Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
TYNAN
Panic erupted in the room as people collided, stumbling and crashing into the table. Glasses shattered, and maids screamed in terror. I shoved a frantic man aside, and gathered Alina in my arms, dodging the chaos. Kicking the door open, I rushed out into the brightly lit corridor.
“Is it an attack? Are we in danger?” someone shouted.
I did not stop, crossing the hall and running up the stairs. The upper corridors were empty. Whatever had happened stayed in the dining hall below.
Alina wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my shoulder sobbing.
I stilled, checking the empty staircases, but everything was silent around me.
I took another turn and arrived at Alina's door.
The door was not locked, I frowned, thinking about all the things that could happen if security measures were not taken seriously.
I stood in the doorway, scrutinizing the dark silhouettes of the furniture for a good minute, then I entered the room and carefully placed Alina on her bed.
My hand instinctively reached for the knife I always kept with me as I moved through the room, carefully checking every corner, peering behind the curtains, checking the washroom, and searching the closet.
Once I was certain, I sheathed my knife and lit the candles on the side table. As a warm glow filled the room, I returned to Alina, who lay curled in the fetal position. She was very pale, her large eyes full of tears. She stared blankly at the wall, motionless, silent.
“Alina.”
She looked up, tears rolled down her cheek.
“A child,” she said in a raspy voice.
“I know.”
“You saw it.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“I can’t. I can’t.” She shook her head, averting her eyes.
In two steps I was next to the bed. Kneeling by her side, I placed my hand on the covers, avoiding touching her.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Not this time,” I added and swore under my breath.
Not yet. Not like this. She is not ready to hear what I have to tell her.
Alina leaned closer and her arms wrapped around me.
Her delicate, narrow, back shook with sobs.
I talked about anything I could think of, just to calm her down.
Surprising myself, I realized that I was describing Darragh, and how Frid, Victor, Sol, and I played as kids.
I even talked about the times when we got in trouble together.
Alina listened and slowly, her breathing turned measured and deep.
I stroked her back, describing one of the pranks we played on each other.
“What did Grace say about that?” she suddenly asked, and my heart skipped a beat.
She knew who Grace was. She had seen the same vision I did. I cupped her face and looked into her eyes.
“You know about Grace?”
“Did I say something wrong?” Her face dropped, she appeared so incredibly lost.
“No, of course not.”
I got up, too affected to act as if nothing happened.
“Could you stay until I fall asleep? Please,” she whispered.
Her soft brown eyes pleaded with me. I took a deep breath and nodded. Slowly, I stretched out on her bed, then she placed her head on my shoulder and sighed. We just stayed like that, in a deep, comforting silence.
When she finally fell asleep, I carefully moved from under her and got off the bed, then covered her with a blanket. I moved to the side table and extinguished all the lights. I hated this place, all these people, and the way they treated her like a mindless doll.
I opened the door and immediately spotted a shape wielding a sword, barely lit by an oil lamp.
It took me only a moment to realize that I just witnessed Mayer practicing swinging his blade with a determination I have never seen in him before.
His curly hair dropped to his face as he jabbed the air with his weapon.
“Hey!” he greeted me.
I glanced over to the other side of the hall, searching if anyone else had seen me leaving Alina’s room. Thankfully, there was no one but us.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to show you my technique.”
“The answer is still no.”
“I know. I remember what you said.”
“Why aren’t you resting?”
“I prefer not to stay in the common rooms if I don’t have to.”
“Are they still bothering you?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
I shook my head and sat in the chair. Stretching my legs, I found the book I had been reading earlier.
“See? I know how to fight.” Mayer added, completing a wide semicircle with his sword and stepping back.
“Hm.”
“You don’t need to teach me the basics. I know a lot already.”
I glanced at him, saying nothing.
“Then, I would finish with this simple combination.” He stepped back and lurched forward.
“And that’s why you can’t win a fight.” I muttered, turning a page.
“What? Why?” He stopped and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm.
“You fight as if you’re in a competition, as if there are rules you must follow.”
“What do you mean? There are rules.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“A fight is never fair. Until you learn how to deal with someone stronger, faster, and is trying to kill you with every blow, you’ve never really been in a fight.”
“Will you teach me, please?”
I sighed, shaking my head.
“What if I pay you?”
I chuckled.
He sheathed his sword, turning away, his lip quivered.
“I get it. I’m sorry to bother you.” He started walking away with his back stiff and artificially straight.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to the common room.”
“I’m not done with you.”
