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

22. Bonds and Burdens

Chapter twenty-two

Bonds and Burdens

K iernan’s intention had been for me to rest when I got back to our quarters, but I didn’t immediately get the chance. When I opened the doors to the sitting room, my father paused where he was pacing by the windows, eagerly turning to face me.

His eyes met mine, and I smiled. A weight visually lifted off his shoulders. He crossed the room in just a few swift steps, wrapped me in his arms, and kissed the top of my head, shaking.

“I told you I’d be all right,” I said into his shoulder, to which he took in a sharp breath and held me even tighter. For a long time we just stood there until he eventually released me and stood back to gaze at me, his hands on my shoulders.

“You are one of the bravest women I’ve ever known,” he said.

My cheeks burned a little, but I smiled softly. It wasn’t until then that I noticed Abi behind him. When our eyes met, she took a step forward.

“How did things go with Gideon?” she asked quietly.

My father looked between the two of us with a slight frown. “Who’s Gideon?”

As I recounted our conversation, the three of us sat. Abi and my father each took an armchair, while I rested on the longer settee, trying to hide just how tired I was. They both asked a lot of questions about Gideon and his Gift, fascinated by how rare it was and the amount of power that he held.

Suddenly, Abi jumped up, gasping .

“The book!” she said. “The one you asked me to look after—let me get it for you, I think there’s something in it you need to read.”

I raised an eyebrow as she ran from the room, returning not too much later with Kindra’s record in hand. Frantically, she flipped through the pages, rambling as she did.

“I was so restless the past few days—when I wasn’t in the middle of training, I couldn’t think of anything to do other than read,” she explained. “I mean, I’m a pretty slow reader and a lot of it went over my head since I didn’t really know anything about magic until you, but this seemed familiar and I wondered if you’d seen it yet—”

She cut off her speech suddenly and pointed to a passage, handing the book to me.

“Remember how you glowed? That night with the demon?” she breathed.

“What demon?” Isaiah interjected, his body suddenly tense.

I didn’t immediately answer him, looking down at the page she’d opened to and quickly beginning to read. As I did, my eyes widened.

‘The talons left long gash marks in Hanson’s arm. He insisted he would be fine, and I knew that once we returned to camp our green witches would be able to help him, but by now I also knew that I loved him. It broke my heart to see the amount of pain he was in. I ripped off a piece of my skirt and began to bind the wounds, gently pressing my hands around the bindings when I was finished.

‘That’s when something very strange happened. As I thought about how much I wished I could heal him, my hands started to glow, and within moments, the gashes were, in fact, healed. When we returned to camp, I journeyed to the Land of the Saved to speak with Varan once more and mentioned the strange occurrence. It was then that he explained that I wasn’t a white witch after all, but in fact a sorceress, and another one of his descendents. Through his male line, the Gift of power over the planets had been passed down. But through the female line, another Gift had been inherited, a very special and sacred Gift, and I was the Bearer.’

I stared at the page, scanning the next few paragraphs and turning the pages wildly in an attempt to read what the Gift actually was. She never said. All she would say was that it gave her the ability to heal physical injuries on the body (like the cuts and burns I had healed) in addition to communicating with spirits. According to her, it was exceptionally unique and sacred, and another Gift that only manifested itself every fourteen generations.

A sorcerer?

“That has to be the same thing, right?” Abi said excitedly. “And just like you, she thought she was a white witch at first, didn’t she?”

“What demon?” my father asked again before I could find my voice to respond. His firm tone demanded an answer, and concern and fear filled his eyes.

I sighed, rubbing my temples with my thumbs. “I was attacked by a demon in my room a couple of months ago.”

As I recounted the story, Isaiah’s fists clenched tighter and tighter. “Why didn’t you say something before?” he demanded in a scolding tone.

“Because I banished it!” I said defensively. “It was no longer a threat.”

“Kenna, if there was a demon in the castle attacking you, there is very much still a threat,” he said matter-of-factly, pressing his lips together. “You can’t be so naive as to think that whoever sent it after you has just given up.”

“We don’t know if someone sent it after me.”

