‘Immediately. Athenea would be the best place for you right now.’
I laughed nervously. Athenea is really not the best place for me right now, I thought.
‘Then why am I still here?’ Again, I knew the answer to that but I was interested to see what he would answer.
‘Because it would be impractical. You’re not a vampire and crossing the borders is difficult for humans. And you need the support of the council. And …’
‘And?’
I glimpsed a pale pink tinge appearing around the rims of his irises as he stole a look at me. ‘Whilst you were unconscious I went and told Henry that I wouldn’t let you go.’ The corners of his lips upturned a little.
‘I thought you were angry?’ I asked.
He nodded. ‘I was. Still am.’
‘Then why tell—’
He cut me off, walking to his bed and snatching a piece of paper from under his pillow. I knew it must be one of the Queen’s letters but he turned it over, pointing to what should be the near-blank side. Instead, interweaving between the wax seal and several blotches of ink was a scrawling message, written in an identical hand to the letter.
Don’t give up on her.
My eyes widened. That’s what the Queen had written.
Kaspar pointed to it, his mouth forming the words but no sound coming out. He turned the paper over, revealing the main part of the letter. ‘It’s a letter my mother left me about being tied to the Heroine.’ He turned it back over. ‘But that part wasn’t there before.’ His voice was soft and cracked a little on the word ‘mother’. I reached out and placed a hand over his, folding the paper into two.
‘I know,’ I murmured.
He raised his head, surprised. ‘How?’
‘When we came back from Varns’ Point, I came looking for you and found it. Autumn had just told me about the Heroine thing and I couldn’t help but read it. How else do you think I found out about being tied?’
He shook his head. ‘I thought Eaglen had told you. But why didn’t you tell me? None of this would have happened.’
‘I tried, but you wouldn’t listen.’
His brow creased as he thought back. Then he cringed. ‘Well, why didn’t you scream it down there?’ He gestured down to the gravel of the driveway. ‘You didn’t have to wait for Eaglen.’
I closed my eyes. ‘Valerian Crimson knew I was a Heroine all along. He would have driven a knife through my neck if I so much as squeaked.’ I rubbed my throat as I said that, able to feel the cool metal still pressing against my skin. I stepped out onto the balcony and Kaspar followed, grabbing my wrist and yanking me into his chest. I felt a little weak at the knees as he raised my chin and scrutinized my face, his eyes back to their usual shade of emerald now.
‘Why aren’t you angrier with me? I’m angry at you and it’s your father who is to blame, not you.’
‘I am trying,’ I replied dryly. ‘Why, do you want me to be angry?’
A perfected pout appeared on his lips and his eyes twinkled with mischief. ‘Well, you are kind of hot when you’re angry.’ I glared at him and wriggled in his grip until he let me go. ‘Inappropriate?’ he questioned, breaking out into a sheepish grin.
‘Just slightly,’ I laughed, running a hand through my hair to brush my fringe from my eyes. ‘God, we have issues,’ I added.
‘Major issues,’ he echoed and at that moment, there was the sound of crackling, followed by a roar. We both rushed forward; I leaned over the railings and whipped around to face the mansion again. High on the hill behind the building, a plume of smoke was rising and below it, I could just see a few tongues of fire lapping at the air above the treetops, near Varns’ Point.
‘The beacon,’ Kaspar breathed, a look of realization dawning on his face.
A sense of foreboding rose in my stomach. There was a reason the Kingdom was being called to court: the full council was going to assemble, and I would be there. I knew what I had to do at this meeting – the Queen had told me what to do – but actually seeing it through might not be so easy.
‘I’m sorry,’ Kaspar said. ‘For everything.’ He was leaning against the railing, his hands resting either side on the stone, his eyes watching the fire grow steadily higher and the smoke thicker and blacker – I could taste soot and the smell of burning filled the air, settling on my clothes.
‘Me too,’ I murmured, watching the fire as well. I placed my right hand on his left and he turned it over, letting his fingers slip between mine. Neither of us said anything and at that moment, the door to his room opened and a maid – Annie – slipped in, dressed in her dark dress. But today, she wore a black not a white apron, lined with emerald and emblazoned with the Varns’ crest. She stepped out onto the balcony, dropping into a full curtsy.
‘Lady Heroine; Your Highness. Your presence is required immediately at the council meeting.’
My heart leapt and Kaspar’s grip tightened around my hand.
FIFTY-EIGHT
Kaspar
I entered the council meeting alone. Eaglen had taken Violet aside to talk to her – hopefully to discuss some sort of plan, because this lot would eat her alive. Literally. I gazed around at the thirty or so men and women sitting around the table, careful to meet the eyes of the more prominent members of the council. But there were two notable absences: Ashton and Valerian Crimson. Their chairs were instead occupied by Henry and Joanna, and the chair Ilta had once sat in opposite me was empty, ready for Violet. Either side of that were two empty chairs for Eaglen and Arabella.
Whatever Eaglen has planned better be good, I thought. I had a feeling of what he might propose, but whether it would be accepted or not was a completely different deal.
‘We have enough men combined with the Sage to secure the border. No rogue or slayer will cross it,’ Lamair declared in his usual aggressive manner. ‘We can concern ourselves with the human government later. This is a time for defence, not diplomacy!’
There were several calls of ‘hear, hear’ and it wasn’t hard to see that my father half agreed with them.
‘Lamair, the defence of Varnley is my main priority, but I beg you to remember that the father of the girl is one of those in the human government. Not only is he a rash man, but we cannot run the risk of upsetting her. She is the Heroine, after all.’
Lamair was taken aback. ‘Forgive me, Your Majesty, but are you implying that we should let the man who ordered your late wife’s murder escape without punishment?’