EIGHT

My hands are planted firmly on the wooden seat, dampness gathering upon my palms.

The men threw us into the back of an awaiting carriage, locking the door behind us.

I want to cry, to be scared. Instead, I stare at the wall, where a window should be, wondering where we are being taken. The road beneath us is smooth, the first suggestion of wealth. This is a King we head toward, but one neither Marek or I have heard of, and I've lived in this Province my whole life.

But I was sheltered, and being one of the biggest span of territory in the land, the Jade Province is split into territories governed by different people. We have just happened to stumble into a King's.

Marek looks down at his hands, brow furrowed. I wish I could read his mind.

“You hesitated," I find myself saying, thinking back to only an hour before this moment, and the words Marek spoke, their sinister edge still echoing within my mind. I don't want to think too deeply into them, and what that would mean for me. Yet I'm still curious, with everything going on. If Marek has abilities he hasn't disclosed, and he didn't use them to get us out of this...I don't know what I would do.

“Sorry?” he questions absently, shaking himself from a veil of thought.

Shifting uncomfortably on my seat, I wonder if I shouldn't have brought this up. “You could have used your powers but you chose not to.”

Marek's jaw tightens, a muscle in his jaw feathering. I shouldn't press this; it's none of my business. But he kidnapped me, and he could have used his powers to give us another chance to get out of here. Instead, my fists still aches, my knuckles beginning to bruise. I had to do something, even if Marek wouldn't.

“You pack quite a punch. I’m impressed," he muses, instead of answering my question. It's a deflection, but I allow him one mercy.

“I was an only child, and my father’s in the army. He taught me to fight to keep up with the village boys. They all feared me," I recall, the faintest smile touching my lips at the memory. Father is good, and kind, but much too proud. He would rather teach his only daughter to fight, rather than be home to protect her. I never thought I would need it until now.

Marek shares my smile, an unfamiliar warmth creeping into his eyes. “If they weren’t armed, you could have had them all on your own.”

“I don’t think so,” I mutter dismissively. Father taught me how to use my fists, never to wield a weapon. My mind sinfully escapes back to seeing Marek's crossbow last night. “Where do you think they are taking us? I’ve never heard of the King, but I was isolated my whole life.”

“Then expect to be in a forest far from your village. Clearly he has enough power to expend men to protect this part of the border," Marek murmurs, clearly troubled. I shiver, hiking my legs up against my chest. We could quite possibly be being carted to our death right now, or to be sentenced by a King to a life in prison, where I will never see my family again.

“I hate him already, and I haven’t even met him," I admit, looking to Marek for some kind of comfort, finding it in his calm expression.

“We should keep quiet. No doubt they can hear us, and we don’t need anything getting back to this King anyway. Whoever he is," Marek comments, to which I nod.

So we settle back into our seats, feeling each move and undulation of the carriage, taking us to an unknown location, and an unknown fate.

+++

We must have spent a minimum of an hour in the carriage, before we come to a jarring stop.

Exchanging wary glances with Marek, I listen carefully for hints. Familiar bird song, the whisper of a breeze through tall, dense trees. We are deep within the Jade Province now, which means an escape will fair better for us.

The door to the carriage opens, a flood of light streaming in. Dawn. Maybe we have been travelling longer than I thought, but I suppose we had been waiting in darkness a while before the men arrived to take us here.

Marek steps out first, and then I follow. Far more men dressed in that strange uniform greet us with nasty jeers and comments, ushering us to stand next to each other before them. I'm still dressed in my inn uniform, whereas Marek looks far more collected, intimidating. Evidently, the guards attention concentrates on him. Being that he is a Summoner, I don't blame them.

Looking past them, I drink in the state of the manor before me. It's a classic, ivory walled building, accented with vines that creep up past large stained-glass windows, little pink and yellow flowers sprouting beautifully. Despite its large and ostentatious presence, it's pretty.

A man comes behind us, pushing us our backs simultaneously, sending us into an awkward walk. I writhe uncomfortably against the metal cut of the cuffs, wishing I had Marek's cool mask.

Framing the entrance to the building, sits a perfectly manicured hedge, making my eyes narrow. This is a King. A real King. We are going to face him, be sentenced...

Maybe he will kill us, even.

Inside, the building transforms. In an atrium style, the ceiling is glass, forming a mullioned dome over a massive space that extends magnificently before me. A centrepiece swirls upward, ivy vines curling around an ornate statue, spouting water from it's mouth. I blink once, twice, as if this elysian paradise might just vanish and reveal this has been nothing but an elaborate dream.

And then, a figure emerges from behind the centre piece, more breath-taking than this environment, if that's even possible.

There is no doubting who this is. There's no crown atop his head, just a thick mess of dark hair, which curls beautifully, reaching just at his eyebrows. He assesses Marek and I with keen eyes, darkness leeching into pure green eyes, the colour of the native ferns that grow wildly within the Jade Province forests.

Before he can catch me staring, I respectfully lower my eyes to the floor, hoping my politeness resonates with him. However, staring at my reflection in the polished white stone floor, I feel foolish.

"Guests. How pleasant. Not exactly the kind of guests I expected, but welcome nonetheless," he announces, his tone immediately making my blood chill. Raw, unfiltered confidence. At least the Jade Province lilt is soothing, familiar. "Remove their cuffs, they aren't animals."

