Heir in Shadow

Sunrise is supposed to be at 6:43. It starts at 6:39 instead.

“Being a weatherman must be the easiest job on the planet,” mutters Cam, the whispers seeming to bounce off of the alley walls. We’re effectively hidden in shadows, but if that sun continues to rise, we won’t be much longer, and our entire plan will go sideways.

“Because you never have to be right,” I agree, a breath huffing out of my nose. I touch the dagger strapped to my hip for probably the fiftieth time since we’ve been standing here.

Cam echoes my huff, leaning their lean frame against the crumbling stone on the side of what I think is an old bank behind us. I’m exhausted from these drops every Sunday, but if our enemies across the sea decide to take a vacation to our Isle, I’d rather have our bases covered.

I take another glance at the watch strapped to my belt loop and realize a sliver of sun runs across it. I nudge Cam over. “Move left.”

They make a face, but shuffle farther into the dark as I do the same, looking at the watch again. 6:41. “They’re late.”

“Of course they are,” Cam complains, and I glare at them.

“You’re such a baby.”

“Hey,” they protest, “I’m taking my Sunday mornings to cover your ass out here for a war that hasn’t even started yet.” Their blue eyes glint like they always do when we banter and argue. It’s my favorite part of any given day.

Before I can answer, a shadow falls on the ground in front of us. I snap my head towards the opening of the alley, my hand drifting to my waist in close proximity to my dagger.

But it’s only Bayer and Lucia sliding into the alley with us, their matching blonde hair bright compared to their tan skin. If they weren’t different genders, I’d never be able to tell the two of them apart.

“Finally,” Cam says, heaving the pack off of the ground and tossing it over to Lucia, who catches it with a grunt, then narrows her eyes at them.

“We ran into some unfriendly neighbors on the way here. Is everything…?”

“Everything is there,” I confirm. “You should get going. The sun rose early.”

Bayer runs a hand over his buzz cut, and my eye catches on the scar moving down the right side of his jaw. I point at it. “That’s new.”

“Courtesy of your favorite person,” he replies dryly, “albeit indirectly. He has forces literally along every street and always outside our goddamn house.”

I wince in embarrassment and apology, but I know that’s not what he wants. My father is a merciless king to this Isle, and I know it better than anyone else. At least he isn’t attentive or smart enough to realize his heir to the throne is sneaking out before dawn to transport illegal weapons to her allies.

Cam breaks the awkward silence I realize has fallen a moment before they say, “Same time next week? You’d better get going. In fifteen minutes there will be people everywhere.”

After a series of curt nods, we split off, the two of them to the left and Cam and I to the right. The quiet before the opening hour of the morning is one of my favorite experiences. As we walk, I breathe deeply, making sure to keep my hood up if gods forbid someone would recognize me, even though it’s barely light yet.

“What’s our plan now?” Cam asks, bumping me deliberately in the shoulder.

A grin tugs at my lips as we turn a corner. “I have breakfast at 8, lessons at 9:30, and language practice at 11.”

Cam makes a face, their freckled-covered nose scrunching. “Lessons? Still?”

We pass a tall man as I suddenly find the ground interesting. Then we continue the conversation as we pass the bakery. “I already know everything since we’ve been doing… this. But I'm just going to humor him.”

We both know who him is.

“Perks of being the Heir’s personal guard,” Cam says, sarcasm dripping from every word. “I get to sit in on pointless lessons. You could probably teach that scholar way more than he could ever teach you.”

I don’t need to respond for them to know I agree.

We weave down the path next to the wall of the palace before slipping into a wall of vines. When we emerge on the other side, it only takes a moment to survey the surroundings and climb the ladder up to my third-floor veranda.

Once my feet hit the floor, I lean over to watch Cam. Their shoulder-length red hair blows slightly in the morning chill, and even under their jacket I can see their muscled arms flexing as they climb. My heart does a leap, like it does every time I see them do…well, literally anything.

I can’t date my personal guard. It would create a mountain of political, professional, and personal conflicts that I have zero time to deal with right now - or ever, if things go south the way I think they will.

Cam hits the floor next to me, leaning down to pull up the ladder and tuck it behind a crack in the fence. They turn to me, grinning crookedly. “Ready, Vi?”

Definitely not.

“Definitely,” I reply.

One month later

I stifle another yawn under my hand as a scholar drones on in the front of the room. This one is different, and it seems that he’s new, because he’s checking his notes every few words.

