The Ring Keeper, page 38
“You can’t let him catch you here.”
That was true. Ana did not know what her father would do to her if he discovered what she had done. Or what he might do to Allia. She had to get away from here.
With Allia’s help, Ana got to her feet, leaning against the wall.
“I’ll come back for you,” Ana promised.
“Don’t worry about me, just get yourself to safety.” Allia helped her toward the door. Before they reached it, the chain pulled taut, forcing Allia to stop. She pulled Ana into an embrace and kissed her cheek. “I love you. I’ve always loved you, more than anything.”
Ana held onto her, wondering if she obeyed her mother and left without her, would they ever be together again? “I love you too.” She stumbled to the door and shut it behind her. The bar felt a dozen times heavier now. By the time Ana wrestled it into place, she sank to the floor, breathing hard. Somehow, she had to make it back to her room before they caught her.
Gathering her determination, she pushed herself up against the wall. Leaning heavily against it, she inched her way down the hall. She was still a long way from her room, and she could see the faint light of dawn through the windows.
Ana got as far away as she could from Allia’s room before she collapsed.
What could she do now? The fortress would be waking up, and someone would find her. She couldn’t let Haldreth find out that she’d seen Allia.
Looking around a corner, Ana saw a flight of stairs. As quickly as she could, she crawled to the bottom of them. She used the last of her strength to get there, then collapsed to the floor.
Only a moment later, a guard came down the corridor and hurried toward her. As he bent over her, he realized who she was. “Princess? What are you doing here?”
“I’m so grateful you found me,” Ana said in a weak voice. “I only wanted a breath of air. I decided to walk to the balcony. At first, everything was fine, but then I started to feel faint. I turned back, but… the stairs… I think I fainted, and I fell.”
The guard had brown hair and a serious expression as he knelt beside her. “You fell? You must be hurt. Shall I bring a healer?”
Ana shook her head. “I don’t think it’s that serious. I still feel faint, but mostly, it’s my ankle. I can’t walk on it.”
The guard rubbed his chin, looking worried. “I must inform the king at once.”
“Could you please help me back to my room first?” she asked weakly.
“Of course, Princess.”
The guard lifted her into his arms and set off down the hall, carrying her. No one stopped them or questioned them on the way. He took her back to her own room and set her gently on the bed. His eyes seemed concerned.
“Thank you,” she said. “You’re very kind to help me.”
“Of course, Princess.” He moved quickly back toward the door. “I wish you a speedy recovery.”
Ana had only been in bed for a short while when a knock came at the door, and her father entered, hurrying to her side.
“Cirana! What happened?”
Ana shook her head, her expression contrite. “I’m so sorry, Father. I couldn’t sleep, and all I wanted was a breath of fresh air. I was in the hall when I started to feel light-headed. I turned back, but I think I fainted, and I fell.”
“How badly are you hurt?” he asked.
“Nothing serious,” she assured him. “My ankle was sore, but it’s already improving. I think if I can just rest a little, I’ll be fine.”
“I’ve already called the healer to take a look at you.”
Ana’s stomach tightened. Hopefully, the healer wouldn’t tell her father that there was nothing wrong with her ankle. She maintained a grateful expression. “Thank you, Father.”
He stayed until the healer arrived, an older woman with gray hair. After a brief examination, the healer agreed that rest was the best treatment. “I don’t see any swelling in your ankle.”
Ana sighed in relief. “That’s good news. It should be fine in a few days.”
“Good,” Haldreth said, dismissing the healer with a nod. His expression was concerned as he looked at Ana. “Just rest for now. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“I will be. Thank you, Father.”
Kissing her forehead gently, he left her alone. A moment later, Ana fell into exhausted slumber.
Later in the morning, Ana’s maid woke her with a breakfast tray. Ana blinked and covered her eyes against the bright sunlight streaming in through the window. Exhaustion weighed her down, and she ached all over. It took all her strength to sit up in bed.
The maid placed the tray on her lap. Eating would help her regain her strength, but she was too tired to swallow more than a few bites.
Gavin appeared as she was finishing her meal. “Cirana?” He took the chair beside the bed. “Your father told me what happened. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m all right, just still exhausted.”
He leaned closer and took her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you until you feel better.”
Ana shook her head, covering her face with an expression of embarrassment. “The whole thing is so silly. It seemed so much worse last night. I’m already beginning to feel better.”
“You still look tired. Don’t worry about anything now,” he bent forward to kiss her forehead. He took the tray from her lap and set it aside as she lay down again, then pulled the covers back up around her.
“Thank you,” she smiled weakly at him.
Gavin rose. “Rest. I’ll have the maid come in a little while to check on you and see if you need anything.”
Ana spent the day in bed. Would she be able to get up if she tried? Usually, after healing someone, it was at least four days before she could function again. But she’d never had someone lending her their strength before. Hopefully, her recovery would be quicker this time. Would her father realize what she had done? If he went to visit Allia, he would know Ana had been there. She needed to get out of here.
