by J. G. Maltos
My smile falters slightly as I catch movement behind a tree. Zee pushes her aside with a chuckle. The wind picks up, ruffling the hem of Odette’s dress. I try to tilt my head to get a clearer view behind Odette but there is nothing. I try to shake away the feeling that sits in the pit of my stomach as I think back at today's events.
The memory of the young maid comes back to mind. I lower my gaze, plucking the grass with a casual hand. “Could I ask you something, then?”
“Of course, Princess—” I shoot Zemirah a stare and she lets out another chuckle. “Althea. You can ask us anything.”
“How familiar are you ladies with the rest of the servants here at the castle?”
The girls share glances between them. I smile at them, hoping that would ease their nervousness. I have never been good at having a poker face, but hopefully, they don’t notice.
“Pretty well, I should say,” Zee answers. “Why do you ask?”
“Do you know a kitchen girl that is about my age, maybe older?” I hold my palm out to my shoulder. “She’s about this high, though. Curly, blonde hair? With freckles? I’m afraid I might have gotten her in trouble.”
Evie taps a finger to her chin. “Doesn’t sound familiar to me. I don’t think there’s anyone near our age working in the kitchen.”
“Are you sure?”
She pauses for a moment, probably raking through her mind before giving me a sharp nod of her head. “I’m pretty positive. I help set the table on occasion, so I’m quite familiar with the kitchen staff. What do you mean you may have gotten her in trouble?” Evie’s eyebrows furrow together in worry.
I scratch the back of my neck. “I ran into her earlier today. Quite literally, actually. She seemed like she was in a hurry. I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t scolded for my carelessness.”
Evie’s worried look changes into one of confusion. “Perhaps they hired someone recently? It’s not uncommon for new folk to come unannounced, like Zemirah.”
“Right,” I say rather unconvinced.
Evie turns to Odette, moving her hands to help clear up anything lost in the conversation. Odette taps her chin, deep in thought. Lastly, she shakes her head and signs that she also has not seen anyone with that description. My shoulders fall in defeat as the conversation trails off. Gossip has stirred through the castle upon seeing Nathaniel and Bash running through the halls like madmen.
I only smile and nod through the conversation the girls are rolled up in until a sudden chill pulls my focus away and toward the empty land before us. The wind has picked up and the waves crash against the shore with more force. A smoky scent fills my lungs. A strong sense of deja vu clouds my mind.
The voice of the girls sounds more like a hum echoing in the background. I scan my surroundings, trying to find the source of that scent. My hand glides on the ground, hoping to feel something the way I felt the girls when they had made their way over to me. There is nothing. I tap my fingers against my knee with nervousness.
“Althea, are you okay?” Zee’s voice manages to pull me out of my trance.
“Yeah,” I force out, still eyeing the empty field. “Do you feel anyone near?”
She gives me a questioning glance, but still places her palms on the grass. A green glow lights from the tips of the fingers, extending to her palm and branching out into the ground. A part of me feels envious again. Her cheeks burn red. “I think Koura found us.” I raise an eyebrow at the redness of her cheeks, but I relax, nonetheless. It is just Koura.
Koura! My back stiffens, knowing I will soon be under Koura rath.
“Thank you, Zee,” I say quickly and I stand from the ground. I can only imagine what is running through Koura's mind at this very moment. Ahead of me, I notice the sun disappearing past the horizon of the ocean. “I didn’t realize it was getting late. Best we should head back to the castle, no?” I offer Odette a helping hand.
Finally, I can feel the footsteps stomping nearby in a rush. In seconds, a heavy breathing Koura springs from the trees.
“Althea.” There is no hiding the relief in his voice. “Pretty late to be out here without guards, don’t you think?” He says sarcastically. My cheeks flush at the realization I am caught.
“I wasn’t alone.” I shrug, pointing at the girls next to me. Koura hazel eyes narrow at my response. I know I shouldn’t have run away from Bash and Nathaniel but he gave me no choice. I shrink back slightly from his intense gaze.
