Crystal Moon (13 page)

little from those who shared her blood. She started toward the

chamber. “How badly is she injured?”

“She says her wounds are minor, but I think even if the

woman was close to death she would insist on riding out with

my men and me.”

“You’re leaving?” A flutter of panic blossomed inside her.

Though Kyne posed the biggest threat to her well being, his

presence represented security. “Why? Where?”

“Lisha has information of a supply caravan. We go to

intercept it.”

Laila, Kyne, Graham, and others she had come to care for

in the past few days went to challenge her father. Would they

return unharmed?

“From what she says, the caravan will supply our needs

through the winter and beyond—if it’s not a trap.”

“La...Lisha would not betray you.”

Kyne shot her a sharp look. “You know this woman?”

“No. No, of course not.” With a lie on her lips, Sianna

could not meet Kyne’s gaze. “I just sense her devotion to your

cause. And it’s obvious she has no love for my father.”

“I believe you are right. Her hatred for DiSanti runs deep.

I wonder just what she’s lost to him.” Kyne lifted Sianna’s chin

with his knuckle. “If you value your neck, have a care you do

not mention your true identity to her. I doubt even I could save

you from this woman’s wrath.”

His mouth softened into a rueful smile. Like the stroke of a

feather he trailed his fingertip down her throat. Sianna’s breath

caught on a shiver of longing. Then he turned and walked away.

As he left, she watched, wondering just what she wanted

from Kyne. Acceptance? Forgiveness?

A tidal wave of thoughts slammed into her.

Trust.

Passion.

Love.

Things she would never have.

Seven

Sianna entered Kyne’s chamber cautiously. Her sister—a

stranger—stood at the window, head bowed, back to Sianna.

What would she learn from this woman? Of herself? Her past?

Her future?

“Laila.”

Laila’s shoulders stiffened, but she didn’t turn. “Do not call

me by that name. Laila is dead. Killed along with Aubin by our

father.”

“Are you certain?” Despite the evidence, Sianna still wanted

to deny her father’s guilt. She wanted, needed to love him.

Besides this intense young woman before her, he was her only

family.

Eyes blazing with a fierce light, Laila spun around. “Don’t

waste your hopes on our father. Edric DiSanti loves no one.

We are nothing but pawns in his game of power. I learned this

lesson too late. By blinding myself to his evil, I lost the man I

loved, and my ka.” The light faded from her eyes, and her body

sagged.

Sianna reached out to touch Laila’s arm, but as if repulsed,

her sister jerked away. Hurt by Laila’s obvious rejection of

comfort, Sianna waited.

A mask of composure settled over Laila as she sat at the

table. “Sit. There is much to speak of.” Her clipped tones hid

from Sianna any hint of emotion. “Why are you here? Do these

people know you are DiSanti’s daughter?”

“Only a few. Rul Cathor keeps my identity a secret.”

“Why? Do you share his bed?”

At the thought, heat rushed to Sianna’s cheeks.

“No...yes...but not in that way.” She had been asleep when

Kyne returned to his chamber the night before, but tonight....

A knowing grin transformed Laila’s stern features from

merely striking to beautiful. “In time, little sister, in time. The

man wants you. It is evident when he looks at you. He warned

me not to frighten or harm you. The question is do you want

him?”

Sianna tried but failed to look horrified. “I don’t want....”

She couldn’t force the lie past her lips. She wanted Kyne in

every way a woman could want a man. “You must be mistaken.

He despises me and all our family. He seeks only to keep me

safe as a means to trap our father.” What did Laila see that

she, even with her gift, could not?

“Time will tell.” Laila smiled and let the subject drop. “How

did you end up here?”

“Aubin’s sister, Katya, abducted me from our father’s home.

But they believe I am you. Because they don’t know you, they

think you helped father plan Aubin’s murder.”

