Broken (Thrall Book 2), page 17
“I’m aware,” I say. “Your Grace, I need to ask…is there a particular reason you wanted me to have breakfast with you this morning?”
King Tomas nods. “I simply wanted to learn of your progress. For instance, are there any more Tethered Nobles on your radar—or is it only Lord Malloy thus far?”
I swallow, steeling myself for yet another lie. “I’m afraid I’ve only detected Lord Malloy’s power. I’ll keep an eye out tonight, naturally, and report to you if I find any more.”
“Good, good. I’m quite sure you’ll spot a few at the cocktail party. Just remember—whatever your heart may tell you, they’re not your friends. They’re cowards who have been concealing themselves behind a façade of wealth for an age—infiltrators into the Nobility. They’re nothing more than opportunistic liars.”
I want to point out the obvious—that Tallin, too, is a liar who hides his true identity behind a mountain of riches.
To say nothing of Lady Verdan.
But the silent warning Maude issues reminds me that there’s no way I should take such a risk, particularly as there’s no possible benefit to me.
“Here’s the thing, Shara,” King Tomas says softly, leaning in close, a twinkle in his eye. “It may seem like all is well in the land of Kravan—but the truth is, too many Nobles thirst for power these days. The more of it they have, the more they want. They demand more Tethered servants. More money. More everything. The only thing keeping the order is me. It’s why the law states clearly that there can only be two Tethered in most Noble homes. It would be too dangerous if I were to allow entire military forces to build up in the houses of my enemies. Do you see what I’m saying?”
I do—though I have no idea why he’s telling me all of this.
“Of course, I understand.”
“Good.” He lays his hand on top of mine for a moment, issuing a sad smile. “If I had my way, Kravan would be quiet, peaceful, and filled with benevolent people. But it’s undeniable that an incorrigible part of human nature is to be ambitious. It’s our reason for living, really. It’s also one reason we Normals feel the need to train all ambition out of the Tethered—why we don’t want your kind itching for power. You’re strong in body, but weak in mind. It’s why you tend to make such excellent servants.”
Thank you for speaking about Tethered as though we’re a bunch of lobotomized pack mules, I think.
~Watch it, donkey, Maude warns. You’re making a face, and the king isn’t stupid.
Obediently, I nod, offering up a faint smile. “Yes, your Grace.”
“Lady Verdan and I will be attending the Perrins’ ball next week,” the king says, pulling back and gazing toward the Verdan grounds again. “Daphne will be pleased to see you again.”
“Will she, now?” My snide tone is conspicuous, but I don’t particularly care. There’s no point in pretending Daphne Verdan likes me even a little.
The king chuckles. “Believe it or not, she respects you, my dear. She acknowledges your usefulness, just as I do. She also appreciates your efforts, though she would never admit as much. Daphne’s reserve doesn’t allow her to be effusive in her praise.”
“Will her stepdaughters be at the ball?” I ask, ignoring his obvious lies.
“They may—but I wouldn’t worry, if I were you. They’ve been warned to keep quiet about the goings-on with the prince. All they know is that there’s something secret and important happening inside the palace.”
I want to laugh. The idea that Devorah could see me on the prince’s arm and keep her mouth shut is ridiculous. I’d be shocked if she didn’t jump up and down, shrieking to every member of the Nobility that there was an intruder among them.
The sound of a door opening distracts me, and I look over to see a servant striding out to the terrace. She stops next to the king and leans down to whisper something in his ear.
“Ah,” King Tomas says, laying his cloth napkin on the table and rising to his feet. “I’m afraid I have to leave you, Lady Ingram. I have a pressing appointment I don’t wish to miss.”
When the king has made his way inside, I rise to my feet and stroll over to the terrace’s railing to look out onto the Royal grounds.
In the distance, by the entrance to the vast hedge maze, I spot a tall, broad-shouldered man in a Royal Guard uniform. He’s facing me, and when our eyes meet, he offers up a quiet nod, lifting one hand ever so slightly in greeting.
