Chapter Twenty-Five
CHARLIE
I roused in my quarters several hours after I’d returned from the hospital. The morning sun streamed through the windows and onto my face, but the bed beside me was cold and empty. Sprigs had snuggled into my shoulder sometime during the night and was snoring in my ear.
The sounds of dishes clinking together came from the kitchen, and I sat upright. “Ava? Is that you?”
Soft footsteps approached. “It’s Kallie. Can I come in?”
I groaned as I sat up, still sore. “Sure.”
Kallie entered, and Oberi happily trotted into the room behind her. The mattress shifted as she set a tray on the bed next to me. The sweet scent of freshly baked muffins wafted upward.
I realized how hungry I was. I grabbed one and bit into it. Kallie had made these for me? I could hardly believe it.
Oberi jumped onto the bed beside me and scarfed down two of my muffins. Yummy!
I scowled, but turned my attention to Kallie. “What are you doing here? Where’s Ava-Marie?”
“She’s still down at the refugee camp. She has been all night,” Kallie said, sitting on the edge of the mattress.
My chewing slowed. “She’s… still out there?”
“She’s been down there helping everyone get settled. If she could give these people the clothes off her back, she would.”
A lump rose in my throat, and I set my food aside. “This isn’t right. Ava’s going to exhaust herself giving everything she has to these people.”
“You can’t stop her. She’s the princess, and this is what princesses do,” Kallie stated.
I frowned. “You’re a princess, and yet here you are.”
“Because I’m checking on you so she can check on everyone else,” Kallie said.
“This isn’t my kingdom, but I’m one of Ava’s ladies in her royal court, so my job is to help her in whatever way she needs.
That means I need to worry about you so she doesn’t have to.
She’s taking care of the fae in my stead, and I’m taking care of her husband.
We’re best friends. We support each other, and I already know what she needs without having to guess. ”
I shook my head. “Maybe that’s true, but the problem is she’s Ava-Marie. She can’t stand to see people suffer. That’s never going to change, but maybe there’s something I can do to help her.”
“You saved her life last night. You already did your part. You need to recover.”
I tossed the sheets off myself and climbed out of bed. “The healers did a great job, and I’ve recovered enough. I need to make sure that when Ava returns, she’s able to rest.”
I went over to my wardrobe. I found a button-up shirt and pulled it on. “She’s spent her whole night helping these people, and she doesn’t even have the proper clothes to wear. She’s going to be exhausted.”
I knelt down and pulled out the bottom drawer of the wardrobe, then felt in the very back for a velvet bag I’d left there.
It was a secret stash I’d stored since I’d arrived in Ilamanthe, just in case I ever got into another situation where I lost it all.
That way, I wouldn’t be left with nothing. Some bad habits never died.
“What are you doing?” Kallie asked.
I held up the bag, which clinked with the sound of coins. “I’m going to get her stuff back.”
“So Ava finally told you about what she gave up?” Kallie asked curiously.
I stood. “She did. We’re… working things out.”
“That’s great to hear. I’m really proud of you both.”
I furrowed my brow. “I didn’t think you’d be this happy to see Ava and me trying to work things out.”
Kallie stood. “I know what it’s like to have your bond broken with someone you love and come out stronger because of it.
I know this hasn’t been easy for either of you, but I do want you guys to get back together, as long as that’s what you both want.
I just wanted you to do it the right way.
I think you’re both finally on the right track. ”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“I shouldn’t,” she replied. “But I was there when Ava gave her things away. I saw how much you mean to her that day. Nothing could ever break her as much as losing you did.”
I knew Ava wanted to keep trying, and I’d seen into the intentions of her heart, but there were still sides of her I couldn’t reach. Hearing this from Kallie made me certain I was doing the right thing. “Thanks for the reassurance. I’m happy we’re making progress.”
“I think we all are.”
After a hesitant beat, Kallie added, “Where’d this money come from? I thought Cameron cut you off.”
“I’ve had it for a while,” I explained. “Before my grandfather died, he gave me access to the royal treasury, and I set this aside right away just in case. When you don’t grow up with much, it makes you terrified that you could lose it all some day.
I thought it’d be a good idea to set aside an emergency fund, just in case we ever had to start over.
Since my dad cut me out of the treasury, this is all the money I have in the world. ”
“How much is there?”
I sighed. “Not enough to get all of Ava’s stuff back, but enough to give her a fresh start.”
