Captives of the Curse, page 35
part #3 of The Kyona Chronicles Series
“It might be easy for you to understand, but I haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about,” he said shortly. “What does all that mean?”
“It means,” said the prince, a bite in his voice, “that several very powerful people are very determined to plunge both our countries into war.”
“But I thought you said the king was set against it,” said Jo. “Surely no one is more powerful than he is?”
A wry look came over Prince Giles’s face in spite of his measured tone. “He doesn’t want to go to war, it’s true. But my uncle the king tends to be very…trusting when it comes to the suggestions of his advisors. He would not look for hidden agendas. When Lord Wrendal tells the king that he will find a diplomatic solution, Uncle Siloam is more than happy to trust the details to him. And when Lord Grentan tells him that we must respond to the statement with the trade ship by sending a strong statement of our own, Uncle Siloam is sure he is right. He is happy to take Lord Grentan’s word for it that such a statement will surely deter the young inexperienced Kyonan king from pursuing war. But I suspect that Lord Grentan’s intention is rather to provoke war. Which is an outcome that I, for one, do not wish for.”
Prince Giles smiled humorlessly. “If the two noblemen worked together, they would be quite a force. However, each believes himself to be too clever to need assistance, and so each charts his own course.”
Jo rubbed his head, which ached from the effort of trying to follow the nobles’ tortuous schemes. “But what’s the strong statement?” he asked. “What does this have to do with me?”
“It has everything to do with you,” said the prince curtly. “You are the statement.”
“Huh?” asked Jo stupidly. “Me? How so?”
“Well, not all of you,” Prince Giles conceded. “Just your head.”
“My…head?” repeated Jo, dropping his hand from it as he spoke.
“Yes. Lord Grentan’s suggestion is that after your execution, your head should be sent via ship as a clear statement of how Balenol will respond to any further attempt by Kyona to repudiate our…trade arrangement.”
“But…” For a moment Jonan was distracted by practicalities in spite of himself. “The voyage takes three weeks. By then…”
“Not at all,” said the prince casually. “There are ways to preserve—”
“All right.” Jo stopped him with an upraised hand. “I really don’t need to know the details.” He tried to match the prince’s cool tone, but he wasn’t quite able to keep his features smooth as he contemplated the nobleman’s plans. “And the king thinks that will help avoid war?”
Prince Giles lifted a shoulder. “As I said, he is a little too easily convinced. Accounts are that the Kyonan king is very inexperienced, after all. There is some reason to think that he will be easily intimidated.”
“Is there?” asked Jo humorously.
He suddenly thought of what Cal’s reaction would be upon receiving a communication from Balenol consisting of Jo’s severed head. He had a feeling that Cal would have quite a strong reaction, actually, and intimidation would not feature. Even Cal had a temper, despite the fact that he wasn’t generally one to lose his head, and—but there was that unfortunate euphemism again. All at once Jo was seized by the comedy of it all, his mind gladly latching onto the morbid humor to avoid contemplating the consequences of the gruesome fate planned for him.
“The king plans to send a disembodied Kyonan head to Kynton?” he said, his voice unsteady.
“Yes,” the prince assented.
“And not just any head—my head?”
“That’s right.”
“He plans to send my head to the new king?”
The prince nodded.
“And he thinks that will convince the new king not to go to war with Balenol?”
“That’s what I said.” Prince Giles was starting to sound irritated.
For a moment Jo just stared at him, then he burst into laughter. The prince looked startled, and Jo himself could feel the slightly hysterical nature of his mirth, but he made no attempt to check the outburst. He had never needed a release of tension more.
“Sorry,” he gasped. “It’s just so…unlucky.”
“Yes,” said Prince Giles, still looking bemused, “I can imagine you would feel that way. Although what there is in that to make you laugh, I can’t imagine.”
“Not unlucky for me,” said Jonan, “for your king.” He paused, sobering slightly. “Well, I suppose it is unlucky for me also,” he admitted. “But that’s not what I was thinking of. How many rebellious Kyonans are floating around Nohl, and I’m the one he picks to make this big statement of his?”