Thorne.
It’s all I can do not to leap over the railing and sprint over to him. But even as I contemplate it, he turns away and steps into the hedge maze, disappearing from view.
“I’d stay put if I were you, Lady Ingram—however appealing the scenery may be at this moment.”
The voice is familiar and deep, but I can’t entirely place it until I turn to see that Archyr is standing in the doorway, his arms crossed and a grin on his lips.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
“Thorne would like to come to you as badly as you want to go to him,” Archyr says, striding over to the table, his eyes locked on the distant hedge maze. “Trust me.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I just wish…”
“We all wish for many things.” He takes a seat, snatching an apple from the fruit bowl that’s currently acting as a centerpiece.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” I ask, stepping over to join him at the table. “I didn’t know Guards could just wander into the king’s private dining room.”
“We can’t, normally. But the king asked me to look in on you when he jogged by me just now. For some reason, he thinks you need babysitting.”
“I’m fine.”
“I know you are. I’m the one who wanted company, so I told him I’d come see you.”
“Oh.” We exchange a look, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. After all, the king did mention that Tallin spent the night with Valira. I have no doubt Archyr is aware of it, too. “Does it bother you?” I ask.
He grinds his jaw and lowers his chin, his expression darkening. “Of course it does. I fucking hate when they spend the night together. But it’s not like I can do anything about it. He needs her like most of us need air.”
“Isn’t there some other woman—some other Tethered—who could take her place?”
“No!” Archyr retorts, his voice jagged. He takes an almost vengeful bite of the apple, then, slouching back in his chair, says, “Sorry. Not your fault. But no, there is no other Tethered who can give the prince what he needs. I suppose the positive side is that Valira is so important to Tallin that he’ll do anything to keep her alive. And, by extension, me. He keeps me alive to keep her happy—and in return, the prince gets his medication in the form of sex with the woman I love.” He lets out a snicker. “Ridiculous, isn’t it? He keeps me from certain death, but what’s the point in living if I can’t be with her?”
The last sentence feels like a knife threatening to pierce my heart. There’s something so desperate, so sad—almost weak—about it. Yet I understand it fully.
Every moment that I spend so close to Thorne but so far from him—far from his voice, his touch, his lips on mine, feels like a vicious form of torture.
“We’re not like Normals, you and I,” Archyr says. “Not in any way, shape, or form. Our emotions run as deep as marrow, and it kills us slowly when we’re torn from the person we’re connected to. Keeping two bonded mates apart is a cruelty that most Normals can’t even begin to fathom. Tallin is a Tethered. He should know better, yet he acts like Valira is his. Deep down, he knows it’s not true.”
“She’s yours,” I say, but Archyr shakes his head.
“She belongs to no one. None of us does. That’s what’s so beautiful about love, and so painful. We choose to surrender our hearts and bodies to one another. Because we feel it so deeply that it’s just…right. I would lay down my life for Valira a thousand times, because I love her—and if I can only have a few fleeting moments with her until the end of my days, I will have to be satisfied with that. She gives me something she could never give Tallin. Above all else, I know what it is to be loved by her, and how fragile that love is.”
I glance around, realizing all of a sudden that we’re engaged in a conversation we probably shouldn’t be having.
“Don’t worry,” Archyr says. “No one is listening to us. The king is paranoid that if he’s recorded, it’ll be used against him—so he doesn’t allow devices in his private chambers. Plus…” he adds, holding up his arm to reveal a wrist piece like I’ve recently seen Valira wearing. “A Blocker,” he says. “Handy things, these.”
“I thought devices like those were illegal—but it seems they’re all the rage around here.”
