CHAPTER EIGHT
Phaelenx
“My, that was something!” Brenna said, placing a large platter of roasted meat in front of Phaelenx. “I could barely breathe!”
Phaelenx nodded. He stared at the meat, trying to summon an appetite. He still felt weak and shaky.
“Thank you, Brenna,” Phaelenx said in a shaky voice. “I appreciate it very much.”
Brenna smiled and nodded, but Phaelenx could tell there was something different about her. Her smile seemed forced and unhappy.
“I am sorry, that must have been very stressful to witness,” Phaelenx said. He took a deep breath. “I was not aware of the Tigers until they were released.”
“Savages,” Brenna said softly. She put a hand on Phaelenx’s shoulder and squeezed. “But you are alive, and that is what counts.”
“And tomorrow it will be back to the shipyard,” Phaelenx said sarcastically. “Just another day of being a hero.”
“Phaelenx, at least you will be safe,” Brenna said sternly. “You cannot keep fighting, you nearly died!”
“I am well aware,” Phaelenx said drily. He stared down at the meat before sopping up a bit of gravy with a hunk of bread. The food tasted like ash in his mouth, but he forced down a few bites before pushing his plate forward and closing his eyes.
A knock on the door startled Phaelenx and he jumped.
“I will get it,” Brenna said.
Phaelenx leaped to his feet. “No,” he said. More than ever, he hoped it would be Selene. He had seen her, up in the royal box, looking distressed during the fight. He hated that she had been there – somehow, it had made the thought of dying truly frightening for the first time in Phaelenx’s life.
Phaelenx pulled the door open and saw Selene, standing there with her cloak in her arms. Her face was frozen in a mask of fear and unhappiness.
“Come in,” Phaelenx said quickly, putting an arm around Selene and bringing her inside. “Why have you come?”
Selene threw her arms around Phaelenx in a surprising display of affection. After a moment, he buried his face in her neck.
“I thought you were going to die,” Selene said solemnly, pulling away. A single tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away with one finger.
“I did not, I am pleased to say,” Phaelenx said lamely.
Selene laughed nervously. “I have just left my family,” she said softly. “May we speak privately?”
Phaelenx led Serene up the ladder and into his loft. Thankfully, this time there were no sidelong glances from Brenna.
“What is it?”
Selene pulled a flask from the folds of her robes and drank greedily, wiping her chin and passing it to Phaelenx. He took a long swallow, recognizing it as the same-aged whiskey she had brought down to the docks, months ago.
“Sorry,” Selene said. She swallowed. “I needed that.”
“Selene, what is it? What’s happened?”
“My brother,” Selene said, shaking her head. “He and Taryn…there is talk of using the fleet of ships, to sail around the world, and gain knowledge!”
Phaelenx frowned.
“And what’s worse, I had a dream after the ceremony,” Selene continued, tossing her long hair over one shoulder. “I went home to lie down and clear my head, and I had an awful dream. Taryn is pretending to be someone else, Phaelenx. She’s really…” Selene trailed off. “This sounds stupid,” she added lamely.
“Tell me,” Phaelenx said.
Selene took a deep breath. “I had a dream that Taryn is an evil sorceress, from Glasule, in disguise,” she said quietly. “And now I know it to be true – they must be one in the same, and she has bewitched my family and the entire kingdom!”
Phaelenx frowned. “Selene, it was just a dream,” he said slowly. “You do not know anything to be true at the moment.”
Selene’s jaw dropped. “What, you do not believe me?” Her face turned angry and haughty. “Phaelenx, I swear, this is the truth!”
“It is not that I do not believe you,” Phaelenx said quickly. “But perhaps, have you considered – something else, something very wrong might be occurring? Perhaps the disguise is a ruse – perhaps the ships will be used for far more nefarious purposes than exploring.”
Selene stared at Phaelenx for a moment before getting to her feet.
“I knew you wouldn’t understand,” Selene said hotly. Her blue eyes flashed with anger.
“Selene, do not—“
“Shut your mouth,” Selene said angrily. “I cannot talk to anyone!”
Selene climbed down the ladder at rapid speed. By the time Phaelenx was in the kitchen, she had gone.
Brenna stood there, looking confused. “What happened? Did the two of you have a row?”
Phaelenx groaned. He felt confused and somehow blindsided, yet still like he was at fault.
“I do not know,” Phaelenx said slowly. He frowned.
“Women are hot-tempered creatures,” Brenna said kindly. “I am sure she will come around. I have seen how she looks at you, Phaelenx.”