When he turns his back to me, I risk a quick glance over at Cam, who’s sitting at the end of the table with their ankles crossed on it. They catch me looking and make a face towards the guy’s back. They mouth, Kill me.

I bite my lips to keep from giggling, looking down at my book to hide my grin. These studies are pointless. I have piles of things to do before the party tonight. We’re supposed to host a masquerade at the castle, and though my father doesn’t know it, Bayer and Lucia will be in attendance to take home some more high-class weapons. We can’t risk transporting pure diamond hilts outside of the castle, no matter how stealthy we are.

“Geez, Vi, slow down,” they whine as I weave my way through the hallways later that evening. It feels like I can't get anywhere fast enough recently. The past month has only been adding pressure to me. The weekly drops have been fine, but every week Bayer and Lucia seem to be even later to meet us. More than once they’ve both shown up bloodied. I know from my connections in the infantry that guards are doubling up over on the North side, where Bayer and Lucia reside, along with those in the lower class. It boils my blood when I see my friends, who have been nothing but loyal to me, hurt on my family’s account.

“Earth to Victoria.”

I jolt, realizing I’ve stopped on the first-floor landing in my thoughts. I glance over the railing to watch the hustle and bustle of the workers getting ready for tonight and feel a rock settle in my stomach. I can’t help but wonder how much longer this castle will be here and inhibited by my father. He might be satisfied living in denial and lying to the people about our situation across the sea, but I’m not.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter, glancing for only a moment at Cam before starting up the second flight of stairs. “Just…thinking.”

Cam doesn’t reply until we’ve stepped into my room and shut the door behind us. They cross their arms, tilting their head at me in what is a frustratingly attractive manner. “Thinking about…what?”

“I don’t like not knowing what’s going on over on the Continent,” I answer, my voice not as steady as I’d prefer. I pull out an outfit to wear for tonight, tossing it on the daybed.

“Well, nobody knows what’s going on over there,” Cam says, leaning back against my door and crossing their arms. Their blue eyes are bright as they study me intently. “That’s why we’re trying to prepare, right? I mean, do you trust Bay and Luc?”

I nod, pulling my shirt over my head, then grabbing the maroon dress. “It’s not a trust issue. I don’t have informants across the sea, just on the Isle. I worry we won’t prepare the people fast enough for what’s coming. My father certainly won’t.”

A bitter taste rises on my tongue as I adjust the dress on my shoulders. Cam pushes off the wall and comes up behind me, beginning to lace up the back. It’s all clockwork for us.

Their eyes dart to mine in the mirror in front of us before they reply. “I talked to some friends on the East side this afternoon. They’ve been getting their deliveries from the twins. I think their biggest concern is the lack of training the civilians have.”

I huff a bitter laugh as they finish tying the back of my dress, then hold my gaze in the mirror. Their features are so serious I blink. “Are you okay?”

Cam is quiet for a minute before their arms wrap slowly around my waist. I can feel myself tense in anticipation, and they lean their head against mine. Our eyes are locked in the reflection, and my heart threatens to jump out of my chest. I’ve never seen them like this.

Slowly, they tighten their arms, then whisper to me. “You take on too much. You can’t fix every problem, Vi.”

My breathing is irregular as I try not to move, as if I’ll scare them away. I swallow once. Twice. Three times.

Then I answer in a voice barely above a whisper. “If I don’t do it, who will? People will die, Cam. If the Continent takes over the Isle, no matter how much father says he will negotiate and hold them off -”

They turn me to face them, and I startle at our proximity. They’re only slightly taller than me, but it’s enough to make me have to move my chin up to look at them. Their blue eyes are stormier than usual as they raise their hand to my chin, their thumb brushing my skin.

Hesitantly, I rest my hands on their arms, searching for any sign of what they’re thinking. Their hand on my waist, their fingers cupping my chin, everything is so…right. Comforting. Exciting.

Then it’s over, and Cam is stepping back towards the doorway, still watching me. “I’ll be back in an hour to escort you.”

I open my mouth to respond, but they’re gone, the door clicking behind them.

What.

I spend most of the next hour staring at myself or pacing, but I manage to make myself presentable enough where my father will not sneer his embarrassment. As promised, Cam knocks on my door an hour later, and I pull it open by the handle. They are dressed in their official uniform for special events, a long sleeved fitted tunic and black pants, with shining black boots laced to mid-shin.

It takes me a second to find my words, but when I do, they’re playful. “You clean up nice.”

