Page 10

Chapter Eight

I ’d stolen a lot of things in my life. Mostly jewelry, food, and the occasional coin purse, but never in my life had I stolen an entire kingdom.

Then again, the kingdom wasn’t real, and neither were my title or my regal upbringing, and the only handmaiden I’d ever possessed had feathers and could only bring me a comb, but heavens, it all felt so real.

Adir dropped me off in the most beautiful bedroom I had ever seen.

Dark blue wallpaper coated every inch of the walls, studded with silver rivets that made diamond patterns from floor to ceiling.

The carpet was softer than freshly spun wool, with even more rugs scattered on top of it, as if one layer of luxury wasn’t enough.

The canopy bed reminded me of the street vendors in the bazaar, but instead of a table full of over-ripe fruit under the curtains, there was a plush bed big enough to sleep a family of eight.

I stepped further into the room, noticing a familiar decoration sitting on the bedside table.

The lamp I had found in the depths of the vault had been polished until it shined and given a place of honor.

Seeing it reminded me I needed to keep the diamond ring out of sight, so I kept my fingers curled around it as a swarm of servants flitted around me.

Three handmaidens were assigned to me, and they spoke their names so quickly that all I could remember was that one of them started with a P .

They muttered something about getting me a personal guard and asked me all sorts of questions about my preferred clothing and how I liked my bath water, to which I proudly replied.

“Clean.” They raised an eyebrow at my reply but ultimately decided I was being humorous and went to work preparing clothes for my extra-clean soak.

It felt wrong to have someone do such basic tasks for me, but after waking up with a skeleton as a roommate that morning, I wasn’t going to argue ending the day with a proper bath and a pillow.

Rounded balcony doors had been left open, allowing the most incredible breeze to float through the room and flutter the ivory curtains. While my new servants busied themselves, I closed my eyes for a moment to soak in the feeling, opening up my senses to a sweet smell that made my stomach gurgle .

I popped my eyes open to find the source of the smell, my mouth salivating as I noticed handmaiden letter P wheeling in a cart piled high with silver platters of food.

“Fancy an afternoon snack, Your Highness?” she asked with a sweet wave at the display. “Please select as much as you like.”

I swallowed back the drool before it could dribble down my lips, then pointed at the bowl of fresh yogurt, the pile of plump figs, and the plate of baklava.

The maid arranged my plate and set a place for me on the balcony, where I could continue to enjoy the fresh air while I filled my eager stomach.

I sank my teeth into the soft fig while looking out at the city I had always viewed from above, but never from this angle.

If it weren’t for my celebrating taste buds, I could have sworn this was all a dream.

Or a wish come true...

I looked down at my ring, the yogurt turning sour in my mouth as I remembered what had put me in this position in the first place.

None of this was deserved, and I still had plenty to fix if I was going to make things right.

But first things first, I needed to hide the ring.

If Jeteran got his hands on it, there was no telling what he would wish for.

“Princess Kya?” one of the maidens whose name I definitely didn’t remember called softly.

“Priynna, Bylith, and I are going to see to a few details for your visit. Your personal guard will remain with you during our absence. If you need anything, please ring for us or ask your guard. He’s mute, but he can still be helpful. ”

I dropped my spoon. Did she just say...?

She stepped aside to allow the guard to come forward, dressed head-to-toe in the standard uniform that looked exactly like every other guard in the kingdom—other than the soft grey feather sprouting out the top of his helmet.

“Jean?” I gasped, my heart swelling with joy from the familiar set of eyes.

It took me a moment to remember that I was meant to be a foreign princess who had only arrived that morning, and I had to stop myself from rushing out of my seat to embrace my new guard.

“Ah yes, Jean. Jean is a name that I occasionally like to say out loud. As a Kipuron custom greeting! A very old one, of course. Thank you, ladies, I’ll see you when you return. ”

I waved off the handmaidens, who gave me a few more funny looks before slipping out the door.

After they left, I said a silent prayer that I hadn’t given myself away yet, making certain not to even think about the word wish .

Jean stood as still as a statue by the balcony door.

If it weren’t for Kipu’s feather, I could have sworn he was just any old regular guard, but there was no mistaking that helmet decoration .

“Jean?” I whispered, even though no one was around to hear us. “Jeanie ole pal? Is that you?”

His eyes flicked to me, and with that one look I had my answer...and a whole lot of fessing up to do. He furrowed his thick brows far enough down that I could see them through the opening in his shemagh , asking me all the questions I knew he was anxious to know.

“Look, I’m sorry! I didn’t plan to end up here,” I said quickly, looking around to make sure no one else was out on a balcony to hear me.

“All I did was steal the bracelets, then I got arrested for a bracelet I didn’t steal, then I got un-arrested, then arrested again, and now I’m pretending to be a princess because the prince needs my help!

” I took a breath, but I wasn’t sure Jean took any after that explanation.

He stared at me wide-eyed and confused, and even though I couldn’t see his mouth, I had a feeling it was hanging open. I couldn’t blame him; it was a lot to absorb, and that was before I mentioned anything about the wishing diamond.

“But you can’t go repeating any of that. It’s a secret, okay?” I said with a firm point.

He gave me a look that I read as You’re joking, right? but still proceeded to nod and pretend to lock his lips with a key .