Prince Giles was watching him with narrowed eyes. “Is there a reason that your head in particular would be so inflammatory?” he asked.
“Well, it’s such a well-formed one, don’t you think?” asked Jonan flippantly, still smiling in an unbalanced way.
The prince looked unimpressed, and Jonan because serious at once. It was a horrible thought, and quite apart from his own feelings on the matter, he wouldn’t put Cal through that experience for anything.
“Let’s just say that Lord Grentan is right that such an action would provoke war, not prevent it. And I don’t want that outcome any more than you do.” He shook out his shoulders resolutely. “So I’ll just have to not get my head chopped off.” He gave Prince Giles a determined look. “Let’s talk about more important matters. We need to find Scarlett and make sure she’s all right.”
“We?” asked the prince, amused.
“Well, you’re obviously not going to get it done on your own,” said Jo accusingly. “It looks like I need to take a hand.”
“And how are you gong to do that?” asked Prince Giles, raising his eyebrows. “Do you have a key to this cell hidden in your pocket?”
“No,” admitted Jo, deflating slightly. “I don’t suppose you do?”
“As a matter of fact,” said Prince Giles calmly. “I do.”
Jo just stared at him. The prince met his look steadily, the hint of a smile in his eyes.
“Are you serious?” Jo asked. “You came here to let me out? Again, that seems like something you could have opened with.”
“I could have, of course,” said the prince, still maddeningly calm. “I must say, you seemed quite convinced of your ability to escape death even without my help.”
“I never had any intention of passing beyond the blade,” agreed Jonan. “I would have found a way. I always land on my feet.”
The prince shook his head slightly, clearly amused. “I almost believe you would have,” he said. He cocked an eyebrow humorously. “Would you like me to leave you in there after all so you can prove your resourcefulness?”
Jonan laughed. “No, thanks. I’m not too proud to accept help.” He gave the prince a shrewd look. “Are you letting me out because you don’t think I should be executed, or for Scarlett’s sake? Or simply because you don’t want my head to be available as a tool to start a war?”
The prince’s face remained smooth, his expression difficult to read. “Does it matter?” he asked.
“Not at all,” said Jonan quickly. “I don’t care what your reasons are. I’m more than ready to be done with this cell.”
“If I let you out,” said the prince slowly, “what will you do?”
“Find Scarlett,” said Jonan promptly.
“And how will you do that?”
Jo shrugged, his expression veiled. “That’s my own concern,” he said. “But you can rest assured that I will find her.”
The other man regarded him for a long moment, his face giving away nothing of his thoughts. Then, finally, he reached into the folds of his clothes with a fluid motion and produced a key.
Jo’s heart pumped with excitement, but he tried to keep his features impassive. Prince Giles clearly didn’t fully trust him, and he didn’t want to give his would-be rescuer any reason to change his mind.
The click of the key in the lock was the sweetest sound Jo had ever heard, and within moments he was standing next to the prince, shaking out his stiff limbs. The two men regarded each other silently.
“I will distract the guards,” said the prince after a moment. “I can get you out into the streets, but the rest is up to you.”
Jo nodded. “That’s more than enough.” He hesitated. “Thank you.”
The prince looked steadily back at him. “If you want to thank me, do whatever you can to prevent war between our countries.”
“I’m not sure what I can do, but I’ll certainly try,” responded Jonan.
The prince nodded. “And if you really want my gratitude, ensure no harm comes to my cousin on account of all this.”
“That I will most definitely do,” said Jonan, his voice fiercely determined. “With my last breath if necessary.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Although the rain had stopped, it turned out to already be dark in the city above, which suited Jonan’s purposes perfectly. He had never moved more swiftly in his passage through Nohl’s sleeping streets. Still not entirely sure he could trust the prince, he had circled back several times to ensure he wasn’t being followed, but it was still in record time that he found himself knocking on the trapdoor at the base tree.
