Stars May Fall (Stars May Burn #2)

11. Kasten

KASTEN

I leaned back in my padded office chair looking over the architect’s plans for a grand greenhouse. If Sophie and I were going to be away in Adenburg for a few weeks, maybe longer, it would be a good time to prepare a surprise for when she got back. She still thanked me repeatedly for the swamp. I wanted this to be even better. Something even grander than the king had.

Thinking about her reaction helped me remember there would still be an ‘after’ to this. It made me imagine the future Sophie wished for. Rather than being trapped in Kasomere with enemies on all sides, she could see a world where we could be proud of our country and proud of our rulers. Where we would be safe.

Her dreams were far bigger than mine.

After her comments about having children the other day, my anger at her father for tricking her with those tonics had resurfaced. I wanted to give her a gesture to show her how much I loved her, how much I thought she was worth. And I hoped she’d be able to do even more amazing things with the new plants so she could see for herself what she was capable of.

I turned over the page of the plans. Lucy, who I had summoned for advice, peering over my shoulder. “No, no, no, this isn’t right.” I snapped. “It’s not what I envisioned at all. We’ll need to start again with our plans. Bigger, more open. It should be like nothing ever built before. I want the walls to be barely visible behind vines and flowers. I want fountains, high glass ceilings with metal scrollwork. The temperature needs to be kryalcomy controlled. Can we use kryalcomy to control the humidity too?” Tom had told me that plants needed the right humidity, which is why they sprayed fake rain over Sophie’s bog and misted some of the others by hand. Kasomere wasn’t too far from the desert lands in the west, and despite the walls and tree shelter, the wrong wind could wreak havoc with the delicate plants she liked to grow.

Instead of flinching at my frustration, Lucy actually looked excited as she stood beside my chair, clapping her hands. “She likes fish, my lord. Maybe we could have indoor ponds? We could get her some colorful koi. And a waterfall. And water lilies.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, excellent ideas. See. You’re already better than the architect. He’s useless compared to you.” I turned to my personal servant, Finley, who lingered silently at the door. “Get rid of him and find me another one. Quickly. Promise whatever money he or she requires to come at once.” The boy bowed and ran off. I turned back to the plans.

The maid’s eyes were glowing. “Maybe we could have some areas with thicker plants to make them more private. And we could breed butterflies inside.” I smiled at her, her enthusiasm fueling my own. Duke James had butterflies in his greenhouse, but Sophie’s could have even more species. Lucy stepped back in surprise at my expression, her mouth falling open. I supposed I didn’t smile very often.

“Lucy, I’m putting you in charge of this project. Work closely with the architect while we’re in Kasomere and make sure it is all perfect. If they’re useless, just hire another one. Spend as much money as you want.”

She lurched forward in surprise. “But what will I tell Lady Sophie? She will be surprised I’m not accompanying her.”

I shrugged. “I’ll tell her I gave you a job to do in her absence. I’m sure Beatrice will be able to cope on her own for two weeks.”

When we came home and Sophie saw it, she would have that smile. The one filled with so much joy she became the most beautiful creature in the world. My fingers itched to be holding her once more, even though we’d only been apart for an hour.

I put away the plans and dismissed Lucy before doing one last sweep of my office for anything I’d forgotten to pack. It was time we left for Adenburg.

I found Sophie in the gardens giving a long list of written instructions to Tom who was concentrating and nodding as she spoke. I had recently employed two more gardeners; they hovered behind him, listening in. My wife wore layers of cream and pale blue chiffon that wafted around her in the breeze, and a wide sun hat, despite the autumn sun being frequently hidden by clouds. She was so beautiful, I found myself watching her for a moment while she was distracted.

Before the gardeners could become awkward, I cleared my throat to announce my presence. Sophie turned and a smile bloomed across her lips when she saw me. Her eyes brightened with delight, and I wondered what I had done to deserve her. She thanked Tom before hurrying to my side and taking my hands. I wanted to kiss that wide smile but didn’t want to embarrass her in front of the gardeners.

