《The Tale of Mally Biddle》 Chapter 1: The Lone Candle He sat at a small table in a dark corner. Pale fingers slowly swirled a half-empty glass, while his eyes focused on the amber liquid¡¯s ripples. Dressed in a long black traveling cloak that obscured his figure, he blended into his corner almost completely. The only light came from a small stub of a candle on the table, its weak glow dancing upon his hands. He gripped the glass as impatience brushed him. Where was he? Ringing laughter interrupted his frustration and his eyes lifted to his surroundings. People sang and danced in the pub, their mugs of beer sloshing merrily. A foot-tapping jig played by fiddlers and wooden flutists added to the cheery atmosphere. No one noticed him in all the loud chaos. Their eyes traveled over him without the slightest pause. The hooded man watched the laughing customers before him. A sneer touched his lips. Fools. Suddenly, the door at the opposite end of the pub opened, sending a burst of cold into the toasty room. The clamor in the pub momentarily stalled as everyone turned to the newcomer. In the doorway, against a backdrop of freezing rain, stood a giant figure. He stepped into the light. His already alarming mass was doubled by the use of a large, heavy coat. But then the door closed, the noise of the rain was muffled and replaced with the music, and the people returned to their laughing and eating. In his corner, the hooded man¡¯s eyes followed the heavily coated man as he made his way to the bar. He watched him order a drink and now, with mug in hand, turn to survey the room. The burly man¡¯s eyes landed on his dark corner and slowly he walked around the crowd to stop before him. The hooded man tilted his head slightly, revealing glistening teeth. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± His voice was like cold glass. ¡°This blasted rain,¡± was the burly man¡¯s reply. ¡°It started just as I left.¡± He sat in the chair opposite his cloaked companion. He moved cautiously, his eyes watching the man before him warily. ¡°Why did you want to meet tonight? I thought we weren¡¯t going to talk again until after¡±¡ªhe shifted slightly in his chair¡ª¡°the incident.¡± The hooded man¡¯s lips curved into a sharp grin; the dim candlelight reflected upon his teeth. ¡°The opportunity presented itself.¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡± the burly man gasped, leaning over the mug that was tightly clamped in his suddenly sweaty hand. The hooded man¡¯s smile widened and his eyes momentarily glittered in the shadows covering his face. ¡°How did you ¡­ when did it¡­?¡± ¡°She took a ride this evening. Just before she called for her stallion, I gave the horse a hefty dose of Horse Mint.¡± He lowered his chin, his eyes piercing through the darkness under his hood. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what that causes?¡± The burly man¡¯s eyes were wide and with a jerk of his head, he nodded. The cloaked man sounded content as he continued. ¡°On the ride, the horse grew wild and tried to jump a large hedge. She fell, broke her neck, died on the spot.¡± His casual and amused tone sent shivers down his companion¡¯s back. The burly man took a quick swallow of his beer, but his nervous eyes shot at the closed door, as if he was expecting someone to rush into the inn at any moment, screaming the terror that had so recently occurred for all to hear. He knew any second someone would, and he didn¡¯t want to be seen sitting here when it happened. ¡°No one suspected?¡± he asked quietly over his mug. ¡°No one. But I am surprised,¡± the cloaked man smirked, his eyes glittering like a snake¡¯s, ¡°that you don¡¯t know of this tragedy already. When you are¡ª¡± ¡°I was on the perimeter!¡± the burly man hissed, his voice suddenly full of anger, as if he had just been insulted. ¡°How could I have heard if it just happened?¡± His companion smirked again, seeming pleased. ¡°I will take care of the king,¡± the hooded man continued softly. ¡°And you must take care of the child, but we will do that gradually.¡± The man nodded obediently, his mouth too dry to respond. ¡°I will let the king mourn his wife.¡± The hooded man downed the last of his drink and rose from the table. ¡°We will execute the next stage on Wednesday. If all goes as anticipated, the people of Lenzar will weep over the last of the Kellen line much sooner than anticipated.¡± Without another word, he spun on his heel, gripping his cloak firmly about him, and walked quickly around the oblivious crowd to disappear into the storm outside, leaving the coated man alone at the table. The little stub of a candle flickered weakly by his hand.
Cayla Black entered the dungeons with apprehension. She had never visited the dark expanse under the castle before. She had heard stories just like everyone else ¡­ but she never thought she¡¯d willingly go to the dungeons. The stuffy air reeked of death and decay. A short, round knight, Sir Leon Gibbs, was guiding her down a long staircase, the stone steps narrow and worn. Along the dirty, smudged walls were sooty candle brackets. Even with the flames from the torches, the trek was dark and Cayla stumbled often. It was hard to believe that such a hell was located beneath the clean, gleaming rooms of Bosc Castle. With every step, Cayla felt more and more separated from the home above her head. Panic swirled in her chest, threatening to choke her. The narrow stairs, the blackened walls, the low ceiling¡ªthey seemed to laugh and jeer at her as the feeling of claustrophobia increased. Cayla stumbled again, clutching the wall for support. Sir Leon Gibbs turned to her. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Cayla gasped, breathing deeply to calm the nausea. She tried to ignore her racing heart, telling her to turn around¡ªto return to the safety of the castle. But she swallowed thickly and continued downward. She was disgusted with herself for her moment of weakness. When Alice ¡­ when Alice was ¡­ ¡°How much farther?¡± Cayla blurted. ¡°Not much,¡± Gibbs answered. He glanced at her over his shoulder and Cayla wondered if he was considering forcing her back up the stairs. Cayla wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to argue if he tried. It was then that she heard the screams. They started as a soft moan and then Gibbs and Cayla turned a sharp corner and Cayla stumbled to a halt again. Before her eyes loomed a sight more horrible than her worst nightmare. Lining both walls were cells. The prisoners screeched and pleaded at the sight of Cayla and Gibbs, rattling their bars like some demented musical band. Before her, Gibbs shouted at the prisoners and banged on their bars. But this only seemed to energize them. They thrust out their arms toward Cayla as she passed, clawing at the air with skeletal hands. Horrified, Cayla dodged out of their reach, covering her mouth from the overpowering stench of unwashed bodies and old sick. Alice was here? Here? Eyes watering from the smells, Cayla managed to yell in hysteria over the screaming and banging, ¡°She¡¯s here?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gibbs yelled back, forcing his way through the thrashing arms. ¡°She¡¯s farther down.¡± Deep relief washed over her at that. Soon they left these prisoners, their moans and screams still heard but muffled. Now the cells on either side were mostly empty. But more than once Cayla spotted a heap of rags that seconds later she realized was a body. But these souls kept in their corners and never uttered a sound. The abrupt change unnerved her. Gibbs suddenly stopped and turned to her. ¡°She¡¯s three down on the left. You have five minutes.¡± Without wasting another second, Cayla hurried past him and dropped to her knees before the cell he had indicated. ¡°Alice. Oh, Alice,¡± Cayla moaned. Cayla saw someone shift in the pale moonlight that filtered through a tiny rectangular window at the very top of the cell¡¯s wall. Alice Spindle¡¯s pale, terrified face appeared. Cayla thrust her hands through the bars to take hold of Alice¡¯s. Her hands were horrifyingly cold. ¡°What are you doing here, Cayla?¡± Alice demanded, her voice trembling just as badly as her hands. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here!¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her clean clothes were torn and dirty, her neat hair all out of place, and the usually rosy cheeks were a sickly white. ¡°Don¡¯t speak rubbish! I can¡¯t believe they imprisoned you!¡± Alice was silent before she whispered numbly, ¡°I¡¯m to be hanged, aren¡¯t I?¡± Cayla¡¯s fingers tightened their hold. ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°What can you do?¡± Alice exclaimed in a strangled whisper, her pale eyes as large as coins. ¡°King Sebastian has been murdered and I fixed the drink! I was the last to see him. I¡ª¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him, Alice!¡± Cayla shook Alice¡¯s shoulder¡¯s roughly through the bars. ¡°I know you,¡± she added softly as a sob escaped Alice¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯ve been set up, Alice and I¡¯m going to find out by whom.¡± For a moment Cayla believed the conviction in her voice had strengthened Alice. But all too quickly, her shoulder¡¯s slumped and her eyes dropped to the ground. ¡°Alice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my word against theirs. I¡¯m only a servant.¡± Cayla had to press herself against the bars to hear her murmured words. ¡°Please, Cayla. N-nothing can be done. Giving me hope that doesn¡¯t exist¡ª¡± She shook her head, her shoulders shaking from the effort to keep her sobs hidden. ¡°Please, Cayla.¡± Cayla sat numbly on the freezing stone floor, watching her friend steadily unravel. She was lost for words and barely noticed Gibbs¡¯ approach. ¡°You have to leave now,¡± he said softly. Cayla continued to sit, her heart pounding. She couldn¡¯t leave her. She couldn¡¯t. She wouldn¡¯t. A firm hand was suddenly on her shoulder. ¡°You must,¡± he repeated. Cayla blinked her wet eyes. She felt bile rising in her throat. She tightened her hold on Alice¡¯s hands until it was painful, before slowly rising to her feet and following Gibbs out of the dungeons.
Cayla didn¡¯t attend the execution. She did not go into the city. She stayed inside the castle, busying herself with her daily tasks, refusing to let her mind wander. Refusing to let her gaze drop in shame. She kept her jaw clenched, her red eyes from shedding a single tear. She would mourn in solitude at Alice¡¯s grave. She would not mourn before people who were spreading not-so-quiet whispers about Alice. Saying horrible, terrible things about Alice. The other servants¡ªpeople who had known and lived with Alice for years¡ªbelieved her a killer! Cayla felt their eyes on her as she passed; she could only imagine what they thought of her. From the moment she had heard of Alice¡¯s predicament, she had loudly denied her guilt. But King Sebastian was dead. Murdered. Someone had to pay. So in an attempt to be as alone as possible, Cayla used the old servant passages. They fit her mood. The plain, empty, silent corridors were like a sanctuary to her. A sanctuary where she could remember Alice. Where there was no chance of seeing the horrible celebrations around the castle, as the people ¡°avenged¡± their king¡¯s death, for there were no windows in the servant passages. Bosc Castle was an impressive building. Towers rose overhead and gargoyles dotted the exterior. Inside were gloriously furnished rooms with highly intricate tapestries and walls covered with large oil paintings. Huge curving staircases of gleaming marble snaked from floor to floor. The corridors were wide and brightly lit with waxed tables and imposing statues dotted the floors. The servant passages, on the other hand, were neither grand nor imposing. They were dark, narrow, low, and unbearably cold during winter. But they were also incredibly intricate ¡­ and hidden. In the era of Bosc Castle¡¯s creation, servants were part of the setting ¡­ the backdrop ¡­ a piece of furniture that was to be overlooked. They were needed, necessary in fact. But never were they to be seen. Never were they to attract attention. Never were they to use the main corridors. Since the servants were meant to be overlooked so was their means of travel. Tapestries, portraits, backs of wardrobes all hid the openings of the servants¡¯ passages. They were a maze of narrow corridors that weaved throughout the castle. Servants might have been the lowest of the low, but much careful thought was spent on them in the construction plans for the castle. It was so vital for them to flit in and out unnoticed that the entrances were perfectly invisible. Even the servants did not know them all. At times they still stumbled across floorboards that moved, or wardrobes with hidden doors. But times had changed and the necessity of keeping servants out of sight had faded away. Now, they could walk the main corridors, side by side with nobility. Over time, the passages had become forgotten by the court and the servants only used them when they were convenient. ¡°Cayla! Oh, Cayla!¡± The mournful gasp made Cayla jerk in surprise. She had thought she was alone. When she turned and saw who was rushing to her, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. Gerda Higgs was a new, young servant who never failed to put Cayla¡¯s nerves on edge. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gerda, but I¡¯m needed in the Princess¡¯s Chamber,¡± said Cayla firmly. ¡°Oh! I couldn¡¯t possibly keep you,¡± exclaimed Gerda, her already large eyes widening dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªI just¡ª¡± she choked wetly, drawing a damp handkerchief out of her pocket. Cayla stood stoically, waiting for Gerda to recover herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she hiccupped into the handkerchief. ¡°It¡¯s just so hard to believe. Alice¡ªsweet Alice!¡± she cried, dabbing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must look like a fool!¡± Cayla didn¡¯t trust herself to reply. ¡°Who could have done this?¡± Gerda sobbed. Cayla frowned, and though she had decided not to speak to Gerda, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying, ¡°What do you mean? I thought you believed in Alice¡¯s guilt.¡± Gerda¡¯s large eyes, swimming with tears, widened. ¡°Where would you have heard that! Alice could never¡ªshe was always so nice. No, no I don¡¯t believe she did this!¡± Gerda said, fiercely shaking her head. Cayla felt a warmth spread in her chest at Gerda¡¯s outburst. She had always found Gerda tiresome and silly, but at her words Cayla felt her gaze softening. ¡°It¡¯s just so hard to believe!¡± Gerda exclaimed again. ¡°Why would anyone want to kill His Majesty? Especially one of us?¡± ¡°Someone could have snuck in through the servant passages,¡± Cayla muttered. ¡°But we¡¯re sworn to secrecy!¡± Gerda gasped, horrified by the very idea. ¡°Then it must have been someone in the castle,¡± Cayla replied darkly, more to herself than to Gerda. Gerda looked close to fainting. ¡°In¡ªin the castle?¡± Gerda repeated, clutching her handkerchief, her eyes darting about nervously. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought,¡± Cayla said wearily, pinching the bridge of her nose. She suddenly wanted to be alone again. Her eyes were burning. She pushed past Gerda who was still too shocked to stop her. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t believe that any of the servants would do such an atrocious deed. But after a few seconds, Gerda spun around and said something that made Cayla stop in her tracks. ¡°But it couldn¡¯t be a servant! What would we gain by killing King Sebastian?¡± What would a servant gain, indeed? Nothing that Cayla could think of. King Sebastian had been loved. As far as Cayla knew, none of the servants had a grudge against him. And I would have known, Cayla thought wryly. Gerda¡¯s specialty was gossip and spreading it as fast and far as possible. Cayla had entered Princess Avona¡¯s bedchamber from a hidden entrance behind a large tapestry. She¡¯d been the princess¡¯s nanny since her birth. Cayla picked up the little wriggling baby and cooed softly. Just as Cayla had calmed the fretful princess the chamber door creaked slowly open. Cayla turned and watched it sway forward as a large man with a grizzled beard slowly stepped through the door. When Sir Anon Haskin caught sight of Cayla he started. ¡°Cayla! Didn¡¯t see you there! Gave me a start,¡± he said with a loud laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Anon,¡± Cayla replied. ¡°Did you need something?¡± ¡°No, no ¡­ no, no. Just wanted to check on the princess ¡­ make sure all was right.¡± ¡°Why would you think something was wrong?¡± Cayla asked, alarmed, shifting the baby in her arms. Sir Anon rubbed his bearded chin slowly, a crease appearing between his eyebrows. ¡°We live in dangerous times, Miss Black. Tragedy seems to be surrounding the castle ¡­ like a mist. I am a knight¡ªmy duty¡¯s to protect.¡± ¡°Do you think someone might try ¡­ to hurt the princess?¡± Cayla whispered, clutching her burden closer as if she were afraid someone would run toward her from behind the dresser swinging a butcher¡¯s knife. Sir Anon shrugged, though his serious air remained. ¡°Like I said, I am a knight.¡± Cayla nodded silently. ¡°Forgive me for intruding upon you.¡± Sir Anon tilted his head respectfully toward the princess, who was goo-ing and gaa-ing, before exiting the chamber and closing the door behind him.
A chilling breeze blew through the cemetery. The execution was over and a tall man stood watching the proceedings, a look of quiet repulsion on his young, narrow face. Salir Romore, King Sebastian¡¯s advisor, watched as the servant Alice Spindle¡¯¡¯¡¯s limp body was slowly carried from the wagon that had transported her body from the central square where the execution had taken place. The wind ruffled his black hair. Beside Salir stood Illius Molick, the captain of the knights. ¡°I weary of funerals,¡± Salir said suddenly. ¡°Do you ever tire of them, Molick?¡± Molick, a chiseled, hard-looking man, cut his eyes to the younger man beside him. ¡°As many as I have seen ¡­¡± Molick sighed. ¡°Yes, I tire of them.¡± Salir breathed heavily through his nose as Alice¡¯s body was lowered into the prepared grave. ¡°I fear, Molick, that this will not be the last I witness as ruler.¡± Salir who had not moved his eyes once from Alice didn¡¯t notice how Molick had turned to him sharply. ¡°It has been decided?¡± Molick asked quickly. ¡°You are to be king?¡± ¡°Until Princess Avona is of rightful age to take my place, I am king,¡± Salir nodded. ¡°When will it be announced?¡± asked Molick, his eyes taking in every inch of the pale man beside him. ¡°Tonight. At sunset.¡±
After his short speech, Salir walked quietly down the brightly lit corridors, his face like a slab of stone. It couldn¡¯t be clearer that his mind was elsewhere. He suddenly came to a stop and looked at the door he stood before in surprise. He stood before his old chamber ¨C the one he had occupied as advisor. With a soft laugh, he turned from his old bedroom and moved through the corridors and stairs, passing staring servants, to the King¡¯s Chamber. He hesitated before the heavily engraved doors, his hands hovering above the gold handles. He tightened his jaw, pulled the door open and entered. Slowly, the oak doors swung shut behind him and for a moment he stood still, letting his eyes roam over the room. A magnificent chandelier hung at the center of the domed ceiling. The room was three times the size of his old chamber, with a handsome, rosewood writing desk, a sitting area with luxurious chairs and glittering crystal bottles of wines and liquors, a fireplace large enough to roast a boar, and a giant bed. Along the walls hung decorative tapestries, and two glass doors closed off the winter chill from a balcony. Salir, of course, had seen all of this before. As advisor, he had sat in that very chair, discussing issues with His Majesty, often over a bottle of gooseberry wine. A smile slowly formed upon his face. Salir walked past tall candelabras, whose flames flickered, to the glass doors. There he stood, overlooking his city¡ªhis kingdom. He stood just as still as the stone gargoyles that leaned boldly over the balcony¡¯s intricate edge, watching the setting sun sink to her death. He stared, never moving, at his darkening city, his slim figure bathed in bloody reds and deep golds. Sharply, he yanked the delicate drapes back over the glass. The tall candlesticks sputtered light into the darkened room, making wild shadows dance upon the walls. His shoulders suddenly tense, he turned slowly on the spot until he faced the two large portraits opposite him. Slowly yet deliberately, never shifting his gaze, Salir walked across the floor to one of the paintings. Salir stepped before King Sebastian¡¯s portrait and tilted his head back, his eyes gleaming in the candlelight. ¡°Long live the king.¡± Chapter 2: Meetings and Musings Four weeks passed, bringing with them icy rain that left the roads a muddy, slushy mess. Cayla glared out of the rain-smeared window from the Princess¡¯s Chamber. Even though nothing strange had happened in the castle for the last twenty-eight days, Cayla could still not accept that the danger had passed. King Sebastian¡¯s murderer was free, and it seemed to Cayla that she was the only one bothered by this. ¡°Cayla, we¡¯ve been through this,¡± her friend Nanette had exclaimed in exasperation one week before. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to accept Alice¡¯s death, but¡ª¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t do it, Nanette,¡± Cayla had snapped fiercely. ¡°You know I know that,¡± Nanette had sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that nothing has happened. If there was a murderer lurking the halls, don¡¯t you think he would have done something by now?¡± ¡°But what Gerda said makes sense!¡± ¡°You¡¯re listening to Gerda now?¡± Nanette had shook her head in mock disappointment. ¡°Good Lord, Cayla, you are desperate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Cayla had fumed and Nanette had stopped smiling. ¡°Who would want King Sebastian dead?¡±¡°Criminals?¡± Nanette had shrugged. ¡°Or Sir Salir? It was settled long ago that he would rule if King Sebastian or Queen Amara weren''t able to¡ªif Princess Avona was still too young, that is.¡± ¡°I thought of him first, too,¡± Cayla had agreed. ¡°I would think that at some point an advisor would get tired of advising and want to start doing. But¡ª¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem the type to go about poisoning people,¡± Nanette had finished dully for her. Cayla had nodded. ¡°Did you see him when it was announced that the queen had died? He looked so shocked.¡± ¡°He could be a good actor,¡± Nanette had suggested. ¡°No one¡¯s that good,¡± Cayal had stated. ¡°He looked like a ghost. Like a shell.¡± ¡°Okay, scratch him off then.¡± Nanette had waved her arm as if slashing a name off an invisible list. ¡°Who else? A knight?¡± Cayla snorted irritably as the memory faded, glaring at the rain-washed courtyard below. A knight. Cayla did not enjoy the knights¡¯ company. A group of knights in particular were a bit too quick to pull out their daggers for Cayla¡¯s liking. King Sebastian and Queen Amara had often been displeased with this small group, but Sir Illius Molick, the Captain of the Knights, had always assured them that he had them under control. They were volatile. Violent. It wasn¡¯t hard for Cayla to believe that a knight from that group had poisoned the king and blamed it on Alice. The question was, which one? Sir Adrian Bayard was a hot head. Cayla doubted he would have the finesse for slipping poison in a goblet. He seemed too attracted to his own fists. But Sir Alexander Vinsus on the other hand ¡­ Cayla could easily see him plotting this murder. He was steely, cold, and as slick as a snake. Cayla often chose to travel down different corridors to keep from walking past him. Cayla snorted again, turning from the window. She and the rest of the servants had heard rumors that the ¡°difficult¡± group of knights had been quietly planning a revolt, but none of the rumors had been substantial enough to be taken seriously, especially with King Sebastian on the throne. But if the knights were going to rebel ¡­ if they had been behind King Sebastian¡¯s death, then they would show it, wouldn¡¯t they? Cayla tried to remember how the knights had been behaving over these past few weeks. Bayard had been strutting about the place like he owned it, but he always strutted. And yes, Vinsus had been more open in his aggression toward the poor and the servants ¡­ had sneered and grabbed his sword a bit more than usual. And Cayla had seen an increase in whispered conversations between these knights. Just yesterday she had seen Vinsus and Sir Anon Haskin talking in undertones, but Anon wasn¡¯t a troublemaker. He was one of the few knights Cayla felt comfortable around. Wanting to turn her thoughts to something else, Cayla picked up the letter that had arrived earlier that day. Two old friends were in the city ¡­ she¡¯d need to pay them a visit, or at least write back. Princess Avona suddenly screamed shrilly, shattering Cayla¡¯s thoughts quite effectively. Tossing the letter to one side, she rushed to her, cooing and rocking her gently, but for all the good she did, she might as well have just ignored her. ¡°Goodness, the child isn¡¯t too pleased, is she?¡± Cayla spun around. Salir Romore stood in the doorway, looking slightly amused at the ear-shattering pitch the princess had reached. ¡°Would it pain you if I joined you?¡± Cayla blinked dumbly before hastily curtseying as best she could with the wriggling princess in her arms. She still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the fact that Salir Romore, King Sebastian¡¯s quiet advisor, was now ruler of Lenzar. ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± Cayla replied over Princess Avona¡¯s yells. ¡°Shh! Darling, shh!¡± ¡°Perhaps she is not fond of my company?¡± mused Salir with a good-humored smile as Princess Avona screeched particularly loudly. ¡°No!¡± Cayla denied, still desperately trying to quiet her. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Either way, I think I will return when she is calmer¡ªasleep perhaps ¡­¡± He turned to go. ¡°No, please! Your Highness, do stay. Look, she¡¯s quieting.¡± And in fact the princess¡¯s yells had dwindled to a small, pathetic whine, her face as red as a cherry. Salir smiled, but then the glow from his smile dulled and it seemed suddenly to Cayla that his young face looked much older. ¡°I have not yet spoken to you of Alice Spindle¡¯s death,¡± he said quietly, ¡°and I apologize for that.¡± The room was suddenly much colder. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Cayla jerkily. ¡°I was told you were friends with her.¡± Cayla nodded, looking firmly at a chair¡¯s legs. She wished he would leave ¡­ why had she called him back? She felt as if something large was jammed in her throat, keeping her from swallowing. ¡°I want you to know that I am here for you,¡± Salir said softly. ¡°If you need to speak to anyone ¡­ just know that I am here.¡± Cayla nodded again, her jaw clenched tightly. When she did not reply, Salir slowly walked toward the door. ¡°Sir!¡± Salir stopped and half turned, looking at her over his shoulder. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t think Alice murdered King Sebastian,¡± Cayla said in a rush, frightened at her own daring. ¡°I think she was set up ¡­ by someone in the castle.¡± Salir¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°And what made you form this theory?¡± he asked in surprise. ¡°All evidence pointed to her poisoning His Majesty¡¯s goblet.¡± ¡°I know, sir, I know.¡± Cayla shook her head, her eyes shut. ¡°But I trust my instincts. Odd things have happened¡ªthe queen¡¯s accident¡ª¡± ¡°You believe that was not an accident?¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Cayla hesitated before replying. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Salir looked around the room. His eyes momentarily rested on Princes Avona who still fidgeted in Cayla¡¯s arms. ¡°I will do all I can to help put your mind at ease.¡± With a curt nod, he went out the door, closing it softly behind him. Cayla stood still, eyes fixed on the newly closed door, for quite some time until Princess Avona suddenly grabbed hold of one of her locks of hair and yanked. Gently scolding, Cayla returned the princess to her crib, but her mind was only partly on the giggling baby. The other part was wondering if Salir Romore would try to find out if Alice had been framed. .
¡°Cayla, you¡¯ve been inside for far too long,¡± Nanette snapped irritably. ¡°Go outside¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been outside!¡± Cayla retorted indignantly. ¡°To the orchard,¡± Nanette scoffed, hands on hips, rolling her eyes sarcastically. ¡°Wow, Cayla, I¡¯m so impressed.¡± ¡°All right, all right,¡± Cayla grunted as Nanette beamed triumphantly, ¡°but someone has to watch the princess and she still has to be fed and¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªand don¡¯t worry,¡± Nanette interjected. She placed her arm around Cayla¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We can¡¯t be gone for very long!¡± Cayla continued. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Cayla,¡± Nanette said with force, letting go of her shoulders and glaring at her. ¡°We are going to the Lone Candle¡ªah, ah, ah!¡± She waved a hand briskly to stop Cayla from interrupting. ¡°And we are going to have a nice, long dinner. I¡¯ll be back here at seven and we can be off.¡± She smiled pleasantly, gave the princess a peck on the forehead, and left to find Kiora Locke, an older servant who often helped Cayla with Princess Avona. At five till seven, Nanette entered the Princess¡¯s Chamber, obviously still pleased with herself for getting Cayla out of the castle, closely followed by Kiora. ¡°I¡¯ve just fed her,¡± Cayla said with the attitude of a fussy mother hen, ¡°so she¡¯ll probably go to sleep. If she wakes up and starts crying¡ª¡± ¡°Cayla, Kiora has done this before,¡± said Nanette, amused, ¡°and we¡¯ll only be gone for a few hours. Not two months.¡± ¡°Well, you never can tell!¡± snapped Cayla, snatching her cloak off the back of a chair, kissing her charge gently and hurrying from the room. Kiora and Nanette shared slightly exasperated yet amused smiles before Nanette closed the door and followed Cayla down the corridor. Cayla and Nanette stepped out into the crisp night and Cayla was pleased to find that there was no wind. Bright lamps illuminated the wide gravel road that led to the main gate. Cayla and Nanette nodded silently to the guard before continuing down a cobblestone road. The hems of their skirts and cloaks swished heavily around their ankles, dampening from small pools of water between the uneven stones. The road gleamed yellow from the lines of flickering lamps. The Lone Candle was by far the most popular inn in Bosc, the capital of Lenzar. It was a cheerful hole-in-the-wall run by a rosy-cheeked man and his rosy-cheeked wife. The food and drink was some of the best for miles and traveling musicians provided a continual foot-tapping jig. Cayla and Nanette stopped at the Lone Candle¡¯s brightly lit windows, sparkling merrily with raindrops. The inn¡¯s sign, that of a squat candle with lumpy ribbons of wax dripping sluggishly down its sides onto a cracked, wooden table, creaked in a sudden cold breeze. Nanette opened the heavy wooden door and they flinched slightly as the battering ram of music and talk issuing from the crowded room barreled over them. Cayla and Nanette entered and with difficulty squeezed through the throng of people standing around the thumping musicians in the corner by the door and weaved between tables to one at the far end of the room. They shed their long, wet cloaks¡ªthe large fireplace in the stone wall kept the inn comfortably toasty. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be!¡± rang a loud, clear voice. Olive Dunker, the rosy complexioned co-owner of the Lone Candle had squeezed through the wooden tables with difficulty due to her very large stomach and stood before their table. ¡°I¡¯ll be!¡± she exclaimed again, even louder than before, hands on her hips, a smile taking up more than half her face. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Cayla Black. Why, I haven¡¯t seen you in ages! Beginning to think you¡¯d vanished,¡± Olive laughed merrily. Cayla smiled. ¡°When¡¯s the baby due?¡± asked Nanette. Olive chuckled. ¡°February. But the way he¡¯s growing ¡­¡± She patted her stomach affectionately and shrugged her shoulders as if to say ¡°but what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Any names yet?¡± Nanette asked. ¡°Not many,¡± Olive admitted, flushing slightly. ¡°Thomas and I know so many people¡ªcustomers, you know¡ªand you¡¯d be amazed at how hard it is to find something original. But I have a soft spot for Galen. What do you think?¡± ¡°Galen Dunker. Sounds nice,¡± Nanette agreed. ¡°But what if it¡¯s a girl?¡± Olive¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Names are so difficult,¡± she said. As Nanette laughed, Olive turned back to Cayla, ¡°So why the long time no see?¡± ¡°It¡¯s taken me longer than I thought to ¡­ to deal with Alice¡¯s death,¡± Cayla replied quietly, though proud that her voice had remained steady. Dawning comprehension swept over Olive¡¯s face and she bent closer to them, no longer smiling, her voice hushed. ¡°Horrible, that¡¯s what it is! Never would have dreamed¡ªI¡¯m still horrified! And you two were friends with her!¡± Her eyes widened in shocked realization. ¡°Everyone liked Alice,¡± Nanette said quickly, laying a hand on Cayla¡¯s arm, who looked as if a dark cloud had suddenly materialized over her head. ¡°She was very kind.¡± ¡°Yes, I know!¡± Olive nodded, her eyes wide. ¡°It¡¯s just baffling! But I guess you can¡¯t tell with some people, can you? I feel so horribly for the poor princess. An orphan and not even a year old.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll order now, Olive,¡± said Nanette, cutting a glance at Cayla who was sitting so still and rigid she could have been stone. ¡°Oh, yes, dears.¡± Olive fumbled with a piece of paper and extracted a short quill from her apron pocket. ¡°What will it be?¡± ¡°Can you believe that?¡± Cayla hissed heatedly, watching Olive¡¯s retreating back after she had scribbled down their order. ¡°You can¡¯t tell with some people ¡­ She spoke as if she was glad Alice was dead!¡± ¡°Well, I think they are,¡± Nanette said carefully. Cayla¡¯s head jerked around. ¡°Alice¡¯s memory is being dragged through the mud!¡± she whispered lividly. ¡°Alice does not deserve this!¡± ¡°No. She doesn¡¯t,¡± Nanette agreed softly. Cayla felt tears welling in her eyes. Her throat constricted. Nanette squeezed Cayla¡¯s arm before removing her hand to make room as their beer and a healthy wedge of stilton were placed between them. Cayla hastily wiped her eyes on her sleeve and took a sip of beer. ¡°Do you think, that for right now, you can simply enjoy yourself?¡± Nanette asked quietly, leaning forward over the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t healthy, Cayla.¡± Cayla smiled slightly and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that!¡± cheered Nanette. They clanked their heavy mugs together, beer sloshing over the edges. Suddenly, the whole room seemed brighter, as if a thin cloth had been lifted from the scene. The merry customers around them drank and danced foolishly and before Cayla knew it, her foot was happily tapping to the beat of a young traveler¡¯s fiddle. ¡°Pheasant pie?¡± huffed a long-nosed young man, who had just arrived to their table, staggering under the weight of a huge pie. ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± Sweat beading on his forehead, he bent his knees and slide the pie onto the table between them, where it steamed. ¡°I tell you, I could live off this pie!¡± Nanette said with a feverish glint in her eyes. As the night continued, the Lone Candle seemed to grow even louder. After a few pints of mead, the musicians had sped up substantially, the thumping of heavy boots keeping tempo to the pounding drums. Cayla and Nanette finished their pie and beer, along with a helping of apple crumb tart topped with almond cream. Cayla was leaning back in her chair, gazing peacefully around the inn. It had been beautifully decorated for Christmas with baubles, ribbons, and bundles of holly. Cayla¡¯s roaming eyes rested on a corner a few tables away from where she and Nanette sat. It was a good bit darker than anywhere else in the room because there were no torch brackets nearby. The table was empty and Cayla thought she understood why. Why ever would you want to sit in the dark? ¡°Perfect dinner!¡± Nanette exclaimed, startling Cayla by slamming her hands on the table and pushing herself up. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we headed off.¡± They slowly made their way back to the castle, stumbling over uneven stones in the road, chuckling at their clumsiness. They turned a corner and the brightly lit windows of the castle shone proudly through the night. ¡°¡­ didn¡¯t expect this to happen ¡­¡± Cayla stopped so sharply that Nanette stumbled again. ¡°What¡ª¡± Nanette began, but Cayla pinched her sharply. ¡°Shhh!¡± she hissed, suddenly fully awake. For some reason, the harsh voice she had just heard through the darkness left her feet frozen in place. ¡°¡­ Just finish the job¡ªtonight, along with the maid,¡± said the cold voice so quietly that she inclined her head to hear better; her eyes strained painfully as she tried to see through the dark alley. ¡°Cayla¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± But whoever had spoken had vanished. ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Cayla whispered. She started walking again, tugging Nanette along with her. ¡°Cayla¡ªCayla, what is it?¡± Nanette huffed, jogging to keep up with Cayla¡¯s quick pace. ¡°Who¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± said Cayla shortly. She nodded curtly to the gate guard and entered the castle. ¡°I just thought I heard something.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t hear anything,¡± Nanette grumbled dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed¡ªsee you in the morning.¡± With a large yawn, she turned on her heel and shuffled down the corridor. Cayla stood stationary in the corridor for a full three minutes before coming to her senses with a start. She ran up the spiral staircase to Princess Avona¡¯s chamber, the cold words echoing in her brain. She wrenched the chamber door open with such force that Kiora dropped the tea pot she had been holding. ¡°Never mind it, never mind it!¡± huffed Cayla quickly as Kiora bent to retrieve the broken pottery. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it¡ªdon¡¯t know my own strength sometimes¡ªGo on, I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± And with an arm tightly around Kiora¡¯s shoulders, she half-pushed half-led her out the door before she could protest and closed the door with a snap. Cayla stood staring at the wood of the door, her hand pressed flat against its grainy surface. Surely she was overreacting ¡­ panicky about the slightest thing that seemed strange ¡­ Cayla shook her head as if trying to rid herself of an aggravating fly. No, this was real¡ªwhat she had heard was real¡ªshe had to act now! She spun around, a plan¡ªa horribly, foolish plan¡ªhad taken form in a matter of seconds. Her face set with fierce determination, she crossed the room and picked up the sleeping baby. Chapter 3: The Plan Ivan Finley walked quickly through the crowded streets of Bosc. He attracted many looks from passer-bys. Perhaps it was his high brow or his steady, firm gaze. Or it could have been his freshly waxed boots or the glimmering of his expensive cloak, both of which spoke volumes of his social standing and his wealth. Either way, Ivan didn¡¯t seem to notice or care that people watched him brush by. He seemed oblivious to the hopeful glances of many a young woman. His long, red cloak swished behind him as he weaved through the jostling people, hurrying from stand to stand in the large market. In fact, the only time Ivan Finley appeared to take the slightest interest in anything about him was when he neared a rickety table just erected that morning, nearly buckling under many miniature mountains of apples. ¡°But, m¡¯lords, please,¡± wheezed a stooped man, whose entire frame seemed to vibrate with every word, ¡°please, don¡¯t take them all! I must make a living, Sir Adrian!¡± Before the poor man¡¯s stand stood five knights, loading apples in large satchels. The fifth smirked at the man. ¡°Come now, dear fellow,¡± Sir Adrian Bayard simpered. ¡°Us knights are spending valuable amounts of time and energy to look after poor fools such as yourself. It only makes sense that you repay us.¡± Bayard shook the man¡¯s shoulder slightly like a friend sharing a joke, but he laughed harshly, his eyes cold. The four other knights laughed. Ivan jerked to a stop and watched the knight continue to pat the tiny man on the back, making him quiver worse than ever. ¡°It¡¯s our right to take whatever we like,¡± Bayard continued with a sharp grin, fingering the hilt of the sword at his hip. ¡°But if you are so attached to your apples, perhaps I would be content with your granddaughter instead?¡± Bayard leered at the girl shivering behind her grandfather. The farmer¡¯s forehead immediately beaded with sweat. ¡°No-no, m¡¯lords! Take the apples! Take all of them, please!¡± Bayard and the knights laughed loudly, making those around them turn and stare. They loaded their satchels and Bayard snickered and winked at the girl, now white as old oatmeal. It took a moment before Ivan realized he was still standing frozen, glaring in fury at the pitiful farmer. Grinding his teeth so much that his jaws hurt, he forced his legs to move. With a bitter taste twisting his mouth into an ugly frown, he turned from the scene and resumed his trek. He quickened his pace and left the large crowds as he turned sharply off the main road onto a narrower one. He nearly flew down it, his shiny boots clattering loudly on the cobblestone. Next, he hurried down a section of steps, the noise of the main road more muffled with each step he took. For someone who hadn¡¯t been the slightest bit interested in his surroundings, he suddenly spent a good deal of time looking over his shoulder. The steps ended at a quieter street. He passed bolted doors before halting suddenly, his cloak swishing violently about him, as he stared intensely down the street behind him and up at closed, dirty windows. The street was empty. Ivan continued on his journey. He was now rushing down a dirty alleyway. The stench of rotting food hung heavy in the air and a rat scurried under an upturned basket, torn and stained with mud. Ivan Finley stopped halfway down the quiet alleyway before a heavily bolted door. His eyes lighted upon a muttering old woman, shuffling at the other end of the alley as he knocked thrice on the splintered door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± grunted a voice through the door. ¡°Ivan Finley,¡± Ivan whispered to the door, his eyes still on the murmuring woman. ¡°Password.¡± ¡°Sebastian.¡± The door creaked open and Ivan stepped over a dark threshold. The smell of mildew and dust nearly overpowered his senses. Ivan wrinkled his nose. ¡°Why do we have to keep coming here, Garren?¡± he asked in aggravation. ¡°Because the knights haven¡¯t searched it yet, that¡¯s why.¡± A gruff-looking man closed the door behind Ivan, throwing them into even deeper darkness. He was powerfully built with large arms and shoulders. A thick, brown beard covered half his face. ¡°The meeting¡¯s started. What kept you?¡± ¡°Got a little distracted.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t followed?¡± Garren asked sharply. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Garren started walking down a set of warped stairs with Ivan close behind, ¡°I don¡¯t care to think what Adam would have done if you had been.¡± ¡°Bit testy today, eh?¡± In the dark, Ivan couldn¡¯t see Garren¡¯s face, but he had the feeling Garren had rolled his eyes. ¡°Testy doesn¡¯ describe it.¡± They had reached the end of the stairs and stood before a closed door. Muffled voices issued from behind it. Garren half turned to Ivan and said with a twisted smile, ¡°Get ready.¡± He opened the door and the stairway was flooded with light from the room before them. Loud, arguing voices pounded against Ivan¡¯s eardrums. The room looked more like a cave, with its low, dirty, stone walls. A rusty wagon wheel, adorned with stubby candles, hung from the smoke stained ceiling, illuminating a crowd of men gathered around a large wooden table that took up the most of the room. ¡°But we can still go forward with the plan,¡± argued a young man with copper hair. He stood at one end of the table. ¡°And get ourselves killed?¡± replied an irritable voice. ¡°Vin, if we don¡¯t then countless months of planning will have been for naught!¡± shot the young man. Ivan inched along the edge of the room toward his empty seat while Garren closed the door and took his own. Ivan sat next to the youngest man in the room. He had sandy-blonde hair that was slightly curly. He shot a questioning glance at Ivan, but Ivan jerked his head slightly and turned his attention to the argument between Egan and Vin. ¡°Yes, Egan,¡± Vin said icily, ¡°but are countless months of planning more valuable than our heads? The knights have gotten wind of the attack. It would be suicide.¡± ¡°Jacob risked his life to be heard!¡± Egan continued heatedly. ¡°He should not rot in the dungeons!¡± ¡°He should not have been stupid enough to get caught.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Vin,¡± said the oldest man in the room. ¡°Egan, Vin is right. We cannot possibly continue with our plans for freeing Jacob. The risks are too great.¡± Egan seemed to deflate. Not looking at anyone in particular he sat down and glowered at a small burn in the worn table. There was a momentary silence, then ¡­ ¡°What took you?¡± Ivan turned his attention to the man sitting at the opposite head of the table: Adam Thain. His muscled shoulders and hard eyes made it clear he was not a man to be crossed. ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± Ivan answered, shrugging, as if he didn¡¯t mind Adam¡¯s harsh tone. ¡°Slight distraction. That knight Bayard was bullying another farmer.¡± An angry murmuring sparked around the table. ¡°We must do something!¡± an angry man exclaimed. ¡°What can we do, Daniel?¡± the old man beside him asked. ¡°Something, Cian, something! I¡¯m tired of watching knights abuse our families and take our gold! Another house was burned because the owner refused to call that-that creature ¡®His Majesty!¡¯ What use are we if we stand aside and do nothing? We are acting like cowards!¡± Daniel slammed his fist on the table. ¡°The knights are livid from Jacob¡¯s writings. They are looking for any excuse to lash out at the people,¡± said Cian. Ivan lowered his eyes, fighting the shame that ate at his insides. He could have forced Bayard away from the farmer, he could have ¡­ ¡°What use would you be Daniel, if you were locked in the dungeon?¡± the young man beside Ivan asked quietly. All eyes focused on the youngest of their group who was staring at Daniel. ¡°Not much use at all,¡± he continued, answering his own question. ¡°Galen¡ª¡± ¡°We are doing what we can,¡± Galen spoke over Daniel¡¯s feeble attempt to argue. ¡°If we attacked every single knight on our own or at the spur of the moment, then we wouldn¡¯t be here right now. We¡¯d all be sharing cells on the bottom-most floor of Bosc Castle.¡± ¡°Galen¡¯s right,¡± said Cian to the sudden stillness. ¡°We¡¯re getting to the knights, there¡¯s no doubt about that. Molick is making it his top priority to have us snuffed out. We have made progress¡ª¡± ¡°But not enough!¡± shouted Egan, thumping his fist on the table. Silence settled once more on the seated men. Garren cleared his throat. ¡°We could try talking to the king again? Surely he can¡¯t be happy with the knights.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already tried that,¡± Vin snapped angrily. ¡°And if you remember, the letter was supposedly ripped apart and burned. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s interested in speaking to us.¡± ¡°Maybe we should try again,¡± Garren growled. Vin glowered at Garren. ¡°King Salir is either too stupid or too scared to act against Molick,¡± Vin stated harshly. ¡°It¡¯s obvious who¡¯s running the kingdom. Romore is just his puppet in fancy clothing. We¡¯d be wasting our time.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I have an idea,¡± Ivan spoke suddenly. His heart was racing. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He knew that he was probably going to be laughed and sneered at, but at least he wasn¡¯t the youngest in the room. He was ahead of Galen by four years. All eyes had turned to him and his pulse quickened under the intense gazes. ¡°Well, speak young Ivan,¡± said Cian Raghnall impatiently. Ivan swallowed, his eyes darting from face to face. ¡°Find the heir to the throne.¡± There was silence so complete one would have thought the room was empty. Galen first looked shocked and then smiled in mock exasperation. But there was a bark of laughter that shattered the heavy silence. ¡°Find the heir to the throne?¡± Vin repeated, leaning over the table to get a better look at Ivan. ¡°You must be joking? She¡¯s dead.¡± But Ivan was ready for this; he had been planning this very conversation for days. ¡°Her body was never found.¡± Vin laughed even louder. ¡°Do you hear him?¡± he cried, turning to the others. ¡°Where exactly did you get that information, boy? She¡¯s buried beside her dead mother and father.¡± ¡°Why was no one allowed to witness it?¡± Ivan shot loudly over Vin¡¯s continued chuckles. ¡°Why was no one allowed to pay homage to it? Why were the catacombs shut off from visitors?¡± ¡°Her body may have been too mangled for¡ª¡± ¡°Vin,¡± Adam cut in sharply, a warning in his voice. Vin fell silent but continued to sneer at Ivan. But Ivan stared at Vin with the intensity of a mind reader. ¡°So you don¡¯t believe she died of a fever?¡± Ivan asked him. Vin shrugged dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t believe anything that comes out of Romore¡¯s mouth,¡± he replied, his tone icy. There was a slight pause as Ivan breathed deeply through his nose. The others seemed to be holding their breath, their eyes darting from Vin to Ivan. ¡°I have heard rumors,¡± Ivan continued, looking around the table at the other members. ¡°Rumors that I believe the knights have not gotten wind of ¡­ yet. The people are clinging to this hope as if it is their last breath.¡± He felt a rush of anger as Vin rolled his eyes. ¡°You have heard them, Galen! You all have heard the rumors. They are whispered. They are spoken only in the most extreme of confidences. The people guard this one hope as intensely as any member of their families. Is it so hard to believe, to hope, that she is still alive?¡± Vin was scratching his chin, gazing at the wagon wheel above his head. He had obviously stopped paying attention to Ivan, but Cian frowned at Ivan across the table. ¡°If she was alive, and we found her, our task would still not be easy,¡± the old man stated. ¡°She would be in more danger than any one of us if Molick discovered she was alive and threatened to take the throne.¡± ¡°What do we have to lose?¡± Ivan asked quickly, glad that Cian wasn¡¯t on Vin¡¯s side. ¡°We can sit here and plan and plot and not do anything or we can look for the princess and continue to plan and plot.¡± Cian smiled slightly and turned to Adam. ¡°What do you think, Adam?¡± Adam frowned deeply. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot¡ªa very long shot. How do you plan on finding her¡ªif she is alive at all?¡± Ivan leaned forward, heart racing in excitement. ¡°I¡¯d love to get someone inside the castle¡ªsomeone posing as a servant to ask questions, discreet ones¡ªfind the people that were there the night it happened¡ªdiscover what information has been hidden from the people about her so-called death.¡± Ivan searched Adam¡¯s face, but he couldn¡¯t decipher an answer. ¡°Who all agrees?¡± Adam finally boomed across the table. Ivan smiled triumphantly as he watched the nodding heads¡ªall except Vin who looked like he¡¯d swallowed a lemon. ¡°It is settled. Ivan, begin your search. Meeting¡¯s adjourned.¡± Ivan was amazed his plan had worked. Galen caught his eye as they rose together and followed the others up the stairs. When the group of men reached the landing, they waited in line while Garren opened the door every few minutes, so that they could leave alone or in pairs. This precaution had to be enforced, no matter how irksome it was. They were a rebel group, formed by Adam Thain and Cian Raghnall. The two men had been acquaintances for many a year before the Kellen Royal Family¡¯s tragic deaths. But it was five years after Salir Romore had taken the throne that Adam and Cian had first discussed the idea of a rebel group. Times were turning dangerous and they didn¡¯t see any of that changing in the near future. Ridiculous laws had passed, taxes had increased to the point of thievery, and those who spoke out were beaten or thrown in the dungeons. When Salir Romore had taken the throne, Lenzar had been in a state of uncertainty and despair. Their king and queen were dead. And then shortly thereafter, the little princess had succumbed to a fever. It was hard to pinpoint when exactly the changes started. First came the new laws. For safety, the people could no longer visit the catacombs beneath the castle¡¯s floors. They were too dangerous, King Salir had explained. Bosc Bell Tower, a common retreat for the people with its spellbinding view of Bosc and the ocean, was prohibited after a castle servant jumped to her death shortly after the little princess died sixteen years ago. A knight was stationed outside its circular stairway night and day. Then the taxes increased and the knights began refusing to pay for food or drink, saying they would take what they wanted as payment for their service to Lenzar. The months and years passed, with the knights becoming bolder. Fights began in alleys, where the knights often left their victims bleeding on the cobblestones. The king was seen less and less. Instead, Illius Molick, the captain of the knights, took the reins, or at least, that was what the people suspected. The people supposed that the knights had finally reached a point where they knew no one could stop them. In a horrible display of where the power now lay, the knights smashed and crushed each statue of King Sebastian and Queen Amara in Bosc. They removed paintings of them from shops and homes, only to rip and burn them in the streets. In hurt and anger, writings appeared¡ªPatrick Falk, a very well respected voice in Lenzar, leading the charge¡ªcriticizing the new wave of violence. The pamphlets were circulated across the country, the people¡¯s voices rising in rebellion. But then the knights came and searched all the homes in Lenzar. They burned every copy and threw the printer and as many of the writers they could find in the dungeons. Patrick Falk was beheaded, thanks to a new law that any ill word against the king or knights was treason, and punishable by death. The streets of Bosc were silent as Falk¡¯s head was displayed by gleeful knights. The silence grew as the head was transported to all the towns and cities of Lenzar. But not all of Falk¡¯s pamphlets had been destroyed. Some very few had been hidden successfully during the burnings and were heavily guarded by their owners. After five years of torture, it was time to act. Adam and Cian carefully sought out people that would be interested in a rebellion. This had to be done painfully slowly, for the knights¡ªas greedy and barbaric as they were¡ªstill had eyes and ears. There had already been many poorly planned skirmishes between the people and the knights, though they usually didn¡¯t last long and the outcomes were predictable. Those fools that weren¡¯t killed in the fight were taken to the dungeons. There was never a discussion or announcement of how long they would be imprisoned and the knights didn¡¯t allow visitors. The people were divided as to who to blame. Some believed the king was behind it all. He is the king! they would exclaim. But others had their doubts. They watched Illius Molick strut about the city like a king. They watched him order the searches for rebellious writers or fighters. They did not doubt that if Salir Romore was weak, he would be easy to bend¡ªeasy to be put to use by Illius Molick The line had dwindled and Ivan and Galen were at the door now. They were last and the only person in front of them was Vin. Garren opened the door for him and Vin brushed past without a word. Ivan frowned after him. He had disliked Vin Connolly since the first time he had met him. Garren nodded at Ivan and Galen and let them leave the dilapidated building. They took a few steps down the deserted alley before Galen said, ¡°That was quite a speech.¡± ¡°But they all agreed, didn¡¯t they?¡± Ivan said happily. ¡°The only one who gave me any trouble was that bastard Vin.¡± Ivan actually took a skipping step and Galen chuckled. Galen looked causally around and Ivan knew he was searching for knights. ¡°So, when do you leave to find your spy?¡± They had climbed some steps and entered a more active street. ¡°As soon as possible. Maybe even tomorrow. You should come!¡± Galen shook his head. ¡°Sorry, Ivan, but no can do. Mom wants me at the inn all day tomorrow.¡± ¡°Have you still not told her?¡± Ivan asked, suddenly demanding. Galen sighed heavily. ¡°No, it would kill her.¡± Ivan exploded immediately. ¡°We¡¯re doing the right thing!¡± Galen gave a small smile. ¡°It would still kill her.¡± Ivan snorted, his hands deep in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Galen, when this is all over¡ªwhen the king is replaced and the knights are reformed¡ªthey¡¯ll all be thanking us on bended knee.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak so loudly,¡± Galen advised softly. His eyes were trained on a knight, but the brute hadn¡¯t heard anything as he was busy leering at a girl. They walked on in silence, Ivan shooting moody glares at the people they passed and Galen focusing on the cobbled road. At the end of the street, they parted, Ivan to the left and Galen to the right. Ivan now walked down a large road. Heavy stone walls flanked either side, guarding the large houses sitting behind them. He passed these by until he came upon a tall iron gate. He took out a brass key from inside his trouser pocket and opened it. A hand resting on the gate, he looked around. The large lawns were still green but were starting to look pale, and some patches here and there had already turned brown. Red and yellow leaves littered the ground and as he watched, some took flight in a sudden gust of chilly wind. He yanked the gate shut with a loud clatter and turned the key in its lock. It was near noon. He was sure his mother and father were in the garden having lunch, so he headed in that direction, walking around the large house instead of through it. Yes, there they were, sitting at a small circular table, laden with trays of sandwiches and jugs of juice. ¡°Ivan!¡± his mother called happily when she caught sight of him. ¡°Mother,¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°Have a chicken sandwich. They¡¯re delicious.¡± ¡°Thank you, maybe later¡ª¡± ¡°Have some almond toffee,¡± Mrs. Finley continued, raising a mug of a warm, steaming drink. ¡°Or would you prefer tea?¡± ¡°I was actually hoping to have a word with you, Father,¡± Ivan said, looking pointedly at Mr. Finley who was drinking from a glass of wine. Mr. Finley lowered his glass, but didn¡¯t set it down. ¡°Certainly. If you¡¯ll excuse me, Abby dear?¡± He rose, glass still in hand and headed into the house, Ivan following behind. They entered a small study that was expensively furnished. Oil paintings of Ivan¡¯s grandparents hung on the walls along with glass ornaments, fine dinnerware that Mrs. Finley enjoyed showing off, and a large wooden case of expensive cigars. ¡°What is on your mind, Ivan?¡± asked Mr. Finley, sighing heavily as he sat in a large armchair. ¡°And more importantly, what is it you don¡¯t want your mother overhearing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just come back from a meeting,¡± said Ivan, taking a seat, his voice slightly hushed. He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. ¡°Ah!¡± Mr. Finley leaned forward, his face eager. ¡°You do know that if I was younger and fitter, I would be stuffing it to those knights. Speak, son. Speak! And quickly before your mother wanders in.¡± Ivan grinned and scooted his armchair closer to his father. ¡°I told them my plan.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve agreed! They¡¯re letting me go forward!¡± ¡°Well done!¡± Mr. Finley slapped Ivan¡¯s knee. ¡°Congratulations! Pour yourself some wine!¡± Ivan happily obeyed. ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡± Mr. Finley asked as Ivan sat back down. ¡°Where do you go from here?¡± ¡°I have to find someone who I can get into the castle,¡± said Ivan. ¡°I was thinking about leaving tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Mr. Finley rubbed his chin, his face serious. ¡°You will of course inform the person of the dangers involved?¡± Mr. Finley pressed, suddenly stern. ¡°If the knights realized why this person was there ¡­ if Molick or Romore ever got a hint, your spy would be dead before you could say almond toffee.¡± Ivan nodded his head. ¡°Brenden, what are you two talking about?¡± Mrs. Finley had just entered the room and was looking curiously from her husband to her son. ¡°Nothing, Abby, nothing,¡± Mr. Finley said quickly, flashing a winning smile and straightening in his chair. Mrs. Finley¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re finished, I need to speak to Ivan.¡± She turned her attention to her son. ¡°I need you to go to Clara¡¯s in Halspeare and pick up a few blankets; ours are getting a little worn.¡± ¡°Clara¡¯s?¡± Ivan sputtered. ¡°But why there? They sell blankets here in the city!¡± ¡°Clara¡¯s are better!¡± his mother said forcefully. ¡°And anyway, while you¡¯re there you can stop in on Miss Coletta. She does so love your visits.¡± A quaint smile on her face, she turned on her heel and left Ivan with his jaw open in disbelief. ¡°Clara¡¯s?¡± he rounded on his father. ¡°In Halspeare! That¡¯s a three day journey!¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably hoping the weather will be bad and you¡¯ll have to spend the night at Miss Coletta¡¯s.¡± Mr. Finley chuckled and gazed at the empty doorway affectionately. ¡°Your mother won¡¯t rest until she sees you married.¡± ¡°I have absolutely no interest in Coletta!¡± Ivan raged furiously. ¡°But you must admit she¡¯s a charming girl.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, charming, of that I am certain,¡± fumed Ivan, rolling his eyes. ¡°I just wish she¡¯d try to charm someone else! And what am I going to do about finding my spy?¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll run into one on the way? Oh, come now,¡± Mr. Finley said, spotting the mutinous look on Ivan¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with you mother. The sooner you go, the sooner you will be back.¡± He drained his glass, slapped his own knee and left Ivan alone in the sitting room. Chapter 4: Bonnets in the Rain Ivan left immediately after an early and rushed breakfast the next morning. He was behind schedule, having to ride to Halspeare and back, and didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. He would be quick. He would be efficient. And above all else, he would hide for cover if Coletta or her mother walked by. Clara¡¯s was a very small shop owned and run by an extremely old woman, Clara. Her specialty was weaving blankets¡ªIvan had to admit that they were some of the best in Lenzar. He had been to the shop many times, mostly on his mother¡¯s orders and thanks to her fervent hopes that he would bump into Miss Coletta Smith. Biting back sour grumblings, Ivan saddled his horse Arrow and galloped out of Bosc. It was a chilly morning and the sky was a hazy gray. Scowling up at it, Ivan thought darkly that it looked like rain.
About a half a day¡¯s journey from Bosc was a very small town by the name of Blighten. In this small town was a girl of around seventeen with thick reddish-brown hair. She had her large curls tied back, out of her freckled face. Her name was Mally Biddle, and at the time, she stood bent over, trying to entice a group of unruly goats to follow her back home. ¡°Come on sweeties,¡± she cooed with a sugary voice, but there was an edge of aggravation that she couldn¡¯t quite hide. ¡°Come get the carrot. Come on.¡± She waved the large carrot before the goat five feet from her. It stared pointedly at Mally; long strands of grass jerked up and down from its mouth as it chewed. Mally gave an exasperated groan. Why, why did they have goats? Why couldn¡¯t they have cows or a pond full of fish? Do fish suddenly develop a dislike of their pond and leap out in search of more exciting waters? No, Mally thought angrily, they stay in their pond. She straightened and closed her eyes. The goats had escaped from their paddock five times since last week, but who was counting? Hands on hips, she watched them munch happily at the grass. What was it about the grass halfway up this hill that was so much more delicious than the grass at home? A deep sigh escaped her lips as she stared at them, perplexed. She knew what she had to do now. It was an unwritten set of steps that she had become accustomed to. The goats escaped, she tracked them to this hill, she tried to get them to come home, she failed, she went home without them, they returned on their own later. It had happened this way so many times that she wondered why she even bothered to try to bring them home, instead of waiting patiently in the yard. But try she did. An annoyed smile on her face, she waved goodbye to the goats and marched back down the hill. After a thirty-minute walk, she turned onto a small winding road with wild, tangled hedges growing on either side. A twittering bird zoomed out of the hedge, barely missing her head. Mally walked down the narrow lane, a house coming into view at the end. As she neared it, her heart skipped a beat. Three horses stood grazing by the front door of her home. Mally stood frozen before a rickety gate, taking in the horses¡ªthat were completely oblivious to her appearance¡ªwith mounting dread. The bits in their mouths sparkled; their manes were freshly combed; their saddles were the color of roasted hazelnut shells. She had seen horses like these before and always her heart pulsed painfully fast at the meaning their presence brought: the knights were here. Mally swung the gate open and suddenly heard muffled voices from within the house. The horses snorted and one turned its head toward her. As she walked past the horses to the front door, she spotted Lenzar¡¯s coat of arms branded on the sides of the saddles. But before Mally had touched the doorknob, the door swung open and she quickly took a step back to keep from being hit. A short, fat knight with oily, slicked-backed hair stood in the doorway. He was turned away from Mally, speaking over his shoulder. ¡°Thank you for your generous hospitality, my dear,¡± Sir Leon Gibbs simpered, his voice just as oily as his hair. He raised a pudgy hand that held a ginger biscuit in a mocking salute. He chuckled at his own wit and his two companions walked past him through the open door. Mally knew Sir Leon Gibbs. He was the tax collector for Blighten, Leaveston, and Bosc. Every month he would appear with two cronies demanding their silver and gold. When Gibbs felt that he wasn¡¯t given enough, he would search their homes, trying to discover their secret stashes. Or, more accurately, he would make his fellow knights search while he ate or drank whatever the homeowners had in stock. Mally didn¡¯t recognize the two knights that were with Gibbs today. There always seemed to be two new ones. Not for the first time, Mally wondered how many knights there actually were. ¡°Remember,¡± said Gibbs in an obnoxious sing-song sort of voice while rattling the numerous fat bags of gold tied to his belt, ¡°be sure to save up for your collectors! We all must do our part!¡± One of Gibbs¡¯ lackeys guffawed. The other¡ªa blonde knight with a red hat¡ªscowled. Gibbs finally turned around and walked over the threshold to join his companions outside. Mally hastily stepped back to give them more room but Gibbs spotted her. He chuckled again, making his large cheeks jiggle and reducing his eyes to slits. He winked. Mally tried to keep the revulsion from her face. It was always best not to take their bait, to just let them take the money and go. With some satisfaction, Mally watched Gibbs fail to mount his horse twice, due to his vastness in size. The blonde knight seemed to be looking determinedly in the opposite direction while the other picked at his teeth. Then they were gone, back down the narrow lane to take money that was not theirs from the rest of the people of Blighten. Mally turned and saw her mother standing cross-armed in the doorway. Mally could almost see a thundercloud crackling over her head. ¡°Mom?¡± said Mally tentatively. ¡°Come inside,¡± said Susie Biddle in a clipped voice. ¡°I have tea steeping.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Did they search?¡± asked Mally, following her mother into the house. A large, black dog immediately leapt from under the kitchen table and tried to lick Mally¡¯s ears. ¡°Down Bonnie, down!¡± ordered Mally half-heartedly. Susie flashed a small smile at Mally and Bonnie before pouring tea into two mugs. ¡°I gave Gibbs enough silver to satisfy him.¡± Susie sat at the table and passed a mug to Mally. Bonnie curled beside Mally¡¯s feet and sighed heavily. ¡°But we still have five silver pieces under my mattress.¡± Only five. That wouldn¡¯t go far. ¡°Maybe I can trade Stuart mushrooms for some fish?¡± Mally offered. Susie sipped her tea. ¡°We¡¯re also getting low on flour,¡± Mally added. Susie still remained silent. ¡°Did Gibbs eat all the biscuits?¡± ¡°Every last one,¡± Susie answered tartly. ¡°But I managed to hide the fig ones before they knocked down the door.¡± Mally smiled and then bit the inside of her cheek. She knew her mother didn¡¯t want to hear what she wanted to say. In the silence, Mally stared into her chipped mug, trying to think of a good way to broach the subject on her mind. ¡°No goats?¡± Susie asked suddenly. Mally looked up and shook her head. ¡°No goats.¡± ¡°When the beans come in we¡¯ll be fighting to keep them out of the garden.¡± Her eyes were focused out the window, the mug of tea still held in her hands. ¡°At least I won¡¯t have to hike up that hill anymore,¡± Mally replied with half a smile, trying to lighten the mood. Mally licked her lips nervously and suddenly said in a rush, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why we can¡¯t go to the city.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been over that,¡± Susie replied firmly, still staring out the window. ¡°But we could sell at their market!¡± Mally argued for what seemed the hundredth time. ¡°Allen¡¯s told me about it¡ª¡± ¡°Did he also tell you that the knights charge entry?¡± Susie rebuffed. ¡°That they are just as likely to rob you blind as they are to beat you? We would be more than lucky to make any money in Bosc.¡± Susie took a sip, her tone steady and even. ¡°Allen is a fool to go into that city.¡± ¡°But we need the money,¡± Mally said quietly. When her mother didn¡¯t respond she forged onward. ¡°The market in Bosc is four times the size of the one here. And there are wealthy people there. Or I could get a job at one of the shops¡ª¡± ¡°I need you to pick mushrooms for dinner. I¡¯m making soup,¡± Susie interrupted firmly. She put her mug down and rose from the table, turning her back on Mally as she faced the fireplace. Mally heard the change of subject very clearly and slumped in her chair. Her mother would never let her go to Bosc no matter how badly they were in need of money. At the words ¡°mushroom hunt,¡± Bonnie perked up and started thumping her tail against the floor. ¡°You may want to get going soon,¡± Susie advised, speaking to the crackling logs. ¡°It looks like it may rain. If you can find them, get black bonnets.¡± Biting back further arguments, Mally rose from the table. ¡°Come on, Bonnie.¡± And with Bonnie behind her, Mally walked back through the door and headed down the road in the direction she had come, but instead of continuing down the road, she turned sharply to the right at a small opening in the hedge. On the other side was a field and Bonnie galloped on ahead, snapping at bees. Mally followed, heading straight for a small forest at the opposite end. Mally was a well-trained mushroom hunter. She had been taught by her father, Jonathan Biddle, who had passed away when Mally was fifteen. Mally¡¯s skills were well known in Blighten. She was often asked by people in the small town to find them certain mushrooms in exchange for meat or cheese. Mally didn¡¯t mind. She enjoyed finding them. It reminded her of her father, always bringing home some strange fungi and them discussing its characteristics at length over steaming mint tea or, if they were lucky and managed to hide their gold pieces from Gibbs, hot cocoa. She and Bonnie were under the canopy of the trees now, and, glancing up at the steadily darkening sky, she quickly started her search. Black bonnets were smallish mushrooms, jet black in color with slightly pointed caps. They were usually found at the bases of old oaks, but Mally had once spotted some that had fruited under a fallen tree trunk. A sharp wind whipped suddenly through the trees, making Mally¡¯s skirt flap violently around her ankles. Speeding up, she headed for a cluster of large oak trees that were a little farther into the forest. She hoped that there would be enough black bonnets there to satisfy her mother and that she¡¯d be able to get back before the downpour. Smiling grimly, she thought of the goats. They won¡¯t be happy at all about getting their hooves wet. They¡¯ll probably be waiting by the barn when I get back. Then she thought of Gibbs and for a moment savored a mental picture of him catching his death in the rain. ¡°Oh, excellent!¡± Mally cried suddenly, for she had just come to the cluster of oaks and as she had expected, little black mushrooms littered the ground. Mally crouched down and started to pick, but all too quickly she had to stop. The majority of the black bonnets were past their prime¡ªshriveled with age. She rose, called for Bonnie, and headed for another promising spot by the road that ran through the forest. Mally glanced up at the sky again as a few large raindrops landed on her nose. By the time she had spotted the road, the rain had increased at a shocking rate. Her hair was plastered to her face. She thought about turning back, but she was nearly there. Slipping and sliding down a hill, she crouched down by a smaller oak and inspected its roots. The rain was pounding now; she could barely even see the road, fifteen feet ahead of her. But she was in luck. A large group of young black bonnets clung closely to the trunk of the oak. She loaded her pockets as a sopping wet Bonnie jogged onto the road and sniffed a rabbit hole. Mally knew what was coming a split second before it happened. She heard over the heavy rain the sound of hammering hooves. ¡°BONNIE!¡± she yelled, leaping to her feet. But the rain was too dense for the horse or its rider to see Bonnie until it was too late. Bonnie yelped and dashed away from the road; the horse tried to stop, slipped, and tumbled off the side of the road. Heart in her throat, Mally slid down the rest of the hill to the road. A trembling Bonnie sat crouched behind a boulder. The horse had already half risen by the time Mally had reached where it had fallen. It snorted and jerked away from her, but Mally had her eyes on the rider. He lay in the mud, unmoving. Dropping to her knees, she searched for a pulse. He had one. Mally grabbed the horse¡¯s reigns and tried to calm him. Frantically, she looked up and down the road, hoping someone would materialize through the curtains of rain. She¡¯d even be glad to see Gibbs¡¯ round form appear, but no one did. Looking back down at the pale man, Mally squared her shoulders and tried to lift him from the ground. After a few failed attempts and much straining and gasping, she managed to get him back onto the horse¡¯s back, lying awkwardly across the saddle. Mally quickly made sure that he was breathing. She hoped feverishly that nothing was broken, that he had only hit his head hard on the road. ¡°Bonnie!¡± Mally called, and with a firm grip on the reigns and one hand steadying the rider, she led them slowly back to the field, the rain lashing them violently. Chapter 5: The Spy Ivan thought his skull was smashed. He groaned and opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed in a small, simple room. The curtains over a square window had been drawn back, revealing the torrential rain outside. He could hear the wind whistling and he suddenly remembered. He¡¯d fallen off Arrow. A blasted dog. A stupid, stupid hound had run in front of Arrow and he had fallen off. He¡¯d never fallen off! And the stab of pain that went through his skull only emphasized his wounded pride. He tried to sit up but gasped in pain and quickly lowered back down. By the burning in his ankle, he guessed he had twisted it along with cracking open his skull. If he got his hands on that mongrel he¡¯d skin it! The door suddenly opened, and Ivan jerked his head around, but quickly regretted it as stars shot before his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake, I was worried you wouldn¡¯t be ¡®till tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Ivan asked through gritted teeth, trying to steady his sight, and when he did, he found a young girl with thick, curly hair sitting in a chair beside the bed. She had freckles on her cheeks. They stood out clearly on her colorless skin. ¡°How do you feel?¡± she asked, and the worry in her voice made it clear to Ivan that she had somehow witnessed his fall. He noticed that her hair looked very damp. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, trying to sound indifferent as he lowered his head back onto the pillow. ¡°Just a few bruises.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± and the matter-of-fact tone caught Ivan by surprise. ¡°I saw you grimace when I came in.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a little bit more than a few bruises,¡± Ivan snapped, annoyed. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Mally Biddle. I¡¯m sorry that Bonnie frightened your horse. He¡¯s in the¡ª¡± ¡°That was your dog? Can¡¯t you keep better track of that animal?¡± Ivan barked in anger. Mally seemed to bristle, color returning to her cheeks. ¡°Why can¡¯t you ride slower in the rain?¡± she snapped back. ¡°Was a ghost after you?¡± ¡°Mally?¡± The door opened again and a woman walked in. ¡°He¡¯s awake, Mother,¡± Mally stated, the lack of enthusiasm clear in her voice. She rose and left the room. ¡°You must excuse my daughter, sir,¡± the woman apologized after Mally had shut the door with a bang. ¡°She has been very worried about you.¡± Ivan didn¡¯t respond, but allowed her to see to his cuts and ankle. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about your horse. He was uninjured in the fall. My daughter put him up in our stable. As for your ankle, I¡¯m sorry to say that you shouldn¡¯t walk on it for a few days.¡± ¡°Thank you, madam, but I need to be somewhere.¡± ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re not going to be able to walk much less ride with a foot like that. You¡¯re staying here.¡± Ivan opened his mouth to argue but shut it, nodding. ¡°My name¡¯s Susie Biddle, by the way, and my daughter is Mally. We¡¯ll bring you up some dinner shortly, mister¡­?¡± ¡°Finley. Ivan Finley.¡± ¡°If you need anything, Mr. Finley, call for one of us.¡± Susie walked across the room and closed the door gently behind her.
