Page 56 of Mirror of Malice
He strode forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You know what? I think you need some sleep. After a night of rest, you’ll wake up refreshed, and you’ll see that life here won’t be so bad. You can meet my betrothed. I’m sure you two will have a lot to talk about.” He started pushing me toward the door.
“No, Jasper?—”
“I’ll even let you pick your husband. You will have to choose someone. I can’t keep feeding you, clothing you, housing you. It would be inappropriate, given the circumstances.”
We stopped in front of the doors, and I whirled around.
“Anything else before you go?” Jasper said.
“Yes.” I smiled, then brought back my fist just like Hammer taught me and punched him square in the face. “Goodnight.” I turned and slammed the door behind me, hearing his cries as I walked down the hallway and toward my room.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Well, that certainly hadn’t gone as planned. I paced in front of my windows, which overlooked the swelling hills of the desert, stars blanketing the dark skies above. A fire roared in the hearth, but all I could feel was the chill of Jasper’s words. He was right. I was alone. I didn’t have anybody. My entire plan had hinged on Jasper, on him helping me. I hadn’t even thought there might be a chance he’d have moved on.
A tear rolled down my cheek. It had been stupid to think he would wait for me. Stupid to think he actually loved me. He loved my status. Well, former status. Now that I had no court to rule over, I was useless to him. Our entire history together had meant nothing to him. All those times we’d taken strolls around my courtyard, kissed under the stars, spent hours talking about our future together—it had all been a means to an end. I felt sick over how he’d used me.
I chewed at the inside of my cheek, not sure where to go from here. I couldn’t just stroll back into the earth court and take on my stepmother by myself, especially not without any magic. I’dbe thrown back into prison, and this time, there’d be no king of thieves rescuing me.
I couldn’t go back to Mosswood Forest, not after I’d left Penn like that. I doubted the king of thieves would be so forgiving. But then, what were my choices? To stay here and be married off to someone while my court withered away?
No. No. I would go into hiding and come up with a plan. I just needed a little bit of time to think, and then I could act. I would save the earth court, and I would save Princess Seraphina. Jasper would never become king. He didn’t deserve the title, not when he only cared about himself.
Blood and earth, I wished Jillian and Driscoll were here. Driscoll would offer to cut off his balls, and Jillian would say something about how he wasn’t worthy of me. They’d make me laugh and they’d dry my tears. They’d remind me I wasn’t as alone as I felt. I hoped they were okay, that my stepmother hadn’t hurt them in my absence, or worse, killed them.
I stared out my window again, frisking my arms. It would make sense to try and escape tonight, with the cover of darkness. I knew Gilraeth’s layout well enough that I could probably find some shelter, a cave to hide in or rock formation to sleep under. But the desert got so cold at night, and I wouldn’t have any food. I needed more time to get supplies. A cloak, my boots, bread, dried meats from the kitchen. Surely Jasper wouldn’t marry me off tomorrow. I could spend a day collecting what I needed and then steal away tomorrow night. If I could escape the king of thieves, then this wouldn’t be that hard.
Jasper didn’t know of the skills I’d learned, wouldn’t be expecting me to run away. He’d think me stupid for even trying. And he’d be right—but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t just sit here and let yet another person decide my fate.
Some commotion outside caught my attention. Two people ran across the sand that dusted the courtyard of Jasper’s home.Sand flew up behind them, the silver moon sending slivers of light across the ground. For a moment, my stomach dropped. Was the sorceress who’d cursed Seraphina here? Maybe she was working with my stepmother somehow, and now that she knew of my presence, she was going to return me to Elwen.
My eyes widened when I recognized one of the figures. Even under the cover of that cloak, I’d recognize those muscled shoulders, that broad chest, that peek of blond hair anywhere.
Penn was here.
Then my gaze caught on the second figure. Shadow was attempting to grab Penn’s arm and yank him away. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He clutched at his stomach, and she grabbed him, but he shook her off. I pressed my hands against the window, wishing I could shout down to them and warn them away.
Had Penn lost his mind?
If Jasper knew he were here, he’d be arrested. Executed, possibly. And I was no longer in Jasper’s good graces. I wouldn’t be able to save Penn’s life, not again. I swallowed just as Penn’s head lifted, and even though a hood cloaked his face, I knew he was looking straight at me. I shook my head, but he didn’t heed my warning, continuing to sneak in the shadows. All of a sudden, shouts rang out, guards running toward the courtyard.
Oh, no.
Penn was injured, not thinking clearly. That would be the only reason he’d do something so foolish. The king of thieves had never been caught, and I couldn’t believe he’d risked himself like this for me. My chest tightened as the guards grabbed Penn and yanked him from Shadow. He pressed his hands to his side, and I let out a small gasp. Shadow kicked the guard trying to apprehend her, but he held out his hand and a ball of fire appeared, ready to be hurled at her. She held out her hand, vines spiraling from her palms. But new guards appeared, and awall of fire sprang up around Shadow and Penn. I stood there, helpless, watching as the guards let the wall of fire die down and led Penn and Shadow away, melting into the darkness.
My decision was an easy one: I had to rescue them.
And then... well, I’d figure out my next steps after that. Right now, all I knew was that Penn was injured and would likely die in that prison, and he might very well be the only one who knew how to destroy that mirror and destroy my stepmother once and for all. I needed him. And he needed me.
It was time to put my skills as a thief to the test. I was going to steal the keys to the dungeon. I was going to save the king of thieves.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Aloud banging jolted me awake from where I sat under the window. I must’ve fallen asleep here last night. After I saw Penn and Shadow being captured, I’d sank down to the floor, immediately forming a plan as to how I was going to rescue them, right out from under Jasper’s nose.
The knock sounded again. “Princess Liliath?” a female voice said, one I didn’t recognize. “Lord Jasper is requesting your presence.”
“Come in,” I said, and the maid entered, her dark hair plaited in a braid, her golden skin luminous in the sunlight that streamed through the big windows.