The girls giggle behind me. I give them a death stare, silencing them mid giggle. Evie quickly steps forward “We lost track of time. I’m pretty sure no one would try to mess with all four of us.” The girls next to me nod.
Koura's shoulders relax and he glances at me before looking at the girls. He smiles warmly and gives them a kind bow. “Ladies, thank you for keeping her company, and safe.”
Evie’s giggles intensify as she grabs a hold of my arm. “It was an honor to keep the Princess busy. It’s not often we get along with someone of a higher status.”
Odette signs in, with the help of Evie. “The princess was kind enough to accept our company.”
“Please,” I sigh, “I’d prefer if we’d keep this ‘Princess’ business for professional settings. Out here, just call me Althea. Or Al.”
“Well, that’s good to hear you ladies got along well. Apparently, Bash and Nathaniel were not good enough for her. ” Koura smirks in my direction. My ears burn from embarrassment as the girls turn to look at me in amusement. “As you can see, the Princess can get a little grouchy.” I gasp at his accusation. Koura throws me a wink and crosses his arms. “Now, let us get back to the mainland before it gets dark and a tree rams into a delicate face.”
“Oh please,” Zee smirks. “As if I would let a tree hurt that face of yours, Koura.”
“Then you shall be doing a grand service to the women of our Kingdom.” Now it is his turn to hide his blush.
Evie, still holding on to my hand, pushes me to follow Koura back to the castle. As we walk, a cool breeze brushes against my arm. The smokey scent returns, but only faintly. I lose my footing and Evie grips my arm in worry.
“Is everything all right?” Evie whispers, frantically looking forward to where Koura and Zemirah continued ahead, talking animatedly with each other. I have the urge to tell her what I have been feeling but quickly retract that idea in case I am being followed. I do not want to involve her in anything that might put her life at risk.
I give her a short nod, but I still scan the area around me. As we continue, I can’t shake off this eerie feeling that someone is following me.
Chapter 6
The next morning, I wake with a startled gasp. My hair sticks to my face in sweaty clumps. My mouth is dry from the heavy breathing, although I can’t quite remember my dream, I know it must not have been a pleasant one. The only image I can make out through the fog of morning is the same pair of stone-hard, golden eyes.
I throw my legs across the bed, lifting myself and shaking this heavy feeling that sits on my chest. I start to control my breathing when a white envelope on the top of my dresser beside me calls my attention. My name is written in a delicate script, one I don’t recognize.
My Dear,
I am quite disappointed to see you no longer favored the cell we were so kind to give you. The havoc your little friends wreaked to save you left much to be desired. Now, word of your rescue has created even more of a problem for me. You see, I cannot allow someone the likes of yourself to roam free in these realms. Fret not. We shall see each other soon.
Until then,
My heart pounds in my ears, gripping the edges of the paper so tight it crumbles in my hands. It is like a needle popped the naïve thoughts that I allow myself to feel. I should have known! I yell at myself. I should have known there is no such thing as a safe place for me. And just like that, another blood curling thought enters my head. Someone was in my room without my knowledge.
One of them came in. Undetected.
I jump ou
t of my bed and rush out the door. Koura. I have to find him. I race down the hall and pay little mind to the wild looks I receive from the servants. I’m not a princess to them anymore. I haven’t been for years.
I turn the corner and walk up another flight of stairs. It is like my memory is guiding me. Somehow, I remember exactly where Koura’s chamber are. Hopefully, it hasn’t changed in the years I had been away.
I push past the anxious buzz in my head and bang a heavy fist on the chamber door. I tap my foot with every second that passes. The note feels heavy in my hand as I grip it tighter. I bang my first against his door with more force.
Koura answers on the second knock, shirtless and covered in sweat. “What’s wrong, Al?” His face shows full-blown concern at my messy state. Of course, I haven’t even bothered to change out of my sleep attire and into something more appropriate.