My father opened his mouth to argue with me further, but he was interrupted by the sound of voices and footsteps coming from the hall. The voices were immediately recognizable as Kiernan and Lewin, and Lewin in particular was not attempting to hide his anger and frustration. I stood as the doors to our quarters opened.

“—ridiculous notion, Kiernan,” Lewin was saying. I could just see him past my husband through the open door, and his eyes were blazing.

“I made myself clear, Captain,” Kiernan said as he walked briskly through the door, a tired look of frustration on his face. He had my pack over his shoulder, and I saw Lewin glare at it from behind him .

“It’s a sign of weakness,” Lewin growled. “Think logically, Kiernan. People will think you’ve been enchanted. Especially with you pardoning the prisoner from this morning—”

I felt a stab of panic, thinking Lewin somehow knew the truth about Gideon. Kiernan spun around in anger. “Last time I checked, Captain, I was the king. You are to follow my orders with no further questions.”

Before Lewin could open his mouth, Kiernan slammed the door in his face. In the brief moment before it closed, I made eye contact with the captain, and I felt a cold chill run down my spine as his eyes narrowed with what could only be described as hatred.

The anger emanating off of my husband subsided only slightly when the sound of Lewin’s footsteps could no longer be heard. He didn’t move, breathing heavily and facing the doors. Abi and my father both remained silent, staring at him as well. Cautiously, I stepped around the furniture and placed a hand on his shoulder. He let out a deep breath and put his hand on top of mine before facing me, exhaustion written on his face.

“What was that about?” I asked, trying to keep my fear in check.

Catching the edge to my voice, Kiernan squeezed my hand. “Your friend is safe,” he said reassuringly. “Captain Lewin’s just angry.”

Despite his reassurance, my shoulders tensed. “About what?”

“He found me while I was on my way here,” he explained. “He was still upset about the trial and suggested increasing searches on the island. I said no and told him to begin disbanding the witch patrols instead.”

“ What? ” I breathed. “Kiernan, why would you—?”

“Gideon was lucky, Kenna,” he said, lifting my hand from his shoulder and clutching it tightly. “ You were lucky. I can’t bear the thought that if things had been even the slightest bit different, you would have been killed before—before I even had the chance to know you.”

His voice caught in his throat and he cupped my cheek with his free hand, his thumb caressing my chin. “I can’t let the patrols continue.”

“Kiernan, Captain Lewin’s right,” I stammered, the words sour in my mouth. “It’s—this isn’t going to happen overnight. We’re trying to change the way an entire kingdom of people has felt for years. People are going to think you’ve been enchanted—”

He shook his head. “People are ready for this war to be over, Kenna. The men actually fighting it—they’ve been away from their families for far too long with nothing to show for it other than innocent bodies piling on the shore.”

“But they don’t know those bodies are innocent,” I retorted. “Not yet. We need to make changes more gradually—”

“I only told him to start disbanding the patrols,” he said, his tone firm and calm as he took both of my hands in his and held them tightly. “I didn’t tell him to declare the war over or stop attacking magic holders. But the active searching for the Gifted— that I needed to stop. I love you, Kenna, and seeing you in so much distress when Gideon walked into the courtroom…I had to do something.”

As I stared into his eyes, the love I saw in them made my heart feel as if it was going to burst. My eyes watered. As concerned as I was about how others would view this decision, I also felt a rush of gratitude, and I leaned forward to press my lips against his. He placed a hand on the back of my head as he returned the kiss, and when it broke he pressed his forehead against mine.

“Thank you,” I breathed after a moment, slowly pulling back to meet his gaze again. “But…I don’t think you should make any more changes. Not this fast. You may be the king, but you still have to be careful.”

He sighed and squeezed my hand. He was about to say more when he looked over my shoulder and suddenly straightened, clearing his throat and releasing my hand.

“Good afternoon, Sir Balton,” he said with a bow. I felt a rush of heat to my cheeks as I turned to look at my father, honestly having forgotten he and Abi were in the room.

Isaiah was standing, observing the two of us with an expression that was difficult to read. I could tell that he was still upset about the demon, but at least for the moment he was letting the subject drop. He bowed in return to Kiernan, keeping his gaze low. But when he straightened, I was relieved to see a hint of a smile on his lips.

