Looking a little uncomfortable, Halebeorht responded, “Yes, it was actually her suggestion. I told her that I would be happy to escort her out there.”
A squeak escaped my mouth. I pressed my lips together tighter, just managing to hold inside what I really wanted to say.
“Amáne is a special guest of mine, Lord Halebeorht.”
I watched Ansel’s face and could see the effort it took to control his words to the beastly man.
He continued, “I will be the one to escort her. I’m sure you understand.”
Halebeorht bowed with another irritating flourish of his bejeweled hand and a knowing nod at Ansel, “Of course, as you wish, it is your birthday after all.” He looked at me, “Amáne.” He made it sound like a statement as he tipped his head, and then turned and left — looking quite frustrated.
I breathed a long sigh of relief.
Ansel gave me his arm, “Shall we?”
We left behind the stuffy hall and moved through the colored glass doors to the balcony. The cool air hit my face, refreshing me immediately. I closed my eyes and inhaled.
The balcony was darker than I had expected, with only a few torches burning — the shadows dancing on the walls. Suddenly I gasped as I took in the scene around me. In the darkness, I saw couples settled on the benches surrounding the balcony. Each pair wrapped in varying amorous embraces — most of which I thought were not appropriate in a public setting.
In shock, I caught my breath and looked at Ansel. “He wanted to ... he thought that I ... did he...?” I stuttered, as I thought of Halebeorht and his vile intentions.
“Welcome to the balcony, Amáne.”
I was so offended — shaking — livid. “That ... man!” I couldn’t think of a word descriptive enough, that I was comfortable saying. “...if I had my dagger with me ...”
Ansel placed his hands on my shoulders and pressed down in the same method that Gallen had used to calm me before my first quest. He brought his face close to mine and said in a low voice, “I have no doubt that you would’ve been able to defend your honor, with or without your dagger. And I completely agree with you. I would be the first to throttle that man if he but lay a hand on you. But it wouldn’t show me in good light in this foreign country if someone were to find a guest of mine in a heap out here when the sun comes up — whether it be your doing or mine. Don’t you agree?”
I allowed a smile and nodded — his calming remedy successful. But I’d had enough of the balcony. I was ready to take his arm and rush inside when I froze at the scene behind Ansel. There, on a bench before me sat Kalonice. Her eyes blazed on me. She ignored the attentions of the young man who buried his face in the crook of her neck. Her lip curled in a snarl.
In a spontaneous reaction, I reached up, took Ansel’s face and pulled it down to mine. I kissed him on the lips — hard. Then I shot a glare in Kalonice’s direction. I grabbed his arm, twirled him around, and drug him inside.
Taken aback, he put his fingers to his lips and made a show of inspecting them, as though checking to see if he was bleeding. “I’m not complaining, but ow, Amáne. What was that all about?”
“Er ... I’m sorry, Ansel,” I said in embarrassment. “I don’t know ... that girl ... I just —”
“Oh, her again? I thought maybe it was the balcony, because if it was, I’d take you right back out there, and this time I’d be ready for you.”
I rolled my eyes. “How about if I just give you that dance I promised?”
“I wouldn’t oppose.”
“Seriously, though, Ansel, I have a bad feeling about her. She’s up to no good. You’d better watch your back.”
“I have twenty-six dragon riders watching my back tonight. I feel perfectly safe. And at the risk of your wrath, I’d say that I have the most beautiful personal guard at this moment.”
I exhaled. “I’ll spare you my wrath this time. I owe you.”
“Hmm. Good to know.”
Ansel led me to the dance floor. Luckily it was another of the slower processional dances. We stayed on the floor for the next dance as well. But before it was over he led me in a different direction from the other dancers. It confused the couple behind us who started to follow before they realized the procession headed the other way. I giggled as we moved on to a far corner of the hall where few guests remained. Ansel never took his eyes off of me. I was lost in the moment, completely enjoying myself and not paying attention to where we were going, nor did I care. I felt so comfortable with him. We stopped and he turned me to face him. He put his arms around me and searched my eyes.
