When the sorcerer had offered to help, I’d been reluctant. But that spell had been the one chance to redeem myself. And so I’d taken the opportunity. How shocking that it had worked.
“Stick together.” I stepped hesitantly into the clearing, heading toward the castle. Over the wild beat of my heart I could hear Gregor beside me, the snap of a branch as he mis-stepped. The whispered curse as he realized his mistake. Fortunately, no one looked our way.
“Keep to the grass, will make less noise.”
“As long as the formula lasts,” Gregor murmured. “We might actually get through this insane plan with our heads still attached to our necks.”
The spell had come from a sorcerer’s book so ancient, the writing had faded and it was hard to decipher ingredient from ingredient. If we lost our tenacious hold on invisibility while in the midst of the Acadian gardens, I knew the truth: we would be dead before taking our next breath.
We moved parallel to the drive, through the grass, treading as softly as possible. We’d had gardens once. I vaguely remembered my mother clipping flowers to bring into the house. The lovely scent of roses, so strong that at times it made me sneeze. The gardens around the castle had died off, much like the grass, in order to make training grounds where my uncle could watch from the windows of his chambers. War. Everything was about preparing for battle. Life was not meant to be enjoyed, but to be feared and conquered.
“Gregor, you do realize there is a traitor amongst us?”
“Yes.”
I waited until we made it far enough away from the couple whispering romantic words to each other near a red rose bush. Hell, as if they had nothing better to do here than make love. It was too bloody peaceful. It made me uneasy. “Acadia couldn’t have known the path we were taking.”
“I told no one, my lord.”
“I know, Gregor. I trust you.” And I did. I trusted him and I trusted my sister. They were the only two. Beyond that, anyone could be guilty. “You wouldn’t betray me.”
“Mayhap the Acadian were watching the road.”
“Mayhap,” I whispered.
But we both knew the truth: someone had betrayed us. Someone told Acadia our route. We made it to the side of the castle. My mouth went bone dry. We were in the midst of it now. If the magic ceased, we would have nowhere to run. Hell, maybe this, too, was a trap.
“My lord,” Gregor whispered. “Your sister would not approve of you using unicorn powder.”
I bit back my laugh as we weaved our way around rose bushes, their sharp thorns glistening like dragon’s teeth in the sun. The day was warm, the air still. Not even a bloody ocean breeze, although we were close enough to smell the salt in the air, and hear the roar of the waves in the distance. The entire world seemed as if it had slowed down, was holding its breath.
“No. She wouldn’t. Sadly, it was called for. Shall we not mention it to her? Anyway, it wasn’t as if we killed the animal, merely got the ingredient from Basel.”
At times I wondered if Gregor had feelings for my sister. By the gods, I hoped not. I knew my sister well, and my friend’s brutish ways would not entice her.
“Your uncle will punish us severely if he finds out, it’s so bloody hard to get the ingredient. Still can’t believe you let that unicorn go merely to impress the princess.”
Bastard. He’d overstepped again, and any other day I would have told him as much. We had other things to worry about now. We were both on edge. Neither acting ourselves.
“Not to impress her. I merely didn’t need to deal with a shrieking female the rest of the way home.”
But I hadn’t needed to worry about a shrieking female, or any sort of female at all. The only female I had managed to procure, had escaped. Gregor didn’t respond and I couldn’t see him to read his face. Hell, we both knew it was a lie. When I’d looked at Shay, I’d seen the despair in her eyes. She would have been horrified if I’d killed the unicorn. I didn’t want her to look at me like I was a monster.
Disconcerted, I moved around the side of the castle. A small group of women in a variety of pastel dresses strolled the flowery paths, chatting and giggling. I might have admired their feminine forms, their pretty faces, their cheerful dispositions, but not today. Not here. Now, seeing them so carefree, so happy, only made me annoyed for some reason.
Idiots hadn’t a clue we were here. They were just ripe for attack and if I was loyal, I would let my uncle know the moment we returned home.
