37
The room was dark as Tolan entered it, and he frowned as he realized that Syn wasn't in bed. After his visit to the forge, he had kept himself busy training with the Western Guard. Given the lateness of the hour, he was surprised his wife wasn't already asleep.
Tolan headed to his daughter's room, but a quick check showed that Pippa was asleep on her bed, with no sign of Syn. He entered the room with a frown. Pippa looked like she had fallen asleep after some tantrum or another—she was fully clothed still, and her hair was sticking to her face as if it had been plastered to tears. Tolan pulled a blanket over her, wondering where Syn could be. However, as he glanced out Pippa's window, he realized he could see a figure laying outside in the grass. The moonlight exposed her curly hair and bright eyes, and Tolan shook his head as he finished tucking Pippa in and headed for the hallway.
In minutes, he had made his way out into the field next to the Western Fortress. Syn didn't look over as he approached, and he realized he could see the traces of tears on her face.
"This spot taken?" he murmured as he reached her at last, and Syn looked up at him. He waited to see if she was still angry with him. Syn reached out and patted the grass next to her, and he lowered himself to the ground. For a few minutes they sat in silence, with her staring up at the stars and him staring down at her from where he was sitting. "Are you all right?" he finally asked.
"Got in a fight with Pip." Syn wiped at her face as she took a deep breath. She let it out with a humorless chuckle. "It's not going to get easier, is it? Parenting?"
"I dunno. Probably not."
"Gee...thanks for that," she mumbled, chewing her lip. "Are we good parents?"
"Well, she's not a criminal," Tolan pointed out as he eased himself into a laying position next to his wife. "Or a mass murderer."
"Give her time. She's only twelve."
"Syn."
"I know," she admitted, wiping at her face again. "But she's so entitled lately...and angry, and sullen. Nothing anyone does is good enough. I think she's still hurting about Baffa, but I don't know how to help her. We can't just let her do whatever she wants anymore...right?"
Tolan thought about the conversation he had had with his daughter earlier. "No...probably not."
"So what do we do?"
"Take things one day at a time, I guess," he murmured as he looked up at the stars winking down at them. He heard Syn shifting next to him, moving her head to lie on his chest.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you this morning," she said as she closed her eyes.
"It's all right." Tolan said, putting his arm around her to ward off the cold night air. "I usually deserve it, I'm sure."
She scoffed, her eyes still closed. "I was a little harsh."
"I went to see Hot-Stuff," he admitted.
"You did? At the forge?"
"He seems miserable. Maybe you're right about him needing somebody...but I don't think it should be me. He spent the whole time making it obvious how much he hates me now."
"I don't think he hates you, Tol."
"Seemed that way." Tolan sighed. "By the looks of it, Veneik just has him stoke the fire all day every day."
"That's what you made him do too, wasn't it?"
"Everyone has to stoke the fire while you're blacksmithing—it's a given. However, it's a little demeaning to be trusted only with that. The kid's no master forger of weapons, but he could handle the hoofer-shoes or other day to day jobs Veneik spends his time doing. Seems like a waste to have him do nothing but stoke."
"Are you going to train him again?" Syn asked, wrapping her arms around him.
"I don't know. I really don't have the time to."
"I think if you did, it would give him a reason to stay here, instead of running off who knows where," Syn pointed out softly. "It wouldn't have to be very often."
Tolan was pensive. "I'll talk to him about it next time I have a free day. No promises he'll take me up on it, though."
"That sounds like a great idea," his wife said. Her words were becoming more slurred, and he smiled a little.
"Let's go in to bed."
"Mmm...five more minutes," she said, opening her eyes at last as she turned her face to look at the stars. "Doesn't this remind you of when we were younger?"
"And we used to have to meet on that hill by your tent, because you were seeing me behind Hershel's back?"
"Yeah." Syn chuckled tiredly. "Feels like it's been centuries since then...but it also feels like it was yesterday. Do you think these are the same stars we used to look at back then?"
Tolan studied the winking lights above them. "I don't know."
"Do stars get older, like us?" Syn mumbled. "Do you think they were once young and foolish and now they've grown up and have a different view of the world they look down on?"
"I think they're just balls of light," Tolan said honestly, rubbing her back.
"Do you have to go back to the Central Fortress tomorrow?"
Tolan paused in his rubbing. "Yeah."
"Tell Theodynn I said hi," Syn said, but he could also make out the disappointment in her voice. "It was nice to have you home for a few days."
"I'll see when I can come again," he promised. "Maybe I just need to start making the daily commute so I can see you and Fluff more often."
"I think we would both like that a lot," Syn said, turning her head to smile up at him. "I know you've got an important job...but I miss you, Tol."
Tolan ran a thumb along the freckles on her cheek. "I miss you too," he admitted. Syn's smile wavered, and he moved to kiss her.
"What is the weather even like in Metallonia? I can make do with a jacket here in Ninjago City...but is the beginning of March going to be like the middle of winter there?" Dani pushed various clothes apart in the closet, studied each shirt with pursed lips. "Or is it hot? There are badlands in Metallonia, right? That sounds like it's going to be hot."
"The badlands are next to the Ninjagoan Desert," Amber pointed out, scanning the map she had pulled up on her phone. "That area is probably hot...but the building Julien Cyrus works at is on the other side of Metallonia, in some city called Scavabet."
"Where's Terpen in relation to that?" Dani asked, abandoning her closet to come take a seat by her roommate.
"Terpen?"
"It's another city. That's where the Metallonian Art Museum is."
"Hmm." Amber zoomed out and managed to locate the city in question. "Not super close."
"It's not that big of a country," Dani said, taking the phone from her roommate so she could type in directions between the two of them. "Just an hour and a half apart. That's not too bad. The train ticket Colby has goes from the Ninjago City station to the Terpen station, but maybe we can rent a bike or something and drive over to Scavabet to meet you."
"Are you old enough to rent a motorcycle? Is that even a thing in Metallonia?"