“I’m sorry, Kasten. I was just making sure everything would be in order while I was gone. I hope you haven’t been waiting for me.”

I shook my head. “The carriages and horses should be packed and ready by now. I’ve given Lucy a job to do in our absence. I hope you don’t mind if she remains in Kasomere. I assumed Beatrice would be enough during our time in Highfair. The house is much smaller, and I’ve been prioritizing space for guards.” I lowered my voice and moved my face closer to hers. “Are you sure you want to come with me?”

She nodded. “I want to be where you are. I might be able to help.”

“You are always able to help, wherever you are.” I brushed her cheek and tried to smile, but she must have seen the worry on my face.

Her forehead wrinkled in concern. “Don’t you want me to come, Kasten?”

I cursed inwardly and willed my expression to be neutral. It was getting harder for me to hide my feelings around her. I squeezed her hands. “Of course I do, Sophie. I hate being separated from you. I just…worry about you being caught up in the unpleasantness.” I sighed and attempted a smile. “Though last time I left you in Kasomere, you still ended up in trouble in Adenburg.”

Her expression became dismayed as my joke fell flat. She looked down. “It was all my fault, wasn’t it? If I hadn’t responded to Irabel by going to Adenburg, I wouldn't have gotten captured by Father, you wouldn’t have been caught by Lord Lyrason’s trap, and I would have never been bitten. Then the starstone would still be hanging in that glass cabinet. You would’ve presented the evidence to court about Lord Lyrason, and we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

I cursed silently again for saying the wrong thing. “It wasn’t your fault, Sophie. It was right that you cared about your sister. I’m glad that you got to see her before she died. It must have meant a lot to her that you came despite the danger. Your father and Lord Lyrason were to blame.” I straightened. “It will be strange to go to court and find him absent. I assume he’ll be executed. Maybe Duke James too. He was clearly involved. One can always hope.”

My wife gave me a reproving look. “You shouldn’t look so happy about executions, Kasten.”

I raised an eyebrow and put my thumb and forefinger close together. “Not even a little bit happy?”

She struggled to suppress a smile, pressing two slender fingers to her lips. There was a smudge of dirt on her wrist which she clearly hadn’t noticed.

I pointed to the side of her head behind her right ear. “Now you have a detector fitted, you remember how to send an alarm signal, right? Keep emitting that signal, and I and the guards will be able to find you depending on who is in range.”

She nodded, pushing her fingers through her hair to feel the dial fitted to her skull. At least, she wouldn’t have to listen out for halfsouls too.

“And remember, if anyone asks about the starstone, act completely ignorant. Say you’ve never seen me display any usual powers.”

She lifted her chin. “That’s the truth. Of course, I will say that.”

I couldn’t help kissing her forehead no matter who was watching before taking her arm and heading to the carriages. She suddenly seemed to remember something and stopped in her tracks. “If Lucy is staying here, I need to ask her to look after something for me. One moment please.”

She hurried back to the doorway where the staff was waiting to see us away. I allowed myself a small smile at the way Lucy leaned in and nodded her head eagerly as Sophie spoke. She and Beatrice had been good choices as maids.

Sophie hurried back to my side, one hand holding her sunhat, the ribbon already loose. We looped arms and headed to the carriage. As I helped her up the step, I looked behind me one last time at the wide space in the gardens that would soon be a greenhouse fit for a queen.

We’d brought far more guards than usual to Highfair, half of them disguised as servants. During the journey here, it hadn’t been so obvious since they’d spread their horses down the road. Only Meena, Tara, and Sir Philip, the new head of our household guard, had flanked the carriage. We had trickled through the gates after nightfall, arriving at Highfair in groups. Now soldiers crammed the house, many spending their first night sleeping on the floor of the reception rooms.

Sir Philip had taken over as head of the household guard after Sir Cley’s death and was competent, proactive, and eager to impress. Still, I missed Sir Cley. He’d been a reassuring constant in my life since I’d been given Kasomere by the king. He had known what I was going to ask or command just from my posture.

