Cinderella and the Colonel (21 page)

Cinderella turned to look.

The mage snarled and jumped from the soldier holding him captive, lunging for Cinderella.

Ivo shouted
, and the mage screamed.

It
was over in the time it took Cinderella to turn around. The mage was dead, speared by the pitchfork-wielding Erlauf man.

“He’s dead
,” Ivo said in disgust. “The Colonel will be angry. I’m sure he would have wanted to question him.”

“It
was our fault for failing to hold him,” Ivo’s companion soldier said.

Cinderella retreated several steps and averted her eyes from the gory sight
. “Thank you, sir,” she said, to the ox-man, her voice shaking.

“He
was right,” her rescuer said.

“Pardon?”

The ox-man kicked the dead mage as soldiers trooped down the road. “We hate,” the ox-man said.

Cinderella opened her mouth to rep
ly, but the ox-man continued, “But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope,” he said, turning around to watch the injured Erlauf woman stand unsteadily. “Not when a Trieux lady is willing to risk ‘er life for an Erlauf woman.”

Cinderella smiled
wanly. “And not when an Erlauf man risks his neck for a Trieux lady.”

The ox-man bobbed his head
, and then the soldiers were on them.

The lieutenant of the squadron
and an accompanying captain were riding horses. Ivo picked Cinderella up and tossed her on the captain’s horse before she noticed how close the animal was.

“Gather the mage
’s body. We will meet you at camp,” the captain said.

“Yes
, sir,” Ivo said with a smart salute.

The captain and lieutenant exchanged nods before cu
ing their horses into a canter. Cinderella clung to the captain and his horse as the city bounced past. There was more than one close call when they almost ran into a wagon or loose animals, but the officers would not slow their pace.

Before Cinderella could believe it
, they were riding into the First Regiment’s camp. “Attack, attack on Lady Lacreux,” the lieutenant shouted.

“Oh
, dear,” Cinderella said, her stomach gurgling from the crazed ride and the image of the violently killed mage dancing in her mind.

“
Have no fear. You’re safe now, Lady,” the captain said, sliding off his horse before helping her down.

“No
, that’s not it,” Cinderella said, her head swimming.

“Cinderella?”
Friedrich shouted. His voice was pinched, and he broke through the ring of soldiers surrounding Cinderella.

“Are you hurt? What happened?” Friedrich asked.

“Friedrich,” Cinderella gasped.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to be sick again.”

Cinderella
was curled like a cat on the thin pallet she had dragged to the spot of sunshine at the window. The heat and light caressed her, driving back the nightmares of the mage attack.

The door to Friedrich’s office opened. Cinderella opened an eye to watch Friedrich duck past Ensign Kurt.

Cinderella yawned and sat up, ringed by a halo of sunlight. “You have questions for me?”

Friedrich crouched down in front of her and placed a hand on her cheek. “Sorry
, Pet, but the more we learn, the safer you will be,” he said, leaning forward so his forehead touched hers.

Cinderella pushed Friedrich back with a finger. “There’s not much to tell
,” she said. “I left Marie’s and noticed I had a tail—and he wasn’t one of yours. He chased me, and I hid, intending to steal my way to the nearest patrol point. I think it irritated him because that was when he found the Erlauf woman. Somehow, he froze everyone on the streets, and I was the only one available to help the poor woman.”

“So
, you attacked him,” Friedrich wryly said.

“Yes.”

“By flinging yourself off a roof.”

“Ivo
was proud of me for that part.”

Friedrich held his tongue
, but the look he gave Cinderella said he was not impressed.

“Maybe next time I’m attacked I shouldn’t run? I did it automatical
ly—because of the library and everything—but it seems I ran so fast, I left Ivo and his compatriots behind.”

“No
,” Friedrich said. “The mage identified them before you came out of Marie’s house and froze them in place. It was good you ran—you took him so far away, they were out of the range of his magic and recovered.”

“Why didn’t the mage freeze me in place as he froze everyone else?”

“I assume he tried, Pet, but because you wear my token of devotion he couldn’t,” Friedrich said.

Cinderella narrowed her eyes. “
Friedrich, now is hardly the time—.”

“I’m complete
ly serious,” Friedrich said. “The necklace isn’t a bauble I found in the market. It’s laced with magic.”

Cinderella dug into the neckline of her dress to pull the
dragon emblem out. She studied it with new appreciation.

“It will cancel out any weak levels of magic. The mage’s freez
ing magic was amateur leveled—one can judge so by the radius around him that he froze. He was usually confined to one city block. Which yes, was enough, but a master mage would freeze at least three blocks, and I would rather not think what a fully credited enchanter could do,” Friedrich said. “The necklace can also neutralize poisons, but to do that you must smear it in your foods and drink first. Your kitchen servants are trustworthy, so I thought it was unnecessary to mention that particular feature to you.”

“Friedrich
, this must have cost you a fortune,” Cinderella gaped, staring at the dragon with new appreciation. Magical artifacts of any kind were highly prized, but one that had the power to block magic—even of a low level—never mind the poison, cost as much as a small manor.