"We'll figure it out," Dani said. "They've got to have taxis, or busses. We'll get there Monday night, and the Museum tour is on Tuesday. That leaves the rest of the week for adventuring! We'll stop by to see Julien, and then you, me, and Colby can go experience some beautiful Metallonian culture." Dani clicked on various pictures linked to the map. "We could go meet the Barbarians of Oolsdu bay, or pan for gold in the mountains of Estyeer."
"Pan for gold?"
"Rumor is that the mountains in the far corner of Metallonia holds some secret treasure," Dani explained. "I read about it this morning—people are always trying to break into the mountains to find it, but the whole area is private property and heavily guarded. Which you know just makes people more suspicious, of course. Anyway, there's a river that runs out of the mountains called The Tears of Hartho and adventurers like to go there to pan for gold and see if the river will bring them any of the fabled treasure." Dani laughed. "I'm sure the whole thing is just a gimmick for tourists, but the more I look into Metallonia, the more I realize how rich it is with legends and stories. There are whole groups of people who still live off the land and keep their traditions alive, even as the country itself modernizes." Dani handed Amber's phone back. "It's kinda fascinating—it's always had this reputation of being a hostile and barbaric place, but it's actually made a lot of "modern progress" in the last few decades. Science, art, and industry have all risen to rival even Ninjago City."
"That is fascinating," Amber offered. She was trying to get excited about the trip, but the whole thing just left her feeling anxious. As excited as she was about taking a break from everything else in her life, she was beginning to realize that she was going to head into a country by herself to a large science institution. She didn't know much about robotics, but until Colby and Dani showed up, Amber was going to be adrift in a sea of scientists. She didn't not like Julien Cyrus, but she barely knew him. Agatha was kind, but she was also nearly ten years Amber's senior. The Oni was starting to wish she had just planned on going to Metallonia on Wednesday to begin with so she, Colby, and Dani could show up at the MIRI together on the same day, but it was too late to back out now. Theo had made it seem like he needed to solve the mystery of the Vengestone as soon as possible, and besides, she had already canceled her and M's performance that had been scheduled for Monday.
The Oni felt a twist as she thought of her idiot friend. They hadn't even seen each other since she had told him she had canceled the City Hall performance. Amber had been prepared for a fight; she could feel how angry M was when she had told him. But he had just left, leaving her feeling tense and confused. She wasn't sure if she had forgiven him for what he had done the night of the dance, but she was beginning to feel a strange sort of panic every time she thought about him. Was this it? Was their friendship over now...after everything they had been through?
"Amber? Did you hear me?"
Dani's voice brought the Oni back to herself, and Amber sighed. "Sorry, I zoned out. What did you say?"
"I was asking what you were planning on wearing to Metallonia?"
"Oh...um, I don't know. Clothes?"
Dani blinked and then laughed as she wrapped an arm around Amber. "You're right, Amber—I'm overthinking it. Just a few more days, and then on to adventure!"
Amber managed a smile. "Can't wait."
Rook lugged the bucket to the surface of the well and ignored the line of people waiting behind her as she carefully filled her canteens. She heard a few murmurs of annoyance, and she took her time to take a drink out of the water remaining in the bucket after her canteens were filled.
Someone grabbed her arm, and she reacted quickly. She kept her grip on the bucket as she kicked the man back. "Wait your turn," she tsked, but when she got a good look at who she had kicked, her sneer faded. "Oh...it's you."
The man was unamused as he came over to roughly grab her once again. This time, Rook rolled her eyes and let the bucket drop into the dirt. Water sloshed out, causing the area to become muddy. The villagers who had been waiting muttered to themselves as they came forward to retrieve the bucket, but Rook ignored them.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, keeping her tone bored as the man dragged her away from the crowds.
"What are you doing wandering the Central Fortress Markets?" the man growled. "Quazier said he told you to keep a low profile."
"Just getting some water, so I don't shrivel up and die," Rook responded dryly as she pulled from his grasp at last. "You know, I think the water genuinely tastes better here than in the South. Speaking of...aren't you supposed to be making sure things are going smoothly down yonder? I thought you were a wanted man."
"Not by anyone in the Central Province," the man growled.
"The way you keep glancing over the shoulder makes me doubt that," Rook yawned. "Look, I don't know why Quazy sent you to check up on me. I'm doing fine—I have the Prince chasing his own tail in the North. I even planted some evidence up there for him to find. He couldn't be further from the South, so I'll thank you to let me handle my job without someone breathing down my neck."
"I'm not here to ask about the Heir," the man scoffed, his earrings glinting in the blinding afternoon light. "Quazier sent me to collect you."
"I'm not coming back to camp," Rook said, incredulous. "I just got here! Besides, Quazy made it clear I'm supposed to..."
"We need help making the Eastern Collection," the man cut in. Rook scowled.
"Just send the normal team."
"Half of the best ones got caught in a botched job in the West. We don't have the manpower."
"For the love of..." Rook muttered under her breath. "Then find someone else. I told Quazier that if I did this job, I wouldn't be under his beck and call anymore."
"You haven't finished the job though, have you? So you are still ours to order."
"Go pester someone else." Rook went to leave, but the man was in front of her the next second. For a short man obviously past his prime, he was quick on his feet. His gaze became cold, and Rook resisted the urge to step back as he came closer.
"Don't test me, girl," he threatened. "You know what I am."
"Incredibly old," she muttered. His expression contorted.
"The term is Ancient. I'm no messenger boy you can order around. I am your superior, and you will be joining me for the Eastern Collection...unless you want to see what Ancient Power could do to a disrespectful welp like you." As he lifted a finger threateningly, the strange, glowing tattoos circling his wrists became visible. Rook glanced at them before rolling her eyes.
"Keep your shirt on, you old goat," she said, strapping the canteens she was holding to her person. "But this is the last time I go on collection, and you can tell Quazier I said so. Next time he wants to change my assignment, he can come tell me about it himself."
"Still think there's trade in the North?" Tolan asked as he and Theo headed into the fortress. Theo's expression darkened.
"I don't know. The intel said that there was, but we didn't find anything, and either Ymil is a much better actor than we give him credit for, or he really hasn't heard anything about it."
"Where exactly did this intel come from?"
