Page 18 of A Lie so Pretty and Poisonous

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the guard. “Why would I have captives unshackled on horseback? Open the gate. Now.”

Pulleys and chains rumbled and clinked as the gleaming white gates lifted. Hoofbeats came from behind us, and the rest of Gabriel’s soldiers fell in formation at our backs. Devoruh looked me up and down through narrowed eyes. She was tall and athletic with inky black hair knotted at the top of her head and amber-colored eyes. Her lips were full, and her sandstone-colored skin seemed to glow. My mother would love her.

We walked the horses into a courtyard bustling with activity. Seraph stable hands gathered my reins, and I dismounted, collecting Cora into my arms. Deliveries of food and wares were made to our left through doors leading into the castle. Lanterns were being lit to counter the setting sun. Soldiers and courtesans milled about, occasionally staring at us. I reached up and pulled loose strands of my hair in front of my rounded ears in hopes of hiding that I wasn’t like them.

Gabriel handed me my satchel and led us through the courtyard, keeping close to my side. His warmth was replaced with stoicism. If he noticed the staring, he didn’t let on.

Garden paths opened to our right, begging to be explored. I wondered what plants they might have that did not grow in Edenalee, but I couldn’t allow myself to become too distracted with wonder and whimsy, or I risked making a mistake. Mistakes in an unknown place with unknown people could be costly, and I didn’t know the price. I had to maintain an air of being cool, collected, and confident. Even if I was anything but. The aristocracy could smell any hint of fear and weakness, which they would immeasurably exploit if given the opportunity.

A large white pillar was the centerpiece of the courtyard. Odd symbols and writing in a language I couldn’t identify were etched up the shaft of the stone. A face was meticulously carved in detail at the top of the pillar, staring outside the castle walls. His stony expression made him look regal and important, but he held an element of danger. At the base of the pillar, a shallow pool of dark liquid surrounded it. Courtesans, men and women, knelt before it with their heads bowed. I watched as a woman pulled a pearl-topped pin from her perfectly coiffed hair and pricked her finger. She held her hand over the basin and let three droplets of blood fall before walking off onto a garden path.

I hadn’t realized I slowed down to watch, both curious and horrified at the realization that the liquid had been darkened with blood. My silent stares garnered more glances and judgmental assessments that raked up and down at my appearance.

Gabriel placed his hand at the small of my back, urging me to keep moving. “Altar of Themis,” he said quietly. “God of Justice. We worship him and provide an offering of blood so he may grant our prayers or atone for any wrongdoing. He is the one true deity, and we put all our faith and reverence into him.”

Gabriel had kept slipping the name Themis into conversation, and I wondered who or what that was. Not worshipping other deities was foreign to me. In Edenalee, we had a deity for practically everything, and it was rare to give a blood sacrifice to appease any of them. Though nothing had been appeasing them as of late. Our prayers often turned up empty.

Before I could launch into a barrage of questions, Gabriel pivoted the conversation. “Let’s get you both into a room for the evening. You must be exhausted…and need new clothes and a bath.” He flicked his head toward a door, presumably leading into the castle.

I looked down the front of my body to find mud-encrusted pants, a torn and grass-stained tunic, scuffed boots, and dirt under my fingernails. I was sure we looked an absolute fright to the nobility. My disheveled appearance didn’t exude that I was anything but beneath them, and that was a dangerous place to be stationed. I sighed, knowing I was about to pull my noble mask on for the foreseeable future. A mask I hated but wore well. “Sounds wonderful, Your Highness. Thank you.” My voice slipped into a sickly sweet and mannered tone. I snapped my head forward, chin raised and eyes on where I was heading.

“Yes! Let’s go see the castle!” Cora chirped, bouncing on her toes.

At the far end of the courtyard, we walked through massive wooden double doors and up a flight of stairs that opened to an exquisite foyer. White marble floors with swirls of gold flecks glistened in the light of intricate lanterns held by sconces. Large vases full of fragrant white lilies and roses lined the hallways. Framed paintings, which I assumed were of kings and queens of the past, were fastened to the walls. Two grand staircases diverged on each side of the foyer, winding up to opposite wings and numerous floors of the castle, servants bustling up and down them. A giant crystal and gold chandelier hung in the center between the two staircases. Floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows lined another long hallway, casting beautiful colors on the opposite walls. I wondered if the colors danced when the sun hit them just right.

“Wow! Mom, look at how shiny everything is.” Cora’s eyes sparkled, and her mouth hung open as she slowly turned in a circle, staring up at the chandelier.

Gabriel stood with his arms crossed, watching her with silent amusement. “I am glad you like it, Cora. This will be your home for the time being, so please make yourself comfortable here.” He motioned for us to follow him. “You will see more tomorrow.”

He led us up the eastern wing staircase to the third floor and stopped the first maid he saw. “These are my guests and will be staying here at the castle. Are there rooms ready to receive occupants on this floor?”

Gabriel’s tone was expected out of a royal: direct, firm, confident. He wasn’t unkind but not friendly either. I was never able to act like this to our attendants at Alwine Manor. On more than one occasion, I tried to befriend my governess, chambermaid, and butler, much to the dismay of my parents.

The maid briefly skimmed our dirty bodies, but she didn't hesitate to respond, “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll be sure the rest of the staff knows of your guests,” and scurried away in a flash.

We strode down the long hallway, passing door after door until we stopped at the end. Gabriel produced a golden key from his cloak pocket. With a click of the lock, he moved to the side to let us enter. “Cora, these will be your rooms.”

She bounded into the doorway and did what any child would do—explored the layout of the rooms before I could tell her to stay put.

“Rory, you will be right next door.”

My heart sank. I thought with the horse incident, he would understand that I didn’t want Cora out of my sight. “Oh! That is kind, Your Highness, but I wonder if Cora and I might share rooms. I think we are both still a bit on edge from earlier events of the day, and there looks to be plenty of space in there for both of us.” I kept my voice light and proper.

Gabriel arched an eyebrow at me. “Your Highness? Rory, please call me Gabriel when we are alone.” He took my hand in his and closed the distance between us.

My head tipped back to meet his gaze, and I fought the urge to take a step back. His voice lowered.

“I thought maybe you would enjoy separate beds and bathing chambers after such a distressing ordeal. You would both have attendants to help you bathe and change, tending to whatever you need. You’re safe here. No harm will come to either of you. I swear it. Take the room next door for yourself.”

I wanted to believe him. I normally wouldn’t feel safe in a situation like this, seraph or human realm alike, but the trepidation that told me to refuse him was muted. It was a safety net, a wall I had built high to protect us. But right now, the wall began to crumble, cracking and fragmenting the more he reassured me. Maybe the exhaustion overtaking me disrupted my ability to keep my guard cemented in place.

“Come on, Mom! This place is huge!” Cora shouted from deep inside the rooms.

“I will leave this up to Cora. For her comfort,” I said to Gabriel. Something crossed Gabriel’s expression that I couldn’t read.

“Cora?” I leaned my head into the door. “I have been offered rooms right next door. Are you alright with that, or do you wish to stay together?”

Cora was framed in a room off to the side. She quickly paused her bouncing on the large four-post bed with fluffy pillows and silk sheets. “I want you with me. Please.” Her timid voice was barely above a whisper.