Book of Secrets

by Nathalia Books

  “I don’t want to forget with who I am.” Lucala stared smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

  “I had to confess, I was a little bit surprised that you did go through with it. After Foxcrest attacked you.” Myrtle crawled closer and laid her head on his cold chest.

  “I’m surprised too, but I have noticed that I stared in the face of death. From the time I got in Faerie. So before I die, I wanted to know how it felt to have sex.” Lucala ‘s eyes widened.

  “You where a virgin?” Myrtle nodded ans started to giggle a little.

  “And you choice me to deflower you?” Lucala’s voice was filled with disbelieve, Myrtle nodded again.

  “Why?” he asked loudly. She pulled up her shoulders.

  “That is the one question, I can’t answer. Not for free at least.” He smiled and started to tickle her.

  MYRTLE PUT ON THE BATHROBE and Lucala pulled up his pants, when Sanrod walked in.

  “Good morning my prince, mistress Hunter. Breakfast is ready in a few minutes. Would you like to have your breakfast here as well, my prince.” Lucala nodded to the red cape.

  “Let Deõqeu also bring my clothes for today.” Lucala said fermly.

  Sanrod bowed and walked away. Myrtle looked at Lucala and started to laugh. She picked up the black dress and put it on the empty mannequin.

  “Maybe I wear madams masterpiece today.” She taught out loud.

  Lucala looked at the trouser suite and nodded.

  “I don’t know of my mother would like it, but it would be a waste if it stays on that mannequin.” he said. Well he looked in the mirror quickly brushing his hand through his hair. Myrtle took it of the mannequin and with the help from Lucala putted on. The light blue color of the trouser suite matched his eyes. Myrtle was happy when Madam Silvertreat choose this color for the suite, they where just done when Sanrod and a female red cape entered the room.

  “My prince, mistress.” The two red caps places two plates with food on the little table by the bench.

  “Thank you, Sanrod and Deõqeu.” Lucala and Myrtle said it at the same time. The redcaps both bowed.

  “We also have the fur, for the young mistress.” Myrtle looked surprised.

  “Fur?” The female redcap walked out of the room, but came back with a mantle of foxfur.

  “That was Varaln’s.” Myrtle looked at Lucala, who nodded.

  “When you kill a skin changer, you get his or hers second hide.” He explained. Deõqeu walked over towards the bed and laid the fur on the bed.

  “I DON’T WANT IT.” MYRTLE took the fur from the bed and trowed it through the room. Lucala walked towards it, and picked it up.

  “It is costume.” He said, holding the fur in his hands. Myrtle shook her head.

  “I don’t care, if it is costume. That there just reminds me, what he has done to use. What I done to him.” her voice trembled. Lucala walked to the bench.

  “I know, but you’re not in the Foundation. You have to wear this mantle, everywhere you go.” Myrtle shook her head again, she knows that she was no longer in the foundation.

  “To warn others, about that I, a mortal. Killed one of them! I’m sorry but I can’t. I won’t.” Her voice became louder with every word she spook.

  Lucala sighed.

  “It’s something to be proud of, yes he did horrible thing to your friends. He tried to do horrible things to you and you made him pay for that.” Myrtle walked to the bench.

  “I wanna see my friends. I know you said that the are well cared for, but I wanna see this with my own eyes.” Lucala nodded.

  “Eat something first. Than I bring you to your friends.” They ate the cold food, but the bread was frozen and tasteless. But she eat it anyway. The red caps took the plates away. Lucala stood up and reached his hand towards her. “So lets check on your friends.” Myrtle took his hand and he pulled her from the bench.

  SHE DIDN’T PAY MUCH attention, to were she was. All what she wanted was to see her friends, to know they where alright. Lucala stopped at a door and pointed to it.

  “This is the room where your friends are staying. Before we go in, I have to warn you, Myrtle Hunter. Before the healers could place the memories back into there mind they had to remove the glamour that Foxcrest made.” She nodded,

  “You mean the glamour he put there to keep me in place.” This time it was his turn to nod. He turned and opened the door. They where welcomed by hysterical screams, Myrtle walked into the room to find out who was screaming. She gasped, Sarra was tied up on the bed. She fought against the ropes. Two women were trying to calm her, but to no avail.

