AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t even know who Jinx is.”
“Yes, you do.” I playfully shove his shoulder, a teasing grin on my face. “She’s the blonde lady of Bash’s court.”
“Golden blonde or white blonde?”
“White blonde.”
“Oh,” he says, thinking. “Possibly. Why?”
“She wasn’t feeling well this morning. I want to see if she is still resting and check on her.”
He contemplates my request for a moment and then nods. “All right, sure, let’s go.”
I leave Mom’s book behind the cushions and close the library door as we leave. A part of me panics, knowing it’s out in the open, but if anyone were to pry I could say Vidya tasked me to read it. The reasoning went over well enough with Riot. Why would it raise flags with anyone else?
We turn the corner and wander down to the end of the hall in the opposite wing from my room. Riot counts the doors, whispering the names of guests and the other ladies before stopping. “Pretty sure this one’s hers. I didn’t pay too much attention to the room assignments after learning where yours was.”
When we arrive at Jinx's room, I knock gently on the door, hoping to avoid disturbing her if she's still resting. There's no response. I give Riot a look and ask, “Do you have a key?”
“Don’t need one, remember?” He turns the doorknob and pushes the door open. The room is bare, vacant of any personal effects or signs of life.
“This is weird,” I say.
“Maybe I have the wrong room,” he counters, attempting to dismiss the oddity. “Do you want to go downstairs and look for her?
“Yes.”
We skip the kitchen and head straight to the dining hall where the ladies have already begun to assimilate. I grab an apple, something that can’t be tampered with, and bite into it while I wait for everyone to join the room. Lunch is informal but we’re required to attend. A mandate I hate but am grateful for. As our rendezvous stretches on, I become more and more anxious. It’s obvious she isn’t coming.
I turn to Lady Vidya, who is calmly sipping her tea, and ask. “Do you know where Jinx is?"
Vidya looks up from her cup, her expression composed and full of indifference. "I believe she and Prince Sebastian are getting to know each other this afternoon."
"Thank you," I reply, though the information only adds to my growing sense of unease. Jinx was in no position to go out with Bash this morning. He should have canceled their date the moment he saw her lying in bed. So why didn’t he?
As I turn to leave, Lady Vidya's voice stops me. "Lady Khiara," she calls, and I face her once more. Her words carry a subtle warning that sends a shiver down my spine. "It's in your best interest not to grow too attached to the other contestants."
I meet her gaze. "Isn't it a queen's job to care for her people? Even if one day they may become her enemies?"
Her response is cold and decisive. "You are not a queen."
I nod in acknowledgment, refusing to let her disregard for my concern go unchallenged. "True," I agree, "and she isn't my enemy."
Iskip lunch, opting for just the apple I stole from the dining hall, and head back to the library. Vidya’s assignment is interesting but there are hundreds of books in the library. Now that I officially have permission to read within its confines, I’m going to learn as much as I can, while I can.
I pull books randomly – a red one here, a green one there. One the size of my palm and another bigger than my forearm. All of them are journals, first-hand accounts of what it meant to be a Cerise for each woman. Most of what’s on the pages is useless—written by young girls with little interest in learning their craft—and diary-like entries about their daily lives. But sometimes I find a paragraph that feels useful, even if it’s out of place.
My webs tingle, sensing a body moving nearby. The soldier lingers at the stairs leading up to the third floor and then walks down the hall. My magic hums, recognizing Riot as he draws nearer and excitedly waiting for him to join us. It arcs in his presence, supercharging my skin with an ache I worry only he can ease.
“That doesn’t look like your homework,” he remarks.
“Vidya told me to learn about the past. I figured first-hand accounts might be more helpful than censored stories transcribed by the Crown.”
“Can’t say I know this one either.” He picks the multi-colored book off the coffee table and looks at the front and back cover. “Who did it belong to?
“My mother." I delicately take the book from Riot's hands and carefully set it beside me again. A small note of worry flits through my mind,causing me to momentarily second-guess the admission, but my magic intervenes with a silent assurance that radiates trust in him, even if I’m hesitant.
“I see,” he says, two wrinkles pulling between his eyebrows. “I wish our troops hadn’t found her.”