Theo shrugged, dropping his voice as they passed a few servants. "They wanted to remain anonymous."
"Like the blokes who tried to kill us in a slave pit in the south a month ago?"
"Well, no one attacked us today, so I'm assuming it wasn't like that. We're just missing something."'
"Yeah...we're missing any trade in the North. Lighten up, Freak—that's a good thing."
"The trade is still going on somewhere," the Heir snapped, giving his bodyguard an unamused look. "This just means we're back to square one."
Tolan sighed. "Look...we've been on this case for months, Theo. Maybe it's time to admit there's no larger plot to find."
"If you don't want to help me, I'm fine looking into it myself," Theo muttered.
"Then I'll get your parents involved. I went with you today like I said I would, but I think our trip to the North just proved that even if there are traders still out there, they've gone far underground. We need to pull back if we really want any chance at figuring this out."
"You think I'm just going to give up? After everything..."
"Chasing dangerous anonymous tips and running yourself ragged isn't going to help anyone." Tolan stepped in front of him, his expression stern as his voice dropped. "I can't let you go off on these dangerous expeditions by yourself, and I can't afford to stay here to babysit you at every moment with no days off. I've got a family, too."
"I never asked you to give up your days off," Theo hissed. "Go be with your family! I'm fine on my own."
"You need to let this slave trade stuff go. Leave it in the hands of those hired to keep it in check."
"I can't give it up. Why are you talking like this? I'm being careful—I brought you with me today, didn't I? I could have gone off by myself."
"Not without your parents putting you under house arrest again," Tolan said. "You only let me come because you know it's the only way out of their tight hold...but I can't be your enabler anymore."
"So, what? You're done?"
"Yeah, and so are you. The investigation stops here."
Theo's expression darkened, and he went to shove past his bodyguard. "Wanna bet?"
Tolan grabbed his arm in a firm hold. Theo's eyes flashed with power, but Tolan kept his grip. "You'd lose that bet," the bodyguard promised softly, forcing Theo to hold his gaze. "I don't want to rat you out to your parents, Theo...I don't want you to lose the limited freedom you're allowed. But if it comes down to you losing your freedom or your life..."
"You said you would help me figure this out!" Theo snapped. "You promised you were on my side, Tolan."
"Don't you get it, you idiot?" Tolan's grip tightened. "I don't want anything to happen to you." He watched as Theo's expression flickered, and the guard continued. "I promised I would protect you, Freak...and this is how I'm doing it. Your investigations are done...or I'm going to tell your parents, Ret, Jaqah...everyone. They'll never let you out of these stone walls again."
Theo tried to free himself again, and Tolan released his arm. He could see the hurt and betrayal in the Heir's expression, and Tolan forced away his own feelings of guilt. He's going to get himself killed. He has to stop...even if I have to stoop to being a rat.
Theo swallowed, breaking eye contact as his expression became stony. "Fine."
"So you'll stop?"
"You're not really leaving me much choice, are you?" Theo muttered bitterly. Tolan kept his own expression unsympathetic, and the Heir scoffed as he went to walk away. "Whatever. Seems I just need to get used to ultimatums."
38
Theo closed the door, not even bothering to lock it before turning to hiss at the young woman sauntering over to the fireplace. "Where have you been?"
"Geez, calm down. It's only been two days."
"You can't just go off for days on end without any correspondence," the Heir snapped. "If we're going to make any headway..."
"You're cute when you're angry," Rook tsked, fingering the trinkets on the top of the fireplace mantle. "But honestly, you're overreacting."
"What took you so long? We agreed we would meet back up yesterday," Theo said, his tone making it clear he wasn't amused.
Rook's smile faded, and there was a flash of irritation in her expression as she ran a finger along a vase. "Look, I was planning on it, but I got tied down in the South yesterday."
"Finding evidence?"
"Working." She turned to fix Theo with a rust-colored stare. "I have to do the occasional odd-job, Princy. As dedicated as I am to ending the slave trade, I can't eat dedication."
Theo huffed. Rook's eyebrows raised as the Heir tossed her a small pouch, and she blinked as she caught it. "There. You can quit your day job."
"You can't go around throwing money at girls," Rook tsked, though she dumped the contents into her hand eagerly. Her grin widened as she caught sight of the pile of coins, and she looked up to meet his eye. "People may get the wrong idea."
"What did you find out in the south?" Theo demanded. Rook jangled the coins in her hand a little longer before putting them back in the pouch.
"Not a lot, if I'm being honest." She pushed her hair out of her face. "People come so close to confiding, but then they shut down. If there is something going on in the south, it's threatening enough for people to keep their mouths shut."
Theo huffed angrily, sinking into his seat. "So how are we supposed to get intel?"
"Don't be so dour," Rook chided. "If I could have gotten the information I needed just by asking, I wouldn't have needed you in the first place. I would have just taken the trade down myself a long time ago."
"What do you need me for?"
"This." Rook hefted the bag in her hand as she smiled. "I guess we'll have to see if greed can overcome fear, huh?"
"You're going to try to pay people into talking? How do you know they won't just lie to take the money?"
"We don't. But at this point, lies are better than silence."
Theo wasn't sure he agreed, but he also wasn't sure what else to do. With his hands tied in all other ways, Rook was his last conduit to taking down the slave trade once and for all. "So you just want me to give you lots of money that you can then give to people in the hopes that someone will actually give us real intel?"
"Do you have a better plan?" Rook asked. She had made her way back over to the chessboard as she slipped the bag of coins into her pocket. "Besides, this is just to loosen lips in the South. I'm sure you made more progress up North."
"Nope," Theo slumped a little in his chair. "There was nothing up there."
Rook blinked as she looked over. "Nothing?"
"Not a thing. Just mines, workers, and a very frazzled Ymil."
"You checked the abandoned mineshafts?" Rook demanded.
"Yeah."
"And you found nothing? No old chains, or scratches on the walls..."
"Nope."
"Did you even go very far into the mineshafts?" she snapped, and Theo frowned when he realized she looked angry.
"Which mineshafts?" he demanded. "We explored as many as we found, and went as far as Tolan would let me..."
