The Captain's Prize
The Captain's Prize
The Companion series book five
Tanya Bird
Copyright © 2019 by Tanya Bird
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
For Luke.
Contents
Map
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Epilogue
Where to now?
Acknowledgments
Also by Tanya Bird
Chapter 1
The walk along the north corridor felt painfully long that morning. Astra glanced at the colourful windows as she passed, trying to gauge the time. Soon, the sun would rise, splashing colour across the floor. But for now, she walked in shadows, her head high despite the paint smudged beneath her eyes and bare lips. She had spent so much time perfecting that lip line the night prior.
A maid came towards her, nodding a greeting as she passed. There was no judgement, no pity, just a brief acknowledgement of her existence. More footsteps approached, and Astra held her breath. A servant walked by, frowning in her direction. Definitely some judgement this time. She set her cold eyes on him, and he looked away. Her inner critic was loud enough without the disapproval of those who cleaned the mud off her boots.
For the first time since arriving at Archdale, Astra was not returning from King Pandarus’s chambers. The evening had not gone to plan—not her plan, anyway. She was supposed to be the star attraction, admired at a distance as she had always been. Sure, Pandarus barely looked in her direction nowadays, but plenty of others did. Her role was to ensure the guests were at ease, fill their cups, speak to them in their language, pay attention to every word that passed their lips. Smile, laugh in that way that made men feel good about themselves, and play the harp like no one else could. That was her talent, after all, the thing that separated her from the others. No other Companion came close.
It was the first time King Tuyon of Asigow had visited Syrasan, and King Pandarus was eager to make a good impression. The women had joked that he might offer his firstborn son as a welcoming gift. But he had not done that—he had offered Astra instead. What bigger gesture was there than to offer one’s prize Companion.
Astra forced her hands open as every muscle in her body grew rigid with the memories. Despite his rather dominating tendencies in bed, she had performed her role perfectly. He had been completely unaware of the repulsion, the disconnect.
She reminded herself to breathe.
‘Good girl,’ her mentor would say. ‘Now go wash off the stench of your vile act.’
Maybe not those exact words.
Now Astra had to face the other Companions, who would be so pleased to witness her fall. She could hardly blame them. Ten years was a lifetime for a Companion.
As she neared their quarters, she could feel a headache starting behind her eyes. They were becoming a regular occurrence.
‘That is part of ageing,’ Panthea had said with a smirk.
‘Likely stress,’ the physician had said when Fedora had insisted she be examined.
Astra paused outside the main room, eyes sinking shut for a moment. She could hear Mira, Pandarus’s latest purchase, humming inside. God, she was the last person Astra wanted to see. Taking a few deep breaths, she walked into the room, where she was met with the warmth of the fire and the smell of hot soup.
‘Morning’ came Mira’s sweet voice.
Astra could tell by her smug expression that she knew. ‘Good morning.’ She made her way over to the fire, rubbing her hands together in front of the flames. The heat made little difference to her icy hands.
Mira resumed humming. It was the song she had sung at the feast the evening prior, the one that had brought kings to their feet. The applause had gone on and on, Astra forced to clap along with them until they finally sank down into their seats. The new Companion was only seventeen, her entire future ahead of her.
‘Are the others here?’ Astra asked, not looking away from the fire. She might be spared some embarrassment if they were not.
Mira flitted around the large table straightening the cutlery, all fresh-faced and energetic. ‘Only Violeta. She is taking a bath.’
Astra tried to remember if she had been the same at that age. Her chest tightened when she realised how many years ago that was.
Fedora entered the room and stopped when she spotted Astra. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘I did not know you were back.’ She looked Astra over before asking, ‘How did it go with King Tuyon?’
Did she really expect an honest answer in front of Mira? ‘Very well.’
Fedora’s gaze flicked to the new Companion, who had stilled to listen. ‘As you were.’ Once Mira resumed fiddling with the items on the table, the mentor returned her attention to Astra. ‘You go and take a bath. We can speak later.’
Astra blinked, eyes heavy. King Tuyon had fallen asleep before dismissing her. Trapped beneath one heavily muscled leg, she had been forced to stare at the roof of his bedchamber until he woke. ‘Yes, my lady.’
Fedora cleared her throat. ‘And do not forget your herbs.’
Astra never forgot her herbs.
‘I can assist you if you would like,’ Mira offered.
Astra regarded the girl for a moment. Always so helpful. On top of that, she could sing, dance, play the flute, already spoke two languages before coming to Archdale, and seemed to pick up everything else at twice the speed of the average Companion. Fedora had always said that some women were born for the role. Mira was one of them.
