The Last Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) (12 page)

“Scrub them windows til’
they sparkle,” said a woman. “It may be a long time yet before they get a good cleanin’.”

“Yes ma
’am,” said another.

“
And stain every inch of the walls while you’re at it,” the woman continued. “The bookshelf will be replaced by the end of the month, and this useless space will be closed for good. Now get moving!”

Several footsteps shuffled into the corridor
.

“I don’t know why this ro
om needs stainin’,” said a worker who sounded as if his nose was plugged.

A lower voice mumbled in agreement.

“It’s pointless. No one will ever see it, especially that little princess the Crown Prince is gettin’ all worked up about. So what if the palace ain’t perfect. She’s already been here how long? She hasn’t complained about nuthin’.”

“I think I saw her a minute ago.”

“No you didn’t.” The nasal voice said.

The slap
of a wet mop echoed into the darkness. Emmeline crouched down, interested to hear more.

“Do you believe the others?” the low voice asked.

“You bet I do. Take a look at her. She’s one of em’ all right.”

“I don’t know.
She’s never been out when the moon was up.”

“That silver thing ain’t even true.”

“Really?”

“Don’t be an idiot. Of course it ain’t.”

Paint sloshed inside buckets. Their breathing grew laborious and after a few short minutes, a mop handle cracked against the stone wall and the sloshing stopped.

“Why don’t you provoke her
, and see what happens,” The nasal voice encouraged.

“
The Crown Prince will have my head.”

“The Crown Prince isn’t here.”

“I don’t know,” the low voice mumbled after awhile.

“
What! Are you afraid? She’s half your size!”

“
I’m not afraid!”

“Prove it.”

The low voiced worker seemed to consider. “What if the Crown Prince finds out?”

“We’ll make sure she doesn’t see your face. Come on,
everyone wants to know.”

“Let someone else do it
, then.”

“And give them all the glory? I’m telling you, if you find out the truth, maids will chase you from dusk till’ dawn.”

“I don’t know,” the low voice grumbled. “You’ve heard what they can do.”

“Rumors! All of it rubbish.”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

Emmeline had heard enough.
She wasn’t about to wait around to find out what the low voiced worker decided. With only one direction to turn, she faced the black void head on and decided to take a chance with the unknown corridor.

Her fingers followed the wall
as it led her into blackness. The smooth stone had deliberate breaks every few feet, but her fingers didn’t snag on anything unpleasant. Nor did she hear the scurrying sounds of little mice, and for that, she was grateful.

The
corridor twisted left and right, winding around as if with a mind of its own. It led her deeper and deeper until the blackness pressed down on her like a heavy blanket. The further she trekked, the more hopeful she became that it might be some sort of hidden passage. And since her guards hadn’t left the library entrance, she assumed they didn’t know about it, which thrilled her to no end.

Emm
eline descended dozens of steps and climbed that many more before she collided into an unyielding wall. Rubbing her nose, she passed her fingers over the cold stone, hoping another corridor would present itself. Her fingers searched high and low, combing for any cracks that would indicate a door or some form of an exit. But she found none. It was a dead end.

She
slumped to the floor and leaned against the wall. It would have made for a much more exciting day if the passage had led somewhere. She ran her fingers along the floor absentmindedly. How could something so hard feel so soft? Her finger snagged on a small inconsistency, catching her attention at once. With hope fluttering anew, she followed the crack to the side wall where a polished stone was embedded into the corner. She tugged and pulled on it, intrigued by the one anomaly in the long marble corridor. The stone didn’t budge. She tried twisting it. Nothing.

Emmeline stood
and pressed her foot on the stone. It shifted beneath her step.

“Oh!” Emmeline exclaimed. Her voice echoed down the corridor and
melted into the darkness. Using all her weight, she pressed on the stone again and it compressed into the ground.

The far wall scraped open
and Emmeline threw her hands over her eyes against the blinding light of day. A gust of cool air swirled in around her, combing through her hair and rustling her skirts. The scent of wildflowers drifted into her nose while dancing wind tickled her ears. With a grin and a new-found sparkle in her eye, Emmeline knew what she had found.

Freedom.

Freedom to explore, freedom to discover her power, freedom to do whatever she pleased. She took a step onto the grassy terrain and a stab of fear stopped her short. Mahlon could find her and when he did, he would hurt her much more than he had the night before. She took a step back and shivered as the dark corridor took her in its embrace. With her arms hugging herself, Emmeline tried to convince herself that returning to the palace wouldn’t be so unbearable. Adelia said she would have more freedoms once the Crown Prince returned. It wouldn’t be long until then.

Her
gaze drifted to the forest and fields in the distance and a crushing yearning consumed her. The warmth of the sun, the whispering of the wind, the fragrance of flowers filling the air. She longed to fly on a horse’s back, feel the rush of wind through her hair as the landscape blurred past. And she longed to talk with someone who didn’t know her as the future Princess, or an Incenaga. Someone who wouldn’t insist she remain locked up.

An image of Erick flashed in her mind. She smiled. He offered a solution. And not only would she be able to ride again, but s
he could find Mahlon’s firewood and discover the full breadth of her power before it was too late. She smiled at all the possibilities unfolding in her mind. She
had
to take the risk. If she got caught, she’d deal with it then. She was so close to everything she wanted that the thought of turning her back caused her literal pain.

So
, with freedom in front of her and darkness behind, she took a step forward.

