Sins of Basilia (Shrouded Thrones Book 4) Read online

  She donned an appropriate black gown and veil and set her mind to mourning. The role of widow suited her. She would relish every condolence and revel in each expression of pity.

  Word had been sent to Thanwine, Oros, and Issa regarding Frederick’s death. Soon, royalty from every realm would arrive in Basilia. They would all profess to share her grief, yet she was no fool. King Callum would not hesitate to state his claim on the high throne. She had to stand her ground and show her strength and position. If her feigned pregnancy did not secure her position, a show of force would be necessary.

  A familiar heavy-handed thump shook her chamber door. Much had changed since Kendor’s first appearance there.

  She lifted her veil, then dipped her fingers into a bowl of water and dampened her cheeks, having no time to produce real tears. With an appropriate sniffle, she opened the door.

  Kendor stood rigid. “Your Majesty. I am here by your request.”

  “Forgive me.” She dabbed at her face with a handkerchief, then covered it again with the veil. “I am not coping well with my husband’s passing.”

  “Tell me how I might help you, and I will do all I can.”

  Internally, she smiled. She had wanted him from the moment they had met, but she would wait. Even though it pained her to do so. “Come into my chamber so we might speak.”

  He puffed out his chest. “Very well.”

  She walked dreadfully slow to the chairs positioned near her window and gestured for him to sit. Before taking her own chair, she purposefully stumbled, and he grabbed her by the arm.

  “Grief has weakened me,” she said and sighed. “I have never known such pain.”

  Kendor helped her into the chair, then sat across from her. “I cannot comprehend what you must be feeling, having never known love. But you are a strong woman, and eventually, you will overcome this tragedy.”

  She intently gazed into his face. “Thank you for speaking such kind words. I want to be strong…for my child.” She cupped her hands over her stomach. “I believe with all my heart that the baby forming in my womb is a boy. Frederick’s son. A future king lies within me, yet I fear for him. Please, tell me what the people are saying. Will they support me as their queen until I bring forth Frederick’s heir?”

  “There are many foul rumblings in the realm. In your state of grief, I do not feel it is wise for me to utter them.”

  She reached for his hand and firmly held it. “You just claimed me to be strong. Tell me all that is being said, so I can confront it with a knowing mind.”

  Kendor stared at their joined hands, but made no attempt to pull from her grasp. “Very well. The word of the servant girl’s involvement with the king is spreading quickly. Sadly, there are those who believe Prima was not the first. It would seem your husband’s eyes often took in young maids with longing.”

  “Frederick’s eyes do not concern me. What he did with other parts of himself does.” She tightened her grasp. “You served at his side. Tell me truthfully, do you believe these claims?”

  “I…” He looked away, heavily breathing. “I cannot swear to it.”

  “Yet your behavior tells me you suspected it.” She released him and folded her hands on her lap. “When you came to me yesterday and told me to dress for the evening meal, you indicated Frederick was bathing. Was he alone?”

  Kendor continued to face the window as if he feared her gaze. “I do not know.”

  Angeline managed to produce some real tears. “He was likely with her,” she whimpered and sniffled. “How could he betray me in such a horrid way? I believed I meant everything to him. I was an innocent maid who waited to give myself to him alone, yet even when I was near, he lay with another.”

  She burst into a heavy sob, slumped her shoulders, and folded her veiled head down.

  “Please, do not cry, my queen.” Kendor extended a trembling hand toward her. “He should not have betrayed you.”

  She grabbed onto his hand and cradled it to her breast, then let her tears flow.

  She had perfectly drawn him into her favor and ignited the sympathy needed to move forward with her plans for him.

  “I am comforted by one small detail…” she said in barely a whisper, through several gasps of air. “It is a ray of light in my husband’s choice of dalliances.”

  “How can you see anything at all positive in such an act?”

  Though she hated releasing him, she did so as slowly as possible, then lifted the sheer black veil and smeared her hand across her damp face. She stared downward at her belly, and again shielded it with her hands. “Because he chose such young lovers, I do not fear he created a bastard child. I could not endure seeing outright proof of Frederick’s betrayal.” She blinked out a few tears and looked Kendor in the eyes. “Is it wrong of me to want my child alone to bear his likeness?”

  “No, my queen.”

  “Kendor?” She deepened her gaze. “Will you serve me?”

  His eyes locked with hers. “Of course, my queen.”

  She latched onto his calloused hand with more force than before. “We may face difficulties, but I require someone I can rely on to uphold my title and protect my unborn child. Our army may need to take a stand. Will you lead them in my name?”

  He sat tall and jutted his chin. “It has been my duty to serve the royal house of Basilia. You and your child now hold that position. King Frederick placed me in charge of the army and warned me war was coming. It grieves me that he could not foresee his own passing, but in you, I see a much stronger leader. One who is pure and worthy of title.”

  She produced a soft smile. “Again, you praise me. I confess, your flattery overwhelms me, and I feel quite undeserving, yet I appreciate your graciousness. You are a fine man, Kendor.” With deliberate hesitation, she leaned in and placed a light kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for your loyalty.”

  Chest heaving, he licked his lips.

