EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (170 page)

She looked up from her wound and laughed mirthlessly. “Feud with the Cadigus family? Boy, did you not hear Shari call me her sister? I
am
the Cadigus family.”

He frowned. He gave her a piercing stare, taking in her golden mane of hair, her feline features, and her sharp hazel eyes. Then he barked a laugh.

“You?” he said. “You are nothing like Shari Cadigus. Shari is... well, first of all, she’s much taller than you. And she has dark hair and dark eyes. And, well... She’s more of a warrior. You’re kind of small and sneaky. Aren’t the Cadiguses supposed to be big and tough and scary?”

Kaelyn glared at him. “I didn’t say she was my twin sister. I have one twin already, a madman of a brother, and pray you never meet him. And no, I’m not like Shari. I’m not big, or tough, or particularly cruel.” She sighed. “Why do you think I ran away?”

Rune stared at her with narrowed eyes.

Stars,
he thought,
she’s serious.

He clutched his head.

This is bad.

He had heard of Kaelyn Cadigus, of course—the princess who had escaped the palace and joined the Resistance. But Kaelyn was a popular name, and somehow—with all the fire, running, and blood—Rune had not pieced things together.

His head spun.

“This is bad,” he muttered. “Oh stars, this is bad.” He pointed at her. “
You
are Kaelyn Cadigus.”

She raised her hands to the heavens. “Stars bless us, he can be taught! What gave it away?”

Rune resumed pacing the room, tugging at his hair. He remembered that winter two years ago, the winter Kaelyn Cadigus was said to have escaped the capital, flown into the forest, and joined the rebellion against her father. Soldiers had stormed through every city, town, and farm in Requiem that season, tearing through homes, burning farms, torturing and killing and seeking the girl in every last hovel. They had never found her, but some whispered that Kaelyn Cadigus had risen high in the Resistance, ranking second only to Valien Eleison himself, the uprising’s leader.

“Oh bloody stars,” Rune said. “I’m here with Kaelyn Cadigus. No wonder they were hunting me. They must have seen you sneak into my tavern. Stars, woman, you’re the most wanted soul in Requiem, do you know that?”

She gave him a wry smile. “No, Rune, I’m not the most wanted soul in Requiem—maybe second or third. Most wanted? My dear boy, that honorable distinction goes to you.”

It was his turn to raise his hands in frustration. “Me? Merciful stars, Kaelyn, your sister didn’t even know I existed until you sneaked into my tavern. Why did you drag me into this?” He shook his head as he paced. “That’s it. I have to turn you in. No other choice. I’ll fly to Shari, and explain that this was all a mistake, and—“

“And she would break your every bone, and flay your skin, and disembowel you alive, and laugh as you scream and beg,” Kaelyn said. “I’ve seen her do it to others. Rune, come here. Sit down beside me. I have some things to tell you. You’ll want to sit down for them.”

She wriggled sideways on the chest, making room for him. He glowered down at her, but she only looked up with large, sad eyes, all their mockery and anger gone. Suddenly Rune again realized how beautiful she was, and stars damn it, he was a young man, and a beautiful woman still muddled his mind and dissipated his anger. With a sigh, he sat down beside her.

“Well, it’s about damn time you told me what’s going on here,” he said. “So talk. I’m listening.”

She placed a hand on his knee and looked at him softly. Her fingers were slim and warm; her eyes were warmer.

“Rune,” she said, “do you know how my father came into power?”

He nodded. “Of course I do. We had to sing his songs every harvest fair. Requiem was weak in the old days; the Aeternum Dynasty had weakened it. Griffins ravaged our kingdom. Phoenixes burned us. Desert warriors rode wyverns to shatter our halls. We were hunted, afraid, dying. And then... Frey Cadigus flew to the capital, a great general leading a host of loyal dragons. They took the throne. They cast aside the weakness of the old dynasty. They hunted and slaughtered the griffins, the phoenixes, and all those who had hurt us. They turned Requiem from a frightened, crumbling kingdom into an empire. Requiem is strong now; Frey Cadigus made her strong.” Rune’s lips twisted into a grimace. “At least, that’s what they taught me as a boy. That’s what they forced us to sing. If you ask me, your father is a right bastard.”

