Impending Reprisals Read Free Page A

determined it would be too hard to keep it from you. Honorable decision, I must say, for it obviously pained him to not say his farewells.” He reached forward to pat her fallen hand. “I know you and Kaelestis have always been close friends. Rejoice with this news, and his newfound calling. This will mean great things for him.”
    Anya managed to halt the tears long enough to feign a pathetic smile—a smile her father was all too willing to accept as real. “Of course I am happy for him, Father. I am merely stunned by his sudden departure.”
    Chiberus stood, clearly eager to be done with their conversation. “I know, Anya. All will be well. You will see.”
    She had barely nodded a hesitant agreement before Chiberus fled the room.
    Anya stared after her father, not blaming him for his escape. He had done well by her estimation—raising her the best he could after her mother, his loving wife, passed on when Anya was merely three years of age. And he did fare better on this occasion than he ever had in the past; usually disappearing the moment tears were revealed. But Anya could not be so swift in her forgiveness this time.
    Kael was gone. And she truly believed her father could not have inflicted a deeper wound if he had thrust a blade into her heart instead.
    Anya fingered the amulet around her neck, the only keepsake of her mother’s she had in her possession. Turning her vacant eyes to the window, the tears streamed freely. And in that moment she mourned her lost love, wishing her mother was there when she desired her council most.

Chapter 3
    One Year Later
    Anya traced her fingers along the edge of the counters, pacing back and forth in the spacious cookery.
    “Child! Would you stop your incessant wandering? You are about to drive me bats with the way you have been sulking about.”
    Anya snapped out of her reverie to look at Sedalene. “Did you say something, Seda?”
    Her nanny shook her head in exasperation and stopped cutting the carrots long enough to point her knife at Anya. “It is a good thing you have another ball tonight. You need a good distraction.”
    Anya’s face twisted as she groaned. “The ball. I had nearly forgotten.” She dragged her feet to the small table and sat heavily in a chair, burying her face in her hands.
    “Stop your fretting, girl. Perhaps this time you might enjoy yourself.”
    “Not likely,” Anya grumbled, running her hands down her face to drop them in her lap.
    For far too long, nearly a year, Anya had simply been drifting through her life; filling her time by assisting the servants with chores and taking long, solitary walks through the meadow. Very rarely did such events as the masquerade ball occur—although it was the third this particular lordship had held since Kael’s departure. She knew Sedalene was confused by her lack of excitement, but little did she know, the last two balls only proved to be a painful reminder of what Anya had lost shortly after the first.
    “That is it,” Sedalene declared, slamming the knife down and storming toward Anya, wiping her hands on her apron along the way.
    Anya peered up at her nanny with big green eyes as the tears welled up.
    Sedalene instantly softened her posture and pulled up a chair, clasping Anya’s hands. “What is it, my child? I know you have been melancholy in Kael’s absence, but you have not even attempted to make new acquaintances. Perhaps if you did, the void would not seem so great.” She swiped at Anya’s tears before reclaiming her hand. “Apparently I did not realize how close you two had become. But you will make other friends, my dear.”
    It had been months since Anya let the grief overtake her. Her shoulders heaved as she held her breath against the familiar threat of emotions, although nothing could halt the trickle of tears. Once she could gather enough air in her lungs, she responded. “He was more than a friend to me.”
    Sedalene’s eyes widened as the truth of the situation was revealed.