Chapter 8
Chapter eight
Ibarely managed to scratch out a tally mark on my paper, marking the fourteenth day since I’d last been let out of my suite. The remnants of my ink had dried up days ago, but I’d managed to stretch it this far by adding a bit of water to scrape up the last bits of pigment.
The tally mark was barely visible, its existence mirroring the way I currently felt in this endless season of waiting.
Mara and Beckham had been coming by less often to help with the preparations for the upcoming competition, so my days had been long and my nights longer.
It was a gamble on whether I’d receive one meal or three, but I was grateful that food had been coming nonetheless.
For the first week, I dedicated my time to taking notes on everything I knew about the competitors, my strategies for survival, and lists of potential challenges I expected Septimus to come up with—hence why I’d burned through my ink reserves so quickly.
The notes had been helpful to an extent, but if I was being honest, I was mainly using them as a way to keep my mind fresh. Solitude was dangerous for a thoughtful person, and part of me wondered if this was the first true challenge Septimus had chosen to put me through.
I couldn’t let him best me before the games even began.
I focused on building up my strength by exercising in my suite and prioritizing meals and rest. My body had taken too many tolls lately, between malnutrition, battles, and the mental strain of having my secret set free.
Weakness wasn’t something I could afford.
What would Damon do in this situation? He was anything but weak.
Damon’s reputation was a threat on its own. Diaspro didn’t have that same advantage yet, but she wasn’t completely unheard of either.
The servant door creaked open, perking me up as I spotted Mara carrying a breakfast tray into the room. I hurried over and took the tray, eager to help her in any way so she could stay even a second longer.
“Thank you, but you really don’t have to help me,” Mara said, her voice winded as she let her shoulders sink.
Her eyes were droopy, like she’d just woken up moments before picking up the meal tray, and her smile seemed to take more effort than it should.
“This is the one job I enjoy doing each day.”
“And helping you is what I enjoy most,” I said, setting the tray down on the table with the same care and attention that she always gave. “Besides, you look exhausted. Have you been getting enough rest?”
Her smile vanished, the morning shadows emphasizing the ugly scar on her face. “I didn’t really sleep last night, but I have a good reason.”
“What?” I felt my skin blaze. “They’re not letting you sleep?”
“No, no! I chose to stay awake,” she explained rapidly. “Two more competitors arrived late last night. I offered to stay up and help with their accommodations in an attempt to gather more intel for you.”
Her tired expression showed so much more strength after that. She looked so proud of herself, and I was touched that she would sacrifice a night of rest just to aid me on my mission to live.
“Two?” I repeated. “That makes four total. So everyone is finally here.”
“I’m not so certain of that,” Mara said, her lips pursing.
“Princess Avalyn and Princess Ciara are both rooming in the east wing of the palace. I’m not sure if that’s because they arrived first or if they are being classified as royalty.
Last night, I was sent to prepare rooms for Lady Brisa and Lady Sybil in the south wing, but… we prepared three rooms, not two.”
Three?
I thought back to the list of names I’d long since memorized by now. Had the king decided to invite another competitor at the last minute? I supposed it would make sense to have an even number of six.
“Interesting,” I thought aloud, my hand twitching for a quill to scratch out more notes. “What about this Lady Brisa and Lady Sybil? Did you learn anything more about them?”
“Yes!” Mara nodded eagerly, making me dizzy just watching.
“Well, sort of. I didn’t get to help with Lady Sybil at all, so I don’t know anything about her other than she’s here.
As for Lady Brisa, she’s apparently some sort of scholar from the southern region.
I overheard some of the servants say that she was raised in a monastery where she dedicated her life to her studies. ”
A scholar? That’s an interesting piece to add to the board.
“And you know nothing of Lady Sybil? Not even where she came from?” I asked, making sure to leave no stone unturned before Mara left me to my solitude.
“I never even caught a glimpse of her,” Mara said, sounding a bit defeated. “All I know is that she didn’t even come with attendants. She’s entirely on her own.”
A mystery indeed.
“That’s quite the mix of competitors then,” I thought aloud, pacing the room absentmindedly. “A survivalist, a pirate, a scholar, and an unknown. Plus, there’s the mystery of the bonus room they had you prepare.”
Are they moving me into that space to group up the competitors?
It wouldn’t be terribly surprising if they kicked me out of my suite. It was always far too nice for a prisoner, but just right for a princess-to-be. Perhaps they were preparing to downgrade me now that I’d lost some of my value. I just hoped they wouldn’t give me a new set of servants.
The games would be starting soon either way; my wait was nearly over.
“Oh, and there’s one more thing I needed to tell you.
” Mara shifted closer to me, her voice softening as she flicked her eyes around the empty room.
“Prince Atlas caught me in the halls today,” she whispered, the name running goosebumps down my arm.
“He told me to expect a knock on your door today, and to answer it quickly.”
My heart stuttered. I’d seen nobody but my servants since the princes snuck me into their study. Never in my life did I expect to be so eager to meet with the brooding prince.
A yawn snuck up on Mara, her cheeks flushing red as she failed to swallow it back. “Pardon me,” she squeaked. “I suppose I’m not used to late nights.”
“When are you expected to perform your next duty?” It was difficult to see her look so worn out. She didn’t have to give up her night for my benefit, yet I didn’t think I could have stopped her if I’d known she’d planned it. “Perhaps you can rest here for a little while?”
“Really?” Mara’s bright-blue eyes widened. “Would it be too much trouble? I’m expected to help in the laundry room in an hour or so, but it’s only a quick walk from here.”
I grabbed a blanket from my bed before she could even finish, stuffing it into her arms and pointing her to her choice of my bed, the sittee, or a fluffy armchair. She chose the chair, likely too nervous about being caught fully lying down on the job, but I was happy so long as she was comfortable.