He had quickly decided that there was no point searching Lord Wrendal’s house for news of Scarlett if Prince Giles had already done so without success. He was fairly certain that if anyone knew where Scarlett was, it was Bonnie, and he couldn’t imagine her running anywhere else but here in the case of danger.
It was a moment before the door was opened, and for the first time ever he was met with a drawn blade. But when the Kyonan boy saw who it was, he lowered the knife with a cry of delight. Jo hurried down into the hideout, pausing for a moment to take stock of his surroundings. The base was not as full as it had been the night of the slave breakout, but there were still many more people than he was used to seeing in the enclosed space.
His eyes scanned the crowd for a familiar face, but she saw him first, running forward with a shriek.
“Jonan!” She threw herself at him, her relief evident. “How did you get out?”
He gave her a quick squeeze, but let go straight away, in no mood for enthusiasm. “Prince Giles sprung me,” he said shortly.
“The prince?” she repeated, astonished. “Why? What did he say?”
“Never mind that,” said Jonan. “Where is she, Bonnie?”
The girl’s face sobered instantly. “Oh, Jo. You’re too late, and no one else could help her. She’s already gone.”
“What?!” Jo seized Bonnie’s shoulders convulsively, his whole body going numb. It wasn’t true—it simply couldn’t be. “No,” he said hoarsely, “I don’t believe you. She’s not—she can’t be—”
“No, no, she’s not dead!” said Bonnie hastily, taking pity on his distress. “I didn’t mean that. Just that she’s literally gone—she’s left Nohl. Or at least, she’s leaving tonight, but even if she hasn’t actually left yet, she’s already locked away. But she’s still alive. For now at least,” she added in a mutter, her face dark.
“What do you mean for now?” asked Jo frantically, letting go of her shoulders.
Bonnie rubbed her face wearily. “Her father,” she said. “He’s…Jo, I’ve never seen anything like it. I thought he was angry with her before, but it was nothing to this.”
“It’s all my fault,” said Jo, stricken. He looked at Bonnie beseechingly. “I didn’t mean to kiss her, Bonnie. It just happened. And now I’ve made a mess out of everything.”
She started at his words. “Is that what happened?” she demanded, and he nodded. “And her father saw?” He nodded again, and Bonnie’s mouth fell open, aghast. “No wonder he was angry. How are you still alive?”
“He didn’t intend me to be for much longer,” said Jo simply. Shaking her head, Bonnie led him over to the same corner where they had all been in conversation the night of the riot. Stan appeared from somewhere, welcoming Jo with relief. Jo returned her greeting distractedly, frowning at Bonnie.
“Didn’t Scarlett tell you what happened?” he asked, confused. “When I saw you at the gate I thought for sure you’d go straight up to her.”
“I did,” Bonnie assured him. “But she didn’t tell me anything I could make sense of. She was…beside herself. I’ve never seen her in such a state, Jo. It scared me.”
Jo’s heart seized at her words. He remembered how Scarlett had looked when he had first arrived at her rooms. He had been distressed at the sight, and had wanted nothing more than to lift her burden. How had he managed instead to make it worse?
“She sent me out again straight away,” said Bonnie. “She wanted me to find out what was happening to you. I didn’t want to leave her on her own, but she didn’t exactly ask my opinion.” Bonnie shook her head. “I should have stayed. All I could find out was that they’d put you in the execution chamber, and Lord Wrendal had ordered that you weren’t to be sent any food or water.”
She paused. “By the way, you must be hungry.”
“I’m starving,” admitted Jonan curtly. “But never mind that. What about Scarlett?” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Stan signal to someone, and a moment later some simple rations were set before him. He devoured them readily, his eyes fixed on Bonnie as she continued.
“By the time I got back, she was gone. Lord Wrendal had bundled her off without delay.”
“But where?” asked Jonan desperately.
“To the harbor,” said Bonnie. “Onto a ship.”
“A ship?” repeated Jo, startled.
Bonnie nodded. “They sail tonight, but he wanted her shut up on the vessel straight away, so she couldn’t speak with anyone. And I think so that she wouldn’t try to visit you or plead with the royals on your behalf.”
