by Holly Law
“We…we don’t know,” a guard stammered.
“You don’t know?” Corpal demanded, turning on them in anger. The pair cringed.
“She escaped, my Prince, with the aid of her brother. I managed to slash her side, but no more. We have failed you, my Prince.” The guard held up his sword so that he could see the blood.
The sight of the blood on the sword enraged him all the more, and he bit his tongue to keep from obliterating them on the spot. Then he let out a long sigh. “I see,” Corpal said calmly. “Retire to your quarters, I will deal with you tomorrow. Send Amalia and Trinsin in to me.”
“Yes, my Prince,” they all said in unison and left.
“See what you have done?” Lenora said, anguish clear in her voice. “That poor girl. She is out there bleeding to death. And if she does not bleed out, then she’ll probably die from some horrible infection. You should have simply killed her straight out.”
“I confess to the mistake,” Corpal snapped and Lenora closed her mouth tightly as looked at the ground. “And I will fix the mistake when Amalia and Trinsin get here.” Lenora did not speak again in the time it took the two to reach the room. Corpal had recomposed himself in that time.
“You sent for us, my Prince?” Amalia asked, once more dressed in her more accustomed attire. Her face was distressed, but resolute. Trinsin looked almost glad.
“Yes, I have use for both of you,” Corpal informed them. “Elisha and her brother escaped. I want Elisha found and brought to me. She is injured, but I do not wish her killed. She has suffered enough. I will be the one to end her life and her pain.”
“And her brother?” Amalia asked. “What of Eldwin? He is also a mechanic.”
“Indeed, but it has always been unlikely he would serve me. He sought to poison Elisha towards me before this day. Kill him and I do not care if you do so quickly or slowly.”
“Yes, my Prince,” Trinsin said eagerly. Corpal felt irritation at her eagerness. He knew that Trinsin had never liked Elisha and her eagerness displeased him.
Amalia stood silently and bowed to him in the fashion of her people and left. Trinsin was right behind her. “I would keep an eye on Amalia,” Lenora observed. “She was fond of Eldwin. She may try to find an excuse to let him live.”
“If she does, then her life will be forfeit,” Corpal said with a shrug. “She is not so invaluable to me that I could do without her services.”
“And when Elisha is brought here?”
“I will give her a shot of something to put her to sleep and then end her life,” Corpal told her.
“That is more merciful.”
“You may say good bye to her if you like.”
“I will think about it.”
Elisha slowly opened her eyes. She could feel the pain in her side, and her head swum slightly as she tried to lift it. “Careful,” her brother cautioned her. “Are you thirsty?”
“Yes,” Elisha said, and her voice was faint. Her brother carefully lifted water to her lips. Elisha drank in the water and cringed. It wasn’t the crisp, sweet water she was accustomed to. It was stale and brackish. She almost split it out it was so nasty, but knew that if her brother was offering that to her, it was all they had.
“I have some food too. Do you want it?” Elisha nodded. She found herself eating stale bread and hard cheese. It was disgusting after she had grown so accustomed to the fancy food that Lenora and the Prince had fed her.
“Where are we?” Elisha asked.
“Old hideout. It’s nothing glamorous, but it was one of the few places still here,” her brother told her. “And the guards haven’t found us yet.”
“Are they still looking?”
“Yup, and they’re killing anyone they find. There isn’t much left out there.”
“This is horrible. I wish I had never repaired that stupid ring,” Elisha moaned. “He couldn’t have used that machine without that ring. That’s what he did you know.”
“Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know what he was going to use it for. I’m surprised he tried to kill you.”
“I refused to serve him. I didn’t want any part of anything that left people dead.”
“And he turned on you?”
“Yes, pretty quickly too. I’m lucky he didn’t kill me himself. Are we safe here?”
“For now. They’re searching for you out there. I think that the Prince wants to make sure you’re dead.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Hide and try to get out of the city when you’re feeling better. That’s all we can do. I need to go out and find some more food while it’s still dark.”