"What, two steps past the entrance?"
"Why are you angry?" Theo demanded, studying the young woman closely. "And how could you be so sure that there were things to find farther in?"
"I'm not!" Rook snapped, but then she seemed to get control of her temper. She huffed, looking away. "I'm sorry. I just...I've been on the trail of the traders for a long time. If they aren't in the North, then I don't know where they are."
"I would check again...but it's getting harder to do anything without raising suspicion." Theo leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"No...there's probably nothing up there anyway." Rook punched the stone of the fireplace, her expression flashing with anger. "This is my fault—I took out that caravan, and they've moved their base so I couldn't track them back to it. Now we've lost our only lead."
Theo watched as Rook glowered at the floor, and the Heir finally sighed as he pushed himself to his feet. "Well, if they were in the North and moved, they would have had to go somewhere. They'll slip up eventually...and in the meantime, we can try and make ground in the South."
"We? You're coming too?"
Theo scoffed. "I would if I could. You're going to have to be my eyes and ears for a bit, until things cool down around here."
"Too bad. I was looking forward to a proper date," Rook mused, messing with the end of her strange braid. Theo gave her a withering look.
"If we have nothing else to figure out, then I think we're done here," he pointed out. "Let me know if the money works to make up any ground."
"Wait, you're kicking me out?" Rook pouted. "But I just got here."
"We've already said everything we can say. Neither of us got any intel."
"Yes, we had an effective meeting—short and sweet," Rook agreed. "But usually people courting each other don't try to be in and out in twenty minutes."
"Rook..."
"No one is going to believe our cover if you insist on acting like our relationship is just business."
"Our relationship is just business."
"But no one else knows that. We've got to drag out this encounter for at least another hour." Rook looked back at the chessboard. "Come teach me how to play this war game."
Theo scowled, glancing at the board. "I don't play chess anymore."
"Why? Are the dragons too scary?"
"I lost my chess partner," he countered, his voice becoming soft.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Just get away from there, would you? Maybe we could go grab something to eat before you leave."
"No, you're not getting out of it that easily," Rook picked up one of the figures. "I'm still not convinced this isn't some plotting device for finishing off the dragons once and for all."
"It's not a plotting device," Theo insisted, crossing the room to take the figure away from her. "The traditional game has identical pieces in black and white. A friend of mine made this with Dragon and Oni pieces."
"Why?"
"Just for fun. As a joke, or something."
"Ooo...'fun'. Tell me, do you still know how to have fun, or did you banish it with the same place you locked your happiness in?"
"You're insufferable," he said coldly.
"Thanks for noticing," Rook said with a smirk. "At least tell me how to play this game, if you're so adamant you can't play it."
"It's just a strategy game," he said, replacing the piece back on the board. "The different pieces do different things."
"But what's the objective?"
Theo's expression darkened as he glared down at the black and white figurines. "To take out the king."
Rook looked surprised, and she looked down at the board. "Which one's the King?"
Theo gestured to an expressionless black piece, crowned with a circlet. "The one hiding behind all his people...waiting for them to take the brunt of the assault so he doesn't have to."
"That piece is the king?" Rook plucked it off the board, studying it closely. "You said they all do different things. Is he the most powerful?"
"The King is the weakest piece," Theo corrected coldly. "He can only move one space at a time. He spends the whole game limping around, while everyone else protects him. If you manage to corner him, it's a checkmate, and you win."
"Interesting," Rook murmured. Theo picked up one of the corner pieces—little Oni archers standing on a fortress wall. The slender woman glanced over. "Which piece is that?" she asked.
"It's a rook," he explained, and he couldn't help but smile at her expression.
"You named a piece after me?" Rook asked, dropping the king so she could snatch the piece from him. "How darling of you."
"It's always been called a rook," he argued.
"Sure," she squinted down at the oni-archer's tiny features. "What does this one do? Shoot the enemy?"
"It can move as far as it wants, but only in straight lines." Theo took the rook and replaced it on the board so he could trace a path for it. "It has to go horizontally, or vertically."
"How one-track-minded," Rook muttered. "How does it go anywhere with all those pieces in front of it?"
"These are pawns. You basically sacrifice them to the enemy so that your stronger pieces on the back row can move forward and capture the enemy while they go after pawns as bait."
"How fascinatingly brutal," Rook said. "The rook is on the back row. That makes it the strongest piece."
"It's better than a pawn, but it's not the strongest piece."
"Then which one is?" Rook demanded. She seemed irritated that her namesake wasn't considered the best. Theo reached out to pick up the stately piece standing next to the king.
"The Queen. She can go in any direction, in distances as long or short as she wants. She has the most power, and the most freedom." He rubbed the dark figurine in his hand. "Taking out the King is how you win the game...but the Queen is the one you have to watch for."
"The Queen, huh?" Rook murmured, taking the piece from him to study it up close. Theo straightened the figures still on the board, but then he heard the door opening. He glanced over, realizing that he hadn't locked it. His mouth felt dry as his father entered, and Cole offered a tight smile.
"Ah...sorry. I didn't realize anyone was here." He looked around the room. "Where's Tolan?"
"Headed home for the day already. He's trying to make the commute more often so he can see Pip and Syn." Theo tried to act nonchalant as he looked back at the chessboard, careful not to mention that Tolan only left because he had no idea Rook would be here today.
"So, you must be Rook," Cole offered, turning his attention to the long-haired woman. "We met briefly before."
"That's right," she responded easily.
Theo's heart was pounding in his chest—the situation felt dangerous, and he prayed that Rook wouldn't do or say anything stupid. "She was just about to leave," he offered, and Rook rolled her eyes.
"You're so shy when other people are around," she scolded, wrapping her arm around his middle. "Theodynn was showing me how to play chess."
"Really?" Cole's tone was more interested than anything, and he wandered over. "I'm glad. That chess set's been gathering dust these last few months."
"We were just going over the rules. Rook was curious how it worked." Theo took the queen figure from her, and she gave him a withering look as he put it back in its spot.
"Why not play a game?" Cole pointed out. "Playing is the best way to learn."