He turned, watching me with his wide, owl-like eyes.
“But you said . . .”
“Show me your stance.”
Mayer took out his sword and stepped closer.
I walked around him, correcting the way he held his sword and forcing him to move his shoulders.
“I want you to practice this as if your life depends on it.”
“But, this is only me standing still.”
Your body must be prepared to transition between attack and defense, starting with the perfect alignment of your arms and legs. If you start wrong, you can’t move or pivot if you need to.”
“Got it. What’s next?”
“Next, you forget everything you’ve been told before.”
The massive floor clock just struck twelve times when Mayer took over my spot. I descended to the lower level of the palace and went through the long, winding corridors.
“It’s going to be alright, she’ll come back.”
“I can’t stand it. I can’t.”
“What happened?” another voice joined in.
I looked up frowning. An older servant had stopped by two maids.
“Agnes disappeared.”
“Agnes?”
The first woman cried even harder. I paused, switching my gaze from one figure to the other.
“How old was the girl?”
“Only ten.”
“It must be an evil spirit of the palace.”
“She’ll come back.”
“She isn’t coming back.” The first maid said, covering her face as she cried.
I resumed my walk and soon, the voices quieted down.
The buzz of conversations and laughter from the soldiers’ quarters filled the air.
I focused on washing up then peeled the covers off my narrow bed.
This time, no one dared to touch my things.
I did not like it. It meant that tempers have been stewing, the anger went even deeper and I may be due for another confrontation soon.
I preferred my enemies stupid and predictable.
It was well past midnight when I managed to stretch on top of the dusty smelling covers and closed my eyes.
As I slipped into sleep, I saw the endless fields of Darragh.
The mist, the sun shining through the translucent clouds.
Gabrielle stood besides me, her slightly damp brown hair swaying in the wind.
Her hands clasped firmly in front of her and pressed against her full, light blue skirt.
“This is for the best. You have to understand. It wouldn’t have worked out between us,” she said, not looking at me.
“Yes.” It was all I could say.
“Just know that I never meant to hurt you. I was –”
“Forget about it.” I walked around her.
“Wait.”
I didn’t stop.
“Stay,” another voice, painfully familiar, vibrant and melodic pierced my heart, and I immediately turned back.
Alina was standing in the place that just moments ago was occupied by another. The coils of her vibrant red hair with copper undertones, just touched by the soft breeze, brushed her cheek, and when she raised her eyes, my heart skipped a beat.
“Please,” she whispered.
“What happened?”
“I . . .” She lowered her head and when she looked back up, her eyes showed depths of emotions I could not read. “I need you. Please . . .”
I jolted awake, sitting up on my bed. My chest was rising and falling fast. I must have slept for over an hour all together.
“What’s the matter? Did you have a bad dream?” Someone sneered.
“Have you seen his scars?” someone else whispered loudly as I put on my flying suit.
I rarely had dreams, not since I was a child. It was an unwelcome intrusion into my regular routine, but also, I could not shake off the feeling that Alina needed me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” One of the soldiers laughed.
“Go back to sleep. Or I’ll make you sleep,” I said, and everything went quiet.
I stood for a moment, watching the less-than-intimidating opponents life had thrown my way. Not one of them dared to respond.
“That’s what I thought.” I sneered before leaving the room.
I entered the stairway and paused. There was no way I could just walk into her room, even if Mayer was the one guarding the door tonight.
I headed for the closest window and approached the first wooden frame of heavy set glass.
I unfastened the lock and climbed out. I stood on the carved sill for a moment, breathing in the slightly damp night air before launching into the chilly breeze.
The surge of, not yet forgotten, power burst from beneath my skin, and my body shifted into its true form.
I made a wide circle, coming closer to the eastern wall.
Quickly finding her unsecured window, I landed on the dragon tail carved in stone and transformed back.
Inside the room was dark, but I could detect movement from the bed. Alina was restless on top of the covers. Her shoulders jerked back, and her hands clenched the blanket. She whimpered as her head moved from side to side.
“No! No!” she mumbled, trying to catch her breath.
I watched her for a long moment, before climbing onto the bed and wrapping my arms around her.
“Alina!” I shook her shoulder, but she would not wake up.
“No!” She struggled against me, but my grip remained firm.
“I’m here. I’m here.” I brushed her long hair off her face and placed a kiss on her forehead.
Slowly, she relaxed and took a deep breath. I held her throughout the night, staying awake, guarding her while she slept peacefully in my arms.