Seize the Day

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

The weather that day was beautiful. White clouds dotted the clear blue sky, creating a frame around the sun. It was the picture of perfection. In Aria, a day like today—with fair, gentle weather—was coveted by other kingdoms. A day like today was what everyone in Aria looked forward to.

Except me.

Fair weather meant people. And people meant crowds. Hordes. Demons.

I had just been released from my prison—otherwise known as the castle—and was heading through the crowded Lower Quarter to my house. Since the attack, I had been poked, prodded, and interrogated by Clarice and her assistants. Finally, after three days, I escaped with a full voice and a (mostly) healed body. But my joy was shot down like a bird in the sky.

The people of Aria were in their grandest state for the royal ball. The market had fabulous and exotic foods imported directly from Nor, along with several textiles from Balua. I had to squeeze between two exceedingly fat men to even enter the market in the first place.

I spotted a tower of buckets near one of the stalls; it was the same tower that had toppled over the night I was attacked. I clenched my fists and continued walking. I didn’t need to be thinking about that now.

I ducked beneath the arm of a burly man—or was that a woman? The fact that I couldn’t tell was disturbing. My heart was beating fiercely by the time I exited the market. The colorful flags of Aria flew about on every shop, waving this way and that. This was why I never left my house—or why I never used to leave my house, anyway. The exuberance that people had over a simple event was ridiculous. I would gladly switch places with any peasant girl.

But no. I, of all people, had been blackmailed into going to that stupid ball. Since the attack, I pleaded injury to Clarice, but she firmly disagreed and told me that I would now have to stay for the entire event. I found it funny how fate decided to turn the tables on me every time I tried to escape its wretched clutches.

I unlocked the door to my house, relishing in the silence that I met on the other side.

“Ah, Lilly, I was wondering when you would be back!”

I froze in the doorway.

No.

I turned slowly to face the scarlet witch, who had positioned herself comfortably at my kitchen table. She was sipping a mug of tea. In my chair. In my house.

I was speechless.

“Sorry.” Mayra stood with a smile. She wasn’t wearing her usual cloak; instead, she allowed her dark brown hair to cascade over her shoulders. Her pointed ears were noticeable, making me wonder exactly what she was. “I had to see you,” she said. “Are you okay?”

She probably had ulterior motives other than checking up on me. I crossed my arms. “Yes, I am.” My memories flitted back to her battle with the serpent. “What about you? Did you defeat the Orandine?”

She barked a laugh, causing her dark brown hair to move with her. “Perish the thought! I only held him off until you escaped. Then I ran myself.”

I narrowed my eyes at Mayra, inspecting her, but finding nothing out of the ordinary—well, as ordinary as she could be. I didn’t like this one bit. “Why are you in my house? How did you get in?”

“Your lovely entrance back there”—she pointed to the window inside my study—“was unlocked. I would have tried the front, but I figured you didn’t want your neighbors wondering what you had to do with a witch.”