Page 31 of Crowned A Traitor
“If I catch you,” Frendall cut himself off.
“You won’t.” An arrogant smile appeared, and she knew she had just challenged him. “Nobody knows what the future holds, maybe you will get tired of the bowing and scraping and join me.”
Klara imagined them both surrounded by colour and life. She closed the distance between them and rose on her tiptoes. The stunned look in his eyes made it worth it. She gently kissed him, knowing if she saw him again, it would end in spilt blood.
Frendall crushed his lips to hers, allowing her to see through his mind. A film of them running through the Maze of Hell, a collection of Doomed begging them to return to their chambers and a chorus of screams and laughter as they jumped through portraits.
“Tell dad I said goodbye.” Klara broke away from him. “What do I tell him? He will wonder why you left without saying goodbye.” She felt his Commanders mark under her fingers and reminded herself where his loyalties truly lie.
“Tell him the border required my immediate attention, that I wanted to get started right away. It’s not exactly a lie.” Klara saw the Hound’s ears perk up in the corner of her eye.
“I’ll give you time, but once that order comes,” Frendall said, and she knew he meant it. Her only advantage was his lack of knowledge of Malum.
“Thanks for the head start,” she smiled, and Frendall released her hand.
“Catch you later,” Frendall smirked, and she saluted disappearing behind a row of hedges as she left him by the fountain. At the steps of the Manor, she heard the clicking of claws behind her and the Hound stilled as she saw the white-tipped ears.
“You need to stay with Frendall,” Klara ordered, and the hound cowered bustling its head into her legs. She wrapped her arms around her vicious pet, “I’ll see you soon,” she said, rubbing its ears and the Hound whined before running back to the gardens as Frendall’s sharp whistle called.
???
Lucifer’s portrait at the end of the hall sat proudly beside Henry the Eighth. “I won’t become you,” Klara said to her Father’s accusing eyes.
“Find her!” Captain Darley’s orders echoed off the high ceiling, and Klara made a run for it.
Klara pulled her axe from the secret compartment of her Father’s desk. Klara thanked him for his carelessness.
Scouring the bookshelf, she found her first edition of Alice and Wonderland, one of their shared favourites. She remembered the rare moments when her Father would read her a chapter. What she loved most was her Father’s stories, claiming he had sent Lewis Carroll down a rabbit hole of his own.
Klara flipped through the pages, picturing every detail of her room back in Malum. The simple bed and dull decor that she had never bothered to make her home. The walls of her Father’s shelved office started to wobble as she was pulled through the cursed pages.
Nausea racked her body as Klara landed on her bedroom floor in Malum. Soft landings and portaling never went hand in hand. Her new heart throbbed under the pressure of the trip, and she looked at the pink scar seeing that it had faded to a faint silver.
Impromptu portaling might not have been the best idea. I need to get out of here before the Queens notice I’m back.
She rubbed her bare scalp, feeling the prickles of growth under her fingertips. Somehow, she had lost her wig on the journey. Klara took a few deep breaths, and the sparkles disappeared from her vision as she noticed the night had already passed. Klara went to grab her emergency bag when she heard a cluster of voices.
“The Ogres picked up an outside energy. We have an intruder in the sky rooms.”
She quickly shoved her bag into the bottom of her wardrobe before it could be noticed.
“An intruder, don’t be ridiculous?” Eve opened the door just as Klara shut the wardrobe doors.Here comes Mommy Dearest.
An Ogre and one of Abadan’s private Guard in Crimson armour stood behind Eve with their baton and sword at the ready. Eve’s thin eyebrows scrunched up as she stared at her ward. “Klara? What are you doing here?” Eve asked, and Klara embraced Eve’s petite frame.
Klara’s mind jumped to Mila passed out on the marble floor in Hell, defeated and humiliated. She wondered how Eve would take the news when it reached her. Eve would probably be disappointed her daughter had used her fists instead of magic. Eve never liked to partake in physical activities unless it involved her greenhouse.
“I couldn’t stay too long down there. The heat is stifling.”
“Why are you back so soon?” Eve asked staring at Klara’s bare scalp without raising an eyebrow. “I see the King put you in your place.”
“Yes, punishment duly noted.”
“Well, we had no announcement of your arrival, and it’s almost been a week,” Eve scoffed, and the Ogre and Guard put away their weapons.Better late than never
“We would have arranged a gathering for you,” Eve sounded deflated, clearly robbed of an excuse to gossip and drink her fill. After the banquet, Klara had had enough gatherings for a while.
“Dad couldn’t stand the sight of me, so he gave me a heart and a new mission,” Klara said, watching the eyes of the Crimson Guard roll over her body.The Guard isn’t usually permitted within the Castle. Abadan must have been feeling extra paranoid while I was away.
