18. Chapter 16
Chapter 1 6
Lillith
T he sun dips low in the sky, casting an orange and pink glow on the cobblestone streets of Shadowcrest, a small city nestled at the base of two imposing mountains. It is known far and wide for its peculiar charm as well as its hidden villain training arena.
I glance around, taking in the quaint shops with their whimsical signs shaped like potions or enchanted brooms. The townsfolk bustle about, their laughter tinkling like wind chimes in the crisp evening air.
"Quite the interesting place, isn't it?" Prince Asher remarks, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Indeed," I agree, though my attention isn't on the city's beauty.
A nagging feeling starts to tug at my senses, telling me that someone or something is following us, but I say nothing, choosing to keep this information to myself for now .
The city's buildings are an eclectic mix of wood and stone, adorned with stained glass windows depicting creatures of myth and legend. A babbling brook flows through the heart of the town, creating a pleasantly soothing ambiance. Unlike other cities in the realm, Shadowcrest has a distinctive aura of secrecy that seems to whisper from every nook and cranny.
"Shall we find something to eat?" Prince Asher suggests, clearly eager to explore the city and its many delights. "I heard there's a tavern here that serves the best dragon egg omelets in the kingdom."
"Sounds delightful," I murmur, though my thoughts are still preoccupied with our unseen pursuer.
I can't shake the feeling that they are watching our every move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Not having the option of using my magic publicly leaves me feeling especially vulnerable.
As we walk down the cobblestone streets I feel a flutter of excitement despite my growing apprehension. There is something thrilling about being in the very city where I trained as a child, honing my skills in magic and dagger wielding. Not that I can let Prince Asher know that.
"Ah, here we are," Prince Asher exclaims as we approach a cozy-looking tavern with a sign depicting a fire-breathing dragon. "Let's see if these omelets live up to their reputation."
We enter the tavern, its warm, inviting atmosphere chasing away the chill of the evening air. Laughter fills the room, accompanied by the clinking of tankards and the strumming of a lute.
"Two omelets, please," Prince Asher orders when the barmaid approaches, flashing her a charming smile that makes her blush.
"Right away," she replies with a curtsy before scurrying off to the kitchen.
As we wait for our food, I glance over my shoulder, scanning the room for any signs of our mysterious follower, but there is nothing—just the happy chatter of patrons and the tantalizing aroma of sizzling eggs. Soon the woman returns with two plates that she sets in front of us.
I pick at my food as I watch the prince. His constant positivity is wearing thin. Something just doesn't add up.
"Is there something wrong with your omelet?" he asks, raising an eyebrow as he catches me staring at the plate.
I force a smile and shake my head, taking a small bite to prove my point. "No, it's delicious. I was just... thinking."
"About what?" His piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, and I feel my cheeks flush under the intensity of his gaze.
"About what your plans are once being a hero is no longer an option," I blurt out. "We all age. You've got a few good years left, I admit, but what then?"
He leans back in his chair, an amused grin playing on his lips. "You're a curious one, aren't you, Lilly? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get to know me."
"Hardly," I scoff.
In truth, I do want to understand him, to figure out what drives him to have villains work for him and if he knows. More importantly, I need to protect my own secrets, like the fact that I trained in this very city as a child.
"Fine, I'll humor you," he says, taking a sip of his tea. "I plan to retire to a quiet life, away from politics and high society. It's all too stuffy."
“Can a prince do that?”
“I have siblings. As long as they stay alive, I don’t see why not. I’ve never been one of the favorite children anyways.”
None of this is adding up. Is it really possible for someone who has villains working for him to truly want that sort of retirement? It all feels too simple.
"Care for some more tea?" I ask, trying to sound innocent like the good little maid I am... for now.
"Do we have time?" Prince Asher replies, his blue eyes narrowing slightly as he studies me. "We should focus on gathering information."
"Everyone needs a break, Your Highness," I say, emphasizing his title with just the right amount of sarcasm. "Besides, I've heard that tea can help one relax and focus."
"Fine." He sighs, seemingly appeased by my explanation .
As I prepare the tea, I make sure to choose my grandmother's special blend—an exquisite mix of black tea, cocoa nibs, blackberry, dark chocolate, chicory, raspberry leaves, cocoa and blue cornflowers, and cream. It’s perfect for reading tea leaves, a skill she taught me years ago. It will allow me to uncover any hidden truths behind Prince Asher's motives.
"Here you go." I hand him a cup, watching closely as he takes a sip. He seems lost in thought.
