The Heir and the Undoing

Chapter 7

We combed the room, but there was no sign that anything had been disturbed. No one had been seen going in or coming out, and not even my staff cleaned yet. 

I felt a shiver of unease up my spine. My room, which was once my sanctuary, was now tainted by this mystery visitor and I no longer feel safe in it. I know Alessia is taking this personally and has been marching around, ordering additional guards and scouting parties to search the grounds for signs of an intruder.

I don't want to tell her I think it is pointless. I no longer feel eyes on me and I am convinced my watcher is gone for now. My mind desperately looks for answers as to who it could be. There are so many dark fae staying with us. So many of my own court. Those who would like to see me disconcerted and thrown off balance by their games. But who could have pulled off this? 

My eyes scan over the paper for the hundredth time. Hoping for some sort of clue as to who has left me this note. Why did they need me to see this? Are they friend or foe? Are my people safe? Am I safe? The Undoing chatters with concern inside me, which does nothing for my nerves. 

The prophecy was one I was familiar with at least. We had studied it with our tutor as children. Along with a number of others, we were tasked with trying to understand the meaning of the rhyming message. I had always hated those lessons. It seemed so subjective and I almost never agreed with our tutors' understanding of them. How could sibling be centuries apart? It made no sense.

"My queen?" a tentative voice breaks through my anxious mind and I spin. 

"I'm so sorry, your highness, but the first task is about to begin and they need you to release the champions." stammers, a nervous-looking maid, her hands twisting in her skirts in a poor attempt to disguise their shaking.

It's clear she was reluctant to approach me and I try to smooth the frown from my face to reassure her, "Thank you. Please inform them I will be down momentarily." I reply.

She bobs a curtsy and hurries off, eager to escape my company. It isn't until I move to the mirror, I finally see why. There's darkness in my eyes that swirls angrily, almost completely covering their usual cornflower blue. 

The Undoing has risen inside of me. With very little magic to my person before it appeared, I had never had to work to control my emotions. There was no need to keep in check a power I did not have. How I wished my parents were here now to help me through it.

But they are not. Ayden is not. I am alone and I must make the best of it.

I turn to the window so the sunlight can dance across my face and warm my skin as I close my eyes and focus on more calming things. Laughter around the castle...my family's arms around me...a feeling of safety...the rush of finishing a gripping book...lips on my own. My eyes jolt open as memories of the kiss come flooding back and my cheeks heat in embarrassment.

The startled eyes looking back at me from the reflection of the window are just my own again, and I am thankful it worked. The pink staining my skin will make it obvious to anyone what I was thinking. Not that there is anyone but Alessia here. I can hear the scratch of her quill on parchment as she scrawls messages to her fellow guards. I cannot let her see me so flustered when she is already concerned.

Fanning my cheeks, I try to clear my mind of those honey eyes and that smug, beautiful grin. After a few moments, there is no delaying it any longer. Straightening my back, I march from the room. Alessia follows me wordlessly, but I know we have not nearly finished discussing what we need to about the intruder or what happened before she returned to the library. I just hope she won't be as scandalised by my behaviour as I should have been.

Ahead of me, the large oak doors creak open and we step out into the gardens. I have always loved being outside. Breathing deeply to pull that calming fresh and floral scent deep into my lungs.