Cornerstone (28 page)

“
Why aren't you sleeping?” Emariya asked, watching her breath make a little glimmering cloud of mist in the moonlight.

“
Keeping watch.” She'd always felt like there was something almost magical, something strangely compelling about the moon. Even in darkness, it was light. The moon waged its solitary war against the dark of night while the stars watched as silent spectators.

“
Jessa used to help me check under my bed, looking for monsters when we were little girls. I don't think any of us realized that most threats have a familiar face.”

Garith nodded. “It was a lot easier looking for monsters as kids. Everything was easier then.”

“
I've known you and Jessa my whole life. I thought you'd always be on my side.”

“
I'm still on your side, Riya.” He looked off into the distance as he spoke, avoiding her eyes.

“
Are you?” she asked quietly. “It seemed today that you might have been on Torian's side.”

“
Maybe Torian's side is your side. What if he isn't the enemy?”

“
I thought you said—”

“
I know what I said! But most of what I said was based on what I heard from Russell. How much can we really trust Russell?” Garith sighed as he leaned back against a rock.

“
We can't. But still…”

“
All right, then, if we can't trust Russell, then, you know, maybe we could trust Torian.”

“
Why else would he have asked for my hand?”

Garith snorted. “Riya, don't be ridiculous. Any man that could would ask your hand.”

She blushed.

Garith continued, “Before you knew of the Stones, why did you think he'd asked for your hand?”

“
To strengthen Thalmas. They need food, badly. We saw that with our own eyes. And Sheas is a threat to both of our lands.”

“
All right, then, is that such a far-fetched reason? Couldn't that really be why?”

“
I suppose it could. But he knew of the prophecies of the Stones. If he truly had good intentions why would he risk it?”

“
Maybe that's a question you should ask him. Again, all we have to go on is what Russell said, and we've already established that Russell can't be trusted.”

“
I don't know who can be trusted,” she said sadly. “I trusted Khane.”

“
You can still trust me.” Garith reached over and squeezed her hand.

Emariya was so sure that Torian must have been behind it all. It was the only thing that made sense. Khane was from Thalmas. Khane had been taking her to the prince. Who else would go to such lengths to ensure she made it to the castle but Torian himself? She couldn't think of anyone else. “You really don't think he was the one who hired Khane?” she asked.

“
I don't know. I'd like to hope not. I understand why you do, but it just doesn't seem that way, to me. You didn't see him when I found him looking for you, Riya. He either had absolutely no clue who had you and why, or he is an extremely good pretender.”

“
Why do you like him so much?”

“
I don't know. I just do—it's a feeling, I guess, more than anything. I also like that he wants to protect you. I know you don't like it, but now that we know that you are a Stone, I'm worried. We aren't the only ones who know, and I think as long as people know you are a Stone, you are going to be in danger. I can't protect you all by myself, so I'm glad he seems to want to keep you safe, too.”

His gentle smile, illuminated in the moonlight, did little to soften the implications of Garith’s words. He thought she was weak. “I don’t need you to protect me.”

“
You’ve a funny way of showing that,” Garith retorted with a grin. His laughter echoed behind her as she stomped off.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Her Caviasendor

They set out again just after daybreak. Much of the day before had passed in companionable small talk punctuated by sleeping in the saddle while they rode. Today Emariya kept silent. She couldn't help feeling that things were awkward between her and Garith after their talk the night before. She could see his point, but still she felt abandoned by him.

As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She was relatively sure she was going to continue to be in danger, simply for being a Stone. Russell wasn't going to give up easily, and she doubted a simple promise not to marry Torian would be enough.

Perhaps The Three meant them as a gift, but they are truly more of a curse,
she thought bitterly. Her mother had been murdered for being a Stone; her father was imprisoned. Her brother didn't even know he was in danger, and she'd been abducted twice in as many days. Perhaps if she actually knew how to use her gifts, they wouldn't seem such a cumbersome burden. Unfortunately, they seemed to just pop up randomly when she was in danger. Even then, they weren't reliable. They hadn't warned her when Leil and the other men had approached her at the cave. They weren't warning her now, when she was essentially Torian's captive.

She was trying to work up the courage to take Garith's advice and ask Torian why he wanted to marry her even against the prophecy’s warnings.

“
Your Highness?” she began.

“
Torian, please.”

“
I couldn't, Your Highness. It wouldn't be right.”

“
You allow him to call you Riya—not even Emariya, much less the customary My Lady—and yet you cannot call me by my given name?”

“
He and I have known each other since we were small children. He's my friend. We observe courtesies when necessary for the benefit of others, but for us, titles aren't necessary. It's different,” she tried to explain. “I don't really know you at all. And you are royalty; I am not.”

“
You could be.” Did he think dangling the crown in front of her face would change her mind?

“
I have no desire to be.”

“
Is it that you don't wish to be royalty, or that you don't wish to be my wife?” His voice adopted a serious tone.

“
Both. Or neither,” she sighed, exasperated. “I never aimed to be royalty. Power, influence—none of that mattered to me.”

Torian interrupted, “I can see that, given the friends you keep.” Then, smiling at Garith, he added, “No offense.”

“
None taken; it is true, after all,” Garith smiled, laughing.

“
I'm sorry, please continue, My Lady,” Torian conceded, sounding more amused than apologetic.

“
Please don't take it personally that I don't wish to wed you. I don't know you well enough for it to be personal.”

“
Perhaps if you knew me, you'd change your mind.”

