The Swarm Trilogy (49 page)

“I don’t have a delivery,” I stammered. “My horse brought me here. We were just out for a ride.” I turned around to point at Aphotica, but she was hiding in the forest. I knew she was still there because I could hear her breathing.

My mother’s eyes narrowed. “Then perhaps it’s better if you get back on your horse and head back the way you came. We are not allowed visitors here.” She folded her arms across her chest.

I stared directly into her eyes. Not one hint of recognition glinted in them. Either she was really good at pretending or she truly didn’t remember me or what she’d tried to do to me. The few times I’d interacted with her, she’d never been this open or kind. Her demeanor didn’t show an inkling of malevolence now, yet in the past I’d never had a reason to trust her. If I had met this woman all those months ago, many lives would have turned out very differently.

“I didn’t mean to intrude.” I wanted to stretch the conversation out. I needed to know more about this place. Something told me Aphotica didn’t bring me here by accident.

“Then you should leave, now. I hope you can find your way back. May Eloh’s blessing be on you and your horse.”

Another woman, short, curvy, and dark curly hair spilling down her back, emerged from a cottage. In her arms, she held a little baby boy, whose face I would never forget.

Mags and Trevin. The former queen of Fithia, and my former best friend. We’d been closer than sisters until her lover was beheaded. In her grief, she blamed me. I had hoped one day she’d forgive me. Maybe that chance had finally come. She ran up and stood next to my mother. “Who is that, Mary?” she asked, her free hand on my mother’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

Why did Mags call her Mary? My mother’s name was Kiran.

“I didn’t mean to frighten anyone, Mags,” I said tentatively. The last time I saw her, she swore she never wanted to see me again. I hadn’t sought her out, even though I’d ached to so many times. If anyone knew how she felt, it was me. I lost the man I loved too. I would never forgive my mother for killing Bryden – even if she couldn’t remember doing it. Though I hadn’t killed Aric, my ridiculous plan lead to his death. I couldn’t forgive myself and wouldn’t blame Mags for never forgiving me.

“Mags?” Her eyes clouded over and she glanced around. “There’s no one here named Mags. My name is Anne. You’ve met Mary.” She nodded her chin toward my mother. Her eyes swept down toward Trevin. “This is my son, Charles.”

The names were simple, but sounded strange falling from her tongue. I knew her and my mother, but not these shells, these strangers with even stranger names. I reached out to Trevin, or Charles. He grabbed my finger and giggled. I smiled, tickling him under the chin. The twinkle in his eyes told me he recognized me, even if Mags and my mother did not.

“He likes you,” Mags said. Or Anne. I wasn’t sure how to think of her now.

“I like him.” I almost said love. I did love Trevin. “Do you have any other children?” I almost expected Michael and David to come running, even though I knew they’d been left behind in Fithia.

“Oh, no. Just Charles. He’s my only child.”

My jaw dropped. She didn’t remember her older boys. This was all too strange. My heart fluttered. I wanted to open a portal and get back to the castle immediately, but I couldn’t leave Aphotica behind.

“I’m really sorry I wandered into your village. I was out for a ride and just kind of ended up here. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“It’s okay,” Mags said. “I just ask that you tell no one about us. We prefer to keep to ourselves out here in the woods.”

I nodded. It only leant itself to more questions. Who built their cottages? Who brought them supplies? Why were they hidden in the forest? I could only think of one person who might have the answers.

“I’m just going to get on my horse and head out then.” It was awkward, but I wasn’t sure how to take my leave without being abrupt, and without showing how much this discovery had disturbed me.

I mounted Aphotica easily.

My mother stood at the edge of the forest, watching us canter into the trees. I raised my hand and waved, but she stood firm, her dark eyes penetrating the leaves that were quickly forming a barrier between us. I turned my back on her, but felt the cold sting of her eyes as Aphotica and I moved deeper into the forest.

Chapter Thirteen

When we arrived at the stable, I slipped off Aphotica and tied her to the same post I’d used yesterday.

“Do you have time to cool Aphotica down and stable her? I have to find Chase,” I told the stable master, who stood nearby.

He nodded. “That’s my job, ma’am. Don’t worry yourself. Master Chase arrived with Lightning a few minutes ago and headed toward the castle.”

“Thank you so much.” I noticed Wren was there. She sat on the ground, pulling daisies in the nearby patch of wildflowers.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide. She plucked one petal and pinched it between her fingers. “He loves you.” Then she plucked another. “He loves you.”

I smiled, squatting next to her. Surely this girl had been able to speak for a long time. It was strange no one but me had ever heard her. “I think you have the game wrong, sweetie. The first petal is ‘he loves me.’ The second is ‘he loves me not.’”

She plucked another petal, her eyes still on mine. “He loves you.”

I shrugged and stood up. “Have fun playing.” I patted her on the head and trotted off toward the castle.

The boots were stiffer than I was accustomed to, but I pushed faster, ignoring the chaffing feeling against my shins. There were too many mysteries to solve. I needed to find the one with a clear mind, but it seemed more important I understand what was going on with my mother and Mags. Losing her memory was probably a blessing. But why Mags? What had she done?

I raced into the castle, grabbing the nearest guard. “Has Chase gone this way?”

“I believe he went to see his mother.” The guard smiled. “Missing your man already? It’s not even time for the midday meal.”

I was about to protest when I remembered that most of the people here thought Chase and I were together. They didn’t know our story. They didn’t know about Bryden. I didn’t want to explain. “Yeah, something like that,” I said.

