Page 22 of Wicked Prince of Shadows
As Doctor Rasoul had warned, my body was a little stiff. But it was nothing compared to the pain last night. Curiosity got the better of me though, and I made my way to the window and peered out to see the damage after the behemoth’s attack.
The palace should have been in shambles. How much of it could have been survived after that attack? I’d only seem a little of it, but the sounds had been horrified.
Yet now as I scanned the surrounding area, it was as if the attack yesterday had never happened. At most, there were dark cracks that appeared to have been sealed somehow.
I placed my hand against the stone wall of the windowsill. How was this possible?
Something was missing as I looked out over the palace though. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was.
Strange. That was the only word for it.
A sharp rap on the door startled me. I froze as the knock came again, more insistent this time.
"Princess? Are you awake?" a familiar gravelly voice called through the door.
Six Stitches. I pulled the blanket tighter around me, more aware of my torn dress beneath. "Yes," I called back uncertainly. "I'm awake."
The door opened to reveal both guards from yesterday—Six Stitches and Broken Nose—standing stiffly in the hallway. Their expressions remained neutral, neither one holding a weapon in my direction and their swords still in their sheaths.
"His Majesty requests your presence," Six Stitches said with a curt nod. "There are fresh clothes for you in the wardrobe. You're to change and come with us immediately."
“He also says you aren’t to cause any problems,” Broken Nose said sternly. “You’ll get dressed and come with us to face your punishment with dignity. And if you don’t cooperate or if you try to run, we’ll take you as you are and drag you there, even if you lose all your clothes.”
I raised an eyebrow. Dignity was pointless to me, but I needed to be smart about how I defied the Hollow King further. The Witheringlands was wretched and vicious, and the portal, my only way out, hadn’t worked. He’d probably locked it or done something to keep me from being able to pass through, and that wasn’t addressing the fact that there had been that cave in from the spider wolf. “Fine. I’ll get dressed.”
“You have two minutes,” Broken Nose said.
I rolled my eyes but closed the door. The doctor had at least been thorough in his cleansing. Though my thick black hair was somewhat tangled, it was also clean and smelled like I’d been next to a bonfire.
The wardrobe itself held a simple grey dress with a belted sash and a gentle V-neckline. The material was the perfect weight for the weather, though there was no detailing or embellishments on the fabric. It was far more like a serving dress or work wear I might take to weed or chop a path through the forest. Not that I minded.
In the event I got another opportunity to escape, this would be far better suited for ripping up into bandages or rope. The simple grey shoes were likewise simple but sturdy enough.
And there wouldn’t be a next time until I got more information about the portal and figured out why it hadn’t worked.
Another sharp rap on the door alerted me that my time was up. No sense in wasting my time or strength. The guards escorted me down to the observation room in silence. I took in every detail, committing it to memory and searching foranything that might help me. The broad staircase bore some marks of cracks, but there was nothing too serious. It was as if yesterday’s damage had been erased. But something else was missing too. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was precisely.
The Hollow King stood with his back to me once more, his eels in the pool. The two guards cleared their throats, then backed away, leaving me in the tense silence. His shadows pooled about his feet like a pool of ink while the one shadow that his form cast from the weak sunlight stretched all the way to the pool. It looked as if the larger shadows were devouring the one of his form. I wished they would.
I folded my arms over my chest, the soft grey dress rustling a little with the movement.
“I warned you not to run, and I told you that there would be consequences,” the Hollow King said at last. “You haven’t even been here a full day and a night, and look at the chaos you’ve caused. You tear down your curtains, your blankets, your towels—everything—to make a rope for an escape that caused nothing but trouble. Then, after you were chastised and warned, you fled and got yourself practically shredded. And for what?” His shoulders and wings tensed. “Did you really think you could just disappear through that portal and all would be well?”
Shame flared through me as if I had been stupid to think that the portal would get me home. I lifted my chin in response. “You could have mentioned that you locked it.”
He turned to face me and rolled his eyes, scoffing. “You weren’t supposed to go running off into the barrens.”
“No, apparently I’m supposed to just accept that I’m trapped here and going to be sacrificed!”
“Yes!” His eyes burned brighter as his wings flared out. He strode toward me. “That is exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
I backed away, still glaring but not wanting him to touch me. “I do not roll over and die just because I am commanded to doso. I don’t care who you are.” Bumping into my shelf, my back was now against the wall.
“You should care. I warned you there would be consequences for your actions if you chose to flee,” he said darkly, his head canting as he stood directly in front of me. A harsh gleam entered his eyes, a malicious smirk tugging at his lips. “And after last night, I considered allowing your suffering from the necessary healing to suffice. On top of that, I couldn’t stop thinking about your insistence that you aren’t in fact the princess. Now I’m a fair man.”
I scoffed.
His glare hardened. “Iama fair man, you wretched little dodo. And…I thought…why not have a test and settle this once and for all?”
