Beyond the Glow

Chapter 11

I stare at Mistresses retreating form before taking a deep breath and turning to the door. It's covered in carvings of valiant dragons and knights in battle, animals bow down to the Fae, and faeries fly above the heads of enchanted humans. All extinct, or in hiding. When I was first enslaved, they had roamed the land freely, without fear. From what I can hear, they were all slaughtered or nearly killed by the late king in the magix wars. Something about they refused to bow and swear allegiance, and he punished them all.

I reach out and trace the elegant face of the fae woman stroking a does head. What strange carving, especially for someone who was descended from the one who drove the ancient races into extinction. The door opens outwards at my touch, making me jump. On the other side, is the Prince. He stands and looks down at me, also surprised.

"I thought you might have stood me up," He says half jokingly. He blocks the way into his room, leaving me to stare up at him.

"Sorry, sire. I was on kitchen duty, and needed a proper washing when I was done with the dishes." I bow, staring at his feet. What do I ask? Len had made finding information sound easy, he never really told me what kind of information he wanted. War plans? How many plums the king could stuff in his mouth?

Oh gods help me.

"No need. I will not take much of your time." I look at him expectantly. "I need to know where you got that necklace. That charm looks very familiar, I believe I've seen it before. If you're okay with it," he added, "I would love to add one to my collection, but you act as if this is important to you, and I don't want to cause you distress." His words sound false, and I stiffen, "I could be a matter of security," He says, and I shake my head. 

My mind flashes back to the night at the underground hideout, the rustling outside my lamp, and the chaos after. He had been at the dinner, he had murdered Gregor down the hall from my room, and I caught him leaving through the window. He must have seen the lamp, multiple times.

It's no secret that the genies need their lamps with them, or at least always know where they are. I put a hand on the necklace, has he figured it out? "A matter of security you say?" 

He nods. "If you could just lend it to me, I'll check it over. If everything is well, you'll have it back in no time." 

 I unclasp the necklace and reluctantly hand it over, to refuse the Prince would be an act of treason, I have no choice but to obey if I want to keep my cover. "As I told you before, I got it from my mother, it was a birthday present." I stare at it in the Princes hands, nervously waiting for him to give it back. He rubs the side, staring at it intently. I feel a slight tingle in my stomach before it rests. "Please hurry with it.."

He looks up, and smiles at me, but I can see a hint of disappointment underneath. "Thank you, I'll get it back as soon as I can." My stomach plummets, I won't last too long without that lamp. It controls the magic in my blood, without it he magic could go out of control and do who-knows-what. Why else would a genie tie themselves to it?

But I keep up my cover,smiling weakly. No sooner than the stammered "Sure..." Is out of my mouth when the Prince takes a step back, getting ready to slam the door in my face. I glance quickly at the other side of the door before it closes, expecting to see the same image as what is on the other side, the peaceful scene. 

But what I see instead takes my breath away, and not in a good way either. 

The other side of the door is decorated with the people in the same places, as are the animals, and magical peoples, but they're fighting, marred. Nothing like the peaceful scene from before. 

The door slams in my face, and I feel sick to my stomach; what did I just do? 

The smile slips off my face to be replaced by a grimace. I can feel the lamp pulling already, calling to me like a child to the cookie jar. I turn and stumble my way down the hall, before ducking into the servants quarters, small poofs of dirt float up with each numb step I take.

Servants hustle by me, taking no notice of my dazed lack of composure. I shake my head, schooling my features into a lazy smile. Spies could be anywhere.

I wave to the other maids, walking down the halls towards me and Amita's room. The lamps pull grows stronger with every step, tugging me the other way and making my movements jerky.

Once in the room, I collapse on the bed, panting slightly. Amita is already in the room, glaring at the wall. When I come in, she starts in surprise before glaring at me and turning back to the wall. "You should get going." She says coldly. "There's a delivery coming today. You wouldn't want to lose your spot as the most hardworking maid here, at least" She turned to me, "In the Princes eyes anyways."

"Right. I'll to go." I say; deciding not to mention her strange behavior. But Len needs a update on the goings on here, I might as well go see him. It sure beats scrubbing the dishes, or sitting in a room with this new, creepy Amita. 

The door lets out a soft squeak, before I close it. And I look back, half hoping Amita is out of her trance, but she remains the same. Staring blindly at her hands, and I close the door. 

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Len is unloading boxes from the back of a wagon when I get to the courtyard. Its hard to miss him. Sweat flows freely down his face and arms, making the shirt stick to him. "Report." He hisses through his teeth when I come closer. 

Standing the the side, out of the way, I relay all that has happened to Len. Stopping at the strange behavior from Amita. "He took your lamp?" Says Len, nearly dropping a box in shock. "That's the only leverage you have against him! And worse, if he figures out who you are, the whole mission could be in jeopardy! Asra, you have to get it back."

"Yes but how? I am just the help. I can't say no to the Prince if I wish to keep my head!" I hiss. "Even if I were to steal it back, he'll notice it's gone, and that I have it. I will be hung for stealing Len!"

Len grits his teeth, "Then we watch it play out." He says grimly. "He will have to give it back eventually. When he does, you hide it and don't let anyone take it again!" He sets the last box down on the ground, and we are silent for a moment as a boy picks it up to carry into the kitchen. "Here." Says Len. He holds out a small pouch and drops it in my open palm. 

"This is Grimlock. Use it if things get out of hand." 

"Grimlock, you mean the poison? For what?"

"If the mission is in jeopardy, use it to eradicate the threat. There are three doses in here. I think you know what they would have been for, had this... Complication, not come up." Len frowns, glaring at the pouch. 

"You want me to kill them?" I ask, hesitation in my words, I have never killed before. 

"Yes, and when you do, I will permanently free you from Cynthia. You will be free for good, and able to leave the kingdom if you please. Never to come back." He grits, speaking through his teeth, he's obviously not happy with the situation. 

I look at the small pouch in my palm, my ticket to freedom right in my hands. "I-I'll think about it." I say, tucking it into a pocket in my apron. 

"Do what must be done."Says Len. He pats my shoulder, then turns to prepare the cart to exit the castle areas again. I leave without another word, my pocket alomst as heavy as the thoughts in my mind.