  Oh, how she wanted to capture them with her own.

  Her heart thumped from the simple thought of what would one day occur between the two of them. “I am weary, but I will rest easier now, knowing I have your support. Allow me to sleep for a brief while. However, come to me and make me aware when the kings of the other realms have arrived. Although it will take several days before my brothers come, I anticipate King Callum’s return at any hour.”

  Kendor stood and bowed. “Yes, my queen.”

  She lifted her hand. “Will you help me to my feet?”

  He immediately did as she asked, then guided her to the bed. “Worry no more. You carry the future of Basilia, and I will see to it no harm comes to you.”

  She gingerly sat on the bed’s edge. “God bless you, Kendor.”

  Once again, he bowed, then left the chamber.

  The instant the door clicked shut, Angeline tossed aside her veil and flopped backward onto the bed. The bliss of freedom enchanted her, and she let her mind flow wildly with abundant fantasies. She intended to make each and every one of them come true.

  Chapter 2

  “Tesher!” Carmela urged her horse a little faster, in order to run astride Tesher’s. “We have to stop! Our horses must rest.”

  He glanced over his shoulder, but did not slow his ride. “We have to go farther!”

  Her mare foamed from the mouth, and she could not endure seeing the animal suffer. She eased her to a stop, hoping Tesher would do the same.

  Several long moments passed before he spun his horse around and approached her. “Did you not hear me? We need to go on.”

  “Do you wish to kill your horse long before we reach Thanwine? How then will you return it to its rightful owner?”

  “I certainly do not wish it harm!” He peered beyond her, craning his neck.

  “No one is following us.” She dismounted, then took the mare’s rein. “There is a stream a short distance from here. We should take our horses to drink.” Without waiting for him to respond, she headed across the grassy field toward the trickling water.

  F
ortunately, Tesher followed, still atop his ride.

  She had many questions for him and hoped by now he would be ready to talk. They had been riding for hours and were a long way from Basilia.

  They benefited from fair weather, yet she dreaded the days ahead when the cold would set in. She had always been astonished at the difference in terrain of every kingdom. Having grown up in Thanwine, she was accustomed to the cold, but preferred the warmth of the other realms.

  When they reached the brook, her mare eagerly drank. Finally, Tesher dismounted and allowed his animal to join hers.

  She spotted an apple tree not far away, crossed to it, and plucked several pieces of fruit. Not only would she put a few away for the coming days, her stomach rumbled and would presently appreciate something to eat. The horses would also benefit from the sweet apples.

  She polished one on her dress. “Tesher!” Smiling, she pitched it to him.

  He awkwardly caught it, then took a bite. “I do not know how I am able to eat, but this tastes good.” He spoke through a mouthful of apple.

  She crunched into her own and swallowed down a large portion. “Are you ready to tell me what happened?”

  Again, he fearfully looked about.

  “No one is coming after us,” she firmly said. “Besides, if those who know the truth do not wish it told, why should you fear? As long as you say nothing, you will be spared.”

  “Spared…” he grunted. “I deserve to have my head on a spike.”

  “Say no such thing!” She took his hand and led him to a patch of grass, not far from the horses. The beasts seemed perfectly content drinking and grazing, so she had no concerns over them running off.

  She and Tesher sat, but he was by no means relaxed. He breathed hard and fast, and his gaze continually darted here and there.

  She intensified the hold on his hand. “The only way you will feel better is by telling me everything. I can share your troubles.”

  He pulled from her grasp and covered his face, then shook his head back and forth. “Once I tell you, I have no doubt you will despise me.”

  His words roiled her stomach, but she could not believe them to be true. She had loved him much too long to dismiss her feelings. “I will listen and say nothing until you are finished. But please do not presume my reaction before all is said.”

  He lowered his hands and turned to her, stone-faced. “My pairing with you was a falsehood. I agreed to it because Angeline told me it was the only means to a desirable end, where she and I would be together.”

  Carmela frowned and looked away, wishing she had not pressed him. Every bit of joy she had held in her heart vanished. He had brutally pierced her, yet she sealed her lips and remained silent, just as she had vowed.

  She set her apple aside, unable to eat another bite.

  Her instincts about her sister had been correct, and she was foolish to have believed otherwise. Angeline had used her for her own gain, yet having trusted that Tesher genuinely cared for her hurt Carmela more than anything.

  He slung his scarcely eaten apple hard across the stream. “I knew it would pain you to hear the truth! You do not deserve to be caught up in your sister’s wretched schemes!”

  Carmela faced him again. “Perhaps not, but her hateful antics have been a part of my entire life, and I have grown quite accustomed to them.” She squared her jaw. “I will somehow overcome this as I have every other instance. Still, you must tell me more. Why did you agree to her plans, and what exactly did she ask of you?”

  He studied her face as if begging forgiveness—his gaze intense and full of longing. “When you and Angeline came to Oros and she convinced my father to allow her to speak privately with me, she vowed her love for me alone. She claimed Frederick had brutally molested her on their wedding night, and that she despised him for it. She also professed a belief that he orchestrated my sister’s death.” He swallowed hard. “Because of her assertions, I grew enraged with hate for Frederick. I wanted him dead, and I told her I would end him.”

