Page 11 of Crownless King

Brebie clearly was well informed about everything that had happened, even though she hadn’t been present that night, and I hadn’t spoken to her about what happened between the king and me. I doubted Voron would have told her. But the rumors must have been rampant in the palace while I was in the dungeon.

“Alcon arrived from Elaros this morning,” she continued. “He said the queen has successfully petitioned both the Royal Council and the High Priest to declare King Tiane deceased.”

“But he’s not dead.”

She shrugged. “His spirit is no longer in his body, and no one in the kingdom knows how to reunite the two. So, technically, he is very much gone, and Queen Pavline is already looking for a new king.”

“Who will that be, you think?”

“The two favored candidates are rumored to be High Lord Caitore and High Lord Bussard. Though the queen hasn’t confirmed her final choice yet.”

“But how does Voron fit into the queen’s love life? Where did Alcon take him?”

She huffed. “Love has nothing to do with royal marriages, honey. Both High Lords have a valid claim to the throne. They’re also rivals and are on the verge of declaring war against each other. The queen has been playing them both by giving each hope, which is keeping the peace in the kingdom for now. But there are a fair number of High Lords who oppose the two. A few have already united against them. So, there is an attack brewing from that direction, too.”

“Highborn sure love to fight,” I muttered.

“That’s what they’re good at.” Brebie shook her head, “Poor things, they can do nothing else. Hunger for power consumes them.”

“But what does Voron have to do with any of that?” I insisted. “He isn’t a High Lord. He isn’t even the High General anymore.”

“But he’s still a highborn. The queen might’ve stripped him of his position and possessions, but no one can take away his knowledge and expertise. He’s won many wars for the king. And now, I suspect, the High Lords want him to do that for them.”

“Which one of the High Lords is trying to recruit him?”

She smiled into her teacup. “All of them, I’m sure. The real question is which side he’ll choose to support in all the mess that’s coming.”

* * *

Voron had been gone for ten days. Ten long, dragging days. As little as I’d seen of him before, it was even worse now. His absence rang through the walls of his house. The void of emptiness pressed on me acutely.

To occupy myself, I took up knitting. I’d been helping Brebie organize supplies in a storage room, and the moment I touched a piece of yarn, I felt the desire to do something with it. Just like with swimming before, there was a spark of confidence that I could do it.

My muscle memory kicked in. I formed a loop from the yarn, then threaded another through it, and another. Before long, I asked Brebie for a pair of knitting needles and some more yarn. Then I started to knit a scarf between reading. I figured out a pattern that didn’t make my scarf curl on the ends. It came out nice and thick but soft, even if a bit small.

“It’s for a kid,” I laughed, showing my work to Brebie.

“That’s pretty good, Sparrow. Why don’t we give it to the barber’s family in the village? They have kids. Two of them.”

“Who needs a scarf in this weather?” I smiled, flipping a thumb at the scorching hot day outside the window.

Brebie didn’t return my smile, however. Her delicate features pinched into a worried expression.

“You never know what’s coming, honey. With the current Sky King’s bloodline ending and the new one not established yet, we may face years of turbulent weather ahead. Storms, blizzards, tornadoes… All of that may be coming.”

The conversations about impending wars and storms made me set aside my light comfort reading and pick up a book about the most recent armed conflict. I chose the thinnest volume I could find to ease into the heavy subject. Still, I found the book dry and rather boring. It was a struggle to get through it without falling asleep, especially since I was reading it after lunch on a sweltering hot afternoon while reclining in the cushions piled up in the window seat in the library. Yet I persevered, even pinching myself awake once or twice.

The sound of hooves hitting the cobblestones of the yard around the corner reached me through the open window. It wasn’t the rapid clicking of Brebie’s hooves, but a much heavier thudding of a horse, carrying a rider.

I closed my book and pressed it to my chest, afraid to hope.

Was Voron coming home?

Of course, I wanted to know the news he might be bringing, about the war, the queen, and our future. But deep inside, I had to admit, I just missed him. I missed him so much, the feeling had gnawed a hole as big as this house inside me. I just needed to see his face again, even if it held a scowl.

The sound of hooves disappeared. I wondered if I should run to the entrance hall. It would be polite to greet my host, wouldn’t it? Maybe he’d missed me, too? At least a little bit? Enough to have dinner with me tonight and tell me all about his travels?

Before I had made up my mind, however, the door to the library burst open and Voron marched in. Still wearing a thin, long riding cloak with the dust of the road clinging to it, he looked weary and tense.

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