Chapter 20

SABINA

King Bancroft was sticking around for a few days, and I couldn’t figure out why. He was a king, after all. Shouldn’t he be ruling his own kingdom? He had no business staying at someone else’s place.

He had a whole army of men and horses at his beck and call. One command from him and they’d jump to it.

But Aboloft seemed thrilled to have King Bancroft as a guest. I was dying to ask the king why he was playing hooky from his own kingdom, but I kept my lips zipped.

Mainly because he was a king. And the fact that Aboloft’s words were still ringing in my ears was another reason I kept my mouth shut.

After he’d kissed me senseless, Aboloft guided me back into the castle, with King Bancroft strolling right next to him.

Aboloft told the maids to get a room ready for King Bancroft, then led us to a part of the castle I didn’t even know existed. It was like something out of my wildest dreams.

I gasped when two servants standing guard at a pair of massive oak doors swung them open, letting King Bancroft, Aboloft, and me inside. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw all the books.

They were everywhere. Left and right, top to bottom. Books of all shapes and sizes. It was like every book in the world was in this room.

This amazing, breathtaking room that I thought only existed in my dreams. But this wasn’t a dream. This was real. This room was real.

“You used to love reading when we were kids. Do you still like books, Bluebell?” Aboloft asked, a gentle smile on his face.

His question sent me on a trip down memory lane, and I found myself smiling as I remembered how Aboloft used to give me books to read.

And how I had to hide them from my dad, because he would’ve ripped them to shreds if he knew how much I loved them.

~I couldn’t help but smile when I saw my best friend running over to me. He looked so handsome in his clothes. I wondered if I was a princess, would I get to wear pretty dresses too?~

~My smile grew wider when I saw the books he was clutching to his chest, like they might sprout legs and run away if he let go.~

~I couldn’t believe that Aboloft had taken time out of his day to come see me. No one had ever done that for me before, not even my dad.~

~“Good afternoon, Bina. I brought you some more books,” Aboloft said, sitting down on the grass next to me.~

~He put the five books on my lap and looked at me expectantly. I knew he was waiting for me to tell him how happy I was to see the books.~

~“I haven’t even finished the four books you gave me earlier. Let me finish those first, then I’ll take these,” I told him.~

~His smile faded and his eyes hardened. My heart tried to find a way out, anything to escape the glare he was giving me.~

~For a fourteen-year-old, Aboloft could be pretty intimidating. And I hated making him mad, but it looked like that’s exactly what I’d done.~

~“I brought these books for you, and you’re going to take them home. You can give them back to me after you read them if you want, but you don’t have to,” he said in that tone that always got under my skin.~

~I didn’t like it when he bossed me around, and if I told him I wasn’t going to do what he said, he wouldn’t let me go home until I agreed.~

~“I can take them later. Once I finish the other two books and give all of them back to you, then I’ll take these. I don’t have anywhere to keep them,” I replied.~

~“Bina, you’re taking these home right now. If you don’t, I’ll have my servants deliver them to your house. It’s up to you.” ~

~He was four years older than me, and he was the smartest boy I knew. He knew what he wanted, and he wouldn’t stop until he got it. ~

~I knew this. I’d seen it firsthand. And no matter how much I told him not to do this, he didn’t listen to me.~

~But I knew I didn’t have a choice. I had to take these books home with me, because if Aboloft sent his men, then my dad would find out, and I’d be in deep trouble.~

~“Fine. I’ll take them home with me. You’re a jerk!” I glared at him.~

~Aboloft laughed. “I’m only a jerk when it comes to you, Bluebell.”~

“Bina, I asked you a question.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry.” I could feel my face turning red as I saw King Bancroft and Aboloft looking at me. “Yes, I still like to read. It’s been a while since I’ve had a book in my hands.”

Aboloft walked over to one of the many bookshelves and picked out a book. He smiled at me.

“Come here,” he ordered.

Eight years had passed, and he was still bossing me around. But I guess that made sense since he was the king now. Giving orders was his job, and he expected people to follow them. I still didn’t like it though.

“Yes? What is it?” I asked when I was standing in front of him.

“Do you remember this?” Aboloft held out the book for me to see.

Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw the same book Aboloft had made me take home when he was fourteen. It was one of the five books that had to endure the dust and dirt under my bed.

“Ye-yes.” My voice broke as I was overcome with emotion. Even after eight years, he still had this book, and it was in the same condition as when I gave it back to him.

The first page of the book was dog-eared, reminding me of the night I started reading it and folded down the corner of the first page. It was still there. Aboloft hadn’t changed a thing.

“This library is all yours. You can come here anytime you want, except at night. That’s when you should be sleeping.

“Other than that, you’re free to come and go as you please, read whatever you want. You can even take books outside if you want,” Aboloft said.

“Th-thank you.” His generosity was overwhelming. He was so kind, so attentive. He remembered everything about me and was giving me back everything I’d lost. I could never repay him.

“You can start reading now, if you want. I have some business to attend to with Bancroft.” He kissed my forehead gently, then turned and left the library with King Bancroft. I was left feeling content and happy.

As soon as they were gone, I picked out a book. It didn’t take me long. I decided I would read every single book in this room, starting with the first book on the bottom shelf.

I wouldn’t just pick a random book from a random place. I would finish all the books on one shelf before moving on to the next. That way, I could read every book here.

