In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens (most motivational books txt) 📕

His mouth dropped open when he spied Tal. “Tally?”

Garrett walked toward him, and Tal held up his palm, halting Garrett’s progress. “Where’s Kest?”

His voice was hoarse, but he was loud enough, even over the clang of the warning bell.

“Tally?” Garrett said, his name choked out around a sob. “What… what happened to you? How are you here? Where have you been?”

Tal shook his head. “Where is Kest?” he demanded, the words scraping from his throat.

Brow furrowed, Garrett stood, his hand twitching at his side, as if he wanted to reach out and grab Tal, confirm that he was real. “In his quarters.”

Tal staggered in relief, his knees weak with it. He’d made it. He’d made it. Garrett crossed the distance between them and caught Tal by the elbow. Tal didn’t shrug free; instead he welcomed the surety of Garrett’s grip and the steadiness of his presence. “Place him under protective guard.” Tal fisted his hand in Garrett’s shirt sleeve. “Please, Garrett. You must.”

Garrett tilted his head to the side. “He already is, Tally. How do you know about that?”

Tal didn’t answer. Kest was saved. That had been his primary goal. Now he could move on to the second. Stop Ossetia. Tal narrowed his bloodshot eyes, turning back to face Emerick.

“You,” he breathed.

Emerick’s brow furrowed and his expression was one of confusion. “Me? I… I don’t believe we’ve met. You must be Isa’s youngest brother. I’m Prince Emerick, or just Emerick since we’re brothers now. No need to stand on formality. I’m happy to see you’ve returned.” He pointed to the braziers on the wall. “Was that…” He gulped. “Magic?”

Slipping from Garrett’s grasp, Tal took a step forward, allowing a tendril of power to crackle in the air. Emerick took a step back, bumping into the dais behind him.

“Did you know?” Tal jutted his chin in Emerick’s direction. His heart beat a rabbit’s rhythm. His palms were slick with sweat.

Emerick exchanged a glance with Isa. “Did… did I know what?” He squinted. A bead of sweat rolled from his temple. He pressed his palms together. “Did I know about the magic?”

“No. Did you know what your sister had planned?”

Emerick blinked. “Vanessa?”

Tal gave a sharp nod. He’d finally understood after hearing the conversation in the tavern, and the clues had fallen together as Tal tore across the countryside to save his brother. Emerick hadn’t met a shifter before Kest, regarding his power as a parlor trick, and the cat shifter had referenced her mistress when speaking to the captain. The gold was indeed Ossetia’s stamp—uncirculated, unmarked, from the royal coffers. But there was more than one royal visiting Tal’s home, a woman uninterested in Harth’s court, second in line to her own throne, blocked from power in her kingdom because of their culture’s misogyny, but not uninterested in power herself.

“Did you know what she had done in your name? In Ossetia’s name?”

“Tal,” Isa said, her voice a regal warning. “What are you doing?”

“Saving our kingdom from war.” Despite his fatigue and his haggard appearance, Tal exuded power, the picture of cold calm, though a fire raged within him. He took another step forward. “Where is she?”

Emerick fiddled with the cuff of his nightshirt. “I don’t understand what’s going on. How do you know my sister?”

Garrett joined Tal by his side.

“Tally? You’re not making sense. It’s obvious you’ve been through something awful. You need a good rest and a hearty meal. We can talk this through in the morning.”

“I was first,” Tal said, licking his cracked lips. “Murdered, since I wouldn’t give them what they wanted. Then it was to be Kest to force us to war.” He glanced to Garrett. “Ossetia planned it. Not Mysten. The unmarked gold on the derelict was blood money.”

A tense silence fell over the room, the only sound the clanging of the bell in the courtyard. Tal thought for sure there would be a vocal reaction, bluster, retorts, denials, but there was nothing except Isa pulled taut as a bowstring and the clench of Garrett’s jaw. Something had happened.

“What did they want from you?” Garrett asked, his tone stern, his gaze shrewd as it cut to Emerick.

“My magic. They wanted me to be a weapon. But I didn’t give in. I wouldn’t give it to them, so they tried to kill me on the ship.”

Garrett’s brow furrowed, and Tal saw the moment he pieced together all the information. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword, and the very atmosphere in the room changed. The guards behind them moved as one, following their commander’s lead.

“Is this true, Prince Emerick?”

Emerick’s mouth opened, then shut. His face turned red, and he pointed a shaking finger at Tal. “How dare you? These are baseless accusations! This is ridiculous! Where did you come up with these… these… lies?”

“I’m not lying!” Tal snapped, losing the tight control he had. The fires in the braziers roared, casting the throne room in blinding light, flames licking up the stone. He smothered his magic immediately, but it was enough for Emerick to pale and for the guards’ low chatter to increase.

Garrett’s hand was heavy when it landed on Tal’s shoulder, and it helped to temper him. “Men,” Garrett called, “take Prince Emerick under guard. And find his sister. Alert the queen. I’m certain she will have questions for them. And tell the gate guards to stop ringing that fucking bell!”

“This is preposterous! Isa, my dear, tell them they’re wrong. I would never try to hurt your brothers.”

Tal stiffened. Brothers. If Kest was under protective guard, why hadn’t he been escorted to the throne room?

Isa stepped to the side and allowed the guards to grab Emerick. “We’ll review my brother’s claims. Until then I think it’s best you go with these fine men.”

Tal grabbed Garrett’s arm. “What’s happened?”

Garrett’s answer was cut off as hurried footsteps announced more of the household joining them.

“Emerick!” a woman screeched. Tal glanced to where two women appeared from the inner chambers