“So, what are you going to do? Do you have a plan?”
Jax took no satisfaction in her next words. “I’m going to let him run his dukedom into the ground, then be there to pick up the pieces.”
Chapter Two
“Is that really the best solution, or are you planning this just to spite him?”
Jax saw a slight accusatory glint in Perry’s lavender eyes she did not like.
She leaned forward and took his hands, bridging a connection across the aisle of the coach. “If I knew of any other way to prevent his people from suffering, I would do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, Savant has poisoned many people in his nation against me. He’s lost favor with the noble houses he allowed to fall into ruin, so I have their allegiance for saving their homes and funding their vineyards.” She released her husband’s hands and folded her arms across her slender waist. “It’s the common-born people I’m worried about. Their numbers are strong, and with the Duke poisoning their minds against the future I envision, a future benefiting them in every way, I fear I won’t be able to gain their trust unless they witness their leader fall into ruin.”
A frown situated itself on Perry’s face. “Have you tried sending delegates on your behalf, to talk about your ideas and what you’ve already done in Saphire with the premiers? Surely that would help them see the light.”
The naiveté of his suggestion made her smile, both at his innocence and at how deftly she’d separated her leadership duties from her personal affairs. Outside of her study, Jax rarely spoke about matters of state, wanting to cherish her carefree time with Perry. “My advisors thought the very same thing, and I let them send an envoy, despite my own qualms.”
“I take it this does not have a happy ending?”
Jax’s eyes trailed out the window to the starry sky. “The premiers were greeted with rotten fruit to the face. I ordered them home for fear of their safety.”
Perry’s expression immediately softened. “I’m sorry if I sounded critical before. I above all should know you’d only take the best course of action.”
“As much as I appreciate your faith in my leadership, I sometimes wonder if I’m on the right path.” Jax leaned her head against the seat of the carriage. Even though she had not worn a crown for the journey and would not wear one until after her return, she nonetheless felt its crushing weight. “If I had just shut my mouth and kept in line with how things were, would it have been for the better?” She referred to her decision to support Darian Fangard as the first common-born man anointed a Duke, thus ushering in a new age where one’s rank at birth did not matter and one was judged on character and accomplishments, not bloodline.
“I think we both know you made the right and just decision.”
“Then why has it all been so hard?” she mused, more to herself than to Perry. Why was it that the right road to take was often the one plagued with the most obstacles?
Perry switched his seat, settling in next to her. His muscular arm wrapped around her weary shoulders. “I wish I could solve these problems for you, my wife,” he murmured into her honeyed tresses as he stroked her cheek.
She leaned into his strong chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the peace of the moment.
‡
The carriage lurched to a stop, making Jax’s eyes fly open. Sunlight streamed in through the small windows, and outside she heard birds chirping, although their songs were unfamiliar.
Perry met her inquiring gaze. “We entered Crepsta just around dawn. George is looking to hire another driver for a few leagues, so he can rest. I offered to tend to the horses, but he requested I remain inside and unseen.”
Jax rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “He’s been up all night?”
“I poked my head out to check on him when I woke with the rising sun. He was adamant that we cross the Saphirian border before stopping,” Perry explained.
Stretching her legs as much as she could in the cramped space, Jax reached for the coach door. “Well, I’ll likely get my head bitten off, but I need to stand for a bit. I’m beginning to rethink a week’s ride in this thing.”
Clutching her traveling cloak, Jax fought off the chill in the dewy air as she stepped down onto the packed dirt beneath the carriage, surveying the deserted road. Even though the autumn months were a few weeks off, Crepsta’s craggy and mountainous terrain steeped the duchy in damp, cool weather year-round. She was grateful no rain fell at the moment.
“Duchess.” Captain Solomon’s curt voice cut through her reverie. “You should be inside.”
Her lips set in a thin line across her face. “And you should refer to me as something other than Duchess, or this whole charade is a waste.”
George Solomon’s strapping figure emerged from the woodlands lining the impossibly quiet road. Clad in a simple white tunic and brown pants, he still exuded a commanding presence. His usual uniform had been left behind in the Saphire barracks, and Jax realized it had been years since she’d seen him in anything but proper guardsman attire.
His cheeks flushed against his tanned skin. “Well, I guess neither of us has ever been any good at following rules.”
A grin tugged at her lips, despite her annoyance that he had thrown their whole plan into jeopardy by referring to her by title. She and George had been friends since he enlisted in the Ducal Guard at age sixteen. In her youth, she’d daydreamed about running away with the handsome soldier, even confessing her feelings to him after her nineteenth birthday. However, duty ruled both their hearts, and eventually, her lusty desires had succumbed to time, and a strong friendship had grown in its place. He had saved her life more than once during his many years of service, first to her father and now to her. There was no one, besides Perry, she trusted more than the striking guard before her. “I shouldn’t have to remind you this is one rule you need to follow.”
He bowed his head at her reprimand. “Old habits are hard to break. Apologies, my lady.”
Given that she was impersonating the daughter of a Viscount, she allowed for this show of reverence. “You’re going to have to do better at deferring to Perry over me whenever we are in public in these upcoming days, George. Lord Rapaste is who you take orders from, not his wife.”
