Book of Secrets

by Nathalia Books

  “MYRTLE HUNTER, THAT was your name right?” The queen of winter asked.

  Myrtle nodded, after all the small talk. This was the first time the queen asked her name.

  “Yes your highness.” Myrtle took another sip of the water. The servants filled it every time she was nearly down with it.

  “It’s a strange name, don’t you think?” The queen of winter and they where back by the small talk. Myrtle answered it, lucky it gave her also the time to look at the woman. She looked almost human, instead of her pointy ears and white hair. Also her eyes where ice- blue.

  “Mother?” Myrtle turned around, a young man was standing behind her. He looked like the queen only his skin was darker.

  “Ah, Myrtle Hunter meet my son. The prince of winter Lucala Snowflace.” said the queen of winter. Myrtle bowed for him like she did before his mother.

  “It’s truly an honor too meet you, prince Lucala.” Lucala looked at her.

  “Hunter, family of Eldar Hunter?” He asked her, she also felt a coldness around him. Myrtle nodded.

  “Eldar Hunter is my father, my prince.” meanwhile hoping she was politely enough. Lucala did a step forward.

  “I’m not your prince, mortal.” Myrtle nodded, why was he so angry at her. She did what Varaln had told her to do, for a slight moment she frowned. Why did she do what that fox told her?

  “Lucala, she is just a mortal. In the care of that filthy beast Varaln. She is not used to our costumes.” the queen said, maybe she had seen the confusion on Myrtle’s face. Lucala bowed his head to his mother. “You are right, mother. As always.” He looked at Myrtle.

  “Would you care for a dance.” Myrtle did a step back, but this time she was not that lucky too keep her balance. Lucala grabbed her hand, so she wouldn’t fall.

  “Thank you.” She looked in his ice-blue eyes, they twinkled. “It is not because I don’t want to dance, but I can hardly move in this dress. So I have to decline.”

  Lucala wanted to say something.

  “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but little hunter it is time to go.” Varaln lay his hand on her arm, for the first time since she knew him it made her flesh crawl. From the corner of her eyes she saw the anger on Lucala’s face.

  “Varaln Foxcrest, maybe lady Grimm need too look really hard at her guest list.” Myrtle heard the anger in Lucala’s voice, also the coldness she felt earlier grew. Was this because of the plot to kill the royal family? Varaln nodded.

  “Your are right, my prince. But for now my guest and I need to go home.” Varaln grip on her arm reinforced, he pulled her with him. “Come, little hunter. Your friends are waiting.” Myrtle nodded, why did she nod? “Yes, lets go home.”She bowed at the queen and prince.

  “I hope our paths cross again. Your highness.”

  Out of the Fox den

  They where sitting in the carriage, Varaln sat opposite from her. He didn’t say anything, he just stared. It made her nervous, so she looked through the window. The same world as before passes her by, but this time it didn’t enchanted her. This time she looked at the snow, it was still fresh. If it just fell down, the giant tree’s hunted her through out the forest. She tried to remember if she had seen it on her father’s map. She wanted to grap, the map. Where was the map? She had not seen it in her backpack, yesterday. And where were her twin swords? She had so many questions, and she knew better that too ask him. Myrtle looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He was still staring at her, why does she feel so unclean? The carriage stopped before a giant tree, she had not noticed it before. Even not when she left the house. The door of the house swung open Eldric stood in doorway.

  “Master Foxcrest, Myrtle welcome home.” Myrtel almost didn’t recognized him and she did just saw him a few hours ago. She walked through the door.

  “Sarra, can you help the little hunter out of that uncomfortable piece of clothing.” Varaln walked past her and disappeared in the house. When he was gone, it felt like she could breath again. Myrtle looked at Sarra and she motioned that Myrtle should follow her.

  “Sarra, I know you told me to stop asking questions.” Sarra who was walking next to her nodded. “But I know were my bedroom is but where are Eldric and you sleeping?” They were standing before her bedroom door. Sarra pointed to the door opposite from hers.

  “Eldric and I share this room. Lets go into yours.” Sarra said, before they walked into her room. “What a beautiful fabric, what is it made off?”

