.”

I swallowed.
“We're friends, General. I'd sooner die than let anything happen to Kyle.”

And that might be a strong possibility.

“So long as the other two in your troupe share the same sentiments,” he said dangerously, and his eyes were settled on Dylan. “Men of these occupations are rarely known for their mercy.”

Dylan glared pointedly at the man.
“Do not presume to understand the circumstances that led up to my becoming a Commander, General. I am no lackey for my
fair
Prince Raserion. Our very presence here should illustrate the same conclusion, or have you forgotten why we've come? This Dragoon beside me single-handedly incited the rebellion in Cape Hill. We wouldn't dream of making a scratch on our boy's scrawny neck– prince or not.”

“
Axton, show some respect,” Rune chided.

Dylan pulled at his cuffs.
“I'll match respect for respect. I am a Lord of Breakwater, not some jumped up soldier with notions of superiority. He stands here, ready to accuse us of an absurd betrayal that has not and will not come to pass. Tell us that our companion is one of the princes. Fine. Ignore our very real plea for assistance. Arrest us, if that's what you're going to do, but do
not
presume to threaten me unless you intend to follow it through.”

If arrogance was the nearest cousin to courage that Dylan could muster, it was still worthwhile. Much as his wild reactions tended to concern me, I was glad that he wasn't cowering. He'd been so afraid on the Flying Fish, I couldn't have guessed he would recover so quickly. Maybe it was because the worst had already happened, he'd been apprehended and he survived long enough to be
indignant about it.

General Deasun's nostrils flared.
“I am too old to be a fool, Lord-Commander. I would rather test you with words than with steel.”

Dylan snorted and took his statement into consideration.
“I never thought I'd see the day when a leader of armies preferred words to violence.”

“
When you've experienced two hundred years of war, you learn of the futility of bloodshed,” Deasun said. He turned to Rune. “Are you truly the Dragoon who overthrew Cape Hill?”

“
No,” Rune said, shocking me. Was he going to lie about what he'd done? “I liberated innocent children from my sister's murderers. If a revolt occurred because of my actions, I cannot be credited for it.”

“
Yes, well,” Deasun almost smiled. If I wasn't mistaken, his respect for Rune had just increased. “You may not have a choice in the matter.”

“I traveled n
orth with peaceful intentions as well, General. All of us came here for the sake of Breakwater. We will not harm your prince.”

“
You're talking like you believe him,” Kyle said to all of us. “I'm not an immortal. I'm not a prince!” His eyes locked onto mine like I was his only anchor in a storm of colossal waves.

“
I'm sorry, General Deasun.” In Shadows within Shadows, I saw silhouettes of creatures I'd never believed could possibly exist. Not the shadow chasers that glowed in the eternal-night sky, or the warhorses that glinted opalescent in the dim– the others, the ones that crept and crawled through the inky trees just out of view, those were the ones that worried me. With the trace of a finger, the medallion could call any or all of them forward. I envisioned him pinned and swallowed whole the way Rune had nearly been taken by the Gateling. What would the shadows do to Kyle? Since we took to the sea, he'd been afraid, and I swore to protect him. “You're wrong.”

Deasun stepped ahead of the prince's goliath double.
“We would not offer you a throne if we did not know without a doubt that you were our prince. You do not remember me. I understand that my word may not be sufficient. There is an undeniable method of proof that we have not attempted.”

Kyle swallowed hard.
“What is it?”

The general looked between his Hussars and back at us.
“During your long rule, you kept secret a phrase. A code that you would speak to your bodyguard, alone. The key to your kingdom. In the event of disaster, it was entrusted to only your closest aides: Myself and Headly. Speak those words now. You know them.”

“
This is stupid,” Kyle complained, crossing his arms.

“
It is not.”

“
I don't know any phrase!”

“
Try it.”

“
There's nothing to try! I don't know what you're talking about!” Kyle seemed surprised by the heat of his own voice, and quieted. “If you're not going to help us, just let us go.”