"Rook has to be going."
"No, Rook doesn't," the girl at his side countered, giving him a squeeze.
"I don't want you traveling in the dark," he said, giving her a pointed look.
"I can take care of myself," she reminded, raising an eyebrow.
"Rook could stay here at the fortress, if she needed to," Cole offered. Theo looked over in shock, and his father offered a sheepish smile. "We have plenty of guest rooms, after all."
"I don't think—"
"That would be amazing!" Rook said, turning to beam at Cole. "See, Theodynn? I told you that your parents weren't tyrants."
Theo stiffened, and he didn't dare look at his father as his face burned in shame. "I didn't say they were tyrants," he muttered, but she talked over the top of him.
"This will work out perfect. After all..." she reached up to trail a finger down the side of Theo's face, and it was all he could do to resist slapping her hand away. "You did promise me dinner."
"Are you sure, Dad?" Theo turned back to his father, trying to keep his tone more amazed than annoyed. It would seem suspicious if he made it clear he didn't want Rook to stay, so he tried to appeal to his father's overprotective side. "I mean, having Rook spend the night...it seems a little..."
"I trust you," Cole offered with a smile, glancing between his son and the girl draped on him. "I know you think that I don't...but I know that you've got a good head on your shoulders, Theo. You know what you're doing."
This is not the time for a show of trust! Theo snapped in his mind, but he forced himself to merely look surprised. "Oh...Um. Thanks."
"Haiven spent the night lots of times so she wouldn't have to go all the way back to the Order of Echo and Antirock, and you were always responsible then," Cole pointed out.
Theo's fists clenched at the mention of his ex-girlfriend, and he felt Rook's rust-colored eyes studying him.
"Who's Haiven?" she asked sweetly, and Theo swallowed as he gently extracted himself from her grip.
"I'll go order dinner," he said softly, careful not to look at Rook or his father as he quickly left the room.
Rook honestly didn't know what to think about the Ruling couple. She had heard plenty of stories about the slave-turned-ruler and her strange husband from a different realm, but in person, she couldn't help thinking that the stories had put them on pedestals. The man cracking weak jokes and stuffing his mouth to keep from talking couldn't have single-handedly taken out an entire Oni army. The amber-eyed Oni sulking in the corner chair and studying Rook with a suspicious look couldn't have been the woman to join two warring nations together in peace. There is a lot of stuff left out in those stories, I'm sure, Rook decided, but she tried to keep on her best behavior. After all, if she could convince the ruling couple that she was no threat, all the better for whatever the future would bring.
After a tense dinner, the Heir suggested they all turn in for the night and disappeared. Rook wished he would at least try and make more of an effort. She would honestly be shocked if his parents truly believed they were courting after how distant he was through the whole meal, hardly saying a word to anybody. A guard had led Rook to a guest room far away from the personal rooms of the Ruling family and warned her that she was expected to stay in her quarters until morning.
So, naturally, Rook had slipped out into the hall at her earliest convenience. Now she wandered around, slinking from shadow to shadow each time a guard came by. Once or twice she was caught, but she merely explained who she was and had them lead her to a bathroom. Eventually, she managed to retrace her steps to the ruling family's quarters, and she studied the rooms from the shadow of an adjacent hallway. Guards were stationed outside the doors, and she wondered if they realized how easily she could slip into the Heir's room through his broken window and end him, if she wanted to. A lot of good a pair of guards at your door would do then, eh Princey?
She wasn't sure why she had bothered to come all the way back here, but on the off chance she would never be allowed to spend the night in a fortress again, she wanted to make the most of it. Besides, it was good to know how the guard system worked, in case she ever needed to pay the ruling family a visit in the future. It wouldn't be too difficult to get in, she decided. They've had too many years of peace...that guard there is practically asleep. It's almost laughable how easy it would be to—
Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of a scream, and she stiffened as the guards jolted to attention. The sound faded immediately, and she waited for the guards to go running off to pursue the noise. However, she realized that the guards didn't seem surprised—the sound had caught them off guard, but now they were treating it like it was nothing to be alarmed about.
Rook frowned from her place in the shadows, and the yelling began again. She realized that it seemed to be coming from the Heir's room, and she stared in amazement.
Crown of Kahzym...someone is literally murdering him, she realized. He's being assassinated, and his guards are just standing there!
The door to the Ruler's chambers opened, and Rook watched as the Ruler came out and made her way down the hallway. She clutched her robe close as she made it to her son's bedroom, and the guards didn't hesitate before pulling the door open to allow her to enter. Rook made out a flash of purple light as the door opened, and she couldn't help but creep forward. However, her curiosity ousted her, and she realized that the guards had caught sight of her. For a moment she froze, but then she lifted her head as she sauntered closer. "What on earth is going on?"
"This doesn't concern you," one guard said dryly. Rook ignored him, looking past him and through the partially opened door. She was able to make out the Ruler next to the Heir's bed, surrounded by wind and light, but then the guard pulled the door closed.
Rook huffed in irritation, looking back at him. "It sounds like he's being murdered in there!"
"Do you need help getting back to your room?" the other guard demanded, and Rook bristled.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on."
"The Heir suffers from nightmares," the first guard said, his tone clipped. "There's no reason to be concerned."
"Nightmares?" Rook looked at the door again. The light had stopped flashing through the cracks in the doorway, and she frowned. "Kind of intense, aren't they?"
"You need to go back to your own room. There's no reason for you to—"
The guard's comment trailed off as the door opened again, and Rook froze as the Ruler came back out into the hallway. The robed woman stopped as she caught sight of Rook, and her eyes immediately narrowed. "What are you doing here?"
"I was..." Rook trailed off, not even sure what to say. "Is Theodynn all right?" she finally asked, figuring that feigning concern was going to be her best option. "It sounded like—"
"Your room is in an entirely different wing of the fortress," the Ruler cut in coldly. Even crownless in a robe, she carried an air of royalty. "There is absolutely no reason to be in this area at this time of night."
"I was visiting my boyfriend," Rook sniffed, holding her own head high to meet the Ruler's eye. "I didn't realize that would be forbidden. After all, your husband..."
