Page 7

Chapter seven

Hide Yourself

B irds chirped merrily from my window as bright sunshine landed on my pillow. My eyes were crusted and aching, and dried tear tracks lined my cheeks. I brushed the evidence away hastily. Surely, last night wasn’t real.

“You’re awake.”

I sat up with a start. “L—My prince.” I dipped my head, unable to curtsy, and tried to smile as I raked my fingers through my knotted hair. “I apologize, I didn’t know to expect… I didn’t know you were here.”

Leon leaned back in my dressing chair, arms crossed and his face deeply lined with concern. “You gave us quite a scare, Aelia.”

“I’m sorry.”

I startled when the king pushed off the wall he had been leaning against behind me. His arms were crossed, the harsh flat line of his lips underscoring the irritation of his eyes. “Quite.”

Prince Leon continued. “I felt horrible having to attack that monster with you so near. My very chest was split in agony with the weight of the crown.”

“But he had to take him out. You understand, don’t you?” King Harold asked. His presence filled the room, powerful and merciless .

“Yes, I-I understand.” My mind rushed through the events of the evening with a thunderclap of emotions—the Shade, the fire…the guards. “I’m so sorry I was…in the way. The guards, did any of them…?”

“All dead,” Prince Leon said.

My gaze fell to my hands. “I’m sorry.”

The prince unfurled his arms and leaned forward. “As am I.” He studied my face, and my hands twitched to cover it. “How are you alive?”

“What?”

His dark amber eyes stared hard into mine. “What did he say to you? Why did my guards die, while you survived?”

I furrowed my brow. “I’m certain I don’t know, Your Highness. He said nothing.”

The king took one further step closer. “You can’t expect us to believe that. You colluded with the Shade and brought him to my doorstep! You”—he sputtered—“you curtsied to the monster!”

An icy grip seized my chest. “I coll—Your Majesty and Your Highness, I would never. I’ve been dedicated to the crown and you and the queen and our people for my entire life! You have sheltered us, given us a home—”

“Your status is such, though, that anyone could understand why you might reach for power not your own.” King Harold frowned. “You could have made a dark pact in a desperate grab for evil magic.”

My jaw dropped indignantly. “I could not. Not ever. I aim to help and be a gift to everyone I meet. I would never hurt the crown or you in this way.”

Prince Leon studied me before he sat back, all tension gone from his shoulders. He scratched at his chin. “Very well. I had to be sure.” King Harold seemed less satisfied with my answer .

I let out a long breath. “Of course, Your Highness. I…I understand.”

“I’m also sorry on behalf of the other young people of the court. I know they hurt you yesterday,” the prince added.

Unexpected angry tears sprang up against my will. I tried to laugh them away with a quick wipe of a finger under my lid. “I’m sure I would have done the same in their shoes.”

His gaze captured mine. “I’m not sure that’s true, Aelia. I think you may be too sweet for such low humor.” He smiled, his dimple warming up his face in the expression I knew best. He was my friend, as much as a prince could be anyway. The king crossed his arms. I pulled my hair around my shoulders in discomfort at the silence, and the prince’s gaze dropped to my neck. His eyes narrowed at the mark.

“Chef says it’s only a mole. I cannot remove it.” The prince’s expression flickered with something I couldn’t name, but his dimple was gone. Any warmth remaining in the room fled with it.

Huffing out through his nose, he sat back. “I’m certain she is right.” He crossed his arms again. “I must return to see the progress of the repairs.”

Relief filled me. “Alright. Thank you for checking on me.”

He stood and took me in again. “You are my responsibility as much as anyone in the kingdom. We must care for our own.”

“Speaking of which,” King Harold held up his hand to pause Leon’s exit. “The castle is in an uproar. The ballroom was destroyed. The guards are searching for whatever weakness allowed that scoundrel entrance. The whole world is now eyeing the other as a conspirator.” The king’s black eyes pierced like a sliver. “Lay low, Aelia. Better to rest from the burns that he no doubt gave you, the reason you must always stay in your room to recover.”

I frowned. “But Your Highness, I feel—”

“Terrible burns. Horrible. Only saved because you hid behind the monster who shielded himself and accidentally protected you.” He glared at me meaningfully. “Remember: Prosperity requires sacrifice.”

I was to lie? My lips pinched in confusion. “Y-Yes, Your Highness.”

Leon and King Harold exited into a group of soldiers, their tromping steps echoing as they made their way from my chambers.

The door in the back of the room that accessed the servant’s passage opened, and Chef bustled in with a tray full of steaming soup, tea, and cookies. Setting it on my lap, she sat on the bed beside me. “Gave me a fright, you did. I plan to live to see my grandchildren, child, and you go getting wrapped up in that demon-spawn shadow-mongering night-licker.”

I had yet to hear her curse like this. “Chef!”

“It’s only the truth. That demon shouldn’t be allowed to breathe or live or poison our air with his presence. It was a good thing you were so near to him. His shadows must have doused you both when the prince threw his flames. Though, how the prince could… Well, never mind. You hadn’t a burn on you! It seems a shame he escaped, however.” She stirred the soup and held out the spoon for me.

I jerked my head down. “A shame,” I agreed as I sipped her offering. My mind conjured those bright green eyes, piercing and searching. My scalp still felt the pressure of his hands as he gently held me above the ground.