I wandered back into the grand suite, feeling a mixture of stress and relief now that Jean was here with me.

He was the one person I could trust with the ring’s secret, but at the same time, I was terrified to let anyone near it.

There was no telling what such a great power could do, even by accident.

The lamp from the vault caught my eye, and I walked over to pick it up.

It was hardly a treasure compared to everything else in the cave, but having something simpler in the room made it feel more like I belonged.

I imagined Kipu picking it up by the handle and trying to carry it across the room.

He was well trained to go after shiny objects, and now that the lamp had been polished, he’d certainly be drawn to it.

“I don’t really know what’s happening, Jeanie,” I sighed softly, plopping down on the soft bed with the lamp in my lap. “But I’m glad you’re here. I just wish Kipu were here as well.”

My heart throbbed, energy buzzing in my veins as the lamp felt warm to the touch. A sound echoed from the balcony, and I looked up too quickly, causing my head to spin again.

Jean knocked on the door’s glass window and he let out a subtle whistle. I watched curiously as he held out his arm, and a blur of grey feathers flew in through the window to perch on his shoulder.

“Kipu!” I scrambled off the bed, running toward my beloved bird with zero concern for how steady my feet would be. “You’re okay!”

“ Kya! Kya! ” Kipu squawked excitedly, fluttering his wings and causing grey feathers to fly everywhere. He flew straight to me, perching on my outstretched arm and nuzzling his beak against my nose.

“I’m so happy to see you!” I scratched under his chin. “Have you been looking for me? How did you find me—”

I wished...

My balance wavered as I looked at the glittering ring.

I’d done it again without even realizing it.

A headache split through my skull as I realized just how quickly I had run across the room when I was already in shaky shape.

Kipu’s weight caused my arm to tremble, and fortunately, he noticed the unsteady perch and took the opportunity to fly to the back of a chair.

I pressed a hand against my forehead, my fuzzy vision still locked on the ring as I felt my legs fumble back a step.

Can it really do anything?…Even the impossible?

My thoughts wandered as aimlessly as my feet. I felt the familiar sensation of falling. It made sense that I would faint now after the wild day I’d had. I was grateful to have a room full of soft carpets to land on, but my head never hit the floor.

Jean caught me mid-fall, holding me steady until the blackness faded from my vision and I could see straight again.

“Thanks, Jean.” I said with a heavy breath as he helped me straighten. “Looks like you might be doing that more often now that you’re my guard.”

He gave me a reassuring nod, then helped me to the nearest chair so I could sit and rest for a moment. It was just like when we’d first met. Except instead of being a filthy orphan he was sent to evict from an abandoned shop, I was an esteemed guest of the prince.

I twirled the ring on my finger while I caught my breath, running through all the reasons why I’d told myself not to wish on it.

It had put Adir in a bad situation.

It had stuck me in the middle of a grand lie that could get me killed.

It had brought Kipu to me.

Wait, that one was kind of good.

I nibbled my lip as I studied the blue-tinged ring, catching the reflection of my own sapphire eyes in the stone. It was dangerous...but wasn’t all power? What if that power could be wielded responsibly? Could the impossible become possible?

Could I help Adir save his kingdom?

“Jean? I need you to tell me not to do something ridiculous.” I looked over at the guard, already catching the annoyed look in his eyes. “All you have to say is no.”

He folded his arms, giving me a firm shake of his head.

“No, you won’t tell me?” I asked hopefully.

He was not amused.

“Okay...you’re right.” I crawled out of the armchair, walking across one of the stunning woven rugs sprawled across the floor.

An idea popped into my head, an idea that could test all my questions without putting anyone at risk.

“I won’t do anything ridiculous...” I kicked at the corner of the rug. “I’ll do something clever!”

Jean lifted an eyebrow, still not convinced by my pitch.

“ Kya! Kya, clever! ” Kipu squawked.

“See? Kipu has faith in me!” I smirked, earning an eye roll from the guard.

I turned my attention to the rug, rubbing my thumb over the ring as I made certain my wish was perfectly worded.

“I was just imagining if being a princess meant I could ask for something crazy. For example, if, when the servants came back, I told them that I wish for this carpet to fly . What do you think they would say? ”

Jean shrugged, then shared a concerned look with Kipu, who looked just as confused. I stared down at the rug, rubbing the ring again with my thumb as I watched to see if its magic was capable of defying the laws of nature.

Nothing.

I kicked at the corner, offering to give it a head start as it curled up into a slight spiral. No flying, but I still received a jolting shock when the door flew open and my handmaidens hurried back inside.

“We’ve returned with some dresses for you to try, Your Highness!” the one I thought was named Priynna said in a sing-song voice.

“Oh, is that rug dirty?” Bylith turned her attention to the carpet I had kicked up, waving over the third maid to come help her. “No worries, Your Highness, Valorie and I will take care of it.”

Before I could even fathom what was going on, the two maids had rolled up the priceless rug and carried it out to the balcony. They hung it over the railing, shaking out any dust as its vibrant colors flew in the wind.

I sat down. I had to after that. It may not be able to do the impossible, but there was an awful lot that I could do with a power like this.

I had to tell Adir that I’d found his diamond.