Down below in the kitchen, Mally sat with her arms and legs crossed so tightly she looked like she was tied in knots. She scowled fiercely at the fireplace. Raindrops were steadily falling through the chimney to land on a heavy, black kettle sitting on a crackling fire. The drops hissed and sputtered on their landing. A very quiet Bonnie lay curled under the table. What manners, Mally thought savagely, her foot jerking up and down, I¡¯ve met pigs who behaved better. The sound of footsteps reached her ears and Susie Biddle walked through the doorway. She smiled in amusement at the sight of Mally and took the kettle off the fire after checking on Mally¡¯s clothes drip-drying by the fire. ¡°I¡¯ll make a cup of tea,¡± said Susie, turning to a canister where she stored the tea leaves. ¡°You were drenched to the bone.¡± ¡°I feel fine,¡± Mally growled, glaring at the fire. ¡°And aren¡¯t we getting low? We shouldn¡¯t be wasteful about it.¡± ¡°Have one anyway. Oh. Oh my.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± asked Mally, turning in her chair. Her mother stood very still, the lid of the canister in one hand, staring down into its depths. She put her hand into the pot and pulled out five gold coins. ¡°Did you put these there?¡± she asked, turning to Mally. ¡°No,¡± said Mally, startled, staring at the gold in shock. ¡°Where would I have gotten five gold pieces? Where did they come from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Susie said slowly. She closed her fingers over the gold in her hand. For a moment she was silent and then as if she had suddenly decided something, she put the gold in her apron pocket and turned to the stove. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Mr. Ivan Finley some soup¡ª¡± The reminder of their rude guest turned Mally¡¯s mood sour. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re being so nice to him,¡± she grumbled. ¡°He¡¯s as rude as a¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªand I want you to treat him as our guest. He¡¯ll be here for a few days.¡± ¡°A few days?!¡± Mally gasped. ¡°At least,¡± Susie nodded firmly. Mally watched her ladle up a bowl of steaming soup in furious horror. The little black mushrooms she had picked less than an hour ago bobbed up and down as Susie carried it from the room and up the stairs. Mally snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t know why she¡¯s trying,¡± she fumed to Bonnie. ¡°He¡¯ll be completely ungrateful, I¡¯m sure.¡±
Mally tried not to think about their surprise guest, but her mother kept making her send up his meals and when Ivan requested pen and paper for a letter to his family to tell them not to worry, it was Mally who had to deliver them. Mally had a strong suspicion that her mother was trying to entice an apology from her. The few days that her mother had said he would stay turned into two weeks (¡°It really is a nasty sprain,¡± her mother had explained to a scowling Mally). But by the fourth day of his recovery, Mally found herself thinking of Ivan more often than she liked. She¡¯d brush it off like a disgruntled hen.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°So what if he¡¯s good looking,¡± she¡¯d mutter to herself as she pulled up carrots from their vegetable patch. ¡°Lots of people are good looking.¡± But he made her laugh and her palms would become irritatingly sweaty when he looked at her. She didn¡¯t need to be pestered to take him his tea anymore. She started steeping it herself and carefully carrying it and a few biscuits to his room. ¡°What is this tea?¡± Ivan once asked, making an odd face after he had sipped from his cup. ¡°Mint tea,¡± Mally had answered, and instead of feeling herself bristle at his expression, she had felt her stomach twist¡ªas if worried he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°It¡¯s what we drink. I suppose you¡¯re not used to it.¡± It was clear that Ivan came from wealth. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to like it,¡± was his reply, which sent Mally¡¯s insides into a flutter. She knew that it was stupid to be attracted to Ivan. The moment his ankle was healed, he would be off on his horse, back to wherever he came from or wherever he was off to. She understood the difference between their social spheres. But Ivan didn¡¯t seem to mind her visits to his room, bringing tea and meals. He never seemed to find their conversations irksome. He actually, if Mally dared to believe it, seemed to enjoy her company.
xXx Ivan couldn¡¯t believe his luck. Twisting his foot on a trip to see Coletta! It didn¡¯t put him any closer to finding his spy, but avoiding Coletta was worth it. He could only imagine how his dear mother was taking the news¡ªhis letter would have reached them by now. And to have landed in a simple yet comfortable home with the best food he had ever tasted. Except the tea. That was disgusting. But he had told Mally otherwise, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Ivan rested his head back on his pillow and tapped a finger to his lips. Mally. She was an interesting girl. Ivan hadn¡¯t met many girls like her. There was a soft knock on the door and Ivan sat up straight. It was time for his daily tea and visit from Mally. ¡°Come in,¡± said Ivan and as expected, Mally stepped into the room with a tray of that horrible tea, but also with Susie¡¯s phenomenal cookies and biscuits. ¡°Hi. Mom just told me that your ankle is much better,¡± Mally said. She set the tray on his lap and took her usual seat by the bed. Ivan didn¡¯t get to see her in the morning as she had jobs to do. Something about goats, he thought. ¡°So she said,¡± Ivan agreed, stirring some honey into his chipped mug. ¡°It feels much better. But I¡¯m not complaining. I¡¯m glad I got this sprain when I did¡ªI should thank your dog.¡± Mally looked startled. ¡°Why¡ª¡± ¡°My mother sent me to Halspeare,¡± Ivan explained. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go to Halspeare?¡± Mally asked. Ivan swallowed some tea and picked up one of the cookies off the tray. ¡°Because the only reason she wanted me to go was to get me to marry a Miss Coletta Smith who lives there.¡± An odd flush spread over Mally¡¯s cheeks at Ivan¡¯s words. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°But I have absolutely no intention of marrying Coletta or any one else for that matter,¡± Ivan continued, pretending he hadn¡¯t noticed her blush. At his words, Mally perked up immediately. ¡°Try one of the fig biscuits,¡± she recommended. ¡°We had to hide them from Gibbs when he came collecting taxes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s making his rounds, is he?¡± Ivan asked, taking the indicated biscuit. ¡°Big, fat beetle.¡± Mally laughed and Ivan grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t like him at all¡ªhim or the other knights,¡± Mally said with relish. ¡°I hate them.¡± Ivan¡¯s ears perked up at that. ¡°My mom¡¯s terrified of them,¡± Mally continued. ¡°She won¡¯t let me go to Bosc to find work even though we need it. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll do through the winter.¡± The conversation had taken an unpleasant turn, and Mally seemed to have realized how bitter she sounded for she suddenly grinned widely and rose. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at dinner,¡± she said, her voice merry again. She lifted the empty tray. ¡°We¡¯re making stewed hen.¡± Ivan nodded and watched the door long after she had closed it, thinking.
Shortly thereafter, Ivan¡¯s ankle was healed enough that he could walk. He had met Bonnie up close, and because Mally had been watching, patted her on the head. He liked Mally. She wasn¡¯t Coletta at all, that was for sure. There was a strength about her that he liked ¡­ that he admired. Ivan still hadn¡¯t forgotten their conversation about the knights. It had set his mind in motion. Mally looked just the part for a servant. There wasn¡¯t anything flashy about her. She was a farm girl. Ivan bet that, dressed in a servant¡¯s uniform, she¡¯d look like she had always been a servant. She knew hard work. She hated the knights. She wanted to see them gone. Maybe, just maybe ¡­ The next day, Ivan woke refreshed and feeling completely normal. After Susie had inspected his ankle and deemed him fit enough to ride, Ivan nearly skipped down the stairs. But the grin on his face slid off as he looked at the empty kitchen. ¡°Where¡¯s Mally?¡± he asked Susie, who had followed him down the stairs. ¡°Trying to get the goats to come back.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t she do that yesterday?¡± ¡°She does it everyday,¡± and Susie smiled at the look on Ivan¡¯s face. ¡°If you want to meet her, she¡¯s probably given up by now and is on her way back. Ah, ah, ah!¡± she said forcefully as he started for the door. ¡°Not until you¡¯ve eaten.¡± Ivan didn¡¯t complain. Susie¡¯s cooking was the best he¡¯d ever had and, having grown up in a wealthy family with a personal cook, Ivan thought that was saying something. After he had his fill, Ivan asked Susie where to find Mally. Susie told him how to get to the hill that the goats enjoyed most and after snatching another sausage off the table, he headed down the little lane that led to the hill. This is all working out for the best, he thought to himself gleefully. He¡¯d be able to talk to Mally away from her mother for as long as it took to convince her. And he was going to convince her, of that he was sure. He was not leaving without her. It turned out that Susie was right. Ivan spotted Mally and Bonnie half way down the hill. He waved at her and she waved back. Bonnie barked and sped down the hill to him and he rubbed her behind the ears until Mally reached him. ¡°Hi!¡± said Mally, and Ivan was pleased to see she was smiling widely at his sudden appearance. ¡°Your ankle¡¯s healed?¡± ¡°Completely. Fancy a walk?¡± Ivan asked as Bonnie bounded around their ankles. ¡°But if you can¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t want to interfere ¡­ if you¡¯re busy, that is.¡±¡°No, no! I¡¯d love a walk.¡± Perfect, smiled Ivan. They strolled slowly down a different lane than the one that led to Mally¡¯s home, watching Bonnie weave back and forth before them. It was a cheerful day¡ªthe sky a radiant blue and the air crisp and fresh. The trees¡¯ brilliant shades of colors ranged from golden-yellow to deep red. ¡°Lovely day,¡± Ivan observed. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Mally agreed. ¡°Fall¡¯s my favorite time of year.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Mally smiled. ¡°Everything¡¯s so colorful in the fall and the coolness is like a breath of fresh air after summer.¡± ¡°You must work hard, living the way you do,¡± said Ivan, taking in Mally¡¯s tan and slim figure. ¡°You get used to it.¡± Ivan laughed. ¡°I can think of a few people who¡¯d never get used to it.¡± He pictured his mother plowing a field while ordering the servants to bring her more chamomile tea. ¡°And you got me onto Arrow. Not many women could have done that. Your size is misleading.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that shocking in a farming town, but if you weighed any more, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it,¡± said Mally with a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll remember to watch what I eat,¡± promised Ivan with a grin. Mally smiled and bit her lip, looking suddenly flushed. ¡°You¡¯re leaving today?¡± Ivan heard the sudden change of subject and his senses seemed to sharpen. It was time. ¡°Yes, and I wanted to talk to you about that,¡± he said slowly. He stopped walking and turned to Mally. ¡°You know I live in Bosc.¡± Mally nodded. ¡°And you told me that you¡¯ve never been. That you¡¯ve been interested in work there.¡± ¡°Yes, but as I told you,¡± Mally explained. ¡°My mother won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Because of the knights,¡± Ivan pressed. Mally nodded again. ¡°But you¡¯re not afraid of them, are you?¡± Ivan asked, smiling in a way he knew made Mally flush. He wasn¡¯t disappointed. Pink bloomed upon her cheeks. ¡°You learn how to handle them,¡± Mally said. ¡°But it¡¯s usually just Gibbs that we see here.¡± ¡°Not everyone has that kind of bravery,¡± Ivan commended her. ¡°You would make a good rebel.¡± At his compliments, Mally flushed even deeper and smiled bashfully. ¡°I once heard from a trader that the rebels somehow snuck into the royal stables and released all the knights¡¯ horses,¡± said Mally. ¡°He said Molick was spitting he was so angry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re very grateful for your approval!¡± Ivan grinned with a short bow. Mally¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean ¡­ you¡¯re ...?¡± ¡°Ivan Finley, rebel and aristocrat, at your service.¡± Ivan beamed at the excited awe that covered Mally¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve been given a very important task¡ªvery secret.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Mally asked immediately. Ivan glanced over his shoulder again before whispering, ¡°I convinced the other rebels that Princess Avona may still be alive.¡± ¡°But ¡­ you think she is?¡± Mally asked, startled. Ivan nodded, still glancing up and down the lane. ¡°But how would you find her? How would you know if she were alive?¡± Mally asked, her voice hushed as if she too were afraid someone was hiding behind a tree. ¡°I¡¯d need someone on the inside,¡± Ivan answered, closing the small distance between Mally and himself with a small step. ¡°I¡¯d need to get someone in the castle ¡­ to work there. She¡¯d snoop around and tell me what information Molick and the king might be hiding.¡± ¡°So, do you have someone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hoping I do.¡± Ivan¡¯s eyes met Mally¡¯s and understanding came to her. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°If you want to,¡± said Ivan, focusing on her eyes. They were very brown. ¡°It would be dangerous, but I think you could handle that.¡± ¡°I¡ªI¡¯d have to think about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time,¡± Ivan pressed, now standing very close to her. ¡°I¡¯m leaving today and I want to take you with me.¡± Mally blinked very fast. ¡°My-my mother, like I said, she won¡¯t let me go to Bosc.¡± ¡°Mally, we¡¯re talking about the kingdom ¡­ saving the kingdom. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s worth some risk¡ªsome danger?¡± Chapter 6: Bosc On the way back to the house, Mally and Ivan discussed the best way to inform Susie Biddle of the news. It was a well-known fact that the knights tormented anyone they wanted outside of the castle. Though Mally could hardly believe the stories that she had heard from travelers and her fellow townspeople, the rumor was that the knights didn¡¯t touch those inside the castle¡¯s walls. She guessed it would be bad for business. After all, why would anyone willingly work where the knights lived? But even though Mally could argue to her mother that she would be safer in the castle, she knew that it would be a difficult point to make. Especially with Gibbs¡¯ latest visit. ¡°She¡¯s not going to let me go,¡± Mally stated. Ivan narrowed his eyes in annoyance. ¡°You don¡¯t know her,¡± Mally continued, spotting Ivan¡¯s expression. ¡°She¡¯s never let me go to the city¡ªno matter how desperately we need the money.¡± ¡°The servants are well paid. You can send part of your salary to her. I know many do that.¡± Mally still looked uncertain. She definitely wanted to go with Ivan. To leave Blighten ¡­ to not take care of the blasted goats ¡­ to have some adventure ¡­ to try to get rid of the knights! Mally could hardly contain her excitement. But her mother ¡­ Mally could leave without her approval. She was an adult. But that idea only made Mally¡¯s stomach twist sickly. Mally didn¡¯t like the idea of leaving her mother alone, dealing with the farm and the shopping and the market and the goats and the knights. But if they didn¡¯t somehow start earning more money then it wouldn¡¯t be long before Gibbs snatched the farm away. Winter was coming and the livestock would need hay. They were already low on corn and the chickens would need their share of grain. Mally¡¯s chest seemed to tighten. They just didn¡¯t have enough money with Gibbs snatching every coin that his grubby fingers could find! ¡°Is it true that the knights don¡¯t hurt anyone inside the castle?¡± Mally asked. Ivan nodded. ¡°They act very differently inside the castle,¡± he explained. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be smart to abuse the people keeping their living space pristine and their goblets full. Mostly they will ignore you. I¡¯ll explain everything to her except¡±¡ªthey had reached the gate and Ivan put his hand on Mally¡¯s elbow to stop her¡ª¡°I don¡¯t want you to mention that I¡¯m in the rebellion or what I want you to do inside the castle. It isn¡¯t wise for even our families to know who is a rebel¡ªwe can¡¯t risk the knights guessing who we are.¡± Mally¡¯s insides squirmed again at the idea of her mother not knowing the true reason for her departure, but Ivan was right. The less her mother knew of the truth the less danger she would be in, not to mention that spying on the knights would be the perfect reason for her mother to forbid her to leave Blighten. Blushing from the warm pressure of his hand, Mally nodded.
¡°Goodness, you¡¯ve been awhile,¡± said Susie when the door opened and Mally and Ivan walked in. ¡°Goats give you extra trouble?¡± ¡°No, the goats are fine,¡± said Mally, taking a seat at the table. ¡°Ivan¡¯s going back to Bosc today.¡± Mally felt Ivan standing close behind her. ¡°I hope you travel well,¡± said Susie. ¡°Would you like to stay for lunch?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to tread upon your hospitality any longer than I must,¡± said Ivan. ¡°I was talking to Mally and I understand that she has never visited Bosc.¡± Mally tensed. Susie¡¯s back also seemed to have straightened as she looked at Ivan, wiping her hands on a dishcloth. ¡°It isn¡¯t the safest of places to be,¡± she said simply. ¡°Most certainly, but with the right company the knights are only a bit bothersome.¡± ¡°A bit ¡­ bothersome?¡± Susie repeated slowly, as if she had misheard him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Finley, but I wouldn¡¯t call people who threaten parents with locking their children in the dungeons if they don¡¯t give up their gold bothersome.¡± Mally¡¯s cheeks flushed; she twisted her fingers in embarrassment. ¡°Madam¡ª¡± ¡°Ivan, why don¡¯t you go outside for a moment?¡± Mally interrupted quickly, turning in her chair to look up at him. His mouth tightened, but he nodded and left the room. The silence that followed Ivan¡¯s departure was uncomfortable. Mally stared at her mother. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to say that,¡± Mally finally said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± Susie stated. She had turned her back to Mally, plunging her arms into soapy water in the sink. Mally glared at her mother¡¯s back. ¡°He offered me a job.¡± Susie turned, surprised. ¡°In Bosc. At the castle.¡± Susie¡¯s face turned white. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°No!¡± Susie dropped a spoon into the water with a splash. ¡°The castle is safe,¡± Mally argued, rising and making her way to her mother. ¡°The stories are true. The castle¡¯s servants aren¡¯t harmed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care! You¡¯ll still be in the city. What happens when you leave the castle? Eh? Do they care so much about rules then?¡± Mally gazed into her mother¡¯s angry eyes and said quietly, ¡°We need the money.¡± Susie huffed, scrubbing a plate with surprising violence. ¡°The servants make a more than decent salary,¡± Mally continued. ¡°I can send you my earnings, or a part of them. You and I both know that we can¡¯t keep our heads above water if one of us doesn¡¯t get a job somewhere. At least at the castle, I will be safe.¡± ¡°Safe.¡± Her mother nearly spat out the word. ¡°No one has been safe for sixteen years.¡± Mally suddenly wished that she could tell her mother why she was really going to Bosc ¡­ that she was going to help the rebels. ¡°Do you remember the two knights that were here with Gibbs?¡± Susie asked suddenly. ¡°Yes,¡± said Mally, surprised by the turn in conversation.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°The blond one was standing right there, where you are.¡± Susie pointed to the countertop that Mally leaned against. ¡°I didn¡¯t pay him much attention. I was too busy trying to keep Gibbs happy, but I thought I heard something clank.¡± Mally blinked and turned to inspect the countertop. ¡°The tea canister?¡± asked Mally astonished. Susie nodded. ¡°He was right next to it. He could have lifted the lid without anyone noticing.¡± ¡°But that would mean that he gave us gold.¡± Mally was so astounded that she could only stare at her mother. ¡°Yes,¡± Susie agreed softly. A knight had given them gold. This news rang like a gong in Mally¡¯s brain. A knight had given them gold. A knight had moved against Gibbs¡ªagainst Molick. Mally suddenly wondered if he had deposited small handfuls of gold in strange places at all the houses they had visited. ¡°I don¡¯t approve of this,¡± Susie spoke and Mally quickly turned her focus back to her mother. ¡°But, I also can¡¯t make you stay.¡± Mally¡¯s heart began to pound. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Susie nodded, a sudden wetness in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll write every day.¡± When Susie didn¡¯t make a response to that, Mally pulled her close. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± she repeated.
Mally managed to convince a jubilant Ivan to stay for the night and leave in the morning. She was surprised at how well-tempered her mother was to Ivan in the morning since it was thanks to him that her only daughter was leaving her safe abode. Mally thought that her mother was putting on a strong front so that Mally wouldn¡¯t see the fear and sadness she was feeling. Susie fussed over the clothes that Mally had or hadn¡¯t packed and loaded she and Ivan down with food for the journey. ¡°I know it¡¯s only a few hours, but I don¡¯t trust that inn food!¡± Ivan repeated again and again his gratitude for her hospitality. Even though Susie didn¡¯t show it very vividly, Mally was sure she was touched by his tireless desire to show his thanks. Mally needed a horse for the journey to Bosc and they only had one, Sam, a large dappled-gray draft horse. She could remember being a little girl and watching her father harness Sam up to plow the fields behind their house and being amazed at how tall he was. Ivan¡¯s eyes widened when Sam was led from the stable. ¡°You¡¯re sure I should take him?¡± Mally asked her mother for the third time that morning. Susie shook her head dismissively. ¡°He¡¯d mope around like a great fool with you gone. You two are better together. Allen will lend me a horse for plowing. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± When Sam and Arrow were saddled and ready, Mally hugged her mother one last time, scratched Bonnie behind the ears¡ªshe whined pitifully¡ªand mounted Sam. Ivan shook hands with a stony-faced Susie and expressed again his deep thanks. It was only after Ivan had mounted Arrow and they had left the fenced-in yard that Susie yelled fiercely after them, ¡°You¡¯d better take care of my daughter, Ivan Finley, or I¡¯ll hunt you down!¡± Ivan turned in his saddle, grinning widely, as Mally laughed, wiping tears from her eyes. ¡°You have my word, madam, that no harm shall come to her!¡± he called back. Mally hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be long before she returned.
The four hour journey to Bosc seemed to pass by in minutes. There was so much to discuss. Mally didn¡¯t know anything about being a servant or how to act around nobility. The only people she ever dealt with were other farmers and traders. But Ivan didn¡¯t seem worried in the slightest. ¡°You¡¯ll surprise yourself. It¡¯s not that hard. Be quiet and keep your eyes down. You¡¯ll have duties that you¡¯ll do every day, and then there may be certain spur of the moment things that crop up, but mostly, it¡¯s the same thing every day,¡± said Ivan, thinking about the servants at his home. ¡°And you won¡¯t be alone. There are many servants in the castle already, but be sure not to tell them anything about the rebels or the real reason you¡¯re there.¡± ¡°How are you going to get me in?¡± asked Mally, suddenly nervous. ¡°I¡¯ve got my connections,¡± said Ivan with a wink. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¡°Will I meet the other members of the group?¡± Mally asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. They¡¯ll need to recognize you if they need to send you a message personally and I¡¯m not able to.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you be able to?¡± Mally cringed inwardly at the panic in her voice. ¡°Things happen,¡± Ivan shrugged. ¡°My mother, as you already know, enjoys sending me on wild goose chases in hopes that I¡¯ll fall madly in love. I may not be available all the time.¡± Mally nodded and twirled some of Sam¡¯s silvery gray strands of mane around her finger. Ivan laughed suddenly and Mally looked at him curiously. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t my mother be pleased!¡± Ivan grinned rather wickedly. ¡°Sent off to get a girl and I return, in fact, with a girl, but not at all the one she wanted! She¡¯d be furious if she found out!¡± He sounded positively gleeful. ¡°Is it likely that I¡¯ll meet you mother?¡± Mally asked. Mrs. Finley didn¡¯t sound like the warmest of women. ¡°You might, but it would probably be best if you sleep in the Lone Candle until I get you into the castle. And you¡¯ll be able to meet Galen! He¡¯s a good friend of mine and he¡¯s in the rebel group as well. His mother runs the Lone Candle. You¡¯ll like him. He¡¯s your age.¡± It was comforting news to Mally that someone her age was in the rebel group. She had pictured them all as gruff, angry men.
The sun had begun to set, bathing the sky in soft waves of pink and apricot. An hour before they entered Bosc, Ivan stopped Arrow and turned to Mally. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break for a little while; I want to tell you a few things before we get to Bosc.¡± They moved a little ways off the large road and sat amongst a patch of trees. ¡°I want you to stay as far from the knights as possible,¡± Ivan said without preamble. Mally snorted. She thought this was a rather ridiculous request. ¡°Ivan, how am I supposed to stay away from them if I¡¯m going to live with them?¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± he said nodding his head, ¡°and I¡¯m sure the other servants will help you figure out how to deal with the knights, but I want you to be on your guard.¡± The seriousness of his gaze sent chills down Mally¡¯s spine. For the first time she sensed the danger of the situation. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my head down,¡± Mally assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°If anything happens¡ª¡± ¡°If anything happens I¡¯ll tell you immediately.¡± Ivan seemed pleased at that and relaxed against a tree trunk. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want your mother chasing me around Lenzar with a carving knife.¡± They returned to the road, which was becoming much more congested. Sam tossed his huge head from time to time in agitation. He wasn¡¯t used to so many people and horses in such close proximity. Mally rubbed his neck gently and whispered softly in his ear. The last thing she wanted was to lose control of Sam. They rounded a corner and Mally felt a burst of sea air. Bosc was an extremely large port city. Fishermen sold their catches on the docks and expensive jewels and cloths were brought in from distant countries. Mally had never seen the ocean, but her mother and father had talked glowingly about it. Mally¡¯s throat suddenly went dry. A huge stone wall, twenty¡ªor thirty¡ªfeet high, towered before them. It was the outer wall of Bosc and encircled the entire city. She looked up at the top and spotted knights strolling slowly, almost lazily, up and down, bows draped over their chests and swords swaying from their waists. Mally quickly looked down as a knight from above noticed her. The wide road had narrowed, forcing Mally and Ivan into a line that had come to a halt. A knight was standing at the large gate before them, inspecting those who wished to enter the city. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ivan said quietly, interpreting her stiff posture correctly. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± But she didn¡¯t feel fine. Far from it. Perched on top of Sam, she was head and shoulders taller than almost anyone else in the line. She felt like a flame that was attracting all the eyes of the many moths around her. People in the line around them had turned their heads and were pointing openly at Sam. Trying to ignore them as best she could, Mally focused on her fingers that were twisting Sam¡¯s mane feverishly. Finally the large wagon before them moved through the gate and Mally and Ivan were at the front of the queue. ¡°Name?¡± a bearded knight grunted, staring dully at a large roll of parchment in his hand. ¡°Ivan Finley, son of Brenden and Abby Finley,¡± Ivan answered, rather tartly. ¡°I am a resident here as you very well know, Strap.¡± Strap chuckled, giving Ivan a wide wicked grin. ¡°Rules are rules, Finley,¡± Strap smirked. ¡°His Majesty wants to know the comings and goings of the people in his city.¡± ¡°His Majesty or Sir Illius Molick?¡± Ivan asked, his voice hard. Strap laughed again. ¡°Does it matter?¡± he asked. Ivan glowered at Strap, but Strap didn¡¯t seem perturbed. He turned his eyes upward to Mally. ¡°And your name, missy?¡± His eyes roamed over her and Mally resisted the urge to squirm. ¡°Mally Biddle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of you.¡± His voice was like gravel. ¡°Where you from?¡± ¡°Blighten,¡± Mally replied shortly. ¡°Blighten, eh? I should go their more of¡¯en,¡± he chuckled to the knight beside him and Sam snorted and stamped his huge hoof. ¡°Quite a horse you got there,¡± Strap observed, taking in Sam¡¯s impressive bulk. His eyes shined with a hunger that Mally didn¡¯t like at all. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said tightly. ¡°This your first time in Bosc?¡± ¡°Yes, and I hope I enjoy my stay ¡­ sir,¡± Mally added politely. ¡°I hope you do as well,¡± Strap leered. ¡°Ten gold pieces,¡± he barked suddenly. Before Mally could reach for the small moneybag in her cloak, Ivan had already handed the gold to Strap. He inspected it with a sneer before saying, ¡°You may pass.¡± Feeling suddenly dirty, Mally passed the two knights and entered the city. Chapter 7: Dunker and Kettle ¡°The Lone Candle is near the castle,¡± said Ivan. ¡°What do you say we walk? It¡¯d be nice to stretch our legs.¡± Mally agreed and they dismounted. Sam bent his head and rubbed Mally¡¯s shoulder with his nose. They walked at a pleasant pace and after a while Mally forgot about her encounter with Strap, for the city of Bosc simply glowed. Night had fallen and the street lamps were being lit. They shone brilliant light upon the cobblestone streets and Mally couldn¡¯t wait to explore the many shops that would open at daybreak. She had already spotted a few that sounded promising: Sticky Finger Bakery, June¡¯s Hats and Gloves, and Puddlemore¡¯s Bookshop, to name a few. She wanted to find something to get for her mother ¡­ perhaps a new hat? ¡°Here we are,¡± Ivan said some twenty minutes later. Mally looked around and spotted what he was pointing at. Opposite them was a small inn with a huge glass window beside the door. It was slightly foggy and Mally couldn¡¯t see clearly through it. Mally and Ivan tied Sam and Arrow to poles outside the inn and stepped out of the cold and into the Lone Candle. The inn was quiet except for the sporadic conversation from its few customers. Ivan grabbed hold of Mally¡¯s wrist and led her gently to a small table in a corner, three tables away from the nearest customer. Mally sat down and looked around the room feeling suddenly uneasy. ¡°It¡¯s seen better days,¡± Ivan said under his breath, also glancing around them. Then quite abruptly a loud boom of laughter sounded from a corner. Mally and Ivan turned to see six knights laughing loudly at something one of them had just said. Mally noticed that everyone else in the inn had taken tables far from the knights. ¡°What can I get for you, dearies?¡± asked a short woman with a round face and graying auburn hair. She hadn¡¯t looked at them, as she was busy trying to pull a quill and piece of parchment from her apron pocket. When she had extracted them and spotted Ivan, her face split into a wide grin, her eyes dancing. ¡°Why, Ivan Finley! What a surprise. Where¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°Blighten,¡± Ivan said, grinning. ¡°Olive, I want you to meet Mally Biddle. Mally, this is Olive Dunker. She owns the Lone Candle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful inn,¡± said Mally, shaking hands with Olive. Though Mally felt she was being polite, she thought she saw something flash behind Olive¡¯s eyes. There was certainly something strained about her smile. Over Olive¡¯s shoulder, Mally spotted a large painting of a man in knight¡¯s attire. The knights laughed loudly again from their corner. ¡°Thank you. What would you like?¡± ¡°Are you still making the stuffed quail?¡± Ivan asked, rubbing his hands. The annoyance flashed in Olive¡¯s eyes again and for a moment, Mally thought she had cut her gaze to the loud group of knights. ¡°No. Sorry to say. But I¡¯ve got a nice pork stew.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take it. And I¡¯ll have the amber ale and ¡­¡± Ivan frowned at Mally for a second before saying, ¡°and Mally will take a cider.¡± ¡°Cheddar?¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll be right out,¡± said Olive, scribbling away. She left their table and disappeared through a door behind the bar. Mally turned her eyes on the knights who were waving their empty mugs in the air for refills. A girl around Mally¡¯s age took their mugs as quickly as possible, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste to leave their table. The knights roared in merriment. Mally¡¯s stomach turned from the whistling and jeering. ¡°They¡¯ll stay for hours,¡± Ivan muttered darkly, indicating the knights. ¡°They¡¯ll eat and drink and scare all the other customers away and finally leave without paying.¡± ¡°One knight left us gold,¡± said Mally. She said it more to try to convince herself that all the knights weren¡¯t horrible. ¡°We¡¯ve heard some stories about that,¡± Ivan whispered, leaning over the table to her. ¡°Some family will have a small bag of gold left in a flower pot. A women will be about to fill her kettle with water and nearly faint from the silver she finds in it. We don¡¯t know who is leaving those gifts but we do know they have money¡ªand the knights have lots of that.¡± ¡°So you think that some knights are good?¡± Mally asked, hopeful. ¡°I¡¯m no more sure than you are,¡± Ivan answered, shaking his head. ¡°But someone is trying to thwart the knights. And whoever it is is quite serious about staying anonymous¡± ¡°For obvious reasons,¡± said Mally, thinking of Gibbs and imagining how quickly he would turn in a traitor. ¡°You don¡¯t have any ideas who these good knights¡ªif we assume they are knights¡ªare?¡± ¡°Not enough to feel confident in naming them,¡± Ivan admitted gloomily. ¡°Whoever they are, they act well¡ªthey¡¯d be dead if they didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°TO CAPTAIN MOLICK!¡± Mally nearly jumped out of her chair. A woman sitting close to Mally had flinched so badly at the sudden outburst that she had flung her mug to the floor. Ivan swiveled in his seat, glaring daggers at the knights who seemed oblivious to what they had caused. Their mugs full, they were cheering and clanking their beers together, waving at the painting of the man near them. ¡°Disgusting,¡± Ivan spat under his breath. ¡°Who is that painting of?¡± Mally asked. ¡°Painting?¡± Ivan repeated, confused. But when Mally pointed it out his face soured. ¡°Captain Illius Molick,¡± he explained. His voice dripped acid. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen one of those?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Mally. ¡°Humph,¡± Ivan snorted. ¡°Well, get used to it. He¡¯s everywhere here.¡± Mally¡¯s attention was gratefully diverted as the same girl arrived with their drinks and a small wedge of daffodil yellow cheddar. She was trembling. Mally smiled kindly in silent gratitude. The girl nodded stiffly, her lips pressed together so tightly they were white. Mally watched her disappear through the door behind the bar as if it were her sanctuary. ¡°But that does bring up an important topic,¡± Ivan said as if they were continuing a conversation. ¡°It is imperative that Molick doesn¡¯t suspect you. He¡¯s been trying to sniff the rebel members out ever since the group formed. He¡¯s obsessed with catching us.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Does he suspect you?¡± Mally asked quietly, suddenly nervous. She felt that it was reckless for them to be discussing such a topic in a room where six intoxicated knights sat. ¡°If they did, I doubt that I¡¯d be here.¡± On that foreboding note, they sat in silence, each sipping on their drink and watching the customers. They all spoke quietly, shooting wary glances at the knights who seemed to be reveling in the discomfort their presence had created. ¡°Ah! And here¡¯s Galen!¡± Ivan said happily, his eyes fixed over Mally¡¯s head. Mally turned in her seat and saw a young man with sandy-blonde hair walk up to them. A curious grin played upon his face as he made his way to them. ¡°Ivan,¡± he said, once he¡¯d reached their table. ¡°Nice to see you back.¡± ¡°Pull up a chair!¡± ¡°No, I really¡ªdon¡¯t want to intrude.¡± His gaze had fallen on Mally and Mally returned it with a smile. ¡°You won¡¯t be,¡± Ivan laughed, pulling out a chair beside him. ¡°Sit!¡± With a quick glance at Mally, Galen sat. ¡°Galen, may I introduce to you Miss Mally Biddle. Mally, this is Galen Dunker, the friend I told you about.¡± Galen and Mally shook hands. ¡°Pleasure,¡± said Galen. Mally smiled in reply. ¡°She¡¯s going to help me,¡± Ivan revealed in an excited undertone, leaning toward Galen. Galen¡¯s head shot around and he released Mally¡¯s hand. ¡°Help you?¡± he repeated a little more loudly than necessary. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, she knows all about the plan,¡± he rushed, in answer to Galen¡¯s sharpened gaze. ¡°You can trust her.¡±Galen looked uncomfortable and he shot another quick glance at Mally before whispering to Ivan, ¡°What exactly are you going to have her do?¡± ¡°What I told you I¡¯d have her do,¡± Ivan responded rather impatiently and mouthed, ¡°Snoop around the castle.¡± Galen opened his mouth, but closed it again. With an agitated glance at Mally, he scooted his chair closer to the table and leaned his head nearer to Ivan¡¯s. Mally had the distinct impression that Galen didn¡¯t want her to hear what he wanted to say. ¡°Does she know,¡± Galen whispered so low that he was barely moving his lips, ¡°does she know the¡ª¡± Mally had a feeling she knew what Galen was trying to say without her noticing and decided it was time to speak up. ¡°I know the dangers involved, Galen, thank you,¡± Mally said clearly, breaking up Ivan and Galen¡¯s conversation. ¡°Ivan has already told me what I¡¯ll be doing and I understand my situation.¡± Ivan looked pleased and took a large swig of beer, but Galen looked mutinous. ¡°Galen! Galen, where¡ªthere you are!¡± A boy who looked about fourteen with pale freckles on his face rushed to their table. ¡°Galen, I¡¯ve been looking all over for you!¡± he gasped, slightly out of breath. ¡°Mom¡¯s hav¡¯n¡¯ a fit. The potatoes burned and Sarah still hasn¡¯t shown.¡± ¡°Tell her I¡¯m coming,¡± Galen told the sweating boy, who nodded and hurried off. Galen turned to Ivan and rose. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later. Nice to meet you,¡± he said to Mally. ¡°You worry too much,¡± Ivan told Galen¡¯s retreating back. Mally watched him disappear through the door behind the bar, feeling uneasy. ¡°Don¡¯t let Galen upset you,¡± Ivan said. He picked his mug up off the table to make room for two bowls of stew. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem too happy about me helping,¡± Mally replied uncomfortably. Would everyone else in the rebel group act the way Galen had? Would they all think she couldn¡¯t handle the dangers of spying on the knights and the king? ¡°Like I said, he worries too much,¡± Ivan said quietly, a kind smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Mally gave him a nervous smile and drank some more of her cider.
It was just before Mally and Ivan had finished their dinner that the knights in the corner left. Just as Ivan had said, they simply rose with much talking and laughing and left. Galen and his mother stood at the bar and simply stared after them stone-faced. Mally watched Galen turn to his mother and say something, but she didn¡¯t reply. Mally thought that her jaw was clenched. After dinner, Ivan went off in search of Olive to ask if there was a room available for Mally. He returned to tell Mally that a room was ready and paid for. ¡°Paid for?¡± Mally repeated, turning slightly pink. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to pay for my room.¡± ¡°I wanted to. It¡¯s the least I could do¡±¡ªhe dropped his voice¡ª¡°seeing that I¡¯m asking you to risk your life and all.¡± Mally laughed, but it was a short one. ¡°Where do I put Sam?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a stable that you can use. It¡¯s down the next street. It¡¯s¡±¡ªIvan looked suddenly embarrassed¡ª¡°called Clip-Clop. Tell the fellow there¡ªname¡¯s Bob Kettle¡ªthat I sent you and that I¡¯m paying for Sam¡¯s stay.¡± Mally blushed even harder. ¡°No arguments,¡± Ivan said firmly. Then he added, ¡°I can go with you, if you want.¡± Mally stood up and Ivan had to take a hasty step back to give her room. ¡°No, you¡¯ve done enough for me,¡± she said, drawing her cloak around her shoulders. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°All right then. Shall I escort you out the door?¡± Ivan asked, bowing slightly. ¡°Yes, you shall,¡± Mally replied, grinning and taking his arm. It was bitterly cold outside and Mally couldn¡¯t wait to get back inside the Lone Candle. Sam nickered softly at the sight of Mally and she felt a stab of guilt at making him stay so long in the cold street. She quickly untied his reigns with numb fingers, said goodnight to Ivan, and headed in the direction that he had indicated. The few shops down this long street were spaced much farther apart from each other and focused on tending to horses. Mally felt that she was walking toward the edge of the city¡¯s walls. Trees and grass grew here and when she reached the end of the road, she found a large fenced-in meadow and yes, at the other side of the meadow ran the giant stone wall surrounding the city. To her immediate left was the stable Ivan had mentioned, for in the dim light from the city wall¡¯s torches she read from a wooden sign hammered into the ground: Clip-Clop. The words looked as though they had been carved into the wood with a knife. ¡°Need a place for your horse?¡± asked a thin, wiry old man, who stepped into the light of one of the streetlamps. He was slightly stooped, and a great deal of white hair covered his head. ¡°Yes, sir. I was told this was the place to go.¡± ¡°If you want the best place for your steed,¡± the man exclaimed, waving a knobby cane in the air. ¡°This way, if you please!¡± Mally smirked at Sam who looked taken aback by the tiny, exuberant man. Gently, she tugged him into the stable. It was well built and very roomy. The large framework and thick-boarded walls kept the cold at bay. The ground was a dense mat of straw and a few peaceful neighs drifted from the other stalls. Sam sniffed the air. ¡°The name¡¯s Bob Kettle, missy,¡± said the old man. ¡°Mally Biddle,¡± and she shook hands with Bob, who had a surprisingly strong grip. ¡°Tha¡¯s quite a nice horse ya got there, Mally,¡± Bob Kettle said with a wide, toothy grin, taking in every inch of Sam. ¡°His name¡¯s Sam.¡± ¡°Fine name,¡± said Bob, nodding his approval. ¡°Fine. Cross between a Urian and a West Moor Black?¡± he asked, suddenly business-like. ¡°Correct,¡± said Mally, amused by the intensity of the whiskery man¡¯s gaze. ¡°You know your horses, sir.¡± ¡°Call me Bob! Call me Bob!¡± he exclaimed, still not taking his eyes off Sam. ¡°Everyone does. I don¡¯t like formalities.¡± Bob now hobbled around Sam, peering up at his withers. ¡°Good work horse¡ªbloodlines like that¡ªmust be sixteen and a half hands tall?¡± ¡°Seventeen.¡± ¡°Seventeen!¡± Bob nearly fell over with excitement. ¡°Goodness me! Don¡¯t get to see a seventeen very often. No, sir, Bob Kettle sure don¡¯t!¡± He slapped his knee and shuffled around to Sam¡¯s other side. ¡°Where did fine Sam come from?¡± he asked. Mally could only see his skinny legs but she heard him patting Sam¡¯s side. Mally had heard this question often enough not to take offense for it was clear that she could never afford a horse like Sam. ¡°Sam was given to me by Allen Dobbs¡ªthe horse breeder in Blighten,¡± Mally explained, speaking to Bob¡¯s knees. And then to answer the question that always followed, she added, ¡°He¡¯s a close family friend and I helped him raise Sam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the friend,¡± said Bob and Mally imagined Bob¡¯s white eyebrows rising into his hair. ¡°Maybe I need to get in contact with this Dobbs. How old is fine Sam?¡± he asked. ¡°He just turned eight,¡± Mally replied looking at the surrounding stalls. ¡°Bob? Do the knights¡¯ horses stay here?¡± ¡°What? Knights?¡± his voice squeaked. He shuffled quickly back to Mally. ¡°No, no. They¡¯ve got their own pristine quarters for their beasts.¡± He dropped his voice low. His eyes were wide and Mally thought that she saw fear reflected in them. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let a single one of those creatures into my stable.¡± ¡°The knights or the horses?¡± Mally asked smiling. ¡°Neither if I can help it,¡± said Bob, his voice quivering slightly. He glanced over his shoulder to the opening of the stable. ¡°But some knights do come here. They look ¡®round at the horses staying here. Size ¡®em up.¡± Mally felt a chill that wasn¡¯t due to the weather outside. ¡°They don¡¯t take horses?¡± she asked, aghast. ¡°Sometimes,¡± Bob nodded. But instead of feeling panicky about losing Sam, Mally laughed. ¡°I¡¯d like to see any knight try to ride Sam. Ivan Finley sent me ¡­ he told me that he would pay for Sam¡¯s stay here,¡± she added, slightly embarrassed. ¡°Fine. Fine,¡± said Bob. ¡°He¡¯s a good lad. Good money. I¡¯ll speak to him in the morning.¡± Mally walked over to Sam and rubbed his nose. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in the morning,¡± she whispered and nodding to Bob, she left the stable and turned toward the Lone Candle. Wrapping her cloak more tightly around herself, she walked quickly, scanning the dark streets for knights. Chapter 8: Bayards Mistake Mally woke the next morning, curled up in a warm ball under thin sheets and blankets. For a moment, she simply laid there, her eyes shut tightly. I¡¯m not home, she thought. I¡¯m in Bosc, trying to help a group of rebels find a dead princess. ¡°I¡¯m crazy,¡± she said aloud, opening her eyes. The little bedroom was small yet pleasant. A few embers were smoldering in a small fireplace and a basin of water sat on a table under a square window. Stretching and yawning, Mally washed, dressed, and headed downstairs to the pub. A few early morning customers were sitting at the tables, chatting to each other over steaming drinks and plates of eggs and sausages. Mally stood at the foot of the stairs and felt a sudden pang of homesickness. She wondered what her mother was doing right now. If any of the villagers knew where she was ¡­ ¡°Mally, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mally started and turned to find Olive, who had just walked up beside her. ¡°Would you like some breakfast?¡± Olive asked, a large jug of juice in her hand. Up close, Mally thought that Olive Dunker¡¯s face looked drawn, with an unhealthy paleness. There were dark circles under her eyes that the thin layer of powder on her face didn¡¯t hide. ¡°Yes, please,¡± said Mally. ¡°Take a seat and I¡¯ll be right with you.¡± Olive smiled and marched behind the bar to disappear through the door to the kitchen. Mally sat at a small table by the large window and gazed out at the street. It was very early. The street was still dark, but a faint gray light was slowly beginning to take over. Even though it was only shortly after dawn, a few people were walking briskly in the chilly air. It must have rained, she thought, for little water droplets clung to the glass like crystal beads. Without warning, a lump formed threateningly in her throat. She knew she would feel better if she saw Sam. He was very much family to her. ¡°All right, what would you like?¡± Olive asked, her voice startling Mally. After Olive had scribbled down a breakfast order she smiled at Mally smugly, as if she knew a secret that no one else did. ¡°I saw that you met my son, Galen. He¡¯s a nice lad, isn¡¯t he?¡± she asked, her eyes twinkling. ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Mally answered. ¡°Your food will be out in a jiff.¡± And still wearing that smile she walked over to another table. Mally quickly ate her breakfast and hurried down the street to Clip-Clop. She wanted desperately to see Sam. Maybe she would ride him around the fenced-in meadow. But just as she came to the opening of the stable, she heard loud voices from within. Curious, she peered through the open door. Halfway down the stable stood a large group of men. Four of them stood to one side while one bore down on a trembling Bob Kettle. Around Bob stood young men and boys that Mally assumed worked at the stable. Behind Bob, looking increasingly annoyed, was Sam. Mally recognized the five men standing before Bob as knights almost immediately for they were all in uniform. They were not in armor, but in heavy, sweeping cloaks of rich burgundy, and their black boots shimmered with a high polish. At each hip hung a long, wicked sword. ¡°Now see here, Kettle,¡± the knight growled. ¡°I don¡¯t care that this horse belongs to someone else¡ª¡± ¡°But Sir Adrian,¡± Bob argued timidly, seeming to shrink under Bayard¡¯s glares, ¡°he belongs to Miss Mally Biddle.¡± ¡°As if I care who owns him,¡± Bayard barked back, making Bob shake like a twig. ¡°If you want to keep your legs healthy you¡¯ll stop blubbering and hand him over.¡± Bob looked like he was about to faint. Mally was sure his shaking legs would not hold him much longer, so she walked hastily to the group, and Sam tossed his head happily at the sight of her. The knights that had been standing lazily to one side straightened up as she swept past them. ¡°My dear!¡± Bob gasped and thrust out a hand to her with the air of a drowning man. He gripped her arm and cowered behind her as Mally stared up at Bayard. ¡°Who are you?¡± Bayard sneered disdainfully. ¡°The owner of the horse in question, Sir Adrian,¡± Mally replied calmly. ¡°You own this horse?¡± Bayard said incredulously, his eyes raking Mally¡¯s small figure and patchy attire. ¡°Yes sir. And I¡¯m terribly sorry but he¡¯s not for sale.¡± Bayard grinned and Mally felt her nerves tighten. He took a step toward her, but she stood her ground. Bob was practically vibrating behind her. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll realize he¡¯s mine,¡± he said quietly. Mally raised her eyebrows and looked Bayard straight in the face, wondering where this courage¡ªor stupidity¡ªwas coming from. ¡°Forgive me, Sir Adrian, but a horse that you cannot ride is of no use to you.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. There was a split second of shocked silence before the knights behind Bayard exploded with laughter. Bayard turned brick red and gnashed his teeth. ¡°You think I can¡¯t ride this horse?¡± he growled menacingly and Mally felt Bob flinch behind her. ¡°I think it is unlikely,¡± Mally replied with quaint innocence. ¡°I am thinking only of your best interests, sir, when I say you should set your sights on another horse. Mine can be ¡­ temperamental.¡± And on cue, Sam rolled his eyes and stamped his heavy hooves. Bayard stood glaring at Mally and for a moment, she thought he might hit her, but instead he smiled. Mally was sure he thought his smile was charming, but the look didn¡¯t suit him. It made his face look taunt. He started to laugh. It began as a chuckle, but soon he was roaring. His booming laughter seemed to make him grow in size. Mally tried to keep the nervousness pulsing under her skin off her face. ¡°Best interest?¡± he repeated through a wicked grin. ¡°Here that!¡± He turned to his fellow knights behind him. They joined him in his laughter and Mally blushed uncomfortably. ¡°I say I can ride him,¡± said Bayard, turning his attention back to Mally, his eyes glittering wickedly. ¡°So, how about a little proposition. I get a chance on your horse. If I can ride him¡ªI keep him. If I can¡¯t ¡­¡± Bayard shrugged his shoulders with the air that such a thing was highly unlikely. Mally considered for a moment. ¡°Agreed.¡± Adrian Bayard¡¯s mouth twisted into a large grin. He ordered Mally to bring Sam into the meadow and marched outside. The other knights followed laughing and jeering. When they had gone, Bob turned to Mally and demanded in a strained voice, ¡°How could you? He¡¯ll have fine Sam for sure!¡± ¡°Not necessarily. You heard him, he has to be able to ride him.¡± ¡°But he can ride any horse!¡± Bob yelled, stamping the ground in furious panic. He glared at Mally as she saddled Sam. The stable hands watched her, shocked. ¡°Sam isn¡¯t any horse.¡± ¡°Girl! Get out here now!¡± Bayard yelled from outside the stable. ¡°Unless you¡¯d like to just give him to me now and be done with it.¡± More laughter answered this taunt. ¡°Bob, trust me,¡± Mally implored. Bob only shook his head in incredulous amazement as Mally led Sam outside. Mally felt Sam¡¯s muscles tighten under her fingers as they headed for the meadow beside the stable. Sam and Mally nearly grew up together. There was hardly anything she couldn¡¯t ask him to do, but even she had to admit that she was putting him in a dangerous predicament. ¡°I have complete faith in you,¡± she whispered to him and Sam¡¯s ears pricked toward her. ¡°Ready to hand him over?¡± Bayard smirked. Instead of answering him, Mally turned to Sam and rubbed his forehead. ¡°Put him in his place, Sam,¡± she breathed. Bob had reached them, panting slightly. He had jogged from the stable in short jerky strides, closely followed by the curious and frightened stable hands. Mally gave Bayard Sam¡¯s reigns and joined Bob and his employees at the meadow¡¯s fence. It did rain, Mally thought. The meadow was spongy and soggy with quite a number of large, muddy puddles. Sam¡¯s huge hoofs left deep prints in the soft ground. The four other knights stood opposite Mally and Bob with Sam and Bayard in-between them. ¡°Remember our bargain?¡± Bayard shot at Mally, his fist clenched on Sam¡¯s reigns. Mally nodded and Bayard lifted himself and swung his leg up and over. The moment he had settled, Sam let out an almighty neigh and reared. Bayard yelled in surprise and clutched the reins as the knights quickly stumbled backward, shouting encouragement. But Sam wouldn¡¯t listen to Bayard or the knights¡¯ orders. He flattened his ears against his skull, snorted like a bull and dived forward into a wild gallop. Mally, Bob, the stable hands, and the knights stood transfixed as Bayard tried to control Sam. Then quite suddenly, Sam came to an abrupt, jerking stop. Bayard flew over Sam¡¯s head to land with a loud thud in a large mud puddle. Sam trotted around Bayard to stand, wriggling his ears in a disgruntled way, beside Mally. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Sir Adrian!¡± Mally yelled over the howling laughter from the other knights, her voice full of false concern. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Cursing under his breath, Bayard stood back up, shaking mud off his hands. ¡°Blasted beast!¡± he snarled. ¡°The miss did warn you, sir,¡± Bob piped up, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I can ride any horse!¡± Bayard shouted and Sam¡¯s ears flattened again against his head. ¡°But, sir, Sam isn¡¯t any horse,¡± Mally replied, her voice as sweet and innocent as a child¡¯s. Seething, Sir Adrian rounded on his fellow knights, who were pounding the fence with their fists as they laughed. One blonde knight had removed his red feathered hat and was swatting it against his thigh as he howled with laughter. Mud dripped from Bayard¡¯s ruined cloak and dribbled down his forehead. ¡°Think it¡¯s funny, eh? Think it¡¯s a laugh? I¡¯d like to see you try, Rendle!¡± Bayard snapped. The blonde knight Bayard had yelled at looked up, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°I would,¡± he said, glancing at Sam who snorted menacingly, ¡°if I were a fool.¡± The knight named Rendle grinned roguishly and replaced his hat and Mally suddenly recognized him. He was one of the knights who had joined Gibbs in his tax collecting. Had he been the blond knight her mother had suspected of giving them gold? Bayard looked ready to punch Rendle and Mally felt that it was best to leave the scene, so she led Sam back to the stable, Bob trotting behind her. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen someone stand up to Bayard like that in all these years, no sir!¡± Bob laughed gleefully, slapping his knee. ¡°You¡¯ve got some courage, girl!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, it was Sam,¡± said Mally, taking off the saddle and reins. ¡°Did you have any trouble with him last night?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± said Bob shaking his head, still grinning madly. ¡°Good,¡± said Mally, patting Sam¡¯s neck. ¡°Mally?¡± Mally turned and was happily surprised to see Ivan rushing into the stable. ¡°Ivan, hi!¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d find you here. What happened outside? Bayard looks ready to kill.¡± Bob burst into cackled laughter as Mally smiled sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s Mally, sir! Mally¡¯s what¡¯s gotten to him!¡± ¡°Mally?¡± repeated Ivan, looking confused. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Mally began but Bob flew onward, telling Ivan everything that had been said and done. With every word, Ivan looked stonier. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± he exploded at Mally, and Bob looked quite taken aback. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want him to take Sam,¡± Mally replied, frowning at Ivan¡¯s reaction. ¡°And it was his own fault. I told him he wouldn¡¯t be able to ride Sam.¡± ¡°I understand that, but you realize that he lives in the same castle I¡¯m trying to get you into?¡± It seemed that Ivan had forgotten Bob was still with them. ¡°The castle?¡± Bob asked, nonplussed, looking from Ivan to Mally. ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I angered him,¡± said Mally, trying very hard to keep her voice calm. ¡°But there really wasn¡¯t any way around it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wise to go looking for trouble so quickly,¡± Ivan berated. ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking for trouble!¡± Mally fumed. ¡°It was there already. I wasn¡¯t going to let him take Sam!¡± They glowered at each other while Bob hovered at Mally¡¯s shoulder, looking uncertain. Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose and, clearly trying to keep his voice steady, he said, ¡°All I¡¯m asking is for you to go unnoticed. Do not attract attention. Is that too hard for you to do?¡± Mally felt like she had been slapped. All words had left her and she stared stupidly at him as he turned on his heel and marched out of the stable. Blinking, Mally realized that she didn¡¯t know why he had been looking for her in the first place. Chapter 9: Touring with Galen Bob Kettle was baffled. ¡°Should I not have told him?¡± he asked Mally, his fingers touching his whiskery chin in concern. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Mally replied tartly, brushing Sam¡¯s mane with a little more force than necessary. Sam gave a short snort and jerked his head. ¡°Oh, sorry, Sam,¡± and then turning to Bob, ¡°he would have found out anyway.¡± Mally had no doubt in her mind that the story of Adrian Bayard falling in the mud would be spread widely. The knights didn¡¯t seem to have a strong loyalty to anyone, even to each other. With pursed lips she thought, that was probably why Ivan was so angry. Bayard wouldn¡¯t like the story of his humiliation being circulated by everyone in Bosc. Who knew what he¡¯d do when he discovered the girl who embarrassed him was working in the castle? Ivan had said that the knights didn¡¯t touch the castle servants ¡­ but how could he really know? How could he be positive? Mally gripped the brush in her hand harder to keep it from shaking. There are so many servants in the castle. It should be easy to blend in. But she didn¡¯t feel convinced. Bob continued to mutter and mumble to himself about Ivan¡¯s behavior, but when Mally didn¡¯t show any interest in the conversation, he wandered farther down the stable to see to a chestnut mare. When Sam¡¯s coat gleamed and Mally¡¯s frustration had burned out a little, she returned him to his stall and left.
She was tense. Walking slowly, she kicked at leaves that had settled on the cobblestones. What had she gotten herself into? Why was she here? What use would she actually be? Yes, she and her mother desperately needed the money. Yes, she was finally away from Blighten. Yes, the idea of seeing Gibbs and Bayard and the likes of them shut away forever made her pulse quicken in excitement. But making a stand against the knights ¡­ the knights were dangerous. If the knights knew the hidden reason for her presence, then she would be killed. There was no question about that. Mally stopped in her tracks and her eyes rested on a mother with her hand clutched tightly onto the arm of her young son as they crossed the street. The mother had the same nervous look as the people Mally had watched earlier through the Lone Candle¡¯s window. People walked quickly and in pairs or groups. They frequently glanced about them as if expecting to see someone or something that would justify their nervousness. Knights, Mally thought. Once Mally was in the castle, would she risk her life to find the truth? Would she try to discover if the princess were alive? Or would she take the safer road and wash sheets and send her wages to her mother every month? Would she keep her head down and ignore Ivan¡¯s demands? ¡°Mally?¡± With a jump, Mally looked around. Galen Dunker stood next to a shop, staring at her with concern. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± said Mally flushing. But to Mally¡¯s surprise, Galen lowered his eyes, looking flustered. ¡°I don¡¯t think we got off on the right footing last night,¡± he said, glancing up at Mally awkwardly. Mally blinked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose we did.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to make it up to you,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I do appreciate you wanting to help us¡ªall help is welcome. Have you been shown around Bosc yet?¡± Mally felt a terrible twinge of guilt at his words. Even though he had been less than thrilled by her arrival, he too was expecting her to help them. Mally suddenly had the ominous feeling that she had signed some contract that she had no hope of getting out of. She cleared her dry throat. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Would you?¡± Galen smiled. xXx Galen opened the door to Sticky Finger Bakery and a soft tinkling rang above his head. The store was large, but very empty, as if someone had removed all the chairs and tables that must have once covered the floor. Only a single stool stood in one corner, where a young boy sat munching on a large sticky bun. A battered looking counter ran across one wall. There were no paintings on the walls except one that Mally had seen before in the Lone Candle. Sir Illius Molick. It was clear that other paintings used to hang on the walls instead, for Mally saw hooks and wires dangling morosely like thin cobwebs. But the sight of the pastries under the counter immediately cheered her. There weren¡¯t many, only three to choose from, and the large space under the counter sadly proclaimed the full selection it once held. There was the large bun that the little boy was eating. It appeared have been dipped in honey. Next to it sat a row of crispy pastries filled with cream and jam. Beside it sat the last choice: a spongy looking cake cut into squares with a sticky drizzle on top. ¡°They look delicious,¡± she said. ¡°Pick one.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I couldn¡¯t.¡± But it wasn¡¯t hard for Mally¡¯s arm to be twisted. Soon she was looking fervently at each, trying to decide. The very small boy, who had been watching Mally and Galen, sat at the far end of the counter on his stool; two hands were clenched around his large sticky bun. He watched Mally decide, slowly eating his pastry. A door on the other side of the counter opened and a woman appeared stepping backwards into the room. ¡°Herbert, we¡¯re running low on honey,¡± she yelled through the door. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Willis t¡¯morrow,¡± came a man¡¯s voice through the other side of the door. The woman nodded her head and closed the door. ¡°Oh!¡± she said at the sight of Mally and Galen. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to keep you waiting!¡± She bustled over to the counter, wiping her hands on her floured apron. Her frizzy hair was tied on top of her head. ¡°Horrible service,¡± she muttered furiously to herself. But then she smiled widely and asked, ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided,¡± Mally admitted. ¡°Apple square,¡± piped a small voice from the corner, and the woman, Galen, and Mally turned to the boy sitting on the stool. His eyes were focused on Mally over the honey bun in his small hands. ¡°Let the miss decide, Alex,¡± scolded the woman. ¡°My son,¡± she explained to Mally. ¡°He likes telling the customers what to buy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± said Mally, smiling. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear what¡¯s best from a connoisseur.¡± She turned to Alex. ¡°The apple square?¡± Alex nodded without lowering the bun. ¡°The apple square,¡± said Mally to the woman. Three minutes later, Mally and Galen had left the Sticky Finger Bakery. Mally held a large slightly sticky, sponge-like cake cut filled with sweet apple slices and plump raisins. ¡°Do you want some?¡± she asked Galen as she tore off a corner. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s really delicious,¡± Mally managed to say through her mouthful. ¡°Here.¡± She pulled the square apart and offered him half. ¡°No, really.¡± ¡°Galen Dunker,¡± Mally sighed, stopping and staring at him firmly, ¡°there is something you should know about me.¡± She thrust the cake inches from his nose and shook it slightly, ¡°I always get my way.¡± Galen¡¯s surprise turned into a grin and he took the half. ¡°So where to now?¡± asked Mally.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°I could show you the bookshop,¡± said Galen. ¡°Oh! I spotted a shop when I first got here. What was it called ¡­¡± Mally snapped her fingers. ¡°June¡¯s Hats! That¡¯s what it was. Let¡¯s go there.¡± Galen looked uncomfortable. ¡°We can¡¯t go there.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Mally asked, confused. ¡°Because only the wealthy are allowed in,¡± Galen explained. ¡°Some shops made deals with the knights in order to reduce their taxes¡ªto get better treatment. They agreed to only serve those that the knights told them to ¡­ to support Molick by keeping an eye out for rebels and passing on any tidbits they might hear. Some are big supporters of Molick and the knights anyway. They¡¯ve never much liked us commoners. But more often than not, the shop owners pretend to support Molick just to keep the knights from raiding their buildings.¡± ¡°So, Ivan can shop there?¡± Mally asked. ¡°Yes, he could, but he won¡¯t. His mother on the other hand ¡­¡± Galen seemed to try hard not to roll his eyes. ¡°She highly disapproves of Ivan eating at the Lone Candle. She¡¯s worried he may pick up some nasty habits.¡± Mally and Galen walked down a wide street that opened into a large square with a hugely tall tower. Mally saw the tower and knew what it must be before Galen could tell her. Bosc Bell Tower. Mally squinted her eyes. The sun danced off the tower¡¯s large bells. At the base of the tower¡¯s arched opening, sat a knight on a wooden chair. He seemed to be snoozing. ¡°Didn¡¯t someone jump from it?¡± Mally asked Galen, trying to remember why people had been prohibited from climbing to the top. ¡°Yes. A servant from the castle,¡± nodded Galen. ¡°It happened just a week after the princess¡¯s death¡ª¡± ¡°Supposed death,¡± Mally reminded him. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Supposed,¡± he agreed. ¡°Mother told me that the servant had been depressed. I think she might have been one of the ones who cared for the princess. Perhaps she thought she had failed her.¡± The idea of jumping from somewhere so high made Mally¡¯s stomach queasy. ¡°It isn¡¯t like they care for our safety,¡± said Mally, frowning at the snoring knight. ¡°So why bother protecting us from it?¡± Galen looked at her with a curiously twisted smile. ¡°What¡¯s an easy way to solidify power? Other than fear? Take away rights. Take away that which has been taken for granted.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s just a bell tower,¡± Mally countered. Galen had started walking again and Mally joined him. The sun was warm on her back. The small smile still played on his face. ¡°A bell tower that¡¯s always been important to the people. But we all know it isn¡¯t really for our protection. Taking it from us was just one part of the plan.¡± ¡°To keep people from revolting?¡± Mally asked. ¡°To keep us feeling powerless. It started slowly,¡± he explained. ¡°Small things that we wouldn¡¯t really miss were taken away from us. And in the beginning, they gave us reasons. To keep control over criminals, names were jotted down at the front gate of the city. Then a charge was issued for entering and exiting Bosc. To help with training purposes for the knights, taxes were increased. The Bell Tower was named off limits for the safety of children because they might fall from its balcony. Or to keep the hopeless from creating a mess by jumping from its railings.¡± Galen glanced at Mally. ¡°Then things started getting more serious. All the portraits of the late king and queen were burned. All statues of them destroyed. And so were all writings criticizing the new order.¡± Mally nodded solemnly. Her mother and father had told her about these events. She had only seen one picture of King Sebastian and she had been six at the time. The local dairyman had managed to save a tiny, badly printed picture. It was so smudged and wrinkled that Mally had always thought King Sebastian looked like a wet lion. ¡°And then we could no longer say their names,¡± Galen continued quietly ¡°And the portraits of Molick?¡± Mally pressed. ¡°I hadn¡¯t seen any of them until coming here.¡± ¡°It must be harder for the knights to keep them on the walls the farther from the castle they are,¡± Galen mused. ¡°In Bosc, we don¡¯t have a choice in the matter. No, that isn¡¯t quite true. We can take them down any time, but we¡¯ll either get beaten or locked in the dungeons.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Bosc has other rules,¡± said Mally. ¡°Do you really have a curfew?¡± ¡°Oh yes. After ten no one is allowed on the streets. If you are spotted, the knights throw you in the dungeons for a month.¡± ¡°But¡ªbut why?¡± Mally spluttered. She had been sure that that rule was made up! Galen shrugged, though his voice was bitter for the first time. ¡°They stopped giving reasons.¡± Mally was still trying to comprehend the idea of being locked in the dungeons for being on the streets when she suddenly took notice of where Galen was leading her. They had left the large square and were now traveling down a very empty street, shadowed by the tall buildings on either side. She slowed, her eyes taking in the boarded-up doors, the broken windows. The silence was unnaturally dense; it filled her eardrums. Faded paint sadly proclaimed names of shops that seemed to be nothing more than empty skeletons. ¡°Galen, where are we going?¡± asked Mally nervously, her eyes resting on a door that had been so violently ripped open that it half hung off its hinges. ¡°Baker¡¯s Hill,¡± he answered. Then after he caught sight of her face, he added softly, ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking. It¡¯s the quickest way.¡± Mally nodded, not wanting to seem upset. ¡°The poorest areas were the first to crumble under the knights,¡± Galen said quietly. ¡°They¡¯re spreading.¡± Mally quickened her pace, following Galen out of the frighteningly empty area of Bosc they had entered. She thought, as she passed a dark alleyway, that she heard crying.
