Nightfall: Book Two of the Chronicles of Arden (33 page)

“If I ever have the means,” Kirk continued. “I hope to one day return to the orphanage and dispense charity of my own. If it hadn’t been for the kind souls who worked tirelessly to keep the place afloat, my sister and I wouldn’t have survived. I only wish more people cared about the welfare of the homeless children in this world.”

Joel nodded, his heart touched by the trainee’s words. “I think people would rather close their eyes and pretend such problems don’t exist. I was one of those people until recent years. I was born into wealth. I grew up with private tutors, luxurious clothing, and I don’t ever recall a time I went to bed hungry. I looked upon the poor in the streets—the ones without homes, dressed in rags—and yet I didn’t truly
see
them. Not really. I was living a life so far removed from them that it never even dawned on me to think about what it must have been like to be in their position.”

“You seem to be empathetic toward their plight now. What made you open your eyes?”

Joel blinked.
Gib
. From the moment he and Joel had been placed together as roommates, Gib had been opening Joel’s eyes. He was taught that riches couldn’t buy integrity, that strength of heart was a far greater weapon than any sword, and compassion could be shared, even by those who’d never received any themselves.
Gib taught me how to love myself and how to love others. He, the poor farm boy with nothing left to lose, saved me
.
And then I cast him aside like he meant nothing to me. I chose to come to this horrible place instead of standing by the person who loved me most
.

He swallowed down the agony building in his throat. Kirk was still awaiting an answer. “I befriended someone who’d spent his entire life poor. He told me stories, similar to yours, about worrying from day to day if there would be food on the table for his brothers and whether or not the harvest crop would be plentiful enough to ensure they survived another winter. I guess I began to see things differently after hearing his tales. Suddenly, my own problems seemed petty and insignificant.”

Kirk’s eyes were thoughtful when he replied. “I’ve lived among the highborns long enough to know that they too have plights. Perhaps of a different sort, but plights the same. Everyone—highborn or low—has secret demons they need to work around.”

Joel chuckled lightly. “That we do.” They walked along the tiled path for several paces before Joel pressed Kirk to tell more of his story. “So, how did you end up at the palace? How did the Imperial mages find you beyond the dome?”

“It’s custom to send scouts into even the poorest districts of the city. Every year, just after Harvest, scores of Imperial mages peruse the streets, seeking children with the ability to yield magic. It’s a reaping of sorts. Those with promise are whisked away to the palace.”

“What if they choose not to go?”

Kirk turned a somber eye onto Joel. “They aren’t given a choice. Though quite honestly, any child born into poverty would be crazy not to accept a life inside the magic dome. Their chances of survival are dramatically better without the need to worry about cold or hunger.”

“But what about the families they have to leave behind? Are they ever allowed to visit their kin?”

“I’m afraid not. Once they become apprentice mages and swear their oaths, the Imperial mages become their only brethren.”

Joel gave him a sideways glance. “But you still have your sister.”

The sun caught Kirk’s hair, casting warm light over the grains of gold among the darker brown hues. “When the mages came to take me away, I was terrified to leave Kenisha. As it was, I was nearly too old to be living at the orphanage, and I knew her time there was limited, too. I couldn’t imagine her being thrown back into the streets. So I begged—quite unabashedly. I told the mages she could do any job asked of her, if only they allowed her to come to the palace. I threatened not to comply if they didn’t bring her. I said everything I could think of, and in the end, Kenisha was able to go. I later found out there was a shortage of servants. I doubt they’d have let her come otherwise.”

“Well, that’s fortunate.”

Kirk frowned. “Sometimes I wonder. Sometimes I think maybe she was better off outside the dome.” They walked in silence the rest of the way.

Joel was just as impressed by the royal courtyard as he’d been the first time Adrian Titus had led the envoys through it. Joel’s attempts to hold back his awe failed, and he was certain he must have looked a fool as he stood with an open mouth and wide eyes, staring at the immaculately trimmed shrubs and white marbled statues.

Kirk smiled. “Have you seen the koi pond up close?”

