“I win!” He shouts.
I put my sword back on the wall and gesture for him to come in. He laughs as he bounces up the steps. “I beat the Seventh!” He taunts.
“Only because……” I trail off, and grin at him.
“Because what? Because I’m better than you?”
I stick my tongue out at him, wondering what the heck is wrong with me. I’m not supposed to be having fun! There’s a war going on! “Come on. I still have to evaluate your sister.”
He laughs as we walk back to the dining hall. “Come on.” He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Admit it. I am way cooler than you.”
I shake my head as we rejoin the rest of the royal family. “Says the guy who escaped his prison cell by insisting that he had to pee.”
“Hey, it worked!” He says defensively.
We are met by amused looks as we enter. “Have fun?” Kenzie asks, her gaze lingering on our soaking wet clothes and hair from the water bucket booby trap.
“Um...Seventh...We weren’t able to find-Oh.” The guard stops talking when he notices Kellen. “Hello Prince. It was very clever of you to go to the subbasement.”
“Oh...um..thanks.” He tosses his head and shoots me a lopsided grin, his golden eyes sparkling. “Because I totally meant to do that. I didn’t fall through a trap door or anything.” I smile at him.
Kira rises to her feet. “Guard. Have the rest of your platoon managed to escape the subbasement?” The guard nods.
“They’re on their way now.”
Kira turns to us. “If you two are done.......I’d like to take my turn.”
The guard pulls handcuffs from his belt. Kira holds out her hands and he cuffs them then blindfolds her. When the rest of the platoon arrives he leads her away, and for hopefully the last time today, I wait for the guards to walk her down to the dungeons before following after them.
Mark isn’t on guard this time but I engage in small talk with the two guards that are on duty. “.....And my brothers hamsters ate the-”
“Wait!” One of the guards cuts me off. “Do you hear that?”
“What?” The other guard snaps. “There’s nothing to hear!”
“Exactly.” The first guard says. “The princess hasn’t made a sound.”
“Do you both still have your daggers?” I ask, remembering Kenzie.
“Yes.” They both say, holding up their daggers.
“Did you check her for weapons?”
“Yes. She didn’t have any.”
“I still don’t hear any noise.” Says the second guard.
“I’ll open the door.” The first one says.
“Wait. You don’t know what she might do!” I warn.
They ignore me, unlocking the door. The first guard steps inside and yells “She’s gone!”
“Let me see!” The other guard shoves his way into the cell, pushing the door wide open. “How the heck is this possible!?”
I roll my eyes and join them in the cell. They’re right. It’s empty. I walk over to the window and wiggle the bars. Nothing loose, no scratches or grooves.
The cell door slams shut behind us, and we whirl around. “Kira?” I run to the door and peek through the small slot in the top. Kira’s golden eyes shine up at me, before she turns and runs away.
I pull open the door, thankfully it’s not locked, and tell the guards to follow me. We run through the hall and up the nearest set of stairs. “Guards!” I run to the set of guards hovering near the main staircase. “Have you seen Princess Kira?”
“No. We heard she escaped the dungeon, but she hasn’t emerged yet. Perhaps-”
A guard, a young woman with long red hair escaping a braid, rushes up to us. “We need back up! Our young princess is fast.”
I exchange a glance with the guard nearest to me. “What? How did she…..never mind. Where is she?”
“The private royal staircase.”
“There’s a private royal staircase!?”
The red-headed guard nods fast, before taking off across the palace. I lift up the skirt of my now ruined, borrowed pink dress, and run after her. Another small squad of guards is waiting at the bottom of a smaller, but more ornate staircase.
“We think” Says the red head. “that she is trying to confuse us, lose us in the maze that is upstairs, so she can get out the door.”
“You’re probably right.” I say, though personally I think that’s too predictable, and it seems like Princess Kira is anything but predictable. “How many of you have a shape shifting ability?”