My heart fluttered as I started to panic. Too late, I was already absorbed in his deep green eyes. I didn’t even make an attempt to fight his attentions. I closed my eyes as he pressed his lips against mine. The room receded around us, as if it were just the two of us alone in the large hall. My knees went weak. If I hadn’t been holding on to him, I would have been on the floor in a swoon.
He slowly released my lips. “Oops,” he breathed.
“Ansel,” trying to catch my breath, “you shouldn’t have done that.”
“You shouldn’t have let me.”
“I —” There was no excuse, except for my weakness.
“I’ll just take the win on that round,” he said smugly, as he snuck a quick kiss, and then another, before I could recover and hold him at bay.
“When are you just going to let go and admit what you know is true, Amáne?”
I let out an exasperated sigh and started to respond when something caught my eye. Off to the side, I spotted Kalonice and her mother talking to a man I hadn’t seen before. She pointed in our direction. Immediately on the alert, I prepared to defend Ansel. I’ll never leave my dagger behind again, I vowed to myself. I scanned the nearby table for anything I could use for a weapon — but would use my body to shield him if I had to. Kalonice directed her glare toward me. Our eyes locked. Icy fingers went up my spine. An involuntary shiver shook my body. I held my ground until she looked away first.
“Are you cold?” Ansel asked.
Puzzled by the look on my face, he started to follow my gaze.
I grabbed his arms. “Don’t turn around. It’s okay. I ... just thought I saw something.” I decided right then that Kalonice’s hostility was not directed at Ansel — but at me. I wasn’t going to worry him unnecessarily, but would discuss it with the Healer as soon as I could. I made a mental note that it is I who would need to watch my back. When I looked again, Kalonice was gone.
“There you are, Lord Ansel!” A very old lady shuffled up to us. Dressed extravagantly, she dripped with jewels, her face powdered and painted. “I’m ready for that dance you promised. I know I can no longer match the beauty of this young lady you’re with, but I don’t have many dances left in me. I’ve been saving myself for you.”
Ansel bowed deeply, took the lady’s hand and kissed it, which brought a girlish giggle from her.
“Lady Daphne, my apologies that you had to be the one to seek me. I hadn’t forgotten our promised dance. Please forgive me for my delay.”
“I can certainly understand your delay.” She eyed me approvingly.
He introduced us. I curtsied to her and she tipped her head.
“Ah, yes, you are the young one that made that marvelous entrance. Bravo to you, girl. That’s the way to turn men’s heads — which you certainly did. Your mother can expect an endless amount of requests for your hand starting tomorrow, I’m sure. And this young lord will be the first in line.” She put her dainty hand on Ansel’s arm.
A blush spread across my face, and a wave of grief passed briefly at the mention of my mother. But out of respect for Lady Daphne, I just nodded and smiled. Ansel gently touched my shoulder.
“Isn’t he such a handsome young man? It seems like just yesterday when he ran around in his nappys. I’ve known him for that long.” She pinched his cheek and I laughed as his face went red.
I took advantage of Lady Daphne’s arrival. This was my chanc
e to excuse myself before I completely lost control of my heart. Besides, I was exhausted, and tomorrow will be the Rider’s Council. Or rather, later today, as it was already tomorrow, dawn just around the corner.
“Yes, he is,” I answered, still laughing. “Quite handsome. And he’s all yours right now, Lady Daphne. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to my chambers before I collapse right here in front of you. I don’t know how you do it. You look as fresh as if the feast had just begun. I wish I had your energy.”
Lady Daphne beamed.
“You don’t have to leave, Amáne.” Ansel looked disappointed, but I found that if I couldn’t be strong enough to resist him, then I needed to take a break from his presence. After the council I could rethink my situation.
“No, I do need to leave. It’s been too long of a day for me. I’m not accustomed to dancing until dawn, which it will be shortly. Thank you, Lord Ansel, I’ve had a wonderful time.”
“Can you wait and I’ll walk you to your chambers?” I caught a desperation in his voice.