He winked at me and I couldn’t help but smile back. Everyone here adored Chase.

I rushed up the long, winding staircase to Reychel’s chambers. I wished I knew why Chase was going to see her. Their relationship was strained, and she was so emotionally inaccessible. I knocked on the heavy wooden door at the end of the hallway.

It swung open and a smiling face greeted me. He held out his arms to me, and despite myself I hugged him fiercely. Chase’s father, Mark, had come to help take Bryden’s lifeless body away.

“How are you, Lianne?” He stepped backward, inviting me into the receiving room.

I strode into the room, looking around for any sign of Chase or his mother. My search came up empty.

“I’m getting better.” I meant it, too. I wasn’t going to feed him any false pleasantries. With his missing hand, I knew he wasn’t a stranger to loss. It wasn’t fair to either of us to lie.

“I’m glad to hear that. I know Chase has been very worried about you. I saw him riding Lightning this morning by himself. I think that’s the first time I’d seen him without you since the two of you arrived here all those months ago.”

“I’m sorry. I certainly wasn’t trying to hold him back from any of his duties.”

Mark laughed. “Duties? Chase doesn’t have any duties other than taking care of you. I think that’s all that matters to him lately.”

“I’m sure he has other things he should be doing.”

Mark sat down on an upholstered green damask chair and motioned for me to take a seat on the couch across from him. I sank into the plush cushion, grateful for the moment of rest. My legs had started hurting again. My body needed to get used to horseback riding.

“We aren’t the rulers here. I guess you could say we are the keepers of this castle. Our queen, Krissin, lets us stay here. Technically it is Reychel’s, I suppose, if you follow the rules of succession. Her father was the last officially appointed nobleman here. We don’t follow many of those rules anymore. Queen Krissin makes things up as she goes.” He smiled. I wanted to know more about this woman who ruled by her own set of guidelines. “You’ve met her husband, Ace.”

My eyebrows shot up before I could control my surprise. “That stringy-haired rogue is the king?”

“He could be, but he won’t take the throne or the crown. Krissin rules alone, and I think she prefers it that way. Ace was a solider of fortune with me before he met Krissin. He didn’t want to give that life up.”

“And you? What have you given up?” I immediately regretted the question. I glanced at his missing hand.

Mark held his arm in the air. “I gave up everything for love. Reychel is my whole life.”

I knew I was about to put my foot in my mouth, but I had to ask the question. “Is she different since she was severed?”

Mark sighed. “It’s a fair question.” He stood up and paced around the room. “I wouldn’t say she’s changed. With me, she’s always been the same. I love her more today than the day I met her. I think it’s her relationship with Chase that’s been most difficult.”

“That’s what I gathered. But he’s her son. She should love him.”

Mark’s eyes bored into mine. “She does love him. Make no mistake about that. Reychel was willing to give up everything for her son. She offered up her very existence, as she knew it. She was willing to have her gift taken away and her memory erased just to save him. I supported her because I knew nothing was more important to her than the unborn child inside her.”

“Then why does she treat him the way she does?”

“Reychel’s had a hard life. I can’t even imagine how she copes with it. She tries, Lianne, she does.”

It seemed so simple to me. If she really loved her son, she wouldn’t have to try.

“What about the others like her? How are they coping?” I’d learned in my early days here that the Malborn had attacked, and nearly conquered, Serenia before Chase was born. Chase’s parents found a way to take away their magic and make them forget.

“We severed quite a few Malborn before Reychel. They now live in camps scattered throughout the forest. I believe your mother is in one of them.”

I didn’t let on that I knew about the camp, or my mother. I still hadn’t puzzled out why Mags was there. She didn’t have any magic, or a hurtful bone in her body. It sounded like these were prison camps of some kind. Until I had the answers I needed, I would hold the information close.

I nodded, encouraging him to tell me more.

“Most of them seem to be dealing with it well. Many of them were dangerous, part of the gifted Malborn army set out to destroy us. I am sorry we only contained the danger here. I guess we never thought they’d reached outside of our realm. If we’d taken greater steps, then perhaps your people and the Fithians wouldn’t have suffered at their hands.”

“We had enough of our own problems,” I assured him. “My mother was trying to take control by using me.”

“Yes, I know your story. Chase filled me in late one night while you were sleeping. In the first few days you were here, you spent more time sleeping than awake. He used the opportunity to tell me your whole story.” Mark cleared his throat. “I know this is an awkward question, but what exactly are your intentions toward my son?”

I wished I knew the answer. I could see the curiosity in Mark’s eyes, but I also saw the love for his son. Chase was a romantic, much like his father, but Chase and I weren’t his parents. It wasn’t love at first sight. It wasn’t Chase and I against the world. It wasn’t a love born of time and nurturing. Chase loved me before he met me and I hadn’t had the chance to really know how I felt about him. He’d become my dearest friend. My only confidante. The man I tried to kiss when I realized that life might finally be worth living.

A shiver raced through my body, remembering how his lips had felt against mine. Something had changed, but I couldn’t put a name to it.

“It’s okay,” Mark said. “You don’t have to answer. It wasn’t really a fair question, was it?”

His smile relaxed me. I wasn’t ready to answer, but maybe someday I would be. It was too complicated now. “Not really, no.”

Mark shrugged. “If you’re going to question me about my wife, it’s only fair I get to question you about my son, but I know you may not have an answer today.”

“Maybe not tomorrow either.” I smiled back. “But when I do have an answer, I promise you’ll be the first to know.”

Mark raised an eyebrow. “The first?”