The Four Kingdoms

by Maryam Durrani

  “And yet you will answer,” he said with an innocent shrug. “Maybe not now. But you’ll come around. You always do.” He gave me a side glance, a smile playing on his lips. I rolled my eyes.

  Xavier watched me carefully. Out of nowhere, he held out a hand, his long fingers outstretched. A ring with a crest on it circled around his middle finger. A wave of melancholy hit me as I realized what it was; a gold lion surrounded by scarlet, the crest of Astodia.

  “What?” I leaned away, eyeing his hand warily. “What are you trying to do?”

  “Run with me,” he said.

  I barked out a laugh. “You want me to take your hand?”

  “And run,” he nodded, curling his fingers in once to beckon me.

  “You’re not joking, are you?” The smile on my face disappeared.

  “Why would I be?”

  I grabbed onto his hand, reluctantly. “You have to be kidding me,” I said under my breath. He yanked my arm.

  “We’ll be back!” he shouted. “Keep practicing.” He pulled on my arm, starting to run across the field. “Close your eyes!”

  “No!” I shot. “Are you insane?” But when he didn’t reply, I decided to close them for a moment. I felt the wind against my face, my limbs loosening. I trusted being blind, for a moment.

  “A nice run makes everything feel better,” he said over the breeze. We raced through the courtyard, Xavier’s fingers wrapped around my wrist, the cool metal of the ring pressing against my bone. Just like old times.

  He stopped in front of a hedge. “You should really go out more.” In the hedge was a door, just like the ones in stories. Straightening, he turned the doorknob and pushed, revealing a garden.

  He grabbed my arm again, pulling me inside.

  “Was this supposed to transform me into a better human being?” I raised an eyebrow. He put a finger over his lips.

  “Listen.”

  I did.

  Silence.

  “I hear nothing,” I scowled. “What are you playing at?”

  He grinned. “Nothing. You hear nothing.” My mind was clear, for once. He stood in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Don’t worry about travelling,” he said, sitting down. I was pulled down with him. His face was serene. “I’ll be there with you. You’ve made yourself a part of this kingdom now, and there’s nothing I can do to change that. But I love you. And I’m here.” He pointed at the space between us. I felt my face burn.

  We love you, no matter what.

  “You can’t say that,” I said softly, getting to my feet. What did I do to deserve all this love? “I’m sorry,” I shook my head, hoping the despair I felt wouldn’t creep out through my words. Guilt set as a stone in the pits of my stomach. I’m sorry.

  “I—”

  I held up a hand, and then pressed my palms against my ears. “Don’t say anything.” My eyes, face, and throat were on fire, and I made sure to shut the door behind me as I left the garden.

  FOURTEEN

  Leo fell behind in all of the practice days. He was slow, but I couldn’t give up just yet.

  Sweat beaded on his upper lip, his chest rising and falling as if he’d run six miles today. His blond hair matted to his forehead, green eyes exhausted but determined. I’d taken him into my own hands as Xavier trained three against one. Finally, Leo took a break, falling onto all fours.

  “What do you see in me?” he asked, breathless. “I’m not cut out for this. I’ll be the first casualty on the battlefield, you wait and see.”

  I watched him with displeasure, his feeble body bent before me. What did I see in him? He wasn’t strong, neither was he brave enough to battle. He would be crushed. He would be killed.

  So what was he doing here?

  “Get to your feet, soldier,” I commanded, tapping his shoulder with the flat edge of my sword.

  “I’m tired,” he looked up at me, his green eyes weary. “The time you spend correcting my every move, you could be saving their lives.” He pointed at the men gathered around Xavier as he took them on. My eyes fell on Leo.

  “Get back on your feet!” The man had cold eyes and a wrinkled face, but he showed no sign of weakness. He was a skilled man, his movements as fast as lightning.

  “I can’t,” I whimpered. “I’ve done everything you asked, but I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired. The king has high standards set for me—ones that I can’t possibly meet.”

  His gray eyebrows were knit together, his jaw set. He got on one knee, his eyes boring into mine, staring into the very depths of my soul.

