Chapter 6: In My Domain
1017 Words
Since I left. Like it had been my choice.
"Three years," I said, shaking my head. "I can't believe it's been three years since the Hollow Creek incident."
"I know. You just... disappeared one day. I heard rumors about your family coming into money, but I never imagined..." She gestured around the opulent room. "This."
"Neither did I," I admitted. "Trust me, this wasn't exactly in my life plans."
She laughed, and the sound was so familiar it made my chest ache. "Well, at least you are here now. We can catch up properly."
"I'd like that." And I meant it. In this place full of strangers and rules and cold politeness, having someone who actually knew the real me felt like a lifeline.
"Actually," Nessa said, reaching into the small bag she carried, "I brought you something. A welcome gift."
She pulled out a small cloth pouch that smelled like mint and something else I couldn't identify.
"It's a tea blend. Chamomile, ginger, some other herbs for... well, feminine health. I know transitions can be stressful on the body, and I thought it might help you settle in."
I took the pouch, inhaling the scent. It smelled pleasant enough, earthy and soothing. "That's really thoughtful, thank you."
"You should start drinking it right away," she said, her voice taking on a slightly more urgent tone. "Daily, if you can. It's best when it builds up in your system over time."
I raised an eyebrow. "What exactly is it supposed to do?"
"Oh, just... general wellness. Hormone balance, energy levels, skin health. All the things that can get thrown off when you're under stress."
She smiled again, but something about it seemed a little forced. "Trust me, I've been studying herbalism for years now. This blend is specifically designed for women in... transitional periods of life."
"Transitional periods," I repeated, amused despite everything. "Is that what we're calling this?"
"Well, you are about to become Queen," she pointed out. "That's got to be the biggest transition anyone could face."
She wasn't wrong about that.
"I'll try it," I said, tucking the pouch into my skirt pocket. "Though I have to ask—how did you even know I was coming? I only found out about this arrangement a few days ago."
Something flickered across her face, too quick for me to read. "Word travels fast in places like this. Servants talk, you know? And when they heard the King was taking a bride..." She shrugged. "I put two and two together when I heard the name Cade."
That made sense, I supposed. Still, something about her explanation felt incomplete.
"Nessa," I said carefully, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Since I arrived here, I've felt... off. Not sick, exactly, just... different. More restless than usual, like there's energy under my skin that doesn't belong there. Is that normal?"
Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, that's completely normal. Palace life can do that to people—all the formality and pressure and new routines. Your body is probably just adjusting to the change in environment."
"You think so?"
"Absolutely. That's actually another reason the tea will help. It has calming properties that should ease some of that restlessness." She reached out and squeezed my hand. "Give it a few days, and I bet you'll start feeling more like yourself."
I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that the strange energy I'd been feeling, the way my skin seemed to hum with tension I couldn't explain, was just stress.
"Maybe you're right," I said. "I just... I need something familiar in this place. Something that feels like home."
"What about healing?" she suggested. "I know it's been a while, but maybe you could find some way to practice here. I'm sure the palace has medical facilities."
My chest tightened. "I don't know if they'd let me. I'm supposed to be learning how to be Queen, not—"
"Not being who you actually are?"
Nessa's voice was gentle but firm. "Mira, you saved dozens of lives during the border conflicts. You have a gift. Just because you're marrying a King doesn't mean you have to stop being a healer."
She was right. The healing work had been the only thing that ever made me feel truly useful, truly myself.
Maybe if I could find a way to practice here, this place wouldn't feel so much like a beautiful prison.
"Where would I even start?" I asked.
"I could show you around," she offered. "I know where the healing quarters are. We could go right now, if you want."
The idea sent a spark of something that might have been hope through my chest. "Really?"
"Of course. Come on. Let's just do a small introduction."
She led me back through the corridors, down a different set of stairs, through passages that felt less grand and more functional.
The healing quarters were in the lower levels of the palace, accessed through a series of interconnected rooms that smelled like herbs and clean linen.
"This is beautiful," I breathed, looking around at the well-organized shelves of supplies, the clean examination tables, the large windows that let in plenty of natural light.
"It is, isn't it?" Nessa agreed. "I think you'd fit right in here."
I was about to respond when footsteps echoed in the corridor behind us. We both turned to see a tall woman approaching dressed in flowing robes that seemed to catch and hold shadows.
"What," she said in a voice like ice cracking, "is she doing here?"
Nessa stepped slightly behind me, suddenly looking very small and very young.
"I'm sorry," I said, straightening my spine. "I'm Mira Cade. I was just—"
"I know who you are," the woman interrupted. "I am High Priestess Calla Renwyn, Keeper of the Sacred Bonds and Guardian of the Healing Arts."
She moved closer, and I caught the scent of incense and it made my skin crawl.
"The question," she continued, her pale eyes fixing on mine with obvious disdain, "is what you think you're doing in my domain."
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