Echoes of the Raven (The Eldrystone #2)

10. CHAPTER 10

10

VALERIA

“Simón would never forgive me if something happens to his daughters.”

Armando Qui?ones - Royal Guard Captain - 21 DV

H eavy banging on the door jolts me out of bed. Before I know what’s happening, I’m on my feet, crouching and ready to pounce. My heart beats as fast as a frightened mouse. Amira is gone, and the fire at the hearth is reduced to embers.

“Princess Valeria,” a man’s voice calls outside the door. “Princess Valeria, open the door, it’s urgent.”

“A moment, please.”

I glance all around until I spot one of my robes draped over an armchair. Quickly, I slip it on under the faint glow of the fireplace.

“Princess, please hurry,” the man calls again.

“I’m coming.”

Hands shaking, I search the night table until I find a small dagger in one of the drawers. It isn’t the raven dagger Father gave me—someone took it from my luggage when we traveled to Alsur. However, this one fits perfectly in my hand, which is precisely why I hold on to it.

My heart hammers as I approach the locked door. “What do you want?” I demand .

“It’s your sister… she needs you,” he replies.

“Who are you?”

“Guardia Enrique Palacios. I was with you during your trip to Alsur, at the inn in Las Torres.”

I open the door a crack, bracing my foot against it. I recognize the young guardia’s face. He’s wide-eyed and pale, and so are the three other royal guards who stand behind him.

As I step out of the room, they move back in unison. The young guard notices the dagger in my hand with a quick flick of his gaze, then looks up again.

“You’d best come with us, Princess Valeria.” He extends a hand indicating the hall, and it feels more like an order than an invitation.

“What is the matter?” I ask.

“I will explain on the way.”

I can’t help but be wary. Orys played Emerito’s part flawlessly for weeks. Bastien posed as a royal guard for the same length of time. And I walked alongside them without barely a shred of suspicion. I must be careful, even if it feels stupid and unnecessary. I must be brave, too.

Tightening my hold on the dagger, I let my wariness morph into anger. I can’t let those two bastardos turn me into a coward, afraid to inhabit my own home. Taking a deep breath, I lift my chin and make my way down the hall. The young guard walks to my right, and the other three behind us.

“What is your name again?” I ask him, examining his black uniform closely.

He wears snug-fitting black trousers tucked into knee-high black boots, along with a black velvet doublet secured tightly by leather straps. A House of the Raven coat of arms—a raven with its wings outstretched over an intricate emblem—is sewn on his left breast. A standard-issue rapier dangles from his waist, completing the ensemble with precision. Nothing seems out of place .

“Guardia Enrique Palacios, Your Royal Highness.”

“Tell me, Guardia Enrique, where are we going?”

“The queen’s bedchamber.”

“Why?” My mouth goes bitter. I know this won’t be good.

“There is an intruder in the palace, and he has barricaded himself in the queen’s bedchamber, demanding to talk to you.”

I stop mid-step and catch my breath.

Guardia Enrique’s words are halting and embarrassed because… how could the royal guards allow such a thing to happen?!

I don’t have to ask who the intruder is. I know. And I also know how he got in. This was the niggling thought that tried to surface earlier when Amira kept saying we were safe. In the back of my mind, I knew we were not, but I was distracted when she said that the veilfallen were dead.

I let my guard down, dared to believe. I should have known better. Vermin like Rífíor don’t die easily. This is my fault. I should have tried harder to figure out what that niggling thought was, and now…

Hastening my step, I resume walking. Soon, I’m running with only the thought of my sister’s safety in mind. When I get to her quarters, which reside in the heart of the palace, I run into a dozen guardias, all standing with their swords at the ready.

Capitán Qui?ones—a man of fifty with dark chestnut hair streaked with silver at the temples—approaches me as soon as I arrive. He is the leader of the Guardia Real, a towering figure with broad shoulders and chiseled physique that speaks of years spent honing his strength and skill in combat.

“Princess Valeria, this is the situation…” he starts debriefing me the way he used to address Father, and I’m grateful for his direct approach, “a fae male infiltrated the palace. We don’t know exactly how, but some suspect it was through a secret passage the queen recently revealed to a number of guards. I just learned of its existence a moment ago, and I’m flabbergasted no one thought to inform me of this security risk. Heads will roll, I assure you!” He punches a fist into his hand, cheeks red with anger and maybe shame. “But moving on from this disgraceful oversight, a few guards attempted to stop him. They paid with their lives.” He inhales sharply, clearly affected by the loss of life. “I must admit… this person must be skilled, Your Highness, and he must have knowledge of the palace to easily evade our posted sentinels and find the queen’s bedchamber.”

“I suspect you’re correct, Capitán Qui?ones,” I respond, slowly buttressing my spine so I can stand straighter in the face of the capitán and his guardias, who are regarding me warily, appearing unsure of whether or not I’ll be capable of handling this crisis.

He nods. “We don’t know the situation behind that door. As soon as he stole inside, he barricaded himself. Then the queen spoke and ordered everyone to remain outside and fetch you. She said only you will be allowed inside.”

