by Cait Marie
Shane took a drink of his tea before saying, “Ada has decided to start performing more of her duties around here. No more sitting around with fairy tales.”
Adalina clenched her teeth shut. Under her breath she mumbled, “decided.”
“I thought something was missing lately,” Phillip said.
“Shane told me to put the book away. He’s very adamant about it being just a story.” Adalina ignored her brother’s sigh as she talked about him like he wasn’t there. “He’s right though, it’s childish of me to be carrying around fairy tales all the time.”
She winced at her own words.
“You don’t really believe that.” It wasn’t a question. Phillip knew her too well. Before he joined, his father was part of the royal guard. The queen had been friends with him and his wife, so when Phillip was born, she insisted they move into the palace so Shane might have a friend his own age. Phillip had been a part of Adalina’s life since her birth, and they grew just as close.
“How’s your mom?” Shane nudged Phillip’s shoulder. His tactic to change the subject worked.
“She’s good. Carys has been giving her trouble, keeping her on her toes.”
Adalina chuckled. Phillip’s younger sister was the complete opposite of him. She did not inherit their father’s serious attitude and work ethic. Carys was several years younger than them, and the girl exhausted the princess with her bubbly, nonstop energy.
“I think she’s lonely,” he continued about his mother. His father died five years earlier, just before Phillip joined the guard. Phillip trained with Shane when they were boys and had known for years that he would follow in his father’s footsteps. His father’s death had been unexpected, making the job that much more important to him—he wanted to make him proud. “I feel guilty for not spending more time with them.”
“We should visit her,” Adalina added, looking to Shane.
He nodded in agreement. “It’s been too long.”
“She would love that,” Phillip said. “They both would.”
“Good! Perhaps the five of us could have dinner soon.” Ada took another drink before shoving a chunk of bread in her mouth.
“I’m sure that could be arranged,” he said, laughing at her lack of etiquette.
“Oh, no,” she said around a mouthful. She knew what he was thinking. “We’ll bring other guards. You’re not going to be on duty while we visit your own family.”
He smiled and nodded, not arguing for once. His face softened. “The Nihryst were real, Ada. They’re in our history books.” He ignored the prince’s glare. “They fought for the kingdom in the war with Rayerna. For three years, they defeated the enemy, becoming fierce warriors.”
“Because they had to, that was their punishment,” Adalina added.
Beneath the table, Phillip tapped her shin with his foot. “That’s part of the story we know, but even if people don’t believe in the magical parts, there is proof the people did exist. They were said to be undefeatable, feared among all those who opposed the king.”
“Which spread the rumor of them being immortal.” Shane brushed a hand through his hair. “That’s what I said.”
Phillip went on as if his best friend hadn’t spoken. “I know you’re going to still believe no matter what you pretend out in those halls. You can say you’re done and put away your book and cards, but it will always be there. It’s a part of you, Ada. A part I don’t want to see you lose.”
He gave Shane a pointed look. Adalina was grateful to have someone who understood—who didn’t want her to stop believing. Though he didn’t show it as much, she knew Phillip truly believed too. He had loved the story just as much when they were children.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Do you remember when we’d run around pretending to be them as children?”
At that, Adalina laughed and playfully shoved Shane. “Yes, you two always made me be the witch!”
They laughed with her. Their childhood had been filled with make-believe games, even with their age gap. She remembered running around the castle with them, yelling and having fun.
“Well, who else were you going to be? We were obviously Loxley and Briar,” Shane said, pointing between him and Phillip.
“I could have been the queen,” she insisted.
Phillip tossed a grape at her. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Before she could respond, a loud crash sounded in the hall. The door slammed open, and to their surprise, the king sauntered in. He froze a few steps away and looked at the three of them.
The first to recover, Shane cleared his throat and stood. “Good morning, Father.”
Each grabbing their food and drink, Phillip moved over a seat and Shane took his friend’s spot. King Emyr only grunted in return and took the vacated seat at the head of the table. They stayed quiet, unsure of his presence, as he began eating.
“Mr. Lavens, it’s been a while,” the king said without looking up from the stack of papers he held beside his plate.
“Yes, your Majesty.”
Adalina looked to Phillip and could tell he was debating whether he should stay or go. She watched Shane gently lay a hand on his arm, silently telling him to stay, and she smiled.
“Father, how are the negotiations with Prillia going? Is everything in order?” Shane asked. Adalina let out a breath, and some of the tension visibly left Phillip’s shoulders.
“Yes, everything is working out. Lady Saundra and her people will be arriving the day before the ball,” the king replied. Then, with a scoff he added, “It’s Rayerna we’re having issues with. If that prince thinks he can just—”
“Father,” Shane interrupted with an apologetic glance toward Adalina. She bit the inside of her cheek, afraid of the king stopping the expected proposal. “Prince Michel is a good man.”
“Prince Michel is a sniveling kiss-ass, who doesn’t know the first thing about leading a country.”