“That,” she said, “he most certainly is. And yes, I too heard the stories of how weak the Aeternum Dynasty was. I grew up hearing horrible stories, Rune. My father would relish in telling them. Stories about how the griffins tore apart our children, spilling entrails and blood; how phoenixes burned our people so that their skin peeled and they ran flaming; how wyverns invaded from the south, how their acid melted flesh and left us deformed and forever screaming.” Kaelyn sighed. “Those stories might be true; they are written in books from before my father’s rule. But those books grieved for our fallen, for all the wars we fought. My father did not grieve; he
raged
. He blamed the Aeternum Dynasty for weakening Requiem, for allowing our enemies to kill us. He would mock the old dynasty’s
compassion
and
righteousness
, spitting out those words like insults. He told me that he delighted in killing them. He told me how he slaughtered the old Aeternum king, his wife, and his children. When telling these stories, his eyes would light up, and he would lick his lips, and he seemed almost in rapture.”

Rune nodded. “Like I said—right bastard. But I know all this. Stars, Kaelyn, the whole empire knows that the Cadigus family hated the Aeternums, that they are... how does Frey put it?” Rune puffed out his chest and spoke in a deep, bombastic voice, imitating the speeches he had heard soldiers delivering at Cadport. “We are strong now. We will never fall. We are mighty and powerful and no enemies will threaten us again, and any weakness within us must be crushed.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ve never met your father, but stars, every soldier of his I’ve seen repeats the same thing. An army of parrots, he has.”

“Deadly parrots,” Kaelyn said. “Big ones who can blow fire.” She smiled and lowered her head. Her hand still held his knee. “Rune, you said I don’t look like my sister; that is true. Did you ever wonder why you don’t look like Wil Brewer, the man you called father?”

Rune had smiled at her jest about fire-breathing parrots; now his smile vanished, and pain twisted his chest.
My father.
Again Rune saw it: Shari rising from the burning Old Wheel, clutching the charred corpse in her claws.
She killed him. She killed my father.
He clenched his fists and tears burned in his eyes.

All his life—gone. His kindly father. His home. His books. All burnt and gone. He wondered if his dog, at least, had fled the flames; yet even if Scraggles had escaped, would Rune ever see his pet again?

Everything is burnt,
he thought and a lump filled his throat.
Everything is lost.

“Oh, Rune,” Kaelyn said, voice soft. “I’m sorry. Truly I am. I didn’t mean to... I...” She touched his hair. “I know this is painful. I know this is confusing. But hear me now. There will be time to mourn, but first you must hear everything I say.”

He looked at her, silent. His eyes stung, and tears blurred his vision. He nodded, unable to talk.

“Rune,” she continued, “this is going to be hard to accept. You might not believe me, but you must hear this. When my father took over the throne, he slaughtered the Aeternum family, every last one—the king, the queen, the princes, the lords and ladies... all but one Aeternum. All but the babe of the family. All but you.”

Rune rubbed his eyes and sighed. “I had a feeling you were going to say that.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “And damn it, you didn’t disappoint. Yes, I’ve heard of this missing Aeternum babe. I realize he vanished around the time I myself was a baby. Stars, Kaelyn, every boy in Cadport my age was mocked for being the missing Aeternum.”

Kaelyn’s eyes narrowed and flashed. “Well, he really is you. Your true name is Relesar Aeternum, son of Ardin, heir of a dynasty four thousand years old. My father hates you—he hates you more than all the griffins and phoenixes that ever flew. He’s been hunting you for seventeen years now, since I myself was only a babe. Why do you think Shari showed up in your city?”

“To enlist recruits? To behead a girl and terrify us into obedience? Because she likes the seaside air and the mild southern winters?”

“Because she was looking for you.” Kaelyn jabbed him sharply in the arm. “You look like your father, the old king. Damn it, you’re the spitting image. I’ve seen the man’s paintings. People noticed.
Soldiers
noticed. You have the same dark hair, the same gray eyes, the same straight nose...”

“Kaelyn, that describes about a million people in Requiem!” He laughed. “So the old king Aeternun had brown hair and gray eyes—stars above, that proves it!”

