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

20. Breaking the Silence

Chapter twenty

Breaking the Silence

I caught my breath as my back hit the wall. Kiernan advanced, his eyes colder than I’d ever seen them. He drew his sword and placed the blade against my throat. Warm blood trickled down my neck, and my eyes clouded with tears.

“Please,” I whispered. “I love you.”

“How could I ever love such a vile creature?” he hissed.

A sob escaped me as he drew back his sword, aiming for my heart. I couldn’t move. His expression hardened. He thrust forward, and my chest exploded with pain—

For the third night in a row, I awoke screaming. I stifled the sound as quickly as I could. Kiernan appeared to be asleep in the next room, but then again, I wouldn’t know. I hadn’t seen him since the wedding three days ago.

He hadn’t left his room. The first morning, Franklin seemed surprised when Kiernan didn’t join me in the dining area for breakfast, but he didn’t ask any questions. I ate in silence, staring at the doors to my husband’s bedroom and waiting for him to come out and tell me my fate. He never did.

Franklin was the only person allowed in the quarters for those three days. It was supposed to be a time for us to be alone, away from Kiernan’s duties as king, free from obligations. Instead, it was three days of torture, dreaming of my death each night and waiting for it to come during the day. The one time I knocked on his door, there was no response, and I didn’t have the courage to enter uninvited.

The second morning, I tried to write letters to Abi and Isaiah, to let them know I was all right and put their minds at ease. But after several attempts, I threw the parchments in the fire, my eyes filling with tears as I watched it be engulfed in flames. How could I reassure them when, for all I knew, their worst fears might still be realized?

Now, on the third morning, I stared at his door, the nightmare fresh in my mind. All my tears were spent. There was part of me that just wanted my heart to stop beating. At least then I wouldn’t have to deal with the agony of dreaming of my death every night.

Slowly, I climbed out of bed, pulling on a robe over my nightgown. The sun had barely begun to rise. I stepped out onto my balcony, shivering in the cold, and looked down at the courtyard below, covered in frost.

Eventually, the sounds of stirring from his room caused me to turn. A glow of candlelight leaked under his door into my room. It seemed we were both always up at this hour, but we never spoke. I closed my eyes, listening to his footsteps, familiar with the sound of his pacing by now. I remained where I was, wishing he would open the door but knowing he never would.

I would have to end the silence.

Whether he accepted or killed me, it would be today. I wasn’t going to endure one more night of those nightmares. If he chose to kill me, I wanted it to be over with. I wanted to live in the Other Worlds in peace.

Determined, yet terrified, I approached the door, pausing with my hand on the handle. His footsteps had stopped. Breathing deeply, I turned the knob and opened the door.

He sat on the edge of his bed, still in his nightclothes. His hair was more unkempt than I’d ever seen it, and the wrinkles in his clothing told me he hadn’t changed for at least a day. The sight only heightened the guilt I felt for what I’d put him through, and it took all my will to stop myself from retreating back into the other room.

I was sure he’d heard me enter, but his gaze remained fixed on the ground. Leaving the door open, I stepped toward him, trying desperately to stop my hands from shaking. Silently, I sat on the ground at his feet, and just—waited.

I thought I would go mad in the silence. Unable to look at him, I stared at the rug. I had the intricate pattern memorized before either of us spoke. There were a few times he breathed deeply and my heart jumped in fear and anticipation, but no sound escaped his lips. By now the sun was bright in the sky. It felt like we were going to sit there forever.

Finally, he shifted, pressing his hands against his legs.

“Why don’t you have a mark?”

It wasn’t exactly what I’d expected, but I answered quietly. “I do.”

“Where is it?”

I hesitated a moment before shifting my weight to my left side. He was my husband now, after all, and he had the right to see it. Slowly, I pulled up my nightgown to reveal the heart on my thigh, feeling some heat come to my cheeks. From the position of his head, I could tell he was looking at it, but I was still unable to see his eyes.

Slowly, he slid off the bed onto the floor next to me. He leaned down, sweetly kissing the middle of the heart. Tears that I thought were well spent began to fall as he straightened, his face inches from mine.

