Chapter Nine

                                    

                                          
I trailed behind the girl in silence while we weaved through corridors draped in splendour and tyranny. She looked younger than me and much healthier, with glossy hair, clean skin and no visible signs of malnutrition. Maybe city Etealians did have it easier. 
"The guard's quarters are attached to Prince Ash's private rooms," she said as we began to climb a staircase less ostentatious than the others. Her voice was quiet, with a slight tremor running through it - was she afraid of me? "You'll be nearby if he needs to demonstrate his powers at short notice."
And close enough to smother in his sleep as an added bonus. 
"You'll be locked in; for your own safety as well as his. Only the prince and I have keys," she added.
A prison cell then, even if it was in a palace. I tried to look disappointed, but I wasn't worried; I was used to breaking out of cells. 
She stopped in front of a gold rimmed door, unlocking it with a tarnished, well-used key. On the other side was a grand reception room, filled with over-sized armchairs with winged backs and empty glass tables. Heavy velvet curtains hung in front of the window, blocking out most of the light and the view beyond. There were no personal effects, no hints at the character of the person the space belonged to. No wonder Asher seemed so uptight. 
"Ash's private suite is through there," she said, indicating to a marble door on the right, before turning to a more modest wooden door on the left. "You're through here. It was Raza's suite," she whispered, as if she were afraid that saying her name aloud would summon her from the beyond.
She produced a shiny bronze key from her pocket and unlocked the door. 
I'm not sure what I expected when she led me away from the study: a shared dormitory; maybe even a small individual room if I was lucky. But it definitely wasn't the sight that met me when the door to the suite swung open. 
"There's no bed," I said, in surprise rather than complaint. Like the room before it, the space was full of sofas and chairs, with elegant tables inter-spaced between them. Large mirrors and paintings hung on the walls and a vast wall of windows overlooked the palace gardens. 
"Erm, no. This is the receiving room. It's where you'd have guests, if you were here under different circumstances... They'll use the space for your training. Your bedroom is through here," she added, gesturing towards another door that I hadn't noticed in the corner. "And there's another door inside that leads to the bathroom.
"You'll find clothing ready for you in the wardrobe. I had no idea what size you were going to need, so I got a few of everything this afternoon. I think there's enough small items for someone as... petite as you." Petite must be a Lathrian alternative to starved. 
To fill the silence that now hung between us, I asked, "What's your name?"
"Aleela," she whispered. 
Aleela. No matter what the king had said in his study, she was likely to be my best hope for an ally. And possibly my best chance at making it out of this palace alive.
"I'm going to get you some food. I'll leave you to explore your rooms and rest."
"What happens next?" I asked before she could finish her retreat into the corridor. This situation was so unreal I was starting to feel lightheaded. 
"Right now, just eat, sleep, wash and take some time to get settled. It's unlikely anything else will happen until Evanthe returns from Volcaria. I'll be back with your food shortly." She paused by the door, her mouth slightly open as if she was about to say something else, then with a small shake of her head, she turned and left.