Chapter 14: The Shadow's Gambit - Chapter Eleven

Lucinda stirred the liquid in her cup with a circular motion of her wrist before taking a sip. She glanced up and watched as those who were dancing dispersed when the music ended, glancing down at her green dress. After a moment, her eyes darted around as Sonya walked back up to the two of them. “You said Kota was getting you a drink, correct? Why isn’t he back yet?”

“Even getting a simple drink is too much of a problem for the prince,” Sonya scowled as Lucinda handed her cup to the fire caller. She nodded and quickly downed the red wine that swirled inside.

The group looked over at the bar and saw no one in the area. Alexis moved off the wall and tapped Lucinda on the shoulder. Lucinda turned her attention to the ice caller as she pointed off in the throne’s direction. The three of them watched as the King, dressed in a glorious red robe and a golden crown with jewels embedded in the band. He sat down on his throne, enjoying the festivities around him as he watched people mingle around the room.

“We have to get him alone, because I have a feeling that woman has more people hidden in this room, and we cannot fight inside the castle. It will look worse for us than for her,” Alexis said, stepping in front of Sonya as she fixed her mask, making sure it was secure.

“Well, do you have any ideas on how to make that happen?” Lucinda questioned, still glancing around the room, looking for Kota through the crowds of people. “We are still missing a key person for our plan.”

Alexis turned toward Lucinda and Sonya before placing her fresh cup of wine on a table next to them. “Sonya, you focus on finding Kota. With any luck, he is staying out of trouble, but with his luck, I doubt it. No one has made a scene about him being alive, so he is still hidden somewhere.”

Sonya nodded in agreement. “That boy will get us all killed one day if he cannot change his luck. I will find him.”

She moved into the crowds of people, keeping an eye out for Kota and his brown mask.

Lucinda watched as a young blond woman around her age approached the King, staying hidden under her mask. The King accepted a hug from her as they talked, and she sat on the arm of the throne, looking out at the party. The mender looked over at Alexis. “How are we going to get him alone at his own daughter’s party? It is not like we can walk up to him without revealing who we are.”

Alexis smiled as she glanced over at Lucinda, putting her hand on Lucinda’s shoulder. “That is a brilliant idea.”

“None of what I said was a good idea,” said Lucinda. She paused as she thought about her words. “Revealing ourselves?”

Alexis agreed with a nod, but looking around the party, she responded in a calm voice. “Only he has to know I am here. If I show my face to him alone, I know he will question why I am here and follow. Remember, he did not wish to banish me; it was a diplomatic move.”

Lucinda rubbed her forehead above her mask. Her eyes glanced to the throne to see the queen walking into the room from behind the thrones, revealing her golden-brown hair in coiled waves and an elegant red-and-gold dress. Placing her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, she kissed the top of her head as she sat down on her throne, next to the King’s.

“Mother is looking lovely tonight.”

“You will be a family again soon,” said Lucinda, placing her hand on her friend’s shoulder as she watched her family talk like nothing was wrong. “I support whatever plan you are thinking about. Now I see where Kota gets his ambitious attitude.”

Alexis turned toward Lucinda and smiled as a ringing noise came from the front of the room, toward the thrones, and the King stood up, getting everyone’s attention. As the room quieted down, he spoke in a deep and loud voice, and his words carried throughout the room. “Welcome, esteemed guests of the Castle of Baris! Today we celebrate the eighteenth birthday of my youngest child, Grace.”

He paused as she stood up next to him, and the crowd clapped for the princess as he continued. “I know this last year has been a rolling hillside with all that has happened, but I assure you, the family has never been stronger and more dependent on its citizens to keep our kingdom strong.”

Lucinda looked down as Alexis’s hand reached in front of her and touched her arm, signaling to follow her. They headed toward the front of the crowd, still hugging the right wall, avoiding contact with the crowd as they passed. The King continued to talk as they walked through the group, and as they reached the front of the crowd, still standing by the wall, Alexis moved her hair to her right side and untied the laces of her mask. When it was loose enough, she placed her hand on the mask, keeping it in place as she stayed with her eyes focused on her family.

“The love for our people and our family will continue to grow throughout these hard times, but…” The King paused for a second as his eyes moved toward Alexis and Lucinda.