“I love you,” he said, his voice cracking. Tears formed in his own eyes—the same warm eyes I’d fallen in love with, full of life and emotion.

“Oh, how I love you!” he exclaimed breathlessly, wrapping me in his arms. Our tears intermingled as the kiss deepened. As he stood and lifted me from the ground, my heavy heart lifted as well, and for the first time in a long time, I could finally breathe.

***

I could have stayed there wrapped in his arms forever, but since Kiernan hadn’t been out of his room for days, we dressed for breakfast. My heart bursting with happiness, I was finally able to sit down and write letters to Abi and my father, assuring them I was safe. Once I’d finished and sealed both letters, Kiernan and I walked hand in hand out of his room.

When we entered the dining area, Franklin stood a little straighter. He still didn’t ask questions, but he seemed to linger more than was necessary or usual even after the meal was served. Kiernan politely dismissed him, saying he would ring for him when we finished. As he left, I handed him the letters, telling him to ask both Abi and Isaiah to visit the next day. I wanted at least one day to enjoy my time with Kiernan.

“I’m sorry,” my husband said for the millionth time once Franklin closed the door behind him. “It just took me so much by surprise—”

“How many times do I need to tell you I’ve forgiven you?” I interrupted, shaking my head. “I’m the one who needs to be forgiven. I should have found a way to tell you sooner.”

He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “There’s nothing to forgive,” he whispered, kissing my hand before returning to his food.

We ate in comfortable silence. We hadn’t yet discussed the Slaughters, but if the king of Orkeia could fall in love with a witch, anything was possible.

As if hearing my thoughts, Kiernan sighed and set down his fork. “I’ve been too convincing, Kenna—the entire kingdom believes witches are evil.”

“It’s not going to happen overnight,” I acknowledged. “I mean, it took you three days to decide not to kill me.”

He shook his head. “I decided not to kill you that first night.”

“But you hadn’t decided whether or not I was evil,” I said as I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “If we stop spreading the idea that the Gifted need to be destroyed and start subtly introducing the things that connect us, people’s attitudes will begin to change. No one wants to be living in a kingdom at war.”

His smile warmed as he gazed at me. “You are going to be a magnificent queen,” he said.

I laughed, surprised at the sudden shift in conversation. “Oh? And what makes you so sure?”

“You once told me that death is never something to be celebrated,” he recalled. “It was a bold statement to make to the king, but more than that, it was a wise observation, and one filled with charity towards all people. I don’t know if I would have said it myself were I in your shoes—in fact, I wouldn’t blame you for having wanted me dead.”

“I did,” I admitted with a wry smile. “For a long time. But then I met you.”

He squeezed my hand in response, his dark blue eyes admiring me for another moment before he spoke once more. “Tell me more about your people. About magic.”

As I began to describe the differences between sorcerers and the different types of witches, he listened intently. As joyful as it had been to share this with Abi, it paled in comparison to the joy I felt sharing it with him—with my husband.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to hide this for so long,” he sighed after what must have been an hour of conversation, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head.

“It’s all right,” I insisted, then added in a bit of a teasing, flirtatious tone, “I’m sure you’ll make it up to me.”

He lifted his head to look at me again and smirked a little, his gaze lingering on my lips. “I certainly intend to.”

Standing, I moved the small distance between us to sit on his lap. He slowly wrapped his arms around me as I did, rubbing my back. I reached out and ran a hand through his hair, then resting it on his cheek as I gazed at him for a moment before gently bringing my lips to his in a sweet kiss.

“I love you,” I said.

“And I love you,” he said softly, pulling me slightly closer against his chest. “Every part of you.”

On that beautiful day, all of my worries seemed irrelevant, and the world was completely peaceful. Nothing existed but the two of us. Things would soon be different as we attempted to change the way an entire kingdom of people thought, but it didn’t matter just then. I felt as if we’d already succeeded, and there was no doubt in my mind that one day I would entertain the Grisons and Patersons in the castle.

That night, my dreams were far from nightmares.

***

I awoke to feel Kiernan tracing patterns on my back. My lips curved upwards as he kissed my neck. Seeing my body shift, he realized I was awake and sat up to light a candle on the bedside table.

