Chapter 7 #2
It is the man who met us, the one with the golden pin.
I try not to judge people before I know them, but I know exactly the type of man he is.
I have met plenty of them in the Gutter.
He doesn’t care who he has to tread on to get into a position of power, and will do anything to keep it once he is there.
“Malik, is that really necessary?”
Another shadow falls over me, but this time I lift my gaze to see who it is, the disapproval in their tone making me curious.
The man kneels by my side and I can finally see his face.
He is handsome, too handsome, his blue eyes glistening as he assesses me.
His hair is dark brown, kept long on the top and pushed back but I can see the slight curl that he’s tried to brush out.
The rest of his hair is short on the sides when then becomes a short neat beard.
Our eyes meet and he smiles slightly, offering me his hand before realising that mine are still tied behind my back. He makes a noise under his breath that sounds like disapproval, but I must be hearing things. Reaching out, he grasps my shoulder and helps me to stand.
“Prince Amir,” the male who hit me sputters, “she insulted your father-”
Prince. This is the future king and he just helped me up. Me, someone accused of committing a great sin, yet that doesn’t stop him from helping me. Where did he even come from? I hadn’t seen him in the room when we first entered, and now he has appeared, like magic.
“Malik, I am perfectly capable of surviving a few sharp words from a gutter rat.” The king finally responds dryly. I turn my attention to the king and see him examining my arm. “A sullied gutter rat at that. What did you do to be redesignated?”
“I don’t know. Your highness.” I only just remember to add on the honorific but I’m pretty sure it sounds like an insult anyway.
They will think I’m being belligerent, then so bit it.
If only they knew just how many of us sullied never discover what our crime was to cause our redesignation.
I probably wouldn’t tell him, even if I did know.
He watches me with a thoughtful expression, walking around his desk to contemplate me further. “You have been accused of using magic, by charming gemstones.” The king tilts his head to one side. “That is a crime punishable by death. Magic is forbidden.”
Considering he just accused me of the most cardinal sin you could commit, he is remarkably relaxed about the situation.
Clearly, he doesn’t consider me a threat.
Having a magic user in front of you, even bound, should strike at least a little fear in him, yet there is none.
Does he already know that it is not possible for me to use magic?
I feel that frustration and ire rise in me again, and because I can’t seem to control myself today, I snort, shifting my weight from foot to foot.
He might not be so calm if I wasn’t bound, with or without magic.
“If I had magic, don’t you think that I would be using it to get out of here?” Eyes narrowing, I shake my head again, keeping my stare locked on the king. “Magic disappeared from this land long ago.”
I’m expecting another blow for speaking to the king this way, but surprisingly, it never comes.
Malik must be behaving himself. I continue to stare at the king, and notice as his gaze changes, giving me a look that almost looks like…
respect. I guess he doesn’t have people speak their mind to him often and I have shown my backbone by standing up to him.
Given his relaxed stance and the fact he’s brought me here, certain facts start to pull together in my mind.
He knows magic has gone, that I’m not a witch. Then why am I here?
“However,” he continues, ignoring my comments. “I find myself in a situation where I could use your… unique talents.”
That is what he wants? My gems? I don’t snort this time. Instead, I laugh aloud. All of this because the King wants some pretty gemstones to bring him luck?
“It doesn’t work that way.”
Ignoring me, the King perches on the edge of his desk and folds his hands over his stomach. “You have been selling crystals at the market for good health, fortune and luck, yes? So, either you use magic, or you have been lying and tricking my people out of money.”
My stomach drops, a bad feeling rising inside me and making my blood run cold. He is twisting fact, and the more he talks, the closer I feel to my own demise. Both facts could get me killed; if I deny using magic, I will be hung for scamming my customers.
“Either of those should lead to your death.” He lets the words hang there, increasing the anticipation as I wait for him to continue, chest tight from trying to keep my emotions in check.
He wants something from me, and I am guessing that my death would scupper his plans.
Meaning, he’s about to proposition me and this hazing is all part of his method in getting me to agree.
“Luckily for you, I am offering you a way out.” The king finally continues with a smirk on his lips.
Reaching into his pocket, he fishes something out, opening his palm to show me a handful of glittering stones.
“Infuse these with magic, and if I am happy with your work, then you might just get to live.” His smile is wide and laced with a darkness I haven’t seen in him until now.
