“And the others?”
“Forgotten. Lost. The leaders of the various kingdoms destroyed all written record of the other stones. We commissioned new tales, new songs, new works of art. A thousand years passed, and the world forgot about the stones. They didn’t even exist in the realm of myth.”
“And the Godstone of Erya essentially became bait for any and all who wanted to steal its power.”
Noemi nodded. “Yes, but we’d all agreed to support Erya and her king or queen. We would all fight to protect the Godstone.”
Anger started to bubble up in Caelan again and he clenched his fists at his sides. “Who knows about the godstones? All of them.”
“We believe only the leaders of the kingdoms who possess godstones are aware of them and their locations.”
Caelan lurched to his feet. “Then what happened? Where was our support? Why is my mother dead and the stone stolen?” His voice lifted to a trembling shout at the end. He was trying not to shout, but he felt betrayed by the people who were supposed to support his mother. To his surprise, Rayne didn’t try to calm him. The muscle in Rayne’s jaw jumped and flexed as if he were barely holding back similar words.
“The Empire surprised us all. When New Rosanthe slowly conquered Damardor and Uris-Oladul, we thought the Emperor was interested in only more land, more people. Neither country has ever possessed a godstone.” Noemi shook her head, her hands fisted together in her lap. “When the Empire crawled like a snake on its belly into Caspagir, when we heard rumors that the Empire was amassing along the border of Ilon, we started to worry that the Emperor had somehow discovered that stones were hidden there.”
“Ilon has a godstone?” Rayne gasped.
“You thought the Emperor would go after one of the hidden ones, one that might not be as heavily guarded,” Caelan finished dully.
Noemi drew a shuddering breath. “Amara sent much of her army south to Ilon to protect the kingdom and the stone.”
“And you kept your soldiers here in Sirelis, trained on the lighthouse.”
The queen shook her head and rapidly blinked her eyes as if fighting tears. “We thought an attack on Erya was possible, but not the Emperor’s first choice. We were wrong.”
Caelan shoved both of his hands into his hair and paced away from the table. He didn’t know what to think or feel. He understood their logic. Considering the actions of the Empire in the past, he would have thought the same thing, but the angry, irrational part of his brain was still demanding to know why no one was there to stop them, why his mother had died and the stone taken.
“I’m so very sorry, Caelan,” Noemi whispered, tears choking her voice.
He stiffly nodded. He didn’t want her apologies. There was no mistaking that she was in pain, missing the close friend she’d once had in Amara. Noemi would have done anything to protect Amara.
“The godstones,” he started and then paused to clear his throat. “What can you tell me? Or can you tell me anything?”
“I can tell you everything I know, which isn’t as much as I wish it was,” the queen said. She delicately sniffed, her eyes still glistening.
Taking in a deep breath, Caelan returned to his seat. He couldn’t afford to cling to his anger and ask questions about why certain actions were taken. None of it would help them now. It was too late to save his mother, but he was hoping that it wasn’t too late to save Erya.
As Caelan sat, Rayne surprised him by rising to his feet. “I feel that it may be best, Prince Caelan, if I leave now.”
“No.” He reached across the table toward Rayne but locked his eyes on Noemi. “Everything you say to me can be said to Lord Rayne Laurent as well. He is my advisor. I trust him with all my secrets and trust him with the future of Erya. If something happens to me, I know that he will carry on in my place.”
Noemi nodded and regarded him with such a glow of pride that Caelan almost had to look away in embarrassment. But he meant it. He trusted Rayne with his life and the future of Erya.
Noemi turned her smile over to Rayne. “There are few besides the kings and queens who know the secrets of the stones, but I think you are worthy of those secrets.”
Rayne bowed deeply to both of them before resuming his seat. “I am honored,” he whispered. His advisor was masking it well, but Caelan swore he saw a mix of excitement and pride buzzing through his tense form as he leaned forward, practically balanced on the edge of his seat.
“As you know, the first is the Godstone in Erya, but it is more accurately called the Life Stone since it holds the Goddess of Life,” Noemi started.