Free Burning Bridges by Nadege Richards Page B

being here so easily, it was my only reason, in fact.
    To save my family.
    I searched the dressers first, sifting through drawers of clothing, make up, and accessories.
    Women , I thought with a grimace.
    When I gave up hope on the dressers, I tried the wardrobe, digging through coat pockets for anything. I ’ d almost assumed the room was empty when I stared down at the bottom of the wardrobe and found a jeweled box lying beneath fallen clothing. I reached for it , the finality that I ’ d found something hitting me with a wave of relief.
    I didn ’ t hesitate or freeze up like I did at Miss Othman ’ s shop . I knew someone would be up here soon—or worse, the Princess would find me.
    The box was no bigger than a shoe, but inside it held more than one would expect. Surprisingly, it wasn ’ t locked either. Inside held tons of images, most mainly of Thediby ’ s wide plains and fields—places I could only dream about.
    A picture fell from the box and as I went to pick it u p, the electric blue eyes of a little girl staring back at me gave me pause. My fingers caressed the picture as if I could really reach out and touch her. She was young and looked happy, life ’ s burdens thrown to the wind without a single thought of remorse. She wore a big, toothy grin for the photographer with her arm slumped over another young boy. She was unrecognizable, but one thing was certain.
    She was a Hunter.
    Her dirty clothing proved that. I pondered who she was or if she was alive, who the young boy was and if he was still with her. Overall, I wondered if she knew her picture hid in a box at the bottom of the Queen ’ s wardrobe.
    I dismissed the thoughts and shoved the photo into my breast pocket. It wasn ’ t important to me, but if it had been hidden for a purpose, it was important to someone. I rounded up the bills at the bottom of the small box and pushed them into th e pockets within the blazer I ’ d borrowed from Adamo . Actually, most of what I wore tonight was from him, even the mask. M y hands shook violently as I checked for anything out of its place and it made it hard to focus on the noises outside in the hall.
    Noises. I stilled.
    No, voices.
    At a stealthy pace, I shut the box and returned it to its place in the wardrobe. The voices in the hall grew nearer and they seemed to coincide w ith the beat of my heart, a loud hum I could hear clearly now as I rushed to a corner of the room and hid behind the curtains.
    The door knob shook momentarily and I held my breath. I cursed myself silently and tried not to think too much ahead of myself . Unfortunately, that never worked. They were going to catch me and I was going to be thrown into the King ’ s playing chambers.
    The door eased open and someone stepped inside, their feet still on the parquet. My heart must ’ ve skipped a million beats then because I couldn ’ t hear its slow staccato rhythm in my ears anymore.
    The door slammed shut and the sound of a lock being turned resonated through the room to where I stood.
    “ I know you ’ re in here, ” she said. I released a small breath, but wasn ’ t relieved in the slightest. “ Ayden, I know it is you. ”
    Frowning, I moved from behind the curtains and stood a yard ’ s length away from her. She looked beautiful. I resisted the urge to look her directly in the eyes, but the Princess was everything the guys had made her out to be and so much more.
    “ How did you know— ” I started.
    “ How did I know it was you? As if watching you sneak into the room wasn ’ t clue enough? ” she said, echoing my earlier words. Her gaze on me turned curious. “ What are you doing in my mother ’ s sacred chambers, Ayden? She isn ’ t here to grant you the permission, and she still wouldn ’ t have had she been here. ”
    All thoughts of her beauty shifted when I became aware of the money and the picture in my pocket. “ How did you get in? The door was locked. ”
    She held up her wrist to me and the key on her