Every twenty feet, two soldiers stood at attention near the castle. More soldiers were around the border of the gardens, keeping watch. From the towers above, even more men stood guard. Surrounded.
“My lord,” Gregor whispered.
We would never make it out alive if the spell wore off. “Yes?”
“If you don’t mind me saying, you are friendly with a lot of women.”
“Yes, I mind.” What the bloody knees was he getting at? “You think I might have told one of them my plan?”
I could sense him shrug.
I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to laugh or punch him in his broken and twisted nose. Lovely. Not even Gregor trusted me. Did no one take me seriously? “I swear to you I did not.”
“I apologize for offending.”
He didn’t sound sorry. Still, he had no choice but to apologize. I didn’t respond, caught in my own world of regret and contemplation. Part of me knew Gregor had a right to distrust me, and I hated myself for it. If only I had taken my position more seriously before, and even after my father’s death, perhaps we wouldn’t be here now. Mayhap no matter what I did, the people would never see me as a leader because of my past.
“Side door,” Gregor murmured.
We moved around the castle, the only sound the subtle crunch of grass underfoot. A soldier came our way. I reached out, blindly grasping Gregor’s arm. “Stop. Don’t move, don’t make a sound.”
We paused next to a large vine with pink flowers that grew up the side of the castle, barely breathed, as the soldier swept by. It was only when he was too far away to hear our footsteps that we started forward once more. Small victory. I knew better than to celebrate. The true test would be when we entered the castle. An hour, give or take, that’s how long the potion was supposed to last.
“By the gods, we’re actually going to make it inside,” Gregor whispered. “They can’t see a damn thing.”
“No, but they can hear us.” I started toward the side door, only to stop short, caught by the sound of feminine laughter. A sound that took me by surprise. A sound that whispered down my spine, giving me chills I didn’t fully understand. I knew immediately…
“It’s her.”
Desperate, I searched the gardens. She walked with another woman, strolling through the flowers as if she belonged here. As if she’d grown up here. And even though she now dressed like them, had done her hair like theirs, she stood out.
While the others walked with a gentle, timid grace, she walked like someone with a purpose, someone who knew what she wanted, and would do whatever it took to get it. A slow smile lifted the corners of my lips. I was grateful Gregor couldn’t see my expression, and I admit I took a moment to admire her. No longer could I deny it, there was something about the woman that called to me. Her stubbornness, her strength, her determination.
“You’re sure it’s the princess?” Gregor whispered.
I had a feeling I’d know her anywhere, anytime, for the rest of my life. She wore a light pink dress that flowed around her, whispering against her curvy form, the material fluttering on the breeze like wings. I pressed my hand to the middle of my chest as a dull, strange tightness formed.
She looked exactly like a princess now. Surprisingly, I found I missed her strange outfit of trousers and shoes. Her friend continued on, but she paused and gazed at a red rose like she’d never seen a flower before. She glanced around as if afraid of being caught doing something scandalous, then she lowered, smelling the bloom. She wore that tough façade like armor, but deep down she was soft.
Deep down, she wanted to belong.
And like that, I knew her weakness. The Cashel part of me gave a war cry of success and immediately attempted to figure out a way to use her weakness against her. But the small bit of compassion I had retained shook its righteous head, folding its arms stubbornly across its chest, determined to fight fairly.
“What is your plan?” Gregor asked, startling me. “Will we hide in her bedchamber? Wait for her return? Or maybe we should follow her now.”
I turned to face him, and that’s when I saw the soldier. I couldn’t say what, exactly caught my attention. It was, perhaps, the way he sulked behind the trees near the side of the castle. The way his gaze nervously flickered from woman to woman, as if looking for someone in particular. A lover? No. He was too anxious. Warning bells clamored. Something was wrong.
“That man…”
“Gods, my lord,” Gregor gasped. “The spell…”
I tore my gaze from the soldier to focus on Gregor. His face wavered into focus, before fading again. Like a switch, it appeared off and on, off and on. A cold chill raced down my spine. Our time had run out.