“So you’re giving up everything you saved for her.”
I ran my fingers over the velvet, testing the weight of the coins in my hands.
My heart hammered, but I’d already made up my mind.
“Once I spend this, I’m back to having nothing.
But I want to give it up for her, and I’m happy to do it.
You said it yourself. Ava would give the clothes off her back for these people, and she already has.
I don’t want her to give anything more, so I’m going to do what she asked and return her things… starting with Monica’s armband.”
“Charlie, that armband could be anywhere by now.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re here. You can do a tracking spell, can’t you?”
“Of course. I always keep my grimoire on me. Hold on.” She flipped through the pages. “Ah, here. These are my mother’s notes. She has such sloppy handwriting.”
“What’s the spell?” I asked curiously.
“It’s a spinning arrow that locates whatever you’re trying to find. One of my aunts invented it during the Malovian Revolution. I haven’t been able to get the magic right until recently, but I’ve finally perfected it. It’ll lead us right to the armband.”
I heard the whoosh of magic, then felt a supernatural projectile materialize around me as it erratically weaved this way and that.
“The spell is working,” Kallie noted.
“Excellent. Let’s go.”
Sprigs jumped onto my shoulder and slid down into my shirt pocket, while Oberi followed behind us.
Kallie practically dragged me out of the suite, following the magical arrow. “The armband can’t be far. The arrow’s really steady. We can probably walk there.”
Kallie led us out of the palace and through the streets of Ilamanthe until we came upon a residential area. The streets were quiet apart from a distant creaking.
“Should we start knocking on doors or what?” I asked.
“I don’t think that’s necessary. We’re looking for the kid Ava gave her armband to.” Kallie paused, surveying her surroundings. “There’s a park up ahead and a little girl alone on the swings. I think I recognize her. Come on.”
Sprigs peeked over my shoulder as Kallie led me forward. The creaking sound grew louder, and I realized it was the chains of the swing groaning as the child swayed back and forth. The girl must’ve spotted us, because the sound came to an abrupt halt. Small footsteps landed in the dirt.
“Wait!” I cried. “Please don’t go.”
The child hesitated. “You— you’re the prince,” she said in a tiny voice. She couldn’t have been more than six or seven.
I nodded. “Yes.”
Kallie leaned into me to whisper. “It’s her. She’s wearing Ava’s armband.”
The girl took a cautious step back. “I’ve heard bad things about you. I shouldn’t be talking to you. You tried to kill the Emperor.”
“I understand that I seem scary,” I said gently. “I just want to talk. I’m here for my wife— the Holy Mother. She gave you that armband, didn’t she?”
The girl rubbed her arm. “Yes. What do you want with it?”
I knelt beside her to show I wasn’t a threat, then pulled several coins from my pocket. “I was hoping I could buy it back from you. Would you sell it to me?”
“This was from the princess,” she insisted. “You can’t have it back!”
“With this money, you could buy ten new armbands.” If this kid didn’t want to trade for this thing, I didn’t know how I was going to get it back.
The girl sniffled. “You don’t get it. No one ever wants to play with me. The Holy Mother gave me this friendship bracelet, so she’s my only friend now.”
My heart broke. I knew Ava cared so much about her people, but I didn’t realize what she’d done for this child, and just how much this armband would mean to this little girl.
I knew what it was like to be the kid swinging alone on the playground. If someone had offered me a friendship bracelet back then, I’d have died before I gave it up.
But this was Monica’s bracelet. Nothing could ever replace it. If I failed to retrieve it for Ava, my role in this marriage tradition would be incomplete, and we couldn’t move forward in repairing things until I had proven to her I could provide.
But how could I take such a precious thing from such a sad little child? It wouldn’t be right.
“I know what it’s like to not have any friends,” I told the child.
“I’m glad the princess is your friend, because she’s the greatest friend there’s ever been.
I know this, because she’s my best friend.
This armband means a lot to her, because her best friend in the whole wide world made it for her.
I’d really like to be able to give it back to her, so if there’s anything you’re willing to trade in return, consider it yours. ”
The girl sniffled. “All I ever wanted was a friend.”
Sprigs jumped off my shoulder. His spindly legs felt like an extension of my Earth magic as he scurried through the dirt toward the girl. He stopped at her feet, placing a leafy hand on her shoe.
“Wh— what’s that?” the girl asked.