“Good morning,” I mumbled, rolling over to see him. He kissed me sweetly, but I could tell his thoughts were elsewhere.

“I have to conduct a few trials today,” he explained when he saw the curiosity in my eyes. “We’re supposed to start in an hour.”

“Trials for what?”

He climbed out of the bed and began dressing. “I’m not sure. Lewin organizes them. I don’t know who’s being tried or what their crime is until the trial is presented.”

“That sounds…stressful,” I said. I wanted to say more about my misgivings about Lewin specifically being in charge of arranging trials given his treatment of me and the other prisoners he’d held in that horrible dungeon, but for the moment, I kept those thoughts to myself.

Sighing, he nodded in agreement. “I’ll have Franklin bring you breakfast.”

“Actually…do you think I could come?” I asked.

“You want to observe the trials?” he said, raising his eyebrows.

“I mean…I am the queen now,” I said with a shrug. “I should probably educate myself more on this side of things. Besides, if I come I can spend more time with you.”

He smirked a little, climbing back onto the bed and kissing me again. “I don’t think you would like spending time with me there,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine .

“I want to come,” I replied earnestly. “Is there any reason I wouldn’t be allowed to?”

Kiernan thought for a moment before shaking his head and heading back to his wardrobe. “If you’re that determined, I won’t stop you. I’ll have Franklin call for your maid.”

He gave me another tender kiss and briefly left the room. I went into my own room and pulled on a dress, realizing how much I’d missed Abi these past few days. It occurred to me that he may have arranged for a higher-ranked maid for me, since I was now the queen, but I didn’t want anyone but her.

When I heard him return, I stuck my head through the open door between our rooms. “Kiernan, about my maid…”

He pulled his tunic over his head. “I thought you liked your old one, so I’ve been having some of the higher maids train her over the past few days.”

My face lit up, and I rushed into his room and threw my arms around him, making him drop his tunic belt. He chuckled, kissing the top of my head.

“Thank you,” I said with a sigh of relief as I stepped back so we could both resume dressing.

“Does she know your secret?” he asked, retrieving the belt from the floor.

“Yes. She found out a couple months ago.”

“How did she find out?” he asked curiously. “Did she notice your mark?”

I paused, slowly lowering my hands from trying to tame my hair. I stared in the mirror with a frown. In all the preparations for the founding banquet and then the wedding, and all the emotional ups and downs I experienced during that time, I had pushed aside memories of the demon. There hadn’t been a sign of the creature returning, and I felt confident now that the vision I’d had of it being banished to the Lost One’s pit was, in fact, what had happened. I hadn’t really had the time or mental energy to ponder more about how I did that, or how I had healed my cuts for that matter. So many other things had occupied my time and mind .

Kiernan finished dressing and stepped into my room, an eyebrow raised slightly with some concern at my silence in response to his question. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

“Yes,” I muttered quickly, then sighed as I sat at the vanity, placing my hands in my lap and still staring at my reflection. “Now, anyway. But she found out…well, she found out because I was attacked.”

A flash of shock on his face very quickly turned concern, then anger. Swiftly, he closed the distance between us and put his hands on my shoulders, standing behind me.

“What do you mean attacked? By whom?”

“By what,” I corrected, shakily placing a hand on top of his. “There was a demon in the castle. I sensed it my very first night here, and I tried to ward myself against it, but eventually, my protections weren’t enough.”

His eyes widened as he met my gaze in the reflection. The anger was still there, but shock had returned a bit more to his face—shock, fear, and deep concern.

“You were attacked by a demon ?” he breathed, his hands squeezing my shoulders.

I nodded slowly. “I don’t know how it got here, or why it was targeting me. Demons—usually they can only leave the Land of the Lost if they’re summoned.”

His eyes flashed with rage, and his grip on my shoulders tightened even more as he shook slightly. “Someone summoned a demon to attack you?” he almost growled.

“I don’t think so,” I said quickly, turning on the vanity bench so I could look directly at him instead of just through the reflection. “I’m pretty sure it was already here when I arrived months ago. It—it definitely decided to target me for some reason, maybe just because I’m Gifted. I really don’t know. It’s gone now, I—managed to banish it.”

