Rise of Heroes

Chapter 34 - Seeing Things

Isabelle sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. A sharp pain pierced her palm as she did that, but she ignored it, along with the sound of nervous steps behind her.

“Say something!” Elaine groaned, halting by her side. Isabelle glanced at her with an empty expression, not sure how to voice everything that was going through her mind. “You’re entitled to make decisions on behalf of our father! What should we do? The very existence of those creatures makes the situation so complicated!”

“Believe me, I know,” Isabelle sighed, letting her hands fall in her lap. The bandages still covered them in an attempt to hide the memories of that day. Not that it helped. She could just as easily see those demons haunting her every moment of every day, vicious and deadly, invisible presence stalking her everywhere she went.

“Izzy!” Elaine said impatiently, stepping toward her sister and crouching next to her chair. “What is there to consider? You saw those creatures, the demons! I know this is father’s will but… This is not something I… Anamir is equipped to deal with this! Please, tell me what you think! You’ve been sitting like that for the past hour!”

“I spoke to the king,” Isabelle finally spoke, making Elaine raise her eyebrows in surprise. After her sister didn’t continue, the younger princess turned to look at her ladies, who were sitting quietly in the other chairs next to the fireplace. Most of their scratches and bruises had healed, but they both had deep circles under their eyes suggesting that they hadn’t had much luck with sleep either.

“And?” Elaine nudged impatiently, but her sister didn’t respond. Isabelle rose from the chair, stepping toward the window and glancing outside. Elaine’s room was on the eastern side, facing the sea and providing a breathtaking view of the city stretching below. The sky was a dull gray color again, drowning everything in shadow and disquiet. Beyond the city walls were the empty fields, overgrown with weeds and lonely trees. The traces of houses were still there, but the place seemed deserted for a long time. It was an ugly sight, a scary, melancholy one that only brought her even more desperation.

After that talk with the king, she couldn’t stop thinking. Her plan to find a way to dissolve the engagement was no good anymore. If all he had said was true, then breaking off the engagement would mean sentencing all those people to death. Keldar would not align themselves with Roder, and the other kingdoms were too small or too far to help.

She couldn’t endorse g******e for the sake of her sister’s safety and happiness. That’s not what a wise ruler would do. But she also couldn’t leave a fearful, weak girl in so much danger. Or holding so much power. She needed more time to think of a solution but they were pushing for the engagement ceremony as if expecting the world to end tomorrow.

“Well? What did he say?” Elaine insisted, following her sister to the window. Isabelle turned, facing the younger girl. Elaine seemed pale and nervous, her bright blue eyes dulled in the shadow of the latest events.

“I can’t tell you,” Isabelle replied quietly. The king had asked her to keep their conversation private for a few reasons, one of which was spreading panic through those who lacked enough bravery or common sense and were to only make things worse. She would have done so even if he didn’t ask. It wouldn’t help others to know such information.

Elaine’s eyebrows rose and her lips parted in disbelief.

“Are you serious? You can’t tell me why I have to stay in a kingdom plagued by demons that could kill us at any moment?” she exclaimed, a look of hurt spreading across her face. Her eyes had begun to water while her body shook in frustration. “I obey everything father says! I listen to you because you are my sister! The least you can do is tell me why I have to spend my life living among people who despise me for not being like them, a husband who is forced to wed me because of his father’s dying wish, and an army of demons that wanders free in the lands and kill at their will!” She inhaled, suddenly out of breath, tears falling from her eyes. She raised her hands and wiped them, but her burning blue gaze never left her sister’s face.

Isabelle didn’t look away, she just sighed loudly.

“I can tell you this — we cannot just break this alliance.” The last tint of color on Elaine’s face drained away as she took a step back. Isabelle turned toward Cara and Melina, who looked just as stunned. “Leave us. Go prepare Elaine’s dress for the ceremony. It’s almost time.”

They hesitated for a second, glancing at the younger girl, but she didn’t move, her eyes still locked on her sister. Quietly, they got up and headed toward the door leading to the next room, closing it firmly behind them.

Isabelle turned toward Elaine, taking her hands before the other girl had the chance to pull away. Elaine tried to turn aside, but her sister gently caught her chin, forcing her to look back at her.

“Listen to me,” Isabelle said quietly. “You know that I will do everything to keep you safe. But this is important. I’m not supposed to say anything to anyone, but you have to know this.” Elaine’s eyes had dried out, her gaze turning curious. “You think Roder is a dangerous place? You’re right. But so are Anamir and Keldar. Those demons, they won’t stay here forever. They grow in numbers and at some point, they will start spreading further. We need to form an alliance with Roder so that we get their support, their soldiers, and their knowledge. Nobody knows those demons better than them and they have no one else to turn to. So for the time being, let’s give them what they want — engagements can be broken easily enough.”

“How can you do it? How can you be so calm? You saw those creatures! They are more dangerous and deadly than anything I can think of!” Elaine exclaimed. “And prince Jaden! Ugh!”

Isabelle raised an eyebrow.

