Chapter Six
Aweek has passed and I have still not seen the prince. Is this purposeful on his end? Possibly.
Then again, he was open to answering my questions, but only on his terms. Two can play at this game, because I am done waiting. I will be switching it back to my terms, starting now.
I plan to find him tonight.
In the meantime, I was able to convince Ivorie to take me into town with her today while she runs errands.
I am growing bored and impatient with each passing day, my need to go do something gnawing at me.
She needs to pick up some ingredients for tonics and with the weather starting to warm up, I need to be sized for more dresses.
Plus, this could be an opportunity to find a way out of here. Although Draven’s words in the library have been playing on repeat in my head each day. They make it harder to believe that there is a way out.
Excitement that I cannot help but feel starts to settle at the thought of leaving the castle grounds. I do not really know what to expect. Draven said the town was like any other human town then proceeded to explain every way it is not the same.
As we walk out the front doors of the castle, the jasmine air hits me as I look around. I have never seen the front of the castle before.
The lawn covers most of the area in bright green grass. There is a cement wall around the castle itself, but at the very front sits a steel gate, separating the two sides of the wall for entry and exit. Around the entire perimeter, if there is a space for a guard, there is one filling it.
“Wow, they are pretty serious around here about monitoring who leaves,” I say.
Ivorie shoots me a sideways glance. “They are there more for keeping someone out.”
I look back at her, confused at her very cryptic response. She moves on quickly and we continue walking to the gate.
“They have prepared the carriage, guards will follow behind and in front,” she says.
The thought of the guards that close to me makes me feel uneasy. I avoid eye contact with each one as they stare at me.
“Surely, we do not need that many, right? It is just a quick trip to town.”
“A quick trip to town with the future Queen of Vryko,” she says casually.
I stop walking completely, her words catching me off guard.
The thought of that leaves me feeling unsettled.
All of this time spent trying to find a way to escape and I have managed to completely forget the fact that I am engaged to a complete stranger, forced to eventually be queen of a place I did not even know existed.
A familiar tightness starts to form in my stomach and rise up, settling into my chest. My breaths come faster and shallower with each one I take.
“Solene, are you ready?” Ivorie calls over to me from the carriage.
My head snaps up. Everyone is staring at me having a breakdown on the front lawn of the castle.
“Coming!” I shout.
I will bottle that up and save it for another day then.
I step into the carriage, settling into the bench seat as we start to move forward. The carriage is surprisingly big and, shocker, upholstered in red velvet. I suppress an eye roll and sit back in attempt to get a good view out the window.
Vryko looks similar to any other place on earth but at the same time, it doesn’t. Ever since Draven introduced the idea of magic, I can feel it sitting in the air. It gives off an excitable energy that cannot be ignored.
The grass is more vibrant and the trees seem to sway on their own accord. I lean forward, turning my head upward, seeing that the night sky is mixed with dark blues and greys, holding stars that are brighter and bigger.
During our ride, every now and again I see a tiny bug-like person with wings and large eyes come up to the window of the carriage, looking inside. I tap the window twice, but it does nothing but scare it off.
“There are fairies here,” I whisper.
Ivorie looks over to me. “What was that?”
“Oh nothing.” I turn away from the window and slump down into the seat.
It is hard for my mind not to wander toward thoughts about Draven. I have never met anyone like him before. His personality is full of life, almost as much as he is full of secrets. I guess it is understandable not wanting to tell a stranger your business.
But am I stranger?
He owes me nothing but also, we are apparently engaged. But at the same time, I do not want to be forced to marry someone I do not know, so maybe I do not want his secrets.
The carriage comes to a stop in perfect timing. I need to get out of my head. Someone opens the door from the outside so I pull my gown up to avoid tripping and step out.
I was too distracted to see what the town looked like coming in, but I can clearly see it now. It is surprisingly charming and brimming with energy.
The streets are filled with people and lights are strung up overhead, lighting the walkways in a continuous twinkle.
Colored doors to different townhomes line the cobblestone streets.
The townhomes sit tall, each with balconies that some people are lounging out on.