“Even if it wasn’t meant to attack you, someone summoned it regardless,” he said through clenched teeth. “That means they could do it again.”

Those words brought a shiver through my spine, and my lips quivered as I looked up at him. I wrapped my fingers around his. I was trying to keep myself calm and hold on to the safety I’d felt with him in the last twenty-four hours, but I knew he was right. Just because the threat had been momentarily dealt with didn’t mean there wasn’t still someone or something at work in the castle with evil intentions.

Before either of us could gather our thoughts and emotions enough to continue the conversation, there was a knock on my door. Kiernan was still shaking as he very reluctantly released my shoulders and moved to answer it.

He had barely turned the knob when the door crashed open, and Franklin entered as if pushed into the room.

“Miss Abiga—”

Abi pushed past him before he could finish, practically running. I stood just in time for her to squeeze the breath out of my lungs with her hug.

“I was so worried! I didn’t know if you were alive or dead! I hadn’t heard from you, no one had seen you in three days, and even when I got your letter yesterday—”

She suddenly became aware of Kiernan’s presence and released me, straightening her skirt. “Your Majesty,” she said, curtsying. “My apologies, I was just concerned…”

Her cheeks turned red and she stared at the ground. Franklin looked between the two of us with a raised eyebrow, no doubt surprised at her audacity to hug the queen and confused by her words about life and death.

“Franklin, you are dismissed,” Kiernan said, smiling at Abi with laughter in his voice. “Inform the captain I will arrive at court shortly.”

Franklin nodded, glancing between me and Abi once more before leaving the room. Abi remained still, unsure how to act around the king, no matter her relationship with me.

“You may call me Kiernan,” he said, and her head snapped up. “Any friend of my wife’s is a friend of mine.”

Abi let out a deep breath. Without warning, she ran forward and practically jumped on Kiernan, wrapping him in another tight embrace. I laughed at the surprise on his face. He patted her back awkwardly. I didn’t tell him it was something he should get used to .

“So what’s the plan?” she asked enthusiastically when she’d released him. “What do we do first?”

“The plan?” Kiernan asked.

“To end the Great War,” she clarified, as if it should have been obvious, sitting down on my bed. Kiernan raised his eyebrows at her familiarity, glancing at me briefly before looking back at her with some amusement. Despite my distracted thoughts, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Right now, the plan is for you to fix my hair so I can join Kiernan in court,” I said, holding up a brush and waving it.

***

Abi’s lighthearted, bubbly presence was a sharp contrast to the heaviness of the conversation Kiernan and I had been having just before she arrived. As wonderful as it was to see her again, my thoughts remained on the demon while she tamed my hair. I tried to push them aside and focus on my happiness, but when Franklin returned to inform Kiernan that Lewin was waiting in the hall, my breath caught in my throat.

Was it Lewin?

Of all the people I’d met in the castle, he was the only one that I was sure was truly evil. Sure, my initial experiences in the dungeon had a lot to do with how I saw him, but I didn’t think that was all that it was. After all, he’d been keeping the dungeons a secret from Kiernan until I arrived, and I’d seen him resist Kiernan’s authority and attempt to exert his own on more than one occasion. And he seemed particularly bothered by my presence in the castle.

But he also clearly hated the Gifted. Unless he was Gifted himself and pulling off an elaborate, twisted ruse, I couldn’t imagine him working with a white witch or sorcerer to summon a demon, no matter how much power that would give him. Was that really a line he was willing to cross?

My mind spun with that terrible possibility as I shakily stood. In the mirror I saw Abi frown.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered.

I took her hand and squeezed it, managing a smile. “Later,” I promised, then, in a rush of emotion, pulled her into a tight hug. I buried my face in her shoulder taking in a deep breath. We held each other tight, releasing all of the stress and tension we’d both felt in the last few days.

When I released her, I looked to where Kiernan stood in the doorway. The corners of his lips were curved downward.

“Are you sure you want to come, Kenna?” he said. “It’s not expected.”

I stepped towards him and took his hand. “I think the people should get used to the unexpected from their new queen,” I said with a bit of a wry smile.

Kiernan chuckled despite his concern. He kissed my hand before draping it over his arm. “That they should,” he said fondly.

