The Black Ruby

By K.C. Hawke

Her mother murdered. Her father, the King, brainwashed by a mysterious and evil woman. Drea finds herself on the run. Her necessary escape, sparked by an altercation and unexplainable incident, leaves one man dead and Drea questioning her own innocence.

With a hidden identity, her title of "princess" lost in the chaos, Drea escapes with a young man who comes to her aid just in the nick of time. Believed to be a mere commoner, Drea attempts to create a new life with the young man in his small village. Aryka, the evil witch who stole her father and the kingdom, unfortunately, has other plans.

Hunting for the last heir to the throne while building her army, Aryka steals the one thing most precious to Drea: her one true love, Lianen. After years in hiding, Drea is forced to return to the castle. Not only to try and free her father and return the kingdom to its rightful hands, but to find her love, Lianen, an innocent pawn Aryka used to lure her nemesis home.

With only the strength of will on her side and the help from an unlikely source, will Drea be able to beat the evil, false queen? An opponent who seemingly plays by her own rules? Or will she be the next and last royal victim to fall?

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.C. Hawke
• Release date: Nov 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311665225

K.C. Hawke

K.C. Hawke lives and breathes in a world drenched in darkness. Illuminated by rain. Filled with wonder. The Pacific Northwest is her canvas, where her weekly 10+ mile runs (usually sub-8 minute miles) provide a rich tapestry of insights into her own fantastic semi-fictional explorations. As she runs, the river and Portland lights inspire characters and images you'll find buried deep within the pages of her books, The Light of the Blue Pearl and The Black Ruby.Raised on a steady diet of action, adventure, Sci-Fi and romance-from Star Trek to Goonies, Stephen King, to Terry Goodkind, and even Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, K.C. has always believed “limits are for mere mortals.” A family which she refuses to be a part of. This intensity bleeds within the pages of her novels and each of her characters.These beliefs are combined with unique insights informed by intense study in the sciences, nutrition, human behavior and out-of-this-world fantasy. They help her create the unique and powerful characters who inhabit her novels.In addition to writing and running, K.C. Hawke is also a semi-infamous pianist, composer and singer-songwriter. She can be seen, and heard at katsember.com.Get a free download from the soundtrack ofThe Black Ruby atkchawke.com/novel-soundtracks

Book preview

K.C. HAWKE

Copyright 2014 K.C. HAWKE

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 K.C. Hawke

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author. For more information, visit kchawke.com

Cover photo (mysterious medieval castle) © Zacarias da Mata - Fotolia.com

Cover photo (beautiful eyes of a wild wolf) © Serge-b - Fotolia.com

To the one who inspires me the most.

And to the wolf inside us all.

May you be brave and loyal, show courage and love—and walk the earth for eternity.

Table of Contents

TITLE PAGE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

EPILOGUE

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE BLACK RUBY SOUNDTRACK

SUPPORT THE WOLVES

CHAPTER 1

She hadn’t wanted to do it. They had given her no choice. As she withdrew the small but lethal weapon she could see the life slowly fading from his eyes; his body disappeared before it even hit the ground.

Drea looked up to see the faces surrounding her, their eyes staring in disbelief. A woman gasped at the sight of the empty space next to her where the man had once stood and was the first to stop her advances. The threatening crowd that surrounded her started to back away, none of them wanting to be her next victim.

Up until now the souls she had taken had been strictly a necessity to protect the innocent; except for the very first soul, which, like this one, had been in self-defense. This was also the first one she’d had reservations about, though he’d given her no time to consider.

She had only been 12 years old when she had run away from the castle. It didn’t seem like anyone recognized her, though that wasn’t surprising. She wasn’t entirely sure why the mob had descended upon her in the first place. She was trying to keep a low profile, but obviously she would have to try harder, especially now if word spread about what had just happened.

It had been a decade since she walked these streets; everything had changed. Where the warm cobblestones once had housed a marketplace full of townspeople selling and sharing their goods, there now was poverty and disharmony all around.

In her absence, her home had been taken over by a conniving bitch. One that on the outside appeared to be worthy of their reverence, but on the inside was a festering evil worse than the devil himself, a soul whose only interest was to take things that were not rightfully hers.

