Page 16 of Crowned A Traitor
“See to it.” Lucifer’s words echoed through her, and Klara gripped her scalp, grateful her locks remained. She thought it would have been shaved in her sleep, but instead, her magic and new heart had restored her hair to black.
Klara’s eyes drifted to the carousel on the dresser and saw that it was free from dust,someone is still cleaning my room. Klara moved to the carousel and touched the ruby at the base. Sweet music filled the room, and she looked at the mirror behind the spinning antique. Her dark green eyes stared back at her as she dropped the concealing glamour and spread her wings. Klara kept her eyes on the floor as her palms brushed her wings. She pictured the decapitated heads of Dario and Lucius, and yet her wings remained soft and light, not the leather she had been expecting. Her eyes flashed from black to white as another glamour slipped away.
Klara’s eyes had never matched her Father’s, and she figured a simple glamour would protect them both. She had taken the lives of the Ghouls, and yet her white feathers and eyes remained.The Creatures were far from innocent, maybe that’s what saved me from Father’s black leather wings.
Klara felt a presence behind the door and her wings folded within her. The knock came as expected, and Klara silenced the carousel.
“The King sends a Doomed every day to maintain your room,” Frendall said, standing in the doorway with his arms folded. “The same Doomed you gave this too,” he said, holding up a silver coin.
“That was mine to give,” Klara scolded, and Frendall tossed it to her.
“The Doomed handed it over to me, she knows the Doomed keep no coin, you endangered her position here.”
“Isn’t it lucky the poor thing ran into you then?” Klara said, to argue with the rules of Hell was futile. She looked at his tailored suit and the leather strap across his body that held his sword to his side.
“You are going to want to remove that.” Frendall pointed at the crystal around her neck.
“It’s for my own protection.”
“Trust me. At least put it somewhere it won’t be noticed.”
“A little glowing crystal never hurt anyone.”
“Are you going to fight me every step of the way?”
Klara heard soft panting and looked around the room. “Nice try,” she said, reaching out to Frendall’s side.
Rough fur met her palms, and the Hounds appeared. They pushed past Frendall as Klara knelt to stroke them.
“Will you take it off?” Frendall said, shaking his head as she spoiled the panting Hounds.
Klara wanted to change the topic from her neckwear. She had so much to ask him, but she couldn’t find the words. “Fine. Consider it gone.” Klara released the clasp and slipped the small crystal into her pocket.
“I’ll just have to bring my axe,” she said, and Frendall looked defeated.My Axe. Her eyes darted around the room, but it wasn’t here. “It’s in the King’s possession.”
“Then I’ll just have to go and get it.”
“No weapons, the Heir of Hell shouldn’t need them in her home,” Frendall stated. Klara didn’t like the thought of her axe being held captive. It meant she couldn’t leave in a moment’s notice and she would need it for her escape from Malum.
“Maybe you want to hurt me.”
“There are a few things I would like to do to you,” Frendall muttered. “Is that a threat?” Klara snapped, and he grabbed the back of his neck.
“I see Lilith beat the sense of humour out of you.”
“Probably, along with a few teeth.”
There was an awkward silence as neither knew what to say next.
“Others will be arriving soon,” Frendall said, and she resisted the urge to run.
From the crowded reception at the gate, word of Klara’s visit would have gotten out by now. “You are going to ruin them,” Frendall said, and the Hound’s hopped onto her bed and circled until they settled laying on top of each other.
“Down!” Frendall ordered, and the Hounds turned their snouts to Klara. “They aren’t hurting anybody,” she said, and he clasped his hands behind his back.
“They won’t hurt anyone if you keep spoiling them.”
One of the Hounds let out a defiant bark and Klara couldn’t help but smile as Frendall shook his head in dismay.
