Heroines and Hellions: a Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection

by Margo Bond Collins

  “I am Advisor Leith for King Rathgar of Oslor. He has sent me here to discuss a few things about the trade between our kingdoms,” Leith finally spoke.

  “Rathgar and I have discussed the details of the trade before, so we don’t need to speak about it today. I would like to ask why Rathgar sent you to speak with me on this matter.”

  Leith shocked, his eyes went wide before he looked down at the table, almost upset by the comment; he sat there wordless for a moment before pulling out a piece of paper from the inside of his jacket. He placed it on the table and slid it towards King Jarrett. Leith opened his mouth to speak but waited until the king had read the paper.

  “King Rathgar would like to ask you if you would like to come to our kingdom to view what you are receiving in this trade. It doesn’t have to be right away. He only advised me to come here to ask if you wished to see it.”

  “Let Rathgar know that I will be in touch with him when I wish to view the cargo. If you wish to stay in the castle for a few days while I decide when I will visit, that is your choice. If not, I will send a pigeon with a letter.”

  Leith nodded. “We will be looking forward to hearing from you.”

  7

  Leith said his goodbye before standing from the table, bowing and leaving the war room. I turned my attention from the door and looked at Malik and the king who were now whispering at the end of the table. King Jarrett’s eyes went wide while Malik continued to talk in his ear. I stood there, watching them and waited for my opening.

  As soon as Malik moved away from the king, they both looked at me as though they were wondering why I was still in the room.

  “Would I be able to ask you a question, Your Majesty?”

  “What is it, Callie?” Malik chimed in.

  I waited for a moment for any indication from the king that I was allowed to ask my question. A few minutes passed, and they both realised I was waiting for an answer from the king and not Malik.

  “What is your question?” King Jarrett asked.

  “What is the trade that advisor Leith spoke about in the meeting? Being your advisor, I feel I should know the details.”

  “This trade is none...” Malik started but was cut off.

  “Callie, being that you are my advisor, yes, you should know about it, but seeing as I don’t trust you yet, the details aren’t to be told to you until I fully trust you. Plus, this trade was started before you got your position.” He paused for a moment and looked at Malik who nodded to him. “I wish to go back to my quarters. Do I have any more meetings today?”

  I looked down at the sheet that Malik had given me before shaking my head. “No, no more meetings.”

  King Jarrett nodded before leaving the war room. I quickly followed behind and watched as he hit the secret button, and the stairs revealed themselves. Before ascending the stairs, the king stopped and looked at Malik for a second. He nodded to the king, and we both watched him disappear. The stairs closed up behind him, and I was left alone in the office with Malik.

  The tension in the room could be cut by a sword. Malik stared at me with a stern look in his eye. The silence was almost unbearable. He began walking out of the room and motioned for me to follow.

  “You have the afternoon off, but make sure you are back here at least ten minutes before the king is due to get his meal. I’d suggest to take in the layout of the castle. We don’t want you to get lost and not be near the king when he needs you.”

  With that, he walked off down the hall without saying anything else. I stood there for a while and took in his words. I might have been a guard for the castle for two years, but I didn’t know my way around the castle. My guard posts were always around the ballroom or outside in the grounds. I was never needed inside the actual castle.

  I made my way back towards my quarters and decided to explore from there. If I knew where everything was from my own rooms, I would be able to make a map inside my mind. I slinked my way through the hallways filled with servants and guards, taking in every turn I made. I followed the halls until I found the kitchen, the servants dining hall and even the servants’ quarters all on the ground floor. The southern wing of the castle was what looked like the lower staff and servants’ quarters. The halls weren’t as brightly decorated as the western wing, but it still held a beautiful feel to it. The halls were made of sandstone and grey brick and gave it a rustic feel. There were no curtains or rugs, no sculptures or art hanging from the walls. It was simple yet still beautiful. As I followed the servants up the stairs and into the higher southern wing, I noticed a familiar face in one of the rooms. Abigail walked back and forth around a large room; she carried cloth in one hand and something I had never seen before in the other.

  I stood there and watched her for a moment. Her swift movements flowed around the room, and each time she stopped and worked, it was magnificent to watch. She was quick with a sewing needle and a blade. Not wanting to disturb her, I started to move away from the doorway. The floor creaked beneath me and alerted Abigail to my presence.

  “Callie, dear. What do I owe this pleasure?” she asked as she placed the fabric on the table beside her.

  “I was just looking around the castle and found you. Your work in incredible.”

  A smile beamed on her face. “Thank you, dear. It’s taken a lot of practice. Sometimes I need to make complete wardrobes in a night, so I need to be fast and efficient.” She paused for a moment. “Come in, Callie.”

  I shook my head. “No, no. I need to keep going with my tour of the castle, or I will forget it all.”

  She nodded back. “I understand, dear. Oh, I heard there may be a chance you will be travelling soon. As soon as I hear word of when, I will get some travel clothes to you.”

  “Thank you, Abigail.”