¡°Baker¡¯s Hill is one of the highest points in Bosc,¡± Galen explained as they made their way up its steep, grassy side. ¡°It has the best view ¡­ though, I imagine the sights from the castle towers are just as exquisite.¡± They reached its summit and Mally stared, mesmerized, at the sight before her. She saw what she had expected: the city of Bosc before her with its tall buildings and puffing chimneys. It was all there, yes, but beyond it ¡­ just there on the other side of the city¡¯s walls that looked so silly and small from here, was the ocean. Far reaching, an endless, sweeping blue, the ocean stole all of Mally¡¯s attention. ¡°And there,¡± Galen prompted, pointing at something behind Mally. Mally turned and saw through the trees for the first time the castle. Its appearance brought back an earlier conversation. ¡°If she wanted to jump off a tower, why not just do it there?¡± asked Mally, pointing to the castle. Its towers were in clear view through the trees. ¡°Why go all the way into the city?¡± Galen moved to stand beside her. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of that, too. I don¡¯t know the castle servants well enough to say for sure, but their loyalty runs even deeper than ours does. I bet that she would think it sacrilegious¡ªscornful to smear her blood on the castle¡¯s stones. Maybe her choosing the bell tower was out of respect for the princess.¡± The sight of the castle and the talk of servants brought back the anxiety that Mally had forgotten about. She turned to Galen. His curls lazily danced about his forehead as a small breeze brushed past. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± she blurted suddenly. Galen blinked at her in surprise, obviously startled by the question. He opened his mouth, but Mally hurried on. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to be a servant,¡± she explained. ¡°Ivan said it¡¯s nothing difficult, but I¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a servant?¡± Galen interrupted. ¡°No,¡± said Mally. ¡°How did you meet Ivan?¡± Galen asked. ¡°He fell off his horse on the way to Halspeare. He stayed with me and my mother until he was better. What¡¯s the matter?¡± For Galen was looking at her very oddly. He blinked rapidly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just assumed that you were a servant,¡± he answered. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not and I don¡¯t want to mess up because of it. I don¡¯t want to attract attention.¡± Any more than I already have, she added silently, thinking about Bayard. ¡°You¡¯ll learn quickly,¡± Galen assured her. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I could give you some advice.¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Would you?¡± Galen nodded and turned as a tolling sounded through the city. Mally could clearly see the tall Bell Tower. ¡°I need to get back to the inn,¡± said Galen. Mally nodded, thinking of returning to Sam. ¡°Maybe you can teach me after dinner?¡± Mally asked hopefully. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± xXx ¡°Sir, Galen Dunker is here to see you.¡± Ivan looked up from the paper in his hand in happy surprise. ¡°Show him in, Kate,¡± said Ivan. The maid curtseyed and left the study. Very shortly after her departure, Galen entered. He closed the door to the study behind him. ¡°She isn¡¯t a servant,¡± Galen said without preamble. Ivan blinked at Galen, taking in his stiff posture and stern brow. ¡°So she isn¡¯t a servant,¡± Ivan admitted. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°No.¡± The firmness in Galen¡¯s voice made Ivan turn from the decanter on the desk. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Galen?¡± Ivan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it will seem odd that a person who has never been a servant before would get a job in the castle? Wouldn¡¯t helping in an inn or shop make more sense for someone with no experience?¡± ¡°Does experience really matter for washing sheets? She¡¯ll blend in¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re not thinking, Ivan!¡± Galen snapped. ¡°Molick wants us! He¡¯ll be suspicious of anyone new in the castle. If he notices that she doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing¡ª¡± Ivan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You weren¡¯t this against the idea when I first told you about it. ¡°That was because I assumed you would be getting someone who would know what they were doing,¡± Galen gritted through his teeth. ¡°And who says she doesn¡¯t now what she¡¯s doing?¡± Ivan demanded. ¡°Mally does! She just told me that she¡¯s worried about being noticed!¡± Galen fumed. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Ivan muttered. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Galen demanded. Ivan glanced at Galen, sighed uneasily, and sat down. ¡°Mally¡¯s got a horse,¡± Ivan explained. ¡°I have him housed up in Bob¡¯s stable.¡± Galen nodded perplexed. ¡°Yes, she told me.¡± ¡°Did she also tell you that Bayard took an interest in the horse this morning?¡± Ivan asked. Ivan took the startled look that now crossed Galen¡¯s face as a no. ¡°They had a bit of a scene, but Bayard left without her horse. I believe he tried to ride him and got thrown in the mud,¡± he finished, with a sour taste in his mouth. Galen sat down heavily in the armchair opposite Ivan as if his legs had suddenly given out. ¡°He¡¯ll kill her,¡± he whispered. ¡°You have to tell her to go back home. You have to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing that!¡± Ivan yelled. He¡¯d gotten his spy! Damn it, she was going into that castle! ¡°You¡¯re going to risk her life,¡± Galen began angrily, but Ivan cut him off. ¡°We are all risking our lives.¡± Ivan suddenly narrowed his eyes and took in Galen¡¯s tense shoulders. He didn¡¯t usually visit Ivan at his home. Firstly, Ivan wouldn¡¯t hear the end of his mother¡¯s rants on ¡°entertaining commoners.¡± But there was something very different about Galen¡¯s attitude. He had never been so against a rebel mission before. He of all people understood the risks of being involved. Suspicion started to settle in Ivan¡¯s brain. ¡°I don¡¯t want Mally to be caught any more than you do,¡± he stated slowly. ¡°I was furious when I found out Bayard had already argued with her. But the castle servants are protected somewhat. I agree that it would be better if Mally knew something about a servant¡¯s work, but we can¡¯t pick and choose. We need someone in the castle and Mally has agreed.¡± Galen nodded his head, his eyes still firm. ¡°How are you getting her in? Meriyal?¡± ¡°Meriyal,¡± Ivan nodded. ¡°Leave it to me, I¡¯ll get her in.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll get her ready,¡± Galen added. That firm edge was still in his voice and his eyes had never once lightened. He rose and left. Chapter 10: Hired For three days, Galen spent his free time teaching Mally how to go ¡°unnoticed.¡± ¡°Always have your gaze downcast,¡± he urged her. ¡°And stay close to the walls. Servants don¡¯t walk down the center of a corridor. Your main goal is to blend in.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what exactly she would be doing in the castle, but he had a feeling that it would be some of everything so his lessons were broad. He told her the proper way to serve a table and where the silverware should go. He showed her the proper way to carry giant trays with heavy teapots full of hot water and delicate teacups. They rattled loudly in their saucers whenever Mally took a step. ¡°Roll your feet,¡± he advised. When Galen had to help in the inn during serving hours, Mally would visit Sam. Once Galen had a break from the customers, he would join her at Bob¡¯s stable to continue their lessons. It was in the fenced meadow that he taught her how to curtsey, while Bob and his stable hands roared with laughter at Mally¡¯s clumsy attempts. The nervous tension that had been knotting Mally¡¯s shoulders was loosening somewhat. She was pleased with the things she could do¡ªat least now she didn¡¯t feel so much like a fish out of water. Mally had seen little of Ivan over these three days. He usually popped in at the Lone Candle in the afternoon or for dinner, but often his stays were short. Apparently, his mother had been furious that he had not gone to Halspeare and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to leave his house without her trying to follow him. She missed Ivan and often felt abandoned. This had been his idea, after all. She hadn¡¯t expected to be flung to one side. Since her encounter with Bayard, she had not had any trouble with knights. But on her fourth evening in Bosc, while she was eating her dinner alone at the Lone Candle (Ivan had been unable to join her and Galen was busy at the bar), she overheard two excited older women a few tables from her. ¡°Fell in the mud! Yes, Doris, mud.¡± Mally knew immediately what they were talking about and tried to eavesdrop tactfully. She tried to hide her smile as she listened to Doris¡¯s laughter. She was just relieved that she hadn¡¯t seen Sir Adrian Bayard since that day. Perhaps, in the castle, her luck would continue. And when was that going to be? Mally frowned at her roasted potatoes. Ivan had told her yesterday, while she fed Sam a carrot she had bought at the market, that he was still trying to get her in¡ªthat it wouldn¡¯t be much longer and to be prepared to leave. Mally looked around the inn. It was fuller tonight than she had yet seen it. Mally suspected that was because of the lack of knights tonight. People didn¡¯t like to eat in the same room with someone who might, for reasons unknown, throw a mug at them. There were even two shabby fiddlers in the corner and some people had begun clapping their hands to the rhythm. It also hadn¡¯t passed Mally¡¯s notice that Olive Dunker¡¯s eyes seemed brighter than usual. Even though Galen never talked about it and Mally never brought up the subject, Mally had a feeling that the Lone Candle was not doing well. She had heard some customers talking in reminiscent tones of the cheerful, crowded inn that had been the most popular in Bosc. The knights had destroyed that. The knights had destroyed so much, Mally fumed. She had witnessed herself the terrible power they held over the people just the day before. While Mally had been heading for Bob¡¯s stable, she had witnessed a horrible scene. Three knights were forcibly dragging an older man from his home while what looked like his wife and daughter begged them to let him go. Mally had been transfixed by the screaming and wailing of the women as the knights took the man away. When Galen had joined her at the stable shortly after and had asked why she was so quiet, she had detailed what she had seen. ¡°Why did they take him?¡± she had asked Galen. ¡°Could have been anything,¡± he had answered. ¡°He might not have paid his taxes, or he could have insulted them.¡± Then he¡¯d added as an afterthought, ¡°Or they might have suspected him of rebel activity.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯s alright?¡± Mally had asked. Something had shone in Galen¡¯s eyes that had made his face look much older. ¡°Most likely? No ¡­ most likely he¡¯s not.¡± .
Mally pushed her potatoes around her plate, lost in the memory. The knights had so easily destroyed Bosc and soon the rest of Lenzar would be no different. Blighten was a little town that had never seen much splendor, but the other cities couldn¡¯t be much better off than Bosc. There was something horrifyingly simple about how they could drag you away with little or no explanation. A knight could walk through the Lone Candle¡¯s door right now and demand everyone leave. They had all the control. All the power. They could do anything they wanted with no threat of anyone saying otherwise. The door of the Lone Candle opened and Mally tensed, then she relaxed as she saw Ivan walk through the door. She lifted her arm and waved at him. He spotted her and raised his hand as well. Then he got a drink at the bar, whispered something to Galen and made his way to her table. ¡°How are you?¡± Ivan asked the moment he had sat. ¡°Fine. Do you want to order?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t stay long¡ªvisitors.¡± Mally nodded and speared a potato. When Ivan didn¡¯t say anything else, she glanced up. Ivan sat slightly hunched over the table, his eyes swiveling around the room. His gaze landed on her and she raised her eyebrows. ¡°Why the dark demeanor?¡± Mally asked. She hoped her voice sounded light. Ivan smiled slightly and said, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Mally was about to press for further information, but she was distracted as Galen appeared carrying his own mug of beer. He sat with them. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± said Galen tersely. He also sat bent over the table as if he wanted his words to travel the shortest distance possible. Ivan leaned forward slightly, looked directly at Mally and said, ¡°You¡¯re in.¡± Mally¡¯s heart rate increased substantially and she clutched her fork. ¡°When do I go?¡± she whispered. ¡°Tomorrow. We¡¯ll eat an early breakfast and I¡¯ll take you.¡± Mally nodded and stared at the bit of roast still on her plate.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Do Adam and Cian know she¡¯s in?¡± Galen asked. Mally looked up in time to see Ivan nod. She had heard these names before, mentioned by Galen during their lessons. They were the two leaders of the rebel group. Mally had never met them. ¡°I told Adam and Cian about Mally, but they want to keep her quiet from the rest.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Mally, startled. ¡°The more people who know about you, the more likely there might be a slip,¡± Ivan answered. ¡°The knights cannot learn of your connection to us.¡± ¡°Do you think someone would give me away?¡± she asked, deeply troubled. ¡°I doubt any of the members would give you away of his own free will, but we can never be too careful.¡± ¡°How will I get in touch with you?¡± Mally was starting to feel more nervous by the second. ¡°I¡¯ll find you¡ªor Galen will,¡± said Ivan, shooting a glance at Galen. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. If we need to find you, we will.¡± ¡°But what if I need to find you?¡± Mally felt that this was highly important. ¡°If there is an emergency you can come here, but otherwise our meetings will be set up beforehand. You won¡¯t be giving us information every day¡ªI doubt you¡¯ll learn anything for a few weeks¡ªand anyway, we don¡¯t want anyone to get suspicious of you leaving the castle too frequently.¡± Mally nodded, then she caught something he had just said. ¡°Leave the castle too frequently?¡± she repeated, looking from Ivan to Galen. ¡°What do you mean by that? What about Sam? I need to see him every day.¡± Galen and Ivan glanced at each other. ¡°Sam can¡¯t stay in the royal stables,¡± Ivan explained. ¡°He has to stay with Bob.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I know that,¡± said Mally tersely. ¡°But I still must see him.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll probably be able to make some arrangement, ¡° said Ivan. ¡°Meriyal Boyd is the head servant. You¡¯ll be taking your orders from her. She¡¯s the one to go to about Sam.¡± Mally nodded with difficulty. She didn¡¯t like the idea of not seeing Sam. ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject of Madam Boyd,¡± Ivan continued, with an uneasy shifting in his chair. ¡°She thinks you are a servant, though not a highly trained one. She¡¯ll keep an eye out for you. But do not tell her or anyone else why you are really there¡±¡ªMally nodded, understanding the importance of secrecy¡ª¡°and I told her you were an orphan.¡± At first Mally thought she hadn¡¯t heard him correctly. But Galen¡¯s groan told her that she had. ¡°Excuse me?¡± she sputtered. ¡°Now hear me out! Meriyal has a soft spot for young people in serious trouble. She can¡¯t turn them away, but she also can¡¯t give every single one who knocks on the castle door room and board. I¡¯ve known Meriyal a long time ¡­ she¡¯ll never turn away an orphan.¡± ¡°So now I have to pretend my mother is dead?¡± Mally demanded. ¡°If you want to help us, yes,¡± Ivan answered. Mally stared at him, her jaws locked in place, before jerking her head in a nod. ¡°Good,¡± said Ivan. ¡°I told her you came from Corral and Chestnut¡¯s Orphanage in Halspeare.¡± From that point on, Mally had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. All of Ivan¡¯s information had been told. She was in the castle. He had pulled Meriyal Boyd¡¯s heartstrings. Ivan and Galen kept up a constant stream of encouragement, until Ivan couldn¡¯t stay any longer (he muttered something about visitors and his mother having his head) and Galen had to return to the bar. Then Mally was alone at her table. Swallowing with difficulty, she tried to keep eating. She tried to listen to the song the fiddlers were playing. She tried to lose herself in the conversation around her. She tried and failed. .
Mally wasn¡¯t sure how she fell asleep. She was proud that she had kept the emotions writhing around in her stomach in check during dinner, but once she had closed her bedroom door, they flooded her senses. What had she agreed to? Live in the castle? Alone? Where Bayard and Molick and countless others enjoyed tormenting and terrorizing people? All for what? A princess? A dead princess?! she fumed to herself. What a fool she was! She could die! Bayard could slit her throat while she slept. Uncontrollably, her hand flew to her throat. Her eyes searched the room like a trapped mouse seeking a hole to escape through, while her hand massaged her throat. What was she doing? She swallowed with difficulty and let her hand fall from her neck. This would never do. She had to control herself. There was no reason for anyone to think she was a spy for the rebels. Neither Galen nor Ivan were suspected of being members of the group, and this was her first time in Bosc. No one could connect her to the rebels. If she acted normally and didn¡¯t do or say anything stupid, she would be fine. The knights may not even spend a lot of time in the castle, she told herself. They might find the servants dull and predictable and enjoy terrorizing the citizens much more. Once Mally¡¯s brain had finally stopped its whirling, she slept dreamlessly, but it only seemed an hour since her head had touched the pillow when she was aroused by a loud knocking on her door. ¡°Mally? Are you awake?¡± Galen asked, knocking again. ¡°I am now,¡± she groaned crossly. There was no reply, but Mally heard his feet walking down the hall. Mally sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was raining. She could hear the heavy plop-plop of raindrops, and the sky through the smeared window was a dreary black. Shivering, Mally dressed quickly and headed downstairs. There was hardly anyone in the inn. In fact, Mally thought, the inside looked just as dreary as the outside. The only other person in the room was a wizened old woman who sat hunched over a mug of steaming tea. As Mally walked toward a table, the woman glanced up at her and Mally smiled hesitantly. But the woman didn¡¯t return her smile and by the time Mally had sat down, the woman¡¯s gaze had returned to her mug. The door behind the bar opened and Galen trotted out, carrying a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon in one hand and a jug of juice in the other. But before he reached Mally, he stopped at the table where the old woman sat and asked her something. Mally saw the woman shake her head and Galen continued on to Mally. ¡°How are you?¡± he asked immediately and Mally felt a wave of annoyance. She was getting tired of being asked how she was. But Galen¡¯s brow was furrowed and he was staring at Mally with such intensity that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be rude to him¡ªnot when they were both wound so tightly with nervous anticipation. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said quietly. She glanced at the woman five tables away, but she had returned to gazing into her tea mug, almost as if she were reading a story. ¡°Is Ivan here yet?¡± Mally asked as Galen sat down opposite her. ¡°No.¡± Mally¡¯s hands shook as she lowered her glass. She ate in silence with Galen watching out the window. But she was glad for his company. For some reason, the woman five tables away made her nervous. Mally kept shooting furtive glances at her. The woman hardly moved except for raising the mug to sip from it. Her face was hard and chiseled. Deeply set wrinkles ran across her face and a large hooked nose stood out prominently. Steely grey hair flowed from her head past her hunched shoulders. Her movements were stiff, and Mally thought her hands more closely resembled claws. At her side was a twisted, gnarled walking stick. Suddenly, the inn¡¯s door swung open letting a burst of cold air whistle through. Ivan closed the door and shook raindrops from his red cloak as he hurried to Mally¡¯s table. Mally noticed that the woman¡¯s eyes followed his progress. ¡°You¡¯ve eaten? Good.¡± There was a breathlessness about Ivan. Nervous energy radiated from him. ¡°We should get going.¡± Mally stood up too quickly, making her chair wobble. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me how it goes?¡± asked Galen as Mally caught her chair. Ivan nodded. Galen smiled at her in what Mally thought was a ¡®you¡¯ll be fine¡¯ sort of way, but the tenseness around his mouth gave his anxiety away. She nodded jerkily and was steered to the door. The next thing she knew, the Lone Candle¡¯s door had shut and she stood shivering in the rain. ¡°How far away is the castle?¡± she asked, pulling up her hood and slinging her satchel over her shoulder. She was only taking a few things with her to the castle. Galen would keep the rest in the inn. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for a poor orphan to have so many belongings. ¡°Not far. Fifteen minutes or so.¡± They set off at a brisk pace, their breath rising in vapor from their mouths. Mally clutched her cloak closer about her and bowed her head against the stinging rain. After a short walk¡ªthough Mally¡¯s fingers were numb with cold¡ªthey stopped, and looking up, Mally realized why. They stood before a large iron gate, nearly twenty feet tall. On either side of the gate ran a stone wall similar to the one bordering the city. The gate was open and on the other side of it stood a small stone house. Mally was sure it could only contain one room. Sitting on a wooden bench under the shelter of the roof sat a knight. The moment Ivan and Mally stepped through the gate, the knight rose and addressed them in a loud voice. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Ivan Finley, escorting Miss Mallory Biddle into the castle,¡± answered Ivan with a clear ringing voice. ¡°Business?¡± the knight grunted through the rain. ¡°Miss Biddle is a new servant.¡± ¡°Servant?¡± snorted the knight, peering at Mally with bleary eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t we have enough o¡¯ them?¡± Ivan didn¡¯t reply, but his lips tightened into a thin line. ¡°A¡¯ right,¡± said the knight, waving them through. ¡°Go in.¡± Chapter 11: Lita Stump The castle stood tall and powerful. Mally stared up at it, simply trying to take it all in. Rain lashed at the tall windows and the many towers stood out menacingly against the dark sky. It was huge, much bigger than she had expected. How would she ever find her way around it? Ivan tugged at her elbow and led her down the gravel road. Garden paths branched off on each side and Mally spotted statue after statue, fountain after fountain through the openings of hedges or the gaps between rose bushes. Mally felt like she was in a miniature city. With each step the great oak doors of the castle loomed closer. It was like she was walking toward a fat dragon who, at any moment, would open his jaws and devour her whole. Ivan knocked on the large doors and a second later, a man appeared¡ªMally was relieved that he wasn¡¯t a knight. After asking for their names and nodding, he stepped aside and allowed them in. Mally inhaled a deep shaky breath and lowered her hood. The great hall was gigantic. Forty feet above their heads an enormous glass chandelier dangled, reflecting the light from the numerous candelabras around the hall. A huge marble staircase gently curved upward, opening onto a balcony that ran along the walls. Banisters gleamed with a high shine. Mally glanced down and saw her pale, wet reflection peer up at her from a highly waxed marble floor. Mally felt like a stray dog, soon to be reprimanded and banished from such magnificence, for dripping water on such a floor. She became extremely aware of the patches in her cloak and the dullness of her shoes. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you. If you¡¯ll follow me, I shall show you your room,¡± said the servant politely. Mally swallowed with difficulty and looked at Ivan, wishing feverishly that she had never agreed to this. Suddenly all of Galen¡¯s advice seemed completely useless. ¡°You¡¯ll see me later,¡± Ivan said in a soothing tone. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Mally wetted her lips, nodded her head in a jerky fashion, took a firm grasp of her satchel, and followed the man up the large staircase, twisting her fingers as she went. The corridors weren¡¯t empty, but they weren¡¯t crowded either. Mally immediately noticed that her guide walked on the right-hand side of the corridor. They passed a few knights, who paid them little to no attention, and some servants who watched them go by with curiosity. On the third floor, down a rather unappealing corridor of thick oil paintings, the servant stopped and opened a plain wooden door. ¡°Your quarters.¡± Mally caught a glimpse of three beds, a tiny fireplace, and a small writing desk, all crammed together. ¡°Do I share with others?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. Mally placed her satchel next to one of the beds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know what my duties are,¡± Mally said nervously. The servant smiled and Mally calmed a little. ¡°What was your name again?¡± he asked, his professional tone dropping. ¡°Mally Biddle.¡± ¡°Mally, Lita Stump and Gerda Higgs sleep here too¡ªthey¡¯re nice and helpful. My name¡¯s Nathan Cobbs, by the way.¡± He looked like he was in his early thirties. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Meriyal Boyd. She oversees the servants. She¡¯ll want to speak to you.¡± Mally recognized the name and gratefully followed Nathan down a different corridor lined with statues, to another with stained glass windows, to another with squat sitting chairs. ¡°Mr. Cobbs¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s Nathan,¡± said Nathan with a smile. ¡°How many corridors are there?¡± Mally asked as they started climbing a staircase. Nathan smirked over his shoulder at her. ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡± ¡°How am I going to keep from getting lost?¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I used to always end up in the armory when I was trying to get to the drawing room when I first came here. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Mally nodded even though she didn¡¯t believe him. She was surprised that there weren¡¯t more servants or knights. ¡°I thought the castle would be busier,¡± Mally admitted. ¡°We usually keep to the servant passages.¡± ¡°Servant passages? You mean there are more?¡± ¡°There are always more,¡± Nathan laughed. ¡°We usually use the servant passages as a short cut to other parts of the castle. Oh, there she is!¡± They had reached the landing at the top of the stairs. A few women dressed in simple yet uniform-like attire were congregated by a large tapestry of a smiling maiden standing by a stream. ¡°Meriyal,¡± Nathan called and a blocky sort of woman with gray hair turned to them. ¡°I have Miss Mally Biddle.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Biddle? Ah, yes,¡± Meriyal nodded. Her piercing eyes raked down Mally¡¯s figure and Mally blushed. Even though these were servants, Mally felt intimidated. She was even more ashamed of her wet and frayed dress. ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve shown her room,¡± said Nathan. ¡°Good. If you¡¯d follow me, Mally, dear ¡­¡± Meriyal led Mally through even more corridors, showing her certain rooms that she would be dealing with in the near future. Her job at the moment (but it was sure to change) was dusting. ¡°I¡¯ll have you work on the fourth floor for now, dear,¡± she said. Even though Mally was a good head taller, she was having a hard time keeping up with Meriyal. Her short legs rushed along in a blur and she kept calling her ¡®dear¡¯ and fussing about her worn cloak. Mally had the distinct impression of an energetic and rather forceful aunt. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to be fitted for your uniform, we can do that in the morning.¡± Meriyal suddenly peered sternly at Mally. ¡°Ivan Finley vouched for you, so I shouldn¡¯t be expecting any trouble, should I?¡± ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± Mally assured her quickly. Meriyal nodded firmly. ¡°Good. I know you haven¡¯t had the sort of experience a castle demands, but you¡¯ll learn fast. I won¡¯t throw you amongst nobility yet¡ªwe still have time before the Winter Ball.¡± As they walked, Meriyal often stopped next to certain statues or paintings or tapestries that concealed the entrances to hidden passages. These, Meriyal explained, were the servant passages. When Mally started to look more and more alarmed by the number of servant passages Meriyal was pointing out, she assured Mally she shouldn¡¯t fret.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You will learn them in time,¡± she said. ¡°The rest of us are here to help, if you get in a pinch. I myself don¡¯t know all of the servant passages¡ªI stumbled on a new one on the west wing just a month ago. ¡°And on that note, there are a few things I should tell you.¡± Meriyal turned to Mally, her eyes suddenly hard, her tone serious. They were quite alone near a nook on a deserted corridor. ¡°The servant passages are secret and we plan on keeping them that way. His Majesty and the knights know they exist but not where they are. Mind you, I don¡¯t think they would care if they did know where they are. But the person I¡¯m concerned about is Sir Illius Molick.¡± ¡°Why does it matter if he knows?¡± Mally asked. Meriyal smiled in a mean sort of way. ¡°Sir Illius thinks he owns this castle. It galls him to no end that there are sections hidden from him. He would never use them, of course, but to have something out of his reach ¡­¡± Meriyal¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I find this to be one of the few battles that I can fight against him ¡­ and I¡¯m winning.¡± Mally found herself smiling at that. ¡°Use the servant passages but always have a wary eye. No one¡ªnot a guest, not a knight¡ªcan see you using them. Molick¡¯s power of intimidation is something to behold.¡± Mally nodded quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two words of advice,¡± Meriyal continued briskly. ¡°One: keep to the servant passages as much as possible; and two: it¡¯s best to have company when you run into a knight.¡± .
Mally spent the rest of the morning dusting a sitting room. The rain hadn¡¯t stopped; it had intensified. Mally could barely see out the windows. She had to light an extra handful of candles to shed light on her work. She was standing on tiptoe, trying to reach the top shelf of a very tall bookshelf. She bit her lip and hopped up and down, swishing her dust feather about ridiculously. ¡°Maybe you should try a chair.¡± Mally gasped, dropped her feather, and spun around. A girl with blonde hair tied in a long braid stood in the doorway, her hands clasped behind her back. ¡°I thought about that,¡± Mally admitted as the girl walked farther into the room, ¡°but I worried about being seen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you have a look-out,¡± the girl explained. She stopped in front of Mally and jutted out a hand. ¡°My name¡¯s Lita. Lita Stump.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Mally Biddle. I believe we¡¯re sharing rooms,¡± she added as the name registered in her brain. ¡°Nathan told me. I met him on the way here¡ªthought I¡¯d introduce myself.¡± She had light brown eyes and was slightly shorter than Mally, though very near her age. ¡°I can be your look-out, if you¡¯d like,¡± Lita said suddenly. ¡°Thanks.¡± Mally picked up her dust feather and dragged a handsome red chair close to the bookshelf. She looked over her shoulder to see Lita standing nonchalantly by the halfway open door, humming contentedly to herself. Her hands were once more clasped behind her back and she turned her head ever so slightly to glance at Mally and winked. Mally took that as ¡°all¡¯s clear¡± and hoisted herself onto the chair. Wobbling slightly, she was now eye-level with the top shelf and quickly went to work. Hardly a minute later, a small cough came from the door, and Mally spun around in the chair so fast she nearly fell off it. Lita coughed again and shot a sharp glance at Mally. Panicking, Mally leapt from the chair like a frog and hastily pushed it back into place. She straightened and flicked a curl out of her eye. Lita stood very still by the half-open door and Mally heard voices issuing from the corridor. They were quite loud and one laughed suddenly. Curious, Mally walked across the room to stand behind the rigid Lita. Looking over Lita¡¯s shoulder, Mally spotted two knights walking away from them down the corridor. One wore a red hat with a feather and the other was much broader in the shoulders. ¡°Sir Brian Rendle and Sir Anon Haskin,¡± Lita whispered to Mally. As Mally watched another knight joined the two. This one was tall and thin with an unpleasantly drawn, ghoul-like face. Lita stiffened at the sight of the new knight and, very slowly, closed the door. ¡°Who was that?¡± asked Mally, taking in the sudden paleness of Lita¡¯s face. ¡°Sir Alexander Vinsus. You don¡¯t want to go anywhere near him,¡± said Lita. Mally silently wondered if there were any knights that she would want to go near. Then she asked, ¡°Sir Brian Rendle, was he the one with the hat?¡± Lita nodded. ¡°Why? Do you know him?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Mally and that was true. She didn¡¯t know the man who she suspected had given her mother gold. .
Lita worked with Mally for the rest of the day. When Mally asked her if she would get into trouble for ignoring her own duties, Lita replied, ¡°Let them dare. I¡¯ll just remind them who scrubbed all the statues on the west and north wings when no one else would. And anyway, I finished folding the sheets and Meriyal won¡¯t mind me showing you around.¡± Lita went on to explain that though the servants were given certain jobs to do on a regular basis, there was always the understanding that duties were flexible. ¡°If someone gets sick and can¡¯t wash the windows they always wash, then someone else will do that job. And the knights like to keep us busy. Sometimes I think they pick the worst time to have us shine their armor on purpose,¡± Lita explained. ¡°It¡¯s not irksome¡ªwell, not terribly. You¡¯ll be hoping someone gives you something else to do when you¡¯re supposed to clean windows or¡±¡ªshe shuddered¡ª¡°the chandeliers.¡± Lita was afraid of heights. Throughout the rest of the day, Mally also learned that Lita had just turned eighteen last month, had been in the castle for a year, enjoyed sneaking into the kitchen to annoy the cook, and preferred walking down the main corridors over the servant passages. ¡°They¡¯re so dreary,¡± she said with aversion. ¡°No windows, hardly any candle brackets, and so narrow. They give me the creeps.¡± ¡°But what about the knights?¡± asked Mally. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t go looking for them, if that¡¯s what you mean. No one in their right mind would go looking for them.¡± ¡°But what do you do when you run into one? Do they not like the servants using the corridors?¡± Lita gave a short dry laugh. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t care if we hopped up and down on one foot. Most of them just want their fires made, their clothes washed, and their food cooked. Of course none of them are going to do any of those things themselves so they need us. Most of the servants like using the passages to keep out of their way.¡± Lita wrinkled her nose. ¡°And it¡¯s true that I¡¯d rather be cornered by a wild boar than run into certain knights,¡± she said, dropping her voice. ¡°Knights like Sir Alexander Vinsus?¡± Mally asked. Lita nodded. ¡°He makes my skin crawl,¡± she said with a shiver. ¡°And Sir Leon Gibbs is no better. Always giggling and winking. And I¡¯ve heard some of the things he and his tax collectors have done to people who don¡¯t pay their taxes ¡­¡± Mally carefully swept dust into her dust canister and snapped the lid shut. ¡°And Sir Adrian Bayard?¡± she asked. She already knew he was no good, but she wanted to know how he acted around the servants. ¡°A right big head,¡± said Lita, forgoing her own canister and sweeping dust under a thick rug. ¡°He mostly likes to intimidate us. Likes to show how he¡¯s Mister High and Mighty Knight and we¡¯re dishwashers.¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t do anything to us?¡± Mally asked, feeling herself go cold. ¡°I thought the knights didn¡¯t hurt the castle servants.¡± ¡°Oh, no, they don¡¯t!¡± said Lita quickly, as if she had just realized what she had implied. ¡°No, His Majesty is very clear on that. When I first came I was worried that they wouldn¡¯t follow their own rules. I heard that one time back just a year or so after Romore had taken the throne there was a nasty incident between Bayard and Nathan.¡± ¡°Nathan?¡± Mally asked startled. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°His Majesty ordered Bayard to his chamber and I don¡¯t know what happened in there, but Bayard never touched Nathan again. I do know that His Majesty talked to Molick and all the knights about their behavior toward us. They don¡¯t touch us, but they can talk and sneer as much as they fancy.¡± This was very strange and Mally stood still as her brain tried to work this odd news out. Mally thought that King Salir didn¡¯t have any control over the knights. Wasn¡¯t that what Ivan had implied? And why would he take the time to enforce acceptable behavior on behalf of the servants and not the rest of his people? Was he just one more player in the destruction of Lenzar? Did he not mind what the knights did as long as he didn¡¯t have to witness it in his shinning castle? ¡°Do you know what I heard?¡± Lita suddenly exclaimed. Mally blinked rapidly and focused on Lita. ¡°No. What?¡± ¡°Bayard fell off a horse! Yes, it¡¯s true! And he¡¯s always going on and on about how he can ride any¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong?¡± Lita noticed Mally¡¯s sudden drop of color. ¡°You-you heard about that?¡± It had reached the castle? ¡°Yes! He¡¯s been fuming for days,¡± she said. ¡°And Gibbs has been teasing him nonstop about it. It¡¯s the only time I ever like Gibbs¡ªwhen he¡¯s goading a knight. I even think Molick¡¯s been making fun of him.¡± At that news, Mally felt faint and had to quickly sit down. Lita didn¡¯t seem to notice as she continued, ¡°He was trying to ride some crazy horse¡ªa bet or something. I bet Gibbs put him up to it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bet. He wanted to take the horse,¡± Mally explained. ¡°Oh. Really? Say¡­¡± Lita suddenly narrowed her eyes at Mally, a hand on her hip. ¡°Where do you know Bayard from anyway? How do you know Gibbs didn¡¯t put him up to it?¡± ¡°Because I was there,¡± said Mally. ¡°It was my horse he wanted.¡± ¡°Your horse?¡± Lita looked positively dumbstruck. ¡°Do you still think Bayard will follow the rules when he knows I¡¯m here?¡± Mally asked nervously. Lita¡¯s mouth snapped shut, her eyes wide. Instead of answering Mally¡¯s question she hastily suggested they get new candles since the ones in the sitting room were burnt low. Mally didn¡¯t blame her for the change of subject. It was a difficult question to answer. Chapter 12: Passages and Candlesticks Mally and Lita left the sitting room that they had finished dusting and sweeping. But before they entered the corridor, Lita glanced up and down both ends. Just as Galen had told her, they traveled on the very edge of the corridor, Mally¡¯s right shoulder nearly brushing against the wall. Mally was amazed at how utterly ignored they were. They passed many knights who didn¡¯t give any indication that anyone had silently walked by. At Mally¡¯s insistence, Lita used the servant passages whenever possible. Mally ignored her grumblings. She wanted to know as many shortcuts and escape routes as possible. But once when Lita was trying to use a very colorful rose garden tapestry on the second floor she couldn¡¯t because of the presence of a group of knights leaning against a statue. After they had managed to pass the group by, Lita said to Mally out of the corner of her mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t feel tempted to use a secret passage if a knight is near.¡± ¡°Meriyal told me to be careful,¡± Mally answered. ¡°This isn¡¯t just about being careful,¡± said Lita. ¡°You¡¯d be amazed at how keeping something like those passages secret has given us a new purpose. We can¡¯t rebel against them. We can¡¯t refuse to serve them. But we can keep our secrets. Meriyal¡¯s behind it. The harder Molick tries to find them the harder we make sure they¡¯re hidden.¡± Mally assured Lita that she would take her obligation to secrecy seriously. Pleased, Lita opened a large pantry and started handing Mally tall, thin candles. .
. On their way back to the fourth floor, Lita used some of the same passages but she also pointed out some new ones as they walked. Mally was amazed at their intricacy. Walking down a servant passage felt like traveling down an ant¡¯s tunnel. They were a maze that overwhelmed her. Arms full of candles, they made their way back to the sitting room on the fourth floor. As they turned a corner onto the sitting room¡¯s corridor they were met with a pair of knights. Mally¡¯s very blood turned glacial in her veins as she recognized Sir Adrian Bayard. She felt Lita stiffen beside her. Remembering Galen¡¯s advice, Mally quickly lowered her eyes and hurried her gait. ¡°No, go ahead. I have some things to do first.¡± Mally heard Bayard speak to his companion and heard a pair of footsteps behind her. The door to the sitting room was just up ahead. Mally saw it as a sort of sanctuary and fought against the urge to run. Quite suddenly, her shoulder was yanked around. The candles in her arms tumbled through the air and scattered all over the floor. Lita gasped and spun around as well. Before Mally stood Sir Adrian Bayard. He looked down at the candlesticks at his feet. ¡°Tut, tut. What a mess.¡± He shook his head mockingly, stepping deliberately on a candle. It snapped in two. ¡°A castle servant,¡± he leered, jutting his face close to Mally¡¯s. ¡°I suppose that means we¡¯ll be bumping into each other.¡± Mally couldn¡¯t bring herself to look away from him. Blood was pounding in her ears. It was as if she were frozen in place. ¡°Adrian, aren¡¯t you supposed to be on the western wall?¡± Bayard turned to face the newcomer, a knight with a bushy, brown beard and very broad shoulders. ¡°I was on my way, Sir Anon,¡± said Bayard immediately. ¡°Then go.¡± It seemed that Sir Anon Haskin was higher ranked than Bayard, for Bayard left without another word, but he made sure to kick a few candlesticks as he went. ¡°Dear Lenzar, what a mess.¡± Another knight emerged and Mally immediately recognized him from his blonde hair and red hat: Sir Brian Rendle. Sir Anon had already turned and started walking away from Mally and Lita as if he had not seen them. Mally had dropped to her knees and was quickly trying to collect the candles, but she was sure that Sir Brian¡¯s eyes lingered on her. When she raised her gaze, she and Lita were alone. ¡°Well that was pleasant,¡± Lita said sourly. She handed Mally another candle, rose from the floor and walked into the sitting room. Mally quickly followed her. ¡°Are some of the knights, um, I mean, are some¡ª¡± Mally didn¡¯t want to say outright what was on her mind. Lita looked at her in confusion. ¡°Are what?¡± Lita asked, sticking one of her candles in a brass holder. ¡°Good,¡± Mally whispered. ¡°Good?¡± Lita repeated. ¡°I heard from a friend that some knights aren¡¯t as bad as the others. That they¡¯re working against Molick.¡± ¡°If they were then I doubt they would still be alive,¡± Lita stated. ¡°Molick would see to that. Why do you ask?¡± Mally hesitated for a split second before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about gold being left for those in serious trouble. I wondered if it was a knight.¡± Lita¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯ve heard those rumors, too!¡± She quickly glanced around the room, but they were quite alone. ¡°You thought it was a knight? Ha! I¡¯ve always thought it was a rebel!¡± ¡°A rebel?¡± Now it was Mally¡¯s turn to be taken aback. ¡°Why not? They¡¯re leading the charge against the knights.¡± ¡°Well¡ªI suppose ¡­¡± Ivan certainly had money. But Galen didn¡¯t. Mally hadn¡¯t ever been introduced to the other members. She wondered if there were other aristocrats like Ivan. ¡°No,¡± said Mally, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a rebel. I think it¡¯s a knight.¡± Lita humphed, but smiled and started replacing candles. .
. The servants ate in the Servants¡¯ Chamber¡ªa small low-ceilinged room next to the kitchen. But not all the servants ate during meal times. Those who served the nobility ate afterwards, either in their bedrooms or the kitchen or the Servants¡¯ Chamber. No one particularly cared if the servants did or didn¡¯t eat in the Servants¡¯ Chamber. Mally wondered if anyone would care if the servants ate at all. After her confrontation with Bayard, Mally had no interest in running into him again any time soon, and voted for dinner in their bedroom. Lita agreed. Even though she had been nonchalant about the knights, she hadn¡¯t enjoyed the encounter any more than Mally. ¡°I¡¯ll just pop into the kitchen and get us something,¡± she said, leaving Mally to return to their chamber alone. As Mally made her way to the corridor of ugly oil paintings, she spotted Sir Brian deep in conversation with Gibbs. They were alone, standing in a little nook. Mally couldn¡¯t keep from watching them whisper to each other. Gibbs looked highly unsettled by whatever Sir Brian was saying. She wondered what it was that would make Gibbs¡ªone of the terrifying tax collectors¡ªlook so worried ¡­ She was so immersed in trying to read their lips, that she lost her bearings and walked straight into a tall candle stand. With a startled gasp and a loud clattering, Mally stumbled and caught the stand before it toppled over. Blushing from head to foot, she righted the lopsided candles, dropped a hasty curtsy to Sir Brian and Gibbs, who were both staring, and hurried on her way. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She breathed freely when she shut her chamber door. But not two breaths had passed before she gasped again. ¡°Gibbs!¡± He knew her! Not by name, but he knew her face. She wouldn¡¯t be able to fool him into thinking she was as orphan from Halspeare! Mally sunk down on the bed nearest the writing desk and watched their small fire crackle, panic filling up her lungs. Wanting to do something with her hands, she reached over and lit a handful of candlesticks that had broken during their encounter with Bayard. What was she going to do? Gibbs saw many people on his tax collecting trips. Maybe he would just think he was confused and think it an odd likeness. Maybe he would never find out the story she and Ivan were weaving. Why would he even bother? A servant? Who cared about a servant? Just then the door opened and a tall woman with long brown hair entered. ¡°Oh!¡± she said, pausing in the doorway. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Mally Biddle.¡± Mally stood quickly. ¡°I¡¯m a new servant. You must be Gerda.¡± Gerda nodded. She was much older than Mally¡ªprobably near the same age as Nathan Cobbs. She had a tired and testy air about her. ¡°I hope you enjoy the castle, but I think that¡¯s wishing for a bit much.¡± She walked over to the bed nearest the fireplace and sat down on it with a deep sigh. ¡°Do you know how many times he asked for mead?¡± she shot suddenly at Mally. ¡°No,¡± said Mally, startled. ¡°Five. And do you know who had to bring them?¡± asked Gerda angrily, snatching off her shoes. ¡°No,¡± Mally repeated, uncertainly. ¡°Me!¡± Gerda yelled, throwing her shoes down in a clatter. ¡°Me! Not Abigail, not Joan! Me! I can¡¯t stand it! I have half a mind to tell Meriyal to let someone else serve, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯d just make a scene and order for me!¡± Feeling very confused, Mally lowered herself onto her bed and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Gerda breathed through her nose so fiercely, she looked like a flaming dragon. ¡°Bayard.¡± Him again, Mally thought wearily. Honestly, how many servants does he terrorize? ¡°Why does he want you¡ª¡± but Mally¡¯s question was cut short as their door opened again and Lita stumbled in carrying a heavy load of bread, wine, steamed carrots, and roast pork. ¡°Archie sends his greetings from the kitchen along with a handful of curses.¡± She slid the platters of food onto her bed, and glancing from the dark look on Gerda¡¯s face to the concern on Mally¡¯s asked, ¡°What¡¯d I miss?¡± ¡°I was just telling Mally about Bayard,¡± said Gerda, in a tone that matched her sour face. ¡°Not him again,¡± Lita sighed in exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can handle hearing Bayard¡¯s name again today¡ªI nearly ran into him just now.¡± ¡°You did?¡± gasped Mally. Lita nodded her head vigorously. ¡°I barely managed to squeeze behind the tapestry of the fox hunt on the second floor.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t see you?¡± asked Gerda quickly, her fierce tone switching to worry. ¡°No. I heard him coming before I saw him. Belching away.¡± Mally snorted. Gerda smiled. .
. Mally was used to rising before dawn. It was how life was on the farm and the servants woke just as early. Lita, Gerda, and she had a bit of trouble dressing. Lita and Gerda had been used to sharing their tiny space for a year, but an added body fumbling around in the dim light of their candles for socks and shoes caused much groggy grumblings and stumbling. When finally they were dressed in heavy scarves and gloves¡ªfor in the early dawn the castle was frigid¡ªthey made their way to the Servants¡¯ Chamber for breakfast. The castle was so quiet it seemed like it was a cathedral. Mally didn¡¯t want to talk, not even whisper, for fear of ruining a silence so deep. The Servants¡¯ Chamber, however, was not silent. The small room was crammed with the servants, sitting at the benched tables, talking and laughing over plates of ham and biscuits. Lita and Gerda led Mally down a table and managed to squeeze onto a bench. ¡°Hello!¡± A young man with a giant smile thrust out a thin hand to Mally. ¡°Name¡¯s Christopher Banks. Pleasure to meet you!¡± He was tall and gangly and reminded Mally strongly of a scarecrow she had once made for her mother. ¡°Mally Biddle,¡± said Mally, shaking his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you at dinner,¡± said Christopher, pouring her a glass of juice. ¡°We ate in our chamber,¡± said Lita. ¡°Spare a spot?¡± Mally turned and smiled widely. Nathan stood behind Lita and Gerda. Lita scooted closer to Mally and Nathan managed to sit down next to Gerda. ¡°Sleep well?¡± Nathan asked Mally. ¡°Very, thank you.¡± ¡°Where are you from, Mally?¡± asked a curly-haired girl beside her named Betty. ¡°Blighten,¡± Mally said before thinking. She reddened immediately at the confusion upon Betty¡¯s face. Blighten was only known as a farming town. There was no wealth there¡ªno noble families in need of servants. ¡°I was born there,¡± Mally continued rapidly. ¡°But I went to Halspeare when I was younger ¡­ to an orphanage,¡± she added, remembering the part she had to play. ¡°Corral and Chestnut Orphanage. They helped me find some small service jobs.¡± Mally was relieved when Betty nodded in understanding. ¡°Christopher¡¯s an orphan, too¡± said Betty, turning to Christopher. ¡°And my grandmother raised me. My parents were some of the first to be put in the dungeon for rebelling. They refused to stop using the late king and queen¡¯s names,¡± said Betty proudly. ¡°I never saw them again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± said Mally. ¡°Don¡¯t be, they were very brave,¡± said Betty with a smile. Then she continued her narrative, ¡°I used to be a maid for a wealthy widower, but I was thrown out by his daughter after he died. Then I came here.¡± ¡°She just threw you out? Like that?¡± Betty shrugged. ¡°She didn¡¯t like me. I think she thought I was trying to steal her fur cloaks. I kept a letter opener under my pillow. Rebecca was insane.¡± Christopher laughed and Lita suddenly yelled at a blonde woman standing at another table: ¡°Come here, Joan, and meet Mally.¡± Joan turned at the sound of her name and rushed to them. Before Mally could say hello, Joan asked the others, ¡°Did you hear about the raid?¡± She leaned over Christopher¡¯s shoulder, her eyes wide. Lita, Christopher, and Betty all turned their complete attention to Joan. ¡°Raid? What raid?¡± ¡°At the Lone Candle,¡± said Joan. ¡°Word is it happened last night.¡± The glass of juice slipped from Mally¡¯s hand. It clattered on the table, spilling juice all over the wood. Betty grabbed her napkin and mopped up the spill, but Mally and the rest had hardly noticed. Lita gasped and covered her mouth. ¡°Oh, no,¡± she moaned. ¡°Was anyone hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± said Joan. ¡°There was a scuffle, I think, but I really don¡¯t know. But supposedly they made a right mess of the place. Broken chairs everywhere.¡± ¡°Why was there a raid?¡± asked Mally, her hand still held upright, but without her glass of juice. ¡°Because the knights were bored, why else?¡± raged Lita. ¡°They wanted to knock around some furniture and the Lone Candle just happened to be close by! I hate them!¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure no one was hurt?¡± Mally asked Joan. Joan shrugged, her face lined with worry. ¡°I hope not,¡± she said. .
. Breakfast wasn¡¯t much fun after that. Joan left their table to spread the news to others. Lita silently fumed beside Mally, and Betty and Christopher were both pale and staring at their plates. Mally was using every ounce of self-restraint not to run straight to the Lone Candle that second. Lita might be right about the knight¡¯s motivations, but Mally had another reason to fear any attacks on the inn: Galen was a rebel. When it seemed clear to both Mally and Lita that they weren¡¯t in the mood to eat anymore, they rose and started for the door, but Meriyal suddenly appeared at Mally¡¯s side. ¡°I need you to come with me¡ªfitting,¡± Meriyal explained. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Mally said to Lita and she followed Meriyal from the Servants¡¯ Chamber. Twenty minutes later, Mally stood on a short stool as two women pinned and altered a servant¡¯s uniform to her size. One of the women was Mildred Bolton, who doted on Mally so much that Mally suddenly felt like a five year old. The other was Evelyn Green, an unpleasant woman who kept ¡°accidentally¡± poking the needles into Mally¡¯s side. Meriyal stood to one side watching the proceedings. ¡°It is your job to keep your uniform clean,¡± said Meriyal. ¡°Any darning or patching is up to you.¡± Mally nodded. Her mother was the real seamstress of the family but Mally could manage a few stitches. ¡°Wrists too thin,¡± Evelyn huffed under her breath as she pinned a sleeve. ¡°Brown is a very attractive color on you, Mally,¡± praised Mildred. Evelyn snorted. ¡°Meriyal,¡± Mally said loudly to drown out Evelyn¡¯s not-so-subtle criticisms, ¡°I have a horse¡ª¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± said Meriyal unenthusiastically. ¡°And I was wondering when I would be permitted to see him.¡± Meriyal raised an eyebrow. ¡°See him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Mally. ¡°Well, you may see him on your day off. You get one day every two weeks¡ªI know that sounds harsh, but it¡¯s all I can allow.¡± Mally was in shock. One day for every fourteen? That was ridiculous! ¡°But, Meriyal, I must see him every week!¡± Meriyal stared at her in surprise. Mildred stopped sewing the skirt¡¯s hem and stared up at Mally. Evelyn grumbled something about selfish young people. Meriyal seemed to come out of her surprise like a ruffled hen. ¡°Every week? He¡¯s a horse!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°What a thing to ask!¡± ¡°Indecent. Ungrateful,¡± added Evelyn with a poke of her needle. ¡°But Meriyal! He¡¯ll be depressed!¡± ¡°And what will I be if the curtains are not washed?¡± Meriyal countered. ¡°If the floors are not waxed? If the dust is not removed? If you don¡¯t want the sanctuary of this castle then you may leave! We earn our safety here!¡± Mally was so shocked by Meriyal¡¯s words that for a moment she wondered if she had just been kicked out of the castle. Evelyn smiled contentedly and continued her work, but Mildred turned to Meriyal with a soft smile. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt for her to spend a short portion of one day with her horse, Meriyal. Just an hour say ¡­ every Thursday? She could run the errands in the city that day¡ªmake the trip useful.¡± Mally could hardly believe it, but Meriyal considered Mildred¡¯s request. They were very close in age, Mildred and Meriyal, and then, as she felt another jab in her side, Mally conceded that Evelyn looked a few years younger than Meriyal. ¡°One hour every Thursday,¡± Meriyal ordered, giving Mally a piercing stare. ¡°And you¡¯ll run the errands.¡± Thrilled, Mally jumped from the stool to hug Meriyal in thanks. Flustered, Meriyal awkwardly patted Mally on the back. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that!¡± she said gruffly. ¡°Get back up there, and let them finish.¡± Chapter 13: Loose Ends ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± Lita shook her head, her arms crossed, and her face wearing a look of supreme stubbornness. ¡°I can¡¯t clean it,¡± Christopher begged. ¡°Stoops wants me to shine his swords and he¡¯ll keep me at it all day.¡± ¡°No. No. NO.¡± Lita shook her head violently with each word, making her long braid swish around her like a whip. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the chandelier, Christopher,¡± said Mally. Christopher¡¯s wide eyes latched onto her. ¡°Would you?¡± he asked breathlessly. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°May heaven bless you!¡± he cried in relief, kissing Mally on either cheek and rushing down the corridor. Lita positively refused to even keep Mally company. It made her stomach turn even to see someone so high on a ladder, so Mally made her way alone to the library, where the chandelier waited to be cleaned. Mally was proud of herself. It was just her fourth day in the castle, but she had memorized a good number of servant passages in that time. But that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t still get horribly confused and lost, and come out onto the east wing when she had intended the third floor. Many times she got so disoriented in the weaving, maze-like servant passages that she would have to peek around a tapestry or mirror to get her bearings. She ducked into a small room that housed sheets and towels and, glancing over her shoulder, opened a wardrobe. She pushed the heavy cloaks to one side and stepped in, pressing her hands against the wooden back. It swung open, revealing a narrow stone passage with a low ceiling. Every couple of feet, a torch was mounted on the walls; their light flickered as new air swept down the passage. This passage led directly to the library on the second floor and Mally was pleased she wouldn¡¯t have to risk the many floors and corridors of knights. Other passages joined hers and multiple times she waved or nodded to other servants traveling to their various destinations. Mally hadn¡¯t heard from Ivan or Galen. She knew that this was to be expected, but the news of the raid had made Mally nervous. She wanted to know for herself that Galen and Olive and Edwin (Galen¡¯s little brother) were all right. For the past day and a half, she had been listening hard for anything the servants were hearing. But tomorrow was Thursday and Mally would be able to enter the city. She would go to the Lone Candle and see for herself how they were. In the mean time she would just have to do the job Ivan had put her in the castle to do. Gerda enjoyed talking and Mally had quickly gathered information from her. She now had a nice idea of who had worked in the castle when the Royal family had died. ¡°I started work here early that spring,¡± Gerda had said. ¡°I adored King¡ª¡± Gerda glanced at their bedroom door to make sure it was closed ¡°¡ªSebastian and Queen Amara.¡± Mally had seen this behavior many times already from the servants. No one was allowed to say the late king and queen¡¯s names, but the servants did when they were sure a knight was not listening. ¡°They were the most wonderfully kind people. I was devastated when the queen had her riding accident, and I cried for days when His Majesty was poisoned.¡± Gerda¡¯s eyes had indeed taken on a watery shine. ¡°And I never believed it was Alice Spindle who killed him.¡± ¡°She was a servant,¡± Lita had supplied. ¡°Yes, the sweetest, quietest girl. May she rest in peace.¡± Mally had frowned at Gerda. ¡°But she did poison the goblet, right?¡± she had asked. In Blighten, Alice Spindle was not a polite topic of conversation. At Gerda and Lita¡¯s glares, Mally had added quickly, ¡°Maybe it was an accident?¡± ¡°It was no accident,¡± Gerda had nearly spat. ¡°She did not put in that poison. She was set up. And I¡¯m not the only one who believes that!¡± Gerda had exclaimed heatedly when Mally frowned dubiously. ¡°Lita, you don¡¯t believe it!¡± Gerda had spun around to face Lita who shook her head firmly. ¡°And neither does Meriyal or Nathan or Nanette¡ª¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Nanette?¡± Mally had quickly interrupted. ¡°Nanette Lynwood. She was good friends with Cayla Black. Cayla was the one who first argued against Alice¡¯s guilt,¡± Gerda had explained. ¡°She left after the princess died. I think she couldn¡¯t handle it anymore.¡± ¡°And the princess died of a fever?¡± Mally asked, wanting to be sure of the facts. ¡°Yes,¡± Gerda nodded. ¡°Cayla looked like a ghost after it had happened. And Kiora¡ªKiora couldn¡¯t make any sense of it. It was like she couldn¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Were Cayla and Kiora¡­?¡± ¡°The princess¡¯s nursemaids. They cared for her. Cayla mostly, but Kiora helped.¡± Mally¡¯s eyes lit up. What she needed was to talk to one of these women. ¡°Is Kiora still here?¡± Mally had asked hopefully. ¡°Can you introduce me?¡± she asked Lita. Lita¡¯s widened eyes shot to Gerda who had become very still. ¡°Kiora died sixteen years ago,¡± Gerda had said stiffly. ¡°She jumped from Bosc Bell Tower.¡± .
. Mally had reached the end of her passage and pushed the back of a large painting open a crack. After assuring herself that the coast was clear she swung it open, jumped out of the passage and shut it back. The library was large, but the ceiling was moderately low. The job Christopher had begged Lita to do was clean the chandelier that hung in the center of the library. Mally opened a wardrobe in a corner and wheeled out a small ladder that was used to reach the top bookshelves. No wonder Lita didn¡¯t enjoy it. She would have to stand on the topmost step to reach parts of the chandelier. Mally climbed the ladder and withdrew a cleaning rag from her pocket. This will take hours, she sighed, and started work. As she cleaned the chandelier, she planned out how she was going to get information for Ivan and Galen. Gerda had pointed Nanette Lynwood out to her the other day. She was tall and had mousy brown hair, but that was all she had seen, for Nanette had walked through a door a second later. In fact, Mally hardly ever saw Nanette and decided that maybe she should question someone else first. She would have to go slowly and wait for an opportunity to present itself in the conversation. If she seemed too inquisitive about the Royal family it would look suspicious. She was worried that Lita already thought her behavior odd. So far, the only take on the events she had gotten was from Gerda. ¡°The queen died at sunset. She always went for a ride then, though I remember there was a nasty storm. That was how we found out, you see. When it began to rain, King Sebastian realized Queen Amara was still out and he sent Alfred Cass to find her; he was the stable boy then, but he¡¯s in charge of them now. I¡¯ll never forget that night. He came rushing into the great hall, soaked to the bone and covered in mud, yelling that the queen was dead. Supposedly, the horse had gone wild and jumped a dangerously high hedge. Which was so strange, because Queen Amara was a remarkable rider. The horses under her hand never faltered.¡± ¡°Perhaps the storm caused him to bolt?¡± Lita had suggested. But Gerda hadn¡¯t looked convinced, ¡°Perhaps ¡­ And when King Sebastian died ¡­ I was sleeping and was yanked awake by Meriyal who told me.¡± Mally had to admit that the story of Alice Spindle¡¯s guilt was difficult to believe. Certainly, she would never poison a goblet that was hers and always hers to deliver. Unless she was stupid or wanted to be hung. And Gerda was fierce about Alice¡¯s sanity and clarity. In Gerda¡¯s mind, Alice Spindle would never have made such an atrocious mistake. And the only place where herbs and powders were kept was in a locked cupboard in the sickroom for making tonics. And not even there were the ingredients kept in a large enough dosage to kill someone. Which meant Alice must have gone into the city to buy the poison. Something that Gerda strongly argued was inconceivable. And Mally agreed. It was too obvious. So if Alice had been set up, who was the real murderer? But that didn¡¯t really put her on a new path. The king and queen were clearly dead and the princess¡ªin Mally¡¯s opinion¡ªlooked pretty dead, too. Where was the proof that she was alive? The people had been told she had died of a fever and the only two people who could positively counteract that story were no longer at the castle. Cayla had moved on, though Mally was suspicious as to whether it was at her own inclination, and Kiora had leapt from the bell tower. But the funeral was strange. Royalty were seen in their caskets. The people viewed them. Paid their respects. It was tradition. The king and queen had been seen, so why not the baby?Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. It seemed that Mally was back in the position of quizzing older servants. After mentally running through her list of options, she decided to find Nathan after cleaning the chandelier. But, Mally never got the time to find Nathan. Halfway down a stairwell, she bumped into Sir Brian and it took a good twenty minutes before she managed to escape. And at the bottom of the stairs she ran into Meriyal, who needed her to sweep the steps clear of leaves. I¡¯ll talk to him tomorrow, Mally thought fifteen minutes later, massaging her neck as she returned the broom to the garden shed. ¡°Mally! Mally!¡± ¡°Now what?¡± she groaned. But she was pleasantly surprised to find Sammy McGriff, a young boy of around ten who helped Jack Arrington, the gardener, rushing to her. ¡°I have a message for you,¡± he panted. ¡°From Bob Kettle.¡± ¡°Bob? What is it?¡± she asked sharply, her mind zooming to Sam. ¡°He says you should come right away. That it¡¯s urgent. Your horse¡ª¡± Mally didn¡¯t hear the rest. Blood pounding in her ears, she left Sammy, running back into the castle seeking Meriyal. It took her some time, but she finally spotted her leaving the armory. ¡°Meriyal!¡± Mally ran up the remaining stairs, pushing past Betty and Joan in her haste. ¡°Have you finished sweeping? Good, because I need you to¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Mally interrupted. ¡°Bob Kettle just called for me. It¡¯s urgent. Something has happened to my horse!¡± She spoke in such a rush that her words tripped over themselves. Clearly taken aback by Mally¡¯s state, Meriyal said slowly as if trying to calm a wild animal, ¡°Bob has stable hands. I¡¯m sure they can handle¡ª¡± ¡°If they could then Bob wouldn¡¯t have called for me! Please Meriyal!¡± Meriyal¡¯s lips thinned but she nodded her head shortly. A warning was clear in her voice as she said, ¡°Hurry back.¡± Mally spun around and raced back down the stairs, whizzing past Alfred and Joan again. At the main gate, she stopped and waited for the knight to allow her through. A stitch was starting in her side from running, but she didn¡¯t slow, and people on the street watched her fly by. She slid to a stop at the entrance to Bob¡¯s stable, gasping for breath. ¡°Bob?¡± she yelled. ¡°Out here!¡± came a reply from the fenced meadow. Heart racing, dreading what she would find, Mally sprinted around the side of the stable to the meadow. She stopped in her tracks. Sam stood in the meadow, munching nonchalantly on some tufts of grass, looking utterly content. Beside him stood Ivan and beside Ivan stood Galen. ¡°Hi,¡± said Ivan once she had clambered over the fence. Sam perked his head up and gave a loud snort of delight. He jutted his great head against her chest and closed his eyes as she scratched behind his ears. Galen grinned widely at her. On his chin was a nasty scratch and beside his right eye a faint bruise. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Mally immediately demanded. ¡°I heard about the raid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Galen replied a bit too casually for Mally¡¯s liking. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject!¡± said Mally. ¡°What happened?¡± Galen looked a little surprised by Mally¡¯s furious demand and a little ¡­ pleased? That didn¡¯t make any sense to Mally, so she ignored the slight curve of his mouth and continued to glare at him. ¡°Five knights showed up during dinner and wanted to search the inn for hiding rebels,¡± Galen explained. Mally gasped. ¡°Then they know¡­?¡± she couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish that question. But relief washed over her as Galen and Ivan both shook their heads. ¡°The first time it happened, we thought they knew about us, but they search everywhere¡ªhouses, shops, stables,¡± Galen told her. ¡°They don¡¯t know who the rebels are so they search random places in hopes of catching us off guard.¡± ¡°But you got hurt,¡± said Mally, staring in concern at Galen¡¯s face. ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s nothing,¡± said Galen with that hint of a smile. Mally stared at Galen in silence. Ivan awkwardly cleared his throat, startling Mally back to his presence. Now with her attention on Ivan, she glowered at him, suddenly remembering what had brought her dashing to Bob¡¯s stable. ¡°What was the point of scaring me to death!¡± Mally snapped at Ivan. ¡°I ran all the way here.¡± ¡°I needed to talk to you,¡± said Ivan, smiling broadly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t walk in and ask for you without suspicion.¡± ¡°So pretending that Sam was hurt¡ª¡± ¡°I never said he was hurt,¡± Ivan replied happily. ¡°You thought that.¡± Mally glowered. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Mally. I knew you¡¯d come without hesitation if it was anything about Sam and seeing to your horse wouldn¡¯t make the knights or servants think twice.¡± ¡°I told him it was a bad idea,¡± said Galen in an undertone. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to do that anymore,¡± said Mally. ¡°Meriyal has allowed me to visit Sam on Thursdays. I¡¯m also running errands in the city then.¡± A wide smile filled Ivan¡¯s face. ¡°Excellent!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°So, how¡¯s the castle been?¡± Galen asked softly. Even though his air was casual, and he had his hands in his pockets, Mally knew he was tense. ¡°Smooth, I suppose. I¡¯ve made friends with some of the servants.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re okay? No one¡¯s hurt you?¡± Ivan asked. ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± Mally assured Ivan quickly. ¡°The knights haven¡¯t paid me much attention.¡± ¡°None of the knights?¡± asked Ivan shrewdly. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Not even Bayard?¡± ¡°Well, Bayard¡¯s another matter,¡± Mally muttered, glancing at Sam¡¯s hoof. ¡°What¡¯s he done?¡± Ivan demanded sharply. ¡°Nothing, except threats. No one¡¯s tried to kill me.¡± Yet, she added silently. Ivan seemed pleased at that but Galen looked uncomfortable and Mally suddenly felt that she had said the wrong thing. After glancing around the meadow casually, Ivan asked, ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much,¡± Mally sighed. ¡°One of my roommates¡ªGerda Higgs¡ªwas at the castle when the Royal family died. What she told me is what we already know: falling off a horse and poison.¡± ¡°And the princess?¡± ¡°Died of a fever,¡± Mally relayed, shrugging. ¡°The same as what Romore told the people,¡± Ivan nodded, his expression hard. ¡°Have you questioned any other servants?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve been too busy cleaning,¡± Mally said ruefully. ¡°And I¡¯m still so new. I don¡¯t feel comfortable enough to ask those sorts of questions. But there¡¯s a handful of people that are promising.¡± ¡°Good, we need to get as much information as we can, and I hate to say this, but you may have to question some knights. They were around during that time as well.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that,¡± Mally sighed, though she silently swore that it would be only as a last resort. Glancing at Galen, she suspected that he felt the same way. .