‘That will not be necessary.’ Turning, she stepped past Fedora and exited through the door on the other side. She walked down the passageway to the bathing room, relieved to find it empty. Violeta must have gone to dress.
Leaning against the wall, Astra took a moment. That was all she would give herself, one moment. Then no tears, overthinking, self-pity, or replaying the events of the night in her mind. It was done. It was over. And it was just one evening. It was not as though she had been handed over to some random guest. King Tuyon ruled the Asigow empire. In many ways, it was an honour.
Pushing off the wall, Astra walked over to the steaming tub and tugged down her dress. She let it fall to the wet floor, standing on it as she pulled off her undergarments, dumping those also. The maids could burn them for all she cared. She would never wear them again.
Astra climbed into the tub and lowered herself into the water. Her gaze fell to the purple mark on her left breast, and a spark of anger coursed through her. It was bad enough
that she had to endure Tuyon’s company for an entire evening, but now she would be reminded of it every time she was naked.
Her fingernails turned white as she held the edge of the bath. Not too much longer, she told herself. She had performed her role without fault for a decade. She was the longest-serving royal Companion and the obvious next choice for mentor. While Fedora was still beautiful in her forties and able to perform the role, every mentor had an expiration date—as did every Companion. At twenty-six, Astra had all the experience one needed for the role, while encompassing everything it represented. Pandarus owed her that much.
Letting go of the tub, Astra sank beneath the water’s surface, washing away her sins. She watched bubbles rise from her mouth.
Just a little longer.
Chapter 2
It was Dion’s version of hell. Four kings bumping egos for three days on foreign land. It was also the first time in history an Asigow king had ventured farther south than the Zoelin border. Everyone had been on edge since King Tuyon had arrived with his party of warriors, except the unshakable King Jayr of Zoelin, who appeared to thrive on tension.
Dion was playing the role of bodyguard to King Linus. The new Galen king had requested the highly trained captain for the trip. Understandable given the company he would keep during his stay. Thankfully, Stamitos had also been forced to attend. Saviour of his sanity. The young prince managed Syrasan’s relations with neighbouring kingdoms, though his main job seemed to be managing his brother’s ego. From what Dion had observed, King Pandarus of Syrasan was one of the reasons his wife chose to remain in Galen with their daughters on a more permanent basis.
‘Where did you disappear to last night?’ Stamitos asked, circling him. The men were sparring in Archdale’s training yard, the prince’s hair stuck to his sweaty forehead and his shirt untucked. He held a sword in his left hand; the other had been cut off a few years back. All in the name of love, according to Dion’s sources.
‘Bed. I’m only required to stay as long as my king, and he’s not as young as he used to be.’ Linus had not taken the throne until his mid-fifties thanks to his father’s good health.
‘Lucky you.’ Stamitos delivered a sequence of blows with his wooden sword, looking rather pleased with himself when Dion was forced to take a step back. There was a small shield strapped to the severed limb, a clever device Stamitos’s father-in-law had made for him. ‘Pandarus likes to be the last man standing at the end of a feast. Barely standing, mind you.’
Dion stopped, wiping a calloused hand down his face. The frosty air felt good. The snow had melted in Syrasan, but the cold lingered. ‘The man can drink. Can’t dance to save his own life though.’
Stamitos winced. ‘Got a little messy towards the end.’
‘Wine and women in excess.’
Stamitos let go of his weapon. ‘I noticed you did not dance once.’
‘I don’t know any Syrasan dances.’
‘The Companions know every traditional Galen dance, so that is a terrible excuse.’
Of course they did. Dion dropped his sword on the ground. ‘They seemed in high demand.’
‘You are supposed to get in line with everyone else.’ Stamitos unstrapped the shield from his arm and dropped that on the ground also.
‘I was content being a spectator.’
A smile played on Stamitos’s lips. ‘Yes, I noticed that.’
Dion looked at him. ‘What?’
‘Watching one woman in particular, if my memory serves me correctly.’
Dion handed his weapon to the young boy collecting them. ‘What are you going on about?’
‘I am referring to the redhead who held your attention for most of the evening.’
Ah. It was true that one woman had caught his eye—a few times. ‘Don’t know what you mean.’
Stamitos watched him with amusement. ‘Her name is Astra, by the way.’
He knew her name. He also knew she belonged to King Pandarus. She was beautifully packaged trouble. ‘You Syrasans and your strange traditions.’
The two men turned and began walking back up the hill towards the castle.
‘I learned something interesting this morning,’ Stamitos said, falling into step with him.