Adalina grit her teeth. She took a deep, calming breath and sat up straighter in her chair. “The people of Rayerna love Prince Michel. He’s kind and generous. Besides, his father is in good health, so Michel will be learning for a while still before becoming king.”
When her father finally looked her way, she willed his eyes to soften. She missed the kind father of her childhood. The one who would chase her through the halls before swinging her up into his arms to plant a big kiss on her cheek. He had been so loving when she was a child. Now, she only got a bored look of indifference. She reminded herself it was better than anger.
“There are other princes for you to marry, Adalina. Other ways of becoming queen.”
She couldn’t believe his words. “I don’t care about that,” she said quietly.
The king let out a disbelieving laugh and looked back to his papers. Adalina ignored the burning behind her eyes. With a tightness in her throat, she placed her fabric napkin on her plate and stood. “Excuse me,” she said as she turned to leave the room. Shane and Phillip stood, but she waved them off and stormed out.
Shaking her head, she angrily brushed away the tears as she made her way back up to her bedroom. Adalina hated how cruel and bitter her father had become.
“Are you all right?” Shane asked as he and Phillip entered Adalina’s room later that evening.
Adalina placed her book to the side, grateful it wasn’t the one about the Nihryst. That book and the cards were still safely stored in her bedside table. She sat up straighter, leaning against the headboard of her large canopy bed while the boys approached. She pulled her feet up under her to make room for Shane, then Phillip flopped on the bed beside her. He leaned back against the wooden frame with his hands behind his head and his ankles crossed.
“How is your bed always so much more comfortable than the others?” he asked.
Shane snapped his head toward his friend with narrowed eyes. Laughing, Phillip tossed a small, decorative pillow at the prince. Adalina watched them with amusement.
“I’
m fine,” she replied. “I’m used to it at this point.”
Phillip reached a hand over and held hers while Shane said, “You shouldn’t have to be used to it, Ada.”
She shrugged. “Michel is a good man.”
“We know.” Phillip squeezed her fingers.
“Not that it’s a guaranteed thing but marrying him would be good for the kingdom. It would strengthen the alliance and—”
“Ada, you don’t have to defend him,” Shane interrupted her rambling. “Regardless, it’s your choice. You don’t have to marry for the kingdom; it can be anyone.”
“Even a guard,” Phillip teased with a wink, trying to lighten the mood.
Shane sighed. “Yes, even a guard, if that’s what you want.”
Adalina smiled at her brother. “I know. Thank you.” She looked to Phillip. “Both of you. Father’s just so…”
“Power-hungry?”
“Exactly,” she agreed. “It’s like he can’t fathom that I want to marry Michel for any other reason than to become queen.”
“Ah, but you do want to marry him?” Shane asked.
Adalina’s cheeks heated up. They teased and laughed, but she knew they both supported her. She knew they were happy for her.
“Wait,” she said suddenly. She asked Phillip, “What are you doing here? Don’t you work in the morning?”
“Yes, I should probably head home soon.”
“Yeah, man, you really need more sleep,” Shane said with a laugh. “You would not believe how badly I beat him at poker earlier.”
“I let you win.” Phillip let go of Adalina and grabbed the pillow back from Shane.
“Sure you did.”
“You could always just stay here.” At their raised brows, Adalina laughed, pointing to the bed. “Not literally here. Relax, Shane. We have dozens of empty beds for a couple more weeks. That way you don’t have to walk all the way home just to get a few hours of sleep.”
“She’s right,” Shane agreed. “You know you’re always welcome to stay.”
Phillip smiled at his friend and agreed to take his usual spare room down the hall. After his father passed, the Lavens moved into a small home in the village. It didn’t take long to get there, but Adalina knew he hated making the trek before the sun came up.
Even though the purpose of him staying was to get more sleep, the three of them stayed up talking well into the night. It felt like when they were younger and they’d all pile into one room for the night. Adalina could remember her mother coming in over and over, telling them to go to sleep. They’d stay up all night laughing and telling stories.
“I miss her too,” Shane said when Adalina brought it up, and Phillip nodded. “She never really minded, you know?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“She would come in and pretend to be frustrated, but I saw her smiling and shaking her head as she left one time,” Shane explained. “I asked her about it the next day, and she told me she was actually happy hearing us laugh all night. She loved that the three of us were so close.”
A tear rolled down Adalina’s cheek as she smiled. Phillip moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He wiped her tears away, then pressed a kiss to the top of her head. They stayed a little longer, talking about the queen and laughing about how much trouble they always got in. After a while, they finally said goodnight, and the boys went to their separate rooms.
Adalina pulled the Nihryst book out and hugged it to her chest as she lay down. It was a familiar comfort—one she didn’t think she would ever truly be able to rid herself of, no matter her age. Before long, she drifted off into darkness.
“Where are you, Princess?”
She bolted upright. Once again, her dreams woke her just before dawn. After placing the book back into her bedside table, Adalina brushed a hand through her hair and grabbed her robe. This routine grew tiresome. She walked through the quiet, peaceful hallway—soothing as always after her confusing dreams.
“Your schedule exhausts me just thinking about it,” she said when someone joined her.
