[Four Days To the Blood Moon]
Morning.
_______
The time for breakfast had long passed. Belladonna knew this because she had waited in her room for an invitation and it didn't come.
The White had not spoken to her since yesterday.
Maybe Dogori had told him.
Belladonna’s heart raced.
There were other things she could have used the early hours of her morning for, but she was terrified that the White King would find her lurking around and looking for the Blood Dagger, which she now knew was with Dogori. Finding her in that way would definitely increase his suspicion and if he had none, then that would give him a reason to.
It was agonizing to wait.
She was done with this.
She stood up, thinking of the offer the Queen had made her.
It obviously wasn't a test, but then she couldn't tell how sick and twisted this castle was yet, so she had to be careful, and she had to send Alaris a message!
Not here, though; she had to find a way to get out of the Castle to do that.
The pain in her chest stung again, and she rushed to the mirror, watching as it became lighter than it was before.
It was fading away.
Dizziness washed over her and her legs buckled underneath her. She gripped the edges of the table to remain stable. She could feel herself slip out of control and the next moment, there was a knock on the door.
She looked at the sky immediately; the sun was up.
What?!
Another knock.
Her heart was racing, one beat slamming into another.
How long had she been at this table, frozen in this position?
She tried to walk and realized that her legs were aching badly.
No, by Ignas, no!
Xinora was trying to waste her time!
“My Lady?” The person at the other side of the door called out, yanking her back into the present.
She went to the door and pulled it open. There was a maid standing on the opposite side. She said that her “father” had sent for her.
However, when Belladonna got to the hallway where the White King was supposed to be waiting for her, he wasn't there.
If the maid hadn't led her here herself, Belladonna would think that she was lost.
The White King was nowhere to be found. Instead, she met Dogori standing before a large window, and behind him stood his assistant, Bori.
Belladonna ensured not to stay close to the window. If anyone was to get pushed from here, it would be a long way done. There were so many trees around, too, and even though the harsh sun in the sky promised no darkness for evil, the trees looked so lonely; no one would see it but Bori.
And what exactly could Bori do?
“You’ve not met my apprentice, Bori, have you?” That was the first thing Dogori had said to her while flashing her a smile.
It was weird. She didn't even know he could smile.
“I haven't.”
Bori stepped forward and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. Belladonna tried to search Xinora’s memory at that touch once again but there was indeed nothing. Those memories never even happened in the first place for them to exist. Bori then stepped back to his position behind his master.
“Yesterday there was a disturbance in the air, like it was in the walls and on the floor.”
So, it was Dogori. Did he know it was a Shadow Warrior, though?
“I hope you were not disturbed?” He asked.
Belladonna smiled tightly. His blindfold was a reminder that he was blind and couldn't see her, however, she couldn't shake the feeling that he could see her better than anyone in the Castle.
Better than she saw herself maybe.
“I wasn't. I enjoyed my sleep.”
“Good.”
“Where is my father?”
“There was an emergency. He and Lord Jyris had to leave the Castle immediately to see to it.”
“Is it the Rebellion? Why didn't anyone tell me?”
“It isn't the Rebellion.”
“Will he be safe?”
“Of course. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Do you feel sorry for your sister that had this body and her mother?”
“Sister?”
“She is your father’s daughter, therefore, your sister or step-sister.”
“She was nothing but a placeholder. Everyone has their own sacrifices to make. They have fulfilled their purpose, just as I will fulfill mine.”
Dogori bid her farewell and was about to leave when she requested his help, stating that she might have sprained her wrist yesterday. It seemed like an irrelevant thing for him to waste his time on when he had to attend to whatever emergency the White King and Jyris had hurried off to, so he told Bori to help her instead.
Well, that was exactly what she wanted.
The moment they were in her room, she sat on her dressing chair and Bori inspected her hand.
“Your wrist is fine,” he stated a moment later.
“It is. Do you know of the disturbance Dogori speaks of?”
Her shadow warrior was in the room and she needed to know if he could sense it. It didn't seem like he could.
“Were you disturbed?”
“No.”
It wasn't much but she could have sworn that his grip around her wrist that was still in his hands tightened.
“Do you know anything that might have caused the disturbance?”
“No. Well then, there is nothing for the Princess to worry about.” That lingering hatred again.
She needed to know.
It wasn't really about knowing what Dogori did but the fact that if he could tell her that, then he would proceed to tell her about the Queen’s plan. She just had to get him in a vulnerable state of mind.
“What did Dogori do to you? Tell me, maybe that is all I need to know to buy me over..”
It happened too fast. He leaned lower to her face, as if to read every manipulative intention in her eyes. His closeness was sudden and her mind switched to a more calculative one.
“You think of me as the weakest link,” he said with annoyance. “You think if you have me alone you can do anything; have me say anything.”
“Can I?”
He laughed, pulling back. “If the Princess had no more use for me, I will take my leave.”
“I want you to take me to the Queen, Bori.” She smiled. “The Princess is on your side.”