Zwaantie gave a small nod, but she was having a hard time finding any part of it amazing. She wondered where Phoenix was now. Was he just as lost as she was? Maybe he had no idea how to find her either.
Leo shifted next to her. “All our palaces are designed similarly. It’s to keep out the vipers as best we can. There are seven stories and four layers to each story.”
“But it’s much taller than seven floors.”
“Yes, but that is just the spiral. There are no rooms above the seventh floor.”
“What do you mean by layers?” Zwaantie asked, now curious.
“Notice how the outer layer is open? Those are balconies and are open to the outside, so you can sit and enjoy the weather, and people watch. From there you can enter several different rooms depending on where you are on the outside of the castle—the library, the kitchen, the throne room, small dining rooms, and living areas. Those rooms have windows. But the bedrooms are in the third layer—no windows and thick wooden doors so the vipers cannot get in.”
“Are you saying the vipers roam the halls at night?” Zwaantie swallowed hard. There was no way she’d be able to sleep with those things banging at her door. She’d often resisted going to her room on time at home, but here she would make sure she was locked in her room a good thirty minutes before midnight.
“Yes, you’ll hear them pounding at your door. Earplugs might be good at first.”
Zwaantie shared a look with Luna, but Luna was unfazed. Maybe she remembered the vipers from when she’d been a child. It was weird she’d never mentioned them before.
Zwaantie still had trouble believing they had so much magic, and they couldn’t find a way to keep the monsters out of their castle.
“What’s in the fourth layer?” Zwaantie asked.
“Ah, the heart of the palace. Each level is different. I’ll show you them sometime, but now you need to meet my father.”
They went under the balcony, through the front door, and into a throne room. The king and queen stood. They hugged and kissed Leo and Viggo. So much touching. These would be her in-laws. She shivered.
A few people stood around the edges of the room with flashing discs. Would every part of her life be on display?
The king bowed, and Zwaantie curtsied. Leo’s father was tall like him, with the same spiky hair, but it was graying. The queen was thin and blonde. Zwaantie remembered Leo had explained his mother was not the queen.
“Father and Queen Astrid. May I introduce my fiancée, Zwaantie and her friend Luna?”
They inclined their heads toward the girls. The king and queen must’ve known they didn’t touch much in Sol because Zwaantie expected she would’ve gotten a hug and a kiss as well.
“Princess Zwaantie, I trust your trip over here was pleasant,” the king said.
“Yes,” Zwaantie lied. Sure, almost getting eaten by monsters and delivering a baby in the pitch black was completely pleasant.
He held Candace’s baby in his arms. Her father would never hold a baby. That was beneath him. Things must be different here in Stella. Her stomach clenched. She wasn’t sure she could talk to anyone right now.
“Looks like we had some excitement. I’m glad you were there to assist Candace in her time of need. Would you like to hold my grandson?”
Zwaantie hesitated. In some ways she resented the baby. He was the reason she would have to marry Leo, even though she didn’t want to.
Also, in spite of delivering several dozen babies in the last few years, she’d never held a baby except for right after he was born. She nodded, apprehensive.
The king handed her the baby. He was so small in her arms, but warm against her body. His wide blue eyes stared up at her. He was tiny and helpless and so alive. His whole life was in front of him. Someday he would grow up, become whatever he wanted to be, and would make a difference.
Something hit her at that moment. This was who she was fighting for. The life of this baby was at risk if she didn’t marry Leo. Her stomach churned at the very thought. She might be trapped, but she was fighting for this baby.
Candace touched her elbow, and Zwaantie startled.
“Shall we go sit while Leo and Father catch up?”
“Sure.” She glanced at Leo, who had a sappy look on his face. He was probably imagining her with their own children. She couldn’t think about that. Not yet.
Candace led her into a small sitting room with several overstuffed chairs. Zwaantie sank down into one. She dropped her gaze to the baby. He’d closed his eyes and was sleeping.
