Everything here reflects silver and crimson. Right and wrong. Past and present. Darkness and light.
The choices I make from this point forward will mold my Fate and determine the chapters of my story that have yet to be written.
ChapterNine
As I walk awayfrom the study, it takes monumental restraint not to run. Because there’s only one sensible thing to do after conversing with a woman like Lady Dinah: run.
I would do nearly anything to feel the wind in my hair, the thrill of my feet pounding against the stone floor, the exhilaration of escaping impending doom. But alas, here I am, trapped within this body as incapable of flight as a terracotta swan.
Even if I could fly, I imagine Jasce would sprout wings and catch me. He made himself perfectly clear. He will chase me if I run and find me if I try to hide.
Fantastic, indeed.
Now, a dangerous barbarian is determined to cage me.
Trapped or not, I still require food. Asha says feasting is the balm for everything, an opinion I wholeheartedly endorse, and so, I venture toward the kitchen.
As I walk into the kitchen and sit at the table, a young, red-haired woman serves me wheat bread, aged cheese, and a platter full of fruit. She reminds me of my younger sisters, Tahira and Emerin. They have the same color hair and the same freckles peppered across their noses.
While I savor the bread and plop grapes in my mouth, I think about Lyra and the items her mother gave me. They don’t tell me much. Only that Lyra enjoys expensive jewels, and she may be trying to blackmail someone. But who is her target?
“Get out of here!” I jump at the shrill voice and glance up as a short woman shoos a child and his dog—a very dirty child and dog—out the back door. “Go! Look at you. What in Hades have you two gotten into? Go wash before you step foot in this kitchen.” The door closes, and the woman yanks it open again. “And the dog stays outside. You know the rules.”
When she turns back around, she wears a smile, mutters something about biscuits, and resumes her task at a nearby table.
The hum of conversation returns to the room as the kitchen staff does their practiced dance, preparing for the next meal, circling each other but never colliding. They each know what is expected of them and what they must do, step-by-step, to complete their tasks.
I need to focus on getting back to my own life.
And I need a better plan.
There's a mystery to be unraveled, memories to be reclaimed, and a path home to be found. They’re all pieces of the same puzzle.
The thought brings a quick smile to my lips as I continue to feast on the food the red-haired woman provided.
I’m good at puzzles.
First, I must find Mazaline.
“There you are,” the same young woman from earlier says to me as she breezes into the kitchen. “You are supposed to come with me.”
“To where?” I manage, all while mentally scheming potential escape routes involving baskets, ropes, and a healthy dose of boldness.
“The apothecary. Lady Dinah wishes for your womb to be blessed.”
My mouth gapes open before I snap it closed.
What does that even mean…a blessed womb?
Nerves tighten inside me as I stand, brush my hands against a cloth, and face this newest development.
“Lead the way, dear guide,” I say with false enthusiasm.
The young woman rolls her eyes. “I have a name.”
“What is it?” I ask before I remember I should probably know the answer.
She clicks her tongue at me. “You have known me for a while.” When I stare blankly at her, she adds, “Hanah.”