On her arm sat an oaf of a man. A king in title only, he was nothing but a mere puppet; Aryka had claimed the space in his head long before he had taken the throne.

She wasn’t sure how Aryka had done it. But somehow the witch had managed to poison the minds of what seemed like everyone in the kingdom, and it appeared Drea was the only one who could do something about it.

When the crowd had gone on their way, she lifted the hood of her cloak over her long, dark hair once more and disappeared into the shadows, leaving no trace behind. She hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten. Clearly she had been gone far too long; Aryka had done her worst.

The man’s life that Drea had taken was one of the first that she wasn’t sure was justified. She normally could read people—see right through them to their very core, instantly. But given the hold on them it was impossible to tell what their original state had been. It seemed the entire kingdom was under that wretched woman’s spell and that was going to make Drea’s task far more difficult.

As she made her way up the alley she felt eyes upon her but didn’t dare look up, that had not gone well the last time. Instead she kept them to the ground, her weapon ready should she need to use it.

It was dark and had rained recently which was making the road slick. She did her best to avoid the puddles, but was forced to trudge through a few of them in order to stay out of the crowd’s way. As she reached the corner she slowed down to peer around it; what she saw was not a good sign.

Across the street were soldiers, more than 20 of them, all blocking the way she had intended to go. While she doubted they would recognize her, she didn’t think it wise to test that theory; she needed to make it to the woman’s house and had no time for any detours.

She couldn’t go back the way she had come, there was no passage there. Not to mention the fact that the people around her were making her increasingly nervous with every second she waited.

Seeing no other alternative, she peeked around the corner once more to make sure the soldiers were still preoccupied before she reached up to the window sill and started making her climb to the roof.

It was a risky move, especially considering the people she believed were watching her, but she had no other option. The rain having soaked everything was no help, but she managed to quietly ascend to the rooftop, quickly but carefully finding handholds for her cold fingers before proceeding. When she pulled herself up and over the ledge she stopped only for a moment to catch her breath before looking over the side to see if anyone looked back.

Satisfied that no one had been watching she started making her way across the rooftops. She hoped she could still find her way given the new route she had been forced to take—the full moon above her was a welcomed assistant.

As she leapt from one rooftop to the next she looked down every once in a while to find her bearings, the streets slowly becoming deserted with each glance. She would have returned to them but found it much more comforting alone on the rooftops away from leering eyes.

When she made her final leap to the roof that was across the street from her destination, she landed to discover that she was not alone. Gazing at the men from under her cloak she assessed quickly that she was an unwelcomed guest, and one that would soon find her way falling head first to the street below.

She already knew that words were not going to help her now. These men were not interested in a discussion. She was lucky it seemed they weren’t interested in anything else either; five against one was not very good odds. As much as she hated to do it, it appeared she once again didn’t have a choice.

As the first man lunged for her she whipped her hand out sharply, her weapon quickly extending from her wrist and buried it into his side. He had come at her with such force that if he hadn’t vanished he would have caused them both to topple over the edge.

The disappearance of their friend didn’t seem to worry the others as much as it seemed to anger them; two of them came at her this time with nothing more than vengeance in their eyes. The first one she simply dodged, his own force taking him over the edge. The second was a bit smarter than his now dead friends and slowed his pace. Locking eyes with her he gave her a satisfied grin believing he had her cornered.

The fifth man was behind her; both men were circling her slowly. Now aware of her weapon and skill they were going to take their time removing their trespasser once and for all.

The man in front of her closed the gap slowly, allowing the man behind more opportunities for an assault. She was starting to wish she had taken to the ground a few roofs ago.

Suddenly the man behind her grabbed both of her arms, removing her opportunity to use her weapon and held her close to his chest; she could smell the sweat in his hair and felt his breath on her neck. The front man lunged at her thinking she was now subdued. She raised both feet and kicked him hard in the chest sending him backwards a few feet, stunned.

Oh, we got a feisty one here don’t we, the man holding her said, tightening his grip on her while his friend rebounded.

As he came at her again she saw a streak of black come from the shadows and hit him from the side, knocking him clear to the edge. The creature bared its teeth, its glowing eyes giving a clear message as to what it expected. The man looked over at his friend only once before making a run for it, leaving his friend to hold Drea captive alone.