As we left the room, I caught Abi’s eye once more. “Will you tell my father to meet me here after the trials?” I asked.

She assured me that she would, and Kiernan and I followed Franklin into the hall. Lewin waited there, his expression stoic. I tried to keep my composure, not wanting to be obvious about my suspicions and the increased fear I was feeling around him. It was easiest not to look directly at him, so instead, I looked past him at the decorations in the hallways, focusing my thoughts on the feeling of my hand on Kiernan’s arm as a grounding point.

“I’ve come to escort you to the trials,” he said to Kiernan in a very business-like tone, giving a slight bow. The bow was certainly not deep enough for the respect he should have been showing his king, but then again, Lewin had never shown the proper respect and deference to Kiernan.

“Thank you, Captain,” Kiernan said with a nod.

Lewin looked at me, his lips still pressed together as he seemed to be attempting a professional address. “Would you like me to escort you to the dining hall or the library on our way, My Queen?” he asked, those last two words subtly laced with disapproval .

“Queen Kenna will be joining us,” Kiernan said when I didn’t immediately find my own voice to respond. “She will preside with me over the trials.”

Lewin’s gaze snapped to him, then back to me. “The High Court is no place for a woman, Your Majesty.”

“She is coming with us,” Kiernan repeated in a commanding tone. “She has requested it.”

Lewin bowed in response. To my surprise, I thought I saw a sly smirk come to the corner of his lips just before he turned his back to us. He didn’t speak again as we walked down the halls. I frowned, staring at the back of his head. I had expected a much colder reaction from him.

I forced myself to shelve the thoughts as we reached our destination. Members of the royal guard lined the staircase to the throne room, now being used for the High Court. It was jarring to be entering the same room where we had celebrated our marriage just days ago under such a different atmosphere and purpose. The nobles and others seated within stood as the doors opened.

“King Kiernan and Queen Kenna,” a servant announced, his booming voice echoing across the walls.

Those present exchanged curious and confused glances when they saw me enter with my husband. Miss Grayson had never specifically said anything about me not appearing in court, but it also was not something she had ever mentioned as part of my expected duties. But whatever the regular customs were, and however inappropriate it may seem to people like Lewin, it was important for me to be here. I needed to become familiar with the justice system so I could help Kiernan change the current laws and practices against my people.

More guards lined the walls of the court, armed and prepared to defend us should the need arise. It was comforting. We were about to be in the presence of multiple criminals, and it was in this same room that Kiernan’s parents had fallen victim to Pious’s attack. My eyes darted to the secret passageway, reminding myself where it was and how to open it just in case the escape was necessary .

The crowd didn’t take their seats until Kiernan and I did. We sat in an eerie silence as Lewin left the room through a door to the right—evidently one of the rooms that held criminals before trial—and returned with a young man in his grasp.

The boy had sandy blonde hair and was rather tall and lanky for his age. His hands were bound. His nose looked as if it had been broken several times, and he avoided looking anyone in the eye. From the dirt under his fingernails and on his face, I assumed he lived on the streets. His countenance was scarred and hardened, likely from years of struggling to survive, and he seemed not even to care that he was being tried for a crime.

“Colin Randal,” Lewin read from a sheet of paper. “Guilty of theft and murder.”

“I didn’t murder no one,” the boy piped up, receiving a dark look from the captain.

“You are not allowed to speak in this court,” he said harshly.

“What?” I said under my breath, so only Kiernan could hear. He turned to me, his face full of concern.

“You don’t have to stay—”

“Why is he not allowed to speak?” I whispered, leaning in closer to him. Lewin read a list of witnesses, and the rest of the room was silent as three men approached the dais.

Kiernan leaned in close to me as well, keeping his voice low. “He’s not allowed to speak unless I ask him to,” he clarified. “Apparently my father didn’t consider it important to hear people defend themselves. Don’t worry, I’ll hear his story.”

I frowned, straightening to face the accused once more. The more I learned about Kiernan’s father, the more convinced I was that he had not been the benevolent ruler the majority of the people claimed him to be. He not only made judgments without hearing both sides of the story, but he had built a secret prison to hide people away in regardless of their guilt. I thought of my mother standing before him in this room and gripped the armrests of my throne .