“No thank you. I’ll ask Dorjan to go with me.” I knew I could take care of myself, but in my tired state and with that unpredictable girl, I needed to be cautious. It also assured me that Ansel would not insist on going if he knew Dorjan would be with me.
I bid them both good night, but before I turned away, Ansel caught my eye. “I love you,” he mouthed. My heart pounded as my stomach filled with butterflies. This was not going the way I had planned. I was falling in too deep before my hoped-for quest.
Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I swallowed, smiled and said, “Happy birthday, Lord Ansel.” An arrow pierced my heart as a shadow dulled his green eyes.
I walked to my room with Dorjan and decided not to mention Kalonice tonight. Dorjan was in such high spirits, I didn’t need to mar his evening with any discussion about that girl.
We arrived at my door. After thanking him, I let myself in and then latched it behind me. Expecting to see Eulalia, I found another maid in her stead. She leapt up from a corner seat and startled me. I went to draw my dagger, but of course it wasn’t on me. I remained in a defensive stance as a young woman, eyes wide with fear, stood before me.
“Mistress Amáne,” she curtsied and said in a shaky voice. “I am Seren, here to attend you. Eulalia has taken ill and sent me to assist you.”
I nodded, greatly disappointed to see that it wasn’t Lali. She said she would wait in my chambers so she could hear all about my evening the minute I returned. I knew she would have been ecstatic to learn how successful her attentions to my gown and accessories had been. It also concerned me that she was not well.
“Eulalia sent some tea that she made especially for you. She said you’d like it. Please let me to pour some for you, and then I’ll help you out of your gown.”
I smiled at her and nodded at her request. But first I went into the bathing room to remove Queen Fiala’s jewels. I placed them in the velvet bag and stashed it in a safe place. I was sure Seren was an honest person, but still didn’t feel comfortable letting her see me remove the royal jewels. Coming back into my bed chamber, I sat down at my table, no longer tired. The entire walk back to my room I could think of nothing other than falling into bed from exhaustion. But once here, I realized sleep would not arrive any time soon. The excitement of the evening still washed over me — Ansel’s warm kisses still lingered on my lips.
Eshshah was hunting. I always enjoyed sharing her flight through open thought transference, but preferred to be blocked when she killed her prey — especially when she tore it apart to eat it. We greeted each other briefly, but she had just spotted her meal. I told her I would hopefully be asleep when she was finally sated, so I would “talk” to her later in the morning. We said good night and she blocked me out.
Seren placed a cup of tea in front of me. I inhaled it’s sweet aroma as it swirled around my face invitingly. I took an experimental sip and found it so delicious I drained the cup in one toss-back of my head, then held it out for Seren to refill. The second one went down just as easily. There was something about the brew that I couldn’t get enough of. As I motioned for her to pour the third cup, she hesitated, but was obliged to do as I bid. I never finished it. My head spun, my eyes crossed and my vision blurred. I had no time to even think what was happening to me. The cup slipped from my hand and shattered into a thousand pieces. My head dropped to the table and all went black.
My entire body screamed with pain when consciousness began to wash over me. I couldn’t open my eyes — what small amount of light there was in the room hurt. My chambers rolled back and forth, making me nauseous as the sound of water lapping against the walls filled my ears. Why was there water in my chambers? I heard sobbing as the stench of vomit, urine and salt water invaded my senses. Maybe I’m dreaming, I thought, but the motion of the room, the smells and sounds all seemed too real — something was dreadfully wrong — and something was missing.
“Eshshah!” I screamed, and bolted upright. My breath came in rapid gulps as I surveyed my surroundings with wild eyes. I couldn’t feel Eshshah. Panic washed over me like a tidal wave. I was alone, but not in the physical sense. The eyes of several desperate people turned my way, fear on their faces — but Eshshah was absent.
“Where am I?” I asked no one in particular as I rubbed my throbbing temples.
A thick chain threaded through a ring in the manacles around my wrists. The chain began in the irons clasped to the wrists of the woman to my left, threaded through mine, then to the young girl at my right, continuing down the line of mostly women and children. I sat on a bench that went the length of the hull of the ship of which I was an unwitting passenger — along with twenty or so others.
