Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
BIANCA
T he journey between the Black Castle and our first stop is about six hours of travel. At the forefront of the realm, the Black Castle stands between all others and its people. There is something poetic about how it stands guard, protecting all magic kinds from the outside world. The Hue Royal family it’s the closest neighbor by far.
I’m curious how the rest of the magical world lives. I hadn’t gotten to see much outside the castle walls, but the luxury in which the Oscuro family and friends live is evident. The five stops we’re making in five cities in Puerto Quinn will give me an inside glance at the representing royal families of each city.
Now, I’m packed up in a car with a few guards. We are all scheduled to pull over for lunch mid-way. The stop seemed unnecessary to me, but after three hours of a silent ride, I'm eager to get a break.
None of them made any conversation during the first three hours. I’m glad Roger and Al aren’t here, but by the wary glances I get from the other soldiers, they know who I am. I can’t remember all their faces, but they look familiar from the training circles. Some, if not all, must have been present on my first day. I’m sure by now the majority at least heard of me after my battle with Dora in the training circles.
When we finally pull over, I groan while taking my first step outside. The sun is high, and it feels great on my skin. Each guard moves off to the side of a lake to the shaded picnic area leaving the cars parked on the edge in a line. This must be a place they have stopped before, because everyone knows where to go except for me.
Isabel waves at me as she moves amongst the bodies with a large box in her hands. I realize she’s passing around lunch paper bags as I get closer. Each soldier murmurs their thanks without making eye contact with her. A few wait for her to pass before turning and giving her longing glances.
Following their lead, I take a lunch bag but move to a bench away from the crowd. I don’t bother looking at the main covered area in the middle of the park. The sizable crowd of people includes guards surrounding Brandon and his advisors.
I pull out the sandwich and snack bag from my bag. The sun beats on my skin like a nice, warm blanket. The water of the lake is clear, and the air is fresh. Despite my nervousness about the upcoming mission, I feel relaxed at this moment. I take a deep breath as I chew my food slowly. Tomorrow will be the first day I don’t see Matias. I haven’t allowed myself to dwell on that too much.
A shadow blocks the sun for a moment before an older man sits beside me. He moves to hand me something without introducing himself. I look closely and see it’s a medium-sized bag of white stuff.
“What is this?” I look closer at the bag in my hands.
His white hair shakes as he nods. “Cookies. The best kind.” He takes one out of his own bag and puts it in his mouth, closing his eyes in ecstasy .
I look around, but he seems to be alone. “What are you doing all the way out here?” I ask him.
“The water seems peaceful. Too many people are surrounding the picnic tables.”
I contemplate the water sitting a good distance to the edge.
He follows my eyes. “It appears that you are also in need of a friend.”
I give him a weak smile. “It’s not easy to make friends around here.” I shrug. “Mostly after the incident at the training circles.”
It's no surprise people are wary of me. The crown prince killed someone for me. I didn’t ask for it. Rumors are spreading, although the situation is far more complex than they think. I watched a few of Alejandra’s castle guards go out of their way to avoid me. Brandon’s display fed the rumors of me being the crown pet in the worst way possible. I’m uncertain if having them fear me is better than having them pick on me.
“Andres,” Amy Bee calls out as she approaches us. “It’s time to check your blood pressure.”
The sweet old man in front of me stands angrily. “I don’t need you or anyone else to check on me every twenty minutes. Can I please sit in peace and lecture some youth?” He gestures to me.
Amy Bee doesn’t look the slightest bothered by his outburst.
“Brandon’s orders,” she begins, but he huffs again and walks away. Amy turns back to me with a smirk. “You might think it’s old age, but he’s always been this way.”
“Who is he?” I ask.
Before answering, she eyes my bag of cookies. “I’ll tell you for a price.” She gestures to my hands.
Taking one cookie out, I hand over the rest of the bag. The regret of giving away the bag comes quickly after taking a bite. The sweet bread I got from Sofia days prior turned out to not be the most amazing thing I had ever tasted, despite my initial belief.
“What on earth are those?” My mind forgot about the old man, now purely focused on the cookies.
