Page 26

Chapter 26

Beatriz

The next day, we still hadn’t gained information about the Black Knight, nor had Cosme reestablished a betrothal with Monserrat. The unopened leather pouch strapped to my forearm remained hidden, teasing me with secrets I couldn’t reach. Somehow, I had to get away from the palace to investigate the contents.

I walked through the gardens with Queen Tatiana, Princess Monserrat, and Laude. Floral arches delighted the eye and mounds of magenta grass swayed in the sea breeze. Though this should have been a pleasant excursion, the conversation was strained with the growing distance from the palace.

Queen Tatiana breathed hard. “Which flowers will you choose for your wedding celebration?” She turned her pointy nose toward her daughter.

My forehead scrunched. So, it appeared that she hadn’t lied about not telling her mamá of the broken betrothal. Or was this an act for my sake?

Princess Monserrat peeked in my direction as if to check my reaction. “I decided on Samba orchids. They’ll match my headpiece, and the hue brings out my color.” A strange note touched her voice.

Keeping my gaze fixed ahead, I resisted exposing her. After all, she deserved a chance to tell the truth. Competing loyalties wouldn’t be easy for any soul to manage.

“That will be lovely.” Queen Tatiana stopped mid-stride, seeming to wilt slightly. “The sun is too much today. We should head inside for a glass of cucumber water.”

“There’s a lovely trail up ahead that I’d love to explore further.” I pointed to a secluded path and gestured for Laude to continue talking. It would be a perfect opportunity to open Monserrat’s new letter.

Queen Tatiana chuckled as if I’d told a joke.

“Perhaps we can leave Princess Beatriz.” Laude pivoted to cut me out of the conversation and gestured to the palace. “A glass of cucumber water sounds lovely.”

Queen Tatiana looked down her nose at Laude and curled her lips in such a way that we might have thought a cockroach had crossed her path. “But we can’t play a card game with uneven teams.” She stretched a practiced smile in place, marking the end of the debate.

The gravel crunched under our boots as we returned to the palace. So many questions burned my conscience. Did Queen Tatiana know her husband’s plans to wed Monserrat to another suitor or was she play acting?

As I crossed under the arched sandstone doorway into the palace, I scratched at the pouch Monserrat had given me. Sweat trickled under the leather. We still had days until the masquerade, but Monserrat’s urgent tone sang through my memory and grew my need to read the documents sooner than later.

Queen Tatiana led us into a cozy parlor where she collapsed into a yellow armchair. She whipped out a red fan and waved it at her face. Dark circles ran along her once vibrant eyes, giving her a sickly appearance. Again, Monserrat had told the truth about her mamá’s condition. What wouldn’t a husband do to save the one he loved? It built my trust toward Monserrat.

The day went on without seeing any of the men. We played Sorteo , a game of chance with portraits of heroes on game cards. The humdrum of the regular day left me desperate for something more.

Monserrat placed the game card of the ancient king’s throne on the table. A smirk lifted her cheeks. “I win.”

Footsteps scuffed at the doorway. A maid in yellow carried a tray of plates into the cozy room.

The queen waved the maid over to a small table. “An informal lunch will be served in the parlor. I hope you don’t mind.”

I hooked my elbow around Laude’s arm. “Laude and I need to rest for a while.”

“We do?” Laude asked.

My lips stretched into a practiced smile, and I snuck a glare at Laude.

“Yes, the heat is particularly draining.” I fanned my face to emphasize my point.

“Of course.” Monserrat lifted a hand. “Let me get someone to assist you to your room.”

“Thank you, but that will not be necessary; we know our way.” I tugged Laude off her chair and dragged her to the corridor, keeping my focus on the marble floors. Once we were out of earshot, I risked a glance backward. Monserrat watched us from the threshold of the parlor, leaning against the doorframe.

“Princess, why are we really leaving?” Laude whispered loudly. “I was hoping for another game of Sorteo .”

I turned left into the main corridor, leading to the main stairway and the front entrance. “We really should pay La Lavia a visit.”

Laude stopped. “You prefer to visit a cramped ship instead of eating?”

“We’ll talk more about it when we exit the palace.” My words sounded crisp.

A servant exited a side door with a tray laden with fried finger foods. The aroma stirred a wave of hunger in my stomach, but I continued marching forward.

