Callum & Riona
Time: Evening
Location: Palace Grounds to the Camping Site
Mention(s): @princess@ReusableSword@CitrusArms@SilverPaw@Tae@Tpartywithzombi
Callum paced outside the gardener's hut as he tried to work up the nerve to enter.
âYouâve been here tons of times. And it was only weird the once.â He whispered to himself. He looked at the door; dark patterns of wood grain leaked from the door. The whisps melded into twisting shadow serpents that lashed out, fangs bared and eyes locked on him. He immediately recoiled from the door. Again. He jumped in place and tried to shake the fear from his arms.
âItâs not real. You know itâs not real.â He whispered to himself. âSuck it up, Cal, suck it up.â He felt it in the pit of his stomach. Dread at being caught out here, afraid of Rionaâs home, knowing it would upset her if she saw him. He thought about that deeply unwelcoming feeling heâd had the last time he was here. Felt that same heat-bearing down his neck, felt the same chill deep in his bones. Something hadnât wanted him here before, what if it was still in there?
He closed his eyes, tired of seeing things that werenât real. At least itâs not Darryn. He thought only to feel disgusted with himself for thinking it. He deserved to see the horrible ghost Darryn, he deserved to suffer for not helping Darryn. For getting him killed.
Finally, Cal summoned enough courage to knock on the door, a bit too softly. Part of him hoped Riona wouldnât answer and he could avoid going inside, wait a day until he wasnât seeing things. Maybe even avoid finding out if she was just as angry with him as sheâd been with Ana. But that would only be a delay. "Riona?" He asked. "Got time for a chat? If you still want to talk to me?" He asked softly through the door.
A muffled rustling sound came from behind the door, followed by the scrape of wood on wood. The door creaked open, and Rionaâs face peeked out, eyebrow raised.
âWhat are you knocking for, Cal? You have a key, come in,â she said, puzzled. She left the door open and retreated back to the cluttered table.
He stared at the open door for a moment before slowly closing it. "Seemed rude to just walk in unannounced?â The explanation came easily but didnât sound convincing.
Riona gathered an assortment of papersâa copy of the now previous Royal advisorâs journal, scribbled notes on castle gossip, and a few choice pieces of information that many of the servants knew but kept quiet about. With twine, she bound the pile together.
Even though she was going to take all this with her, Roman wouldnât get everything at once. No, sheâd learn the value of each piece of information. Parse it out individually, watch his reaction, gauge what really interests him. Adjust her focus, and payment, accordingly.
As she worked, Rionaâs gaze flicked towards Callum. She noticed how he lingered by the threshold, tension visible in the set of his shoulders. Her hands stilled as his earlier words finally registered, and a flicker of worry crossed her face. âWhy do you think I donât want to talk to you?â she asked. âIs everything alright? Did... something happen?â
"If youâre mad at Ana, about what happened, you should be mad at me too.â He said quietly, finding a spot on the floor and keeping his eyes locked there. It probably made him look guilty, or overly broody, but that spot on the floor just looked like floor and he didnât want to risk seeing anything else. "And youâre right to be mad, it might not have happened if weâd left him alone.â His eyes flickered to Riona for a second before returning to the same spot on the floor.
"How are you doing? I heard you were assisting Captain Durmand with her investigation.â He asked, imagining how much worse it had to be, focusing on everything that happened to Darryn, worse than just hearing about it. "That canât be easy.â
At first, she had no idea what Cal was talking about. But as he continuedâmentioning Anastasia, Stratya, the investigation, âhimââunderstanding dawned. The tavern. That gods-damned argument⌠Darryn.
âIt isnâtâŚâ she answered, then sighed and turned back to her packing. Her hands moved mechanically, stuffing items into the bag without really paying any attention to what it was she shoved in.
After a stretch of silence, Riona said, âGods, Iâm so f**king useless. Quack and I both sensed something was off, but weâŚdid. Nothing. About it.â She yanked on a stubborn buckle, nearly tearing it off.
"You're the last person Iâd call useless.â He said, a quick glance toward the sudden sound. He wondered what all was in that bag but didnât care enough to ask about it.
âI analyzed his remains and what did I learn? Jacksh*t. Narrowed the substance that melted his body down from âliterally anythingâ to âstrong non-organic chemical or magicâ that arenât accessible to the public. Brilliant work, Riona. Really cracked the case there. Like it wasnât bloody f**king obvious just looking at⌠whatâs⌠left of him.â
Her movements slowed, then stopped altogether. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a shaky breath. When she spoke again, Riona whispered. âI want to know what happened to him.â
"I think we can assume magic.â He whispered that word, afraid to speak it too loudly. "Ana talked to him after the whole carriage ride thing. Argued with him, she saw his eyes glow red. Had a whole family meeting about it this morning. Alibeth, Wulfy, Ana, and oddly enough Captain Durmand was included.â He emphasized Stratyaâs presence. "The Captain must be very close with Alibeth to get hear what all was discussed.â He added making it clear that he didnât trust anyone who shared that much trust with the Queen.
Each name that rolled off his tongue tightened Rionaâs muscles. The Queen. The First Prince. The Princess. Her jaw clenched, but she held her own tongue, letting him continue his revelations.
"Alibeth mentioned sheâd caught spies in the palace before. Spies with glowing eyes who seemed on the âbrink of insanityâ. She asked if we all knew of the existence of magic.â He continued, moving closer to Riona, keeping his eyes down, not daring to look around the room. There wasnât anything he could do to make this any easier, but he could give her all the information he had and hope it shifted some pieces of the puzzle into place.
That checked out. She also saw Darrynâs eyes and how unstable he was.
Riona turned back to Cal, who still refused to meet her eyes. âHe warned me, you know? Darryn said there were people other than the Danroses I needed to watch out for. He was terrified, Cal. And it sounded like he had no choice but to do as they ordered. Whoever they are, theyâve got serious pull⌠and access to things most people donât.â
Closing the gap between them, she stared at Calâs downturned face. âThatâs why I need you to introduce me to your secret party host.â
Before he had a chance to say anything, Riona pressed on. âI know your first instinct is to defend your friend. I get it. But Darrynâs death is linked to that party in some capacity. Your friend might have nothing to do with the murder, but they provided the space where anyone of any background could meet and magic was used. What if Darrynâs killer is one of the partygoers?â
He said nothing, only nodded his head. Everything she said made sense, and even if their murderer wasnât a partygoer, Marek had connections. Callum was sure Marek would want to help, that was just the kind of guy he was.
âThis is your chance to get your friend off the suspect list and zero in on who actually did this.â She took his hands in hers. âPlease, Cal. Help me find out what happened to Darryn.â
"Ana and I will be meeting with Marek soon. Of course, youâre invited, and whatever you need, I got you. Maybe try not to fight with Ana, she might not show it, but I know how terrible she feels about this.â Cal met Rionaâs eyes. He had to make sure she knew he meant what he said. He knew it now, he could trust Ana, she was different from the rest of his family. He had real proof of that, but heâd get that later.
Rionaâs face lit up, a warm glow spreading through her. His unwavering support meant everything. But as quickly as it came, the feeling soured, her expression darkening at the mention of his sister. Callum wondered why Riona suddenly looked disappointed in him.
Her hands slipped away from Cal. Spinning around, she busied herself with cleaning up the table, shoulders tense. âThen maybe she should try harder showing it,â she muttered, voice edged with bitterness. âBecause sheâs not convincing me.â
He wanted to challenge that comment, wasnât it enough that heâd seen it, that he believed Ana? She doesnât trust you. Your word means nothing. Whispered a voice in the back of his mind. Instead, he said nothing and only watched her turn away from him.
"Darryn also gave Ana drugs, good drugs, when they had their argument. Weird thing to do right? Fight with someone and then give them a gift. Might be more to that than just a goodbye gift. The Captain mentioned an executionerâs blade nearby. Whoever did this, hounds tracked them right through the main part of town, they werenât afraid of getting caught.â He offered more, tried to think of any other details regarding Darryn that might help, he owed Riona any information he had on the murder.
Riona huffed lightly, a weary smirk playing at the corners of her mouth as memories surfaced. âYou have no idea the size of torch Darryn was carrying for Anastasia do you? Even laid up in the infirmary, he jumped to her defense. I swear, she couldâve gutted him with a rusty spoon and heâd have thanked her for the attention.â
Cal did have a point about the âgood drugsâ being more than âjust a goodbye gift,â though. âDo you know what those drugs actually were?â
"She said they were tablets that make you feel happy, ecstasy Iâm guessing.â He answered, pausing before asking, "Are you mad at Ana because she asked Darryn to drive that carriage, or because she didnât love him the way he probably loved her?â
Riona shook her head, âIâm mad that she used his feelings against him.â She pinched the bridge of her nose, struggling to articulate her thoughts. âAnd for all that talk about how much she cares about himâŚâ She trailed off, exhaled sharply, and tried again. âI wish sheâd put as much effort into supporting him as she does with Lady Thea.â
Her eyes met Calâs. âThis whole mess with the afterparty lit something in you, didnât it? It got those gears turning about making changes. Real ones. For yourself and others. And that was before they found the body. I guess⌠I thought, hoped, Darryn meant enough to spark something in her too.â
âMaybe she just needs a nudge.â He insisted, and it almost felt wrong to defend Ana. Almost.
