Chapter 4
By the time the capital city appeared in the distance, Corinne was ravenous. Vera tossed her a roll, and she tore into it with little decorum.
“Goddess, Corinne, eat the roll, don’t inhale it.”
Vera laughed atop her brown mare and retrieved some bread for herself.
Corinne shrugged and finished it off, turning her eyes back to the looming city walls that interrupted the green, mountainous landscape.
What awaited her within them? She’d hardly left the monastery aside from a few trips to villages as a trainee, the journey to get her tattoos, and the pilgrimage to the mountains she’d taken on her birthday last autumn.
She rubbed the heel of her hand absently over her left thigh.
The castle naturally towered above everything else, its spires silhouetted against the sunset. Corinne was glad for her armor now—the mountain city boasted cooler temperatures than what she’d become used to at the monastery.
The road dipped into another patch of trees, hardly big enough to classify as a wood, and when they emerged from the tree line, it ran steeply uphill. Their horses slowed as the incline increased, and Corinne gripped her reins tighter. They were nearly to the eastern gate of the city.
The gate was designed similarly to the one at the monastery, but far larger. They stopped their horses when two city guards came forward with spears in hand.
“State your name and business,” one of them barked, and Corinne nearly jumped in her saddle.
She swallowed. “Corinne Anastos, Lightguard and Servant of Helaera,” she said, mustering up as much confidence as she could. “I’ve been summoned to the castle.”
The guard nodded, then looked to Vera. “And you?”
“Vera Bronan, sir,” she said with a dip of her head. “Lightguard and Servant of Helaera. I’m not entering the city.”
The guard barked another order at the wall behind him, and the portcullis began to open with a rattle of chains. Corinne dismounted quickly alongside Vera, who took her hands and squeezed.
“Helaera guide you, Corinne,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “You are blessed.”
Corinne couldn’t speak past the lump in her throat. How was she going to survive here without Vera, without anyone she knew?
Vera released her hands and climbed back on her horse as the portcullis finished its ascent. Corinne steeled herself and swung back into her own saddle, urging her horse into the city.
The main road ran up little hills and around curves, taking her past numerous shops, cafés, and other buildings she assumed were residential.
She’d lived most of her life in a monastery full of people, but the sheer number of city-goers bustling in the streets, even as night fell, was overwhelming.
A young man was dashing around, lighting lanterns, when someone bumped into him, and the little flame at the end of his pole snuffed out against the cool stone of a nearby building.
“Oh, Goddess, I’m so sorry, lad!” the older man said, scratching his head.
The closest lit lantern was a moderate distance back up the street, a rather steep incline.
“Watch where you’re going, why don’t you?” the young man snapped, and Corinne balked. “You going to pay me for lost time?”
“Now, listen here, boy—”
The two were almost nose to nose now, looking tensed to get into a physical altercation.
Corinne hopped down from her horse. “Can I help?” she asked, approaching them and gesturing to the pole.
The lantern lighter and the older man looked at her, puzzled, their anger defusing.
“Have you got a lantern hidden in that armor or something?” the boy asked.
“No, but I can relight that for you,” she said.
Cautiously, the boy held out the pole.
Corinne placed two fingers on the wick at the end and summoned her light. She let it build and funnel into her fingertips for a moment before releasing it, creating enough pressure that it sparked against the wick and set it aflame once more.
The two men gaped at her.
“Well, fuck me, that was incredible!”
Corinne nearly choked. She knew some people used such vulgar words, but she’d never heard them spoken aloud. She could only nod as the young man shook her hand and thanked her before sauntering away to continue lighting his lanterns, all anger forgotten.
“You’re a Lightguard, aren’t you?” the older man asked, and Corinne nodded. “I’ve never met one of you before! What’s it like having magic? How often do they let you out of that monastery?”
Discomfort prickled at the back of Corinne’s neck. “I’m sorry, sir, but I must be on my way. I’m expected by th— someone.”
“Ah, of course, of course,” he said. “Well, thanks again for saving my blunder!”
Corinne hurried to remount her horse. No more detours or speaking to strangers.
Somehow, she made it to the castle gates without getting lost in the side streets that branched off every few buildings, and her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the castle this close, even in the growing darkness.
It was so impossibly tall—white stucco walls smattered with ornate windows and beautifully carved swirls.
The gates themselves were open and manned by two guards on each side, standing stoically with spears or swords in the torchlight.
As she led her horse through, two stable hands hurried forward to help her dismount.
A figure dressed in a deep blue tunic with a crescent moon and stars embroidered on the chest approached as they led Corinne’s horse off, one hand on the hilt of their sword. The torchlight shone on the man’s deep brown face, reflecting off his dark eyes.
“Are you Corinne Anastos?” His voice was deep and warm, and Corinne found herself craning her neck to look at him as he stopped before her.
She’d never met anyone so tall, and she was rather tall herself.
She nodded once. “I am.”
“Welcome to Vytanos. I’m Captain Ekhana,” he said. “I’ll show you to your room.”
