"General Adrien plans to capture those who are to kidnap you from here," said Ciaran.
"Technically it's not kidnapping if they're counting on me going willingly," Amaya argued. "You kidnapped me."
Ciaran approached Amaya. He rested his hands on the table at her sides. He closed her as if in a cage. He looked deep into her eyes. Amaya's heart raced. She held her breath.
"But you wouldn't go with them willingly," said Ciaran.
Amaya nodded her head. "They would have to tie me up," she said. "And I would still defend myself with my whole being."
"I would never let them take you away." Ciaran gently brushed her hair behind her ear.
General Marcellus entered the room. Amaya and Ciaran didn't move from each other.
"Have you told her she's supposed to be bait?" he said.
"Bait?" Amaya looked at the prince.
"General Adrien wants you to follow instructions and pretend you want to escape when the time comes. Whoever they sent for you, they will be careful. They won't all show up at once, and the general wants you to lead us to them," replied Ciaran.
"It's a trap," Amaya said. "He'll accuse me of actually trying to escape."
"I won't let him," said Ciaran.
"We'll see, but he will surely try," said General Marcellus.
"What does that message actually say?" Amaya wondered.
Ciaran walked around the desk and pulled out the message carried by the falcon from the drawer. He handed it to her. Amaya looked at the words written on the small piece of paper. She recognized the script it was written in. She knew who wrote it.
The message said: When the new moon comes, look to the north and look for a lantern in the sky. Follow the light. We will be waiting for you.
"Everything alright?" the general asked as he noticed Amaya's face gone pale.
"I know who wrote it," she replied. "It's from the commander."
Both the General and Ciaran looked at her inquisitively.
"He trained me," Amaya said.
"So he's to blame for you defeating every one of our soldiers?" Ciaran laughed.
"She's just lucky," said the general.
"For the most part," Amaya said. "I was taught to fight by the commander, but to win by the Shadow King."
"The Shadow King?" General Marcellus wondered. "Do you know the Shadow King?"
Ciaran gave the general a look to be quiet. Amaya ignored it.
"When I was learning to control my abilities, I dived into the shadows. That's where the Shadow King found me. He taught me to control those visions. He taught me many things." she informed them about her past. "We are the same. Born from Death. I am not the only one blessed by the gods."
"However, they consider him a monster and you a saint," remarked the general.
"Neither of us chose it though," Amaya said.
"Supposedly there is a way to his castle. The people are looking for him to make a deal with him," General Marcellus said.
Prince Ciaran gave him a murderous look. Silently told him to be quiet.
"I'm honestly surprised you know that, General," Amaya said.
"Just because I don't believe in gods doesn't mean I don't know anything about them," he replied.
"You just admitted that you believe in them," Amaya smirked. "The way to his court exists. It opens at sunset during the new moon and disappears again at dawn."
"Have you ever been there?" Ciaran wondered.
"Yes," Amaya replied. "During every new moon since we met. But it's been three years since I showed up there last time.''
"Why?
"Let's just say that our views didn't match anymore," she replied.
"By the way, those ghosts in the Whispering Forest belonged to him," she remarked. "They're no ghosts but shadows. His invincible army."
"Was he trying to kill us?" Ciaran asked in astonishment.
"No," she objected. "You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
⸸
The sun has already set behind the distant horizon. They stood on the northern walls. The night sky was obscured by dark clouds. Stars shone through the holes in the cloud cover. The moon shone in all its dark glory. It merged with the blackness of the night. The bright light of the torches cut through the thick darkness.
Amaya leaned against the cold stone and stared into the distance. She waited for the sign she was waiting for to emerge from the darkness.
"Are you ready?" General Adrien appeared at her side.
Amaya turned to him. "I'm always ready and you, General?"
The corner of his mouth lifted into a fleeting smile. "Don't try to run away," he warned her.
"Don't expect to catch me in that trap of yours, General Adrien," Amaya replied. "If I wanted to run away, you'd never catch me."
"We'll see," said General Adrien.
Amaya and the general exchanged glances. They didn't even blink. There was a silent battle between them and neither of them was willing to back down.
"General, look!" the soldier shouted at them.
Both Amaya and the general turned their eyes to the sky. A faint light rose from the ground to the stars. The wind carried it somewhere unknown.
"It's time," General Adrien said, walking away from the walls.
Amaya stood there watching the small light of the lantern. She wondered who would be waiting for her there. She wondered if the commander would be there. She felt torn between her lives. What would the commander say if he found out she betrayed them? Would he hate her if he found out the truth?
"Witch!" General Adrien called after her.