Shock and pain wiped away Laila’s smile. She quickly

masked all physical evidence of her emotions. “You don’t know

me, either. How can you be sure I didn’t?” she asked in a

harsh whisper.

“I’m sure. You loved Aubin.”

“You’re a naive fool, and you’re in danger here. We will

tell them the truth.” Laila started to stand.

“No!” Sianna grabbed her arm. “If you do, we will both

become prisoners. Then who will find proof of your innocence?

I’m unsure, but I believe Rul Cathor plans to use me—I mean

you—as a hostage against our father. Until Father replies to

Rul Cathor’s demands I should be safe enough. Besides, they

believe I...you...might be pregnant with Aubin’s child.” Heat

flooded Sianna’s face. “They’ll not hurt me until they’re sure.”

For a moment surprise registered in Laila’s eyes, then they

went blank. “So like your mother,” she murmured. “You protect

others even at your own peril.”

“Am I really like her?” This connection with her unknown

mother warmed Sianna. “I never knew her. Please tell me what

you know of my mother.” Though other issues were more

pressing, she asked for the information she truly wanted.

“Are you sure you wish to know? You will not like what

you hear,” Laila warned.

“I must know the truth.”

“Very well.” Laila nodded, her focus turned inward. “I was

but six annum when DiSanti brought your mother from the

mountains. Though he kept her against her will, for the short

time she was there, she turned that dour, loveless stone fortress

into a home.” Laila’s features softened. A faraway look settled

in her dark eyes. “She took me under her wing, became my

companion, my champion, the mother I never had, turning me

from a dirty, wild child into a loved and loving little girl.

“But at night I heard her cries of fear and pain as DiSanti

took her to bed and used her. Once I tried to stop him. When he

raised his hand to me, she put herself between us and took the

blow.”

With each word, Sianna’s hopes of a loving home faded.

Her father was the monster Kyne’s people called him.

“Then she became pregnant with you, and DiSanti left her

alone, but by then her health was broken. You were born early,

and she died.”

Sianna cringed at Laila’s glare.

“I hated you then. Blamed you for your mother’s death.”

The anger faded from Laila’s eyes, replaced by sorrow and

regret. “I was a fool. DiSanti killed your mother as he killed

Aubin.” Her voice grew cold and hard. “He will pay for his

sins. I will have vengeance.”

“Don’t let your quest for revenge eat away your heart and

destroy your mind.”

“I buried my heart with Aubin, and I will destroy DiSanti.”

Laila turned her stony gaze on Sianna. “After you leave

this chamber, you must cease to think of me as sister. For his

own reasons DiSanti kept us apart, and now for our own we

will remain apart.”

“But....” Had she found her sister only to lose her again?

“Guard against the evil that flows in your veins.”

“You’re wrong, sister. Evil is not born in a person’s blood,

but rather in their heart and mind.”

Before Laila could respond, the chamber door opened.

Framed in the opening stood Kyne. “We are prepared to leave.

Are you ready?” He directed his question to Laila, but his gaze

held Sianna’s. She warmed at the concern she saw in his eyes.

“I am.” Laila stood.

“But,” Sianna protested, “I haven’t checked your injuries.”

“They’re of no consequence.” She turned toward Sianna

and lowered her voice. “Be cautious, little sister.”

Kyne started forward, then stopped as Laila straightened

and strode toward the door.

“Go with the Eternal One....” the door closed behind them,

“sister,” Sianna whispered.

***

From his seat on the dais, Timon watched High Minister

DiSanti warily.

“Honored Prince.” DiSanti clasped his right fist to his chest

and bowed.

Wise beyond his ten and four annum, Timon let none of his

hatred and disgust for the man show. He could do nothing—

yet. The Eternal One willing, his time for justice against DiSanti

would come, but not this day. This day he must continue to play

his role.

“You may approach, High Minister.” The words stuck in

Timon’s throat. DiSanti’s show of obeisance, staged for the

other ministers’ benefit, sickened Timon. They both knew who

truly ruled here. “Rise and speak.”

