A Power of Old(53)

“Why are you up?” I asked. “You need to go back to sleep—it’s hardly dawn yet.” Her hair was mussed, and I could see slight creases on her cheeks from where she’d lain on the blankets.

“I wanted to wish you good luck.” She smiled, yawning. “Can I get you anything?” Ruby looked around the kitchen, frowning slightly as she saw how empty it was—and belatedly realizing she wouldn’t know how to get me anything.

“I don’t need anything, Shortie.” I grinned and held up the bread, noticing the quick flash of relief on her face.

Moved by the fact that she’d bothered to get up and wish me well, I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to gather her up in my arms and return to my room—but I knew where that would lead, and as much as I wished I could spend the day ignoring the rest of the world with her, it just wasn’t possible.

“I’ll see you later.” I walked up to her, kissing her briefly on the forehead.

“Wait, Ash.” She hesitated briefly. “I just wanted to say that we’ll find a way—to be together, I mean. Whatever happens.”

I tugged at a strand of her blonde hair, wanting to say so much more than I was about to. “You can count on it, Shortie,” I replied. “I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

She smiled up at me. “Okay. Deal.”

We shared a brief hug, and then I made my way to the courtyard, still hoping that neither Lithan or Qentos would be ready yet.

My heart sank as I opened the side door of the castle and saw Lithan up ahead, cooing to a vulture. My blood boiled as I surveyed him.

Treacherous coward.

How dare he even show his face here? When I thought about how long he must have been playing a double game, throughout the emperor’s rule, through the kingship trials and now the Imperial trials…It made me sick.

I thought about what Ruby had said, about trying to keep the monster on our side, and tried to still my temper before it got the better of me.

Attempting to appear normal, I approached the courtyard. My feet crunched loudly on gravel, and the minister turned. As soon as he recognized his intruder, a look of fury flickered across his expression before he reverted it to a mask of polite indifference.

“You’re up early, your highness,” he announced in greeting.

“As are you,” I replied.

“I wanted to ensure all was ready.”

I nodded, not believing the sentry for a second.

“And where is Qentos?” I asked.

“Already at the pavilion. I believe he wished to discuss a matter with the Impartial Ministers.”

Interesting.

I wondered if Qentos was just as embroiled in the Acolytes as Lithan was. Qentos had always seemed the lesser of two evils, but maybe that was just a ruse.

“Take this bird, your highness,” Lithan continued, standing back from the vulture. “One of the stable hands is bringing me another.”

“I can wait,” I replied. I didn’t want to fly on a bird that Lithan had been whispering to for however long.

“It’s no trouble,” he insisted. I didn’t know if it was my imagination or not, but I thought I could detect the gleam of malice in his eyes. Now I was in a tricky situation. If I protested again, I risked Lithan thinking I didn’t trust him…but if I didn’t, I questioned my chances of getting to the trials in one piece.

As quickly as I could, I called to Tejus’s bird. I didn’t know if it would respond to me—his previous one had been exclusively loyal to her master, but it was the only bird that I knew I could trust. The only one Lithan and Qentos wouldn’t dare go near.

“Please, your highness.” Lithan bowed deeply, gesturing to the creature.

I was about to come up with some meaningless reason to return back to the castle for a moment when a loud squawk and heavy flap of wings broke through the stillness of the morning.

“Tejus’s vulture?” Lithan questioned as he looked to the sky, his tone clipped.

“Tejus’s vulture,” I repeated. “The ex-king has been very accommodating.”

“So I see.” Lithan nodded, a venomous smile erupting across his features. “Very well then, we shall depart.”

The vulture settled on the stones of the courtyard, waiting patiently for me to climb onto its back. I grinned back at Lithan.

“Let’s go.”



We set down a few yards from the pavilion. We were the first to arrive—the ghostly white of the crumbling structure was only just beginning to be soaked in the morning light, making it look even more ancient and decrepit than usual.

“I can’t see Qentos,” I commented, feeling vaguely uneasy that I was alone in the Fells with Lithan. If Queen Trina arrived early too, then I would be surrounded by the enemy.