Book One: The Marigold's Larkspur ~ A tale of mystery, magic, and obsession.

Chapter Thirty

Cressida's heart pounded in her chest as she slipped out of the queen's chamber and into the softly lit hallway. She pressed her back against the cold stone wall, trying to steady her breathing and gather her thoughts. The weight of her decision to defy Roslindis hung heavily on her shoulders, but she couldn't afford to second-guess herself now.

She needed to regroup with Quail – and hopefully Cilla – and then find some way out of Ashlar. They would return for her people once they had reinforcements.

Or better yet, an actual plan.

Cressida also held a glimmer of hope that, perhaps given some time apart, Callidus might be willing to engage in negotiations with her.

She also wanted to believe that he wouldn't hurt her people.

She desperately wanted to.

Cressida pushed herself away from the wall, her steps painful but purposeful as she navigated the same corridor Tavian had escorted her through not long ago. The hallway was eerily quiet, but she found solace in it, knowing that it was better than the alternative where any noise could signify an approaching threat.

She lodged herself into a little alcove she had noticed earlier, hiding behind a large marble statue of what must have been a previous queen- naked save for several strategically placed vines. Cressida placed Edelweiss on the ground, and the small grey rat stared up at her with beady black eyes.

"Edelweiss." Cressida whispered softly, "We need to find Quail. Can you lead me to him?"

Edelweiss remained motionless.

"Quail," Cressida reiterated, her voice filled with urgency. "Didn't he...didn't he tell you to find him?" she strained her memory, attempting to recall the exact instructions Quail had given the rat. Taking advantage of her distraction, Edelweiss scurried up the fabric of Cressida's dress, eventually reclaiming her place on Cressida's shoulder.

"...I suppose he told you to stick with me. But unfortunately, that's not very helpful right now. You're cute, but you won't scare off the guards." Cressida wrinkled her nose in frustration, "You also smell bad."

Edelweiss seemed to take no offense at the comment, further solidifying the fact that the rat could not understand her. The situation felt increasingly dire, and time was running out.

After a deep breath, Cressida glanced out from behind the statue. The hallway was still empty, and so she pried herself from the tight spot and continued down the corridor until she eventually reached the exit.

The Queen's building mirrored the layout of the Guest wing, featuring a long hallway with multiple doors and only one guarded exit. Cressida couldn't help but entertain a morbid thought, briefly hoping that no queen had ever met a fiery demise within those walls. The layout seemed distinctly lacking in fire safety measures, which made her wonder if it was a deliberate design choice by someone with sinister motives.

Cressida felt a sense of deja vu as she pressed her ear against the double doors, her heart pounding in her chest. She strained to listen, hoping to catch any snippets of conversation that might provide her with valuable information.

To her surprise, she could hear the faint murmur of voices coming from the other side. It seemed that the guards stationed at the exit were engaged in a discussion. Cressida couldn't make out the words clearly, but she could discern the low, rumbling tones of their voices.

As she strained to listen, a few words floated through the door, just loud enough for her to catch snippets of the conversation. "...spread the word...escape..." and "...orders...captain..." Her heart skipped a beat. They were talking about her. The guards were actively searching for her, and orders had been given to inform others about her escape.