The Diablarist King

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

GISELA

     This is by far the weirdest thing I have ever seen in my life.

     Standing in the throne room is a giant, red demon with a stinger on his tail, pacing back and forth like a lion waiting to either ambush its prey, or faint from stress. If any attendants come near him, he snarls, and should they scold him, he chases them off. I understand his frustration, which is why I am here.

     Well I mean, I understand his frustration, and I'm here because Eva trusts that I will have her best interests in mind.

     "So you see, my lady," Sebastian stands with me in the doorway, "The physicians have barred the doors and won't let Kazaxon anywhere near the bedchamber. Kaz refuses to give control back to Alekso until they give him what he wants."

     "Honestly it's clever of them," I reply, "Eva is sleeping and Kaz won't make a ruckus for fear of waking her. They won't let you in either?"

     "No. They are aware I serve his highness by serving the demon."

     Good thing Rosecrest is so close to Cliffside. Took me less than two hours to get here by horse.

     "All right, Bash. They won't let Kaz in, but they will certainly let me in. No one has told them of my arrival, have they?"

     "No, my lady."

     "Well, excellent!" I spin on my heels and head towards Eva and Alekso's bedchamber. The room is surrounded by maids and a few of Alekso's council. Kwenthrith argues with one of the healers in front of the closed door and she looks moments away from drawing her sword on him.

     "Lady Rosecrest!" Lord Bron, a big, bald fellow, gestures towards me. "Why, we thought you went home!"

     "I did, and then came back." I move past all the bodies and stand beside Kwen. "I just couldn't stay away. Please, may I go in?"

     The doctor stares down at me with my big blue eyes and my innocent face, fingers curled up against my chin as I give him my best, sweetest smile.

     "Of course you can, dear Lady Rosecrest." He takes my hand and opens the door, shooting a glare at Kwenthrith. "This is how one is meant to behave. You should take pointers from this fine example, young lady."

     Kwen says nothing as I give her a wink, and then walk inside the royal bedchamber.

     There, a sleeping Eva is watched by a priest and a doctor, who chat with each other about how her healing is coming along nicely and she'll be right as rain in a few days. I smile just a tad, moving past her as the doctor leads me over to the bassinet by the window. Carefully, I reach in and lift the baby out, gathering her in to my arms.

     Little Princess Josephine is only two days old, and yet she stares up at me with curious eyes and reaches out to hold my finger. She looks a little bigger than I expected a baby this new to look. Oh gosh, poor Eva. I peek up towards the doctors who have already shut the doors to the room. They are staunch Catholics and won't let Kaz anywhere near here. Under normal circumstances I would be in agreement with them, but not now. Things are a tad different.

     I begin to walk towards the bookcase on the far wall, cradling the princess and adjusting her so I have her in one arm. I reach out, and just as the physicians go to ask what I'm doing, I yank on a certain book on the fourth shelf; which is a lever to the servant's passage, of course.

     And in I go!

     A few of them pursue me of course, but I am smaller and faster, losing them after a few turns. I find the door I want and shoot out from the curtain that sits behind the pair of thrones, coming to a stop with only enough force to fully wake Josie but not enough to upset her. One positive of being a serving maid in the castle is that I know these passages like the back of my hand.