Frida and I collapse on the floor in laughter, recalling that night.
"I hate that guy," Frida says
I glance at her. "My father or that horrible boy?"
"The boy, obviously," she sniggers
"I don't even know his name," I tell her. "I had never used that kind of power before, but he made me so mad and scared at the same time."
She shrugs. "I don't think we'll ever totally understand your power."
"No, I guess not," I sigh
"It was certainly more eventful than I expected my first day to go, I was just exploring the castle when I spotted you."
"Was it weird being so far from home?" I ask
"I didn't have a choice," Frida says. "There's been a war raging in Outer Asianna for years, but it excelled last year. It wasn't safe for me or my mum to stay, it was just lucky we could come here. I suppose that is one good thing about my father, I mean, the man marries my Amma then as soon as he hears I'm coming he runs back home here."
Her face has gone blotchy with rage and I rest a hand on her arm. "You never found him?"
"No," she heaves. "I believe he died of a heart attack."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not," she scowls
I stay silent for a moment before continuing. "You must miss your friends," I whisper.
"I didn't have many," She replies, "but there is one- a boy, we were everything to each other…" Frida's voice trails off and I see a sad, wistful expression crosses her face.
Frida shakes her head, shaking away the memory. Her face is back to being bright and cheerful as she stands and offers a hand to help me up. "I should probably tidy up," Frida says.
I flash her a smile. "Or we could try and get out of here."
Frida raises an eyebrow, gesturing to the door. "I can get out of here easily. All I have to do is walk through that door."
"Yes, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun," I say, dragging her over to the balcony and fling open the glass doors. "Just for a little while, Father will be having dinner soon so there's no risk of him seeing me and the maids aren't going to tell."
"What about the guards? I'm fairly certain they'd notice."
I look down at the garden. "I don't see any."
She rolls her eyes. "Only for ten minutes, I'll make sure no one comes in."
I nod and she leads me back inside to the servants door, opening it to reveal the dark passage, illuminated by fiery torches. The door closes behind me and I begin my descent, staying to the west side of the passage until the darkness gives way to sunlight and I open the wooden door, stepping outside. I look up to the balcony and see Frida leaning over the ledge.
"Ten minutes," she warns before disappearing back inside.
I inhale deeply and head for the trees. The sun is sinking low in the sky, sending a golden hue across the garden. I reach the stone wall bordering the castle and run my hand along it until I can feel the wooden panel camouflaged in the wall. I reach for the key hidden underneath and unlock the door, pushing it to walk through into the forest on the other side. Tall trees reach up and I turn my face to the sky. My bare feet crunch through the foliage, flinching over sharp rocks and sticks. I am snapped out of my daydream by the sound of a twig snapping and I turn my head just as an arrow flies past my cheek. I turn and run back to the wall as another arrow stabs the dirt where I had been standing moments earlier. Staying low I reach the door, pulling it back as an arrow plunges into the wood, shielding myself. I pull the arrow out and slip it into my pocket, wrenching the door shut and turning the key in the lock.
I slink back to the castle and up the stairs into my room. It's empty when I get there and I start to pick up the clothes left discarded on the floor from earlier on. The door cracks open and Frida slips in with a tray of food.
"Are you okay?" She asks, immediately picking up on my mood.
"I'm okay," I tell her. "But someone shot at me."
Her eyes widen. "What?"
I pull the arrow out of my pocket. "They missed, luckily."
Frida frowned and took it from me, inspecting it carefully. "It was probably a hunter or something," she decided
"No way," I argue. "They were aiming for me."
She shrugs. "Either way, I don't know what we can do. I'm guessing you aren't going to tell your dad."
I sigh. "Of course not."
"Then we just have to hope they won't try again," she says firmly, setting the arrow down on my bedside table.
I nod, but I still can't quite shake the uneasy feeling. Soon after getting my food, I lie down, the events running through my head..
'Snap out of it,' I tell myself. 'You're fine.'
I repeat the words over and over again, as if they would become true until sleep consumes me.
***
My eyes fly open and I try to figure out what woke me up. The clock next to my bed tells me it's three in the morning and I know I have been woken up for a reason. My corset digs into me and I wonder why I have gone to bed in my clothes until remembering what happened yesterday. I am paralysed, too afraid to move when I hear it again.
Footsteps.
My ears detect someone walking around the side of my bed and I lie still as low voices talk to each other.
"How do we get her to come with us?" One voice hisses
"She's just a girl, I think we can manage," a second voice snarls
"A girl with magical powers, Carlos," the first scoffs
Before I can respond I hear my door open and Frida's voice calls out.
"Who's there?"
There is a scuffle and suddenly the room is illuminated in a bright yellow light. I am yanked up from my bed and across the room I see a man standing beside Frida a knife against her throat. Her eyes are wide and terrified and I know mine must reflect something similar.