. Mally was starting to wonder if she would ever get the time to question any of the other servants. Meriyal kept her and the others so busy that her interrogation project only entered her mind after dinner when she was stretched out on her lumpy bed. She would have thought that growing up on a farm would have prepared her for all-day cleaning, but cleaning a castle was just different. There were so many rooms and so many things in them. She was used to plowing and cutting wood and retrieving water, but cleaning from dawn till dust just seemed to require an energy reservoir that Mally didn¡¯t have yet. And any time that Meriyal thought Mally wasn¡¯t busy, she would quickly add a handful of jobs. Mally wiggled her toes and stared up at the darkened ceiling. Gerda was serving dinner to the knights as she always did and Lita had to help because Abigail had a bad cold and had spent the whole day in the sickroom. With this rare bit of solitude, Mally could plan her next move. Nathan seemed like a wise choice. Mally had heard that he had come to the castle about the same time as Gerda. He might have a different spin on the deaths. Meriyal had been the Head Servant during King Sebastian¡¯s reign as well, but Mally couldn¡¯t imagine asking her such sticky questions. Not yet, anyway. Then there was the cook, Archibald Diggleby, who Mally had not yet seen because he stayed in the kitchens, and Evelyn Green, who said something unflattering about Mally¡¯s appearance every time they passed in the corridors. Mally ticked the names off on her fingers as she watched the orange light from the fire dance on the ceiling. She wondered what the knights would say if asked about the deaths. Ivan had said that some knights might be good and helpful to the rebellion but it seemed awfully dangerous to go picking out who was and who wasn¡¯t. And Lita was right, if a servant knew, then Molick would know. If any knight was moving against Molick, then he had to be smart about it. Not for the first time, Mally pictured Sir Brian carefully depositing small bags of gold in teakettles. And thinking of knights ¡­ ever since Gibbs had spotted her in the corridor, she had been waiting for him to drag her before the king or Molick and prove her a liar. But he hadn¡¯t. He hadn¡¯t even looked at her again. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe he really didn¡¯t remember her as the farmer¡¯s daughter in Blighten. Her mind wandering, her eyes following the dancing lights on the ceiling, she suddenly realized with a jolt that she hadn¡¯t seen the king. She supposed that wasn¡¯t odd. She had only been in the castle for a little over a week. But she didn¡¯t even know what he looked like, though she was sure he¡¯d be dressed in royal attire. ¡°I swear this is the last straw!¡± Mally sat up and looked at the door. Gerda¡¯s voice grew louder and the door banged open so violently that it ricocheted back off the wall. Gerda stormed in, closely followed by Lita and Joan. ¡°Gerda, you need to be more careful,¡± Joan warned as Gerda sat cross-legged on her bed, fuming. Mally perked up as she considered Joan as a possible source for information about the Royal family, but then she remembered that she had arrived at the castle two years after Salir Romore had taken the throne. ¡°Bayard¡¯s dangerous and if you anger him¡ª¡± ¡°Anger him!¡± Gerda shrieked. ¡°Anger him! What about me, Joan? I¡¯m sick and tired of his disgusting advances!¡± ¡°What if you ignore him?¡± asked Mally. Gerda snorted vehemently. ¡°I tried that already.¡± ¡°What about¡ª¡± But there was a sudden knock on the door and Lita jumped from her bed to open it. There in the doorway, looking slightly out of place, was Nathan. ¡°Gerda, can I speak to you?¡± he asked. Gerda blinked, quickly rose, and walked out of the room. Nathan closed the door behind them. ¡°I wonder what he wanted?¡± asked Lita, frowning at the closed door. ¡°What happened?¡± Mally asked. ¡°The usual,¡± Lita retorted, spinning around to face her. ¡°Disgusting advances¡ªnot gentleman-like at all!¡± ¡°No one ever said Bayard was a gentleman,¡± said Joan, gazing out the small window. She smiled slightly and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s rather late. I think I¡¯ll call it a night.¡± ¡°What a day,¡± Lita groaned, falling onto her bed. ¡°I hope Abigail gets better soon. I hate serving that group.¡± ¡°Was the king there?¡± asked Mally. ¡°He¡¯s there every night. Why?¡± ¡°I just realized that I don¡¯t even know what he looks like,¡± Mally admitted, shrugging. Lita frowned. ¡°He has black hair¡ªa bit gray here and there, tall, thin and¡ªthe obvious bit¡ªwears clothing that says he¡¯s a king.¡± ¡°I assumed as much, but it just feels odd that I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t usually flit around the castle.¡± Lita rolled over onto her elbow and said slowly, ¡°You know what¡¯s odd? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s as bad as the people think.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± asked Mally startled. ¡°Well¡­¡± Lita sighed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a king who¡¯s ruthless and uncaring act ruthless and uncaring?¡± ¡°I would think so,¡± Mally agreed. ¡°But that¡¯s just it. He isn¡¯t ruthless and uncaring ¡­ or maybe he is, just not around the servants. But we¡¯re nobodies,¡± Lita pressed. ¡°The knights treat us as nobodies so why wouldn¡¯t the king?¡± Mally stared at Lita. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chapter 14: Mushroom Hunter Mally would have to make up her own mind about King Salir when she met him, whenever that might be. Her primary goal for the day was to find Nathan and, magically, she got her chance after lunch. She was folding napkins with Mildred Bolton, the woman who had convinced Meriyal to let Mally see Sam once a week. For that, Mally was deeply grateful to her. Mally was beginning to discover that Mildred was the sort of person who enjoyed spoiling people she considered ¡®young¡¯ and Mally, at seventeen, fit into the spoiling category. Mildred often sneaked sweets from under the cook Archibald Diggelby¡¯s nose¡ªan impressive feat¡ªand passed them along to Lita, Mally, and Sammy. Lita always grumbled that Sammy didn¡¯t need to be spoiled with sweets as his mother, Rosa McGriff, was Archibald¡¯s assistant, which gave him ample opportunities to snitch sugared plums. ¡°Mally, dear,¡± Mildred said as Mally reached for anther pile, ¡°why don¡¯t you let me fold those.¡± ¡°But I¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much left,¡± Mildred pressed. ¡°I know Meriyal tends to overwork the newcomers. Why don¡¯t you go outside¡ªit may be the last day of sun for a month.¡± Mally tried to argue, but only halfheartedly, and was easily shooed out of the room. Hardly believing her luck, and hoping fervently that she wouldn¡¯t run into Meriyal, Mally rushed to the armory. She often spotted Nathan nearby. But upon turning a corridor and entering the room full of swords and javelins, Mally realized very quickly that Nathan wasn¡¯t there. Instead curly-haired Betty and sour-tempered Evelyn turned to face her. ¡°Is Nathan here?¡± she asked Betty. ¡°No, sorry. I think he¡¯s down in the orchard though, if that helps.¡± ¡°It does, thanks.¡± And before Evelyn could utter a single criticism, Mally had turned on her heel and left the armory. She trotted down to the first floor and through the door that led to the outside gardens. She soon spotted Jack Arrington, the castle¡¯s head gardener, walking along a few yards away, clippers and spade in hand. A floppy hat covered his balding head and his small, young assistant hurried after him, carrying shovels and rakes. Sammy caught sight of Mally and waved wildly, dropping his load as he did. Jack glanced over the hedge at the sound of the clatter and also waved at Mally. ¡°What cha up to?¡± he called. Jack was a pleasant man, but slightly suspicious of people wandering through his neatly kept grounds. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Nathan. Have you seen him?¡± ¡°Over yonder,¡± he grunted, jutting a dirty thumb over his shoulder. ¡°Orchard.¡± Mally nodded and continued on. She walked through mazes of neatly trimmed hedges, under half-naked trees (their leaves scattered thickly on the grass), and past fountains shooting jets of water into the air until she came across the orchard. It was separated from the rest of the grounds by a white fence and rambling bushes. ¡°Nathan?¡± Mally yelled, wondering just exactly where in the orchard he could be. She walked around an apple tree, its branches bending from its heavy load, and spotted him. He stood on a stool, picking rusty red apples off a tree. ¡°Nathan, I¡¯ve been looking all over for you,¡± said Mally, walking up to him. ¡°Have you?¡± Nathan asked, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve been right here.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± Mally replied tartly. ¡°What do you need?¡± Nathan asked, fighting with a branch. Mally hesitated, unsure how to go about her questioning. ¡°Meriyal told me to help you,¡± she invented. Nathan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did she? That¡¯s nice. Archie wants apples for his apple cake tonight and told me the ones Rosa picked were too sweet.¡± Nathan rolled his eyes. ¡°Why he can¡¯t go pick his own apples ¡­¡± Mally let him grumble; she had other things to think about. How was she going to broach the subject of the royal family without being obvious? ¡°But there¡¯s no point in me complaining,¡± he continued, though from his tone he fervently wanted to do just that. ¡°Ol¡¯ Archie isn¡¯t going to change any time soon.¡± Nathan tugged an apple from its branch with more force than necessary. ¡°He¡¯s been dead depressed for years because his original assistant left¡ªthough no complaints on Rosa,¡± he added hastily, shooting a glance at Mally. ¡°I know for a fact that Archie would rather cut off his mustache than lose Rosa.¡± ¡°Rosa and Sammy haven¡¯t been here for very long?¡± asked Mally, placing two apples in the basket with care as Nathan tossed two more on top. Nathan nodded. ¡°She came to the castle saying she was a good cook who needed a job. Sammy¡¯s been a right help with Jack, hasn¡¯t he?¡± said Nathan, grinning. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid. I like him. Keeps his mother on her toes. But honestly!¡± Nathan suddenly exploded, glaring at the apple in his hand. ¡°Archie is just ridiculous! Did you know that after his old assistant left he gave up mushrooms?¡± ¡°Did he?¡± Mally asked, confused. ¡°Yes. And Archie¡¯s the crown connoisseur of mushrooms¡ªknows them all. He hates to leave his kitchen so much that he¡¯s given them up!¡± Still confused, Mally asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because his old assistant used to pick them for him, but Rosa¡¯s no good at mushroom hunting and no one else in the castle is either¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Mally said without thinking. Nathan stopped midway through throwing an apple into the basket. ¡°You¡¯re good?¡± ¡°My father taught me. I¡¯ve picked them since I was nine.¡± Nathan looked so shocked that Mally started to laugh. ¡°I can prove it to you if you¡¯d like,¡± she giggled. ¡°Where did his old assistant use to pick them?¡± .
. Nathan led her through the ¡®hunting¡¯ grounds that were contained by the castle¡¯s walls. Mally was amazed at the large number of trees and meadows that secluded the castle¡ªshe could no longer hear the city. The castle was still in clear view, but the solitude and silence sent shivers through Mally. ¡°Is this where¡ª¡°¡± Mally glanced around her, but they were quite alone ¡°¡ªQueen Amara rode her horse?¡± ¡°Yes. Every evening. She enjoyed sunsets.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she have had a better view from one of the towers?¡± asked Mally, tripping over a root. ¡°If she just liked sunsets¡­¡± Mally blushed as she looked up and noticed Nathan staring at her oddly. ¡°Her Highness enjoyed her hour of solitude,¡± Nathan stated with enough emphasis on the queen¡¯s title to make Mally blush harder, realizing how rude she had sounded. She dropped her gaze and mumbled an apology, but Nathan had already turned and continued on. Though she felt like a little child being reprimanded, she wasn¡¯t going to let the subject drop. Mally hurried after him.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°And you don¡¯t believe Alice Spindle killed the king?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you know of anyone else who could have done it?¡± Nathan turned to her in surprise. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± ¡°Gerda told me. She said that you and Meriyal and Nanette didn¡¯t believe Alice had done it.¡± Nathan suddenly looked awkward and embarrassed. ¡°I told Gerda that to make her feel better,¡± he admitted. Mally raised her eyebrows. ¡°Look,¡± he continued hastily. ¡°All evidence pointed¡ªI mean, she was a very sweet girl ¡­ I was surprised, just like every one¡ª¡± ¡°Could someone have set her up?¡± Nathan paused, clearly thinking it over. ¡°She always gave him his evening drink. After dinner. But the poison was in his goblet. Not in the barrel.¡± ¡°Could someone have distracted her and put the poison in the goblet after she¡¯d poured it without her noticing?¡± Mally asked. Nathan stared at her. ¡°Why are you so curious about this?¡± Mally shrugged and smiled innocently. ¡°I¡¯m a curious person.¡± Nathan snorted but answered her anyway. ¡°Alice was easily distracted. I could see something like that happening.¡± ¡°But who?¡± Mally asked, her excitement obvious. Nathan mimicked her shrug and smile. ¡°That¡¯s for you to tell me, Miss Curiosity. Now then, about those mushrooms.¡± .
. All in all, the day was a success. Mally felt sure now that Alice Spindle had been framed and that the killer was probably still alive. Maybe was still in the castle. But that didn¡¯t get her any closer to the princess. Nathan, for his part, was giddy over the mushrooms Mally had pointed out to him. Over the next few days, it spread quickly through the castle¡ªat least among the servants¡ªthat their newest member was an exceptional mushroom hunter. Archibald Diggleby was especially excited about the news that reached his ears. A fat, short man with an impressively large, white mustache and a gleaming bald pate, he had never enjoyed the outdoors as much he thought he should. And though he treasured mushrooms above all other ingredients, he found the tedious act of mushroom hunting aggravating and time consuming. After all, he had a kitchen to run, with boiling pots of rabbit and pheasant stews and carefully watched loaves of honeyed-almond and sunflower-wheat, slowly rising and baking, not to mention the preparation of breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. There just isn¡¯t enough time! he would fume to himself, silently. Mushrooms, in his humble opinion, were the crowning jewels of culinary cuisine and it galled him to no end that he had been forced to omit them for so long. If only there was someone he could trust! Archie was a bit pig-headed in the way he wanted things done, and even with people in the castle who knew enough about mushrooms to pick a few safely, he didn¡¯t trust them to do so. So he was quite beside himself at the talk circulating about someone named Mally Biddle. Wasn¡¯t she the one with blonde hair? he thought to himself. Yes, yes, her face was vivid in his mind¡¯s eye. Fair skinned with smooth, satiny, blonde hair¡ªhe never forgot a face. He smiled happily and hummed merrily as he added splashes of wine to a thick sauce. Yes, he would call for her after dinner and see for himself just how accurate the stories were. .
. When Lita told her Archibald Diggelby had sent for her, Mally was utterly baffled. ¡°Me? What¡¯s he want with me?¡± ¡°Oh, Mally don¡¯t be so thick!¡± Lita snapped. She had had a hard day. Meriyal had forced her to wash the windows on the west tower with Evelyn. A combination of two such unpleasant things would make anyone cross, so Mally didn¡¯t take the insult to heart. ¡°The news of you being a mushroom hunter¡¯s all over the castle! He wants to quiz you.¡± ¡°Quiz me?¡± Mally repeated nervously. ¡°Yes, so will you go talk to him?¡± Lita said wearily. ¡°Archie can have a sour temperament if he doesn¡¯t get what he wants, and I don¡¯t want to be eating gruel for the next week, so impress him!¡± ¡°No pressure, Mally,¡± Gerda winked. Lita told Mally that a secret passage on the second floor led right into the kitchen, but Mally felt it would be rude to barge in, since she had never actually met Archibald Diggleby and wanted to make a good impression. Dinner had just finished and Mally hurried down the corridors, weaving between knights with her head down. She spotted Bayard standing with Gibbs and Sir Brian. She hurried her feet. Her boots clattered loudly in the silent stone passage that led to the kitchen. At the end was a wooden door. Nervously, she tucked a curl of brown hair behind her ear. Her hand hovered in midair momentarily before she took a deep breath and knocked. The door was wrenched open by a man the same height as Mally, who stood on the other side. Half his round face was covered by a massive white mustache and his eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of Mally. ¡°Mister Diggleby, you wanted to see me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not blonde,¡± he stated. ¡°No,¡± Mally said uncertainly, tucking another curl behind her ear. Archie¡¯s eyes narrowed even more and he snorted in annoyance before saying, ¡°Come in.¡± He headed into the kitchen and sat smartly at a large wooden table. The kitchen was enormous. Shining pots and pans hung from the ceiling and long ladles sparkled in between them. The remnants of dinner were heaped upon the counters and a large vat of chicken and garlic soup still steamed on the stove. Even though Mally had already eaten, her mouth began to water at the delightful smell. ¡°Sit.¡± Mally sat. ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone¡¯s told you, but I don¡¯t like fooling around,¡± Archie said severely. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t let people in here, if I can help it.¡± Mally felt she was being scolded for some wrongdoing. A door to the right opened and a woman with sleek brown hair tied in a large bun entered carrying a handful of plates. ¡°Hello,¡± Rosa McGriff greeted her pleasantly. Mally immediately saw where Sammy got his round cheeks and dimples. ¡°You must be Mally. Archie¡¯s been talking about you nonstop.¡± Archie grunted and his mustache twitched irritably. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± smiled Rosa. She walked to the water basin and dumped her load in it with a splash. ¡°Ahem.¡± Archie cleared his throat, obviously trying to regain the serious atmosphere. ¡°I have heard you pick mushrooms.¡± Mally nodded. ¡°Good. I have a great fondness for mushrooms and have sadly had to give them up¡±¡ªRosa snorted¡ª¡°due to the lack of highly qualified mushroom hunters in this damn city,¡± Archie continued with a raised voice. ¡°How long have you been hunting?¡± ¡°For eight years. Since I was nine.¡± ¡°Who taught you?¡± ¡°My father.¡± ¡°Who taught him?¡± Mally¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I believe his father,¡± she answered. ¡°You believe?¡± Archie pressed, his eyes narrowing shrewdly as he leaned forward. Mally suddenly felt that she was being interrogated. ¡°Well, you see I never asked him,¡± Mally replied and though she had tried to keep her tone casual, she suspected some dryness had made its way through by the stifled snicker that came from Rosa. Archie¡¯s mustache twitched again. His eyes were reduced to the thinnest of slits as he said sharply, ¡°Fairy cap. What does it look like and where would I find it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s small and white¡ªthe stem rather slender ¡­ about the width of my finger,¡± Mally answered. ¡°It fruits in clusters in the fall after we¡¯ve had a nice burst of cold after a short rain.¡± ¡°Hunter¡¯s horn,¡± Archie shot. ¡°Smaller than fairy caps with a hollow center and curved edges¡ªlike a hunter¡¯s horn, hence the name. Brown or black and slightly speckled. Found in meadows¡ªthough it¡¯s more productive in meadows with clover.¡± Rosa looked over her shoulder, her mouth open in amazement. Mally tried hard to keep her lips from twitching into a smile. ¡°Black bonnet! Flat-footed ogre! Death angel!¡± Archie shouted out, leaning closer and closer to Mally over the table. But Mally never flinched. She knew them all. She reeled off their descriptions in great detail and described when and where they grew. ¡°Amanita,¡± Archie hissed, his eyes glittering in his red face. ¡°Oh, well, that one is pretty common around here,¡± said Mally conversationally. She was rather enjoying herself. Rosa had given up washing and had turned around to watch the show. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. Amanita is the most poisonous mushroom in Lenzar¡ªmuch more so than the death angel or the deadly galerina. It¡¯s terribly tricky to pick fairy caps and white button tops because amanitas look so similar to them. They¡¯re all almost exactly the same size and color and enjoy the same habitat. But fairy caps are a little more pointed than amanitas and as I said before, fruit in clusters. Amanitas don¡¯t appear in clusters. They are more spread out, like white button tops. And white button tops are a tiny bit shorter than amanitas and a little flatter up top. And a white button¡¯s stem is a tad bit thicker at the base than an amanita¡¯s. Oh, and if you look closely enough, fairy caps have a very, very slight tannish hue to them unlike the amanita which is bone white.¡± Archie had his hands flat on the table, watching Mally as if mesmerized. ¡°Is that all?¡± Mally asked, feeling suddenly hot around the collar as Rosa and Archie continued to stare at her. ¡°Is that all? Is that all?¡± Archie shouted, making Mally jump. ¡°You¡¯re what I¡¯ve been waiting for! Your father taught you well!¡± He laughed and slapped Mally on the back, his mustache more bushy than ever. ¡°Mally, I want you to be my mushroom hunter.¡± ¡°But Meriyal ¡­ I have other duties ¡­¡± ¡°Bah Meriyal and her cleaning! You are my mushroom fetcher! My mushroom procurer! My mushroom hunter!¡± Archie jutted his fist into the air like a warrior rallying his army. ¡°All right, when do I start?¡± asked Mally grinning. ¡°When?¡± Archie swiveled in his chair and boomed at Rosa, ¡°Rosa, m¡¯dear, what is for tomorrow?¡± Rosa quickly withdrew a very stained piece of parchment from her apron pocket. ¡°Oooh, the leg of lamb, Archie! Mushrooms would go well with that.¡± ¡°Aye, they would. I¡¯m very partial to hunter¡¯s horn with leg of lamb, Mally. Very partial.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I could get you some ¡­ but Meriyal ¡­¡± Mally insisted once again. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Meriyal,¡± Archie said, suddenly severe, but then his gaze softened and he smiled warmly. ¡°You should get to bed. A good night¡¯s rest is required for a day of mushroom hunting!¡± Mally rose and turned to the door, but Archie stopped her. ¡°Not that way. I appreciate you not coming through the passage but we mustn¡¯t be foolish.¡± Archie walked to a large oil painting of a bowl of fruit that took up half the wall. ¡°You can go through here.¡± Ten minutes later, Mally had her covers pulled up to her chin, gazing peacefully at the writing desk beside her bed. She had written to her mother every other day and she had a feeling that tomorrow¡¯s letter would be an exceptionally good one. Susie Biddle would certainly be happy that her daughter was finding mushrooms for the court. Chapter 15: Illius Molick Lita and Gerda were impressed. Archie had kept Mally for over an hour¡ªquizzing and testing her knowledge¡ªand they had finally given up on waiting for her and had fallen asleep. But Mally was jerked awake by a pillow hitting her face. ¡°What happened?¡± cried Lita as Mally pushed the pillow away. ¡°Archie kept you forever!¡± Gerda sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. Ever since the evening when Nathan had asked for her, Mally had noticed that she¡¯d seemed quieter, but not in a bad way. She¡¯d seemed calmer and more peaceful. Mally wondered what Nathan had said. ¡°Are we eating gruel?¡± Gerda smiled. Lita scrunched up her face, steeling herself. Mally smiled and shook her head. ¡°HA!¡± Lita yelled, hugging Mally and jumping up and down. ¡°No gruel! No gruel!¡± .
¡°When are you going to pick them?¡± asked Lita as they made their way down to the Servants¡¯ Chamber. ¡°I was planning on asking Archie. I¡¯m still not sure how Meriyal¡¯s going to take this.¡± ¡°Mally! Hey, Mally!¡± ¡°Hello Christopher.¡± Christopher squeezed between Hattie Blancher and Thomas Honeycomb. ¡°Abigail told me you¡¯re Archie¡¯s new mushroom hunter.¡± ¡°Word travels fast,¡± said Mally grinning shyly. ¡°Are you really as good as they¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the best I¡¯ve seen.¡± Mally turned and saw Nathan. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Archie so bubbly. He was nearly singing when he told me.¡± Mally could hardly eat her breakfast. People sat squeezed around her, wanting to hear again and again how Mally had been discovered. ¡°What about angel wings?¡± asked Addison Bell, nearly knocking over a mug of apple juice as he leaned toward her eagerly. ¡°Can you get those?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Mally, hastily moving her glass out of harm¡¯s way. ¡°Oh, oh, and what¡¯s the one ¡­¡± said Abigail, snapping her fingers. ¡°It turns pink when damaged.¡± ¡°The blusher?¡± asked Mally. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°But you have to cook that one forever,¡± Evelyn scorned. ¡°You don¡¯t want that one. Old man of the woods¡ªnow that¡¯s a¡ª¡± Whatever it was, they never found out, for Evelyn was drowned out by the sudden crescendo of requests. Certainly the room was occupied much longer than usual and only after Meriyal had ordered them all to get to work did they grudgingly leave Mally. ¡°Look out,¡± Lita whispered. ¡°She¡¯s headed this way.¡± Mally steeled herself for the tidal wave. ¡°Mally, dear, I can¡¯t tell you how pleased I am!¡± ¡°You¡ªyou are?¡± stumbled Mally, amazed. ¡°Why yes.¡± Meriyal glanced over her shoulder at the servants¡¯ retreating backs and bent over to whisper in Mally¡¯s ear, ¡°I might be swayed into decreasing certain¡ªah¡ªduties if a basketful of black bonnets found their way to my quarters.¡± She winked and walked away while Lita doubled over laughing. At the doorway, Meriyal said in a ringing voice, ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the drawing room, Lita.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t miss a beat,¡± Lita grinned. ¡°Find me when you get back. I want to know everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just some mushrooms,¡± said Mally, though she couldn¡¯t keep from smiling. ¡°Just some mushrooms!¡± Lita gasped, clutching her chest in mocked shock. ¡°Don¡¯t let Archie hear you saying that.¡± In the few seconds of solitude that followed, Mally scarfed down the last of her porridge in peace; then, picking her cloak up off the bench, she crossed the now deserted chamber to the door that led to the kitchen. Archie, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, was kneading a huge mass of dough. Bits of sticky dough and flour covered his front, but he seemed unperturbed by this. In fact, his face broke into a wide grin at the sight of Mally. ¡°Was wondering when you¡¯d show,¡± he said. ¡°I got held up,¡± Mally explained, jutting a thumb at the door behind her. ¡°They were all giving requests.¡± ¡°But mine come first,¡± he boomed, slapping a hand on the dough. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a youthful playfulness. Mally had a suspicion that he¡¯d been itching to discuss today¡¯s mushroom hunting ever since he awoke. ¡°Hunter¡¯s horn. I want to use them with the roasted lamb¡ªreally give a show. Our first mushrooms in so many years! It should be a spectacle! So,¡± he slapped his hands together and a cloud of flour flew into the air. ¡°Do you know the area where you can hunt?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Yes, Nathan showed the grounds to me,¡± said Mally quickly. ¡°Good. If you can find them, I would love three basketfuls.¡± Three, thought Mally. That¡¯ll take some time. ¡°What baskets should I use?¡± ¡°These.¡± He bent down and extracted three wide baskets from a low shelf. ¡°I can have them at any time before six, though the sooner the better.¡± .
Mally savored the fact that she was mushroom hunting instead of cleaning windows as she crossed the grounds five minutes later. It was cold with the wind starting to blow, but once Mally had walked for twenty minutes up a steady slope to the first meadow, she was warmer. After a good thirty minutes of carefully stepping through the thick grass, Mally whooped happily. Along the edge of the meadow was a long strip of about twenty hunter¡¯s horns. Once she¡¯d picked all the youngest in the patch, she was off again, slowly searching. Her fingers and cheeks were soon numb with cold. Mally tried to ignore the wind that had intensified to a howl. Suddenly she wasn¡¯t so jubilant to be outside, away from the castle¡¯s warm fires. Even though she was cold, Mally thought she understood the hold these grounds had had on Queen Amara. Being a queen she must have always been inside the castle, constantly surrounded by ladies-in-waiting and always entertaining guests. Mally, for her part, had found that sleeping with two other women in a tiny room and not being able to walk down a corridor without weaving between four knights and two servants, made her cherish the solitude she had found in these grounds. After three hours, Mally could no longer feel her fingers and her ears were ringing from the howling wind. Precariously balancing her baskets, Mally made her way back to the castle. She stumbled slightly on the sharp slope, being careful not to tip a basket, and entered what the servants had dubbed ¡®the maze.¡¯ Perhaps Jack had gotten a little carried away, or the royal family liked the interwoven secretiveness of mazes, but a large section of the grounds on the west side of the castle was nothing but¡ªwell, a maze: hedges ten feet tall, four feet thick; walkways that connected and dead ended¡ªit was just as confusing as the corridors in the castle. But there were (thankfully) landmarks. Benches, statues, birdbaths, and wind chimes were spread throughout the area and Mally used them to direct herself back to the kitchen. She turned a corner and walked down a deserted walkway with a small white bench engraved with white rabbits at the end. She sighed in relief at being out of the violent wind. She patted her hair down ruefully, betting it was three times bushier than normal. Halfway down her path another walkway connected with it and as Mally passed the opening¡ªshe stopped. Halfway down the joining passage stood two men. She nearly gasped. Molick. Sir Illius Molick. Captain of the knights. She had never seen him in person. The sight made her shiver. Blocky and square-jawed, he was a head shorter than the man he was facing. He was clearly angry, as evident from the way he was growling and glaring. Mally had no idea who the other man was, but he was obviously wealthy. A pale sharp face with high cheekbones stood out clearly against the dark green of the hedge behind him. His hair was smooth and black but there were some gray streaks¡ªthough Mally thought he still looked young. He stood erect and poised and didn¡¯t seem at all intimidated by the spitting Molick before him. Mally felt a rush of excitement at the thought that someone could look Molick in the eye without flinching. Mally wished she could hear what they were saying, but the wind was too loud. Even the large hedges couldn¡¯t stifle its howl. It did seem to her that they were arguing. Molick was jerking his hands about heatedly as he spoke, and the taller man¡¯s frown deepened. The taller man said something and moved his eyes to the end of the walkway to where Mally stood. Startled, she gave a hasty curtsy and hurried off, hoping she wouldn¡¯t be reprimanded for her rudeness. .
Back in the kitchen, Archie was beyond words. He gaped and mouthed like a fish out of water at the sight of the baskets, before finally collapsing in a chair. Rosa had to rush and fetch him a glass of brandy. ¡°Sweet Lenzar,¡± he whispered as a shaky hand lowered a now empty glass. ¡°I must admit, I tried not to have my hopes up. Disappointments are so terribly jarring to the soul.¡± Mally smiled as he carefully lifted a hunter¡¯s horn as if he were handling blown glass. ¡°Perfect,¡± he whispered with reverence. ¡°Perfect.¡± Then, blinking his eyes quickly, he seemed to remember he wasn¡¯t alone and boomed, ¡°Rosa, this calls for a toast! Bring up a flask of raspberry mead!¡± ¡°Right-o!¡± Rosa cried happily and she disappeared through the door where she had retrieved the brandy. In her absence, Archie continued to gaze contentedly at the mushroom in his hand. Three minutes later, Rosa came clattering back up the stairs and burst through the door, a large wooden flask in her hand. She pulled out the stopper and poured three glasses of shimmering rosy mead. ¡°To Mally!¡± Archie roared, lifting his glass in salute, ¡°the best damn mushroom hunter in Lenzar!¡± Mally flushed in pleasure as Rosa seconded the toast and Archie downed his goblet in one go. .
Feeling much warmer and relaxed from her glasses of mead (Archie had insisted on refilling her glass), Mally walked down the second floor corridor, searching for Lita. At the end of the corridor, she found Lita and Christopher. The moment they spotted her, they flew upon her in a frenzy of questions. Mally happily told them about the mushrooms and Archie¡¯s glowing reaction. At that, Lita roared with laughter. ¡°I wish I had seen Archie speechless,¡± said Christopher, grinning widely. ¡°¡¯Cause it only happens on a full moon!¡± joked Lita. ¡°Mally.¡± Mally, Lita, and Christopher turned. Meriyal stood before them, her face so grim, Mally¡¯s heart faltered. ¡°I need you to come with me.¡± Silence settled over the small group and Mally, whose mouth was suddenly dry, followed Meriyal. Mally glanced over her shoulder to see Lita and Christopher staring after her. Lita¡¯s face was as pale as oatmeal. Meriyal didn¡¯t speak to Mally as she steadily led her to the south wing. Her silence only unnerved Mally more and when she couldn¡¯t take it any longer, she finally blurted, ¡°Have I done something wrong?¡± Meriyal seemed to flinch which startled Mally even more. Meriyal did not flinch. ¡°No,¡± she answered. ¡°Sir Illius wishes to see you.¡± Mally was so stunned that she mouthed like a catfish. ¡°Molick? Molick wishes to see¡ª¡± ¡°Sir Illius. You must be careful to call him Sir Illius,¡± Meriyal insisted firmly, spinning around to stare at Mally. Mally gulped and nodded. Meriyal seemed satisfied and continued down the empty corridor. ¡°I am taking you to his sitting room. Remember what I said when you first came here? He enjoys believing he owns this castle. He¡¯s very suspicious of strangers¡ªhe interviews all new servants.¡± But Mally had been in the castle for a little over a week. Meriyal seemed to know what she was thinking for she continued, ¡°I only had to inform His Majesty of your desire for a position. Not Sir Illius ¡­ no matter what he thinks. He has only now learned of you.¡± They were now on the fifth floor of the south wing, traveling down a wide corridor with giant statues of knights. There was only one door on the corridor¡ªa thick one of deep mahogany at the very end. Meriyal suddenly stopped and turned to Mally. ¡°He also enjoys believing we are simpletons,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°He¡¯ll press you for information¡ªyou remember what I said about our secrets?¡± Mally nodded¡ªher mouth too dry to answer. It seemed like ages ago that she had been sharing raspberry mead with Archie and Rosa. All the warmth and comfort from that visit had long since departed. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Meriyal looked pointedly at the door, waiting for Mally¡¯s feet to finally move. Wishing Meriyal would suddenly say it was all a joke, Mally stepped before Sir Illius Molick¡¯s study door and knocked. Her hand trembled. The knock was soft. But a hard, loud voice issued clearly through the wood. ¡°Enter.¡± Chapter 16: Revenge Mally stepped into a large sitting room with an enormous claw-footed desk. Behind this desk sat square-jawed, gray-haired, Illius Molick. Molick glowered at her, his dark eyes raking her form. He seemed to sit in his chair like a bullfrog, his large, muscled arms hunched forward menacingly. ¡°I have been informed of your presence in my castle.¡± My castle? Meriyal hadn¡¯t been exaggerating. Mally wondered if Molick was this bold around the king. Then again, perhaps he didn¡¯t need to be. Mally didn¡¯t have any doubt that this man could quite easily be controlling the country. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Molick leaned back in his chair, his large, sausage-like fingers intertwined on his stomach. ¡°You are from Halspeare?¡± he demanded. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Molick nodded and smiled. Mally tried not to grimace at the sight of it. ¡°Orphan?¡± he barked, making Mally jerk. She nodded, trying to keep the heat from her cheeks. He must have questioned Meriyal. ¡°Which one?¡± he sneered. ¡°Corral and Chestnut, sir,¡± Mally answered promptly. Instead of saying anything, Molick scribbled something down on a piece of paper. Mally¡¯s heart jumped into her throat. If Molick wrote to Corral and Chestnut, he would discover that there had never been a girl named Mally Biddle present there. Then what would she do? He would find out she had lied to get into the castle and where would that lead? While Mally was silently reeling, Molick poured himself a large glass of brandy, as if taking his time to savor the effect his actions had had. He swirled the glass, eyeing Mally contentedly, like a swollen spider eyeing his next meal. At Mally¡¯s continued silence, Molick¡¯s eyes hardened. He leaned forward so swiftly that for a moment Mally¡¯s frantic brain was sure he would leap over his desk and strike her. ¡°Are you aware of a barbarous rebel force in this city?¡± he asked. Mally¡¯s heart stopped and she hesitated before answering. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard rumors, Sir Illius.¡± Molick eyed her. ¡°And of course, you would not be lying. I do not like liars in my castle.¡± ¡°This is my first time in the city,¡± said Mally, her heart pounding so loudly that she was sure Molick would hear it. ¡°I assure you, I know nothing about these rebels.¡± Then she added with a burst of inspiration, ¡°And if I did, I would have nothing to do with them.¡± Molick¡¯s eyes narrowed and his ugly, wide mouth twitched into a grin. ¡°And the passages? Only rumors, as well?¡± Mally stared at him. What was she supposed to say to that? Deny the fact that they existed? Of course he knew they existed! Why hadn¡¯t Meriyal told her what to say? In her panic, she said what popped into her head. ¡°Forgive me, Sir Illius, but what use are the servants¡¯ passages to the Captain of the Knights?¡± For a full second, Mally was positive she would be hit. Molicks¡¯ face colored like a blotchy beet. His jaws tightened so much his lips turned white. His narrowed eyes were no more than angry slits. ¡°You may leave,¡± he ordered in a low voice. Mally nearly tripped in her haste to curtsy and run to the door simultaneously. Meriyal was upon her the moment she had closed his door. ¡°Well?¡± she breathed. Mally shook her head, still numb and trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him anything,¡± she whispered. She was out of breath¡ªas if she had run a race. ¡°Good girl!¡± said Meriyal, but her face was taunt with tension. ¡°Come, we need to clean out some fireplaces.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. .
By that evening, Mally was so exhausted and nervous that all she wanted was to curl up on her bed, but she and Lita had agreed to blow out the candles on the first floor as Mildred, who typically did that floor, had a nasty cough and needed the rest. So, at ten till eight, Mally and Lita left Gerda in their chamber and made their way to the first floor. Dinner was finished and by the time they had reached the great hall, it was deserted of knights. But when Mally had reached the last step of the staircase, Lita halted and cursed under her breath. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Mally. Lita was fumbling in her pockets. ¡°Did you get the tall snuffer?¡± she asked. Mally pulled out the short, silver snuffer Mildred had passed to her at dinner. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you were getting it.¡± Lita cursed again. ¡°I¡¯ll get it. Start extinguishing the ones you can get to. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Mally watched her scurry back up the long staircase. Upon turning to the great hall, Mally¡¯s first thought was that they wouldn¡¯t need the tall snuffer as some candles were already blown out, leaving the huge room shadowy and cold. A banging and rattling from a dark corner drew her attention and upon inspection, she found an open window: the reason for the cold and lack of candlelight. The wind hadn¡¯t stopped since she¡¯d been out picking hunter¡¯s horn. It must have intensified and forced the unlatched window open. Each time the wind whistled past, the window banged fiercely against the stone wall. Mally shut and latched it, rubbing her arms as she gazed out into the wild night. A hand gripped her shoulder and jerked her around. Something hard hit the side of her face, making her stumble. She blinked as stars erupted before her eyes. She was hit again and fell against a tall candelabra¡ªshe felt a horrible searing in her shoulder. The candelabra smashed onto the floor and candlesticks cascaded on top of her. She tried to rise from the floor, still trying to steady her sight. It came back just in time to see a large booted foot fly through the air to smash into her side. ¡°Think you¡¯re the same as us?¡± said a harsh voice somewhere above her. Even though her head was reeling with pain, Mally knew who it was. ¡°No, you think you¡¯re better,¡± Bayard sneered, answering his own question. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to knock some proper respect into you.¡± He kicked her again. ¡°You¡¯re not worth the grime you wipe away,¡± he spat venomously. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Mally was dazed with pain. ¡°Who¡¯s ¡­ Mally! Are you all right?¡± Mally groaned, her eyes squeezed shut. Nathan had joined them. ¡°Tripped,¡± Bayard explained pleasantly from somewhere above Mally. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be so klutzy, should she? Could get hurt falling over things.¡± Bayard chuckled again and Mally heard his footsteps casually retreating. ¡°Bastard,¡± Nathan cursed under his breath and Mally moaned again. There was another inaudible curse above her and a frantic shuffling as Nathan crouched down beside her. Gently, he half pulled her into a sitting position. Mally blinked her eyes and Nathan¡¯s face swam into focus. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding,¡± said Nathan tersely. ¡°I¡¯ll get you to Rosa¡ªshe¡¯s closer.¡± He tried to lift Mally to her feet but Mally gasped and gripped her side. ¡°Easy! Easy! Come on now, lean on me. There you go.¡± Mally leaned heavily on Nathan as they slowly walked across the great hall to the kitchen. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll have Rosa look you over. You¡¯ll be all right, Mally. You¡¯ll be all right.¡± Mally¡¯s eyesight was still blurred. Her side felt like it had been rammed, her cheek throbbed, and her shoulder stung. She was only half aware that they had reached the kitchen door, but the shriek that followed made fresh stars burst before her eyes. ¡°Mally! Oh¡ªNathan, what happened?¡± Nathan helped her into a chair as he explained to Archie and Rosa what he thought had transpired. Mally was grateful. Her eyesight was finally returning and her head had stopped spinning¡ªbut the pain in her cheek, shoulder and side seemed to double. ¡°That bastard,¡± Archie spat as Rosa dabbed Mally¡¯s cheek with a damp cloth. ¡°He only has enough guts to fight when his target¡¯s alone and unsuspecting! He should be locked up!¡± ¡°Lenzar¡¯s been turned upside down,¡± said Nathan heatedly. ¡°The innocent are in the dungeons while the criminals are running free.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be okay,¡± said Rosa, worry all over her face. ¡°Some bad bruises ¡­ but your shoulder¡ªI¡¯ll need to clean that¡ª¡± She rose and hurried to a cabinet before rolling up Mally¡¯s sleeve. Mally gritted her teeth as Rosa cleaned the cut on her right shoulder, which must have come from the sharp metal work of the candelabra. ¡°You¡¯ll be all right,¡± said Rosa soothingly. ¡°This cut isn¡¯t deep.¡± ¡°Rosa¡¯s right. It could have been much worse,¡± Nathan agreed grimly. ¡°There, much better,¡± said Rosa, having finished bandaging the wound. ¡°Thanks ¡­¡± said Mally. She felt ashamed ¡­ weak. People had been warning her something like this could happen. Ivan, Galen, her mother, Meriyal ¡­ they had all given her hints without saying what they feared would happen. She had angered Bayard and he had finally found his revenge. Mally wondered grimly if this attack had been enough to satisfy him. Some of the bitter thoughts in her brain must have shown on her face for Rosa suddenly said, ¡°Some rest is what you need. I¡¯ll make you some deep sleep tea.¡± Mally didn¡¯t have the strength to argue. Pleased, Rosa put a kettle of water on the fire and bustled about pulling out jars of herbs and flowers from cabinets. Mally couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at Nathan or Archie. Instead, she stared at her knees. ¡°Here you are.¡± Rosa handed Mally a cup of heavily scented tea. ¡°You should probably drink it when you get to your room,¡± Rosa advised. ¡°It¡¯s fast acting. Nathan can take you.¡± Mally thanked them again and rose shakily. Nathan quickly wound his arm around her as she hobbled from the room. They walked all the way to the corridor of ugly oil paintings without saying a word and when they finally reached the corridor Mally quietly murmured her thanks again before disappearing into her chamber. Mally was surprised to see that Lita was not in bed. Where had she gone to? She should have been back with the snuffer long ago. But Mally was too tired to go in search of her. She inched into the bedroom, tiptoeing past a sleeping Gerda, and downed her tea. It was richly flavored and dried her mouth, but in seconds, she was fast asleep. Chapter 17: Beside the Gooseberry Wine Mally woke feeling like she¡¯d been beaten. Then she remembered with a sour taste in her mouth that she had been beaten. She groaned and rolled over on her side, squinting at the window. Bright sunlight streamed through the glass in radiating glory. She looked at the two beds beside hers. They were empty. How could she have overslept? What time was it? Meriyal would have her head! She leapt out of bed, only to double over in pain. Cursing her throbbing side she dressed as quickly as she could. A mirror hung on the wall opposite the door to her bedroom. With trepidation, Mally looked at her reflection. Her first reaction was relief. She didn¡¯t look nearly as bad as she was expecting¡ªor as she felt. Her side burned like fire. Her cheek was blue and shadowy. She pulled up her sleeve past her shoulder and unwrapped the bandage. The cut wasn¡¯t too deep and looked to be healing. Rosa was right. It probably wouldn¡¯t even scar. Cheered, Mally rolled down her sleeve and took a stiff step down the corridor. ¡°Mally!¡± It was amazing how accusing Meriyal¡¯s voice could sound. It snapped and cracked like a whip. Mally waited for her to reach her, anticipating a long tongue lashing for lateness. ¡°What are you doing on your feet?¡± Meriyal demanded. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry?¡± asked Mally, thrown for a loop. ¡°Look at the state of you!¡± Meriyal exploded, making Mally flinch. ¡°Nathan and Archie told me everything. Come on, we¡¯re going to the sickroom.¡± ¡°But I¡ª¡± Mally¡¯s assurances that she was fine and didn¡¯t need to be seen to were left far behind in the corridor of ugly oil paintings. Meriyal gripped her wrist and tugged her up two flights of stairs to the fifth floor, ignoring Mally¡¯s pathetic attempts to escape. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you? Didn¡¯t I?¡± Meriyal hissed like an angry goose. ¡°I told you not to go about the castle alone.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone!¡± Mally argued. ¡°Lita was with me.¡± ¡°Until¡­?¡± Meriyal pressed, her angry face inches from Mally. Mally seemed to shrink. ¡°Until she left to get the snuffer.¡± Meriyal nodded in grim satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll be speaking to that idiotic girl,¡± she said in a dangerous tone before jerking Mally down an extremely bright corridor, lined on one side with high, arching windows. ¡°I told you,¡± she repeated heatedly. Mally bit back a sour retort. Did Meriyal think she had enjoyed the encounter? ¡°Gladys!¡± Meriyal shouted as she dragged Mally through two arched doors into what Mally assumed was the sickroom. She¡¯d never seen the sickroom and had hardly even been up to the fifth floor except to carry firewood to a few of the rooms. The sickroom was very large and long with beds lining both walls. It had every appearance of supreme cleanliness and peacefulness¡ªthat is, without Meriyal¡¯s screeching voice ricocheting off the walls. ¡°Gladys! Gladys, where¡ª¡± ¡°Hush, Meriyal! There¡¯s no need to shout.¡± A woman around Meriyal¡¯s age appeared at the far end of the room. She was much taller than Meriyal with wispy gray hair and thin wrists. ¡°And why have you decided to disturb my peaceful solitude?¡± Gladys asked tartly, wrapping a long shawl about her thin shoulders. ¡°I was in the middle of a tarot reading.¡± ¡°Mally,¡± Meriyal replied shortly, jerking her head toward Mally. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Mally felt heat flush her cheeks as Gladys stared at Mally with shock. Mally was sure Meriyal was teetering on another ¡®I told you.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s really not that bad!¡± Mally said defiantly. ¡°Perhaps you should sit down, dear,¡± Gladys advised. Mally expelled a sigh of exasperation and gingerly lowered herself into a chair. ¡°How did it happen?¡± ¡°Bayard.¡± Meriyal spat out his name like an ugly swear word. ¡°He attacked her last night.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me?¡± Gladys asked, shocked, halting her inspection of Mally¡¯s cheek. ¡°You should have come to me!¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Meriyal! I just heard!¡± Mally turned in her chair to see who had joined them. A thin woman with mousy brown hair had just rushed through the sickroom¡¯s open doors. Mally recognized her immediately: Nanette Lynwood. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Nanette asked, staring down at Mally with such intensity that Mally suddenly felt like a child. ¡°She¡¯ll be much better once I¡¯ve looked her over,¡± said Gladys in Mally¡¯s silence. ¡°Rosa tended me,¡± Mally said quickly. ¡°Good choice,¡± Gladys commended in approval. ¡°Rosa knows her remedies, since she has a young boy whose favorite pastime is climbing trees and finding snakes. Oh¡ªis that a birthmark?¡± Startled by the question, Mally nodded. Gladys had just rolled up Mally¡¯s right sleeve to inspect her shoulder. Directly below the bandage was a small, pale birthmark in the shape of a paw print. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one shaped like that. Have you, Meriyal?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Meriyal agreed, leaning in for a closer look. ¡°But they come in all different shapes and sizes.¡± ¡°What a curious shape,¡± Gladys exclaimed. ¡°A paw. Fascinating. Have you ever seen one shaped so curiously?¡± Gladys asked Nanette. Due to the silence that followed, Mally glanced up at her. Nanette stood very still, staring at the birthmark on her shoulder. ¡°No, no I can¡¯t say I have,¡± Nanette answered. ¡°Fascinating,¡± Gladys repeated. ¡°I suppose it could mean you are unlucky, my dear. The cat can be quite unlucky.¡± ¡°Like last night?¡± Meriyal insinuated. Mally ignored her. ¡°I am no more unlucky than the next person,¡± she said tartly. ¡°And feisty,¡± Gladys observed, her eyes lighting up. ¡°That could also mean courage, independence ¡­ why, why even¡ª¡± ¡°Enough of your inner eye, Gladys!¡± snapped Meriyal. ¡°Could you please see to Mally? I believe Nathan mentioned something about her side.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± said Gladys quickly, color high in her cheeks. ¡°If you would stand over here, dear?¡± After a close inspection of her heavily bruised side behind a curtain, Gladys approved of Mally returning to her duties. ¡°But take it easy,¡± Gladys said with a severe shake of her finger. ¡°No heavy lifting and not much bending. Your side got the most abuse. Rub this ointment on it when you wake up and when you go to bed. It will help ease the ache. And I¡¯m going to want to see that shoulder again tomorrow. We don¡¯t want it getting infected.¡± But the moment Mally left the sickroom, she wished Gladys had told her to return to bed. Not everyone knew what had happened, and almost everyone who spotted her watched her go by with shocked, opened mouths. Once she had explained for what seemed the fifteenth time why she was bruised, she had half a mind to lock herself up in her bedroom for sanctuary. ¡°No, really Hattie, I¡¯m fine,¡± Mally repeated dully. ¡°Fine? How can you be fine? Look at you!¡± ¡°It looks bad I know, but¡ªLita!¡± Mally shouted loudly as she spotted her friend in the crowded corridor. She gripped hold of Lita¡¯s hand and quickly excused herself from Hattie. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Mally hissed as they traveled quickly past the many onlookers. ¡°Trying to find you,¡± Lita replied. ¡°It¡¯s a large castle.¡± Lita stopped walking and turned to face Mally. ¡°Look at you.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t pitying or shocked¡ªit was bitter and hard. ¡°I want to put snakes in his bed.¡± Mally smiled at the attractive idea. ¡°Really, a nice adder or two under the sheets¡ªyou¡¯d hear his screams from the north tower,¡± Lita continued as they started walking again. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Mally advised. ¡°Archie wanted me to find you,¡± said Lita. ¡°We don¡¯t like the idea of you walking about the castle after the attack.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Meriyal would mind me being in the kitchen for a while,¡± Mally agreed. ¡°She had me up in the sickroom this morning.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. At her words, Mally was startled to see Lita¡¯s eyes take on a watery shine. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!¡± she exploded, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t left you¡ªif I hadn¡¯t forgotten that stupid snuffer!¡± ¡°Now, just stop right there, Lita,¡± Mally ordered sharply. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that. He¡¯s probably been looking for his opportunity and if it hadn¡¯t have happened last night it would have happened on another night.¡± Then she added in a softer voice ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Lita gave a great sniff and they continued to the kitchen. ¡°What took you so long, anyway?¡± Mally asked. ¡°Gibbs and Rendle. They stopped me and made me reorganize their daggers. They kept me all night.¡± Mally turned to Lita, a thought coming to her. ¡°Do you think they were in on it? To separate us?¡± Lita looked ashen but said quickly, ¡°How could they have known we were doing the first floor last night? Mildred always does it. And they didn¡¯t make me forget the snuffer.¡± Silently, Mally agreed with her. It had just been an unlucky day. Maybe Gladys was right about her birthmark. The moment they entered the kitchen, Archie and Rosa stopped what they were doing and rushed to Mally. ¡°Take a seat! Take a seat!¡± Archie ordered, though in a fatherly way. ¡°Good heavens, look at you.¡± ¡°Have you eaten anything?¡± asked Rosa with concern. ¡°I noticed that you weren¡¯t in the chamber at breakfast.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten!¡± Archie exploded when Mally shook her head. ¡°Dear Lenzar, girl, how are you supposed to recover without proper nutrition?¡± In a matter of seconds, Mally had been pulled up to the large table and Archie and Rosa had placed before her wedges of three different cheeses, bread, roasted pheasant legs, steamed greens, and a gooseberry tart. ¡°But I can¡¯t eat all of this!¡± Mally exclaimed as Archie spooned more sauce over the pheasant. ¡°Don¡¯t complain, Mally.¡± Lita, whose eyes were now dry, was staring at the spread with great interest, ¡°What you don¡¯t eat won¡¯t go to waste.¡±
It became apparent to Mally rather quickly that Archie wanted to keep her in the kitchen all day. Mally argued that this was ridiculous. ¡°I have jobs to do!¡± ¡°I can give you jobs,¡± said Archie stubbornly. But what he really wanted was for her to sit and drink the tea Rosa kept putting in her hands. That he didn¡¯t even offer the most obvious job¡ªmushroom hunting¡ªonly made it clearer to Mally that he had no intention of sending her from his sight. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here forever,¡± Mally stated. ¡°I am going back to work tomorrow.¡± Archie¡¯s mustache billowed in frustration. ¡°Fine,¡± he barked, ¡°but not without a guard.¡± ¡°Archie!¡± Mally exclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! You¡¯re not to go anywhere alone,¡± he ordered. ¡°Lita will be with you constantly. And maybe Nathan. Yes, he¡¯d be good and perhaps¡ª¡± ¡°Nathan has his own duties. I am not going to ask him to put them aside to be my bodyguard,¡± Mally replied firmly, crossing her arms. ¡°Nor anyone else.¡± When Mally was finally able to extract herself from Archie, the sun had begun to set. She wasn¡¯t in any mood to eat with the rest of the servants¡ªshe was tired of explaining and tired of their concern. Lita, who had to serve once again, promised to bring her some dinner when she was finished. So Mally returned to her bedroom alone. Her side ached terribly and she let out a sigh of relief when she lowered down on her bed. She tried to stay awake for Lita, but was soon fast asleep. *** The next day was Thursday, and Mally woke, stiffer than ever, but happy with the prospect of leaving the castle for a few hours. She would see Sam today. However, during breakfast, Meriyal informed her that Evelyn would be accompanying her into the city. ¡°Evelyn?¡± Mally gasped as Lita gaped like a fish beside her. ¡°But why? I¡¯ve been in the city alone before!¡± ¡°Evelyn wants to go with you,¡± Meriyal said in a don¡¯t-argue-with-me tone. Mally snorted. She didn¡¯t believe that for a second. This was all Archie¡¯s doing, she just knew it! And clearly, Meriyal wasn¡¯t against it. ¡°And a letter came for you.¡± Meriyal handed Lita a tightly rolled parchment that Lita glanced at before putting in her pocket. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she have you come with me?¡± Mally fumed to Lita when Meriyal had left them. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have, Mally,¡± Lita grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m cleaning Molick¡¯s study today. There¡¯s no way that I would be able to get out of that job.¡± Mally¡¯s eyes widened, remembering her one encounter with Molick. In all the insanity, she hadn¡¯t talked to Lita about it. ¡°He wanted to know about the passages,¡± said Mally. ¡°But I didn¡¯t tell him anything.¡± Lita nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why he only likes one servant cleaning his study at a time. He can prod and pressure and threaten us for information for hours and at the same time complain about our poor cleaning techniques. Last time it was poor Hattie. She¡¯s been a nervous wreck.¡± Mally had noticed that Hattie had seemed paler and jumpier than usual. ¡°I would happily spend the afternoon with Evelyn instead of Molick,¡± said Lita ruefully before rising from the bench and heading to the door. Halfway down the table, Nanette caught Mally¡¯s eye. Nanette smiled slightly and inclined her head.
Evelyn was just as temperamental as Mally had expected. Mally had wanted to stop by the Lone Candle to see Galen after visiting Sam, but with Evelyn huffing and muttering impatiently while Mally rubbed Sam¡¯s nose, she wasn¡¯t about to bring it up. It was when Evelyn was arguing about the prices of wool with a seamstress at the market that Mally spotted him. A knight Mally didn¡¯t know by name was watching her. Mally quickly averted her eyes, but cut another glance at him discreetly. He leaned against a display of brooms, some forty feet from her, his arms crossed, his face expressionless, but very clearly staring at her. Beside Mally¡¯s elbow Evelyn seemed to have won her haggling, and without ado, pushed the load of wool into Mally¡¯s arms. Evelyn then made her way to the next stand, leaving Mally to politely nod to the scowling seamstress. As they shopped, the knight followed them. He always kept his distance, but always his eyes were on Mally. Why in the name of Lenzar was he following her? Mally¡¯s mind was a blur of panic, full of explanations all more frightening and ridiculous than the next. She had never heard of a knight behaving so strangely. They intimidated, but this was much more than that. He was sending a message. Was Molick behind this? Did he suspect her of something? The rebels? Mally¡¯s face paled dramatically and she felt cold sweat on her back. But there was no reason for Molick or this knight to think that. The knight wasn¡¯t getting close enough to overhear any quiet conversations. Had Molick heard of her asking questions about the royal family? Mally had thought she had been discreet ¡­ that anything the servants discussed wouldn¡¯t reach the ears of the court ¡­ but how could she be sure? Mally felt her stomach drop¡ªwhat if she was followed when Ivan or Galen wanted another meeting? Would the knight overhear them then? She had to warn them that it wasn¡¯t safe¡ªthat she was being watched. Perhaps, if she fooled this knight, then Molick would decide she was unimportant and she would be ignored once again? If she was going to be successful at that, then Galen and Ivan must be told to lay low until it was safer. But how was she to get such a message to them without the knight tagging along?
She spent all day planning. Any excursion during the day would be difficult to manage. She didn¡¯t have an excuse¡ªshe had already seen Sam. And the knight at the gate would see her leave the castle. So instead, she¡¯d leave after dinner¡ªafter Lita and Gerda had gone to sleep and after the customers at the Lone Candle had left or retired to their rooms. But that still didn¡¯t help her pass the guard without detection. And that wasn¡¯t her only concern. She would be trying to leave after curfew¡ªan act that sent people to the dungeons. It was the day after her discovery of the knight who was watching her, and two after her attack. The bruises to her side were just as black and blue, causing her to move slowly and carefully, but as they were hidden under her shirt, they didn¡¯t receive any stares. Her cheek still sported an ugly bruise and her shoulder still required a bandage. Mally was glad beyond relief that she hadn¡¯t run into Bayard since that night. Perhaps he was now satisfied? Lita and Christopher were glued to her wherever she went but Mally didn¡¯t mind ¡­ until it interfered with her plans of leaving the castle. She couldn¡¯t possibly ask Lita or Christopher if there was a passage that led into the city without questions. And if they thought that all Mally wanted was to sneak more time with Sam, then they would insist upon accompanying her. She had considered telling Lita why she had been hired into the castle in the first place. Lita wouldn¡¯t tell anyone, Mally knew that. But she had promised Galen and Ivan that she would keep their secret. ¡°You seem preoccupied,¡± said Christopher cheerfully. Mally and Lita both looked at him in surprise, unsure who he had been addressing, for both of them had been silent¡ªLita unnaturally so. Suddenly realizing that Lita hadn¡¯t said anything but a simple greeting as they had dressed, Mally frowned at her curiously. She was paler this morning. Her gaze was serious and she looked as if something was on her mind. ¡°Was Molick difficult?¡± Mally asked quietly as they entered the Servants¡¯ Chamber for breakfast. ¡°Molick¡¯s always difficult,¡± Lita said shortly. And she didn¡¯t say anything else as they ate.
Lita¡¯s mood did not improve. The quieter she became, the surlier her face. Mally and Christopher finally stopped prodding her about what was wrong or trying to lift her mood, for Lita¡¯s frown would only deepen. Mally wondered if it was something she had done, but that seemed stupid. She hadn¡¯t said or done anything that would upset Lita. Most likely it was something that had transpired during cleaning Molick¡¯s sitting room, and Lita would talk about that when she was ready. And anyway, Mally had her own problem to deal with. Around noon, Mally found her answer. She was being shuttled down to the Servants¡¯ Chamber for lunch, though she wasn¡¯t remotely hungry. She had turned just as moody and quiet as Lita¡ªshe had failed repeatedly to find any servant passage out of the castle. Christopher looked more than happy to be leading the way to the Servants¡¯ Chamber. Mally couldn¡¯t blame him for wanting to get as far from their bad moods as possible. They entered the Great Hall where Mally had had her disastrous encounter with Bayard. She walked slowly, purposefully lagging behind Christopher and Lita. ¡°Ouch!¡± Mally started and stumbled to a halt. She took a few quick strides to the front doors and swung them open. On the other side was little Sammy McGriff, struggling to carry one too many pails and shovels. Mally hurried down the front steps and grabbed a shovel that had fallen to the ground. ¡°Thanks,¡± Sammy panted. ¡°Mally?¡± Mally turned and saw Lita hovering in the doorway. She must have heard Sammy¡¯s exclamation and had followed Mally. ¡°Go ahead,¡± said Mally, taking another shovel from Sammy. ¡°I¡¯ll help Sammy put these away and be right in.¡± And before Lita could say anything, Mally had spun on her heel, but not before she had seen Lita¡¯s face twist sourly. ¡°Thanks,¡± Sammy repeated, huffing as he walked beside her. ¡°No problem,¡± said Mally smiling. Sammy did look very much like Rosa. Their dimples were identical. Mally and Sammy walked to the large shed where Jake kept his tools. Once all the pails and shovels had been put away, Sammy turned to her and smiled widely. ¡°Want a walk?¡± he asked. Mally agreed. It would be nice to be out of the castle a little longer. They left the shed, heading in the direction of one of the rose gardens. Heavy clouds covered the sky. It had been dreary for days. ¡°You said you have a horse?¡± Sammy chirped suddenly. ¡°Yes,¡± said Mally smiling. She remembered mentioning Sam in front of Rosa. ¡°His name¡¯s Sam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my name!¡± Sammy exclaimed. ¡°Sort of. And I heard that he¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°He¡¯s pretty big,¡± Mally admitted. They entered one of the numerous rose gardens. Its center was taken up by a large group of statues. Seven angels, their winds fanning out behind them, half shielded, half concealed an angel in the center. Her arms and face were not raised like the others, but focused downward. ¡°I wish I could see him,¡± said Sammy. From his pocket, he pulled out a sticky cake, cut like a square with sliced apples on top. Mally recognized it immediately. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± she asked, staring at the apple square. His cheeks flushed. ¡°Archie made it.¡± ¡°No he didn¡¯t. That came from the Sticky Finger Bakery. That¡¯s an apple square.¡± Sammy looked highly uncomfortable. ¡°How did you get that?¡± Mally pressed. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Mom,¡± pleaded Sammy. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to go into the city alone.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t if you tell me how you got past the guard without being seen.¡± Sammy¡¯s face broke into a relieved grin. ¡°There¡¯s a hidden tunnel under a loose floorboard in the back of the cellar,¡± he explained in a rush. ¡°It¡¯s the third board to the right next to the barrels of gooseberry wine. It leads to a worn down shed outside the castle¡¯s walls.¡± ¡°Does anyone else know about it?¡± Mally asked, her heart racing beneath her ribs. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sammy admitted, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Probably Archie¡ªhe¡¯s been here forever. I found out about it when I was hiding from Gladys. I had a cold and she wanted to give me her tonic.¡± He pulled a face. ¡°I was hiding behind the barrels and noticed that one of the boards wasn¡¯t laying flat. I pulled on it and there was a tunnel!¡± He grinned widely before his smile faltered. ¡°You won¡¯t tell Mom, will you?¡± ¡°No, Sammy, I won¡¯t,¡± Mally promised. ¡°We should get back¡ªit¡¯s starting to rain.¡± Mally¡¯s excitement glowed in her chest for the rest of the day. She had found her way into the city. Chapter 18: Return to the Candle That night, Mally lay awake in bed, listening to the sounds of sleep coming from the two beds beside hers. Her heart pounded against her chest so loudly she feared it would wake Lita and Gerda. What she was planning was completely crazy. Anxious as she was to warn Ivan and Galen, she knew going to them after curfew was foolish in the extreme. But the Lone Candle had already been searched and no matter what Galen had said about it being random, Molick did not seem like a random man to Mally. He didn¡¯t have the other servants being followed. No, he was having Mally followed. He had a reason for this. He was guessing Mally would lead him to something or someone and Mally would not let that happen. She would not help Molick catch the rebels. She had to warn them. Rain splattered against the small window. Turning her head on her pillow to stare out into the inky blackness, Mally hoped that it wasn¡¯t raining as heavily as it sounded. She didn¡¯t like the idea of running. Her side hurt even at a quick walk, and rain would certainly not improve the trip. Once she was sure that Lita and Gerda were truly asleep, Mally slid off the bed, dressed, and crept out of the room. She had never been through the castle after everyone had gone to bed. The darkness made her skin crawl. She didn¡¯t dare light a candle. Praying that she wouldn¡¯t run into a knight doing a nightly round, Mally rushed through the corridors as silently as a ghost, her eyes adjusting to the gloom. She didn¡¯t know what she would do if she ran into Bayard. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t meet anyone and was soon tiptoeing across the deserted kitchen. Feeling it was now safe to risk a flame, she lit one of the candles on the table. Glancing over her shoulder, she inched open the door she had seen Rosa disappear through to fetch Archie mead on numerous occasions. It creaked and squeaked and Mally clenched her teeth painfully as the noise rang in her ears. She took the steps two at a time, holding her candle out before her, and rushed past giant barrels of wine piled ten feet high, past racks of cheese the size of wagon wheels, past hanging hams and salamis until she had reached the back of the cellar. A stained and torn sign was nailed to a wooden post next to a large group of black barrels. Mally squinted at the neat, loopy script with her candle¡¯s light and read: Gooseberry Wine. She looked down and inspected the floor. Three boards to the right¡ªshe crouched down and dug her fingernails into a thin crack between one board and another. It moved! Biting her lip, she carefully slid the board out of place, revealing a few stone steps; the rest disappeared in the darkness below. Mally hastily swung her legs through the opening and walked down the steps, sliding the board back over her head as she went. It wasn¡¯t a long descent. She stepped away from the stairs and looked down the tunnel, or at least tried. The brilliant light of her candle hurt her eyes in the dense darkness. Breathing in a shaky breath, holding her candle aloft, she slowly started down the tunnel. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she walked, but it couldn¡¯t have been too long, for when she came across a set of worn stairs her candle hadn¡¯t burned down very low. Mally walked up the stairs and at the top found a dead-end. What looked like a wooden door stood before her. Carefully, she pushed the door open. She stepped into a very small, very old shed. A thick layer of dust covered everything, and rusty shovels, axes, and nails littered the walls and floor. Knowing that her candle would be useless in the rain, she blew it out and set it beside the door. She exited the shed, pulling her hood over her head. She appeared to be right outside the castle¡¯s walls; the shed was so tiny and run down that it seemed to disappear in the nasty brambles and scraggly bushes that hid it from view. Nervously, Mally looked up at the wall, terrified of seeing a knight standing on patrol above her head. But no one was there. Jerking her hood farther over her head, she sprinted away from the shed down a cobbled street. It was raining just as heavily as she had feared and by the time Mally had reached the road that she knew led to Bob¡¯s stable, she felt like she had swum rather than run. Her cloak was heavy and clumsy and her feet squelched in her shoes. Splashing her way, she continued on, passing the road to the stable. She kept to the sides of buildings, always looking in both directions like a petrified rabbit. The city was so empty and silent that Mally felt like the only living person. She ran on, forced to stare at her feet while awkwardly holding her hood over her face. Panting, her side stinging, she stopped and stared about her. She should have been at the Candle by now. Mally stared wildly down the street she had come down before swiveling around and staring down another. Trying to keep the panic out of her throat, she attempted to read the sign of the building she stood before but in the dark, she couldn¡¯t make it out. Swallowing with difficulty, Mally started to walk again. Her eyes were as large as an owl¡¯s as she tried to see through the rain anything that she recognized. Feeling her resolve snap like a twig, Mally¡¯s panic overcame her and she ran at full speed. She ran blindly, turning down one road and then taking a sharp turn down another. She splashed through the streets of Bosc without any sense of direction. But her side seized up and she stumbled to a sliding halt, collapsing on a barrel outside a shop. Gulping down great gasps of air, Mally looked up and blinked in surprise. There it was! The Lone Candle! Halfway down the street! She had found it! Jubilant and relieved beyond measure, Mally made to walk around the giant barrel but then the air in her lungs disappeared. A lantern bobbed in the distance, heading toward her. Quick as a flash, she dived behind the barrel, peering around its side. Three soggy knights walked toward her and, without glancing her way, continued straight on past. She waited until the light from their lantern dwindled to a tiny speck before rushing to the Candle¡¯s door like a criminal to her shelter. Wheezing and gasping from the pain in her side, Mally pounded on the wooden door, desperate to be out of the rain and out of the open. She felt horribly exposed. No music issued from inside nor any voices. No light spilled out on the road from the large window to the right. She knocked louder and pulled on the gold chain beside the door frantically. From somewhere inside the inn, she heard a bell ring faintly. Had she waited too long to depart from the castle? Maybe he was in bed. Maybe no one dared open their doors after curfew for fear of what danger and trouble that would bring. She raised her fist to knock again and a piece of wood covering an eyehole slid away. ¡°Mally?¡± She recognized his eyes just as much as his voice. ¡°Can I come in?¡± she whispered, pressing herself up against the door. ¡°I need to speak to you.¡± Galen¡¯s eyes disappeared and in seconds the door had opened and Mally nearly tumbled inside, dripping water all over the floor. ¡°Galen? Who is it?¡± Olive¡¯s voice came from somewhere upstairs, strained and nervous. ¡°No one, Mother,¡± Galen replied, ushering Mally through the door behind the bar. ¡°The sign was hitting the wall again.¡± ¡°I thought I heard the bell ring.¡± ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ah, well. The rain must be playing tricks on me. Goodnight, Galen.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Mother.¡± Galen closed the door behind the bar. Mally stood in a kitchen. It wasn¡¯t as large as Archie¡¯s but it got the job done. Large black pots sat beside a soapy washtub. Galen was staring at her in deep worry. ¡°What happened? Why are you here?¡± He stepped closer to her and frowned slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± he repeated. Unlike the dining area and bar, the kitchen was well lit. Mally quickly turned her face away from him, wishing the bruise on her cheek was gone. ¡°What happened?¡± Galen demanded in a fiercer voice. Mally swallowed. ¡°I had a ¡­ confrontation with Bayard.¡± For a moment, Galen looked like stone. ¡°When?¡± he bit out. ¡°Two days ago,¡± said Mally. Relieved that he wasn¡¯t yelling, she added quickly, ¡°But nothing¡¯s happened since then. I haven¡¯t even seen him. Please don¡¯t tell Ivan.¡± ¡°Tell Ivan?¡± Galen suddenly exploded making Mally back away in alarm. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me when it happened?¡± ¡°It was at night,¡± said Mally, startled. ¡°And this isn¡¯t?¡± Galen asked, pointing at a window. ¡°Do you realize how dangerous entering the city is at night?¡± ¡°I came here to warn you!¡± Mally fumed heatedly. She was risking her life and this was how he thanked her? Galen froze and stared at Mally. ¡°Warn me about what?¡± he asked quietly.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°A knight has been following me. I noticed him yesterday when I was in the city running errands. The day before that I was called to Molick¡¯s sitting room.¡± Galen¡¯s eyes widened and his cheeks turned the color of sour milk. He sat down quickly at a large table. ¡°He asked me questions about the rebels, but they were pretty general¡ªones he asks everyone,¡± Mally continued, taking a seat opposite him. ¡°But when I saw the knight, I got worried. I think Molick found me suspicious. I wanted to warn you to keep your distance from me for a while.¡± Galen blinked and said so flatly that Mally nearly laughed, ¡°And tonight doesn¡¯t count?¡± He rubbed his chin distractedly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Ivan. You couldn¡¯t have sent a letter?¡± Mally opened her mouth like a fish. How stupid. Of course she could have sent a letter. She could have penned it to discreetly share her fears of being followed among lines of silly gossip. Galen sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked. Mally nodded, embarrassed. Sitting in the warmth of the kitchen with Galen, rushing out to warn him suddenly seemed so ridiculous. She felt hot around the collar and just wanted to return to the castle. ¡°I mean your bruise,¡± said Galen. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m much better. Gladys¡ªshe saw to my bruises and cut¡ª¡± ¡°Cut?¡± Galen repeated, once again looking shocked and angry. ¡°He cut you?¡± ¡°No. I fell against a candle stand.¡± Galen looked momentarily speechless. Mally fidgeted slightly in her chair. ¡°Like I said, I haven¡¯t seen him since then. I would have come earlier, but I had to find a way out of the castle.¡± Galen frowned. ¡°How did you leave the castle without the guard seeing you?¡± ¡°The servant passages.¡± And when Galen continued to look confused, she remembered Meriyal¡¯s order to keep them secret. But she brushed this away. Galen wouldn¡¯t spread this bit of information. ¡°There are secret passages that only the servants use. Molick is just as obsessed with them as he is with the rebels. I had to find one that led out of the castle. I¡ª¡± Mally looked at her hands, now feeling like a complete idiot for such a risky excursion. ¡°I just wanted to warn you,¡± she muttered Galen looked startled for a second before a very small smile appeared on his face and leaning forward slightly, he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± .
