A Game of Crowns

"Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.”

I stood in a field of lilac and yellow grain that reached my knees. The sky was a lovely shade of blue. The breeze fluttered my hair in a dance behind me and flapped my nightgown around my legs.

A woman stood about fifty yards away from me in a nightgown similar to mine and that’s where the similarities ended. A tug on my heart told me I knew this person and that I should run but my feet moved me towards her.

Why couldn’t I remember this sun-kissed angel? Her cocoa shaded lips split into a grin as she held her tawny arms open to me. Her honey brown eyes crinkled with laughter as she continued to call me. My legs would not move fast enough. I was four feet away from being able to throw myself into her arms but I was yanked back roughly by my neck.

My necklace had pulled me back. The moonstone emitted a soft white light that surrounded me like a bubble. A flash of anger crossed the angel’s face. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to penetrate the sphere. The light refused to budge.

She raised her fist and banged it against the bubble and caused a slight crack. A triumphant smile adorned her beautiful face. I smiled back.

She raised her fist again but as she brought it down the bubble shrank and covered me like a second skin. It snapped me out of my dream and back into the real world.

I woke up to a whispered argument. I could just make out the voices and they were angry.

“What was she doing with you?” one whispered.

The other replied, “that isn’t for me to say.”

I struggled to open my eyes and when they finally obeyed my command I immediately regretted it. The light was too bright; it reinforced the pounding headache I felt as the back of my skull. I tried again and groaned as the same light met my eyes. The whispering voices halted their argument.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the brightness I wished I hadn’t woken up. Above me were Rowan and Tobias. Both looking down at me, scarily pale and covered in blood. I was in the hospital wing in a small cot. There was chatter in the spacious room, telling me we weren’t alone. Each bed was separated by paper slides. I looked back at the men in my life.

Tobias’s blue eyes burned with worry and questions. Rowan’s starry eyes met mine and relief shone through them like a beacon in the night but they quickly turned angry.

“What happened? Why do you guys look like shit?”

Oh Priestess, please let me not have said that aloud. I never cursed out loud. Rowan’s anger turned to amusement. One side of his lips lifted, adorably.

Tobias rolled his eyes. “I’m glad to see you’re okay.”

“What happened?” I asked again as I looked from Tobias to Rowan, hoping one of them had an answer.

Tobias crossed his arms and looked at Rowan as if to say go ahead.

“I told you to run, Penelope.” That simple sentence made me inwardly cringe. He had told me to run but instead, I stayed.

“You shouldn’t have left her alone,” Tobias said annoyed.

“I did what I wanted. Neither of you could have kept me from doing it.”

“Tell us what happened from the moment I left,” Rowan commanded.

And so, I did. Rowan tried extremely hard not to laugh.

“What about that story is funny to you?” Tobias asked through clenched teeth.

“I can only laugh about it now because she’s safe,” he said to Tobias. He looked at me and continued. “but I did say you were more likely to stab yourself with a dagger.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I didn’t stab myself with it.” He lifted an eyebrow. “I rolled over it,” I said petulantly.

His chuckles became a full out bout of laughter. His mirth was contagious and before I knew it I was laughing as well. I looked at Tobias and he looked as if he swallowed something sour. I stopped laughing.

“Rowan, would you mind giving Tobias and I some time to talk?”

His laughter stopped and he stayed quiet for a beat before he agreed.

He turned to leave but stopped and spoke in a lowered voice. “Don’t take off the pendant I gave you. It protected you today. I’ll explain later when everyone is up to speed.”

I closed my mouth. It had fallen open at his words. Tobias looked clueless. I had a lot to explain.

Tobias and I sat in silence. We hadn’t truly spoken since he showed up drunk at my door. Even with the surrounding noise of the hospital wing, it was an awkward moment.

“So, I’m guessing you and him...”

“Let me stop you right there before you say something else you’ll regret.”

He sighed and let his face fall into his hands. “I’m really sorry, Penelope. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m acting like a jealous idiot. I’m assuming things based on practically nothing. I have no claim to you. It’s just after that night with you, I...”

I grabbed his hand. “I know, Tobias. Let’s move past it, okay?”

“We’re back to being just friends?” he asked shyly. He was so out of character at that moment. His confident self-was nowhere to be seen.

“It’s all we’ve ever been, really. I’ll be your partner and we’ll see where it goes from there,” I said.

With a resigned sigh, he agreed. “I can do that.”

In a whispered conversation I told him everything about Rowan and surprisingly he didn’t interrupt or scoff at the revelations. Instead, he was supportive.

“If you believe him then I’ll give him a chance.”

“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I can be compliant,” he smirked.

“Right,” I said, laughing.

“Enough about that, tell me about everything else. What happened to everyone? What happened to you?” I asked, examining his face and neck.

He had a bruise forming on the left side of his face and one on his throat. I tried to touch his face but he took my hand and held it in his. The warmth of his hand was a comfort I didn’t realize I needed. He ignored the question about himself and answered the others instead.

“The palace was taken by surprise. It’s official, there is still a traitor in the palace.” His eyes burned a fiery rage that only justice could appease.

