Cursed be the Crown (Cruel Fortunes Book 1)

by RAE STAPLETON

  I followed him, staring into the flames, enjoying the heat that flooded my face. I hadn’t realized how cold I was. He must have seen me shiver because he drew me close.

  “What happens if he gets his hands on it?”

  “That’s a good question. He has my ring but perhaps he needs a spell to manipulate the magic.”

  “You know spells, then?”

  “No. Not at all but maybe Sapphira did. I do recall a memory where she’s looking in the alchemist’s book. I just pray that Henri doesn’t know any.” I paused, realizing something. “Maybe that’s why he tortured Rochus, for his book.”

  “Tortured? I only said he was arrested,” Conrad corrected.

  I looked down at my feet. “I know. I haven’t told you yet of my morning. Henri took me to an underground passage, under the gardens of Saint Martin. He tried to intimidate me into telling him where the Sapphire was. Rochus was there, imprisoned. His eye has been cut out.”

  I felt the tears spilling down my cheeks before I could stop them. Conrad’s embrace grew tighter.

  “We will get him out, mein lieber. Don’t worry.”

  “Yes, we’ll need help and someone needs to warn Charles.”

  TWENTY-THREE

  W e rode quickly in silence, eager to reach the Prince before the Carbonari. The terrain was hard, and my gown had not been made for such a trek. I clung to Conrad for warmth as we trotted through streams and crossed rock crevices that rattled my nerves. In an hour’s time we reached the Prince’s camp.

  As Conrad helped me down off the horse, a guard approached, one I recognized from the palace.

  “M’lady, what are you doing out here? These are not the palace grounds. There are animals and thieves in the forest.”

  That’s not all there is. I pushed past the guard in the direction of the tent. “Take me to Charles. I need to speak to him immediately.”

  “Just a moment.”

  I continued walking.

  “Please, Princess. Let me speak with him first,” the guard called after me. I encountered two more guards in front of me.

  “Charles! I need to see Charles.”

  “Sapphira?” Charles pushed past the guards and pulled me into a close embrace. “I thought I recognized that brazen tone. What are you doing here? Have you lost your mind?”

  “Charles,” I said, momentarily surprised. I really didn’t know this man and had only encountered him in visions, and yet I felt a strange kinship with him.

  “We need to speak in private. Immediately!”

  “Is everything all right?”

  Conrad stepped forward. “Pardon me, but in private, Your Highness.”

  Tension filled the air the way it did when two powerful forces met. Charles looked Conrad up and down. I was unsure whether they even knew each other. I was about to introduce Conrad when Charles nodded.

  “Follow me,” he said, leading us deeper into the tent and waving a dismissive hand to his guards, who shuffled out, but not before one of them stared me down. I was left with an eerie feeling. Either they didn’t trust us or we couldn’t trust them.

  Conrad must have noticed the same look because he crossed to stand between the doorway and the Prince.

  “Are all of these men honorable?” Conrad asked, drawing his weapon.

  “Pardon?” Charles questioned.

  “These men. Do you trust them? Will they die for you? Or can they be bribed?”

  The Prince reached for his dagger, and Victor backed off to the side.

  “Charles, relax! Conrad’s only trying to protect you. We have reason to believe that the Carbonari is going to come for you—are going to try to murder you.”

  Charles shook his head. “That’s preposterous, Sapphira. Why?”

  “Henri.”

  “What about him?”

  “He’s made a deal with them. They’re going to kill you and force me to marry him so he can do their bidding.”

  The ground shook, and I feared Henri’s treacherous band of men approached.

  Three of the guards returned, including the one that gave me pause. Something felt wrong. They approached Charles, and I shouted for them to keep back. They were probably coming to his aid, but I couldn’t be sure.

  “Stand down,” Charles called out, giving me a sideways look.

  Conrad took a step toward them.

  They all stopped, and Conrad turned to me. The dubious guard chose that moment to begin moving again.

  “Traitor!” My cry rang out, alarming and desolate, as the guard leaped at Charles, dagger in hand.

