The Half-Light

by A D Lombardo

  He tugged on the large door and slipped inside, hoping to inspect a second painting on the opposite side of the library and its surrounding panel without prying eyes. Satisfied he was alone, he ran between the tables, stopping only to drop his book.

  Standing before the painting of his great-great-uncle… He couldn’t remember … but he knew it was a Galloway man, riding a horse. He checked the frame for the little latch. When he released the pin, the edge of the frame came free from the wall, and with a sly smile, he quickly stepped into the opening. Given all the daylight pouring into the library, he was able to see quite far into the empty space and instantly realized there was another hidden panel directly in front of him.

  His eyes went wide, and he gasped. “The music room,” he said out loud. One quick look down the passage and he could just make out stairs leading upward. He only had a few moments; backing out, he pushed the painting back into place and secured the latch. Confident it was closed, he raced back to the library doors.

  Professor Greydon approached with several books in his arms. “Good morning, Professor Greydon. I returned a book I borrowed, let me hold the door for you,” Kai offered.

  Very pleased, Professor Greydon smiled. “Why thank you, Prince Kai, that is very kind of you. Do you need anything else this morning?”

  “Thank you, but no professor.” Not wanting the conversation to continue, he dashed through the door. “Got to run, professor!” Kai darted to the music room and pushed open the door. There sat Amelia on one of the sofas reading a book, her long blonde hair pulled back in a braid. Darn, he thought to himself. He had hoped the room would be empty. Amelia lowered her book. “Good morning, Kai, have you come to listen to me practice?”

  He crossed to where Amelia sat, surveying both ends of the room. He took notice of the matching built-in bookshelves around two large paintings, one on either side of the room. Glaring at the one on the right, he thought, there must also be an access point in Dante’s study. He was getting good at this. Pleased with himself, he took a seat beside her. “Good morning, Amelia. Honestly, I was just killing time. What are you reading?”

  “The Invisible Thief. You know the one you gave me yesterday, about Benmar, the man who stole the crown jewels from Bangloo. I am at the part where he boards a ship to cross the Caprizian Sea. I kind of like how the author uses places we know,” she said, closing the book.

  Kai shook his head. “I knew you would like it. If you think that part is good, wait to till you get to the end when he…”

  She gasped and gave him a little shove. “Don’t you dare tell me anything, Kai.”

  Chuckling, he pushed her hand away. “Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it,” he said with a grin.

  Just then, the door to the music room opened, and Shannon entered. “Good morning, children. Sorry I am late, Amelia. It’s been a busy morning. Are you ready to practice your piece for this evening’s celebration?”

  “Yes, Lady Shannon. Kai, please stay and listen to my piece. I will be playing first tonight.”

  Not wanting her to feel that he was disinterested, he agreed. “Happy to stay and listen.” Although he secretly had the passageways on his mind.

  Amelia took her seat on the piano bench next to Shannon and opened her sheet music. Ready she set her foot on the pedal below and her hands gently above the keys and began to play.

  Kai loved the sound of piano music; her piece drew him in, and he closed his eyes to let it take him away. The music transported his mind to when he was young, to a time when his mother used to play for him. It was a beautiful piece, the notes all blended together like a happy story of two children dancing through the clouds. Each with their own personality blending harmoniously.

  With his eyes open, he looked around the brightly lit room. He glanced upward and thought of the bedrooms above, wondering which ones would be empty. Which rooms could he explore?

  Once she finished, she craned her neck to see him over the piano. “Well, what do you think? Beautiful, right?” Her hopeful smile waited for his reply.

  Kai nodded. “Amelia, you play very well. I am sure your mother must be very proud. I can’t wait to hear it again tonight. Thank you for letting me stay.” With a nod to them both, he said, “Lady Shannon, Amelia.” Then he turned and opened the door. There in front of him stood Alana, graceful as ever, holding her music. She smiled and stepped passed him.