His voice ripped Amaya out of her daydream. She turned away from the horizon and followed him. There was a rush downstairs. The guards were preparing to leave. There were many of them. Maybe too much. She hadn't expected that many soldiers would have arrived from Amorite. They would be too conspicuous.
"Isn't that a bit much?" Amaya asked.
"We don't want to underestimate anything," replied General Adrien.
"Ready?" Prince Ciaran approached Amaya.
"If I want my secrets to stay hidden, I have to be," she replied.
Ciaran hugged her. Amaya returned the hug.
"Everything will be fine," her prince assured her.
Ciaran fastened a sword to her belt. Amaya looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Ciaran knew exactly what she was trying to tell him with that look. And it could not wait long.
"She will not be armed." General Adrien said imperiously.
"I won't let her go defenseless," Ciaran argued.
"You don't decide here," retorted General Adrien.
"Hiraeth is mine, you are in my house and Amaya is my bride," Ciaran said forcefully. "I will decide whether she is armed or not."
"If you try something, you will bear the consequences," General Adrien said for the last time, and it was high time to go on his way.
Amaya walked first. The soldiers of the royal guard, along with Prince Ciaran's soldiers, followed at her heels. Prince Ciaran walked by her side. They were silent. The silence of the night landscape was disturbed only by the heavy footsteps of the soldiers.
Amaya stopped and turned towards them. "Can you hold back?" she said. "You're too conspicuous."
"Do you need space to escape?" said General Adrien.
"You are noisy. Your armor can be heard from far away. Even a deaf person would hear you coming." Amaya said. "If you don't want them to run away before you get within a hundred paces, you'll back off and give me some space."
General Adrien wanted to object, but before he could open his mouth to start an argument, as neither he nor Amaya were willing to back down, the prince stepped between them.
"You and I will go with her. The others will give us a fifteen-minute lead," he suggested.
Neither Amaya nor the general objected. It was a good compromise.
The soldiers remained standing. They disappeared behind them in the distance. Amaya continued in the company of Prince Ciaran and General Adrien. They walked towards the north from where the lantern flew. They walked and walked through the darkness. According to the instructions, they should have followed the light, but they found none. They kept going until they came to the edge of the forest. There, there they saw the glow of fire among the trees.
"I realize it's going to be very difficult for you two right now, but I'd appreciate it if you tried to walk as quietly as you can," Amaya whispered to them.
Prince Ciaran and General Adrien looked at her offended. Amaya laughed.
"We are not stupid, witch," said the general.
"I'm not saying you're stupid, just too loud," Amaya replied.
Footsteps led them through the forest. Amaya's steps were graceful and silent. You wouldn't notice her approaching until she was standing right next to you. For that, the prince's and the general's steps were clumsy. Fallen branches and dry leaves cracked under their feet. Amaya cursed every loud sound.
The light got closer with each step. They came to the edge of a small clearing. The intertwined branches of the trees arched over it like a canopy. A figure sat by the fire. Man. His back was turned to them, but Amaya recognized him anyway.
She stepped forward. Prince Ciaran started to walk with her, but she stopped him. She goes alone.
Amaya stepped out of the shadow of the forest into the light of the crackling fire. She no longer cared to cover her steps.
"I heard you coming the whole time." the blond young man spoke.
"You know, I'm out of practice," Amaya replied.
The young man stood up and turned to face her. The glow of the fire illuminated the handsome features of his face. Amaya jumped into his arms and he returned it.
Prince Ciaran frowned. General Adrien laughed as he looked at the prince.
"Shall I intervene or will you, Your Highness?" he said quietly.
"I trust her. She will come back," replied the prince.
"Mathias," Amaya said with joy in her voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to take you away from here. The king was looking for someone who could sneak to Deira and back with you as well," he replied.
"Are you here alone?" she asked him.
"Yes," he said. "Prince Tristan and I planned to take you to the east. I know a man. When we reach him we will send a message to the prince and he will come for us."
"What did you and Tristan come up with?" Amaya was taken aback.
"You can't marry the king," Mathias said.
"And when did you two decide for me?" Amaya objected.
"He's old," Mathias objected. "You could be the prince's sister and not his stepmother."
"It's true that it would be weird," Amaya admitted.
"And you don't even love him. You would suffer like a queen," said Mathias.
"Nice to see you again, Mathias," Amaya said.
"Nice to see you too," said Mathias, looking around. "Where is the high priestess?" he asked her.
Amaya's face showed that something had happened. She hesitated to answer.
"Amaya, what happened?"
"Let's just say she put the interests of the kingdom above mine," Amaya said. "She served her king way too well, so I had to get rid of her."
"I'm sorry," said Mathias. "We should be on our way before anyone notices you're gone. I'll get you away from here."