Seven guards raise their hands, and I order them to change into bugs and search for the princess. I ask about teleporters, then I order them to try and teleport to Kira. Then I tell the rest of the guards to follow me upstairs. Once we’re up there I ask which guards know their way around, and when three of them raise their hands I ask them to tell me if there are any ways somebody could get down to the front of the castle from up here.
“Well” Says a guard who introduces herself as Emma. “There are five exits down to the patio that won’t lead to death. The secret staircase, the servant staircase, the garbage shoot, and the front left and right towers. She wouldn’t use the front right tower, that’s boarded up, and dangerous. It hasn’t been used in years.”
I grin. “That’s where she is!”
Emma frowns. “No, no she wouldn’t. It’s much too dangerous!”
I smirk at her. “That’s exactly why she would. Take me there!”
Emma looks skeptical, but leads me to the right tower. I climb up the hundreds and hundreds of winding steps, and reach a trap door, panting, my legs burning. My heart is pounding out of my chest and I push the door open and climb through.
“Dang. So many stairs. I haven’t had a work out like this since we ran nine miles in cross country!” Emma moans something unintelligible behind me.
I walk across the round room dodging dusty, molding and rotting floor boards, and over to the window. I peek through and look down, noting the ivy tendrils that climb up the sides. “Somebody could totally climb down those!” I tell Emma, who nods, panting.
I look down again and smile at Kira. She’s sitting under a tree, grinning up at me. “Nice. You didn’t attack a single guard, and you made it out faster than everybody else.”
She laughs. “Never would have guessed a ten year old could be more strategic than all her older siblings, would you?” And with those words this daunting task suddenly seems less so. I might have an idea of who I’m going to choose as heir.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’ve got information!”
“Ohmygod!” I jump straight out of my chair, and shake my head at Breanna. “You scared the crap out of me!”
She rolls her eyes. “Pfft. You scare too easily. Is there anyone else in the house?” Her ego is as big as ever, but there’s fear in her eyes.
“Yes. My parents are downstairs. What did you find out?” I really am anxious to know where Liv went after she fell through the portal last night, but I also totally want to know whatever it is that’s taken Breanna down a notch.
“Liv is at the royal court. You know her job as the Seventh right?” I nod. “Well she evaluated the Royal Children, and there is going to be a royal ball where she names the new heir. Then they will take over the king's duties. That’s not the only thing I found out. I went to spy on the Shadows and-”
“Wait, wait. Hold on.” I interrupt. “The Shadows? You went to see The Shadows? They’re the evil halflings right? The ones on the side of the demons?”
“Yes.” She waves her hand, dismissing my comment. “I overheard their plans- that was the whole point of going there- and” She bites her lip, and I start to get really, really, extra, super worried. Bree never gets so nervous. Ever. Never, ever, ever. “and they’re planning to attack the castle on the night of the ball.”
“Why?” She looks at me like I’m stupid and I sigh. “I mean….who’s the specific target? The castle as a whole, Liv, the King, one of the Heirs?”
/> “I don’t know, most likely Liv, since she is the one choosing the heir, it could be that they want to kill one or all of the heirs, and Liv.”
I hold up the voodoo necklace I’d seen in Liv’s Grandmother’s fancy sitting room last time I was there. It seemed old, and knowing what I know about Liv’s Gram, I was positive it had power. “We’re not going to let that happen. I just need to get this to Liv.”
“Um Bree? Are you sure this will work?” We stand in the cemetery staring at the mausoleum where Lukas opened the portal two days ago. “I mean Luke needed Liv’s blood to open the portal and Liv’s not here.”
“First, that wasn’t Luke, and second, chill Mer.” She says and my eyes widen at her use of american teenage slang. “ I have a plan.”
“And that would be?”
“Liv’s blood opened the portal wide, and strong, because she’s a royal and the Seventh, but we do have someone who has Royal- however distant- blood.”
“No! No way. Bree, we cannot use Nate or Max’s blood!”
“I know. I was thinking we could…..” She takes a deep breath and I can see she hates this plan. “....explain things to Izabel and Sophie.”
“No! The whole reason they’re not helping us now is because we don’t want them to find out that Liv can use her gifts!”
