300: Two steps ahead

Two steps ahead

"Seal the borders! Issue a directive to locate Lady Adelaide immediately, leave no stone unturned in the search. Only Varinthians possess the knowledge to navigate the seasons of night. Our Kingdom is on high alert until Lady Adelaide is located, whether here or elsewhere!" 1

"Yes, Your Holiness." The Head Conselor bowed and hurriedly left the throne room.

Adela's heart sank as she noticed the furrowed brows on her father and Princess Sasha's faces, as if their certainty that Aldric was responsible for her disappearance was wavering.

Aldric shot an accusing glance at Sasha, his tone resolute, "Mark my words, Princess. Lady Adelaide holds great importance in this era, and those of us with strong magic will shield her, even from Kolhis, even from her own family if necessary!"

Kaiser who appeared to have regained his composure hearing those words took a menacing step towards Aldric, his voice a low growl, "What exactly are you implying?"

Aldric stood his ground, his expression softening.

"There are matters I cannot divulge to anyone, not even you, Kaiser. However, surely you must have witnessed it yourself at some point. The man she married poses the first and most immediate threat to her, as well as to all of Emoria."

Kaiser's face flushed with anger, and his voice was sharp, "I caution you against making such accusations without evidence. If you have any proof to substantiate your claims, I suggest you present it immediately. My daughter's well-being is at stake, and time is of the essence."

When Kaiser's gaze shifted to Adela's eyes as she silently pleaded for recognition, a flicker of pure fear passed through the Archduke's blue eyes.

"A valuable piece of evidence might be in the possession of Princess Sasha, Kaiser," Aldric suggested, turning to address Sasha directly. "I strongly recommend that you return to Kolhis to search for her, starting at the von Conraide residence. That man's motives have been evident from the beginning, and he will strike where it hurts the most." He placed a hand over his chest. "The heart."

"We are following the necessary course of action." Sasha dismissed. "Enough words were exchanged between us for now, after our long journey, we would appreciate some rest. Please arrange for our rooms to be next to each other."

Aldric gestured with his chin, and the same guards who had brought the Head Counselor promptly bowed and exited the room once again.

"Your rooms are prepared," Aldric declared. "The two of you cannot tell, but it is very late now. We will meet tomorrow for a quiet breakfast; I will cancel all prepared ceremonies."

His face contorted into a grimace.

"One last thing before you go. I swear to you, if the lady happens to come to me for asylum, I will not turn her away. I will never let her down."

Kaiser inhaled sharply to say something, but Sasha's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "We will see you in the morning." She said.

With one last longing look at Adela's face, Kaiser, looking completely broken, turned and walked back the way they had come, followed by Sasha.

"Follow me." Ordered Aldric a moment later, turning on his heels and walking in the other direction.

When she did not follow him, the small tug on her collar forced her to take a step forward. She glared at Aldric's back with all the hatred in her. Never in her life had she been so humiliated.

He paused and looked over his shoulder. "Don't take it to heart, a proud falcon like you needs to be tamed, that's all."

She wanted to escape his gaze, so she ran back the way they had come, darting through the metal door that Aldric opened with a gesture. She knew the path from the throne room to her room, but she pretended not to, stopping between the towering masked guards.

"Take my arm." Aldric ordered as he caught up with her.

She obeyed, fighting the urge to strike him instead.

"Listen to me carefully," he said as they walked briskly. "The necklace controls the spells. I'll remove it tonight, to prove my honesty, but it goes back on in the morning."

She clenched her teeth and nodded.

"Good."

They turned left where she expected them to, her eyes darting left and right, memorizing the routes for any chance of escape.

"…I won't share your room unless you invite me. And outside, there won't be many guards."

That sounded suspicious coming from him.

"Those masked men are not my soldiers, they are my assassins. They have enhanced senses, do you see where I am going with this?"

She felt a chill in her blood as she looked up and saw his smirk.

"I'll make sure my friend's room is well protected."

She lost track of their directions after that, as he seemed to anticipate her every thought.

"Sleep well. Adelaide."

He gave her a sad look before waving the metal door to her room open. Once she was inside, the necklace fell off her neck and landed at her feet. And when as if a layer of mud peeled off her face, she knew that her true appearance was restored.

Aldric turned away, his cape flapping in the wind that shut the metal door behind him.

She pushed aside her urge to collapse, and ran to the vanity mirror, not to see herself, but to make sure that what she needed was still there.

The parchment and the sharp white straw were right where Samandra had left them.

Her body was getting heavier, and her bones were trembling more and more. Soon, her fever would take over again, but she wouldn't give up on sending her last message to her father before he left.

I have until dawn.

Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself of something that Aldric might have forgotten. Adela too could bend metal when she had a medium of Aldric's. She had used this skill to exact her revenge on him and destroy his ship before, and she intended to use it again to reveal her identity to her father and Sasha.

pqdm.com