He turned on his heel and headed up the stone path to a pair of the largest doors Corinne had ever seen.
She hurried after him, clutching the pack on her shoulder tightly.
Two guards opened the front doors with a heave, and Corinne’s eyes widened.
The entrance hall stretched to a tall archway, lined on either side with statues and works of art.
She trained her eyes on Ekhana’s back when she realized the statues were all nude depictions of people.
Her face burned. Stay the course, Corinne.
The archway led into a perpendicular corridor covered in thick blue carpet, intermittent sconces with bright lanterns lining the walls. Ekhana turned right and led her to the end of the hallway and around a corner.
“The prince’s chambers are in the south wing of the castle,” Ekhana explained over his shoulder.
He nodded to several servants who passed by, and Corinne did the same.
“Your room will be right beside his for safety purposes, and you’ll dine with the rest of the castle guards at times of the day when your presence is less necessary.
Our matron of servants will have more information for you in the morning about Prince Aryel’s schedule and yours. ”
Ekhana approached the end of the long corridor and began ascending a spiral staircase.
The carpet was so lush that even Corinne’s armored footfalls weren’t terribly loud.
They exited at the second floor, and Ekhana led her through a maze of additional hallways with stained glass windows and more art and statues before approaching a pair of dark brown double doors.
The brass doorknobs were ornate, the wood polished to perfection.
He opened them and led Corinne onto a breezeway lined with vine-wrapped pillars on either side.
Purple blooms swayed in the evening air, and the scent of the wisteria brought Corinne right back to the monastery.
It was her favorite part of spring—when the climbing vines of wisteria bloomed all over the walls.
Beyond the pillars, though, was a view of the entire city of Vytanos.
Lanterns flickered in the night, winding through the streets, and beyond that, the mountains stood resolute against the darkness.
A bit of hope flickered in her heart. She wasn’t assigned to a place where she could explore the mountains and forests, but at least she’d have a view of it all.
Ekhana led her through a stone archway, and three sets of doors stood in an expansive outdoor alcove. He paused, and Corinne stopped beside him.
“Those are Prince Aryel’s chambers,” he said, pointing to the large wooden door at the far left. He moved his hand to gesture to the much smaller door several yards to the right. “And those are yours. You’ll spend a lot of time outside his door, I expect.”
Corinne nodded, and he pressed forward, leading her toward her room. Just before she could step inside, stumbling footsteps approached them from behind, and Corinne whipped around, one hand aloft and shining with her magic.
“Whoa, that’ssss’awfully bright.” A man stood before her, his brown eyes narrowed to slits, his dark brown hair tousled, and his white shirt half unbuttoned.
Dark ink designs on his chest and shoulders were partially visible, intricate celestial moon tattoos that were stark against his fair skin.
He swayed on the spot as Corinne lowered her hand, and the smell of liquor wafted through the air. “Who the—hic—hells are you?”
“Prince Aryel,” Captain Ekhana said, “this is Corinne Anastos, the Lightguard they’ve assigned for your protection.”
Corinne could barely process what she’d heard. This foul, drunken mess was her charge?
“Ahhh,” Aryel drawled, patting Corinne’s armored shoulder. “Fantastic. My devout royal babysitter.”
“Your Highness—” Ekhana started, but Aryel darted back to the breezeway and heaved over the side of it, emptying the contents of his stomach.
Corinne could only stare, horrified. A roaring started up in her ears.
“I’ll get him to bed,” Ekhana muttered. “You get settled in your rooms.”
“I’m fine, Captain,” Aryel said, stumbling back into the alcove. “I’ve been drunk before and made it back to my rooms alone just fine! Or, wait, that’s her job now, isn’t it? To follow me around and never give me a moment’s peace?”
The roaring in Corinne’s ears grew louder. Aryel slung an arm around Ekhana’s shoulders, and the captain kept the prince upright. He trained an unfocused eye on Corinne.
“Do you speak, oh righteous one?” he asked.
Corinne scowled. “I speak, Your Highness.”
“Why don’t we get you to bed, Your Highness?” Ekhana said, shepherding the prince toward his chamber doors.
Aryel let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine, fine, Captain. Lead the way.”
Corinne stood rooted to the spot until they’d disappeared into the prince’s rooms, hoping that if she didn’t move, she wouldn’t fall headfirst into the waiting abyss of despair. But she couldn’t just stay out here all night. With a shaky hand, she opened her door and entered her room.
It was spacious, with a bed large enough to fit three of the one she’d had in the monastery, two tall windows, and even her own private washroom through a door on her right.
She removed her armor in a daze, as if she were watching someone else do it, all the while chanting to herself. Stay the course. Be the Light.
After riffling through a nearby wardrobe and extracting a plain white nightgown, she curled up beneath the admittedly luxurious blankets of her bed and let the tears come.
Perhaps if Prince Aryel hadn’t been exactly what she’d expected of a royal and worse, this assignment might have been bearable.
But what she’d seen tonight…he was a spoiled prince, and an irreverent brat.
And Corinne hated him for it.