Dividing Eden (Dividing Eden #1)(36)
“Of course, my lord. The page I read from is marked.” She turned the book over to him, then folded her hands in front of her as the Council of Elders huddled around the tome.
Andreus tried to catch Imogen’s attention, but she didn’t glance his way. She kept her eyes on Chief Elder Cestrum and the rest of the Council as they whispered and flipped pages and argued.
The seer folded her hands together as the conversation became more heated, but she never flinched or turned away. And in that moment, Andreus realized something. He couldn’t compete in public trials. Not without risking the Council of Elders being reminded of his curse. If any of them saw Andreus in the throes of an attack, they would declare him unfit. They would realize Carys and the Queen knew of his affliction all along and pronounce them all traitors. A contest would kill them all.
Which Imogen had no way of knowing.
He shook his head. “I think Lady Imogen’s appearance with the Book of Knowledge demonstrates how many laws govern succession. None of us knows them all.” He nodded to the guards. “The people simply assume either Carys or I will take the throne; we should assure them of this. And in the meanwhile, we should thoroughly study all the laws and determine the best course for the—”
“Excuse us, Your Highness.” Chief Elder Cestrum motioned to the rest of the Council, who gathered around him. As the Elders spoke in tones too muted for Andreus to make out the words, he looked at Carys and Imogen. In his sister’s eyes he saw the storm of uncertainty that must be reflected in his own. The world had been yanked upside down and neither of them had any idea how to right it. Imogen’s face remained assured, placid. Almost eerily so.
Elder Cestrum cleared his throat. “Delay won’t be necessary, Prince Andreus. The Council of Elders is in agreement and we thank Lady Imogen for her study and guardianship of the realm’s history. If it hadn’t been for the seer, we might have made a grievous error that violated our oaths.” The Elder smiled at Lady Imogen while, standing just behind him, Elder Jacobs glowered with open contempt.
“And we wouldn’t have wanted that, would we?” Elder Jacobs drawled.
Andreus squelched the urge to shield Lady Imogen from his malice. Instead, he tightened his grip on his sword and tried to feign the confidence his sister was projecting beside him.
“I am only upholding my duty to Eden,” Lady Imogen said. “I take my charge to search the stars and call the winds seriously. Without them, I can only imagine how hard it would be for the throne to keep the confidence of the people through the cold months ahead. It is important for all of us to work together to see the throne passes to the true Keeper of Virtues and Guardian of the Light. Or darkness will descend upon us all.”
Smooth words covering the iron steel of a threat.
Elder Cestrum tightened his hold on the book, but his expression never wavered. After several tense moments, he nodded to the guards, who took their hands off their weapons, and Andreus let out the breath he’d been holding.
“We all serve the Kingdom of Eden,” Elder Cestrum said. “Which means the Council will create a series of trials for our prince and princess to participate in that will decide the true successor to the Throne of Light. The Trials of Virtuous Succession must be designed to demonstrate the claimants’ dedication to the realm and the virtues that guide it. And once the Trials of Virtuous Succession begin, the contest must continue until a successor is declared victorious or all other equal claimants to the throne are dead.”
9
“Dead?” Carys stepped forward. “You wish us to voluntarily participate in a series of contests in which one of us could die?”
“I wish nothing,” Elder Cestrum said with what Carys was certain was supposed to be a shrug.
Only he wasn’t sorry. She could tell by the glint of delight in his eyes.
“The Book of Knowledge that our seer so kindly presented to us demands the Trials contain risks to those who would take the throne. No doubt to prove that once the new monarch receives the crown he or she has the ability to keep it. After all, the getting of power is often the easy part. It is keeping it that can prove difficult. The Council of Elders must do its utmost to make sure the person who wins the Trials has the ability to lead Eden through the difficult times ahead.”
“And if we refuse this insult to us and to our father?” Andreus asked.
“Then Lord Garret will ascend the throne and he will decide how best to handle any who could jeopardize the legitimacy of his reign.”
The Bastians, defeated by Carys’s grandfather, were executed in Garden City in the exact spot where the Tree of Virtues now stood. Those who escaped and their heirs had plagued Eden with the threat of war ever since. Carys had no doubt the Council of Elders would advise Lord Garret to kill her, Andreus, and their mother, and the kingdom would say nothing against it.
“Prince Andreus and Princess Carys.” Elder Ulrich stepped out of the cluster of councilmen with his hands raised. “I understand this all comes as a shock. None of us expected your mother’s mind to collapse under the strain of this tragedy. Unfortunately, there is no turning from these unfortunate consequences. The Kingdom of Eden is depending on all of us to do our part. Can we count on your honorable participation?”
“We are the children of King Ulron,” Carys said before her brother could voice the denial she saw on his lips. “Our father was the Guardian of Light and Keeper of Virtues for more than two score years. He taught us that it is our responsibility to do what is best for the realm. We would not dishonor him by turning away from our duty to Eden.”