Splintered Fate Page 5

  “To change the code written by our ancestors--” Iria Maddox began before getting cut off by Arkhip.

  “Would be the smartest thing we have ever done. Nothing good is coming from leaving the code as is, it must be modified.”

  “I agree” Maksim Laderic shifted his weight towards the table. He was being pulled in. This was Arkhip’s goal, start a war and worry about his control later.

  Can Dukran do this? Lana asked Ardin, who silently watched the exchange.

  If enough of the council agrees. The laws were made long ago, back when the lands first fell apart and the first treaty was forged. Our ancestors had reason to choose one to lead all the lands. It kept each party from fighting against each other in the decisions of war and gave the reigns to one, for the best interest of the people. Back then the families were much less divided. Now the council seems to have grown apart and each of you more deeply connected with your own lands and people. If Dukran wants war, this may be his best way of achieving an agreement from the council.

  Lana looked to the Sterlings who have yet to voice an opinion. She watched them, trying to gage which way they were leaning. Cyra kept her gaze moving liquidly from one speaker to the next, portraying no emotion. Only once did she give a slight nod of her head and her white hawk flapped his wings and took off through the sky light at the top of the room. Cyra didn’t even glance at her Aorra as it left. Lana wondered if Cyra nodded in agreement to something in the conversation or to her Aorra.

  Elysia Sterling was even less responsive to the meeting and seemed more interested in the Laderic brothers than the conversation. She kept smiling at the brothers, her eyes finding their way over to one of them every time she attempted to look away. She only seemed to perk up and actually listen when one of the brothers spoke.

  We are on the brink of war and she can’t stop making bedroom eyes at the Laderics. Lana muttered in her head, returning her attention to the whole table.

  The council bickered back and forth for, getting nowhere. They danced in never ending circles. The Laderic brothers leaned toward war. The Maddox’s also seemed willing but more cautious. The Sterlings stayed silent, as if weighing all options before giving a hint as to where they stood. Valdor appeared to be the only one truly opposed to starting a war. While the blood thirsty Arkhip Dukran pushed for full out war. No one seemed to be going anywhere too quickly. Arkhip needed a majority vote and for the time being he hadn’t gotten it yet.

  Cyra abruptly stood from her seat, her chair nearly falling behind her from the force. The room stilled at once, all eyes fell on her in the sudden silence. But Cyra’s eyes were elsewhere, as if she were staring past the room, at something that was not there. Swiftly she straightened, looking at the council before her. Lana noted something odd in her eyes as the rest of them stared at her, waiting for her to say something.

  “They are here.” Cyra spoke, her voice hollow. Goosebumps ran up Lana’s body, as she recognized the look in Cyra’s eye, it was fear. The council stared at her without understanding. “The Rami, they are just outside of Abder, they are on our lands.”

  In an instant the room erupted in chaos. Everyone questioned Cyra’s certainty. Aorras stirred uneasily, council members were yelling at each other in a panic. Some of the faces portrayed fear, some glimmers of excitement.

  Lana kept silent through it all, watching with wide eyes. She could feel her pulse in her temple while her heart raced. Her mind tried to run off in panic as she asked herself why the Rami had come. Were they warriors, were they a threat, would the war start here and now? She shut off the flow of thoughts and willed her mind to be silent, willing herself to just listen, to not panic. For now, all that she could do was gather as much information as possible.

  “Enough!” Arkhip’s voice echoed off the tall walls of the room. “We all believe what Cyra’s Aorra saw. Now we need a plan of action. One unified plan. We do not know what the Rami know so we must assume the worst, that they know the whole council is here.” Arkhip ended with his eyes meeting Valdor’s. Lana was surprised at how open Arkhip seemed with coming to a unified plan. Working together was not something the Dukran were known for. They were lone wolves, the kind that could not be trusted.

  “Agreed, we should proceed with caution.” Valdor reluctantly said. Lana knew he did not want to work with Dukran, but Madonian lives were now in danger and helping to protect those lives was her father’s priority, even if it meant having to work with Arkhip.