I can't help but shake, as one of his men come behind me, tactfully removing the cuffs from me first, then Marek. Anxiously, I rub my wrists, praying no welts form from where I have been rubbed raw.

"No words? How about names?" he question, not aggressive to any degree, but still ensuring we understand the scope of his power. "I'll start. I'm King Taius, but feel free to just call me Tai."

I risk an upward glance.

Taius is dressed like a King. The ebony jacket slung over his shoulders is frame his body elegantly, sweeping down behind his hips. On the breast, golden embroidery, swirling into feathery patterns adorned with the faintest crystal jewels. But I'm more fascinated by the silver band on his wrist. Odd. I've never seen anything like it.

When Marek doesn't respond, maybe out of pride, unlikely out of fear, I decide it's not worth irritating this King.

"Akara."

"And you, sir?" Tai questions in Marek's direction. He's taunting him, in an ambiguous way of saying I have more power than you, I dare you to disobey me.

I can feel his reluctance. "Marek."

"May I ask, Marek and Akara, why you attempted to cross down an unauthorised road of mine?" Taius asks tauntingly, turning my throat dry. If I tried to run, to savour my last moments of life, I would be caught immediately and hauled back by Taius's men, who are utterly subservient to him.

Marek raises his head, refusing to be intimidated. "There was no indication that we were not allowed to enter. I'm assuming this a new development, as I'm familiar with the area."

Keen, cunning liar. Marek's proven to me his knowledge of the Jade Province is limited.

"Yes, Marek, it is a new development," Taius enunciates, leaving me unable to decide whether he is offended by that comment or not. "A development only a King can enforce."

Marek doesn't flinch.

"I had no idea there was a King in these parts. I though that title belonged to Tyrien."

Taius blinks, unable to obscure those startled eyes. He's clearly never been concerned with suppressing his emotions, painting a mask upon himself to not give much of what he thinking up. A King would never have use for that, like a hunter would. It makes him easy to read, easy to predict.

"The Jade Province is full of Kings. None however, own as much land as I do," he murmurs dismissively. I listen intently to the elegant clip of his voice, manicured by an immaculate education, no doubt.

"My apologies for the disrespect, your majesty," Marek comments, although there is a lack of candour in his tone.

Taius shifts his attention to me. "Akara, you're from the Jade Province. What are you doing with a Summoner?"

I mistake a glance at Marek. Although his marking is beginning to fade, it's not enough. Had I not done the bare minimum research on what I may come across in the Azure Province before I moved there, I wouldn't have known he was a Summoner, or even what one is. But Taius is a King, having had an education with worldly knowledge that I couldn't begin to compare myself to.

"I'm escorting her back from a vacation with her distant family," Marek cuts in, before I have a chance to speak. It takes all my control not to appear confused. Escorting me? That's one way of wording what has gone on.

"An escort? Who desires your death?" Tai questions, eyeing me, as if suspecting a slip.

"No one. She has a wealthy family and an overprotective father. It's simply a formality," Marek explains, each word appearing with unquestionable ease. He's lying to protect himself, to not alert the King that he had been caught committing a crime. I should speak out. I should tell Taius what Marek has done, and beg him to return me to my family himself.

But I don't. How can I guarantee he wouldn't take advantage of me? We are here because he believes we committed a crime that we need to be punished for.

"Interesting. Is this right, Akara?" he asks, gaze sweeping brazening toward me.

I don't hesitate. "Yes, your majesty."

“Well, since you didn’t know about the closure of that route, I would be pleased to allow you to leave with no issue," Taius announces, clapping his hands together in a sound that echoes through me. Despite the kindness in his smile, the warmth bleeds into coldness in his eyes, betraying his good-will. I won't be happy about this pass yet.

“Thank you, I...we appreciate your kindness. It won’t happen again, I can assure you," Marek says in one breath, purposefully trying to sound like a blustering fool. Any semblance of guilt is not shared openly through his mannerisms.

“If it’s not going to happen again, and I’m not going to see you two again, why not join me for dinner, and perhaps a night in my home?” he offers, motioning around himself, knowing the decadence of his home would be enough to lure in the surest of souls. This is less of a home, and more of a showcase for the wealthy competition that must pass through here each day.

Taius doesn't spare me more than a few glances of acknowledgment, yet each time it does pass over me, I feel a heat in its wake, the surface of my skin erupting with tingles.

He's playing with his food. We are his food.

“Your hospitality is much appreciated, but Akara has a rare disease that requires her to take medication daily. We only have enough for the morning, so we need to be back in time to...deal with that. She’s very fragile," Marek says slowly, building up a faux story right before us all. However, only one of us is none the wiser.

Even if I want to stamp my foot down upon the Hunter's toes for calling me fragile.

“No worry at all. I have a few adept nurses who would be able to seek out enough medication for your stay," Taius retorts.

I extend and clench my first, staring at the crimson mark from where I struck one of the King's men in the face, which stains my knuckles sinfully. Marek may not see it, but we are not leaving without accepting his offer. We are to stay here, and dine with a King.

“We really wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

Tai's tone is honey sweet. “Why don’t you decide, Akara. Join me?”

I can feel Marek staring, but his desire to leave so quickly will not sate the King. If we stand any chance of survival, we must comply.

“Sure. Why not.”

Taius smiles, wicked and unchallenged. “It’s settled then, see you at eight.”