“Yeah, I’ll see you down there.”
I waited to hear the door close behind him before returning to the page that was open on my lap. This particular part of the story had a picture of the princess defeating the dragon king. Around her neck was the magical amulet, the dragon king slain at her feet. The dragon was painted with scales the color of ebony and two daunting horns sprouted from his large head. I was admiring the picture, not thinking much of it, when I saw something I hadn't noticed before. My heart skipped a beat, and I clutched the book closer. Leaning in to see the amulet around the princess's neck. I felt my breath hitch.
I’d seen the same amulet before. I wracked my brain for several seconds trying to figure out where I’d remembered it from. The amulet hung from a gold chain and the middle gem looked to be a ruby. Then suddenly I remembered. I’d seen the same amulet wrapped around my mother's neck, and it was resting in her tomb.
THE AIR WAS BRISKLY cold when I stepped outside. The wind quickly stung my pale cheeks and caused my eyes to water. I yanked my dress up to my knees, forcing myself to ignore the frosty sting and started into a run. My shoes clapped against the cobblestone pavement, my lungs burning with every stride.
When I reached the stables, I threw open the doors to Sovereign’s stall and found him calmly munching on some hay. His ears flickered back and forth at the sight of me. I reached for his bridle and quickly slipped it over his soft pink nose.
“Sorry, boy. I need to go somewhere.” I mounted his back not caring for a saddle, and quickly kicked him into a run, taking off toward the tree line.
To an onlooker, we would have appeared to be a silver streak of lightning. Just a little faster and we would have been able to fly. The only sounds were the rush of the passing trees, the rhythmic beat of Sovereign’s hooves, and the gentle pant of his ragged breaths.
When I came upon my mother's grave site, I pulled on the reins with a jolt, bringing Sovereign to a skidding halt. The wind was gone in seconds, and silence filled the trees. I jumped to the ground and locked my attention on the tomb that stood between two large oak trees.
The edifice was built of dense onyx stone. The doors into the tomb were made of intricately shaped lattice, the Aveladon symbol etched into the midnight surface. Four Aveladon guards stood protecting the tomb.
I walked over to the gate and tried to make myself appear taller, more refined.
“May I have access into the tomb? I am princess Sabeara Aigoviel, daughter to Ehren Reyes Aigoviel.” I spoke the words, stumbling on the formality. But the guards didn’t seem to question my identity.
One sentry opened the gate, and then I was walking inside the tomb doors.
The first thing I noticed was how clean it was. The tomb was spotless, not a dust particle in sight. My mother's casket was centered in the middle of the room. A metal plaque was nailed into the wood inscribed with my mother's name in elegant script.
Ehren Reyes Aigoviel
It was made of beautiful mahogany, and fresh flowers were placed around the entire length of the rectangular box she slept in. I assumed it was my father’s doing, having flowers placed here always fresh and alive.
My eyes scanned the tomb, I knew the necklace must be in here, but I wasn’t sure exactly where it might be. Curiously, I walked around my mother's casket, barely brushing my fingers atop the refined wood as I walked. A faint glimmer of gold caught the corner of my eye and that’s when I finally saw it.
On the far wall of the tomb was a set of nearly hidden shelves, that held mementos of my mother. Her crown was the first thing to catch my attention. The golden wreath was nestled upon a delicate round pillow. It was intricately hand crafted, encrusted with dainty diamonds, and sparkled even in the minimal light the moon provided. Beside the crown was a painting of her. I couldn’t help but stare at the picture. It was hard to conjure exactly how she looked after her being gone for so long.
She had beautiful chestnut hair and pale ivory skin. Her eyes were an angelic blue in the painting, but I knew in person they had been even more striking. Her Stone-Hearted features were soft and delicate, her lips parted into a gentle smile.
I felt tears well in the corners of my vision and had to quickly wipe them away. I had to remind myself of the reason for coming in the first place. I turned away from the painting and scanned the lower shelves. That was when I finally saw it.
