Freed

by Samantha Britt

  We made another spin, and the music mercifully struck its last few chords. The males bowed and the females curtsied.

  The prince hesitated for a brief moment, but it was long enough to make my pulse spike with fear. His eyes never strayed as he lowered his chest. I swallowed the lump in my throat and curtsied, I made sure to not look away, either.

  Kurtis, gods bless him, bounded back up to me like an excited puppy, breaking the building tension.

  “Amelissa! You were amazing!”

  “Amelissa?” The prince murmured. Kurtis didn’t hear.

  Kurtis snatched my hand and, after a respectful nod to the prince, dragged me back towards our group. He must have no idea he just stole me from the prince. I wondered if it was because he’d only lived on Eelie as a pseudo-Avelin outcast. But something about the idea didn’t sit well with me. He should have, at least, seen a likeness of the royal prince. King Roderick had countless portraits dispersed throughout the castle and surrounding capital of himself and his family. Surely, King Aquin would do the same?

  Crista, Ida, and Rachel clapped as we returned to the group. Charles beamed and slapped a hand on Kurtis’s back. Even Hannah wore a smile.

  “Well done, Amelissa,” Crista praised. “I worried you wouldn’t know what to do when the partners switched.”

  I released a tense laugh. “I didn’t, but I figured it out.”

  “You really should have warned her,” Rachel hit Kurtis in the arm. She seemed to go out of her way to touch him.

  “I did!” He threw his hands up in defense, dropping my hand. “Tell them, Amelissa. I warned you just before every dance change.”

  “You’re right. You warned me just before every change.” The group laughed. “Next time you’re teaching a dance, maybe consider giving your partner more time to digest your warnings.”

  Kurtis looked down with a smile, but he was appropriately chastised. “Very well. How about you Rachel? Are you willing to allow me the chance to redeem myself?” The musicians struck up a new song.

  I wasn’t the only one who saw Rachel’s face light up. “Of course. Though, I already know this dance. You won’t need to teach me the steps.” She held out her hand, and Kurtis wrapped his fingers around it.

  “Even better,” he winked. “We can just enjoy ourselves.” The pair left without a backward glance. Crista and Ida shared a look.

  “Rachel is fond of Kurtis,” I stated, watching how she smiled as Kurtis placed her on the other side of the growing dance lines. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen someone smile so big.

  “Fond is an understatement,” Hannah supplied, but not meanly. “Rachel has been in love with Kurtis for… how long has it been? Five years?”

  “Since she turned eighteen and started working on the estate,” Ida supplied. “So… almost six years now.”

  The tempo picked up and the dancers started swaying towards one another, then back again. The dresses billowed beautifully with the movement.

  “Does Kurtis know?”

  “Doubtful.”

  All of us turned to Charles. He flushed under the attention, tugging on the collar of his shirt. He explained, “Kurtis is too caught up in his own head about his heritage.” He gave me a cautious look.

  “Don’t worry.” Again, it was Hannah. And again, she didn’t sound cross like I’d come to expect. “Kurtis had told Amelissa about his unsavory ancestor.”

  “Unsavory?” I asked with raised brows.

  “Yes,” Hannah replied without blinking. “Wouldn’t you call mating with your people’s enemy unsavory?” And there was the attitude I’d become accustomed to.

  Reminding myself not to sound like I had an interest in the discussion—these people didn’t know insulting a draekon would be insulting half of me—I cleared my throat. “I’m not sure what the world was like when Kurtis’s ancestor met the draekon, but perhaps times were different. Perhaps the two races were not at odds, and it was a genuine love connection.”

  Ida and Crista politely murmured their agreement with the possibility. Charles, also, nodded to give it credit. But Hannah was not so easily swayed.

  “I don’t care if the two worlds suddenly come to peace and we begin to live among one another, I would never allow a beast anywhere near me.”

  Her hatred hit me square in the chest, and it took all my restraint to not physically recoil from her violent emotion.

  “Hannah,” Ida lowered her voice and gave her friend a pleading look, “You are talking about Kurtis. He’s our friend.”

