SHADOW

A Fool's Heart

Sha gulped and stepped away from Count Ambrosio.

He looked at her—just as strangely as he had that night they shared the carriage from the ball to his home. No... his eyes were not strange. Who was she fooling? His eyes were lustful. Yes... they were.

She wondered if her own eyes had looked the same while she had watched him sleep.

She was a coward. The moment he let go of her hand, she turned and hurried away, hiding inside the cabin.

I must be damned stupid to think that if he lusts after me, he won't sell me into the most convenient alliance he can find, she thought bitterly. After all, he had been planning to match her with Elias.

She didn't mind Elias. He was beautiful beyond imagination, and she felt shallow for caring so much about appearances. But what woman wouldn't be captivated by a prince—no, a king—with golden auburn hair and kind green eyes that could fool anyone? So graceful, so captivating, so easygoing... the one-day teacher who had twirled her head around and stolen her breath away.

Yes, she didn't mind that Elias.

Not the Elias who had betrayed her—who chose to marry another woman for money to fund his crown.

But wasn't that the reasonable thing to do?

Who was she, a girl he had barely met, to expect him to give up his kingdom? To fall under Ambrosio's influence and his schemes of trade and power?

It was reasonable that Elias chose that path.

But had he killed his own sister to frame Ambrosio?

Or had Count Ambrosio truly killed the princess—a beautiful monster pretending innocence, yet capable of murder in a drunken rage?

It was clear he despised her, keeping her close only to maintain a leash on King Elias.

All this politics gave her a headache.

"You are so truly inexperienced," whispered Sonya behind her.

Sha jumped, startled, and stepped away from the cabin window. The sea had hypnotized her, stealing her sense of time.

"What do you mean?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"I don't mean to offend you," Sonya said with a giggle, stepping beside her to look out at the water, "but you must be more grounded when it comes to handsome men. You're easily overwhelmed by the smallest bit of attention."

"I'm not overwhelmed," Sha protested. "I'm shy. I get intimidated when someone gets too close. I know it's stupid, but at the Academy of the Thorny Rose there were mostly women—aside from a few groundskeepers. I never learned how to socialize. And even there, I didn't have many friends. I was just the daughter of modest town clerks."

She sighed, glancing at Sonya. Her maid's clothes were dusty and rumpled, but her face glowed. The freckles on her nose were undeniably cute.

"Well, how did you get into the school then?" Sonya asked, smiling. "The fees are steep. Girls go there hoping to find a respectable match. Peasants like us don't get that chance."

"I inherited a farm from my grandmother," Sha replied dreamily. "My parents sold it and sent me to the Academy. I had no say. I grew up with her—her farm bordered a forest. I spent my summers foraging for berries... and I found a beautiful mansion there."

"A mansion in the forest?" Sonya's eyes widened. "That sounds romantic. Was it abandoned?"

"Yes. Mostly ruins. But there was a grand staircase, arched windows... and a library. Shelves and shelves of books. I still have a few hidden in my trunk. I hope I can return for the rest someday."

She smiled and suddenly booped Sonya on the nose.

"Hey! Why did you do that?" Sonya burst out, indignant.

"Your freckled, perky nose is too cute. I've wanted to do that since I first saw you," Sha laughed, tossing herself onto the bed.

"One of the books had dragons on its cover," she continued, softer now. "Strange beasts. It was locked... and I couldn't open it. But it felt like it was calling to me. Even now, I dream about it."

"I get that," Sonya said with a grin. "Back in my village, there was a pretty boy. We flirted a lot, but I never even got to kiss him before I left for work. Such a pity."

"How is a boy related to a mysterious book?" Sha frowned.

"You'll understand when you truly like someone," Sonya replied. "Not just feel intimidated by their looks or status. It's different. I can't explain it—you have to feel it."

"But I did like Elias," Sha insisted, clutching a pillow. "I did feel something."

"Nah," Sonya said, smiling. "You just got a little dizzy. That wasn't real liking."

"How would you know what I felt?" Sha snapped, now more angry than defensive.

"Hey, don't get pissy," Sonya laughed. "You grew up like a nun in that academy. If you really loved him, you'd be crying day and night, jealous of him marrying someone else. Instead, you're out here staring at the Count like he's the only man alive."

Sha fell silent.

"I don't think you liked King Elias that much," Sonya continued more gently. "And that's a good thing. He's not a good man. His world is too high for you. The nobles would never have accepted you as his wife."

She hesitated, then added softly, "No offense... but you're just the adopted daughter of a count."

Sha flinched.

"I've seen stories like this before," Sonya went on. "Noble men and lower-class girls. They always end in tragedy. And I don't want that for you. I... kind of like you, Sha. Maybe I'm overstepping, being your maid and all. But you're the first lady who treated me like a friend."

Her eyes shimmered in the sunlight.

Sha jumped off the bed and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"You are my friend, you silly girl."