  I made my way through the halls again and into the north wing of the castle where the library and the ballroom were held. The library was a two-storey room filled to the brim with stacks of books. I stepped inside and was welcomed with the beautiful smell of old books. Before I could get lost in the stacks, I stepped back into the halls and continued my exploration.

  Before I knew it, I stepped into the vast ballroom. It was exquisite. The high ceilings had been moulded with intricate detail, and on the opposite side of the room were floor to ceiling windows that opened out into a huge, marble courtyard with sweeping steps down to the gardens. Each of the windows had magnificent silk curtains tied to the side of them and held together with golden tassels. I stood in the centre of the dance floor, and I dreamed about a fancy ball, the beautiful women in stuning flowing gowns dancing with emaculately dressed men. Ever since I was a young girl I had always wanted to go to one, but with the job I was in, it never ended up happening. The sound of shattering glass and a loud thump broke me from my dream and brought me back to reality. I spun around to find where it had come from. I spied a slightly opened thin door to the left of the ballroom entrance and rushed over. Inside was a large room filled with decorations and everything needed to hold a ball. On the floor was a woman lying face up and unconscious. My instincts kicked in, and I rushed to her side and knelt down on the floor beside her.

  It was only when I noticed her features that I realised who it was. Her long, blonde hair, high cheekbones and the stunning blue silk dress she was wearing made it clear; it was Queen Arabella.

  8

  I spoke to her, called to her to wake. I had lifted her head onto my legs and fanned cool air onto her face. I couldn’t leave her to get the healers; she was the queen, after all. I couldn’t leave her unconscious alone. Her fragile features paled in the dim light of the storage room. As soon as I saw her on the floor, I checked to see if she was injured. When I knew she was okay, I stayed by her side and tried all I could to help wake her.

  When she began to stir, her body stiffened. She opened her eyes and looked around the room before stopping when she got to me. Her face filled with shock, and when she sat up, she turned and stared at me, trying to figure out if
she knew me.

  “Your Majesty, my name is Callie. I am the new Advisor to the king. I was walking around the castle and came to the ballroom when I heard you fall.” I stopped and watched as she calmed down. “What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “I was looking for something I needed to help me plan the winter solstice ball. I saw it on top of the shelving, and when I climbed up to try and get it, I lost my footing and fell.” She looked me up and down, I could see by the lost look in her eyes that she still didn’t understand who I was. “If it wasn’t for you being here, I could have been laying there for a while before anyone found me.”

  I watched as she lifted herself off the ground and onto a chair I pulled over. Her words replayed in my head as I recalled no one else being around her. It seemed odd that the queen would be by herself like that.

  “Queen Arabella?”

  She looked at me. “Yes, dear?”

  “I remember as I entered the ballroom and found you, there was no one else around. Why? Shouldn’t you have guards with you or at least one of your handmaidens with you at all times?”

  She shook her head and smiled. “Normally, I do have a guard with me when I roam around the castle, but when it comes to my planning of our formal events, I like to be alone. That way, when everyone sees my events, they will all be surprised.”

  “But isn’t it dangerous for you to be by yourself? Your husband has enemies that could come looking for you.”

  This time, she laughed. I could see the humour light up in her eyes, and as she stopped, she noticed the serious look on my face.

  “Callie, dear, how long have you been a guard for our castle?”

  “Two years.”

  “So you would know. Jarret and I have the world’s finest guards. Captain Malik handpicked each and every one and fought many battles to bring some over from other kingdoms. We are safe in this castle, and I have no doubt in that.” She paused for a moment and allowed her words to sink in. She was right. The rigorous tests I had to pass before Captain Malik allowed me to join the guard regime proved that it was only the best that were approved to join. “Now, would you like to stay with me while I plan?”

  “I thought you liked to plan alone, Your Majesty?”

  She nodded. “Normally, I do, but today I could use someone like you in case I need to reach for anything again.”

  I agreed with her. I think her fall shocked her a little, but it didn’t show. The queen was quick when it came to her decisions about the ball; she knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it to look. Because it was for the winter solstice, she decided on a winter theme. Everyone would need to wear colours to match. She picked out the food and the music along with a few of the major decorations. A few times, she asked me to grab something from the shelves for her, but other than that, it was like she forgot I was there. We walked around the ballroom, and she wrote down where things would be placed. We barely spoke, but it was amazing to watch her work.

  A few hours went by, and by the time the queen was done with her planning, I heard the castle clock chime five. I was almost late. I said a quick goodbye and apologised for having to abruptly leave. She understood and said she would call upon her handmaiden to come and get her soon.

  I rushed through the second storey of the castle and made it to the dining hall just in time. King Jarrett and Captain Malik had just entered the room and were about to sit down. I slowly walked around the table and stood behind the king. The room was shrouded in silence as I watched them sitting there. A few moments later, a few of the kitchen staff walked in with trays of food. They placed the trays on the table before swiftly walking out. The two of them looked at me impatiently, and I swear I saw Captain Malik mouth “Hurry Up.”