  “Uh, hello to you, Alana,” he whispered as he entered the hallway. Sweet girl, but a little too shy for him. Besides the one time in class, when she gave her book report, he was sure he’d never heard the girl speak to anyone. Now was no exception.

  Upstairs he made his way toward the nursery. He remembered all too well the large paintings in his old room. When he entered, he found Nola sitting in the window seat, staring outside. “Hello, Nola, how are you feeling? Better, I hope.” Kai took the position across from her and looked past her shoulder to the painting of his great-great-grandmother holding twins, Eden and Anthony, in the nursery rocking chair.

  Nola rubbed her hands over her bulging stomach. “I am well, thank you for asking. Did you need anything?”

  Still eyeing the built-in bookshelf, he thought that there must be a correlating painting in his parents’ room—not that he’d risk walking in there to inspect it, even if it were empty. “Not really, I thought I would come to see my old room. It has certainly changed with all the new baby things.”

  Nola gazed around the room. “Yes, it has really come together. I can’t wait for the baby to be born, then I can have pink or blue ribbons added to all the white.”

  “I can’t wait to be a big brother to him or her, although secretly I hope it is a girl. We need a princess in the palace.” He reached over and touched her hand.

  She placed her hand firmly on his, her green eyes looked deep into his, and she gave him a soft smile. “I agree, I would love a little girl.” She said in a soft tone, tapping the back of his hand repeatedly. “You are such a good and loyal brother, Kai. You would do anything for your brothers.” Her soft tone was more commanding than grateful. Still, she tapped. “You would even protect me over another.”

  Something about her eyes, her words, and her touch made him feel dizzy. His thoughts struggled to focus. Panicked, he wanted to free his hand. He could not move. Her words continued to bore into his mind. He felt his will bend to her suggestions. “You should watch out for Cazier,” she instructed. “He cannot be trusted.”

  Her ideas pressed into his mind, mesmerizing him. He did not want to believe her words, but they began to take root. Trapped, Kai attempted to withdraw inside himself. Nola’s words rang in his ears, confusing him. Kendra came to his mind, and he focused on his breathing. He heard his own heartbeat. The rhythm was comforting and loud.

  At that moment, he closed his eyes and pulled his hand free. Kai rubbed the back of his hand, and then he shook his head and turned back toward the bookshelf. His mind fog cleared, and he looked back at her. “I don’t feel well. I should let you rest. Do you need anything before I go?”

  Nola’s serious glare turned coy. “You should rest, dear. Can you get Kendra first? She is down the hall, making up a room for Lord and Lady Chenowith. They will be arriving around lunch.” Her spellbinding eyes narrowed.

  He cringed again at the sound of her voice. Her words sounded forceful. Even without her touch, his head began to swim. “Certainly, I will send her right over.” He rubbed his temple and left.

  In the hallway, he took a deep breath. His fog continued to clear. Down the hall, he found Kendra putting the finishing touches on some flowers. “Excuse me, Kendra. Nola needs you.”

  “Is she alright?” Kendra asked with concern and surprise.

  Kai noticed the bookshelf and the large painting, and he ran his fingers around the frame, discovering the tiny latch securing it to the wall. “Yes, she’s fine. Not sure what she wanted, just passing on her message.”

  Before Kendra could leave, he touched her arm. “Kendra, be car
eful. There is something about Nola I never noticed before. She touched my hand and spoke to me, and my mind seemed to cloud over. If you had not taught me how to withdraw and focus on my breathing, I…” He shook his head again. “I cannot explain it. Just be careful.”

  Kendra placed her hand on Kai’s. “I too have noticed something. It’s happened to me too when I touch her to check on the baby. She speaks to me. Questions me. It is not easy to break free from her hypnotic spell. I have no idea of her purpose. Fortunately, I am rarely alone with her. Sigry is usually in the room to monitor her progress, but I will be careful. Thank you, Kai.”

  Chapter 11

  Trapped

  The king’s study was surprisingly empty. Near the door, a large ornate cabinet beckoned. Although it was probably locked, Kai wondered if the necklace was stored inside. If he were ever going to study it without Sigry, he would need to sneak inside and pick the lock. A skill he did not yet possess.

