Dark Love

Part 36

Her breathing slowed, light on her feet she stepped out onto the corridor, leaving the door to close on the incredulous princes behind her. Her senses picked up and attuned to her surroundings. Thieving was her way of life. Stealing from those with power was not just her way for getting back on them for the shunning, but a means to support herself. The black market for power spells and potions was huge and lucrative. It was also not just patroned by others with power but with the humans as well.

The gang of thieves she ran with were all humans. Humans who were not only aware of the existence of the witches, wizards and vampires that dominate the power society but the lesser Fae and others as well. They probably knew more about power, it origin, and what it all meant then she did. They had certainly known about her and her shunning, when she first approached them to hock off some stolen potions.

Nick Stavros, had taken one look at her eleven year old self and sneered before stepping back and rightfully allowing his dad to call the shots. His dad was dead now and Nick ran the show. He would be dumbfounded to see where she lurked now. Stealing from a palace, from the Prince of Darklings, it had been an opportunity she couldn't resist. Even with the prince knowing she was happy looting him, she knew he was not about to raise the alarm. Not when he was the one responsible for bringing a shunned not just into the palace but into the royal fold.

Saera cast a cautious glance about her, listening carefully to any sounds. Leaning in to press an ear at the first door she came across. It had been tough going when she'd been younger, trying to evade the death traps, the spells in place to protect the valuables. She had avoided those at first, going for the mundane spellworks, like sleep potions, or weight-loss potions, anti-ageing potions. Things she knew were an easy sell and not heavily guarded. She would haul her loot to the Stavros and receive Nick's taunting grin for her efforts.

The fourteen year old boy, had lifted his dark brown and allowed his dark brown gaze to tell her he found her efforts wanting, even before he opened his mouth to say as much. "A sleeping spell? Really? We have Redinite for that. Is that the best you can come up with?" But while Nick had made fun and taunted her efforts, his dad had quietly bagged her haul and paid her for it. Then later when she got caught, he had called her in for training. Training that made the best of her parkour abilities and added in knife play and sword work for good measure. But it was really the martial arts training she'd received along side Nick, who had already been way ahead of her, that made all the difference. With the help of that she'd gotten out of more than her share of sticky situations. But now she had her magic to help her, there was nothing she couldn't do now. And the urge to steal something of value, not just a dress, just so she could rub it into Nick Stavros handsome face, was nagging at her senses. She shook it off for now. She was here for a dress. Nothing more.

Pressed against a door and hearing nothing, she turned the knob and pushed open the door. The bed was striped bare. The room was clearly unoccupied. Guest rooms, she supposed. A few doors down and she discovered, a lounge room, a dining room and an entertainment room. These were the princes suit of rooms and it remained vastly unoccupied with the Prince himself away at the academy. Frowning hard, Saera realised she would need to venture out deeper into the palace perhaps explore another wing. She'd seen the monstrosity that made the palace from the outside and could guess at the layout within. Moving forward with greater agility and confidence than before, Saera struck out to make her way to the other wings.

The palace she found was far from empty. The place was teeming with activity. But as expected, there were no guards within the compound. And having already been admitted in, Saera received no more than a cursory glance as she made her way across to the other wings.

"The guest wing is that way, madam," volunteered a helpful staff who rightfully recognised she had no business being where she was, so close to the prince's wing. But she'd been wrong in assuming her a guest. Still she didn't linger to correct that mistake and instead did as she was bid and went off to rob the guest of the palace. That her presence there had not been widely questioned was good news, it clearly meant there were other girls her age group residing in the guest chambers and one of them surely had a dress she could use.

The sounds of female voices drew her attention to a room further down the corridor to the guest wing. The words were muffled but she had power now and that was no longer an obstacle.

She moved to lean against the door to better listen to what was being said, if she could gauge it's occupants were leaving the room soon, then this would be as good a room as any to start her search. She pressed her ear close, then she took it all a step further, by muttering an sound amplifying chant.

"You are not getting any younger, Amelia. This is your chance." The voice was refined but matronly, alluding to the woman speaking the words older age.

"I am hardly ancient mother." That voice, Amelia's, sounded as snotty as the self-proclaimed princess she used to share a dorm with.

"Don't pull that tone with me, young lady. I had to pull a lot of strings to get us this far. Getting rid of your husband, in a sacrifice, took a toll on my soul. I took on more than my share of smut for your future. Any more and it's a demon you are looking at. Be thankful it has not come to that. " The woman huffed angrily. "Do your part! Charm the Queen and once your mourning period is over you and join the academy and win over the prince."

Saera drew blank with a startled grunt. "What the fuck?"