The Stolen Princess Read online

  “You brought me here against my will to force me into designing and building for you,” Vinson said. “If this is about you demanding I make you another automaton or the like, get on with it.”

  “I think you’ve been holding out on me. These drawings aren’t of small novelties.” Athan shrugged and shook his head, looking at the paper he’d pulled closer. “I never really paid much attention to these before. While I could appreciate them for their artistic merit, I didn’t give them any more credit than that. This one, however… It caught my eye. I know your education was extensive, but this…”

  The younger vampire dropped his gaze to the document Athan stared at. Even from his vantage point, he knew which set of plans it was. “It’s not as though I don’t have ample time to dream up things. I’m certain most of it would be written off as impossible fantasy and nothing more.”

  “So I thought,” Athan said, “but when I bothered to have them checked by someone who was literate in Weslanese… My God, Vinson. I’m still not completely convinced these aren’t just the visions of a madman, or if they are legitimate plans, but my best scholars say these look sound.”

  Vinson’s head canted to the side. He wasn’t used to being talked to without contempt lacing every word his father uttered. “You had someone read them?”

  “I’m in a desperate situation, Vinson.” Athan moved around the table to come closer. “I’m willing to look for any possibilities or advantages I can get. Something inspired me to have these drawings more closely scrutinized. I never dreamed the potential for this level of genius might have been hidden within you.”

  His eyes narrowed. “They’re only theoretical machines, nothing more. I’ve never seen anything even remotely like them built or tested. I know you have your own men working on doing more with steam than simply powering mills and factories around Talaus, and I used it as inspiration.”

  Athan nodded. He was able to look into Vinson’s mind as easily as most, but he’d not given too much time into probing through his thoughts. Vinson had never given the impression he possessed any honest promise beyond his building of clockwork machines.

  Athan turned back to the table and picked up the drawing again, bringing it over to Vinson. “This one. Tell me more about this thing.”

  Vinson took the drawing and looked it over, though it had been burned into his memory from the time he’d first dreamt it up. “A vehicle, of sorts. Why use steam only in static applications? Why not use it to move a vessel?”

  “My translator said you’ve named it an Ice Ship.” Athan clasped his hands behind his back, awaiting Vinson’s response.

  He’d never had a real two-way conversation with his father before, and he had mixed feelings about it. No one in Talaus had ever treated him very well, but part of him had been starved for conversation, especially about his passion for design.

  “I envisioned a ship able to sail over frozen seas or even snow-covered fields,” Vinson said. “The uppermost edge of the Northern Sea freezes every winter, cutting off shipping. I thought it would be beneficial to have some means of getting out when regular ships are brought to a halt.”

  “So, it can move over ice or snow exactly as it would water?” Athan asked.

  “It pulls itself along on these wheels. They’re banded together with these jointed metal belts so it won’t simply sink and get stuck like a cart,” Vinson explained, his thin fingers grazing over the drawing. “Simply theoretical, as I said. There have been plenty of more intelligent men out there who’ve never come up with such a monstrosity. Surely there’s a good reason why.”

  “Let’s entertain the notion as though it is viable,” Athan said, trying to force down his excitement. His best engineers had been impressed with the complexity of the vehicle, and offered up the opinion it was feasible. “How far do you think it would be able to travel?”

  “As far as one wanted on the coal stores they took along. That’s honestly the only real limitation. Water for it would be provided by this portion of the machine. It would scrape up any needed quantities of snow or ice to melt and feed to the boiler.” He tapped the paper and smiled to himself. “As I said, though, there must be a reason someone else hasn’t already thought of such a thing.”

  “Or, perhaps, there was simply no one who understood the finer details of making something like this work,” Athan said. “I’ve had men working on finding ways to exploit our steam technology to give us a greater advantage in the world, but none of them conceived of this, Vinson. None of them.”

  “You wouldn’t use it for trade,” Vinson said, lowering the drawing and looking at his father. “You’d turn it into a military platform.”

