Page 42 of Of Nightmares & Fire
“I need to answer the door before they come in to check on me.” She says breathlessly.
“I will allow your friend to come with us, but ensure she knows there is no going back to her old life.” I say softly. It's a warning for her friend, but for her too.
“When we leave, everything changes.” She says, easily lifting her chin in defiance and the flame that dances in her flares.
With my discarded shirt in hand and my boots unlaced I stand in the hidden passage that leads to Astraea’s chamber with my head leaning back against the dusty stone wall. My eyes closed as I try to collect myself.
Nothing is going right.
Every time I feel like we are on the right path, something else happens to change it.Someonechanges it. My jaw clenches as I shimmy the shirt over my head and into place on my chest covering the last bit of evidence of last night.
“Are you ok? You look flustered.” Astraea’s handmaid says as she lets her into the room and closes the door. There is no answer from the princess and it brings a smirk to curl my lips.Did I make you speechless, Shula?
As much as I want to hear what she has to say to her friend about me and whatever last night was, I don’t have time. Astraea told me what she needed from me for her plan and we only have a couple hours to get everything in line for this to pan out. If we can’t make it work we will have to follow them into the dunes and thatwillbe a problem. Considering I am the only one who can rend in our group, and my magick is not yet fully recovered, there is no way I would be able to transport all of us far.
I have barely made it around the corner, heading toward the main hall, the one that leads to the visitors wing of the castle before I am being halted by none other than the prick, Pravin.
“What are you doing coming from the royal wing of the castle?” He growls in question, his hand lingering on the belt that holds his short sword. My eyes drop to it before I answer him, I crack my neck and widen my stance. The motion makes him eye my untied boots and his eyes narrow.
“I was out for a morning stroll and lost my way… but I’m sure that you would be able to point me in the right direction.” The smirk I give him causes his face to redden as another guard comes walking from the same direction I came from.
“The princess has been informed of the change.” The guard from last night, Kellan, says, looking me up and down before lifting his gaze to Pravin.
“Good. Then I guess you are the only one left to inform… Is that blood on your tunic?” He questions and I look down at the fabric on my chest pulling it out to inspect it closer.
“Hmm, I guess it is. What changed?” Nonchalance bleeding from my tone.
“Are you injured? That looks like a bit of blood.” He asks skeptically. I smile leaving him time to wonder before I finally answer.
“Thank you for your concern, but no. I’m not injured, but there was a bit of blood, you are right.” I say, and Kellan clears his throat and brings Pravin’s attention back to him.
“Since we have you here, I suppose now is as good a time as any to let you know that the king has changed the timeline in thechallenge departure. It seems that there is an approaching sandstorm and they will need to leave within the hour to beat it.” His words hit me like the storm he speaks of and I grind my teeth.
“Doesn’t it make more sense for them to wait out the storm? Why rush off into the desert when you know the dangers that are headed this way?” As I say the question I realize why. This is another challenge in itself.
“The princess needs to be married by the time she turns twenty-one, we don’t have time to wait out a storm. I presume that is not hard for you to comprehend, being that you are an heir to a kingdom too.” Pravin cuts in.
“Don’t presume anything about the inner workings of my mind,Pravin. I assure you, you have no idea what I tend to understand." I begin walking away from them and away from the royal wing of the castle, when I am called after by a voice that is not either men and has me screeching to a halt.
When I turn to face her, her deep shadowy tresses are down flowing along her back and my eyes can't help but follow the cascade of them. She chews her lip at my obvious observation. She's in a cream colored dress, the material light and flowy the hessian fabric that will shield her face from the desert elements hangs loosely around her neck. Everything down to the rose colored tint on her cheeks looks like a desert goddess.
“I would love it if you could escort me to the gates, for the favor ceremony.” She smiles then, and Pravin nearly growls in revulsion. Kellan’s jaw tightens, but he otherwise looks passive.
“I would love to, Astraea, but I do need to prepare myself.” I gesture to my chest, “as you can see, sparring took quite the turn.”
“I don’t mind at all. I will wait for you.” She says happily, without missing a beat. She needs to tone it down even I can see through her charade.
“That is highly inappro—” Pravin starts but Kellan cuts him off.
“I will escort you both.” He says, gesturing toward the wing I was headed.
“Great. Then it’s settled.” Astraea beams, then looks to Pravin with a glare. “Pravin.” She strides ahead leaving the three of us watching after her and then Kellan follows. I can’t help the smirk that pulls the corners of my mouth up when I look back at the guard on a power trip and the unbridled rage on his face.
“Ipresume,I will see you at the ceremony.” I pat him on the chest before I leave him standing there alone and catch up to Kellan and Astraea.
“Kellan is going to help us.” She says quietly when I reach her side. Shifting her eyes back at Pravin as she does. This Kellan better be trustworthy or his blood will be the first to dirty my hands since my declaration to Astraea.
We don't have much time to gather anything for the journey, but Kellan assures us he has people working on gathering for the trip. They of course don't know that it's us they are gathering items for, just that a higher ranking soldier has asked for it, so it will be done. I quickly change my clothing and grab any weapons I was keeping in my room before we start heading to the gates for the ceremony.
