The Death of a Dream [hiatus]

Chapter 14

Lodestar

Silence walked alongside us like a guard looming nearby, exerting its presence to keep what we had seen in the Observatory a secret. My mother was so close yet it felt like life and death separated us; she was locked in the depths of a lavish underworld and I was trapped in a world of facades.

Innes escorted me to my room and lingered in the doorway, his eyes never leaving the ground.When his lips parted, a soft sigh was the first to come out which was followed by the closing of his eyes.

I rested a hand over his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, captain. Goodnight."

He lifted his chin and cleared his throat. "Goodnight, Myst." He gave me a curt bow of his head before turning and disappearing down the nearby staircase.

I gently shut the door and fell face down into the perfectly propped up line of pillows on my bed. The plush comforts of the room did little to quell the storm brewing deep in my core. I was sad, angry, and overjoyed all at once. My mother was here, but Innes was right, our reunion would have to wait.

All feeling in my body melted away within seconds after I tucked myself under the sheets. Feeling a strange coldness drift inside my blanket cocoon, I clutched my arms as I curled into a ball. When I woke in the morning, I found myself in the same position along with a slight crick in my neck.

"At long last, she has awoken," Lady Gira hissed as she paced the space in front of my bed, her hands clutched just below her breast.

I pushed myself up and rolled my neck as I gently massaged the small tender skin that began to sting with each movement. "Can't you knock?"

Lady Gira raised a brow at me. "Is this vicious temperament the result of your friendship with captain Innes? If so, I may arrange for you to—"

I shook my head. "Sorry, Gira. I've just been really," I sighed, not knowing how to finish that sentence. "I'm homesick," I blurted out. I slid one hand through my tangled hair and used the other to rub my eyes, trying to seem as normal as possible.

Lady Gira stared at me for a few seconds before resuming her pacing. "Fair enough. The next event you will be performing for should help bring back that piece of home you so adore."

I looked up at her. "What event? Is it another noble house party?" A shiver trailed down my spine like a droplet of freezing water.

Lady Gira chuckled. "The Tyrant's Festival is far more important than some lavish mansion party and you would do well to remember that."

My eyes widened. "Tyrant's Festival? Why does it sound—"

"Scary? Frightening?" she interrupted, causing a small heat to gather behind my ears. "It's not. It's the yearly celebration of our kingdom's founding; a day of celebration for all of Caledonia. This will be one of the biggest festivals in the world and you will be the main performer."

I stared at her, unaware that my jaw had dropped. I was going to perform at the kingdom's most important holiday! How could it get any better than this?

Content with my reaction, Lady Gira made for the door. "I'll leave you to contemplate the importance of your role here. In the meantime, try not to eat too much. You will begin practicing every morning and afternoon until we've achieved perfection. The Tyrant King deserves nothing less than that, of course."

Once she shut the door behind her, my head turned to the open balcony to my right. Sunlight from Shimmermount flooded past the thin curtains as a warm breeze welcomed itself into my room.

"One of the biggest festivals in the world, huh?" I repeated her words to myself as I closed my eyes. "Wonder what mother would say now."