Haven: Chronicles of Warshard (17 page)

CHAPTER 17

H
aven thought she might go mad if she had to spend one more day in this castle. Breathing out a heavy sigh, she sat at her window and gazed at the ocean. Even from where she sat, she could see the strange little building that concealed her tunnel to freedom. Several days in Cidra were driving her mad. Kadia paraded her around to dinners, lunches, and even a beautiful ball. Her moods varied, and were sometimes explosive, but she didn’t hurt the young queen again, only flew off in a rage. Every time Haven spoke to people other than the queen, they were quiet, with distant eyes. She tried to awaken them, but they seemed trapped in whatever spell Kadia had them under. How long would it take the young queen to fall under Kadia’s spell too? Would she be trapped here, a zombie in her own personal
hell?

Placing her hand on the glass, Haven longed for that tunnel. It was her salvation, her only way to freedom. She had to make it there. If she couldn’t kill herself or the queen, she had to
run.

That morning, when Kadia came to join her, a thought occurred to
her.

“Kadia?” Haven asked, staying as far back on the sill as she could. Kadia sat at the other end, gazing at her wonderingly. “You’ve conquered the six kingdoms now, haven’t
you?”

“Why of course, little queen. I did that for you,” Kadia smiled and leaned forward, placing her hand on Haven’s
knee.

Haven smiled and gently slid her leg away. “Where do you aim for
next?”

Kadia didn’t seem surprised by the question. In fact she smiled and scooted closer. “If you
promise
to keep it a secret I can tell you, sister,” she grinned
deviously.

“I promise,” she
said.

“I will attack
Seaburn.”

Haven stared at her in shock. She had feared as much. If Haven didn’t escape in time to warn them, Kadia would attack the republic over the sea, and her friends would all die for nothing. “Why do you choose Seaburn?” she asked
tentatively.

“Because I can’t very well go over the mountains,” Kadia laughed. “Well I could, but I don’t want to bother daddy. I want Seaburn. It’s warm and beautiful. I dream of their golden palace and sandstone cities. Once we take it, I imagine we’ll stay for some time. It would be a wonderful place to raise
children.”

“It sounds wonderful,” Haven
smiled.

“It is, little queen. You will quite enjoy it! But first we need to reconstruct my fleet for the journey.” Kadia paused. “There may be someone waiting for us in Seaburn. Perhaps another sister. I can’t be sure yet, but we shall
see.”

Curious again, Haven couldn’t help but ask, “Who is this new
sister?”

“I don’t know yet. I only know her face,” the mad queen sighed longingly. “We’ll find her, don’t you worry my sister.” The queen suddenly perked up. “I can show you her
face!”

“How?”

Without another word, Kadia ran from the room. Haven sat in silence at her windowsill. How was it possible she knew this girl and her face, but not her name? The mad queen grew more confusing by the
day.

Several minutes later Kadia returned, a large grin on her face. “Behold!” she called, dancing as she motioned to the women who trailed in behind her. Haven rose to her feet, unable to believe her
eyes.

Before her filed in girl after girl of every shape and size. She’d never seen women such as these, with skin as white as snow or as dark as night. Some were all too familiar. At least a dozen were from each kingdom of Warshard. The others were unfamiliar. As she looked them over, her eyes were drawn to their bodies, for magnificent images were painted across their naked
forms.

Paintings of lands she had never seen or could hardly imagine, were drawn all over their skin in vivid colors, swirling from their necks, down to their knees. Some had amazing creatures on their bodies, similar to the ones in the paintings on Haven’s walls. Others had people, places, and things drawn across them. Each told a story, though none of them went together. When Haven’s eyes settled on a young girl from Rythern, she gasped. Painted on her stomach was Haven, fire surrounding her like a rising
Phoenix.

“She is how I knew of you,” Kadia breathed, staring at the
picture.

