Betrayals

By Cindy Huelat

In this fourth installment of the Ramlass of Aldaldia series, the lords of the Twenty United Lands converge on Aldaldia to meet with the queen of Amek to decide whether to initiate a trade agreement with the island kingdom. They gather as well to pass judgment on Ramlass’ cousin, whose connivances the previous year bordered on treason. These events are enough to put Ramlass on edge, but when a stranger from Beth’s world shows up as well, things spiral out of control.
Beth finds herself confronted by a dark reminder from her past, a former lover who used and betrayed her. She suspects that his presence will prove dangerous for this fragile world she’s adopted as her own and knows that he would willingly destroy it just to strike at her. When he escapes the tower where Ramlass has imprisoned him for the duration of the council, Beth throws caution to the wind to pursue him and stop him before he can reach the portal and return to his world.
Ramlass finds himself caught in a maelstrom of situations, thinking that his wife has been abducted by the interloper. In the meanwhile, the representatives of the Twenty Lands continue to descend on Aldaldia with agendas of their own, as well as the entourage from Amek. Already preoccupied by his fear for Beth, Ramlass learns things he’d rather not know, dark secrets and betrayals in his own past.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cindy Huelat
• Release date: Jan 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005941604

Cindy Huelat

Born and raised in northwestern Pennsylvania, Cindy Huelat has lived in Shreveport, LA, Rapid City, SD and Hudson, WI before settling in Loveland, CO. She and her husband Brian raised three sons and now have three grandchildren as well. Cindy enjoys hiking in the Colorado Rockies with her two dogs or boating on one of the pristine mountain lakes.

Book preview

BETRAYALS

Copyright 2022 Cindy Huelat

Published by Cindy Huelat at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

About the Author

Other Titles

PROLOGUE

The first thing he noticed was the cold.

He braced on his arms and pushed himself into a sitting position. Rocks gouged his palms. Grit stung his eyes, making them tear. He spent a few minutes blinking and wiping them until they cleared, and then he rubbed his face as he tried to clear his head. At last he squinted around himself and wondered where he was. He took in the dim cave where chilly light spilled through a wide opening and shivered despite his heavy jacket and orange vest. His breath misted. Slowly, memory returned to him.

He’d awakened before dawn on the first day of hunting season, as he habitually did. He didn’t waste time on hunting camps and drunken buddies, not for the first day of deer season. He took the sport seriously and he always got his buck. He spent much of his spare time hiking through the woods in the area where he’d grown up. He noted animal trails and the places where wild fowl nested, filing information away for the various game seasons. He loved to hunt all kinds of game but deer season bordered on a holy day in his mind. Nothing beat the thrill of taking down a large animal. He saved his money for a long dreamed-of trip out west to hunt real game.

Early that morning, he parked on the shoulder of a back road and trekked through the thick, bare woods, looking for sign of his quarry. He passed through meadows where he’d spent summer evenings watching deer grazing in the long, warm dusk while insects buzzed around. The grasses had long since died and the leaves fallen to lie underfoot. No snow fell yet, which disappointed him. Tracking proved much easier when animals left footprints. Still, he considered himself a skilled hunter, undaunted by that small setback. However, he spent this morning trudging through undergrowth and hiding among thick brush without seeing a thing. He climbed a tree at the edge of another likely clearing and rested among its branches for awhile, hoping for a deer to pass through.

By noon he crested a ridge and found himself overlooking a vista of rolling hills and farmland. The trail he followed widened into a small clearing, narrow and crowded with brush. As he scanned the area, he noted an old mine entrance set into the hillside that rose sharply above him. It lay hidden among the overgrowth, its mouth long since fallen in and blocked with boulders. He examined it briefly in curiosity before settling on a rock and taking a sandwich from one of his capacious jacket pockets. The morning’s hike had flattened it somewhat, but he unwrapped it and wolfed it down, washing it with a swig of water. He stuffed the plastic wrapper into his pocket and gazed out at the land spread below. A farmhouse lay almost directly below him, maybe two miles away on foot. A garage flanked it and a barn stood behind it. A set of pine trees crowded the entrance to the driveway. He found the house slightly familiar and studied it, trying to decide why.

