17. Chapter 15
Chapter 1 5
Lillith
I hum a merry tune as I hang the laundry in the newly prepared area of the garden. The tall bushes and stone wall provide me with the perfect little courtyard for clandestine clothes-drying, and I am reveling in this newfound privacy. Perhaps laundering can be a rather pleasant task after all.
"Miss Lilly," a footman calls, making me jump. "Prince Asher wishes to see you in his study."
"Of course." I hastily hang the last piece of clothing and wipe my hands on my apron.
Upon entering the study, I find Prince Asher deep in discussion with Mrs. Umbernuckle. Her willowy figure seems to tower over him despite their equal height. As soon as they notice me, they abruptly stop talking .
"Lilly, I'm glad you're here," he says as he walks toward me. He is dressed in a crisp uniform of dark navy and gold, and the blue of his eyes sparkles with intensity.
He gestures for me to sit, and I slowly comply.
His mouth curves into a slight smile. "I would like to have you be my traveling companion. I've taken on a job."
Mrs. Umbernuckle's eyes widen in shock, and for a moment, I see a flash of something darker lurking in their depths. "Your Highness, surely Lilly isn't the most suitable choice?" she protests.
"Of course she is. She's proven herself competent and clever. She's much more likely to return alive than if I brought any other maid to serve me while we traveled."
"Excuse me," I interject, unable to keep the confusion from my voice, "but what exactly is this job? Why do you need me?"
"Lilly." Prince Asher chuckles, leaning back in his chair. "All will be revealed in due time. For now, just know that your assistance will be invaluable."
If I wasn't already clenching to contain my irritation, my mouth would be wide open. He did not just say that. How did I ever think this man is the perfect hero? He's just another good guy who thinks they are better than everyone else.
"Your Highness, I must insist," Mrs. Umbernuckle presses on, her voice tight with barely concealed frustration. "Lilly is hardly equipped for such a task."
"Mrs. Umbernuckle, Lilly will do just fine. I have complete faith in her abilities," Prince Asher asserts, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"How long will we be gone?" I ask, nervously glancing between the two of them. "And where are we going?"
"Most of that is information you shall learn later,” Prince Asher replies with a mysterious grin. “I’ve been assigned to find and stop a higher-ranking villain. We leave in the morning and will be gone for at least a week, if not longer. Your job will be to assist me. No fighting, just be my go-to for things."
"Your go-to? Basically assist your every whim while you travel?"
"Not every whim, but to a degree, yes. You are a maid in my employ. Do you not already do that here?"
One of these days, I'm going to make that man pay. The only plus side to traveling with the prince is that I won't be under Mrs. Umbernuckle’s watchful eye for a few days.
“As you wish. I will prepare to leave as soon as you are ready.”
“Wonderful. You are excused.”
Avoiding Mrs. Umbernuckle’s gaze, I curtsy and retreat out of the room, immediately heading to the only place that I might find peace at this time of day.
Upon closing the door to my chamber, I sigh with relief.
My thoughts race as I ponder the upcoming journey, the mystery around it, and the ever-looming threat of Lamira the Wraith. Shaking off my unease, I decide to focus on the task at hand—packing for a trip with an unknown destination.
"All right, Lillith," I say to myself, "time to get creative."
I reach into my dresser drawer, where I stashed the necklace I bought from Mairelle's sister in the market. The pendant features an intricate design that catches my eye, and now seems like the perfect time to put it to good use. Clasping the necklace in my hand, I whisper a small incantation under my breath, feeling the familiar tingle of magic activating, only the smallest bit of my magic being used to try and avoid detection.
"Let this pendant become a vessel, a safe haven for my belongings during our travels," I murmur, concentrating my energy on the spell.
I feel the enchantment take hold as I sense the magic working its way through the pendant.
"Time for a test run," I muse, reaching for a small stack of clothes.
With a flick of my wrist, the garments disappear, leaving no trace behind.
Satisfied with the results of my spell, I continue to pack, transferring my belongings into the enchanted necklace, careful not to leave anything important behind. If anyone questions me about the magic, I will simply claim the necklace came pre-enchanted—a little white lie to protect myself.
