The Mystery Princess: A Retelling of Cinderella (Return to the Four Kingdoms Book 2) by Melanie Cellier

Author:Melanie Cellier [Cellier, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Published: 2021-05-09T04:00:00+00:00

Part II

The Traitor Prince

Chapter 14

It took me too long to find my way through the unfamiliar city, and I had to stop twice to ask directions. By the time the eastern gate came in sight, I was sprinting. Unable to see the sun on the horizon behind the barrier of the wall, I couldn’t be sure I had made it in time.

When I reached the gate, I doubled over, panting as I braced my hands on my knees. No one guarded the gate, and I glanced wildly left and right. Was I too late? Where was the guard?

Just as I was wishing Damon’s man had given me more information, a voice spoke.

“Daria.”

It wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway, peering into the space where a building crowded up against the wall. A man stepped out of the shadows.

“Is it sunset yet?” I asked. “Did I make it in time?”

“You cut it close.” He hitched the bag he carried higher on his shoulder. “I was about to leave.” His brow, already lowered, knit further. “No bag?”

I straightened, trusting to my exhaustion from my recent exertion to hide the signs of my terror. “I don’t expect I’ll be gone long. I’m sure Prince Damon wants me back here to serve as his agent—if not, I don’t see what use I can be to him.”

Pride at my calm, level tone helped keep my legs from buckling as the man opened the gate and gestured for me to precede him out of the city. I slipped out, turning to watch him close it again.

“Is it usually left unlocked?” I asked doubtfully. I just hoped there wasn’t a dead guard stashed in the shadows somewhere.

The man grunted. “Not usually. And no doubt it will be locked again momentarily when the new guard shift arrives.”

I licked my lips. “What happened to the old shift?”

“You’re looking at him.” He strode away, and I scrambled to catch up. “My sergeant started to get suspicious, so it was time for me to get out of the city. I would have left yesterday if…” He glanced back at me, and I guessed I had been the cause of the delay.

“Do we have far to go?” I asked, moving at an awkward half-trot to keep up with his fast pace.

He merely grunted, and I subsided, not wanting to push him too far. I soon realized we were heading for a small copse of trees, and as soon as we stepped beneath the branches, whickers gave away the presence of two horses.

Damon’s man didn’t ask if I knew how to ride, tossing me up into the saddle without a word. With efficient movements, he attached my horse to his with a leading line, before mounting himself.

Neither of us spoke as we cantered across the remaining open ground. Earlier that day I had approached the city from the south, but now we headed directly east into the foothills of the vast mountain range that curved around the top of the kingdom.

But the horses had barely started climbing uphill when we plunged into a deep layer of trees.

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