Taking Mare's hand in his he could feel the tremor. This had gone too smoothly. Then they walked back into the room adjacent to the balcony and he saw what he hadn't noticed before… his father's blood still soaked into the floor. No that couldn't be right. This couldn't be that room it…

It wasn't yet.

"Mare?"

She saw the blood stain. The silver blood stain. "Let's go find a room or something where your guards can find you." When he didn't move, "Cal? It's not your father's blood."

"Yes it is. The tiles… are from that room." He shook his head, "My father's body. what happen to it." He didn't say it anyone by name but a guard behind him cleared his throat to be acknowledged.

Once Cal turned to him the guard lowered his voice, "The late king was laid to rest in the catacombs. I accompanied the body myself."

Seeing Cal not in any condition to be talking to anyone for the moment Mare smiled, "Thank you. You will please see that these tiles be removed and placed with the kings body."

"You're majesty?"

Cal took a deep breath then tried to stay calm as he said, "She's your queen, please see to her request."


Mare raced after Cal down more hallways and corridors then she could count. Finally she yelled after him, "Cal wait up. I don't know the palace like you do." When he didn't stop she cursed herself then using a technique that the blood bender had showed her and sent a small charge into his feet. Not enough to hurt but enough for him to slow down. Nothing more than a cramp if she did it right.

He turned on her to pissed off to care. "I'm going to see the traitor and strangle him with me own hands."

She could see the redness in his hands… could almost see flames dancing in his eyes. It didn't matter she had to stop him. At least for the moment. At least till it was time to kill the bastard. "No, you're not." Electricity danced between her fingers.

"Don't challenge me, Mare. Don't."

She had see that look in his eyes once before. Seen it in the square when he had seen her. "His death needs to be public. You know this. You're the one who told me it had to be public."

"He took the tiles that had our father's blood and moved them so he could walk… trample on them as he was crowned King."

She really didn't care what Cal did to the traitor. Really she didn't but not like this. Not when he wasn't thinking clearly and letting his emotions rule over rational thought. She hated more that she had to be the calm logical one. Just as she opened her mouth General Marcus came from the opposite direction. "Cal, behind you."

"Your majesty." He looked at Mare's crown then smiled, "Been a while since I seen that crown. Fitting that the little lightning girl should wear it."

Something was wrong his smile seemed to forced. Cal hadn't turned around yet so Mare tried to smile, "There is something you need to tell us."

"Not here." He nodded.


Cal took a deep breath and led them to the throne room, "Is this suitable?"

The general nodded once, "The high houses are outraged at Elera's betrayal. They all wish to have private meetings with you as soon as they can be arranged."

He didn't want to be anywhere near those people right now. Not until he had someone here that could tell if they were sincere or merely trying to keep favor with the crown. "Mare?"

"For appearances you should meet with them however I don't trust any of them to be alone with you."

"I agree."

Cal turned to his father's throne… his throne and tried to let go of his anger if just for a minute. "Fine I'll meet them after I find out who helped the two traitors."

Nodding again the General took a deep breath, "Abbot is already in the dungeon. I caught him trying to sneak out of the palace. But there is something you should know… There isn't a blood bender here at the moment or at least one that should be trusted. The one from the camp is already on her way."

The general hadn't said it but it was there just the same, "But."

"I think it best if you come see for yourself." The general looked sick. And not in a way that was at all natrual.

Cal's stomach rolled, "What is it?"

"The other prisoner from the arena…"

Now Mare snapped her attention to not the general but Cal, "Lucas? He was… no wait we didn't see him die. We just heard the shot. Cal… he wouldn't have . The bastard wouldn't have… Couldn't have."

It took a minute to really comprehend what Mare was telling him. "Show me."


They walked down a set of stairs that seems to go on forever. It was dark, damp and cold. Finally a wooden door and the general stopped, "Perhaps the lady should wait out here."

"Mare?" He could order her and she would follow after shocking him or he could ask her opinion since she was thinking more clearly then was for the moment.

"I'm coming in."

Cal froze in the door way blocking any chance of seeing around him. "Cal?"

"Mare, go up stairs. Find a healer… any healer and they are the only ones that should come down here."

Oh this was bad. Real bad. "I'll find one." then she raced up the stairs.

Cal waited until she far enough away that he didn't hear her footsteps any longer before taking a full step into the room. Lucas was there more or less. From the condition of the body… it was a good thing the man wasn't awake. "What did they do to him?"

