My throat tightened in anxiety as my gaze darted about my surroundings, searching for something—anything—to sway his decision.
“Please…” It slipped from my lips before I could stop the word.
“What?”
“Release me. Let me leave your country. I won’t bother anyone. I’ll disappear. You’ll never see me again.”
His gaze tightened as he regarded me. He sat up sharply. “Why?” His eyes delved into mine, searching my reaction. “Why would a spoiled young woman, a lady of noble birth, not want her only living relation to know where she is?”
My mouth clamped shut.
He rolled his eyes. “Spin your royal woes somewhere else. I don’t have time for them, and neither does the king.”
Blood boiled at the coldness of his expression—an expression I had seen so many times before on my uncle. This made it easy to shut down. Straight-backed, I stared at the wall, waiting for my sentence.
A knock at the door sounded, then a stout woman entered. Wisps of gray streaked through brown hair. Her brown eyes looked almost bored as she clasped her hands in front of her, calmly waiting instruction. “Your Highness?”
The prince nodded toward the woman. “This is Sameen. She and Lieutenant Mikael are the only two people other than the king and I who know your identity. For your sake, let’s hope it stays that way. Sameen will be your lady’s maid until your removal.” He looked to the woman. “Escort Lady Anna to her room. See to her needs and burn those disgusting rags.”
The woman tipped her head. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“You will be confined to the east wing with guards posted at your door at all times for your… protection, until you can be claimed. And my lady…” He speared me with his keen eyes. “I wouldn’t do anything foolish, or this time you won’t be enjoying the hospitality of our prison.” He waved his hand as if shooing a bothersome fly, and with that we were dismissed.
My shoulders dropped. Obediently, I stood before the maid. She watched me oddly before gesturing me to follow. The giant, Mikael, stood just beyond, his arms folded over his barreled chest.
I reached the threshold and stopped. Without turning back, I spoke over my shoulder. “There’s a man in your prison that arrived at the same time I did. He’s a spy and very dangerous. You might want to keep an eye on him.”
There was a pause before Prince Castiel spoke again. “We know.”
My bones creaked as I followed behind the maid who jingled when she walked, keenly aware of the heavy steps behind me. My heart sunk, burning in the acid of an empty stomach.
But from that burn, anger rose. My mind snapped to my surroundings, taking in every hallway we traversed, every narrow passageway we passed. Calculating… always calculating my next steps.
I was at a disadvantage. I had only seen brief glimpses of Meyrion, Anolyn’s castle, between the slits of the prison carriage. The towering edifice was much smaller than my king’s, but what it lacked in size, it made up in beauty. It had stood majestic against a darkening evening sky, a great stone giant of pointed arches and flying buttresses, magnificent spires and stained windows. It graced a breathtaking landscape of lush green fields stretching on for miles, a feature afforded by a much warmer climate.
Sameen stopped in front of a doorway, producing a set of keys from her dress pocket. For the briefest of seconds, I contemplated snapping her neck and taking her keys. The maid I could take care of, but the giant was a whole other story. Out on the battle field I might have a fighting chance, if that fighting chance was that he was nearly dead already.
We entered a cavernous room and I almost gasped. A tapestry of bright, cheerful colors hung from the wall, the only decoration in the space. Across from it rested an oversized fourposter bed flowing with a canopy of linens draped from each corner. My body ached as I eyed blush-colored pillows resting upon layers of matching blankets. A single nightstand sat free of clutter on one side of the bed.
Heavy white curtains drawn away from paneled windows revealed the afternoon downpour still ongoing. Two wooden chairs huddled near the roaring fire. In the warmer kingdom of Anolyn, rain fell as easily as the snow in Eira. This was advantageous. In snow, you left a visible trail, but in rain, tracks washed away as quickly as they came if one was careful.
The fireplace beckoned me to its warmth, but despite the tremor that ran up my spine, I waited to be escorted inside. It was too beautiful to be mine.
Sameen cleared her throat, but not for me. She waited for Mikael to make a quick inspection of my temporary apartment. Before he finished, the giant gave me his full attention. With a smirk, he bowed, keeping his pointed glare pinned to mine. His dark grey eyes dared me to do something foolish, then he slinked from the room.
Sameen guided me behind a paneled privacy screen. A large wash tub steamed with hot water, and a new aroma assaulted my sensitive senses.
“What’s that smell?” I asked.
She seemed confused. Her hands pushed a rogue strand of gray hair back into place. “Have your never bathed?”
“Of course, but what’s in the water?”
“Lavender.”
I scrunched up my nose to the strong perfume.
“Give me your robe and underthings,” she said, holding out her hands.
My mouth went dry. “Can you afford me some privacy?”
“No.”
I closed my eyes and turned my back before stripping off my clothes.
Sameen inhaled sharply, and I knew what she saw to cause her to react as she did. The scarring would be equally bad on my abdomen and chest. When I twisted around her eyes were wide in horror. She swallowed nervously, but schooled her expression, taking the gown from my outstretched hand.
“You’ll find soap and a rag somewhere in the water, but soak first,” she said, tipping her head toward the bath. Then she hesitated. “The soap will probably sting.”
“I’ll manage.”
She shrugged. Her nose crinkled as she bundled the robe, holding it away from her. She moved beyond the screen, leaving me alone.
I carefully stepped into the tub, shocked with the first touch of the hot water. It took me several seconds to adjust to the heat before I could settle completely. My mind melted as warmth enveloped my skin. For the briefest of moments I allowed myself to sink into its watery depths, wishing I could stay there forever. When the last bubble of air leaked from my mouth, I breached the surface.
Sameen was busily dragging a chair towards the tub. She set it behind me, sitting herself on its cushioned seat. From her deep pockets she pulled a brush and a small vial of some unknown ointment. When she reached for my hair I jerked away, sloshing water over the sides.
Her fingers stilled. “You’ll need help with that mess,” she said. Her eyes examined my face, waiting for my response.
I touched the matted black tresses. “I’ll cut it off.”
“No. I can fix it.” Although she tried to mask it, concern oozed from her soft brown eyes. “Please.”
Slowly I rotated in the bath water, a silent acquiescence. She applied the ointment, massaging it into the knotted strands.
I sat still for several minutes, forcing my nerves to calm through a controlled breath. When I finally rubbed the soap over my skin, I hissed at the sting.
Sameen hummed. “I told you so.”