Artemis and Caspian: The Spy

Chapter Forty Eight

"I can't believe she's here," Artemis grumbled as she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, it's not so bad, at least she's on your side," Caspian shrugged, leaning up against the bars.

"How long have you known about this?" she asked, suspicious of his tone.

"Not that long like...two maybe three days."

"You told me my mother got here yesterday." Her eyes widened. "Oh my gods! Did you invite her?"

"Well I didn't exactly-"

"Caspian!" She reached out, attempting to playfully smack him through the bars.

"Ow, ow!" he laughed, leaning out of her reach. "She wrote to you! I had to let her know what was going on!"

"I hate you," Artemis giggled, pinching him lightly on an exposed arm.

"And I love you."

She rolled her eyes.

"You know, I don't understand why you don't like her," Caspian mused, hoping he wasn't walking into a trap as he leaned back onto the bars. "She seems like a perfectly nice woman."

Artemis crossed her arms and huffed, making eye contact with the floor. "She just doesn't understand me. It's hard for her to accept me and my..." She paused, trying to think of a way to phrase it. "Abnormalness." Caspian widened his eyes and nodded. He could understand that. Sensing his hesitation, Artemis took her moment to poke him. "But what about you? When's the last time you spoke to your parents?"

"Uh-" Cas spluttered, scrunching up his nose. "I-I don't know."

"Do they even know you're here?"

"Yes," he said rather indignantly. "When they heard I'd moved into the castle they wrote to me and I wrote back."

"And when was that?"

"A couple months ago," he grumbled, fed up with the conversation.

"That's what I thought."

The guard in charge of their visit, standing by a nearby cell, scoffed and turned aside. Taking her chance, Artemis peered up and motioned quickly for the warlock to get close.

"Have you told the King about Lady Azura?"

Caspian shook his head.

"Not yet, Deacon's been following him around like a disease."

"Well he's from Celestia," Artemis whispered sharply, slightly annoyed. "I'm sure he'd like to know too."

"That's the thing," the warlock responded, clicking his tongue. "I don't trust him. Why would Cerberus keep Lady Azura alive and not tell the people? If he's really Celestian, he would already know. So why hasn't he said anything during war meetings and advisement sessions when she's brought up? He knows the King thinks she's dead. I don't know, it doesn't sit right with me."

"Good point," Artemis nodded. "So what are you going to do?"

"Bide my time," Caspian sighed, clenching his jaw. "What else can I do?" The remark earned him a brief look of sympathy. Both peered up when they heard fast footsteps echoing through the hallway, accompanied by heavy breathing as the person got closer. The nearby guard at his post stood at attention to greet the page who came bounding down the stairs, briskly jogging over to him and fiercely whispering in his ear. Out of fear or respect or a healthy mix of both, the page made it a point to lower her eyes to the ground in the presence of the saviors. The guard cleared his throat.

"Sir, the King requests your presence at once. The Queen has woken up."

Skittering to a stand Caspian turned on his heel, eager to follow them out, but paused when he remembered why he was there.