“I’m sorry.” I try to fight the embarrassment that creeps up my neck. “I know it's sudden. I should come back—”
Koura lightly grabs my wrist and pulls up through his door, closing it cautiously behind him. “It’s all right. I had just finished a sparring match with Nathaniel.”
“Oh,” I manage to say. Nathaniel and Bash both faced Koura’s anger when he found out what I did. Though it was my doing, Koura still did not lift their punishment.
“I know you don’t like them but they are part of your guards,” he says sternly. “I trust them and I hope you get to know them better because they will be around to protect you.”
I lower my gaze as I stand awkwardly in the middle of his room between piles of scattered clothing. “It’s not that I don't like them. I just don’t like the constant surveillance thing you have going for them.” A sigh escapes me. “Can you apologize to them for me? I shouldn’t have acted the way I did.”
A smirk plays on his lips. “You can apologize to them yourself later. Elite Theon is planning a welcoming party on your behalf.”
There is no hiding the absolute displeasure I feel at this news. “I detest parties.” I groan.
“Somehow it’s a relief to hear that has not changed.” Koura chuckles from his closet. “I’m going to rinse off. Please, make yourself at home. I won’t be long.”
“All right,” I respond half-heartedly.
Koura notices my discomfort as he nears his bath door. “We’ll discuss what it is that has you so tense.” His tone leaves no room for argument.
I can only nod, not trusting myself to speak without breaking into a panic haze. I still hold the note tightly in my hands as I try to find a way to organize my words without sounding like a lunatic.
He gives a lopsided grin and enters his bathroom. I bite my nails typing to organize my thoughts about the note. They know where I am. They were able to sneak into my room without anyone noticing. I take large breaths, hoping it would help me pull myself together. My mind is racing with a million questions that only cause a headache to rise.
I walk around his bed, toward his desk, and sit down on his large soft chair. I spin around a few times and tip over from the dizziness. A laugh escapes me, and I am grateful for the moment’s distraction. I see a slight movement by the door causing me to freeze. I turn my head lightly but the shadow is gone.
“I had wished you chose the bed, but the floor works, too.” Koura laughs as he walks out with a towel to dry his damp hair.
“I was simply checking the structural integrity of the castle,” I say with mock seriousness, tapping a light hand on the floor. “I approve.”
As Koura circles the room, I spot a chest hidden beneath his bed. The carvings on the lid branch out like roots from a tree. Dust collects at the top. It must have been there for quite a while, untouched. Although the gold clasp looks strong, I touch it lightly for fear of breaking it.
“You can open it if you like.” Koura’s voice sobers up from all the playfulness he had moments before.
I run a featherlike touch across the carvings, appreciating its roughness beneath my fingertips before pulling at the clasp and revealing a faded picture. It is of our mothers. The picture was painted outside the castle in the rose garden. They sit on a quilted blanket, dressed in white silk dresses.
Hanging from their arms is a mischievous Koura and a young Althea with red eyes and a runny nose. A smile tugs at my lips at the memory. Koura had been pulling my pigtails during the whole outing. A comforting hand lays on my shoulder.
“There was nothing I wouldn’t have done to find you,” he says with a somber face. “I did things I was not proud of, but I had to remind myself it was to bring you back alive and safe. You may not have known this—” His eyes shift to the picture I hold in my hands. “But even as a child, I had known what honor was. I had promised your mother I would take care of you. I felt it was my responsibility to find you. It was the least I could do.” He takes a seat on his bed next to me and my head instinctively leans on his knee.
“I can’t help to imagine what your life would have been like if you hadn't dedicated it to finding me.”
“I would be unattractive but married most likely.” He taps a pensive finger against his chin. “I would prefer this life. The life of a handsome bachelor.” His eyebrows wiggle with mischief.
I push his knee with my temple. “You tease, but you gave up so much of your life to find me.”
His hand lays lightly on my hair, soothing the tangled mess. “You had no control over my decision. I would make the same choice a thousand times over.” His hand pauses on my hair for a second. “What’s the real cause of this visit, Princess?”
I hesitate before pulling out the crumbled letter I had crammed in my pocket.
