Chapter Nine

Next on our journey came Riversedge Waterfall. Because it was a sunny day, the pool at the bottom of the waterfall was already busy with children who’d escaped their chores – or done them early and quickly. I smiled, remembering summer days with Essa when we’d come here. It was a good place for the two villages to meet and mingle. And for the children to let off steam.

I shivered, because jumping off the outcropping halfway up the waterfall was as popular as ever. Essa had loved jumping through the sheet of water to the pool beyond. I’d only done it once – not willingly – and I’d been terrified the whole time.

“Hey, the kids here know how to have fun!” Fon jumped down from his horse’s back before he’d even finished his sentence. He’d kicked off his boots and discarded his shirt by the time I’d swung down from Windspeed’s saddle and grabbed both sets of reins.

“I guess here’s a good place to stop and eat,” Rey said, dropping to the ground and turning to unfasten his saddlebags. I smiled. I would think he was making the best of the situation, but I was sure Rey had been desperate to eat since about ten minutes after he’d finished his last meal.

We tied up all the horses and ensured they had water. Then I found a quiet spot on the edge of the pool where I could dangle my feet into the water. Rey sat beside me. Fon hollered a cry and jumped through the waterfall, arms and legs flailing as he dropped to the pool below. The children in the water leaped to the sides, squealing, as he crashed into the middle, a huge wave splashing up around him.

“We should have stopped him going in,” I said, pulling off my stockings and slipping my bare feet into the water with a sigh of pleasure. “He’s a bad influence on the children.” Although, they were behaving as though they’d found a kindred spirit. I supposed Fon made a change from adults telling them to stop and do something safer – or go back home.

I glanced around, realising that Axxon and Vashri were sitting in the shelter of the trees, close to the horses. I waved them closer. Vashri saw me but shook his head. I frowned. Rey offered me a slice of pie from his rucksack. “Thank you. I don’t know what’s up with Axxon and Vashri. They’re acting like they’re allergic to sunshine. Or water.”

Rey glanced that way, then turned back to me. He had to swallow his mouthful of food, then said, “They’re giving me some space.”

“What?” I craned back again. The two kings were talking together now, hunkered down amongst the roots of one of the trees. I looked at Rey, concerned. “Space for what?”

He cleared his throat and glanced at the pie in his hand. It must be serious if he needed to talk before he could eat. “We want to get to know you, Kyann. And we hope you want to get to know us.”

“Yes. Of course I do.” My heart jumped. They understood my dilemma – and they wanted to give me a chance to make a decision, without pressuring me.

“That is – each of us as a man, and not just as the interchangeable four kings.”

“I don’t see you as interchangeable!” I protested.

“That’s good.” His lips quirked. I wanted to press a kiss to them. I wanted to press the whole of me against him. Heat filled my face and I looked away. Rey had the advantage over the other kings – I already knew how it felt to be kissed by him. And I wanted more. But if my crush on Rey was becoming a stronger emotion, if I was falling in love with him, why wasn’t my crush on the others lessening? I knew I could just as easily throw myself at Vashri, or Axxon, or Fon – when he dried out. My gaze found him, having a splash fight with one of the other children. Water ran down the smooth planes of his chest. I swallowed. He wouldn’t even need to dry out first, actually.

My cheeks burned. I was sitting with Rey, remembering his kiss, and lusting after Fon. There had to be something wrong with that. “Have you ever been in love?” I asked Rey, glumly. It was more trouble than it was worth, from what I could make out.

“I thought I was in love. Once.”

Jealousy spiked in me, hot and strong. I watched his face, tracking each emotion.

“She was a slave, and she showed me how to use my magic. She’d been captured in a raid.” He caught my expression. “It was a different time then, Kyann. And she wasn’t treated brutally. Well, not at the start. Slaves were just … our servants. And we all knew we were only a raid away from becoming slaves ourselves. That’s what life was like.” He huffed a sigh. “I wouldn’t have been a slave. I was the king’s son. I’d have been ransomed.”

“What happened?” My focus was on Rey, my food forgotten.