“I bear distressing news, Your Highness. Five days ago,

your betrothed was snatched from her bed chamber. I have

just received a message from her abductors.”

Timon barely restrained his shout of delight. Instead he

maintained a bland expression. Royalty must never react, my

son. They must act. The father he remembered was long buried

beneath a steady diet of nika, but Timon hadn’t forgotten his

early training. Still, he allowed himself an inner smile. He didn’t

know DiSanti’s daughter and had no desire to.

“What do these people demand?” he asked.

“I would speak to you alone.”

Timon read the subtle threat beneath DiSanti’s quiet request.

“Leave us,” he commanded the gathered ministers and guards.

In moments the crowded council hall had emptied.

“How wise you are, my prince.” Gone was DiSanti’s

reverent, humble tone. With a snarl, he turned on Timon. “Do

you think by kidnapping my daughter you’ll circumvent my plans?

Your father hangs on by a thread. A day or two without his

nika, and he’ll die in agony.”

Timon remained impassive to DiSanti’s threats. He’d heard

them before. Only a few select ministers, DiSanti’s men, knew

of King Dracken’s addiction. Others thought he suffered from

milag, a debilitating illness. Those who questioned DiSanti’s

place as High Minister and advisor to Prince Timon disappeared.

But they both knew the king must live, for once Timon ascended

to the throne, the battle between them would begin in earnest.

As if he heard Timon’s thoughts, DiSanti’s voice grew soft

and oily. “What of your ailing mother, the lovely Queen Theone?

Each day she grows weaker. And Thomasa asks of you often.”

Timon’s fingers dug into the hard wooden arms of his chair.

DiSanti struck at his weakness. His mother. And Thomasa.

His sister. His twin.

“You are not irreplaceable. Your sister is a delightful little

girl. She’s grown quite fond of me these last few years. It

would be no hardship to take her as wife.”

“You’ll not touch her!” Fists clenched, Timon sprang from

his chair. If he knew where DiSanti had his mother and sister

hidden, Timon would take great pleasure in putting his sword

through the man’s evil heart.

“So you do have blood flowing in your royal veins.” DiSanti

chuckled but didn’t flinch. “Easy, my hot-tempered prince, if

anything befalls me, your sister’s guards have orders to kill

her—slowly and as painfully as possible. But I prefer to rule

through you.”

“Of course you do,” Timon said. “If I die, marriage to the

princess will not guarantee your control. Too many other petty

dictators will arise to challenge you.” Only King Dracken’s

and Timon’s own popularity with the people, along with the

ambitions of the other ministers, kept DiSanti from killing the

entire royal family and claiming the throne for himself. “Civil

war will do little to line your pockets.” Or satisfy your lust for

power.

“You’re correct, my prince, but do not over estimate your

value to me.”

The unspoken threat made Timon shudder. He sank back

into his throne and waited to hear DiSanti’s current demands.

Each time they grew more onerous. How much more could the

people of Dramon survive? Try as he did, there was little he

could do to soften DiSanti’s harsh grip. Like the mythical hero,

Conlin, who to protect his people, forever rode the tail of the

giant Tigra, Timon was trapped.

“What do you want? Soon enough your daughter will be

my wife. What need do I have to abduct her?”

“Then why does the messenger refuse to speak his demands

to anyone but you?”

“I don’t know. Bring him to me, and we’ll find out.”

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible. His interrogators were a bit

too zealous.” Anger threaded DiSanti’s calm words.

“Is the man dead?”

“No, but he’ll not survive the journey here. You will come

with me.”

Timon hesitated. To leave what protection the castle offered

was foolish, but what choice did he have? As DiSanti’s puppet,

he had to dance to the man’s tune, or his family would suffer

the consequences. Still, this messenger had resisted DiSanti’s

methods of persuasion. Perhaps these abductors would prove

to be valuable allies. The moons knew he needed help. What