"Mathias, wait." Amaya stopped him.
Mathias looked at her inquisitively. He noticed that something had changed about her.
"Ciaran!" Amaya called out.
A prince stepped out from the shadow of the forest. He had an unreadable expression on his face. General Adrien was walking right behind him. Mathias stared blankly at Amaya. His eyes went from her to the prince, the general, and back to her.
"This is Prince Ciaran of Deira and General Adrien, Commander of the Royal Guards," Amaya introduced them.
"Dad thought you were the one why the trap at Starlight Castle didn't work out. He was right. He kept it a secret from the king so he wouldn't consider you a traitor," said Mathias.
"It seems your witch has switched sides," said the general.
"Won't your king consider you a traitor if you didn't plan to return Amaya to him?" Prince Ciaran asked him.
"Not if he doesn't catch me," Mathias replied.
"It doesn't matter that he betrayed his own king, he's still the enemy," General Adrien said, drawing his sword.
Amaya drew hers and aimed it at the general.
"How dare you?" said the general irritated.
"You won't hurt my friend," Amaya said.
"Amaya." Prince Ciaran gave her an unyielding look.
"Ciaran." Amaya snapped back at him.
They stared at each other for a moment. There was tension in the air. The wood crackled lightly in the fire. The wind whispered in the treetops.
"General Adrien, lower your sword," the prince ordered after all.
"No," the general refused.
"Drop your sword at once!" the prince pointed out.
The general reluctantly obeyed and put his sword back in its sheath. Amaya hesitated for a second before lowering her sword as well.
"I hope your friend doesn't have the same problems as you," said Ciaran to Amaya.
They were just coming out of the forest when the soldiers who were supposed to stay behind finally arrived.
"Is it over?" General Marcellus asked in astonishment.
"There was no fight. You haven't lost anything, Marcellus," Prince Ciaran told him.
General Marcellus looked at Amaya and Mathias.
"This is Mathias, the son of the commander of the Amorite royal army." Amaya introduced him hanging into him.
"He's a traitor to his own country," said Ciaran.
"And my friend," Amaya said.
The general looked at them in confusion. The prince shook his head, indicating that he would rather not deal with it. Disappointed General Adrien returned to his soldiers.
⸸
Amaya did not trust the prince and certainly not General Adrien. They promised not to harm Mathias, but what are promises if not to be broken? So she insisted that Mathias stay in her chambers.
"I'm not surprised you want to stay here if these are your rooms." Mathias looked around in amazement.
"It's just a golden cage," Amaya replied.
"How many would kill for such a golden cage," said Mathias.
"You know I'm different," Amaya said.
"I know," said Mathias. "I saw the way you were looking at that prince." he grinned.
"Don't imagine what's not there, Mathias." Amaya warmed him. "There is nothing between me and Prince Ciaran."
"Indeed, little goddess?" spoke Prince Ciaran, appearing as if out of nowhere. "Then why have you been sleeping in my bed for the last few nights?"
Mathias rolled his eyes at Amaya. Amaya threw a pillow at the prince. He briefly laughed to himself.
"Do you realize that if I wanted your friend dead, it would happen whether you hide him in your chambers or not?" said Ciaran.
"But can I trust General Adrien as well?" Amaya said.
"General Adrien only barks but doesn't bite," said Ciaran. "Your friend is safe."
"Do you swear?"
"No, but you have no choice but to believe me."
Amaya lay in her huge bed. Mathias was sitting in a comfortable armchair. Amaya suggested that he sleep with her, as the bed was big enough for five, but he refused, knowing that Prince Ciaran was sleeping in the next room. In the bedroom that is connected to hers.
And he didn't know that she was engaged to him.
"Why did your father lie to the king?" Amaya asked him.
Mathias opened his eyes. "You know him," he said. "She likes you more than me."
"That's not true," Amaya argued.
"Everyone loves you," Mathias countered.
"Only because they don't know the truth about me."
"But you won't let anyone get to know you. Is that why you like it here? Don't you have to be the one blessed by the gods here?'
"Here I am an evil witch for everyone, who will make them curse with her looks," said Amaya.
"Even for that prince?" Mathias asked.
"I don't know what Ciaran believes in. He confuses me," she replied.
"I noticed how you were looking at him," Mathias remarked.
Amaya remained silent. She had no idea how to answer that. Actually, she didn't even know the answer to that. Mathias stood up and lay down next to her. He hugged her. Amaya made herself comfortable in his familiar arms.
Prince Ciaran sat behind the secret door and listened to every word and silence that followed that question. He also heard the words she finally spoke.
"It's complicated, but I'll never make the mistake of loving someone."