Morgan Rhodes - Rebel Spring

Her decision made, Lucia left her chambers and moved through the hallways, looking neither left nor right, except to ask a guard for directions to her destination. The library was on the other side of the palace and the hallways were virtually deserted, apart from the occasional guard who stood as still as a statue. Magnus had always prided himself in his ability to move through the castle unseen-like a shadow. It was a true talent, one she’d only started to appreciate.

She missed Magnus, she realized. She missed the days when they had talked for an entire afternoon about bards or books or nothing, how they laughed about some silly private joke, like the way Lady Sophia always slipped pastries into the pockets of her dress at palace dinners and thought no one noticed. She missed the way she could coax a smile from him even on his darkest days.

Was that now stolen from her forever?

It’s my fault. I should have been kinder to him in my thoughts and words.

He was angry with her now and hurt by her continual rejection of his love. Hopefully, when he returned at long last from the hunt, she could earn his forgiveness and make him see that though they could never be together, their filial relationship was more important than any other. She needed him and he needed her. There was no question that she had to put right between them what had gone so very wrong.

For now, Lucia forced these thoughts away and focused again on her goal. She wanted to take every book she could that might help her learn more about who she was and what she could expect from her magic. Take them and devour them, feeding herself with the knowledge like a feast laid out at a banquet.

When she reached her destination, her footsteps slowed at the sight of the enormous room beyond the archway. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of books laid upon shelves that rose as high as small mountains. There had to be tens of thousands of books here, all shapes and sizes. All subjects. All offering knowledge beyond anything she’d ever dreamed of. Light from a multitude of stained glass windows shone down into this haven, casting a kaleidoscopic sparkle, as if the library itself were touched by magic.

“Well, Princess Lucia, you’ve strayed from your chambers. At long last, we get to meet.”

The voice broke the spell she’d fallen under, and her gaze moved to the girl standing before her with two books tucked beneath her arm. Lucia recognized her immediately. Her fair face, her aquamarine eyes, her pale, golden hair that fell in waves all the way down to her waist. She was shorter than Lucia by several inches, but despite her small stature she held herself tall, her shoulders back, her chin tilted upward. A curious smile played at her rosy lips.

This was the distraction the king wanted so Magnus would no longer focus his unwanted attention upon Lucia. Princess Cleiona was just as beautiful as she’d heard. And Lucia found that she hated her immediately.

She, however, pushed a smile onto her own lips to mirror the other princess. “Princess Cleiona, it’s a great honor.”

“Please, feel free to call me Cleo. After all, we’re sisters now, aren’t we?”

Lucia tried not to cringe at the reminder. “Then you’re most welcome to call me Lucia.” She shook her head, still awed by her surroundings. “I can’t tell you how incredible this library is. You’ve been so lucky to have this all your life.”

Cleo’s eyes did not hold quite as much amazement as Lucia’s did. “I must confess, I never came here as much as my sister did. She loved it. She always had a book to read. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d already worked her way through half of these by the time she. .” Her words trailed off, and her cheeks were tight as she brought her pained gaze back to Lucia’s.

Lucia’s distaste faded somewhat in sympathy for this girl who’d lost so much. Her sister, her father, her kingdom. All taken by an enemy force, which included Lucia herself. And now, this library belonged more to her than it did to Cleo.

“Your sister sounds much like me, then,” Lucia said gently. “I love to read.”

“Then you’ll fit in very well here.”

“I’m glad to get the chance to talk to you.” The other princess, despite her new status as Magnus’s wife, was watched carefully and kept in a different wing of the castle. Her prison might be a gilded one, but it was no less secure. And yet, here she was today, roaming about unescorted, with no guard to be seen. Had this enemy to her father’s throne managed to ease herself into King Gaius’s good graces after the successful wedding tour?

“And I’m very glad that you’re feeling better. Everyone was terribly worried about you, not understanding why you remained asleep for so long.” Cleo looked at Lucia curiously, as if expecting a reason to freely be given.

“It was the strangest thing.” Lucia shook her head, back on her guard. “And I’m afraid it may always remain a mystery.”

“There was a rumor that you might have been cursed by a witch. That you were under a magic spell.”

Lucia frowned deliberately, as if this sounded ludicrous to her. “Magic? Do you believe in such silly things?”

Cleo’s smile stretched thinner. “Of course not. But servants like to talk, you know. Especially when it’s about royalty. They love to make up all sorts of interesting tales.”

“They certainly do. But no, I was under no magical spell, I assure you.” The lie felt so natural it took no effort at all to deliver.

“I’m very glad to hear that.” Cleo shifted her books in her arms.

“What are you reading?” Lucia asked, cocking her head so she could make out the gilded titles stamped onto the leather spines. “ A History of Elementia . My goodness. That sounds like a strange choice of book for one who doesn’t believe in magic.”

“Yes, doesn’t it?” Cleo’s knuckles whitened on the edge of the large book. “It was one of my sister’s favorites. Reading such things makes me feel that her spirit is close, guiding me.”

This conversation was far more work than Lucia expected it to be. There was a time, back before the battle that had put this kingdom in her father’s hands, that Lucia had imagined their meeting, hoping that they might become close friends. She’d begun to doubt that possibility now. She strained to read the title of the second, smaller book, which was covered in dust, as though Cleo had unearthed it from a long-forgotten stack, and her heart began to pound harder. “ Song of the Sorceress . What is that about?”

Cleo glanced down at it. “Poetry about a powerful sorceress who lived at the time of the goddesses. Her name was-well, your middle name. . Eva. Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”

Lucia’s throat tightened. “Yes, quite.”

This was a book she needed.

“I should probably leave you to your own book search. I’d say you have permission to borrow whatever you like, but I don’t suppose you need it, do you?”

There was just a drop of acid contained within those words. Lucia was pleased by it; pleased to know that the girl was not all she appeared-a polite and perfectly poised princess. She wore masks, the same kind that Lucia and Magnus did. Was it possible to be a member of a royal family and not have such a tool at the ready? Thinking this, Lucia felt her heart soften toward the other girl once again.

“I know this is all difficult for you,” Lucia said, touching Cleo’s arm as she moved past her. “I understand.”

“Do you?” Cleo smiled, but her eyes were cold. “How nice to know of your empathy for my situation.”

“If you need to talk, please know that I’m here for you.”

“As I am for you.”

Something caught Lucia’s eye then and she looked down at Cleo’s hand.