Page 26 of The Princess of Nothing
CHAPTER TEN
My fingers spread overthe stone ledge as I craned my neck to look out of the open window. Crisscrossed lead patterned down the glass. A gentle breeze caressed my cheeks. I looked up in time to see a flock of birds take flight from the high branches of the trees nestled at the far end of the gardens. Stretches of luscious, thick grass ran down hills. Flowerbeds, uniformed in colors, lined the path and stepping-stones that wound their way to the castle doors.
Sucking in a pained breath, I whimpered. I squeezed my eyelids shut. Tears pooled in the corners as I was brought back to the panicked flutters of my heart. Out of nowhere, I was dragged away from reality and into the memory of my cage in the pit. I could feel the sun beating on me, exhausting every fiber of my being until I collapsed. I could taste my salty tears relieving my dry tongue. Bile bit up my throat as I recalled the stench of rotting flesh, from the dead left out in the sun, mixed with other bodily fluids of the other prisoners.
My head throbbed like a steady drumbeat, keeping me in a state of silent suffering. Today was the first time I’d been able to stand without help.
Golden Warriors, the name the group called themselves, gathered in the grounds. I heard their chants outside my window daily since arriving. They worshiped the sun, believing it was a higher power.
The door creaked open. I assumed it was Edna, bringing me soup. It was all I could stomach. “It’s a nice day. I could see the sun shining through the window onto the ground. I had to come see,” I told her and gazed upward to the blue sky. “It’s a shame I can never look at the sun the same again though.” I looked down at my healing sores.
“I’m glad to see you’re up and moving around.”
That voice.
I turned, balling my fists. “Kiros,” I spat. My nose scrunched up, and the muscle in my jaw ticked. “Or should I say, ‘Your Highness.’” Spite carried my tone. I hated him. I despised everyone who was responsible for what had happened to me.
He put his hands up in surrender. “I come in peace.”
I scoffed. “You believe it, don’t you? Your own lie.”
His perplexed eyes found mine. The glacier blue contrasted the gold in the room. “What lie?”
“That you’re somehow void of all responsibility for what happened to me because you saved me right as I was about to die. I heard what you said. You knew I was left there, in that place. I am a monarch.” I growled. “A monarch, Prince Kiros!” I inhaled sharply. “You should know better. To treat me so awfully, what does that show the people, either of our people? They already challenge our places on thrones. I know they do here too. If you show my rule such little respect, then you’re opening a gateway for others to do the same to you, and your father. If he were smarter, he’d have done things differently.”
Kiros scratched the back of his neck. “I didn’t know the conditions were so—”
“Terrible?” I asked, cutting him off. “Why would you? I mean, how could you not know what’s going on in the kingdom you will one day rule? I thought you were all about fairness and tolerance. What a load of lies.”
His eyes creased at the corners, and his brows furrowed. “You’re still in shock and are recovering, so I will forgive this attitude.”
I rolled my eyes. “Forgive all you want. It won’t make a difference. I stand by what I said. You and your family are vile, disgusting people.”
He tapped his foot against the white marble floor. “I told my father you could be brought under control and reasoned with. If he finds out you’re acting like this, then I wouldn’t like to think about what he would do.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back to look out the window, unable to stand the sight of him for another minute. “Just get out.”
“If I knew you were going to act like this, I never would have...” He hesitated for a few seconds.