"Don't touch her," I seethe angrily. "If you so much as twitch I will destroy you."
The corner of the man's mouth curves upwards slightly in amusement.
"We are not after her," he growls. "We just want you to come with us."
The penny drops and I sigh. "You're working for Alkarda."
"You picked that up fast, Princess," the first man whispers in my ear.
I contemplate my options. Alkarda are Valeria's sworn enemies and I know that the men will kill Frida if they have to. My arm is still tightly pinned behind my back, but I can reach the other to the table where the arrow is. I pick it up and slide it into my pocket. I can feel my other arm growing hotter by the second and I know it won't be long before it is scorching. I feel my anger grow and abruptly the man releases his grip with a yell. In one swift movement I have sent a blast across the room hitting the second man in the stomach. Frida ducks away as he doubles over gasping and races over to me. We run for the door, but the men make a grab for us and I am tackled to the ground.
"We won't ask again, Princess," the first man says from above me, the hood of his cloak pulled down low over his dark face.
My eyes flicker over to Frida and I grit my teeth.
"Fine."
He grins and drags me to my feet, binding my wrists behind me tightly.
"Good choice," the second man replies, jostling Frida over to the servants door.
I look between the two men, they have the same mannerisms, the same dark skin.
'Brothers,' I think, 'they must be brothers.'
We are led down the dark steps and out into the garden where a wagon is waiting. They shove us onto it, locking our wrists to the sides with metal cuffs and covering our bodies with a thick sheet.
"Don't you dare make a sound," the first man warns as he covers us
They sound of horseshoes begins and we slowly pull away. Frida nudges me silently and I give her a weak smile.
"We'll be okay," I breathe
The cart stops and I can hear the guards at the gate talking to our kidnappers. They walk around and I am tempted to attract their attention, but reason holds me back and I stay still, hardly daring to breathe. Eventually the gates open and we are moving again, trundling slowly through the deserted streets. I peek out of the cart and see the castle disappearing in the distance. There is no escaping now. I push the sheet back properly and sit up, blinking as my eyes adjust to the darkness.
"I thought I told you to stay covered," The first man growls
I tilt my chin out in defiance. "There isn't anyone around for miles, I'm going to take what I can get."
He huffs, but doesn't argue and I lean back against the wooden panels.
"How are you so relaxed?" Frida whispers
I shrug. "I'm just trying to make the best of it."
She stares at me in shock. "You've been kidnapped, Kamala. How do you make the best of this situation?"
I glance back at the men before leaning closer to her. "I'm the only heir to the throne. Father will have to pay to get us freed, but until that happens this is the farthest I've gone from the castle and I intend to enjoy it."
"What if they kill you?" She asks
I smile. "They can't, if they kill me then father will go to war with them and our military forces are a lot stronger than theirs- they know it too. I promise, Frida, nothing is going to happen to you."
I wasn't sure I could say the same for me, but I couldn't say that to her.
"Who are you guys?" Frida exclaims, turning to face them.
The second man glances back. "I'm Carlos, that's Maverick," he tells us, begrudgingly.
"Nice to meet you," I say
Maverick frowns at me. "Shouldn't you be more afraid," he mutters
"There isn't anything to be afraid of," I reply
He glares, turning his back on me. "You don't know who you are dealing with, princess," Maverick sneers
"Oh, I know exactly who I'm dealing with," I retort
Maverick stays silent, but I can tell my words have effected him. Frida looks at me and we both have to purse our lips to stop a laugh escaping. I lie down, tugging the sheet up to cover Frida and I.
I watch the stars, tracking down constellations and listening to the horses hooves clopping along. Frida has fallen asleep and my own eyes are drifting closed when I hear them.
"It's a not a long way to Alkarda- at least by boat," Maverick says softly. "We will reach the docks by tomorrow afternoon, there is a ship that will take us there. We should arrive at Alkarda in two or three days time."
"Do you know what they're planning to do with her?" Carlos wonders
Maverick doesn't speak for a moment and eventually he pulls the cart over. "All I'm going to say is that she better hope her father pays up."
I frown and Carlos grunts. "Why do you always have to be so cryptic?" He moans
Maverick jumps down and begins to detach the horse from the cart. "Don't worry about it, Carlos. Just get some sleep, I'll keep watch."
"You really hate her, don't you?" Carlos says
"Yes, I do and if I had it my way she wouldn't be making it to Alkarda, she wouldn't be making it another step.
My eyes widen at the harshness of his words and I wonder what could have happened to make him feel this way towards me.
"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Carlos asks
"Does it look like I care?"
Carlos stays silent and any other conversation they make is lost on me as their words begin running together. I can't keep my eyes open any longer as sleep takes hold of me and I slip into a vast nothingness.