Bastial Frenzy (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 4) (2 page)

“Is it always this bumpy?” she asked.

“Unless we go faster or slower.”

“Then go faster.” He could tell she was smiling from the way she spoke the words.

Soon Nulya was galloping down the dirt road along Warrior’s Field, Reela laughing in delight. Cleve couldn’t help but smile.

They passed many students and instructors. It was easy to tell who’d seen Cleve on his horse already and who hadn’t. As they passed by Liaison Wilfre, he shouted, “Stop!”

Cleve slowed Nulya and turned her. “Yes?”

Wilfre’s lips moved, but no words came out. His brow furrowed as he pointed. “Is that a horse?” His tone was incredulous.

“Yes.” Cleve could hear Reela stifling a giggle. She pushed her mouth against the back of his shoulder.

Wilfre’s jaw hung open. He scratched his head. “Where did you get it?”

“From Goldram,” Cleve said, hoping that would be the end of it.

“Goldram?” Wilfre’s eyes went to the clouds. “All the way across the Starving Ocean?”

“Yes,” Cleve answered. “May I go now?”

“Does the King know about this?”

“I’m sure he does.”
And soon he’ll summon me.
“I must be leaving, if you don’t mind.”

Cleve couldn’t tell if it was irritation or confusion that was creasing Wilfre’s forehead.

“Alright, go.” The King’s liaison waved them away. “But slow that horse.”

Arriving at Terren’s, Cleve dismounted and helped Reela down. Before Cleve could knock, Nulya whinnied, and Cleve heard his uncle from within the house. “What the Bastial stars is that?”

Terren opened the door a moment later. “Bastial hell! Cleve?” Terren grabbed him for a hug. “People were saying that you came in on a horse with a sword made of fire. I didn’t know what to make of it, but here you are!” Terren laughed merrily. “But what did they see to think you had a sword of fire?” His eyes fell to the sheath on Cleve’s belt.

As Cleve removed the Bastial steel sword and handed it to him, Terren gasped. His uncle was one of the few people Cleve trusted enough to hold his weapon.

“It’s so light!” Terren gave it a few good swings before handing it back. “Marvelous…and I see you brought Reela with you.”

“Hello, Headmaster Terren,” she said.

“Please, Terren is fine. It’s good to see you again, Reela. I heard you and Effie killed many Krepps.” He turned toward the house, expecting them to follow. “Come in. I’ll be pulled away any moment, but until then, tell me what happened in Goldram, Cleve. How did you convince Welson Kimard that you and Rek aren’t allied with Tenred?”

Reela paused rather than walk with them. “I’m going to get some breakfast and let you two talk.” She kissed Cleve. “Thank you for the horse ride.”

“Oh!” Terren exclaimed. “So you two…” He waved his finger between them.

Blood rushed to Cleve’s cheeks. But Reela merely smiled and wrapped an arm around Cleve. “Yes, though it took some persistence.”

Terren started to smile, but disappointment took over, sending his mouth flat. He seemed to be looking over their shoulders. “It seems as if we won’t have time to talk until later, Cleve.”

Cleve turned to find Javy Rayvender and five men clad in steel. He could feel his heart speeding up. Reela took his hand.

Terren came around Cleve. Approaching Javy, he said, “Please tell me the King needs to speak to me and not Cleve."

Javy shook his head at him. “We’re here for your nephew.”

Terren slowly turned to meet Cleve’s eyes. “You didn’t tell me what happened when you spoke with Welson Kimard after returning.”

“I haven’t spoken with him yet,” Cleve admitted.

The dread he felt could be seen on Terren’s face. His uncle spun back to Javy. “This is an order from the King?”

“Yes, Cleve needs to see him immediately.”

Reela came forward. “I’m coming as well.” She looked to Terren, leaning toward him. “Please give me permission to leave the Academy.” Cleve didn’t know how comfortable he felt with her using psyche on his uncle, but he knew better than to bring it up right then.