“What did you name him?” Zwaantie asked.
“We haven’t yet. Actually I was wondering if maybe you wanted to pick his name. You saved both of our lives. Thank you.”
Zwaantie’s breath caught. She’d never been given such an honor before. “I can’t do that. He’s your baby.”
Candace sat on the edge of her chair and leaned toward Zwaantie.
“I don’t think you understand. When I realized I was in labor on the boat, I panicked. I knew we wouldn’t make it before he came. Even in my pain, I was hysterical. Then here you came, a midwife from Sol to save the day. If you hadn’t been there, one or both us could be dead. I’m forever indebted to you. I know I yelled at you about Leo, but now, sister, you come first. You tell me what you need, and I’ll do it for you.”
Zwaantie thought for a moment.
“What I need is time. I didn’t know about the prophecy until after I delivered the baby. You already know I don’t love Leo, and it’s going to take me time. But I will marry him and save this little guy.”
Candace hesitated for a moment. “Will you still name him?”
Zwaantie stared down at the baby in her arms. She had no idea what to name him. After her father? No. Her brother? Yes. He would appreciate that.
“Raaf. It’s my brother’s name.”
“It’s different. But I like it. Raaf.” The name didn’t sound quite right coming off Candace’s tongue, but Zwaantie supposed she would never pronounce it right. Ah, well. Raaf will still be pleased.
“Are you going home right away?” Zwaantie asked.
“I don’t think so. The lock-in is coming up.”
“What’s the lock-in?”
“The biggest party of the year. Most young royals attend as well as others who are high on the social strata. We lock ourselves in a warehouse and dance all night.”
“But what about lights?” The darkness after midnight was stifling.
“We use gas lamps and natural music. It’s so fun. We’ll go shopping beforehand and make sure you have the perfect dress.”
Zwaantie felt overwhelmed again. Would she have to attend this party? It sounded horrid. Hundreds of Stellans doing Sol knows what.
A knock sounded on the door, and Viggo poked his head in.
“Time to feed the Ticker.”
“What?” Zwaantie asked.
“Photo shoot, darling. Let’s go.”
Candace stood, took little Raaf, and waved Zwaantie away. “Go on. It’s time to tell Stella about the Solite princess.”
A sinking feeling blossomed her stomach. She didn’t want to do this. Her face would be everywhere, and she would have to act like she was happy to be here. Couldn’t she just have one day of peace?
Chapter 8
The Image
Viggo chattered in Zwaantie’s ear as they went down the hall. “We’re going to leave you in what you are wearing now. We want this to look authentic, not staged. Two stories are going to hit the Ticker this afternoon. First will be you and Leo and your love story. Second, we will expand on how you delivered Candace’s baby. The public is going to eat you up.”
Zwaantie’s head spun as she tried to make sense of everything he was saying.
“Has Leo already told you our story?”
Viggo shook his head with a laugh. “Oh, no, I’ll make it up.”
“But if you make it up, it’ll be a lie.”
“No, sweetie, it’s just spin. Leo went to
Sol seeking new trade agreements, and he fell in love. Your parents were horrified by their daughter dating a prince from Stella, and so you had to sneak out just to spend time together. In the end, nothing would stop your love. Your wedding will be the biggest event this century.”
“But he came because of the prophecy.”
He put a finger to his lips. “Only the royal family knows about that.”
He pushed open a door to another room, and Zwaantie followed him in, Candace on her heels. Leo was there with his father and the queen. Luna sat next to the queen, talking animatedly. Another man with a larger disc was there as well.
“The princess,” he said. He rushed up to her and kissed her cheek. “You are just lovely, aren’t you? Come, let’s get the Ticker talking. The picture of you in that wretched dress is still floating around, even though Leo posted a few others. Let’s see what we can do about burying it, shall we?”
Zwaantie’s head began to pound. She didn’t understand what was going on.
