“I do want to do something about it!” I say. “Just a few days ago Sebastian and I were talking about the possibility of helping Ortarus. I know what a horrible place it is.” I shake my head, trying to hold my tears back. “I know the king needs to be taken down, but I can’t take someone else’s life. I’m sorry, I just…can’t.” The tears break through their barrier and slide down my cheeks. “I can’t deal with this.” I cover my eyes.
Arms wrap around me and Sebastian presses his lips to my temple. “It’s okay, Lily,” he whispers.
“This isn’t an easy task,” Alaric says. “And I didn’t intend to upset you. I’m trying to save my people.”
I wipe my eyes. “I want to save them, too. I would do anything to save them, but I can’t murder anyone.” A new batch of tears attacks my eyes and the only sounds in the room are my hiccups. Sebastian’s arms tighten around me.
“I think it’d be best if we call it a night and resume tomorrow,” Alaric says, patting my back. “I’m sorry to put you in this situation, Lily, but you’re the only one powerful enough to defeat King Sorenten. We have no other choice. You’re our only hope.”
There’s a lighter pat on my back—probably Renaya—before the door opens, then shuts. Only Sebastian and I remain in the room. His hands run up and down my back, trying to soothe me, but I don’t think anything can. I know King Sorenten needs to be killed. I know Ortarus is a terrible place and Ortarians deserve to have a good life. But why do I have to be the one to do it? Me, the girl who can’t watch fish eating other fish or animals attacking one another. I’m the one destined to free Ortarus? All because I was born into royalty?
When I killed those palace guards, I wasn’t really thinking. I was just saving Sebastian. It was almost like the magic was controlling me. But to ask me to purposely go after someone? I…can’t.
Sebastian wipes my tears with his thumbs.
“Sebastian.” More tears come, and this time he doesn’t bother to wipe them. “What do I do?”
He doesn’t answer, only pops small kisses along my temple. “I don’t know.”
I lift my head to gaze into his eyes. “What would you do?”
He hesitates.
“It’s okay. You can tell me,” I say.
He shuts his eyes. “I would kill the king.” His eyes open. “I understand what Alaric was referring to. I’ve felt the pain and grief all my fellow Ortarians feel and go through every day. I’ve suffered many hardships. So yes, I would kill the king.”
I sink down on the bed and stare at the muddy walls. Sebastian drops next to me and takes my hand. “I don’t want to tell you what to do. I would never force you to do something you don’t want to do.”
I bury my face in my hands. “Everyone is counting on me.” I lower my hands as more tears fill my eyes. “They call me their savior.”
He fingers my cheek.
“All those people in there.” I nod toward the doorway. How could I let them down? But then again, how could I murder, even if he does deserve it?
Chapter Six
It’s no surprise that I don’t manage to get any sleep. The same images replay in my head—Alaric explaining that I need to kill the king, me refusing, and Renaya glaring at me. Sebastian has been very great to me, letting me pour my heart out to him, tucking me close to his body before he drifted off to sleep. He never complains or makes me feel like I’m disappointing him. From what we talked about, I gathered that he wants the king dead, but he doesn’t want me to do something I don’t feel comfortable doing. He would never pressure me. That’s one of the things I love about him—how sensitive, caring, and understanding he is.
But I have to wonder, am I completely wrong here? Is it not a big deal to murder such an evil person?
I can’t imagine the horrible things he’s done. How much pain he’s put the Ortarians through, but I need to try to understand it. I know what it’s like to suffer loss, to feel pain. After Daisy died, I never thought I would laugh again. Meeting Sebastian changed everything. He brought light to my life.
Is it the same here? Could I be the one who will bring light to all the Ortarians? Could I change their lives? Could I make them happy?
At the same time, I’m no murderer. I think back to what Hastus said, about my training. Is that what I’ll be training for? To kill the king? Does this make me some kind of assassin?
Sebastian shifts on the bed. I don’t know the rules here, if we’re allowed to share a bed, but I’m very grateful he’s with me. I don’t think I would be able to get through any of this without him by my side.
“Lily?” he says, his eyes closed, his voice sleepy. He raises his arm, as though searching for me. I clasp his hand in mine and give it a squeeze. He smiles and goes back to sleep.
As I watch him, something dawns on me. He looks so peaceful, like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I’m almost positive Ortarians don’t have that luxury, especially the poor who are always on edge, always stressing, always worried. I could potentially change that.
By killing the king.
I massage my temples. Am I making a big deal about this? Would another human in my situation go forth without question? We’re talking about improving people’s lives. We’re talking about putting smiles on little kids’ faces.
I’ve had a good childhood and a pretty good life. Even though my sister died and Mom shut me out, I have come to terms with that. I was creating a good life for myself with the man I love. It’s not like that here. I can’t be selfish.
