If I could sneak to the portal at the Delhoon capitol library in Delmar it would take me straight to Hesstia. Then somehow I’d have to make it to the Hesstian castle unnoticed and find Zyacus to confront him and then make it back in time to train with Father. Sure, I could wait a week to see him at the academy but this sounded like a much more exciting idea.
My first task would be to find a way to lose Bindy. She’d never agree to go. And considering my parents hadn’t allowed me to visit Zyacus in Hesstia this entire time, I couldn’t let them find out.
A smile slowly grew as I picked up my pace. I’d need the help of my friends to cover my absence.
Chapter 2
I needed to get Bindy off my tail. On the positive side she didn’t follow me as closely here in the Delhoon palace but she would know if I left for the city. And I couldn’t very well tell her the plan. Her hierarchy of loyalty started with my parents. Although she didn’t rat me out on things, she wouldn’t go with me against my parents’ wishes. No, that defiance was something only my friends would do.
I’d have to go in disguise. I couldn’t risk being recognized. The last thing I needed was a mob of people wanting my blessing or some other nonsense.
I made it to the dining hall and due to the short hiatus from the academy, about half as many students filled the room. In one week we’d return to classes and I’d be a sixth-year student. As would Taz and Legacy and although we seemed to have matured a little since the previous year, the three of us could usually concoct a devious plan. And they’d been begging me to do something nefarious for a while. I think Legacy liked the thrill of it, and Taz, well, he was loyal. He wouldn’t let us get into trouble without him. Hopefully, they’d love my idea. It only took me a moment to spot them at one of the dining tables.
Taz perked up when he saw me and stood. “Vis,” he beamed. “It’s good to see you finally joining us commoners in the dining room.” He waved for me to sit beside him.
I slid onto the bench beside him and gave him a good shove. “My parents have requested I eat with them the last few days, commoner. Mind your business.”
He laughed. “Course, your highness. Whatever you say, oh great one.”
I rolled my eyes. “I need you two to help with something.”
Legacy narrowed her eyes but grew a smirk. “Could we get into trouble?”
“Probably more than any other stunt we’ve pulled.”
Legacy grinned. “Oh, do tell.”
Making sure no one was near enough to hear, I waved them closer and leaned in. “I’m going to Hesstia and I need you both to help me so I can get there and back here without anyone noticing I’m gone.”
Legacy chuckled. “Even more interesting than I anticipated. Holy phoenix, your parents would drop dead if they knew.”
“Obviously. Which is why I need your help.”
Less enthused, Taz pursed his lips. “How can we help you with that, and why in the world would you be sneaking off to Hesstia?”
“I thought you were smart, Taz,” Legacy drawled. “Isn’t it obvious why she’d be sneaking to Hesstia? A certain prince, perhaps?”
“Clearly,” Taz said and then bared his teeth at her. “But last I heard he didn’t even have the decency to write you a letter. It’s not like it’s hard. Jot down a few words, whisper the spell and set the thing ablaze.”
I was fairly sure there had to be a good reason why he hadn’t responded. Or if he didn’t have a good reason and he was simply being a coward, I certainly couldn’t let him ignore me as if we hadn’t kissed. Like we hadn’t confessed our feelings. Like we hadn’t fought beside one another. Like he hadn’t made it clear he wanted me in front of everyone. He, at the very least, owed me an explanation if he wanted to end the relationship. I am the damned Princess of Delhoon after all. I explained to Taz as much and he agreed I should go. He didn’t want me to be rebuffed by Zyacus almost more than I didn’t. Like I said, loyal.
“Why don’t you just go to your room and sneak off the balcony?” Taz suggested. “Or just use the appearus spell and get out of here.”
The actual act of getting to the stables wasn’t the hard part. The challenge lay with making sure no one knew.
“But if Bindy or her parents check on her, they’ll know she’s not in there,” Legacy said. “Hence why she needs us.”
“Fine, you sneak off the balcony and Legacy pretends to be you in your room if anyone asks,” Taz said, seeming very pleased with himself.
“As if scaling down nearly a hundred feet would be so easy,” Legacy said.
I didn’t even know what he meant by sneaking off my balcony. Tie a bunch of sheets together? Get a rope? Learn how to fly? Possibly appearus spell to the ground but it was pretty far when I’d only recently learned that magic.
“Whatever, you know what I mean. Use magic to get to the ground floor. Legacy, you go into her room, if they knock, you respond using that voice mimicking spell we learned last month.”
“Not bad.” I slowly nodded. That would only work if they didn’t want to actually see me. Which was unlikely. “But I have a better idea.”
“And that would be?” Taz asked.
I grinned. “We swipe a transfiguration potion. Legacy, you
