For once, Arden was glad to have an empty stomach. At least she wouldn't have to worry about vomiting in front of Kell or his father.
The guard led them to a large office and closed the door behind them. Inside, the king, his sons, Larenis, and Dev waited for them. She wanted to hide behind something when they all turned to her.
Dev rushed to her side. "Shields up?" he whispered in her ear.
She nodded and dug her fingers into his arm. Thank the Lady Moon he was here. His presence helped ease some of the sick terror swirling in her gut. She scanned the room and saw a few more unfamiliar faces, but they all wore the same expression when they looked at her: fear mixed with suspicion.
King Heodis leaned forward in his chair. "Good. Now that everyone's here, let's discuss our options."
"May I ask what's happened so far, Father?" Kell squeezed her hand before crossing the room to the king's massive desk.
Larenis stood at attention. "Sulaino has surrounded the city, Your Highness. When the fog lifted about half an hour ago, we spotted them. He's sent what's left of Lord Yessling to the main gate to negotiate terms of surrender."
"Like I would ever surrender to that horse's ass." Heodis pounded his fist against the table. He nodded for the captain to continue.
"His request was simple. He wishes to speak only to the heir to throne and assures us that he will be returned safely."
"Alive or undead?" Dev's steely words caused a few people to grimace.
"Let's hope alive," Gandor replied. "Father, let's at least hear him out, perhaps find some way to buy us some more time."
"You're actually considering negotiations with a necromancer?" Dev's face darkened. "Do you have any idea what you're dealing with?"
"For a foreigner, you've been extremely opinionated about what we should do."
"Enough, you two. I have a throbbing headache, and your snipes aren't helping." The king massaged his temples. "What are your thoughts, Kell?"
She didn't miss the way the eldest prince scowled when the king asked his youngest son for advice. Sibling rivalry took on a whole new meaning here.
"If Gandor's willing to meet with Sulaino, it might buy us enough time to come up with a plan and learn what the necromancer wants."
Dev pushed her behind him. "I can tell you what he wants. He wants Trouble first, and then he'll use her powers to destroy the kingdom."
"Your theory is plausible, Sir Devarius, but I can't rest all my options on it."
Gandor stood and approached the desk. "With your permission, Father, I would like to engage him."
"With troops or peacefully?"
"I'll hear him out, but if I smell trouble, I'd like to have men just inside the walls waiting for my signal."
The king leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard. After a few seconds of silence, Heodis straightened. "Larenis, I want all of our archers on the wall, watching every move Sulaino makes. If they see anything that remotely appears like a threat to my son's life, turn Sulaino and his abominations into pin cushions. Is that understood?"
The captain snapped to attention. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Gandor, take three men you trust with you and watch your back."
"Yes, Father." He bowed and left the room with Larenis.
Arden couldn't shake the feeling that the prince seemed a little too confident. She leaned closer to Dev. "Shouldn't he have appeared a bit more worried?"
He nodded. "I agree. Something's wrong about this, and I don't want you going anywhere without me until we figure it out."
"Now, to form a plan. Any ideas?"
"Father, I stand by my original plan," Kell said. "Arden knows Sulaino's weakness. If we can find a way to have her use her magic—"
Dev shoved her behind him. "Prince Kell, how many times do I have to tell you that she's not a weapon for you to use?"
"But she's been the most effective opponent so far. We're simple men. We have our blades and our courage, but you know as well as I do that is no match for the army of undead surrounding us."
"And you have no idea what you're asking of her."
Anger mounted deep inside her, and the involuntary rush of fire flowed down her arms. She took a deep breath to steady her temper before she engulfed the room in flames. "Stop it, both of you. I'd like to make my own decisions without you deciding my fate for me."
"Come here, Arden."
Her heart skipped a beat at the king's command. She turned, walking toward the desk like it was her pyre. Her voice wobbled when she asked, "Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Since you claim to be able to make your own decisions, I'm going to ask you directly. Do you know how to defeat Sulaino?"
"I know how to kill undead, Your Majesty."
"And their creator?"
Doubt seeped into every pore of her skin, oozing into her blood. "Loku, can I do this alone?" She prayed for answer, but none came. "I'm not sure."
Heodis furrowed his brow. "Not sure, or not willing?"
"Not sure, Your Majesty. When I battled Sulaino before, I had help. But now, I don't know if I'll have it again."
He turned to Dev. "What is your estimation of her abilities?"