âBut no⌠it was just another day for Princess Anastasia Danrose.â Brows furrowed, her gaze intensified. âWhat does it mean that it took Darryn getting murdered for you to trust Anastasia again?â
Her gaze wandered back to the table in search of something to do, but there wasnât anything else to clean or pack in the bag. âSheâll continue schmoozing, boozing, and whatever else it takes to fill that hole inside her⌠the loneliness⌠And that means thereâs gonna be another Darryn soon enough.â There always was.
âIt isnât how she reacted to Darryn that makes me trust her,â Callum admitted. âAt the meeting, Ana said sheâd seen magic used before. That as a child another girl had threatened both her and Edin. She saw this other childâs eyes glow, saw a dark energy.â Callum took a few steps closer and placed his hand on her shoulder.
âBut even as a frightened child, she wouldnât send another child to a pyre. Even now, thinking magic and its users are evil, she protects that secret. Itâs a very un-Danrose thing to do. I see something good in her. I am asking you to trust me enough to look for yourself.â He added gently, patted her shoulder, and pulled his hand away. He couldnât see Anaâs flaws as any worse than his own. Callum leaned against the table, fingers tracing familiar grooves in the table, finally feeling comfortable in the hut again.
âAnd youâre right, she might become someone who uses people, like Darryn, for what they have to offer and then tosses them away. Finding ways to cope until people arenât even people to her. A lot of nobles become that, I couldâve been that. But I had you. You helped me understand that I canât focus solely on my own suffering, but no one helped Ana. I want to try, see what chooses to be.â He looked over at Riona, hoping the next thing he said didnât kill the conversation.
âSo thatâs why I told her, about me. Just the witch stuff.â He smiled as he said it, Anaâs reaction had been so much warmer than heâd expected. âAnd then she told me it was Charlotte Vikena sheâd once seen using magic.â He whispered, he had no secrets to keep from Riona. âNot who I was expecting at all.â
There was so much to unpackâCalâs confession to Anastasia, Lady Charlotteâs hidden magical abilities, the ominous dark energy Ana had witnessed. But one detail snagged in her mind like a loose thread. âWhat a very un-Danrose thing for Edin to do too⌠youâre telling me he didnât send Lady Charlotte to the pyre?â It felt like there was more to the story.
âI donât think Edin was there, and I assumed the threat was verbal. But whatever happened, Ana said Charlotte had threatened her and Edin. It was enough to scare her, and Iâm the only person sheâs told who her magical threat-maker was. Guess I shouldâve asked for more details.â He said and Callum doubted there was anything human enough lurking inside Edin that would compel him to show mercy to even a child.
Too bad she didnât follow through on her threat.
âYeah⌠you might need to.â
Callum nodded his agreement. Heâd ask Ana about it again sometime soon, and try to get a better vibe of who Charlotte really was as well. Thatâs what he needed, a long to-do list to keep himself out of trouble.
After a few heartbeats of silence she circled back to what Cal said earlier. âItâs not that I donât see some good in her. Hells, I even feel sorry for her sometimes. Thatâs exactly why she pisses me off so muchâ...â She took a moment to calm her rising hackles. â... Iâll see what she chooses to be, with you. I want to believe in her as much as you do. But itâs gonna come down to what she actually doesâor doesnât do.â
Reaching out, Riona patted his arm. âYou continue to be the supportive brother she needs. Iâll be the bitch whoâs being too hard on everyoneâs favorite princess. Maybe between the two of us, weâll strike the right balance. And youâll never have to be the bad guy.â
âHey, when she proves me wrongâand I hope she doesâIâll gladly hang up my villain hat.â Worry creeped into her as she looked up at Cal. âI know itâs not exactly what you wanted, but... itâs the best Iâve got right now.â
He wondered if her answer would be the same if he were defending someone else. Someone who wasnât part of his family. He gave a half-hearted shrug, muttered an âokayâ, and let it go. After everything his family had done to her, maybe asking her to believe in another Danrose was too much. He waved a hand above her head, swatting at the empty space.
âWeird, I donât see or feel a villain hat up there.â He teased. âYouâre not a bitch either. You are a good person with strong opinions.â There was enough going on, he didnât want to make things worse for her. âAnd if you keep insulting my best friend, Iâll fight you. And we both know Iâll lose.â He lightly tapped her shoulder with a fist.
To have similar words she said to him the other day being flung back at her made Riona laugh. âTrue. And after our last glorious face-plant with Mr. Window Weirdo, I don't think you can handle another loss right now,â she said, returning the gesture.
The sound of laughter cut away some of the tension and Cal smiled back. âIâm not going to forget about Darryn, we will find who did this. They will wish for the crownâs mercy because theyâll get none from me. Doesnât matter who it is.â He added; and whatever pain had been inflicted on Darryn, heâd make sure the culprit got the same or worse. He paused to see if she had anything more to add about Darryn. Callum wasnât finished sharing bad news just yet.
âGood to hear.â After a long pause she added, âAnd⌠thanks.â
Riona caught Cal staring at her intently, and for a moment, she wondered if he was going to continue to press her about the tension with Anastasia. Part of her knew that wasnât his styleâCal had never been one to pry. But then again, until recently, he hadnât been one for violence either. Things were changing. She hesitated, unsure if she really wanted to launch into a rant about his sister, especially now that it seemed the siblings had patched things up.
The memory of Calâs conversation with Quack and the potential fate of his royal siblings should the rebels win the revolution flashed through her mind. ⌠Has his position on all that changed too?
âIf you need to call Ana out for how she is, you should do it privately.â He added, realizing she hadnât agreed to his request. âIn a tavern, Riona? After what you said to Wulfric? I am worried about you. That you are going to get hurt, or worse, for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person in front of the wrong people.â Callum continued, fear etching its way into his voice. He scratched at his neck but his gnawed-off fingernails offered no relief from dread.
âIf I canât do stupid self-destructive things, you canât either. Itâs only fair. I canât handle losing you.â His focus stayed on her, wondering how she couldnât see the added danger she was putting herself in.
Rionaâs hard expression melted away, her eyes softening as she looked at Callum. âItâs only fair,â she repeated. She couldnât promise to stop being self-destructive, but she would try to be less stupid about it. âFor what itâs worth, I canât handle losing you either.â
Her fingers raked through her hair. A long breath escaped her, carrying with it some of the tension coiled in her shoulders. âHonestly, I donât know whatâs gotten into me lately.â she muttered, more to herself than to Callum. âI used to be better at keeping it together.â
âItâs like⌠Like everything Iâve bottled up for years is suddenly bursting out. MaybeâŚâ Riona paused, searching for words. âMaybe Iâm just tired of it all, you know?â
âAnd part of me wonders if I should just... end it.â
Realizing words that werenât meant to be said out loud slipped out, Riona forced a smile. âBut,â she said, her tone lightening in an obvious attempt at deflection, âif I do end up royally messing things up... will you avenge me?â
Callum pulled Riona into a hug. âAbso-fucking-lutely.â He said before something dark crept into his voice. âAnything ever happens to you, Iâll find all the spookiest curses and ensure all your enemies receive eternal torment. They wonât know a moment of peace in this world or the next.â His arms tightened around her.
Rionaâs eyes widened as Callum suddenly pulled her into a hug. Heat spread to her face and pooled behind her eyes. Letting out a shaky breath, Riona leaned into the hug. âDamn it, Cal. Youâre going to make me cry.â Even though it was already too late.
There was a twisted joy in knowing someone cared enough to promise vengeance on her behalf, mixed with guilt for feeling that way. Gods, how messed up was she to want anyone to carry that kind of burden? She thought of her family, of the townsfolk, and wondered if they had felt a similar bitter comfort when she had sworn revenge over their lifeless bodies.
She tightened her grip on him.
âAnd if you're tired, too exhausted to keep trying, lean on me. I understand how that feels, weâll get through it together.â He let her go and pulled a small glass vial from his pocket, setting it on the table.
âI made calming potions today. For the next family meeting. Canât be storming out any time they say something awful if I want to learn all their secrets. You should keep one, for when you need it, and we can keep making more.â He whispered as he let her go. There was no reason not to use magic, their biggest advantage, to its fullest potential.
âAre the meetings always that bad?â
He thought about how cold Alibeth had been, how sheâd looked right at him and admitted she wanted Darryn to die. He wondered how she could call herself a mother and tell two of her children she wanted their friend dead. How excited his older brother had been to paint another friend as some evil mastermind. They both got some twisted enjoyment out of hurting him. âUsually.â He didnât need to tell her how little the rest of his family cared about Darryn. Wulfy only seemed disappointed that heâd failed to keep a promise, that loss of life didnât seem to matter. âWhen Iâm even invited.â He shrugged.
Although she wasnât sure if sheâd be able to use the potion without it affecting the spell she carried, Riona accepted it. Might be helpful in a pinch. âThanks.â
The clock chimed and Riona checked the time. âI better start heading out.â She said as she shouldered the bag. âI promised Iâd meet Roman at the camping event tonight.â
Roman? His head tilted at the mention of his friend, wondering what the two were meeting about. âIâve got one more thing,â and he needed to bring it up here, where he could be sure no one was listening in.
