Freed

by Samantha Britt

  “I never used any elven abilities before.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I never suspected I was anything but human.”

  “Until…?”

  “Until I sensed her elven powers,” Erwin intercepted the king’s question. “Amelissa began her recruitment as a kitchen server. I met her when she delivered a meal to my rooms.” He looked over his shoulder and gazed at me adoringly. It was the exact same way he looked at me after hitting his head against the ship’s deck.

  Erwin continued, not looking away from me for even a moment. “I instantly recognized her as elven. She had so much untapped power surging beneath her luminous skin, and her natural beauty couldn’t possibly be mortal.” My cheeks warmed, and I was unable to conceal my blush. A new round of murmurs lifted around us.

  “I made it my mission to get to know Amelissa. My negotiations with the draekon princes kept me busy, but anytime I could, I made sure our paths crossed. It became very easy to interact with her once she became Princess Cienna’s friend. She attended nearly every royal dinner, and she was invited to many gatherings normally barred to any human who was not claimed as a draekon’s companion.” Erwin finally turned back around, freeing me from the intensity of his emotion-filled stare.

  “And how did you become the princess’s friend?” King Aquin asked me, not Erwin.

  I smiled. He’d taken my complaint to heart.

  “My job title changed once my healing abilities were discovered. I became the apprentice to the castle healer. That is how I met Princess Cienna.”

  The king nodded. “I heard the draekon princess suffered some unnamable illness. You helped with her treatment?”

  I opened my mouth to confirm, but Erwin beat me to it.

  “Not only did Amelissa help treat the princess. She cured her.”

  There was a beat of silence. And then…

  “Impossible!”

  “It’s can’t be!”

  “Your Majesty, my informants confirmed years ago that the draekon princess was incurable.”

  “There is no way a half-breed elf could fix that condition.”

  I flinched at the last harsh remark. I looked to my left, but I couldn’t figure out which crowd member said the words.

  Movement drew my gaze back. Another well-dressed elf stood behind the king. I noticed there was a line of five elves standing against the wall in front of me. There were two females and two more males, in addition to the one approaching the king. They must be members of his council. Their formal attire and golden headpieces spoke of honored positions.

  The male drew closer. He was the one who’d commented on his informants. He cleared his throat, but King Aquin paid him no mind.

  The elf didn’t let that deter him. “Your Majesty, what Lord Erwin says isn’t possible. Not even Princess Cienna’s natural draekon abilities could heal her.”

  “An elven healer could have the skill,” Erwin said calmly. He wasn’t bothered by the male’s objection.

  “She said so herself, the girl was unaware of her elven heritage,” he countered. He was passionate, but his words weren’t cruel. “How could an untrained female manage to remedy a condition which not even the finest of elven healers were able to figure out?”

  I blinked. Did the elves try to find a cure for Cienna? It sounded like they hadn’t succeeded, but if they had, would they have given her the antidote? Or did they plan to use it as a bargaining tool when dealing with King Roderick?

  My gut twisted, leading me to believe it was the latter.

  “There was only ever one elf with such natural healing abilities, and that was—”

  “My daughter,” King Aquin interrupts. There is an undeniable hopeful shine in his eyes. Whatever doubt he’d held, it was gone. The king looked at me with affection and recognition.

  It was… overwhelming.

  But the questioning male wasn’t so easily convinced. His focus shifted to me, then they landed on Erwin. “You say you detected significant elven power within her,” he addressed him. “But how could you possibly sense her abilities? Even now, they are nearly subdued and undetectable.”

  I stiffened.

  The king, also, turned to Erwin to await his answer. There was still hope in his eyes, but it was a little more reserved than it had been moments ago.

  Erwin dipped his head. “Indeed, Amelissa’s powers are not easily recognizable as elven. They are hidden deep within. No doubt, their lack of use during her crucial developmental years have rendered them almost dormant.” He supported my earlier claim.

