The Missing Crown ⚜ Ch. 11

Teyrn couldn't sleep that night. He was worried about how well he'd cast the memory spell. If that girl remembered anything, it would be trouble. His mind went to the three pieces of a spell lying in the stone box just beneath his bed. What if he wasn't able to get the last one? Or what if he was caught? What would happen once he cast it? Was he really fit to be a king?

By the time morning came, he was tired and yet wide awake, up before any of his roommates. He got dressed and went out to his first class just to wait. Once he got there however, he found the door locked. He huffed in annoyance. The Professor wouldn't take kindly to him breaking into her classroom. And so he leaned against the wall to bide his time.

Students slowly began entering the hallways as the minutes ticked by. As his mind wandered, someone tapping his shoulder roused his daydreaming.

"Teyrn, there you are," Faline said, her voice tight.

He blinked and looked over at her in surprise. "Oh, good morning."

"Did you hear?" she asked, seemingly filled with anxious energy. "Someone broke into the knight's castle. It's supposed to be impenetrable. But they got in and tried to kidnap a princess. That's the second time this year. Last time it was at the Arts academy. I don't know what's happening, but I don't like it."

Teyrn put a hand on her shoulder to quiet her. "Faline, breathe. Everything's alright. Those people were caught, weren't they? There's nothing to worry about."

She chewed her lip. "Really?" she asked skeptically. "There are rumours of werewolves and vampires, attempted kidnappings. There was a shapeshifter earlier this year. I feel like it's all building up to something."

He shook his head. "I doubt it, Countess. Those are independent rumours and events. So people got the same idea during the same year. It doesn't mean much. Believe me." He hesitated before adding, "If there are to be any revolutions, I'm sure it will only be for the better. On our terms, not outsiders'."

Faline sighed. "Maybe you're right." She went quiet, looking down the hall, and he noticed there were dark circles under her eyes.

"Have you been sleeping well?" he finally asked.

She looked up at him in surprise. "What? I... Well, not particularly," she confessed. After a moment she quietly admitted, "I've been having night terrors lately. Sort of nighttime hallucinations of people breaking into the dorm. That and... My brother was killed at sea a few weeks ago. His boat went down in a storm. I can't stop thinking about it."

Teyrn frowned and put an arm around her. She rested her head against his shoulder and sniffed. "I'm so sorry, Faline. You should have said something."

"Maybe. I'm not good at this kind of thing."

He pulled back to look at her. "What, confiding in people?" She nodded. He said nothing, placing a kiss on her forehead.

The bell then rang, jarring them from the moment. The hall suddenly seemed overcrowded and loud as everyone hurried to class.

Faline pulled away. "See you later, Teyrn. Thank you."

He nodded and watched her go. As he went into his class, he knew his mind wouldn't be on government.

In fact, all day he could think of little else besides his dear Faline and her frightened, broken heart. He wanted to help her somehow, but didn't know where to start.

When night rolled around, again he was restless. He snuck out of his dorm and into the common area, looking out the window facing the rest of the castle. To his surprise, he could see the girl's dorms very easily, and noticed someone standing on the balcony. The moonlight illuminated her enough to nearly make out her features. Short dark hair, pale skin.

Teyrn got an idea. A dangerous one. He decided to break into the girl's dorms to find her. It was crazy - the boys were threatened to never go past the girl's common area on pain of death. But he was going to do it.

He went back for his shamrock brooch, pinning it to the pocket of his sweats. Putting on his cloak, he hoped it would hide his light coloured shirt. Going to the first set of doors, he knew a pair of guards would be just outside. With a smirk, he formed a spell in his hands, creating two balls of petrifying energy. Kneeling down, he rolled them under the door. One of them stuck, freezing the first guard, but the other nearly invisible ball rolled back to him. He huffed and aimed it further to the left.

Nothing came back. These spells were more powerful than the one he'd used on the girl, giving him about a minute to get past them. He opened the doors and ran, using a string spell to pull the doors closed again. He ducked around a corner and looked ahead for more guards.

Creeping along, he got to the longest class hall. At least here it was easier to hide in the door alcoves. Two guards passed by from the other end, and he knew he'd have enough time to get to the other side without being noticed. He dashed down the hall, following the symmetrical path he'd taken the way there.

Up ahead he saw two guards at the entrance to the girl's common and formed the petrifying spell again. This time he had a clear view as they rolled, nudging them with reaching magic to reach their targets. The shifting guards suddenly became still, and he ran forward, slipping into the common.

The first thing he noticed was the sound of crying. He ducked behind a sofa, hearing a girl in the room with him. Fortunately she hadn't noticed the doors open. He peeked over the top of the seat, tossing a petrifying ball at her. The crying stopped instantly, and he rushed to the doors leading to the dorms.

Once in the hall, he figured that Faline was on the second level of rooms, the fifth one in from the left. No, the right. Here it's the right? Hoping to find the right room, he quietly climbed the stairs to the second level. From the end of the hall, on the side of the building facing in towards the courtyard, he counted five doors.

Taking a deep breath, he tried the handle. It was locked. He'd forgotten his key, so he had to use the less preferred spell they'd been taught in class. "Alohomora." He grimaced as the lock mechanism rather loudly clicked into place, and he carefully opened the door.

In the room, there were four beds, just like all the other dorms. He could see the two along the first wall - neither was Faline. He crept forward to see the other two, and was surprised to see a girl sitting up in bed. Desperately he held a finger to his lips.

Faline gave him a look of utter shock and got up. She grabbed her wand and snapped her fingers, making her roommates fall into a deeper sleep. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"It seemed like this was the best time to see you. You're always running off somewhere. Classes, with friends."

She raised a brow. "This is the best time? You know this is totally against the rules. You would risk being expelled and the wrath of your family and mine? Just to see me?"

Teyrn offered a small smile. "I can't bear the thought of you being scared and having to go through all this alone. I saw you on the balcony and I had to come find you."

She stared at him in shock. "You really care that much about me?"

He nodded and stepped closer. "Call me crazy."

Faline smirked and crossed her arms. "Oh you definitely are. Climbing on roofs, giving away solid gold rings, breaking into the dorms."

"You still wear it, I see," he smirked. "Tell me why."

Her eyes widened. "Well I haven't had lunch with you yet, have I? I honestly do keep forgetting..."

"Do you? Well I can't exactly blame you, with everything else occupying your mind."

She looked down and sighed. "Tell me what I should do. If these castles aren't safe, where is?"

He put a hand on her arm and brushed her hair away from her face. "I never tell anyone, but the nature of my power makes me one of the most powerful people at this school. I don't need wands or focuses to defend myself and others. You're safe with me, Faline. Nothing will touch you." He sighed. "If I could protect you from the things that plague your mind, I would do that too."

She looked into his eyes for a moment and closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him. He held her close.

"Please don't let go," she whispered.

"I won't," he promised.