Page 42 of Beacon

“No!” The princess’s heart-wrenching cry echoed throughout the cavern. “No! Please stop…I can’t bear it!”

The pool ignored her plea, simply continued showcasing the memories that followed Kian’s death—of his burial, the cold loneliness that seemed to envelop the princess following his funeral, to her despair when her parents informed her that they’d created another marital arrangement to replace the one she’d lost…

“Stop.” The princess curled in on herself but seemed unable to look away. “Please, I’m begging you…stop.”

When the memories only continued, I lurched forward to dip my own hand into the pool. The magic responded and finally shifted to the familiar vision that had played across its surface nearly every day these past ten years: one of a stormy ocean, a lost ship, a daughter’s guilt at the loss of her mother…until this memory too ended, allowing the magic to fade away, leaving nothing but a shimmering light that glistened around the cavern.

A heavy, heart-wrenching silence settled over us, broken only by the princess’s fierce sobs. She’d turned away from the pool, so engrossed in her own grief that she hadn’t seen my memories play across its surface. Now that the magic had faded, she pulled her knees to her chest to bury her face in her wet skirt, her shoulders shaking as she cried. Her mother had been correct: the princess had experienced true heartache in her life.

I could only watch, filled with empathy I’d never expected to feel towards her, even as the memory of Princess Seren’s words returned:Don’t dismiss Princess Lavena entirely. I understand her attitude is…difficult, but through my own experiences I’ve come to understand there’s likely a reason for her behavior.

Was the death of this Kian such a reason? I wouldn’t be surprised, especially when my own mother’s death had affected me so deeply as to rob me of my voice.

I experienced a kinship I’d never expected to feel with the princess; while I’d chosen to hide behind silence, she’d chosen to hide beneath another type of mask…one that in this moment had been stripped away, allowing me to see all that she’d been carefully guarding: a lost love and a broken heart.

CHAPTER15

It took Princess Lavena nearly an hour to stop crying and gather the strength needed to leave the cavern. She didn’t speak a single word the entire journey back to the palace, not even to ease her guard’s frantic worry upon seeing her soaked when we emerged from the lighthouse where he’d been standing guard.

Her silence continued when we returned to the palace. We didn’t encounter anyone in the corridors until we neared the guest wing, where we found Owen near my room. His warm smile felt out of place for the heavy mood.

“Marisa! I was just looking for…oh.” His grin faded into a scowl upon noticing who accompanied me. His confused gaze took in our wet and haggard appearance before he remembered his manners. “Good afternoon, Princess Lavena.” He offered a stiff, reluctant bow that she seemed not to notice as she brushed past him. Owen reluctantly glanced after her. “We’re about to have tea and I hoped you would join us.” Despite his attempt at a polite tone, reluctance filled the invitation that his mother had undoubtedly coerced him to extend.

Princess Lavena made no response, simply swept into her room and shut the door firmly on him; the click of the lock immediately followed.

Owen’s shoulders slumped in clear relief. “I suppose that means she’s declined my obligatory invitation.”

He seemed rather pleased by this turn of events. I felt a twinge of annoyance he treated the princess so callously; our excursion to the lighthouse had shifted my perspective and allowed me to feel sympathy towards her.

Confusion furrowed Owen’s brow as he stared after the princess before turning his attention towards me. His eyes widened when he noticed my soaked appearance.

“Why are you so wet? Did something happen?” His gaze took in the water dripping from my hem and the trail it’d left behind me.

I could only shrug in response. He frowned, but though his curiosity lingered, he didn’t press the matter, despite clearly wanting to, as if he sensed I didn’t want to explain.

Though my own emotions were wrought, I still got dressed for tea, knowing I’d be expected to make an appearance for the sake of the charade…but my presence proved unnecessary when Princess Lavena didn’t come, neither did she attend dinner. While Prince Nolan appeared worried by his sister’s absence, the Queen of Lyceria only seemed annoyed, though she did her best to mask the emotion for the sake of appearances.

Immediately following the meal, she and the prince left—presumably to check on the princess—leaving us no audience to perform for save Owen’s family. He gratefully seized the opportunity to remain lax in his attentions, and though it was somewhat a relief to receive a reprieve from the pressure of the charade, the longer I was without it, the more I missed his attention.

Princess Lavena remained absent the following morning, and when she also missed lunch, even I began to grow worried. I paced my bedroom, deliberating on the wisdom of checking on her myself. It was no mystery what had caused her distress but considering how I’d poorly handled my own grief over the years, I was left without any idea on how to help the princess through her own.

My frantic pacing was interrupted by a rather impatient knock. At first I wondered if it was Owen and for once I didn’t wish to see him, still rather hurt by his earlier neglect. The knock sounded again, more impatiently. I experienced a brief battle between not wanting to speak with the prince and secretly hoping to see him.

I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t be granted a moment’s peace until I dealt with him. I felt a twinge of anticipation as I stomped towards the door and hoisted it open.

My glare faltered when I saw who stood on the other side: not the prince, but Princess Lavena herself. I instinctively tensed, my heart pounding furiously as I wondered whether her presence had anything to do with what had occurred at the lighthouse the day before; her sharp annoyance only seemed to confirm my suspicions.

“What took you so long to answer?” she snapped. “Are you deaf in addition to being mute?”

She didn’t await a response as she flounced uninvited into the room. I tightened my jaw in irritation, but even if I’d been inclined to speak, I doubted I could have said anything to dissuade her. I snapped the door shut and turned to her with my arms folded in what I hoped was a look that properly conveyed my annoyance.

She lifted a single eyebrow. “You communicate rather effectively for being unable to speak.”

Though her expression was stoic, it couldn’t mask her puffy eyes, the lingering sign from her rare display of grief. As much as I wanted to remain annoyed with her, I found my tense posture faltering against my will. I gestured towards her face in silent question. She pursed her lips but said nothing as she flounced to a chair, not warranting me a glance even after she’d seated herself; it took her even longer to speak.

“After what you witnessed in that pool, are my emotions truly so surprising? I can’t believe I allowed anyone to see…”

The heartache I’d witnessed within the cavern once more overcame her. A few tears escaped as she closed her eyes, but her display of vulnerability was short-lived before she snapped her eyes back open to glare at me, though the effort was halfhearted.

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