NOVEL NEXT B3 | 24 - Trust
Beneath a hideously bright sky, Augustus Reginald Gormona squinted toward the rising sun, willing it to retreat behind the horizon.
As with everything lately, it didn’t go in his favor, and as the golden orb rose ever higher, taunting him, he turned his back to it, refusing to witness any more insubordination, perceived or otherwise. He let his thoughts wander, imagining what he could have done differently when he’d fought the invading spirit beasts.
“Are you ready, Augustus?” someone asked, shattering the fantasized revenge-plot currently playing out against Lizard Wizard.
The king whirled, his chi threatening to fly free with the memory of battle still fresh in mind.
His wife flinched back, her face white and eyes panicked.
Seeing fear replace his wife’s beauty, a pang of regret stabbed deep into Augustus’s core. Realizing his teeth were bared, he sighed, his body sagging. “Apologies. I was... elsewhere.”
“It’s... fine,” she replied, smoothing her dress. “We’re almost ready to leave.”
He nodded stiffly. As they walked down the cobbled streets of Gormona, they easily fell into step, matching each other’s pace. With her at his side, his worries receded, his breaths coming easier. Though their marriage had once been one of necessity, they had grown close over their many decades of partnership. They would always be a king and queen first, of course, but he had a rare respect for Penelope.
Her hand drifted over, her fingers seeking to intertwine with his.
“Not in public,” he replied, lip twitching as he slapped her hand away.
“Of course.” She raised her chin, staring forward. “Sorry.”
They continued on in silence, his anger at her breach of decorum slowly receding. Voices came from ahead, and when they caught sight of the king and queen, their conversation died off.
Tom Osnan strode forward, nodding at them. “Good morning, Augustus.”
“King,” he corrected, looking down his nose at his oldest friend. “I’ve not yet forgiven your failure, Tom. As you should well know.”
“Of course.” Despite his words, fury lined Tom’s face, but he bowed at the waist to hide it.
Following the lord’s lead, Aisa and the rest of the handlers bowed even lower. “Good morning, my king,” they chorused, their faces remaining downturned.
“Rise,” he said.
As their gazes met his, he let his displeasure show clearly on his face. It mattered not that they didn’t stand a chance against the force that had attacked Gormona. One and all, they had failed. Until they could regain his favor, he had no intention of letting them off the hook.
“Hello,” came a welcome voice.
Augustus spun toward the rising sun, seeing the only person who hadn’t failed him in recent memory.
“Good morning, daughter,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, father.” Tryphena gave him a slight smile that didn’t reach the rest of her face, making Augustus’s appreciation for her presence only increase. “What about you?”
He let out a wry chuckle. “I can’t recall the last time I slept well, but that’s of little importance.”
The sound of hooves clopping and wheels trundling over cobblestone came from the street behind Tryphena. When the merchant’s cart rounded the corner into view, the man’s face was stricken.
“You’re almost late, Marcus,” Tom Osnan said, shooting a withering glare at the approaching man. “Endeavor to be earlier in the future.”
“Wr... I’m sorry. There was little notice and I had to collect a number of supplies early this—”
“Save your excuses,” Tom interrupted. “You waste your breath.”
The merchant’s face went even whiter, the blood draining away as he bowed from his seated position. “Yes, my lord. I apologize.”
Tom sniffed. “Well, that’s everyone.” He turned toward the western gate and began walking.
A smirk came to Augustus Reginald Gormona’s face. “Not so fast, Tom. We haven’t made all the preparations.”
When his friend turned to face Augustus, worry lined the lord’s face.
Good, Augustus thought.
He stepped forward, waving dismissively at Aisa and the rest of the handlers. “Unhitch the horses.”
“My king?” Marcus replied. “We need all of them to carry the—”
“You dare talk back to your king?” Aisa yelled, marching to the side of the cart. “Explain yourself!”
“I, er, I’m sorry...” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, clenching his jaw. “I merely wish to serve, your highness, and I believe the horses are needed in that regard.”
“It isn’t your place to question him, peasant!” Aisa spat the last word, her eyes fiery.
“That’s enough,” Augustus said. “Though he spoke out of turn, he is correct. Usually, we would need horses.”
“Usually...?” his wife asked, but at the venomous look he shot her, she said no more.
“Yes. Usually. This mission is of utter import, so we won’t be using horses. Lord Tom Osnan will take their place.”
“Augustus.” Tom took a step forward, fury oozing from his body as he exerted his plant-like chi. “Surely you jest. I may be out of your favor, but to resort to such punishment—”
“Enough!” Augustus Reginald Gormona, king of these lands, bellowed.
Flames licked from his back and fists, singing the heat-resistant threads of his robe. He let his rage flow, feeding the fire that consumed his very clothing. It had the desired effect, even the battle-hardened Tom Osnan averting his eyes.
“I expect back talk from the peasantry, Tom. They aren’t aware of their position.” He shot forward on a stream of super-heated air, grabbing his best friend by the chin and forcing his head upward. As their gazes met, Augustus saw the red chi of his eyes reflected in Tom’s. “If you ever wish to repair this friendship, Tom, you. Will. Obey.”
Outrage and fear warred across Tom’s features, but after a moment, the fear won.
“Yes, my king,” he said, dipping his head as Augustus let go.
“Good. Though it is unbecoming of my station to explain myself, I’ll do so for the sake of brevity. You. Handlers.” He waved a hand in their direction. “You are to get in the cart with the wares. You are to act as a beast of burden, Tom, because that is the fastest way to travel. We don’t have time to spare.”
Though Augustus’s intentional verbiage made Tom’s lip twitch, the lord nodded, accepting his task.
“Now, unhitch the horses, Aisa. We leave them here.”