He continued, “Someone died this time, Penelope.”

My blood ran cold. I lost my grip on his hand but he held firm. “Who?” I whispered.

“Ruby.”

Her brown eyes flashed before mine and her lending me a hand to get off the field. I had just met her and she was gone. She was so young and had her whole life ahead of her. It was hard to believe the tough girl was gone. That could have been anyone of us.

A single tear slid down my check for the girl I hardly knew.

“I’m grateful that you are okay. When I heard the palace was attacked I went to look for you instead of going to our designated safe room,” he said, sheepishly.

“Hence all of this,” he said, gesturing towards his face and neck.

“You idiot. You could have died,” I scolded.

“I needed to know you were okay. I thought you’d be with Georgiana or something. I was completely off,” he said, a slight sound of irritation had entered his voice. I chose to ignore it.

“Do you mind if we talk tomorrow, Tobias? I’m starting to feel my aches and bruises,” I said. It wasn’t a lie. I had started to feel the pounding at the base of my head more prominently. I could feel every scrape and bruise on my body.

He nodded. “Madame Lorrelle and Sir Hawthorne have given us the day tomorrow. I have something to show you. Will you come with me somewhere?”

“Yes, of course.”

He wiped the back of his hand over his brow and grinned. “Great, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Anything to see that boy smile, I told myself. A cough interrupted my inner thoughts and brought me back to the quiet hustle and bustle of the hospital wing. The paper sheet that separated the beds was pushed aside on my left. Viktorya sat waiting for to look at her.

I almost groaned aloud. “What?” I asked.

“Well hello to you too, Penelope,” she sneered.

I hated that she used my full name. Of all the people...

“What is it Viktorya?”

“I heard everything you said about the Priestess and the Trinity. I want to help,” she said simply.

What? There was no way I could trust this girl.

As if sensing my line of thought she spoke. “If I were you, I wouldn’t trust me either but I plan on being queen of this place and I don’t need a rogue Priestess ruining it for me. I’ll help when the time comes.”

She thought she would win even if I had a vital role to play in this game. She was hardly on the board. There was nothing I could do about her knowing anything now so I would accept the help she was offering, maybe it would be important.

“Fine. Tell me what happened to you. Why weren’t you in your designated safe area?”

“I was having fun with a member of the opposite sex and we didn’t hear the alarm until it was too late,” she said grinning.

I rolled my eyes. Of course, she was.

“What? Don’t look so judgmental. You should hear the rumors that are going around about you,” she said, playing with the bandage on her arm.

I narrowed my eyes. “What rumors?”

She rubbed her hands together mischievously and wrinkled her nose. She sat with her legs under her as she got comfortable on her cot. He red hair was in a bun instead of her usual waves. Her light brown eyes twinkled gleefully. Gosh, what kind of rumors would put Viktorya in shut a good mood?

“You should have seen the scene when Rowan brought you in. There was fighting still happening in the courtyard and that was the closest way here to the hospital wing. He ran through the courtyard with you passed out in his arms. He was shirtless and let me tell you that man is one fine specimen of... Right, let me continue with the story,” she said at the frosty look I was giving her.

“He used his shirt to stop the bleeding in your arm. The twins were with him, one on each side with twin blades in each of their hands. Their jumpsuits were drenched with blood. The four of you made a hell of an entrance.”

My mind was reeling but that explanation didn’t give me the answers I wanted. “Okay, what rumors are you talking about?”

She squealed gleefully. “Well, rumor has it that you are sleeping with them all. Especially after the show, you put on after the last trial.”

My mouth had fallen open. People couldn’t believe that. “That is ridiculous.”

“Don’t look at me. I’m only the messenger. Although, I am happy I was the one to tell you. The look of horror on your face was worth talking to you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Is that all they’re saying?”

“They are also saying that you slept with them to get them in your pocket so you can win. There is also the one about you learning sorcery from them,” she said as she examined her nails.

I couldn’t believe this. People didn’t seem to think much of me. I always tried to keep my head down and tried not to be in the spotlight but it somehow always found me.

“Oh, thank the Priestess!” A mess of blonde curls and blotchy cheeks had run into my arms. It took a lot out of me not to let the groan that threatened to escape my mouth out. My bruises were protesting any sort of pressure.

“I am grateful you are okay, my lady. I am sorry I wasn’t any help to you. I failed you.”

The shock of her entrance had worn off and I encircled her in my arms. “It’s okay, Georgiana. I am happy you are safe as well.”

Viktorya’s mouth had a pinched look to it. It was as if she couldn’t believe I was hugging the help.

“It is a relief to find you in good health, Ms. Vanguard,” said a calmer voice. The brunette it belonged to was Viktorya’s Georgiana.

Their relationship wasn’t strained or friendly but very professional. I still held Georgiana in my arms, trying to calm her tears. Viktorya shrugged and left me to attend to Georgiana.

I awkwardly patted Georgiana on the back. “Are we allowed to go back to our room?” I asked.

“Not yet, my lady. They are still searching the grounds. They’re making sure it’s safe.”

I nodded. As if this place would ever truly be safe.