Page 55 of The Princess of Nothing
I lifted an eyebrow. “How’d you think?”
“Your fiancé.” He joked, but his smile wavered. “Do you need to go now? We’re so close.” His eyes widened, the gold flecks reflecting light from the high sun. “Please, Winter.”
“Yes. Just wait for me, okay?”
“You’ve got to be kidding. This is our chance to get out. What could be more important?”
My heart was pounding. I squeezed his hand, my stare begging his. “There are things I must think of before myself. Those dragons I told you of, Xenos must have the papers in the same room where he keeps the contracts. It’s where all the important documents are kept. My wedding contract is in there too. With everyone distracted, I can get in there. I have to blow this up. There are people here in Berovia who are against him. The man you sent to tell me you’d left, he was the head of a group who hates the monarchy. I’m sure they would love a reason to go to war with Xenos. Then there are the firedrake warders. They were at the castle. If they knew the dragons were here, they’d come to fight for them. It would be enough distraction where we could get out, and if he’s fighting his own people, then he can’t fight mine, for now.” My eyes pooled with tears. “If the king succeeds in his plan with siphoning their magic, I won’t have a throne to go back to. I’m sparking a war as soon as I run. Let me have a head start.”
“How will you get the information to all these people?”
I breathed deeply. My nerves were buzzing. “News writers. They don’t control the newspapers here.”
“Nope,” Cedric replied. “It’s a good idea, but I don’t want you to risk your life for it.”
I clenched my jaw. “I will be queen, Cedric. It is my responsibility.”
He shook his head slowly, and his shoulders drooped. “I’ll come with you.”
“They’d know you in a second. It’s better I go alone.”
“Please.” He touched my arm. “Be careful, and fast. I’ll come in fighting for you if I have to, but we all have a better chance of getting out alive if I don’t.”
“I know.” I kissed him, and his lips pressed against mine with urgency. My adrenaline spiked as the invisible hands of time came down upon me. I pulled away, my fingers falling from his. “Where shall I meet you?”
“We’re stationed at the entrance to the tunnels,” he explained rapidly. “There are underground passages. We had to tunnel to reach them. They were filled decades ago. There is a small gate. It’s half hidden on the side of the castle, by the west wing.” He pointed in the direction. “There is a collection of rocks and golden satinas blooming next to it. Duck under there. I’ll be waiting for you.”
I nodded curtly, then turned on my heel and ran across the grass, my lungs tightening, sweat drops forming. I reached the door and nodded at the guard. Looking back, I saw Cedric had already gone. “I heard a disturbance in the bushes all the way at the back.” I pointed in the opposite direction than where Cedric would have run. “Where the gardener is. I think someone may have broken in. It’s past the pond. I’m worried it is an attacker who may have heard about the wedding. Would you go?”
His eyes flamed. He grabbed the hilt of his sword. I hoped it would bide me enough time to get the documents and flee back out the door before he returned. The trip to the garden had already cost me twenty of my precious thirty minutes.
I didn’t stop to catch my breath. With forced determination, I quickened my stride, marching toward the document room. It was so close. Just around one more corner.
My heart pounded to a stop when I saw them. My eyes flicked from Kiros to Xenos, who both were walking away from the document room.
“Sweetheart.” Kiros’s eyes gleamed when he saw me. “It’s bad luck to see you before the wedding.”
My teeth chattered, and my skin buzzed as I walked to him, forcing a smile. “I was looking for you.” I looked at Xenos, who wore a cynical frown, then back at Kiros. “I’m so glad I found you. Um, could we talk in private?”
“Ten minutes,” Xenos warned his son and gestured for the guards to follow him to the ballroom. In the distance, violins merged with drumbeats and a harp. The music heightened my anxiety. It was about to begin.
Once we were alone, Kiros grabbed me, pulling me into a tight embrace. “You look beautiful. Also, I’m pleased to see you got my birthday gift.” He looked into my eyes, his baby blues brighter than I’d ever seen. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“It means a lot you did this for me.” I white-knuckled the ash wood. Knowing what I was about to do to him hurt me. “I wanted to look at the contract,” I said. “I need to check one thing.”
“Oh.” His eyebrows furrowed. “Yes, um, do we need to do it right now? I mean, our wedding is about to start.”
“Yes, I’m worried something has been added,” I explained, not really knowing what I was rambling about but praying he bought it.
He licked his lips and sighed. “Okay, but we must be fast.”
“I promise. It’s probably nothing,” I said, “but I have to be sure.”
“I understand,” he mumbled and walked with me to the door. After he unlocked it, we walked inside.
He searched through a chest for the marriage contract, and I leaned against the long, oak desk. I shuffled through papers. I found several open letters bearing the king’s seal. I skimmed the words and grabbed two that spoke of the dragons, then shoved them down the front of my dress before he could see. My face flushed red when he turned around.
“Here,” he said when he reached me, scrolls in hand. “Do you know where you want to look? We’ve already gone over this.”
