Rose Thorns (The Cimmerian Cycle #3)

Chapter 7 - Part 1

Chapter 7

Evrart knocked hard on the door. She had held up a page boy who had tried to dash past her and interrogated him about Rupert's whereabouts. He squeaked and pointing along the corridor he mumbled directions to his chambers. Evrart smiled and released the front of his tunic.

She knocked again and louder. No one seemed to be answering. She was breathing heavily.

"Rupert you coward! Come out and face me!" She clenched her fists.

The door creaked open slowly and Evrart was about to yell in his face when she realised that it wasn't him. It was one of his servants. He looked a little frightened to see Evrart lurking by the door.

"I'm sor-sorry Lady Evrart. He-he is no-not h-here," he quivered under Evrart's glare.

"Then where is he?" she snarled.

"He has gone out, I don't know where. I'm sorry my lady."

Evrart threw her hands up into the air and marched away. She knew who he was with but she didn't know where she could find them. She accosted another servant and forced the location of Aysi's chambers out of them. She was perhaps a little too fierce as she watched him scamper away like a wounded puppy. She narrowed her eyes and walked on.

Aysi's room was at the top of one of the towers and she arrived at the end of the spiral stairs out of breath. Aysi had a weird fascination with towers and Evrart would have loved to lock her up in one in the middle of nowhere.

She knocked on the door lightly. She couldn't barge into Aysi's chambers like she had tried to with Rupert's. She held a position above Evrart, a position that couldn't be ignored if Evrart wanted to keep her head.

The door was opened wide enough for an eye to peer out before it was snapped shut again. Evrart could hear a quiet argument take place before the door was opened by Aysi's handmaid. She curtsied and smiled at Evrart in a very forced fashion.

"Lady Evrart, how can we help you?" She said.

Evrart bit her lip. She read the stout woman's face with ease. She already knew why she was here. Aysi must have put her up to try and ward Evrart away.

"I need to speak with the Princess," she said bluntly. She had to keep telling herself to smile and remain courteous. One of her fingers twitched behind her back. It was really a chore to pretend that she had a sliver of love for her sister.

"Of course my Lady," the woman said after looking over her shoulder.

Evrart pushed past her in order to enter. Aysi was sitting at one of her lounges reading. She looked up and snapped the book shut. Evrart noticed that the title was upside down.

"My dear sister," she said as she swung her feet to the ground, "come join me."

Evrart heard alarm bells go off in the back of her mind but she sat down. She knew she was probably going to regret coming here but she had remind Aysi of what did and what didn't belong to her royal highness.

She lowered herself onto the couch and was sure to remind Aysi who was controlling the situation.

"So, you needed to speak to me?" Aysi said as she placed her book on the table. She folded her hands in her lap.

Evrart looked around the room before answering. She was taking in every part of the tower room.

"Yes, in private."

There was a slight twitch in Aysi's eyes but her expression changed little. Evrart knew she would be uncomfortable being alone with her half-sister. She knew that her request would be refused.

"Of course," her expression shifted to a caring smile and she gestured to her servants to send them away.

Evrart waited until the door had clicked shut before she began.

"Cat got your tongue?" Aysi said. Her face was no longer neutral, "To be honest I did wonder if you would come to see me after last night."

Evrart swallowed hard. Aysi must have seen her stand up at the high table. She had tried to be obvious about it after all.

"I'm here to give you a lesson in etiquette," Evrart said.

Aysi laughed loudly clapping her hands together, "Is that a threat?"

"Yes," Evrart said darkly and Aysi began to look nervous, "I'm telling you to back off and don't take what's mine."

Aysi rose from the cushions and began to pace, "I don't know what you mean."

"I thought you were smart," she said viciously, "You stay away from Rupert and I might let you keep your pretty little face."

Aysi folded her arms and stared at the ground. She seemed unsettled. Evrart was glad that she was responding the way she had hoped.

"I still don't understand sister."

Evrart clenched her teeth. She hated the way that she called her 'sister'. Aysi was going to make her say it aloud.

"You are going to be wed to Prince Phillippus. You told me yourself," Evrart tried to look sincere as she spoke, "You have to listen to me when I say stay away from him. Once you marry the prince you can have nothing to do with him."

Aysi's eyes went wide, as if she had suddenly realised her carelessness.

"You know what I think? I think that I'm the princess and your threats are meaningless," she moved to a sideboard and picked up and an object Evrart couldn't see.

Her blood went cold and she stared out of the window. Evrart had dearly hoped that she would feel too intimidated to think clearly.

"You are just a jealous child who doesn't know what is good for them."

Aysi turned around and Evrart looked back at her to see what she held in her hands. It was a long pale dagger and she held it clenched in her left fist. Evrart saw the darkness in her eyes as she crept towards her.

"I'm glad you came to me Evrart, it is about time that you learnt who has the power," she was so close to Evrart that she could almost hear each heartbeat. Evrart retreated backwards into the chair.

For once in her life she was rendered speechless.

Aysi rose the blade, "I bet you are regretting sending the servants away aren't you?"

Evrart closed her mouth and made a last attempt to win the fight. "You wouldn't dare hurt me."

Aysi placed the point on the right side of Evrart's temple and began to apply pressure, "I would and there is nothing you can do to stop me. Don't worry I'll only leave a scratch."

The blade pierced Evrart's skin but she made no sound, no indication that she was in pain. She was not going to give Aysi the satisfaction of knowing that she had won. It traced a thin line past her eye across her cheek bone and then down to her jaw. Evrart bit her tongue but continued to stare daggers into Aysi's eyes. Droplets of blood began to run down her face. The corners of her eyes dampened. Aysi let the blade clatter to the floor and stood back to admire her handiwork.

Evrart shoved her aside and made for the door. She did not have to be tortured any longer. She briefly caught her reflection in one of Aysi's many mirrors as she passed and she nearly doubled over from shock.