Page 73 of Unbetrothed

I stepped toward Myla when Lux touched my wrist. In an instant, an insatiable desire vibrated up my arm—from him to me. I stood still, desperate for information, but he let go.

“Bea, I’m glad you came back. Your mamá and I were just speaking about the news you bring. Everything is under control.” Lux winked to comfort me like he always had.

The gesture that used to turn my stomach into a hive of buzzing bees now left a trail of unease. I had never felt that before in his presence. My head throbbed too much to think, and I bit back a yelp. Myla pushed against my back and guided me out the door.

My head lightened the moment my foot hit the hall. We went up another flight of stairs to my bedroom, our boots tapping the marble floors in even beats. The ache that immobilized my thinking vanished. In its place, heartache made its home. Could Lux be the traitor? I could never believe that. The oncoming attack must have stirred the tension in the room.

Mamá worried. She never would have caused my head pains otherwise. I hadn’t realized she had the power to cause bodily pain. She always worked with the healers to refine her gifting and said she’d made no progress.

And why hadn’t Lux told me he could block the power others had over him? A memory came to mind. Once Cosme tried to levitate Lux when we were playing as kids, but my brother strained as he lifted shaky hands with no success. Cosme had been able to raise a grown man off the ground. Lux laughed at Cosme’s attempt. From that day on, my brother hated Lux. I always thought their rivalry had to do with who had more power. Was there more to the story?

Myla turned the knob of my bedroom door. The hardwood seemed darker, and the powder-blue walls no longer welcomed me with an open hug. I hadn’t expected home to feel different though nothing in it had changed.

Light poured in through the windows, and the plush comforter invited me to jump into bed. Myla spoke in hushed tones to Laude before calling out to the servants outside my room to bring the water summoner and water heater. Laude tapped my door shut and headed straight for my closet. No one said a word.

An undercurrent of emotion circulated in the stale air, and I stared at the back of my hands. A hint of gold flecks ran along the pale lines. My jaw trembled, considering when the sensation began. This had to be my gift, and it felt just like my dreams. I gulped, remembering how some of my night visions took sour turns. If only I had better control. The trip may have been worthwhileafter all, but my whyzer had been adamant about not giving any gifting. Had the Ancient One taken pity on me?

I opened the double doors to my balcony and stepped out into the sunlight. A melody soared, horses clomped, music danced through the town, and the people bustled about. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, like Himzo soldiers. I squinted to make sure I caught details on the hillside, but no prince in black attire rode on the thoroughfare to whisk me away.

I should think about practical things, like hearing that conversation between Lux and Mamá.When Cosme and I were younger, we’d spy on Papá through secret corridors in the walls. Our parents introduced us to these hiding places in case of an enemy attack. Few of the servants knew about them. If I could keep Myla out of my room, Laude could stay here to make sure no one tried to enter while I snuck down through my closet. Mamá might not sense me like Papá had.

“The bath is ready.” Myla’s stern face told me I had no room for argument.

I stretched my practiced smile in place. “Thank you. You are dismissed. Laude will stay and help.”

Myla heaved a sigh. “When your mother becomes aware of the situation, you will not get such liberties.”

“Until then.” I waved a hand of dismissal.

CHAPTER 36

“PRINCESS, I’M ALREADY RECEIVINGlashings for our time away. Please have mercy on me and take your bath.” Laude clasped her hands together, scrunching her nose. “I will be in more trouble than you know if you don’t get in the tub.”

“I’ll get in the bath when I return. No one will found out I disappeared. I’ll only be gone a short time.” I pulled on the invisible connection to Laude and spoke to her through it.Be at peace.

Laude unclasped her hands. “But what if your mamá comes here? What do I say?”

“Blame it all on me and cry. She likes to spoil you.” I chucked Laude’s chin. “Mamá loves you like a daughter. She may even hold back Myla’s hand from all those lashings.”

The edges of her lips snapped upward with delight. “Be quick about it and tell me everything that happens.” She lit my bedside lamp with the tap of her finger and passed it to me.

“Thank you.” I placed the lamp on the table again. Opening the entrance to the hidden passage would require both hands. I strode into the closet and shoved a giant chest along the floor grooves. Underneath, a staircase led into darkness. I ran back into my room for the lamp. Laude leaned on the balcony railing, looking out at the road.

I rushed into my closet, determined to save my kingdom and prove the whyzer wrong. The candle flame flickered, causing a tremble of apprehension through my bones, but I descended the stairs anyway. I set the lamp on a stair and yanked on the handle beneath the chest. It clunked along the grooves until it shut me in.

Spider webs lined the corners of the stone corridor, and a stale scent permeated through the darkness. The few servants who knew about these corridors cleaned and repaired the passageways each year, but not often enough for my liking. I continued to make my way through the stairwell, boots scuffing the stairs until I reached the bottom. A shadowed passageway led deeper into the palace.

My stomach squeezed as though a spider had captured my stomach and wove its sticky cords around it. Every shadow marked an unknown danger, possibly readying to attack. An intersection crossed ahead. I turned to the right. At each doorway, I climbed a ladder set in stone, with one hand holding the lamp. My body bumped the stone more than I would have liked.

Papá used to say that we made so much noise thathe didn’t need to use his gift to sense us. I doubted that.Only two more doorways.

I climbed and counted the doorways.This should be the room. Please, let them be here.Tiptoeing to the chimney hole between the walls, I stopped to keep myself from falling three stories down.

Mamá spoke in a neutral voice. “Our kingdoms have a long history. What changed?”

“Father believes we need a new order to ensure all the kingdoms get equal resources.” Lux’s voice remained steady. It held no emotion or bitterness. His father always wanted more power, as Papá always said after each visit with the King of Pedroz. But Lux was nothing like his father.

“Forgive me, but I disagree with you on your assertion that Giddel unfairly distributes resources. We allow commerce among our kingdoms without interference. Our alliance has always been a peaceful one. You leaving the alliance will cause strife between more than just our two kingdoms. I beg you to reconsider.”

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