“But Prince Giles said that Lord Wrendal was going on a visit to his estates. And he couldn’t find any trace of Scarlett.”
“I’m not surprised,” said Bonnie. “Lord Wrendal was particularly determined that none of her adopted family were to know where she was or what he was planning. He seemed to think they might try to intervene. He didn’t want them to find out until after he had left, by which time it would be too late to do anything.”
“How do you know so much about what he was thinking?” demanded Jo.
Bonnie gave the ghost of a smile. “I’m good at being neither seen nor heard, remember? I didn’t come here straight away when I found her gone. I hung around the house until I heard what I wanted to know. I was eavesdropping when Lord Wrendal gave instructions to that favorite soldier lackey of his. He was supposed to stay behind and deal with you.” She gave Jonan a tight look. “I won’t trouble you with the details of what he had planned for you, but it wasn’t pretty.”
“I can imagine,” said Jo dryly. “But at least if he was planning to spirit Scarlett away he wasn’t actually going to use her to get me to talk, which is what he threatened.”
Bonnie shook her head darkly. “He’s a monster,” she said. “And I wouldn’t put it past him, given what he’s planning now.”
“What is he planning?” asked Jo quickly. “Where is he taking her?”
“To Kyona, of course,” she said, as though it was obvious. “Where else would they be sailing to? Like I said, they leave tonight, if they haven’t already.”
“Kyona?” Jo repeated, startled. “Why?”
“To secure an alliance,” said Bonnie ironically. “A diplomatic solution to the current crisis.”
“Why do I find that hard to believe?” said Jo dryly.
“Well that’s what Lord Wrendal has been authorized to do by the king,” said Bonnie. “But of course he has other plans.”
“Why is he taking Scarlett, though?” asked Jonan, for the moment not interested in Lord Wrendal’s complicated scheming. “Is it just to keep her from trying to stop me being executed?”
“What? No, of course not. That’s just a happy side effect. He needs her for the alliance, obviously.”
Jonan frowned. “Why?” He looked up to find both Bonnie and Stan staring at him like he was dense. “What?” he asked. “What kind of alliance are we talking about?”
“A marriage alliance, obviously,” said Stan. “What better way for him to exploit Scar’s beauty now that she’s apparently blown her chances with her cousin?”
“What?” said Jo, aware of his decision to leap to his feet only when he found himself looking down at the two girls. He felt a strange rushing in his ears. “Who is he going to marry her off to?”
“The new king,” said Stan, speaking slowly as if to a confused child.
“Oh,” said Jo, relaxing instantly and dropping back into his seat. “Well, that’s all right then. He won’t have any success with that plan.”
“You’d better hope you’re wrong about that,” said Bonnie grimly.
“I’m not,” Jo asserted, frowning at her. “Why would you hope I’m wrong? You’re the one who told me Scar has no desire to be Balenol’s queen. Why would you think she wants to be Kyona’s queen?”
“I’m sure she doesn’t,” said Bonnie. “But it’s better than the alternative.” She frowned. “Why are you so sure the king won’t want to marry her? She is very beautiful, after all.”
“Doesn’t matter,” said Jo shortly. “He’s already betrothed. What alternative?”
“Betrothed isn’t married,” said Stan skeptically. “And Lord Wrendal is very good at manipulating people from what I hear. Maybe the king will change his mind when he meets Scar.”
“He won’t,” said Jo impatiently. “He’s too in love for that.”
It was true. Jo had thought it a bit much at the time, to be honest, but now it somehow seemed much less ridiculous.
“What’s the alternative, Bonnie?” he pressed.
“Who is he betrothed to?” asked Stan curiously, before Bonnie could respond. “I didn’t think kings usually got to marry for love.”
Jo took a deep breath, his nerves becoming more and more frayed the longer his question went unanswered. “He’s betrothed to your sister,” he said curtly. “Now can we stop with all the interruptions and can someone please tell me what the alternative is!”
