The soldier jumps to his feet and leans back to take in his appearance. “Briny’s Balls!” He runs his hands through his hair. “And Miss Aura, too.”
“Please let us speak with the prisoner.” She masks her frustration with a lovely dose of patience.
He nods emphatically. “Of course, Miss.” He gestures for them tofollow down a long set of steps. Luckily, the three guards inside are awake and sharpening their blades.
“Did they find anything interesting on Isabel when she was apprehended?” She whispers.
Their guard nods as they stride through the first section of the jail. “A letter the King is investigating, a handful of coins, and,” he hesitates, “a braid of dark auburn hair, Miss.”
She tenses at his side.
“Any of the guards can assist you from here, Miss Aura, and,” he gulps, “Sir.” He bows low before scurrying away like the rat he is.
“Must you frighten everyone?” Aura nudges him with a grin.
“Fear keeps them in line.” He returns the smirk.
The back section of the jail contains three holding cells. The center one contains Isabel, slumbering on her wooden cot.
Calder kicks the cell door, loudly clanging the metal. “Wake up!”
She stretches almost catlike as if this were a typical day and she was not facing a public execution. Her head pivots to assess the two, and a broad, twisted smile appears on her lips.
“Gods above, Aura. You do not look well.” Isabel stands, leaning her hips against the corner of the cell, crossing her arms.
“Says the woman imprisoned.” She hisses.
“I already spoke with your unhinged father last night.” She yawns. “What more have you come to interrogate me about?”
Aura grips the bars, nearly snarling at the creature behind them. “Why torture me?”
Isabel inspects the cuticles of her nails. “Consider the poetry of it.” She sweeps around the tiny cell, as if lost in thought. “You, the daughter of Sigvid and Avina, while I, the wronged daughter of King Rendel.” A sneer tugs at her lips. “Ah, I see by your unmoved expression that your parents have already shared my teeny little secret. Did the Kilton surname finally give me away?”
Aura’s shoulders heave as muscles clench in her jaw. “Your father was a monster. The things he did to my Mum…”
Isabel waves her off. “There are two sides toevery story. My mother was raised from nothing to become Rendel’s favorite mistress. The only one who gave him a child.”
Aura throws her head back, cackling. “Surely, a bastard girl holds little weight to a Manchineel man. Those who banished the Redwood line and discriminated against women in power would see you as a menace.”
Interestingly, this stings Isabel, who lunges at the bars. “My path is more important than a minor feud between the Timber and Salt Provinces. I bow to one power, and they promised me everything for my loyalty.”
Aura’s face scrunches in confusion, but thundering boots barge into the room before she can question her further.
“I have more fucking questions for you,” Sigvid bellows before stopping beside Calder. “What the fuck are you doing here? Wait.” He sighs as if to compose himself. “Kid, what areyoudoing here?”
“Uh,” a flash of fear crosses Aura’s features as she fidgets with her hands.
Behind her, Isabel leans against the bars with her arms crossed. “May I answer, Papa Sigvid?”
The King of Treland’s head slowly twists to glower at the prisoner. “I can accomplish your torture without your limbs.” Sigvid snarls, then grabs Aura by the scruff of her collar, dragging her out of their chamber into the hallway leading to the first part of the jail.
Calder flinches as Sigvid removes her from his sight. He clenches and unclenches his fists, focusing on controlling himself.
Sigvid is her father.
Not only is he entitled to speak with her, to pull her away from anyone he wishes, but Calder has no claim to the Princess. No matter his feelings, she remains just a young woman who has seen only twenty winters and has been blacklisted from the Drengr by the same man who trained Calder.
That does not stop him from straining his ears to hear the conversation.
