The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

CHAPTER 15 - Of a Trip to the Market

Somehow, Ralph found the common room allotted to the Summer royals in the vast labyrinthine confusion called Virgo palace.

The urge to cross-check whether it was indeed the right room, had him halting outside the closed door. Pushing it just a little, he peeked in.

What the--

On a small settee, Eleni was comfortably perched on Doran's lap, both of them lost in conversation, laughing and...

His eyes shut tight at the visual he didn't need.

Why he felt so aggravated, was beyond his understanding. His palms balled-up in contemplation whether he should barge in and give a piece of his mind to Doran or simply walk off and have his memory erased.

In a common room, really?

Even if he had banged the door shut, the two baboons might not have noticed. Walking away, he found a guard around the corner, with the insignia of Virgo House on his armor. When he bowed to him, Ralph had the rational sense to put him in charge of guarding the door of that damned common room, to not let anyone else witness the horror he had.

Was this what brothers did? Turn a blind eye and give their sister her privacy, while all he wanted was to pull her away from any man. Ralph took three deep breaths, suddenly wondering what his childhood mate would have thought about this development between their respective younger siblings.

Footsteps echoed from behind the same passage and panicked, Ralph went back just to find... the kid, whistling to herself.

"Don't!" He said as loudly and as silently as possible.

Hand frozen against the door, Amelia blinked at him with her big blue eyes, raising her brows in a questioning arch.

Ralph gestured her to come along. She obliged, hands in the pockets of her loose white trousers, golden braids bouncing over her lacy peach vest. The freckles on her pale nose glinted off the evening light of the glowing flowers up on the roof of the passage, something called Orbs of Dusk or Dawn.

In the moment, it occurred to him that he hadn't even gotten the chance to so much as talk to Amelia properly...

...she might have forgotten him by now.

"Greetings, Your- um... Ralph," she said, looking nervous, stopping herself mid-curtsy, "I thought we were supposed to eat or something here..."

Ralph pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well..." But then another thought struck him, "Might I know why you are without any escort, young lady?"

She scratched her freckled-nose, suddenly interested in the stonework floor.

"Amelia..."

"I am tired of them, alright?" she sighed without looking up. "Gave the guards a slip after language lessons with that dreary tutor. Explored a faraway palace wing, the ancient portraits, antique weapons." She put a hand inside her pocket and fished out something like an armlet, "Found this fallen somewhere. Felt like my own treasure. But yes, I am aware, that I have to find the owner. A great escape, nevertheless."

Boy, she talked. Poetically, even.

Cautiously, he said, "I do understand but it is a little risky, don't you think? I heard there was an ambush inside the palace last month-"

"You all," she mumbled in response, "will die in a battle or something, but I shall die of boredom."

At a loss of words against her sharp tongue, Ralph simply extended an unsure arm, guiding her out-or hoping she'd guide him out-from the passage where they weren't needed.