Jax snorted. “And I’m sure you end up doing it all behind the scenes anyway.”
Samira twirled a strand of her silky midnight hair with a thin finger. “My father calls me his little puppeteer.” Her coy smile faded away. “I will miss working by his side.”
“Your husband won’t allow you to help your family?”
Samira’s hair swayed like a curtain as she shook her head. “He wants me to focus on looking after his household and raising a family. His estate requires an heir.”
Heir. The word made her shudder. It seemed everywhere she went in the palace, she ran into someone asking her when the heir to the Saphirian throne would be arriving. The moment their guests departed from the wedding festivities, Saphire’s sole focus had turned to Jax and Perry’s as-yet unconceived child. At first, the inquiries hadn’t bothered her because she’d thought they were in jest. But she quickly realized that as the sole heir to the Saphirian throne, she was expected to secure her legacy and quickly, no matter how much she feared the idea of motherhood. Being in charge of the welfare of a nation came to her as easy as breathing, but being responsible for the life of her own blood? That terrified her.
“Not that I have anything against raising children,” Samira continued, apparently not having noticed Jax’s sudden melancholy, “but I just don’t feel it’s my calling in life.”
Wishing someone had given her the right advice to share, Jax simply responded by placing a hand on the woman’s trembling arm.
Samira flinched at the touch and abruptly stood up. “I am so sorry. I shouldn’t be discussing these problems with a complete stranger. I apologize for interrupting your morning.” She smoothed her dress and hurried away without one look back at a confused Jax. Samira’s figure disappeared through the swinging double doors, leaving the Duchess alone once more.
“What was that all about?” George’s voice cut through her confusion as he appeared at the base of the terrace steps.
Jax jumped, not having heard him approach. “I’m not entirely sure. That was Samira, Ferran and Abra’s daughter.”
“You two looked rather chummy from a distance.” George’s eyes crinkled as he wiped sweat from his forehead.
Jax raised an eyebrow. “Were you already enjoying the spring pools?”
“I wanted to scope out the property. We really are in the middle of nowhere.”
“Are you satisfied with the threat level?” she asked with a chuckle.
“When your safety is at stake, one can never be too careful.” His gaze darted to the cup in Jax’s hand. “Mind if I join you?”
“You have your pick of seats,” Jax said as she motioned to all the empty lounge chairs on the patio.
George poured himself a cup of tea from the dishes on the silver tray Samira had left behind before sitting down in the seat next to his longtime friend. “Not sure why guests are choosing to boil in the hot spring instead of sitting along here. There’s even a nice breeze.”
Jax examined the regal hot spring pool, noting three or four figures dipping themselves in the healing waters. “Maybe after sitting in the water, this heat doesn’t feel so bad.”
“I found the cold spring up the path, as well. I would think it would be the more desirable location in this weather, but no one was there.”
Jax met George’s confused expression. “The hot spring is said to be blessed by the four Virtues, and those who bathe in its waters will be gifted with humility, kindness, intelligence, and bravery for a time.”
“Ogdam Oasis,” George remarked. “Full of surprises.”
After finishing their tea, she took him by the arm and eagerly pulled him toward the patio stairs. “Give me tour of the grounds, why don’t you?”
“I have just the spot.”
Leaving the veranda behind, the two friends strolled along a deserted path, marveling the sprawling estate grounds. The end of the trail brought them to a secluded gazebo, surrounded by desert vegetation. George held the glass-paned door open for her, and they both stepped inside, admiring the serene landscape in absolute solitude.
Jax shot a calculated look at her Captain of the Ducal Guard. “You will be able to relax out here, won’t you, George? You need the rest just as much as I do.”
“Not sure whether or not I should feel offended,” George said with a sour expression before a grin cracked across his face. “It has been a trying few months, to say the least.”
White-painted wood panels and glass panes separated Jax and George from the outside world, and she knew she could speak freely. “I hope you are taking Savant and Beautraud’s threats with as much salt as I am.”
