Fake Princess
CHAPTER 90
I was almost surprised when an animal—a bird of the night or bat— landed in a tree near me accompanied by the sound of rustling leaves. However, at least the thrilling terror that arose from the apprehension of being caught managed to get rid of the fortune teller's last prophecy from my head. Fortunately, we managed to arrive at the library without meeting anyone. Devan pushed the door slowly, and, true to what the astrologer said, it opened slowly.
The library was quiet, so our footsteps sounded like lightning in my ears. There were no lights in the hallway, and we had to fumble step by step. There was one tense moment when I tripped over my own skirt and hit the closed door, but no one came to investigate. Finally, we arrived at the door with the sign of the fortune teller, entered, and quickly closed the door again.
“ At least we have to turn on one light,” whispered Devan. I nodded, hoping he could see me. Fortunately, since there were no windows in this room, only a small beam of light coming out of the doorway could leak our existence. Feeling a little blasphemous, I whispered a prayer of apology to the God and approached the black closet. The fortune teller's silver key slid into his hole without a sound, and the door opened as I turned it.
In the closet there are six pieces of journal— at least one of the astrologers is a diligent writer. I picked up the last journal, then brought it closer to the only light Devan had turned on. Carefully, trying not to crack the back of a book or bend a page, I opened it.
The twenty-third day of autumn, 1147, reign of King Antoni 10. Today the religious ceremony is over. I don't know why it feels weird to think that I'm the fortune teller now. I only wish my family could attend, but I know it's a sacred ritual, and it can only be witnessed by my religious brothers and sisters, and not my family…..
I slowed it down as I approached my birthday, and finally stopped as my eyes found the phrase I was looking for.
The day the Queen and the king visited, asking for a prophecy for their child to be born. It looks like the queen made it through the journey quite well, given her condition. They visited the temple, but when I asked the God to send his prophecy, I was struck by a terrible vision. A high chamber with a throne at its end, and before them lay a girl, in a pool of blood, pale from death. A golden crown lay nearby, blood flaring towards the thing. Behind him were fifteen lights out. They asked for another prophecy, but the God did not want to give a clue. I can only surmise it was the princess who had not been born, and she could have died in the palace before her sixteenth birthday, the murder victim.
I turned the page again. But there is no other record of the princess. Instead, his journal turned to the story of a merchant's wife and her request. I leaned back, letting the book slide closer, my hands between the pages.
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