Laude’s wistful gaze followed the meal we’d miss. “I don’t think we need rest.”

“Yes, we do.” I pulled her along toward the front entrance. “We have another dinner in the hall tonight.”

Laude sighed and met my stride. “See what I do for you.” Her usual grin spread on her lips and bubbled on her cheeks. Nothing kept Laude upset for long.

Our boots tapped along the corridor, through the front entrance, and down the rocky steps to the docks. La Lavia floated at the end with its giant white sails and the Giddelian flag flapping in the wind. Beside it, a new ship loomed. We hadn’t heard of new royal guests, but the polished wood and intricate designs boasted that those onboard must be important.

We trekked along the dock with sailors wrapping ropes and cleaning the decks. Those on the new ship wore dark colors and had no insignia to reveal where they originated. We continued in silence to La Lavia . A sailor rushed to grab the ramp so we could board.

I checked my surroundings, taking in the galleons and the palace on the cliff. The clean-cut sandstone had balconies chiseled in its many sides and turrets stacked like stairs to the tallest part of the structure. Though Giddel boasted a large palace, Aracibel’s royal estate was breathtaking, especially with the turquoise waters and vibrant gardens at its base.

“Beatriz, now can you tell me why we’re here,” Laude shouted from the ship.

Rushing upward, I silenced Laude with narrowed eyes. “To our sea quarters.”

“Does this have to do with when you disappeared on the balcony last night?”

I nodded.

Laude bounced on her toes. “Oh Princess, I knew she shared new information. I just knew it.”

Like the other ship, sailors cleaned and busied themselves on the decks of La Lavia . We strode past the Dotado with extraordinary hearing, Ignacio, avoiding eye contact, and entered the dark passage to our small room. Every step forward heightened my anticipation until I raced into the small room at the end.

Laude bounded inside and slammed the door. “What did she say? Are we in danger?”

“Who knows? Keep your voice low.” I mouthed, “Ignacio,” and worked my hand up my sleeve, untying the leather straps. “She made me promise not to look at it in the palace.” My fingers fumbled with the cords, tightening and loosening them. Finally, the pouch fell from my skin, and I retrieved the warm leather.

Yanking the papers from within, I opened them and was met by another map, a letter, and a scribbled note.

“It’s like last time.” Laude’s words came out breathily.

“No, the map is different.” I turned the parchment to get a better look. A path was marked in red from Pedroz to Aracibel, and another from Aracibel to a chain of small islands. In the corner, someone had drawn a map of the island. A line snaked to the center of the land. Around the parchment read a copy of an ancient poem:

What lives forever in perfect peace?

As doves swoop over bloody ground

Caught in the tender summer breeze

Protected because they are found

“What does it mean?” Laude crinkled her nose.

“I wish I knew.” I switched the parchment for the letter and read:

Dear King Sebastian of Aracibel from the Black Knight,

All arrangements have been made to attend the masquerade. Make sure to sit apart from your Giddelian guests. We must work quickly to detain them and bring them to justice. They refuse to allow open trade or to admit their hand in stealing the relics. Certainly, they search for the last relic to attain its power too. I have given you a map specifying the location of the new headquarters. From there, each kingdom will be given their portion in the last relic and will pledge allegiance to the New Alliance. Be on your guard for Giddel’s treachery.

I am sending the Black Prince ahead of me to make sure all plans on the masquerade night go smoothly. He wears the sigil of the double moon.

With new hope,

The Black Knight

The new galleon must be the Black Prince’s. Our enemy could already be lurking in the palace.

“Ai-yi-yi! We should go home. I can’t imagine what they’ll do to us.” Laude held a hand over her heart.

“Now would be a great time to let me in on any information you have yet to share. Perhaps regarding your involvement with the Dotados.” I pursed my lips.

She let out a nervous giggle. “You promise not to get upset?”

My eyelids dropped in a slow blink. “Should I lie?”

“No, well, it’s just—” She wound a red curl on her finger, a nervous gesture.

“Speak.”

“What about the last note?” She pointed to the third sheet, plucked it from my grasp, and read, “Beatriz, I wanted to apologize for putting you in such a strange position. I wrestled with whether or not to tell you about Aracibel’s planned betrayal. So that we are clear, the missives were cursed by whomever wrote them. The only way to share their content is to show someone the letters or write it down. Find a way to flee before the masquerade. They plan to kill Cosme and you. Sincerely, Monserrat.”

