Page 36 of Heart of the Shadow King

When the queen is gone, Vor dons his helmet and mounts his morleth. Now the transformation from husband to warrior is complete.

“Drag-or, ortolarok!”he cries.

The company responds, every rider raising his or her fist: “Rhozah! Rhozah!”

Only as he turns his mount’s head toward the gate does he shoot me a last look. For an instant, our eyes lock across the distance. In that instant, I feel as though my powers have sprung back to life. The ground beneath my feet hums, the very walls of the palace, the city, the cavern . . . all seem to vibrate with my bones and blood as that rippling connection between us bursts through my heart. I feel his love. His guilt. His fear. It hurts, but I want it. I want to feel it. Because it is his, and he is mine. I don’t flinch, I don’t try to hide. I let it flow through me, shuddering me to my core.

Then he faces forward and rides across the courtyard as his warriors fall in behind him. Once beyond the palace walls, they rise into the air, flying out in a long dark stream over the city, over the chasm, and away.

“I say, Faraine, you’re looking well.”

I blink. My vision is somewhat dazzled by thelusterlinglight of the cavern, and I find it difficult to adjust to the world nearer to me. Apparently, the rest of the court has already dispersed, leaving me alone to watch the departure of my husband and his riders. I’d been so caught up trying to hold onto that last glimpse of Vor, I’d not noticed their going.

Neither had I noticed when my brother climbed the last few steps to join me. His arms are crossed, his hat tilted back from his exquisitely sculpted face. I meet his gaze coldly. This is the first time we’ve been alone in each other’s company since he brought me back from the Convent of Nornala so that I might impersonate our dead sister and fulfill Gavaria’s contract with the Under Realm. “Do you mean I’m looking like myself again?”

Theodre grimaces. A faint blush stains his cheeks. “Um, yes. That too.” He rubs the back of his head, fluffing the delicate lace collar so that it stands upright. “I suppose the Shadow King wasn’t too upset by our father’s little sleight of hand, eh?”

I swallow back bile and answer only, “Not too upset. No.”

“Well, good.” Theodre lets out a sigh and smiles. “I’ve got to say,” he continues brightly, “maybe I’m just a romantic, but I did sort of wonder if you and Vor had something of a connection going on. That ride to Beldroth—gods! I’d never heard you prattle on as you did then! And then, you know, you danced together that one night.”

I raise an eyebrow, surprised. Even Ilsevel, with whom I’ve always been close, had missed the spark ignited between Vor and I after our first meeting. I wouldn’t have expected my self-absorbed older brother to notice anything beyond the brim of his perfectly molded nose.

Choosing not to answer, I turn and enter the palace. Theodre hastens after me. The tall heels of his boots echo loudly across the polished floor. “I say, this place is a lot bigger than I ever expected!” he declares. “All the caverns and stalagmathingies, sure, but whole cities and palaces? And on such a scale? It’s impressive. The riverways were quite interesting too, did you notice? Not terribly well directed, but I hear there’s been some earth shaking putting things off their regular course, and—”

I stop abruptly. “Theodre, why are you here?”

“What do you mean?” His complexion is pale in thelorstlight, faint shadows ringing his eyes.

“Why are you here? In Mythanar. Why did Father send you of all people to deliver his message?”

His brows knot. “I’d like to think it’s because he trusts me. I am the crown prince after all.”

“Right. You’re the crown prince. You’re the last person Father should be sending.”

“Hang on, I don’t think that’s altogether fair—”

“How can you not see it?” I shake my head. Could he really be so dim? “Vor chose Ilsevel as his bride because everyone knows she is Father’s favorite. Ilsevel was not only meant to seal the alliance but also to ensure that Father would honor his part of the bargain.”

“Yes, well?” Theodre looks uncomfortable. He rubs at his collar again. “I suppose everyone felt that, when all is said and done, maybe . . .”

“We all knowIam no insurance. Father will not do anything that inconveniences himself for my sake.”

Theodre shrugs. “I mean, if you don’t want to put too fine a point on it . . .”

“But that doesn’t explain whyyouare here.”

Yet again my brother stares at me blankly.

“The alliance is sealed,” I persist. “In its entirety.”

He blinks.

“It’sconsummated.”

To my surprise, a blush steals up Theodre’s cheeks. “My dear sister, we don’t need to go into all that now, do we—”

“The moment the marriage was consummated, the alliance was clinched,” I continue, interrupting his nervous blather before it gets away with him. “The binding of the written spells holds Vor to his promise. No matter what.”

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