"I don't want to know but I think a blood healer helped."

"A blood… they heal they don't…" But he could see things outside the body that should be inside the flesh not hanging out of it. Bones that should be covered with muscles and skin. And what he assumed was an organ coming from the man's stomach. Not something he had seen… not even in battle. His stomached was in his throat as footsteps came rushing into the room and kept him from saying anything else.

"By the gods. Damn it Cal move."

"Clare?" What was she doing here. How was she here? Shade that must have been what he was doing.

"Mare said you needed a healer. I though Shade told you. Never mind …" She looked around at the tiny room. "Get him upstairs. A soft bed. And I mean soft."

"General I think we can get him up the steps." Then to Clare. "Can you save him?"

"I think I can. His heart is strong, but he's lost a lot of blood. Mare sent someone to fetch the other healer. The one that she knows."


Cal stumbled into the throne room looking three shades paler then he should have. Then He saw not just Mare but her family, Queen Arianna, Kyle and several other people who he didn't have names for. Focusing on breathing he caught Mare's eye.

"Cal?" She rushed over to him , Here sit. She led him to his throne. "What happen?"

"Clare is a blood healer?" It was the only reasonable thing that he could say right now.

Mare looked into his eyes. Too glassy. Too wet. "Sort of. The healer from Montfort is here as well. Shade took her to wherever Clare is." She waited until he let out a breath, "Arianna came to help you set up your court."

He tried to smile and felt his stomach in his throat and swallowed hard. "Thank you."

Slowly Arianna came up to him and softly touched his face. "Oh dear. No you shouldn't have seen that." Slowly Cal shut his eyes, "I won't make him un-see it but it will feel like a memory from long ago. Better for him that way. Best if he doesn't think too much until we know everything that needs to be known."

"Thank you." Mare looked back at Cal who didn't show signs of waking, "How long will he be out for?"

"A few minutes. Enough time to get some things taken care of so he won't need to."

"Things?"

"My dear. You are Queen however a proper celebration is in order. As a royal you must keep up appearances. Now,your father is going to see my blood healer as soon as it can be arranged. And your brothers will make fine guards for you. Well not Shade of course. Then I need to meet with the high houses, I'm assuming before they get anywhere near either Cal or yourself?"

Smiling Mare asked, not about the other preparation but to her brothers, "You don't want all three in your palace."

"Oh my no. I don't want to be the one finding brides for them. They are very…"

"Troublesome?"

"Yes that is a good word. Here we will leave the king under your mothers watch and we queens will do the important things." She turned to the others that had came with her, "Please see that the King is not disturbed until I return."

"Mom?"

"Go, I can watch my son-in-law sleep for a few minutes but I don't want to be the only one here when he wakes. Last time I checked I'm not fire proof."

"Oh gees. He's not going to…" Mare Paused. Would he if he woke startled and not thinking? "I'll be back before he wakes."

"I don't know the palace that well. I'm afraid." She linked her arm with Arianna's as they left the throne room.

"Quite all right my dear. We just need a room close to this one. Easier for people to find you."


Cal let his eyes flutter open. He remembered everything yet… somehow he was less disturbed by it. Then he focused on who was sitting next to him. "Mare?"

She took a deep breath, "We have a problem."

"Only one?"

"Arianna want to find out what the bastard knows."

The bastard. Maven. "I don't see why she shouldn't as long as I know what she finds out."

"I already told her that she could."

Then why bother telling me? "And the problem is?"

"After leaving the room… cell… She's locked up in a room and refuses to speak to anyone."

That got him to his feet, "If he did anything to …."

"She's not harmed. She found out something… Clare says she's distressed but not harmed. She also went to make sure he was still alive." A long pause then in a whisper, "Clare has asked not to be the one seeing him till her mother is done."

"You know how her ability works. You've seen it…"

"I've seen it more than once. I don't think Clare has… really except for seeing them control people I don't know what happens when they do… whatever it is that Arianna is doing."

"It's not pretty to watch and from what I know it's painful. A suitable punishment for the likes of him."

A tap on the throne room door then Shade blinked in, "Arianna is ready to speak to the both of you. I also brought Gergor. He's the only one that could calm her."

Cal sat up trying to adjust himself to look more appropriate for the meeting, "Are you planning to bring anyone else here?"

"No, but I could take a few troublesome people somewhere. I doubt they could find their way back."

"No thank you. They shouldn't become some else's problem. When your mother in law is ready I'll speak to her."