  Elven powers could lie dormant if not used? I guessed that was why I never accidentally sent off a bolt of power while living in Caldiri.

  “Exactly,” the male confirmed. “So, I ask again, how is it you were able to detect the power?”

  Erwin’s hesitation alarmed me.

  He never hesitated…

  Never.

  I, along with everyone else in the room, held my breath. I didn’t understand every detail, but I knew Erwin’s explanation was important. But, for some reason, he was wary of giving his response. Was detecting my power truly that difficult? Could it be my draekon power masked it? I quickly dismissed that idea. If the elves could detect draekon within me, they’d be raising their pitchforks.

  My head grew fuzzy. I forced myself to take a breath.

  Then, without preamble, Erwin said, “Because we share a Kyrie Spirit.”

  Shock, unfiltered and strong, crossed King Aquin’s face, quickly replaced with understanding and acceptance.

  The crowd didn’t even murmur. They’d gone quiet. My anxiety spiked. What in the world was a Kyrie Spirit? And why did Erwin say we shared one? Was it a familial connection? I had no idea what was going on. I tried to catch Erwin’s gaze, but he made a point to avoid me.

  Without another word, the council member retreated to his position against the wall. He and the others exchanged glances. Based on the sound of shifting clothes and feet, I suspected the rest of the crowd was doing the same thing.

  The only people not looking around were me, Erwin, Lerick, and the king. My newfound cousin had remained silent during the entire conversation. But now, he cleared his throat and delivered the line the entire room was waiting to hear, “Your Majesty, allow us to formally introduce Amelissa from the continent of Draekon, daughter of Lassandra, the missing princess of Avelin.”

  18

  King Aquin smiled brightly. He no longer showed any restraint. Whatever Erwin had just revealed: it confirmed the story of who I was. At least, to the king.

  I stiffened when he spread his arms wide and closed the distance between us. Before I could register what he was doing, lean, muscular arms were wrapped around mine in a tight embrace. Those in the room paused, unsure how to react, until one boisterously bystander hooted and began clapping with enthusiasm.

  “The missing princess has a daughter!”

  “We have a new princess!”

  “Long live Princess Amelissa.”

  What in the gods’ names was happening?

  I met Lerick’s relieved gaze with a bewildered one of my own. He dipped his chin, silently assuring me everything was all right. Erwin was still ignoring me.

  It seemed too easy, but by the looks of it, we’d succeeded in one part of our plan. King Aquin believed I was his missing daughter’s child. Now, all we needed to do was find Prince Finn and stop him from murdering my grandfather.

  The king drew back. He held up another hand and, again, the room fell silent.

  He continued to smile at me, and the gesture made him look even younger. “I am very pleased to meet you, Amelissa.”

  “T-thank you.” I stuttered. As an afterthought, I added, “I’m happy to meet you too.”

  King Aquin turned to the elves standing against the wall. “The meeting with the draekon prince will wait.” He grabbed my hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow. “Tell him I have more pressing matters to attend to.”

  All five elves bowed in acceptance.

/>   My heart pounded in my chest. We weren’t too late. Finn hadn’t spoken with the king. He hadn’t had the chance to do anything rash. The gods were on our side. Now, all I needed to do was get through the impending conversation with King Aquin and get myself invited to stay at the palace. Then, Erwin would search out Finn’s rooms and we’d go visit him later this evening.

  Part of me dreaded the reunion. One of the last times I saw Finn was when he’d taken me by surprise by kissing me. Shortly after, I’d been assaulted by the draekon females in the library, then Brion was sent away by his father, and I went with him.

  Would I confess the truth of my bond with his brother when I spoke with Finn? Would he even bother to mention the kiss? I’m sure he kissed many. I was probably overthinking the situation. He probably forgot all about that kiss.

  Yes, that’s what I would tell myself. I only remembered because it was the second kiss of my life. Such a thing would not stand out in a more experienced individual’s mind.

