Chapter 28
" R emember, in and out. Do whatever the mage asks of you. Stay quiet, and for gods' sake, do not get snarky with them." Augustus urged me along the path towards the palace.
"Act like a mute, obedient damsel who doesn't have a single thought of her own, got it." The comment earned me a sharp look from the old man.
Every man's fantasy.
Oh, is that what you pictured when you thought of me as a wife?
No, I knew what I was getting myself into, you are more than enough as you are.
"This would be much easier if you were actually mute."
"You know, I could have come myself. You didn't need to close the shop for the day."
"The butcher's shop is literally two blocks from the shop." He peered at me over the rim of his glasses.
I rolled my eyes. So I got a little turned around after taking a detour? I always tried to get in some scouting during my errands, plus I still made it back.
As we approached the massive doors of the gilded palace, I took in the front gardens. The grounds sprawled before us, meticulously maintained and adorned with a sun on practically every surface.
Augustus presented our names to the guards flanking the entrance, and they waved us through.
"Ah, perfect timing! Come along, their majesties await." Shefferd bustled us through the grand hall past the open doors before us. "What was your name again?"
"Alora," I replied.
My heart stuttered in my chest as my gaze collided with familiar blue eyes. Ryn. Raw surprise flashed across his features before anger darkened his expression. His jaw clenched, the muscles working beneath sun-kissed skin as his fingers dug into the gilded throne arms. The air grew thick with tension, charged with unspoken accusations and hurt.
I scanned the room as we approached the dais where a small crowd had gathered. I recognized almost no one, but I did spot the two women who came to the shop. My stomach twisted at their presence, a bitter reminder of how this mess began.
Surely the royal family had more pressing matters than watching some shopkeeper's niece perform a magical test. Something wasn't adding up. The pieces of this puzzle refused to align.
Beside the queen sat another prince on a smaller throne. His cheeks flushed as he studied his hands. Davian mirrored his mother's features perfectly, now that I saw them together. He glanced up, catching my gaze with a half-smile before returning to his carefully maintained invisibility. No wonder the guard had been so eager to return him home—he wasn't just some lost village boy after all. The queen would have razed the realm to the ground to bring her son home.
"Your Grace," Shefferd cleared his throat. "I present to you Augustus Denarius and his niece Alora. They have come to complete the assessment."
The king nodded then movement stirred from the right of the dais. An old woman stepped forward, a crystal orb held in her hands. Her sleek white hair was intricately woven around a crystal headdress, equally white eyes stared at me, they might even have been looking through me.
"I am Elvirana, Royal Mage of the Crown. I stand before you today to test your power. A tale from long ago has foretold of a powerful match for our kingdom. May we find the sun blessed match to bring victory to Sunneva." The small crowd erupted in cheers at the thought of the end of the war. She held the orb towards me. I looked to Augustus who had a masked expression, silently urging me to get this over with so we could return to our normal routine. "Place your hands on the orb girl. Show me your power."
I looked at the crystal sphere before me. It didn't appear threatening. Those eery white eyes along with everyone else stared at me. The king and queen looked annoyed at my hesitance. Ryn still glared daggers at me. It was tempting to launch one of the daggers sheathed in my leggings at his stupid handsome face, but I had promised Augustus I would behave.
I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the orb. At first, it was cool to the touch as my fingertips made contact. Once my full palm lay flat on its surface, a heat began to build, pulsing from it, up my arm, and into my chest. A pulse matched my heartbeat. For a moment, I was no longer in the throne room but in the woods just outside my childhood village. My grandmother walked before me, chanting words I did not recognize.
" Runerth must be found...may the starlight bless you...peace will come when a Satori sits on a throne of stars... "
I was only picking up a few words and missing many in between. I didn't feel in control of my body as I followed behind her. The same phrase repeating, the same pieces missing until I was suddenly pulled back before the old mage. I was not sure if it was this eerie ordeal or her lifeless eyes, but when she smiled it felt sinister, an inkling of dread twisting around my gut.
"You are Sun Blessed." She turned to the now excited king and nodded before disappearing around the dais, leaving me utterly confused. Augustus looked pale as I tried to piece together what just happened.
