Kingdom in The Sand

Skeleton Keys (1)

Marie-Fey climbed into the observatory and dropped to the floor in a puddle of skirts as Zaydan gently closed the trapdoor.

She looked around the room, a numbness settling in her.

The room was in chaos.

Books and star charts were torn from their neat placements and strewn around the room, every box and folder upended in the remnants of a frantic search.

She glanced at Zaydan as he sat down beside her, crossing his legs and looking around the room as well, like it was the first time he had seen it himself.

"Sorry," he said quietly, "I didn't know what the constellation on that card was and I had to hope it had been stored in here, but I didn't know where to look. So, I looked everywhere. It took a lot of time, but I finally uncovered an old chart... though I'm sure you wold have made your way back here by yourself even without me coming after you."

Marie-Fey looked at the chaos around them again. "Yes, probably," she said, "Almost certainly. So long as I made it to that city in one piece, I could organise travel here... but I am glad you did come after me."

"Yes?"

"If the men betrayed us again, I have faith that you would not turn on me as well."

Zaydan looked at her for a moment, then held out a hand.

She took it without looking and he squeezed it gently before looked towards the stars above.

"Did you actually want to look for that hidden door?" he asked.

"Eh," she muttered, with a shrug, "I just wanted whoever it was trying to kill me to know that I would be in a secluded corner of the palace. I didn't think it would work, I certainly didn't think it would be... would be the mastermind of the operation, but... well, one nuisance out of the way... assuming she is... was the mastermind."

"I believe so," Zaydan muttered, "I don't believe this had roots within the main palace, I never found any evidence."

"Good, then I shall announce the death of a traitor and travel to the capital unimpeded."

"You really wish to try again?"

"I don't see why I shouldn't."

Zaydan sighed, then nodded, pulling his hand from hers.

"What scared her?" Marie-Fey asked after a moment. Zaydan looked at her and she climbed to her feet, smoothing her gown and beginning to pick up the scattered parchments. "Before she saw you, I believe she would have accepted exile. And then you appeared and she chose death."

Zaydan stood and began to help her, collecting up the books as he went. "I can't explain it."

"Because of your curse?"

"Yes."

Marie-Fey considered that for a moment, rolling the parchments up. "Would you have reported it to your brother? Despite me saying it was a matter that related to my palace and was thus my problem and mine alone?"

"I would not have reported to him."

"And yet he would have known?"

Zaydan didn't reply so she took it as yes.

"This means... what? He is able to keep track of things... through you... without you saying a word?"

Zaydan remained silent and she turned to look at him. He was looking at her and she could see the fainted glow of warning from his neck.

He reached up and gently touched just under one of his eyes before turning away, wincing, fingers going to his neck.

Marie-Fey stared at him, turning away.