Phillip’s deep laugh as he caught up made her smile. They walked down the hall in comfortable silence. It felt natural after so many years.
“You all right?” he asked. When she didn’t respond right away, he put a hand on her elbow to stop her.
She slipped a hand around his arm and stood close, drawing in his body heat. “I’m fine.”
“Adalina.” Phillip sighed. After a few paces in silence, he asked, “Does this walk have anything to do with the ball?”
“Not really. I had a dream about the Nihryst,” she said, laying her head against his shoulder.
“Ol’ Loxley still the star of the dreams?”
“Yes.” It was barely more than a whisper. He squeezed her arm lightly, steering them toward the stairs.
They reached the second floor and turned down the hall. Voices from the king’s study startled them. Adalina hesitated, but her curiosity won out, and she crept forward with Phillip following close behind.
The door to the study wasn’t latched. Silhouetted figures moved around the large center desk inside. Adalina recognized her father’s voice immediately.
“No, I told you it has to happen right after the ball,” he argued with two others in the room.
A second voice said, “But they’re almost in place now. What are we supposed to do?”
“We have to have a reason,” the third deep voice chimed in.
“Make something up!” Adalina hadn’t heard her father get so worked up in a long time.
“Perhaps we can say we received threats and wanted to ensure their convoys are able to get here safely.” The second man proposed the idea more like a question.
“That could give us some time but until after the ball?” the third asked.
A slam startled Adalina. She jumped, and Phillip placed a comforting hand on her back.
“I don’t care what it takes, make it happen! We attack after the ball. Both kingdoms, simultaneously.” The king’s harsh tone made Adalina’s heart pound. “By then, the duchess and that damned prince will be here, engaged to my children. If their two countries don’t surrender, we’ll already have the perfect hostages in place. After all, the rest of their parties will be dead by the end of dinner.”
Adalina could no longer breathe.
“Emyr, are you sure about poisoning them all there? What if it accidentally goes to the wrong person?”
“It won’t. Because there won’t be a wrong person. Everyone not sitting at the high table with my family will receive the same thing. We need to at least appear to have a cause. And when our own people are killed alongside theirs, we’ll pin it on Rayerna.”
“You do know that in doing this, the surrounding kingdoms will send them aid, right? This is likely to end in war with the entire mainland, not just Rayerna,” one of the men commented.
“Oh, I’m planning on it.” Adalina could almost hear the malicious grin on her father’s face. “First, we take Rayerna and Prillia, then we move on, conquering each insignificant country one after another. We will control this world. There’s no one to defeat us. We have the grandest military in the world, all under my command.” He stood up straight and reiterated, “There is not a soul out there who can stop us. I have the power.”
Adalina couldn’t listen anymore. She stood from her crouch, intent on running to Shane’s room to tell him what she heard. As soon as her weight shifted though, a floorboard creaked beneath her feet.
Her heart stopped. Eyes snapped to hers through the cracked door. The sliver of light illuminated her enough for them to recognize her long fiery locks.
The king sighed in frustration. “Grab her.”
A hand wrapped around hers and yanked her around. She ran with Phillip as the door behind them fully opened, and the two men chased after them.
They turned a corner, and Phillip pulled her through a hidden door that popped open along a wall. He held her close in the dark
, trying to mask her frantic breathing. Footsteps slowed on the other side of the door. Adalina buried her face in Phillip’s shoulder as he held a hand to the back of her head.
“Oh, Princess,” a man’s voice drew out her title. “You might as well come out; we’re going to find you at some point. You have nowhere to go.”
Phillip’s lips pressed to her temple as he tried to calm her shaking. The arm wrapped around her back tightened.
“You can’t hide forever, Princess. We know it was you. If not now, your father will get you tomorrow. He can’t let you ruin his plans.”
After several minutes, the footsteps finally receded down the hall, and Adalina let out a shuddering breath. She felt Phillip’s mouth move down to her ear.
“Come with me,” he whispered.
He took her hand and slowly led her through a dark tunnel. In the pitch black, she bumped into him and stumbled over and over. With a hand on the wall, Phillip guided them through a labyrinth until they reached a small stairwell.
“We have to get you out of here,” Phillip whispered as they reached a dimly lit juncture at the top of the stairs.
“Phillip, where are we?”
“There are hidden passageways that lead from each of your bedrooms to different escape routes. They’re all throughout the castle, but no one knows about them anymore.”
“How—”
“We don’t have time.” His rushed words caused her stomach to drop. She had to leave her home. Her father was going to kill hundreds of people before sending Detmarya into war with the kingdoms across the sea. He was the most powerful man on this side of the world. To even get close enough to the king, someone would have to be near unstoppable.
Phillip pulled Adalina toward the hall he pointed out as an exit, but she stopped abruptly. “I have to go to my room.”
“What? No!” She heard the fear in his whisper as he tried to stay quiet. “That’s the first place they’ll look.”
“I have to get the book.”
“Ada, I know it means everything to you, but it’s not worth the risk.” He tried pulling on her hand again.
