Page 37

“No, dear. You are the Chosen One,” she says softly, gazing at my reflection in the mirror.

“How am I going to hide this?” I ask desperately. Marian shrugs. “Wait, how did you know?”

“I knew your grandmother, recognized those eyes the moment you stepped into the castle. I am also the midwife who helped deliver you, so I knew what time you would be born.”

“You know about Fae magic?”

“Yes, your grandmother was my best friend,” she says, rubbing my cheek with her calloused hand.

“Now, we haven’t got time. Silas has ordered everyone to be in the front courtyard by dawn. We need to get Abigail out of here.”

“You know about her, too?”

“Not much gets past these eyes, dear,” she says, getting to her feet.

Getting up off the tile floor, Marian sticks her head out the door peering into the bedroom. I follow her out as she makes her way to the door. Only when she leaves the room, I find the door quickly slammed in my face. Hearing Marian talking outside the door. I quickly rush to my bed, chucking myself in and pulling the blanket over myself, pretending to be asleep. I can hear Matitus outside my door in the corridor. I intently listen trying to catch their conversation.

“I asked you a question. Why are you in this part of the castle and what are you doing near her door?” he bellows.

“I was just making sure she didn’t need anything,” she stutters, and I can smell her fear seeping under the gap below the door.

“Well, did she?” he asks, and I can almost feel the way he is glaring down at her, imagine the anger on his face.

“She was asleep,” she murmurs, the sound barely audible. I hear silence for a few seconds before I hear him speak.

“Leave. If I catch you near this door again without permission I will have your head,” he tells her. I hear her rush away before the door handle rattles. I close my eyes, pretending to be asleep. I smell his scent fill the room and I know he is standing behind me. I breathe deeply through my nose, calming myself so he doesn’t notice my heart rate. It must have worked because I hear the door shut and lock.

Waiting a few minutes, I get up and twist the handle, it doesn’t open. “Shit,” I curse to myself. How am I supposed to get out and help Abigail. I just have to hope Marian can get to her. Climbing back in bed, I give into exhaustion.

Around 4:30 AM I am awoken by noise outside the front of the door. The door unlocks and opens, and I roll, making sure to keep the blanket and my hair over my face. Dragus strides in and places a plate on the bench, and I can smell steaming hot coffee.

“I brought you your breakfast, meet us in the courtyard when you can,” he says, and I can tell he is in a hurry as he doesn’t even glance in my direction. Then I hear Silas yell from the corridor.

“Hurry up, Dragus,” Silas calls and Dragus shuts the door behind him as he leaves. I sleepily get up rubbing my eyes. Grabbing my coffee, I drink while getting dressed. I suddenly hear the horrific sounds of women screaming, completely forgetting all about the Seer stones. My blood runs cold. Did Marian warn Abigail in time? Putting on my shoes, I rush to the door then run down the corridors. Just as I am about to run through the entrance doors, I am ripped to the side.

“You can’t go out there,” Marian says, pulling me to the window in the study. I find heaps of women and children lined up out the front, reminding me of the night I came here.

“How many so far?” I demand, terrified.

“This is the last of them.”

“And Abigail?”

“I think she got out.”

I let out a sigh of relief praying she is right. “Well, how do I hide this?” I ask, pointing to my face.

“Only Fae can see it unless you let them see it by dropping your guard,” she says, making my eyes snap to hers.

“You’re a Fae?” I ask, incredulous.

Marian nods with a sad smile on her face. It definitely isn’t a blessing to be Fae around here. It’s much more like a curse or punishment that the fates bestow upon us.

“Yes, but I don’t have magic, and I am not of noble blood so I look human, that’s why they keep me here and it’s also why I may not talk to you,” she tells me.

We see Silas walk along the line holding the stones in his hands. They float above his palms, orbiting around each other as he moves from person to person. When he finishes and the stones do nothing but pick up his magic, he dismisses the line going to the next. Those cleared, run for the gates, fearing for their lives.

He goes through the next line, then they leave. When I look at the new crowd, he is about to examine, I freeze. Abigail is at the end of the line, and I can see the fear in her eyes; she didn’t get out in time.