Quiet Strength

And Seeps Deep Into my Skin

The next morning, Juno awoke peacefully. She then remembered how all of Sevirad was being kept prisoner in the castle, for interrogation purposes. Soon after Juno, Abbielle woke up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Morning..." she mumbled sleepily.

Juno offered her a drowsy smile in response. She was slightly skittish that day, not wanting any attention. She was still on edge after the previous night's events, and was not sure that she was completely successful in her attempts to frame Maxim.

When Juno saw him after breakfast, she assumed he was still unaware of her plot. Maxim looked younger than her, but not by much. Juno considered it pure luck that he didn't see her, and exhaled in relief. She was dragged from her thoughts by a cold hand on her shoulder. "Hello."

Juno whipped her head around to find the crown prince there. She bit back nasty remarks and hid her scowl behind a practiced smile. "Hello to you too, Prince," she said.

She noticed how he was somehow even more radiant up close. Dascen followed her back to her room, the reason unclear to Juno. As she was about to enter, he stopped her.

"I am sorry, Miss-"

"Juno." Dascen dipped his head in acknowledgement.

"Miss Juno. I must check your quarters for any weapons and deadly substances. My mother is bent on finding out the truth about my uncle." Juno was thankful that she no longer carried the knives with her and with a smile, she let him in.

He walked slowly and seemingly with caution, as though one wrong step would harm him. Juno's eyes were on him the entire time, gazing at him and taking in his beauty. He looked through everything there, but made sure not to muss the items up.

Juno felt warm inside, as if his very presence lit her up. She directed her gaze elsewhere when he turned on his heel and walked towards her. Juno hated how he could make her frozen heart melt at the sight of him. He shot her a bright smile.

"Nothing in here...not that I know of, anyway," Dascen murmured thoughtfully. For a split second, Juno feared that he saw through her and knew of her reputation and what she did to Maxim. Instead, Abbi walked in, shock etched in her beautiful features when she saw the heir.

"Excuse me for asking, but why are you here?" Abbi inquired.

"My mother sent me to look for any weapons and lethal substances in all the rooms. She's truly heartbroken over my uncle's death, as am I," Dascen explained.

Juno's heart sunk. She had momentarily forgotten his bloodline, and she scolded herself for her idiocracy. She would not allow herself to love someone whose family had disgraced her village. Juno saw through Abbi's façade and knew how angry the prince's presence made her.

Juno didn't know whether to be upset or relieved when the prince finally left them. "Good thing he didn't find anything," Abbi whispered. Neither of them knew if Dascen or anyone else was listening in on their conversation.

She hoped not, but her years as an assassin prepared her for anything. Juno was previously spied on during another mission, and she had to kill the spy as a result. She wasn't about to take that chance and get herself and Abbi killed. Even if she did manage to fell the royal family, most of Cheliv would be after them.

Just then, a maid scuttled in their room to take them to one of the seven banquet halls. There, Queen Florentina, Lord Titus, and Prince Dascen stood. Juno prayed to every deity she had ever heard of that they were not about to harm her for her actions against Prince Maxim.

"Hello all you...Seviraddians," Queen Florentina addressed, "we have made some progress in our search for harmful items and substances."

Lord Titus's booming voice echoed throughout the hall. "However, we have found that our own kin committed this crime, or so we think. He was found with knives underneath his bed when I checked his quarters." The Seviraddians looked at one another, confusion present in their eyes. The sorceror continued his speech.