15. Chapter Fifteen #2
He holds out his hand until I trust him more than I definitely should. “It’s solid and won’t crack. Even if it did, it’s just water. Well, special water, but it won’t harm you.”
“How is it special?”
“It has healing properties that can even bring someone back from the brink of death.”
“Why would you not give it to every ailing citizen in your kingdom?” I let go of his hand and bend down the touch the barrier. “Are you that selfish?”
“No, I can’t access it. It was sealed over by a powerful sorceress to protect the creatures underneath. She was angry because greed exploited what was inside and all the creatures living here nearly went extinct. Humans can’t simply take only what they need.”
“That is true and should be a lesson for you. Those in power have the choice to be so consumed with avarice that they bring great harm, or they spread generosity, so everyone prospers.” I step farther onto the barrier and relax when it doesn’t crack. “Why did you bring me here?”
“You said you noticed colors and remembered them. It made me think you’d enjoy this place.”
“You brought me here for my enjoyment?”
“Yes, it may have been a mistake with how you are looking at me.” He turns his back on me as though my expressions threaten him.
“How am I looking at you?”
“Like you’re touched and think I might be kind. I assure you I am not.”
“That wouldn’t be a mistake I would make. You don’t have to worry. I only think you strange for doing something nice but am aware you are still mean.” I remove my boots and glide over the magic glass.
“What are you doing?”
“It reminds me of when my mother would mop our floors, and I could glide across them. There wasn’t much space, but it was fun. All this space makes it so freeing. You should try it.”
His eyes shift to me, then quickly away. “Remove my boots?”
“Yes, or do not have socks on? Are your feet embarrassing?”
“My feet are well tended.”
I burst into laughter, nearly tripping from my amusement. “Your feet are well tended? You have not been around many people. Have you?”
“No.” The sharp sadness in his tone stops my ability to mock him.
“Okay. Let’s use your well tended feet and have some fun.” I tug on his hand. “Please. I guarantee it’ll be the most fun you’ve had in weeks. Maybe your entire life, and if you realize fun isn’t scary, you may brave more of it.”
He finally relents after several disgruntled sighs, and I yank him after me as soon as he makes it to his feet.
I spin and leap into the air, landing and gliding faster.
He watches me for a short time before he joins in.
I take his hands in mine and spin. He catches on, and we increase in speed until all the colors create a vortex in my vision.
We skate around each other, and I’m too thrilled to be shocked that he seems to enjoy himself.
When I tire, I plop on the ground and look up at the ceiling.
Blue illuminates the black dome overhead like a vast sea of underground stars.
Several create intricate patterns like constellations in the night sky.
He sits next to me and glances up. “Those are Velden glowworms.”
“I thought so, but I’ve only seen them close up in jars. They make good pain relievers, especially for toothaches when you blend them with sage and blue sour grass. Then you crush it all together with chopped apples to create a paste.” I demonstrate it all with hand gestures.
He stares at me like I’m a foreign creature he doesn’t understand. “Why were you living at home with healer skills?”
I run my hand over the smooth glass as a fish underneath the surface steals my attention from the glowworms. “My father died, and my brother got sick. I stopped working to care for my brother, but I was never a healer. I specialized in blood magics that assisted the healers and apothecary shops. They would contact me when they needed to know what creature a blood sample was from or what could be done with it.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t marry.”
“Why? Because that’s what women should do?”
He shrugs and leans back on a rock pillar. “It’s what most women do unless they have something wrong with them.”
I scrunch my nose, and my nostrils twitch. The king's beliefs may have me killing him before winter ends. “I believe the better answer might be something right with them because when you get married you have to put up with the opinions of men. Especially stupid ones, like what you just said."
He smirks and runs his eyes over me. “I can’t figure out why you weren’t picked, other than maybe your mouth.”
“It was definitely my mouth that told all potential suitors they could go elsewhere.
It is funny you assume the problem was me not being picked, and not that I chased off any suitors who tried.
Your mind is very narrow on why a woman may not be married.
It didn't cross your mind that they could choose something different? "
"Marriage is traditional. Essential in royal lines, and maybe not as essential for commoners, but still seems important."
"How so? Why does it even matter?"
He looks me over again and shrugs. "Your family was poor, and you're beautiful, so it would make sense you accepted marriage to help that. Are all men impoverished in your village?"
"Most because we have a king with poor leadership skills, but it wouldn't have mattered to me if the richest man in the kingdom had asked for my hand. I wanted more than staying in the villages, raising as many babies as my body allowed until it gave up. My friend. She is married to a woman, and I sometimes think that would be much better for me.”
“You love women?”
“Not in the way you are asking. I am unfortunately very attracted to men.”
He laughs, and for the first time it sounds merry and not evil.
“I didn’t know you were capable of amusement,” I say.
“Neither did I.”
I look up to meet his gaze. “You’re so strange.”
“As are you. You're a mystery to me.” He stares back with his winter grey eyes that are more like the clouds than ice today. He breaks our trance first and stands up, brushing off his black pants like he kneeled in dirt. “We should get back.”
“Are you in a hurry to sit alone in your throne room?”
“It is my favorite activity. At least before today.” He offers me his hand and helps me up but doesn’t head back the way we came. We slide down a small tunnel and into a larger room.
My neck tingles, and a desperate urge pricks my stomach.
We keep walking, and the sensation grows as it had when I first felt the rose.
The pull is screaming at me when we come to a red door, but he walks past it.
It has to be the cloak or the key unless it leads to the outside, and there is an outbuilding close.
I almost ask Zyon where the door leads, but I don’t trust him enough to possibly make him think I’m after the objects.
I’m unsure how much he knows about my side quest.
I pay attention to each turn we take, and we exit out a door into one of the enormous castle hallways. A large painting of a deer in a forest is marked in my memory for later.
“See you at breakfast tomorrow.” He leaves me with quick strides down the hall.
I wait until he’s out of sight and longer before I turn to go back through the door we exited. It’s locked, and I kick it in frustration. My arms still tingle from the call of whatever is waiting behind the red door.