  “However we don’t know anything about how they got here or why, they could be running from their King and happened to land here.” Valdor added.

  “And if not? We need to attack now. What better chance will we get!” Arkhip’s voice filled the room, dripping with excitement while his eyes were filled with lust for battle.

  “We could send a messenger, to find out why they have come, offer them a chance to leave before we do something drastic.” Valdor suggested. His was scanning the room trying to gauge where everyone stood.

  “What’s the point? Of all days the Rami have come today! As if it’s a sign. Our Lands thirst for blood!” Arkhip bellowed in anger and excitement.

  “I agree that an opportunity like this is rare. We can make a great stand. They don’t know what they are up against!” One of the Laderic brothers chimed in.

  “Opportunity?” Cyra’s voice finally cut through the bickering. “This is my home. These are my people who are in harm’s way! The threat needs to be taken care of immediately. I must first get my people to--”

  “There is no time!” Arkhip interrupted in almost a snarl. “Some lives may be lost but the strong will prevail, stronger than ever.”

  “You are in my home, Dukran. If war is what you want, it won’t start here unless I am the one to give the order.” Cyra spoke in an even tone. Her brown eyes held Arkhip’s deadly gaze. She did not back down, making it clear that this would be her call, not his, these were her lands, not his. Cyra had a boldness and strength within her that was more than the frilly pretty painted shell Lana had thought her to be. Valdor had always seemed to favor Cyra and Lana had no idea why, but now she understood. Cyra didn’t tremble or avert her gaze from Arkhip, she remained strong, Valdor appreciated that.

  “Of course, your right.” Arkhip replied kindly, though Lana could see the irritation behind his dark eyes.

  “I will try and get my people to safety, leave if you wish or you can stay and help, the choice is yours, but I must go meet with my General at once.” Cyra Sterling spoke to the Madonian council as she rose from her seat, Elysia mirroring her mother.

  Arkhip turned to Cyra, placing a thin cold hand on her shoulder, “I will stay and help you and your people, we all are Madonian, and a threat to you is a threat to us all.” He spoke in a surprisingly calm voice.

  “Thank you.” She said as she and her daughter walked out the wooden doors.

  A chair screeched against the marble floor as Valdor stood. “I will stay too.” He spoke to the council left in the room.

  “As will we,” the Laderic brothers added.

  “We will move outside of the city.” Iria Maddox voiced, “We did not bring a lot of our forces nor do I wish to lose unnecessary troops unless war is the path we decide.”

  “War at this point is our only option!” Arkhip yelled out.

  “It is too soon to know that Dukran. I’m going to go help the Sterlings get their people to safety.” Valdor began to turn away from the table. His eyes glanced to Lana and she silently stood, following her father. She could feel Arkhip Dukran’s heated stare on her way out.

  Once in the hallway Valdor turned to his daughter and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder “You and Ardin are going to go with the Maddox’s”.

  Lana’s eyes grew wide, “What? No! I have--”

  “This is not up for discussion. These are my orders. Arkhip is an uncontrollable man and this very well may lead to war. I will see what I can do here but you are leaving this city at once.” Lana knew opposing him
would do more harm than good but she could not agree either. So she just looked at him with hard angry eyes.

  “Now go, I will tell the Maddox’s to wait for you.” Valdor said pointing down the darkly lit hall.

  Chapter

  Three

  As Lana walked through the halls to her room she could feel Ardin pulling the anger from her in an effort to calm her. Your father is trying to protect you. With the way things were going and Arkhip’s pushing, this will lead to war. There is a chance the Rami here are refugees but if they are not, if they are an army, your father is trying to protect…

  I don’t need his protection. I understand I was out of line this morning, but to be thrown out like a child!

  Ardin came to a stop and sat down in the hall. Lana reluctantly turned to face the handsome white wolf.

