Page 40 of A Broken Promise (the Freckled Fate #1)

40

T he bright, white stone fence was like a fortress wall, thick and tall. Large golden gates opened wide, leading to the most beautiful building in Svitar.

The Royal Castle.

No pictures or postcards could ever do it justice. It was grand, celestial. The rounded towers seemed to be never ending, the carved columns supporting the cut-out bridges leading to the multiple halls and places within the walls.

The long, mahogany carpet lined the way from our car down to the main entrance. There were multitudes of people gathered around, watching the Royalty arrive.

Watching us arrive.

Holding Florian’s arm tightly, I followed him, slowly making our way to the ballroom. My steps were steady though my heart only sped up at our arrival.

Florian beside me walked confidently, not fazed by the wandering eyes pausing at his presence, even in the crowds. If I didn’t know better, I might have taken him for the king himself, considering the amount of people that recognized him or slightly bowed at him. Some of the women were bold enough to give him a lusty smile and a seductive glance as they held the hands of their own husbands.

Perfect, white marble floors, like a mirror, reflected our moving figures inside the ballroom hall. The building was grand. Enormous, Apollon columns stood throughout, supporting the second-floor ring of balconies. Large, ceiling-tall windows were slightly curtained, showing the most gorgeous view of the Svitar and the Kinderby River.

I tried to keep my head still, making a conscious effort to avoid twirling around to see the exotic dancers strung up to the roof with nothing but a cloth line, performing all manner of aerial dances. Far below the sizable stage, a large orchestra played festive melodies, accompanied by the feather light dancers wearing nothing but black feathers and their pointe shoes. I couldn’t stop looking at them, moving as if they were nothing but feathers themselves; so elegant, each move so precise, each stroke so effortless.

I didn’t notice that we'd stopped until the upbeat voice of Florian snapped me out of my complete infatuation with the dancers.

“Anastacia! What a pleasure to see you!” He smiled, exchanging a couple of kisses on the cheeks of the beautiful dark-haired female.

“Florian, long time no see.” She smiled, patting his shoulder with her peacock fan.

“Oh, you know me, always busy with the business. How are things with dear Provost?” he said while wrapping my hands around his arm once again. I couldn’t help but notice Anastacia’s piercing look at that gesture.

“He is doing his best to stay away from any parties,” she said smiling, yet a few notes of frustration made it past her perfect tone. “Who is this gorgeous guest you’ve brought today?”

My heart slightly fluttered, realizing I had nothing to reply, but Florian continued as if nothing was of less importance than this conversation.

“This is my dear friend, Finn,” he said, patting my hand with his.

“Oh, what an interesting name. I don’t remember hearing it on any of the Gala Lady Roasters.”

“Oh, she is foreign, I am afraid,” Florian replied gently, though his eyes already wandered off to another group of beautiful young ladies giggling and waving at him. Anastacia turned to see them, clearly irritated. She took a step closer, blocking them from his view and grabbed my hand in hers. Her hands were so much warmer than mine. Mine were covered in cold sweat, the only proof of my rising anxiety.

“Crowned Lady Anastacia,” she introduced herself. “I shall hope we will get to know each other better,” she said, smiling at me, yet her eyes never leaving the now uninterested face of Florian.

“My pleasure. I am Finnleah… Daughter of … The Dead.” Florian looked at me slightly amused and surprised as I muttered the words with the so familiar elvish accent. Tuluma’s accent. My accent. The one I had hidden so well but never forgot. It felt almost comforting to tweak my tongue just a bit to draw out the words just a notch. Anastacia was slightly taken aback, stumbling, looking for words, but Florian took the opportunity and waved at another lady not too far in the crowd.

“Enjoy the party, Anastacia,” he said, bowing so slightly.

“I shall hope to hear from you soon Florian.” She smiled and frustratingly bowed back.

But he was already pulling us back into the swelling crowds.

We walked past a dancing crowd and the rushing servants when Florian finally nudged me with his elbow smiling.

“Nice job on that fake accent, gorgeous! And Finnleah, Daughter of the Dead? So much better than Finn like the Fish Finn. Gods, I need to step up my game. Florian Casteol sounds so boring now.” Florian smirked while I rolled my eyes.

“For your information, it’s always been Finnleah, Daughter of the Dead, and the accent is not fake. I had an elven maid. Before I spoke your language, elvish was my native. It took me years to get rid of that accent.”

“Well don’t. It’s actually pretty hot, not going to lie. Can you say something else so I could remember it better for my fantasies?” he asked, amused.