Emariya suspected he was right. Something about him constantly drew her in. She had to constantly remind herself that she didn't like him. “Perhaps, but I cannot allow myself to change my mind. It's too risky,” she tried to explain.

“
How so?”

“
When I agreed to marry you, I had never heard of the Stones. But now that I have, how can I possibly go through with it? For that matter, how can you?”

When he didn't respond, she recited the words that Russell and his men had spoken to her: “‘
Blood and Stones as one brings darkest night
.’ Do you really want to subject your people to that?”

“
My Lady, my people are already suffering. They want for food. They fear attack. If I have a chance to change that for them, then don't I owe it to them to try? I won't be deterred by mere words that we don't know the truth of. They are only words. My people's needs are reality.”

She could hear the passion in his voice. It was obvious he cared deeply for the people of Thalmas. “I think you owe it to them to consider the possible, as well as the definite. Should you not prepare for a storm because it is only a possibility? Should you not fear a man wielding a sword, because it is only possible that he will strike true? As leaders, it is our obligation to prepare for possibilities.”

“
Perhaps you are right in that regard,” he conceded. “But do you not see? The prophecies are exactly that, My Lady. A possibility, nothing more. You could ask ten people what they mean and get as many different replies. No one actually knows.”

“
Well, what do you think they mean, then?” she asked?

“
I really haven't a clue, My Lady. I wish I did. I think all we can do is be mindful of the prophecies, but ultimately, we must set our own path. We can't walk in the shadow of some words hanging over our heads.”

Set our own path.
That's what she kept hearing. Find her own path—how was she supposed to do that?

They had been climbing steadily for the last hour. Beneath the snow appeared to be sparse mountainside. The scattering of trees had become less and less and the horses were moving slowly, picking their footholds carefully. “Perhaps you are right. But there isn't really a way to know the truth behind the old prophecies regarding the Stones. So I am not going to decide my land's fate upon it.” Torian reined his horse to a stop. “We will need to proceed on foot for a while. The footing here is tenuous.” He dismounted first, then offered Emariya a hand.

“
I'm fine, thank you anyway,” Emariya said politely before deftly dismounting without assistance. Leaving him to stare after her in surprise, she set off up the slope. It was easy to see why they had dismounted. Even through the snow she could often feel the rocks slide out from beneath her feet. Making it worse, the snow had coated the rocks in ice, making it nearly impossible to find firm footing. The snow was too fresh to have firmed, and so they had to trudge through it instead of over it.

Emariya was determined to be in the lead. She was accustomed to being in the lead, and she'd seen the looks Torian and Garith had both been giving her since they’d rescued her from Khane. They were worried, and she didn’t have to wonder why. Emariya had imagined being in one of her finest gowns when she was first presented to Prince Ahlen. She would have worn a circlet of fine silver and perhaps pearls, not the crown of briars, twigs, and thorns that had made a nest out of her hair now from nights spent sleeping on the ground. She would have been presented as perhaps not his equal, but as a lady worthy of respect, not pity or concern. She had no desire to be a damsel in distress.

As determined as she was not to like him, she couldn't help wanting him to like her. She wanted him to think she was not weak, but strong. Brave. Beautiful. Instead, all she had been since she had met him was a mess. Determinedly, she struggled forward up the slope. She was pleased with her progress, and the two men seemed content to follow behind.

The steep climb took all their focus, and none of them seemed in a hurry to resume their previous conversation. That was just as well by her. She had to admit she could see Torian's point. That didn't mean she was willing to risk it, though. She thought it was foolish to disregard an age-old warning simply because it couldn't be validated. And she'd only said that she wouldn't marry him, not that she wouldn't ally with him. If his true goal was to solidify resources and aid for his people, he could have that. She was sure Reeve would be willing to provide food in return for a ceasefire in the Uplands and troops for the fjord.

She was just about to turn to ask him his thoughts on the matter when her foot slipped. Torian’s steady hand was instantly beneath her elbow, supporting her. She glanced back at him, annoyed.
So much for appearing self-reliant,
she thought. “Thank you,” she murmured. He nodded, and kept his hand there to gently help her forward.

A small rushing whisper met her ears. She stopped, listening. The sound was unfamiliar to her, and she couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It sounded almost like running water. She looked at Torian questioningly.

“
It’s the stream beside us. It’s heading toward the waterfalls ahead. The top of the stream is frozen over, so we'll be able to cross, but a few feet below the surface, the water still moves,” he explained. “It will get louder as we get closer to the falls.”

They reached the bank where Torian intended to cross soon thereafter. Nervous, Emariya hung back. How solidly could it be frozen if they could hear the rushing of the water?

Torian must have seen the doubt on her face. He handed the reins of his stallion to Garith and reached for her hand. “It will be all right, Emariya. I promise.” His steel gray eyes bored into hers, begging her to trust him. “I can carry you if you'd like. Whichever is easiest for you.” He waited for her answer with his hand still extended toward her, waiting for her to take it, making no move to rush her.

The thought of burying her head in his chest while they crossed was tempting.

She shook her head. “I'll walk.”

Ignoring his outstretched hand, she stepped forward. One foot at a time, they proceeded. She forced her eyes to stay focused directly ahead as she kept her back straight and proud with her head held high. Hopefully they thought she was only shivering from the cold, rather than the fear that was jittering through her. Garith waited on the bank, not wanting to stress the ice with the weight of three people and two horses all at once.