The man still had a tight hold on her when the wolf turned slowly to face him. It didn’t take more than a few seconds of looking into its angry, gold eyes before he too decided this was not a fight he could win. He let her go and pushed her hard towards the wolf hoping it would take her instead of him and ran away into the darkness.

Drea caught her breath and slipped the weapon back into its sheath; the man had been very lucky he hadn’t accidently cut himself on it.

Well . . . , she said, walking over to the wolf and stroking its head. Nice of you to join me, you sure took your sweet time—how did you get in here anyway?

The wolf nuzzled her hand in apology for his tardiness and looked up at her with his golden eyes. He had just saved her life, again, and they both knew it.

With no sign of the men that had occupied the roof before her, she breathed a sigh of relief and peered down to the street below. Unfortunately, the man who had gone over the side a few minutes before lay dead upon it. Hidden beneath the shadows it didn’t seem like anyone had even noticed.

She quickly made her way down the side of the building; the wolf disappeared into the shadows once more. As she knelt at the man’s body she looked into his face only briefly before stabbing him lightly with her knife. His body disappeared leaving no trace of the struggle that had just taken place above them. Today had resulted in far more casualties than she had anticipated, and it wasn’t over yet.

With only a few people left on the street a fair distance from her, and none of them paying her any mind, Drea slipped her cloak back over her head and crossed the street quickly to the door she had fought so hard to make it to.

She knocked only once and waited.

Within a few minutes she saw the faint light from a candle making its way past the window to the door. The door unlocked and opened, slowly revealing the face of someone she had once known. An old man now, his worried brow showed only some relief when he saw it was her.

Is she here? Drea whispered.

He nodded and opened the door only slightly, and allowed her to step inside.

Once inside he handed her a candle of her own and pointed her towards the room down the hall; he was obviously not going to be joining them.

She nodded her thanks and made her way down the dark hallway. There were some picture frames on the wall but it was too dark to see who was in them.

The light of the candle was only bright enough to show glimpses of the small home she was in. She didn’t recognize much, although she had only been a child the last time she was here. She had seen a table and chairs in the kitchen and a very small living room that was meagerly furnished.

She knocked lightly on the door before opening it herself and stepped inside.

The old woman was sitting in a rocking chair with a blanket wrapped up to her chin; the glow of a dimly lit fire the only light in the room besides the addition of Drea’s candle.

She walked slowly to the chair beside the woman and sat down, setting her candle on the table nearby. Drea removed the hood of her cloak slowly and took the woman’s hand; they stared into each other’s eyes for the first time in 10 years.

I can’t believe it’s really you, she said, her voice shaky from disbelief and old age. I didn’t quite believe the message I’d received, but now . . . to see your face. She smiled and touched Drea’s cheek with her other hand, almost to prove that the girl was indeed sitting next to her.

With the people Drea had encountered out on the streets just moments before, it was a relief to see her old friend untouched by the ugliness that was taking over the castle. She supposed the king’s witch hadn’t any need for people of Neela’s age.

Neela had been Drea’s governess and had practically raised her. They had been very close during Drea’s childhood. The day Drea left she hadn’t been able to say a word to Neela—it had broken her heart to leave everyone so abruptly, but no one near as much as Neela; she was like a second mother to her.

She smiled warmly back at Neela trying hard not to cry at seeing what age had done to the woman. She hadn’t been very young when Drea had seen her last.

Even though she was older, Drea could still see the woman she had known so long ago. Her hair was much longer and was in a braid draped over one shoulder, the light from the fire dancing off the silver of her graying hair.

Please, take off your cloak, stay for a bit? Neela asked.

Though the fire was small, she was starting to feel too warm and obliged; though she knew she wouldn’t be able to stay nearly as long as either of them would like.

When Drea sat back down beside her, Neela gasped and took up the amulet that was around Drea’s neck, inspecting it in the firelight.

Peculiar, she said, before laying it gently back down upon Drea’s chest.

Drea knew exactly what she meant. The last time Neela had seen the ruby amulet it had been as red as blood; now it was as black as night.

