Page 20 of Unkindness of Crimson Ravens (The Crimson Duet #1)

Intruders

S ilence.

For the longest few minutes of my life, we just sat in silence. Francis did not let go of me, although his grip had loosened. He was the only reason my whole body had not shattered into small pieces, yet he could not save my heart.

“I am sorry,” he whispered into my ear.

My soul wanted to run and hide, though my mind felt empty. My body did not feel like my own, my eyes studied the wooden door through the glass that covered my vision.

This was a dream. A nightmare.

Perhaps I had died and was in purgatory, answering for my sins before the Moon. Perhaps my Sandra was safe, and this was no more than a twisted jest of my consciousness, punishing me for all the wrongs I’d committed throughout my life.

Even if it was a lie, the thought brought me comfort.

“Tell me where the Queen’s study is,” Francis whispered. “I will get the documents and come back for you.”

I shook my head, “No. I am fine.”

I could not allow any distractions: not when we were so close to our target, not when we were playing hide and seek with death herself.

For Sandra.

The wardrobe door opened with an uncomfortable screech, bringing me back to my surroundings as I barged into the room that once was my own. Francis quietly followed after.

My eyes scanned the room that used to be my only shield from the outside world.

The only thing that had been safe and certain in my life was now full of grief.

It smelled like home and suffering. No matter the fact that all of my things were in places where I’d left them last; no matter the comforting darkness of my old surroundings, the room was not mine—not anymore.

Despite the tears that threatened to break loose, my trembling body made it to the door Sandra had been dragged out of.

Leaning on the wooden barrier that separated me from the main hallway, I tried to catch the sound of any proof Mother’s order was actually being followed.

The sound of guards pacing behind the door made it clear the order was indeed being fulfilled; the guards were in their designated spots, waiting for anyone foolish enough to intrude on their Queen’s new rule.

This was our only way out of this room. The only way that was now guarded. Damnation.

I turned to find Francis patiently waiting at my side. His brows flew up in question, which I replied to with a slight shake of my head: we could not get through it unnoticed. Francis’ lips turned into a thin line.

A small voice in my mind screamed at me to leave the palace, admit failure and find safety once again, yet I ignored it, determined to succeed no matter what—

The sound of several steps from the hallway broke through the room; our gazes met in pure terror. Francis gestured for me to go, yet I was frozen in place, scanning my old room for anything useful.

One wrong move would mean our immediate execution, or worse. How could I have come here this unprepared? How could I have let my own impulsiveness lead us into jeopardy? My foolishness would get us killed.

As quietly as possible, my legs carried me in the opposite direction of the passage.

Kneeling on the floor before my old bed, I prayed to the Moon and all the Gods that my sword was still in its designated place: safely hidden from unwelcome eyes, underneath the bed frame.

I reached for the scabbard, dragging it toward me from the corner.

Quickly strapping it around my waist, I managed to get it into place as the sound of several steps got terrifyingly close.

I flew towards Francis, who guarded the entrance of the passage, waiting for me to go through it. He had unleashed his own dagger, glaring at the main door.

We rushed through the wardrobe, closing the door tightly behind us, separating ourselves from the intruders of my old room. Just like that I said goodbye to my childhood.

Just like that I said goodbye to my old life.

“Are there any other entrances?” Francis whispered as we made our way through the darkness.

“Yes, but it's dangerous,” I replied just as quietly. “We don't have a choice.” I said more to myself than to him.

Although I knew Sandra was not in her room, my sister’s room was not abandoned. Her servants might still be there, yet somehow this option was more appealing than wandering the infinite hallways of the palace—Brian’s chambers were much farther from the Queen’s studies than Sandra’s.

“We have to go through Sandra’s bedchambers,” I made the decision.

Francis nodded, although I could tell he was not fond of the idea.

The door of the passage to Sandra’s room opened silently, as if it had never been used before. The room was painfully empty.

Despite my relief, part of me refused to believe Sandra was truly spending the night in the dungeon. I closed my eyes, taking slow steps toward the main entrance. The idea of being so close to my sister broke me in half.

Leaning on the door, I took a deep breath, listening carefully for any sign of movement in the hallway.

Francis squeezed his dagger as I slowly opened the door ajar. The hallways were quiet, dark, and... empty, thank the Moon. I pointed at Mother’s study, meeting Francis' gaze. About a hundred yards separated us from the documents.

No guards were seen on our path. We only had one chance, and no room for any more mistakes.

Please let the study be empty, please, I kept repeating in my head. That was the only risk we could not be prepared for. Please be empty, I begged.

Francis and I shared a determined nod. There was no fear shown on his face, and I could only hope my features did not give my true feelings away. Breathe. I ordered myself, setting my feet toward the darkness.

Everything slowed. Like in a nightmare, I ran, yet could not feel my body move. Every step felt as though it separated me from my target.

The ringing in my ears was as loud as the bells of the church. My mind felt as though it was in the depths of the ocean—quiet and loud all the same.