“Hell and damnation,” I muttered. “The spell is wearing thin.”
Gregor gripped my shoulders. “We need to go, my lord. Now. We can adjust the formula and return another day.”
Unable to resist, I searched for the soldier again. He’d inched forward slightly, but still stood half-hidden behind a tree, still oblivious to my presence. He only had eyes for the princess, whom he stared at with a determination that told me everything I needed to know. “He hates her.”
That hard, unrelenting, soulless gaze said he would do whatever it took to win. The same look my uncle had when in my presence. I should have turned, walked away, left her behind. It wasn’t my business. If I stayed, I’d be caught. Why didn’t I leave?
“Not one of our soldiers,” Gregor said impatiently, tugging at my arm like a child in desperate need of attention. “What does it matter?”
“No, not ours,” I replied, barely hearing his words. “Probably some Acadian fanatic. He has the look of a fanatic, doesn’t he? One goal in mind, blind to everything else around him.”
“My lord, we really must leave.”
The soldier pulled an arrow from the quiver strapped to his back and lifted his bow. I swore in that moment my heart stopped beating.
He was going to kill her.
“My lord,” Gregor snapped. “The formula…we’re visible! We need to run!”
The chaos when the princess was shot would provide us with the perfect opportunity to escape. But she stood alone in the garden, her maid having moved ahead. Vulnerable. Unprotected. She had no idea what was about to happen, and wouldn’t, until the arrow pierced her chest, and the blood spread across her pretty gown. Every muscle in my body quivered as I tried to resist the urge to move toward her.
“My lord, we must leave,” Gregor demanded.
Something inside me snapped, could not be contained. Freed, I started toward her, my steps long and hurried. I didn’t know why I cared; all I knew was that I couldn’t let it happen. No more blood, no more death. Not today. She’d grown up ignorant to our ways. She deserved a chance. I couldn’t leave knowing she was injured, bleeding to death in the soft, fragrant grass I’d so envied.
“Princess!” I called out.
She didn’t glance my way. Damn her. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Heat pulsed through my body. I could barely control the fury, the worry. My emotions boiled up within, desperate for release. Instinct told me that he was getting ready to release that arrow. I would be too late.
“Shay,” I yelled. “Watch out!”
Startled, she turned toward me. I didn’t miss the utter look of confusion that drew her brows together. I bolted forward, leaping over a rose bush. Recognizing me, the confusion in her eyes turned to surprise. She didn’t have time to run. I hit her hard. We both fell to the ground with a thud that jarred our bones and tore the air from our lungs. The arrow whizzed by, imbedding itself in a tree not ten feet away.
“Get off me!” she snapped.
Panting so hard I stirred the tendrils around her face, I pushed myself up onto my elbows. Her pretty hair had collapsed and her silky locks fell down around her furious, flushed face. She looked utterly stunning and I hated her for it.
“I was trying to save you, you ungrateful…” Firm hands gripped my shoulders and tore me from her. I spun around, my fist raised. Too late. I was surrounded by soldiers. Soldiers with bows and swords lifted and ready. Gregor stood not ten feet away, his arms pinned behind his back, a dagger at his throat.
“You were saying something about not wanting to impress the princess?” Gregor muttered.
“Shut up, Gregor,” I snapped.
****
“I will ask you once more,” the soldier said.
Standing in the door of our cell, tall and foreboding, he would have intimidated a lesser man. He kept his voice deceptively mild, which only added to the drama of the act. Really, I had to resist the urge to clap.
“How did you get onto the grounds?”
He had every right to hate me. I’d almost killed him on Earth Realm. Brynjar, I believed his name to be. I wondered briefly how his wound had healed. Pity, but he seemed to be moving around well enough. Should’ve killed him when I’d had the chance. I sighed, settling on a wooden bench near the damp, stone wall, my chains rattling. If he killed me, so be it. I’d faced worse than death.
“Tell me now and I might be able to plead for your life.”
“Plead?” I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest as much as I could with the heavy manacles attached. “A true soldier never pleads.”
