CHAPTER 9
G aetan placed his hand against the door’s polished wood. The cool, smooth surface brought back memories of the many times he’d entered the king’s throne room and the discussions he’d had with Noeh. Never again. The weight on his shoulders bore down on him, plagued by a guilt he more than deserved.
Voices, heated and rough, penetrated through the crack under the doorframe.
He was late.
With more force than he’d intended, he pushed away from the door. His weight shifted onto his bad leg. Perspiration beaded along his brow. He held his breath as the pain crested then receded. Fingers trembling, he drew his pouch from his pocket, shook out a pill, and popped it into his mouth. The shaking in his hand lessened.
He pulled on his inner resolve and rapped his knuckles against the rough, wooden grain. The double doors swung open. Jax, Noeh’s personal assistant, peered up at him. His short, curly hair framed his cherub cheeks and his blue eyes were rimmed red from tears.
“Ooh, Gaetan, yes, yes, please enter. You are expected. Yes, you are.” The little Jixie motioned toward a chair. “I saved this seat for you, I did, I did.”
Gaetan cleared his throat then stepped across the threshold, his cane leading the way. He settled into the worn, familiar seat. Tense quiet filled the room. The hair at his nape rose.
Saar and Kaelyn stood in the center of the room, tension tightening their features. Demir leaned against Noeh’s desk, Aramie at his side. Tanen and a few council members sat in the limited number of chairs. Quentin and several other warriors lined the edges of the room, a couple standing next to the carved statues of warriors from long ago, the resemblance uncanny.
Against the far wall, the king’s throne and the queen’s chair were eerily empty.
Guilt, familiar, yet unwelcome, settled deeper into Gaetan. He forced himself to breathe and focused on Saar.
“Now that we are all here, let’s get down to business. Since Noeh and Melissa are gone,” Saar’s intense gaze flicked to Gaetan, “we need to crown a temporary leader, at least until we find Anlon. I recommend Kaelyn. As the Ursus queen, she should rule.”
Collective gasps erupted from the group. Silence expanded in the room, deafening in its stillness.
Someone coughed.
Saar’s brow furrowed. A low growl eased from his throat.
Kaelyn raised her chin. “Do you hesitate because I’m female?”
One of the council members, Skylar, cleared his throat. “No, it’s because you aren’t Stiyaha.”
A tittering of voices in agreement filled the large space.
Irritation flared along Gaetan’s nerves. Whether Kaelyn was Ursus or Stiyaha shouldn’t matter. Royalty was in her blood. Gaetan opened his mouth to voice his thoughts, but caught Skylar’s disapproving gaze. The male tugged at his collar then glanced away, his lip curling with distaste.
Over the hundreds of years Gaetan had lived in the Keep, he’d earned respect from the Keep’s residents. To see the blatant disregard in a male he’d known for so long was unbearable. A soul-wrenching ache built in Gaetan’s chest. He adjusted himself in the chair and leaned against his cane, using the crutch for more than just his leg.
Tanen closed the book on his lap. The sound echoed around the room. “Why not you, Saar? You are our finest warrior and our Commander of Arms.”
“I cannot sit here.” Saar pointed at Noeh’s throne. “For generations we’ve honored the royal family. Alora has made it clear she expects only royal blood to rule.”
Demir cleared his throat. “Good thing I’m not royalty or my ass would be in that throne.”
“Demir!” Aramie nudged him and shook her head.
He shrugged. “From what I can tell, Kaelyn did a fabulous job calming everyone when the news of Noeh’s and Melissa’s deaths broke. Her ability to rally the troops proves her leadership ability. I, for one, support the recommendation.”
Uncertainty cloaked the room like a heavy mist. Council members and warriors glanced at each other. Now was Gaetan’s opportunity.
He tapped his cane against the stone floor, drawing attention to himself. “Kaelyn is Saar’s mate. Noeh trusted Saar more than anyone in the Keep.” Gaetan’s throat constricted, and he had to stop, swallow the bitterness in his mouth. Once he’d shared that revered place with the Commander of Arms. “If Saar believes Kaelyn should be our leader, then I support him and her.”
Kaelyn nodded at Gaetan, determination glinting in her eyes. “My father and mother, King Arbane and Queen Entrania, taught me through example of what it means to rule. If you choose to accept me, I will lay down my life for each and every one of you. I vow it.”
Saar stepped away from the throne and surveyed everyone in the room. “Let’s vote. All in favor of selecting Kaelyn as our queen say ‘aye’.”
Several voices spoke at once, their assent filling the room.
“Anyone opposed, speak now.”
Silence.
