Asta would live up to her title of the “salvation child,” as the nobles ironically called her in secret. But she would change the meaning. When her kingdom remembered her, they would not remember her as the child born to symbolize unity, but the princess born to wield it.
Kaid was quiet for a long while. Asta simply watched him, wondering what he was thinking. Wondering what he was doing with all the information he had learned. A small part of her hoped that it was finally the moment he would decide to return to Haalberg and call off the engagement, realizing that he wastaking on more than he wished by helping rule the chaotic Salendron, but another small part of her didn’t want to see him go. She tried to stomp that part out, kicking and shoving at it to leave her mind, but it remained.
“I want you to teach me sign language,” The lord said.
Asta stared blankly. That wasn’t quite the reaction she expected from all this. “I—You what?”
Kaid smiled, clearly pleased that he caught her off guard. “I want you to teach me how to speak to those children, so I can go with you.”
“And if I say no?” Asta sat back and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
The lord held a hand to the side of his mouth to intensify the volume of his voice. “Oh, King Botmar-r-r-r!” He elongated her father’s name. “You would never guess what your perfect princess daughter does at night!”
Asta took off her slipper and threw it at him, which he deflected and sent flying to the side. “Oh, shut up, you prick! I’ll do it!”
He wanted to go with her to an orphanage in the middle of a dirty village. He wanted to learn something that had no advantage to him. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to the lord than Asta had first assumed.
After about an hour of teaching, and a whole night of signing before that, Asta’s hand muscles were throbbing. She led Kaid to the door for his departure.
He stopped in the doorway, a hand lingering on the handle. “You’re not as stealthy as you think, Princess. This was thesecond night I’ve spotted you climbing down the castle wall since I got here.”
Asta’s brows furrowed. “You must be delusional. Running a fever?” She placed the back of her hand to his forehead and he swatted it away. “This was the first night I’ve gone since your unfortunate arrival. It must be all the alcohol you consume. It’s finally killing your brain.”
Kaid rolled his eyes. “I saw someone climbing out of the same window you did just a few nights ago. I swear it. Why must you argue with me?”
“Why must you say stupid things?”
Asta felt quite accomplished as Kaid sighed in discontent.
“Fine, fine. I’ll keep an eye out for your imaginary friend.” Asta waved an arm lazily, “Maybe we’ll bump into each other on one of our climbs and I can ask them what fairytale they’re from,” Asta laughed. She could irritate him all day. The memory of what Niklas had told her about his fear of the ocean surfaced in her mind. She would store that information and utilize it at the right moment when she knew it would send him reeling.
A little trick, Asta told herself.Nothing that would scar him for life.
Kaid narrowed his eyes and flicked her nose. “They’re real.” He turned and opened the door, stepping into the hall.
Asta popped her head out of the threshold as he walked away. “I’ll ask them what their magical powers are!” She shouted.
Kaid shook his head and glared over his shoulder as he continued down the pristine hall.
“Maybe they can teach us how to fly! Oh, or talk to animals!” She mused.
Kaid never looked back as he held a middle finger up over his shoulder and disappeared into his suite.
Chapter 9
Even though it had been days since Asta was in the music room, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Something about seeing that small glimpse into her mother’s life had been tugging at her, a pull so strong that she once again found herself standing in the doorway of the music room at the top of the tower, her hand resting on the cool wooden doorframe.
The musty air filled her nose, settling heavily into her lungs. Flecks of dust danced in the sunlight beaming through the wall of windows, but Asta peered through the floating debris to the tapestry straight ahead. A large, emerald horse was wading inchest-deep water, its golden bridle a vivid contrast against the darkness surrounding it.
“Kelpie.”
Asta nearly jumped out of her own skin at the sound of a man’s voice behind her. She turned to see Niklas, whose face was now a deep shade of red as a coy smile bloomed. “Niklas, you really should give a warning before sneaking up on someone!”
He took a step back and turned away. “Sorry, I—I saw you enter the tower and wanted to make sure you were all right, since this was primarily your mother’s room. Then I saw you staring at the tapestry and, well, you know I can’t help myself when it comes to folklore.”
Asta stared back at the kelpie depiction. She knew the basics of Salendron folklore, but not much artwork had been rendered of the beasts. Or, if it had, it was destroyed for fear of calling on the creatures. She tapped the threshold then stepped into the room, echoing footsteps behind her indicating that Niklas joined her. She approached the tapestry and ran her finger down the cloth, noticing that some parts were moth-eaten and faded.
She looked around at the other decorative fabrics lining the walls. Illustrations of half-human, half-fish beings, spotted seals and massive dragons with fins surrounded her. They were all quite basic, just the creatures with a nautical background.