The corners of George’s lips curled. “Then you’re going to have to stop doling them out.”
Perry’s head popped out of the open carriage door. “Perhaps Lady Giovanna will cast us in one of her plays when we return. We should consider this adventure our audition,” he said with a laugh as he joined them outside.
George’s chocolate eyes grew stern. “I thought I asked you to remain inside, Perry, and keep Jax with you.”
“Well, you can see how well that all went,” Perry responded, giving Jax a comically evil eye. “Since we’re alone out here on the road, my wife still gets to be the boss.”
The Captain folded his toned arms. “We won’t be alone for long. I saw some smoke rising from the trees. I’m hoping to find someone I can hire to drive the carriage for a bit while I get a few hours of sleep.”
Jax shared a knowing look with her husband. “The risk of hiring a stranger far outweighs the risk that comes from Perry leading the horses,” she said. “Why don’t you let him drive? We must be almost at the first inn, anyway.” Jax nodded toward the horses. “The animals certainly need their rest, too.”
With a wary eye, George appraised Perry’s alert figure.
“I was able to sleep a solid few hours, George. I’ll be fine. I am a Knight of Pettraud, after all.” Traces of both pride and irritation laced Perry’s words.
George still did not look convinced. “I’m not concerned you aren’t capable of protecting the carriage, should something arise, Perry, but…” the Captain’s voice trailed off with his gaze before he turned his attention to Jax. “Does this really align with the identities of your disguises? I mean, if someone stops Perry along the road, will they believe a young lord is driving his own coach?”
Jax bit her lower lip as she toyed
with her answer, but Perry beat her to it.
“I’ll just say it helps cultivate my inspiration for my paintings. Anyone who asks will just think it’s all a part of the artistic process.”
Perry’s answer satisfied her. “Shall we continue then, gentlemen?” Her eyebrows rose as she extended her hand toward the carriage door. “George, after you.”
The Captain, seeming to know the futility of arguing, climbed wearily into the cabin, leaving Jax and Perry alone in the morning sun.
“I wish I could ride up front with you, but I think that would give poor George a heart attack.” Jax twirled a stray dark curl of Perry’s hair around her finger.
His gaze brought heat to her face. “What the good captain doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Let me know once he falls asleep and I’ll stop the horses so you can climb up.”
“I didn’t know you had such a rebellious streak in you,” Jax said with a giggle as she gathered her skirts and climbed back into the coach. “Goodness!” she said upon entering. She stuck out her head before Perry could close the door. “He’s already asleep!”
ǂ
Several days into their journey, Jax leaned out the carriage window and called to George. “Have you heard from the others recently? They should have arrived at the Oasis by now.”
Although she could not see him up in his riding perch, George’s deep voice floated down to greet her. “I told Hendrie not to send any communication unless it was dire. The less we’re connected as a traveling group, the better.”
Perry, having heard George’s words, said, “Then how will we explain socializing with one another?” His confused look told Jax that he, too, had been looking forward to their time as a small group of friends.
“Grand-Père has arranged the paperwork so Uma’s character is Lord Arthur Rapaste’s sister,” she explained.
“Ah, so we’re having a nice family reunion in the middle of nowhere,” Perry said, folding his arms. “Doesn’t sound suspicious at all.”
Jax batted his arm. “We’ll play it off as a surprise, a happy coincidence.”
“And how do Vita and Hendrie fit into this?” Perry still did not look convinced at their plan.
“Hendrie is a cousin, traveling with Uma as a chaperone, with Vita as her lady’s maid.”
“Cousin?” Perry choked back a snort. “So much for us hoping the spark kindling between Uma and Hendrie will turn into a roaring blaze during this trip.”
“I wouldn’t count it out. You know noble families like to keep things within the family.”
Perry burst into laughter at her dry delivery. “I guess you’re right. I should be lucky Father didn’t marry me off to my cousin Eunice.”
Jax joined his laughter, so much so that it took furious banging on the roof of the carriage from George to catch her attention. “What is it?” she called out, sticking her head out the window once more.
“We’re approaching the Kwatalar border. Get the papers ready,” George commanded.
As Jax dug through her traveling bag to collect the forged documents her grandfather’s advisors had crafted, Perry asked, “Why Kwatalar, of all places?”
She sat upright, rolling the parchment into scrolls. “This time of year, most reputable families travel to Tandora or Saphire. Kwatalar’s desert climate is traditionally too hot for summer retreats.” She smoothed the wrinkles in one of her many traveling gowns, its simple cut and material designed specifically to fit her disguise as Lady Victoire. “I figured a place with fewer visitors would be safer for our little plot.”
“A desert in summer? I find it hard to believe even the estate’s owners will be around.”
Jax wagged a finger Perry’s way. “You didn’t let me finish, dearest. While Kwatalar is hot this time of year, the Ogdam Oasis is a hidden gem amongst the sands. The villa was built over a cold water spring, fighting the heat even on the most sizzling of days. Hence the name ‘Oasis’.” She gave him a satisfied smirk. “Not many people are willing to suffer the weather to get there, but when we arrive, it will be well worth it.”
