A Story of Blood and Thorns

Chapter 14

We sit on my bed, contemplating what the king revealed. Wind from the open window behind us stirs the curtains, sticking to my legs. I swat it away as another breeze fills the room.

"So," Isadora says, "that was interesting."

A bird chirps outside. I listen to the sound, wanting to be a bird to fly away from all of this. "Very."

She coughs, fisting her hands deep in her skirt. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know." I stare at the door, where several guards and Sabien and the king and the queen lurk within the walls. My fingers begin to tap at my arm. "Try to find who took you?"

I shrug. "That's impossible. They're probably long gone. And I'm not in favor of crossing the wall to Caelius."

We start at a knock on the door that I'd been staring at. I don't move a muscle to open it, and neither does Isadora. We wait for the person to introduce themselves.

"Evangeline?" Sabien calls. My shoulders slump with a sigh. Of course, it's him. "I would like to talk to you."

I glance at Isadora, having a silent conversation.

Should we let him in? I ask.

Distrust dances in her honey eyes. We have to.

Are you sure?

Her mouth tightens. She sucks on her lip, tilting her head as she assesses the damages of not letting him in and the risks of allowing him to enter.

"Let him in," she whispers. I repeat her decision to the guards standing outside, and the doors creak open.

Sabien marches in, wearing a new outfit. This one has a deep green tunic, with cream-colored pants. His sword still stays fastened to his waist.

He walks in, his shiny boots stomping on the floor. When he reaches us, he grasps Isadora's hand to give her a quick kiss.

He's not prepared for her to slap him.

She smirks as he stumbles back, hand pressed against his cheek. "You hit me," he exclaims. The guards draw their swords until I give them the order to put them away. "I can't believe you hit me."

"It's less than you deserve," she says. I take over before she can kill him.

I clear my throat and ask, "What are you here for?"

"I came to give you this." He tosses something at me. I catch it in one hand and peer at it. A small gold bird dangles from a silver chain. Beside it, a silver charm of an egg shines. "The egg I wanted to steal from the lady," he says. "It was for our mother, but I decided to give it to you."

I trace the charms. "I thought you said it plays a song."

He winced, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I was mistaken. They told me it played a song. But you can put stuff in it." He holds out a hand and I drop it in his palm. I watch as he opens the egg, revealing a space that a holly berry could fit in.

"Right." Isadora helps me loop the necklace around my neck and fasten it. I hold onto the bird as I continue. "That's all?"

Sabien bows. "I also came to ask for a chance to make my earlier behavior up to you, fair Isadora." He shies away before she can hit him again. "Please, allow me to take you to dinner."

I look at her, half expecting her to say yes. This is the perfect way to fit in. But for some reason, I want her to say no.

"Not a chance," she says. Sabien frowns. "I'm not interested. Now leave, if that's all."