To Run and Hide

Part 8: Spywork

I sighed and interjected, tired of the argueing.

"How about we gather more evidence, tell a few people who we trust, and then once we have enough information to be credible, we can expose him? His plans could be disastrous to Trona."

After a lot more arguing, a consensus was finally formed. We would gather more evidence, then present it to the king, and finally would seek to put Baron Alec Overton up for trial.

Just as Ilaria was leaving the room, Darius called for me to stay behind. I continued to remain standing as he moved until he was right in front of her. I crooked my head up to stare into my eyes. I had no right to be mad at him, yet I just couldn't bring myself to look at him with kindness.

"Carmyn," he started, his voice hoarse. I looked away, and he sighed. "No, Carmyn, please don't be like this - not know, not ever,"

Still I remained silent. Darius sighed, and I turned to go.

"Wait." He said suddenly, as if changing his mind.

I turned and stilled, an inquiring look on my face. He cursed and crossed the study towards me, holding my hand and planting a kiss on my cheek before walking out. I stood in stunned silence, my hand gently pressed against my cheek, against the whisper of his kiss. My thoughts ebbed into giddied fantasies and my heart pounded.

Some time later I finally steeled myself enough to leave the study. I numbly wondered why it was so far away from the royal wing, but decided it wasn't my place to say. I walked through the hallways earnestly, desperate to get back to the royal wing. Every war loomed before her as she desperately tried to remember where she was meant to go. Just when I had resigned to my fate of staying here forever, lost within these empty hallways, someone laughed from a few hallways away. Before I could turn around, two young men strolled down the hall. The laughing people, I numbly realised. They stopped and glanced at me. I stilled.

"Aha! Darius's lover," said the one closest to me. He grinned cheekily, his smile blindingly white. Next to him the other man raised his eyebrows at his companion.

"Par-pardon?" I stuttered, brows furrowing.

"Ignore him," Said the man further away from me. He elbowed the one who had spoken first, who cleared his throat and stepped out in a long and sweeping bow.

"Lord Amias Coven, M'Lady. And my charming friend here is Lord Sanders Meinad." Lord Amias gestured to Lord Sanders, who just gave me an empty look of despair. I offered a slight smile of condolence. Lord Amias had been here for a few minutes, and already his energy had filled the room to the brim.

"Are you lost?" That was Sanders. As proud as I was, I nevertheless nodded shyly.

"I need to get to the royal wing."

"Oh, are you Illi's new maid? Darius told us about you." This voice was Amias.

"You know Illi and Darius?"

"Of course - we've known them for as long as we've been alive."

A short while later I was chatting with Amias in the royal wing. He had the easy nature of someone who was undoubtedly confident. Sanders was a silent wraith behind us, his face crossed into a permanent frown.

Just then, Yvaine turned a corner. She looked at the lords escorting me and blinked.

"Carmyn? Illi was wondering where you were. Quick, Lettie wants to have a private lunch with you but me and Illi intend to take you out to eat ourselves." She dismissed the lords and took me by the arm, leading me out to the city.

Darius was waiting in Ilaria and Ottilie's sitting room as we came back from brunch. Colette had already gone to work on her garden, so we had walked the trek through the hallways to the royal wing alone. I admired the scenery as we walked on in silence. Despite being in Icotan for months, I had yet to truly appreciate the fineness of the architecture and decor.

I willed the sudden flush from my cheeks as I sat across from Ottilie's desk, in the chair next to Darius's. I subconsciously noted how different the two siblings' offices were. Where Darius's had been covered with maps and charts, Ilaria's was decked out in bookshelves filled with what looked to be large volumes of law.

"Tonight we start to gather evidence," Ilaria said out of the blue, her eyes narrowing in quiet determination. I nodded my agreement. Darius just sat there, looking us both over cautiously.

"Spill it." Ilaria got up, so that she could stand over her brother. I flinched away from the tension. For the past weeks the siblings had been getting madder and madder at each other, to the point where even being in a room with them had become a cringe worthy affair. I held my breath until they had seemingly reached a silent conclusion.

"We will start tonight," Ilaria saId firmly, taking time to glare at Darius pointedly. He held his hands up, a frown crossing his face.

That night I crept from my room. I had been chosen for the first assignment, to take a copy of the letter from his study. I was just walking out of the royal wing when I heard soft footsteps behind me. I pressed myself against a wall behind a door, wincing as the door was flung open and right into my face. I gasped and Darius emerged from the other side of the door, surprised. He rushed forward and cradled my face, running his hand across my nose soothingly as he asked if I was okay. I nodded as the pain dissipated, more from the surprise of him being so affectionate towards me than from his touch itself. He seemed to read the expression on my face, and suddenly let go of me as if I were molten lava.

"Why are you here?" I inquired, curiosity getting the better of me. I should just flip him off, that reckless part of me whispered. Then you'd be in deep trouble for acting that way towards a prince, the more responsible thoughts countered.

"I came to help you." He said simply. He left, and I had no option but to catch up to him. If anything happened, it would be best if we were together - differences aside.

We eventually made it to Baron Overton's study. How we weren't caught was a mystery - there were more guards than usual roaming the halls, forcing us to take the longer yet quieter routes.

We unlocked the door, and I crept in to retrieve the letter. My hands brushed against pots of ink and little ornaments until I found the drawer, my eyes straining to see in the dark. I opened it up and shuffled through the paper, until I found the letter, along with a few newer ones. I swiftly tucked it into my shirt and reset the desk, making sure it looked at least somewhat similar to what I had seen. Hopefully he wouldn't notice I prayed. Hopefully he wouldn't realise that I had been rifling through his stuff. I shuddered to think of what would happen if he ever found out.

I crept out. Darius fell into step behind me, his presence constant, unyielding. It comforted me as much as it angered me. We didn't stop by the royal wing - instead we took the turns and twists through hallways and stairwells to his study. I placed the letter down and he opened it, his hands shaking. I fixed my eyes on the paper, straining to see the words through the flickering candlelight. A shiver twisted through me as I saw them, my eyes stinging. I locked eyes with the prince, and he nodded. He left the room. I moved to the window and stared out, memories moving through me now that I had a moment for my thoughts. I tried to push the idea out, that twisted retelling of the events which had been haunting me for weeks, months now. I tried to stop myself from seeing Wynter's face, from seeing her horror and her sorrow as she beheld Anwir, from the gentle hand she lay on her stomach and the baby which resided there. I dimly cried as I prayed, wished and hoped that she was still alive, okay and alright.