Laundry hangs off the side of others. In between the townhome doors, there are store fronts selling art, clothes, and potions, as well as markets selling fresh food items.
Different restaurants are tucked between the shops and townhomes, with courtyard-like dining and seating in the street.
Everyone sitting at the tables talk and laugh while enjoying their meal, chatting with those who pass by every now and again.
Music flows through the air with the sound of children laughing.
I stand in shock, unsure of what I expected, but this was not it.
I like it. The people here look happy. There are many vampires around, but also plenty of other creatures. They are not scary looking at all. Some are odd and quite colorful even, but nothing to look away from. In fact, I can’t stop staring.
Vampires look similar to humans, but these other creatures are intriguing.
Some have horns, others wings. They are all different shapes and sizes. Their skin varies in color and texture, some shimmering and others are covered in hair. A few have bark-like skin, while others have leaf-like patterns veined in their flesh.
Someone passes me fully cloaked in black. I cannot see beneath the hood, but smoke trails its body as it walks.
“This is amazing,” I whisper.
“Our first stop is the apothecary, then we will go to the tailor. We can also stop to eat if you are hungry,” Ivorie says as she starts walking toward one of the shops.
I move to follow her, looking behind my shoulder and seeing the guards trailing not far behind us. Hopefully this does not cause a scene. I start to look around nervously, but everyone seems focused on what they are doing and the people around them.
We reach the apothecary shop and the bell at the top of the door dings as we open it and walk in. Ivorie walks over to the counter with a list, so I start to walk around the store.
I feel a longing in my chest start to build as I stop to look at all the herbs and medicinal items on the shelves. I miss what it feels like to have a purpose. I never thought I would say it, but I miss being a nurse.
I shake the thought away and continue to walk around as Ivorie gathers what she needs.
The store is truly amazing. Shelves are lined with bottles full of dried leaves and flowers. Different vials of various powders sit propped up in between. Plants hang down from the ceiling and empty spots on the shelves.
I swear they are reaching out and tickling my face as I walk under them.
I stop to look at a one of the bigger jars on the shelf, bending down to read the label. Dead man’s eyes. One of the eyeballs inside turns and looks right at me, blinking.
I stand up quickly. That is enough for today.
“Ready to go, Solene?” Ivorie calls from the doorway.
I turn and give her a nervous smile. “Yep, I think so.”
At the tailors, after being sized and unintentionally poked with a needle many times, we order ten new dresses for the approaching warm weather. I made sure to pick vibrant spring colors to bring some life back into the all-black attire of the castle.
As I was sized, I found that I have gained some weight back, filling out my curves a bit more from when I first turned.
Walking out of the tailor’s shop, we stop at a street vendor to grab something to eat. I order a bag of blood and Ivorie gets a barbequed animal leg from some unknown source. I do not ask what kind of animal.
I sip on the blood through the straw and to my disappointment, it is still delightful as ever. All the walking has made me quite hungry, but I never think I am going to get used to grabbing blood to go.
We finally make our way back into the carriage after passing through various street vendors. Surprisingly, I find myself not wanting to leave.
“I really enjoyed that. Can I come with you more often?”
“Of course you can. I will take the company anytime,” Ivorie says.
I smile and lean back into the seat. Fatigue weighs heavy on my eyelids so I decide to close them. Only for a minute.
Two small hands give me a gentle shake.
“Solene, we are back. I am going to run these up to the apothecary and order the list of tonics I need. Are you okay getting back to your room on your own?”
I rub my eyes, trying to shake the drowsiness as Ivorie comes into view. “Yes, I think I can manage that,” I say sleepily.
She smiles. “I will be back in time to get you ready for dinner.”
The guards help us step out of the carriage, guiding us back into the castle. The drowsiness vanishes quickly once I step inside.
One thing is for sure and two things are for certain: I am not going back to my room. I have one goal this evening, and that is to find Draven.
Accidentally of course.
I watch to make sure Ivorie is out of sight before I turn down the hall. Moving the opposite direction of my room, I start my search.