Dark One Rising(33)

“Maybe you should not be here when the final arrangements are made.”

“Oh, I’ll be here, father. You chose not to tell me about your last meeting when you and he concocted this terrible deal. I will not let you dismiss me for this. If I’d been there for the initial negotiations, I wouldn’t have let you agree to it. Melenthia is my sister, and when she was born I made a promise that I would protect her, and if it means protecting her from you, so be it.”

Randor stopped pacing and looked at his son, frowning. He was becoming angry.

“You don’t wear the crown yet, my son. Having you present for any negotiations regarding this kingdom is only a courtesy. I’m still king, and I will make decisions for this kingdom without your input if I choose,” he said sternly.

Kevaan was getting mad himself. “This is not a peace treaty between two hostile territories, father, or an implementation of a border patrol for safe passage between two realms. This is a marriage proposal between a tyrant and your only daughter. You must see that Fallon is trying to manipulate you, father. He will take control of this kingdom if you let him, marriage or not. There is something sinister in this plan, something that involves Melenthia, but I don’t know what it is. You must feel something.”

“You are worried about your sister, Kevaan, I know that, but that is no reason to start believing in ghost stories. Fallon is powerful, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to solidify your position.”

“Father, do you hear yourself? He has enough land. He has already become one of the most powerful dukes in all of Aelethia. He has a huge army, bigger than what he needs, and he hasn’t earned any of it. This is more than wanting to solidify his position. It’s about power, ultimate power.”

“You listen too much to local lore, Kevaan.”

“I have felt things, father, seen things.”

The king shook his head. “Now you’re sounding like your sister.”

“Maybe we should have listened.”

“You spend too much time riding the countryside, I fear. I will allow you to be here for this, but I expect you as a prince of this realm to do your duty as such. I expect Melenthia to do the same.”

The finality in his words and the way he said it gave Kevaan chills. It were as if he were reciting a speech from memory. There was no feeling in it. Kevaan frowned, teeth clenched together so hard his jaw hurt. He would say nothing else, for now, but he would not let Fallon take his father’s power away so easily. Even if his father didn’t realize what he was doing, Kevaan did, and he had to try and stop it. He hoped that Alek had found Melenthia, and together, they were already on their way to Azlyn. If Alek failed, he feared it would mean more than Fallon getting Melenthia; he feared it would mean him getting everything.



***



The sun was just starting to set now, and Dain was pacing back and forth across the tile floors of his sitting room. Emerick had awoken him from his nap several hours before with an urgent message from Alekzand’r, his Royal Advisor, Bounty Hunter, and friend. The message was very disturbing.

It seemed Dain would have a visitor in the coming days, the princess from Aaralyn would be arriving, and Alek was asking his king for her protection. He didn’t go into a lot of details, probably afraid of saying too much if the information fell into the wrong hands. It seemed to him that she was in some sort of trouble. Alek did say that he first had to track her down, then they would run. Dain wasn’t sure, but he guessed that this might have something to do with all the other weird things going on. Maybe it even had to do with Fallon and all the strange stories surrounding him.

Was there nothing going on around the kingdom that did not involve him? He was like a plague, eating away a bite at a time, and soon, if he was not stopped, would consume everything, including Dain’s own realm. He frowned. He should have been a better king, one who paid closer attention and made it a point to find out about things before they got out of control.

He had no idea what the princess would have to do with Fallon, or why Alek thought he might be followed, but he was worried that whatever news Alek brought with him, would not be good.

Emerick was standing by the door, watching his king pace back and forth, but he said nothing. Dain finally stopped and turned to look at him.

“It seems we’re going to have a visitor. I recommend we prepare. It has been too long since a woman were in the castle.”

Emerick shot him a look, eyebrows raised.

“I meant a woman of nobility, a royal woman. This castle is in a shambles.” He raised his hand to let Emerick know he was not pointing blame on anyone but himself. “I’m not saying you are responsible. Lord knows the trouble I cause for you. I was just stating out loud that I would appreciate some order. I don’t want her to use the apartments that Annikka just vacated. Please have my mothers old apartments cleaned and put in some semblance of decency. I think she would be more comfortable in there.”