The amulet sat against a black velvet setting, the ruby center bigger than I remembered. The beautiful gem was placed in a golden pendant with intricate latticework edges and intertwined with gold-plated leafing. Slowly, and ever so carefully, I reached for the golden chain and tugged it from its resting place.
It was the magic amulet in the story book. I wondered standing there, holding it in my hands, if it might also possess power in reality. I wrapped the chain around my neck and let the ruby fall against my chest.
I gave my mother's casket one last glance. Knowing I needed to get back to the castle, I closed the doors behind me and exited the tomb. The guards gave me no trouble, which I was grateful for.
I walked over to Sovereign who was patiently waiting for me. I stroked his soft neck, his presence somehow soothing.
“Shall we head back to the party then?” I asked, and he gave a snorting whinny in reply. I mounted his back, then turned toward the trees, returning the way we’d come.
WHEN I ARRIVED BACK at the castle, I headed straight for the ballroom. I showed up just as the festivities had begun and the room was filled with Stone-Hearted men and women. Music was playing and all were greeting one another in high spirits. The mass of jubilant energy was one of excitement and caused a hum to reverberate off the tall ballroom ceilings.
I spotted Oli quickly amongst the crowd of people. His eyes were scanning the congregation of Aveladon guests, a worried look on his handsome face. I couldn’t help but start into a run at the sight of him.
“Oli!” I yelled above the noisy chatter, and he turned his head at the sound of my voice. His eyes continued looking for me among the other party guests, overlooking me still.
I forced myself through the tiny crevices of the crowd until I was finally able to escape to the other side, nearly falling into Oli’s arms with the effort.
“Where have you been?” he hissed, as I went tumbling against his freshly pressed tunic.
“Oli, listen to me. I think my mother left me. . .”
“Bear, what did you do to your dress?” he interrupted, grabbing the skirt of my red gown in his hands. Sure enough, I looked down and the beautiful sparkling skirt was ripped nearly to the middle of my thigh. This urged further assessment, and I realized I’d muddied my shoes and the entire hem of my skirt. When I reached up to my hair, the beautiful masterpiece felt loose and disheveled. My appearance was the least of my worries though and I continued to try and tell him my discovery.
“Oli, my mother's necklace is in the book.”
“Sabeara!” I heard someone calling my name from behind me. But the cry was faint and quickly became lost in the crowd.
“I think she left the necklace for me.”
Oli's eyes widened as he began to listen to my words and noticed the amulet around my neck. He reached down to touch the ruby. “Sabeara!” The call was getting closer, but I simply ignored it.
“Oli, I think the curse is real. And I think my mother was trying to warn me, and she left the amulet to help me.” I was about to continue when I felt a hand on my shoulder, suddenly turning me around.
“Sabeara, there you are. I’d like you to meet–”
The first thing I noticed when I turned was my sister. She wore a beautiful green ball gown, the skirt bursting into what seemed like thousands of tulle ruffles. Her hair was curled to perfection around her perfect cheekbones, the very tips of her blonde locks dusting the hood of her red cloak. Then my eyes shifted to the person standing beside her.
The man was wearing a dashing white suit with gold trim accents on his lapels and a matching gold sword hung at h
is waist. Wrapped around his shoulders was a russet brown cloak, blending with his tan skin. Dark hair fell to his shoulders and into his eyes. It was his eyes that caused the world to stand completely still and my heart to stop.
“Midennen Knadian, prince of Ethydon,” Jasper finished.
Emerald-scarlet eyes bore into mine and I was unable to hide my stunned expression. They were the very same eyes that had been haunting my dreams for weeks. I couldn’t speak, couldn’t form words.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Sabeara then, is it?” Mid grabbed my hand and leaned down brushing his lips across my knuckles, all the while keeping his gaze connected with mine.
“Yes. . .” I could only wield my voice to a whisper.
