As Tristan approached his father’s study, bowls of the rich
stew his sister had made, he caught the end of a conversation.
“…Are you sure they can’t get there before the Corpse Eye?”
Lucinda asked.
“Positive. Aidan, while better is still recovering from…
having a rotting hand pulled out of his throat. The carriage his parents
brought is only big enough for the two of them, and even if they were able to
get a message to their son, it’s unlikely it’ll get here in time. Ion and her
brothers have thought about running to the other kingdoms, but as soon as they
stepped outside, a storm picked up. They smelled their mother’s scent everywhere
when it did. As for Katrina, yes she and my son could go back to her kingdom,
but considering I just found out the Fox Council doesn’t recognize their
marriage…” Abaddon said.
Lucinda groaned, “Damn her.”
Tristan took a bite of the roll he’d been holding in his
mouth since the kitchens, and waited.
“Why does it matter though? You said once you’re married to
my son—”
“That’s the problem. My mother arranged this marriage,
remember? If she knew I could stop her, why send me to the place where I could
the most damage to her? If I can’t, then why make a show of it?” Lucinda asked.
“Lucinda, why are you convinced she has something else
planned? She can’t possibly have a contingency for every problem that might
come up. Even I’m not that good, and my father was known for his back up plans and look what happened
to him?” Abaddon said.
Lucinda made a sound of frustration, “When I was a little girl,
she sent five men into a Storm of Souls with an enchanted bottle to capture
that storm. Only one made it back, and if he hadn’t given it to me as soon as we
hit shore, I would never have touched it. The power of the storm terrified me,
and the glass burned my skin even when empty; once he gave it to me, it didn’t
matter how badly it hurt, I still ran to the nearest stone and smashed the
bottle. I stopped her, right?”
“I… take it there was more to the story?” Abaddon said.
“The storm had done enough work for her; crashing many enemy
ships that she could pilfer the dead from for her experiments. Now, it was making
trade with her new expanded empire difficult, so she was going to smash the
bottle anyway. The souls inside were not that strong, fed more from fear than
anger or revenge, and she now had a new toy to play with: the young man who
survived that ill-fated venture? He was touched by the Storm; he was ill
because the other side beckoned to him. Parts of him are still in her laboratory,
and I’m honestly surprised he was able to escape her after death. The other
side must have had a stronger hold on him then her magic did.”
Abaddon sighed, “So she always has a way of turning a
misfortune into an opportunity.”
Tristan balanced both bowls on one arm and knocked, “Hello?”
Lucinda turned to his father, “Please don’t tell him
anything we discussed. I do love him, I just need more time.” She whispered.
“Come in.” Abaddon called.
Tristan pushed open the door with his shoulder before
handing Lucinda her bowl of soup, “Laura figured you might be hungry.”
Abaddon nodded, “Speaking of, she called me down to sup some
time ago. I expect she’d kept mine warm, but if I don’t hurry.”
Tristan chuckled, “Mom had some things to do as well. She’s
keeping both your suppers warm for you.”
Abaddon’s stomach growled angrily, “Alright, alright. I hear
you,” he rose and paused beside his son, “your bride was asking if she could
use my study to look over a few manuscripts Kyle lent her. I said she could,
and I figure now that you’re here, you can help her. Two sets of eyes are
better than one.”
Tristan nodded, “Gotcha.”
He sat down in his chair; Lucinda had sat down in a new
chair, once made from a pale, sturdy wood reminding him of marble or bone. She
smiled at him before staring off into space lost to her own thoughts.
He waited a minute before clearing his throat,
Lucinda jerked at the sound, “Huh? What?”
“You’re staring. Last time I checked, even the walls think
its rude.” Tristan said.
Lucinda blushed, “Sorry. Tristan… I need some time to myself
for the next few days. It’s nothing to do with you I just—”
“Expect your mother has something else up her sleeve?”
Tristan asked, taking a bite of his food.
Lucinda froze, blinking, “Wha? H-how did you?”
“My father shuts the door but Aunt Lenora has a habit of opening
it when someone who should eavesdrop is within earshot.” He took another bite before
tearing a half-loaf of bread into quarters, “I ate the rolls she gave me. Sorry.”
He said, handing her one.
Lucinda took it and placed both it and the bowl on his
father’s desk, before getting up, “How much did you hear?”
“Where my father told you the others couldn’t make it in
time. Although now we do have to worry about the Fox Kingdom. If they don’t
recognize Kat and Dev’s marriage, your spell won’t help, will it?” He asked.
She sighed and shrugged, “I don’t know if it will or not. It’s
the first time I’ve ever cast it, remember?”
Tristan set his soup down beside hers and slowly crossed the
room to where Lucinda stood, staring at the rows upon rows of his father’s
books, “Why didn’t you want to tell me?” He asked.
“I was afraid. My mother always made any decision of mine a game;
if I won, I lost, if I lost, I lost. She’s always find a way to turn them to
her favor. And I don’t know what she’ll do to you or your family if I marry
you. If I don’t, I know exactly what she’ll do which is even worse. I really
feel trapped right now, Tristan. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” She
said.
Pulling her gently into his arms, he pressed his lips to the
top of the head, “You’re best. That’s all you can do.”
“Right. And what if my best isn’t as good as hers? I lost my
father before I could even remember him, my older brother died at my feet and became
a Ghoul, my youngest sister killed herself. They tried their best too. And even
if they didn’t, what hope do I have if someone as wise as my father, courageous
as my brother or kind as my sister died regardless of their efforts?” Lucinda asked.
“You’re not alone in this and you’re not helpless,” Tristan
said.
Lucinda pushed away from him, “It doesn’t matter if had an
army behind me, or had more power than her. She always, always finds a way. Do you have any idea what it’s like, expecting
your actions to lead to death or pain all the time? She did everything in her
power to make me a nervous wreck because she knows I have this nagging feeling I’ve
forgotten something or overlooked something. She knows she can destroy me
because unlike her, I have things to lose.”
Tristan watched her walk away from him and felt as she were growing
smaller and smaller with each step, “Or maybe she figures if she can keep you
isolated, you won’t be a threat anymore.”
As she turned towards him, her eyes were red and blood-shot,
“I don’t think I ever was. I don’t think…”
Her eyes rolled back into her head
and Tristan leapt forward, catching her just before she hit the floor.
“Lucinda? Lucinda!” he called.
He gently forced one of her eyes open and his heart stopped;
the entire eye was black.
*************
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