“Exactly, and if you’d known how to spot the signs, I’m sure you would have,” Elijah said, his eyes on Leon, but the boy turned his nose up. “Merrick found me an excellent teacher in Dewfalls.”
“They trained you to make antidotes out of random flowers?” Leon raised his eyebrows.
Elijah nodded. “As a kid, I used to play in the garden and there were some nasty plants out there. So, I guess he took it upon himself to make sure I knew which ones can have medicinal properties and which ones could kill me.” He shrugged, hoping that was a good enough explanation.
Leon opened his mouth to say something and quickly shut it again as the doors opened and the king strolled out. Merrick followed behind. He nodded to Elijah as he continued to stay in the king’s shadow.
“Thank you,” the king said, turning his attention to Elijah. “I’m giving you all the night off. Sienna will stay here with my personal guards around her. The healers have advised she will be fit and well by tomorrow so get some rest as we cannot have this happen again.” He looked down as he took a deep breath in. “Come on, Merrick.”
Elijah could’ve sworn he heard Merrick and the king mention Magda’s name and a group of people who’d been terrorising the nearby villages as they walked by. King Roderick and Merrick were already disappearing around the corner when he spun around to ask them a question. Cursing himself, he noticed the boys were looking at him with confused expressions.
“I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning,” he said and walked away before any of them could say anything else.
As Elijah reached his room, the lighting in the halls got dimmer. He noticed a small boy turning out a wall lamp and scurrying off to the next one. It must be later than he realised. Once inside, he undressed the fancy clothes and flopped down onto the bed. His eyes, drawn to the old coat he had worn on the journey here, landed on something sticking out of the pocket.
I should return those to Merrick. He was the one who wanted them. His eyes focused on the paper. Maybe I should read it? No, it’s private between him and Magda… He rolled over to face the wall, trying to quiet the voices in his head. A buzzing sound replaced it, with words he didn’t know or understand. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to sleep as the need gripped his insides.
A sound pulled him out of his thoughts and when he turned around the coat was on the floor, the letters on top of it. With a sigh, Elijah got out of bed and grabbed the letter from the jacket’s pocket, then looked at his desk. The circular symbol was still face up, not that it meant anything to him yet. He frowned and opened the letter, invading his mentor’s privacy.
“Protector,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. Wherever you may be.
The boy is settling down. His nightmares have been keeping him awake, but other than that I think he likes it here. Especially now he has a horse.
I will begin teaching him soon. He will master everything I know and become strong, like you asked. His skin will change with the sun, and no-one will recognise him here. You need not worry for his safety anymore. I will protect him until my dying breath.
If he has magic, it has not manifested it, but I have someone here who can help should that happen. My wife told me they had magic in their family, but it hadn’t shown in generations.
This may be my last correspondence. Can never be too careful. Look after yourself. As always, I am your friend and ally.
Sincerely,
The Mongrel.”
Elijah sat back. If Merrick was the Mongrel, then the boy he was looking after could be me. Why would Magda care about him and why do they have weird names? Code to hide in case anyone found the letter? Questions plagued his mind as his eyes stared at the paper in his hands. It felt thick. Playing with the edges, he pried the paper apart to reveal a second letter behind.
“Magda,
I hope you’re safe. There has been chatter amongst the locals here, about the assassins in Adelith. Word has spread quickly.
They are saying the prince lives. We need to squash these rumours quickly. He needs to have never even existed. Become a legend. A story that parents will tell their children at night. No-one can know what you did.
I know you can do this. Once it’s done, hide yourself. Let them think you are dead too. It’s not safe for anyone who survived.
Delivering this letter is a trusted friend of mine, Dommick. He will protect you. He will help you.
Goodbye, old friend.
God, Save The King
Merrick.”
Elijah’s hands dropped to his knees; a letter in each one. Something in his gut was telling him he knew who Merrick was talking about. Him. He was the only boy Merrick had looked after. It had to be.
Elijah crumpled up both letters and stuffed them back into his jacket pocket. Right now, he needed to sleep. Tomorrow he could ask Merrick about the letters and get some answers. A clearer mind would help too. One thing he learned from Merrick is to never take a fight to someone when you’re angry. You’ll always lose.
11
Too Close For Comfort
When Elijah woke the next morning, news of the princess’s recovery filled the halls in whispers. The poison had been removed from her system and treated so that any traces wouldn’t cause her further complications. She was still in the infirmary recovering from exhaustion but would move back to her room later that day.
He got dressed, the black of his shirt making his skin look darker, and grabbed the crinkled letter from his jacket, sliding in into his shirt. He would talk to Merrick about it today. Showing him the letter and asking for an explanation would be best. Even if he received a scolding for opening it.
On the way, he stopped by the infirmary where Sahab and Gianna were waiting. They informed him that Sienna wanted a day of rest, not surprising with all that she had been through. However, if she was up for it, Prince John had planned to take a trip into town with her.
“Thank you. But why are you telling me this?”
Sahab and Gianna looked to each other. “You haven’t been told yet?”
“I only got out of bed a few moments ago. Told what?”
