Page 30 of Kingdom of Today
The next morning, I checked my reader, but there was no response. Looked like I’d have to go about my day as if nothing was wrong.
My guards followed as I stomped from my cell. They even accompanied me inside the locker room. “Hey,” I snapped and shooed them off. “Go.”
“We have new orders from High Prince Cyrus,” one said. “Stay with you at all times, no matter where you go or who you’re with.”
Defiant, I tugged on my fatigues. Orders from Cyrus, not the emperor or Mr. Vyle? But why? Confusion set in, and I steeped in it.
Winslet stomped over. “I lost you in the crowd yesterday.”
“Yeah,” I said with a wince. “Apologies. It was packed in there.”
She leaned against a cubby and crossed her arms. “What did you end up doing?”
“This and that.” What else could I say without lying? I sat on the bench and tied my boots. “How about you?”
“Same. Look,” she said, plopping beside me. “If you don’t want to be friends, just say so. You’re dating a high prince, and I’m a nobody. I get it.” Resentment replaced her tinge of anger.
An urge to soothe bloomed from a seed of guilt. At the same time, part of me wondered if she purposely sought to rouse such an emotion. She might be a CURED spy ... or the Soalian I searched for. “I’ll pretend you didn’t just insult me. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, so let’s pair up and change that.”
“Fine,” she replied, as if she didn’t care, but I noted the glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
We spent the day tied together by the chain I despised, but I admit, I enjoyed her more every hour. Her quick wit kept my mind off my problems and grounded me in the moment.
Was she the Soalian or not? And if not, how could I recruit her?
“You know Roman better than anyone,” she said at the end of the day as we changed in the locker room, readying for our free time. Well, she changed, uncaring that my guard stood in the doorway. Ijust removed my fatigues, leaving me clad in the pj’s I hadn’t shed this morning. “You got any tips for snagging his attention?”
Oooh. Was he responsible for her sudden interest in hanging out with me? “I don’t know him well. Just well enough to understand a girl only needs to keep breathing for a shot. He likes variety.”
She snorted and finished up. “Yeah. That tracks. Anyway, you should come to the commons for once. We always have fun.”
“Maybe one day,” I hedged. Just not today. I bid her goodbye and hustled to my cell to check my special reader.
Grrr! Still no response from Cyrus.
Nor was there a message the next morning. Or the next. Thanks to my guards, I couldn’t sneak off to hunt him down and demand an answer face-to-face. My optimism plummeted, which soured my mood. Though I held my piece of the Rock close each night, while alone in my cell, Domino never appeared either.
A sense of abandonment spiced my growing dismay, creating a toxic brew of anxiety. Perhaps a little anger too. Had I been forgotten? Was I unwanted?
What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to warn Cyrus about Astan if I couldn’t speak to him?
Finally, on the morning I was to travel to Theirland, I received a response.
I’ll make arrangements.
Relief and anticipation pummeled my other emotions. I expected a summons at any second. Before I reached transport, at the very least. Except, I never made it to transport.
“No need for a chain or partner today,” Roman called. “Report to classroom three.”
Questions sprinkled the air, all revolving around why.
“I don’t know,” he groused. “I just know what I was commanded to tell you.”
Everyone switched direction. We made our way to the appropriate classroom, where we each claimed a seat. I waited, hoping against hope this had something to do with my meeting with Cyrus.
Before long, Heta strode into the room and announced, “You’re not going to Theirland today. You’re not ready. Instead, you’re taking a surprise field trip to Bala City. Line up at the door and follow the baron to the bus.”
Curiosity and dread colored the expression of my fellow trainees. No one protested, though. We jumped to our feet and hustled out the door. Roman and Merlot took the lead, the cast on her wrist not disqualifying her from service, while Winslet and Miller flanked me, and my guards remained glued to my heels.
