A Bond of Hate

Chapter 3

I shifted uncomfortably in bed, staring at the ceiling, my body refusing to relax. The mattress beneath me was stiff, and the blanket felt rough against my skin. Everything about this place felt wrong. I rolled over, trying to find a position that would allow me to sleep, but it was useless. No matter how much I tossed and turned, I couldn't escape the ache that settled deep in my bones.

Home. That was the word that kept drifting through my mind, haunting me in the dark hours of the night.

But Belcrest was far away. How long had it been since I'd seen my family? Weeks? I'd lost track of time here. I wondered if they were safe, if they were well. The thought gnawed at me, the uncertainty clawing at my insides. What I wouldn't give to send them a letter, to let them know I was alive, that I was thinking of them.

But I doubted Caspian would allow that. The man had brought me here for his own purposes, and keeping me isolated seemed to be a part of his plan.

I sighed, pressing my fingers to my temples. Should I bother asking him? Would it even make a difference?

A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I sat up, pushed the blanket off and slid out of bed, my feet touching the cold stone floor. Taking a deep breath, I crossed the room and opened the door.

Two guards stood on the other side, their faces expressionless as they looked down at me. I tilted my head, regarding them curiously. "I don't remember any of you," I said, narrowing my eyes.

The guards exchanged glances, clearly taken aback by my statement. After a moment, one of them, the taller of the two, responded sheepishly, "We've only been in service to the King for a month, my lady."

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze flicking to the package they held in their hands. "Ahh, that explains why you got stuck with delivery duty," I said, gesturing to the bundle.

The taller guard stepped forward, handing the package to me. "The King wishes to see you in the Ruby Room once you're dressed."

I nodded, accepting the package. "Thank you," I said, and closed the door, turning back to the small, dimly lit room.

I set the package down on the bed, my curiosity piqued. What could Caspian possibly have sent me? With a slight frown, I unwrapped the package, my breath catching as I saw what lay inside.

It was my old clothes, the ones I'd kept in my wardrobe the last time I was here. The fabric was familiar, worn from use, but still in good condition. I ran my fingers over the material, surprised that he had kept them all this time. I had expected him to burn them the day I left, just as I had burned his old shirts in a fit of anger.

Shaking my head, I carried the clothes over to the small basin in the corner and began to wash up. The water was cold, sending a shiver down my spine, but I didn't mind. It was better than nothing. Afterward, I dressed in my old clothes, finding them a little tighter than I remembered. My body had changed since the last time I was here—where there had once been hard muscle, there were now soft curves.

I wasn't the same person I had been the last time I was in this castle.

I left the room, nearly walking straight into the guards who were still waiting outside. I looked up at them, confused.

The younger of the two, who appeared to be the more nervous, spoke up. "We've been instructed to escort you there."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why? How can I forget the place? It's a thief's wet dream."

The guards shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, exchanging awkward glances. Finally, the other one, older and more composed, said, "We've been ordered to escort you everywhere in the castle you need to go."

I clenched my jaw, realizing what this meant. I wasn't just a guest here; I was a prisoner. They wouldn't be letting me out of their sight. "Of course," I said through gritted teeth, turning on my heel and marching down the hall with the guards following close behind.

The castle was just as I remembered it—cold, grand, and suffocating. It was a maze of stone corridors and towering archways, each one more imposing than the last. As we approached the Ruby Room, my heart began to pound in my chest, a mix of dread and anticipation swirling inside me.

The Ruby Room was named for Caspian's great-grandmother, who had been gifted the room as an anniversary present. The rubies that adorned the frames of the paintings, the mirrors, and even the doorknob sparkled in the morning light, casting a warm, red glow over everything. It was a sight to behold, but all I could focus on was the man standing behind the long desk at the centre of the room.

Caspian.

My eyes found him almost instinctively as if drawn to him by some invisible force. He stood behind the desk, deep in conversation with Lyle, his advisor, who was poring over a map spread out before them. Caspian looked so handsome, his white hair stark against the golden light streaming in from the windows. My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to look away, my gaze drifting over the room.

There were two other people here, I noticed—a woman in a lab coat and a man dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, sitting behind a computer. The woman was hunched over the man, watching him work. I frowned, wondering who they were.

Caspian must have sensed my presence, because his eyes found me instantly, and I saw the way he took me in, his gaze lingering just a moment too long. He swallowed hard, and I couldn't help but smirk.

"Your Highness," I greeted him, stepping into the room and leaving my jailors at the door. I turned to Lyle, giving him a nod. "Lyle. Hope you slept well. I sure didn't."

Caspian's eyes narrowed at that. "Is that a formal complaint?"

"Would I be given a new room if I said it was?"

"No."

"Figured as much," I muttered. "So who are those guys?"

"Since you already know Lyle," Caspian said, getting right into it. "let me introduce you to the rest of the team."

"Team?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

Caspian gestured for the pair to join us, and they did. "Farryn, this is Dr. Esme Stevenson, the castle physician."

She smiled warmly, offering her hand. "You can just call me Stevie," she said, her voice friendly.

I shook her hand, noting the firm grip. She seemed competent enough.

Caspian then turned to the man at the computer. "And this is our personal computer specialist, Henley."

Henley smiled at me, and I was struck by how young he looked—like he had just graduated college. His eyes were bright, curious, and full of energy.

I took in the pair, then turned back to Caspian. "A doctor, a thief, and a hacker," I mused, a smirk playing on my lips. "Quite an unusual bunch you've got here, Your Highness. The perfect start to a Nancy Drew book."

Caspian glared at me, clearly unamused. "He's not a hacker. He's a computer specialist."

I c****d my head. "Is that what we're calling hackers these days?"

He ignored me and gestured for all of us to sit around the large desk.

I took a seat at the far end of the table, directly across from Caspian, making sure I was in his line of sight. He snorted at my audacity, while Dr. Stevie and Henley exchanged curious glances.

"Everyone here is aware of the situation," Caspian began, folding his hands together and levelling a stare at me. "So let me be the one to clue you in. Whatever is discussed here, Farryn doesn't leave this room. Do you understand?"

"Cross my heart hope to die."

"At least our hopes are aligned," he murmured under his breath and it drew a chuckle out of me. Gosh, he really hates me, doesn't he?

"Nearly three weeks ago, something of mine was stolen from Dr. Stevie's laboratory," Caspian continued, his voice steady and controlled. "All of the cameras were conveniently off at the time of the attack, and none were able to pick up the assailant. The lab was left nearly untouched, and only my belongings were stolen. This tells me that whoever the thief was, they knew exactly where to find what they were looking for and how to get in and out without being seen."

I leaned back in my chair, my fingers idly tracing the edge of the table as I considered his words. "I assume you interrogated her staff, as well as everyone with a key to the lab?"

He nodded. "All were clean. And no one had used their keycards to enter the lab during the time of the attack."

"But you believe it's someone in the castle," I said, leaning forward slightly.

He clenched his jaw, his frustration evident. "Yes."

"Yet you have no suspects?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He didn't answer, but the tension in his expression spoke volumes.

"And who else knows about this?"

"Only the people in this room."

I ran a finger over my top lip, thinking. In my years as a thief, there wasn't a locked space I couldn't get into. But to know all the points of entry, I would need to have access to the lab myself. "I would need to see her lab, of course," I said, glancing at Caspian.

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door to the Ruby Room burst open, and one of his castle guards hurried in, bowing deeply.

"Apologies for interrupting, Your Highness," the guard said, his voice breathless. "But there's been another attack."