Wave-Touched, page 10
Veyl opened her mouth to dismiss his words, then paused, considering them for a moment, aware of Jinau and Nalika watching her. “I suppose it does, but my parents make very few weighty decisions without the input of the council, though their position grants them the power to do so. I don’t see where it has brought any harm or hardship to the people of Vanris. My father accepted the role of khemron only because it came with the woman he loved.” Her gaze shifted to Kyril as she spoke those last words, and he returned her regard without expression, taking another drink of his mead.
Veyl glanced up above the quiet fireplace to her left at a painting of the lake behind the northern capital of Doran. She had visited there with her family dozens of times when she was younger, often with Jaysen, Tavin, and Ellaris. Sometimes the twins and their associated tehnaaks came with them too. Swimming in those waters, enjoying the simplicity of childhood adventures, she never dreamed she would end up in a position like this.
She needed to talk to Jaysen. He had been her confidant throughout much of her youth. The one who stood by her and supported her in the years after she lost her tehnaak. Events in Deepwater before the arrival of the Thaelians had altered their friendship. Now Jaysen desired something more, but he had to recognize that a relationship between them was as impossible as one between her and Kyril. Even if they both wanted it, they could never be together romantically when they were destined to rule their very different countries. What did he hope to gain from continuing to pursue her in that way?
“Seh’hali?”
She looked at Jinau. “Apologies. I got lost in thought. Did you say something?”
Jinau nodded, his regard offering patience and acceptance of her distraction. “I said your mother is a shrewd woman, protective of you and the country she leads. And your father’s tehnaak cleverly hides his perceptive and thoughtful nature behind a disarming wit. I, for one, believe we could do much worse than to ally ourselves with these people, if they will consider it.”
Veyl nodded, giving Nalika and Kyril expectant looks. “It pleases me to hear you say so, because it’s time to leave off playing games if we want to avoid creating a greater division between our two sides. If we do not plan to negotiate based upon the terms I agreed to with the Thaelian council, we should make that clear now. We are wasting time while the threats of the Ukhen’kya and Sarket loom over us.”
“There remains a substantial barrier to seeking an alliance with your kingdom,” Nalika said. “We do not control our country yet, but even if we somehow convinced Vanris to help us overthrow the council, Thaelis has little to offer a country this powerful.”
Veyl drew a deep breath, pushing back discomfort at the idea of betraying the Thaelian council. She owed them nothing. They had destroyed her life without remorse, but she had signed her name on those pages. Would casting that agreement aside cheapen the value of her word? She found it difficult to feel good about the deception required. But, ultimately, it was about making the right choice for the people, and she trusted these three more than she trusted the Thaelian council. “We had best start working on our approach, then. We only have a couple of hours to figure out what we can offer.”
***
Much sooner than she was ready for, Veyl stood at the meeting room table facing her parents, her grandfather, Jaysen, and others she had known for most of her life. They all listened to a brief recap of the previous day’s discussion before she requested the floor. Her palms were damp and her legs as wobbly as jellyfish, but no one needed to know that. Well, aside from the three Evokers in the room, who were certain to catch some of her anxiety in her surface thoughts.
“The representatives of Thaelis would like to propose a different option to the council, if we may.”
“Proceed,” Khevarin Velara said, glancing down at the Thaelian agreement on the table before her rather than at Veyl.
Her father, not fully engaged in his role as khemron yet, offered a nod to show his support.
“The Thaelian council ordered Ahnkreth Kyril and Ahnkreth Eavara out with their fleets to find and take some of Vanris’s citizens without the knowledge of the general populace of Thaelis. Its members also went into hiding during the Devastation when their guidance was most needed, leaving the people to navigate that disaster on their own. That council has not acted in the interests of the population of Thaelis. No one in this room wishes to stand in support of it.”
A ripple of tension moved through the Vanrian representatives, and a few of them shifted back from the table, brows furrowing, jaws tightening. Veyl didn’t give them time to consider their reactions.
“We would like to propose that, rather than bending to the demands of the Thaelian council for the sake of getting our people back, we could negotiate an agreement of a different kind. An alliance between Vanris and the Thaelian delegates here, who represent a larger group seeking to unseat the current leadership and replace them with one that is of, and for, the people of Thaelis.”
Silence hung over the meeting room for what seemed an eternity until Khemron Kasiel leaned forward, folding his hands on the table. “What would this alliance look like, Ahninveth?”
“We propose that Vanris send ships back with Ahnkreth Kyril’s fleet, as detailed out in the agreement. Under the guise of following their terms, we could dock in Dagony and connect with the resistance in Thaelis. Working together, we could overthrow the council and open the way for a new one. We could also eradicate the Ukhen’kya threat. Afterward, any captives who wished to return to Pandrea could do so with the cooperative Vanrian and Delaphinian fleet. Thaelis would offer open trade to Vanris and the aid of its fleets, if necessary, in dealing with Sarket or any other naval threats, easing the burden on Delaphine to always meet that need.”