Alexis stood with her mask just under her chin, enough for the King to recognize her. Lucinda tapped Alexis on the shoulder, and she replaced the mask on her face and tightened it securely. The two of them moved along the wall toward one of the side doors. The King smiled as he looked back at everyone in the crowd, and he apologized before continuing. “Excuse an old man and his ramblings. Enjoy the festivities and celebrate with friends!”

Alexis and Lucinda walked through the door and closed it behind them as they heard the cheering of the guests and the clinking of glasses. They looked back as they moved down the hallway, walking on a long, colorful rug that stretched the length of the hall.

“You certainly got his attention with that.”

Alexis opened a door close to the end of the hallway and led Lucinda in. Then she watched the hall for signs of her father, and as she saw him open the door, she closed the door and moved into the room. Turning, she saw Lucinda in the center of the room and looked around, noticing the books and tables laid across the space. Lucinda walked over to a desk and leaned up against it as she crossed her arms..

“This is Grace’s favorite room in the castle,” Alexis declared, walking beside Lucinda. “It always excited her to learn something new. I was always a hands-on type of person.”

The door to the library opened, revealing the King. “You never appreciated the rules too much either,” he added. “You and Kota were the ones I was always keeping an eye on.”

“Hello, Father,” said Alexis, not turning around, keeping her eyes on Lucinda as she watched her face to meet the King’s gaze.

The King closed the door behind him, then approached the two of them. Stopping a few feet away, he glanced at Lucinda with slight anger in his eyes. “Did I not tell you to keep her out of trouble until I figured the whole incident out? Safe and out of trouble... letting her come here is neither of those.”

Lucinda smiled as she lifted herself onto the desk, sliding further onto it until her knees hit the edge. Placing her hands on the green fabric of her lap, she responded in a calm voice. “Things have changed, Your Majesty.”

“You know, I told you to stop calling me that after everything you have done for my family. Please call me Gerald, and is it enough change to risk showing up here during your sister’s party, Alexis?” said Gerald, moving closer to Alexis, as she still refused to make eye contact with him.

She turned, meeting his gaze while keeping a stoic face as she spoke. “I would have stormed in here if it weren’t for the fact that three castle guards tried to kill us in the woods on the way here.”

He stepped closer to the two of them, moving an arm’s length away from Alexis, still watching her face as he stayed either angry or emotionless. “What do you mean? They attacked you without reason?”

Lucinda nodded in agreement with what Alexis had said and added, “Once they saw who we were traveling with, they did not hesitate to prevent us from reaching the castle. They failed.” She reached for her left shoulder and rubbed her scar through the fabric.

“Who exactly do you have in your company? My men are on orders to not attack you but to persuade you to leave with no further complications.”

Alexis took a deep breath as she thought about the proper way to tell him. She walked a few steps away before turning back to him. “We were traveling with Kota, and he is alive. I need you to know your adviser has betrayed you. That’s why we were attacked in the woods close to the edge of town.”

“Not this again, Alexis. We have heard nothing about Kota in almost a year. He is not alive,” said the King as his anger on the topic rose.

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Lucinda pushed herself off the desk to a standing position and moved in front of the King, in between him and Alexis. “He is alive,” she asserted. “I rescued him from Asana Prison in Mara not a few days ago, with the help of a traveler named Sonya. He is here at the party.”

The King looked at her face, noticing the emotion in her voice, as he moved his hand to his bearded chin and responded quietly. “Asana Prison? That is a week’s travel from here with good weather, and you said you did it a few days ago?”

“The details are not important, Father, but he is alive. Not well, but alive,” responded Alexis.

She moved somewhat behind Lucinda as she leaned against the table, looking into her father’s eyes. The King looked around the room and gestured to the empty room other than the three of them. “Then why isn’t he here right now in this room to meet me?”

Lucinda scratched her right eyebrow and looked away from him. “He was supposed to be here, but in the crowd, we got separated. You know Kota; he doesn’t always think before acting.”

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Kota held the door open as Cordelia slowly walked inside, tipping her head a bit at him. He closed the door, then turned to see Cordelia walking toward an enormous table near some cooking supplies. She leaned against the counter of the kitchen while she gestured for him to come further into the room. As he moved closer, he looked around to see food items placed around the room and shelves housing different goblets and pots.

“What did you think about the entertainment tonight?” asked Cordelia. “The way the two elements danced with each other was quite beautiful.”

“It was fine.”

