“You certainly seem to be studying hard,” Conan snarked with a degrading tsk. “Are you planning to become an archive keeper after I become king? Though, I suppose there are worse professions to pick.”
My hand curled into a fist against the table as I raised my head from the papers to meet his pompous glare. “At least I’d have the capability to do something useful. It will likely be challenging for you to find work after I am crowned. I suppose the kingdom could always use another pig farmer. You might enjoy some quality time with your own species.”
I slipped him a sideways grin, and he narrowed his gaze. “Laugh while you can, but I came here to warn you that your time in this castle is limited.” He gave me a boastful smile, and I felt the urge to knock a few of his pearly teeth loose. “Father will be choosing his successor soon, and I believe it’s rather obvious who has gained his favor.” My jaw clenched as I watched him rise from the leather seat and cross the room to face me head on. “Watch your back, little brother. Now that Killian has betrayed us, it only seems wise that I get rid of you as a precaution. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you swear your loyalty to me now, we could make a powerful team with you standing behind me. I’d hate to see someone with your talents left wallowing with the pigs.”
He leaned forward onto my desk, and I pressed my hand hard onto the surface, matching his eyes with a steel gaze. “Don’t underestimate me, Conan,” I growled sharply. “You may believe that you know how Father’s plans are going to play out, but the future is always changing. I’m not going to lose my crown so easily.” I pulled away and strode around the desk with a new fire burning through my veins.
As I made my way through the door, I could hear the vile sound of Conan’s laugh echo behind me. “If that’s how it’s how it’s going to be, then let the war wage on.”
I never turned back and instead, directed my steps straight for the library. Conan was only cocky because he thought Father knew his future, but what he didn’t know was that I knew where that future came from. Crystal may not want to share my visions with me now, but maybe with a bit more persuasion...
When I approached the library’s fake fireplace, I doubled back to check my surroundings and ensure I hadn’t been followed. Once it was clear that I was alone, I made my way up the concealed ladder and followed the dim passage. I desperately wanted to convince Crystal to work with me, but at the same time, I couldn’t push her. She was loyal to my father, and that was likely even more dangerous than she knew. If I was going to sway her to my side, I would need to prove that the king she trusts isn’t the man she believes him to be. And in order to do that she needed to know the truth about her past.
The truth about her purpose, from one tool to another.
When I reached the lone door, I picked the lock with ease, but paused before entering.She was startled the last time I barged in.If I want her to talk to me, I need to gain her trust.With a gentle tap, I rapped my knuckles against the door and waited for a quiet moment until I heard some scuffling beyond the door.
Despite being raised to maintain a hardened heart, I couldn’t help but feel bad that the poor girl wasn’t permitted to look at others.Has she ever even seen her servant before?It was clear during our first meeting that she was extremely aware of her environment, even while sightless, which only displayed how often she’d had to live in the dark. Just how much of the world had she been hidden from? An unknown spout of anger built up within me as I processed the thought. Maybe it was the part of me that knew what it felt like to be pressed under Father’s boot, or maybe it was the anger that lingered for being deceived about the Sybettian princess’s true fate. For whatever reason, I was enraged. Father had always been a beast, but this was the first time I’d seen it up close. Being his pawn was difficult enough when you knew it was happening, and I wonder if it would have been better for Estelle to never know she was being used at all. At least then she’d still have a little peace of mind…
If I became king, things wouldn’t stay this way. I’ll play the part of Father’s minion long enough to overthrow Conan, but then I’m done making use of other’s weaknesses. I can be strong on my own.
The scuffling stopped and a strong, yet timid voice called out through the door. “Come in.”
chapter nine
Iwaited anxiously as the servant’s door creaked open. It had barely been an hour since Mabel left, so unless she had forgotten something, it must have been the prince. The heavy-footed steps confirmed my suspicion instantly as he clicked the door shut behind him. I appreciated he had considered knocking this time. My blindfold sat snugly against my eyes, protecting me from any horrible future that sat beneath his ocean-blue gaze.
I waited a moment for him to settle into a chair before deciding I was going to set the ground rules. “I know what you want and the answer is still no.” I gave him a stern frown as I crossed the room to my seat. “You can flatter me all you'd like, but I will not be sharing any of my visions with you. You may not believe me, but it’s in both of our best interests.” A slight sting pricked at my heart. It was impossible not to think of the prince’s attack when he was only a few feet in front of me. My stomach twisted as I imagined his deathly lunge toward my terrorized frame.