When Lewin finished reading, the trial officially began. The first witness to the event stepped forward now and bowed deeply before speaking. His voice oozed like oil. “Your Majesties, I witnessed young Randal bludgeon the baker on my street not a week ago before stealing two loaves of bread.”

The boy stared at the man with clear surprise, opening his mouth to protest. But he reluctantly closed it when he saw Lewin’s warning look. The second witness greeted us the same, telling a similar story about a butcher on his street. The third man seemed convinced that Randal murdered one of his fellow fishermen. None of them could tell us what reason the boy had to commit these crimes other than thievery.

“Mister Randal,” Kiernan said when the third man had finished. “Did you or did you not steal food from these men?”

Randal’s head snapped up, looking both surprised and relieved that he was being allowed to speak. Lewin pressed his lips together in apparent disapproval, but he said nothing.

The boy blinked. “Yes, Yer Majesty,” he confessed, though he didn’t sound scared or ashamed. “Fer me and me brother.”

“The three victims lived in various parts of the city, far from one another. Not very convenient for a thief,” Kiernan observed, leaning forward in his chair. “Why did you travel such distances?”

“I didn’t,” he said matter-of-factly. “I stole from all o’ them on Market Day, when they was in the same place.”

“Have you ever been to the shore?”

“No.”

“Did you know these men?”

“Not at all, Sire. I stole from them is all.”

Kiernan leaned forward even more, his eyes fixed intently on the young man. “And did you attack any of these men?”

“No need, Sire,” he said, a small smile on his lips. “They didn’t even see me.”

Kiernan was quiet for a moment, surveying the boy and the three men who spoke against him. All three witnesses had become very nervous as soon as the boy started speaking. My husband motioned to one of his guards to come up to the dais and whispered instructions so quietly not even I could hear. The knight nodded in understanding. As he motioned to two more of his men, Kiernan sat up straight, his eyes narrowing when he looked out at the four men. I realized that throughout the entire trial, my nails had been digging deeper into the fabric on the armrests of my throne, and I let out a slow breath and willed them to relax, watching my husband intently.

“Murder is a serious crime,” he said, his voice powerful in a way I’d never heard before, “and the only punishment available for such an action is death in return. Therefore, you, Brent Jacobs, Liam Barter, and Charles Newnan are sentenced to death by beheading.”

There were gasps of surprise as the knights seized the three shocked men, but their guilt and devastation of having been caught in their lies clearly showed on their faces. None of them fought the guards holding them. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and forced my hands to relax, moving them from the armrests to my lap.

“Take them to the dungeons,” Kiernan commanded.

As the men were taken from the room, Randal stared straight ahead at Kiernan, mouth hanging open. He seemed too amazed to celebrate that he was going to live.

“As for you, Mister Randal,” Kiernan continued, his tone still serious. “Thievery is not tolerated here. You are to spend two months in jail, followed by three months of service.”

The crowd murmured as the boy was led away. I saw the surprised expression on his face shift to a relieved smile as he left, hardly believing his luck. I looked at Kiernan sideways, seeing his hard expression. My lips curved into a frown of my own and I reached over to place one of my hands on top of his. He turned his palm upward and gave my hand a squeeze, his countenance softening for a brief moment as he did before the next person accused was brought into the room.

There were four more trials that day. The second was a case of treason—the man had been passing information about the inner workings of the army to King Simeon. Though Simeon wasn’t yet attacking us, we all suspected he would sometime in the future. Our islands would eventually not be excluded from his goal to conquer as much land as possible. The man was sentenced to life in prison, a punishment that many people watching didn’t seem to think severe enough, but none would argue with the king.

The third and fourth were two men who worked together to plan the death of their main competitors in the farming market. They not only killed the farmers, but their wives and children as well. Both of them were sentenced to death just as the first three men, and their executions were scheduled for that evening. Kiernan took my hand once more as they were dragged away, seeing how pale I’d become.

I was relieved there was only one more trial, and had just decided to avoid coming in the future when the fifth man entered the room. Immediately, my heart stopped.

It was Gideon.