An Empire of Stones Read online

  “I missed you,” I whispered hoarsely.

  “Me too,” she replied. I waved at Ash, who was standing behind her. He smiled back in greeting, but took a step back, giving us some space.

  “We’ve got some good news!” Ruby exclaimed. “It’s a long story, but Julian’s safe! He’s in the human quarters right now recovering.”

  I stared at Ruby in astonishment, and then I exhaled. I felt as if I’d been carrying around a huge hiker’s backpack without realizing it, and suddenly someone had come along and removed about half of its contents. Only then was I aware just how heavy that load had been, and just how freeing it was to have it removed.

  “Oh, thank God,” I whispered.

  Ruby nodded. She knew how I felt—I could see the same relief in her eyes.

  “We dropped him off in the human quarters and then came to find you. Is everything okay? You looked like you were in a hurry.”

  “It’s far from okay, but let’s go and see him now.” I grimaced.

  I glanced briefly behind me, hoping I would catch sight of Tejus entering the castle. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen, but I would find him later.

  Julian was in his and Benedict’s room, sitting up in bed with Jenney by his side. Yelena was sitting on Benedict’s bed, hugging one of his pillows to her chest.

  “Hey.” I smiled at Julian.

  He returned the smile, and my heart constricted. He looked so ill. He was severely malnourished and the bones of his face jutted out painfully.

  “Both Julian and I managed to get locked up in Queen Trina’s dungeon,” Ruby stated. “It wasn’t a great place to be.”

  I nodded, taking a moment to let the rage that was free-flowing through my veins subside. I took a few deep breaths, not wanting Julian to have to hear my ranting when he was obviously so unwell.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked him.

  “Better now that I’m here. I had thought you’d all be home by now.”

  “We wouldn’t have left without you!” I replied.

  “That’s what I keep telling him,” Ruby added.

  She mock-glared at Julian, and he rolled his eyes. It was the only indication he’d given so far that it was still Julian in there and not just a broken husk of a kid who had been through far too much.

  “Do you want to rest?” Jenney asked Julian solicitously.

  He nodded weakly, then coughed with bone-shaking intensity. I smiled, not wanting Julian to know how alarmed I was by his health. I was glad that Jenney seemed to be taking up the role of nurse—I hoped that she would have some medicine to give him, or know someone who would.

  Ash, Ruby, Yelena and I all traipsed out of the room. Under instruction from Jenney, Yelena went off to fetch extra blankets from the servant quarters. When we were alone, I turned to Ruby.

  “I’m glad you found him when you did.” I swallowed. It didn’t look like Julian would have survived Queen Trina’s dungeons for much longer. Ruby nodded, wrapping her arms around her body to comfort herself.

  “We’re going to kill her, right?” I added, looking at Ash.

  He looked faintly surprised at my statement—I was only half joking.

  “Something needs to be done,” he replied. “Though from what I’ve heard, Tejus has it in for the queen after Varga’s death.”

  “What?” Ruby burst out.

  Ash belatedly realized that Ruby hadn’t known about the commander.

  “I’m so sorry,” he replied. “He was killed.”

  Ruby went completely white.

  “Sit down,” I told her, walking her over to one of the sofas.

  “I don’t understand!” she exploded. “He was going back to Hellswan castle—I thought he was safe…”

  I looked at Ash, who shook his head, his eyes pleading.

  “I’m so sorry. He was one of the few good sentries here,” I said, putting my arms around my shocked friend.

  I then proceeded to tell her the series of events that had taken place in her absence: the runes found by Varga’s body, Benedict becoming possessed by the entity, what had happened to Yelena and Benedict’s mention of Queen Trina’s involvement—and how I truly believed she was part of the Acolyte cult somehow. When I was finished, Ruby’s eyes were wide as saucers, and she had remained as white as a ghost.

  “I had something to tell you—about the rune. I saw one when I was staying in Memenion’s castle. It’s tied to an old cult, originating from his kingdom…but I guess you knew that already?”