Haven gawked at her own image, with her amber eyes bright like stars, and her red hair enveloping her form in flames. She had never thought herself beautiful until this moment. Dragging her eyes from her own image, she took in the other paintings, trying to make sense of them all. When her eyes fell on another painting of a young girl, maybe eight years old, Haven knew this was to be their other sister. The image immediately reminded Haven of Mirabel – with curly golden hair and startling blue eyes. There was something about those eyes Haven couldn’t quite put her finger on, but they were somehow magical. Gazing up at the woman who had the painting, she realized she had no idea where this woman was from. With dark hair, skin, and eyes, she was completely
foreign.

“You see her now?” Kadia asked. “She may be our third sister. I cannot wait to meet
her.”

Understanding bloomed inside her. “You’re from Seaburn,” Haven said, trying to catch the eyes of the foreign woman. It was then she realized these women all had the same distant eyes as the rest of the people in this castle. Somehow, she felt defeated by this, as if these beautiful women with their gorgeous paintings would be her
salvation.

“She is! Smart little queen, aren’t you?” Kadia clapped her hands together. All the women stepped back against the wall, standing stiff and staring straight ahead. They remained in a perfect line. “I can’t wait to see what your future
holds.”

“My future?” Haven looked to the queen. Her guard flew back into
place.

“Yes, what do you think these paintings are for?” Kadia laughed, gazing at Haven as if
she
were the crazy one. “I see the future in the skin of my subjects. Of course, not just anyone will do. You should be honored, young
Haven.”

Haven took a step back. “You don’t
mean...”

“Yes, you will be my next subject. I will paint the future on your skin, as I have done with these beautiful ladies.” Kadia snapped her fingers and in came three men. One carried a basket of paints and brushes, while the other two advanced on
Haven.

“Wait, Kadia what are you doing?” Haven backed into the wall. She suddenly wished she’d brought her brush weapon with
her.

“I just told you, silly
girl.”

The two men grabbed Haven. She struggled and hit them both until they dragged her to the middle of the room. Haven slipped from their grasp, kicking out with her foot. She was caught before she could land a blow. The taller of the two pushed her onto the floor. “Kadia,
please
! I don’t need to know my
future.”

“But I want to know it. You should be nicer to your sister.” Kadia readied her paints while the two men pulled Haven onto her back. One pinned her hands above her head, while the other began to rip her clothes from her body. Haven cried out and thrashed violently, kicking the man in the face. He continued,
unfazed.

“Stop!” Haven commanded. “Stop
it!”

“Haven,” Kadia sighed. “Shut up, will
you?”

Haven glared at the woman and continued to try and pull away. Tears sprang to her eyes. She hated their hands on her, and worse, were their hands stripping her naked. Before she knew it, their cold hands fled and she was left completely nude and at Kadia’s mercy. “Please, don’t,” she
whimpered.

“Be silent,” Kadia snapped, leaning over
her.

“No, don’t!” Haven said, struggling as hard as she could. She nearly had a hand free when Kadia spoke
next.

“Knock her out,” Kadia
sighed.

“Kadia, no!” Everything went
black.

When Haven came to, everything was a blur. It took her a moment to focus, the haze lying heavy on her brain. A dull ache formed and left as quickly as it had come. When her vision cleared and sense returned, she remembered what was happening. Haven looked down, and gasped. At first she could not bear to watch. She turned her face and buried herself against her arm, trying to think of better places than this. The cold swipe of a brush and liquid passed over her flesh, tickling her
skin.

As time went on curiosity got the better of her. She peeked up at the mad queen. The same vacancy the others had was in her eyes. All expression had left her face and her blue eyes shone dull gray. Confused, Haven peeked at herself. As the brushes continued to glide across her skin, an image took shape. Black and red were the dominant colors, but from this angle she could hardly see what it was Kadia
drew.

“Kadia,” Haven whispered. “What is
it?”

Kadia didn’t say a word; in fact Haven was sure she hadn’t heard her. All of her focus was on her painting, almost as if she were in a trance. Haven couldn’t be sure if she knew what she painted. Her brushes flew forward and back, side to side, swirling, moving in straight lines. Yellows, oranges, whites, blues, and grays – she added them all. Haven lay back, trying to wait it
out.