  King Aquin turned around and guided us back towards the elegant gallery. A quick peek over my shoulder confirmed Erwin and Lerick followed while the crowd remained in place, bowed or curtsied to their departing king.

  A comforting palm covered my hand. The king met my questioning glance. “We are retreating to the east wing of the palace. It’s the royal residence. No curious eyes or intrigued ears will be near enough to hear anything we say.”

  That’s exactly what Erwin said would happen.

  I swallowed back my nervousness and instead focused on our success. Things were going as planned. Perhaps not in the manner we expected, but we were still successful.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  The four of us exited into the portrait-lined hall and made our way to the east wing. The heels of my sandals clacked against the gleaming granite floor. Guards were stationed periodically throughout our journey, positioned at open windows and closed doors. They stared forward, and they didn’t react to seeing their leader walk by them.

  “I understand you’ve been living on Eelie with young Erwin.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  The king wore a knowing grin, and he shot it back at Erwin. I turned in time to see my cousin dip his forehead, trying his best to return the king’s grin. But I’d seen enough real smiles to know that one was forced.

  “Kyrie spirits,” the king murmured, still smiling. “The Mother works in mysterious ways.”

  “Indeed,” Erwin replied.

  I needed to know what in the world that phrase meant, and why it managed to convince everyone in the crowd that I was truly Lassandra’s daughter.

  We arrived at a rather plain set of doors, considering they led to the royal residences. The two guards standing beside the entrance moved in time with one another as they pivoted on their heels, reaching forward to push the doors open for their approaching king.

  The first room was just as cavernous and luxurious as the rest of the Avelin palace, but as we traveled farther into the east wing, I noticed a soothing and more comfortable feel to the spaces. The furniture and décor were still expensive, but I saw personal touches which revealed these rooms were well-lived in. A pair of slippers sat by one of the doors. A blanket had been tossed over the arms of a chair in the corridor. The inviting air welcomed me into the wing, and I preferred it to the stiff and formal atmosphere I’d felt back in the grand hall.

  Eventually, we came to a sitting room. A fire blazed in the marble fireplace. Pale and dark blue pillows accented the highbacked chairs and couch in front of the flames. Sunlight streamed through the ceiling-high windows. White and blue curtains billowed in the breeze, bringing in refreshing cool air whose chill was negated by the warm fire.

  “Please, have a seat.” The king guided me to one of the high-backed chairs. He ushered me down, then he took the seat beside me. Erwin and Lerick positioned themselves on the sofa.

  King Aquin gazed at me for a lingering moment, assessing my blonde hair, blue eyes, and pretty gown. “I see the resemblance,” he finally stated, ending the weighted silence which had pressed on the rest of us. “Though, you are not an exact replica of my beloved daughter.”

  So, Erwin hadn’t been lying about that.

  “No, Your Majesty,” I agreed. “I suppose I resemble my father to some degree.”

  Something flashed across his expression, but the king was an expert at masking his emotions. He looked completely calm when he asked, “And who is the male who managed to snag my beloved daughter’s attention?”

  “I do not know,” I lied but quickly followed with the truth, “I have even less memory of him than I do my mother.” Memories of Arthur Allaway were practically nonexistent. I’d never wondered why that was until now.

  “I see.” The king maintained a calm demeanor. “Tell me, how old are you?”

  “I will be twenty in…” I pursed my lips as I tried to remember what time of year it was. Life had become so chaotic that time seemed to slip right by me. “A few weeks, I believe.”

  “Your birthday is in six days, Amelissa,” Erwin provided.

  “Really?” I blinked at him. “So soon?”

  “You’ve been through a lot these past months,” he gazed at me with genuine kindness. “I figured you’d forgotten.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. How did Erwin even know my birthdate? He must’ve found out when he was looking into who I was.

