Page 77 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Then why can I feel this?” My fingers hovered over my chest where that feeling of familiarity settled.

“Who’s to say, Carita.” Her mouth twisted into a wry grin and her energy leapt over her skin.

Carita. What did that mean?

I opened my mouth to ask, but the door to the courtyard banged open, and I twisted to see the guard appear in the doorway.

“Time’s up,” he grunted.

My head whipped to the water lady, and I stumbled back as my eyes landed on nothing. There was no trace of her except the slightly elevated ripples that were spreading out across the pond. My mouth gaped as I turned back to the guard in utter disbelief, ready to ask if he had seen anything. But as his eyebrows furrowed, I closed my mouth with a snap. He already thought I was a weirdo. I didn’t need to give him any more ammunition.

Blinking away my confusion, I slowly headed back towards the palace, checking behind every few steps until I got through the door. I hardly noticed the journey as I followed the guard, who seemed keen to get me back to my room as quickly as he could, my mind filled with thoughts of the woman. With yet more questions that I had no one to ask. It wasn’t like I could look up ‘disappearing water lady’ in the encyclopaedia.

Maybe I was losing my mind?

No, she was definitely real, and I wanted some answers.

30

CHAPTER THIRTY

ELODIE

The monotony of the next few days grated against my patience—wake up, breakfast, down to the courtyard. They stretched on into a routine I was reluctant to rely upon, yet wholly unable to deviate from in any way.

Not a single chance to escape presented itself to me.

Once I had returned from my first time outside, I had immediately been drawn to the soft ticking. Unexpected warmth flooded me at the thought of the tall woman getting the clock that was now hanging on the wall opposite the table I ate at.

There had also been a new flower every day, placed around the room for me to find once I was back from my allotted outside time. Each one different, grown with magik I could sense came from Kaius. After the arrival of the first few, I realised they matched whatever colour underwear had been brought that morning, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

It didn’t make up for not seeing him this whole time, but strangely knowing he was thinking of me was almost enough.

There had been a different escort each day. I told myself it was because they rotated and not because the first one didn’t want to watch over a crazy person.

Or they thought I was a master of manipulation and could convince one to let me go.

I was waiting for the water lady would turn up again, and this time I wouldn’t be so blindsided and could ask some questions of worth. But, so far, I had been alone.

Despite the cold earth, I laid back on the soft clover by the edge of the pool, eyes closed and ears straining for any hint of her arrival. All I could hear was the soft babbling of the water falling over the rocks and the singing of the birds from the jumble of ivy that covered the walls, teasing me with the freedom only wings could provide.

I had been sleeping well, no burning trees—or people—haunted my sleep, and laying here I felt relaxed, well rested.

My waking mind, however, was anything but. Continuous questions plagued me, and no matter how much I pored over the newest addition to my pitiful library, I found no answers within its aged pages.

Could I list the seven kingdoms which made up Avelin? Sure.

Did I know that a bleat was the proper term for the mating call of a Chimera, and that a Trustan Wyrm could only be found in the caverns of northern Jusari? Yep.

All useless information that meant nothing. I was starting to believe it was some sort of joke Bastian was responsible for, and he was spending his time laughing his royal ass off at all the hours I was wasting on it.

I missed seeing Kaius, but without me screaming in my sleep or getting into fights I couldn’t get myself out of, what reason did he have to come to me? It was probably for the best. I didn’t need to get attached, no matter how gorgeous he was or how amazing it had felt when we connected. I was still set on leaving here even if I hadn’t put all the pieces together.

The flowers Kaius left were reminders that it had been days since I had last seen him, his scent long gone from the jackethe’d given me. The clock I had been so excited about was another way for me to measure the time I spent here, each minute ticking away into nothing. My life going nowhere fast.

I breathed in the clean air; the smell of roses that bloomed untended filled my lungs, and I could feel my body singing with the energy that floated around me. The sun was hot today on my face though my fingertips still ached with the ever-present cold that leached into me from the frosted grass I was sat upon. I didn’t know how long I had been here or how long they would let me stay today. She would either come or she wouldn’t.

Rolling onto my side, I picked up the book I had brought—One Hundred Tales of the Fae of Old—and flicking through the pages picked a story at random. They were all short, so it didn’t matter which order I read them in. I was mostly sure it was a book meant for children, even if some of them were a little questionable.

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