Amy looks at the bag longingly. “These are white powder cookies. A traditional pastry made only for royal weddings. However, the palace bakers make a weekly stash only for the king.”
I furrow my brows and look back at the old man making his way inside the same car as Brandon. Then, the realization hits me. The king. Amy's focus on chewing her first cookie keeps her from noticing my turmoil. I was speaking with Andres Oscuro, King of Puerto Quinn.
A rriving at the House of Light was not what I imagined it would be. Light symbolizes brightness and clarity to me; I envision vast gardens and greenery. But the gardens around here are all trimmed into shapes surrounding an expensive-looking building made of glass and metal. From my seat in the car, I can see people moving about on the second and third floors. When Santiago called it a glass castle, he was being literal.
A group of about twenty individuals dressed in cream and gold await our arrival with a mixture of clear stone expressions and rehearsed smiles. If I know one thing, it’s reading people. Their clasped hands resting in front of them and bone-straight backs raise my hackles.
The doors of all the cars open at once, except for one. Alejandra walks out of the last car and makes her way up the line. Her expression is stone-like, but I can tell by the way her eyes take everything in that she’s observant. She nods at the soldiers as they file out and assume the guard outside each car. I copy their movements, but when she passes me, she gestures for me to follow her, and I do so without question.
We make it to the only closed door with Brandon and the King inside. Another guard opens the door, and the car's occupants exit. Isabel and Lexi Blue, two maids whose paths I haven’t crossed, are the first to exit. Brandon follows and then moves aside to allow his grandfather out.
“Welcome, Your Majesty and Crown Prince Oscuro,” a small woman with snow-white hair greets. Her voice is loud and high-pitched, making me cringe internally.
“Stay by my side, behind Brandon, no matter what,” Alejandra orders in my ear.
As soon as the crowd opens, we all move. I take my spot behind Brandon. Alejandra to his right and me to his left. Curious eyes look me up and down as I climb the steps to the front door. Two large metal doors open for the King and Crown Prince.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
I look around to see where the chant is coming from, but it’s coming from everywhere all at once, almost like a whisper from the walls.
The halls are empty as we walk inside. The small woman directs King Oscuro down the center hall. I can see through the castle walls to the outside and wonder how much privacy this type of architecture can provide. I’m nervous about looking up and accidentally seeing under someone, but thankfully, the floors and ceilings are solid metal.
We walk down the glass halls until we see a brick wall. The first sign of color in this entire building. There, we see similar brick steps down to a wooden double door. Behind the large wooden doors, we enter what I can only describe as a temple.
All the royal families pray to the goddess, also known as Fates, but each has its own culture and spiritual beliefs that differ from one other.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
I look around their temple, absorbing each image and picture decorating the walls and windows. Unlike the glass castle, colorful images cover the walls of the temple. The images vary from simple portraits to long stories.
As my eyes move along the walls, I try to follow the stories but become confused by a specific symbol. It dawns on me that open-mouthed drawings represent singing. Now that I’m here, I wish I would have spent more time in the library learning about the Hue’s temple and the stories the pictures tell.
The Hue family lives in the glass castle with a few city officials and servants. The rest of their people live within city limits. The people of Lux, also known as the City of Light, have an old belief that their magic will be restored and enhanced by their singing. Nothing I read supported that belief to be true; it only mentioned it as a cultural belief of their people. Each Royal Family has their own, after all.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
Day and night, night and day, let bliss arise.
I look around as the cult-like chants echo through the walls. My skin crawls at the high-pitched voices that carry throughout the room.
“What is happening?” I ask in a whisper to Alejandra.
She furrows her eyes, and her face appears borderline uncomfortable. She isn’t looking at the temple. Instead, her focus is on the people around us .
“Welcome ritual,” she says, then turns to face forward again.
“This is where the Hue family will welcome us in. Then, dinner will be served,” Isabel continues.
She stands close behind us. A disapproving glance comes from Alejandra, but I ignore it, it’s not like I was loud about asking. Our attention snaps forward when a choir of people of all ages leads the song as they climb onto a small stage in the temple's front.