“However, if I find out you are lying, and you cannot do this, then not only shall I kill you, but I shall wipe the city of all sullied. Do you understand?”
Now I can see the difference between him and everyone else. Before, he seemed bland, but with dark desire in his eyes, I see what power has done to him, elevating him above us all. At least, this is what he believes, and he will do anything to get what he wants.
I think I’m going to be sick. What he’s asking me to do is impossible.
Even if I could do what he says, would I want someone like him possessing gems with magic properties?
Now he’s threatening not only my life, but all the sullied.
He would kill Ella. My chest aches and my heart races as I glare at the King.
“You know that magic doesn’t exist anymore. You are setting me up to fail.” I try to hold back the emotion in my voice, not to give away my weaknesses, but I’m not successful.
“Do you understand?” The king just raises an eyebrow, repeating his question.
He’s smart. He has worked out a way that he will win either way. Either the sullied are wiped out, or he gets magical stones to help him rule. Contempt for the man fills me and I let it show in my snarling expression. Oh yes, I understand. “Perfectly, your highness.”
He doesn’t even have the decency to look effected by my blatant loathing toward him. Why would he care about what one sullied girl thinks of him? He is king, everyone scurried to cater his every whim, I am less than nothing to him.
“Take her away.”
As easily as that, I am dismissed as though I am simply an inconvenience, a thorn in his side that he had to deal with so he could return to his more important work. He doesn’t even look at me now I have agreed to his order, too busy walking around the desk and taking his position.
Malik, the advisor who brought me here, moves toward me, his expression smug. After the slap he gave me earlier and the way he’s looking at me now, leaving with him is the last thing I want to do. I don’t trust him. A man who enjoys hurting women is a dangerous person to be alone with.
“Father, I’ll take her.” The prince announces, surprising me as he steps forward.
Honestly, I had forgotten that he was there.
I don’t know how, given that he is one of the most handsome men I have ever seen, and the only person here to show me any hint of kindness.
Somehow, he seems to have a way of blending in, only appearing when he wants to be seen.
He watches though, taking everything in and absorbing information he can use at a later date.
He saw the malice in Malik’s eyes and offered to escort me instead.
“Fine. Malik, come here, I need you to do something for me,” the king waves his son off, dismissing him as easily as he did with me.
Gesturing to the two guards behind me, the prince leads us from the office and begins striding down the hall.
He’s silent and I take a moment to admire him from behind.
His clothes are very similar to the kings, white with golden embroidery, but much simpler.
His traditional one sleeved tunic allows his golden band on his right arm to be seen.
Descending the grand staircase, he leads us deeper into the palace. I can’t help but notice that the prince seems to relax the further away we get from his father. He’s with an accused witch and doesn’t seem at all bothered.
“My father may seem abrupt and cruel, but he is true to his word.” The prince glances back over his shoulder, his blue eyes locking on my black band. “If he says he will let you live, then you should believe him.”
He believes what he says, meaning he trusts his father.
He may not like him, but he trusts his word.
This is all well and good, but if the king is so trustworthy, then why is the prince speaking in a hushed voice?
He’s specifically waited until we are well out of earshot and only have two guards to overhear us.
I think over what he said and I keep coming back to the same thing. “What if my life isn’t enough motivation?”
The prince stops in his tracks and if it wasn’t for the guards grip on my shoulders I would have walked straight into him. His brow furrows and he slowly shakes his head. “You are too young to have that sort of attitude.”
He’s not just writing off what I said as I expected him to, he actually looks disturbed by my words. I should just stay quiet, yet I have a burning need to say something, to make him understand.
“Live on the streets as sullied and you shall understand, prince.”
My previous comments to the king were barbed, and that is how I had intended to say this, but seeing his expression gutters my anger. I am weary and so thrown by my current situation that I just sound… sad, like the weight of the world has become too much.
The prince appears troubled but says nothing more, simply gesturing for us to continue following him.
What awaits me, I don’t know. All that I know for sure is that ultimately when I am unable to create these gems for the king, I shall be killed and there is nothing I can do to stop this from happening.
There is no point in fighting, my hands are tied and even if I managed to get away, I have no idea how to reach the palace exit.
I have to just accept that this is an impossible situation.
One of the guards at my back nudges me forward, and with a heavy heart, I start walking, following the prince to my ultimate doom.