Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

"I want Audrey here. Now," Ethelind commanded.

Lili nodded and hurried away. Ethelind sighed before turning to Landon. He looked even more tired than usual, his sharp posture slouched slightly and his expression weary. He was dressed in mourning black for his brother and the only other colours displayed on him were in the silver embroidery adorning the sleeve cuffs, and the shiny pommel of his sword.

"She killed him," Landon said. He was assessing the books on her desk, his index finger idly tracing the titles.

"So you carried her all the way back to her rooms?" Ethelind asked.

Landon shrugged. "She blacked out. I wasn't about to leave her lying bloody and unconscious in the dungeons."

"You could have called a guard."

Landon's fingers froze midway through an 'S'. He turned to her. "She needed to be isolated for a while. She has never killed before."

"How do you know?"

A twitch at the corner of his lips. He was suppressing a wry smile. "I could tell."

"Why do you care?" Ethelind raised her eyebrows. She wanted something to use against him. "I believe you should marry Princess Faiza, Adebiyi's eldest daughter. It would help to forge a political alliance with the East. Surely it's easier to just kill Audrey rather than keep her?"

Ethelind didn't really mean it. She was just testing him and knew she had hit a nerve when Landon stiffened. Hunter growled at her from his feet, sensing a change of emotion in him.

"And have the North revolt?" He almost sounded bored. "There are many Northerners who are only still fighting because they are loyal to her."

"Do you think you can save her?" Ethelind pressed on, ignoring him.

"From what?"

"Herself."

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I'm not a living saint. If you are so good at reading others, then you should know that I'm not here to save people."

"Truthfully, I don't know what you want." Ethelind smiled, but she had the feeling that she already knew. She had a flashback to Landon three years ago being knocked to the ground by Aldric in a spar, pulling himself up from the mud to see Kael complimenting Aldric on his swordsmanship without a glance for him. Ethelind had met his gaze and been haunted by the look of pure loneliness and desperation written across his young, once unscarred features. He wants power. Something to get away from being known as the second son, living in Aldric's shadow.

"I want many things." Landon paused. "I know you promised Adebiyi something for his allegiance. What was it?"

"I promised him lots of the South," Ethelind replied.

"Without asking anyone?"

"If you want to take down the South, you need the East at your side," Ethelind replied. "We also have forty thousand extra Milates and they have forty thousand less. Our economy is thriving; you should be thanking me."

"But I am not. We would not be in this position in the first place if my father had done more. He is too afraid, and too desperate to keep the crown that he has acquired."

"It's treason for you to speak against the king."

"Are you going to hang me for it, Eternel?" His tone was mocking.

"I am in charge here," Ethelind sniped.

"Not for long, I'll wager." His sly smile grated on her, and she fought to keep her features neutral.