  “Are you telling me you’re giving up?” His voice was deadly quiet. I swallowed, sitting back on my haunches, rubbing my eyes from exhaustion.

  “He wants me to be an assassin.” My eyes burned. “I don’t think I can do it.”

  “Don’t think,” he said, his voice suddenly gentle. “It just complicates things.” I held my hands to my face.

  “What if I fail?”

  “If you give up now, you won’t ever find out.” He held out his hand. “You tell me—are you giving up?”

  A sudden burst of determination washing over me. I reached out, grabbing his hand, my lips pursed. No. This wasn’t like me.

  I would not go down without a fight.

  “Not yet.” I let my free hand fall, my eyes meeting his. “Not just yet.”

  Leo brushed the back of his sleeve against his forehead.

  “Are you giving up?” I asked. “Are you telling me you’re ready to die without a fight?”

  “I’ll be killed as soon as I set foot into the battlefield,” he argued. “Look at me.”

  “So you are giving up,” I blew out through my lips, setting my hands on my hips. “That’s fine by me,” I shrugged. “I can spend this time with people who deserve it, not someone who won’t work to find out if he’ll make it.”

  I turned my back to him, making my way to Xavier who

  was frowning.

  “Wait!”

  I glanced over my shoulder, hiding my satisfaction. Leo was standing, sword in hand, shoulders squared. “I’ll do it. I’ll do my best.” He bowed his head, and I straightened my shoulders.

  “All right, then.”

  I snuck a glance at Xavier who’d been watching us from a distance. He stood there, smiling proudly.

  I strolled through the corridors, on guard duty once again. I turned left, nodding at the guards that stood at their posts, chests puffed. The princess was asleep. As I turned into another hallway, my eyes caught a flash of white-blond hair disappearing around a wall.

  “Isabel?” I called. Glancing over my shoulder, I started up a jog, the sound of my boots echoing through the empty halls. I took a sharp right, almost slamming into the newcomer’s back.

  He turned around, looking me up and down. “You look stunning in your uniform,” he stated.

  “Jax! What are you doing here?” I asked. He wore a uniform similar to mine, and it fitted well. I took a step back, taking him in.

  He pointed at the royal blue crest on his chest. “I got myself a job and a place to live.”

  “You . . . how?”

  He patted the sheath at his side. “I’m making it easier for you. Now you don’t have to make trips between here and home,” he said with a smile. “And anyway, I think the princess fancies me.”

  I rolled my eyes, annoyed. “Jax. Be careful. This isn’t a game.”

  “I don’t need you telling me that. It was a joke.” He rub-

  bed the back of his neck, his cheeks turning pink.

  “Jax!” I swatted his shoulder. “Was it a joke?”

  “I hope not,” he shot me a grin. “She’s gorgeous.”

  “Just be careful.”

  “Alright, I heard you the first time,” he smirked. “Would you like to see my new chambers? My, do I love saying that word. Chambers. More than one.”

  “They all look the same, Jax.”

  “Mine is better than all of them. Come on.” His hand latched onto my arm, pulli
ng me through the corridor. I felt irritated. Why did everyone feel the need to grab hold of me when showing me something?

  “What side is it?” I asked him.

  “West w—” Before he could complete his sentence, a scream rang out, piercing my eardrums. “What the hell was that?”

  “It’s the princess,” I hissed, sliding out my sword. “Hurry, Jax.” I sprinted across the hallway towards the source of the scream. A bunch of thoughts fluttered through my mind at once.

  Who dared attack the castle in the middle of the night?

  Why now? Did they want a war?

  Was Zinovia safe?

  Helen stood outside of Her Highness’s door, tears running down her face.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. I tilted my head towards the door. Jax approached the doorknob, slowly. Helen sobbed, her voice catching in her throat as she tried to speak.

  The guards were finally here, following Jax into the room. He had his hand flat against the door. I grabbed Helen’s shoulders, giving her a little shake. “Speak up. What’s wrong? Is Zinovia alright?”

