Page 13 of Vicious Princess
I can’t find them.
A figure in armor emerges at the edge of the inferno. He wears the Royal Guard uniform.
Dark eyes on me. I recognize those stark features.
He turns his back.
“No!”
I reach the door?—
Hands grab me. Hold me back.
I thrash and scream. “No, let me go. Please let me go?—”
Fane walks out of the room, a charred skeleton with our mother’s eyes. “Why did you leave? Why didn’t you help us?”
I wake with a gasp, soaked in sweat.
Just a dream. Just a dream, I repeat in my mind like a prayer.
But the ache in my chest feels real.
I strugglewith the tiny metal hooks of my corset top. My fingers are clumsy, hands trembling after a sleepless night. Without the comfort of V’s body next to me, the nightmares are back.
“Son of a bitch,” I curse when I once again miss a hook.
Last night after dinner, I took a cold bath because there was no warm water and went straight to bed. I’ve been trying very hard to ignore Kazh’s words, but they still echo loudly in my mind as I hook the last clip of my corset and start strapping my knives around my belt.
I miss my bow. I don’t regret giving it to V, of course. But I need a new bow. Blades are good enough weapons, yet I don’t feel whole without a bow.
I slide my shaking hands inside brown leather gloves, covering the scars, and grab my bag before leaving the small room. It’s on the second floor of the inn, where all the sleeping rooms are located.
The moment I descend to the first floor, the delicious scent of breakfast reaches my nostrils. My stomach growls, and I’m tempted to grab some food. But I don’t have the patience to deal with Kazh or her men and their condescension this morning.
Cold early-morning air hits me in the face like a brick wall. It’s crisp and fresh, biting the exposed skin on my cheeks as I stride through small streets, towards the center of the city. I pull the hood of my coat over my head, but it does very little. I’m cold right to the marrow of my bones.
I don’t need to look at the map in my hand because Ezkai Castle stands on the highest hill right at the center, looming overthe city. It’s quite an impressive sight, because the castle has high towers built from dark stones.
But it’s not as impressive a sight as the regal mountains with white peaks that disappear into the clouds outside the city. I don’t know how far these mountains are from Jaakii, but even from here, they’re breathtaking. I can’t stop staring.
It’s not like it’s my first time seeing mountains. Wetra has mountains. But they’re very different—dry and rocky. I much prefer the mountains in Ekios.
The walk through Bussek to Ezkai Castle is not too long. The whole territory is surrounded by high stone walls. It takes me a while to find the entrance, because there’s only one. I pass through massive wrought iron gates and follow the stone path up the mountain.
The sun is higher in the sky already, but it offers little comfort. I can still see my breath in front of me. When I reach the top of the path, I find two soldiers in front of the main entrance to the castle.
I press my fist over my heart and dip my chin as is appropriate when I approach them. They offer me unwelcoming frowns.
Finally, one of them speaks. “What business?”
“I’m a Decarios. And I’m here to join the Order of Ezkai,” I say.
Both Ezkai look me up and down and then exchange a glance. It worries me, their coldness. What if they don’t let me join? I have no backup plan. I’ll have to get on my knees and beg.
“Go inside and turn left. At the end of that corridor, on the right, you’ll find the office,” one of the Ezkai finally tells me.
I bow my head. “Thank you.”