Cordelia crossed her arms, eyeing him up and down. Her smile faded as she met his stare. “I guess you are not here for small talk, and I did not bring you here to cook me a meal, so get on with it.”

Kota walked a little further past her and leaned up against a smaller table near the furthest wall, moving some utensils to the side. He glanced down, tightening his hand into a fist, feeling the bandage around his wrist and hand under his glove. “What do you know about my mother?”

Smiling, she uncrossed her arms. “I know enough about her to say you might be better off now than you would have been if you knew her.”

“Even with everything you put me through, I doubt that,” he said, looking over at her sitting peacefully on the other table. “What is her name?”

Cordelia continued to return his gaze. “I am unsure of what name she uses now, but her name was Leora. She has been in hiding for quite a long time.”

Kota took in this information, unsure of what to say next. He watched as she moved her hand alongside a long counter with an assortment of items. “She lived in a land far to the west, called Nora. She had a husband, although nothing is known about your father.”

“Do I have any siblings?” asked Kota. He was breathing a little faster, getting marginally excited about some of the knowledge he was receiving.

She paused before shaking her head. “If you do, I do not care to know them; you are the only one that is important at the moment.”

Kota stood, taking a step forward before asking her antagonistically, “And why is that? I am not a caller, so I have no elemental abilities that would be useful to you, and I know nothing of my past. Not even third in line for the throne.”

“Calm down. If that is what you consider valuable, then you are sadly mistaken. That curse on your hand tells me something else completely,” Cordelia explained, pointing at his left hand.

He looked down at his hand before removing the glove. Studying the bandage, he shook his head. “What does this have to tell you? Didn’t you use this mark on someone else as well?”

She looked stunned as she focused on his hand. “How did you know about that?”

“I was told by someone the other day in a… What is this mark?” Kota asked, stopping before giving her any more information.

“One day you will find out, but as for now, I think enough time has passed to get everything into place, so we will have to be done with this conversation soon,” said Cordelia.

She looked over at the window shutters as a wind picked up, jostling the boards. Kota looked over as well, thinking about the information. He moved closer to the middle of the room as he paced. “Enough time has passed? Was all this just a ruse to get me away from the King?”

She nodded as she watched him swiftly move toward the door they had come through.

“I thought you would not kill us tonight. You promised me,” Kota protested.

“You and those friends of yours are not the target tonight, regrettably, but I have a schedule to keep,” said Cordelia, still sitting as Kota reached for the door to open it.

As Kota pulled the door open, he asked her one more question, turning to meet her gaze. “Then who is the target? My sister Grace or…”

Kota felt some pain at the back of his head. He moved his left hand behind his head before turning, seeing the room’s color fade away. The brown wooden tables seemed dull and misshapen as he took a step toward the middle of the room, where he saw a black-robed figure sitting on the table where Cordelia had sat. Falling to the ground, he felt his muscles and the surrounding air grow heavy. Breathing heavily, he planted his hands on the ground as the figure spoke in that familiar voice from the other day.

Do you trust her words? Be wary, Prince.

Feeling the weight lifting, he got to his feet, and the room regained its color. He glanced back over at Cordelia, sitting smiling at him. A tall figure dressed in a black robe and a familiar skull mask ducked under the doorway and approached Kota. He took a step back as the tall figure stood in front of him. “Damn, one of you again?”

Kota threw a punch to the right side of the figure’s stomach, which connected without a block. He took a step back as he shook his hand away from the figure, as it walked another step closer. The figure raised his hand and, without difficulty, pushed Kota over. He fell to the ground in front of Cordelia, rolling over once to lie on his back before looking up at her.

“Where do you get these guys?” asked Kota. “He is a behemoth.”

He scrambled to his feet a few feet away from Cordelia as he watched the figure move closer. She gave a small laugh and moved her right hand at the figure, making him stop. The figure did not move or say anything as she held her hand out to him. She spoke, putting her hand back down at her side. “Rough him up a bit and keep him busy. I want him alive, but what are a few bruises?”

“What is wrong with you?” he demanded as she shrugged in response.

Kota saw an arm swinging toward him and quickly ducked to dodge it. He promptly stood tall after the arm passed, then jabbed his fist into the behemoth’s side, under his ribs, only for it to not affect him again. Kota moved away from Cordelia as the behemoth swung arm after arm, trying to connect with Kota, who continued to dodge each attempt.

