Caymead

Chapter 2

"Sang!" a voice calls out, penetrating the blackness. Energy rushes through me, driving away any lingering tiredness.

"Here!" I shout. My eyes pop open and I bolt up into a sitting position. The nine lords are sitting around me in various states of distress.

"How are you feeling Miss Sang?" Sean questions carefully.

"I'm feeling great- better than ever!" I smile as I talk to show that I really am fine. A thought pops into my head- I shouldn't be this energetic. "Sean, what about the poison?"

At this, all of the boys shift uncomfortably. Sean grimaces and whispers, "I used my Laeghin."

"What?" I mouth, certain I misheard him.

"I used my Laeghin," he repeats in a stronger voice. I'm frozen for a whole second before exploding.

"Why! Why would you use your Laeghin on me?"

Owen looks at me with a haunted expression. "You would have died, Sang. The poison would have killed you."

Each person at birth gets a glass pearl- a Laeghin. Consuming a Laeghin will heal any injury, cure any illness, but each person only gets one. Just one, tiny, magical pearl, and Sean spent his on me, a girl he barely knows.

"I couldn't let you die," Sean says. His demeanor looks so fragile, so afraid that I get up to embrace the stricken man.

"Thank you Sean," I whisper, only for him to hear. As I release him I notice that my clothes are still wet, so I couldn't have been out of it for that long.

"Is there any way I could get a bath and a change of clothes?" I ask the group in general. Immediately all of the lords jump up to offer their services, but Gabriel yells the loudest.

"I can get you some clothes!"

"I think some introductions are in order first, though," Owen states, "Miss Sang, these are Lords Victor, Dakota, Lucian, Gabriel, and North. I believe that you have met the others already." Each person nods as their name is called.

Gabriel is bouncing up and down in excitement. "Come on Sang, I'll show you to a guest room. If you want to start your bath now, I'll lay some clothes out for you on the bed."

"That sounds great," I say smiling.

Gabriel and I are almost out of the room when Owen calls out, "Come to the kitchen once you're done, and I'll explain everything you want to know, both about us and about the mission." There goes any chance of a peaceful, relaxing bath- I want answers!

In the bathroom, I notice that someone has already filled up the tub with steaming hot water, so I gratefully sink in. As much as I would like to lounge, the promise of answers has me quickly washing off the mud coating my skin. The soap next to the tub smells like roses- a nice change from my plain soap at home. Once I'm done I dry off with the fluffiest towel I have ever felt before. So many luxuries are available in the palace that it leaves me speechless.

Emerging from the bathroom I catch sight of the dress Gabriel has laid out for me. It is a rich blue velvet with white flowers embroidered along the side. As I slide it on, I notice that Gabriel managed to find a dress that fits me perfectly. How bizarre.

The dress glides smoothly over my skin as I walk to the mirror, providing a welcome change from the scratchy texture of my normal homemade clothes. I brush out my wet hair, pinch my cheeks to try and give them some color, and head out in search of the kitchen.

I fling open the bedroom door, which stops opening sooner than I expected. That fact, coupled with an ominous grunting noise, has me quickly stepping out and closing the door again to see if I hit someone. Horror races through when I see Lucian bent over, holding his face in his hands.

"Ow Sang!" he whines. I just hit one of the Lords of Caymead in the face with a door!

"I'm so sorry Lord Lucian!" I splutter. Would they still want my help now that I smashed one of their faces in? It wasn't really my fault- why was Lucian standing behind my door anyway- but I'm not sure that the others would take my side.

"My mistake Sang," Lucian grunts out, "I wasn't paying attention to where I was standing." Phew, looks like I won't get in trouble after all. I still feel bad, though. Lucian's nose is red from where the door hit it and there is a scratch on his cheek. From what, I don't know, but it certainly wasn't there when I saw him before.

Lucian straightens out and gives me a sheepish grin. "Also, I go by Luke. People only call me Lucian when I'm in trouble. Now, are you ready to go to the kitchen?"

In my head I'm screaming with excitement, but I manage a composed, "Yes, lead the way," out loud. I motion for Luke to go, which he takes as the signal to start running down the hallway.

"Slow down!" I call out breathlessly. Luke grins back at me and continues at a better pace. If he wasn't leading me then I never would have been able to find the kitchen- we seriously walked for five minutes. I hope someone will show me back to my room afterwards because I lost track of where we were after the fifth turn.

The other eight guys are already waiting in the kitchen when we arrive. I expected Luke to enter first since he led the way, but at the last second he pushes me in ahead of him. The conversation halts when I enter- all of the lords are too busy staring at me to keep their train of thought.

"What, is something on my face?" I ask, uncomfortable with all the attention. Did I miss a spot of mud? I thought that the dress looked nice, but maybe they think it is too much for me. Or perhaps my hair became a whirlwind of tangles during the walk to the kitchen?

"Nuh uh, you look stunning! All of the guys are just speechless," Gabriel chortles. North scowls and punches him in the arm.

"Shut up!" he yells.

Luke finally walks into the kitchen. "And I can see that we saved the best for last!" he says in a faux announcers voice. He has a happy grin on his face, but it disappears as he notices all of the guys staring at him murderously.

"What?" he asks cluelessly.

"What did you do to make Sang hit you, Lucian?" North growls menacingly. Luke realizes the problem and hold up his hands in a display of innocence.

"I didn't do anything, I swear! It was an accident." Luke tries to defend himself, but I can tell that most of the guys are gunning for blood. They'll never believe him, so it's up to me to stop them.

"Wait!" I yell just as North gets up to pound Luke, "Luke really didn't do anything. He was standing behind my door when I opened it and got hit in the face."

The guys sit in silence for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Why were you standing behind a door? What are you, three?" Nathan taunts. Luke takes their ribbing in stride and laughs with them.

Once the guys settle down Owen clears his throat. "Now that we are all here, I believe that I promised answers. What do you want to know, Miss Sang?"