The Strongest Princess ⚜ Ch. 10

When Devna and Elle got to the stairs, they hesitated.

"What if he went around again? He could be waiting for us," Elle whispered.

"There are small offshoot rooms, but he could be hiding in one of those. Or we'd be locked in and with our luck the hinges would be on the other side..." Devna rubbed at her stinging leg and tried to think. As she looked down, she noticed something. "Wait, Elle, are those leaves?"

She poked at the ground with her shoe and heard soft crunching. "Yes." In the darkness they exchanged a glance, and turned to the stone walls on either side.

Devna ran her hands along where a handle or keyhole might be, and with luck, found a small metal indentation. "Here." She pulled out her key and tried the first, then the second.

The stone door swung outward onto the grassy side of the castle.

"Yes! Come on, hurry and close it." They pushed it shut and Devna looked around. "Stay away from the windows and follow me."

They slipped though the shadows to the front of the school, where a few guards were just filling King Arinsal in on what was happening.

"Help!" Elle said, putting an arm around Devna to support her on her good leg.

The King rushed over and took her other side. "Where did you two come from?"

"The passage," Devna said, nodding back.

His eyes widened. "I remember that being locked up when I was a little boy... How did you- never mind. Where are the others?"

The sound of shouting alerted them to a few.

"No! I was so close! Unhand me!" the masked man screamed.

The two older siblings were holding his arms back, while the third limped along behind. The guards took over and tied his hands while the others came forward.

Just then Negro ran out of the building. "They got him? And the girls?"

"Safe, but injured," the King said. A maid ran out next, and he turned to her. "Get Nurse Kirra here immediately."

Darcia looked on at Elle, questions burning in her mind, but she nodded. "Yes, sire."

While she ran to get help, the oldest brother came over to her. "Are you alright, Elle?" Tears filled her eyes, and she suddenly threw her arms around him. He wrapped his arm around her and gently stroked her hair. "Shh, it's alright."

More people were making their way outside now, including a few students.

"Oh, you need help," a prince said, kneeling beside Devna. "May I?"

She grimaced and nodded, knowing whatever he was going to do would hurt. While he helped clean the cut, the King shook his head.

"So, you three, what are your names?" he asked the visitors.

"I'm Ren. This is our sister Kal, and Noa, your highness. Here to be-"

"To be knighted tomorrow, yes." He looked over at Devna, where Nurse Kirra was shooing away the prince. "And you are?"

"Princess Devna," she replied, her voice strained as ointment was rubbed on.

"And the intruder?"

All eyes turned to him as his mask was ripped away. He smirked. "I am Cain Raddan of Aldovia. Queen Vicinda isn't too happy about having missing crown jewels. She wanted them back."

Elle tensed in Ren's arms, trembling. "She is no queen. She's nothing but a thief."

"And you're nothing but a maid, sweetheart," Cain said, grunting as he was hauled towards a waiting car.

King Arinsal nodded and stroked his chin. "Someone get me a sword."

Noa, the youngest bother, limped forward to hand over his. "Your highness."

"The family and the Princess that proved heroes tonight, come forward," he commanded.

They limped and hobbled over to him, Nurse Kirra finally letting them have a moment to breathe.

"As best as you can, please kneel," the King said.

Devna looked up at him, confused. What was he doing?

He then tapped each of their shoulders with the sword. "Princess Devna, Sir Ren, Lady Kal, and Sir Noa of Andorra, by the power vested in me, I declare thee Knights of the third order, under the flag of the Kings' Alliance, so long as you shall uphold the Knight's code, never to be revoked as long as you live."

The people around cheered and applauded as they stood, Kal helping Devna to stand. She couldn't believe this. She'd just been knighted?!

Elle came over and took her hands. "Thank you. And, congratulations," she said, teary eyed. "You are the strongest princess I've ever met."

She smiled. "And you are the bravest." Looking over at the family of three, she grinned. "Now it looks like you have three Knights to choose from."

Elle laughed, blushing. "One thing at a time."

Devna grinned and hugged her.

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Thank you for reading and voting on the sixteenth installment of the Royal Academy Diaries series!

Keep reading to find out what dangerous secrets the Prince of Egypt is hiding! And stay tuned for Zaina's story at the very end in King Of Hearts.