Chapter 8
8
Even though it was a month away, coronation preparation was already in full swing. On the way home from the academy, I saw horses pulling carts full of giant flowerpots and pallets of lumber. There were workers trimming trees and planting new flowers. Everywhere I looked, it seemed like the citizens of Biringan were eagerly anticipating their new queen. It seemed a bit much, but then I remembered all the lead-up to the British king’s coronation back home. Maybe royal protocol was the same across all the worlds.
With a start, I realized I was going to disappoint everyone in Biringan if I didn’t figure out my magic soon. No, far worse than disappoint them, I reminded myself. They were sure to be devastated. The whole realm hung in the balance until the new ruler was crowned.
When I returned to the palace, I headed straight to my private rooms to change out of my uniform. I threw off the robe and flung it over the back of a chair. Underneath I was wearing a simple linen tunic and pants in matching Sirena colors.
I walked into the huge closet—its own room, really—and there were four more matching uniform sets already hanging there. Another thing to get used to; someone was always in and out of my room. This place didn’t feel like home yet. More like a fancy hotel where I was the guest of honor.
I heard the door open and shut. Jinky rushed into the room, out of breath. She found me in the walk-in closet.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, alarmed.
After curtsying, she said breathlessly, “Your Highness, apologies for my absence; I was tending to your afternoon meal in the kitchen, and there was a slight mishap. Had I known you were back—”
“Jinky,” I interrupted. “It’s fine! Don’t worry about it. I thought something bad happened.”
She looked relieved. “I should have been here before you. And I will be, going forward. Is there anything I can do for you, Your Highness? Would you like me to bring your merienda now?”
There was something I wanted to ask her, but I didn’t want to be too obvious about it. “Actually, yes, I’d love my afternoon tea. How did you know? Must be your talent, huh?” I cringed internally. Real smooth.
Luckily, she didn’t seem to notice how awkward I was. She beamed. “In fact, my talent is sweetening tea leaves, Your Highness. It’s very minor, but it comes in handy.”
“Oh, wow, that’s cool. How did you find it?” Yeah, I was not winning any awards for subtlety.
She scrunched her nose. “I’m not sure it’s something you can find, at least not intentionally. It comes naturally—like yours, yes?”
Definitely had to steer away from this direction. While I tried to think of what to say, she added, “I suppose many find their talent when they don’t expect it.”
That was it. I needed to give myself space for quiet, to let it reveal itself organically. I couldn’t force it. And the best place to do that was right outside my window—the gardens. All I had to do was get there alone, and it would happen.
Then she blurted out, “I am enjoying our conversation, Your Highness, only, I’m supposed to take your school robes every day for cleaning.”
“Oh!” I took it off the back of the chair and handed it to her. It wasn’t dirty, in my opinion, but I didn’t want to give her any more strife about doing her job. She held it draped over her open arms.
“I’ll return shortly, Your Highness,” she said, curtsying.
This was my chance. “Actually, I was thinking about taking a walk in the gardens before my afternoon tea. So if you get back and I’m not here...”
“Oh, of course. I will inform the guards.”
“Uh. Do you have to?” I was hoping to have some real alone time, not alone time being shadowed by a bunch of people in armor. That would make me self-conscious.
She looked terribly conflicted. “I suppose not,” she said slowly. “If that’s what you want. Though Don Elias will be furious with me.”
I didn’t want to get her in trouble, but I didn’t want to be followed around either. “No one even has to know that I told you where I’m going. If there’s a problem, I’ll say I decided while you were bringing the clothes to the laundry.”
That satisfied her. I headed out of my rooms to go find the exit nearest to the gardens. The hall was silent. The only noise was way off in the distance, a dim hum of voices traveling up from the main foyer and the faint clang of guards’ swords as they did their rounds. At least I’d hear them coming.
From what I could remember, the doors that led to the garden were in the receiving room two floors below my chambers. I decided to use the nearest servant stairwell as a shortcut, though Jinky and Ayo would probably have a heart attack if they knew.
I hesitated, listening for anyone walking, but it was completely silent. So I crept down the steps. At the bottom, I entered the hall, then hurried through the long space, dodging all the heavy furniture.
Nobody bothered me the whole way. I went through the glass doors, then took the stone path that curved all the way around the fenced gardens. Along the edges of the palace grounds, I could see guards patrolling, so far away that they looked like little toys, heads bobbing as they walked. When I got to the white iron gate, I slipped inside without opening it all the way and shut it softly behind me.
Beyond the fence, the scene looked like what I pictured when reading The Secret Garden years ago. It looked wild and unkempt, except there were no weeds anywhere, only lush green shrubs and bright, full blooms, and the path itself was neatly edged.
Yes, this was the best place to allow my magic to reveal itself.
