Page 32 of Between Wrath and Mercy

I remembered. Always paranoid and quick to extinguish any perceived threats, I’d thought King Soren wasn’t much better than the Folterran king. My heart sank. As much as I didn’t like the fact Rainier executed the man from the cellar, to compare him to his father was low. Even for me.

“But now,” he gave a low whistle, “he’s even worse. I think it’s part of why Rainier has been so involved with the Cascade. To stay away.”

“The Cascade?”

“The fort in Folterra?” He watched my expression and one of surprise crossed his face. “I’m shocked you haven’t heard of it. It’s Rainier’s project. Even though the two kings haven’t come to any sort of agreement, we’ve been laying the groundwork for a treaty.”

“And King Soren approves of this?”

Dewalt huffed a dark laugh. I looked up the hill. We were only halfway up, and my thighs were already burning.

“Of course not. He knows the fort is there but doesn’t know Rainier has been quietly working with the locals. The Folterrans there are pretty bad off. Honestly, having the fort nearby seems to be helping them. The soldiers spend money in their markets. And I’ve personally trained the men and women who are stationed there. Rainier thinks it’s good planning for the future, once his father is gone.”

“And the King of Bones? He doesn’t have a problem with the fort being there?” I surprised myself when I mentioned my sister’s murderer and daughter’s captor so nonchalantly. I felt my blood start to simmer in a mix of fear and anger.

“From my understanding, the minute we set foot there, he wrote off the peninsula. The soil isn’t particularly fertile, the people are mostly women and children, the men being forced into his armies. I’m sure if we pushed farther into the kingdom, it would be a problem, but so far he’s done little to deter us.”

I nodded. I was surprised about Rainier’s willingness to work with Folterra. These were the people responsible for Lucia’s death. Though I supposed the villagers were innocent—they didn’t kill my sister. I was more guilty than they were. I was having a hard time reconciling the Rainier who craved peace with the one who killed the man from the cellar and promised me someone’s head. Not even counting the Rain I’d always known who sat somewhere in between. It was difficult to wrap my mind around. We turned the corner and saw Lavenia and Rainier outside in front of the inn, saddling the horses.

“It drives Queen Shivani crazy. She wants him at the palace.”

“Then why isn’t he in Astana?”

“We were staying at Crown Cottage after our last visit to the Cascade.”

I shuddered. Why would he want to stay there? I couldn’t think of the place without thinking of that night.

“Trust me, I struggle with it too.” Dewalt’s voice was soft as he noticed my shudder. “But the alternative is Astana with the queen. She’s worried. King Soren is over 900 years old, and she doubts Rainer’s seriousness about the Crown when he hasn’t performed the ritual.”

“Why hasn’t he? I’m sure the queen has found him a suitable conduit.”

“Yes, and a few of them would bring some sort of benefit or alliance to Vesta, and yet he refuses to perform it.” He glanced over at me, a soft expression on his face as I saw Lavenia approach us from the corner of my eye.

“You two ready? We could only find three horses with this short notice. So, I guess you two get to pick who is sharing with me until we meet up with the guard.” She flashed a grin.

“Not it.” Dewalt and I replied simultaneously.

We’dbeenontheroad for about an hour, Lavenia firmly planted in front of Dewalt, when I reached into my pocket and realized Elora’s necklace was missing. Trying to keep calm, I thought about the last time I’d held it. I couldn’t remember touching it once today, and I wondered if it fell out of my pocket onto the floor and got left behind at the inn. I’d been distracted with the confrontation with Dewalt and the exercising, keeping my mind from the idle thoughts which terrified me and made my blood run cold. Those thoughts were what had been bringing the necklace into my hand, turning it into a worry stone of sorts. And now that I was on the road with nothing but thoughts, I noticed its absence. Rainier and Lavenia had packed our bags while Dewalt and I trained. I was about to hop down and start digging through them, to get my shell out and trace its edges to calm me, but instead took a breath and counted to ten. I could do this like a sane person. I pictured myself bursting into hysterics on the side of the road over the missing necklace, and I wanted to tamp down that energy. Instead, I turned myself back toward Dewalt and Lavenia, riding behind me.

“Ven, did you see Elora’s necklace this morning when you packed up? I can’t find it.” The automatic use of her old nickname surprised me, but if it showed on my face Lavenia made no notice.

Her brows met, and she shook her head no.

“Did you ask Rainier yet?” I grimaced before turning forward on my mare.

Rainier was quite a bit ahead of us on the path. He had surged forward shortly after we got on the road, and I had the sense he wanted to be alone. He hadn’t said more than formalities since I compared him to his father. A knot formed in my stomach. I needed to apologize; it was unfair of me to say what I did. After talking to Dewalt, it was clear I didn’t know much about Rainier anymore, what he’d been doing under his father’s nose. I pressed my heels into my mare, pushing her until we caught up with him. His back was unusually straight, and he wasn’t wearing his cloak, the sun beating down on us warm enough. He was holding his head in such a way he wasn’t Rainier to me, but the Crown Prince, something I’d quickly shaken off in only two days. As if he sensed me staring at the back of his neck, he reached up and rubbed it, almost wearily. I pushed my heels in again and forced my mare next to him.

“Hello.” I blurted out, cringing a bit. He turned his head slightly and gave me a smile which didn’t reach his eyes. I would never get used to seeing his eyes again—the different shades of green had been in my dreams and nightmares alike. They looked more gold than green as we made our way through the forest full of fall leaves, their oranges and reds reflecting into his irises.

“Hello, Emmeline.” He nodded to me, a picture of civility.

“Dewalt told me about the Cascade.” I felt like I needed to make up for what I’d said to him earlier, when I’d compared him to his father. His cold demeanor caught me off guard and apologizing to him became my top priority. I’d ask him about the necklace after I fixed things.

“Did he, now? And what do you think?”

“I can’t say I understood it at first.” I let out a breath, watching him for a reaction before I continued.

“And now? I wouldn’t think you’d be very pleased with the idea of working with the Folterrans.” He was guarded, as if he was waiting for me to strike at him, and I felt that tinge of regret again.

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