Rising Sun (Fate's Intent Book 9) (4 page)

Chapter 8

Jaylyn

Almost done setting up breakfast. Now I just needed one more thing from the kitchen.

I walked out of the dining room and Troy’s steep voice stopped me for all of a second. “Jaylyn! Don’t!”

“Relax. I’m almost done.” If only I knew the concern of him stopping me, it would have prevented me from opening that door but it was too late. I stepped into the kitchen with a heart clenching screech. Ruby and Darius were—well, I think they were. “Really? Now of all times?”

Ruby laughed while laying on top of the counter with a tight hold on Darius in front of her. “Make yourself useful and check on Dirk for us. We’re busy.”

“Yeah. That’s obvious.”

Ruby laughed to my disgusted tone and brought Darius’s lips into her like my interruption meant nothing to them because they just continued and I left.

“We’re burning everything in there.” I told Meg and Troy as I headed to the stairs.

Troy laughed. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. What are you doing?”

“I’m going to check on Dirk then get Adele and Zayden. Let’s just be thankful that I was able to get the food out of there in time or they’d be fucking on it right now.”

Troy laughed again and I hopped up the stairs to do what was intended of me. I went into Ruby and Darius’s room first and Dirk was wiggling around in his crib but wasn’t crying.

“Hey, there! You’re awake. Did mama and daddy leave you up here by yourself? Don’t worry. They would say their intentions were good. Let’s get you changed.” I changed and dressed him for the day. It wasn’t the first time I’ve had to take over in the morning like this so he was well warmed up to me. “Now, come on. We have to get Adele and Zayden then we’ll see if your mama is ready to feed you. I bet you’re hungry.”

I left the room with him and continued up another flight of stairs to the last floor with rooms on it. It was even quieter and I knew they were probably still asleep. I crept up on their room and carefully opened the door to go inside. Zayden was already up with Rift and had just slipped a shirt on over his head.

“Oh, sorry.” I whispered. “Came to get you up. Breakfast is ready so you can have some before you leave on your trip.”

“You made it?”

“Yeah. I knew Adele wouldn’t want to take the time with other things to do.”

“Well, thanks. You’re probably right.”

“Is she still—”

Zayden smiled, glancing at Adele still on the bed. “Yeah. She was pretty tired but she should get up.” He walked over to her and touched her arm. “Hey, Love—”

She jumped right awake and sat up. “Is Seth okay?!”

Zayden laughed. “He’s fine. Calmly waiting for you. It’s time to get up. Jaylyn made breakfast for everyone today so you wouldn’t have to.”

“Thanks, Jaylyn. Why are you holding Dirk?”

I looked down in my arms for a moment with a smile. “Ruby and Darius are—well—let’s just say we have to burn everything in the kitchen.”

Adele sighed and started getting out of bed. “Perfect. We’ll be right down. I’ve got to get dressed. Is Meg up?”

“Yeah, she’s down there right now.”

“Good. We’ll be right down.”

I nodded and left the room with Dirk. Troy and Meg were in the dining room already with Ruby and Darius and there was an unusual atmosphere inside. Ruby seemed as normal as ever with Meg only feet away and it was like she didn’t notice her at all while she kept her focus on Darius next to her and her food.

Meg was also seeming to ignore the fact that she was there and never once looked over. She waited patiently in her presence for Adele and Zayden so they could leave for their trip.

“Well, I guess we better get going.” Adele said, getting up from finishing breakfast. “We have a long trip ahead of us.”

“I can’t believe you’re leaving.” I sighed. “We just got back.”

“I know but it’s important. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“It’s going to be weird not having you around.” Darius said, looking at Zayden. “You sure you don’t need us to come?”

“No.” Zayden answered, taking a quick glance at Ruby. “We’ll handle it fine.”

“And if father should need us?” Troy asked.

“He shouldn’t. He should have assumed that I’d at least be accompanying them but if there is some kind of emergency then you two can handle it, right?”

Darius and Troy looked at each other and I didn’t know if they were fully confident to agree.

“I guess.” Darius said. “But we’re not you.”

“Oh, I’m aware of that.” Zayden smiled charmingly. “Well, ready ladies?”

“Just need our horses, I guess.”

“Well, let’s go. Come on, Rift. I know I could never get you to stay here.”

Adele laughed. “Not unless we left Seth and that’s not about to happen.”

“It’s sweet that he’s like that.” I said.

“I know.”

“Come on.” Zayden said, dragging out his sigh. “We’ll see the rest of you in a couple weeks.”

“Okay.” I hugged Adele tightly. “Have a safe trip.”

“We will.”