Discreetly, I elbowed him in the side. Content by his immediate flinch, I continued .

“But really Florian, a crowned princess? Dismissing her, too? I mean how do you even know her?”

Florian heartly laughed.

“Oh, beautiful, I might not have the title, but I am more of a crowned heir than she is. She is like the fifth crowned lady. Royals get obsessed with their presumptuous titles and heirs. Anastacia and I had school together. Come seventh grade, we made out. Once, okay? And before you get defensive, I usually don’t kiss and tell, but she was… gods damned awful. Terribly, excruciatingly bad.”

He shook his head and frowned dramatically in remembrance of the awfulness.

“Anyway, she has been obsessing over me ever since. Granted, now she is married to a wealthy businessman, Provost. She has the title, he has the money, you know how things are. Women can be very ambitious at times, even at the cost of their own happiness.” He nodded to another female, sending a flirtatious smile his way. Before I could say anything, another two ladies stopped by to say hello to Florian, as if he was indeed the crowned Prince himself. One after another, more gorgeous than before. Similarly, each conversation more pointless than before. Yet each girl more eager to land another kiss on his cheek or run her fingers against his arm. After a while, I pretended I was a mute, just smiling and waving.

I learned that I had no interest in wasteful pleasantries and bogus conversations. Instead, I watched, amazed by the dancers or the acrobats spinning in perfect pirouettes and somersaults.

“Gods, you two look utterly disgusting over here mingling with this filth,” Priya said, sneaking up behind us while we hid in the shadows of the large column, avoiding the crowds.

“Priya. Would you like a kiss too?” Florian smirked as Priya imitated the kissing that everyone greeted Florian with.

“It is astounding you all are not dead of some serious disease,” she grumped.

Florian rolled his eyes while I chuckled. Priya had a point.

“How is the hunting going, Mother Death?” Florian asked as we all stood scanning the ever-moving crowd .

“Not very fruitful,” Priya said irritated, her eyes pinning the large woman with an even larger wig surrounded by a few people, including guards. “When do the rest of them arrive?” she asked Florian, stealing a small appetizer off a clueless waiter passing by.

“Right about now,” Florian whispered, and if on cue, the loud trumpets sounded through the noisy crowd, making everyone pause and bow as the doors opened wide and the lines of Royal guards walked in, making way for the Royal Queen and King to arrive. They made their way up the pedestal and sat on the large carved thrones. With a swift motion of the King’s hand, the crowd rose as one.

“Pricks need to learn how to walk faster,” Priya whispered in the back, rubbing her cramped neck. I stifled the smile.

I was about to turn to Priya when the music changed again, and the crowd stayed still as more Royal Lords and Ladies slowly marched, walking up all the way to the throne, personally bowing to the reigning couple.

“Who are they?” I asked, still slightly bowing each time, while yet another Lord strode in. followed by his guards.

“These are all the Royal Lords and Ladies of the Esnox,” Florian replied.

“I thought most of the crowd were Royals?” I asked, slightly confused, ignoring the growing ache in my neck.

“They are. In one way or other. But these Lords,” he whispered, continuing swiftly, bowing his head once more. “These ones have not only titles and money but land . Given by Queen Insanaria herself to rule over.”

“Is the Mad Queen going to come as well?” I asked as my skin shivered even thinking of her.

“No, she has been letting Destroyers do all her dirty work. People haven’t seen her in years now.”

Priya huffed in annoyance, completely uninterested in our conversation, but Florian went on.

“That one is Lord Ferola. Ruler of the Western Isles.” The tall man in his late forties walked upright with the young, barely of age lady by his side. I raised my brows at that, Florian’s quiet whisper continued. “ He is on his third wife, yet still no heir, people question why. My guess? Might be something to do with the fact that he has a boyfriend, but that’s just my opinion.” Florian shrugged. “That one, Lord Reinar, ruler of the Greenwich Pastures. During the Great Fall, he murdered his own family and then traded his niece who was a low tier Creator to the Mad Queen for the right to the land.”

The crowd bowed again.

“That one is Lady Eanaya. Ruler of the Cursed Lands, or as she renamed them, Forgotten lands.” The old lady was quite petite, surrounded by the large number of the guards. She brought the most guards of all the Royals. “She’s been super paranoid recently; in my opinion she’s been hitting the opium too much. The last time her head maid was in town she said that she painted her mansion in weird symbols and is just losing her mind slowly. It’s really a shame. That lady did some crazy shit back in her prime.”

Florian continued dropping names and gossip about every Lord and Lady that walked in and every important guest that followed.