Realization dawned on him, and he wondered how he could have forgotten. He’d parked in that driveway a time or two, back in his high school days. He shook his head as he remembered that drama. He’d dated a girl who lived there. He’d only taken her out a few times, but when she came up missing a few months later, the police had scrutinized him closely. She and her friend had vanished without a trace from a house that had been ransacked by their abductors. No one ever found out what had happened to them. Apparently some of the kids had spread rumors about him, exaggerating how he’d treated her, causing the police to wonder if he’d had anything to do with her disappearance. The furor died down eventually. As the quarterback for the varsity football team and senior class valedictorian, any suspicions about him died quietly, and his life went on.

Dismissing the memory, he turned his attention back to the old mine. The day was a bust, he admitted to himself. The likelihood of finding a deer by now grew slim. He decided that he might as well indulge his curiosity. He set his rifle aside and pulled away brush until he exposed the entrance. The beams that formed the mouth remained intact but as he peered within he noted that some of the inner support beams had collapsed. He stepped within and began to dislodge a few of the large rocks that blocked the passage, and a faint breath of frigid air touched his face. He reached a hand toward the dark hollow and noted the current with satisfaction. Taking a flashlight from an inner pocket, he shined the beam deep into the passage on the other side of the fallen rocks, searching for some sort of vent hole that would bring fresh air into the shaft.

He continued to clear away debris, caught up in his task until he’d made a passage large enough to crawl through. He stopped at last to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his forehead as he observed his handiwork. He swigged water and stepped back out of the mine to retrieve his gun, pausing to glance at the vista spread below once again. Exploring the mine was foolhardy, he told himself. No one knew where he’d gone. He’d left his truck miles away. If the shaft caved, he could be trapped forever. Curiosity proved a strong impetus, however. He’d return home empty-handed, wasting a vacation day from work for nothing. He might as well engage in a little adventure before giving up for the day.

He checked his cell phone, reassured to note a couple of bars of coverage, and tested the flashlight once again before slinging his rifle on his back. He wormed his way past the larger boulders and felt the breath of cold, fresh air once again, a little stronger this time. He surmised that he could find the other entrance easily. Maybe it would lead to the other side of the ridge and save him a few miles of walking. As he made his way along the dark passage, exploring by the light of his LED flashlight, the next gust of wind took him by surprise. This time it shoved him from behind rather than whispering and luring from in front. The strength of it shocked him, and he hesitated to glance back at the faint light spilling through the hole he’d made. He wondered if a storm impended. He thought to turn back and check the weather when another sharp gust blew through, nearly taking him from his feet. He spun, momentarily disoriented, and it grew into a gale that stole his breath and crushed him until everything faded into utter darkness.

Now he found himself still within the mineshaft but it appeared to be swept clean. No fallen debris or heavy boulders littered the passage, and the entrance stood wide open, allowing light to filter. He climbed to his feet, feeling cold and stiff, and looked around for his gun and his flashlight. Both lay nearby. The flashlight remained lit although the beam now looked weak. He turned it off to conserve the battery and slid it into a pocket. He inspected his rifle and made sure of the safety before slinging it over his shoulder. He made his way to the mine entrance and stopped dead.

The rolling hills and farmland had vanished. He found himself looking out across a deep valley, at an elevation far higher than the hills he’d roamed. Tall pines thickly covered the ridge beyond. Snow lay in ravines and shaded areas. A narrow path, also snow-covered, led down the steep declivity leading from the cave entrance. Through the pines and the bare brush he glimpsed a narrow stream far below, its banks rimed with ice. He turned back in confusion and peered into the darkness of the cave with its secrets hidden in its depths. Almost, he thought to see if he could find his way back to the familiar woods. On impulse, he slapped at his jacket pockets until he located his cell phone. As the screen came alive, its ordinary familiarity reassured him. He noted several bars of service, and opened his contacts. Selecting a name, he texted a message that he might be a little late and then put the phone away. Making sure of the gun once again, he squared his shoulders and set off along the path leading down.

CHAPTER ONE

Soft footfalls roused Beth from a deep slumber. She grew aware of someone in the room but kept her eyes closed, hoping whoever it was would go away and let her drift back into oblivion. Instead, the creak of a shutter preceded a ray of daylight that fell directly across her and shone into her face. Red washed the insides of her eyelids, reminding her of blood, which brought to mind the memory she wanted to hide from. She turned her face back into shadow and muttered in disgruntlement, Leave it. I want them closed.

She’d thought that Jamina had crept into the room and attempted to entice her with the daylight. Instead, a weight settled on the side of the bed as a body joined her, and Ramlass asked quietly, How feel thou today?