Three days saw Ana past the worst of the weakness. As soon as she was able, she left her bed and gradually resumed her activities, taking care to limp slightly for a few more days.
“My dear,” Haldreth exclaimed, as she entered the dining room on the first morning she left her room. He hurried to assist her to a seat. “I’m so pleased that you are feeling better.”
“Thank you, Father,” she said. “I am much better than I was.”
“Good, good. I feared we would have to postpone the banquet. But since you’re on the mend, I believe we can keep our plans. You still have five days to prepare.”
Ana had been trying to forget about the event.
The next several days passed all too quickly. On the day of the banquet, Gavin came to Ana’s room with a servant following him. “I’m sure you want to look your best tonight,” he said, smiling. “The king will introduce you as the princess of Ara.” He gestured to the woman behind him, whose arms were full of shimmering silk. “This dress is something special. Your father paid a fortune for it, and you will make him so happy if you wear it.”
Make him happy? What Gavin really meant was that Haldreth would be angry if she didn’t, and no one liked it when he was angry.
When Gavin had gone, the woman helped her put on the dress. She realized then why he had come himself to bring it to her. It was not something she would ever wear by choice. Its neckline was far too revealing and would attract unwelcome attention. Her mind went back to all the parties she had gone to in the White City. She remembered putting on beautiful gowns and meeting with kings and queens and ambassadors. Callonen would never have let her leave her room dressed like this.
Her hands clenched into fists. She looked in the mirror, her cheeks coloring a little with anger.
This dress had probably been Gavin’s idea. They wanted to control her and for her to feel like a possession. What would they do if she refused to wear it?
Especially today, when the king had planned a party and her plans for escape were nearly complete—today, of all days, she had to go along with his request.
When Ana arrived in the great hall, it glittered with thousands of lights. She took a deep breath and tried to slow her pounding heart. Everyone in the room bowed low as she entered.
Haldreth came to her side. “My daughter, Princess Cirana.” The people cheered and applauded.
Ana glanced back at them. The diamond crown felt heavy on her head, and the priceless jewelry weighed her down. Her bare shoulders and low neckline made her horribly uncomfortable. They had intended for her to feel as if she were on display. She stood up straight and tried to ignore the sensation.
The king offered his arm and led her across the hall.
There was music and dancing, and everywhere the people bowed to her. She looked into their faces.
They’re afraid of me. There’s fear in their eyes.
Not me, she realized. Him. I am with Haldreth. The king.
She could sense the darkness in him. He was powerful and would destroy anyone who tried to oppose him.
Eight soldiers in blue uniforms stood along one side of the room. “These are the best of my captains,” Haldreth said. None of them seemed pleasant. Some were clean and well groomed, but their eyes were cold. Others appeared surly and unkempt.
The king introduced her. “My daughter, Princess Cirana.” Each one bowed to her in turn.
“This is Captain Kaemar.”
A big man with dark hair took her hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Princess.” His eyes lingered too long as he looked her over, and she tried not to let her face show her discomfort.
They moved on down the line to the man at the end. He was easily the most untidy of them all. His hair hadn’t been cut in years, and scars marked the part of his face not hidden behind his beard. He wore a collection of small knives across his chest, with a couple more at his belt. A sword hung at his side, and an ax was slung across his back.
“Captain Tack, this is my daughter, Princess Cirana.”
The man nodded but didn’t speak and kissed her hand as briefly as possible. Their eyes met for only a second before he glanced away. He seemed angry about something. And she could sense it wasn’t just his outward appearance. He was genuinely furious about something. She certainly didn’t know why he felt that way, but it frightened her.
She was grateful when they moved on.
The king bent to speak in her ear, nodding toward Tack. “He doesn’t like to talk, but he keeps the men in line. They’re all terrified of him. There was a fight once. I didn’t see it myself, but the others told me that eight men attacked him and he beat them all. He never goes anywhere without his weapons. Not even to a party.”
Ana wondered if Haldreth was trying to frighten her more that she already was. Maybe. All of his captains were intimidating men. She shivered.
The king introduced Ana to many more people, and they sat at the table in the front of the room to eat a magnificent dinner. The fine food did not make Ana feel more comfortable. She longed to escape. The soldiers’ eyes followed her, staring at her in the ridiculous gown. It made her want to crawl away and hide.
Once, she met Tack’s gaze from the other end of the table. He wasn’t leering at her like the others. Quite the opposite; he still seemed angry. She resolved to stay well away from him.
At length, the meal ended and gradually the guests left the tables to form small groups, chatting. Ana found herself surrounded by people, noblemen and women who seemed eager to get to know her better and soldiers who had been staring at her all evening.
Of course, her outfit probably gave them an unrealistic idea of how she might behave. She could sense what they wanted from her. She felt her cheeks heat and took a deep breath.
Breaking into a circle of conversation, Gavin offered Ana his arm. “If you’ll all excuse us for a moment. I need to have a word with the princess.” He led her outside to an empty balcony. In the dark, the cold moonlight shone on the towers. “Do you like the party?” he asked. “Everyone adores you.”