  Sarra touched it, Myrtle knew that Sarra was afraid for spiders. She smiled and shock her head.

  “You don’t want to know?” Myrtle replied, but Sarra sighed and touched the dress again.

  “Tell me.” Kept Sarra pushing, Sarra had always a good eye for clothing so it was not strange that she kept asking about it. What was strange is by the way she asked it, so polity. Myrtle pulled up her shoulders.

  “It’s from spider silk.” Sarra only nodded, but didn’t shiver. That was also so strange, before the went to the Thicket. Only the thought about the smallest spider made Sarra’s flesh cruel. “Sarra, did you hear me?” Sarra looked up.

  “Yes I heard you.” she phagely replied. Myrtle grabbed both of Sarra’s hands, and looked is the green-glass eyes. Instead of the emerald eyes. “Sarra, what has he done too you? Too Eldric? You hate spiders, you hate the webs they make. But you didn’t give a flinch when I told you I wear spider silk.” A little flame of the Sarra she knew came back in her eyes. “Come on Sarra, let we grab Eldric and leave this horrible place.” There was no more need for alarm bells, they needed to ditch this place and quick.

  “SARRA LEAVE US.” MYRTLE looked shocked at the doorway, Varaln stood in the middle of it. How long was he standing there? Did he hear what she just said? From the corner of here eyes she saw that Sarra bowed and left quickly the room. Varaln walked in and didn’t stop walking until he was standing right in front of her. “I knew it, that winter bitch broke the glamour. I suspected as much, when she send my away.” Varaln grabbed Myrtle by the arm, but she tore it lose.

  “Get yours paws off me!” She felt the anger grew inside her, he said glamour. Those this mean al the phagely signals inside her head were supersede? Varaln growled.

  “There is it, my proof. That bitch, I should have killed her and that bastard of a son of hers too.” Myrtle frowned he told her that he was innocent.

  “You said you were innocent.” she said loudly. Varaln shook his head.

  “I said your father believed in my innocence.” She cursed him and herself, he had lied to her and she believed him without doubt. How could she forgive herself?

  “WHAT DID YOU WITH MY friends, you monster!” Myrtle yelled.

  Varaln stared to laugh.

  “The same what I’m gonna do to you. Only your friends had the luck of being glamoured.” He walked to her and grabbed her arms again.“Fight, little hunter.” Myrtle did exactly that, she wanted too tore her arms lose. But his grip was to strong.

  “Let me go freak.”Varaln laughed again.

  “Please go on, little hunter.” He pushed her, she heard her dress tear. He didn’t paid much attention to it. He forced her to walk backwards, until she bummed against something. She wanted to looked back, it was the bed. But he didn’t let her think about it, he pushed her hard and she fell on the bed. She wanted to scream but he jumped on her and pushed a hand on her mouth. She tried to tor his hand from her mouth, his ears twitched towards her.

  “LET HER GO!” SAID A familiar voice in anger, the temperature in the room went down. Myrtle’s eyes widdend. Varaln pushed himself up and looked to the doorway, she used this moment to kick him in his balls. He groan and she pushed him of her. Quickly she stood up from the bed, and tried to run. But was caught by someone in the doorway, she pushed also those hand from her. But now she was forced to look her savior in his ice blue eyes.

  “Prince Lucala?” Myrtle said surprised, he nodded but his gaze didn’t faltered from Varaln. Who was recovered from her attack.

  �
��What are you doing here, prince?” Varaln growled, like a wild animal. Prince Lucala pulled up his shoulders.

  “My mother, wanted me to invite Myrtle Hunter. But when your human guest opened the door I could see the glamours in her eyes.” Varaln came at her again and grabbed her.

  “Get those filthy paws off me!” Myrtle yelled, but he still pulled her toward him and because of the dress she couldn’t fight back. He turned her face towards the prince, while he pushed his body against her. Myrtle could feel everything, it made her feel disgusted.

  “Well prince, this is non off your business, so I ask you to leave.” Myrtle was forced too look in prince Lucala’s eyes, who walked in to the bed room.

  “Didn’t I say. My mother, your queen, ordered me to invite Myrtle Hunter. The invite her as guest in the palace of winter.” said Lucala, Myrtle could see her own breath.

