Page 100 of Spirit Rites
“I remember.” I remember that awful feeling of not being able to get any air and knowing I was going to die. “How did I survive?”
“Zarreth kept your heart beating until Sryena could get there with an antidote.” My eyes widen in surprise. “She knew what antidote to get?”
“Yes.”
I stare at him. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he is all kinds of intimidating right now. I press in anyway; I need to know. “How did she know what the antidote was, Kaldar?”
There’s a long pause, and I think he’s not going to tell me. Finally, he does. “Evren told her.”
My eyes close a moment because I knew. Somehow, I just knew. “He’s next in line for the throne, isn't he?” I ask softly. Kaldar’s jaw is locked up tight. He just stares at me, and I know I’m right. I shake my head. “I really thought he was a good guy, that he had changed.”
“He had us all fooled, me most of all.” Kaldar’s words are low and filled with anger. “I should have known; I should have seen it.” He shakes his head.
I reach out and touch his hand. I half expect him to pull away, but he doesn’t. “It’s not your fault, Kaldar.”
“It is.”
“No, it’s not. If anybody, it’s my fault. I pushed to have him back in your circle.” He shakes his head, but I’m not going to let him carry guilt that he doesn’t need to carry. “Stop, Kaldar. This isn’t on you. What happened to him? Where is he now?”
“He’s dead.” He doesn’t bat an eye when he says it, and I stare at him in shock.
“He’s dead?”
“Yes.”
I don’t have to ask who it was that killed him. Somehow, I just know. “Kaldar,” I begin.
“He tried to kill you.” His words are low and void of any emotion.
“Yes, but—”
“There are no buts.” His voice is absolute. “He tried to kill our queen, my Queen. After he told us the antidote, I killed him.” He stares into my eyes without any remorse. “If I hadn’t done it, there were at least five other people in that room that would have.”
I don’t ask how Kaldar got him to tell what the antidote was. I’m sure it wasn’t pretty. I think of the cruel smile on Evren’s face as I was struggling to breathe. He wouldn’t have told easily. Sorrow grips me, and I close my eyes and lean my head back against the wall. “What about whoever shot at us?” I ask.
“Zarreth has been tracking down any sympathizers with Evren. We know they’re behind yesterday morning's shooting. He’s got ten men so far and won’t stop until he’s found all of them. He’s had at least two of them crack and tell him everything. He's rounding up the rest of Vaelor and Evren’s supporters, even now. I’ll check with him here soon.” He studies me a moment. “Evren confessed to killing my parents before he died, and the two men Zarreth interrogated confirmed it.”
I close my eyes, feeling sick to my stomach. When I open them, I stare into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He takes a deep breath. “I am too, but it gives me the closure I’ve been seeking for two years.” Neither of us say anything, and the silence stretches between us.
“So that’s it?” I ask, facing him directly. “This is the end of all this?”
Kaldar drops his hands between his legs. “Yes.” There’s no doubt there, just certainty.
I nod, feeling suddenly exhausted again. I can’t believe Evren is dead. His death is going to haunt me for some time, but I don’t blame Kaldar for what he had to do. If our roles were reversed, I would have done the same thing. “I hated how it ended, but I’m glad it’s over.” Kaldar watches me intensely. “Now we can move on and rule the way we need to.” He doesn’t say anything, and I squeeze his hand. “You know what we need?”
“What’s that?”
I make sure he’s looking at me. “That time away you promised me.” He continues to stare at me, and I will him to smile. I just need to know that he’s okay, thatwe’reokay. That all of this didn’t break us. “Or are you trying to back out of taking me?”
He raises one eyebrow. “Back out of taking you somewhere private, away from the rest of the world where I can have you all to myself?”
“Maybe not,” I offer.
“No, definitely not.” He watches me carefully. “You still want to go?”
“Yes! The sooner, the better.”
