The Forsaken Throne (Kingfountain #6)

“She used magic on me,” Fallon said softly. “The power of the medallion that I showed you, the kystrel. The feelings she tempted me with were very real. Very powerful. It was like finding myself in a strange waking dream. I fell madly in love with her. Even though I knew nothing had changed between us. Even though I knew I was being manipulated. But the feelings were so powerful, so real.” He sighed. “I also knew she had the ability to watch me from afar. I played the role of besotted lover in front of my sister and even Drew.

Only after she gave the medallion to me and I refused to put it on did the magicked feelings truly begin to abate. But I’ll be honest, as I promised I would be. She has compromised me emotionally. When I drugged her with the nightshade and she revealed her full plans to me, part of me was deeply tempted to give her more of the poison . . . enough to kill her.” His voice was very low, very soft, and she could hear the turmoil in his words. “But I . . . I couldn’t. It would have been like stabbing myself in the heart. She has power over me. I had to escape, to run away. I cannot face her again, Trynne. I’m afraid of what I might do.” He fisted his hands on his lap. “I knew that she was intending to betray me. She revealed her plans, almost laughing at her mischief as she did so. She’s impersonating my sister. She was willing to murder my little niece to clear the way to the throne. She’s become the very monster we all feared she would be. The same kind of monster her father became. There is no longer any loyalty that binds her to anyone. Not even to me. I had hoped . . . whatever happened . . . that I could keep her from doing her worst, but she’s beyond help. Knowing all of this, I still could not hurt her.”

He sniffed and sighed again. There was hurt in the sound, the sound of a man betrayed by a friend. Trynne felt anguish for him and wished she could comfort him. She imagined herself holding him, stroking his hair, and whispering soothing words. Then she imagined him kissing her cheek in thanks, and her blood began to quicken with heat, hoping he would kiss her jaw, then her neck, then . . .

As heat radiated through her, she became aware that they were not alone on the hillock anymore. There had been no noise, not the cracking of twigs or the rustle of bushes, but she still sensed a presence—some force she could not see. There was almost a mewling sound, so high-pitched it was nearly lost in the sound of the wind. A feeling of dread and fear mounted inside her.

“Do you feel them?” Fallon whispered darkly.

Her skin crawled. It felt as if something catlike was nuzzling her back. She quickly sat up, and more thoughts crowded into her mind.

She loved Fallon. She always had. Her husband didn’t love her. He would never know. She would never tell.

“What are they?” Trynne asked, her voice quavering.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They started coming soon after we began talking. Maybe they were drawn by the kystrel in my pocket.”

She heard the scratching sound of his nails against the stubble on his throat. “They must feed on our emotions somehow. We should stop talking, or at least stop until daylight. Why don’t you go to sleep?”

“I’ll try,” Trynne whispered, shaking with horror at the feelings roiling inside her. The feelings were unnatural. They were forbidden.

After she lay back down, she reached out with her mind. With her magic, she could sense the presence of the unseen beings. She could sense the malevolence, the frustration that she and Fallon had become aware of them.

She had another thought, a memory of Fallon kissing her on the pinnacle of the tower in Dundrennan. The feelings intensified and she slammed her mind down, focusing on memories of her father. Of

playing Wizr with him and trying to outsmart him. Of her favorite berry pies from Ploemeur.

A hissing, angry feeling came from the presence around her.

Be gone, she thought, snapping the command with her mind.

The hissing sound grew worse. She continued to focus her thoughts, bringing back memories of the training yard and Captain Staeli. This was a different kind of battle. But it was a fight nonetheless.

She fell asleep, still hearing the angry purrs from the unseen monsters as they slowly withdrew and abandoned the hillock.

Fallon’s hand touched her back and then her shoulder and jostled her awake.

“It’s your turn,” he whispered through chattering teeth.

The night was black and cold and too dark to see anything. She could not make out Fallon at all.

“Thank you for waking me,” she said, rising quickly. Her feet were frozen and the temptation to linger under the blanket was intense, but he deserved a chance to rest.

“I’ll be honest, I did fall asleep a little,” he said with a chuckle.

“Those creatures have been prowling around us all night. They feed on feelings and influence thoughts. I’ve kept myself awake by debating with them. I tend to fall back on sarcasm, you know.”

“I hadn’t realized that,” Trynne said dryly. She rose and walked tentatively, moving higher up the hill.

“The ground is warmer where you were sleeping. Don’t mind if I borrow it, do you? Wake me at dawn. Pay attention to the direction the sun rises. According to the Wizr board, east is still our goal.”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

“I know you probably hadn’t, but it doesn’t hurt to be clear. Good night.”

“Sleep the best you can.”

Trynne walked around the oak at the top of the hillock a few times before settling down to wait out the night. There was so much to think about that she didn’t have trouble keeping herself awake until morning. The pale light of dawn revealed the thick fog layered over the moors. It was especially thick over the murky water, and it felt like they were on an island oasis amidst the deep gloom. When it was bright enough to see their surroundings, she decided to wake Fallon.

He was wrapped so tightly in the blanket and had burrowed so deeply in the dense debris of fallen leaves and twigs that she almost couldn’t find him. His mop of dark hair, tangled with fragments of undergrowth, was the only thing that stood out. She gripped his shoulder and rocked him slightly until his eyes fluttered open.

Trynne had always loved the gray-green color of his eyes, so similar to the foliage of trees. His brow wrinkled and he lifted his head. “You look as bad as I feel.”

“Thank you, gallant sir,” she said with a snort.

“But I feel astonishingly well.” He recovered quickly, grinning at her. They ate a quiet meal from their stores and then prepared for the journey, anxious to be away from the dreadful place. As they continued to march through the muck and rugged terrain, the sound of dogs howling grew more and more distant—and it had completely disappeared by midday. The insects were constantly nagging at them, which only gave Trynne and Fallon more determination to escape the confinement of the woods. They stopped several times during the day to check the Wizr board and make sure they were still headed in the right general direction.

They encountered an abandoned cottage in late afternoon. The door was broken open and the insides had obviously been derelict for many months. While there was nothing to eat in the larder, there was a well from which they drew some fresh water to refill their flasks, and Trynne was lucky enough to find a small herb garden that had been left untended. They harvested some greens, which were sour tasting but fresh, and they took some onions to eat later in case there was a shortage of food.

“Look over there. Those are berry vines,” Fallon said eagerly.

The sight of the overgrown trellises gave her a pang of homesickness—no place had berries quite so fine as Brythonica.

After searching through the leaves, they spied some unclaimed fruit.

“What kind are these?” Fallon asked, carefully plucking one and plopping it into his mouth. He thought for a moment. “A bit tart, but edible. Here, try one.” He pulled another and handed it to her.

She examined the small pink fruit made of little sacs of juice.