Gail Martin - The Sworn

“Tonight’s far spent. It will take most of tomorrow to prepare for your trip back to Principality City. By tomorrow night, I can have the Blood Council here-those who will come-and I am sure Sior can bring the vyrkin.” Gabriel looked at Gellyr, as if expecting an objection, but the captain shrugged.

“We’re going to need all the allies we can get, if what your lady here says is true,” Gellyr said. “The more the merrier.”

Carina touched Jonmarc’s arm. “Perhaps we should both go to see Berry.”

Jonmarc nodded. He looked to Kolin. “Find Neirin. Tell him what’s going on. It’s not an occasion for a feast, but he’ll need to make a room ready for the ceremony. Then see what Taru knows about these things. I don’t want to do it wrong and find out we’ve left a door open for someone to challenge the succession.”

“Done.” Kolin disappeared at vayash moru speed.

Jonmarc looked to Jolie. “Who’d have thought, huh?”

Jolie smiled sadly. “I knew there was more for you than smuggling the river, cheche. You take care of the princess. My girls and I will take good care of Aidane. We’ve got some work to do to get her ready if she’s palace-bound.” And with that, Jolie took charge, slipping her arm through Aidane’s and leading her out of the room.

“I’ve brought a small contingent to escort you and your party to the palace,” Gellyr said.

Jonmarc nodded. “Thank you, Captain. I’ll have Neirin see to it that you’re well fed and given a place to sleep.” He spread his hands wide to indicate the manor house. “If you hadn’t noticed, it’s gotten crowded here with the refugees, but we’ll do the best we can.”

Gellyr managed a half smile. “Even the barn will do, m’lord. My men and I have slept in worse places.”

Too many thoughts were tumbling around in Jonmarc’s mind as he and Carina headed for Berry’s room. The enormity of the news still left him feeling shock. Staden had been the first king to back Tris Drayke’s quest to reclaim the Margolan throne, and Jonmarc, Carina, Carroway, Harrtuck, Kiara, and Soterius had been Staden’s guests for much of that year as Tris had trained with the Sisterhood and prepared to retake his kingdom. And while nothing in Jonmarc’s background had prepared him to be the guest of a king, he’d grown to genuinely like and respect Staden, and to see him through Berry’s eyes. It made the loss much more personal than he had ever imagined.

But aside from the human loss, Staden’s death put Principality in a dangerous position. Margolan’s reeling from plague, famine, and Jared’s aftermath, plus the battle at Lochlanimar. Isencroft’s on the brink of civil war. If Principality falls into chaos, it endangers Eastmark and Dhasson. And if Trevath and Nargi are backing the Durim and this new dark summoner, the Winter Kingdoms are doomed. Dark Haven can’t hold them all off alone. I made a vow to protect Berry. I promised to keep Carina and the twins safe. I swore I’d defend Dark Haven. And I have no idea how the hell to do that.

“Jonmarc?” From Carina’s tone, it was clear she had been calling him without response.

He grimaced. “Sorry. My head’s still spinning.”

Carina nodded toward a closed door. “We’re here.” She stepped forward and knocked. “Berry? It’s me, Carina. I’ve got Jonmarc with me. Can we come in?”

They heard footsteps, and the door opened. Berry was wrapped in a dressing gown, although from the lamp that was lit on a table and the open book, Jonmarc guessed she had been reading rather than napping. “What’s going on?” But before her voice faded, Berry’s expression froze. She looked from Carina and Jonmarc and her eyes widened as she found in their faces confirmation of her worst fear.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?”

Carina nodded, and Berry collapsed against her, sobbing. Jonmarc closed the door behind them and Carina guided Berry to a chair, while Jonmarc went to pour a small amount of tea from a kettle near the fire, and brought a cup to Berry.

“I didn’t get to say good-bye,” Berry whispered, as sobs racked her body and she clung to Carina. Tomorrow, she would become a queen. Tonight, Berry was a grieving young girl. At a total loss for what to say, Jonmarc stood behind Berry’s chair and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Berry,” he said in a strangled voice. “I’m sorry.”

After a while, Berry’s sobs subsided. Carina handed her a kerchief, and Berry blew her nose, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand. She took a deep breath and sat up straight. In that moment, she seemed to be several years older, and the regal bearing Jonmarc had glimpsed in the confrontation with Gregor reasserted itself. Whatever turmoil Berry was feeling inside, she knew her duty to Principality. “What now?”

Carina smoothed back the hair from Berry’s face and sat back. “Neirin is pulling together what we need to have a ceremony here tomorrow night, before you head for Principality City. We’ll do a version of the coronation here, and then once you reach the palace, they’ll make the public display.”

Berry reached up to clasp Jonmarc’s hand on her shoulder, and she drew him around to where she could see him. “You’re coming with me.” It was both a statement and a plea.

Jonmarc nodded. “Of course. I’m bringing Laisren and Kolin, and we’ll have someone else with us. Aidane.”

Berry looked puzzled. As quickly as possible, Jonmarc filled her in on Aidane’s role and Thaine’s warning. Berry seemed to push the grief aside and she frowned as she thought. “If all that’s true, it’s a really bad time to lose Father and put a young, untested girl on the throne.”

Jonmarc had to smile at her perceptiveness. “Thanks for saving us all a week’s worth of polite attempts to explain that. Yes, it makes it dangerous for you, and dangerous for Principality.”

Berry’s eyes looked haunted. “There’s going to be war, isn’t there?”

Jonmarc and Carina exchanged glances. “It looks that way,” Jonmarc said. “Although I wish there were another path.”

Berry looked up, and Jonmarc could see in her expression that she’d reasoned it out for herself. “But there isn’t. The Durim aren’t just trying to revive the Shanthadura cult, which would be bad enough. They’re set to betray us from within to whoever the invaders are from across the sea, whoever’s backing this dark summoner. This war is going to pull in all of the Winter Kingdoms.”

Jonmarc sighed. “I’m afraid so.”

Berry rose and walked over to one of the trunks she’d brought with her from the palace. She worked the complicated lock, and dug down below a mound of gowns that she’d refused to wear at Dark Haven to withdraw a wooden box. It was beautifully made, covered with Noorish inlay, and Jonmarc guessed that it was spelled to open only for Berry. At her touch, the clasp snapped open. With an expression both resigned and sorrowful, she withdrew a sheaf of papers. Berry held out the papers to Jonmarc.

“Here, you’ll need these for the ceremony. Father forced me to take them with me when he sent me away from the palace. I tried to tell him they weren’t necessary. Maybe he’d had a premonition. They’re the instructions for a field investiture and the legal papers attesting that I’m really the heir to the crown.”

Jonmarc accepted them, handling them gingerly. “I’m sorry, Berry. It would be a bad situation even for someone as seasoned as Staden. I thought Tris came to the throne under rough circumstances. I’m afraid it’s not going to be any easier for you.”

Berry managed a half smile that did not reach her eyes. “Then it’s a good thing I’ve got friends.”

• • •

Jonmarc and Carina walked back to their rooms in silence. When they were inside, Jonmarc placed the papers in a leather pouch for safekeeping and poured himself a glass of brandy. Carina walked to the window and opened it. She leaned against the frame, staring out into the night.