Three individuals that can only be the Hue family enter from the side door to the small stage soon after. A couple in their late forties and a young woman in her mid-twenties. They simultaneously wave around and smile as they walk down the stage to us. They bow their heads at the king and crown prince. The voices then soften a bit, but don’t silence.
“Welcome, Your Majesty.” The man kisses the king’s hand. “It’s always a pleasure to see you.” His eyes slid to Brandon. “The man of the hour.” He reaches for Brandon’s hand next. His tone isn’t as warm, but it holds a level of respect. “It will be an honor to celebrate you tonight and follow you for the time the Fates will allow.”
Brandon doesn’t respond to the declaration, but inclines his head instead. He stands straight, with his shoulders pushed back. A relaxed expression takes over his face as he paints a slight, amicable smile on his lips. This is so different from the emotional and highly energized man I saw for weeks at the Black Castle. I wouldn’t call him cold now, but he’s definitely different outside his castle walls.
Lord Hue raises his hand, finally silencing the singing. “We will pay our respects to the Fates, then head over to the celebration.”
The Hue family leads the way up to the small altar at the front of the room. Three rocks are up in the stands. One pink, one red, and one blue symbolizing the past, present, and future. The three states of fate in everyone’s lives.
They incline their heads at the stand and then lead the way out of the temple. Only leadership and guards move to follow. Isabel and Lexi Blue say their goodbyes and head in the opposite direction, following a different guide. Alejandra gestures for me to stay behind Brandon. We walk down a hall through two large open doors leading to a ballroom.
As we enter the large ballroom, I can’t stop my eyes from wandering around. Gold accents and cream-colored tables with wood chairs surround a large stage. Servants line the walls, waiting for guests to arrive. I’m captivated by the people on the ceiling. Dancers on top of columns, and some even hanging off drapes, swirling like swings.
“For the love of the Fates, try not to look so shocked.” Alejandra scowls at me.
Brandon looks over his shoulder with the first genuine smile I’ve seen from him today. “I find her curiosity refreshing. Did you see the way her eyes widened in the temple?”
Does the man have eyes in the back of his head? I’ve been walking behind him since we arrived, and I don’t recall him looking back at me. Honestly, I haven't been looking at him since we walked in. Though that’s not something a guard should share, so I keep that to myself.
“Like I could have missed it.” Alejandra huffs disapprovingly.
“I’m sorry,” I say, feeling chastised.
“Don’t apologize, people are hanging from the ceiling. I don’t see that often, either.” Brandon winks at me before turning back around.
I suddenly feel lighter. The pink on my cheeks is unavoidable. This is my first time talking to Brandon since our last interaction, and I can’t help but feel relieved that he doesn’t seem angry toward me.
“At least look serious while looking around. Make it seem like you’re simply observant of your surroundings.”
“Okay.” I drop my smile, but keep taking in the entire room shamelessly.
Brandon takes his seat next to his grandfather, and we stand at a close distance behind him. Jesse joins us for a minute before also taking a seat at the table with the rest of the advisors.
Soon after, numerous servers fill the room with tasty-looking dishes in their hands. They drop off several dishes at the tables, leaving no empty space. Without saying a single word, they leave the room after. The entire thing happens so quickly.
Something inside tells me to pay close attention. I can tell something will happen because the room’s energy is high. When the lights dim down, I turn to Alejandra. She is already watching the room intensively.
“What’s happening?” I ask her.
Alejandra raises her index finger to her lips, shushing me. Her eyes look around, keeping track of her surroundings. I follow her example. Three large spotlights lit the middle stage as a focal point as three girls take the stage.
In unison, the women perform a song. A few other people enter and exit the stage while doing a choreographed dance. They’re good, even if they're cheesy and extravagant. I’m most impressed by the people on stage using wind and light magic to add special effects and sass to their performance. It’s awesome, but the way the main girls focus all their attention on the Oscuro table makes me internally cringe.
