Page 68 of Her Dark Promise

I walked out of their line of vision and spotted Circe speaking in low tones to a few servants that I had never seen before.

I quickened my pace to her when I overheard someone say, “King Jean just executed a teenage witch who, rumor has it, was performing her witchcraft deep in the woods. Then not long after, the baker's daughter fell ill and died!”

“Good. Let her perish. She got exactly what she deserved. I wish I could have been there to see her burn.”

My skin heated with their words. They were laughing over the tragedy. Didn’t see the girl as a human but a monster. I knew who they were talking about; Circe had told me that the girl would go into the woods to get away from her abusive family every night and was caught dancing around a fire.

She wasn’t even magic born. Someone had accused her, and she was burned the next day. I almost cursed them for saying such inconsiderate and hateful words. But, I looked over at my parents who were laughing with more of their supporters, and at that moment, I hated them. Hated what they stood for. Hated them for unknowingly hating me. The one thing they did right was hiring Circe to care for me. She was the only one who knew the real me and didn’t fear it.

I straightened and was about to join in on their conversation until my father walked out of the ballroom with Lord Padden. I remembered where I was and the shame it would bring upon my family. Not only that, but it would lead to unnecessary questions.

I remembered what Circe asked of me a month ago about trying to spy on my father and his private conversations. I loathed it, but we needed to know which group of people would be targeted next.

I had successfully infiltrated a few meetings using the old tunnels that I discovered while playing as a child and that hadn’t been used in years. I kept them a secret until I told Circe, thinking that she could use them to sneak out of the castle. And I was right.

This knowledge allowed us to save over twenty magic borns over the last few weeks. Circe had decided that once I was old enough, I would be the one to sneak through the inner walls of the castle and spy on my father because I wouldn’t be punishedif I were caught. At least, not as harshly as someone else. I had already been lying to my family ever since I found out about my powers, and if this lie aided in saving lives, then it was worth the risk.

I had turned my back on the group upon my father’s arrival, grabbed a glass from a passing servant, and followed them out of the ballroom. Based on their direction, I knew exactly where they were heading. I hurried through the tunnels and got into position just as my father and his council of advisers situated themselves in one of the secret rooms in the castle.

“I heard from my spy that they are planning a rebellion. And soon,” Lord Padden said.

A rebellion? Circe had told me no such thing. The lord had to be spewing lies or else I would have known. Circe would have told me.

“Have you heard back from King Ewan? How does he feel about your proposal?”

“He has agreed to marry his son to Calathea.”

Father nodded in response. “The alliance with Ewan is crucial. With his help, we will have the numbers and the resources to eradicate the covens from existence once and for all.” Eradicate? My breathing had become labored, and the walls suddenly felt too close to me, but I needed to focus.

“They say his son is,” Lord Padden’s voice lingered. “A bit wild.”

“A challenge for Calathea, perhaps, but she will adapt,” Father added. “She’s come of age, and if we can make her marriage beneficial and strengthen her reign, she will understand.”

I pushed past the pain building in my chest as I heard Lord Padden ask, “It is not a secret that your daughter has spoken against you for the executions. Will she fall into line?”

I gritted my teeth at their blatant disrespect toward me and expected him to be put in his place, but Father simply said, “Rumors. My house is in order, and my daughter will do her duty.”I couldn’t hear anymore and rushed as silently as I could out of the walls, hurrying to the wooden door of their room to wait impatiently for them to finish deciding my future.

The moment they opened the door, I demanded, “Father, I must speak with you.”

Father’s spine had straightened, and he excused his council with a shallow nod, escorting me into the room.

“Please tell me it’s not true. Please tell me you’re not actually considering marrying me off for politics and warfare?”

Father looked at me as if I had grown two heads; this was not what he expected me to say. “How did you—”

“Tell me it isn’t true! Please tell me you wouldn’t do that to me, knowing how I feel about your witch hunt!”

“Enough!” He roared, voice so loud that I recoiled away from him for the first time in my life. “You will marry him, bed him, and give him children—as is your duty as a princess. You will secure your role in his kingdom to save ours.”

“There is nothing to save if you would stop killing innocent people!”

One moment, I was standing in front of him, and the next I was on the floor, my face stinging from where his hand had struck me. I saw the look of regret on my father's face, but he simply straightened his back and said in a slightly calmer tone, “You will understand when you get older. I am only doing my job as king of this country and as your father. This war isn’t going to end, it’s only going to get worse. Can’t you see that, child? If you are weak, if you are,” he paused, and swallowed, desperation clinging to his voice, “too soft, you will destroy everything.”

I said not another word to him as I took a moment to collect myself and strode from the room. It was well past sundown when I stormed into the stables and found Alexei putting away the reins of one of the horses. I had often sought him out when I needed small reprieves from everyone, even Circe, when my heightened emotions became too much.

All we did was kiss. I knew that I could never sleep with him, never risk someone finding out I had soiled myself. The price of my virginity, a silly little thing that made me soft, as my father said, would be my crown. He wanted me pure? I wouldn’t give him that. I wouldn’t marry a prince who wished to kill more of the people that I had vowed to help Circe save.

My people.

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