15. Beatriz
Chapter 15
Beatriz
Evening faded on the horizon in shades of red, orange, and purple. Laude lounged behind me on the settee of my balcony, flipping through another old tome. The pearls around her neck were so perfect and round, like a most expensive gift she would never dare request. Could it be a token from Jaime? But she wouldn’t keep a secret about herself from me, would she?
Each day of the last few weeks since I started training with Uncle Uly flashed through my memory like trophies of weaknesses. Any time my uncle had asked me to let my gifting flow through me, I’d held back, even though Papá’s terms for seeing Zichri required me to use my gift. I leaned against the balustrade confused, hurt, and wishing I could fall asleep until something good happened.
“Princess,” Laude called to me, though I didn’t peel my gaze from the horizon. “I’m even more convinced that we need to find the island on Princess Monserrat’s ma”—she clutched at her throat and took three deep breaths— “The curse. Jaime and Zichri are investigating, and we know where you-know-who will be in a week.”
I closed my eyes and breathed. When I turned around, I met Laude’s severe expression. “Can you finally tell me what you and Cosme are hiding?”
“Oh, Princess! I was hoping you’d order another few batches of encanelados before you succumbed to asking me directly.” She placed a ribbon between the pages and snapped the book closed. Her knowing smile shattered the dam inside me that prevented my gifting from escaping.
How could she be so flippant about holding back information from me this whole time?
Energy burned down the pale markings on my arms and stretched along the curvy lines on my hands. Light shone on my knuckles, and Laude straightened her posture and visibly swallowed. An invisible cord formed between us, letting me feel a pulse of … excitement?
I closed my fists. “Sorry.” My markings faded, and I swiped my cheeks, overwhelmed by a jumble of emotions careening like a swarm of bees. I never should have released even part of my gifting without my uncle around.
“You don’t need to apologize, Princess.” Laude hopped up and wrapped me in a hug. “I’ll give you a hint, only because I can’t wait.” She pointed toward the docks below. More galleons than normal lined the edge of the shore and flew the olive-green flag of Giddel, but with war looming, it wasn’t a surprise to have more ships ready.
One of my eyebrows cocked skyward in question.
Laude clasped her hands over her bosom. “Ai-yi-yi. Why do you make this so difficult? Tomorrow you will understand. Well, unless something unreasonable happens and somehow plans get ruined and–” She squealed. “Stop me from talking. I can’t say.” Her exuberance radiated, daring me to use my abilities again.
“Fine.” I crossed my arms. “Will you at least answer yes or no if I ask questions?”
She bobbed her head. “I solemnly swear to tell you the absolute truth.”
“Are you under a curse to not speak?”
“No, well only for those letters that make my throat feel swollen. I’m pretty sure Monserrat or someone did something to them.”
“All right.” I bit the insides of my cheeks. “Are we going to the islan–?” The curse choked my throat, and I battled to breathe.
A sympathetic smile brushed across her face, and she waited to respond.
I grunted. “That wretched curse. We must figure out how to break it.”
“I’ve already tried several different ways of speaking and writing the truth, and no.”
“No?” My forehead crinkled.
“You asked about you-know-where. Cosme doesn’t think it’s a good idea on account of his promise to keep you safe.”
I tilted my chin upward. “You say that like I’m holding you back.”
“No, that’s not what I meant, Princess.”
“Then what do the ships have to do with anything?”
“I’d like to remind you that this is a yes or no game.” Laude flashed her teeth.
Energy pulsed over my skin, but I pressed fingertips into my muscles. I needed a new strategy. Perhaps the questions should focus on the past rather than the future. “Why was it so easy to bribe Cosme about the other girl?”
She cocked her head to the side. “You mean Minerva? I thought you overheard everything about her.”
“I overheard the part where Cosme thinks so highly of me and a little about another girl.”
She guffawed. “Cosme would be so mad if—”
Shoes tapped within my room behind me. Laude stilled and bowed to the intruder.
“May I have a moment alone with my daughter?” Mamá’s regal voice loomed from within my quarters.
Laude rushed around me and fled. “Yes, Your Highness.”
The urge to flee with Laude almost pulled me off the terrace, but I kept my rod-straight posture.
Mamá stepped forward, holding a polished wooden box in her hands. I couldn’t handle another person begging me to use my gifting, but the way she carried the box protectively revealed something more to this visit.
“Please, sit beside me.” Mamá brushed aside the skirt of her coral dress and took her seat on the settee with ankles crossed in a perfect royal posture. She patted the space beside her. “I have something to give you.”
Without thinking, I sped across the two arm spans between us and plunked down in the indicated space.