  He didn’t do this only to protect you, Lana. He did it to protect your people. If the decisions made today cause a war and the Council’s firsts fall then the next in command for the Selvirian lands would be you. You are the one to lead your people and getting you away now, keeping you away in this moment will keep you safe for your people’s sake. That’s why you were taken out of the equation. If something were to happen to both you and your father what do you think will happen to your people? Arkhip or any of the others would be more than happy to swoop in and make things worse.

  Lana stood there a moment, looking into Ardin’s large gray blue eyes. I didn’t even think of our people in this. How could I have been so thoughtless? Then another realization came over her. If father is sending me away then he must think that we are going to go to war today and that there is true danger for us, true danger for him.

  Ardin’s ears sagged as his voice calmly entered Lana’s mind. That’s a safe assumption.

  Lana’s green gaze fell from the great wolf to the floor. Her chest tightened, causing her to feel suffocated and trapped. After her mother’s death, it was just she and her father left. Leaving him now, to stand on his own against Arkhip and Kirill didn’t feel right. It felt like she would be running away while the world would be left to burn. She couldn’t just leave things like this.

  “We know nothing of what’s going on with the Rami people. Cyra won’t send her Aorra for fear of them noticing and acting before her people are safe and Arkhip won’t want to wait to find out anything he will grow impatient and…” The sound of approaching footsteps silenced Lana.

  She turned to see a blond man approaching, cape blowing behind him in his wake. Making eye contact with steel eyes, her pulse jumped. The bite of Kirill’s words still stung, resonating in her mind. He seemed to slow when he got closer, as if he may stop. But then his steel eyes moved to something further down the hall and he walked past her without taking another look in her direction. Lana could feel the air shift. It seemed to move out of his way, blowing at her when he strode past.

  They will not wait to kill. Lana spoke to Ardin, regarding the Dukran who just strolled by. For all we know these could be innocent refugees fleeing their Lands for their king is horrible and the Dukran are looking to massacre them all. He will never allow anyone to find out the truth before they attack. Something must be done to prevent the start of the war.

  NO! Ardin’s voice rang in her mind before she was able to even clearly think her thoughts. Absolutely not! Lana are you crazy? This is madness! How will you ever get close enough to find anything? Your Father—

  My father and all of the Madonian people will be safer going in to this if I find something out. I cannot just stand aside and wait for something terrible to happen, allowing Arkhip Dukran to start a war. He will never allow for this to go any way but the way he wants it. He will push until all Rami are either killed or enslaved and he is made the dictator of all the land. With that a mental wall was put up in her mind. She cursed herself for thinking so openly, allowing for Ardin to understand her intentions before even she had.

  “You can stay here in the hall or come with me. I’m going to change.” Lana said calmly to her now furious Aorra. “I can’t just do nothing.” She gave the wolf a pointed look, before turning to head to her room. Ardin reluctantly got up and followed her, unaware that her plans involved for him to stay behind.

  Lana threw her wardrobe door open with a thud, her head was pounding from Ardin's persistent attacks at her mental wall. He hated not knowing what she was thinking, especially in this moment. Usually when Lana wanted to be alone Ardin would let her be, however this time it was grueling. She constantly had to fight him off. He kept trying to slip in, to hear her. Lana strained to act as if holding her mental wall was effortless, while it was anything but. She was careful to allow Ardin only enough room to speak to her but no more then that.

  Lana rummaged through her things until she found a riding outfit that might suffice and quickly slipped it on. It was a blue fitted tunic with camel colored pants, which she wore with laced boots. She slid a small hand blade into her boot thinking a whole sword may be too much but then decided to take a sword too.

  So that’s what you think a Rami woman looks like? His words entered her thoughts. Lana rolled her eyes at Ardin while pulling her hair into a loose braded bun.

  “They look just like us. Don’t you remember from Ucu?”

  Yes, I didn’t mean that… but your outfit, it’s clearly of a fine material and fitted to you. It is almost certainly finer than most Rami women are wearing.