Emmeline rushed through the door and ducked into the trees. She imagined an afternoon of adventure with a friend she hoped she could trust as much as she needed. Maintaining a swift pace, she had no trouble finding the stables. She darted into the dark building and paused while her eyes adjusted to the dim light.

“Hell
o Emmeline,” Erick called, a little out of breath. “I see you were successful in your jailbreak plans.” He grinned and motioned for her to join him near the stalls. “Although, it leaves me to question the competency of the King’s guards. This is twice now that you have eluded them."

Beaming
, Emmeline shrugged.

Erick
set down the pitch fork. "And why is it that you can’t leave on your own accord?”

Emmeli
ne shuffled her feet. Should she tell him that she was in danger? That there were people searching for her who would exploit her power? Or people who would do anything to keep her from completing the peace treaty? No. All the precautions were ridiculous. No one knew she was in Dolmerti. And she wasn’t sure what she would do if Erick agreed with Mahlon and sent her back to the palace.

“
About the guards," she said to avoid the question, "don't you think I am capable of beating them in a battle of wit?”

“On the contrary, I find you quite capable.”

“Very well then, shall we ride?”

“Of course,
I was just saddling your horse."

Emmeline
relaxed against a wooden post, glad Erick hadn’t pressed the issue. She’d worry about what to tell him later.

“I
hope you don’t mind," Erick said with a warm smile, “but I took the liberty of packing some bread and cheese should you want a long ride.”

H
is eyes crinkled at the edges as he motioned once again for her to join him in the far stall. His mouth tugged a little higher on one side, giving him a crooked smile she hadn’t noticed before.

She started toward him and gasped when
she came to the stall. The horse he had saddled was the very same horse the Crown Prince had bought for her, the beautiful mare she secretly called Filia.

Filia
snorted as Erick tightened the cinch underneath her black belly. Her mane drifted down like spun silk, her ebony coat glistening in what little light filtered through the high windows.

“Isn’t
she to be the Princess’s horse?” Emmeline asked. “I’m not sure I should ride her.”

The corn
er of Erick’s mouth twitched. “We won’t be gone long; I doubt she’ll be missed.” His uneven grin escaped his control and he let out a chuckle. “Besides, she needs to be exercised, who better than you?”

Emmeline smirked.
“You are so thoughtful.”

“I do my best,” he said with a
bow. “Now, shall we be off? I have several places in mind that I think you will enjoy.”

Emmeline
nodded and mounted Filia, ignoring the objections of her sore body. Throbbing pain spread through her legs as she tucked her boots into the stirrups, images of Mahlon’s hard face filling her mind. She pushed the thoughts away, determined not to think about magic or war for the remainder of the day.

Tapping her heals
against the animal, Emmeline started Filia into an easy canter. The pain was tolerable so she urged her into a gallop, the sun flashing on the horse’s mane as it rose and fell. Filia’s hooves tore at the soft earth below and Emmeline crouched lower, urging her faster. She relished in the speed and power of the horse. Wind filled her ears, working against the pins in her hair until her long black locks whipped behind her like a flag.

Erick caught up
, riding a proud steed with legs long enough to jump over the pasture fence. It had a sleek brown coat so dark it also appeared black. With a powerful stride and relaxed bearing, the horse seemed at ease with its rider.

Although Erick served as the guide, he let Emmeline
choose the direction they rode. She lost track of time as they explored ravines scratched through time by rivers, hilltops speckled in wild flowers, and never-ending fields covered in prairie grass. They laughed and talked, enjoying thoughtful conversations and easy banter.

Much to Emmeline’s chagrin, however,
Erick requested he take the lead whenever the terrain appeared more difficult. He insisted on crossing muddy basins first in order to confirm the absence of quicksand and was adamant she wait on the banks of fast paced rivers so he could find the safest crossings. This occurred several times, despite Emmeline’s ardent claims that she could out-ride him any day of the week. He agreed wholeheartedly, but requested she allow him a few precautions.

“After all,” he said
when she protested at the top of a jagged hill, “you are a guest to the King.”

“And I’m not supposed to be wandering the countryside
, especially without a proper escort. No one needs to know I’m out here, or whether or not you threw your shirt across every puddle.”

“
What will you say to Adelia when you return covered in mud, or worse, injured?” Erick asked.

Emmeline
scowled, but she didn’t argue. She could allow him his chivalry if it meant Adelia never learned her secret. It would be difficult enough to explain the dirt along her hem, let alone if she crawled back like a washed up rat. And so she tapped her foot and clicked her tongue as she waited for Erick to inspect every area he deemed the tiniest bit dangerous.

His
protective gestures solidified her trust in him. He couldn’t be one of the war hungry noblemen, she determined, or someone seeking to control her. He wouldn’t be taking such pains to ensure her safety if he was planning on hurting her.

By the time they stopped to let the horse
s rest, the sun sat well overhead, marking midday. Erick led the horses to a nearby brook, patting them and whispering praises into their eager ears. Once they had their fill of refreshing water, the horses wandered off in search of long grass.

Erick pulled a handkerchief fr
om his pocket and spread it across a rock. “Prepare for the meal of a lifetime, My Lady.” His lips twitched into a mischievous grin. “The ingredients have been imported from faraway lands for your personal enjoyment.”

“Why thank you, kind sir,” Emmeline said with
a grin. “I expect only the best from my guides.”