Deasun sighed and rested his hand on the pommel of his sword. The
profound disappointment on his face managed to make me feel irrationally guilty. “I cannot release you as long as Lord Headly controls this kingdom. Our fates were irretrievably interlocked the moment I released you from Whiterock Palace and freed your friends. Doubt your history if you wish, but if you do not help me deal with Headly, the might of this kingdom will crash down upon us all.”

Kyle looked up at the Prince's bodyguard, and then back to General Deasun.
“What do you want me to do?”

“
We cannot risk leaving the Keep, but the nearer you are to the public, the safer you'll be. Show your face as Varion, and Headly cannot harm you. You
must
remember the phrase.”

Chapter 41: To Measure Friendship

I kept my arms crossed over my middle, not daring to venture anywhere near that pocket again. Cold sweat formed at my temples and shivers raked down my back despite the warmth of the room. Deasun had brought us to a private chamber under heavy guard. He'd set out to rally several historians and a carefully chosen selection of Caraway's noble citizens to b
ear witness to Varion's likeness in Kyle. The trick would be returning them to our meeting room without attracting Headly's attention– a feat that could prove to be impossible. Even with the risks he was taking, the general had planned for the worst. The waiting room in which we sat opened up to a lofty balcony overlooking an exquisite green and gold ballroom. If something were to happen to Deasun, we'd be in the right place to make a public display announcing Kyle as the prince. All we needed was an audience, and I was certain he'd deliver one.

The chamber itself was lavish
, with swirling blue and gold wallpaper, puffy cushioned chairs, piles of throw rugs, and polished wood tables. Stodgy paintings of humorless noblemen hung from the walls, each with a more ridiculous mustache than the last. Delicately leafed vases housed mechanical flowers that simulated blooming and folding in five-minute intervals. The creation was so unique, it would have merited a closer look... perhaps from someone who wasn't losing her mind.

Rune reached out a hand, catching onto my elbow to stop me from pacing. He gave me a long, steady look that calmed me down ever so slightly. He knew what I did. I'd told him about my agreement with Prince Raserion. Why wasn't he having a panic attack along with me? Did his experience during the war foreshadow his short friendship with Kyle? Maybe he wouldn't care if he lived or died. Anything to end the war. I frowned down at my feet and regretted the thought. I wished I could talk to him
– ask him what we should do– but we weren't alone.

The silence in the room was tense, and the gaping ballroom didn't
provide any distraction. Dylan poked at the cracking flames in the fireplace, and Kyle sat on a cushioned bench, glaring at the oversized chair in the room that faced the balcony. It was large enough to hold Prince Varion’s bodyguard, and that was a considerable feat.

Rune broke the silence.
“We should consider escape.”

“
Do you think we'd have a chance?” I pushed my thick hair back from my face and considered whether I could run from my problems. My conclusion was not optimistic.

“
With your Abilities and considerable luck,” Rune trailed off.

Dylan turned sharply to Rune, his beautiful face contorted with anger.
“And abandon Breakwater to the fate you damned us with? Maybe quitting is the only concept you're familiar with now, but I refuse to leave until we have reinforcements for my city.”

Rune's jaw flexed with irritation.
“I don't believe our situation has improved since we arrived. Kiteman has denied these claims, Katelyn supported him, and General Deasun's compromise was to bring us here to display him to the public. It could save us from Headly, but at what cost? When these people see Kiteman and believe him to be their prince, their grip on us will tighten. There will be no way out of the city. We should attempt to escape now.”

I paced to the painting of a lady with a high, white collar. Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, and her lips were thin and firm. She did not look like a kind person. Written in the deep oils of the canvas on a painted ribbon was her name,
followed by a phrase.

Lady Temara Dalson - Honesty is the greatest of virtues.

I couldn't avoid the feeling that the painting was judging me. What would an escape mean if Kyle were truly Prince Varion? I needed to tell them about the Pull and I didn't know how.