Cordelia reached over and grabbed a loaf of bread sitting on the counter. She ripped a piece off and took a small bite. “What did you hope to accomplish here tonight? A visit to your father, King, and everything would be back to normal?”

Kota dodged another arm, moving around the figure to try from another angle as he answered Cordelia. “Well, that would have started me out in the right direction.”

Kota looked over his shoulder, seeing the chairs next to the table he had been sitting on earlier as he moved the figure’s attacks over in that direction. With every dodge, he directed the behemoth toward the table. He dodged faster as he neared the table and then grabbed the top of a chair before swinging it, crashing it into the side of the man in front of him. The chair fell apart as the figure turned leisurely toward Kota, who held a piece of the broken chair.

“You are going to have to be more creative than that, Kota. He is a big guy.”

“Shut it.”

Kota groaned as he watched her break off another piece of bread and smile at him. He moved away from the behemoth, only to bump into the table behind him, which allowed the man to grab Kota by the shoulder strap he was wearing. As they lifted him off the ground, Kota looked over at Cordelia.

Cordelia took another bite of the bread as the behemoth shifted his weight to his right, throwing Kota against the cabinet of cooking supplies. Kota’s world shifted as he hit the wooden shelves upside down before sliding down the wall and landing on his back on the flagstone floor. The pots and goblets crashed around him as he lay on his back, groaning in pain.

Cordelia still did not move as she spoke. “I am simply here to make sure you stay put long enough for my plan to work and make my leave.”

The behemoth started walking over to Kota as he asked another question, his pain clear in his voice. “Wait, are you going to assassinate the king?”

She raised her hand again, making the behemoth stop in his tracks just a few steps away from Kota. She answered his question with a tap of the nose. Kota gritted his teeth and reached for something sturdy to help him stand faster.

Cordelia put her hand down as the behemoth moved closer to Kota. The behemoth stood with feet wide, staring down at Kota. He reached down for his target sluggishly as Kota grabbed a piece of wood splintered into a point and pushed off the wall with his feet, sliding under the behemoth. In one swift move, he jabbed his foot into the back of the behemoth’s left knee and forced him to fall to his knee.

Kota reared his arm back and used the piece of wood to pierce the figure’s back at his left shoulder. The behemoth roared in pain under his mask before he quickly swung his right arm into Kota, lifting him off the ground and throwing him. He hit the table with his back and stumbled.

He kept his stance and jumped toward the behemoth, only for the figure to grab his shoulder strap again. Taking a step forward, the behemoth lifted him a little above his height, then slammed Kota onto the table, keeping him pinned down. He repeated the process two more times, and the table cracked under the force of Kota slamming into the weakened wood. The figure stopped as Kota gasped for air. His body ached from recent events, and he struggled against the behemoth’s tight grip.

Hearing footsteps, Kota looked over to find Cordelia walking closer to them, holding a knife. She twirled it in her grip as she moved to Kota’s side and slammed it into the table blade-first, right by his head.

Cordelia smiled down at him as she said, “I think this has gone on long enough on our end. I have a question for you now. Where did she hide it?”

Kota coughed while looking up as she towered over him, and he tried to move the giant hand that was tightened around his clothes. “What?” he asked as he continued to struggle to move his hand to the mask of the behemoth holding him down.

“You know what she did with it. Now stop and think about the way you want to answer before I cut things off,” demanded Cordelia, glancing down at the knife near his head.

Kota looked deep into her eyes as he thought about his answer. “I do not know what you are talking about. Who is ‘she’?”

Cordelia growled. Her grip tightened around the table as she leaned closer to his face.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, revealing Sonya with an open flame held over the fingers of her right hand. She had the door open with her left hand while moving into the room, and Kota and the others watched her.

Sonya looked at Kota at the table as he coughed. “Kota, am I interrupting something?”

The other two did not move or talk as Kota adjusted his head to the right, ducking below Cordelia’s arm to meet Sonya’s eyes. “We were just having a riveting conversation,” he said. “I know a little about my mother now.”

“Well, that is good, but…” said Sonya, pausing as she moved the fire on her fingers, gesturing toward the two towering over Kota.

Kota groaned as he squeezed out a small smile from the right side of his mouth. He looked back at Cordelia and then at Sonya. “This is Cordelia. She is the woman who kidnapped me over a year ago.”