Nearly two hours later, Mally was clambering back out of the tunnel. She shook her cloak, showering water droplets all over the cellar floor. Mally flung back her soggy hood and hurried back up to the kitchen. There she blew out her candle and replaced it on the table. It was half burned, its wick obviously lower than the rest. She hoped that Rosa and Archie wouldn¡¯t pay it any mind or assume they had left it burning by accident. A few minutes later she was rushing along a dark corridor, her wet skirt swishing heavily about her ankles. There was a servant¡¯s passageway at the end that would lead her to the third floor. ¡°Miss Biddle?¡± Mally gasped and spun around. Sir Anon stepped out from behind a towering vase. In his hand he held a lit candle. How could she have not seen the light? She must have been so focused on reaching the servant passage that she had walked right past him. ¡°Sir Anon,¡± said Mally in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you there.¡± She hoped her smile covered her nervousness. He stepped closer, his eyes sweeping over her. ¡°What are you doing in the corridors at this hour?¡± Mally¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± she invented. ¡°I took a walk.¡± ¡°In the rain?¡± he asked, staring at her dripping cloak. ¡°Yes¡ªin the rose garden. Rain calms me,¡± Mally answered, though she didn¡¯t feel remotely calm and she doubted that she looked it. ¡°I did it all the time back home,¡± she added. ¡°You used to live?¡± ¡°In Bligh¡ªHalspeare.¡± Mally hoped her fumble would go unnoticed. ¡°Halspeare. Why did you decide to leave it?¡± Sir Anon asked curiously. Mally thought that this conversation was heading down an odd road. Did he no longer care why she had been in the rain? Or if she was telling the truth about staying inside the castle¡¯s walls? ¡°Halspeare is wonderful, but I wanted a change of scenery,¡± Mally invented. She fervently hoped that the city could be called wonderful, as she had never stepped foot there. ¡°I¡¯d never been to Bosc or the castle.¡± Sir Anon seemed pleased with that. He stepped closer to her and raised the candle higher so that her face was in clear view. ¡°I hope your mother and father don¡¯t miss you too much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an orphan,¡± Mally said quickly. Why was he looking at her like that? It was as if his eyes were trying to memorize every detail of her face. They were barely inches apart. Mally longed to step backward, but knew it would be impolite. ¡°I suggest you return to your quarters, Miss Biddle,¡± said Sir Anon abruptly. ¡°And in the future, may I recommend a cup of deep sleep tea? I believe Rosa McGriff has a large supply.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± nodded Mally, gratefully stepping away from him and curtsying. ¡°I will. Good night.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± She turned and hurried down the corridor. Before she made to pull the tapestry from the wall, she glanced down the corridor where she¡¯d left Sir Anon, but he was gone¡ªor perhaps the candle had simply been extinguished. .
¡°Your shoulder is completely healed and the bruising to your side is much improved,¡± Gladys proclaimed. Mally rolled down her sleeve and stood. ¡°So you don¡¯t need to see me anymore?¡± ¡°No, but of course I wouldn¡¯t say no if you wanted to drop by.¡± Mally smiled. Gladys had been asking Mally every day to sit for a tarot reading. (¡°I¡¯m not very good, mind, but it¡¯s fun.¡±) ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± said Mally, grinning as she left the sickroom. Sir Anon stood a few feet from the sickroom door, gazing out of one of the tall windows. ¡°Sir Anon,¡± Mally greeted him with a curtsy. Sir Anon nodded. ¡°Miss Biddle.¡± Mally walked past him, glad that he didn¡¯t want to talk. It had been three days since her late night excursion and at first she had been terrified that he had told someone, but Molick had not sent for her again.
In the following weeks, life continued normally. Mally could hardly believe she had been in the castle for a month. Archie had finally calmed down over Mally¡¯s personal guard, she hadn¡¯t bumped into Bayard, and she hadn¡¯t heard anything from Galen and Ivan. Lita¡¯s annoyance or anger seemed to have burnt out, but she still hadn¡¯t told Mally what had caused it, and Mally didn¡¯t care to ask for fear that it would bring back her mood. A happy, cheerful, talkative Lita was much more pleasant to be around. During her errands into the city, Mally kept her eyes open for the watching knight and on the last Thursday, she hadn¡¯t seen him once. She hadn¡¯t noticed any knight watching her in the castle, either. But then, maybe he didn¡¯t like following her on mushroom hunts.
Mally had heard all about Archibald Diggleby her first week as a servant. From the stories, he seemed picky, stubborn, reclusive, and brilliant. Mally had heard quite a few well-chosen curses thrown about with Archie¡¯s name attached, but she¡¯d never heard anyone wishing him gone. His talent for food and drink made up, it seemed, for his difficult manner. Mally thought it strange and out of character that a person who greatly disliked people in his kitchen was perfectly happy if she were present. She was often being tracked down at his request. Lita found all this wonderful. ¡°He¡¯ll give you anything!¡± she said ecstatically, after Betty had told Mally Archie wanted to see her. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s in that cellar?¡± ¡°He¡¯s shown me around,¡± said Mally evasively. She hadn¡¯t told Lita about her late night excursion through the cellar trap door. ¡°Gooseberry wine, blackberry mead, five-year-old cheddars the size of wagon wheels!¡± Lita rolled off excitedly. ¡°Cases of stouts, bitters ¡­ the Christmas wheat!¡± ¡°Christmas wheat, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Just the best beer ever!¡± she cried jubilantly, bouncing on the balls of her feet. ¡°We don¡¯t usually get to drink a lot of it. Archie makes it for the knights and the king, but he¡¯ll sometimes give us a little sampling. Say, do you think Archie would let me tag along when you go mushroom hunting? It sounds fascinating. I¡¯d love to learn.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s awfully protective about that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that twice,¡± said Lita dryly as they made their way down the kitchen corridor. ¡°But he loves you. He¡¯d give you anything.¡± Mally scrunched up her nose at Lita as they headed toward the kitchen. Archie called on her whenever he wanted mushrooms. She had already been sent to fetch large basketfuls of black bonnets, angel wings, shaggy ink caps, and slippery jacks¡ªall of which had taken hours. This visit was no different. ¡°I need flat-footed ogres,¡± yelled Archie the moment she and Lita had entered the kitchen. ¡°Five basketfuls. And I need them no later than two hours before dinner.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t give me much time,¡± said Mally, slightly annoyed. ¡°There was a slight change of plans,¡± Rosa gasped over her shoulder as she kneaded a huge mass of dough. ¡°Hey, hey, Archie?¡± Archie¡¯s sweaty face swung around. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if I went with Mally, would you?¡± asked Lita, smiling broadly. ¡°She could teach me how to pick mushrooms. Two hunters are better than one.¡± Archie was starting to look frazzled. The kitchen was a wreck of chopped vegetables, half-beaten eggs, and marinating meat. A dribble of dough dangled from his mustache. ¡°Fine!¡± he snapped, his mustache bristling. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just get me those ogres!¡± Two minutes later, baskets in hand, Lita and Mally headed to the forest that lined the southern side of the castle. ¡°So, where are we to find flat-footed ogres?¡± asked Lita happily. Mally was sure that she was thrilled to be outside instead of shining suits of armor. ¡°The forest,¡± said Mally. ¡°They like it cool and shady.¡± ¡°What do they look like?¡± Then Lita chuckled. ¡°Like an ogre¡¯s foot?¡± ¡°Well, you just wait and see.¡± They entered the forest and searched the thick, leafy floor. Lita didn¡¯t see a thing, but after a few minutes of slow inspection, Mally found one. ¡°This is a flat-footed ogre,¡± said Mally, picking it and holding it out to Lita. ¡°Ugh!¡± Mally felt that ugh did it justice. A brown, dusty mushroom, flat-footed ogres were around the size of a fist. Small round protrusions adorned one side. They disturbingly resembled toes. ¡°I don¡¯t much like how they look either,¡± Mally admitted as she placed it in a basket. ¡°But they taste good.¡± It took a while, but Lita got over her squeamish attitude and had great fun scurrying from tree to tree, yelling for Mally to make sure she had found the right ones. ¡°The good thing about ogres is that they¡¯re so distinctive,¡± said Mally. ¡°Unlike fairy caps and amanitas.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t those identical?¡± asked Lita as she searched the ground with great intensity. ¡°Almost. The differences are very subtle.¡± ¡°So I doubt Archie will let me handle fairy caps in the near future?¡± asked Lita grinning. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Mally agreed laughing. Once their baskets were full of the ugly mushrooms, Mally and Lita returned to the castle where they dropped off their load to an even more frantic Archie. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lita muttered to Mally. Stunned, they watched him and Rosa running back and forth¡ªspoons swinging through the air like swords, knives chopping and slicing with vigor. ¡°Rosa, what¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Mally as Rosa dashed to the herb cupboard. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Rosa gasped. ¡°Molick¡¯s returning today.¡± ¡°Returning?¡± Mally and Lita looked at each other blankly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he had gone,¡± said Lita. ¡°I don¡¯t think he was gone very long.¡± Rosa was now frantically digging through brown bags, pulling out dried herbs. ¡°We were just told this morning. The entire dinner had to be changed. King Salir told us to cook his favorite as a welcome home.¡± ¡°Rosa! Stop talking and get over here!¡± Archie yelled from the stove. Rosa jumped, clasped her herbs to her chest and rushed to him. ¡°Welcome home?¡± Lita snorted. ¡°I¡¯d like to see anyone who¡¯s glad he¡¯s back.¡± Chapter 19: Fallen King ¡°Where d¡¯you think he went?¡± asked Mally as she and Lita mopped the great hall. After they had delivered Archie his mushrooms, Meriyal had pressed mops and buckets into their hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lita replied, sloshing her mop about carelessly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t exactly share his plans with us over tea.¡± ¡°But I had no idea he had gone,¡± Mally continued. ¡°If the king leaves, wouldn¡¯t everyone be notified?¡± Lita chuckled. ¡°Everyone? Don¡¯t you mean the court? We lowly servants are just expected to keep everything clean and warm. Meriyal probably knew. Shame she didn¡¯t think about sharing the good news with us.¡± ¡°I wonder when he¡¯s going to arrive.¡± Mally glanced at the huge wooden doors, expecting them to burst open any second. Molick scared her. She felt more at ease now that she was no longer being watched, but Molick had put her on edge. ¡°AHHHHHHHHH!¡± Mally and Lita spun around. Lita¡¯s mop knocked into the bucket of soapy water sending bubbles and suds flying. They stared, open mouthed as Gerda tumbled down the giant staircase. Mally and Lita rushed up it and reached her just as she managed to stop herself. Books, parchment, and ink were scattered all over the stairs. ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked Mally, bending down to help Gerda up. ¡°I-I think so¡ªoh!¡± Gerda tried to stand fully before grasping the banister. ¡°My ankle. I don¡¯t think I can stand on it!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mally looked up and saw Christopher descending the stairs at a run. ¡°Gerda fell.¡± ¡°Look at this mess!¡± All four of them turned and saw Meriyal standing aghast at the bottom of the stairs, the hem of her dress wet from the large pools of spilt water. She caught sight of the littered staircase, ink slowly dripping over the edge of one stair, and her glare deepened. ¡°Gerda fell, Meriyal,¡± said Mally quickly, sensing an impending explosion. ¡°Fell?¡± Lita took a step back to bring Gerda into Meriyal¡¯s view. ¡°I was carrying too much,¡± Gerda cried angrily as Meriyal climbed the stairs to them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see¡ªI must have missed a step.¡± ¡°Her ankle¡¯s hurt,¡± said Lita. Meriyal¡¯s piercing gaze swept over Gerda before she ordered, ¡°Christopher, Mally, take her up to Gladys. Lita, help me clean this mess.¡± Mally and Christopher supported Gerda between them, and they slowly climbed the stairs and helped her hobble to the fifth floor. ¡°Stupid. Stupid mistake,¡± Gerda kept repeating vehemently under her breath. ¡°Almost there, Gerda,¡± said Christopher as they rounded a corner and made their way down the corridor with high arching windows. ¡°Gladys!¡± Mally yelled as they entered the sickroom. ¡°GLADYS!¡± There was a clatter and Gladys emerged from a room in the far back. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, rushing to them as Mally and Christopher lowered Gerda onto a bed. After they had explained what had happened, Gladys closely inspected Gerda¡¯s ankle before saying, ¡°Twisted. You¡¯re staying with me for a while, dear.¡± ¡°Twisted?!¡± Gerda exclaimed. ¡°But I have to serve tonight!¡± ¡°Betty can serve,¡± said Christopher firmly. Gerda moaned in a mixture of frustration and pain. .
. The next morning, Mally and Lita went to the sickroom to check on Gerda. But upon arrival, they found Gerda already surrounded by Nathan, Joan, and Betty. Mally and Lita took seats on Gerda¡¯s bed. ¡°Are you in much pain?¡± asked Mally in concern, for Gerda was frowning unpleasantly. ¡°Not terribly now, no,¡± said Gerda. Then she stared down at the porridge in her hands and her mouth twisted. ¡°You need to eat it,¡± said Nathan. ¡°But I hate porridge.¡± Nathan smiled like he was sharing a silent joke with Gerda. She returned the smile slowly. Lita coughed loudly. A faint blush rose in Gerda¡¯s cheeks and she quickly turned to Betty. ¡°I hope serving those louts wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± ¡°Not any worse than I would have expected,¡± said Betty. ¡°Molick spent the whole time babbling about the weather in Halspeare.¡± ¡°Halspeare?¡± Mally exclaimed. Betty, Nathan, and Gerda looked at her in surprise. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s where he¡¯s been,¡± said Betty. .
Shortly after, they left Gerda to begin their duties, but Mally could barely concentrate. There couldn¡¯t be any other reason for him to go to Halspeare so soon after questioning her. But why hadn¡¯t she been roused from her bed upon his arrival? Why wasn¡¯t she being dragged to the dungeons for lying to the court?Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She was a nervous knot as she and Lita set about polishing statues on the floor of the Great Hall. Lita hadn¡¯t said a word to her since they had left the sickroom. Perhaps she sensed the wave upon wave of tension radiating off Mally and didn¡¯t want to get too close for fear of catching whatever was plaguing her. Mally lowered her rag and stared at the statue of King Julian. Up above her ran the second floor where more busts sat on more stands, their stone eyes staring blankly over the banister into the great hall below. Mally¡¯s shoulders tensed suddenly as she heard a pair of boots walking up behind her. Was it Molick? Was it a knight? She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look. ¡°MALLY! WATCH OUT!¡± Mally looked up just as she was yanked away. There was an earsplitting crash, panicked yells, and booming orders for silence. Mally blinked her eyes and looked up at the person holding her tightly¡ªher stomach dropped. ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked King Salir. For a moment, Mally merely stared and his grip on her arms tightened painfully. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mally gasped breathlessly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I-I think I am.¡± He released his hold and took a step around her. She turned to see what he was looking at and felt the floor under her tilt. Where she had been standing seconds before were the ruined remains of a statue. ¡°Are you all right?¡± This time it was Lita gripping her elbow. With difficulty, Mally dragged her eyes away from the wreckage and stared into Lita¡¯s wide, frightened ones instead. ¡°The bust of King Lumpkin,¡± said King Salir quietly, but everyone in the great hall heard him clearly. Everyone watched him as he picked up what appeared to be a stone nose. He looked up to where the bust had fallen. The banister on the second floor ran some twenty feet overhead and leaning over it were Christopher, Nanette and Sir Anon. ¡°It must have fallen off its stand, Your Majesty,¡± Nanette yelled down, looking just as white as the stone¡¯s remains. ¡°Mally, are you okay?¡± called Christopher. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied shakily. ¡°This stand, sir,¡± came Sir Anon¡¯s voice, slightly muffled as he was inspecting its legs, ¡°the legs are off balance. Very wobbly.¡± He straightened. ¡°It looks to me like it was only a matter of time before the bust fell.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Anon,¡± King Salir replied. ¡°If someone could clean this, and then I would appreciate it if all stands holding statues were inspected¡±¡ªhis eyes shot to Mally¡ª¡°I don¡¯t want this to happen again.¡± There was a great murmuring of agreement and a frantic scurrying to clean the mess. King Salir walked up to Mally. ¡°That must have been a shock,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re new here, are you not?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Forgive me. I¡¯ve been a terrible employer.¡± He gave a slight bow. ¡°Come.¡± Mally stared stupidly. Lita pushed her slightly and Mally, her feet tripping over themselves, followed King Salir out of the great hall. She didn¡¯t know what to do, what to say. Thanks for saving my life? Because if he hadn¡¯t pulled her out of the way¡ªif she had been hit¡ª She couldn¡¯t think about it. Her stomach turned queasily at the mental images. It was much, much better not to think about it. The king didn¡¯t say anything as they walked through the castle. He didn¡¯t even look at her. She had no idea where he was taking her or why. Then, on the fifth floor he stopped before a large lavishly engraved door. Mally¡¯s heartbeat quickened. ¡°I believe a drink would do you good,¡± King Salir said, opening the door to his chamber for her. ¡°You are much too pale.¡± Mally couldn¡¯t imagine refusing, so she entered. The first thing that caught her eye was two large portraits. She knew who they must be even though she had never seen them before: King Sebastian and Queen Amara. ¡°Do you like them?¡± asked King Salir, following the direction of her gaze. ¡°They were painted by a very acclaimed artist.¡± ¡°Yes, very much, Your Majesty.¡± Mally took a step toward them. King Sebastian had a pronounced face with a short beard. His light brown hair hung in curls about his kind yet stern face. Queen Amara, on the other hand, was pale and delicate, her face a pleasing oval. Her pink lips formed a small smile that made her look like she knew a joke or secret. There was a tinkling of glass and Mally turned to see King Salir pouring wine into two glittering goblets. King Salir smiled. ¡°Your wine¡± he said, passing it to her. The presence of the two portraits had triggered a question in Mally¡¯s mind, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she was allowed to ask it. King Salir seemed to notice the indecision upon her face and asked, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I was wondering why there are no other portraits of the late king and queen in the castle, Your Highness,¡± said Mally. ¡°There were others, but after the deaths I felt it would be easier for the people to move on without their presence. These are the only two still displayed. Why don¡¯t you sit?¡± King Salir himself took a seat. Mally sat in the chair opposite him, her eyes roaming the giant chamber. The room was huge. A chandelier hung in the center of an intricately painted ceiling. The suite seemed to include a number of other rooms. Mally and His Majesty were in a sitting area, and Mally could see other doors to other chambers. She took a sip of her wine simply to occupy herself. A large tapestry of a king and queen, sitting on their thrones before their kneeling subjects hung behind King Salir. He was watching her. The room suddenly felt hotter and Mally shifted in her chair uncomfortably. ¡°Miss¡­?¡± ¡°Biddle,¡± Mally supplied quickly, ¡°Mally Biddle.¡± ¡°Biddle. Ah, yes, I remember Meriyal mentioning you to me.¡± He took a sip of wine. ¡°I do apologize for not welcoming you sooner¡ªI am rather busy.¡± ¡°There is no apology necessary, Your Highness,¡± said Mally, happy that the conversation had started. He tilted his head and looked at her curiously. ¡°Mally¡ªwhat is it short for?¡± ¡°Mallory.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± he nodded, twirling his glass. The deep ruby red sparkled like liquid diamonds through the glass goblet. ¡°So, Miss Biddle, did you enjoy meeting our Captain of the Knights?¡± Mally choked on her wine. King Salir smiled. ¡°Sir Illius has a talent for blocking the windpipe, doesn¡¯t he? He was not pleased to be left so long in the dark about your presence. I am assuming he made the customary threats?¡± The king¡¯s expression was so humorous that Mally was having a difficult time remembering whom she was talking with. Would she get in trouble if she answered truthfully? ¡°Sir Illius asked his questions, Sire,¡± Mally finally said before taking a hasty sip. ¡°I hope you are finding your lodgings comfortable?¡± King Salir inquired. Mally thought of the tight, cramped space that she, Lita, and Gerda shared. How tiny their fireplace was. How thin her mattress and sheets. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± King Salir nodded, pleased. ¡°You have recovered from your fright?¡± ¡°Yes, Sire, thank you.¡± ¡°Then I will allow you to return to your work.¡± Mally placed the glass of wine that she had barely sampled on the table between them and left. She couldn¡¯t keep her legs from shaking. .
. ¡°How¡¯s the ankle?¡± ¡°Terrible.¡± Gerda was still laying on one of the sickbeds, gazing up at Mally and Lita moodily. ¡°Been throbbing all day.¡± ¡°But Gladys says you¡¯ll be back next week,¡± said Lita happily. ¡°So enjoy the relaxation!¡± Gerda snorted. ¡°You mean boredom. But from what I¡¯ve heard,¡± said Gerda, looking at Mally sideways, ¡°I could have had you for company.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± Mally replied darkly. ¡°If that bust had hit me, I¡¯d be dead.¡± ¡°It was horrible, Gerda,¡± said Lita with a shiver. ¡°How did it happen?¡± Gerda asked, sitting up a little straighter. ¡°The stand was wobbly?¡± Mally nodded. ¡°If you put your hand on it, it jerked and twitched all over the place,¡± said Lita. ¡°Mally and I checked it when she came back from His Majesty¡¯s chamber. I¡¯m surprised nobody had noticed it before.¡± ¡°Which bust was it?¡± asked Gerda, frowning slightly. ¡°King Lumpkin,¡± Mally answered. Unable to help herself, Lita moaned in false despair, ¡°May Lumpy rest in peace!¡± Mally rolled her eyes. Then she noticed Gerda¡¯s frown. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Gerda glanced down the long room, making sure they were alone before saying in an undertone, ¡°Because the day I fell, I put that pile of books and parchment on it to retie my hair. The stand didn¡¯t twitch, Mally.¡± ¡°Are you sure it was King Lumpy¡¯s?¡± asked Lita dubiously. ¡°Am I likely to forget his ridiculous wig?¡± Gerda asked. ¡°I remember rolling my eyes at it when I picked all the books back up.¡± ¡°So if the stand was sturdy, how did the legs suddenly get unbalanced two days later?¡± wondered Mally. Gerda and Lita glanced at each other, looking just as puzzled as Mally. Chapter 20: Gladyss Secret Mally and Lita suspected that Gerda was really enjoying her time off from servant duties. She had many guests, bringing with them treats from Archie¡¯s kitchen and the Sticky Finger Bakery. ¡°But you know what¡¯s best?¡± Gerda told them one afternoon gleefully. ¡°I don¡¯t have to refill Bayard¡¯s mug at dinner!¡± Suddenly, a loud sneeze came from behind them. Standing in the doorway, rubbing his nose, was Nathan. ¡°Nathan, are you sick?¡± asked Lita. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing,¡± said Nathan thickly, stepping farther into the room. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so, but you¡¯re not leaving until Gladys has looked you over,¡± said Gerda in a suddenly demanding tone. ¡°GLADYS!¡± Mally and Lita stayed to watched Nathan get ¡®looked over.¡¯ ¡°Cold,¡± said Gladys simply. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s just a cold?¡± Gerda pressed and Lita sniggered. ¡°You can laugh,¡± said Gerda, rounding on Lita, ¡°but a fever killed Princess Avona!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Gerda,¡± said Nathan, smiling as he pocketed a small bottle of tonic. For some reason, Gladys suddenly looked disgruntled and flushed. After a short goodbye to them, she strode the length of the long room to her chamber and shut the door with a snap. .
Mally thought that she was probably barking up the wrong tree, but Gladys¡¯s strange behavior had sparked her curiosity. Mally could have kicked herself for not considering Gladys as someone to question about the princess earlier. If anybody knew anything about the death of the princess it would be her. So she entered the sickroom an hour before dinner the day after Gerda returned to work. Night had fallen and the sickroom was lit by candlelight. It was slightly spooky, walking down the long, deserted room, the candle¡¯s light flickering about her. All the beds were empty and Mally was glad to have the chance to question Gladys alone. ¡°Gladys?¡± Mally called as she neared Gladys¡¯s chamber at the very end of the sickroom. She knocked on the door. ¡°Gladys? Are you in there?¡± There was a slight scuffling and the door opened. ¡°Mally,¡± said Gladys, her eyes widening in surprise. She pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mally said, ¡°I just had nothing to do and thought I¡¯d take you up on that tarot reading. If this is a bad time ¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a perfect time!¡± Gladys cried happily. ¡°Come in! Come in!¡± She stepped aside and Mally walked into a small room that was divided into a sleeping and sitting area. ¡°Oh, this is so exciting!¡± exclaimed Gladys as she pulled a large stack of cards out from a drawer. ¡°Is this your first reading?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± They sat at a small round table and Gladys pulled some candles closer. ¡°Now, do you have a question in mind?¡± Gladys asked, leaning forward eagerly. Mally thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Then take the cards, close your eyes and say it aloud,¡± Gladys whispered, positively quivering with excitement. Mally took the cards in her hands and closed her eyes. She sat momentarily in silence and then asked very clearly, ¡°Did Princess Avona die of a fever?¡± ¡°What kind of a question is that?¡± asked Gladys sitting up straight. Mally opened her eyes and stared at Gladys across the table. ¡°One that I thought you might be able to answer.¡±Gladys started to wring her hands, her eyes darting about the room. ¡°Don¡¯t know why I can¡ªgoodness, I¡¯ve never¡ª¡± Mally leaned forward over the table and said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m the only one here, Gladys. There was something you wanted to say about the princess dying of a fever yesterday. Tell me.¡± Gladys looked terrified. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± she gasped. ¡°Why?¡± asked Mally. Gladys mouthed silently, her eyes jerking from Mally to the closed door. ¡°Who are you afraid of?¡± Mally pressed. Gladys jumped up as if she had been burned. ¡°Please leave!¡± ¡°No, Gladys!¡± Mally refused forcefully. ¡°Did she die of¡ª¡± ¡°SHHHHHH!¡± Gladys rushed to the door, cracked it open and peered through it. ¡°Are you trying to get us killed?¡± she hissed, shutting the door. ¡°So she didn¡¯t die of a fever,¡± said Mally. ¡°I never said that!¡± Gladys exclaimed. ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± asked Mally irritably, losing her patience. ¡°If she died of a fever then just say she died of a fever!¡± Gladys stared at Mally opened-mouthed, her eyes wide and fearful. Then, as if steeling herself for an expected blow, she closed her mouth and swallowed. ¡°I never saw the baby,¡± she whispered. Mally¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean I never saw her! I was never sent for!¡± Gladys wrung her hands violently, once again looking around the room as if expecting to see someone leap at her. Mally frowned and said slowly, ¡°So if she were seriously ill ¡­¡± ¡°Why was I never called for?¡± Gladys finished, her voice hushed in fear. Mally looked around the dimly lit room, her brain working furiously. Gladys hadn¡¯t been called to see to the ill princess? Had somebody not wanted her treated? Or had she been sick at all? ¡°Was she sick?¡± Mally asked Gladys quietly.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The ends of Gladys¡¯s lacy shawl were caught between her fidgeting hands as she knotted and twisted them together. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted finally, still speaking in barely more than a hoarse whisper. ¡°Did someone threaten you to keep you quiet?¡± At this Gladys looked like she might faint. ¡°Out! Out!¡± And with surprising strength, Gladys yanked Mally up and pushed her out the door. .
. Mally could hardly contain her excitement. After spending a month in the castle she¡¯d found a clue. Her first clue! She couldn¡¯t wait for Ivan to call a meeting. She had to find him. Now. But how was she going to enter the city? Thursday had already passed and she wasn¡¯t interested in another night visit. Luckily, that morning turned out to be strangely perfect for Mally. A large windstorm had whistled through Bosc violently the night before and three giant oaks had been knocked over from the blast. Knowing that you can never have enough firewood, Meriyal ordered for the oaks to be cut up. Trying to keep her face free of the glee she was feeling, Mally rushed over to Meriyal after she had given them the news over breakfast. ¡°Meriyal?¡± ¡°Walk with me,¡± Meriyal said abruptly. She left the Servants¡¯ Chamber at a brisk stride and was soon standing on the front steps, watching the stable hands harness horses to wagons. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to need another wagon,¡± Mally observed. ¡°Yes,¡± Meriyal nodded, ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°You know,¡± said Mally quickly, ¡°this will probably go faster if they take my horse.¡± Meriyal looked at her, eyebrows raised. ¡°And why is that?¡± she asked. ¡°He¡¯s strong,¡± Mally answered simply. ¡°He¡¯d pull twice the amount as any of those horses. The work will be done in half the time. And I know Bob Kettle has more wagons. He¡¯s the owner of Clip-Clop Stables¡ª¡± ¡°I know who he is, thank you,¡± said Meriyal abruptly. ¡°Then you know he has more wagons that we could use,¡± Mally pressed. ¡°Really, the work will be done in half the time.¡± Mally knew from the moment Meriyal began to twist her mouth that she had her. Meriyal could not resist efficiency. ¡°Go get your horse, then,¡± Meriyal ordered briskly. ¡°And an extra wagon from Bob if he¡¯s willing.¡± Ten minutes later Mally had explained to Bob Kettle what she wanted to do and had enlisted his help. Instead of Mally going back to the castle, Bob would, giving Mally time to run to the Lone Candle. Mally suspected that Bob thought she had a thing for Galen, for he had winked and said, ¡°He¡¯s a nice lad.¡± Blushing furiously and mumbling her thanks, she dashed down the road, heading for the Lone Candle. A few late morning customers still lingered over half-empty tea cups and bacon rinds when she arrived at the inn. But one quick glance around the room told Mally that neither Galen nor Ivan were here. Instead, a boy around fourteen stood behind the bar¡ªEdwin, Galen¡¯s little brother. She had never actually spoken to Edwin and she watched his eyes widen at the sight of her. She strode up to the bar and Edwin tensed. ¡°Hello,¡± said Mally cheerfully. ¡°Hi.¡± It sounded more like a hiccup. Mally smiled slightly, thrown off by his strange behavior. ¡°Is Galen in?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the back,¡± Edwin answered jerkily. His eyes jumped about the room, looking highly nervous. ¡°Do you want me to get him?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± With a few more pointed stares at the customers, Edwin disappeared through the door behind the bar. Mally drummed her fingers on the bar nonchalantly and noticed uncomfortably that a woman and two men were watching her intensely. Then the door opened again and Edwin emerged with Galen. ¡°Mally, I thought you¡¯d be back,¡± said Galen loudly, striding around the bar to her. ¡°Archie certainly has a sweet tooth.¡± And completely baffled, Mally was quickly led through the door behind the bar. Edwin followed them and shut it behind them. Mally stood once more in the kitchen and noticed that Galen had been washing again. His sleeves were rolled up past his elbows. ¡°You should go back to the bar, Edwin,¡± said Galen. Edwin looked scandalized. ¡°Are you kidding? You¡¯re about to talk about rebel stuff!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything later,¡± Galen promised. ¡°We can¡¯t risk Mom coming in here,¡± he added pointedly. Edwin seemed to find Galen¡¯s reasoning acceptable and said enthusiastically, ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch!¡± In a flash, he had wrenched the door back open and disappeared. ¡°He¡¯s fun,¡± said Mally. ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Galen turned from her and put a skillet in the soapy washtub. ¡°My mother doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m in the group, but Edwin found out the day I got back from my first meeting.¡± Galen grinned. ¡°Kept me up all night before I finally told him. His suspicions are usually right on target.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look much like you,¡± Mally mused, cocking her head slightly and staring at Galen. ¡°He takes after my dad.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t met your father,¡± said Mally, slightly amazed that she had just now realized this. ¡°No, and you won¡¯t,¡± replied Galen, scrubbing the skillet with added force. ¡°He died two years ago.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mally said quietly. ¡°My father¡¯s dead too.¡± Galen shot her a glance, his eyes both uneasy and soft. Mally thought he looked like he was on the verge of saying something, but he returned his focus to the skillet. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you told her you¡¯re in the group?¡± asked Mally, wanting to get away from the unpleasant subject of deceased parents. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t allow it,¡± Galen replied simply. Mally could tell that this path wasn¡¯t any better than the one they had just left and quickly asked with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Archie likes sweets?¡± At that Galen laughed and Mally grinned. ¡°Sorry about that, but some people tend to listen too much to other people¡¯s conversations. And as a matter-of-fact, Archie often orders crates of our almond toffee. Everybody knows that.¡± ¡°Almond toffee, is that a candy?¡± Mally asked curiously. ¡°No, it¡¯s a hot drink. You should have one some day,¡± said Galen, drying his hands on a dishcloth. ¡°So, what brings you?¡± Mally clasped her hands together excitedly and told him about the information she had pried from Gladys. .
. Sam was the prize of the morning. The stable hands that had been roped into cutting firewood found his impressive bulk, glistening coat, and calm temperament magnificent. By the time that Mally reached them, Bob Kettle was strutting about like the newly appointed King of Lenzar, knobby knees and all. ¡°Fine Sam has shown them all,¡± Bob told Mally proudly. ¡°He¡¯s taken three loads to the castle already!¡± ¡°I feel bad leaving him in the meadow,¡± said Mally as Sam¡¯s wagon was filled with split wood. ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s finally getting to do some work.¡± Sam swung his head up and down, pawing the ground happily. Mally stayed with Sam and helped split wood¡ªshe¡¯d had a lifetime of experience back home and she was spurred on by all the glowing comments from Alfred Cass, the head stable hand, and the rest about Sam. By the time Sam had been returned to Bob¡¯s stable and the last piece of wood had been stacked, the sun was steadily sinking into the horizon, bathing the sky in waves of crimson. Mally ached. Her arms were numb and shaky. Slowly she dragged her feet into the great hall. Dinner wouldn¡¯t start for another hour, and images of a nice, soothing bath filled her brain. She made her way to her chamber to get a new set of clothes, opened her door among the ugly portraits and stopped in her tracks. Lita sat in a tiny chair opposite the door, her arms and legs crossed tightly, her face set in the deepest of scowls. ¡°Hi,¡± said Mally. ¡°Where were you?¡± Lita asked without preamble. Mally frowned as she stepped into the room and closed the door. ¡°I was getting firewood.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The disbelief was as clear as water. ¡°What about the first hour?¡± Mally stared at Lita in confusion. ¡°Archie asked me to get you. But you weren¡¯t with the stable hands. And then just now I asked Alfred where you were because I hadn¡¯t seen you there and he told me you were gone for at least an hour, but showed up eventually,¡± Lita explained icily. ¡°He must not have seen me¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Mally!¡± Lita exploded so suddenly that Mally jerked. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot! I wrote to Corral and Chestnut Orphanage. They don¡¯t know who you are!¡± ¡°When did you do that?¡± Mally gasped. ¡°Does it even matter?¡± Lita sneered. ¡°You don¡¯t tell me things, why should I tell you?¡± She had leapt from her chair and stood inches from Mally. ¡°Did you tell anyone?¡± Mally demanded in anger. If Lita had said anything ¡­ if Molick knew ¡­ ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! But now I realize I should have! I should have told Meriyal you lied!¡± Lita roared. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you?¡± Mally challenged, her own voice rising. ¡°Because we¡¯re friends!¡± Lita yelled so loudly that her voice cracked. The fire that had ignited so quickly was suddenly snuffed out. Mally stared speechless as Lita breathed heavily. ¡°Friends,¡± Lita repeated in a quieter voice that trembled. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything when you snuck out of the castle a few weeks ago. Sammy asked me if you had found the servant passage in the cellar. And yes, before you ask, I noticed that you weren¡¯t in bed that night, too. And I didn¡¯t say anything when you were asking those questions about the royal family. Do you know what Meriyal would have done if she¡¯d known you were? You don¡¯t ask those kinds of questions. I didn¡¯t say a word. But we can¡¯t survive in this castle if we don¡¯t stick together,¡± said Lita passionately. ¡°If we don¡¯t trust each other. And running off acting suspicious is the stupidest thing anybody could do.¡± Mally felt like she had been slapped. Lita had known almost everything and she hadn¡¯t said a word to anyone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mally said quietly. Lita humphed and recrossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mally repeated. Lita glared at the wall. A horrible guilt twisted in Mally¡¯s stomach. Knowing exactly how Ivan would react if he found out, Mally swallowed and said, ¡°You may want to sit down.¡± .
¡°¡­ And I couldn¡¯t tell you before now because secrecy was vital,¡± Mally finished. ¡°Still is vital.¡± Lita¡¯s eyes were as round as coins and her mouth hung open. ¡°You can¡¯t keep something like that to yourself,¡± said Lita in a hushed voice. ¡°Now I can help you.¡± ¡°So you think she may be alive?¡± asked Mally. ¡°Anything¡¯s possible,¡± said Lita with a frown. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Gladys never saw to her when she was sick.¡± ¡°Makes you wonder if she was sick at all, doesn¡¯t it?¡± said Mally darkly. Chapter 21: Look-a-Like The news of Sam¡¯s impressive display spread about the castle in a matter of hours and Mally was often stopped in the halls by servants and¡ªunfortunately¡ªby knights, all praising and seeking more information about her horse. During these occasions, Bayard would grind his teeth and curl his hands into fists. Mally took particular care to always be in large groups. Relief had swept over Mally since Lita¡¯s discovery. She didn¡¯t have to lie anymore to her friend, and Lita was extremely excited about snooping around for clues. ¡°I suppose you should meet Galen and Ivan,¡± said Mally a few days after Lita had cornered her. ¡°They should know that you¡¯re helping us. Do you know them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never really spoken to Galen Dunker and I¡¯ve never seen this Ivan fellow,¡± said Lita. ¡°Finley. Finley.¡± Lita tapped her finger against her chin in thought. ¡°The name sounds very familiar. I know!¡± Lita snapped her fingers. ¡°Brendan and Abby Finley! They were at the Summer Ball. I remember them because Mr. Finley kept trying to sneak into the parlor to play cards but she always caught him.¡± Lita laughed. ¡°They were entertaining.¡± ¡°Ivan isn¡¯t going to be happy I told you,¡± Mally admitted. ¡°Let him be unhappy,¡± Lita humphed. ¡°Aristocrats don¡¯t scare me.¡± Mally was able to convince Meriyal to let Lita help her with the shopping, so on Thursday, Mally and Lita left the castle around noon and set off for Clip-Clop. Mally wanted to show Sam to Lita. ¡°Here¡¯s Sam!¡± Mally said jumping beside Sam¡¯s stall. Lita¡¯s mouth dropped to her knees. ¡°You said he was tall.¡± ¡°He is,¡± said Mally, rubbing Sam¡¯s giant head. He wiggled his ears. ¡°No. That¡¯s not tall,¡± Lita stated. ¡°That¡¯s mountainous. That¡¯s gargantuan. That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s ¡­¡± ¡°Tall?¡± Mally supplied, grinning. ¡°Tall,¡± Lita repeated weakly, nodding her head. ¡°But he¡¯s really gentle,¡± said Mally fervently. ¡°He¡¯d let you ride him if I¡¯m up there with you.¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± Lita took a hasty step back, shaking her head. ¡°My feet like the ground, thank you very much.¡± .
After a hasty shopping trip, Mally and Lita, loaded down with wool, brooms, and candlesticks, hurried to the Lone Candle. Mally had sent a carefully written letter to Galen (in case it fell into the wrong hands), saying she was bringing a friend for a spot of tea Thursday afternoon. She still felt a wave of embarrassed stupidity every time she thought of her risky night trip. Mally hoped that Galen would take the hint and pass the news to Ivan. They entered the inn after lunch and the dining area was empty. Lita and Mally took seats at a table near a corner, far from the large window. Edwin, who stood at the bar once again, shared a long look with Mally before dashing into the kitchen. Lita giggled. ¡°He¡¯s a little overenthusiastic,¡± Mally explained. ¡°A little?¡± Lita asked. Galen and Ivan immerged from the door behind the bar. Galen carried a tray of biscuits and steaming mugs. ¡°Hi,¡± said Galen to Lita as he sat down and pushed one of the mugs to her. She flashed him a dazzling smile. ¡°Oooh! Almond toffee! Gerda¡¯s going to be furious that she missed out.¡± Lita held out her hand for Galen to shake. ¡°I¡¯m Lita Stump.¡± ¡°So this is an almond toffee?¡± asked Mally, taking a sip of the drink that she had mistaken for tea. It was a rich caramel brown and steamed impressively. The taste was sweet and nutty and something else that Mally couldn¡¯t describe. It tasted wonderful and warmed her down to her toes. Ivan sat down slowly, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Lita. For a moment the four of them looked at each other uncomfortably before Lita said clearly, ¡°Are you going to tell them or shall I?¡± ¡°Tell us what?¡± Ivan asked sharply. Mally cleared her throat, willing away her nerves and said, ¡°I told Lita about our situation.¡± ¡°You did what?¡± Ivan hissed. Galen blinked rapidly, his eyes swiveling to Lita. ¡°Yes. She told me and she¡¯s quite happy that she did,¡± said Lita calmly. Ivan¡¯s glare shot at Lita. She didn¡¯t flinch under its heat. ¡°It will be easier now,¡± Mally pressed, trying to keep her voice level. ¡°I was hardly having any luck at all¡ª¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°That¡¯s because you weren¡¯t trying hard enough,¡± Ivan snapped hotly. Lita sputtered as she choked on her drink. ¡°Not trying hard enough?¡± she repeated, staring at Ivan in disbelief. ¡°Tell me, have you ever cleaned a castle, kept a horde of knights happy, tended twenty fireplaces, and gathered mushrooms in one day?¡± Lita leaned back in her chair, with an incredulous stare at Ivan. ¡°I¡¯m surprised she had the time to get the information she has.¡± The corners of Galen¡¯s mouth twitched and he quickly took a sip of almond toffee. ¡°All the same,¡± Ivan growled, ¡°if the knights find out¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll all be killed; they remind me of that fact every day,¡± Lita finished. Mally stared at Lita with a mixture of awe and shock. Lita truly was fabulous. Ivan¡¯s sour face twitched and he preoccupied himself with his drink. ¡°I assure you, you can trust me,¡± said Lita, her voice kinder. ¡°I¡¯m not about to rat out anybody who¡¯s trying to make life in Lenzar better. I want to help.¡± Mally smiled and looked at Ivan. He still seemed a bit upset but when he spoke, his voice was controlled. ¡°Galen told me that you don¡¯t think the princess died of a fever.¡± ¡°Gladys, the nurse, never saw to her,¡± Mally said quickly. ¡°So the king lied.¡± ¡°Do you think he knows what really happened?¡± Mally asked. ¡°Most likely he¡¯s one of the few who do,¡± said Galen. ¡°I don¡¯t fancy that conversation,¡± said Lita. ¡°Sorry to bother you, Your Majesty, but did you murder the princess?¡± ¡°Maybe Molick knows,¡± Mally ventured. Lita shuddered. ¡°I¡¯d rather ask the king.¡± Mally silently agreed. King Salir seemed much more pleasant than the Captain of the Knights. ¡°It seemed to me that Gladys had been threatened to keep quiet,¡± said Mally. ¡°That makes it seem like the princess was killed and the killer made sure Gladys would hold her tongue,¡± said Lita. ¡°But why just threaten?¡± asked Galen, frowning slightly. ¡°If we assume that the princess was murdered, why not silence one more? Why risk something coming out?¡± Ivan kneaded his forehead. ¡°We need more pieces of the puzzle,¡± he said finally. ¡°Do you know of anyone who would know something?¡± His hard glare traveled from Mally to Lita. They spent the rest of their time discussing possible names before Mally and Lita had to return to the castle. .
¡°That went well,¡± said Lita cheerfully as they crossed the cobbled streets to the castle. ¡°Ivan was pleasant.¡± ¡°Pleasant?¡± Mally snorted, hands deep in her pockets. ¡°If he could have he would have choked you.¡± ¡°Ah, well.¡± Lita shrugged, as if the possibility of being choked was unimportant and didn¡¯t deserve her attention. ¡°Somebody needed to tell him the truth. Knights walk all over us, who knows what will happen if we let aristocrats do the same?¡± Then she said quite suddenly, ¡°And Galen Dunker¡¯s nice to look at.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mally blurted, accidentally tripping over her own feet. ¡°Like you haven¡¯t noticed?¡± Lita said with a sideways smirk. ¡°You¡¯ve spent quite a bit of time with him alone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends, Lita¡± said Mally blushing. Lita simply continued to smile annoyingly. He was rather good-looking, Mally admitted to herself. His curls had a lazy, carefree way of falling over his forehead and his smile seemed to have the annoying ability to make her stomach tighten¡­ ¡°Umm-hum.¡± Mally jerked and blushed even harder. That aggravating smirk was on Lita¡¯s face again. They were silent as they passed the knight guarding the entrance to the castle, but when they were out of his hearing range, Lita turned to Mally and asked businesslike, ¡°So, do you like him?¡± ¡°Lita!¡± ¡°Well, do you?¡± Lita pressed. ¡°Not the way you¡¯re implying, no,¡± Mally retorted firmly. Lita smiled devilishly. .
They returned to their duties, Lita wearing a knowing smirk all day. But as they were readying for bed Lita couldn¡¯t contain herself any longer and she exclaimed to Gerda, ¡°We had almond toffees for free at the Lone Candle!¡± ¡°No fair!¡± Gerda cried, looking put out. ¡°How¡¯d you get them for free?¡± Mally was tugging her nightgown over her head. ¡°Mally¡¯s close to Galen Dunker,¡± she heard Lita say slyly. ¡°Really?¡± Even though Mally¡¯s back was to them she was sure Gerda¡¯s face was full of playful surprise. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± said Mally with dignity as she got into bed. ¡°For a servant,¡± Lita continued, a sly smile spreading once more, ¡°a barman of the most popular inn would probably make an excellent mat¡ª¡±A surprised muffled exclamation issued from Lita as one of Mally¡¯s pillows hit her in the face. Gerda roared with laughter and Mally rolled onto her side smiling contentedly. .
. It seemed that winter arrived while Mally slept. Snow flakes were spotted through the windows of the tallest towers and Sam¡¯s coat was shaggy and thick, the long hairs on his lower legs completely covering his giant hooves. The corridors were like ice but the servant passages were torture. Lita started complaining loudly that if they stood still too long, the castle would be decorated with statues of servants as well as of late nobility. Mally was grateful that Meriyal wanted them to spend the day tending the fireplaces. But Archie would have none of that. ¡°This may well be the last day of mushrooms!¡± he said vehemently to her and Lita in the kitchen. ¡°And they must be said farewell to in style.¡± ¡°Archie, it¡¯s freezing out there!¡± Lita argued. She really disliked the cold. ¡°And you want us to find you mushrooms?¡± ¡°Not you,¡± Archie glared frigidly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust you to get me fairy caps.¡± Fairy caps. Of course Archie would ask for the hardest mushrooms to find on the coldest day they had had so far. Mally muttered incoherently under her breath, tugged her cloak about her more tightly and trudged to the forest, slightly bent over from the wind. And it did take forever. By the time Mally had painstakingly found enough fairy caps to appease Archie for his grand send-off, it was well past noon. Her stomach rumbled, her fingers throbbed from the cold, and a slight pounding had started behind her left eye. A nice cup of Rosa¡¯s tea was what she needed and a large sandwich. Yes, Mally imagined, a large ham sandwich. ¡°Magnificent!¡± Archie moaned as Mally dropped all the baskets on the table. He bent over them, closely inspecting each one and Mally was so exhausted that she didn¡¯t take offense. ¡°Here.¡± Rosa passed her a steaming mug of rose-scented tea. ¡°Thanks,¡± said Mally, inhaling the pleasant smelling drink. Suddenly, the door banged open, making Mally flinch and spill scalding tea onto her hands. ¡°Look what I have, Archie, old boy!¡± Lita exclaimed, swinging a small basket onto the table with a flourish. ¡°Fairy caps! A bloke was selling them at the market. Who says I can¡¯t find fairy caps now, eh?¡± Archie seemed so stunned that he was momentarily speechless, whether due to the mushrooms or Lita¡¯s sudden exuberant appearance, Mally couldn¡¯t decide. Relishing her triumph, Lita picked up one of the white mushrooms in her basket and lifted it to her mouth. That was when Mally had her first good look at it. The teacup went flying through the air to smash into pieces as she leapt from her chair and slapped the mushroom out of Lita¡¯s hand. It fell to the floor and rolled. ¡°Mally!¡± Lita yelled angrily. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t fairy caps,¡± said Mally, pointing at the mushroom that had come to rest beside one of the table legs. ¡°That¡¯s an amanita.¡± Chapter 22: Maud Lita covered her mouth, Archie¡¯s rosy face drained of color in seconds, and Rosa gave a strangled cry. ¡°Where did you get them?¡± Mally asked, taking another look at the mushrooms in Lita¡¯s basket. Yes, they looked very, very much like fairy caps, but they couldn¡¯t fool Mally. ¡°At the market,¡± said Lita in a horrified voice. ¡°I had to go there to get yarn for Abigail. A¡ªa man pulled me aside and asked if I¡¯d like some fairy caps. He had them right there.¡± ¡°This wasn¡¯t someone with a stand?¡± asked Archie, still ghostly pale. ¡°No, but I didn¡¯t think¡ªI mean ¡­ he told me they were fairy caps,¡± Lita repeated, looking at each of them imploringly. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Lita,¡± said Mally. ¡°Not many people can recognize an amanita.¡± Archie picked up the offending basket and, carrying it at arms-length like it was a venomous snake, quickly left the kitchen to dispose of the amanitas. Lita, still horribly shaken, sat down as Rosa cleaned up the broken teacup. ¡°Do you think he thought they were fairy caps?¡± Lita asked in a timid voice. She was visibly shaking. ¡°Possibly. If he wasn¡¯t a good mushroom hunter ¡­¡± ¡°But why would he give them to me if he wasn¡¯t any good?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t buy them?¡± asked Rosa, standing up, a dripping cloth in her hand, pieces of pottery in the other. ¡°I offered to,¡± Lita answered. ¡°But he kept saying that he didn¡¯t like them and knew that I worked in the castle and knew that Archie liked mushrooms ¡­¡± ¡°Who was this man?¡± asked Mally, starting to feel a strange iciness creep up her arms. Lita shook her head, her eyes wide. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He looked like a farmer¡ªhe was dressed like one.¡± ¡°But you saw his face,¡± Rosa pressed. Lita opened her mouth, but didn¡¯t respond. A concentration filled her eyes as if she were remembering. ¡°No,¡± she admitted, her face falling. ¡°He had this giant hat and his face was so dirty and it was so windy ¡­ it had started to rain¡ªI¡ªI wanted to get back. I¡ª¡± Lita looked from Mally to Rosa, her expression one of deep horror. ¡°He told me they were fairy caps.¡±
Mally wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take Lita to recover from the shock of nearly poisoning herself. Archie and Rosa didn¡¯t breath a word of what had almost happened, so no one in the castle knew why Lita was so unnaturally silent and pale for the rest of the day. Mally and Lita were both tending a large stone fireplace in the west wing parlor when Lita finally spoke for the first time in what seemed hours. ¡°He must have thought they were fairy caps,¡± she whispered. It was clear to Mally that Lita would rather try to convince herself that a blundering farmer had just made a mistake ¡­ a very dangerous mistake. And Mally couldn¡¯t blame her when the other option was both much more sinister and ridiculous. Who would want to kill Lita? And what had she said the farmer had told her? That he knew Archie liked mushrooms? But who would want to kill Archie? He was difficult at times, but Mally couldn¡¯t imagine someone wanting to kill him. And trying to do him in with mushrooms was so farfetched it almost made Mally laugh. Archie would have recognized the mushrooms for what they really were just as quickly as she had. Lita had to be right. The farmer must have made a mistake. ¡°We need to get the sheets from the chambers down the corridor,¡± Mally said once they were finished clearing the fireplace of ash. Lita nodded, looking oddly green. Lita gathered the sheets in one chamber while Mally headed farther down the corridor. ¡°You did well distracting Molick. I know that must have been difficult.¡± Mally stopped. She had reached the end of the corridor, and she peered carefully around the corner. There stood Sir Leon Gibbs¡ªhis hair just as oily as ever¡ªand Sir Brian Rendle. ¡°You know I¡¯m good at causing distractions, Leon,¡± said Sir Brian. He had removed his red hat and his blond hair was tied back in a loose pony-tail. He stood slightly stooped, head bent toward Gibbs who was much shorter. ¡°He never made it to the orphanage?¡± ¡°No. Personally, I think he convinced himself it wasn¡¯t worth looking into. You know how he hates rain.¡± Mally silently backed away from the corner and hurried back to Lita. ¡°You think they were talking about your orphanage?¡± Lita asked after Mally had repeated the conversation. Mally nodded. ¡°Molick wrote something down when I met with him¡ªit had to be the name of the orphanage! And Betty said that he traveled to Halspeare. He must have gone to check my story!¡± Lita looked unsure. ¡°But there must be at least ten different orphanages in Halspeare, Mally. There might be one that hasn¡¯t been paying their monthly taxes. Or housing rebels. Gibbs and Rendle didn¡¯t say it was Corral and Chestnut. I think you¡¯re overreacting.¡± ¡°But Gibbs said that Rendle distracted Molick from going to the orphanage. Maybe¡ª¡±. ¡°Mally, please,¡± Lita cut her off in exasperation. ¡°But I¡¯m sure it¡¯s Sir Brian who¡¯s been leaving gold for people. Maybe he and Gibbs are in it together!¡± Lita stared at Mally as if a bird rested on the top of her head. ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± she asked Mally. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Gibbs. Gibbs who orders knights to break people¡¯s arms. Gibbs who burned down three homes last week. Gibbs sits in Molick¡¯s pocket, Mally! And Sir Brian sits in his.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°But Gibbs knows the truth! He knows I¡¯m not an orphan, and he¡¯s done nothing!¡± For a moment it looked as if Mally had her there, but then Lita said simply, ¡°He must not recognize you. I doubt he can see very well what with all that winking and squinting.¡± ¡°Lita!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a better explanation!¡± Lita huffed. ¡°You¡¯re barking up the wrong tree, Mally. Just let it go.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Let it go!¡± And with that, Lita gathered up an armful of sheets and left. *** Lita refused to listen to Mally¡¯s suspicions about Gibbs and Rendle. Over the next two days, she would clam up and pretend she didn¡¯t hear Mally whenever Mally would start up again. Mally couldn¡¯t understand why Lita was being so stubborn. But Mally had to admit that it was hard to believe Gibbs was on their side, for he was nastier than she had ever seen him in the days that followed. She witnessed Gibbs taking multiple men and women to the dungeons and it took hours for her to get their wailing out of her ears. Not even the servants were immune. For some reason, Christopher was called away one night and appeared hours later in the sickroom with a black eye and bloody lip. When Meriyal demanded to know what had happened, Christopher had explained that Gibbs was ¡°displeased¡± with how Christopher had shined his daggers. Mally and the rest of the servants treaded carefully around Gibbs.
With the arrival of the bitter weather, a sudden increase in colds swept among the servants. The usually vacant sickroom was full of coughing and sneezing, and Gladys¡¯s supply of cold tonic was nearing its last bottle. Whether it was due to the stress of nearly poisoning herself or Gibbs¡¯ new tendency to lash out at everyone, Mally couldn¡¯t decide, but four days after the mushroom incident, Lita was in the sickroom, covered by three wool blankets, and still had chills. ¡°How am I supposed to help you find you-know-who when I¡¯m laid up in bed?¡± she asked thickly. ¡°Badger the other poor souls who are just as miserable as you?¡± Mally shrugged. ¡°How are you not sick?¡± Lita grumbled, wiping her streaming nose. ¡°It¡¯s all that country air I grew up in,¡± Mally replied playfully. Lita¡¯s watery eyes scowled at her sourly. Thankfully, Gladys took that moment to interrupt. ¡°Mally, are you doing anything?¡± ¡°Well¡ª¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Gladys thrust a small moneybag and a list in her hands. ¡°Go to Maud¡¯s and pick up the ingredients for my cold tonic. I¡¯m much too low.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Maud?¡± Mally asked. ¡°The only reliable apothecary owner in the city,¡± said Gladys. Lita suddenly snickered. ¡°Something wrong, Lita?¡± Gladys asked primly. ¡°Crazy, batty Maud,¡± Lita teased, wiping her nose across her sleeve and staring at Mally wickedly. ¡°Ooooh, be careful, she might cut off your hair! She¡¯ll bargain for your fingernails!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Lita!¡± Gladys scolded heatedly as Lita laughed wildly, looking slightly mad herself. After receiving detailed directions to the apothecary, Mally waved goodbye to Lita, whose laughing had turned to wheezing. A misty fog had crept into the city from the ocean, blurring and obscuring the buildings and the heavily-cloaked inhabitants. Mally tugged her own cloak more securely about her shoulders and headed down a narrow, deserted street. Her pace slowed as she looked up at the gloomy storefronts. She had never been down in this part of the city. Her shoes clicked clearly on the cobblestones, filling the silence. The rusty lamps mounted on the sides of the buildings sputtered dimly; water droplets speckled their glass sides. It seemed to grow colder and darker as she continued down the street. Her breath was an icy vapor. Gladys had told her that Maud¡¯s store was number one hundred and thirteen. Shivering, she tugged her cloak about her tighter. ¡°Hundred eleven, hundred twelve,¡± Mally muttered under her breath as she passed the dull metal numbers on the doors. The heavy silence was beginning to make her skin crawl. ¡°Hundred thirteen.¡± Mally looked up and saw a wooden sign hanging above a large, dirty window. The wood was so grungy and black that the letters painted on it were unreadable. Mally focused on the window display. On the other side of the smudged glass, piled on a table, were jars of cloudy liquids, strange ornaments, garlic heads the size of her fist, and cracked skulls. Shivering slightly, and praying that Lita had really just been joking about crazy Maud, Mally tentatively pushed the heavy door open. The inside was dimly lit by smoky candles set in wall brackets and clustered here and there on tables and shelves. There was no one in the shop. Even though the room gave her chills, Mally was sure it was indeed an apothecary. On a round table next to her were mortars and pestles¡ªwhite, green, and charcoal black. In a corner stood large barrels each labeled with inky signs: Beetle Eyes, Salamander Tongues, Orange-Striped Frog Eggs. From the ceiling hung bundles of dried herbs and flowers. Mally spotted a cluster of dried foxglove dangling near a set of shelves behind the only counter. Mally walked up to the counter and nearly yelled out loud. A large, black rat sat on the counter, his bald tail wrapped lazily around a rusted bell. He was the largest rat Mally had ever seen and he stared up at her with watery eyes. She stood still, her hand hovering out toward the bell, trying to talk herself into grabbing it from the rat. Quick as a flash, she picked up the bell and gave it a ring before dropping it back on the counter, her stomach queasy. The rat kept its ugly face on her and she in turn took a half step away from him. As she waited, and in an effort to ignore the constantly staring rat, Mally¡¯s eyes ran over the shelves behind the counter. There were more jars of powders and liquids, and in the gloom, Mally could make out some of the tiny signs on the shelves. After reading the fourth known poison, Mally deduced that the contents behind the counter were dangerous. Squinting her eyes, she made out the label under a small jar just opposite her on the middle shelf: Powdered Amanita. Mally wrinkled her nose in distaste and took another step away from the rat and counter. A sudden thud and clunk attracted Mally¡¯s attention and looking up, she saw an old woman emerge up a set of steps behind the counter. She was stooped and walked with a twisted walking stick. As she stepped up to the counter where three candles flickered their light, Mally blinked in surprise. It was the woman she had seen in the Lone Candle the morning she had first entered the castle. Up close the woman looked just as frightening to Mally as she had that morning, from half way across the room. Her stormy gray hair hung lank about her chiseled face. Her large nose had a long scar running down its side. Upon seeing Mally, the woman grinned, showing mossy teeth. The smile didn¡¯t ease Mally¡¯s mind at all. ¡°I knew I¡¯d see you again,¡± the woman said in a slow voice that seemed to sputter and spit like her candles. ¡°Maud knew.¡± ¡°Are you Maud, then?¡± Mally asked, gripping hold of the counter¡¯s edge to keep her feet from increasing the distance between them. The woman nodded. ¡°I need these please.¡± Mally pushed Gladys¡¯s list toward Maud. She picked it up with a claw-like hand, looked it over and turned away from Mally. ¡°Cold tonic?¡± Maud rasped, pulling jars and bags off of shelves. ¡°Yes.¡± Mally wished she would hurry. She inched a little farther away from the rat. A wooden box sat by her elbow with the words Live Anasi Spiders written on it. A soft scratching issued from within. ¡°Twenty-three,¡± said Maud, putting a large bag on the counter. Mally hastily handed over the money and picked up the bag. ¡°I know who you are.¡± Mally stopped and looked at Maud who was staring at her so intensely Mally wondered if she was breathing. ¡°People ain¡¯t got no eyes, do they?¡± she whispered with a crooked grin. ¡°Sorry?¡± Maud gnashed her teeth through her grin, which looked more like a grimace. ¡°Hold your head¡ªhold your head just like ¡¯er ¡­ just like ¡¯er.¡± She seemed to be speaking to herself, though her black eyes never left Mally¡¯s face. ¡°Where¡¯d he get it, eh! EH?¡± she suddenly exploded and Mally took a startled step back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ¡­ get what?¡± But Maud didn¡¯t seem to have heard Mally for she was chuckling and repeated quietly, ¡°Where¡¯d he get it?¡± Her grin widened at the shocked and confused look on Mally¡¯s face and her chuckling intensified to a cackling laugh. Her gaze lingering on Mally, she turned and slowly limped away from the counter, down a set of stairs into darkness, laughing and repeating her strange question as if it were a riddle that only she knew the answer to. Chapter 23: Kettles Folly Two weeks into December, Mally awoke to such a blizzard that she and the rest of the inhabitants of Bosc were barricaded indoors. But even after a day and a half of constant shoveling, Mally¡¯s spirits could not be dampened. Christmas was in the air. The city seemed to have been decorated overnight. Bows and garlands covered the shops, houses, and lamp posts. Wreaths with berries hung on every door and gate, and no one could walk over a threshold without the threat of mistletoe. Bosc looked like a winter wonderland with the castle as its iced centerpiece. Inside the castle, Mally and Lita could barely function thanks to the scrumptious smells of cranberry-glazed turkey, gingerbread, and chocolate pecan tarts wafting through the corridors from Archie¡¯s kitchen. Indeed, Archie seemed to spend more time shooing away knights and servants alike, armed with a wooden spoon, than cooking. Along with the several feet of snow, December also brought the traditional Winter Ball. Mally had heard talk of it before in Blighten¡ªabout its splendor and extravagance¡ªbut Lita told her not to get overexcited. ¡°The Winter Ball means four times the work,¡± she said dryly over breakfast. ¡°Who do you think gets the castle looking so amazing? Plus, we have to tend to all the fireplaces because the guests stay for a few days before and after.¡± ¡°Who comes?¡± asked Mally. ¡°I didn¡¯t think people looked forward to stepping into the castle.¡± Lita snorted. ¡°Do you think any of them would have the guts to tell the king ¡®No¡¯?¡± Betty leaned over Christopher and said, ¡°The upper class is who¡¯s invited. All over Lenzar. Some of them put up a good front¡ªpretend not to mind being surrounded by knights. Act like they¡¯re good old chums.¡± ¡°Others are as shaky as a leaf in a high breeze,¡± Lita added. .
