Chronicles Of The Empress Book 2: Long Live The Empress!

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"You know what we should have done?" Caid whispered to Bronwyn out of the corner of her mouth once they had made it a few flights up.

"No?" Bronwyn whispered back.

"We should have brought one of the brown frocks you and Tawna wore when you came to our camp... I just realize now that a handmaiden helping a Seer with someone would have looked more natural," Caid whispered, pulling up in the weak Markki on their way up the staircase.

"I fear you may be right. Alas, it is too late now to make such a change."

As always at any time of the day save for the darkest hours, the grand staircase was quite busy with maids, servants and soldiers traveling up and down the floors in the keep. Everyone gave the two Seers a wide berth, though most stared at the scrawny appearance of the man they were with.

Up, up and up they went. By the time they made it to the floor with the dining hall, Bronwyn had to lean against the outside wall of the staircase to catch her breath that threatened to leave her altogether from the agitation and stress she was under.

Markki's legs slowly began to wobble but Caid tightened her grip on him and fanned his face with her wide sleeve. "Come on, Markki... just a few more floors. You can do it... we cannot-"

The Huntress suddenly saw two officers she knew very well from her old Ranger battalion coming down towards them. At first, the officers didn't pay any attention to whatever else was going on on the staircase, but two Seers in pale blue cowls had a way of attracting attention to themselves whether they wanted it or not. The first officer furrowed his brow and slowed down. He didn't look at Caid, but at Markki. "Hey... aren't you-" he said, walking over to the three people.

Caid knew she had to think fast, and she let out a raspy growl and pushed herself off the wall. "This wretched prisoner is not of your concern! Mind your own business!" she growled, using her abdominal muscles to add an otherworldly - and unrecognizable - tone to her voice.

The officers quickly shied away from the angry Seer and hurried on down the stairs. After tracking them with her eyes, Caid glanced at Bronwyn who was nearly as pale as Markki.

---

The sturdy wooden door to the study proved troublesome to open and Bronwyn had to push against it with all her might. When it finally opened, she wished she hadn't been successful. While she had been away, her study had indeed been transformed into a storage room with all sorts of crates and boxes piled up in a haphazard manner. Her own furniture had been rudely shoved to the side, even the rug she'd had on the floor. The fireplace was dormant and the room was so cold her breath was nearly visible.

"Wretched," she mumbled under her breath. She casually shook her head at Caid who had decided to wait at the next landing below the study. Once the Huntress had joined her, they traveled further upwards.

"Oh, I hope my bedchamber does not look like that... my dresses... my beautiful dresses... my jewelry!" Bronwyn mumbled. Holding her breath out of fear of what she would find a floor up, she sneaked her hand below her cowl to tap her pocket. The tiled gold necklace that meant so much to her was still safe.

Upstairs, Bronwyn put up her hand to signal Caid and Markki that they should wait at the landing below like before. Tip-toeing across the floor, she peeked out of the staircase window next to the door to her chamber see if anything had changed down in Ashburne. She couldn't see any of the gates so she didn't know whether or not they were still under lockdown, but the activity down in the streets wasn't any different, so she presumed they were.

She sneaked over to the door and wrapped her fingers around the brass handle. It was cold to the touch, but at least it moved. The hinges creaked and groaned in a way they had never done before, and Bronwyn stopped on the spot, thinking the horrendous noises were so loud they could rival a thunderclap. Trying again, she went even slower and only opened the door enough to peek in.