  “Not that Memenion’s kingdom had anything to do with it.” I frowned. “Maybe Tejus and I have been looking at the wrong history books…”

  “They’re all really friendly there. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind helping us.”

  “What were you doing there anyway?” I asked.

  “I was on my way here when the ice fires began. Commander Varga stopped me at the Hellswan border and took me to Memenion’s kingdom. Then he was supposed to ride back here. And I got thrown in Trina’s dungeons before Ash came to the rescue—again.” She smiled up at him, and I resisted the urge to snigger. I’d never really seen Ruby behave that way before toward a boy. She was normally so tough and resilient; to see her make moon eyes kind of turned the Ruby I knew on her head.

  “Where did you hear that Tejus had it in for Queen Trina?” I asked Ash, trying to make sense of events—as far as I was aware, the only person Tejus had mentioned that to was me.

  “He threatened her in full view of everyone,” he replied, “at the Fells. So she knows he’s on to her—but I imagine that she thinks she’s untouchable, or that there won’t be any evidence to connect her to his murder.”

  I nodded. “It was a bold move to jail Ruby after that. Maybe she does think she’s untouchable. If she does it will work in our favor. She’ll make riskier moves, and then it won’t just be us who believe she’s dangerous.”

  Tejus hadn’t told me that he’d threatened Queen Trina. Privately I wanted to cheer—I was so glad that he’d finally said something to her…and it eradicated any fears I might have had, no matter how small, that he still had feelings for her.

  “So is Benedict in the temple now?” Ruby asked.

  “He will be until nightfall, then he’ll come here again, I think. Tejus and I have a theory about the stones—that the entity needs to remove them in a specific pattern in order to regain his full strength.” I had spent some time in his quarters looking for a stone lock, but hadn’t found anything. I didn’t think that meant our theory was wrong—I just hadn’t found the location yet, and would probably need Tejus’s help to do so.

  “Do you think when the entity has enough power, he’ll release Benedict?” Ruby asked me quietly.

  “I have to believe that.”

  It was the one thing that kept me hanging on at the moment—that and knowing I wasn’t in any of this alone. We were all going through our own private hells. Knowing Ruby and Julian had survived theirs left me feeling hopeful that Benedict would also overcome the entity’s hold over him.

  “So what’s next?” Ruby asked. “What do we do now—do we wait for Benedict to return tonight and try to keep him here?”

  “Exactly,” I replied. “But it’s easier said than done; he’s managed to syphon nearly every minister and guard in this castle, leaving them completely wiped out. He’s untouchable.”

  “We’ll find a way,” Ruby reassured me. “There’s always a way.”

  “You need to rest first,” Ash commented, looking pointedly at Ruby.

  “We have a couple of hours before he’s due—it’s normally late in the night. Probably just to freak us out more,” I muttered.

  “What are you going to do?” Ruby asked.

  “See Tejus…he’s not well at the moment. The last trial, when Queen Trina lost her powers, he was attacked by one of the ghouls, and I don’t think he’s made a full recovery yet.”

  “The next trial’s tomorrow,” Ash replied, frowning. “Why hasn’t he recovered?”

 
I shrugged. “I don’t actually know. I guess the combination of being syphoned by the entity and then the ministers, and then being attacked by the ghoul, was too much.”

  Ash looked puzzled, but didn’t say anything.

  “What?” I pressed. If he had information about Tejus then I wanted to know.

  “Nothing. Nothing really…it’s just that sentries have pretty good healing powers. But perhaps you’re right—that’s a lot. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

  “Of course he’ll be fine!” I answered hotly.

  “He will be,” Ash repeated. I wasn’t entirely sure if he meant it or he was trying to pacify me. I chose to ignore him either way—the idea that Tejus wouldn’t heal was unthinkable. And anyway, today he’d been up and flown to the Fells without a problem. He’d just looked a bit pale, that was all.

  “I need to fill him in on all this, he’ll want to know about Queen Trina,” I announced, rising up from the sofa.

  Ruby smiled. “Tell him we said hi.”