“
You're forgetting something. Deasun sent his men to search for Carmine again. We can't leave without her.” Kyle picked at the fabric of the bench. “Why is this happening to me?”

“
I don't see what you're so glum about,” Dylan said, stabbing at the coals. “We came here wondering if we'd survive long enough to ask for help, and now they've mistaken you for their bloody prince. Agree with them, pass the order to send help to Breakwater, demand to go yourself to see it through, and never show your face again. Everyone wins.”

Rune crossed his arms.
“You don't think there would be repercussions for that?”

Dylan groaned.
“Oh, I know there would be. But it'd buy us some time, wouldn't it, Prince Varion?” The young lord grinned wolfishly.

Kyle slumped against the wall and rubbed his face with his hands.
“I don't even want to joke about that. I'm
not
Prince Varion.” He said the last sentence slowly.

I bit my thumbnail, fighting to keep my thoughts to myself. Sure, there were some thirty-odd guards posted outside the door, but they wouldn't disagree with what I had to say, even if they could hear through walls so thickly buffered by decorative carpeting.

I glanced at the painting again and felt guilt scratch at me like nails on glass. “Yes, you are.” All three of them stared at me.

“
Not funny, Kat,” Kyle said as dismissively as he could manage.

What was I supposed to say to him? I didn't make it up. I tested him and discovered that Deasun was right.
“I'm not joking.”

That irritated him. He frowned at me like I had joined in on some kind of cruel prank.
“Thanks.”

“
Kyle, I used the Pull. It led to you. I can't believe it either, but that doesn't make it any less true.”

The color drained from his face.
“No you didn't.”

Dylan stowed the fire poker and stared with astonishment.
“Are you certain?”

Kyle's face pleaded witho
ut words that I not say it. “Yes,” I answered.

He almost laughed, but it was the negative, uneasy kind.
“That's impossible. I'm
me.
”

I looked down at my hands and back up into my friend's honest, silver eyes.
“Twelve.”

“
What?” he asked, blinking. His hands were trembling. He looked terrified.

“
Deasun– he said twelve years,” I muttered. “Ever since Haven was founded, information was passed through the Still Well in Rivermarch and taken by the Historical Research Society. The information stopped twelve years ago. The impenetrable lock on the inside of the Still Well began to break twelve years ago. My mother left me and my father to work on a secret project to break that lock with Professor Barry Block,
twelve
years ago.” My voice became stronger with every statement. “Kyle...”

“
No.” He shot to his feet and paced, shaking his head.

“
It feels like we've known each other forever...”

“
No.” His eyes became glossy and red.

It was so hard to see him like that, and to keep forming the words that I needed to say.
“We met, twelve years ago.”

Kyle's eyes burned with red and a tear slipped down his cheek.
“He's a monster!” Frantically, he looked to Dylan. “You've told us as much! I'm not
him
!”

“
You've been acting strangely ever since we reached Cape Hill. In your dreams, you were burning. The Prince burned. We all saw the film. His Ability made him a child again so he could heal the damage to his body, and he was sent to Haven. As crazy as it sounds, it all lines up.”

“
Don't say that.” Kyle's voice wavered. His eyes were bloodshot and he raked a shaky hand through his curly hair, pulling on the tangled ends. “It doesn't make sense. It can't.”

“
I'm sorry.” My knees felt weak from the absurdity of it all. It should have been a dream, but it wasn't. “Kyle, you really are Prince Varion Argent.”

“Don't ever say that to me ever again!” Kyle shouted, charging halfway across the room at me.

I flinched like he'd struck me. Never in my life had I seen him so angry. I wasn't prepared for such a roaring temper. Either I'd struck a nerve, he'd known all along, or he was innocent and simply tormented by the idea. Regardless of the reason for his final outburst, I was offended by his treatment of me. If I didn't tell him the truth before a kingdom crowned or killed him for who he was, what kind of a friend would I be? It was bad enough to carry the weight of my agreement with Raserion.

