The Heir (8 page)

Baylin grabbed Cadman by the cuff of his
tunic. “You do not speak of Luana. You remove her from your
thoughts and do not dare speak of her again. You are a vile
monster.”

“That’s no way to speak to your cherished
uncle.” Cadman glared at Baylin. “You must realize I have been
helping your father arrange this since you were a mere boy.”

Baylin loosened his grip on Cadman’s tunic
as he took in the words. “What do you speak of?”

“Your future, of course,” Cadman said
through crooked teeth. “Or rather, the long task of planning
it.”

“Why would Father entrust you with an
undertaking like the joining of the Kingdoms? Those arrangements
are made in the strictest confidence between the Kings of each
house.”

“My dear nephew,” Cadman’s tone was heavy
with false affection. “Your father was far too busy ruling the
Kingdom for matters such as betrothal. He knew I thought of you as
my own son, after all. So, in a way, this happy arrangement has
been in my hands all along.”

Baylin slammed Cadman against the cold stone
wall. “You are a viper. I need only crush you beneath my boot to
rid the world of your vile presence.”

His uncle laughed. “But you can’t, can you?
Your father, my older brother, he would never forgive you, would
he?”

Baylin clenched his teeth and shoved his
uncle back down the hall away from him. “There will come a time
when he sees you for what you really are. And I will be there,
smiling down at you.”

For the first time, Baylin saw fear flash
across his uncle’s face. This pleased Baylin. He turned and headed
to his chamber.

When he arrived, he found Luana watching the
setting sun through the window.
Her beauty still takes my breath
away.
She turned at the sound of him; her eyes were red and her
cheeks were tear-stained.

He crossed the room to her quickly. “What is
it?”

“Do you really have to ask that?” she
retorted. “You announce you are leaving into battle and your first
instinct is to see Princess Isla to her chamber?”

“I had to do what was right by her.” Baylin
tried to pull Luana into his arms. “I had to reconcile the two of
you.”

Luana pushed away from Baylin, causing him
to take a step back. “Reconcile? How exactly did you reconcile it?
She attacked me and you gave her the affection!”

He sighed. “I don’t want to argue with you.
I leave at first light and I do not wish to have our last night
together filled with fighting.”

“Neither do I,” Luana replied. “It’s just
that woman is so vile…”

“She is still royalty,” Baylin replied. “The
law requires she be respected. What were you thinking by treating
her in such a way?”

“What do you mean?” Luana asked. “I wasn’t
thinking anything. She showed up here, uninvited, pretending she
cared to know me and then turned on me.” Luana gave Baylin a
wounded look. “You obviously care about her more than you have let
on. You trust her over me.”

“She said you threatened her,” Baylin said
grimly. “It could be considered treason if she presses. I’m trying
to protect you.”

“I didn’t… she’s lying,” Luana muttered,
hurt.

“It’s not like Isla to lie,” Baylin
defended.

“But I am?” Luana spat.

“Of course not,” Baylin defended. “But
obviously someone is lying.”

Luana screamed at him, wringing her hands in
the air. “By someone, you are referring to me. After all, your
precious Isla would never lie to you.”

Baylin realized how his words had sounded.
“No, not at all. I simply don’t understand why she would lie.”

Luana shook her head, gritting her teeth.
“She lies because she wants to drive us apart. She lies because she
knows you do not want to marry her. She lies because I love you and
that worries her. The problem is you are too blinded by her beauty
to see it!”

Baylin stepped forward, cupping Luana’s chin
and bringing her eyes to his. “If I have been blinded, it is due to
your own beauty. When you are with me, I can see nothing but
you.”

“No.” Luana jerked away from him. “You
cannot fix this with charm, by pushing it under the rug. You need
to see her for what she truly is.”

Baylin groaned, frustrated. “I understand
why you do not like Isla, I do. But if you could only know her as I
do…”

“You defend her?” Luana accused, glaring at
him. “Still?”

“No… Yes… It’s just…” Baylin grasped at what
words to say that would end the argument. He was frustrated,
confused and hurt by the whole situation.