Callum cleared his throat, âI canât stop thinking about what you said the other night. About Roman. And Mina. Youâre right, theyâre probably in danger after that ritual. Weâre all probably in a lot of danger and things are going to get worse. If Alibethâs bringing up magic itâs only a matter of time before they start looking for it. Start hunting. No oneâs safe from that. Not us, not Roman, Mina, MarekâŚAri.â His voice dropped to a barely audible level as he named people, but his words continued to spill out at a frantic pace.
âAnd if theyâre looking for it, theyâre going to find it, any way they can. Accuse whoever suits them.â His eyes shifted, no longer looking at Riona but past her, staring off at things only he could see. Thick smoke and shadows rose up from beneath the floorboards. It coalesced into dark pillars around the room.
âWe have to protect each other. Have to keep those like us, other witches, safe. Strike first before people start burning.â Smoke became flame. Flames engulfed the shadowy pillars. Everything in the hut was blindingly bright. Twisted, pained expressions of those he cared about screamed without sound from within the flames. Bruning. Suffering. Unheard. The illusion only fueled his panic. The memory of the flame spell heâd cast in Wystanâs room reminded him what that felt like, how awful a fate it was. He stared wide-eyed at the illusion as his skin grew paler.
No one was safe. No one who practiced magic. No one who the crown saw as expendable, undesirable, or dangerous. It had happened before, worked for past monarchs, and the crown would do it again. Unless he made sure they were stopped.
âI can see it, Riona. Right now, like itâs happening. Been seeing things, illusions, all day. But I wonât see this again. Wonât let it be real.â Words hissed out through a clenched jaw. He couldnât look away from the illusion, couldnât let himself forget the too-real possibility that it could happen.
For a heartbeat, she wondered if he was speaking metaphorically, but the haunted look etched across his face told a different story. Whatever Callum was seeing, it was all too real to him.
âCal?â Riona reached out, grasping his hand in hers. His skin felt clammy and cold. When he didnât respond, his gaze still locked on some unseen horror, she squeezed his fingers and tried again. âCal⌠These... things youâre seeing. When did they start?â A sinking feeling settled in her chest as she hazarded a guess. âHas it been happening since we found that hidden room?â She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
âToday. After I showed Ana an illusion spell. Had to prove to her magic isnât evil. It doesnât have to be feared.â And she listened, Ana believed me. He relaxed a little, thinking about that. Flames flared and burned out. The smoke remained, stretching out, filling the space. Until it was only shadows, coating the walls, acting out nightmarish scenes with their ever-shifting forms. Shadow puppets performing every terrible thing heâd read about witch hunts.
âBut this is payment for that spell. Probably compounded from using that curse scroll.â And probably made worse by making potions and dabbling in other spells following Drakeâs party.
Riona visibly relaxed. If it was one thing if the illusions were from the side effects of using a spell from the book. It wouldâve been another thing if it was the result of touching an ancient cursed object.
âBut I did see things after we found that room. That felt, different from this. I donât know what that was, maybe something to do with that tea I drank.â He added; todayâs illusions felt more real, easier to pin down.
And just like that, the tension returned. âIf itâs from the tea, we should ask Roman or Mina about it. But if itâs not⌠we should consider the possibility itâs from the objects from that room.â
He hesitated, he didnât want to keep secrets from Riona but he wasnât sure how to explain what happened last night without bringing up the unwelcoming presence in her home. âIt wasnât from the room, I felt it before we went in there.â He said cautiously and before she could ask where he added, âand if youâre worried about that crown I tried to put on, donât be. Pretty sure Iâm clear but if the illusions arenât gone tomorrow Iâll let you know. We can practice a de-hexing on me. Itâll be fun.â He offered.
Riona narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms slowly. âCallum? ⌠Do you want me to pretend I didnât notice or do you have something youâd like to share with me?â
âI should tell you. I will tell you. Just not now, But what I saw after we went in that room, I felt it here first. And I donât feel it right now but I donât want to risk seeing it again.â He spoke as calmly as he could manage as a look of pure terror flashed across his eyes. âPlease, just give me a day or two.â He asked.
What else could she say but sigh and whisper âOkayâ?
He took a breath and returned to an easier topic. âIn the past, witches formed covens for protection. They worked as one. Were more powerful that way.â Callum paused and smiled.
âI think itâs time we bring the old ways back, form a coven. And Iâd hate to do that without you, but I will understand if donât want to be involved. Roman and Ari should both be at Pinebrook tonight, I plan to start with them. A coven where weâre all equals. Watching out for each other. Keeping each other safe. Fighting back when we need to.â He offered, laying out the general idea of his plan for tonight.
âWhat do you think? It is my least self-destructive plan yet.â
âWell, well. Look whoâs become a social butterfly. A few months ago you were trying your damnedest to keep everyone at armâs length, and now youâre joining groups left and right.â Riona teased.
Her tone sobered as she continued, âBut youâre right, itâs not a terrible idea. Especially if this witch-hunting thing is going to ramp up.â She met his gaze, her decision already made. âCount me in.â
âIâm so glad to hear you say that,â He gestured to the door. âTime to grab a carriage.â He added only to be hit with a puzzling question.
âWhat about your commitment with the Thornbreakers? Not worried if there might be a conflict of interest?â
He shook his head. âNo, theyâre after the crown and those that serve it, those who act to keep power in only a few hands. Theyâre not after witches. Not that I know, at least. If anything we share an enemy. And any witches who serve the crown, theyâre on their own.â He might even be able to help Quack out more.
That was true. âLet me change the question⌠Say things get messy and you have to choose one or the other. Then what?â
Callum wasnât sure how to answer that, he only shrugged. âI donât know. Depends on why things are messy.â He answered honestly. âBut nothing, no one, is getting in the way of goal number one. Rip that crown away from Danrose hands, expose every fucked up secret my family hides, and make sure Edin, Alibeth, and anyone else whoâs earned it, finds retribution.â He repeated his promise, put an arm around her shoulders at that final word. Retribution, he liked the way that word sounded as it rolled from his tongue. If he couldnât rid himself of a need to destroy something, then let his destruction be for something good. Let it be justice and vengeance tied up together.
Retribution. The fire in her blazed with excitement at his words. Yes. Yes! YES!
âYou tell me whose names belong on that list, and Iâll work with whoever I can to make that happen. Itâs more than a goal, itâs a reason to keep going, a purpose. And if I can do more than that, it will be tearing down the rest of this rotten system, the other houses in Caesonia, until titles mean nothing here. No one should be dying from a lack of coin.â He continued, and that was why he trusted Quack, why he believed in his vision. This kingdom didnât need a chosen corrupted few living in excess while the rest suffered and starved.
âMagic is how that happens. It was part of the old ways. Witches used their power to lift others up. Not to control them, not to feed off them, but to help them. It was an act of mercy from the gods, their sacred gift to humanity. My ancestors tried to burn that out of the kingdom. I will restore it, but I canât do any of that alone. Restoring magic, the way it was meant to be, is how we make this kingdom better for all its people.â Callum couldnât see a conflict of interest between magic and the Thornbreakers, everything was linked together. His hand gripped her shoulder.
Partly overwhelmed by Calâs passionate speech, Rionaâs lips parted and closed without saying a word. It was more than obvious that, to him, the Thornbreakers and his new coven were just different hands reaching for the same prize: freedom and equality. In the world he dreamed of forging, neither could exist without the other.
âWitches, Thornbreakers, and anyone who suffers under the crown, our enemy is the same. The worldâs not in our favor, our shared enemy is overwhelmingly powerful, and that unifies us. Itâs going to take a lot of different people working together to overcome that, but we can. We must. Or nothing gets better for any of us.â
âThen Iâll leave it up to you to decide if youâre going to tell Quack about the coven.â
âWasnât planning to, unless it becomes necessary. I donât plan to give him, anyone, any names, they donât need to know whoâs in the coven. And the coven doesnât need to know whoâs in Quackâs group. Less risk of information getting out, at least for now.â
She nodded in agreement, relieved that he decided to keep those two groups apart.
âAs a co-founder though, I think we need to be careful about who you invite and who actually joins. Aside from Roman, Ariella, and Mina, who else do you plan to invite?â
âWeâll vote on new additions. Come to decisions as a group. It canât be another monarchy, none of us should hold power over the others.â
âI like that.â
As she started for the door, the weight of the bag reminded her of its contents and Riona slowed to a stop. âHey, speaking of Roman... has he asked you to do anything for him lately? Anything... unusual?â
âWhat?â That question caught him off guard. âWhy? What has Roman asked you to do? I havenât seen him much lately.â He glanced at the bag she carried. âWhat are you meeting with Roman about?â He asked since sheâd brought him up again.
âI met him in the woods this morning. Heâs actually been wanting to talk to you about something. I donât know if itâs gonna be the same thing he told me, but since weâre all going to be at Pinebrooks tonight, itâs probably best to get the details directly from him.â Riona patted the bag. âHe asked me to pass him any information and rumors that are going around in the castle.â
Cal could wonder what Roman was up to, but it sounded like heâd find out soon enough. âYouâll be careful, right? I know youâre the best spy in the city and all but-â He didnât finish the thought, but no one made a good spy hanging from a noose.
