She nodded hesitantly, “It’s my duty as a daughter of Opal Court, of course. But I wish to heal, not marry. A husband will expect me to stay home with children, and would that not be a waste of the good I can do in the world?”
She looked so despairing, her eyes falling to her lap where her fingers tightened on each other. I sighed, sick of this same story. Lord after lord forcing their daughters into marriages they didn’t want. Faiza. Amatista. Allirea.
“I’m sorry, Allirea,” I told her honestly. “I hope that, whoever wins, they are able to change things for future generations.”
Her eyes shone with her agreement, nodding silently. I wanted to steer the conversation back to her brother, so close to getting what I needed early, but it wasn’t to be. Ophira came over to see Allirea, and I wasn’t able to turn the discussion back to where I needed it.
As I readied for bed, I thought of perhaps going to see Azurill now, but my confidence was lacking. I wasn’t sure I could find the right words yet, so I decided to put it off. I settled into bed and decided I would glue myself to Allirea at the ball tomorrow.
I awoke in the middle of the night, something having disturbed my sleep. A blurry shadow crept across the room, and for a moment, I was sure I was having a nightmare of the past. The one I’d had last night had been more intense than normal after taking that potion, so maybe I was still caught in one.
But the shadow crept to my bed, and my heart began to race wildly. Through slitted eyes, I saw their arm rise, the distinctive gleam of a dagger in their hand. My eyes went wide, and I rolled quickly as the dagger plunged down, hitting the mattress instead of flesh. I let myself roll off the other side of the bed and jumped up, fully awake now.
I’d spent years sleeping lightly, having to wake quickly to avoid being robbed or killed, and a few weeks in a palace didn’t erase those instincts. My assailant came around the bed, chasing after me with a growl, but I kicked out as they approached, surprising them and making them fall back.
“Alfrikr!” I yelled, even as I moved forward, punching out as the man stood back up. As the commotion of my guard breaking in reached us, the man tried to run, heading to a tapestry hanging on the wall. I grabbed him by the back of his jacket and threw him backward before delivering another punch that sent him down hard right as Alfrikr burst in with his sword drawn.
His purple eyes alighted on me first, frantically taking in my ruffled appearance, before falling on the masked man lying out on the floor, groaning in pain.
“I woke up to this man trying to kill me. He had a dagger drawn and was going straight for me,” I explained, still panting. “I managed to roll away, thank all the gods.”
Alfrikr glared at the man, moving quickly to disarm him and take him into custody. More guards poured in, the others on duty having alerted them at my scream for help, and we all watched as Alfrikr ripped the mask off my attacker’s face.
He revealed a man with light green hair and eyes, clearly from Emerald Court, which had me raising a brow. Could Zumra really be so stupid as to send an assassin after me that would implicate her? Then again, I’m sure she didn’t expect him to be caught.
“Jacinth!” I turned my head to the door, finding the High King himself running frantically through the doors. Balthazar and Ruri were right behind him, both grave-faced. Azurill immediately began checking me over like he might find me bleeding out from a wound I was unaware of, so I grabbed his hands in mine, squeezing them comfortingly.
“Azurill, I’m fine,” I assured him softly. “I woke up before he could accomplish his goal.”
“He tried to kill you?” he asked, his voice a low growl that had me pressing my thighs together. The look on his face so reminiscent of the one he’d worn when he’d killed those responsible for my family’s deaths.
“Yes,” I confirmed with a nod. “But I fought him off.” Azurill shook his head, his hand coming up to cup my cheek before sliding into my hair. His eyes were intense, like he was on the verge of lashing out and was trying to use the image of me before him, fine and well, to calm down. I was clearly not the only one to think so either.
“Your Majesty,” Balthazar interjected, his voice purposely calm. “Lady Jacinth managed the assassin well, but we can have her checked out by the healers just in case. We should deal with the assassin and figure out how he got in.”
Azurill nodded, but I spoke up then, “He tried running away when I called for Alfrikr. He went towards the tapestry.”
I pointed them to the wall, and Balthazar nodded, walking over with a curious look on his face. He pulled it back, but it seemed like an ordinary wall.
“Wait, let me try.” Ruri stepped forward, pulling a potion from his pocket. He threw it at the wall, and the seam in the corner where the walls met lit up with a glowing blue light. Not all the way up to the ceiling, but up to the height of a normal door.
Azurill stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “What is that?”
“A potion that reveals hidden things,” Ruri smiled in satisfaction. “I had a feeling we might need it at some point, so I’ve been carrying it since the competition began.” Azurill nodded to Balthazar, who ran his hand up the glowing seam, finding a latch that opened a hidden door.
“Where in the Otherworld did this come from?” The king growled, “These rooms are supposed to be free of any hidden passageways or doors.”
“Unless they used magic to make one,” Balthazar countered, raising his brows. Azurill looked to him before turning back to where Alfrikr now had the assassin in onyx chains.
He walked over, grabbing the assassin by the chin and forcing him to meet his eyes. The assassin glared at him, his jaw moving back and forth like he was grinding his teeth.
“If you value your life, you’ll tell me everything I want to know,” Azurill said, his voice deadly calm in a way that sent shivers racing down my back. I would hate to be on the other side of that. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
The assassin, proving he wasn’t very smart, or didn’t value his life at all, merely laughed. “My life is forfeit either way. Why would I tell you anything?”
Azurill smiled, but it wasn’t a smile I’d seen from him before. It was almost frightening to witness. “Because I could let you die quickly, or I could draw it out. I could keep you alive foryears, if I wished.”
“Or we could use a truth potion on him?” Ruri suggested, looking slightly conflicted, exposing the uncertain youth he really was behind his title.
