A Wicked Game [The Crown Saga II] (Under Editing)

Ethereal Melodies

Concern kept my troubled mind busy day and night the following days.

I could barely concentrate during lectures, and I got my butt handed to me worse than usual at battle lessons. Not even the Battle Arena seemed able to soothe the anxiety crawling under my skin.

Caiden hadn't contacted me since the day he'd vowed to handle my family's situation. I hadn't seen him either, so no opportunity had presented for me to ask what his plans had been to ensure their safety. The thought drove me mad.

I cursed my fidgety fingers when I dropped my fork for the third time. I didn't even bother picking it up again, as my appetite had failed me anyway.

"What is going on with you today?" Piper asked as she picked up the fork for me. "Are you getting enough sleep?"

I sighed. "Not really. Perhaps I should just cancel my session with Master Arthur today and spend the afternoon in bed."

We weren't supposed to meet until tomorrow, but Art had made a special request that was brought to me yesterday. I hadn't slept well the past few days, and last night had been even worse.

Today would be the first time I faced Art since the day he took my weapon from me. It wasn't something I particularly looked forward to, but I was also aware that staying away would make whatever punishment Art had in mind for me ten times worse.

I groaned and rubbed my tired face with the base of my hands.

"Spirits, Will. Careful," Piper said, chuckling as she pulled my baggy sleeves out of the left-over sauce on my plate and wiped them clean with her napkin. "You may have been a little beside yourself the past few days, but I'm confident Prince Arthur will understand. You'll be fine."

I glanced lazily at her, raising my stained sleeves to emphasize my point.

She chuckled again. "Prince Arthur may be tough on you, but that only proves how much he cares. You should praise yourself lucky to have a master like that."

I offered her a soft smile. "You always seem to know exactly what to say, Piper."

Perhaps I had been overthinking it too much. Art hadn't sent me home yet, which had to imply he still believed I could rise above my challenges and master my element.

At least, I hoped he did.

***

I exhaled as I stopped in front of Art's door.

It had been almost a week since our last session, and now that Art had taken my weapon, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I shoved my apprehension down and raised my hand to knock on the door. However, as my knuckle struck the wood, the hinges shifted, whining as the door cracked open.

"Art?" I called through the opening, but all I heard was the echo of my voice. "Are you in here?"

I hesitantly pushed the door open further, hoping to illuminate the gloomy study to glimpse my master, but all I found was an even bigger mess than usual.

Papers and documents lay scattered all over the room, obscuring most of the floor. Drawers had been flipped upside down, and the shelves lacked content as most of his books now lay in unusual positions on top of chairs and tables. If I didn't know better, I would've assumed that Art lost control of his abilities and summoned an unruly hurricane.

I ventured farther into the darkness. "Art?" Crisp papers crunched loudly under my feet, no matter how carefully I moved, the sound echoing between the walls.

"Who is there?" a muffled voice called out from the midst of the chaos.

Panic paralyzed my body when a pile of papers shifted ahead until the head of my master emerged like a mountaintop in the thick mist.