  Hannah tilted her head. “I’ve said nothing bad about Kurtis. Only his ancestor.”

  “Perhaps your reaction to his bloodline is exactly what Charles was talking about.” I turned my attention to the reserved man. “Wasn’t it?”

  “U-uh, y-yes,” he sputtered. “I-I don’t think Kurtis ever p-plans to develop a romantic attachment to a-anyone.”

  No one responded. The music from the ballroom was all that filled the space between us. Well, that, and the emotions we were all feeling.

  I was both heartbroken and angry. Kurtis shouldn’t avoid love because of something one of his distant ancestors did. And Hannah shouldn’t be propagating his ill-conceived plan by spreading her hatred of draekon.

  “I hope Kurtis changes his mind,” Crista shared wistfully.

  “Me too,” Ida said with a sigh. “He’s a good guy. He deserves to be happy.” Both women watched Kurtis and Rachel dancing. I could hear her peals of laughter all the way across the dance floor.

  “I never said I didn’t want Kurtis to be happy,” Hannah said, exasperated. “I only meant to say Amelissa knows about his past. So, we all know why Kurtis might not want to get married and have kids. He doesn’t want them to suffer the same prejudices he has.”

  “But why did you have to sound so cruel about it?” Crista asked. I wanted to kiss her. It was a valid question, and it would only have been well received by someone Hannah considered a friend.

  Hannah looked away and tried to take a sip from her empty glass. “I didn’t mean to be cruel.”

  Neither Ida, Crista, nor Charles dug any further—much to my disappointment. I supposed it wasn’t the worst way to end the discussion. No one wanted to cause a scene by pressing Hannah any more, and Hannah seemed like she truly regretted her crass remarks.

  The song ended, and Hannah excused herself to get more wine. I guessed she didn’t want to be there to greet Kurtis after what she’d just said about him.

  One glance towards the dance floor revealed the crowd dispersing, but Erwin’s platinum blond hair stood out like a beacon. Next to him stood the prince. Both males surveyed the ballroom, chatting at the same time. I didn’t know if they searched for someone, much less if that someone was me, but I wasn’t going to stick around to find out.

  “I’m going to get fresh air,” I announced to the group, gesturing towards the doorway behind us. Through the windows, lanterns illuminated a garden. My hope was the door would lead to the garden entrance, and I could finally make my escape from the evening unhindered.

  “I’ll go with you,” Ida offered.

  “No!” Realizing I spoke too quickly, I gave her a smile and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m just not used to such large crowds. Our population was much smaller in Caldiri.”

  Ida, thankfully, didn’t look offended at all. But she did look confused. “I thought you came from Mar?”

  Oh, no!

  “I did.” I kept my breathing even and my expression unworried. I couldn’t believe I made such a mistake. I needed to fix it before anything came of the error. I lifted a hand to my head, “Forgive me. I must be tired for that to come out. My family lived in Caldiri for several years when I was a child, but after my parents died, I moved to Mar to live with my aunt. Caldiri is a horrible place. I try to avoid thinking about it at all costs.”

  Based on the sympathetic and understanding faces around me, I’d say they bought it.

  I was really getting good at lyi
ng.

  But maybe that wasn’t a good thing.

  “I am so sorry to hear about your parents,” Crista offered. Ida and Charles seconded her statement.

  “Thank you.” I bowed my head, trying to give off a sad countenance.

  “Go rest in the garden,” Ida touched my elbow and guided me to the door, leaving the other two on the edge of the dance floor. “Take all the time you need. I know this evening must be overwhelming. When you’re ready, come back and spend time with us. I can’t speak for Crista, but I know Rachel and I are looking forward to becoming friends.” The words were genuine, and her kindness made me regret my lies. But they couldn’t be avoided.

  I covered the hand on my elbow with one of my own. “I will. Thank you. See you in a bit.”

  Ida and I parted. The door was only five feet away, but a trio of sloshed males blocked my path. I was just constructing a plan of how to get around them when a familiar, teasing voice called out.

  “Amelissa? Where are you going?”

