Page 14 of Maneater

In the gilded chambers of Hyrall, I woke with a start, my hands pressing against my chest. I was dreaming of an old memory.

For years, the woman in the water appeared at night while I slept. Some nights, her reflection would rise on the water, and I’d watch her in silence. She would cry black tears, her sorrow endless. No matter how hard I tried, I could never figure out who she was.

Since then, I had spent chimes searching through books and scrolls, but they gave me no answers. Was she a spirit? A demon? Or something worse, a devil?

Some skirtsfolk claimed that dark magic ran deep in Brier Len, while others insisted it was rooted in rumor. However, the memory my dream stirred made it feel otherwise.

But the dream didn’t matter now. A more pressing thought tugged me away from it. Gadriel would be leaving for Torhiel today.

Anxiety gripped my heart, the time had finally come.

I turned toward the window and saw that the sunrise was drawing near.

Would Gadriel summon me before he left ?

For my sake, I prayed he wouldn’t. With my nerves so on edge, I doubted I could provide a service without sparking suspicion. My hands trembled as I ran through my plan again and again. The stakes had never been higher. If I failed, I’d be as good as dead.

Tomorrow marked the start of the winter solstice festival.

For the past several weeks, stewards and heralds had been tasked with organizing the weeklong celebration.

The courtyard was flooded with wagons bearing food and supplies for the banquet.

Dancers, performers, and musicians from noble houses were arriving at the castle, ready to entertain the Crown’s guests.

Meanwhile, preparations for games and competitions were well underway, with archery targets set and swordplay circles constructed.

All of this to say, with Gadriel leaving for Torhiel and the winter solstice festival approaching, Castle Hyrall was busier than it had been in months. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Just yesterday, I had received word that Sir Karst would be replaced by a different guard while he traveled to Torhiel with the prince. It made sense. Karst, given his crimson cloak and decorated status, was an obvious choice for Gadriel to bring along for the journey.

I doubted the squire assigned to take Karst’s place had even half his intelligence. We had just been introduced last night. At the time, he was about as coherent as a toddler, stammering through his words and looking as threatening as a lamb.

Perhaps this was Gadriel’s way of reminding me of my place after I defied him.

I had questioned his decision, and now he was making it clear how little control I held in his world.

I might have been offended by how casually my protection was being handled if I didn’t already want to escape this place so badly.

Soon, the bell tower would chime, signaling that breakfast was about to begin. Solstice preparations had taken over the kitchens, and our private dining room had been transformed into an additional workspace for the festival. As a result, our meals had been moved to the courtesan’s quarters.

When Leya revealed to the other girls that she’d been invited to travel with Gadriel to Torhiel, their reactions were equal parts envy and concern. I had taken to eating alone in my chambers to avoid them entirely, but today, I needed to speak with Leya.

As anticipated, the bell tolled with a deep, resonant hum, and I lingered by the door, waiting for my guard to arrive. Seconds passed. Then a full minute. Still, no one came.

My brow creased as a flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Had someone discovered what I was planning? I shook the thought away almost immediately. I hadn’t breathed a word to anyone. Not that I’d had much opportunity, but even if I had, I valued my freedom far too much to take that risk.

Another thirty seconds slipped by, and my frustration was growing. Even the fledgling guard before Karst had never been late. I needed to catch Leya before she left, whenever that was.

Irritated, I knocked loudly on the door. I hated being stuck in my chamber, bound to the bell’s schedule.

A clatter of armor echoed down the hall, followed by hurried footsteps. With a jingle of keys, a young guard unlocked the chamber and peeked inside.

“What can I do for you, my lady?”

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked, sounding as frustrated as I felt.

“Erm,” the guard stammered, “I’m not sure what you mean, my lady.”

“Where are the other courtesans? Have they been escorted to breakfast?” I peered down the hallway toward the other chamber doors, searching for any sign of Leya, Rosette, or Imogen. It seemed their guards had already left their posts .

The guard looked at me, confusion on his face, then something flickered in his eyes, as if he’d just realized something.

“Uh,” he cleared his throat. “Yes, I believe so, my lady.”

“Were you not briefed on the courtesans’ schedule, or have you chosen to ignore it?

” I said coolly. “First high-chime, bathing. Second, breakfast. Third, reading.” I stepped out into the hallway.

“Fourth, lunch. Fifth, activities.” The guard shrank back as I moved toward him.

“Sixth, supper. Seventh, courtesan quarters. Eighth, service.” I rattled off the rest, now fully in the hallway. “Ninth, sleep.”

With the final word, I swung the door to my chamber shut.

“I apologize, my lady,” the young guard said, trying to sound confident as he bowed. “I’m still learning the schedule, but I’ll be sure to remember it next time. I’ll escort you to breakfast right away.”

“Consider yourself fortunate this wasn’t eighth high-chime. The prince would have your head for it,” I said flatly. “Take me to the courtesans’ quarters.”

“Of course, my lady.” He managed a nervous nod. “Straight away!”

He wore no crimson cloak. Instead, his was white, marking his rank as a squire. He looked no older than seventeen, which only made Gadriel’s choice to station him with me all the more insulting.

“Taking on Sir Karst’s role is no small feat for a squire, especially in a position so closely tied to the prince,” I said. “You must have made a strong impression.”

“I hope so, my lady.” The squire’s face lit up a little.

“Sir Karst is a good friend of my father, Lord Trellis. At the age of seven, I was brought to Sir Karst’s household to serve as his page.

Sir Karst says I’ve got a good future with the Kingsguard if I keep it up.

I was inducted into squirehood just two years ago, at fourteen.

” With a toothy smile, he added, “I hope to be knighted by twenty-one.”

“Knighthood at the age of twenty-one is quite the pursuit.”

“My father believes I can do it,” he replied eagerly. “When he learned Sir Karst would be away from Hyrall for six months, he was certain I could handle guarding the prince’s favored in his absence. He wrote to Sir Karst, and within two days, I got word that I’d be stationed with you, my lady.”

I refrained from making a remark. It wasn’t as if I was interested in the boy’s past, but I did want to get a sense of his character. He was just as naive as I had suspected, and I was quickly discovering that he talked far too much.

When we finally reached the courtesans’ quarters, the sound of the other girls’ voices drifted through the door. Turning to the boy, I said, “At third high-chime, I expect you at my door when the bell tolls.”

“Of course, my lady!” He nodded firmly.

“Once I’m done here, I’ll send for you to escort me back to my chamber.”

“Yes, my lady!”

As I walked through the doors, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.