Red Rose Rising

by A J Manney

  In one fluid movement, Valen turned Zalia gently around and held her in his arms as he guided them effortlessly through the dance moves for the next song. “Are you okay?” he asked in his quiet low voice.

  She looked up at him. His eyes were darker now, a sign that he was angry. She tried taking a step backwards, but he tightened his hold on her. “Did he hurt you?” he asked in a deadly calm voice.

  “N-no,” she stuttered. Her heart was still beating hard in her chest. “He just was really insistent on getting my name. Why do you think that is?”

  She saw his jaw tighten. “That’s what Beckam’s going to find out.” He looked down at her arms and saw the bruises beginning to form, and his eyes grew darker. She could see his jaw clench.

  Zalia looked up at him and gently said, “I’m okay.” He looked down at her and their eyes met.

  His eyes were almost black now. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner. I’m sorry he hurt you,” Valen said angrily.

  Zalia smiled at him. “You saved me. I'm good now. Hey, how did you recognize me with my mask on?” she asked.

  He was silent for a moment. “I would recognize you anywhere,” he said. She almost didn’t hear the words; they were so soft and low. Zalia didn’t know what to say to that. They danced for a few moments when Zalia remembered the earrings.

  “Thank you so much for the earrings. They were my mother’s. It means so much to me that you found them,” she said with tears in her eyes. He simply nodded. She rambled on. “I can’t believe how perfectly they go with my dress. I wasn’t sure if they would match but they do.” She caught herself and stopped rambling. She stopped dancing and put her hand on his arm. “Are you okay?” she didn’t understand why he was so angry. He didn’t say anything as he looked down at her.

  Seeing she wasn’t going to get anything from him, Zalia decided to just try to move on and put the unpleasant episode behind them. “All right. I need a favor from you. Can you help me?” Zalia asked. She continued without waiting for his reply. “I need you to protect me so I can get food. I’m starving and exhausted. Every time I try to get a bite to eat or sit down, someone else asks me to dance. My feet are going to fall off,” Zalia finished with a laugh. She looked at him. He wasn’t laughing. If anything, he looked even angrier. “Come one,” she tugged at his arm. “I’m going to fade away from starvation,” she said with a mischievous smile. He looked down at her and smirked. Zalia turned away from him with a smile on her face. Mission accomplished, she thought smugly to herself. Now she just needed to spend time with the Prince without making an idiot out of herself. That might not be as easily accomplished, Zalia nervously thought to herself.

  Chapter 12

  Zalia felt Valen close behind her as they made their way to the table. Before she could get there, another man stepped in front of her. Zalia nearly groaned out loud.

  He bowed before her. “May I have the pleasure of this next dance with you?”

  Zalia opened her mouth to respond, but Valen cut her off. He came up to stand next to her and placed his arm around her shoulder. “She’s with me,” he said in his no-nonsense voice. The man in front of her stepped back quickly.

  “Of course, Your Highness. I didn’t realize.” He almost tripped, trying to get away so quickly.

  Zalia put a hand to her mouth to cover her laugh. She looked up at Valen. “That wasn’t exactly what I meant, but it worked. Thank you.” He nodded. She expected him to remove his hand from around her, but he didn’t. He guided her toward the table. As she picked out food, he stood behind her with his back to her. She couldn’t see what he was doing but he must have been sending out daggers with his eyes because nobody approached her. When she had a plate of food, he led her towards a door on the side of the room. On the way, he turned away four more men asking to dance with her.

  When they finally made it to the door, Valen pushed it open and allowed her to walk through ahead of him. Zalia took a breath of fresh air and sighed. “This is just what I needed.” She walked over to a chair and sat down. She finally had a chance to eat. She bit into an apple tart and moaned. “This is so good.” She looked over at Valen, who was smirking at her. “What?” she asked.

  “I don’t think I've ever seen somebody enjoy food as much as you,” he said, still smirking at her.

