Soul of Ice

Chapter Twenty-Two

"There you are," a smooth voice called.

Astra kept walking along with the crowd, careful to act completely normal, steady, and—

A firm hand latched onto her left shoulder, pulling her to a stop. "I am talking to you, Calayne," Pascal said sternly.

They were stopped in the middle of the hallway, and the wraiths around all tossed her curious, inquisitive, and almost jealous looks as they passed her by. Astra ground her teeth before she forced a calm facade and turned to look at the Captain.

"Yes?" she mustered as demurely as she could.

Pascal waited a few seconds, letting another dozen of so wraiths pass them by before he smirked, like he could see past the front she put on. Maybe he did. "It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as one of my personal guests for the Firelight Ball."

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline, Captain. I've been feeling sick, and I don't think I'll feel well enough by the time the ball has rolled around." She paused, then looked up at Pascal. "Besides, don't you already have five guests?"

"My guards found Tyanne mutilated—" Astra suppressed the gasp that threatened to escape her, but she blinked several times in surprise and slight horror "–this morning; she'll hardly be fit to attend the dance, much less seen anywhere near it." Scarred, then, if Pascal's disdained tone was anything to go by. His lip curled up slightly as she stared at him. Did he think she'd done it?

"As for the invitation to be my guest..." Pascal looked down at her coldly. "It wasn't a request. I expect to see you in my office at eight o'clock at night in three days."

He walked away immediately, not giving her a chance to respond.

Better a dance than possibly another trip to the insane physician with the zynthe serums. Unless Pascal ended up taking her there anyway. They'll be in the castle regardless; it would be an easy, simple trip. She felt her hands starting to shake again. The pain... the fear... the dreams. Nightmares. Don't be ridiculous, she thought. Dreams were the last things that could hurt her, and a ridiculous thing to fear.

As for the possibility of another session with the physician... Astra shook her head and tucked her shaking hands into her arms. She'll handle the pain if it came to it.

She sucked in a breath, cast a glance over her shoulder at the back of Pascal, who was about to turn a corner.

Tyanne, mutilated. Her, going to the ball in her stead. If it was who she suspected... she needed to see Tyanne, find out what she knew.

Because Riviera might be more dangerous than she'd suspected. Perhaps even more so than the Captain.

Astra turned to set off in the opposite direction of where everyone was walking. Breakfast could wait.

  •  

The small healing ward was a room she hadn't yet visited. The double doors were open, revealing four beds crowded side-to-side. Only one was taken up.

The guard that stood by the entrance stopped her. "You don't have clearance to enter this room."

"I don't think you know who I am," Astra challenged as she brushed the guard's hand off her shoulder.

"I don't care who you think you are. You are not allowed—"

"My name is Calayne."

"You are not—"

She turned to leave. "I'll go and get Pascal," she said lightly, hoping that the guard would buy the ploy. "He didn't actually tell me what to do if you didn't let me in, but I guess..."