❝Hreathoire❞

Chapter 16

Awoken with another irksome, chiming bell, I got up from bed and opened my door, watched as the maids head down to acknowledge the headmaid's presence. I searched my eyes for Lilith and saw her amidst the waves of women, only waving a hand and eyes not straightly looking at me. I wonder why.

"Another tradition is to be celebrated in Eviloire." The head began, her bun as neat as usual. "The commemoration of the Evilorian spirits. To remember the deceased Evilorians who birthed many great things for our land."

I gulped when the headmaid eyed me, much wishing Lilith is beside me. I cannot just race down the stairs and bump onto others just to tap her shoulder. Luckily, the headmaid glanced back to the other maids.

"You know your routines, except the new ones of course," There is a slight mocking tone with that. "I will be ordered by the king and queen to declare the maid that will be joining the celebration. To serve the Phoenix family there, to guide them, not just to dawdle. It's their decision, not mine."

"And for those who aren't chosen, remain with your usual tasks." I saw some of their visages are delighted, like it's more beneficial if they aren't the chosen ones. I can't understand why there is a slight hope in me to be chosen. I don't even know what's going to happen there like maybe they would perform another ritual; kill innocent lives, chant spells, and that would terrify me again. Find me nauseous.

"When I call your name, come to my side." Lilith is not yet walking towards me, she seems avoidant now by the look in her eyes. My heart throbbed in both anticipation and fear.

"Cassandra Seraphine." My eyes widened, and I feel like the floors are going to devour me when I saw the maids' smirk and sudden gossiping. "Yes, you dear. Come on here now."

Now, I'm certain, this will never be really fun. Why did the king and queen choose me to be the one coming? Out of all the others.

.  .  .  ۩  .  .  .

The torrential rain when we were fixing the carriages didn't seem to last long. I stood, like I was submerged in a delirious wave when I saw from the shadows, Prince Blaze. He's wearing ebony trousers and crimson tunic embroidered with gold lacings. I almost gasped when he walks towards my direction, smiling.

"Sadly, we can't bring Mulberry and Dot."

"Well, it might be dangerous for them so I think it's a good thing."

He chuckled, like it was a usual thing for him to do. I tried to inch closer just to smell him, realizing we slept in the same bed last night. He noticed how I seemed to be sniffing and so he gave a sly smile.

"Smells good?"

"What?" My auburn cheeks had me in trouble again. "I was just searching for a mosquito."

"Okay. With your nose." He shrugged, stepped in the chariot once I got in first. This is the type of carriage with no roof, meaning we'd feel the wind embracing us throughout the journey. This chariot is simple and can carry three people but only Blaze and I are in this. We are the last chariot, the second one has the headmaid only. The first one is a coach with elegant designs embedded, so fancy I surmise it has the king and queen.

"Are we even safe here?" I asked Blaze, we held onto the edges of the chariot and I can already feel my knees go weak just by imagining the possible length of the journey. Don't they have enough carriages with roofs and seats?

"Our two horses have magic in them. They can sense if there is danger and that would alert our coachman who, too, has a power to eliminate such forces."

"Who doesn't have a power here anyway?"

I grinned and he snickered, inching nearer to me.

When the horses trotted, he held my waist.