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I SAT IN THE BATH WITH my knees pulled up to my chest and my arms holding them tight. I could tell Neala was uncomfortable washing me. My eyes were like the waterfall outside the castle walls. The bath water was red with the blood of not only my enemy, but of the wizard and Tessa. And they had both fallen at the hand of the boy... the boy with the violet eyes. Silas was the apprentice.
He’s the reason my parents are dead. Why I have no home to visit. The reason why I sit here now, my heart in pieces. And I... I love him. The door to my wash room opened and Princess Evelyn rushed in. Oh no, not now.
“Alora, I heard that you were triumphant, such a happy day.”
Upon hearing her words I let out a howl that reminded me of a wolf dying and I tried to breathe. I tried, but couldn’t.
“Is this her blood?” the princess asked Neala.
“Nay. It’s the blood of the wizard and of Tessa, her friend.”
The princess gasped. “I’m so sorry, Alora.”
I couldn’t speak.
“Do you need anything?”
My friends and my family back. Can you make that happen? I didn’t say that out loud of course, but that’s what I wanted. I shook my head.
The princess stood watching as Neala washed me, unsure of what to do. “Um... Alora. We are going to have a celebratory feast and since I haven’t been able to talk Father into throwing a ball, you can finally dance. I have a dress laid out on your bed. Try to be happy,” she said, and then rested one hand on my shoulder. “You’ll be able to dance with Silas and—”
I couldn’t hold it in any more, I tilted my head back and screamed. The princess jumped back in surprise, almost knocking over a water pail. “What did I say?” she asked Neala.
“Silas, m’lady. He is the apprentice in disguise.”
She stood there understanding why I was falling apart. “I’ll wait in the other room.”
Neala nodded for the both of us.
I must have ran out of water in my body because the tears finally stopped flowing. Neala dried me off and I couldn’t help but recall how excited Tessa was the first time she was washed.
She was so happy here. It’s not fair. She should be celebrating with us. She should be enjoying the feast that was being prepared. “It’s not fair,” I whispered.
I went into my room and the princess was patiently waiting on my bed. She rose and held up the dress she wanted me to wear. It had long sleeves and a gold trimmed neck line. The gold trim also flowed along the hem of the dress and it was that color, the color she knew was my favorite—his eye color. I let out a distressed laugh. Was I going to feel miserable every time I saw that color? I believe so.
The princess, me and Neala went downstairs to enjoy the feast. None of the knightlys were eating and no one was dancing. They all sat there, the girls in dresses — I’m sure the princess made them wear — and the boys in their tunics and matching brown pants. When Aednat saw me, she stood. The other knightlys followed and she pressed her fist to her chest. I mustered the energy to salute them back. I walked over to Thomas, wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed him as tight as I could. They were together Tessa and him. “I’m sorry, Thomas.”
“Aye, so am I,” he whispered.
I let him go and joined the table, sitting next to him and Ryanne—who started rubbing his back, trying to console him. None of us felt like eating. The battle was not the thrilling victory we had expected.
I found myself walking through the palace in my violet dress, when I turned the corner and entered the dungeon. There was only one guest in the dungeon and I put him there. I reached into my pocket and squeezed Mother’s emerald, hoping it would give me strength. The knight on watch, Ser Portier, saluted me and placed his key into the main gate. Passed the gate were three cells—one to the left, one straight ahead and one to the right. The one on the right held Silas. When he saw me he shuffled to his feet. They had stripped him of his second skin — and based on the bruises he didn’t have earlier — had been beaten. He didn’t say a word.
“I was told you wanted power. That you wanted to rule over all.”
“Alora, I wanted to free everyone. King Remi and the kings from the other kingdoms can’t be trusted. They only want power. They only want to sit on their thrones manipulating their kingdoms into doing their bidding, like slaves.”
“But we’re not slaves.”
“No? Didn’t your parents have to pay a tax to the king.”
“A tax?”
“Part of their crop. Maybe some animals.”
They did. Not animals, but Biron had to set aside potatoes and berries for the king. “Aye. Everyone has to do that.”
“But why? Have you ever asked why? What does the king offer in return?”
I guessed. “Protection?”
“Protection? Did he protect your parents?”
“How dare you! You did that.”
“Nay! I would never do that to... and what about Neala?”
“What about her?”
“Do you think she enjoys cleaning your chambers and washing you and the other ladies?”
I never thought about that. Was Neala a slave? I leaned against his cell trying to figure things out, when I remembered that night in the castle. I regained my stance, tall and composed. “Do you know anything about that boy falling? Were you involved?”
“Aye.”
I gasped. “Did you kill him?”
“Nay! He fell.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’ve never lied to you.”
Was he kidding? “You’re the apprentice!”
“But I never lied.”
I pointed a finger at him. “Omission and deception are lies.”
“Are not.”
“Are too!” I said, pushing my face closer to the bars.