He must have read my expression and seen the betrayal I felt by the lash of his emotions. He stopped short, and a tear slipped down his cheek.

“
I'm sorry, Kat,” he said, with a trembling chin.

Rune stepped slowly to my side, a tall and silent reminder that I was not to be mistreated under any circumstances.

Kyle looked up at him and some of the wind went out of his chest. “I'm sorry,” he insisted.

Dylan didn't move from the fireside.
“Easy now. We're all friends here.” There was an emphasis on the word, “friends” that made it sound suspiciously contrary to its meaning.

Half back peddling, half walking, Kyle collapsed into his seat on the bench. He took in several deep breaths and rubbed his eyes.
“I'm still me. I'd never hurt anyone, least of all my friends. I can't even kill a bug without feeling guilty.” He was quiet now, rambling, letting his emotions dissipate. “This is like a nightmare, you know? Worse than the fire. It's like everyone has turned against me. I didn't mean to yell at you.”

“
It's okay,” I said, but I wasn't sure.

“
There may be more going on here than we realize.” I didn't expect Dylan to be the one to come forward with a point, but he did. “A handful of weeks ago, Miss Kestrel thought we were tracking her mother, but it had been a Haven Professor all along. I believe you're telling the truth, Katelyn, but this could be a trick.”

“
A trick how?” I didn't enjoy being reminded of how easily my real mother had strung me along.

“
We can't be sure. I'm just pointing out that there's a possibility we're being fooled somehow. A detail we're unfamiliar with, history, an Ability.” Dylan shrugged. “So you met Kiteman twelve years ago. He couldn't have been the only child to move to your home city from a different town. What else did that general have to say about it? That he was adopted? It's a nice way to rattle a prisoner at knife-point, but there's no evidence.”

Kyle's eyes brightened, and some of the tension in the room lifted.

My head spun. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't understand how the Pull could be manipulated to make me find Prince Varion when I looked at Kyle. The alternative was even more unbelievable. All I knew was that if Kyle wasn't Varion, I wouldn't have to worry about my agreement with Raserion.

Raserion would know.

But that would take turning Kyle in and hoping for the best. I wasn't convinced that Raserion would just let us go once he'd gotten what he wanted. And if he mistook Kyle for Varion too? I didn't want to think about what would happen then.

I felt sick, but I held my emotions in a death-grip. I wouldn't be stupid and cry or complain or run.

“The likelihood that our friend here is Prince Varion Argent is one in a million at the least. Not to mention, you're a little slight-of-frame to be the giant of the North. Varion's height and girth have been depicted for centuries. They say he's not even human. At the very least you should be a mirror image of the prince's bodyguard, and I just don't see it.”

Rune scratched at his bottom lip as he thought.
“If Varion could control his Ability to age, he may be able to alter his size and physique.”

Dylan seemed amused by Rune's statement. With his flawlessly tailored clothing, noble features, and cavalier attitude, he looked like he belonged in one of the paintings on the walls.
“Well. Go ahead, Dragoon, clip the only two threads of sanity he has left.”

“
What?” Rune asked, blundering straight through Dylan's efforts at tempering Kyle's stress levels. “It doesn't make a difference in the case of Kiteman being the prince or not. The real Varion could still be in Haven. His Abilities were said to be the most powerful in existence– anything is possible. If he is still at large, we should learn as much as we can about what he's capable of.”

“
I've never met anyone who could change their shape,” Dylan said skeptically.

“
And have you ever met a prince?” Rune asked.

Dylan retrieved the poker and smothered several coals with it.

“I thought as much.”

Kyle sat on the bench, looking off the edge of the balcony. His legs were bouncing like he had too much energy pent up within him.
“I can't do this anymore.”

I'd just begun to return to a state of normalcy. Dylan's points about Varion were more than noteworthy
. I wanted them to be true, and I didn't like Kyle's tone.