“You’re just like the King,” Luana said in a
wounded tone. “You’re as blind as he is.”

Baylin looked at Luana, irritated. “What do
you mean by that?”

“You scold him for not seeing Lord Cadman
for what he is,” Luana murmured. “Yet you allow a veil to be pulled
over your eyes to the Princess’s cruelty and manipulative
behavior.”

Baylin’s face softened, taking in the depth
of Luana’s words.

“I do not wish to fight with you,” Luana
continued. “I love you, even with your foolish affection for the
Princess. But I will not be accused of something I did not do.”

Baylin pulled Luana into his arms. “I am
sorry to have caused you pain. You must know my greatest desire is
only to bring you happiness.”

Baylin breathed in deep, taking in the sweet
smell of Luana. He wanted to memorize it so it would be with him
always. He could feel Luana relax in his arms and he gave a deep
sigh, feeling the heat of their quarrel passing.

When they broke their embrace, Luana gave
him a worried look. “So it is true then? You are going to war?”

Baylin dropped his eyes. “Yes. We leave in
the morning.”

“For how long?” Luana’s eyes threatened more
tears.

He took Luana by the hand and led her to the
settee, sitting next to her. “Hopefully not long, but these things
are not clear until we are in the heart of the battle. Right now,
with the amount of men we have, we should be able to clear the
troll hordes out of Mirstone in a matter of weeks. However, we will
have to stay long enough to re-establish order within the villages.
King Gideon was careless. He should have never left his
people.”

She took Baylin’s hands in her own. “I know
you feel it is your responsibility to set a good example and defend
them, but your duty is to Grasmere, not Mirstone. You are needed
here.”

Baylin jerked his hands from hers. “Not you
too.”

She sucked in a breath and gave him a
wide-eyed look. “I love you. Do you think I would rejoice at your
life being in danger?”

“I will not be in danger,” Baylin boomed,
standing to his feet.
She doesn’t understand. I must do this if
I am to prove I am ready to be a leader, to be a King. Once I am
King, I can choose who I wish to marry.

She stood beside him, worry written all over
her face. “You cannot be sure. Baylin, I love you.” She took his
hand and placed it on her stomach. “Your son deserves to know his
father. You cannot guarantee that if you go to war.”

“You must trust me, my love.” Baylin turned
his sad gaze on Luana. “I must do this.”

“Trust you? As you have trusted me? Trust
must be earned; it is not something that is given.” Tears rolled
down her cheeks. The sight of them broke his heart.

He tried to pull her into his arms, but she
pushed away. “Do not touch me.” Her heated words cut deep.

“Luana, please,” he pleaded, trying to coax
her into an embrace.

“No!” she cried. “This is about Isla, isn’t
it? It has something to do with earning the right to marry
her.”

“Isla?” Baylin was confused. He reached for
Luana. “This has nothing to do with her.”

“It has everything to do with her!” Luana
screamed, pushing hard against his chest. “She said it herself—once
you have saved Mirstone of the trolls, you are to be married.”

Baylin’s mouth dropped open. “I… She…”
Baylin tried to find words, but they wouldn’t come.
Isla must
have told her because only her family and mine know of the
arrangement.

“She was telling the truth for once, wasn’t
she?” Luana said with disbelief on her face. “You are going to
marry her when you return.”

“Luana.” Baylin searched her face, trying to
find the proper words. He reached out for her hand, but she pulled
it away, turning her back on him.

They stood there in silence. The Prince
didn’t know what to say to fix the hurt she was feeling.
If she
would only see that I will never have to marry Isla. Once this is
done, things will be different.

Reaching out, he gently touched her
shoulder. “My love, you must see reason.”

She turned to him, tears in her eyes and
venom in her words. “I hope you don’t come back.”

The words cut straight to his heart. “You
don’t mean that.”

“Oh, don’t I?” Luana screamed, her eyes
wide. “I will not stand by and watch you marry another. I will not
suffer the indignity of you allowing her to cast me out of the
castle. Why don’t you throw me back into the village now? At least
then I will not be a prisoner.”

