Page 82 of Flirting with Darkness

9

DARINA

We travel for the entire night and most of the day, in a honest-to-god carriage bearing a silver poinsettia emblem enameled on dark blue paint.

My only prior experience with such travel was back in high school, when I visited New York City with my class. We opted to waste our money on a tour of Central Park on an open carriage pulled by handsome horses. I found it charming at the time. Now I know better. Carriages suck. I have a crick in my neck, and one at the base of my spine, and my ass, though seated on a padded cushion, feels like it's been worked over with a mallet.

By the time we reach our destination, I'm sweaty, tired, and so sore I struggle to get up.

"See that she's presentable," Jaynus orders as he exits the carriage.

I stumble out of it, but his maids catch me by the arm before I fall on my ass.

"This way, my lady."

Rows upon rows of tents have been erected over an endless dale, but my eyes ignore all of them, settling instead on the humongous castle in the valley between two mountains, yet reaching higher than either peak.

It's breathtaking. A castle from a fairy tale, with its slim towers, stretching so tall they seem to reach the moon. Yet for all its grandeur, the castle seems built as an homage to the mountains around it, shaped like a third one in the middle.

Despite the bustle on this field, the castle and the gated village at its base seem empty and quiet. Night is falling, yet not one of the thousands of windows I can see is lit.

Inexplicably, that makes me sad.

The maids lead me to one of the tents, somewhat humble compared to some of the grand canopies of rich velvets and expansive size, yet this abode is still much larger than anything Scarlett would have taken for camping. It might even be larger than my apartment. When we enter, I see it is sectioned into several rooms.

The maids take me to a makeshift bathroom, with a small basin of cold water.

As they start to fuss over me, cleaning me and painting my face, it occurs to me that I know neither of their names. Nor do they know mine. "I'm Darina," I introduce myself. "You?"

The women—fairies—exchange a confused glance. The shorter one is the first to recover. "Flyn, my lady."

"I'm not a lady." I suddenly remember the last time I said that, just last night, and my lip wobbles.

That was back in Night Hall, before I methim. Before I was dragged away from everything I know.

"Pardon,my lady, but the term is appropriate for a companion of Sir Jaynus," Flyn insists, with an hesitant smile. "And this is Lurette. She doesn't talk."

I switch to sign language.Nice to meet you.

Lurette's wide blue eyes brighten, accentuating the contrast with her shiny, black skin.You speak in silence,she signs.

I talk out loud as I continue the familiar language, glad it's the same across the worlds. "I met mute students when I was an undergrad, so I learned."

"Undergrad?" Flyn repeats, confused.

Anger bubbles inside me again.

Of course she wouldn't know what that is. Women don't study here, where they're either maids or playthings—or in my case, both.

"An undergrad is a student who hasn't yet completed their first diploma, the bachelors. I studied music and joined an orchestra part time. I still go to school for my masters now, and I teach some classes. ASL has come in handy often."

ASL? Lurette signs.

I fingerspell out each word.American Sign Language. That's what we call the silent speech where I'm from.

We know of America, Lurette replies enthusiastically.I’ve been there as a child.

“So have I,” Flyn quips. “I’ll never forget the taste of candy floss!”

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