It was completely—not her. “Wow, Ruby. That’s nice.”
“Except for one thing.” Ruby glanced up at the light brown hair draping around her face and blew a breath at it so it moved away from her eye. “But other than that, I’ll have to admit that it looks good. Yours is nice too.”
“Now let’s see Jaylyn.”
“I’m sure she looks fabulous as always. She’s the dress-wearer.”
Kathryn led us down to the next door and knocked.
The maid inside came without delay. “Just in time.”
Kathryn smiled and the other maid moved from the door to let Jaylyn out.
Her dress was made of black silk with green velvet trim that wrapped around the front of her at the waist and was fastened by an emerald jewel and draped open on the right side. The top came down her neckline in a loose fashion and settled over her breasts. Her hair was put up into a small bun just at the back of her head and was pinned with pearls but a few of her curls were left out to hang down underneath it.
It was completely her, except for maybe the black. She was never really one to wear the color when her hair was blonde but it looked good now that her hair was black to match.
“I love that dress on you.” Ruby said.
“I know and look at this.” Jaylyn turned and showed us the back. The two inch straps were crisscrossed and lined with a variety of different sized emerald jewels, allowing a deep plunge down to the top of her tailbone that was also outlined in jewels.
“Wow! I know someone else who will love that dress.”
“You look great too. Where did they ever get such nice dresses?”
“These are part of the collection that had once belonged to the Queen.” Kathryn answered.
“The Queen?”
My eyes opened wider. “You mean, Zayden’s mother?”
Kathryn nodded.
“And we’re allowed to wear them?” Ruby asked.
“Yes, it was at the King’s request. Now, come. We must get you downstairs.” She started to walk off and we looked at each other before following.
We didn’t know much of the ways around here but knew well enough that Zayden’s mother didn’t survive his birth. We were still in awe that she was even mentioned and more so that we were requested to wear her clothing. It was an honor; a true honor. It made us feel welcome but also a little ashamed that we were hiding who we were.
“Stay here while I announce you to the King.” Kathryn said, stopping us just outside of what I would guess to be the dining hall. “And when you go in, I advise that you use different names.”
She walked in and Jaylyn looked over at me. “She knows?”
“I didn’t think anything of it but I did change right in front of her.” It was true. I didn’t think about it and she must have seen my marks.
“Why hasn’t she said anything?”
I just shrugged my shoulders. I didn’t understand just as much as she didn’t and why this attendant would be willing to keep our secret was a bigger mystery.
“I think she’s right.” Ruby said. “We should—”
“Shh!”
I leaned into the door and heard Kathryn. “Your majesties, my lords, your guests have arrived.”
“Very good.” The King replied, sending a nervous shiver down my spine. “Send them in.”
Swift footsteps came to us and Kathryn waved for our entrance. This was it. I took in a breath and held it deep in my chest. My shoulders were back, head high and I stepped inside. I tried to keep my look expressionless but then I saw Zayden. He was just staring at me with his mouth slowly start to gape open and I saw the beautiful polished gold crown on his head. It had an engraved design around it with a row of diamonds along the rim that I’ve read was to be worn only by Seni’s Crown Prince.
I couldn’t seem to turn away from seeing it on him but had to eventually when we reached the table and the King greeted us. “Welcome, ladies.”
We bowed our shamed, lying heads to the great King. “Your majesty.”
“Come, sit.” Izin held out his hand to his left at three chairs. “Forgive me, we’ve been too distracted that I don’t even know your names.”
I sat closest to the King and across from Zayden with a gentle smile, only falling deeper in this lie by speaking. “Oh, it’s all right. I’m Adriane and these are my companions, Rebecca and Jami. We’re truly honored to be here this evening.”
“And we’re honored to have you. I must say, I almost didn’t recognize you in those dresses. You clean up well.”
I smiled to the familiar charm. “Thank you, sir. I’ll admit it has been awhile.”
“As I imagine. We were just discussing the almost Kaluian invasion where you stumbled across my boys.”
“Oh, were you.” I looked over at Zayden for a moment, wondering what has been said while we were away. “Well, we didn’t get to actually witness the great victory. We heard about it when Kalu’s General was the only one to return and thought we’d—pay tribute to their glorifying success.”
Izin took a long breath and turned his attention to Zayden. “You left him alive?”
“It didn’t feel like his time?” Zayden replied with his own question.
Izin laughed to himself in a sneering kind of way and I saw him as the enemy again. “His time was up years ago. He just always manages to slip away from it.”
“Or maybe it’s because he always has help.” Everyone looked at me. I thought I was just thinking it but I guess I didn’t and finished to sound respectful. “Ah—your majesty.”
The King’s eyes were almost narrowed while watching me and he let out a smug laugh. “Quite so. Are you sure we haven’t met before? I still feel as if I know you.”
I swallowed the bubble in my throat and hid my nervousness well by not looking around at everyone else but kept my eyes on Izin. “I know very well of you not that we’ve ever met like this before. I guess I just have one of those faces.”
