A Wicked Game [The Crown Saga II] (Under Editing)

Tale of the Evergreens

The loud noise of someone drilling into the wall near my room jolted me awake from the most wonderful dream I'd had in a long time.

My eyes struggled to open against the bright light pouring in from the windows.

Wait. Why was the light so bright? It was usually still quite dark when Faye—

My eyes flung open to see fully drawn curtains and the winter sun peeking on the horizon beyond the windows.

Faye had already been here. Could I have fallen asleep again? Or had she...? No. I probably had fallen asleep again. Or...

I tossed the covers off me and forced my feckless body up. Breakfast had been served almost an hour ago, and Faye was nowhere to be seen in my chamber.

She had most definitely been here, but she'd made a sloppy attempt to wake me, if any.

I had messed up yesterday—big time.

My delicate nightgown almost tore in half as I struggled to pull it over my head. Breathlessly, I searched my closet for a dress suitable for the assignments Evie could've planned for us today, and my eye caught a dark green dress that looked manageable.

The fabric felt soft and flexible, with only one button on the back of its neck and a string around the waist. It was perfect—plain and straightforward, but that was what I could do without Faye to help me.

I quickly found a pair of matching flat slippers and put them on. Then, I tossed a light shawl across my shoulders to keep my body warm in the chilly halls.

The door unlocked as I pressed my crystal against its wooden surface and carefully pushed it open. They were still drilling in the walls, so I peeked my head outside to ensure I didn't accidentally interrupt anything I shouldn't. However, my eyes weren't met by the dull white walls I was used to seeing.

Little lights hung from the ceiling like a string of stars, and the armored statues had been replaced by evergreen trees that saturated the air with the familiar scents of the forest.

Four men were drilling holes in the walls and hanging round decorations of evergreen branches on the wall.

It was bizarre to sense the forest inside this pristine place, but what was even more unnatural were the ornaments on the evergreens.

Colorful spheres—shiny and matte—clung to their branches, mixed with golden ornaments of the Iridis symbols.

What was going on?

I politely said good morning to the workers as I passed them, carefully observing everything that had changed as the night had turned into day. It wasn't just the air wing. Everything had been redecorated with some sort of evergreen design and small lights.

My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't yet seen the shadow of breakfast. So, I headed toward the dining hall first.

The suitors were nowhere to be seen. Only the cleaning crew remained, and they thankfully hadn't cleared the entire breakfast table yet. I said good morning and quickly grabbed a couple of toast and eggs to survive the morning.

Next, I went toward the Parlor to check if they'd gathered there. Faye hadn't left a schedule, so I didn't know where they would be for certain.

The voices behind the door indicated that I'd found the right place. However, just before I twisted the handle to join the other suitors, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the door on the opposite wall that hid the giant library.

I hesitated. No one knew that I'd left my room yet. They didn't sound busy, so it probably wouldn't hurt if I spent a few more minutes apart from them.

The handle to the Parlor slipped out of my fingers as my feet guided me to the opposite wall. I reached for my necklace and placed it against the door, eager to see the magical place once again.