“The King won’t grant you an audience,” Javy interrupted. “Only Cleve.”

“But I’m welcome in the castle, aren’t I?” she asked.

Javy shrugged. “I suppose. It’s up to the headmaster.”

“It’s fine,” Terren said. “Just be back before nightfall. I can’t have you missing too much battle training.”

Javy violently grabbed Nulya’s reins. “The horse is coming as well.”

“Easy!” Cleve almost snatched them from Javy’s hand before stopping himself. “Just be gentle with her.”

Javy grunted, but he did lighten up.

Terren clasped Cleve’s shoulder. “Don’t do or say anything without thinking it through,” he advised.

“Let’s go,” Javy said. “The King is very busy.”

For a moment, Cleve thought about leaving his Bastial steel sword with Terren. There was a chance the King would take it from him, as probably would happen with his horse. But he couldn’t make up his mind quickly enough, and soon he and Reela were following Javy toward the western gate.

With Javy ahead of them and five guards behind, Cleve asked Reela, “Why do you wish to come?” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Don’t use psyche to get a meeting with the King. The last thing I want is any trouble coming to you because of this.”
And Welson Kimard, like me, has been trained to resist psyche.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just going to make sure I don’t lose you again.”

Her stubborn tone worried him.

They walked four miles to reach Kyrro City. It was in worse shape than the Academy. The walls of many houses were marred with cracks, broken barrels and fragmented wood littered the streets, and there were traces of gore on nearly every surface—even some on the armor of the guards watching Cleve and Reela pass by.

As busy as everyone seemed to be, they still made time to stop and point at Cleve’s horse. Many of them must not have seen Rek’s mount as he fought against the Krepps the night before. Cleve wondered where the Elf was now.

Outside the castle in the center of the city, Cleve was made to wait. “Where are you taking my horse?” he called after the guards pulling Nulya away.

“She’ll be in good care,” Javy told him. “Stay here until his majesty is ready.”

More guards came to surround Cleve and Reela.

“What’s going to happen with Cleve?” Reela asked.

“That’s up to the King,” Javy answered.

It wasn’t long before a retinue of men clad in armor came around the side of the castle. Cleve knew Welson Kimard was in the center of them. They separated, and the King came forward, waving Cleve toward him. “Hurry, I don’t have a lot of time,” Welson said. “There’s too much to do.”

“Arrow!” someone shouted.

Two guards jumped on the King. Another one grunted as an arrow struck him in the arm.

“You let Krepps kill them!” shouted a man with a bow. He was drawing another arrow. “You hid in your castle as my sister’s family was killed!” His next shot struck one of the many guards now rushing at him. “Welson Kimard deserves to die!”

He was tackled to the ground, kicked and beaten until his struggles ceased. Then he was dragged to the castle, weeping and slumped in defeat.

The King was back on his feet. Cleve recognized Alex’s brother, Hem Baom, trying to move the monarch into the castle. “It’s not safe,” he said. “Please allow us to take you inside.”

Welson looked even more disappointed than the man who’d tried to kill him. His hurry was gone, replaced by utter sadness. He gestured for Cleve to follow him.

Reela walked beside Cleve as he entered the castle. The door was shut and latched behind them.

“It's a pity that man must die.” Welson spoke with deep remorse. “We can’t allow anyone who attempts an assassination to live.” After a sigh, he turned to Reela. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Reela Worender.”

“You as well.” They shook hands. “How do you know my name?”

“I know you’re half Elf and one of the strongest psychics in the Academy, possibly in all of Ovira next to Rek and Vithos. I know you shared the same father with them. I also know you’re an ally. You’ve been investigated thoroughly.”

“I see,” she said.

Reela’s indifferent expression seemed to intrigue Welson, for he leaned in close and tilted his head.

“You’ve already assumed this?” he asked.

“I have.”