I’m fine. I’m just a little tired. Let me sleep. Beth knew her tone sounded waspish, and that he asked out of true concern. She just found it so hard to pretend, lately, to act as if nothing had happened just so Ramlass wouldn’t worry. It seemed so much easier to sleep. In the dark oblivion of her room she could forget her sadness.

A hand touched her face gently, brushing the tangled hair back. She wanted to tell him to leave her alone but knew the gesture was meant to comfort. She kept the words inside, finding it easier to not say anything. His lips followed, a tender kiss on her brow that made sudden tears fill her eyes, leaking from between her closed eyelids.

Sleep a little longer, Ramlass murmured. But I shall wake thee in a little while. Thou need to eat something, and Tobin misses thee. I promised him that thou would spend time with him today. Please, Beth.

Tobin. The mention of her precocious little boy made Beth’s heart ache. She knew, somewhere beyond the sorrow that she tried to hide from, that her withdrawal hurt her child and her husband. She wiped at her face and opened her eyes with an effort to see Ramlass gazing down at her with the worried look he wore so often lately. She nodded. I will. I promise. You’ll come back and get me?

He smiled as if heartened by her reaction. I shall do better than that. I shall bring Tobin with me.

She nodded. All right. Just give me a little time. But go get Tobin and come back.

He leaned to kiss her once again before rising. Beth allowed her eyes to follow him to the door. Alone again, she drifted, feeling the pull of the comforting darkness call to her. With a monumental effort, she sat up and pushed away the covers, determined to be dressed and groomed when Ramlass returned.

###

Ramlass moved slowly down the hall with his head lowered and his heart heavy. His worry for Beth gnawed at him constantly, at a time when he could little afford the distraction. Winter had faded away and spring arrived in all its glory. The trees along the river and spreading over the rolling hills surrounding the Castle of Aldaldia flushed with new green as they put out their first buds. The nights still grew chilly but the sun warmed the air in the daytime. Farmers prepared their fields for planting. Soon the council of the Twenty United Lands would gather, and the queen of Amek, the island kingdom to the north of the Twenty Lands, would set sail to meet with the council.

Ramlass had planned for this the past year. He and Beth together prepared, laying in supplies to feed the masses that would descend on them. The sheer expense of food alone proved enough to bankrupt him, but all would be justified if the council chose to form a trade agreement with Amek. He’d consulted with his vassals and advisors to determine how to house the lords and their retinues. He’d hired locals to build additional fences on the pasturage surrounding the castle, intended for the influx of horses. He’d spent long nights worrying that he’d forgotten some vital detail.

He’d spent much time worrying about the other reason the council gathered as well. He and four other lands had formed an official quorum to bring his own cousin to trial for treason. While he and Beth traveled to Amek the year before to meet with Queen Amesica and discuss the possibility of a treaty, Beneric had secretly reached out to certain lands he thought would hold a grudge against Aldaldia or Ramlass himself, seeking to incite outrage and depose Ramlass. The plot had failed but Ramlass still felt uncertain that he could trust some of the members of the quorum to support him before the council. Despite everything his cousin had done since the death of Ramlass’ father in his bid to inherit the lordship, Ramlass still harbored doubts that he did the right thing.

All of this weighed on him the closer it all came to fruition, but he hadn’t expected the recent tragedy that caused Beth to withdraw. Lately, she closed herself off more than she had in those first weeks when she’d showed up at the castle gate after banishing the Dark Lord. Then, she’d struggled with the aftermath of having the Dark Lord invade her mind and attempt to subvert her. She’d felt guilt for almost succumbing to his temptations. But she’d slowly emerged from it all, taking an interest in the land she found herself in. This time she simply closed everyone out of her life, shutting herself away in her dark room and sleeping to forget. It made his heart ache for her and with loneliness, but it also worried him deeply that she wouldn’t be able to pull herself out of it before the lords descended on them.

She’d agreed to see Tobin, he reminded himself hopefully. That was a good sign. Even her love for her small son hadn’t proved enough to rouse her on some days. Abruptly, Ramlass raised his head and turned toward the nursery, intending to make sure that Jamina, Tobin’s nursemaid, had the boy clean and ready to join his mother.