  I panicked. I didn’t want to turn around and be caught in whatever plan Erwin had concocted.

  Pretending I hadn’t heard him, I changed direction and walked towards the servant’s door I’d spotted early, forgetting about the garden. With my head held high and a steady pace, I slipped out of the ballroom and into a blessedly empty hall.

  8

  Not wanting to cause alarm, I resisted the urge to run the moment the door closed behind me. Keeping my composure, I walked at a brisk pace. My gown’s fabric billowed out behind me.

  My heart pounded in my chest. I waited to hear the sound of the door opening and Erwin’s following footsteps, but the sounds never came. I made it to the center of the estate without seeing a soul. All the guests were in the ballroom, and all of the servers were too busy to be wandering the halls. I stopped to catch my breath and calm my racing heart, grateful I finally managed to escape.

  “There you are.”

  I yelped and spun around, my hands raised, ready to defend myself.

  Erwin stepped out of the adjacent hallway. The sconce on the wall illuminated his face. The sound of distant music barely reached my ears. They were roaring with my rapid pulse.

  “Relax, Amelissa.” Erwin frowned and scanned me from head to toe. “Why are you so skittish?”

  “Why are you following me?” I snapped back, lowering my arms. How had he caught up to me so fast?

  “I was worried about you.” He tucked his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall beside him. “Why did you rush out of the ballroom?”

  “It was too crowded.”

  “I see.” I knew Erwin didn’t believe me, but I didn’t really care.

  “Why didn’t you tell me a member of the royal family would be here?” I crossed my arms. I was ready to do battle. Erwin had treated me well these past few weeks, but the last two days have been full of surprise after surprise. My trust in him was beginning to wane, and he needed to explain himself if he wanted it back.

  “Would you believe me if I said I hadn’t expected him to come?”

  “No.”

  He sighed. “Well, I hadn’t. Lerick didn’t claim his spot in the tournament. It was a surprise to see him on the first day.”

  Lerick. I’d heard that name. “He was your opponent during the match I watched.”

  Erwin nodded. “Yes.”

  I had to admit; I really didn’t take the time to look at Erwin’s opponent. Between chatting with Rachel and Kurtis and taking in the details of the unfamiliar sport, I hadn’t thought about it.

  “Who is he? He can’t be my mother’s brother. You said she was an only child!” My accusation is obvious.

  Erwin’s gaze hardened. “Do you think I would lie about that?”

  “I don’t know.” I threw my hands in the air. “He looks just like Lin!”

  “Lerick is your mother’s first cousin. His mother is King Aquin’s sister, Princess Mercie.”

  One point to Erwin for not lying to me about my mother being an only child. But that didn’t excuse him from keeping me in the dark the past two days.

  “You saw my mother’s cousin on the first day of the tournament,” I accused. “You should have told me he was here.”

  “Perhaps you are right.” Erwin pushed off the wall and closed the distance between us. He stopped walking when his chest was no more than three feet from mine. “But what would you have done if I did?”

  Hide.

  “I would’ve stayed in my rooms,” I admitted.

  “Exactly.” Erwin shook his head with disappointment. “Your first instinct is always to hide. You need to overcome that reaction.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I’m sorry. Do you want people to find out who I am? Do you want them to find out what I am?”

  Seriously, what was Erwin thinking? What ridiculous point was he trying to make? We’d agreed to keep my identity a secret for the time being. Was he changing his mind?

  “Of course not,” he replied. “But you are under the impression that hiding away makes you go unnoticed. When, in truth, it is the exact opposite. I saw you speaking with Rachel and the others today. Do you think my employees don’t grow more and more suspicious of you when you decide to avoid everyone in the estate at all costs? Do you think it doesn’t add fuel to the rumors?” He sneered. I’d never seen such a cruel expression on my cousin’s face before. Not even when he was pretending to be the bad guy working with pirates had he looked so mean.

  He continued when I remained silent, “You did the same thing in Draek, and you are foolish to do it here. You are not a delicate flower who can’t handle scrutiny, Lissa. If you are, you are not going to survive the dangers in your life.”