Yes, Drea agreed, letting her own fingers feel the smoothness of the stone. It turned that way after he disappeared.

He? Neela asked.

Lianen . . . , she said, turning her eyes towards the fire, unable to look at Neela’s face. It was the first time she had said his name aloud since the day he had vanished.

CHAPTER 2

Lianen was sitting on a rock near the river with his leg crossed over his knee when she first arrived. He was holding his ankle and inspecting the bloody toe that was his gift from the fish he had just tried to catch a few moments ago.

She had seen him before in the marketplace only a few weeks ago; his wasn’t a face she would soon forget and her heart fluttered at the unexpected sight of him again.

With a rustle of grass she made her presence known and he looked up in surprise.

Oh . . . hello, he said, returning his gaze to his injury.

Hello, she said in reply. I’m sorry if I startled you.

No, it’s fine, he said, looking up only briefly to reacquaint himself with her features.

Do you need some help? she asked.

No, I’m all right, thanks, he said, eyeing her a few more times but trying to seem preoccupied.

Truth be told, he had seen her as well that day. She had been trying to keep a low profile, for what reason he didn’t know, but all the same she hadn’t escaped his gaze. Her dark hair and striking brown eyes were not something someone was likely to forget. But it was the strength in the way she carried herself that he had remembered the most. She was quiet and unassuming when he had last seen her, much like she was now, but he could tell there was something quite different about this young girl than any other he had ever met.

She didn’t typically visit the riverbanks; she was only there because she had been wandering aimlessly trying to solve her current conundrum of what to do about her father.

He had recently become infatuated with a dangerous woman. No one else seemed to notice, but Drea had, and it caused her nothing but concern for their future.

In the wake of losing their queen he seemed to have lost himself completely. He was vulnerable and easily manipulated; Aryka had noticed immediately and had taken advantage.

Everything Drea tried to do fell on deaf ears. It was as if he was in a trance, a trance that could possibly mean the fall of the kingdom. Those he trusted were either under the same ruse or simply were too dedicated to the man to be thinking for themselves. Drea felt lost and abandoned.

Losing her mother in such a brutal and unexpected way had left its mark on her heart. Had she not the distraction of her own will she could have easily been lost in the way it seemed her father now was.

Looking up from her thoughts she realized the boy was staring at her.

I’m sorry to bother you, he said. But you offered some help . . . do you think you could?

She smiled and made her way over to him. His toe was mangled pretty badly.

That looks painful, she said, assessing the bloody mess in front of her. Is it broken?

Possibly, he said, their eyes both focused on his injury.

She reached out to touch it lightly; he grimaced in pain.

Sorry, she said, scrunching up her nose in apology. I’m not sure there is much to do for it besides washing it and letting it try to heal on its own. Let me bring you some handfuls of water to clean it. Kneeling down she cupped her hands and brought over a few makeshift waterfalls.

Thank you, he said, watching as the blood washed away into the soil.

When he finally looked up, his gaze rested on the amulet around her neck. He had seen something like it before but at the moment couldn’t recall where.

He lifted his eyes and looked into hers as she stood again from her kneeling position.

How did you get hurt? she asked.

I was fishing, he said, shrugging his shoulders and looking out at the stream.

Oh . . . will you need help getting back? she asked, gesturing up to the castle.

No, he said, looking away in a different direction.

Okay, she said, unsure of what had prompted the coolness.

As she turned to walk away he shouted after her.

Wait?

She stopped and turned to look at him again.

Yes?

What’s your name? he asked.

She thought for a second before replying.

Kalia.

Thank you, Kalia, he said, smiling at her. I’m Lianen.

You’re welcome, Lianen, she said, before turning and walking away.

The brief interruption to her thinking had suddenly changed her thoughts to something other than her father. Her thoughts on that issue had consumed her since her mother's death; it was almost nice to have something else to think about, even if that something wasn’t all that helpful to her problem.

Lianen, she thought. It was nice to place a name to the face she had remembered. And now seeing his dark, sandy hair and penetrating grayish-blue eyes up close, she would not soon forget it.

As she made her way back up the path to the castle, her feeling of dread returned. She had no desire to go back into the cauldron of deceit that seemed to be brewing thanks to Aryka.

