I shoot a quick glance at Lincoln. His face is unreadable as he soaks in the scene. Future king for all the ages? Thanks for laying that load on his back.
“We could adopt a child,” says Connor quietly.
“Let’s be honest. How many children would you have to adopt to get what Sakura could guarantee? One? A hundred? I’m offering you a way to ensure the monarchy stays in good hands. Isn’t that worth something?”
Connor stares at the rock wall. “Let’s say I even consider this, which I’m not. What would you want in exchange?”
I suck in a short gasp. Asking what the child would cost? That means the poor dumb jerk is definitely considering it.
Aldred puffs up his chest. “All I want is a guarantee that our children would wed.”
“I’m never marrying off a child of mine to your spawn.”
“But you do want a strong heir. Think about it. A strong king can rule alone. Our children barely have to speak to each other.” He leans half-way over the ledge. “Look, I’m offering you a golden opportunity for a solid legacy. How many kings have fretted that even the sweetest child would turn sour? You won’t have to worry about that. You’ll know Antrum is safe.”
Aldred braces his left hand on the cliff’s edge. With his right, he reaches to Connor. “You and I, we run the two greatest houses in Antrum. Our children will wed. Your boy will love fighting and war, like any thrax. What will he care for love when there are armies to lead? And you’ll raise him that way, too, won’t you? A true thrax. A great king. Bring him into the world. Take my hand.”
I want to scream, weep, even kick his sorry ass down the cliff-side. Don’t do it, Connor.
“You’re a rotten pile of demon dung. You know that, Aldred?”
“Clearly. But do we have a deal?” Aldred stretches his arm lower.
“We have something to discuss, perhaps.”
“A discussion is always a good start,” says Aldred. “Sakura will arrive any second to answer your questions.”
Connor stares at Aldred’s hand for a long minute, then he takes it.
My heart cracks. Turn away, Connor.
Aldred quickly hauls Connor up to the safety of the jungle floor. I gaze between the two of them, trying to process what I’ve seen. So, this is how it happened. Connor became Aldred’s puppet in exchange for a strong king to take over Antrum. I look over to Lincoln. The same bewilderment I feel now shows on his face as well.
“Excellent,” declares Aldred. “Now, all we need is Sakura.” The figure steps out of a dense line of trees. “And here she is.”
A younger version of Sakura moves to stand beside Aldred and Connor. The biggest difference I can see between the old and young blood witch is that the current model has a bluish tinge to her skin. She clearly needs to feed.
“I greet you, Earl of Acca.” The young Sakura bows to Connor. “And you as well, King of the Thrax.”
Connor glares at her for all he’s worth. “You’re a traitor.”
“I never promised to keep your secret, only to discover the truth behind Octavia’s barren state. You should’ve known better than to seek my help. I am a blood witch, after all. The only blood witch, now, thanks to you. Without you as motivation, Aldred wouldn’t have helped me kill off my brethren and gain ultimate power.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“And your mind is easy to read.” Sakura taps Connor’s forehead with her pointer finger. “I saw it clearly when you came for my advice about Octavia. You worry that there will be another weak ruler, another Aethelwulf, and that the thrax won’t survive this time.”
Connor visibly shivers. “My grandfather, Ryder, took me with him to bury the dead from Aethelwulf’s wars. There were whole thrax cities that were nothing but rotting skeletons. People starved or asphyxiated. We’d bury the corpses and then seal off the cave.” His voice shakes with grief. “Ryder wouldn’t let anyone else oversee the work. He saw it as part of his responsibility as king.”
Sakura takes a few shuffling steps closer to Connor. “Aethelwulf started off as such a good king, too.”
“That’s the truth,” says Connor. “But you never know how someone will react to power.”
“I do,” says Sakura sweetly. “You’ll have a child who will be a strong ruler. As good a king as Ryder, maybe better.”
“My Grandfather was the greatest of the thrax. He founded the House of Rixa with Aquila.”
“Then honor him with a child suited to his legacy. Doesn’t he deserve that? Don’t you?”
Connor stares at the ground for a long time before speaking again. “Yes, I’ll do it.”
“Excellent!” Aldred rubs his palms together. “Now, I’d like to talk about the guarantee regarding our children’s marriage.”