He takes it into his own hands and I feel his body stiffen as he reads it. “When did you receive this?”
“It was by the nightstand when I woke up.” I try to keep my voice steady, but the thought of being taken back to the cell is overwhelming. “They must have found a way to enter through undetected.”
He runs an agitated hand through his tousled hair. “We are still investigating who ran the cells. We were only able to capture one soldier, but they refused to give us any information.” He clenches his jaw. “I’ll speak with the Elite. We’ll double your protection. The trainees are doing extraordinary; we can use their help.”
I open my mouth to protest, but before I can get a sound out, something bright outside catches my eye. With staggering steps, I near the window. I do not know what to expect but a feeling of deja vu creeps on me. A loud blow sounds from a distance. I narrowed my eyes to try to see where it had come from.
To the right of the garden, smoke emerges from the edge of the castle. My body ices over as the puffs of smoke resembles the chaos that brought on the fall of my kingdom. Moments later, the blaring of alarms breaks me from my trance. I turn to Koura with wide eyes, but he has already begun dressing into his soldier's uniform.
“Hurry!” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the door. “I need to take you somewhere safe.”
We enter the hall where all the servants fly past us in a panic. The frost soldiers run with their swords in hand, crystal-like blades that vary in form. Sounds of glass breaking echo around us and the panic in my heart only grows more and more.
Koura pulls me around a corner and suddenly I am in a room that I can only assume to be the maid’s supply closet. He wastes no time in throwing stuff around and exposing a hollow shaft hidden in the back of the room.
Another alarm blares through the thick castle walls, and Koura lets out a string of swears. “They got to the training rooms.” His eyes steel over with raw emotion. His hands grip my shoulders. “Listen carefully. I need you to go down this shoot. Once you reach the bottom, you’ll be in a dark room. That’s the other supply closet.” I try to focus but the chaos of the halls captures my attention.
Another bomb goes off and I can’t register what he is saying.
Koura grips my head between his hands. “Focus, Al! From there, you’ll turn right and Bash will be right ther
e waiting for you.”
“But how will he know?” I ask through panicked breaths.
“We have procedures planned in case something like this happened. He will be there. I do not doubt that. He’ll keep you safe until I can come and find you.” I instantly feel regret running away from them and getting them in trouble.
I nod rapidly in understanding, but that does little to soothe the worry lines on his face. Koura releases me and takes a step back towards the door. The sound of women and children rings through the halls.
He looks down at me with a pained expression. “My men need me right now, Princess. I’ll go to you as soon as I’m able.” And just like that, he disappears behind the other side of the door. My heart pounds against my chest as I look at the opening. I take one large breath and walk closer to the opening.
Without a second thought, I push myself through and clamp my mouth shut. Cold air whizzes around me as my body slides down the shaft, leaving a slow burn on my cheeks. I try to grab anything to slow myself down, but I only gain more speed. My palms burn from the friction of the walls. I pull my hands inward trying to save myself some pain. I see the end and brace myself for impact.
My feet hit a metal floor and I roll out of the vent, colliding with the materials that stalk the room. I force myself up on weak legs. Before I completely regain my balance, another bomb shakes the room and my chest fills with panic. My hands grasp at anything around me to help me make my way toward the door. On the other side is another wave of soldiers sprinting with their weapons at hand. I turn right, hoping to follow Koura’s instructions the best I can and meet Bash, but something paralyzes me in fear. Or rather—someone.
Chapter 7
I didn’t expect to see One Ear so soon after my rescue. If it had been a thousand years later it would still have been too soon. Yet, there he stood several yards in front of me and awfully close to a familiar face. The servant girl.
He meets my wide eyes and an immediate smirk splits across his face. After a moment, I break out of my daze and try to run the other way. In seconds, a shooting pain pulls at my skull. My head snaps back by the roots of my hair, crashing right back into his chest. I meet the servant girl with pleading eyes, but there is no emotion. There’s no fear, no sympathy. They are empty. For a moment, I doubt if she was even real to begin with.