  “So, you did,” Carmela whispered. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, trying to comfort herself. Her heart had shattered, and her world was crumbling around her.

  Tesher inched closer. “She planned it all, with her healer, Denali.”

  “Denali?”

  “Yes. He concocted a poison that rendered Frederick helpless. He brought it to me, and I put it in a flask of Issan wine which I presented to Frederick’s maid, Prima, to give to him while he bathed.” Tesher’s features tightened, and it looked as if he struggled to hold back tears. “The girl was young and naïve, and she took him the wine without question. I told her to be sure to let him know it was from me. The high king died, knowing I killed him! His blood and Prima’s stains my hands!”

  “How can you fault yourself for Prima’s death? The girl flung herself from Angeline’s window, when she learned of my sister’s coming child.”

  “That is what Angeline wants everyone to believe, yet it is another falsehood! Angeline killed her!” Tesher grabbed a fistful of grass, grimaced, and yanked it from the ground. “She tossed the poor girl from the window!”

  “How do you know this?”

  “She gloated over it! She swore she did me a favor by eliminating the girl. Angeline permanently sealed the young servant’s lips.”

  This particular revelation left Carmela speechless. She had known her sister to be callous, but never imagined she would take the life of a child. Then again, from all that was being said throughout the kingdom, this particular child had been romantically involved with Frederick. That fact alone would have enraged Angeline, and in that state of being, she could accomplish most anything. No matter how devious.

  Tesher slumped forward. “Prima died because of me. I should never have put the poison in Frederick’s wine. Everything Angeline told me was likely a lie. For all I know, Frederick may have doted on her and treated her with gentleness, as a loving husband should.”

  Carmela’s head pounded as she tried to sort through every detail. Denali’s participation in plotting Frederick’s murder made little sense. He had been a devoted healer to the royal house of Thanwine for as long as she could remember. No doubt, Angeline had drawn him into her snare. She had proven she could capably manipulate everyone around her.

  Denali’s knowledge of potions and poisons would be invaluable to Angeline. Since Marni had died from poison, Angeline and Denali may have also orchestrated her death, so Angeline could take her place as Frederick’s wife. It seemed like the perfect plot, but the truth was nearly impossible to discern. Regardless, it was far more feasible than the idea Prince Sebastian and his wife, Olivia, carried out the murder. Carmela knew them to be kind and upstanding.

  She roughly cleared her throat, which had grown horribly dry. “When Angeline told me she intended to devote herself to Frederick, I hoped she and I could put aside our differences. She said she would sacrifice the love she had for you in order to serve the realms in a greater capacity.”

  Tesher scowled. “She told me without hesitation, that she never loved me. I was merely a means to dispose of Frederick, so she could reign alone. And yet…the realms will never accept a high queen. And…there is the issue of her coming child.” His eyes widened, then pinched together. He looked utterly crazed. “That is…her claim of pregnancy. Now that I know of her treachery, that could also be a farce. I know not what to believe any longer!”

  Carmela sluggishly got to her feet and wandered to the stream. If Angeline gave birth to Frederick’s heir—as long as the child was a boy—she would be able to retain her status for a long while. It would be her task to properly raise the next high king, and she would be treated with the utmost respect. In the meanwhile, surely, she could not think the other realms would allow her to reign supreme?

  And yet, it was easy to see that Angeline would desire that very thing. Why pass off her supremacy to another realm, or for that matter, eventually share it with her offspring?


  The poor child. Angeline had never shown genuine love to anyone. And if the baby happened to be a girl, it would be given no regard whatsoever.

  I pray Angeline is barren.

  Carmela glanced back at Tesher—who was doubled over with his face in his hands—then returned her gaze to the glistening stream. Her pounding head and aching heart might never mend. The man she loved cared nothing for her, but it pained her more to see him hurting. For some peculiar reason, she still wanted to help him. In all truthfulness, not even her desire to be with him had faded. Even so…how could she trust him?

  The sound of an unsheathed weapon drew her ear, and when she turned to face Tesher, she discovered he wielded a long knife. As he held it upward, his hand trembled.

  He panted heavy breaths and looked her way. “I beg you to plunge this into my heart, for I have no courage to do it myself.”

  “You truly are mad.” She hastened to him and grabbed the weapon. “Your punishment is that you must come to terms with what you have done. Even so, I blame Angeline for all of this. She played with your feelings, and as much as I hate to say it—your innocence. You were blinded with love for her, and it caused you to do things contrary to your nature.” She knelt beside him. “I have known you for many years. You have a good heart, and my sister blackened it. That does not mean you cannot be redeemed.”

  “No. My deeds are unforgivable, and my just penalty is death. Can you not grant my request and kill me?”

  “How can you ask it of me? Do you honestly not know the depth of my love for you?”

  He lifted his head, and a tear dripped down his cheek. “I have not earned that kind of devotion. You were innocent in all of this. And even though I doubt you will believe me, I did not want to hurt you. The more we were together, my feelings grew conflicted. And when we kissed…”