“I am glad to see that you, unlike your father, have enough sense to listen to reason, Your Majesty,” he said.

“My father didn’t have someone as persuasive as Kenna to help him see the truth,” Kiernan replied.

Isaiah’s smile faltered, though I wasn’t entirely sure if it was because he was thinking about my mother or because of what he said next. “She is wise, as well. Forgive my candor, but you should not have been so hasty in your orders to Lewin.”

There was a biting edge to the way he said the captain’s name. Kiernan pressed his lips tightly together, and for a moment I thought he was angry with Isaiah for speaking out of turn.

“Perhaps you are right. I would be grateful for your strategic advice moving forward, Captain Balton,” Kiernan said.

Isaiah raised an eyebrow. “Captain?”

“Yes. Effective immediately. I need someone I know I can trust at the highest ranks.”

My father bowed deeply. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Kiernan cleared his throat. “Now,” he said, turning to face me again and brushing a hair out of my face, “I believe I told you to get some rest.”

I was about to argue with him, but a yawn betrayed me. My husband was right. I was exhausted both emotionally and physically, and I really did need some rest.

Abi quickly moved to my side, linking an arm with mine. “I’ll get her in bed,” she said, gently pulling me with her. My husband invited Isaiah to speak with him privately in his study and the two of them left the room as well.

Once alone in my room, Abi asked me questions about the last four days as I undressed, like what Kiernan’s initial reaction was when I told him the truth. But once I was sitting on my bed, she could see how tired I truly was and ended the conversation, giving me one last hug before leaving the room. I laid down and closed my eyes, almost instantly asleep.

** *

I slept through not only the rest of the afternoon, but the entire night as well. Kiernan was waiting for me in our dining quarters when I emerged for breakfast. With some surprise, I saw that Gideon was there as well. He looked up as I entered and stood, pulling a chair out for me. He was wearing long sleeves and gloves to keep up the pretense that his arms were still burned.

“How are you?” I asked with some concern, keeping my eyes on his face as I sat. Despite the fact that he had been given a proper bed and room to rest in for the night, there were bags under his eyes.

“I’m fine—still a little overwhelmed to be a guest in the castle,” he said, sitting down next to me. He managed a somewhat amused smile and added. “I never thought I’d be able to say I was best friends with the queen.”

I chuckled and reached for my fork. Gid didn’t immediately begin to eat, looking a little uncomfortable to be sitting at the table with me and Kiernan, but as the meal went on he slowly started to relax.

Kiernan asked both of us many questions throughout the meal about how to earn the trust of the Gifted society, but ultimately, it was Kiernan himself who came up with the best start to a plan.

“What if you were to return to your people?” he suggested to Gideon as the meal finished. “You could begin spreading word among them. Perhaps I could even designate one of the islands as a sanctuary for the Gifted. The active witch patrols are being disbanded, but we could choose an island to keep the army away from entirely while we work to change the minds and hearts of the people.”

I set down my glass, raising my eyebrows slightly and feeling my face brighten as I looked at my husband. “A sanctuary is a brilliant idea.”

Excitedly, I turned to look at Gideon. But to my surprise, a tight frown was on his lips .

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He searched my face for a long time before letting out a heavy sigh. “I just found you,” he said quietly. “Yes, I know you’re safe, and you don’t need rescuing, but leaving feels…wrong.”

My lips quivered a little as I took his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “I don’t want you to leave, either,” I admitted. “But if we’re going to really make this work—if we’re going to be free to practice our magic together again—we need someone working among the Gifted as well as the Ungifted.”

As he looked down at our hands, I thought I saw some color come to his cheeks, and he slowly drew his hand back. My smile faltered.

At length, he nodded, still not meeting my gaze. “You’re right, of course. You always are.”

There was an attempt at some light-heartedness with his second statement, and I saw his lips twitch, but he didn’t quite manage a smile, and he still didn’t look up. My concern deepened.

“Kiernan,” I muttered quietly, looking up at my husband, “do you mind if I speak privately with Gideon for a moment?”

Kiernan’s gaze moved between the two of us, and I saw a flash of emotion in his eyes. I wasn’t really sure what it was, but it reminded me of a look Neal had given Gideon more than once. I parted my lips to ask about it, feeling an odd tension in the room, but then, Kiernan nodded.