** *
"Ah, much better." I sigh in relief as I adjust my new traveling attire.
The forest path underfoot is a welcome change from the stone floors of the palace. My necklace jingles softly with each step, a reminder of the magical items concealed within. Prince Asher walks beside me, his hair hidden beneath a hood. His rogue's outfit suits him well, though it is quite the departure from his usual princely garb.
"Indeed," he agrees, smirking. "Walking among the common folk has its advantages."
"Like hearing the juiciest gossip?" I tease, knowing full well that this journey is essential for gathering information.
"Exactly," he replies with a wink.
We continue on, my leather belt chiming as a tea cup, saucer, and various bottles held in a leather holster clink together. Tea, potions, poisons—all disguised as mundane necessities, unbeknownst to the prince. I can't afford to be unprepared.
As the sun dips below the tree line, Asher and I set about making camp in a small meadow nestled among the pines, hoping their branches will shield us from any wind .
Gathering brush proves tedious without magic to assist. I grab handfuls of fallen limbs and debris, some bundles contain greener twigs mixed in. I don't stop to separate them, eager to finish the task.
Constructing the firepit, I arrange the kindling in a pile of sorts. As long as they are all there, that’s what really matters, right? The rocks I gather are uneven sizes, some small enough to leave gaps. While I work, niggling doubts emerge that this doesn't look quite right.
When it comes time to light the tinder, my flint sparks uselessly on the damp foliage sprinkled within. Frustration swells when light rapidly fades, and my kindling refuses to catch. This would be a million times easier if I could use my magic. I allow myself a quick glance at the prince to see if I can sneak in a touch of magic to get the fire started, but his gaze is focused on me.
Asher watches in growing concern until taking pity on me. "Allow me. I can help."
His efficient movements restructure my work, confirming my building suspicions I erred somewhere.
Once our accommodations are set, I pull dried meat, bread, and a salt satchel from my bag. While I work quietly to prepare our simple supper, Asher lounges in the grass nearby, absently plucking flowers. His fingers move gracefully as if playing an invisible instrument .
"Always finding beauty where others see only weeds," I remark with a small smile. "I guess that’s what a hero should do."
Asher's mouth quirks up at the corners. "I could say the same of you. You have a way of doing something so ordinary in the most extraordinary ways." He rolls onto his back, gazing up at the first stars pricking through the dusky sky.
I hand him his portion and sit beside him waiting for him to continue and explain, but he doesn’t. We eat in contented silence for a time, listening to the forest awakening around us.
At last, Asher breaks the quiet, his voice pensive. "As a second prince, I felt lost for much of my life," he admits, eyes distant. "The throne was a weight though no destiny I welcomed. I always yearned for adventure instead."
His expression darkens as old hurts reemerge. I stay quiet, sensing this confession releases long-buried feelings.
Asher takes a measured breath. "No one saw the person within, only the heirloom ruler they expected me to become. I was merely a spare they could bargain with or command mindlessly.” He gazes toward the fading sunset, reliving painful memories only he can see. “Meant to be nothing but collateral yet required to shed this carefree spirit and fulfill obligations never meant for me.”
His skilled fingers pluck absently at weeds, tearing them into pieces, mimicking how the stifling roles slowly unraveled his true self through childhood. My heart goes out to the lost boy still inside him yearning to break free once more.
The future seemed a gilded cage until he chose to shatter it, a feeling I understand well.
My silence urges Asher on, tacitly allowing him space to fully unearth long-held feelings. He meets my gaze, eyes luminous in the fading light. “That’s why I left and became a hero, of course. For freedom. To find my true purpose beyond birthright expectations.”
It is almost as if he is relieved to finally let those words out into the open.
I am very cautious about divulging the details of my own life. Suddenly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, I shift on the soft mossy ground. I have never shared the details of my past with anyone before, and it feels strange to do so now.
"My parents... they weren't often around," I say quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.
The prince nods sympathetically, seemingly understanding that I do not wish to elaborate further on the topic. He smiles kindly at me then, as if to offer comfort without speaking.
