Page 15

Chapter

Fourteen

“ A bsolutely not.”

Lessia glared at the open door between her and Merrick’s adjoining rooms. “Go find another room. I refuse to have a doorway to death where I’m supposed to sleep.”

Merrick threw his cloak on the bed, then stretched his arms over his head as he turned his back on her. “No.”

Then she would find another room.

There was no way she’d be able to sleep knowing he could walk in at any moment.

There wasn’t even a lock!

Grumbling to herself, she started walking toward the other door, the one that led into the long hallway the guard had shown them through, when a hand wrapped around her arm and Merrick pulled her flush against his chest.

“Don’t you think it will be a bit suspicious if you don’t trust your company to stay beside you? I’m guessing everyone else has the same setup for safety and socializing,” he hissed against her hair .

“Get off me,” Lessia spat, trying to get him to release his hold. “I know you can’t kill me, so you can stop with these intimidation attempts.”

But Merrick was too strong, and he only held her closer, reminding her of the bruises lining her back and stomach as she struggled.

“You and I will have to pretend to get along for this to work, Elessia. And while the king might want you alive, for now , you know there are other ways for me to keep you in line.”

His hot breath blew strands of hair into her face, and his magic flitted over her skin, making her ears buzz as he let some of his control slip. The oily whispers made bile rise in her throat, and she forced herself to still.

Lessia glared at the closed door before her.

She’d been so stupid in shutting it.

If she hadn’t, he couldn’t have stopped her from leaving, not with the hawkeyed guards that stood every few feet of the dimly lit hallway.

“Fine! I won’t switch rooms if you let me go.”

She blew out a breath when Merrick stepped away, keeping her back turned until she heard him walk through the door between their rooms. Whirling around, she ran for the door and slammed it shut, hopefully hitting him in the back of his head.

“And stop calling me Elessia!” she yelled through the closed door.

It wasn’t her name.

Not anymore.

Not when all it did was remind her of the parents who gave it to her.

Spinning around again, she leaned against the door should he try to break it down, but when nothing happened, she lifted her gaze to take in the room she’d been given, trying to distract herself from the memories that threatened to take over her mind.

A bed stood in the middle of the room, and under the large window to her right was a small chair, silvery light from the moon that hung over the sea spilling onto it. To her left there was a small bathing chamber, and beside it gaped an empty closet where the guard had dropped her satchel.

Her stomach churned when she realized there was only a small fireplace in the corner, and only a single lantern stood on the bedside table.

She’d have to go look for more lanterns, at least two more, to ensure she’d have light throughout the night.

But first, she needed to go back to the house to let Ardow know she was fine and check in on Amalise to see if she would speak to her yet.

Holding her breath, she tiptoed across the floor and quietly twisted the doorknob.

When Merrick’s door didn’t open, she thanked whatever god was looking out for her and made her way down the hallway, nodding to the guards standing at their posts with shoulders back and heads held high.

After getting lost twice and somehow ending up outside the kitchen, she finally found her way to the hall they’d first gathered in and slipped out the creaking wooden door into the chill night.

Lessia pulled the hood of her cloak over her face as she walked through Asker, keeping her eyes down not to attract attention. Without any trouble, she soon pushed open the door to the warehouse.

Soft voices traveled down the staircase, and she nearly sprinted up to see a friendly face. Pausing at the top of the stairs, she reveled in the familiar smells of food and leather—the smells of her home—and a smile pulled at her lips as she watched Amalise wag her finger at Ardow.

He looked up first when she cleared her throat, and his shoulders lowered before he ran over and pulled her into his arms.

“Gods,” he whispered against her hair. “I was so worried, Lia. Who was that back there?”

Before she could answer, Amalise dragged her into her arms, hugging her so tight she could barely breathe. “I heard what happened! I’m so sorry I was such a bitch when you said goodbye.”

Amalise’s lip trembled when she pulled back, and Lessia gently smacked her shoulder as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Carefree, remember, Amalise? You’re fine. I am sorry I have to be so cryptic, but see, I’m already back. Well, at least for an hour. Apparently, there is a dinner I need to attend.”

Amalise shook her head, but no tears fell when she let go to sweep her blonde hair over her shoulder.

“Come on, I don’t have much time, and I need you”—Lessia glanced at Ardow—“to tell me what I can expect. I’m hearing I’m to be starved and tortured?”

Lessia tried for a smile, but it fell as dread stirred in her gut.

She’d thought there might be more public humiliation, debates where she’d make a fool out of herself, but not physical challenges.

Not that she was new to starvation.

Or even torture.

But she’d hoped those dark moments in the king’s cellar were far behind her .

Her blood chilled as the sound of rattling chains filled her ears. She’d tried to hide in that inky black cell, crawling into a corner and making herself as small as possible whenever the creaking metal door opened.

It never worked.

Ardow winced as his eyes flitted between hers, and he motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen. Lessia tried to let the homely scents settle over her, but her hands still trembled as she walked over the threshold.

More steaming fresh bread lay on the counter, and she shared a look with Amalise as they sat down.

The meeting with Merrick must really have unsettled Ardow.

Ardow rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward as he eyed her.

“I tried telling you it’s not a game, Lia.

