The Kingmaker Complete Trilogy (The Kingmaker Trilogy #1-3) Page 21

  I have looked for Archer; he was at the back of the crowd, but he is gone. I need to tell Everleigh what’s just happened. I need to get her here quickly, even if I can’t find Archer. Millard cannot be made King, but I am too scared to move. I don’t want him looking at me.

  He’s far too handy with that sword.

  Halfreda has shuffled over to him now and I reckon she’s going to have to carry on with the ceremony. No doubt he’ll slice her old head right off otherwise. What a to-do. And to think I fancied myself marrying this one. He’s a mad man. I can see it now. We all can. Oh, he tried to say he was only defending himself. Killing his brother before his brother killed him, letting him do his dirty work with the King and Everleigh, but that’s just excuses. He’s a maniac.

  He is watching Halfreda and I reckon I can slip away. I need to fetch Everleigh.

  I hammer on Halfreda’s door, probably scaring Everleigh half to death but I am panicked now. Millard cannot be King; he will kill us all.

  “Everleigh!” I am screaming now. No one else will hear me. Everyone who matters is watching the mad man become King. She opens the door a tiny bit and I shove my way past her. Finally, away from the killer, I burst out crying.

  Will is with her and they both look horrified, and they have not even heard my tale yet. There is no sign of Archer with them.

  Everleigh tries to comfort me but I know she’s confused as to why I’ve broken from the plan. She hugs me tight then steps back, passing me a handkerchief from Halfreda’s table. I blow my nose.

  “You need to come now,” I say. “Don’t argue. You need to come.”

  “What’s happened?” I can see she’s panicking but I’ve got hold of her arm. I can tell her on the way.

  She stops me. “Lanorie. Tell us. What’s wrong. Am I too late? Is Macsen King?”

  “Worse than that.” And I am crying again. In between crying, blowing my nose and feeling sick at remembering it, I tell her.

  “Millard has killed Macsen.”

  “What?” Everleigh drops to a chair, hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “What?” Will holds on to her other hand.

  “Macsen came on to the stage. All dressed up. Looked lovely. Addy was watching. And Millard. Millard got up and hugged him. The crowd is huge. All clapping and cheering. I stood at the back. Because I knew about you. You coming. Halfreda told us all that we were there to watch him be King and Millard said something like, no we’re not or wrong or think again. I don’t know. Then he jumped up, grabbed Macsen around the head and poked his sword against his neck. Then he said, or did he say, I don’t know but then he cut his head off and it rolled on the floor.”

  Everleigh sobs at that, hand moving to her heart.

  “Then Wolf grabbed Addy.”

  “Addy?”

  “She’s fine. She’s not hurt, Wolf just grabbed her.”

  “Wolf? He’s Macsen’s friend, Macsen’s guard.”

  “No, he grabbed Addy and she was screaming and crying. Worried she was next. Then Halfreda asked Millard what he was doing. He said he wanted to kill everyone but Macsen beat him to it. He said he wanted to be King and he needed everyone out of the way. And his sword was just dripping with blood. He said Macsen would have killed him, so he killed him first. He said to Wolf to keep hold of Addy so she could watch him be made King. He said she was safe, but she was miserable. He said he knew that Macsen got the death thingy off Ginata. He knew everything. Except about you. He didn’t know that. He doesn’t know you’re alive. That’s why we must go. We must stop him. Halfreda’s got to make him King or he’ll kill her too. Come on.”

  “Where’s Archer-”

  “I don’t know and it’s too late to worry. We have to go.”

  Everleigh nods. Stands up, she’s right pale but moving. Will holds her hand and the three of us leave the safety of Halfreda’s room. They are coming with me. She’s all the hope we have now.

  28

  EVERLEIGH FOLLOWS LANORIE across the courtyard as though she is in a dream. She cannot feel Will’s hand in hers. She doesn’t see anyone or anything. She doesn’t see one of the little maids faint at the sight of her, she doesn’t see Cook come out of the kitchen and drop a tray of food when she sees her, no longer dead but walking around.