I swallow and nod in thanks.
"So, this person we're looking for," I begin cautiously, nibbling at a piece of bread, "who exactly are they? "
The prince’s expression turns serious. "Rumor has a villain has been targeting villages in the mountains along the Rodel border. It's gotten bad enough that Rodan is threatening to shut down all trade."
"That would be devastating for both kingdoms."
"I agree."
I frown, taking another bite of my bread. “Do you know who it is? The villain, I mean.”
The prince shakes his head. “No one does. It's part of why we are traveling like this. It's a long walk, but people will be much more willing to share rumors to a couple of typical travelers than someone traveling in a carriage.”
“Sure, because traveling with a personal maid is something everyone can afford,” I mumble under my breath.
The prince laughs, his gaze locked onto the fire. “You're right, of course, but safety always comes first when traveling through dangerous lands. If anything happened to me, I need to know there's someone who can get help even if they can't assist in the actual fight.” He looks out into the night sky before continuing quietly, “Whoever is behind the attacks must be stopped before they cause any more destruction or take any more innocent lives."
I gulp and nod solemnly in agreement. Neither of us are strangers to violence and bloodshed, least of all me.
We sit in silence for a few moments before I finally find the courage to ask what has been on my mind since earlier that day, something that makes me hesitant to even think about it let alone say it out loud.
“What if... what if you fail? What if we can't put an end to these attacks?” My voice trembles as I speak, and I avoid the prince's gaze altogether, instead focusing on the almost empty cup of tea I cradle between my hands.
He takes his time responding, seemingly lost in thought as he stares off into the distance for several minutes. This time, his voice is low and resolute as he says firmly, “I won't fail..." He pauses once more before adding quietly, "I may not have all the answers yet, but I do know one thing. I find a way."
If that isn't a hero's answer, I don't know what is.
The campfire crackles and dances as I carefully balance the pot over the flames, hoping to speed up the process of boiling water for tea. Heat radiates from the fire, making me sweat in the chill evening air. I glance at Prince Asher, who is busying himself with unpacking our meager supplies. I can't help but roll my eyes as he struggles with a knot in one of the bags.
"Having trouble there?" I tease.
"Nothing I can't handle," he replies with a grin, finally managing to untie the stubborn knot.
"What's the point of bringing a maid along if you aren't going to even use her?" I shoot back, smirking.
The pot of water bubbles more vigorously than before, and in my hasty attempt to remove it from the fire, the pot slips from my grasp, spilling scalding liquid onto my arm.
"Ouch!" I cry out.
The pain flares up like a hundred tiny needles digging into my skin, and I can't help but gasp.
"Are you all right?" Prince Asher asks, rushing over to me with a look of concern. His eyes widen when he sees the angry red burn on my arm, and I can almost see him calculating how bad it is.
"Fine," I grit out through clenched teeth, trying to hide my pain.
But I'm not fine, and I know it. My arm throbs, and every time I shift even slightly, it feels like someone is pouring salt onto the wound.
"Here, let me help," Asher says, reaching out to steady me.
Instead of accepting his assistance, I grab a short dagger from my side, grip the end of his cloak, and rip a long strip of fabric from it without asking. Let's see him keep his cool after this.
His eyes widen as he watches me rip the fabric in one final jerk, breaking the last seam.
"Needed something to cover this," I say, gesturing to my burnt arm. "Thought you wouldn't mind sacrificing a bit of your precious cloak."
"Of course I don't mind," he replies, surprising me with his calm demeanor. "Let's just make sure we take care of that burn properly."
"Fine," I say again, frustration bubbling inside me.
Why doesn't he get angry? Any normal person would have been angry at this. I've killed people for less.
"Here," Asher says softly, gently taking the strip of fabric from me and wrapping it around my arm. "We'll clean it and find some medicine when we get into town."
"Thanks," I mumble, feeling conflicted.
His kindness is touching, but at the same time, it irritates me that he could be so composed in the face of my blatant attempt to provoke him.
"I'm just glad you're not more badly hurt," he says sincerely, meeting my eyes.
I nod, not knowing what else to say.