Thronegarden Andrew Dickerson (the little red hen ebook TXT) 📖

by water, which flowed via rivers across all the gardens. Those waters had long since receded though there were still some evidence left behind. The castle had a sombre atmosphere with hardly any noise; even the mice seemed to be walking on tiptoes. Once inside, Rat was easily able to keep them out of sight, using a myriad of secret passages and hidden corridors. Damselfly was instantly lost and relied entirely on her guide for direction. Buttons, who also managed to remain unusually quiet, could not stop his stomach from growling as they passed the kitchens.

“I don’t suppose we could stop for a quick snack?” the gluttonous rabbit queried.

“No,” both Rat and Damselfly answered in unison.

Tyten had placed soldiers on every level of the castle. Working in pairs, they patrolled every staircase and bolt hole. Thankfully, Rat was familiar with routes that had been forgotten centuries ago. The orphan boy was masterful at discovering fresh paths and some of those they passed through were so covered in dust that it looked as though no one had stepped foot in them before.

“Thank you for bringing me back here,” Damselfly said.

“It’s nothing,” Rat shrugged.

“No, without your help I never would have escaped the castle to begin my quest, not to mention you were the one who gave me Buttons for my birthday. It feels so long ago now.”

“A lot has changed since you’ve been gone,” Rat replied.

They travelled steadily upwards, avoiding any creaky board or stair that might give away their presence. Just as Damselfly felt sure they must be reaching the higher levels of the castle, Rat turned to her with a finger to his lips, emphasising the need for silence. Buttons struggled with being quiet though his fear was able to hold back his words.

“Just through here,” Rat advised, sliding back an old oil painting to reveal a hidden gap in the wall.

Damselfly went first, ducking to avoid hitting her head. Buttons followed close behind, so they both fell into the next room together.

“Nice of you to join us.”

Damselfly looked up to discover Luyna smiling like a hyena and sitting in a chair her mother had often favoured when entertaining. The princess discovered that the parlour was also occupied by Judge Vale and Luyna’s twin daughters. Rat hung in the opening, uncertain where he should put himself.

“It is like my dream from the Dreamgarden,” Damselfly recalled.

Rat at least had the decency to avert his eyes when she stared accusingly at her betrayer.

“You have done well.” Luyna praised the boy who smiled shyly. “Come sit by my side.”

Rat scrabbled across the room awkwardly. His hair looked wilder and his clothes shabbier in contrast to Luyna and her daughters’ sophisticated beauty.

“Why?” Buttons asked.

“He wished to visit the royal apartments and I guess now he will get it,” Damselfly answered bitterly.

“I didn’t…” Rat started.

“You do not need to explain yourself,” Luyna interrupted. “This girl is a criminal and you served your people well by bringing her to us.”

“I am not the criminal, you are,” Damselfly accused.

From a darkened corner, Blakast the usurper appeared, showing a row of teeth beneath his shadowed cowl.

“Do not speak to my mistress like that!”

While Buttons cowered behind her, Damselfly stood her ground, armed with the truth.

“She tricked you worse than any of us,” the princess revealed.

“She made you steal the timepiece for her and then gave you a small taste of magic so that you would crave more and become her puppet.”

“Do not listen to her lies,” Luyna contradicted.

“You did not expect him to steal the artefact though, did you?” Damselfly questioned. “You were happy he was exiled to the Evergarden, another loose end you did not have to worry about,” Damselfly accused.

“The Never always tries to fool me.” Blakast struggled with his inner demons.

“We are together now and that’s all that matters,” Luyna replied, her yellow eyes flashing dangerously.

“You had everyone believing that the Fairy King stole time when all along it was you,” Damselfly continued.

Rat and Judge Vale both looked surprised at this revelation, although Luyna did not seem concerned by her allies’ reactions.

“The Fairy King believed he had banished Death. In the end only I had the conviction to actually achieve it,” Luyna bragged.

“You stole so much from everyone,” Damselfly castigated. “You took away Uriel’s chance to be a mother, created an eternal winter in Wintergarden and drained magic from the Magicgarden.”

“A rather useful consequence,” Luyna smiled.

“What about Thronegarden, when there is no water left for crops or cattle, what will you do then, rule over a land of dust?”

“Such things are none of your concern,” Luyna stated.

“I will not stand by and let you get away with this,” Damselfly threatened.

Luyna grinned alarmingly, showing pristine white teeth between her blood red lips.

“Your uncle Abeldine spoke very similar words to me once, before I twisted his mind around my fingers.”

“It was you who cursed my uncle,” Damselfly flared.

“Your mother was suspicious of me too, so I had to get her out of my way,” Luyna confessed.

“My father as well,” Damselfly realised.

“Your whole family, the great Thrane dynasty, is beholden to me and very soon you will be too,” Luyna predicted.

“Never,” Damselfly rebelled, though secretly she was frightened of what the sorceress might do to her. “I did not come back from the Evergarden alone. My friends will come for me when I do not return and then you will be sorry.”

“Let them come,” Luyna responded confidently.

“Tyten will deal with your little friends, and if not I have you as my hostage.”

Damselfly looked at Rat for support, though the orphan boy was staring at Celeste and Coral, who were poignantly ignoring him. Judge Vale shrank in his seat until he almost disappeared, and Blakast was talking to himself in