“We don’t have a choice!”
“Sneaking around?” Asks a voice. “Where’s Liv? Isn’t she supposed to be with you? Is she with her boooyyfriieeenndd? I’m telling Mom.”
We both look up, startled and find Nate and Max leaning against a statue, Nate having just spoken. Our cover story for Liv’s disappearance is that she came to my house to sleep over after the party. “Have you two been spying on us the whole time?” I ask.
They grin, and Bree turns to me. “Max and Nate, or Izabel and Sophie?
“Bree! We can’t!”
“You’d rather tell Izabel and Sophie? Liv’s mom and grandmother. They’d kill us!”
I sigh, and my shoulders slump. She’s right, and we both know it. “I hate to say but…….Max and Nate are probably our best bet.”
“Yeah!” Max says jumping up and down in front of my face. “Wait….what are we your best bet for?”
I pull out the safety pin that was holding my black tutu up. I fold the waist over itself a few times so it doesn’t fall down “We’re going to need your blood…..” I say reluctantly. “Just a little though.” They look at each other suspiciously, and quickly rack my brains for an excuse.
“It’s for a prank. Liv and I are trying to scare Lukas. That’s why she’s hiding, and why I need blood.”
“But Halloween’s over.” Nate says. “You shouldn’t do spooky pranks anymore.”
“Well, yes.” Says Bree. “But that’s why we’re doing it now. Because he’ll never expect it.”
“We need your help.” I add. “You’re masters.” A little flattery never hurts.
“Well…..” They exchange glances, then shrug.
“Ok.” Says Max. “We’ll do it. But if it works, we get credit. Deal?” They hold out their hands and I grasp them.
“Deal.”
“Great!” Says Nate. “Where do we go?”
Bree nods to the main mausoleum, and I glare at her. She clearly has no qualms about letting kids draw their own blood to open a magic portal. They run in there. I hurry after them, prick their fingers with the safety pins, and smear the drops of blood on the altar.
“Thanks.” Bree says. They nod, watching the alter, clearly curious about our ‘prank’.
As the wind picks up I pull out the letter we wrote and read over it.
Liv,
You need to be careful at your royal ball. (Yes I know about it, our grumpy ghost did some poking around) The Shadows- the bad Halflings- and their demon lackeys (or is it the other way around?) are going to attack. We don’t know if their target is you, the Royal Heirs, the King, or the city in general, but it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to be really, really careful. Tell the King…or the Queen and the army. Better yet cancel the ball! I hope this warning gets to you in time. You’re my best friend,, I hope you come back safe..
-Esmeralda (Mer) Arlington
I fold the letter and put in the envelope, then I reach into my hip bag and pull out the charm necklace and put it in too. I seal the envelope and turn back to the altar. Max and Nate are staring, their jaws hanging open. I look at the swirling mess of...clouds?...and swallow nervously.
“I hope this works.” I kiss the envelope for luck, and toss it into the portal.
Chapter Seventeen
“You look amazing!” Kira grins up at me and I swallow nervously.
“Oh, thank you!” I say, glancing down at the pale green silk ball gown I wear. I don’t think I have ever worn something so fancy before in my life. It’s really an odd feeling to know that right now, in the Underworld, I’m more dressed up than I was even at my aunt’s wedding, when I was a bridesmaid. “You do too!”
Kira wears a dark pink dress in the same ball gown style as me, and it compliments her pale skin and dark hair perfectly, making her look like a fairy princess. She smiles brightly at me in response. “So, have you made up your mind on which of us you’re going to choose as heir?”
“Um….totally?” The truth is…..not really. I have no idea which one I’m going to choose. Not Titus. I don’t trust him, but Kenzie, Kellen, and Kira are all good choices. Right now I’m thinking either Kenzie or Kira, but I’m not really ready to choose. I think I need more to go on than just my dungeon-escape evaluations.
Kira laughs. “Absolutely no idea, huh?”
“I have a little bit of an idea.” I say defensively.
