Calliope [Book 2]

Mido and Lily galloped across the kingdom as the gray-blue clouds broke open. The rain fell heavily as they traveled; thunder rolled in the distance and echoed through the valley. Mido could barely see through the sleet of rain, but he pushed Lily on. His hair plastered against his face and rain dripped over his eyelashes and into his eyes. He wiped his arm across his face in an attempt to clear his vision for a moment. Lily huffed as she galloped on through the approaching storm. By the time they reached Alryn’s walls, the storm was just above the kingdom, thundering loudly in warning of his approach.

Mido watched as they neared, the city’s guards coming into view. They stood their ground, waiting to greet the visitor, but as Mido and Lily drew closer, they recognized the banished man. They yelled to one another in an attempt to keep Mido out, but Lily was quicker. Mido bent low to Lily’s neck as she galloped under the closing gate and into the city. Mido patted her neck, encouraging her on until they reached the castle grounds, where the guards were on full alert, awaiting their arrival, swords in their hands.

Lily pushed passed them and towards the castle. Mido slid off her back quickly as she began to slow and he sprinted away from the approaching guards and dodged the ones who ran toward him from the castle. He slipped running up the stone steps but caught himself just in time to burst through the large, double doors and into the castle’s familiar walls.

Prince Lucas spun around from in the throne room, surprised by the intrusion. He watched as four guards appeared behind the intruder, grabbing at his arms and pushing him onto his knees. The intruder looked up at him and Prince Lucas immediately recognized his old friend and trainer.

“Mido!” he shouted. He started to run forward but stopped himself. He turned to his father searching for a reaction.

The king and queen turned anxiously, their eyes on Mido. “What the hell is this?” the king barked. He turned away from his wife, who stared in disbelief at the sight before them.

Prince Lucas watched as his father marched across the throne room, his face red with anger. He stepped forward, as if to prevent his furious father from banishing Mido once more, but King Sloan said nothing for a long moment.

The guards pulled Mido back, but Mido struggled against their grip. He glared at the king between wet strands of hair, waiting for King Sloan’s next move.

His men had only just left in search of Mido. It was clear that Mido came back without knowing of King Sloan’s request to bring him back. But he would not swallow his pride any longer. He refused to let Mido believe that he needed him to help him end this war.

“You dare have the nerve to return to my kingdom?” he shouted.

“Sloan!” Mido barked at him. “Don’t do this!”

“Let him stay,” Prince Lucas shouted to his father.

“Stay out of this, Lucas,” his father hissed.

“Get your hands off of him this instance!” the young prince shouted at the guards.

“You are not this kingdom’s ruler,” King Sloan spat at his son.

“In your absence, I am,” Prince Lucas corrected him.

“And I am not absent now, am I?” King Sloan sneered at his son. The guards hesitated, watching as the two men barked to each other, their grip still hard on Mido.

“You haven’t even told us why you’re here,” Prince Lucas said. “You’re a fool to banish him. He wouldn’t be here unless he needed us.”

King Sloan was quiet. He turned his attention to Mido, his brows knit together and his eyes furious. He had hoped that his men would bring Mido back to him, but there was something else that brought Mido into the kingdom, still technically a banished man.

“What do you want?” he muttered to his intruder.

Mido suddenly felt weak and helpless under the king’s stare. “I need help,” Mido said quietly.

“My kingdom is about to crumble,” King Sloan said, raising his voice. “And you think you can just waltz on in and ask for me help?”

“Sloan,” Melinda spoke up, her voice quiet.

“Well, what the hell do you need from me?” King Sloan roared, growing more and more furious.

Mido swallowed hard. “Calliope.”

“For the love of God,” King Sloan shouted. His voice echoed off the stone walls. “I don’t have time for this shit, Mido!”

“Sloan, stop it,” Melinda shouted to her husband.

“Calliope is your responsibility, Mido.”

King Sloan’s advisor, upon hearing the arrival of Mido, hurried into the throne room, his eyes darting back and forth between his king and the banished man.

“What are you doing?” the advisor hissed to the king. “Release him.”

All eyes turned to King Sloan and his advisor. The air thickened with tension as the king and his advisor stared each other down.

“He’s here,” the man reminded his ruler. “And that’s what you needed.”

King Sloan’s blood boiled with rage. His hands shook, but he said nothing. His advisor was right; he was being foolish, but he wanted nothing more than to make Mido pay for his betrayal. He didn’t want him to be welcomed back so graciously. It wasn’t right.

“Release him,” King Sloan muttered. The guards released their hold, but stood close, ready to defend the royal family.

“That’s enough of this nonsense,” Melinda said, her voice calm and steady, but her heart raced. “You need to talk to him.”

King Sloan turned away from Mido, his eyes on his wife. He said nothing.

“Leave us,” Melinda instructed the guards. “Mido is home. He will not be banished from this kingdom again.”

King Sloan was still silent, his eyes on his wife. Prince Lucas watched his father quietly, then turned to Mido, smiling. Mido did not return the young man’s smile. His eyes were hard on King Sloan. The guards left them alone, returning to their posts outside of the castle walls.