“Would you like to dance, Sabeara?” His sarcastic, teasing tone I was used to hearing was suddenly lost—replaced by a polite, royal tongue.
I looked over at Jasper, she smiled and nodded her head, gesturing that I should let him take me. Together we stepped onto the dance floor. He pulled me into gentle twirling with the other dancers, and I tried to wake up from the dream I seemed to be in. But he remained in front of me, all too real.
“Wh. . . why are you here?” I stuttered.
He chuckled to himself. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
I glared at him, suddenly irritated. “You lied to me.”
He spun me easily beneath his arm.
“I don’t think that’s a very fair accusation, considering you lied, too,” he said, as I came twirling back. He was holding me just a little closer than was normal for the waltz we were dancing, and it was making me nervous.
“Still, you never thought to mention you were. . .soon to be taken?” I glanced over at Jasper talking with some guests by the food tables.
“Let’s just say when I was with you, I wasn’t planning on being spoken for,” he said, his eyes darkening.
I stopped dancing, bringing us to a standstill amongst the other couples.
“You left without saying goodbye,” I accused, and my voice caught at the end of my words. He reached out as if to touch my cheek, but I quickly moved out of the way. “No, I can’t do this right now.”
I turned on my heel and stormed out of the ballroom, unable to handle the feelings that were threatening to stifle me.
I escaped into the garden courtyard and found in the quiet greenery a sense of calm. I took a seat on the same bench I’d argued with Oli at weeks before. I watched the fountains trickling water, shivering from the cold.
Tears leaked out of my eyes and I swiped at them angrily. How could this happen? Mid, a prince? And betrothed to Jasper?
I stood up and let an angry growl escape my throat. I was about to find something to throw when I heard a pair of footsteps crunch behind me. I whipped around, worried it might be guests.
“Are you all right?”
Mid stood between the shrubbery, his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets. The smell of pine trees hit my senses and I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my stomach at the sight of him.
“Am I all right?” I laughed hysterically like he’d said something hilarious. “You rescued me from a raid of Obscurum men and didn’t mention you were the prince of Ethydon. Then to make things worse”—I knew I sounded insane, but it was all coming out in a mad flurry now—“you took me on a journey with you, made me feel something for you, and kissed me!” I began walking toward him until I was a mere foot away. “Then you show up here at my castle, betrothed to my sister, and you’re asking me if I’m alright?”
He didn’t seem phased by my erratic behavior. He simply remained quiet until my tantrum ended.
“I missed you,” he said suddenly, and my mouth fell open.
“You missed me?” I was livid. I turned and stomped away from him. He followed me to another part of the garden. I didn’t know exactly where I was going, the courtyard was fashioned like a giant maze and I was soon met with a dead end. I mentally berated myself for being stupid enough to corner myself. I turned around, my arms crossed over my chest defiantly.
“Well, I didn’t miss you,” I said stubbornly. Even though I did, and all I wanted to do at that moment was reach out and pull him to me and remember the way his lips felt on mine.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured, completely ignoring me. His eyes were looking me up and down and I could feel his eyes burning my skin where he gazed.
“Mid. . .” I was about to say something sarcastic, but he’d gotten very close. My shoulders met with one of the evergreen hedges I hadn’t known I’d been backing up into. His hands reached up on either side of my face, trapping me.
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve thought about seeing you again, touching you again.” His voice was strangled, almost pained. I looked up at him, my breath hitching. “I knew that if I didn’t leave you with Liony, I’d risk running away with you and never looking back.” His right hand moved down to cup my cheek and my eyes fluttered closed. “I couldn’t forget what happened between us. No matter how hard I tried.” His hand moved down my neck and over my shoulder, his progress achingly slow. “I was beginning to think I was going to be subject to a lifetime of regret.”
His hand passed over my waist then landed on my hip. Every nerve in my body was concentrated on his hand. The energy between us was electric, and it warmed me from head to toe.