Perry wiped his brow, beads of sweat already dancing across his hairline. “If it gets any hotter than it already is, I’m afraid there will be nothing left of me but a puddle by the time we arrive.”
“Once we cross the border, we’ll stop at an inn to wait out the heat. We’ll travel by nightfall the rest of the way. I suspect we’ll arrive by dawn tomorrow.” Jax fanned herself, wishing for a breeze.
The carriage rolled to a stop, and Jax heard gruff conversation outside as George spoke with the border guardsmen. A shadow appeared in their window, startling both Jax and Perry with the silent approach.
“Greetings,” the robed figure purred. His face was concealed by a wrapped headdress, leaving only his dark eyes visible through a gap in the gauzy material. “Your traveling papers, please, sir.”
For a moment, Perry seemed confused why he was being addressed and Jax ignored, but a swift kick in the shins from her sent him scrambling into action. “Quite right, quite right. Darling, the paperwork?”
The blazing sun filtered into their coach at just the right angle, casting shadows across their faces to mask their eyes, his lavender and hers amethyst, a dead giveaway to their royal heritage. Jax batted her eyelashes and hid her face with the delicate lace fan her royal tailor had constructed for such an instance. She did not want certain people to see her face and recognize her, despite her less than grand appearance. A ducal guard stationed at the Kwatalar border would be well versed in what the leaders of the realm looked like.
She pushed the scrolls into Perry’s outstretched hands, figuring it would be less likely for him to be recognized by the border guard. Perry’s fingers brushed against her palm in tender reassurance before he swiftly handed the paperwork over to the guardsman.
Jax watched him read the papers out of the corner of her eye. The guard did not so much as give her a second glance.
“Everything seems in order, Lord Rapaste. We hope you enjoy your stay at the Ogdam Oasis.” He bowed his head graciously, handing the documents back through the window of the carriage. He did not even bother to wish Jax—or Lady Victoire—a pleasant journey.
“I don’t remember needing documents to travel between duchies before,” Perry grumbled under his breath after the guard had fully retreated and the carriage sprang into motion. “Has something changed?”
Jax shook her head. “Kwatalar has always been somewhat of a neutral region when it comes to the political arena. It’s rare the Duchess ever takes a formal side in an argument. She usually abstains. And because of this indifference, she fears outsiders will enter her duchy and try to radicalize within her borders, which is why she demands papers describing the purpose of one’s visit and family lineage, so her guardsmen can ensure no trouble crosses into the land.”
Perry scowled at her explanation. “Sounds a bit isolationist, if you ask me.”
“I agree, and her people suffer for it. Not everyone can afford to have the paperwork of a formal family history drawn up, nor do they have the desire to, and thus, Kwatalar’s economy struggles because merchants and traders bypass the duchy.” Jax squinted as she gazed out the window, her eyes greeted with an expansive sea of golden sand. “There’s also little in the way of tourism here, which I suppose benefits us.”
“Because of our need for secrecy or your plans for Isla DeLacqua?”
Jax stuck her tongue out at his wry smile. “You’re getting better at thinking like a Duke every day, my love. In answer to your question, a bit of both, I suppose.”
“Well, whatever the reasons you have for being here, I just hope our accommodations are well worth it,” Perry said with a sigh.
Chapter Three
The dawn of a new day crept across the sandy tundra, and the rays of sun coaxed Jax’s eyes to open. Shaking her dreams away, she sat up in the carriage, her gaze sweeping out across the desert plains. Adjusting her body carefully so as not to awaken Perry, she leaned out the win
dow, surveying the path ahead of them.
We must be getting close, she mused, noting the sprinkling of well-groomed palm trees and lotus flowers standing at attention alongside the road. Someone must have recently pruned them.
“Are we there?” Perry murmured, blinking away the last remnants of sleep.
Jax pulled herself back from the window and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Yes, I believe we are. Take a look.”
Like eager children, they leaned forward to look out the window at the mystical sight stretching out before them. The horses they had acquired at the small, desolate Kwatalarian inn rounded a bend, the dunes of crystalized sand flattening out to a sprawling plain.
Perry sucked in a breath. “Well, that’s something you don’t see every day.”
Jax’s eyes gleamed with delight as Ogdam Oasis unfolded before her. It was hard to believe such lush trees and flowers could flourish in the arid climate, but color sparkled all around them. Ceramic fountains spouted water, pulling it from the belly of the earth, and funneled it into intricate channels weaving across the expansive garden to nourish the oasis. A true paradise.
Through the myriad of trees and leaves, Jax spied a massive villa hidden amongst the sand dunes encompassing the property. The building was made of white, creamy stone that, even though Jax knew it couldn’t be true, gave the appearance the homestead had been carved from a single piece of gigantic rock. The darker clay roof swooped in rolling peaks, creating roving shadows around the compound. Spacious balconies peppered the upper floors of the house, and rows of chiseled columns stretched to the heavens, supporting the roof over the wraparound veranda.
Paradise Plagued Page 2