“Don’t leave,” Elisha begged.
“I have to. If we don’t have food we’re going to starve. I will be back as soon. I promise.”
“Be careful,” Elisha told him.
“I will be.”
Eldwin left a minute later. Elisha could only lie there by herself. She stared at the curved ceiling, wishing she had been smart enough to never go near that stupid carriage. If she had stayed away nothing bad would have happened. She and Eldwin would have been fine if she had just avoided the carriage.
“Finally,” Elisha heard a woman’s voice say from the entrance. Elisha looked towards it and saw Amalia standing in the entrance with a pair of soldiers. Her face looked worn and tired. “Take her to the Prince.”
Elisha tried to sit up and did not have the strength. The soldiers grabbed her arms and lifted her. Elisha cried out in pain. “Careful,” Amalia snapped. “The Prince doesn’t want her harmed.”
Elisha was hauled up from the tube. Soon she was being carried through the remains of the city. She didn’t have the strength to fight. Once briefly, she thought she saw Eldwin on the edge of her vision, but then he had been gone. She hoped he was smart enough to stay away. One of them needed to survive. It would do no one any good if both of them died.
The palace remained unchanged from the day before. The gates were wide open, and a pair of soldiers stood guard. She was carried up the magnificent staircase inside and down a familiar hallway. She was brought inside one of the private rooms she had never been in before. The Prince was standing in there waiting for her. His eyes were calm as he surveyed her.
“Put her there,” the Prince said, gesturing to a divan on the balcony. Elisha was carried over and laid down. “Dismissed.” The guards quickly left, and Elisha watched the Prince terrified. “I realized that I made a mistake yesterday. I was hasty and inadvertently caused you more pain than I meant to. I am going to solve that problem.”
“Solve that problem?” Elisha asked warily.
“Yes, I am going to kill you myself so you will not suffer.”
“Please, no,” Elisha begged. The Prince walked over to her, looking very calm. “I…”
“Unless you have changed your decision, then you leave me with no choice. Do you know why I kill Mechanics? No? They imprisoned me once before. I will not leave a mechanic behind who will not serve me. I will not be a prisoner again.”
“I wouldn’t,” Elisha pleaded. “I wouldn’t go near you. I…”
“I have heard it before, sadly. But I will give you the glimpse of something miraculous before I end your life. Watch.” He helped her sit up and gestured out at the city. Elisha watched as indeed, something miraculous did happen. The landscape seemed to shimmer. The rubble vanished, leaving behind a dirt surface. Slowly, that change spread until the whole city was gone without a trace. Then grass and trees sprouted from the ground. Growth that should have taken years took minutes. Animals and birds then began to fill the evergreen forest that had not been there before. It was a beautiful sight.
“That’s amazing,” Elisha said breathlessly.
“This is how I remember this area. My palace was here well before the city. This was why I built it. I enjoyed this view.”
“I can understand why.”
“I thought you could. Now, this is what I am thinking. I am thinking, I am going to let you
r wound heal,” the Prince said, and Elisha looked at him confused. “I know, it’s confusing, is it not? I would like to do this as a gesture of good will, to give you a chance to reconsider. You saw something that terrified you. You reacted as could be expected, but that truly should have had nothing to do with our friendship. I am hoping that perhaps you will reconsider your decision. You would be happy if you served me, and I would treat you well. I am going to give you these few days as my gesture of my good will.”
“And if I still don’t choose to serve you?”
“I will tell you when we get there, but I will kill you myself and you have my word you will be in no pain. That is the least I can offer you in exchange for the friendship you offered me so freely.”
“But I won’t serve you.”
