Well of Tears (Empath Book 3) (2 page)

Harn didn’t waste the opportunity Ross gave
him with those words. “Treason—
guards!
”

“No! Stop this! Harn, you’re making them say
this.”

“I’m not making them say anything. This man
has been bending your ear for too long, my lord. He’s always been a
Sha’sekian sympathiser. And the less said about
this woman,
the better.”

Eden’s hand went straight to his hilt. “You
be very careful about which words you pick next, Harn. They might
be your last.”

“You do realise what she is, don’t you? What
her kind are capable of? She’s manipulating you, just like her
father wanted her to. She doesn’t love you. She just wants to stay
alive and disrupt the throne. Her kind know nothing but deceit.”
Harn spat to the ground, barely missing Quinn, who stepped behind
Eden.

“I love her, and her love for me has never
been in question. I will repeat myself only once more, Harn. Mind
your words.”

“It doesn’t matter what I think or say. Your
father has decreed that she will be brought back to Sevenspells,
and she’s not a free woman.”

“I missed some words in that parchment,
Harn,” Eden said. “Unfortunately it’s not available for me to check
again.” As if on cue, Ross tossed the screwed-up roll over his
shoulder into the bay. “I read that she was to be brought under
Sevenspells’ protection. That sounds like she’s free to me, until
my father decides otherwise.”

The men were nose to nose, and Quinn, feeling
Eden’s ire growing to breaking point, stepped in front of him.
“I’
ll come. I
’ll be fine, Eden. Like you
said, I’m
not
a prisoner. And besides,
I
’d rather be in Sevenspells with you, than in Everfell and
back within Sammah’s reach.”

Harn sniffed, stepping back sharply, as if
coming in contact with Quinn would somehow taint him. He
acknowledged Quinn’s words, but he refused to look at her. Eden
didn’t think he could hate Harn anymore, but the veteran was doing
his best to make Eden murder him in his sleep.

“I have no doubt you’ll be safer in
Sevenspells than you will in Everfell, but it doesn’t mean that I’m
happy about this.”

“Send me to Sammah then, we’ll see how
quickly you begin to regret that decision.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,
Quinn, I just don
’t trust my father around you, nor
anyone else.” Eden shot Harn a look at this, and the aggressive
snarl finally left the guardsman’s face. Behind them, sailors were
starting to form a crowd, eager to be back on solid ground and
unsure at why their path was blocked. After the fight between the
gifted Sha’sekians, most of them wanted to get the empath girl and
her unconscious friend as far away from their vessel as
possible.

“This isn’t the time or place for this
argument,” Ross said. “Let’s get out of the port.”

“That’s the first sensible thing I’ve ever
heard you say, chamberlain,” Harn said. “Come on men, move
out!”

“
Wait!
” River cried
in his reedy voice.

“What is it now?” Harn was starting to lose
his temper.

“
We haven
’t got
everyone yet. We can’t go."

“What do you mean, everyone?” Harn was silent
for a second before snapping his fingers in realisation. “The
healer, where is he?”

“He’s not here. He didn’t travel with us. Pax
ordered him to be kept a hostage in Farn, so he stayed behind,”
Quinn replied, jutting out her jaw as if to dare Harn to challenge
her.

“Hostage? That’s ridiculous, he’s one of your
own isn’
t he?
”

“I’m still not sure what one of mine is, let
alone what I’m supposed to be. All I know is that Maertn is in
Sha’sek, and I am here.”

Harn pointed back at the soldiers carrying
the wounded man. “And who is he?”

“His name is Tarik,” Eden answered. “He was
injured on the crossing, and I’ve promised him safe passage and
treatment from my father’s healers.”

At this, Eden turned and waved some of the
sailors forward. Tarik was being borne in a small litter, and the
swordsmasters’s pale form rocked back and forth as it was brought
off the ship and onto the dock. He was placed down in front of
Eden’s feet, and Harn looked down at the man in disdain.

“This? You want me to put effort in taking
this
back to Sevenspells?”

“If you want me to come back to Sevenspells,
you’d best well put the effort in. I have given my word, and I
shan’t back down on it.”

“Do you somehow think you are in a position
to make demands?"