"My husband should have consulted me before inviting you to stay," the Ruler snapped. "How dare you come slinking to Theo's room in the dead of night."
Rook's face flushed, and it irritated her that the Ruler's look of disgust got to her. "So, he's not allowed any life of his own?" she snapped. "He's an adult, I would think he'd be allowed to make his own decisions."
"He's the Heir to the Oni throne," the Ruler corrected. "And I honestly don't know what on earth he's thinking, affiliating himself with someone like you."
"Someone like me? What's that supposed to mean?"
"If he wants to see you during the day with a chaperone, then fine. But you are in no way permitted to freely roam the fortress...nor are you allowed anywhere near his personal chambers," the Ruler finished.
Rook scoffed. "Why don't you just lock him in the dungeons? That would keep him away from everybody, wouldn't it?" She almost regretted saying it as the Ruler's eyes flared with an intense violet light, and a phantom wind whipped down the hallway. Rook tensed, but then the Ruler was turning to one of the guards stationed at her son's door.
"Get her back to her room, and make sure she stays there."
Rook scowled, but she didn't bother fighting against it. As irritated as she was, it technically was good that the Ruler thought she was merely trying to sneak in a midnight meeting with a lover rather than snooping around to get a good idea of the fortress's security system. So, the fact that the Ruler took her bait was ideal...which is why Rook couldn't understand why she still felt so angry after making it back to her room.
39
Myrah took a deep breath as she stared at the Eastern Fortress. Her entourage pulled up next to her as she dismounted. "Make sure to wash him down," she told the servant who came to claim her hoofer, and they nodded quickly before darting away with her hoofer. Myrah held her head high as she and her small force of guards headed for the entrance, and as the doors opened, she could make out the Eastern Leader staring out at her.
These last few years, Tala's age was showing more, but the woman still held herself with dignity. Her gaze was cold as she watched Myrah come forward. "Is there a reason you thought a whole entourage was necessary? Are you expecting to be attacked while in my hospitality?"
"Of course not," Myrah said, equally as cool as she walked up the steps. "The trip from the West to East is a long journey. I may need them on the return trip in the dark."
"You are free to stay here."
"Thank you, but I would not wish to overstay my welcome." Myrah joined the Eastern Leader and they began heading for Tala's office.
"You were vague in your reasoning for this meeting," Tala pointed out as they traveled, their bodyguards mingling as they followed after the leaders. "I assume it has something to do with the school I have set up, but it is strange that you wouldn't have merely admitted so."
"There is a connection...but it's not quite what you think," Myrah admitted.
Tala turned to raise an eyebrow. "Then what brings you to the East, Leader Myrah?" They had reached the office, and Tala allowed Myrah to enter first, following behind. The door shut, with the bodyguards waiting outside as the two leaders took seats at Tala's desk. Myrah studied the beautiful handiwork—as the Leader of a province of craftsmen, the Eastern Fortress was fully furnished with beautiful works from the area's many artisans.
"I have a strange proposal," the Western Leader finally admitted, looking up at Tala.
"What kind of proposal?"
"There are rumors going around that you're imprisoning low-level criminals in your fortress," Myrah tried carefully. Tala's expression became pinched.
"You are not usually the kind to pay attention to rumors...and I wonder why you would indulge them from provinces that are not even your own."
"It is not my business," Myrah agreed. "But when I heard about it, I couldn't help but wonder how you were providing for them. It must be taking resources to provide food and shelter for every common vandalizer or pickpocket."
"I do not need any help providing for my province," Tala cut in, her tone clipped.
"I'm not offering help," Myrah tried. "I merely wanted to propose an experiment that I've been wanting to try." She spread her hands out on the desk, hoping that her explanation would make sense. "Theodynn once mentioned that when education levels rise, crime rates go down—especially in the case of petty crime. Perhaps by immersing the prisoners in schooling, we can create helpful civilians out of these criminals."
Tala's expression darkened as she scoffed. "Do you not have any crime in your own province?" she demanded. "You've come to flaunt your perfect civilization, demanding I let you fix mine through your superior education system?"
"You misunderstand," Myrah tried, keeping her tone calm. "There are thieves in the West, just as there are everywhere. I can't help but wonder if Westerners are turning to crime because they do not have the opportunities they need in the West. Perhaps Easterners do not have the opportunities they need in the East, either"
"I don't know what you're getting at," Tala said flatly.
Myrah sighed. "I could send a group—a test group—of my own prisoners to your education system, and you could do the same for me. Perhaps their outlook would change if they were offered opportunities not available to them in their home province." Myrah pushed her hair out of her face. "What if there are oni sitting in my dungeons who would benefit from learning the crafts of the East, while some in the bowels of your fortress would find purpose through the healing arts, or history..."
"What criminals are you trying to pawn off on me?" Tala snapped, pushing herself to her feet. "I know a farce when I hear one, Myrah..."
"I am not trying to pawn anything off on you," Myrah argued. "I am working toward creating a better future for both our provinces. One without crime."
"Why come to me? Why not Ottan, or Ymil?"
"Because they don't have education systems. Tala—"
"And why the sudden interest in collaboration? You take care of your province, and I'll take care of mine. I don't have any desire to spend my resources to reeducate your thieves and low-lifes."
"I understand your hesitation. It was merely a proposal," Myrah said, leaning back in her chair as if in defeat. Tala scoffed.
"This whole plan seems poorly thrown together, and I'm not sure what's triggered you to even want to attempt this."
"I've been trying different things to improve my province, and I wanted to test out this theory. I understand if you are hesitant to take on prisoners from another province, but if you would allow me to take some of yours off your hands, we could both benefit."
"Well, I'm afraid I cannot even offer you what you need to indulge this strange experiment of yours," Tala sighed, pushing herself to her feet. "The only prisoners I have in the fortress are far too dangerous to be released. Petty crime is treated the same way in the East as it has always been—through work camps and other means. I have a system, and it works...I have no desire to try something new."
Myrah tried to keep the surprise off her face. "I see. It seems the rumors were false."