Sometime later, Kadia sat back with a pleased sigh. Haven looked up at the queen, who rolled her shoulders and her head back, stretching. A blissful smile replaced her vacant expression, her eyes closed. She seemed completely at peace, until her blue eyes opened to see her masterpiece. It only took a moment for her face to contort in fury, and then Kadia
screeched.

“You little brat!” Kadia grabbed her thighs, digging her nails in. “You terrible little thing! How could you do this to me?” she screamed. Kadia rose, shouting obscenities into the air. “How
dare
you!”

Haven stared at the mad queen with wide eyes. She could not see the entire picture on her body, but a bad feeling began to rise in her stomach. Whatever Kadia saw, it enraged her. The queen grabbed whatever she could find, throwing things around the room, upsetting tables and kicking chairs. When she returned to Haven, her anger had not left her
eyes.

“You have – you
will
betray me!” she
hissed.

“But I would
never—“

“Spare me your lies, you insufferable worm. Your treachery has already been made known,” Kadia growled. She motioned the men away from Haven. “If you will betray your own sister, then I no longer care what you want. If you will not behave like a proper princess, then you will stay in this room until I am satisfied that you will not hurt your own.” Haven barely understood what she said. She slowly backed away, trapping herself against the end of her bed. Haven stood. Kadia advanced on her, motioning toward her violently. “If you’re going to betray me, I will at least get something from
you.”

Haven didn’t understand what the queen meant until she caught her reflection in the full body mirror near the door. Even from across the room, with Kadia partially blocking her, she saw it. Cidra up in flames. Whether it was a metaphor for Haven Fyre bringing down the castle, or literal fire itself, she understood Kadia’s rage. Haven couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. She knew now that she could do this. She could escape here, or stay and still bring Kadia down. The mad queen had predicted it
herself.

“Cidra will burn,” Haven
whispered.

“Cidra will remain whole as long as I live. Your betrayal will only hurt you,
Lady Queen
,” she mocked. “If you will betray me, then I have no use for you.” Suddenly Kadia turned to an adviser who entered the room in a hurry. “Fetch the sons of the nobles. If our young Haven will betray me, then I will make use of her before she is disposed of. She will bear me a child as a
replacement.”

Haven’s joy over Cidra’s fall suddenly faltered. “Kadia,” she began. “I don’t wish to marry. I don’t want
children!”

“Whether you like it or not, you will have a child for me.” Kadia’s glare was cold, indifferent. She turned back to her adviser. “Bring them to me, and I will choose one suitable to be with the little queen. If she won’t have him, then he will rape her until she becomes
pregnant.”

Kadia motioned her painted women from the room and fled after them. The door slammed behind her. Haven collapsed onto the edge of the bed, disbelieving what she had just heard. She sat in shock for several minutes before putting her clothes back on. Now that she was alone she fled to the corner of her room and sat on silk bedding. She couldn’t imagine an act crueler than rape. She could barely believe anyone would ever wish it on
another.

Lost in her own thoughts, Haven barely noticed when the door opened again. Several hours had passed and her limbs were sore from remaining in the same position. She didn’t look up until she saw legs at the edge of her bed. Haven started and pinned herself to the wall, suddenly aware that this was the worst vantage point she could have
imagined.

Staring back at her was a vacant eyed Lord. He was tall and quite handsome, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was muscular even under his fine clothing. “I am Lord Merick,” the man said, though he didn’t seem to see
her.

“Stay away from me,” Haven glared at
him.

“If you do not comply, I have my
orders.”

Haven tried to remain calm. Panic welled inside her chest, threatening to overwhelm
her.

“You will stay away from me. Do not touch me! That is my order as Queen of Rythern,” she said. The man crawled onto the bed in front of her. “I command you to stop! You will not touch me!” Haven shouted. He grabbed her ankle and yanked her to the middle of the bed. Before she could react, he had her pinned with his body and his lips were on her neck. Every touch sent another splinter of panic through her mind. She cried out and tried to move her arms, but he just pinned them down. She tried to move her legs, also held down under his
weight.