Queen of Light (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, #3)

Four

Cal stared at the hospital ceiling. The sterile white of it hurt her eyes, the cold, bright winter sunlight only making it worse. She was given her own room for recovery.

Her magic writhed under her skin, begging her to let it out. She kept her breathing steady, forcing it down.

A knock came from the door and Cal lifted her head. Her father and brother stood in the doorway, saddlebags slung over her father's shoulder.

"Are you up for some visitors?" asked Akaljot.

She smiled. "Of course. What is in the bags?"

They were by her bedside now. Her father put the bags down at the foot of her bed. She raised her brow at the sound of metal clanking from within the bags.

"What is in the bags?" she repeated.

Lucas put a hand on the bags. "These are the saddlebags from the messenger Luna Andhera killed. This is what was found inside it." He opened a bag and Cal gasped. It was the same armour from her dream.

"That's not all," said Akaljot. "There was also a letter." He pulled it out of the other bag and unfolded it. "If you are reading this letter, it means that I have perished before completing the orders given to me by Lord Miles Gomez. I was ordered to flee Valon, the capital of Lucis, with the Queen's armour in my bags and a warning to the rest of Zemlja-Lucis has fallen and the Queen of Darkness has successfully raised Prince James of Helheim. May the gods and Light-Bringer save us all." His face fell. "Signed Callum Baker," he said quietly. Akaljot scrubbed a hand down his face.

"How did you know Callum Baker?" Cal asked.

He wiped away his tears that had started to fall. "I met Callum nineteen years ago when he was a fourteen-year-old boy. He was a messenger for the Witch-Hunters at the time. Callum was ordered to follow your mother and me by Miles-and by further extension your aunt, Queen Ashlynn."

Cal furrowed her brows and looked at Lucas. "We have an aunt?"

Akaljot shook his head. "Just you."

"What are you talking about? My mother is an only child," Cal said incredulously.

Her father swore under his breath. "Your mother had an elder sister. She went mad, became a witch, and it took a violent coup to dethrone her. Surprisingly, your mother didn't have her executed. She had Ashlynn exiled and threatened death if she returned."

"Do you know what happened to-to Ashlynn?" she asked tentatively.

"Ashlynn is like Olek Neigeson. Personally, I think she's dead. The day I find out that Ashlynn Pyro is still alive is the day I get a sword through my chest-hypothetically speaking," he replied.

Cal sat back. Her mind was spinning. She swallowed, her mouth as dry as the Verzengend desert. "Is there-is there anything else?"

"There is one more thing," said Lucas.

"Council is treating Luna's attack as a declaration of war," her father began, "and they are going to hear your case tomorrow morning."

Her eyes widened. They would finally hear her plea for aid. "What are we going to do?"

"A message has already been sent to King Andrei of Apparatori," Lucas said. "He will be expecting us."

"All you need to do is tell the council exactly what happened in Lucis and all of the events after. Convince them. You can do this, Cal," the Everlight said reassuringly.

Convince them. She would convince the council. "Fine, but there's one person we need."

-

Cal wandered the corridors aimlessly. She needed to move, to distract herself from the whispers of her magic. She walked past open door after open door, glancing at the empty rooms. Until she found one that wasn't. Cal crept closer.

There was a young man in a wheeled chair, his back facing her. His hair was slightly dishevelled, the sunlight streaming through the large window turning the dirty blonde strands into gold. There were stacks of books on either side of him, and she could somewhat hear the turning of pages from where she stood in the doorway.

"Erickson."

Lance looked back at her, and his eyes widened in surprise. He looked back at the book in his lap and closed it. "Cal? I wasn't expecting you. Please, come in and take a seat. I would grab a chair or stool for you, but I can't exactly stand up on my own right now." He gestured to his right leg, the splint still keeping the healing bones firmly in place. The bandages around his forearms were gone, the long scars running from his wrists to the crook of his elbows very much so visible.

Cal walked in, taking note of the healer sitting a few paces away from them as she pulled up a stool. "It's fine. Who's the new guard dog?"

He looked over at the healer. "Him? He's here to keep me from doing anything to hurt myself again. The medics put me on special medication-'to balance out your mood,' they said-but they're not taking any chances. There are four people in rotation; they change every six hours." He leaned back a little in his wheeled chair. "Lucas told me of your little escapade. They found you half-frozen in the forest. Are you alright? And not just physically, I mean mentally as well."

Her lips pulled into a smile. "I have never been better."

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "It's fine to not be fine," he said. "Gods know that everyone close to her, who even cared about her, will be damaged in some way. And I can see it. You're trying to hide it, and your family may not notice it yet, but I can tell you're about to go down a dark path. You're looking at me like I'm a pawn. You never used to. Whatever it is that is going on in your head, you must vocalize it. I regret not telling my scout partner what thoughts I was having until I scared him nearly to Javareya's doorstep."

Cal spoke before she could even stop herself. "Give up on her. That person you loved doesn't exist-she never did. She's a ghost. I already did and I feel better for it."

Lance's face was stricken with pain. He looked away from her. She felt a stab of triumph and was immediately sickened by it; she didn't care. The Princess of Shadows was once a friend. And now she wouldn't let anyone get close to her again.

"I gave everything to her. She did the same to me. She can be kind, generous-a good person, Cal. Just give her a second chance once this is all over."

She scoffed and got up. "She's an Andhera. All Andheras are good for are causing suffering. When you decide to see them for what they really are, let me know."

She was halfway to the door when Lance's words stopped her for a second.

"I saw a fight go on inside of her. She is not who we think she is. There is someone else in there-someone good; who can love people. Trust me, Cal. She is only guilty for being forced to do things against her will."

I hate you.

She could vaguely remember seeing dark marionette-like strings that fateful day. Vaguely.

"I don't care. Luna Andhera is the reason why my husband is under the influence of the Lord of Madness."