Once I had my book, I looked for a place to sit and read. I could’ve gone outside, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to stay here, surrounded by books, the things that brought me joy after bluebells.

I spotted a divan against a wall and hurried over to it. I lay down and sighed as my back sank into the plush cushion.

It was so comfortable, the perfect spot for reading and forgetting about everything else. And that’s exactly what I did. I opened the book and lost myself in a fantasy world for the next few hours.

***

“Let her sleep. She must be tired from everything that happened today,” a familiar voice said.

“I wonder if she fell asleep reading. She’s beautiful.” I recognized the voices. It was Aboloft and King Bancroft. I could’ve opened my eyes, but something stopped me.

~No, pretend you’re sleeping. You’ll find out what they’re talking about.~

“When is the crowning ceremony?” King Bancroft asked. What crowning ceremony?

“Soon. As soon as I can make her happy again. It’s been eight years, Bancroft. I thought I’d never see her again, let alone have her living in my castle,” Aboloft said.

“Yes, I’m glad you finally have her, but she’s damaged.”

King Bancroft was right. I was damaged. But was I beyond repair? Would I ever overcome my fear of people, of fire? Was I destined to live in fear forever?

“Yes, the people of Wilsden damaged my queen, and I won’t forgive them,” Aboloft said, his voice filled with anger.

I felt the divan dip slightly and a familiar scent filled my senses. Aboloft had sat down. Then I felt his fingers stroking my hair, making it hard to pretend I was asleep.

“You know there will be riots and protests when you announce her as your queen, right?” Bancroft sounded concerned, and rightly so.

If Aboloft was thinking about making me his queen—even though the idea was too absurd to consider—I knew no one would accept me.

The people of Quopia would never accept a witch as their queen. Aboloft would be in trouble.

“Quopia will have two choices. Either they accept my Bluebell, or they can leave this kingdom. And as for the riots and protests, there won’t be many, I assure you,” Aboloft said.

He was wrong. There would be many protests. Every man, woman, and child would protest. They would tear this beautiful kingdom apart, and they might even hurt Aboloft.

And if something happened to Aboloft because of me, I could never forgive myself.

I loved him, but I didn’t know how to tell him. If something happened to him before I could tell him how I felt, it would destroy me.

“And what about her? Do you think she would agree to be your queen?”

I almost jolted awake when I felt Aboloft’s lips brush the corner of mine, but I forced myself to keep my eyes closed. His kisses always made my skin tingle. They always made my heart soar.

“She doesn’t have a choice. She became my queen the moment I first saw her. She was hurt, and all I wanted was to take away her pain.”

“You were a child, Aboloft. You’re probably exaggerating,” Bancroft teased.

“No, I’m not. My father always told me I would find my queen in the most unexpected way.

“My mother didn’t teach me to look for wealth or beauty.

“She told me to look for a girl whose eyes would show me the wonders of the world, whose smile would ease my worries, and whose presence would be all I needed.

“And my Bina is that woman. She’s the woman my mother told me to find. And I intend to keep her.”

Aboloft’s words surprised me. He’d never told me what his mother had said. He’d told me everything else, but not this. Why?

I deserved to know. I would’ve searched all of Quopia to find the woman his mother described.

And since he was too busy with his responsibilities, he couldn’t find the right woman for himself. That’s why he was saying I was that woman, even though I was nothing like what his mother described.

“What if she tries to escape?” Bancroft asked.

“She can’t. I’ll be watching her like a hawk. I’ll keep her close, where I can see her all the time,” Aboloft answered. His words made my heart race. He was planning to keep an eye on me. Would he ever leave me alone?

“And when are you planning to make her your bride?” King Bancroft’s question was unexpected.

Why would Aboloft ever want to marry me? I was nothing. The thought was absurd. I had always dreamed of marrying Aboloft, but that was a fantasy that would never come true.

Aboloft deserved someone who was strong and beautiful, not a fragile woman accused of witchcraft.

“As soon as she’s ready. The moment my goddess graces me with a smile, and her eyes twinkle with joy, that’s when I’ll make her my wife. But for now, I need to heal my Bluebell.

“Her spirit is wounded, and it’s my job to mend it. Once I’ve done that, I’ll give her everything she was meant to have.”

Aboloft gently kissed the corner of my mouth. I had no idea how I was still managing to feign sleep.

“I hope that day comes sooner rather than later,” Bancroft said.

“It will. It’s going to be very soon. I have everything I need now, and it’s time for me to give her everything.”

“I must admit, she looks far more beautiful as a queen than she ever did as a slave,” Bancroft observed.

“She’s always been a queen and always will be. But she’s also a slave to my desires, my happiness. And I’m thrilled to see her draped in silk and jewels instead of rags and scars,” Aboloft agreed.

The two kings were discussing me, and it made me uneasy. They were talking about me as if I were a queen, not a slave.

But Aboloft had made me his slave, and that was all I was and ever would be. Nothing more, nothing less. The word ~queen~ had no business being linked to me.

“So, what’s your next move?” King Bancroft asked.

“I’m going to get revenge. Wilsden tried to steal my happiness, and I won’t let them get away with it. They’ll pay, every last one of them,” Aboloft declared.

“And how will you do that?”

“I’m going to bring down Wilsden,” was Aboloft’s response.