  “The little hunter, is my guest!” Varaln growled, pulling her closer. She tried to push back, but it had no use. He was to strong for her. Prince Lucala shook his head.

  “Myrtle Hunter is a guest in the land of winter, what means she is my mother, your queens guest. So with other words let her go.” Varaln did what the prince said, and pushed her forward. The loss fabric made fell forward, so she fall into prince Lucala’s arms. Quickly as he caught her, she stood up. Varaln wormed his way out of the door and disappeared.

  MYRTLE’S LEGS COLLAPSED, she fell through the ground, Lucala didn’t caught her this time. She felt so hopeless, and dumb. Tears started to prick in her eyes. There was nothing holing her emotions back, no glamour or pride.

  “Are you alright?” Lucala asked, he knelt down next to her. Myrtle looked at the prince, through her tears.

  “No, I’m not alright. Why do you care?” Why was he asking her this, he had eyes. Lucala pulled his shoulders up.

  “I don’t care, but like I said you are my mother’s guest.” Myrtle couldn't tell if he lied or not. Myrtle looked to the wooden ground.

  “He wanted to rape me.” Prince Lucala nodded. “And he told me that he did this also too my friends.” Myrtle gasped. “My friends.” How could she forget them so easily? Myrtle wanted to stand up, but her legs didn’t wanted listened too her.

  “Don’t worry about them, they are in the hands of my healers.” Lucala said, the temperature in the room went up a little.

  Myrtle shook her head.

  “Why should I trust you?” stupid question, she didn’t trust Varaln. But the glamour made it seem like it. Lucala pulled up his shoulders again. “You shouldn’t trust me.” Prince Lucala stood up, and reached his hand towards her. Myrtle took his hand and he pulled her up, her legs where a little bit steady again.

  LUCALA WALKED OVER and picked her backpack up, also packed her other clothing. Myrtle watched him while he did that.

  “Well, I will bring you to the palace of winter.” He said. Myrtle shook her head.

  “I need to find my twin swords.” Now she was again by her right mind, she needed to find them. Lucala sighed.

  “I can give you new ones.” Myrtle shook her head again.

  “I got those swords from my father.” He looked at her and then nodded.

  “Let look for them.” Myrtle and prince Lucala roamed Varalns house. But they where being almost every room, until she find herself for the closed door. It was from the room that Sarra pointed out as hers. Myrtle opened the door and entered it, a strange smell entered her noise.

  “That monster.” Myrtle looked over her shoulder, Lucala also entered the room. But he didn’t looked around, he walked straight towards a dresser and picked up a small blue stone. “He didn’t only rape, and glamoured your friends. He also stripped them of there memories and concealed that also with a glamour.” Myrtle felt her hate for Varaln grew, she baled her hands into fists. He opened the dresser drawer. “I have found your swords.” Myrtle walked towards him, her gave went in the drawer. There were not only her swords, also more memory stones.

  “Are al of those all from Eldric and Sarra?” Myrtle asked, Lucala took one of the stones out of drawer.

  “I think so, I’m gonna grab a bag and take them all just in case.” He whispered into her ears. He disappeared for a moment, but got back with an empty bag. While her hand dived into the drawer too grab her swords, his hand grabbed the stones and put the stones into the bag.

  “I’m gonna kill him.” Myrtle’s grip on her swords grew stronger. She looked at Lucala, how nodded. Myrlte walked out of the room, but felt by the doorway his cold hand on her shoulder.

  “Wait a cold second, where are you going?” he asked. Myrtle looked over her shoulder and shook his of.

  “Like I said. I’m gonna kill him.” Myrtle wanted to walk on, but he grabbed by her arm.

  “You don’t know were he is, so come with me.” Lucala said, she shook angerly her head tears appeared into her eyes.

  “He needs to pay, for what he did. He used my friends in more ways than one and he made me look weak!” Myrtle snapped at him, she had promised her friends to bring them safely to the foundation. Something that was no longer possible. Lucala closed his eyes.