“Bye, everyone.” Meg waved while she headed to the door with her twins tucked away in her arms.

“Bye, Meg.” We chorused except for Ruby who acted as if she was nonexistent.

They walked out the door and we were left at the table in complete silence, picking at the food on our plates.

“So, this is great.” Ruby smiled, breaking the awkward pause. “Adele’s gone. Anyone know what that means?”

“Should we?” Troy wondered.

“No rules! We can do anything we want.” She took a side glance at Darius and they smiled at each other.

“Oh, no.” I sighed. “I’m not going to have to walk around with my eyes closed, right? Because I really don’t want to walk into another one of those horrifyingly unspeakable sights like earlier.”

Ruby laughed. “No. Nothing like that. We can keep that under control.”

“Good.”

“I was just saying we can do all of the things Adele doesn’t let us do without getting yelled at.”

Troy laughed. “Like what?”

“Well, I don’t know. Things like yelling while inside, feet on the table, walking around in whatever indecent manner we please.”

“Liking the sounds of that.” Darius smiled.

Ruby looked over and returned it.

“I really don’t see the point in trying to do those things.” I said. “You might get too used to it and do them even when she gets back.”

“Well, fine.” Ruby sighed, getting up with her plate in one hand and Dirk in the other. “You be like that if you want but I’m going to make fun of this. It’ll be a better distraction. We’ve never been apart like this before. The last time was when we had to wait for her to turn fifteen so she could join us on the island for our year of training and that was only five days.”

“I know.” I sighed, not wanting to think of Adele being away. “It was ten for me.”

“See? We have to make this fun. Have you guys ever been apart from Zayden like this?”

Darius and Troy looked at each other, their moods becoming about the same.

“No.”

“At least not since we moved in together.” Darius said. “And we were younger than you.”

“Oh, you poor thing.” Ruby stepped up behind him and leaned her head down, kissing his. “We’ll have to make sure time goes by fast so none of us think about it. Come on. Our free days await.”

Darius shared a look with Troy from across the table before he got up and followed Ruby out of the dining room, starting our first ever long separation from our leaders and best friends.

I felt myself becoming her as the days passed. Adele’s absence seemed to put a strain on me most of all and I had to be the one to create order, especially with Ruby. She held up to her word and began doing everything she mentioned. It was beginning to get too much.

“Ruby, can you please put clothes on today?”

Of course, she only laughed. “Why?”

“Because you’re getting too comfortable. Adele will be back eventually.”

“But not yet.”

I hated when she had to remind me. It only made me miss her more.

“I know but think of the boys. You can’t keep this habit when they’re older.”

“I know. All the more reason to get it all out now. They won’t remember any of this.”

I was feeling more how Adele felt all the time and my eyes rolled. It was kind of pointless. Why did I think Ruby would ever listen to me? I missed Adele and hoped she was having a slightly better time than me. I wanted her home days ago but I knew what she was doing was important and my needs just had to wait.

Chapter 9

Adele

The night’s seemed short and the days long during our slow travel to the northern docks of Kalu. Meg was experiencing firsthand what the harsh conditions of travel felt like with young ones and exhaustion didn’t take long to settle in. At least she didn’t have to carry both her children. There were three of us and three of them so we all held one for the ride. It always seemed like we were going none stop and the first real break didn’t come until we boarded the ship that would take us into Hintus.

“Oh, finally.” Meg sighed, sitting herself down in a chair with Cadence asleep in her arms. “A break from a horse.”

I laughed and joined her in a nearby chair with Seth. “I know what you mean but we’re almost there now. Couple more days.”

“It already seems like it’s been so many.”

“It did take just under a week to make it here but we’ll make it all worth it when we get there.”

“I hope everything goes okay and they take the offer. I couldn’t imagine what would happen if—”

She looked down at Cadence in her arms and I shook my head with certainty. “That won’t happen. There’s honor in what we’re offering and they’ll come to see it.”

“I hope you’re right but Viktor is pretty set on the old ways. He may not allow this to happen. There hasn’t been a born Hintin Princess that survived longer than minutes after birth. What if—”

“They won’t. We won’t have to convince Viktor. Wyatt is our target. He’s young like us so there’s room for ideas of change. If he accepts this than he’ll demand it to happen to his father.”

Meg nodded and Zayden came walking in the room, holding Meg’s nameless son. “Okay, they’re pulling up the anchor now. We’re ready to go.”

“Good.”

“So, have you thought at all about how you’re going to word this? Now is the time to do that while we’re just sitting around waiting.”

“I have a pretty good idea.” I said. “It’s really going to be up to them to make it work.”

