Ragged from the run, I climbed the steps to my chamber. It was the day of another dragon duel and I knew that the entire embassy was deserted. My run from the Gemini Palace to the Liberan embassy had been desolate as well, not a single soul was to be seen on the streets. I slammed the door shut, entering my room. In one rapid movement, I unslung my satchel and dropped it to the floor and staggered inside the washroom.
Locking myself in, I looked at my numb reflection in the mirror. Without pausing to think, I scooped the ice-cold water from a large tankard in the hollow of my palms, and splashed it on my face. The contact of the water with my skin, made me shiver violently. But I splashed some more, continuously, shuddering with the impact.
Why was this happening to me? Since the day I stepped foot in the Winter Realm, my life had changed its steady course and now rocked hard in the middle of an ocean, with a thunderstorm brewing overhead.
I should have never come here; nothing would have ever changed. I would have been still going to the Post in the morning, making dinner with Amelia and tending to my garden and poultry. Life would be normal.
Nostalgia and regret formed a deadly combination and tugged at the broken strings of my heart.
But secrets as dark as this, never stay hidden for too long.
Splash.
I would have given myself away anyways.
Splash.
Endangering Amelia and Uncle Barak's family.
Splash.
If Prince Nova opened his mouth - even my closest friends would face the consequences. No one cohorts with the Lueshas. A shrill laugh left my throat as the cruelty of my situation hit me – both my royal friends were Luesha hunters themselves.
Panting heavily, I picked up the half-filled tankard, and held it over my head, pouring all of the freezing water on me. I took a sharp breath as the coldness overpowered.
I collapsed on to the wet floor. Hugging my knees closer to my chest, I trembled. Would I die if I stayed in the cold for too long? Would it matter to anyone?
Not to Amelia, who had, for some reason, loathed me. Not to Serena, who I had distanced myself from. Not to Doran, who belonged to the enemy Realm. Not to Una, who hardly knew me, to whom I lied consistently.
It might matter to one person though - I clenched my fists, as Prince Nova's face scurried in my head. He needed something from me, didn't he?
The events of the past hour kept replaying in my mind's eye, threatening to stop my already slowing heartbeat.
I let out a loud scream, until my throat was hoarse. My body sagged down heavily, as I howled with angry tears. My own voice deafened me. Why was this happening to me? I did not want any of this. No body would.
Serena, Una and Doran had never threatened me, after knowing my secret of having Earth powers. So why had Prince Nova's words felt like a sword pierced through my chest?
He was supposed to be a glorious Prince on the verge of becoming the Conqueror of the Throne!
I screamed some more into the thunderous silence.
Time passed by in a hazy blur, as I sat there drenched, leaning on to the bathtub, freezing in the chilly air surrounding me.
Did I have no way out of this? Was obeying the golden-haired rogue, my only option? Was this the reality of the prince? Of the Defensor who was on the path to a sure victory?
The Throne.
No one can fool the Throne – my father had once told me.
Had Prince Nova found a way to win it?
He had won all his matches, only exception being the one wherein Lady Orella had kicked him in the arse.
Was there a reason why he had won all the duels?
My eyes opened wide at the heaviness of the implication.
Was I the only person who knew his reality?
I stood up suddenly, and walked out of the washroom, a cold trail of slippery wet naked anger following me. I did not shiver anymore. Fetching some dry clean clothes from the cupboard, I stripped. My thoughts running wild, a sense of determination taking place, as I wiped myself up and changed.
Grabbing my satchel, that lay neglected near the door, I emptied all of its content on my bed, and let out a huge breath. There were a few torn pieces of parchment, white hairclips that I used to hold my voluminous hair back while working, along with a wand, pair of twin daggers and my golden sundial.
I had been so close, to hurling one of them at Prince Nova. With the hem of my grey dress, I wiped their sharp silvery blades, promising myself to not hold back next time. It had been ages since I last tried aiming them.
My eyes flickered to the wand, the wand that I had found discarded on the grounds of the out-camp. There was no doubt in my mind now - it definitely belonged of the woman who was being threatened on the point of a silver dagger.
And if my theory was correct, I already knew who she was - The Head Alchemist of the House of Virgo.
The smell that I had picked up in the dungeon today, was of the same drug that I had seen the Alchemists make at the Virgous palace. The strange, mysterious drug, that had rendered the Head Alchemist being abducted. My heart beat quickened as I connected the dots.
The black soldiers worked for Prince Nova.
I slowly sat down on the soft mattress of my bed, letting my discovery sink in. My body and soul felt heavy, a tightening feeling engulfing me.
