Seize the Day

Chapter Thirteen

I knew that I was on the losing side. Aria had a natural prejudice against magical creatures—they were the cause of the previous king’s death, after all. But I had to try.

“Why?” I challenged. “Isn’t the jester far more dangerous? He actually tried to kill Titus. And almost succeeded. And you all know what happened with the jester’s assistant and Fallon.” The crowd began to murmur as I continued, “This nymph was forced into the situation. You saw the shackles on her ankles when she walked into that banquet hall. It’s because she is a slave.” I looked specifically at the Royals and Cicero. “You cannot kill her under this pretense.”

Titus stepped forward. Although he had been silent until now, he spoke with a confidence that I admired. “I think we should investigate the situation more,” he said, glancing at me, “and see if what Lannie says is true. I agree that it would not be right if the nymph were executed under false terms.”

Cicero’s face turned every shade of red imaginable before he sighed defeat. He turned and bowed his head to Philippa. “What do you say, Your Majesty?”

A veil of silence covered the crowd. The queen paused a long moment in clear hesitation. I held my breath, waiting anxiously for her decision. Finally, she nodded, and I released my breath before I passed out. “Let it be done.” Philippa turned to the Captain of the Guard. “Maddox, return the nymph to her cell. Lannie,” she said to me with a firm look, “come with me.”

Despite the feeling that everyone was ready to murder me, a small feeling of triumph overtook me as Nezira was freed from the guillotine.

But when she looked at me, her look was not filled with gratitude.

It was filled with anger.

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“I can’t believe you told my mother off like that!” Clarice whispered excitedly as we walked behind Philippa. "She looked SO angry when you yanked your arm away."

Now that I had done my heroic act of lunacy, I kept asking myself, Why am I such an idiot?

“Clarice,” Philippa said over her shoulder, “I never asked you to accompany us. You too, Titus.”

I glanced behind me to see Titus trailing after us. I snorted. It was just like him to be so far in the background as to not be noticeable.

“Please, Philippa,” Clarice whined. “I won’t do any harm! I just want to hear the whole story of what happened to Lannie.” She turned to me with sudden curiosity. “What did happen to you, Lannie?” she asked, looking pointedly at the blood and dirt that caked my clothing.

I sighed in exasperation. The only thing clean about me was my mother’s pendant tucked firmly within my tousled blonde bun. There was no way they would believe me if I told them the truth. Besides, I was too exhausted from the nymph-freeing experience; I wouldn’t be able to tell them even if I wanted to. Instead, I just said, “Long story.”

“Wow, if you’re speaking in sentence fragments, then you really must be tired,” the red-haired girl remarked in amusement.

I glared at her. Clarice grinned happily, but it vanished when Titus joined us. “I’d like to say something, Mother, if I may,” he said.

Philippa raised her hand in silent approval for him to continue.

“Why do you think the nymph is innocent?” Titus asked me, eyeing at me with genuine interest.

There was no avoiding it now, even if I was exhausted. But that was a question I didn’t want to answer. What would they think if I said I could talk to nymphs? The day I first traveled to the castle staggered across my memory. “Because of the shackles, of course. I met her earlier in the Lower Quarter. She was in the possession of a slave trader.”