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

Twenty-Six

Cal cracked open her eyes, her body stiff. She turned her head to the side and saw Matias tug on his black boots.

"Matt?" she whispered. "Where are you going?"

Matias stood and crossed over to her bedside. "Good. You're awake. I'm going to help clean up the bodies."

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days." Matias planted a kiss on her forehead. "Take it easy, Cal."

She smiled as she watched him leave. She threw the covers back and swung her legs over the side of her bed. Cal carefully dressed herself in a teal tunic and brown wooden pants. She left her room and made her way to her study.

Her study.

Not her mother's. Not Miles's. Hers.

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty!" shouted a guard.

The new title would take some getting used to. Cal turned to face the guard and his partner.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

The guards glanced at each other.

"Your Majesty, we found something in the dungeons that we think you should see," said one guard.

"Show me."

They led her to the dungeons. The stench of dried blood and death invaded Cal's nostrils.

"Gods above, what is that smell?" she exclaimed.

"This," a guard said grimly.

Cal descended the final step into the dungeon and her eyes widened. She raised a hand to her mouth, bile rising in her throat.

"Send for Prince Matias," she exhaled. "Now."

—

Matias grabbed the corpse under its arms, an Eirineften picked up the legs. They carried it over to a cart where several other corpses were stacked.

"Prince Matias!" shouted a guard. "Prince Matias! Her Majesty the queen has sent for you."

The Eirineften nodded. "We'll be fine, Your Highness."

Matias reluctantly turned away and followed the guard. He was led down into the dungeons. He saw Cal a few steps from the bottom, her eyes wide and her skin as pale as a sheet.

"Cal, what is it?" he asked. "What happened?"

His wife looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Matt."

Matias descended the bottom steps and he braced himself on the stone wall. There was a body on a table, its limbs were bent and broken at odd angles. It was dressed in red and gold, shackles around its wrists. He staggered closer to the body, a sob catching in his throat and choking him. The body had olive skin and greying black hair, his steel grey eyes open and staring at nothing.

Matias's fingers brushed his father's cold, broken hand. His knees buckled and a strangled cry tore at his throat.

His father was tortured and left to rot in this dungeon.

Hot tears spilled down his cheeks and his chest heaved as he sobbed. Cal's arms encircled him and he leaned into them.

"I'm so sorry, Matias."

—

Matias didn't get out of bed the next day. Or the next. Or the next. Cal stayed by his side. She held him when he cried.

"Your Majesty." Cal looked over at the priest, a piece of paper in his hands. "We have recovered Commander Bjorndottir's last will and testament, and it's time to read it out to you and Scout Bjorndottir."

Cal glanced down at Matias. He was sound asleep. She reluctantly left him in her room and followed the priest to her study. Lucas already sat inside on a plush armchair. She sat down on the other side of the desk.

"What did our father leave us?" she asked the priest.

The priest unfurled the paper in his hands. "'I, Akaljot Bjorndottir, the son of Baldur and Aelina Bjorndottir, declare that I am of sound mind, body, and soul as if writing this. In homage to my daughter's Lucinean heritage, I would like my body to be burned and my ashes scattered in the Vardand Fjöll. For my son, Lucas Markus Bjorndottir, I leave him my house, fortune, and belongings. For my daughter, Calista Aelina Pyro-Bjorndottir, I leave her my journals so she can look through them if she pleases.'"

"Is that everything?" asked Lucas after a stretch of silence.

The priest nodded. "Yes, Scout Bjorndottir."

"You're dismissed," said Cal. The priest put the will on the desk and left the siblings alone. She turned to her brother. "Let's plan some funerals."