“Well you better make up your mind soon, we need to get to the ball. We’re already ten minutes late.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and we head to the empty ballroom just as the first carriage of guests pulls up in front of the castle. (They’re really not all that technologically advanced down here.)
“Where have you two been?” A royal advisor barks at us. “The first guests are arriving!”
“Sorry.” Kira says, as sweetly as ever. “We’re here now so….what do you need us to do?”
The advisor rolls her eyes. “Greet the guests, introduce Ms. Olivia here to the guests.”
We then do that for at least an hour and a half. The guests took forever to arrive and there are so many of them. After that the boys get to show up. I have no idea what they were doing while The Queen, Kenzie, Kira and I were greeting guests, but now they show up.
“Everybody welcome Prince’s Titus and Kellen!” Lukas- still not Lukas no matter what anybody says- apparently doesn’t get an official welcome. He is not technically counted as a prince because he has only three gifts so he stands by the door and guards. Fun.
The crowd claps and Titus and Kellen enter the room and bow, looking amazing in dark suits. “.....And now welcome his Highness…...King Arnold!”
Footmen push a rolling throne into the ballroom. The King lifts his hand in a wave before passing out. I wince and look around the room. The crowd of Lords and Nobles and even regular people cheer and clap like nothing is wrong at all.
As people begin to mingle and dance Kellen makes his way over to me. “You look beautiful.” I feel my face warming, and smooth the layers of pale green silk down.
“Thank you. You look amazing.”
He grins at me. “Want to dance?”
I smile at him, slightly flustered. “Um…..sure.”
He bows and stretches out a hand, looking up at me through his eyelashes. “May I have this dance, My lady?”
I feel my lips twitch into a slight smile and I curtsy, then reach up and grab his hand. “But of course.”
He pulls me to my feet, and puts his hands on my waist and I put mine around his neck. After a few minutes of me dancing and Kellen stepping on my toes, he grins down at me. “I’m not the best dancer.”
“No kidding.” I smirk at him.
�
�You know he really likes you, don’t you?” Asks Kellen after a moment of silence.
I frown at him. “Hate to burst your bubble, Kellen, but” I lower my voice. “that’s not the real Lukas!”
Kellen smiles. “He’s my twin. I don’t need to see him to read his actions. Clearly that’s not the real Lukas, but the real Lukas would never have put himself in that position. He would have gotten out sooner…...unless he was protecting someone, Liv.”
“Kellen, that’s his job.”
“Liv, I promise you he would have gotten out of there before this happened, unless it was someone very important-”
“Well, we all know that I am very important.” I interrupt.
“Important to him.” He finishes.
I swallow hard, my cheeks growing hot again. “Why are you blushing?” He asks.
“You mean besides everything you just told me? Well you are a prince, and I am dancing with you.”
“Aw, the people don’t think that. They know we’re best of friends!” I laugh and focus on the dance again.
The other dancing couples around us execute a perfect spin and I lead Kellen, then the men lift the girls high in the air. I laugh at Kellens bewildered expression, and push off of his shoulders, leaping into the air. He catches me by the waist, and spins with the rest of the couples.
Eventually I lose track of time and all there is is dancing. Unfortunately time catches up with me when the grandfather clock in the hallway gongs twelve times. Midnight.
“Oh no….” I moan.
Kellen smiles at me. “Better get up there.”
“I can’t. I don’t know who I’m going to pick.”
“Liv. I believe in you. You’ll make the right decision.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Will you feel differently if that decision isn’t you?”
“Maybe….” He smirks. “Go make your choice.”
The Queen has apparently been talking, and waves me up to the front of the ballroom. “Um…” I stand on a chair. “As you all know I evaluated the royal children yesterday and one of them incapacitated the guards, one pickpocketed them, one fought me with a sword, and one made it out of the palace without anyone catching a real glimpse of her, and without hurting a single guard.” I smile at the royal children. “And now the time has come for me to choose who the heir to the throne will be.” That’s about where my brilliant speech runs out.
Seventh (The Hafling Chronicles Book 1) Page 11