Some of the weight I’d been carrying removed itself from my shoulders. Hugo was alive. I hadn’t been too late to save him. If he had died… I shuddered as my mind returned to the image of him splayed on the floor of the dungeon; how convinced I’d been that he was dead and how gut-wrenching it had felt.
Almost instantly, my stomach dropped again as I remembered one significant detail: even though Hugo had survived, my potion was gone. The vial had been shattered to pieces and, with it, all my hopes of remaining here at the castle. I would have to return home. And I would need to do it as soon as possible.
“You’re wrong.” I raised my chin and looked down on him. “About all of it. And when Prince Hugo awakens, you’ll find out how very wrong you are.”
“We’ll see.” He gave me the first semblance of a smile. It was an ugly thing without a trace of warmth. “Now, if you please, empty your pockets.”
“Certainly,” I returned hissmile, taking care to show my teeth. Standing, I put my hands into the deep pockets of my cloak. To my surprise there was something in them—the animal bone. I’d forgotten I had it. Thank Vell it was still concealed. As inconspicuously as I could, I lifted it out of my pocket and let it drop to the ground in preparation for what would come next.
As expected, Hansen conducted his own search, patting down my body from my head to my feet. I ground my teeth, hating every moment, but, once it was over, I bit back a smirk at the look of thinly-veiled disappointment on his face.
I bent over and retrieved the bone, under the pretense offastening my boot laces.
“I have no further questions at this time. You are free to return to your bedchamber,” he said.
With that dismissal I turned and made my way towards the door. I would wait until I’d put enough distance between me and this horrible man, then make for the castle tunnels as stealthily as I could.
Just as I reached the threshold of the door, he called out to me. “Oh, and Miss Alara?”
I turned towards him, my face masked in cool indifference. I couldn’t let him see how desperate I was to leave.
He fixed me with his raptor’s stare. “My guards will escort you back to your chamber. They’ll also be stationed outside your door, along with every other exit, for the foreseeable future.” The blood drained from my face. “A precaution, until Prince Hugo can corroborate your story. I’m sure you understand.”
I understood perfectly—the hawk had made its move. The question was, what would the mouse do now?
Chapter 27
I was to be a prisoner.
I knew this to be certain as I wasescorteddown the vaguely familiar convolution of hallways and corridors by a guard at each side.
For the briefest of moments, I considered running. It wouldn’t be difficult to outrun the burly guards. Not with my preternatural speed. But even if I did manage to get away, I would only encounter more guards. There was no chance of me getting away with them stationed at every exit.
Besides, running was a last resort and I was not ready to admit defeat—not yet. Not when there might be another way to prevent my legs from transforming. A way for me to remain at the castle. But it did not come without its own risks.
By the time we arrived back at my bedchamber, I had made up my mind. I would do it.
“It was lovely chatting to you boys, thank you so much for the escort,” I said, words steeped with sarcasm. Without so much as a backwards glance, I stepped into my bedchamber, shutting the door loudly.
I hurried over to the window and pulled open the drapes. The subdued moon in the deep-purple sky told me what I already knew—time was running out.
Peering downwards, I saw two more guards stationed beneath my window. No doubt anotherextra precautionof Captain Hansen’s. Panic gripped my chest and squeezed tightly; I was trapped. The walls closed in on me, my clothes felt suffocating, and even my insides constricted.
Stop. I would not allow myself to unravel, I needed to remain level-headed. There was still one other option, but I had to act quickly. I just needed to calm myself first.
I pressed my forehead to the window, embracing the cold touch of the glass against my flushed skin. I jolted at the sound of a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I called, standing to my full height and rearranging my features into a neutral expression.
Runa entered the room cautiously. “I heard what happened, Miss. You must be so shaken.”
My shoulders relaxed at the sight of the maid, but I didn’t leave my position by the window. “I’m fine. Listen Runa, I had nothing to do with what happened to Prince Hugo. I was only trying to help him, I swear it.” I wasn’t sure why I cared, but it was important to me that she didn’t believe I was guilty.
Her eyes filled with sympathy. “I know. We all know. Captain Hansen is” —she threw a quick glance over her shoulder towards the guards stationed outside my door— “heavy handed. This will be righted soon enough. You’ll see.”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I nodded. I hoped Runa’s optimism was not merely wishful thinking. But that was a problem for later. Right now, I needed to solve the issue of my tail.
“Do you need anything?” she asked tentatively. “Anything at all? Perhaps a bath or a nice mug of warm milk to help your nerves?”
