Over the Sea [Dual Trilogy Book 1]

Kano

Unlike last time, Lily did not come to see me off. I tried to enter her mind, but she was dreaming, so I could not enter.

Unlike last time, Father only sent one knight with us. He seemed convinced of our combined power to hold the castle, and after sparring with Melai for the last three days, his assumptions were not wrong. The knight, it seemed, only came along for extra man power, wherever that may be.

We left before the sun rose again, taking the trigon over the see, and arriving in Uskyae within five or six hours. From there, Melai, Evan, and I flew off the trigon's back with our phonxes, and landed on the shore.

The plan was simple. We would take the trigon to Uskyae, fly to shore, and teleport to the capital city. Once King Ronam died, we would kill anyone else who stood in our way. I suspected Queen Morrigan, Princess Victana, and her fiancé, Castor, would be among those to die with King Ronam. But what of Victana's other siblings? What of their servants and knights?

They would all be handled with as needed. Once they were all dead or pledged loyalty, Melai would send for Lily, and the Broasan jurisdiction would begin.

When we landed on the shore, King Ronam and all his soldiers emerged from the cover of the woods. Between the four of us, we could take them all.

Or at least, that's what I thought, until Melai killed the knight that joined us. I saw a flash of light from the bottom of my eyes, immediately followed by pain in my left rib. My marking. I felt the drips of blood; I could no longer sense the ocean's water.

"Castor," King Ronam boomed with a wide smile. "How great it is to see you after all this time."

Evan and Melai dismounted from their phonxes, which both shrunk back down to sit on their shoulders. They bowed, and Evan responded. "The pleasure is ours, Great King."

But... His name is Evan. Why would King Ronam call Evan 'Castor'?" Unless...

"Shen," I whispered as the breath left my lungs.

Melai's ropes of darkness wrenched me off Zale's back. The ropes tied my hands behind my back, and kept me kneeling on the muddy grass. I felt a rope snake over my mouth. She never looked my way.

"I trust, Castor, that you have a good reason for keeping him alive thus far?" King Ronam asked, with a hint of annoyance.

"Yes, Great King. I thought Kano would serve us better as a bargaining chip, should we ever need one."

Ronam lifted his chin, considering Evan--Castor--before reaching a decision. "I want to disagree with you, but your logic has yet to let me down. But kill his phonx. He will no longer have any use for it."

My heart sank as adrenaline rose. Like vétt I would let them kill Zale without putting up a fight. The shrieking man back in Nover flashed in my mind.

Not without a fight.

It was no use. Melai's ropes were wound tightly and would not budge. Evan made a move towards Zale, but Melai spoke urgently. "Wait, Great King, I would like to be the one to kill his phonx."

Anger swelled in my stomach. After all the time we spent together... I blinked away a tear, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

She walked over and stood right in front of me.

"Shrink him down," she ordered. I kept my gaze ahead, unable to look at her. I didn't do what she asked. "Shen, Kano, I promise to keep him alive," she whispered, "but you have to cooperate. Shrink him down."

Reluctantly, I shrunk him down, once again finding myself at her mercy.

"When I pick him up, I am going to pretend to kill him with a flick of my wrist. When I do, please put on a good show. Make it believable." She began to walk over to Zale, and I fought against her ropes.

Why am I doing what she wants?

Zale, when I cry out, pretend to be dead. Maybe seeing him pretend to be dead will make her think she actually killed him. I hoped it would.

I let out a guttural scream when she flicked her wrist, and allowed the tears to spill out.

She told me to fake it, but I didn't need to. I directed all my anger, bitterness, and resentment into those screams.

King Ronam smiled, turned and walked away when my voice began to die. I remained kneeling in the grass huffing and crying, until Evan--Castor--told me to stand up.

It was time to go to Vismorn Castle.