  Myrtle walked towards Sarra.

  “May I?” The two women looked shocked, clearly they didn’t hear her came in.

  “Misteress Hunter, it is not wise to come so close. She is nothing more then a wild animal.” One of them said. Myrtle nodded.

  “That I can see, but let me try to calm her a bit.”

  “Let Myrtle Hunter try, she is a friend of the patient after all.” Myrtle looked over her shoulder and cracked a little smile. One of the women nodded.

  “We tried almost everything, but sure try.” Myrtle and the woman switched places.

  “Hello Sarra.” Sarra tried to grab her but the ropes prevented it. Myrtle nodded and closed her eyes. She opened her mouth and started to sing, the song was nothing more than a lullaby. One of many she heard, but she knew that the grandmother of Sarra and Eldric sung one every night before they went to sleep. While she sung it, she opened her eyes to see if it worked. The screaming stopped and Sarra ‘s eyes closed, like she was falling a sleep. Myrtle sung the last words of the lullaby and the eyes from Sarra didn’t open again. The woman how had spoken to her earlier nodded.

  “Thank you misteress Hunter.”

  MYRTLE SWITCHED PLACES with the woman again.

  “Glad that I could help, aside form keeping them calm how are they?”

  “They are doing fine, princes. Better then I hoped.” A tall man with fire red hear and eyes walked into to the room, the black thick horns and black feather wings made him an impressive sight.

  “I’m no princes, mister,” Myrtle started.

  “, Ravenwing. Joran Ravenwing, and every woman deserves to be called a princes.” Joran introducing himself. Myrtle looked towards Lucala, how not looked very comfortable. She looked again towards Joran Ravenwing.

  “Please can you tell me more, about mine friends treatment.” Joran nodded.

  “Almost all the stones, my prince brought to me contained memories from your friends. Luckily memories contained pieces of the soul, so we can place the memories by right owner.” Myrtle looked towards Sarra, and across the room to Eldric.

  “How long will it take?” Joran looked at Sarra.

  “I really don’t know, princes. This is something we normally wouldn’t do. We have being working for two day’s and we don’t have being able to give a quarter of the memories back to them.” Myrtle cursed, the anger for Varaln grew again.

  “That bastard, I should have killed him slowly.” Something she meant, shocked of her own words, earlier that day she refused to wear his mantle and now she wised this. “I’m sorry.” Joran Ravenwing and Lucala shook both of there heads.

  “Myrtle Hunter, you have every right to be mad. And be glad he died at your hands. If my mother got her hands on him, she got him killed for his crimes against the winters crown. Not for what he has done to you and your friends.” Myrtle squeezed her hand into fists.

  “I know, there is no law on this side of the Thicket that protect the mortals.” Myrtle felt a little dizzy.

  “My prince, maybe it his wise to bring the princes to her chambers, seeing her friends like this” Joran Ravenwing didn’t finished his sentence, he didn’t had to. Lucala took her in his arms a guided her out of the room.

  MYRTLE WOKE UP, LUCALA where sitting on the edge of her bed.

  “My mother, wanted me to inform you that she expect you for diner this afternoon.”Myrtle crawle
d up, and she nodded.

  “I will be honored to be her guest on the diner table.” It was politely to say, not that she meant it. She stared to tear up. “You have warned me, still to see mine friends like this.“ Lucala nodded but didn’t took her in his arms, not this time. He was as cold as the first time she saw him. “Lucala, did something happen?” Lucala nodded.

  “You saved my mother, that means she is owns you a live debt. You are free to go.” Myrtle closed her eyes, they didn’t knew each other that long.

  “And now you are thinking that I pack up and leave. What are you thinking, my friends are here. They are recovering, I can not leave them.”

  Lucala started to melt a bit, he really thought she would leave. “Really, you where thinking that I now got my freedom. Wait no I’m not saying this words out loud.” She felt a hole in her heart. After what happened last night and this morning, she couldn't wrap her head around it.

  “I’m sorry, Myrtle Hunter. I should have known better.” Lucala apologized. Myrtle nodded.