  “Six days,” the king spoke. “And you will be twenty?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  A flicker of a frown tugged at his lips. I knew he realized I was at least three years too young to have been born at the time of his daughter’s disappearance. I wondered if part of him had started to believe she may have left on her own accord. Had he abandoned his belief the draekon were responsible? If so, would he be willing to retract the second curse levied on the draekon?

  “You truly grew up unaware of your elven abilities?”

  “I did.”

  “Your powers never manifested? Not once?”

  I prepared myself to say no, but I paused. “I was a gifted healer from a young age,” I revealed. “I hadn’t known it at the time, but perhaps that was due to my elven abilities.”

  King Aquin agreed. “That is very likely. Elven powers cannot remain dormant forever. They are bound to reveal themselves. How fortunate yours showed themselves in an inconspicuous manner. Draekon might not have taken too kindly to an elven royal living on their shores.” His tone turned hard, and obvious disdain for the flying race was evident in each word.

  Then, as quick as the flicker of a candle, his demeanor switched back to open and hopeful. “Your mother’s healing gifts were renowned throughout the kingdom. There wasn’t an ailment she could not cure.”

  I smiled. “I’m happy to have inherited her gifts.”

  “What other abilities have you discovered?” The king asked me, but his attention swung towards Erwin. He was back to asking him the questions.

  “Amelissa and I have been practicing the most basic conjurations, but she has also shown an elemental affinity for water,” Erwin replied.

  “Ah,” the king’s eyes twinkled. “Healing and an elemental ability. She’s quite the match for you, isn’t she Erwin?”

  He must be referencing the fact Erwin had the same abilities. That wasn’t surprising. We were family, after all.

  I maintained a polite smile but didn’t comment. Neither did Erwin.

  Then, King Aquin’s attention moved to Lerick. His happiness dimmed ever so slightly as he looked at his nephew. “Young Lerick,” he stated with no emotion. “I was not expecting to see you within these palace walls.”

  Uncertainty clenched my chest. I hoped the king wouldn’t be cruel. I hoped he would no longer hold a grudge against the innocent elf for my mother’s escape.

  “Uncle,” Lerick returned in a surprisingly even voice. If I were him, my words would shake with nervousness. “It is good to see you.”

  Tension built as the king le
t Lerick’s words hang in the air between them.

  Finally, the bubble burst. And with it, the air was cleared. “It is good to see you too, my boy. Tell me, how did you come to meet my granddaughter?”

  I startled a little with how easily he claimed me as his kin. I supposed I’d have to get used to that.

  “I met Amelissa when I traveled to Eelie for the Gap Ball Tournament.”

  “Of course,” he smirked. “You were always exceptionally talented at that game.”

  “He managed to defeat me with relative ease,” Erwin confessed good-naturedly.

  “Were you surprised?” Lerick questioned with a chuckle.

  “No,” Erwin answered. “But you could have at least tried to let me save face in front of my people.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” King Aquin asked, and the three males laughed among themselves. I watched them, intrigued. There was obvious affection between them. Some of the anxiety released in my gut. It seemed as if Lerick was no longer out of the king’s good graces. The entire situation was going far better than I ever could have imagined.

  I decided to take my chances and facilitate the execution of our next step in the plan.

  “Your Majesty,” I interrupted their revelry.

  The king didn’t mind. “Yes, child?”

  I let my expression reveal fatigue and weariness. “I am very pleased to have this chance to get to know you and the rest of my family,” I gestured to Lerick and Erwin. Then, I stifled a yawn. “But I am afraid the arduous sea journey has left me quite tired. Would it be possible for us to retire to rest and resume our reunion in the morning?” The day was still young, but the time for the evening meal drew near. I wasn’t completely lying about being tired. Erwin had a family home in the city, but he fully expected the king to invite us to stay within the palace. I wanted the invitation to occur sooner rather than later so I might have the chance to rest. Then, when the rest of the palace went to sleep, we would seek out Finn.

  As usual, Erwin had been right. The king immediately stood and held out a hand. “Of course, my dear, I should have anticipated your exhaustion. Forgive me.”