Princess of Death

by Cortney Pearson

  “Lift your heads,” the king commanded.

  The two girls beside Cali did as they were told. One hugged her arm across her body, unease rippling across her face in waves.

  Soraya paced before the lineup of girls, stopping and appraising each.

  “You may go,” she told the first two.

  The girls exchanged a glance before scampering quickly from the room.

  Cali’s unease doubled. What was she doing?

  Soraya moseyed over to stand beside her father. To Cali’s surprise, the king deferred to the housekeeper, gesturing her forward.

  “Ayat, what do you think?”

  Ayat strutted forward, analyzing Cali and the other remaining girl the way Soraya had done.

  “Stand beside them, Princess. It would help to have a direct comparison.”

  “A direct comparison for what?” The words slipped from Cali’s mouth before she thought better of it, but she was growing tired of following their demands without any kind of explanation.

  Ayat gave her a cautionary scowl before turning to the king. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. She is new and may not be aware of the way things run around here. I will find someone else who fits the description you need.”

  Cali’s brows rose. “Fits what description?”

  Soraya strode forward. “She’s the one.”

  “Are you certain?” Ayat asked.

  Soraya returned to her father’s side. He glanced down at her before gesturing to the girl beside Cali.

  “You may go.”

  The girl dipped her head and left without a word. King Emir and Princess Soraya closed in on Cali, dismissing Ayat almost immediately.

  The king bent forward, making Cali think he was going to smell her. He captured her eyes with his brown ones, which studied her the way one would a map. They moved ever so slightly from her hairline to her ears, roaming over her features. She had the stifling feeling he was taking in every detail he could.

  “Uncanny,” he muttered.

  Cali wasn’t sure what to do. She opted not to speak, though a barrage of questions ribboned through her mind.

  “She’ll do,” King Emir said. “Please excuse the mystery, Miss…?”

  “Ana. Would you mind telling me what’s going on?” Cali asked. “Your Majesty,” she added.

  “You were in the banquet hall, weren’t you? When Edward Kelsey interrupted our meal?”

  “I was.”

  “Then you also heard his proposition. He’ll be arriving tomorrow morning with his son to take up residence in our guest quarters. And he’ll expect an alliance with my daughter.”

  “I refuse to be bartered,” Soraya interrupted.

  “And so we’re making contingency plans. You will be the princess in her place. With your build, as well as hair and eye color—deep blue sea glass, just like Soraya’s—you could pass for my daughter to someone who isn’t well acquainted with her. While you pose as Princess Soraya, goddess willing, I will be in the middle of negotiations with Captain Kelsey and will do my best to settle this peaceably.”

  Cali’s mouth parted in astonishment. Stand proxy as the princess of Lunae Lumen? Undine’s wrath. She knew nothing about this land, their customs, their habits, or their history. Besides, she didn’t have time to dally with pirates.

  This very moment, Darren was writhing on his hospital bed. Peasants she’d passed on her way to Lyric’s hut were dying in the streets. She couldn’t gallivant as another princess when her own kingdom was in jeopardy.

  But what else could she do? She couldn’t very well tell them no. Not when—along with her lack of knowledge about this place—she had no idea about their punishments for uncooperative servants.

  Cali dug in her pocket, ready to prove to them who she was. But she’d left her dress below. Her signet ring was in its pocket. She had no proof of her identity.

  “The only drawback will be your lack of magic,” the king said.

  Cali blinked, his words startling her from her thoughts. “My what?”

  “Soraya’s royal blood makes her a natural recipient of this power, thanks to the goddess Undine. You’ll be expected to prove yourself at some point, I’m sure.”

  Cali hadn’t forgotten the burn in her blood as Lyric’s magic had transported her here. If Princess Soraya could access the same power, then she might know something about healing, wouldn’t she? And if royalty alone held this ability, then how was it Lyric had been able to help transport Cali here in the first place?

  “If Captain Kelsey and his son demand a demonstration, use this.” Soraya handed Cali a small velvet bag the color of figs.

