Page 23 of Ruby & Onyx

Oh, gods. I can feel the hope slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.

No, I can’t give in to that feeling.

What other options are there? What would happen if I refused the arrangement outright? Could I reach a bargain with the king and queen? I could offer to be a gardener, a maid, or a servant in the palace instead of marrying their son. My supposed gift could still be useful in some other capacity, right? My value to them, whatever it may be, would still be at their disposal. I’ll offer myself as anything but a wife.

Maybe, just maybe, they might agree. I can broach the subject with them directly. Surely, they are capable of being reasonable, of understanding why I simply cannot uphold a bargain that was made without my consent.

Until then, I need to know if I am a prisoner here, or if I have some degree of agency. I tiptoe to the bedroom door, pleased to find it unlocked, and poke my head into the hallway. Olly is pacing back and forth with his head bowed. Each step is tense and heavy, maybe a little agitated. Maybe we are both animals trapped within the same cage. Our fates are tied in a ruthless knot that neither of us can untangle.

If that is true, then would he consider joining forces with me? Who knows how many loves he lost, knowing that I would one day come to take their place?

Together, maybe we can find freedom.

I can put on a smile and do my best to befriend this man, to make him trust me, so that he might help me plead my case. I softly close the door, making sure that he doesn’t hear.

I wait a moment to ensure he doesn’t come rushing over with more brassy lines.

The room is larger than I realized. The ceiling is tall and painted with a mural of a starry night sky. Little dots of silver splash across the edges and fade into the sandy stone walls. Why cover the bed with a canopy when you could slumber beneath a dream? It surely beats the lurking red eyes.

And on the opposite side, glass so clear it’s almost invisible extends across the length of the wall. I would think you could walk right through it if it weren’t for the two doors framed in white at the very center. My breath hitches when I take in the view beyond it. The sea is so close that I could jump right in. It seems to extend from the cliff out to the edge of the world. It’s more beautiful than any painting I’ve ever seen, like an endless reverie of teal and sparkling whites. The cool breeze sweeps past me like a salty kiss when the doors open. It blows through my hair and brushes against my skin, raising goosebumps all across my arms and legs.

I could stare at this view forever, I think. I probably would if it weren’t for the princeling pacing on the other side of this door.

He told me to get dressed, but I didn’t have time to grab anything before the invisibles plucked me from my bed. What did he mean when he mentioned a new wardrobe? I stroll over to the armoire and find a wealth of dresses tucked inside. It seems to have every color, fabric, and shape imaginable. Some thick and warm with furs and wool, others with more delicate lace or silk. Fabrics that I have seen but never touched. The diversity of seasons accounted for by these dresses assures me that they intend for me to stay put for quite some time.

I take the plainest of them all – a magenta dress with little embellishment. The bodice draws tight around my ribs, and I struggle to tie it, but eventually, it falls into place.

I catch a glimpse of my wild hair in the mirror and try to tame it with my fingers, but the long, wavy mess is too unruly. After only a minute of trying, I give up, reminding myself that I have to play nice with Olly, not impress him. Moose runs to me and barks his approval.

You can do this, Radya. Just be friendly, I remind myself, as if wishing friendliness into existence might make me more pleasant—deep breath.

When I open the bedroom door, Moose rushes out behind me, running straight toward Olly to sniff his legs. “His name is Moose,” I tell him.

Moose snaps and bares his teeth when Olly reaches his hand out to him. He laughs it off, but I can see the irritation brewing underneath his smile. “Maybe next time, huh? For now, Radya, would you do me the honor of accompanying me around the palace?”

I nod, accepting his outstretched hand, which he then weaves into the crook of his arm. Moose lets out one final growl before getting distracted by a passing fleck of dust. And off he goes, bounding down the corridor, apparently enjoying his new surroundings, if not their owner.

Olly walks in stride beside me, assuming a genteel manner that was previously absent. The change in tone makes me think that he, too, faced some internal resolve to play nice. “How do you like your bedroom?”

“It’s nice,” I say but then find the word lacking. “I had never seen the ocean before. I dreamed about it but never believed that I would see it myself.” A truthful admission to soften him to me.

“Was it what you imagined?”

“It’s better,” I say. My tally of truths is growing unbalanced against his, but I offer more anyway. “I can’t believe that I’ve been missing out on it all these years.”

“I suppose that’s one of the more tragic consequences of being confined to Carcera for most of your life,” he frowns. “Swim with me?”

Excitement buzzes in my ear. Even if this is all a ploy to help me escape this arrangement, who says I can’t enjoy it for a few minutes? I don’t know how to swim, but I’d like to learn. Gods, I’d be happy simply dipping my toes into the water. My stomach lets out an angry growl, and I’m reminded that I haven’t eaten since yesterday. “Could we eat first?”

“Anything for you, Radya.” He pulls me along beside him. As we walk at a slow, leisurely pace, he points out different hallways and artwork, although none of his explanations stick in my brain. It all becomes a jumbled blur, but I nod anyway. Strangely, the back of my neck tingled with the sensation of being watched and followed me to the dining room.

The memory of this morning returns all too quickly. Here, not too long ago, I learned that my entire life was a lie. My parents. My village. My freedom.

Oh, gods.

“I figured you would like some sustenance before our tour begins.” Olly pulls out a chair for me at the end of the long banquet table and then rounds the corner to sit across from me. “Glad to see that I already know you so well.”

I clumsily take my seat, still shaken by the memories whirling through my head.

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