  Lanorie is blind to it all too, leading Everleigh by the hand and almost running along.

  Everleigh wants to turn and hide but the decision has been taken off her. She cannot run, and she cannot hide, and she cannot wait for Archer. If she wants to be Queen, and she does, this is the first thing she needs to do. She must be brave. She must be courageous. She must be Queenly.

  Lanorie stops when Millard comes in to view and Everleigh pauses beside her.

  The grounds of the castle are vast; room for jousts and outdoor plays, room for sports, like hawking and room for ceremonies like this one today.

  There must be more than a thousand people gathered and she is right at the back. Because of the stage, she can see it all clearly.

  Ginata is standing just behind Halfreda. Her arms hang uselessly. Halfreda is facing Millard and he is sideways on to the crowd. His sword is in his hand, but not aloft. Addyson is in a chair, tied there by Wolf, who is standing like a bear behind her. Everleigh is glad that she cannot see Macsen dead on the floor from where she is.

  Taking a deep breath, she lets go of Will’s hand and heads towards the dais. She walks with a confidence she is not feeling and the crowd murmur and part as she comes through the middle of them; some cry out to the gods wondering how a spirit walks before them, a few women faint and one man clutches his heart and drops to the floor.

  Someone calls out: “The Kingmaker” and the cry is taken up by the crowd. The mass of people who came to see one man crowned King only to see him murdered, seem happy to see her.

  The throng have become noisy enough to halt Halfreda. Millard turns in exasperation to see what they are all fussing about and Everleigh knows he has seen her from his reaction. So has Addyson. Her eyes light up. “Everleigh!” Addyson’s voice is loud, full of fear.

  Millard drops his sword, then he drops to his knees. He grabs a hold of his hair and shakes his head like he would shake the sight of her right out of his mind.

  “What sorcery is this?” His voice is a roar.

  Halfreda moves back, a smile on her lips. The crown is still on its cushion. Everleigh made it. There is no sign of Archer but if they can waste some time, he may turn up ready to fight; she cannot imagine where he is.

  Everleigh doesn’t answer but walks slowly, carefully through the crowd. Millard picks up his sword and waves it around. It doesn’t stop her. He is not King yet; she has made it in time.

  He asks again. “Sorcery. Dark magic. What has risen you from the dead?”

  Everleigh stops, far enough away that his sword cannot reach her, close enough that he can hear her. “I never was dead. Macsen tried to kill me but he failed. If you try to take the crown today, you will fail.”

  “Fail. How will I fail? Won’t you be happy to see me as King? You can sit with Addyson. I am so pleased you are alive sister, dear, to see it. I will be King. The first-born son is dead. Sadly.” He gestures at their brother’s headless body on the dais, near his feet.

  Everleigh shakes her head. “Poor brother. Poor murderous brother. You sat back and let Macsen do your dirty work, but he knew more than you. Why do you think he killed me? Or tried to?”

  “Maybe he just preferred Addyson?”

  Everleigh laughs; a short humourless laugh. “No brother. He knew more than you did. He learned that I would not die. That I would live. That I would rule. And he didn’t like it.”

  “What nonsense do you speak? The Kingmaker dies. Always.”

  “Except today, Millard. There is a prophecy. Macsen knew about it. It’s why he tried to kill me. There is a prophecy that says I will live. I will rule. I am here for my crown.”

  He laughs, and waves his sword around again, even though it cannot reach her. Everleigh takes a
step closer. “Step down brother. You cannot fight what is meant to be. I was born to rule.”

  He jumps off the stage, but Everleigh stands her ground.

  Halfreda

  I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE frightened than I am now. Millard is without a doubt a maniac. He is as addled in the brain as I have ever seen. He laughs and jokes and murders his brother in cold blood with a crowd of witnesses.

  I am performing the coronation ceremony, albeit slowly: deliberately adding pointless, extra words and incantations, chants and declarations, none of which mean anything, just to slow things down. I need Everleigh and I need Archer and here at least is one of them.