At one point in the performance, the oldest-looking girl in the group takes on a solo song and seductively walks toward the table. When she’s close enough, she extends her hand toward Brandon. I’m not sure what she expected, but when he doesn’t move, the girl points her finger in his direction. A spotlight lands on him, bathing him in a soft glow.
Jesse's chuckle is sudden, but he gets it under control quickly. Not quick enough for Alejandra and me not to hear it. I can’t see much of Brandon’s face from my position, but I can only imagine his passive expression. This performance is becoming more entertaining by the second, and even Alejandra holds humor in her eyes.
As the song concludes, Brandon quickly stands and inclines his head toward the stage. Jesse follows right after and claps. Soon enough, the entire room joins them.
The girl doesn’t seem to think this is enough. She gestures for Brandon to join her on the stage with her hand.
“Don’t push your luck,” Jesse says loud enough for me to hear.
I’m sure the girl on stage must have heard, too, because she drops her hand and returns her attention to the center stage.
“Come on.” Alejandra gestures for me to follow her. “We’re going to walk the grounds.”
I look at the stage again as another girl sings another solo. Instead of focusing on the Oscuro table, this performer gives the entire room her attention.
“The entertainment should last a few more songs. This is the best time for us to get acquainted with the security here.”
With one last look around, I follow Alejandra out of the room and into the dark hallways. I feel more than I see Brandon’s gaze following us as we exit the ballroom.
“Can you get us to the third level west wing undetected?” Alejandra asks me.
“You want me to guide you?” I ask, confused about the request .
She’s been here before, and I haven’t even laid eyes on a map.
She rolls her eyes. “I want you to turn on whatever you do to make yourself undetectable. Include me in that gift.”
Ah, she wants to test my abilities. See them in action. I nod and close my eyes. Not using my gift in weeks makes no difference. It comes so naturally that I instantly find that switch inside my head the second I look for it. I open my eyes, and the familiar feeling envelops me. I give her a nod to lead the way. Alejandra stays vigilant of our surroundings as we walk.
The first guard to pass by us without even a glance gives her pause. After the third, a small smile threatens to spread across her face.
“No one sees us.” Alejandra speaks more to herself than me. She stops walking to look at me. “That’s amazing. I believed Brandon when he told us about your gift, but watching it in person is unreal.” She shakes her head as we arrive at a door.
This is the first time she has given me any type of positive feedback.
This part of the castle is no longer glass and metal, but brick and wood materials similar to the temple. Only the front of the castle is fancy and new. The rest seems to be older than time. The late additions simply build on the front of the bones of its history.
Opening the door, I see Isabel and Lexi Blue chatting while sitting at a table with dinner in front of them. The space has a sitting area with a dining table and chairs connected to a couple bedrooms.
Isabel looks up from her food and gives us a small nod as we enter. Alejandra returns the greeting and then moves to a door on the side of the room and opens it. Her hand is still on the doorknob when Lexi Blue gasps. Her wide eyes are staring at the open door.
“Bianca, drop your glamor,” Isabel says, “It's just us, Lexi Blue.”
Alejandra eyes Isabel for a minute before turning back to the open room and gesturing for me to go in.
Inside, I find a simple room with two beds adjacent to each other. A nightstand sits in the middle and a desk off to the side. I spot my bags on one side of the room. Alejandra walks to the opposite bed and picks hers up. She opens it and looks through it until she grabs a journal.
“Here.” She hands me the journal on an open page. At first, I think it is a crossword puzzle. “This is where we will need to go. Memorize every line. If things go sideways, you must figure out how to get there from different directions.”
My throat suddenly feels parched and itchy. A knock at the door has us both turning.
Isabel sticks her head in and gives us both a small smile. “I rang for your food and it's here.” She walks in with Lexi Blue close behind. They carry two trays of food inside and leave them on the nightstand.
“Goodnight,” Lexi Blue says before shutting the door after them.
“I have to go back and walk with Brandon back to his quarters.” Alejandra points at me as she picks a piece of bread off a tray. “Memorize that. We’ll meet tonight at twelve at the end of this hall. Getting caught is not an option. Don’t put Brandon in a position where he needs to bargain for your life.”