  Along the back wall, a long display case and a set of bookshelves wrapped around a large family portrait. Kai pondered the mystery at hand, and he realized he needed to think more about the layout of the palace. If all the access points lead to a room directly above or below, it meant if there was a secret passage behind the painting in his father’s study, it had to be accessible from the family room directly below.

  They all utilized built-in bookshelves and large paintings to cover their entrances. Two such passages shared dual exits into adjoining rooms. Wanting to check one out, Kai entered one such access point from an unused bedroom between the nursery and his cousin Gideon’s room. He knew he was taking a risk opening one during the day, but from an empty room, he hoped to go undetected.

  After lighting an oil lamp, he entered the passage and replaced the pin in the latch. The dim light was just enough to reveal the path but not enough that it might illuminate any cracks around the panels. He wished he could walk them in the dark or glean them the way Kendra could.

  There, as he figured, another panel directly across from the access point he’d just used. From his hiding point, he listened to his aunt Helena and Gideon talking on the other side. Kai's lamp illuminated a set of stairs leading down.

  At the bottom, he found he was again between two panels—the one he’d opened just this morning, within the library and the music room on the other side. Quite thrilled with himself, he stopped to listen. No surprise, nothing was coming from the library. From the music room, however, he could faintly hear Alana playing the piano. He leaned against the wall to listen.

  After she finished the piece, he could hear Shannon speaking. “You’ve done very well, my dear. I believe you are ready for tonight’s performance.” The muffled sounds of another voice interrupted Shannon. “Certainly, please clean the room, we are just leaving to have lunch.”

  Hungry himself, he picked up his lamp. When he reached the exit that would lead him back into the empty room, he heard voices. Oh no, I’m trapped! He panicked.

  He had assumed the room would remain empty and that he could come and go. Now what? He knew the library would be occupied all day. Although currently silent, he did not want to risk using the panel to exit into his cousin’s room. He would have to sit and wait for them to leave or risk exiting into the music room, something he was not prepared to do.

  Kai sat on the stone floor for what felt like hours when he finally thought he heard the door close and the room go silent. Deciding his hunger was becoming more than he could bear, he turned the dial on the lamp completely out and waited for the smell of smoke to dissipate. On the wall, he felt for the latch to release the frame.

  With one hand on the panel, he made sure to keep it from opening too far. The room was now filled with sunlight. The maids had opened the curtains and windows to let in light and fresh air. He quietly stepped out of his hiding place into the room, pressed the frame back into place, and secured the latch.

  The room, he noticed, had been cleaned and prepared for an impending guest. Not wanting to stick around to see who might be using the room, he opened the door and headed straight to his room. That was too close. He slid down the back of the door with a thud.

  Happy to see him, Smoke gave him a lick across the face and sniffed his dusty clothes. Relieved he’d not been caught, Kai decided that was too close. If he was to use these access points or hidden passages to eavesdrop, his knowledge of them needed to remain a secret. He would need to be more careful and consider only using them at night when everyone was asleep, especially considering the servants could come in on him to clean a room at any moment.

  The next panel he wanted to confirm was the one in the family sitting room that inevitably would lead to his father’s study. He would explore it tonight. For now, he was famished. Down in the family dining hall, Kai found lunch had long since been cleared. His best bet now was Lizzie.

  On the stairwell he passed a long line of servants carrying linens, glass vases, armfuls of white dahlias and red roses for dressing the tables in the great hall. How much decoration could one room need?

  When he entered the kitchen, he saw a flurry of workers cutting vegetables, others shaping dough, cutting it into small round rolls and placing them on a nearby tray. Lizzie shoved them into the oven and removed four large pies. The kitchen smelled like heaven, and it looked like a storm of activity he should probably steer clear of, but he needed something to eat.

  Kai waved to Lizzie and caught her attention. “I am sorry to bother you, but I missed lunch. Do you have anything to spare?”

