Villain

7.The Rune Box

Hes trying to mess with your head. I repeat the words to myself as I struggle to sleep. Hes trying to make you question everything you know. Don't let him win. Dawn wasn't affected more, the change was just more visible because she is a better person than I will ever be. Dawn decided to stay a week, and its time I must not waste. I have been stalling for too long and entertaining his mind games. That stops now. Its time I stop pretending that I am not the assassin he knows mw to be. Now that Dawn is gone there is no need for either of us to pretend to be civil. There will be obvious obstacles, he will avoid me actively, or knowing this arrogant Prince he will purposefully linger around me.

I glance at the book by my bedside lit gently by the moonlight. The Princes words begin to fill my head again. I let out a growl and toss the book onto the floor in anger.The book opens from the impact,my eyes widen as I see words gleaming in the moonlight. "Youre looking at it in the wrong light,"he had said.The Prince was being quite literal with his words. I pick up the book,turning to the first page and begin to scan the words,frowning as I read further. My palms get clammy and a pit forms in my stomach as I read. Why would he give me this book?

In the morning I do little to improve my disheveled appearance, my blood hot with anger. Addie enters my room with my breakfast. "Do you know where the Prince is," I ask her. Addie, seemingly taken aback nods shyly. "Having breakfast in the dining hall," she says softly. I nod, anger still clouding my thoughts." I will join him today," I inform her. Addie nods as I take my tray and walk to the dining hall, book in my hand. I find the Prince eating and throw the book onto the table. He looks up at me and smirks. "So you read it," he says calmly. I force myself to remain calm. I have first hand seen how anger led to the downfall of people, for instance Damien. I manage to calm myself down.

"Whats the meaning of that," I ask him, referring to the book. "Make of it as you please Marcella," he says. I sigh at his cryptic answer. No more mind games. I should kill him right now, damn the rules. I resist the urge to stab him with his eating knife and brutally tear him apart limb for limb. Control, I tell myself. "You still haven't answered my question," he refers to yesterdays conversation. "Everyone knows when you use magic here you risk exposure to darkness," I answer him, since he is playing dumb about his own Kingdom. "That doesn't answer my question as to how it didn't affect you," he states.

"I didn't use my magic," I state. I never use my magic. I cant use my magic. "Is that what she has in that box Cel," The Prince asks, but he already knows the answer. "Does the Queen of Light have your magic bound to the box," he asks, and all I can do is nod. The Prince stares. Binding someone's powers is the equivalent to ripping away their soul. Binding it to a Black Rune Box siphoned their powers and controlled their actions when certain runes were called. "She ordered you to kill me," he states , observing me as if I were a fragile piece of glass. I am not fragile. I get it back after I kill him.

I know he read the book. He knew what the box could do the moment he laid eyes on it. And now I know to. I can destroy it. "I can help you get it back, "he says, his words tempting. With his powers it would be easy to get the box and destroy it. But I could not trust him not to take it for himself and use me the same way the Queen did. No royal can be trusted with the power of a Rune Box, especially not a black one. There are rune boxes of different colors with different purposes. The Black being the most twisted of them all Whoever created it did noy have any good intentions. "No thank you," I respond.

I am no fool. I know he would double cross me faster than I could blink. Why haven't I killed him yet? We are alone. I have the advantage. Or do I ? I cannot help but be wary around the Prince. He knows to much, and it unerves me. I am wary around him, but this hesitation could be the death of me. The Prince smirks once more before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. I hestitated for far to long, and I know, if I want to kill him ,I have to make sure he simply cannot teleport away at a whim. Which makes me wonder why he has not tried to kill me in my sleep. With his power he could do so easily.

He knows who I am and that I was ordered to kill him, and yet he lets me wander around freely and keep my weapons. He does not think I will kill him, in fact he seems very confident I wont. And I for one would like to know why. I eat my food and head to the library,looking for books about magic. I have no intention of binding him, I know how it feels to constantly have a piece of you missing. I simply want to stop him from using one of his powers, the only one I am aware of.

He probably finds this all very amusing. Me , a powerless girl trying to kill him, the most powerful being known to exist. In his eyes I don't stand a chance no matter how hard I try. He could probably have me dead with the flick of his wrist. Perhaps it entertains him, watching me try to get the best of him. It is all a sick twisted game in his head. And it seems like he and the Queen are playing the same game, just on opposite sides, making Dawn and I mere objects that get them closer to their goal. But what is the goal? The throne? Ruling over both Kingdoms ?The most Power? What are they fighting for?

It is nightfall when I leave the library, my head almost exploding with the information. I let out a sigh as I get ready for bed, but freeze when I hear noises coming from Dawns rom. Alarmed, I grab a spare dagger and slowly open the door to her room. The room inside is a mess, dresses on the floor and the cupboards ajar. The bed is unmade. In the middle of the room I see Dawn. "Your highness,"I ask, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. Dawn stops rummaging her draws and looks up at me, panic clear on her face.

When did she get back? Did the Prince know she was here? wasn't she supposed to stay a week? "Mother sent me back when I told her I forgot my necklace here. I have to find it," she sounded scared. "I'm sure shell understand," I say. Dawn shakes her head: "You don't understand Cel. She needs it back". The Queen never reuses her items . Why would she want something as small as a cursed necklace back? "Princess you need to calm down. I'm sure Clair and Addie will be willing to help," I tell her. Dawn stops her search immediately. "Addie. She probably stole it," Dawn exclaims.

I pale at the accusation. "Why would she do that? Shes never in your room," I defend the innocent girl. "Obviously she snuck in when I was away. And did you see how obviously poor she is? Of course she stole it. I'm going to report this to Lucien. I will not forgive this," Dawn says, and goes to leave her room. "Princess ,perhaps it is still here. Let us not be impulsive," I say and Dawn gives me a harsh glare. "My mothers rune box is missing Marcella. That chain will help her find it," Dawn says.

I cant help but freeze. The box..is missing? "What do you mean missing," I cant help but ask. Dawn frowns. "Are you deaf or simply stupid? It was stolen! She was going to give it to me. She told me so," Dawn continues to walk to what I can only assume is the Princes Study. I find myself appalled by her behavior and find myself wondering. What if nice Dawn was just an act for her people, just like her mother? I brush away the thought. Her mother lied to her and probably poisoned her mind. Dawn was an easy target and it broke my heart to see her like this. Her husband and mother were turning her into something she would hate herself for. She opens the door and it slams with the impact. Prince Lucien looks up from a stack of papers and frowns. "You're back early," he says. Why does he never smile around her?

He always smiles, smirks and almost jokes around me. But he is so cold to Dawn. "One of your servants stole the gift my mother gave me," Dawn states. I don't miss the quick glance in my direction as the Prince frowns and reaches into one of his draws. He pulls out her necklace, causing Dawn to gasp. "I found this on your window ledge the day you left. I kept it safe for you," he states. Dawn grabs the necklace from his hold and smiles at him." Thank you so much," she beams, reminding me of the Dawn I know , causing me to ask myself if I know her at all. Dawn races out of the room, but I am still frozen. He lied for me.

"How. I thought it was still in my room," I ask him with a frown. With a grin, he nods. "The one the Queen gave her is, "he says pulling out something else from his draw. I can hear my heart racing as I stare at the object in dismay. "You stole it," I gasp, staring at the rune box. "Its in its rightful place," he shrugs.