When Kacia discovers the forbidden magic running through her veins, she is given a choice - pretend her powers belong to her worst enemy, and use them to help him cement his claim to the throne - or forfeit her life. Can she play along for long enou...
"Kacia? Why are you out of your room? Are you okay?"
I wavered on the spot. What had Ciar been up to? Was he trying to hurt Dante in some way?
"I'm..." The words refused to come out. My run-in with Mari had taken all the energy I had. I slumped against the wall, eyes fluttering closed.
"Kacia, what are you doing out of your room? I heard you were really sick."
I noticed that, despite his concern, Dante wasn't touching me. Either he knew about the poison, or was under such strict orders not to touch me that he didn't want to risk it.
"I'm... better..."
He laughed. "You don't look better. You look even worse than the first time we met."
"I just... need... food."
"Okay, food I can do." He reached into the kit bag slung from his shoulder and pulled out an energy bar. "I always keep a few of these on me for after training."
I devoured it in three bites; it barely touched the ravenous hole in my stomach.
"Sorry, I don't have any more. Why are you down here?"
I'd already got rid of the poison and I was so confused from seeing Ciar that I no longer knew quite what to say.
I shook my head instead and plastered a sleepy smile on my face. "I can't remember. I guess I'm still pretty out of it."
"How about we get you back to your room? Aleela will be able to get you something else to eat. You shouldn't be up and walking around so soon."
I nodded in agreement, too worn out to do anything else.
"Do you need help?"
"No. I can make it from here. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
He was conflicted: worried about me, but reluctant to come with me if he could help it. Did it have something to do with Ciar's presence in the palace?
The main door to the baths swung open and three Lathrian courtiers entered. Dante watched them, suddenly nervous and unsure. He didn't want to be caught with me for some reason.
"Yes, I'm sure I can get back on my own," I told him, forcing myself to stand upright, without using the column for support. There were too many other things going on at the moment; I couldn't worry about Dante as well.
"Okay, I'll catch you later," he said, before hurtling off in the direction of the main door. He paused once on his way out, glancing back over his shoulder and looking towards the changing room, which the courtiers were now entering. Then he left with a small shake of his head.
I took a final, deep breath of the refreshing air and resisted the urge to topple into the soothing waters. I needed to return to face the king.
#
When I passed through into the receiving room, I found Aleela hovering outside the door to Ash's suite, shaking from head to toe. Her right cheek was bright red, her nose swollen.
"Aleela, what happened?" I asked, rushing to her side.
"He's in there," she whispered.
She didn't need to tell me who. My feet were already desperate to turn back towards the baths, but there would be no putting this meeting off indefinitely. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door to my suite.
"So the wanderer returns?" the king asked, a nasty grin spreading across his face. He was sat in a high-backed chair, which he'd turned to face the door. His fingers dug into the arms. "Get in here."
I swallowed my fear and stepped into the room.
"Blood. Quickly," he barked to a timid Etealian waiting by the window, a tray of silver instruments glittering in his hands.
With a small nod, the Etealian approached me, gesturing for me to sit in the closest chair.
I felt a sharp pinch as the needle punctured my skin. The king watched my expression, eyes alert and greedy. He was too focused on me to notice that the blood coming out was red instead of black. But the Etealian did, I saw his eyes widen, his hands shake as he finished and moved away.
"Taste it," the king barked.
The Etealian quaked.
"You brought this on him yourself, girl," the king spat, when he saw the alarm in my eyes. "You have no business wandering around my palace unescorted. I've already punished your maid for letting you escape. You can repent while you watch one of your countrymen die in front of you."
Even with Mari's power stretching across my skin, I still felt a rush of panic as the Etealian swallowed the contents of the vial.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then the smile slipped slowly from the king's face as seconds passed without the poison taking effect.
"Still?" he roared. "But you're up! You're fine! It should be-" he stopped short as he looked at the dregs of the vial. The blood was no longer black, but red.
"Where have you been?" His voice was a low, dangerous whisper, far more dangerous than if he'd shouted or raged.
I knew I'd pay for it, but instead of replying, I used Mari's power to change my hair a lurid shade of green. It was worth every ounce of the agony of the tithe.
The king took a step forward, but before he could reach me, the door crashed open, revealing Ash on the threshold. His cheeks were flushed, his breathing hard and rapid.
"Father," he gasped, holding onto the door for support. "There's been an incident at the baths."
"Asher, I thought I told you not to come into these rooms." The casual words were undercut by the menacing warning in his tone.
"It's urgent. Three courtiers have taken ill after arriving at the baths. They're claiming the plunge pool has been contaminated. People are panicking. Mother told me to get you at once."
The king huffed, muttering something under his breath, but I was too busy worrying about Ash's words to pay attention to him. An incident at the baths less than an hour after I'd seen Ciar leaving them. What was my brother up to?
Whatever it was, it couldn't have happened at a better time.
"I'm not finished with you," the king growled as he stalked towards the door. "Asher, make yourself useful and take this Etealian back to the cells." He flicked his hand in the other Etealian's direction to indicate who he meant.
"The cells?" The confusion in Ash's voice was a relief; he didn't know what his stepfather was up to any more than I did.
"That's what I said, wasn't it? He knows too much; we can't have him spilling your secret to the other vermin."
Ash winced at his words and shot me an apologetic glance before escorting the Etealian from the room. When the door swung shut behind him, I slumped back in my chair, far too confused and worried to feel relieved.
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I'm so sorry for the lack of October updates! I'm back now and will be updating back on schedule. Only ten chapters left to go...
