Page 29 of Beyond Those Gilded Walls

Even the deep green shroud would not be able to hide my marks in this dress, and I doubted even the addition of the gloves would make a difference. Regardless, I slipped them on before pulling the shroud over my head.

The cat sat in the balcony doorway and watched me the entire time.

I pointedly ignored it as I left the room, shutting the door firmly behind me.

Throughout the party,the constant state of looking over my shoulder was beginning to wear on me. I’d known coming into the castle that I would never be safe, that I could trust no one and nothing, but seeing those assertions laid out in front of me was far different. Between the other servants, the Soulshades, the castle itself, Tallon, and the prince… my mind was quickly turning into a near perpetual state of madness.

Everything was tinged emerald tonight, and the ballroom was decorated like a forest, complete with tall vases filled with spiraling twisted plants and ornate vines draped from the ceiling around the chandeliers. As it was the nights before, the polished onyx floors reflected the candlelight thrown from the ornate candelabras, casting shadows across the tapestries that decorated the walls.

Dutifully, I kept my eyes down as I served the drinks. Before, I’d wanted nothing more than to stay in the kitchens, but now, they were the last place I wanted to be. The kitchens would give me nothing, but here, despite the horrible stench of entitlement, I could blend into the background, forgotten. I could excel here if I forced myself to forget where I was and why I was here. I’d served my entire life, after all.

None of the partygoers minded their tongues. It was an interesting phenomenon the prince had created, however awful it was. Like Zaharya had said, take away our faces, and our humanity went with it. We were nothing more than moving serving trays to these people, and they spoke to us, about us, and around us as if we were of no consequence.

I took advantage of it, listening as closely as my damaged ears would allow. But I’d learned my lesson never to linger in one place for too long, and I kept moving, kept serving. Perhaps the only good thing about the gauzy shroud that covered me was that I did not have to fake a pleasant facade.

I’d felt eyes on me throughout the night, certainly. Some stared longer than others, trying to make out my face beneath the shroud as they studied the new addition to the castle. But it was too dark and the veil just too opaque to truly allow them to.

And though most of the overheard conversations only served to fuel my anger at the prince and his people and reinforce the disgust at the wasteful opulence, some of the words they’d uttered as I passed were extremely enlightening.

The prince was far less revered here than I’d expected. These people feared him, certainly, but they did not seem tolikehim. They were beholden to him, but even now, nearly a year into this plague, it seemed his inactions were finally beginning to grate on even his most trusted. Frustration over not claiming his title, over not being allowed out.

Most of it was trivial, but I tucked away each tidbit deep into the recesses of my mind. It might not all make sense now, but I knew eventually, someone would say something and it would all fall into place. And then, I could ensure my brothers would live and ensure my promise to my mother was kept.

Miraculously, I stayed out of trouble this time, and before long, the party was ending. As they had the nights prior, the revelers cared little for whoever had to come behind them, and I began collecting the empty and discarded glasses.

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, but no ash coated my tongue. Carefully, I readjusted my grip on the tray before turning to see who was behind me.

Despite the others still flitting about in their shrouds, and the last of the occupants still filtering out of the ballroom, Tallon stood before me, unabashedly staring at me through his mask. A half-skull mask yet again, but different from each I’d seen before. This one was simpler, a dark green with silver-swirled filigree around the edges. The silver made his gray eyes even more piercing.

He handed me his glass, a smirk playing on his lips.

I added it to my tray with a scowl. His smirk turned into a full smile and he tipped his head back and laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the nearly empty ballroom and drawing the attention of those left behind. My chin stayed lifted as I turned. Retreating to the kitchens, I kept my steps slow and did not look back, even as I felt his eyes following my every move.

ChapterFifteen

Aknock on my door woke me at dawn. I’d just barely gone to sleep and debated ignoring the visitor, but another irritated knock pulled me from bed. Bleary-eyed, I pulled the door open to reveal Camelya, standing there clutching an envelope to her chest with a frown on her face.

Wordlessly, she thrust the letter into my hands.

I kept her gaze as I ripped it open, trying to find a clue to its contents in her face. The envelope only held my name across the front in handwriting I instantly recognized as Emyl’s.

Letters filled my eyes, and my chest clenched as they formed words and sentences.

It was a multitude of words. Words telling me the worst news of my life. The news I’d been dreading yet waiting to hear ever since that cough had bid me farewell.

Rhyon had contracted the blood plague.

My eyes scanned the letter again, searching for answers, but they snagged on the date. The letter was dated two days ago, the day after I’d arrived at the castle. My head snapped up. I’d known in my heart that it was true, what the cough I’d heard the day I’d left had meant. But seeing it here, in Emyl’s messy handwriting, laid out for anyone to see… “I need to go. I have to?—”

He could be already dead. He was so young. The plague would kill him faster than the normal seven days, and if he’d already been sick when I left, that only left him three days, maybe four. Only leftmethree days. I’d wasted so much time already trying to find a way to earn the trust of those who knew the castle to peer beneath the secrets of the gilded walls. I’d taken too long, and now my baby brother was going to pay for my mistakes.

My mind spun, and I could not catch my breath. Camelya juststoodthere looking at me. With a scoff, I let the letter fall to the ground between us and rushed to the wardrobe, pulling out clothing. I rifled through the bottom of the wardrobe, looking for a bag, but there was none. Grunting, I slammed the doors shut. I did not need to take clothes with me; I could make do. I needed to gethome as soon as possible.

Sifting through the clothes on the floor, I pulled on a clean dress and began my search for socks and boots for the journey.

Emyl could not possibly care for Rhyon, and I hardly trusted that the first thing he’d done was send me a letter. He would have spent at least a day denying that our brother, our precious Rhyon, had contracted the blood plague. But even if he’d just begun showing symptoms two days ago and Emyl had acted quickly, it could be too late. Rhyon was young, and his little body would not be able to fight it off for as long as I or our mother had.

“Odyssa, stop,” Camelya said, suddenly in front of me and holding both of my forearms. “Breathe. I need you to tell me what is happening. What did the letter say?”

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