“Your mark has another line today, this one on the bottom. A swirl with two arms has started.”

My eyes widened. “What does it mean? Am I sick? Should we cut it off?”

Chef’s face flooded with compassion. “These kinds of things are not cured by a simple procedure, as you might know.” It was nearly black, entirely too dark to be a bond mark. It had to be just a scabbing from the acid rain. I ignored the squiggle in my gut.

My father chose that moment to burst into the room. Chef stood, and the cutlery clattered against the bowl.

“My child, are you alright?” He stumbled to my bedside, clasped my hands, and leaned too close, his fermented breath burning my nostrils. “I was worried you wouldn’t wake from the shock of the experience.”

“I’m not convinced I’m awake yet.” I rubbed my forehead, still dazed from my encounter with the prince and king. “I’m apparently terribly burned and bound to my room for the time being.” At my father’s examination of my very unburned features, I continued. “As ordered by the king.”

“The prince and king lead our nation with light and hope,” Father muttered.

I stifled a grimace. “Even so.”

He patted my head before pacing in front of my bed as Chef dutifully fed me breakfast. “Fortunately, the racerbristles the prince found were of such high quality that they have improved the queen’s energy. But we’ll need a few more soon since I’ve needed to dose her higher and higher. You’ll have to ask him where he found them.” I swallowed the truth before it could escape. Let Leon have his moment. “You must have taught him well how to collect everything—he did a very nice job.”

The room darkened as a shadow storm swept before the sun. A screaming whistle of wind ripped through the air. I shuddered as memories of the fireball in the ballroom screamed through my mind. My gaze remained fixed outside.

“The battles will last longer and be fiercer now,” Father said, his back to me as he regarded the battle. “The crown must save face. Some of the king’s most talented soldiers died last night because of that creature of death!”

Heat from the outside maelstrom wafted into the room. “If they continue to grow bigger and hotter, then they will destroy all the racerbristles entirely,” I said quietly.

“True words, my daughter. True words.” He pulled a flask from his jacket pocket, taking a long drink. “If only you could go gather more today.”

Chef frowned at him before minutely shaking her head. But only the prince and I knew where the bush was found. My sense of duty twisted within me. “The king and prince…”

“Only want you to avoid being seen. Surely you could be subtle and go unnoticed, daughter. You would do it for me. You could do it for Queen Gemaline.”

My stomach knotted before my concerns collapsed to silence in the face of his desperate expression. “Yes, Father. I could certainly get the rest from that bush, but then I’d need to find another source.”

Father swept to my side, holding both of my cheeks in his palm. “Dearest, that would be wonderful. Since you aren’t expected to be at court during your convalescence, you could search even longer and save the queen!” He nodded vigorously. “You could take the back passages with Chef—yes, and hide from the other servants.” My father dragged my cloak and tossed it on my bed. “Wear this.” Chef glared at him. “To protect yourself, of course.”

I finished my porridge. “I can certainly do so, Father.”

“Good girl. Go now.”

My eyes widened with fear as I looked out the window. Tiny fireballs which ignited oily bites of shadow rained over the courtyard. Hot, blazing winds ripped through the trees, taking even the hardiest leaf with them. “I must wait for the storm to pass. ”

“If you wait, the queen could worsen. She could die.”

I blinked several times, the responsibility of caring for Her Majesty squeezing any breath from me. “I…I suppose I could go now.”

“That’s the spirit.” He smiled. “Always a good helper. Always my good girl.” And my father swept out of the room.

The clang of a ripped-open door brought my attention back outside to the servant who struggled against the wind to shut it again. Billowy shadows turned the midday sky as black as night—black except for the light from the fires. A washer poured water on a sill to extinguish a small flame.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Chef muttered. “He could go himself, the lazy buzzard.”

“I know where the bush is, actually. Besides, he’s older than me and must concoct the potions, Chef. It’s only right.” I rubbed my face again and took a final sip from the tea. “Thank you for bringing this. I feel better already.” I sat stiffly before the mirror and brushed my hair, distinctly ignoring the dark circles under my red-rimmed eyes. I looked a bit like a skeleton.

Chef approached behind me, and our gazes met in the reflection. “He was right about one thing, though. Make yourself scarce. The nobles were tolerable before, but if they find you, they may be dreadful now. People are muttering about you, my dear. Don’t let them catch you unawares.”

Icy water dripped down my spine, and goosebumps pricked my arms. “I have nothing to hide. But I’ll be careful. Thank you, Chef.”

“The Shade saved you, my girl.”

“The Shade saved himself, like the king said.” I stood, picked up my basket and cloak, and kissed her wrinkled cheek.

She kissed me back and murmured. “Someday, I want you to say no. I know it won’t be today. But when you realize the true cost of never saying no, I hope to the seven stars you take your courage and say it firmly.”

I paused, her words uncomfortable and unwanted. “Thank you for breakfast. You are the best of all things.”

She smiled sadly at me and gently placed her palm on my cheek. Her touch was a comfort in the storm. “Don’t forget a second light. Go quickly. I’ll have dinner ready upon your return.” Chef gathered the tray and bowls, her movements too heavy for the indifferent expression she wore, and with a squeeze on my shoulder, she silently led me down the servant corridor.