Deceiver

Chapter 4

Saeya

I saw Maeia's face in the crowd as Annas returned me to my non-illusioned state.

"I'm sorry." I tried to mouth but she was already so far gone, her green dress crumpled in a heap around her knees as she retched, her hair clinging to her face and her normally glowing dark skin ashen. This was not how I had intended for her to find out about me. Not in the palace of the man I had tried so hard to escape.

I could only watch in horror as she was hauled out of the ballroom by the nymph girl Idaise. I could only hope that she'd be safe with her.

When I had decided to run from the court some 25 years prior, I had known that Annas would come after me, but I had thought it would be immediate. Now, I had built a life. I had a sister. I had a vegetable stand. This was almost crueler, and some part of me knew that that was exactly how Annas had intended it to be.

The ballroom doors burst open again, and there she stood. Not Maeia, but the warrior who had been chasing us. I believe her name was Aoife, but it had been so long since I had spoken to her or anyone else of the palace that I could not quite remember. Time doesn't pass differently in the court, but perception of time definitely does. She hadn't aged since I'd seen her last, but something about her had changed. I had not forgotten what had happened to her or the naga woman she had loved, and I'd wondered why she'd stayed.

Aoife stared fiercely at Annas, and he stared wolfishly back. Her gaze turned to me, and I almost saw an ounce of pity before she turned back to him.

"I found your crown, lord." she spat at his feet as she approached. He chuckled at her.

"I can see that." he crooked a finger under my chin from where he was sitting. Rage rippled in her eyes, and I felt the guards' grip on my arms tighten as she approached.

"Careful," one of the guards taunted her as she got closer. She smiled cruelly before looking to me.

"Duck." she whispered, and I did. I wouldn't die today. She swung her blade out as I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt the guards grip loosen and then give on my arm as he fell to the ground. I didn't dare turn around. I did not want to see.

Aoife sneered at the other guard.

"Clean that up," she said, gesturing behind me before dipping a mock curtsy to Annas.

"Good evening, Annas. Good evening, Saeya." She addressed me specifically, and then turned and strode out on her heel, letting the doors slam shut behind her.

Part of me wondered why she didn't kill the other guard and free me, but the other part of me knew it was all part of her master plan. In that instant, I was very glad that Maeia had met her. She was maintaining an alliance with Annas to keep Maeia and I safe, and I had a feeling she had maintained an alliance with Annas for this long to protect others. I pondered what had happened to them, if they'd escaped. I decided it was better to not know.

Annas' guards dragged me out of the ballroom the minute his performance was over. Once his rapt audience disengaged from the captive being held, he was immediately onto bigger and better sources of entertainment, as always.

Walking through the palace was a trip down a miserable memory lane. His mirrors still caught every horrible angle of his horrible face. His servants scurried along side us as I was dragged up four flights of stairs. I would make life as difficult for my one remaining guard as I possibly could. He grunted as he dragged me before stopping altogether.

"Saeya, please. Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be." I looked up at him. He was a typical immortal, but I recognized his face somehow. I shrugged it off and concentrated me energy on remaining silent and still.