Hellaya was torn into two. There was a part of her that was glad to have a chance to speak to Lionel, and there was a part that longed for privacy. Hellaya supposed there was no way she could indulge that part.
Sighing, she retrieved the mop and washcloth from the corner of her room. She could easily order a servant to clean up the mess in the bathroom for her, but she dared not, lest they discover what lay under the loose floorboard of her room. No one, save her family, knew that the Lady of Loré was exceptionally talented at fighting. Hellaya recalled her encounter with the hag. Young lady, your secrets are not as guarded as you think they are. Hellaya shuddered and headed toward the bathroom.
Hellaya pulled up the skirts of her bottle-green dress and knelt in the stagnant water. It was possible that she had overreacted, and yet, everything felt different somehow. There was also the fact that the old woman knew that Hellaya had been left in the woods. Her family and the royal family were the only ones who knew of that particular fact. Strange. Then again, everything seemed strange now. There was also the matter of King Jovian. She always felt uneasy around the man, as if there was something dark and twisted around him. She had never felt that way about Lionel. Lionel, who she had felt oddly comfortable around. Lionel, another new development in her life. Lionel, whom she was due to see soon.
Hellaya moved to clear up the rest of the water, Lionel would be waiting outside in a few minutes.
~
Hellaya Afaelen stood before her mirror , wondering what on earth had come over her. She'd never felt self-concious about her appearance, after all, she was gorgeous. Hellaya smiled at the familiar swagger, it was something she'd constantly been teased about. Her thoughts drifted back to Lionel, something about him made her incredibly bashful. Hellaya found herself suppressing the urge to peer back into the mirror.
"Pull yourself together, Helle," she muttered to herself. Then she pulled the door open and smiled at the bronze-eyed boy who stood outside.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Of Blades and Secrets
काल्पनिकHellaya Afaelen keeps secrets, secrets that were supposedly normal. But other people keep secrets too, Hellaya's own heritage is kept secret from her. After a strange encounter with an even stranger old woman, Hellaya begins to question her ancestry...