  “Did you try any of this food? It’s amazing!” He shook his head no. “Here.” Zalia stood up and picked up the apple tart she had been eating. “Taste this.” She held it up to him and watched as he took a bite. “Isn’t that amazing?” she asked, smiling up at him. His eyes intensified as he watched her.

  “It is,” he said quietly. Zalia felt her heart rate pick up and she noticed for the first time how intimate she was being with him. She stepped back quickly and walked back to her seat, heat fusing her cheeks. She had just sat down when pandemonium erupted.

  Three soldiers appeared out of nowhere with swords drawn. Valen was instantly in front of her, pulling her to her feet and behind him. Zalia’s food plate fell to the ground, forgotten. Valen kept one arm on her behind him, and the other on his sword.

  “Prince Valen, we just want the Princess. Surely you know of the reward for her. King Mylan wants her dead or alive. I’m sorry, but we can’t pass this up,” one of the soldiers said.

  “Over my dead body,” Valen spoke the words quietly but she felt the deadly calm in them.

  “Well, so be it then,” the soldier said. All three soldiers stepped forward, fanning out around Valen with their swords drawn.

  Zalia gasped behind Valen and hung on to his robe. They were going to kill Valen. It was three against one, and these soldiers looked terrifying.

  She tried to step out from behind him. “It’s okay, Valen. I’ll just go with them.”

  Don’t move.” he growled out.

  “Valen, it’s three against one. Please don’t do this.” He didn’t pay any attention to her, and she let go of her hold on him. While she was talking, she had discreetly pulled her dagger out of the sheath on her thigh, hidden under her dress. She clasped it in her hand and readied herself. She squeezed his hand; hopefully, he would know that meant she was armed.

  There was a stand-off for only a moment before two soldiers lunged forward in an attack on Valen. The other soldier moved towards Zalia. Zalia wanted him to believe she was the helpless female. As soon as he moved towards her, Zalia met him halfway. Swords clashed and clanged around her. Zalia wanted to look away but she made herself focus. She stared at the soldier in front of her. He swung at her and Zalia whirled away from him, swiping his arm in the process. He let out a curse in anger. He lunged again, and Zalia barely missed getting sliced by his blade. She moved in and got another good swipe on his arm. A moment later, as he made a brutal frontal attack, she slid in and thrust her dagger up and into his heart. He looked at her, his eyes wide with shock. Then he dropped to his knees and keeled over. Zalia couldn’t look away from his lifeless body. Valen grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Zalia was too much in shock to notice the other bodies Valen had killed.

  “Let’s go,” he said in a dark voice. Zalia was too shocked to move. He yanked on her arm and pulled her after him. He picked up his pace and headed toward the front of the castle. On the way, they ran into Beckam. He came running from the direction in which we were headed.

  “Zalia!” he called out and pulled her in hard for a bear hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He looked at Valen. “It was a coordinated attack. They hit three different places at once. We lost four guards.” Beckam ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I don’t understand how they knew she was here?”

  Zalia felt like she was going to be sick. This was all her fault. She placed her hand on Beckam’s arm. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I should have stayed at the training center and...”

  Beckam interrupted her by pulling her close to his chest. He looked right in her eyes. “This is not your fault.” Before she could say anything else, he grabbed her hand and began p
ulling her towards the front of the castle. “We need to get you out of here. Come on.” Valen followed quietly behind them with his sword in his hand. They rounded a corner saw Kell. He hurried toward them. “Princess, I’m so glad to see you’re...” He never finished his words.

  Zalia watched in horror as he sank down to the ground, an arrow protruding out of his back. Zalia screamed. Valen slammed her down to the ground, and chaos ensued once again. Soldiers swarmed them from all directions. Valen rolled off her in one fluid movement and pulled her up and behind him. Beckam and Valen made a wall in front of her, both of them cutting down anyone who got too close. Zalia held her dagger close and prepared to step up beside the guys. She paused for just a moment to take in the scene around her. It was absolute chaos. She recognized some of Beckam’s warriors in the mix now. It seemed the numbers were more even now. Zalia took a step back and tripped over something. She looked down and realized it was Kell.