“But even though you’re an ally, I must speak to Cleve alone. In the meantime, I believe there’s someone who wants to see you.”

Reela smiled widely, already sensing his presence.

Then Cleve recognized Rek’s voice. “Hello, Reela.” The Elf stepped between a line of guards.

Reela practically jumped on her way over to hug him. When Cleve noticed Rek smiling at him, he only had time to nod and smile back before Welson whistled to him.

“Let’s go. There’s a lot we need to discuss.”

As Cleve followed the King up the stairs, he looked back at Rek and Reela. They were concerned for him, their eyes wide and mouths flat.

On the second floor, Welson brought Cleve down one of many hallways. He followed as the King turned and continued through the maze of corridors. Although most of the castle consisted of black ironbark wood, they soon were ascending a circular stone stairway.

There was only one room after the twisting stairs ended, and two guards snapped to attention as the King passed between them. Cleve could hear someone coming up the stairs behind them. Shortly after he entered the room, the tall and pale psychic who he’d met the last time he was in the castle brushed by his shoulder, taking a spot beside their ruler.

Welson sat with a long table between him and Cleve, a chair waiting on the opposite side. Welson gestured at it. “Sit.”

Cleve did. Then he heard the door close behind him. He turned to find the two guards now inside, standing in front of his only exit.

Cleve wondered if he’d be able to lie now that he’d trained with Rek.
But I’ve never practiced that,
he realized. It was the detection and resistance of psyche that Cleve had learned so well, not getting away with lying. He decided he’d better test it sooner rather than later.

“What has Rek told you about me?” Welson asked.

“Nothing.”

Welson didn’t even need the psychic. He shook his head at Cleve and said, “Don’t lie to me. I don’t have the patience for it.”

Cleve regretted not choosing something else to lie about, something easier to get away with. He still didn’t want to reveal what Rek had told him about his parents’ deaths, though, not until he knew whether the psychic could detect his lies. He thought of what else Rek had said.

“He told me you blame yourself for this war,” Cleve said. “He told me about an incident—a battle over the discovery of an island. I don’t remember the details.”

Welson began to nod, so Cleve stopped.

“That was only two years after my coronation. I was seventeen when that battle happened. That’s your age, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I made a lot of mistakes. I didn’t have my father’s guidance as I should have.” Welson went silent as he glared, waiting for Cleve to say something.

But Cleve chose not to, not yet. He wasn’t ready to admit Rek had told him about Welson’s crazy belief that Cleve’s father was the one who killed Welson’s father. It was madness, and just the King hinting at it made Cleve angry.

At Cleve’s reticence, Welson forced a sigh and continued. “Our relationship with Tenred was already deteriorating before that incident. I thought my father’s murder might’ve been Tegry Hiller’s doing, so I ceased all trading with them. For two years they tried to negotiate new trades, mostly our ironbark wood for their metal. But out of spite, I never agreed. Then when I found out they were sailing around Ovira and exploring the many islands nearby, I became interested in doing the same. I put warriors on the boats I sent out, equipped them with weapons, and told them they could kill men from Tenred if they believed a battle was likely to occur over valuable land or resources.”

Welson shook his head. “I trusted their discretion too much. There was a battle when one of my ships and one of Tegry’s arrived at the same island. But there were no warriors on their ship. There was some royal blood, though—Tegry’s nephew was the captain. He was killed in combat. When I heard the news, I thought of it as a victory. It was payback for my father. But then the assassination attempts began, poison in my food, attackers in the night, that sort of thing.”

The King stood and lifted his shirt to expose his side. Cleve saw a scar that looked to have come from a blade.

“Tegry never claimed responsibility, but it was clearly his doing. I knew it was only a matter of time before we’d be at war, so I started my own assassination attempts. I sent my own spies. When the war finally began, Tegry and I had been preparing for over a decade. Now there are spies everywhere. I just wish I’d known he was going to get the Krepps involved. But it’s too late for regret, which brings me to why you’re here.”