The king stood from his throne, pride swelling in his chest. "The day we've long awaited has finally come. A powerful match has been made, may this lead us towards our victory in the war with the North. We shall hold a ball in a week's time in honor of Prince Oryn's betrothal." He held his hand out for his wife, who took it and grabbed her young son, and they departed.
Shefferd began speaking to Augustus as my eyes found the clear blue of Ryn's. His earlier anger had transformed into pure fury. He stared me down with narrowed eyes for a moment longer and I felt my breath catch. He stormed away after his parents, and I was left alone with my "uncle" and the hand. The attendees filed out now that the spectacle was over.
Ma?l… I felt as if I were about to have a panic attack. My vision threatened to blacken as I tried to control my breathing.
I know, Alora, but this gives you a better opportunity to get the intel Vanya needs.
Fuck Vanya's intel, I didn't sign up to marry a prince.
A prince you've already bedded. He's not bad on the eyes—it could be worse.
Oh right, he could HATE me, which, by the way he looked at me, he does.
Love and hate often blur.
"…She will need to move into the palace immediately. We will send an escort for her belongings."
I snapped my head toward the two men wrapped in their discussion.
"She should return with me—it's not proper for her to live under the same roof as her...betrothed...before they marry." Augustus pulled at strings to get me out of here.
"I assure you, Denarius, she will be looked after with the utmost care. No one would dare harm her within the palace walls, and the king simply won't allow her to roam without proper protection."
Augustus let out a laugh. "You mean he doesn't want to risk her running away?"
"Are you suggesting your niece would commit treason by running from her duty?" Shefferd lifted an eyebrow at the bookkeeper.
"My uncle only jests. I would never consider turning my back on the crown and am honored to fulfill my duties to it." I answered. "May I have a moment with my uncle? Please?"
Shefferd obliged, "I'll be just outside the doors when you're ready for a tour. We'll get you settled in and send someone with your uncle for your things." He left us without another thought. Once we remained the only two in the room, I turned towards Augustus.
"You have time to run—I can distract them."
"If I run, they'll come after you, and I can't do that." Augustus began to argue but my attention was captured by a man who walked by the open doors speaking to a guard. He didn't even look my way, but I would have recognized his face anywhere. After all, he had plagued my nightmares every night for years. Captain Johan whispered to the guard as they passed, unaware of the reaper who was now locked on his every move.
"Lor?" Augustus' voice brought me back as Johan disappeared from view.
"Johan is here." My voice dropped to a whisper. "Send my things, but keep my items safe. I'll retrieve them myself."
Augustus nodded, recognizing the deadly promise in my words.
"And this marriage business?"
I shrugged, "Prince Oryn didn't seem thrilled about it. If I can get to Johan before the wedding, then there's not much left for me here." I looked at the old man, "Can you get to Bridgedale before then?"
"They'll expect the only family they're aware of to attend, and I'm not leaving you here alone, kid."
"We all must play our parts, Uncle," his eyes softened at the sentiment. "Promise me you'll leave after the ball. When I vanish, they'll seek retribution, and I won't let you become their target. I owe Vanya my life—I won't repay that debt by leading her brother to the executioner's block."
His brows pulled to a tight line, "How did you know?"
"Lucky guess—you guys look similar, have the same mannerisms but in different ways. The biggest tell was when you told me you were seeing your sister the night we met, and when I arrived, you introduced me as your niece to others."
"My sister never shortchanged your wit, lass." He pulled me into a hug; at first, I froze. Then I wrapped my arms around him and relaxed. "You're family to her, which means you're family to me. I'll stay for the ball. And I'll plan to stay with her shortly after. You better come back to us. Idiotic prophecies be damned, don't let yourself be a pawn in this madness of a war."
I pulled away and nodded, then walked with him back to the foyer where he departed, and I was left with Shefferd, the most joyous tour guide in all the land.
"How exciting it must be for you to marry the prince and aid in his victory." He crooned as he took me down hall after hall, barely stopping as he directed me to which room was which.
Yes, how exciting it was to be betrothed to a man I spent a night with, only to have him leave me by morning. I went along with the tour until I was deposited in my own room. The thrill of a hunt buzzed throughout my body. I could almost feel my blade sliding across Johan's throat—I just needed to survive long enough to see it through.