“One more outburst like that and I’ll personally come down and give you all fifteen lashes!” A harsh voice came from above.
“Slave ship.” The girl to my right answered my question. She couldn’t have been more than ten years old. Turning to her, I sighed in dismay at her condition — face swollen from crying, a bruise on her cheek and a haunted look in her eyes.
She wiped her nose, sniffed once and asked in a near whisper, “Are you a princess?”
“No, I’m not.” I said gently, sorry that I had frightened her.
“You look like a princess. You’re pretty.”
“Thank you. My name is Amáne. What’s yours?”
“Kira. Who’s Eshshah?”
“She’s a very special friend of mine.” I swallowed hard and worked to keep the rising fear from showing in my face — desperate to gain control of my breathing. All the while, my mind spun as I tried to figure out where Eshshah was — and why I was here — wherever here might be. Since we linked, there was not a moment when I didn’t know exactly what my dragon was doing.
Hysteria built in my chest with a pressure I’d never felt before. In all of my harrowing experiences in the last few months, nothing compared to my despair at that moment. I had to hold on to some thread of my being, because if I let go, I would snap. I couldn’t bear knowing that Eshshah was not with me. I pressed my lips together as my throat closed.
Hope. There is always hope, I repeated — only half-believing what I said to myself. I took a deep breath and turned my face away from Kira. Squeezing my eyes shut, I silently screamed with all my might, “Eshshah, where are you?”
A small exclamation escaped my lips when I felt a faint answer — so far away. I screamed louder in thought transference, “Eshshah!”
“Amáne! You’re alive. Are you all right? Did they hurt you?” Eshshah’s relief reflected mine.
My hand shot to my mouth to stifle my shout of joy. Tears filled my eyes. I could see Kira out of the corner of my eye staring at me. She had to be wondering if she’d been chained to a lunatic.
“Yes, I’m alive. I’m fine now that I’ve found you. Where are you? You sound so far away, I can barely hear you.”
“I’m still at the Arevale Outpost. Everyone has been searching for you since e
arly this morning. Amáne, we’re coming for you as soon as night falls.”
“Early this morning?” I asked. “How long have I been missing?” It felt like only minutes since Dorjan had walked me back to my room.
“We’ve been looking for you for more than twelve hours. I blocked you when I hunted. When I got back to the outpost, I thought you were in a deep sleep. I’m sorry that I didn’t try harder to wake you. I didn’t want to disturb you. When I couldn’t feel you a short time after, I asked the Healer to go to your chambers. That’s when they found you missing and sounded the alarm. All of us have been beside ourselves with worry. Lord Ansel has taken this quite hard. I don’t know how much longer he could have put on his brave face. Let me tell them I’ve found you.” I listened through open thought transference.
“Eshshah, I’m on a slave ship. I don’t know how I got here.”
When she relayed this message, I could faintly hear the others.
“Slave ship?” They all said simultaneously. Then I heard Ansel’s distraught voice as he said, “Oh, Amáne, I am so sorry.”
The sound of his misery pained me.
“Eshshah, please tell Ansel that this is not his fault. I’m okay now. I’ll make it out of here, I know I will.”
“I did tell him, but he won’t be convinced.” Eshshah said, “He feels it was his responsibility — you were his guest, abducted from his home.
“It’ll be dark in less than an hour, then Gallen and I will take flight and catch up to your ship. Amáne, we’ve found each other — this will soon be over.”
I could hear arguing through Eshshah’s thoughts. Ansel insisted that he be the one to fly with Eshshah. The Healer put a quash on that argument straightaway. She was not about to take any chances — this could be a trap. She allowed no more discussion. Gallen would come for me. The Healer was the only one — besides me — who could bend Ansel into acquiescence.
Kira had been watching me this whole time and I hoped that my face stayed neutral as I conversed with Eshshah. In a small voice, she asked, “What do I have to do to be a slave?”
Amáne of Teravinea - The Prophecy (The Teravinea Series Book 2) Page 11