There were two white benches near the entrance area, and a few feet ahead, the path split in two. A wooden sign indicated that the rest of the garden was to the left and the hedge maze was to the right.
I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to do, so I decided to wander in the hedge maze for a bit. Also the best way to avoid being seen, I figured.
For a while, it was just me and the chirping of nearby birds, the occasional chipmunk peeking at me before running away. I ran my hand along the scratchy bushes that made up the walls of the maze and imagined I was a goddess from a Greek myth exploring her kingdom.
I waited to feel something.
Any minute now.
I closed my eyes. Tried to clear my head and listen only to the sounds around me. Maybe the natural environment, the place of my ancestors, would inspire something to stir within.
Nothing.
Frustrated, I walked farther into the maze. I worried I might get lost, but then again, maybe that would actually help. I’d have to use magic to find my way out.
I took turns randomly, until I wasn’t sure which way led back to the exit.
As I headed around another corner, deeper into the maze, I heard a noise. Something moving in the bushes. I held back, making myself as flat against the shrub wall as possible. There was a slight tap of feet against the ground, and then it stopped.
I peeked around the corner. There were two girls, huddled together, whispering. Judging by their gray-and-white dresses, they were palace maids, from either the kitchens or laundry. Why come all the way out here? It could be a secret tryst, but it didn’t seem like that. I strained to hear what they were saying. Not because I was being nosy—well, a little bit—but because I wanted to know if they were talking about me.
Their heads turned. I flattened myself back and held my breath, certain they’d heard me.
I tried to peer through gaps in the bush; I could only see parts of them. One led the other to a bench. Good, they didn’t know I was there.
“Did you hear what Marikit said? She was the one who found him,” I heard one of them say. “She said it wasn’t natural.”
No, their conversation wasn’t about me. They were gossiping about something far more interesting. I inched as far forward as possible without giving myself away.
The other voice added, “I told you. It was the same as the other one.”
“Did you hear about the note he left?”
“What note?”
“Supposedly the king was writing a note when he died.”
“If you ask me, it was dark magic that got him. He was cursed!”
“But all the witches were banished—”
A branch crunched and snapped in the distance. The maids went silent. I was as worried as they were—someone could be sneaking up on me or them. Then one of them said, “Ay! Hali na!”
Their skirts swished as they hurried away. Within seconds, I did the same, making a hasty exit back the way I came.
***
Later that night, I was sitting at the marble vanity in my suite while Jinky brushed my hair to wrap it up in a bun for the night. I didn’t want to mention anything about what I’d heard earlier in the garden and get anyone in trouble, so instead I asked casually, “Jinky, what do you know about the king’s death?”
At that, Jinky nearly dropped the heavy gold hairbrush she was holding. “I know nothing, Your Highness,” she said, hand still shaking.
I turned in the chair and faced her, putting my hand over Jinky’s. “It’s okay,” I assured her. “I’ve heard things... and I’m just wondering if you have, too.”
Jinky stood very still and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry—I know nothing.”
“I know they say he died of a heart attack, but I don’t think that’s the truth?” I pushed. I hadn’t wanted to feed information to Jinky, hoping she would say that herself, but this was the only way I was going to get her to feel safe confiding whatever she knew.
Jinky looked at me then. “No, it isn’t,” she said.
“What do you know?” I asked her, perhaps a bit too excitedly.
Jinky pulled her hand away, fearful again. “I misspoke,” she said, shaking her head. “I was confused.”
“Trust me,” I pleaded. “I’m not trying to trick you into saying something that will get you into trouble—I really want to know. He was my father.”
After a few beats of silence, Jinky sighed and nodded. “All right. All I know is that there are many who say the king did not die peacefully, though none can say for sure. Very few were allowed to see the king’s body. Those who did have been tight-lipped.” She stopped speaking but seemed to have more still to say. She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. “If I betray a confidence...”
“I swear to you,” I promised, grabbing her hands again. “I will never tell a soul.”
Jinky looked around as if someone might be listening. She lowered her voice. “Many fear there was a conspiracy, that dark magic was used. Some say one of the other great houses was involved. But from which court, none can agree. I’ve heard that Don Elias knows there might have been foul play but is trying to keep things quiet to maintain order. And the palace maid who was tasked with cleaning the scene—she said there was evidence. Of something nefarious.”
“What evidence? What was it?”
“I don’t know,” Jinky said. “The maid was let go from the Court of Sirena’s service. Though I must tell you, there are rumors that she was done away with.”
I absorbed this information and pressed further. “I heard that when he died, he was writing a note of some kind?”
Jinky looked me straight in the eye. “I heard the same.”
That made my heart skip. “Would you do something for me, Jinky?”
“Anything, Your Highness.”
“Would you try to find this note—if there is one? And tell any of the other maids to look as well.”
Jinky looked dubious, but she said, “I will do my best.”