  Conrad dove sideways, wrestling him to the ground before he could reach Charles. Chaos erupted as more of the Prince’s men came roaring into the tent. Two of their comrades hauled the traitorous guard to his feet, away from Conrad’s grasp.

  As they moved back, my line of sight became clear again. I dropped to my knees and crawled to the place where Conrad lay on his side, hurt, it seemed, a knife wound in his side. “Conrad, are you all right?”

  Charles fell to his knees beside him, checking his wound.

  “Find out what he knows,” Charles shouted to his men.

  “Yes, Your Highness. Just so you’re aware, the lookouts have returned. They say a band of men approaches, fully armed. Shall we get the Princess to safety?”

  “Sapphira! What in God’s name is the meaning of all this?”

  “It’s the Carbonari. I told you they want to kill you. You have to trust me.”

  He turned to his soldiers. “You know what to do. I’ll be out in a moment.”

  “We have to go,” Conrad urged.

  “There’s more,” I said.

  “What more could there possibly be?” Charles asked.

  “Henri’s obsessed with the Delhi Sapphire,” I said, as tears poured down my cheeks.

  “The faerie stone? Why?”

  I spilled the story as quickly as I could, knowing Conrad needed medical attention and Charles needed to fight.

  “This is my fault. Will said it was cursed. I’ve brought this curse upon us.” Charles held his head in his hands.

  “It was inevitable. I overheard Enzo, and I guess it was Henri—although it didn’t sound like him—saying that they paid the treasure hunter to locate the sapphire but that he’d double-crossed them and sold it to your father.”

  “That’s preposterous. My Father and Nico turned down that sapphire because of the curse. I only bought it later from Will Jr. later out of pity. I’m afraid I didn’t believe in curses at the time but it seems I’m wrong.”

  “Well, it would have made its way regardless. Anyway, I think he has spies—Alastríona and Chloe for sure so be careful.”

  Charles ignored me, unmoving. I heard the soldiers calling his name, but he was despondent.

  “We need to get out of here,” Conrad said, attempting to stand. He tottered to his knees, holding his side.

  “Charles! Go. You and your men must fight and win. I’ll return to the castle with Conrad. I’ll find someone to heal him, and we’ll deal with Henri when you return.”

  “No, you can’t go back to the palace alone… unless… find Nico. He will protect you until I return.”

  “Nico’s been absent from the palace.”

  “I know. He was dealing with Roquebrune. He should be back now.”

  “Is there one of your men you can spare to help me? I know we followed the river, but I don’t want to chance getting lost.”

  He seemed to come alive again, surging up madly. I heard him shouting instructions and calling for his horse. One of the guards appeared.

  “See the Princess safely back to the castle. Guard her with your life.”

  Hooves rumbled on all sides of the tent, and the sound was thunderous. He turned to go.

  “Wait. Charles, one more thing.” I rushed to his side. “Henri has Princess Maria locked up in the Gardens. He—”

  “He has Maman?”

  “Yes, exactly. She wasn’t hurt when I saw her but she’s sc
ared and he’s tortured and imprisoned my friend Rochus in the cell next to her. It’s the underground passage at Saint Martin, his eye has been cut out.” I could barely choke the words out. “I can’t stand the idea of him suffering in there because of me. Please rescue him and see to his personal care if you can.”

  “Of course, but you can see to his—”

  “Promise me, Charles!” I demanded.

  “Of course, sister. I promise. Be safe. I’ll see you soon.”

  I nodded and watched him ride off with the bulk of his soldiers before I returned to Conrad’s side.

  “Get the horses,” I instructed the guard standing over me.

  Then I turned back and gripped Conrad’s face. I kissed him. He seemed to be growing more and more pale by the second.

  “Please don’t die.” This can’t happen. “Look at me, Conrad. Look at me. I love you. Sapphira loves you. Don’t leave us,” I whispered.

  He turned his head to me. “I’m sorry I failed you, but in truth I never wanted to live if you had to leave and I know you plan to go home. I could see it on your face as soon as you saw the sapphire. Let me go in peace, and I’ll be there waiting for you in the next life.”