I had put Sir Luke in charge of overall management of all our troops in Adenburg, making sure each was clothed, fed, and sheltered, and leaving Sir Philip to concentrate on guarding me and Sophie. I trusted Sir Luke would soon work out a good place to house them where they wouldn’t be noticed, hopefully somewhere with space to spare. I intended to eventually move most of the first battalion here: one hundred of my best soldiers. Their commander, Sir Chase, was already with us. He was quiet, but my best fighter and level headed in a tight spot. I just hoped it would be enough if things turned sour.

After our late arrival and a restless night, Sophie and I ate breakfast upstairs in our bedroom to avoid the chaos downstairs as Sir Luke organized the soldiers, and Sir Philip set up the guard watches. I kissed Sophie, a quick press of the lips, before pulling on my coat. Her eyes seemed even wider than usual.

“I’m sorry to leave you behind this morning, my love. But the meeting today will be pure military planning. That is, if they’re not planning to arrest us. I’ll try to get a sense of the king’s plans now that I’ve revealed the power of the starstone. I can also see how the court is responding to the removal of Lord Lyrason and potentially Duke James. I’ll collect you for the social dinner where you can attempt to befriend Annabelle and see where she is going to stand on matters. Hopefully her own curiosity and the listening device I gave her will have spurred her to investigate for herself.”

She nodded, swallowing, and I could see her nerves. I caught her hands. “You’ll be fantastic tonight. I’ll be with you.”

She shook her head. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you going into that place alone this morning, not knowing what they’re planning.”

I grinned at her. “You’re worried about me? Worry about the palace. ” I checked her over once more. “You’re wearing your detector? And you have your reserve?”

She nodded.

“Stay with Meena and Callum.”

She smiled and nodded. “Come back quickly.”

I kissed her again and then a third time before stepping out of the house and mounting my horse. I deliberately didn’t take a guard. I liked to highlight that I had no need of one. Also, if this was a trap, there was no need for anyone to get killed. Not when I had the starstone’s power.

And I felt far better having all those guards staying with Sophie.

My thoughts remained on Sophie throughout the bustling streets and as I rode my horse up the long circular drive to the palace, the manicured lawn stretching in all directions around me. We’d barely been apart in the last two weeks, and I had grown used to having her right next to me as if she were an extension of my body. I needed to focus. I needed to get used to missing her so the sensation of being adrift without her faded into my subconscious.

As I handed my reins to a stable boy lingering by the steps, I felt the familiar cool wariness settle over me as my senses sharpened. My body was preparing for battle. I had no idea what was waiting for me inside, but I was confident I could handle it. I wondered how the king would try to take the starstone’s power from me without starting a civil war. It might be amusing to witness. If Annabelle discovered her father’s plans and trusted me enough to tell me, it would make my life so much easier. But the main thing I hoped she would concentrate on was whether the king was involved with the halfsouls.

I was no longer the king’s puppet, and if he thought he could continue to put me and my soldiers in vulnerable positions, he was in for a shock. But I was still the general, and this was my job. I would do it well.

Footmen directed me to the green gallery, one of the large, long rooms with paintings hung down one side and the other facing the gardens. This particular room was often chosen by the king for war meetings due to the large amount of natural light it received from its massive windows. That light poured over the continuous line of polished tables that we covered with maps.

As I entered, the room fell silent as the men inside turned to face me. A servant standing by the door even took a step away as if in fear. I smirked at him, and he bowed and muttered an apology. If I had been shunned before, now I was truly the villain.

Lord Lyrason had been powerful and well liked, and I had taken him down in a few unplanned hours.

The king was absent from the room, but Prince Stirling was standing in one corner. He wore spotless white and gold like some sort of saint. He narrowed his eyes as he inspected me before striding over with a formal expression. “General. Thank you for coming.”

I was not here to pander to him and watch him play king as if one day he would be a competent ruler. If Sophie and I had to stand against his father, I somehow doubted it would be Stirling we replaced him with. “Is the king not joining us?”

Stirling’s expression remained neutral. “Soon. Would you like a drink? I know you’re fond of whiskey.” He waved to a servant who hurried to pour one and bring it over.

