Page 3 of The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles #1)

Chapter Two

I stepped outside, and the spring breeze was pleasant as it blew past. It was a relatively warm day for early April. Our small cottage was nestled in a quiet area of the Outer Ring. The sun shone brightly, casting a warm glow over our cozy abode.

The Outer Ring wasn’t glamorous, but it certainly wasn’t as atrocious as the more privileged viewed it. The pathways were made up of broken stone, and because most homes were tiny, they were packed somewhat close to one another. Thankfully, there was enough room for me to tend to a garden.

Gardening had become a peaceful hobby of mine. All around our home burst with colorful flowers—roses, daffodils, lilies, peonies, and more—all that I had planted, making the drab exterior of the cottage seem not so bland, at least in the spring and summertime. The ivy growing up on the sides of our home was not my doing, but I loved it the same. I also helped grow some of the herbs we utilized for Mother’s elixirs, though we still had to do plenty of scavenging outside the kingdom walls.

Behind our home was a river that twisted throughout the Outer Ring, adding to the peaceful atmosphere. Those from the Inner Ring and Center typically looked with disgust at the Outer Ring, but I think their ill feelings stem from the work of Serpents Cove, a section of the Outer Ring that was dark and notorious for illegal activity. I was never to get close to it and never spoke to anyone who lived there. Other areas really weren’t so bad.

Our weekly market, for example, was a significant event with vendors selling anything from fresh fruits and vegetables to jewelry or sewn goods. If those above gave it a chance, perhaps the people here wouldn’t be so poor.

It was a miracle we had started having customers from the Inner Ring, and the extra copper my mother had allowed me was used to purchase an obsidian dagger I kept hidden under my cloak and sheathed at my side. Mother didn’t know about it, simply because I didn’t want another lecture regarding defending myself. Truthfully, I never thought I’d need to use it, but the small comfort it gave me was worth the loss of copper.

I sighed and strolled towards the large stairway entrance to the Inner Ring, about a ten-minute walk from our cottage.Though I kept to myself, many neighbors waved at me as I passed.

I ventured up the giant steps, observing the guard stationed at the top. Outer Ring citizens were allowed to visit the Inner Ring between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Not a minute before and not a minute later. It had been about a year since we started making deliveries, and the guards paid me no mind as they knew I never stayed past curfew .

I made it through the first couple of orders rather quickly: an elixir for one home and an order of pastries for another. As I continued my venture, I strolled past a luxury dress shop, one I couldn’t help but gaze at every time I encountered it.

What it must be like to own pieces like this.

I was still taking steps forward, admiring the fine gowns displayed in the window, when suddenly someone rammed into me so hard that I fell to the ground.

“Oops,” a snobby voice said sarcastically. I glared up from my position on the ground to a girl wearing a gorgeous ivory and bronze dress, dainty silver jewelry resting along her neck. Her two friends next to her wore equally stunning attire and equally repulsive sneers. Their clothing wasn’t fancy enough for royalty but most definitely enough to live close to the castle, unlike my deep blue cloak, cream chemise, and brown overdress. The dress fit me decently, and, as always, I felt pretty enough in it until I stepped up here. It was hard not to feel inferior.

I grasped my crossbody and gathered the wrapped pastries that had fallen out after I fell.

“What is a dirty peasant girl doing in the Inner Ring?” she asked as her two friends laughed. They didn’t look much older than me.

I shifted back onto my feet. “I—I’m just making deliveries, ma’am.” I hated that my voice shook. This wasn’t the first time I had been harassed coming up to the Inner Ring, but usually, it was just dirty looks. Gods, I felt small.

“I-I’m just m-making d-delivering ma’am,” she mocked as they all continued to laugh.

I lowered my voice, attempting to keep it steady as I said, “I don’t want any trouble.” The looks on their faces made me want to ram my dagger in their throats.

Calm down. Keep it under control.

I took a deep breath through my nose. The last thing I needed was to lose control.

She closed the gap between us, flipping her brunette hair over her shoulder. “Then don’t get your filth anywhere near me,“ she spat. She then eyed my bag, which had been adjusted to lay on one shoulder instead of across my body, and ripped it off me.

“Hey! Give me that back!” I protested.

She pulled back as I reached forward in an attempt to grab it. “Aww, what are you going to do about it?” She flipped open the bag, and her friends started reaching in. I felt the tears pool in my eyes.

We can’t miss these orders. It will mess up everything Mother has worked for.

“Please,” I begged. “I need those!”

I hated how pathetic I sounded. Hated that I couldn’t hold in my emotions.

She pulled one of the scones out, unwrapped it, and took a bite.

Fire flowed through my veins. Anger consumed me. That was all it took for me to whip out my dagger and aim for her neck. All rational thought went out with the pure rage and humiliation I felt. I stopped at her neck, holding the blade sideways, pressing it into her hard enough for it to hurt, but not hard enough to cause real damage.The girl shrieked, and her friends stilled, their faces paling.

“Hey!” I heard a voice growl behind me. I whirled around, dagger still kept at the girl’s neck, to see a male charging up at us .

Fuck.