Why do you think they bring in so many soldiers?

Whatever they’ll put you through will make you weak and vulnerable, so the soldiers are there to protect the soon-to-be regent.

Loche looked near death when he accepted the position five years ago. ”

Shit.

This wasn’t good.

Especially with the people of Ellow likely coming for her, she’d need to be very careful.

But she’d survived worse.

She’d figure it out.

“All right.” Lessia nodded, trying to keep the apprehension out of her voice. “So I’ll be weak. What else can I expect?”

Ardow sighed. “There will be debates, of course, so you’ll need to prepare for those. Based on how the people reacted, it won’t be pretty, Lia. And then there are events. Even the Fae came last time to meet with the nominees, and you’ll be evaluated based on those interactions as well. ”

Terror opened a black pit inside her, and she shakily asked, “Who came from the Fae?”

She realized her entire body trembled when Amalise wrapped her arm around her shoulders and squeezed softly.

“It wasn’t the king. A few of his emissaries. I don’t know their names, but they were highborn Fae.”

Lessia closed her eyes.

She knew who they were—the same men her king always sent.

But perhaps she’d be able to leave the election before that.

She was only there for information, after all.

If she was able to gather whatever he needed before they arrived, she could be free, could be far, far away from the castle when their boat docked in Asker.

“Lia—” Amalise started, but a soft voice interrupted her.

“Amalise, I need your help.” Kalia made her way into the kitchen, and when her brown eyes fell onto Lessia, her shoulders loosened.

“Lessia! I didn’t think you’d be back for a while.”

She offered the white-haired girl a small smile. “Me neither. I won’t be able to be here as much as I’d like, but I’ll try to come as often as I can. Can I help?”

Kalia nodded. “Ledger and one of the other boys got into a fight. I was able to break it up, but I think it would be helpful if you could speak to them.”

Lessia immediately got to her feet.

It wasn’t uncommon for the children to brawl, especially when they’d just arrived. They often had little trust in others the first few months, and usually, someone misplacing—or in rare cases, someone stealing—something caused trouble.

Ardow and Amalise followed her as she descended the stairs two steps at a time to keep up with Kalia.

Casting a glance over her shoulder as they walked through the hidden door, she jerked her head for Amalise to follow her into Ledger’s room.

Ardow glanced at her before he slipped into the sitting room opposite the bedrooms, where a few children were studying.

Lessia paused by the threshold. The two boys sat on their beds on either side of the room, one of them holding a red-stained cloth to his face. He looked up as Kalia bent down to check on his nose, meeting Lessia’s eyes over her shoulder.

“He started it!” Harver pointed at Ledger, who refused to look her way and only stared blankly ahead.

Lessia raised her brows. “Look at how the tables have turned, Harver. I remember someone who fought every day for weeks when he first arrived. Do you?”

Amalise squashed a giggle beside her as Harver scowled, but when Lessia smiled at him, the corners of his mouth lifted, a hint of red tinting his cheeks.

“Yes,” he mumbled.

Winking at him, Lessia approached Ledger, squatting down before him. “Hey, you. We don’t condone fighting here, but you’re not in trouble. I know what you had to do to survive in Vastala. You’re safe here, though, and we will get you anything you need. You just have to ask.”

Ledger shifted his gaze to hers, his lower lip trembling. “I thought he stole my coin.”

Lessia glanced at the golden Vastala coin he shifted between his fingers and nodded. “But he didn’t?”

Ledger shook his head, his chin dropping to his chest.

Lessia placed a hand on his shoulder. “How about you apologize to Harver? I should think he’d accept it quite easily. I believe you might be very good friends, and you can protect each other—be loyal to each other—instead of fighting.”

“I’m sorry,” Ledger muttered.

“It’s fine, as long as you show me how to throw a punch like that. I saw stars after just one.” Harver grinned .

Ledger looked up through his lashes, a small smile taking over his face as he nodded.

Her eyes flitted between them, and when Harver rose to sit down next to Ledger, asking him to tell him more about the coin, a faint smile lifted her lips, and she bid the boys good night.

Amalise elbowed her as they left the bedroom. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me alone with them. They’ll probably tear down the house before you’re back.”

Lessia snorted. “You handle them as well as I do.”

She could perhaps do it better.

While Lessia had come to love each one of them, she couldn’t help but keep them all at arm’s length.

She wasn’t sure she deserved the pure love of a child.

Not with what she’d done.

And every single one of the children loved to spend time with Amalise.

She would sneak them out to places Lessia disapproved of—like the woods fanning out behind Asker or to some of the cliffs where it was possible to dive in the summer.

The children loved feeling like they were in on a secret, so Lessia pretended not to know.

When she pulled the door shut, Ardow chased two girls who’d sneaked out onto the small balcony to do gods know what into their room, softly closing the door after scolding them, albeit not too seriously.

A mist of wistfulness dimmed her vision as Ardow slung his arms over Amalise’s and her shoulders.

This was her home.

This messy group of humans and part-Fae was her family.

What did it matter if every other person in Ellow hated her?

As long as she had this to come home to, she’d be all right .

When Ardow and Amalise pulled her into a tight embrace, a true smile overtook her face.

A smile that remained as she walked out the door to make her way to the castle again.