“Magic wasn’t common in the four kingdoms then. It was only ever used by priests and priestesses, for the glory of the goddess. Or that’s how it was amongst my people. It was only when I met Nye that I realised that wasn’t the case for everyone. Nye showed me that anyone could use magic with a little practise and guidance. You didn’t need to be especially blessed by the goddess as we believed.”

Fon jumped again with a roar of delight. Rey stared silently into the heart of the waterfall, as though he could see his earlier life drawn in the water.

“My father executed her when a priest tried to recruit her to serve the goddess. He wasn’t prepared to lose any prize, no matter how insignificant.”

I wanted to touch him, to push my fingers between his and hug him to me. But I didn’t dare touch him in case I broke the self-control I could see was keeping him rigid.

“He dangled his approval, and then slit her throat.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “That’s when I knew the kingdoms had to change. When the priest offered to take me in her place I didn’t even need to think about it.”

“I’m sorry for her death,” I said quietly. “It must have been hard to lose her.”

Rey sighed again and faced me. “It was. And yet, there could be no future to it – a prince and a slave, it wouldn’t have been allowed. She meant a great deal to me, but now I don’t think it was love. A trace of infatuation, perhaps. And awe at the power she had.” His shoulder twitched. “Now I can see that she gave her life for peace. The four kingdoms would never have joined together without the actions of all those who died. She wanted peace. We all did.” He gave a brief smile. “And now we have it.”

“And we’ll keep it safe. We’ll keep the whole of Charnrosa safe.” I did touch him then, my hand covering his. “The academy will ensure that magic is shared, not hoarded by one group only.”

Rey smiled and squeezed my hand. “I know.” His free hand lifted to stroke my cheek. “I look forward to spending the rest of my life working by your side, Kyann. You’re a very special woman. We couldn’t hope for a better person to be our guardian.”

My heart beat hard. I wanted to ask Rey whether he wanted more than just to work together. But my confused feelings jammed in my head and made the words tangle in my mouth. What if he said no? What if he said yes?

His fingers brushed over my cheekbones, setting my skin alight. “You might not like the term, but in my heart you’re the Empress, Kyann. There is no one above you, and not even anyone your equal.”

My breath caught, but my discomfort at being praised so highly made me babble. “Empress is too similar to the Emperor, and no one needs to be reminded of him.”

Rey smiled, genuine amusement tugging at one side of his mouth. My gaze snagged on his lips. “No one could look at you and think of the Emperor, Kyann, I promise you that.” He leaned closer and my heart stuttered. “When I’m with you, I can think of no one but you,” he whispered, a moment before his lips covered mine.

Rey was warmth and stillness and security. I opened my mouth and our tongues stroked together. Emotion flooded me, tightening my heart. I loved this man. It wasn’t a crush, it was far more than that. I uttered a noise in my throat and pressed closer. My breasts pressed against his chest and I sighed in pleasure.

Rey was the one to end our kisses five minutes later. I murmured disappointment. He smiled and stroked my hair back from my face. “Ah, Kyann.”

My heart jumped. I couldn’t read his tone. Ah, Kyann what?

Before I could ask what he meant, Rey braced back on his arms to take in the view. “This was a part of my kingdom. I’m pleased to see some things haven’t changed.”

I leaned against his shoulder, pleased that he didn’t move away. The pool was as noisy as before. Fon was climbing to the jumping-off spot once more. “What was it like when you were young? Did kids jump off the waterfall then?”

Rey shook his head, frowning. “The only time we came this far downriver was when we were on a raid. My village was upriver. The waterfall was home of the Perron tribe.” He sighed. “And I was son of the king. I was never allowed to do something as frivolous as mess about in a river.”

He shook off his melancholy. “Charnrosa is better now. We were divided before the goddess interfered. I like it better now.” He turned with a smile. “And I can look forward to the future.”

He reached for my hand, his grey eyes warm on my face. “A future with you, I hope, Kyann.”

Emotion bubbled through me, but it was so twisted with confusion I didn’t know what to say. The moment stretched. “I hope so,” I managed. “We’ll both be busy with the academy.”

“The academy, yes.” Rey kept hold of my hand, but he looked out to the rushing water.

I tried to enjoy the feeling of his warm fingers between mine and fought the knowledge that my dismissive words might have just destroyed what could have grown between us.