Free A Castle of Ashes (The Fifth Kingdom Book 2) by Lisa M. James

planned any words to say to him now.  She had prepared to face her father but thought she would have more time before she had to face Matthew. “You look well.” She started clumsily.    He grew into a striking man.  She had no doubt that he would as he was handsome as a youth.  He wore his hair a little shorter than she remembered it.  His face was still clean shaved, but she could not ignore the dark lines that formed under his eyes.  She wondered if she played a part in putting them there.
    He gave a fleeting smile. “As do you, Princess.  Or do you prefer Queen now?”
    “Matthew, you must understand why I departed—“
    “Yes, I understand. You owe me nothing, Lucinda.  I have heard your reasons over the past seven days, and they are indeed reasonable.  I need no further explanation.”
    “You do not know the truth of it.  I said that I feared and that is true.  I feared returning.  I feared my abilities, I feared everything would be taken away from me, but that is not what I feared the most. Fear the people understand, but what can I tell them about the shadows? What can I tell them about the memories?” She drew in a deep breath. “What can I tell them about you? And how I fear you?”
    He looked at her in confusion. “I don’t understand.  Why?”
    “You helped me gain the power to restore the Kingdom, Matthew.  You were just as much a part of fulfilling the prophecy as I was.  Our lives seem to be intertwined by the shadows.  I never felt the Ancient Queen’s presence before I came to the West.  I knew something in your kingdom triggered her memories and spirit in me.  Her memories were so vivid and her presence so strong. My powers were strong as a result.”  She closed her eyes and thought of the prophecy.  “ Her Strength sought in the West.   That is what the prophecy foretold, but it was not your kingdom that was the trigger to bring me into power.” She opened her eyes to meet his. “It was you.  I have thought about it for some time now. For that first year after I was gone into the sea, I saw you every night.  For a while I had dreams of you calling for me in the water. You were calling for me and I could say nothing in response before the waters consumed us both. Why you? Why not your brother, or your father or anyone else from the West?  It was only you I saw night after night!  I could not understand how you had such a hold on my mind when we knew each other only a short time.” His face softened at her words and she stepped closer to him.  “Then I knew that it must have been you that I was meant to meet in the West. You ignited her spirit and her power in me and we restored the Kingdom. Now, I fear that the Ancient Queen’s presence will take hold of me once more if I allow you in my life again.”
    “I ignite her spirit in you.”  He said more as a statement than a question. He looked to the floor. “I wondered ‘Why me’ sometimes too Lucinda.  That summer, I saw memories as well.  They were memories that were not my own, but of Nycilla’s prince, Thomas.  There were moments when my words were his.  They persisted for a year after your disappearance and I suffered through the same dream as you. All of it ceased shortly after the tower came out of the water all those years ago.  Since you saved me from Narka, the memories have returned, along with Thomas’ warnings.  Yes, he warns me sometimes when I am in danger.  I don’t know how, but I hear his voice in my head.   It seems that we are both triggers.  You bring forth Thomas’ spirit in me.”
    “I am sorry for that.” She said gently.  His gaze was steady upon her. “The memories have come back to me after Narka as well, although Nycilla has never had the courtesy of warning me of anything.  Maybe it is best if her spirit returns to me. I have grown to fear her silence.  I wonder if she has truly left me or if she is just waiting for her time to appear again.” She shook the