Augustus watched the merchant carefully, ready to punish the man if he spoke out against leaving his animals behind, but the peasant showed more intelligence than Tom. He nodded, looking at his feet to hide his emotions.
The handlers removed the horses and tied them to a lamp post, and as they climbed into the cart, Tom took his position at the head of the cart.
Without checking to see if they were ready, Augustus, Penelope, and Tryphena took off, jogging toward the western gate. The guards had been informed of their passage, and as the procession crossed the threshold of the capital, the guards bowed, showing their respect.
A small smile came to Augustus’s face. Those that attacked his kingdom thought they had dealt Gormona a deathblow, but when he returned from Theogonia, they would show them. No, he would show them.
It would be Lizard Wizard and his heretical ilk that perished.
***
When Nathan’s replacement came to relieve him of guard duties, it took every ounce of his strength not to lash out at the fool.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said, grinning and twirling her ponytail around a finger. “I got a bit caught up with fishing. Roger and Sharon, two of the founders, were there today! They were unbelievable! I’d have thought they’d been at it for years, but apparently it was their first time!”
“Lovely,” he replied.
“Have you been yet?”
“I haven’t, no.”
“Really? You have to try it!” Her face lit up, making him want to strike the joy from her countenance. “I can’t believe how relaxing it is,” she continued. “And exciting!”
He bit back a snarky comment, knowing it wasn’t yet time to show his true feelings. “Maybe I will,” he lied, striding away to hide his look of disgust.
When he emerged into the night air, he paused for a moment, a modicum of tension leaving his body. To be beneath the cover of night was a wonderful thing after spending all day on guard duty, and he took a few breaths for himself. With his steps feeling lighter, he took off, knowing he was already late for the meeting.
He walked out of the southern side of New Tropica, the night air getting colder the deeper he got into the forest. He kept his steps measured, plodding toward the agreed place. When he arrived, he found everyone already there: his co-leader, Zeke; the other five that had remained true to the crown; and a new face. Nathan immediately extended his ability, wrapping the entire area in a bubble of silence.
The newcomer jolted, her body going stiff as she considered him.
“We were beginning to think you weren’t coming,” Zeke said.
Nathan waved a hand. “I couldn’t leave my post until one of the traitors was done fishing.”
“Traitors...?” Anna, the new arrival, asked. “There are traitors? And why do I feel like I’m wrapped in your chi right now...?”
Nathan shot a glance Zeke’s way. “I thought you said she was with us...?”
“No, I said she would be on board.”
“On board?” Anna’s eyes darted around the clearing, scanning everyone’s faces. She balled her fists as her gaze came to rest on Zeke. “I think you have some explaining to do.”
Zeke held his hands up. “Relax, Anna. No one is going to hurt you unless you lash out with that punch you’re considering.”
She took a step back, not looking at all mollified by his words, her knuckles going white. “Explain. Now.”
“May I?” Nathan asked Zeke, getting a nod in return.
“Okay, I’ll cut right to the chase, then. This village, this haven, as they call it, is going to end in disaster. We mean to not be here when it does.”
Anna merely watched him, her lips pursing as her thoughts raced. When the silence stretched for long enough, he continued.
“Everything they’re doing here goes against the will of the gods, and even if we do nothing, it will eventually fall into ruin. We aren’t planning on killing them. We aren’t even planning on getting in their way. All we mean is to leave and take the Osnans with us.”
It was a lie, of course—they would do everything they could to hurt the village before leaving. But this girl didn’t need to know that.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked. “And what would you do if I didn’t agree?”
“What would we do to you?” Nathan let out a light laugh. “Nothing, of course,” he lied again, having already told everyone but Zeke to strike her down unless she agreed to join them. “Zeke here has vouched for you. He says you will agree with us, and that your show of going along with their plans is just that—a show.”
“Tell them, Anna,” Zeke rushed, gesturing wildly. “I’ve known you most of my life, and you’re not the kind of person to roll over and abandon your ideals.”
Her eyes never left Nathan.
She weighed him, the lines of her face shifting as her empowered brain considered their words. The longer the silence stretched, the more convinced Nathan became that they would need to snuff her out.
“How did you fool them?” she asked. “They have an auditor with them.”
“A former auditor, you mean.” Nathan faked a grin. “My ability. It isn’t just a deafening space. It leaves the abilities of others... ineffective.”
She took an involuntary step back. “You bring me out here into the forest and nullify my powers? Hardly the basis with which to form an alliance, is it?”
He nodded. “You’re right. I’m going to drop it for a few seconds. If you agree with us, say nothing. If you don’t agree with us, feel free to attack or yell for help. That should be sufficient to trust that we mean you no ill will, yes?”
Without preamble, he retracted his power. But not all of it, of course. He had exaggerated his touch, allowing her to feel it on her skin. Now, he made it something subtle instead. It was the same artful application that even the advanced heretics of this village hadn’t noticed. He poised his body to attack, leaning forward in a feint of agreeability.
Contrary to his expectations, she said nothing, merely watching and waiting. After three breaths, he made his power detectable again, pushing it out so she could feel it.
“See?” Zeke demanded. “I told you she was trustworthy.”
Nathan nodded, not needing to fake his surprise. “I take it you’re on board, then?”
She licked her lips, considering her reply. “I am. You know me well, Zeke.” Her eyebrow twitched as she cast her gaze in the direction of New Tropica. “I’m not the kind of person to abandon my ideals. I was waiting for the right opportunity, which you seem to have provided.”
“Perfect.” Zeke rubbed his hands together. “Let me tell you the plan in detail, then. I spoke with lord Tom Osnan Jr. today, and we may need to expedite our timeline...”