“Please take your seat, Ambassador.” Her mother leaned over to whisper something in the khemron’s ear as she watched Veyl settle back into her chair. When she spoke, her cool tone made it clear she did so entirely as the khevarin of Vanris. “Considering what the Thaelian side stands to gain, what you offer is uninspiring. It makes no sense for us to assume such risks for a country that can give little in return. Unless…” she paused, eyes narrowing a fraction. “If Thaelis were to become a Vanrian territory, it would then be in our best interest to intervene.”
A chilly silence surrounded Veyl. “You want us to give up… everything?”
“All we require is our people back, and we will accomplish that, either by trading the crew members of Ahnkreth Kyril’s fleet or by force. You are asking us to help overthrow the current government and assist in neutralizing an outside threat of uncertain strength. If we are to take part in resolving these matters, it makes sense that we should remain involved in the outcome of our investment. You have offered trade and military support. This would not be dramatically different. Your local leadership would be subject to our oversight. Your military would become a part of ours, left in defense of the islands and leveraged only if necessary for the mainland. Some goods you produce would be transported to the mainland, just as those produced here would become available to the Thaelian territory. So long as the new council does not abuse its people, our influence shouldn’t significantly change any aspect of life in Thaelis.”
“No.” Kyril’s tone offered no room for argument, and Ceris growled, shifting closer to his bonded.
“The council may have been right about Vanris after all,” Nalika muttered.
Feeling the thin thread of calm unraveling around her, Veyl hastily stood again. “We would like an opportunity to speak among ourselves in private to discuss your counterproposal.”
The khevarin rose, and the rest of that table stood with her. “Granted. We will pause negotiations for the time being. You have until tomorrow afternoon to accept our proposal or come up with a compelling alternative.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nalika started shouting the moment they were back in the drawing room. “If we agree to this, we will forever be under Vanris’s heel. They will force their culture upon us, just like the council warned.”
Veyl stood near the door, watching Kyril. He ran a hand through his hair, his focus turning inward for several seconds, checking for her father’s spies perhaps, then he approached the Evoker. He didn’t raise his voice, but there was an intensity and aggression in his forward posture that was more intimidating somehow. Ceris sat a few feet behind him, ears partly back, looking as uncomfortable as Veyl felt.
“Or maybe, if we agree to this, they will set the rest of my fleet free and let us return home. We would be free of the council and have a chance to set up a new one that supports all the people of Thaelis. And we could finally stop living in constant fear of the Ukhen’kya.”
His words surprised Veyl. Only minutes ago, he had firmly negated the idea. Why had he changed his mind?
Nalika didn’t back down, a fact that raised Veyl’s respect for her considering the man she faced. “But the controlling power behind that new council, the Vanrians, still won’t represent the populace. Have you seen any non-Vanrians living here? Have you spotted anyone of mixed blood among them who isn’t merely an agent from another country? Do you honestly believe they’ll support all the people of Thaelis?”
Jinau rested his hand upon the back of the couch, his thumb settling in the notch there. Like Arhk, he only raised his voice as much as necessary, somehow commanding attention without the need for volume. “And what do you think happens if we don’t agree, Nali?”
The two looked at him, Kyril gesturing to the other man as if he had proven his point.
Jinau’s gaze stayed on Nalika. “Vanris doesn’t need anything we have. They only want their people back. Kyril is right. If we refuse this, they will imprison us and use his navigational charts to retrieve their citizens using force. Thaelis will fall and still become theirs, and the fleets involved in the attacks here will face trial for crimes against the Vanrian people. The khevarin made the offer far too quickly for it to have been an idea she just came up with. They intended to propose annexation at some point in these negotiations.”
Something twisted in Veyl’s chest with the realization that he was right. Her parents and the council had planned for this, and they had told her nothing.
“We should have gone to Sarket with an offer of alliance,” Nalika growled. “At least there they would have helped us in exchange for aid in fighting Vanris and let us keep our home.”
Kyril shook his head. “Sarket lost to Vanris before when they had two countries allied with them. What makes you believe they’ll do any better with us? Our few mind-crafters are nothing compared to what Vanris has.”
Veyl walked to the couch and sank down on it with her back to them.
“Were you aware of this, Khesran?” Nalika spat out Veyl’s title like it tasted foul.
“No,” she answered in a small voice, burying her face in her hands. Her parents hadn’t even hinted at it. In all the time she had been alone with her father, he had kept her in the dark, never even alluding to this outcome. Was this supposed to be some lesson, or had she lost their trust completely?
Kyril sat next to her. “It’s what any country would do under the circumstances. I hoped to meet potential allies when I brought Jaysen here, but he painted us, not entirely undeservedly, as the enemy. Once I saw how powerful Vanris is, I knew there wasn’t much hope for it.” He took her hand in his, trying to comfort her when it was his country being taken over. “You were our one chance at convincing them to listen, Veyl, but we made ourselves a threat, and this is how they will bring that threat under control.”
“Kyril speaks with wisdom,” Jinau said. “The choice they have given us isn’t one, but if we go about it right, if we cooperate, we might maintain enough independence to better our situation in Thaelis.”
Yanking her hand away, Veyl snapped to her feet and stormed to the door, throwing it open. She looked around at the startled guards. “Show them back to their rooms.”