“We’ll still do whatever it takes. I’m going to see to it that nothing goes wrong, okay? You won’t have to worry, Meg.”

She looked up with a smile. “I really wish that was true actually.”

“It is. We can be awfully convincing. You’ll both keep your lives and of course this little one will.” He looked down at him like he was unsure of what to call him.

“I know it’s weird.” Meg said. “But Wyatt will want the rights to name him. I didn’t dare to.”

“I know. It makes perfect sense. You won’t have to worry about a thing. We’ll make sure that you get to live your life how and where you choose. That’s a promise.”

Meg was filled with a great relief to hear his words but there was still a part of her that was fearful. We both knew what Hintins were really like and we both prayed through every silent second on our journey across the sea that everything would turn out the way we planned.

The fires of the city of Cambell came into view at the trading port and our destination was near. Normally, they don’t let passengers in this way but they made an exception for us since we carried the Princess and the country’s future.

I watched Meg suck in a breath from her nervousness when she saw it and I took her hand and tried to get her remember to remain calm. Everything was going to work out and she had to start believing it. Showing signs of weakness and fear around these particular royals was not a good idea; they’ve never taken to it lightly.

Rift was left safely on the ship and we passed through the gates and up the streets towards the palace. In a deep reality, none of us could believe that we were back. Meg spent a countless amount of days being held captive, waiting for her forced wedding day while Zayden spent a short time here for that very day and I knew he now hated every aspect of their ways. As for me, it has been quite some time but I still felt just the same and was determined to make sure everything went our way.

We were let right into the palace without needs for ongoing questioning as to why and led through the main hall to the throne chamber.

Zayden stood ahead of us and was first to walk in to an unexpected sight. The man sitting in the King’s throne was not the fat King Viktor I remembered from Zayden’s birthday celebration but was in fact Wyatt, his only living son, wearing the King’s crown.

Zayden looked back at us and we both looked shocked to see it as well and Meg was still maybe even a little worried.

“Change in command.” I whispered. “I didn’t plan for that.”

“It’s all right.” Zayden said. “We’ll get through it.”

We walked in farther and Wyatt’s eyes were mainly just on Zayden and he smiled to seeing him, not what I expected. “Ah, Zayden! My new friend from the east. What honor brings you across the seas for this visit?”

“I come bringing homage to the new King.” Zayden replied.

“Splendid. Splendid. Your respects are accepted.”

“But I also come bringing something else.” Zayden held out his left hand and Meg took it from behind, stepping up next to him and taking another forward.

Wyatt’s eyes moved to hers and the clear shade of lavender put a smile on his face as he rose to his feet. “You found my Queen? She has returned?”

“Returned safely, yes.”

“Where have you run off to, Meg my sweet? It’s been months.”

“Yes.” Meg replied, keeping her head held high. “Nine to be exact.”

“Oh, I see.” Wyatt looked down in her arms. “So, that’s why you’ve returned. To bring him to me.”

She was hesitant but spoke the truth. “I’ve returned to bring them to you.”

“Them?” Wyatt smiled wider and was truly ecstatic. “You are a treasure, aren’t you? Let me see.”

Zayden was still holding her son and took a few steps to hand him off.

Wyatt got his first look and was over joyed. “He looks just like me.”

“I haven’t been calling him anything. I knew you would want that honor.”

“How respectable of you, my queen. Then I shall do that right away. We’ll call him—Blake.”

“As you wish.”

“And for the second, we’ll call him—”

Zayden was still standing closest and was quick to clear his throat. “Before you get ahead of yourself here, you should know there’s a differentiation between the twins.”

“Differentiation? How so?”

Meg was getting nervous but I guess it was best for Zayden to handle this part.

“Well, the obvious fact that one is a—girl.”

“A girl?!” Wyatt’s voice got harsh and he instantly pulled a dagger from his side.

Meg gasped and shielded Cadence in her arms as I pulled her back and shielded both of them while speaking at once. “No!”

“Please.” Zayden said, stepping forward. “This is not what we’ve come for.”

“I cannot allow that abomination to breathe.” Wyatt replied, still holding the dagger firmly in his hand. “Bring me the child!”

I kept Meg and her baby back away from him while Zayden tried explaining the real reason for our visit. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“It’s the law around here, Zayden. I wouldn’t expect you to understand and as high keeper of the law, I must uphold its customs.”

“But you can also change them. We’ve come not for death but to solicit life, for both Meg and your daughter.”

“I cannot and will not see this take place. It must be dealt with.”

“We’re aware that sons are preferred in royal bloodlines to bring the family honor and carry on their lineage since you now have two but daughters can bring honor also.”