She slipped through the backdoor of the kitchen doing her best to remain unseen; it wasn’t acceptable for her to be wandering outside the castle. However, lately she cared less about what was acceptable.

One of the cooks was arguing with someone close by; she hid around the corner trying to listen to their words.

You know you can’t bring this to her, she’ll have all of our heads if you do! the man said to the woman.

I’m sorry, sir. I thought it was good, she said, whimpering with her shoulders and head slumped in shame.

Good?! he said. I should have your head for being so stupid. Are you trying to get us killed?!

No, sir, she said, trying to take back the dish that had angered him.

Even though it was clear to Drea that Aryka should have no authority in the kingdom, she obviously already had enough influence to be frightening the lowliest of kitchen staff.

She ducked around the corner trying to make her escape from the scene and back to her room, but as she did she ran right into one of the trays set to go out into the grand dining hall.

Food went everywhere and both she and the person who had been carrying it landed flat on their asses in the middle of the mess.

The man who had been yelling seconds earlier came around to see what all the commotion was about. One look at the disaster that had taken place in his kitchen sent waves of rage to his temples; she could actually see the veins beginning to bulge.

What on earth do you think you’re doing in my kitchen, girl? he asked, reaching down and grabbing her shirt, pulling her to her feet.

I was just . . . , Drea stammered. She wasn’t sure what she should say, but also doubted regardless of her answer that he would have heard it.

I’ll have you thrown to the wolves for the mess you’ve made here, he said, throwing her against the wall and striking her hard across the cheek.

Please . . . , she begged, seeing anger in his eyes as she braced for the next blow.

Everyone around them was watching and cowering in the shadows. It seemed no one would be coming to her aid.

He punched her in the gut before preparing to grab her again and remove her from his kitchen.

No one at the castle seemed to recognize Drea anymore since the day her mother had died. Although she hadn’t been well-known before, for her own protection, even most of the staff that had known her seemed strangers to her now.

Before he had the chance to strike her again and take her away from the witnesses, Drea grabbed a knife that rested on a nearby counter.

When he lunged for her this time she stabbed him in the stomach. Normally, given her small frame, the wound would not have caused much damage, aside from resulting in a moment for her release. But instead, she saw his eyes dim . . . and then, he disappeared.

Drea gasped not knowing what had just happened, but knowing that the man who had been there only moments before threatening her life was now gone. Vanished.

Her heart was pounding, her cheek and stomach ached. She dropped the knife that held no blood upon it and looked up at the faces staring at her in fear.

She shook her head as if to proclaim her innocence, her lack of knowledge as to what had just taken place. One of the men closest to the door ran towards it and called for the guards.

Drea panicked. She had no idea what had just happened but she knew it couldn’t be good. Considering the current state of things in the castle she doubted she would be able to explain herself and reason with her father, not with Aryka holding all of the cards.

She bolted for the kitchen door she had just entered and ran back down the path as fast as she could, as if the wolves he had mentioned were really at her heels. She knew it wouldn’t be long before the guards actually were.

As she whipped through the forest trying to make her way through the trees rather than the path, limbs and branches cut her face and arms. She was in tears when she made it back to the river and felt trapped seeing no easy way to cross and escape from the ones hunting her.

She had never traveled farther than this from her home; she knew no way around or across it.

Hearing growing voices of angry men drawing near, she started running along the river, hoping an escape route would present itself. It seemed it went on forever, no bridges, no rocks to jump across, nothing that would allow her freedom from the mob chasing her.

Her legs were growing tired; her heart was pounding harder than what seemed possible.

She glanced back and could see the bodies of the men forming in the woods behind her; she had nowhere to go.

Girl! someone yelled.

She heard a voice a short distance behind her, she assumed it was one of the wolves and kept running.

Kalia!! it said again.

This time she stopped in her tracks and turned around and saw Lianen running after her.

What’s the matter? he asked, aware of her current state that was a far cry from what it had been the last time they’d met.

She looked behind him and saw them closing in.

I can’t explain, she said, panting and starting to turn away to run again. I have to get away.

He turned around to see what she was looking at. Without a second thought he grabbed her hand and said, Come with me.

They raced together along the riverbank until it curved and she saw a shallow place where they could cross.