In the silence of the room, I could hear the loud bellowing of creatures and the mild tempo of the screams of the crowd, distinctly audible from the amphitheatre. The duel between, Lord Ralph and Prince Nigel must be in full swing.
The powerful wand hummed in my hands as I picked it up. But there still was a final piece of the puzzle missing.
I should ask Una – the thought struck me – about what exactly the drug did. But nothing more than that. I would not drag anyone with me down this hellhole. And even if I wanted, I knew I couldn't.
I had struck a deal with the devil.
This was my fight alone.
Sighing loudly, I pulled my legs up on the bed, and traced the edges of my Mark.
Why was I so important to Prince Nova? I recalled him speaking about having searched for someone like me far and wide. How could a Luesha help him?
A chill rose on my spine as I realized that I was going to face him again. Maybe I should poison my daggers and put them in a scabbard, at the ready. Since, defending myself with my power was unreliable - I lacked in precision. I knew I was weak because of the partial use of my magic.
I harbored two elemental powers.
I looked out the window, at the setting sun. It would kiss the horizon, and rest for the time being, and come back again anew. Shining stronger.
The sun shines on everyone, just wait for the night to pass.
As my eyes luminated with the orange tint of the sunlight, I knew it was time.
Time to find out about my father's blood.
Time to find out about my secret elemental power.
***
I watched Serena leaving the chamber early, with Rosa in tow. I had not yet finished adjusting my thick woolen scarf around my neck, but they had left, not waiting for me. Dinner had become a suffocative event, the conversation flowing in circles. Starting from whining about the cold, and then about the Conquest and then again stopping at the cold.
I walked a little late into the dining room which was at the lowest level of our residential building, and felt their voices dropping low. If I could, I would have eaten in my room, but Landon disapproved of it. He called this 'family time,' which always made me roll my eyes.
Did they talk about me behind my back? I recalled the moment when Violette had advised me to stay away from the Prince of the Summer Realm. Did they think I seduced Doran?
What did they see when they looked at me? A Vacuusha, who was friends with three extremely powerful royals. If only I could tell them, that one was bonded with me unwillingly, and one saw me as a mission to be solved, and the third – the third just had just threatened me.
"I wish they allowed the Corresponders in whatever meeting that's happening," Violette said chewing her buttered bread.
"It seems to be extremely reserved," Landon said, "Not even all the Defensors are invited."
I pretended to be listening, but my mind was not in my control. I took a glance at Serena, who had a distant gaze and was sipping through her wine silently. Her beautiful friendly face, lost in thoughts like me.
"Where is the meeting?" Jorah asked.
"At the Winter Palace of Pisces," Rosa answered him, and let out a huge sigh, "I wish we could have seen the palace. It might be even grander than the royal ball."
"It's not a party, Rosa," Violette cut her off, "it's a meeting about the Eclipses."
My ears jerked. I went still at Violette's words, and before I knew, curiosity and dread got the better of me, "When is it?" My heartbeat quickened at my own question.
"Tomorrow after sunset," our supervisor informed, narrowing his eyes.
I realized that everyone was looking at me with raised brows. I chuckled, covering up my outburst, "Sounds like a missed opportunity for sure."
I picked up a piece of tart, and felt my appetite suddenly fading away. There was to be a meeting, at the Winter palace, about the mission of finding the Eclipses.
Had they really found out a way to bring out the hiding Lueshas?
I was a Luesha, exposed to the mastermind of this committee.
Prince Nova would be there of course, and so would be Una and Doran.
Would he – a horrible thought struck my head, making me curled my toes inwards -
Would he dare to reveal what I was, in front of everyone?
I stabbed my fork into a lump of fried potato, in a sudden bout of resolute.
I was going to the meeting.
To the Winter Palace.
***
"Let me tell you a bedtime story, my sunflower." The man said in a lulling voice.
The small girl, hugging her father on the bed, nodded into his chest.
"There was once a boy. He always got lost everywhere. Never knew left from right."
The girl looked up at her father and touched his dimple, "Like me?"
"Yes, exactly like you. He would not know where to go - very poor sense of direction. It would be a miracle if he came home straight." The man laughed, relieving a distant memory.
"That's scary, father. But he is like me. Do I know him?" The girl said with wide eyes.
"Maybe someday you will." The man sighed, hugging his black-haired daughter close. "He is just like you."
Even before the story of the lost, but brave boy finished, the girl had fallen asleep.
***
Author's note: I might drop the next two chapters a little earlier than my normal schedule. BECAUSE I CAN'T WAIT.