âDonât worry, he didnât ask me to go dig up classified information or national secrets. He only wanted me to tell him about things that any servant working at the castle wouldâve heard or seen.â She reached for the door handle, then let her head thunk against the wood with a groan. âShoot. With all the things that happened I never got the chance to tell you about what I found in Aldenâs room the other night.â
Callum made a face at the mention of Aldenâs name. âWas it a list of what that guyâs been up to?â He asked. He glanced at the clock, they probably had enough time and he was too curious to hear what Edinâs advisor might be hiding.
Riona turned to face Cal. The scene in Aldenâs quarters flashed through her mindâupended furniture, scattered papers, and the blood. âAldenâs room was ransacked. There was blood leading to the window and⌠no oneâs seen or heard him. And now we suddenly have a new Royal Advisor who appeared out of nowhere.â Subconsciously, Riona reached over to cover the tear of a dress she changed out of hours ago. âMister Alexander Deacon.â
âDeacon?!â Callum repeated the name with a mix of surprise and enthusiasm. âWeâre planning a charity event together, Mina too. Isnât he great? Wouldnât have guessed heâd end up as advisor though.â He could only wonder why Alexander would want to work directly for Edin, but it was probably best to just ask the man himself.
âDeacon works with Black Rose and Marek, theyâre all about doing more charity work around here.â He added catching her up on anything she might not already know.
Alexander Deacon. Working for Marek. The pieces clicked together with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the chest. Rionaâs fingers went death-white around her bag strap. The party, Darrynâs warning, his murderâhad she just helped them? Helped the people who might haveâ
No. Focus. Breathe.
âBlack Rose, huh?â she echoed. â...Actually, Deacon invited me to participate in the auction.â Her voice stayed steady as bought time to get her racing thoughts in order.
âYou seem less happy about this than me.â He pointed out, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor. âDid you agree to participate? Itâs not a bad idea right, do some good? And looks like Iâm taking my prince duties seriously, which could help me get closer to Wulfy. Be a better spy.â He asked.
âThe charity is a great idea. I agreed to participate because he told me youâd be handling the donations. And I know youâll make sure they reach actual people in need.â She added. âIf joining can help raise more money, then Iâm happy to help. Even if it might not be much.â Rionaâs gaze drifted downward as her fingers twisted the fabric of her dress. âIâm⌠just not comfortable with Alexander Deacon.â
âWhat about Alexander makes you uncomfortable?â He asked with concern, noting the anxious movement of her fingers.
âItâs⌠hard to explain, but he comes off⌠disingenuous.â Greasy.
âIâll pay closer attention to him next time.â He said, not knowing what she meant by that. When heâd talked to Alexander, the man seemed enthusiastic about everything.
Seeing how much Cal liked Marek, Riona thought he might get upset calling Alexander disingenuous on nothing more than a gut feeling. So his answer came as a relief. Her fingers relaxed and she nodded before asking something else she noticed.
âYou donât sound surprised about Aldenâs disappearance. Was it brought up during the family meeting?â
âNo, at least not while I was there. Canât say Iâm sad to see him gone.â He said with a shrug. He didnât like Alden, he did like Alexander, and he could only assume that it would help Marek to have one of his top guys whispering in Edinâs ear. Maybe he didnât have to worry so much about Marek being in danger, it sounded like he was already on top of the situation.
âSo⌠you guys talked about Darrynâs murder, but nothing about the Royal Advisor? Doesnât that sound kind of weird? How has no one noticed him missing? I mean, someone had to report his room being torn apart. The blood aloneâŚâ
âI left early, and so did Ana, Iâm not sure what else they talked about. I could ask Captain Durmand, she might tell me.â He said, wishing he had stayed for the full meeting. He couldâve missed important information. âNo, I will ask the Captain what I missed.â
Then it wouldnât hurt to give him a head start. âYou might want to read this. I havenât told the Captain about it.â Riona reached into her bag, pulled out a single sheetâa copy of Aldenâs journal entryâfrom the bundle of papers, and handed it to Cal. âI found his journal.â
Cal read the copy of a passage from Aldenâs journal. ââMy dear Calbert is dealing with his own struggles now, with Violet now in her own state of rest. He will be dying to know what happened exactly, and is desperately looking for answers. He will be easy to influence.â What do you think he means by that?â He asked, reading part of it allowed. What happened to Violet?
âYour guess is as good as mine⌠butâŚâ Riona thought back on the last few days, trying to remember when she saw Lady Violet. âWhenâs the last time you saw her?â
Callum thought about it for a moment. âShe was at the tea party, same one I met Deacon at actually, talking to Wulfy.â
Having Lady Violet and Alexander mentioned in the same sentence didnât sit well with Riona. âDid they come together?â
âNot sure, I didnât see them together, but I was also late.â He said confused about the question. âYou donât think Deacon and Violet are conspiring together, do you?â He asked, his inflection on the word conspiring paired with a grin and raised eyebrows made it clear he didnât mean plotting some grand conspiracy. âOoohh, Calbert would lose his mind.â
Riona smirked wryly. If only what Alden was referring to in his journal was just that level of scandal. âHow did Lady Violet seem to you?â
Cal shrugged, âI didnât talk with her. Last time I talked to her was at the first ball of the summer. She seemed fine then, maybe a little annoyed about the ârandomly paired dancesâ but nothing out of the ordinary. At the tea party though, she was dressed like she was in mourning.â
âHuh⌠I havenât heard there being a death in the family.â Riona would have to double check on that, but she was pretty sure word would have gotten around if there was one. âBut aside from that she looked fine?â
Again, all he could do was shrug. âI guess so?â Heâd barely glanced at her but he hadnât noticed anything too unusual.
A contemplative hmm escaped Riona as she chewed over Aldenâs cryptic comments about Lady Violetâs âown state of rest.â
ââYour majesty is still as dimwitted and unclever as everâ,â He laughed reading that out loud. âAny idea what he was planning? Guess he wasnât as bad as I thought he was. âTHEY will be necessary for the kingdomâs downfallâŚbut they do not need to suffer. That will be reserved for âyour majestyâ solely.â Guess itâs almost impossible to spend that much time around Edin and not hate him.â Cal smirked and handed the paper back to her.
She took the paper and put it back into the bundle. âI donât know. Whatever it was, itâs possible that he was discovered.â
âDid you notice Alibeth isnât mentioned anywhere?â Riona frowned slightly, âAnd the bit about the âsonsâ being necessary for the kingdomâs downfall⌠whatâs that supposed to mean?â Did Alden know about Cal joining the Thronbreakers?
âI didnâtâŚmaybe Alden is⌠or was, working for Alibeth, kept her name out of it as a precaution?â He suggested.
âMaybe⌠but then why write any names at all? This couldâve been used as evidence against him.â
âHubris?â He suggested. âRead anything else good in his journal? Maybe the answer to that question is in there, or at least a few more clues.â
âBits and pieces, but I havenât exactly had the chance to read the entire journal yet andâ...â Riona looked at the time. âWe should get going. If you want, we can read the journal together later. You might catch something I didnât.â
Callum straightened his posture and offered his arm, which she took without missing a beat. âWould you escort me to Pinebrook, itâs dark out and the woods are very creepy.â He asked, only half joking.
âAnd if anyone asks, I was here tonight to get your advice on allocating funds from the charity event.â Callum said, crafting his story. If anyone saw him outside, he was nervous because the last time heâd asked palace staff for help, a carriage ride to a party, it had not ended well. He was here, for an extended time, discussing a charity project, they continued that conversation in a carriage to Pinebrook.
As they waited near the front gates of the palace for the carriage to pull around he shared another idea. âI would like to dedicate the charity auction to Darryn, if thatâs alright with you.â He asked as the sound of hooves and wheels heralded the carriageâs arrival.
âOf course it is, you donât need to ask me.â Riona turned her head towards the direction of the approaching carriage. âBut if you are, can you send some of the money to his family? ⌠If theyâre around.â
âI could, if my plan to guilt my brother into making sure theyâre taken care of doesnât work. He did give me his word that Darryn would be safe, the least he can do now is make sure Darrynâs family is safe and cared for.â Cal said, it was better that the crown paid for that, and as far as Callum was concerned, Wulfric owed him that.
Riona scoffed. They both knew what a good job Wulfric did keeping Darryn safe. âGuess weâll see how well that goes.â
âEither way, Iâll make sure it happens.â He assured.
âYouâve been here tons of times. And it was only weird the once.â He whispered to himself. He looked at the door; dark patterns of wood grain leaked from the door. The whisps melded into twisting shadow serpents that lashed out, fangs bared and eyes locked on him. He immediately recoiled from the door. Again. He jumped in place and tried to shake the fear from his arms.
âItâs not real. You know itâs not real.â He whispered to himself. âSuck it up, Cal, suck it up.â He felt it in the pit of his stomach. Dread at being caught out here, afraid of Rionaâs home, knowing it would upset her if she saw him. He thought about that deeply unwelcoming feeling heâd had the last time he was here. Felt that same heat-bearing down his neck, felt the same chill deep in his bones. Something hadnât wanted him here before, what if it was still in there?
He closed his eyes, tired of seeing things that werenât real. At least itâs not Darryn. He thought only to feel disgusted with himself for thinking it. He deserved to see the horrible ghost Darryn, he deserved to suffer for not helping Darryn. For getting him killed.