  Shaking with cold, I whispered back. “No. Conrad, I won’t. Hold on. Sapphira will come back to you once I leave. You will survive, and the two of you will live the happy life together you were meant to.”

  “We were never meant to. Every version of our history in those books said Sapphira and I died.”

  I thought of his words and the conflicting stories Leslie and I found in our research. Conrad and Sapphira had died in every record, only one German diary had said they were married but he never said they lived. Had I deluded myself into thinking there were two possibilities? That their fate was open to change? I grew angry. What was the point of all this? Why was I here? Surely this was an abomination of nature’s laws.

  Conrad squeezed my hand, and I returned to the moment, feeling anger abate as I looked into his eyes.

  “Sapphira. Listen to me. It’s enough you have overthrown the assassination attempt on the crown and protected the jewels. Henri must never sit on the throne. Never be allowed to time travel as you did. Leave me here.”

  His fiery green eyes stared, conscious, but barely.

  “Go and stop Henri. It’s what you were meant to do. I have faith in you.” He kissed me once, hard, his lips freezing, moving across my cheek to my ear. “Besides, if you fail, you’ll find me in your next life.”

  He blinked, staring into my face, a speck of blood emerging at the corner of his mouth.

  “He’s bleeding out,” the guard whispered.

  “I know,” I cried. “Isn’t there a doctor?”

  “It’s too late,” the guard said, attempting to lift me to my feet. I looked down at Conrad. Empty eyes stared back at me.

  Could he be right? I ran my hands gently over his eye lids, forcing them shut.

  Stricken with loss, I allowed the guard to lift me onto the horse. He set a brisk pace, skirting the other soldiers. We were close enough to hear the clang of swords but far enough to avoid being seen. It wasn’t until I could see the palace walls that I realized night had fallen and I hadn’t even been aware we were riding. Grief, shock—it didn’t matter. I had to push away all the imagined hopes and dreams I’d created in such a short time. Thoughts of waking up every day to Conrad’s gorgeous fiery green eyes. Walking the grounds of Lichtenstein Schloss. It wasn’t meant to be and I had a job to do. I continued my silent monologue, wondering if my mission was always futile. Were Sapphira and Conrad destined to die? Was I only sent here to stop Henri from killing Charles and getting the sapphire?

  After Conrad’s words, I felt a new kind of freedom in facing down Henri. The Prince would live, the monarch would thrive and Henri would die. I would see to it.

  I leaned forward in the saddle. “Soldier, what’s your name?”

  “Jacque, Your Highness.”

  “Jacque, we need to get into the castle unnoticed. Do you know of the passageway?”

  “No, madam, but I do know of the underground tunnel that will get us inside the castle. That is where we leave the Prince in an emergency. Only he knows the passageway from there.”

  “Excellent.” I tried not to sound surprised that there was a tunnel.

  The tunnel led under the palace wall and opened into a cave. It must have been where Conrad had surfaced.

  My heart ached at the thought of him, but I pushed it aside, using the pain to fuel my determination. Jacque helped me down from the horse, and I observed the cave. I saw the tunnel Conrad had mentioned with the false wall.

  “Jacque, I have to leave you here.”

  “No, Princess. The Prince said to see you safely back to the palace!”

  “And are we not in the palace, Jacque?”

  He looked to his feet and then back up at me. “Yes, Princess, but I am to guard you with my life.”

  This was going to be harder than I thought.

  “Fine. You can come, but clearly, we can’t leave the horse here. Is there somewhere you can hide him?”

  “I could take him back into the forest and tie him there.”

  “Yes, but then you would have to walk all the way back, and I would have to wait here, and there’s a storm coming. I tell you what. You go back to my brother. He needs help fighting, and he will want to know I was returned to the palace safely.”

  He looked like he wanted to argue but was unsure of his argument.

  “Jacque. Don’t displease me. I am the Princess, and I do not require an armed escort. After all, I’m not the one in danger; the Prince is, and you were only to get me to the palace because I requested you, as I didn’t know the way. Now, if you could be so gracious as to light me a torch, I’ll make my way back to my chambers.”