All these thoughts are making my head spin. Since I’m not going to get any more sleep, I slip out from under the covers, get dressed, and leave my room. The other bedrooms seem to be empty. I guess everyone wakes up early here.
I find Salia in the kitchen, bent over the sink, where she’s washing dishes. Not using magic.
“Good morning,” I say.
She smiles. “Lily. Did you sleep well? Would you like something to eat?”
“That’s okay, I’m not really hungry. And yes,” I lie. “I slept well. Do you need help?”
She looks at me like I asked her if I can polish her shoes. “No, please, Princess Lily. It’s all right.”
I stare at her. Princess Lily? I hadn’t thought about that. Alaric—my dad—is the true king. That makes me the princess. Oh, god. Princess?
I hold up my hands. “No way. I’m just a regular person like you and I’d love to help you with the dishes.”
Her cheeks flush and she bows her head. “Thank you.”
We get to work, she on washing and me on drying. “You can’t use magic to wash the dishes?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I’m only allowed to use magic to cook. Cleaning the dishes was another servant’s task at the palace.”
For an evil king, Sorenten sure has everything neat and in order. I suppose it’s his way of having control over everything.
We work in silence. I wonder if I can use magic to make this easier, but then I decide to skip it. One, I’m completely clueless when it comes to magic. I might fry the place with my lightning bolts. Two, I’m not really interested in embracing that part of me. Not yet. Maybe not ever. I don’t know.
When our eyes meet, Salia gives me a friendly smile. I wonder if they know Alaric has talked to me. The fact that Salia called me princess makes me think that they do. Does she know I don’t want to kill the king? Is she disappointed? Angry?
She seems lonely and sad. I wonder what her story is and would like to get to know her better.
“Hey, Salia?”
“Yes?”
“Where’s your family? Are they part of the rebellion, too?”
Darkness fills her face and she turns away from me.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “It’s none of my business.”
She doesn’t say anything as she continues to scrub so hard her hands are getting red. I put my hand over hers. “If you want to talk about it, I’m here. I know we don’t know each other, but I want you and everyone else to know
that I care.”
She turns to me, her eyes glassy. “You’ve changed your mind?”
So she’s aware I have an issue with killing the king. I bite my lip. Her eyes are wide, shining with hope. When I told Sebastian last night that they’re all hopeful, I just said it. But now as I gaze at her, I feel it. Though I don’t know her story, I can feel all the pain and suffering she’s endured in her life.
How could I be so selfish to refuse?
“Yes,” I tell her. “I’ll…I’ll…” I shut my eyes.
This time she rests her hand on mine. “You still have doubts.”
I open my eyes. She still looks hopeful, but it’s dimmed. I can see betrayal and disappointment seeping in. “It’s just hard for me. I know I have no right to say that. I have no idea what it’s been like for you and I can’t really understand...”
“My father.” She faces the sink. “He’s been…” Her voice trails off. “He is…”
“It’s okay, Salia. You don’t have to tell me.”
She scrubs another dish, harder, even though there are no food stains on it. Her eyes fill with tears and her lower lip trembles. “King Sorenten tortures him. Daily. For everyone to see.”
“What?”
She nods, her scrubbing growing even more intense.
“He tortures your dad. Every day? Why? What did he do?”
She slams the dish in the sink. It doesn’t crack. “He stole some food from the palace to feed my family. We didn’t have much and my little brothers and sisters were starving.” She swallows. “He was caught by the palace guards and as punishment, King Sorenten tortures him publically. He wishes to teach the Ortarians a lesson, that no one steals from the king.”
“Salia, I’m so, so sorry. Being the king’s torture toy? He’s a psycho. A real psycho.” I wrap my arms around her. She goes still, then slowly accepts the hug.
“Thank you, Princess,” she whispers. The pain in her voice causes tears to spill down my cheeks.
What sick person does something like that? Salia’s dad was desperate to feed his kids. Is that such a crime? And to be tortured every day? That’s nuts. Totally nuts.
“Every day, I wish I were powerful enough to free my father,” Salia whispers against my cheek. “But I’m weak and helpless. Before I came here, I was forced to watch King Sorenten tear my father apart, then paste him back together again.” She sniffs.
I can’t stand this any longer. This is just one horrible story I’m hearing. There are many, many others, some most probably even worse than this. I won’t let that monster get away with this. He needs to be stopped.
And I’m the only one who can do it.
“I’ll take the king down,” I tell her. “And I promise you I’ll free your dad and your family will be whole again and Ortarus will be a good, happy place to live in. You have my word.”
She draws back and looks into my eyes. “Princess, I didn’t tell you this in order to sway you—”
“No. I should have accepted my destiny from the start. I’m really sorry. It was selfish of me.”
“You’re not selfish.”
The king is the most powerful person in Ortarus, but I can’t let that deter me. I’m going to save these people, these kind, caring people who don’t deserve this heartache.