“Oh, they’re illegal,” Archyr laughs. “Then again, so is a Tethered prince fucking a member of the Royal Guard. The laws of Kravan don’t exactly apply between the palace’s walls, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“Except when it comes to keeping us from the people we love,” I retort bitterly, my eyes locking once again on the hedge maze’s entrance. I wonder if Thorne is cursing our fate as much as I am right now. “I would give anything for a different world,” I say softly, wishing he would reappear. “One where we all had an equal chance at happiness.”
“They say there are many realms in this world. Realms where Tethered flourish—where we’re not only accepted, but free to love, to rule, to be ourselves.” Archyr combs a hand through his reddish hair and, snickering, says, “Can you imagine that? I mean, how unlucky were we to have been born in the Tower instead of in one of those far-off lands? Yet we live in Kravan, where a few men and women claim ownership of us simply because they believe it to be their right. What would happen if they were brought to their knees, I wonder? What if they learned we aren’t as submissive as they think?”
“I don’t know,” I reply, leaning toward him and whispering, “but I intend to find out.”
He raises an eyebrow, frowning. “Many have tried over the years, you know. They say that in the Capitol, there’s an entire movement—a whole army of Tethered, just waiting to wage war.”
“So why don’t they?”
Archyr chuckles. “You’ve seen the Capitol—right?”
“Yeah, from a distance. It’s a mess.”
“It’s a mess by design. It’s a mess because it gets bombed by drones on a regular basis. The more havoc the bombs wreak, the harder it is for anyone to live a productive life. Every single person in the Capitol spends the bulk of their energy rebuilding, over and over again. It’s futile. It’s appalling.” He glances over his shoulder toward the dining room and adds, “But I will say, the king knows exactly what he’s doing.”
“You really think it’s King Tomas who’s orchestrating the chaos? He doesn’t really seem…”
I’m about to say he doesn’t seem like the sort of man who would do something like that. He’s been kind to me, and understanding. Then again, he welcomes the Crimson Championship to his home each year, and watches Tethered tear each other apart.
The truth is, I have no idea what sort of man he really is.
Archyr scoffs. “It’s no secret. Everyone knows it’s his doing. It’s pretty smart, actually. If you want to make your enemies weak, distract them with their own desperate need for survival. If they’re struggling to put food on the table, they won’t notice there’s a monster lurking in the shadows, waiting to devour them.”
At that image, I shudder.
“I hope you get to see Thorne tonight,” Archyr says, changing the subject abruptly. “Valira told me yesterday that she plans to keep Prince Not-So-Charming occupied while you have a moment to yourselves.”
I’m about to respond with an apology when he holds up a hand and shakes his head. “It’s all right. It hurts like hell to know she’s with him when I want her so badly, but I’m not being eaten away by jealousy, believe it or not. If her sacrifice can help you and Thorne spend some time together, I’m all for it. At least she’s surrendering pieces of her soul for a good cause. Besides, she owes you for saving her life.”
“She told you about that?”
Archyr nods. “And before you ask, I don’t know who attacked her—but there’s no question in my mind that she’s protecting someone.”
“Three guesses as to which someone that might be,” I reply with a roll of my eyes.
“I wouldn’t dare accuse the bastard. I’m just grateful she’s okay. And I’m glad she can help you and Thorne out.”
“It’s just that I’ve had so little time with him. We need a chance to talk. To…well…”
“I think the word you’re hunting for is fuck,” Archyr snickers.
“I was going to say ‘to plan,’ actually,” I reply with a half-smile.
“There’s nothing to stop you from planning while fucking,” he shrugs. “I suspect it’s a lot more fun that way.”
“You’re irredeemable.”
“You love it.”
A laugh explodes from my throat. “I hate to admit it, but I knew the first moment I met you that I’d like you, even though you were a total dick.”
“Why, thank you. I’ll take that as the highest compliment.”
“You should.”
We both go silent for a minute, then I say, “Archyr—you really don’t want to say who you think attacked Valira the other night?”
A look of quiet rage passes over his face, then he shakes his head. “I have a theory, but nothing I have any power to act on. Still, if ever I’m proven right, I can’t be held accountable for my actions. I’ll kill the bastard myself, I swear.”
