Thrallmagic: Chapter 19

Chapter 19

More entertainment arrives, two singers from the isles of Ascott. I excuse myself, complaining of a headache, and hurry back to my rooms as it nears midnight. I send a message to Lindon. I don’t think I can meet with you tonight. I don’t want to risk Blathen finding out. What if you related to me what was happening? Lindon hesitates a moment before he sends me his reply. What if you could see through my eyes? Confused, I don’t answer him immediately. Ria? Are you alright? I shake my head, trying to clear it. Yes, yes, I’m fine, just confused. What do you mean?

As I try to speak to Lindon and walk at the same time, I crash into an open door and yelp in pain. Other than drawing an odd look from a passing guard, nothing happens. I mean, you can see into my mind, right? What if you could see what I’m seeing as I’m seeing it? I frown at Lindon’s idea, wondering if it’s possible or not. I don’t know, Lindon. It’s never been mentioned in the old books. Lindon’s exasperation trickles into my mind as he speaks to me distractedly. Just try it, right now. If it doesn’t work, nothing lost, right? If it does, think of how we can use this! His excitement is contagious, and I catch myself grinning as I walk. Quickly, I wipe my face clean of any expression. Alright, alright. Give me a second, would you? I’m still trying to get to my rooms.

Lindon’s presence fades away from me, and I pad into my rooms quietly, with a quiet nod to the guards who stand outside. The servants have lit a crackling fire in the fireplace- a magical one that will not die unless extinguished. The room is warm, despite the chilliness outside. A basin of warm water has been left close to the fire, and has heated up enough to be comforting as I wash my face with it. A knock sounds at the outer door a moment later, and I sigh, dreading to think of who it might be. Please, Lady Morrigan, don’t let it be Blathen. When I open the door, though, it’s Serafine’s tired face that greets me.

“My lady, I saw that you left and thought you could use some help with undressing.” She curtseys deeply, and I open the door wider to let her in. We walk back to my bedchamber, wher she unlaces my dress and brings me a clean nightgown to sleep in. She turns to leave after I’m in bed, but I call her back.

“Would you bring me some water, please?” I don’t want to be alone, not yet. Her presence is comforting, and a feeling of fear takes over me as she slips out to get me water. Of course, she rturns soon, and nothing happens in the interim.

Almost as if she is sensing my thoughts, she draws up a chair and sits by me. “Congratulations on your engagement, my lady.” Her words hold no emotion- just a polite disinterest.

I look up at her with a forced smile. “Thank you, Serafine.” She wraps her arms around herself, and I shake my head. “You should get a blanket or a dressing gown.” I bite my lip and say, “I shouldn’t keep you from the-“

She cuts me off with a soft smile. “You looked unwell when you left, my lady. And I don’t care for politics very much. I assure you, I’m not missing much of anything.”

I turn to face her, disturbing a pillow from the bed so that it falls to the floor. “Still, you look cold. And I’m sure you’d like to get out of those clothes.”

She shrugs. “They’re not uncomfortable, my lady. It has no corset. And I’m not cold.” Getting up, she finds a book and brings it back. “Here, my lady. I know you like to read yourself to sleep.”

I smile. “Not quite to sleep. Usually, I end up losing sleep over the ending.” I flip through the pages. “This isn’t my book, is it?”

Serafine shakes her head, her ginger curls bouncing over her shoulder as she does so. “It was sent to you, as a recommendation for you to read. It had no name.”

I furrow my brow. “Who brought it? How do you know it was for me?”

Serafine shrugs. “It was left outside the door with a note that said ‘For the princess’. I didn’t give it to you before, my lady, because you were out, and then it slipped my mind, later.”

I flip through the pages more slowly. “This looks interesting, at least. It says that it takes place in Kherr.”

I wriggle out the blankets and onto my stomach. Putting the book down in front of me, I cross my hands underneath my chin and begin to read into the quiet night.

Two hours later, Serafine is asleep in her chair, and the voices that traipse down the hallway are a telltale sign that the feast has ended. Sighing, I decide that I, too, should retire to bed, seeing as I haven’t had much sleep recently. Running a hand through my hair, I walk to the vanity, slowly removing the gold and silver plated pins. Finally, when all my hair tumbles in a tangle of loose waves down my back, I take the candle beside me, and set it down on my nightstand, careful not to drip any wax. Blowing it out, I snuggle down into the warm blankets, wondering if I’ll wake up tomorrow morning, and find that the past week was just a bad dream.

Just as I close my eyes, a knock sounds at the outer door. With an annoyed sigh, I sit up. Not wanting to wake Serafine, I get up myself, lighting the candle with a flick of my wrist. I slip on my dressing gown, and as I walk, the red silk pools around my feet, reminding me of blood. With a shudder, I put the thoughts out of my mind and slip silently out of the bedchamber and into the sitting room, letting the door shut behind me with a soft click.

