In the Wake of the Wicked (Veridian Empire #1)

8. Rose

8

Rose

“ I ’m sorry, you’re what ?”

“I’m taking Uncle Ragnar’s place in the tournament.”

Aunt Morgana clutched her hands to her chest. “Rose, dear, are you out of your mind ?” she exclaimed as she crossed from Ragnar’s bedside and met me at the curtain separating him from the rest of the patients in the infirmary.

I cringed. This was going about as well as expected. Grabbing Ragnar’s bag of charms from the floor, I dropped it onto a nearby wooden chair and began hurriedly transferring the items to my own pack.

I’d come immediately from my meeting with Lark to the healer’s wing of the palace, where Morgana had been sitting with Ragnar the entire morning. Beau had been here, as well, until he left to go find the three of us some food. Not that I imagined I’d be able to eat anytime soon.

The walk across the palace from Lark’s office had felt like a fever dream. I barely remembered the path, barely remembered the guard who had shown me the way. It was as if I was watching the scene take place from outside my body, going through the motions in an exhausted daze, while my mind was back in that shadowed-tinted room .

Was I making a mistake? Had I jumped into this decision too rashly, too fueled by my own desperation and pride? Why would I ever think I, a simple Alchemist from Feywood, could go up against the emperor ? Not to mention compete in this tournament with five other challengers who were far more prepared than I was.

Beyond that, there was still a chance I was being a fool for trusting Lark so quickly. My uncle had been working with her—the letters were proof enough of that. But she was asking me to spy on the emperor . How could she be positive that Emperor Gayl was even behind the curse? Maybe this was all some ploy to get him out of the way, and I was the naive woman from an unsuspecting province who Lark easily manipulated into doing her dirty work so she could make a bid for the crown. Or maybe it was a test, seeing who would be willing to commit treason of this level. Guards could be knocking down my door at any moment.

Stomach churning with unease, I focused on controlling my breaths, reminding myself that Ragnar trusted her . If I was certain of anything, it was him. And he was willing to risk his life in the tournament for this cause.

My hands shook as I took the labeled pouches of herbs and vials of potions that had been neatly tucked away in Ragnar’s bag and crammed them into my small satchel. I could faintly hear the sounds of feet on wood floor, of cloth brushing against the other side of the gray curtains surrounding Ragnar’s makeshift room. Palace healers tended to other patients, going about their daily routine while my world changed with each passing second.

“How did this even happen?” Morgana’s trembling words came from behind my shoulder. “By the Fates, you’re going to get yourself killed! Do you know how dangerous this is?” Her voice rose an octave, but I tried to ignore the despair in her tone, tried to curb the looming sense of dread inside of me.

“Rose. Rose! Stop moving for a second and talk to me!” my aunt cried.

“I don’t have time to talk !” I barked back, whirling to face her. “I have an hour until I need to report to the great hall for a debriefing, and at midnight, the Decemvirate begins. I can’t turn back now, not when the entire province is relying on this. Not when Ragnar—” I cut myself off with a sharp exhale and shoved a lock of hair out of my eyes. I wasn’t sure how much she knew. Surely, Ragnar would have told her of his true intentions, wouldn’t he?

My chest heaved from my outburst, and my aunt stared back at me. Her features were unreadable. She searched my eyes, her lips parting with every breath.

“They’ve asked you, haven’t they?” she finally whispered, taking a step toward me. “To—to carry it out?”

Relief flooded me. So she did know. I wouldn’t have to keep this from her, at least. When I nodded, a quiet sob escaped her.

“This burden should not fall to you, Rose.” Her voice and hand shook as she brought it up to cup my cheek. “Please. You don’t need to do this. Let them find someone else. Anyone else.”

I covered my aunt’s hand with my own and squeezed. “Uncle Ragnar made his choice. He must have believed it was possible. He must have believed the chance to free the cursed was worth fighting for. This is so much bigger than me, Aunt Morgana. I can do this.”

Even if I only said it to comfort her, the admission gave me strength. Not just for the mission, but for the tournament, too. Challengers had to set aside the weights that kept them down in order to do what must be done. Fear, uncertainty, anxieties…those would always be there, waiting to take over my mind. I had to push past them if I wanted to stand a chance in what awaited me.

“I know you can. But you shouldn’t have to.”

I pulled her into a hug. “It’s going to be alright, I promise,” I said into her hair, her arms wrapping tightly around me. It felt strange being the one to comfort my aunt, when I’d spent so many years seeking her strength and stability. “I’m going to get through these trials and break the curse. We’re going to get him back.”

She broke away, tears glistening behind her forced composure, and held my stare for a heartbeat. Two. Then finally nodded with a sigh. “I learned long ago not to argue with a Wolff when they had their mind set on something. Your father was the same way.”

A smile worked its way onto my lips—probably the first one since this whole ordeal began. When I reached for Ragnar’s bag, she suddenly stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“I want you to know, I do think you can do this. Break the curse and win the Decemvirate, that is.” My eyes snapped up to meet hers. “Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she said with a tired chuckle. “You’re good, Rose. Just like your parents. If I could bet on anyone, it would be Hamilton and Ayla’s daughter.”

I smiled faintly at her assured words. I knew what she meant, but I doubted anyone in the tournament was considered good . Skilled, cunning, and competent, sure. But one didn’t compete out of goodness . They fought because they had to. They fought for glory and dominance. They fought to keep their power, no matter what it took.

“I don’t know about that,” I responded. “But I’ll try to be better than the others.”