Finally, Cal summoned enough courage to knock on the door, a bit too softly. Part of him hoped Riona wouldnât answer and he could avoid going inside, wait a day until he wasnât seeing things. Maybe even avoid finding out if she was just as angry with him as sheâd been with Ana. But that would only be a delay. "Riona?" He asked. "Got time for a chat? If you still want to talk to me?" He asked softly through the door.
A muffled rustling sound came from behind the door, followed by the scrape of wood on wood. The door creaked open, and Rionaâs face peeked out, eyebrow raised.
âWhat are you knocking for, Cal? You have a key, come in,â she said, puzzled. She left the door open and retreated back to the cluttered table.
He stared at the open door for a moment before slowly closing it. "Seemed rude to just walk in unannounced?â The explanation came easily but didnât sound convincing.
Riona gathered an assortment of papersâa copy of the now previous Royal advisorâs journal, scribbled notes on castle gossip, and a few choice pieces of information that many of the servants knew but kept quiet about. With twine, she bound the pile together.
Even though she was going to take all this with her, Roman wouldnât get everything at once. No, sheâd learn the value of each piece of information. Parse it out individually, watch his reaction, gauge what really interests him. Adjust her focus, and payment, accordingly.
As she worked, Rionaâs gaze flicked towards Callum. She noticed how he lingered by the threshold, tension visible in the set of his shoulders. Her hands stilled as his earlier words finally registered, and a flicker of worry crossed her face. âWhy do you think I donât want to talk to you?â she asked. âIs everything alright? Did... something happen?â
"If youâre mad at Ana, about what happened, you should be mad at me too.â He said quietly, finding a spot on the floor and keeping his eyes locked there. It probably made him look guilty, or overly broody, but that spot on the floor just looked like floor and he didnât want to risk seeing anything else. "And youâre right to be mad, it might not have happened if weâd left him alone.â His eyes flickered to Riona for a second before returning to the same spot on the floor.
"How are you doing? I heard you were assisting Captain Durmand with her investigation.â He asked, imagining how much worse it had to be, focusing on everything that happened to Darryn, worse than just hearing about it. "That canât be easy.â
At first, she had no idea what Cal was talking about. But as he continuedâmentioning Anastasia, Stratya, the investigation, âhimââunderstanding dawned. The tavern. That gods-damned argument⌠Darryn.
âIt isnâtâŚâ she answered, then sighed and turned back to her packing. Her hands moved mechanically, stuffing items into the bag without really paying any attention to what it was she shoved in.
After a stretch of silence, Riona said, âGods, Iâm so f**king useless. Quack and I both sensed something was off, but weâŚdid. Nothing. About it.â She yanked on a stubborn buckle, nearly tearing it off.
"You're the last person Iâd call useless.â He said, a quick glance toward the sudden sound. He wondered what all was in that bag but didnât care enough to ask about it.
âI analyzed his remains and what did I learn? Jacksh*t. Narrowed the substance that melted his body down from âliterally anythingâ to âstrong non-organic chemical or magicâ that arenât accessible to the public. Brilliant work, Riona. Really cracked the case there. Like it wasnât bloody f**king obvious just looking at⌠whatâs⌠left of him.â
Her movements slowed, then stopped altogether. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a shaky breath. When she spoke again, Riona whispered. âI want to know what happened to him.â
"I think we can assume magic.â He whispered that word, afraid to speak it too loudly. "Ana talked to him after the whole carriage ride thing. Argued with him, she saw his eyes glow red. Had a whole family meeting about it this morning. Alibeth, Wulfy, Ana, and oddly enough Captain Durmand was included.â He emphasized Stratyaâs presence. "The Captain must be very close with Alibeth to get hear what all was discussed.â He added making it clear that he didnât trust anyone who shared that much trust with the Queen.
Each name that rolled off his tongue tightened Rionaâs muscles. The Queen. The First Prince. The Princess. Her jaw clenched, but she held her own tongue, letting him continue his revelations.
"Alibeth mentioned sheâd caught spies in the palace before. Spies with glowing eyes who seemed on the âbrink of insanityâ. She asked if we all knew of the existence of magic.â He continued, moving closer to Riona, keeping his eyes down, not daring to look around the room. There wasnât anything he could do to make this any easier, but he could give her all the information he had and hope it shifted some pieces of the puzzle into place.
That checked out. She also saw Darrynâs eyes and how unstable he was.
Riona turned back to Cal, who still refused to meet her eyes. âHe warned me, you know? Darryn said there were people other than the Danroses I needed to watch out for. He was terrified, Cal. And it sounded like he had no choice but to do as they ordered. Whoever they are, theyâve got serious pull⌠and access to things most people donât.â
Closing the gap between them, she stared at Calâs downturned face. âThatâs why I need you to introduce me to your secret party host.â
Before he had a chance to say anything, Riona pressed on. âI know your first instinct is to defend your friend. I get it. But Darrynâs death is linked to that party in some capacity. Your friend might have nothing to do with the murder, but they provided the space where anyone of any background could meet and magic was used. What if Darrynâs killer is one of the partygoers?â
He said nothing, only nodded his head. Everything she said made sense, and even if their murderer wasnât a partygoer, Marek had connections. Callum was sure Marek would want to help, that was just the kind of guy he was.
âThis is your chance to get your friend off the suspect list and zero in on who actually did this.â She took his hands in hers. âPlease, Cal. Help me find out what happened to Darryn.â
"Ana and I will be meeting with Marek soon. Of course, youâre invited, and whatever you need, I got you. Maybe try not to fight with Ana, she might not show it, but I know how terrible she feels about this.â Cal met Rionaâs eyes. He had to make sure she knew he meant what he said. He knew it now, he could trust Ana, she was different from the rest of his family. He had real proof of that, but heâd get that later.
Rionaâs face lit up, a warm glow spreading through her. His unwavering support meant everything. But as quickly as it came, the feeling soured, her expression darkening at the mention of his sister. Callum wondered why Riona suddenly looked disappointed in him.
Her hands slipped away from Cal. Spinning around, she busied herself with cleaning up the table, shoulders tense. âThen maybe she should try harder showing it,â she muttered, voice edged with bitterness. âBecause sheâs not convincing me.â
He wanted to challenge that comment, wasnât it enough that heâd seen it, that he believed Ana? She doesnât trust you. Your word means nothing. Whispered a voice in the back of his mind. Instead, he said nothing and only watched her turn away from him.
"Darryn also gave Ana drugs, good drugs, when they had their argument. Weird thing to do right? Fight with someone and then give them a gift. Might be more to that than just a goodbye gift. The Captain mentioned an executionerâs blade nearby. Whoever did this, hounds tracked them right through the main part of town, they werenât afraid of getting caught.â He offered more, tried to think of any other details regarding Darryn that might help, he owed Riona any information he had on the murder.
Riona huffed lightly, a weary smirk playing at the corners of her mouth as memories surfaced. âYou have no idea the size of torch Darryn was carrying for Anastasia do you? Even laid up in the infirmary, he jumped to her defense. I swear, she couldâve gutted him with a rusty spoon and heâd have thanked her for the attention.â
Cal did have a point about the âgood drugsâ being more than âjust a goodbye gift,â though. âDo you know what those drugs actually were?â
"She said they were tablets that make you feel happy, ecstasy Iâm guessing.â He answered, pausing before asking, "Are you mad at Ana because she asked Darryn to drive that carriage, or because she didnât love him the way he probably loved her?â
Riona shook her head, âIâm mad that she used his feelings against him.â She pinched the bridge of her nose, struggling to articulate her thoughts. âAnd for all that talk about how much she cares about himâŚâ She trailed off, exhaled sharply, and tried again. âI wish sheâd put as much effort into supporting him as she does with Lady Thea.â
Her eyes met Calâs. âThis whole mess with the afterparty lit something in you, didnât it? It got those gears turning about making changes. Real ones. For yourself and others. And that was before they found the body. I guess⌠I thought, hoped, Darryn meant enough to spark something in her too.â
âMaybe she just needs a nudge.â He insisted, and it almost felt wrong to defend Ana. Almost.
âBut no⌠it was just another day for Princess Anastasia Danrose.â Brows furrowed, her gaze intensified. âWhat does it mean that it took Darryn getting murdered for you to trust Anastasia again?â
Her gaze wandered back to the table in search of something to do, but there wasnât anything else to clean or pack in the bag. âSheâll continue schmoozing, boozing, and whatever else it takes to fill that hole inside her⌠the loneliness⌠And that means thereâs gonna be another Darryn soon enough.â There always was.
âIt isnât how she reacted to Darryn that makes me trust her,â Callum admitted. âAt the meeting, Ana said sheâd seen magic used before. That as a child another girl had threatened both her and Edin. She saw this other childâs eyes glow, saw a dark energy.â Callum took a few steps closer and placed his hand on her shoulder.
âBut even as a frightened child, she wouldnât send another child to a pyre. Even now, thinking magic and its users are evil, she protects that secret. Itâs a very un-Danrose thing to do. I see something good in her. I am asking you to trust me enough to look for yourself.â He added gently, patted her shoulder, and pulled his hand away. He couldnât see Anaâs flaws as any worse than his own. Callum leaned against the table, fingers tracing familiar grooves in the table, finally feeling comfortable in the hut again.
