Page 11 of Her Royal Blood

“Stay alive, my friend,” he told him. “And get that fucking eye fixed.

“You do the same,” Hawk responded as we continued forward. “He’ll probably drown, but if he doesn’t, Solbrook has a formidable army, we could win this war.”

“Oh I know,” I agreed. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t get killed.”

“Tent twelve. This is me,” Hawk peered into a messy tangle of dirty bunks covered in equally muddied and discarded clothes. “Home sweet home.”

I choked back a laugh. “Smells like you just shit where you lay.” I plugged my nose against the onslaught of stink.

“You don’t smell anything after awhile. I’m the bunk at the far end, if you need to get to me, that’s where I am. After I getone of the nurses to fix up this eye” I nodded to him, noting his location. “Let’s see where they put a prince?”

We continued to walk forward past the other makeshift sheds and crumbling barracks to one that was numbered fifteen A.

“Well this is actually quite nice,” I teased as we walked into the small hut that was clean and sparse. A wooden bed with a simple straw mattress sat in the corner where a table and two chairs were placed on the opposite wall. Outside of the meager furnishings the room was empty. “You’re always welcome to visit.”

“Fifteen A? You won’t be here long. Anyone who has ever lived in this hut hasn’t survived more than a week. Watch your back and sleep with our eyes open. With Polonius’ offer on your head, people are going to come in here looking to kill you.”

“Makes sense,” I sighed. “Well good luck to them, but I’m getting off this island to lead a war that will end with Polonius’ head on a pike. I’ll march into Onyx Rah with it on my staff and will hand it to the queen on our wedding day. Those who seek to murder me will either be marching at my back or buried under my feet.” I offered Hawk a smile and he shook his head.

“Such a delusional mother fucker,” he said and walked off. “Dinner is at dark.”

I saluted him and closed the door to the hut. The door didn’t offer much protection, but at least was a minor barrier that would give me time to defend myself when someone came. It was going to be a long night, so I decided to get rest while I could. I closed my eyes and thought of Aria. My wolf was withering inside of me, and now that everything was quiet my heart silently shattered. Aria, the love of my life, my mate, my partner, my queen, was married…to Polonius.

Chapter 5

Aria

I continued to wear my invisible cloaking as I walked through the tangled hallways of Polonius's estate. While remaining invisible did tax my body and became harder and harder to maintain the longer I had to sustain it, it was the only way I could make it into the dungeons without being detected. I wasn't sure where I was going but most estates like Polonius’ housed the dungeons in the bowels of the building.

Following my instincts and logic, I came upon a wide corridor big enough for soldiers to walk two abreast. After coursing through it to the maze of smaller corridors that were tight and constricting, I assumed they must have led to Polonius' dungeon. When I walked up to a heavy wooden door studded and banded in iron, just like the rest of the architecture in Polonius's castle, I materialized through it. When I did, I came upon a large dimly lit room with a domed ceiling. Several wall sconces flickered with candlelight. In a circle around the room were cells separated by heavy iron bars. My eyes traced over each one until I found a woman slumped over on a bench with her head in her hands. She had a shock of red hair. It was Bindi, she was alive.

I materialized through the bars of her cell. While I was still invisible, she didn't know I was there, but must have sensed something. Her face looked up and her eyes searched the empty space. There was only one wooden bench for her to sit and sleep on. She looked fatigued and downhearted, but apart from a few bruises and a cut over her cheek, she wasn’t in as bad a state as I expected.

“Bindi,” I said, still not revealing myself.

Bindi rubbed her eyes and looked around again. “Hello?” she whispered.

“It’s me,” I slowly lifted the invisibility cloaking in the corner of her cell and squeezed myself near the wall so that a passing guard wouldn’t see me.

“Queen Aria?” her eyes lit up and she smiled. “But you? Aren’t you supposed to be with Polonius?” Suddenly that smile turned to a look of worry.

“The Aria Polonius married is an illusion. Gabrielle has taken my place after I disguised her with magic to look like me. I hope she won’t have to play the role too long but I need to get to Lex. He was taken to Vitoria Island. I’m here to see that you’re well and find out what you know. Also we need to get you out of here.” I wanted to stay with her longer and strategize but every minute I was away from Lex and my mission to rescue him, the closer Gabrielle was to being discovered.

“That’s brilliant. Gabrielle is really going above and beyond for us,” Bindi mused.

“We all have, you included. I am so grateful to find you still alive.” Words couldn’t truly express how happy I was.

“Well Aria, who is apparently Gabrielle, had the genius to convince Polonius to keep the Onyx Rah Royal Guards alive. She told him that we were loyal to her and would do anything to ensure the safety of our queen. She explained that having her Royal Guards supporting her and in turn, him, would soften hisimage with the nations of Tobran and perhaps help him gain their support.” Bindi said looking slightly better than she had as color was coming back into her cheeks.

“Gabrielle is brilliant. She’s doing exactly what I would have done. I am so proud of her for being able to convince Polonius. It’s not an easy thing to do.” I was truly grateful to both Gabrielle and Bindi for their sacrifices.

“I agree, but Polonius is beside himself with this marriage. He’s being almost too kind to her, um…you. It’s worrying.” Bindi’s face fell into a frown.

“Don’t be worried, he thinks himself in love. Now that he’s getting ultimate power and the woman he believes he cares for, he’ll make mistakes. He’s wallowing in his own pride. We’ll have to watch him and take advantage of any slip up as soon as I get you out of here.” I instructed in a hurried tone of voice. “I can cloak you in invisibility and have you come with me, but we need to move fast.”

I couldn’t stay much longer.

“I can’t go. As much as I’d like to be free, if I’m found missing, it will raise red flags and could jeopardize everyone’s life. All of the Royal Guards are being held here, and they know us all, especially me. While I’m here we exercise and train so that when we’re let out of here, we’ll be in top form. Or we will ambush the guards and escape. As much as I want to serve and protect you and remain by your side, I worry what it might do to the others if I’m found missing.” She reiterated her worries.

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