I’ll die trying.
Chapter Seven
Later that day, Alaric and Renaya meet Sebastian and me in my room. I haven’t seen either of them all day, and Sebastian and I have been talking with some of the other rebels, learning their stories and sympathizing with them. I haven’t had a chance to tell Sebastian my decision. I just couldn’t find the right moment. We haven’t really had alone time. With so many people in this tiny place, we don’t have much privacy. I’m sure sleeping in the same bed is causing people to whisper about us. Ortarus doesn’t seem like a place where PDA is encouraged.
We’re sitting on my bed while Alaric and Renaya take the chairs facing us. “Before you start,” I say. “I want to apologize for yesterday. I was wrong to behave that way. This place and these people mean something to me.” I look at Renaya. “All of you do. You’re right that I can’t understand what you’ve all been through, but that doesn’t matter. No one deserves to live such a life. If I can do something to change that, I will. I need to.”
Renaya’s face lights up. It’s the only positive emotion I’ve seen from her. Sebastian’s eyes are wide.
Alaric bends forward. “Are you sure?”
“Very.”
Sebastian grabs my hand. “It’s dangerous, Lily. You could die.”
“That doesn’t matter. Didn’t you tell me last night that you would do it?”
He runs his hand through his hair. “Yes, but I was talking about myself.” Fear and worry seep into his eyes. “I was up all night thinking about it. I don’t want to lose you.”
I place my hand on his. “You won’t lose me. And even if I die, I’ll die trying to give your people—our people—a good life.”
He tears his gaze from me, to the floor, and doesn’t say a word.
“Sebastian, I’m sorry, but it’s the only way. I can’t think about myself here. We’re talking about thousands of people who live in fear. That’s not a life. I can change that.”
Sebastian’s eyes move to Alaric. “What happens if Lily is killed during the battle with Sorenten?”
Alaric hesitates. “There’s more that I haven’t told you.”
Sebastian and I exchange a look. “What do you mean?” I ask.
He’s quiet for a few seconds before, “After Sorenten is killed, all his magic ceases to exist. For example, his hold on me will vanish, too. My royal magic will be restored to me.”
“That means you’ll be king,” I say.
Alaric nods.
“Then Lily’s life isn’t important,” Sebastian says, his tone shifting from confusion to anger. “She can die in the process of killing Sorenten and it won’t make any difference because you will still be king!”
I grab his arm. “Sebastian, relax.”
He pulls his arm away. “I know you want to be strong, Lily, but someone needs to protect you and watch over you. Now I see Alaric for who he truly is. A selfish, heartless ruler.”
Alaric shoots to his feet. “How dare you say something like that to me? Do you honestly think I don’t care about my daughter? You think I don’t care if she dies in battle? I only just got her. I never want to lose her.”
Sebastian presses his lips together. Alaric sits back down. “She’ll train hard, under Hastus’s guidance. Hastus is the best warrior we have.”
“There’s still a chance she’ll die,” Sebastian says.
“There’s always a chance.” Alaric’s voice is low.
Sebastian shakes his head like he can’t believe it. “You already lost one daughter, do you want to lose another?” As soon as the words leave his mouth, his eyes grow bigger than Saturn. My dad doesn’t know about Daisy’s death. I totally forgot about it until now.
Sebastian buries his face in his hands. “I’m so sorry. Please, my king, forgive me.” He takes my hand. “I didn’t mean to say that.”
I pat his hand, telling him it’s okay. The truth is my dad needs to learn about this sooner or later. But I don’t…I don’t want to be the one to tell him. I’ll have to, though.
Alaric’s eyes move from Sebastian to me, his forehead wrinkled. “Lost one daughter…Daisy?” Shock fills his eyes and I can see a tremor go through him. “Is she…?”
I take in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. I don’t know if I can do this. Seeing the pain on his face. The guilt for not being part of her life.
“Lily?” Alaric asks, his voice panicked.
I try to regulate my breathing. My heart is hammering in my chest so strongly it’s as though it’s made of metal. My gaze is on the floor. I haven’t noticed it before, but it’s made from hard mud, like the bottom of a cave.
“Lily, please.”
Slowly, my eyes make their wa
y to his face. I shut them, begging my brain to give me the right words. “There was an accident.” My eyes open. “Four months ago. I mean, four months ago on Earth…” My voice trails off. Maybe I’m stalling because I don’t want to see my dad’s face fill with pain.
“Yes?” Alaric asks.
“Well, um…” I can’t do it.
Sebastian fits his fingers through mine. “Should I tell him?”
I shake my head and take another deep breath. “She died in a car accident.”
There’s no reaction from Alaric. He just sits there staring at me like his brain doesn’t understand what he just heard. His eyes are faraway, as though he’s lost in memories. Probably memories of my sister.
Keeping the Genie (Genie's Love, Book 3) Page 4