“First, let’s document you meeting the king. A hug, I think.”
Zwaantie wanted to scream. This was impossible and wrong. Not only was she going to be on display for everyone to see, but she also had to fake it. She smiled though and went through the motions.
“Perfect,” he said at the end. He withdrew into a corner with Viggo. The pictures floated in front of them, and they argued over which to post.
Leo took her hand. “Thanks for being a good sport. Can I get you anything?”
“Just a bed and perhaps a healer. I’m afraid my head is hurting.”
“I’ll show you to your room. Candace, can you call a healer?”
Candace squeezed Zwaantie’s other hand. “I hope you feel better soon.”
“Thanks,” she said and meant it. She was grateful for Candace and her friendship.
“Come, Luna,” Zwaantie instructed. Luna looked up from where she’d been chatting with the king and queen. She frowned at Zwaantie but followed anyway.
They wove their way around the many hallways. It was like a maze. Zwaantie would never find her way around. They stopped at a small door, and Leo pushed a button. The door opened, and he pulled her into the small room. Luna slid in behind them. She was still frowning at Zwaantie, but Zwaantie couldn’t think about why. She couldn’t think of anything really.
Leo pushed another button with the number six above it, the door closed, and the room moved. Zwaantie clutched his arm, and Luna fell into her as the room lurched. Leo laughed at them, and Luna joined him.
“I forget you’re not used to our magics. We call this an elevator. It moves between the floors so you do not have to use the stairs.”
“We didn’t have these when I was a child. Are they new?” Luna asked with her eyes shining.
“The magic was discovered a few years ago.”
Zwaantie rubbed her forehead. “Luna, when we get to my rooms, I need you to go find me some medicine.”
Leo frowned at her. “Luna is not your slave anymore.”
Zwaantie didn’t know how to respond. Her head hurt too bad. “She may not have bondage bands anymore, but she is still my servant.”
“Luna will not be your servant. She will stay here as an honored guest, much like you. I can show you how to call for a healer, but I will not tolerate you ordering Luna around like a slave. I told you before. We do not have them here.”
Zwaantie was stunned. She had never heard Leo speak with such vehemence and authority. She rubbed her head and nodded, not having the energy to argue with him. He gave her a curt nod.
“Will I be staying near Zwaantie?” Luna asked.
“Yes. My brothers and sisters and I share the sixth story. There are a few extra suites so you two will also have rooms on that floor. Normally guests sleep on the third, fourth, or fifth floors. My father and his wife occupy the seventh floor.”
The elevator door opened, and they were once again in a maze of halls. Zwaantie’s head spun, and she couldn’t concentrate on where they were going.
“This is your room,” Leo said.
Her door was painted with a scene from home, a sun and pasture with cows in it. Zwaantie’s name was written in the clouds across the sky. It was gorgeous.
Zwaantie squinted and leaned down to look closer.
“Yes, the cows move. Touch one of them.”
Zwaantie did, and it mooed. In spite of herself, she laughed. “That’s brilliant.”
“I’m glad you like it. I spoke with the design mages yesterday before we got on the boat. We wanted to make you comfortable.”
He opened the door, and it was like being at home. The air even smelled different, fresher somehow. All of the walls were painted like home. A sun hung in the sky, and Zwaantie’s castle perched on a hill, with fields full of tiny moving animals.
Zwaantie smiled at him for a moment, forgetting her misery.
In the center of one wall was an enormous bed with a midnight blue comforter covered in tiny shimmering lights.
“I told them about the table in your room at home. They tracked down the mage who created it and had him make this. Another replica of the starry sky. Later, we’ll find the constellations I showed you,” Leo said.
It was a nice gesture, but her head really was hurting. He pointed to a dressing screen. Draped across the top of it was a light nightgown.
“I’m going to show Luna her room while you get changed.”
She didn’t even respond as she escaped behind the dressing screen. It was much easier changing out of Stellan clothes than it was with Solite ones. She slipped under the covers just as Leo came back in.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry you’re feeling bad.”