Joel could only shake his head, and with light laughter following in his footsteps, Kirk led him closer to the pool. Joel gazed down into the placid water, staring at the giant fish swaying beneath the surface.

“Did you know they can live to be over one hundred years old?” Kirk asked, nodding toward the water. “I read it in a book.”

“That’s incredible,” Joel murmured. His eyes skimmed the garden, passing over the various flowers of every color and shape. “All of this is incredible, really. The beauty of this place is undeniable.”

“Yes. Shame that it’s all a façade.” Kirk shook his head in a slow, deliberate manner. “A veil of exquisiteness to hide the corruption beneath.”

A weak smile crossed Joel’s lips. “Rest assured Teivel isn’t the only place in the world to know corruption. It can be found anywhere. But there is also good to be found. Honest, caring people do exist.”

His mind wandered to thoughts of the kind people in his life. Where would he have been now without the support of his loving parents? Without the guidance of his mentors, Dean Marc and Cenric? Without Gib’s unfaltering love? So many people had helped shape his life. They’d been there, lifting him up during his hardships, never allowing him to fall. In that moment, Joel realized just how fortunate he truly was.
Without them, I’d be lost
.

“I suppose I won’t ever know,” Kirk replied. “My skills are far too valuable to the Empire. Even after my apprenticeship is complete, they’ll make sure I’m stationed right here, inside the ‘safety’ of the palace for the rest of my life.”

“I’m sorry.” Joel didn’t know what else to say. Guilt gnawing at his stomach, he turned his attention to the flowerbeds that lined the perimeter of the courtyard. Flora of all shapes and sizes blanketed the ground, their colors so vibrant and varied they reminded Joel of a rainbow. Their sweet, luscious scent infiltrated his nostrils as he stepped closer to get a better look. “I’ve never seen so many different flowers in one place before.”

Kirk came over to stand nearby. “Careful of the purple ones.” He pointed toward a patch of effervescent violet blossoms, hanging in bunches from long stems.

“Why?” Joel asked, squinting as he focused all his attention onto the flowers. “What are they?”

“Wolfsbane,” replied Kirk in a grave tone. “Its petals are highly toxic. If ingested, without immediate care from a healer, it can easily be fatal.”

Joel blinked and unwittingly took a step back. “Then why in the name of The Two is it allowed to grow in a
royal
courtyard
?”

“My master says Emperor Sarpedon keeps it as a reminder to his foes how easily they could meet their doom, if they ever were to cross him. Wolfsbane has been grown and harvested in this very garden for centuries. The Northern Empire cultivates it for—less than desirable purposes. Assassination attempts, mainly. Some people don’t wish to get blood on their hands.” Kirk’s smile was frigid. “There’s a popular Imperial saying about ‘taking a walk through the garden with your enemy.’ As I’m sure you can guess, they’re not taking a stroll with plans to make amends.”

Joel played with the sleeve of his mage robe. “Your country is filled with such wonderful people.”

Kirk actually laughed, but the broken undertone in his voice couldn’t be ignored. “We’re not all so bloodthirsty, I swear to you. The people I grew up with—those at the orphanage—were some of the most kind and giving people in the world. However, within the palace walls, those with power are determined to keep it, while everyone else is just as determined to steal it away. Greed has turned honorable men into animals—entire families have been torn apart—simply because they want to advance their own name. They’ll do whatever it takes to gain power. The Sarpedon bloodline is the worst offender.”

Joel glanced around the courtyard to ensure they were alone. “Kirk, why doesn’t the Emperor age?”

The mage trainee stiffened his shoulders, casting a wary look around the vicinity. “I don’t—we aren’t—” Kirk sucked in a tense breath of air, and his green eyes finally met Joel’s. “I’m sorry. It’s forbidden to talk about.”

A spike of apprehension ghosted its way up Joel’s spine. What did the young trainee know that would cause such grim terror to manifest on his normally placid features? And why was the topic so taboo that Lichas Sarpedon had forbidden it from being discussed? What in the two worlds was he so adamant about hiding?

Joel gave a stiff nod and didn’t interrogate further. “I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble at my expense. I’m sorry. I won’t press the matter.”