###

Kini poised on a rock by the edge of the stream with her spear balanced in her hand. She kept to the shadows of the trees that overhung the water so that her own movements would not alarm the fish. The clear water slid over some rocks and into a deeper, sheltered pool on its way to meet the Great River, far in the distance. The fish tended to shelter there among the vegetation. She held perfectly still, her bare feet sure upon the smooth grey rock while the faint breeze toyed with her long braids. She ignored the insects that buzzed about her head. Smaller fish swam and darted between the cattails, pecking at the pebbles covering the stream bed. Kini paid them no attention, intent on a better prize. At last one swam into her view and she tensed, her small fist tightening on her weapon. The smaller fish dove for the protection of the weeds. Kini waited intently for the right moment and then stabbed with her spear. She lifted it out of the water with the large trout hanging from its barbed end, eyeing it with satisfaction. This would make a nice supper for her and the Watcher, she decided. It would suffice. Unconsciously, she gave a nod to the smaller denizens hiding in the pool and slung the spear over her shoulder. She stepped from the rock to the grassy bank and took her knife from her belt to begin cleaning her prize.

Lord Ramlass and Lady Beth brought Grandfather to meet the Watcher last fall, during harvest time when the farmers worked busily to bring in the last of their summer’s bounty and the leaves began to turn in a hundred bright colors. Kini had decided to accompany them, bored with the castle routine. They had visited for several days, living in large canvas tents and cooking over open fires, while Grandfather and the mysterious seeress consulted with one another. Kini knew that they discussed Tobin, among other things. The young prince displayed increasingly mystic talents, and Beth and Ramlass both grew concerned about the best way to handle them. The adults’ serious conversations didn’t faze either her or Tobin, however, as they played and explored the woods.

When the time came to return to the castle, Kini decided that she didn’t want to. She said nothing as the tents were loaded onto the pack animals but she felt the Watcher’s kind, knowing gaze upon her. Grandfather, she knew, preferred the comfort and safety of castle life. He grew more frail with the passing years, and sleeping upon the hard ground proved detrimental to his brittle bones. He enjoyed being surrounded by so many people, and could be found in long conversations with servants and soldiers. He spent hours in discussion with the blacksmith, and wandered the market almost daily, asking questions and comparing notes. The apothecary proved a favorite of his, and the two spent much time together, sharing remedies. The people seemed to accept him without question despite his heritage or the memory of what they’d suffered at the hands of Kelarnigelians. But Grandfather won everyone over that way, Kini realized. His open friendliness tended to overcome prejudices. Only his own people proved resistant to that charm.

She, on the other hand, found castle life oppressive. Too many people, too much gossip and whispering. No one threatened her or showed her any hostility, but she still sensed the uncertainty that didn’t seem present around Grandfather. She knew that Lord Ramlass wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect. Her loyalty to him remained deep and untarnished. She’d loved him from the moment she saw him kneeling by a pool near her home in Kelarnigel, but it was his kindness and understanding that earned her unflagging dedication. She understood that he gave his love to Beth with the same whole-heartedness, and knew she was too young anyway. She couldn’t resent Beth for it, however. Beth showed her nothing but kindness and understanding as well, sometimes comprehending how Kini felt even more than Ramlass did. Kini suspected that she experienced the same uncertainty among the Aldaldians, not only as a foreigner but as a magic-wielder in the minds of the populace. The people respected her but Kini still heard rumors of her exploits when she’d first come to this land, recognizing awe and a certain amount of fear in the low voices that spoke of these things.

On that morning, Kini found that it was Beth who recognized her longing and the unspoken invitation extended by the Watcher. Ramlass seemed worried about leaving her there, which touched Kini’s young heart and only made her love him more. Grandfather gave his approval but looked sad at the prospect of losing his granddaughter to the forest seeress. He’d already lost his grandson to the siren call of the sea. Markam now sailed for the Amekian queen, learning the intricacies of guiding a trading ship. Beth had reassured them both, stating that no one could protect her better than the Watcher and pointing out that the things she could learn suited her. Kini’s gratitude swelled. She felt she would do anything for the pragmatic woman who held Ramlass’ heart.

Kini discovered a deep, abiding love for the verdant forest where the Watcher resided. She’d enjoyed hunting in the woods that surrounded the farm where she grew up on Kelarnigel. She’d even enjoyed the hard work on the farm more than she ever had going into town and taking lessons with the village holy man. She’d dreaded the taunts of the village children, who mocked her for her mother’s abandonment and her grandfather’s abolitionist views on slavery. She’d hated the holy man and other adults that spoke ill of her gentle, wise grandfather. She preferred the solitude of the woods and streams, where she gleaned food to bring home. But the woods of the island of Kelarnigel were thin, surrounded by towns and farms. The forests she now roamed, feeling perfectly at home, spread wide and deep. She encountered wildlife she had never seen before. The Watcher taught her their names and explained their nature. They spent days together watching birds, and she learned to predict the weather by their actions. The Watcher taught her the plants that surrounded them and their properties, much as Grandfather had during her childhood. The Watcher also taught her to respect these things, to take only what she needed, and to protect or replenish when she could. Kini found herself undaunted by the winter snows and spring rains, and spent day after day without seeing any other people. On occasion, even the Watcher left her to her own devices, vanishing into the woods on what Kini assumed were magical pilgrimages.

