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Her father laughed and squared off with her folding his arms behind his back. “A walk. Where exactly? Did you go down to the ceremony? After I specifically forbade it?”
Mina’s jaw clenched. “We went for a—”
“A walk?” He barked another laugh and glared at her. “You are dressed for a fight, you have dirt all along the legs of your pants, and you smell like pine. Don’t make me have one of the guards check and see if you’re armed as well.”
Mina sagged. He would have her stripped searched if it meant proving she’d lied to him. “Fine. Yes, I hid in a tree to observe the ceremony. I wanted to see the vampires for myself. I needed to know, so I can be—”
“GAHH! You will be the death of me,” he thundered, returning to his path in front of the altar.
Mina followed him with her eyes. “Father, I am a grown woman and I have been training to fight since I first learned to walk. I was safe in those trees, and Aria followed me to ensure I stayed that way. Everything is fine. I am unharmed.”
He clenched his fists at his sides and slowed to a stop in front of her once more, his eyes giving her a once over, and then skipping to Aria who lurked behind her.
“Is this true, was the evening as uneventful as she claims?” He asked.
“I…I…” Aria cleared her throat. “Yes, Your Majesty. I followed to be sure she stayed out of harm’s way, and she did.”
The King’s shoulders sagged. “Fine. Go to bed, for real this time, and rest. We’ll return to the palace in the morning once the monster’s choice has been revealed.”
“Yes Father,” Mina said, dipping into a respectful curtsy, awkward given the pants she had on, but effective. Holding out her hand for Aria, Mina looped their arms together and towed her to the staircase that would take them up into the northern tower of the temple.
Aria waited until they’d ascended to the dormitory floor before she spoke. “By the Mother, how is it that you always get away with these crazy stunts? If my father was still alive, he’d have flayed my skin off for betraying an order like that.”
Mina frowned and glanced sideways at her companion. Aria rarely spoke about her parents. They’d died when she was young, on a trip back from the Emerald city on the Eastern continent. Killed by the pirate who commanded the floating city rumored to travel from coast to coast.
The official story was that their ship had wandered off course during a storm, and they’d wrecked on the rocks near Mina’s home city of Dee, but she knew better. She’d been there the day they brought the bodies in for Corrigan to examine. She’d seen how their flesh had been mutilated. The tinkerer had marveled over their exsanguination.
If she closed her eyes, she could still see how Aria’s little face had crumbled when she heard the news and how her fingers had tried to pull the soft blonde hair from her head in frustration. She couldn’t have been more than ten years old.
“I don’t know about you, Ari, but I really could use a bath,” Mina said, as they reached the end of the hall where the doors of her bedroom sat flanked by four guards. Twice as many as before.
Aria glanced at the men and then sighed. “I will summon one of the maids to bring some—”
“Hot water?” a familiar voice asked, approaching from the small hall to their left.
Mina turned, smiling from ear to ear. “Maggie. What are you doing up so late?”
The witch chuckled, tucking a rogue strand of gray hair back behind her ear. “I never sleep during the Blood Moon. You know that.”
Aria cleared her throat. “Did you need something from us, Mistress?”
Maggie smiled. Aria had never liked witches, and everyone knew that. “I came to have a word with the princess now that she’s returned, and I foresaw that you would be in want of a warm bath. There are two steaming tubs, waiting for you inside.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Mina chuckled, turning towards the door. “Come, I am exhausted and want to bathe before I sleep.”
Aria pulled free from her grasp. “I’m actually going to go to the altar of the Crone. It’s my mother’s birthday in a few days and I want to pay my respects.”
“Are you sure?” Mina frowned.
Aria glanced at Maggie and then looked back at her flashing a soft smile. “You have a good night princess; I will see you in the morning.”
She gave a quick bow and then before Mina could form another thought, she took off down the hall away from them.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I did not mean to drive your friend away.”
Mina shook her head and looked back at the dark eyes of the witch. Maggie’s graying hair was loosely braided over one shoulder. Her tan skin was only slightly wrinkled, and her smile was full of mischief.
Mina narrowed her eyes. “I think that’s exactly what you were hoping for.”