It seemed everyone was going to be civil today as if they weren’t planning my downfall. I guessed that also meant I wasn’t about to be arrested.

Stirling’s actions had broken some of the tension in the room, but I was still the focus of long glances from every direction. Seven men, the usual leaders of our strongest regiments along with a few new faces. I sighed inwardly. As much as I wanted to show my boredom and displeasure at being here when I could be in Kasomere with Sophie, Stirling was taking the right course of action. If we were going to work together in this war against Kollenstar, I had to be civil and forthcoming. I downed my whiskey and took a seat at one of the tables, studying the black figurines that represented the distribution of Kollen soldiers in the fortresses adjacent to our border. They appeared mostly unchanged from our last meeting. Our own forces were marked by white figurines with a colored dot to indicate their regiment, both those manning the border defenses and those scattered in various cities across Fenland. Kasomere was marked by two regiments. I gritted my teeth. We still weren’t back to full force yet. I was wary of recruiting too many soldiers from Lord Hans’s lands to replace his regiment. I hoped my troops weren’t going to be depleted yet again in some reckless move I couldn’t oppose.

I caught myself. No, they weren’t, because I’d promised myself I wouldn’t let that happen anymore. I wasn’t the loyal dog Duke James made me out to be. In this meeting, if the king pushed me, my claws wouldn’t stay sheathed.

The door opened and the king strode in dressed in his formal jacket and sash bedecked with useless medals. I stood and bowed like everyone else. When I lifted my eyes, I froze. My lungs refused to inflate in shock and all my senses went on high alert. Trailing the king was Lord Lyrason. He was dressed as usual in a smart navy jacket and black cravat, though his head was tilted down.

How could he be here? He had admitted to being behind the halfsouls. The whole court should have been aware of the situation with Sophie. Annabelle had even seen the undeniable proof and would have told her account to her father.

What he had done was unforgivable. He should be hanging from a noose.

The temperature in the room plummeted, and I could feel the tension around me, though the king ignored it. Behind his back, Lord Lyrason tilted his head up slightly, slid his glasses up his nose, and gave a faint grin as he met my eyes.

The power of the starstone surged inside me, matching my rage. I looked away, struggling to get my emotions under control before I destroyed the palace and everyone in it. The sting of betrayal made me clench my teeth.

“Kasten, thank you for joining us.”

I snapped my head up at the words to find the king had stopped in front of me. His face portrayed nothing. I knew I should be relieved at the civility of my greeting and dipped my head in acknowledgement before my eyes slid back to Lord Lyrason, but my anger was too great to contain. The king might as well have slapped me in the face. “Why is he here? You know what he did. His crimes are far beyond deserving mercy.”

The king glanced over his shoulder as if the matter with Lord Lyrason was so minor, he had forgotten who was there. Unlikely. “Lord Lyrason is needed for the war effort. I agree that he has committed a terrible crime both to you personally and Fenland in general. As such, he has retained his manor in Adenburg, but his country estate has been confiscated, and his experiments have been terminated. He has something to say to you.”

The king stepped to one side. Lord Lyrason was no longer smiling. In fact, his face was a mask of suppressed anger. The king gestured for him to approach me, and I couldn’t hide my surprise as Lord Lyrason got down on his knees in front of me. He held up his hands in supplication.

“General Batton. I have deeply wronged you. I never intended one of my experiments to harm your wife. As such, I made every effort to take responsibility and make her well. I can assure you it will never happen again. I trust you can forgive me. As I remember, you promised me no harm if I saved your wife. Please accept my apology.”

My heart thudded in my chest as the room collectively held its breath. I had promised him no retribution if he healed Sophie because I had assumed that even if the king was involved, he would still punish him. How could the king let something like this slide and not lose the trust of his people?

I almost killed Lord Lyrason then and there as he bowed before me.

Lord Lyrason, perhaps sensing my rage, didn’t wait any longer for my reply but got up with a look of distaste. He bowed to me then moved back behind the king.