Even though the Winter Ball was scheduled to begin the last week of December, preparations began weeks before. The entire castle was scrubbed from top to bottom and Mally feared that her hands would forever look like prunes from the constant mopping. Cushions were aired and fluffed, sheets and pillowcases washed, jewels polished, floors waxed, garden paths shoveled free of snow, stables cleaned. Mally couldn¡¯t keep all the work in her head. In addition to her regular chores, she was supposed to be buffing all the statues on the third floor corridor, while also retrieving carrots from the covered vegetable patch for Archie¡¯s stew at the same time. After she exploded to Lita about the insanity of it all, Lita informed her quite calmly not to fret. ¡°If Archie needs carrots so badly, he can get Rosa to pick them or go out himself, the lazy lump.¡± Fireplaces were cleaned of ashes and reloaded, the high arching windows were washed, even the imposing glass chandelier that hung in the great hall was rubbed till it gleamed, much to the danger of the five servants on the tip-tops of ladders, with ropes tied around their stomachs in case they fell. Lita was so horrified by the proceedings that she had to leave the great hall and Mally didn¡¯t see her again for at least three hours. Sam was needed along with a dozen other horses to pull fifteen Christmas trees to the castle. Two were placed on either side of the huge staircase in the great hall while the other twelve filled the ballroom. They towered over fifteen feet and it took Mally and a dozen others over two weeks to decorate them all with thousands of sparkling ornaments and baubles. Mildred hummed carols under her breath as she placed wreaths adorned with red and blue berries and satin bows on the front doors. Mally had even spotted Evelyn with a small stem of holly in her hair. And Nanette helped Mally weave ribbons and garlands around the banisters. With the frenzy of cleaning and Lita nearly poisoning herself, Mally had let her rebel job of questioning the servants slide. But as she and Nanette draped giant satin bows over the windows, Mally had a sudden burst of inspiration. As she tugged her ribbon into place she said, ¡°I wonder what the Winter Ball looked like during King Sebastian¡¯s time.¡± Nanette dropped her bundle of ribbon and it unwound across the floor. She seemed quite startled and quickly looked around her, to see if a knight was near. ¡°Don¡¯t go blurting out his name!¡± she hissed. ¡°Do you want to spend the winter in the dungeons?¡± She looked very flustered and Mally waited for her to regain her composure. ¡°Sorry,¡± Mally apologized. ¡°You should be,¡± Nanette said fiercely, picking up her ribbon. ¡°That¡¯s downright reckless.¡± ¡°But was it different? The Winter Ball, I mean?¡± Mally pressed. Nanette¡¯s lips were pursed tightly, but Mally saw the corners of her mouth tug upward. ¡°A bit,¡± said Nanette. ¡°A bit?¡± Mally repeated, unbelieving. ¡°It must have been completely different! For starters, I bet the guests weren¡¯t intimidated into coming.¡± ¡°No. No, they weren¡¯t,¡± Nanette conceded. ¡°And there were many more of them.¡± ¡°And I bet the servants got more appreciation for all this work,¡± Mally went on. Nanette grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. Cayla¡ªCayla Black, I mean¡ªwas always trying to convince Meriyal that we should get the week off following the ball.¡± Mally turned to Nanette. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You were friends with Cayla Black. I heard she was the princess¡¯s maid. You must have spent a lot of time with the princess if you were so close to Cayla.¡± Mally had hit the nail on the head, for Nanette went as stiff as wood at the mention of the princess. ¡°Yes ¡­ yes, I suppose I did,¡± Nanette said guardedly. ¡°So you must have seen the fever symptoms,¡± Mally continued, hoping that Nanette would rebuke the story of the princess¡¯s death, as Gladys had. Nanette swallowed and stared at Mally for the longest of seconds before abruptly gathering up the ribbon and saying crisply, ¡°We need to get these up before teatime. Hurry up, Mally.¡± Mally felt herself deflate as she watched Nanette march down the corridor. She knew something, Mally thought to herself. But unlike Gladys, Nanette seemed to have a harder shell to crack. .
After that awkward conversation, Nanette had her guard up around Mally. If they were suddenly alone together, she would think of something to do and rush off. It didn¡¯t seem likely that Mally would get any information from Nanette anytime soon. Perhaps if she let Nanette relax, then she would be able to try again. Even though Mally was exhausted, and could barely move once she¡¯d collapsed in a chair, she couldn¡¯t help smiling widely as the holiday excitement rushed through the corridors. She didn¡¯t even mind Bayard¡¯s intimidating sneers. Often when Lita and Mally had a break¡ªor, more accurately¡ªmanaged to escape from their duties, they had a mug of steaming apple cider or almond toffee and cookies in Archie¡¯s kitchen. Archie was so fond of Mally that he allowed her to have the very first sample of the highly prized Christmas wheat, an honor, Lita assured her, that had not been bestowed even on the king. Soon the ball was only a week away and last minute touches were in order, but many of the servants stopped and reveled in the splendor of the castle. It glistened. It sparkled. Mally had never seen anything more beautiful. Even the servants had been given new attire for the occasion: skirts, pants, and shirts without patches or soup stains. It had become somewhat of a tradition for Mally, Lita, Gerda, and Rosa (and whoever else wished to join them) to gather in the kitchen late at night to sing carols and roast all sorts of sweets over the fire. At first Archie grumbled over his kitchen being used as a gathering spot for such frivolity, but after a mug of almond toffee with a splash of good whiskey, he was soon singing louder than anyone. Three days before the ball, the servants¡¯ spirits seemed even more merry. When Mally asked Lita why there was such giddiness, Lita replied, ¡°Tonight¡¯s our night off. We all go down to the Lone Candle and have dinner. We take over the place.¡± ¡°And the knights approve?¡± Mally asked skeptically. No one serving the knights dinner? No one lugging up wood for their fires? Lita laughed. ¡°Of course not. Molick always gets livid about it. He hates eating outside of the castle. But King Salir insists, so we get our night off.¡± Mally thought that was odd, but she had to confess that she still didn¡¯t know quite what to think of the king. He seemed so peripheral. It was Molick who the servants were hiding the passages from. It was Molick who was frantically sniffing out the rebels like a bloodhound. It was Molick who ordered the knights around. It was Molick who believed that Bosc Castle was his. And King Salir hadn¡¯t raised a finger to stop him. King Salir wasn¡¯t the strongest of men. It seemed to Mally that he knew quite clearly that his title was nothing more than a title, and that he was not interested in risking his life to try to reel Molick in. But did that mean King Salir was just as bad as Molick? Was standing to one side and pretending nothing horrible was happening just as terrible as what Molick was doing? But he wasn¡¯t a complete coward. He wasn¡¯t helping Molick find the rebels. He wasn¡¯t ordering the servants to show him the servant passages. Instead, he gave his servants a needed night off. He was charming and polite. He had even gone so far as to demand the servants¡¯ safety. And Mally had not forgotten the fact that he had saved her life. .
Later that evening, when the servants would usually be serving the knights and loading their fireplaces with wood, Mally and the others pulled on heavy cloaks and walked out into the crisp December night. A gentle snow was falling and Mally found herself grinning stupidly at Lita who grinned stupidly back.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The Lone Candle was filled to the brim with people, most of whom were the castle¡¯s servants. Lita hadn¡¯t been kidding when she said they took over the place. Mally had never seen the servants with so much life in their eyes as they laughed and danced to the festive music. The Lone Candle looked like its soul had returned. Heavy streamers draped from the ceiling in great swooping arks and one giant wreath hung on the far wall, its glass balls glinting red and gold in the dancing candlelight. Mally began searching the crowded room for Galen or Ivan and when she heard Galen¡¯s ringing laugh, Mally bade Lita a momentary good-bye and hurried to the bar. ¡°Merry Christmas,¡± Mally said warmly as Galen passed Nathan and Gerda two pints. ¡°Merry Christmas,¡± Galen replied, grinning widely. ¡°Give me a hand?¡± he asked, indicating the door behind the bar. ¡°Sure.¡± Mally left the crowded room, whose inhabitants were becoming louder and louder, and followed Galen into the kitchen. ¡°Is Ivan coming tonight?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± said Galen, suddenly smiling roguishly. ¡°Coletta came yesterday.¡± ¡°Coletta¡¯s here?¡± Mally asked. Galen laughed again and Mally found herself smiling ridiculously as the sound washed over her. It really was infectious. ¡°She sure is. I think Ivan¡¯s been in denial. But neither Coletta nor his mother are going to give up.¡± Mally was surprised that the news of Coletta¡¯s visit wasn¡¯t causing her chest to clench in jealously. It had when she had first heard of Coletta, but now, she felt nothing. She had to admit that she had been attracted¡ªor maybe infatuated¡ªwith Ivan. She had certainly never met anyone as dashing or handsome in Blighten. But now, he seemed more like an annoying older brother than anything else. ¡°Hold this for me,¡± said Galen. Mally picked up a wide tray and held it out as he loaded it down with cookies. Then without warning, Galen leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. It took a full second before Mally realized what he¡¯d done, and then she blushed hot red. Galen, just as flushed, looked like he couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d had the nerve and stood tense as a rod, as if expecting her to lash out at him. But then, awkwardly, Mally smiled. Relief flooded Galen¡¯s face and with shy giggles and shuffling feet, they carried the trays into the bar. .
. It was the night before the start of the Winter Ball and Mally was once more in Archie¡¯s shimmering kitchen. It was nearing midnight, but the festivities had not yet died down. Archie and Jack Arrington had just started another booming round of ¡°O Come All Ye Faithful.¡± Mally smiled slightly but mostly she sat in her chair against the wall, slowly drinking her hot chocolate. She was still replaying her evening with Galen. They had been too embarrassed to do much but laugh and blush. She¡¯d told Lita on the way back to the castle and Lita had roared with laughter. Gerda took a lesson from Mally and finally threw a pillow at Lita as they got ready for bed. Mally bit her lip as she grinned at her hot chocolate. Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t keep herself from smiling like a fool. Meriyal sat beside her, a bottle of apricot cordial at her elbow. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want any?¡± Meriyal asked Mally for the fifth time, indicating the cordial. Mally shook her head and dunked another hazelnut cookie in her hot chocolate. Meriyal shrugged and splashed some more of the amber liquid into her glass. Mally turned away from Meriyal and her lips curved into a small smile. In the opposite corner, Nathan and Gerda sat close together, talking to each other quietly. She and Lita had begun to suspect over the last few weeks that there was something more than friendship between those two. Mally personally felt they were perfect for each other, and she couldn¡¯t think of a better time for them to come to that realization than Christmas. Mally once again gazed into her mug. Even with her stomach making odd leaps at the thought of Galen, the night felt bittersweet. It was weirdly difficult for her to celebrate tonight. Wrong somehow. Tonight was the night the last of the Kellen Royal Family died. The night Salir Romore had informed the servants that Princess Avona was dead. Once night had fallen and dinner was finished, once the knights had left for their own chambers and sitting rooms, Mally and the other servants silently, quietly made their way to the north tower ¡­ the tower with the clearest view of Bosc. They blew out the candles in the small round tower and stood staring out the high windows. At first Mally couldn¡¯t see anything of the city. It was well past curfew and there were no lamps shining their light. She could not make out the buildings or even the Bell Tower. But after standing there for five minutes in silence, her eyes adjusting, Christopher suddenly exclaimed, ¡°There!¡± There was a hurried scuffling as they all tried to see where Christopher was pointing and Mally saw it. A tiny, yellow light issued from what must have been a window in the city. ¡°And there!¡± Betty pointed. Mally watched, her chest filling with an emotional glow, as candles suddenly burst into flame throughout the city, like fireflies or stars. They stood there in that dark tower, crowded and silent, watching the people wordlessly remembering their king. Their queen. Their princess. Meriyal suddenly moved forward and Mally took a step back from the window to give her room. As if undergoing a ritual, Meriyal placed a short candelabra on the windowsill. Evelyn handed her three candles. With care, Meriyal placed them in their holders and struck a match. Their bright light burned Mally¡¯s eyes, but she forced herself not to look away. She had stood there for a long time, watching the candles burn¡­ .
¡°Hebitha will surely have that dratted cat.¡± Mally glanced sideways at Meriyal, her memory of that moment in the tower still fresh. From the tower, the servants had traveled back through the castle to Archie¡¯s kitchen to celebrate. Meriyal had her back to Mally, speaking to Nanette. ¡°There will be fur all over the couches,¡± Meriyal continued with a little hiccup. ¡°I¡¯ll be sneezing for weeks. But Cayla will be back! Lord, I¡¯ve missed that girl.¡± Mally¡¯s interest sparked at the mention of Princess Avona¡¯s personal maid, and she turned fully toward Meriyal and Nanette. Mally had yet mastered enough courage to ask Meriyal about those events. Maybe she and Nanette would reveal something tonight. Nanette smiled slightly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing her, too.¡± ¡°Surely Hebitha will bring her along,¡± said Meriyal. ¡°She has for the past fifteen years.¡± ¡°Cayla Black?¡± Mally asked and Nanette and Meriyal turned to her. ¡°She¡¯s coming to the castle?¡± ¡°Only for the Winter Ball,¡± said Nanette. ¡°Why only then?¡± ¡°Dear, the princess died while she was caring for her!¡± Meriyal stared at her as if she were an idiot. ¡°She hasn¡¯t ever said it, but Cayla probably blames herself, poor girl. And Kiora! Look at what she did in her grief and guilt. It made good sense that Cayla wouldn¡¯t want to be here any longer.¡± Mally nodded seriously at the mention of Kiora. ¡°It¡¯s all for the best that she stays away from this castle,¡± Meriyal continued firmly, spilling cordial over herself. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree Nanette?¡± Nanette nodded silently. ¡°Cayla was a right mess after Alice Spindle was hanged,¡± Meriyal said to Mally. ¡°She was very close to Alice and the shock shook her to the core. It was tragic. Absolutely tragic. And just when I thought she was getting better¡ªlearning to go on with life ¡­ the poor princess died.¡± Meriyal sighed, her wrinkled, bloodshot eyes taking on a glistening shine. ¡°And when Cayla told us she was leaving¡ªwell, I can¡¯t say I was surprised. But I did feel terribly for you, Nanette. You two were so close.¡± Nanette looked slightly startled at Meriyal¡¯s genial remorse. Mally suspected that with the aid of apricot cordial, Meriyal was saying things she had never said before. Wanting to keep the conversation going, Mally asked Nanette, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave with her?¡± Nanette frowned at Mally as if she had never been asked the question before. ¡°I had a comfortable job with room and board. After deliberation, there wasn¡¯t much reason for me to leave. I had nowhere else to go. I was upset¡ªbut the castle was my home. It had been for many years. We are all family here,¡± Nanette said, indicating Meriyal and those around her. A small smile graced Nanette¡¯s features as she glanced at the others, singing and dancing. But her gaze didn¡¯t seem focused on them. Rather, Mally thought, Nanette was someplace else entirely. ¡°I agreed that it would be good for Cayla to leave. She had been jarred by the events and needed time away. I was foolish to hope that she would return.¡± Something shined in Nanette¡¯s eyes and Mally, embarrassed, glanced away. Mally heard the rushing of feet and the kitchen door banged open so violently that every one jumped and yelled in surprise. Meriyal jerked so wildly that half her bottle of cordial now covered she and Mally. It was Sammy, in his faded and much too large pajamas. He looked around the group of adults, his eyes wide and pale. ¡°Bob Kettle has been arrested!¡± he cried. For a full second, Mally stared at Sammy. Tears streaked his face. ¡°They took him to the dungeons! They took him to the dungeons!¡± he cried. Rosa rushed to her son and wrapped him in her arms. Meriyal had left her chair and crouched low so that she and Sammy were staring eye to eye. ¡°You saw this?¡± she asked him. Sammy nodded frantically. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep so I was coming down here,¡± he explained to the silent room, ¡°and I saw two knights dragging Bob to the dungeons. I saw them! We have to help him! You have to help him! He¡¯s in the dungeons!¡± Rosa hugged her sobbing son tightly and rubbed his back, looking at the rest of the silent servants. Nanette, Mildred, and Eveyln had joined Meriyal. Mally¡¯s throat seemed so constricted it was hard to breathe. Her ears weren¡¯t working properly. Meriyal was ordering the servants to do something, but Mally could only see her lips moving. It was as if she were underwater. Her vision swirled and she suddenly realized she was standing for she swayed on her feet. Lita grabbed her by the elbow. She couldn¡¯t remember Lita coming to stand next to her. Mally had to do something. Bob couldn¡¯t survive in the dungeons! What were the knights doing to him? Why had they taken him? She had to do something ¡­ ¡°Mally! Mally, we have to go!¡± Lita was saying to her. Mally looked at Lita as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°Meriyal wants us to go to our chambers,¡± Lita explained. ¡°We have to go¡ª¡± ¡°NO!¡± Mally yelled, making Lita jerk and the last of the servants turn to her in alarm. Meriyal frowned deeply. ¡°We have to do something!¡± Mally argued loudly to no one in particular. ¡°We have to get him out!¡± ¡°Mally, I want you to go to your chamber,¡± Meriyal ordered. Evelyn and Mildred continued to shoo a staring Christopher and Betty out of the kitchen. ¡°No!¡± Mally shook her head wildly. ¡°Mally, please go to your chamber!¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t do anything, then I will!¡± Mally exclaimed. The kitchen was empty now save for Mally, Eveyln, Mildred, Meriyal, and Lita. Meriyal, all hints of alcohol gone from her face, glared daggers at Mally, but Mally held her ground. She was not going to bed. Let Meriyal drag her to her chamber! She¡¯d have to lock her in to keep her there! ¡°Lita, will you kindly join Gerda in your chamber?¡± Meriyal asked smoothly, still keeping her eyes on Mally. Lita hesitated, shooting a nervous glance at Mally before scooting past Evelyn through the door. ¡°Sit down,¡± Meriyal ordered. Mally sat. The three older women stood over her. She had never seen them so serious and she had never seen Meriyal so angry. ¡°We have to do something,¡± Mally pleaded. ¡°He¡¯ll die in the dungeons!¡± ¡°As if I don¡¯t know that, Mally. I know Bob very well,¡± Meriyal cut across her sharply. ¡°We can¡¯t get him out¡ª¡± ¡°We have to!¡± Mally cried. ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± Mally stared at Meriyal as if she couldn¡¯t understand her words. They couldn¡¯t? They couldn¡¯t do anything? Mally¡¯s eyes swam and she didn¡¯t care that tears had begun to streak her cheeks. ¡°We can¡¯t get him out of the castle,¡± said Mildred in a soft tone, ¡°but we can¡ª¡± ¡°Mildred!¡± Evelyn hissed. Mildred faced Evelyn. ¡°She needs to know what we can do,¡± she told Evelyn evenly. ¡°If not the child will panic and do something foolish.¡± Evelyn glared viciously, but Meriyal frowned at Mally. ¡°What I am about to tell you must never reach another ear,¡± Meriyal said severely. ¡°Do you understand me?¡± Mally nodded her head. ¡°Not even Lita.¡± Mally nodded rapidly. Mildred and Evelyn seemed to close a tighter circle about Meriyal and Mally, tension clear in their shoulders. ¡°There is one servant passage to the dungeons,¡± Meriyal explained quietly. ¡°Myself, Mildred, and Evelyn are the only ones who know about it. We are servants. We cannot fight the knights. We cannot rebel openly against Molick. But we can help those they imprison.¡± ¡°We take them food,¡± Mildred said quickly. ¡°We give them tonics from Gladys. We bandage wounds that can be easily hidden by their clothes.¡± Mally stared at the three women before her in amazement. These older women, their hair grey, their hands wrinkled, snuck into the dungeons. Mally couldn¡¯t imagine a more dangerous act to undertake. If Molick ever found out¡ªthey would be hanged. They would be tortured. ¡°But if you can get in, you can get him out!¡± Mally exclaimed. ¡°No, we cannot!¡± Evelyn barked. ¡°We cannot risk the knights realizing what we can do! They would notice if prisoners were disappearing from their cells. We cannot risk Molick becoming suspicious!¡± Mally looked from Evelyn, her mouth an angry, tight line, to Mildred, whose eyes were soft with pity. But even she sadly shook her head. ¡°We will see to Bob tonight,¡± Meriyal said and Mally¡¯s eyes latched onto hers. ¡°Can¡¯t I¡ª¡± ¡°No. You will not join us. We will take care of Bob. And you will go to bed.¡± Bed? She couldn¡¯t possibly sleep. ¡°You must get your rest,¡± Meriyal pressed softly. ¡°Leave this to us. Please, trust me.¡± And knowing that she couldn¡¯t argue anymore, Mally numbly nodded her head and rose on wobbly feet. She lay in bed a very long time, staring at the ceiling. She had always disliked Evelyn, and Mildred¡¯s kindness had always seemed so easy to manipulate. She couldn¡¯t imagine thinking those things now. Chapter 24: The Winter Ball Mally rose before dawn, her shoulders tight and knotted. Lita and Gerda didn¡¯t say a word to her as they quickly dressed in their freezing room. Gerda would have had no idea how much Bob¡¯s imprisonment would mean to Mally, leaving Mally to assume Lita had told her sometime last night. Mally knew that today was the opening day of the Winter Ball and that she needed to be on her toes with all the new guests arriving, but her first priority was tracking down Meriyal, or Mildred, or Evelyn. She had to know what had happened last night when they had snuck into the dungeons. She had to know if Bob was hurt ¡­ if he was alive. In the Servants¡¯ Chambers, Mally hardly ate. She sat perched on the bench, scanning the crowd for one of the three women. ¡°You have to eat something, Mally,¡± Lita finally said. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± was Mally¡¯s reply, her eyes never ceasing in their search. Lita humphed beside Mally¡¯s elbow and lifted a buttered roll before her eyes. Mally blinked in surprise. ¡°Eat,¡± Lita said firmly. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯re going to need it.¡± Mally half-heartedly took the roll and was just about to take a bite when she saw Evelyn out of the corner of her eye. Dropping the roll, Mally leapt to her feet and ran to the opposite end of the chamber, Lita staring after her in alarm. ¡°Evelyn!¡± Mally gasped once she had reached her. Evelyn turned to her slowly, her face tired and sour. ¡°Help me in here,¡± Evelyn ordered before shuffling into the small storage room off the chamber. Mally did and Evelyn shut the door behind her, blocking out the noise from the Servants¡¯ Chamber. ¡°Well?¡± Mally asked without preamble. ¡°Is he all right? Did you see him? Is he¡ª¡± Evelyn raised a hand and Mally stopped her blubbering. With a tired sigh, Evelyn sat heavily in a chair. ¡°First off, don¡¯t go yelling my name like that anymore. Clearly, you don¡¯t have a discreet bone in your body.¡± Mally blushed. ¡°If you want to discuss Bob¡¯s plight, you do it quietly and not around listening servants, hear me?¡± Mally nodded. Evelyn snorted and shifted in her chair. ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± Mally¡¯s heart soared. ¡°The dolt had too many drinks at the Lone Candle and decided to break into the Bell Tower and ring the bells,¡± Evelyn explained. In Mally¡¯s relief, she actually smiled. ¡°Silly Bob.¡± ¡°Stupid Bob,¡± Evelyn corrected her sourly. ¡°Do you have any idea how long he will be in the dungeons?¡± asked Mally nervously. Evelyn had risen and started past Mally to the door. She paused and half turned to Mally. ¡°I have no idea.¡± .
Mally was still terrified for Bob, but now that she knew he was alive, she could focus on her task of escorting the arriving guests to their rooms. And as she did, Mildred and Meriyal found her and gave her similar information about Bob. ¡°He¡¯s got a nasty bruise on his cheek, but no broken bones,¡± Mildred had told her in an undertone as they stood in the crowded Great Hall, waiting for the first carriage to wheel up to the front doors. ¡°You do think they¡¯ll let him go, don¡¯t you?¡± Mally had asked her. ¡°It¡¯s happened before,¡± Mildred whispered carefully. ¡°No reason not to keep our fingers crossed.¡± But Mildred¡¯s lack of reassuring eye contact did little to increase her hopes. .
The servants spent the day escorting guests to their rooms. The castle was incredibly crowded and noisy. Mally was nearly knocked flat by Christopher as he lugged a giant trunk around a corner. ¡°Oh! Sorry, Mally. Didn¡¯t see you!¡± Christopher panted in apology as his slightly sweaty face peeked around the massive trunk¡¯s side. ¡°Are you having trouble, my dear boy?¡± asked an old woman who had just emerged from around the corner behind Christopher. She looked up at Christopher with a wrinkled, concerned smile and all thoughts of Bob were momentarily swept aside as Mally stared at the woman, completely taken aback. She was very short, and seemed to have tried to regain her youth by carefully curling her poorly-died hair (a shocking rusty red) and plastering heavy make-up on her wrinkled face. Mally marveled that the woman could see Christopher at all, for her eyes were squinted and the surrounding eyelashes drooped from the thick black layer of paint on them. She blinked and peered at Christopher as though it were very bright in the dim hall. Her attire was just as shocking The dress she wore was so ruffled and such a vibrant shade of orange that Mally stood with her mouth open in alarm. She also seemed to be carrying a large yellow, fluffy handbag in her arms. ¡°No, Madame Bones,¡± Christopher huffed, trying to shift the trunk a little in his arms as his thin legs quivered under its weight. ¡°It just seems a bit heavier than last time.¡± Madame Bones laughed good naturally and absentmindedly patted his arm. That was when Mally realized that the handbag was not a handbag at all, but an extremely fat cat. Or perhaps his size was simply due to the alarming amount of fluffy fur covering his body. ¡°Madame, perhaps if we hurried to your chamber, Mr. Banks can deposit his load,¡± said another woman who had just emerged behind Madame Bones. She was quite tall and thin. There was an unhealthy pallor in her face, and the lines about her mouth and eyes made her look older than Mally suspected she was. ¡°Too true, Cayla, too true,¡± Madame Bones agreed happily. ¡°Lead the way, dear boy!¡± Mally stepped out of their way as Christopher staggered down the corridor. Madame Bones passed Mally with a distant, cheerful smile, the cat in her arms turning reproachful eyes toward her, while Cayla Black followed. As Cayla passed her, Mally teetered on the edge of speaking to her. Mally could only imagine what sort of valuable information she might possess. Like her mistress, as Cayla walked past, she turned to nod politely to Mally only to stumble as her eyes focused on her. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Mally asked, catching Cayla¡¯s arm to steady her. ¡°Yes, thank you. This dress is a bit too long for me. Third time I¡¯ve tripped today.¡± Cayla lifted her heavy skirt a bit, revealing black shoes, each with a silver, ornate buckle. At least it¡¯s not orange, Mally thought. She¡¯d rather trip all day in a too-long dress than wear one that made her eyes water. ¡°Thank you again,¡± said Cayla, and before Mally could think of any way to bring up Cayla¡¯s previous position, she had continued down the hall after her mistress. .
The guests had come from all over Lenzar. Madame Bones¡¯ manor was located in Leaveston, just a few days from Bosc, but there were many who had spent days in their carriages. Mally was fascinated as she watched wave upon wave of the wealthiest inhabitants of Lenzar enter the castle doors. As Betty had said, most tried to hide the fact that they were positively terrified, but poor Lord Buckmund nearly leapt out of his skin when Sir Alexander Vinsus greeted him, and then looked quite faint when Vinsus succeeded in pulling him away to have a drink.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Having lived her life on a rather secluded farm on the outskirts of a very small town, Mally had no idea how exhausting a horde of people could be. When the knights sat in the parlors before and after dinner, they didn¡¯t require constant supervision. The servants usually just brought them their favorite drink and left. But with the guests, Mally and the others had to line the walls and look inconspicuous while keeping tabs on how full each person¡¯s glass was. Mally couldn¡¯t wait for the end of the ball. And she was still extremely nervous about Bob. Any time there was an opportunity¡ªwhen one of the three women were alone, when a large enough crowd masked their whispered conversation¡ªshe would ask about him. Every night they had been sneaking down to his cell. ¡°No, they are still holding him,¡± Meriyal said before Mally had even opened her mouth. They were alone in the cellar, retrieving more bottles of wine. ¡°But it¡¯s been three days!¡± Mally exclaimed. ¡°Surely they¡¯ll let him go soon?¡± ¡°Bob broke into the Bell Tower. Molick probably wants to make an example of him.¡± Mally¡¯s blood turned cold. Example? Mally didn¡¯t like how that sounded at all. In her frozen state, Meriyal took the opportunity to load her arms with wine bottles. Mally forced herself to ask, ¡°Are they ¡­ are they going to ¡­ to kill him?¡± Mally had hoped that Meriyal would laugh. That she would chuckle, saying no one would be killed over that. But she didn¡¯t. Meriyal gazed at her very sadly, and suddenly looked every one of her years. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mally. I really don¡¯t know.¡± .
Mally was in a constant state of nervous tension. Lita and the others soon learned to be careful with what they said around her. They all perfectly understood that Bob meant a great deal to Mally and none of them could comfortably reassure her. Mally had never felt so completely helpless. She had tried to write to Galen, asking for the rebels to help save Bob from the dungeons, but every draft she wrote sounded more blatant than the next. Any knight would know exactly what she wanted them to do the moment they¡¯d read the first line. And it was near impossible to sneak out of the castle during the festivities. She was forced to wait ¡­ wait to see what Molick finally decided to do. And that terrified her. .
The fourth day of the Winter Ball brought the actual ball and Mally was forced to stop worrying over Bob as she tried to keep her wits about her. Archie had given Mally a large silver tray of chocolates and asked her to weave her way through the large crowd of knights and guests in the ballroom. Lita had also been given a tray of chocolates, but Archie had made a mistake in that choice. Mally had spotted Lita, quick as a flash, stealing chocolates off her own tray and placing them in her pockets. Once, she caught Lita¡¯s eye and Lita actually flushed before shrugging and winking. ¡°I have not raised you to behave like a three year old.¡± The angry hiss made Mally turn in surprise. She blinked many times. Ivan stood a short distance away with an imposingly proper woman in a dazzling gown of rich velvet. Mally could have kicked herself. She hadn¡¯t once thought that Ivan would be there. He must have come for the ball. Perhaps she could speak to him? Ask for his help in freeing Bob? Mally, as inconspicuous as she could possibly be, while holding a tray of succulent chocolates, slowly weaved her way a bit closer to them. ¡°Mother, I have apologized to you already,¡± Ivan replied tartly. ¡°Shall we let it go at that?¡± ¡°We shall not!¡± Mrs. Finley spat under her breathe. ¡°You know your obligations. What His Majesty must think! You have been absent for most of the festivities!¡± ¡°I will profess my deepest apologies to His Highness if he has lost any sleep over my absence,¡± Ivan replied dryly. Mally nearly laughed. She had managed to get behind a large statue and a group of dukes. Mrs. Finley looked like she was about to breathe fire. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dancing?¡± she demanded. ¡°Where is Coletta?¡± ¡°I have no idea,¡± Ivan said in a bored voice. He twirled a glass of wine between his fingers. Mrs. Finley suddenly narrowed her eyes at her son and said in a calmer tone, ¡°Coletta and I have been talking and we both agree that Spring would be a beautiful time for your wedding.¡± ¡°I will not wed Coletta, Mother.¡± ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t like about her? She¡¯s a charming, delightful girl¡ªa perfect match!¡± Ivan gave a noncommittal jerk of his head and drank his wine. ¡°Arguing, are we?¡± A man who looked like an older version of Ivan, though with much less hair, suddenly stood at his wife¡¯s elbow. ¡°Brendan, talk to him!¡± Mrs. Finley exclaimed in exasperation. ¡°Of course, my dear. But first, we must dance!¡± Mr. Finley flashed an understanding smile at Ivan as he gently led Mrs. Finley to the dance floor. Ivan snorted and glared at the other guests, daring any of the girls eyeing him to come any closer. Making up her mind, Mally walked up to him. ¡°Chocolates, sir?¡± For a moment Ivan looked floored. But he quickly masked it and took a chocolate. He turned to face the twirling guests. Out of the corner of his mouth he asked, ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Bob¡¯s in the dungeons. How do you think I am?¡± Mally whispered back. ¡°I heard about it. Galen and I have been trying to figure out a way of getting him out¡ªbut it¡¯s too dangerous, Mally.¡± ¡°Too dangerous!¡± Mally cried in a strangled whisper. Ivan continued not to look at her and Mally quickly offered her chocolates to a chatting pair of duchesses. ¡°You should go,¡± Ivan murmured. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t look too friendly.¡± Feeling the balloon in her chest that had inflated with hope be slashed by his words, Mally turned on her heel and marched off. A husband and wife moved away from Mally and she suddenly caught sight of Madame Bones. Mally was amazed she hadn¡¯t spotted her sooner. She looked like the sun. Her gown this evening was a blinding yellow, fully decorated with dinner-plate-sized roses. How the woman chose her outfits baffled Mally. She let her eyes leave Madame Bones to settle on the man who stood beside her: King Salir. He and the Madame were in rapt conversation, and the king didn¡¯t look like he wanted to be anywhere else. Mally marveled that he wasn¡¯t squinting from the glare. Madame Bones was one of the few guests who didn¡¯t seem the tiniest bit unnerved by the knights or king. She must be very brave. Or clueless, Mally thought dryly. On Madame Bones¡¯s other side stood Cayla Black who, Mally was pleased to see, was dressed in a much calmer gown than her mistress. It was a simple bronze with a cream sash tied round the waist. Cayla was not participating in the conversation. Instead, her eyes roamed the room, her face and stance passive. But Mally frowned when she saw that Cayla¡¯s hands were clenched tightly together¡ªso tightly that her knuckles were white. Nathan stopped before them carrying a tray of wine. He offered glasses to the king and Madame Bones, each of whom took one, but Cayla demurely shook her head, smiled, exchanged some words with Nathan, and watched him pass her. Mally suspected that if Cayla had accepted a glass, it would be shaking in her hand. It also didn¡¯t escape Mally¡¯s notice that Cayla was receiving a fair amount of attention. Nanette Longwood kept shooting furtive glances at her friend, but never made a move towards her. Molick looked simply livid at Cayla¡¯s presence and wasn¡¯t bothering to hide it. And even though Sir Anon was thoroughly enjoying the party, Mally had seen him shoot a surprising amount of glances at Cayla. Cayla behaved as if she didn¡¯t notice any of this, but her hands gave her away. King Salir suddenly said something to her and she quickly responded, dropping a short curtsy as he politely left them to tend to his other guests. As Cayla rose, her eyes caught Mally¡¯s and, flushing in embarrassment, Mally smiled before hastily offering Countess De Lenora some chocolates. .
It was the fifth day of the ball and Mally was stumbling down a dark, deserted corridor. She had been awoken in the middle of the night to tend to the Duchess of Silverton¡¯s fire and bring her a late night cup of tea (¡°Two sugars, please dear¡±). Knights sometimes sent for servants in the night, so each servant¡¯s room had small bells attached to wires that ran to their ¡°charges¡¯¡± rooms. The inhabitant of said room tugged on their end of the wire¡ªwhich was always a lavish rope¡ªmaking the other end¡ªwhich was always a thin wire¡ªtwitch the bell until the servant could no longer ignore it. Since the arrival of the guests, Mally had already been pulled from her bed more times than she cared to think about. Honestly! She was human! She needed her sleep! It was common practice for the servants to go in pairs when tending to the knights¡¯ calls after hours. It was safer that way; but during the ball, there were so many guests that the servants had to see to the many summons alone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t written in a while. Hebitha had me busy.¡± Mally nearly stumbled. The voice had come from up ahead. Suddenly feeling more awake, Mally inched closer until she could peer around the corner. There, silhouetted by the moonlight streaming through a window, were Cayla Black and Nanette Longwood. ¡°No need to say more,¡± Nanette replied casually. ¡°I¡¯ve met Madame Bones enough times to know she can be a handful on an easy day. You look good, Cayla. You really do. I just wish we could get together more often than these seasonal balls.¡± Mally thought Nanette was being a bit too polite there. Cayla had looked positively green by the end of the ball. And even before that evening, she had looked ill to Mally, as if she hardly ever went outside. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like coming to Bosc,¡± Cayla replied. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you,¡± Nanette sighed. ¡°I noticed that you have a new servant,¡± Cayla observed. ¡°Oh, Mally.¡± Nanette nodded. ¡°Archie¡¯s taken quite a liking to her.¡± ¡°Archie?¡± Cayla smiled wryly. ¡°Goodness, she must have charms.¡± ¡°You know Archie. Mushrooms are the way to his heart,¡± said Nanette with a chuckle. ¡°She seems vaguely familiar,¡± Cayla mused. ¡°What did you say her name was?¡± ¡°Mally. Mally Biddle.¡± Mally heard a strange note in Nanette¡¯s voice, as if she were asking a question, rather than making a statement. She had even turned her head slightly to see Cayla¡¯s reaction out of the corner of her eye. Or maybe Mally¡¯s sleep deprivation was playing games with her. ¡°Biddle?¡± Cayla asked sharply. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s an orphan. Came from Halspeare.¡± ¡°Orphan?¡± Cayla¡¯s voice sounded oddly perplexed. ¡°She¡¯s been rather interested in you,¡± Nanette informed her. ¡°I think she has some sort of fascination with the royal family.¡±¡°That sort of fascination is dangerous,¡± Cayla said quietly. Then Cayla stepped abruptly away from the window. ¡°I should get back. Hebitha won¡¯t like it if she wakes to find me gone.¡± With a slight nod, Cayla walked away, her long skirt swishing softly about her ankles. Mally watched as Nanette stared after her. After a moment, she too left the window and headed slowly to her quarters. Chapter 25: Ringing Bell, Darkened Stairwell Marlo, Hebitha Bones¡¯s cat, was pampered, spoiled, and sneaky. He was with her nearly everywhere she went¡ªthough not by his own choice. His yellow eyes constantly scanned his surroundings, ever vigilant for a timely escape from his doting mistress. Mally was impressed by the number of times Marlo had snuck away from his mistress¡¯s clutches. And she knew just how many times he had escaped, because the whole castle was called to a screeching halt if Madame Bones realized her precious ¡®fluffy poo¡¯ was missing. All servants were put on alert and had to stop any and all activities until Marlo was safely returned. Even the knights weren¡¯t left out of the fun. Mally thought she would crack a rib from stifling her laughter when she saw Madame Bones informing Sir Alexander Vinsus not to leave any stone unturned in his search for her cat. Vinsus looked torn between the desire to slap the woman and incredulous disbelief, but she simply patted his elbow and shuffled off for tea. Molick looked sick anytime he saw Madame Bones. But Sir Brian and a handful of other knights put on a delightful show, trying to track down Marlo. And the servants all found Madame Bones highly entertaining, especially when they spotted a cursing Gibbs on his hands and knees, peering under couches. ¡°How does she get away with it?¡± Mally asked Lita quietly as they carried tea and sandwiches to one of the parlors. ¡°You mean why do the knights not kill her?¡± Lita asked, grinning. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine. But I think King Salir has a hand in it.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s told everyone to do what she says?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s told the knights to humor her,¡± said Lita. ¡°The knights seem to be able to beat up, kill, or imprison everyone else they meet on the street,¡± Lita explained. ¡°But the nobles are an exception. King Salir is very serious about it. He likes being all diplomatic to them.¡± ¡°Maybe he thinks the nobles wouldn¡¯t mess with any rebellion if they¡¯re being taken care of,¡± Mally mused. ¡°Maybe,¡± Lita agreed. Then she chuckled. ¡°Or maybe he just likes watching the knights twitch every once and a while. I sure do.¡± They entered the south-facing parlor where a group of chatting women sat around a circular table in spindly chairs. Among them were Madame Bones and Cayla Black. Suddenly remembering that Cayla and Nanette had talked about her last night, Mally smiled at Cayla before setting down a tray of small sandwiches. ¡°Mally Biddle?¡± Cayla asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Mally replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been told you are the newest member of the castle,¡± said Cayla smiling. ¡°I hope Meriyal hasn¡¯t been working you too hard.¡± Mally grinned and passed a tea cup to the Countess of Silverton. ¡°Biddle¡ªit isn¡¯t a very common name is it?¡± Cayla continued, accepting a sandwich from Lita. ¡°I only ask because I once knew a Biddle.¡± ¡°My mother¡¯s name is¡ªwas,¡± Mally quickly clarified, ¡°Susie.¡± At the slight frown that marred Cayla¡¯s brow, Mally added, ¡°She died when I was twelve.¡± ¡°My deepest apologies.¡± Mally nodded in gratitude before passing sugar to Madame Bones, but out of the corner of her eye, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Cayla believed her. The curious frown had not left her face. ¡°Greetings, ladies,¡± a pleasant voice suddenly issued from the open doorway. Mally turned and saw King Salir stroll into the parlor. The women all welcomed him graciously and Madame Bones spoke quickly. ¡°Your Highness, I hope you bring me good news about the whereabouts of my Marlo?¡± Her drooping eyelashes fluttered in worry. ¡°I am sorry to say, Madame, that Marlo is still unaccounted for,¡± King Salir replied with a cheerful smile, ¡°but you have my assurances he will be found.¡± ¡°Oh, dear, I do worry so,¡± admitted Madame Bones as she took another slice of cake. King Salir¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°I¡¯m sure Madame,¡± he replied, his eyes dancing with what Mally suspected was mirth. Cayla glanced at Mally and flashed a smile of exasperation. Mally exchanged a look with Lita and they both giggled. They picked up their empty trays, curtsied and headed for the door. ¡°Let me help you,¡± said King Salir, moving quickly to the door. He opened it and stepped aside, holding it for them. He smiled and nodded to them as they passed. Mally and Lita deposited their load in the kitchen and, as the day was Thursday, Mally said goodbye to Lita and left the castle on her weekly trip into Bosc. It was the first time she had visited Sam since Bob¡¯s imprisonment and she couldn¡¯t help but feel that the stable was horribly wrong without him. His stable hands were taking very good care of the horses, but Mally kept turning her head, hoping to see Bob limping up to her, praising fine Sam. Once Mally had walked Sam about the fenced-in meadow and brushed his coat, she left the stable feeling miserable. How much longer were they going to keep Bob? No matter how many meals Meriyal, Mildred, and Evelyn took him, he wasn¡¯t healthy enough to spend weeks in the dungeons. Mally wished she could see him herself, but Meriyal was strict about that. Even Mildred¡ªsweet, doting, Mildred¡ªrefused to give Mally the location to the passage into the dungeons. As Mally slowly walked down the muddy road away from Bob¡¯s stable toward the main streets, her mind full of nervous worry, she glanced up and saw¡ªto her surprise¡ªIvan and Galen rushing toward her. Mally stopped in her tracks, the toes in her boots getting cold from the sludgy snow.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I was hoping to catch you today,¡± said Ivan once he and Galen had reached her. ¡°You¡¯ve heard about Bob?¡± Galen asked, focusing on her face. ¡°Yes,¡± said Mally. It was clear that Galen wanted to say something else, but Ivan spoke before he could. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Mally¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± she asked. ¡°If you try to get him out of the dungeons, you¡¯ll be caught and that won¡¯t help anyone.¡± Mally was on the verge of snapping back, but Galen intervened. ¡°Cian and Adam have been asking for a report. How are things going with¡ª¡± Galen glanced around them ¡°¡ªwith you know what?¡± Mally felt herself blush. What with the Winter Ball and worrying about Bob, she hadn¡¯t thought once about the princess. Her guilty expression sent Ivan into a furious scowl. ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything?¡± he demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Mally countered. ¡°Busy?¡± Ivan scoffed. ¡°What¡ªwith washing sheets? Pouring tea? Mally, this is important!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t just been washing sheets!¡± Mally yelled heatedly. She wanted to kick him! All he ever wanted was information for his stupid plan! He wasn¡¯t any different from any other noble, or as a matter of fact, from any knight! He took her for granted. He scoffed at her servant duties. What did he think she did all day long? Pick at her toenails?! Growling in fury, she pushed past him and Galen. She didn¡¯t look back and only hurried her pace when she heard quick footsteps behind her. ¡°Mally¡ªMally wait!¡± Mally raised her chin and marched on, ignoring Galen. ¡°Mally!¡± He grabbed her elbow and Mally snatched it away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Galen looked at her so startled that some of the anger in her turned to embarrassment. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you,¡± said Galen. ¡°But Cian and Adam wanted to know ¡­ I had to ask.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mally agreed miserably. She realized that Ivan had not run after her and that she and Galen were quite alone on the muddy road. ¡°It would be nice to have some understanding and appreciation from him. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°He¡¯s feeling pressured,¡± Galen explained. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t learned anything and I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mally replied, her anger getting away from her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me,¡± said Galen calmly. ¡°I understand how busy and stressed you are.¡± His eyes softened. ¡°How is Bob?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, her voice cracking. ¡°I¡¯ve been told he¡¯s all right, but I don¡¯t know how much longer he can safely stay there.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll let him go.¡± Horrified, Mally realized she had tears in her eyes. She averted her face from Galen, embarrassed, wiping them away. ¡°It¡¯s so stupid,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°A week or maybe more for breaking into a bell tower?¡± ¡°It¡¯s power,¡± said Galen simply. ¡°Bob was just trying to take some of that power back by breaking in.¡± ¡°He was stupid.¡± ¡°He was brave.¡± Mally looked at Galen and smiled. ¡°Yes ¡­ yes, he was,¡± she agreed softly. Galen smiled gently in return and nodded at the numerous empty bags hanging limply from Mally¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Would you like some company while you shop?¡± .
Mally was surprised when Madame Bones and Cayla Black left the following morning. They had given no warning that they would be leaving early¡ªthere was still another day left of the ball. There was no possible way she would get any information now, Mally fumed silently, as she watched Madame Bones¡¯s carriage being loaded. Marlo had tried to make another mad escape, but his mistress had caught him mid leap and he was now clutched tightly to her breast. ¡°The rest will be gone by tomorrow afternoon,¡± said Meriyal. She stood beside Mally on the front steps, watching Nathan and Christopher strap down the trunks. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± asked Mally in surprise. ¡°Hebitha makes all the others feel cowardly. She doesn¡¯t do it on purpose, bless her. She just doesn¡¯t see anything or anyone as a threat. She¡¯s like a child. And that makes the other nobles feel uncomfortable, being terrified of the knights when she clearly isn¡¯t. So they stay and try to appear casual and nonchalant during the ball, but once Hebitha Bones¡¯s carriage is through the gates, they drop the pretense and run out of here faster than you can say-say-say-¡± Meriyal quickly drew out a handkerchief as she sneezed violently. ¡°Almond toffee,¡± she finished weakly. Mally patted Meriyal on the shoulder sympathetically. ¡°We¡¯ll get the fur up, don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured her. .
True to Meriyal¡¯s word, by lunch the next day, the castle was strangely empty. All the guests had departed. Mally was surprised by how quiet the corridors were. That night, looking forward to a nice, restful sleep with no interruptions, Mally climbed under her covers and immediately drifted off. The sound of a bell rang, but it came from over Gerda¡¯s bed, so groaning slightly, Mally rolled onto her side and fell asleep again. If Gerda wanted someone to accompany her, she could ask Lita. Some time later, another bell tinkled, this time above Mally¡¯s head. Pulling the covers over her head, Mally tried to ignore the incessant ringing. Gritting her teeth, she expelled an exasperated sigh. So much for an uneventful night, she thought waspishly. She yanked the covers back and glared at the bell above her headboard. It came from the northwest wing. Mally frowned. That wing held only guest chambers and they were all empty. There was no reason for anyone to be in that wing tonight. No reason for anyone to pull on a satin rope. A bit nervous, but increasingly curious, Mally pulled on her dressing gown. She shot a glance at a snoring Lita. She should wake her. It was against Meriyal¡¯s orders to see to summonings after dark alone now that the ball was over. But they were all so tired from the ball. And such a strange location had Mally wondering. Could she sneak up on a secret meeting? Maybe between knights? There were secrets in this castle. Perhaps she could finally give Ivan that information he was so desperate to have. But if she were about to overhear incriminating talk, then Lita would want to come. Mally hesitated at Lita¡¯s bed. It was stupid. It was risky. But she felt risky. The nervous tension in her chest about Bob was so terrible because she couldn¡¯t do anything. She was stuck waiting and hoping. The thought of an exciting, dangerous night excursion made her ears ring. She wanted to do this alone. Mally carefully crept past Lita¡¯s bed and noticed that Gerda¡¯s was still empty. Mally couldn¡¯t judge how long it had been since Gerda¡¯s bell had woken her. Not bothering to light a candle¡ªthe moon was almost full and illuminated the long corridors nicely¡ªMally hurried down the halls to the northwest wing. Shadows from the towering statues and vases lining the corridors fell upon her as she walked. Many times her brain played tricks on her: she saw a hulking mass crouching along the wall¡ªwhich on second glance, was just a large, round vase on a short table. Mally neared the stairwell that led down to the northwest wing just as a nearby clock tolled the hour to the silent castle. Mally could faintly hear similar clocks echoing the chimes. Three in the morning. Perfect, Mally thought bitterly. Maybe she should just go back to bed. It was probably just a mouse playing with the satin rope. No windows adorned the sides of the staircase, so the inky blackness of the long stairwell unnerved her to no end. Cursing herself for not bringing a candle, Mally ran her hand down the wall to her right, trying to find one of the numerous candles so that she could safely travel down the steps. The hairs on the back of her neck raised sharply just as a strong pressure pushed against her back. With a startled gasp, she tumbled down the stairs, one after the other, until she landed in a painful heap, sprawled at the foot of the staircase. She didn¡¯t move. She didn¡¯t wake up. Chapter 26: Kettles Example ¡°Fell down the stairs. Lucky I was heading down for a cup¡¯ a.¡± ¡°Nasty fall. Could have broken her neck.¡± The hushed voices sounded as if they were underwater. Mally heard the words, but they didn¡¯t make sense to her groggy mind. Her eyelids were glued together and her head throbbed as if someone was knocking on her skull. Slowly, painfully, she opened her eyes. She was in the sickroom, lying on a bed. It was dark; a few candles around her bed had been lit and in the light sat two women: a short, blocky one and a tallish one. Neither woman had noticed that Mally was awake, for they continued to sit hunched over, whispering to each other in the small pool of light. ¡°I always thought those stairs were tricky¡ªnarrow, cramped,¡± the short woman was saying and Mally recognized the voice and sharp profile: Meriyal. ¡°I¡¯m surprised more people haven¡¯t tripped before now.¡± Mally could see the other woman nodding her agreement. A soft swishing of fabric, and another woman appeared beside the other two. ¡°Here,¡± said Gladys, passing two glasses of some drink to Meriyal and the other woman. Mally rose slowly onto her elbows and a groan escaped her lips. All three women gasped and turned to her. ¡°Oh, dear, are you all right?¡± Meriyal asked, leaning forward. ¡°You had a nasty fall.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m okay,¡± Mally replied even though she felt like she¡¯d been beaten with a stick. Gladys snorted. ¡°Falling down stairs. Stairs!¡± Gladys fussed like an angry hen. ¡°You¡¯re just as bad as Gerda! I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t have any broken bones!¡± ¡°What were you doing in the northwest wing?¡± And Mally finally recognized the third woman¡¯s voice just as the candlelight played upon her tired face¡ªNanette. ¡°The bell rang,¡± Mally answered. ¡°For the northwest wing?¡± Nanette frowned, glancing at Meriyal. ¡°But there are no occupied rooms on that wing,¡± Meriyal told Mally, sounding increasingly confused. ¡°It¡¯s the guest wing. You know that.¡± ¡°The bell rang,¡± Mally repeated, feeling increasingly stupid. Why hadn¡¯t she taken Lita with her? Why did she have to be so curious? ¡°You should lay back down,¡± said Nanette, tersely. Mally happily obeyed. She wasn¡¯t sure how much longer she could support her weight on her elbows. Falling back onto the pillows, she let out a grateful sigh. ¡°You certainly have the bad luck,¡± Gladys observed, hands on hips. ¡°I know I make for good company, but this is getting ridiculous.¡± Mally smiled weakly as Meriyal snorted in amusement. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I didn¡¯t trip,¡± said Mally. Nanette, Meriyal and Gladys blinked at her in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°No. Someone pushed me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Gladys gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. ¡°Who else?¡± Mally answered darkly. ¡°Bayard.¡± .
Gladys ordered Mally to stay in the sickroom for the rest of the day. Mally didn¡¯t complain. She was bruised, sore and sick to her stomach. He had tried to kill her. Mally figured that the first time he had hurt her, he¡¯d just intended to scare her ¡­ but this time ¡­ this time he¡¯d meant to kill her. And he probably would have headed down the stairs to see if she was in fact dead, but the sound of Nanette¡¯s approaching footsteps must have startled him. After she had finished the breakfast Gladys had brought her, Mally was visited by a very panicked Lita, Gerda, and Nathan. ¡°We¡¯ve just heard!¡± Lita cried, sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbing Mally¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mally responded truthfully. ¡°What happened?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°Meriyal and Nanette were going on about someone pushing you.¡± Mally nodded and Lita gasped. Gerda inhaled sharply, color draining rapidly from her face. ¡°Dear Lenzar! Who?¡± ¡°Bayard, of course,¡± Mally answered, looking at Lita as if this was obvious. Gerda frowned and glanced at Nathan who mirrored her actions. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been Bayard, Mally,¡± said Gerda. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course it was Bayard,¡± Mally argued, confused that Gerda didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°He hates me.¡± Gerda licked her lips nervously and glanced at Nathan again. ¡°That I agree with, but he rang for me last night. Wanted his fire tended,¡± Gerda explained. ¡°When I realized it was Bayard calling, I asked Nathan to come with me.¡± Gerda swallowed. Nathan took hold of Gerda¡¯s hand. But Mally wasn¡¯t swayed. ¡°So he got me after the two of you left,¡± she pressed. ¡°Do you remember what time it was when you were called?¡± Gerda asked. Mally was about to say no when she remembered hearing the clock toll the hour on her way to the west wing. ¡°It was a little before three.¡± ¡°I managed to get out of Bayard¡¯s room right before that. I heard the chimes when I closed his door.¡± Mally sat stunned as this information repeated itself in her brain. Bayard had been with Gerda and Nathan when Mally¡¯s bell had summoned her. Bayard couldn¡¯t have been in the guest wing¡ªhe was in his chambers in the northeast wing.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°But¡ªbut who else was it, then?¡± Mally asked, looking at each of her companions in turn. ¡°You¡¯re sure you were pushed?¡± Lita asked carefully. ¡°Yes!¡± Mally insisted. There was a rather pronounced silence as Gerda and Nathan shifted uncomfortably. Finally, they wished her a speedy recovery and excused themselves. Lita stayed seated on the bed. ¡°Who was it then?¡± Lita asked quietly once they were alone. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mally fumed, feeling her stomach churn. She had been so sure it was Bayard. Who else would want to kill her? Molick? But pushing someone down a dark staircase didn¡¯t seem like his style. ¡°Do you think whoever it was¡ª¡± Lita swallowed and lowered her voice, ¡°do you think they suspect?¡± Mally¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Possibly.¡± She forced the word out of her suddenly dry throat. ¡°But I don¡¯t see how. And if they did, why not tell Molick? If he knew, I¡¯d be in the dungeons instead of here.¡± Lita¡¯s pale eyes were fearful as they scanned the empty room. .
When Mally was allowed to leave the sickroom the next day, she walked down the halls staring at everyone she passed. Someone had pushed her. Someone had known that ringing that bell would call her and that she would have to travel down that staircase. Someone had gone through a lot of trouble. Mally had been given the job of carrying washed sheets back to their designated chambers. Lita had volunteered to help. ¡°You¡¯ve kept the man long enough, Illius.¡± Mally and Lita stopped walking. They stood right outside King Salir¡¯s Chamber, his sheets in their arms. The heavy doors to the chamber were cracked open. Shooting a curious glance at Lita, Mally inched a little closer and inclined her ear. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him as long as I want,¡± came Molick¡¯s nasty reply. ¡°You need to scare him some more?¡± King Salir sounded amused. ¡°I doubt that man will ever go near the tower again.¡± Mally¡¯s eyes widened and she stared at Lita whose mouth was open. Was His Majesty talking about Bob? Was he ¡­ could he possibly be ¡­ arguing for his release? Mally stepped closer as Molick said, ¡°True. I¡¯ve questioned him extensively. He isn¡¯t a rebel.¡± He sounded highly disappointed. ¡°You will catch them in time.¡± ¡°I could catch them now if I had more knights,¡± Molick replied with a hint of insistence. ¡°More knights? If you feel you need more you can take some of the parameter guards¡ª¡± ¡°My knights would be too spread out!¡± Molick argued. ¡°Those must stay on the walls!¡± ¡°You have more than enough knights, Illius,¡± King Salir said patiently, as if speaking to a spoiled child. ¡°There is no need to have more.¡± ¡°There is always need for more!¡± Molick snapped heatedly. ¡°I expect you to be grateful that my knights have been keeping this castle safe from those mongrels!¡± ¡°I have never been ungrateful for your abundant skills. And I have every belief that you will catch those that anger you so.¡± Mally stumbled backwards in haste as Molick¡¯s loud footsteps reached the doors. They swung open violently; Mally doubted that Molick noticed them at all as he stormed past them down the hall. ¡°Ah, my sheets have arrived,¡± said King Salir pleasantly, catching sight of Mally and Lita standing before the open doors. .
The first thing Mally did after making King Salir¡¯s bed was find Meriyal. Lita rushed after her at a jog, asking why she was in such a hurry, but Mally ignored her. It was lunch time for the servants and Mally told Lita to save her a place on the bench as she weaved through the Servants¡¯ Chamber, looking for Meriyal. When she spotted her, she hovered at her shoulder until she had finished speaking to Joan. ¡°We need to talk,¡± Mally whispered. Meriyal raised her eyebrows before walking into the storage room. The moment Meriyal had shut the door, Mally bounded forward in jubilation. ¡°Bob is going to be released!¡± Meriyal stared in surprise. ¡°Where did you learn this?¡± ¡°From His Majesty. I just overheard him telling Molick to let Bob go.¡± Mally was so ecstatic that she was bouncing on the balls of her feet. ¡°Do you know when this will happen?¡± Meriyal asked. Mally paused in her bouncing, her face falling slightly. ¡°No,¡± she admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll check on him again tonight. Let¡¯s both hope his cell is empty!¡± .
Mally could hardly sleep, she was so anxious about Bob. Molick didn¡¯t seem happy about being told what to do. Would he release him, but hurt him? Or would he kill him and make more room in the dungeons that way? Would he just ignore the king? Not able to stand the tension any longer, Mally rose much earlier than Lita and Gerda and slipped down to Archie¡¯s kitchen. He and Rosa were already up, cooking breakfast, and Mally kept herself preoccupied by sipping tea and beating eggs. Just before it was time for the other servants to rise, the kitchen door opened and an exhausted Meriyal, Mildred, and Evelyn entered. Rosa rushed to get them tea and Mally stood to give one of them a chair. ¡°Got a scone there, Archie?¡± Evelyn asked in her usual moody voice. ¡°Currant or apricot?¡± Archie asked. ¡°Currant,¡± Evelyn grunted. As Rosa poured tea for a very sour-faced Evelyn, Mildred inched closer to Mally and whispered in her ear, ¡°Bob¡¯s out.¡± Mally whipped around so fast that her hair slapped Evelyn. ¡°You can go see him,¡± said Meriyal quietly, a tired yet pleased expression on her face. ¡°Hurry. He should be at the stables by now.¡± Mally nearly knocked over a chair in her haste. She ran full speed to Bob¡¯s stable. And there he was, sitting with his walking stick on a makeshift bench outside his stable door. The pre-dawn lit lamps bathed him in yellow. ¡°Mally!¡± Bob cried in happy surprise. ¡°Oh, Bob! Are you all right?¡± Mally fell to her knees before him, taking in his scruffy chin and wrinkled eyes. He was alive. He really was alive! But there was a nasty cut on his cheek and dried blood and grime matted his beard. He was much too thin. His cheekbones jutted out harshly. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said a bit too quickly. Mally noticed that he was shaking. ¡°What did they do to you?¡± Mally whispered, realizing suddenly that Bob¡¯s wide eyes kept looking down the road that led to his stable¡ªas if he expected to see knights marching toward them. Bob shook his head violently. ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk about that,¡± he said gruffly. Mally swallowed with difficulty and rested a hand on his quivering knee. ¡°How about I take you to the Lone Candle for some breakfast?¡± she asked softly. And with a sturdy hand on his back, Mally took him to the pub. .
Mally stayed with Bob as long as she possibly could. Galen gave Bob a feast fit for a duke. He¡¯d brought him baskets of rolls with jams and honey. He¡¯d mounded his plate with fat sausages and sizzling bacon. He waited on him hand and foot. And afterward, he made him a warm bath. ¡°Thank Lenzar they let him go,¡± Galen whispered to her as she stood at the pub¡¯s door, about to leave. Mally¡¯s smile glowed. ¡°Keep an eye on him. Please, Galen.¡± Galen nodded and hurried back to give him another pot of tea. Bob waved merrily to Mally. His cheeks were flushed and the twinkle had returned to his eyes. .
On her way back to the castle, Mally deliberately took a detour. She stood in the central square, looking at Bosc Bell Tower. She stared at it in curiosity. A knight leaned against the bolted door, picking at his teeth. Bob had wanted to take back some power ¡­ had wanted to take back something that had once been his¡ªhad once been the people¡¯s. It might have been done in a foolish drunken state of mind, but the desire was real. Mally suddenly wondered if there was something in the tower that Molick didn¡¯t want anyone seeing. But that seemed silly. What would Molick hide in a bell tower that could endanger him if discovered? And what would endanger Molick? The only thing he was concerned about was keeping the people too scared to fight against him. And one way to do that was to lock people out of places that had once been peaceful safe havens ¡­ places that were once very important to the people ¡­ places like ¡­ Mally gasped so loudly that the knight sitting at the tower¡¯s entrance stared at her. The bell tower wasn¡¯t the only building that had been locked up. How could she have overlooked it? She spun around and ran to the castle. It took her nearly twenty minutes to find Lita and when she finally did she dragged her into a broom closet. ¡°Mally¡ªwhat¡ªMally, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Lita exclaimed as she was crammed against pails and mops. ¡°The catacombs.¡± Mally was so energized she could hardly stand still, but to keep from showering Lita in dust rags, she tried to contain herself. ¡°The princess¡¯s tomb is in the catacombs.¡± Lita froze. ¡°But¡ªbut what would we learn by going in there?¡± ¡°We¡¯d know once and for all if she¡¯s dead,¡± Mally said in a rushed undertone. ¡°But it¡¯s locked,¡± Lita argued, staring at Mally as if she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Molick and King Salir are the only ones with the key.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just have to get it from one of them, then.¡± Lita looked at her, stunned, before saying, ¡°Do you have any idea what you just said?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mally was startled at the conviction in her own voice. ¡°It¡¯s time we found out.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no way of getting in!¡± Lita hissed, now looking sick. ¡°We¡¯re never going to get that key from either one of those men!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find a way,¡± said Mally firmly. ¡°We¡¯re going to the catacombs.¡± Chapter 27: The Catacombs Sir Illius Molick was a man of habit. Order was soothing. Calming. Disorder was not. That was probably why the few successful revolts by the rebel group had upset him so deeply. Sir Illius Molick simply did not approve of disorder. But a man of habit was a man easily led into a trap. Every night after dinner, Molick joined King Salir in His Highness¡¯s chambers to discuss who knew what¡ªthough Mally suspected the conversation revolved around his number one problem: the rebels. Then, at precisely ten o¡¯clock, Molick would join his favorite knights in his personal study. They talked, smoked and drank. It was this nightly gathering that Mally and Lita began to consider seriously. .
Mally and Lita spent a whole week planning. Mally wasn¡¯t even bothering to kid herself. If they were caught trying to steal the key from Molick, they wouldn¡¯t receive a short trip into the dungeons. Stealing something off Molick¡¯s person would be a serious crime. The only reason they had focused on Molick instead of King Salir was because Molick required that his favorite drink be brought to him during these nightly gatherings. King Salir had his own private stock of wines to choose from in his chamber, leaving him in no need of a servant to pour him a goblet full. Nathan always handled Molick¡¯s wine. ¡°He¡¯s going to be really suspicious that we want to take the wine this one night,¡± said Lita in a hushed undertone as they walked to the Servants¡¯ Chamber for breakfast. ¡°Should we tell him why?¡± Mally shook her head. ¡°He¡¯ll ask too many questions,¡± Mally whispered, though the idea of Nathan joining them was highly tempting. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to insist. ¡®You¡¯ve been working so hard, Nathan. Let us take this one and you turn in early.¡¯ Things like that.¡± ¡°Things like that,¡± Lita repeated nervously. Mally shot Lita what she hoped was a confidence-boosting smile, but the only thing that changed on Lita¡¯s pale face was her mouth tightening. They entered the Servants¡¯ Chamber and easily found Nathan sitting beside Gerda. Seeing the two of them together sparked an idea in Mally¡¯s brain. ¡°Good morning, Nathan,¡± Mally greeted him cheerfully. She buttered him a muffin. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Nathan, his eyebrows rising in mild surprise. ¡°Say Nathan, Lita and I were thinking, why don¡¯t you let us take care of Molick¡¯s wine tonight?¡± Mally said nonchalantly. Nathan¡¯s eyebrows rose into his hair. Gerda stared at Mally. Lita shuffled her feet. ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡± Nathan asked. ¡°It¡¯s our treat. You and Gerda hardly get to spend any time alone together.¡± Mally stopped there, hoping that Gerda grabbed hold of her hint. Gerda¡¯s eyes widened dramatically and she said eagerly, turning to Nathan, ¡°Oh, let them do it, Nathan. Just for tonight.¡± Nathan couldn¡¯t begin to argue, with Gerda smiling so brightly, and he nodded to Mally and Lita. ¡°He always takes a bottle of black currant wine.¡± ¡°At ten o¡¯clock?¡± Nathan nodded. Jubilant, Mally turned on her heel and walked away from Nathan and Gerda. She wound her arm through Lita¡¯s and whispered in her ear, ¡°Now we get some dreamless sleep.¡± .
It could have been that the reason Lita was so pale was that she had agreed to cause a major distraction in Archie¡¯s kitchen, something that was just as dangerous as stepping on a knight¡¯s toes. Upon entering the kitchen, Lita quickly scanned the busy room until her eyes landed upon a giant stack of apples, piled precariously on a table. Shooting Mally a knowing glance, she strode straight toward the mountainous stack. ¡°Hello, Archie!¡± she said so loudly that Archie and Rosa flinched. They hadn¡¯t heard them enter. Lita slapped Archie on the back. ¡°Good morning,¡± Archie replied, his mustache twitching peevishly. ¡°Say, this is quite the pile of apples,¡± Lita commented. ¡°What are you going to do with all of them?¡± Sensing the impending explosion, Mally began to inch slowly backwards toward the cabinet where Rosa kept her herbs. ¡°Be careful around those!¡± Archie yelled, but it was too late. Lita had ¡®accidentally¡¯ bumped into the table, sending the mountain of apples rolling. Like a waterfall, they cascaded onto the floor, covering every inch of stone. ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Lita kept repeating as Rosa and Archie dove for the table, trying to catch the ones that hadn¡¯t yet fallen. Quick as a flash, Rosa and Archie fully occupied, Mally yanked the cabinet doors open, found the jar labeled ¡®Dreamless Sleep¡¯ and poured a good handful of the tea mixture into a very thin sack. She replaced the jar, closed the cabinet, pocketed the sack, and spun around to see Lita, Archie, and Rosa on their hands and knees retrieving apples. Somehow, all the apples Lita touched went sailing across the room. ¡°Out! Out! OUT!¡± Archie screamed, looking more and more like a raging bull. Lita stumbled in her haste to follow Mally out of the kitchen. ¡°Did you get it?¡± Lita asked breathlessly, her cheeks flushed from the excitement of goading Archie and living to tell about it. Mally patted her pocket and nodded. ¡°So all we have left to do, is put this into the bottle and wait for them to fall asleep,¡± said Mally confidently. The grin upon Lita¡¯s face faltered slightly. ¡°My aunt always told me, ¡®Never poke a sleeping cat in the eye.¡¯ I wonder if she would say the same thing about Molick?¡± .