  “Yes you should.” She through off the sheets of fur, she still wore the trouser suite. She stood up and walked up and down.

  “But you where right on one thing, I’m leaving as my friends are healed. We got a job that needs to be done.” Lucala looked at her when she was walking.

  “A job?” Myrtle closed her eyes, maybe she said to much. Or maybe to little.

  “Yes a job, but lets go to diner. We don’t want to be late.”

  IT WAS SILENT ON THE diner table, Myrtle can hear the ice structure around her crack. The servants came in the diner hall to remove the empty plates from the table. The musician walked in and started to play. Myrtle looked at the queen. “Your grace, may I speak freely?” Myrtle started. The queen nodded, her face frozen.

  “Your son told me, where I stand at the moment.” The queen nodded again.

  “You saved my hide, Myrtle Hunter. So you are free to go.” Myrtle cracked a little smile.

  “And my friends, are the free to go either?” The queen smiled to, what was not good.

  “No, the are not the ones how saved me. So they are bound to stay until I get what I want.”

  “Like my father.” Myrtle said. The queen white eyebrows raised just a little, maybe she was impressed by Myrtle’s quick thinking.

  “Indeed, your father escaped my grip and I want him back. I miss his company.” Myrtle didn’t want to know what she meant by that, but somewhere deep inside she already knew.

  “I propose a trade, your grace. On one condition. I switch my friends freedom for my own, but I promised to help them to find an artifact. Let me keep that promise and then I come back to the winter court.” The queen closed her eyes, Myrtle looked at Lucala who shook his head in disbelieve. He should know that she would do everything to keep her friends save, including sacrificing herself.

  “Of course I know that my word alone is not enough. So I will leave something of me behind.” The queen nodded.

  “I except your trade Myrtle Hunter.” after the frozen expression Myrtle saw a little smile appear. Myrtle nodded toward the queen.

  “Thank you, your grace.”

  THE MUSICIAN STOPPED playing, Lucala turned towards the mortal man.

  “Antonio, play another song for use.” Antonio bowed.

  “Like my master commands.” He stared to play the same song again. Myrtle looked towards the musician. Lucala stood up from his chair and walked towards her.

  “It’s time for your lesson.” Lucala said laughing. Myrtle closed her eyes, she should have known.

  “Yes it is time for me to step on your toes, again.”

  They are back

  The days bleeding over in to weeks and Myrtle found herself falling in a routine. Every morning she woke up next to Lucala, sometimes in his bed sometimes in hers. They eating there breakfast together, before visiting her friends and informing about there condition. Then in the afternoons she got dance lessons from Lucala in her room, until diner. It surprised her to find a form of comfort in the routine. Also she noticed her feelings for Lucala grew with every day they spend together. Myrtle expected that this day to be like the others. She woke up in her room, next to Lucala. His cold naked body touched hers, She turned her head a little, so there noises almost touched each other. He smiled and opened his eyes. For a little moment they were lying there.

  “Good morning.” Lucala whispered, breaking the moment of silence.

  “Good morning.” Myrtle whispered back. Lucala pushed himself up, but there eye contact didn’t break. She simply smiled at him, before he placed his lips on hers.

  “WHERE IS MY FRIEND!” said a familiar female voice, Myrtle looked shocked at the door. Quickly she trowed a sheet of fur over Lucala‘s gentle parts. Before the door opened and Sarra walked into the room. She didn’t look towards the bed, she had only attention for the redcap behind her.

  “I don’t need your permission to walk into my best friends room.”

  Now she looked at the bed, and her eyes widened. “Ohh, that is why I shouldn’t entered the room without permission.” Sarra ‘s gaze went over Lucala, and nodded. “I wait outside, give me a sign when you two are fully dresses. The frozen lady wanted to have breakfast in the diner hall.” Myrtle sighed.

  “Sarra, please behave. She is the queen in this lands, it is thanks to her and Lucala that you are standing here.” Sarra turned away.

  “I will. Now get dressed you both.” Sarra commanded. Myrtle looked towards, wanted to apologizes for Sarra’s behavior. But Lucala escapes the warm sheets and looked at her smiling.