âAnd youâre right, she might become someone who uses people, like Darryn, for what they have to offer and then tosses them away. Finding ways to cope until people arenât even people to her. A lot of nobles become that, I couldâve been that. But I had you. You helped me understand that I canât focus solely on my own suffering, but no one helped Ana. I want to try, see what chooses to be.â He looked over at Riona, hoping the next thing he said didnât kill the conversation.
âSo thatâs why I told her, about me. Just the witch stuff.â He smiled as he said it, Anaâs reaction had been so much warmer than heâd expected. âAnd then she told me it was Charlotte Vikena sheâd once seen using magic.â He whispered, he had no secrets to keep from Riona. âNot who I was expecting at all.â
There was so much to unpackâCalâs confession to Anastasia, Lady Charlotteâs hidden magical abilities, the ominous dark energy Ana had witnessed. But one detail snagged in her mind like a loose thread. âWhat a very un-Danrose thing for Edin to do too⌠youâre telling me he didnât send Lady Charlotte to the pyre?â It felt like there was more to the story.
âI donât think Edin was there, and I assumed the threat was verbal. But whatever happened, Ana said Charlotte had threatened her and Edin. It was enough to scare her, and Iâm the only person sheâs told who her magical threat-maker was. Guess I shouldâve asked for more details.â He said and Callum doubted there was anything human enough lurking inside Edin that would compel him to show mercy to even a child.
Too bad she didnât follow through on her threat.
âYeah⌠you might need to.â
Callum nodded his agreement. Heâd ask Ana about it again sometime soon, and try to get a better vibe of who Charlotte really was as well. Thatâs what he needed, a long to-do list to keep himself out of trouble.
After a few heartbeats of silence she circled back to what Cal said earlier. âItâs not that I donât see some good in her. Hells, I even feel sorry for her sometimes. Thatâs exactly why she pisses me off so muchâ...â She took a moment to calm her rising hackles. â... Iâll see what she chooses to be, with you. I want to believe in her as much as you do. But itâs gonna come down to what she actually doesâor doesnât do.â
Reaching out, Riona patted his arm. âYou continue to be the supportive brother she needs. Iâll be the bitch whoâs being too hard on everyoneâs favorite princess. Maybe between the two of us, weâll strike the right balance. And youâll never have to be the bad guy.â
âHey, when she proves me wrongâand I hope she doesâIâll gladly hang up my villain hat.â Worry creeped into her as she looked up at Cal. âI know itâs not exactly what you wanted, but... itâs the best Iâve got right now.â
He wondered if her answer would be the same if he were defending someone else. Someone who wasnât part of his family. He gave a half-hearted shrug, muttered an âokayâ, and let it go. After everything his family had done to her, maybe asking her to believe in another Danrose was too much. He waved a hand above her head, swatting at the empty space.
âWeird, I donât see or feel a villain hat up there.â He teased. âYouâre not a bitch either. You are a good person with strong opinions.â There was enough going on, he didnât want to make things worse for her. âAnd if you keep insulting my best friend, Iâll fight you. And we both know Iâll lose.â He lightly tapped her shoulder with a fist.
To have similar words she said to him the other day being flung back at her made Riona laugh. âTrue. And after our last glorious face-plant with Mr. Window Weirdo, I don't think you can handle another loss right now,â she said, returning the gesture.
The sound of laughter cut away some of the tension and Cal smiled back. âIâm not going to forget about Darryn, we will find who did this. They will wish for the crownâs mercy because theyâll get none from me. Doesnât matter who it is.â He added; and whatever pain had been inflicted on Darryn, heâd make sure the culprit got the same or worse. He paused to see if she had anything more to add about Darryn. Callum wasnât finished sharing bad news just yet.
âGood to hear.â After a long pause she added, âAnd⌠thanks.â
Riona caught Cal staring at her intently, and for a moment, she wondered if he was going to continue to press her about the tension with Anastasia. Part of her knew that wasnât his styleâCal had never been one to pry. But then again, until recently, he hadnât been one for violence either. Things were changing. She hesitated, unsure if she really wanted to launch into a rant about his sister, especially now that it seemed the siblings had patched things up.
The memory of Calâs conversation with Quack and the potential fate of his royal siblings should the rebels win the revolution flashed through her mind. ⌠Has his position on all that changed too?
âIf you need to call Ana out for how she is, you should do it privately.â He added, realizing she hadnât agreed to his request. âIn a tavern, Riona? After what you said to Wulfric? I am worried about you. That you are going to get hurt, or worse, for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person in front of the wrong people.â Callum continued, fear etching its way into his voice. He scratched at his neck but his gnawed-off fingernails offered no relief from dread.
âIf I canât do stupid self-destructive things, you canât either. Itâs only fair. I canât handle losing you.â His focus stayed on her, wondering how she couldnât see the added danger she was putting herself in.
Rionaâs hard expression melted away, her eyes softening as she looked at Callum. âItâs only fair,â she repeated. She couldnât promise to stop being self-destructive, but she would try to be less stupid about it. âFor what itâs worth, I canât handle losing you either.â
Her fingers raked through her hair. A long breath escaped her, carrying with it some of the tension coiled in her shoulders. âHonestly, I donât know whatâs gotten into me lately.â she muttered, more to herself than to Callum. âI used to be better at keeping it together.â
âItâs like⌠Like everything Iâve bottled up for years is suddenly bursting out. MaybeâŚâ Riona paused, searching for words. âMaybe Iâm just tired of it all, you know?â
âAnd part of me wonders if I should just... end it.â
Realizing words that werenât meant to be said out loud slipped out, Riona forced a smile. âBut,â she said, her tone lightening in an obvious attempt at deflection, âif I do end up royally messing things up... will you avenge me?â
Callum pulled Riona into a hug. âAbso-fucking-lutely.â He said before something dark crept into his voice. âAnything ever happens to you, Iâll find all the spookiest curses and ensure all your enemies receive eternal torment. They wonât know a moment of peace in this world or the next.â His arms tightened around her.
Rionaâs eyes widened as Callum suddenly pulled her into a hug. Heat spread to her face and pooled behind her eyes. Letting out a shaky breath, Riona leaned into the hug. âDamn it, Cal. Youâre going to make me cry.â Even though it was already too late.
There was a twisted joy in knowing someone cared enough to promise vengeance on her behalf, mixed with guilt for feeling that way. Gods, how messed up was she to want anyone to carry that kind of burden? She thought of her family, of the townsfolk, and wondered if they had felt a similar bitter comfort when she had sworn revenge over their lifeless bodies.
She tightened her grip on him.
âAnd if you're tired, too exhausted to keep trying, lean on me. I understand how that feels, weâll get through it together.â He let her go and pulled a small glass vial from his pocket, setting it on the table.
âI made calming potions today. For the next family meeting. Canât be storming out any time they say something awful if I want to learn all their secrets. You should keep one, for when you need it, and we can keep making more.â He whispered as he let her go. There was no reason not to use magic, their biggest advantage, to its fullest potential.
âAre the meetings always that bad?â
He thought about how cold Alibeth had been, how sheâd looked right at him and admitted she wanted Darryn to die. He wondered how she could call herself a mother and tell two of her children she wanted their friend dead. How excited his older brother had been to paint another friend as some evil mastermind. They both got some twisted enjoyment out of hurting him. âUsually.â He didnât need to tell her how little the rest of his family cared about Darryn. Wulfy only seemed disappointed that heâd failed to keep a promise, that loss of life didnât seem to matter. âWhen Iâm even invited.â He shrugged.
Although she wasnât sure if sheâd be able to use the potion without it affecting the spell she carried, Riona accepted it. Might be helpful in a pinch. âThanks.â
The clock chimed and Riona checked the time. âI better start heading out.â She said as she shouldered the bag. âI promised Iâd meet Roman at the camping event tonight.â
Roman? His head tilted at the mention of his friend, wondering what the two were meeting about. âIâve got one more thing,â and he needed to bring it up here, where he could be sure no one was listening in.
Callum cleared his throat, âI canât stop thinking about what you said the other night. About Roman. And Mina. Youâre right, theyâre probably in danger after that ritual. Weâre all probably in a lot of danger and things are going to get worse. If Alibethâs bringing up magic itâs only a matter of time before they start looking for it. Start hunting. No oneâs safe from that. Not us, not Roman, Mina, MarekâŚAri.â His voice dropped to a barely audible level as he named people, but his words continued to spill out at a frantic pace.
âAnd if theyâre looking for it, theyâre going to find it, any way they can. Accuse whoever suits them.â His eyes shifted, no longer looking at Riona but past her, staring off at things only he could see. Thick smoke and shadows rose up from beneath the floorboards. It coalesced into dark pillars around the room.
âWe have to protect each other. Have to keep those like us, other witches, safe. Strike first before people start burning.â Smoke became flame. Flames engulfed the shadowy pillars. Everything in the hut was blindingly bright. Twisted, pained expressions of those he cared about screamed without sound from within the flames. Bruning. Suffering. Unheard. The illusion only fueled his panic. The memory of the flame spell heâd cast in Wystanâs room reminded him what that felt like, how awful a fate it was. He stared wide-eyed at the illusion as his skin grew paler.
No one was safe. No one who practiced magic. No one who the crown saw as expendable, undesirable, or dangerous. It had happened before, worked for past monarchs, and the crown would do it again. Unless he made sure they were stopped.