  “Oh, honey, you’ve caught us preparing for tonight’s celebration. We are really in between meals right now,” she said, touching the back of her wrist to her forehead. “Come with me.” She grabbed a plate, a small wooden board, and a knife. At the far end of the kitchen, she entered the adjoining pantry.

  Lizzie set everything down on the large stone table in the center of the room. From the shelf, she grabbed a block of cheese and carved off three large slices, before placing it back and covering it with a towel. Then she reached into a box on another shelf, pulled out three thinly sliced pieces of dried meat, and pushed the plate toward him. “Start with this while I cut you a few apples.”

  Relieved, he stuffed the first piece of cheese in his mouth. “Thank you, Lizzie. You are the best.”

  Smiling back at him, she placed the two sliced apples on his plate. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. When you are done, bring the plate to the kitchen for someone to wash. Now I really must get back to cooking, be a good boy and run along.” Lizzie dashed back into the fray of the kitchen.

  After setting his plate in the kitchen sink, he made his way upstairs to the great hall. The room had been transformed. They had already brought in Amelia’s piano, decorated with a swag of pine branches, white dahlias, and red roses. In the center of the room, all the chandeliers had been lowered to hover just above the tables and servants were busy weaving green garland and white ribbons around the lamps.

  On the dais, there was one long table set for the royal family and the guest of honor. Kai ran his hands over the intricately carved chairs until he came to his father’s throne, which had been put at the center of the table. The throne was deep mahogany, and carved into the back was the Galloway crest: a wolf’s head with three spears in its jaws brushed with gold and silver. The arms and seat were covered in thick blue velvet padding.

  The rest of the room was filled with multiple tables covered in white linens and narrow dark blue runners, running the length of each table. Some of the tables were already decorated with tall frosted white glass vases overflowing with green garland and stuffed with the same flowers being used in the rest of the room. All the plants made the room smell of pine and roses.

  Amelia burst into the room, heading toward the piano, and he darted over to catch up with her. Desperate to get fresh air, he asked, “Amelia, want to go outside?”

  “Sorry, I can’t! I need to go and get ready for tonight. Mother wants them to curl my hair, and I have to
wear some fancy dress she had made for me. They just let me out for a few minutes while they complete some alterations. Seems I’ve grown more than she’d anticipated. I only came down to place my music before getting ready. See you tonight.” With a sigh, he walked out behind her.

  Later that evening, everyone gathered in the great hall to enjoy food and festivities to honor the new Master General, Adrian Cazier. The court herald had announced all the lords and ladies, most of which Kai knew already. He knew Lord and Lady Chenowith, Lord and Lady Albey, and Lord and Lady Hamrin very well.

  After announcing the guest of honor, Lord Adrian Cazier, everyone took their seats, and Shannon motioned for Amelia to take her place at the piano. Kai was stunned to see Amelia; she looked beautiful in an emerald green dress. Her mother had indeed curled her golden blond hair, and it bounced as she walked. He rarely saw her dressed so formal.

  She looked nervous, but she smiled as Shannon sat down beside her. One short nod from Shannon and Amelia began to play. It was just as beautiful as the first time he’d heard her perform. The music had such power and beauty. It could pull a memory from the past or paint a picture out of thin air.

  When she finished, everyone clapped. Then Shannon and Amelia played a short duet together that sounded lively and complicated. After another loud round of applause, Amelia curtsied to the group and returned to her seat. Next Alana Cazier approached the piano and sat beside Shannon. Alana played an exquisite piece. He could tell, looking at his cousin, that Adrian was quite proud.

  Her selection made Kai feel introspective. He couldn’t tell if he should feel happy or sad. The piece seemed to bounce back and forth between two moods. After another round applause, dinner was served.

  The Master General leaned around Kai and whispered to the King, “Sire, thank you for the honor and this magnificent evening. You sure we couldn’t have gone out on the town, just the two of us like when we were young?”