"Thanks," he mutters, not even bothering to meet my gaze.
I wait until he finishes his tea and gets up to relieve himself before swiftly collecting the cup, making sure he doesn't notice my eagerness. As I pour the remaining liquid out onto a flat surface, I begin to read the tea leaves, searching for any signs that might reveal his true intentions.
"Come on, tell me your secrets," I whisper under my breath, hoping the leaves will give me some insight into the enigmatic prince.
The leaves swirl around, forming a pattern I recognize all too well—a dagger piercing through a heart. The image signifies betrayal and heartache, warning me that someone close will let him down.
"Is everything all right?" Prince Asher asks, his voice tinged with concern as he returns to the table .
"Fine, just fine," I mumble, trying to hide my unease. "I thought tea would help us focus, but maybe I was wrong."
"Maybe," he agrees, an unreadable expression on his face.
An argument coming from the next table over catches my interest. Two people, a man and a woman, are arguing in hushed tones, their words filled with desperation.
"Please," the woman begs the man. "You don't have to do this. Stay home tonight."
The man laughs harshly and pushes away from the table. "You forget who I am," he says coldly. "Tonight might be my last chance at glory, and I'm not about to pass it up." He stands up and throws some coins on the table before storming out of the tavern.
I look over at Prince Asher and see him frowning in thought as he watches the man leave. After a moment, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out several silvers, laying them on top of what was already there.
He stands up and motions for me to follow him outside.
We quickly leave the tavern, slipping silently into an alleyway just across from where the man had gone. I crouch low behind a pile of trash next to the prince, peeking around as we watch him make his way down one of the city's back streets. I recognize the route.
Following the man, we walk through the city, making our way toward the villain training arena. The streets are bustling with activity as stalls are packing up, but my mind is elsewhere, going over every detail of my past in this place.
"Are you ready for this?" he asks as we approach the entrance, disguised as an inconspicuous door tucked between two buildings.
"Of course," I reply, trying to sound confident despite the churning in my stomach.
"I'll go first," he says, pushing the door open.
As we step into the dimly lit hallway, a sense of nostalgia washes over me. This is where it all began—where I transformed from a na?ve child into the skilled villain I am today, and now, I am back, on the arm of a prince whose motives I can only guess.
***
We descend farther into the depths of the city, following a winding staircase that seems to go on forever. After so many turns, we lose our guide. I silently direct us away from the worst of the traps set in these tunnels to keep out people like us, taking the occasional wrong turn that would result in a quick dead end to backtrack from.
Finally, we stop in front of a heavy wooden door. Prince Asher glances down the empty hallway behind us before he opens the door and steps inside, followed closely by me. We enter a large chamber filled with people—mostly villains and criminals.
The prince tenses up. I chuckle to myself, watching this confident man suddenly freeze. I guess if I was a hero suddenly surrounded by over a hundred people who would take pleasure in torturing me before finally letting me die I would be slightly nervous as well. That will never be a problem for me, though.
The energy in the room is palpable, and the tension thickens as everyone sizes each other up. The prince is clearly out of place here. I can see it on his face as he looks around warily. Even so, he holds himself confidently and straightens his shoulders in an effort to appear unafraid.
However, even I can feel my own fear start to rise in that moment. After all, it wouldn’t take much for someone to recognize me and expose me for who I truly am. Prince Asher looks over at me with determination in his eyes. If he notices my inner struggle, he doesn't show it.
"Enough dawdling," Prince Asher declares, his blue eyes shining with determination. "We need a plan."
"Fine." I sigh, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. "First, we'll need to gather information on our villain's whereabouts, identity, and weaknesses."
"Agreed. Then, we'll devise a strategy to exploit those weaknesses and take him down."
"Shouldn't be too difficult," I muse, my thoughts drifting back to my training days. The arena taught me to adapt quickly and anticipate my opponents' moves. "I'm sure we'll find plenty of vulnerabilities to target."
"Good," he replies, "Now, let's focus on blending in. We don't want to attract unnecessary attention."
We barely take two steps when a tall, skinny man blocks our path. His beady eyes narrow suspiciously as he studies us.
"What are you two doing here?" he asks gruffly.
I snuggle up against the prince in an effort to appear like a loving couple and bat my eyelashes at the man. "We heard about the show," I say sweetly, "and we thought it would be fun to watch."
The man crosses his arms and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but tonight's spectators are restricted to those participating in the challenge," he informs us sternly.
My stomach drops. We’re going to have to participate in this challenge in order to stay alive.
