“Now?” It’s nearly midnight, but I’m still in my gown.
“I won’t keep you too long.” He extends his hand.
“Alright. One minute.” I rush into my room and set the flower down on the small table in front of the couch, then return to where Caiden is waiting for me.
I walk alongside him, and I notice that none of the legionnaires are following us. “Should I be worried?”
“I’m just taking you for a stroll in the gardens.”
“Without anyone to watch over me?” I point out.
“There wasn’t anyone there when we had dinner or when we practiced dancing.”
“They were right outside the door. And you have warned me about how my life serves only your ambitions.”
“‘Ambitions’ is a strange way to put it,” he says.
“How else do you describe your goals of obtaining a disposable army and use them to gain more territory?” I ask.
He makes an amused sound. “You have been listening to me.”
“Of course, I’m listening. Even your father said as much at dinner.” I’m getting annoyed by how much he underestimates me, but then again, it’s better if he does.
He takes us down a narrow staircase that leads to a plain hallway lined with wood doors. One of the doors opens, and a servant steps into the hall. Her eyes widen when she sees us, and she quickly retreats back into the room.
Caiden doesn’t seem to notice that the woman was terrified of him.
Of us.
Because the servants don’t know that I’m more like them. But am I anymore? I’m wearing a dress that would have fed my family for months, and I’ve had full meals and warm blankets. I’m playing a role, but it already feels like I’m not the same person I was.
When we reach the end of the hall, Caiden opens a door that leads outside. We’re at the back of the castle in an area I haven’t seen before. A path extends before us, lined with tiny sparkling lights. On each side are gray stone sculptures of women wearing floral headdresses in sheer flowing dresses. It’s exquisite artistry. They look so real, I half expect the sculptures to move. They look out of place compared to the other art I’ve seen here.
Further along, the statues are replaced by hedges, similar to the ones that enclose the castle. These are only a foot or so taller than me, though. Not as towering and ominous as the ones at the border. I pause and look at the thick glossy leaves. In the faint light, I can tell they’re a very dark green. Not completely black as I initially thought.
“This way. I want to show you my mother’s garden,” Caiden says.
It feels like a different world as we walk between the hedges. I glance over my shoulder and note that we’re fairly isolated. You’d have to be at exactly the correct angle to see us.
We reach an iron gate, and Caiden pushes it open. Behind it is a garden, walled in by more hedges. Rows and rows of flowers fill the space. Stone benches and animal statues are scattered around. It’s probably meant to be joyous and serene. But in the dim flickering light, the dark plants and weatherworn creatures look dangerous.
“This was where she spent most of her time,” Caiden says. “She loved this garden.”
“It’s beautiful,” I say, because how can I tell him this place is horrifying?
I lean down and inspect the flowers. I think I see roses, marigolds, sage, and lavender. But they’re all so dark they appear black. As I lean closer, I grow more sure there’s no color in any of them.
“I’ve never seen flowers like this,” I say.
He crouches next to me. “Something about her magic made everything she touched change. All the plants she grew lost their color. I remember her having other people plant them for her, but as soon as she went near them, the color faded into this.”
My heart aches for her. I never appreciated color so much until I got here. I can’t imagine not having it in my life. A rabbit sculpture stares up at me from between the leaves of a lavenderbush. The plant smells like it should, which is strange when the darkness of the leaves and flowers makes it almost appear dead.
“Did she do that with other living things?” I ask. “Animals or people?”
“No. Just plants. Her magic was unique.”
“How is it that all the legionnaires end up with the same shadow magic but others get such different kinds?” I ask.