“What do you think I should do?” I ask.

“Let’s start by talking,” he says. “See if we can accomplish anything that way. The queen is already at risk. Putting you in the same situation is the last thing I want to do.”

“All right.”

The path opens before me as the guardias move aside. The first thing I notice is blood staining the carpet, the walls. Its coppery scent stings my nostrils, reminding me of the ruthless person I’m dealing with. More people lost their lives today because of him.

Hesitantly, I stand in front of the door. I raise my free hand to knock, then put it back down. Instead, I clear my throat.

Capitán Qui?ones nods encouragingly.

“Amira,” I call, “I’m here. Can you tell me if you’re all right?”

“Val!” she exclaims from behind the door, relief coloring her tone. There’s a pause, then she adds, “Yes, I’m all right.”

“Who’s in there with you?” I ask .

Another pause, then the sounds of furniture being dragged.

“You… need to come inside. Only you. No one else.”

I grab the doorknob, spurred by the panic in my sister’s voice.

Capitán Qui?ones shakes his head adamantly. “Tell her you won’t come in unless you understand the situation fully.”

I do as he instructs.

We wait for an answer. My heart’s rhythm intensifies with every passing second. I stare pointedly at the captain.

He mouths, “Be patient.”

The hilt of my dagger is covered in sweat. I switch it to my other hand and wipe the sweat off on my robe.

At last, Amira speaks. “He has a dagger to my throat, and he says he’ll… use it if you don’t come in alone. Immediately. No more talking. He says you know he means it.”

Ignoring Capitan Qui?ones’s advice and every instinct in my body, I turn the doorknob and go inside, hastily shutting the door behind me as the captain makes a futile protest.

The scene inside freezes the blood in my veins. Amira’s desk sits in the middle of the room, while she stands on the other side, Rífíor holding none other than my raven dagger to her throat. So he was the one who took it. It angers me to see my father’s dagger in Rífíor’s filthy hands, but that is the least of my concerns.

My sister’s eyes are wide, and I know I’ve never seen her more scared in her entire life. What Orys did to her was much worse than this, of course, but she was barely conscious through any of it. Right now, however, her panic and beseeching expression reveal she dearly fears for her life.

Behind her, Rífíor looks like a mad person. His black hair stands on end, his sharp features are stained by soot, and his eyes are bloodshot. His grim expression makes me more certain that he won’t hesitate to take my sister from me. He’s clearly beyond reasoning, beyond control .

“You know why I am here,” he says in a hoarse voice. “Do not make me explain myself.” He tightens his hold on Amira, making her gasp.

I hold a hand up. “Don’t hurt her. I’ll give you what you want.”

The words are out of my mouth of their own accord. I know giving him The Eldrystone is a mistake, but at this moment, I don’t care about anything but my sister’s safety.

Taking a step back, I take hold of the doorknob and turn.

“No dagger next time, little princess,” he says gruffly. “And if anyone but you comes in, she loses her head.” He makes my sister gasp again, pulling her head back by the hair.

Facing the door, I squeeze my eyes shut and draw in a shuddering breath, wondering how this male and Bastien can possibly be the same person. Oh, I was so blind.

“As you wish, Rífíor,” I say before leaving the bedchamber.

When I exit, Capitán Qui?ones’s shoulders lower a couple of inches, betraying his relief. “That was very… was not… I’m glad you’re all right, Princess. The queen?”

“She’s fine,” I say. “And everything is going to be all right.”

I march down the hall, headed back to my room.

“Where are you going?” the captain asks in confusion.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I say, “I have something he wants. Once I give it to him, he’ll let the queen go. I will go and fetch it. In the meantime, you and your guardias must stand by and await my return.”

He opens his mouth to say more.

I shake my head. “Have no worries, Capitán. I have this under control.”

As I walk away, my steps measured and firm, I hope I’ve given the impression of someone who knows what she’s doing. It’s the only way to ensure they don’t do anything stupid that endangers Amira .

With each step I take back toward my bedchamber, my resolve begins to falter. A barrage of thoughts and possible scenarios assault me, driving home the absurdity of this entire situation.

If I surrender The Eldrystone to Rífíor, the instant it’s in his grasp, he could annihilate us all—not just Amira, but every single inhabitant in Nido, including Jago and Nana. That is all well and good, however, he’s using nothing but a dagger to ask me to retrieve a weapon much mightier than any in his possession, a weapon I can use to obliterate him the way I obliterated Orys.

It’s ludicrous, except… he must know something I don’t because he never seemed afraid of The Eldrystone at the engagement ball. He just stood there, his face frozen with cold determination, demanding that I give him the amulet or else his lackey would drop my sister to her death. And now... he behaves as though a mere dagger will protect him from the power of Niamhara’s conduit. Why?

Doubt fills me, and my fear gorges on it.

Rífíor knows more about The Eldrystone than me. I don’t know how much more or why, but it’s evident he has the upper hand or else he wouldn’t be here risking it all.

