Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 44

Jade saw nothing else of Aaron that evening. She went to bed with a head too full of doubts to even think of sleeping. Instead, she lay awake in the dark, listening to the minds around her. After a few hours, most people were asleep and their minds grew more peaceful. It was easier to tune out dreams than waking thoughts. Still, there were plenty of people roaming about – guards, late-working lords, patrol changing shifts – and Jade kept track of all of them, searching for anyone who might be out to kill her.

There were some who wished her dead, but no one had any concrete plans, as far as she could tell. It hardly reassured her. She wondered where Aaron was. Had he gone to bed – and if so, had he gone to bed alone? Surely she'd be able to smell another woman on him.

The mere thought of Leia pissed her off. Not because she had been Aaron's lover. Or not entirely, anyway. She understood – didn't like, but understood – that Aaron had chosen someone to fulfil his needs, but there was something about Leia that rubbed her the wrong way. Something in the haughtiness of her gaze, the boldness of her thoughts, the taunt in her smile. She was beautiful and she knew as much. Above all, Jade hated how she felt when near her. She felt small, insignificant, intimidated. Had Ryleigh been there, she would have thrown a fit. How did Jade dare to compare herself to someone and judge herself inferior? She was a mind-controller, for the Goddess' sake. A Shadow Walker. If only she'd had Ryleigh's confidence.

She pushed the covers off and slipped out of bed. She remembered Aaron saying she could always come to him if she needed her mind to go quiet, but she doubted he wanted to see her right then. Nor did she feel any desire whatsoever to show weakness to someone who was angry with her. But she still needed to get out of her room. She needed to breathe.

She opened the door and the two guards stationed in front of it twirled around to look at her. Their gazes were drawn to her outfit – the long, elegant nightgown that reached to her ankles. It probably wasn't appropriate to be walking about like that, but she didn't feel like getting dressed, especially since she still hadn't figured out how to successfully close the bodice. She might have made an effort to put on shoes, but really, who was she trying to fool anyway? It wasn't like people hadn't already made up their minds about her. They wouldn't alter their opinion if she altered her appearance. Dress up a monster and people would just see a monster in a dress.

"Is there something you need, Ma'am?" one of the guards asked, his voice reverberating through the empty hallway. The dark only seemed to make everything sound louder and she winced involuntarily. The castle wasn't quiet, not by a long shot, but compared to the daytime, it was a graveyard. The last thing she needed was to wake people up.

"No. In fact, the only thing I need is for you to step aside and let me pass."

"Where are you going, Ma'am?" the other guard asked. "It is the middle of the night."

"Thank you for pointing that out to me. I'm aware of the time. I'm just going to take a walk."

"A walk, Ma'am?" They exchanged a glance, then settled their gazes back on her, confusion and distrust clear on their faces. Their minds started making up scenarios. She was going to kill the king. She was going to try to break into the vault and run off with the crown jewels. She was going to set the place on fire. She was going to kill the crown prince.

"Yes. Will you let me pass, already?" She bit back the words, Or do I have to make you? Perhaps she was more like Ryleigh than she knew.

"Pardon, Ma'am, but you're not supposed to walk around the castle alone. We should escort you."

"No, thank you. I will be quite alright on my own."

The men looked at her and they couldn't but think it was the truth. But then it wasn't her safety for which they feared.