  She immediately dropped to her knees. She bent down to feel his pulse. It was light, but it was there. He was still alive. Zalia crawled over to his side where the arrow was sticking out of his back. She pulled with all her might. It was stuck. She couldn’t get it out. She stood and tried again, gritting her teeth. Bracing her feet on him, she gave one more heave. It came out! The wound started gushing blood. Zalia instinctively put her hands there, trying to staunch the flow. As she put her hands over the wound, she started to get a horrible burning sensation in her hands. She wanted to pull them away, but something instinctively told her not to. Zalia looked at her hands in shock. A faint blue light was coming from where she held her hands over the wound. But the craziest part was that Kell’s wound seemed to be closing up right under hands. Zalia hung on as the burning sensation got worse. She gritted her teeth through the worst of it. Then it seemed to be letting up. Once it was completely closed and the bleeding stopped, Zalia lifted her hands to look at them. Little wisps of blue light danced off her hands. She didn’t know what to say or do. She shook her hands and the light dissipated. She looked down at Kell. He still didn’t move. She glanced around her. She saw the downed soldiers. Valen and Beckam still had their backs to her. They were okay. She breathed a sigh of relief. As the last of the enemy was destroyed, she looked back down at Kell and he was just opening his eyes.

  She didn’t know what to say. “Um, how do you feel?” she asked him awkwardly. He stared at her.

  “What did you do to me?” he asked her in a weakened voice.

  “Well, you were shot with an arrow, and I pulled it out. Um, then I, uh sort of healed you?” she finished quickly, really unsure of herself right now. He didn’t say anything, but just stared at her with a dazed expression. “Here,” she said offering him her hand. “Let me help you up.” He was a little unsteady on his feet, and she put his arm around his shoulder.

  Just then, Beckam turned around to check on her and saw Kell leaning on her. He moved toward them quickly. “Kell!” He came around to help hold Kell’s weight.

  Kell looked at him. “I’m fine, Your Highness. She healed me,” he nodded at Zalia.

  Beckam looked at him. “What are you talking about? Zalia, help me get him inside.”

  Zalia looked at Beckam, “He’s telling the truth. He’s healed.”

  Beckam looked at her like he had grown two heads. Zalia noticed that Valen had stopped what he was doing and was looking over at them, his eyes narrowing. He strode toward Kell and approached him from behind. Zalia watched as Valen took in the hole in Kell’s jacket but saw no wound. He looked at Zalia in confusion. “He’s right,” Valen said to Beckam. “There’s nothing there.”

  Beckam let go of Kell and turned him around. “What do you mean there’s nothing there? I saw the arrow enter his body myself. He should be dead.” Beckam looked at the hole in Kell’s tunic, then said, “Take it off.” Kell quietly obeyed. Zalia turned her eyes away for a moment, but curiosity got the best of her. She turned around and stepped close to Beckam and Valen, looking at Kell’s back. You could see the dried blood, but there was nothing there. Not even a scar marked the place where the arrow had entered his skin.

  Beckam and Valen stared at Zalia. Zalia tried smiling and said, “So, um, I guess I’m a healer.” She waited and when nobody said anything, she awkwardly laughed, “Surprise,” she finished lamely.

  Kell put his shirt back on and stepped in front of Zalia. He grabbed both her hands and said, “Thank you, Princess.” Zalia didn’t know what to say. “My wife and children thank you,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I pledge my life to you, a life for a life,” he said earnestly. Zalia felt her own eyes moisten with tears. She couldn’t say anything around the lump in her throat, so she just nodded. He stepped a step closer. “I won’t tell anyone your secret,” he said in a quiet voice.

  “Thank you,” Zalia managed to whisper. He touched his hand to his heart and then stepped away.

  “Okay,” Beckam drew out. “Well, we will deal with this later. Right now, we need to get you out of here, Zalia and to safety. How do you feel?” he asked.