We rushed through the door of the study, closing it tight behind us. Anxiety broke through the wall I’d built in my mind, depriving me of any other emotion.

The only source of light in the study was the bright moon peeking out of curtains. Terror refused me the sweet relief of some luck. We were still in a very dangerous position here. No passageways led out of this room, if someone entered we were as good as dead. We had to make it quick.

I moved toward Mother’s table, leaving Francis to guard the door.

I grabbed the matches from the Queen’s bookshelf when anxiety hit me with an even stronger force.

The shaking in my hands made me lose at the weak attempt to light the candle.

Come on! I screamed at the match. I do not have time for this!

When the fire finally illuminated the room, I released the air from my lungs.

Rushing through the endless amounts of paper, I tried to find something—anything—useful. Part of me wanted to take them all and go through the papers when we were in the safety of our home, although the logic in me did not allow such foolishness.

Of course whatever we took would be noticed eventually; but if I took it all, the search for it would start immediately.

Budget, allies agreements, lists of prisoners...

Nothing about the missing people. Damnation!

Had we come here for nothing? Had we risked our heads only to leave empty handed?

I knew Mother kept the Vanishing List . I’d seen it when searching for Duke Barren’s proposition for his son’s marriage: right before Mother permanently banished me from her study.

“We have to hurry, Princess,” Francis whispered.

Anxiety tightened my heart into a painful knot as my hands flipped through the never-ending stack of papers.

Wedding budget, the list of guests...

I wanted to scream!

Weaponry, army, Wurdulacs...

Wurdulacs.

“Princess,” Francis shot me a worried gaze.

The attacks on our kingdom grew in the last few months, Your Majesty.

I am sorry to inform you of the details of recent invasions on our borders.

The bodies of the victims were not found, we are forced to believe the assaulters are associated with the Wurdulac society.

Your youngests are in grave danger, Your Majesty.

I flipped to the next page, finding dozens of letters of the same character.

“Princess!” Francis hissed at me.

The papers crinkled as I folded them into my pocket—

The banging on the marble floor echoed into the room. My gaze slid to Francis’ when I blew out the candle, freezing in place. The ringing thud of heels grew louder from the hallway.

Francis mouthed a curse, squeezing his dagger until his knuckles whitened. He took a slow step toward me, his free hand caught my wrist, pulling me close.

Several more heavy slaps of boots raced toward the study.

My hand instinctively flew to the handle of my sword as I held a deep breath, afraid to make a sound. Someone must have seen us come in here. We were doomed.

The steps stopped right in front of the door to the study, the eternity of silence entered the room.

“Your Majesty, we think there are intruders in the castle,” the voice from the hallway announced when Francis pressed my body against the wall by the door, placing himself beside me. “We heard someone go through the passage in Your oldest daughter’s room.”

I closed my eyes tight, separating myself from the reality of my surroundings.

“You think ?” Mother’s voice cut through the air, as though it’d grown blades of its own. “Why are you here?” she bit out. “I want the intruders alive before me.”

The icy sweat from my forehead fell down on my eyelashes. They did not know we were in the study, but they would soon enough. We were trapped here. We were trapped!

“Now!” the Queen yelled at the knights, turning the handle of the door to the study.

Several pairs of boots rushed down the hallway when the door creaked open, shielding us in the corner.

My hand found Francis’ as the Queen entered the study, making her way across the room. Francis’ overly calm eyes met mine when his thumb stroked across my palm. My lungs froze.

The firelight illuminated the room seconds later; my heart fell to my heels. The sound of rustling paper reached my ears. I closed my eyes shut—

Silence.

As though the world froze in place, deathly silence fell upon the study.

My eyes flew open in an instant, meeting Francis’ imperturbable gaze.

One glance at our shadows behind the door was enough for my mother to realize. One glance for her to know the intruders were right in the heart of her palace.

The shaking in my hands increased, my body was mere seconds from collapsing—

Mother put out the candle—enveloping the room in a pitch black embrace—when her loud, deliberate steps slowly disappeared.

She’d left. We were alive. My body shook, filling my paralyzed lungs with air. She didn’t see us.

“We have to go,” Francis whispered, dragging me out of the study when a shimmer from my mother’s table stopped me in place.

“Wait,” I rushed toward the object.

“Princess, we have to go!” Francis hissed at me as I let the golden Royal stamp slide into my pocket. His grip around my wrist hardened, pulling me after him.

We flew out the room, back to Sandra’s bedchambers. Running straight for the passage, we spared no time making sure the pathway was clear.

My stomach creaked with pain when the passage illuminated in candlelight behind us. The sound of dozens of steps following after us covered my skin in a freezing sweat.

Francis held my hand tight, urging me to run faster. “Don’t look back,” he said, pushing me ahead of him.

The exit of the passage entered my view just before my legs were ready to give up. A few more steps, just a few more steps!

My hand flew to the handle when Francis shoved me out of the way. I staggered backward from the impact, hitting the stoned cold wall of the passage. He yanked the door wide open, fleeing out.

Francis abandoned me after all.