  “Of course!” Athan smiled and shook his head. “Anyone who had that would, eventually! I’ve been struggling to find a way to get into the Northern Wastes for the better part of this year. I can’t use magic, and our conventional methods of transportation would be useless there. Horses would starve or freeze to death before my men ever arrived. No, Vinson, this is brilliant. This might be my first valid shot at getting back at the Nahli for what they did near Minar.”

  Vinson frowned and shook his head. Their talk had given him more bravado than he’d felt since arriving. Regardless of what Athan claimed, he knew it was a ruse. He’d been around long enough to decipher Athan’s true motives in his assorted affairs. “No, you’re going after my cousin.”

  Athan drew in a long breath through his nose and forced up a smile despite the rage Vinson’s comment stirred. Normally, he would have immediately and severely punished such insolence, but he needed Vinson for the time being.

  “Ah, there’s that Veller family sense of self-importance. Getting Kayla would be nothing more than a possible benefit of going into the Wastes, but not my main goal,” Athan said, his voice calm.

  Vinson didn’t feel like pressing his luck too hard. He turned his eyes back to the drawing. “Even if it could work when built, it would take an incredible amount of time to build. The tonnage of steel alone…”

  “Time I have, and steel I’ve been stockpiling from Tordania, and we have our own coal.” Athan moved away and retook his place at the table. “As to how difficult it would be to build one or several of those, why, I’ve never had any qualms with pushing my workers to the absolute limit, have I?”

  * * *

  Though Keiran hated to head back to the castle without knowing where Kayla was going to end up for the night, he knew it was for the best. By the time be arrived home with Corina and Kanan, it was getting late.

  Jerris had noticed their absence. He stood at the gate upon their arrival, arms crossed over his chest.

  “Is everything all right?” Keiran asked, stopping to slide from the saddle.

  “I don’t know, is it?” Jerris asked, frowning. “Going off and digging up more dead relatives without me? Here I am, the King’s Knight, without a king to look over.”

  Keiran rolled his eyes as Corina and Kanan pulled their wagon into the courtyard. “God, Jerris, not this again. Something came up and your father ordered me to go with him without any notice.”

  “You’re the king, my father can’t order you to do anything,” he replied, arms falling to his sides. “Thana said you just took off with him. You didn’t even give her the courtesy of knowing where you all were heading off to.”

  “Because I didn’t know where we were headed off to.” Exhausted from stress, Keiran wasn’t in the mood to fight with the guard. “I can’t do this right now, Jerris. Things are getting really complicated, and I’m spent.”

  The redhead took a step closer. “Well, at least tell me why you were out, eh?”

  Keiran nodded. “All right. Meet me in the dining hall in a short while. I need to put Porter up, first.”

  “Fair enough.” Jerris turned and wandered off.

  * * *

  When Keiran walked into the dining hall a little later, Jerris was already seated at the table. He had a bottle of wine before him with two silver goblets set o
ut.

  Keiran landed beside him, quickly filling up one of the goblets for himself. “I apologize for leaving without telling you. It was short notice and rather urgent. I wouldn’t have minded having you along.”

  Jerris had already poured his own drink, one hand loosely wrapped around the stem. “Just get on with it. Does it have to do with what Mari told us earlier about the Alerians?”

  He shook his head. “Not in the least. When Kanan and Corina went into town earlier today, they ran into someone unexpected.”

  “Is that so?”

  “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but my sister is in town.” Keiran smiled faintly before tipping the goblet to his lips.

  “Are you serious?” Jerris asked, his eyes widening. “I thought she was tucked away with the Nahli.”

  Keiran nodded. “Aye, and she was, but she’s come down here to discuss the Nahli’s position against Athan with me.”

  Jerris’ prior agitation eased and he sighed. This hadn’t been what he’d expected to hear. “Having a bit of trouble with him, are they?”

