Of Blood And Royal Bones

Chapter 27: Level-headed Plan

They ambled through the chaos of swords clashing together as the women brought their weapons against one another. Kassia could not seem to shut her jaw as she gaped at the strong females, their arms toned like hers. There must've been fifty of them at least. Half a legion of warriors– female warriors– told both Ziam and Kassia that the Baron had chosen a very prominent path following their absence. He had chosen to make history.

She grabbed Ziam by the elbow and dragged him along as she picked up her pace. She desperately needed to speak with him, to wipe away her confusion, and more importantly, they needed to escape the close proximity of slashing weapons before they were noticed. Reaching the castle, they stopped upon entering. She turned to Ziam. "I know we must make haste, but something feels strange. I think it is important that we both speak with the Baron."

Ziam nodded without a second thought. "I quite agree with you. The Baron first." And with this, they turned and made their way briskly up the marble staircase to the Baron's office. They hesitated as they approached his office, the polished wooden door slightly ajar. Passing concerned glances to one another, they proceeded toward the door and Kassia nudged it open further. As they entered, Kassia immediately felt doubt cluster in her stomach. His chair had been upturned, his desk pushed askew, and papers and quills cluttered the floor. Signs of a massive struggle. Kassia's hands began to shake as she studied the scene. Her eyes glazed the desk and she discovered a blotch of red staining the corner.

She swallowed as endless awful scenarios tumbled over one another in her head. Stumbling back slightly, she was greeted by Ziam's reassuring hold. He grabbed her elbows from behind, perhaps afraid that she would faint. "I-I'm alright." She muttered, though with little certainty in her voice. She pressed her knuckles to her forehead as she tried to come up with a reasonable explanation for the scene.

Ziam pulled her back, guiding her out of the office. "We need to find Basia. Perhaps she'll know." He whispered gently from behind, the weight of this development all too evident in his tone.

She knew he would not attempt to console her for there was no other reason for the Baron's ravaged office. It was plain what had happened and feeding her lies of another case was not in his nature, nor was it what she wished for. But she could not face that truth. "Baron?" She called through the empty halls. When the only answer was echo, she tried again more harshly. "Baron."

Ziam tightened his grip on her as she attempted to escape him. "Kassandria, there isn't time."

But she only continued to struggle in his grip, salty tears trailing down her cheeks. "Father!" She yelled, her voice rough with emotion.

Ziam wrapped his arms around her fully in an attempt to comfort her and she released her weight against him. "We must go." He instructed lightly. After a moment of attempting to control her breathing she nodded, though shock still coated her insides, and he dragged her away and in the direction of the library.

They rushed through the halls and through the grand mahogany doors entering the library. Running to the heart of the library, they searched with great vigor for her, their heads swiveling in panicked strokes around the tall shelves of old books. Kassia's eyes snagged on something strange as she searched for her friend and she approached one of the low rising tables to examine it closer. Upon one of the tables was the book that Ziam had tossed to her when he introduced himself so many weeks ago. It was strange to see it here because it was standing up, its hard, aged cover supporting it as the pages splayed slightly open.

"Ziam." She called to him. He rushed to her instantly and turned his gaze to the book that she directed all her attention to. "That is the book you handed me that day when you told me your name, though I get the feeling you never intended it to be for me." She stared at its dark green cover, the swirls of gold standing out.