“I know you don’t trust me, but I think we can work on changing that,” the prince said coolly. Something about his voice always made him sound like he was up to some form of trickery, yet he had a much more serious presentation today. He must have taken a seat at the dining table because I could hear him pour a cup of tea from what remained in the pot.
“You want me to trust you? How could I possibly do that? You’ve done nothing other than break into my room and pressure me to use my magic. It’s not exactly the proper basis for a friendship.” My frown deepened as I settled back into my seat.
Not to mention that I already know you intend to harm me.
The prince took a quiet sip of the tea, then clinked his cup back onto the saucer. I wonder if he was silently checking to see if I had collected the hidden note. He likely would have assumed so after I clarified my displeasure toward his persistence.
“You’re right. I have done nothing but demand from you, and for that, I apologize.” His words were slow and clear. I waited for a quiet moment for some sort of witty comment to go alongside his apology, but it never came.
Did the audacious Prince Miron actually just apologize to me?
He actually sounded... earnest, but I had to remember he was well trained in manipulation—that was what the king liked best about him. He was likely just trying to appeal to my good side so he could use my magic. “As proof of my atonement, I would like to offer you a token of trust. This might be a better foundation to build aproperfriendship, as you would say.” Ah, there it was, the jesting tease I had been expecting from him. For a moment, I thought it was a different man entirely who had entered my room. “I understand you have no reason to trust me, but I hope you’ll believe me when I say I sympathize with your situation. Like you, I’ve been an accessory to the king’s schemes, a mere tool he plans to cast aside someday. Neither of us deserves the position he’s caged us in, though I believe you deserve it even less.”
A light crinkling noise resonated from the prince as I heard him rise from his seat and approach me. I sat tall and poised when he stopped directly in front of me and gently brushed the edge of a paper against my hand for me to take. He was close enough that I could smell his warm scent, and I mentally scolded myself for finding it pleasant. The paper that touched my hand sent a wave of warning through me, but I desperately wanted to know what he had to share. Curiosity outweighed my caution as the paper tickled my skin and I took it delicately from his hand.
“I know you can’t read it now, but it’s a section of our history archives,” the prince explained. His voice had turned slightly grim, and I felt as if the paper had grown heavier in my grasp. “I’ll go ahead and tell you what it says, and you can read it later for your own confirmation. It’s a record of Sybettal’s downfall, including all the known information about King Ivan's and Queen Violet’s deaths.” He paused for a moment, and a cold breeze blew through the open window. “Along with all the known facts about their missing daughter, Princess Estelle.”
Did he really just say...?
The paper fell from my grasp and dropped into my lap as I stared wide-eyed into the silver silk.Estelle was a princess...?Hold on just a moment. Did that mean that I... that she... How would he know? Was he even telling the truth? My fingers brushed against my skirt until the fragile paper was back in my clutches. Did this paper truly confirm that? My heart throbbed relentlessly in my chest as my fingers went numb against the parchment that could very well hold the truth behind my name. Was this why Mabel couldn’t tell me? Did she know? The unfiltered shock overwhelmed me and a few stunned tears slid through my lashes and seeped out from under my blindfold.
The prince instantly moved closer after my tears slipped out, and I thought I heard him kneel beside me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset. Although, I can understand why this would be overwhelming.” His voice was soft and full of remorse, as if preemptively regretting his next words. “The document in your hand explains that Princess Estelle was rumored to have unusual hair and went missing over twenty-one years ago. My father, King Darius, led the siege. He took a multitude of mages with him after destroying the kingdom, and after hearing your story... I just thought you should know.” I felt a brush of his hand reach out to touch my arm, but it pulled back before he fully made contact. Was he attempting to comfort me?
I sank my head into my palms as my tears rolled down my cheeks without restraint.It made sense... Why did it all make so much sense?
“I just turned twenty-one last month, and Mabel has always called me Elle... I never even thought—” My words choked off as a new flood of thoughts pushed into my brain. I straightened and lifted my damp eyes from my palms. “Did... did he kill them? The king and queen of Sybettal?” I turned my tear-stained face to where I heard the prince, and his breaths grew heavier for a brief moment.
“Yes,” he said grimly. “I’m sorry, Crystal. He took over Sybettal when you were a baby, and likely took you from your parents. I know you trusted him, but he’s not as caring as you make him out to be. Trust me, I would know...Right now, he is planning a war that I honestly don’t think can be won. Then he intends to make Conan our newest king.”