“I should think so Harn, seeing as I’m the
one here representing my father’s name, and you are merely one of
his retinue. You
will
bear Tarik, and our men will treat him
with the respect he is due. It is not his fault he was injured, and
he was sent in good faith, to protect me once I arrived here. I
have a lot of time and have a large task on my hands trying to
convince my father that not everyone in Sha’sek is out for Everfell
blood, but I intend to do my utmost when we get back to the city.
Quinn is not a threat; Tarik is not a threat; Ross is not a threat.
None of these people are to be put in chains as we travel, and they
are not to be treated like prisoners. Is that clear?”

Harn sniffed at this. “Well, that…thing lying
there clearly isn’t a threat. I think you’re mistaken where the
rest of them are concerned, but you are unfortunately correct on
protocol. I am not in a position to argue with you. We will,
therefore do as you command, though on your head be it. As you are
all my witness, I want everyone here to know that I said that she
is a danger, and so is he.” Harn pointed at both Ross and Quinn,
and whilst Ross’ jaw set and his skin reddened as he kept his anger
in check, Quinn cast her eyes shamefully to the floor. She felt
like a threat, and she still didn’t feel like she belonged
anywhere. All she knew, was that she wanted to keep out of Sammah’s
clutches. She was desperate to be anywhere but Everfell at that
point, and she would gladly go in chains with Harn if it meant
keeping away from her adoptive father.

“Quinn, you’re coming with me. I’m not
letting you out of my sight.”

“Thank you, Eden.” Quinn kept her voice quiet
and meek, in direct contrast to Eden’s proud defence and Ross's
unhinged ire. She didn’t have the energy to fight any of them. The
Sea of Sighs had exhausted her, and she didn’t open herself out up
to these men to gauge their intentions, for fear it would take the
last out of her. She didn’t have Maertn with her any more, and he
was the only healer skilled enough to bring her back when she
expended her powers too much.

She hadn’t thought of it as any more than an
idle threat when Maertn was kept behind on Farn. Pax had convinced
him that staying would be better for the healer, effectively
turning him against Quinn. Now she knew, the way she felt, that the
threat was true, and the threat was very real. She wouldn’t be able
to survive without Maertn; she wouldn’t be able to use the entire
range of her gift without him there to heal her. Quinn had already
nearly died more than once, though accidentally, and she had seen
texts that all but admitted she would have been dead but for the
skills of a Sha’sekian healer. Effectively, her powers had been
castrated. The baron had known exactly what he was doing when he
sent Quinn back across the Sea of Sighs on her own.

As men began to push past her, Quinn pushed
herself up against Eden, pressing her head in between his shoulder
blades and wrapping her arms around his waist. He pulled her gently
forwards, wrapping a protective arm around her and guiding her to
one side of the docks, so they did not get lost in the flow of
sailors. Harn started directing men to get Tarik into one of their
wagons. He would be carried safely along with the rest of the goods
back to Sevenspells. Harn looked like he was about to instruct Ross
to be put in irons, but after Eden’s orders, one glare from the
chamberlain made sure that didn’
t
happen.

“What’s wrong Quinn?”

“How did Sammah get control of the throne? I
don’t understand what’
s happened!
”

“I’m not sure myself, though someone here has
to know. He didn’t say in the letter. Maybe he thinks it’s not safe
to say. Could it be another gifted?”

“Maertn and I were in Farn. There was no one
else capable of helping him.”

“Yes, there was.”

Ross came across to join them, weaving
through the passing sailors and keeping out of the way of Harn.
“Everyone seems to forget Neyv. I barely remembered her, most of
the time. Do you know what her ability was?”

Quinn shook her head, “No, I didn’t even
think she knew herself. But, she was the only orphan Sammah had
left in Everfell. Unless he’s got the others? There were more of us
in other cities, he always said that. In Broadwater, Mossvale, or
Yender? What about here in Port Kahnel?”

“If she is the only one left in Everfell,
then it has to be her.” Eden said. “I haven’t been gone long enough
for it to be anyone else, and I doubt Sammah brought them into the
city without anybody knowing. You make a fair point though. Who
would have been looking after these other children? How many were
there?”