Wyatt laughed, lowering the dagger with his relaxed mood of amusement. “And what honor could that possibly be?”

“I’ll let my wife explain for she is one. Adele.”

He looked back at me and I stepped up to him, handing over Seth and looking to the young King with a light head bow. “Your majesty. What he speaks is true. I am part of a royal family and yet possess a great amount of honor myself. You know what I am.”

“Adele. A legendary Kalu Assassin.”

“Yes, and we would like to extend our hand out to your family by asking you to consider letting this young child live so that she may one day become my successor and lead the future team of Assassins.”

“A member of my bloodline leading the Assassins?” Wyatt thought aloud, almost seeming pleased with the idea while tapping the tip of the dagger’s blade against his chin and still holding his infant son in his other arm. “Hmm. Does sound—feasible enough but I am not of Kalu.”

“But the child is.” I replied quickly, trying to get him to see our way. “Through her mother. That part of her will always be there and the honor of her success will reflect on her father, the breeder such a perfection. Hintins will find strength and pride in their Princess.”

“I see but you’re also asking me to throw out hundreds of years of traditions for this one small opportunity for honor which I already have plenty of.”

Now I was getting worried. He started to seem willing until his last comment but we couldn’t give up. Zayden stepped forward with Seth still in his arms. “Then let us seal your interest with an added proposal. You do this, you let them live and have your daughter become a trained Assassin and we will heighten your honor tenfold by offering you our son.”

“Zayden!” I suddenly looked at him from the surprise. This was not something we had discussed at all.

“It’s all right, Love.” He assured me, turning his eyes back to Wyatt.

“An arranged marriage with the world’s best? Simple. Doable. Easily managed but is it profitable?”

“An alliance with us through means of marriage would ensure that if you and yours are ever threatened or challenged, you have Seni’s army at your back.”

Wyatt smiled and nodded his head. “That would be profitable indeed and refusing it would be—impractical.”

“Then you agree to these terms?”

“Let me see my child.” Wyatt said, putting away the dagger.

Meg grasped Cadence a little tighter in her arms while turning her body away. She didn’t want him to have her, worried of what he might do. I was worried too.

“My child.” Wyatt said again, holding out his free hand.

Zayden turned to Meg and gave her a slight nod. “Go ahead.”

She still didn’t want to but her feet slowly started to move forward towards him and her arms extended out, handing off Cadence. We paused while he took her and brought her close into his body like he was cradling her. “Hello, little one. It seems like today is your lucky day. Welcome to the family, my darling Princess.” We looked at each other with smiles to Wyatt’s acceptance of the child. This seemed to be working out. “What do we call her?”

“I’ve been calling her Cadence.” Meg said.

“Beautiful. Now, is there anything else you would like to ask of me while I’m in this delightful mood I never recall having before?”

“Yes.” Meg answered quickly, taking another step forward. “That you let me take her back to Kalu and not force us to stay here.”

“You mean, my own daughter won’t live with me?”

I felt the sudden tension between them and stepped up, slightly pulling Meg back by her shoulders. “What she means to say is, it would be best for your child to grow in Kalu since she will be a part of it as an Assassin and can learn their ways firsthand.”

“All right.” Wyatt surprisingly replied. “But you know you’ll have to stay here until little Blake can be raised without you.”

“Yes.” Meg said, regrettably.

“And I have a few requests of my own.”

“Of course.”

“I want to see her from time to time. She will know who her father and brother are and where she comes from.”

“A reasonable request.” I said, looking back at Meg.

“And pertaining to the whole marriage thing—”

“Yes?” Zayden asked.

“I get the right to decline the union if anything should arise between now and then or perhaps if I just feel your son doesn’t live up to the potential my daughter deserves.”

I saw Zayden hold back from visibly narrowing his eyes to think that Wyatt was already insinuating that Seth wouldn’t amount to anything but he smiled passed it with a nod. “Of course and I should hold that right as well.”

“Of course.”

There was a pause as Wyatt continued to stand there while looking down at the babies in his arms and it seemed everyone was unsure about what was happening next. Eyes shifted between us visitors and we knew someone had to say something so we could end this trip.

“Excellent.” Zayden smiled. “Then everything’s settled. Meg can eventually go back to Kalu for the upbringing of the Princess and our futures as united are still in play.”

“Excellent.” Wyatt smiled back, holding out his hand as best he could and shook on it with Zayden. “I truly look forward to that day.”

Zayden just smiled with a nod but I was still displeased. There was something about Wyatt as he stood there that I didn’t feel right about like he had some kind of plan involving our country’s union. I didn’t like it one bit but didn’t protest their terms only to save Meg from being killed with her daughter.