The King of Ruin

Part Two

Memories Laced with Amber

Mari's Pov

"Damnit! How did you forget Athina!"

"There are 12 Kingdoms Myla! And more towns!" Darrian yells right back at his partner. He and Myla are losing their game of capitals against Beck and Mylo. It's not a hard game, it just requires a lot of memory.

Across from me, Kerri is reading a deep red book. I cast my gaze back to my paper. Hmmm. My piece of charcoal can't seem to outline Kerri just right. I've tried three times already. This is my fourth attempt. And it just looks off. My covered eye doesn't help.

"What has you so conflicted?"

When I don't respond Kerri glances up from her book. Her gaze has me wanting to shy away. "Pardon?"

"You keep sighing and have thrown away three papers already. So what's getting at you?"

I shove my sketchbook across the table. She picks it up and softly smiles. Out of all the court members Kerri is not one for smiling. Her soft smile is a rare treat. "I think this is wonderful, but my hair is not that curly."

She slides my book back to my hands and gives me a knowing look. Blast I hoped that would fool her. I guess when you're as old as she is you can't easily be fooled. "What happened in Amberanian?"

Oh. I place my book on the table. The silence in the room is evident as the stares I'm getting from the others. Sigh. "Let's move to the couches and I'll tell you."
_____

Myla, Kerri, Beck, Mylo and Darrian stare at me. Spirits, this is going to be harder than I thought. My eye finds Becks. Through our eye contact, he encourages me. How sweet.

"Take your time." Beck smiles. I weakly smile back. I take a deep breath before beginning.

"In Amberanian I was kept confined to a section of the castle. I wasn't allowed in most sections of the castle. It was barely bigger than the small garden in the east corner. I wasn't allowed to leave my rooms without Bianca or another guard escorting me. Every time I tried to leave without one I'd be locked in my room for a few days. I was—"

"YOU WERE WHAT?"

"Yes, I was locked in my rooms. On more than one occasion." Once for speaking out of turn. Once for arguing. There was also the time where I knocked a book on the floor, left my rooms without Bianca, slept in past breakfast when I was supposed to dine with him, when I slapped Sol...twice. I never went looking for trouble, it just happened.

Darrian scowls. He pushes a stray piece of red hair from his face. It seems our usually calm and collected male is aggravated. Who can blame him? I would be too.

"Who would do such a thing?"

"Val." Kerri frowns.

Beck growls. "He's such a prick!"

"One time I spoke out of turn and was locked in my rooms for a week. Val made me promise to behave, if I did I would be let out."

"That's sick."

"It could have been worse. I was at least let out of sleeping in his rooms. I made the excuse about being his betrothed. I said it was inappropriate."

"Good on you."

"Thank you, during the day Ward kept me company and at night Sol kept me company." Not that Ward is awful. He's quite nice and so is Chay. Sol on the other hand is like Val. He believes females should stick to female jobs. Like he'd ever survive pushing a baby out of his uterus. I wish males could. Then we'll see who the weaker sex is.