“
Excuse me?
”
I said, feeling out of place. What kind of question was that?
She sighed and moved to sit on the bed.
“
Is it alright if I confide in you for a moment?
”
Before I could answer, she continued.
“
Everyone
has this image of me as future Q
ueen, future heiress. Seems people are so caught up in assuming what I want that they are too busy to ask me themselves. I don
’
t get...
”
She stopped.
“
What?
”
My sudden interest got the best of me.
“
I don
’
t get why there are two Havens or why we are so different. Is our blood not the same color? Do we not bleed the same or share each other
’
s burdens? I don
’
t understand.
”
Her eyes watched me passionately, as if she could see right through me. That frightened me more than anyone could ever know.
“
What makes you and me so different?
”
She waited for an
answer I couldn
’
t give her
.
“
Well, that
’
s a loaded question. Maybe something you should ask the King.
”
I eyed the door and she watched me.
“
I should be going, I
’
ve got somewhere to be and it
’
s not safe to be alone with you in here.
”
“
Why?
”
she asked.
She had no idea. Her blue eyes watched me—eyes that did
n
’
t belong to a Warrior
or a H
unter. She was neither earthly nor
otherworldly, she lied somewhere in between where to fathom beauty meant to ponder life.
“
I need to leave.
”
I moved to the door and
she stood to her feet, but made no indications of stopping me. I had my hand on the knob when she called me.
“
Just between you and me,
”
she said, barely above a whisper,
“
you can keep the money. No one has to know.
”
I didn
’
t stop to ask how she knew; the Princess was a mystery in herself. It wasn
’
t until after I closed the door and walked as far as I could, did I start to panic.
She knew. Yet, she would remain silent about it. At least that
’
s what she
’
d said. There were very few things I didn
’
t understand in this world, and the Princess
had just beco
me another enigma in the mess.
I wondered if she knew I had the picture as I walked down the grand
,
stone
d
staircase and out into the foyer. If so, did she know the little girl had eyes as big and blue as hers? Yes, I was sure of it. I didn
’
t know if she was the girl, but there was no mistaking the similarities.
As I made my way past the guards and into the light of the moon, the night whispered to me the secrets of New Haven.
S
ecret
s
I now held in my pocket.
E I G H T
Echo
I
sobeli could talk for years.
She sat on my bed with the city
’
s newspaper sprawled out in front of her, her mouth moving hysterically as she filled me in on the latest gossip.
I stood by my window, my back to her, as I stared out at the sun and wondered why the gods did nothing while their ch
ildren suffered. If difference wa
s so essential, I thought to myself with a frown, then why would any of us try so hard as to fit in? Why would we bother? Was there a difference in this case?
My answer came to me in a gasp as Isobeli shouted something and shoved the newspaper in my face.
“
Look at you and the Prince,
”
she said, voice taking on a whole different octave of excitement.
“
You guys look so fit for each other.
”
My frown worsened. We try so hard because it is all we
’
ve ever known, I thought. We try to fit ourselves into this world so that we don
’
t seem more different than different, an oddity in a sea of normality. We try because it is only instinct, but we obey because it is law.
“
I don
’
t want to see it,
”
I growled, pushing the newspaper away. I still caught sight of the Prince and I dancing, playing the part of happy betroth
ed
s while the ugly truth sat just below our façades. After Ayden had left last night, the Prince had treated me to wine and frivolous dancing. I got to know his family a whole lot more, but perhaps just a little too much more. The surprise he
’
d wanted to show me was the new garden my father was building in the rear of the Grand
Season fortress. Bleeding h
earts was all there had been to
see
, but the memories they conjured were enough to get me through the night.
“
Oh, come on.
”
Issy dropped the paper on my bed and crossed her arms over her chest as she watched me.
“
What
’
s wrong now? I thought you sai—
”
“
Look—
”
I pleaded,
“
I don
’
t want to talk about it. Let
’
s just...let
’
s just talk about you. How
’
s Aunt Janelle?
”
Issy shook her head, but decided to go with the change in subject.
“
She
’
s fine. Great, actually. She asks about you all the time, wants to make sure Aunty isn
’
t spoiling you rotten.
”
She smiled.
“
She
’
s proud of you, you know?
”
A
smile played on my lips.
“
She is? For what?
”
“
Just for being you.
”
Issy folded up the newspaper and sat it on the floor.
“
You should visit Delentia again, before it is too late.
”
I watched her.
“
How do you mean? We have time.
”
“
No, we don
’
t.
”
She sighed and continued.
“
Mom
’
s been worried about you the same. She wants to know how you are dealing with the marriage.
”
My smile faltered, but I didn
’
t let it fade completely.
“
Tell her she shouldn
’
t worry about me. I
’
m doing the best I can in the position that I
’
m in.
”
“
I know, and I get that, but how do—
”
“
Drop it,
”
I said, my voice harsh and brittle.
“
No one cares what I think.
”
I moved from the bed and to my dresser, hoping Issy wouldn
’
t see the signs of depression I
’
d been trying to battle since coming home from the ball last night. I
’
d excused myself from dinner and locked myself in my room for the night. I didn
’
t sleep
, though;
the gods wouldn
’
t have it. Darkness fell and morning rose, and I still had yet to rest.