“Yes, Khesran.”
Not giving anyone time to question her, she strode swiftly down the hall, heading for a study her parents often used when they wanted to discuss political matters away from their personal chambers. The two guards standing outside the room were enough to confirm they were within. She stopped abruptly when they dropped their halberds into her path to block her from entering.
“Apologies, Khesran Veyl, but we have orders. Please wait.”
Trembling with frustration and anger, she stood her ground as the guard knocked.
An attendant peeked out, his gaze landing instantly upon her. “One moment.” He ducked back inside.
A few seconds later, Kince, Darro, and Arhk walked out. None of them tried to speak to her, and Veyl refused to meet their eyes, afraid she might lose her temper or her nerve. When they had passed, the attendant stepped out and held the door open for her, remaining outside when he shut it after her.
Her parents sat together on a couch, calmly watching her enter.
Veyl strode up to stand behind a chair facing them, the piece of furniture providing a barrier between them. “You were going to do this all along.”
Her father took her mother’s hand, uniting them against her. Veyl raised her chin, trying to pretend the gesture wasn’t a dagger in her heart.
“Yes,” the khevarin answered. “They have shown us they will harm our people. We are generously offering to help them remove the council behind the atrocities they committed against us and establish a new one. We are even offering to aid them in dealing with these Unclean, who, judging by what they have allegedly done to the people of Thaelis, pose a threat to anyone who might encounter them. But, given their crimes, Thaelis will need to earn the right at this point to live free and independent again. If not for your return and defense of them, we would likely have made a similar offer directly to the council in Thaelis while holding Ahnkreth Kyril and his fleet here to face our justice.”
“What was this morning, then? I thought you were talking with them to determine whether you would consider allying with them. What was that really about?”
“We had already settled on this course.” The khemron’s placating tone ignored all the opportunities he’d had to share this information with her before now as her father. “This morning was to decide if we would consider making this offer to them in place of the existing council.”
“You’ve given them no choice. Do you know how that must feel?”
Her mother’s stately composure crumbled, and she snapped to her feet. “How did you feel about the choice they gave you in Deepwater?”
A shudder swept through Veyl. Suddenly, she was back in the coastal town when that first explosion displaced fear of Jaysen’s friends and brought forth a different terror. Vivid memories raced through her mind. The bomb that separated her from Jaysen. Kyril’s hand around her throat, pinning her to the wall after she broke Illis. Her freshly reformed tehnaak bond with Jaysen being severed again. Despair upon walking out onto the ship’s deck to see her home already so far away. The overwhelming hopelessness that had driven her to jump into the water with the serpents, intending to end everything.
With a crushing sense of failure creeping in, she wiped roughly at the tears that trailed down her cheeks. “I only wanted to avoid doing more harm than has already been done. I didn’t know that would make us enemies.”
Her voice cracked, and she bolted from the room, slamming into Jaysen in the hall with enough force that they both nearly hit the floor. He caught her by her arms, barely keeping them on their feet.
“Are you all right?” The worry in his regard told her he could see that she wasn’t.
“Veyl, wait!” Her mother rushed into the doorway.
Yanking free of Jaysen, Veyl sprinted down the hall, leaving them all behind. She didn’t head toward her room. Instead, she struck off in another direction, trying to come up with a place her parents wouldn’t think of looking for her. After turning down several halls, she hurried past the drawing room she had spent so much time in as a child, playing Feral’s Folly and other games. Someone caught hold of her arm and pulled her back through the doorway. Twisting, she jerked away, ready to run again, but hesitated instead when she met familiar, haunted blue eyes.
“Gannon.”
He guided her away from the door. Ahrin and Iyvalin were there too. Ahrin came and peeked out into the hall, then ducked back in and nodded to Gannon.
“Behind the couch,” Gannon whispered, taking her shoulders and turning her toward the suggested article of furniture.
Feeling somewhat foolish, Veyl did as directed, sitting behind the couch with her knees pulled to her chest and her head down. Gannon and Ahrin rejoined Iyvalin at a table and resumed the game of dice they had been playing. A few seconds later, a guard entered the room.
“Have any of you seen Khesran Veyl?” he asked.
“Not today,” Iyvalin answered, sounding convincingly disinterested.
“If you do, tell her Khevarin Velara needs to speak with her immediately.”
“We will.” Ahrin’s tone was dismissive, a young man eager to get back to the game.
They waited several seconds after the guard left before Gannon got up and peered into the hall. He waved for Veyl to come out. She stood and walked around the couch, considering the three of them.
“Why did you do that for me?”
“We haven’t seen you since we arrived in Etrion,” Ahrin said. “Maybe we just hoped for a little time to catch up. You may have questionable new friends and substantial obligations to deal with, but you’re still one of us.”
Her throat tightened, and she faced Gannon. “Am I?”
He met her eyes, a storm of emotion raging so fiercely in his that she couldn’t hope to make sense of it. “Yes. Would you care to spar?”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
Veyl nodded.
Ahrin got up from the table. “No. That’s not a good idea.”
Ignoring him, Gannon leaned out the door, then glanced back at Veyl. “It’s clear.”
