They walked into the same room lisa had met the High King before. She looked around to see who else was there and saw a group of men she didn’t recognise, sitting alongside High King Uther, James, and to lisa’s distress Prince Rillon was there, sitting alone from them but the very fact he was in the room made her stomach clench in fear.
She stopped dead when she saw him and thought she was going to vomit right in front of them all.
“Is this really necessary?” Prince phillip said next to her. She glanced at him and was shocked to see him glaring up at the High King.
“Prince Rillon has serious charges to account for.” Uther answered ignoring the look on phillip’s face. “It must be a fair process.”
<“Drink.” phillp said forcing the cup into lisa’s hand.“I don’t want it.” She said glaring at him though unsure why. He’d been nothing but kindness and it confused her. She wanted to hate him. Hate him as much as she hated his brother but deep down she felt that they were no longer enemies. Not that she’d go as far as to say they were friends.His cloak still hung around her shoulders and she felt exhausted. “All I want to do is get away from here. From this room. And all those people staring at me.” She said quietly feeling herself blush.“We’re a long way off that.” He replied.“What do you mean?” She asked.&nb
Lisa spent the next few days hiding in her room almost permanently playing with the stringlet. Mira had somehow acquired her own one too and together they kept playing the same tunes over and over.It felt like everyone in the castle knew what had happened between her and Rillon and that both he and the High Queen had been banished as a result. But worse than that it felt like everyone knew that if they slept with her they could become half-Fate; if she felt vulnerable before, now she felt doubly so.“Enough.” Nela said breaking the sad lilt lisa had played almost continuously for the last hour while Mira watched and silently mimicked with her own stringlet.Lisa looked up, her hands faltering on the strings.
“Seaford?” lisa repeated the strange name confused. “Why are we going there?”Nela and Indi shrugged. “Prince phillip has ordered it.” Nela stated. “So you better get sorted. We’ve got orders to have you at the stables within the hour.”Lisa scowled. But she also felt confused. It had felt like they were past this, that after everything that had happened, she and Prince phillip were somehow friends or at least not enemies anymore. And yet it seemed suddenly he was back to his old tricks from right at the start, ordering her around and expecting her to simply jump at every moment.She huffed getting up out of her chair because in reality what choice did she have? Prince phillip clicked his fingers and she had to go running
Back in Montefore lisa focussed even harder on her training with Nela and even harder on her lessons with James. It felt like she suddenly had a reason for it all and it felt good to focus on something. Her Magic was really starting to grow and she felt more powerful with each lesson but it also felt like her control was all over the place. Every time she thought she was getting better there’d be an incident, an accident, which would show to her that she needed to work harder, focus more, get better.“Stop yawning. You’re not going to convince anyone you’re a threat if you look half asleep...” Nela said.“Sorry. James’s been a slave driver this week.” lisa replied resuming her stance.“And I’m not?” Nela asked
It was the High King’s birthday and the city was alive with celebrations for it. Ribbons seemed to hang from every window and bright sashes adorned every door. Everywhere lisa looked people seemed to be laughing and having fun. The whole citadel felt like a carnival had come to town.The High King had announced a whole week of celebrations and had declared a feast with food provided to all of Montefore’s citizens as a gift. On the final day High King Uther was holding a joust.Mira hadn’t stopped going on about it for weeks in the run up and lisa suspected partly it was because Ridley would be competing.They walked down with Nela and Indi through the streets of the Lower Castle and out through the great gate onto the fields in front of the citadel. It took
Lisa was walking back from another frustrating lesson with James when suddenly the whole building around her rumbled. She turned panicking to look at Nela who grabbed her and they both rushed into curve of a stone doorway bracing themselves. The sound of bells ringing like alarms echoed around them.“What the hell is that?” lisa hissed.“Witches.” Nela replied through the noise and lisa’s jaw dropped.“Are you serious?” Lisa said.“It happens every so often. Their testing our defences. Trying to see if they can find any weaknesses.”“And are there any?” lisa asked thinking back to what
Lisa and Nela walked into the room and Mira and Indi practically jumped on them as they celebrated.“Calm down.” Nela said flattening her shirt back down. “Anyone would think we’d won this war.”“After what lisa just did it feels like we have.” Indi said.“We should celebrate.” Mira said.“It was just one Spectral.” Lisa replied.“So? That’s one less terrorising the world.” Mira said back. Lisa looked at her, she’d not seen her this happy in ages. She looked at Indi and Nela.“What do you think?” S
Lisa and Nela walked into the room and Mira and Indi practically jumped on them as they celebrated.“Calm down.” Nela said flattening her shirt back down. “Anyone would think we’d won this war.”“After what lisa just did it feels like we have.” Indi said.“We should celebrate.” Mira said.“It was just one Spectral.” lisa replied.“So? That’s one less terrorising the world.” Mira said back. Lisa looked at her, she’d not seen her this happy in ages. She looked at Indi and Nela.“What do you think?” S