Izin let out that smug laugh again. “Or perhaps you just won’t say it aloud. Possibly a long forgotten memory or bad dream.” I sat quiet as I was looking down at my plate and taking tiny bites of food, careful not to look like a common fool in front of the King. “Wait, I know.” I stopped eating so I wouldn’t choke and looked to him. “It was about a year ago in Ledia at Prince Oren’s holiday. You were one of the nude silhouette dancers and I’m just guessing that these two lovely ladies were the ones beside you.”
I looked at Ruby and Jaylyn and started to remember the night he spoke of those months ago. It was our last mission before our long break of nothing to do but sit around or train. “You were there?”
“Now, I’m wondering why you were. I remember seeing you a few other times off stage that night until—” He paused as he thought back, acting as if his memory of it had left him for a time. “Someone discovered the Ambassador dead. Murdered actually. Is there something you want to tell me?”
I shared a look with Zayden. He didn’t seem happy about hearing this but I acted as if I didn’t notice and admitted it right to the King. “You’re right. We were there to kill him. He was a traitor. Ledian spies discovered his intentions to do harm to the royal family and so we had no choice. They requested us because women bring a certain finesse to the job that would get it done quietly.”
“I see but how did you do it? There was so many people there. I’m just wondering how you pulled it off without drawing attention.”
“Well, we’ve been trained in those kinds of situations to get things done quickly and quietly. First, we get ourselves in then we examine the surroundings mainly around our target and decipher the best possible way to lure them away.”
“But he’s always on the King’s right side. How did you get him away so easily?”
I paused and Ruby decided to continue for me. “It was my job to distract the King so he wouldn’t notice the Ambassador leaving the hall with Jami to a more private atmosphere. Once Adriane confirmed the kill, she gave me the signal a
nd we slipped out of there without an ounce of attention.”
“So, you’re actually the one that killed him.” Izin looked down at Jaylyn.
“Yes, sir. It was quick. He was still confident that no one knew what he was up to.”
“Well, good work then. I don’t believe anyone guessed why you were there. You played it out perfectly.”
“Thank you, sir.” I smiled. “I remember our performance to be an exhilarating experience.”
“For everyone. It was quite provocative, if you like that sort of thing. I happen to love it.”
I kept my smile, happy that the tense mood seemed to be changing and I began to form a liking to Seni’s King. He was both charming and humorous, not afraid to ask any questions and I mean any.
“Were you really naked?”
Jaylyn laughed. “Well, not completely. We were wearing shoes to make us look taller.”
All at the same time, the Great Seni Fighters almost choked on their food, trying to catch a breath right after she said it.
“Easy boys.” Izin smiled. “I told you you’d be downhearted that you missed it.”
“You weren’t there?” Ruby asked.
“Oh, no.” Izin answered for them. “They felt it necessary to stay here with the company of domestic women. Although, I’m sure they’re regretting it now.” We looked over and saw their blank speechless faces. “See? Just think, you could have met a whole year sooner and who knows where you’d be today because of it.”
There was another pause as we looked around in a curious wonder.
“You can’t really hide that. My boys have always had that effect on women. They sometimes think it’ll always be that way but I keep telling them that one day they’ll meet someone that’ll make them rethink their entire life then they’ll be hooked on just one and just between us, I think they’ve already done it.”
We smiled and by we, I mean us girls that is.
“I’d hate to interrupt but we are sitting here.”
“This doesn’t apply to you, Zayden. I’ve already given you your time to find that and you chose to squander it all away with meaningless run-ins with every local whore possible.”
“Not true.”
“Yeah, it’s more like just one.” Darius laughed.
Zayden’s eyes rolled and he tried not putting them across the table on me. I didn’t like talk of it just as much as he didn’t but did my best not to show any emotion for it whatsoever.
“Even worse.” Izin went on. “I’d sooner surrender the country over to Kalu before I ever saw you make its Princess your favorite whore.”
Zayden laughed but still tried to keep his eyes from meeting mine. “It’s not like that at all and about the time, five years isn’t that long. You got more time than that.”
“Because I didn’t have you until I was already in my thirties? Sometimes, Zayden, fathers don’t want their sons to make their mistakes and it wasn’t as if I got that time freely. I was as stubborn as a brick at your age and my father was very sour about that.”
“Is that when you killed him?”
What?! Zayden said it so plainly that it just made all of us fill with wonder. I never knew about any of this and was intrigued to hear more.
“I waited long enough for him to see you and don’t make it sound like it was wrong. You didn’t know what he was like. I’ll tell you the story someday when I think you’re ready for it.”
“You actually killed him?” Ruby asked. “I’ve never heard that.”
“I’m sure he saw it coming and don’t even think about it.”
Zayden looked up. “What? Killing you? Why would I do that and rush on the responsibilities even faster?”
“I should have seen that response coming but it’s not like you really could if you wanted to.”
“No?”
“No. If I could choose to turn back time and undo one of my mistakes, it would be to have trained you myself but I was too busy trying to undo everything my father created and so I couldn’t.”
“And you think you could have done better?”
Izin looked over at him with an amused smile. “I know I could have. How often do you see armed soldiers following me around or constantly standing in my shadow?”