  “I promise you get your revenge, but for now you need to eat something proper and you need the rest.” Myrtle turned her head away. “You said yourself you don’t care.” But it was true about what he said, she didn’t know where Varaln was. Tears rolled over her cheeks. “I’m not weak, I’m not scared.” His hand still held his grip around her arm and it calmed her. Was this another glamour, if it was one it helped him. “Promise me one more thing.” Myrtle turned to him again. Lucala looked puzzled, but she didn’t care. “Promise me, that my friends are gonna be safe.” Lucala nodded.

  “I Prince Lucala Frostium Snowflace, will promise to Myrtle Hunter that her friends will be safe in the palace of winter.”Myrtle nodded and sighed, hoping that she didn’t make another mistake.

  “Then I will go with you.” Myrtle turned and walked to the front door.

  MYRTLE CLOSED HER EYES for a moment, she felt worn out.

  “Don’t fall asleep, it is not far.” Lucala said. Myrtle opened her eyes, the carriage where they were sitting in shook violently.

  “Like I can fall asleep in this thing?” She joked, was he smiling? She thought she saw a smile on his frozen face. “Why did you stop me, like you said earlier. You didn’t care.” Lucala looked to the window.

  “You are,”

  “Yes a guest of the queen of winter. And she ordered you to get me, that was what you told Varaln. But that doesn’t explain, why you stopped him for raping me. The only goal your mother has is to capture my father again. And I know that you know he would come if I was hurt. So why?”

  He started too laugh, why did it sound like music in her ears.

  “If I had my doubts about who your father was, you took that now away. But you are right, rape of a mortal is no crime here in Fearie. But when I saw you fight to keep him of you, I don’t know. Something in me didn’t want too see you got hurt.” Myrtle closed her eyes.

  “Thank you, for saving me. I know it does not repay my debt to you.” Lucala nodded.

  “That is true, you can repay me. By not telling my mother. Because you were right, she doesn’t care.”

  THE CARRIAGE STOPPED so abruptly, that it send her flying. She fell down on his lap, the door opened.

  “My son, Myrtle Hunter.” the voice of the queen of winter sounded flustered. Myrtle scrambled up.

  “Your grace,” quickly she looked at Lucala who got a little red cheeks. The queen of winter raised her hand.

  “Hold your tong, Myrtle Hunter. It was a joke. I saw you flying.” somehow Myrtle was not at ease. Lucala climbed out of the carriage. “Mother.” He turned towards Myrtle and reached his hand towards her, she took his hand before she jumped out off carriage.

  “O, Myrtle Hunter. Your dress, what happened?” asked the queen. Myrtle looked towards Lucala, who pulled his shoulders up.

  “You grace, Varaln attacked me after he learned tha
t I was free of his glamour.” The queen nodded.

  “He hired La Threat of course, he always wanted to look apart.” not saying anything about the attack, the queen turned away. “Come, my son. Myrtle Hunter. Let me show you your room, and for the time being I will let my own dressmaker design some garments for you.” Myrtle wanted too tell the queen, that it would be not necessary. But from the corner of her eyes, she saw Lucala shook his head.

  “Thank you, your grace is very kind too me.”

  MYRTLE WALKED A FEW steps behind the queen and her son, they where talking about her friends.

  “Really, he raped them and took there memories. Never knew he was so clever, I wouldn’t thought about that.” Myrtle felt for the third time that day, her anger grew.

  “Your grace, you should know he told me about what happened two years,” The queen looked over her shoulder.

  “Did he also told you he was a suspect.” Myrtle nodded.

  “He told me also that he not only was the suspect, he told me when he attacked me. He was the one behind the treason.” The queen’s ice blue eyes grow colder.

  “Thank you for sharing this knowledge, Myrtle Hunter.”

  MYRTLE LET HER GAZE go over the hallway, like the house of that filthy fox. The palace was build out off solid ice. The black candles gave a strange blue light.

  “Here is your room, Myrtle Hunter. Please rest what. My dressmaker madam Silvertreat will come tomorrow to you.” The queen said. The door of her new bedroom opened. Myrtle walked trough the doorway. Myrtle saw that behind the door stood a little man with a red hood. “If you want something, don’t mind ask Sanrod about it. Myrtle Hunter” The man with the red hood bowed. Myrtle bowed towards the queen and Lucala.