Once in my bedchamber, I push all of these thoughts aside and run to the balcony.

“ Tch, tch, tch.” My tongue clicks against the roof of my mouth as I peer into the night, begging Cuervo is nearby and can hear my call. Several minutes pass without the flap of wings to announce his approach.

I call a few more times, but he doesn’t come. Just as I’m about to scream his name in desperation, he swoops in from the side and lands on the marble railing. I nearly grab him and crush him to my chest in a hug, which would only make him squirm uncomfortably. Instead, I pet the side of his neck with care.

“My dear friend,” I say. “I need your help once more.”

His head bobs up and down, and he makes a crooning sound .

“I need you to get me the amulet.”

“Treasure,” he croaks.

“Yes, treasure.”

He lowers his head once, then lunges himself into the sky, strong wingbeats pushing him onward.

“Be fast, Cuervo. Be fast.”

I pace the length of the balcony back and forth as I wait for him, murmuring a prayer.

“Please, don’t let anything happen to my sister. Please.” Of all the gods and saints humans and fae worship in Castella, I realize it’s Niamhara who I need to listen to me. “Goddess of Radiance, I don’t know why your conduit is here in my realm, why you allowed it to pass to my mother and then to me, but don’t let it be the reason I lose my sister. I beg of you.”

Cuervo plunges down from the heavens like an apparition, landing on the floor at my feet instead of the railing, and skidding as he flaps his wings. His sudden appearance startles me, and I can tell by the way his small body shivers that he pushed himself hard to get to The Eldrystone’s hiding place and back again.

I kneel and cluck a few times in praise. “You’re so fast and strong,” I tell him. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

He stretches his clenched talon and releases the amulet. Leaving the dagger behind, I snatch it up and run out, my fear swollen, satiated after feasting on my doubts, while one question burns in my mind: Can I use The Eldrystone to break Rífíor the way I broke Orys?

When I get to Amira’s chamber, I stop in front of Capitan Qui?ones, breathless and clutching the amulet in my hand. His gaze focuses on the chain dangling through my fingers.

He frowns. “Is that—?”

“Yes. This is what he wants.” I cut him off and only pause long enough to regain my breath .

Concentrating on calming my racing heart, I approach the door. Instead of slowing down, however, its beat runs faster. Yet, as I knock and announce my presence, my hand is steady, for which I’m grateful.

Amira bids me to enter. I step quickly into the bedchamber and shut the door behind me. Rífíor and Amira are standing in the same spot as before, my raven dagger still pressed to her throat.

A hungry glint in his eyes, he focuses pointedly on my hand. His hand, unlike mine, shakes visibly. Afraid of the blade, my sister flinches and pushes to her tiptoes.

“Careful,” I say, lifting the amulet which rests on my open palm. “Step away from Amira.”

He shakes his head. “Place it on the desk.”

“Not until you let her go,” I insist.

He doesn’t bother answering. He simply tightens his grip on the dagger.

My fingers wrap around the amulet. Our gazes hold. I expect fear to bloom in his expression, but other than a hint of avarice, I find little else. Resignation perhaps? As if he’s been pushed to the edge of his wits and morality and is now ready to take his chances with whatever may come.

Without making a conscious decision, I will Rífíor’s body to collide with the wall. The thought is fierce, yet nothing happens. No warmth spreads through my chest, and he remains on his feet, the dagger gripped just as tightly.

A rush of breath escapes my lips. Is it relief that The Eldrystone has once again refused to do my bidding? It did the same before, when I attempted to free my sister from Calierin’s espiritu as the sorceress threatened to drop Amira to her death.

But what if there’s another reason? What if the amulet craves crueler deeds?

You pathetic, weak fool , I chide myself. You need to end him. It’s what he deserves .

I shake my head. It’s not my job to condemn him. He should stand in front of a jury and answer for his crimes. He should hang while all of Castella bears witness. These thoughts are logical, fair even, but most of all… they’re weak. I showed no mercy for Orys, and Rífíor deserves even less. Yet something prevents me from exerting my full will.

I still see traces of Bastien in him, still feel ensnared in the depths of his black eyes and magnetized by his presence whenever he’s near. I can’t deny it.

Anger and self-loathing flood over me.

Puta madre, Valeria! Kill him! Kill him!

Clenching my teeth, I redirect the bulk of my emotions toward Rífíor. It is not I who has erred. It is not I who should hate myself.

The darkest side of me awakens, embarrassed at my weak attempt to incapacitate him rather than obliterate him. He doesn’t deserve such consideration. He deserves the worst I can unleash.

I let the rancor boil and reach new levels. I think of the way he seduced me. I think of how he ordered his lackey to dangle my sister like a puppet in order to blackmail me, and how he subjected me to torture hoping to break me.

The Eldrystone grows warm in my palm, its power slowly traveling up my arm until it reaches my chest. A smile stretches across my lips, and I flick my hand downward, imagining Rífíor collapsing to his knees, every single one of his bones shattering into countless pieces.