Part 28 (1/2)

Once again, I wondered how much they'd heard. I glanced at my watch. I had over two hours to kill before my meeting with Bran. Should I trust them? According to Gavyn, no one could be trusted.

”Thanks, guys. Goodnight.”

”We knew exactly where you were last week under the water, Princess,” Ruby whispered. The other two guards were too far away to hear us.

I frowned. ”What are you saying?”

”We kept the searchers away until you and Bran were done,” Callum said quickly.

”We also knew he was in the bathroom with you before the High Council meeting today,” Ruby added. This time, color crept into her cheeks. ”We told your friends you blocked our attempts to come inside or to communicate. Actually, I blocked them.”

Of course. All of my guards were Prime Psis.

”How do you know him?” I asked, not completely sure I could trust them.

Ruby smiled. ”We all grew up near each other on Coronis Isle. We were with Gavyn in the same training unit, so we know Bran and Celeste, too.”

The sister Gavyn had mentioned. She and I were supposedly friends. ”Can you describe her?”

”Black hair like's Bran, but she has Gavyn's eyes. She's s.p.u.n.ky. Even their mother couldn't stamp it out of her.”

Ruby's voice changed when she mentioned Bran's mother, but I let it go. ”Did Bran leave the island to join the Guardians?”

Ruby chuckled. ”That was just a rumor. Bran would never willingly join the Guardians. He fought for the House of Neteru during mortal combat when we were choosing a leader and won. Why do you think your father refuses the t.i.tle of king? That t.i.tle belongs to the person who won mortal combat. Bran did.”

So, he was a king pretending to be a minion? No wonder he was everywhere. This was getting even more confusing. I had to talk to him. Only he could answer all my questions. How could I love him and not remember him after all these months?

Then a thought occurred to me. What if all this was a scam by Gavyn and these two were in on it? I shook my head. I was going to go crazy if I continued to second-guess myself. Ruby and Callum studied me with worried expressions. If they remembered their pasts, they knew about mine, yet I'd never felt hatred or resentment toward me.

”Did Bran tell you anything about tonight?” I asked.

”Not about the meeting with Lord Gavyn,” Callum said. ”But he contacted us while you two were talking. He said to remind you about your midnight meeting at the library.”

Okay, so Bran trusted these two. Did that I mean I should, too? I glanced at my watch. ”Yes, I'm meeting him at the Sublevel Library.” Bran should confirm everything his brother had said. But if the entire thing was a scam... ”Give me a moment.”

I headed to my bedroom, removing the cloak and throwing it on my bed. First, I went into the bathroom and got the CC with Gavyn's message. Without watching it again, I closed my hand around it and felt it crumble into tiny pieces. I threw the sandy remains into the garbage and rinsed my hands. Then I contacted Rahm and confirmed that I was starting at the Academy on Monday. I didn't have the heart to ask why he'd told my sister first.

”Ah, there you are,” Lady Nemea said, and I whipped around. ”How were the visits?”

She was the last person I wanted to see tonight. ”What?”

”I just talked to Callum and Ruby. They said you were visiting min... Subsixers.”

The guards had covered for me. Nice. As for Lady Nemea, I didn't want her hovering around tonight. I was making that meeting with Bran.

”It was a short one, but tomorrow I'll make longer rounds.”

”You don't have to visit them in their homes,” Lady Nemea said. ”You could hold an audience downstairs in the auditorium or the conference room.”

”I can't refuse to visit their homes if they invite me. That would be rude. Isn't that your number one rule? Princesses cannot show real emotion. You smile and stay cordial at all times.”

She looked ready to argue, then appeared to change her mind. ”Are you getting ready for bed?”

I wanted to say yes so she could leave. This constant monitoring had to stop. ”Yes.”

”Good. I brought your bedtime drink.”

”Thanks.” I followed her to the bedroom and took the drink. She'd turned down my bed. While she went to get my nightdress, I sipped my drink and went over everything Gavyn had told me.

Part of me wanted to verify everything he'd said, but another part wished I could pretend he'd never said them. Lady Nemea came back with a white frothy nightdress made of silk and lace. I'd stopped complaining about her choosing my clothes and treating me like a child. It didn't really matter what she chose anyway, because I always changed the color to suit me. She brushed my hair while I continued to sip the hot drink.

”How did you style your hair so fast this afternoon?” she asked as she pulled the brush down.

I shrugged. ”I just did.” I looked at my watch. ”Thanks.” I gave her the mug, stripped, and slipped on the nightdress, then lifted the hair from my neck.

”Are you okay, sweetheart?” she asked.

”Yeah. Why?”

”You usually insist I leave the room while you change.”

I hadn't even realized I was doing it. ”I, uh, I have a lot on my mind.”

”You've taken on a serious responsibility for one so young. No one will blame you if you bow out or ask for help. I'm here if you need help.”

”No, I'll be okay. Goodnight.” I reached out and kissed her cheek, knowing it would please her. Sure enough, she smiled and patted my cheek.

”Goodnight, my dear.”

I waited until she teleported, then removed the Kris Dagger from its box and waited for a sign that we were linked. Ever since Bran told me we were, I'd reread his grandfather's journal and memorized everything the dagger could do. If Lord Gavyn was right, I could do these things now. Every night, I tried to command it, with zero results.

As always, the dagger didn't react when I touched it or commanded it. I started feeling drowsy, and I fought to stay awake, but it became harder and harder. Better to fall asleep at the library, where Bran could wake me up, than here.

I got my cloak from the closet, where Lady Nemea had put it, clasped it on, and left the bedroom. Four guards, all male, were settling at their post. Two of them, Krampus and Drias, were not so strict or a.n.a.l.

I had gone out of my way to make friends with all my guards. The older one, Krampus, had two kids, while Drias's wife was expecting. I'd shared snacks and played card games with them on some nights. Until an hour before, I would have trusted them with my life. Part of me hated Lord Gavyn for turning me into a bundle of nerves and mistrust.

”Evening,” I said, keeping my voice light.

”Good evening, Princess,” they said in unison.

”We heard the good news, Princess,” Drias said. He was a talker. ”The min...uh, Subsixers are lucky to have you as their champion.”

The others nodded.

”Thanks, guys,” I said, then asked after their families, but my heart wasn't really in it. I kept wondering if they were in the Great Battle. I knew it was a terrible habit to acquire, but from now on, I'd always wonder how many people knew my memories were intact after the battle, and how many knew they were erased here on the island or just a.s.sumed I was faking amnesia like Lord Gavyn had.

”Is everything okay? Do you want us to get you anything from the kitchen?” Drias asked.

Food was the last thing on my mind. ”Not tonight.”