Adored her? That was not what she had felt from any of them. “Yes, they’ve been very kind,” she said, her voice only a little stiff. She hated being on display. And some of the guests had been afraid of her. No one had ever feared her before, and she did not like it at all.
“You look wonderful,” Gavin said, stepping nearer.
“Thank you.” She shivered as the chill night breeze brushed her bare skin.
“Tonight is only the beginning,” he said, putting his arms around her. “You can have anything you want here. You can live in luxury and command all the resources of this land. Your father will give you anything you ask. There’s no reason to go back to Sarine. He wants you to stay here. And he’s offered me a permanent place here too. I want us to be together. We could be happy here, couldn’t we?”
The question startled her. Happy? How could he think she’d ever be happy here? But she couldn’t let him know she suspected his deceit. “I still miss home,” she admitted.
“Is there anything you want? Anything at all that your father hasn’t given you?”
“No,” she said.
“The king wants you here. It’s your place to rule after him as queen of Ara, and I would have you stay at my side. You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “I have always thought so, since the first moment I saw you. I need you. I love you. Don’t put me off any longer. Your father will give his blessing, if you would consent to be my wife.”
He brushed his fingertips along the side of her neck. She was still unable to sense any concealed feelings from him. But now, she knew Gavin was hiding his intentions from her. An icy shiver of alarm went through her. His fingers trailed along her jaw to her chin, lifting her face to his. He kissed her hungrily. His hands touched the skin of her neck and shoulders, and she shivered. She didn’t know what to say to him. She couldn’t endure him kissing her like this. There was only one way to get him to stop without revealing her true feelings.
“I’m sorry, Gavin,” she apologized. She allowed her knees to buckle and her head to fall to one side. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t feel well… I…” She collapsed and felt him catch her.
Ana forced herself to remain unmoving, feigning unconsciousness, even though she saw bright lights through her eyelids and heard a sudden buzz of whispering voices. Gavin was carrying her across the ballroom. She relaxed when the noise died down and all she could hear were his steps as he walked.
She let her eyelids flutter. “What happened?” she murmured.
“You fainted,” Gavin said.
“I’m so sorry,” she said weakly. “I didn’t mean to. I heard everything you said.”
“Good,” he said gently. “Get some rest now, and you can think about it.”
“Thank you, Gavin. That’s just what I need, a little time to think.”
He laid her on the bed in her room and covered her with a blanket. “Rest,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She waited for a while after he left to make sure he wasn’t coming back or sending someone else. Her time was up. She had to get away.
Ana rose and took off the ball gown, then put the finishing touches on her rope and measured it against her own height. The rope had reached the length she needed plus a little more. She wound it around her waist and hips and put on a plain riding dress, which hung in the wardrobe in her room. She had never worn it before, since no one would let her go riding. Thankfully, she also found a pair of boots.
It grew later, and the castle quieted. Ana waited until midnight had passed, then slipped from her room. There were guards in the halls, but she remembered how to avoid them. With her stomach quivering, she tiptoed through the corridors toward the balcony.
She heard voices in the hall ahead. One of them belonged to her father. Terrified, Ana ducked into a room and hid behind the door.
“My brother cannot defeat my demons,” the king said contemptuously. “Callonen still has no way to stop them. And after all this time, I’m ready to cast the spell that will undo the Warding. All I need is to get close enough to touch it. We’ll be marching soon. Sarine will be mine.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Year of Warding 42, Hakvere, Ara
Ana
ANA’S CHEST CONSTRICTED until she couldn’t breathe. Haldreth had found a way to break the Warding? She had to warn Callonen. Without the Warding’s power, so many people would die. She realized she was shaking and took a deep, silent breath, trying to calm herself.
“Do we have enough men to beat him?” Gavin asked.
“We have more men than he has, even without the demons,” Haldreth said. “But I won’t need them. I have something he wants more than anything else. Callonen will give me the city.”
“You really think he will?”
Her father laughed, and Ana quailed at the sound. “Of course he will. You saw him. Don’t you know how it’s tortured him all these years, knowing I took Allia? There was only one other thing that would hurt him like that. And you made that happen.”
Gavin laughed. “It took a great deal of work to get close enough to abduct her.”
Ana held her breath in shock. They were talking about her. Her guess had been right. They had taken her.
“You should have seen Callonen’s face when he came after her and got to the edge of the Warding. He was crazy! The demons were there, and he didn’t even care. If his men hadn’t stopped him, it would have already been over. Callonen was still screaming when I left.”
Their voices and footsteps faded and then disappeared, leaving Ana alone in the hallway. Tears ran down her cheeks. Callonen had tried to come after her. He would have died attempting to save her.
Ana went out into the hall. All was quiet, and no one challenged her as she made her way toward the walls. It seemed to take hours, but at last she made it to the balcony.
During her previous visits, she had watched the positions and movements of the guards, and she knew this corner would be unobserved for a short while. When she saw the soldiers moving away, she unwound her makeshift rope, fixed it around the railing, and dropped both ends over the wall.