"She is powerful, but untrained. To ask her to draw upon the help she mentioned could lead to catastrophic effects."
"You mean Loku?" Prince Therrin finally asked.
Dev gave a sobering nod. "The god of chaos has his own agenda, and when he grants you a favor, it usually comes at a cost."
She opened her mouth to add that he'd been unusually silent, but a sharp glance from Dev kept her quiet. She wanted to keep Sulaino from turning her homeland into a blight of undead. But her lack of confidence undermined her. She needed Loku in order to defeat the necromancer.
Heodis studied her with his dark eyes until she felt she had nothing left to hide from him. "What other options do we have?" He turned his attention to the other men in the room, who replied with a chorus of suggestions.
Her knees buckled. If Dev hadn't been at her side, she would've swooned.
"Let's sit in a corner until you've got your wits about you again," he said.
Relief washed through her now that she was no longer the center of the king's attention. How could she summon enough courage to take on a necromancer but have a mere mortal reduce her to a pile of cowardice by a simple glare?
Cinder sat beside her, watching her with worry in his yellow eyes. She scratched behind his ears to reassure him and held onto Dev's hand like her life depended on it.
The men continued their debate without them, talking about ways to summon troops and where the best places would be to fortify the walls. Several of them boasted how the unique design of Trivinus would require Sulaino to break through a series of gates before he'd reach the palace. But as she listened, Kell seemed the only one who raised concerns about the citizens in the outer walls. The rest of the unknown advisors negated them as necessary casualties. Her nausea returned in full force when she heard this.
Nearly an hour passed before Gandor returned. A strange light gleamed from his brown eyes, forming a stark contrast to his paler than normal face. She turned to Dev to see if he saw something worrisome in the prince, but her protector kept his emotions hidden.
Gandor held out a scroll. "Here are his terms."
The king took the paper and read it. A frown tugged at his lips from under his beard. Wordlessly he gave it to Kell. "His demands are simple. He claims he only wants Arden. If we hand her over to him by midnight tomorrow, he'll leave without attacking the city."
"For now," Dev bitterly added. "Once he's done with her, he'll be back."
"Dev's right. I don't trust Sulaino. He's bent on revenge, and he'll stop at nothing until he has it." Kell tossed the note on the desk in disgust. "There's a reason why he wants her. She's the only person who can defeat him, and he's playing on our fears of witchcraft."
"But you're the one always saying it's our duty to protect our people, Kell." Gandor pointed his thin finger at her. "Sacrificing her will save us and the people of Trivinus. What's the life of a witch compared to the safety of thousands?"
The room started to spin as all the blood rushed from her head. The pyre would be a kinder fate than being turned over to Sulaino.
Kell pushed his reddened face into Gandor's. "You're only thinking short-term, my nearsighted brother. You forget that with your enemies, you have to think three steps ahead."
"Boys, you forget the lady is still present." The king's sentence brought an awkward hush into the room. "Sir Devarius, please accompany Arden back to her room and see that she stays there for her own safety. No one is to enter or leave her room without my permission. Violate this command, and you'll be the first person tossed over the city walls to that horde."
Heodis' threat wrapped around her like a cloak, shielding her from those willing to exchange her life for theirs. She took Dev's hand and left the room as quickly as she could without running. They rushed through the silent halls with Cinder on their heels, not daring to speak in public or delay their course.
Once inside the room, Dev cast wards on the door and windows. "We're safe for now."
Her heart fluttered so fast, she feared it would try and break free of its bony confines. "And how long will 'now' last?"
"I'm not sure." His grim expression told her "not long." "I need my sword."
"They still have it."
"I know, but at least I'm not entirely unarmed." He reached into his shirt sleeve and pulled out a switchblade. "Keep this with you at all times. There are rats in the palace, and I want to make sure you have something to skewer them with if they break in here."
She took it. The cold metal sent a chill up her arm. "Dev, I'm scared."
"Don't be. We're in this together, remember. And you still have Loku."
"No, I don't. I think we've driven him away or offended him or something because I haven't heard a peep from him."
"He's just contained. If you really need him, he'll break free. He seems to be rather fond of you." He brushed her hair back and looked like he wanted to add that he was fond of her, too, but she knew he'd never admit it. "Can you undress without your maid?"
"Yes, but why?"
"Remember how much fun it was to ride in a dress? Now consider making a quick escape in one."
She nodded, remembering the way hours in the saddle chafed her thighs. "I'll change into the boy's clothes."