“I think it’s the newness of everything. I’m just not used to it.”
“You’ll find our healers are amazing. He’ll figure out exactly what is wrong with you and fix it so you can enjoy your evening.”
Just then a huge beast came bounding through the door and leapt up onto the bed. Zwaantie scrambled back so she was sitting up against the wall. “What is that?”
But Leo didn’t even hear her. He was busy scratching the beast’s ears and crooning to it like it was a baby.
It licked him in the face and then turned its enormous head toward Zwaantie. It crawled across the covers until it was in her face. Zwaantie wrinkled her nose. Warm breath that smelled like liver blew across her face. Its nose was black and wet.
“Zwaantie, meet Molly, my dog.”
Ah, a dog. Sometimes the farmers used them to herd sheep, but she’d never met one that crawled into bed with you or was quite as big.
Zwaantie nodded, still a bit speechless. Molly ran her tongue across Zwaantie’s cheek and then settled next to Leo, her head in his lap.
“Why is she in my bed?”
“Because she’s my baby.” He made a kissy face at Molly and scratched her behind her ears. “She sleeps with me. Normally she travels with me too, but I didn’t want to bring her into Sol. I didn’t know how you felt about dogs.”
Oh great, now not only would she be sharing a bed with a man she didn’t love, but she’d have to have a beast in the bed as well. Zwaantie wanted to go home. She rubbed her throbbing head.
“Beasts like that belong in the fields with the cows and sheep. Can you get her off my bed, please?”
Hurt crossed his face, but he called Molly down. He sat on the floor with her while they waited.
A few minutes later a healer arrived. He looked a lot like the healers at home, but instead of giving Zwaantie a pill or a foul liquid to swallow, he placed his hand on her forehead and muttered a few words. The pain disappeared.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“Princess, may I speak freely?” the healer asked.
Zwaantie nodded into her pillow, forgetting Leo was still in the room.
“I sense something wrong with your spirit. Something, or someone, has recently hurt you. Unfortunately, without knowing what happened I can’t
take that pain away. Can you tell me what happened?”
Zwaantie opened her eyes wide and stared into his. He had a wrinkly brown face and thick black hair. Of course she was in pain. Phoenix left her. Her heart was broken.
“I’m sorry I don’t know what you are talking about.”
Leo stood behind the healer, looking concerned.
“I would really like to sleep. Can you help me with that?”
He sighed. “Yes, but the pain won’t go away until you talk about it and let someone draw the pain out.”
He placed his palm on Zwaantie’s forehead again, and she felt her eyes drifting closed. Just before she was lost to dreamland, a tiny cow on her wall mooed.
Already she missed home, where she didn’t have to do photo shoots, didn’t have to deal with beasts from the field in her bed, and didn’t have to marry a man she didn’t love.
Chapter 9
The Tower
“Wake up, silly girl.”
Zwaantie blinked. Luna stood over her.
“I’m not supposed to be your servant anymore, but the prince was worried because you weren’t up yet. Come on, get up.”
“No,” Zwaantie said and rolled over.
“You cannot spend your first full day in Stella avoiding everyone. I know you’re upset about Phoenix, and I’m sure you feel completely lost, but appearances must be kept.”
“Why?”
“Because I know you plan on running away, and it will be harder to do if they are suspicious.”
“I have to marry the prince. I have no choice.” She didn’t. Not really. She had to save the baby. She certainly didn’t want to marry Leo.
Luna sighed. “Of course you have a choice. You always have a choice. Except now. Get out of bed. I’ve arranged for us to eat lunch together here. Alone.”
Zwaantie sat up, grateful Luna had the foresight to let them do something together without dealing with the bright lights of Stella. Luna was dressed in a very pretty white floor length dress with a bright pink flower winding around the bottom. It smelled wonderful.
Stella and Sol Box Set Page 21