DECAN LANCASTER

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With no sun or moon to mark the start or the end of a day, I lost track of time. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. Or so it seemed.

For all I knew, I could’ve been here for only a couple of hours or I’d been here a year. My mind was never sure.

Once in a while, someone would come down and hand me a tray of food.

I sat there, waiting, thinking, feeling like I was about to lose my mind.

From afar, an orange light appeared, growing closer until I could make out a torch. The man who held it wore a hood to hide his face, but just from his walk, it wasn’t hard to tell that it was someone who was always expecting a fight. It was the walk of a warrior.

It’s not food.

The guard who gave me food always bore a different face and they walked in darkness.

The hooded man knelt beside me and offered waterskin.

It was Salazar’s voice that spoke, his green eyes pulling me in as I’d forgotten the sight of trees and grass. “You better drink, Decan. Men have been known to die of thirst down here. Dying of thirst is a bad way to go.”

“It’s you.” I stared at the stone walls. “Why do you care if I die?”

“You are my brother. Of course I care. Why do you think I prevented you from attacking your father? If you charged at him with your sword, he wouldn’t have hesitated to end you.” He uncorked the waterskin and took a sip. “See? Believe me, if I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have stopped you from attacking the king.”

I started chugging. “How long have I been down here?”

“A little over a fortnight now.”

“What took you so long? Shouldn’t I have been your first priority?”

“Your father sent me to take control of Harkhall. With that context, I know that you wouldn’t have wanted me to put you first.”

“What happened?”

“Harkhall was given up without a fight, especially with no one there to enforce order. And don’t worry. Joy was gone before we arrived. Valentine too, she was returned to Lord Vargo.”

“Thank the gods.”

“Ser Castell and your squire are wanted. You ordered them to protect her, didn’t you?”

“What if I did?”

“You’re right. That doesn’t matter. I’ll be keeping my mouth shut.”

“How do I look?”

“This is clearly the worst of your days. Your clean-shaven face now has stubble. Your golden hair is a shrivelled mess. And you’re skinnier.”

“How are the people?”

“The city was affected by the ritual. During the eclipse, everyone passed out, which was because their souls were being taken. I saw it with my own eyes. It was just a phenomenon at first, but the city is now split. Some believe you, some don’t.”

I chuckled. “Why’d you betray me?”

“I didn’t betray you,” he sighed. “It was a failsafe. I pretended to be on your father’s side to keep us safe.”

“Since when?”

“The beginning.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Not much. We communicated using one messenger and I sent men to slow that messenger down. I said the pigeons I sent always got shot down. I only told them what they already knew and the obvious.”

“I don’t believe that. He would’ve known.”

“I knew which cards to play. Remember when Minerva’s forces that were at the old mill got attacked? Minerva managed to win because the only way through the old mill was through a choke point. Why do you think they attacked that place out of nowhere? And why do you think my forces were never at the front of the rebellion? We were never the face. You and Minerva took turns, but I sat from afar because I couldn’t make a move unless I knew for sure that it was the endgame.”

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“And it didn’t work. You made a move and we still lost.”

“Did we? The city stands. And we are alive.”

“Minerva isn’t. What about my men, were they sent back to their families.”

“They are now under your father’s command. The ones that refused lost their heads.”

“And my banners?”

“A ceremony was held to swear fealty to your father. He kept their children as hostages.”

“He’s starting to become like LaFleur. Do all kings go mad for power when they sit on the throne and a crown is placed on their head? What about the Mobley banners that stayed on your side?”

“They were spared. But the two thousand Mobley soldiers that went back to High Hearth have disappeared along with House Mobley. When we arrived at High Hearth, it was empty. They left and are on the run.”

“What does my father plan on doing with me?”

“He wants to execute you, as an example to show what happens when someone rises up against him.”

“Of course. He is angered that we stopped him. He can’t kill me, though. He needs an heir.”

“I’m afraid he has one. We received a message from Dr Vyman. It’s Joy. She bears your child. Your father wants her and the child she bears in her womb.”

My first thought was that my father would stop at nothing to hunt down Joy.

The second was that I was a father.

“May the gods have mercy, leave her out of this.”

“Your father needs an heir and your child fits that role.”