George folded his hands. “You really think they don’t pose a threat? Even after what you’ve learned about Duke Savant’s anti-Saphire propaganda?”
“I’ll worry when their viewpoints spread to the other duchies. Duchess Tandora may be upset with me, but even she hasn’t formally switched alliances yet.” A shadow flitted across her refined features. “Even united, Savant and Beautraud’s forces would be crushed by the Saphirian army should they make a move to invade.”
George’s broad, muscled shoulders recoiled. “I hate to think this ends in war.”
Jax studied his face, troubled by the lines etched into his tan skin. In that moment, he looked older than his thirty-seven years. “I wish I could promise I will do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen, but—”
“But then where does that leave your cause?” George finished her statement. “I know it’s not just your cause, Jax,” he said softly before she could bite back. “I know it’s the right one. Of everyone in your court, I think I may be the one who understands it the most.”
She knew he referred to being common-born. George had enlisted in the Ducal Guard at age sixteen and had risen among the ranks due to his courage, loyalty, and intelligence. The Ducal Guard did not discriminate between common and noble birth, and Jax had only learned recently from George that he joined the Ducal Guard for that very reason. Among the soldiers, a man’s family heritage didn’t matter. Rewards were bestowed for strength of mind and body, not the origin of one’s blood.
“It just seems backward that it might take a war to set things right in the realm,” George continued, his expression grim.
Jax’s stomach tightened at the thought of war and bloodshed, all so that her people could be free to live life for themselves. “The time may come, but it is not today. Today,” she took his hand and motioned to the serene desert around them, “we bask in the light and enjoy the time we do have with friends.”
George ran his free hand over his shaved head and observed the scene with his own chocolate eyes. “Speaking of which, have you figured out how we are all going to reconnect?”
“Uma and Perry will have a reunion at lunch, and the rest will unfold from there.”
Doubt flickered across his handsome face.
“What’s wrong?” Having known George since she was nine years old, she could tell when something bothered him.
“Well…” he looked down at their entwined fingers, “Uma isn’t exactly a skilled actress, now, is she? Will the other guests buy her performance?”
Jax laughed. Indeed, Uma was notoriously reserved and quiet, even amongst her closest circle of friends. “I honestly think Uma is excited to get into character. She came up with the idea of the ‘coincidental’ run-in on her own.”
“Do you think she might be growing weary of being your lady-in-waiting and is hoping to secure a spot in Lady Giovanna’s new theater company?” George’s eyes twinkled.
“She wouldn’t be the first member of my royal court to show interest,” Jax clapped back. “I’m pretty certain I’ve walked in on Perry practicing a soliloquy to perform at the theater’s opening night.”
For his first official task as Prince Consort, Perry chose to oversee the construction of Saphire’s first grand theater, designed to rival every playhouse in the realm. The actress Lady Giovanna, daughter of a famed playwright,
had crafted her troupe’s first production, set to debut in a month’s time. Given that Perry was always on hand, checking on the construction progress, he’d been asked more than once to step in for a missing actor and enjoyed it immensely.
“Lucky for me,” George grunted, “all I have to do is straighten Lord Rapaste’s collars when we are in public.”
Jax released the Captain’s hand and jabbed him in the arm, forcing his feigned scowl to shatter. “You have it the easiest among us. I’m trying to blend in, but where’s the fun in that?”
“You did look like you were about to combust with questions for Ferran earlier.”
“I’m dying to know how he accrued such an extensive art collection. I thought I spied a rare Monteblanc on his walls. I could have sworn my grandfather purchased the only piece in existence a few summers ago.”
“You say that name like it means something to me.” George blushed at his failure to recognize a realm-renowned artisan.
“Monteblanc was one of the first famous painters of the Rebirth whose entire collection, save one canvas, went up in flames twenty years after his death,” Jax explained. “I wonder what Ferran paid my grandfather to part with it.”
“Perhaps you can find out at lunch. He seems to appreciate your interest in his home.”