  She is a true Queen as she walks through the mass of people towards us. She shows no fear on her face, no hesitation in her step. She walks with confidence and with a Queenly poise. I see her before Millard does but I continue to speak. The longer she has before he sets his evil eyes on her, the better.

  The crowd cannot be silenced however. They see their beloved princess, their Kingmaker who they are still mourning for, and they take up the cry of her name. They cheer and call out to her and she moves directly towards her brother.

  Millard is beyond confusion at the sight of her. He has no knowledge of the prophecy and no inkling of our duplicity in sending her dead body in to the river. He is truly flummoxed at the sight of her; it’s exactly what we wanted to happen to Macsen, but it has worked a treat with Millard instead and I can only hope it will buy us time as we wait for Archer. Where can he be?

  I am sad to say but I think Millard needs to see his death today. Only death will stop his insanity.

  He has jumped off the stage and I follow him. I don’t jump down myself, that would finish me off; I take the steps and come around so that I am standing beside Everleigh.

  “Did you know of this?” He turns to me, glad of someone else to blame.

  I nod my head, proud to acknowledge the prophecy, proud to acknowledge my Queen.

  He shakes his head, true sorrow clouding his face. He is genuinely upset with me and I almost want to laugh. I want to throw back my head and cackle like the mad crone so many in the Realm see me as.

  “Halfreda.” There is a wealth of hurt in his voice and I am again reminded that this man is crazed. He happily sat by while his brother killed people he loved and then he cut his throat with as much nonchalance as if he were cutting through an apple.

  A chill runs through me and steals the laughter away from my lips. What will he do next?

  He taps his sword on one leg and then the other. I take a small, imperceptible step backwards. I put my hand on Everleigh’s arm. He will kill again; I have no doubt.

  “Millard.” Everleigh’s voice holds a warning.

  Archer where are you? I call out a silent plea for him to hurry up, though I know he won’t hear it; my powers have dried up.

  Millard turns his head to the side, watching us both, eyes switching from me, to Everleigh and back again.

  His mind made up, I see the spark in his eyes, they narrow as they land on me and he lifts the sword. Before I have a chance to speak he darts forward and pierces my heart-

  29

  THE CROWD SHOUT OUT in both fear and anger as Halfreda drops to the floor, blood pulsing from her heart and her dead eyes staring at them. Ginata runs down from the stage and kneels next to her, seeing if she can staunch the wound, if Halfreda can be saved. She is shaking her head as she touches her fingers to the sticky, wet blood. Millard’s sword went straight through her heart. Halfreda is dead.

  The braver and more able men jump to their feet, shaking their fists and standing behind Everleigh, ready to fight this mad man if they are needed.

  The King’s men whose fealty should automatically pass from old King to new, are frozen, unsure who to rally for and who to rally against. They are as upset and shocked as the general crowd. It seems only Wolf knew what Millard was up to, and Macsen too; two scheming brothers.

  Everleigh is crying but standing, her body shuddering; she wants to collapse wailing on to the floor, cradling Halfreda’s head and pleading with the gods to keep her safe in death. She wants to grieve and wallow in the upset that has washed over her, but her brother is mere feet away from her, Halfreda’s blood glistening on the end of his sword, a mean smile playing on his lips.

  She needs to be a brave Queen, a warrior Queen but she wants to crumble like a little girl. She curses that she was too slow to stop his sword; she just didn’t guess what he was about to do. Now it is too late.

  “Poor Halfreda,” Millard says, shaking his head, eyes filling with tears, as though forgetting that he delivered the deadly blow. “What a day this is turning out to be.”

  “Millard. Put your sword down.”

  He laughs and raises it aloft. Everleigh holds up her hand, placating and surrendering at the same time. She does not want to die; she wants him to listen. “Millard. I am to be Queen. You cannot stop destiny. You must let me live and let me rule.”

  He laughs again, sword skittish in his hand. “And what will you do with me, dear sister? Bring me to sit beside you on your throne? A faithful and loyal helper?”

  He knows as well as she does that she will have to kill him. Everleigh is playing for time, desperately hoping Archer will arrive to save her, frantically trying to come up with a plan for if he does not.