I tugged at the chains. “Salazar, please, free me from my shackles. I won’t let them touch her.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Questions will arise and the answers will lead back to me.”

“The banners that were dispersed were on my side. Unite them. Fight back.”

“The battle is over. They’re not going to fight for a lost cause. They’re not going to fight for a child that’s not their blood when the heads of theirs are on the line.”

“I’m their lord.”

“A lord in chains. You hold no power.”

“What about the people? You said some are on my side.”

“That’ll pass. The people yearn for drama and conspiracy, but it won’t last long.” Salazar switched the torch to his other hand. “We high lords care so much about who sits on the throne that we would squabble amongst ourselves and lead the whole realm into ruin. But do the people? No. If there is peace, the commoners care not who sits in that quartz chair.”

“I don’t want the throne. I want to keep my wife and child safe.”

“Even if they are captured, they will be safe. They bear your father’s name after all. And I’ll watch over them. You have my word. You sent them to the tower, did you not?”

I stared at him. “What did you do?”

“Nothing. I used jynx to cover the choke point that leads in and out of that area. I will keep them safe, Decan. Worry not.”

“So my father wants to snip my neck off and set his grandchild as his heir.” I nodded to myself. “If he decides to kill me, then that’s that. I may have failed to defeat my father, but it is I who won. My wife is safe. You and Ser Castell and Patch are alive. The realm hates me, but at least they are standing. And I stopped my father’s ritual. That’s all that matters. If death is what I have to pay, then so be it.”

“No, you cannot. I pleaded with your father, and he’s allowing you to live. All you have to do is confess that the ritual is a lie and say you were trying to usurp him. He will visit you on the morrow. All you have to do is let him hear what he wants.”

“That would make me look like an impatient child who wanted his father’s crown. I will not be made a usurper.”

“At least you’ll be alive.”

“If I confess, my words would be as hollow as a suit of armour.” I looked Salazar in the eye. “I hated you for a while because you didn’t want to die by my side. But being with my mind in this cell has made me realize it’s not worth it for you to die. I am a terran and I can only live to a hundred and you are a nandir that can live that five times over. It makes sense why you are so scared of death. You have so much to live for. Even if I lived a normal life, I would die before you could even conceive a child. I’ve lived my life. You’re barely starting yours.”

“You’re wrong and you will live to meet my kid. Even if you are bedridden. I promise you. I will not allow you to die. Just say the words your father wants to hear.”

“It’s okay, Salazar,” I told him. “But what about you? My father performed the same ritual as King LaFleur and LaFleur, a mere terran, lived to two thousand.”

“The ritual needs an eclipse. The next one is in a hundred and twenty-eight years. He cannot live until then.”

“What if he finds another ritual that can give him immortality? Or one that at least postpones his death?”

“We’ll stop them.”

I shook my head. “I’ll be dead.”

“No, you won’t, you will confess and wait for the perfect moment at the Divot. If your father finds another ritual that bears the same spoils, we will fight him together, as we did.”

“No, we won’t. You can either be under his thumb and do his bidding or you can fight them. I’ve made my choice.”

“Why are you so willing to die? Can’t you throw away your honour just this once? As a friend, as a brother, I beg of you.”

“My life isn’t some precious thing to me. I grew up a warrior and I’ve learned how to die like one long ago. I fought. I lost. Now I rest. If I had to do it all again knowing where I’d end up, I pray to the gods that I’d make the right choice. But you, my friend. Lord Salazar Quates. You’ll forever be their pawn.”

“Pity.” Salazar fell backwards, leaning on the wall. “And Joy and the unborn child she bears? How precious are their lives? They will be found at some point and when they do, they’ll become disposable. They can simply torture her until you confess. Your father can simply make you father more children.”

“Gods, no. The tower is well-hidden. You said you blocked it off.”

“I did. But Joy is pregnant and she can’t stay hidden with a babe forever. Especially during childbirth. Do your knights know how to deliver a baby? Does your squire?”

“Please, Salazar, leave her out of this.”

“The truth is that at one point, she will be found. But you can save her on the morrow simply by singing the song your father wants you to sing. The next visitor could be coming with bread and cheese and wine or Joy’s head. The choice, my brother, is entirely yours.”