Jax’s features fell into a concerned frown. “I just don’t want to draw too much attention to myself.”
George nudged her shoulder playfully. “I’m sure you’re tired of hearing this, but even in disguise, it’s impossible for you not to make an impression.”
Her cheeks warmed at his comment, but as she opened her mouth to respond, she saw Perry enter the small clearing.
Spotting them inside the windowed gazebo, Perry bounded up the steps and pulled open the glass door. “There you are! Took me a while to find where you’d gone to. This area is quite secluded from the rest of the estate.”
Jax nodded in agreement. “You were looking for me?”
“Well, I found two teacups abandoned on the porch…” His cheeks grew pink as he glanced down at his feet. “I thought something might have happened.”
“That I’d been whisked away by an abductor?” Jax rushed to his side, cupping his chin in her hand. “Oh, Perry. You must relax. We are safe. We haven’t been recognized. Try to enjoy yourself.”
His jaw muscles loosened as her words sunk in. “You’re right.”
She pulled her hand away. “Of course I am.”
Perry chuckled, his broad shoulders shaking.
George moved away from one of the large windows to stand at her side. “Are you ready to be Lady Victoire again?”
Steeling herself for the afternoon ahead, Jax gave her friends a flighty smile. “Lead the way, valet.”
Chapter Six
Jax followed her nose, the delightful smells of roasted pheasant leading her through the winding halls of the elaborate villa out onto yet another side patio on the opposite end of the house. The sun was just reaching its peak in the sky, the noontime rays thwarted by shade-providing wide umbrellas lining the long outdoor dining table. As Jax and Perry strolled onto the patio, their heads swiveled from side to side as they counted the guests present. Six unfamiliar faces gathered, taking their seats at various spots at the table.
“Where should we sit?” Perry whispered to her, under the guise of a kiss to the cheek.
“At the end, away from everyone else. I plan to stay away from people until you and Uma have established yourself as members of House Rapaste.”
Perry led the way and pulled out a chair for Jax, waiting for her to be seated before settling down next to her. She examined the other guests at the table with keen interest, grateful once more for the specially crafted tincture that obscured the natural amethyst color of her eyes. Without Charles’s skilled mastery of potions, Jax’s royal heritage would’ve been revealed the moment anyone met her gaze.
A few chairs down to her left, a couple conversed in hushed tones. Their ebony skin barely glistened with perspiration, indicating to Jax they were at home in the growing heat. The woman sat tall and formidable, her face a mural of sharp angles. Her long, dark hair sat coiled on her head like a viper waiting to strike. Something about her seemed familiar, but Jax could not quite place it. The woman’s companion was her opposite in almost every way: bald and round, his face kind and welcoming.
Across from the couple sat a pale man, profusely wiping sweat from his forehead. Thick, ashen hair covered his head, and he wore fine clothes of a texture much too heavy for the desert heat. Jax noted that he used a gold-embroidered handkerchief to dab away the river of perspiration dripping from his hooked nose.
The other three guests sat at the far side of the table, their faces turned away at angles that didn’t allow Jax to clearly make out their features. She kept her eyes facing forward as she heard the patio door swing open, followed by Uma’s intake of breath.
“Dear Virtues, brother? Is that you?”
Jax’s hand went reflexively to her mouth to cover a burst of brewing giggles. Never in her life had she heard Uma exhibit such a bubbly personality.
Perry, obviously taking his cue, jumped to his feet and rushed toward the newest arrivals. “Marsina? Dear sister, what a surprise to see you here!”
Marsina? Jax grimaced at her grandfather’s lack of imagination. Lady Marsina from Mensina had sounded ridiculous when she first read the travel papers her grandfather and his advisors had whipped up, and it still made her cringe.
“What a delight to see you and Victoire!” Uma gushed. “I had no idea you were coming here with your new bride. I would have arranged to go someplace else for my holiday.” The airiness of her tone almost had Jax believing she was an entirely different person.
