His sensitive ears could pick up every noise in the castle, and he had not found a way to sleep through the constant stimulation.
He longed for quiet. He longed to go outside and leave the prison of this room. Although that would put him at risk and ruin the story they had shared with the populace. Too many people had seen the beast in the ballroom to ignore its existence, but the palace had only informed the people that the Majis had created the beast with its curse. The beast had been intended to ravage the ballroom, but the competent palace guard had quickly overpowered the animal.
And his room was safe. Other than the constantly visiting physicians and family members, no one could see his unusual body. He was not ready to be seen.
Especially since he had not been able to even see himself yet. Everyone was too polite to say anything to his face, but he could hear what they whispered in the hallways as they walked away from his room.
He was distracted from his self-pity by the sound of a horse’s hooves galloping into the front courtyard of the castle. The speed of the gait instantly alerted Aden that this messenger was on an urgent mission.
Was it the messenger from Chendas? It was too early, but perhaps they had made the ride in record time.
Aden jumped from his bed, ran to the door and stepped out into the hallway, more quickly than he had moved in days.
His younger brother Erich peeked out from his own bedroom. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“A horseman just arrived in the courtyard. It sounds urgent.”
“Stay here,” Erich commanded. “I’ll go find out what’s happening.”
“Come back as soon as you find out,” Aden growled as his younger brother dashed out of the family wing.
Aden returned to the seclusion of his room, where his tired mind and restless muscles had nothing to do but wait. He strained his ears, but he could not pick out any particular conversation above the level of chatter he heard throughout the large structure.
Of course, Erich never returned.
The noises continued to grow. Guards were moving swiftly down hallways. Horses were galloping out of the front gate.
Whatever news the messenger had brought was not about him, and it was causing a panic.
Aden realized that perhaps he was being foolish, hiding away. He wasn’t actually going to hurt anyone, and they could not hide the truth forever. Surely the dozens of physicians who had seen him were already spreading stories of his monstrous body throughout Iseldis and beyond.
As the tension in the castle mounted, he stepped out of his room again. His eyes failed him, and his body froze. He had never navigated the castle blindly before. He looked toward the door at the end of the hall, breathing deeply as his heart raced. Oddly, the distant door itself was more visible than the stone wall beneath his fingertips... claw tips?
He started moving toward the door, determined to find out what was happening.
“I should be the one to go,” Ian’s voice sounded loudly before the door slammed open.
“You are staying here,” King Frederich responded, following his son into the hallway. “That’s final.”
“I am the head of the elite guard! It is my responsibility to lead them into battle,” Ian argued, closing the door behind him and speaking to his father in a respectful but passionate tone.
“It is your responsibility to remain here. This is a test, a ruse. The real war is yet to come, and you will not recklessly endanger yourself before then.”
“What’s going on?” Aden asked, as neither of them seemed to have noticed his presence.
“The Majis have attacked the northern shore, near the old monastery,” King Frederich explained.
“Already?” Aden replied. “Their exile does not end until next silverreign.”
“It is simply an opening message, an invitation if you will,” his father replied. “I think their only goal is to feel out what they are up against.”
“Which is why we should be responding with our full force, to scare them off,” Ian interjected. “To show them that they cannot return here and bend us to their magical will.”
“I am responding with my full force,” King Frederich said, his voice calm and low. “Under Erich’s leadership.”
“Right, because your fourth son is expendable,” Ian replied, his voice unusually bitter.
Aden heard his father’s deep sigh. Although he could not see it, he could imagine the worry in his father’s eyes.