  Angry, ashamed tears gathered behind my eyes. I steeled myself against them. I wouldn’t give Erwin the satisfaction of knowing how much his words hurt.

  “People here are just as prejudiced as on Draekon,” I told him, thinking of Hannah and her nasty remarks. “What do you think they will do if they found out who my mother and father are? Do you think my chances of survival increase when that information gets out? Or is the more likely scenario that I die?”

  Erwin growled. His hands clenched. “You aren’t listening. Hiding away makes people talk about you more. You need to show yourself. Our morning training sessions help support the claim I brought you here as an apprentice, but then you disappear. It’s not normal.

  “And telling you about Lerick would’ve made you run and hide,” he correctly stated. “But Lerick would eventually see you. Though the resemblance between you and your mother is not identical, it is close enough. He would wonder why a young woman who looks like his missing cousin doesn’t attend any of the tournament festivities that, literally, all in my employ attend. You must be smarter, Lissa. You are smarter.” The callous expression faded from his face as he spoke. Erwin rubbed his temples as if he had a headache. “Don’t you trust me?”

  I pinched my lips together as I decided whether or not to answer. “I don’t know anymore.”

  Erwin leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. “Eoki mi, Materi. Eoki mi.”

  “What did you just say?”

  “I asked the Mother to help me have patience.” Erwin returned his gaze to mine. “I apologize for not telling you of Lerick’s arrival. I see, now, that I should have. I intended to introduce you tonight without you knowing. In doing so, I’d hoped you wouldn’t be nervous and act any differently than you would being introduced to another elven noble.”

  It wasn’t a bad idea. Acting normal might’ve dissuaded Lerick from thinking there was anything unusual about me. But my reaction on the dance floor and then running away had undeniably made me stand out.

  “Apology accepted.”

  Tension rolled off Erwin’s shoulders. “Thank you.”

  “I’m surprised it took me so long to notice who he was,” I admitted. “He looks just like Lin.”

  “You avoided looking at our end of the table the ent
ire dinner,” Erwin pointed out.

  “Rachel and Ida told me a prince was here,” I explained. “But I couldn’t tell who he was in the crowded parlor. I figured it would be best not to try and look for him during dinner.”

  I held out a hand to stop his impending rebuttal. “But I admit you have a point. I’m sure everyone else at dinner couldn’t stop staring at the royal in their midst. I made myself stand out by not looking.”

  Erwin shrugged a shoulder. “Yes and no. Lerick is a royal, true, but many nobles and everyday citizens do not afford him the respect his birth should elicit.”

  I frowned, confused. “What do you mean?” Why wouldn’t Avelin citizens honor their prince?

  “Lerick was disinherited by King Aquin many years ago. He no longer holds a princely title.”

  “What?” I didn’t understand. Disinheritance couldn’t be normal. “Why?”

  Erwin took a step back and blew out a breath. “It’s complicated. King Aquin levied many allegations against his nephew as cause for disinheritance, but I only believe one.”

  I knew, before I asked, that I wasn’t going to like what Erwin was about to say. Still, I couldn’t quell my curiosity. “Which one do you believe?”

  Erwin’s lips parted, but he wasn’t given the chance to answer.

  The beat of my heart stopped when a different voice joined our conversation. “Because my cousin disappeared while under my care.”

  9

  Erwin, Prince Lerick, and I sat in Erwin’s study. We’d relocated to the private space the moment we realized the sort of conversation that needed to be had now that the truth was out in the open. For the fifth time since getting caught off-guard, I wished I’d shifted into draekon hearing during my escape from the ballroom. Enhanced hearing could have allowed me to avoid being intercepted by Erwin. If not, it definitely could have alerted me to the prince’s impending arrival. But maybe that was wishful thinking. Elves could be quite stealthy.

  The study was attached to Erwin’s bedchamber, and I found myself staring through the connecting door, focusing on the massive bed with midnight-blue linen. I was determined not to meet the inquisitive eyes of my mother’s cousin. Even at the cost of appearing rude.