“Nonsense. It will be wonderful to spend some time with you and our dear cousin, Barnaby. I’ve hardly seen you since you went off to the Academy, and I’m sure Victoire will delight in getting to know you better.” Perry kissed Uma on the cheek in such an exaggerated fashion that Jax heard some of the strangers at the table snicker. Obviously, Perry wouldn’t be winning any acting accolades anytime soon.
Jax turned her attention back to her friends and greeted Uma warmly, as if seeing her for the first time. “It will be wonderful for us all to spend time together. Barnaby, good to see you looking well.” Jax smiled at the fair-haired Hendrie, who looked uncomfortable in the searing heat. His fancy tunic was stained around the collar, no doubt with sweat. Since he’d been Perry’s valet long before the young men had ventured to Saphire, Hendrie stood with a regal grace that was second nature to a nobleman, even though he was of common birth.
“My lady,” Hendrie replied. The curl of his lips seemed forced, and Jax thought she detected a slight level of disgust in his manner. Proud of his heritage and an avid proponent of the equality Jax was trying to bring to the realm, she guessed Hendrie despised having to pretend to be a nobleman.
“Shall we sit? I’m sure lunch will be out soon.” Surprisingly, Uma took the lead and ushered the group to their seats. George and Vita followed in their shadows, unannounced and unintroduced, as one would expect for persons of their low rank.
Jax returned to her chair, a happy glow warming her heart. Surrounded by her friends, her hopes for a relaxing and enjoyable week multiplied.
“Excuse me, Your Lordship,” the man with the hooked nose said as he edged forward in his seat, his russet eyes on Perry. “I thought I’d kick things off by introducing myself, since it sounds like we will both be staying here a few days. I am Louis Bergoiuse.” He extended a palm, and Perry shook it.
“Greetings, sir. What brings you to the desert?” Perry asked after receiving a nudge from Jax.
“Work, I’m afraid.” Louis swiped his soiled handkerchief across his forehead once more. “I am a merchant, one of the few who has the proper papers to peddle my wares in Kwatalar.”
“Are you the official supplier for Ogdam Oasis?” Jax asked, eager to learn about the other guests staying at
the resort.
“I come here on occasion, but not so much in recent months. To be honest, I was surprised I received the requisition, but apparently an order of Soveignet chocolates had to be delivered posthaste.”
Jax’s stomach growled. Soveignet chocolates were widely believed to be some of the finest in the realm, and it was no secret the Duchess of Saphire was a great patron of the Hestian enterprise. A sense of foreboding rumbled within her along with her hunger. Had someone known she was planning to come here and sent her a message?
Abra, who had appeared from behind the patio doors just in time to hear Louis’ statement, flashed a tense smile. “We like to make sure our guests experience the best of the best. Monsieur Louis has been delivering Soveignets to us for many years.”
Relaxing at the comment, Jax found herself looking forward to the unexpected treat.
The merchant nodded in agreement. “I would have been here last week with the order, when there was a cold front across the region, but the supplier was running behind.” He dabbed at his sweaty brow, emphasizing his discomfort. “A continuous downfall of being a tradesman. You’re always relying on someone else to get their job done before your own work can begin.”
Next to her, Perry’s eyes assessed the well-dressed tradesman. “You deal with very high-end merchandise, Monsieur Louis.”
Louis’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, I inherited my father’s business. I wanted to become a chef, but alas, my path was laid out for me at birth. So, I try to incorporate my love of gourmet food into my wares.”
Jax offered the man a sympathetic look. She knew what it felt like to have your life’s direction decided by others.
“Well,” Perry continued, “My wife and I are delighted to meet your acquaintance. We weren’t sure if we’d have any company out here in the desert.”
Louis at last stuffed the golden handkerchief into his breast pocket. “I applaud you for journeying into this heat of your own free will. I’d much rather be lounging on the shores of the Kind Sea, but alas, I’ll take my respite where I can.”
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