My night was spent with vacant stares at the poster of King Val wondering,
what if?
What if we all had a second chance?
As much as I prayed, and even begged, all I heard from the gods was nothing.
A rap on the door stopped Issy from saying anything. I moved to answer it and a short woman with a pretty face stood behind it.
“
Yes?
”
I asked. My voice may have sounded rude, but I couldn
’
t tolerate the disturbance at the moment.
“
The Queen has asked for you,
”
she whispered inaudibly.
I sighed and closed the door behind me, making
my way downstairs. If I knew any better, I
’
d assume my mother wanted to discuss wedding details and she
’
d be w
aiting in F
ather
’
s study room
looking through magazines. I
’
d
have to walk in looking excited
when in reality I wanted to take every magazine she owned and throw them through a shredder. Along with that clutch I resented so much. This wedding was tiring and I was about fed up with all of it.
To my surp
rise, Mother wasn
’
t waiting in F
ather
’
s study room and she wasn
’
t excited. Far from it, actually. As I w
alked down the corridor leading to our living room area, Mother
’
s swearing and pacing of the room found me before I found her. It filled me with so much dread it took half my being to
just
open the doors and walk into the room. Instinct told me to bow my head in shame, that whatever was her problem had to do with my date with the Prince last night. But there was barely time for that, not when she was this upset.
“
Were you in my chambers last night? When you went to the fortress?
”
she asked, no preludes whatsoever.
I swallowed hard, forcing the lie out as smoothly as possible.
“
No, Mother. What
’
s the matter?
”
She turned from me and began pacing again, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands.
“
Someone
’
s been through my things, Echo. I didn
’
t give anyone that permission!
”
Her loose, blonde tresses flew up around her face, her emerald eyes emanating that kind of rage only my mother was capable of. The sun beating in from the open windows did nothing to hide it. I stepped into the room and sat on the arm of the love seat, doing my best to keep my heart from slipping to the pit of my stomach.
“
Are you missing anything? I
’
m sure Father can—
”
“
No! Your father can
not know about this. Promise me you won
’
t tell him,
”
she slurred, tears in her eyes.
“
Mother, wait. I-I don
’
t understand what
’
s going on. Is it money?
”
That had to be it, the money Ayden took last night.
She shook her head as if trying to rid herself of something and said,
“
No, no. Echo, a lot of people could be hurt if I don
’
t find this picture. I had it right there, I swear!
”
She moved over to the tea table in the middle of the room and began digging through the drawers.
A picture? What picture could be so important?
I ran through the night in my head, replaying the moment I realized Ayden had taken mother
’
s money she always kept hidden in her dresser in case Father decided to leave us. I
’
d told her that
would never happen because I was sure he loved us enough, but she insisted that there were things not even I could understand. The meaning of that was far beyond me.
“
What picture are you talking about?
”
I went to her and kneeled beside her. My mother looked out of place in a room filled with pastel, lace, and expensive woods. The simple fact that she was on the floor made me panic. What was going on? I pulled her hands away from the table and sat them in her lap.
“
Mother,
what picture?
Was it of you and Father, or Aunt Janelle? Whatever it is, I
’
m sure you
’
ll find it.
”
Her eyes looked cold now, blank even. She watched me, her lips trembling violently as she mumbled,
“
It
’
s all over. Everything.
”
Her gaze turned to my hair and she watched me closely. She reached out and touch
ed
my brow
and trailed her fingers down the side of my face
.
“
I tried so hard, Echo, the gods know I did. No amount of time can fix the sins I
’
ve committed.
”
My heart rate increased in my chest, my breathing escaping my lips in hot rasps. I couldn
’
t even find the words or where to begin.
What are you talking about
, sounded good, but the words wouldn
’
t form.
“
Aleksandria,
”
my mother said in her strong Thedibian accent, bringing my thoughts back to her.
“
When you find love, you take it. Never let it go, do you understand?
”
Panicking, I removed her hands from my face and stood to my feet.
“
You
’
re not feeling well, is that it? You—
”
“
Promise me!
”
Mother shouted hysterically.
“
I promise, okay.
”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and absentmindedly kneaded the thread of my gown between my fingers. I needed something tangible to hold on to, something that kept me grounded while reality seemed to spiral into oblivion.
Mother stood to her feet and seemed to calm down, but her stare still remained vacant.
“
Some
are born to live and to fight, Echo. Others are born to fight for their right to live. When those two collide, there
’
s hell to pay.
”
I remained silent.
Mother watched me.
“
We only dream of—
”
“
Abriel!
”
Father
’
s voice was loud compared to the silence that had taken over the room.
It startled the both of us and M
other made an attempt to seem decent as Father walked into the room.
“
There you ladies are. We have a guest.
”
I turned to look at Father for only a second, but when I met Mother
’
s gaze again, all signs of sadness or apprehension had vanished. It was as if none of that had even happened.
“
Oh, how lovely. Who is it
, dear
?
”
Mother went to him and kissed his lips, looking up at him dreamily. The woman I saw before my father was not the same woman I saw only a few seconds ago.
Huh
, I thought,
just like that
.
“
Do you remember the fellow who used to work for your sister?
”
Father asked. He was obviously talking to Mother because I knew no man.
“
I believe his name i
s Conroy?
”