“I have told you, I won’t let that happen,”
Baylin said, reaching out for her. She slapped his hand away,
refusing his touch.

“Go,” she whispered, turning her back to him
again.

Baylin was wounded and broken. He walked
slowly to the door then turned to her. She stared at him with
resentment and anger across her face.

“I love you, Luana,” he muttered.
And I
know you still love me.

I hope you don’t come back.
The words
turned to ash in Luana’s mouth the instant she said them. They
haunted her night and day for nearly two months while she waited
for Baylin’s return.

It had been a month since she heard whisper
of any news on Baylin on the battlefield. Luana could not take
waiting in never-ending silence. She had attempted to send word to
him, but the handmaids insisted it was forbidden to allow her any
contact outside of the castle, even for Prince Baylin. Her most
loyal maid, Meg, informed her that Lord Cadman’s lackeys watched
them to ensure she could not get word out of the castle.

Winter in Grasmere appeared to have finally
passed and spring grew thick in the Kingdom. The days were mild and
warm, filling the air with the sound of birds and the smell of
newly bloomed flowers. Luana, though still confined to her chamber,
took comfort in the sun as she stood on the large balcony.

She paced along the edge of the balcony
rail, causing her shadow to dance in ripples as it reflected down
on the polished stone floor. She stopped, setting her gaze to the
southwest.
He’s out there. Somewhere. What if he never returns?
I cannot let those words be the last that pass between us. I must
get word to him.

Luana hurried into the room and sat down at
her small writing desk, pulling out parchment and quill.

Baylin, my love,

I have not received word for nearly a month.
My thoughts betray me, and I fear the worst even when my heart
hopes for your safety.

My words when we last spoke were harsh and
malicious. I do not have the right to ask for your forgiveness.
However, please know that I love you and would gladly give you up
to the Princess, or anyone, to be able to see your face again.

Please, you must make it back safely. I
would have you see your son take his first breath in this world. He
will need his father.

I love you.

Luana

Tears flowed down her face while she folded
the letter carefully. She reached for a small metal bowl warming
over a candle and sealed the letter by steadily pouring a tiny pool
of melted blue wax over the folded paper. Her heart tore but her
words rang true.
I would happily see him torn from my arms as
long as he was safe and happy.
She took a metal stamp that
featured the beautiful diamond of Grasmere.
Baylin’s royal
crest.
She pressed it firmly into the hot wax before it had
time to cool. She lifted the stamp, revealing the impression it
left behind. She wiped away the tears clinging to her cheek.
I
must get this to him; gods help me, there must be a way.

Luana, lost in thought, jumped at the sound
of a knock at the chamber door. She crossed the room slowly. Her
belly had begun to swell as her child grew, and she found the extra
weight uncomfortable. She opened the door, discovering Queen
Valasca on the other side.

“Your Grace!” Luana greeted with wide-eyed
surprise. She attempted an unbalanced curtsey.

“Luana, dear,” the Queen said, reaching out
to balance her. “You need not bow in your condition. Please, may I
come and sit with you?”

The Queen has never been to the
chambers
. Luana was not sure if she should feel flattered or
worried at this unexpected visit. “My Queen, of course, you honor
me. Do you come with news of Bay… I mean, of His Grace, the
Prince?”

Valasca smiled at her warmly, entering the
room. “No, dearest, there has been no news as of late. I’m sure
things are fine.”

“How fares the King, Your Grace?” Luana
inquired, shutting the door behind her. She received word the King
still struggled to recover from his illness, and the stress of
knowing his Kingdom was at war resulted in leaving him
bedridden.

“He suffers, my dear.” The Queen forced a
painful smile. “The sooner this war is over, the better he will
be.” She crossed the room and seated herself on the cushioned
settee, motioning for Luana to join her. When the young bed wife
sat down beside her, the Queen put a hand on the girl’s knee. “My
dear, how are you feeling?”

“As well as can be expected, I suppose,”
Luana said. “I know I would be much happier if the Prince were
here.”

Valasca patted Luana’s hand. “I know,
dearest. You truly do love him, don’t you?”