Kirk let out the air he’d been holding. “Thank you. To be completely truthful, I don’t have an answer for you anyway. I’ve heard rumors, of course, but to my knowledge, they are only that—rumors, gossip, tales. My master has mentioned in passing that Emperor Sarpedon is—blessed.”

“Blessed?”

Kirk’s voice was but a wisp of air on the breeze. “By the Blessed Son of Light, the Giver of All Power.”

“Well, that seems a bit far-fetched,” Joel admitted. “I’ve heard of a deity blessing a bountiful crop or mild winter before—but never has there been proof of one extending a human’s
life
.” He stroked his chin.
I need to mention all this to NezReth and Father. Surely it’s a tall tale, but there could be some ounce of truth within the story
. “What about Prince Alerio? He’s of age to take the throne. If the Emperor never gets any older—”

“Why do you think the prince is trying so hard to marry your princess?” Kirk countered in a flat tone. “He wants a way out of Teivel. He knows he’ll never get the crown so long as his sire lives.”

“I’m shocked he hasn’t tried to take it forcefully, given what you said about the power hungry highborns in this city.”

Kirk’s eyes moved around the courtyard, never resting on one particular place. “He’s not stupid. He watched two older brothers attempt to do just that, and now they’re dead. The Emperor tried his own sons and found them guilty of attempted murder. Ambition led them both to an early grave.”

Joel swallowed down a wave of nausea. “Sarpedon had his own sons killed?”

“Without hesitation. I imagine Prince Alerio won’t make the same mistake.”

“No,” Joel replied, focusing his gaze onto the placid water of the pond, watching the koi fish again. “He’ll attempt to stake his grounds elsewhere. King Rishi will see right through him though. The King will never allow Alerio to marry his daughter, or anyone else from Arden for that matter.”

Kirk nodded. “Your king seems to be a wise man.”

“Not a popular opinion among your fellow Imperial citizens.”

“You’re right.” Kirk’s voice trailed off as a servant boy passed by with a pair of metal scissors and began to trim the hedges nearby. Kirk motioned for Joel to follow in the opposite direction, and once they were standing beneath the shade of an olive tree—safely out of earshot—Kirk cleared his throat and continued on. “I must admit even I’m a little wary of your great King Rishi, try as I might not to be. He’s viewed as a traitor here.”

“That’s a matter of opinion.”

Kirk winced. “I know. But you have to realize how difficult it is to think otherwise when I’ve been told my entire life that the King of Arden betrayed his country and even made deals with a demon to ensure his ploy saw fruition.”

Joel raised an eyebrow. “Pardon? What is this about a demon?”

“Here in the Empire, it’s whispered that Rishi Radek wields the power of a demon.” Kirk’s voice trembled as he spoke. “He made a pact with an ancient evil being to secure Arden for himself. Even now, the demon remains in his servitude, disposing of all those who would stand in his way—”

Joel held his hands up defensively. “That’s a lie!” Head spinning, he tried to slow the rapid pounding in his chest.
Chhaya’s bane, what in the two worlds are they teaching the people here? King Rishi, wielding a demon? I’ve never heard such a ridiculous fabrication in my entire life!
Joel straightened to his full height. “King Rishi is a good and honest king. My father has worked with him for years. My aunt is
married
to him. Whatever defamations the Northern Empire has been spreading are just that—
lies
. King Rishi would
never
be fool enough to make deals with a demon.”

“I’m sorry,” Kirk apologized, taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to offend your king. It’s just—it’s what we’ve been told.”

“I know,” Joel replied, his own voice clipped. “I just wanted to clarify.”

“Understandable.” Kirk stared at the ground and said nothing more.

Awkward silence blanketed the pair of mages for some time. Joel took a deep breath and loosened his stance, suddenly feeling bad for lashing out at Kirk.
It’s not his fault. The Empire has been whispering lies into his ears since birth. Can I truly blame him for believing them? Wouldn’t I have done the same? Haven’t I already done the same? The people of the Northern Empire have always been painted in such a negative light. Until I came here, I lumped them all together and labeled them as “evil.” But there are decent people here. Isn’t Kirk proof enough of that?