The king clapped his hands together. “Well, that is settled then. Lord Lyrason corrected his mistake, your wife is now fine, and I trust you will uphold your end of the agreement, Kasten. I will see this as an end to your quarrel. Now let’s move forward to concentrate on the threat of Kollenstar.”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t have the words. The king was clearly planning to act like it had never happened.

Sophie had almost died, and Lord Lyrason hadn’t been dealt with. He was still a threat to both of us, not to mention the whole of Adenburg.

“Everyone, sit.” The king gestured to the largest of the tables and the map and figurines there. I sat in silence and didn’t meet anyone's eyes, still deciding on my response to Lord Lyrason’s presence.

The room’s focus on me, including the king’s gaze, hadn’t ceased. Surprisingly people seemed more nervous and uncertain than hostile. It seemed nobody was sure what the king had planned for me and were waiting to follow his lead. The same uncertainty surrounded Lord Lyrason as he sat in a chair set back from the table as if intending to fade into the background. Nobody met either of our eyes.

The king leaned forward over the table. “General Kasten, we also have a lot of questions for you. It is clear Lord Lyrason isn’t the only one practicing illegal kryalcomy. What was the weapon you used to such devastating effect on Lord Lyrason’s men? Why have you not presented it to the Maegistrium for consideration for the war effort? Were you intending to use it for something else?”

The room fell silent as everyone waited for my response. The men sitting directly to either side didn’t even seem to be breathing. I deliberately took a sip of whiskey from the fresh tumbler a servant had placed beside me. I could feel the tension rising and rising. So much would be determined by my response and the entire room knew it.

I leaned back in my seat and folded my arms. “It was a type of sword. I regret only one was made and it can’t be recharged. It is useless now. We haven't been able to replicate it. I was saving it for a dire emergency such as the one I was presented with.” I bowed my head. “Please accept my apologies for keeping it concealed. It was discovered by accident and since it can’t be replicated, I didn’t think it was important or of any real use. I merely desired to keep it out of the wrong hands.”

The people shifted in their seats. Only the king dared to meet my eyes. I had no idea if any of them believed me, but regardless, none of them challenged me.

The king tapped one long gloved finger on the side of his wine glass. His knowing eyes didn’t leave my face. I met his stare without flinching. At last, he sighed. “Pity. Such a weapon would be enormously valuable against Kollenstar. It would save many lives, would it not?”

I dipped my head in agreement. “Indeed. If we manage to replicate it again in Kasomere, I’ll let you know, but I don’t want to get on the wrong side of the Maegistrium, of course. I suspect they will be far more likely to come up with what you need.”

The king sighed. “You should have sent it to Ilustran at once for the Maegistrium to study.”

I inclined my head once more.

The tension in the room didn’t abate as everyone waited for the king’s response. Finally, he turned to the map and asked Lieutenant Steer for an update on recent troop maneuverings and information from our spy network before we started to formulate our specific plans of attack tomorrow.

I released my breath. Was that it? Apparent pardon for both Lord Lyrason and me so we could just continue as if nothing had happened? The king had to be planning something on a much grander scale.

But to pardon Lord Lyrason despite the terrible nature of his crimes, didn’t that mean they had to be working together? The king had to need him badly enough that he was willing to risk my wrath as well as be seen to not be following the law within court.

I listened to Lieutenant Steer with half an ear, my own network far more reliable than this one. It was helpful to note where the misinformation was and determine when we were being purposefully lied to by the king—whether to maintain morale or hide his plans to bias the battle against those of us he disliked—or if the mistakes were genuine.

After several hours of unhelpful discussion, where I remained silent and Prince Stirling talked far too much, we paused for lunch. The king dined privately as usual, but the rest of us chose from several available rooms and requested food to be delivered by servants. Everyone broke into their familiar groups. I walked to the plainest room where I always dined alone.

I sat down in one of the blue silk armchairs that were too firm for my taste and scowled as I heard the door open again. I turned to chase whoever it was away from my one bearable moment of the day, when I saw Lord Lyrason closing the door behind him.

We were alone. The thrum of power inside me heightened. That man truly had a death wish.