Cam winks at me, which only makes me feel warm in my cheeks as I pull the door shut behind me. We make our way down the hallway and the stairs, Cam walking by my side like they always do. We never have tension or silence between us, but tonight feels different. What happened back in my room is sitting in the corner as a very large elephant, and neither of us are acknowledging its existence.

I tell myself I have more important things to worry about tonight. My hand feels sweaty as I grip my red-feathered masquerade mask. I’ll wait to put it on until we get there. I hate the feeling of something blocking my vision, but it’s not for practicality. Just for show. Bay and Lu will be wearing purple and blue so I know what to look for. I send up a silent prayer to whichever god may be listening that the guards let them in with no problems. If I have to vouch for them, it draws attention to all of us.

As we round the hall and the ballroom comes into view, I stop by an alcove and let out a deep breath. Cam stops with me, facing themselves across from me and leaning against the wall. A perfect mask of calm. “Need a minute?”

I nod, looking around us as I brush my hands over the weapons concealed under my clothes. Both thighs and one for each side of my ribs. I wish I could have brought a longer weapon, but there was no way it would’ve fit under the stupid dress.

When I look back at Cam, they are already looking at me. They offer me a small smile. “You do look beautiful, Vi.”

I roll my eyes like I always do when they compliment me, but my heart flutters anyway. “Yeah, right.”

“You do,” Cam says, like it’s a fact. A truth.

I can’t get into a relationship with my personal bodyguard, and I shouldn’t even be thinking about it at this moment. We’re about to do something incredibly dangerous, break every rule my father has ever set, steal from the royal infantry, and set ourselves up for an embarrassing failure if it doesn’t work out.

And yet, I can’t tear my eyes away from Cam, because they had held me earlier. Touched my face. For a minute, I thought…

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Cam says abruptly. I blink as they continue, shifting on their feet. Are they…nervous? “I’ve known you a long time, and I just…get worried. That’s all.” They peek at me from under their eyelashes, as if gauging my reaction.

I blink again. “Cam…I can’t have this conversation right now. I’m sorry. I just - I can’t.”

My heart sinks when they clearly shift to a mask of calm and indifference. “You’re right. We should get in there.”

I open my mouth, then shut it again. Later.

I pull on my mask, the fabric itchy against my cheeks, and lead the way to the ballroom. It is elaborately decorated, like it always is, and I make my way through the people, nodding and smiling and shaking hands. Exhausting, and pointless, but I do it, because I can feel my father’s eyes boring into me from across the room. I can’t ever slip up - not only for me, but for my people.

When I reach the other side, I manage to position myself behind a couple of pillars to break the feeling of my father’s gaze. Cam stands near me, surveying the crowd like they always do to make sure of my safety. I watch their back, and have the horrifying urge to trail my fingers over it.

“They should be here soon,” Cam says, turning sideways to talk to me at the same time. They lean back against the pillar and cross their ankles in front of them.

I glance at the clock nearest to us. It reads 7:48, which means Bay and Lu should’ve been here 3 minutes ago. I frown, and Cam says before I even voice my concern, “3 minutes is nothing. I’m sure they just got held up.”

I hum in what isn’t quite agreement and scan the faces I see. There are a few blue and purple masks, but the twins have a specific feather shape that nobody else will have.

“I won’t relax until I see them,” I admit to Cam, stepping closer so I don’t have to raise my voice. I lean my shoulder next to theirs, and they glance at me, their mouth tugging up in a smile. I return it, perhaps too giddy.

Five minutes later, I finally see the masks through the crowd, and I nearly cry with relief. Cam pushes up to stand, and I stand right next to them, raising my hand in a small wave as the two masked figures make their way towards us. I see the exact feather shape and colors they said they’d be wearing.

“They must be wearing wigs,” Cam mutters. I don’t understand what they mean until I look again at our friends. Lu is the shorter one, but instead of their short blonde, I see brunette curls piled on top of their head. Bay is the taller one, so why is his hair black?

Dread forms in my throat, and I grab Cam’s arm. “Cam.”

“Go.” They push me in the opposite direction, and I grab their hand before walking at a brisk pace around the edge of the room.

“Those aren’t-”

“I know,” they reply gruffly, then pull me into the crowd. “Something happened.”

We push through people in a less-than-polite manner, heading for the back exit of the ballroom. My pulse roars in my ears, and the lights make my eyes hurt. The people in those masks are not our friends.

We are ten feet from the back exit when someone steps into our path to block us. My blood runs cold.

“Now where,” says my father, “are you going?”