  “Well, hang on,” Ash added, looking mildly flustered. “I’m not entirely sure I’m welcome here…the ministers here are going to see me as a traitor. At a time like this, I doubt they’re going to feel very happy about me staying in the castle. Perhaps you could ask Tejus? Say that I’m not willing to leave Ruby?”

  “It will be fine.” I smirked. “Once he hears what happened to Ruby and Julian he’ll just be happy that you saved them. I promise.”

  “Will he?” Ruby exclaimed.

  “Yeah.” I smiled weakly. “He’s… changed.”

  A look of understanding passed across Ruby’s face, and she eyed me knowingly. “Right.” She smiled.

  “It’s not like that…not for him, anyway.”

  “Hang on.” Ruby laughed. “Tejus of Hellswan suddenly cares about your friends to the extent of putting his most valued guards on a manhunt for Julian, does everything he can to save your brother, and then won’t mind that his trial opponent and an ex-council member of Queen Trina’s stays in his castle… and you don’t think he feels anything for you? Are you mad?”

  She didn’t understand. And I wasn’t about to go into detail about the conversations Tejus and I had had about the potential of us having a relationship. He might have cared, but not enough to put aside whatever was bothering and holding him back from me…not yet, anyway.

  Ash stared at the ceiling. Clearly this conversation was uncomfortable for him.

  “I’m leaving now,” I said to Ruby. “Before Ash has a fit.”

  I knew Ash’s views of the Hellswans. It didn’t bother me in the slightest—he too would see that Tejus had changed. And I had faith that Tejus would turn Nevertide around. He just had to find his own way of doing it.

  “I’ll come and find you later,” Ruby said.

  “Okay.”

  I said goodbye to Ash and then hurried out of the room. I was desperate to see Tejus—maybe together we could work out a way to speed up his recovery. I would need him tonight.

  I entered his living room, calling his name. Only Lucifer appeared when I called, and apart from the moody lynx, Tejus’s chambers were completely empty.

  Where is he?

  Tejus

  The room was full. Most were seated, but some had needed to stand—mainly the guard superiors, though Varga’s lieutenant had taken up my friend’s empty chair. While I’d waited for them to all file in, I’d been transfixed by my father’s portrait on the wall. I had seen that painting thousands of times, but tonight the sense of foreboding that usually accompanied it was absent. I realized that I pitied him. He had lacked foresight and the ability to relinquish control, that much was evident from his actions in removing the stone from the entity lock. He must have been desperate for Jenus to rule—the one sentry in all of Nevertide, with the possible exception of Queen Trina, who was wholly unworthy of the title of emperor.

  I felt sick at the reality of what I was about to do. But it would give me one thing—the chance to fix the mistakes my father had made. Hopefully, that would sever any last ties I had to the man. No matter how hard I tried for it to be otherwise, he was a dark shadow looming over me, and I wanted to be rid of him once and for all.

  “Before you begin, King Tejus, pray tell us what Memenion is doing here?’ Lithan asked angrily, glaring at the king, who in turn was too perplexed by my request himself to look affronted.

  “Don’t question me, Lithan,” I snapped. I wasn’t entirely sure why I’d asked the king along either. I supposed I just wanted him to hear the news from me—and if I was completely honest with myself, he was now one of the only people I trusted, and, in a way, a link to Varga. My friend had thought well of him, and so now would I.

  “I apologize for the late hour, but thank you all for coming.” I hesitated.

  Are you really going to do this?

  I swallowed, trying to find the courage to continue.

  “I am afraid I will no longer take part in the imperial trials. I also need to relinquish my position as Hellswan king. I rose to power through the trials with an advantage that would not have been permitted had any of you known about it—I had in my possession one of the entity stones. It gave me an advantage, one that I am not convinced that I would have succeeded without.”

  I had said my piece. There was deathly silence for a few, long, moments—and then the room broke simultaneously into raucous complaint.

  “This is insanity!” Lithan cried. “Why are you doing this?”

  “How could you have defiled your family name in such a way?” the minister of ceremonies demanded. “It is pure scandal!”

  “Your Highness—Your highness! Tell us all this is some gross misunderstanding. You are our rightful king, no other, Tejus!” Qentos quivered. “It is Varga’s death! It has affected your mind—you need to rest, your highness!”