With no hesitation she followed him, leaping from rocks and wading the rest of the way until they were on the other side.

Quickly making their way deeper into the forest they disappeared from view.

Lianen was still barefoot, though during their run he hardly noticed his injury. They panted and collapsed near a tree, trying to slow their breathing to keep their hiding place a secret.

Although Drea hadn’t known a way across, she bet the guards of the castle did.

After a few moments they both heard voices growing in volume. In a panic, Drea looked at Lianen for an answer to what they should do. He quietly made his way to her side and whispered in her ear.

Just be very quiet, he said. That’s all we can do. We can’t outrun them, only hope they pass us by, shhhh, he said, putting his finger over his lips and squeezing her hand hoping it would help put her at ease.

It didn’t.

Lianen didn’t know what she had done. He didn’t know why they were running; he couldn’t know the repercussions of what she had just done, or what Aryka would do to her if she was caught.

The stomping feet of the men drew closer. One was only a body’s length away from their location. Somehow he moved right past, not knowing his prey was right under his nose. Lianen had chosen this spot as if he had already known its effectiveness.

A branch broke far too close to Drea’s leg making her gasp. Lianen reached up and covered her mouth with his hand, looking her sternly in the eye, willing her to be quiet.

When the man had passed them and the voices grew distant, he released her mouth.

After a few minutes he slowly got up from his crouch and peeked around; there was no one in sight.

They will be back. We need to move, he said.

Are you sure? she asked, having no desire to leave the place that had so far been their salvation.

Yes, he said. I’m sure.

She had no idea why she was trusting him. For all she knew he could turn on her and present her to Aryka himself, but he had proven worthy so far and she didn’t feel she had many other options.

Why are you helping me? she asked.

He looked at her and smiled, a strange calm smile considering their current predicament and shrugged. You helped me.

Yes, she said. But helping you rinse water over your foot hardly . . .

Shhh, he said quickly. The voices could barely be heard in the distance, but they were there.

We need to move, he said. Now!

He took her hand again as they wound their way through the forest, ducking behind trees and scouting their path before making their next move.

Lianen was limping slightly she could see now, but it didn’t slow him down.

When they were quite a ways from the bank of the river they ducked down under a fallen tree, huddling in close to one another to wait once more until the voices grew quiet.

When the men passed overhead on the trail that was only a few feet from where they were they held their breath. Soon the voices were gone and Drea and Lianen sighed in relief.

Will they be back this time? she asked.

I don’t think so, he said. But it’s probably best we stay off the path.

Where are we going? she asked.

Home of course, he said, smiling triumphantly.

Panic started to rise in her throat again. She assumed this boy was helping her, but to take them back home again after successfully evading her captors made her question his intentions.

What do you mean home? she asked, letting go of his hand. I can’t go back there.

He suddenly noticed the fear in her eyes. No, not the castle, he said, trying to reassure her. That’s not my home.

It’s not? she asked, extremely confused. She was sure she had seen him in the marketplace not a week before.

Then where do you live? she asked.

In Medria, he said, as if it should have been common knowledge.

Where is Medria? she asked. How far?

Oh, it's not far, he said. We’re almost there now.

I’ve never heard of it, she said, unconvinced that he was telling her the truth. Her teachers had taught her many things, though places outside the castle walls were not for her knowledge at her age, or so they had told her.

Though she had heard her father speak of small villages beyond their home, he had always made it seem they were not worth visiting. She had never heard mentions of Medria.

Well, you don’t have to come with me, he said. But given the fact that you have nowhere else to go and it seems only the clothes on your back, I do think it is your best option, Kalia.

The mention of her fictitious name reminded her once again that Lianen had no idea who she was. The new knowledge that he didn’t live at the castle explained that as well as the fact that lately no one seemed to be aware of her, except perhaps for the wolves that were chasing her now.

She would have corrected her name, but she didn’t altogether trust Lianen yet. Given the predicament she now found herself in she wondered if it would ever be wise to go by her real name ever again.

CHAPTER 3

After debating only a moment whether or not he was right, she bit her bottom lip and agreed to go with him.