  Cali could only stare at the palm-sized satchel. This was all too much—traveling here, healing instantly, missing Darren, worrying over her people. Not to mention hearing Undine Daray heralded as a goddess and not a witch. Now Cali had a new worry—pleasing this pathetic king and saving his doomed kingdom. From pirates, no less.

  Cali couldn’t do it. She would leave tonight. She would sneak from her bed, find the apothecary, get the herbs, sacrifice something important like the signet ring left behind in her pocket downstairs, and then return home.

  The hair on her arms began to tingle. The energy of the room took on its own taste, a flavor Cali couldn’t name though it had a metallic tinge. Soraya’s hand was lifted. There were no windows in this antechamber. Cali felt no breeze, yet Soraya’s hair began to flurry.

  And then the girl’s palm began to crackle with lines of gold.

  Burnished amber light seeped through the veins in Soraya’s skin, scrawling across her hand like tiny snakes. The sight filled Cali with wonder. It wiped her mind of worries, leaving her in awe of this other princess and experiencing a craving she couldn’t explain.

  It was glittering, opalescent, and strikingly beautiful. The jaded worm of jealousy wriggled beneath Cali’s ribs. Why did Soraya’s royal blood grant her this, yet the same gift had been withheld from Cali?

  Undine was no goddess. The sea witch played games, and this was just another ploy to cause pain and torment. Cali couldn’t stay, not even for another dazzling display of magic. Pirates weren’t to be trusted. Being in a room with one had been as close as she ever wanted to be. Cali couldn’t do this. She wouldn’t do this.

  “If you’ll notice,” Soraya said, extinguishing the light under her skin. It faded gradually like the colors of a sunset dimming from fiery orange to nectarine to palest peach. “The glitz foil in this pouch will dust your skin, creating a similar glow to what I’ve just shown you.”

  “What did you say this was?” Cali gripped the pouch.

  “Glitz foil. Rubbing it between your fingers will give you a semblance of magic.”

  “Glitz foil,” Cali whispered beneath her breath. “You grow this here? At the palace?”

  “Our gardens hold many stunning, incredible plants.”

  Cali held the pouch between her palms like a prayer. She couldn’t believe one of the plants Lyric had sent her to retrieve was in her very grasp. Her stomach was rock hard. Adrenaline spiked her breathing. In her pulse, she felt the very fear of what she was about to say.

  “Then I accept what you’re asking of me.”

  Pirates were dangerous. They answered to no one but themselves. That in and of itself was a wiry menace, more perilous than one who did wrong to appease their conscience. Pirates were not scrupulous villains. They had no morals.

  But this was for Darren.

  “We weren’t asking.” The king’s tone was unmistakably threatening.

  Regardless, now Cali wouldn’t have to find an apothecary after all. The plants she needed to find were all located somewhere within the boundary of the palace’s grounds. It was just a matter of finding them.

  Cali fought against the race of her heartbeat and the dizzy weakness in her legs. She’d just bought herself the freedom she needed to explore, even if it did mean pretending to be a princess with a bounty on her head.

  Chapter 7

  Princess Soray
a waited until her father left the room before handing Cali a thick piece of parchment. She was strangely composed, displaying the exact opposite of the tango going on within Cali’s internal organs. In response, Cali did her best to slow her breathing.

  “Here is a nondisclosure agreement. You’re about to be privy to a lot of details I don’t care for others to know about me. As such—”

  “You want to ensure I’m not going to spread your secret life to the world. I get that.” And Cali did. While she would never be extreme enough to force someone else to pretend to be her, she’d want to make sure all her bases were covered if she did. She wasn’t sure which surname to sign, though, so she opted for Darren’s.

  The pit of her stomach burned. Ana Marcov. It was so close to Caliana Marcov, a combination she’d scrawled in diaries and daydreamed about more often than she could count.

  She hoped Darren was okay. Please let him hang on until I can get back to him.