"Good. I'll be on the other side of the portal if you need me." He disappeared through the wall, leaving her alone with Cinder.
She laid out the tunic and leggings and began to untie the knot in her laces. She'd just unraveled the first layer when a knock sounded at her door.
Dev stuck his head through the portal. "It's warded."
"Arden, are you in there?" The handle jiggled, followed by more persistent knocking. "Answer me," Kell's voice pleaded.
"I'm here," she replied.
"Why won't the door open?"
She cast a glance to Dev. "Um, maybe it's stuck?"
Kell rammed his body against the door. It shook, but the wood remained intact. "Arden, please, no games right now. I need to speak to you privately."
Dev entered her room through the portal. "Do you have your father's permission?"
"Ha-ha. Very funny, Dev. Let me in. It's important."
He waved his hand in the air, and the blue outline of the ward vanished.
Kell fell into the room as the door banged open. He pushed up on his elbows, wincing. "Let me guess—magic?"
Dev simply smiled and reclined in a chair. "Say what you came here to say."
"I believe I said I wanted to speak to her privately. That means alone, without you." He stood by the open door and waited for Dev to leave.
For once, she wouldn't have to worry about lust getting the better of him. Tension drew lines on Kell's normally carefree face. "I'll be safe with him, Dev. If I need you, you know how to get in here."
His jaw tightened. Her dismissal obviously perturbed him, but he complied by leaving through the open door. "I'll be just on the other side of the wall."
Kell didn't repeat his behavior from earlier this evening. As soon as they were alone, he stood guard by the door instead of wrapping his arms around her. "I won't let Sulaino take you."
"Thank you. Is that all you wanted to say?"
"No." Anger replaced some of his anxiety, and he took two long strides in her direction. "Why aren't you willing to fight?"
"Kell, it's not that simple."
"Tell me why you have all this power at your fingertips, yet refuse to use it. I thought you were better than that."
Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Please, don't judge me. You don't know half the story."
"Apparently not." He spied her travelling clothes laid out on the bed. "Planning on going somewhere?"
His accusations grew more and more bitter with each word. She fought hard to keep her voice from betraying her. "I thought it best to be prepared."
"Why are you doing this to me? I've done everything I can to convince you to stay and fight with me. I've seen to your safety. I've pleaded for your life. I've had your every comfort tended to while you were here so you wouldn't end up in the dungeons with the rats. Instead, you run away and hide behind Dev like a selfish little coward."
Her eyes burned as hotly as her cheeks. "Shut up. You have no idea what's really going on here. "
He closed the space between them and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I even thought if I treated you differently than most women, you'd..." His voice trailed off, and he shoved away in disgust.
"I'd what? Sleep with you and suddenly be converted to your cause? Sweet Lady Moon, it was all a trick. Everything. You actually made me think you cared about me." Revulsion clawed at her skin, making her feel as soiled as a two-lora whore. She reached into her hair and yanked the comb out. "Take your gifts and your lies," she said as she hurled it at him. It clattered on the floor. "I'm finished with your games."
He bent down to retrieve the comb, tracing the individual tines with his finger. "It's not a game, Arden," he replied in a husky voice.
A stray tear broke free. She swiped it off her cheek. "Yes, I know. Politics, I believe is what you called it. Go away, Kell. I don't want to even look at you right now."
"As you wish." His eyes never left the floor. "I'll go try to talk some sense into my father. I promised I'd keep you safe, and I won't let them give you to Sulaino, even if you decide to leave."
He quietly let himself out of the room, leaving her alone with the strange ache building in her chest. More tears slipped out of her eyes, and she no longer fought to contain them.
Dev ran into the room and pulled her into his arms. "Don't cry, Arden. Everything will be all right."
She buried her face into his chest and sobbed. Dev held her close and stroked her hair. After several minutes, her pain lessened enough for her to speak. "I can't believe I trusted him."
"Some lessons in life are harder to learn than others."
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and looked up at him. "You're the only one I can trust. Please don't betray me, too."
He wiped the last tears from her cheek with his thumb, the color of his eyes reminding her of the fir trees that remained green even in the bitter cold of winter. "No, I'll never do that," he said solemnly. "You're stuck with me until one of us draws our last breath."
Hope, an emotion she'd almost forgotten, bloomed inside her once again. She tucked her head under his chin and let him hold her a bit longer. As long as she had him, she wouldn't have to face her demons alone. "Thank you, Dev."