  Other shouts exploded forth in the same vein, and I waited for the commotion to die down before I spoke again. I wasn’t sure how I felt. My gaze met the eyes of King Memenion. He was the only one not protesting. Instead he wore a speculative expression, and I imagined he was trying to understand my motives. I wasn’t sure even I understood what they fully were—there was the injury of course, but I struggled trying to convince myself that it was that factor alone.

  “I understand that you are all confused. And I will try to answer your questions as best I can.” They all clamored to be answered at once, and I raised my hand to silence them before continuing. “However, there is a more pressing matter. The trials will continue tomorrow, and we need to find a replacement for the Hellswan champion. I suggest Ashbik, whom I believe might well have bested me were it not for the stone. I ask you to consider him as my replacement.”

  “Madness! Sheer madness!” Lithan cried.

  “Why?” I asked him. “He is an adequate replacement.”

  Lithan spluttered some more before he could respond.

  “Well, for one, he is currently the advisor to Queen Trina—he is a betrayer!”

  “No, he’s not!” A voice sounded out from the far end of the room. I sighed. I really should have asked one of the guards to keep an eye on her.

  “He’s here!” Hazel exclaimed, scrambling out from the minister’s office that she’d been hiding in at the last council meeting. I had been so preoccupied with what I was about to tell the ministers that I’d completely failed to detect her.

  “GET OUT!” Lithan screeched at her.

  “Lithan! Silence!” I ordered. “Let her speak.”

  “He’s here—in the castle,” Hazel repeated. “He no longer works for Queen Trina. She put Ruby and Julian in the dungeon, and Ash rescued them. If he goes back there, he’s dead.”

  “That is inconsequential!” Lithan exploded. “The fact remains that Ashbik is still a traitor and doesn’t belong in the kitchens of Hellswan—let alone at the head of it!”

  I was doing my utmost to hide my fury. Queen Trina again. Did the woman have a death wish? I vowed this would be the last time that she harm
ed any soul from my kingdom—human or sentry.

  My eyes met Hazel’s briefly, then I had to look away. I couldn’t read what was going through her mind. She had obviously heard my speech, and I couldn’t tell if she pitied me or if it was something else, but when she’d looked at me her eyes had been soft—loving? That didn’t make sense to me. Not after what I’d just done. If I wasn’t emperor, then I had no hope of saving her brother. I had expected her to be furious.

  “You need to leave, Hazel,” I told her calmly. “This is a council meeting. Go to the human quarters—I will come and find you later.”

  I had expected her to argue, but she agreed meekly and abruptly left the room. I watched her go, wondering what she would have to say to me later.

  I cleared my throat. “I would like you to reconsider your opinion. Lithan, try not to let your prejudice stand in the way. He is a good contender. His brief alignment with Queen Trina may well give him an edge.”

  Lithan glanced over at Memenion.

  “Do not concern yourself with me,” the king replied to Lithan. “I believe that the right sentry will win the trials. As long as that isn’t Queen Trina Seraq, then I am satisfied. I too believe that Ashbik is a good contender.”

  I sighed with relief. Memenion’s opinion would hold sway with some of the more open-minded ministers.

  “Please, Tejus—what is the meaning of this?” Qentos quivered again. All the ministers and guards went completely silent.

  Now what?

  “The attack by the ghoul weakened me. The chances of me succeeding at the next trial are slim—too slim to risk this kingdom losing its seat of power. There is a malevolent being here that above all has to be contained. We are all in mortal danger if this creature rises. If Queen Trina takes the kingdom, then I fear for us all. We cannot allow this to happen. I am hoping that Memenion and Ashbik will work together to ensure she is not victorious—and I believe they will.” Memenion nodded in my direction, and I acknowledged his approval. “And because this is the right thing to do—the honorable thing to do. I am not my father; I will not follow in his footsteps. The people of this kingdom cheered for Ashbik because they believed that he would create radical change. I want to give him the opportunity to do so. My people need him more than they need me.”