There was a prince dangling outside my window... And his ruthless father was sitting right in front of me.
I don’t think I took a single breath as I settled awkwardly into my chair. The king wasn’t due to visit for another five days, so what was he doing here now? He didn’t know about his son’s visits, did he? A nauseous swirl twisted my gut, and I was thankful I had to avert my eyes from the king at this moment.
“Good morning, Crystal. How are you feeling today?” the king asked plainly. My chest tightened at his voice. I had trusted this man with my life just an hour ago, and now I was nearly certain he had murdered my family.
I dug my nails into the wooden table, attempting to redirect a trace of my nerves. “To be honest, Your Majesty, I’m a bit startled,” I answered sincerely. “I didn’t expect to be graced with your presence until next week. I must admit, you have caught me off guard.” My voice shook a touch, but I felt as if my nerves could be justified by his unannounced visit.
“Very good,” the king remarked coolly. “My intention was to rouse feelings of surprise and unawareness in you. I need you to show me a vision that’s centered around me on the frontline of battle. I would like to know of any surprises ahead of time so I may prepare and protect my men from danger.”
I let out a silent sigh of relief.Thank goodness. He didn’t seem to know about Miron.I fought my eyes not to glance back at the straining curtain. How long could he hold on? I didn’t necessarily want to test his limits, so I had better hurry and give the king what he requested. I adjusted my eyes upward but froze halfway.
He had requested a vision of the war...
What if what Miron had said was true? About this war being nearly unwinnable? Who would I be putting in danger by telling the king what to expect from the opposing forces? It was clear I didn’t know nearly enough about the situation to form an educated opinion, but now that I knew a bit of the king’s true colors, it felt almost sleazy to obey his requests.
“What type of danger do our enemies pose?” I looked up at the king half-way, still avoiding his eyes, but allowing him to see my innocent expression. “Have they acted out against Ashbourne in any way? I must admit, I’ve been curious about the political affairs of the other kingdoms. Further knowledge on the subject may help me focus my magic a little more acutely.”
“I don’t see how any of that information pertains to you and your role.” The king’s expression darkened, and his posture grew more authoritative. “All that you need to know is that Ashbourne is in need of your gifts, and it is your duty as an honorary citizen to aid your kingdom to the best of your ability. Now, no more dawdling. You will tell me what you see before your surprise dampens.”
He readjusted his posture so I could easily gaze into his dark, soulless eyes, but I couldn’t bring myself to raise my head.
What are you doing, Elle? You’re going to make him angry again.Fear coursed through me, urging my spine to straighten and fulfill the king’s request, yet I was locked into place.
I felt so... angry.
He was withholding the truth from me and wanted to utilize my power for reasons he wouldn’t even disclose. Just how many times had I let him do that? How long had I sat back in silence and simply obeyed? The man before me may have killed my family, so had he used my power to slay others, too? The fear in my blood turned to fire, and for the first time in my life, I refused to bow.
“No. I refuse,” I stated boldly. The fire within me shrank slightly once I realized I couldn’t take the words back, but I remained collected and firm.
“I beg your pardon?” the king snarled viciously as he balled his hands up against the table. “Did you just dare todefyan order from yourking?”
I fought the urge to shrink back. This was foolish and I knew it, but I had to stay strong. My gift was mine, not the king’s, and I needed to protect it. “Indeed.” I lowered my lashes to shield my gaze from the king, then lifted my head to meet him with a confident stance. “I wish to know what my power is being used for before I share any further information. War is a tricky thing, and I don’t wish to be the cause of unnecessary bloodshed.”
I could feel the king’s heated rage emit off him as he rose from his seat, towering over me with a furious presence. “I have already told you that your visions will be used to aid our kingdom. You do not require any more information. Unless you want to face the consequences of your defiance, I suggest you clear your head of such selfish requests and answer my question immediately.” He loomed above me, casting his full shadow over my small form.
My hands began to tremble from the thought of punishment, but I quickly hid them under the table so he couldn’t see my fear.Stay strong Elle, don’t let him scare you. He’s done that for long enough.My courage had shrunk to a fraction of my previous boldness, and I gripped at it with all my strength.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.” I pressed my tongue into my cheek to prevent my lip from quivering. “It has come to my attention that my power is more dangerous than I was previously aware. As the wielder of this power, I must take responsibility for its uses. I will not permit you to use my magic unless you can explain the reasoning behind its necessity.”
The king’s knuckles turned white as his fists clenched by his sides. “Tell me, Crystal, how exactly did these thoughts come to your attention?”
My veins froze over as his cold stare bore into me from above.Watch yourself, Elle. He can’t know what Miron and Mabel said.My thoughts swirled frantically for a moment before a daring smile curled at my lips. “They came from you, Your Majesty,” I said in my sweetest voice. “By showing me the outside world, you proved to me that my powers can be just as dangerous to a person as they can be helpful. If I had never seen the vision of us going outside, then I never would have had to endure such a terrifying lesson.”
I kept an innocent expression on my face as I felt the king’s eyes burn furiously down on me. “It would seem that isn’t the only lesson you needed.” he said with a threatening growl. “You seem to forget that your every comfort, your very life, is dependent on me and my goodwill toward you. If you think the outside world is so frightening, then perhaps I should show you the weight of war next.” His fists unwound, and he pressed his hand smoothly against the table, leaning forward to meet my ear. “Soldiers will die, Crystal. If you don’t help me protect them, then I’ll simply show you the fate you’ve granted them. I’ll bring in each and every soldier and ensure you foresee their death before they march onto the battlefield. If you don’t aid me now, then all their blood will be on your pretty little hands. We’ll be certain youtake responsibilityfor the effects of your magic.”
He pulled away from my ear with snake-like movements. Every inch of me felt weak and sick at the mere thought of the king’s threat, and I couldn’t stop my trembling. My legs shook so violently that I thought I might slip out of the chair.
Would he really do such a thing?I only considered the thought for a moment before the obvious answer clicked into my brain. If he killed my family, then he would have no problem killing soldiers.
What have I done?
The king stepped back from the table and began making his way for the door. “You’ve disappointed me again, Crystal,” he tsked with a dark tone. “If your cooperation doesn’t improve by my next visit, then I’ll take you to the frontline myself. Until then, I think you’re in need of some proper discipline. I’ll inform your caretaker of a few changes to your daily regimen.” He tugged the door open and halted in the doorway for one final moment before leaving. “Heed this warning... You will be wise not to make an enemy out of me.”
The door shut behind him and I instantly collapsed onto the table in front of me. My heart felt like it was going to explode and my trembling was so intense, I feared I would never stand again.Did I really just do that? Did I refuse the king?A small rush of pride touched my heart, but it was mostly lost under the obscene amount of terror. When did I become so bold? I suppose it all started when Mir—
Miron!
My shaking legs sprung back to life as I recalled the prince had been hanging perilously outside my window. I nearly tripped over a spilled box of art supplies and a random cushion, but I managed to stumble my way to the window. My eyes fell straight to the curtain and my heart stopped.