Morana

Seething, I stared at Tievel. Choose him? I didn't choose him? He gave me no reason to choose him, and I had been willing to throw the world over for him once. But before I could pry my lips apart, the tent flaps were pushed open again. Only this time, it was the king who entered.

Tievel straightened and bowed before his father. Jerkily, I forced my body into some form of subservience, though from the scowl on his face, it didn't meet the king's standards. A flutter of fear went through my chest, and I forced my knees to bend further.

"Father, I didn't expect a visit from you."

"I didn't expect to visit you," Brinley replied, circling me like a predator. "But stories of our little Deathsinger storming through the camp to your tent reached me."

Tievel's hair flickered between yellow and red. "I appreciate you checking on me."

"Of course," he replied, stopping and dragging his thumb and pointer finger down his pointed chin. His flat gray eyes flicked toward me. "If you are here to Sing for my son, please do it right this time so I can at least kill him to end his mad mutterings."

"Father!"

"Is that why you are here instead of practicing with Kuga?"

"N-no Your Highness," I sputtered, shaking out the wrinkles in my skirt and smoothing the wisps of frizzy hair away from my face.

"Ah, perhaps a little morning rendezvous. You two were once lovers?"

"We were not."

I felt Tievel's glare searing into my skin. Just because I knew what his touch on my body felt like did not make us lovers. That had been an act of manipulation. Not love.

"Then why—" The ground rumbled, and the lanterns hanging from the ceiling swung in violent circles as Brinley's voice rose. "Are you in his tent?"

Tell him. Tell him the truth.

It would be so easy. I could see there was no love lost between father and son, and whatever theory Astreia might have regarding the king and his soul, it didn't seem he was overly concerned about Tievel staying alive.

What did concern him was relighting Dycidium, and for that, he needed me. If I told him Tievel had conspired with the Puca to kill me last night, I was almost certain he would lash out at his son. That would be one less worry for me to carry.

I glanced at Tievel. His accusation rang in my mind. 'You didn't choose me.'

"I wanted to warn him."

"About?" Brinley's voice was a brittle string pulled tight. His patience wore thin.

"I-I brushed against a soldier and saw his death. It was a Brownie. Shot through with an arrow. I was concerned about an enemy ambush, but he explained that the soldier would be leaving with a group for a hunting trip at first light."

"You saw his death. I did not know you had this ability. Did you steal that power?"

"No," I answered, not liking how casually he threw out that question. As if it was no bother to him how I came about it. "Kuga doesn't know I have the ability."

Truthfully, I wasn't sure why I hadn't told her about the power. Maybe because I hadn't used it in so long. At some point, I'd gained enough control to stop it from happening randomly. Or maybe I assumed she would just know that I could do it. Then again, Remiel did tell me not all Deathsingers could See.

"Hmm." Brinley shrugged. "Perhaps we can think of a way to make it useful."

"Yes, Your Highness."

I cringed, hating how meek I sounded. If Brinley was the elder king, then who knew what power he truly possessed? I could be dead before I opened my mouth to Sing.

"Alright, well." He pulled his fur robe around him and shook out his silver hair. "You will join us for dinner this evening."

"She will?" Tievel said as I gasped.

"Yes. She's been an amusement. Running about as she likes while being a prisoner, but I grow impatient with her progress."

"And dinner is supposed to help with that?"

Tievel's question echoed my own thoughts. "I promise I am applying myself."

"No, you're flaunting your rebellious ways by wearing your old clothes..." He trailed off and inspected what I wore today. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Kuga tells me you are sullen and tardy."

"So beat her or put her in the stocks," Tievel shouted. "Dining with the royal family is not a punishment for unacceptable behavior."

Brinley chuckled. It wasn't a pleasant sound. "That isn't what you used to tell your mother when he demanded that you eat with your family. Now. I'll see you this evening, Morana."

He left as quickly as he entered, leaving Tievel and me to continue our stare off. The rage that had powered my limbs through the camp was long gone, and they felt heavy as I turned to face him. For weeks now, I'd rehearsed all the things I wanted to say to Tievel if we were ever alone again, and today, when I finally had the chance, I said almost none of it. Instead, I used him to pass blame, because it was easier to believe he made me this way than it was to accept that Kuga might be right.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you tell him why you were here? He would have punished me. Perhaps even asked you to Sing."

"I made a choice."

Kuga was wrong. Becoming the most feared monster wasn't the answer. That was the path Tievel was taking, and I already knew the outcome. One day, he would wake to discover he had killed the very thing he sought to save.

For me, the only way forward was to become more like my friends. To fight like Yoko. To be brave like Astreia. To be confident like Remiel. If being safe meant losing myself, then I would rather die a hero than live as a villain.

That also meant I had to stop being foolish. That was something Kuga was right about. The entire time I'd been here, I'd thought of this place as a prison when instead, I should think of myself as a spy behind enemy lines. I would use one of Tievel's tactics and charm them into believing I wanted what they wanted. It probably wouldn't work on Tievel, but that might play to my advantage.

"You don't really think my father is being kind, do you?" Tievel asked, returning to his cot and picking up his discarded book.

Smoothing the rough edges from the tone of my voice, I replied, "I don't really know what to think, but I'm tired of fighting, Tievel."

His knuckles whitened around the book's leather spine. "You could leave. I would help you escape."

Oh, it was tempting. So tempting. But where would I go? I prayed Astreia and Yoko were somewhere safe, and Remiel... I might never see him again.

"You know that I can't. Our reasons might be different, but we both want the same thing. Dycidium has to be relit."

A shadow fell over his face. "I'll find another Deathsinger. I'll demand Kuga be sent in your place."

It wouldn't work for reasons I would never reveal to him. Who knew what would happen to me if Brinley discovered the truth. That I was the daughter of the enemy king and the woman who had set all this in motion.

"No."

"Damn it, Morana! Can't you just let me be at peace?"

Tievel growled and threw the book. Its hard edge struck me just below the eye, and when I touched the sore spot, my fingers came away wet with blood. My vision blurred, and a note lodged in my throat. A single, clear note that would start the Song to pull his soul from his body, and once it was mine, he could never hurt me again.

"Get out," Tievel said in a voice laced with panic. He recognized the note, and once again the earth trembled.

I fled and didn't stop until I reached the river. Across the water, flickers of orange and yellow were visible through the blackened trees. The worst of the fires were too inland to feel their heat, and a breeze blew the worst of the smoke out to sea. Out of breath, I collapsed on a smooth stone and fought back the urge to scream. That had been the first time I'd truly wanted to consume a soul. Not just to save my life, but because I craved it.

"Morana?" Cassia's sweet voice washed over me like a balm. "What happened? Has the prince hurt you?"

"No," I replied, scrubbing my cheeks before turning to look at her.

She blanched at the sight of me and licked her woody thumb before wiping it over my skin. "You've got soot on your face."

No wonder my dress had not impressed the king. I'd looked like a street urchin playing dress up. Not caring who was looking, I stood up and stripped out of my clothes. Cassia giggled and folded the garments as I discarded each one, and when I was completely naked, I waded into the icy flecked waters.

"You've lost your mind," Cassia hissed when I emerged.

A silver stream of air escaped my lips, and I pushed my hair out of my face. I didn't respond to the Dryad. I was too busy focusing on my ice magic, weaving it around my bones like a shield until at last the sensation of being cold vanished.

"You're blue and covered in frost," Cassia said, creeping closer to the river's edge to get a better look at me. I raised an arm above the water and found she spoke the truth. "How did you do it?"

"By blending in," I told her, floating on my back and smiling up at the blue sky.