I’ll kill the bastard.
It sure as hell sounds to me like he’s talking about Tallin.
I push myself to my feet, looking out toward the gardens one last time. “I think I’m going to go rest for a little. Something tells me it’s going to be a long one.”
“That’s what she said.”
“Behave yourself, Guard,” I groan, then turn to head inside. But before I’ve taken a step, I add, “I really hope you and Valira get your happy ending one day.”
“Thank you, Shara,” he replies. “So do I.”
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Instead of heading to my quarters, I decide to go for a stroll in the palace gardens.
The likelihood of finding Thorne in the hedge maze is close to zero. Chances are that the only reason he stepped into the maze’s depths earlier was to convey a silent message to me—a reminder of what transpired between us under the stars the other night.
Still, I can’t help but feel hopeful with each step I take. The thought of finding him alone, if only for a few minutes, makes my heart race. The palpable memory of his lips crashing against mine, his powerful hands taking hold of my waist…It’s enough to propel me effortlessly forward.
I’m sorely tempted to start sprinting when I see two familiar figures emerging from the maze—neither of whom is Thorne.
To my shock, one of them is Lady Graystone, and the other is King Tomas.
My heart is still racing, but now, it’s for another reason entirely.
“What’s she doing here?” I murmur. “And with him, of all people?”
~Visiting, I imagine, Maude replies. She’s a Noble, after all.
“But it’s so risky. What if he figures out what she is?”
~Shara, if the king hasn’t figured it out by now, he’s not going to. Besides, his body language tells me he’s quite at ease with her. I’d guess their relationship is quite an…intimate one.
She’s right. The king looks completely relaxed.
Too relaxed.
His hand is on Lady Graystone’s back, a broad smile on his lips, and as I watch them move out of the maze, he leans in and kisses her on the cheek.
Lady Graystone lets out a laugh that sounds like wind chimes. She says goodbye, then strides directly over to me, giving the king a final wave of her golden hand as he makes his way toward the palace’s doors.
I guess I’m not going on a Thorne-hunt, after all.
“Lady Ingram,” Lady Graystone says as she nears me. “How lovely to see you.”
“And you,” I say, glancing around to see if anyone is watching us. “Do—do you and the king meet often?”
I realize as I ask the question that it almost sounds like an accusation, but I let it lie.
“Not as often as I’d like,” she says, taking me by the arm. “Lady Verdan isn’t exactly fond of me, as you can probably imagine. Come—let’s go for a wander in the maze, shall we?”
It’s an offer I can’t possibly refuse.
The best-case scenario is that we run into Thorne. The worst-case is that I get to spend some time deciphering the enigma that is this woman.
“Will you be at the cocktail party this evening?” she asks. “Doing your usual reconnaissance work?”
I debate internally for a moment before asking, “How exactly do you know about that?”
“I know many things. Let’s just say I’m well connected. But don’t worry—your secret is safe with me.”
I let out a nervous laugh. My secret seems to pale in comparison to her own. I, at least, am under the king’s protection. “I’ve barely done any reconnaissance,” I tell her. “And what I have done wasn’t exactly thorough, was it?”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, my dear.”
I stop walking and turn to face her, staring into her swirling eyes. “Aren’t you worried that the king will figure out what you are? His sole mission in life right now is to find Tethered hiding among the Nobility.”
With a shrug of her shoulders, she says, “Not really, no. Still—I appreciate you keeping our secret—Ellion’s and mine. I know what you’ve risked for me, and I won’t soon forget it. Your loyalty to your own kind is admirable.”
As we begin walking again, I reply, “I didn’t want anything to happen to you. It didn’t seem fair. Besides, I was tasked with finding one Tethered at the dinner party, not three.”
“Well, then. I suppose we all lucked out that evening.”
Yes, I think. I just hope Lord Malloy sees it that way.