Prince Asher seems unfazed as he steps forward and clears his throat. "How do we participate?" he asks confidently, not letting on that he has absolutely no idea what kind of challenge this is.
The man nods approvingly before turning around and motioning for us to follow him. We end up at a podium with an ornately decorated book upon it, and the man gestures for us both to sign it with a quill provided alongside the book.
Asher steps forward and signs first. I follow shortly thereafter by doing the same with my own signature for Lilly. Peter? He put down a lame name like Peter? Upon completion, we both prick our fingers with a special needle and stamp our bloodied fingerprints onto the page—officially committing ourselves to this challenge.
“This is the first night of The Challenges.” The man gestures around to the crowd. “Each year during these Challenges, participants will be presented with various tasks or activities—physical feats of strength or endurance, intellectual riddles and puzzles, you name it—all designed to test your skills and ultimately determine each challenger's ranking upon completion." His eyes light up as he points around the room again for emphasis. “Not everyone makes it. Think you can?”
The look on the prince’s face would have been encouraging if I didn’t know exactly what we were in for. My fingers curl into tight fists as he replies, “I know I can.”
More people approach to sign, and we wander away down a narrow tunnel carved of stone.
"Watch where you're going," I tease. "Wouldn't want to scuff those pristine boots of yours. I don’t know if I will be able to care for them as your maid while disguised as a villain here. It may give us away."
Asher shoots me a sideways grin. "Have no fear. I'm far more graceful than your stumbling self."
No sooner are the words out of his mouth than the floor suddenly drops away before me. Heart in my throat, I slide sideways just in time to avoid the spiked pit that yawns open in the stone.
"Thanks for the assist," I mutter, pressing a hand to my racing pulse. Eyes narrowing, I turn to Asher. "I didn't expect you to actually be... helpful."
"And leave you to an untimely demise?" he asks lightly, though concern lingers in his gaze. "Like I said, we're in this together. Your survival enhances my own. Besides, a good maid is hard to find.”
I snort. "How noble. Worried for your staff now, are you?"
Asher smiles ruefully. "Call it enlightened self-interest. With my skills and your guidance, our chances improve dramatically as a team."
My eyes narrow further, suspicion rising once more. What game is he playing at really? Trust does not come easily, yet in this place, remaining divided spells doom.
"All right, team it is for now." I arch a pointed brow. "But don't expect swooning when your antics land us in deep trouble."
Asher inclines his head graciously. "The lady's wisdom is as sharp as ever. I shall endeavor not to test its cutting edge unduly."
With that cryptic response and charming half-smile, he offers his arm to lead on into the shadows. Against my better judgment, I can't deny following comes easier than anticipated.
Finally, we arrive at the entrance of the arena where we are greeted by a tall, muscular man dressed in black. His face is stern as he eyes us up and down.
"Name," he barks, his voice deep and menacing.
"Peter Scarworth," the prince states firmly, straightening his shoulders, "and this is my partner, Lilly."
It takes everything I have not to laugh hearing the name Peter.
The guard looks us over once more before nodding curtly. "Proceed."
We step through the gate into the arena. It is massive, with towering walls that seem to stretch up to the vaulted ceiling. The ground beneath our feet is packed dirt, and there are rows upon rows of seats surrounding the central area. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest with anticipation. This arena still haunts my dreams.
Releasing Prince Asher's arm, I work my way through the crowd to look at the list. A groan escapes me. Of all the luck. We’re up against someone who knew me when I was here as a child and I saw from time to time in the bit of villain society I grace with my presence when required, Xixor Shade.
I can feel Prince Asher's gaze on me as I stare at the parchment, my mind already thinking of strategies. I don't have the luxury of reminiscing about my past. Not anymore. This is a fight for survival, and I intend to win even if I can't use my magic. I know just about everything about Prince Asher after waiting on the man hand and foot and can work as his sidekick.
As we move to await our time to enter the arena, I can't shake off the nagging feeling that something terrible is about to happen. The tea leaves have never been wrong before, and part of me knows deep down that I should brace myself for the storm that is coming.
Is it possible that Prince Asher is not what he seems? Or perhaps the leaves are warning me about my own secrets being revealed?
"Remember," Prince Asher whispers, his eyes scanning the area intently, "we're here to blend in, not draw attention."
"Right," I mutter. "Not getting killed would be great, too, though."
"You've got a point. I should go ask about the rules before this starts."
I bite my tongue as he leaves me on the edge of the arena. We are screwed. There are no rules.