Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter 65: Trust No One

Chapter 65: Trust No One

Anne

Clinging to her courage, Anne steeled her spine. There was no one else she could ask for help. She'd have to rely on Calden. "I received a coded letter," Anne stated firmly before she changed her mind. Reaching down the front of her dress, she plucked the decoded missive from between her breasts.

Calden huffed, his eyes going wide as he stared at her chest. Rapidly bobbing his head up, Calden directed his gaze towards the cave wall. Anne fiddled with the paper nervously, then held it out to him. "The original note self-destructed, this is what I decoded, it was written in the emperor's code."

Snatching the proffered note, Calden unfolded it and briefly skimmed the contents. A severe frown cut across his face, his nose wrinkling. He was going to forbid her from going. Part of her was relieved. Perhaps, deep down, she'd wanted her fears supported and the decision taken out of her hands. She needed someone to tell her no and keep her from doing something terribly risky.

Calden's dark frown melted into a crooked grin. "How did you get this note?"

"It was either left on my desk in my room or snuck into my notes while I was in the library. You don't think I should go alone, do you? What if it's a trap?"

Calden's grin turned wicked and toothy. A chill raked down her back. "Then, we will trap the trapper. If someone snuck into your room, I want to know who and why."

Anne scoffed. "You're serious?"

If she'd confessed to receiving a coded missive to Aiden, he'd have had her locked down in her bedroom with fifty guards lining the walls like heavily breathing gargoyles, watching her as she slept for the next two months.

"Trust me!" Calden looked mightily cheered from his dour mood, as if this was all a good bit of fun and not at all dangerous. "This person only needs to think you're alone, but I'll be with you, every step of the way."

Digging through his pockets, Calden pulled out an odd assortment of preset enchantments, piling little bits of stone, wood, bone, and metal onto a natural ledge along the wall. He drew a leather band from his pocket, woven with roughly cut gemstones. "I almost forgot. I meant to give this to you earlier in the library." The strip of leather swayed back and forth as he held it out to her.

"What is it?" she asked, retreating a step, as if it was a venomous snake he'd snared. He grabbed her wary hand and flipped it over, wrapping the strap around her wrist. The ends had dangling wooden charms that clattered together as he tied the strips in a knot. A bracelet? Made of leather? How utterly strange. It was far from elegant and very Remerian-looking – it would not be popular in Atrezino at all.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to give you a gift," she said carefully, not wanting to sound unappreciative as he brushed his thumb from her wrist to her palm, back and forth, in a distracted manner. He chuckled again, smiling, dimples appeared on each cheek. She hadn't noticed those before. He grinned even wider as he caught her staring. Now, he went from looking handsome to downright devious.

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," he whispered like a coconspirator, lifting her hand to his face. His warm lips just barely brushed against the back of her delicately shaking fingers. A nervous energy tingled up her arm and through her head. He took a deep breath and Anne's heart fluttered.

"Aria of the Blue Flame, lend me firelight," he sung softly, his voice deep and warm. His breath swept along her fingers with each exhalation. Random stone beads flickered with different intensities of blue light. "Aria of the Sun, give us your light." A few bits of amber went alight, glowing a warm, steady yellow. "Aria of the Moon, illuminate us. Aria of the Stars, flare a'bright in this dark night." The smallest beads brightened, casting out infinitesimal sparkles that wavered around the tunnel like drunken fireflies, diffusing the light even further outwards into the darkness. "Now you won't stumble about in the tunnels. I don't want people to think the Castle of the King is haunted by such a foulmouthed ghost."