  “This is your room from now on,” Soraya continued. “It’s my antechamber, but we’ll provide a bed for you. We don’t know what lengths the Kelseys have gone into to research this scheme of theirs, but if they know where my chambers are, they’ll expect you to emerge from them if they’re having them watched.”

  Cali glanced around the room, getting a better grasp on her surroundings. The whitewashed walls, golden frames, and the geometric patterns carved along the domed ceiling. An impressive chandelier with multiple pendants hung from the center. Two servants entered from a side door, carrying what appeared to be an elaborate cot. Another followed with an armful of teal bedding.

  “Have you ever met the captain’s son before?” Cali asked.

  “Never, which is to our advantage,” Soraya said. “His father saw me earlier today, but not well enough to tell the difference between us, I’m sure.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Cali watched the servants bring in a mattress for the cot. After they got it situated, they began to make the bed with luxurious linens. At least Cali would sleep comfortably in here.

  “You’ll be fitted into a few dresses comparable to mine once the seamstress arrives. A bit of information might also be helpful to you. You are aware of the death of my mother a few years ago, I assume?”

  “I—I can’t say I know much about the circumstances of it,” Cali hedged.

  “My mother was poisoned. The general public isn’t aware of the exact details, and we’d like to keep it that way. If asked about her, keep it vague.”

  Cali nodded, wishing she could write these things down.

  Soraya seated herself on one of the gilded chairs around the star-shaped table covered with decorative bronze tiles. Cali followed, noting the calligraphy swirls in the painted wood. Since she was trained for tricky situations, she knew could handle this with poise and grace.

  “I love music and studied it here at home with tutors. I play several different instruments, including the harp, which happens to be my favorite. A demonstration of these shouldn’t be required of you unless you’re asked specifically. Do you play any instruments, Ana?”

  “I can sing,” Cali admitted, though she didn’t care much about performing in front of others.

  “I can’t, so don’t share that detail about yourself. I got my education in the palace as well. It was difficult to keep tutors who could challenge me, so they were traded out regularly. Physical education was also a staple, and I traveled to other lands to compete in tennis matches. While I never won any renowned awards, I did manage to make friends with Gia Genowa, the princess of Bane. She and I are pen pals to this day.”

  The more Soraya spoke, the more convoluted everything became in Cali’s mind.

  “I’m sorry—but why go through all this trouble?” Cali asked. “Why not simply deny the suggested alliance from the start if this isn’t what you want?” It definitely seemed the less complicated option.

  Soraya sighed, flicking her gaze toward the door. “I’ve tried reasoning with my father. I feel the same—we shouldn’t even consider giving in to this monster’s wishes. But my father does have a point. The captain’s armada surrounds us. We’re trying to assemble an army without causing too much of a stir, but Captain Kelsey said he already has guards planted in the palace.”

  Already? The pirate must have been planning this siege for some time. “Do you know which ones?”

  Soraya exhaled, revealing an aura of exhaustion. “No, which makes it even more of a problem. Until we can find out who is loyal to my father and who isn’t, we can’t move too swiftly, or the pirate king will order his ships to attack before we’re ready.”

  An argument formed before Soraya could finish her explanation. While Cali had no desire to confront them face to face on her own, she knew the protocol for situations such as this. “Why not cause a stir, though? The guards are already here. Those who are loyal to you would defend you no matter what. Your shores have been threatened. The pirate captain should know you’re strong and will hold your ground.”

  Soraya grunted, pushing herself up in frustration. The blue skirt of her kaftan swirled as she began to pace in the open area between the chairs and the door. “That’s what I would do. If I were already the crowned princess, I could override my father’s wishes and demand more action! But you were at the banquet. I’m not crowned princess. Not yet. I hold enough power around here to give small orders to the staff or suggestions during meetings. Maybe oversee the gardens and household. I’ve taken classes on government and management since I was twelve, but until I hold that title, my word is useless against his.”

  “So your father does have a spine. Yet, only when it comes to you.”