  “Not in the short term, but she greatly fears it will come at some point.” Keiran downed half of his drink. “I think her concerns are absolutely valid.”

  “So, where is she now?” Jerris asked.

  “Staying somewhere in town,” he said.

  Jerris blinked. “Are you mad? You just left her in town?”

  “You know as well as I do when Athan shows up, he does so where he thinks he can find me. Not bringing her here to the castle was the safest bet. She’s got some protection from Athan’s remote viewer, so he doesn’t have any means of knowing she’s here.”

  “Remote viewer?” Jerris took a sip of his wine. “…and if no one here knows where she is, he can’t pluck it from our minds if he arrives.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Well, what’s she like?” Jerris asked.

  “Guarded, rather cautious.” He stared at the goblet in his hand. “She has mastered controlling her thoughts. I can’t imagine how she managed to survive all she’s been through, but she has and seems to be thriving with the Nahli.”

  “I’d like to meet her,” Jerris said.

  “I’m going to meet with her again tomorrow. I’d like you to come along,” Keiran said, hoping it would alleviate the rest of Jerris aggravation.

  “Good. Now, I’ve been sitting with Thana most of this evening since you went missing. She’s turned in, so you probably ought to get up there.” Jerris finished the last of his wine, his tone lightening up. The thought of getting out of the castle the next day improving his mood. “You don’t want her waking and seeing how late it is. You don’t want to stress her in her condition.”

  Keiran got up from the table and gave his friend a smile. “Thank you for watching her, I appreciate it.”

  “You shouldn’t. We discuss your embarrassing habits when you’re not around.” Jerris stood up as well. “Get going.”

  He smiled and headed upstairs, exhausted and ready to go to bed. He entered his room as quietly as he could manage, hoping not to disturb her.

  She was awake, however, lying on the bed and propped up with several pillows. Her eyes turned toward him in the darkness, her expression lacking amusement.

  He let the door click shut behind him, offering up a sheepish grin. She’d seemed all right with him leaving before, and he hoped that hadn’t changed. “Are you still awake?”

  “Not still awake but awake again. I can’t get comfortable tonight at all. I keep having this tension within me.” She patted the bed beside her. “Now get over here and tell me what was so important you ran off for. I’ve had all evening to get curious. I got Jerris quite worked up with all sorts of speculation.”

  “Thanks for that, he was rather irritated with me when I got back.” Keiran went to sit on the edge of the bed, getting to work taking off his boots. “Well, it was something I wasn’t expecting, that’s for certain.”

  She watched as he continued to get undressed. “Well? Jerris and I had plenty of time to wonder. His feelings were hurt again, you know.”

  Keiran stood up and tugged off his shirt before stepping out of his pants. “I know, and I’ve already made my peace with him. Getting the story first before you seemed to have appeased him, for now.”

  Thana snorted and shook her head. “And he’s still the only one who knows. Get on with it, Keir!”

  He laughed and crawled beneath the blankets. “Kanan and Corina found my sister in town when they went to be wed.”

  She gasped and shifted around to look at him better. “No! How did she get here? Where is she now?”

  “She sailed here, I gather, and for tonight, she’s down in town.” Keiran scooted over to put his arm around her shoulders. “She’s come to seek Tordania’s help with taking down Athan as he’s posing a threat to the Nahli.”

  Thana pressed in against him, resting her head on his chest. “That’s quite a request of her to make.”

  “But one that needed to be made. I don’t have any idea how we’re going to help her yet, though.” He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the headboard, happy to have Thana close. “We are in for a difficult time, I’m afraid.”

  “We never thought any of this would be easy,” she whispered back, feeling exhaustion pressing in again. “Is she staying for a while, so the two of you can try to work things out?”

  “Aye, she is.”

  She patted his stomach with her hand, letting her eyes close. “Then we won’t worry about it anymore for tonight.”

  * * *

  “Keir, wake up!”

