Page 69 of The Heartless Archer

“Don’t mind me,“ she grumbled, strutting past them and into the stuffy air of the greenery. Royals and their habit of unrealistic living standards.

A variety of smells infiltrated her senses and for a moment she had to pause to orient herself between all the different plants and trees. Some had leaves shaped like circles, others ended in sharp points, some were glowing in red, and others in melancholy green.

A distinct smell made her step past what looked like a fig tree and she came upon a small pot out of clay potted with a flower with white petals, the center shining yellow. Many mistook the herb for daisies and Noora could understand, it did resemble the flower clearly but she would never miss the soft comforting scent of camomile. It soothed her back many nights and she quickly became dependent on the herb.

“Do you maybe have—” Before she could finish her question Tyra popped up beside her with a small lilac satchel held out in her hand. “Thank you.”

Tyra smiled. “So you like to brew your potions?”

Noora tried to contain her laughter at the princess’s ridiculous phrasing as she got out her knife and cut a few pieces of the plant.

“I usually buy it at a market in town, I swear on it but now that I am here I can’t get any access to it.”

Noora walked past the plant and deeper into the greenery, both girls following her.

They walked past tropical plants that Noora had never seen before, fruits shaped like small orange suns, basil, and something that looked like a yellow crescent. The air was stuffy inside, a thin layer of sweat already forming on Noora’s skin.

“People from the South Kingdom believe in producing their healing salves from nature as well. When I was sick, my mother always smeared my clavicles with a salve which was mostly out of eucalyptus. It cleared up my sinuses immediately and I still use it when I’m sick, just because it makes me feelbetter,” the nameless girl said and Noora felt her lips tipping up.

“Eucalyptus is very good for colds but also for relieving muscle and joint pain. You are from the South Kingdom? Where exactly? My sister comes from there.”

Noora bent down to cut a few parts of the thyme, dropping it into the satchel.

“I am from Ka-Hema.”

Noora turned around in surprise.

Tyra grinned at the look on her face before properly introducing the strange girl. “Noora, this is Princess Aileen-Akamu from the Kingdom of Ka-Hema.”

“I—” Noora found herself stuttering for the first time in her life. There were not many girls her age—or any age at all—that treated her with kindness, without wanting anything in return. But to have a princess be this nice to her felt strange. Before she could stop herself she bent into a curtsy, so horrific, she felt like a lanky trample rather than a skillful huntress.

Her curtsy was not low enough to count for one but the slight bending of her knees made sure she could not pretend that she merely stumbled.

“It is an honour to meet you, Your Highness.”

“Please, let’s not even begin with formalities like that.” Aileen-Akamu waved around the air as if she could make the fact that she was the heir to the most powerful throne of the southern continent less.

Noora was unsure and her gaze flickered towards Tyra, who was smiling encouragingly at her. “She’s not that special, she’s just any other girl, like you and me.”

Noora blanched at her comment, expecting an armada to run over the greenhouse and kill Tyra in an instant. But instead, Aileen laughed, the sound so high and carefree Noora could do nothing but relax slightly.

“Any other girl, huh?” Aileen looked up at Tyra, their gazes clashing for a moment filled with tense silence.

Noora cleared her throat, making both girls turn their gaze towards her. “I better get this mashed up before I pass out from pain. The other contestants are probably already in the training chamber.”

“That might be a very good idea,” Aileen agreed.

“To further that statement,” Tyra added, “Kekoa has been banned from the training chamber for the next two days because of his lack of hesitation in harming an animal.”

Noora’s brows shot up in surprise. She thought that was exactly what the family strived for when coming up with this tournament.

Tyra grinned again. “My mother might thrive in chaos and violence but my brother has a very different opinion on those things.” She winked and Noora couldn’t help the nagging voice that she tried to drown out for the past hours.

Managing a small smile, she parted from the two princesses and made her way to the training chamber, her gaze straining for a glimpse of the king on her way through the palace’s hallways but only coming up empty.

Chapter 28

Noora

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