Chapter 10 THE FORBIDDEN TOWER
Haven couldn't stop thinking about last night. What she had seen seemed so real, yet had been a dream. Everything seemed like she was experiencing it first hand. The woman's whisper still echoed in her mind telling her to find them.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the thought out of her mind.
The king did not ask her anything last night. He just held her in his arms till she fell asleep. She didn't want to, but the dream had shaken her up so bad that she couldn't bear to be alone.
She was grateful he didn't question her. She wasn't sure what answer to give him, when she herself didn't have answers to what happened.
“You haven't touched your meal, lady Haven," Amelyn said, bringing her back to the present. “Is something bothering you?"
Haven shook her head, but Amelyn sighed. “If Auren hadn't restricted access to your mind then I would seen what's wrong myself."
Haven's eyes snapped open and she stared at Amelyn in surprise. Not at the fact that she boldly told her she had no problem invading her privacy, but because of how she referred to the king.
Auren. Not his highness, or his grace. Just…Auren.
It made her wonder how close they were, and what relationship they shared for her to be so familiar with the king.
Not that she cared
Amelyn noticed her surprised look and burst out laughing. “Why do you look like I just said the sky is red?"
Haven shook her head. “The king…you…are you…” Haven couldn't form the right words to place her question. She didn't want to come off as rude, but she was also too curious to let it slide.
Amelyn finally caught wind of what she was trying to say and collapsed into another feat of laughter.
" Forgive me for laughing, darling. The question just seems so out of the blue.” She took another sip of her tea and leaned towards Haven. " Auren is my elder brother.”
Haven's eyes grew wide. The king's sister? That would explain why she did as she pleased and no one seemed to bother.
That would explain how Amelyn had convinced the King to let her skip breakfast with him and accompany her for tea in the garden. That would also explain why the servants rushed to serve her without her having to voice her commands.
“How could someone as lively as you have an asshole for a brother ?” She asked, scrunching her face. Amelyn merely laughed.
She was the first girl to ever address the King as an asshole. She might survive.
“Now what was bothering you?" Amelyn asked again.
Haven shook her head and smiled. “It's nothing…” she paused, at a loss of what to call her.
Amy, like she had introduced herself this morning? Or my lady, given she was of noble blood?
"Please, it's still Amy."
Haven let out a smile. She sliced a piece of meat and popped it into her mouth. She turned her gaze towards the castle and found two maids staring at her, whispering to each other. She didn't need anyone to tell her they were talking about her.
Everyone was.
Whenever she walked through the corridors and came across a group of servants, they would greet her, but the instant she passed them, they would begin gossiping.
Somehow this made her uncomfortable and she didn't like it.
Amelyn noticed her gaze and reached out to place her hand on Haven's. “Don't think too much about it, they're just curious. My brother takes a bride every twenty five years, and it's not a secret what happens to them. Every servant here knows that, that's why with each new bride, their curiosity is awakened and they start wondering how long before she dies as well.”
" Oh,” was the only thing she could bring herself to say. So she got kidnapped so she could be killed.
A guard approached the table and bowed to both women. " Lady Amelyn, your presence is needed in the king's court.”
" I'll be there,” she replied. The guard bowed again before leaving. Amelyn rose to her feet and straightened the skirt of her dress. “Let me answer the king's summons, my lady. I'll see you around.”
With that she walked away towards the area, Nerisa had shown her led to the court.
\~~~
Amelyn pushed the huge double doors open, and stepped into the courtroom.
Auren sat on his throne, dressed in a purple royal attire, and a bored look on his face. A man stood before him babbling a report about the food crisis in the South, resulting in people killing each other for food.
Auren looked like he would rather be anywhere than here, listening to the man's senseless report.
Amelyn met his gaze and her lips curved into a smirk. She stepped further into the room, her shoes clicking against marble floors. She took her seat among the nobles and turned to her brother.
“You sent for me, Sire," she said and Auren nodded. He held up his hands and the man stopped talking.
"The dragon ritual is approaching, see that Haven is well prepared for it. Let her know everything it entails before it's time for the ritual.’
Amelyn nodded. She had some questions to ask her brother, but she was not going to do that in front of men she couldn't trust with the secret to a cooking recipe, talk less of something so important and secret.
Auren was about to speak when a wave of different emotions washed through him all at once. Fuck!
He had never bothered with reading the thoughts of his previous brides. He already had enough to deal with without adding to their rapidly changing emotions. But somehow with Haven he didn't have to try getting access to her mind.
He found himself hearing her thoughts and having access to her emotions at default. Something that only happened to people bonded by the fire.
Right now she was feeling really nervous, but there was an underlying feeling of excitement as well. Like someone about to do something dangerous. He rose to his feet without any word and descended the stairs leading to the throne.
Time to find out what his bride is up to.
\~~~
Amazing!
That was the word Haven would use to describe the tower she was standing in if anyone asked her to.
After Amelyn had left the garden and Nerisa had gone into town to get some clothes and necessities for her, Haven was getting bored out of her mind.
She wasn't used to just sitting still and looking pretty.
If she were in Edenvale, she would probably be up and about trying to get various tasks done. But here the only thing she was doing so far is eating, lazing about and going to bed after.
While heading to her chambers, she caught sight of the staircase leading up to the tower. She didn't know what, but something in her pulled her towards the staircase.
Before she could think otherwise, her feet moved of their own accord, ascending the spiral staircase.
When she got to the last floor, it had just a single room.
She should have turned back and gone back down. She shouldn't have moved closer till she got to the door, and she definitely shouldn't have pushed it open.
But the instant the door flew open with a creak, she felt her heart race with both nervousness and excitement.
The room, though covered in layers of dust, looked like an ancient archive. The shelf stood tall containing books and bottles. There were numerous paintings in the room, some of dragons and others of men and women.
In the middle of the room stood a table. On it lay a single book. It sat there open like someone had been reading.
She moved closer to the table and reached out for the book, but before she could touch it the door flew open and Nerisa rushed in.
“My lady, you are not supposed to be here!” Nerisa said, taking a hold of her hand and pulling her towards the door.
As she let Nerisa drag her out of the room, she couldn't shake off the thought of what was written in that book. She had a weird feeling that whatever it was, Once she read it, nothing would ever be the same