  He looked at me, still hesitant.

  “Quickly now!”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  I watched him leave and then headed to the wall, pushing against it. Just as Conrad promised, the wall moved. I needed to get to the inner sanctum’s treasure trove. The passageway twisted and turned once again, like a maze, and soon I was lost. To make matters worse, I tripped and dropped my torch. I quickly scooped it back up, but the floor of the tunnel was wet, and as the last flicker went out, I rounded a corner. I realized I was outside of the sliding panel behind Sapphira’s armoire. No wonder I’d been lost. I’d never come this way before. My heart pounded with relief. I could grab the lantern from inside the Princess’s bedroom and head back out in search of this Nico character. If all else failed, I could hide out. I knew how to get to the jewel room through the fireplace.

  I placed my ear to the door. Hearing nothing, I slipped back into Sapphira’s room leaving the sapphire hidden inside the wardrobe. My skin prickled with foreboding, images nudging my brain, as I looked around the room. Something was wrong. I could see the glow of candlelight spilling from the balcony door. I balled my fingers into tight fists and readied myself for confrontation. I felt him. I knew he was here, before he stepped back inside the room.

  Henri.

  He stood there gloating.

  “There you are, my darling.” A smug smile spread across his lips. He stood in a relaxed pose, studying me. “I’ve been waiting for you. And where may I ask, are you returning from?”

  “How’d you know I’d be here?” I demanded.

  He cocked one eyebrow. “How’d I know you’d be in the room I locked you in?” He shrugged.

  “What do you want?” My voice sounded rough. I was stalling. I knew what he wanted.

  His eyes narrowed. I eased sideways, putting more distance between me and him, but he stepped forward, his stance growing bolder. “I simply want to have a chat.”

  “Cut the bullshit, Henri.”

  All humor dropped from his face.

  “Doing away with the niceties? That’s fine by me.” Rage flamed in his eyes as he captured my wrist, his fingers digging hard enough to make fire shoot to
my elbow.

  I screamed and pulled away. “Where’s Nico? He’ll put an end to this.” I ran for the door, shouting Nico’s name.

  Henri chuckled.

  Had he hurt Nico? I ran out the door, smack into the chest of a large man.

  “What in the devil’s name is all this shouting?”

  “Nico. We were just talking about you,” Henri said.

  “Nico,” I said, shaking uncontrollably. “Thank God. Help me. This man… Henri is trying to kill me.”

  I took a step back as Nico crossed the room, closing in on the Comte. He was big, but not as big as… My heart ached as I thought of Conrad lying on the ground. I shook it off. It wasn’t meant to be. You’re here to stop the assassination attempt on the Prince and prevent the Comte from getting his hands on the sapphire’s magic.

  I turned my thoughts back outward, surveying the two men. Nico had a good two inches on the Comte, and that made me feel better. But the grace of his movements caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise. Something about Nico was very familiar, from his silken blond hair down to the way he held his cane.

  “Henri, my boy. Are you bothering my niece?” His eyes narrowed, the line of his jaw shifting into a grimace.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” Henri answered.

  “He took my ring. Charles told me to find you.”

  “Charles? You’ve seen Charles? My, my, you’ve been busy. Come here, Henri. Give her back her ring.”

  The Comte handed me my ring and I slipped it on my finger.

  Alarm bells continued to go off in the back of my mind.

  As he led the Comte to the balcony, I crossed my arms protectively and looked at the open door. Something about this situation felt wrong. Should I run? Curiosity got the better of me.

  His cane.

  That was it. Nico was the man I’d seen outside Rochus’s cottage. Hadn’t I seen him bribing the apothecary owner for information? Had I misread the situation?

  I inched closer to the balcony to hear what they were saying. The whispered voices and hushed tones reminded me of the conversation I’d overheard before.

  The Snake and Enzo.

  Suddenly, one of them screamed. I ran to the door just as Henri slumped to the ground, his eyes rolling back permanently. One last expression crossed his face, one of surprise and confusion.