I open the main door with my lip curled, an annoyed expression painted onto my face. The icy cold eyes of Prince Blathen Grigori meet my gaze, and I fight to keep myself from slamming the door in his face and running away, screaming. My skin pricks with revulsion, but I make myself smile.

“Can I help you with something, Prince Grigori?” My voice is frosty, and I stare him down.

He smiles cruelly at me. “I wished to share a few words with my betrothed, of course. May I come in, my lady?” His words are perfectly courteous, and I notice a noble lady hovering nearby, quite obviously listening to my conversation. Recalling my mother’s threat from this afternoon, I let him in, shutting the door as he steps in.

I don’t ask him to sit, but he does so anyway, making himself perfectly comfortable on my sofa. With a grandiose gesture, he indicates for me to sit beside him. Crossing my arms, I drop the act, and snort. “I prefer to stand. Say what you wish to say, and then get out.” I keep my voice low, aware of Serafine in the next room.

He cocks his head before curling his lip. “I’m sure Queen Guinevere explained to you the… terms of our agreement. One word from me, and Kerissa is as good as dead- or so Her Majesty assures me.”

I growl at him. “If your intention was to create a life of living hell for yourself, you’ve certainly succeeded.” And then I smile at him, letting him see the wilder side of me- the side that urges me to peel his skin off and laugh while doing it.

He stands up slowly, walking towards me with his own fanatical smile on his face. “You’re mistaken if you think I’m marrying you because I care about you, Rionach.” When he stands but a finger’s breadth from me, he brings his hand up and caresses my cheekbone. Quick as light, his face changes from a smile to a snarl as he backhands me across my face with incredible strength. I stagger back and lose my balance, hitting a table as I fall. “I want Valkyr, not a faerie bitch.”

I look up at him, teeth bared, and glare at him for a moment before I spit at him and stand up. He approaches menacingly, but I stand my ground, glaring right back at him, daring him to lay a hand on me again. Blood trickles down my cheek where his ring has cut me, but I ignore it.

“You’ll never have Valkyr, even if you have me killed. The people will never accept you as their king, and you will die.” I smile as I say the words.

He laughs in my face. When he moves to strike me again, I bring my arm up in self-defense, and my nails rake across his eye. With a howl of pain he leaps back, and I look at the door, wondering why the guards aren’t storming into the room. “Damned whore. You lay one hand on me, and you can bid your sister goodbye, do you understand?” He follows my gaze to the door, and says, “Your precious guards are asleep. One whiff of an elvish poison- and, well…” His voice trails off as he smiles with pleasure, and my stomach turns.

Grabbing my arm roughly, he pulls me closer, and whispers, “You will play the part of a giddy bride, and you will play it well. I’m sure there are other people you care about that can be… dealt with, in time, should you disappoint me.”

He releases me and strides out of my room. Clutching my arm, I sink into a heap on the floor, trying not to cry. Someone clears their throat, and I leap up, looking for who it is. When Serafine’s gentle gaze meets mine, my heart sinks.

“What will it take to keep you from talking?” I stride over to her, and grasp her shoulders. “Land? Titles? Gold? Name it, and it’s yours.”

She stares back coolly. “I don’t especially want anything, your highness. Serving you has gotten me out of a good many things that I’d rather not do, and as your lady-in-waiting and subject, I’d hope I had some loyalty to you.”

I stare at her. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” A bitter laugh escapes my lips as I perch on the edge of a table. “Why do people want to help me? What is it about me that makes people follow me blindly?” A drop of blood from my cheek spatters onto the ivory nightgown I wear.

Serafine kneels before me. “I’ve known you for nearly my entire life, my lady, and in that time, though you’ve certainly appeared cold, and unforgiving, you’ve never been cruel to anyone. You’re fair, and just, and the people see that, even if many of the nobles don’t. You are entirely devoted to your country.” She smiles, placing a hand on my knee. “You shouldn’t ask why people follow you. You should ask why they don’t.”

I stare at her. “And what do I do now? No matter how many people follow me, no matter how many people believe that I can do great things, I’m still stuck.” A tear trickles out of my eye, mixing with the blood on my face. “How- how do I put up with someone like him?”

Serafine pulls me up. “You’ll fight back,” she says confidently, “and your friends will help. Don’t lose hope quite yet.”

I look up, taking a deep breath. “Thank you, Serafine.”

After that, we clean up the room. The furniture is set back to its place, and I clean my cut with cold water. Serafine applies a healing salve, and we cover it with a bandage, hoping that it will be mostly healed in the morning. Finally, I strip off my nightgown and Serafine throws it in the fire, because even a drop of blood on it will arouse suspicions. As I don a new one, I watch the pale silk crumple and burn with a small smile on my face.

My last thought before I fall asleep is that I’ll kill Blathen.