“What? You don’t like his looks?” she laughed, trying to keep her heart under control. Even the thought of him brought images of his face, his touch, and his smile, and that unsettled her almost as much as the demons.

“There is nothing wrong with his looks,” Elaine said with obvious displeasure. “His eyes are what I don’t like. Can he at least try not to make it so obvious when he lusts over other women? I know we have almost ten years’ difference and it is natural for him to be interested in more mature women, but still…”

“Who has he been staring at?” Isabelle frowned. Elaine gave her an incredulous look.

“You, dummy!” she said with a sigh. “I don’t blame him, but it still hurts my pride. Though I doubt you’re the only woman he has been gawking at. I think he is just a pervert.”

Isabelle shook her head, laughing.

“Try to bear it for now. Ignore him as I do, if you wish,” Isabelle said, raising her hands and placing them on her shoulders. “I’ll leave you to get ready.”

“Do you want me to send Cara or Malina to help you get ready?” Elaine offered.

“No need. I’ve been assigned a maid, so she’ll do,” Isabelle said with a smile, although she wasn’t that sure how much of it was true. The woman that had greeted her in her room had looked haggard and lifeless, her voice so devoid of emotion, it was scary. When Isabelle had asked her more about herself, all she had said was that she used to be a warrior, but now she was not. She then dodged all other personal questions until Isabelle gave up.

What was worse, she had no idea how to do basic things like brush her hair, braid it or even help put on a dress. But she was quiet, good at following directions, and didn’t seem like the type to gossip, so Isabelle decided to keep her.

“Izzy,” Elaine called just as Isabelle was about to open the door. “You’ll come up with a plan, right? I won’t have to marry him?”

Isabelle gave her a confident smile even though deep inside doubt was taking root.

“Of course. Leave it to me,” she said. “I’ll think of a way to keep Roder tied to us without you being tied to them. Now get ready.”

Isabelle stepped outside her sister’s quarters, nodding at the four Roderian soldiers on duty. They regarded her with curt bows, then returned to their positions with serious faces, as if the future of Roder depended on them guarding that door.

Her eyes moved to Simon who had already taken his position by her side. She refused other guards after the first couple of days which Simon needed to memorize the layout of the castle. Prince Jaden was strongly against it, but he ended up folding and just increasing the guards on duty everywhere in the castle.

“Are we going back to your room?” Simon asked quietly. Isabelle nodded distractedly, her mind still on the conversation with her sister. She had promised her she’d think of something. She had to. But she couldn’t make a mistake either, or Anamir’s future could be put in jeopardy.

Isabelle raised her hand to touch the pendant on her neck, only to remember that it had broken during the attack. It had been a gift from their late mother, a gift each of her children had received and was taught to protect and never take off. And now when it was gone, Isabelle couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that something was missing.

A cold wave, like an invisible wind, passed through Isabelle, and she stopped. The section of the corridor they were passing didn’t have any windows or doors, so she looked around in confusion.

“Is everything alright?” Simon asked, concern passing through his stern face.

“I’m fine,” Isabelle mumbled, resuming her walk. Her eyes locked on the arch in front of them leading to another corridor and she stared as a woman stepped through it. She was wearing a long red dress that hugged her body tightly, her blonde hair falling in perfect curls around her shoulders. Her smooth skin and pleasant features looked oddly delicate in the cold setting, especially since most women Isabelle had met so far in Roder were much rougher and more muscular than the type she was familiar with in Anamir.

The woman continued down the corridor with a smile, her eyes moving to them curiously. She did not move to greet them in any way — no bow, no curtsy, not even a nod of the head. She just studied Simon’s tall, threatening figure before turning her gaze to Isabelle.

When their eyes met, the blonde woman froze, her eyes widening with shock. Isabelle slowed down in surprise, wondering if she should ask her if she was unwell. It couldn’t have been that she suddenly noticed them and got startled. Still, she was clearly looking at Simon with a relaxed expression just moments ago.

No, her shock appeared when she looked at Isabelle. More precisely, when she caught her looking back.

“What is your…” Isabelle turned to her, but a moment later the woman was gone as if she had disappeared into thin air. Isabelle stopped and looked both ways, but found the corridor completely empty. “What in the name of the gods?”

“Did you say something, princess?” Simon asked, following her gaze. “What is it?”

“That blonde woman!” she said, looking at the spot where the woman had disappeared. “Did you see where she went?”

“What woman?” Simon frowned. “There is no one here, princess. It’s just us. Nobody has passed by us.”

“But…” Isabelle mumbled, her head throbbing as she kept turning back, sure that she’d see the woman running or hiding somewhere. The corridor stood empty, with no place to hide and no one in sight. Isabelle closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. “I could swear I saw it.”

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard,” Simon reprimanded her. “You should rest early tonight and ask for something to put you to sleep. If word gets out you started seeing things, it wouldn’t be good for your reputation.”

“You’re right,” Isabelle mumbled, running her hands over her arms to get rid of the chill from earlier. “Let’s go. We need to get ready for the engagement ceremony.”