“Beatriz, I want you to keep this pocket watch with you. Promise me you’ll wear it concealed at all times.” She cracked open the box. The gold glimmered with etchings like a mountain horizon encircling the metal. She removed the necklace from the red velvet lining and looped the chain around my neck.
I flipped my braid out and ran my fingertips over the cold metal. The last time I had seen this, I was getting ready for the ceremonia to find a suitor. “Yes, Mamá.”
Her dark-brown stare bore into mine. “I debated giving this to you, but after much wrestling with the Ancient One, I believe you must have it. Keep it hidden.”
“Why?” My question came out in a whisper.
“It’s”—Mamá dropped her voice— “a relic.”
The pocket watch suddenly felt heavy over my bosom, though nothing had changed about the device. I tucked it under my chemise, even though the metal brought goosebumps to my skin.
“Did you hear what I said?” Her tone held an earnest note.
“Yes. I thought these were all in Himzo.” I touched the hard, worn cover of Laude’s history book and decided to refrain from flipping through the pages to find out what this relic did. “How did you know what it was?”
Mamá wrapped her arms around me. “Long ago, I worked for someone who wanted to retrieve all the relics for himself. I’m worried about how they’ve been removed from the King of Himzo. But this one is here, and it works. The watch will give you night visions.”
I cringed and tugged on the chain, ready to remove it. “I’m not sure this is for me.”
“It was gifted to you. If the Ancient One calls you to have it, He’ll help you. Make sure to pray and keep your heart from wanting to control the power for your own benefit.”
“I’m not suited for power at all.” I started to unloop the chain, but Mamá placed her warm fingers over my hand, stopping me.
“Sometimes we can’t understand why we’re given such responsibilities.” Mamá tucked a wayward hair behind my ear. “It’s overwhelming. But seek the Ancient One for the counsel He gives freely, and your burden will ease.”
I pressed my lips together and swallowed a lump of fear.
“You’re going to need this tool tomorrow.” Mamá's mouth upturned in the corners, though her eyes drooped downward with worries I didn’t understand.
It seemed every person knew what my tomorrow held, except me.
That night, I yanked the curtains around my bed closed and slid under my covers. The pocket watch ticked over my heart. A slice of moonlight cut across my face, and I yanked the bed curtains to remedy the problem. Instead, moonlight slashed over my feet.
Ugh. I didn’t feel like moving, so I left the gap in the curtains. My eyelids tugged downward from exhaustion. The darkness swallowed me whole.
Soon a dreamworld glittered around me, like my entire body was surrounded by water, sparkling in the moonlight. I swam to the surface and gasped as my wet skin met the chill night air. Though I knew this was a dream, the sensation of warm water pressed over my skin, and the halo of black sky pockmarked with a plethora of stars provoked awe.
Why was I in the water? What was this place?
I took in my surroundings. Water all around and nearby, land—no, an island. Golden light twinkled from somewhere within the jungle on the island, so I swam toward it.
My arms burned. Every muscle protested for me to stop, but I couldn’t. An urge to reach the island pulled me forward despite my yearning to rest. I finally met a sandy shore and walked out of the water wearing pants and a tunic. Now, I was certain this was a dream.
Within my lifetime, I’d only worn pants to go horseback riding in my paddock and during my one trip to Valle de los Fantasmas. Voices met my waterlogged ears, and I moved toward them. Sand squished between my toes as a chill coated my skin with goosebumps.
Firelight pulsed somewhere between the trees and revealed several people standing in a clearing. I kept silent as I moved closer. The sand transitioned to poky grass and trees, but I needed to get to the fire.
The closer I progressed, the more I could make out the figures, some standing and others sitting. One older man held a staff, and others wore hats. The people on the ground hunkered back-to-back which registered as odd.
I rushed now, trying to cover the space between us, but the jungle clawed and writhed around me. It twisted around my wrists and ankles as if begging me to stay away. Warning bells rang through my mind, but something about the scene drew me into it.
Now, I could make out the ropes tied around the lady and men on the ground. A lady with fiery red curls turned her face, possibly having heard my approach, and I gasped.
Laude. Laude’s sullen eyes rounded in shock and shifted to gaping terror.
A deep voice said, “Beatriz, we’ve been waiting for you.”
I blinked awake, panting and covered in sweat.
My hand reached for the metal weight over my heart. I curled my fingers around the warm metal edges and clicked on the latch. A melancholy tune plinked from the mechanism, reminding me of a song Zichri liked to sing. The small comfort drowned out my erratic heartbeat.
It was only a dream .