“How is he?” Aunt Rashel said.
“He passed out. For the time being, I think we need to focus on figuring out who poisoned mother and father. We are all in danger until we bring them to justice. I want their head on a spike, and I want it now,” Katryna said sternly.
Finn looked stunned at the words that had left his sister’s mouth.
Something had changed inside of her. Her stare spat venom, her lips trembled, her fists were clenched. She stood tall with rage.
Rowan nodded with an agreeable smirk. Finally, something that he and Katryna could get behind together.
“Rowan, I think you should head the investigation with the High Sword. We need to know exactly who had access to mother and father. When, where, how.”
Rowan cut her off. “Woah, woah, woah. Hang on a moment. Who are you to bark orders at me, sister? You come home after all these years and expect to direct our investigation, is that it?”
Katryna shut her eyes in frustration, realising she would not be able to get through to him so directly. “I only meant that-”
“In case you had forgotten,” Rowan spat, a vein in his forehead beginning to pulse, “I will be king soon, after father passes to the æther. Which means I will be running and delegating any and all inquiries into this matter. I will be overseeing our House and this kingdom. Quite frankly, I am surprised you even had the hide to return when you did, and here you are, now, giving me orders?”
“Rowan, I am simply trying to push for swift justice. I want whoever is responsible to be caught at once. Until then, we are all in jeopardy.”
“She’s right,” Aunt Rashel said.
“We need a more direct plan of attack,” Finn added, siding with his sister.
Rowan shook his head in awe. “Ever since we were children, you have always sought to belittle me and emasculate me.”
“We are not children anymore, Rowan. We need to work together if we are going to keep our House strong. I don’t want to argue. It’s time we try something different, for father’s sake, at least.” Katryna replied sternly.
Rowan stood in silence. He looked at Rashel and then at Finn, trying to judge what they thought. After a moment, he nodded just once, seeming to realise that fighting would get them no closer to the truth.
“For House Bower,” Rowan said. “I will talk to the High Sword and round up anybody who had contact with mother and father these past couple of weeks.”
“Thank you, Rowan,” Katryna said. “Let’s work together on this.”
Katryna held out her hand. Rowan grabbed it firmly, looking her straight in the eye and shaking her hand. Katryna hoped he meant what he said.
“Finn,” Katryna continued, “I think you should try and aid Jerrem Denar and the royal physicians in identifying the poison. Perhaps they missed something that you can help them with. Perhaps…we can save father’s life before it is too late.”
Both of Katryna’s brothers agreed. She was glad that Rowan was not trying to fight against her for control any longer.
Perhaps working towards a common goal is exactly what we need to get along.
“If we can find the poison, perhaps we can find an antidote,” Rowan said.
“Exactly.”
Finn agreed and stood tall. He needed some orders to follow. He was still young, a follower. The past two weeks of misdirection and confusion had clearly been weighing him down.
“Aunt Rashel,” Katryna said, “I think it best you stay by father’s side. I trust no one more for the task than you.”
Rashel kissed her niece on the cheek and crept back into the king’s chambers to watch over him as he slept.
“What are you going to do, Kat?” Finn asked as the three siblings were about to disperse.
Katryna looked back with raw emotion in her eyes. “I’m going to go talk with the diplomats from Ember. I find the timing of their visit, and subsequent meetings with mother and father, to be a little too coincidental for my liking. I will start there.”
End of Act I
Interludes I
Interlude - The Flutter of Wings
Eden knelt beside the flowing brook, marvelling at the crystal-clear water beneath her fingertips. Her rosy-red cheeks lifted as a smile spread across her face. Her mother was not happy with how much time she spent outdoors at the edge of the woods surrounding their homestead, but Eden was far too adventurous to let mother’s warnings stop her.
It was early evening; the sky erupted in a brilliant flame-coloured sunset, the likes of which were uncommon yet always welcome.
Birds sang in their nests in the pine canopy overhead as they prepared for the night ahead. A cool breeze gently rocked the groaning trees back and forth.
Rainbow wildflowers and lush grass brushed against Eden’s soft skin. She stood up on the bank of the brook with bare feet, wriggling her toes in amongst the cool, damp leaf litter and topsoil.
It was tranquil.
Eden could hear the pigs rummaging around through their dinner scraps several yards behind her in the pen beside the family’s cruck house.
Eden giggled at their snorting. Funny pigs.
Her sea-blue eyes followed a brown oak leaf as it travelled gently down the waterway, interweaving with the current between stones and around fallen branches like a ship on a perilous journey.
A blue and black shape buzzed past Eden’s little face. The flutter of wings brought a smile to her face.
A dragonfly! No, wait.
Eden had to take a second look at it. Something wasn’t right. She squinted at the log it had landed on, narrowing her focus.
“Wow, that is so pretty,” Eden said.
The dragonfly didn’t really look like a dragonfly. It