  She took stock of how she felt. She still felt a little bit in shock. She felt a little dizzy and weak, but nothing too bad. Just the kind of weakness you feel when you haven’t eaten for several hours. “I’m good, just a little weak and dizzy. I’m sure it will pass,” she said. She had the starting of a headache, but she kept that to herself.

  She glanced at Valen for a second. He stared at her, but his expression was inscrutable.

  Beckam took charge. “Kell, you get Valen and Zalia on horses and get them out of here.” Kell nodded and headed off. “Valen, you take Zalia and get her to the training center. I’ll send extra guards with you.” He sounded weary.

  Valen nodded and grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction Kell had taken. He sheathed his sword and looked around for her dagger. He found it and brought it to her.

  Zalia grimaced. “I’m sorry. I must have dropped it when I, uh, helped Kell.” She stumbled over the words, not really knowing what to say. She walked quickly, following Valen’s long stride.

  In just a few minutes, Kell had sent Valen and Zalia on their way to the training center. There were two guards riding along with them, one on either side of them. They rode quickly in silence, giving Zalia time to think about everything that had just happened. She couldn’t believe she had healed Kell. Before she had left the castle grounds, he had given her a huge hug and thanked her again. Zalia hadn’t known what to say, so she just hugged him back. Now she sat thinking about it as she rode quietly through the forest.

  Was that why she was hidden away? Had her parents known she would have healing powers? But how would they have known, and what did that mean? Zalia had more questions now than she had before. She so desperately wished her parents were around to answer her questions. Ugh. The more she thought about it, the more of a headache she got. She rode on quietly, trying to relax; but her head kept getting worse.

  Valen didn’t say anything for a while. He rode next to her, his eyes watching carefully around them. He glanced her way. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Zalia nodded and then grimaced. The action hurt her head. “I’m good,” she said. “My head just hurts, but I think...” her voice trailed off and she groaned in pain. Clasping both hands to her head, she tried to apply pressure to get the pain to stop. Nothing helped. A ringing started in her ears and she felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach. Dark spots started dancing before her eyes. “Valen,” she called out weakly, hoping he would hear her. Just as she started to lose consciousness, she felt herself being pulled from her horse and into the air. The movement made her head hurt worse. She couldn’t hold any longer. Blackness closed in around her, and she blissfully fell into its waiting arms.

  Chapter 13

  Zalia slowly opened her eyes. Looking around, she realized she was in her room at the training center. It looked like it was light out now. She must have been out for several hours if it was already morning. She tried to sit up and g
roaned softly. Everything hurt.

  “Easy there,” she heard a voice say. Looking over, she saw Reid sitting in a chair by her bed.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked with a smile on her face.

  “I heard you were busy trying to get attention again,” he said with a slight grin.

  Zalia reached behind her and threw her pillow at him. “Hey,” he yelled as he ducked. “You missed me,” he taunted. Zalia just laughed at him.

  “It’s so good to see you. Where have you been?” she asked him.

  He scowled at her. “I had to return to my father’s kingdom on business, but Valen called me back here. Enough about me. How are you doing? Valen wouldn’t tell me what happened. He just said you passed out. Are you still weak?” he asked with a smirk.

  Zalia stuck her tongue out at him. “I am not weak. I’ve been working really hard at my training. I just...” she fell silent. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to tell anybody her secret. In that moment, she decided to tell Reid. He had risked his life before to save her, and he was Valen’s brother. She was sure she could trust him. She met his questioning eyes. “I healed somebody, and then I passed out,” she told him quietly.

  His eyes rounded. “Really? You’re a magical healer? That’s incredible!”

  She nodded. “I guess my power came to me after I turned eighteen; I don’t really know.”

  “So, you’ve only done it once. Was it a fluke?” he questioned.

  “I don’t know,” she said. It just happened today, and now I’m in this bed. So, I’m sort of overwhelmed at the moment.”

  “We need to see if you can do it again,” he said.

  Zalia looked at him. “Well, yes probably at some point but... What are you doing?” she cried out in alarm. She watched in horror as he took out the sword he carried on his waist and held it up to his wrist.