“
I don
’t know how
many, or their names. I suppose they’re guarded by his mercenaries.
There weren’t many other Sha’sekians living across the provinces,
and there were even fewer when Sammah murdered Sirah. If he’s
managed to take control of the throne then it has to be someone
damned powerful. I just wish I knew how. Neyv was so small… I can’t
imagine it being her.”

“Perhaps this is where my father will be good
for something. He was in Everfell when Sammah escaped, so at least
he’ll have more information than us on what’s happened. Dammit, I
thought the war was going to come from Sha’sek, not from within
Everfell.”

Quinn’s voice was quiet, “The war has come
from Sha’sek. Vance let the wolf in the gates when the wars ended,
and closed the door after him. Sammah’s been planning this for
years. Shiver knew this was coming, too, and now he’s made his own
counter-move. When he defeats Sammah he’ll be a hero all over
again. He’s already been voted as king, so Vance is never going to
regain the throne.

“Your father saw this coming, and he did
nothing to stop it.”

Eden recoiled as if Quinn had slapped him.
“How can you even say that? It’s not true!”

“How is it not true? Shiver was Sammah’s
ally, and now he happens to be king? Both of those men coveted
Vance’s throne, and now they both have it, in one way or another.
At what point in history has your father not gotten what he
wanted?” Quinn was railing at Eden, and he stepped back in stunned
shock at her onslaught. Ross pulled at her shoulder gently, trying
to calm her down.

“Now Quinn, you’re being out of line. This
isn’t Eden’s fault. We’re in the wrong place for you to get out
your frustrations. If Harn is telling the truth and Sammah is
coming for you, then he’s going to be on his way here too. If
Sevenspells knew that you’d be landing here Sammah will definitely
know. It’s not safe in Port Kahnel. There are too many people
around. Once we’re away from this place, you can have this
argument.”

“I’m not arguing with him, it’s the
truth.”

“Whatever you think it is, you are being
unfair, Quinn! And besides, what can I do about the actions of my
father? I’m his youngest son, not his keeper. All we can do is try
and stop this, like we’ve always done.”

Eden was right, though Quinn hated to admit
it. She knew he was telling the truth, and that she was throwing
accusations at his family to work through her own anger. Eden
didn’t need to convince her of anything, and he needn’t fear that
she’d dig her heels in and stay in Kahnel for Sammah to come and
scoop her up back to Everfell. Quinn didn’t trust Shiver, but she
trusted Sammah even less. Shiver wanted to keep her as a prisoner
in Sevenspells? So be it. She didn’t have to like it, and she knew
that she had the ability within her to get out, but ultimately her
freedom might cost her life.

Neyv kicked her
heels waiting for Sammah to speak as he strode around the king’s
chambers. Sammah was a quiet man these days, though he’d never
really talked to her that much anyway. He’d always been more
concerned with Quinn, the older girl, and Maertn, the healer boy.
Sammah had never had much time for Neyv, and she had been glad when
the other two had left. Sammah had left her completely alone for a
few days after they’d gone, which was odd, but he’d explained to
her already that he’d been keeping her safe after what happened.
Nobody knew about Neyv. She knew this. Neyv glided around the halls
of Everfell like a ghost. She could go wherever she wanted and
people barely noticed. Even if they did speak to her, they
struggled to remember the conversations afterwards. It had been
lonely, at first, though as Sammah explained to her how complicated
these people were, Neyv had been relieved that she only had to
speak regularly with her father.

Neyv was useful to Sammah, her father had
always told that. She was the most useful of all of his children,
no matter what anyone else said to her, or about her. Sometimes, he
had to treat her a different way to others around her, because she
was special. Neyv was only eleven years old, but she knew that
Sammah was right.

Neyv knew that she had a gift, and that had
always set her apart from the people around her. No one else could
really go around without being remembered, especially if they were
children of a noble. She was the daughter of Sha’sekian baron, so
she should really be noticed by everyone. People had always talked
about Quinn, even if they had sometimes been spiteful, and Maertn
had been a master healer. Because of this, Neyv had long ago
reasoned that what her father told her must be true. People didn’t
notice her because she was
extra
special. It was her talent,
and it was why Sammah needed her so much.