Crown of Serpents (Book 1 of the Serpent Bloodline Chronicles)

Chapter 9

My hands begin to shake, but I force them to steady. Yep. It's official, the Gods hate me. Why didn't I just stay out there longer? But that would've been putting this off, and it would've just gotten worse.

I don't like the Gods either, so it seems we're even.

"What," he says abruptly, obviously feigning anger. "Were you thinking?"

I blink, thinking of some sort of excuse when he stops me.

"I don't want to hear it," his voice suddenly gets quieter, "spying wasn't supposed to begin the day we got here, Raedyn. We don't want to be monitored twenty-four hours a day, do we? No. Gods, I'm such a fool bringing you here. But it's too late now."

I gulp, "I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking, about—that. I just couldn't sleep and I decided to go out for a midnight flight with Az when I saw—"

His eyes flare, "What? What did you see!" He walks over to me, gripping my shoulders. "Come on Rae!" He's shouting now, shaking me. I'm stunned into silence.

I think back to the night before, but I'm tired. I lost too much blood. He didn't even say anything about my crimson skin and dress. Now that I'm thinking about it, I can feel the stabbing pain even more now.

"There-there was this figure, it was wearing a cloak and holding a scythe. It had these weird nails, I never saw its face though. But, it did seem like it was their leader. I think it ran away."

He swears, releasing me. "Where were you?"

"The Prince is out there right now, I would have died if he didn't find me."

Now he seems to notice the blood, and my hand carefully covering my side. It would've been fatal for sure if it was the smallest bit deeper.

"What happened?" He doesn't seem worried, not at all. Just confused.

"They saw me and attacked. After they got confirmation. They just stare—."

"That's enough." He says, cutting me off. I'm sure you must be... exhausted-" That's for sure. "Please head back to your room. We will discuss this in the morning."

I'm about to walk away when he says, "Also you're lucky we didn't have dinner with them. Malik said something came up." I stiffen. Is that why Xavier was out there? They're trying to stop the monsters, that was obvious. But there has to be something else, right?

I continue walking towards my room, my mind whirring through possibilities.

But I'm tired, sore, and wounded. I clench my teeth. I don't care if my mother and father want me to seem like the pretty princess they want me to be. I will be training tomorrow because something is coming. And I have to be ready for it.

***

When the sun rises, I'm already awake. I didn't sleep at all last night— not counting the one hour of sleep I got after the bath— and I can practically feel the dark bruises under my eyes.

Shaking my head, I snuggle deeper under the covers, but I only have a few moments to rest when Valerie marches in with her soldiers (maids) and flings open the curtains. Bright sunlight shoots into my eyes causing a huge headache to form. I groan. I've hardly known her and she already seems intent on making my life miserable.

"Get up," she says sternly, "you have a bright day ahead of you!" I seriously doubt that. "The King would like to have— oh, my!" She gasps, rushing over to me and yanking the covers off. She seems to go dizzy at the sight of so much blood. "Are you alright?"

"Just fine." I lie.

She shakes her head, "Oh, we must get you cleaned up before you meet with the King for breakfast!"