The Gifted Heart (Marks of Inheritance: The Orkeia Cycle #1)

14. A Private Audience

Chapter fourteen

A Private Audience

I squinted as light flooded into my room, trying to remember the dream I’d been having. I could just hold on to the memory of Neal smiling at me, and the sound of children’s laughter in the background. Everything felt so peaceful…

“Rise and shine, Kenna!”

I grumbled at Abi’s voice and forced myself to sit up, blinking furiously. “What time of day is it?” I yawned.

“Almost noon,” she said, placing my breakfast tray on the bed and sitting next to it. I smiled a bit. It was nice to see her more relaxed around me and less formal.

“Shouldn’t I be in lessons then?” I asked, starting to eat.

“The king canceled them for the day. He would like to have lunch with you.”

I almost choked on my eggs. “Even after last night?”

“Even after last night.”

I stared at her. Something in the way that she repeated my words told me that she knew about my subtle act of defiance at the banquet. I supposed I shouldn’t have been too surprised that the servants would spread gossip. Part of me expected her to be angry or disappointed in me, but instead, I thought I saw an amused glint in her eyes.

Abi urged me to stand and prepare for the day before I’d even finished my food. At random, I picked out a deep blue dress with gold accents, which Abi liked well enough, but instead of letting me leave my hair down, she braided it loosely in the back. “At least it’s considered done up that way,” she said when I complained, a teasing edge to her tone.

When she finished, I followed her out of the room reluctantly. I quickly realized we were walking through the same halls we took to Miss Grayson’s lessons.

“Why aren’t we going to the dining hall, Abi?” I asked

“You’re dining with the king alone. In his quarters.”

I almost stopped dead in my tracks. “What did you say?”

“You heard me the first time,” she said, winking.

My mind raced. Maybe my plan had worked after all—maybe he just wanted to tell me in person that I was being dismissed from the castle. What else could it be? He couldn’t have discovered the truth about my magic.

Could he?

We turned a familiar corner into the hallway where I had my lessons each day. I opened my mouth to tell Abi she must have taken a wrong turn, but I closed it just as quickly. We were headed directly for the ornate, imposing doors I’d stared at so often, wondering what lay behind them. I should’ve known an entrance of that magnitude could only be reserved for royalty. I’d been walking past the king’s rooms every day for the past month and hadn’t realized it.

Abi knocked on the impressive doors. I stood back, surprised at my nervousness. What did I have been nervous about? Plenty if he did know my secret, of course, but this felt—different. It almost reminded me of when Neal would put his arm around me, which didn’t make any sense. I felt suddenly sick, and I was grateful Abi pulled my hair back.

The doors opened, revealing one of the king’s personal servants. He nodded to Abi. She turned and curtsied to me, purposely averting her eyes from mine. When our eyes did meet, I could tell she was, again, teasing. Her friendly behavior did little to ease the growing panic I felt as she turned the corner and disappeared from view.

The servant bowed deeply. “If you will follow me, Lady Kenna. ”

Cautiously, I stepped through the doorway. My heart dropped as the doors closed behind me. If I thought I felt out of place in the rest of the castle, it was nothing compared to the king’s rooms. We stood in an open sitting room, obviously seldom used, furnished with real wood from the mainland kingdoms and rich, bright fabrics the likes of which I’d never seen. There was a feminine touch to the decor that made me think his mother must have spent a lot of time here before she died. It reminded me of what he’d been through, and I again pitied him, whether or not I should.

The servant turned to the left. I followed him, dazed. Another pair of doors loomed in front of us, though hardly as foreboding as the main entrance. He opened it to reveal a small dining area. A beautiful chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and light poured in from the large windows on one side of the room, framed by blue floor length curtains.

The king sat at the far end of a small circular table, taking a long sip from his wine glass. He stood as we entered. The servant opened his mouth to introduce me, but King Kiernan held up his hand, and the servant bowed respectfully before backing out the door, closing it behind him.

We were alone.

The king crossed to my side, taking my right hand in his and kissing it. He very deliberately did not break eye contact with me, and a shiver ran down my spine. His gaze was not harsh or judgmental—it was almost inquisitive.

“Thank you for joining me,” he said as he straightened. “I hope you’re hungry.”

I thought of the eggs I’d eaten before Abi told me I was coming here. “Starved,” I said. My eyes slipped from his for just a second. His lips curved upwards as he caught my lie, but he didn’t say anything.

He guided me to my seat. As he did, he kept hold of the hand he’d kissed, only releasing it to pull back my chair. When I was seated—however awkwardly—he sat as well, clapping his hands once. A second servant entered from a side door, carrying two plates of salad and setting them in front of us .

We sat in silence. On the opposite side of the table, my host ate very little, staring at me with curious eyes, as if he was searching for something. Even though I told myself over and over again that I didn’t care what he thought, I followed everything Miss Grayson had taught me. I even attempted holding the fork ‘properly,’ but gave up when my fingers fumbled and it fell for the third time. My eyes flickered upwards to meet his, and my cheeks burned when I read his amusement. I probably ate quicker than I should have, but with my mouth full at least I didn’t have to make conversation. I’m sure a shaky voice would have betrayed my nerves. King Kiernan seemed content in the silence, anyway.