Kaelyn looked at her feet; she twisted them uncomfortably. “Well, I... might have had something to do with Shari showing up. We’ve known about you all your life, Rune. Our leader, Valien, is the one who placed you at the Old Wheel Tavern; you were only a few moons old. Since then, the Resistance has been watching you. We’d visit the tavern. We’d drink your ale. We’d make sure you were safe, that the Cadigus family hadn’t found you. And, well...” Kaelyn bit her lip. “I’m sorry, but we grew careless. Shari’s soldiers saw our movements. They knew we were visiting Cadport. They followed me one day to the Old Wheel, and they saw you there, and they put two and two together.” She looked back at him, her eyes rimmed with red. “I had to look after you, Rune. I had to. You understand, right?”

For the first time, Rune realized where he had seen Kaelyn before. Of course!

The young, demure priestess had visited the Old Wheel the last two winters, claiming to be on a pilgrimage to Ralora Cliffs, the place where Requiem had fought a battle hundreds of years ago. The priestess would wear a headdress, heavy robes, and a hood, but Rune remembered her large, hazel eyes.

Kaelyn’s eyes.

He rose to his feet so suddenly he nearly knocked the chest—and Kaelyn—over. He rushed toward a wall, grabbed a sword that hung there, and sliced the air. His jaw clenched and anger constricted his throat.

“Shari followed you!” he said, staring at Kaelyn with burning eyes. “I knew it. I knew it! And now my father is dead, and I’m stuck in this hole, and if they catch me, I’m dead too. And... stars, Kaelyn, how could you...”

He let his sword drop; it thumped against the ground. He fell to his knees beside it, covered his eyes, and felt Kaelyn’s hands in his hair.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She knelt before him and embraced him. “I’m so sorry—for everything. But you’re safe now.”

He lowered his hands and stared at her. Her face was inches from his, soft with concern.

“Am I, Kaelyn? Am I safe?”

“Safer than you were.” She touched his cheek. “Believe that, at least. You are safer here.”

He let out a long, shaky sigh. He felt too weak to stand up again, to ever leave this hole.

“What now?” he said and lowered his head.

“I will take you to see Valien, our leader. He has known you all your life; he smuggled you out of the palace when my father killed your parents.” She nodded. “He is wise, the wisest man I know. He’ll know what to do next.”

“Valien Eleison,” Rune whispered.

Like everyone in the empire, he had heard of Valien—the disgraced knight turned resistor, the silver dragon with one horn. Some called him a hero. Others called him a brute, a drunkard and thief and murderer. And some, Rune knew, said that Valien Eleison himself was the man who slew Tilla’s brother.

And I will meet him,
Rune thought and swallowed.
I will meet the man who crushed my best friend’s soul.

Kaelyn nodded. “But for now, eat and drink something. There is food and wine here. It will be a long journey, and you’ll need your strength.” She looked at the fallen blade. “And you’ll need that sword.”

“I thought you said I wouldn’t know how to use one.”

Though her eyes were still damp, Kaelyn managed to flash a grin. “You wouldn’t, but I’d like a spare, and I’m not carrying two.” She stood up, grabbed an apple from a shelf, and tossed it toward him. “Eat this. And kick your boots off. We’re staying the night. You’re stuck with me in this hole for a while longer.”

On any other night, being stuck in a burrow with a beautiful woman—overnight, too!—would have made Rune feel like the luckiest man in Requiem. Today the apple tasted stale, and he missed home, and he missed Tilla and his father.

When his apple was eaten, he lay down by a wall, and Kaelyn lay beside him. She covered herself with her cloak and placed her cheek upon her palm.

“Goodnight, Rune,” she said.

“You’re not going to stab me in the middle of the night, are you?” He rubbed his side. “Your dagger nicked me back there.”

She grinned again, a grin that showed all her teeth. “No, but I do kick when I sleep.” She gave him a mock kick. “You’re safe from Shari’s fire, but no promises that I won’t kick you to death.”

“Fair enough.” He closed his eyes. “Goodnight, Kaelyn.”

Goodnight, Tilla,
he added silently, wondering where she was now, and whether she too had a dry, safe place to sleep.