“Certainly,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m sure there’s much you have to talk about.”

There was some hesitance in his tone, but when he met my gaze again he put on a smile. Standing, he moved to my side and kissed my forehead, lingering there for a moment, before stepping back and looking down at Gideon.

“I have a meeting with the captains this morning,” he said. “Afterwards, I’d like to discuss options for the sanctuary with you and Captain Balton, Mr. Grison.”

Gideon nodded, finally managing to look up. “Of course. Thank you. ”

Kiernan nodded at him as well. He kissed the top of my head again and rubbed my shoulder briefly before leaving the room. Gideon looked away again, his expression somber.

“What’s really going on?” I asked with a bit of an exasperated sigh. “I know the last months have been hard…”

My voice trailed off as I stared at him in concern. Gideon stared at the tablecloth for a while before closing his eyes. Were they watering just before he did? It was hard for me to tell.

“It just feels like losing you again,” he admitted, his voice cracking slightly.

I sighed and reached for his hand again, but he pulled it away when he felt my touch. The action felt like a stinging stab to my heart, and while I wasn’t sure if his eyes were watering, I could feel mine begin to do so.

“You’re not losing me,” I said quietly. “Before you know it, I’ll be helping you train with Hanson again. But this time, we won’t need to hide it.”

This thought didn’t seem to comfort him, but he reluctantly nodded nonetheless. We continued to sit there for a while, until Franklin entered the room to begin to clean up breakfast. When he did, the spell of silence seemed to break around us, and both Gid and I stood. As I turned to leave the room, Gideon gently touched my arm.

“It’s a good idea—the sanctuary, I mean,” he said. “I’m sorry for letting my emotions get the best of me.”

I gave him a supportive smile. “It’s all right. It’s…we’re all emotional right now.”

“Once we’ve decided where to place it, I’ll start traveling,” he said. “Even if I don’t find my own family right away, I can start spreading the word.”

I shifted where I stood, tucking a curl that had come loose behind my ear. “You shouldn’t travel alone,” I mused, unable to hide my concern.

“Well, I don’t think it would go over well for the queen to disappear from the castle with a strange man who showed up being accused of witchcraft,” he said, managing an amused smile.

A chuckle escaped my throat and I shook my head. “No, it wouldn’t. But…maybe my father… ”

He raised an eyebrow. “Your father?”

It was then that I realized that while he had relayed much of his story to me, I’d hardly told him anything about the months I’d spent here in the castle since we were separated. It was also then that I remembered we weren’t alone in the room. Over his shoulder I saw Franklin watching us curiously. I cleared my throat and linked my arm with Gideon’s.

“Let’s go for a walk,” I said.

I brought Gideon to the towers, where Kiernan and I often retreated for our own conversations. Not many servants or knights were around, but I was still careful about how I spoke. I told him everything I’d learned about my parents, about Pious, and about Kindra and Hanson from reading her book. He was eager to see the book himself, but when I offered—somewhat reluctantly—to let him take it with him on his journeys, he quickly refused. “I’ll study it whenever I get back here,” he said, clearly trying to be more optimistic and positive than he had been during breakfast.

Like my father, he was particularly concerned about the demon I had battled months ago. But rather than focus on any looming threat, I tried to keep the focus of the conversation on my newfound power to heal. He was obviously intrigued by it, especially when I told him about the passage Abi had found in Kindra’s record.

“Well, you have your candles again,” he said. “Maybe you could find Kindra in the Other Worlds and get some more information from her.”

I nodded. “I intend to,” I said. “Hopefully Hanson will still be close enough to the gates that I can get a message to her soon.”

We both fell silent for a while as we watched the waves of the sea beat upon the cliff’s edge. It was so reminiscent of all those afternoons we’d spent on the hills near our shelter, and I closed my eyes and sighed. I almost leaned into him, but realizing how inappropriate that would be, I stopped myself.

Abi found us just before it was time for lunch and said that Miss Grayson wanted to speak with me. I was surprised, given the fact that I had explicitly told Kiernan that I didn’t want to attend lessons anymore, but I followed her nonetheless. Gideon gave me a tight hug and said he would see me at dinner before returning to his guest room.