‘What’s that?’
‘Astra left the feast with King Tuyon last night.’
Dion wiped the sweat from his forehead. ‘We’re still talking about her?’
‘Yes.’
He shook his head. ‘All right, I’ll bite. Why is that so interesting?’
Stamitos drew a long breath, as though preparing to tell an important story of his ancestors. ‘She is my brother’s longest-standing Companion, a decade at his side.’
Dion rolled his eyes. ‘Hasn’t your brother had a dozen Companions since coming of age?’
Stamitos waved a finger at him. ‘But only one who has stood the test of time.’
Dion could see why. She had one of those smiles that stopped a man in his tracks and bright blue eyes that anchored him there. Then there was that dress with the ridiculous neckline, ensuring every grown man in attendance had looked her way.
He had listened to some of her conversations from a safe distance. She seemed intelligent enough, had a sense of humour, appeared worldly despite her sheltered existence inside the castle walls. And she could really play that harp of hers, closing those pretty blue eyes and not opening them until the last note rang out. He had wondered where she disappeared to.
Stamitos stopped walking. ‘Are you even listening to me?’
Dion turned and nodded. ‘Yes.’
A mischievous smile spread across Stamitos’s face as something caught his attention behind Dion. ‘What convenient timing.’
The captain turned to see what he was talking about. The Companions were coming towards them, dressed as though they were attending a fancy event. Their gowns did not seem warm enough for the weather. They were holding blankets and carrying books, likely headed to the cherry trees, where Dion had spotted them the day before. He stepped to the side of the path to let them by, but they did not stroll past, instead stopping to greet the men formally.
‘My lord. Captain’ came a chorus of pretty voices. They all dropped into a curtsy.
Astra was standing within arm’s reach, her eyes moving briefly over him before turning her attention to the prince. She was hard to miss with that startling hair and those matching cherry lips. Dion made a point of not looking at her while Stamitos’s laughing eyes remained on him.
‘Ladies,’ the prince said. ‘Lovely day to be reading outdoors. Would you not agree, Captain?’
Dion looked tiredly in his direction. ‘Yes.’ One word. That was all he would give his friend before nodding at the ladies and strolling away.
A few moments later, Stamitos caught up with him. ‘Would it have killed you to at least wait for me?’
‘Probably.’
‘I think you broke a few hearts back there.’ Stamitos’s eyes shone with mischief.
Dion glanced over his shoulder at the women walking off in the other direction. ‘I suspect their hearts are well guarded.’
Stamitos laughed. ‘You might be right.’ He adjusted the sleeve of his shirt. ‘I trust you are coming to the card game tonight?’
He normally loved cards, but he usually played with soldiers, not spoiled kings. ‘If King Linus is attending, then I must also.’
‘Do not be like that. These great men usually wager something worth playing for.’
“Great men” was a stretch. ‘It’s always the same—women and horses.’
Stamitos turned to look at him. ‘You like women and horses.’
‘But I’m rather fussy with both.’
‘Fussier with women.’
Dion glanced sideways at him. ‘And what will you wager?’
Stamitos thought for a moment. ‘I have a crate of rather expensive Galen wine.’
It was Dion’s turn to laugh. ‘The one my king gifted you on your birthday?’
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‘That is the one.’
‘The one we drank on the evening of your birthday?’
Stamitos thought for a moment. ‘So we did. In that case, I have half a crate of fine wine to wager.’
Dion shook his head.
‘Be sure to wear your uniform tonight,’ Stamitos said. ‘The Companions always flock to the men in uniform.’
‘I’m required to wear a uniform.’
‘With the green sash, the one that makes all the women go weak at the knees.’
Another shake of his head. ‘It’s a game of cards, not a royal wedding.’
‘And your big sword.’
‘Shut up.’
They had reached the bailey. Stamitos turned and clapped him on the shoulder. ‘I have to see a man about a horse. See you tonight.’
Dion nodded, watched him leave, then glanced once back down the path. He glimpsed the Companions just before they disappeared beneath the blossoming trees. With a shake of his head, he made his way inside.
Chapter 3
The card game was being held in King Pandarus’s private rooms. All that self-importance in one cosy space. And Dion was running late. He had ended up accompanying King Linus on a hunt that afternoon and barely had time to wash and change.
Rounding the corner of the south corridor, he glanced out the window to gauge the time. The sun was setting, and the servants would soon light the lamps and torches around the castle. For now, he walked in semidarkness. Ahead, he could see two guards outside Pandarus’s quarters. Hopefully he would not draw too much attention when he entered.