  I tasted every part of the king’s meal and nothing stood out, no strange tastes or smells. I sipped his wine and again, nothing was wrong with it. I stood back again to the side of the king and waited for him to look up at me.

  “This meal is not poisoned,” I said.

  He quickly nodded before looking away. “That is day one, you have passed. Now eat.”

  I took my seat and started to eat. After the long first day I had, I was starving. I ended up finishing my meal before my company. I sat there patiently and quietly while the king and the captain finished. When they both finally stood from the table, I expected them to talk. When they didn’t, I was surprised. The king walked away before I could say anything. I followed along behind him, but when he made his way up the stairs to his chambers, I knew I wouldn’t be needed. Captain Malik stood behind me; his silence unnerved me. He handed me a piece of paper as I pushed my way past him and made my way back to my chambers. I took the long way back and slowly walked through the halls. I stopped past the kitchen and gave them the king’s meal list for the next day. By the time I made it back to my front door, I was exhausted. My first day as advisor felt like it took longer than it did.

  My chambers were cold and empty, and yet they felt safe and calming to me. I lit the gas lamp by the door before lighting the rest on the first floor. Walking around the big room, my whole body ached, so I decided to try out my own bath. Malik had said the hot water would flow right to the room with a pull of the chain. I filled the tub up and slipped in the steaming water. The heat radiated through my body, soothing me after a long day. I stayed in there until my body felt so relaxed I was almost asleep.

  After dressing in my night clothes, I curled up on my couch and started reading more of the books Fletcher had given me. I had got myself into a steady rhythm of reading when I was disturbed by a knocking on the door. I quickly grabbed a nightgown to throw over my clothes before opening the door to find Captain Malik standing there. His face was stern, and he held his eyes low.

  “Captain Malik, is something wrong?” I asked, unsure if I should run and grab some of my weapons or not.

  He shook his head. “Nothing is wrong. I came here to ask you something.”

  I stood away from the door and let him come inside. He took a seat on the couch and stared at me. The look in his eyes worried me, made me feel like I had done something wrong.

  “I know this was only your first day, but I was wondering, did you do everything like I told you?”

  “I did, why?”

  “The king seemed even angrier than he did this morning finding out his new advisor is a girl. You must have done something wrong.”

  “I didn’t do anything wrong! I did everything exactly as you said.”

  He shook his head. “Then it must be something else.” He paused for a moment and looked around before his eyes lit up, and he flicked his head back to me but refused to look me in the eye. “Why did you enter the competition? You had no interest in being more than a mere guard before.”

  His question took me aback. No one had ever questioned why I entered. He kept his eyes low and still wouldn’t even look at me. Confusion and fear rose in the back of my mind. I took a deep breath before even looking at him.

  “Why would you even ask that?” I asked.

  “I’m sorry, but I am just looking out for the king. Your past was questionable before you came here, and since you had only been a guard for two years before this opportunity came up, I need to question it.”

  “I did a good job today. I decided to join the competition for this position for the advancement. If it was held any sooner within the two years of my being a guard, I would have done the same thing. As for my past, I didn’t have much of one. I was an orphan who was raised on the streets. I used to sit and watch the guards in my hometown train, and that’s how I learnt my skills.”

  “I’m sorry, Callie. With King Jarrett being so against you being his advisor, I needed to look at every reason why.”

  I shook my head and stood up. My blood boiled within me, I hadn’t given any reason for him to ask things like that. I was doing well to cover all my tracks. “I don’t like your accusations. Please just leave.”

  Malik stood from the couch and slowly w
alked to the door. He finally raised his eyes to meet mine, and I saw a small amount of guilt. His hand touched the back of his neck.

  “Callie, I really am sorry. You did a good job today.”

  I slammed the door behind him.

  9

  Two days later...

  I woke on the final day of my test. The day before went as smoothly as the first. All three meals were delicious and poison free. I had spent the entire time following the king around again with him barely saying any words to me. Since I was still new, Captain Malik handed me the king’s schedule and warned me that soon it would be my job. Malik also didn’t confront me again about his questions the night before. He kept his head and eyes low and didn’t say much to me. The tension had become thick, and it was almost unbearable.

  As I sat up on the couch, I realised I hadn’t even used my bed since winning the advisor position. Each night I went to bed and studied about poisons so I would be ready. When it finally got to the third day, I had memorized all the most common poisons and a few of the main rarer ones, and I remembered how each was detected in food or drink. Since it was my final test day, I knew one of the three meals would be poisoned.

  I dressed in my work clothes and made my way to the dining room. When I walked inside, I was greeted by silence. King Jarrett was nowhere to be seen. Captain Malik sat in his usual spot at the long table. He held his head low as he stared at the spot in front of him.

  “Where is King Jarrett?” I asked, my voice piercing the silence like a sword.

  “He is tending to the queen this morning. Breakfast will be a little late.”

  “Tending to the queen?” My voice raised a bit, confusing lacing my words.