Based on his toned build, I assumed he was in his late teens. He towered over me as he approached, jet black hair flowing loosely with the springtime wind. He wore a white tunic, which seemed luminescent against his golden tan skin. A sword hung across his back, and his dark brown leather pants were form-fitting against his defined legs. The look was finished with black leather boots.

Inner Ring.

His jaw was clenched, and he focused on me with striking gold eyes. I swallowed.

He’s going to turn me over to the guards. He must know these girls.

Fear began to sweep over me, but to my surprise, he shot his eyes at the girl under my blade.

“See what happens when you take what isn’t yours?”he said matter-of-factly.

The girl gaped at him. “You’re going to defend the charlatan holding a knife to my neck?”

He slowly looked back at me and gazed into my eyes. I tried to calm my shaking and not look like a complete weakling.

“Lower your weapon,” he said softly.

I hesitated momentarily but ended up conceding, lowering my weapon while still keeping it where I could use it. He glanced back to the brunette. “That doesn’t belong to you.” He nodded to my bag. “Give it back, or I will get the guards.”

The girl’s friends just stood there, frozen.

She let out a dry laugh, then softly touched her chest. “Get the guards if you wish. She just tried to kill me. I did nothing wrong.”

He smirked. “We both know that isn’t true, darling.” He purred as he got close to her. She drew in a breath, and despite her resentment towards him, I could tell she was attracted to him. I couldn’t blame her. She glanced over his shoulder, made eye contact with me, and then looked back at him.

She paused and then let out yet another dry laugh, her brown eyes trailing back to me.

“Pfft. Here are your pastries back. They’re dry anyway.” She tossed the bag on the ground before I could catch it, and I heard the shattering of the remaining elixir inside as it hit the ground. The boy’s eyes widened.

“Oops,” she said dryly. She didn’t bother to look at him again as she and her friends strolled off, chucking the pastries they had in their hands on the ground. Thankfully, only the main bitch unwrapped hers.

The stranger kneeled to the ground and picked up my now dripping bag.

“Thank you for your help,” I muttered, wiping my eyes. I didn’t even realize the tears had actually fallen.

Pathetic.

He looked up and smiled softly.

“Of course.” He stood up and handed me my belongings. “It’s a shame about what was in your bag. What a repulsive girl that was,” he said with a curled lip, looking in the direction they had left. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

“Really? You must be new up here then,” I said with a slight laugh, slinging the bag back around me. “Although to be fair, it’s never been that bad before.” I paused, examining my bag and what was inside. Thankfully, the elixir was kept in a separate compartment of the bag, so the baked goods wrapped inside were unharmed. “I don’t know what we are going to do,” I mumbled. “That was an elixir, and the man purchasing it really needs it.”

Not only that, but the business’s reputation was on the line too. One unpleasant experience could ruin everything.

“You don’t have anymore?” he questioned.

“No, my mother makes the elixirs as they’re ordered. She will have to remake it…and I still have all this to deliver, too…” I glanced up at the colossal clock tower in the distance.

Almost 8:00 a.m.

Under no circumstances were those from the Outer Ring allowed in the Inner Ring past 10:00 a.m. Any business would need to be conducted beforehand. The kingdom ruled it this way, so we lower peasants weren’t a bother to those of more importance.

How am I going to do this?

“Well, why don’t I help you?” he offered as if reading my mind.

I frowned at him. “What?”

“If you have directions, I can deliver the rest for you while you let your mother know what needs to be remade.” He slid his hands into his pockets and gave a charming smile.

I studied him as I considered the proposal. I didn’t want his help, but I was running out of time. He seemed trustworthy enough, I supposed.

“Why would you do that?” I asked skeptically.

“I don’t have anything else better to do.” He shrugged. “My mornings are pretty dull. This is the perfect way to switch things up. You can’t be up here past 10:00, correct? ”

He looked me up and down, and I felt my face flush.

I guess it’s obvious I’m from the Outer Ring.

“Correct,” I muttered, looking down at my feet. Being seen as a second-class citizen never got easier. Even though it’s all I’ve ever known.

“Well, then we best hurry.” He reached for my bag. “Don’t forget about the thing she bit into.”

“Right.” I handed him the slip with the orders, the names of each customer, the price of their purchase, and the map with directions.

“They should only take about forty minutes. Which is about the same time it will take me to run home and back after my mother makes another one.” I took a long breath. “Can we meet back up here? We will, of course, pay you.”

He waved a hand in dismissal. “That isn’t necessary. I want to help,” he murmured while looking at the map. I wanted to plaster him with more questions. I was still surprised anyone from up here would even want to speak to me, let alone help, but I didn’t have the time.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t even ask your name. I’m Lena Daelyra.” I extended my hand towards him. “And you?”

He examined my hand, then met my eyes. “Quill. Quill Callon,” he replied, beaming while taking my hand in his. I thought he would give me a handshake, but he instead brought my hand to his mouth and gave it a light kiss. He met my widened eyes with a grin. My knees nearly buckled at the gesture.

Someone from the Inner Ring…kissing the hand of a lower-class peasant? Is he ill?

“I—I will see you in forty minutes,” I stuttered as he let go of my hand.

He adjusted my bag on his shoulder and gave me a lazy smile. “See you soon.”

I held my breath and turned away, my anxiety a pestering pit in my chest.

I hoped trusting this stranger wasn’t a mistake.