He ignored my expression and sat in the second armchair as if we were old friends. He adjusted his trousers so the crease lay straight down his legs. His hair was neat and his cheeks freshly shaven. He didn’t look like a man who had so recently escaped the death penalty.

At length I spoke, unable to contain my rage anymore. “Do tell me. What hold do you have over the king that he is letting you get away with this? Or were you merely following his orders all along?”

Lord Lyrason sighed and removed his glasses to polish them. “I would hardly say I have gotten away with it. Kneeling in front of you was by far the most distasteful moment of my life. And I have lost a lot of my income.”

We paused while plates of food were laid on the low table between us. Lord Lyrason smiled and thanked the servant. I just waved them away impatiently.

I lowered my voice and tilted my head. “You have murdered hundreds of people in the most unspeakable ways and you're complaining about getting your suit a little dirty.”

Lord Lyrason slid some potato and beetroot salad onto his fork. He pulled a satisfied expression. “You should taste this. The hazelnuts really bring the flavors together.” He took another mouthful. “You know, I barely killed any of my little experiments. Not recently anyway. You and the Red Men did most of the killing.”

I shook my head slowly. “They were dead the moment you used haemalcomy on them. One day, you will be held accountable for what you have done.”

Lord Lyrason scoffed. “What are you going to do? Burn the whole of Fenland to the ground just to kill me? That sounds familiar. Ah, yes. It would be just like what your father did to Whitehill to kill you. Seems like you take after him more strongly than you thought.”

The words hit me like a kick to the gut.

Lord Lyrason smiled. “You're not a good person, Kasten. You were never allowed to be. Your hands are red with blood. So don’t criticize me for the murdering of ‘innocents’. I chose my subjects well, they deserved what happened to them, and my actions have been well-intentioned. One day, you may see the fruits of my labor and be grateful for them.”

I calmed my breathing, choosing not to speak in case I betrayed how much his words had hurt me. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

The lord sighed. “The king wishes for us to get along, Kasten, for the stability of Fenland. Let’s put on a good show for the other nobles.”

I sneered. “Why are you even here at this meeting? You don’t lead any troops nor are you a strategist.”

He shrugged. “The king believes I may have some helpful insight. We will see.”

I flexed and relaxed my fingers over and over, my annoyance at his vagueness only fueling the anger that boiled below the surface.

Lord Lyrason spoke more praise of the food before he finished and finally left me alone. Part of me wanted to tear this place down around me. I knew I could do it.

But I didn’t want to be my father. What was the point of anything I had achieved if I merely turned out like him?

But what if, deep down, I already was just like him, and there was nothing I could do to change that? There were times where I simply ceased to care: dangerous moments when my empathy for the people who would be collateral damage wore out.

Lord Lyrason didn’t believe I was any different than him, and he could almost convince me. But Sophie believed I was good, as did Callum and the people of Kasomere. I wouldn’t betray their faith in me, even if I wasn’t convinced myself. I wouldn't let Sophie down. Her goodness was my guiding north star, as Callum had put it.

I finished my meal without tasting it and stood to head back to the council room. I would need to talk to Callum and Sophie at length to work out what our next moves should be. Lord Lyrason’s presence affected everything and made our need for information far more pressing.

As I entered the corridor, I caught sight of the disappearing train of a skirt around a corner and a familiar voice. I caught up in three quick strides and grabbed Annabelle’s arm. She was walking with an older woman who I didn’t recognize. Both women looked alarmed at my sudden presence. I let go of Annabelle’s arm and took a step back in apology.

“Princess, have…”

She raised a hand to cut me off. “General Kasten, it is not appropriate for you to talk to me like this. You should keep your distance.”

Her raised eyebrows and the serious line of her mouth indicated she meant what she said. She took the older woman’s arm and hurried away.

I was left standing alone in the bare white corridor. I scowled in irritation. She had helped me before, but that didn’t mean she was on my side or would help me again. It made sense that she would also be loyal to her father.

But I still wanted to talk to her. She had access to information I didn’t have. And I wondered if she was using the listening device I’d given her.

I stared after her, wondering which parts of her were an act and which parts were genuine. I hoped Sophie would be able to find out.