It seemed that all the Ivalonians had been going the extra mile ever since I won my duel with Lochlan. From what Mara and Beckham had shared, the servants had rallied behind me more than ever before, proud to put their faith in the princess that was nearly theirs but had also never left them.
It was touching beyond words. I didn’t know how to be sentimental; such foolish emotions were often stifled by Damon, but I was starting to see the appeal in being a fool.
“Rest while you can. I’ll wake you up when it’s time for you to leave,” I promised, pushing a footrest up under her tired feet. “And thank you, Mara. I wish you didn’t have to push yourself for my sake, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”
“What I’m facing is nothing compared to the challenges awaiting you, Diaspro,” Mara said between another pair of vicious yawns. “It’s an honor to serve you as my princess and my friend. I plan to help you in any way I can.”
I took a seat in the chair across from her, trying not to imagine the upcoming struggles I had yet to face. Right now, my only challenge was getting my friend to rest for as long as she could.
“Then I’ll plan to win,” I said firmly. It was my job as Mara’s princess to make her feel safe and protected. She was just one person, and I was hardly a princess today, but something about this felt like a victory to me. “I won’t let you down.”
Mara nuzzled into the chair, pulling the blanket up enough that I couldn’t see all of her face. She blinked her long, dark lashes at me, pausing before finally deciding to speak. “Are you nervous?”
Her question rattled me, mostly because I wasn’t ready to admit the truth.
“I can’t afford to be nervous.” I forced a smile, hoping that it was enough to reassure her.
Mara nodded, her eyes crinkling with a returned smile that added to my sense of victory.
“I admire your bravery,” she said softly, her eyelids looking heavy. “I can’t even imagine being as strong as you, my lady. It’s inspiring to us all.”
My throat felt tight, and more emotional waves smacked me from behind.
I kept my smile pinned in place, using it as a shield to keep from being too vulnerable.
Her scar caught my eye, and I imagined the cut fresh and soaked in crimson.
I wasn’t the only inspiring one here; she and all the other Ivalonians had survived the same sorrows I had. We were in this fight together.
“We strengthen each other,” I said, keeping my voice low as I watched her breathing patterns change. “Ivalon may have fallen, but it never died.”
And I won’t give up now.
I ate my breakfast in silence as Mara got a few uninterrupted minutes of sleep.
She buried herself in the blanket, almost disappearing entirely unless you knew where to look for her.
I cleaned up my place and tidied the room like she would have done had she been awake, ensuring that it looked like she’d been busy at work while with me.
Sadly, her nap was cut short when a subtle but clear knock echoed on the main door. Mara leapt up faster than a jack-in-the-box, her cheek red from where it had been pressed against the chair’s upholstery.
“W-what time is it? Here, let me get the door!” Mara scrambled to untangle herself from the blanket, but I stopped her before she could trip and fall flat on the carpet.
“Relax, I think it’s just Atlas,” I said, calming Mara long enough that I could rush to the door in her place. My hand hovered over the doorknob for an extra second, stopping to let my thoughts catch up to me before I let the enemy prince inside my chambers.
Except he’s not my enemy…at least, for now.
Ready to find out what our temporary alliance entailed, I opened the door, cracking it just enough to see a striking grey eye peering back at me.
“You’re here earlier than I expected,” I whispered through the door. “You barely gave me a chance to prepare myself.”
“I’m not the only one who’s early,” he rasped. “Let me in. We’ve got competitors to discuss.”
I did just that, pressing the door shut behind me as silently as I could.
Atlas stepped into the room, making brief eye contact with Mara, who gave him a proper bow.
Though her nap had been cut short, she looked three times better than when she’d first stepped into my room, and the blanket I’d given her was already properly folded and laid across the armchair.
“I’m guessing she told you the news already?” Atlas nodded toward Mara. He looked like he’d been pumped full of adrenaline, his hands twitchy, the cadence of his voice more rushed than usual.
“About the next two competitors arriving, yes I heard,” I said, my brow puckering as I noticed more signs that he was worried. He opened his mouth to reply, but his voice was silenced when the sound of a lock turning drew all of our gazes to the servant door.
Atlas didn’t hesitate to rush toward my bed, ducking underneath it so fast that he could have shamed a scurrying mouse. The door pushed open, and it took all of my focus to look at the figures entering the room and not sneak a glance at the hiding prince.
Beckham stepped inside first, his face pale the way it always was when he was with someone who held a higher status than him. His expression made sense when a woman I recognized as the head housekeeper stepped in behind him, her sharp eyes flicking straight to Mara.
“You there.” She pointed a long, boney finger right between Mara’s eyes. “Come with me. I have new orders for you.”
New orders?
“Y-yes, madam,” Mara replied quickly, hurrying to the stern woman’s side.
“And you.” The housekeeper turned to Beckham, who looked like he’d just swallowed a frog. “Take the lady’s meal tray back, then return to the mail room. We need all hands at all times right now.”
“Yes, madam!” Beckham rushed into the room like he’d been commanded to race. He grabbed the empty meal tray, then turned tail to follow Mara back out the door. The two servants looked back at me briefly, saying nothing but still offering unspoken encouragement.
I’ll see you later. I smiled back at them, feeling relief wash over me as soon as the housekeeper shut the door without any further squabbles. Atlas waited an extra minute before crawling out from under the bed, brushing invisible dust bunnies off his sleeves as he looked back at the sealed door.
“Figures they’d swipe your servants next,” Atlas said, combing his ruffled hair back with his fingers.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “What new orders are they giving Mara?”
“My bet is they need more handmaidens for the competitors,” Atlas said, crossing the room with a sharp look that smothered all the pleasant feelings I’d started the day with. “Word has spread. The sixth participant has just arrived.”