A quarter of an hour before ten that night, Mally and Lita once again entered Archie¡¯s kitchen. At the sight of Lita, Archie¡¯s eyes narrowed and his mustache bristled. Lita calmly glanced around the kitchen. ¡°I see you¡¯ve cleaned up the apples,¡± she observed cheerfully. Archie¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits. ¡°Rosa,¡± Mally said quickly, afraid Archie was about to knock Lita atop the head with a skillet. ¡°We need Molick¡¯s wine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking it?¡± Rosa asked in surprise. ¡°Nathan always does.¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing it for him tonight,¡± Mally explained. ¡°Nathan and Gerda are having a romantic evening to themselves tonight,¡± Lita explained. Her lips twitched. ¡°And no knights are allowed.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°A date? How wonderful! I always thought those two would do well together.¡± Rosa handed Mally the dusty bottle that was sitting on the countertop. After they had closed the kitchen door, they hurried to Molick¡¯s study with seven minutes to spare. The study was empty. ¡°Molick must be with the king,¡± Mally said quietly, tip-toeing into the room. ¡°Hurry,¡± Lita whispered tensely, peeking into the corridor. Mally uncorked the bottle and poured it into its decanter. She then withdrew the tea bag with the dreamless sleep tea from her pocket and lowered it into the wine by its thin string. Mally only had to wait five minutes before Lita rushed to her from the door. ¡°He¡¯s coming,¡± she hissed. Heart racing, Mally pulled the stained bag back out of the wine and put it once more in her pocket. Mally and Lita both curtsied deeply when Molick entered the room. For a moment he frowned at them and Mally wondered fearfully if he would ask them why Nathan was not there. But instead, he turned his back to them and withdrew a fat cigar. Seconds later, a group of knights marched through the door, not sparing a single glance at Mally and Lita except for three of them: Sir Brian, Gibbs, and Bayard. Lita handed Mally the crystal goblets and Mally tried to pour the dark wine without it spilling due to her suddenly trembling hands. ¡°Where is Anon?¡± Molick asked the group of knights, as Mally and Lita passed out the goblets. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s coming tonight,¡± said Gibbs with the tone of a tattle-tail, drinking deeply from his goblet. He frowned slightly and looked at his glass. Mally stiffened and shot a nervous glance at Lita. The tea did taste strong ¡­ Gibbs shrugged and took another swallow. ¡°I shall inform him in the morning that my orders are mandatory,¡± said Molick. Gibbs finished his glass and raised the goblet into the air. Lita quickly refilled it. As time ticked by, Mally started to feel sweat bead upon her forehead. Was it going to work? When she had taken the dreamless sleep tea, the effect had been almost instantaneous. Had they steeped it long enough? Did it even work in wine? Lita glanced at Mally, her eyes mirroring her own fears. What if they didn¡¯t fall asleep? But then quite suddenly, Molick¡¯s hand twitched. Gibbs yawned widely. Bayard¡¯s head drooped. And before Mally¡¯s eyes, the knights all fell fast asleep. Vinsus was slumped in his chair. Sir Brian¡¯s feathered hat had tumbled off his head. Carefully, Mally and Lita stepped through the splayed legs and dropped goblets to Molick. The spilt wine looked like blood on the rug. Even in her tense state, Mally wondered how badly Meriyal would react to the dark stains. They had never decided who would be the one to actually take the key, but it was clear that Lita had no such intention. ¡°Go on,¡± she hissed. Taking a deep breath, Mally pulled Molick¡¯s coat more open and froze. ¡°Which key?¡± Mally moaned. Lita, looking horrified, stared at the dull, iron ring attached to Molick¡¯s belt. Some twenty keys dangled from it. ¡°Take all of them,¡± was her hoarse reply. Hoping desperately that the catacomb key would be amongst them, Mally gently removed the key ring from Molick¡¯s hip. She nearly jumped out of her skin as he grunted in his sleep. Lita had retreated to the door and was frantically waving for Mally to move quickly. Once she had closed Molick¡¯s study door, Mally expelled a shaky breath and leaned up against it. But Lita pulled at her arm. ¡°Come on!¡± she insisted. ¡°We don¡¯t know how long that tea will last!¡± They used the shortest route they knew to the catacombs, which were located far below the castle, like the dungeons. The catacombs had been banned from public visitation when Mally was five. She remembered not understanding why her father was so upset by the news, and when she had asked why she had been even more baffled. Tombs? Visiting the dead? It terrified her. But now she thought she understood better: the knights had already closed off Bosc Bell Tower and had begun changing the laws. Sealing the catacombs was just another part of their new regime. But was there more to it? Mally couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Had there been another reason for Molick to lock the catacomb¡¯s door? Had someone suspicious tried to pry open the young princess¡¯s casket? They traveled down a long, narrow set of stone stairs, worn and misshapen from years of use. The air grew steadily colder, and their breath came out in a misty vapor before their eyes. Lita had grabbed a burning candle on the way and it threw valuable light on the increasingly dark stairwell. Finally, the erratic candlelight illuminated a large wooden door with heavy ironwork at the bottom of the stairwell. Mally and Lita stopped. They glanced at each other, each silently encouraging the other, as Mally inserted the first key on the ring into the door¡¯s lock. It didn¡¯t fit. Fumbling, she tried the next. And the next. Beginning to panic, Mally asked, ¡°Do you have any idea what it looks like?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen it. Shaped like a skull, perhaps?¡± Lita offered unhelpfully. Mally bit back a grumble and pushed her sixth key (a large, heavy brass one) into the lock. The loud click that reverberated around them made both of them jump. Swallowing with difficulty, Mally pushed the heavy door open. Lita helped her¡ªthe hinges had rusted. They gritted their teeth as the door moaned and groaned loudly enough to wake the dead. Finally, they shoved it open enough that they could squeeze through, and Mally and Lita stepped into the royal catacombs. The entire royal family was housed here as well as the knights, their bones always connected to Bosc Castle. Mally¡¯s first impression was one of dread. The catacombs were huge. The walls were thirty feet high, at least. Hundreds of caskets, some huge, others pushed into compartments in the dirt walls with silver plaques above them. Mally couldn¡¯t see the end of the room, though she hoped that was really the fault of the darkness. She didn¡¯t want to dwell on just how big the catacombs were. They needed to get back to Molick to return the key ring before he woke. But there was the dust. There was so much dust¡ªsurely she¡¯d suffocate. A disgruntled gasp made Mally turn. Lita¡¯s hand covered her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s find it quick, so we can breathe,¡± said Mally, and though she knew they were quite alone, her voice was low and hushed. Lita nodded¡ªher nose wrinkled in distaste, she raised the candle higher so that they could see a bit farther ahead. Mally closed the door and for a moment considered locking it, but decided against it. There was no reason for anyone to try to enter the catacombs. Molick was insensate in his study and the king¡ªwell, hopefully the king was in bed. And Mally didn¡¯t like the idea of locking herself in an underground maze full of dead bodies. ¡°Where do you think she is?¡± asked Mally as they started down a hall. The floor was packed dirt. They passed row upon row of caskets, their smudged name plaques glinting in Lita¡¯s candlelight. ¡°Middle?¡± Lita guessed. Then she cried, ¡°Wait!¡± Mally turned to her and watched as she lit a tall candelabra. Mally was amazed Lita had even noticed it. Its silver was so tarnished it was the exact same color as the wall. ¡°So we can find our way back,¡± Lita explained. ¡°Good thinking,¡± Mally praised. She motioned for Lita to stand closer as she wiped grime from one of the plaques. ¡°A knight,¡± said Mally. ¡°I bet the royal family would have its own area.¡± ¡°A private suite?¡± Lita joked weakly. They continued on, deeper and deeper into the catacombs, Lita periodically lighting a few candles to mark the way back to the door. They shivered from the cold and Mally rubbed her hands together. She wished for the tenth time that she¡¯d brought a cloak. The ever pressing darkness and profound stillness made Mally want to run as fast as she could back to the door, and by the way the candle¡¯s light jerked and jumped about them, she guessed Lita would have agreed with her. After what seemed like hours¡ªthough Mally knew better¡ªLita finally spoke the concern that she had been pointedly ignoring. ¡°We¡¯re not going to find it,¡± said Lita. ¡°We will,¡± Mally assured her, hoping fervently that she was right. They had come across some areas that opened up into giant caverns. In these chambers, the tombs were large and ornate with scripts and markings carved into the marble caskets. There were no plaques lining the walls. No knights or squires or advisors were housed in here. Instead, the names of these deceased were carved on the lids of their tombs. ¡°She¡¯s got to be in one of those,¡± Mally had said when they¡¯d entered the first cavern. ¡°S¡¯ppose Lumpy got buried with his wig still on?¡± Lita asked with a nervous chuckle. But there was no Princess Avona Kellen carved on any of the tombs, so they had moved on. ¡°Mally, this is silly,¡± Lita said after they¡¯d passed the third chamber with no luck. ¡°Even if we find her, of course she¡¯ll be in there. Why wouldn¡¯t she be? And we¡¯ve been down here too long¡ªwhat if Molick¡¯s woken up?¡± she exclaimed, working herself into a panic. ¡°We have to find her, Lita. We may not get another chance,¡± Mally insisted, though she inwardly agreed with her. A voice had been screaming in her brain since she¡¯d closed the heavy, wooden door: Get out! What are you doing? Run, you idiot! ¡°I can¡¯t stand this,¡± Lita cried hoarsely. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªwhat was that!¡± Lita shrieked as they both spun around. ¡°A rat,¡± gasped Mally, trying to control her breathing. ¡°There are probably millions down here.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t sound like a rat,¡± Lita argued loudly, her face ashen. The candle in her hand was visibly shaking. ¡°Stop shaking the candle!¡± Mally ordered. ¡°You might blow it out!¡± That stilled Lita. ¡°Come on,¡± Mally pressed, tugging at Lita¡¯s arm. ¡°I think I see another chamber up ahead.¡± With a trembling Lita in tow, Mally entered their fourth chamber. Clearly wishing that she was anywhere else, Lita read the name of the closest tomb. ¡°King Sebastian!¡± Lita yelled so loudly that her voice echoed. ¡°She¡¯s got to be here then!¡± Mally cried in excitement. ¡°Bring the candle over here. Look at this one!¡± They both leaned over the marble casket, holding their breath as the words Princess Avona Kellen danced in the candlelight. ¡°This is it,¡± Mally breathed as her heart raced. ¡°Help me push off the lid.¡± Lita carefully set the candle down, and with Mally, she pushed the heavy lid. It slowly moved and when it was halfway off, they stopped. Lita grabbed the candle, nearly dropping it in her haste. Heart pounding, she flung it over the open tomb and with Mally gazed into its depths. The casket was empty. Chapter 28: Molicks Triumph They flew through the catacombs as if a ghost were at their heels. They ran full out, following Lita¡¯s lit path to the door. Lita¡¯s own candle had been extinguished and flung aside. They didn¡¯t bother blowing out the ones that lit their path to the catacomb door. They flickered like winking eyes through the gloom. Tripping, and blundering, Mally finally spotted the heavy wooden door. She and Lita grabbed hold of the iron loop and pulled with all their might as it creaked in displeasure. Fumbling, Mally jammed the key into the lock, twisting it roughly before bounding up the dark stairs after Lita. They didn¡¯t once slow, speeding madly through the pitch-black corridors to Molick¡¯s sitting room. They skidded to a halt. The door was still shut. Panting, they looked at each other. Were they still asleep? Mally inched the door open. A loud chorus of snores filled her ears. ¡°Asleep?¡± Lita asked in a strangled whisper. Mally nodded. She tip-toed into the room and carefully returned the key ring to its resting place at Molick¡¯s hip. .
They didn¡¯t return to their room¡ªthey didn¡¯t want to wake Gerda. Instead, they stumbled into a tearoom. It was well past curfew. All the candles in the castle had been extinguished. Lita collapsed into a chair, her legs spread out and limp. Mally¡¯s legs were too jerky to stay still, the whirling in her mind impossible to calm. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Lita asked between deep breaths. ¡°We¡¯ve got to tell Ivan or Galen,¡± said Mally, pacing fretfully. This was the proof Ivan needed. ¡°Princess Avona isn¡¯t dead.¡± But Lita frowned. ¡°We still can¡¯t be positive of that.¡± ¡°Oh, Lita!¡± Mally exclaimed, stamping her foot. ¡°The tomb was empty.¡± ¡°So maybe her body wasn¡¯t around to bury. No, listen to me!¡± Lita jumped to her feet. ¡°She could have been taken out of the castle. She could have been tossed in the ocean!¡± Mally flinched at Lita¡¯s words, but then she thought of something. ¡°Then why did King Salir tell everyone she¡¯d died of a fever? Why did he imply that she was buried?¡± ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t want the people thinking she had been murdered.¡± ¡°Why? King Sebastian had been murdered,¡± Mally countered. ¡°Why admit to one and not the other?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s known all along what happened to her because he did it himself,¡± Lita said slowly. ¡°He couldn¡¯t have!¡± Mally argued. Lita raised her eyebrows in surprise at Mally¡¯s sharp denial. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°Because you like him? Because he¡¯s nice to you?¡± ¡°No!¡± Mally shook her head. ¡°He may not know the truth either. We don¡¯t know how King Salir learned of the princess¡¯s death. Molick could have told him she¡¯d died of a fever.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re forgetting Molick¡¯s biggest weakness,¡± Lita said firmly. ¡°He brags. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it quiet for sixteen years that he¡¯d killed the princess.¡± Mally agreed silently. Lita pressed her lips into a thin line, her jaws tense. ¡°It¡¯s after hours. It would be wiser to wait to tell them come morning,¡± said Lita. But Mally was too full of adrenaline. There was no possible way she could sleep now. ¡°It¡¯s not Thursday for another three days,¡± Mally argued. ¡°We can¡¯t wait that long!¡± ¡°But what exactly have we learned?¡± Lita asked. ¡°We still don¡¯t know what happened to her! We don¡¯t have any proof she¡¯s alive!¡± ¡°They should still know,¡± Mally replied stubbornly. ¡°There was a reason the catacombs were locked up and I think it was because Molick didn¡¯t want anyone finding out the princess is alive and missing.¡± Lita frowned at Mally, looking slightly exasperated. Finally, she said, ¡°How do we get out? We can¡¯t pass the guard at the gate.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a trapdoor in the cellar,¡± Mally answered quickly. ¡°Come on!¡± She grabbed Lita¡¯s hand and ran into the hall, heading toward Archie¡¯s kitchen. But halfway to their destination, Mally stopped so suddenly that Lita stumbled into her. ¡°Aggh! Mally!¡± Lita cried in anger, steadying herself. But Mally ignored her. She had spun around, staring down the corridor they had just come from. ¡°What is it?¡± Lita whispered, looking over Mally¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I thought I heard something.¡± Her eyes tried desperately to see into the darkness that engulfed the corridor. A clammy unease crept up her arms and neck. ¡°Oh, this is silly.¡± There was a strike of a match and Lita held up a burning flame. ¡°Nobody¡¯s there,¡± she breathed. Mally tore her eyes from the corridor, turned back around and continued to the kitchen at a jog. ¡°Archie kept this secret,¡± Lita muttered as Mally lifted the trapdoor in the back of the cellar. ¡°He told you and not me?¡± she asked, playfully jealous. ¡°Sammy did.¡± ¡°Ah! Where should we go? The Lone Candle?¡± Lita asked. Mally nodded and motioned for Lita to follow her down the stairs. Lita handed her the candle and they soon emerged into the worn-down shed outside of the castle¡¯s walls. The night sky was heavily covered by thick clouds, leaving the roads frightfully dark. No one else was out. It had to be several hours past midnight and well past curfew. ¡°Should we risk the candle?¡± Mally asked. She didn¡¯t like the idea of traveling the streets in the dark, even though she had done it once before. Lita shook her head. Mally blew out the flame and took a moment for her eyes to adjust. They cautiously crept down the streets, keeping close to the sides of buildings and glancing over their shoulders. It was with deep relief that they reached the Lone Candle and Mally knocked on the door. It was flung open so quickly after her knock that she and Lita both jumped back startled. But Galen wasn¡¯t the one standing opposite them¡ªEdwin was, Galen¡¯s little brother. All blood seemed to have been drained from his face; his entire frame was as tense as a knot. He stared at them, just as surprised to see them as they were to see him, but then his face tightened. ¡°Come in,¡± he mouthed, waving them in rapidly. As he closed the door, he glanced over his shoulder at the stairs to the bedrooms with trepidation. ¡°We¡¯re looking for Galen,¡± said Mally, deciding to get straight to the point. ¡°He¡¯s not here,¡± Edwin answered, looking nervously out the dark window. A violent shiver ran through Mally. ¡°Where is he?¡± she demanded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Edwin¡¯s eyes went yet again to the stairs and he bit his lower lip. ¡°At a meeting,¡± he whispered and Mally understood his tension. Of course some of the meetings would happen past curfew, and of course Edwin would not be allowed to join him. Mally wondered how long he had been hovering by the door, waiting for Galen to return ¡­ or waiting for his mother to awake and realize Galen was missing. ¡°Where do they meet?¡± Lita asked. ¡°We must speak to him,¡± Mally pressed when Edwin didn¡¯t respond. ¡°We have information, Edwin.¡± Edwin¡¯s wide eyes flickered once more to the stairs clearly leading to his mother¡¯s room. He swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡± In seconds they were back on the cobbled road, Mally and Lita hurrying behind a slightly feverish Edwin. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to know where they meet,¡± Edwin explained in a tense whisper. ¡°I followed Galen one night and I swear, I thought he was going to hit me. I¡¯d never seen him so angry.¡± Edwin¡¯s legs moved in a rapid, erratic half-walk, half-jog. He led them down a narrow alley way and stopped before a dirty door. Nervously, he licked his lips, perspiration beading on his forehead. He lifted a clammy hand to the thin chain hanging beside the doorframe. He pulled. .
Down in the cave-like room where the rebel members sat around a large table, Cian Raghnall stopped in mid sentence when a small bell sounded in the room. Moving as one, each head turned to the small iron bell nailed to the wall. All breathing seemed to cease as they watched the bell¡¯s movements slow, its sharp ringing fading into the silence. Adam Thain turned from the bell and nodded to Garren who rose. The pair of them drew swords and quickly but silently climbed the stairs to the door, leaving the others behind at the table. All the rebel members were accounted for. No one else knew of their location. It could simply be a stranger, searching for a place to stay. But it could just as easily be a band of knights.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. They had reached the door and Garren glanced at Adam for final instructions. Adam nodded again, gripping his sword tightly. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Garren demanded through the door. ¡°Edwin Dunker with Mally Biddle and Lita Stump. We are unarmed.¡± Adam and Garren exchanged surprised glances. A Dunker boy? With the spy? And who was Stump? Curious, but not relinquishing his hold on his sword, Adam nodded to Garren. Garren unlatched the many locks. .
After Edwin had rung the bell, Mally busied herself by keeping watch. It was much too dark to see either end of the narrow alley. Then a gruff voice sounded through the door. Mally¡¯s head spun around as Edwin replied. For someone so young, Edwin impressed Mally. He was terrified¡ªthat was obvious¡ªbut his voice came out strong and clear. The door opened and a muscled man stood in the doorway. He quickly ushered them inside where another hard-looking man stood. It didn¡¯t escape her notice that they both held swords. ¡°What is your business?¡± asked the man who stood to the side as the other latched numerous locks. It seemed that Edwin had used up the last of his courage for he just stared wide-eyed at the glaring man. Lita looked pointedly at Mally. ¡°We have information about the princess,¡± Mally supplied in her companions¡¯ silence. The man¡¯s eyes widened under his bushy eyebrows. In one swift movement, he sheathed his sword. ¡°My name is Adam Thain. I am one of the rebel leaders. You are Biddle, correct?¡± Mally stared at him in surprise. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Ivan pointed you out to me,¡± Adam nodded. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate, his eyes lingering on Lita. Mally wondered if only she would be allowed any farther¡ªif he would shove Lita and Edwin back through the door. But then his gaze hardened and he addressed the three of them, ¡°Come.¡± He led them swiftly down a narrow, dark hallway and then down a set of stairs. At the end of the stairs he opened a door. Candlelight momentarily blinded Mally. Blinking quickly to adjust her eyes, she heard a startled shout. ¡°Edwin!¡± Mally only had a second to take in the room she, Edwin, and Lita had been led to before Galen rushed to them, Ivan on his heels. It was a dreary, grey, stone room filled with men, all of whom also moved forward, though at a slower pace. Mally saw more than one casually place a hand on the sword hilt at his hip. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Galen demanded, his eyes jumping from his brother to Mally to Lita and back again. ¡°We asked him to bring us,¡± Mally answered quickly. She didn¡¯t want Edwin to get in trouble. ¡°And who are you?¡± Mally turned to see a sneering man with his arms crossed formidably. ¡°Mally Biddle,¡± Mally replied crisply. ¡°Adam, perhaps another room?¡± Ivan suggested, cutting a wary glance at the rest of the group who were all staring at Mally and Lita with growing curiosity. ¡°Yes, perhaps ¡­¡± Adam agreed slowly. He raised his eyebrows, looking specifically at the oldest man in the room. ¡°We won¡¯t be long,¡± he told the rest. At his words, a few of the others surged forward, arguing. But the man with the folded arms simply glared daggers at the lot of them, his mouth twisting into an ugly grimace. Adam dropped a hand onto Mally¡¯s shoulder and steered her to a door on the other side of the room. Ivan, Galen, Lita, Edwin, and the old man followed closely. Mally heard the old man say something to the rest of the rebels as he closed the door behind him¡ªshutting out their demands. They were now in a much smaller room and Adam quickly lit a handful of candles. Three moth-eaten and molding chairs were the only furniture. Ivan immediately jumped forward. ¡°What happened?¡± He must have thought that Mally¡¯s appearance¡ªafter he had told her never to seek out the rebels¡ªmeant something terrible must have happened. Everyone in the tiny room was staring at the three of them. Lita, it seemed, had left what bravery she had in the room with the angry rebels, and Edwin cut a nervously meek glance at Mally. ¡°Well?¡± Ivan pressed. Mally licked her lips, glancing at Lita. ¡°We were just in the catacombs.¡± If Mally hadn¡¯t been so tense, she would have laughed at the reaction her words brought. Each one of the men¡¯s expressions were identical. Open mouthed, wide-eyed shock. They looked as if she had just informed them that she and Lita had run about the castle naked, screaming ¡°Long live the king¡± at the top of their voices. ¡°How?¡± Adam finally gasped. ¡°Romore and Molick are the only ones with keys.¡± Mally shook her head. They shouldn¡¯t be out of the castle much longer¡ªthere would be time to explain everything later. ¡°That¡¯s not important¡ª¡± Lita snorted. Mally looked at her friend in surprise. Lita was still an unhealthy shade of gray, but amusement glittered in her light brown eyes and a hint of an exasperated smile touched her lips. Mally felt her own lips curve. ¡°Mally!¡± Ivan snapped impatiently. ¡°What is important is that we got in,¡± Mally continued, addressing the men again. ¡°And we found Princess Avona¡¯s tomb.¡± ¡°And?¡± asked Galen. Mally inhaled. ¡°It was empty.¡± The old man collapsed into one of the chairs, a hand over his eyes. Triumph swelled in Ivan¡¯s face. ¡°Now what?¡± he asked Adam. But Adam was far from jubilant. ¡°This doesn¡¯t change anything, Ivan. Princess Avona could have been killed elsewhere.¡± Ivan spun around to Mally and Lita. ¡°Do you have any proof that she¡¯s alive?¡± An embarrassed sinking weight filled Mally¡¯s chest. She saw Lita out of the corner of her eye scuffle her shoes. ¡°No,¡± Mally said quietly. ¡°Nothing?¡± Ivan demanded, his voice weak. Mally couldn¡¯t bear to look at him any longer. She dropped her eyes to her feet, feeling so horribly stupid for dragging Lita and Edwin all this way for information that now seemed completely useless. The overwhelming excitement of drugging Molick and sneaking into a sealed chamber had erased all rational thought. A loud crash that made everyone jump suddenly sounded behind the door. For one wild moment, Mally thought the other rebels had given up on patience and were ramming their way in. But her senses caught up with her as she heard the shouting. The door burst open and the strongly muscled man who had let them in emerged. ¡°Cian! Adam! The knights are here!¡± Mally stood frozen as Adam and the old man¡ªwho must have been named Cian¡ªcharged out of the room without a backwards glance. ¡°Move!¡± Ivan grabbed Mally and Lita by the arm and ran into the main room. Galen was right behind them, a terrified Edwin in tow. The rebels had rushed the stairs, and from the clashing of sword on sword, were apparently fighting the knights in the hall. They were the only ones in the room. ¡°How do we get out?¡± asked Lita, spinning on the spot, trying to find an exit. ¡°We¡ªGarren!¡± Ivan cried as the man who had warned them tumbled down the stairs to their feet unconscious, a nasty, bloody gash on his forehead. ¡°There¡¯s a window up the stairs,¡± Galen yelled to them as the shouts and clanging increased in volume. The rebels were being forced back. ¡°Up the stairs. Come on!¡± Between the two of them, Galen and Ivan lifted Garren. But they would never be able to defend themselves if a knight broke through the rebels and charged them. ¡°Give me your sword,¡± Mally demanded. Ivan looked at her as if she had lost her mind. But Mally didn¡¯t wait for a reply. With Ivan¡¯s arms preoccupied, she tugged it free of its sheath. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Ivan yelled, his mouth finally catching up with his eyes. ¡°Which way is the window?¡± Mally asked, ignoring Ivan. ¡°Up the stairs to the left,¡± Galen answered. He shifted his weight slightly and pulled out his own sword, passing it to Lita. She looked a little surprised but took it without hesitation. ¡°Edwin, stay next to me,¡± Galen ordered. Edwin looked like wandering off was the last thing on his mind. With their heavy load, Galen and Ivan moved up the stairs, Mally and Lita in front of them. Mally gripped Ivan¡¯s sword in her sweaty hand. She had no idea how to use a sword. Its weight was the only thing keeping her hand from shaking. Halfway up the narrow stairs, Mally and Lita tensed as they heard a clamor. Then one of the rebels was falling head over feet toward them. Unlike Garren, he was not unconscious. ¡°Egan!¡± Galen yelled. Egan shook his head, perhaps to get the blood out of his eyes. He grabbed hold of Edwin¡¯s hand and tried to stand before cursing and doubling over¡ªa hand pressed tightly to his thigh. ¡°There are too many of them,¡± Egan bit out. ¡°We have to get to the window,¡± Mally ordered, her stomach twisting at the sight of Egan¡¯s bloody leg. ¡°Edwin, Lita. Help him.¡± They lifted Egan between them and once more traveled up the remaining stairs. Upon reaching the landing, Mally¡¯s heart rate tripled. The rebels were fighting tooth and nail in the tiny hallway. But there was so little room to maneuver. Only two rebels could stand at the front and battle against two knights before they fell back and two more took their place. The knights were steadily pushing their way farther into the hall, the rebels coming closer to the stairwell. ¡°The window!¡± Galen shouted in Mally¡¯s ear. She jumped¡ªshe¡¯d been in some sort of panicked trance, watching the fighting. She turned to the left away from the rebels and knights and came upon a window. Tossing the sword aside, Mally pushed the window open and stepped back. Lita jumped out first into a deserted alley. The knights were attacking the front of the building, while they were escaping out the side. Lita turned back to the window and raised her hands to help Egan out. After Egan had dropped the short distance, Edwin climbed through. Galen and Ivan lifted a still unconscious Garren through the window and Lita and Edwin managed to catch him. ¡°We have to get the others out,¡± said Galen, but before they could reply a terrified shout was heard over the yelling and clanging of swords¡ªa shout that made Mally, Ivan, and Galen¡¯s heads whip around. ¡°CIAN!¡± Mally didn¡¯t understand what had happened. She could barely see anything in the dark hallway. Her brain couldn¡¯t form a reply to Lita¡¯s panicked shouts outside the window, demanding to know what had happened. What she did understand was that Ivan had just retrieved his sword from the floor and had rushed straight into the commotion. ¡°Ivan!¡± Mally made to go after him, but Galen¡¯s arms were suddenly wrapped around her. ¡°Galen, let me go! Let me go!¡± Mally screamed, clawing and straining against his hold. ¡°I¡¯ll get him,¡± Galen panted into her ear, fighting just as hard to keep his hold on her. ¡°Go through the window.¡± He released her and jumped into the fray. Mally stumbled backwards until she bumped into the window frame. Shaking from head to foot, she climbed through it and joined the others. ¡°Where¡¯s Galen?¡± Edwin shouted and when Mally didn¡¯t reply he rushed at the window, but Mally grabbed hold of his shirt. ¡°Let me go!¡± Edwin snarled. In the deep recess of her mind, Mally found it interesting and ironic that she was now doing to Edwin just what Galen had done to her. ¡°Mally!¡± Edwin stopped struggling at the exact same second that Mally let go of his shirt. Their heads both jerked up to the window where Galen and another rebel who appeared uninjured climbed down to them. Mally¡¯s heart nearly stopped. They didn¡¯t have Ivan. ¡°Where¡¯s Ivan?¡± Mally demanded. ¡°Where¡¯s Adam? Cian?¡± Egan shouted. ¡°Captured¡± Galen answered thickly. ¡°Captured?¡± Egan repeated hoarsely. He swayed on his feet and Lita quickly took hold of him. ¡°We need to move, the knights will see us in seconds.¡± Galen looked close to retching. He turned his pale and suddenly hard face to Edwin. ¡°Take them to Maud¡¯s,¡± Galen ordered. ¡°I¡¯m going to get Mom and I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Edwin started, looking beyond terrified. ¡°We should stay together. We¡¯ll all go¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me, Edwin!¡± Galen shouted, making everyone around him flinch and stare. Mally had never seen Galen like this and from the looks of those around her, she wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Take them to Maud.¡± And with the fiercest glare Mally had ever seen, he ran past them in the direction of the Lone Candle. For a moment the lot of them just stared at each other before Edwin swallowed and said, ¡°Come on!¡± Edwin wrapped an arm under Egan¡¯s, Mally and Lita and the rebel who¡¯d jumped down from the window with Galen grabbed a still unconscious Garren. As quickly as they could, they hobbled down the alley. No one spoke. Only their heavy breathing filled their ears. Edwin was in the lead of what looked to Mally like some bizarre troop¡ªbloody and torn, wide-eyed and terrified, all painfully shuffling one after the other as quickly as possible. Mally¡¯s shoulders ached from Garren¡¯s weight and she was beyond thankful that the rebel was helping them carry him. Her legs screamed; her head pounded. She was excruciatingly aware of how long they were taking. ¡°Knights!¡± Edwin hissed and they all pressed themselves against the shadowy wall of a store. A group of ten knights walked across the street a few yards before them. With a twisting of her stomach that made her want to vomit, Mally thought of Galen¡ªalone. Edwin had been right. They shouldn¡¯t have separated. It was too dangerous. How had this happened? How could she have been stupid enough to take such a risk? They were no closer to discovering the truth of the princess and now, thanks to her idiocy, the entire rebel force was captured! Mally¡¯s stomach turned. It was all her fault. How had the knights known where they were? Had she and Lita and Edwin been followed? But that was ridiculous, Mally argued. No one had followed them¡ªthey would have known if they had been. Wouldn¡¯t they? But the whirling in Mally¡¯s brain suddenly took another turn as they stepped before number 113. This time she couldn¡¯t see the display on the other side of the glass, for all the candles in the apothecary had been extinguished, but Mally knew the skulls and carvings were still there. And not for the first time since Galen¡¯s departure, she wondered why they had been sent here. Edwin, still supporting Egan, walked with difficulty up the two stone steps and knocked four times, with a deliberate pause between each knock, on Maud¡¯s door. Chapter 29: The Doctors Declaration They shivered. A cat yowled in the shadows. Mally wasn¡¯t sure she could stand much longer. They didn¡¯t speak. They didn¡¯t move. They just stared at the door. Mally didn¡¯t understand why they were even here¡ªwould Maud heal their wounds? Mally wouldn¡¯t have placed any bets that Maud would willingly help anyone¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem the type. But she willed with every ounce of her being for that door to open. Then, quite suddenly, it did. ¡°Quickly,¡± Mally heard Maud rasp. Edwin helped Egan limp over the threshold and Mally and the others followed. Maud stood stooped in an old, grey nightgown, the hems frayed, her feet in moth-eaten slippers. A single candle shined light from her claw-like hand, making the lines upon her face stand out even more sharply. She gave them all one piercing stare over her hooked nose. ¡°Follow me.¡± Mally stared after Maud¡¯s retreating back startled. Maud didn¡¯t seem at all surprised that a group of wounded people stood in her shop. She led them behind the counter and down a few narrow, rickety steps that groaned and bent with their weight. They stood in a very small kitchen. A small mug and a chipped plate with a half-eaten roll sat alone on a tiny table. On the floor was a heavy rug, its rusty reds faded to rusty pinks. Maud moved to a narrow table against the wall where a battered tea service was set up. She pointed to Edwin and the other rebel. ¡°You two. Push this aside.¡± Mally, Lita and the rebel carefully lowered Garren to the floor and Egan collapsed in the only chair at the table, white hands clutching his blood-stained leg. Lita rushed to him and murmured something soothing in his ear. He nodded, biting his lip, eyes screwed up in pain. Mally was amazed he was still conscious, with the amount of blood he was losing. From the paleness of his face, she wondered how much longer it would be before he gave up and lost consciousness. ¡°Quickly!¡± Maud snapped. Grunting, they pushed the table aside and Maud bent down and drew back a corner of the rug, revealing a trap door. She grasped hold of the iron ring in her twisted hands and yanked. ¡°Down there,¡± Maud ordered. ¡°Quickly! Quickly!¡± With difficulty, they managed to get Garren and Egan down a short staircase. Maud came last, swinging the door shut behind her, and they were flung into darkness so impenetrable Mally couldn¡¯t see the hand that she lifted before her eyes. There was a shuffling and then light flared. Maud was lighting lamps and candles that were placed in brackets against the walls. Mally stared about her in startled surprise. They were in an underground room. It was well furnished, though dusty, with tables and bookcases and chairs. ¡°You,¡± Maud barked, looking at Mally, ¡°hold this to his forehead.¡± She tossed a cloth to her and pointed at Garren, propped up against one wall. Within seconds, Maud had given all of them jobs before climbing back up the stairs in search of herbs and bandages from her shop. Mally desperately wanted to know where Galen was. He had said he¡¯d be right there ¡­ but that had been so long ago. What if he¡¯d been caught? What if he was now in the dungeons like the others? What if he was ¡­ no, don¡¯t think that. Galen is fine. He¡¯ll be here. He¡¯ll¡ª The trap door swung open and a pair of boots appeared on the top step. Everyone tensed, staring as the newcomer emerged. ¡°Galen!¡± Edwin cried, rushing forward and throwing himself into his brother¡¯s arms. Mally grinned like a fool, taking in every inch of him. He was fine¡ªnot a scratch. He looked at her over Edwin¡¯s head and smiled slightly. Her heart raced so fast it hurt. ¡°Edwin!¡± Olive Dunker had joined them, still in her dressing gown. She swept up her son in such a strangling grasp that Edwin gasped for breath. ¡°Thank Lenzar!¡± she moaned. Then she pushed him from her, holding him tightly at arms length. Her eyes inspected him with frantic scrutiny. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt. You¡¯re not hurt,¡± she repeated in dazed relief. ¡°Come, Olive,¡± Maud ordered. She clamped a gnarled hand over Olive¡¯s elbow and pulled the pale woman through the only door in the room. Olive still hadn¡¯t let Edwin go and dragged him with her. That¡¯s when Mally noticed that a third person had descended the stairs, a tall, neatly shaved man with short, slicked-back, white hair. He carried a small briefcase with him. Without waiting, he hurried over to Egan and inspected the damage to his leg. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, Dr. Keaden,¡± Egan bit out, his eyes scrunched up in pain. ¡°It needs stitches,¡± Dr. Keaden replied. ¡°Maud, did you¡ª¡± ¡°I already cleaned it, William,¡± Maud replied, poking her head back through the open door. ¡°He needs stitches. That big one against the wall should be coming ¡®round soon, he mostly got knocked out,¡± she said. ¡°The cuts are shallow.¡± ¡°Lucky for him,¡± said Dr. Keaden, turning his attention back to Egan. ¡°Mally, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Mally looked up startled as Galen knelt down beside her, frowning at her right shoulder. She stared at it in surprise. She had no idea she¡¯d been cut¡ªwhen had that happened? Maybe when she¡¯d climbed out of the window? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bleeding,¡± Galen repeated and before Mally could do anything, he¡¯d grabbed hold of her arm and gently tugged her into the room where his mother, Edwin, and Maud sat. ¡°But I need to help¡ª¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Dr. Keaden will take care of them. He¡¯s brilliant,¡± Galen replied. ¡°And Lita and Daniel are in there. The only one seriously injured is Egan and if I know him, he won¡¯t let some stitches slow him down.¡± They had entered a very small room that seemed to be a storage area. Olive and Edwin were already sitting at a small table in the center. There were cabinets of dusty silverware, and a washing basin. Ropes of garlic, dried flowers, and herbs dangled above their heads. Along the walls were shelves filled with wines, pickled vegetables, containers of tea leaves, yarn and string. Maud had her stooped back to them, busy boiling a pot of water over the most minuscule fireplace Mally had ever seen. ¡°And how do you know him so well?¡± Olive demanded, eyes flashing at Galen. Mally was taken aback not only by the harshness of her tone but the fury burning in her eyes. Edwin seemed to shrink in his chair, his eyes shifting from his mother to his brother tensely. ¡°The reason couldn¡¯t possibly be that you joined an illegal group that I specifically forbade you from joining?¡± Olive continued, seeming to swell in anger. Mally unconsciously took a step back. Galen stared at his mother, his back stiff, before he abruptly turned from her and retrieved a damp clean cloth. ¡°It was my decision to make, Mother.¡± ¡°Your decision!¡± Olive exploded. ¡°Your decision has not only risked your own life but mine and your bother¡¯s! Were you thinking at all?¡± Galen didn¡¯t respond as he returned to Mally, pressing the cloth against the cut on her shoulder, making it sting. But Olive, in her old and faded dressing gown, looked wild with anger. ¡°Because of your decision we are all in danger!¡± she raged. ¡°If Thomas were here¡ª¡± ¡°He would be proud of his son.¡± Everyone in the room turned to Maud, startled. She carefully poured tea into a large mug before splashing a healthy amount of whisky in it. Maud gazed sternly at Olive, while handing her the cup. ¡°Thomas never approved of the rebels,¡± Olive argued, though she took the mug without hesitation. ¡°Thomas never approved of the knights either,¡± Maud countered. Suddenly Mally felt such warmth for the frightening old woman that she wanted to grasp one of her gnarled hands in appreciation. Galen¡¯s neck looked slightly warm, as if he was just as startled by¡ªand thankful for¡ªthis unexpected aid as Mally was. ¡°But you lied to me.¡± Olive choked on the tears now glittering in her eyes as she turned to Galen. ¡°How long have you ¡­¡± She squeezed her eyes shut as if she couldn¡¯t bear to name those who had endangered her sons. ¡°Nearly two years. Since Dad died,¡± Galen answered softly. With those words, whatever restraint Olive was clinging to crumbled and the tears streamed down her round cheeks. Galen knelt beside his sobbing mother, taking one hand in his own. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Galen continued. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand what happened to Dad ¡­ I had to do something. Please, please understand. I never wanted to upset you.¡± ¡°Like I said, Thomas would be proud,¡± Maud repeated firmly, approval glittering in her eyes. She nodded to Galen, picked up the tray of tea she had just finished pouring and limped back into the main room. Mally shifted uncomfortably. This wasn¡¯t something that she should be witnessing. She doubted any of them noticed when she quietly exited after Maud. While they had been talking, Dr. Keaden had stitched up Egan¡¯s leg. Lita was in the process of trying to convince an ashen-faced Egan to drink some tea, and a fully conscious Garren was cursing and grumbling darkly under his breath. Mally wondered what had happened to the other rebels¡ªif they were even still alive. Their capture was probably the greatest of Molick¡¯s triumphs. Dr. Keaden turned and glanced at Mally who still held the cloth to her shoulder. ¡°One more patient,¡± he said cheerfully to Mally, giving an obvious stare to her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± said Mally. ¡°Just a scratch.¡± ¡°Scratch or not, it needs to be looked at,¡± the doctor replied. Mally withdrew the cloth. To her consternation, he ripped her sleeve open to get a better look. He stiffened. ¡°Is it bad?¡± Mally asked nervously. She really hadn¡¯t looked at it, and though it stung and throbbed she hadn¡¯t thought it was worth fretting over. Dr. Keaden exhaled shakily, which only increased Mally¡¯s consternation. He hadn¡¯t reacted this way to any of the other injuries¡ªeven Egan¡¯s, which Mally hadn¡¯t been able to look at for very long without her stomach turning. ¡°Let¡¯s go up to Maud¡¯s shop,¡± said Dr. Keaden. ¡°I need some of the ingredients to make a paste.¡± And without even waiting for a reply, he had pulled her to the stairs and they soon stood in Maud¡¯s kitchen. ¡°Let me have another look at that.¡± Mally sat at the table and Dr. Keaden pulled up a chair so closely that their knees bumped. His nose was inches away from her shoulder and Mally blushed uncomfortably. His brow was furrowed, his eyes shining with some emotion that Mally didn¡¯t understand, and his mouth was in the thinnest of lines. Finally he looked up from her shoulder to her face. ¡°What is your name, my dear?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Mally Biddle,¡± Mally answered, wishing he would move back some. ¡°Mally Biddle?¡± Dr. Keaden repeated slowly and carefully, his frown even more pronounced. Mally had the strange feeling that he didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Yes,¡± Mally replied a bit forcefully. Dr. Keaden leaned back in his chair, expelling a caught breath. He entwined his fingers and stared hard at Mally as if debating with himself whether he should say the thing that was obviously on his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true, Miss Biddle,¡± the doctor finally murmured. Mally blinked. It took a moment for her brain to process what he¡¯d just said and then to realize he was serious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that is my name,¡± Mally replied, frowning in confusion and irritation. ¡°No. It¡¯s not.¡± The sharpness of those words took Mally completely by surprise. She stared at the doctor. ¡°You may think of yourself as Mally Biddle but you are most certainly not just Mally Biddle,¡± Dr. Keaden continued. The only response Mally managed was to blink at him stupidly. Was the man crazy? ¡°You have a birthmark on your right shoulder,¡± Dr. Keaden stated, nodding to the shoulder that he had moments before been inspecting with such close scrutiny. ¡°So?¡± Mally asked slightly rudely. ¡°People have birthmarks.¡± ¡°But no two are the same. Yours is quite distinctive. A paw print.¡± Mally nodded, still not understanding what this had to do with anything. She had always been fond of her birthmark. It was so small that people didn¡¯t tend to notice it, but it did have a rather attractive shape. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one other like it,¡± the doctor continued quietly. ¡°It was located on the right shoulder of Princess Avona.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± said Mally pleasantly, but crisply. She rose, wanting desperately to get back to Galen and Lita and far from this man. ¡°I was the one who oversaw the princess¡¯s birth. I cleaned her. I remember the birthmark quite distinctly.¡± ¡°Well that was many years ago¡ª¡± ¡°Seventeen in fact. Tell me, my dear, how old are you?¡± Mally froze on her way to the trap door. Slowly, she turned on the spot. Ice seemed to be running down her back. ¡°You¡¯ve made a mistake¡ª¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t made a mistake,¡± the doctor shook his head. ¡°How can you possibly remember a birthmark exactly after seventeen years?¡± Mally fumed, irritated by his calm countenance. ¡°You made quite the first impression¡ª¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me!¡± Mally yelled, removing the smile on his face quite effectively. His smile might have been removed, but his persistence hadn¡¯t. ¡°How did you manage to leave the castle?¡± Mally wanted to strangle him! ¡°I am not the princess! I was raised in Blighten by my mother and father!¡± Dr. Keaden met her gaze calmly. ¡°You may deny your identity as much as you wish, but your own skin tells the truth. You are Princess Avona.¡± Chapter 30: Back to Blighten The silence that followed that shocking statement was as thick as tar. Dr. Keaden rose from his chair keeping his gaze locked on Mally¡¯s stunned face. He moved past her to the trap door, opened it, and descended down the steps without another word. Mally stared for a long time at the stairwell, her heart racing, her mind filled with an odd ringing, before she slammed the trap door back down with such haste that it bounced back up. She spun around, her eyes not taking in any of the kitchen. The princess? Princess Avona? Her? Ridiculous! Absurd! The man was insane! So what if they both had birthmarks¡ªhers was probably a crooked swirl. It had been seventeen years, for God¡¯s sake. No one would remember something as trivial as a birthmark in such detail for all that time! But it was a horrible coincidence. Two birthmarks on two right shoulders on two seventeen-year-olds. Mally shut her eyes and grabbed her hair, twisting the curls painfully between her fingers. If that infernal ringing would just stop she could think! Her fingers stilled suddenly as she froze. What if he told them his suspicions? What would Galen or Lita think¡ªoh, God, what would Ivan do? But surely he wouldn¡¯t tell them? Somehow Mally didn¡¯t really believe that. Without even making a conscious decision, Mally had left the kitchen and was hastily weaving her way around the display tables in Maud¡¯s shop. Just as she turned the knob on the door, a patch of moonlight illuminated the table before the window adorned with skulls and herbs. There sat the giant rat, his black eyes trained on her form. His tail was draped lazily over one of the skull¡¯s jaws, his beetle black eyes glittering. Mally yanked the door open and fled. She was lucky. Only twice did she have to dive for cover to keep from being seen by passing knights. It seemed that the knights weren¡¯t satisfied with their capture¡ªthey knew a handful of rebels had escaped from their raid. Mally spotted many knights demanding entry from sleepy-eyed proprietors and roughly searching their homes and shops. She wondered why Maud¡¯s had yet to be visited by the brutes. Some twenty agonizingly tense minutes later, Mally cracked Bob Kettle¡¯s stable door open. Contented, sleepy snorts came from the dark stalls as she hurried to Sam¡¯s. The moment she had lifted the heavy iron latch with a clank, Sam arched his neck and snorted loudly. ¡°It¡¯s me, Sam. It¡¯s me!¡± Mally hissed, quickly running her hand down his long muzzle. He immediately calmed down and pushed his nose more forcefully into her hand, his ears twitching contentedly. In a flash she had him saddled and out of the stall. How she would get out of the city without the knights noticing she had no idea. It was impossible to hide Sam. They would just have to go as fast as possible. Sam¡¯s giant hooves sounded like hammers on the cobblestone as they fled through the city. Quite a few candles flared into life through dark windows as they rushed by the shops and apartments, startling the sleepers awake. Distantly Mally thought she heard a shout, but she didn¡¯t turn her head to look. As they neared the gate, Mally¡¯s heart jumped into her throat. It was open! A large wagon led by bleary-eyed mules was being allowed entry. At the sound of Sam¡¯s pounding hooves, the knights and wagon driver looked about, startled. ¡°Halt!¡± the knights yelled. Their shouts alerted those patrolling the towering outer walls. Five knights, drawing bows, ran above their heads to the gate. Mally simply bent lower over Sam¡¯s neck and begged him to go faster. Stupidly, or maybe bravely, the knights stood their ground, drawing their heavy swords. The wagon driver and mules on the other hand were not so dimwitted. Panicking when Sam didn¡¯t slow, the wagon driver lashed out at his mules who screamed and screeched as if they were being murdered. The wagon lurched forward, forcing the knights to jump out of the way of the trampling mules. Never hesitating in his stride, Sam plowed into the chaos. The knight who had stood guard when Mally had first entered the city so long ago¡ªSir Strap¡ªscreamed in fright as Sam nearly ran him over. Strap leapt back so quickly that he tumbled over backwards like a barrel. Mally heard his cursing along with the mules¡¯ screeching long after the city had been lost on the horizon. It had been a long time since Sam had truly stretched his legs and he reveled in the run. Blighten was four hours away from Bosc and it was still very dark. Mally wondered just how late it actually was, but she couldn¡¯t risk stopping to ask at a passing inn or farm house. The knights didn¡¯t allow people to just leave the city without their names being recorded¡ªMolick enjoyed keeping his puppets¡¯ strings accounted for. Even in Mally¡¯s fear of being followed, she slowed Sam to a canter. It wasn¡¯t wise to burn him out. When dawn broke on the horizon, Mally¡¯s stomach groaned and her eyes itched for sleep, but she straightened in the saddle and kept Sam moving. What Dr. Keaden had proclaimed was absolutely absurd! She was not Princess Avona. But she knew that if she had stayed with Galen and the rest, the doctor would certainly have told them what he thought. She had failed to convince him that he was wrong. Mally couldn¡¯t imagine what it would have been like to try to convince the others. Was their desire to be freed from this tyranny so great that they would have forced her to take a throne that was as much hers as Bob Kettle¡¯s? No, she had had to leave ¡­ there was no other option. And if they followed her? Then she would have the proof that only a mother could give. She was not Princess Avona. Shortly after dawn had begun to lighten the sky, grey clouds gathered and it started to rain. A cold, mournful rain that seeped through her servant clothes to her bones. Even Sam had lost his thrill for the journey. He now slowly walked down the muddy, sludgy roads where dirty half-melted snow had been pushed to either side. Mally shivered violently, wishing that she and Lita had thought to grab cloaks before they left the castle, but in all their excitement the thought had never entered their minds. A vision appeared in Mally¡¯s brain of her mother in her warm kitchen, stirring a giant pot of soup with a large teapot steaming on the table. She sneezed and buried her numb fingers in Sam¡¯s mane. The rain continued on and Mally lost track of time. She followed the wooden signs alongside the road that pointed the way to Blighten. What had become of Ivan? Was he alive? Locked in the dungeons? Had Dr. Keaden told everyone his theories? Was Lita panicking at her hasty retreat? Was Galen searching the city for her? Something painful stung in Mally¡¯s chest at the mental image of Galen ¡­ of Galen being told she had abandoned them. Would she ever see him again? With that thought, the pain in her chest nearly made her choke. Her eyes stung and a sob escaped her lips. .
. Susie Biddle threw another log onto the fire. What a disgusting day, she thought as she glanced out the window. Rain since dawn and still not any sign that it would stop. Susie turned as she heard a soft whimper. Bonnie, ears drooped, lay stretched before the door, her chin resting on her folded paws. ¡°I can¡¯t stop the rain,¡± said Susie. Bonnie lifted her head and Susie tried to keep the smile from her lips as the dog¡¯s gaze practically screamed boredom. With another deep pathetic sigh, Bonnie returned her chin to her paws. Shaking her head at her hound, Susie wiped her hands on her apron and went into the sitting room. From a large basket by the hearth, she retrieved wool and needles. Just as she had settled down in a cushioned rocking chair, needles poised to start knitting, a loud, ear-shattering barking erupted in the kitchen. Needles and wool flew through the air as Susie jumped in her chair.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Bonnie!¡± she yelled in fury. ¡°What the devil was that for?¡± But if Bonnie had heard her, she wasn¡¯t heeding her. In fact, the barking increased, each booming vocalization pounding on Susie¡¯s eardrums. Grumbling curses under her breathe, Susie rose from her chair and entered the kitchen. There she came across the most peculiar sight. What the devil, indeed. It was as if someone had flicked a switch. Just before, Bonnie could barely make herself move for lethargy, but now she was quivering with excitement. She danced, leaped, and barked before the door, her black tail swishing at breakneck speed. It was as if she were torn between wanting to run in circles around Susie and scratch the door down. Susie watched in stunned bafflement as Bonnie pressed her nose as hard as she could to the crack at the bottom of the door, whimpering and crying in a mixture of joy and desperation. Then the knock sounded. Even Bonnie froze, staring up at the door transfixed. The knock seemed hesitant, then rushed. Susie frowned, wondering who would be visiting her in such miserable weather. In a few swift strides, Susie crossed the floor, Bonnie watching her every move, and flung open the door. The sight of her visitor completely and utterly took her breath away. Shivering and dripping, Mally stood on her doorstep. Her hair was limp and heavy about her face; her clothes clung to her as if she¡¯d swum across a lake. She wasn¡¯t even wearing a cloak! The freckles that splattered across her cheeks stood out in stark relief against the paleness of her skin. ¡°Hello, Mom.¡± Susie¡¯s heart nearly froze at the quivering in her daughter¡¯s voice. ¡°Mally!¡± In one swift movement, Susie had scooped her into her arms and led her to a chair. Immediately Bonnie leapt to Mally¡¯s side. .
. Something in Mally sighed in relief at being back home, sitting once more in this chair, seeing her mother. Even though her nerves were shattered, a soft grin tugged at the corners of her mouth as she watched her mother fuss about her, gathering towels, scooting her chair closer to the fire, and bringing forth a giant mug of tea. Dear Lenzar, how she had missed her. Bonnie sighed contentedly, resting her chin on Mally¡¯s knee. ¡°You¡¯re home!¡± Susie exclaimed, tugging the towel closer about Mally¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve so missed you! You should have written that you were coming¡ªI¡¯d be more prepared!¡± Susie tucked a wet lock of hair behind Mally¡¯s ear fondly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wear your cloak, you silly child?¡± Mally smiled slightly and shrugged. Now that she was home, sitting before her merrily gibbering mother, how could she even possibly ask? Her mother didn¡¯t know the real reason she had gone to Bosc and Mally didn¡¯t want to admit that she had fooled her. That she had deliberately risked her life after telling her that she would be safe. Something in Mally¡¯s countenance made Susie still. Susie stared at her face and then her eyes roamed over her. ¡°Where is your traveling bag?¡± Mally froze. If her mother wasn¡¯t already suspicious at her sudden appearance then she was now. ¡°Mally, has something happened?¡± Susie asked in a low voice. Mally couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at her. She couldn¡¯t make her throat work. Where to start? The ambush? The truth of what she had been doing these last months? The rebellion? ¡°Princess Avona is alive.¡± Mally kept her eyes fixed on her mother¡¯s apron. ¡°Alive?¡± The disbelief forced Mally¡¯s head up and she nodded emphatically. ¡°Yes. Her casket is empty¡ªwe just found out last night.¡± Susie¡¯s eyes widened beyond their measure. ¡°What were you doing in the catacombs?¡± she demanded. At Mally¡¯s uncomfortable silence, Susie added with more force, ¡°What has been going on?¡± Mally¡¯s eyes swam with tears. ¡°Ivan is a rebel. He asked me to help him. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been in the castle¡ªI¡¯ve been helping him to find the princess!¡± Susie looked like she¡¯d been slapped. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Mally sobbed. Susie swallowed with difficulty and sat down in silence, watching Mally shiver and tremble. ¡°Have you eaten anything?¡± Susie asked in a very quiet voice. Mally shook her head, wiping her nose. Susie rose and ladled her a bowl of soup from the stove. ¡°Enough of that,¡± Susie ordered softly, placing a tray on Mally¡¯s lap. ¡°Eat.¡± With each bite, Mally calmed. Even her toes were starting to warm. Mally looked up and noticed that her mother had pulled a chair up to the fire as well, facing her, watching her every move. Suddenly, the beef in her mouth tasted like plaster. She had to say something. Even if they ended up laughing at the ridiculousness of the doctor¡¯s raving, she had to tell her. Mally doubted she had ever seen her mother¡¯s face so full of worry. Mally put down her spoon. ¡°The rebels were ambushed. Last night.¡± ¡°Is that why you came back?¡± Susie asked. ¡°Partly.¡± Mally shot her mother a quick glance. ¡°We¡¯d just informed them about the princess. A few of us got away¡ªthey¡¯re in hiding ¡­ but Ivan was captured.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± Susie demanded, leaping to her feet. Her eyes scanned Mally¡¯s body, searching for blood. Mally shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Now was the time, but suddenly she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes on her mother. Instead, she focused on a lump of beef, floating in the broth. ¡°Did you know that Princess Avona had a birthmark?¡± Mally asked quietly. ¡°No,¡± replied Susie, confused. ¡°The doctor who oversaw her birth saw to the injured rebels. A Doctor Keaden. He told me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ interesting.¡± It was clear to Mally that her mother found the fact that a doctor would say such trivial things while patching up the wounded baffling. ¡°He told me because he saw mine,¡± Mally explained, finally unable to restrain herself. ¡°He told me because he recognized it. He told me ¡­¡± her voice caught in her throat as if someone had gripped their hand around it and squeezed. Susie sat as rigid as a board, her eyes transfixed on Mally. The paleness of her face was increasing at a frightening rate. Mally wouldn¡¯t have been surprised, even with their close proximity to the fire, to have found her mother¡¯s skin as cold as marble. Panic flooded Mally with uncontrollable force. Though her mother hadn¡¯t uttered a sound, her countenance answered her more clearly than any words. ¡°My God, it¡¯s true!¡± Mally cried. Tray forgotten, she jumped to her feet. She hardly noticed a crash as a buzzing filled her ears. ¡°Mally! Mally, calm down! It might not be,¡± said Susie quickly, rising to her feet as well. She tried to grab Mally, but Mally viciously jerked away. ¡°Might not be? You¡¯re my mother! How can you not know who I am?¡± Mally demanded so loudly that her voice cracked and Bonnie huddled under the table. ¡°Because I adopted you!¡± Susie yelled back. Mally stumbled backward as if Susie¡¯s voice had pushed her. ¡°You¡ª¡± Susie breathed heavily as she continued. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have a child. My aunt lived in Bosc and she was getting very old and sick. Jonathan and I went to Bosc to bring her back to Blighten with us, but she was such a stubborn old woman. We stayed in Bosc longer than we had intended, trying to convince her to come with us. Then, one night, a friend of mine who worked in the castle appeared at my aunt¡¯s home. She had a baby in her arms. She told me that the baby had been abandoned in the work shed on the castle grounds. I was horrified. You were so dirty¡ªyou were only wrapped in a dishtowel. ¡°She told me that the baby would be taken to an orphanage in the morning and that if I wanted her, I could have her,¡± Susie continued after a pause. Her eyes swam with tears as she looked at Mally. ¡°I so wanted a child.¡± Mally sat down heavily. She was an orphan. But if¡ªher heart raced¡ªif she had been abandoned, dirty and uncared for, then she couldn¡¯t be the princess. She couldn¡¯t! Against her better judgment, Mally asked, ¡°Who was this friend?¡± ¡°Cayla Black,¡± Susie answered. That name rammed the fact of her heritage right through her soul. It was too many coincidences for Cayla Black¡ªthe princess¡¯s nursemaid¡ªto be on the streets giving away a baby just when the baby princess disappeared. She must have removed the baby¡¯s clothing and dirtied her face to make her appear discarded. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Mally demanded weakly as her vision blurred. ¡°I had no reason not to believe Cayla,¡± said Susie. ¡°It wasn¡¯t unheard of¡ªto have babies left on the doorstep of the castle. I haven¡¯t once considered it until now.¡± ¡°You believe the doctor? That was seventeen years ago!¡± Susie blinked her eyes sadly. ¡°You know what I know, Mally. Now you must decide what to believe.¡± ¡°And what do you think?¡± Mally asked. She searched her mother¡¯s face, willing her to scoff at the doctor¡¯s ravings. To convince her that it was absurd. Susie paused and placed a hand on Mally¡¯s knee. She raised her pale eyes so that they met Mally¡¯s. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible,¡± she said very quietly. ¡°Possible.¡± Chapter 31: Bones Manor The rest of the day seemed to go by in a drunken haze. Mally wasn¡¯t ever fully aware of where she was or what she was doing. More than anything she was highly attuned to the overwhelming sense of panic that constantly swirled beneath her chest. In towering waves it would engulf her, causing her body to tense into knots, her breathing to hitch, and her vision to spin. She was the princess. Her biological mother and father were the late king and queen of Lenzar. She had studied their portraits in King Salir¡¯s chamber ¡­ her mother and father. She must have been happy with them. She frowned. She had been taken away before she was a year old¡ªbut she must have been happy. Why was it that she wanted so desperately to know if she had been happy? Mally shook her head and felt the waves gathering speed once more. She already had a mother and father. Susie and Jonathan Biddle had played those roles; she didn¡¯t want more. And in all honesty, there was still a chance that Cayla¡¯s story had been true. Mally could have been abandoned by her uncaring birthmother in the storage shed beside Jack¡¯s shovels and pails. Cayla could have found her there and tried to find her a decent home. That could have happened ¡­ Mally grimaced and squeezed her eyes shut. Her fingers gripped her head and pulled at her hair. Guilt. All this panic ¡­ the fuel for it was guilt. If she was the princess, she could fix Lenzar. It was her duty ¡­ her job to return to the throne and fix everything ¡­ or, at least, it was what Dr. Keaden, Ivan, and everyone else would think she should do. But what about her? Mally nearly screamed the question aloud. What about her? Didn¡¯t her happiness count for anything? Didn¡¯t her opinion matter? No, Ivan¡¯s voice sounded in her head, his firm eyes glaring at her. ¡°No,¡± Mally whispered to the empty room, for she finally realized she was in her bedroom. ¡°No,¡± she repeated more forcefully, angry tears stinging her eyes. If Ivan wanted to save Lenzar so badly then he could take the throne. Mally would gladly pass it to him. There was a sudden commotion downstairs. Bonnie was barking and Susie yelled at her. Mally stood and inched toward the window, pulling the thin drapes aside. A young man on horseback had appeared in their yard. From his clothing, Mally knew he was a letter-carrier. She watched from the safety of her window as the man handed Susie something small and rode away. Mally turned to face her bedroom door, listening to her mother¡¯s footsteps traveling up the stairs and padding their way to her door. ¡°Mally?¡± Susie¡¯s voice sounded soft and gentle. ¡°You have a letter.¡± A thin envelope was slipped under her door and the retreating sounds of Susie¡¯s footsteps returned to the stairs. Mally picked up the letter. With trepidation she slipped the envelope open and pulled out the folded paper within. Mally, Dr. Keaden told me who you are, or who he thinks you are. And I understand why you ran, but I do wish you had left us some kind of message. Lita¡¯s in a mess. I have no idea whether or not you are safely with your mother, but I hope this letter will find you. I really don¡¯t know what I want to say ¡­ come back? Stay hidden? I realize that we¡¯ll probably never see each other again¡ªbut I can always hope. Please allow me that hope. Lita and I will keep your secret. Please, stay safe. Galen Mally stared at the letter. For nearly five minutes she just stared at his signature. Then she became aware that teardrops falling from her cheeks were spattering the ink. She roughly wiped her face, more moved than she could explain that he¡¯d called her Mally and not Princess Avona. .
Susie was now very worried. She understood that Mally needed to be alone to sort this out ¡­ it wasn¡¯t everyday that you found out you were adopted and the lost princess to boot. Susie just wished that there was something she could do ¡­ something she could say. After she¡¯d slipped the letter under Mally¡¯s door, she had returned to the kitchen to continue with dinner. One thing was for sure, Mally had to eat. Such stress could easily make her ill¡ªshe needed all the strength she could get. When the roast was on the table Susie decided it was time. Slowly, but purposefully, she climbed the stairs to Mally¡¯s bedroom. She knocked but only silence greeted her. No ¡­ Susie frowned and leaned closer to the door. Sobbing. Mally was crying. Without hesitation, Susie opened the door. Mally sat hunched over on her bed, a letter clutched in her hands. ¡°Mally.¡± Susie rushed to her and sat beside her. Mally looked up, her red eyes locked on Susie¡¯s. ¡°You will always be my mother,¡± she choked. ¡°Oh, Mally.¡± With a great sob, Mally threw herself into Susie¡¯s arms, clinging to her shirt like a child. .
Mally ate her dinner quietly. Susie kept trying to make small talk, but Mally wasn¡¯t in the mood for conversation. Her mind was busy with what she was going to do once her mother fell asleep. She had made her decision. She couldn¡¯t live with this guilt. She couldn¡¯t move on, knowing that she might have been able to save the kingdom. She had to know for a fact if she was the princess and there was only one person who could give her that information¡ªCayla Black. But Cayla lived in Leaveston, a day¡¯s journey from Blighten. From there, depending on the information Cayla gave her, she would return to Bosc. Her mother would refuse to let her leave alone. But Mally was not about to risk her mother¡¯s life, too. So with a warm smile, she said goodnight to her mother and waited in her bedroom until she was sure she was asleep. She inched down the stairs and left a note on the kitchen table. .