They walked slowly. His foot was obviously giving him more trouble; she didn’t know how he had managed to run as fast as he had without his shoes on, it was almost as though he had grown up barefoot.

How is your foot? she asked, finally breaking the silence.

It hurts, he said simply.

Where are your shoes? she asked. She hadn’t remembered seeing any by the river the last time they’d met.

Back there, he said, motioning in the direction they had just raced from. I didn’t have time to grab them when I saw you.

Oh, she said, feeling awful that he was in pain.

He stopped and sat down on a stump nearby, needing a rest.

Are you going to tell me why you are in trouble? he asked. Why they are chasing you?

She doubted confessing what had just happened with the vanishing man was a good idea; no one in their right mind would have believed that. Instead, she went with a more plausible story.

I got in trouble with one of the kitchen staff. They caught me stealing some food and threatened to throw me to the wolves.

He laughed. Surely they were exaggerating?

She looked at him with an expression that told him otherwise.

You aren’t living there now; you don’t know what it is like anymore.

Well, that’s true, he said. Although I have heard rumors.

Oh? she asked. What kind of rumors?

He shrugged. Just that since the queen’s death, the king hasn’t been himself. There are rumors of a new woman and, I don’t know, everyone seems spooked.

Yeah, she said. Well, that’s an understatement.

What do you mean?

Never mind, she said, changing the subject. How much farther is it?

It's just past the next ridge, he said. Give me another moment and I’ll be ready to go.

Okay, she said, sitting down next to him.

The forest was quiet except for the sounds of birds; the sun was poking through the trees though she could tell it wouldn’t be up much longer.

After a few moments of silence between the two of them he got back up. Okay, ready to go.

They walked deeper into the forest leaving her old life behind. She grew sad at the thought that she might never see her father again; it had only been a few weeks ago since she had lost her mother. Her whole world was changing and she didn’t see any way to stop it.

Not long after their break Lianen held up a branch to let her pass under it, on the other side was a village. There were children laughing and playing in a field just in front of them and farther away she could see people walking with purpose from building to building.

Everything and everyone seemed untouched by the madness that had become her home. Why she had never known that places like this existed outside of the castle walls concerned her.

Though she was only 12, she saw no reason to hide this world from her. Her parents had after all been grooming her to one day take over the throne; surely knowledge of the villages surrounding them would have been necessary?

She had been lost in thought and hadn’t heard Lianen speaking to her. He touched her arm bringing her back to the moment; she looked over at him.

Are you okay? he asked.

I suppose, she said, no longer sure of anything anymore. It felt like she was in a nightmare, but there seemed to be no end to it.

She took a deep breath at the thought of the man disappearing. Her breathing accelerated at the memory of the fear she had felt when he had been beating her. She had barely even been aware of grabbing the knife. What happened after surely wasn’t possible?

She looked down at her hands. They should have been covered in blood, but like the knife, had shown no signs that there had even been a struggle.

Lianen touched her cheek, finally acknowledging the welt that had formed there. Her stomach was bruised as well, but that was a hidden injury she would likely keep to herself.

That looks painful, he said.

Yeah, she said. It is.

Not sure how we are going to explain our injuries to my family, he said, looking towards the town.

She laughed. Well, we could tell the partial truth and say a rock did it.

He smiled. I suppose we could.

The fish were particularly feisty today, maybe? she said.

He laughed. If I said that I would never live it down, though saying a rock did it probably wouldn’t be much better.

You don’t have to help me anymore if you don’t want to, Lianen, she said, concerned that she may get him in trouble as well. It was bad enough that she was now wanted for murder, though they’d have trouble proving it. She doubted anyone would believe the witnesses; she didn’t believe it herself.

It’s okay, he said. I wouldn’t leave you to fend for yourself. Winter's coming, and you hardly seem the type to be able to survive on your own.

I should be offended by that comment, she said, looking at him sadly. Though I think you’re probably right.

Come on, he said, taking her hand again and showing her the way to his home.

If it hadn’t been for Lianen she hated to think where she would be right now.

They slowly climbed the few steps to the door of a small cabin. The sunlight had just begun to fade and she could see the flicker of a candle in the window.

When they entered she saw a small woman and a child sitting at the table, a loaf of bread being shared between them.

Lianen!