âI can see it, Riona. Right now, like itâs happening. Been seeing things, illusions, all day. But I wonât see this again. Wonât let it be real.â Words hissed out through a clenched jaw. He couldnât look away from the illusion, couldnât let himself forget the too-real possibility that it could happen.
For a heartbeat, she wondered if he was speaking metaphorically, but the haunted look etched across his face told a different story. Whatever Callum was seeing, it was all too real to him.
âCal?â Riona reached out, grasping his hand in hers. His skin felt clammy and cold. When he didnât respond, his gaze still locked on some unseen horror, she squeezed his fingers and tried again. âCal⌠These... things youâre seeing. When did they start?â A sinking feeling settled in her chest as she hazarded a guess. âHas it been happening since we found that hidden room?â She held her breath, waiting for his answer.
âToday. After I showed Ana an illusion spell. Had to prove to her magic isnât evil. It doesnât have to be feared.â And she listened, Ana believed me. He relaxed a little, thinking about that. Flames flared and burned out. The smoke remained, stretching out, filling the space. Until it was only shadows, coating the walls, acting out nightmarish scenes with their ever-shifting forms. Shadow puppets performing every terrible thing heâd read about witch hunts.
âBut this is payment for that spell. Probably compounded from using that curse scroll.â And probably made worse by making potions and dabbling in other spells following Drakeâs party.
Riona visibly relaxed. If it was one thing if the illusions were from the side effects of using a spell from the book. It wouldâve been another thing if it was the result of touching an ancient cursed object.
âBut I did see things after we found that room. That felt, different from this. I donât know what that was, maybe something to do with that tea I drank.â He added; todayâs illusions felt more real, easier to pin down.
And just like that, the tension returned. âIf itâs from the tea, we should ask Roman or Mina about it. But if itâs not⌠we should consider the possibility itâs from the objects from that room.â
He hesitated, he didnât want to keep secrets from Riona but he wasnât sure how to explain what happened last night without bringing up the unwelcoming presence in her home. âIt wasnât from the room, I felt it before we went in there.â He said cautiously and before she could ask where he added, âand if youâre worried about that crown I tried to put on, donât be. Pretty sure Iâm clear but if the illusions arenât gone tomorrow Iâll let you know. We can practice a de-hexing on me. Itâll be fun.â He offered.
Riona narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms slowly. âCallum? ⌠Do you want me to pretend I didnât notice or do you have something youâd like to share with me?â
âI should tell you. I will tell you. Just not now, But what I saw after we went in that room, I felt it here first. And I donât feel it right now but I donât want to risk seeing it again.â He spoke as calmly as he could manage as a look of pure terror flashed across his eyes. âPlease, just give me a day or two.â He asked.
What else could she say but sigh and whisper âOkayâ?
He took a breath and returned to an easier topic. âIn the past, witches formed covens for protection. They worked as one. Were more powerful that way.â Callum paused and smiled.
âI think itâs time we bring the old ways back, form a coven. And Iâd hate to do that without you, but I will understand if donât want to be involved. Roman and Ari should both be at Pinebrook tonight, I plan to start with them. A coven where weâre all equals. Watching out for each other. Keeping each other safe. Fighting back when we need to.â He offered, laying out the general idea of his plan for tonight.
âWhat do you think? It is my least self-destructive plan yet.â
âWell, well. Look whoâs become a social butterfly. A few months ago you were trying your damnedest to keep everyone at armâs length, and now youâre joining groups left and right.â Riona teased.
Her tone sobered as she continued, âBut youâre right, itâs not a terrible idea. Especially if this witch-hunting thing is going to ramp up.â She met his gaze, her decision already made. âCount me in.â
âIâm so glad to hear you say that,â He gestured to the door. âTime to grab a carriage.â He added only to be hit with a puzzling question.
âWhat about your commitment with the Thornbreakers? Not worried if there might be a conflict of interest?â
He shook his head. âNo, theyâre after the crown and those that serve it, those who act to keep power in only a few hands. Theyâre not after witches. Not that I know, at least. If anything we share an enemy. And any witches who serve the crown, theyâre on their own.â He might even be able to help Quack out more.
That was true. âLet me change the question⌠Say things get messy and you have to choose one or the other. Then what?â
Callum wasnât sure how to answer that, he only shrugged. âI donât know. Depends on why things are messy.â He answered honestly. âBut nothing, no one, is getting in the way of goal number one. Rip that crown away from Danrose hands, expose every fucked up secret my family hides, and make sure Edin, Alibeth, and anyone else whoâs earned it, finds retribution.â He repeated his promise, put an arm around her shoulders at that final word. Retribution, he liked the way that word sounded as it rolled from his tongue. If he couldnât rid himself of a need to destroy something, then let his destruction be for something good. Let it be justice and vengeance tied up together.
Retribution. The fire in her blazed with excitement at his words. Yes. Yes! YES!
âYou tell me whose names belong on that list, and Iâll work with whoever I can to make that happen. Itâs more than a goal, itâs a reason to keep going, a purpose. And if I can do more than that, it will be tearing down the rest of this rotten system, the other houses in Caesonia, until titles mean nothing here. No one should be dying from a lack of coin.â He continued, and that was why he trusted Quack, why he believed in his vision. This kingdom didnât need a chosen corrupted few living in excess while the rest suffered and starved.
âMagic is how that happens. It was part of the old ways. Witches used their power to lift others up. Not to control them, not to feed off them, but to help them. It was an act of mercy from the gods, their sacred gift to humanity. My ancestors tried to burn that out of the kingdom. I will restore it, but I canât do any of that alone. Restoring magic, the way it was meant to be, is how we make this kingdom better for all its people.â Callum couldnât see a conflict of interest between magic and the Thornbreakers, everything was linked together. His hand gripped her shoulder.
Partly overwhelmed by Calâs passionate speech, Rionaâs lips parted and closed without saying a word. It was more than obvious that, to him, the Thornbreakers and his new coven were just different hands reaching for the same prize: freedom and equality. In the world he dreamed of forging, neither could exist without the other.
âWitches, Thornbreakers, and anyone who suffers under the crown, our enemy is the same. The worldâs not in our favor, our shared enemy is overwhelmingly powerful, and that unifies us. Itâs going to take a lot of different people working together to overcome that, but we can. We must. Or nothing gets better for any of us.â
âThen Iâll leave it up to you to decide if youâre going to tell Quack about the coven.â
âWasnât planning to, unless it becomes necessary. I donât plan to give him, anyone, any names, they donât need to know whoâs in the coven. And the coven doesnât need to know whoâs in Quackâs group. Less risk of information getting out, at least for now.â
She nodded in agreement, relieved that he decided to keep those two groups apart.
âAs a co-founder though, I think we need to be careful about who you invite and who actually joins. Aside from Roman, Ariella, and Mina, who else do you plan to invite?â
âWeâll vote on new additions. Come to decisions as a group. It canât be another monarchy, none of us should hold power over the others.â
âI like that.â
As she started for the door, the weight of the bag reminded her of its contents and Riona slowed to a stop. âHey, speaking of Roman... has he asked you to do anything for him lately? Anything... unusual?â
âWhat?â That question caught him off guard. âWhy? What has Roman asked you to do? I havenât seen him much lately.â He glanced at the bag she carried. âWhat are you meeting with Roman about?â He asked since sheâd brought him up again.
âI met him in the woods this morning. Heâs actually been wanting to talk to you about something. I donât know if itâs gonna be the same thing he told me, but since weâre all going to be at Pinebrooks tonight, itâs probably best to get the details directly from him.â Riona patted the bag. âHe asked me to pass him any information and rumors that are going around in the castle.â
Cal could wonder what Roman was up to, but it sounded like heâd find out soon enough. âYouâll be careful, right? I know youâre the best spy in the city and all but-â He didnât finish the thought, but no one made a good spy hanging from a noose.
âDonât worry, he didnât ask me to go dig up classified information or national secrets. He only wanted me to tell him about things that any servant working at the castle wouldâve heard or seen.â She reached for the door handle, then let her head thunk against the wood with a groan. âShoot. With all the things that happened I never got the chance to tell you about what I found in Aldenâs room the other night.â
Callum made a face at the mention of Aldenâs name. âWas it a list of what that guyâs been up to?â He asked. He glanced at the clock, they probably had enough time and he was too curious to hear what Edinâs advisor might be hiding.
Riona turned to face Cal. The scene in Aldenâs quarters flashed through her mindâupended furniture, scattered papers, and the blood. âAldenâs room was ransacked. There was blood leading to the window and⌠no oneâs seen or heard him. And now we suddenly have a new Royal Advisor who appeared out of nowhere.â Subconsciously, Riona reached over to cover the tear of a dress she changed out of hours ago. âMister Alexander Deacon.â
âDeacon?!â Callum repeated the name with a mix of surprise and enthusiasm. âWeâre planning a charity event together, Mina too. Isnât he great? Wouldnât have guessed heâd end up as advisor though.â He could only wonder why Alexander would want to work directly for Edin, but it was probably best to just ask the man himself.
âDeacon works with Black Rose and Marek, theyâre all about doing more charity work around here.â He added catching her up on anything she might not already know.
Alexander Deacon. Working for Marek. The pieces clicked together with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the chest. Rionaâs fingers went death-white around her bag strap. The party, Darrynâs warning, his murderâhad she just helped them? Helped the people who might haveâ
No. Focus. Breathe.
