Gardening had become a peaceful hobby of mine. All around our home burst with colorful flowers—roses, daffodils, lilies, peonies, and more—all that I had planted, making the drab exterior of the cottage seem not so bland, at least in the spring and summertime. The ivy growing up on the sides of our home was not my doing, but I loved it the same. I also helped grow some of the herbs we utilized for Mother’s elixirs, though we still had to do plenty of scavenging outside the kingdom walls.
Behind our home was a river that twisted throughout the Outer Ring, adding to the peaceful atmosphere. Those from the Inner Ring and Center typically looked with disgust at the Outer Ring, but I think their ill feelings stem from the work of Serpents Cove, a section of the Outer Ring that was dark and notorious for illegal activity. I was never to get close to it and never spoke to anyone who lived there. Other areas really weren’t so bad.
Our weekly market, for example, was a significant event with vendors selling anything from fresh fruits and vegetables to jewelry or sewn goods. If those above gave it a chance, perhaps the people here wouldn’t be so poor.
It was a miracle we had started having customers from the Inner Ring, and the extra copper my mother had allowed me was used to purchase an obsidian dagger I kept hidden under my cloak and sheathed at my side. Mother didn’t know about it, simply because I didn’t want another lecture regarding defending myself. Truthfully, I never thought I’d need to use it, but the small comfort it gave me was worth the loss of copper.
I sighed and strolled towards the large stairway entrance to the Inner Ring, about a ten-minute walk from our cottage.Though I kept to myself, many neighbors waved at me as I passed.
I ventured up the giant steps, observing the guard stationed at the top. Outer Ring citizens were allowed to visit the Inner Ring between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Not a minute before and not a minute later. It had been about a year since we started making deliveries, and the guards paid me no mind as they knew I never stayed past curfew.
I made it through the first couple of orders rather quickly: an elixir for one home and an order of pastries for another. As I continued my venture, I strolled past a luxury dress shop, one I couldn’t help but gaze at every time I encountered it.
What it must be like to own pieces like this.
I was still taking steps forward, admiring the fine gowns displayed in the window, when suddenly someone rammed into me so hard that I fell to the ground.
“Oops,” a snobby voice said sarcastically. I glared up from my position on the ground to a girl wearing a gorgeous ivory and bronze dress, dainty silver jewelry resting along her neck. Her two friends next to her wore equally stunning attire and equally repulsive sneers. Their clothing wasn’t fancy enough for royalty but most definitely enough to live close to the castle, unlike my deep blue cloak, cream chemise, and brown overdress. The dress fit me decently, and, as always, I felt pretty enough in it until I stepped up here. It was hard not to feel inferior.
I grasped my crossbody and gathered the wrapped pastries that had fallen out after I fell.
“What is a dirty peasant girl doing in the Inner Ring?” she asked as her two friends laughed. They didn’t look much older than me.
I shifted back onto my feet. “I—I’m just making deliveries, ma’am.” I hated that my voice shook. This wasn’t the first time I had been harassed coming up to the Inner Ring, but usually, it was just dirty looks. Gods, I felt small.
“I-I’m just m-making d-delivering ma’am,” she mocked as they all continued to laugh.
I lowered my voice, attempting to keep it steady as I said, “I don’t want any trouble.” The looks on their faces made me want to ram my dagger in their throats.
Calm down. Keep it under control.
I took a deep breath through my nose. The last thing I needed was to lose control.
She closed the gap between us, flipping her brunette hair over her shoulder. “Then don’t get yourfilthanywhere near me,“ she spat. She then eyed my bag, which had been adjusted to lay on one shoulder instead of across my body, and ripped it off me.
“Hey! Give me that back!” I protested.
She pulled back as I reached forward in an attempt to grab it. “Aww, what are you going to do about it?” She flipped open the bag, and her friends started reaching in. I felt the tears pool in my eyes.
We can’t miss these orders. It will mess up everything Mother has worked for.
“Please,” I begged. “I need those!”
I hated how pathetic I sounded. Hated that I couldn’t hold in my emotions.
She pulled one of the scones out, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
Fire flowed through my veins. Anger consumed me. That was all it took for me to whip out my dagger and aim for her neck. All rational thought went out with the pure rage and humiliation I felt. I stopped at her neck, holding the blade sideways, pressing it into her hard enough for it to hurt, but not hard enough to cause real damage.The girl shrieked, and her friends stilled, their faces paling.
“Hey!” I heard a voice growl behind me. I whirled around, dagger still kept at the girl’s neck, to see a male charging up at us.
Fuck.
Based on his toned build, I assumed he was in his late teens. He towered over me as he approached, jet black hair flowing loosely with the springtime wind. He wore a white tunic, which seemed luminescent against his golden tan skin. A sword hung across his back, and his dark brown leather pants were form-fitting against his defined legs. The look was finished with black leather boots.
Inner Ring.
His jaw was clenched, and he focused on me with striking gold eyes. I swallowed.