"You should know better than to believe everything you hear," Tala said flatly. "Where did these rumors even originate from?"
Myrah sighed, thinking of Teag. She had been worried about this—the boy had been in the East for a single day and had come back with stories of how Tala was locking up every petty thief in her province. She wasn't sure that the boy would lie to her, but it seemed he had misunderstood something in his brief visit in his home area. "I honestly cannot remember where I heard the rumor, but it seems I got ahead of myself in my planning. My apologies for wasting your time."
"It does seem unlike you to rush into things so uninformed. Is everything all right, Myrah?"
"I suppose I find myself getting caught up more and more in the dream for a better world, is all," the leader tried as she moved to the door.
"It's the time you spend with the Heir, building and maintaining that school," Tala sniffed. "The boy has always had visions of grandeur that he will never be able to deliver on. Don't let yourself get caught up in his expectations of a perfect world, Myrah. We all just do as good as we can, and that is enough."
Myrah had grabbed the doorknob, but she hesitated a moment. "Theodynn merely wants to make the realm better for all who live in it. His vision may be lofty, but—"
"He'll learn," Tala said with an indifferent expression. "New leaders always believe they can change the world...but in the end, it's enough work to merely maintain what has been gained."
"He's dedicated to his role, is all. I think it's commendable that he strives to do as much as he can for the realm."
"You're not doing him any favors by encouraging him," the elderly leader sniffed. "Face it, Myrah...his role is more figurehead than anything."
Myrah turned. "That's not true."
"It is true. Perhaps he has sway in the Central Province, but we do all the work necessary in the rest of the realm." Tala sighed. "He is young...but with every year, he becomes more foolish rather than more mature. He's going to get himself hurt, throwing himself into things that don't concern him."
Myrah stared at the stately woman, and Tala held her gaze. The Western Leader wanted to snap in anger, but she kept her tone professional. "As the Heir to the realm, there really isn't anything that doesn't concern him." Tala blinked, and Myrah turned and opened the door at last. "I appreciate your time, and I'm sorry that we could not come to an agreement."
"If you're set on this strange attempt to rehabilitate petty thieves or other low-level criminals from other provinces, I suggest you travel south. You only need to spend a few minutes in that scum-filled area and you'll find exactly what you're looking for, I'm sure."
"Perhaps I will contact Ottan," Myrah mused as she left. Her guard force joined her, and she headed for the entrance.
"No need to leave so soon," Tala said, though Myrah knew the other leader was only offering to be hospitable. "It's a long trip...would you like to stay long enough to eat something?"
"Thank you, but I'm afraid my husband will worry if I do not make it back by dark. It's a different world, these days. One can never be sure of who to trust."
Tala's expression clouded. "You will not be accosted in the East, I can tell you that."
Myrah nodded her agreement, though she didn't say anything else. Servants brought the leader's hoofer, as well as her guards', and they mounted deftly. Myrah gave Tala one last nod before her party headed back to their home province.
The Western Leader waited a little while before turning to face one of the guards. She gestured for him to join her, and the man kicked his hoofer to catch up with her. "Were you able to get Tala to agree?" he asked, and Myrah shook her head.
"I wasn't sure she would, though," the leader admitted as she turned to him. "Did you have more success?"
"I'm sorry to say I didn't."
Myrah nodded. "The meeting was short—I wasn't sure if you would have time to search the dungeons for the boy."
"I didn't need to search for him," her spy countered, turning to give her a long look. "Myrah, I can tell you with certainty that the person you're looking for isn't in Tala's fortress."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because the Eastern Dungeons are empty."
"What is she doing here?" Tolan didn't bother hiding the judgment from his tone, and Theo glanced over at where Rook was talking with a group of guards. They were in the dining hall, and Rook had wandered off after finishing her breakfast.
"Visiting me."
"What time did she get here this morning, to arrive before I did?" Tolan demanded. Theo rubbed his neck.
"She spent the night," the Heir admitted, trying to sound indifferent. His bodyguard narrowed his eyes.
"What are you up to, Freak? If your parents..."
"My parents invited her to stay," Theo explained, glancing over. "Or at least, my father did."
Tolan shook his head, his voice lowering. "They should know this girl is no good for you—it's obvious you're only doing this to spite everyone."
"Well, according to you, everything I do lately is only to spite everyone," Theo responded, giving his guard a pointed look. "You might as well get used to her—she's going to be around a lot. After all, I have to do something with all the time I have now that I'm not pursuing other hobbies."
Tolan gave his charge a withering look before turning to look back at where Rook was laughing with the fortress guards, swinging her braid in one hand. "I know your heart isn't in this," the bodyguard said at last. "I give your little charade a week."
"Charade?" Theo's nose wrinkled in disgust. "You think I'm faking this?"
"You need to be careful your rebellious phase doesn't land you with unexpected consequences," Tolan said as he kept his eyes on Rook. "Where did you dig this girl up? Just went to the south and invited the first low-life you saw to the fortress in hopes of giving everyone here a heart attack?"
"You're impossible," Theo growled.
"You didn't use to be like this." Tolan's voice lost a bit of its edge as he finally looked back at Theo. "Stupid, sure...but not defiantly stupid."
"And you've always been critical of everything I do."
Tolan blinked, seemingly surprised at the anger in Theo's voice. Rook left the group of guards at last, sauntering back to Theo. When she saw him and Tolan staring at her, she gave them both a wicked grin.
"Talking about me?" she guessed, wrapping an arm around Theo. Her gaze was on Tolan, and she made a show of looking him up and down. "Seems your bodyguard is here today. I'd say it was nice to see him again...but that'd be a lie." Tolan scoffed, and Rook looked back at Theo. "Did you finish eating?"
"I'm done," Theo agreed, and her smile widened.
"Should we go get in a little trouble before I head home?" she asked, tilting her head. Theo made a show of thinking about it.
"How about I escort you back to the south?" he asked. "We can spend the day down there."
Rook's smile faded. "What?"
"You're the one who wanted me to take you on a proper date," he reminded, wrapping his arms around her. He could feel Tolan's eyes on him, but he ignored the guard. Rook pursed her lips.