“I think it’s best if the king, or your uncle, tells you. Would hate to ruin the surprise. Come on, Sahab, we have things to do.” Gianna pushed Sahab away and winked at Eli as she left.
Turning on his heels, Elijah headed straight to the training grounds. His pace was faster than usual, and his breath became heavy as he got closer.
“Elijah!” Maevine ran up to him. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”
Eli frowned. “Ready for what? I’m going to see Merrick. Apparently, he and the king forgot to tell me something.”
Maevine’s eyes went wide. “Oh, well, um. I better let you get on.” She went to walk past him, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
“Oh, no, you don’t. What has happened, and why does everyone know but me?”
She shook her head. “No, no, Merrick needs to tell you. Or the king does. Either way.” She tugged, but he gripped her hand. “Everyone knows because it was Sienna who requested it and well, Aylee is a gossip.”
He let her go and crossed his arms. “Come on Maevine, tell me, we are friends. I promise I will act surprised.”
“The princess has requested you be added to her Elite Guard as a reward for saving her life.” She huffed and frowned.
“Really?” Eli smiled. “I didn’t realise she was so grateful.”
Maevine tutted. “She comes across a little hard on the outside but she’s actually a really nice person Elijah.”
Eli raised an eyebrow. “Right well. You’d better tell me if you have seen Merrick. As I will need to know this straight away.” He winked at her.
She smiled. “I think he went to the library. Come find me once you know, we can celebrate!” Maevine darted off toward the stables.
Now where the hell is the library?
On his search he found the ballroom, a lar
ge room with windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. It had a wooden floor and a stage with a throne on, Elijah wondered if King Roderick actually sat there for the whole evening or if it was just a formality. Next, he found a new secret passageway. He made a mental note to see where it went next time; he had a free afternoon. His mind hummed with possibilities of its path.
The library, thankfully, wasn’t difficult to find once he got his groove on and found a helpful servant boy who had been carrying a sack of coal for the fires in there. The boy took him right in and then disappeared behind the tall shelves that filled the room. Elijah wished he’d got his name before running off.
It was like a maze. Elijah turned two corners and felt lost in the sea of literature around him. Every now and then he would come across tables that had books all over them. At one table, he found a librarian tidying up the books.
“Excuse me,” he asked. “Do you know where I can find Merrick Walcott? I was told he was in here.”
The librarian turned to answer, and Elijah noticed his eyes were a strange golden colour. They shimmered with strands of brown and yellow. He bowed his head to Elijah in greeting and put the book he had in his hands down on the table.
“I’m afraid you just missed him,” said the librarian. His voice was deep, but every ’s’ was elongated. “I’m Buisan, the royal librarian. Pleasure to meet you, Master Elijah. Merrick talks highly of you.”
“Thank you,” Elijah said. Surprised the librarian knew his name, even if he had spoken to Merrick. “What’s that book?” Elijah pointed to a thick book with worn edges and a deep rouge cover.
“Royal Lineage,” Buisan replied. He snatched it up before Elijah could take a step towards it. “I’m afraid I’m repairing it. Damaged.”
Eli nodded. “I don’t suppose there’s anything on the missing prince legend I’ve heard people whispering about?”
The librarian looked up at him, eyebrows raised, then shook his head. “There are many legends around the royals. Some true, others complete folly.” The man studied him, waiting for an answer, but Eli didn’t know what to say. “I think the one you are referring to is about Hector and Rhohesia’s son. This book has nothing on that I am afraid.”
“Well, thank you. If you see Merrick, can you tell him I am looking for him?” The librarian nodded and turned back to his books.
On the way out of the library, Elijah bumped into King Roderick and Leon.
“Elijah, just the person I was looking for.” He bowed and waited for the king to continue speaking. “Princess Sienna has requested that you be placed on her Elite Guard.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, I am honoured.” He bowed again and looked to Leon, who was sporting a sour expression.
The king smiled. “I’ll have some Elite uniform sent to your room. Leon here will advise you of their schedule. The reserve team are in the process of being picked so they will work closely with you as well.”
Leon cleared his throat.
“Ah yes, Prince John has invited Sienna into town. You will go with Leon, Gianna and Sahab.”
“Is she ready for that? She has only just recovered.”
The king smiled. “You’d be surprised at how resilient my daughter is, Elijah. I know she will be in safe hands with the four of you. I’ll let you go.”
“Your Majesty,” Leon said, bowing. He grabbed Elijah’s arm and moved him along the hall.
The town where Prince John wanted to shop was only a short distance away, barely an hour’s ride. Travelling there they had no issues. People from passing villages flocked to the roadside to wave at the prince and princess, and trumpets went off as they entered the town through a wooden archway. Elijah felt strange, having everyone gawk at them like they were gods, when in reality they were all the same.
Elijah followed suit as they turned right and dismounted their horses at the stables. It was a large building which had space for twenty horses and was tended by an older couple who lived in the house next door.
Leon and Gianna took the front again as John and Sienna walked through the streets on foot. Prince John took her into a few shops and bought her gifts. The first shop was full to the brim of colourful fabrics with eccentric patterns. From the outside, Elijah could see the rolls stacked up against some of the windows and outside, on the shelves, where one tailor was making a dress. The second was the bakery who showered the royal couple with sweet treats. There were even some left over.
