The Caged Princess(Book 1)

Chapter - 18 (Minerva)

Minerva watched them go from the kitchen window.

She watched them till Nadia's back disappeared in the woods.

So, this was it.

She had been dreaming of this day for so long. In a way she was living for this day. Nadia would turn twenty and her mother would come to take her away. Minerva would be able to see her again. One last time.

Nadia probably thought she had been told the entire story but there were things Minerva wouldn't tell anyone. Not till there was life left in her. Maybe not even beyond that.

Nadia's mother didn't give her a name but Minerva named her anyway. She used to call her Sera. Short for Seraphina, winged angel.

Now Nadia was leaving and so was her chance of seeing Sera again.

She recalled her first interaction with Falcon and Father Clay. She had been reluctant in welcoming them home. They were strange men after all. But the priest and the boy had barged in and just said "We are looking for the girl. Where is she?". Sera had warned Minerva about this. Some people would come looking for her. It wasn't likely but there was a chance. Minerva had been thankful Nadia wasn't home. She didn't trust the men one bit. She had quickly and discreetly messaged Nadia and sent her on an errand that would take her atleast three hours. By then she would easily make them go away. Come up with some excuse. Pretend to be unaware.

But then they started disclosing some personal details that only someone who knew Nadia well could know. Her birthmarks. Her mother, Sera and her own meeting with Sera. Not to mention they had the official seal of the ones who sent Minerva gold every year.

She had to grudgingly admit that after Sera had left these islands she must have told them. Because if she was sure of one thing she knew under no circumstances would Sera ever allow these things to be known to people who meant harm to Nadia. Minerva hadn't been lying when she had said Nadia was Sera's sole reason for living, for smiling.

She had felt a dagger going through her heart the moment she realized they were coming to take her away before her appointed time and she would never see Sera. She had tried to come up with excuses, like three years worth of money was still left and she had gone through much trouble and that she wasn't well paid.

She had hoped it would atleast make the men reconsider . There was a slim chance one of them would even go back and fetch the said money. Maybe she would see Sera.

But they already had the money. The moment the younger boy withdrew the money and kept it in front of her, his face had gone cold. So very cold. He had been considerate before but after she had mentioned the money he had viewed her as if she was less than human.

Minerva couldn't care less what a boy half her age thought of her. Money was important. It was everything. She had lived long enough to know that.

Sera had given her a second chance at life and she was going to make a name for herself. She had tried asking them about her mother but they didn't tell her anything any more.

Their eyes shooting daggers at her. She had felt afraid, then. For her life. If these men who were clearly stronger than her decided that now that Nadia was retrieved and her purpose was fulfilled, would they kill her? It would be more efficient that way. To keep it a secret. If they killed her now, everything she had worked for, everything Sera had done for her would turn to ash.

Sera would never do something like that. But these men would.

But Nadia had come before that. She had taken half the time it took her. Minerva had become annoyed. She had decided to work efficiently now?