  “This is all I have, we shall hope that it’s enough. Besides surely some of their women dress in finer clothes.”

  None of which fight for their King’s army.

  “This could be people seeking refuge, not an army.”

  Or you may be wrong.

  Lana turned without comment, walking out the room and began heading down the dimly lit hall, followed by Ardin. She walked as quickly as she could without alarming others, her boots slapped the marble floor with every quick step.

  Near the front of the castle door stood two guards, flanking the entrance. Their presence stopped Lana in her tracks. Would they stop her from leaving?

  She would have to go another way, so that her leaving may go un-noticed. Lana knew of a few side doors that she had seen servants take. They were on the side of the castle and lower on the sloping hill it was built on. Guards would certainly be posted there eventually, but it was still early and Lana hoped that they had yet to close off all the ways out of the castle.

  Turning the corner, Lana headed down a dim hallway, where she snuck down the servants’ staircase and emerged from the castle unseen. Luck was on her side. Once outside she turned, looking at the fortress. Breath found her a little more freely now that she was outside and less likely to run into her father.

  Near the door she emerged from, the ocean below could be seen. The waves of the water looked to be more violent than in the morning, thundering against the cliffs. It was like the ocean knew what was stirring along its boarders, and didn’t approve.

  Lana twisted, heading away from the castle, swiftly moving past those who were outside. Word was spreading of the Rami people, providing a thick blanket of uneasiness amongst the people, allowing Lana to move unnoticed.

  She headed north towards the forest. This was out of the way but the least likely way to be seen. Even in the commotion Lana didn’t want to linger for too long around people who may recognize her. The forest would protect her from curious eyes. No one should have been wondering the woods at a time like that.

  They had only made it several yards into the forest when a sound from her right stopped her.

  Four horses stood within view. On top one was an old man with white hair and a short white beard. The two horses on either side of him each carried a child. Lana’s gaze passed over the children, but something familiar pulled her eyes back to them. It was Alex and Nadina, the children she had met earlier in the day. The fourth horse was empty, yet saddled. She turned to see if there was anyone else around, but saw no one.

  “You want to borrow our horse, my dear?�
� The old man asked kindly.

  Lana stared at him, apprehensively, in shock to have run into someone, let alone be offered a horse by the stranger. She couldn’t seem to find the words to say.

  “We hear a war is coming so we are leaving, this gal’s an extra… I think he would be more use to you than us.” Said the old man.

  “Cyra has begun evacuating?” Lana asked, surprised at how quickly the Sterlings had gotten word out to all their people, warning them of the Rami near by. Somehow enough time had passed that some were already heading out of the city.

  The old man giggled. “Oh no my dear, is that what Cyra Sterling plans to do?”

  “Then how do you know to leave?” Lana asked, confused as to how the old man seemed to know what was going on.

  He held up his hand and a small black and white lizard with a bit of red crawled across his palm.

  “Your Aorra?” Lana asked with a gasp. It was the same lizard that she had seen earlier that day. Never had she seen an Aorra like this before.

  “Yes, my dear.”

  Had he been eves dropping on their conversation at the council meeting with his Aorra? Unease twisted inside of her. Lana eyed at the three of them before her. Nadina had Nila hanging in a pouch beside to her. Lana could see fear in both her and her brother’s eyes. Their grandfather didn’t seem to be bothered at all.

  “Thank you, but I have no way to pay you for the horse.”

  “No need, take it, perhaps we can travel together, though we will not go into the Rami camp with you.”

  Lana’s eyes grew wide. How?

  “I have my ways of knowing things, young Casteel.”

  And then she remembered his Aorra. Was it in the castle listening when she was talking to Ardin? Were they speaking out loud? That little thing is a spy. How's it get around so quickly? Lana thought. Anxiety came over her, this man knew so much of what was going on, yet she knew nothing of him, but a horse would help cut time and save her some energy.