The sound of cackling fire never ceases to put me on edge. After a quiet dinner, I find myself moving away from the campsite and towards a plain covered with moss. This far, the sound of fire and the occasional laughter of the soldiers seems distant enough for me to tune out. I breathe in the cold
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask, putting those thoughts away for now Dinah gives me a sheepish smile “Well… I’m not too sure.” I can’t begin to fathom her thought process “Then why are you here, My Lady?” “I keep thinking I need to have more information,” Dinah says, a little sullenly “B
There was no satisfaction, no contentment, no restored glory. Only empty rooms and a full graveyard awaited me. Even the temporary sense of purpose was gone, and only memories remained. Sleepless nights and an endless abyss greeted me. The curse of time, greater than any other. “There was no point,
“For now, there’s nothing to worry about,” I say, and the incessant nudge fades. Those words are true too, even if only for now. There is no point in taking apart every problem this very moment. They have to be figured out as we approach them. “Alright then,” Dinah says, letting out a breath She
I wake up warm. A smile tugs at my lips and I burrow my face further in the warmth of my quilt. It’s hard because of being set on the ground, but so deliciously warm. I had no idea that after getting so little sleep the last three nights, even sleeping in a tent would be so nice. Something tugs at
I couldn’t ask him. How was I supposed to know I’d be hauled off to a separate part of the inn, and just as I finish taking a shower, breakfast would be right in front of me, and just as I finish that, Wilhelm would usher me to my horse, saying we’re already behind schedule? The sun is bright in t
Zen puts a hand at the small of my back, and we exchange a look. I give him a thumbs up. I’m grateful for his presence, because this place is so big, I feel infinitesimally small in comparison. We pass through another set of massive doors, and into a grand foyer, where marble columns reached toward
“Princess,” Zen says calmly, his voice carrying in the still air “It’s been long.” A derisive huff, and the Princess leans her face against a fist “Empress Regent. I see you’re still as impudent as ever, Sigmond.” Amber eyes slip to me, and I flinch before I can stop myself. A sharp smile curves a
I barely manage to find a waste bucket before everything I had for breakfast retches out. My throat burns. My vision is blurry. I dry heave every single thing in my stomach, warmth seeps out of the corners of my eyes. I can’t breathe. The smell of blood is everywhere. I sit there, holding the edges
The smell of rotting flesh is disgusting. Its muscle memory to pull the gloves over my hands, pick a scalpel off the medical tray. The body on the metal table in front of me has no head. ‘You have to take a sample of flesh, a sample of blood and take a look at the internal organs.’ Aunt Cynthia’s
How adorable. Apparently, I’m the only one who thinks so, since when I turn back around, everyone from the fourth prince and the first order to passing strangers and our coachman is looking on in disbelief. Is it so difficult to imagine Zen would get along with children? “Don’t leave your mouth ha
“My Lady, am I mistaken or is the fourth prince avoiding me?” I look up from knotting the satchel to my belt to face Zen. There’s a slight furrow in his brows, and he looks at Lukas, standing far, far from us and talking with the first order soldiers. The fourth prince has indeed, been avoiding Ze
I need to move. But even as I think that, I cant bring myself to move. He’s holding me too firmly, I think, entirely reasonable. I won’t be able to slip away like this. Even the most critical part of me can’t find that to be entirely an excuse. After last night, I doubt there’s anyone who would lik
I wake up to the sound of a door knock. My sleep hazed brain registers the sound, recognizes it, and promptly ignores it in favor of cuddling into the warmth of my bed once more. I don’t want to wake up just yet, since last night I fell asleep so late— Last night? My eyes open, blurry with sleep,
But he’s looking at me now, as if the answer might crush him, as if he’s bracing himself for it. I reach out to drape my arms over his shoulders gently, they hang down in front of his chest lightly. “Why? Because you did your job?” I ask quietly, hold his gaze “Or because you didn’t hesitate to do
“Lift your arm, please.” I say, and my voice comes out soft If we weren’t sitting so close to each other, I would’ve missed it. His shoulders tense up, the even breathing stilled into nothing. “You don’t have to do that, Dinah.” Zen finally says My brows furrow. Zen might be a warrior among warri
On the second floor hallway of the hotel, my eyes drift to the room where Zen is supposed to be. My room is just at its side. I wonder if I knock on his door right now, would he be annoyed? He did ask not to be disturbed. The image of his bloodied arm flashes in my mind. Just a moment. I just want