"Yes...but I thought Mr. Stone-face over there wasn't letting you leave the fortress."
"I'm allowed to go wherever I want, as long as I bring a bodyguard along," Theodynn said, glancing at Tolan. "As awkward as it will be to have a third wheel on our date, it's my unfortunate reality."
"Are you sure you can spare another day?" Rook pressed. "You already indulged me yesterday. I'm sure you have plenty of important, Ruler-in-training things to do."
"Nothing comes to mind," Theo promised, turning back to her. "One of my bigger projects recently fell through...so I'm going to have more free time to spend with you."
Rook studied his face. "Well...that's good," she said at last. Theo wasn't sure why she was acting so strange—most of the time, she went out of her way to be as clingy as possible to embarrass him, but now she seemed like she wanted to pull away. Theo saw Tolan shift in his peripheries, and then Rook was smiling once again as she glanced at the guard. "I'm not sure I'm excited to spend the day with sour-face lurking behind us, but I suppose that's the kind of relationship I signed up for." Her hand slipped into Theo's hair, and he fought the urge to stiffen as she fixed him with an almost sinister look. "What are you waiting for? Let's go get into some mischief in the south, shall we?"
"What were you thinking, saying she could spend the night?" Keyda demanded. Cole was seated, watching her pace back and forth as he stayed frustratingly silent. The Ruler turned to him, her eyes flashing. "Well? You can tell what kind of person she is...why would you want her anywhere near—"
"I know she's not exactly who we would want Theo to be interested in, but we can't control who he wants to have in his life."
"I'm the Ruler of the realm," Keyda pointed out dryly. "If I wanted to—"
"You'll only push him further away," Cole cut in. He pushed himself to his feet. "Keyds, we've been coming down hard on him. If we try to control every little thing in his life—"
"We're only coming down hard because he's making terrible decisions!" the Ruler snapped. "Cole, if we don't intervene, he's going to ruin his life."
"He's not going to ruin his life." Cole put his hands on her shoulders, and Keyda glowered.
"What if he goes too far, and this girl gets pregnant or something—"
"Keyda." Cole raised an eyebrow. "This is Theo we're talking about."
"How are you so sure he's not going to make a huge mistake? He's been distant and defiant for months. How do you know he won't—"
"Because I trust him." Cole gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Theo just needs us to trust him right now, Keyds."
She scowled. "I do trust him...just not when he hasn't acted like himself for so long. Who I don't trust is that waif that you invited to stay the night. Did you miss when I told you I caught her outside his bedroom in the middle of the night?"
Cole's expression flickered. "I know...but if I'm being honest, I don't think we'll have anything to worry about in a few weeks."
"What do you mean?"
"Theo just came out of a serious relationship. He's rebounding."
"He's what?"
"It means he's getting over Haiven by being with someone else for a bit. This girl isn't great for him, but I think she could help him find his feet. He's been pushing us away ever since his breakup, and I think it's because he still hasn't been able to get over it. If this Rook character can get him to the other side of it, I think we'll start seeing more of our old Theo again."
Keyda met her husband's eye, and he gave her a little smile. She exhaled shakily. "And if we don't? What if he gets deeper and deeper into this new relationship and decides that he wants to get bound to this girl?"
"Then I guessed that would mean that he really liked her."
"He's the Heir to the Throne...he can't just get bound to some forward, conceited stranger that we know nothing about."
"Why not?" Cole said, his tone becoming teasing. "You did."
Keyda gave him a dry look. "You weren't forward or conceited. It took me forever to even convince you to get bound to me."
"Theo isn't going to get married just to spite us," Cole promised. "He's hurting right now, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. We have to let him make his own decisions."
"Like riding off to who knows where by himself without any protection?" Keyda snapped. "His decisions have been on a slippery slope for months now."
"I'm not saying we let him do whatever he wants—I agree that he needs to make his own protection more of a priority. But we have to pick our battles, Keyds. He's been taking Tolan with him again and isn't insisting on sneaking out without him anymore. We're making progress in that, at least."
"So I'm supposed to fight him on one poor choice and give him permission to make another one?"
"Sometimes you have to pick the lesser of two evils."
"Or you could just take my side on this!" Keyda snapped. "Cole, that awful girl in the Hidden Village left him crushed! I'm not going to sit by and watch him get tied into another flimsy relationship that could land him right back where he was three months ago."
"I am on your side—"
"Then you can be the bad guy this time, and tell him why he can't see this girl anymore," she snapped. Cole sighed, his expression stony.
"I'm not going to do that, Keyda."
"You can't just sit back and let him do whatever he wants, Cole...I can't be the only one telling him no! You need to know when to put your foot down—"
"I'm not going to be like my father."
Keyda blinked. "What?"
"My father tried to control my life, and all he ended up doing was pushing me away." Cole looked away, shaking his head. "I didn't feel like he trusted me to make my own decisions, and it led to me running off and cutting my father out of my life. What little correspondence we did have those years was all surface...and I can feel Theo slipping down that same path." Cole sank down onto a couch. "I don't want Theo to end up like me, Keyds...keeping secrets because he feels like he can't trust us with the truth."
Keyda sat as well, not sure how to respond. For a few minutes, they sat in their own thoughts, and she finally sighed. "I can't lose him again, Cole. There's been too many close calls..." Tears filled her eyes, and her fists clenched in her lap. "I want to keep my son safe...why does that make me the villain in this?"
"You're not a villain..."
"Really? Because you and Theo both seem to think I am!" Keyda snapped. "But if I have to be controlling in order to keep him from getting taken again, or hurt, then that's what I'll do."
"We'll lose him in a different way if we aren't careful," Cole prompted softly, and Keyda felt a familiar wave of anxiety rush over her. Her husband reached out and pulled her close as she began to cry.
"He used to understand," she pointed out as she cried. "He didn't used to hate me..."
"He doesn't hate you," Cole promised softly as he held her. "He's just trying to find himself."
"Can't he do that without making dangerous decisions?"
Cole was quiet as she clung to him, and eventually he sighed. "It'll work out, Keyda. These things just take time."