“But it seems my suffering was a short-lived endeavor,” he murmured, his lips pressed against my ear. I felt his warm breath wash over my neck, and I quivered, my knees nearly buckling beneath me.
I wanted to let myself fall and slip into the intoxication of him. But I knew that would be selfish, and there was too much at stake to allow myself to give in.
“Mid, we can’t.” It took every ounce of power in me to push him away. He stepped back, confusion written on his features. “You are betrothed to Jasper, and I can’t let whatever happened between us get in the way of this alliance.” I swallowed thickly. “We have to pretend it didn’t happen, all of it.”
I could see the hurt flash across his eyes.
“You want to just forget what happened between us?” he asked, obviously appalled by the idea.
“It doesn’t matter what I want, it’s what’s best for the kingdom,” I said sternly.
He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. “Say you don’t want me and I’ll forget everything happened.”
“I. . .I. . .that's not fair!” I sputtered, unable to form the words.
He smoldered arrogantly.
“Well, then I don’t think I’ll be forgetting anytime soon.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Goodnight, princess Sabeara.”
WHEN I WAS able to pull myself together, I walked back into the ballroom in search of Oli, needing to tell him I was leaving and couldn’t stay any longer.
In my pursuit of escape, my father caught sight of me. He was talking with a couple by the food tables. I hoped to be discreet, but I wasn’t so lucky. He eagerly gestured for me to come over by him.
“Sabeara, there you are. Just in time.” My father's enthusiasm was apparent.
I turned to the two people he was conversing with and found a man and woman wearing very fine apparel, both presenting beautiful silver lights from their chests. The woman had striking auburn hair flowing to the middle of her back and a tan-skinned complexion that popped against her silvery satin gown. She smiled at me with genuine kindness in her scarlet eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
The man beside her stood tall and confident, wearing a handsome black tunic and pants. His hair was slate black and his eyes were the richest emerald green color. Both of them wore brown cloaks and it was then that it dawned on me.
“They’ve been waiting to meet you; this is King and Queen Knadian of Ethydon.” The last thing I wanted to do that night was meet Mid’s parents. But it seemed I was going to have to face all my demons then and there in that very ballroom.
“It’s an honor,” I immed
iately said, dropping into a curtsy. I hoped they weren’t looking too closely at the dirt on my shoes or the rip in my dress.
The woman reached out and pulled me into an unexpected hug. “It’s so nice to meet you dear, but please, call me Ruby.” I hugged her back limply, unable to fully comprehend what was happening before the embrace was suddenly over.
King Knadian gave a slight nod of his head in greeting, not reaching out for any sort of hug which I was grateful for.
“You must be Jasper's sister then,” Ruby said brightly.
“I hope the festivities are to your liking,” I said, as politely as I could muster.
I was nervous for some reason, not wanting them to see me for the disgruntled, misbehaving princess that I was. I’d never been the one to try and put on a front for others. But at that moment for some reason, more than ever, I wanted to be a completely different person.
“Oh, it has been marvelous,” Queen Ruby gushed. I was glad to see that she didn’t seem phased by my disheveled presence, or if she was, I was grateful she ignored it.
“Have you met our daughter Embrosine yet?” King Knadian asked.
I shook my head.“I’m afraid I haven’t.”
“Oh I'm sure you two will get the chance to meet. She’s right over there with our granddaughter.” Queen Ruby pointed over to one of the feasting tables where a woman with dark red hair sat with a young teenage girl. The girl looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. She had the same striking red hair as her mother.
“Well, I’m glad you and your family made it here safely. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m not feeling very well. I think I'm going to go upstairs and rest for a while.”
Queen Ruby frowned and nodded her head in understanding. “I’m sure we will see you soon. Feel better, dear.”
I did my best to smile at her, but it probably looked more like a grimace. My father looked at me with concern, and when I turned away from King Knadian and Queen Ruby, he pulled me aside for a moment, his voice lowering to a whisper.
Granted (Granted Series Book 1) Page 14
