Page 40 of Dawn of Hope
“So, what are you going to do?” she asks.
I pause, mentally pleading with her not to laugh at what I am about to say.
“I’m going to find Dawnlin.”
I wait for the shock to show through like it did before, but it doesn’t come. She stays collected, but she is clearly processing the information.
“Have you figured out how?”
“I’m working on it.” I try not to sound too defeated. “I only just decided to start looking for it. I, uh, I made a friend…he seems to know a little more than I do. I was hoping to talk to him and keep researching.”
She nods, and I wait in silence as she mulls over my words. “What am I to do, your highness? Stand here and pretend to guard your door and never know if you’re going to actually be back?”
“Yes,” I breathe.
“How am I supposed to know if you’re harmed or just successful? What am I supposed to do when, I don’t know, no one can find you?”
I haven’t planned that far yet. I don’t feel close to finding Dawnlin at all, so we have time to work out a plan.
“I don’t know yet. We can figure that out. I’m sure Edmond would help you.” The more I thought about it over the last few weeks, the more I felt Edmond had a motive in telling me his story. He’d told me stories for years, but never had brought up Dawnlin before. Why this one? Why now?
I want to ask him and see if he’d be honest with me or continue to hide his motives. I need more information, but part of me is scared to bring it up. What if I, like everyone I judged before, had simply latched on to hope that the story gave me and read more into it than there was?
I am not going to focus on that right now.
What I need to focus on is getting out of this castle and trying to find Dane. If I can’t, maybe I can convince Agnes to let me into the library after hours.
“I’m not happy about this, Lennox,” Brynne says tensely. I can see the anger on her face as she tries to accept that there is nothing she can do about my order.
“I know. I’m sorry. But I’m not staying here any longer.” I move toward the door, and she slides in front of me again, blocking my path.
“Brynne—”
“Since you’re forcing me to stay here and not letting me protect you, you have to keep your promise.” She points to the table where I had thrown my dagger. “You promised that next time you’d be armed.”
“Right.” I turn back to the table and grab the dagger. It isn’t exactly inconspicuous, so I need to conceal it, but I had nothing to protect it. I wasn’t going to stay at the ceremony a moment longer to ask.
“Here.” Brynne reaches her hand out to me, holding a sheath for the blade. “I was holding onto it for you. It should fit. You’ll be able to keep the blade in your waistband like we’d practiced.”
I give her a small, sorry smile. “Thanks Brynne.” Even when I force her not to, she still does what she can to protect me.
She fixes the stoic face of a guard back on and steps away from the door. “You’re lucky it’s your birthday,” she murmurs as I walk past her and place my hand on the handle.
I chuckle as I open it. “You can yell at me later. I’ll be back soon.”
“Be careful, Lennox. There are a lot of people out in the city tonight.”
“I will,” I say, tapping the hidden dagger at the back of my waistband. “I promise.”
She assumes her guard stance in front of my closed chambers, and I make my way down the hall. A crack of light from my mother’s room spills across the floor, and I slow myself as I approach her door. I step lightly in the boots, trying not to make a sound in case someone isclose to the door. I strain to hear any sound as I inch closer, but a deep murmur makes my spine straighten.
The only person who talks in her room is my father.
I creep closer, staying flush against the wall to stay hidden. I want to hear what he is saying, tonight of all nights.
It is definitely my father. The low boom and timbre of his voice is unmistakable to my ears, especially when my body goes on high alert every time I hear it.
I listen harder, trying to pick out any words, but he is mumbling too much. He pauses, and I hold my breath, hoping he will not leave the room and catch me listening in.