Not a twitch of his eye, not a clenching of his jaw, not a curling of his fist. The man was as emotional as a statue. It seemed as if nothing could get to him. But all men had weaknesses and I would uncover his.
“Last chance,” he said.
“A family spell book.”
Finally, I noticed a flicker of emotion in the soldier’s gaze, gone as quickly as it had arrived. I’d surprised him as much as I’d surprised Gregor, who slid me a startled look of shock. I knew what he was thinking: a member of Cashel never divulged information. However, every family had an ancient sorcerer’s book. It was common. Nothing new. If it looked as if I was willing to talk, they might go easier on us. Trust us, even.
“Interesting.” Brynjar folded his arms over his chest. “You did the spell yourselves?”
I knew what he was asking: were the rumors true? Did we have a sorcerer in residence? I could practically feel Gregor holding his breath, waiting to see if I’d divulge the truth.
“Yes, I find I have a knack for spells.”
“Fascinating. A mere human who can do spells.”
I shrugged. “Well, Mother did always say I was special.”
He ignored my comment. “And you made yourselves invisible in order to get onto our land and…what?”
“Scout. Gather information,” Gregor hurriedly spouted, as if he feared I would say too much. As if he didn’t think I had enough intelligence to know when to keep my mouth shut. It was my turn to give him a look of exasperation.
Brynjar laughed, making him appear actually human for one startling moment. I wouldn’t have believed Gregor either. “I think you were here to kill the princess. At least capture her. After all, you did before. But you failed then, just as you failed now.”
His words were like a sword to the gut. They were too similar to what my uncle had said. “Ouch, Brynjar. Must you make it personal? Why, if I had feelings, you might have actually bruised them.”
The man narrowed his eyes. How I despised him. A familiar and unwelcome fire burned through me. My hands curled as I resisted the urge to slam my fist into his arrogant face. He had no idea how close I was to losing control. And may the heavens help them if I did.
“Truth is, we merely wanted information,” I continued calmly. “To make sure you weren’t
planning an attack. No different from when you sent scouts to spy on us only two months ago.”
“Yes, the difference was we were merely defending ourselves, protecting ourselves. While you are here to find our weakness so that you might attack.” He paused for the briefest moment, his look of disgust not going unnoticed. “There’s something wrong with people who constantly feel the need to fight and war to prove their worth.”
How could I argue with him when I agreed? I didn’t want to live in a world of anger, fear. To never let your guard down, never enjoy life. What was the point? My uncle, on the other hand, craved fighting like some craved sweets. It fed his ego, made him feel important and powerful, in some way.
Brynjar shifted, his feet braced apart. “You are now captives of Acadia. A letter will be sent to your uncle detailing the situation.”
Wonderful. As if my uncle would care. He’d be happy to be rid of me, but he would also most likely use my captivity as an excuse to attack. I knew without doubt there would be war.
He turned to leave, only to pause, his back to us. “By the way, did you truly believe we didn’t know you were there all along?”
I felt Gregor stiffen beside me.
“If you knew we were here, does that mean you were using the princess as bait? Surely you wouldn’t do that?”
He didn’t respond, but started down the hall, leaving me to wonder if he’d told the truth. The door slammed shut, the bolt thrown into place by some unknown soldier. I leaned my head back against the rock wall and sighed. It was cool, at least, down here in the bowels of the castle. Even if it did stink like unwashed humans and piss.
I needed the moment to calm my racing heart, to tame the beast. The tingling sensation of power, energy, anger, was working its way through my body. A heady and dangerous combination. I couldn’t react. Wouldn’t allow myself to lose control. Not now. Not here.
“Damnation, Makaiden,” Gregor snapped, surprising me.
He hadn’t used my given name in years, out of a sign of respect. I glanced at him, brow quirked. I wasn’t sure if he was angry because we’d been caught, or because of what I’d divulged to the soldier. I could see the condemnation in his gaze and it annoyed me. Did he think I didn’t know this was my fault?
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