  Soraya stopped pacing, pinning Cali with a look. She expected a reprimand or a reproach, but to her surprise, the other princess smiled. Cali saw the resemblance between them. The black hair, the fair skin, even their features held some similarities aside from the tapered corners of Soraya’s eyes and Cali’s rounder cheekbones.

  “That’s why I chose you,” Soraya said.

  “Why did you?”

  “You’re strong. You speak your mind, even when you shouldn’t. You did earlier, when Ayat was here, and I liked that. I’ll need as many allies as I can get. If you’re on my side during all of this, maybe we can instigate change sooner than my father would like.”

  What did she mean? Did this princess mean to overthrow her own father?

  “At least he’s granting me this request. I won’t have to parade around with this Baelor Kelsey, nor pretend any kind of alliance between us will exist.”

  Some of the tension in Cali’s chest released. Not completely, but enough to be noticeable. Knowing the pirate prince’s name made him more human. Gave her something to fight. “Baelor Kelsey? Is that the prince’s name?”

  “He goes by Bae,” Soraya said. “Even though his father is referred to as the pirate king, he’s not actually a king. Which means—”

  “Bae isn’t really a prince. Does he hold a different title I should refer to him by?”

  “Unwanted?” Soraya suggested, her face wilting into a wry smile.

  “Imposter Kelsey?” Cali cottoned on. The two girls began to giggle. Soraya plunged back into the chair she’d left, trembling with laughter. A glimpse of the nervousness rippling through Cali finally showed itself in the other princess.

  Cali wiped her eyes. It had felt good to laugh. “In all seriousness, what can you tell me about them?”

  Soraya released a sigh along with her smile. She hugged one of the decorative pillows to her chest. “Edward Kelsey was a criminal who was hijacked into the royal navy from his homeland of Baldric Island many years ago. He abandoned his post, led a mutiny against the captain, and took the ship for himself. The crew was made mostly of criminals—many are still his crewmates now, I believe.”

  Cali hadn’t realized how rigid her shoulders had gone until Soraya stopped her commentary. No wonder he felt he could barge into the palace and make demands. “He sounds completely charming.”
>
  Soraya blew out an exasperated breath. “I’m sure you can see why I have no desire to meet this son of his, let alone agree to any kind of marriage between us.”

  A knock sounded on the door. Ayat shuffled in, followed by an exhausted-looking woman laden down with bags.

  “It seems you have been selected, Ana,” Ayat said, surveying her critically. Before giving her a chance to answer, the housekeeper thrust a book into Cali’s lap. “Here is a history of the Cressida royal family, including some helpful details about the princess herself. You must study and learn all you can about them, so you can answer whatever questions may be posed to you in a suitable fashion.”

  “You’re studying my life,” Soraya said with a groan.

  “At your request, Princess,” Ayat said with barely concealed disgust in her tone. “This is Fatima. She will be outfitting you into some of the princess’s gowns with the fabric left over from her last fitting.”

  “With the gowns I rejected, you mean,” Soraya snapped. She clearly didn’t like Ayat, and the feeling appeared to be reciprocated.

  “They’ll be lovely,” Cali said, attempting to smooth things over.

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” Princess Soraya said before leaving. “That’s the door to my chamber. You’re not to enter unless you’re invited to do so. If you have questions for me, you may write them down on the paper provided for you on the bedside there.” She gestured to the table near the cot, which was more like an inviting bed, draped as it was with fabrics and golden pillows.

  The overstuffed, gold-embroidered pillows called Cali’s name. She imagined being surrounded by so much gilt and vibrancy was like sleeping in a dragon’s lair.

  “Thank you,” Cali said. Princess or servant, she hadn’t forgotten her manners. Sleeping here topped wherever she might have ended up in the servant’s quarters below.

  For the next several hours, Cali found herself in a position she knew all too well—being fitted for gowns. She was grateful to be bathed, to have Fatima and Soraya’s other maids primp and prep her for bed before allowing her some much wanted privacy.