“Nevertheless, I give you these few days in repayment for needlessly causing you pain. And don’t try to escape. I am more than capable of stopping you. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I have business elsewhere in the palace. I will be back down to see you later.” Corpal inclined his head to her politely as he had so many times in the past. Corpal left her and she heard the door to the room lock behind him. Elisha sighed in relief to finally be free of him. He was the same man in many ways, but he was infinitely more dangerous. She had seen the ease with which he had threatened her life earlier. She knew when he chose to end her life, she would have little warning. There would be no murderous rage beforehand, it would simply be done.
Elisha understood that in the Prince’s mind escape would be impossible, but she had to see it for herself. It took her a great deal of effort to lift herself from the divan. Her side ached horribly, and she was very much aware that it still needed more attention. Her injury alone would prevent her from escaping unless it was easy. With hesitant steps, she grimaced her way over to the balcony. She was just high enough to guarantee that the fall to the ground below would be fatal.
With even more effort she pulled herself inside, bracing herself on the door frame. Closer observation of the room showed it to be some of the guest apartments in the palace. The space provided for her was ample, and the little details of finery were clearly visible. She had known for a long time that the Prince had an eye for detail, and everything from the soft, ornate floor rugs to keep her feet warm to the luxurious bed in the adjoining room was perfect. Truthfully, it was everything he had promised her in the past if she served him.
Elisha did not make it far before she realized she would be unable to explore the whole room. She made her way over to the couch and collapsed onto it. A quick glance at her wounded midsection showed that the blood was seeping through her bandages slightly. She put her hand on it to try to keep it from bleeding too badly. The wound did slow eventually, when she stopped trying to move. That gave her a moment’s relief. It was not a permanent fix, but it would do.
Elisha lay on the couch for a couple hours before she heard the door unlock. Elisha’s body became tense as it opened, dreading who it would be. She was surprised that it was Lenora, and not the Prince, who stepped into the room. Lenora looked like the fine lady she always had, but Elisha feared her just as she did the Prince.
“I was just told a moment ago you were here,” Lenora informed her with the same welcoming smile Elisha had seen many times before. Elisha looked at her distrustfully. “I would have been here sooner had I known you were here. I would think you desirous of some company. You must be very…”
“I have no desire for your company,” Elisha told her former teacher coldly, then wished she had remained silent. No matter how much she disliked Lenora, it would do her no good to anger the Havalla. She was in enough trouble without being that stupid.
Lenora did not look surprised at her outburst, but her smile did falter. “I would like to apologize, Elisha,” Lenora told her softly, crossing over to her and taking a chair near the couch. “I had hoped no ill would befall you and that you would transition smoothly, even if you were still wary. The deception was necessary. Both the Prince and I hoped to present you with the best possible circumstances. We had hoped you would serve him willingly, even after the truth was made known.”
“I know better than to serve a Havalla,” Elisha told her warily.
“Your reaction doesn’t surprise or anger me,” Lenora assured her, clearly noting her wariness. “I’m sure you have heard many stories, both true and false. And I will not pretend that some of both the good and the bad are not true. I am sorry I had to trick you, Elisha; I knew that would be painful for you when you learned the truth. It was necessary. Truthfully, none of my reactions to you were false. Besides my identity and the Prince’s, I have not deceived you. I would like to continue our friendship, even if it must only last a few more days. You were a true friend, Elisha, and I will cherish the memory of our friendship forever.”
“I have no desire to continue our friendship.”
“I can understand that of course,” Lenora said readily. “But I am willing to make an offer of good will. I do not flaunt my powers often, but if you will permit me, I would heal the wounds I heard you had acquired running from the Prince.”
“I don’t want any help from you,” Elisha said, recoiling from Lenora’s outstretched hands. She grimaced at the movement. Lenora’s eyes focused on her wound at that moment.
“Didn’t he have anyone look at your injury?” Lenora gasped. “Elisha, you’ve bled through your dress and that blood is fresh. You must let me help you.” Lenora was by her side in a moment. Her eyes were full of alarmed concern. Lenora put her hands to her wounded stomach, and Elisha squirmed away from her violently. Elisha ended up on her feet, clinging to the couch even as she moved away from the Havalla. “Elisha, please, just…”
“Let her be,” the Prince’s voice came sharply from the door. They both turned and looked at him. Elisha was startled by his presence, but Lenora didn’t seem to be. He surveyed the scene calmly and Lenora stepped away from Elisha.