When I finished, he summoned a servant, his own salad hardly touched. My plate was cleared and a platter of seafood was placed in front of me. My eyes recognized the clam, oyster, and octopus, but my taste buds didn’t. Though I’d had several meals in the castle, this food was on a different level. I’d never tasted spices quite like these, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. It was delicious. I did not attempt the ‘proper’ fork placement again—he certainly would have laughed at me if I did.

Once my plate was empty, he clapped his hands again and a servant instantly cleared the table. I remained seated, shifting my gaze to the tablecloth and studying the lace pattern intently as I felt his eyes remain on me. He leaned back in his chair for a moment before speaking.

“Would you like a tour of the castle?”

I don’t know what I expected, but it hadn’t been that.

“I would love it, Your Majesty,” I stammered.

“There’s no need to use that formality with me, Kenna,” he said, standing and circling the table to stand at my side. “Just Kiernan is fine.”

Our eyes locked once more. My mouth felt suddenly dry.

“Very well…Kiernan,” I said.

His blue eyes shone. “Shall we, then?”

I stood, and he led me out of his quarters into the hallway. “I expect you’re already familiar with the kitchens and the dining halls,” he said. “Have you been in either of the courts yet?”

“No, I haven’t. ”

“Then we must make a stop there. You’ve been in the library by now, haven’t you?”

I shook my head. “Any books I need for my lessons Miss Grayson brings to me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Have you not done any exploring on your own?”

My cheeks burned. “Honestly, I didn’t feel it was my place to go wandering around your home.”

“Consider it yours as well,” he said quickly. “I didn’t bring you here to imprison you, Kenna.”

He seemed to think what he’d said was amusing, and I did my best to smile in response. Strangely, I felt he was being completely sincere.

“Thank you, Kiernan,” I said, surprised to hear the sincerity in my own voice.

“We’ll start at the library, then. Do you enjoy reading?”

“I haven’t had much opportunity to read for pleasure,” I admitted. “I didn’t have access to many books in my youth, and Miss Grayson doesn’t really seem to value it in our lessons. But I’ve always enjoyed listening to stories.”

“Well, I’ll be certain to tell Miss Grayson to give you time to explore our collection. There is much literature I’m certain you would enjoy,” he said enthusiastically. “I spent all my time as a boy in the library. My mother was too busy to entertain me herself, and my father—well, he was ruling the kingdom. But I rather enjoyed my time with those books.”

As he mentioned his parents, his hand clenched by his side, and I felt the strange urge to comfort him. After a few minutes of searching for something to say, I finally sighed, deciding just to tell the truth.

“I never knew my parents,” I said. “Isaiah’s told me some stories, but … obviously, it’s not the same. I don’t entirely know how to fill that empty space.”

He slowed his pace and turned to face me. As his eyes traced my face, he gently took one of my hands in his.

“Maybe we can figure it out together,” he said .

My cheeks burned a bit more, a sudden knot in my throat keeping me from giving a clear response. He released my hand almost as soon as he’d taken it, silently resuming our journey to the library.

As we entered, my mouth fell open in awe. There were more books shelved in that room than I could count, and books were hard to come by. Kiernan stood back, a smile on his face, as I wandered, gingerly touching their leather spines with my fingertips. Even not knowing what they contained, I felt the urge to pick one at random and start reading until I’d finished the entire collection.

Kiernan showed me his favorite sections, pointing out where the history and legends of the kingdom were kept. I had to admit I was curious about what the Ungifted believed about the origins of their kingdom, so I made a mental note of where it was. To my surprise, he also showed me the children’s section, picking up one of the books fondly as he did to straighten it on the shelf. “It’s a great place to get lost and wander,” he said, his voice more wistful than I would have expected from a king.

We tore ourselves away from the bookcases and Kiernan led me down the stairs toward the main entryway. I’d walked past here a few times since arriving at the castle, but my eyes were always drawn upwards to the doors into the upper court. I’d never taken the time to notice the doors to the lower court on the ground level.

We didn’t spend much time there—a simple throne sat at the end of the room and posts stood along the wall where guards were stationed. There were no seats or benches, but those who wished to attend the trials of lower-level criminals could stand behind the ropes separating Kiernan from the people. “Unfortunately the guards are necessary,” he said with a wry laugh. “People often grow impatient.”

From there, we climbed the magnificent front steps to the throne room. This room doubled as the upper court, for holding trials for nobles or those guilty of higher crimes such as murder or treason. This was probably where my mother was sentenced to death. I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind.

“What do you think?” Kiernan asked .

“It’s breathtaking,” I said, staring at the stained glass behind the throne. “It’s a pity its purpose is so dismal.”

He shrugged. “It’s not always dismal. Occasionally I hold balls in here—I haven’t for quite some time, but I’m hoping to again soon.”

He paused for a moment, looking like he might be about to say more, but seemed to think better of it and simply smiled instead.