“Fermín burnt the original letters yesterday. Isn’t that exciting?” Laude hung her head over my shoulder. “Did you notice that nothing tethers our tongues any longer. Let’s test this letter. The New Alliance mee—”

The air in my lungs stilled. One of the letters was certainly cursed. Pressure mounted at the base of my head, hearing my fears read aloud. Should I run to Cosme and insist we leave today? Even so, we’d be ignorant to the villain who threatened us.

I snatched Monserrat’s note. “Light your finger.”

Tap-tap-tap

Someone knocked on the door.

“Now.” I kept the paper over her hand.

Laude lifted her fiery fingertip, and I placed paper in the flame. I held the corners as the edges crumpled and blackened. The last portion fell to the wood floor like the slow swooping of a seagull finding its way to shore. Laude stomped out the fire.

Tap-tap-tap

“Beloved,” Zichri called from the other side of the door. “Ignacio informed me you are here.”

We waved away the smoke, and I stuffed the parchment map into its leather sack. Laude stuffed the evidence into her sleeve as I opened the door.

“What are the two of you doing in this dingy quarter?” Zichri’s skin had a golden sheen from a day spent outdoors. He kissed my cheek and continued into the room where he poked the tip of his leather boot into a small pile of ash.

“The same as you.” Laude crossed her arms. The loose fabric acted as a great concealer even though I didn’t think we needed to hide anything from him.

He laughed and sat atop Laude’s bed. “You two cut to the real tale. Last night something happened, and that pile of ash proves it.”

“The Black Knight plans to kill us.” I sat across from him. “Mon—

He held out his hand to stop me from speaking and pointed to his ears as if to say someone could be listening. “Don’t tell me how you know this. Do you trust the informant?”

“Yes.” I shared a look with Laude.

She plopped beside me, giving my Zichri a weary stare.

“Hmm.” Zichri raked fingers in his cropped hair, contemplating. “I’m assuming Cosme doesn’t know you’re here.”

I shook my head.

“And you haven’t any idea who arrived on the new galleon?” He propped his elbow on his knee.

“Is that a rhetorical question?” I asked.

“Well, we know it’s the Black Prin—” Laude took a steadying breath. “But we haven’t a clue who that is. Just clarifying.” Laude twisted a curl and untwisted it, leaving puffy frizz on her shoulder in its wake.

The corners of Zichri’s mouth twitched, giving him a rogue appearance with some other meaning in the sweep of his gaze. I wanted to melt into his arms but resisted. Nothing, including myself, could jeopardize thousands of nights alone with this heartthrob.

“We have until the masquerade.” I placed my palms over my pounding heart.

Zichri stood a breath away and offered to help me stand. “We either wait for death and learn the identity of your enemy or leave beforehand and wait for future attacks.”

My stomach spun at his words and at his nearness. His lips parted as if to say more.

I took his hand, lifted myself up, and met his warm gaze. “When you say it that way, we haven’t a choice.”

“Of course, you have a choice.” He captured my arms. “Can you use your gift?”

“Zichri.” I lowered my voice.

“Beatriz.” He copied my tone. “You aren’t powerless.”

Laude bit her bottom lip and rocked on her heels. “Did you want to see the…” She pushed the pouch into his grasp.

Though no magic was at play, the spell between Zichri and me broke. We needed his insight, and this thing between us would distract us from our mission.

He nodded and plucked the parchments out of the leather pouch. His focus sped across the papers, and his color paled. “These words are cursed. We’re up against another whyzer.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Laude held up a finger to get our attention. “So, I’m not exactly well versed in everything whyzer and all, but the queen says only one person around the Agata Sea could curse inked words and a person’s tongue.”

Zichri smoothed a weary hand over his face and returned the documents.

I pinched the corner of the paper, suddenly feeling as if the ink could poison me with a mere touch and stuffed them into the leather pouch. “Who?”

A hard edge traced the syllables of Laude’s pronunciation. “Whyzer Patro.”

Zichri let out a mirthless laugh. “The whyzer was our prisoner in Himzo. I should have known. Now to find out which of my brothers made a deal with the devil.”

“I have a terrible feeling about all of this.” Laude hugged herself and her stomach growled. The sour expression on her face reflected my sentiments. Fleeing seemed the best option, but we could never do that without the rest of the group.