Quentin drew his sword and pressed the tip to the floor. He bowed on one knee. “Queen Kaelyn, I pledge my loyalty to you, now and forever.” He slid his finger along the blade’s sharp edge. Blood pooled along the cut, and he drew his finger across his forehead and down his nose in the traditional symbol of Lemuria.
The other warriors followed suit.
Gaetan rose from the chair and kneeled. As his knee connected with the stone floor, pain rippled up his leg. White spots flitted over his vision, but he forced himself to breathe. “My queen.”
“Please rise, everyone.” Kaelyn glanced from one to another, holding each male’s gaze for a moment before moving on. “I make you a vow, a promise. I will not sit,” she pointed to the throne, “in that seat until we find Anlon, the true heir, and then I will rule only until he comes of age to take the throne himself.”
The atmosphere in the room shifted. Respect for her was visible in all their faces.
Gaetan smiled. She would make a remarkable queen, of that he had no doubt.
Tanen cleared his throat. “We should prepare for the death ceremony—”
“Tanen, as much as I understand your need to honor the dead, and believe me, I do, we must concentrate on the living. We’ll postpone the ceremony until Anlon is found. The babe is our number one priority.” Kaelyn pointed toward the warriors. “Get some rest, we leave at nightfall to resume the search.”
The need to right his wrong burned inside Gaetan. “I’m coming, too.”
“Stay here, Gaetan. We need you in the infirmary in case…” Kaelyn sighed. “I know you want to help, but your skills are better served here. Gaetan, you did nothing wrong.”
Craya! Yes he had. He’d wiped out the entire royal family because of his mistake. His grip tightened around his staff to the point the wood creaked.
Sharp glances and a few terse grumbles emitted from the warriors as they headed for the exit.
Tanen turned his head, refusing to meet Gaetan’s gaze.
Demir shrugged and motioned for Aramie to precede him.
Saar shook his head, his scar tight against his skin.
Heat raced up Gaetan’s back and over his shoulders, burning his ears.
They all blamed him. He absorbed the guilt, let it fester in his soul, the pain building to an unbearable level. After exiting the room as fast as his leg would allow he leaned against the wall, his breath heaving from his lungs.
I must do something. He pounded his fist against his thigh. The edge of his palm smacked into the round, hard stone hidden in his pocket. The blue sunstone…
He retrieved the cursed gem from its hiding spot and studied it in the light. Shades of blue reflected off the walls with an eerie glow. Noeh had entrusted him with its care. In this, he would not fail. A passage from an old scripture dashed through his mind.
“Tenida raised the blue crystal into the night air. Its brilliance outshone the moon. The stone had healed Grian, the greatest of warriors, the one who’d sacrificed himself for another. Standing at the base of a large waterfall, the old haelen threw the crystal into the pool to hide it from the enemy. A brilliant flash of light erupted from the water, turning the color to a deep blue and stopping the waterfall’s flow. The healer spoke, his voice booming through the trees. “The stone shall rest here until needed once again.”
Gaetan’s mission was to find Anlon, but if he got the chance, he’d throw that cursed stone back where it came from—Blue Pool. At sundown, he’d leave with the others, with or without their permission, but first, he had a promise to fulfill. Nicole…
At the thought of the young human female, turned Dren, a rush of adrenaline flushed through him. He was responsible for her, and he wouldn’t shirk his duty. After what he’d done to Ginnia, his sister had given him plenty of practice with accountability. The marking for responsibility etched on his hand burned hot and fevered. As he peered at it, the line faded, along with his hope.
Kaelyn focused on Gaetan as the male shuffled past the two carved statues that graced the entrance to the throne room. His features were drawn, tension lines rimming his eyes. An ache built in the back of her throat. Although she hadn’t known him long, she’d grown to care for the Keep’s healer.
“You’re deep in thought, little bear. What’s on your mind?” Saar wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her to him. The comforting gesture eased the tension in her muscles. She snuggled against him, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“I’m worried about Gaetan.” She pulled away enough to peer at Saar. “You know him better than I. Does he seem all right?”
A soft sigh eased from him. “This can’t be easy for Gaetan. Noeh was like a son to him.”
Kaelyn trailed a finger over his chin, along the edge of his scar. “…and Anlon. I know Gaetan adored the little tyke. He seems to blame himself.”
Saar blinked. “I agree. It wouldn’t surprise me if he misunderstood others’ concern for him and interpreted it as condemnation. Anlon crawling through the portal could’ve happened to any of us. From what Noeh said, the newb got into everything.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him. I don’t want Gaetan to suffer needlessly.”
Saar kissed her forehead, his lips warm and soft. “Neither do I. Gaetan takes care of everyone else, but never himself. If anyone deserves a break, it’s him.”
The weight of being the queen bore into her. She was responsible for everyone now. “Still, I worry about him after what happened. I hope he doesn’t do something to endanger himself.”