  “I think I have been judged.” There was some red in his face. Myrtle started to laugh.

  “Yes, you have and approved. Otherwise she would have stayed until you left the room.” He stood up, the red in his face didn’t dissapear it grew brighter. Sanrod entered the room.

  “I’m so sorry, my prince, mistresses Hunter. I tried to stop that mortal.” Myrtle shook her head.

  “Don’t be Sanrod, if Sarra put her mind into it. Than the whole winter army couldn’t stop her.” Myrtle was for a moment surprised how normal that sounded. The redcap looked a little bit relieved. Deõqeu walked also in with a pale of clothing.

  “Mistresses Hunter, I have taken your mortal clothing to wash them. But I have to say they are really damage. I don’t think you can wear these anymore.” Myrtle grabbed the bathrobe that was hanging on the bed and putt it on before walking to the female redcap.

  “May I see it.” Myrtle reached for them and Deõqeu handed them over. Myrtle unfolded them, and saw directly what Deõqeu meant. It where signs of the lighting strike, they where everywhere. Cursing herself she didn’t noticed it earlier, but then she reminded herself of the glamour Varaln put over her. “Thank you for bringing this to mine attention, Deõqeu. Maybe it was part of Varalns glamour that I didn’t notice them earlier.” Myrtle looked at Lucala how look surprised at the burning marks.

  “I thought you said, he didn’t hurt you?” Lucala said angerly. Myrtle nodded.

  “I meant it, this is not his doing. I was struck by lighting.”Lucala ‘s mouth opened and closed. and opened again.

  “Deõqeu, we are invited to have breakfast with my mother. But can you arrange for Madam Silvertreat?” Deõqeu nodded and bowed, leaving Lucala’s clothes behind.

  THE BLACK STONE TABLE had two additional chair, on one of those sat a huddled Eldric. Myrtle walked with big steps toward him.

  “Eldric.” He jumped up when she laid a hand on his shoulder.

  “Eldric it is me. Myrtle.” Eldric calmed a bit.

  “Myrtle you scared me.” Myrtle nodded and pressed her lips on each other.

  “Clearly, she already saw that.” Sarra entered the diner hall, together with the queen. Sarra turned towards the queen and bowed. “Thank you again, your grace.” The queen rolled with here eyes when she walked towards her chair.

  “My son, Myrtle Hunter. I hoped you slept well.” Myrtle walked towards her chair.
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br />   “It couldn’t be better, your grace.” The queen smiled at Myrtle.

  “Glad to hear it. I assume now that your friends are better, you are leaving?” asked the queen, but she already knew the answer to that qeustion. So Myrtle just nodded, before answer it.

  “That is correct, your grace. I have taken the opportunity, to late someone get a teddy bear that my father gave to me when I was younger.” Sarra looked surprised. “Sorry that I interrupt, but why?”Myrtle gave her a small smile, she didn’t know how to explain it. Simply I switched my life for yours. She looked for a moment towards Lucala, how nodded.

  “Myrtle saved my mother, and my mother was in her debt. So she was free to go. But that was not the chase for you and your brother.” Lucala stared to explaining in Myrtle’s place. Sarra looked at him and then to Myrtle.

  “You’re kidding right?” the disbelief was clearly present. Why couldn’t nobody believe Myrtle would sacrificing herself. Myrtle shook her head.

  “After we get the book, you two will go back to the Foundation. But I’m going back to the winter court.”

  “YOU’RE CRAZY!” SARRA yelled. Sarra, Eldric, Lucala and Myrtle were in the latter’s room. Sarra had kept her opinion to herself until they were alone. Myrtle gave her a small smile again.

  “One life for two. That is a good trade Sarra.” said Myrtle, again surprised at how normal it sounded. Sarra shook her head.

  “Not good enough, Myrtle.” Myrtle stood up from the black stone bench.

  “I had no choice Sarra. You and Eldric have been through enough. Besides, my father is on this side of the Thicket and, if I stay here, I can find him.” Sarra squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Is this really about your father and not about Prince Snowflake?” she asked pointing at Lucala. Before Myrtle could answer, the door opened, and Madam Silvertreat walked in.