Heiress of the Sea

Chapter 13

Cleo and Nela were waiting for me when I returned to my chambers, a ridiculous pile of flouncy gowns clutched in their arms. Their excitement could be sensed from the bottom of the floating staircase; however, when they saw my face as I entered my room, they both seemed to recede a bit.

"Do you have plans for tonight, mistress?" Nela asked hopefully.

I shook my head. "No need for one of your death traps tonight. Thanks, though."

I huffed in anger, muttering curses under my breath as I lay down on the freshly made bed. The blue-black nighttime was beginning to take over the orange sunset sky as they placed the gowns back in my closet and began lighting candles so the room wouldn't be completely devoid of light as it grew darker out.

I reached down to unlace my worn leather boots, but stopped mid-reach.

"Actually," I told the maids. "I'm going out for the night. On personal business. Both of you; take the night off. It's too nice an evening to waste tending me."

I could feel a wicked smile beginning to spread across my face at the same time a genius idea crossed my mind.

I was going to go exploring.

My maids left soon after I assured them I didn't need any help getting ready. I changed into a clean shirt, quickly brushed out my dark wavy locks, colored my pale lips and cheeks, and lined my seafoam-green eyes.

As I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw a woman I hadn't before.

My skin was a shade darker than usual—due to the time I now spent in the sun, my physique stronger than it had been in months, and the fear in my eyes seemingly diluted. It was incredible how one month out of Goridian's kingdom had impacted me. I actually appeared to be healthy, for once.

For a moment, I smiled at myself, thinking I might look nice. Pretty, even.

I laughed. Now I looked truly ludicrous.

I floated down the spiral tower staircase, then meandered down the main corridor of the palace, finding my way to a connecting hallway through a small wooden door.

The palace was so full of hallways and corridors that I could have gotten lost for a week in all the intertwining passageways.

The hallway was dark and dank, and, as I wandered, I was able to see flickering orange light at the other end of the tunnel, along with familiar laughing. There were several people behind that door...several people whose voices I recognized; however, I could not place them.

I stumbled down the rockily-paved ground and pressed my ear to the door, clasping a hand to my mouth as I realized who was there.

"I really can't believe you proposed after one day, Soren," a familiar saccharine female voice laughed teasingly. "You really are stupid."

"Don't taunt me, Juniper," Soren's dark voice snapped.

"He knows what he wants," Lazarus roared, before I heard a slapping noise, which I assumed to be Lazarus clapping Soren on the shoulder.

"The only problem," Soren responded, taking a pause, I could tell, to sip from a goblet, "is that she doesn't know what she wants. She's incredibly complex."

"Do you think she wants you?" Juniper enquired.

A pause. My stomach twisted.

"I don't know," Soren murmured. "It's so difficult being around her. She is wild and free, and I like that about her. But I can't seem to restrain myself when it comes to her safety. It's a curse, because I know that I will lose her if I cannot control myself."