“How do you know everyone and everything?” I said as Florian mentioned more head-turning gossip.

“Oh, precious, I am a barman in the most prestigious club.” He flicked my nose and pridefully smirked. “You’d be shocked just how little it takes for a person to open up when you give them a listening ear and a kindhearted smile.”

“I am sure it has nothing to do with you getting them drunk,” I whispered back, even though deep inside, I knew firsthand of Florian’s soothing presence.

“I got to make my job interesting somehow.” He smiled, fixing a small strand of his hair behind his ear.

“That’s my cue,” Priya said, slipping out like a shadow towards the now departing Baroness past the crowds, disappearing behind the large doors leading to the rest of the castle.

“Good luck!” I wished her, though sure she wouldn’t hear me. Florian didn’t heed to her leaving.

“That one, you see, is a prickly bastard. He rules over the largest piece of land and controls the majority of the overseas trade too. He might not look like it but don’t be fooled, he is a force to be reckoned with. Especially considering all those rock and salt quarries he runs.”

A loud bell rang in my head at those words. I turned sharply to the entrance to see the face I had seen before.

“Lord Inadios,” I whispered. My heart froze as I watched that large, familiar figure make his way across the ballroom. That limp, those pig-like features, still imprinted in my mind as if it was yesterday. As if I was still on my scraped knees in front of him.

Florian stumbled slightly in surprise.

“Yes. You know him?”

“I….” I paused, debating. There was nothing of a reason that would explain how or why I knew him. A truth or a lie? I asked myself, but the truth was too long to unravel, and I just ran out of time.

A lie it is .

“I don’t feel too good. Can we maybe go outside?” I asked. Perhaps more of a truth now that my heart pounded against my chest and the tight leash that kept my anxiety at bay. It was ripping with each step of that man and his guards closer to the crowd. Closer to me.

“Um, sure.” Florian’s brows bunched up in concern. “Not sure how we are going to leave right now… but...”

The air in the room dropped a few degrees. For a minute, I thought it was just me who noticed the sudden change. A familiar yet unknown slight stench filled the air. Florian turned his head back to the walls, looking for another door leading outside per my request.

But I stopped.

My heart, my mind, my entire soul froze.

The blood in my veins chilled as I saw silver robed figures floating in, just a few inches above the ground. Their heads covered with hoods, exposing a pointy chin from beneath. The tight, almost see-through skin showing dark blue or black veins.

Kahors.

I didn’t dare speak, didn’t dare breathe. Kahors were here.

Kahors.

As if awoken by a spark, my thoughts exploded, flooding with the memories, panic and sheer terror. Still, I stood motionless .

“Ouch.” Florian snatched his arm out of my hand that I involuntarily gripped too tight. “What was that for?” he asked, rubbing his hand against his forearm. “Gods, is this blood? Finn, why are you bleeding?” He grabbed my hand. “What is going on?” His forehead wrinkled in perplexity.

My eyes widened as I saw the little drop of blood on his velvet jacket. My innocent small cut from this morning reopened, treacherously letting small drops of bright red roll down my finger.

Blood.

My blood.

It was past the point of return, I realized. There was no time to decide something, to plan. Not when Kahors would smell my blood within the next breath.

I made a mental check of all my securely latched daggers; the poisonous pins still attached well in my hair. The crowd whispered loud at Kahor’s arrival, but I didn’t pay attention to them.

I had to go right now. Act then think.

Act then think , I murmured to myself. There was no time for hesitation. I turned my head to the large doors that were still guarded. Lord Inadios and the Kahors were just one look, one glance, away from seeing me.

I started walking in the opposite direction, pushing through the crowd painfully slow, but I couldn’t afford to draw in any attention.

“Excuse us. Excuse us,” Florian’s voice echoed in the back as I made my way closer to the columns by the wall, to the windows. A bad plan; a terrible plan, but a plan, nonetheless. If I couldn’t get out of the castle, I would hide behind the curtains, I would break the window. I would run.

I would escape.

“Slow down, Finn. Where are you going?” Florian’s voice sounded just a step away from me. The crowd’s noise rose, slightly unsettled, but I didn’t dare look behind me, slipping closer to those large columns, hoping their shadows would cover at least some of me.

“Gods, can you just stop for a minute and explain what’s going on for gods’ sake?” Florian finally yanked my hand, pulling me to a complete stop. Our eyes met just for a second,

“It’s—”

The large entrance doors slammed open as loud screams erupted in the room.

“REBELS! REBELS ARE HERE!”