“It cost me noth
ing,” Friedrich said. “Because it is mine.”

“And you’ve been walk
ing around
without it
?”

“I live
with 600 soldiers trained for all types of combat. You live with several dozen servants who have only recently become acquainted with the art of farming. You need it more.”

“
But—.”

“
Putting the necklace aside, after learning firsthand of the mage’s magic, my men chose to attack him from afar.”

“Ah
, yes, with the arrow,” Cinderella recalled. “It must have broken the mage’s concentration.”

“No
, it sealed a bit of his power—which gave them time to get closer and completely cut off his magic.”

“Is
that what those paper seals were?” Cinderella asked, interested.

“No
, you will not be able to produce those to sell,” Friedrich said, correctly interpreting her bright eyes. “It requires a magician with certain strengths to build magic-binding seals.”

“Oh
,” Cinderella said, her shoulders slouching.

“They cost a pretty penny
,” Friedrich said. “Perhaps it would be worth it to see that the Army employs such a magician. They are scribe magicians—not enchanters—so I suppose it might be cheaper to employ one than buy the seals in bulk through the Veneno Conclave.”

“If they are so expensive
, why did my guards have them?” Cinderella said.

Friedrich stood. “Because there
have been several attempts on your life. I assumed it was only a matter of time before a dark mage or magician tried his hand at killing you.”

“…What?” Cinderella said.
“H-how?”

“Various methods.
My men have stopped each attack before it could even begin, which is why you never noticed.”

Cinderella stood as well
, her expression stricken. “Has anyone tried killing you?”

“Of course—
,”

“Anyone from Trieux?”
Cinderella asked, her voice taut like a harp string tightened too much.

Friedrich rubbed his eye
. “It offends people that I cling to you,” he said.

Cinderella
sat down on her pallet, dazed. “Then the mage was right. We
are
divided.”

“Sure
ly that cannot come as a surprise,” Friedrich said. “You have been subjected to scorn because of me, and you seethe with hatred for Queen Freja, like most of your countrymen.”

“
But that doesn’t mean I want anyone to
kill
over it,” Cinderella said.

Friedrich’s expression softened. He again crouched in front of Cinderella and ran a hand through her silky hair. “Sometimes I forget just how good you are
,” he murmured.

“Do you feel hate towards Trieux?”
Cinderella asked.

Friedrich shrugged. “Why should I?”

“Because you have also made sacrifices for your country,” Cinderella said, placing her finger tips on the Colonel’s black eyepatch.

“Do you mind
that I am missing an eye?”

“No.”

“Does having one less eye make me less attractive to you?”

“Friedrich
,” Cinderella warned.

“Then
, no. I can’t say I mind—now. But you are right. When it first happened, I was quite bitter,” Friedrich said.

Cinderella slumped. “Then the mage
was right; Trieux and Erlauf are seeped with hate.”

“The hatred will lessen over time.”

“It’s been three years, Friedrich.”

Friedrich shrugged.

“And the mage. He referred to a ‘we.’” Cinderella said.

Friedrich sighed. “
Your brilliance is sometimes a curse. You remember the attempt on my life?”

Cinderella nodded.

“We have learned that the assailants were hired by a mage. The mage was not acting alone. She was a part of something, as far as we are aware, organized under no name or governing system. This force, whoever or whatever it is, seems intent on conquering lands. The royal offspring of many countries have been attacked. Some of them survive and free themselves—as Prince Severin did. Others…We have not seen such wide spread co-operation between forces of darkness since the Snow Queen’s time and the Enchanters came to power,” Friedrich said.

“So
, he wasn’t just spouting lies. There is
something
out there intent on destroying us.”

“Not on
ly us, but other countries as well. So far they haven’t been able to gain a toehold here, but they seem to be narrowing their focus on us.”

“Why? The Erlauf royal fami
ly has escaped curses and magic-based attacks thus far,” Cinderella said.

“They are aim
ing for the royal family, yes, but they also try to stir up unrest in general. We are an easy target not because of the royal family, but due to the bitterness that dwells between our people,” Friedrich said. “Darkness is strongest among black emotions like rage, hatred, and bitterness.”

Cinderella stared unseeing
ly at Friedrich’s desk.

“Cinderella?
Have I upset you?” Friedrich asked.

“No
,” Cinderella said. “I am angry with myself. I never thought—I didn’t see any of this. The darkness, the evil.”

“You
have been occupied with Aveyron, and it is not your job to wipe out threats to our country.”

“No
, but…,” Cinderella sighed. She was quiet for several moments before she shook her head. “I need to think. Am I free to go? I assume you must organize your men for the Victory Ball. It will start soon, won’t it?”

“I don’t want you to leave like this
,” Friedrich said. “You are upset.”

“I’m on
ly thinking,” Cinderella said, smiling wanly. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll be fine,” she said as Friedrich helped her stand.