“Ah, never.” Troy answered.
“Any in this room or even standing outside the doors?”
“No.” Darius said.
“That’s because I can take care of myself much like all of you but probably better.”
I smiled at his comment. Charming, humorous and now confidence. “Care to show us?”
Izin watched us look around at each other and returned the smile. “And who shall be my opponent?”
“That’s definitely going to have to be me.” Zayden said.
“Sit down, Zayden. I wasn’t serious. I have no intentions to embarrass you in front of the ladies.”
We quietly laughed.
“You won’t.”
“All right. If you want to make a fool out of yourself, who am I to deny you of that?”
“Your weapon of choice?”
“Ah, yes.” Izin stood up from the table and reached under it. We were all wondering what he was doing until he pulled out two gold rods about a foot long and two inches in diameter. “Here we are.”
He tossed one to Zayden and he immediately caught it. “What is this?”
“Well, first back away from people before you kill someone. That’s not exactly the goal here.” Zayden listened and took a few steps away. “Now, twist each half in opposite directions.”
He did it and the one foot rod quickly turned into a five foot rod by extending out the ends. A nice weapon indeed.
“Why haven’t I seen this before?”
“Because it’s been under the table. I’m never without a weapon around here. They’re hidden everywhere. In places you wouldn’t think.”
“I like it.”
“Well, it’s getting late. Let’s not be all night about it.” Izin had his staff firm on the floor and was leaned up against it.
“Make sure he doesn’t cheat!” Darius smiled.
“Shut it!” Zayden snatched, pointing at him.
I was only worried for about half a second. I didn’t know if Izin knew about Zayden’s gift but he didn’t sound displeased to hear about it. “Cheating huh? Best lose that trait when your wife gets here.”
“All the more reason to keep it up.” Zayden smiled back.
Izin’s eyes narrowed and his voice sharpened. “Don’t speak that way about the mother of my grandchildren. We are not having the discussion again.”
Zayden sighed and stood still. I could tell he wanted to say something else but was glad when he didn’t.
“Now, if you feel the need to cheat, why don’t I make it easy on you? We both can cheat.”
Zayden turned his head back to his father. “You’re—” He couldn’t even finish a sentence and I leaned myself forward, wanting to know.
“Where did you think you got it from?”
“What’s he talking about?” Troy asked.
“Look that way.” Zayden said as he pointed.
Izin turned his head towards us and my stomach tightened as a quiet reaction. His eyes were solid black just like I’ve seen Zayden’s. It made things in my mind spin but others reacted differently.
“Oh, shit!” Darius laughed. “You have that?!”
“Why didn’t you tell us?!” Troy smiled.
“Yeah, why didn’t you ever tell me?” Zayden asked.
“Best lessons are learned by one’s self. Now are we going to stand around chatting all night because I’m sure they have other plans.”
Zayden smiled as his eyes turned black and he stepped closer, swinging towards his father.
Izin barely had to move to block. “You can do better than that. I’d hate to see you as a total loss. I’m too old to produce an adequate son of my blood.”
Zayden raised both eyebrows and attacked him again. They started back
ing farther away from the table but Izin remained to only block and succeed in blocking all of the attacks, using little or no effort at all.
I could tell that Zayden was getting frustrated that he couldn’t hit him and finally gave up, making his eyes turn back. “Are you just going to keep this one sided?”
Izin smiled. “Well, I don’t want to hurt you. I think that’s enough for now.” They walked back to the table and Izin closed his rod while turning his eyes back to their brilliant blue. “Don’t feel bad, son.”
Zayden’s eyes narrowed as he closed his as well and handed it back to his father. “I don’t feel bad. You wouldn’t fight back.”
“I said I didn’t want to embarrass you. Maybe I will someday when you don’t have something to prove. Clearly, that’s not tonight.”
“Then I look forward to that day.” Zayden said, sitting back down in his chair.
Izin smiled back and put the two rods back under the table. “Well, I have to say I’m glad you’ve joined us, ladies. It’s been a delightful evening. We’ll have to do it again.”
“Of course, your majesty.” I replied. “We’d be honored to do it again.”
“Great but before I turn in for the night, I’d like to have a word with you in private, Adriane, if I may?”
I glanced across the table at Zayden for a moment before answering and my insides twitched with worry. “Of course, your majesty.”
I shakily took his hand and stood up with him. “We’ll only be a moment, I promise.”
My heart was pounding in my chest as he led me away. Even my vision was blurring until I saw the nothingness in front of me.
I never really felt fear before but this had to be it. Izin had shown us his charm but I’ve seen how he can just as quickly prove who’s in command and that’s exactly what he was about to do.
There were some servants in the kitchen; this very nice kitchen but they ignored us completely as we strolled through.
“Now.” Izin began, only reminding me just how afraid I should be. “I hope you understand that as a father, I’m concerned about your presence near my son.”
He stopped as if waiting for me to reply and I knew I had to be as respectable as possible. “I did not intent to catch his gaze when we came to their aid. I only wished to help if we were at all needed.”
Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) Page 5