Chapter 1
Dawn began to lighten the sky, dispelling the darkness from the night I’d spent wandering. By now my maid would have discovered me missing from my bed. I smirked even though the only witnesses to my satisfaction were the thick trees I’d been traipsing through for the past several hours; Father would most certainly be surprised when he discovered me missing.
My smile quickly faded. Perhaps I should have planned this excursion better by taking the time to arrange the blankets in such a way to make it appear as if I were still burrowed beneath my covers; that would have given me a few extra hours before anyone discovered my flight. Father had undoubtedly learned of it by now and was likely already searching for me.
Regardless, he wouldn’t find me; I’d make certain of that.
Humming, I pulled my cloak more tightly around my shoulders as I continued trekking through the trees. The early morning sunshine penetrated the leafy canopy and warmed my body, which had grown numb with cold from the long, chilly spring night. But the cold was a small price to pay for my current adventure, as were my torn, muddy skirts and the scratches marring my hands and face from the branches the moonlight had failed to illuminate—battle scars earned from finally taking charge of my own life.
The forest grew brighter as the sun rose higher in the sky, dispelling the last of the shadows and my shivers. I paused to look around. Trees stretched out in every direction. I hadn’t the faintest idea where I was. I grinned. Excellent.
Perhaps it was time I came up with a more solid plan. Running away had seemed much more simple when I’d focused solely on the running away part. My intended destination had always been rather vague, save for: as far away from Father as possible. And really, that part of running away was going quite nicely…even if I now found myself lost at the moment.
But being lost aside, things were still going rather well.
I rummaged in my hastily packed satchel for some bread and cheese I’d stolen from the kitchens. As I ate my makeshift breakfast, I ventured deeper into the trees in a random direction which promised to get me even further away from where I’d come.
My grin grew with every step. Father was certain to be furious. I had no doubt he’d come looking for me, but I refused to be found. Which meant I had to find both a hiding place and a new future for myself, one that was solely of my own choosing. For the first time since sneaking out my bedroom window, I frowned slightly. If only I knew what future I wanted. How could a previously caged bird know where to fly when she hadn’t seen much of the world?
No matter, I’d find something; in that I was determined.
I finished my breakfast and licked my fingers—a gesture that would have put my now former governess into a fit for my wild, unladylike manners—and paused to take in the woodland surroundings more closely. I must be miles from my hometown, but considering I was hopeless with directions, I couldn’t say exactly where I’d wandered to. I’d been traveling in what I thought was south in hopes of nearing the outskirts of Malvagaria, where it seemed unlikely Father would search first.
But was it the best place for me to settle? Should I remain in the kingdom, or try and find my way to Draceria? Better yet, perhaps I could travel to the coast and sail to Bytamia—Father loathed the sea and likely wouldn’t think to look for me there, at least not immediately.
Fire flared in my breast at the thought of Father, his ships, what he’d done…I balled my hands into fists, trying to dispel my anger before it became a roaring blaze, as it was often prone to do. Today, my first day of true freedom, was too fine to ruin, not to mention I’d need a level head for whatever lay ahead. The more I imagined his fury at discovering I’d run away, the more my own slipped away until I was grinning once again.
This will teach you to use your only child for your advantage. Oh, but revenge was quite delicious.
I slowed my traipsing through the trees and thick undergrowth when I spotted something in the distance. I shaded my eyes and squinted. Was that…yes, it was a castle, a foreboding fortress of grey stone, gothic architecture, and sharp turrets jutting formidably against the morning sky. Of all the places I’d expected my wanderings to lead me, it hadn’t been here.
I furrowed my brow as I studied the castle’s architecture, as if it could provide clues to where I’d ended up. The royal family was known for their extravagance, which included half a dozen castles scattered throughout the kingdom. The question was: which palace was this one?
Considering the surrounding woods, it likely wasn’t one of their primary residences…at least I hoped it wasn’t, for unless it was abandoned, exploring the grounds would be quite risky. But taking risks was one of my primary pastimes. Because really, one couldn’t come across a palace and not take a closer look.
My curiosity propelled me closer, causing my skirts to further tear in my haste as they caught on loose branches and thick undergrowth. The trees thinned before opening up to the towering wall that enclosed the castle…a wall without a gate. Two large stone columns stood yards apart, indicating the place where the gate should have been. But that area was swallowed up by thick vines blooming with yellow, white, and magenta flowers—honeysuckle, jasmine, and a type I couldn’t identify.
The vines began to rustle as I parted them, searching for a way in. But I discovered only thick greenery as far as I could see, which was a peculiar puzzle. What type of castle had no entrance?
Undoubtedly one full of secrets. I simply had to see for myself. The missing gate, rather than deterring me, provided a challenge, and I never backed down from a challenge.
Perhaps the entrance was hidden within the foliage. With a determined lift of my chin, I brushed aside the vines, thrusting my hands and body deeper and deeper. The vines instantly stirred, the pink-floral ones snapping against my hands.
I gasped at the biting pain and stumbled back to stare at my hands, where several cuts lined my palms. I glared at the vines, but they simply rustled in a breezy way that almost sounded like laughter before they rose up to take a rather defiant stance. Ah, so these were magical vines. It appeared the rumors surrounding the Malvagarian palace gardens held some truth. Well, if I could handle a dark forest at night, I could certainly handle these.
I stepped closer for a better look. The pink-flowering vines had thorns along the stems where the leaves grew, thorns which stood upright at attention in preparation to attack again.
“Ah, I see,” I murmured. “You’re guards. It appears the palace isn’t abandoned at all. Fascinating.” But my fascination quickly faded as the heat in my chest swelled. I held up my hands so that the stinging, bleeding cuts could clearly be seen. “This was completely uncalled for. A simple warning would have sufficed.”
The vines did nothing, only continued to hover and watch to see what I’d do. I’d heard whispers that the royal family’s gardens were enchanted. These vines—as pesky as they were—were likely only one of many marvelous wonders to be found within the walls. I simply had to explore the grounds to discover more, which meant I had to figure out how to get past these mischievous guards…and then there was also the issue of the missing entrance.
But no vines, magical or not, would deter me. Perhaps a bit of persuasion was in order. “My name is Maren,” I said. “I mean no harm. It’s only that I’ve just run away from home and was hoping for a place to rest before I continue my journey.”