Remnant of Power

Chapter Nineteen

Yavenna

Just like last night, Yavenna inched down the rope, wishing she had some thick leather gloves, but this time, her heart felt like it was stuck half-way up her throat. She'd watched the gardens for quarter of an hour before she lowered the rope. Tonight, she wasn't going to let anyone stop her from creeping out through the gardens and into the city – somehow, last night, it wasn't quite so important. From the balcony, she'd actually seen a guard on duty, but she'd watched the path he took and right now, he was at the other end of the gardens, probably somewhere near the white rhododendron. Landing silently on the grass, she bolted across the lawns to the wall. A few minutes later she was in the square in front of the castle.

Yavenna slipped down one of the back streets, her eyes flickering over every foot of the street in case she saw someone watching her. If there was a moon it was firmly behind the clouds, and it was so dark it was almost difficult to see. But it was still quite early in the evening, and there were plenty of people out in the city – rich young suitors escorting beautiful ladies from restaurants to the theatre, carriages and carts bringing visitors to the city, and what seemed like an enormous amount of beggars. Why were there so many more than in Iscaran?

Making herself slow down, she suddenly realized she'd been skipping. Skipping. How incredibly ridiculous! She certainly had nothing to skip about. She was going to meet a man she barely knew – a commoner; someone she'd probably never even see again. And she was already betrothed to the revolting evil King of the land. If he found out she was sneaking out of the castle to meet another man...well, it didn't even bare thinking about. Actually, as she ran along, she realized how shockingly stupid she was to go and meet him, let alone to suggest helping him. And what if she helped him get into the castle and the guards caught him? Oh, then! Did that mean she should turn back? An anyway, even if she met him, what could possibly happen between them? Was there really any choice about marrying the king? Of course it was foolish to even think about running away. Where would she go? She could try go to her cousin's house in Tarhasta but she couldn't live there for the rest of her life. Was she just dreaming, thinking she could escape? And obviously the King would send soldiers after her. As she neared the gates she took a lot more care. Someone might have even seen her already. The gates were open again, even though it was dark. She stopped running a hundred yards before the city walls.

She thought about her meeting with Mal the night before. Why was it that he seemed to be kind and handsome, while the King seemed to be wicked and revolting? Perhaps Mal was like any other young man, but by comparing him with the King, he became kinder and more handsome in her mind. She would probably be disappointed when she met him again. If he was even there...

But thinking about meeting Mal again made her stomach flutter. He'd touched her throat, her skin. And she hadn't moved away. Would he touch her skin tonight? By the time she reached the gates her stomach was fluttering so much it felt like she had ants in her belly.

The guards waved her through. Immediately she looked ahead, across the plain, towards the small expanse of trees. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see anyone. She walked towards the trees. Spots of rain began to fall. He wasn't there. The ridiculous amount of emotion she'd felt about him was just a waste of feelings. He wasn't interested in her. Yavenna turned around and stared at the city in darkness. Her thumb brushed the huge engagement ring and fear gripped her belly.

She turned back for one last look towards the trees, then closed her eyes, wishing, praying...

A branch creaked.