Traitor

Chapter 10

This is just one of the many ways the Enchanters differ from the Mortals; We refuse to let our traditions die down with the passing years. In some aspects, this is a noble gesture to honor those who came before us. Yet at other times, I wonder if Mortals are the ones who have the right idea. After all, is it really necessary to have such extravagant parties every single month, merely for the sake of upholding tradition?

Unlike me, Alistair is thrilled for the upcoming ball. The only reason for this is that he believes the mass influx of foreigners will pull away his parents' relentless attention on him.

Lord and General Crowe are staying at Court much longer than either of us expected them to. They go into and out of important Council Meetings, talk in hushed whispers to the King and Crown Princess, and discuss for hours on end about military supplies with Prince Cassius.

Something strange is definitely happening. A secret, hidden away in the shadows by the King so that none of his subjects get caught up in a whirlwind of chaos.

I keep writing to my mother, asking if she knows anything. Not a single letter returns.

"If it makes you feel any better, they haven't told me anything, either," Daphne tells me. "Not that I want to know. Politics are stupid. Regardless, my father, Ariadne, and Cassius are keeping their mysterious secret all to themselves, along with a few trusted others."

Daphne, Alistair and I have been in the Garden for the past few minutes, coming up with unrealistic ideas as to what the three royals are trying to hide.

"Give me," Daphne snatches away the wineskin in Alistair's hand and takes a sip. Her face scrunches up in disgust. "Watered down? Why?" she says, throwing it back at him as if he has hugely offended her somehow.

"Oh, look. The one other person who is an even bigger disgrace to our family name than I am," Daphne points to the distance, where Lucien has stepped out of the castle and into the Garden. "I'm joking, of course. He, Ariadne, and Cassius could each raze entire palaces to the ground, and pretty little Daphne would still be the black sheep of the family," she adds.

"Why is he coming here?" I groan, when Lucien starts making his way towards us.

"Excuse me," Alistair says, sitting up and climbing out of the gazebo. He hasn't talked to Lucien at all since he tried to kill him the other week, and no one can exactly blame him.

I'm about to follow in his example, when Daphne grips my wrist. "You can't abandon me," she complains. "You know how much of a nuisance Lucien is. It would be cruel to leave me behind."

Scowling, I sit back down, causing her to smile. "Here. Have some more of the pathetic Mainlands drink," she says, shoving Alistair's wineskin into my hands.

"Daphne," Lucien says when he arrives. "Lend me your signet ring."

"Why? You have your own ring, Ba'rose," Daphne finishes her sentence in the traditional Lazulian language. The word means something along the lines of 'dimwitted troll'.

"I know I have my own. Now give me yours," Lucien says. He keeps his gaze trained on her only, refusing to acknowledge my presence.

"You mean this one?" Daphne waves her hand in his face, showing off the onyx gem with the Blackburn sigil carved into it. "Why?"

"None of your business," Lucien says, trying to pry it from her fingers.

Daphne folds her hand into a fist, making it impossible for Lucien to do so. "Tell me why," she repeats.

"Fine! I need it to open father's safe," Lucien says.

"Father's safe?" Daphne shouts.

"Not so loudly!" Lucien snaps.

"You really have lost it, haven't you? He's got dozens of curses protecting the safe-"

"Which can all be broken by a Blackburn's hand!"

"It's a crime against the Crown!"

"What's he going to do if I get caught? Have his own son executed? Just give it!" he says, fighting for the ring once more.

"Shut up and listen, you idiot," Daphne says, slapping Lucien's hand out of the way. "Honestly, I'm not even going to try and stop you, since it would be truly amusing to see yourself get killed. But you only need one Blackburn ring to unlock it! You don't have to take mine!"

"Then how come there are two holes on the safe, where the rings need to be inserted as keys?"

"Ask my new best friend, why don't you?" Daphne says, seeming to enjoy making her brother feel stupid.

"What?" Lucien says.

"Her," Daphne jabs her finger at me. "A Bellerose. The signet of the King and the crest of the High Chancellor. The safe can be opened only when being used together. Well, it's either that, or you can go find a dark spirit to take over father's body, since he can unlock it with a wave of his hand whenever he wants."

Lucien hesitates, then finally looks at me. "You have one, don't you? An heirloom with the Bellerose crest engraved on it?"

As a matter of fact, I do. I'm wearing it right now. The brooch, which is pinned to my chest underneath the cloak I have put on.

"And since when do you talk to vile half-breeds? Don't you call me an abomination of nature behind my back?" I reply coldly.

"What do you want me to do, apologize?" he snarls. "Just give it to me."

"Or what?" I snap.

"Yes, Lucien," Daphne grins. "Or what?"

"Can you, for once, mind your own damn business?" Lucien says to his sister.

Daphne grabs the nearest thing she can find- the wineskin- and hurls it at Lucien's face. "Don't mind me," she says, rising up and smiling at Lucien's wine soaked clothes. "I'll just go and mind my own damn business, shall I?" She walks out of the gazebo, rendering her previous speech about how it would be cruel to leave someone alone with Lucien Blackburn, utterly useless.

"What is it? A ring? A necklace?" Lucien says to me, not even bothering to clean himself up.

"Why did you attack Alistair?" I ask.

This catches him off guard, but he quickly covers his surprised expression with a scowl. "Give me the heirloom. You're just as curious about what they're hiding from us, aren't you?"

I am, actually. But I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that. So instead, I stand up and prepare to leave the gazebo. Just as I am turning away, however, Lucien grabs my wrist and pulls me towards him.

"I swear, I will tell you everything I find out. Just give me the damn sigil," he hisses into my ear.

Is it worth getting into a fight over this? After all, I truly am curious to find out what the royals and my own mother are hiding from me.

I reach under my cloak, and undo the brooch from my chest. "Don't lose it," I warn, and slap it onto his outstretched hand.

When I go up to my room, I find that a surprise is waiting for me. For the first time in weeks, a letter has arrived from my mother.