âBlack Rose, huh?â she echoed. â...Actually, Deacon invited me to participate in the auction.â Her voice stayed steady as bought time to get her racing thoughts in order.
âYou seem less happy about this than me.â He pointed out, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor. âDid you agree to participate? Itâs not a bad idea right, do some good? And looks like Iâm taking my prince duties seriously, which could help me get closer to Wulfy. Be a better spy.â He asked.
âThe charity is a great idea. I agreed to participate because he told me youâd be handling the donations. And I know youâll make sure they reach actual people in need.â She added. âIf joining can help raise more money, then Iâm happy to help. Even if it might not be much.â Rionaâs gaze drifted downward as her fingers twisted the fabric of her dress. âIâm⌠just not comfortable with Alexander Deacon.â
âWhat about Alexander makes you uncomfortable?â He asked with concern, noting the anxious movement of her fingers.
âItâs⌠hard to explain, but he comes off⌠disingenuous.â Greasy.
âIâll pay closer attention to him next time.â He said, not knowing what she meant by that. When heâd talked to Alexander, the man seemed enthusiastic about everything.
Seeing how much Cal liked Marek, Riona thought he might get upset calling Alexander disingenuous on nothing more than a gut feeling. So his answer came as a relief. Her fingers relaxed and she nodded before asking something else she noticed.
âYou donât sound surprised about Aldenâs disappearance. Was it brought up during the family meeting?â
âNo, at least not while I was there. Canât say Iâm sad to see him gone.â He said with a shrug. He didnât like Alden, he did like Alexander, and he could only assume that it would help Marek to have one of his top guys whispering in Edinâs ear. Maybe he didnât have to worry so much about Marek being in danger, it sounded like he was already on top of the situation.
âSo⌠you guys talked about Darrynâs murder, but nothing about the Royal Advisor? Doesnât that sound kind of weird? How has no one noticed him missing? I mean, someone had to report his room being torn apart. The blood aloneâŚâ
âI left early, and so did Ana, Iâm not sure what else they talked about. I could ask Captain Durmand, she might tell me.â He said, wishing he had stayed for the full meeting. He couldâve missed important information. âNo, I will ask the Captain what I missed.â
Then it wouldnât hurt to give him a head start. âYou might want to read this. I havenât told the Captain about it.â Riona reached into her bag, pulled out a single sheetâa copy of Aldenâs journal entryâfrom the bundle of papers, and handed it to Cal. âI found his journal.â
Cal read the copy of a passage from Aldenâs journal. ââMy dear Calbert is dealing with his own struggles now, with Violet now in her own state of rest. He will be dying to know what happened exactly, and is desperately looking for answers. He will be easy to influence.â What do you think he means by that?â He asked, reading part of it allowed. What happened to Violet?
âYour guess is as good as mine⌠butâŚâ Riona thought back on the last few days, trying to remember when she saw Lady Violet. âWhenâs the last time you saw her?â
Callum thought about it for a moment. âShe was at the tea party, same one I met Deacon at actually, talking to Wulfy.â
Having Lady Violet and Alexander mentioned in the same sentence didnât sit well with Riona. âDid they come together?â
âNot sure, I didnât see them together, but I was also late.â He said confused about the question. âYou donât think Deacon and Violet are conspiring together, do you?â He asked, his inflection on the word conspiring paired with a grin and raised eyebrows made it clear he didnât mean plotting some grand conspiracy. âOoohh, Calbert would lose his mind.â
Riona smirked wryly. If only what Alden was referring to in his journal was just that level of scandal. âHow did Lady Violet seem to you?â
Cal shrugged, âI didnât talk with her. Last time I talked to her was at the first ball of the summer. She seemed fine then, maybe a little annoyed about the ârandomly paired dancesâ but nothing out of the ordinary. At the tea party though, she was dressed like she was in mourning.â
âHuh⌠I havenât heard there being a death in the family.â Riona would have to double check on that, but she was pretty sure word would have gotten around if there was one. âBut aside from that she looked fine?â
Again, all he could do was shrug. âI guess so?â Heâd barely glanced at her but he hadnât noticed anything too unusual.
A contemplative hmm escaped Riona as she chewed over Aldenâs cryptic comments about Lady Violetâs âown state of rest.â
ââYour majesty is still as dimwitted and unclever as everâ,â He laughed reading that out loud. âAny idea what he was planning? Guess he wasnât as bad as I thought he was. âTHEY will be necessary for the kingdomâs downfallâŚbut they do not need to suffer. That will be reserved for âyour majestyâ solely.â Guess itâs almost impossible to spend that much time around Edin and not hate him.â Cal smirked and handed the paper back to her.
She took the paper and put it back into the bundle. âI donât know. Whatever it was, itâs possible that he was discovered.â
âDid you notice Alibeth isnât mentioned anywhere?â Riona frowned slightly, âAnd the bit about the âsonsâ being necessary for the kingdomâs downfall⌠whatâs that supposed to mean?â Did Alden know about Cal joining the Thronbreakers?
âI didnâtâŚmaybe Alden is⌠or was, working for Alibeth, kept her name out of it as a precaution?â He suggested.
âMaybe⌠but then why write any names at all? This couldâve been used as evidence against him.â
âHubris?â He suggested. âRead anything else good in his journal? Maybe the answer to that question is in there, or at least a few more clues.â
âBits and pieces, but I havenât exactly had the chance to read the entire journal yet andâ...â Riona looked at the time. âWe should get going. If you want, we can read the journal together later. You might catch something I didnât.â
Callum straightened his posture and offered his arm, which she took without missing a beat. âWould you escort me to Pinebrook, itâs dark out and the woods are very creepy.â He asked, only half joking.
âAnd if anyone asks, I was here tonight to get your advice on allocating funds from the charity event.â Callum said, crafting his story. If anyone saw him outside, he was nervous because the last time heâd asked palace staff for help, a carriage ride to a party, it had not ended well. He was here, for an extended time, discussing a charity project, they continued that conversation in a carriage to Pinebrook.
As they waited near the front gates of the palace for the carriage to pull around he shared another idea. âI would like to dedicate the charity auction to Darryn, if thatâs alright with you.â He asked as the sound of hooves and wheels heralded the carriageâs arrival.
âOf course it is, you donât need to ask me.â Riona turned her head towards the direction of the approaching carriage. âBut if you are, can you send some of the money to his family? ⌠If theyâre around.â
âI could, if my plan to guilt my brother into making sure theyâre taken care of doesnât work. He did give me his word that Darryn would be safe, the least he can do now is make sure Darrynâs family is safe and cared for.â Cal said, it was better that the crown paid for that, and as far as Callum was concerned, Wulfric owed him that.
Riona scoffed. They both knew what a good job Wulfric did keeping Darryn safe. âGuess weâll see how well that goes.â
âEither way, Iâll make sure it happens.â He assured.
__________________________________________________________________________
The carriage wheels clattered against the cobblestones as they made their way through the capitalâs outer gates. Riona sat across from Cal, keeping her gaze fixed on the window.
With each turn of the wheels, each hoofbeat carrying them further from the city walls, something inside her began to unravel. The crushing weight of the Capitalâs invisible miasma of spite and fury that had been her constant companionâbegan to thin.
She should have felt relieved. Should have welcomed the lifting of that burden.
Instead, its absence left her feeling hollow and scared.
The cursed fire within her, fed for so long on the cityâs malice, flickered uncertainly. Riona pressed her palm against her sternum.
It was still there, quieter, but still there. And she knew it would remain as long as she had breath in her body and will in her heart.
It was a quiet carriage ride, and Cal could only attribute the somber atmosphere to the weight of Darrynâs murder. After a while, he moved from his seat and sat beside Riona. Still quiet, he didn't want to interrupt her thoughts, and there werenât words that would make anything easier. He offered proximity until the silence became comfortable.
Sensing movement, Riona turned her head toward Cal. In the carriageâs dim interior, Rionaâs eyes looked like bottomless pits and her skin had paled a bit from sudden weariness.
She gave Cal an appreciative smile before looking back out the window. âItâs been awhile since Iâve left the capital. Feels⌠strange.â
âSorian, and all her problems, will still be there tomorrow. You deserve a break from it.â But Riona looked far from relaxed, so he pulled a flask from the inner breast pocket of his jacket. âGot a potion for that too.â He joked, shaking the flask.
Riona let out a small, amused soundâsomething between a sigh and a laugh. Her mouth twisted into a half-grin. âReally?â She shifted in her seat to face Cal fully. âYouâd better be sharing that,â she said, reaching for the flask.
__________________________________________________________________________
The air became different; crisp and clean and infused with hints of campfire and roasted food. The clomping of hooves slowed to a stop and the carriage door opened, allowing them to step out into the carefully tamed wilderness. Everything at the campsite was lit by soft lanterns and moonlight, even the nearby lake seemed to shimmer. Friendly staff was quick to greet them, a handful of strange faces with familiar, mandatory, smiles.
And one all too familiar face. Callum froze for a moment, almost grateful for how lifelike the haunting image of Darryn now looked. Side effects must be getting weaker. He felt relief at the thought.
âDarryn?â The name fell from Rionaâs lips in a breathless whisper that said she saw the impossible too.