  “I . . . I check on her every night to make sure she’s fine,”

  Helen cried, burying her face in her hands, her body shaking. “I knocked but she wouldn’t answer, so I went inside. And . . . and . . .”

  “And what?” I pressed, panic flowing through my veins. “What?” I shouted. She wouldn’t answer.

  I pushed Helen aside, striding towards Jax. With one kick, he slammed the door open, the wood splintering where his boot landed.

  Kicking the door was obviously unnecessary since the door was unlocked, but I let him have his moment.

  Jax ran ahead towards the lump on the bed.

  “She’s . . . she’s dead!” Helen cried, falling to her knees. I could feel the blood drain from my face.

  She’s dead.

  Under who’s watch? Who was responsible?

  Me. I failed. I failed again. This kept happening, over and over and over—

  Red blood stained the white sheets through gashes in the cloth. Jax stood over the bed, a look of horror drawn on his face. He reached out with a shaky hand to pull them back, and then—

  “What the hell is going on?” a voice said from the doorway. Six heads whipped towards the door, where a girl stood, a look of anguish on her face. “What are you doing in my room?” All six heads turned back to the bed.

  Jax stared at Zinovia who stood in her mauve dress, unchanged, staring at her bed.

  “Don’t mind my language but, how the hell are you over there?” he asked, motioning towards the bed, perplexed. Helen was silent as a mouse, her sobs gone as fast as they’d started.

  I strode over the bed, reaching out to pull back the sheets.

  “Your Highness, I’d like you to turn away. This might up-

  set you.” I motioned for a guard to escort her out, and finally pulled off the sheets.

  “Oh, no,” Helen gasped, tears spilling from her eyes again. “No, no, no.”

  “Did you know her?” Jax asked.

  The poor girl was dead, but I checked for a pulse just to make sure. I couldn’t make that mistake again.

  “Her name was Sabrina,” Helen said, her body racking with sobs for the hundredth time.

  “Please escort her to her room,” I told one of the guards. When Helen was gone, I turned to Jax. “The princess made it by luck,” I stood up, pulling the sheets back up to cover the girl—Sabrina—once more. “This girl was stabbed to death.” This was a failed attempt on the princess’s life.

  Security was tripled. Zinovia hired Isabel.

  The twins, Xavier, and I never got a break. We were posted in the rooms, out of the rooms, escorting the princess whenever and wherever she needed to be.

  “Doesn’t she recognize you?” I asked Xavier under my breath as we stood together in the throne room, hands clasped behind our backs, staring straight ahead.

  “Who, Zinovia?” I nodded, and he shook his head. “We met once, years ago, but she was uninterested. She loved to follow her father around, and never paid much attention to the people around her.”

  “She was born a leader, then?” I said with a smile, and Xavier shrugged.

  “If she was, why would people want her dead?”

  Point taken.

  “She’s coming this way. Don’t say anything,” I muttered under my breath. Zinovia approached us, her face white. Ever since the maid was killed in her bed, she was too afraid to be

  alone.

  Sabrina—the maid—had come in to prepare Zinovia’s chambers for the night. She’d fallen asleep from exhaustion, working the entire night in the kitchen the day before. She had gotten no sleep.

  “The terrifying part is that I knew she was sleeping in my bed,” Zinovia said, tears in her eyes, “but I couldn’t wake her up. She just looked so peaceful. So I went to the library instead of going to sleep for a few hours . . . the library . . .” And then she’d burst into tears. “Don’t leave my side,” she whispered. “That poor girl. She must have been in so much pain, lying there . . .”

  After a few weeks, Zinovia moved her chambers to the deceased king and queen’s old ones. At first she hadn’t wanted to, but then the princess had the interior completely redecorated. “I simply will not sleep in the same room a murder was committed. From now on, no one is allowed into the castle gates without going through these four first.”

  She had us stand in a line—Jax, then me, then Xavier, and finally, Isabel. “Don’t leave me alone,” she repeated. “You shall have whatever you wish for. But do not leave my side, no matter what happens.” And then we bowed, and she nodded absently, playing with the ring on her index finger.