“She is injured still, and the wound needs tending. I fear it may still kill her this day if it is not dealt with,” Lenora told the Prince. “You wish to give her a few days to reconsider, but at this moment, she does not have that time.”
“I agree, Lenora,” the Prince said at once. “But you are frightening her needlessly even if your intentions were good. I will care for her injuries. Go oversee Amalia. She is starting a new project.”
“I may visit Elisha later?” Lenora inquired.
“As you will.”
Lenora left without further word, leaving her alone once more with the Prince. He smiled at her pleasantly, the same friendly smile he had always had for her. “Lenora truly meant you no harm,” the Prince told her as he approached her. “And I fear she is right. I had not looked closely enough to see the degree of your injury, but given how you are bleeding through your dress, I feel she is correct. I will need to deal with your injuries directly. Will you permit me?”
“Stay away from me,” Elisha said defiantly.
“Yes, I thought that was how you would react. I must persuade you first I see,” the Prince said calmly as he sat beside her on a chair he had pulled up. “I told you I am giving you three days, Elisha. I have no reason to harm you before then, and it is not my intention to make you suffer. My abilities can be used for good or ill at my discretion.” He twisted his hands in the air and a misty mouse ran around his finger tips and over the back of his hand. As he moved his hand more the mouse became real. It ran around his shoulders and to his other hand. Elisha was mesmerized by it. Then the mouse leapt onto her and sniffed her with interest. She watched it warily.
The mouse did not move to harm her, but its actions became slower. As she watched, it froze in place and again it changed. It shifted back to fog and then into a perfect crystal replica of a mouse resting on her stomach.
“See? There was nothing to be concerned with in that trick. It caused you no harm.”
“That mouse was alive?” Elisha said slowl
y, turning the warm crystal in her hand. Every detail was precise and accurate.
“It was,” the Prince told her with a smile. “A trick for your amusement.”
“But it’s crystal now. It’s dead?” Elisha asked frowning, feeling more disturbed by that aspect.
“I gave it life. The course of that life was for me to decide. The transition caused it no pain and though its life was short, I would dare say it found it pleasant. I give and take life where I choose to. Now will you let me heal you?”
“No,” Elisha said firmly, horrified by the display that was meant to calm her. She saw a rare, brief flash of irritability in his eyes.
“Very well, if I must do it this way, I will, and you will know better than to doubt me after,” the Prince said calmly, showing no hint of the irritation he so clearly felt. The Prince stood, and as he did, Elisha shot into the air. She gave a startled cry as she was lifted by nothing. She tried to struggle and found she could not move at all. The Prince calmly walked into her bedroom, and she hovered in the air behind him. Her mind raced as she struggled to move. The Prince could clearly tell she was panicking, and a faint smirk was clear on his lips.
He surveyed her briefly. “Well, your dress is useless anyway,” he noted. As he spoke Elisha spun, and her dress shredded to pieces around her. A million thoughts ran through her mind in that instant. She wanted to scream and couldn’t. She wanted to cover herself and couldn’t. There was no modesty hanging in the air in only her undergarments. They covered nearly as much as her dress, but she felt very vulnerable. She had already been concerned about him harming her, but the lack of her dress made her more concerned about his reputation concerning women. She feared what he would do to her.
Elisha was lowered onto the bed. The soft mattress gave her no comfort as the Prince sat on the bed beside her. He put his fingers through the red stained cut in her garments. With no warning, he ripped the hole so it was bigger. Elisha could still not fight him. Tears came to her eyes in her panic. The Prince did not notice. She felt his fingers touch the edge of her wound. Then she felt his fingers go deeper. Elisha wanted to scream, the pain was terrible.