Twice, Ramlass made the day’s journey to visit and to check on her. He brought written messages from Grandfather and treats that Jamina, Beth’s companion, made for her. Her heart always turned over in pleasure when he would appear, accompanied by his advisor Taugon and a soldier. She knew that Taugon once lived within these woods as well, hunting and trapping game, and she listened avidly to any advice he offered. During the last visit, Ramlass reminded her that Markam would come soon, accompanying the queen of Amek when she met with the council of the Twenty Lands to discuss a trade agreement.

As she cleaned her fish, Kini realized that many days had passed since that visit, perhaps a fortnight’s worth, and that she should consider making the journey to the castle. She didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see her brother. Her heart beat harder with a strange mixture of anticipation and anxiety. She knew how to find her way there alone. She knew of a trail used by woodcutters and farmers that would lead toward the Western Road that ran directly to the Castle of Aldaldia. She feared nothing within the woods or that she might meet upon the path. She looked forward to being close to Ramlass again, to feel his gentle regard, and to Beth’s and Jamina’s companionship. She couldn’t wait to play with Tobin and show him some of the things she’d learned. Most of all, she wanted to be with her grandfather and her brother, to hug them and talk to them and bask in their familiarity and love. The anxiety must come from her dread of being surrounded by people again, she decided. The suffocating presence of so many that she remained unsure of, the suspicion that she felt must always reside in the backs of their minds.

She would ask the Watcher if she could return, she decided nervously. She feared that the seeress would say no, prizing her own solitude. If so, Kini decided that she would ask Taugon if she could stay in his home. She knew that he’d lived in a hovel somewhere on the edge of the Watcher’s protected forest and that he still held possession of it although he seldom returned to it. She would offer to clean it up and make any repairs, just as Grandfather had taught her and Markam on their farm. She could prowl the woods at will and even visit the Watcher from time to time. She could bring her food, as Taugon had in his day. The plan appealed to her, and as she thought it over she grew confident that Taugon would approve, maybe even appreciate her offer. She’d often wondered how he could have borne giving up his life to serve at the castle, even if it meant serving at Ramlass’ side.

She wrapped the filleted fish in fresh green leaves and washed up in the stream, away from the pool. Sliding the spear into a sort of quiver she’d constructed from a hide strap, she slung it on her back and bore her prize carefully back to the Watcher’s camp. An enormous tree dominated the meadow where the seeress lived, hollowed into a small cave. Kini preferred to sleep under the stars unless it rained or snowed, but had shared that shelter on many cold nights. She recognized the advantage of living with a sorceress who could conjure fire even in inclement weather. Taugon’s hut boasted a hearth, she felt sure, and she entertained a brief fantasy of a cozy space that she could make her own.

The Watcher leaned over a pot suspended over her firepit, stirring the contents within. A sweet scent filled the air, and Kini’s mouth watered in anticipation. The ageless sorceress looked up at her approach and smiled. Her scarred face had frightened Kini the first time they met, but now she no longer noticed the ancient evidence of a long-ago fire that had seared the face and twisted the long, slender fingers. The seeress seemed ageless, at once ancient and yet so vital. Kini had spent long nights watching that benevolent face in the firelight and wondering what long-ago event had left its mark there.

I found some wild strawberries, The Watcher commented now, noting Kini’s hunger. I’m making jam with last fall’s honey. We still have some rice left, and we shall pour the jam over it for a treat. I see thou brought something for dinner as well.

Trout, Kini announced proudly. She lifted a leaf to show the other the fillets before wrapping them back up. I’ll put them in the coals now to cook. Using a seasoned stick whittled into a tool, she dug into the outer coals and buried the fish under ashes where the green leaves would smoke but not catch fire. She stood and breathed in the tempting scent again.

A small feast, the Watcher commented approvingly. She smiled at Kini fondly. "And an early morning tomorrow to begin thy