  Xavier nudged me. “Do you think she’s lost it?” he asked, nodding his head just barely towards Zinovia.

  “I’m afraid she’s very close to it, if not already.”

  “How long are you betting she’ll last?”

  “What am I, the expert on insanity?”

  “You’ve gotten close a few times in your life,” he snickered under his breath, and I slammed the hard heel of my boot onto the toes of his. He pressed a hand to his mouth to keep from cursing out loud.

  “Demon,” he spat out.

  “Liar,” I shot back.

  “Hag.”

  “Old, warty ghoul.”

  “Sad excuse for a woman.” I snorted, and the princess’s head snapped towards us, alert. “You’re alright, Your Highness,” I assured her, and when she turned again, Xavier patted the back of my head.

  “Silly girl.”

  I knocked his hand away.

  “Silvia,” Zinovia called, waving one of the maids over, “make sure everything is proper in the kitchen. Our guests will be here soon.” Silvia curtsied, turning and taking three other girls with her to do as Her Highness ordered.

  Xavier nudged me again. “Do you know of these visitors?” he asked under his breath.

  I shook my head. Who was she inviting just a few days after an attempt on her life? As if reading my mind, Zinovia turned, her dark eyes skimming over our faces.

  “The queen is coming,” she said. “Lorelle. She’ll be sending some of her men with you on your journey.” I was surprised she would be coming back so soon. It had been two months since she left. The journey would be hard on her.

  I let my eyes flicker to Xavier’s, whose jaw was set in a hard line. I frowned, trying to read him, but he let nothing through. His eyes met mine and he cracked a smile.

  When Zinovia was out of earshot, I turned to Xavier, letting my arms fall to my sides.

  “Are you alright?” I asked.

  “Why would you care?” he wrinkled his nose. “What’s gotten into you, Assassin?”

  He might as well have punched me instead. I turned away, ignoring his snide remark.

  I shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

  Xavier disappeared the rest of the day, switching out with Isabel. I knew he wanted to stay as far away from Lorelle as possi
ble, even if he didn’t say it out loud. My stomach was in my throat. I dreaded to see Lorelle and whoever else might show up to the castle with her.

  I was only free after Zinovia went to bed. I shut the door behind her and switched places with Jax. As he passed me, I grabbed onto his arm.

  “Have you seen Xavier?” I asked. Worry was starting to build inside me. What if he left to escape humiliation? What if I had to wait two more years before I saw him again? Jax looked down at my fingers which were wrapped in a viselike grip around his hard arm. He put his cold hand over mine.

  “I just saw him in his chambers,” Jax said gently, peeling my fingers away. There was a knowing smile on his face. I thanked him and turned, starting up a quick jog through the corridor. A sick feeling churned in my stomach. Before I knew it I was running, almost crashing into Helen.

  “What’s the hurry?” she shouted after me. I didn’t bother replying, my breath in my throat. There was the door to his room. If he wasn’t inside. . . .

  I pushed open the door, nearly out of breath.

  Empty.

  The bed was made, the curtains shut. The room was dark. I’d missed him. He was gone. I leaned over, my hands on my knees.

  “You idiot,” I said to the empty room, blinking back a burning sensation behind my eyes, my stomach in knots. I could feel my lungs started to close up again, gasping for breath.

  “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” I spun around, nearly gasping in relief.

  “Where were you?” I shouted. “I needed your help.”

  “Adalia? Needed my help? Since when?” he asked, a tinge of amusement in his voice. He stepped out from the shadows, holding a knapsack in his hand.

  “What’s that?” I asked, pointing.

  “It’s rude to point,” he frowned, pushing past me. I pressed my elbow against his chest and slammed the door shut with my free hand as he tried to escape.

  “Where are you going?” I asked again.

  “I’m warning you, Adalia,” he said, turning almost eerily slow, his golden eyes locking onto mine. “Move.”

  I almost backed away, but I stopped myself. I was stronger than this. There was a smirk on his face—he knew he had me. My fingernails dug deeper into the wood, my palm pressed flat against it. The tips of my fingers were turning white.