Phaelenx narrowed his eyes. “It does not matter,” he said darkly. “I could never make someone like her happy.”
Phaelenx tried convincing himself that Selene was better off without a man like him in her life, but the more he thought about her, the worse he felt. Perhaps she had been right – and Phaelenx knew he had been in the wrong for not immediately believing her. But he was stressed and tired from the long fight and the match with the Tigers, and he realized that even if he managed to find Selene, he would have no idea how to apologize.
The next day, Phaelenx woke up at dawn and went down to the docks. To his surprise, Commander Aerdan was there, seated atop an enormous stallion.
Phaelenx bent down in a bow. His knees creaked painfully, but he stayed in the respectful position until Aerdan told him to relax.
“There is no work to be done today,” Aerdan said. His voice sounded distant, far-away. “There will be an important announcement at the castle.”
Phaelenx’s heart sank. What now, he thought. Suddenly, a horrible thought came to his mind – what if the announcement had to do with Selene?
What if it was an announcement of her betrothal?
“Well, move,” Aerdan said, tossing his head arrogantly in the air. “You’ll be late.”
Aerdan kicked his heels into the sides of his horse, galloping off and leaving Phaelenx in a cloud of dust.
With a heavy heart, Phaelenx trudged to the top of the green hill and entered the castle gates. A huge crowd was gathered, waiting silently in anticipation. Phaelenx looked around for Selene, but he couldn’t make out her slight figure over the tall warriors. He found Brutus and pushed his way through the crowd.
“What is going on,” Phaelenx hissed. “Why are we here, and not working?”
Brutus shrugged. “Speak for yourself, I am relieved to have a day off,” he said, whistling jauntily and hooking his thumbs in his breeches.
Phaelenx didn’t have time to reply. A loud trumpet sounded, and everyone looked up to see the beautiful Queen Zornaya step out onto her balcony. She smiled serenely at her subjects.
Not quite so peaceful when I was about to be torn apart by beasts, Phaelenx thought bitterly. But now the attention is back on you.
“Good people of Zheka,” Zornaya said loudly, projecting her voice over the gathered crowd. “I thank each and every one of you for attending this meeting.”
There was a ripple of applause through the crowd.
“Zheka will be going to war,” Zornaya continued. “We will take to our new navy, courtesy of our wonderful warriors, and attack Nasenia, the land to the south.”
Phaelenx felt like someone had punched him square in the jaw. He glanced around, expecting surprise and shock on the faces of the other warriors. But they looked calm – happy, even.
“Nasenia is in the grip of a terrible plague, and their resources are nearly depleted,” the queen continued in a serene voice that was filled with power. “And they will be unable to fight back. It shall be an easy acquisition for Zheka.”
Queen Zornaya smiled. A few moments later, a deafening applause broke out in the crowd. Brutus elbowed Phaelenx and glared until Phaelenx reluctantly put his hands together and clapped.
“How exciting,” Brutus said. “I have always dreamed of going to war, haven’t you?”
“No,” Phaelenx said, shaking his head. Suddenly, Selene’s words came rushing back to him and he closed his eyes and groaned. “I have never dreamed of going to war.”
Brutus cocked his head to the side and gave Phaelenx an odd look. “Phaelenx, this will be a triumph for you! You will go down in history as the most powerful man in the world!”
Phaelenx felt empty inside. “Yes,” he said hollowly. “I am sure that is exactly how things will go.”
Unwilling to hear anymore, Phaelenx pushed his way through the crowd. He had barely made it over the drawbridge when a slight figure threw herself into his arms.
“Phaelenx!” Selene cried. Her face was streaked with tears and she buried it in Phaelenx’s rough tunic. “I cannot believe it!”
Phaelenx put his arms around Selene and held her tightly.
Selene pulled away and tilted her head up, looking deeply into his eyes.
“You must help me,” Selene said. “You must try, everyone else has lost their minds! They seem to think this is a good idea!”
Phaelenx took both of Selene’s hands in his own and squeezed. “They have lost their minds,” he echoed. “Selene, I am so sorry – I should have believed you. Please, forgive me.”
Selene stared at Phaelenx for a long moment before giving a brief nod of her head. “Yes,” she said softly. “I forgive you. But please, you must promise to help me, you cannot let this madness continue!”
Phaelenx dipped his head and planted a gentle kiss on Selene’s lips.
“I promise, I will try,” he said in a low, husky voice. “I will do anything for you.”
As Selene melted in his arms, Phaelenx could do nothing but pray to the gods that they would allow him to keep his promise to the woman he loved.