  He felt as though he’d finally drifted off to sleep when he was awakened by Thana’s panicked voice. Adrenaline poured into his bloodstream and he sat up.

  “What? What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice cracking on the words.

  “I think I’m having the baby!” she said, already scooting to the edge of the bed and standing up. She quickly bent over, resting her hand against the bed, giving a pained grunt as a strong contraction ripped across her abdomen.

  Keiran scrambled out of bed and moved around to place a hand against her back. “Are you sure?”

  She turned her head toward him through the pain, her black eyes narrowed. She gave a hiss through her clenched teeth, unable to manage a verbal response.

  He immediately backed away and hurried to tug on a pair of pants. “I’ll get Corina and Laron!”

  Within minutes, the previously sleeping castle was lit up and kicked into high gear. Laron and Corina had run as fast as they could to Thana’s side when Keiran had woken them up in his abject panic. The commotion had soon spread through the rest of the castle. Before long, a crowd loitered in the corridor, curious and eager to see how the first potential heir’s birth would go.

  Corina was the most experienced midwife amongst those in the castle, and after Laron had done a cursory exam on the expectant queen, he’d backed off to leave it to the old woman. He knew Thana would be far more comfortable in Corina’s hands, and Corina had welcomed many more children into the world than he ever had.

  Thana was on the bed, multiple blankets placed beneath her to contain the inevitable mess of childbirth. Keiran sat on the edge of the bed, holding her hand. While it wasn’t customary for men to attend births, Corina knew he was too high-strung to be shooed out until the last minute.

  The young queen was doing her best to keep her wits, but the first serious contraction had been more than she’d anticipated. As the contractions continued on, however, she resigned to them as her initial fear was overshadowed by the amount of energy being pulled from her body. Each new wave of tension across her abdomen felt like a bear trap tightening, the pain radiating through her and around to her back.

  Keiran didn’t know what do to or say. He couldn’t relate to what she was going through on any level. All he could do was pick up the fear and sense of pain emanating from her, and that did nothing more than compound his anxiety and fear over the si
tuation.

  Corina sat on the opposite side of the bed, reassuring Thana. Her voice was gentle as she coached Thana along, trying to keep the laboring queen as relaxed as possible. Magretha was also in the room, standing by to assist Corina with anything she requested.

  The old woman remained calm, kneading against Thana’s aching back between contractions. She occasionally made eye contact with Keiran, offering him smiles and nods, letting him know Thana was progressing normally.

  Thana slumped back against the pillows as another contraction faded off. She looked at her husband “This came on so fast. I thought I’d feel it gradually setting in. I wasn’t prepared for it to pull me out of a sound sleep like it did.”

  “Sometimes it does start out slow, Thana, but sometimes it hits you out of nowhere,” Corina said, motioning for Keiran to offer Thana a drink of water. “You’d probably been laboring throughout the evening, you just didn’t know it. You’re working exceptionally fast, especially for a first child. Perhaps you were meant for this.”

  “I don’t want to do this at all or ever again!” Thana sat up slightly to drink before flopping back down again.

  “I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice. You are simply along for the ride at this point.” Corina smiled and shook her head, knowing the fear well enough. “Once it’s over, you will be very glad it happened.”

  “Let Keir have it!” Thana yelped, gritting her teeth as another contraction built within her.

  “He’s not tough enough for this,” the old woman said, laughing to herself.

  Keiran didn’t laugh, though. It seemed like a fair statement. He looked away as Corina moved to examine Thana again, doing his best to mitigate his worry. He knew he tended to project his emotions, and Thana didn’t need that from him.

  Corina stood up and gave him a nod. “It’s time for you to go, now.”

  Thana turned her eyes up to Keiran with a worried expression, but she slowly let go of his hand. “I’ll be all right. Try and get some rest. You’ll need to be ready to watch over the baby after I’m done. I think I’ll need a year to recover.”