In the Open Cage

Chapter 19

Royle pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a sigh of frustration. Captain Lerok Steward had gone on and made arrangements without discussing the details. Again. At this point, Royle wondered why he was even a part of the palace's security.

Their own captain seemed to be confident enough on doing everything by himself, insisting that the positions he had chosen for his guards and Royle's officers were much better suited for a royal banquet. Not only that, but he had significantly reduced the firepower each man held, claiming that being so heavily armed would only antagonise everyone present.

Royle was on the verge of tearing the piece of parchment in his hands. No matter how many times he had written notes about why Steward's placement did not maximise the security, it never got through his thick skull.

He needed to get it in his head that most of the threat would be internal, not from intruders, and even then, this wasn't the standard circumstance of a spy or assassin infiltrating the palace with a specific target in mind. It was a number of powerful witches with magic that could wipe out a small population. Who cared about the comfort of the party attendants when their safety was on the line?

"What's the point of a party if everyone is unable to have fun?" Captain Steward had said.

Fun? As if that was the most important thing about this celebration. Each day that drew closer to the party added a significant amount of weight to the stress that was already piling up on Royle's shoulders, which was why most of the hours he had to himself such as now was spent cooped up in his chambers in an attempt to think of a way to convince Lerok Steward that his plans were faulty at best and dangerous at worst.

Royle threw the papers onto his desk and rubbed his eyes. The familiar exhaustion washed over him, and the sun that came through the slit between the curtains was stirring up a headache. Having Misa so far out of reach made his nights miserably long and restless, but he wasn't going to guilt her into sleeping with him, especially under the watchful eyes of the palace. He couldn't wait to get this party done and over with so he could have Misa to himself once they found a place to settle.

He touched the little box that he always kept with him through his pocket. Soon. He would give it to her as soon as he worked up the courage to ask her.

Nisha was still a problem, but she had signed the treaty without much resistance. Would it be naïve of him to hope that she would leave them alone? He suspected Nisha was interested in Misa because of the magic she'd inherited from Tika, and he had a sinking feeling that the witch had something big planned. If only he could convince the royal council that she was bad news.

As if his thoughts had called upon her, a soft, familiar knock came from his door. Royle recognised who it was before he even opened it, and he eagerly hopped out of his chair to welcome her into his room.

Creaking the door open, Royle felt all the stress and headache melt away from her presence. She smiled, but there was a subtle wobble behind it.

"Royle," she said. Royle picked up a mixture of relief, exhaustion, and dread in the waver in her voice. He tried not to frown. Something was off.

"Are you alright?" Royle moved aside to let her in.

Wordlessly, she brushed past him and headed straight for the couches. When Royle joined her, she smiled, a bit more genuine than she had at the door. It unsettled him that she seemed to be bottling in whatever was bothering her.

"What is it, Misa?" Royle asked carefully, not wanting to scare her into secrecy. "Did the prince do something to you?"

For a second, her smile dropped, and a look of terror flickered in her eyes. It was gone before Royle could blink, however, and he wondered if he imagined it. The stress and exhaustion must have been getting to him.