Sahab stepped closer to Elijah and spoke in a low voice. “How long do you think we will be here for?”
Not knowing the answer, Elijah shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the crowds. There were market stalls all around, it reminded him of the markets in Dewfalls, and people were going about their daily business. When the princess passed, they turned and bowed their heads.
“My love,” Prince John started. “I’m glad you joined me. I had been so worried. You’re sure you are feeling better?”
“I’m fine. I needed to get out of the castle.” Sienna turned her head to the side, a weak smile teasing on the corners of her mouth. “Lying in bed sometimes isn’t the best thing for recovery. Fresh air is best.”
Eli turned away from her and looked around them. Someone in a hooded cloak was walking under the cover of the nearby buildings’ balconies. It stopped when they did and continued to follow them.
“Did you enjoy the tarts?” The prince’s voice pulled Eli’s focus back to them. They’d perched on the edge of the well, sitting close together, closer than Elijah would have liked them too. Sienna looked up and smiled when she caught his eye.
“They were delicious. I’m glad I have some to take back with me.” The Princess smiled again, but Elijah could tell it was a little forced. “Elijah, would you mind standing a little more to the left? You’re just the right size to block the sun.”
“Do you think your father will want this to move fast?” Prince John continued, ignoring Sienna’s comment to Elijah.
“I think my father will want to make sure that I am happy,” the princess replied, pulling her hands from the prince’s grasp. “He changed the rules for that reason, after all.”
Elijah’s attention turned to Leon, who was stopping a few people from getting too close to the princess.
“Please stand back.” Leon’s voice was firm, but they weren’t listening. Gianna closed the gap and helped to stop them from getting closer.
“Princess Sienna! I must speak with Princess Sienna!”
“Stay back.” Leon said again, his hand gripping his sword.
“Your Highness,” Elijah said over his shoulder. “I think it might be best to move inside, maybe another shop, or the bakers?” Prince John looked over Sienna’s shoulder and saw the people trying to push forward.
“I said, stop.” The familiar scrape of his sword unsheathing followed Leon’s words.
“Yes, what a good idea. There was a jeweller I wanted to visit before we headed back to the castle. The King asked me not to keep you out too long.” Prince John hopped up from the well’s stone wall. He held out a hand to the princess, and she looked to the floor. When she looked up, she looked at Elijah who nodded and she stood up.
Sahab pushed between Leon and Gianna, forcing them to turn to the side, allowing a passage for the prince and princess to walk through. Once they were away from the centre of the marketplace, the crowds died down. Sienna stumbled as someone bumped into her and Elijah reached out, catching her hand. She squeezed it so tight his fingertips went white.
“This is the one.” Prince John gestured to the building and quickly opened the door. Elijah went inside with the princess, followed by Sahab.
“Sahab and I will go over here while you two look around. Gianna and Leon are out the front.” He put his other hand on top of hers. “You can let go now.” Sienna pulled her hand away and nodded.
Elijah moved to the side as Prince John occupied the space he had been standing in. They stood in the doorway to the rear of the shop; it gave them
a full view of the only door in, and if anyone came in the rear, they’d have to go through them to get to the royals.
“Did you notice we are being followed?” Elijah asked in a whisper.
“No, but the princess seems a little spooked. Do you think she knew the person trying to get at her?”
Eli shook his head. “We have no way of knowing that. She has only recovered from being poisoned a few days ago. Maybe she’s being overly cautious?”
“Or maybe she doesn’t want to be with John.” Sahab laughed silently.
Eli shook his head, a smile threatening to break on his face. “We, on the other hand, need to be more vigilant when we get out of here. I’m certain we were being followed.”
“My love,” purred the prince. Elijah rolled his eyes, the sound of the prince’s voice making his stomach turn. “Do you like this necklace?”
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Sienna said, touching the necklace. From what Elijah could see, the necklace was delicate. A gold cluster of flowers on a thin chain. She looked happy with the prince’s choice.
Prince John smiled at Sienna’s happiness, and from the greedy grin on the jeweller’s face, he’d paid a lot more than it was worth.
“Thank you, John,” breathed Sienna as she gushed over the necklace. “Will you help me put it on, please?”
“Of course, my love,” Prince John said, jumping at the chance to touch her. Elijah looked away as the prince fumbled with the clasp.
Sahab crossed the room and looked out of the window. “Are you ready to return, Your Highnesses?”
“Yes,” Sienna replied before John could get a word out. He deflated a little and nodded when Sienna looked at him.
“Then we will go, my love. Your father will be waiting for you, no doubt.” Prince John slipped a hand around the princesses back and stepped out after Sahab opened the door.
Elijah and Sahab stayed behind them, only an arm’s length away. As they reached the main street, Elijah noticed the hooded figure from before. This time some friends joined him. He nudged Sahab and nodded towards the figures on each side. They closed the gap between them and the royals, but alerting Gianna and Leon would be next to impossible with them being in front.
Kingdom of Lies (The Kane Saga Book 1) Page 8