He chuckled.
I could feel the blood rushing to my face. “Is something funny?”
He stood gripping the bar. “If this was any place else. It would’ve been charming. Our first fight.”
It was our first. Everything had seemed so perfect. I was blinded by his chiseled features. His smell, his voice, his eyes... and the way he slid his fingers through his hair while holding onto the bars. His eye was swollen and filled with so much blood he could hardly see through it. He needed the healer. I reached out and touched his cheek and wished I could make him better. I imagined his face free of bruises, when my hand glowed and I could see the light from my eyes reflected in his.
The bruising cleared up. I don’t really know how I did it. Just that I did. He gripped my hand holding it to his face. “You will be a very powerful wizard. More so than I could’ve ever been. Don’t let the king corrupt you and use your power against good people.”
I looked at the ground. “You killed Tessa.”
“I didn’t mean to. You have to believe me... just listen.”
“Why should I?” I wanted to, though.
“Because I love you!”
I’ve been waiting to hear him say those words and of all places to hear them... down in the dungeon, him on one side and me on the other. “I’m listening...”
“Did you ever ask yourself why the king asked for volunteers between fifteen and seventeen seasons?”
I shook my head.
“It’s because they needed to be strong enough to fight, but young enough that if I killed one of them, I wouldn’t be able to perform magic any more. That’s why the king can’t perform magic. Don’t you see? The king you serve was hoping I would kill one of the knightlys so that I would no longer be able to do magic. He’s the evil one, not me—and he succeeded. I know you serve him. All I ask is that you keep your eyes and ears open. Judge for yourself. I turned on him... well... because he turned on me first.”
I was shocked to hear that. “Turned on you how?”
“Never mind that. I need to tell you something. There’s something you should know... about your father—”
“You shouldn’t be here,” the king said, startling me.
I turned to face him. “I was trying to get some answers, Your Majesty.”
“Please leave us, Alora.”
“Aye, Your Majesty.”
I bowed and looked at Silas. “You look beautiful by the way,” Silas said, his violet eyes wounding me.
Even now after everything, I knew I was in trouble. I was still in love with him. So much so that I couldn’t kill him when he was trying to kill the king. And now more so if that’s even possible.
Seeing him in the dungeon behind the thick metal bars, bruised and beaten, made my stomach ache. My parents were taken from this world, Lucah had abandoned me, Tessa was dead, and now Silas was being taken from me too. I still wanted him. I still wanted to be with him. I left the dungeon like the king commanded and wondered how I would go on.
When I returned to my chambers, I slipped out of my dress and into a white sleep shirt. Maybe the emptiness and plainness of white would help me forget. I sat on the floor leaning back against my bed with my hands wrapped around my toes and stared at the candles on the shelves. I tried to clear my mind of everything, choosing to turn the candles on and off. Someone knocked on the door and I twisted my head to see who it was. Neala opened it and the king entered. I stood at once and saluted.
“Is now a bad time?” he asked.
“Nay, Your Majesty.” He’s the king. Did he really expect me to say yes?
“You are now my first knight. Tomorrow I will announce it in the city square. You will need to choose an apprentice to pass on what you’ve learned. You are the wizard now.”
What I knew wasn’t much. “Maybe after I learn how to use my powers I will choose an apprentice. Right now, there’s not much I can pass on.”
“Very well. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Aye, Your Majesty.”
“Please... call me Remi.”
I didn’t think I could get used to addressing the king as Remi, but I would try.
When he was gone, I sat on my bed and patted it. Neala joined me on the bed and I had to know. “It never occurred to me, but Neala... are you a slave?”
She looked at her hands and didn’t answer.
I knelt in front of her and covered her hands with my own. I tried to make eye contact and waited for her eyes to meet mine. When they did I asked again. “Neala, are you a slave?”
She nodded.
I stood and turned away. Slaves? The king had slaves. I don’t know what I thought. Maybe I just figured she was a servant doing her duty. Free to leave if she so chose. But a slave? A slave has no choice in the matter. A slave must serve or face extreme penalties. “You may go. I don’t need you anymore tonight,” I told her, with my back still turned.
“Aye, m’lady.”
I turned to face her. “Nay. Nothing’s changed between us. Call me Alora, like before.”
She smiled. “Aye, Alora.”
The next morning, I stood at the side of my king as he explained to the city that the apprentice had been defeated. The crowd of castle city citizens applauded and cheered at the news. Next, he broke the news about the wizard. The crowd fell silent, until he introduced me as his first knight. The king grabbed my hand, raised it overhead and the audience cheered.
I looked at the king and he appeared genuinely thrilled, busily shaking his fist and smiling at the people. I wondered if I would be able to protect him after all. As doubt crept in, I turned back to face the crowd. The knightlys stood in front and were all focused on me, throwing their arms into the air and cheering as loud as they could. If any of them didn’t consider me their leader before... they definitely did now.