Dawn rose in an array of pale peaches and apricots. It was still terribly cold, but the wind had mercifully stopped. This time, Mally had been sure to wear a cloak. The rain had turned to snow in the night and the roads glistened and sparkled in the early morning sun. The farmhouses she passed looked like they were made of gingerbread. Mally tried not to think about how her mother was reacting to her empty bed or her note. She was much too far from Blighten now to turn back, or for her mother to catch up with her. Thrilled to be on the road again, Sam trotted along happily, twitching his ears in merriment and causing a good number of passerbies to turn and stare. Mally couldn¡¯t help the smile that tugged at her lips. Mally suddenly realized that Sam would be even more stunning with a gleaming royal saddle instead of the plain and battered one now on his back. His arched neck, high gait, forward ears, flicking tale¡ªhis very blood proclaimed his right to be front and center. Mally shook her head, marveling at how fate itself seemed to be trying to make her accept the truth. What if she¡¯d had a horse worthy of her rank all along?This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Mally shook herself, still keeping the tiny ounce of denial left firmly in place. She wouldn¡¯t accept it yet¡ªnot fully. Not until she¡¯d spoken to her. Mally only knew that Hebitha Bones lived in Leaveston. As to the exact location of her abode, she had no idea. But upon entering the large city, she received directions from the toothy proprietor of a vacant bar and twenty minutes later stood stunned before Bones Manor. Madame Bones had seemed frivolous and eccentric, so Mally shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that her home was just as over-the-top. The house was large and squat with multiple towers shooting off like sprouts from a chopped trunk. Someone had painted the wood and plaster a horrifying baby pink. With its white decorative edges around the windows and doors, it resembled a frosted cake. Mally bit her lip. Sam snorted beside her. After tying Sam to a waiting post beside a large and sweeping front stairway, Mally made her way to the front door. Hebitha had decorated many of the statues littering the entrance with wreaths round their stone necks. After tangling herself in a giant, ornamental fan with strings of beads and dried vines, Mally finally managed to pull the bell on the front door. The door opened and Mally quickly straightened. A stuffy, pinched-looking servant stood in the doorway, eyeing her suspiciously. ¡°Who is calling?¡± he asked. Even his voice sounded constricted. Mally wondered if he had a bad cold. ¡°Mally Biddle. If I may have a word with Madame Bones, please.¡± ¡°Humph,¡± the servant snorted, his watery eyes narrowing in disdain. ¡°You may wait in the welcoming chamber.¡± He stepped back to allow her entrance. Nodding politely, Mally walked past him only to stop in her tracks. There was hardly any walking space in the chamber. The walls, what little you could see of them, were a frightening cheddar yellow. Bookcases, spindly chairs with piles of trinkets, vases, paintings ¡­ ¡°Something wrong?¡± the man simpered, glaring at Mally as if daring her to say anything about his mistress. ¡°No, nothing,¡± Mally replied politely. He nodded stiffly. ¡°I will inform Madame you are here.¡± With amusement Mally watched him cross the room with what she could only describe as artistry, ducking and weaving through the mess before disappearing through a door she had not spotted in all the clutter. She wasn¡¯t left alone for very long. The servant soon returned and asked her to follow him. They walked past several other rooms that were just as cluttered as the welcoming chamber. Then they entered a room that reminded Mally of a crowded tea shop. The air was horribly stuffy thanks to a very large, burning fire. Mally immediately removed her cloak. Along the walls, Hebitha Bones had hung numerous portraits of Marlo, her yellow cat. His fur clashed horribly with the red walls. With a bit of difficulty, Mally managed to squeeze past tables and squishy chairs to reach Hebitha Bones. ¡°My dear!¡± Madame Bones exclaimed loudly. She extended her short arms to Mally in warm welcome ¡°Sit! Sit! I do love visitors! Cream or sugar?¡± ¡°Cream, thank you.¡± Mally sat in a very fluffy, pink chair and sunk a few inches. She took a cup of tea from Madame Bones and sipped it. A sickly sweet smell hung heavily in the room. Mally wondered if Hebitha ordered the servants to spray the room daily with perfume. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, my dear, but I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± Madam Bones said pleasantly, peering at Mally through her gloopy eyelashes. ¡°I was a servant at Bosc Castle during the Winter Ball.¡± Madam Bones fluttered her droopy lashes for a moment before her eyes widened in recognition. ¡°Ah yes! Yes, I remember you! What is it I can do for you, dear?¡± Madam Bones asked as she picked up a cake from a blindingly shiny platter. She kept her other hand firmly placed on Marlo, who sat in her lap. His yellow eyes glared at Mally. ¡°I was hoping you would allow me to speak to one of your servants,¡± Mally said calmly, though her heart rate was picking up speed. ¡°One of my servants?¡± Hebitha stared at Mally, her hand halted in its search for another cake. ¡°Yes, I believe her name is Cayla Black?¡± ¡°Cayla?¡± Madam Bones blinked rapidly, making her eyelashes flap like batwings. ¡°Oh, yes! She is charming!¡± Madam Bones exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t know what I¡¯d¡ªoh, Marlo!¡± Marlo had sensed that his distracted mistress had slackened her hold and he dove out of her lap, yellow tail high in the air as he streaked between tables and chairs. ¡°Robert! ROBERT!¡± Madam Bones cried frantically. The stuffy servant who had welcomed Mally appeared in the doorway just as Marlo dashed between his legs. ¡°I¡¯ll get him, Madam!¡± Robert proclaimed, spinning on the spot. ¡°And Miss Black!¡± Mally added. ¡°Yes! Yes¡ªCayla!¡± Madam Bones echoed. ¡°Bring Cayla, Robert!¡± A crash answered them. Madam Bones flopped back in her chair, looking like a winded chicken. Mally quickly refilled her teacup. ¡°Oh. Oh, thank you dear,¡± Madam Bones thanked her weakly, taking the cup. She sipped it, grimaced and added more sugar. Another crash sounded along with a muffled oof! Mally flinched at the smashing sounds. Madam Bones however, didn¡¯t seem to notice the destruction of her possessions that accompanied the search for Marlo. ¡°Have you had a cake?¡± Madam Bones asked sweetly, now looking much less flustered. Mally shook her head and Madam Bones placed a cake dripping in thick icing on a plate. Mally took a bite, nearly choked, and politely put it back down. ¡°You, um, have a lovely home,¡± said Mally, making a stab at conversation just as another loud shattering reached their ears. Madam Bones smiled girlishly. ¡°It¡¯s home,¡± she said happily. ¡°Madam.¡± Robert had returned. Three long scratches ran down his hand, and a lump was turning red on his temple. Clamped in his arms was an extremely sour Marlo. Madam Bones leapt to her feet. ¡°Oh, well done, Robert!¡± She took Marlo from him and turned back to Mally, looking oddly uneasy. ¡°My dear, I do hope you don¡¯t mind, but your company seems to disagree with Marlo. You won¡¯t mind if I leave you with Cayla?¡± Mally¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°That¡¯s perfectly all right,¡± she assured her. ¡°My apologies to Marlo.¡± Madam Bones nodded happily and trotted out of the room. ¡°Cayla will be here shortly,¡± said Robert tartly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Robert closed the door. A bit astonished at what she had just sat through, Mally blinked at the silverware. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± Startled, Mally turned in her chair. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Mally stood hastily, suddenly breathless. Cayla looked just as she had at Bosc Castle, though there seemed to be an extra degree of stiffness in her countenance. ¡°Would you like to sit?¡± Mally motioned to the chair Madam Bones had vacated. Cayla stared at Mally. She looked like she was biting the inside of her mouth. Mally, starting to feel hot in the face at the strained atmosphere, decided it was now or never. ¡°I have been told that you were the personal maid for Princess Avona,¡± Mally stated boldly. Cayla¡¯s face hardly flickered. ¡°Yes. I was.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Silence settled over them once more. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t offer you tea?¡± Mally asked, desperate to lighten the mood. ¡°Perhaps, Miss Biddle, you can tell me what it is you came here to say,¡± Cayla replied shortly. Mally blushed, suddenly feeling like a scolded child. She gritted her teeth. ¡°My mother told me the truth. You brought me to her as a baby.¡± Cayla¡¯s skin turned a milky white. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± she hissed. Mally blinked, feeling her own face pale as the last shred of denial was swept away. ¡°I was horrified when I saw you at the castle!¡± Cayla continued in a hoarse whisper, as if afraid of being overheard. ¡°Don¡¯t you realize the danger you were in, being employed there?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to realize that,¡± Mally admitted. Cayla turned away from Mally, frustrated. ¡°Why did you take me from the castle in the first place?¡± Mally asked, wanting to understand as much as she could while Cayla was willing to talk. Cayla looked at her as if she were stupid. ¡°The king had been murdered. And the queen¡¯s accident was no accident! It was only logical that you were next. What would you have done?¡± ¡°But Alice Spindle¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about Alice!¡± Cayla lashed out so fiercely that Mally flinched. Cayla breathed deeply and said more calmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She ran a trembling hand over her hair. ¡°Alice Spindle did not kill the king. She was set up.¡± ¡°By who?¡± Mally pressed. ¡°Surely you suspected someone.¡± Cayla nodded. ¡°I did. But ¡­ now I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Cayla shook her head as if remembering something from long ago. ¡°You and Susie need to leave Lenzar,¡± Cayla pressed. ¡°We cannot risk someone discovering who you are. You will not be safe anywhere in this kingdom.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Mally argued, surprising herself with her conviction. ¡°I have to make this right. I¡¯m going back.¡± ¡°No!¡± Cayla gripped her arms. ¡°You mustn¡¯t! Molick will kill you!¡± ¡°I must make this right¡ª¡± ¡°MARLO!¡± Mally and Cayla spun around just as Richard sprinted toward them down the hall. Marlo, quick as a flash, raced through the half-open door, disappearing somewhere in the clutter. Richard banged the door open and for a moment stared at Cayla and Mally. Huffing and chattering frantically, Madam Bones appeared behind Richard. ¡°Ah ha!¡± Richard must have spotted a paw because he dived under a squat couch. In his dive, he knocked over a tall, heavy candelabra. Mally leapt backwards to dodge it, but Cayla moved too slowly and had to catch it, leaving her struggling under its weight. Two more servants rushed into the room having heard the commotion. Somewhere in the activity, Mally heard Marlo hiss, Richard cry out, and Madam Bones¡¯s constant pleads of ¡°Careful! Oh, be careful!¡± Sensing her opportunity to leave without being noticed, Mally slipped out of the room and left Bones Manor before anyone could stop her. Chapter 32: Princess Avonas Return Mally stopped at an inn one hour outside of Bosc. She had traveled all day from Bones Manor to the city. The proprietor poured Mally a cup of tea while her husband wiped Sam down and put him in a stall. ¡°I won¡¯t be here very long,¡± Mally explained, taking the cup. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble!¡± the woman exclaimed, smiling broadly. ¡°Cookie?¡± She pushed a plate of walnut cookies toward Mally. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mally, taking one. It was really better for her to be talking to someone instead of sitting alone in a bedroom. She feared her nerves would turn her mad. At least, letting the proprietor talk and insist upon more tea, she could try to ignore what she was about to do. ¡°Where are you heading?¡± the woman asked. Mally hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying, ¡°Bosc.¡± ¡°Oh, dear, are you sure you want to do that?¡± the woman asked, her face paling. ¡°I thought everyone knew by now¡ªMolick captured the rebel group.¡± Mally¡¯s eyebrows rose. So Molick was bragging. ¡°The city isn¡¯t safe for anyone right now,¡± the woman continued. ¡°Knights have been searching everywhere, looking for the few rebels that managed to escape. Word is two castle servants were rebels and they were right under Molick¡¯s nose!¡± Mally felt her pulse quicken. She and Lita had been seen? At the ambush? Or had they been followed to the ambush? Mally hadn¡¯t spent much time wondering about how the knights had known where or when to attack, but that would all be explained if a knight had followed them to the location and then raced back to the castle and awoken Molick. It was certainly likely that the knights had been ordered to keep an eye out for her and Lita. But then how was she to get past Strap? .
With twilight as her cover, Mally cautiously approached Bosc. She heard men¡¯s voices sooner than she saw them and quickly dismounted. She didn¡¯t want to make it too easy. A large stack of barrels had been left a good distance outside of the entrance. Peering around them, Mally spotted from the light of the torches mounted on the walls, not two knights, but five guarding the gate. She cursed under her breath. How was she going to get past them? ¡°Mally?¡± Mally spun around, throwing up her fists to fight off whoever had recognized her when¡ª ¡°Allen?¡± Mally stared at the horse breeder from Blighten, momentarily flabbergasted. ¡°What¡ªwhat are you doing here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to help you!¡± ¡°What?¡± Mally now noticed that a large group of people with wagons and horses were gathered around them, all of whom she recognized from her hometown. ¡°What?¡± she repeated stupidly. ¡°Susie told us,¡± Allen explained. ¡°We¡¯ve come to fight!¡± a tiny, wiry man named Adam Woodruff proclaimed. He was answered with a resounding ¡°Aye!¡± ¡°Shhhh! They¡¯ll hear you!¡± someone scolded. Mally glanced nervously at the gate, but the knights weren¡¯t looking their way. She turned back to Allen. ¡°There¡¯s no point in arguing with us, Mally,¡± he said seriously. ¡°The rebels have been captured. We want to make a stand. And from the fact that you¡¯re here, it looks like you want to do the same.¡± Mally swallowed the lump in her throat. ¡°Do you ¡­ did my mother tell you ¡­¡± ¡°Who you are? Who you both suspect you are?¡± Allen finished. ¡°Yes.¡± The people around Allen all suddenly nodded, their faces and eyes warm. Some even whispered under their breath, ¡®Princess Avona¡¯ and touched their lips, inclining their heads slightly. Mally felt her cheeks redden, but with a quick glance at the wagons, she said, ¡°I need to get in, but I think the knights are looking for me. One of them may have seen me at the ambush when the rebels were captured. I don¡¯t think they know who I am¡ªwho I really am. But they might suspect me for a rebel.¡± ¡°Jump in a wagon,¡± Allen suggested immediately. ¡°Judy, throw Mally some blankets to hide under.¡± ¡°And Sam,¡± Mally pressed. ¡°Hmmm, fine Sam,¡± Allen commented, nodding approvingly to his former foal. ¡°He¡¯ll be hard to hide, but ¡­¡± Allen, along with the help of three others, took off Sam¡¯s bridle and saddle, and harnessed him up to one of the wagons with two other mares. ¡°Here! Here¡¯s some dirt!¡± Stuart Jennings rushed toward them. ¡°Good thinking!¡± Allen and a few others started dirtying Sam¡¯s hide. In the torchlight, in such a large crowd, and dirtied, the knights would be hard pressed to pick him out. Mally climbed into one of the wagons and stubbed her toe. Pulling some of the blankets off, she uncovered an axe. She swallowed. ¡°We¡¯re here to fight,¡± Allen repeated seriously. ¡°Be careful where you lie down.¡± Mally nodded and once she had been completely hidden, they started their progress to the gate. ¡°Halt there!¡± Mally listened, holding her breath, as Allen talked his way past Strap. The wagon rattled beneath her as they moved into the city. She expelled a shaky breath but didn¡¯t move until the wagon had stopped again and Allen pulled the blanket back. ¡°I need to find the rebels,¡± Mally said quietly after scanning her surroundings. No one was about. The streets were darkening quickly. It wasn¡¯t yet curfew, but Mally feared it was closely approaching. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°Probably in an apothecary.¡± ¡°An apothecary?¡± ¡°Yes, and you should all come with me. It¡¯s too dangerous for anyone to be on the streets¡ªcurfew is coming. Maud will take you in.¡± Mally walked ahead of the wagons, tugging her hood far over her face. They wouldn¡¯t be able to get the wagons in Maud¡¯s narrow alleyway, but they could leave them at the market, as the other farmers did. The knights wouldn¡¯t suspect that, the way they might if the wagons looked abandoned in an unusual location. After they had left the wagons¡ªloaded with hidden weapons¡ªMally, followed by a close and large group, quickly traveled to the apothecary. She led them down the empty streets, worried that if they ran, they would cause suspicion. There was no need for a knight to stop them until the bells tolled the hour. To the knights, they probably looked like a large group of farmers on their way to an inn. If they acted strangely, they would be halted. So against her desires, she walked at a steady pace, straight down the streets, though she made sure her face was hidden. Finally, hardly believing they¡¯d made it, she knocked on Maud¡¯s door. ¡°Maybe no one¡¯s in?¡± Allen whispered. He had climbed the stairs and stood beside her on the top step. ¡°Where would they have gone?¡± Mally asked, knocking again. ¡°Someone is going to hear you.¡± ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t have a bell!¡± Mally hissed. ¡°Stop fussing!¡± came a rasp. Mally jumped in surprise. There was Maud looking just as formidable as ever in her doorway. ¡°So you came back,¡± she stated as if she¡¯d won a bet. ¡°Maud knew you would.¡± She walked back into her shop; Mally, Allen and the rest followed. They quickly entered the kitchen and from there, descended the hidden stairs. ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Maud announced to the room as Mally climbed down. Before she¡¯d even reached the bottom step, arms grabbed her. She was being hugged tightly by Galen and then by Lita. Mally felt swarmed and she loved every minute of it. When she¡¯d been given room and the chatter had died down, Mally started her introductions. Galen, Lita and Edwin stared wide-eyed at the large crowd descending the stairs. Soon it was too crowded to move in Maud¡¯s tiny underground room. ¡°They are here to help,¡± Mally explained. An excited cheer sounded. Egan and Garren, both of whom looked much better than the last time she had seen them, nodded their approval. ¡°We can take action tonight!¡± Edwin yelled in excitement, turning to his brother. ¡°The longer we wait, the more likely Adam and the others will be dead,¡± Egan agreed. ¡°We have enough manpower now. And the people are ready for the call.¡± ¡°The call?¡± Mally asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been sneaking around the city since you left,¡± Lita explained, flushed with excitement. She had entwined her arm in Mally¡¯s. ¡°Knocking on doors. Telling people that not all the rebels were taken captive. That we¡¯ve been planning to break into the castle and release the prisoners.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to find Meriyal or Mildred or Evelyn if you want to free the prisoners,¡± said Mally. ¡°They know a secret passage into the dungeons.¡± Lita looked shocked. Egan, Garren, and Galen were jubilant. ¡°The call is the bells,¡± Garren answered. ¡°When we ring the bells, we are making our move and those who wish to help will storm the castle.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the tower guarded?¡± asked Mally in surprise. ¡°By two knights.¡± Lita grinned at Mally¡¯s lack of calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you haven¡¯t seen Olive swing a frying pan.¡± Mally spotted Olive standing back a short ways. At Lita¡¯s words, she blushed slightly, but she didn¡¯t return Mally¡¯s tentative smile. She must be terrified, Mally thought. Then she realized who was missing. ¡°Where¡¯s Dr. Keaden?¡± She wasn¡¯t quite sure if she was glad he wasn¡¯t there, or disappointed. ¡°With Bob,¡± said Galen. He couldn¡¯t seem to stop smiling at her. Unable to help herself, she grinned back. ¡°Enough of this nonsense!¡± Maud croaked. Mally jumped and turned to the old woman. Maud¡¯s presence had been completely forgotten. Now the imposing woman shuffled into the candlelight and glared at Mally. ¡°Are you going to the king or not?¡± Mally swallowed, aware of all the eyes on her. She nodded. Instead of a cheer, tension filled the room. ¡°The time¡¯s come,¡± Egan spoke to the silent room. ¡°Olive, Garren and I will go to the Bell Tower.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need more than the three of us to take that tower,¡± Olive said, her eyes upon the large group from Blighten. Allen followed her gaze and said quickly, ¡°Stuart! Caleb! Go with them.¡± Two men stepped from the large group. ¡°Galen,¡± Egan continued. ¡°You, Mally, Lita, and Edwin will go to the castle. Now that we know there is a secret passage to the dungeons, don¡¯t bother waiting on the bells to sound. Get a headstart.¡± ¡°We need to get our weapons,¡± Allen reminded Egan swiftly. ¡°Daniel,¡± Egan turned to the rebel that had been uninjured in the ambush. ¡°Go with Allen and the rest of his group to their wagons. After they retrieve them, show them to the shed Lita told us about. You remember where the hidden door is?¡± Daniel nodded. ¡°Good. When you reach the shed, wait for the bells before you rush into the castle. Is everything understood?¡± he demanded of the large group. There were serious nods and murmurs of agreement. Egan and Garren passed Stuart and Caleb two shovels. Mally saw Olive pick up a large frying pan in one hand and gingerly hold a butcher¡¯s knife in the other. Mally, Galen, Lita, and Edwin were the first to climb the stairs, closely followed by the rest. Mally and her group left Maud¡¯s shop and hurried down the alley while Egan, Garren, Olive, Stuart and Caleb turned left, toward the Bell Tower.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Mally and her group slipped down the city streets as silently as ghosts until they came to the thicket that hid the crumbling shed from the view of the castle¡¯s walls. Mally, Lita, Galen, and Edwin disappeared through the hidden door in the side of the shed. ¡°We¡¯re positive the knights don¡¯t know about this passage?¡± Galen asked as they traveled in single file down the dark tunnel. The torch Mally held threw light about them. She glanced at him and was sure he was imagining a horde of knights, swords raised, waiting in the cellar. ¡°Positive.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to find Meriyal,¡± said Lita. ¡°I don¡¯t know how easy that will be.¡± When they reached the trapdoor to the cellar, Mally extinguished the torch and nervously, she and Galen lifted the floorboard. Cautiously, they peered over the edge into the gloomy room. No boots entered their line of vision nor did they hear any voices. Breathing a sigh of relief, they slid the board over and climbed out of the tunnel. The cellar was empty. They sprinted to one wall of the cellar and walked bent over, staying hidden behind the huge barrels. They reached the stairs that led to the kitchen but Mally stumbled to a halt: there were voices issuing from Archie¡¯s kitchen. ¡°See here, Diggleby, I¡¯m searching your kitchen no matter what you say!¡± Mally¡¯s heart nearly stopped as she and the others ducked down behind a rack of cheddars the size of wagon wheels. ¡°If you must, but you may see a change in the quality of your food, Bayard!¡± Archie snapped back. Footsteps thudded on the top of the stairs and Mally shrunk against the wall. She felt Galen pressed against her arm. She shot a glance at Lita who looked to be barely breathing. ¡°You don¡¯t go down there, Gibbs!¡± Archie yelled furiously. ¡°Ah, hiding something among the hams?¡± Bayard sneered. ¡°Worried about us finding someone?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Archie humphed. ¡°My concern is for the safety of my meads with that creature alone with them.¡± Gibbs¡¯ chuckle bubbled down the stairs to Mally. ¡°Everything must be tasted, Archie. Tasted.¡± ¡°You taste anything and I¡¯ll hit you with a pot!¡± Archie threatened. There was loud laughter and then Bayard¡¯s voice was heard over the noise. ¡°Then you go, Diggleby, and Gibbs and Rendle will go with you. Take care not to bump into anything,¡± he added with a sneer. Mally and Lita looked at each other and it was clear the same question was running through their heads: how were they going to get past the knights into the kitchen? There was no choice, but to wait for them to leave. ¡°There is nothing in my kitchen or down here,¡± Archie grumbled as he followed Gibbs and Sir Brian down the stairs into the cellar. He carried a large, silver ladle in one hand. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Diggleby,¡± Sir Brian spat, looking behind a barrel of mead. ¡°We know how fond you were of those two wretches.¡± Mally blinked in surprise. She had never heard Sir Brian sound so dangerous. But he was a knight, she reminded herself with cold embarrassment. Perhaps she had been wrong all along. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t been the one to leave gold in her mother¡¯s tea container. And the owner of that inn had been right. They were looking for them. A knight had seen Mally and Lita with the rebels during the ambush. ¡°I tell you, they ain¡¯t here!¡± Archie barked. ¡°Be careful with that! Don¡¯t touch those vinegars¡ªyou might drop one! And you! Get away from those!¡± Mally watched Archie rush to a section of cured hams that Gibbs was eyeing. Sir Brian snorted in distaste. His eyes moved to the rack of cheddars where Mally and the others hid, and Mally saw through a gap in the wheels of cheese, his eyes narrow. Her pulse pounding, she watched him stride straight toward them. ¡°OUCH! Now see here, Diggleby!¡± Two steps away from where Mally and the others crouched, Sir Brian spun around as a loud clang and oath issued behind him. It seemed Gibbs had tried to take a bite out of a ham and Archie, true to his word, had smacked Gibbs over the head with his silver ladle. ¡°I¡¯ll have your neck!¡± Gibbs screamed, rubbing his scalp with one hand and fumbling for his sword with the other. ¡°Go ahead!¡± Archie yelled, his eyes burning with a wild gleefulness, his ladle held high for another wallop. ¡°That way I¡¯ll never cure another ham for you to slobber over!¡± Sir Brian strode over to the two snarling men. He looked like he was having a difficult time keeping his face straight. ¡°What¡¯s going on down there?¡± Bayard yelled from the top of the stairs. He must have heard Gibbs and Archie shouting. ¡°Did you find them?¡± ¡°No. There isn¡¯t anyone here,¡± said Rendle. ¡°Come on, Leon.¡± Gibbs, his face like a great beet, humphed and marched past Archie, but he was sure to bump into Archie¡¯s shoulder fiercely. Not bothering to hide his smirk, Sir Brian followed him up the stairs. Mally expelled the breath that she had been holding. Galen and the others all had their mouths open. Archie, looking distinctly ruffled, snorted, making his large mustache flutter. ¡°Touch my hams,¡± he threatened under his breath. He started for the stairs, but caught a sudden movement behind the cheese. ¡°Mally! Lita!¡± He gasped. He hurried to them as they rose. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here! They¡¯re looking for you two¡ªthey think you¡¯re rebels! And ¡­ the Dunker boys?¡± Archie stared in a mixture of shock and confusion at Galen and Edwin. ¡°We know Molick is after us,¡± said Lita, looking ashen. ¡°Galen and Edwin are here to help,¡± said Mally. ¡°We¡¯re releasing the prisoners.¡± ¡°Releasing¡ª¡± Archie turned white. ¡°You¡¯ll get yourselves killed!¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, Archie,¡± said Lita with her old humor. ¡°Maybe you can show me your technique with that ladle.¡± Archie¡¯s mustache bristled, but his eyes shined with fondness. ¡°Wait for me to clear the kitchen.¡± And with his flour-dusted apron whipping about him, he rushed up the stairs. Mally and the others stood hunched behind the cheese, listening. ¡°Are you finished rummaging through my kitchen?¡± Mally heard Archie demand irritably. There was jeering laughter and Bayard ordered a stop to the search. Heavy footsteps thudded above Mally¡¯s head and then the sound softened until it was gone. ¡°Come,¡± Archie hissed, waving at them from the top of the stairs. They ran up the stairs. The kitchen had been sorely treated. Pots and ladles were scattered on the floor, and flour covered everything. The kitchen looked like it had been in a snowstorm. Archie turned on them immediately. ¡°There¡¯s no way to get into those dungeons without detection,¡± he said firmly, hands on hips. ¡°It¡¯s suicide and I will not allow it.¡± ¡°Meriyal knows a secret passageway into them. Mildred and Evelyn, too,¡± Lita explained. Archie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°We need to find them. Do you know where they are?¡± Mally asked. ¡°They would be extinguishing candles about now. Mildred always has the first floor¡ª¡± Mally and Lita stepped past Archie to pull back the painting of the bowl of fruit. Mally swung it open, revealing a narrow stone passageway lit with torches. Galen and Edwin dashed forward. Archie stared at them. ¡°But what¡¯s going on?¡± he demanded. Lita spun around with a jolly grin. ¡°We¡¯re rebels, Archie. And tonight we¡¯re taking the kingdom back. Oh¡ªand Mally¡¯s the princess.¡± Lita laughed as she shut the painting, blocking off Archie¡¯s astonished face. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have broken it to him lightly,¡± Mally smirked. ¡°I love surprising Archie!¡± Lita laughed. ¡°Can we get moving?¡± Galen asked, his voice tense. They quickly walked down the passage. The lit torches fluttered as they swept by. The passage was so narrow that they were forced to walk in a single line. Lita led, closely followed by Mally, Galen, and Edwin. The passage gently turned a corner and Lita stopped so suddenly that Mally, Galen and Edwin ran into her. Just as Galen was about to hiss in protest, Lita started pushing them frantically back down the passage. ¡°Gibbs!¡± she breathed. Gibbs? For a second Mally didn¡¯t understand her. They weren¡¯t at the end of the passage. Not yet. How could Gibbs be in the passage? Hiding huddled, Mally carefully looked around the corner. Sir Leon Gibbs, bright as day, stood in the center of their passage. He was alone, slowly revolving on his feet, softly humming. Shocked, she turned back to her group. Gibbs knew a passage! Did this mean that no servant passage was safe? But no knight had met them on the way to the cellar¡ªthey must only know a few, Mally reasoned to her feverous brain. ¡°What now?¡± Lita mouthed. Galen tugged Edwin closer to his side. They were trapped¡ªthey couldn¡¯t go forward, but if they returned to Archie¡¯s kitchen, they would be forced to travel through the main corridors. Galen suddenly jerked. ¡°Egan!¡± he whispered hoarsely. Mally felt dizzy. Egan and Allen and the others would be storming out of the cellar at any minute. Archie would show them this passage, thinking they would have the advantage! They had to get the passage open! They had to get Gibbs to leave. And there was only one thing Mally could think of. ¡°Get ready,¡± she hissed to them. Lita and Edwin¡¯s eyes widened. Mally squared her shoulders and ran. Ran at full speed around the corner with Lita, Galen, and Edwin on her heels. Gibbs had his back to them and turned at the sound of their footsteps in surprise. But Mally had already passed him, pushing him out of her way. Lita, Galen, and Edwin had blown past before he could utter a sound, but Mally could hear his heavy breathing chasing after them. Mally reached the end of the passage and wrenched the door open. She pushed the tapestry hiding it from view aside, but a startled yell made her turn. Edwin lay sprawled upon the floor. Galen lifted him, but Edwin gasped in pain and clutched his ankle. Farther down the passage, Mally saw Gibbs lumbering toward them like a winded bull. As one she, Lita, and Galen grabbed Edwin and carried him through the tapestry into the dark and thankfully deserted corridor. Wheezing and gasping, Lita spotted a broom cupboard. ¡°There!¡± she pointed. Awkwardly, they shuffled Edwin across the corridor and squeezed him inside amongst brooms and mops. ¡°You too, Galen!¡± Mally panted. ¡°Hide!¡± There was no more room left with Galen inside the cupboard and Mally knew Gibbs would burst through the tapestry any second. Before he could argue, Mally had shut the cupboard door in Galen¡¯s sweaty face and with Lita, dashed down the corridor. They ran and ducked behind statues at random moments before running again. Gibbs, Galen and Edwin were far behind them now. Completely out of breath, Mally sagged behind a giant vase. Lita doubled over beside her. ¡°Why¡ªaren¡¯t,¡± Lita wheezed, clutching her side, ¡°the¡ªknights¡ªon us? Gibbs ¡­ should have alerted ¡­ them¡ªby now.¡± But Mally wasn¡¯t thinking about that. The plan was unraveling. It would be chaos when the bells finally sounded. She turned toward Lita, her decision made. ¡°I¡¯m going to the king.¡± Lita stared at her as if she¡¯d sprouted horns. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need to talk to him. I need to tell him who I am.¡± ¡°Are you mad? He¡¯ll kill you or turn you into Molick!¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve changed your opinion of him, then?¡± Mally demanded. ¡°You thought he wasn¡¯t to blame for this!¡± ¡°I never said that!¡± ¡°He won¡¯t hurt me. He isn¡¯t Molick. I just want to give him a warning,¡± Mally explained. ¡°Molick is the one who deserves the people¡¯s fight, not the king. He¡¯s been used by Molick and I want to let him make the decision to join us or flee.¡± Mally finished her passionate whispering and stared at Lita, her gaze open but firm. ¡°I¡¯m going whether you like it or not. But I¡¯d like your company.¡± Lita breathed through her nose in discomfort, clearly torn. She nodded. Warmth flared in Mally¡¯s chest. They checked to make sure no knights had heard their whispered conversation before hurrying down the dark corridor. She knew Lita thought her an idiot for it, but she wanted to give King Salir a warning. If the people found him ¡­ she just wanted to tell him what was about to happen. That the throne was her right by birth and he no longer had to be used by Molick. She wouldn¡¯t even mind if he ran for it¡ªleaving the kingdom was probably his safest option. She just wanted to give him some time to act. Mally and Lita turned a sharp corner and nearly screamed in alarm. Seconds later, her panicked mind catching up to her, Mally breathed deeply. They had bumped into Meriyal and Nanette, each in their dressing gowns, extinguishing the candles. Meriyal and Nanette had been caught by surprise as much as Mally and Lita had; Meriyal held a trembling hand to her breast and Nanette had flung the silver candle snuffer high in the air, preparing to attack. ¡°Mally! Lita!¡± Meriyal gasped, trying to slow her breathing. ¡°You startled us horribly!¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nanette demanded fiercely, her eyes on Mally. Mally blinked in surprise at Nanette¡¯s uncharacteristic anger. ¡°Molick¡¯s been looking for you two!¡± Meriyal whispered. ¡°He believes you are rebel members.¡± ¡°We are,¡± said Lita, frowning at Nanette, too. Meriyal gasped again. Nanette hardly blinked. She continued to glower fiercely at Mally as if willing her to leave her presence just with her gaze alone. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Lita asked Nanette heatedly, offended by Nanette¡¯s attitude. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Nanette hissed, speaking to Mally. Lita bristled, annoyed at being ignored. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t she be here?¡± Lita argued. ¡°She has every right to be here! We¡¯re freeing the rebels tonight and fighting Molick!¡± Meriyal gasped for the third time and paled substantially. Nanette¡¯s color too dropped, but her eyes did not leave Mally¡¯s face. It was as if she was trying to say something through her gaze ¡­ as if she didn¡¯t want Meriyal and Lita to hear. ¡°You know ¡­¡± Mally could hardly understand how Nanette would know, but her behavior suddenly struck her as being similar to Cayla¡¯s. Cayla too did not approve of her returning to Bosc. Nanette¡¯s jaws clenched. Lita whipped her head around to look at Mally so fast, her braid flew through the air like a rope. ¡°She knows?¡± Meriyal¡¯s narrowed eyes stared at the three of them. ¡°Knows what? What do you know, Nanette?¡± Nanette¡¯s white lips thinned. ¡°She knows I¡¯m the princess,¡± Mally answered for her. Nanette closed her eyes; Meriyal literally stumbled backwards. ¡°What¡ªis¡ªis this true?¡± Meriyal demanded, her voice hoarse. Her wide eyes left Mally to land on Lita to finally focus on Nanette. ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Mally asked Nanette. With the three of them staring at her, Nanette seemed to find herself against a wall. ¡°Since Bayard attacked you,¡± she answered softly. ¡°When Gladys was praising the uniqueness of your birthmark. I have seen it before. I saw it when Cayla gave you baths. Cayla didn¡¯t like the mark very much. She found it unflattering and always made sure it was covered while you were in public.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t say anything?¡± asked Meriyal, staring at Nanette as if she had never seen her before. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to draw any more attention to her. She had already been attacked by a knight! I wasn¡¯t even sure if she knew¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Mally said. ¡°Not until very recently.¡± ¡°And now you¡¯re here,¡± said Meriyal, here eyes running up and down Mally. ¡°What are you planning?¡± Lita quickly explained Egan¡¯s plan¡ªwhich was looking frailer by the minute¡ªand that Galen and Edwin were hiding in the broom cupboard. ¡°I¡¯ll help the Dunker boys,¡± said Meriyal firmly. ¡°Nanette, the others need to be alerted, whether they wish to fight or run.¡± Nanette nodded. ¡°You two can come with me.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t, Meriyal,¡± Mally said quickly. They had been speaking for far too long already. She didn¡¯t want to waste any more time trying to convince Meriyal to let her see the king. ¡°We have our own¡ªthings we have to do.¡± Meriyal frowned deeply at Mally, and Nanette looked on the verge of saying something, but to Mally¡¯s relief, Meriyal nodded and said, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡± ¡°Meriyal! Be careful. The knights know of some of the passages!¡± Lita said quickly. Nanette gasped. For the first time, Meriyal seemed to deflate. ¡°It had to happen,¡± she said softly before hurrying past them to the first floor. With that, Mally and Lita continued on to the tapestry of the maiden by the stream¡ªthe tapestry that led directly to the king¡¯s chamber. They tiptoed quietly, and there were no surprises. As they reached a long stretch of corridor with a wide staircase to the left leading down to the next floor, Mally¡¯s heart leapt with excitement and nerves. The tapestry was right before them. But so was Bayard, standing guard; his thumb continued a slow pattern upon the handle of his sword. Mally and Lita exchanged a quick glance. How were they going to get past him? Just as Mally was about to whisper this question to Lita, Lita had flashed her an emboldened grin, leapt from their hiding place into the middle of the corridor, filled her lungs and screamed, ¡°KNIGHTS ARE SCUM!¡± There was a clatter as Bayard jumped in surprise. Lita had already turned tail and was flying down the darkened corridor. Cursing, Bayard raced after her. Mally had pressed herself flush against the dark nook where they had been hiding as Bayard dashed after Lita. Mally could hear Bayard roar, ¡°REBEL! REBEL IN THE CASTLE!¡± as he chased Lita down the corridor. Shaking from head to foot, Mally sprinted to the tapestry. She could hear the clanking of footsteps rushing toward her, but in the darkness, she couldn¡¯t see them. Her heart in her throat, she yanked the tapestry away from the hidden door and slipped into the passage. It didn¡¯t seem to take long. The passage was empty. Mally prayed she wouldn¡¯t find another knight guarding the other end. Each step brought her closer to a scene she had been formulating in her mind ever since she had accepted the fact that she was Princess Avona. The words to her speech had been clear and moving, yet now she couldn¡¯t bring back a single word. What was she going to say? Would he even believe her? Did he know Princess Avona had a birthmark? Or even what it looked like? Maybe she was foolish to see him alone. Maybe she should go back to the kitchen. But the knights knew they were in the castle. She couldn¡¯t turn back. All too quickly she stood before the stone door that was hidden by the tapestry that hung in the corner of King Salir¡¯s chamber. It struck her forcefully that she stood outside her parents¡¯ chamber. She slowly opened the door and for a moment stared at the rusty brown and gold threads weaved through the back of the tapestry. Then she inched it aside. King Salir sat in the same chair he had occupied when she¡¯d first visited him, with his back to the tapestry. In his hand, he lazily twirled a glass of wine. ¡°My dear? You desire my company?¡± Mally¡¯s throat went dry. He knew she was there. Stepping out from behind the tapestry, she cleared her throat. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± She forced her feet to walk toward him. Chapter 33: For the Kingdom If King Salir was surprised by her appearance, he didn¡¯t show it. In fact, his laid back countenance made Mally wonder if he had been expecting her all along. He smiled happily at her and twirled his glass. ¡°May I offer you a drink?¡± ¡°No thank you, Your Highness.¡± King Salir shrugged his shoulders, leaned forward, and refilled his glass from the wine decanter on the table. He paused as a bell tolled in the distance. Mally froze. King Salir frowned and glanced to his right where a large clock hung up on the wall. ¡°Peculiar,¡± he said. Mally could clearly see the face of the clock. Its hands rested at eleven-fifty. She tried to keep her face calm as her body tensed. They had taken over the tower. They had sent the message. Daniel and Allen would be leading the charge down the underground tunnel to the cellar. People all over the city would be rising into action, flooding the silent streets. Mally couldn¡¯t help herself. She risked a glance out of one of the tall, arched windows, but she couldn¡¯t make out the city. The moon was not in the sky. King Salir seemed to have shrugged off the odd timing of the Bell Tower¡¯s chime and turned back to Mally. He continued as if there had been no interruption. ¡°I think I can guess the reason for your late night visit.¡± Mally stared at him. Of course he knew what Molick knew: she was a rebel. Maybe he thought she was here to try to capture him. ¡°Though I must say, I find it odd that you are alone,¡± the king continued pleasantly. It suddenly struck Mally how strange it was to be standing in this quiet room when she knew a horrendous battle must be raging throughout the castle. Bayard had alerted the knights and Mally was tensed for the giant BOOM of the castle¡¯s front doors banging open, even though she knew she wouldn¡¯t hear it so far up in the castle. The king acted like there was nothing special about tonight. Tonight was just another night. As if he often expected visits from rebel members in his chamber. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, but we don¡¯t have much time,¡± Mally began. ¡°I¡¯m here to¡ª¡± King Salir flicked his hand. ¡°No, no. Please, let me guess,¡± King Salir interrupted with a smile. ¡°We should have some time before your comrades join us.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s what I¡¯m here about,¡± Mally said quickly. ¡°The castle is under siege¡ªyou have to run¡ª¡± ¡°Run?¡± The king looked at her strangely, as if for a moment he thought she was joking. ¡°Why ever, my dear, would I run?¡± Mally smiled in relief. He wasn¡¯t a coward. He was going to join them! He was going to help them fight! King Salir continued to stare at her, a hint of a frown marring his handsome brow. Then a thought seemed to occur to him and he laughed. He laughed so hard that it bounced off the walls. Mally felt her smile slide away. ¡°Oh, my dear, you are a funny one!¡± King Salir laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be fighting, all right. But not by your side.¡± King Salir suddenly moved forward, resting his elbows on his knees and fixing her with a heated gaze. His eyes seemed to be smoldering coals. ¡°I appreciate you warning me; it is very touching of you, but aren¡¯t you concerned for your well being? The knights could charge in here any second.¡± Mally paled. ¡°But I won¡¯t call them. No¡ªI would never do that.¡± King Salir smirked, his eyes twinkling with that heat that made Mally¡¯s stomach squirm. ¡°You can¡¯t count on anyone these days. They¡¯re all a bunch of idiotic children, playing with swords, and Molick¡¯s the biggest fool of them all. Nor do you need to worry about me calling Haskin,¡± King Salir added. ¡°Sir Anon?¡± Mally asked in confusion. ¡°Yes.¡± He chuckled at Mally¡¯s bemusement. ¡°Surely you wouldn¡¯t want me to call in the man that¡¯s been trying to do you in for two months?¡± ¡°Haskin? No, that was Bayard¡ªSir Adrian,¡± Mally explained, startled. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew about that.¡± ¡°Oh, I knew,¡± said King Salir cheerfully over his glass. ¡°But I assure you. It was not Bayard no matter how unpleasant he is. Believe me, Anon was doing his damnedest to kill you.¡± ¡°No! Sir Anon hasn¡¯t done anything to me!¡± King Salir shook his head, still smiling, like an uncle having a pleasant conversation with his favorite¡ªif stubborn¡ªniece. ¡°Bayard attacked me soon after I came here,¡± Mally continued to argue. ¡°Sir Anon¡ª¡± ¡°Sir Anon failed to kill you sixteen years ago,¡± King Salir interrupted. ¡°Sir Anon overheard Gladys telling Mildred about your birthmark. He recognized the description because he had seen it before when you were a baby. Sir Anon knew who you were. Sir Anon fiddled with the stand¡¯s legs and bumped it when you were standing under it. Sir Anon gave your friend those mushrooms intending for you to eat them. Sir Anon pushed you down the stairs. Sir Anon failed.¡± Mally stared at King Salir numbly. Incredulously. She couldn¡¯t believe this. Sir Anon? And if King Salir knew all of this ¡­ knew about her birthmark ¡­ he had known throughout their entire conversation who she was and why she was here! Why were they having this long talk when the knights and rebels were battling somewhere in the castle? But the king was speaking again. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear him attacking you now. Anon is dead.¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Mally¡¯s brain worked feverishly, trying to take this strange conversation in. Something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Mally said, trying to keep her voice calm. ¡°If you know who I am ¡­ who I really am, then we need to get moving. The rebels are attacking the castle¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re all imprisoned,¡± King Salir said with a shrug, but then he smiled as if Mally had just made a surprise move on a chessboard. ¡°Ah! But the servant passages! Oh, very clever, my dear. I always knew there had to be one leading to the dungeons, though I could never find it!¡± King Salir beamed at her. ¡°You know where the passages are?¡± Mally asked, her voice dropping. King Salir inclined his head, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know as many as Meriyal, but I know a good number. It seems that my timing was better than expected. I knew there would be a time when I would have to give out my¡ªand your¡ªcarefully kept secrets. I told Molick about a couple of passages just this evening. During dinner, actually. When Anon told me of his blundering, I knew it was time. He was a complete waste. I see now I made a mistake in trusting him. He¡¯s more useful to me now dead.¡± Mally took a step backwards, wanting to get far from this man.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Did you¡ª¡± ¡°Kill him?¡± King Salir finished for her. ¡°Of course I killed him.¡± Mally stumbled backward as if she¡¯d been punched. ¡°He had failed me. I have believed you dead for sixteen years. I¡¯ve believed you dead ever since he informed me that he¡¯d dropped you in the ocean. I told him to handle the servant Cayla as well, as she was becoming meddlesome, but she slipped through his incompetent fingers.¡± King Salir sighed. ¡°No matter, she resigned shortly afterwards. And when that woman Kiora Locke began to ask troubling questions about my story of your fever¡±¡ªKing Salir¡¯s mouth twitched into a smirk as if he had said something clever¡ª¡°Anon lured her to the Bell Tower and pushed her over the side. But when I discovered the truth ¡­ that he had lied to me ¡­ well, I didn¡¯t approve, Mally. I didn¡¯t approve at all.¡± He cocked his head suddenly and asked, ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t offer you something?¡± Mally was numb. It couldn¡¯t be. ¡°No? You do seem pale,¡± King Salir observed, taking a sip from his own glass. ¡°You were behind all of it?¡± Mally demanded, her voice constricted. Not Molick? It had never been Molick? King Salir looked highly satisfied. ¡°Oh yes. King Sebastian and your mother¡ª¡± King Salir laughed and shook his head. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do. No, not at all. They were so blind. Never noticed the knights organizing underneath their noses ¡­ never noticed me. The Horse Mint was simple and the poison in his goblet¡ª¡± King Salir¡¯s smile widened and he tilted his head back as if reliving a wonderful memory. ¡°My favorite part was the look on that stupid servant¡¯s face when Molick took her to the dungeons. I played my part well. No one knew it was me. Not Molick, not¡ª¡± ¡°Maud did!¡± Mally yelled. King Salir raised an eyebrow. ¡°She knew it was you all along!¡± Mally continued wildly. ¡°You got the poison from her apothecary, didn¡¯t you?¡± King Salir¡¯s smirk had disappeared but he whispered harshly, ¡°She held her tongue though. She had no proof. And who is going to listen to a mad old apothecary owner?¡± Mally gritted her teeth, feeling the waves of hate and fury radiate off her body. Her clenched fists were trembling in anger. She had come here to help him. To save him! ¡°What are the odds?¡± King Salir continued. ¡°Of all the places, all the towns, you come here. You had to come back to Bosc. But I prefer it this way. Now I can deal with you myself, as clearly, I should have from the beginning.¡± His smooth countenance was back under control. ¡°When Anon told me who you were, after the rebels had been captured, he tried to convince me that you would never come back. That the knights had scared you enough that you would stay hidden away in your small farm town. But I knew better. I knew you¡¯d come back. It was predictable¡ªthough, it would have made things so much easier if you had been a coward.¡± He placed his glass down on the table and stood. Mally watched him pull his sword out of its sheath. ¡°Shall we get this over with?¡± he asked. Mally froze, suddenly realizing how foolish she had been. She had nothing to defend herself with. She stared as Romore raised his sword, her brain horribly blank¡ª BOOM. Mally jumped and spun around; Romore froze. The doors to his chamber had been flung open with such violence that they banged on the stone walls. In a rush, Galen and Lita raced into the chamber with three knights at their heels. Galen grabbed Mally¡¯s elbow and they plunged for the tapestry that hid the secret passage. ¡°Get them!¡± Mally heard Romore scream. Mally, Lita, and Galen ran down the passage. Mally glanced over her shoulder and saw the knights chasing after them. ¡°Here! Here!¡± Lita gasped, taking a sharp right in the winding passages. With a startled oof! they ran into Nathan, Egan and two men Mally recognized as rebels who had been captured. ¡°Knights are behind us!¡± Lita gasped. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of them!¡± said Nathan, pushing past her. They started again, but Mally looked about her frantically. ¡°Where¡¯s Edwin?¡± ¡°With Mom,¡± Galen yelled, tugging her into a run. They rushed down the passageways, making a sharp turn or doubling back¡ªanything to confuse the knights following them. Mally picked up a sword stained with blood that lay abandoned on the cold stone and continued on. They raced through the secret passages without any sense of direction. Mally didn¡¯t have a clue where they were anymore. They skidded to a halt as another passageway crossed their path. ¡°Which way?¡± Mally asked. But before they could move in any direction, two knights went racing past them with Archie, Gerda, and Meriyal hot on their trail. Meriyal had a broom in her hands and was swiping it at the retreating knights. They had come and gone so quickly that Mally blinked. ¡°THERE THEY ARE!¡± Mally, Lita and Galen jumped. Bayard and Vinsus had appeared in the passage ahead. They were running toward them. Galen moved in front of Mally, raising his sword¡ª Suddenly Gibbs and Sir Brian appeared through the side passage from which Archie, Meriyal and Gerda had just emerged, blocking Mally, Galen and Lita. ¡°Run!¡± Gibbs yelled at them as his sword clashed with Bayard¡¯s. Mally and Lita stood frozen, staring stupidly as Gibbs and Sir Brian parried every blow. ¡°Mally!¡± Galen shouted, pulling on her arm. Mally grabbed Lita by the elbow and they stumbled away from the strange scene. She couldn¡¯t get her mind around what she had witnessed. Gibbs and Sir Brian were fighting the knights? They were helping the rebels? They dove into a side passage and flew down it. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Mally panted. They had left the servant passages at last. After a moment, Mally realized they were on the second floor, on the balcony that overlooked the great hall. The marbled remains of many smashed busts lay littered under their feet. Mally saw on the opposite side of the balcony more fighting between the knights and the rebels. She spotted Ivan amongst them, fighting Stoops. Down below in the great hall, there was more yelling and screaming. The great doors had been flung wide. ¡°Take that you barbarians!¡± Mally recognized the voice as she saw Bob Kettle out of the corner of her eye, directing his stable hands, who were standing halfway down the large staircase, throwing horseshoes at the knights trying to climb them. Lita gasped and gave a strangled cry. Mally turned to her in alarm, thinking she was injured, but Lita was pointing at the large, arching windows, her face terrible and ashen. Orange and yellow light glowed from the dark city. It took a moment before Mally¡¯s brain understood, but Lita cried out, ¡°They¡¯ve set the city ablaze! The knights are burning the city!¡± The knights that patrolled the outer walls of Bosc ¡­ Mally felt sick to her stomach. The door behind them suddenly banged open again and five more knights appeared along with King Salir. The knights flew upon them, forcing Galen and Lita to one side, while Mally ducked out of the way. King Salir ran toward her, raising his gleaming sword. She raised her own bloodied sword, but he easily knocked it from her grasp. She jumped aside, bumping into a candelabra. The candlesticks tumbled off their holders. As Romore raised his sword again, she grabbed hold of the candle stand and swung it at him like a club. He parried her attack, but Mally swung again, forcing Romore backwards. One of her wild swings knocked over a bust. It fell over the side of the balcony¡¯s rail. Romore¡¯s sword swooped down on her and she barely blocked the blow. Mally¡¯s hands trembled from the force and the candle stand dropped from her numb fingers. ¡°MALLY!¡± Galen yelled in panic. He couldn¡¯t get to her. Vinsus had him penned against the wall. Lita had been grabbed by another knight and she was kicking his shins. The others on the opposite side of the balcony couldn¡¯t get to her. She was alone. All alone against Romore. Mally¡¯s ears seemed to fill with fuzz. The noise around her was oddly muffled and all she could focus on was the sword point inches from her chest. Salir Romore stood before her. He was breathing quickly, slight perspiration on his brow, a smug grin spreading on his face. ¡°What a mess you¡¯ve caused,¡± Romore observed, glancing at the horde below them. ¡°I didn¡¯t cause this. You did,¡± Mally stated, glaring at Romore. ¡°Do they all know?¡± he asked, inclining his head to the battle below them. ¡°Yes, they must at least suspect ... No matter.¡± He took a step toward Mally, forcing her to take a hasty retreat to keep from being impaled. ¡°It¡¯s so easy to crush someone¡¯s hope,¡± he added conversationally. ¡°Simple really. You just have to find their inspiration.¡± Mally¡¯s lower back bumped into the rail, but Romore took another step. Mally leaned backwards over the rail, trying to keep away from his sword. ¡°And once their inspiration has been destroyed,¡± Romore continued with a smile. ¡°They give up.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t give up if you kill me,¡± Mally stated, marveling at her own conviction. Her heart pounded under her ribs, and part of her brain prayed for her to somehow survive this, but something had snapped in her. Around her, people were losing their lives to take back what had been taken from them. They would continue on their path whether she was alive or dead. This would have happened whether her identity had been discovered or not. Romore¡¯s sneer twisted into an ugly grimace. He lunged. Mally somehow dodged the blade and grabbed hold of the hilt. She struggled against him, fighting for the sword. Romore pushed her against the rail. Under her feet, the crumbled remains of the busts rolled, making her slip. Panicking, Mally realized Romore was trying to push her over the side! She twisted and kicked, trying to get loose from Romore¡¯s grasp. A sharp pain pierced her side, but she ignored it. She thought she heard people screaming her name. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Romore screamed. She had cut his arm by twisting the sword violently from his grasp. Feeling his hold slacken, Mally leaped around him, away from the rail. Romore spun around to face her, but as he did, his foot landed on a lump of stone from the broken busts. He slipped. As if in slow motion, Mally watched him teeter backwards¡ªhis startled eyes wide with fear¡ªand fall forty feet to the great hall below. Mally stood rooted to the spot. The sword dropped from her trembling hand with a clatter. She heard the noises around her as if from under water, muffled and confusing. She blinked, clammy sweat beading on her forehead. She didn¡¯t understand why her legs were shaking or why her vision swam ¡­ the pain in her side seared. She looked down and saw her shirt and skirt stained red. Chapter 34: New Dawn ¡°Ow! That was my foot, Christopher!¡± ¡°Well, move over!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no room!¡± ¡°If you two don¡¯t stop bickering I¡¯m throwing both of you out!¡± Mally found the conversation interesting. Her eyes were shut and her brain was moving slowly as if it was two steps behind the voices. ¡°Meriyal!¡± ¡°Shush Lita!¡± Mally¡¯s mouth twisted into a smile at hearing that. ¡°Mally? Mally, can you hear us?¡± Mally slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on a bed with a huge crowd of people surrounding it. ¡°Talking that loud, who wouldn¡¯t?¡± she asked. Mally smiled widely at the reaction her question caused. Laughter and cheering filled the room. Ivan, Galen, Edwin, Olive, Bob, Lita, Christopher, Nathan, Archie, Rosie, Sammy¡ªall of them! All of the servants and nearly all the original rebels were squeezed into the sick room. ¡°Where¡¯s Gerda!¡± Mally demanded, realizing who she couldn¡¯t easily see. ¡°Over here!¡± came Gerda¡¯s slightly muffled reply. Her hand waved energetically around Mildred¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Now you¡¯ve seen that she¡¯s fine, so you can all go,¡± Gladys ordered. ¡°Shoo!¡± There was instant uproar. Mally watched in amusement as Gladys forced her visitors out. But she did not even bother to prod Galen, Ivan, or Lita. They settled down into chairs around her bed. Gladys shut the door at the end of the hall and hurried back to Mally¡¯s bedside. After a quick check, with a fair amount of fussing, she deemed Mally stable and left the four alone. With help from Lita, Mally sat up against a stack of pillows. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alright. I thought when you fainted ¡­ but Galen got to you ¡­¡± Lita blinked rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s been happening? How long has it been?¡± ¡°Just a few hours. It¡¯s eight in the morning,¡± said Ivan. A huge grin suddenly spread across his face. His right eye was heavily blackened and bruised; Lita looked like she had fought out of a thicket; Galen had a heavy bandage wrapped around his left wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve never been more terrified in my life. I think watching you fight with Romore took five years off me.¡± Lita and Galen laughed. Mally smiled slightly before asking quietly, ¡°Did we lose anyone?¡± The three were instantly silent. ¡°About fifteen casualties,¡± Ivan answered. ¡°What about Molick?¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Galen replied shortly. When Ivan and Lita didn¡¯t expand, Mally took the hint. ¡°Were all the knights¡­?¡± Mally didn¡¯t want to finish her question. ¡°No,¡± said Ivan. ¡°We feel that they deserve some time to stew on what they did to us. We¡¯ve freed the prisoners and put the knights behind bars.¡± ¡°What about Sir Brian? Gibbs? You didn¡¯t lock them up?!¡± Mally would not stand for that! She still didn¡¯t understand their actions, but they had saved their lives. ¡°No,¡± said Galen. ¡°They¡¯re actually waiting outside.¡± Galen looked suddenly uncomfortable and Ivan was scowling. ¡°They want to talk to you.¡± Mally was surprised, but she quickly nodded her head. Ivan, looking completely distrustful, rose and opened the door. He murmured something and Gibbs and Sir Brian stepped into the room and stood before her bed. Gibbs had a nasty purple lump on the side of his head and Sir Brian walked with a heavy limp. But upon seeing her, they both lowered onto one knee. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Mally said quickly. ¡°Sit instead, please.¡± Mally pointed at the two chairs Galen and Ivan had abandoned. Instead they stood glaring, arms crossed, as if waiting for Gibbs and Sir Brian to make a move. Gibbs blinked his tiny eyes in mild surprise before settling into the chair beside Lita. Lita stared at Gibbs as if he were from another world. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Gibbs spoke softly, and the oil in his voice didn¡¯t make Mally shiver. ¡°We wish to explain ourselves.¡± And they did. Mally listened as Gibbs and Sir Brian told their side of the story, ever since she had disappeared from the castle, sixteen years ago. They told her how they pretended to be avid followers of Molick while secretly going against him any way they could think of. ¡°And how do we know you¡¯re not acting now?¡± Ivan demanded. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think the dungeons would agree with you, Gibbs.¡± Gibbs smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± he replied simply. ¡°You¡¯ll have to decide that for yourselves.¡± Ivan flushed and opened his mouth to retort, but Mally raised her hand. ¡°I want to hear them, Ivan,¡± she said quietly. Gibbs once again looked at Mally with surprise. He told her that he had decided to join the tax collectors. Periodically, so as not to arouse suspicion, Sir Brain would come with him on his trip. Gibbs would distract the members of the household while Sir Brian discreetly dropped coins here and there. ¡°My mother thought it was you,¡± Mally said to Sir Brian. ¡°Who put gold in our tea canister.¡± ¡°I think some people suspected,¡± Sir Brian agreed. ¡°But I think they had a hard time believing it.¡± ¡°Did you recognize me?¡± Mally asked Gibbs. ¡°From Blighten?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re hard to forget. When I heard the story that you came from Halspeare, I got nervous. And when Molick decided to check up on you, I managed to get Sir Brian to go along with him.¡± ¡°But I fiddled with the wheels of our carriage so that we were stuck on the outskirts of the city. And luckily, it poured all day. He finally decided to turn back when the wheels were fixed.¡± ¡°Why did you bother?¡± Mally asked. ¡°Did you know who I really was?¡± ¡°We had no idea as to your true identity,¡± said Gibbs. ¡°We had accepted your supposed death years ago.¡± ¡°Then why? Why try so hard to keep Molick from finding out I had lied to him?¡± Mally repeated. Gibbs shrugged. ¡°Because we didn¡¯t want him to,¡± he said. Mally stared at the two men before her. A silence stretched. It was as if Gibbs and Sir Brian sensed that their verdict was close at hand and bowed their heads. Mally wanted to say something, but the words evaded her. ¡°Why did you have to keep me cleaning daggers all night?¡± Lita exploded to the silent room. Gibbs turned to her in surprise. Sir Brian began to laugh. ¡°We had to periodically make your days difficult,¡± Gibbs explained, ¡°to keep our roles believable. We didn¡¯t enjoy it, but we had no choice.¡± ¡°Difficult?¡± Lita repeated hoarsely. ¡°Make our lives ¡­ difficult?¡± Gibbs had the grace to look rather embarrassed. ¡°My apologies¡ªbut I must tell you¡ªyou clean daggers better than anyone.¡± Lita wrinkled her nose, clearly unsure whether to the pleased by the compliment or not. .
Shortly afterward, Gibbs and Sir Brian were looked over by Gladys, and then left to help see to the flames in the city. Some were still being put out. Gladys shooed Lita, Galen, and Ivan out after them, saying Mally needed rest. ¡°I just have a cut,¡± Mally argued as Lita shut the sickroom door with a wink. ¡°A cut? That man nearly sliced you in half!¡± The sickroom door opened again and Mally cried out in joy and surprise. Her mother Susie stepped into the room, looking very out of place. The moment Susie saw her, she was at her bedside, squeezing her in the tightest of hugs. ¡°I just got into the city,¡± said Susie breathlessly. ¡°The roads have never been more crowded. It took me twice as long. I would have come with Allen, but I decided to round up more supporters.¡± Susie took a step back and stared at Mally fiercely. ¡°How are you?¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Wonderful now that you¡¯re here,¡± Mally said with a smile. Susie hugged her again. .
Even though Gladys had given strict orders as to when people could visit Mally and how many at a time, people still snuck in. Archie made a point of bringing Mally goblets of hot apple cider and cakes and cookies every hour. Mally was deeply moved when Nanette appeared with Cayla¡ªthey stayed with her for two hours. Lita told her of the numerous strangers coming to the city, all trying to see her. Mally began to worry about what inevitably awaited her in the near future. Ruling a kingdom? She didn¡¯t know where to start. The people expected so much from her. They thought that now, because she was here, everything would be put right again. Mally didn¡¯t know how to tell them that they would probably be better off picking someone who had some kind of experience. But Mally knew they would never hear of it. She was their hope. Their lost heir. They would never let her go again. Since Mally herself was finding it difficult to get used to her new title, she suspected her mother didn¡¯t have the faintest idea how to handle the interest she was attracting, as the woman who had raised Lenzar¡¯s princess. Susie was just as famous as Mally. Just as respectfully treated as anyone who had fought in the battle. ¡°It¡¯s a bit odd,¡± she admitted to Mally. Archie and Nathan had personally helped find her a room and she was now staying in the castle while Mally recovered. ¡°People staring and thanking me.¡± Mally grinned. A knock sounded on the door and turning, the two saw Sir Brian standing in the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he smiled. It was the third day after the battle and the people couldn¡¯t be denied any longer. They wanted to see their princess on her rightful pedestal. Gladys was firm and clear that Mally could not handle too much commotion or excitement and would have to leave early, but she allowed the feast. For that¡¯s what it was. A celebration feast for the new kingdom and a welcoming home to their princess. Lita, Meriyal, and Nanette had dressed her in a long white gown while Susie pinned back a few curls. Mally could not walk to the dining chamber so Sir Brian was to carry her. ¡°Careful, now. Go slow, Sir Brian,¡± fussed Gladys as they made their way down. By the time they reached the great hall, now clean of blood and broken statues, Mally could hear the muffled buzz of the gathering in the dining chamber. She looked anxiously at her mother. Susie smiled and squeezed her shoulder. Standing beside the closed doors to the chamber was Archie, his shiny bald pate glistening, his chest puffed out like a rooster¡¯s, his huge mustache fluffed. He wasn¡¯t dressed in his flour-dusted apron. Silver buttons twinkled on the chest of his spiffy coat. ¡°Ready, Your Majesty?¡± he asked with a wink. Mally blushed and nodded. Archie cleared his voice, spun around with a flourish, and pushed the doors open. Mally¡¯s breath caught in her throat and she was glad to be in Sir Brian¡¯s arms because she thought her legs might have given out at the sight before her. The hall was filled. Every seat, every bench, every space along the walls was occupied by the people of Lenzar. The moment the doors swung open, sound ceased. All heads turned to them and as one, with a deafening scraping of benches, the people rose. ¡°Her Royal Highness, Princess Avona,¡± Archie announced in a booming baritone. Sir Brian stepped forward, Susie, Nanette, Meriyal, Lita, and Gladys following behind. As Mally was carried past the people, they bowed or curtsied, lowering their heads in respect. Mally blushed deeper as the silence intensified. This was too much. This was all too much. After what seemed like an eternity, Sir Brian finally reached the long head table and carefully lowered Mally into the giant chair in the center. Galen and Ivan stood on her right and along that side of the table ran more rebel members. Susie took her place at Mally¡¯s left with Lita, Nanette, Meriyal and Gladys beside her. She spotted Sir Leon Gibbs farther down the table, his black eyes twinkling, his mouth curled into a smile that Mally could only describe as smug. Everyone was looking at her, and Mally suddenly realized what they were waiting for. ¡°Please, sit,¡± said Mally, her small voice clear in the silent hall. As one, they sat and the noise and commotion commenced. Food and drink were brought out, fiddles and drums sounded in a corner, and Mally found herself talking and laughing with everyone. People didn¡¯t stay seated for long¡­ there was too much excitement. Mally had a constant stream of people at her chair. The more hours that passed, the louder and merrier the party became. Mally spotted Bob Kettle doing a lopsided jig with his walking stick before the fiddlers. Dancing had broken out and Mally was clapping along with all the rest. When Archie pecked a furiously blushing Meriyal on the cheek, Mally, along with the rest of the servants, roared with laughter. She might not know what the future had in store for her, and she might dread it deeply, but for that moment, Mally¡¯s worries were forgotten and only happiness and joy filled her being. .
It was two weeks later and Mally had recovered from her injuries. She had spent hours in meetings trying to put Lenzar back together. She had created a council of advisors with many of the rebels as its members. The knights were given new laws and Gibbs and Sir Brian were busy creating a new system to find and train recruits. The servants were given more rooms to sleep in, with better lighting and heat accommodations. Mally had moved into the King¡¯s Chamber and her mother had taken the adjoining room. She knew it would be odd for her to be sharing a room with Lita and Gerda. Her new position made her uncomfortable around her friends. She understood the different role she was expected to play now¡ªa princess¡¯s best friends were not the servants, but Mally couldn¡¯t even imagine this. She couldn¡¯t imagine ignoring Lita. Couldn¡¯t imagine ordering her around. When she confessed this to Lita, she laughed. ¡°I won¡¯t ignore you, Mally, as long as you don¡¯t ignore me!¡± .
Mally couldn¡¯t sleep in her new chamber. She had half a mind to join her mother. Her chamber was so very large and grand. The bed could fit six easily. The pillows were of the best goose down, the sheets were silky and smooth, the mattress warm and thick. But she couldn¡¯t sleep. No matter how many ways she turned and fluffed the pillows, she couldn¡¯t get comfortable. Huffing, she sat up, feeling like a mouse in a basketful of sheets. She lit a few candles and drew her knees into her chest. The fire was still burning nicely. Its flickering flames threw orange light on the walls. Her eyes roamed the room until they landed on the two large portraits of her mother and father. It was odd, she suddenly thought, that Romore had kept them for all these years. They were in fact the only remaining portraits of King Sebastian and Queen Amara. The knights had destroyed all the others. Why would Romore want to save these? These that were in his personal chamber? Perhaps he thought of them as trophies? The thought made Mally grimace. She stared at them. For the first time, she purposefully took in every detail of their faces. Yes, that was her nose and those were her freckles. She could see a resemblance in the cheekbones. Certainly King Sebastian¡¯s curly hair was just as wild as hers. Mally blinked, suddenly thinking of the lazy locks that fell across Galen¡¯s forehead. She rested her chin on her bent knees and stared at the sheets with unfocused eyes. She hadn¡¯t seen him since the feast. Though, she argued silently, she hadn¡¯t had much of a chance to leave the castle. Meriyal, Evelyn, and Mildred had spent an entire day fitting her for dresses. She had been spending hours each day with Adam and Cian, the rebel leaders that were now on her council, discussing what actions to take. Even with Lita by her side, cracking jokes and taking walks in the castle¡¯s meadows with Sam, she felt something was missing. Her family was with her. She had been greatly entertained by her mother arguing with Archie over the best way to prepare black bonnet soup, and a radiant Gerda had admitted to her earlier that day that she and Nathan were going to be married. Mally smiled at her feet thinking of the not-so-far-off marriage. But the smile on her face faltered as that strange emptiness touched her heart again. She glanced out the locked glass doors to her balcony, staring out at the dark city. She wondered if Galen was awake, too. .
She knew her mother and Meriyal would be furious, but the next morning, Mally snuck out of the castle. She left a note pinned to her pillow, tied her new velvet cloak under her chin and retrieved Sam from the royal stables. It was just dawn. Weak, newborn rays were just beginning to caress the sky. The air was frigid and her cheeks stung as Sam galloped down the cobbled streets. Very few people had yet risen but the ones that had waved from their windows. Sam skidded to a halt outside the Lone Candle. Mally rushed inside, nearly tripping in her haste. The moment she entered she felt like a tropical bird in the snow. The silence that filled the room was overwhelming. Eyes latched onto her and Mally gulped. Embarrassed, Mally went to the counter where Olive and Edwin stood. ¡°What a pleasant surprise, Your Highness!¡± Olive cried, smiling widely. With the battle over and both sons safe, she had been much warmer to Mally. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, but is Galen about?¡± ¡°He left about thirty minutes ago.¡± Mally¡¯s face fell. ¡°But you can probably find him on Baker¡¯s Hill,¡± Olive suggested. ¡°Thank you!¡± Mally waved goodbye and rushed back out of the inn. She mounted Sam and spurred him to the largest hill in Bosc. She wasn¡¯t surprised to be told that was were to find him¡ªas she had seen on that first tour of the city, the view of the ocean from the hilltop was beaten only by the views from the castle¡¯s tallest towers. That was the one thing Mally liked about her new chamber. It had the most stunning view of the ocean. Snow covered the ground and the bitter air whistled around Mally¡¯s ears as Sam galloped up Baker¡¯s sloping side. Mally pulled on the reigns when she spotted him. Galen leaned casually against a tall oak, staring at the pale sky. The snow crunching under her feet, Mally walked the final distance to him. ¡°Galen.¡± He looked over his shoulder and smiled slightly. Things had been odd between them since the feast. Whereas Ivan was in the castle night and day, Mally had not seen Galen. When she had first chosen the members for her council, Galen¡¯s name had been first on her list¡ªbut he had refused. Mally still didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Galen¡¯s back stiffened and he turned to her in surprise. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t we seen each other?¡± Galen let out a bitter laugh that sounded more like a snort. ¡°We¡¯re not really in the same social circle anymore, are we?¡± His crossed arms tightened and Mally suddenly realized how thin his coat was. That he wore no gloves. An embarrassed heat flooded her cheeks and she wished she had put on her old cloak, patched and frayed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mally asked slowly, feeling her heart sink. ¡°You¡¯re the princess. I¡¯m the son of an innkeeper.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve missed you,¡± said Mally. Galen glanced at her and crossed his arms tighter. ¡°I¡¯ve been having a hard time getting used to all of this,¡± Mally explained. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, Archie thinks I¡¯m losing my appetite, I can¡¯t go anywhere without three people following me ¡­ I¡ª¡± Mally stared at him, trying to get him to understand the chaos inside her. The chaos she always felt when she thought about him, the chaos he caused when he wasn¡¯t with her. ¡°I think I could handle all of this better if you were with me,¡± she finished quietly. ¡°You have Ivan.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want Ivan,¡± Mally shook her head. ¡°Not like this.¡± Mally took another step toward him. ¡°Please, Galen. I ¡­ I want to be with you.¡± Galen stared at her as if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡± he asked incredulously. Mally nodded, tears starting in her eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t be together,¡± he continued. ¡°I work at an inn¡ªyou rule the kingdom. Mally, please don¡¯t cry! It just won¡¯t work ¡­ they won¡¯t let it happen.¡± ¡°Who won¡¯t?¡± Mally demanded. ¡°The people? The council? Who, Galen? Who are you afraid of?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to be a king!¡± Galen exploded and suddenly Mally realized that Galen had all the same fears she did. She smiled timidly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not alone. I don¡¯t know how to be a queen. But I¡¯m figuring it out and I think having company could make things a whole lot easier.¡± Galen looked away from her and expelled a shaky breath, the icy air turning it to mist. ¡°Mom sent me out here because she¡¯s tired of seeing me so miserable,¡± Galen admitted. ¡°She thinks I¡¯m scaring off the customers.¡± Mally laughed softly. They didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, each not looking at the other. Then suddenly a ringing filled the air. Mally and Galen both turned their eyes to Bosc Bell Tower, its bells gleaming in the sunlight, its chimes clear and jubilant. ¡°Bob¡¯s in the bell tower again,¡± said Mally, smiling. ¡°No one can keep him away from it for long,¡± Galen agreed. Mally risked a glance at Galen. There was a slight upward curve to his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t suppose in a castle that big,¡± Galen asked slowly, ¡°there¡¯s an open room?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! Plenty to choose from!¡± Mally cried happily. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Sam looked at them, twitched his ears, and snorted before returning to nosing the snowy ground for a frozen blade of grass.