Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy #1)(20)
The worst was Nilsen, who was two years older and looked like a block of pale wood, yellow and hard-edged and just as wide as tall. Even his face reminded me of the swirls and rings in the wood grain. He had a fascination with water that wasn’t unusual for Kalovaxians, but it took on a sadistic twist that I’m not sure even the Theyn was capable of.
The first time, he shoved my head in a water basin and held me there, thick fingers digging into the back of my neck as I thrashed against him. I had the good sense—or maybe it was foolishness—to kick him between the legs and break away when he doubled over, both of us gasping for breath.
Luckily, I caught mine first and ran.
Unluckily, he learned from his mistake.
The next day, his two friends held me in place, and no matter how much I struggled and tried to kick, I couldn’t get free. My lungs burned and the edges of my mind began to blur. I was almost looking forward to passing out—maybe even seeing my mother again in the After—when suddenly the hands were gone and I was pulled out by a much gentler grip.
My dazed mind thought that she was a goddess at first. The Astrean fire god, Houzzah, had a daughter named Evavia, who was the goddess of safety. She sometimes took the guise of a child to do her work, and I certainly could have used her help. I only caught a glimpse of Nilsen and his friends as they fled the room as fast as their stubby legs could carry them.
“Are you all right?” She spoke Kalovaxian slowly so I could understand her.
I couldn’t form words, only cough, but she rubbed circles on my back reassuringly—a maternal gesture I recognized later as strange, considering that her mother had died when she was an infant.
“They won’t come after you,” she continued. “I told them my father would burn the skin from their bones if they ever laid a finger on you again.” She had to mime for me as she spoke, but I understood well enough.
Houzzah was more than capable of such a feat, but as the spots cleared from my vision and my mind came back to earth, I realized this girl was no goddess. Evavia might take the guise of a child, but none of my gods would ever look like a Kalovaxian, and this girl was the epitome of them, from her pale skin and flaxen hair to her small, delicate features.
As I caught my breath, she told me her name and proclaimed that we were friends, as if it were as simple as that. To Crescentia, it was. She makes friends as easily as she breathes, and for reasons I still don’t understand, I became her favorite. There are moments when I wonder if it’s something her father pushed her into in order to better keep an eye on me, but I also know that she cares for me in a way I’ll never be able to match. I love her, but today I can’t look at her without seeing her father dragging his dagger across my mother’s throat.
In a strange way, I think part of what drew us together was our shared loss—we’re both girls with dead mothers.
I glance at her dress, which has been sewn with small pieces of aquamarine around the hem and neckline that match her eyes perfectly.
“Oh no, Cress,” I say with a sly smile. “You’re far too pretty to only go down to the beach today.” I pause as if the idea is just coming to me, though I’ve been putting together a plan since last night. “Do you know what the Prinz is doing? We could just happen to wander by….” I lift my eyebrows meaningfully.
Cress’s cheeks turn pink and she bites her bottom lip. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare.”
“Plenty of other girls would dare,” I tell her. “He’s grown up handsome, don’t you think? Even Dagm?r might decide he’s a better prize than that ancient duke she’s been angling for.”
She chews harder on her lip and smiles. “He is awfully handsome, isn’t he? Taller than I thought he would be. Last time I saw him, I had a few inches on him, but now he towers over me. My father says he’s an excellent warrior as well, the best he’s seen in years.”
“How long will he be here, do you know?” I ask.
“My father says he’s back for good,” she says, cheeks dimpling as her smile widens. “He’ll still go off when he’s needed in battle, but this will be his home now. The Kaiser is insisting he join the court. A marriage likely won’t be far off, now that he’s seventeen.”
“And I’m sure every other girl in court has gotten that same idea in her head, Cress. You’d be wise to get ahead of them quickly. So where is the Prinz today?” I ask again.
She hesitates a breath more, but I know I have her. “Inspecting new battleships,” she admits. “In the South Harbor.”
“Perfect,” I say brightly, taking her hand in mine and leading her from the room. “We’ll get to see the water as well, then, just like you wanted to.”
Battleships. Why on earth would the Kalovaxians need more battleships? Houzzah knows they have plenty already.
I tear my thoughts away from that idea as we leave Hoa behind. She isn’t allowed in public spaces, so it’s only Crescentia’s two maids who accompany us. And my Shadows, of course, though they’ll keep a careful distance.
This time, I force myself to look at the slaves. I won’t keep ignoring them; they deserve more from me than that. Who were they before the siege? I don’t even know their names. Crescentia never addresses them, only snapping her fingers when she needs assistance.
The younger of the two looks up and meets my gaze briefly, and something sparks in her eyes before she averts them. I’m not sure whether it is deference or hatred.