Bonded

Chapter 12

The very next day she paced on the stone library floors wondering how could she get to the bottom of the situation. The tap tap tap of her gait echoed in the cavernous room. She could ask Lord Tarquin bluntly of what he knew of her but the infuriating man was not the most easy person to talk to. He would either throw the information in her face or conceal it enough to make her quiver with wrath.

Jza was certain Lord Tarquin did not know who she was. His temperament had not changed in the slightest or maybe, just maybe, he was playing her for a fool in his wretched game of trying to break her. It haunted her mind the implications of his discovery. Was it possible he had found more paintings of her. Were any of them with the Princesses? She barely spent any time in their company so there was a chance she could have been eliminated from any group portraits.

Even her rooms were far removed from the Princesses because of how severely they ostracised her from the beginning. They would spill their drinks on her new gowns and let everyone believe Jza was so uncivilised she could not keep them clean for an hour. They would hide or break her belongings and call her irresponsible. It was when they started misplacing their own belongings and blaming her that she was taken away from their shared quarters. Her father had been clear it was not as a punishment but for her own protection. He knew she was truthful.

Her own room was smaller than her former one. It had no separate seating room but one combined with her bedroom so she could only entertain her most closest friends. It also had no balcony and only a small window but it had the peace she yearned for. She was safe in her own little space with her meagre belongings. Her father had asked her to decorate it with her own choices and she had chosen green, silk wallcoverings to adorn her cosy room.

Jza continued her pacing feeling the rope tighten on her neck. The man was just too curious to let her identity be a non-issue. He was hunting her as he had hunted her since the day they had lost this castle to him. She could sense his metaphorical teeth at the nape of her throat just itching to draw blood. His moments of calm were just a facade. He would not rest until her identity lay on his feet for him to stamp on.

Her feet paused as she realised there were no shadow under her door. She looked outside the massive library windows and discerned the guard was switching with another fellow. They tended to do so at this time of day. It was in that moment a thought flitted through her panicked mid which was so stupid, so selfish. If caught she would most certainly lose the tatters of freedom in her grip.

She placed her book on the desk with false calmness. Her head and mind were bursting with the possibility that she could use this moment to escape. She was rarely ever left alone and if there was going to be any chance this was it. Her maid was also absent that day due to one ailment or the other. This was a chance in a million.

But what about the locket she thought. How could she think to leave it behind. Another selfish thought marinated in her head. Surely the man was too dense to figure it out. To him it was just a sentimental bauble of no worth. If his immense curiosity had not led him to the locket's truth now then why would her absence. She could escape, hide, find her father, who would consequently defeat Tarquin and take the locket off his dead body.

Before she knew it her body had crossed the room and near the door. Her hand shook as she touched the intricate door handle and then the world exploded in a bright disarray for colours. It was all in her mind since the room was quiet as it had been. Jza's limbs burned and she fell to rough floor with an ominous thud.

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The world swayed when she opened her eyes. The gold and green blurs danced across her mind as she blinked, trying to clear her vision. Her hand reached her forehead and it was damp to the touch. Her head was resting on a silk pillow.