  LANORIE AND WILL ARE still standing at the back of the crowd of people, watching the awful events unravel. They have linked hands.

  “I cannot believe what I’m seeing,” Lanorie says.

  “He will kill her. He will surely kill her. We have to help her.”

  “Archer-”

  “Archer’s not here. Everyone who is here is too frightened to do anything. Ginata will have to make him King.”

  “She can’t.”

  “She must. He will kill her if not. He’s already killed Halfreda and his brother. He won’t hesitate to kill Ginata.”

  “So, let him be crowned? Let him be King? We can’t. He’s unstable. He’s evil. He’ll kill us all and be done with it.”

  “A bunch of corpses cannot worship him. He doesn’t want to kill everyone, but he wants everyone who lives to bend to his will. We need to get Everleigh to safety; she is a threat to him.”

  “We need to get to safety.” Lanorie’s voice is rising. She is getting hysterical.

  “No, we need to get her out of the way. Once he is King he may kill her or imprison her to keep her away from him. He will not want her fighting him for the throne.”

  “What can we do?”

  “Let’s get closer for a start.”

  Will pulls Lanorie reluctantly towards the dais.

  MILLARD TAKES EVERLEIGH by the arm, roughly, and pulls her onto the stage with him. She has no choice but to follow him; the crowd swarming forwards with them, stopping just short of the dais. Protocol forbids them from attacking a royal person and although they are clearly livid, no one is sure what to do.

  Everleigh pulls away from him, the anger of the crowd giving her strength.

  “You killed Halfreda, clever King-to-be. Now who will put the crown on your head?”

  Ginata

  “I WILL.” AS I CALL out I am not sure whose skin I am saving, Everleigh’s, mine or both.

  My hands are wet and sticky with Halfreda’s blood and I wipe them on my clothes; they are still blood stained but not wet. Halfreda knew she was about to die; I do not want to die.

  Now that I have told Archer to stay away, I must do as this mad man pleases. I will help him and abet him, and I will be rewarded with my life.

  If I try to crown Everleigh he will simply stab us both with his sword; if I say I will crown him, if he believes me, then we may both live.

  I would need force to beat Millard and I have no weapon. Neither does Everleigh.

  Millard grins at me. “Finally, someone who listens to their King. Thank you.”

  I give him a small bow and I climb up the stairs onto the dais. His eyes are on me and it
gives Everleigh a chance to move away from him.

  The first time I was in a position to fear for my life I gave Macsen the death draught. I am in the same position here, and self preservation kicks in. I will not die for anyone.

  He stands before me, bloody sword at his side, on his face a peaceful expression. I have mollified him by giving him what he wants; he is a spoiled child.

  I have the authority to crown a King, and with Halfreda’s death I am the only person who can do it for him.

  He looks over at his sister. “If you really are a threat to my reign, then I need you out of the way.”

  “Don’t kill her, King, let her live.” I try not to sound too desperate; if I plead for her life he will question my fealty to him; he cannot question my loyalty; it will mean certain death for me. And her.

  “She will live, but she will be locked away,” he says, gesturing for Wolf. Wolf nods, and leaves Addyson; she cannot move. The light has gone out of her eyes, the fight gone out of her body.

  Wolf does as he is bid straight away, grabbing Everleigh by the arm and dragging her away. She puts up a good fight and I cannot make a move to help her; I can only hope for a miracle at this stage. Archer is somewhere in the crowd, but I have begged him not to intervene.

  Everleigh screams and fights and shouts and battles but Wolf is far stronger than she is, and she is taken away. The crowd shout and shake their fists but nobody is brave enough to step in. Millard faces them with his sword aloft and I have no doubt that he would attack anyone who tried to rescue her.

  I close my eyes and I still cannot see her crowned. I see Millard crowned and I know that without Archer to help me I must continue with this coronation.

  I begin the ceremony, repeating the words that Halfreda spoke before she was murdered. I know I am doing the right thing by myself if no one else. I must survive this day.

  “Ladies and gentlemen of the Realm, esteemed visitors, we are here today to witness the coronation of Millard.”