When I entered Miss Grayson’s room, she gave a very deep curtsy, practicing the same technique she had taught me so rigorously. It was a strange exchange of roles, and I quickly motioned for her to stand up, having to remind myself that I was no longer required to curtsy to her in return.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she said, her voice as creaky as ever but filled with respect that I wasn’t quite sure I had earned. “We need to review the duties and schedules of the staff.”

I furrowed my eyebrows slightly, but then remembered that this was just one of the many queenly duties she’d taught me that I would be expected to perform. I held in a sigh and nodded, sitting as she placed a mountain of papers and charts in front of me on the table.

***

Miss Grayson kept me occupied for the remainder of the day, and I didn’t leave her chambers until it was time for dinner. Even though all we’d been doing was going over schedules and staffing responsibilities, for some reason, the task was exhausting in its own way. Part of me wanted to just go straight to bed, but knowing Gideon would likely be leaving soon, I didn’t want to miss the chance to spend a little more time with him.

Gideon, my father, and Kiernan were already seated when I arrived. There was a rolled up map on the table next to my husband. I opened my mouth to ask about it, but Kiernan nodded subtly to where Franklin stood in the corner of the room, pouring drinks, and I closed it. When he was finished serving us, Kiernan dismissed him, and only then were we able to speak freely.

“We’ve been discussing possible locations for the sanctuary,” Kiernan explained, unrolling the map and spreading it across the table. “We’ve talked about Hairan and Roldsay as options, but I think it’s best to do some canvassing of the isles first. See what the general attitudes are more locally towards the Gifted before designating a gathering place.”

I nodded, glancing at Gideon. “I’m assuming that will be where you start, then,” I said.

He nodded. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

“We?” I asked, looking at the other two. For a brief moment, I felt a rush of panic, and blurted out, “You’re not going, are you, Kiernan?”

“No,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head. “I wouldn’t leave you to run the castle on your own less than a week after our wedding.”

“I will be accompanying Gideon,” my father clarified. “Kiernan has assigned me to manage the affairs of local garrisons. With my new position, I’ll have the excuse to travel, and some pull over the local lord and lady once we decide on a location. I’ll be able to reorganize their military forces to keep the Gifted safe. Besides,” his lips curved into a wry smile, “I have my own connections, and a knack for finding clans in hiding.”

I nodded. While it had been my idea for my father to go with him, it was definitely bittersweet to think of both of them leaving. Kiernan reached under the table to take my hand as I became lost in thought, and I met his gaze.

“Why don’t we drop the subject for the moment and just enjoy our dinner?” he suggested.

“That would be nice,” I said, squeezing his hand.

Kiernan had asked plenty of questions over the past few days, but this time, Gideon showed the most curiosity throughout the conversation. He asked Kiernan about growing up in the castle and his favorite activities. To my relief, he didn’t ask any questions damning Kiernan’s former actions against the Gifted—he could tell that Kiernan’s guilt was already eating at him enough.

When the meal was over, I felt my eyelids drooping. My work with Miss Grayson had apparently left me more tired than I realized. Gideon noticed almost immediately and frowned.

“Are you feeling alright, Kenna?” he asked.

I nodded and yawned. “Yes, I’m just…tired. ”

“Do you want me to have Abi summoned?” Kiernan asked, standing.

“No, I’m all right,” I insisted as I, too, stood. “I can prepare for bed on my own.”

Kiernan nodded and kissed my forehead, leading me to the door. My father and Gideon both stood, and I paused before exiting, my heart heavy as I gazed at them.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” I muttered.

“See you in the morning,” Gideon repeated softly.

With that, I left the dining area, the door closing behind me. Entering my room, I let out a heavy sigh as I changed into a nightgown and took out the pins in my hair. But when I went to place them on my vanity, I paused.

Sitting in the middle of the vanity was a sealed envelope. I picked it up, turning it over to see if it was addressed in any manner. It was not. The seal was also not one that I recognized, looking almost like whoever had sealed it did so with a coin rather than an official symbol.

Curiously, I opened it. It contained just five words, but I stumbled backwards when I read them, almost dropping the parchment.

‘I know your secret, Witch.’