The Traitor by A. Lombardo (novels for beginners txt) 📗

heart. Let go of my words and their control over you. Free yourself—SAVE IVER!”

She lowered the watch and washed her hand over Kai’s face. His eyes closed, and he sat back on his heels. The fading tick-tock left him in silence. In the darkness, he searched for his inner truth. The love of his father, Iver, bloomed brightly. Nola’s conflicting statements now muddied his mind, and he shook his head as he opened his eyes.

“What did you do to me?” he asked.

“I pulled a weed and planted a seed.” She looked at Cazier. “Like Iver, Kai was hypnotized to follow Nola’s commands. You heard it here from his very lips. She means for Kai to kill Iver. Two kings with one blade. She will place Aaron on the throne and take Diu down from the inside.”

“Am I cured—free?” Kai asked, hopeful destiny no longer held him within its grasp.

She hummed. “I doubt you will ever be free of her. It is not my specialty—the mind. During my early studies, I discovered the rhyme in a teacher’s journal. He wrote how combined with the use of the tick-tock of a watch it could be used to hypnotize someone. What I gave you was a choice. Two commands battle within you—mine and hers. Do not let fear control you. If she means to use you, be ready. Fate places you at a crossroads; given this foresight, be prepared and be swift before her words cloud any clarity you now have. But know this, Kai—you should not face her. If you are not here, she cannot use you.”

“How did you know Kai was compromised?” Cazier questioned.

“Kendra told me she feared Nola did something to him the day she found him dazed in his room. She told me that she found Kai, his lips stained with wine, staring at nothing.” Riome leaned back. “You had lost time. Unable to remember parts of your day. Haunted by a feeling, Kendra trusted me to help you. That was enough for me to realize what Nola had done.”

Hope—real hope, for the first time—washed away the impending doom. Fate no longer had him by the throat. “Thank you, Riome. Cazier, I must leave and take Rayna far from Diu. I will not risk her safety if something goes wrong. I beg you, do not do anything with this information. Nola is not yet within our grasp. I plan to return because I can stop her now.”

“Wait, what?” Cazier took hold of Kai’s arm. “This is not right. I cannot sit back while Nola plans to murder my King—your father and use you in the process.  I changed my mind, you will stay here under my protection within the tower until my spies can uncover the truth.” Cazier’s expression swelled with worry.

There was no time to argue, Kai knew it, and he could see Riome knew it too. “Father,” Riome used their family bond to distract Cazier, extending a hand to draw him closer.

Cazier sat beside his daughter, and Kai backed up to the door. With his cousin preoccupied, he slipped away without so much as a goodbye.

Chapter 10

Shattered Dreams

Dark hazy clouds cast a heavy gloom over the palace grounds. Wanting to go unseen, Kai knocked on the back door to the Kendrick cottage. He waited. Levi answered. “Mister Kendrick, may we talk?” Kai stepped back and motioned to the dark shadows behind the baker’s home.

Levi's discerning eyes left Kai’s and peered back into the house. Kai followed the man’s focus to see Rayna with her mother, holding hands. “You have a question to ask, son. Before you ask, I need to know you have my daughter’s safety in hand,” Levi said as he followed Kai outside.

“You know Rayna means everything to me, and I would do anything to protect her. I apologize for my distance, but I did not feel it safe for her to be in the palace, especially since I spent the better part of my stay under armed guard.”

“That may be so, but Rayna tried to see you, twice. She will not tell me what happened, but she was quite upset.”

“Mister Kendrick, I only learned about this tonight. So much has changed since we left. I do not recognize any of the guards and most of the staff has changed. All the more reason we need to leave, and I need to ask you something.” Studying the baker's face, Kai hoped the man still trusted him with his daughter. “Before I ask, you should know I love your daughter; more than my own life, which is why I come to your house at such an hour. I believe we must leave. For her safety more than mine. I hope to return, as there is important business I must see to its end. Through it all, remember that I love your daughter.”

“Ask your question, Prince Kai.” Levi gave him a reassuring smile. “I have heard the rumors around your disappearance, but I know why you left—for the cure. My daughter would not explain why you were gone so long or if you planned to stay, but I trust my daughter. You are most likely my future king, but you are much more to my family. I have never felt less than equal around you, and for that, I am grateful. Your kindness to my daughter, a girl below your status, tells me the kind of king you will become.”

Kai took a deep breath. “Mister Kendrick, please trust me when I say that I will keep your daughter safe, but I cannot promise when she will come back.”

“Ask your question,” Levi repeated.

“Sir, I would like to ask for your blessing in marrying Rayna.”

“Son, I know my daughter’s heart, and I believe I have seen enough to know yours.