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At that moment, the clouds parted and allowed the sun to penetrate the depths of the gorge, illuminating the cliff face. Crescent-shaped, the stone cliff had been carved with niches to hold the remains of the Starshade family. Scarlet shone vividly against the dull gray stone. Older symbols on urns in neighboring niches had faded to a rusty brown or washed away entirely with rain.
Black mourning stones filled the niches, each placed to represent the despair felt for the departed. Intricately carved birds—karu—decorated the cliff face, some in mid-flight and others roosted above the grave niches. Black gemstones embedded as the karu’s eyes, opal, onyx, and tourmaline sparkled in the sunlight. Freestanding sculptures gilded in gold along with stone benches gave the area the feel of a formal garden, one designed more for the appearance of mourning rather than actually memorializing lost family.
The crowd parted, allowing Baris to approach. As king and as Joie’s mate, it was his right to place the first mourning stone. The captain of the royal guards tensed, prepared to protest that Baris should not follow the priest wielding the ritual knife.
“Stand down,” he murmured.
The guard spoke not a word, but her entire posture shouted that she disagreed. He could only imagine what his brother, Prince Vekele, would say, watching from the ship in orbit. Something colorful and sharp, cursing Baris and all the stars that failed to gift the king a sense of self-preservation.
Baris approached the cliff face, feeling the gaze of the crowd on him. It was a blistering animosity, the kind born from generations of betrayal and schemes. Despite this, he remained confident that the Starshades would refrain from foolishness that day. The media was there, broadcasting the event. The royal guards were on the ground and the military surrounded the planet. If events were to take an unfortunate turn while Baris was on the planet’s surface, they would not survive the retaliation. It was brutal and inelegant but effective.
Baris placed a stone next to Joie’s urn, his hand covering the stone as he lingered. He had not known Joie well and had only spoken to her a handful of times before exchanging vows. It was a political match. She understood that. Love was not part of the equation. He wished he could list her virtues, praise her intelligence, but he knew very little of her. Initially, he had hoped to fix that with time and even believed that they could grow fond of each other.
The treasonous actions of her family and her silence, despite knowing the plot to abduct Baris, ruined any hope of building a relationship. He could never trust her, and how could he ever hope to grow fond—let alone love—someone he could not trust? He wanted so little, and yet even that had been too much to ask. His brother, Prince Vekele, loved his mate. Baris knew that was not his fate.
With a sigh, Baris mentally scolded himself for allowing his thoughts to be centered on his unrest rather than the tragedy of Joie Starshade’s life. He had not known her well, but he knew she was compassionate. She begged for his mercy for herself and her family, for as much as good that did her. Her exile along with her family while he quelled the rebellion and rooted out the traitors had been an act of mercy.
No more compassion.
Baris removed his hand, revealing a common diamond with perfect clarity. Colorless. Lifeless. A gem fit for a traitorous queen. The sun caught the gemstone, shining in the light.
A gasp went through the crowd at the insult. Baris was beyond caring. They were hypocrites, clutching their onyx and jet stones, symbolizing the deepest of mourning and loss. No doubt each stone cost a fortune, enough to refurbish one of the kingdom’s aging starships. Instead of using their fortune to elevate their house and return to the stars, the Starshades waste it on an ostentatious show of grief over a female they murdered.
Murdered. He was sure of it. The family claimed it was a sudden illness that struck without warning.
He had initially attempted to bring Joie’s body back to Farhaven, the capital, under the guise of a lavish memorial, but he wanted the opportunity to have his medics examine her. The family refused. They were exiled to their home planet, unable to leave to observe the proper memorial rites. Joie’s body would remain with the rest of her kin in the family plot.
Conveniently, she was cremated to reduce possible “contagion” before Baris could arrive or any outside medic could determine the cause of death.
Anger steadily grew inside his chest. Truthfully, anger had been brewing for a long time. Months. He had tried to be reasonable. Had tried to be benevolent and rise above the endless hostility between their houses. They were family, after all. Two branches of the same royal blood. Baris’ union with Joie was meant to forge peace and bind the warring houses together, a union they readily agreed to.
Did the Starshades share his vision? No.
Baris reached for the carved karu to the right of the niche, its wings spread in flight, and pressed his hand to the body of the karu. The gesture was a sign of respect to the sacred creature, but it also allowed the crowd to take in his injury. As a wedding gift, Baris was given a conspiracy, the murder of his bonded karu, and had his right thumb removed.
Every day, he felt the pain of the loss of his karu. His bonded companion since he was ten years old, they had over three decades together. They knew each other’s thoughts and moods through the bond. As isolating as the crown was, Baris had never truly been alone. There was not another being he trusted more, and that had been taken from him.
He was done appeasing. The Starshades would learn the consequences of their choices. They deserved everything they had coming.
“Prepare the ship. We leave immediately,” Baris ordered, his guards following him as he marched through the sculpture garden, away from the funeral. A narrow path led up the steep sides, out of the gorge, where the ship waited.
A younger male intercepted Baris, barring his path. Kasim Starshade, Joie’s brother. “Your Majesty will not stay for dinner? We’ve prepared an impressive feast to honor the queen,” he said, bowing to give the proper deference. Despite the show of politeness, there was a sharpness to his bearing. Ambition.
“My presence is honor enough.”
“Of course, Your Majesty, but I had hoped to speak with you about a delicate matter.” Kasim’s voice lowered, keeping the conversation as private as possible. “Forgive my boldness, but there is the matter of the queen.”
“The queen is dead.”
“And I am bereft at the loss of my sister, but Joie was practical. She would understand the need for a new queen.”
Baris blinked, first his front eyes and then the side. The audacity…
“Your sister’s ashes are not even cold.”
“As I said, a delicate matter,” Kasim said.
“Typically, one requests an audience through my aide,” Baris said, his voice growing cold. He tired of these games, but he was so good at them. “Considering the delicate matter, one should observe a respectable period of mourning. A year would do, but I don’t have to remind you of etiquette. Anything less, and people will gossip at how ghoulishly you used the queen’s tragic passing for your political ambition.”