“Now I’d like to show you my favorite place in the entire castle,” he said, a youthful glimmer in his eyes. He held out his arm invitingly. I draped mine through it, feeling the same tightness in my chest as the night before.

We left the throne room by a hidden side door, leading into a dark hallway. Kiernan took a torch off the wall and held it in front of us. The walls around us were hardly worn, as if this secret passage had been created recently. It occurred to me that it likely had been because of how Kiernan’s parents met their end. If that was the case, I was shocked he would reveal it to me.

When we reached the end of the passage, a plain looking door opened to reveal the same sitting room we’d passed through in Kiernan’s quarters. He again led me out of his rooms and we headed in the direction of mine. Instead of continuing on the familiar hallway, however, Kiernan veered to the left, going through a door that led outside.

We stood on a pathway to one of the watchtowers, the beautiful castle gardens below us to the right and the majestic cliffs to the left. I slowly spun to take in the whole sight. I’d spent some time in the gardens, and they were admittedly very beautiful, but seeing them from above was breathtaking. There were so many different colors blooming even in the cold air, and every bush was meticulously pruned.

The cliffs were equally as distracting. I could hear the sound of the water crashing against the rocks and smell the salt in the cold sea breeze. The magnificent cliff range seemed endless. Directly in front of us, though I couldn’t see the actual cliffs, I could still see the sea beyond, extending into the horizon. Since I was safely on land, I didn’t feel the same panic I’d felt seeing that endless expanse on the knight’s ship, and instead was able to appreciate the beauty of it. As the wind blew through my hair, I closed my eyes.

“What do you think?” he whispered.

“It’s amazing up here,” I sighed. “It’s so peaceful.”

“It’s a wonderful place to come and think.” His right hand took a hold of my left, awakening my skin. “No one bothers you, and everywhere you look there’s something beautiful.”

I opened my eyes to find that he was once again studying my face. The uncomfortable tightness in my chest intensified in that instant. I took a small step back, releasing his hand. My cheeks burned, and I turned to face the gardens. As I stared down at them, my mind wandered to Neal again for some reason, and a stabbing pain struck my heart.

Kiernan placed a hand on my shoulder. I was torn between feeling comforted and running away. In the end I simply turned to look at him. His smile faltered at the melancholy expression on my face. He opened his mouth to speak, but I forced the best smile I could, trying to act like everything was fine. Thankfully he didn’t press the subject.

“I have something for you,” he said after a moment.

He pulled out a small box from one of his inside pockets and extended it to me. I accepted it, eyeing him curiously as I took off the lid. When I saw what was inside, my eyes widened.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous,” I muttered. Inside, a beautiful ruby necklace glimmered in the midday sun. The chain was made out of pure gold, and the casing was simple yet elegant, wrapping across the gem in a curled design.

Kiernan took the box from my hands. “Turn around.”

I did as he asked. He fastened the beautiful jewel around my neck, his fingers brushing against my skin. My hand automatically reached up to feel the gem, to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I slowly turned to face him, dropping my hand to my side so he could see what he’d given me.

His smile widened. “I knew it would look beautiful on you.”

“Where did you get this?” I breathed, barely able to form the words .

“When we were traveling to the other islands,” he said, pleased that I liked it so much. “I picked it up in one of the camps we found.”

All the happiness on my face disappeared. I felt as if I were going to vomit. Kiernan’s smile faded.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No.”

My voice shook unconvincingly. He would just as readily take this necklace off of my dead body and give it to someone else if he knew what I was. How could I have been so stupid ?

“Are you all right?” he pressed.

“I’m actually quite tired,” I lied, avoiding his gaze. “I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but seemed to think better of it and nodded. “I’ll take you to your room then.”

We re-entered the castle, the darkness a stark contrast to the sunlight we’d been enjoying. The walk to my room was completely silent. I tried to act natural, but it was impossible with the feeling of the cold metal of the necklace against my skin.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked when we reached my door.

“No,” I murmured. His face seemed to fall and, despite my horror and hatred, I managed to say politely, “Thank you for the gift.”

“You’re welcome.”

Before he could say or do anything else, I curtsied half-heartedly, entering my room and shutting the door between us. He was still for a few moments, and only when I was certain the sound of his footsteps had reached the end of the hall did I move away from the door. Shakily, I reached behind my neck and I attempted to unclasp the necklace, silent tears fighting to escape my eyes. When I finally unfastened it, I laid the piece of jewelry carefully on my desk. I couldn’t give it back to the sister who lost it, but in honor of her, I would never wear it again.

What hurt most wasn’t that I’d been given something that once belonged to a sister—it was the fact that I’d found myself befriending and caring for her murderer. I still had trouble believing he could cause all of this, but the evidence couldn’t be denied any longer. He readily admitted to the crimes he committed against my people, and he even seemed proud of them.

Surprisingly, my tears were not just for those he’d slain, but him as well. I didn’t understand how I could feel like I had so much in common with him—this man who killed simply because he didn’t understand. I wanted so badly to embrace the good in him that I had seen, but ultimately, his objective was to destroy all magic and any who held it in the kingdom.

And that included me.