Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5)(28)

It took several long moments before the door creaked open inward and a woman looked out at them. Her eyes widened immediately.

“Gaius,” she said, her voice barely audible.

It was her—Magnus’s grandmother. She looked different—older, of course. Her black hair had turned a dark gray, but the white streak in the front still remained.

“Mother,” Gaius replied, his tone void of emotion.

Her gaze swept past the king to Magnus and Cleo. “This is quite a surprise.”

“I’m sure it is,” the king said.

Selia’s gaze moved back to the king. “Gaius, my darling, what has happened to you?” Before he could reply, she opened the door wider. “Come in, please. All of you.”

The king gestured for Milo and Enzo to remain outside and stand guard, but then he, Magnus, and Cleo entered the small cottage.

“Please sit.” Selia indicated some modest seating around a small wooden table. “And tell me why you look so desperately unwell.”

The king sat stiffly upon one of the chairs. “First, in case you don’t recognize him, this is your grandson.”

“Magnus,” she said, nodding. “Of course, I’d know you anywhere. You’ve barely changed.” Her eyebrows drew together as she patted his cheek, her gaze lingering on his scar.

“Trust me, I’ve changed a lot,” he said. “This is Princess Cleiona Bellos of Auranos, my . . . wife.” For the first time since their forced marriage, he tasted no bitterness or resentment in the word.

“Cleiona Bellos.” The woman’s assessing gaze slowly tracked toward the princess. “Elena and Corvin’s youngest daughter.”

“Yes,” the king hissed.

Selia raised a brow. “You didn’t take the Damora name upon your marriage to my grandson?”

“No. I chose instead to continue to honor my family name,” Cleo replied, “since I’m the last Bellos.”

“I suppose that’s understandable.” Selia’s attention returned to the king. “Now, tell me how you came to be in such dire shape, my son. I assume this is the reason for this long-awaited visit?”

Magnus heard no accusation in her tone, only concern.

“One of the reasons, yes,” the king admitted. And then he briefly told the woman about his fall from the cliff, without giving specific details about why he fell.

Selia all but collapsed into a chair when he finished. “Then there’s very little time. I feared this would happen one day, and I could only pray to the goddess that you’d come to find me if it did.”

“You know what to do?” the king asked.

“I believe so. I only hope it can be done in time.”

“Why are you here?” Magnus finally put his thoughts into words. “Why did you disappear all those years ago only to . . . live here, in Scalia, of all the undesirable places in Limeros?”

She eyed him quizzically. “Your father didn’t tell you?”

“No. But to be truthful, my father doesn’t tell me very much. I thought you were dead.” He gritted his teeth, angry all over again that this secret had been kept from him for thirteen years. “Clearly, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not,” she agreed. “What I am is in exile.”

Magnus shot a look at the king. “For what reason?”

“It was her own choice,” the king replied weakly. “There were those on the royal council who demanded her execution—those who believe to this day that her execution was carried out privately. Instead, your grandmother came to live here. And here she has stayed all these years without anyone in this village—or at the palace—being any the wiser for it.”

“Why would anyone demand your execution?” Magnus asked, sharing a look of confusion with Cleo.

“Because,” Selia began slowly, “I confessed to poisoning my husband.”

Magnus shook his head, confused. “But I saw Father poison him.”

“Did you?” She regarded him with interest. “Then you saw the poison that I supplied to him. Gaius couldn’t take the blame and the throne, so I made everything easier so that he could rule—much better than Davidus ever could.” She said it so simply, as if they were discussing the weather. “It hasn’t been so horrible, really. This town is sometimes unbearably cold, but it’s pleasant enough most days. I have friends here, which helps to pass the time since my son’s last brief visit. What was it, Gaius . . . five years ago?”

“Six,” Gaius replied.

“Sabina visited me twice since then.”

“You were her mentor. I’m not surprised.”

Cleo remained silent, but Magnus knew she was filing information away in that beautiful blond head of hers.

“There’s no more time for talk.” Selia stood up from her chair. “We must leave immediately for the city of Basilia.”

“What?” Magnus shot a look at his father. “That’s in west Paelsia.”

The king too looked surprised by this. “It’s a long journey. And we’ve only just arrived here.”

“Yes, and now we must leave. I have a friend in that city who can supply the magic I need to help you before it’s too late.”