“What is this about?” Mido asked.

Melinda turned to her husband, hesitant. King Sloan watched them carefully.

“Lucas, get out of here,” he said to his son, not meeting his gaze. Lucas turned to his mother. Melinda nodded to her son, and the young prince showed himself out of the throne room.

“I came back,” King Sloan began, “to send my men to find Mido.” He narrowed his eyes at Mido as he continued. “But they only just left. You, Mido, came here on your own, disobeying my commands.”

King Sloan felt his queen’s eyes on him. She realized now that King Sloan was just about to tell her of his decision to find Mido when he bursted into the castle.

“What do you want with me?” Mido grew anxious. He wanted to be out in the kingdom searching for Calliope, but he was stunned by the turn of events that took place before him. Not only had he gotten to King Sloan without being thrown in the dungeons, but his banishment was lifted. In fact, it was King Sloan that needed him. His mind raced as King Sloan continued.

“Something has been brought to my attention,” King Sloan said slowly, hesitant. “And while we have no proof, it’s something you should know.”

Mido waited. His eyes darted between the king and the queen.

“What?” he said simply, at a loss for words.

King Sloan hesitated again and turned to his wife.

“Mido,” she began. “Upon your banishment, an old woman came to us, begging for your return.” She paused. Mido waited.

“She was there when your mother gave birth to you,” King Sloan said.

Mido raised an eyebrow and waited.

“Your mother died giving birth to you,” Melinda said.

“What are you talking about?” Mido knit his brows together.

“The old woman brought you to Avery and Esme, the people you knew to be your parents.”

Mido narrowed his eyes at the king as he spoke.

“I knew your mother very well, a long time ago,” King Sloan said carefully.

Mido waited. “What are you saying?”

“It’s possible-” Melinda began.

“Dammit, Mido, you’re a bastard.”

“What?” Mido stared at the king, unsure of what to make of the situation. He thought about what he was just told and a thought took shape in his mind. “You’re my father?”

“Well, there’s no way to know for sure.”

“What the fuck?” Mido shouted. “What are you trying to pull?”

“Mido,” Melinda began. “There’s more.”

“More?” Mido shouted.

“Your mother was a cousin to King Rowan’s mother, Kaya,” she said.

Mido was quiet; stunned. He gawked as King Sloan continued.

“You need to take the throne in Asmar and end this war.”

Mido said nothing. His stomach twisted and his mind raced.

“Mido,” Melinda said quietly. “The kingdom needs their king, and you are the rightful heir.”

“No,” Mido choked out. He wasn’t related to that wretched King Rowan. He couldn’t be.

“You don’t have a choice,” King Sloan hissed.

“No. This isn’t true. You have no proof. No one in Asmar will believe you. They will not take me as their king. And frankly, I don’t believe you.”

“I will drag you there and put you on that throne myself,” King Sloan threatened him. “I will strap you down into that damned chair and you will sit there until the day you die.”

“All right,” Mido said slowly, carefully plotting his next move. “And as king, I will make sure you pay the consequences for abandoning your son.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mido.”

Mido approached the king confidently. He grasped at his shirt tightly, pulling him closer.

“You want an end to this war?” Mido hissed in his face. “Fine. But when, and only when, you help me find Calliope. I shall need a queen at my side.” Mido released his grip, pushing Sloan back as he did so. He stood his ground, waiting for the king’s command to throw him in the dungeons.

King Sloan narrowed his eyes at Mido. “I do not have the resources to help you,” he said. “I’m losing my kingdom, Mido. My focus is on this war.”

Mido turned away. “Then I guess you will see your kingdom fall.”

“Mido, don’t do this,” Melinda begged. “I know you’re angry. But don’t do this for us. Do this for Librona, your home. For Calliope, for she may never find anywhere that will accept her. For Lucas and Fallon and Tianna. Please, Mido.”

Mido hesitated. Melinda was right; he couldn’t bear to see those innocent children lose their home because of his selfish choice.

“And how do you suppose we convince Asmar to accept me?” Mido asked over his shoulder.

“I believe you have a mark on your leg, no?”

“A mark?”

“A mark of the royal family. Asmar had placed this mark on their children for many years.”

“I am no child of the royal family.”

“The old woman insisted you have this mark.”

Melinda brought a piece of parchment to Mido. On the old, worn page was an image; an image of the letter A inside of a circle. Mido’s heart stopped; he had hoped to take the throne, only to find out after Calliope was found that he was not the true heir. He had hoped to use this to his advantage and be done with that kingdom as soon as he could. But it seemed that everything he was told was true. His hands shook as he bent down and lifted his pant leg, revealing the same symbol on his calf. A mark he had ignored for all his life.

Melinda turned to her husband, her face pale. Mido search their faces for assurance, waiting for someone to speak.

“So be it,” King Sloan said quietly. “Asmar’s heir.”

Mido straightened and let his pant leg fall. He met King Sloan’s gaze.

King Sloan forced a smile, though his body felt numb, struck with fear and uncertainty. “Welcome home, son.”