Falling Kingdoms

Vengeance. The word sounded so decisive. So final. It was what Jonas wanted when he’d taken her. She’d seen the fiery hate in his eyes for her role in his brother’s death. If this was how he’d felt toward her, she was grateful that she was still alive.

His goal was to put her somewhere Prince Magnus could find her. They were working together to destroy her father. It was a miracle that she’d escaped. A miracle that came at too high a price.

“Cleo, you’re so pale,” the king said with concern.

Nic touched her arm. “She’s still in shock.”

“Do you now see why I didn’t want you to go, daughter? I know you wanted to try to help your sister, but there’s too much at risk right now.”

“I failed.” Her voice broke. “I didn’t find anything to help Emilia. And Theon’s dead because of me.”

He cupped her face and kissed her gently on her forehead. “Go to your chambers and rest. Tomorrow will be better.”

“I thought you’d be so angry with me.”

“I am angry. But to see you alive and well and returned to me is the answer to my prayers. So my happiness that you’re safe is more powerful than any anger. Love is stronger than anger. Love is stronger than hate—stronger than anything. Remember that.”

Nic helped her to her chambers, and he too kissed her forehead before he left her there, tucked into her warm bed. He left her in the dark room and she tried to sleep, but she was plagued by nightmares. One after another, and each of them starring a different dark-haired boy. One, Paelsian and savage, dragging her along a dusty road to lock her in a small, dirty shack. The other cruel and haughty, with a scar on his face and a bloody sword, laughing over the body of Theon.

She woke in the night, sobbing.

“There, there,” a familiar voice soothed. A cool hand brushed her forehead.

“Emilia?” She sat up in her bed, realizing that her sister was with her. The shadows of the room weren’t enough to cover how thin and pale her sister looked or the darkness under her eyes. “What are you doing here? You should be in bed.”

“How could I stay away when I learned that my little sister had finally returned?” Emilia’s face was grave. She climbed into the bed next to Cleo. “Father told me what happened. Cleo, I’m so sorry about Theon.”

Cleo opened her mouth, but no words came for a long time. “It’s my fault.”

“You mustn’t think that.”

“If I hadn’t run away, he wouldn’t have had to come after me. He would still be alive.”

“It was his job to protect you. And he did it. He protected you, Cleo.”

“But he’s gone.” It was only a tiny gasp.

“I know.” Emilia held her as she sobbed, tears that seemed to have no end. “And I know how you feel. When I lost Simon, I thought that it would be the end of me too.”

“You really loved him.”

“With all my heart.” She stroked Cleo’s hair. “So mourn Theon. Cherish his memory. Thank him for his sacrifice. One day, I promise this pain will fade.”

“No, it won’t.”

“Right now it’s still too fresh. It might seem as if this grief will never let go of the hold it has on your heart.” Emilia’s jaw tightened. “But you must be strong, Cleo. There are hard times ahead.”

Cleo’s chest hitched. “War.”

Emilia nodded. “King Gaius wanted Father to turn Auranos over to him without a fight. He told Father he’d do horrible things to you if he put up any opposition.”

Cleo trembled at the thought of it. Emilia leaned closer. “And just between you and me, I believe Father would have done exactly as King Gaius asked before it was too late to save you.”

“He couldn’t. There are so many people in Auranos, he couldn’t just give it over to the Limerians.”

“And the Paelsians. Paelsia and Limeros have partnered in their hatred against us.”

“Why do they hate us so much?”

“Envy. They see that we have so much here. And they’re right. We do.”

Cleo exhaled shakily. Her actions had nearly brought about the ruin of her father’s kingdom. “My trip was wrong in so many ways. But I still can’t bring myself to fully regret it. I wanted to help you.”

“I know.” A small, sad smile touched her lips. “I know you did it for me. And I love you for that so much. But I don’t think even a Watcher could have helped me anymore. I’m not sure I even believe they’re anything more than legend.”

“They’re real.”

“Did you meet one?”

Cleo faltered. “No. But a woman I met, Eirene, she told me tales I’d never heard before. About a sorceress and a hunter, about the Watchers. Did you know the goddesses were Watchers who stole the Kindred and exiled themselves? Now the Watchers wait to find the next sorceress, who can lead them to the hidden Kindred to restore their magic before it dies away completely. It’s all so incredible.”

Emilia’s smile held. “Sounds like quite a tale.”

“It’s real,” Cleo insisted. “The goddesses stole the Kindred and split it between them, but the power made them enemies. Before that, the entire Western Realm was one. We were all friends once upon a time.”

“No longer. The Limerian king hates Father. He wants to destroy him. He’s hungered for Father’s land since before he was on the throne. His father was a kind and gentle king who only wanted peace. King Gaius will be happy to spill oceans of blood beyond his own borders if it will get him the power he desires.”