“A tailor?” He turned the word over, as if he’d never heard it, then followed my gaze to the table and chuckled. “No, I was trained as a healer and my steady hands make it easy to make clothes.”
His past was a surprise to me, for it was the opposite of what he was doing now: spreading chaos and fear wherever he went. “A healer? Do you still practice the art?”
“No, I rarely get visitors up here, in the past the forest creatures used to come by so I could tend to their wounds.”
I narrowed my eyes as I reconsidered the tales spread about the Piper. Why couldn’t he just be harsh and evil? It would be much easier to flee if I didn’t know his heart was tender enough to care for the animals in the wood, to bind their wounds and give them shelter. That side of him differed from the furious man who’d plagued the palace with bats.
I didn’t like the thoughts my mind entertained. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. I’d heard of arranged marriages where the couple got used to each other and eventually fell in love. A new plan struck me at the thought. I’d harden my heart against him, but if I could make him fall in love with me, maybe he’d let me walk away instead of using me for his plans.
“You appear thoughtful,” Oren said, spreading his materials out on the worktable. “Come, I need your opinion.”
His words would be my undoing if I wasn’t careful. Putting the table between us, I stared down at the dark-colored material. “What is this for?”
“You, my little thief, need to blend in when you’re sneaking through the palace. I’m guessing the bag your aunt packed was full of dresses, but nothing that would allow you to stalk about unseen.”
Ah. He had noticed that exchange. I was glad I’d burned the letter. “Err … no.”
“Then I will make you a proper outfit, but first, tell me all you know about the vaults in the palace.”
I chewed on my lower lip. “What vaults?”
Tapping his fingers impatiently on the table, he explained. “They are underneath the palace, often guarded. I imagine few are allowed beneath the lower level, which connects to the temple where the priests mask the magic of the sorcerer.”
My mind spun at the idea. I’d guessed something nefarious was going on in the palace, something I wasn’t privy to, but this was unimaginable. Words tumbled out of my mouth in haste, my discomfort giving way to babbling. “There’s a curfew every night. No one may walk the streets, and if caught, they must endure a public whipping. The palace is similar. After midnight, everyone is restricted to their rooms except for the guards and specific servants, but I’ve never known why. The palace has harsh rules. Walking alone is frowned upon, and exploring is forbidden. Once I found these locked doors, and I guessed they might lead to a lower level. My uncle was furious when he found me, he hit me, and … well, it made me wonder what was behind those doors.”
Oren’s expression darkened. “Did he hit you often?”
That was what he picked up on? “Yes … er … no, only when he was angry. I … I did not grow up here and getting used to the rules has been a difficult adjustment.”
“And your aunt, did she ever allude to the use of magic?”
“She’s a very quiet woman and keeps her thoughts to herself. She’s not unfriendly, but she’s not … warm. Besides, her children—my cousins—take up most of her time.” It felt good to share my stressors with Oren and he listened, nodding as if he understood.
“You are going to find out what is behind those doors,” he announced.
My heart kicked. “I can’t. If my uncle finds me down there again, you don’t know what he will do to me. Besides, you’re the one with magic. Why can’t you play your flute and force the doors open?”
“It’s complicated, and I don’t have time to explain the logistics of magic to you. If I go gallivanting around the castle, the sorcerers will know. When I perform magic, it leaves a trace, a lingering echo. Besides, they use a dark magic I cannot undo. The doors must open freely, and they must either open from within or with Lord Faren’s key.”
The thrill of sneaking around the palace was not unlike sneaking into the crypt, and yet my body repelled at the thought of returning there. “I’m not a professional thief, you know,” I bristled.
“No, but you have a knack for taking what doesn’t belong to you and lying to get yourself out of trouble. But that’s not the only reason. You’ve lived in the palace. You know the ins and outs of it, and that knowledge is much more than I have. Even if you gave me a map, I would not instinctively know what you do. Besides, I have magic which I will use as a decoy. While your uncle and the sorcerers are trying to undo my spells, you will be free to sneak into the vault.”
My chest squeezed. I didn’t like it, nor did I have a choice. “Why? What is so important that you need my help?”
He ceased what he was doing with the material and leaned over the table, staring directly into my eyes. “What was so important that you ignored all propriety and entered the crypt? I’ll answer your question when you answer mine.”
“I told you already, I’m leaving Dowler. I only stole to finance my escape.”
“Reasons go much deeper than that. There’s a turning point for every action, especially when we believe our need to be so great that we ignore every law, every rule set in place, believing we are the exception. But we’re not. And then we have to deal with our actions and the consequences left behind.”
“Is that what you told yourself when you called the bats? Your need was greater than theirs?”
His lips curled. “I know who I am and what I’m doing. I make no excuses for my behavior.”
I swallowed hard as he glided around the table, keeping me pinned with his glare.
“Do you know why I married you?” he asked.
